Osana, Notice Me

Chapter 7: ..is someone missing?

Taro had met ayano at the gate. They were already quite on their way home when Taro had stopped ayano. While they were walking and speaking to each other about a science test. He stopped and turned to ayano. He looked quite a bit more serious and worried now.
"Hey.. yan-chan. Amai wasn't in school today. So I'm just gonna slide down this road real quick, just to see if everything's okay."
"...go ahead."
Taro nods and starts heading down a shortcut to amais bakery. Ayano smiles while his back is turned. As he walks, he walks faster and faster. She must be sick. Just sick.. but.. she didn't text. Eventually, he spots the bakery and gets a feeling of relief. He slows his walking to a normal pace, while walking he checks his phone for messages, there was one from ayano.

Yan-Chan

"Hey Taro. I gotta hurry home today. I'm just busy with homework and there's an exam tomorrow."

"Oh understandable. Have a nice night ayano!"

"Yes."

Taro put his phone away and stopped at the side of the bakery. The lights were.. off? Even if she was sick wouldn't her family have run it? He went to the front and tried to open the door, it's locked. It wasn't supposed to close until 8pm! Until he saw there was a sign in the window.

CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

...did something happen?.. he doesn't have any of her families contacts. What the hell is going on? Okay.. calm down.. maybe her family just closed for the day to take care of amai while she's sick! That should be reasonable. They'll be back later. Maybe he'll check on them in the morning. But just in case..

Buzz...buzz..buzz..

Ayano noticed something fall out of amais skirt. It was her phone.. ringing. From senpai. She picked it up with her bloodied hands. She set it on the table and once it stopped ringing, she smashed it to pieces.

"Huh.. I guess she's busy." Taro put his phone back in his bag and started walking home. He wondered what hanako was doing..