White Anemone Petals

Chapter 21

A/N: Sorry about the hiatus on this story, but I am back and ready to continue it!

Ayano wandered around school, wondering how she was supposed to defeat Osoro by Friday. Osoro was a strong delinquent who could easily overpower her in a fight and intimidate Taro/Taeko into accepting a love confession. She couldn't let that happen. Ayano herself was quite strong, but she couldn't kill Osoro by herself. She needed someone stronger to help her. It was after cleaning time, and she needed to act now if she was going to destroy her rival by Friday. She waited by the martial arts club until a certain girl arrived. Mina Rai, strongest member of the club aside from its leader. Eventually she showed up.
"Excuse me." Ayano stepped in her path, getting her attention. Mina looked up at her, smiling awkwardly. She and Ayano never spoke, even though they were in the same class. She also didn't have much of a positive opinion on her thanks to Budo. "May I talk to you in private about something please?" She asked plainly. Mina glanced at the cub room, before glancing at the time on her phone. As long as it was quick, she should have time to talk to Ayano before martial arts club activities started.
"Sure, but we need to be quick. I have club meetings soon." Mina told her. Ayano nodded, turning and getting Mina to follow her. She hid the smirk forming behind her stone cold expression. They'd be quick alright. Well, Ayano would be.

"What are we doing here?" Mina asked, looking around. They were in a storage room, the only thing other than them in the room being a large instrument case. Ayano smirked, not saying a word as she removed a syringe filled with a tranquilliser already stolen from the nurse from her book bag. She moved suddenly, grabbing Mina and smothering her mouth before injecting the tranquilliser into her neck. Mina struggled until falling unconscious in Ayano's arms. She silently placed Mina, her book bag and the syringe into the case, locking it. She hummed to herself as she left the storage room.

Mina woke slowly, looking around the basement. It was early in the morning, but the only light in the room came from the lightbulb hanging above her head. She found herself tied to a chair, and no matter how much she struggled she couldn't loosen the restraints. The last thing she could remember was Ayano wanting to talk to her. After what felt like forever, Ayano came into the basement staring at her hostage.
"Help!" Mina shouted to Ayano, who didn't even flinch. She was prepared for this. He knew her hostage would struggle and shout for help, but she didn't let it phase her. She slowly started moving closer to Mina, still staring her down. The brown haired girl soon went quiet, just watching Ayano. She realised Ayano wasn't here to help her, but was the reason she was here to begin with.
"I wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to kill Osoro Shidesu for me." Ayano said plainly, watching her victim. She acted like she was beginning the conversation she'd wanted to have in the storage room. This way, now Mina couldn't refuse, run off or tell anyone about what Ayano wanted.
"What? Are you insane? There's no way I'm going to kill Osoro for you!" Mina started ranting. She'd never expected the quiet and unsuspecting Ayano would ask her to kill someone, nevertheless the strongest delinquent of the school. Ayano wasn't bothered by Mina's attitude. She could change it pretty easily.
"Oh, we'll see about that..." she giggled darkly. She could be very... persuasive. Mina struggled, shaking slightly. She was terrified of Ayano and what she was capable of.

By Friday, Mina's spirit had been shattered along with her ability to think for herself. She was a mindless slave, retaining only her above average strength and martial arts skills. Exactly what Ayano had wanted. She untied her, holding Mina's arm and dragging her out of the basement.

As Ayano was heading back to where she had left Mina, she saw Cupa and Oka together. Cupa was looking a little brighter, but was still suffering. She seemed to stop every thirty seconds to have a coughing fit. Ayano threw the knife she was going to give Mina in her bag, walking over to them.
"You okay?" She asked Cupa, giving Oka a kiss on the cheek. She'd been concerned with Cupa's health, since she hadn't been well at all over the past week or so. She nodded her head softly, smiling weakly at Ayano.
"I'm fine..." she couldn't say more before coughing up a handful of petals. The Hanahaki disease was becoming a real issue for her, but she wasn't ready to confess to Taro/Taeko incase they rejected her. Oka patted her back gently, holding on to her to keep her standing.
"I gotta go now. Gotta eliminate someone." Ayano told them, the second sentence a lot quieter than the first. She didn't want anyone to be suspicious of her in causing these murders, because then she wouldn't be able to commit them. She had to so she could save her cousin. Nobody would understand!

After handing Mina the knife and telling her who she had to eliminate, Ayano followed her to make sure the job was done correctly. She was almost relieved to see Osoro alone by the incinerator. Mina launched an attack, stabbing at Osoro. The delinquent was surprised, but tried to fight Mina off. Ayano used the distraction to sneak up behind Osoro, taking an even larger knife from her book bag. She ran and jumped, grabbing Osoro from behind and stabbing her in the head. The delinquent queen fell, dead. She couldn't defend herself from Ayano's strike while defending herself from Mina's attacks.
"Your job is done, Mina. You know what to do now." Ayano pulled her knife out of Osoro's head as she spoke. Mina stood up slowly, taking her knife and stabbing herself in the neck. Ayano put her own knife in the incinerator and set it alight before walking away from her victims. Hopefully nobody else would stand in the way.