25

Beyond the Veil: Kiran's Supernatural Hunt

Chapter 25: That Same Night

That same night, Kiran returned to his home earlier than usual.

Kiran walked slowly towards his apartment, his mind filled with thoughts about the strange, dark entities and all the new information he had just witnessed.

As he approached the door, a mix of anticipation and nervousness took over. He knew that his conversation about the dark entities had changed something within him, and now he faced a new reality.

Upon opening the door, he was met by Emma, his friend and the object of his affection. His heart tightened slightly at seeing her there, waiting for him with a smile on her face.

Emma, who was in the living room watching TV, looked towards the door and was immediately greeted with a smile. "I thought you'd never come back. How was your day? We haven't talked in person for so long; you seem taller."

Kiran smiled after closing the door and replied as he took off his shoes at the entrance, "My day was... interesting. But before we talk about that, I must check if we both didn't mistake our apartments; I don't remember it being this clean."

Emma smiled gently as she approached him. "Well, I admit I couldn't resist cleaning a bit. There was a lot of accumulated dust, and I thought that while I didn't do anything, cleaning this place would be good."

Kiran was left speechless, looking at his friend, and said, "You're amazing, Emma... Thank you for your help."

He couldn't deny that at this moment, he felt different, fearing not to be the same as always and causing doubts about how to act with Emma. They hadn't seen each other for months, so he really didn't know the best way to act.

Emma smiled and gave him a light tap on the arm; she wasn't nervous, much less careful with her attitude. "You should thank me since I'll always be here for you; after all, I'm your friend. Now, what do you say we have for dinner? I've ordered something delicious, and luckily, I ordered something for you too."

Minutes later, dinner arrived, and both sat around the table, enjoying the food and sharing laughs.

During this time, Kiran's mind remained in a completely different place; his smiles were fake, and his words of being fine were covered in lies.

The memories of having lost his comrades, of being able to die at any moment during the incursions he had done all this time, and of knowing that anyone could be the enemy suppressed his sense of taste.

He wasn't at ease; every minute he spent with Emma increased his restlessness, but he managed to keep it hidden.

Now he had been named captain again of a group of good soldiers who would most likely die. But the worst part of all this was not that; the worst part is that he knew that no matter how many battlefields he attended, he could easily come back alive.

He didn't have many things in life for which he had kept his sanity; the only thing he fought for was to have a better world and spend his free time with Emma, who had a life very similar to his.

But focusing again, he knew that living among lies was absolute torture.

Emma, at the table, looking at all that food, spoke, "So, Kiran, tell me about your work as a support detective. I've always been intrigued by what you did outside of Seoul or its surroundings. I, as a counter-terrorism police officer, only do training and evaluate new recruits."

Kiran thought for a moment, feeling a pang of guilt for hiding the truth from Emma, and said, changing the subject, "Well, it's a pretty demanding job. We investigate complicated cases that are very difficult to solve. But lately, it's been a bit exhausting. I don't want to worry you with details that you definitely don't want to hear while you're about to eat."

Emma nodded understandingly, but there was a look of concern in her eyes. "Although I doubt that our work has abysmal differences, you know you can tell me anything you want, no matter what it is. Don't be afraid to share your burdens with me."

Kiran felt overwhelmed by the warmth and sincerity of Emma's words. He knew he was being unfair by hiding the truth from her, but he also wanted to protect her from any danger she might face. Besides, she probably already realized that he had a terrible look on his face.

After a few seconds of silence, Kiran nodded and said, "Thanks, but it's not that bad. Despite being in truly horrible cases where I see things I never wanted to see, it helps me catch all those people who have committed crimes."

The conversation continued pleasantly as they enjoyed dinner. Kiran realized how fortunate he was to have someone like Emma by his side, someone who understood and supported him unconditionally.

Amidst laughter and shared stories, Kiran realized that, even in the midst of uncertainty and the secrets he kept, he found small moments when he could truly disconnect from all the trouble.

But at that moment, a special message arrived on his cell phone.

"[... Squad Captain: Kiran Jones

Mission in progress: special investigation and elimination case.

Incident number: 192

Affected entity: 35-year-old man

Occupation: Company employee

Family relationship: Married and with a daughter.

Contact address: X23-823-Y83

Case type: Possible hidden supernatural entity; at the moment, no traces of negative energy were found.]"

And the missions had begun. Kiran, because he had not received any information about his team, knew he would work alone, so it was very likely an evaluation.

If people want to know how he's doing, what better way to send him on an immediate mission?