A Ghoul In Tempest

Chapter 7: Shadow in the Streets (TW: MENTIONS OF SUICIDE)

The world around Hikaru felt muted, like he was watching himself from afar. His body trembled against the girl's body, the weight of his decision bearing down on him as the girl pulled him away from the railing and onto the ground of the bridge. "Y-you do not need to carry your burden alone. I am here for you," the girl said, hugging him tightly to make sure he doesn't do anything. Hikaru burst into tears, unable to control his emotions. "Please tell me what's wrong," the girl said with sadness. For what felt like forever, Hikaru cried and cried, unable to stop until finally stopping to talk.

"M-my father died a few days ago. H-he was killed in a hit and run," he struggled to say without crying again. The girl would also begin to tear up. "I am also being stalked by someone. They keep messaging me and following me. They keep bringing up my father and mocking me. I can't sleep. I can't think," he finished saying. "I-I'm so sorry. This must be so much to handle for how popular you are becoming and how busy you have been recently. He would slowly look at the girl. "You know about me becoming an Overwatch League player," he stuttered. "Yeah, you have been the talk of the country, everyone being impressed that a player as young as you can be a starter of such a massively popular team. You are just the second Japanese player to join the Shock. The last person was a player named Taiyo, and he won a championship in 2020 with the team. "I d-didn't realize I got that popular so quickly," he said with a little smile.

Just as Hikaru began to calm down, he would feel a notification buzz from his phone. Hesitantly, he pulled his phone out and looked at the message. His heart stopped. It was a photo of the two taken moments before she pulled him away from the railing. Once again, his hands trembled violently as he gripped his phone and his breath quickened. The girl would notice this and look at the notification, a look of anger filling her eyes. "W-we need to leave now. The stalker is here," she said, getting up and holding Hikaru to her. Hikaru nodded, his whole body now trembling violently as he began to walk with her. They didn't care at that point where they went, they just needed to be away from the bridge. In the shadows near the bridge, Akira watched as the two walked away quickly. He giggled evilly, saying "You won't stay away for long, Hikaru."

Shaken and silent, the two kept walking, their steps hurried and uneven, as if the shadows around them were alive and following them. Neither spoke until they reached a modest apartment. "Come in," the girl said with worry as her parents watched in confusion. Hikaru looked at her and the parents, "I-I'm sorry for disrupting you all." "N-no need to apologize, little one," the mother said. "Sit down, I'll bring you something to drink," the mother continued, walking into the kitchen. Hikaru would sit on the couch, looking down. The girl would sit across from him. "I never got to introduce myself. I'm Akane Kurokawa," she said, then looked down, saying, "Y-you're not alone when it comes to carrying scars. I was in the same mindset you are in. I almost took my life on the same bridge until a friend saved me. He was the first one to save me when I hit rock bottom." Her voice wavered as she looked into his eyes. "I may not have the answers, Hikaru, but I know how it feels to be trapped inside your own head. I also know how important it is to have someone who will be there for you," Akane said with a smile. Her words hung in the air; a lifeline Hikaru did not realize he needed.

As Hikaru sat silently with his tea, Akane pulled out her phone. "I need to let your mom know you're safe," she said gently. Hikaru gave her permission to do so, his hands still trembling in his lap. Dialing the number, Akane would wait a few moments before hearing a "hello" from the other side of the phone. "Hello. This is Akane Kurokawa. I am with your son Hikaru right now. He is safe. I brought him to my apartment because I did not want to leave him alone after.... what happened," Akane said, trying to hold back emotions. Aiko, on the other hand, couldn't. She cried as she talked to Akane. "T-thank you, Akane. I was so scared of what would happen to him. I-Is he okay? Can I speak to him?" she said emotionally. Akane would look at Hikaru, who was still trembling. "He is not ready to talk at the moment. But I promise that he is in good hands. My family and I will take care of him. We will make sure he gets home safely when he is ready. Aiko hesitated before replying, her voice full of emotion. "Thank you so much, Akane." After saying goodbye and hanging up, Akane set the phone aside and looked at Hikaru. "Your mother is relieved to know you're okay. Take your time, Hikaru."

The weeks that followed were slow but steady, with Akane by Hikaru as he began to rebuild himself piece by piece. She would recommend him to see a therapist, even going at times to ease himself. Outside of therapy, she would introduce grounding techniques and mindfulness exercises to help him feel more in control of his life. Despite all the progress Hikaru made, the presence of the stalker still leached into his mind. The anonymous harassment did not stop. If anything, it became more relentless. Disturbing messages, threats, and cryptic photos that he was closer than Hikaru realized arrived daily. Each one was a further reminder that his tormentor was always watching, fueling the fear that no matter how much he tried to heal, the stalker wouldn't let him. Akane remained steady. "You are stronger than him, Hikaru. The fact you are still standing here after everything this stalker has done proves that. Do not let him take more from you than he already has," Akane said with determination.