Ayano never went back to the principle's office that evening, instead, she had went to the police station herself to answer out all the officers question then was let go. In the end, Budo was never able to catch her which didn't surprise him since this wasn't the first time she had escaped him.
Budo stares dully at his closet full of casual clothes as nothing struck him as date material. He was preparing for tonight's date with his friend Mina Rai. Budo briefly glances over at his room door located down the corridor. In all honesty Budo had not entered his room since yesterday he's been sleeping on the couch ever since and he didn't mind. Constantly, he felt his ears ringing with the sound Ba..dump...Ba..dump each time he dared to go near or pass that corridor. He was tired of it.
Budo picks out a casual outfit decent enough for his date and closes the closet door shut. He then throws the outfit over the couch for later and checks the time. He had another hour before school would start, he walks over to the couch and decides to watch some TV and relax. After flicking through multiple channels Budo's mind began to drift off, he wondered what he would have for lunch today, he wondered about his date with Mina, then he wondered about Ayano. He felt sudden dread overcome him just thinking of yesterdays events.
"You liar...you...you.."
"You....YOU SAID YOU BE THERE FOR ME!"
"I thought we were friends."
Budo immediately felt is hands clench into fists, he had let her down all because he was scared of putting her danger, he was a terrible friend to her. He needed to set things right again before their friendship would be beyond repairing. Suddenly, Budo hears his laundry finish from the other room and remembers that Ayano had stayed the night, even though she had taken her clothes back she had forgotten to take her red bike from outside. Now was his chance.
When the time was right Budo threw on his school uniform and grabbed his book bag. He left the apartment and spotted Ayano's red bike still at the bike rack. He goes up to it and unchains the bike letting it roll off from the rack. Budo, remembering that Ayano's house wasn't too far away from where he lived rode the bike there. He was determine to set things right again.
_________________________
"I'm useless...." Kokona Haruka mutters softly as she stares absently at the ground of the basement floor. Ayano smiles at her zombie-like state and unties the ropes binding the purple haired girl. Once she was free Ayano could see deep, dark red circles embedded around Kokona's ankles. She smiles at the beautiful grotesque sight in front of her knowing how much Kokona had struggled in her attempt to escape. Ayano helped the broken girl up onto her feet.
"I have a task for you, if you do it well you are free to go." Ayano says looking into Kokona's dull eyes.
"I'm....useless..." She replies softly again.
Ayano goes into her skirt pocket and reaches for Oka's picture when a sudden thought struck her mind. She releases the picture and she narrows her charcoal eyes.
"Actually....there's someone at the school you may know..." Ayano begins with a bitter smile spreading across her face.
_____________________________________________________
Budo stops the bike in front of Ayano's house and leaves it in her driveway. He then walks up to her front door and knocks.
".........."There was no reply, Budo waits for a couple of minutes more before deciding on knocking again. As a couple of minutes pass Budo was about to knock on the door when it opens just a crack.
"...Hello?" Came a quiet voice.
Budo's eyes widen happily as he sees that Ayano was still home. "A-Ay-Ayano...it's me Budo."
"...Why have you come here?" Ayano asks opening the door further. Budo notices the bags under her eyes realizing she probably didn't get that much sleep last night probably because of him. He looks her into her eyes with genuine hurt.
"I'm sorry about...yesterday."
"Yesterday..."
"Yeah, I shouldn't have said those things..."
"Then why did you?"
"I...I had the mindset that instead of protecting you ...I would be the one to put you danger..."
"......." Ayano was silent at his reason it even felt like she had stopped breathing for a moment.
"Ayano...please forgive me." With genuine hurt in his eyes Budo bows deeply to her.
Ayano's charcoal eyes widen in shock, he was actually bowing down for forgiveness and it looked like he really meant it. Ayano's hands balled up into fists and yet again strange emotions started to invade her body that it made it hard to breathe. She looks down on Budo and smiles bitterly at him.
"Alright...I forgive you."
"...R-Really!?" Budo blinks in surprise.
"Mhm..."
"I'm so glad...." Budo smiles a heart warming smile as he was relieved that Ayano and him were finally on better terms. He was about to ask Ayano if he could walk her to school but she silently shuts the door leaving Budo to himself.
"....See you at school." Budo says quietly, he didn't want to push Ayano, after all there was likely still tension between them. Budo leaves Ayano's house and walks straight to the school by himself.
After walking for seven more minutes Budo crosses the road to school, he was wondering what motivational quotes he would use to motivate his Martial Arts members for today. He believed that shouting motivational quotes fired up their fighting spirits and helped them work harder. He tries to remember one that stood out to him it was highly inspirational he scratches his head trying to remember it.
"PLEASE, NO, NOOO!"
THUD
Budo pauses mid-step as a disturbing thought had crossed his mind. It was an image of a person getting dragged towards him with obvious fear in their eyes. Perhaps he should stop watching those horror movies he had borrowed from Juku they were probably getting to him.
As Budo approaches the school he notices a certain cyan haired, girl in front of the school building. Budo perks up upon seeing his classmate. "Saki-san!"
Saki Miyu turns around upon hearing her name and smiles politely when she sees Budo running up to her. "Good morning, Masuta-kun."
"Morning, how are you Saki? Are you feeling better?" Budo asks observing his classmate.
"They were able to save me just in time, aside from feeling dizzy and weak I say I'm glad to be alive." Saki says as she held a hand to her heart as if making sure it was still beating in her chest. A gentle smile appears on her face as if a pleasant thought had just came to her.
"Say, you seem all guzzied up, are you finally seeing someone?" She asks with a knowing smile on her face.
"Erm...not exactly I'm just going out to dinner with a friend." Budo says scratching his head in embarrassment. "It's my first outing so I thought I would do my hair a little to please her."
"Hehe is this 'her' Mina-san?"
"Hey, how did you know?"
"She always seem to take a liking to you." Saki says and looks around a bit.
"What is it Saki-san?"
"...Did they...ever find Kokona...?." Saki asks softly, Budo notices her hands clenched into shaking fists. He realizes she must have looked around for Kokona out of mere habit.
"...No, I'm sorry but I'm sure she will turn up soon!" Budo said confidently with his hands on his hips.
"...Y-You're right..." Saki pulls her pink book bag with white ribbons up from the ground. "I should get to the nurses office she has my daily medication.."
"Would you like me to help you with your bag, Saki-san?"
"No, I can handle it, thank you." Saki says with smile on her face but Budo knew it was a broken smile deep down. Her and Kokona were closest pair of friends he had ever know and it was sad to see Saki without her.
As Saki was about to leave she turns to Budo one last time. "Good luck on your date, Masuta-kun." She says playfully as she enters the school building.
"H-Hey it's not a ...." Budo gave up and sighed. What was the use it technically was a date but shouldn't he be excited for it? He couldn't muster up any feeling for the upcoming date, its not like he had to sweep Mina off her feet....but he did do that to Ayano. Well, Its not like Mina would ask to sleepover...yet Ayano did.
"Damn it..." A thick blush begins to spread across his face, he shouldn't be thinking of that before a date and there was no way in hell he would mention it to Mina. He quickly walks into the school building and then to his locker.
Only a few students were around in the locker area, a majority of them probably went to the school's courtyard to socialize with friends or finish the rest of their toast they were eating when running to school. Budo dials in the locker combination and pulls out the contents on his book bag and puts them into the locker for later classes, as he goes to shut it he hears a few gasps in the locker room.
Budo turns around to see Kokona Haruka standing in the locker area entrance. Her gaze was lifeless and the expression on her face made it look like she was totally out of it.
"K-Kokona, .....you're alive...thank god!"Budo says relieved that another classmate was okay, Kokona didn't say a word, she starts to walk up to Budo with her head staring down to the ground with her hand clenched onto something. That was when he realized something wasn't right, he slowly moves his gaze down to Kokona's hand and notices she was holding something small and shiny, it was a knife. Before he could say another word Kokona lunges at him with her weapon aiming at his bare neck. Budo quickly dodges the attack only to be tackled down by Kokona's weight as she had thrown herself at him when she had missed. She straddles him attempting to plunge the scissors into his skull now.
"Freedom....Freedom..." She says lifelessly over and over.
Budo had to move his head left to right to dodge her attacks as she kept trying to stab his head. With one swift motion he grabbed Kokona's arm and steadies it to keep her attacks at bay. Kokona however, did not let that stop her from trying to stab him she persists trying to embed the knife into him, her hands shaking violently in the struggle.
"Tch..what are you doing Kokona!? Snap out of it!" Budo yells while struggling against her.
"......"Kokona did not respond her faded eyes locked on his own, it was like she was being possessed and unaware of what she was doing.
"I can't believe this is happening!" A girl student cries shaking in place.
"I gotta get to safety!" A male student says grabbing his bag and fleeing from the scene.
"Sensei, Sensei!" A male students cries running out of the locker area to retrieve a teacher.
Budo knew it would only be a matter of time before that knife would meet his skull. He was pinned by her and using only one free arm to fend her off was going to be hard. He looks around desperately for help, perhaps one of his Martial Arts members were around. His eyes dashed around the room when they finally spot a familiar figure in the far corner.
"A-Ayano!" Upon spotting her Budo was immediately relieved he reached out for her with his free arm. "H-Help me!"
"....." Ayano briefly locked eyes with him she did not move from her spot but was more like observing the situation. Slowly, a small smile crept onto her lips causing Budo's eyes to widen in shock he felt his hand slowly drop. Did he see that right?
"Freedom...Freedom..." Budo was cut off from his thoughts when he remembered Kokona was still trying to kill him. With all his might he struggles to move his arm up to keep Kokona's knife from him but slowly he was losing energy from having to keep the knife at bay.
Ayano stares at the scene transpiring in front of her. Yes, this was all her doing. She wanted to erase everything that happened this week and what better way to do that than by watching the boy who betrayed her fall in front of her very eyes.
She was so happy when he begged her to help him, the vulnerability in his eyes was absolutely satisfying that it made her smile, he was nothing to her just a useless pawn. She was so happy that everything would be over in matter of seconds.
"Oi, Osana-san you should try them they're really great."
Ayano didn't care about him not in the slightest yet her mind kept drawing back to him.
"You are not a monster, you are a defender!"
Her teeth starts to clench angrily it was like some entity was trying to force her re-watch every moment she had with him. Why was this happening?
"Aishi-San, no matter what I will always be on you're side, you're a good girl."
He was mistaken, he should of been more careful than to mess with her. She wasn't a good girl, she was destined to be like this from the beginning he should have just left her alone. She couldn't feel anything she wouldn't feel anything until she had her Senpai. Yet...Yet...Every sound drowns out as she remembers one last thing.
"Friend...you're my friend."
"Damn it, Kokona don't do this!' Budo says trying to his hardest to keep her from stabbing him it was like she had an infinite amount of energy in her. Slowly, he felt Kokona snake her other hand to his neck and start to strangle him, Budo quickly takes a free hand and tries to pry Kokona's hand off from his throat.
"K-Kokona what are you doing!?" Budo was sure he heard Saki's voice in the distance. Saki didn't deserve to see her friend like this. Budo continues to struggle, sweat starts to drip down his face and he could feel his heart throwing itself against his rib cage in panic. He was scared for his life as much as he didn't like to show it.
"Freedom...FREEDOM!" With a final shout Budo could see the knife coming towards his neck. At this point his hands collapsed to his sides as all the energy to move them left him. He braces himself for impact, this was it for him.
SLASH
Budo could feel droplets of warmth sprinkle against his face that he assumed to be his blood. However, he did not feel any pain instead he felt someone breathing hard on his face. He slowly opens his eyes to see Ayano in front of him. He looks up at her in shock as he notices that Kokona's knife was deeply embedded into her shoulder that only the handle can be seen. He could also see Kokona was being pinned down by Saki.
"A-Ayano..."
"........I'm...a defender...right...?" Ayano coughs and strings of blood started to trickle down the corners of her mouth. She locked eyes with him and a bitter smile spreads across her face. Her charcoal eyes slowly close and she falls limp into Budo.
"Ayano!" He wraps his arms around her and he could feel his eyes glass over with tears, fear started to take over his entire body. His bangs covered his eyes as he holds Ayano close not wanting her life to be slipped away from her. This was the last thing he wanted to happen.
"Oh, no!" One of the teachers had finally arrived and she quickly dashes over to Ayano. "This is a tragic, I'll call an ambulance immediately!" The teacher quickly pulls her flip phone out from her pocket and dials for the ambulance.
"Freedom, Freedom..." Kokona says over and over not acknowledging Saki's presence, she was like a broken record now repeating those words over and over.
"Please... Please stop, Kokona..." Saki was crying as she had pinned her best friend down from murdering Budo. Her hands were tightly holding down Kokona's shoulders. "This isn't you, this isn't the best friend I hold dearly to my heart." She chokes up another sob as her tears started to drop onto Kokona's face.
"S-Saki....." A soft whisper escapes from Kokona's lips.
"Yes it's me, everything will be okay...!!"
"Saki.....I'm...scared..." Tears start to run down from Kokona's dull eyes. Immediately, Saki embraces her friend tightly and closes her eyes as Kokona sobs onto her shoulder.
After the teacher had hung up another teacher had retrieve a first aid kit.
"This will do for now." She mumbles looking over at Ayano in concern. "I can take over, Masuta-kun." She reaches for Ayano but Budo moves her away from the teacher.
"Masuta-kun, this is no time-"
"Don't you dare touch her! I won't let anyone hurt her anymore!" He yells, his eyes shadowed over with his bangs. Tears were coming down his face and he will not allow anyone laying a finger on her.
"Masuta-kun..." The teacher looks at him with heavy concern in her brown eyes. "If we don't tend to the wound now it might get worse by time she gets on that ambulance..."
"......"Budo was silent he had to be rational, now was not the time to be overprotective but still, he didn't want Ayano to be in any more pain than she already has.... but ultimately he did not want to lose her. Budo hesitantly slacken his grip on Ayano and lets the teacher tend to her wounds. Quickly, the teacher opens the med kit and takes out a spray.
"Shouldn't we remove the knife first?" The other teacher asks.
"No, it'd be too risky she might bleed out. All we could do is disinfect it." The teacher replies aiming the bottle at Ayano's wound and spraying it.
"Nn...." A soft whimper escapes Ayano as she twitches at the burning pain on her shoulder. Unconsciously, her hand reaches for her wound but Budo engulfs her hand into his own and squeezes it.
Finally, the Ambulance had arrived as well as police cars. A group paramedics runs up to the school building with a stretcher ready.
"Masuta-kun." The teacher touches his shoulder. "Please give Aishi-San to the paramedics."
Budo glances up to see the paramedics making their way to them. He slowly stands up regaining all the energy he had lost during the struggle and holds Ayano in his arms. He briefly looks down at her one more time with worry in his eyes. Her eyes were close and her arms and legs were limp, it looked like she was almost...dead. Again, a terrifying image came back to him, Ba-dump...Ba-dump. He ignores it and leans down to Ayano.
"I won't make the same mistake again...I'm going to protect you until the end, I promise." He vows and kisses Ayano's forehead.
The stretcher had arrived and Budo gently lays Ayano down on it. The paramedics immediately hooked her up for oxygen and rush her back to the ambulance. The police had also arrived into the building to take Kokona in for questioning.
"Miss, please come with us." One of the officers say holding handcuffs in his hands.
"No! You can't take her away!" Saki cries holding onto Kokona tightly. "I finally got to see her!"
"Miyu-San.." Budo looks at her with hurt in his eyes. "You need to let her-"
"No! No! If she's going then I'm going too!"
"Miss, please let go of her or we will have to use force." The police officer says firmly but even in his eyes he showed pity.
"I'm sorry, Miyu-san!" Budo grabs her from behind and pulls her from her purple-haired friend.
"No!! NOOOO!!!"She violently thrashes in Budo's arms as the officers pull Kokona up and cuff her.
"Huh....n-no...S-Saki!!" Kokona gaining back some of her senses started to cry as the police dragged her away. "SAKIII!!!"
Saki watches miserably as her friend is taken away from her once again. She starts to sob in her hands not being able to watch anymore.
Budo rubs her back as he watches both of their dearest friends be taken away from them.