Chapitre 125: Chapter 125: The Doll of Red Castle part 3
That day, the girl went to the department store holding her mother's hand. For a girl who always seemed to be cooped up and encountered scary-looking men, going downtown was an immensely joyful occasion.
Dressed in a polka-dot dress her father bought her for her birthday last year and white shoes, the girl, looking like a doll with her platinum blonde hair, wandered around the department store with excitement. She wasn't interested in the cosmetics corner on the first floor, but while her mother was buying something necessary, a loud noise caught the girl's ear.
Startled, the girl turned her head to see a black Cadillac Escalade crashing through the glass front door of the department store.
The glass shattered, and the men around her mother drew guns from their coats. The men surrounding her mother fell helplessly as they were hit by a hail of bullets from the machine gun pouring out of the car's open window.
The remaining men, shocked, dragged her fallen mother behind the wall of the cosmetics corner to take cover. Countless innocent shoppers fell, bleeding from the bullets raining down from the car.
After a moment, as the car continued to spit out bullets, the gunfire stopped. Men with menacing looks stepped over the broken glass window and entered.
The men trying to protect the mother to the end fired their handguns, but they were outnumbered. Approaching while firing their machine guns, the men managed to shoot one of the protectors in the forehead even as he tried to shield the mother, spilling blood.
The terrified mother, after locking eyes with the daughter hiding in another section, stopped screaming. The mother, seeing her daughter, gave a sad smile just before a bullet fired from the scary man's gun burst in flames towards her.
The men coldly laughed as they looked down on the mother bleeding out without even closing her eyes. Even in death, the mother did not take her eyes off her daughter, just smiling at her as if to be remembered with a smiling face in her last moment.
The girl left alone was engulfed in the deep darkness of the abyss. She looked around with a frightened expression, but the space filled with darkness offered no helping hand.
Scared, the girl ran forward mindlessly. She fell to the ground, tearing her pretty dress and wounding her legs, but she couldn't stop running. She felt as if the scary men who killed her mother would kill her the moment she looked back.
The girl's face was covered in sweat as she ran through the endless dark space. Her fine platinum blonde bangs stuck to her forehead, and her large tear-stained eyes looked pitiful.
In the distance, a light appeared in the girl's large eyes. Seeing the light, the girl poured all her strength into running even faster towards it.
As the light got closer and its shape became clearer, the girl's eyes widened.
The light was shining from behind a man. Only the silhouette of the man was visible due to the light. He was tall, though shorter than fathers or uncles, but still a considerably large man. The girl felt that she must go to him to live.
Her legs trembled, but she ran as hard as she could until the man's face appeared in front of her.
A beautiful man with a pale face, jet-black hair, deep eyes, thick eyebrows, and lips that seemed about to bleed looked at her with a soft smile and reached out his hand. The girl leapt and grabbed the man's hand.
With a start, Kiska woke up from her bed as if sprung from it. She gasped for breath as if she couldn't believe it was just a dream and clutched her left chest with her hand, worriedly looked upon by her governess.
"Miss Kiska. Did you have a nightmare again?"
Kiska, propping herself up in bed, gasped for air. The governess, looking at her with pity, approached and touched Kiska's shoulder.
"Ah, my poor lady. How do you live having such nightmares every day?"
The governess said as she peeled the sweaty hair from her forehead.
"It's just a dream, miss. It's all over now. So, don't worry."
The governess, still patting the unsettled Kiska's back, teared up.
"Poor child. It's been four years of having nightmares every morning."
Knock, knock.
Hearing a knock from outside, the governess went to the door and opened it. A short blond, burly man peeked inside the door.
"Is the young lady awake?"
After glancing at Kiska, the governess nodded slightly, and the man said,
"The boss is calling for her. Bring her to the study when she's ready."
After the governess nodded and closed the door, she turned to Kiska and said,
"Your father is looking for you. Please wash up and change your clothes."
Kiska sighed heavily and got out of bed. The girl, still in her cute pajamas, looked indifferently at the governess while fiddling with her pajama top.
"Ah, must be uncomfortable with all the sweat, right? I'll bring you fresh clothes, so please go shower first."
The governess watched as the girl looked down at her pajamas for a moment before heading into the shower room, then shook her head.
"It would've been less pitiful if she had cried after such a terrifying dream... What to do about such sorrow..."
---
"Her name is Kiska, right? She's ten years old?"
"Yes, that's right. A daughter we had in our later years, so she's very precious to us."
Geon was having tea with Gregory, inquiring about Kiska.
"She cried after watching a commercial? Was there ever such a reaction before?"
Gregory exhaled smoke from his cigar, shaking his head.
"Nothing of the sort. She's still young and hasn't been exposed to much media. Even when she watched emotional movies before, she just sat there like a expressionless doll. I was quite surprised to see her tears after watching your video. Just in case, I showed it to her again the next day, and she was glued to it once more. Didn't cry, but still."
"Hmm, I see."
"It's curious, and I'm glad to see a change in her emotions, so I left the tablet PC playing the video with only the music audible. She's always acted as if she hears nothing, regardless of the music. That's why I asked Daniel for help."
"Yes, I've heard a bit about that from Mr. Daniel. Did her mother ever expose her to music before she passed? If you remember anything that could be a hint, please let me know anytime."
Gregory closed his eyes as if trying to recall but soon shook his head.
"My wife loved painting in her lifetime. The paintings and sculptures displayed on the first floor were all collected by her. I'm not much into that kind of stuff. I wouldn't know about guns, but music wasn't her thing, not the type to seek it out and listen. Even the grand piano in the annex was bought more for its looks."
Knock, knock.
Hearing a knock from outside, Gregory quickly snuffed out his cigar in the ashtray, waved his hand to clear the smoke, and then spoke in a dignified voice,
"Come in."
A short blond-haired man opened the door slightly, not looking inside as he spoke,
"Boss, I've brought the young lady."
"Come in."
As the door opened further, a beautiful doll-like girl with platinum blonde hair down to her waist appeared. With large eyes and pale skin, she looked like a doll that could not be found anywhere else in the world.
Gregory, with a full smile, approached the girl and opened his arms to hug her.
"Our Kiska, did you sleep well?"
Though Gregory hugged her warmly, the girl's expression remained unchanged. Gregory, familiar with Kiska's lack of response, simply smiled and held his daughter's hand as he approached Geon.
Geon had been waiting on the couch and stood up as Gregory approached with Kiska. Seeing the incredibly cute girl, Geon smiled warmly.
Kiska knew her father was hugging her since morning, a routine event, so she showed no reaction.
Her father led her by the hand to the couch as usual. That's when she noticed someone rising from the couch. Slightly wary of the new man, her gaze met his.
A pale face.
Jet-black hair.
Bright red lips.
Thick eyebrows and a prominent nose.
A shining smile.
It was the man who appeared at the end of her dreams every night, extending his hand to her in the light. Kiska forcefully shook off her father's hand. Gregory looked down at her, surprised by her reaction. The girl clenched her small fists and ran into Geon's arms.
"What?"
Geon looked confused, peering down at the girl who had clung to his leg and hugged him. Surprised, Gregory looked at Geon, unable to close his mouth in shock.
Geon looked back at the girl and then sought Gregory's permission with his eyes. Gregory, coming to his senses, nodded, and Geon picked up the girl by her armpits and hugged her.
The girl clung to Geon's neck, not letting go. Watching the girl hug Geon as if she had found a long-lost owner, Gregory met Geon's eyes and chuckled.
"This has a bigger effect than I thought. Even my own daughter doesn't hug me like this."
Geon patted the girl's back and said,
"She seems like a very affectionate child. Is she sick?"
"Ha, you'd think. I'm also baffled. Sit down, it must be tiring standing."
Geon sat on the couch with Kiska in his arms, and Gregory, fascinated by the unfamiliar sight of his daughter, stood there watching his daughter's back for a while before speaking.
"Daniel mentioned you haven't found a place to live yet, right? Would you consider staying at my place until you find one?"
Geon looked around, a bit surprised by the offer.
"Here? You mean, to live?"
Gregory slightly shook his head and explained,
"More precisely, in my guesthouse. This place might be a bit uncomfortable for you. I heard you've been looking for a secure home since there's been a delay due to the search for a place with proper security."
"Yes, that's right. Ever since that stalking incident, I've been a bit more concerned about security."
Gregory pointed to the windows barricaded with iron bars and bulletproof glass, laughing.
"Is there another house in America with security as tight as mine?"
Geon looked outside at the sight Gregory was pointing at: men in black suits carrying machine guns and patrolling the perimeter. Geon chuckled.
"Ha... Well, that's true..."
Gregory, holding onto Geon's shoulder with a firm grip, said,
"I ask you. I won't hold you here after you find a place. But until then, could you stay at my place?"
Geon, observing the surroundings once again, smiled and nodded,
"It seems like a good offer. Thank you, I appreciate it."
Gregory led Geon to the annex on the right side of his mansion. This single-story detached space was filled with the red hues of cyclamens that bloom in winter and had a garden resembling a white temple from Greek mythology. Standing beside Geon, Gregory said, "Do you know the Parthenon Temple in Athens, Greece? It was where my wife and I went on our honeymoon. I wanted to replicate the Electra Palace Athens hotel where we stayed. But the ground here was too weak to support a four-story building like that hotel. It was regrettable, but we had to settle for a single-story building. My wife loved this place before she left. She personally planted the cyclamens."
Geon, holding Kiska's hand with a neutral expression, smiled down at her. Bending one knee to meet Kiska's eyes, Geon gestured towards the house and said, "Kiska, shall we go play over there?"
With an impassive face, Kiska turned her large eyes to look at the house. Gregory crossed his arms and clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
"She won't go. After her mother left, she refused to enter the annex. It has the most memories of her mother. She used to always play in that garden."
As Geon, who had been looking down at Kiska, caught her gaze, her large eyes met with his. Geon stood up and slowly walked into the garden, and Kiska's feet moved slightly but then stopped in place. Gregory sighed in resignation, and just then,
The sunlight reflecting off the windows illuminated Geon's figure amidst the blossoming cyclamens, as if he was the source of the light. Kiska's eyes trembled narrowly, and with a broad smile, Geon reached out to her, shouting, "Kiska! Come here! Let's play!"
As if following a path of light out of the abyss, Kiska saw her brother with the same smile, extending his hand. Kiska's small, adorable feet moved, one step at a time. Seeing Kiska slowly approach, Gregory's eyes widened. Suddenly, with her small fists clenched, Kiska began to run.
"Goodness!! Kiska!"
Gregory exclaimed as Kiska ran past him into the flowerbed, grabbed Geon's offered hand, and hugged him. Geon laughed, kneeling down to embrace her.
"Ouch! Kiska, if you hug too tight, it'll hurt. Ha-ha."
Geon, holding Kiska, who was trembling slightly in his arms, stopped laughing and looked serious. He nodded to Gregory, who was watching them from afar with a shocked expression. Gregory quickly came to his senses and ran into the garden.
"What's going on, Kiska? You've never entered this house before?"
After lifting Kiska and standing up, Geon extended a hand and said, "Don't keep asking the child for explanations. There's a limit to what she can explain with her vocabulary. Moreover, children often act spontaneously without organizing their thoughts. Constantly asking for explanations might be normal for children who can rationalize, but for kids like Kiska, it can be harmful."
Gregory seemed to agree with Geon's point, saying, "Is that so? Have you studied child psychology?"
"Ha-ha, no. I'm just speaking from my own childhood emotions. I too couldn't explain many of the dreams I had to adults."
Hearing the word "dream" near her ear, Kiska felt like laughing, thinking her brother also dreamt and met her in those dreams.
"Gasp!! K, Kiska! Kiska is smiling, Kay! Look! K, Kiska is smiling!"
Seeing Kiska's small smile, Gregory pointed and shouted. Geon, without looking at Kiska, continued, "Don't be surprised by minor actions. Otherwise, the child might stop doing things that surprise you. Just treat it as part of her daily life. Keep the surprise to yourself."
Regaining his composure, Gregory lowered his hand. The sight of his daughter, still in Geon's arms and fixing her gaze on his face, felt slightly bitter to him as he muttered, "I'm envious that her smiles aren't for me. Sigh."
"Ha-ha, you'll see them eventually. Let's go inside, oh dear, Kiska is heavy. Is it because she's ten? It's hard for brother, ha-ha."
At Geon's remark about her weight, Kiska blushed slightly and kicked her feet as if asking to be put down. Geon laughed and set her down, meeting her eyes. Kiska turned her head slightly, her face red with embarrassment. Geon pinched Kiska's cheek gently and said,
"Ha-ha, the little lady is already feeling shy? Shall we go inside with brother?"
Gregory, about to shout at the sight of Kiska turning her head and blushing, stopped himself with his hand over his mouth.
"My goodness! You've just met, and you're already showing your feelings? Something I couldn't achieve in four years?"
Holding Kiska's hand, Geon turned to Gregory at the door and said, "Could you open the door, Gregory?"
"Ah! It's open, this is also my house, haha."
"Ah! Right, of course! I forgot we're in a different building, ha-ha. Shall we go in, Kiska?"
Kiska stood at the door, tapping the ground with the tip of her foot. Seeing this, Geon kneeled down again to meet Kiska's eyes, which now looked a bit anxious. With a comforting smile, he softly said, "Is it okay? Should we not go in?"
Instead of simply reassuring her, Geon sought Kiska's opinion. He believed that forcibly reassuring her would only be imposing adult emotions on her. Geon quietly watched Kiska's eyes, waiting for her response. Without any special reaction, but still looking anxious, he took her hand and stood up, walking back into the garden. Gregory, watching silently, asked,
"Aren't we going in?"
Holding Kiska's hand and walking towards the flowerbed, Geon replied, "It seems she's not ready yet. Come, Kiska, let's play here in the garden. See the swing over there? Let's go swing."
Noticing a white iron swing amidst the sprawling flowerbed, Geon took Kiska's hand and approached it. Kneeling down to meet her eyes again, he asked, "Kiska, want to try the swing? It'll be fun if brother pushes. What do you say?"
Kiska, without any reaction, just looked into Geon's eyes. Understanding, Geon smiled as if agreeing and said, "Alright, let's do it!"
Geon lifted Kiska onto the swing, and Gregory asked with a puzzled look, "What are you doing? Kiska has been expressionless the whole time. What makes you think she agreed?"
As Geon went behind the seated Kiska to push the swing, he explained, "Her eyes become anxious when she dislikes something. She was expressionless when I asked about the swing. I take that as a sign she's not against it."
"Really? You seem to understand our Kiska better than I, her father, do."
"Ha-ha, hardly. I'm not certain myself. You should still consult a professional. I'm not a child psychology expert. Wrong actions based on adults' common sense could worsen the child's condition."
"We're already on it. A child psychologist visits twice a week for two-hour sessions of play therapy."
As Geon continued to push Kiska's swing, he asked, "Did the expert give any specific advice?"
Gregory rubbed his chin, saying, "We need to watch for signs of childhood depression. She's too young for antidepressants, so the focus is on family and psychological therapy. There's no biochemical or genetic cause, just environmental depression."
"Has there been any change in Kiska after starting therapy?"
"Of course. She wouldn't even leave her room before. It took over a year of therapy before she could even wander around the house and garden."
"That's progress, at least. Professional help is definitely necessary. If the doctor says anything different, please let me know. I'll keep it in mind."
"Sure, I'll inform you."
"Then, Gregory, shall we go inside? I'll stay with the child."
"Eh? You want me to leave? Why?"
"I want to give the child a comfortable environment to play. You'll be watching anyway, right?"
Geon gestured towards the numerous CCTV cameras installed around.
"There are over ten just in the garden, and inside the house too, right?"
"That's correct."
"Then don't worry and go about your business. I'll take care of playing with Kiska."
"Is that alright? Oh! Perhaps that's better."
"Ha-ha, it seems like you have a lot to do. Please go ahead."
"Alright, then. This is my business card, in case you need to reach me."
Taking the golden business card Gregory offered, Geon chuckled and said, "Such a fancy business card, ha-ha."
Gregory, with an embarrassed smile, said, "Keep it well. If you ever run into trouble in some back alley, showing it might scare off the thugs. Haha. Then, I'll leave you to it."
After Gregory left, Geon quietly pushed Kiska's swing for a while before slowly speaking up, "Signal me when you want to stop."
Kiska, still enjoying the swing without any signal, finally lifted her index finger after a while. Noticing her signal, Geon smiled and said, "Is that a signal? Ha-ha, thanks. Let's stop then."
Geon gently stopped the swing and waited a moment to ensure Kiska wasn't dizzy before helping her down. Approaching Kiska, he kneeled to meet her eyes and pointed towards the door, asking, "Want to go inside now?"
Kiska looked at the door with large eyes. This time, though her eyes seemed a bit shaky, the anxiety that was previously evident seemed absent. Letting go of her hand, Geon moved toward the door alone. Left behind, Kiska fiddled with her hands, seemingly unsure what to do next as she watched Geon's back. Then, standing at the door and looking back at Kiska, Geon extended his hand with a bright smile.
Without saying a word, Kiska ran toward Geon with a smile and let him lift her up.
"That's it! Let's go inside!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone