The bonfire blazed, its dancing flames like frolicking spirits, casting an orange-red glow on the faces of the people around. Several individuals, exhilarated, linked arms and formed a circle, joyfully swaying their bodies around the fire. Simultaneously, rousing and cheerful music began to play, as if injecting endless vitality into the revelry.
Yoizumi, however, stood quietly a little further away from the bonfire. Although the bonfire provided warmth, for him, with his lower body temperature, the high heat of the flames was still a bit unbearable. So, he chose to maintain a certain distance from the scorching fire source to feel comfortable and at ease.
Yoizumi stood silently amidst the crowd, his gaze slowly sweeping over the people whose faces were beaming with bright smiles. Yet, his own heart remained tranquil, without a ripple. This feast was clearly held especially for him, but for some reason, he couldn't feel the slightest impact of the surrounding joyous atmosphere, as if all the lively commotion had nothing to do with him.
He knew deep down that in everyone's eyes, he had never been a popular person. Past experiences and memories were like heavy shackles, tightly binding his heart. He recalled the looks of disgust, scorn, and even fear he had once endured; every cold expression and heartless word pierced his soul like a sharp blade.
But, deep within those unfathomable, dark memories, like surging undercurrents, there was a faint yet dazzling glimmer of light—a presence as warm and bright as the sun. It was like a ray of hope, piercing through the endless dark sea, showering upon him and pointing him in the direction to move forward.
Could he accept it?
Could he join?
Could he understand?
Yoizumi didn't understand... Just then, Komatsuse took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and walked towards Yoizumi, gently extending her right hand to him in a sincere invitation.
"Mr. Yoizumi! May I have this dance with you?" Her gaze was fixed on Yoizumi, a hint of nervousness and anticipation in her eyes.
Yoizumi stared intently at the hand reaching out to him, his heart wavering. Just then, a voice suddenly came from the crowd: "Hey! Komatsuse, don't think you can monopolize Yoizumi!" This shout was like a clap of thunder, breaking the originally harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
The people singing and dancing around the bonfire stopped their movements upon hearing this, quickly gathering around Yoizumi. In the blink of an eye, Yoizumi was completely surrounded by the crowd, packed in tightly.
Komatsuse stomped her foot in frustration; Mr. Yoizumi had been swayed just now! She was so close to holding his hand!
"Komatsuse, I'll dance with you!" Ishii Kawa immediately walked to her side and said.
"I don't want to."
He was rejected very decisively.
"Eh..." Ishii Kawa's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, then his eyes filled with rage as he looked at Yoizumi. It was all this pretty boy's fault; Komatsuse only rejected him because of him.
Memories of the past surged like a tide. There was once a similar group of people who had surrounded him, but their faces were blurred and indistinct. He could only see their grotesque, twisted expressions and hear the harsh words that came from their mouths, piercing his heart like sharp arrows.
"Monster!"
"Disgusting demon!"
...These malicious words echoed in his ears. Yoizumi painfully closed his eyes, trying to bury that unbearable memory deep within his heart. However, just as he was immersed in the shadows of the past, unable to extricate himself, a warm and kind call pulled him back to reality.
"Mr. Yoizumi, come join us!"
"Don't always be so cold-faced, come join us!"
"Enjoy this wonderful time with us!"
Yoizumi slowly opened his eyes, and what met his gaze were no longer malicious and disgusted faces, but rather smiling faces filled with kindness, joy, and enthusiasm. At this moment, he felt an unprecedented power surging within his heart, seemingly capable of dispelling all darkness and gloom.
Perhaps one day he too would show such a smile.
Yoizumi thought this.
Clumsily following the movements of others, stiffly swaying his body, Yoizumi finally gave up. He really couldn't blend in with this. Quietly staying to the side could also be considered another way of joining this extraordinarily lively activity.
The others understood as well; they wouldn't force him to do things he wasn't good at.
As dusk fell, even the most energetic people grew tired, and the welcome party was about to end.
"Goodbye, Mr. Yoizumi."
"Goodbye."
"Let's play together again sometime!"
Everyone exchanged farewells, then turned and walked away at different paces towards their warm homes. The once bustling small square, filled with laughter and joy, gradually quieted down as people left. However, just as this tranquility was about to fully descend, a sudden sharp, piercing scream abruptly shattered the peace.
"Help!" This scream, like a sharp sword, instantly cut through the air, hitting everyone's eardrums directly.
Hearing this sudden shriek, Yoizumi and the other people nearby were startled. They immediately, without hesitation, rushed towards the direction of the sound.
When Yoizumi and the others hurried to the scene, the sight before them made them gasp. Lying on the ground was a person, none other than the first one who had waved goodbye to him with a smiling face. But now, this person was lifeless, their vibrant life seemingly drained away in an instant.
Upon closer inspection, the person's abdomen had been brutally pierced, a gruesome and terrifying bloody hole was shocking to behold, with blood continuously gushing out and staining the surrounding ground. Even more chilling was that one of his arms was missing, leaving only an empty sleeve gently swaying in the breeze, as if narrating the tragic scene that had just occurred.
Ghost.
Yoizumi immediately sensed the faint ghostly aura here.
Yoizumi clenched his fists tightly. Due to the excessive force, his palms were pierced by his fingernails, and drops of bright red blood seeped out, flowing down his fingers. A huge wave of regret surged into his heart, engulfing him entirely.
"Why did I let my guard down?" Yoizumi murmured, his voice filled with pain and self-reproach. If he hadn't been careless at that moment, perhaps this person wouldn't have died tragically at the hands of this evil spirit.
However, at this moment, no amount of regret was of any use. Yoizumi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He told himself that he must keep a clear head and absolutely not make the same mistake again. After all, being in such a dangerous situation now, even a slight oversight could lead to more innocent lives being lost.
Recalling carefully, this evil spirit seemed quite similar to the one he had encountered before; it was highly possible they both possessed the ability to conceal their aura and whereabouts. Even if he had been in a relatively relaxed state at the time, he should not have been completely unaware of its approach.
He knew that many people were gathered here, and if he couldn't quickly deal with this evil spirit, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, no matter what, he had to do his utmost to protect everyone here and absolutely not let tragedy repeat itself!