The first floor consisted of a living room, kitchen, downstairs bathroom and stairs to the basement. Then walking in the basement the walls were white. At first it looked more like a research lab than a basement but it was basement made in a research lab space. Just the same as in our old home. A big table with a sink, a safe cabinet for experiments, glass shelves and standard book shelves by the walls.

  My mom even got the books that were always there. A lot of them were missing. Of course... A lot was Sano’s. He must have taken them away with him. But it looked just about the same as in our home back in Ryui.

  I didn’t linger there for too long and turned around. Then upstairs were bedrooms. A total two of them. Each had a separate bathroom and closet space. One was filled with all mom’s stuff and the other was filled with mine. With all my stuff that I left behind in my room in Ryui. Some things still were in the boxes. Others were out in the closet. Or placed neatly around the room. I didn’t touch anything. I turned around to walk back downstairs.

  I finished exploring the house I found my mom in the living room on her laptop typing away. She was working.

  “Another case?” I asked as I saw the pile of documents next to her.

  “This one? I am consulting so it’s not really my case.” She explained.

  That made me raise an eyebrow.

  “You’re not on a case?” I honestly was surprised because my mother was a workaholic sometimes working on multiple cases at the same time.

  “Yeah. I took a break while I settled here.” She answered me.

  “So you're still gonna be traveling away?” I was conflicted.

  “Not as often as before.” She nodded.

  “I guess…you can’t drop your job completely for me and not that you have to.” I said to her, slightly giving a smile for the first time this whole evening.

  “I…” She wanted to say something but I brushed her off.

  “I will move in. Though, I will still stay in the dorms when I want to.” I said to my mom.

  Her smile suddenly brightened as she put her laptop aside and came to hug me.

  This type of thing was unusual from her but I knew that she was only trying to be closer to her daughter. I hugged her back.

  “You know, maybe we should have dinner and invite your friends?” My mom suggested.

  “Ah? You probably want to meet Shin. Do you?” I asked her knowingly.

  We caught up with things and I told her about my life here.

  “Would that be bad?” She asked not completely sure if I was confident to ask him here.

  “But I also would like to see your friends!” She smiled at me.

  I moved to wash my hands. My mom followed me to the kitchen.

  “I don’t know mom. He is actually the only person that I am close to. I am not good at making friends.” I said to her as I reached for the soap.

  My mom was standing by the fridge. Looking at me.

  “You need to be a little more outgoing! Don’t study all the time!” She said to me seriously.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Usually parents are supposed to say the opposite.” I chuckled as I reached for a towel.

  “Yeah but you have worked so much since you were young. I never liked that.” It wasn’t the first time she said her opinion.

  “Saying a mother who set that example.” I said eying her.

  “I know but I keep worrying. I want you to lead a life that is not as lonely as mine!” My mom said, referring to how her work has pushed everything else aside.

  “You should’ve shown me a different way then.” I shrugged my shoulders. I looked around the room and asked my mom a question. “Why buy? Why not rent. I might be in this city only temporarily till I graduate.” I eyed her turning the conversation in a different direction.

  “That’s what’s weird. Renting doesn’t exist here.” My mom told me.

  “Doesn’t exist here?” I eyed her. Not understanding what she meant.

  “Yeah, I looked into it and none of the people rent here. I had to go through such security to get to this place. Background checks and all.” She explained.

  That did intrigue me.

  “Background checks…”

  “I guess money and having a good background is a must here.” She said to me sort of proudly that she had gone through all that and passed.

  “Such high standards.” I nodded.

  “It makes me more impressed that you got invited to study at a place like that!” My mom smiled.

  “Did you know of Akasia before I started to study here?” I was interested in what she would say.

  “I did.” She answered. “Sano used to live here!” She said something I did not know.

  “He didn’t ever mention that to me!” I was surprised.

  “It was a long time ago when he spoke about it. He had a really bad relationship with his brother and it is somewhere where he strictly would never go back.” She told me.

  “Wait…his family lives here?” I looked at her intrigued.

  “It’s been around twenty years since so I can’t really confirm if they do.”

  “What’s his name from before you got married?” I asked her very interested in this.

  “Evans…” She answered me and her face looked like she didn’t want to answer more of these questions so I decided to stop there.

  Sano Evans was his name before he married my mom.

  I should look up anyone with that name here. Yes, definitely!

  I actually wasn’t surprised that I didn’t know this. I’ve asked him this before but every time he told me not to ask those questions. As I did trust him so much I didn’t question it. Somehow I feel like I should have questioned him more.

  While I was thinking this a ringtone interrupted. The sound of a phone ringing. What surprised me was that someone was calling me. I never got calls. The only person who did call me was standing in front of me. Shin always texted me.

  I moved over to find my jacket that was placed inside a pocket of my coat that was hung by the wall close to the entrance. I glanced at the caller ID.

  A number I didn’t recognise.

  “Hello?” Once I picked the phone I asked.

  “Hey! Rory, do you remember me?” A voice I only have heard once spoke on the other side. His tone of voice was as if he had just called an old friend. I recognised his voice from the time he approached me.

  “Itsuki!” My eyes slightly darkened as I said that.

  “Did you find out what trap is laid out for you?” Itsuki asked in a genuine, curious voice.

  “How did you get my number?” I asked him instead of answering his question.

  “You do have records here don’t you?” His voice was rather daring. Hinting very casually that he has access to my number though records. By here he probably meant Akasia.

  “What is your reason to call me like this?” I couldn’t help but feel rather frustrated.

  “Is that the question you want me to answer?” He asked with a similar tone that Yuji tended to speak to me but his amusement felt different. I sensed he was curious how I would respond to him. Like he was giving me answers and questions at the same time and he wanted me to pick that up.

  “I am here to help you out to see the game that’s on the play.” Itsuki kept talking in riddles.

  I did not answer his question for a while contemplating just hanging up the phone. Itsuki seemed to sense this so he kept on giving me an answer to a question I asked but not in a clear answer. Though every word he spoke told me something is happening but not what I think it is.

  “A game? I really don’t understand what you are suggesting.“

  “He really has kept you in the dark, huh?” His voice changed suddenly.

  “What is your deal?” I asked him.

  I heard him sigh on the other side of the phone.

  “Oh, Rory, this changes things! Will talk to you later.” Itsuki said abruptly and then the line disconnected.

  I was left there standing all confused.

  Who is that guy? Questions swarmed in my mind as I tried to figure out.

  “Who was that?” My mom looked at me when I entered the kitchen again.

  “It was someone I met the other day.” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

  “By the look you had I wouldn’t say it’s a friend.” She observed me. I shook my head.

  “He is new here but way too friendly.” I told her.

  I didn't think this situation was anything that my mother should be concerned about. I like to solve this by myself as soon as I can and the best way for me right now is just simply to keep gathering information.