Chapter 55: That Person

Aiko slowly woke up. She opened her eyes, only to realize she wasn't lying in her own bed but on an old, worn-out sofa. Glancing around, she found herself in a spacious but empty hall filled with shabby furniture. Only a small energy-saving light cast a dim, pale glow over the room.

Where am I? Wasn't I sleeping at home? Aiko rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

After a moment, she was fully awake and, realizing she was alone in this vast hall, started to feel scared. She thought about going to the window to take a look, so she walked barefoot to the windowsill cautiously.

Peering outside through the half-broken iron window, she saw nothing but pitch darkness. She felt lost, unsure of what to do next. Suddenly, the dim light flickered, going dark, then bright again, then dark. In the shifting light, she seemed to hear the sound of slow footsteps coming from the staircase…

※※※

"Who's there?"

"Idiot, it's just me, Kazumi," a shadow in the dark answered.

"Why didn't you turn on the lights? You nearly scared me to death. Why are you still awake so late?" Rumi patted her chest, relieved.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Kazumi stood up and stretched.

"I got thirsty and came for some water. Couldn't sleep?" Rumi sat down beside her.

"Same here. I was thirsty too and thought I'd sit for a bit." Kazumi decided not to tell Rumi about Masashi going out in the middle of the night, so she wouldn't worry.

"Ah, I see." Rumi leaned her head on Kazumi's shoulder like a little cat.

Kazumi smiled and gently petted her head with affection.

"Kazumi, I've been feeling… strange lately."

"Tell me about it."

"Promise you won't tell Senpai, okay?" Rumi looked at her seriously.

"Okay, I promise." Kazumi nodded.

Rumi leaned close and whispered something in her ear. She wasn't even halfway through when Kazumi burst out laughing.

"What's so funny? I'm being serious here!" Rumi pouted in discontent.

"You actually told the school nurse about this?" Kazumi asked, trying to suppress her laughter.

"Of course! When you're not feeling well, you see a doctor."

Seeing her self-assured expression, Kazumi couldn't help feeling both amused and exasperated.

"Oh, you silly girl, I really don't know what to say to you. Have you never liked a boy before?"

"Sure, when I was in Hokkaido, I used to play with some of the neighborhood boys. We'd play baseball together and even go fishing in the summer." Remembering those fun times made Rumi smile.

Kazumi then recalled that Rumi's mother had passed away when she was very young. After that, she'd lived with her grandfather, training diligently in kendo. Before coming to Tokyo, Rumi had hardly watched any TV or engaged in entertainment. Since living here, her favorite thing was watching TV. And at her family's kendo dojo, most of the people were older men or adults who treated her like one of the guys. Growing up in that environment, Rumi had no awareness or experience with matters of the heart; despite her physical maturity, she was still very much a child at heart.

"Kazumi, is there something wrong with me? Why do I feel all hot and flustered whenever Senpai looks at me? Sometimes when he pats my head like you do, my heart races so fast. I've never felt like this before."

Kazumi hugged her around the waist. "Silly, when you care about someone, you'll feel like that. It's perfectly normal."

"But why don't I feel that way with you or anyone else? Only with Senpai?"

"That's… different," Kazumi said, unsure how to explain.

"Different how?" Rumi asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Oh, how do I put this…" Kazumi sighed, feeling helpless.

※※※

While the two girls chatted, another young girl, Hasegawa Aiko, was facing the greatest terror of her life.

Hearing the unmistakable sound of footsteps from the staircase, her first instinct was to run. But just as she was about to act, she realized with horror that her legs wouldn't move. In fact, aside from her head, she couldn't move her body at all—not even a single finger.

It was as if her body didn't belong to her.

She wanted to scream, but the steadily approaching footsteps instinctively made her keep quiet.

One step, two steps, three steps, four steps…

With each approaching step, her nerves tightened. She struggled desperately to move her legs, but it felt as if they weren't there at all. Overwhelming fear welled up from deep inside her, and she bit her lip in silent sobs, feeling nothing even as her lip began to bleed.

"Aren't you scared?" A voice suddenly whispered in her ear, without any warning.

"Ah!" Aiko finally lost it and screamed. Her cry echoed throughout the empty, dark hall, chillingly piercing the air.

When Aiko opened her eyes again, she saw the same broken chandelier hanging in the center of the hall. She felt a surge of despair—she was still trapped in this wretched hall.

Grabbing her hair, she desperately tried to wake up from what felt like a nightmare.

Then, faintly, she heard voices coming from outside.

Her heart started racing again, but the intense terror she'd just experienced left her dazed, making her less fearful than before.

After some thought, she decided to go and check out the voices. Maybe they could help her escape this horrible place.

Barefoot, she carefully stepped toward the door.

As she drew closer, a strange familiarity nagged at her—one of the voices sounded familiar, growing stronger the nearer she got.

Peering out from a nearby window toward the door, she could see two people standing there under the faint moonlight.

One of them spoke again, "Whatever happens, I won't let you hurt her. I genuinely care about her."

Hearing this, Aiko's heart skipped a beat. That person—it was Toyokawa Mito.

So, it was this scumbag who brought me here, she thought angrily, her fear momentarily forgotten in a burst of fury. Impulsively, she prepared to rush out and confront him.

But just as she was about to step outside, she heard another voice.

"So what? Did you forget how she treated you today?" It was a harsh, unfamiliar man's voice.

Aiko stopped in her tracks. Though impulsive, she wasn't stupid. She immediately realized that Toyokawa Mito and this man were likely the ones who'd abducted her.

"But…" Toyokawa sounded hesitant.

"It's not the first time, remember? You had fun with that last girl too, didn't you? Don't worry; no one will ever find out." The man's voice was filled with a sinister charm.

At this, Aiko felt both terror and rage. She swore that once she escaped, she would report these two scum to the police.

First, though, she had to get out of here before they realized she was awake.

Grateful they hadn't bound her hands or feet, Aiko quietly retreated into the hall, searching for any way out.