The café was quiet now, the last customers gone and the chairs neatly stacked on the tables. Aika wiped down the counter, her movements slow and deliberate. Yumi was in the back room, finishing up some paperwork. The security monitor showed the empty street outside, the shadows stretching long under the streetlights.
Aika glanced at the monitor again, her heart skipping a beat. For a moment, she thought she saw movement in the shadows, but when she looked closer, there was nothing there. Just the empty street and the faint glow of the city lights.
She shook her head, trying to push the fear aside. She was safe here. The café had security cameras, and the police were keeping an eye on things. But the letter from Ryohta still haunted her, its words echoing in her mind.
As she turned back to the counter, the lights flickered. Aika froze, her heart pounding. The café was plunged into darkness, the only light coming from the streetlights outside. She fumbled for her phone, her hands trembling as she turned on the flashlight.
"Yumi?" she called, her voice shaking. "The power's out."
There was no response. The back room was silent, the door slightly ajar. Aika's heart raced as she stepped toward the door, her phone's flashlight casting long shadows on the walls.
"Yumi?" she called again, her voice barely above a whisper.
The door creaked open, and Aika's breath caught in her throat. Yumi was slumped against the wall, her eyes closed and her face pale. Aika rushed to her side, her hands trembling as she checked for a pulse. It was there, faint but steady. Yumi was unconscious, but alive.
Aika's mind raced as she tried to make sense of what had happened. The power outage, Yumi's unconsciousness—it was too much of a coincidence. She reached for her phone to call for help, but before she could dial, a voice broke the silence.
"You should have given me a chance, Aika."
She turned, her heart pounding as Ryohta stepped out of the shadows. His eyes gleamed in the dim light, his expression cold and calculating. In his hand, he held the katana, its blade gleaming faintly.
Aika's breath caught in her throat. "How… how did you get here?"
Ryohta smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "You can't hide from me, Aika. I'll always find you."
She backed away, her mind racing. The security cameras were down, the power was out, and Yumi was unconscious. She was alone, and Ryohta was between her and the door.