003 // forward dated to early 6/18

[cardcaptured]

Xiaolang Li shared a photo. 6/18 near Birch Hills

The man in the first photo is my cousin and legal guardian, Leon Zhong. He hasn't been home since yesterday afternoon, and some of his Retrospec-related items seem to be missing. The woman in the second photo is his girlfriend, Mio Sonozaki. She's the most likely candidate of people he may have been with, but I haven't been able to get in touch with her since last night. If anyone has seen either of them in the past 24 hours, please let me know. It's of the utmost importance.

Comments

tw suicide mentions

[cardcaptured]

[His head snaps up in surprise, not only due to Kaede being aware of Mio's secret, but--]

She put something up on Retrospec? When? I didn't see anything when I checked this morning.

[It's possible she may have deleted it, although that just concerns him further. His teeth worry his bottom lip as he takes in this new development, considering. If she was telling other people about it, then he wasn't breaking his promise if he mentioned it to Kaede...]

As for the disease... it was something her other self had, that Retrospec gave back to her. From what she told me, it's not so much of a physical illness, but a... mental one. It makes you paranoid, and possibly violent, and...

[The next words are hard to say, because if it's really progressed that much--]

... it drives you to take your own life.

If you wind up finding her, please let me know. Her missing in the state she's in... it's not good.

[spiritoso]

[ Kaede's stomach feels like it's in knots, hearing that. It makes sense now, what she was talking about in her post and why she didn't want Kaede to come find her.

She nods, frowning. ]

I will, I promise. I had a feeling it was bad but... I didn't know it was so horrible.

[cardcaptured]

[He's quiet as he studies his hand, grasping at the strap of his bag, his own stomach twisted and sick now that he's said it aloud. He knew the disease had been taking hold since the beginning of the month, if her sudden disappearance from their house and talk of hallucinations were any indication, but to think it could be coming to a head...]

... thank you.

I don't know what prompted her to talk about it in the first place. She had told me not to tell anyone, because she was frightened of it, but...

I hope this isn't connected, somehow.

[spiritoso]

[ Kaede frowns. ]

Sometimes you need to tell someone else these things. [ Especially since Mio might be in danger. ]

I hope it isn't either. Until we find both of them, all we can do is hope.

[ She's starting to get a bad feeling about all of this now too, and it's hard to keep herself from letting her thoughts run wild. ]