Chapter 1: A letter to a friend

The faint breaths that came out of my mouth were weak and ragged. I couldn't believe what I was seeing,  my shaky hands started to crumple the parchment.

"N-no..no way" 

Today, Hanako Hayami received a letter from her dead childhood friend.

[One year ago]

"Hayami! you're looking pretty as ever" Rough hands slithered through my waist. The feeling was sickening but I only endured it with a friendly demeanour.

"Would you please mind if I have my personal space" I grit my teeth, a smile forcing its way to my mouth.

"Tanaka" Finishing my sentence with a lopsided smile. He only pushed his body closer to mine, making as much body contact as he could get. He's testing my patience, this guy...

if being nice won't work on him then I'll have to-

"Hanako" Just as I was about to curse him off, an angel appeared before me. My sweet and innocent friend that I met in my childhood, Keiko Aki. My now wavering smile turned genuine as I greeted her with relief.

"Kei! you're here- since when did you return from America?" She walked closer so she could hug me.

"Just last week" She looked overjoyed to meet someone familiar. "Sorry I couldn't visit you sooner, we had a lot of unpacking to do" I shake my head.

"no no I understand, you must be tired from all that moving" I got so caught up by Keith that I forgot Tanaka's presence lingering behind me.

"Oh, another cute girl! as expected of Hayami, someone as beautiful as you must be friends with other pretty girls" He nodded expecting the newcomer.

Keiko looked uncomfortable but was not at all defiant of his existence.

"You must be Hanako's boyfriend?"

He laughed.

"Well not yet, you're friend here is playing hard to get" I clicked my tongue but soon realised he heard it.

"Ha? what-"

"Tanaka class is about to start!"

His friend group was calling for him, already inside the campus.

"Seriously?" He sighed, disappointment clearly on his face.

"well see you, ladies, later!" He hurried in to join his friends.

Keiko smiled even brighter, "he's a little touchy and gross but he's not bad a person?" her statement sounded more like a question.

I glanced idly at the school "if you say so, let's talk on the way there. are we in the same class?" She nodded, rushing to walk beside me as we head inside.

Now that I think about it, ever since Keiko left abroad we never made contact but speaking to her now, it's like she never really left.

She would often stare at me but when I stare back she turns her gaze away from me...

maybe I'm just overthinking.

"So how're things going for you? I heard you were popular last year" I closed my eyes, yes that's right. When Keiko left I decide to look after my image and started to get self-aware of my natural beauty.

"don't exaggerate" I replied.

She giggled. "Oh come on Hanako, you already know how beautiful you are. It seems after passing through the gate, all eyes were on you" I stopped walking and thought for a moment. "They were?" she just shakes her head.

"Let's just head to class.." the tone of her voice faltered a moment and I noticed it.

Did something happen?

[Flash forward]

Things were going smoothly between me and Keiko but sometimes I wish she wouldn't leave a wall when we hang out together, she seemed different than last time but I couldn't figure out why. We haven't talked in a while.

Meanwhile

I was walking behind the school for some fresh air. I feel exhausted, these past few months have been hectic.

Daya turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. It continued like this for a while, the time has passed so much and I didn't even notice.

I always caught students' attention wherever I go and I finally noticed that what Keiko said was true, I was popular in our grade.  I was taller than average and I had people describe my hair had a burgundy colour.

I inspected my bangs, looking at them from under direct sunlight as they glowed pink. This increased my ego a bit since enrolling here.

"maybe this is why Tanaka dates me? is it for my looks" I frowned, I ended up going out with him after all? He was persistent and he didn't seem like he had bad intentions toward me.

"Hey did you hear? I heard that Keiko Aki girl is sleeping with our number one beauty's boyfriend" I stopped dead in my tracks as soon as I heard them gossiping. Did Keiko get caught up in some rumour? I decided to eavesdrop a little.

"Woah really? aren't they friends?" My heart skipped a bit, they were talking about me?..

"I heard ever since her return from America she's been acting weird. She had this creepy look too"

"ugh gross, she had an annoying tone too"

"she acts all cutesy and innocent but in reality, she's just a slu-" I opened the sliding door harshly. "You had enough talking bad about Kei!?" They quickly rushed out of the room, mumbling sorries and oops.

I glared at their backs but I couldn't ignore the sting in my heart. Placing my hands against my chest, "Kei wouldn't do that.." the Keiko I know wouldn't do that.

At least the Keiko I knew from before.

[A few days later]

Things weren't the same after that, I would avoid spending time with Keiko whenever we meet.

I was doubting her and I felt so guilty, this wasn't the right course of action but I couldn't bring it to ask about the rumour to Keiko.

After that, the rumour spread wildfire across the campus and when I tried to find her she would disappear from my sight. When I confronted Tanaka he denied everything and said he was only loyal to me. Although I could tell he was l y i n g.

I d o n t k n o w w h a t t o d o

-

and with no luck, wasn't able to resolve this with her. She wouldn't talk to me in class and would avoid me any way she can, I even tried going to her house but learned that she wasn't home.

It's like the gods have forced a barrier between us and prevented me from ever speaking to her. Three days have gone by and I haven't seen or spoken to her since and it was worrying me.

Our teacher walked inside, telling the students to stop talking but alas they never listen. He didn't have the patience this morning.

A loud bang interrupted my thoughts. This got our attention, "You guys. I want you all to know that" He was pausing every time he spoke another word but I already had a bad feeling and something told me it was the reason why Keiko was absent that day.

"your classmate, Keiko Aki is reported missing"

I clenched my fists, "The police are investigating a search party for her, hopefully, they will be able to find her and get her home safely"

Why is everything going downhill?..

I felt myself cry dry tears upon the build-up frustration in my chest.

-

Later when I arrived home, I scrolled through my phone to see if any of my classmates knew what was going on.

I had a guess she ran away from home because of the rumour but that wouldn't make sense since she would've felt safer at home, away from the students.

When I saw our class group chat, I was already hit by another revelation. People had been bullying and harassing her.

Constantly in her tail and making her feel bad when I wasn't looking. She hid all this away from me and she still managed to smile.

that's why she was acting so weird.

In pure anger I threw my phone across the room, why didn't I notice all this time. I even had a hunch but I didn't act upon it and hadn't checked if she was okay.

I buried my face in the pillow, how could I be such a bad friend?

. . .

"Agh I can't take this! moping around isn't gonna find her" I slapped both sides of my cheeks to snap me out of my misery. I stared outside the window.

"I'm going to find you, Keiko, I promise"

-

I decided to break up with Tanaka, I couldn't face him after everything and I didn't like him in the first place. He was chill with it but he said he would never associate with me after that and I agreed.

A few volunteered for her search party and I joined in hopes that someday she will be brought back home.

[Flash forward weeks later]

We searched and searched, tried our best. Sleepless nights of her parents, the hard work of the police...

no luck in finding her.

it's like she was snatched by the wind.

The days of searching were stretched and no more routes to seek. The investigation was closed. The police presumed Keiko Aki to be dead.

[Back to the present]

The same Keiko Aki who wrote a letter for me. Initially, I thought it was a cruel prank being played on me but when I read more of the letter, it was no mistake. This was Kei's handwriting but that was impossible.

"She-.. she's dead.." I bawled right there and there and hugged the letter close to me. "are you still alive Keiko?.." I whispered.

I decided to check the letter again and see if there were some clues, maybe she was held kidnapped or she was living somewhere else. However, there was nothing unusual.

That was until I saw the seal the letter was wrapped in. It was from a doll shop, will this answer all my problems?

will I ever meet her again?

End Of Chapter 1