The crisp autumn breeze swept through the schoolyard as Miku walked out of the classroom, her mind filled with the buzz of another day. Cultural Day was coming up soon, and there was so much to prepare. But something had been bothering her lately—an unsettling feeling that she couldn't shake. It wasn't just the usual stress of school or the pressure of the upcoming event; it was something more, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
It was like someone was watching her.
Every time she glanced over her shoulder or turned a corner, she couldn't help but feel eyes on her. Her heart would race, but when she looked, there was never anyone in sight. At first, she thought it was just paranoia. But as the days went by, it became harder to ignore the strange sensation.
Taiki had noticed too. He was often there, making sure she was alright, asking if she was feeling okay. But Miku had brushed off his concerns, not wanting to drag him into it. She didn't want to seem weak, not with everything happening around them. She needed to stay strong, especially with the festival approaching.
But the feeling persisted.
One day, while walking with Alya after school, Miku couldn't help but glance back again. This time, she was certain—there, in the distance, was Akira. His face was partially obscured by the crowd of students leaving school, but she recognized him instantly. He wasn't even trying to hide it this time.
Her heart dropped.
Alya, oblivious to Miku's internal panic, was happily chatting away about the upcoming festival and the new outfits they were getting for the event. But Miku couldn't focus on anything except the figure of Akira, still following them from a distance, his eyes alwyays fixed on her.
As they walked past the familiar streets, Miku found herself zoning out. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions—Why was Akira following her? What did he want? And why couldn't she shake the feeling that this had something to do with Rio?
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Alya noticed Miku's distracted demeanor and nudged her lightly.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Miku forced a smile. "Yeah, just tired."
Alya tilted her head, not quite believing her. "Well, if you're feeling down, you should talk to Taiki. You know he'd listen."
Miku nodded, though the thought of talking to Taiki about Akira made her nervous. She didn't want to worry him unnecessarily.
As the two of them continued their walk through the streets of Tokyo, they eventually passed by a small café, where Taiki was waiting outside, holding a cup of coffee. He waved when he saw them, his smile as warm as ever. But it didn't quite reach his eyes today, and Miku couldn't help but feel a slight tension in the air.
Alya waved back at him cheerfully, her usual energy unshaken. Her bright blonde hair caught the sunlight, and her yellow eyes sparkled as she walked up to Taiki, exchanging greetings. Miku followed, but she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder one more time.
And there he was—Akira—still standing at a distance, watching her, his eyes fixed with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine.
"You know," Akira's voice echoed in her mind, the words from their earlier encounter flashing through her memory. "I'm watching you, Miku."
Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly turned her attention back to Taiki and Alya. But the unease remained.
As Miku approached Taiki, Alya leaned in, whispering something in his ear, causing Taiki to glance at Miku and raise an eyebrow. "You've been kind of out of it lately. Something on your mind?"
Miku gave a small, forced laugh. "Nah, just thinking about the festival."
Alya, however, caught the change in Miku's tone. "You sure? Because it looks like you've been avoiding something—or someone," she teased, her eyes darting to where Akira was still standing, just beyond the café.
Miku froze for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "No… I'm fine," she said, her voice strained.
But Akira's presence wasn't something she could shake off so easily. She could feel him still watching, even though she couldn't see him anymore.
Taiki's brow furrowed as he looked from Miku to where she'd glanced earlier. He had a feeling something was off, but he didn't want to press her too much. Not yet.
"Alright," he said, smiling softly. "Let's just focus on the festival. We'll all be busy with preparations tomorrow anyway."
They spent the next few hours together, getting things ready for the event, but Miku couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing. The more she thought about Akira, the more certain she became that he wasn't just some random guy following her. There was something more to it—something connected to her past that she had yet to uncover.
That night, as she lay in bed, her phone buzzing with messages from Taiki about their plans for the festival, Miku's mind kept drifting back to Akira.
Why was he following her? What did he want?
And most importantly… who else knew about it?
As the days wore on, the feeling of being watched only grew stronger, and Miku knew she couldn't ignore it any longer. She had to find out the truth.
But the question was… was she ready to face what Akira was hiding?