#grievingghost

“What…?” 

In fact, it almost seemed greyer. Sun-bleached. Like something wasn’t quite right. The air was stagnant with the scent of dust, and Sai faintly tasted metal as he rolled his tongue over the roof of his mouth. 

The idol didn’t recognize anything, or anyone, walking around the halls. He stood from his desk, the entirety of the room unfamiliar, including its inhabitants. He bit his lip, contemplating the situation. 

Sai’s chest seized up as he caught sight of the calendar. May 4th, 1991. His mom was…?

His throat was raw, and it felt like his chest was being compressed as his body struggled to remain upright. He walked to the door, pressing his hand against the rough grain of the wood. Sai’s fingers danced over the doorknob, and slowly cranked it to the side, opening the door. He found himself unable to speak for a moment, but prepared his throat.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” He called, but nobody even looked at him. Sai wondered if he existed to them at all. If this was a preexisting situation, he was inserted – thrown right into, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Leather scraped against the side of his forearm.

Sai swerved on his heel, catching sight of Tsuki running past. She was holding onto the arm of another girl, and the two were laughing. They looked at each other with grins, and laughter spread, filling the echoing halls. 

The idols paused. They looked at one another, the resemblance shocking. 

Tsuki stared to her son, and Sai at his mother. They hadn’t met yet, but the senior looked to Sai in shock. 

Sai noted her long, deep brown hair. Her glasses that were a little bit too big for her face, and the gentle frame of her jaw. He traced his own chin. 

This place felt so empty, but so full…? He didn’t understand. Sai hadn’t an idea why he was here, but he felt like he wasn’t supposed to be. 

His vision faded to black, and a deep ringing came from the inside of his head. He felt his heart beat harder, pounding through his veins and rushing through the rest of his body.

And then he felt nothing at all. 

Sai’s eyes opened, and he rubbed his eyes. He was backstage, but didn’t recognize most of this technology. The colors that flashed beyond the curtains didn’t belong to him, of course– they weren’t nearly that bright. 

He exhaled, feeling his wrist, waiting for the music to end. It was familiar to him, but he couldn’t recognize any of it.The idol peeked beyond the curtain. 

That brown hair, and the glasses. The framed jaw. 

His mother’s strong voice filled the stage, and Sai began to fight the tears welling up. His throat closed. 

Sai knew he wouldn’t live up to his mother. His father wanted him to do better. His mother must have been saddened to see at this point in time, Sai wasn’t already at her level.

What he saw next shocked him more than anything. He saw Tsuki stumble. She looked to a redhead, staring across the stage. Behind the right curtain, Penelope Spectra watched her with a disapproving gaze, shaking her head but remaining quiet. The silence struck the idols, both of them looking her in the deep turquoise eyes. Sai exhaled. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Spectra turned around. He had really seen something he shouldn’t have.

Sai slumped down to his knees, hands covering his eyes. 

A cold feeling hit the air, stinging his tearstained face. Clockwork tapped him on the shoulder…

He blinked, and color returned to the world. Sai’s eyes felt heavy, almost glued together, his body grounded by the weight of something on his shoulder. He sat up groggily. 

Danny shook his partner. 

“Dude, are you alright? You slept the entire class. School’s out.” 

Sai sucked in a breath, almost fighting to fill his lungs. They ached for more air. He remained silent for a moment, standing up and gathering his stuff into his backpack. Sai collected his bearings, as well, eyes scanning the room to make sure nothing else had changed.