**Chapter 9: Reflections of the Past**

As Gai sat down in the chair, the wooden frame creaked beneath him, echoing through the silent room. Kenji stood behind him, his grip still tight around Gai's wrist, his breath hot against Gai's ear. The mirror in front of Gai seemed to ripple, like the surface of a pond disturbed by a thrown stone. Gai's reflection stared back at him, distorted and wavering, as if it too was trying to escape. Kenji's voice whispered in his ear, "You don't remember, do you?" His words sent a shiver down Gai's spine. What was Kenji talking about? Gai's mind was a jumble of fragmented memories and half-remembered dreams. The mirror seemed to be pulling Gai in, drawing him into its depths. He felt himself being sucked into its reflective surface, and suddenly, images began to flash before his eyes. Memories long forgotten, or perhaps suppressed, began to resurface. Gai saw himself as a child, playing in a sun-drenched garden filled with laughter and joy. His grandmother was there, smiling and watching over him. But as the memories progressed, the scenes darkened, like a painting smeared by a wet brush. Gai saw his parents, their faces twisted in pain and fear. He saw his own face, contorted in a mixture of anger and despair. The memories swirled, disjointed and confusing, like a storm-tossed sea. Gai felt himself being pulled under, drowning in the tidal wave of his past. Kenji's grip on his wrist tightened, holding him in place as if anchoring him to the chair. As the visions faded, Gai's reflection reappeared in the mirror, distorted and wavering no more. His eyes, once bright and curious, now seemed dull and haunted. Kenji's voice whispered in his ear, "You see, Gai, you've been living a lie. Your memories, your past, it's all been a fabrication." The words cut deep, like a knife slicing through Gai's very soul. He felt himself reeling, stumbling backward into the chair as if trying to escape the truth. But there was no escape. The mirror seemed to be reflecting not just his physical appearance, but the darkest corners of his mind. Gai's eyes locked onto his reflection, and for a moment, he saw not himself, but a stranger staring back. A stranger with a past shrouded in mystery, and a future uncertain. The mirror seemed to ripple once more, and Gai's reflection vanished, leaving him staring into the abyss. As the darkness closed in around him, Gai heard Kenji's laughter, low and menacing, echoing through the room. "The truth is just the beginning," Kenji whispered, his breath cold against Gai's ear. "And I'm here to guide you through the darkness."