CHAPTER 20

                                    

                                          
Tree Spirit 
The following morning at the inn, Naoki and Rachy were up early. Rachy drew back the curtains to reveal that the snowfall from the previous night had ceased, leaving the morning overcast. She checked her phone to find the temperature was a chilly 1°C. Meanwhile, Naoki prepared two cups of coffee, placing them on the table, and glanced at their still sleeping sons. The heater hummed softly, warming the room.
An hour later, Yoh awoke to find his parents enjoying the view from the sofa. He joined them, greeting, "Good morning, Mom, Dad."
Rachy replied, "Morning, Yoh-chan. Brush your teeth first... We'll have breakfast soon."
Yoh nodded, "Okay... Tenn-chan and Riku-chan are still asleep. I'll go wake them up."
Naoki added, "After waking them, go brush your teeth, okay?"
Yoh agreed, "I will," and proceeded to rouse Tenn and Riku from their futons.
Tenn responded sleepily, rubbing his eyes, "Good morning, Yoh-nii nii..."
Riku, bundled in his blanket like a sandworm, mumbled, "Mmm........"
Yoh urged, "Riku-chan, time to wake up..."
Riku replied, "Morning, Yoh-nii nii, morning, Tenn-nii....."
Yoh encouraged, "Come on, you both... Let's brush our teeth first...."
Tenn and Riku agreed in unison, "Okay......"
After freshening up and changing their clothes, they headed to the dining room for breakfast. Post-breakfast, Tenn and Riku lounged on the lobby sofa, awaiting their parents who had returned to their room to fetch their jackets. Yoh stood by the large window, taking in the view.
As Tenn and Riku engaged in casual conversation, they were approached unexpectedly. The elderly woman they had spoken to the previous night had come to greet them.
"Ah, we meet again, young ones..."
Tenn and Riku were taken aback. It was the same woman they had encountered in the waiting room the night before. What surprised them more was that they hadn't noticed her approach.
Riku managed a hesitant, "Hello..."
Tenn, puzzled, asked, "When did you sit here?"
"Just a moment ago... Who are you waiting for?" she inquired.
Riku replied, "We're waiting for my parents and my older brother are..."
There was a pause.
Riku pointed towards the spot where Yoh, his brother, should have been standing near the window. However, he was nowhere to be found. Tenn and Riku scanned the lobby only to find it eerily empty and silent.
"I'm surprised you two can see me..." the old woman confessed.
"You're the first humans who have been able to see me in this inn," she added.
Tenn gripped Riku's hand tightly and demanded, "Who are you? Are you a spirit? What do you want from us?"
"I'm not a malevolent spirit... I merely seek your assistance," she reassured.
Riku suggested, "Perhaps you could start by telling us who you are..."
"Why don't we introduce ourselves? You two go first," she proposed.
"I'm Tenn, and this is my twin brother, Riku," Tenn introduced them.
Riku added, "Yup, I'm Riku..."
Tenn then asked, "And you are?"