Fractal Plane: Maiden's Heart

Chapter 3 - Ravenous Hunter

1

Miki Amagi cannot believe what she just saw.

"Arata and Uehara..."

She was at a loss for words after having seen her two classmates race out of Vermillion Crescent and into one path among the many that traversed Aria Alley.

Her mind was full of questions, but she managed to put those aside when she took her first step towards the path.

"Ooooh, I wonder what they were doing in those attires."

Akane Fujiwara went out of her hiding spot and after giving a comment that seemed a bit late, looked at the path where the two went.

"Fujiwara, let's go!"

Fujiwara nodded, and the two picked up their pace and entered one of the branching pathways. It did not take too long before they broke off into a run, following the trail of Kazuki and Uehara.

"Somehow, this feels exciting, Senpai. I knew two girls going to Aria Alley at night in order to stalk someone was already something, but we keep getting new surprises tonight!"

"E-ehh? If you put it that way..."

Amagi did not know what to feel after hearing those remarks from the redhead. It was her first time attempting something like this, and the more they stayed, the more she felt conscious about stalking her childhood friend and meddling with his business.

She hated to admit it outright, but she knew that a feeling of jealousy had taken over.

Shortly after that transfer student came in, Kazuki Arata continually kept himself busy at night. He has been staying out late at night, and he had less and less time to agree to Shiki's invitations.

He had all kinds of excuses prepared for her and Shiki, but Amagi never bought them. Shiki wasted no opportunity in teasing him about having a secret relationship with the transfer student, and while Kazuki vehemently denied those, the mere thought of that bothered Amagi.

Something happened that weekend. Something came up, and it changed his life.

What is he not telling her? Why?

Ever since their childhood, she has been the one person that Kazuki ever slightly opened up to. Compared to the stoic exterior that he showed to others, he was very open and confiding towards her.

Now, he seemed to be hiding something from her in their conversations. It felt as if there was something that the boy she knew from her childhood could not tell her. Amagi tried not to get bothered that much, but she couldn't help it.

Amagi forcefully shoved those selfish thoughts aside as she continued to run down the path along with her fellow swimming club member.

From where she was, she has been managing to see Kazuki's form and following him through the serpentine paths of Aria Alley. She kept her focus pinpoint despite the rowdy environment and the noisy establishment patrons that they were passing through.

"Fujiwara, you okay?"

She glanced back to see her lowerclassman keeping pace.

"Hehe. I'm not the ace of the swimming club for nothing! Just keep going, Senpai."

Amagi lost track of how deep the two of them had gone inside that pathway, but they finally arrived in front of a dead end.

Seeing the dead end ahead, Amagi abruptly stopped her run, and she found herself nearly losing balance the moment she felt someone bump her from behind.