Though the tears had blurred her vision and her heart pounded ever so wildly that she felt it squeezing her from inside out, Ayumi's feet never once stopped moving. Her entire being might have screamed in repudiation and her conscience tearing her apart, still, she forced herself to leave. To get away as far as she could and never turned back.
Because that was the only way she would not burden Chinatsu.
Because leaving was the only way to save her.
So, Ayumi climbed the stairs with all her might and dashed down the hallway as soon as she arrived on the third floor. No matter what, she kept going on her way even though countless time she had stumbled on her steps and found herself falling down. She remained resolute as she got up and ran again.
But, due to her being an Omega, it was not surprising to find her breathing falling short after a long period of running nonstop.
Nevertheless, she refused to take a break because all she could think about was running. It was also in a way helping her released her frustration.
"I'm sorry," she muttered, "I'm sorry."
Over and over again she repeated her apology as she wiped the never-ending tears streaming down her face.
Yet, despite the apologies, never once the weight in her heart lessened. No matter how many times she begged for forgiveness. Silence was her only answer.
Perhaps, she would never know what Chinatsu response would be because she acknowledged it deep down, her cowardice. How she could never be able to pluck the guts to see her again after this. So, all her brain could do was think of a thousand if.
An endless stream of questions that only hastened her guilt and self-hatred to bear fruit as they grew stronger, spreading wildly, like a drop of Devil's Tears. It was then the darkness was born, whispering in her ears.
For what purpose did she continue to exist?
For as long as she could remember, her sole existence had only brought about a miserable fate to everyone around her. She was once a burden for her parents. So, she decided to leave for the academy.
She thought that it would be better if she could at least give them hope. Because no matter how slim the chances were, she needed to seize it if she wanted to survive and turn things around. So, she had thought at that time maybe Kyuten Gakuin was the answer. Maybe she could grow strong there.
But what happened afterwards?
'You left her,' the darkness whispered.
'She saved you once, twice, every time you ever fell down the pit. She sacrificed herself to drag you out. Yet, you repaid her by running away.'
At the emergence of that thought, finally, Ayumi's feet came to a halt and her line of defense shattered into pieces. She staggered towards the wall where she leaned her whole body for support and wrapped herself protectively using her own hands. She bit down her lips as the cry threatened to escape from her mouth.
When a torrent of emotions took over her like a crawling wave by the ocean, Ayumi found herself breaking down, crumbling to the floor like a wilting flower as she began to sob silently in the cold dreary hallway. She repeatedly pounded her tightening chest where her heart quivered in pain behind the wall of flesh.
However, amidst her cry, a bloodcurdling scream pierced through the quiet surroundings, sending Ayumi's entire being into a frightful jolt. She covered her mouth with both of her hands reflexively to stop herself from shouting.
"Stop!!"
"Help!"
"Anybody?! Please!!"
Helpless cries broke out at every corner of the academy enveloping Kyuten Gakuin and everything in it within the veil of utter terror. The lost screams hung hopelessly in the air without any chance of salvation.
'May the strong prevails and the weak be damned.'
Ayumi buried her face into her knees as she shut her ears, sealing the painful cries of the weak, the pitiful souls who fell into the hunter's clutch. But, even then, she could never stop the darkness from entering.
It ebbed and flowed in its slow, dreamlike way, intruding Ayumi's weak mind.
'In the end, all you can do is trembling pathetically in the corner,' the darkness whispered.
'That is all your existence will ever worth. The weakest of the Omega. An existence that bring disaster wherever you thread.'
The whispering grew even distinct as it swirled around Ayumi.
'Poor Ayumi. A disappointment to her parents before and now to her only friend.'
In her subconscious mind, a devious grin stretched widely, curving perfectly into the shape of a crescent moon descending a total eclipse upon Ayumi's soul.
The glittering specks of gold shimmered unknowingly as they crawled step by step, secretly engaging behind the shadow.
And as if Ayumi could feel a blowing of breath caressing her ear, the whisper never felt as vivid as this.
"Give in," said an enticing sweet voice that beget familiarity.
However, before Ayumi could react to this tempting offer, the sound of footsteps bellowed from behind her. It drove the whispering away and Ayumi awoke from her fear. She flinched as she felt a pair of eyes watching her.
In that instance, Ayumi turned her head around and met the eyes of a predator. He stood tall in front of her looming over her small feeble presence.
Ayumi's eyes widened.
....
The afternoon breeze howled through the opened window and left the curtain swaying back and forth, hovering above the silhouette of a young man napping in a sitting position beneath the window sill. His pair of long legs were stretched out on the floor.
Amidst this peacefully serene picture, all of the sudden, a terror-stricken scream roared into the abandoned room residing at one corner of the central building.
"ARRRGGGHHHH!!"
The man's delicate eyelashes trembled behind the thin layer of silvery bangs like a pair of butterfly wings gently breezing above a flowery field. He was instantly pulled out from his nap by that loud noise.
When he raised his eyelids, two shades of colors came into view. One iris shone brilliantly in gold while the other darkened in black. Those pair of lazy eyes gradually sharpened as the young man gained his focus.
Immediately, a deep frown was etched into his forehead. He lifted his head and his eyes landed on the locked door.
Sighing, he bent his knee, pulling it close to his chest while his hand held the gauze plastered above his left eye. He sensed a slight throb from beneath the white linen.
All the while, annoying clamors kept echoing outside the room. They weren't just a scream, but clattering noise, rushed footsteps, pleasuring moans, all bounded together as though a festival was being held.
It drove another heavy sigh to escape from his lips. "Damn animals."
But then, a faint scent wafted into the room catching the young man off-guard and his body stiffened. He stared at the door again as if his eyes could penetrate through it.
His eyebrow raised bewitchingly.