6-1

-Yoshino's P.O.V.-

I ran to the front door as fast as I could and put on my sneakers; ready to leave the house until...

"Hey, got a sec?"  I could see Ana, who seemed to have cooled down, walking down the stairs.
"Not now, Ana! I've to go!!" I left the house, leaving Ana hanging.
"Wa-Wait, where're you go-?!!" Ana tried to stop me.

DUPP!! The door was tightly shut before Ana.

"Arghh! That idiotic fool!!" Ana stomped in rage.

(Yoshino's Scene)

TAP! TAPP!! TAPPP!!!

The sound of my footsteps were heard. Louder. Quicker. I hate running; racing against time. My breath became heavier as sweat began running down my neck. It felt as if I was running in the never-ending darkness. I stopped to catch my breath under the lamppost. I was all alone.

What time is it? Why did Nakatsugawa-san called me, in the middle of the night?! What is so important that it can't wait until tomorrow?!! Plus, isn't it forbidden to be in the school campus after 7pm?

But most importantly...how did she get my number???

I continued running. I'm almost there...and I could see a bright light. Just ahead of me. I...finally made it. The front gate of the prestigious Sakurasaka High. The moonlight shone; leading me the way. There was a slight mist which gives it a much eerie surrounding. Cold chills were felt and my heart began racing; about to pop out of my chest anytime. It was creepy. I was surprised she made it here without a second thought to go back home.

"Where is she?"
"Oii, Nakatsugawa-san..?!!" I called out but no answer.

I took a glance of the wristwatch I was wearing. It was 10.51 pm. And there was still no sign of her.

"That's it, I'm going home..." I was walking away.

I couldn't do anything. I didn't have her number to call her or something. I might as well leave. Why did she call me, I mean why me?! Who knows? It might be one of her pranks again. Besides, I've school tomorrow not tonight.

"NNNOOO..!!" a shout was heard.
"H-Huh? That sounded like Nakatsugawa-san..?!!" I turned back and ran towards the sound of the screaming.

But when I arrived at the scene...

"Oh, if it isn't Yoshino-kun?" Iroha was surprised as if she never called me.
"Nakatsugawa-san?! I thought you were in trouble."
"Haah? Why would I be? What makes you say that?!" Iroha gave me a look.
"But..you were screaming just a while ago." I huffed. "A-And..in the phone?"
"Y-Yeah...'cos of my nails! I fell down and broke one when I was on the phone..plus my nail polish was unevenly applied. Isn't that troublesome?!!" she cried.
"Urgh..YOU are troublesome!" I highlighted the 'you' as I pointed. "So..why did you call me??"

"Umm..about that. I really needed someone to accompany me here. You see..after all the excitement today morning, I..accidentally left my notebook in the classroom." Iroha knocked her head lightly with her right eye closed and tongue sticking out. "Teehee.."
"Tee hee?!! I came all the way here to get a stupid notebook??!!" I blasted in shock.
"It's not my fault my adrenaline is high today. Geez, you don't have to be angry with me!" she pouted.
"Well good luck with that. See you tomorrow, Nakatsugawa-san!" I waved as I walked away. "?!"

There was a sudden tug; Iroha pulled my left arm.

"Wait! P-Please, don't go..it'll be quick. I promise!!" she pleaded.
"Haah..okay, okay! Now stop looking at me with those cute puppy eyes!!" I decided to give in.

Besides, it's really late at night. It'll be stupid if I'd just left her alone here. This is the first time she asked for a favour so why not?

"Great! I'll give a treat later, okay?" she smiled.
"What am I? Your dog?!"
"Maaybee..now let's get going!" Iroha pulled me again.
"Oii, stop pulling me..a-ah..hey!!"

6-2

-Normal P.O.V.-

It was dark and the light from Iroha's phone was the only thing that led them the way.

"I think...it's this way, Yoshino-kun." Iroha somehow hesitated.
"Y..You think? What do you mean by that?!!"
"Well, it's not my fault my eyes can't see properly in the dark!!"
"Hmm..yea, it is kinda dark in here, Nakatsu..?" Yoshino turned back.

He stood still. He saw Iroha paused and trembling in the dark. Her face was pale white. It seemed impossible to ask her to keep going. So, he thought.

"Hey..you okay?" Yoshino gave her a hand. "Can you go on? Here, hold my hand."
"I-I'm fine! L..Let's just go..!!" Iroha slapped his hand and walked past him.
"Sheesh..don't have to be so mean, I was just trying to help.." he murmured.

Iroha was leading the way. Her phone in her hand shook as she tried to hide her fear. Yoshino noticed it but he kept it to himself; wishing that the night would end quickly so he could go home and rest.

"The stairways should be here somewhere-" Iroha searched.

SQUUISSHH..!!

It was soft and squishy, whatever it was under her left foot. It gave her the shivers; causing her to give a loud..

"KYYAAAAAHHH..!!!" she screamed in disgust and bounced away.

She hurriedly grabbed Yoshino, trembling.

"W-What is...that??" she was horrified.

-Yoshino's P.O.V.-

Nakatsugawa-san was literally hugging me close to her. There was only little air for me to breathe in at my current state. I was breathless and I'd no idea what to do next. I stood still as she hugged me tighter by the second. She was so close to me that I could smell the sweet smelling fragrance from her beautiful blonde hair. Was that the smell of her shampoo? Wait a sec..why am I taking such an advantage in the current situation? After all, she's just..Nakatsugawa-san.

"YOSHINO-KUNN!!" she cried. "Over there! I think I just stepped on something..it's so disgustingly soft and squishy!!"

'Well..there's something soft and squishy over here as well..' I thought as I looked under my shoulder, blushing.

"Alright already! I'll go check it out." I tried to calm her down; after releasing myself from her grip.

I grabbed the phone in her hand and flashed out to the direction where she stood before. I tried walking towards it as I saw something on the wooden floor. That was until..she pulled my arm again and said softly...

"D-Don't leave me..."

I looked at her...she was feeling hostile and looked really fragile at the same time. It was as if she could shatter anytime. This is the first time I saw this other side of her. The Nakatsugawa-san that I knew before was a completely different person now. The adventurous, brave and friendly Nakatsugawa-san was actually nothing more than a fragile glass princess. Something that I've never expected her to be.

"Okay..just stay close to me." I instructed.
"Emm.." she just nodded and continued hugging my arm as we walked.
"Oh, look..You just stepped on a body of a dead lizard!" I exclaimed.
"NNNOOO!!" she was completely disgusted.

6-3

A few moments later...

"Finally, the staircase! Let's go up, Nakatsugawa-san." I pointed.

She kept quiet after what happened. I guess she was traumatized by the way the dead lizard looked at her. It was awkward. The silence. All I could hear was the sound of our footsteps and the sound of some night creatures outside.

"Umm..Yoshino-kun?" she finally spoke.
"Huh?"
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'm really glad I called you tonight."
"Uhh..yea, I'm glad to be of help."
"No, you're not! You were just about to leave minutes ago!!" she corrected.
"You ungrateful brat!!"
"Haha. This's so embarassing to be seen like this. I bet now your image of me changed, huh?" she chuckled awkwardly.

She was right but...

"Really? But I think this side of you is really cute, though. To be honest, I was always looking up to the beautiful, flawless Nakatsugawa-san. Now that I've met this new side of you, I feel that I've known you closer. Even if it's just a tiny bit." I confessed.

She became silent again. Was it something I've said? She didn't even looked up.

"Nakatsugawa-san..?" I called as I got closer to her.
"Don't look this way, you idiot!!" her head was still pinned downwards.
"O..kay..Anyway, let's get going." I continued climbing.

That was awkwardly weird.

"I-I'm sorry. I was just thinking about 'The Seven Mysteries Of Sakurasaka', that's all!" she voiced out. "I was wondering if it was true.."
"You should really stop believing crap like that now, Nakatsugawa-san. You know that!"
"But there was something about the stairs..um..what's it called again? The..The Staircase Of Death, was it..no..what was it again..Bloody..Red.."
"I-I think we shouldn't be talking about that, now that we're climbing one.." I was pretty freaked out by the names and I don't wanna know how it'd gotten its name from.

(Yoshino's Home)
-Normal P.O.V.-

The lights in the living room was still on. The clock showed 11.27 pm. It was late but Ana was still sitting on the sofa, wide awake.

"Where could he be? It's already so late." Ana was worried. "What an idiot! I hate him for making me worried about him!!"

CREEAAKK!! The living room door sounded. It was her twin sister, Yuri, entering the room.

"Ana..what are you still doing here? Aren't you going to bed? We've school tomorrow." Yuri yawned.

Ana just kept quiet; ignoring her.

"Are you worried about him?" Yuri sat down close to her.

Ana's face turned blood red, shocked with Yuri's wild guess.

"N-No, I wasn't! I'm just not that sleepy, okay?!"

Yuri smiled at her twin's bashful reaction. It was adorable.

"Don't worry, Ana. He'll be back soon."
"Wha-What..I wasn't..!" Ana protested.

But when she looked at Yuri's smile, she knew she could no longer hide it.

"Humph!" Ana turned away, embarrassed.

6-4

(Yoshino's Scene)

"Did you find it? Is it there?!" Yoshino questioned.
"That's weird..it's..it's not here!!" Iroha was confused. "I'm sure I left it here!"
"W-What did you say?! You're saying that..we came here for nothing?!!"
"No, I'm positive! I left it right here on this spot!!"
"Well then..maybe someone  picked it up for you..or maybe it's in your bag all along." Yoshino glared.
"Humm..I'm not that simpleminded, okay?" Iroha was annoyed. "Anyway, you're right. I'll just look for it in the morning then.."

Iroha was disappointed and confused at the same time. It was just too weird, she thought. She walked out of the corridor where Yoshino was standing, waiting for her. As she was walking towards him, she noticed a dark figure just standing and watching them across the other side through the window facing her.

"Y-Yoshino-kun?? Someone..someone's here!!" Iroha was freaked out as she ran to him.
"What? Who is it..?!" he asked.
"The..There.." Iroha pointed; hiding behind his shoulder.

It was nothing...the figure was gone!

"Hey, calm down. Look! It's nothing..You're probably imagining things," Yoshino said.
"E..Eh?" Iroha was confused again. "But...it was there, I saw it!!"

Yoshino turned to Iroha, with his back facing the window again. While he was looking at her, her eyes grew bigger in shock; the pupils in her hazel eyes dilated, screaming in fear.

It was there again! She gasped in horror. She couldn't make a proper deduction of what she had just saw.

IT WAS THE ANATOMY FIGURE, WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE BIOLOGY LAB...!!

The half-skinned man was just across the block, standing in the dark again..waiting for them to notice him! It gave Iroha, what looked like a deadly smile, before dashing away in the hallway of the second floor just downstairs...where they were heading!!

Iroha was panicking, the depth of her breath became shallower. She was having trouble breathing. She had finally reached her limit...she felt hyperventilated! Unable to cope anymore as cold sweat rolled down her pale white face.

"Hey, Nakatsugawa-san..Nakatsugawa-san?!!" Yoshino called out. "Are you okay, hey?!!"
"Haah..Haaahh..Haaaaaahh.." she panted.
"Breathe...calm down..!" he started panicking.
"Haaaahh..Uhuk! Uhukk!!" she coughed hardly, but she finally calmed down.

She was gasping for air to breathe in her lungs. Her cheeks were rosy again..Yoshino was relieved.

"That's a relief, I thought you were going to die!!" Yoshino held her tightly, in his arms.
"Yoshino-kun..." Iroha blushed at the sudden move, her face was burning.

It's been a long time...she had never felt this warmth for a long time. She liked it; this feeling...her heart was beating fast, her eyes became teary..
But before she went wild, she pushed him violently on the face for the sudden intrusion. Yoshino fell to the ground with a thud. In pain.

"That hurts..!"
"That's what you get for taking advantage of me, you pervert!!" she pretended to be annoyed.
"E-Eh?!"
"Let's just get out of here," she walked away, leaving Yoshino behind on the floor.

She smiled silently...with her hand on her chest, holding the intense feelings locked in her racing heart.

"Hey, wait!! Nakatsugawa..Nakatsugawa-san!!" he ran, catching up with her.
"C'mon, you slowpoke!! I'm not gonna wait for you all night."

6-5

On the way downstairs to the second floor, Iroha felt goosebumps and chills behind her back. Yoshino was at the back of her, of course, but he wasn't the one causing it. She was entertained to see his exhausted look as he tried to chase her. Still. Iroha was just too fast for him.

She ran down stairs...

"Come on, Yoshino-kun!!" she yelled.

Yoshino was still on the other end of the staircase, panting. But when he reached downstairs, he saw Iroha smiling sweetly as she waited for him.

"You finally made it.." she came closer to him.
"Haah..finally, I caught you!" Yoshino was breathless.

She just remained smiling, without saying a word.

"Nakatsugawa-san..?"
"Hey..Yoshino-kun..?!" she turned away.
"??!"

It was the silence once again. Iroha stood there, under the moonlight. Her blonde hair was glowing, her hazel eyes were glittering; filled with thoughts that were overwhelming...She thought it would be the perfect time to ask him. The question that she'd always tried to hold back everytime their eyes meet. This is it!

"Have..you.."

Before she could finish her question, Yoshino shouted...

"Behind you...!!"
"?!!" Iroha gasped and dropped her phone to the ground.

It was the figure again; just behind her! Iroha looked at the half-skinned man, terrified. Those big hands caught her, covering her mouth as he carried her away. Yoshino tried to free her but he was pushed to the wall where he lost his consciousness. His vision became blurry and his body felt weaker by the second...all he could hear was
Iroha's voice echoing through the hallway calling out...

"YOSHINO-KUUUNNN!!!"