Story of Mizuki - Research into unconscious consciousness.

Mizuki looked down with his eerie eyes. The city that used to be his home and place to take solace in has now become this. The mayor and his secretary who just came out of jail for false charges have retaken their positions. The money-loving harborers still do their part to run the economy. Businesses are getting back to their normal state. People in town greet each other with pleasant smiles. Some would never be friends anymore. The kind smiles they give each other are just the same as before. The hot and cold shoulder that’s brimming with self-interest. Everyone in this town…no, the world is a fake like this and he couldn't stand to look at it.

“Are you okay?” Small steps approached him and a female voice quietly asked. It’s his childhood friend Marleene.

“You’re seriously asking me this?” Mizuki couldn’t help but snap. It was the first time he used this tone with her, which made her step back.

“How can you people smile and continue to live like nothing ever happened? It's like you don’t even learn! Continuing living like ignorant sheep!” He gripped his hands on railings as he spoke, teeth clenching. It used to be a place of home. Innocent and the only space he could truly like himself but now even that was ruined. Every pleasant memory that he had of his hometown now held this dark tremendous shadow. He didn’t want to go home because seeing his mother's face would always bring back the look she gave. The distorted face of disgust, spouting nothing but hate and ridicule. His father's strong arms that used to pick him up lovingly and spin him in the air will always remind him of how he threw those gates and smashed the windows and how he pushed and punched the people trying to stop the riot. Worst of all he couldn’t help but feel this indescribable hate towards everyone and everything.

“Everyone's just trying their best to go back to normal.” Marleene gave a nervous smile. Her statement only deepened his resentment.

“The world is rotten to the core, including you!” Mizuki turned away his gaze from the view of the buildings towards Marleene. The dark circles under his eyes looked even bigger now. A Narrow stare of disgust that he gave her.

“Says the one who left everything behind!” Another voice popped from behind.

“Yeah, who the hell are you to be in a position to judge? You’re an outsider who pops here only whenever you feel bad that you've been away for too long!” It was the scholar twins Sonny and Jake.

“People like you are the worst kind.” Sonny eyed Mizuki with the same face Mizuki gave Marleene.

“Guys, Jake, Sonny…he isn’t wrong!” Marleene’s eyes filled with tears.

“I knew the truth but still chose to do nothing. I thought, if I get involved they will turn against me! And now, now…I am smiling towards the same people, like…like nothing happened trying to feel normal, feel like before…but before is dead. What has become of us? Will it always be like this?” Marleene’s tears fell for the first time ever. She never cries in front of people, keeps her appearance, is always kind, trying her best to live a small but peaceful life. Mizuki’s eyes widened, the same as Jake’s and Sonny’s but then Sonny narrowed his eyes.

“Marleene, you’re a fool! As if someone like you could ever be listened to. Even if you would say the truth at the time it wouldn’t lessen the anger that had spread. Emotions at that point were high and pulled by the next person.” Sonny spoke, his voice sounding mean but the statement he spoke was true.

“Yeah, it was a reaction built up from events that weren’t related at first but then blew up in the mess it did. The fault lies in no one, it’s just how it happened.” Jake said his view, aligned with his brothers.

“Fault lies with no one? It’s just how it happened? You’re kidding right?” Mizuki couldn’t turn a blind eye to the words Jake spoke.

“Your expectations of people are a little much don’t you think?” Jake responded with confidence.

“You live in a world where your morals, ethics and expectations of others are delusional. Every person in this life makes mistakes. Some make them bigger or smaller, others might impact life events that lead towards situations we just went through. And you! Someone who idolizes this place because it is your childhood home." Jake spoke the words with conviction eyes narrowed in challenge. He didn't stop there and continued his rant.

"Hate to break it to you but it has always been like this even in the days you so fondly remember. The fact that you left and have seen the world doesn’t give you the role of judge. Your prejudice is based on a false empty baseline where you build up your worldview by comparing one place to the other, then picking and choosing the standards you fancy the most!” Jake spoke his true thoughts towards Mizuki like knives, who watched and listened to him with every word he narrowed his eyes, his forehead forming showing irritation.

“You know what? No! You are small-minded people! Just go on with your lives and don't learn from your mistakes. Living just like before? Smiling empty fake smiles! Speaking words that you don’t follow through and ignoring the truth before your eyes! Wasting time living meaningless lives bearing children and thinking is an achievement worth praising and celebrating! How stupid is that?” Mizuki couldn’t help but snap.

Marleene started crying even more. She was one of those people Mizuki mentioned. Bearing a child right after coming out of high school and now stuck in the life of a housewife with her personal dreams long gone. She was happy in her life but there’s always this second thought. What if she got out just like Mizuki, who’s working in a prestigious position in a big company and has claimed his career goals? Emily was her daughter's name. She's going to be seven this year and has grown into a young girl whom Marleene is proud of. The birth of Emily meant giving up on college and ever moving away from this town. Sonny stepped forward, putting his hand on Marleene’s shoulder. She kept crying, guilty consciousness overtaking her.

“What if we go back to how it was? Will that be that bad? Or would you prefer for us every day to go on hating each other, giving a cold shoulder and calling out every little mistake? Do we need your moral police judging the lives we choose to live?” Sonny’s eyes had grown completely cold towards Mizuki.

“I get it, you got out and got a big and fancy job now! And it is very impressive you managed to pull that off but that doesn’t mean you can judge the way we live! There’s no right or wrong in this world. Everyone lives how they know to live. Because you got it like you do doesn’t mean Marleene’s life is lesser than yours!” Sonny’s cold voice echoed on the rooftop. Mizuki could feel another set of eyes looking over them from a distance.

He knew his time here had expired. He was pulled back into the void, facing this woman who called herself Eress. An entity from another dimension. The truth was Mizuki’s life was on the verge of death and Eress was there to show him his own life.

“Why are you doing this?” Mizuki couldn’t help but look up at Eress. She only gave him an open smile, waving her stash.

“I already told you, I am here to guide your soul,” Eress spoke words Mizuki didn’t understand. His thoughts went into the situation he just relieved from the time he last visited his home. He looked down at his fists. He remembered how hit both twins out of rage. Never did he really understand why. Why did they never hit him back? Marleene is the only one trying to pull each other apart while Mizuki just expressed his fit of rage. He couldn't face them or apologize, so he never went back.

“What are you thinking about?” Eress voice brought him out of his thoughts. Her eyes didn’t particularly seem interested but they did tell a story that she already knew what was going into his mind.

“I owe them an apology but I was too ashamed to admit that I was wrong. I did look down on them. And they did achieve a lot themselves! A research I can’t even comprehend and they did all of that without ever leaving the town…meanwhile, I got confident because I left. That gave me the short sight.” Mizuki spoke his thoughts out loud. It’s been years since he had even remembered this incident but reliving it brought back the feelings. The same feelings he tried to avoid.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to apologize to them?” Eress let out a breath.

“You humans are truly boring.” She yawned and then waved her stash.

“Isn't that why you were showing me this? To realize my mistakes? Purify my soul?” Mizuki was dumbfounded by what this person wanted from him. Eress simply looked at Mizuki.

“Is that what you think means purifying your soul? Regret the way you lived? Do you think that would set your soul free?” She laughed at Mizuki’s obvious thinking.

“I don’t get it!” Mizuki gave up on thinking about it and looked at Eress. She only shook her head, just like a mother would to a child, slightly brushing his hair.

“You’re so naive. Let’s show you the next!” She never answered any of Mizuki’s questions, throwing him into another memory.