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Emma’s POV
It was still early in the morning when I arrived at Akademi High and during lunchtime, I stopped by the school’s library to look for the 2012 school’s photo album. What I found in a bookshelf filled with old magazines and school books were photo albums of students from the set 2018 to 2023 but found nothing on the 2012 students.
‘Why do I have the feeling that someone made these books disappear? If so why?’
This thought got my gears turning until I recalled something, grabbed the 2017 book, and flipped through it.
‘That woman told me she and Taro were graduating first. If Taro entered Akademi High in 2011 and the killings started in 2012, this means he graduated in 2017.’ I stop flipping when I get to the page of graduating students. ‘Let’s see if I can find anything here,’
I scan the pages for anything familiar face until I spot Mr. Yamada on one of the pages. Underneath his name was a phrase, ‘The Most Luckiest’. Other than that, I didn’t see anything on Osoro Shidesu.
‘Surely, someone would at least put her name in this one of the books,’ I slam it shut in frustration and put it back. ‘Maybe I can find some information in the Headmaster’s Office.’
The school’s eerie atmosphere only increased the effect of the gossip and eye contact people gave me as I walked through the hall. Whatever Agatha did made a lasting impact and I was at the center of it but I didn’t mind. I was used to this but my friends or can I say former friends weren’t. I hadn’t seen them since I came back and no one told me anything about their whereabouts.
‘I’ll settle this later but for now,’ I get to the third floor and search for the Headmaster’s office, ‘Let’s get this over with.’
To my surprise, I didn’t see his office nor did I see his secretary. This only increased my suspicion that this school was no ordinary place. Swallowing saliva to suppress the chill off my spine I headed to the school’s roof to see if at least one of my friends was there but all I saw was the empty bench on which we used to sit. Just looking at it triggered the memories we had together, our conversations and the jokes we told while having our meals but thanks to Agatha, it was over. Taking a deep breath, I slowly realized that she had succeeded in isolating me from my peers. However, I wasn’t alone.
Should I be happy or sad about it?
“Hello,”
The voice made me jump out of my skin. I turned around to see a female student and sighed in relief for she was a familiar face.
“Hi, Mao Ito. How are you?”
“I am fine.” she took a step forward. “Are you looking for something?”
I shake my head and look back at the bench. “No. I am not looking for anything.”
Then my phone buzzed in my bag and taking it out showed a message from Jake.
“Wow, that’s a nice phone,” Mao Ito cooed as she adjusted her glasses making them glint in the sun’s rays. “Who bought it for you?”
For some reason, the message “Hmm,” the girl’s glasses glistened in the setting sun’s rays as she assessed Emma from top to bottom. “Who bought you that phone?”
“My boyfriend,” I reply putting the phone back into my bag.
“It’s the newest E-phone 2000,” she said. “It’s camera is of high quality, the battery life is long and durable and it’s huge RAM to store millions of data.”
Although I was not interested in her words or the phone, I flashed a smile showing interest. “Really? Tell me more about it.”
“Sure. Follow me,” Mao said wagging her finger at me and I followed her down the stairs to the third floor where her office was. A line of students were waiting for her mostly male students were waiting for her to arrive but she dismissed them with a wave of her hand.
“Give me five minutes please,” she announced making her customers groan in frustration and leave. Once the room and the hall were empty, she walked into her office and sat on the office chair behind the desk.
“What do you need?” she asked lacing her fingers together.
I pursed my lips and took a seat. “You were telling me about my phone?”
The girl smiled and started to tell me about my phone, the company producing it, and how expensive it was in great detail. While she was talking, I looked at the empty room and my instinct perked up at how empty it was; a trash can, a wooden desk holding a laptop and a small printer a medium-sized drawer holding ornaments on top of it, and next to it was a small table which held empty packets of junk food.
“Is that all the company produces?” I finally asked.
Mao nodded, “I heard they are working on something big. Something they claimed will shock the world but we just need to wait and see.”
‘It seems like she has a knack for technology,’ I thought before looking around the room again. “I can see you live inside the school.”
Shocked, Mao adjusted her glasses and smiled. “Yeah. I live here on my own.”
“What about your parents?”
“My mother died. No surprised there.” she stood up and walked towards the wooden table to grab the teapot. “My dad barely cared about me and disappeared. I don’t know where he is now.”
There was something wrong with how calmly she talked about her parents creating the sense that she was trying to ignite pity from me. So I decided to pry more on the topic. “So how do you survive on your own?”
She stopped pouring the tea and looked at me with a sad smile on her face. “I dig up anything you want to know about someone.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” then she rubbed her fingers together. “For a fee of course.”
‘There is something more to this,’ I watched her movement carefully. “Do you snoop around or are you some kind of private investigator?”
“It’s complicated but you can ask my customers.” She leaned on the cupboard and took a sip of her beverage. “I get the job done.”
‘Wow! She will make a good salesperson. I am impressed.’ I thought. ‘Maybe she can help me with something but…’
‘…there is something fishy about her.’
“Maybe you can help me with something,” I said.
“What do you need?” she asked.
“What do you know about the school’s clock?”
The girl shrugged. “It’s just an ordinary clock. Nothing more.”
I raised an eyebrow at that answer. “How sure are you about this information? I have been hearing rumors about it.”
Mao looked into my eyes then looked away after a few minutes. “Come to think of it, I did learn that if you come to the school in the middle of the night, a secrete passage would open.”
This piqued my interest. “Really?”
Mao nodded and quickly looked away.
“How am I sure you aren’t lying to me?” I asked raising an eyebrow.
Mao shrugged and glanced at me through her glasses. “Like I said it was a rumor.”
I pondered on that and made my decision. “Thank you.”
“That’s all?” Mao asked.
Nodding, I stand up. “Thank you.”
“Pleasure doing business with you,” Moa replied and I walked out of the room. The bell rang for the next lesson and soon it was cleaning time. As usual, students whispered behind my back but I stopped halfway and looked at the message Jake sent to me.
“Good evening Beloved. I hope you are not too sad because I am making your favorite meal: raman with bone broth soup with lots of veggies.’
For some reason, the message warmed my heart and I couldn’t help but smile. Typing back, I asked him if he could hold on with the dinner preparations, for a while; I have a favor to ask…
Later that night, I sneaked into the school as usual and headed straight to the second floor where the headmaster’s room was but it was gone.
‘Great. Now what am I going to do?’ I strain my ears for the careless whispers floating through the air and catch a shadow’s hand disappearing around the corner. I chased after it but it disappeared ‘It seems like they decided to leave me alone but why?’
I sigh. ‘Never mind that. I need to head up to the school’s roof and find that secret passage. That is if of course that girl lied to me.’
Fortunately, I got to the roof top just in time to see a huge door positioned beside the pillar where the school’s clock was. Surprised, I walked over to the door and turned the door handle revealing a dimly lit room painted blue the only pieces of furniture in the room were a small bookshelf filled with books and a chair sitting in the middle of the room.
“This room gives me the chills,” I whispered to myself. Then I heard a loud sound and turned around to see the doors were slammed shut. This sent me into a wave of panic and I rushed towards the door to try to get it open but it didn’t budge.
“What the heck?” I look at my phone but find no signal. “I don’t like this. I have to get out of here.”
I started searching for clues on the book shelf and was surprised to see that most of the books were old manga.
‘Wow. If I found this place, this would be my little sanctuary,’ I sit on the ground and flip through the pages. ‘I have never read these manga before. Maybe they are that old?’
Then a picture of a girl with red eyes, short blue hair, and pale skin slipped out of the pages. I pick it up and look behind it to see a series of numbers written behind it. After putting it in my bag, I returned to searching the bookshelf and found two more pictures of female students hidden inside the pages with numbers written behind them and nothing more.
‘Maybe these numbers are phone numbers?’ I thought before taking out my phone when I heard a click. Thrashing my head towards the door, I watched it open and a blue-haired female student walked in. Her eyes scanned the room until they laid on me.
“What are you doing here?” she asked sending me a glare
I quickly jumped to my feet. “I…I can explain,”
“Don’t bother,” she shut the door and started walking towards me menacingly. “How did you find this place?”
Her commanding voice which echoed through the small room sent a chill up my spine, “A…a friend told me about this place, and I…”
“Emma?”
The strange but familiar voice stopped me mid-sentence and silence took over the room. Before I could say a word, the girl opened the door and gestured for me to leave.
“You didn’t see anything. Please leave and don’t tell anyone about this place understand?” she ordered.
“Emma, where are you?”
Without a second thought, I quickly walked out of the room and heard the door slam behind me. Looking back, I saw the door had disappeared.
“Strange,” I whispered.
“Emma where are you?” the voice called out again.
I looked around franticly for the owner of the voice until someone opened the door leading to the school’s roof making me jump out of my skin. Thrashing my head to the sound’s direction, I was shocked to see a rugged, and stubble-faced 40-year-old man wearing a white buttoned long-sleeved shirt with black trousers.
“Mr. Aishi?”
His eyes lit up when I called out to him and he walked towards me and wrapped his arms around me.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
My face immediately scrunched in disgust at the unbearable smell of cheap alcohol and the moist smell of cigarettes. It was so disgusting that I roughly shoved him away from me and covered my nose.
“Wha…what are you doing here?” I asked in a muffled voice.
From the way his face fell, I could tell he was hurt by my expression but sighed deeply and said, “I thought you were in danger. What are you doing in school in the middle of the night?”
“Umm…” I tried to look for an answer but he stopped me.
“Never mind. Let’s get out of here.” He ordered stretching out his hand.
I didn’t want him to escort me out of the school but decided to go along with it to make up for my rude behavior earlier. As we walked down the stairs to the first floor leading to the school’s exit, I kept a lookout for any ghostly apparition but nothing happened until we were out of the school’s building. Looking back I see the lights in one of the classroom flicker illuminating a dark figure.
“Don’t look back,” Mr. Aishi cautioned and once we were out of the environment I was about to bid him a good night when he asked me another question; “Can I walk you home?”
This confused and worried me because of his wife. Why wasn’t he with his family and what would she say if she caught us? With this in mind, I politely shake my head.
“No thank you, Mr, Aishi. Shouldn’t you be going home? Your wife must be worried about you.”
His face paled at my words and he looked away. “I…I am sure she wouldn’t mind if I came home a little late.”
“But…”
“And it’s dangerous for a young girl like you to walk home alone. You might get hurt or worse.”
He had a point but I refused to agree. “It’s okay Mr. Aishi, I can take care of myself.”
“At least let an adult ensure that you are okay,” he said. “Or should I call the police?”
Now it was my turn to be alarmed. “C…call the police? For what?”
“To escort you home.” He replied while fishing for his phone.
‘Knock him out and run,’
‘Don’t do it!’
‘Come on. He is a wuss. Knock him out before he calls the police! Do it now!’
‘Don’t do it!’
I take a deep breath to quiet the voices in my head and look at Mr. Aishi who was dialing the phone number and stopped him before he tapped on the call button.
“O…okay Mr. Aishi you can walk me home.”
“Oh…uh…okay,” he stammered before putting the phone back in his pocket and stretched out his hand again. “Let’s go.”
The tension thickened as they walked home and once again, I was scared of what Jake would say when he saw him.
‘I’ll just send him on his way before I knock on the door. Yeah, that’s sounds like a good idea.’ I thought.
However, when we got to my apartment building I was shocked to see Jake waiting for me outside. Once he saw me, he smiled but it faded when he saw Mr. Aishi with me.
“Beloved? Why is he with you?” he asked flashing his eyes at him.
“Jake…” I raise my hand to calm him down. “I can explain.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He put his hand on his hips and glared at Mr. Aishi who trembled under his gaze. “Shouldn’t you be going home? I heard your wife is looking for you.”
Mr. Aishi’s face fell when he heard that and he let go of me. Without another word, he turned around and slowly walked down the street until he disappeared into the darkness. Once he was gone, Jake and I walked inside the house and ate our dinner in silence.
“You look sad again Beloved,” Jake observed looking at me. “Why?”
I sighed again, “I…I just feel sorry for Mr. Aishi.”
“Beloved he is a married man.” He scoffed. “Why the hell will a married man like him be out this late at night?”
I couldn’t answer and slowly picked at my bowl half full of ramen recalling the discussions we had in his Manga Shop before it closed down.
‘I didn’t get to apologize to him for my rude behavior back then and now…’
“Did you find anything interesting in school?” Jake asked interrupting my thoughts.
I shake my head and prop my elbow in frustration. “No. It’s a dead end”
He sighed and the table fell silent until he shocked me by slamming his hand on the table and rushing out of the kitchen. Confused, I followed him into the living room and saw him booting up his laptop.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Remember that woman who asked to meet you at a bar in Tokyo City?” he asked typing away. “The woman asked for payments in exchange for information?”
“Well yes but…” Then I stopped and furrowed my brows at him. “H…how did you know that?”
He stopped typing midway at my question and pursed his lips to hide his laughter while looking away. Then he chuckled, shaking his head, and stared at me with a smug look.
“I was the waiter.” He chuckled at my shocked expression, “You didn’t notice because you were too focused on the woman. Was she so attractive that you didn’t notice me?”
I blinked twice at that accusation and before sighing. “No. I can’t be attracted to a washed-up 32-year-old actress.”
“I know Beloved. I was just teasing,” he playfully pinched my cheeks and resumed typing. “To be honest Beloved, I thought disguising myself as one of the waiters and feeding her large pints of alcohol would get her to spill the beans without asking you for money and it didn’t. At least she gave you what you wanted.”
He hit the ‘enter’ key and a picture of a woman with purple curly hair appeared with her name underneath her. I squint my eyes and read the familiar name.
“Kokona Haruko,”
“This is her Facebook page,” he continued to type. “And it looks like she is communicating with Ayano Yamada.”
I sat next to him to read the Facebook chats and from the looks of it, they were somehow close friends except one was giving the other the cold shoulder but one particular text caught my attention.
February 2020
Ayano: Hey Kokona.
It’s been a while. How163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSG0mBJEh9
have you been?
Kokona: Oh, hi Ayano.
I’ve been okay I guess.
It’s been quite some time hasn’t it?
Ayano: Yeah. It has.
I’ve been meaning to catch up.We used to be close and then things got complicated.
Taro has left for college and hasn’t visited home for years. It’s quite lonely here.
Kokona: You are still living163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHvVQtvoFf
in his house?
Ayano: Yes
But he is graduating soon. Probably in the next two months. So I will see him again!
I get it finally see him after all these years!
Kokona: Oh. 163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VLkkJ8CaK
Well I am focusing on my future163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iZIscRybV
in Paris.
Ayano: I see. Let’s catch up when163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaKDindHe7
you visit Japan.
Kokona: Sure thing.
I have to go. See you soon.
Ayano: Bye.
April 2020163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUw9NY2Gx1
Ayano: I am getting married to Taro163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SxmR3j2Fs
next month.
Kokona: What? Why?163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkxHkewsuB
He is terrible!
Ayano: You don’t know that.
I know he’s changed over the past few years but deep down he's is the same person I fell in love with.
Kokona: If you say so.163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeS0QnCDPTF
When is the wedding?
Ayano: I am sorry Kokona but163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIS0VlYxLS
you are not invited.
Kokona: Why?
Ayano: I don’t want you there. I am sorry.
Kokona: Okay.163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTnpjAlCKW
Why don’t you send me163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3jKSWJJ0K
pictures instead?
Ayano: I will.163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbuVGH7Rzv
January 2021
Kokona: Hello Ayano.
I heard the news!
Congratulations on having a set163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ni9yxSNU5
of twins!
I am working in one of the movie sets in Tokyo City163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjugy5kOlm
as a costumes designer.
I hope you call me soon.
163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsj1GkYhGQ
March 2021
Kokona: Hi Ayano
I am opening a clothes shop in163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSZXCq8RJ2
the bustling city of Tokyo.
We are having an after party after the163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHtfXMQzpZ
launching.
Here’s the invitation.163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGncde33gv
I hope you, Taro, and your children163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfDXVG37R3
come.
See you.
September 2021
Kokona: Hello Ayano.
We are having our annual school163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EG27u9I9o
reunion in two days.
It would be nice to see some163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmlFEkNvsg
old faces along with some new ones.
Everyone wants to see you and Taro.
Text me when you get this.
163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3CrQxrxEU
February 2022
Kokona: Hello Ayano
How are you?
Listen, I know I am in no position to say this but... 163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W5iNxHOz5
I saw Taro strolling around the city163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGiyGJ8w9D
with another woman.
I have the picture but text me when you163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f5btaCbWk
see this.
Have a nice evening.
163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJOFUj06lz
June 2022
Kokona: Ayano.163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJ0wmsaNS8
Please can you tell Taro to163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDbSZrV6Wq
stop calling me?
I am tired of receiving all163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSmk6MJcpR
these messages from him.
I don’t know if you gave me my163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDviqriFXcn
phone number but please tell him163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPMNK7EPnH
to stop.
I would appreciate it if you163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgJKkWBsU1
do.
163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gczjJr2Nq
July 12th 2022
Ayano: Kokona how long have you163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmEeR04DrW
have you been messaging Taro?
Kokona: Huh?
Ayano: You have been chatting with him.
Kokona: No I haven’t!
He was the one texting me all163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3gnifMyDF
this time!
Ayano: That is something a mistress163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVtYl2yJz4
would say.
Kokona: What?
Ayano: Let’s end our friendship. I can’t163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIUr9ndUZ5
be friends with someone who would163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ltIFt8vYh
stab me in the back.
Kokona: Ayano wait…
Ayano: Don’t ever contact me again.
Kokona: Ayano!
Ayano please listen.
Taro was the one contacting me!163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfXWQUE7lS
I have the chats to prove it!
Ayano!
‘It’s clear that she blocked her from the looks of it,’ I thought as Jake logged out of her profile and started creating his own Facebook profile. When the software asked for his profile picture, he huffed, slowly transformed his facial features to that of a woman, took a picture using his laptop camera, and quickly transformed back.
“Don’t be too surprised Beloved. I only do mild transformations.” He remarked ignoring the shocked look on my face. He uploaded the picture, waited, and sent Kokona a friend request.
“Why did you send her a friend request?” I asked.
“From the looks of her Facebook, she doesn’t have close friends.” He stretched his hands until they popped. “So befriending her seems to be the best way to get the information we need.”
I didn’t like this plan. “So what’s going to happen when we have the information? Are you going to keep chatting with her?”
He turned to me in shock before flashing me a toothy grin. “Jealous Beloved?”
I shake my head. “No. I don’t feel comfortable with this plan because she seems to be a nice woman. What is going to happen after this?”
This made him sigh. “It looks like I have to cook up a reason to end the friendship. It seems to be the only way out of it. Besides,” he stood up. “This is way better than asking the Oath Breaker. He will probably describe one of his mistresses to you.”
Goosebumps appeared on my skin when he said that because I was just thinking of how I was going to ask Mr. Yamada.
“Do you think she would reply?” I ask. “It looks like she hasn’t been on Facebook for a while.”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Don’t worry. We have her phone number, her work address, and her home address. So if she does ignore me, we have other ways to make her talk.”
Now I am scared.
“Speaking of this,” he caressed her cheeks. “Beloved, can you do me a favor?”
ns 15.158.61.8da2
