Romantic Killer But I Made It Gay

Part 91

"Your shift is almost over, right?" Hijiri wonders as I pack up my things.

I laugh. "I've already changed, so...yeah? I'll be heading home soon."

He frowns, taking a sip of his drink box. "Nothing's happened for a few weeks, but I still don't like you going out on your own."

"I know." I shiver, remembering Yukana's cold glare. "But I'm walking home with Tsukasa and Arisa, so I'll be fine."

"Tsukasa, huh?" he murmurs to himself. "You seem closer with him lately. Anything happen?"

"Ah...well, he's going through a lot. We all need to be here for him," I dodge the question. "A-Anyway, I'm gonna get going."

"Good work today," he calls, standing up as I close the door behind me.

"You too," I answer as I reach the back exit of the store. The sky is a dusty red as I open the door and I look up to the sunset. I can't see much over the hall fence in front of me, but it looks beautiful.

I huff, smiling. I've been so on edge lately, I haven't even gotten to enjoy the sunsets. Maybe this is it. Maybe that crazy stalker gave up and Kazuki's safe. I really, really hope he's safe.

"Mori."

I jump, stumbling back as Yukana appears at the end of the alley, slowly approaching me as she reaches into her bag. Crap, Tsukasa's going to be here any second now! I can't let him see her; I can't do that to him again. But what do I do? Should I try to pin her down and call for help? Am I strong enough to even do that?

"I don't want any trouble," I shakily assure her. "I want the same thing you do: for Tsukasa to be happy."

"Tsukasa...?" She hisses, murder gleaming in her eyes. "You think you can call him  that? Only I get to call him that!" Her hand exits her bag holding a shining kitchen knife which she aims as she rushes at me.

I panic, freezing, but at the least second I'm able to jump away. A burning pain razes along my forehead and I feel hot blood trickle into my eye, turning half the world a dusty red, just like the sunset.

She has a knife!? This goes way beyond stalker behavior; she's willing to become a murderer for him! If I'd known this I would've told Hijiri I needed Tsuchiya, or asked Emi to join me at the end of my shift. But I was cocky. I thought it'd be fine; I thought she was gone. How could I be so stupid?

And now I'm trapped again, and the enemy has a knife. Every cell in my mind is telling me to give up, to beg for my life, or to just accept my fate as a dead man. But thinking of Tsukasa's terrified face, I'm able to think above those thoughts. I have to get out of this. I have to stop her, right here.

"Why are you doing this?" I cry, clutching my forehead. "I never tried to hurt you!"

"You're in the way." Her voice is smooth and sickeningly sweet as she raises the knife again. I can see my face reflected in the metal, a gash running across my forehead and blood dripping down my arm. I can feel it pool on my elbow and hear it drip slowly onto the dirt ground. I feel faint, but I haven't lost enough blood for that to be right. That means I'm still afraid.

I'm sick and tired of being afraid.

"You're the one who's in the way!" I cry angrily. "You're in the  way of Tsukasa living a normal, happy life! Isn't that what you want for him? Why are you torturing him like this? He hates you; everything about you makes him sick, and I feel the same! No one here loves you! No one here cares about you! Can you see you're not wanted!?"

"Haru..."

Yukana turns, her glare turning to an expression of absolute joy when she sees Tsukasa standing in the entrance of the alley, panting.

"Tsukasa!" she cries, rushing toward him, arms outstretched. He freezes, his eyes locked on hers. A hand shakily clutches at his chest, scrunching his shirt beneath it. Sweat stains the collar of his shirt.

I have to do something. I have to help him! But my speech drained all my sudden courage away, leaving nothing but a bleeding high schooler in the back of an alleyway.

"How dare you hurt Haru!?" Tsukasa suddenly yells, unfreezing and swinging a fist at Yukana just as Arisa comes around the corner. The woman flies to the ground, the knife knocked from her hand.

"Tsukasa...why would you do that?" she whimpers into her hair. "I—"

"Enough!" He angrily throws his hat to the ground, yelling, "You've done enough harm! You didn't just hurt me, but you hurt Haru! I don't want to see you! I don't want to hear your voice! I don't want to know your name! Just...just get away from me!"

She chuckles, which grows into a laugh, which grows into a cackle until she's laughing like crazy. She shakily gets to her feet, taking a few, gasping breaths.

"Why are you lying to me, Tsukasa?"

"Wha—?" he gasps, eyes wide.

"It's okay." Yukana smiles widely up at him. "You don't have to pretend. I know you're nervous for other people to know about us, and it's so cute. But I know you'd never get violent, even as a last resort. These others must have a bad influence on you."

She starts stumbling toward him on shaky legs, still smiling that awful smile. Tsukasa's eyes dart to mine and my vision clouds with red for a second, both eyes instead of just the bloody one. He can't move, so I have to.

"I'll always love you, Tsukasa! I'll always be by your side, no matter what they say!" She reaches out toward him and before Arisa can move to stop her I rush forward, grab her outstretched arm and pin it behind her back, just as I saw Tsuchiya do in that fight.

"If you won't leave his side, then I won't either," I growl, pushing harder as she struggles. "You can cut me up a million times, but I'll never stop fighting for him. Because I—" Realizing what I'm about to say, I quickly amend, "Because I'm his friend. So..." I grit my teeth, then finish, "So just fuck off!"

The sounds of sirens echoes in my ears and I let her go, stumbling to Kazuki's side as Arisa explains the situation to the police. I think Tsuchiya and Kiki are here too, but for some reason my head is clouded. I guess the blood's spread to both eyes, since it's getting hard to see through the red. I turn to Tsukasa, smiling tiredly.

"Are you o...okay...?"

"Haru, you don't look very good," he worries, glancing at my injury which is burning more than it was before.

"Rude," I laugh, but I can barely hear myself. It might be the blood loss, and it might be the relief and terror of everything that just happened, but I feel like I'm falling. Strong arms wrap around my back and I can hear people yelling around me, but it feels like it'd be nice to just close my eyes.

The last thing I see is Tsukasa mouthing my name before the world goes dark.