The Girl Nextdoor

Chapter 5.9: Who Knows?

"Kiyotaka," a certain someone said behind me. Looking at the direction of where the voice was, it turned out to be Yuki dressed in a yukata. "Did I made you wait long?"

"No. But what's with the tone?" I couldn't help but question Yuki's puzzling actions. "You are making it sound like we are going on a date and watch some fireworks. Just in case you forgot, the fireworks will set off just in front of the villa."

Yuki cheekily smiled and a devilish smirk immediately followed. "Come on, Kiyotaka~ Learn to read the room, will you~?"

Ah, right... Yuki is making me tag along with her to leave Alya and Masachika alone. And since almost everyone of us except for the latter couple had known about our plan the both of them will naturally pair up.

Well, at least that is what we hoped.

"My bad...," I replied and then cleared my throat afterwards. For some rather strange reason, I felt chills running from the base of my spine to the other end. I shivered slightly.

"What's with that?" Yuki giggled.

"...Nothing," I told her. "Then, shall we take a walk now before Masachika catches up with our plan?" It honestly wouldn't be a surprise if he already caught up but just decided to play dumb after deducing the reason behind our actions.

"Sure."

The both of us silently strolled through the beach feeling the cold breeze of the wind brushing past our skin and the sound of the calm ocean waves crashing to the shore. The venue aside, the vibes I am feeling felt somewhat familiar yet I can't properly pinpoint what it is.

A deja vu perhaps?

No, not exactly.

"Kiyotaka," Yuki called out. The tone of her voice was so in contrast with her usual persona that I thought for a second that it was someone else slightly lagging behind.

"Yeah, what's up, Yuki."

"Why did you sacrifice me?"

"!!!"

I halted in my tracks. And a deafening silence soon ensued. The only thing I can hear was the unchanged pace of my heartbeat slowly spiking up as seconds passes.

I felt petrified for the first time in my life that even though I want to turn back and confirm for myself if the person behind me is the person I think it is. After a couple of seconds, I regained control of my body and followed through my curiosity——to see if it really is Ayase Yuki.

And to my surprise, it was.

She was standing behind me in the yukata I last shot photo of her with the both of
us——but it was bloody. Her face was filled with bruises and cuts that she almost looked unrecognizable.

She looked exactly like how Shiro described her corpse.

Am I... dreaming?

"Answer me! Why did you sacrifice me!" She shouted in a blood curdling voice.

With a fighting stance on, she readied herself and approach me with a full killing intent.

I felt myself getting thrown backwards due to the inhumane force she exerted, and at the same time I felt several sharp, stinging sensation on my chest. I turned to look what happened and saw three punctured wounds with blood ferociously gushing out of it.

"Yuki..." I felt myself groaning. "I'm sor..."

Still left feeling unsatisfied, she came at me again, cutting me from what I wanted to say. But before she can grab hold of my neck, to probably snap it and end my life, my consciousness returned and I felt myself waking while drenched in sweat.