Obsession (Ayano x Budo)

Chapter 18

Snow fell outside her window.

She watched it through blank, dead eyes as the curtains of white particles descended, like crystal dust. This type of snow is pure white - she thinks - as soft as the lightest kiss, so fine that touching a piece would only last for a second before it disappeared completely from existence.

A touch so innocent and gentle would never be thought to be dangerous. And that is why so many people fall prey to the snow's delicate appearance. Its frost can burn like fire, kill slowly, beautifully. Nature can be so misleading and cruel.

Just like me. A strange smile touched briefly on her lips at the thought.

Ayano pressed her hand flat against the ice-cold pane of the window glass and stared outside. Her mind was jumbled, her thoughts tangled like thousands of threads caught in itself in one huge, intertwining ball. Slowly, as her eyes surveyed the drifting snow, she began to unravel her thoughts, picking them out thread by thread.

This week had been mayhem. She'd experienced so many emotions every day. She'd been used to a clean, empty lifestyle, but now she was left her bewildered by everything. She hadn't felt this exhilarated since she'd first met Taro and he'd opened her to the warmth of love and the bittersweet taste of jealousy. Now, to add to her collection of newfound emotions, she'd felt rage, heartbreak, confusion and (after Taro seeing her in Budo's closet just an hour ago) complete mortification. All in one week. When had this started?

It started with Budo Masuta.

Her hand felt the chill of the window pane seep into the flesh of her palm and fingers, but instead of drawing her hand away, she pressed it harder into the cold glass.

Budo Masuta. He is nothing special. Just an ordinary boy, who lives in a normal house, has his own aspirations and strengths. Why has he caused such a disruption in my life, then? It started when he saw me killing Osana. Distantly, Ayano recognized that all of this may be partially her fault then. He interrogated me in his basement, made a negotiation and introduced me to senpai, poisoned him, invited me to his martial arts class, turned senpai against me and made me lunch.

And then I made some for him too. Ayano shook her head at herself in exasperation. What on earth is Budo's problem with senpai? Or does he have a problem with me? Ayano sighed to herself. Her thoughts were only getting more jumbled up.

But if he does have a problem with me, why make me lunch and invite me to his classes? All of those are friendly acts. Ayano had checked the food meticulously for signs of poisoning and have taken off a sample to submit to various telling chemicals, even innocently given some to her neighbor. But no results. In the end, she'd shrugged and eaten the remainder, and had been surprised by its unexpected tastiness. He'd honestly just made her a nice lunch. She'd felt just a little bit disappointed.

So I can conclude this much: Budo does not have a grudge against me, nor his friend Taro, but for some reason does not want us to date.

A strange thought sprang past her mind. Maybe it's because he wants to date me himself.

Her mind considered the suggestion for a long second, during which time seemed to stand still, before arguing that it could not be true. Just two days ago she'd heard Budo deny that very statement when Taro had asked him during the martial arts lesson. Her brain considered the situations once more...

Maybe he's gay.

Ayano turned away from the window, smirking wryly to herself. Without direction, her body brought her instinctively to her senpai shrine and she felt her worries melt away.

Gingerly, she touched the soft brush of her senpai's toothbrush, imagining his lovely teeth brushing against her fingertips. She shivered involuntarily and drew her hand away.

In any case, Budo is a threat to my relationship with senpai. Even if he has the potential to be friends, the fact is that he has made me suffer immeasurably, and I intend to do the same to him. She nodded absent-mindedly.

Ayano suddenly felt much better with her newfound resolve. She allowed herself to take in a deep breath, and when she exhaled, she felt her confusion escape out her body with it.

In that case, I just need to do two things:

1. Make him suffer
2. Stop him from interfering with my relationship.

Excitement was bubbling up in her again. She didn't want to wait until Monday; she wanted to do something right now. If she couldn't find out who Budo liked, then he'd just have to suffer the consequences directly then.

She walked to her beside table and pulled open the top drawer. Inside it was her phone and a copy of "Cherry Kiss" lying beneath it. She grabbed her phone, opening up her messages and composed a new one. She sent it.

Ayano had to only wait a few seconds before her phone gave a quick alert tone -ding ding- and the reply rolled in.

When would you like them to do this?

Ayano's fingers couldn't type fast enough. Right now.

She pressed send and stared at the screen, waiting with bated breath.

-ding ding-

It will be done. I will give them his description and tell them to wait around the area of his house. Any other requests?

Make sure that they tell him that Ayano Aishi sends her regards.