Unreadable [Ritsu x Reader]

Chapter 4: Otherworldly Stalker

I should've stayed home another day and waited to go school until next week, like my grandmother suggested. Instead, I find myself in the arms of a boy that I cannot read and with a bump on my head. A pulsing headache is added to the mess, and I glare at the boy. I know I shouldn't blame him, but I can't help wanting to blame something.

"I get the feeling that you don't like me very much," he says. I try to straighten out my frown as I clear my throat.

"Why is that, uh... um..." his name eludes me. Maybe that's because I never learned it.

"I'm Ritsu. Kageyama Ritsu."

"Hmm," I give a quick nod to acknowledge his response. Looking away, I try not to let it show that I felt really awkward.

"So you don't like me?"

I look back up at his dark eyes, wondering how I should respond to his question. It's not as if I hate him- I'm just wary of him. It made me very uncomfortable that I couldn't tell what he was thinking of at all. I even found it hard to read his emotions and body language.

"N-no." I want to hit myself for stuttering.

"Really? So you just glare at everyone then," Ritsu asks. My eyes go wide as I realize that I am normally glaring at him when I look at him.

"I-I'm not glaring. I'm j-just deep in thought," I say before turning my gaze away from his. My heart skips a beat as Ritsu stops in front of a white doorway.

"We're here," Ritsu says as he sets me gently on my feet. A young nurse comes out of the room to help me to one of the white beds. Ritsu stands in the doorway looking as if he had something else he wanted to say. Though, he shakes his head before smiling softly at me.

"I'll see you around, Himura Nami. I'm sorry about your head," Ritsu says before leaving. A shiver goes through my body from hearing my name come out of Ritsu's mouth. Wait, why was he apologizing for my head? It's not like he caused the ball to hit me.

•••

I stayed in the infirmary for the rest of school. My head felt a lot better, but I still had a slight headache. The nurse's scattered thoughts about her boyfriend and their recent arguments didn't help my headache any. I might have snuck out of the infirmary right before the last bell before the nurse said I could leave. But I don't think she would've even noticed.

I grabbed my backpack and slipped out of the school before the rush of students were released. No way would I ever want to be caught in a hurricane of students who are rushing to get home. All their thoughts floating around me would make it twice as loud. And that would just make my headache worse, so no. Plus, I could live without being pushed into other people.

As I walk down the cracked sidewalk to my apartment, the hair on the back of my neck rises. The feeling of being watched sends goosebumps up and down my arms. My quiet footsteps get faster as I try to listen for any other voices around me. The only one I notice is a crow praising humans for leaving out trash. I glance behind me only to notice one thing.

A dark cloud has now covered the sun. A dark cloud that wasn't anywhere in the clear sky a couple seconds ago. Now that's a little creepy. I would say that it didn't mean anything, but knowing that supernatural things exist made me more than a little suspicious. My breaths came out as little pants as I start jogging. My house is about half a mile from where I am now, so I should get there in about five minutes at this pace.

It's ok, you can do this. You are safe, nothing can hurt you. You'll be home in no time, I try to lie to myself. My pace quickens a little as sweat starts running down the side of my face. The journey home is hard, but adrenaline pumps through my veins from the danger I felt that was behind me. I can no longer feel inherently safe the longer that I am being followed by the unknown presence. Maybe there's another ESPer? Or maybe one of the silent boys are following me?

No.

This presence feels evil. Not just strong hatred towards something, actual evil. Something that could kill every living thing and not feel any sympathy for all the destruction it cause. The feeling that radiates from this unknown presence drives me to run faster and faster until I reach my destination. I mentally thank my grandma for leaving the gate unlocked as I rush into the the apartment building. The elevator would be too slow and a possible trap, so I race up the stairs. I don't care for the noise of my pounding footsteps through the hallway. I almost hope for people to hear me, so if something bad happened they would know.

My fingers shake as I put the key into the door. Unlocking it quickly, I open the door and slam it close behind me. I pant as I lean against the door, sliding down to the floor. Relief floods through my system as the dark presence fades away.

•••

A dark figure watches the young girl dash into the apartment complex. It hides behind a pole as a dark fog surrounds it. The figure smiles eerily, only to have the smile slide off its mouth as another figure steps into view.

"I thought I told you to keep hidden," the blonde haired man says. His face is wrapped in white gauze and his voiced is warped. Other than that, the man looks normal with a black business suit on. A fancy cane rests in his hands.

"You didn't tell me about how tasty her soul looked," the dark figure growls out with another creepy smile. The man glares at the dark figure before looking at the building the girl disappeared into.

"Don't go after her yet. I need more time to get everything in order. Go eat some of your minions if you're that hungry." The man says before stepping into the shadows. The dark figure looks back to see that the man has vanished.

"Way to tease me. Hmph, he's not even powerful. I really wonder why The Instructor  made him in charge of our unit." The dark figure grumbles before it too, disappears into the shadows.

[Drafted By Natalie]