"H-hey, are you okay?" asked Life, genuinely concerned as he held Nozomi's hand. The girl's face was bright red, and she avoided looking at him, remaining silent.

Her silence only heightened his worry. Why is she looking away? Did I do something wrong? Did I screw up?! Life was barely containing a sudden wave of panic. A small bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.

After helping Nozomi back to her feet, she finally looked down at the floor and muttered, "Y-yeah, I'm alright. T-thank you, teacher."

Life breathed a genuine sigh of relief. Okay, false alarm. If I had made a bad impression, this job would be more troublesome than it needs to be. He took a proper look at Nozomi. Despite her red face and the mysterious steam, she didn't seem to be in immediate danger. She should be fine if I just let her go.

"If you say so. Here, your soda. Next time, try not to let it go so easily, okay?" he said with a playful smile, hoping to ease her nerves.

Nozomi nodded and moved past him without a word. Life watched her walk away, scratching the back of his head as she disappeared around the corner. That was odd. She didn't strike me as the shy type from what the other teachers and her file told me, just a bit of an airhead. And her reaction...

He looked around and noticed the indifferent faces of passersby. Considering no one else seemed to react, it must be normal for this world.

He shrugged. As long as it doesn't complicate my task, I don't really care. Now, back to the hotel.

With that, he continued his walk toward his destination.

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Not far away, Nozomi tossed her soda can into an open dumpster as she walked. Clutching her schoolbag close to her chest, she sighed, the redness fading from her face. Idiot, what kind of reaction was that? He must think I'm some kind of delinquent! Urgh, I can't wait to get home and put this day behind me!

She continued walking uninterrupted. As Nozomi neared her house, she saw the lights on the first floor. It meant her brother was likely home, already having dinner.

The only other person who could be home was her mother, but that was unlikely as she usually worked late. Her mother always prepared their meals early in the morning, placing them in labeled Tupperware containers in the fridge.

At her doorstep, Nozomi used her reserve key to unlock the door. Once inside, she took off her shoes and neatly placed them alongside her brother's, grateful no one had noticed her mistake of leaving them scattered the previous night.

"I'm home!" she called out.

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While Nozomi entered her home, Yoshino calmly walked the now empty city streets, making her way home. Passing by a deserted playground, a wave of nostalgia hit her. It's been eight years... time flies. I still remember the first day we met. You haven't changed a bit.

She shook her head, a small smile creeping up on her face as she remembered their first meeting.

Realizing she was suddenly in an alleyway surrounded by towering buildings and lit only by a few dim lamp posts, her pace slowed and then stopped altogether. The nostalgic joy that had accompanied her steps until just recently was replaced by a creeping confusion. Her smile faded into a worried frown. "W-what?" she stammered, her voice trembling slightly in the eerie silence of the alley.

An unfamiliar chill prickled her skin, the kind that preceded something sinister. Her breath quickened as the oppressive walls loomed over her, trapping her in this narrow, dimly lit labyrinth. She spun around, hoping to find an exit, but the walls and the shadows seemed to close in tighter.

The feeble light from the lamp posts cast long, distorted shadows, intensifying her rising panic. Her heart pounded faster, the sound almost deafening in the tense quiet of the night. The unfamiliarity of her surroundings sparked raw, primal fear deep within her. Every instinct urged her to flee, but her legs felt like they were made of lead.

Then, out of the encompassing darkness, two menacing yellow eyes with slit pupils appeared, fixating on her with a predatory gaze. Her blood ran cold, and an icy shiver coursed down her spine. Panic surged as she instinctively stepped back, her movements jerky and frightened.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Her eyes widened in horror, and she felt a scream clawing at her throat, but it remained trapped, paralyzed by terror. The eyes seemed to draw closer, their piercing gaze relentless and unforgiving. Each heartbeat echoed in her ears like a pounding drum, marking the agonizing seconds.

Fear gripped her entire being, rendering her breathless. Her mind raced with desperate thoughts, fight or flight, yet neither seemed plausible in that frozen moment. The suffocating darkness thickened, threatening to consume her as she stood there, vulnerable and terrified, feeling more alone than ever before.

"W-who are you? Do you know what's going on here?" Yoshino asked the gazer, her voice tinged with desperation.

The eyes stared unblinkingly, like a predator sizing up its prey. Just as she was about to repeat her question, the voice cloaked by shadows spoke. "Now, now, let's calm down. I just want something..." the gazer's voice trailed off, sounding human yet unsettlingly off.

The eyes closed, and the darkness swallowed any trace of the speaker. Yoshino took a careful step back, not daring to look away from where the eyes had been. But as she was about to turn and bolt out of there, something sharp pressed against her neck, freezing her in place. W-what?!

"From you. I'm looking for something very special. A crystal as black as the night sky. Give it to me, and I'll let you go. But if you try anything foolish, I'll be forced to use other methods. Do I make myself clear?" her assailant whispered in her ear, their voice sending chills down her spine.

Yoshino nodded, understanding that the situation was dire. She had never been robbed before, but she knew that playing along might give her a chance to escape.

"Good. Now, where did you put it?" the voice demanded, pressing the sharp object against her throat a bit more.

"I-I put it inside my schoolbag. Let me get it!" she offered, trying to keep her voice steady.

The figure behind her paused before allowing, "Alright, but if you waste this chance, you'll regret it." The cheery tone suggested they would prefer an excuse to use force.

Slowly, Yoshino opened her schoolbag, her movements deliberate. Without hesitation, she grabbed a small pepper spray and immediately aimed it behind her, spraying her assailant.

"Hiss! Damn you!" the attacker screamed in rage, letting her go.

Without looking back, Yoshino ran as fast as she could, searching for help. Must find someone, anyone, maybe the police?

She passed lamp post after lamp post, dumpster after dumpster, but the alleyway seemed endless. How long is this alley?!

Footsteps approached rapidly from behind, and she pushed herself to run faster. But her stamina was running out, and suddenly, she tripped and fell, landing face-first on the cold concrete.

As she tried to catch her breath, Yoshino felt something wet and sticky on her face. Her fingers brushed against the substance and came away smeared with crimson. Great, a broken nose... Yoshino thought as the metallic tang of blood filled her nostrils. But there was no time to dwell on it. She needed to escape. Panic surged, but her body betrayed her, her legs stubbornly refusing to move. Why can't I get up? she wondered, desperation creeping into her thoughts.

Her gaze dropped to her left leg, and the answer was gruesomely clear. Deep claw marks marred her flesh, each gash a crimson river of agony. Blood poured from the wounds, pooling around her leg in a sickening display. The sheer sight of it almost made her vomit. Every nerve in her body screamed in protest, the searing pain overwhelming her senses. She let out a scream of pure, helpless agony, realizing that escape was now impossible.

From the oppressive shadows, her assailant's mocking voice cut through her despair. "Well, you can't say I didn't warn you!" The voice dripped with cruel amusement, reveling in her suffering. "Humans always make things more difficult. But oh well, you had it coming."

The figure stepped into the dim light, fully revealing their otherworldly, cat-like appearance. Yellow slitted eyes glinted with malice, and sharp nails, still dripping with blood, extended from their fingers. White fur covered their form, and a tail swayed with a macabre rhythm. The creature's sadistic smile widened at the sight of Yoshino's horror.

"What are you?!" Yoshino screamed, her voice trembling as she crawled backward frantically until she collided with a trash can.

The creature chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Didn't your parents teach you manners? But no need to know. You won't be here for long anyway."

They closed the distance with a predatory grace, towering over Yoshino like an apex predator toying with its prey. "Shall we finish this?" the creature taunted, relishing every moment of her terror.

Yoshino's vision began to blur from the blood loss, darkness encroaching on her consciousness. In a desperate, last-ditch effort, she reached for a trash can lid and hurled it at the creature. The lid sailed through the air, but the creature dodged it with almost casual indifference, a cruel smirk playing on its lips.

Weak and overwhelmed by pain, Yoshino could do little more than slump against the trash can, the creature's looming presence a harbinger of her doom.

Please... anyone... help... The strength to even think straight faded from Yoshino.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared above her and the monster. Startled, the cat-like creature jumped back. The light descended and took shape between them, forming into a girl with long white hair and a dog. The girl stared in shock at Yoshino's injured body.

"Hey, snap out of it! I can save her, but you need to keep that monster away!" the dog urged.

The girl nodded and turned to face the enemy.

The cat-like creature snarled, "How dare you interrupt my fun? Who are you?!"

The girl paused to think before striking a dramatic pose. "I am..."