• The Beginning

    The cicadas were crying loudly right outside my window.
    I didn't even need an alarm clock these days -a huge change for me -to wake up. The cicadas were loud enough. Think of them as roosters. c**k-a-doodle-doo!

    The only difference was that these cicadas were unbearably loud, and they didn't cry like roosters. Kana-kana-kana-kana....
    That was how they cried.

    I forced myself off the comfortable bed and started to get dressed for school. I didn't want to make Lena wait again, like I always made her.

    I was new to this town. It was one heck of a tiny town, let me tell you. There was only one class in the whole entire school I went too. We aren't even the same age as our classmates. There's seven year olds, ten year olds, twelve year olds...all in the same class. But the cool thing about this town was that everyone was really friendly. It had been no problem fitting in.

    I was the only guy out of my group of friends; Lena, Mion, Satoko, and Rika. I felt like I could be myself around them, and I had no trouble hanging out with them. They'd been the first to talk to me at school.

    I scarfed down my breakfast, thinking about what to say to tease Lena today. She was really fun to tease. Her reactions were cute; she'd get red right away, sputtering and taking everything seriously.

    Mion, on the other hand, was probably my closest friend, even out of my other three best friends. She was a tomboy, so she understood how I felt most of the time.

    Satoko was a little prankster. She loves setting traps all around the school, mostly set for me. It makes her day when she sees me getting caught in one of them. I have to say, these aren't ammature tricks. They're pro-leveled. She observes everyone carefully, and then sets the traps, reading her opponent's every move.

    Rika was a mysterious girl. I had a feeling that she was hiding something from us sometimes. It seemed like she had split personalities. Most of the time she was lovable, but I swear I heard her talking in a completely different voice a few times. It scared me, and I didn't say anything about it.

    Well, those are my friends for you. Trust me, I have loads of fun with them. Especially chasing Satoko after getting caught in one of her traps. She may be a prankster, but when it comes to running, she's no match for me.

    I didn't know that my happy, fun, peaceful days could come to a stop all of a sudden.
    I really never expected it to happen.
    If only that man hadn't showed up...
    If only I hadn't found out...



    Blood was everywhere. I didn't know how it had gotten there, or why I had a blood-covered baseball hand gripped in my hands. Why they were holding a syringe in their hands. Why tears were pouring out of my eyes.

    I really had liked these two. In fact, I might have even been in love with one of them. If only they hadn't tried to kill me, things might have worked out perfectly.

    Behind me, I heard someone whispering, "I'm sorry."
    Over and over and over and over and over again.

    So this was what that man had warned me about.
    I felt a strange smile spreading on my face. I heard a crazy laugh from somewhere. It took a while to realize that it was my own laugh.
    Haha...if only I had listened to that man...if only...