I decided to stop by the convenience store to pick up some ice cream for Aunt Marika. She's a bit childish, so sweet stuff always cheers her up.
As I wandered freely through the store, checking out random items, a familiar sensation suddenly ran through my body.
This feeling… I'm being watched.
It's not like I'm trying to act like the main character of some story. My time in SFO literally sharpened my senses to their limits.
Then I noticed him. A hideous-looking guy dressed in a black coat, and he had been following me for a while.
Uh oh. This is bad. Am I being stalked?
Should I report him to the police? Nah, that sounds like a hassle. Besides, I don't have any proof that he's stalking me. What if I accused him for no reason? That'd be embarrassing.
I paid for the ice cream at the counter and left the store.
When I glanced around outside, I didn't see the man in the black coat anymore. Maybe he wasn't a stalker after all. Sorry for judging you, random guy.
After walking for a few more minutes, I finally arrived home. Nishi wasn't there since she's at school until 3, and Mom wasn't waiting for me in the living room. She was probably still working.
I should've picked up lunch at the convenience store too. I already know I suck at cooking, so there's no way I'm stepping into the kitchen.
I was about to reach for the fridge when Aunt Marika came downstairs.
"Oh, Haru, you're back… I thought you'd still be off playing dere dere with your teacher."
(A/N: "dere-dere" means lovey-dovey.)
Yep, she's still pissed.
"Marika nee-san... I know you're against Shiori-san, but… I really like her."
I said it. Now, if only I could say it to Shiori-san's face next.
"Haru, listen," she began, crossing her arms. "I don't care who you like, as long as she's not going to ruin your life or anything."
Sigh. There's no use arguing with her.
"Here, Marika nee-san. Have some ice cream."
"Oh, Haru, you're not going to bribe me with this."
"I'm not trying to bribe you. Mom said you've been sulking in your room like a kid, so I got this for you."
Her face turned red. Clearly, she didn't expect Mom to snitch on her.
"No, no! I wasn't sulking!"
"Sure, whatever you say. Anyway, are you free now? Want to go to the mall?"
"What are we going there for? Just so you know, I'm not buying you anything."
"I DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY!"
"Oh really? That doesn't sound like you, Haru~"
Tsk. So much for that plan.
"Fine. Let's go to the park."
"Oh, okay then."
Together, we walked to the park. A casual stroll like this was a nice change of pace.
"This park has really changed, huh?" Marika nee-san said, glancing around. "I remember when we used to play here all the time when you were little."
We found a bench and sat down to talk.
Oh. This is the spot where I always waited for Shiori-san after school…
"Haru, are you remembering something? Maybe about your childhood here?"
Uh oh. I can't tell her I was thinking about waiting for Shiori-san here.
"By the way, Marika nee-san… is there really no way for you to accept Shiori-san?"
She sighed heavily. "You don't understand where I'm coming from, Haru."
"What do you mean?"
"Okay, let's say, for the sake of argument, that you really do love each other. But can a relationship survive on love alone? If that were true, your parents would still be together, right?"
Her words hit me hard.
"Look, Haru, let me put this into perspective for you," she continued. "You and Shiori live in completely different worlds. You're a student, and she's an adult. Not to mention, she's your teacher. There's no way you can fully understand her struggles, and that kind of gap leads to misunderstandings. Misunderstandings are what ruin relationships, and I don't want you to go through that."
She paused, her tone softening. "I've seen enough of our family members dealing with love problems to last a lifetime."
She had a point, but…
"I really do like Shiori-san," I said, meeting her gaze. "And I know she wouldn't leave me over some petty misunderstanding. I know her better than anyone in the world. I know how much she values me, and that's not going to change because of problems we can work through."
Marika nee-san sighed again. "Fine, Haru, you win. But how do you know Shiori-san really likes you too? What if she's just some sexually frustrated shota-con? What will you do then?"
"Oi, Marika nee-san! She's not like that! Stop letting your imagination run wild!"
"Right, right," she said with a smirk. "But let me observe her for a bit. If she turns out to be a good girl, I'll approve of her."
Honestly, I didn't care whether she approved or not. But whatever.
Just then, a van selling parfaits pulled up in front of the park.
"Do you want one, Haru?"
"Eh? Is it okay?"
"Of course. It's been a while since we've walked in the park like this, and we haven't had lunch yet. This will do."
Parfaits for lunch. Pretty messed up, but fine.
The line was long, so I decided to wander around the park while Marika nee-san waited.
That's when it happened.
Someone grabbed me from behind.
Marika's POV
The line was painfully long, but I finally got two servings of parfaits. I picked the flavors myself and hoped Haru wouldn't mind.
When I returned to the bench, he wasn't there.
"Haru! Here's your parfait!" I called out, scanning the area.
No response.
A knot formed in my stomach. Haru wasn't the type to pull pranks. I looked around, my worry growing with every second, until I noticed something on the bench.
A folded piece of paper.
I picked it up and unfolded it, my hands shaking.
"Marika-chan, I'm really your fan! I won't forgive your boyfriend! If you want to see him alive, meet me at the riverbank. Come alone."
My blood ran cold. Haru had been kidnapped.
I crumpled the note in my fist, trying to steady my breathing. One of my obsessed fans had taken him. Damn it.