Demon of nightmares

6. Echoes on the rooftop

I wandered through the halls of Fuurin High, feeling like a fish out of water. What the hell am I even doing here? The answer was obvious: Haruka. He practically dragged me into this place, insisting it was "for my own good" to get to know the others. Why? I didn't know these people, and I didn't care about this school or their little crew.

As soon as we walked in, Haruka vanished-typical. I hadn't been here five minutes, and I was already left to fend for myself. Fantastic. Now I had to go find him. Irritated, I glanced down the hallway until my eyes landed on the stairwell leading up to the rooftop.

"Something tells me it's on the rooftop..." I muttered, dragging my feet in that direction.

I opened the door quietly and slipped out into the cool air. Instantly, I heard voices-Haruka's and Kaji's, talking low in a corner. I instinctively pressed myself behind the door frame, my back against the wall. What are they talking about?

"How'd you know I was scared?" Haruka's voice carried a note of surprise. Scared? Haruka? I frowned, leaning in to hear more.

"It was obvious. How could anyone not notice?" Kaji replied in his usual calm voice. Obvious? What the hell's obvious?

There was a brief pause before Haruka spoke again. "Then why did you get mad when we fought the Keel? I understand you were angry because of the injured comrades, but... there was something more to it."

The Keel? I wasn't around when that fight happened, but I'd heard enough. Those guys nearly wiped out Haruka's friends. But what does that have to do with fear?

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I turned, ready to punch someone, but a hand clamped over my mouth before I could say anything.

"Shhh... they're having a moment," a familiar voice whispered in my ear, way too close for comfort. Umemiya. Of course. I shot him a death glare, but he just grinned like it was the funniest thing in the world. Behind him, Hiragi was watching, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, his eyes darting everywhere except at us. He looked like a kid caught in the middle of something he had no business being part of.

This guy scared me half to death, and now he thinks it's a joke? I struggled against him, but Umemiya just held me tighter, his hand still covering my mouth. The guy had absolutely no sense of personal space.

"Someone snuck up here one night and thought they saw a ghost," Kaji's voice continued, oblivious to the fact that we were eavesdropping. A ghost? Really? This town is full of idiots. I resisted the urge to laugh, but Umemiya's grip tightened as if he knew I was about to blow it.

"They were so scared they told everyone about it," Kaji said, and I could almost hear Haruka stifling a laugh. "Turns out it was just a plastic bag caught on a shovel."

A plastic bag? Yeah, these guys are definitely idiots.

Kaji's tone grew more serious. "But seriously, Haruka. You remind me of that sometimes. You get scared of something, thinking it's much worse than it really is. You can't tell what people think about you, and that fear eats at you. But look around... nobody's left. Not even Yūma."

At the sound of my name, my fists clenched. What's that supposed to mean? I glared at the door. This guy doesn't know anything about me or Haruka.

"From what I can tell," Kaji continued, "Yūma's the difficult one. He hides things, acts out like a kid. It's frustrating, but that's just who he is."

A kid? Me? I could feel the heat rising to my face. Who does this guy think he is? I shot Umemiya a warning look, but he was clearly having too much fun, stifling a laugh behind his hand. Oh, he thinks this is hilarious?