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Smoke emerged from all around me as Scarlet drags Meeko and I under the dining table with her swift reflexes.
"Yuka, Meeko! Stay down, it's another bomb attack!"
Scarlet instructs us like the professional she is. The two of us nod at her in unison and I cover my mouth as we wait for the smoke to calm down.
"Okay, on the count of three, we're all gonna run out of the building...or what remains of it, and find Mika and Izzy."
She explains her plan with a cool, non-panicked tone, before starting to count.
"One..."
"Two..."
...Three!"
Then at the moment she said three, we all quickly get up. Scarlet picks up Meeko - due to his weak body - and sprints out. I'm a bit slower since I'm less athletic then my sister, but I manage to get up quickly.
But as soon as I manage to stand up straight to run out, a cold hand touches the nape of my neck.
I freeze in place, not daring to look behind me to see the owner...until an eerie voice answers all my questions.
"Looks like I caught another little rabbit...Yuka Ichika."
It was Kitsune, one of Tagami's well known criminals, as well as the aunt of the unknown criminal that killed Luna.
I whimper and try my best not to cry as she gets closer and closer to me, until I can see her pale face from the corner of my eye.
"What shall I do with my prey this time, hm?"
I gulp and look at the faint smoke in front of me, Scarlet and Meeko have escaped by now, and I could see their shadows...along with two others.
"I'm so glad you guys are safe!" Scarlet yells cheerfully at the two others, "Where were you?"
"We were at the fishing spot behind the cafe..." says the voice of Mika.
Then that means Isabelle was the other figure, then.
"Where we found Zena's corpse..." Isabelle explained, as if correcting my statement, but not with the explanation I wanted to hear.
I hear a gasp from Scarlet, "I'm so sorry you had to witness that..."
"I-it's okay," Mika stutters awkwardly, "Where's Yuka?"
My eyes widen at the mentioning of my name, but I resisted the urge to say anything. It was too risky considering the killer right behind me.
Scarlet let out an adorable, carefree laugh, "What do you mean? She's right behind me..."
All four of them turn around to face where I was. I could picture the shock and horror in their faces.
The house was completely wrecked by the bomb, the floor above me was barely hanging by anything, and could fall down on me at any moment.
Kitsune laughs quietly in my ear, "Maybe I should try something different this time..." She whispers, so only I could hear.
"YUKA!?" I hear Scarlet yell in a panicked tone, completely different from how she was talking to me and Meeko under the dining table.
The smoke started to slowly clear, and I could see my friends more clearly.
They were all staring at me with large, teary eyes, apart from Isabelle, who was staring at me blankly.
"Why don't you be the one to kill yourself, not me? That seems more fun, don't you think?" Kitsune whispers more, she was crouched behind me so the others weren't able to see anything but me.
If I tried to run away, she would obviously kill me. So I was screwed no matter what I did.
I tremble in my spot, taking in the sight of my friends in mental agony. This is torture. I don't want to see them like this, I don't want to see Scarlet like this.
"They don't care about you." Kitsune said with a large grin that I could even tell she wore without seeing her. "You only just met Mika, Isabelle and Meeko...and Scarlet didn't save you. She picked up Meeko, but didn't even bother to take your hand or anything."
She was right...but I know Scarlet didn't mean it, none of us could think straight in that moment. I don't blame her at all.
If I die, I know that Scarlet will keep fighting on until the end along with the others. She's that type of person. I believe in her.
So I decided, I'd let her do that.
"See how Isabelle isn't even fazed by this situation? She doesn't care about you either." Kitsune pointed out, followed by another cruel giggle.
Isabelle still hadn't changed from her blank expression, she was looking at me as if I was a drunk person on the sidewalk at her knees.
"Yuka...?" I see Scarlet take a small step forward, her voice cracking followed by tears running down her face.
Her whole body was trembling. More then I've ever seen it tremble before.
Wait...
I don't want to hurt her like this...Kitsune is just messing with me...if I die, she'll be scarred forever.
But it was too late. I couldn't change my mind.
A silence consumed us all for not even a second.
Until a light creak came from the barely upright second floor...
...and then a deafening crash.
I'm so stupid.
High pitched ringing fills my ears, as heavy chunks of rubble bury me...I didn't feel any pain. It was so much, and my body didn't even know how to react.
It was...peaceful.
A loud voice shouts over the irritating ringing in my ears.
"YUKA!?"
It was Scarlet.
"DON'T DO THIS TO ME! YUKA, PLEASE!!!"
But I couldn't do anything...
I slowly, slowly drifted off as my body fell limper and my senses faded...
I'm sorry, Scarlet...it's all my fault...
But I knew deep down, that she will forgive me, and most of all...
