𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏 || 𝘼𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙠𝙤𝙪𝙟𝙞 𝙭 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 || 𝙔𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚

12

*RING*

*RING*

*RING*

A soft groan escaped [Name] as her hand fumbled blindly across the bed, searching for her phone. After a few clumsy swipes, she managed to grab it, squinting at the screen as the brightness pierced through her groggy state.

Haruka is calling you...

Answer?

Haruka's name flashed across the screen, and with a sigh, she brought the phone to her ear.

Before she could say a word, a loud voice burst through the speaker.

"[Nameeee!]"

The high-pitched screech made her wince, holding the phone a few inches away from her ear. Rubbing her temple, [Name] shook her head slightly, still half-asleep. "Yes... Haruka?" she murmured, her voice raspy from sleep, followed by a soft cough.

"Oh my god, [Name], I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were that sick!" Haruka's voice was filled with concern, though she still sounded overly loud, as if she were trying to compensate for the distance through sheer volume.

[Name] chuckled weakly, her throat sore from the cold she was fighting. "I'm alright, really. It's nothing to worry about. It was my own fault for running in the rain, so don't blame yourself." Her voice was soft, laced with exhaustion, but she still managed a lighthearted tone to ease her friend's concern.

There was a dramatic pause on the other end, followed by a low, drawn-out whine. "But [Nameeee]..."

[Name] could almost picture Haruka pouting, and she smiled despite herself, though it was brief. "You know what? After school, I'm bringing you dinner!" Haruka declared, her voice filled with sudden determination.

[Name] blinked, surprised by the offer. "Haruka, you don't have to do that..." she protested gently, though she knew her friend's stubbornness all too well.

"No, no! I insist!" Haruka's excitement was palpable through the phone. "And I'll bring you some soup from that new restaurant everyone's talking about. It's supposed to be amazing!"

[Name] sighed softly, a hint of warmth creeping into her chest at Haruka's enthusiasm. "Alright." she relented, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you. But I think I'm going to try to sleep a bit more now."

"Of course! Get plenty of rest. I'll see you at your dorm in a few hours!" Haruka's voice finally dropped a notch, her concern still clear but tempered by her usual bubbly nature.

[Name] hung up, her hand falling back onto the bed as she stared at the ceiling for a moment. The silence of her room felt heavier now, her body sinking deeper into the mattress as fatigue washed over her once more. With a soft sigh, she snuggled into her blanket, seeking the warmth it offered.

But just as she was about to drift off again, memories of her encounter with Ayanokouji flashed through her mind.

[Name]'s grip tightened around the blanket, her knuckles white as the memory of his piercing gaze burned in her mind. There was something deeply unsettling about his behavior that day.