iTRIGGER WARNING!:
panic attack, grief, and just overall rly sad TvT
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It's now the next day. The day after... what all happened during the trial.
To sum it up, Shikumo Ishii, the Ultimate Hairstylist, was murdered by Aoi Lunwike, the Ultimate Nurse, in hopes of returning back home to see her friend.
Ever since then... it's just been plain waterworks for me. How can you not get upset? Especially when it's your fault. I mean... I was the one to point her out... Not only that, but I failed to save her. Maybe if I had just been quick enough... She'd still be here.
Just like-
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
I tensed. Someone was knocking on my door. I immediately jumped out of bed and shouted, "Who is it?"
"...It's Mirai. I came to get you for breakfast. It's fifteen minutes passed when we would usually meet up." she answered.
I let out a sigh of relief. I've been rather wary of everyone since yesterday, but I know that Mirai wouldn't do something as... as bad as that.
I decided to slip on my socks and shoes and made my way to the door. When I opened it, Mirai stood on the other side, waiting. "...Hey..."
"...Hey." I repeated. My eyes couldn't reach hers.
"So... Wanna get going?" Mirai asked, pointing towards the stairs leading to the lobby.
I nodded my head and we were on our way. By the time we reached the lobby, I noticed a few things.
One, everything was pretty quiet. Not a lot of people were talking, besides Yukiya and Hikari, who were having an almost silent conversation, and Marje, who I couldn't actually hear, whispering into Mars' ear.
Two, there was a feeling of unease wafting through the air. Everyone
seemed extremely on edge and shook. Not that I blame any of them. I feel the exact same.
Mirai and I went to sit down at one of the couches. We didn't really say anything to each other.
The room remained quiet. That is, until two certain people walked in.
"...Are you sure it was okay?" I heard one person ask.
"You did fine. It felt good, okay? Now quiet, before the others hear us." said another.
Suddenly, Allie and Amy both entered the room, looking tired and over-heated.
"Yeesh! What took you two so long?" Ishibuko burst.
Amy blushed. "N-Nothing that concerns you."
Allie didn't say anything.
Neither did I, but I thought it was pretty obvious what happened.
"...So... Anyway..." Tomoka started. "Did everyone sleep well?" she looked like she regreted asking as soon as the words formed. She seem to get a lot of stares, as if to say, "are you kidding me? Does it look like it?"
Not wanting her to feel bad, I spoke up, "Not well. You?"
"Same." she let out a sigh. "How can you, after something like that?"
Not much was said after that.
"...Wanna get something to eat?" Mirai asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, might as well."
Mirai and I then both got up and walked over to the kitchen. Tomoka told us she had made cinnamon rolls and that there were enough for everyone to have two if they wanted them. We both took two of our own and sat back down on the couch to eat them. We then said thanks to Tomoka, as well.
The atmosphere soon got darker, though, as a certain someone entered the room.
"...Ah. So you all are moping, huh?" Izumi said when she walked in.
"Izumi!" Aiko looked at her sternly.
"EEEK! Wah, Aiko, save me!!" Haru hid behind them.
"Calm down. There's no way I'm going to do something like that again so soon." Izumi stated, but her smile said otherwise. It stretched all the way to her cheeks, in a rather wicked manner. I shivered.
"...So are you just gonna come back here like nothing happened?" Mars asked.
"Well I wouldn't say that. But what I will say is that you all are over-reacting so much. There's no need to act so sad. It was only two people. It could've been a lot more." Izumi said with a mocking expression.
I winced. "How can you even say that?" I asked, a little loud.
"Hm?" was all Izumi said.
"How can you even say that when two of our friends died! I'm sorry if I'm getting too mad or if I'm over-reacting, but seriously! You're the one that manipulated Aoi, and then she went and killed Shikumo..! How can you just say that without any hint of emotion on your face?" I yelled, no longer able to control myself.
"Sachi, maybe you should calm down..." Mirai sighed. "We all get how you're feeling... But there's no need to be yelling at her like this."
"...I'm sorry. But she..!" I pointed to Izumi. "...Is the reason all this happened!" I felt a tear roll down my face. "They're gone, and they're dead... They're dead, they're dead, they're dead..!" I repeated, as if forcing it into everyone's head.
"Hey, Sachi, are you okay? You're acting really strange..." Chidori asked.
"Shut up!" I yelled. Tears streamed down my face, and I fell to the floor.
Voices upon voices began shouting in my head, never ending.
...Fault...
...ou fault...
...Your fault..!
Shut up!
You didn't even know her!
My body began to shake, and my heart's pace quickened. I grasped my chest, as if to slow it down, but I couldn't. I start to hyperventilate.
She's gone...
You could've been there.
But you weren't!
Gone, gone, gone! All because of you!
"She used her bedsheets to-"
"Sachi! Sachi, can you hear me?!"
"NO! No... No, Hina..."
I heard another, distant voice. "M-Me? D-Did I d-do something..!?"
A snort. "How weak."
So pathetic.
Insignificant.
"Guys, none of you are helping! Please, be quiet!"
"Is she gonna be okay?"
"Can we help?"
"What's happening to her?"
"I don't know."
"A panic attack?"
"Let's take her to her room.
"Good idea."
After that... I don't know what happened. Everything felt fuzzy. Maybe I blacked out, or maybe I just don't remember.
* * *
When I awoke, I felt cold and stiff. My head and eyes hurt. There was a bright light above me.
I slowly started to look around, taking in my atmosphere. I was quick to realize that I was back in my room.
"Sachi!" I heard someone shout.
"Shh... She just woke up." I turned to see the two people who were talking. I ended up seeing Tomoka and Mirai first, but soon realized that Aiko, Haru, Mars, Marje, and Chidori were all there, as well.
"...Are you feeling better?" Chidori asked.
"You almost gave us a heart attack..!" Mars said, and Marje nodded, a worried expression plastered on both their faces.
I smiled. "I... I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me..." I rubbed the back of my head, and slowly got up.
"Careful..." I heard Mirai almost whisper.
"I'm okay... I'm good." I reassured her, as well as all the others in the room.
"Are you hurt or anything? The way you collapsed to the floor... It was scary." Aiko said.
"Yeah! And then you blacked out, and you fell off Mirai's back!" Haru added.
"...I did?" I asked. I got a few nods in response. "I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to worry you all... The past day or so... Has been rough." I admitted.
"...Yeah... I think it has for all of us. But you in particular." Mars said.
"Well... We just wanted to make sure you were okay." Chidori said with a smile.
I smiled back. "Thanks."
"Is there anything that we can do to help you?" Tomoka asked. "I can make you something sweet if you'd like! Or if you want something else, just let me know!"
"...I think... Maybe some privacy?" I asked, trying my best not to sound rude. "I think I just need some time to... Process this all."
"Of course." Mirai said, and the others agreed. "We'll just be a call away, okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah... Okay."
With that, the others all waved goodbye and left. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Aoi... And Shikumo... I turned to my side. I'm so sorry I couldn't have done anything to help...
.
.
.
It's because you were never there.
My eyes widened. "W-What is this?" I said out loud.
Hina needed you, didn't she? But you just watched her suffer like an idiot.
"H-Hina..?! Why... Why is she... being brought into this..?"
Because you failed again. You failed to save someone. And now two more people are dead because of you.
"...No... Please... I don't... Wanna go through that again."
But it's all your doing, isn't it? I swear, you'll never learn, will you?
"... No..!"
"Aha... My name's Hina. Nice to meet you!"
"Well... Maybe I'll be okay..."
"Because you're here with me!"
"I'm so sorry, Sachi..."
"Don't worry... I'll be okay. It's just a little stab!"
I went through multiple meories. Greetings, reassurances... Just random times...
But...
... I never expected that specific one to pop up.
"She used her bedsheets to-"
"No. No, no, no. I'm not going to listen to you!"
"She's gone. I'm so sorry for your loss."
"I'll give you some time off."
"She's still grieving."
"Shh... She needs time."
"She's crying again..."
"How weak."
"So pathetic."
"You're insignificant."
.
.
.