Why I Decided To Make Him a Better Person...?

Shortly after the fireworks display, the group decided it was time to head home.

Before they parted from the festival grounds, Seiji glanced at the two girls.

'It's getting late. After festivals, the streets can get weird — better not let them walk alone,'  he thought, calculating the simplest solution.

He turned to them.

"We're going the same way. I can walk you home if you'd like — it's no trouble."

His tone was even, practical — not chivalrous, just logical.

"Oh, you don't have to bother, Sekiguchi-san. We'll be fine," Izumi said with a polite smile.

Seiji shook his head slightly. "I'm heading that direction anyway. No reason to split paths."

Akemi smiled brightly, chiming in before anyone could protest.

"That's my brother — always pretending it's just practical when he's actually being nice!"

"Akemi," Seiji muttered, his brow twitching just slightly, though he didn't deny it.

"Thank you, then. We'd appreciate it." Ichiyo bowed with gratitude, then she sent a quick message to her father, letting him know they'd be heading home soon.

When he asked if everything was alright and whether they'd be safe, Ichiyo replied:

"Yes, everything's fine. We met Sekiguchi-san with his sister on the way. They offered to walk us home — we're heading in the same direction anyway. Hope it's alright with you?"

Upon reading that, Mr. Takahashi paused for a moment. Knowing it was the same man who had once stepped in to protect his daughter, a quiet sense of trust stirred within him — unexpected, but welcome.

"It's alright. Come home safely," he replied, reassured by the thought.

And so, with her father's silent approval and Seiji's and Akemi's presence beside them, Ichiyo and Izumi began the walk home under the star-speckled sky.

While the exchange seemed casual, Hideaki stood a bit behind them, eyes narrowing faintly as he watched the girls laughing and being a bit clumsy with their prizes of big plushies.

His arms crossed, expression somewhere between irritation and suspicion.

'Tch. They are so annoying...'  he thought, exhaling quietly.

He glanced at Ichiyo for a moment — a quick, guarded look — before turning away again.

'She better not start anything again,'  he mused, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Seiji, noticing his change in posture, shot him a quick, quiet look — a silent warning to behave.

Hideaki rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath,

"Tch... fine."

Akemi, sensing the sudden tension, quickly tried to brighten the mood.

"Well, at least the night air feels nice! It's not every day we get to walk home under fireworks smoke, right?"

Izumi chuckled softly. "True. It smells kind of nostalgic."

Seiji exhaled quietly — a mix of amusement and relief that Akemi could still keep things light — as the small group began their walk down the softly lit street, festival lanterns fading behind them.

---

When they arrived at Ichiyo's house, Seiji glanced at the girls, then at Mr. Takahashi, who stood in the doorway, observing them with an expression of relief.

Seiji gave a small nod to Ichiyo. "Go on, your dad's waiting."

Ichiyo nodded back and, before stepping forward, turned to Seiji and bowed slightly. "Thank you for walking me home."

A faint smile tugged at Seiji's lips. "Anytime. Matsuo-san lives close by, correct?"

"Yes, just across the street," Ichiyo confirmed.

"Understood," Seiji replied, stepping slightly aside so they could say their goodbyes.

Hideaki, standing a few paces behind, eyed the grand Takahashi estate.

'I wonder how much money that guy must have...'

Mr. Takahashi's eyes lit up as he stepped forward to greet the group, focusing on Seiji.

"Thank you. It's a great comfort knowing she's in reliable hands."

"It was no trouble at all," Seiji replied, his tone composed but polite.

The soft light spilling from the house created a warm atmosphere as Mr. Takahashi's smile deepened. "Ichiyo, come in when you're ready."

"Yes, father," she replied softly, but before entering, she turned to Akemi and Izumi.

"I never thought I could have this much fun at a summer festival after my mother died... But I did... Today, I had fun!"

"I knew you'd like it," Izumi said softly, smiling.

Akemi beamed warmly. "That's what summer's for — to smile again, even if it's just for one night."

Ichiyo bowed gratefully. "Thank you, everyone. Tonight was... more than I ever expected."

The group bowed back. Hideaki did it faintly, almost mechanically.

Izumi then waved to the group. "Good night, everyone. I'll head home too — see you tomorrow, Ichiyo!"

"See you!" Ichiyo replied, waving back as Izumi crossed the street toward her house.

Once she was gone, Mr. Takahashi's attention shifted back to Seiji. The friendly air between them grew more formal.

"Sekiguchi-san," Mr. Takahashi began, his tone subtly changing.

Seiji's posture straightened instinctively. "Yes, Takahashi-san?"

"I need to express my gratitude once more for ensuring my daughter's safety. Your presence has been invaluable. I never thought a neighbor could prove to be such a trustworthy friend," Mr. Takahashi said, a hint of deeper significance behind his words.

At first glance, it was obvious that Mr. Takahashi was someone important. The big modern-styled house, the always formal and elegant presentation of the man — both in his clothes and speech — hinted at someone with a higher social standing than Seiji. But Seiji didn't dwell on the details. Not now.

"I'm just glad I could help," Seiji replied, keeping his emotions in check.

Mr. Takahashi nodded, and after a brief pause, continued, "I haven't had the courage to open my door to people from this area earlier... That's why..." He reached into his wallet and extended a business card. "Please, let's keep in touch. I'd appreciate it if we could rely on each other more often."

Seiji was taken aback. He accepted the card with a slight bow, feeling an unexpected swell of pride. "Thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind."

Takahashi smiled kindly and dismissed Seiji's modesty, saying, "Nonsense... I'm the one who should thank you. For all the help you've shown us. Helping strangers isn't as common as it used to be — it speaks to your character."

Seiji acknowledged the compliment with a nod, recalling the day he welcomed Hideaki into his home.

He glanced over at Akemi, who was chatting quietly with Ichiyo near the gate. Hideaki, meanwhile, was standing still, staring off toward the street.

Then, a faint vibration in his pocket drew his attention. Seiji twitched lightly, "Excuse me," he said, checking his phone.

It was a message from Hideaki asking when they would head home.

He glanced at his watch and realized the time. A quiet sigh escaped him as he looked up.

"Takahashi-san," he began composedly, "it's getting late — we should be on our way. I don't want to keep my sister waiting any longer."

Mr. Takahashi nodded understandingly. "Of course. Thank you again, Sekiguchi-san. Please, take care on your way back."

"We will. Good night," Seiji replied with a polite bow.

He turned toward Akemi and Hideaki. "Let's go," he said simply — calm, but firm enough to make Hideaki move.

As they started walking, Hideaki muttered under his breath, "Finally..."

Seiji shot him a side glance — sharp, but silent.

Akemi smiled faintly and waved one last time toward Ichiyo.

"Good night! Let's hang out again sometime!"

Ichiyo waved back, smiling warmly as the group disappeared down the softly lit street — their figures fading into the glow of the evening lamps.

Then, she went inside their house and breath a sigh of relief.

Mr. Takahashi on the other side, watched his daughter's friends with appreciation.

'They are kind... good people... I really wish we could see more like them here in Tokyo...'

After a brief pause, he smiled kindly and gazed at the night sky, adorned with bright stars, sparkling one after another.

"Mei-san," he felt a presence of the ghost of his dead wife, near him "please watch over them as you guard us. They deserve peace and happiness in life."

Moments later, the door to Takahashi's apartment closed.

---

The trio continued walking towards the apartment.

Seiji's mind lingered on Mr. Takahashi's earlier words.

"To help strangers in these times... isn't as common as it used to be. It speaks to your character."

He focused his eyes on Hideaki this time.

'Yeah... He's probably right... I would never have thought that a person I met on street would change my life so much.'

***

After arriving back home, they slipped out of their festive yukatas and changed into comfortable clothes.

Just as they settled in, their phones buzzed simultaneously, signaling a notification.

It was a meteorological warning about an approaching typhoon set to hit Tokyo soon.

"Looks like you're leaving just in time, Akemi," Seiji remarked, glancing at the alert. "If you stayed any longer, you'd be stuck here."

"Yeah, I hope it won't be like last year..." Akemi frowned, remembering the destruction.

Seiji nodded. "Let's hope."

Hideaki, appeared curious as ever, "How bad was it last year?" he asked,

"Bad enough to flood most of the streets." Seiji replied, his tone measured. "The news were all over Japan. Some areas were completely submerged."

"Cool!" Hideaki suddenly exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.

Seiji raised an eyebrow, surprised by the response. "Cool? You think a city-wide flood is cool?"

"Yeah! When it storms like that, it makes everything feel dark and creepy. There's this... tension in the air. It's like the world's about to end or something. Hehe," Hideaki chuckled, clearly relishing the thought.

Seiji stared at him, his expression turning skeptical. "That's... an unusual take. Most people tend to feel more cautious than excited."

Akemi glanced over them, "Maybe Hideaki's just one of those edgy types who enjoys all the spooky stuff." she said with a teasing tone.

"I mean, he usually does acts like some middle schooler." Seiji remarked.

Irritated by the jab, Hideaki shot back, "I've told you already - I'm not some damn kid!"

Seiji smirked "Oh, sure." He gave Hideaki a wicked glance. "I'm sure the seller from the yukata shop would agree with that."

Hideaki's face flushed instantly. "Shut up, you idiot! You're the one who caused that mess!"

"Me? Oh no, not me. It was probably you, due to your childish behavior." Seiji said smoothly, barely containing his amusement.

"Tch! To hell it's your fault, you jerk!" Hideaki's face was burning red with embarrassment.

Seiji chuckled, enjoying the reaction. "You're quite entertaining when you get flustered like that," He crossed his arms, leaning casually against the wall, "Now look at you. You're turning red as a tomato." his cool blue eyes glinting with amusement.

Hideaki's frustration only grew,

Akemi grinned whickedly, watching her brother's antics, decided to pile on. "And considering how small you are, it's even easier to mistake you for a kid. I mean, you're shorter than me!"

Hideak's eye twitched, "SHUT UP!" he yelled and with one flick of a hand, he made Akemi's and Seiji's noses bleed.

"Hideaki!" Seiji scolded him in the head.

[Later...]

Hideaki went to wash himself in the bathroom.

The rest of them had to wait for the bathroom to be vacant.

'I can't believe he threatened us with even more nosebleeds...'

Seiji sighed

'"You will allow me to wash as first or I'll give you more nosebleeds" kind of crap... Eh... What an annoying ass...'

In the meantime, Akemi, wandered into Seiji's room. Tissues in her nose to stop the bleeding.

Her eyes lingered on the terrariums that housed Seiji's tarantulas. The quiet hum of the city outside felt distant, as she found herself lost in thought.

'Living here in Tokyo... my brother has a whole different life. I wonder if I'll ever experience that for myself,'  she mused, her gaze shifting between the ceiling and the hidden tarantulas.

The door clicked open, and Seiji stepped in, glancing at his sister curiously. "Didn't expect you to be interested in spiders," he remarked, his voice calm as he reached for his phone on the desk.

Akemi blushed, caught off guard. "Oh, no! Not really! I just... sort of ended up staring at them," she laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Seiji raised an eyebrow but didn't press further.

In the meantime he browsed the web, in search of Mr. Takahashi.

"A well-known businessman. Known in Japan, especially Tokyo for being involved in the real estate industry, owning several luxury properties and managing high-profile development projects throughout Tokyo and other major cities in Japan. His success is built on a reputation for impeccable business ethics and fostering strong relationships within the business community."

Seiji read out.

"Looks like we fell on the really big business fish out there."

Akemi smiled faintly but hesitated, as if something was weighing on her. She took a deep breath and finally spoke. "Seiji... can we talk? I need to ask you something."

Seiji paused, surprised by her seriousness. "Sure," he replied, his voice softening.

She sat on his bed, fidgeting slightly. "Is it hard to... make it in Tokyo? I mean, how did you get this far? The apartment, your job... Was it all really that difficult?"

Seiji crossed his arms, his expression unreadable as he considered her question. "It wasn't easy, no," he began, choosing his words carefully. "Mom and Dad helped, sure. Our relatives too. But most of what I have, I earned. Studying hard, finding the right job, saving what I could... You can't rely on anyone forever."

Akemi nodded, her eyes wide with curiosity. "But was it really that bad?"

A flicker of something crossed Seiji's face. "There were some... difficult moments," he admitted, his tone growing more distant, "times I wanted to quit, especially when certain people made things harder for me. But I kept moving forward. That's all there is to it."

"Seiji..." Akemi whispered, hearing the weight behind his words.

"But it's not all gloom," Seiji added, catching her concern. "I've got things figured out now. So don't worry about me." He flashed her a rare, reassuring smile before getting up. "Now, let's not dwell on that."

With that, he left to the corridor, his steps steady and deliberate.

Akemi sighed, still deep in thought as she watched her brother's pets again.

Just then, the door to bathroom opened and Hideaki wandered into the room.

An aura of clean and relaxation was radiating from him.

He stretched lazily and flopped down on Seiji's bed.

Akemi approached him, smiling brightly. "Thank you for being here with my brother."

Hideaki frowned, clearly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm just glad that you choosed to live with him, when he felt the worst."

Hideaki scoffed, crossing his arms. "I didn't exactly 'choose' to live with him. He dragged me here. Literally."

Akemi blinked, taken aback. "Really? I didn't know..."

"Tch. But whatever. I don't regret it," Hideaki muttered. "At least I'm not sleeping on the streets anymore."

'Not sleeping on the streets anymore...?' Akemi's eyes widened. "Um... if you don't mind me asking... were you... homeless?" She inquired, her tone filled with concern.

Before Hideaki could respond, Seiji's voice called from the bathroom.

"Hideaki, you made whole bathroom floor wet!"

Hideaki got startled a bit, "Uh... m-maybe, I'll tell you someday." He said quite nervously, "It's not my fault!! Tch!" he yelled back to Seiji.

***

After each of them took a steaming bath, the trio retired to their beds, exchanging brief goodnights.

Akemi lay quietly on the couch, browsing her phone,

Suddenly a viral video appeared on her screen.

On the screen was a recording of the evening, taken by a random festival attendee.

The clipping revealed a small bloodstain on the sidewalk, and next to it, a clipping of a red yukata with birds.

As the camera panned higher, the subject's hands could be seen shaking violently, and a red aura of blood hovered around them.

Comments were below:

"Does anyone know what that was?!"

"Someone said it was part of a performance, but it looked too real."

"Was it some kind of blood-type Magic Ability?"

"I saw that guy shaking, it didn't look like acting."

"I heard someone on staff say it was just a magic show, but where were the props?"

"Wasn't that dangerous? It looked like real blood!"

Akemi froze, staring at the screen. The frame froze for a second — a split second, but long enough for familiar details to catch her eye: the pattern of the yukata, the shape of the hand, the glint of red.

"It's impossible..." she whispered.

Meantime, Seiji and Hideaki already were laying in bed.

Seiji, covered with only blanket, was staring at the ceiling and occasionally glancing at his phone.

'Tonight was intensive. I'm glad it ended without much problems from Hideaki.'

At the same time, Hideaki yawned, as he was called out. Then he grabbed his own blanket and rolled himself inside it, almost like a burito, hugging his pillow tightly.

Seiji noticed and, rather than laugh, decided to make an observation. "You always sleep hugging something, huh?"

Hideaki, caught off guard, blushed. "Wha-no!! What are you talking about?"

Seiji raised an eyebrow. "You're practically strangling that pillow." He sighed and continued dryly. "That pillow, and not to mention the fact that yesterday you practically strangled me in my sleep."

Hideaki froze, his eyes widening before he stammered, "I-I did!? I m-mean... I did! Yeah!"

Seiji smirked, his voice taking on a faint teasing tone. "You strangled me... Or maybe you wanted to hug to something?"

"N-no! I have a pillow for that! I m-mean! I- I... Tch! Fucking shit..." Hideaki grumbled, clearly frustrated.

Seiji smirk even widened, "A serial killer who likes hugs and soft things. Interesting."

Hideaki turned, glaring. "Sh-shut up about that!" He clinged his teeth "Damn you!!" He suddenly erupted "Whatever! Just shut up!!" he covered his face with a blanket, clearly embarrassed.

Seiji glanced at him, and decided to ease the tension, "Eh... Stop taking everything so seriously. I'm just teasing with you. Relax a little."

Hideaki shot him a sharp look "How the hell am I supposed to relax if you're laughing at me all the time! I don't know when you're talking seriously and when you're joking! I can't tell the difference!"

"Then try to notice it. It isn't that hard." Seiji retored. Then added "Look, don't take it personally. It's just... you're a bit of a contradiction. Dangerous one moment, harmless the next."

"Not true! Tch! You're..." Hideaki's voice softened, though still tinged with annoyance. "You're so annoying..."

"So does you." Seiji picked up a pillow and tossed it lightly at him. "And now, relax Mr. Grumpy."

Hideaki clenched his fists for a moment, then suddenly his expression shifted — the sharp glare softened into a crooked, almost mischievous smile. "Hehehe..." he chuckled darkly.

"Hearing you laughing under your nose like that, isn't a good sign. What did you plan this time?"

"Hehehe... Something-" Hideaki started, and then, Seiji felt something sharp pinching the side of his neck.

"Fun!"

Seiji turned his gaze at Hideaki, who now spread a wide creepy smile on his face, as he was too excited for something.

The thing that pinched Seiji in the neck, was a small bloody arrow, that Hideaki created.

Seiji noticed how the small dot of red blood was still visible on one of Hideaki's fingers.

Not having enough patience for another one of Hideaki's sudden attacks, he forcefully brushed off the bloody arrow.

Hideaki blinked caught off guard. The manic grin faltered.

Seiji turned to him fully.

"I'd rather not. I'm good without your version of 'fun.'" he let out a long breath. "Just... go to sleep before you give me nightmares."

Hideaki grinned darkly again. "I can make you dream of me every night... slipping into your mind the moment you close your eyes..." his tone dropped into a low, sinister whisper. "And once I'm in... well, let's just say... you won't wake up smiling."

He let out a quiet, gleeful chuckle, the kind that sent a chill down Seiji's spine — the kind that sounded far too genuine.

But Seiji? Seiji just gave him a flat look.

"Pass. One nightmare a year is enough. Besides, I'd rather have a normal dream once a year than a series of nightmares with you in the lead role,"

"Tch... " Hideaki playfully stuck out his tongue, "I'd haunt your dreams for real." he muttered under his breath, then yanked the blanket over his head again and turned away with a grumble.

Seiji sighed, "Whatever you say." Said and got out of bed. "I'm going for a drink. Don't plan anything pathetic when I'll be away." he said, and wearily walked to the kitchen.

Hideaki shrugged and turned with back to the door, still not falling asleep.

Seiji was almost at the kitchen counter when he suddenly noticed Akemi standing in the semi-darkness.

"Akemi? Are you still awake?"

The girl nodded.

Seiji sighed, "Why? Are you trying to prove again that there's some kind of romantic relationship between me and Hideaki? If so, then—" and was interrupted.

Before his blue eyes, his sister's phone screen was displayed, showing a recording from the festival. The same one she'd seen earlier.

Seiji looked at it with tired eyes. "What is this..." he mumbled sleepily, then looked closer, and when he saw what was there... he froze.

"Nii-san," she said after a moment, "Did you see this? It's from the festival. Someone posted a video. It looks... well, like someone was actually bleeding."

"The internet is exaggerating, as always," he replied coldly. "Someone spilled dye, and people are making a big deal out of it."

Akemi frowned.

"But... it doesn't look like dye. It looks like... well... real blood..." she bit her lip. "Plus..."

She paused the clip at the moment where the yukata was visible.

"That yukata... It looks exactly like the one Hideaki wore."

Seiji swallowed quietly, then said calmly, "Many people could have had a similar pattern. That doesn't necessarily mean it's him."

"That's not all." the girl added, "The aura on his hands, red, exactly like the one I saw on Hideaki today when he gave us those slight nosebleeds... And..." she hesitated for a moment, then continued, "He controls blood, right? He has that Magic Ability? And the person in that video can do it too."

Seiji paused for a moment, but didn't look at her.

"Don't analyze it too much, Akemi."

Akemi stared at him with her blue eyes, gleaming in the dark.

"But, nii-san..."

She hesitated a little before continuing, unsure if she should bring it up, but ultimately decided she needed to know the truth.

She took a deep breath through her nose and leaned in closer, whispering,

"I heard things from Ichiyo and Izumi... about Hideaki. Things that... well, actually got me worried. Is there something I should know?"

She paused briefly, looking at Seiji with intense gaze,

"Is he..." she started, her voice began to tremble a little, before she uttered the last sentence,

"i-is he really a dangerous k-killer ?"

For a brief moment, Seiji's heart skipped a beat, his mind raced.

'I can't let her know the truth, not now.'

He forced a smile, meeting her gaze with steady confidence.

"Hideaki's not a killer, Akemi. You've known me long enough to trust my judgment, right? I wouldn't have him here if he was."

Akemi hesitated, uncertainty flickering across her face. "So... you're telling me that Ichiyo-chan and Izumi-chan are lying?"

Seiji held a breath before answering her back, "They aren't lying, they're just..."

He held her gaze, weighing his next words carefully.

"They're probably just scared of something. When they first saw Hideaki, maybe he reminded them of someone they fear or so. They've been through a lot, and sometimes fear can distort things. Hideaki has his issues, but he's not what they think. You can trust me on this."

Akemi looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of doubt. She wanted to believe her brother, she really did, but something about his response wasn't right.

'Seiji is the wise type. I'm sure he wouldn't bring into his life a dangerous person, but... Ichiyo-chan and Izumi-chan were very serious back then. Something isn't right. But I can't tell what exactly.'  She analyzed.

"I... I guess you're right. I just-" she hesitated,

Her doubts still quietly simmering.

'Ichiyo said that Hideaki was the one who killed her mother, but maybe..'

She gazed at him for a longer while and sighed,

'Maybe it really was just because of their fear...? Just like nii-san said. Maybe he just looks similar to the killer...'

"...Never mind." Akemi finished, still unsure, but willing to drop the topic for now.

"Don't worry," Seiji added, his voice calm but firm. "I've got things under control. You don't need to stress about it."

"Mhm..." she nodded.

Meanwhile, Hideaki, lying almost motionless in bed, heard every whisper of their nightly conversation.

And because of that, he began to tremble slightly.

"Sh-she knows too much... all because of these damn brats! Tch!" His fingers began to nervously tap his nails against his palms, irritating the skin.

"With that she'll report me! She will—" he paused.

An impulse surged through him like a spark.

A twinge of anger. The need, to silence.

His heart began to beat faster, an image flashed through his mind — red droplets dripping down the body.

"Hehehe.... Hehehe...."

He chuckled sadistically but silently, immedetly began scratching his hands even more rapidly.

Then, he heard that Seiji came back to the room.

Immedetly he stopped the scratching and turned back.

Seiji noticed the faint rustle, but didn't say anything. Instead he yawned and went back to bed.

'I hope this viral will be forgotten soon...'

He said in his mind after browsing the Internet.

Then, he set his phone down and sighed heavily.

"Goodnight, Hideaki."

Hideaki glanced at Seiji from behind the curtain of his falling hair.

"Tch." he muffled "Night..." He whispered baerly audiable.

***

Suddenly, Seiji jolted awake, his heart pounding. The nightmare still lingered-a twisted vision of Hideaki's madness. Blinking rapidly, he reached for his phone, but froze as his eyes adjusted to the scene before him.

Hideaki was over him, clutching a bloody knife, his grin wide and unsettling. Piercing eyes bore into Seiji's.

For a moment, Seiji's mind faltered.

'Am I still dreaming?'

But the cold shapeshifted blood just grazined the side of his neck, dangerously close to the carotid.

"Quit wriggling like a worm," Hideaki growled, pressing the blade slightly deeper. "You're making this too hard for me."

Despite being caught off guard, Seiji forced his breathing steady. "Hideaki. Put the knife down." His voice was calm, deliberate. "Think this through. Do you want to regret this later?"

"Regret?" Hideaki let out a low, manic chuckle. "What I would regret in making her not telling others about me?"

"Her? What are you talking about?"

"Tch!" Hideaki hissed through his gritted teeth, then let out a low, muted whisper "Akemi..." He gulped "She knows e-everything. About me. About my M-Magic Ability. All because of those damn brats!" His voice cracked.

"You don't know that." Seiji said back.

"I know! I've heard everything what she talked to you when you left to drink water!"

Seiji flinched.

"So now..." Hideaki murmured, his grin stretching unnaturally, eyes glittering with obsession. "You tell her to shut up... hehe... or I'll kill you right away! Ehehehe!"

"Hideaki, don't do anything stupid," Seiji said calmly, though his nerves were practically boiling with fear and panic.

'Damn it... I don't want Akemi to find out the truth. And I especially don't want anything to happen to her. But I can't let that psycho kill me now...'

He looked around the room, searching for something he could use to neutralize the situation.

'Quick, quick, quick... Quickly, find something I can hit him in the head with—'  He suddenly stopped. 'Stop... Don't panic. I have no right to panic. If he surprised me — it's my mistake. I must admit: I was partially responsible — I let him into the house. But the decision can't be reversed now.'

Then he felt the weapon Hideaki was using slowly sinking deeper and deeper into his neck, gently burning as a thin trickle of blood began to trace its way down his neck, much to the killer's delight.

'Think. Position: Hideaki above me. Knife at throat. Bleeding minimal, but close to the carotid artery.'  Seiji analyzed.

Hideaki tilted his head, gaze drifting in trance-like fascination to the small nick on Seiji's neck. "I've always wondered how your blood would look... under moonlight." He traced a cold fingertip just below the wound, leaving a faint smear of red. "Would it flow like ink? Or maybe drip... like paint from a broken brush?"

'Is he saying this whicked shit for real?'  Seiji took a ragged breath, his voice firm. He wanted to defend himself from this situation as much as he could. "Hideaki, calm down your fucked up sadistic urges. Or things will get worse for you!"

Hideaki gritted his teeth, his face twisted and his eyes went wild. "Tch! Shut the fuck up! Don't tell me what to do!"

"I will tell you what to do," Seiji snapped, "because you're so absent-minded all the time you can't even control your impulses, let alone put yourself back to order!"

Hideaki's eyes twitched and clinged his fists more.

"Orders, orders, orders! That's all I ever get!" The knife pressed harder. "What about what I want, huh?" He whispered, but that whisper sank to an even lower tone, barely audible: "Has anyone thought about that?" His voice cracked with frustration, then dropped to a dangerous emotional whisper.

Seiji didn't get the chance to reply. Hideaki was already in motion.

His face twisted, eyes wild with desperation and madness, and the knife dug deeper — just beside the carotid artery. Another single drop of blood slid down Seiji's neck, glistening dark red.

Seiji's mind raced. 'Reasoning won't work.'

His eyes darted to the night lamp on the bedside table.

Seiji gritted his teeth, his tone sharper now. "Do you really think you'll get away with this, Hideaki? You'll kill me and what then? What happens when the police come for you and throw a gun at you? You can't control that. Not even you can win against a bullet."

Hideaki froze, hesitating for a moment as the thought struck something harder — the fear of the consequences —

That was all Seiji needed.

In one fluid motion, he grabbed the lamp and swung it with all his strength. It connected with a sickening thud, and Hideaki crumpled onto the bed, the knife slipping from his grasp and melted on the floor.

Seiji shoved him off, heart hammering in his chest as he scrambled upright. Blood pulsed faintly from the cut on his neck. He pressed the bleeding wound with trembling hands.

"Stay calm," he whispered to himself, forcing the panic back down.

He quickly checked on Akemi, his heart pounding until he saw her peacefully asleep, untouched by the commotion.

"Thank goodness," he breathed. "He didn't touch her."

Back in his bathroom, Seiji quickly disinfected and patched the wound. It wasn't deep — but it had been too close.

Returning to the bedroom, he looked at Hideaki sprawled across the mattress, unconscious. He stood there, breathing hard.

"I need to secure him before he wakes up," Seiji muttered under his breath. "I don't remember where did I put those handcuffs..."

He glanced at the lamp switch but quickly pulled his hand back.

'No. I don't have time to search for them. Too risky. One flick of the light and Akemi could stir... or worse, Hideaki might come to sooner.'

He moved quickly to the closet, yanked open a lower drawer, and grabbed the old rope he'd kept from a past hiking trip. 

'Never thought I'd use this for something like this...'

With practiced precision, he tied Hideaki down. Wrists, ankles, chest — all bound tightly.

'How had he snuck up on me?'  Seiji thought, replaying every moment in his mind. 'Why hadn't I heard anything? How the hell I had missed the warning signs?'

He looked at the blood puddle. Hideaki's earlier words echoing in his mind:

---"You tell her to shut up... hehe... or I'll kill you right away! Ehehehe!"---

Seiji's jaw tightened.

'Calm down, Seiji. He's unstable, yes. A psycho, absolutely. But not beyond help. Even psychos can be managed. Controlled. Guided.'

His gaze hardened as he studied Hideaki's unconscious form.

'Beneath all this chaos, there's something worth saving, Looking back at how he behaves within crowds of people and his outburst back at the hospital, it looks like he's trapped, lashing out because of something deeper. Once that's healed... these episodes will stop. No one else will suffer.'

Seiji sat on the edge of the bed, his hands curled into fists, the weight of his resolution settling in his chest.

"I'll fix this." he said quietly. "No matter what it costs me. No more mistakes. Next time, I'll be ready for whatever he tries."

He exhaled, staring at the ceiling dimly lit by moonlight.