CH 36

After seeing Suika and the others off, other customers began to leave here and there.

It was now time for the evening alcohol-seeking customers to come in.

My body is already exhausted. But the thought that the night is still long makes me feel like I’m going to fall apart.

I don’t know why those boys were staring at me so hard, but did I do something wrong?

Was it because the food didn’t suit their palates? Oh well.

“You can go home today.”

“That’s unusual, isn’t it ……? Usually, you make me work hard all night.”

“Well, I felt sorry for you if you had to work three days in a row.”

I had a strange hunch because she was always working me hard regardless of how tired I was.

“I was surprised that Ayako-san still had a human heart.”

“What do you think I am! I’m giving you money for that part time job! Well I wouldn’t mind if you stayed on.”

“I’m leaving~”

I took off my apron and when I was free, I went upstairs to my living space.

Then I returned to my room and took out my phone.

I was at work, so I couldn’t answer the call I had just received from Kurase. There was only one missed call and no other messages.

“Was it something urgent?”

I called back to ask her what she wanted to talk to me about, looking out at the waning sun.

I heard the distinctive ringing tone of the line from my phone.

It rang repeatedly, but Kurase did not answer.

“Is she busy? I should hang up.”

I thought so, and was about to press the call cancel button.

A buzzing sound was heard.

“Hello–“

“H-Help!”

“!?”

Kurase’s urgent voice came from the other end of the phone.

My relaxed mind was suddenly filled with a sense of tension.

“What’s wrong, Kurase? Are you okay?!”

“Um,…… someone has been following me since a while ago,…….”

She was breathing heavily. It seems that she is running.

“Where are you now, ……?”

“Uh, near the station …….”

“I’m on my way! Keep going.”

The phone went dead with a bump.

What the heck was that? Suddenly I was reminded of the incident the other day. The prank that had been Kurase’s shoe in the shoe box. I don’t know if I would call it a prank, but I had a bad feeling.

“—!”

I also recall another incident.

The girl who was stabbed in my dream.

…… isn’t that right?

I panicked, ran out of the room, and ran towards the station where Kurase was supposed to be, dressed as I was.

◆

I want to break it.

I can’t allow that woman to enjoy herself without me.

I can’t let her see what I’ve been through because of her. I have to make her pay for what she did to me.

You belong to me.

I’m going to destroy your place in the world.

I’m going to destroy everything that belongs to her.

◆

During Golden Week, I contacted Yuri-chan several times to ask her to play with me.

Normally, I would have heard back from her right away and our plans would have been made by now, but today, on the second day, I have not heard back from her.

“I wonder if she hates me. ……”

When I am home alone, anxiety strikes me.

I am not aware of what I have done. However, I always act on my own initiative and often cause trouble for others.

I’m afraid that she has finally run out of love for me.

“Dad, I think he will come home soon.”

It’s times like this that my dad comes home late. Come to think of it, I haven’t looked at the mailbox today.

I go outside to open the mailbox.

There is an envelope. I pick up the envelope.

The only thing written on the envelope was “Dear Nanami Kurase.”

I looked at the back of the envelope, but there was nothing written on it. Suspicious, I took the envelope inside the house and opened it.

“Eh! What’s this!?”

In them were several photographs.

It was a picture of me with Ito-kun.

It was a profile of me and Ito-kun laughing.

“This is the one from the last time we went home together. ……?”

Several pictures with a similar angle of view came out of the envelope.

“Who in the world would do such a thing ……. I didn’t ask anyone to take my picture. Oh …… but this is a two-shot with Ito-kun, right?　Ehehe…….”

Since I didn’t have much of a chance to take pictures, I thought this was a good one to get.

“Ah, but it might not be good if father sees it!”

He was even furious that I should bring Ito-kun before. …… I didn’t know what would happen if my father saw this!

I hastily hid the envelope in the desk drawer in my room.

Then I lay down on my bed again.

“Who was it anyway, ……? Well, never mind. Yuri-chan, what’s the matter with her, ………..?”

When I lay down, I started to feel sleepy. First of all, I was thinking about my best friend rather than myself. And just like that I fell asleep.

The next day, I received a call from Yuri-chan.

[Sorry, I’ll be busy during Golden Week and won’t be able to play.]

I shrug my shoulders at such a reply.

But it was good to get a reply. I felt relief at that.

There was no point in dwelling on it forever.

Dad didn’t come home from work after all, but I still had to take care of the house!

So I decided to spend the day doing the accumulated laundry, cleaning, and shopping.

Since it was my day off, I decided to go shopping in the next town over.

On my way home from shopping, I felt a gaze from somewhere.

“…………?”

But when I turned around, there was no one there.

“Is it my imagination?”

I started walking toward home, not caring. However, the stares I had been feeling from the front of the station did not stop at all. On the contrary, I could see that someone was following me from behind.

I felt bad, so I walked a little hastily.

I hope I was just mistaken, like I always am, …….

As I increased my walking speed, the person also increased his walking speed. And he followed me while keeping a certain distance.

Getting scared, I finally picked up my phone.

I scrolled through my contacts to ask someone for help.

Yuri chan?

No good. She said she was busy, and there was no compensation for her immediate arrival. Besides, maybe even Yuri-chan would be in danger.

Then, father?

But he is at work during the day. He’s probably not home yet even now, and there’s a good chance he won’t see …… the call in the first place.

“!”

It was Ito-kun who caught my eye.

Even Ito-kun could be in danger. But for some reason, I felt like relying on Ito-kun.

Ito-kun would do something about it. I had this feeling somewhere.

There was no point in hesitating. There is always someone behind me.

I boldly pressed the “Call” button on Ito-kun’s profile page. However, after a few calls, Ito-kun didn’t answer the phone.

I knew I had no choice, so I ran as fast as I could when I came to the next corner.

I started running over the person who was following behind me.

At that moment, Ito-kun called me back.

“H-help!”

I quickly took it and called for help faster than I could hear Ito-kun’s voice.

I told Ito-kun where I was, and soon. Ito-kun said something, but the phone went dead.

“Kyaa!”

Then someone grabbed my shoulder from behind.