The number you are trying to call is unreachable. Please try again.
His heart sank hearing the same words over and over again. Fingers trembling, Osano punched in the numbers once more, exhaling a shaky breath.
Hours had passed, and there wasn't a minute where he hadn't tried dialling the number. As promised, Ayato had sent him a message right before leaving, and Osano was relieved to see him holding up to their promise.
At first, he felt excited at the idea of being reunited with his pet. But as the night moved into the early morning, Osano found himself worrying at the absence of a response.
Texts went unanswered. Calls remained unreturned. Osano wasn't sure if he was being annoying by blowing up his phone, but he decided he'd deal with that once he got to hear his voice. And as time went by without hearing anything, Osano's mind began racing.
Surely nothing's wrong, right?
Osano shook the thought off, reminding himself to keep calm. He remembered that day. The day Ayato comforted him and offered to help him, he promised him that he would come back. Looking into those dark and controlled eyes, Osano found himself calming down and believing every word. For some reason, he fully trusted Ayato to handle the situation in his stead after the boy kept insisting on leaving it to him.
And now, as he waited for him to come back, Osano felt his resolve weakening. He couldn't help but wonder if the stalker had gotten the upper hand. Maybe something bad had happened after all. It shouldn't have taken this long to retrieve a pet. Why hadn't Ayato returned?
As Osano bit his lip, unknowingly drawing blood, he punched in the numbers again. His emotional state couldn't handle this uncertainty, not knowing where Ayato was or what was currently going down. If only Ayato had sent him a text or left him a voicemail, then Osano could go to sleep knowing he was safe.
Now, he couldn't be certain of anything.
"Five more minutes," he promised himself, pacing the room. If there were no response, he'd go find Ayato. His body shivered at the thought of visiting that house, but he couldn't sit and do nothing. He couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Ayato.
Osano recalled the address from the text. As he had mentioned to Ayato beforehand, the neighbourhood was located in a quiet part of town. There was barely anything to do there. The only places people would visit were the stores and the local garbage area.
Suddenly struck by a realization, Osano hesitated. A garbage area in that part of town didn't sit well with him.
When the clock hit the five-minute mark, Osano wasted no time. Grabbing his coat and umbrella, he hurried out, mentally repeating the address.
Impatience got the better of him, causing Osano to run towards the location. As he approached the house, he paused to catch his breath, leaning against his knees. His heart pounded in his ears, reminding him to get more in shape after exhausting himself. After this, he might consider doing more cardio these days.
Once he calmed down, Osano straightened himself, holding his breath upon noticing the house. His knees trembled, unsure if was from the long run he made or the idea of meeting his stalker.
"You've got this," he whispered to himself, shaking his head. He owed it to Ayato for all the trouble he had gone through. It was time to confront his fears.
Step by step, heart beating anxiously and skin scrawling, Osano walked towards the house. He kept picking at his coat, grabbing onto anything to help himself maintain his composure. He got this. He wasn't going to back down this time.
Standing at the doorstep, a sudden realization hit him. He felt small and exposed, like prey presenting itself at the stalker's doorstep. What if something went wrong? He wasn't as smart as Taro or as composed as Ayato. He was just Osano, relying on others to clean up his mess.
Would Ayato resent him for this?
That thought chilled Osano. Over time, their friendship had grown more precious than he'd imagined. Starting as an awkward encounter, it had blossomed into something meaningful. But was it right for him to cling to Ayato like that?
His finger hovered over the doorbell, trembling under the pressure. One thought strengthened his resolve: he couldn't bear losing Ayato—not now, not ever.
The doorbell's sharp ring broke the silence, startling Osano. He held his breath, waiting for a response. Footsteps approached from behind the door, and when it finally opened, he found himself face-to-face with a little girl.
"Who are you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"U-uh...I...Uh..." Osano stuttered, attempting to gather his thoughts. Summoning courage, he asked, "Is your brother home?"
"My brother?" The girl seemed puzzled, scanning him with a hint of surprise. "Who are you?"
"I'm a friend," Osano replied.
Uninterested, the girl ignored his response. "I'll check if he's home."
"Great! Thanks," Osano said a little too eagerly, instantly closing his mouth. The girl regarded him weirdly before shutting the door, footsteps fading away.
Shaken by the abrupt exchange, Osano calmed himself. His stalker had a sister? He hadn't expected that. But the presence of a sibling offered a glimmer of safety from any immediate harm.
The door opening again startled him, but confusion replaced fear as he saw the girl once more.
"He's not home," she said plainly.
"What do you mean?" Osano asked, bewildered.
"He's just not here," she repeated, seemingly done with the topic.
The fear crept back; Ayato was supposed to be there. "Then, where could he be?"
"I don't know. Can't you text him?" The girl's disinterest was evident. "I don't know where he is. He took his stuff, so maybe he's out."
"Do you know what he took?" Osano asked, seeking a clue.
"I'm not his keeper," she responded dryly, losing interest in the conversation. "I've got to go. Good luck finding him."
The door shut, leaving Osano standing outside, muttering to himself. "I hope so..."
Defeated, he turned away, gazing into the dark street. Anxiety surged back, his thoughts consumed by Ayato's disappearance. Where could he be?
He didn't know Ayato's home address, and he didn't expect Ayato to be there either. Knowing Ayato, he would have returned Osano's pet before heading home, not leaving Osano in the dark.
A thought played in the back of his head, taunting him about the state of his friend. There was a place Osano considered checking. And as he found himself walking to the location, he feared for the worst.
The rain poured heavily. Osano tightened his grip on the umbrella, watching the droplets slide across the cover before dripping down. It wasn't a long walk, and soon he stood in front of the garbage site.
He took a deep breath and walked in, the eerie quietness unsettling him. The grounds stretched out in the darkness, his surroundings obscured by heaps of metal trash and waste. As he cautiously scanned the area, a sense of dread settled in. He was terrified, but as he covered the site, he realized he was alone.
No one was there.
Osano's eyes wandered, examining every corner. Hoping for any sign of activity, he looked at the ground, finding only mud and puddles. If Ayato or the stalker had been there, the rain would have erased their traces.
Frowning, he lifted his gaze, searching for anything out of place. Walking through the field, circling back to the exit, he stumbled upon something unusual.
His eyes fell on a strange place. Debris and all kinds of particles were thrown across the ground, barely covering the lines on the dirt. If Osano had arrived any later, he would've failed to notice it.
The signs of a newly buried grave.
Osano's eyes widened, his heart racing as he froze. He fixated on the ground, and as a terrifying realization dawned, he trembled.
"Please...please, don't be..."
Without realizing it, the umbrella slipped from his grasp as he stepped forward, dropping to his knees. Unsure if it would be a grievous mistake or a resolution, Osano's hands moved mechanically, clawing at the dirt, and dragging it aside. As he dug through the mud, tears blurred his vision, leaving him in a state of numbness. Whether he would face his worst fear, he would soon discover.
It must have been hours since then as Osano lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep evaded him, every thought centred around Ayato's disappearance. His phone lay in his hand, desperately scanning the chat for any sign of communication.
As the phone buzzed, Osano jumped up, hoping for an answer. Disappointment struck as the sound revealed itself as his alarm clock, ringing loudly through the room. Frustrated, he flung the device across the room, shattering its screen against the wall.
As he sat on his bed, Osano pondered his options. All he could do was follow his routine, attend school, and hope to find Ayato there. It was Thursday morning, and every student was obligated to attend their classes. Osano believed Ayato had every reason to be there.
Refusing to succumb to despair yet, Osano clung to a glimmer of hope, looking forward to Ayato's appearance on their usual morning walk.
Jumping up, Osano ran across the room, a burst of energy spurring him on. In minutes, he was out of the house, sprinting through the streets. His heart pounded, his breath ragged and his lungs burned, but he didn't stop until he reached their meet-up spot.
Rounding the corner, excitement filled his chest as he scanned for Ayato.
His heart sank at Ayato's absence.
'Perhaps he'll show up later,' Osano reassured himself, waiting restlessly.
As minutes passed, the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. Spinning around, Osano saw Taro calmly walking towards him, raising an eyebrow.
Disappointed, Osano tried to appear casual as Taro asked, "Where's Ayato? He's usually here before me."
The words stung as Osano shook his head, clutching his bag straps. "I...don't know."
Unaware of Osano's distress, Taro appeared confused. "That's odd." He glanced around before shrugging. "We can wait a few more minutes, but otherwise, we have to head to school. We'll catch up with him there."
Osano looked up, biting his lip. He knew Taro was clueless about the situation, yet he struggled to hold back the sharp retorts he wanted to hurl at him.
After a few minutes, they began walking.
Suppressing the heaviness in his chest, Osano forced himself to look ahead. In class, he'd see Ayato. He imagined stepping into the classroom, spotting the black-haired boy at his desk, and embracing him in the deepest hug he'd ever given. Such a reunion would throw away all of his worries, easing his heart.
As the two entered the school grounds and walked up to the classroom, Osano trailed behind Taro. Fearful of disappointment, he quietly followed Taro as he opened the door.
His eyes darted to the empty desk, his heart shattering at the sight. Gripping his chair, Osano seated himself, arranging his bag beside him. Taro's glances didn't miss him; the boy looked around, wondering where Ayato was.
Leaning closer, Taro softly asked, "Did Ayato tell you where he was this morning? It's not like him to miss the first class."
"I don't know," Osano stated, not wanting to hear more.
"Are you sure? It's just weird for him not to let us know anything."
"I said I don't know, okay!" Osano sharply said, annoyed with Taro.
Taro was shocked at his reaction. Unsure of what to say, he turned his attention to the board.
Osano felt bad, but the boy was getting on his nerves. He was already dealing with the guilt eating at his conscience. He didn't need anyone else prying into it.
Noticing the teacher's disappointed sigh, class commenced with a reading assignment. Osano fixated on his notebook, doodling absentmindedly.
Lost in a daze, he was startled by the bell's sharp ring. Osano looked up, surprised, unaware of how long he had been lost in thought. He hadn't noticed Taro standing at his desk, clearly disturbed.
"What's with you? You've been acting weird all morning."
"I'm not," Osano stubbornly denied, puffing his cheeks. Instead, he abruptly stood up. "We're having lunch, right? If Ayato's late, it's his fault."
The orange-haired boy passed him, heading for the door as Taro trailed behind, bewildered by Osano's sudden behaviour. Osano charged ahead, wanting to ignore any intruding thoughts about his friend, and headed for the stairs. Climbing to the roof, he sought distraction.
As the door swung open, sunlight blinded Osano. Blinking, he struggled to focus, peering ahead.
Standing there, smiling with that rare grin of his, was Ayato, waving his hand.
"Seems like I beat you guys," his voice teased about their late arrival.
Osano's heart stopped as he blinked, grappling with the reality before him.
"There you are!" Taro called out enthusiastically, "Man, you should've seen Rina during his new lecture about..."
Taro's voice faded as Osano locked eyes with Ayato. Shaking off his daydreaming, he teared up, eyes watering as he rushed toward Ayato.
Osano reached out, pulling him into a tight hug, burying himself against Ayato's chest.
"Easy there," Ayato joked, reciprocating the hug and wrapping his arms around the shaking boy.
Muffled by the embrace, Osano released all pent-up emotions, tears soaking into Ayato's uniform. As the sensation of wet hair and the smell of fresh fabric enveloped him, he continued to cry, feeling the worries about his friend finally dissipating.
Aware that Taro might find the situation odd, Ayato apologetically smiled at him before glancing down at Osano. He knew he had a lot to make up for and was determined to hold up his end of the bargain in the meantime.
Unknowingly setting off a chain of events, Ayato could only chuckle at his friend, warmly engaging with him.
"Missed me?"