Kimono

In the ward, I saw cherry blossoms spreading down from Chen Xiaoqiu's shoulders, like a demonic claw reaching out from the darkness, and also like the pattern on that kimono—a tree of cherry blossoms in full bloom, extending from the hem of the skirt to the shoulders. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed the cherry blossoms. The sensation at that moment was icy cold, but it was indeed the touch of petals and branches. It recoiled like a startled snake, and I only managed to grasp a single petal.

"We need to resolve this quickly," I said, clenching my fist and speaking to the others.

It was an intuition, just like when I reached for the cherry blossoms. I knew time was running out. Those cherry blossoms... were about to kill again!

The others grew tense, and the group silently walked out and took a taxi to City South Hospital. Ma Yibing led the way to Lu Manning's ward. There was an empty bed in the four-person room. Ma Yibing, visibly uneasy, pointed to the empty bed and said Lu Manning was staying there.

The woman in the next bed proactively asked us, "Are you classmates of that young lady?"

Ma Yibing nodded.

"May I ask where she went?" I noticed something on the cabinet by the hospital bed, knowing she hadn't been discharged and was likely still in the hospital.

The woman shook her head. "I don't know. She changed clothes this morning and went out."

"She's discharged?" Guo Yujie asked.

"No, not discharged."

"What did she change into?" I asked.

The woman frowned. "A kimono, a black one, with cherry blossom patterns on it."

We all held our breath. My heart sank.

"How is that possible... When did she change? A black kimono with a cherry blossom tree on the back?" Lanlan pressed urgently.

"Yes," the woman said, startled. "She was acting strange, suddenly changing into that outfit this morning and going out."

"Where did she get the kimono?" Ma Yibing's head was about to explode, his body trembling.

"How would I know?" the woman eyed us strangely.

"Let's split up and search," I decided, looking at Ma Yibing and Lanlan. "You two wait in the ward. Here's my number. If she comes back, call me." I gave my phone number to Lanlan.

Lanlan saved the number but didn't want to stay. "I'll go search too!"

"Someone has to stay. You two are staying here," I emphasized.

The lean guy, the other two, and I quickly left the ward and ran in different directions.

The black kimono was very conspicuous. I asked several people and got answers, but Lu Manning, or rather the kimono, was just wandering around the hospital without stopping, doing whatever it was doing. Many people saw her at different times and pointed in different directions. I followed the leads, running as I asked for directions.

My phone rang. It was Guo Yujie.

Guo Yujie lowered her voice and spoke like a machine gun. "On the rooftop! She's on the roof! Hurry over, I'm watching her!"

I hung up and rushed for the elevator. The hospital elevators were slow, and I lost patience, heading for the stairs instead. On the way up, I ran into the lean guy, and we scrambled up the stairs together, pushing ourselves to the limit.

All sorts of thoughts like "jumping off," and "suicide" flooded my mind. My heart pounded, terrified I'd be too late. My heart was beating so fast I felt dizzy and lightheaded, so I tried to comfort myself: Guo Yujie was there. With her incredible strength, she could definitely stop Lu Manning. I just hoped the kimono didn't have any tricks up its sleeve that could harm Guo Yujie; that would be dangerous too.

Lost in these thoughts, I forgot the fatigue of climbing stairs. The lean guy and I, panting, reached the rooftop.

The door to the rooftop was locked, with a "No Entry" sign on it, but for some reason, it was open.

The lean guy and I caught our breath and tiptoed to open the door. We didn't see anyone at first. Sneaking around half the rooftop, we spotted a figure in a kimono on the other side.

Guo Yujie was hiding nearby, watching Lu Manning, and occasionally looking back. Seeing us arrive, she quickly gestured.

The lean guy darted to Guo Yujie's side. Seeing I wasn't following, he and Guo Yujie both hissed at me, urging me on.

I ignored them, staring blankly at Lu Manning's back.

Lu Manning was wearing that black kimono, with cherry blossoms blooming on the back. The wind blew, making the kimono's hem sway, and the cherry blossoms on her back seemed to be swaying too. This time, I saw it clearly: around the trunk of the tree on the hem, there were indeed people standing. Not two, but five. Each was wearing a black kimono, surrounding the cherry blossom tree, heads tilted back as if admiring the flowers. But they all extended their hands towards the cherry blossoms, urging the flowers to quickly grab Lu Manning and drag her into their world.

"Lu Manning!" I shouted.

Guo Yujie and the lean guy panicked, looking anxiously at Lu Manning.

I saw the five women lower their heads and turn to look at me. Lu Manning also turned her head at that moment.

The cherry blossom tree began to sway.

As soon as Lu Manning turned, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

Guo Yujie, the most agile, dashed to Lu Manning's side, but her steps suddenly stopped.

The lean guy dumbfoundedly stood up from behind the air conditioning unit where he was hiding, pointed at Lu Manning, and then looked at me.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Manning was wearing her hospital gown. The kimono on her had vanished like smoke as she collapsed. Her face was pale, but her chest was rising and falling; she was clearly still alive.

Guo Yujie, with her great strength, picked Lu Manning up and carried her on her back, then complained to me, "Lin Qi, why did you shout just now? What if something had happened?"

"If I hadn't shouted, something would have happened," I said, my legs feeling weak, my back soaked with sweat.

"What's going on? Brother Qi, if you have this ability, why didn't you say so earlier?" The lean guy patted my back. I could feel his weakness; he seemed to have been quite scared.

"What ability do I have?" I asked them hesitantly. "Did you see people on the kimono just now?"

"What people?"

"The people standing below the cherry blossom tree."

Both of them shook their heads.

"Brother Qi, do you really have Yin-Yang eyes?" the lean guy continued, amazed.

I found it strange myself, "I've never seen a ghost before."

"Maybe you just haven't encountered one before," the skinny guy said.

The three of us took Lu Manning downstairs and happened to run into the fat guy, who was still huffing and puffing his way up. He was too tired to speak. Seeing us carrying a girl down, he knew everything was fine and plopped himself down on the stairs.

The skinny guy kicked him, "Don't block the way, let's go, get downstairs."

"I'm waiting for the elevator," the fat guy insisted.

"Then wait," the skinny guy walked past him.

Seeing us all leave, the fat guy had no choice but to struggle to his feet and follow us downstairs, one heavy step after another.

Lan Lan and Ma Yibing had been waiting anxiously in the ward. When they saw us return with Lu Manning, Lan Lan's tension eased, and tears streamed down her face. Ma Yibing also let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Call a doctor to check her," I told the skinny guy.

He nodded in agreement.

"Where's the kimono?" The fat guy, having recovered a bit, remembered the reason for all this.