DAY 2

Ayano is walking down the busy streets of Burada Town. She plans to get Taro a present to cheer him up about Osana's death but, she doesn't want to write her name on it. Why would she? She's still too shy to talk to him. She steps into a nearby shop and buys a wristwatch, wrapping it in a parcel and tying a ribbon on it. When she's done with this, she proceeds to school.

Students are at school. The place is noisy with people discussing about the death of Osana and Raiburu. Just missing a day of school made students think feel as though it was a week. Ayano is standing by Taro's locker, looking around to be certain that nobody is watching her, however, Video is watching her from the side walls. She blushes as she slips the parcel into his locker. She pecks his locker and turns to see Budo staring at her. She just stared at him intensely. His smile seems to be making her anger soften a little. She wants to walk out on him but he jumps at her front.

"Good morning" he says respectfully. Ayano glares at him and looks away.

"Good morning" she says reluctantly.

"I saw you put a gift in Taro's locker. Did you remember to write 'From Ayano'?" he teases her causing her to step on his foot. His face shows that he is in pain but he tries as much as possible not to scream. Ayano is about to enter her class when she sees Taro coming out of his. She freezes and watches him approach his locker. During this moment, Phantom girl is at her back, watching everything happen in slow motion. She notices something good and bad at the same time.

PHANTOM GIRL'S POV:

It has been a long time since I died. I always saw my classmate, Ryoba as an introverted but nice young lady. She was pretty and had a soft spoken voice. I didn't know who she truly was until one day.

She wrote a note, saying that she wanted to talk to me privately. I thought she was going to be my friend but she suddenly jumped at me from the toilet. Nobody would have predicted that someone was in there. It was as silent as a semetry. I found myself fighting for my life but unfortunately for me, she was stronger than I was. She stabbed me with a knife that nobody knew she had and drowned me in a toilet just be sure I was dead. All of this....all of this just because I loved the same boy that she loved. Maybe if during that time, I stopped loving him, I would still be alive. From watching her daughter, I realised something.

They are mentally deranged. What appears to be their problem seems to be a genital or hereditary issue. No - maybe a curse. I saw darkness in her heart but a little light was present. Right now, she saw Taro. I saw her heart grow bigger. When this child was born, her heart had a big hole. It appeared to be torn. All I could sense was emptiness and it was hollow. But when she suddenly bumped into this boy, everything somehow seemed to make sense. I saw glitters inside her chest and saw her heart complete but, I saw shades of darkness. I saw a rotten part of her heart. I saw a small, dim light.

The truth is, love makes the Aishis dangerous people but love also makes their life and heart complete. It's ironic how love could cause so much cataclysm.

END OF POV

Taro sights Ayano and waves at her. She holds her chest, blushed and waves back at slowly. Taro walks up to her and she feels her heart stop.

"Things have been strange haven't they? Since after..." he says and looks down, his eyes looking depressed. Ayano nods.

"I am so sorry " Ayano says honestly. She does mean what she says. She is sorry but also feels it was necessary. He sighs in depression.

"Oh my poor senpai" Ayano says in her mind, feeling bad for him. She holds Taro's hands hesitantly due to nervousness. She looks into his eyes and they begin to stare at each other.

"I am sure that Osana was thinking about you before she died. She really loved you and even right now, she's still thinking about you " Ayano says calmly. Taro smiles.

"Thank you. I feel better now " he says. "Could we talk during lunch? I want to know you better "

This surprises Ayano and she turns away swiftly. Taro is confused but he doesn't mind at all. She nods.

"Cool. See you later " he says and walks away. Ayano holds her chest and realises that her heart seems to be moving faster.

'M-My heart is beating faster?This feeling....I don't want it to come all the time but -' she thinks to herself and a smile appears at the corner of her lips. 'I like it's

Suddenly, she hears a crowd of people talking. She sees a group of people gathered around Amai. She has a cute aura around her. She just stands and watches them with a frown.

"So Amai, what are we cooking today?" a girl asks with excitement.

"We are making octodogs" Amai says sweetly.

"Wow" the girls say in harmony.

"Please I need help in finding more people who are interested in joining the cooking club" Amai says. Hearing this gives Ayano an idea. She feels like joining the club because that way, she will closer to her rival. She starts to remember Amai's encounter with Taro last night.

FLASHBACK TO LAST NIGHT
Taro is sitting alone on a bench. He is sighing and resting his hand on his palm, thinking of the fight he had with Osana before she died. Amai is passing by, carrying a basket when she sees Taro. She walks up to him causing him to look up.

"Hello Taro" she says with a low voice. She knows he might want to be alone.

"Hi" he says I'm a full way and returns to his state of thinking. Amai starts to thinks of what to say. It is at this moment that Ayano just returned from the supermarket and saw them together, so, she hides behind a pole (probably a bad hiding spot).

"I guess your reason for being in this state is because of your childhood friend. I'm sorry for mentioning it" she says nicely, trying to be reasonable.

"It's fine" he says swiftly to make her know he isn't offended. "I do miss her a lot. I miss how she always scolded me when I was late. How did I not know that my friend who had been with me since birth liked me?"

At the mention of the word 'like', Amai blushed a little.

"Because she was your friend. You thought she still saw you as a friend because you like seeing things as they are" Amai says, sounding like a therapist. Taro smiles.

"You're probably right" he says and chuckles. This makes Amai smile. She opens her basket and brings a sandwich out, offering it to Taro.

"Uh... thank you but I'll pass. Last time I ate someone's food, things didn't go well for me" he says, rejecting her offer kindly.

"Don't worry. I ate out of it when I was done preparing it" she says.

"I don't know...."

"It's delicious" she says, trying to lure him into the food mood. Taro gives in and takes the sandwich. When he takes a bite, his eyes appear to be shining so he takes another bite. Amai smiles in self satisfaction. She is happy that he is enjoying the food she prepared. Ayano's hands are shaking from where she is watching but she holds them down to control herself.

"Amai, this is actually really good" he says brightly while chewing.

"I'm glad you like it. Do you want another?" she asks, prepared to give him the whole basket.

"I'm up for it!" he says cheerfully. That night ended up being a picnic because Taro and Amai ate together.

END OF FLASHBACK
Very soon, the crowd leaves Amai and she is alone. Ayano walks up to her and immediately switches to *Ayano the Second* which is when she pretends to be nice and approachable.

"Hi Amai. You look really pretty today. Did you wear makeup?" Ayano asks nicely. Amai touches her face, feeling embarrassed.

"Thanks you. You're Ayano, right?" Amai asks.

"Yes. I would love to join the cooking club" Ayano says.

"Wonderful. Welcome to the cooking club" Amai says trying to stimulate excitement in Ayano but Ayano doesn't care about the club. She just wants to get rid of Amai as soon as possible.

Fun facts💡
Ryoba called Phantom girl into the third floor bathroom to tell her not to confess to Shuichi but..
'Screw that!' she thought and decided to kill her instead.

HOW DID YOU FIND THIS CHAPTER? I KNOW I HAVEN'T UPDATED FOR A WHILE FOR FINALLY. THIS CHAPTER IS DONE.

HOW DO YOU THINK TARO WILL REACT WHEN HE SEES THE WATCH AYANO LEFT FOR HIM IN HIS LOCKER?

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO
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