"It is getting late now. I must return home before my father reprimands me for being tardy once more, although my father is aware that I spend most of my time with you."
"Very well, then let me take you home," I said as I rose to prepare to leave.
"Thank you," Ayu also got up from her seat.
We hurried to the cashier, as we were eager to avoid waiting for a waiter, and proceeded directly to the cashier to pay for our ice cream. As we paid the cashier for the ice cream and departed, I extended my hand to Ayu as we exited. The sunrise was barely visible, its hues of pale orange and a hint of dark purple heralding the approach of night. I held Ayu as we proceeded towards the train station.
I had an impromptu question that I hoped Ayu would not mind.
"Why does your father harbor a negative sentiment towards me?" I inquired.
"Do not be concerned," she responded. "My father's disposition stems from the likelihood that he is not well-acquainted with you."
"However, when I initially brought you home, your father mentioned Louis's name?" I pondered. Ayu recalled the incident.
"As I previously mentioned, my father and Louis's father have been acquainted since college and maintain a close friendship. My father possesses a selfish and unpleasant nature, and he favors spending time with Louis due to his intelligence and his desire for their future together." Ayu elucidated the situation and continued conversing.
"I believe this is the reason behind Louis's current behavior. My father likely granted him excessive freedom to spend time with me," I remarked. "He occasionally exhibits selfishness and believes that what is considered the best for each individual varies."
Ayu listened attentively.
"Oh…" I lowered my gaze as I continued walking, holding Ayu's hand. Ayu noticed my expression.
"Do not be troubled," she said. "Who holds greater significance, me or my father?" She grasped my arm and engaged in lighthearted banter.
"I simply desire that our relationship with my father and you remain amicable. While I extend respect to him, he does not reciprocate it," I expressed.
"As long as I am by your side, my father's opinions regarding you are inconsequential," she asserted. "I genuinely value respecting my family, but I am cognizant of his inherent nature and recognize that he will not transform." She smiled, tilted her head, and closed her eyes.
"I apologize for not informing you about Louis's stalking behavior. I was unaware that he was your former best friend."
"Why didn't you tell me about Louis's stalking?" Ayu inquired.
"I intended to inform you about Louis, but you were diligently pursuing your aspirations to become the president of the council school. Your workload was substantial, and I did not want to burden you with this additional concern. I wanted you to focus on your goal of becoming president." I explained to her in response to her question.
"Thank you for your concern, Daisuke, but this is a serious matter for Louis to stalk us, and for me not to be prepared for the consequences, this is the second time he has been harassing me and disregarding my personal space."
"I am sorry, Ayu, for not disclosing this information to you. You deserve to be aware of the situation." As we walked together, I looked at her.
"I am shocked that Louis has crossed the boundary by stalking me. He even attempted to kiss me twice, as he was always making advances towards me. I am now uncomfortable with him." Ayu expressed her concern, noting that she held my arm tightly and felt unsafe. However, I held her arm and her hands as I endeavored to reassure her and provide her with a sense of comfort during our walk together.
"Everything will be alright, Ayu. Louis has no power to separate us. You will see." I looked at her with a reassuring smile.
"Daisuke, I am worried. What if he reveals that he has a way to do it?" Ayu expressed fear.
"That will not happen, Ayu. I promise that everything will be fine. Furthermore, I promise that from now on, regardless of any negative events or challenges, I will not conceal them from you."
"Okay, whatever happens, we will work together." Ayu smiled at me.
"Okay," I smiled back at her.
As the journey progressed positively, we arrived at the train station and proceeded to Ayu's residence. However, I promptly returned her home, ensuring her timely arrival.
After bidding her farewell and exchanging a kiss, I headed back to the train station. Despite arriving slightly late, I was relieved to learn that Aunt Yumi was working late. The house light was only on in the living room, with the rest extinguished.
"Hello, I'm home," I announced, informing them of my presence. However, as I removed my shoes, I recognized Ren's absence because the entry door on the right wall floor had her shoes in the usual position, while the rest were mine. Aunt Yumi's shoes were absent, as she had arrived home late. Finally, my sister Ren's shoes were there, indicating her presence. She was likely engaged in homework or playing video games.
As I removed my shoes to wear flip-flops, I noticed a faint line of light emanating from the living room. The light was likely originating from Ren's room, as the distance I could see from her position indicated that it was her room.
I wanted to check on my sister Ren and ensure she was well. I proceeded to the stairs and ascended to the second floor. Upon reaching Ayu's room door, the line light emanated from within.
I hesitated to enter, respecting her personal space. However, the room was slightly open, and I felt compelled to knock.
"Ren, can I come in?" I inquired.
"Come in," Ren responded.
I opened Ren's room and found her engrossed in homework, headphones resting on her right side. The headphones were open, allowing her to hear any external sounds.
"You were wearing headphones while you were alone," I observed.
"What? All the doors are locked, including the windows," she replied, returning to her homework.
"Is everything alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's a normal day," she replied.
"That's great," I concurred.
"How about you?" She turned to face me. However, I noticed that I had inadvertently landed on my sister's bed.
"You don't want to know what's going on," I remarked, stretching and attempting to relax. Despite my sister's persistent conversation, I felt a growing sense of drowsiness and, in an instant, succumbed to sleep. The sensation of relaxation was profound,
As I drifted into sleep, I found myself opening my eyes and discovering myself outside my school. Everyone was staring at me, their eyes frozen and fixed on me. I had my knees down, and as I looked down, I saw the girl from my vision. My hands were covered in blood, and i shivered in fear. Her head was turned, her face hidden by hair. I wanted to see who she was, so I raised my hand to move her and see her.
Suddenly, I heard a sound like a crackling bone. I turned around, and everyone was still staring at me, their eyes devoid of pupils. It was as if they were taking off with blood streaming from their sockets. They began whispering random words, their lips moving rapidly, uttering these words in a continuous stream of whispers. The whispers grew louder, and I covered my ears with the blood on my hands.
As I closed my eyes and lowered my head, I heard a voice whisper, "Shut up… Shut up…" I screamed in fear, and then I heard a crackling noise. I opened my eyes and was shocked to see everyone staring at the girl on the ground. Everyone was still bleeding profusely, and their eyes were missing. Inside the skull, a small portion of their brain was visible.
I looked around at everyone, bewildered by the situation. I put my hands down beside the girl on the ground and continued to observe the unfolding events. Suddenly, the girl moved her head and looked at me. I was so caught up in the moment that I hadn't even noticed her movement. There was no sound, only absolute silence. As she moved her head. In the end, The young woman grasped my hands with a sharp cracking sound. Woke me up screaming in fear. I took a deep breath, and my sister, who had been at her desk, noticed her distress and ran towards me, her face filled with worry and fear. As that happened, I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.
"D-Dude, are you okay?" asked REN, visibly scared, and she froze, unsure of what to do. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
"Why does this keep happening to me?" I whispered to myself, looking down with wide eyes and covering my face to avoid worrying REN.
"Uff, it's getting hot, don't you think?" I nervously laughed, pretending to be okay.
"It's fall, Daisuke," she pointed at the calendar on the wall she had.
"Oh, look at the time. I have to go to sleep for school. Goodnight, bye," I got up and suddenly went to leave Ayu's room.
"Hey, Daisuke, wait!" She tried to make sure I was okay, but as I left, I closed the room. I was holding Ayu's door, shivering, and slowly let go of the hand, going straight to my room. I sat down on my bed, feeling sweaty.
"This is not normal… Why is this happening? It's just not for the sake of goodness… Fuck!" I looked down, holding my hair as if I was about to lose my mind, but I was scared that these dreams were not normal at all.
"Fuck!"