Happy Ending! 3

As they walk into the small untarred road, located in the middle of the woods, from a distance, they saw a big old house. The house looks spooky yet beautiful! Inoo – the architect geek, runs towards the house eagerly. He stop in front of the gate. From there, he saw big and beautiful mansion with western style. He wonders who could have built western style house in the village which is strong in tradition. Yabu and Risako approaching, they refuse to run although Inoo wave his hand to make them come faster. As they stand beside Inoo, they look at the mansion,

 “Beautiful.” said Inoo,

 “Spooky.” said Risako

Inoo looks at Risako’s face with deadly stare. Risako giggle at Inoo’s reaction while Yabu is looking for the bell. At that moment, Risako heard footsteps. She look at her back and!

 “Welcome!” an old ugly woman greets them.

Risako screamed when she saw the woman’s face. It is looks disgustings with spots and stains. Her big mole located on her cheeks with a hair on it, along with those frightening squinted eyes and big mouth. Yabu and Inoo apologize for Risako’s behalf. They’re sorry for her rudeness.

 “No worries, kids. I’ve always treated like this. Totally fine with me!”

 “We’re totally sorry!” Inoo still insisting to apologize. He bow to the woman with manner.

 “You are such a good boy, little boy. Now, let’s come in.”

The woman opens the gate and asks the last person to close the gate back. She says, “Kids around here love play around here and damage the flowers here.” Inoo, the last one to get in close the gate closely. As he walk, he can feel someone watching them but he ignored it. As they get into the house, they are surprised of the shining silvery floor they are standing on. The marmar tile are too beautiful to be discolored! Risako and her woman’s instinct, she runs around the house and was impressed of the gold colored sofas, the beautiful yet luxurious look dining table, and the magnificent paintings on the wall!

 “This is such a good house, why were it located in the woods?” Risako asks the woman.

 “Call me Mdm. Keiko. I don’t know, little girl, I don’t know. I’m only working here but I don’t know why the owner built it here. I myself never seen the owner, he was a deadbody when I first came here, years ago. That time, I’m still young and pretty~” Mdm. Keiko’s face looks shining when she says young and pretty.

 “Are you looking after this house because someone ask you to?” Yabu asks.

 “Yup, I’m a maid years ago, I receive new job from a letter, promising me gold, so I accept it.”

 “Then, did you meet the person who offer you this job?”

 “No, little boy. No. The person never appear.”

 “Maybe the owner’s child or family?”

 “He’s been died hundredths of years, so does his family. None of the villagers know of this family but all of them know the disaster happen hundredths of years ago.” Mdm. Keiko’s face turned cloudy.

 “Now, I’m gonna prepare you breakfast, why don’t you guys have a shower upstairs, there’ll be rooms for you to choose, have one as you please, no one is living here except me.”

 “Thank you, Mdm. Keiko.” the 3 musketeers left Mdm. Keiko who still has the cloudy face.

 Inoo, Yabu and Risako climd up to the second floor and saw plenty of rooms. They decided to choose the first three rooms. Yabu is in the very first room, Risako in the second and Inoo is on the third room. After taking a shower, Inoo and Risako gather in Yabu’s room. They make a small meeting. Yabu sits on the bed, Risako on the fluffy carpet and was writing something on the floor desk while Inoo is looking out of the window.

 “We’ve finally seen some parts of the village, we can say that this village is big as they got small houses as a place to stop if there’s rain in the woods, which is mean, their activity also occured in the woods. The wonders also located in the woods, I mean… most of them.”

 “I afraid we’ll need some help from the villagers to show us where the Wonders located as… the woods… I believe it is big!” Inoo gives his opinion.

 “I think so too.”

 “We also know that plenty of tourists often comes to this place to take a peek on the Wonders… and it makes the villagers uncomfortable!” Yabu continued.

 “The wonders is one thing that we must investigate, another thing…” Risako seems to wonder a lot. She wrinkles her face and put the tail of her pencil into her mouth,

 “What is it, Risako?” Inoo asks.

 “The mystery of the disaster! I wonder what had happen before and who is the family that live in this house, I mean… this mansion that I believe, the source of the disaster!”

 “Nice thought and questions! THAT is also what we must investigate and I believe, the Wonders and the questions are related, do you agree?”

 Inoo and Risako nodded to Yabu’s word, they are all agree that these are related.

 “I got something in my mind,” Inoo suddenly interrupt the silence.

 “What is it?” Yabu asks.

 “Who is the person who calls Mdm. Keiko to work here? And why Mdm. Keiko. Among thousands, why Mdm. Keiko?”

 “That is another question!” Risako raise her hand.

 Yabu smiled.

 “What is it, Yabu?”

 “Nothing, I just… kinda interested with this case!”

 “Okay, now, We’re ON, right?!” Inoo asks, he rise his voice a bit.

 They are all agree and starts to think of what will be the next question! Their silence are broken down by Mdm. Keiko. Her call to come down makes them surprised. They gather to the dining table and saw plenty of foods already there. There’s soup with bread, there’s miso soup and there’s onigiri. There’s also tea on the table. After the breakfast, the three musketeers asks for permission to walk out and Mdm. Keiko gives them a smile. Along with a map and a note, they walk outta the woods. They go to the village and meet some villagers to asks for help to guide them to the Wonders. They hope for a collaboration but none of them willing to help. They doesn’t seems to like their existence.

They walk for several hours but none of them willing to help… On the spot, they saw a lady with big cream hat was snapping the landscape of nature using her camera. Risako approach the lady and greets her,

 “Good Morning, Ms!”

 “Good Morning. Oh, are you tourists too?!” the lady jump to Risako, she held her both hands with eyes of hopes.

 “Yes, miss. We’re tourists.”

 “Lucky! I’m having terrible trouble over here! People around here was soooooo not friendly. They look at me as if I’m a criminal!”

 ‘It’s your cloth, Miss.” Yabu whisper to Inoo’s ears and Inoo laugh. He stop laughing when he realizes the lady gives him a stare, deadly stare.

 “Don’t mind my friends, they are nuts.”

 “Are you okay walking with two guys while you are alone as a girl?” the lady worried.

 “I’m totally fine, Miss. By the way, I’m Sugaya Risako from Tokyo.” she give her right hand to shake.

 “I’m Iida Kaori.” the lady smiles and shake her hand with Risako.

 “The right boy is Yabu Kota and the other one is Inoo Kei.” Risako introducing.

 “Nice to meet you. ” they greets synchronizing.

 Kaori nod her head a little and look back at Risako.

 “They seems to be a pervert to me…” she whisper to Risako.

 With small laugh Risako answer, “Yup, I think so too.” and they laugh.

 “WHere are you going from here?”

 “We’re looking for the Wonders.”

 “I knew it! But, you must look for it yourself. The villagers won’t help and they do not allow any one to guide tourists.”

 Risako seems to be a bit dissapointed. Yabu aproach them,

 “No worries, lady. We’ll look for it ourselves.”

 “No! I’ll help! I have nothing to do right now. Let me accompany you!”

 They could not resists as Risako’s hand already pulled along her. They are going to the first mansion…