The living room lights were dim, like the twilight of dusk.
Although the chairs were neatly arranged, next to the sofa, items on the table were scattered everywhere. Things from the nearby counter and coffee table were swept onto the floor. The hot water kettle had tipped over, wetting a large area of the floor.
If there was anything on the entire table that was still intact, it was only a covered white paper and a knife sheath that had lost its fruit knife.
Burgled?
No, absolutely not.
This was more like a self-venting after an emotional breakdown, throwing everything that could be thrown.
Ichiko's eyes gradually became empty, and she frantically searched everywhere.
Not just the living room, the entire house, all the lights that could be turned on were on!
"Room, yes, Haruko should be in the room!"
"She still has Dan with her, with a cat to comfort her, she won't do anything foolish."
Ichiko was really afraid that Haruko would hurt herself again, just like on the rooftop last time, and then prepare orange juice, pathologically demanding her to drink it.
If that happened, she would have to be hospitalized for a while again.
Running towards Haruko's room in a panic, Ichiko could hear anxious meows from outside, as if tugging at her heart, making it beat faster with each meow.
Ichiko grabbed the doorknob and quickly opened the door, "Haruko!"
"Meow meow meow!"
Dan seemed to have been startled and instantly darted out from under Ichiko's legs.
Her gaze swept around the room.
The room was in stark contrast to the living room. Not only was it clean and tidy, but even the items she hadn't had time to organize before were neatly folded and carefully placed to the side.
Ichiko didn't pay attention to those details, only feeling her mind buzzing.
Where is she?
Not in the room, where could she be?!
The utility room, Yuna Ge's room, the other smaller guest room, Haruko was nowhere to be seen in any of them!
"Right, the balcony!"
Ichiko ran back to the living room and quickly went outside to the balcony.
No.
Still no one!
Her breathing gradually became rapid, with an inexplicable sense of suffocation.
"Drip~ Drip~"
The sound of dripping water slowly began to enter Ichiko's ears.
Was it the sound of water coming from the bathroom?
A terrifying thought arose in Ichiko's heart, and her right hand couldn't stop trembling.
Dan came out of the bathroom, ran to the living room, and meowed anxiously, as if urging something.
In the half month that Ichiko was away, Dan and Haruko had become each other's only companion.
Even though it was still proud, a cat is a spiritual animal and can sense its owner's emotions.
Its anxiety also represented that something had happened.
Ichiko's lips were dry, even trembling slightly, as she walked towards the bathroom step by step.
"It won't, it won't, it won't, it won't, it won't..."
"Haruko!"
Ichiko suddenly pushed open the half-closed bathroom door.
Her eyes gradually widened, her pupils constricting.
In the dim bathroom, the girl she had been thinking about was quietly lying in the bathtub, her body covered in bright red paint.
Her scattered hair floated on the water surface, like black ink, highlighting her pale and delicate face.
Her tender arm hung weakly over the edge of the bathtub, her fingertips tinged with a faint blue. One drop after another of crimson slowly dripped from her fingertips, indicating that at this moment, she seemed to be losing all life.
The floor was a mess, a bath towel was casually thrown to the side, the mottled tiles on the wall appeared cold and unfamiliar in the shadows. A small yellow duck used for bathing had fallen to the ground. Except for its eyes reflecting a chilling glare, the entire duck had turned completely red.
The dyed red little yellow duck stared straight ahead at the doorway, and when Ichiko pushed the door open and entered, it cast an extremely resentful and terrifying gaze.
The dripping sound and the faint sound of running water intertwined, seemingly silently recounting Haruko's unspeakable pain.
At this moment, Ichiko only felt her mind go blank.
Her legs went weak, and she fell directly onto the floor.
In her mind, Haruko's expectant smile when she confessed on the bridge gradually separated from the cold, calm face before her eyes.
Just a second ago, she was still smiling at herself, holding a bouquet of white rose, her eyes full of love and affection.
But now, why had it become like this?
Lying coldly in the bathtub, eyes closed in sleep.
Ichiko only felt that the bouquet of white rose she had brought back from the bridge was so ironic.
This scene now seemed to be telling her.
That white rose should have been crimson.
The water, as if soaked in red dye, gradually flowed to her palm supporting the floor.
Bone-chilling cold!
Ichiko was stung back to her senses by this coldness, her hair messy as she looked up at Haruko, her lips trembling constantly, yet she couldn't make a sound.
"This... this must be fake, right?"
"Haruko... how could she leave without saying goodbye."
"Hey Haruko, this is a joke, right? This is your yandere side, right? To keep me, you're pretending to sleep in the bathtub waiting for me to come back, right?"
Ichiko stumbled to her feet, falling to the ground several times. Her clothes were inevitably stained with the color of orange juice.
The closer she got to Haruko, the more afraid Ichiko became.
The distance of a few steps felt like centuries to her.
Although her physical condition was still good, she couldn't muster any strength.
Everywhere here felt so oppressive, and time seemed to have frozen.
The girl in the bathtub was submerged in endless darkness, and along with all the past beauty and pain, she was drowned in this icy water.
The water then flowed along with her unwillingness, resentment, regret, and longing from her departure, reaching Ichiko's palm.
She forcefully held onto the bathtub. The already overflowing water was surging. Ichiko trembled as she reached out to touch Haruko's right hand.
A bottomless gash danced on the main artery.
The touch of her skin was chillingly cold, making it feel lifeless.
Ichiko's breathing became more and more rapid, even feeling a little lightheaded.
But she still let the tears wet her cheeks, forcing herself to use all her strength, and extended a finger to Haruko's nose.
"One second..."
"Two seconds..."
A faint breath brushed against Ichiko's fingertip. She immediately shivered and excitedly leaned her body forward.
Her legs went weak, and she fell to the ground again.
Even though her forehead hit the bathtub, Ichiko didn't hesitate due to the pain. She quickly climbed up and continued to place her finger at Haruko's nose.
"There's still a faint breath, there's still a faint breath!"
Ichiko cried tears of joy. At this moment, she didn't even have time for regret, her mind racing frantically.
What should I do, what should I do, what should I do!
Anyone seeing such a terrifying scene would be unable to think rationally.
Not to mention that Ichiko herself had many inexplicable feelings for Haruko. She was in a complete panic, yet she didn't dare to touch Haruko at all.
"120... what's the phone number for 120..."
She quickly muttered these two words, but she couldn't even hold her phone steady.
"Calm down!"
Ichiko gritted her teeth, clenched her fist, and punched herself in the face.
A little crimson oozed from the corners of her lips and nose at this moment.
But this pain was far less than the pain in her heart.
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