10 Years Ago (part 6)

Accidental Murder

Studying in the library late at night just hits differently, especially when there’s no one else there, and you have the whole thing to yourself. The librarian is super sweet and trusts us with the key to lock up before we go, she keeps the office door unlocked too so we just leave the key there before making our way back home.

Staying in the library is especially fun when you have a friend like Emi, who has a habit of turning everything into horror, my favourite story has to be about a group of high schoolers who get trapped in their school for 66 hours and have to find a set of keys to get out.

“So, then the witch showed up and scared the girl from behind,” Emi screamed in front of me making me scream back in mock horror.

Daisuke grumbled something about keeping quiet, while Kazuki chuckled and rolled his eyes at our stupidity.

“Aww, you guys are no fun,” Emi sat back down with her arms folded.

“Well excuse us for wanting to finish our assignments before going to bed,” Daisuke commented.

“Like you even sleep! You’re like an owl always up at night,” Emi fired back.

Kazuki and I burst out laughing.

“It’s true, though,” Kazuki shrugged.

“Don’t you start now,” Daisuke warned him.

Daisuke gave her a look silencing her immediately.

“In Emi’s defence, owls are cute,” I gave Emi a look, nodding towards Daisuke.

“Exactly! Is it such a crime to call my boyfriend cute?” she asked, making a puppy face.

Daisuke stopped working and looked up, a smile making its way on his face surprising all of us.

“Oh my god! Did the ever-stoic Daisuke smile?” Kazuki asked.

“Did the sun rise from the opposite direction?” I asked.

“What day is it? I need to mark my calendar!” Emi told us.

“Alright you lot knock it off!” he narrowed his eyes.

I laughed before getting up and standing behind Kazuki, I dropped my arms on his shoulders so my hands rested on his chest, and my chin on his head, he chuckled before kissing my hands.

“Aww look at that,” Emi cheered.

“You know you guys should thank me,” she came to us, sitting on the table next to where Kazuki was working.

“And why is that?” Kazuki folded his arms across his chest.

“Well, it’s because of me that you two are together! Ask Daisuke I was pining for you two to get together, and it is because of ME that you two even met,” she smiled.

“It’s true! I just heard Reiko and Kazuki this and Reiko and Kazuki that, all the live long day!” Daisuke told us without even sparing a glance.

“You’re right,” I said giving her a hug.

“Thank you, bestie.” I smiled.

“Yeah, thanks,” Kazuki smiled.

“You guys think I’m gonna accept this dry thank you? Nah, make me an aunt and I’ll accept that” she folded her arms.

Kazuki choked on the water he was drinking and I slapped her arm.

“Don’t push your luck!” I laughed.

We sat in a calm silence for a few minutes before Emi spoke up again.

“Uff! It’s so boring in the library!” Emi huffed.

“But there are so many books here,” I smiled.

“Hmph! Of course, you’re going to like it! Little Miss bookworm,” Emi rolled her eyes making me laugh.

“Look who it is,”

We all turned our heads to where the voice came from and saw Sora standing in the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” Emi asked.

“Now, now, Emi. Is that any way to treat an old friend?” he smirked.

“Last I checked a friend wouldn’t leave their other friends stranded after making them perform some ancient ritual,” I scoffed.

“Oh, so you know what happened?” he asked, a little surprised as well, I don’t think he expected them to tell anyone what happened.

“Damn right I do, and I must say with friends like you who needs enemies?” I shrugged.

He took a threatening step in my direction making Kazuki step in front of me.

“Take one more step forward and I’ll rip your head clean off your shoulders,” he warned.

“Wow, Kazuki I didn’t know you had it in you,” Sora laughed.

“It’s 4 against 1, you might as well just leave, Sora.” Emi pointed out.

“Alright then, let’s do it,” Sora straightened his posture.

“No,” we heard turning our heads towards Daisuke.

“We’re leaving,” he said, sternly, and got up packing his things away, Kazuki followed suit as the four of us and Sora left the library room. Daisuke locked the door and left the key in the office that was outside the library room.

“If you value your life, you will leave them, I’m not one to use a ritual to help me kill you, I’ll just straight up make it look like an accident,” I threatened.

He started laughing like a maniac at my threat, I looked towards the others who shared a look and came back up the steps they took.

“You will do no such thing,” he smirked.

“What makes you so sure?” I asked.

“Because if you do then I’ll leak the video of them performing the ritual, and according to the laws of Japan, Deer are protected species, I think you see where I’m going with this,” he smirked.

“What? You were there the whole time?” Daisuke asked.

I don’t think either of them knew he was there the whole time.

“Pretty much, yeah. I just needed, ahh what’s that phrase? Oh yes, guinea pigs,” he chuckled.

The four of us got closer and my eyes widened as I saw them performing the whole ritual, luckily when it came to the killing it was too dark, but still light enough to see what they had done.

“What’s your excuse for not performing the ritual?” I asked.

“The risk,” he shrugged.

“What risk?” Emi asked.

“Well, you guys could’ve ended up killing each other, or worse me,” he shrugged.

“Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me we could’ve ended up killing each other too?” Kazuki asked.

“Yes,” Sora nodded with a smirk.

I really felt like punching him there and then, God only knows how I controlled myself.

“Why did you do that? They considered you their friends and you did this to them?” I asked.

“Who else was I gonna use? I needed to see if it was worth the risk,” he shrugged.

“You’re mad!”

“Completely mental.”

“You’re insane!”

“You need a psychiatrist, ASAP!”

The four of us told him individually, to which he just gave a side glance.

“I know I’m gonna regret asking this, but what’s it gonna take for you to delete that video?” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Well, there is one thing…” he looked me up and down taking a step closer with a smirk.

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” I folded my arms across my chest.

“Why sweetheart, you.” he laughed.

“Son of a bitch!” Kazuki almost attacked him if Daisuke and Emi didn’t hold him back.

“You wish!” I told him before snatching his phone and throwing out the slightly open window.

“What the…” he looked shocked at what I did.

“As Emi told you at the Freshers’ Party, you mess with one of us you mess with ALL of us,” I reminded him.

“Do what you want, I’ve got their backs, so go ahead and gather as much evidence as you want, you’re in my town, baby! Don’t think I’ll let you get away with anything, you may have contacts in Tokyo but they won’t work here,” I smirked.

“You bitch!” he yelled before grabbing my throat and turning us around so that not only was I pressed against the wall but I could feel my airways being constricted.

I struggled to breathe for a few seconds before Daisuke and Kazuki pulled him from me, I coughed vigorously as Emi rushed to me rubbing my back, I got my breath back finally and looked up to see Daisuke and Kazuki in a brawl with Sora.

Emi… stop them… before they end up killing him.” I told her.

“Are you okay though?” she asked, to which I nodded.

The rest is all a blur, Kazuki punched Sora and Daisuke kicked him but I don’t think either of them realised their strength until Sora fell back. In reflex, they grabbed him, but his hand slipped out of Daisuke’s and he ended up falling back, hard.

A loud thud followed by a crack echoed in the hallway, we all shared a look of horror and rushed down the stairs. We stood rooted to the ground, no one making a move, no one making a sound. I finally took a step forward, crouching down and checking for a pulse.

“Guys, he’s… dead…”