Real Demon

PROLOGUE

Prologue
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"Good bye, class!" 

"Good bye, Miss Kate. See you again on Monday!" Sabay-sabay na wika ng mga estudyante.

The students stood up eagerly when our teacher exited the classroom. Some had already started walking towards the door because they were already wearing their backpacks even as Miss Kate was speaking at the front about the homework we needed to complete. Others were a bit delayed as they were still organizing their belongings.

I glanced at a girl sitting in the last row of seats. She seemed composed but remained seated. The others started leaving one by one, leaving just the two of us. She didn’t notice me since we were seated in opposite columns in the last row.

After a moment, she stood up and peeked out of the window. I couldn’t see what she was looking at outside. Shortly after, I heard her phone vibrating and she quickly picked it up. Her eyes widened before she dashed out. I hurriedly stood up and chased after the panicked girl.

I caught up with her as she was about to enter the school elevator. She pressed the elevator buttons one by one, but they didn’t open immediately, so she opted to take the stairs instead, using only a few steps, allowing her to quickly run from the third floor to the ground floor.

Nagtaka ako nang sa likod ng school kami nakapunta. Madalas na rito lumalabas ang mga staff ng school kapag sarado na ang main gate.

I hesitated, both of us panting heavily, yet she continued running without stopping. The wind was chilly, and the sky was overcast, hinting at rain. I heard her faint sobbing, which piqued my curiosity even more. I didn’t really intend to follow her, but her behavior earlier was highly suspicious.

The path we were taking was familiar to me. It was tree-lined and devoid of vehicles, leading towards a wide expanse of ocean at its end.

I glanced at the girl again when she finally came to a halt. She looked around nervously. Her hair only reached her neck, so every turn of her head made it sway with her movements. Her gaze settled on the right side of the road.

It appeared to be a small park. There were no fences, so I could immediately see what was there—swings, a slide, a merry-go-round, and a seesaw. My eyes fixed on a guy sitting on the swing, slowly pushing himself back and forth. His eyes were closed, so he didn’t notice that the girl I followed was now in front of him.

I froze as the girl suddenly embraced the guy. He gently placed his hands on her waist and pulled her closer, resting his head near her shoulder. They stayed in that position for a few minutes until the girl finally spoke as drizzle began to fall. I was several meters away from them, so I couldn’t hear their conversation.

The man was saying something, causing the girl to surrender as she tightly embraced him, tears now streaming down her face. She tried to break free from his embrace but he held on firmly, unable to resist. It was clear he also wanted to hug her but something was holding him back.

I touched my cheek with the back of my hand and felt it wet, unaware that tears were flowing as I watched them. I don’t know the reason behind their actions, but I feel like I understand what they’re feeling.

Napatakip ako sa bibig ko nang magsimula akong humikbi kagaya sa pag-iyak ng babae. I clutched my chest as my heart raced, causing me to squeeze  my eyes shut. My entire body trembled with the pain I felt, intensified by the downpour of rain until I felt a warm hand on my arm.

He tried to remove my hands from my face. When I looked up, that’s when I realized I was in the same spot where the girl was earlier, facing the man she was crying over. Pinunasan niya ang mga luha ko habang lumilinga-linga ako sa paligid, wala na ang babaeng sinundan ko.