Dean’s eyes followed her until she was no longer visible.
Only then did Joey gently nudge his shoulder, “…Nice meeting you, Yvaine?”
Dean took the last sip of his coffee, before he threw it in the nearby disposable cans.
Joey narrowed his eyes, “Mister, is trying to be all mysterious, I see.”
“You’re just impossible, let’s first enjoy the rest of the night.”
Joey stared at him for another second before bursting into laughter.
“Fuck you, bro!”
For the next hours, they wandered around the festival grounds.
Ray lost three games booths in a row, while June insisted the games were rigged.
Joey bought snacks for everyone and complained entire time about his money on these stupid fellows, instead on some beautiful girl.
Even though Dean was with them, but somehow his eyes unconsciously searched the crowd, for looking the face that left him few minutes ago.
“I’m starving for some real food now,” Joey stretched his arms, “I guess now enough games, and time for dinner.”
“Actually…”
Dean scratched the back of his neck.
“What?”
“Miley asked me to have dinner with her.”
For a second, everyone fell silent, then they saw each other’s face.
“Our Dean…”
June placed a hand over his heart, Joey continued, “First the Music Department Girl…”
“…And now Miley.”
Dean sighed, “You three seriously need some help.”
“No, we just wanted you to be in a relationship, not be some playboy or fuckboy!”
Joey dramatically hit Dean’s chest, “My Deeeeee.”
“If you don’t want me to tell your crush—”
“I was just kidding, Dean. Go and have dinner peacefully.” Joey grabbed June and Ray, and walked out.
I’ll go look for Miley.
Dean firstly checked their department’s booth.
He stopped a few students.
“Have you seen Miley?”
The students exchanged glances before shaking their heads.
“No.”
“I haven’t.”
“Sorry.”
Dean waited for another minute, until he noticed Vinyl walking past with a couple of girls from his department.
Dean immediately called out.
“Vinyl?”
She turned around, “Oh, hi Dean, wassup?”
“Great! By the way, have you seen Miley?”
Her expression became confused, “…She left to meet you.”
Dean frowned, “When?”
“Around thirty minutes ago,” the smile disappeared from Vinyl’s face.
“Wait, what?!”
“That’s… weird.” Dean broke the heavy silence between them. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
For the next hour, they searched nearly every corner of the university.
The Music Arena.
The Exhibition Hall.
Even the parking lot.
Vinyl’s phone suddenly began to ring.
An unknown number!
She picked up immediately, “Hello?”
For a brief second, nobody spoke.
“Hello?”
“Vinyl…”
Vinyl indicated to Dean that Miley is on the phone.
“Where are you, Miu?” Vinyl asked quickly.
“You know how much worried we are right now for you?!”
A short pause came, before Miley spoke in a strangely calm voice, “Don’t search for me.”
Vinyl frowned, “Where the fuck are you, Miu—”
Before she could continue, the call disconnected.
Dean looked at Vinyl.
And she knew somehow that something about the call wasn’t right.
Everything was strange.
Miley never addressed her name.
She never conversed in a calm voice.
Vinyl stared at the dark phone screen for several seconds, “…Excuse me!”
Without waiting for a reply, she hurried out of the festival grounds, trying Miley’s number again.
The call didn’t connect.
Dean watched her disappear into the crowd.
For a brief moment, uneasiness settled inside him, but after standing there for a while, he let out a quiet breath.
Maybe she really reached home.
The festival was still lively.
Music echoed across the campus while the students wandered between the different attractions.
Dean pulled out his phone to check the time, and then headed toward the Exhibition Hall.
The hall was less crowded than before.
Only a few people moved inside, from one painting to another, discussing the depth of art.
“That’s the one.”
“The portrait looks unbelievably real.”
“It feels like she’s looking at me.”
After they moved to other paintings, Dean stood before his own painting.
His eyes moved across it.
Everything looked exactly the same.
As alive as it could be.
Until, his gaze stopped near the lower-right corner of the portrait.
A sequence of numbers had appeared.
4044
Dean frowned as he tried to recognize it.
He stepped closer.
I never wrote those numbers!
What the hell is that?!
Without another thought, he hurried out of the hall.
“Professor Kote!”
The professor looked up from a table where he was speaking with another faculty member.
“What happened, Dean?”
“Someone tampered with my sketches.”
Professor Kote immediately followed him back to the exhibition.
Dean pointed at the corner of the canvas, “There… those random numbers!”
Professor Kote leaned closer as his brows furrowed.
He remained silent for a moment, “Let’s check the security footage.”
Several minutes later, both of them stood in front of the security monitor.
The footage played from the moment Dean submitted the painting.
Students walked in, then the faculty members inspected the displays.
Volunteers arranged the hall.
Hours passed on the recording.
Nobody touched Dean’s canvas.
Dean stared at the screen.
“That’s impossible.”
Professor Kote adjusted his glasses and looked at Dean kindly, “I guess, you’ve been under considerable pressure lately.” He placed a reassuring hand on Dean’s shoulder, “I’m not saying you imagined them, but let’s examine this case tomorrow with a fresh mind.”
Dean slowly nodded, “Yes sir. Thanks for all this support.”
“Go home and get some rest.”
But even as he was walking back to his house, his eyes kept returning to those numbers.
He texted Joey: “Do you know anything about 4044?”
It was already past midnight, he slid his phone back into his pockets.
The bakery downstairs was dark, only a single hallway light remained on.
He changed into his comfortable clothes and collapsed onto his bed.
Within seconds… deep sleep claimed him.
Rain.
The giant tree.
The melody started playing softly.
He was there again.
Dean slowly walked toward the girl sitting beneath the tree.
“…Yvaine?”
The melody stopped.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Tears streamed silently down her cheeks.
Her pale hand rose toward him.
Blood trickled from deep cuts across her wrist, dripping onto the grass below.
She looked at him with trembling eyes.
As though she wanted to say something, but before she could open her mouth, some force pulled her down the cliff.
Dean jolted upright in bed.
“YVAINE!”