episode_0453

Appleton began to show me around his home.

The location of the bathroom, the room I will be staying in, and even places I should not enter.

Appleton, who had prepared cookies for me while sitting at the table, handed me a mug full of milk and spoke to me.

“Jeff.”

“Huh?”

“Please wait a moment alone. I have something to take care of.”

“Okay, I understand.

What on earth is going on?

As I tilted my head while drinking milk, Appleton smiled slightly and patted my head.

It felt a little strange having my head patted by my friend, but it wasn’t too bad.

Appleton got up from his seat and went into the room he was not supposed to go into.

The door slowly closes, and a clicking sound is heard.

It seemed like the door was locked from the inside.

I put down my mug and jumped up from my seat.

The cookie crumbs stuck to the corner of my mouth spilled out.

If you tell them not to go in, they will want to go in even more.

I walked slowly and headed towards the door.

I wonder if I can hear anything.

By any chance, I wonder if I can see something through the crack in the door.

With such anticipation, I approached the door, but I could see nothing.

In a strangely dispiriting situation, I let out a sigh and returned to my seat, jumping up and down.

While I was munching on the cookies like that, after a while Appleton opened the door and came out.

“What’s inside?”

“Secret~”

Appleton smiled as if he would not answer my question, and answered.

It was a smile with a strangely lewd feel.

As I was staring blankly, swallowing hard, Appleton came over and sat down next to me.

“At the reunion, I was sad because I had to go back so quickly.”

“Umm… Back then…”

I avoided eye contact and gave an awkward laugh at Appleton’s answer.

Appleton, who had been watching me quietly, nodded slowly and turned the light on.

I guess he was being considerate since I was having a hard time answering.

I sighed in relief, grateful for Appleton’s kind heart.

As the conversation continued like that, there was a brief silence.

I took advantage of that brief moment of free time to look around the house.

“What are you looking for?”

“Ah. I was wondering if there were any photos taken by Appleton.”

“That’s on separate display in the gallery.”

“Gallery?”

“Yeah. It’s on the second floor. Do you want to go take a look?”

“Yeah!”

I jumped up from my seat at Appleton’s suggestion.

Appleton smiled slightly at my appearance and held out his hand.

So, holding Appleton’s hand, I headed to the second floor, where there was a gallery that had been created by remodeling a large room.

“Wow…”

“How cool is it?”

“Amazing…”

Appleton’s photography skills seemed to be improving day by day.

I was amazed at the amazing photos that were beyond comparison to before.

At this point, wouldn’t it be okay to hold a solo exhibition?

As I was looking at the photos, I suddenly noticed something strange.

They were great pictures, but there weren’t a single person in them.

“Appleton?”

“Huh?”

“People don’t take pictures anymore?”

“That’s not it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you are storing it separately?”

“Do you want to see it?”

Appleton returned my question with a sparkle in his eyes.

It’s as if he wants to show it to you right away.

I nodded and swallowed at the strangely powerful sight.

Appleton smiled brightly as if he had been waiting for my answer, and walked toward the end wall of the gallery.

Appleton walked toward the wall, took down the large picture hanging in front of it, and placed it next to him.

I was wondering why the photo was taken, but then the hidden door behind it was revealed.

” and…”

“Okay. This way.”

Appleton opened the hidden door and beckoned to me.

I followed Appleton closely.

“Gasp…”

In the hidden room, the pictures I was looking for were hanging.

The first thing that caught my eye was a group photo of the four of us: Appleton, me, Shine, and Lane.

In the hidden room, there were photos of Appleton taken during his elementary school days on display.

Looking at those photos brings back memories of the past.

It was really fun.

While I was lost in my memories, Appleton came up behind me and asked.

“How is it?”

“Awesome!”

“Thank you.”

I hugged Appleton tightly.

Seeing that he even created such a special room to display our photos, it seemed that Appleton also cherished the time he spent with us.

After looking at the photos, just as he was about to leave the gallery, Appleton’s cell phone rang.

Meow- Meow-

Appleton opened his eyes wide and took out his cell phone as the cat’s meow flowed along with the soft song.

“I’ll make a quick phone call.”

“Yeah.”

I took advantage of Appleton’s interruption to begin exploring the gallery.

There is a hidden room.

That said, it wouldn’t be strange if another room existed.

Scanning the room with a sharp gaze, I was able to find what I was looking for.

Behind the large picture frame, a strangely misaligned gap is visible.

There must have been a hidden room.

I looked behind me.

Appleton was smiling as he spoke on the phone.

It didn’t seem like it would break off any time soon.

I carefully moved the frame aside.

As I felt and touched the exposed wall, a hidden door came into view.

The moment I opened the door, I heard Appleton’s voice behind me.

“Oh, there…!”

Beyond the slowly opened door, there was, as expected, a large room, and what filled it were special photographs.

“That’s a cat photo studio.”

Cat photo studio.

I opened my mouth in a daze at those words.

There were more than a dozen photos displayed in the room, but only one person was in the picture.

“Ar…”

I remembered a memory I had forgotten.

Another cat created by Shine.

Shine, who accepted my almost unreasonable request.

But because Shine hates having new cats, the cat Ar ended up with Appleton.

“Ar!”

I raised both arms and shouted.

A picture of the cat Ar, it was really cute.

The photos contained Ar’s growth.

Ar grows from a small and cute kitten into a large and charming adult cat.

As I was looking at those wonderful pictures, Appleton came up to me and said,

“Do you like it?”

“Really, really cute…”

“You still like cats.”

“Yeah!”

I couldn’t raise one myself because of Shine, but I wanted to raise a cat if I had the chance.

I wish Ar was my cat, but since he already has a good owner named Appleton, I’ve completely given up on Ar.

“Where is Ar?”

“I’m being punished now.”

“Bee…?”

“Yeah, it’s a problem to rest anywhere.”

“Shh, shh?”

I was dumbfounded by Appleton’s words.

What kind of punishment are you talking about?

But Appleton just smiled silently, as if he had nothing more to say.

Is it just me or is that smile somehow creepy?

Anyway, since we were done looking around the gallery, Appleton and I returned to the living room.

“Want some more snacks?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded to Appleton’s suggestion, and Appleton stood up with an empty plate in his hand and headed to the kitchen.

Arga is being punished.

Where is it?

As I thought that, I fixed my gaze on a room in front of me.

This is the room I told you not to enter.

It was strangely close to the living room, yet not too far from Appleton’s bedroom.

Is that it?

No, that was clear.

As I was glaring at the suspicious room, Appleton brought out a plate full of new cookies.

I immediately reached out and started stuffing my mouth with candy.

I’ve been going through so many tough times lately, I need a lot of energy.

“Oh right. Shine and Rain are coming.”

“Kueok!”

Could it be because I heard such shocking words?

A half-eaten piece of candy popped out and made a mess on the table.

Cough, cough, cough – As I was coughing, Appleton came over and patted me on the back.

“Are you okay? Does it taste weird?”

“Ah, no…Kuheok…”

I started gulping down the milk that was next to me.

After regaining some stability, I immediately grabbed Appleton’s shoulder.

“Ba, what did you just say?”

“Hey, Shine and Rain are coming…”

“Oh, did you say I was here?”

“No…? I just knew that?”

“Gasp…”

I felt an ominous feeling and shivered.

There was no time to do this.

If things continued like this, it was clear that Shine and Rain would catch them and eat them without being able to move.

I ran quickly, leaving Appleton alone.

In the guest room on the second floor, the moment I packed my bag, I sensed a strange presence.

“Wow, here it comes…!”

It was the sound of Shine and Rain.

It seemed that he had finally entered the mansion.

I calmly held her trembling hands.

“Jeff…! Why are you suddenly running… and grabbing your bag?”

“Sorry Appleton! I think I have to go!”

“Okay, wait a minute!”

After saying goodbye to Appleton, who had followed him late, he opened the window and jumped out.

But at that moment, a large warp appeared in front of me.

Yes, it’s the warp I always use.

I looked back with a feeling of doubt.

There was Appleton, looking puzzled, reaching out his hand toward me.

Appleton’s abilities.

It was a warp ability…

The body that passed through the warp rolled around and fell back into the room.

As I sat there blankly staring up at Appleton, I heard a thumping sound from underneath the mansion.

“Jeff!”

The first to show up was Rain.

As if she had used her powers to run, a strange heat was emanating from her body.

“Mi, sorry… I suddenly felt like I was trying to run away, so I didn’t realize it…”

Appleton apologized to me as I sat there blankly.

But it was already too late.

Rain, who discovered me, ran over to me and clung to me.

“There’s no escape now!”

Rain bit my cheek, grinning wickedly like a villain.

I was in the middle of pushing away the stubbornly clinging rain.

I felt an intimidating presence that was incomparable to Rain, and then Shine appeared.

Shine’s face with a twisted smile.

I smiled awkwardly at the sight.

“Oh, sis…”

“Did you want to do it somewhere without your mom?”

I frowned at Shine’s words.