Part 86

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"Damnit, I ended up having fun again," I sigh, looking down at my bag of prizes we won, all of which Hijiri let me keep, saying he had no interest in things like this. He's getting better at reading me, which is annoying. I didn't think I was that much of an open book.

"Haru Mori," a woman's voice calls and I jump. It's not a voice I know; it sounds like someone in her mid twenties to early thirties. I turn slowly, surprised to recognize her as the purple haired woman I saw Tsuchiya watching at the arcade earlier, wearing a blue skirt and white top.

Immediately my guard is up.

"That's me," I laugh nervously.

The woman smiles kindly. "It's great to finally meet you. Tsukasa might've told you about me—I'm Kishi Yukana."

He hasn't mentioned someone named that. I frown, trying to act natural but panicking on the inside. Is she some sort of stalker? Or she might be a friend he hasn't seen in a while...yeah, I'm sure that's it. I'm overreacting.

"I've heard you're living with him," Yukana comments, smiling. Her voice is slow and soft, but it has a dangerous ring to it, like a knife wrapped in a blanket.

"How exactly do you know Kazuki?" I ask as calmly as I can, my heart pounding.

She laughs gently. "Don't worry. I'm not trying to hurt anyone. It's just...Tsukasa and I have been dating for a while now."

I flinch. No way he wouldn't tell me he has a girlfriend. So...why would she lie about that? Unless she is a stalker...in which case I might be in danger.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, making me jump.

"Excuse me, I have to check this."

"No worries." She continues to smile that soft, warm smile that no longer seems friendly in the slightest.

Mori. Tsuchiya has informed me that there is someone who has been tailing us all day, but is no longer doing so. I'm worried for your safety. Please let me know if you need anything.

My heart pounds so loudly in my ears I can hardly hear as the woman worries, "Mori? Are you alright?"

I take a few, calming breaths. "I'm okay. I...I just have to respond to this, sorry."

"Of course..." She no longer sounds convinced I'm just answering a friend.

There is, and she found me. I don't really know what to do—we're

"Who are you texting?" A shadow falls over me and I switch off my phone on instinct, stuffing it in my pocket.

"It's not that important. I can tell them later." Cold sweat sticks to the back of my neck as I chuckle nervously.

"Oh, good." She places her fingertips together, smiling again. "Let me walk you home, okay?"

"O-Okay..."

We start off and, hoping she doesn't know the way to my house, I head in the direction of the nearest police station.

"So...I never expected Kazuki would h-have a girlfriend," I try to fill the silence, hoping to distract her.

"Yes..." She frowns at the sidewalk, her heels clicking along in a slow pattern. "For some reason, everyone wants to keep us apart. They say I shouldn't be around Tsukasa." She looks up to me with quiet pained eyes. "Isn't it awful? We just love each other so much, and they want to keep us apart."

"Yeah..." I gulp, feeling sick. Is this why Kazuki is the way he is? I suddenly understand a lot more about him, just meeting her. I can't let them come into contact with each other, for Kazuki's sake. "That's terrible."

"Tsukasa's sister, too," she sighs. "She's terrible and rude. She's nothing like her younger brother."

If she's someone who doesn't like Arisa...

"Oh, and, Mori," Her voice grows cold and I freeze.

"Y-Yeah?"

"This isn't the way to your house, is it?"

The sweat solidifies into ice, covering my body in burning cold. "Why would you say that?"

"You keep looking at the street signs." She points to the one above us and I flinch, not daring to blink.

"This is just a detour," I laugh, terrified. "Sorry, w-when the sunset's so beautiful I like to come this way."

"Oh, how nice." Her gaze turns to stone. "But I really just want to see Tsukasa. Let's take the shortest route there, okay?"

Crap, what do I do? What do I do!? I'm so scared I can hardly breathe. I'm just sixteen and can't fight for the life of me, and she's a full grown woman with a whole twenty something years of experience. I don't stand a chance. But I can't lead her to my house, not when Kazuki's coming home soon. I can't hurt him like that.

"O-Okay. Sorry, I d-didn't think." I turn, stumbling slightly, and start back toward my house. Maybe I can sit her down and call the police before Kazuki comes home. Yeah, that's probably the best plan.

"It's okay."

We continue walking. I stare at the ground, sweat beading in the corners of my eyes. When I stop to wipe my forehead, Yukana turns back to wait for me.

"You know, no one would tell me where he was or lead me to him like you are. So thank you." She rummages around in her bag until she pulls out a phone, then flips through it until she finds the right thing. She shows me a post with two girls posing at the festival we went to, Kazuki and I in the background. The caption is With Chiyo at this hype festival! Look at that hot guy in the back!

"It was all thanks to social media that I found him," she admits. "I had to look everywhere. But once I found you, you were kind enough to help me. You're a lot like Tsukasa, aren't you?"

I wince. It's not like I want to help her. I'm nothing like Kazuki—I'm a pathetic wimp who can't even stand up for his friend. I'm nothing compared to him.

"Let's go," Yukana urges me. "There's no time to waste if you want Tsukasa to be happy."

"Ahaha, sorry." I use my sleeve to rub the back of my neck, which somehow calms me down slightly.

I check the time as we walk, which only makes me feel more sick. Maybe Kazuki got held up at work. Maybe he went to get us dinner or dinner ingredients. I'm sure he's not there right now. I'm sure I'm not telling someone dangerous where I live.

But deep down I know something terrible is about to happen.

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