'Bye, sweetheart! Have a good day at school!' Ryoba called merrily from the front door. Her face fell into a placid expression the moment she saw Ayano turn away, and as she watched her child's retreating form grow evermore distant, it became murderous. She slammed the door, loudly enough that it made Ayano whip around, and lock eyes with her father. His sleeves were rolled up, arms covered in foam. There was fear in his eyes as his wife came up behind him and hugged him. Fear and disgust. He smiled at Ayano, and nodded goodbye solemnly, then went back to washing up. Questions bubbled around her head.
Why now? What changed? Is it me? Is it my fault? Why are they like this? Has it always been like this? How lo-
She let out a long, sad sigh. She couldn't ask them. If she was correct, they couldn't know that she knew.
She looked at Pipi, who seemed just as miserable as her. Sombre expressions do not suit girls like Pipi. She was the sort of person who could make you happy with her laughter, and could make you cry with the face she wore now. Even when sad, she was pretty. She always glowed with beauty, even when in the foulest of moods. Who couldn't love her? What with her magenta bangs, the black hair she wore in a tidy bob, those eyes of emerald that peered out beneath her hair. Ayano felt faint traces of jealousy when ever she saw how people looked at Pipi. She knew she was pretty, she must have. Smart and beautiful and kind. That was Pipi. Almost never upset. Which is why her expression made Ayano want to ask what was bothering her.
Before she could ask, Pipi began to speak.
'Something awful happened at school.' Her high, kind voice seemed to be embroidered with pain, 'It's about Osana Najjmi...'
That name rang a bell. Its noise was quiet, muffled by layers of cobwebs, but it was familiar sound. An alarm bell.
'Who is she?' Her face fell from the warm smile she had worn, 'Oh god, what happened to her?'
Pipi sighed, 'I'm sorry to be the one to break this to you.'
She slowed her pace.
'It was actually Uekiya Engeika who found her there. I had to leave early that day...'
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'Do we really have to wait for her?' Ryuto complained. His hair, usually spikey, had been bashed around by the wind.
We were standing in the shelter of the school lockers, groups of students waiting for Sensei Taiso to come and open it. Every so often there would be a roars of laughter from those brave enough to stand in the windy, but glowing afternoon.
'Quit whining! We're waiting for Sensei, what difference does it make if Ayano happens to come before? I always wait for her, plus, she said that she needed to leave with us.'
Ryuto rolled his eyes,' No offence but she's kind of weird. Why do you even like her?'
I laughed at him,' Anyone could say the same about you, moron!' I punched him in the arm softly, not meaning to hurt him. I could never mean to hurt him. He swayed slight and smirked at me, his cheeks going slightly red.
