Bloody Lips

You're Next

"So... that's it?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Disappointing."

"I know. No records at all."

"I'm starting to think all of this revolve around the Shichi Fukujin."

"Maybe, maybe not."

Reita and I continued talking about the 'mystery' as we walked to our lockers. More disapperances, but no clues. We tried asking the maintenance and training teams, but they only shrugged. No screaming, shadows, or whatever. As the hunt progressed, it became more and more hard to piece together. "If only we could find one common string." Reita sighed as we walked. "Yeah.." I said and dodged the janitor mopping the corridor floors. It was more disturbing with the fact that more blood stains appear in the abandoned buildng as more people disappear in school. The students are racked but... Then it hit me. I stopped. "Aki?" "Reita... I think I found it." "What do you mean?" I exhaled sharply. Of course, it was so obvious! How could I not notice before. I looked back at the janitor and gasped. "Aki? What is it?" "Students... they're all students." I breathed. "What?" "Don't you see it, Reita?" I asked, gesturing to the janitor. "They're all students. No teachers, maintenance..." I explained. He raised his eyebrows in shock. We continued walking. "Not one of the staff. All..." I whispered mostly to myself. I opened my locker door and gasped. I clamped my hand over my mouth. "Aki? What--" Reita stopped in his tracks as he saw it.

The card.

No way.

He ripped it off my locker and took my hand. We ran through the halls and to the parking lot. "Kai!" Reita called out. Ruki and Uruha turned to us and Reita showed the black piece of paper in his hand. Ruki snatched it and scrutinized the card in his hand. "Not Kai's handwriting." he said. Aoi, seeing it, took it and sniffed it. "Not the blood we use, either." he said. They passed it around before Kai spoke. "Who got this?" he asked. My knees trembled. "I did." I admitted. "Oh my--" Uruha said and bit his lip. "We gotta get out of here." Kai said and nudged Uruha. Reita pulled me inside Miyavi's SUV as the others went inside Uruha's car. All my fear started to build up inside me. Was I going to disappear too? Would I survive? Would I ever see Reita... my love... again? Reita pulled me closer to him and kissed my forehead. "Don't worry. I'll take care of everything." he whispered. My vision slowly faded to black. Reita would always block my vision when he was trying to calm me down. I fell asleep soon, and woke up in my bedroom. I could hear voices outside. They were all agitated and desperate. I bowed my head down. I was causing all of this. My stomach twisted at the thought. What would happen to us now? The door slowly opened. "Ruki..." I recognized. "Hey. How do you feel?" he asked me. "I'm okay. But... where's Rei?" I asked. "He's preparing... we need to leave." he said. "Leave? Now? Where to?" I asked. He sat down beside me and sighed. "Kanagawa. Safest place to be. We'll come back when all this is settled." he explained. That was so sudden. I never even had the chance to say goodbye to my friends... "I'm sorry, but we'll come back as soon as we can." Ruki comforted. I forgot that Ruki can read minds. "I better get dressed then." I said as I pushed myself off the bed. "Okay. We'll be downstairs." he said before disappearing behind the door. Reita must have took some of my clothes. I pulled out some of the most comfortable pieces I have left, and combed my hair slowly. I sighed as I saw my reflection. My eyes stung and I looked down. This was the worst feeling ever. They're all doing anything to protect me, and here I am doing nothing. I heard a sigh as I felt a thumb wipe away my tears. "I'm sorry." Reita whispered as he rested his head on my shoulder. "I... cause you all this trouble..." he said in a broken voice. "Reita... I don't regret this." I said. "I don't regret any of what's happened for the past months. Because I... I..." The door slammed open. "Rei? Aki? Come on, let's go." Uruha called. Reita wasted no time. He carried me in his arms and ran down to the garage. He sat me in the backseat of Uruha's black car. "We split into groups. Don't let anyone follow you." Kai instructed. Miyavi got in the front seat and Uruha sat at the driver's seat. Reita sat beside me, and I watched the others pile into the other car and Aoi mounted on Reita's Harley. Reita held my hand tight in an effort to comfort me. "I'll keep you safe. Don't be afraid." he murmured. I took a deep breath and nodded before Uruha drove out of the mansion. I watched as we drove out of the city boundaries. I wonder how long before we could get back? Would I have time to catch up in school? Reita held my hand before clouding my vision. All I could see was black, and I felt his lips at my ear. "Go to sleep. We'll arrive in Kanagawa by tomorrow morning." he whispered. I sighed. Tomorrow.

Tomorrow seems a long way off...