"MEGUMI!!!!"
I wake up to the sound of my shitty excuse of a brother, Minakami, yelling and shaking the living daylight out of me. I was in a peaceful slumber, dreaming of a life away from this prude. And of course, he had to ruin it.
"YOU JERK-", I snapped as he was met with a kick to the stomach.
"Ow!", He yelled as he backed away in slight pain. He was used to it already. "The fuck is your problem?!"
"The fuck is YOUR problem?!", I yelled back.
"Maybe you should adjust your alarm clock next time!", He huffed as he crossed his arm, recovering quickly from the blow.
"Don't tell me how to manage my sleeping schedule!"
"That is if you even have one!"
I scoffed at his words and gave him a dirty glare.
"Get up.", He demanded as he walked over to me and grabbed me by my ankles.
"Hey!", I protested as I got dragged out of the bed, the cover falling off with me. "YOU FUCKING COW!"
Minakami ignored my protests and continued dragging me out of bed. I reached for the bed's leg to stop him but ended up pulling the bed with me.
"Can you stop being a pain in my god damn ass and move it!", He barked as he picked me up and carried me on his shoulder, making his way to the bathroom.
"PUT ME DOWN!", I threw hard punches on his back, but it had little to no effect on him.
As we entered the bathroom, Minakami placed me down, grabbed my toothbrush, added a heavy load of tooth paste, grabbed my cheeks, and started aggressively brushing my teeth.
I groaned in pain as I tried to flee from him but his grip was strong. Not to mention his aggressive brushing caused my teeth to bleed.
"You're gonna kill me!", I screamed, my voice muffled by the tooth brush.
After he was done, he filled his entire palm with water and splashed it all on my face, making me struggle to breathe for a bit.
"I swear to God I'll fuck you up-"
I was yet again interrupted by a splash of water to the face. I groaned and screamed as I struggled with him.
"Girl! Stop being a drama queen!", Minakami sighed in frustration. "I'm washing your face not torturing you- OW!"
Without a second thought, I bit into Minakami's finger and sprinted right out of the bathroom.
"YOU BRAT!", Minakami yelled out. I quickly entered my room and slammed the door shut, locking it.
I huffed in anger. This wasn't the first time he woke me up for school by giving me a heart attack. But this time, he was exceptionally aggressive. I have no idea why he bothers to wake me up. Mom and Dad couldn't care less if I woke up or not. I'd rather be stuck in bed the whole day than ever step foot in that hellhole of a school.
My thoughts were interrupted by Minakami's knocking.
"You got one minute to get into your uniform or I'm telling mom that you stole the last rice ball."
Of course he'd blackmail me using that...bastard...
I quickly opened my closet and grabbed my sailor moon uniform. The tie on the uniform was shaped like a diamond with a drained out blue colour and white stripes lining the-
"50 seconds left!"
"Shut the fuck up!", I snapped back as I got out of my pyjamas and put my uniform on.
I searched for my leg warmers under the bed or wait...I think I put them in my drawer. I went over to my drawer and pulled it open-
Crash!
The drawer broke and smashed onto the ground, leaving only the knob in my hand...
Well that's just fantastic. This is the 3rd time the furniture in my room breaks. Wonder if they'll bother to fix it...
"20 seconds left!"
That son of a-
I grabbed the leg warmers out of the broken drawer and put them on. I then brushed my long, cobalt blue hair in a hurry and positioned myself at the door to attack Minakami.
Minakami opened the door and gave me a stern glare. "Do I really have to wake you up like this everyday- AH!"
In a split second, I lunged at Minakami and basically mounted him. He lost his balance and stumbled back, hitting the wall.
"Megumi!", Minakami gasped as he struggled to get me off of him.
I attempted to punch his face but he was quick enough to block my attack.
"Just stay put for once!", Minakami barked as he leaned forward and attempted to let me fall.
"HEY HEY! I'm gonna fall you idiot!" I held tightly onto Minakami's shoulders to prevent myself from hitting the ground. But alas, my grip started to slip and I finally let go, falling and hitting the ground. I winced in pain as Minakami shook his head, looking down on me.
"Get up.", Minakami ordered as he grabbed my backpack and tossed on the floor next to me. "You better pay me back for packing your bag."
"As if!", I pounced up and glared daggers at him. "No one asked you to pack it!"
Minakami flicked my hair. "Come on. We're already late."
"First period starts at 8:30.", I responded, placing my hand on my head out of pain.
"Well I wanna meet up with my guys."
"Do I look like I care about your boyfriends-HEY!"
Minakami grabbed me by the collar and pulled me towards the kitchen. I quickly caught onto my bag as I stumbled onto the ground, Minakami still pulling me by the collar.
Tho if he was going to pull me like this all the way to school, maybe I wouldn't mind. At least I wouldn't get to walk 2 miles.
Minakami finally let go as soon as we arrived at the kitchen. I stood up and dusted off my back and side-eyed my brother.
"Morning Mina~", A woman said in a quiet eager tone. It was Mom. She stood at the other side of the counter, preparing a bento box for my brother.
Ah mom...That is if I'm given the right to call her that. She had a huge bowl hair cut. So huge that I thought it was a wig. The hair cut was too cartoonish and tacky for my liking, honestly. But hey, I wouldn't say my opinion out of everyone in this house really matters.
"Ta da!", She exclaimed as she held the bento box up for Minakami. Drama queen...
The bento box consisted of cooked rice taking up like a quarter of the rectangle-shaped box. Tonkatsu, a dish that consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. Usually, these are left overs from dinner. Some shredded cabbage, potato salad, and tomato wedges. My mouth watered at the beautiful site displayed before me. It was enough to rival the most beautiful food in anime.
"Did you add more chicken?", Minakami asked, counting the number of the pieces.
"5 pieces this time!", Mom responded cheerfully.
A warm smile spread across Minakami's face. He leaned closer and gave mom a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Mom!"
"Anytime sweetie!", Mom ruffled Minakami's hair and blew him a kiss. "Don't forget to eat all of it! Oh and do your best in gym class! My boy is gonna be a hunk of a man! Oh I can already imagine all the ladies that'll be running after you!"
yawn...
"Mom...", Minakami blushed in embarrassment, scratching his head. I couldn't tell if he was genuinely put off by this woman or if he secretly likes the constant praising and attention.
"Wait wait wait!", She exclaimed for the millionth time. She then pulled out 3 other bento boxes. "I made these as gifts for your friends! Tell them I said hi!"
My jaw dropped in disbelief.
"W-Woah mom...", Minakami responded in surprise as he tucked his bento box inside his bag. "I think they have their own parents to feed them..."
"Nonsense!", Mom waved him off.
Minakami shrugged and tucked the rest of the bento boxes into his bag, knowing there was no point in arguing with mom as soon as she makes a final decision.
"Good luck with your exam!", Mom called out as Minakami made his way to the door. He waved back in response and walked out.
In an instant, mom's entire demeanor does a complete 180 degrees as soon as she turns towards me.
"Morning...", She said nonchalantly, not making eye contact. She pulled out a plastic bag with two, bland-looking, cheese sandwiches and placed them on the counter, walking off.
...
I stared at the plastic bag, my soul feeling empty on the inside. But hey, first time?
I grabbed the plastic bag and stormed off.
Stepping foot into school grounds, I felt an immediate feeling of...despair.
Displayed across the entrance was a ginormous sakura tree, the only sakura tree in the entire area. Tho a little out of place, it gives any naive and ignorant transfer student a false sense of hope.
My school was pretty large. The exterior design of the building was coated with red with white surrounding it. The painting looked worn out, given that this school was almost a century old by now.
A tall tower that stuck out of the main building displayed a clock at the top to indicate the time in case you didn't graduate from kindergarten and have no idea what a clock is.
I quickly devoured the last piece of the chocolate bar I bought on my way here and made my way to the nearest trash can.
"Oh!", I exclaimed. A small object lying next to the trash can had caught my attention. I kneeled down to take a good look at it.
It was a Maneki Neko, a cat figurine. One of the most well-known symbols of luck here in Japan. Since we have a test today, maybe taking this thing along with me will grant me the ability to at least pass the test.
"Yo! It's that crazy bitch who bite my arm last year!", A boy walking by with his friends yelled.
"Now she's talkin' to the trash can!", One of his friends snickered, the rest of them laughing in response.
Slowly and kindly, I turned towards them, a death stare written all over my face.
The boys shrank back immediately. "W-Woah! Easy Tiger! W-We were just teasin'..."
The rest of these idiots nodded along as they quickly ran away, stumbling over each other.
I sighed, but brushed it off.
I grabbed the cat figurine and dropped it into my bag, making my way into the building.
I watched the grey and gloomy sky as I rest my body on the bench of the rooftop. My body was aching and on the verge of collapsing thanks to Minakami's rough handling this morning.
The cool air brushed against my dark skin. My cobalt blue hair swayed along as well, strands of it blocking my view. The wind was perfect. Not too harsh. Smooth, cool, and refreshing enough for me to enjoy a short nap until-
"Megumi?"
"WA!", I shot myself up in surprise at the sudden intrusion, my soul leaving my body.
I immediately recognised the voice tho. I flipped over onto my stomach to find Yasu looking down on me, a look of mild concern on his face.
I sighed in frustration, upset that my peace has been disturbed. "Yasu, don't sneak up on a girl like that..."
"Sorry...", Yasu muttered, the timid boy adjusting his soft pink hair that blocked his view. "I-I thought you were uh...dying."
"Is appreciating the cool wind dying to you?"
"I dunno...", He shrugged, a subtle rose pink blush spreading across his face. "I never uh...appreciated the cool wind...? M-Maybe we can do that together s-some time...?"
This is what 9 years of homeschooling does to someone's communication skills. Yasu was an unfortunate case, enrolling in this school for the final year of this hellhole.
Here's a word of advice, if you're a nobody who struggles to make friends, transfer students like Yasu are an easy target to prey on- I mean befriend.
"Did you do my homework?", I sat up and patted the empty space next to me.
Yasu nodded and immediately sat down, unzipping his bag to pull out the sheets. "I even copied your handwriting so Akumetsu Sensei doesn't notice!"
"Creep.", I side-eyed him.
"H-Huh..?!", Yasu raised his hand as if he was caught in the act of theft. His rosy, pink cheeks were even more apparent.
I chuckled. "Chill. I'm joking. That's one in a million of your problems Yasu, you take everything seriously."
"But how do I know if they're being serious or not...?", He asked curiously.
"Simple, you just do.", I placed both my hands behind my head. But given that he was homeschooled for like 4/3 of his entire school life, he might be ignorant to the basics.
"Ok then!", His face lightened up. He kept whispering my words to himself.
"Honestly, it's not that hard.", I advised him with a slight condescending tone. "Adapt to their way of thinking and take note of the way they communicate. With that, you'll fit in in no time!"
"Got it!", Yasu responded, his tone pretty determined and optimistic. "Now how do I make friends?"
"..."
"..."
"I dunno...", I blurted out. "Personally for me, It's out of luck. People just can't resist my charisma~"
"Where is it?"
"Where is what?"
"Your charisma-"
It wasn't long before Yasu received a smack on the head. The timid boy let out a soft yelp as he placed his hand on his head, his eyes watering slightly.
"Watch it smart ass!", I crossed my arms. "Don't try to go all savage on anyone like that."
"B-But you told me to not take everything seriously!", He protested, adjusting his glasses. "You just called me a creep a moment ago!"
"That's because I know your weak ass won't try to jump me.", I explained, Yasu dropping his jaw in disbelief. "But I will personally wipe the floor with your face if you pull that shit on me again."
"S-Sorry...", Yasu stuttered.
I flipped through the pages of the homework, impressed. He definitely had a talent, copying other people's handwriting. Don't know if that's a real job. But it's something.
I reached for my pocket, pulling out 1000 yen I found under a vending machine. "Here. Don't get used to it."
Yasu's face lightened up. "T-Thanks! What can I get with this?"
"A haircut."
Yasu's face falls. He was about to open his mouth but cut himself off, pulling out his phone and scrolling through it. Either he didn't want to piss me off or he didn't know how to respond. The latter makes more sense.
Yasu suddenly furrows his eyebrows as soon as he opened one of the articles on Doodle Chrome.
"Everything okay?", I leaned over to take a peak.
"I don't think so...", Yasu stuttered as his eye's widened. He is skin went a little pale as he stared at his phone in slight fear and horror with his jaw dropping.
I sighed. "Gimme!" I swiped the phone from his trembling hands and read the headlines of the article displayed.
Takahashi family found thrown from a bridge, each body having their chest ripped open and missing their hearts. The only missing family member was their daughter, Takahashi Chiyoko.
Th-their chest ripped open?! What form of cruelty is this? Is this some poor attempt from the murderer to scare us or leave their signature method of murder? Just throw them off a bridge and get it over with.
"That's awful...", Yasu muttered, his voice cracking. "W-Why would anyone do this...?"
"Beats me.", I shrug nonchalantly.
Hold on...
Chiyoko Takahashi...?
That girl attends this school. She's in the grade below me, 11th grade. Not a pretty upbeat person, at least that's what I can tell from the one or two times I ran into her. She looked exhausted and her eyes were...well...not normal...
This should be an interesting scoop for the newspaper club. This murder had taken place only a few days ago. I'm surprised no one talked about it. Nothing stays a secret in this school.
"I-I hope that girl is okay...", Yasu took the phone out of my hands.
"Tch. Like the police will do anything.", I rolled my eyes. "They'll probably misfile it as a suicide."
Yasu turned to me in confusion. He lifted his phone up and pointed at the picture. "How'd you call that a suicide?"
"Trust me. They'll find a way to make excuses."
The sound of the bell rings throughout the campus. Yasu shoves his phone into his pocket and gets up. He looks down at me. "Did you study for today's test?"
"Na but don't worry.", I assured him, waving him off. "The power of Maneki Neko is by my side!"
"Who?"
"Let's go."
"Well did you at least do the calculus homework?"
"It's not a big deal.", I rolled my eyes again and shrugged. "I'll just finish it at lunch time."
"But don't we have calculus now...?"
...
"SHIT-"
"Minakami-Kun!", Some specimen that claims she's a girl squeaks as she leans over my brother's table, seducing him with her eyes. "Will you be tutoring after school today~"
Minakami chuckles nervously, scratching his scar that I gave him. "I dunno. But hey, if I'm free maybe I'll text ya."
"Please do~", Another specimen that claims she's a girl whines seductively. "My grades have been dropping like bombs in math! Maybe with your private tutoring, I'll be in good shape- uh I mean...my grades!"
"Didn't you ace the last test?", Minakami raised his eyebrows.
"H-Huh?!", She gasped, her fake boobs bouncing. "You must've confused me for some other girl!"
"Oookay...", Minakami nodded slowly and reluctantly.
"And maybe if you're free afterwards~", The other specimen said as she twirls a lock of her hair. "We can hang out~"
"Uh...I dunno 'bout that girls...", Minakami shrugs. "I...uh...have baseball practice and all so-"
"I promise it will be worth your while~", The other specimen interrupted as she non consensually grabs Minakami's hand, rubbing her thumb over it.
The other specimen also non consensually grabbed his other hand. "Yes! Please say yes! You want to go! Right? Right?! RIGHT-"
Suddenly, a guttural throat clearing was heard. The two girls turned towards the source of the sound.
It was Akio, his amber eyes glaring daggers at the two girls. It was a sign for them to fuck off and leave his friend alone.
Just the sight of Akio's muscles and his deadly gaze were enough to make the girls squirm in their places, they immediately stumbled over each other as they ran back to their seats.
Minakami chuckles as he turned towards Akio, patting his shoulder. "Thanks man."
"Yo Mina!", A boy called out. It was one of the guys on the baseball team. "You kicked our asses yesterday! Way to go!"
"Anytime bud!", Minakami replied, waving back with a smile.
Even the people that he plays against love him...
...sigh...
"Zip it!", The homeroom teacher, Akumetsu Sensei, scolds us as she drops her stuff on the table, a miserable look on her face.
Everyone quickly took their seats, not wanting to set her off into a spiralling rant about whatever upsets her this time.
Akumetsu sensei stood at the front table, adjusting her glasses. "Class, for those who haven't heard, Chiyoko Takahashi, a student in 11th grade, went missing just a few days ago. As for her family, they were found dead."
The room erupted into chattering. Some eyes widened at the news. While some wore an indifferent expression. Though it wasn't the majority.
Was she that forgettable?
In attempt to drown out the noise, Yasu wore his hoodie, tugging on it as he rested his head on the desk. I couldn't mostly make out what was being said due to the majority of voices overlapping. However, I heard something along the lines of...
"Isn't that the girl who ____"
"Well that _____ deserved _____"
"I bet she _____ them and _____"
"Class!", She spat out. The class immediately dyed down. "I'm not telling you this so you can chat, If you find Chiyoko, just report to the police...let's not waste my lesson with this girl..."
Her tone was pretty bitter when she said girl. I gave up trying to join a gossip group so I'm in the dark on what this girl exactly did. Clearly, it's enough to make everyone trash-talk her like that.
"Take out your homework.", Akumetsu Sensei announced, prompting the entire class to take out their sheets, some even fumbling with them. My heart dropped. My mind is already coming up with a million excuses as to why I didn't do the homework, most of which don't work, at least with Akumetsu Sensei.
I quickly turn around. "Uh hey Chiaki, give me your homework and I promise I'll-"
"No."
"Okay.", I immediately turn back to find-
"Ah!"
Akumetsu Sensei towered over me, her stare filled with an impending storm that will erupt in my face. "Your homework...Megumi..."
Of course she would start with me.
"I uh..."
"DETENTION!", She barked as she slammed both her hands on my desk.
I winced immediately, her voice ringing in my ear. Her voice was so powerful that it once made a boy's ear bleed, literally. After that, the principal kindly asked her to lower her pitch.
Akumetsu Sensei sighed and took off her glasses, polishing the lenses using her blouse. "I can count exactly 4 times you either forget to do your homework or...it flew out of your hand..."
"And landed onto a dog's mouth!", I responded.
No one laughed.
"At least make it make sense...", She scorned, putting her glasses back on. "A simple My dog ate my homework would've actually convinced me more than this."
"Uh I was just trying to be more unique with my excuses..."
"The only thing unique about you is how you managed to make it to 12th grade despite your below average grades. Heck, below average is not enough to describe your grades."
Everyone laughed. I looked down at my feet, my heart filling up with embarrassment.
"They're not that bad...", I muttered under my breath, my feet bouncing.
Akumetsu sensei scoffed and crossed her arms. "Define Not that bad. Because from what I can tell, Ringo has higher grades than you."
Ringo, a petite, salmon pink haired moron, pumped his chest confidently and placed both his arms behind his head. He spoke up, using his noisy and high pitched voice. "Well It's an honour to be smarter than a girl-"
"Shut up dwarf.", I snapped, wearing a scowl on my face.
Ringo's face fell as I hit his most sensitive spot.
"Megumi!", Akumetsu Sensei barked in my face.
"What?!", I shrugged. "Maybe he shouldn't put his nose where it doesn't belong."
"Not only did you not do your homework, but you casually body shamed Ringo knowing he's sensitive about his height."
"What?!", I exclaimed, sitting straight up on my chair. "Everyone calls him a dwarf-"
"More body shaming!"
"Ugh!", I rolled my eyes.
"Disrespectful nonverbal gestures!", She listed.
"Wha-", My jaw dropped. At this point, she was going to charge me with every crime imaginable. Since when did she start caring about bullying?!
Minakami snorted, trying to resist the urge to laugh.
I narrowed my eyes at my brother, gripping the edge of the table.
"Is there something you find to be a joke Minakami?", Akumetsu Sensei snapped the other direction. I grinned, crossing my arms and turning to Minakami. I anticipated the moment that my brother would get told off or get in some type of trouble. Now it's my moment to revel in that.
Minakami scratched his head. "Yeah, my sis..."
"Hmph, understandable."
My jaw dropped hard as my eyes shot wide open. The entire class erupted into laughter. A small smirk tugged at the corner of Akumetsu Sensei's mouth.
"Burn!", Ringo yelled out.
In a split second, I grabbed my rubber and threw it at my brother, hitting his left eye. The majority of the class gasped. I smirked, a glint of malice in my eyes as I stared at Minakami who placed his hand on his left eye in slight pain. He deserved it anyway...
"Megumi!", Akumetsu Sensei barked in my face for the second time.
I raised my arms in the air. "What?! He started it-"
"Committing assault on a fellow student.", She whipped out her notebook once again and wrote down my crime.
"WHA-No! Wait!"
"Meet me at the principal's office during cleaning time.", She turned around, heading to her table. "That should teach you a lesson."
I huffed internally. My blood boiled as I watched some girls asked Minakami if he was okay, some of them even giving me a hostile glance. But none were as deadly as Akio's. His pupils were contracted as they stared deep into my soul.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as I pretended not to notice his gaze.
Yasu gave me a sympathetic look. He passed me a plastic bag with a mochi inside of it. A mochi is also a symbol of good fortune, most popularly consumed by the aristocracy.
I didn't know why I was upset, this isn't the first time I get sent to the principal's office. Heck, I lost count of how many times I did. It's no big deal. Just a little scolding and detention for a week. It was almost a daily occurrence in my school life.
"Alright class, open your text books-"
Math class was twice as long as it always felt like. The clock ticking rang through my ear as I rested my head on the table, not paying attention to the lesson as usual. I stared at the grey and dreary sky through the glass window, a sense of melancholy running through me.
Join us...
Huh...?
I flinched slightly. I could've sworn I heard a whisper...
The air was cool. The wind blew against my miserable face as I took a stroll around the back of the school. Here lies the football field but for some reason, it doesn't look like that, at least not anymore. The laces are barely there or should I say they've completely disintegrated. Now it appears like these boys just play football on a wasteland. The amount of dust this field has accumulated is insane. I passed by the football field and made my way to the outdoor hallway. My legs were pretty soar and lunch time is approximately 15 minutes left. I made my way to the nearest bench, pulling out the plastic bag of bland cheese sandwich. As I did, I noticed her.
A twin-tailed, scarlet red haired girl stood in front of a manhole. Presumably, she was dumping a stack of mangas. Her sharp eyes glared at the mangas as she repeatedly stomped on them, pushing them into the manhole.
Ichigo Kyousen...
She's also in my class. A very strange person. Has no friends. But only this time, it's pretty understandable as to why she doesn't.
"What are you doing...?", I walked up to her, looking at her with skepticism. "Please tell me it's not what I'm thinking."
Ichigo gasped as she turned around, jumping slightly and almost falling into the manhole. "H-Huh?!" She then cleared her throat and composed herself in such a smooth transition. "Well, if it isn't Megami."
"It's Megumi.", I corrected her. "And what are you doing? You know you can just throw it in the trash next to you?"
"Even a trash bin doesn't deserve this abomination to be thrown inside of it.", She replied, side-eyeing the mangas.
"Why?", I rolled my eyes. "Is it ?" I walked over to the manhole and pulled out the mangas, Ichigo's footprints staining the page. "Did you step on mud this morning?"
Ichigo snapped, wiggling her fingers in my face."Ferme ta bouche, bon pour rien, esclave. Retournez à la ferme!"
I'm not gonna ask what that means...
I took a closer at the manga. The first page was labeled page 45, implying Ichigo had ripped this thing apart prior. My eyes widened more and more as I flipped through the pages. There was a full on yaoi smut scene playing out here. My jaw dropped as I turned to Ichigo, who was tapping her feet impatiently.
"W-Why do you own this...?", I hesitantly asked.
"I don't.", She objected, swiping the manga from my hand. "I buy two or three every week to dispose of them."
"...why?"
"So our children do not get brainwashed!", Ichigo argued, aggressively poking the manga. "We need to stop normalizing this type of content!"
"First off, you're not an adult so stop acting like it.", I confronted her. "Second, I'm not sure if children would read a smutty manga."
"And I'm not sure if 51% of 11 to 13 year olds are not exposed to pornography."
"This isn't pornography! This is- ugh!", I huffed in irritation. "Parents should just move their asses and monitor their children."
"Like it or not, they still will be exposed to it."
"Yes but the percentage of them will decrease significantly-"
"You're stupid."
"Keep your opinion to yourself!"
"That's not an opinion that's a fact."
"I..."
"Now if you excuse me.", She turned towards the manhole and once again, ready to dump the manga into it.
"Hey hey hey!", I grabbed her arm, stopping her in her place. "You know the mangaka probably poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this-"
"HA!"
A swipe of the rusty crowbar was delivered at me, nearly scratching my clothes. I yelped in shock, getting caught off guard as I luckily stumbled backwards.
"The fuck?!", I looked at Ichigo in disbelief, my heart beating rapidly.
"You wanna go for it Megamu?! Huh?! Huh?!", Ichigo barked as she pointed the rusty crowbar at me, touching my chest.
"It's Megumi!-"
"Vache noire!", Ichigo swipes the rusty crowbar at me once more.
"Ahh! Crazy bitch!", I yelped once more as I made a run for it. If I was gonna stick around any longer, I might earn myself a new scar.
After making a safe distance away from Ichigo, I started walking at a much slower pace. I was heaving. My heart was beating rapidly as I took a quick stop to catch my breath.
I then turned to the bench next to me and in a split second, I collapsed onto it with a thud! I then pulled out the two poorly made cheese sandwiches from the plastic bag. They were never enough to satiate my hunger but it's better than starving myself. I shoved both sandwiches into my fat pie hole and gulped them down.
What she just did barely scratched the surface. I could write an entire book about the crimes she committed against humanity. Then I would be one of the best-selling authors in Japan. My writing isn't that bad and the last essay I wrote proves that.
To quote my masterpiece: Kaori and me gently sit on the bench, our butts making contact with it. The white girl opened her mouth a few inches wide, her teeth and tongue visible. She speaks about her future fiance who has made an unfortunate descion that is bound to change the wheel of fate to cheat on her during the day that is Christmas eve with an milk-tea colored skin boy with veins running inside his gifted body. Water comes out of her eyes and rolls down her white skin as she stands up, her butt losing contact with the bench.
I had taken inspiration from Shakespeare's poems. The intricate details used to describe the most simplest things is impressive. I think I might have a shot at this writing thing.
"That can't be our damn business!", A deep, gruff voice said.
I raised my head up, investigating where the voice came from. I peeked from behind the wall to find a bunch of delinquents hanging out in their usual spot.
"Well it could be dumbass!", The leader spat out, leaning against the wall. He had a cross but slightly worried expression on his face.
"W-Why?!", The other one responded, pulling his hands out of his pockets. "She probably had some mental issues!"
"Yeah.", The third one nodded in agreement. "That slut has been talking to herself most of the time. She was fucked in the head from the beginning."
"Even so, now that she's missin' ", The leader replied, scratching his neck. "The police might question the entire school. Plus, these girls might expose us if they wanted to..."
"Tch! As if they weren't in on this too!", The second one scoffed, crossing his arms. "If we're going down, they're going down with us..."
My jaw dropped as I kept eavesdropping on their conversation. Were they...talking about Chiyoko?
If so, they might be culprits involved in this massacre...
Not to mention the "girls" they mentioned...
I kept contemplating this. Should I report this to the police? Or should I mind my own business for the sake of my safety?
If I did report them to the police, these delinquents would deny it when questioned. In turn, they would target me for attempting to get them arrested. And I'm pretty tough and all but not THAT tough. Besides, I don't have evidence of their involvement. Maybe if I recorded their conversation earlier it could've helped. But...it's really not worth the risk.
"Fuck this.", One of them spat out once more. "You got a smoke?"
"Megumi Mitsuhara!", The speaker rang through the corridors. "Please come to the principal's office."
My face fell. My whole body started aching as if it was telling me to just collapse onto the floor and not move. Then again, the last time I tried to escape, the student council ended up chasing me. And let me tell you, it was no different than a chase sequence from a horror game. They kept coming out of nowhere until they eventually cornered me and carried me to the principal's office.
I gathered some courage and began making my way to the stairs, already filled with a sense of dread.
As I made my way to the fourth floor, my sense of dread increased when approaching the principal's office. It was as if a disaster was awaiting me behind those doors.
I quickly pulled out the mochi Yasu gave me and forced into my mouth, hoping it can bless me with good luck.
I slowly reached for the door knob and pushed it open...
I told myself once more. This isn't the first time. Just a little scolding and detention for a week. This is just a daily occurrence in my school life. Nothing can go wrong-
I opened the door to find my parents waiting.
...
"Megumi!", The principal called out as soon as he looked up from his papers. "Have a seat." He gestures towards the empty chair next to Akumetsu Sensei, who was side-eyeing me with a subtle smirk at the corner of her mouth.
My heart stopped beating for a moment as I stared at my mom who scowled at me. Her arms were crossed as well as her feet tapping impatiently. Her glare wasn't a look of disappointment but rather one of annoyance. Like she wasn't concerned about her daughter in the slightest.
And dad. Dad was even worse. At least mom cared to show a reaction. Dad was just staring into his phone, occasionally glancing at me but as usual, not really acknowledging me.
I made my way to the empty seat before mom interrupted.
"Where do you think you're going?!", Mom barked, her sharp glare cutting through my soul. "You stand up like the troublemaker you are!"
I sighed internally, immediately turning around and standing in the middle, facing the principal's desk.
The principal looked at me and mom awkwardly as he adjusted his glasses. "Ok...Now then, I'm sure you are aware that this is Megumi's 5th time to get sent here. And the year has barely begun."
"5th time?", Mom repeated in surprise.
The principal furrowed his eyebrows at her. "Uh yes...were you not aware...?"
Mom shrugged nonchalantly. For a moment, there was an uncomfortable silence between everyone. I for one wasn't surprised at mom's lack of awareness, especially when it comes to me. But in the case of my brother Minakami, she'll go through lengths to even memorize the amount of times he blinks.
Finally, the principal broke the long, uncomfortable silence. "Uh...Mr.Mitsuhara?"
"Hm?", Dad raised his eyebrows in response, looking at the principal.
The principal sighed internally in slight irritation. "Are. You. Aware. That- You know what, forget it. In short, your daughter-"
"Your daughter has been neglecting her studies and casually assaults her fellow classmates!", Akumetsu Sensei interrupted, slamming her hand on the principal's desk, startling everyone.
"Really?", Mom asked, side-eyeing me.
"Every time she forgets her homework, she has to make up some dumb excuse as to why she did! It's infuriating!", She complained, her tone was so dramatic that I think her personality completely did a 180 degrees turn. Regardless, I know she is exaggerating to get me in trouble. No matter how dramatic she's going to make this sound, my parents aren't going to care.
I turned to my parents. They had nonchalant looks on their faces as they listened to Akumetsu Sensei blabber about every crime I committed against humanity. I let out a sigh of relief. Turns out that this might just be another scolding and detention for a week. I mentally thanked the mochi I just ate and the Maneki Neko in my pocket for granting me the amount of good luck I need to fight off the impending-
"Now let's talk about what she did to Minakami."
Uh oh.
As soon as the word Minakami was heard, Mom's eyes shot wide as she sat up on her chair, paying close attention. Dad, who was distracted by his phone a few seconds ago, was now all ears. He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. Akumetsu Sensei now has their full undivided attention...
"What did she do to him?", Dad asked, a low, subtle growl evident in his voice.
Akumetsu Sensei once again side-eyed me with a devilish smirk. She gave me that threatening look that reads Should I tell them?
My face contorted into a pleading look, begging her from afar to not snitch on me.
"She threw an eraser at him and it hit his scarred eye!", She snitched, putting great emphasis on the scarred eye part. My face went pale as I turned to mom and dad.
"YOU DID WHAT?!", Mom screamed as she rose from her seat. Dad had a look of fury on his face, his large figure also rising from his seat as he towered over me.
"I can explain-"
"Explain what?!", Dad interrupted, his fists clenched. "You wanted to blind him once and now you want to blind him again?!"
"What?! No!", I protested, raising my voice. "He's the one who started it!-"
"Shut up!", Mom barked in my face. "Don't ever talk shit about my boy!"
"Mr. and Mrs. Mitsuhara.", The principal spoke up, trying to deflate the heat in the conversation. "I believe we should focus more on Megumi here and not her brother."
"Excuse me?!", Dad turned to the principal in disbelief. "No! No we should not! Our boy is clearly being mistreated here!"
"Mistreated?!", I exclaimed. "Oh please! He literally gets sexually harassed by all the girls-"
She gasped. "Shut it you little brat-"
"MA'AM!", The principal yelled. "This is a school. Solve these matters at home but right now, we need to focus on Megumi! She's clearly failing academically because she's not putting any effort! Her aggressive and irrational outbursts is harming not only the students but herself!"
"And what do you want us to do?", Mom rolled her eyes.
The principal's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you want us to do?", He repeated, standing up. "Raise your daughter!"
"Excuse me?!", Dad growled, slamming his large hand on the desk. He shot the principal a death stare.
"Apologies...sir...", The principal responded, biting his tongue. He immediately composed himself and sat back down. With a smile, "All I want to say is...Megumi needs more parenting. I'm sure you're amazing parents and all but...compared to Minakami, Megumi doesn't fare much in terms of well...everything."
My heart filled up with jealousy, looking to the side out of embarrassment.
"Are you saying we're bad parents?", Mom said through gritted teeth.
The principal's patience was wearing off but he had to remain professional. "No ma'am...you just need to implement all your parenting skills onto Megumi."
"We will not be told what to do.", Dad asserted. "We know what we're doing and it's not our fault that she's an ungrateful brat. Let's go Tenko."
"Hmph!", Mom snatched her purse off the chair and stormed out of the prinicpal's office along with Dad.
"You, will be staying after school to finish your homework.", The principal pointed his pen at me, his tone was stern.
I nodded. As I turned around, I took a quick glance at Akumetsu Sensei, who still wore that devilish smirk, proud of the chaos she had caused. My heart filled with unwithering resentment as I stormed out of the principal's office.
As I exited the principal's office, I found mom and dad looking out the dreary sky through the window. They seemed to be chatting about something secretive as they kept their voice low. They turned around as soon as they heard the rustling of the door opening.
"Let's make one thing clear.", Mom walked up to me, her tone cold and stern. "If you ever think of laying a hand on my son again, I won't hesitate to throw you out of the house."
My heart sank at her threat. Is this what she'll resort to in the end? Kicking out her own daughter?
"You're making a big deal out of this...", I shrugged, trying to squash down any sign of hurt. "I only threw an eraser at him-"
"At his left eye.", Dad scolded. I could sense the heat and anger radiating off of him. "That you injured before."
I repressed a scoff, speaking through gritted teeth."That. Was. An accident."
"An accident my ass!", Mom poked my chest. "And today's incident proved it wasn't."
"He was being a jerk-"
Mom grabbed a lock of my hair, a cry of pain coming out of me. "You better shove that tongue inside your mouth before I cut it off. Then we won't have to hear your annoying voice."
...
Mom roughly let go of my hair, shoving me back while doing so. I stared back at them with angry but teary eyes as I fixed my hair. I wanted to talk back but she wasn't ashamed to pull my hair and degrade me in school so she probably won't be ashamed to slap me.
"Minakami baby!", Mom's demeanour completely shifted as she and dad turned to find my brother walking down the hallway.
They both completely ignore me and walk over to him. Mom pulls him into a big, tight hug. "How's my boy doing~?", She asked, fixing his hair.
"I-I'm doin' fine mom...", Minakami chuckled nervously. "What're you guys doin' here?"
"Huh? Oh your principal called us over some useless nonsense with your sister...", Mom spoke, quickly brushing the topic aside. "Are you doing okay sweetheart? Did you eat? Drink? Wash your face-"
"Woah woah woah.", Minakami interrupted. "You okay mom?"
"Of course sweetheart!", Mom smiled warmly. "What kind of mother would I be if I didn't make sure you're okay."
"We were with you this morning mom. You gotta tone this shit down a little.", Minakami crossed his arms with a slight annoyed look on his face.
That brat probably likes this clingy attention but didn't want to admit it...
"Tch. Woman. Always whining", Dad teased mom as he wrapped his bulky arm around Minakami. "Forget this women talk, how're these muscles buildin' up?"
Minakami pulled out his arm from his jacket's sleeve and with a smirk in his face, he confidently flexed his bicep in response.
A loud, rough chuckle escaped from Dad as he patted Minakami on the back, though it was more of a slap as it rang echoed across the hallway. "That's my man!"
"Mina, if anyone hurts you, tell us right away.", Mom said, glancing at me from a distance.
"I can handle myself mom...Thanks."
"That's my boy.", She giggled, ruffling his hair playfully.
The overt display of affection made my blood boil as I turned around, storming off to any place far away from the three of them. As I stomped through the corridors, tears ran uncontrollably down my face as I picked up my pace. Every time this happens, it hurts. It hurts really badly...
What have I ever done to deserve this...?
Join us...
An instant silence spread across the hallway as I stopped in my tracks. "What did you say?" I turned to a girl sitting on the bench.
"Hm?", The shy girl looked up at me in confusion.
Sigh. Never mind...
Slumping down on my chair, I looked up at Akumetsu Sensei as she looked through my missing homework sheets. She licked her finger and flipped through the pages, my expression turning into a grimace. Great, now I have to touch paper with my teacher's saliva on it...
"1...2...3..."
Stop it...
"4...5...6..."
Stop it...
"7...8...9! 9 missing assignments you have yet to complete.", She carelessly dropped the stack of papers onto my desk with a sly smile.
No seriously, I'v never seen her this happy.
I groaned, my energy already draining despite not moving a single muscle. I sat straight up and looked down at the endless stacks of paper. "How am I going to finish all this today...?"
"Not my problem.", She shrugged, her tone makes you want to punch her. She whipped out her phone and started scrolling through as she walked back to her desk.
My eye twitched in response to her nonchalance. Once again, I looked down at the stacks of paper, more energy draining. Could this be the amount of assignments I didn't turn in? So far we've been 3 weeks into this year...I remember last year, the amount of assignments I missed were around 78 in total. It truly is a miracle that I made it into senior year...
"Hard luck sis...", Minakami passed by me, ruffling my hair with a smirk that you couldn't tell if it was either warm or smug.
In an instant, I smacked his hand away. "STAY OUT OF THIS!"
Ringo snickered. "Woah! Easy tiger-"
"Shut up dwarf."
Ringo's face once more instantly fell as he shrank back.
Kurayami, a pale guy with messy,purple hair and a scar grazing the corner of his lips, flicked Ringo's pink hair. "Dude, stop being so sensitive."
"Look just so you know.", Minakami continued, raising his hands. "I didn't ask for mom and dad to come. I ain't a snitch."
I rolled my eyes in response. "Am I supposed to like you now?"
"Na...", Minakami chuckled, causing my eye twitching again. "But you can tone down the hostility ay?"
"Go. Away."
"Mina...", Akio muttered, his deep voice standing out. He wore a brooding expression as he glanced at Minakami and the rest of the group. "Let's go..."
Minakami sighed. "Sure buddy..." He glanced at me again. "Bye."
I flipped him off in response, Ringo bursting out in high-pitched laughter as they all exit the classroom.
My class always picture my brother as a bundle of sunshine despite the fact that he basically manhandled me in the morning. And most of the time, he is a bundle of sunshine...except with me.
"Megumi...",Yasu muttered out as he hesitantly walked up to me.
I sighed in irritation. I really wasn't in the mood for Yasu's attempts at communication. I slowly turned towards him. "Not now Yasu."
"D-Did you eat the mochi I gave you?"
"Wish I didn't."
"W-Wha?", Yasu's face instantly fell. "B-But I bought it from the...the local shrine yesterday-"
"Yasu Yasu!", I raised my hand to put his blabbering to a halt. "I'm really not in the mood for this...just go home."
Yasu was going to open his mouth but instantly closed it. His sad eyes looked down on the wooden floor. "Sorry..."
He turned around and made his way out of the classroom, hitting one of the chairs as he did so.
Do I feel bad...? Hm...maybe. That's Yasu is whole shtick this year so far, getting upset when someone isn't in the mood for his useless antics.
I pulled out my chewed up pencil and started on the first sheet...
Tick!
Tock!
Tick!
Tock!
Tick!
Tock!
The clock's ticking rang through my ear once more. So far I reached the 2nd homework assignment and I took 20 minutes to finish the first one...
Tick!
Tock!
I was halfway through the 2nd assignment...my energy kept draining and draining. She needed steps. Detailed steps to make sure you didn't cheat. Even the simplest of questions still required detailed, intricate steps. Have to follow the exact formula or lose marks...
Tick!
Tock!
3rd assignment...The arithmetic sequence...or was it the geometric sequence?...What was the general formula...? ...How to find the nth term...? ...What was the common ratio...? ...Oh wait no! The common ratio was part of the geometric sequence...not the arithmetic sequence...Right...?
Tick!
Tock!
4th assignment...I would take out my phone to cheat my way through this...but she confiscated it. It's located in the staff room...If I try to steal it she'll find out through the cameras...that bitch...
Tick!
Tock!
5th assignment...the probability...there are 10,000 hearts, 9 million familiars , and 1 big trumpet in a box...what is the probability that the big trumpet would be selected..?
Tick!
Tock!
6th assignment...They say hell is shaped by our fears and sins...I imagine sitting here and solving math assignments for eternity could be one of my greatest fears...
Tick!
Tock!
7th assignment...find the x...is she stupid...? It's right there...! I circle the x located at the angle of the...what is this shape...?
Tick!
Tock!
8th assignment...ha...ha ha...ha...
Tick!
Tock!
9th assignment...join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us join us
My dreary eyes looked up at the clock, 7:30.
I sighed in total exhaustion as I laid back in my seat, the energy completely absent from my body. At this point, I didn't care if most of what I wrote on these papers were gibberish. I turned in all these assignments and that's that...
I slowly got up, my body aching as I stretched. There were bags under my eyes and my legs were practically limb given that my butt was stuck to this chair for more than 2 hours...
I hastily threw my books into my bag and walked out of the classroom. I needed a good long nap after this torturous day. I made my way to the staff room, grabbed my phone, and dialed mom's number to come pick me up.
...
The number you have called isn't available at the moment, please try again later.
No no no! Why can't she just pick up?! I then dialed dad's number and waited.
...
The number you have called isn't available at the-
"Fuck!", I screamed, stomping my foot in a fit of rage. "Why can't you ever care for once in your goddamn life!" Tears welled up in my eyes as my vision went blurry for a second.
I roughly pulled the Maneki-Neko out of my pocket as I stared down at it with nothing but pure hatred. "Are you happy?! Happy that you made my day ten times worse?! 'Good luck' my ass! You're stupid! You useless, fake, cat, charm thing! UGH!"
I hurled the cat figurine onto the ground, the porcelain shattering as soon as it hit the wooden floor. The white pieces scattered everywhere.
...
The crooked head of the figurine rolled away...until it hit a black shoe...
...
I stared up, my eyes widening at the sight that lied before me...
A man just stood there...with his cane...staring at me with glowing, red eyes devoid of any emotion...
I felt a sense of unease as I stared back at the man...His pale face told me he was young. Could be someone from this school. But the issue is...
That is not a human...
"H-Hello...?", I muttered out.
...no response...
"A-Are you from this school...?", I slowly took a step back. Something told me that it was the smartest decision to not take a step closer...
His stoic expression remained prominent on this pale face. There was a painful, dead silence across the hallway, not even the wind blowing outside could be heard.
There was no other choice left but to turn around...and walk away...Obviously I wasn't going to stay any longer.
...
The sound of my footsteps echoed as I made my way to the stairs. I could still sense the man's eyes on me which further increased the eerie and quiet atmosphere. I refused to turn around for a second glance, he might end up right behind me...
...
Screw it.
I immediately sprinted down the stairs, my heart beating faster and faster. I almost stumbled down but luckily I caught myself. As soon as I spotted the exit I ran through the row of lockers and shot out of the building in a second, my adrenaline pumping out of stress.
The cold, strong wind blew against me. The night sky was pitch black, not a single star in sight. I finally made my way past the gates, leaving the man behind...
Leaning on the lamp post to catch my breath, I let out a sigh of relief. My heart and was beating rapidly and my body almost went limb out of exhaustion from the long walk I had to take. I could've used the subway but unfortunately, I couldn't find cash under the vending machine today.
I didn't know what was that or who was that. But my instincts told me that something wasn't right and as grandma once told me, always trust your instincts.
Despite my initial escape, I still didn't feel safe. The streets were particularly empty today. Only the chirping of the cicadas could be heard. That combined with the starless night created a sense of eeriness. In any second, that man—or boy—could appear once more. I continued walking back home, my guard held high up.
Ring!
"Hey sis.", Minakami said all cheerfully as he opened the door, biting on an apple.
I shot him a glare, the bags under my eyes more prominent than ever. I pressed my hands on his strong chest and pushed him aside, heading towards my room without any further elaboration on why I was late, not that they care anyways...
I pushed the door open and entered my room, instantly collapsing onto the bed. No changing out of my uniform, no unpacking my bag, and no adjusting the position I'm in lying on the bed with both my feet dangling off the edge. I just closed my eyes, the image of the man forming. I could still see those red, unnerving eyes with white, contracted pupils staring directly into my soul.
Can tomorrow be a better day...?
The pitch black darkness enveloped the sky, as I stood over at the bridge, watching the darkness drape over the city buildings like paint...
The wind blew against my cobalt blue hair as I looked up at the white, fractured hole in the sky...
I didn't know where I was standing...At first at the edge of the bridge but now I'm behind the railings...At the edge of the sidewalk but now on in the middle of streets...
They all hung from the sky...dangling like sinners...they deserved it anyway...they denied...
"Let it out..."
There he stood...drenched in darkness...staring at me with demon, red eyes...
Let it out...?
But it was delicious...
It was too good...
I couldn't resist...
Who wouldn't...
"Let it out!" His voice echoed, his dark hands extended towards me and grasped my throat, squeezing it hard.
I could feel it...leaving my stomach...traveling up my esophagus...making its way through my throat...ah!-
With a loud scream, it shot out of my mouth, the glutinous and chewy rice flying into the air as it decayed...
He let go of my throat as he backed away...
"The truth lies somewhere else...You are one of them now..." His demon eyes intensified...
The black figure turned around, introducing me to my new friend...
friend...
I have friends...?
This is...the best day...
I walked over to her...
She looked back at me as she stood at the railing of the bridge...a friendly look on her face as she muttered...
"Join us..."
Her voice echoed throughout the black drenched city...
She looked so beautiful...
She seemed nice...
Why would anyone hurt her...
I looked up at the hanging people...looking at them with hatred and resentment...they deserved it...after everything they've done...
I looked at her again...with a smile on my face...ready to greet my new friend...
Hello new friend!
I looked down at the disheveled state of my school uniform. I guess it's what I get for sleeping in it. Not to mention the fact that I also slept with my shoes on.
I slowly sat right up on my bed, stretching. My whole body was aching from the atrocious sleeping position I was in. I placed a finger on my bloody nose that God knows how I injured while asleep. I think I also bite my arm...
I leaned against the headboard, trying to contemplate the bizarre dream I just had.
The last thing I can remember was this ugly ass girl I was staring at who apparently was having her period or something...
They say your dreams are influenced by the "Day Residue." The events and thoughts that took place in your day have a chance of appearing.
...
I don't know what the fuck was that and how it was influenced by my day.
"Megumi!",Shouted Minakami as I can hear his footsteps growing louder.
"fuck...", I groaned out of laziness. It was as if he was ready for another rough awaking. He barged into the room only to find me in my school uniform while he was shirtless and had a towel draped over his shoulder.
"Oh...", Minakami stood in his place, a confused and very much surprised look on his face. "How did you- wha...? How the fuck did you get dressed before me?"
"Get the fuck out!", I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.
"Ok ok! Damn girl! Chill!", Minakami exclaimed, dodging the pillow and walking out of the room.
He didn't even bother to knock. Who does he think he is?
I huffed and pulled myself out of bed, glancing at the broken drawer on the floor. I felt a slight headache as I made my way out of my room. That poor posture while sleeping really did a number on me huh...
I eyed the calendar hung up on the wall. It was still Tuesday...it was still fucking Tuesday...
Loud, heavy footsteps suddenly grew louder.
Dad...
"Move it...", He yawned with a brooding expression, his thick hand pushing me to the side.
"Ow...", I muttered. I rubbed my shoulder in irritation. Either he doesn't realize how big he is or he did that on purpose. And the latter is more likely...
I stomped towards the bathroom and made my way to the sink. A vivid image of Minakami violating my teeth appeared in my head as I grabbed the toothbrush. I'll give him credit tho, he did whiten my teeth in just one go. I'd usually take three or four times just to get them to shine.
I added toothpaste and started brushing- GAH!
A sudden steering in my body caught me off guard as I dropped my toothbrush. It was as if someone got a hold of my organs and squeezed tight. I could feel my heart twist and turn as I leaned onto the sink.
"Agh-ahhhh!", I screamed as I clutched my chest, my eyes rolling backward. What was this feeling...? What is going on...? "AGHHHH!"
My heart tightened even more, seconds away from imploding. I could a feel a cold liquid travel throughout my body, spreading as fast as a virus.
The pain was immense. My screams were strained and horse by the unknown force suffocating my entire body. I was losing my breath as I could sense the liquid pushing up and making its way through my throat...
No...
NO-Cough!
A violent cough escaped my mouth, the cold liquid splattering all over the mirror...
...
My eyes widened in horror as I took my time to process what just happened. I stared at the substance splattered on the mirror. It was black, shiny, and unnerving to look at...
I stuttered, frozen in place...as I once again, felt the same cold liquid travel down my nostril...
Hesitant, I slowly raised my shaking hand, using my finger to pick the substance off my face.
...
There it was again...black, shiny blood…