Chapter 39: new term

The spring is coming up and the eight of them are the remaining survivors of the class 2-D. Starting from Nagisa Fuyumi, Kota Fujioka, Nakumi Ishida, Alliya Samusi, Akio Ikeda, Emica Nakamura, Izumi Nakano and Kazumi Yano.

"I'm looking for another apartment", said Kazumi. "You are leaving?" asked Fuyumi. "Not that I'm leaving as in leaving. I was just transferring to another apartment" "Why" "Hitoshi is living next door. I don't know what I will do if he will come back" "Are you afraid that he might get you?" "I am afraid of any possible outcome if that will happen" "It's been a week since we came come from that hellish field trip and still, we don't have news if Hitoshi is still alive or where he is now after we left him all alone that day" "Are you guilty? Are you guilty that we left him there that day?" "Nooo what I was trying to say is—" "Why can't you just forget him" "Huh?!"

New term has begun and they are now third years. "Kazumi!! Which section are you?" asked Fuyumi who just came after her dreadful fight from the other students who are looking also for their sections in the bulletin board. "I'm at C" answered Kazumi. "Cool, we're classmates again" "Really?!" "Hmmm I'm at section C also. We're going to be together till graduation" Fuyumi, Kazumi and Kota end up to be classmates again. New term, new classmates.

"Ah, Kazumi" Kazumi turned to Fuyumi with spoon on his mouth. "The tenant next to ours has just left, so if you didn't find an apartment yet. Why can't you stay there. We can be neighbors" "You are looking for a new place?", said Kota who is standing beside them with a tray of food on his hands and sit in front of them. "If you are looking for a new place, why can't you stay to mine? I am just alone and the place is pretty big just for me. Well, if you don't have too much things though. I know it, why don't you come at my place after class today to see if you are going to like it" Kazumi turned to Fuyumi. "Ah yah…yah why not. If you want to stay with him then why not", said Fuyumi. "We're going to have fun, just the two of us" Kota imagining what they will do if Kazumi will stay with him. Playing pillow fights before bed. Eating midnight snacks while watching. Going to school together. Hitting on the girls in the neighboring rooms. Cooking for the two of them or Kazumi cooking for them and many more. "Kota, are you imagining again?" Fuyumi said looking at him smiling alone. "Ah…ah no" "I know you will like it", he whispered to Kazumi.

"Is this where are you staying?!" asked Fuyumi with big eyes staring at the big shiny building in front of her. "I'm just occupying one unit" he said as they entered. "You must be rich Kota" "Nah, just enough. When my family send me to study here. They already bought that unit for me" "I wish my family will bought a unit for me too" They entered into the elevator and Kota pressed the thirteenth floor. "You'll gonna like it here Kazumi" "And theres are a lot of beautiful girls next door", he whispered. "Huh?! What are you saying?", asked Fuyumi. Kota stand straight. "Nothing" The elevator and they went out.

"Woah!!", Fuyumi said in amazement with big eyes that are sparkling roaming her eyes in the whole place. "Are you sure you are alone in this big place?! My whole family is already enough to live in here and it must fell like you are in heaven" Fuyumi turned around to the entrance where Kota and Kazumi are standing. Kota flashed a weak smile on her while Kazumi has no reaction. "Hmmm, who will not be happy if you are going to live in a place like this? But I can't assure that it feels like in heaven. I mean, I am alone in this big place. It feel so empty" "So that is why you want me to live with you" "It is just so sad that when you go out of this place, you'll meet your friends and classmates. You'll be happy all day laughing out loud then going home in this place with no one waiting for your return" "It is not just you who feel the same way. When I transferred in our school, it is my first time to go out of my comfort zone and live on my own. I really cried every night on my first days in here. I wish to come back home but I know that if I will do that, it will just make me look like a loser. Every morning before I go to school, I always check on the calendar wishing that time will fly so fast and I will come back home. I even prayed that when I was on a bus. However, look at me now. I was already used to living alone in this city that I do not think much about the province and I like staying in here" "And on the other hand, if you just gave up on that time. You will miss half of your life for not knowing me" "I am thinking of what happened to me if I do that, I mean giving up. I will not move forward and be as I am now. I think of going back when I found about Saki's death. She's the first person I knew and encountered when I went here. She's the first person I can talk to and feel comfortable to so I don't know how I will be" "Saki and you must be really close", said Kota "I don't know. I unexpectedly met her that night without knowing that she is my classmate and I just feel comfortable with her" "I am hungry, is there something we can eat?", asked Fuyumi changing the topic. "Oh yeah I forgot. I haven't offered you anything yet. I have an ice cream on the freezer if you want and a sandwich too", then he went to the kitchen to get the snacks. Kazumi and Fuyumi sat in front of the dining table. "By the way Kazumi, why are you suddenly want to leave on your place?", asked Kota while putting the snacks on the table. Fuyumi and Kazumi both looked at each other.

"Kota has a nice place and I also know the feeling of being alone. I would not stop you if you want to go there" "I don't know, I'm still thinking about it" "What are you still thinking of?" "You are also offering the room next to yours right?" "Hmm but Kota's place is much better" "If I will go to him then how will I protect you?" Suddenly, Fuyumi feel heat all over her face. "Why do you need to protect me?" "What if he will come back and look for you, you are his girl before. So I know that he will go to you first" "I still believe that Hitoshi is innocent not because we were together but I just know" "Fuyumi, I don't know what he do to you to make you fall in his spell" "Kazumi, he was your friend. What happened to all those happy days we spent together" "He was not my friend and will never be. I just have to deal with him because he was there. I hate him that I want to kill him" "Why it was like your job to hate him" Kazumi stopped for a while from walking.

"I wish Kazumi will stay with me", said Kota as he lay on his bed. He was about to close his eyes when a knock from the door disturbs the silence. He slowly get out of the bed and switch on the light and went to open the door while scratching his right eye. "You…you're here!" The person who was knocking a while ago entered in his place without saying a word nor taking a glance at him. Kota followed that person on the kitchen who is getting a pitcher of a cold water from the fridge and pour it in the glass placed on the dining table. "Why are you here? It is already late, are you staying for the night? We can share in my room if you want or I have a one more room that is not occupied yet" The person drink the cold water from the glass. Kota was waiting for his response yet that person just walked passed by him. Kota followed a glance at that person. "I…just missed you and your place", said that person flashed a weak smile. Kota doesn't show any reaction on that statement. "Why?! What happened in your apartment?" "Nah, just too tired to go back there and you told me before that I can stay here whenever I want right?" "Yea...yeah you can do that. I did told you that but…" "Are you trying to tell me to leave? You are lying all along when you told me to stay in here" "No! I do want you to stay but someone already will occupy the extra room" "Who will? Who dare to occupy my space" "Why don't you go home to your apartment first and we'll talk tomorrow" "So you want me to walk home in the middle of the night alone?! I didn't know you are that rude Kota" "No…no I'm not (sigh) Okay fine, you can stay but promise me one thing, don't do anything stupid and leave as soon as the sun rises" "That's already two" Huh?!" "You said that I can stay for the night as long as I promise one thing yet you said two things so which one will I do?" "Both, do it and you'll stay" Kota walked to his room, he was opening the door when a sharp silver thing passes through his throat that makes him vomit a blood and cough until he kneeled on the floor turning slowly to that person. His faced shows the question 'why' with a single tear drop on his right eye. That person shows no mercy and reaction watching Kota slowly lying on his own blood.

Fuyumi went off the cab and take a glance on the huge building and entered there. As she entered, her phone vibrates that is placed in the pocket of the school uniform she's wearing. "Kazumi?! I'm at Kota's, why?" "I forgot something, I'll go back home real quick" "No…it is very important to me so I have to get it now. I'll call you once I get home" then she hanged up the phone. She's alone in the elevator when an old man in his late fifties wearing a cowboy hat, denim jacket and brown furry boots joined her. The man smiled at her showing his big yellow teeth as he press a button. The old man keeps on scratching different parts of his body that makes her uncomfortable. Staring on the numbers of floor flashing tapping her right foot on the floor. It stopped on the seventh floor and a young woman who seems two years older than her entered, she's wearing a maroon mini skirt and a black sneakers. She took a glance first to the two people on the elevator and pressed the button. She took out her phone from her small pink sling bag. She's talking with somebody from the other line and it was like her boyfriend from the tone and the way she talked, she's trying to be sweet and making baby voices. Fuyumi sigh seeing the two different people she encountered today like going in in an elevator is a long ride.

Finally, the thirteenth floor. She get out of the elevator and took a glance one last time to the people she's with just a moment ago. It shocked her a little when those two smiled and waved their hands at her. It takes two knocks before the door opens. "You…you're here" The man just smirked at her and walked passed her bumps her right shoulder. Fuyumi left standing there like she was frozen. Her lips are shaking and her hands are sweating. She slowly turned to that person who is about to enter to the elevator. "Wh…what are you doing here?!" "Are you not going to welcome me? I just missed Kota so I pay him a visit. Why Fuyumi? You are shaking, did you miss me?" Fuyumi ran inside Kota's place. Her heart is beating so fast looking around to the guy who lives on that place.

Slowly her knees are getting weak as she sat on the floor.

Kazumi are keep walking back and forth while Fuyumi's younger brother is watching him. "Sis, will surely be here soon. You are worrying too much" "What are you saying, she's your sister!" He was a little too shocked on Kazumi's sudden raise of voice. "A…I'm sorry. I 'm just worried because I got this bad feeling and I don't know why" "Sis is a strong girl, she won't get herself in trouble" Her brother said in his calmest tone. Kazumi sit beside him taking out a deep sigh and drink a cup of coffee in front of him that was prepared a few minutes ago. He coughed upon drinking the coffee. "It was already cold, I thought you are not going to drink it, I was about to throw it"

Fuyumi went home later that night. She was very tired and catching her breath with sweat are flowing all over her body. Her right hand is holding the door knob of their apartment while her left hand is holding her knees. Her brother went to give her a glass of water. "Kazumi was here a few seconds ago. He was worried about you" Fuyumi get the glass of water from her brother's hand and drink straight all the water from it. "He…he is?", she asked between her breath. "Hmmm I just persuade him to go home and I will just let him know if you are already here" "Then what are you doing, text him already" Her brother brought his phone out of his pocket and start typing.

"It was already late. You should go home and take a rest. I'm sure that sis is just okay, I will let you know if she's already here" Fuyumi's younger brother said while pushing Kazumi out of their apartment. "Don't forget to inform me, okay" "Hmmm", he answered as he closed the door loudly.

Instead of going home, Kazumi took a cab and went to Kota's place. He take a look at the whole building before entering. He rings the doorbell several times but no one is answering, even his phone is shut. He was about to press the doorbell again when the door half opened. He immediately entered to look for the young lady, yet even Kota is out of his sight. He was about to call him again when his phone vibrated. It was Fuyumi's younger brother saying that she's already home. Kazumi took a last glance to the surrounding before leaving.

One of the door is opened revealing Kota's body covered with his own blood as Kazumi closed the main door and leave.

A young woman that seems two years older than him wearing a maroon mini-skirt and black sneakers is the only person in the elevator when he get in. It was about to close when a man in his late fifties wearing a cowboy hat, denim jacket and a brown furry boots stopped it and entered. He smiled a little to the two young people in the elevator and press the button. The young woman keeps on taking glance at him that makes him uncomfortable. When he faced her, she just winked at him that makes him shiver.

Fuyumi is startled a bit when she opened the door of their apartment and saw Kazumi standing in front of it. "Let's go to school together", he said flashing his brightest smile early in the morning.

"Do you remember what happened last night?" "Huh?! Did something happened? What happened is I went to your place last night and your brother drag me out because I'm too worried" "Yeah, he told me that. So you don't remember" "About what?" "N…nothing" So…have you already decided on where will you stay?", said Fuyumi changing the topic. "I think I will go to the apartment next to yours" Fuyumi's heart skip a beat not knowing that she's already smiling to her ears. "Is…is that so"

They were already near the school when a girl came running bumped into Fuyumi. The girl says sorry without looking at them and so Fuyumi when she recognize who the girl is. A memory flashes into her mind, it was the girl in the elevator last night wearing the maroon mini skirt and black sneakers. "You…" Without finishing was she was about to say. The girl already ran. "Do you know her?", asked Kazumi. "I went in the same elevator as her last night on the building where Kota lives" "Hmmm I see. We also went in the same elevator and I kinda don't like her, it seems she's hitting on me" "Did you also went on Kota's last night?" "Nooo, I mean…Ahhhhh I can't think of a reason. Okay fine, I went to his place to get you because I really had a bad feeling but your brother texted me so I don't stay any longer and went home" "Is that it? Don't you remember anything else?" "What do you mean?!" "Nothing…Maybe I'm just imagining things" "You're daydreaming again" "No I'm not" "You remember things that I don't, what do you call that" "You said that, that girl is hitting on you. So that is the kind of girl you like", she said trying to change the topic. "So you are changing the topic huh, doncha worry. I don't like her. I much prefer girls like you" A heat suddenly rise up unto Fuyumi's face that stops her from chasing him. "S…stupid"