Chapter 234  Freedom

At midnight, Naoko was awakened by weird noises again. 

When Naoko sat up, she found that Lei Yin, who was supposed to be beside her, was gone. 

Where did he go? 

Naoko put on robe, and left the room rather cautiously. 

When Naoko went outside, she found Lei Yin pus.h.i.+ng the little girl in a kimono, she had seen the night before on a swing. 

The little girl was having a very good time especially when the swing went up, she laughed. Her laughter like a delightful silver bell sounding across the garden and it was her laughter that woke Naoko.

“Lei.” Naoko shouted gently. 

Lei, at the back of the little girl raised his head and waved to her.

Naoko went forward to meet him. 

“Lei, who is she?” Naoko looked strangely at the little girl sitting on the swing. 

Lei Yin said: “She has always been alone; she has been looking for someone to play with, so I’ll play with her.” 

I was just like her when I was younger. Naoko was clear on how lonely she was when younger, she felt the same loneliness in this little girl.. 

After gathering her thoughts, she said, “Can I stay and play with her?” 

Lei considered this for a moment and said, “Yes, but when you are tired, you have to come back to the room to sleep, you know that right?” 

“I know.” 

After the little girl came down from the swing, she had a strange look as she carefully observed Naoko and after a while she turned to ask Lei Yin: “Brother, who is she?” 

“She is my wife, she wants accompany us to play. What game do you want to play this time?” 

“You really want play with me?” The little girl asked, uncertainty glistening in her eyes. 

Lei Yin touched her head and nodded with a smile. “Yes.” 

The girl’s face flushed in excitement; happily she pulled his hand and ran. 

“Are you ready?” Lei Yin said loudly as his face was pressed against a wall. 

“No, I am not. &%**%$…I want to choose another hiding spot!” As soon as the little girl stood to reply Lei Yin, she immediately realized that she had exposed her hiding spot. 

“Okay, but you have to be fast.” 

The little girl immediately changed hiding spot. 

After a short countdown, Lei asked again, this time there was no reply. 

Lei Yin looked around, after a while he started walking in a particular direction humming loudly with a smile: “Piggy ought to hide better, now the wolf is coming to get you.” 

Although Naoko had not played this game in years she felt refreshed playing along. She hid under the covering of some tall gra.s.ses. She saw Lei yin walking closer and closer toward her hiding spot, she couldn't help but feel nervous…

Lei Yin could already tell where she was hiding through the sound of her breath and heartbeat, but he deliberately searched around her hiding spot slowly but he attempt to didn’t catch her. However the suspense caused Naoko's anxiety to build… After a while, she saw Lei Yin go to search other places. She was immediately relieved. 

Lei Yin continued to wander about searching, whenever he approached Naoko and little girl's hiding spots, both of them became nervous and they couldn't move afraid any noise would alert lei Yin.

After a while, Naoko suddenly heard the scream of a little girl come from nearby. Then she heard Lei’s proud laughter, “So this is where you hid little piggy?” 

“i am not piglet, I am not fat at all. You must have peeked, otherwise how did you find me so fast?” 

“hmm" Lei Yin snorted, "to find a little pig like you, do I still need to peek? I can find you anytime with my eyes closed.” 

“arghh, I am telling you again I am not a piglet” The little girl protested loudly. 

“I am good at catching piglets.” 

“You… you … alright, I won't bother with you again. Hurry and back Me.” 

“how are you going to climb up?” 

“Don't complain, quickly back me. Come down a bit, I am scared of height.” The little girl said quite grumpily. 

“I am your errand boy now huh, you are afraid of heights, yet you want me to back you up?” 

A moment later, Lei squatted down, the little girl laughing happily, rounded Lei's neck with her hands as she rested on his back. 

Naoko found the conversation between these two very funny as she couldn't help but snicker… 

“You play here first, I’m going to catch the big pig.” Lei Yin said as he put the little girl on the swing. 

“I want to go too …" But before she finish her sentence, Lei had already pushed the swing up and the little girl quickly grabbed the swing’s ropes. 

“You’re so wicked big brother," The little girl said fl.u.s.tered. 

“Just watch, I will catch the other pig before the swing stops swinging.” 

The girl immediately shouted: “Big sister, please hide well, do not get caught by this man!” 

Lei smiled and walked in the direction of the Naoko. 

To see him edging closer and closer toward her caused Naoko’s anxiety to increase towards boiling point. 

“Beautiful, beauty, where are you?” Lei Yin taunted while looking around. 

Finally, Lei Yin was less than two meters away from Naoko's hiding spot, and she heard him walking closer and closer. She thought she was going to be caught this time. 

But just then, Lei Yin stopped suddenly and said to himself: “Strange, where is her hiding spot? Is it over there?” Having said so, he walked to the a.s.sumed spot. 

Naoko was happy, she smiled with pride visible. 

But just then, a pair of strong and powerful arms held her tightly from behind. 

“I am really lucky. I didn't think I would catch such a beautiful woman at this time. Ha-ha. Now I have a maid for my house ch.o.r.es and laundry.” Lei voice sounded close to Naoko's ear. 

“d.a.m.n, you knew a long time ago I was hiding here, but you were just deliberately teasing me again and again.” Naoko choked back anger. 

“Congratulations, you’re right, this is your prize.” Lei kissed her cute red face. 

Naoko glared at him. 

After playing hide and seek again, Lei Yin proposed they played another game called Standing. 

The game was simple one, with one person looking at the wall and backing the others, he would count from one to five or seven. The speed and rhythm of the number counting was determined by the person facing the wall .Others would  keep walking and moving a distance around the person counting until the counting stopped. 

But after each count, everyone must stay still without any movement at the mention of the last number. The person who counted would immediately turn around after the count to see which of them moves or moved. At this time, anyone who was caught making any movement or makes a movement loses and is out of the game, reducing the original number of people and the others continue the game.. 

The game goes on until there is a final winner. And the second round re-starts with a new counter.

Naoko and the little girl had not played this game before, they were always caught. After the second round, they completely adapted to the rules. However each time, Lei yin finished counted, he played with the speed and rhythm of his count, leaving the girls in funny positions when he stopped his count. Example they would be caught a foot in the air mid movement and other delicate positions. Although these positions were uncomfortable, but the game made them very happy and carefree, the little girl's laughter never stopped. 

When it was the turn of either of the girls, they learned and used lei Yin's style of counting. When they deliberately changed the speed and rhythm of counting, they succeeded in catching others off guard. Even Lei Yin was caught one time by the little girl. She shouted excitedly when she led Lei Yin to his downfall. 

Next, they continued playing games like jumping planes, cat-and-mouse, four-sided chess. Later Lei Yin hinted Naoko with his eyes that he was a little tired and he wouldn't play anymore. Then both of them sat on the swing while the little girl sat on Lei Yin's thigh and nagged him for a story. Naoko sat on the other swing smiling at them secretly enjoying lei's suffering. 

Unfortunately, Lei Yin was not a good story teller, gave up after speaking a few words and hinted Naoko to help out. 

Naoko laughed, after thinking for a moment, she began to tell the little girl the Cinderella story. 

Unexpectedly, although this was a well-known fairy tale, the little girl had never heard of it. Her cute eyes were wide open as she listened to Naoko with great interest. Her facial expressions changed with the development of the story and she asked questions from time to time. 

When she heard Cinderella was finally found by the prince, her face showed her delight. 

Motivated by the rich expressions of the little girl, Naoko spoke more and more. After telling the story of Cinderella, she talked about the story of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. 

As before, the little girl showed great interest in these fairy tales. She listened intently and didn't dare lose concentration.

Unknowingly, when Naoko just finished telling the story sleeping beauty, the first rays of the sun began to light the night. 

The little girl suddenly seemed to be aware of something as her expression changed. This expression wasn't that of a little girl any more. 

Suddenly noticing the strange silence, Naoko was a little puzzled and ask her: "Is there any problem Sakura?" 

The little girl looked up slowly, her eyes full of tears, she said with a smile: "Thank you, big sister, I'm leaving." 

Suddenly Naoko's eyes became misty, she smiled and said: "I really like you Sakura, playing with you made me really happy." 

"I also like you big sister. You.. hmm… big brother, better look after big sister well." The little girl looked back and said with a serious expression to Lei Yin. 

"You don't need to tell me. Did you have a great time tonight?" 

"Ah, mmm" the little girl closed her eyes, nodded and put her head on his chest. 

"Thank you. I had the best time tonight. I am a little tired, I want to have a good sleep." The little girl whispered. 

Lei did not say anything, he just touched her head with his right hand. 

When golden rays of light spilled into the garden, the little girl who had been lying in his arms was gone.

"Lei, what happened to Sakura?" After some moments of silence, Naoko asked quietly. 

Lei Yin walked to her side, stroking her hair softly and said: "The spirit itself is a kind of energy, and when the obsession is removed, she will dissipate like any other ordinary spirit. She no longer felt lonely and  was freed. " 

"Who is she?" Last night, Naoko had accidentally touched her body, but she was surprised to find that that her hand pa.s.sed through. She was like a shadow. At that moment, Naoko knew that the little girl was not human. 

Lei Yin said: "This hotel, 60 years ago was a big house. Sakura was the granddaughter of the house owner. Sakura since birth had been very lonely. She stayed in the room every day and unfortunately, she died of illness at the age of nine. Since she was always alone, she really hoped for playmates. Her spiritual body did not dissipate because of such a strong obsession. Although her spirit lived, most people could not see her. Only a few people with specific brain frequencies can see her when close to her and you are one of them. So that is the reason you heard her crying the night before."

She showed a sad look in her eyes, "She had been living alone for so many years. Would she have gone on like this if we did not play with her?" 

Lei Yin shook his head and said: "Although strong obsession can temporarily maintain her spirit, but the energy will always be exhausted eventually. She would still have dissipated slowly; perhaps it would have taken 50 years maybe even a hundred years from now." Lei yin was not completely open with Naoko. Because he is also a spiritual body, so he could see and touch other spiritual bodies. But there are so many spiritual beings in the world such as a little girl who were too persistent and would not dissipate. He however would not have gotten involved in this matter if Naoko had not seen the little girl .After all, he wasn't a savior. 

"You worked hard tonight, you must be tired, let's go back to sleep, okay?" 

Naoko nodded a little weak. 

Lei Yin hugged her and helped her down from the swing, and then walked to the room. 

"Lei, can people reincarnate?" Naoko who was lying in his arms suddenly asked. 

"I believe it is possible. Although the energy forms can be changed, but they will not disappear totally. As the spiritual body is an energy, when it dissipated in this world, it will be transformed into another form of energy, perhaps, then this is the beginning of reincarnation. "Lei Yin answered while walking.

"If there is really a next life, I hope I can stay with you as I am now, never to be separated." Naoko put his head firmly on his chest as she said. 

"When I wake in the next life, I will find you." Lei Yin kissed her forehead softly. 

"Me too."