One year later

Mafuyu's POV

"Kirisu-sensei, you are really under-performing recently. You should pay more attention to your teaching. Your students' scores are getting lower, and if you don't have any solution for this, I might have to do something with you."

"... I understand, principal. I am sorry for that..."

"Look. I think you have something bothering in your mind. If you feel like it, just take a day off. Don't force yourself."

"... I'm fine, principal. I cannot take a break from my teaching because of that. It is too unprofessional for me."

"... Fine then. Just think of what I said, Kirisu-sensei. You may take your leave."

I give the principal one more nod and leave his room, walking on the dark corridor. Just as usual, the sky is strangely glooming, and I can't understand why those students don't bother and keep playing, talking, like today is a great day. My last class for this afternoon is over, and now I just want to get my stuff in the teachers' room and leave. I just want to relieve all of my stress for the day.

I walk in the teachers' room, and just as usual, my colleagues are still chatting about something... well, interesting or important. What is that? Did someone just get married? Some new Japanese gameshow? Or did someone pass away? I can't even hear them, they're just buzzing in my ears.

When I finally reach my desk, someone pats my back to get my attention. It's just another teacher, about to 'teach' me some useless stuffs.

"Kirisu-sensei, what happened to you? Your student's History scores are very below average, and they are blaming on your teaching method. It's so rare to hear that, you know?"

Her voice is so small, like sound of small wind blowing through my ears, but I can still almost hear it.

"... So? You believe them?"

"Not really, but looking at their scores, I don't think they are telling a lie or exaggerating so you won't teach them anymore."

"And what is your role here? This is my problem! I can solve it myself without any of your word!" I told her, almost loudly and caught the attention of the teachers nearby. She takes her leave, but doesn't forget to get another one to talk about her non-sense.

And there they are, pointing at me, talking about stuffs they don't know or understand from me, behind my back.

"Guys, we are going for dinner and karaoke tonight. Since tomorrow is weekend, are you interested in it as well?" Another teacher asked loudly in front of the others, and they all agreed. What the hell is wrong with them? Instead of going home and preparing for the lessons next week, THAT is what you're going to do? Irresponsible!

"Kirisu-sensei, would you like to go as well? I think you've been having some stress, so just enjoy a bit as a relaxation..."

"No thanks! I have some more valuable things to do at home. I'll be going now. Take care!" I glared back at him and left the room with my purse. And my reward for doing that... is more wrong chatting behind my backs.

"Hey, I heard Kirisu-sensei got called to the principal's room. With her state right now, I don't think the reason is positive..."

"THE Kirisu-sensei is actually teaching badly? This could be my chance and also ours to impress the principal and perhaps a promotion, don't you think?"

"And so, she's just leaving like that... Just let her be, she hasn't had a proper conversation with us for a year. It's just her way to get more attentions. I'm not bothering with her anyway..."

And that's how they go... their toxic voices coming from their mouths...

Do you even consider what you are saying? When someone is still near you...?

O0O

Sitting in my car, everything around me is just darkening. The bloody red color of afternoon sky, about to turn into that pitch black color of night. Cheerful people talking outside, about things that I can't hear properly. Combine with a disturbing scent of my car's air-conditioner. All I think of is one place, one destination I need to go to.

Suddenly, I hear a loud horn sound, from a truck, about to crash in my car, just right in front of me. With all of my surprising and sudden, I slam my foot on the brake as soon as possible, forcing my car to stop at instant, especially when it is going in such a high speed.

"HEY YOU GIRL! PAY MORE ATTENTION, WILL YOU?!" The truck drive scolded me and drove away. What did he mean by that? The traffic light on his lane is red!

And so, after a while, I finally reach the place I want to go to.

Nochui hospital.

O0O

"All right, Kirisu-san, the patient you are looking for is in room 241, upstairs."

I say thanks to the nurse and go upstairs, to the room 241. When I am there, reading the sign next to the door, I know that I'm at the right place.

'Room 241. Patient: Yuiga Nariyuki. Status: Vegetative state. Recovering'

As a habit, I look both sides, hopefully that no one, or anyone familiar with me sees me here. When I'm sure no one is around, I slowly open the door and walk in.

The sight of this room is way too familiar to me. The beeping sound of heart monitor, the disturbing smell of the medicine. But there is still one thing, or someone, familiar to me, but I don't mind seeing him too often.

Yuiga Nariyuki.

There he is, lying unconscious on the hospital bed, with bandage around his head to keep the injury from getting any worse. In order to continue his recovery, I've had to do everything, just to keep that glimpsing light that he will be alive.

According to the nurse, his status is getting better, but she is still unsure if there will be any side effects. Most likely, he might lose some memories, or at least he will forget anything happened before the accident. If he forgets about me, well, when he's out of his unconscious state, I will be glad. I don't want him, my former student, to remember me anyway...

Suddenly, I hear someone open the door. I turn around, hoping that it's not someone who knows me.

"Oh, Mafuyu-chan. You're visiting Yuiga as well?" It's Yuiga-kun's mom, Hanae-san. I'm busted.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I'll be leaving now!" I stand up, forcing myself to leave, but his mom grabs my hand, pulling me back.

"It's alright, Mafuyu-chan. You can stay. No one is around..."

"Rejection! I'm sorry, but I have to-"

"Mizuki, his younger sister, is not here. You can stay if you want to..." Her words comfort me, so after a bit of hesitation, I close the door, but still standing in the same spot. I look down to the ground, so I don't see her face.

Hanae-san grabs his hand, rubbing it slightly. I look up a bit just to catch the sight of her sad face, worrying about her son.

"Poor Yuiga. He's really looking forward to the graduation, and this happened..." Her words are like knifes stabbing into my heart. I clench my fists, almost to the point that they might bleed, and grit my teeth. With all my courage, I manage to utter some words.

"I-I'm... sorry... Hanae-san..." Then I close my eyes, shut it tightly, waiting for any scolding I'm about to get. But I don't get anything painful or heartbreaking, just a simple pat on the head.

"Now, now, Mafuyu-chan. I forgive you. And I think you've been doing lots of things so my son's recovery can still continue, no?" His mom said, trying to comfort me, but I shook my head.

"Denial. I d-don't deserve... your forgiveness, H-Hanae-san..." I said, clenching my fists more tightly. I can feel that my eyes are starting to water.

"But you've been paying for the hospital fees, right?"

"W-Well, I..."

"Don't you lie to me. Every time I went to the hospital to pay the expenses, they always said that someone had paid for it. It's must be you, isn't it?"

I can't look at Hanae-san's face, even I know she is comforting me. Yes, I'm the one who paid the hospital expenses for Yuiga-kun the whole time. But how did she know?

"H-How did you know...?"

"According to my husband, you are a former and successful figure skater, aren't you? And like anyone else, you must have such a corner of trophies, right?"

"... Hanae-san, I..."

"And you sold all of them, am I right?"

The cat is finally out of the box. I can't hold it anymore, so there I am, slowly and quietly sobbing like a little girl. I know those are precious awards, but also something I want to forget. Selling them is totally not a big deal.

So why am I... feeling such a pain in my heart?

Before I know it, Yuiga's mom wraps her arms around me, trying to calm me down. "It's alright, Mafuyu-chan. Don't cry. If you feel that you can't afford the fees anymore, then just don't. Don't force yourself, okay?"

I have to admit, I've sacrificed a lot for Yuiga's recovery. But I don't care how expensive it is, I just want to fix my mistake, fulfill my responsibility as a teacher. And after all harsh words, people talking behind my back, about my fault for causing this... she, Hanae-san, my teacher's wife, Yuiga's mom, is comforting me with such nice words, something I've not felt for a year.

And there I am, like a broken little girl, sobbing in her mom's arms, so weak that she's not able to hug her back...

O0O

"If there is any further update, I'll be sure to let you know, okay? You can come to our house if you want to." I think Hanae-san's last words before leaving. But I'm sorry, I've worried you enough.

Open my apartment's door, switch on the light, and as always, a mess. Boxes and boxes all over the place, cups of instant ramen rolling everywhere, with some bottles of alcohol and debt bills stacking on the ground.

I make another ramen cup, heat up some water for my bath time, hoping some hot water can help me end my stressful day.

Gosh, it's cold! Maybe because I haven't paid for my gas bill. Oh well...

After watching TV and having a cup of ramen, thanks to the heat from the microwave, I decide to go to sleep. As a habit, I take a drink of alcohol so sleeping may be easier, and also to forget bad things happened today.

Ahh... it's just delicious, as always.

And so, before I know it, with silence surrounding me, I fall asleep, as an end to my day of tiredness.

O0O

Writer's POV

"Kirisu-sensei! Look at the students' scores! We are on fire, aren't we?"

"Self-controlled. Stay calm, Yuiga-kun. Don't be too emotional like that."

The pink haired teacher tells her trainee, the one in glasses, under her supervision. He is holding a pile of test papers, with good results all over it.

"Admitting. That's quite a positive result from you, Yuiga-kun. Although mostly it's thanks to me." The teacher said, slightly twisting her hair. But the trainee doesn't look like he's disappointed by it. He just has the same smiley face, happy with what he has done.

"Kirisu-sensei, do you know what my dream is?" The trainee asked excitedly. His supervisor doesn't seem to care, but she still asks back for his sake.

"What is it?"

"I want to become a successful teacher, just like my dad."

"You know, Yuiga-kun. Saying is easier that done. Just you wait. The responsibility is larger than you expected." The teacher answered, keeping a serious face to her trainee.

"But I guess I won't be able to achieve it..." The trainee said disappointedly, surprised his supervisor.

"Hey, did I say something that make you sad? Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"... when YOU KILL and CRUSH it!" The atmosphere suddenly becomes darker, along with the glitch voice from the sudden angry trainee. A sudden shake pushes the pink haired woman to the ground, but she doesn't realize it when her eyes are still wide open for this turn of event.

"W-What do you mean, Yuiga-kun? Y-You're acting strange, you know?" The teacher shakenly asked in terror.

"And here you are, teaching me about responsibility?! Oh cut the crap! How about I take my turn and teach you something back?!" The trainee said and snapped his fingers. Out of nowhere, a truck running with high speed crashes into him, bringing him away in her sight.

And so, the academy's corridor starts to collapse, bringing the teacher to the fall of death.

"YUIGA-KUN!" Mafuyu shouted and awoke. She has sweats all over her face, with watering eyes, tears waiting to fall from there.

"It's that same dream again..." She breathes heavily and thinks about it, about the dream that has been haunting her over and over again, for a year. It's always the same dream that end her day, preparing for the next morning. Surrounding her are the sounds of owls and tick tock from her clock, showing three o'clock.

"No... No no no... I have to get back to my sleep... it's just a nightmare... it won't harm me..." And so, she grabs the bottle of alcohol nearby, with still some liquid inside. Without any hesitation, she takes a huge shot, hoping to get back to her sleep. She is so drunk that she drops it in a sudden, shattered glasses all over the place. She reaches her hand for something to help her sleep well, and grabs something fluffy. It's the stuffed toy that she and Nariyuki won in a claw machine.

She holds it tightly and shuts her eyes, trying to get some sleep, but she can't stop thinking about what happened.

'PAY MORE ATTENTION, WILL YOU?!'

'You should pay more attention to your teaching.'

She doesn't care about her stomach rumbling. She doesn't care about her health is getting worse. She just holds the stuffed toy, silently crying with the torture of the silent room, whispering to herself, trying to grab a glimpse of hope...

"... Yuiga-kun..."

Chapter 2

The terrifying [X] becomes something that the predecessor can't get it out

Waking up in the cold air of morning, Mafuyu rubs her now messy hair, reaches for her phone as a habit, when all she sees is a text message, on her locking screen.

'From: Hanae Nariyuki

Mafuyu-chan! You're free today?! Quickly come to the hospital! There is something happening to Yuiga!'