"...hey grandpa, I'm here at the hospital. Lyde's still unconcious though."
[I see... How about your mom? Has she called yet?]
"N-No. She hasn't... You know, she's probably busy, pregnant and all."
[Tsk, your mother... I swear, that woman is---ugh, just look after your brother there. I'll make sure to finish all the job here at the shop before I drop by there tomorrow.]
"Alright grandpa, take care."
[You too, sweetie]
*End call.*
Grandpa has been expecting mom to call me about Lyde, she already saw my message online but she probably haven't read it at all. Well, I don't want to concern her more than anything right now, she's got a new family that needs her anyway.
I sat down at the chair near Lyde's bed, looking at his face right now is no different from a mirror, but seeing all the bruises on his face still makes me uneasy. "Who could've done such a thing to you?" I set aside the hair strands hanging on his face.
Looking back, Lyde and I barely know much about each other. It was only recent that I moved in with Grandpa and Lyde after mom got remarried, and we've only ever talked and laughed about simple things. If only I had known sooner, then maybe things won't be like this? Maybe not.
It's already been a week now since Lyde fell into this coma, the doctor's said their unsure when he's going to wake up but I believe he will soon. After visiting hours, I went home right away to make dinner for me and grandpa.
Then as I walked pass by windows and mirrors on the street, I kept seeing Lyde's reflection through mg own face. His saddened face tells me there's something I need to know, this has been haunting me ever since he got hospitalized.
On the subway, we've stared at each other as it made me recall the investigator's statement upon Lyde's situation. I can remember Grandpa looking upset while that police officer told us...
"The scene occured at a blinc corner area, there wasn't any witness to question either."
"Are you telling me there's nothing you can do here!?"
"...I'm afraid so."
"Goodness, then what use are you!..."
Although the police officer promised us that he will keep investigating, it felt nothing more than just an empty promise. Grandpa can only sigh at the time and tell me one thing, "It's a cruel world out there, Lynn... Be careful not to end up like your brother."
That's just not fair. How can these cruelty happen for no good reason? Why can someone be so cruel to another person? Why can't those police officers find the damn culprit?!
Before I know it, I felt a tear running down my right cheek. I quickly wiped it off and ran all the way home, I went to Lyde's room and sat on his bed, trying to calm myself from these recurring thoughts.
"There's gotta be something... There must be something!" Then I tried looking through Lyde's stuff, his drawers, bags, and notes... There was barely anything that can help me at all. I was hoping I could find his phone, but it was nowhere to be found. It probably got stolen by the time he got beaten.
"Damn it..." After all that rummaging, I was left with a pile of mess to clean up after. I tried putting back his clothes in his drawer and hid the other things in his closet, and my eyes darted on the chess board.
"Chess..." Lyde loves to play this game with grandpa, there was that time I tried to play with him but I don't really understand how the mechanics work.
I pulled the board out of the closet and noticed how heavy it feels, surely the pieces for this game doesn't weight THIS much.
What can possibly be inside this?
[ If Player choose NOT TO OPEN the chess board, game ends. If Player choose TO OPEN the chess board, game continues]
"Hmm..." I unlocked the latch of the chess board and found more than just chess pieces, inside it was a few papers filled with doodles of flying birds and a broken phone with a small note taped on it.
Bastard Keto broke my phone
Set appointment to fix phone.
"...Keto." I remember Lyde mentioning that name a couple of times before, and he'd complain about him most of the time. "That guy, maybe he's got to do something with Lyde!" This must be it! The first clue... but how can I look into this further?
"What can I do about this? Tell me..." I got up and stared at the picture hanging on the wall, it was a picture of Lyde and grandpa together, the light in this room made the glass of the picture frame reflect my own face.
An absurb idea struck my head, it's just so ridiculous but... It might just work.
After I made dinner, Grandpa got back home looking exhausted from working at his shop. But his eyes widened when he saw me at the kitchen, "Lynn! Why'd you cut your hair?"
I smiled as I fixed the plates on the table, "Ah, this? I just thought of changing a few things... How does it look?"
"...you, you look just like Lyde."
"Really?"
"Yeah, uhm, I guess both of you and Lyde are real identical." Grandpa sat down, looking a bit worried.
"Is it bothering you, grandpa?" I asked, maybe this was a bad idea after all.
"N-No!... But if it's what makes you feel better, then I guess it's alright." It made me feel relieved that Grandpa thought of it that way.
The next day, Grandpa has left earlier to work, leaving me with time to dress in Lyde's uniform. As I finished buttoning my shirt, the way I appeared in the mirror was strikingly similar to Lyde. "It's as if nothing ever happened to you..." I uttered.
I took Lyde's school bag with me to go to his school, it's about time I take this matter with my own hands... and meet Keto.