Yuki was walking pretty fast, but not fast enough to draw attention to the surrounding students. She quickly glanced at the clock near the lockers and entered the classroom. However, to her surprise, the person sitting at Miss Nishimura's desk wasn't her.
It was someone else. In fact, it was a younger woman, maybe in her early twenties. She kind of looked nervous, as she was flipping through stack of papers.
"Ah. Good morning. You must be... Ayano-san?" the young woman looked up.
"Yes. I'm here for Miss Nishimura's class."
"Oh, is that so? Well, I'm filling in for her today. She's not feeling too well," the young woman said with a smile.
Yuki's heart sank to the ground." What happened to her?"
"Oh, sorry. I really don't know, but she did tell me it's nothing serious."
"Did she go to the hospital by any chance?"
The young woman shrugged, "She didn't really say where she was going. So sorry, I really wish I knew more."
"Okay, I'll be right back. Just need to make a quick call," Yuki said.
The substitute teacher nodded with a smile on her face. "Of course. Just letting you know, class starts in five minutes."
Yuki stepped out into the hall, pulled out her phone, and tapped Miss Nishimura's name. She held it to her ear. It rang. Once. Twice. No answer.
She lowered her phone and stared at the floor. Her mind kept spinning. Yuki was thinking of ways to get in contact with Miss Nishimura, but it was no good. She only had her phone number and had no idea where she lived.
After contemplating her options, she decided to just go back to class, but then, from the corner of her eye, Yuki noticed something moving.
She quickly turned her head to the side, toward the end of the hallway. Yuki squinted her eyes as she saw one of her dolls standing upright.
However, it was not just any doll, it was the male one from her living room, the same doll that resembled her father.
Then all of a sudden, it vanished.
Yuki blinked again and rubbed her eyes, since she couldn't believe what she saw.
When she looked again, the male doll was not there anymore.
I'm just tired. That's all it is. Once I go home, I'll hit the bed. She thought.
The first bell rang.
Yuki put her phone back into her pocket and walked back to class.
A few hours had passed and Yuki sat still, barely hearing a thing her substitute teacher was teaching. But at least it was finally time for lunch.
A few hours had passed now, and Yuki sat still, barely hearing a thing her substitute teacher was teaching. But at least it was finally time for lunch.
Kenji Igaguri was staring at his locker as his fingers clenched around a small black chocolate box. He peeked around the corner and saw Yuki walking alone toward the cafeteria.
"Okay, this is the plan — just walk up, say a few words, then give her the chocolate. SIMPLE!" He muttered.
Kenji walked forward, as he saw Yuki from a distance. He then attempted to call her, however, Riko showed up out of nowhere and grabbed Yuki by the wrist.
Riko then pulled her toward the stairs, leading to the rooftop.
"Damn it, Riko..." Kenji muttered in anger.
He followed them from a distance and saw them enter the rooftop.
Kenji waited a few seconds, then finally opened the rooftop metal door. The sun was out, but not too bright. Just enough to make the dust in the air shimmer faintly.
Yuki and her friend Riko sat near the edge, with Riko's lunch box open between them.
Riko had packed multiple egg omelets—so many that there was no way she could finish them all on her own.
Seeing her friend Riko struggling to eat everything, Yuki casually reached over with a smile and took a few omelets for herself, happily taking a few bites.
Riko then, looked up and noticed Kenji Igaguri standing near the metal door. "Hey, Igaguri? What are you doing here?"
Kenji Igaguri stiffened. "I just wanted to see Ayano. If that's okay."
Yuki Ayano didn't react — she was way too focused on the food in front of her.
Riko nudged her. "Hey, he wants to talk to you."
Yuki blinked. "Oh, come over Igaguri."
He stepped closer and pulled the black chocolate box from behind his back. "I wanted to give you this," he said.
Yuki looked down." Dark Chocolates? Those are my favorites. Thank you Igaguri."
Kenji Igaguri nodded with a huge smile on his face, that he tried hiding.
"I remembered back in our first year of high school you said you liked dark chocolate, So i got you some."
Riko chuckled. "Creepy stalker behavior, noted."
"I think it's sweet. Shut up Riko and thank you," Yuki said, smiling.
Kenji scratched the back of his neck. "Just thought you could use a reason to smile."
"Really? Awe thanks, Igaguri. Why don't you come eat with us," Yuki said.
"Oh! Really? Okay, thanks," Kenji said, smiling as he blushed.
Yuki thought back to her first year coming to Kyoto High, and how she felt very lonely. The only friend she had was Riko Fuyumi, who she had known since middle school. She remembered how, when she first met Kenji Igaguri, he was the only person who looked at her like a real person — not some freak who was perfect.
He treated her like a regular high school girl, compared to the other students in her class. The boys treated her like she was some kind of anomaly and would refuse to even try to talk to her, while the girls would badmouth her in the open for her to hear.
It was only due to the fact that Yuki excelled in all subjects — math, science, history, even all types of sports. Any subject anyone could think of, she would get a perfect score, and this was a problem for everyone.
In any case, she was grateful to meet Igaguri and hoped to stay as close as possible with him including Riko — and even graduate high school together. It was their last year, after all.
A few minutes had passed, as they almost finished eating.
Kenji kept glancing Yuki's way, like he had more to say but couldn't say it.
"Have you been following the disappearances?" Kenji asked. "People are apparently vanishing, to the point, even my cousin said he saw someone disappear right in front of him at the train station."
Yuki didn't react.
Riko waved her hand in front of Yuki's face. "You've been out of it today. You okay?"
Yuki blinked. "Sorry. I haven't been sleeping well. But yeah, I heard you, Igaguri. It's the first I've heard of any of that, honestly."
Riko leaned back. "I think it's fake. Some weird internet thing. I don't believe in the supernatural."
Kenji stood up. "I think it's real. It's been on the news."
"Since when does the news tell the truth?" Riko pointed.
"You always say stuff like that," Kenji frowned.
"And you always fall for it," Riko snapped.
Then, they kept arguing for some time, as they threw playful insults at each other.
Yuki stood up, as she had too much in her mind. "I need some time alone. Sorry."
Both of them stopped and looked at Yuki, as she walked away.
Riko frowned and pointed at Kenji. "Look at what you did"
Kenji blinked. "What!? Me?"
It was 4 PM now, and every student from Kyoto High had packed up their stuff. It was the end of the school day after all. The sky had turned a deep orange as Yuki's shadow stretched across the street.
Up ahead, Yuki saw Kenji Igaguri.
He was walking pretty fast, so Yuki picked up the pace.
While running to catch up to Igaguri, she looked down at her bag and saw the chocolate box he gifted her was still in her bag.
She smiled. Just a little.
She ran forward and yelled. "Hey! Igaguri! Thanks for the—"
Kenji turned a corner into an alleyway.
Yuki, however, ran forward trying to catch up. "Hey! Igaguri—"
But, the worst had happened.
After turning the corner, her heart stopped. She saw only Igaguri's clothes on the ground, still shaped like, he'd been standing there just a second ago.
But Kenji himself was gone. Completely gone.
Yuki's legs gave out, as she dropped to her knees.
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Yuki's heart slammed against her ribs, It felt so loud it hurt.
"No, no, no, this can't be real, he was just here!"