A Serenade for the Innocent 78 Stranger

"You're finally awake." The man who's sitting a few feet away from me uttered ever so silently as he showed a gentle smile. "Oh, do forgive me. I am the man you're supposed to be meeting today, Jimmy."

At this point, I was still really fucking hell-bent after that thing I had just seen earlier. What the fuck was that? What a sick ass fucking dream. Just thinking about it again is enough to make me want to fucking piss myself. I started breathing deeply with my eyes closed as I clenched my knees with my hands shaking. I started wiping my sweat with my sleeves as I directed my gaze to the man gazing at me with gentle eyes.

"Oh, please use the towel on the table there beside you," Jimmy said as he used his arms to point at my left side.

I swiftly moved my gaze at where he was pointing at and took the towel instinctively, wiping my face and my neck roughly. Somehow, this made me relax a bit as my body's hold on reality started to make me forget the dream I just had.

Jimmy then crossed his feet as I saw his lay his head on his knuckles. "There's more towels there if you think you've already wet that one enough."

"Nah, it's quite alright. Thanks." I mumbled as I folded the towel that I had just used and placed from where I took it. That was when I realized that there was a glass of water sitting there beside three other white towels. I extended my hand to grab it since I'm so god damn thirsty, but I realized that it might have made me look a bit rude. Thus, I looked at Jimmy first with a pair of pleading eyes, asking his wordlessly if I can drink the water on the glass. "Oh, yes, yes. I've prepared that for you. Do take the glass, please." Jimmy quietly said with the gentlest smile I have ever seen from a man.

After gulping the water on the glass in only a few seconds, I wiped my lips with the towel that I had just used as I sat straight, looking at Jimmy straight in the eyes with a polite smile, mimicking his gentle disposition. "Thank you," I mumbled quietly as I leaned my body forward.

"No. It's only proper for me to be doing this," Jimmy said with a chuckle. He then straightened his body as well before leaning his body forward with his piercing gaze pointed at me. "How are you feeling?" Jimmy whispered. Although he's sitting a few feet away from me, I could still hear him well enough because of how silent our surrounding was.

"I'm quite alright. Thank you." I said while scratching the back of my neck.

That was when I managed to look around my surroundings to analyze this curious room where we are in carefully. The walls are maroon with an intricate arabesque pattern that subtly forms a small spade. I also noticed that the floor of the entire room is covered with a thick, soft carpet, enough to make my bare feet feel as if it was being embraced by the sweet hugs of small cherubs. The carpet itself has an elegant embroidered design that looked like it was inspired by medieval Persian art, so I took the liberty of guessing that the fabric they used must have been wool, silk, or linen. It also piqued my interest to see thin poles in each corner of the room, which stretched towards the ceiling, forming four fan-shaped vaults above us that had this marvelous kaleidoscopic motif, creating a feeling like I am sitting inside of an old European church. I was sitting on a very comfortable and soft sofa bed, which made me sleepy again just by sitting on it for a few seconds.

The man before me who called himself Jimmy was sitting on an equally comfy-looking chair made out of metal and foam. It's designed similarly as ethereal as its surroundings, making me feel like I'm the only out of place character in this macabre, almost picturesque room. After all, Jimmy is wearing an exquisite maroon suit with a checkered pattern, which is complemented by his pants that had the same color and design. His jacket is open, revealing a black polo underneath his coat wherein the first three buttons undone and tucked in his pants. Oddly enough, something in my head is expecting him to be wearing a tie, but he wasn't, which made me feel disappointed for some odd reason. Pairing his relaxed but smart look is a rectangular-shaped glasses that stood out from his ordinary-looking, smooth, pale skin and black hair.

Looking at how sleek he looks like and the artistic vibe exuded by my surroundings was enough for me to be confused if I'm actually awake, and this was not just another layer of my dream.

"Uhm... Excuse me, Jimmy." I mumbled awkwardly as I looked at the man's sharp gaze.

"Yes?" Jimmy swiftly replied without a hint of alarm.

"Where are we?" I did the same, not minding anymore if my manners are deemed unsatisfactory to his taste.

"We're inside of a room somewhere at the back of the Clockwork shop that I told you about while we were chatting in Omegle last night, have you forgotten?" Jimmy spoke in a smooth tone as he smiles broadly, making his eyes squint slightly.

"Wait for real?" I said as a stupid grin crept into my face.

"Of course! You can see it for yourself in the door behind you." Jimmy said as he hung his head high up while he's pointing his arms towards me, but after thinking about it carefully, I realized that he must have been aiming at somewhere on my back.

I then looked behind me by turning the entirety of my body to where Jimmy is pointing behind me. Then, I saw the black tiles and white walls of the Clockwork shop along with the wristwatches in the glass counters. Finally, I saw a familiar sight, and this was enough to make me realize that this insanely designed room is actually inside of Plural Heights! THAT Plural Heights! I could hardly imagine that that same garbage-tier mall is hiding something as beautiful as this!

"Oh, so you mean I have to go inside of a room somewhere deep in the shop and not just wait at the shop itself." I chuckled while still looking at the shop just outside. "I thought you were asking me to just wait somewhere in the store!"

"Ah, of course, I wouldn't possibly allow such an important guest to stay in a shabby clock store!" Jimmy jested, and based on how happy his tone is, I can confidently guess that he's smiling. I was still looking at the shop, trying to see the contrast between this room and everything else outside, so I couldn't really see what Jimmy looks like.

Hah! It's almost laughably disgusting how terrible the rest of the Plural Heights mall is compared to this grandiose mall! I mean, this room is spectacular; I couldn't possibly put it into words. Heck, just thinking about the people on the first floor is enough to send shivers down my spine! Also, what the hell is up with those weird noises inside of that one room beside the clock shop? Oh, speaking of that clock shop! I just remembered that weird-ass girl who—

Who...

Wait...

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I feel like I'm forgetting something...

Something really, really fucking important!

I then started tapping my stomach to see if there's some kind of wound, bleeding, injury, or anything like that in my body because I could almost swear that...

That I...

"What's the matter?"

I jumped up. I could hear Jimmy's silent voice ringing a few inches behind me, which is almost enough to make me curse out loud.

"I..." I said as I slowly turned my body, which made me see Jimmy kneeling in front of me like I'm some sort of monarch of some kind. "What happened to that girl in the—"

Before I could finish my statement, a loud, shrill cry echoed throughout our room, making both Jimmy and I look up in shock.

"I'M SO SORRY, SISTER! I WON'T DO IT EVER AGAIN, PLEASE STOP! FORGIVE ME, SISTER, PLEASE! STOP!"

Chapter end