"Your pet?"
"Yup."
Releasing her hold, she traces her finger up towards my mouth before giggling.
"I was fond of just being your girlfriend, just that much would've filled me with so much joy. But now, I think I can be more than that."
With a warped smile, she begins circling around me in small steps.
"Mm, yes, Senpai, I'm sure you'd enjoy it too.~ Oh, but I guess I have to train you first. I'm sure it wouldn't take too long."
Stopping before me yet again, she looks me dead in the eye as hers doesn't even reflect me. It's like she's staring too deep into her distorted future that it begins to spiral into insanity.
"Hehe, I'm sure Senpai won't agree so easily, I'd have to peel off a bit of layers first. I mean, it's why we're in this position in the first place, isn't that right?"
Before having the chance to muster up any form of reply, a familiar ringtone sounds, however faint. As if this room is just right beside her own bedroom.
"Hmm... That's your phone, isn't it? One moment."
Turning her attention to one of the walls, she then looks to me as she then tilts my chair backwards to position me to face the other side. Unlike before when she left, there's no metallic thud. After a few fail attempts to turn my head back enough to spot what's behind me, she re enters the room.
"Hmm... I wonder what does she want?"
Stepping up to me, she dangles my phone in front as the screen displayed a miss call from Himeko-san.
"At this time of day, hmm..."
Swiping through my phone, she stares intently at the screen as her eyes are glued to it.
"You two sure call each other a lot, some even last over an hour, mostly at night. I wonder, what do you talk about with her, Senpai?"
"Things related to the SRC, there's a lot going on and so we end up spending time getting through it. Other than that, there's some chatter."
"Hmm... Is that so."
Tapping the screen, she hangs it close to me as it returns the call on speaker.
"Senpai, ask her where she is right now. I'll even let you pay her your last visit."
"Where? Shouldn't it be obvious that she's at home?"
That's in fact a lie since at this time, Himeko-san is usually at a diner, either studying or relaxing.
"Obvious? Hm, you two sure are close. There's no telling if she's out in the streets, at a club or even held up at school."
"I suppose. But there's school tomorrow, and Himeko-san has a clean record."
Mostly because she lives close to school and wakes up from the ruckus of her family.
"I see. Then, she really is a problem, isn't she?"
As though my reasoning lead her to a dead end, she slips my phone away before tying the blindfold back on me.
"Goodnight, Senpai."
Without any other word, she moves behind me and fiddles around with my tied hands. At first, I thought she was going to at least free me from the constrictions, however, she removes the cloth as I'm then left still strapped to the chair. Followed with a giggle, the light disperses as eternal darkness slips in. The same metallic thud resonates as her presence soon disappears.
"...She really did just leave me like this."
...
Budging and twitching as though a critter crawled down my back, the ropes dig and burn against my wrist. Though as much as it hurts, the thought of leaving her to her devices makes me worry for their safety; both Himeko-san and Tsuchida-san.
As though my wrists were slowly being torn off, the rope eventually loosens as warm liquid trickles down the moment I grasp them. Removing the blindfold with ease, I wrap it around one wrist as I work on my legs strapped to the chair. Fortunately with my arms loose, freeing myself from the chair became an easier task.
With the small room encased in darkness, I grope my way around towards the assumed exit as I recall a switch located against the wall. Flicking it on, it lights the dim bulb in the center of the room as the place truly felt like a holding cell. Down to the dull room with nothing but a chair and table, all it's missing is a bucket.
"Why does this room even exist?"
Sure she may have a few screws loose, but it's not possible for her to build a room like this. Unless...
"..."
Perhaps letting my imagination get the best of me, I can't prove any possible connections to a crime syndicate.
Examining the wall against the corner which was located behind my chair at one time, applying pressure at the utmost bottom gives a bit of way. However, after a few inches something blocks it.
"She really did lock me up in here, with no food or water. Not even a place where I can relieve myself."
Unsure how much time has passed, she doesn't know where Himeko-san lives, nor the restaurant she frequents. While that is fortunate for the both of us, school is still held tomorrow and of course Himeko-san will attend as normal. If she's willing to lock me up in a cell, she'd be willing to go to extreme measures against Himeko-san.
"Come on, come on!!"
As the morning birds sing, it's already bad news bears as Himeko-san enters school grounds earlier than the average student. Given she's unable to relax in comfort at home, at mornings she'd be in the SRC room taking a power nap before classes start. It's either that or running through her schedule and working on papers... Or just sleeping in one of the study rooms in the library. Either way, I'm sure Tsuchida-san knows she'd at least be there, alone in an almost empty building.
"Open up! Open up!!"
Using every possible mean to open the hatch, it doesn't budge a single bit as the clattering only gets on my nerves, enough to make my head ache.
"Just open up!!"
With one final meaningless struggle, I crash down by the wall as my palms pulse in pain, followed by the persisting blood trickling from my wrists.
"Is someone there..?"
A faint voice calls out, answering my distress as I immediately reply in desperation.
"I'm here, in this locked room!"
"Where are you? I don't see... Wait, Uehara... Uehara-kun, is that you?"
Realising the voice belongs to Tsuchida-san's mother, I answer after calming down a tad.
"Yes, I um, got locked up. Perhaps accidentally by your daughter. Sorry, it's really urgent so could you let me out? I need to be somewhere."
"Locked up? But why... Was there always this hatch here? A-Are you in here?"
The hatch rattles as I feel a slight presence behind it. With her acting surprised, it's like she doesn't know of this rooms existence.
"Yes I am, there may be a lock or something preventing me from getting out.
It's possible her parent may share the same motive as her, however, I can only place my faith in her.
"There is but... It's a combination lock, and I don't know what it could be."
Of course, and if it isn't a combination, there'd be a key. And I'd be sure she wouldn't just have it lying around somewhere in her room. It'd most likely be on her personal. This may take awhile...
...
After some failed attempts, the locked opened after inputting the date Tsuchida-san and I met. If it weren't for a special occasion that occurred on that very same date, I wouldn't have been able to figure it out. And as shocked as her Mother was when she saw me, there wasn't any time to explain the situation as I was already out the door after my words of gratitude.
...
"Himeko-san!"
With her not being in the SRC room, I ducked by the library and asked for one of the spare keys to one of the study rooms. As only one was locked, I could only assume it's occupied by her, and fortunately it was. Though not napping or working on papers, in fact she was eating breakfast.
"N-Nao-kun? You scared me, and..." she looks to my hand holding the key and then back to me in disappointment, "You used your authority so you could steal some of my food before class?"
"No, I didn't even know you were eating to begin with. And plus food isn't even allow- No, never mind that."
Marching over to her in a serious manner, she almost backs up the moment I reach her at the other end.
"Is there a problem..?"
"Himeko-san, I know this will sound crazy. But you need to come with me, your life is in danger. Someone is out for you and they're searching for you right now."
"Umm... My life is in danger? What's that about? Did you watch a movie and got too heavily involved with it?"
"Look I know it's hard to believe, but please you have to skip school today at least until it's over.
Though she looks to me like a mad man spouting nonsense, her ability to hold her chopstick right has taken a hit.
"How do you know about this?"
Pressing for answers, she of course has every right to know, however, time is of the essence. The Library committee isn't even present and the halls are empty at this time.
"We can sit down and talk about all the details, but only after. Please, Himeko-san, you have to trust me."
"Oh...kay, I'll play along. But after I eat-"
"I'll get you a beef bowl later!"
Taking her hand, she notices the scarring around my wrists as she tries to speak up, however, I hurry her out the Library despite her protest. But just before we're about to rush out, a voice calls out in the immediate vicinity.
"Senpai."
A crash follows after as Himeko-san and I both duck back into the Library.
"...What are you doing here, Senpai? I thought I already had you locked up."
Slowly backing away from her, Himeko-san doesn't seem too bewildered by her presence, however, I'm sure she recognise her as dangerous. Tsuchida-san's frame may be small, however, the air surrounding her is enough to be a threat. And the baseball bat slowly being dragged behind her, doesn't do us any favours.
"Look, Tsuchida-san, you don't want to do this."
"Hmm? No, Senpai, I'm sure I know what I want. And right now, it's not you. So why don't you just step away from her."
"That's not gonna happen, if you want her you'll have to work for it."
"Haahh... Senpai, why are you always just trying to make things difficult for me. I'm not afraid to hurt you, Senpai. Because you're already mine."
It's hard to believe that she's the same girl who was too timid to associate herself with her peers. One who seemed too innocent to even hurt a fly, is standing before me, armed with a bat, with eyes that won't sway no matter what anyone says.
"She's the one..? But isn't she...-"
"Aaah, Jougasaki-senpai. How does it feel to be standing so close to Senpai? To be able to spend so much time together alone in a room?"
Himeko-san doesn't answer, as if she either didn't know what to say, or realising any reply would serve no purpose.
"Not answering, hm? That's fine, after all I don't even want to hear what you have to say. Now, Senpai, if you would just step away this won't be long. I'll even let you watch her final moments."
"..."
She continues to creep in on us as we could only back away. The only exit is the one behind her, but thankfully there is enough room to maneuver away from her. Himeko-san herself seems to have noticed this also as she gradually shifts in that direction. Though as if she detected this, she charges forth as I cover for Himeko-san.
Though, despite all my efforts the bat cleanly strikes the side of my head in my attempts to block the blow. Accompanying my fall, faint voices call out followed by black.
.......
......
Slowly coming to in a trance like state, the white ceiling is almost wavy as the persisting scent is something to be desired.
"..."
Wanting to speak up, but having trouble to, this room isn't one I'm familiar with. The sheets are white and covering me up to my neck and yet I feel strangely cold.
"...Wh-where, am I..?"
Attempting to recall why I'm here or how I got here, nothing comes up except throbbing pain emitting from the side of my head.
"Is this... Am I in the hospital?"
In a small room with one window, no one else seems present, however, as I look to my right. Someone's lying down against the bed while sitting against a stool. And as if she knew I was awake, her eyes slowly lift before widening immediately in shock.
"S-Senpai... you're... you're awake!"
With flushed cheeks and puffy red eyes, it's as if she's been crying as tears once again stream down her cheek, however, she seems delighted.
"I'm so, so sorry, Senpai. For doing that to you, and for everything, I just- I'm... I'm just so glad you're awake. And umm, h-hang on, I'll go get the nurse, let them know you're-"
"Who... Who are you?"
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