The weather was sunny today, but Neizo felt uneasy. The cafeteria was full, students talking loudly, chairs moving, laughter everywhere. "This is too noisy… I should go to the library," he muttered while holding his coffee and walking out.
Neizo, with curly hair and sleepy eyes, entered the library. Only a few students were inside, quietly reading. The silence felt peaceful, but also strange. "This is better…" he whispered and walked toward the shelves, scanning books. "I've read this… not this one…" His fingers stopped at a book with red and blue markings on the cover. It looked… off.
"…The Portal. Interesting."
He took it and sat at a long table where two students were already reading.
He opened the book.
"Long time ago, there was an entity that came to this world by a summon. A witch unknowingly summoned it. The entity was hungry. It devoured the soul of the witch and went toward a village, devouring every soul it found…"
Neizo frowned.
"…until a priest came to stop it. He used everything he had to exorcise the demonic entity but failed. In his last breath, he sealed it into another world… 'The Dream.'"
Neizo's fingers tightened slightly.
"The entity was trapped, but it was too powerful. It controls dreams. It seeks strong souls. It gives hallucinations and makes the targeted person kill themselves…"
Neizo's breathing slowed.
"…killing themselves means offering their soul willingly to her…"
His eyes widened.
"This… this is similar…"
That night flashed in his mind. Toshi, smiling like a maniac, hands covered in blood, repeatedly stabbing his mother, then suddenly crying, "Mom? Mom!"
Neizo shut the book halfway, breathing heavily. "I… I can't read this…"
He didn't notice.
The two students beside him were staring at him.
Smiling.
The library felt darker.
Neizo slowly looked around.
Everything went back to normal.
He was sweating.
"…Something is wrong…"
He looked at the book again.
The cover… had changed.
"…What?"
The markings were gone.
It was now a Chemistry Guide.
His heart started pounding.
"This… this… this can't be real… I must be hallucinating…"
But what he read… it was still in his mind.
"…No… something is wrong… something is very wrong…"
He stood up suddenly and rushed out of the library.
He grabbed his bag from class and told Professor Yoshino he had a headache. The professor allowed him to leave. As he walked back, his thoughts were racing.
"What if the thing Toshi saw… is after me? And that book… how did it change? Is something trying to hide it…?"
Lost in thought, he hit the wall near his apartment.
"…I've reached…"
He walked upstairs.
"Oi, Neizo."
The landlord.
A fat old man with small beard, yellow teeth that clearly hadn't been brushed in days. His breath alone could kill someone.
"There's a new neighbor. Beautiful lady. Right next to your room. Be nice to her, okay?" he said with a disgusting grin. "She's older than you by five years… but who knows, I might still have a chance, hahaha."
Neizo forced a smile. "…Yeah…"
Inside his mind: First brush your teeth, you disgusting old man. That smell alone can kill a ghost. And you're dreaming about getting a girl? Keep dreaming…
He couldn't say it out loud. He hadn't paid two months' rent.
The landlord laughed and walked away.
"…Pheww…"
Neizo took out his key and stood in front of his door.
Then suddenly—
A cold wind brushed past his face.
Neizo froze.
Slowly, he turned his head.
A woman was standing there.
Very close.
She was beautiful… but something felt wrong.
She was smiling.
Not moving.
Not blinking.
Just staring at him.
Sweat rolled down Neizo's face.
"…Are you the new neighbor?"
Silence.
Then suddenly—
Her expression changed.
She looked normal.
Warm.
"Yes. Nice to meet you. I'm Mizimi Hakito."
She extended her hand.
Neizo hesitated, then shook it.
Her hand was freezing cold.
"…Nice to meet you too. I'm Neizo Kuri."
"…I know," she said softly.
Neizo's heart skipped.
"…What?"
She smiled. "Nothing."
The silence between them felt heavy.
"I… I need to go to the toilet," Neizo said awkwardly.
"Oh, I see. See you later then," she replied with a gentle smile.
Neizo quickly entered his room and locked the door.
His breathing became uneven.
"…What was that…?"
He looked at his hand.
Still cold.
"…Her hands… they were like ice… and that smile… she didn't even move until I spoke…"
His mind raced.
"…When I reached here, the hallway was empty… her door was closed… so where did she come from…?"
He swallowed hard.
"…Something is definitely wrong with that woman… I need to be cautious…"
He turned toward his desk.
His phone screen was on.
A video was playing.
Neizo slowly stepped closer.
Title: The Lady in White Dress
His body froze.
The video showed a hallway.
His hallway.
The camera moved slowly… closer… closer…
Then stopped in front of his door.
Neizo's breath got stuck.
The door in the video…
…was opening.
From inside.
He dropped the phone.
Behind him—
A soft, cold voice whispered,
"You saw me too."
Neizo couldn't move.
The door slowly creaked open.