WebNovels

Chapter 7 - Something strange is happening

Usami woke up in bed, trying to recall what happened yesterday. Still half-asleep, he got up and almost tripped. Confused, he looked around and noticed something missing—his new video game. It was supposed to be on the shelf, but now it was gone. Shrugging it off, he went to shower, wrapped himself in a towel, got dressed, and took the bus to school.

When he arrived, he met his two friends, Haruto and Ren—but Mahiru was nowhere to be seen. Throughout the day, he didn't catch sight of her even once. Feeling uneasy, Usami asked Haruto to talk to Yumi about Mahiru. But Haruto just looked confused.

"Who's Yumi? And who's Mahiru?" he asked.

Usami froze. "Don't joke like that," he said, frustrated, before walking off without another word. Haruto and Ren exchanged worried looks, unsure what was happening to him.

After class, Usami walked home, passing by Mahiru's house. He considered visiting her—she lived alone, after all. Just then, Mahiru appeared out of nowhere, her red, blood-colored eyes staring at him.

"This isn't supposed to happen," she said coldly.

Usami jolted awake in his bed. His game was back on the shelf. He looked at the calendar—Saturday. But he clearly remembered it being Thursday. Panic filled him. He stepped outside.

"It's night? I just woke up…" he muttered.

He began running through the streets, desperate to understand what was going on. "If this is a dream, I shouldn't feel pain," he whispered, about to bite his arm—

—and suddenly woke up again.

He checked everything: the calendar said Thursday, the time was 7:30, the game was on the shelf, and his uniform fit perfectly. Still shaken, he convinced himself it was just a nightmare and headed to school.

When Haruto and Ren saw him, they were shocked. Usami looked pale, with dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you okay, Usami?" Haruto asked, worry in his voice.

Ren added, "Yeah, dude. You look like you haven't slept in days."

Usami forced a weak smile. "I just had a horrible nightmare."

The two relaxed a little, and they continued walking together.

After school, Usami decided to visit Mahiru. They'd been friends for about half a year, so it wasn't strange to drop by. Just as he was about to knock, the door opened—and Mahiru stood there, beautifully dressed.

"Usami?" she said, surprised.

Caught off guard, Usami fumbled for words. "Uh—ah—um—"

Mahiru's expression shifted from surprise to mild irritation. "Are you sleeping well?" she asked seriously.

"Yeah… I think so," Usami replied awkwardly.

"It doesn't look like it," she frowned. Then her tone softened. "You should sleep at least eight hours, okay?"

Usami nodded, feeling guilty. "Got it."

Mahiru smiled. "Good!"

After saying their goodbyes, Mahiru walked off toward the cake shop to meet Hana, smiling softly to herself. Usami returned home and was surprised to see his parents' shoes by the door—they were back early. Not wanting to talk, he quietly went to his room and started playing video games.

But as he played, his mind kept replaying his conversation with Mahiru—her voice, her eyes, and that warm, gentle smile.

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