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“Perhaps I should know your calling? Especially for this crying mademoiselle?”
The three people shook hands and then introduced themselves. Although at first they was a bit doubtful, because Grunt felt familiar with this dapper man, his feelings spread to his two girlfriends.
"Rather than Keymark you prefer Cake which is only one word, right?" the dapper man gave an opinion.
“Well, Cake's name for a cake shop owner…” Grunt's laughter leaked out even though he pressed his mouth together while looking at the business card. The dapper man chuckled, but his hands wanted to hug Grunt's cheeks very hard.
“From Cambridge…?” Ren sighed, she was a little disappointed because she thought the person was from outside England. But because Sistine who seemed unaffected by that ridiculous name and still had a gloomy face caught Ren's attention.
"By the way, Mr. Cake…, do you have proof of the sound of crying?” Ren put the business card in the chest pocket of his black and Tosca checkered shirt with long sleeves. Then lookedthe dapper man that called Mr. Cake with curious.
Cake showed his cell phone confidently. "Unfortunately I have, Mademoiselle Shiomi,"
The three people gulped a little bit of distress. Especially Grunt and Ren, who could have contracted Sistine's fear. They reluctantly grow worried at night. Sometimes it's better not to know, thought Grunt. Whereas Ren was thinking rationally, it was better to hear something at the heart of the matter. If it is heard clearly, then together they can solve it.
Ren took a deep breath, as if she was participating in a relay tournament.
“Okay, play it please,” Ren said with certainty, carving the Grunt's face into horror.
Cake plays the tape oh his phone. He turned up the volume level and show the speaker part.
They heard the sound of sobbing, beginning faintly, getting closer and closer. Not only was the sound of the crying getting louder, but also the footsteps slapping the floor could be heard. But as if it was restricted so that it wasn't too loud, the cry was held back as if it didn't want anyone else to know.
About two minutes later, the cries began to sound in reverse order. The longer it gets smaller, then it disappears and nothing is heard again.
“Y-y-yes! T-that! Like that!" Sistine said in horrorified, Grunt felt the same way but he put on a poker face.
Unlike his two best friends, Ren actually examined the details of the voice and then let her head tell a reason. It's not that she isn't afraid at all, it's just that she tends to be intuitive.
"You think Mr. Cake, who and why is that woman crying?” asked Ren simply. Didn't even think that it was a ghost and such.
“It was around 01:00 AM you know! I mean… that's the normal time people sleep, right?” replied Sistine who rejected Ren's logic.
Cake immediately interrupted the conversation before being preceded by Grunt.
“Who is crying is the biggest question for now. But about why the woman was crying, I'm sure anyone can answer that. I agree with Mademoiselle Brunes. Why is there someone crying near our corridor at exactly one hour after midnight?” asked Cake back, as if giving a small quiz.
“E-eh? Can't that be done?" replied Ren who looked stuck, there was no other reason.
"That's not it, he means is why do people have to cry loudly at 01.00 AM if it can be done in the own room?" added Grunt, “Suppose your mother confiscated your game console for two years because you were too lazy to study. You can't take it so much that you cry all day in your room instead of having to go out at night to show off your stupid cries to people who sleep,"
“Ah… I see. If you think about it, it makes sense!” Ren said understanding, holding her chin.
“That's why, I think it's true that it's a ghost!” Sistine was getting goosebumps. Her face tightened, her eyes filled with doubt.
“Non, the theory says ghosts don't walk the earth. The sound of footsteps that can be heard is solid proof," Cake refused and was about to end the conversation. He immediately went down the cliff to witness the view of Loch Tay Lake. "Good morning, I want to relax for a while," he said with a warm smile.
The three people looked at Cake in surprise from a distance. Sistine calmed down a little at Cake's words just now. That was because from the recording just now, Sistine heard the sound of soft footsteps.
“Mr. Cake definitely has a delicious cake. Let's go there sometime," Grunt said softly, highlighting the business card Cake had just given him.
"What should we do next? Prove yourself?” Sistine confirmed.
“Uh-huh.” Ren nodded in agreement, then turned her head to Grunt. "Tonight let's sneak quietly?"
“Huh? Wasn't it Mr. Cake said it couldn't be a ghost?” Grunt objected. He looked at his two friends in turn. “To me that is great news! It made the night more peaceful without much consideration, thus being able to continue with our true aim! Win-win solution!” he said as if pleased.
“Ow, come on, Birdnest!” Ren blinked her left eye, while lightly elbowing Grunt's waist. "Is it when you're given a present and someone says it contains a game console and makes you believe it before opening it?" Ren persuaded.
Grunt took an inch away, then expressed his refusal firmly. "No! Before you open it, where did you get the present from? If you don't know, the only best thing is to let people's opinions think about the contents, "
“Mmmmmmmmm?” Ren cleared her throat, her tone mocking. "Are you afraid?"
"Heh, if a ghost disguises itself with a beautiful face, I'm ready to date it any time!" Grunt refused, but in his arrogant words. His two friends felt like teasing him even more. Especially Sistine who found it funny, she thought to herself that Birdnest was a natural comedian.
Hearing the two of her friends argue, Sistine was a bit confused at first. Taking Birdnest's opinion is the only safest way, but Ren's way is also not bad even though it is more risky. But Ren's opinion slightly made a spark in Sistine's heart candle. Ren unintentionally intrigued Sistine.
"Hey, for example… if it's a ghost, then what?"
Ren explained that regardless of the outcome, they would be allowed to leave the premises the next day. Ren intends to find a taxi through online ordering. Her two best friends started to agree, especially Grunt who flatly refused at first.
“Okay, that sounds like a plan. Then who is the bait?” asked Grunt to make sure.
But when the two females stared at him without a word, he accepted his fate gracefully.
Their gaze contained the meaning of him to surrender, as if he had no other choice. Like the film series he watched, “The bro being sacrificed” when the partner takes the man shopping. The man shriveled up without daring to refuse.
***
There was the clatter of cutlery and the sound of water being poured into glasses as they were about to come down the stairs. Again, as a man who loses his senses so easily, his stomach churns just in time. As if whatever his activities are always wrong if his stomach has not been filled. Moreover, not through the dancing tongue.
“There's nothing wrong with the food in this villa. If it's a fine good morning, the rest is no question,” grumbled Grunt. He walked in front of his back to his two friends.
Before passing through the hall to the kitchen, their eyes shifted to a collection of cloth at a glass showcase that stood like a guard in both aisles. But there were one or two cloths that were displayed without glass protection, attracting Sistine's attention like a magnet.
“Wow, I've seen this in a book. What is the name?" Sistine held a dark blue cloth with gold floral prints and what looked like a wider black belt made of satin.
As the cloth was held feeling soft and smooth, Sistine thought that the cloth was not cheap.
“Well, yeah sort of,” Grunt exclaimed. "Come on, my stomach can't take it anymore"
As the cloth was held feeling soft and smooth, Sistine thought that the cloth was not cheap. The motifs also look beautiful and clearly describe the culture of a country far from Scotland, of course.
“Well, yeah sort of,” Grunt exclaimed, rolling his eyes like a complete fool. "Come on, my stomach can't take it anymore!"
Ren also held the cloth and thought the same thing. But the cloth felt familiar to her. Not to mention the two showcases displaying about twenty expensive fabrics each, Ren felt that the owner of this mansion had an interest in collecting these fabrics.
Ren repeatedly asked herself, why did that cloth exist in this place? Why that is feels more familiar to her?
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