Yandere Shin- with Chojo and Daku! (The sequel to Yandere Shin)

Ablaze

Taro's POV

"Thank you for your business!" Phew. Those last few customers seemed to drag on forever. I sigh, "Glad that's over." I smile.

Amai comes from the back carrying a cake. "I'm so glad you decided to help me today. I'm sorry if we had to stay so late..."

I take off my apron. "It's no big deal. My parents trust me to stay out this late." I tell her. I've been doing a lot better in my studies recently, and my mom will approve of me staying out late for club activities.

"It must be nice to have parents so trusting of you..." she looks toward the ground, looking saddened behind her smile.

I pause for a moment before asking, "Is there something wrong, Amai?"

She perks back up and erases any trace of sadness off her face. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just that my parents are always so protective of me. But sometimes, I don't feel like they trust me. That's all." she smiles even wider than before, which makes me smile as well. "But I know that they're overprotective because they care about me."

"... I understand. It's hard to think believe that parents only want what's best for you, even if it seems like they don't care about what you want." I really do understand what she's going through; my parents became the same way after Osana's death.

I still remember the day my mom came into my room and told me that Osana was dead. I planned to go visit her in prison since I wasn't connected to Shin's case; but in truth, I wanted to talk to her, ask her side of the story.

I wanted to reconnect with my old best friend. No matter what she's done, she's still the girl I grew up with, the same one who made me my favorite bento boxes for lunch, the same girl who Hanako and I played hide and seek with when we were kids. After what happened with Shin and the video, I had stopped hanging out with her, and pretty much stopped being her friend altogether. But I always felt a little bit guilty for ignoring her so much, so I finally decided to see her again in prison. It was too late. She was already gone.

Suicide, the detectives told her parents. When Shin found out, he said he was relieved. "It feels like... a huge weight is off my shoulders now." he stared into the sky and smiled softly. I wasn't angry at him- he had every right to be pleased by this. But I wasn't happy for him either. He doesn't know this, but I'm still a little empty on the inside since since she died. How would you feel if you lost your best friend? Not well, I assume...

In less than a year's time, four girls had died. That's not all, one of the school substitutes had disappeared shortly after a test I recently had with her. (I heard that the only evidence was blood found in the hallways and a vague suicide note about her 'lost lover',  but it didn't make much sense). That woman was one of my teachers, and all the students who died were my people I knew. It may not mean anything, but...

"Senpai?" Amai snaps be back to reality. "To show my appreciation, I've baked this for you." She raises the cake towards my face- "Here. I remember how much you enjoyed the strawberry cupcakes, so I added extra strawberries on top. I hope you like it." She baked this... for me? (For a second there, I thought we had to throw it out with the extras.)

My mouth is watering just looking at it. "Wow, thank you! This looks delicious. Thank you, Amai." She blushes a little when I praise her cooking. It reminds me of when I met her- I wanted to bring Shin something that could cheer him up, so I tried to make him something in the Cooking clubroom. Luckily Amai was there to help me so I didn't cut my fingers! She ended up making the cake we enjoyed that day, and we've been friends ever since. I take a spoonful of delicious cake, and the smooth creamy taste melts my troubles away.