against time [KawaSumi ❤️‍🔥]

Chapter 4

Author Pov:

In the morning, the bright sun replaced the moon, its rays illuminating the world in a different light...flowers were opening their buds, butterflies, bees and dragonflies were flying around and the melody of birds was in the air.
The sun's rays shone through the windows of the small huts on the hotel grounds. They shone directly into Kawaki's face, his face warmed slightly and his eyelids slowly opened; when he noticed the bright light, he immediately squeezed his eyes shut. Kawaki made a sweeping movement and sat up, looking back at the bed where Sumire was sleeping like an angel. Her lilac hair covered her face and didn't allow a glimpse.
As it was still early in the morning, Kawaki decided to let her sleep a little longer and go for a jog. He went into the small kitchen and wrote Sumire a little note, telling her not to worry, that he would be back soon.
He tore the note off the pad and placed it under Sumire's hand. Then Kawaki put on some sports clothes and went jogging.
It didn't take long for Sumire to open her eyes, her eyes searching for Kawaki. It was so unusual to wake up without him. Her eyes wandered to her hand and saw the little message.

"Good morning sweetie, I went for a run. I'll be back with you in a few minutes. I love you," Sumire let go of the note. She smiled and went into the bathroom, she wanted to freshen up for the day.
Without Kawaki, this hut was shrouded in an , almost frightening, silence, there were no noises, it was so quiet, too quiet...
Sumire paused for a moment and listened, wanting to make sure she had heard anything.
Her ears heard a crack at the door, the crack eventually disappeared and was replaced by footsteps. Someone was coming towards the bathroom. Sumire's heart pounded harder and harder in her chest, her legs were paralysed with fear. Her eyes were fixed on the bathroom door.
Now someone was standing outside the bathroom, the sound of footsteps drowned out, her heartbeat numbing her senses.
Slowly, the door opened... When she saw the figure, Sumire was startled. Her legs were still paralysed, she slapped her legs.
// move! please...// she thought.
Suddenly her legs moved again, just in the nick of time. Sumire took the loose powder from the sink and blew it into the figure's eyes. The figure squeezed her eyes shut and at that moment Sumire ran out of the hut and headed for the forest.
"I'll get you Sumire," said the dark figure and chased after Sumire.

Sumire often looked over her shoulder, she knew that this figure would not rest any sooner. She ran barefoot deeper and deeper into the forest, thorn bushes scraping her feet and legs. Her injuries helped to slow her down.
Deep in the forest, her nightdress got caught in a thorn bush and Sumire was completely out of breath.
She looked down at herself, her arms, legs and feet were covered from superficial to deep scratches, so much blood was running down her...

Her gasping for breath and the loss of blood made her so dizzy that she swayed back and forth and fell into the thorn bush.
She saw the dark figure approaching her in a blur, but that was all she realised.

The figure grinned and knelt down to her, stroking her thigh.
"Now you're finally mine again... but I have to punish you for your bad behaviour, do you hear me?" she whispered.
The figure took his hand back and noticed the sticky blood, he grinned and licked it off his hand. Then the figure grabbed Sumire's wrists and dragged them across the forest floor to another place.
A piece of Sumire's nightdress remained on the thorn bush.

Kawaki Pov:

When I came back from my jog, the hut door was ajar. I had a bad feeling just from looking at it, I slowly walked towards the entrance and opened the door a crack.
Sumire's and my hut looked empty. But it couldn't be, Sumire would never go anywhere alone. I was 100% sure of that, my friend is a paranoid and cautious girl. I took a step into the hut and called Sumire inside.
The only thing I heard was my voice holding in the room, I didn't like the silence.
I went to the bed, the bed was made and it could only have been Sumire, she had a habit of moulding the thinner blanket into a heart. My eyes travelled to the bathroom, the door was open and the floor had a white veil. I knelt down and touched it, I came to the conclusion that it was Sumire's powder.
I stood up again and looked down at the spot from above, only now did I recognise two different footprints. One was Sumire's, she has really small feet. The other footprint was a lot bigger, but there was also sand, small stones and small pieces of leaves in the track.