soulmates ➸ j-mei-

★chapter 6 - demons

Natsuki whimpered as her cell phone rang. It was seven minutes before her alarm was supposed to go off. She groaned and answered the phone.

"Hello?" she answered groggily.

"WAKE UP!" Sayori yelled through the phone.

"Okay, that was unnecessary. What do you want?"

"Well someone's a little grumpy pants."

"Yeah, well if you wake me up before my alarm goes off, then I'll be grumpy. It's a simple cause and effect," Natsuki growled.

"Whatever you say, Grumpy Gracie." Natsuki could almost hear the pout coming from Sayori. "I finally confessed to Monika, kind of."

"Really? What do you mean 'kind of?'"

"Well she came out to me as lesbian, and I kissed her," Sayori squealed, causing Natsuki to remove the phone from her ears.

"Way to kill the romance," Natsuki teased. "Can I go to bed now?"

"But school today...?"

"I don't care. I still have," Natsuki trailed off, glancing at her clock. "I still have 3 minutes. Bye."

Natsuki ended the call and pulled the thin blanket back over her small body.

It seemed like only a second when the alarm went off. Natsuki groaned and sat up, her body aching from the beating she received the night before. Oddly enough, the bruises were once again gone. She looked at her knee, and the bruise from yesterday with Yoshikawa was gone. She looked at her legs that should've been scattered with bruises. She looked at her neck that should've had grotesque discoloration with fingerprints- a mark that showed she'd always be nothing more than a punching bag.

She glanced at her wrist and there were a few new cuts. Had her father cut her while she was asleep? Was he really that horrible?

Maybe he wasn't that horrible. Maybe she deserved to be treated that way. Maybe she'd been a bad girl.

Still, she couldn't comprehend the cruel reality she faced daily. She couldn't think of anything that she wouldn't give just to spend 24 hours without him. There was no such thing for her. School was a hellhole in itself, and the only place she could feel safe was the Literature Club. Of course, that only lasted about an hour.

Her stomach grumbled. She was starving.

With a million thoughts running through her head, Natsuki began to get dressed quietly, as to not wake her father up.

_

_

Yuri woke up on her own time. The sun shone brightly through her windows. Birds were chirping outside. The smell of pancakes flooded her senses. She got up and pulled her uniform on, running downstairs. Umi was already dressed, whistling as she flipped the creamy batter on the hot pan.

"Good morning," Yuri yawned.

Umi turned around with a bright smile, motioning to a steaming plate of pancakes beside her. "I made pancakes."

"Thank you," Yuri said gratefully. "I'm starving!"

When Umi finished flipping the last cake, she sat down at the table with her sister. The two ate in silence before it was broken by Yuri.

"Have you decided to join the club?" Yuri asked, mouth full.

"I can try. I might not make the cut," Umi said, smirking.

"Shut up."

Umi put her hands up in surrender. "Alright! Alright! I'm finished," she said, getting up.

"I'll do the dishes," Yuri said, shoveling the last bites of food into her dainty mouth.

"Oh, it's okay, really," Umi said, beating her to the sink.

"You made the breakfast, I'm going to clean up," Yuri said firmly.

"Now I wish you were shy," Umi giggled. "Then you wouldn't be able to stand up to me."

"Whatever you say," Yuri sighed.

"What happened to your knee?" Umi asked, looking her sister up and down. "And your neck? Your arm?"

"What?"

"There are bruises...everywhere," Umi said worriedly.

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked, running to the bathroom. Umi was right, there were bruises scattered over her arms and neck. A giant bruise was on her knee. "This must be..." Yuri trailed off, looking her sister in the eye.

"...a demon," Umi whispered, earning a nod from Yuri. "Is there somebody we can talk to? Doesn't the school have an occult club?"

"It was shut down last year because the leader started a fire and lost control," Yuri sighed.

"Did the leader get expelled?" Umi asked.

Yuri thought for a second. "No, I don't think so."

"Try to shoot her a text," Umi suggested.

"I don't have her number," Yuri sighed in defeat. Moments later, her eyes lit up. "but I can email her."

Umi smiled brightly. "Do that."

Yuri pulled out her phone, glancing at the time. "Umi, we have to go if we're gonna catch the bus."

"We can just drive," Umi shrugged.

"I'd like to catch the bus," Yuri stated.

Umi furrowed her eyebrows and squinted her eyes. "Why?"

"I just do," Yuri said firmly.

"Then we better get going," Umi said, grabbing her packed lunch. "I made one for you too," she said, holding it out.

"Thanks," Yuri smiled softly.

The two rushed out to the bus stop just in time. Natsuki was once again pleading with the driver. She had about half of what the fare costed. "Please! I'll pay back what I need. I can scour around the vending machine! Please!"

"I'll pay again," Yuri said, catching the attention of Natsuki, the driver, and Umi.

The bus driver nodded. Natsuki huffed, crossing her arms. "Only if you insist," she said, looking away. A light blush spread across her cheeks.

Yuri and Umi settled in a seat at the back. The blue haired girl nudged her sister. "So this is what- or should I say who you wanted to see on the bus today?"

A dark blush spread across Yuri's pale cheeks. She began to furiously mess with her hair.

Umi giggled and sat back. I already ship it.

☆vote
☆comment
☆share