CH 21 – Something is wrong with me.
A/N: I definitely should of combined the last two chapters together.
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I was finally discharged from the hospital. It may have been 1 month since then, as my wound has finally healed up.
The police questioned me about the incident - asking about who aggravated the situation first, and how it ended up in such a way.
The stalker... His name was Tajima Takehiko. He was popular with the ladies, especially with his prince-like face and charming aura. His name ironically meant "Hero Prince," in dark contrast to his true nature. However, recently since about 6 months ago, he was acting quite weird, acts such as mumbling to himself, his ego skyrocketing and becoming extremely arrogant, and how he treated the girls around him with disrespect and disgust. He was pronounced dead while on the way to the hospital, due to extreme blood loss.
After investigation, I was pronounced "Not Guilty," under the law of "self-defence," as they had a witness (Chiaki) and several hints and evidence that all pointed towards the immediate malicious intent of Tajima. They concluded that Tajima was seriously trying to murder me, in which justified my "act" of self-defense. Evidence included Tajima's disturbing sudden change in personality, the fingerprints all smothered across the boxcutter and knife, as well as the angle in which the knife had entered my abdominal (provided impossible for me to had inflicted it myself as an alibi). Furthermore, the fact was, I did not carry any sort of weapon on me, except for the pencil I used to pierce his neck, so all in all, the police decided it was a justified act of self-defence, and let me go without any charges.
Exiting the hospital, I glanced down to my hands.
They were trembling. It seems like the after effects of killing a person still hadn't faded from my body.
Taking a deep breath, I let the air fill my lungs up like big balloons, before exhaling, as if squeezing a strong stream of water through a small tube.
That's better.
I stood still, as I began to ponder.
(I swear I wasn't this type of person before...)
(Why was it that I felt excited when bringing up the thoughts of killing Tanjiro?)
(And why did I rush straight in with no plans or help?)
"Urgh!"
Remembering Chiaki's distraught sobbing face, I felt the itching of guilt claw back up from within me.
"..."
I stood there, mindlessly.
After a few seconds, I sighed, and moved my legs.
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Swoosh...
Sliding the classroom door open, I felt the swarm of piercing stares stab into me.
"Hey, it's that guy."
"...Yeah...you're right..."
I felt sweat protrude from my head, as I quickly sat down in my seat.
I knew that everyone would talk about me, but the pressure truly made me feel suffocated.
They continued whispering behind my back, as I couldn't hear the content of the conversation.
(Huff.... Just ignore it... Just ignore it...)
Seemingly making up her mind, a girl stomped in front of my desk, as she laid her arms on the table.
Slightly shocked that someone actually came to talk to me, I unconciously straightened my back, and looked at her.
Bright vermillion hair, shoulder-length wavy hair, with a pair of gorgerous ruby eyes. She wore hoop earrings that decorated her ears, as well as a minimalistic gold necklace that laid on her bosom. Her bangs were cut neatly, as a small pair of sharp canines protruded from her lips.
"Hey."
"Um... Hi?"
"You....."
I braced myself for the oncoming barrage of slurs, expecting to see a disgusted face muttering "murderer."
"You.... Is it true that you saved Chiaki from a stalker?"
"...Huh?"
Everyone around me seemed unfazed by her excitement, almost like they themselves were dying to ask the question she was asking now.
"You did right!? Kya~"
She inched closer to my face with a large grin, her pupils almost seemingly star-shaped.
"Eh... No I don't think its anything that crazy..."
"Aw come on~ There's no need to be so shy and humble about it~"
The girl was extremely excited, as she continued coming closer to me, with her bouncing "balloons" not helping my situation any better.
(Ah crap- This kinda makes wanna just-)
I felt something crawl up from within me as I-
Resting my right hand on her neck, I placed my lips near her left ear, as I softly whispered,
"...Huu... Can you stop getting closer to me? I'm getting slightly uncomfortable..."
Her head jolted, as her ears turned to a deep crimson red, and she immediately fell backwards. Her eyes were widened, her mouth agape, and her left hand holding her ear. Blushing protrusively, she gawked at me.
"Ah- Shit."
Breaking out of my dreamy state, I immediately held my face and slowly digested the cringe that erupted from myself.
(What the fuck did I just do just then?)
Then, suddenly feeling immense pain on my shoulders, I turned to see two pairs of slender pale hands grasping each side of my shoulders.
"I~ SA~ MU~ What do you think you're doing, huh~?"
Both Chiaki and Mei clenched my collar, as I was forced to stare at the girls' menacing glare, as a dark shadow loomed upon their expressions. It was like I saw a vein pop in Chiaki's forehead, as she desperately tried to force a smile, ending up as a disturbing face, like an oni.
"Um.... You see.... I couldn't hold back- No, that's not what I meant..."
"Hehhh~~ So you couldn't "hold" back huh~? Seems like someone's gotten slightly too rowdy and let their animalistic nature run out of control~"
"...No but like-"
"Hey. Mei, don't you think we should teach him a lesson?"
"Hah! For once, I actually agree with your statement."
"...Shit."
.....
It was later known as the "Great Punishment", a folktale rumored to have been two bewitching onis that punished a pitiful boy out of spite and anger.
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After these events, I knew something was up.
I was never this type of person.
Sure, I may had been foul-mouthed or slightly aggressive before, but I don't remember having strange tendencies and habits.
Wait, was I like this before?
Digging through my memories, all I came across was a disarrayed mess of clumped shit, things from a life where it felt surreal yet felt like it was not a part of me.
Am I Isamu? Or is Isamu me?
He said we were one, as if our souls had merged. Maybe the original Isamu was like this.
If so, everything would fall into place.
Even then, why did "his" disposition take this long to influence "me?"
Thinking about it for too long impared my head, as I slowly shook my head, swimming towards the surface of my mind.
Enough. Delving too deep would just further weaken my state of mind, so I no longer tried to look through my memories.
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