Author: Ok. This is the fic that I mentioned in my diary that I already finished. But I did a bit of editing. Requested by -That-Cutie-Naomi-

Note: This is like an alternate ending to the true ending of Book of Shadows: chapter 1 - "Seal".

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"Seiko, stay with me! breathe! breathe!"

"*cough* *cough* *wheezes* *inhales* *sputters*"

"Breath! Breath!"

"*pant* *pant* *cough* *pant*"

Seiko was currently saved by Naomi from being hanged in the girl's bathroom. It's still isn't clear for the shorter-haired girl the reason why in the world her best friend would even try hanging herself. But she was able to save her. And that's more than enough to be thankful for in her case. Naomi wrapped her arms around Seiko as she still panted heavily. Cry. All she could think of was just cry and let out all those emotions burning inside her.

"Seiko...*sobs*....you idiot! Why would you try to hang yourself!?"

".....*pant*....*pant*...."

"I was so, so, so, SO worried about you!"

"......*pant*......*pant*.....*sighs*"

Naomi just laid her head on her best friend's chest. Both fright and exhaustion taking over her. But she still have unanswered questions. Why did this have to happen to them? Did they deserve this? Did Seiko deserve this? Naomi's thoughts were halted when she heard a quiet groan from Seiko. She lifted her head up.

"Huh? Seiko? Are you ok? Can you see me?"

Seiko didn't answer back. Instead, she stared at Naomi as if she's trying to make sense of what's going on.

Then it hit her.

".......KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!" She screamed. Naomi is taken aback by this.

"S-Seiko!? What is it? What's wrong? It's me! Naomi!" She tried to calm the clearly frightened girl.

"...nngh....*sob* *sob*....." Seiko was now crying quietly and shivering slightly.

She was fearful. But of what? Of Naomi? That doesn't even make any sense! Why the heck would she be scared of Naomi? Before She could even register what was going on, Seiko shakily but quickly stood up on her feet and began stumbling out of the girl's bathroom.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! GET AWAAAAAYY!!!!!!!" Her screams echoed from the room as she left.

Naomi was both confused and afraid. Mostly confused. She was confused because Seiko ran away from her as if she was going to kill her (if she only knew). She was afraid because Seiko must've seen something that Naomi herself haven't seen yet. But that doesn't matter right now, she has to catch up with Seiko and fast!

"Seiko! Wait! Why are you running!? It's me! It's Naomi!" She shouted while trying to keep pace with Seiko as she ran after her.

No. I can't let her go again. I can't!

Naomi increased her speed. When she finally catches up with Seiko, she lunged herself forward and hugged the girl tightly from behind prompting her to stop just before she made her way downstairs.

"SEIKO, PLEASE! JUST LISTEN TO ME! Don't leave me alone, again! I.....I-I'm begging you....I'm sorry....*sob* *sob*"

She started crying again. Not that it bothered her. It's just that all of this was really exhausting her to the bone. But she held tight on Seiko and leaned her head forward so it was resting at the back of her best friend's neck.

"Please......I'm sorry for everything....for shouting at you, for even suggesting to split up....for....f-for..." She couldn't find the energy to speak anymore so she just let her body movements do the work. Her arms were still clinging at Seiko's waist. The other girl was tense and still shaking. But.....it seems that she was focused on something else....

"....I-Is that......a piano w-wire?" She quietly asked. Her voice barely above a whisper.

Naomi flinched. She remembered the piano wire that she saw just before she went up these stairs. She moved a bit and peeked from Seiko's back until she saw....yup, the VERY same and VERY sharp piano wire just beyond the stairs where they are currently standing. If Seiko continued running down from here carelessly.....Naomi shuddered at the thought. As if.....it had happened.....before.

Poor you. Do you really think you could save her?

"Kh-!!" Naomi flinched again after remembering something. Something unpleasant. She quickly let go of Seiko in order to clutch at her own head as if she's having a major headache. Seiko collapsed on her knees. Clearly frightened at the sight.

".......if I continued running down here.....I could've.....I could've...." Seiko just started talking. But it doesn't seem like she was talking to Naomi. Or anyone else for that matter.

Naomi sat down beside Seiko and hugged her again. This time, from the side and gently rubbed the other girl's head.

"Shh.....it's okay, now....your safe...." Naomi said in a comforting tone like a mom calming down her frightened child.

No she isn't. As long as you're around her, as long as you two are here, NOBODY is safe...

Naomi shook her head trying to get rid of that horrid voice.

"................" Seiko became quiet. She leaned her head on Naomi's shoulder and shakily sighed.

"......s-so.....t-tired....." She whimpered. Naomi just continued rubbing her head.

"I know....me too...."

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*A while later*

The two are once again, seated just outside the girl's bathroom. Naomi had thought that she needed to keep Seiko safe knowing that ANYTHING can kill them here so she has her arms securely wrapped around her best friend who was still shaking and whimpering. Naomi kept looking around for any signs of danger.

I won't let you take her away from me again....I won't.....

She felt the other girl squirmed a bit from her grip.

"Seiko? Are you alright, now?" Naomi moved and positioned herself in front of Seiko and gripped the other's shoulders tightly just in case she decided to run away again.

Seiko rubbed her eyes before fluttering them open. At first, she stared at Naomi. Then, her expression changed to being startled. Finally, she covered her face with her hands and started sobbing again.

"N-No more....please, no more....." She slowly shook her head.

"......what do you mean? Seiko, what are you so afraid of?" Naomi's voice was gentle. Trying hard not to frightened the other girl again.

Seiko looked up at her.

"......you.....don't remember anything?" She asked.

Huh? Remember? Remember what? Did something happened after they had split up?

"What? Seiko.....I-I don't understand...." She didn't know why but she suddenly felt a large amount of dread came over her  because of this conversation.

Seiko looked down and didn't answer. Her features darkening a bit. If that's the only answer she'll get, then she's just going to ask another question.

".....Seiko......*sob*....why in the world would you try to hang yourself!?" She didn't mean to shout, though. Blame her emotions.

Seiko flinched a bit. Then looked at Naomi.

"Hang myself? I didn't......I-I.....y-you....." Seiko began to stutter as if scared of what she was going to say. But somebody did the work for her.

It was YOU. Why do you think she was so SCARED when she saw you?

That dreadful feeling only grew worse for Naomi. But she had to be sure.

"......was it......me?" She quietly asked. Seiko looked at her before slowly nodding her head.

See? You ALMOST killed your own best friend. YOU. ARE. A. MURDERER.

"NO!!" Naomi stood up and clutched her head.

"N-Naomi!?" Now, it's Seiko's turn to calm the other girl down. She held both of Naomi's arms.

"Stop that! Y-You're gonna.....you're gonna hurt yourself!"

"No....nononononononono......I-I.......it was me....how could I....h-how...." Naomi was going hysteric. She was looking at the floor the entire time she's talking.

"NOOOOO!!!" She pushed Seiko away and ran inside the girl's bathroom and shut herself inside one of the stalls (the one where Seiko got hanged)

Seiko tried knocking loudly and calling out to her. But...to no avail.

"NO!! GET AWAY FROM ME!! I......I-I.....I MIGHT HURT YOU AGAIN!! GET AWAY FROM HERE NOW!!!" Naomi shouted from the inside.

"Naomi, please! Just listen to me!"

"..........." There was no response.

".....I-I'm sorry...." Seiko didn't know what to do now. She should've just lied and told her she has no idea what happened earlier. She should've just kept her mouth shut until they were out of this place before explaining to her what really happened. She should've....

".........*giggle*....*chuckle*..."

Soft giggling can be heard from the other side of the door.

"........N-Naomi?" Seiko's voice was shaky. She leaned closer to the door to hear what she could on the other side.

"......Seiko......remember our promise?" Naomi's tone was emotionless. Seiko quickly backed away from the door.

She doesn't know why but she suddenly felt terrified of Naomi's tone. She then remembered about reading a victim's memoire that said, "We promised each other that we'll always be together......I know I won't be able to keep that promise. But....I found a way to do so."  She shivered at the thought. What should she do? Run away? Try to talk to her? Before she could even make a choice, the stall door opened.

It revealed Naomi holding a pair of bloody scissors. Her head was down so Seiko can't clearly see her face. But what scared Seiko the most, wasn't the thing that Naomi was holding. It was the thick black mist that's surrounding her.

No! Not again!

"Let's always be......together..." Naomi whispered. Then she grinned.

Seiko ran away.

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*later....(again)*

Seiko was sobbing as she walked through the dark and cold hallway of the haunted school.

"*sob* *sob* I'm sorry, Naomi....I'm s-so sorry! *sob* *sniff*" She tried wiping her eyes but her tears just won't stop coming.

".....*hic* *sob*......I left her alone again.....I'm such a *hic* horrible, horrible *sob* friend...." She got tired of walking and went to sit down and lean on a nearby wall.

".......I s-should've just stayed with her.....s-she hates being alone...."

But she tried to kill you....and she will do it again.

Seiko covered her ears with her hands hoping that it could block those horrible voices.

"......she.....she was only s-scared.....and the p-pressure's getting to her...she would never try t-to kill me...."

Tsk. Yeah right. You still believe that after seeing what just happened with your own eyes? Not to mention, she have succeeded before.

Seiko hugged her knees tightly and buried her face on it. She couldn't take this anymore. She just coudn't.

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*Flashback....(after getting separated from Naomi)*

"*bawls* *wail* Waaaaaaaahh!!!!!!! Naomi you insensitive jerk!! Uwaaaah!!!! *sob* *cries*"

Seiko was currently walking around the second floor hallway after Naomi decided that they should split up.

".......*whimper*.....n-no.....I.....I shouldn't say all those things to her.....s-she....she's only scared.....it's my fault! I'm not doing a good job in calming her down! I brought out all of her pain...I left her....I made her cry......and those are the things a friend should NEVER do! I'm sorry Naomi! I don't deserve to be your friend! *sob* *wail*"

Seiko continued walking around the hallway while still crying. After a few minutes or so, she calmed down a bit.

"*sniff*.....I hate being alone....I'm sure Naomi does, too....but why did she want us to separate? Am I slowing her down? Annoying her maybe?.....*whimper*....maybe.... I should apologize...." She wiped her face again and pulled out her phone.

She didn't even get to send her message because she suddenly heard footsteps coming towards her.

"H-Huh!? W-Who's there?" She turned around quickly. She saw a familiar figure standing at the other end of the hallway. She put her phone back in her pocket.

"N-Naomi!? Is that you!?" Did she follow her? Did she wanted to stay with her after all? Seiko immediately ran towards the person not too far from her and hugged them tightly. It was Naomi. Much to Seiko's relief.

"I'm so glad you're ok! I'm really sorry about earlier! I don't want us to separate, Naomi! We promised each other that we'll always be together, remember? I swear I won't be a bother to you anymore. Just please let me stay with you!" Seiko was hugging the other girl tightly. But.....the other girl isn't responding. She's not even hugging her back.

".....N...Naomi?" Seiko stepped back a little to look at Naomi.

Her eyes were grey and emotionless. Same goes for her face. Emotionless. A black thick aura is surrounding her body.

"N-Naomi!?" She stepped back again. She didn't notice it before but, Naomi was cold when she hugged her. As she backed away, she tripped on something and fell on her rear.

The thing she tripped on was a pair of scissors.....bloody and rusty scissors. She then heard a kid's laughter just beside her and saw a red-dressed girl with a huge man following behind her. The kid was floating and has a dark glow around her.

"Oh, you found my scissors! Thank you very much, Seiko onee-chan. *giggle*" She  said as she picked up the said scissors. Seiko didn't even ask how the kid knows her name because she began trembling. A lot.

She tried standing up to run away but was suddenly caught by Naomi's grip. Naomi's arms were tightly wrapped around Seiko preventing her from escaping. The huge man made his way towards them.

"N-No! Stay back!! Get away from me!!" She tried to shake herself free but Naomi was much stronger than she thought.

The huge man grabbed her by the back of her neck and lifted her up in the air.

"Ack-! What are you doing!? Put me down! Let go!!" She grabbed the man's tight grip but couldn't pry those fingers away that was firmly gripping her nape. Which hurt, of course.

She tried calling for help. Yelling for Naomi to help her. And even tried kicking her captor. But it only made her tired so she stopped resisting and instead, her loud screams of pain or for help was replaced by soft whimpers and sobs.

"Are you tired already, onee-chan? Don't worry, you'll get to rest soon." The kid chuckled after saying that.

After a while, Seiko found herself across the third floor of this cursed school and she saw a familliar place.

Huh? Wait, what are we doing here?

Before she knew it, she was thrown by the large man somewhere and her back hit a wall. Hard. She started coughing.

"glkh-!! W-What the-!? *cough* *cough*" When she finally regains her composure, she found herself inside the girl's bathroom.

The three people with her (well, two since the other one was clearly a ghost) followed suit. She was again, grabbed by the huge man and was lifted up but this time, by the front of her uniform.

"Gah-!! What do you want from me!? gghk...*groans*..." She shouted. The kid with the red dress just chuckled at her.

She saw Naomi moving towards her. But this time, with a rope in her hands. Was that there before? Seiko grew nervous of what she thought was going to happen next.

Naomi opened a stall door. The third one from the right. She began tying the rope to a noose from the ceiling. She then grabbed a rusty bucket somewhere and positioned it just under the noose. The large man moved her towards the said stall and made her stand at the bucket. She finally realized what's going to happen to her.

"N-No! Stop it!! Don't-!! Naomi, snap out of it! Please!!" She began shouting at Naomi. But it doesn't seem like she's listening to her.

The kid with them just started laughing out loud.

"Hahahahaha! Do you really think she could hear you?" The kid asked. Giving her a sinister look.

Her hands were being tied at her back by the huge man while Naomi was tying the noose around her neck. Naomi then tugged lightly on it to make sure it was tied securely on Seiko.

"...N-Naomi.....please, wake up....this...t-this isn't you..." Seiko weakly said.

The huge man and the kid moved in front of her and watched them as if watching a stage play. The kid laughed slightly.

They're just waiting for my doom...

Naomi was getting ready to pull again. But this time, it looks like it will end up lifting Seiko on the ground by the neck. Suffocating her (spoilers: like in the manga)

She knew it was inevitable. But....she at least wanted for Naomi to hear her say,

....I'm sorry.....Naomi....

Naomi pulled on the rope.

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*End of flashback*

GASP

*pant* *pant*

Seiko was breathing heavily. She must have fell asleep while crying. Her tears were dry which means she must be out for quite some time now.

"....nnggh.....I should be looking for Naomi.....We still need to find everyone else and get out of this place...." She murmured to herself.

But then she remembered, maybe they can't get out. Maybe there's no way out after all. But that doesn't mean she can't help the others. She pulled out her phone and deleted her previous message. After typing, she just held it in her hand and let her arm fall to her side. She began crying again.

"I'm really sorry.....Naomi...*hic* *sniff*....I-I....I DON'T EVEN CARE IF WE GET OUT OF THIS PLACE AS LONG AS YOU'RE HERE WITH ME!!! *sob* *sob* *whine*...." She covered her face and continued sobbing.

She heard footsteps again. And they stopped just in front of her.

"......is that....true?"

Seiko looked up to see who was talking to her. It was Naomi. But the black mist was gone and she was smiling sadly at her.

"....N-Naomi....I-" Seiko was cut off when Naomi suddenly kneeled down and hugged her tightly. She hugged her back just as tight. She started to sob again.

"Will you promise that we'll always be together?" Naomi suddenly asked her. Seiko just nodded while still sobbing.

"Even.....even if we won't get to escape this place?" Again, Seiko nodded.

"....thank you. Seiko......but....I have to make sure..." Seiko was a bit startled by that.

"H-Huh? What do you-kh!!" She felt something sharp and cold touch her belly.

She didn't notice that Naomi had lifted her uniform a bit higher which exposed her stomach. And the black mist seems to be returning. This time, now it was surrounding Seiko as well. She squirmed from the hug.

"If we are going to be together forever....then I have to make sure we do so..." Naomi said. Seiko had a sense of deja vu.

"N-Naomi, wait-Ack!!" Pain shoot from her stomach to her entire being. She shivered slightly. It was unbearable. Her ears began ringing and her stomach feels like it's burning. Blood began pouring from where she got stabbed.

".....glkh.....nngh...." She stopped hugging Naomi and clutch her stomach. Only to find out that it was Naomi's wrist she clutched on instead. The same scissors she saw earlier was what Naomi used to stab her.

She tried pushing Naomi's hand away but Naomi resisted and pushed the scissors deeper into Seiko's flesh. Seiko let out a cry.

"Kh!!....*whimper*....nngh....*sob*" Seiko doesn't know why but she felt a sudden urge to keep quiet. Maybe she doesn't want to attract attention and to prevent more trouble. But, how is she going to call for help then? Maybe......she doesn't want to?

I......I-I can't......

She desperately tried to move away from Naomi but she hadn't noticed that Naomi moved and was now sitting at her legs and her arm was pinning one of Seiko's shoulders at the wall behind her.

"nnngg.....Naomi.....d-don't.....do this....*whimper*..." Seiko pleaded. Naomi just inched her face closer to the other girl. She was glaring at her.

"But you said we'll always be together, right? And you don't care if you get out of here as long as you get to stay with me. Is Seiko lying?" Naomi raised an eyebrow.

Before Seiko could answer, Naomi swiftly pulled out the scissors from Seiko's wound only to push it back into her stomach again.

"Gahck-!!! *cough* *cough*" Seiko started coughing blood. She wanted it to stop. She wanted to just lose conscsiousness. But her body just won't let that happened.

"I'll make sure we WILL be together and NO ONE can separate us. EVER again." Naomi just continued stabbing her while saying this. Every time she did, Seiko would either flinch, whimper or even yelp in pain.

Seiko was growing tired and she can't feel much of her body anymore. What's worse, she feel cold. Extremely cold.

"....there...." Naomi stared at her like a painter admiring his painting. Naomi then moved closer to Seiko and caressed her face. Seiko only whimpered in response.

"......*whimper*....N-Naomi....I'm...c-cold..." She couldn't even speak properly because she was shaking a lot.

Naomi only smiled at her. A genuine one.

"Don't worry.....it won't last long. Rest well....Seiko. I love you..." After saying this, Naomi leaned down and gently but firmly kissed Seiko on the lips. A final stab follows. This time, at her throat.

"mmpph!!...*gurgle*.....n-nngh...*whimper* *whine*...." Seiko's noises were muffled by Naomi's lips. She squirmed a bit but then finally stopped moving. Her eyes slowly closing.

As long as she's with me....then, it's ok.....if she wants this....then, it's ok....even....if it hurts.....so....much....

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*Later......(for the final time)*

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!"

"MOCHIDA-KUN!!"

"SATOSHI!!"

Both Yoshiki and Ayumi ran towards where they heard Satoshi's screams. The three are currently looking for their friends. Satoshi said that he wants to investigate alone while Yoshiki and Ayumi should investigate together. The two didn't argue because Satoshi clearly need some alone time since his sister disappeared and had been blaming himself ever since.

They arrived at the second floor hallway when they saw Satoshi. He was crouched down facing what looked like two corpses hugging eachother close. They approached him.

"What the hell, Satoshi!? You scared the crap out of-" Yoshiki lost his words after seeing who the two corpses are.

"H-Huh? No....i-it can't be...." Ayumi weakly said while whimpering slightly. She doesn't want to believe what she is seeing right now.

"....*sob*.....why?.....why, Naomi?.....*sob*" Satoshi quietly sobbed.

"Shinohara-san.....Nakashima-san...they're...*whimper*" Ayumi covered her face and began crying.

No way....

Yoshiki went near the corpses and examined them. This is definitely their friends. But....it looked like their stomachs were repeatedly stabbed which left a disturbingly large hole as a wound. Yoshiki narrowed his eyes and noticed that Seiko seems to be crying but smiling. Same goes for Naomi. Wait.....did they?

"No way.....no way they would've....done this...to themselves..." Yoshiki murmured to himself.

He went back and comforted his other friends. Satoshi moved closer to one of said corpses and hugged Naomi. Ushering her away from Seiko. Then he cried loudly.

"DAMN YOU!!!! ARE YOU GETTING A GOOD LAUGH OUT OF THIS YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SH*T!!!!! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!!" He yelled.

Ayumi immediately went to his side and tried calming him down. Yoshiki just shakily sighed. He doesn't want to cry in front of his friends (whether their dead or alive) so he went near Seiko to examine her further and try to find out what really happened. He noticed a phone beside her.

"Huh? What the-?" He carefully took the phone and flipped it open. It only has one last battery and it looks like it's owner forgot to send the message they wrote. He quietly apologized but began reading it anyway.

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Recipient: ???
Subject: Good bye

I hope to whoever finds this message....my message....don't worry.....dying isn't that bad....especially dying for a love one...but...as long as you still have strength....faith.....hope.....please, don't lose it...it's hard maintaining it in a place like this....I just wish you guys won't end up like us. But, I'm not blaming anyone here....to whoever is reading this....good luck, and please.....take care....
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Author:*shrugs* welp.....my mood just took a turn for the worst.....my teeth still freaking hurts and going to the dentist didn't help lessen the pain at all. *sighs*....