12 Run!

Feeling sleepy, she almost took a nap under the tree, not until Su Daiyu came and called her, "Sarah! I'm sorry, did you wait long?"

Startled, she instantly opened her eyes, shaking her head slowly as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Yawning, she stood up and said, "No, don't worry. By the way, what should I do? I've finished picking up all of the mushrooms."

"Eh? Did you finish already?" Su Daiyu looked at Sarah in surprise, glancing at Sarah's baskets full of mushroom, she chuckled. "You worked fast. Thank you for helping this old lady. So, after you did it, you wait for me instead of going home?" Su Daiyu felt warm inside and Sarah just smiled in response.

Su Daiyu sighed to see Sarah's red face as she touched Sarah's cold hand, "Don't you feel cold at all? Look at your face, it's freezing if you stay longer, I advise you not to sleep outside again and listen to my words next time, are you listening to me?" Su Daiyu nagged at Sarah for the first time. She wasn't mad, she only showed her concerned to Sarah. Sarah felt weird inside, this old woman just like her mother. Her mother hobby like nagging at her, she felt a slight nostalgic.

Sarah chuckled lightly and answered, "Yes, yes, sorry." She actually wanted to say to Su Daiyu that her hands were much colder than her, if someone should be worried it should be Sarah, she couldn't stand an old woman to feel cold light this.

Su Daiyu hear her words and nodded, glancing up, she noticed the sky turning gray, was it going to rain? "Okay, let's hurry back to the house, it's going to rain at any moment." As she told her that, she pulled Sarah alongside with her. Sarah didn't protest and let her pulled her arm. She felt comfortable with this old lady. Her worries, her anxiousness, her confusions all of them fading bit by bit. She felt home, she didn't know why. Maybe because of her warm and kindness attitude?

Sarah looked at Su Daiyu with joy feeling, she noticed that Su Daiyu kept glancing above. Sarah asked her, "What's wrong? Will the rainfall heavily?" She guessed it based on her strange behavior.

Su Daiyu answered her, "Yes, so we must hurry!" Pulling Sarah's arm roughly, Sarah almost stumbled from their fast pace. Outside the forest, they both went inside the stone house as Su Daiyu closed the door tightly. Su Daiyu sighed in relief. Sarah was a little confused, why did she look so anxious? Sarah thought.

Diverting her thought, "Let's prepare a dinner." Su Daiyu told Sarah as she went straight to the kitchen near the dining room which they went a few hours ago,

Sarah blinked her eyes and answered short, "Eh? Uhh, sure." She still couldn't process what was going on or was it only her who was too sensitive?

Following Su Daiyu, Sarah arrived in the dining room once again as she helped her, preparing the dinner in the kitchen. She noticed certain meat which Su Daiyu brought without her realizing. Sarah thought, 'Since when did she carry the meat? Why didn't I see it a few minutes ago?'

Su Daiyu's voice broke Sarah thought who was so immersed inside, she instructed, "If you can, please help me to cut mushrooms into small pieces."

"Alright."

...

Meanwhile, they were working on their dinner, Huang Yong was still sitting outside in the balcony. Sarah quickly noticed from her spot the old man's back radiating loneliness, Sarah baffled and couldn't help to ask Su Daiyu, "It's almost raining and the wheater getting colder, should we call your husband to come inside? And let's together eat the dinner."

Su Daiyu told her as she kept his hands busy with cooking, "Don't bother, he always like that, he will not move from that spot not until himself ask him to move. If he's hungry he'll come inside. As I said, he didn't like someone disturb him. Forget about him and let's eat the dinner together." Su Daiyu explained with her bright smile. Sarah swore she could see her eyes like she didn't care about her husband healthy or was it just Sarah's thought it like that?

"Is that so? He's quite unusual, I mean he has been sitting there from noon, right? Or not?" Sarah commented weirdly.

"Of course not. Ahem, let's eat the dinner first before it turns cold." Su Daiyu urged Sarah to sit down in the chair, placing the foods down on the table, they ate and enjoyed the dinner. Su Daiyu looked at Sarah who had a big appetite, she became full without her knowing, she smiled and asked Sarah. "Does it taste good?"

Sarah nodded and drank the hot mushroom soup, she stated, "How can you make this delicious food with little ingredients we gathered? Are you genius?"

Su Daiyu laughed and said, "Definitely, I've taken care of that old man meal for over years now, do you think I can't cook at all?"

"Anyway, it's super! Can I have one more bowl of rice?"

"Sure." Su Daiyu gave her another refill rice. At first, Sarah was a little surprised when she noticed that Su Daiyu brought and used a chopstick as well, was it from the Haocun culture as well? If that was correct, the Haocun Kingdom truly had the similarity the same as her country and some of the Asia culture as well. She thought the culture was one hundred percent different, she had a hunch, in this world and her own world, the people usually eat with hand, spoon, knife and fork or others method. Because the chopstick was quite special! Sarah told herself. It turned out she was wrong.

Well, in truth, she didn't know if it was correct or not, what she must do now, was going to the Haocun Kingdom and searched for a clue about the mysterious spirit which could granted any wishes. Prove it, if she was true or not. If it was true, she could go back home, if it wasn't true, she would find another method. She would keep searching until she could go back home to her own world!

Spirits where almost all of the Haocun people worshiped and the spirit Li Jili told her was a myth. But she knew, if she experienced this supernatural and magic herself in this world, there should be a clue where that spirit existed as well, right?

She could ask the citizen there or find the record in the library or something. She would learn about each of the spirit well. It shouldn't be that hard, what she heard that this Haocun Kingdom was a pretty knowledgeable kingdom. She didn't know if it was related to magic, science or else, but she had a guess it was related to magic?

She wasn't sure. She needed to see it herself first! She halted her dinner and told Su Daiyu, "Thank you for helping and giving me foods. I want to tell you that tomorrow, early in the morning, I will go to the Haocun Kingdom. I have to go there because of some matter. So, umm, I want to ask you due to you a former citizen there, can you help me to point the way to the kingdom?"

Su Daiyu who heard that slightly frowning, but it quickly changed to her normal smiley face again. Munching on her meat, Su Daiyu smiled filled in enjoyment when eating, she opened her eyelid to see Sarah's face whose serious, gulping her meal, she answered with her smile which didn't reach her eyes, "Of course, don't worry child, rather than point it out, I will take you there myself. But I suggest we'll go after the rain stops."

"Really? Thank you so much!" Sarah replied gratefully, with this she would not constantly lose anymore. She didn't want to experience got kidnapped to some random tribe or out of nowhere again. She seriously needed to go home!

"No problem, this is the return give after you helped me to gather mushrooms. Thank you once again." Su Daiyu laughed and continued eating with Sarah.

After Sarah finished it, her stomach full. Su Daiyu told her that she could go back to the bedroom first. Sarah didn't have any choice to follow her words, she was also, in fact, sleepy as well.

As she went outside the dining room door, she turned back to see Huang Yong who still outside the balcony with rain started falling to his face. Sarah didn't see his expression, but she knew she saw that old man starting to get wet from the rain. "Your husband-"

Su Daiyu intercepted her, "I will call him by myself, now get going to the bedroom. Your eyes are red, you must be sleepy, just go to sleep, alright?"

Rubbing her eyes, Sarah nodded slightly and went outside the door. Striding her legs to the dark corridor until she reached her room, she felt her eyes were so heavy, she just wanted to throw herself to the bed right away, and so she did. The moment she laid on the bed, her eyes closed instantly and snored escape through her mouth slightly.

...

The next morning, the plan to go to the Haocun Kingdom was canceled due to heavy downpour. However, Sarah surprisingly didn't feel disappointed, if it was like this wasn't this mean she could spend more time with the old lady?

She had breakfast with Su Daiyu in the dining room, and like usual, Huang Yong was sitting unmoving at the balcony. His clothes were the same as yesterday. Sarah was wondering if he had only one outfit just like Su Daiyu who had an only black dress. Just she wanted to ask Su Daiyu, she answered, "That's right, he has the same fetish as me. He only likes dark blue color while I like the black dress. Is it weird for you?" Sarah shook her head and just smiled it off.

"I just found out the style of the dress is gothic style, I really like it," Sarah commented. As a former model, she enjoyed getting surrounded by clothes and accessories. Back then, she had a plan if she didn't succeed the test becoming an ambassador in a foreign embassy, she would continue her model career. Sighing, she suddenly remembered her last continuous harassments from unknown person or haters in Tokyo.

One where they stalked her at night and the bullying, hateful words she got in front of her apartment or in the forum internet. She hated it so much, she didn't want to open it, but her curiosity killed her, she later found out that she got more haters as she became more famous. She knew it was the cycle for a famous person, but Sarah still felt hurtful in the heart.

In truth, she was okay with the comment as long as it became criticism to increase her work more, but what she got only those nasty words. It left her speechless and stress overwhelmed her. The last time she did was unexpected, and it was going drinking alone in the bar without no one beside her.

Slightly, It was a rare thing for her to do that, before that she always invited her university friends going drinking in the restaurant, or karaoke. Speaking of her university friends, she wondered if those she called 'friends' were her true friends or not.

What she knew, they never came with her unless Sarah was the one who paid the bill. Sarah also once overheard them talking and spreading bad rumors behind her back. When Sarah thought again, they were indeed bit*hes.

Sarah couldn't help herself, her last true friends were only in high school. Rioko, her best friend, was the only who genuinely became her friend and Daniel who was Sarah's childhood friend, boyfriend at the same time, her fiancee plus future husband, was there went in the same high school as her as well.

Sarah didn't want to lie, she was a beauty since little, a lot of boys hovering over her until university period. She got a nickname as the belle of the campus, the belle of the high school and others nicknames. Many girls disliked her because of her popularness plus her beautiful face. That was why she didn't have so many girlfriends.

Actually, there was one reason, people starting to avoid her. The rumors she was a snob and rich egoistical lady. The boys who started to hit on her was slightly hesitant because of her status and her overbearing charisma like she told them, 'we are both from a different league, you are poor while I'm rich, do you think you can be in the same level with me?'. In truth, it was just her usual superficial self, she didn't intentionally act like that.

Since then, Sarah became a wallflower where nobody could reach it, except certain people like her fiancee, Daniel. In high school, he always protected her from the boys who still had the audacious to approach her, it gave them the impression that the idol Princess Sarah was would never be handed to anyone besides her prince, Daniel.

Daniel really cared for Sarah, but she herself broke their promises for not going in the same university together in Osaka. Because of her greediness to learn more, she reluctantly announced to him that she would study in Tokyo. She knew that he would say okay because Daniel was a nice and kind man she knew, but she once hoped that he would hold her and said no.

He promised to visit her once a while on the weekend, but what she didn't know was he started getting busier with his family company and university in Osaka. It was the same for her as well, the model job and her tasks in class, every day she must work hard to prove herself to be an independent woman who wasn't a spoiled little rich lady.

Entering competition, student council and build another reputation through modeling. It was a perfect plan if not for that fight happened with Daniel and also this weird transmigration happened to her.

Regained her thought to the present, in the couch, looking at the fireplace, she listened to Su Daiyu's voice who was telling her how Su Daiyu met her husband. Unfortunately, Sarag didn't listen closely. Sighing, she hoped Su Daiyu didn't feel offended by her dozing off. "That's how we met. Sarah, are you listening to me?"

"Yes, you must be happy to meet him at that time," Sarah answered naturally as she judged from Su Daiyu's face showing her blush on her cheeks. Sarah realized she really good at lying, huh.

"You can tell?" She laughed and spoke more, this time Sarah listened to her words.

The entire time she talked with Su Daiyu, she kept glancing to the balcony where Huang Yong sitting rigidly on the swing chair. Why did she felt off?

...

The rain didn't stop even when the sun set down. Thunder rumbling outside the house, the sky was getting darker as the night came, Sarah stayed on the bed, she couldn't sleep. Holding her blanket, she watched the candle flickering while her nose could smell that incense until reached her room. It was getting strong and she couldn't help to close her eyes. The smell making her sleepy.

A strong lighting strike came, waking her up! Forcing her eyes to open instantly. She looked up to the window which shaking from the impact, it was slight bright from that lighting. One, no, three strikes rapidly to the ground. Getting from the bed, she went to the window side and searched where did the lightning strike. But what left her was only the strong rain and wind or another word, a storm.

Touching her dry throat, she wanted to drink. She realized there was no water inside the bedoom so she went to the dining room. Lit up her candle, she went outside with the candle on her hand. Another lightning strike startled her, but she kept going because she was thirsty as hell!

Without looking at the balcony, she strode straight to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. She noticed there was no one in the dining room, was Su Daiyu sleeping already? Well, she could guess it, it was already pretty late as she estimated the time.

Just when she walked out of the kitchen to the dining room with a glass of water on her hand, it slipped through her palm, fell, and crashed on the ground. Crash!!

The light from the lighting made her vision clear widely. Sarah's wide eyes were looking at the balcony through the window, Huang Yong was still sitting outside! He was drenching wet from the rain. She was wondering why didn't he came inside?

Forgetting about Su Daiyu's warning last time, she approached him with an intention to bring or to ask him to go inside. She went outside the balcony while her candle blown because of the wind. Covering her eyes from the water drop, her hair fluttered to the back. She called, "Old man Huang Yong! Come inside! Old man!"

Huang Yong didn't respond to her, his head kept looking in front. Odd feeling reached her heart, she didn't know why was her heart beating fast, "Old man?" Sarah slowly approaching him. Thunder noises were above her, yet she ignored it as she was trying to call out this old man. Reached his side, she placed one of her hands to his shoulder, she said, "Old man Huang- Ahhh!!!"

Sarah let go of her right hand from his shoulder as she fell back on the wooden tiles. She was shocked no joke to see the old man eyes were no longer there. Another word, he didn't have any eyes for freaking sake! His white hair fell, his skin pallidly white than before as it slowly scalding, crumbling one another like sand. The smells of incense were coming out from him, strong and sharper than before, it made her nose wrinkled from the smells. Covering her nose, she choked uncontrollably from it.

The old man turned his head, lifting his index finger pointing at her. Sarah's lips trembling as she kept her eyes staring fixedly at him. She was terrified, but she didn't know what to do in this situation. His blue outfits turned black and torn off, showing his chest which had an open wide wound. If you take a closer looks, his heart was no longer there, yet the old man still let out one word. "Run." His voice was so quiet, if she didn't fell near him, she may not hear his message.

'Run?' She grasped the word.

A faint voice reached her, Su Daiyu squatted down and whispered to her ears, "I told you not to approach him."

"!!!"