EYES SEE YOU
Chapter 11
"Remnant Fair"
“Dying? You can’t be serious, right?”
Mr. Clean couldn’t believe how much blood was pouring from his ear. There was no pain, but the fear of bleeding out was real.
“Alfred, something is wrong with me. I feel like something is after me.”
Red’s face turned pale with worry for Mr. Clean. He decided to share his own secret.
“I… feel it too, Mr. Clean.”
Mr. Clean looked at Red, concerned.
“What do you mean, Alfred?”
“I’ve been bleeding from my nose too. It started when we brought Juni to Dr. Braille’s clinic after he passed out. It happened again when we met Juni’s girlfriend. I think it’s something in that house. Something strange happened there and it affected us somehow.”
Red was referring to the house at Dahlia Chapter.
“We were supposed to check that house.”
“But you told me not to because Juni went there and his uniform had bloodstains on it.”
Mr. Clean recalled the uniform he cleaned for Juni. Yes, that was indeed blood. Red continued.
“I know we agreed not to go, but I went alone anyway.”
Mr. Clean was shocked.
“I told you it could be dangerous! What happened?”
“No one answered the door. I kept knocking but got no response. So I did something I shouldn’t have. I opened the mail I was supposed to deliver. It was a foreclosure notice from two years ago.”
“Could that mean…”
“The house is abandoned, Mr. Clean. So whoever I saw in the window that day, was an intruder or it wasn’t a real person…”
Mr. Clean’s eyes widened and he looked like he was about to pass out. Red panicked.
“Mr. Clean? Are you alright?”
“Gotcha! Hahaha!”
Red, realizing Mr. Clean was playing a prank on him, pushed Mr. Clean and told him to clean up.
“I can’t believe you!”
“If you could see your face right now! I’m not surprised you’re afraid of ghosts, Alfred. You’re even scared of getting injections at Dr. Braille’s clinic, and I had to go first!”
Red adjusted his tracksuit.
“I just don’t like how needles feel on my skin! I’d still do it without you! Never mind. I don’t care if you’re dying. Just die already!”
Red walked away faster, leaving Mr. Clean on the pavement. Mr. Clean shouted after him.
“Alfred! I was just joking!”
From a distance, Red didn’t look back but raised his hand in goodbye.
Watching Red walk away, Mr. Clean’s mind was filled with troubling thoughts. Knowing Red, his fear sometimes gets the better of him. So Mr. Clean didn’t want to worry him even more and decided to keep the truth to himself.
Looking at the blood on his hands, he wondered.
“What is wrong with me?”
THE CALL
Another day came, the telephone rang in Juni’s house. Narra answered.
“Hello?”
“Narra? This is Dr. Braille. Is Juni home?”
“He left early this morning, Doctor. Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I was just checking if he looked at his fax. I sent something important.”
“Important? He must have missed it in his rush to get ready for the school fair. He even skipped his coffee. What’s it about?”
Dr. Braille recalled Juni’s wish to protect his mother. Though he wanted to tell Narra, he had promised Juni to keep it confidential.
“It’s fine, Narra. Don’t worry. It’s just something for his Science Project. Please remind him to check his fax—it’s urgent.”
After hanging up, Narra decided to check Juni’s fax machine herself. She headed to his room to look at the prints.
As she was about to open the door…
“Meow!”
A cat suddenly jumped into Narra’s arms. She set it down, and it swirled around her legs, purring and rubbing against her.
“Gabi! Did Juni forget to feed you too? Come on, I’ll get you some food.”
Narra carried the cat to the kitchen. Distracted, she forgot to check Juni’s fax—the important horn test results.
THE ANNUAL REMNANT FAIR
It was early morning as the clubs of the Remnant Fair set up their stalls. Excitement filled the air for this major event because today is the day it’s finally happening.
“Banners?”
“Checked.”
“Dumplings?”
“They’ll start steaming in an hour.”
“Miss Clean Shine and Protect Shoe Polish?”
“Stacked and ready, Pres!”
“Scarlet?”
“That’s me talking to you, Pres…”
“Oh, right. Mr. Clean and Juni?”
“Present.”
Red looked at Juni but didn’t see Mr. Clean.
“Where’s Mr. Clean?”
“I haven’t seen him. Maybe he’ll arrive before the fair starts.”
“He’s never late. I told him to come here first thing.” —Red scratched his head.
“I’ll check the maintenance room. Maybe he’s doing his early cleaning rounds.” —Juni offered.
“By the way, you two, when the fair starts, act like you don’t know me.”
“But everyone knows you, Pres.”
“Just do it, Scarlet!”
Juni and Scarlet were puzzled but nodded to respect Red’s wishes.
Red didn’t want anyone to know he was involved with their club, especially the Rainbow Gang. The rest of the gang were at their sports tournaments, and Red wanted to maintain his status. If they found out he was participating in non-sports activities, he might lose his chance to be their leader and the respect of most students at R.U.
A leadership role in such a prestigious gang opened many doors post-high school. Even Red’s brother had been in the Rainbow Gang. Though Red had told Indie he didn’t want to lead, he hadn’t really considered it seriously before.
The fair had two parts: a morning session with activities and booths, and an evening session with a gallery and fireworks.
“So, Juni… Are you giving Jane a string?”
Juni blushed, surprised by Scarlet’s question.
“What do you mean, Scarlet? Jane is my friend…”
“I can tell you have feelings for her. And from how you talk about her, I’m sure it’s mutual! Why don’t you give her a string?”
It was a tradition in Manna to give a string as a symbol of professing love or letting someone know they were special.
“I don’t think that’s the case, Scarlet.”
Red overheard their conversation.
“I’m sure many girls will give me a string.”
Scarlet smiled cheerfully at Red.
“But you only choose one to tie around your wrist or neck. Are you hoping for a specific someone, Pres?”
Red’s eye twitched.
“Uh—yeah. But it’s none of your business!”
Scarlet grinned.
“I’m happy for you, Pres! I hope you get that string from your special someone.”
Red shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Well, let me know if you see Mr. Clean. We’re all set for today. I’ll be at the gym stretching my legs.”
Red walked away, while Juni told Scarlet he’d check the maintenance room for Mr. Clean.
Left alone, Scarlet pulled something from her pocket
—a string.
MAINTENANCE ROOM
At the maintenance room, Juni knocked on the door.
“Mr. Clean? It’s me, Juni.”
There was no response. Juni noticed the door was unlocked.
He opened it slowly, seeing the lights were on even though it was already morning. It seemed they had been left on overnight.
“Mr. Clean? Are you here?”
Juni stepped inside and heard water running in the bathroom. He approached the door and knocked again.
“Mr. Clean? It’s Juni. Red is wondering if you’re here.”
Still, no answer.
Juni started to worry and knocked louder.
“Mr. Clean? Are you alright?”
Water began seeping from under the bathroom door, reaching Juni’s shoes. Realizing the faucet was overflowing, he prepared to kick the door open.
Suddenly, the door clicked and opened slightly.
Mr. Clean peeked out, shampoo in his hair.
“Hey Juni! Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the water!”
Juni felt relieved and a bit embarrassed for disturbing Mr. Clean’s shower.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Clean. We were looking for you to let you know our booth is ready.”
“Oh, I’m sorry! I was supposed to come right away, but I got so dirty cleaning the whole school before the fair started, so I showered. I’ll be down in a heartbeat!”
Juni apologized again for barging in and left.
Mr. Clean closed the bathroom door.
If only Juni had seen inside, he would have noticed Mr. Clean’s uniform covered in blood.
That morning, Mr. Clean’s symptoms had worsened. He was in school all night because he didn’t want to come home in his condition. He had started puking blood, which got all over his shirt. He washed up and removed his clothes, but eventually passed out, leaving the faucet running. He lay on the floor as the bathroom flooded. He didn’t drown because the water started seeping out the door.
Juni’s knocking woke him up, bringing him back to consciousness.
Mr. Clean knew something was seriously wrong. But he decided to get through the Remnant Fair first because he knew how important it was for the students. His heart was dedicated to serving them, after all.
THE COIN
Jane was pacing back and forth, clutching a small object.
“Jane!”
“Hi Rachel!”
Jane quickly closed her hand.
“What’s that?”
Rachel touched Jane’s hand and discovered—
“A coin?”
Jane blushed as Rachel’s eyes widened.
“I have to be honest. I like Juni… very much.”
Rachel smiled widely and held Jane’s hands together.
“Finally! I knew you had feelings for him from the moment you first mentioned him!”
“I was hoping he’d give me a string tonight. Then I could give this to him…”
“He’ll surely give you one! I’m so happy for you, Jane!”
The two walked to Remnant University for the school fair.
A coin is a traditional symbol of good luck. The person who receives a string usually gives a coin in exchange, symbolizing ‘payment’ to show commitment and appreciation for the proposal of love.
THE OPENING
The gates of Remnant University were about to open, and as expected, a long line of people, mostly students from different schools, waited eagerly to attend the biggest school fair.
“I’m going to try all the snacks this year! Last year, I got so full from just one stall!”
“I told my parents I wanted to attend R.U. because of events like this! Too bad I didn’t pass the entrance exam.”
“I heard Remnant University has a handsome janitor! I came to see him.”
The students outside buzzed with anticipation as the speakers blared an announcement from Secretary Oswald.
“Good day, people of Manna! I know you’re all excited about today’s events, but before we open the gates, let’s hear from our principal, Principal Spears!”
The crowd clapped excitedly.
“Hello, students of Remnant University and guests. This tradition makes everyone look forward to this day each year, with students from all over visiting our university to join our celebration. Today is a celebration of memory, a fragment of our history. May this day be filled with joy and unforgettable moments!
Welcome to our Annual Remnant Fair! The gates are now open!!!”
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. The path filled with people as parades, dances, and the school band playing trumpets and drums set the scene.
Jane and Rachel navigated through the sea of people, reaching the booth to log their names and present their tickets. Tyler, from the Track and Field team, was at the ticket booth. Jane signed the logbook.
“Jane Hart? Hi! I’m Tyler. You’re Juni’s friend, right?”
“Yes, that’s me. How do you know me?”
“Juni is my classmate. He asked me to wait for you so I could take you to their booth.”
“Wow… Thanks, Tyler! I have a plus one with me.”
“No problem! She can come too.”
After signing in, the two girls followed Tyler into the fair.
BOOTH NO. 5
A shoe was so shiny you could see your reflection in it. Mr. Clean gently put it back on the girl’s foot. As soon as she wore it, she passed out in awe. Two of her friends caught her and fanned her vigorously.
“Oh my gosh, he’s so cute!!!”
Mr. Clean smiled.
“Amazing, isn’t it? You get a free shoe-shining service if you buy our dumpling sets!”
Hearing this, the surrounding girls immediately asked for all the available sets of dumplings.
Juni and Scarlet were busy selling.
“I think we’ll run out quicker than we expected, Scarlet.”
“That’s because Ms. Narra’s dumplings are so good!”
Red walked by, noticing the crowd of girls waiting for their dumplings.
He cleared his throat to announce his presence.
“I’ll take one set.”
Scarlet looked a bit confused.
“Pres, I mean… For here or takeaway?”
“I can…take it away?”
“But you know this…” —Scarlet whispered to herself.
“That will be 150.” —Juni replied.
Red reached into his pocket but realized he forgot to bring cash.
Indie suddenly arrived with his soccer team.
“Hey, Scarlet! It’s on me. Give Red one.”
Red’s eye twitched.
“I said I’ll pay for it. I don’t need your charity!”
“It’s not charity. I’m just supporting my sister’s club. After all, you built this. I want to support our gang leader!”
Red looked irritated.
“I didn’t build this! It was Juni.”
Juni looked surprised.
Scarlet opened the lid of the dumpling steamer.
“Too bad, we’re sold out…”
The girls in line were disappointed and began to cry.
“But how are we going to get a free shoe-shining service now?!”
“I can still shine your shoes to thank you all for your support!” —Mr. Clean announced.
The girls’ eyes glistened with excitement.
Scarlet suddenly realized she needed to go somewhere.
“Oh, Pres! Can I go now? Since we’re sold out, I need to take care of something.”
Red’s eye twitched again, signaling Scarlet not to talk to him in front of everyone. So Scarlet turned to Juni, who nodded in agreement.
Scarlet and Indie left together.
Red looked at Juni.
“Oh Juni, I saw your girlfriend walking in here with Rachel. Take her to the marriage booth. Do yourself a favor and give her a string…”
Juni’s face flushed. Mr. Clean, while shining a shoe, said:
“Sometimes, you might think it’s not there. But with a little cleaning, it’ll become clear. It’s never going to be clear if we don’t rub it in…”
Red was impressed. Juni, realizing what he needed to do, decided to leave for a while.
“Wow, Mr. Clean, I didn’t know you could be so deep sometimes.”
Mr. Clean turned to Red.
“What do you mean, Alfred? I was talking about her shoe.”
JUNI AND JANE
The fairground was alive with colorful tents, filled with students, teachers, and visitors enjoying the delicious smells of popcorn, cotton candy, and baked goods, all accompanied by music.
Juni was eagerly searching for Jane, feeling ready to share something important with her. He couldn’t wait for her to arrive, even though he’d asked a classmate to wait for her.
Finally spotting her by the cotton candy booth, he called out and tapped her.
“Jane!”
But it turned out to be someone else, and he apologized for the mistake.
“You and I knew each other since we were kids and you still mistaken someone else as me…”
Juni faced the girl who was talking behind him.
She wore a white sundress that fluttered in the gentle breeze, a ribbon in her hair, and her smile lit up her face. Juni couldn’t help but smile back and immediately, he forgot that he had something to say at the sight of Jane.
They spent the day together, exploring the fair, trying different foods, and playing games, reminiscing about their childhood and growing closer with each moment. This day felt a little different because they went out like lovers would, but it was never clear to the both of them how they felt for each other.
As the sun set and the fairgrounds lit up, Juni and Jane found a quiet spot away from the crowd.
“This has been the best day ever.” —Jane said softly.
“Yeah, it really has. By the way, where’s Rachel? I haven’t seen her.”
“She said she’ll visit the gallery. I didn’t want to hold her back. Plus she’s with Tyler.”
Jane took a deep breath, gathering her courage. She had been waiting for the right moment all day, and now, under the beautiful sky, she felt it was time. She turned to face Juni, her heart pounding.
“Juni, there’s something I need to tell you…”
She began, her voice trembling slightly. Juni looked at her.
“I’ve been wanting to say this for a while, but I didn’t know how. Spending today with you has made me realize just how much I…”
Suddenly a group of students pulled them both inside a booth.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the beautiful union of two people. The union of… Juni and Jane.”
Confused, Juni and Jane went along with it. Little did they know, the Botany Club president was just following Red’s orders.
“You have to find Juni and Jane and have them marry each other.”
“O-ok Red! I promise! Wait, who’s Juni? And Jane?”
Red was tapping the club president’s head with a flower bouquet.
“It’s. Your. Job. To. Find. Out.”
“I understand Red!!!”
.
.
.
“Juni, do you take this girl as your wife, to have and to hold, now and forever?”
Juni was put on the spot and was stunned by the question. He looked at Jane, unable to say anything.
Jane felt so nervous, but she took the courage to say something before a word came out of Juni’s mouth.
“I really like you, Juni! More than just a friend.”
The acting officiant was stunned.
“Hold on, you’re already marrying him so I bet he knew that.”
Jane continued.
“I’ve liked you for so long, but I was so afraid to tell you. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.”
Realizing that what she’s saying is already true, the officiant slowly faded into the background.
Juni looked into Jane’s eyes and felt that what she was saying was real. Unable to express himself with words, he offered Jane a flower and tucked it behind her ear.
“I…will give you something. Please wait for me… I’ll be back before the fireworks. Wait for me by the ghost tree.”
The ghost tree is the same place where they both met as kids. Jane called this the ghost tree because they met when her cat Porgy was stuck on that tree and she believed there was a tree ghost.
Jane nodded, while everyone clapped. With a hopeful smile, Jane watched Juni leave, excited at the possibility of what might happen later that night.
Juni rushed back home to get something from his house. His mother had already left to tend the shop, leaving only his cat at home.
“Meow!”
He stroked the cat and headed straight to his room. On his nightstand, he retrieved a box. Opening it, he found the string his mother had given him.
Gabi leaped onto Juni’s lap. Juni noticed that his cat was calling his attention to something.
“Gabi? You’ve been fed. Is there something else?”
The cat continued to swirl around, then leaped off Juni’s lap and headed towards the cupboard.
“Hold on, Gabi…”
Worried the cat might cause a mess, Juni followed, discovering his fax machine with papers on it.
Opening the papers, he was surprised to find the test results of Mr. Clean and Red.
“Positive…?”
Dizzy with adrenaline, Juni called Dr. Braille on their home telephone.
“Juni? Thank goodness you got my message. Listen, Juni. When we tested Red’s blood along with mine, it came back negative, like mine. Until Mr. Clean came in alone.”
“Mr. Clean…visited you?”
“Yes, and he requested a blood test. He seemed fine, but it struck me as odd. Nevertheless, I conducted the test. Then, a few days later, I started having nosebleeds. So I retested Red’s blood, and it was positive. I also tested Mr. Clean’s, and it was positive too.”
Juni felt overwhelmed. He couldn’t hear his own thoughts.
“Does that mean…you’re in danger too, Doctor?”
“Unfortunately, yes, Juni. I am.”
“I’ll come to you, Doctor. Just wait for me…”
“No, Juni, listen. This demon…it’s inevitable now.”
“I shouldn’t have involved you. Mr. Clean and Red will suffer because of me. It’s all my fault!”
“Don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known. Whatever happens to me or your friends is beyond your control. But remember this. You were the first to encounter this horn. You are its host. We are just its foothold. When it’s done with us, it will reveal itself to you and offer you a deal. Never accept it. It will cost you your soul.”
Juni heard Dr. Braille coughing, his voice strained with illness.
Juni remembered that there was a way to confront the demon, just like with Jane before, and the first time he encountered a demon in the attic. He didn’t fully understand when they would come, but it’s enough to know that they appear to its victims.
“Doctor…I will fight them. All of them.”
“Son, I don’t want you in danger. You’re not ready to face them. They’re powerful.”
Juni glanced out the window, seeing the sun setting. He knew he had to act fast because demons were more active at night.
“If I can’t find them, I’ll wait until they come for you all, and I’ll make sure that I’m there. I will be there… to kill them.”
Dr. Braille couldn’t dissuade Juni until Juni ended the call. He didn’t waste more time and he left to return to school, determined to save Mr. Clean and Red.
THE GALLERY
While Red was enjoying himself at the fair, he noticed Scarlet entering the school gallery, so he decided to follow her inside.
There, he discovered a collection of photos taken by Scarlet that were just displayed at the Finch Residence. Scarlet was busy setting up for the gallery opening when Red approached her, expressing his admiration for her work.
“You did all this?”
Scarlet turned, startled by the familiar voice.
“Pres…? You’re here…”
Red couldn’t contain his amazement.
“Wow, this is so cool!”
The photos, although capturing everyday scenes, were imbued with a somber, melancholic tone that resonated deeply with Red. Despite Scarlet’s typically cheerful demeanor, her photographs revealed a darker aspect of her emotions.
As Red was absorbed in the images, Scarlet suddenly remembered something. She reached into her pocket.
With no words and both arms raised, she was offering a string to Red.
Red was taken aback by the gesture, and Scarlet watched anxiously as he slowly approached her.
However, when he reached where she was standing, he just passed her. Red’s attention was drawn to a particular photograph.
In the photograph was a shoe shop. The sign in front was already faded and old. Its rolling door was pulled down and was covered in graffiti. It looked dilapidated and abandoned.
Tears welled up in Red’s eyes as he touched the photograph.
Then behind him, Scarlet said something he didn’t expect.
“We know what you did. We know how you killed him.”