"Who are you?!"
Looking at the completely unfamiliar young man suspiciously lingering in front of her door, Katsura Manami was full of caution.
In the past few days, Kotonoha had been constantly telling her about terrifying nightmares, but whenever she asked about the content of those dreams, she remained silent. Could it be that those nightmares were connected to this young man in front of her?!
Thinking of her daughter, who during this period had shut herself in her room and hadn't seen anyone, Katsura Manami felt a pain in her heart.
If this young man in front of her was just a petty thief who had gone astray due to lack of money, Katsura Manami would have decided to let him go, even giving him some money. But if this guy really was the cause of Kotonoha's current condition!
Katsura Manami swore she would use all her connections to sink this guy's body in Tokyo Bay!
Seeing that Katsura Manami had caught him in the act by pure chance, Nakano Yu scratched his head, realizing he didn't even need to jump over the wall to enter. Then he sincerely smiled and introduced himself:
"You are… Katsura's mother, right? I am Nakano Yu, her schoolmate from Sobu High School."
"Schoolmate? Nakano Yu…"
Katsura Manami slightly furrowed her brows. Nakano Yu? Nakano… that name sounded familiar.
"What is your relationship with Nakano Maruo from the Nakano family?"
After a brief moment of thought, Katsura Manami continued to ask.
Seeing that Katsura Manami really knew Nakano Maruo, Nakano Yu couldn't hide his surprise. He remembered that Nakano Maruo's company was involved in medical technology. How could he have any connection with Katsura Manami?
However, it was also possible that she had only heard of him. Nakano Yu didn't think too much and directly admitted his relationship with Nakano Maruo:
"I am the youngest son of the Nakano family and also the adopted son of Mr. Maruo."
After hearing the answer, Katsura Manami was half convinced. She had never heard that Nakano Maruo had an adopted son, but… looking at the young man in front of her, he really didn't seem like he was lying.
After so many years spent in shopping centers and the upper echelons of Tokyo, Katsura Manami had developed a sharp eye for assessing people. Although it wasn't 100% accurate, she was sure a young man who looked under twenty wouldn't deceive her.
"Nakano-kun, may I ask why you came to my house so late? If you came to visit Kotonoha, please come back tomorrow."
Although she knew the young man in front of her was her daughter's schoolmate, Katsura Manami still had no intention of letting him inside. It was already nearly eleven at night. Not to mention, why didn't this boy come during the day, choosing the night instead.
Given Kotonoha's condition recently, Katsura Manami would in no way decide to let him in. Moreover, for Katsura Manami, all men were bad news. How could she lightly allow a man to get close to her daughter?
"Come back tomorrow? If I come back tomorrow, I'm afraid Katsura will die in her sleep before this night ends."
Seeing that Katsura Manami still didn't want to let him in, Nakano Yu's expression cooled as he spoke.
If he remembered correctly, Katsura Kotonoha had stopped attending school three days ago. According to the description of the quest given by the system, tonight would be Katsura Kotonoha's third dream!
When Katsura Kotonoha wakes from her dream tonight, she would fall asleep in it forever!
Hearing this, Katsura Manami's face changed. How could this boy know about the dream?
Clenching her teeth, Katsura Manami still decided not to believe Nakano Yu. She only snorted coldly, radiating the authority of a high-ranking business figure, pressing the young man:
"Nonsense! I've never heard of anyone dying in a dream! Kotonoha is perfectly fine, don't worry about her. Leave! Otherwise, I'll call the police!"
The woman's firm stance made Nakano Yu sigh. He understood Katsura Manami's feelings. For the current Katsura Manami, the idea that her daughter could die in her sleep that night sounded like a fantasy.
Even Nakano Yu wouldn't believe it if someone suddenly told him that.
But this was the truth, and he could no longer delay. He didn't know Kotonoha's current state. The longer he delayed, the greater the danger to Katsura Kotonoha!
"I know this sounds unbelievable, but please trust me. I'm here to save Katsura."
Nakano Yu spoke in a calm voice, filled with convincing strength. Even Katsura Manami, who was quite unsettled, gradually felt her heart calm.
Seeing that Katsura Manami was gradually stabilizing, Nakano Yu continued:
"May I ask, has Katsura recently had a strange nightmare? In that dream, there is a Monkey Train, and she has the same nightmare every night as soon as she falls asleep?"
Hearing the information from Nakano Yu's words, Katsura Manami suddenly lifted her head, her face full of astonishment.
That's right, Nakano Yu was correct. In the past two days, Kotonoha had been having recurring nightmares. Although Kotonoha had never told her the content of the dream, Katsura Manami had heard the words "monkey" and "train" in her sleep.
This was something only she could have known! Could it be that everything this young man said was true?
Biting her lip, Katsura Manami's expression was complex. She had long been divorced from her husband and struggled alone to raise her two children, Kotonoha and Kokoro. Because of this, she continuously worked hard to ensure that their family didn't fall apart.
But now, Nakano Yu was saying that her beloved daughter would die in her sleep, which Katsura Manami found unacceptable!
Should she really trust this young man and let him save her daughter?
After a brief thought, Katsura Manami nodded, her voice somewhat weakened and helpless:
"Yes, in the past few days Kotonoha really has had such a nightmare. It started the night before last. Since then, Kotonoha has shut herself in her room, and I can only sneak in to see her at night."
"If, if Kotonoha really needs to die… I, I, I don't know what to do…"
As she spoke, Katsura Manami collapsed to the ground, covering her face with her hands and cried.
"Katsura is my friend. Let me try, I will save Katsura!"
Nakano Yu understood the helplessness of ordinary people in the face of such strange things. He stepped forward and comforted Katsura Manami.
"Really?! I… please, come with me, Kotonoha should be sleeping, I'll take you to her immediately!"
The young man's words reached her ears, and Katsura Manami seemed to have found support. She quickly grabbed the young man's hand, her eyes full of tears, looking at him helplessly.
The young man showed a gentle smile and lightly nodded:
"Don't worry, I'm here."
…
"Click, clack…"
Inside the station, a black-haired girl stood in front of the platform.
The girl was wearing pajamas, her black shoulder-length hair somewhat messy, and her head was bowed. Her bright and gentle face was expressionless at that moment, and there was no light in her eyes.
That girl was none other than Nakano Yu's current mission target—Katsura Kotonoha!
As the sound of the train wheels sliding on the rails continued, Katsura Kotonoha's gaze was drawn to it.
In the distance, a train with a monkey head, resembling a tourist train from an amusement park, slowly released black smoke as it entered the station.
The Monkey Train gradually slowed and finally stopped in front of Katsura Kotonoha.
Several people, both men and women, were already sitting on the train. Their expressions were dull, completely devoid of any human vitality.
Katsura Kotonoha lifted her foot and stepped onto the train, as if someone was controlling her like a puppet.
At the moment Katsura Kotonoha sat down, her eyes suddenly regained their shine. When she saw the familiar environment and the nightmarish Monkey Train, Katsura Kotonoha's face turned pale, and fear instantly filled her body!
She had returned!