{ No matter how much you suffer, please... return to us safely. }
How beautiful it is to find the place where your heart finally rests. Truly... it is a paradise on earth.
Minutes turned into hours, hours into days, and days into months.
About three months had passed, and things were somewhat peaceful. Maria visited Rina at every opportunity to teach her the essentials of cooking. Yara would also come every weekend evening to teach Rina things she hadn't mastered yet. More than that, she had become a close friend; her visits filled the house with laughter and joy.
As for Kenjin, he began making brief visits to Rina's house almost every day after returning from work. This was despite Rina's constant persistence, urging him to stay longer. Ever since Maria had shared Kenjin's past with her, Rina saw him in a clearer, better light. His behavior, his actions, even the way he spoke—she began to understand him well and knew exactly how to draw him out of his shell of formal and serious talk.
Mayar had started school and made new friends, both from her class and among the neighbors.
But as they say, nothing stays the same forever...
Rina's House
20:12 PM
Rina was setting the dinner table with Yara, who had decided to stay the night since she was often alone in her own home.
"The food smells delicious," Yara remarked.
"Indeed," Rina replied. "I think Madam Maria's lessons are finally showing results."
"I believe so. Anyway, I'm going to go pick up Mayar from Fatima's."
"I'll finish setting the table, just go ahead," Yara said.
Rina stepped out and locked the door behind her.
A few moments passed. As Yara sat on the chair waiting for Rina's return, she felt as though someone was in the next room.
"Is... is someone there? Mayar, is that you?"
But there was no answer.
"I must be imagining things," she muttered to herself. "I'll just go back to my seat and—"
CRASH!
The sound of a glass shattering in the kitchen echoed through the house. Yara's heart nearly stopped from sheer terror. She bolted toward the door just as Rina opened it, Mayar by her side. Rina immediately noticed how Yara was trembling, her face pale with fright. She thought someone had attacked the house, but...
"What happened?" Rina asked urgently.
"The ro—the room..." Yara stammered. "There was a sound... someone... the glass fell."
"Just breathe slowly first, then tell me what happened."
"There was... there was a ghost in the house."
"A ghost?" Rina repeated, stunned.
"What on earth is going on here?"