⚠️TW: Gore and Attempted Suicide. I've already placed the signs so you could just skip over them.
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You picked up snivelling from beside you as you ploddingly opened your eyes. You squinted for a few moments due to your room's bright lights, but after some blinking, you got used to it.
"You're okay... Thank God," told Enki. His eyes were bloodshot, signifying that he had been crying for quite awhile now.
But why?
The last thing you remembered was being on the rooftop, dispirited since the killer was a loser, and then... Oh. He must've knocked you out by giving a blow to your nape because right now, the back of your neck was aching as hell. And Enki was here, which meant that he probably must've been the one who'd delivered you to your home after noticing you lying on the ground... Damn it, after you told him not to follow you.
"I didn't like the idea of you going alone... So I tagged along behind you after a few minutes since I wasn't able to stop myself... And when I saw you there, on the floor, I became frozen, I didn't know what to do. It was a good thing Sir Renzo was there or else I wouldn't be able to carry you myself because my arms are weak," he looked so rugged now that you had a clear view of his face.
"How long was I out?" You asked him. "For a few hours now." What a letdown, you expected days but you guessed that this worked as well.
You were quiet for a few seconds before a mischievous thought passed you... It wouldn't hurt to play a small prank on this boy, right?
"Thank you... But I've been wondering about this for awhile now... Who are you?" You mustered up a serious face so that your little joke wouldn't be blown, but it must've slipped your mind that this was Enki and he wouldn't take something like this so easily.
"You don't... Remember me? Y/n, I'm Enki. Your friend... Please tell me that that's not the case... Uwaaaaahㅡ" More waterworks overflowed within the corners of his eyes and now, you were panicking because it wasn't your intention for things to end up like this. You expected a few laughs after this, but you surmised that that would be too unreal.
"Hey Enki, I remember you. My head didn't hit the ground too hard for me not to have amnesia, okay?" You held entwined yourself around him as you smoothed your fingers through his hair yet his weeping did not lapse. In no circumstances. In fact, his whimpers grew louder as seconds passed. You really should abstain from committing such shenanigans
"You're so cruel..."
"Yeah, sorry 'bout thatㅡ" A shriek was let out by you when the door to your bedroom was suddenly slammed open.
"Y/n!"
"Father, you could've entered this room like any other person would." You made a straight face, but he ignored you and stomped towards you before fully embracing your whole form. Enki just watched the scene with joy, and he couldn't help but wonder if there'd be a time wherein his father would show concern for him like this.
"The doctor just left and thankfully, you had no major complications. What happened to you?" He asked you with dread and you just sniggered. "Well, I forgot my book on the school's rooftop, and the moment I got there, I fainted because of my lack of sleep," you reasoned as you sheepishly rubbed the back of your neck. Hopefully, this'd steer questions off of your way.
"Next time, make sure that you'll sleep as early as you can. I'll assign a maid to check if you are asleep starting today and force you to sleep if you aren't," he sounded so solemn, though what made you shudder was the word 'force'.
"Okay," you replied.
"And also, I forbid you to go to school tomorrow, you need to rest. They're the doctor's orders as well."
"Great idea."
"Why do you seem so happy about this?".
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Evermorrow.
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"Huh?" You were mystified to see people piling up on the courtyard. Each of them had horror-stricken looks on their faces, and you dwelled on as to why. What was it that made them look so revoltedㅡ
⚠️ TW: Gore
A girl, feasibly a Second Year student, was on the ground, covered in her sanguine fluid as several knives were stabbed into her neck, her stomach, her heart, and her thighs. Her eyeball was lying on the ground next to her and her tongue was seen to be ripped out as well. Her fingernails were also pulled out. Her body was filled with cuts and she was swimming in her own pool of dried up blood.
⚠️
The scene was so gruesome that you had to deter yourself from gagging because of the unsightly scene in front of you. Two notes were nailed on both of her hands.
The first note contained the sentence, 'Don't be afraid to show your true selves.'
The second one, and doubtlessly the most sickening one.
'THIS GIRL IS YOUR REPLACEMENT. BE THANKFUL.'
Your knees were shaking and it's taking all of your willpower to not go slack right then and there. This girl perished because of you. A lass, around your age, who had a bright future ahead of her, was killed in a horrifying way that was so unjustifiable because of you.
Owing to the fact that you weren't the one slaughtered, someone else took your place.
"I-I'm..." No words were formed and you still couldn't take your eyes off of the note. It was because of you.
YOU.
YOU.
YOU.
You were the reason why this occured in the first place.
"Kids, back off. School is cancelled for today, go home." One of the police officers shooed the mass.
The students dispersed and each and one of them whipped their phones to call for their family's drivers, and the commoners that didn't have a chauffeur were now ready to set to get back to their respective households.
But you?
You were not ready to go home at all.
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You stared at the body of water below as you leaned on the railings of the bridge formed to keep people from falling. Your eyes were blank, no shine was on them. Millions of thoughts ran full force, and even if you wanted to stop them, you couldn't.
That girl... That girl was your substitute. You indirectly killed her. And even if your hands weren't begrimed with blood, it was YOU who caused this. That was what you kept telling to yourself.
If only he had struck your nape much harsher, that would've been enough to take your life from you. But because of the mercy that killer showed you, you were still standing today.
You wondered. If you successfully passed, that girl wouldn't have to experience this. She'd still be able to live a normal life. Her parents supporting her, her friends hanging out with her... So much more could be done by her.
"Ah." You wanted to scream, but what was the only thing you could let out. A measly 'ah'. You didn't notice it, but tears were now pouring from your eyes akin to a waterfall but you did nothing to put an end to them. You wept and wept, until you could no longer.
The sky was clear, the sun was shining brightly, and birds were chirping... With these three, this day could've been a beautiful one.
What an unrealistic hope.
No one was around in the area, so you could wail, scream, and lament as much as you want to without other people judging you.
It took half an hour for you to stop. Your tearducts couldn't produce anymore tears, so you could now only look at what's in front of you with empty eyes. Your phone was ringing, but you couldn't pay any heed to it. Let it ring, let it vibrate. Let that person, whoever they were, be tired of calling you.
This... This was just ridiculous.
No matter what you do, you wouldn't be able to deny what you'd done. What you'd initiated to take place.
But a life for a life, that sounded auspicious enough.
⚠️TW: Attempted Suicide
Your shoes were now on the side, along with your book bag, your phone. It really would be an inconvenience for anyone to clean after you, but they could still sell your belongings so it somehow was a win-win situation, right?
Supportinging yourself up on the ledge, you were able to stand up because it was thick and sturdy enough to support a human's body. Great.
The wind brushed past your cheeks, your hair following its direction. You spread your arms as wide as you could, and closed your eyes to relish in this feeling for one last time.
'Jump.'
'Do it now.'
'Don't waste your time, just do it already."
The voices inside your head repeated.
"Yeah, yeah. Sheesh, no need to be so fussy." You wryly laughed before hovering your other foot on mid air, ready to drown yourself as you'd soon be falling from a massive height of 155 feet. Swimming was never your forté, so who knew that this would've come in handy.
You were starting to lose your balance, so if you could just focus your weight onㅡ
⚠️
You felt strong arms wrapping around your waist, preventing you from plummeting to your death. You turned your head to the side to see who it was.
Jiryu.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Who would've thought that he cared enough for you to stop you?