Chapter 7

Sitting and eating with Yuna in the student council room, he looked at her.

"Do you think Kiara was telling the truth?"

Swallowing, she tilted her head slightly.

"I'm not sure. I mean, Hikaru might be dumb. And let's be honnest. Those two spoiled rich girls have more brands of makeup on their faces them they have brain cells. But there's no way the three of them would be so stupid as to break into your appartment just to wait for you to go home after school. That's alot of effort and like, totally illegal. Besides, they were suspended for the last two days of bullying. They probably spread that rumor to scare you."

Nodding, understanding her view, he started eating again.

"It's really amazing how all of the sports clubs want Philomena to try out. She's so athletic. Which do you think she'll join?"

Looking toward the window where the sounds of the sports clubs practicing could be heard, he hummed in thought.

"I'm not sure. When you asked her about joining clubs yesterday, she did tell us  that she would only join the student council since we were both here. Maybe she's just being polite by trying out for them all."

Nodding, she continued eating while looking over some paperwork.

"True. She does seem like that kind of person."

As the bell rang, they packed up their bentos and headed back to class.

As class started, they both looked at each other when Philomena didn't return to class.

Raising her hand, Yuna waited patiently until the teacher nodded for her to speak.

"Excuse me sir. But where is Philomena?"

Not glancing up from his book, the teacher nodded and turned toward the chalkboard.

"One of the girls from class 3A on the track club hurt herself during practice. Philomena offered to take her to the nurse. She should be back soon."

Continuing with class, he began writting on the board, meanwhile Philomena entered the class and quickly took her seat with her uniform disheveled and her hair messy.

Seeing the entire class stare at her, she brushed down her uniform and tried to fi  her hair as she sat with a smile.

"Sorry if I worried you Darling. Just had some stuff to clean up. You know how bad some accidents can be if you don't pay attention to your surroundings."

Before he or Yuna could say anything the teacher cleared his throat pointing at the board, silencing the conversation.

On the way home, he found himself once more between Yuna and Philomena.

"It's so nice of Miss. Tanaka to invite us for dinner again."

Nodding, Yuna waved at some smaller children who were playing as they passed a park.

"I told you that she was amazing. And you've been hogging her all to yourself all this time. Shame."

She playfully nudged Inoue's shoulder with pretend hurt in her voice as Philomena laughed while clinging to his arm.

"You can't keep her your personal Mom any longer Darling. I'm afraid that we've decided to claim our place as her children as well."

Making their way to her appartment, Inoue took out his key.

"You guys go on ahead. I gotta grab something from my room real quick."

Grabbing his shoulder, Philomena stopped him in his tracks.

"Come now, Darling. Miss. Tanaka is waiting for us. We both know how sidetracked you can get when you're on your own. If we let you go in there. You might get all tangled up in your game and forget to join us. Whatever it is can wait, right Yuna?"

Nodding, Yuna opened Miss. Tanaka's door.

"Yeah, come on. Ooh, I smell homemade ramen and katsu pork."

Seeing Yuna rush inside, Philomena forcibly dragged him inside behind her.

"Let's go Darling. You belong with us not by yourself in that gloomy, red room. You wouldn't want to stain your clothes before dinner."

Following her, he pocketed his key and glanced at her.

"My room is black, not red... How would I stain my clothes."

Mumbling to himself, he followed the girls inside, hearing Miss. Tanaka's motherly joy at seeing them.

Eating together again, all four talked and laughed with Miss. Tanaka asking them about their day until Yuna's phone rang.

"Sorry. It's my Dad. I'll be right back."

Walking away from the table, they could hear her speaking as Philomena mentioned that they should have a sleep over again and Miss. Tanaka smiled.

"Oh, you kids don't have any school tomorrow so you should spend the night here. I was at my parents house earlier today and I found my old videl game collection. We could play together or watch a movie."

Inoue quickly perked up at the mention of video games.

"You had video games as a kid?"

"Yes, I did. They might be outdated by today's standards but I remember having alot of fun playing them with my brother."

"That sounds fun. Right Darling?"

Nodding with a smile, Inoue swallowed what was in his mouth as Yuna returned to the table.

"Dad's buisness trip has been extended a few more days so looks like I'm home alone for a bit longer. unless you two want to hang out."

Before either Inoue or Philomena could speak, Miss. Tanaka clapped her hands with a smile, basically bouncing g in her chair as she told Yuna about the plan for tonight.

Smiling, she nodded and sat back down.

"That sounds like a great time. I've never been so excited for Dad to be away from home before."

Sitting on the couch, wearing pajamas that Miss. Tanaka provided them, they ate snacks and played her old video games with her, enjoying themselves to the fullest with the night passing in the blink of an eye until Miss. Tanaka yawned and looked at her phone.

"Goodness. It's past midnight. We should really get to sleep soon. You kids might not have school tomorrow but you should still get a good nights rest. We can set out some futons and sleep together. We can have a sort of at home camping night."

Saving and turning the game off, the three of them nodded with Yuna and Philomena agreeing to help Miss. Tanaka bring out the futons.

As the girls walked down the hall toward her bedroom, Inoue stood and looked at Miss. Tanaka.

"I'm just going to run home and grab something. I'll be right back."

Running toward the front door, he was determined to find out why Philomena didn't want him to enter his room as well as to find the reason as to why she said what she did.

Unlocking his door, he could swear that he could hear the sound of dripping water as a faint, almost sour smell entered his nostrils.

Opening his door, he froze in the doorway, shocked and terrified as he saw Hikaru, Kohaku and Megumin's bodies that were visibly scarred and tortured; hung from the ceiling by their ankles. Their blood dripping from the bodies, pooling on the floor.

Unable to speak or move due to fear, Inoue flinched whe  he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I told you that you belong with us. Not here in this room. Can you believe that they snuck in after we left for school today? If not for that Kiara girl warning us. Who knows what might have happend. It's a good thing I handled it before they could hurt you further. They got what they deserved for treating you that way. And now. They'll never hurt our Darling ever again. Now come, Darling. I have one more surprise for you."

Pulling him away from the room and back toward Miss. Tanaka's door, Philomena hummed happily as Inoue stared at the bodies of his bullies with a slight smirk forming on his face despite the gruesome scene. Relieved that he would never have to be Hikaru's victim again.

Entering Miss. Tanaka's apartment, he saw Yuna and Miss. Tanaka sitting on the couch with smiles, not moving.

"Dont worry Darling. They're fine. Just frozen in time with the help of a little magic. This will be harder if they move. They agreed to this and are prepared for the journey. Now, why don't you sit there and join them while I take us home?"

Forcing him to sit between them, Philomena snapped her fingers, freezing him in place as well.

"I'm sorry Darling. I can't risk you trying to run. This is for your own good. You belong with us. But not here. Not in this world. I'm going to take you home, to Valanear. There. No one will ever hurt you or try to take you away from us. My magic here is weak, but there. Well, you know how powerful my magic is."

As she spoke, a red runic circle formed on the floor as her hair began to be whipped backward by an intense wind, her ears growing in their normal Elf point.

Glancing at Yuna and Miss. Tanaka, he could see them looking at him.

"Just relax, Darling. We will be home soon. Where we belong. This is for your own good. I know what's best for you. Just listen to your wife and trust in me."

Hearing sharp gasps of pain from Yuna and Miss. Tanaka, he tried to move before he swiftly lost consciousness with the last sound he heard being Philomena's manic laughter.