Yuki stood in the middle of the living room.
She didn't know how long she'd been standing there. A few seconds. Maybe longer.
This isn't normal… This isn't okay at all.
Her arms lowered.
Her legs felt shaky, like they might give out.
Her hands didn't feel like their own anymore.
She looked down and realized she was still holding something.
A crumpled piece of paper.
Your bill is 2000 USD.
You can pay cash or credit.
My receptionist will be waiting for you at my clinic.
Sincerely, your therapist—
Sasaki Shin.
Yuki dropped the note on the floor.
I don't even know what's real or fake anymore.
She pressed her hands to her face and shut her eyes. Her throat tightened. Tears started to well up, but she clenched her jaw.
No. I shouldn't cry. Not now. Just breathe.
Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor.
Then she touched something hard.
She looked down.
The box of chocolates. The one Kenji gave her. It was still lying near the TV, unopened. She crawled over, picked it up, and held it close. It still smelled just like him.
Her hands moved before she could stop them. She hugged the box against her chest, like holding it tighter might bring him back.
"…Igaguri… Igaguri… Igaguri…"
Her voice cracked.
She whispered it again. And again.
"Please… come back."
Her chest was tight. Her whole body was shaking.
Then—something warm hit her skin.
She flinched and looked up at the ceiling.
A single drop of blood had fallen.
Then another.
And another.
She stopped breathing.
The blood was moving now. Smearing. Spreading sideways like someone unseen was dragging it with a finger.
She rose to her feet, slow and shaky, and watched as letters formed.
AYANO
HELP ME
PLEASE HELP!
Her heart hit her ribs. Her stomach flipped.
She covered her mouth with both hands.
No…
She knew that handwriting. The crooked loops. The rushed lowercase.
No… wait. That's his handwriting. I know it is. I've seen it before. This… this is actually him!
She stepped forward, voice cracking.
"Igaguri!! Can you hear me!? Say something!!" Yuki screamed.
Silence.
Just the echo of her own voice bouncing off ruined walls.
No answer. Not even the sound of wind.
But Yuki knew one thing for sure.
He's alive. I'm sure of it.
There was only one person she could ask. The only one who hadn't treated her like she was crazy. The only one who looked at monsters like they were paperwork.
That man with the scythe.
Her therapist.
Sasaki Shin.
Yuki sat there with Kenji's chocolate box in her hands, waiting, hoping the wall would write something else.
And then, somehow, her eyes got heavy, and she slept.
The sun spilled through the living room window.
Yuki's eyes opened slowly.
Her back hurt. Her arms were stiff. She must've slept in the same spot all night.
She sat up. Her uniform was still on — wrinkled and cold against her skin. Her hands felt sticky. Her mouth was dry.
She looked around the room, still half-asleep.
Then her eyes caught the clock.
She froze.
"...What? 7:50 AM!? No—no no no, I missed it!"
She got up fast and rushed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face.
Yuki quickly went to her room and grabbed a clean school uniform from her closet — this time the black one, just like the one her friend Riko wears.
"Damn it, I don't have a choice. I would've preferred to wear my blue school uniform, but it smells like garbage."
She was supposed to go see Sasaki Shin first thing in the morning.
However, she was too tired and slept past the clinic's 5 am opening.
Her heart was racing now. She tied her hair in a ponytail and left the chocolate box on her bed.
Still, she had to go to school.
She took a taxi and made it just in time.
Yuki ran through the corridor, her shoes slapping hard against the floor. She turned the corner and yanked the classroom door open.
"I'm here!" Yuki blurted out.
Miss Nishimura looked up from her papers. Her expression didn't change.
"You just barely made it. Sit down, I'm taking attendance in a minute," she said.
Yuki gave a quick nod and made her way to her seat by the window. Sweat clung to her skin. She wiped her forehead with her sleeve and dropped into her chair.
Across the room, Riko waved.
Yuki raised her hand and made a quick sign.
"Let's talk later."
Riko returned the gesture with a small smile and an OK sign.
Behind Yuki, two girls leaned in close.
"Miss Perfect showed up last minute?"
Another girl joined in.
"That's... weird. But look, at least it shows she was pretending to be perfect."
They both chuckled quietly, covering their mouths.
"OMG, you are so right," the other girl replied.
Yuki didn't say anything. She turned her head and stared at them. Eyes half-lidded. Face blank.
The girls felt the stare and fell quiet.
One shifted in her seat. The other scratched at her arm.
"What's the matter with her? She looks like a zombie. Kinda like Riko Fuyumi, right?"
"Yeah… look at those bags under her eyes. She must not have slept much, don't you think?"
The other girl leaned in, smirking.
"Miss Perfect's perfect persona is falling apart. How great."
They laughed again, but stopped when they realized Yuki was still staring at them.
Yuki didn't blink once.
Neither of them said another word.
Miss Nishimura started taking attendance.
"Tanaka Haruto."
"Here."
"Murakami Daiki."
"Here."
"Shinohara Mei."
"Here."
"Okabe Ren."
"Here."
Miss Nishimura kept going, one name after the other.
Yuki sat still, her hands resting in her lap. She tried to listen, but her eyes kept drifting to Kenji's empty seat.
Miss Nishimura reached the last three names on the list.
"Fuyumi Riko."
"Here," Riko said with a small wave.
"Ayano Yuki."
"Present," Yuki said.
But she didn't hear the name she was waiting for.
She blinked slowly. Her fingers tightened in her lap.
Not once had she heard "Igaguri Kenji."
Yuki started sweating down her cheek. Her fingers tightened in her lap.
Miss Nishimura looked down at her clipboard one last time.
"Okay, everyone's here. We'll start the lesson," she said, setting the sheet aside.
She walked to the whiteboard and picked up a marker.
"For today, we'll be covering advanced math — something that'll help you prepare for the university entrance exams. And since tomorrow's the weekend, you'll have some time to review everything before we move on."
Everyone was ready to take notes. Their chairs shifted. Books opened. Pencils tapped on desks.
But Yuki didn't move.
Why hasn't she said Igaguri's name? She should've said it by now.
Yuki's stomach dropped.
Something was wrong.
Yuki stood up.
"What about Igaguri Kenji?"
The class went quiet.
Every head turned in confusion.
Miss Nishimura looked up, puzzled.
"Who?"
Yuki stared at her.
"Igaguri. He sits right there."
Yuki pointed at the desk.
Miss Nishimura followed her hand, then looked back at her clipboard.
"I'm sorry, Ayano. There's no one with that name on my list," she said.
Yuki's breath caught.
She looked around the room.
No one spoke. No one nodded.
They just stared, like the name had never existed.
Yuki stared at Igaguri's desk, then turned around.
"Does no one remember him?! He was here yesterday. He wears glasses. Brown hair. Quiet voice. Igaguri Kenji?"
A few students glanced at each other.
"What is she talking about? Has she officially lost it?" Shinohara Mei said.
"Who? Never heard of him," Tanaka Haruto said.
"I think you're confused," another added.
Yuki's chest tightened. She looked around the classroom, trying to find one person who remembered him.
Then she saw two boys near the back who caught her attention. She'd seen them sitting with Igaguri before. They always laughed during lunch. One of them used to borrow his eraser.
She pointed at them.
"You two. Weren't you his friends? You sat with him every day."
They looked at each other. Then back at Yuki.
"Sorry, Ayano. We really don't know who that is," Okabe Ren said.
Yuki stared at them, frozen. Her ears rang.
From the front of the room, Miss Nishimura's voice cut through.
"Yuki Ayano, what are you doing interrupting the class? This is not the kind of behavior I expect from you," she said, sharp and firm.
Yuki didn't answer.
She was too busy watching the way the room was looking at her.
Blank stares. Awkward eyes. A few whispers.
The kind of silence people gave someone when they thought something was wrong with them.
They... they think I lost my mind...
She turned suddenly and grabbed Riko by the arm, who had been resting her face on the desk.
Riko flinched. "Hey, that hurts—slow down, Yuki!"
Yuki didn't stop. She pulled Riko toward the door.
"Ayano! Class is not over! Come back!" Miss Nishimura shouted.
But Yuki was already gone.
And Riko had no choice but to follow.