"Yes, I'll be there in a few," I texted Mina, then dropped my phone onto the bed.
Alright, Haru… preparation mode.
I slipped on my coat and pants, went into the bathroom, and started fixing my hair. Just pushing a few strands out so it didn't look like I'd been sleeping face-first into a pillow for fourteen hours straight.
There we go, Haru.
Man…
You look so damn handsome.
I leaned toward the mirror, squinting at myself like some dramatic anime pretty boy.
"I wonder…" I whisper with peak cringe confidence, "Why don't all girls fall for me?"
Then I posed.
Actually posed.
Bro, I don't know who I thought I was—a K-drama lead? A Final Fantasy character?
…
Shit. What am I doing.
Mina must be waiting for me.
Time for my most grand Haru escape yet.
Operation: Escape Without Alerting Owl-Mom.
Her room is downstairs, right by the kitchen hall.
She hears EVERYTHING.
Last week she heard me open a bag of chips from across the house.
Okay, how did those anime characters escape at night?
…
Shit. I forgot.
Alright.
Ninja tip-toe mode: activated.
I slowly opened my door, twisting the knob like it was a bomb trigger.
Begging God—please, not a single sound.
Click.
Soft.
Not loud.
Thank you.
I peeked down the stairs.
Pitch black.
Except for faint moonlight slipping through the front window.
Perfect.
Too perfect.
Wait—shit. Don't second-guess now.
Haru, MOVE.
You're going to meet Mina and live happily ever after.
My heart thumps.
A beautiful, stupid dream.
An image flashes in my head—
our faces close…
both of us…
kissing—
NO. NOOO.
I shake my head so hard my brain rattles.
I'm just meeting a friend.
A friend.
That's all.
…Right?
Focus, Haru.
Mission: Escape.
I creep down each step like I'm defusing a bomb.
Slip my shoes on at the door.
Now the final boss:
The Door Creak.
The creak that sounds like a demon screaming in a horror movie.
I lift the door slightly by the handle, using every muscle in my weak little gremlin arms to silence it.
I slip outside.
Reverse the same motion.
Close.
No sound.
Mission success.
Well…
Not yet.
Next mission: Mission Mina.
Objective: Reach her alive.
I walk down the street.
Cold, but not freezing.
The type of cold that pokes your nose but doesn't punch it.
Steps… steps…
Man, it's creepy out here.
Feels like someone could rob me at any second.
Though honestly…
I have nothing worth stealing.
I sigh.
"I wish Mina could rob me… for my first kiss."
FUCK.
That would be nice though—
Ahem.
Anyway.
I walk past the school's side gate, heading toward the small park behind it.
Then I see her.
On the swing.
Pink coat.
Purple hair catching the moonlight.
Mina.
She hasn't noticed me yet.
The moon hits the top of her head, her tall figure sitting on the swing like it was made for her.
Man…
She's beautiful.
I stand for a few seconds, trying not to internally combust, then walk toward her.
A few sticks snap under my shoes, and her head turns.
She sees me.
Her smile forms—bright, warm.
I smile back, almost automatically, and sit next to her.
"You made it, Haru!" she says happily, still smiling.
Aww.
This is exactly what I wanted.
I actually feel normal again.
Not sad Haru.
Not anxiety Haru.
Just… Haru.
And that's dangerous.
"Yeah… of course… I had to," I say, trying to sound flirty.
God kill me. That was horrible.
She giggles at my stupid line, then looks up at the moon.
"I like the night… it's easy to blend in. And the moon…" she says softly.
When did she get so poetic?
Just agree, idiot.
"Yeah…" I say, looking up as well.
She giggles again, then looks at me.
"Haru? Can you push me on the swing?"
My heart thumps.
HELL. YES.
"Yes, of course," I say, getting up behind her.
Her scent—sweet, soft—hits me again.
I put my hands on her back and push.
She's light.
Shockingly light for how tall she is.
"You wanna know something, Haru?" she says, voice lowered.
I'm in heaven.
"Hm?" I mumble.
"I saw you…"
She stops the swing abruptly, pressing her feet into the dirt.
Something shifts.
The air turns wrong.
Heavy.
Cold.
My stomach twists.
Is something wrong?
"Mina…?"
She turns slightly, not fully facing me.
"I saw you," she repeats, "when you went into that convenience store…"
My breath halts.
"…and you gave that girl a bag of chips. The ones you paid for."
I blink.
That's it?
Is she mad?
I don't recall her being there.
"I—"
She cuts me off.
"You know one thing I really dislike, Haru?"
Her voice is soft.
Too soft.
"I hate people who betray me… Like my mother… like my father…"
Her voice darkens
"I didn't think you would."
What?!
"Mina—I would never—"
Cut off again.
She stands.
Walks around the swing slowly.
Faces me.
Her eyes calm.
Too calm.
Her smile frozen in place.
"You gave that… bitch your snacks."
Her voice drops an octave.
"Do you know how that makes me feel, Haru?"
My heart slams.
Heat crawls up my spine.
She steps closer.
Now she's right in front of me.
Say something, Haru.
Anything.
Nope.
I'm scared.
I'm so fucking scared.
"I thought about it," she whispers, "Should I punish her… or punish you?"
She bends down, lowering her face to my level.
"And it's not her fault. So, Haru…"
Her smile stretches.
"I'll punish you."
My legs give out.
I drop to the ground.
Move, Haru. MOVE.
Nothing.
My body refuses.
Mina steps forward—slow, deliberate.
She giggles, soft and wrong.
"Haru… you have to be punished," she says sweetly. "And after that, everything will be okay again. I'll wash her filth off you. I have to"
My throat tightens.
My chest compresses.
Middle school memories slam into me—
being held down—
beaten—
humiliated—
I gasp.
Air won't go in.
Mina lifts her foot—
HIGH.
Then—
SMASH.
Her heel slams into my skull.
My head whips back, hitting the ground hard.
Pain bursts white.
Warm liquid runs down my forehead.
I touch it—
blood coats my fingers.
Before I breathe—
CRACK —a kick to my stomach.
My body folds.
Air escapes me in a choking grunt.
I lift my hands to protect myself—
More blood spills down my palms.
Mina laughs.
A wicked, twisted sound.
She steps over me, then sits on my stomach—
her weight crushing my bruises.
She pulls something from her coat.
A knife.
She presses it to my neck.
"Oh, Haru… don't yell," she whispers, eyes trembling with joy. "I don't want my hand to… slip."
Cold steel kisses my throat.
A thin bead of blood trails down.
"Haru…" she breathes, "how should I start your punishment?"
She laughs again—her breathing wrong, off rhythm, like she's excited.
"I do this because I love you, Haru… These past few days… we were meant to be. Bound… like fate..."
(That word lingers—
Bound—
like she knows something I don't.)
She presses the blade along my cheek—
Then leans in—
And slowly licks the blood from my face.
A shiver runs up my spine.
"Haru…" she whispers, voice shaking with something ancient "
"Don't make me do this again."
..
Again..
What does she..
mean?
Everything goes silent.
Everything goes cold.
And the moon suddenly feels too close.