บท 2: The Unknown Stalker

That late-evening he continued to head home. He could barely walk properly with the bruises in his body. He tried to recall what exactly happened that time as he passed by the children's playground. At that moment, he suddenly felt an uneasy presence, the same as he felt in the clinic room at school. He shortly glanced at the chair and saw a strange high school girl. She looks like a first-year, with a uniform that is the same as the school he enters. He tried to approach the girl carefully and asked,

"Hey, it's almost midnight you know? there will be a curfew later; you should go home now," Rei says, with a worried face.

The girl looked at him with a bright, cute face and smiled. She had cute short hair and a small body; she is a little bit smaller compared to his height. He suddenly saw a small splat of blood on her cheeks.

"There's blood on your face, have you had an accident? Did something happen to you!? He says, with a bothered face.

The mysterious girl stood up and immediately approached him as she leaned towards Rei, stretching her arms all around him tightly.

"Sensei… you're so cute when you're worried about me. Sansei's smell is so good fufu!"

She tries to smell him on his shoulder as she gives him a creepy yet awkward vibe in the situation, He then grabs her shoulder and pulls her away.

"What are you doing? Have you been drinking lately? But you're still a high school student like me, don't act like that in front of a stranger you've randomly met, okay?"

He immediately pulled her away from him slowly. He glanced at her and the eyes went expressionless, as creepy as it gets, she suddenly stared into space angrily. She muffled, talking to herself with something.

"Why he wouldn't want me to touch him, sensei doesn't like me, is it maybe she had someone other than me, no, no, no on I can't let that happen" she Murmured in midair.

"Uhh are you ok again you've been acting weird lately, it's creeping me out"

"Oh I'm sorry, I got lost in thought of something so there's nothing to worry about. Thinking about the time, it's almost midnight. I think we should head home, "she says as her personality changed in an instant.

"Uh…okay... I guess, "Rei says, left with confusion and unease.

"By the way my name is Mary, sensei" Mary says, with a bright cute smile

"Mary huh…, where do you live exactly?" he asked

"I only live near your residence, just in the same building as your apartment." Mary replied with a calm voice.

Rei was surprised to hear about what she said, it was very clear that she lived near his home apartment, not even knowing her presence of going in and out of her room. Minutes have passed, and it's almost midnight. They finally arrived at the building and went to the apartment hallway on the second floor. Rei felt unsure about Mary and what had happened earlier at the playground. He still continues to overthink how mysterious this girl was as he felt with fear and unease until they've finally reached room 204, Rei's apartment building number.

"So, this is it; you should get home to your room now. Take care, Mary."

He gently glances at her and her face is somewhat psychotic and smiling shortly with dark intentions.

"Ummm… mary?" he asked, with a nervous voice, so he blinked his eyes again.

"oh sorry, I got distracted hehe.., goodnight sensei I'll be heading on to my apartment now"

"Ohh... ok goodnight too.... Rei-san hehe."

Mary suddenly mentioned his name; he felt goosebumps as he heard what she said—he hadn't even introduced his name yet to her, or rather, he forgot to introduce himself, but how did she know his name with him telling her? He then asked Mary.

"H- how did you know my name?." he says, with a nervous feeling and intense unease.

"Oh- sorry, is there something wrong with what I said? I just commonly hear about you in this place."

He was speechless about what happened, yet he replied "I- is that so huh…well then I'll be off now ok my mom will be worried about me."

He couldn't say much anymore as he only felt goosebumps and confusion. They both finally went their separate ways, and Rei reached the door knob and entered the room. Her mother quickly went towards him and hugged him tightly with a dwell on her face.

"Where have you been lately? Did something happen to you? Were you harmed? I'm sorry I couldn't help but worry Rei..."

He looked at his mom and said, "it's okay mom, I'm still fine don't worry. Many things happened earlier so I was very busy at that moment, sorry i haven't informed you about that"

"I've prepared a meal for you, I'm sorry the meals are cold now and I didn't save enough money to buy ourselves a proper dinner. I also haven't eaten but you're most important so you should eat up now, okay" his mom says, as she gently sets the table with a small dish of mashed potatoes and a salted dry fish.

"No, no, thanks for the meal you prepared for me, mom. But maybe I should be the one who needs it. I just need some biscuits, and I'll be heading on to my room now, okay mom"

"But it's supposed to be yours, I... I can't eat this…"

"Mom…. you're more important right now, I don't want you to get ill because of an empty stomach, I would probably regret that."

"Rei…I can't even thank you enough for this, I- it's a bit too much. "

She is left with slight tears in her eyes and an emotional face while she starts eating the food on the plate. She's very grateful for how caring her son is. Rei came up with a smile as he saw her mother enjoying her meal with tears of joy and happiness in her face.

"I hope that girl is fine… maybe I'll try to talk to her tomorrow" he muffled

Rei headed over to the shower room to take a hot bath before going to bed, and as he went to the tub, he began to overthink what had happened earlier.

"What's with that girl… she's creepy and mysterious" he says, with his head looking at the moving water in the tub. Minutes passed in the shower room, and he finally went to his bedroom and laid down on the soft bed sheet.

"I don't even remember a first-year high schooler living near our apartment, and how did she even know my name… I'm not really known much in this neighborhood… Did she peek at my ID? Did she happen to talk to my friends in school? shit! I can't think straight, I think I just need a rest for now."

The next morning, her mother went to the bedroom and gently knocked at the door. Today is Tuesday, and Rei instantly woke up to the sound, and her mother entered with a bright, positive face.

"Rei, I've prepared a warm breakfast for you. Also, you have a visitor this morning; she gave us treats for you to eat."

Rei was confused by what her mother said. He then hurriedly walked to the kitchen without noticing that he was wearing only his underwear. After entering the kitchen, he saw the mysterious girl he met yesterday night.

"Good morning, sempaii! I brought breakfast for you and your mother, maybe this'll repay my gratitude for helping me that night." Mary says, with her bright, cute smile, as if nothing ever happened that night.

He went into confusion as the room came silent. Mary looked at him on the bottom and spoke.

"You look cute wearing only your underpants." She says, with a cute giggle. Rei finally realized that he forgot to wear his pants and completely rushed back to his bedroom and immediately wore his uniform. After a minute they finally ate their breakfast and left the kitchen. Breaking News suddenly flashes from the television in the living room as Rei looks curiously to the headline.

"Four students from Shine Summit High School were found dead outside the campus near the storage room; the situation cannot be explained more deeply as to what happened between those students; police are still trying to investigate the gruesome event that happened to the student." the news reporter says on television.

Rei is shocked and silent to what he hears about the news, yet he ignores it at first and heads on the door along with Mary who looks like she didn't care about what happened to the news.

"I'll be heading now mom; I promise I'll be back"

They walked down to the subway station, and finally they entered the train and sat down on the seats. Everything that happened leaves Rei with more questions; he starts to feel distant from her yet curious about who she really is. The train stopped at the sound of the wheels shrieking outside, and the door opened, and passengers went down the train.

Rei stands and hurriedly goes to the door in order to lose her. He finally got into the school gate and exhaled in success, but he still felt the uneasy presence. He looks back and forth from where she is, but there is no sign of her in the crowd of students in the area. After looking so many times, he immediately went to his classroom and sat down in his chair.

He still felt uneasy about what was happening right now. Their professor finally came inside the classroom with a frown. Rei looked at every seat and didn't see those four students who messed with him yesterday. He tries to guess what really happened to the four students, yet his conclusions really are connected to the news earlier this morning, so he waited for their advisers' confirmation.

"To those who are here today, condolences to the four of your classmates who passed away this week. Due to their circumstances, we all should pray for their souls to rest in peace."

The class went silent as if no one cared; they all knew that those people were hated by them. Some students whispered gossip to each other.

"I can't believe those shits died in a single day"

"Yeah, it's not worth being pitied at though they're all bastards. They used to pick up a high school girl at the gymnasium before." The two students were chatting behind Rei's back.

Hours after the discussion, Rei immediately got up from the table and went on the school rooftop to get some space and overthink. He sat beside the steel fences, enjoying the calm view of the neighborhood. A fresh breeze of air flows from place to place, making the trees rustle. Suddenly he felt that he was being followed. He immediately looked everywhere for the person, yet he didn't see anybody. He tried to call if someone replied.

"Is anyone there? Show yourself!" Rei says, with a nervous face. He began to look at the stairs and saw a suspicious girl that turned out to be Mary.

"You've got a good sense there, sempai! Fufu! I thought you wouldn't see me stalking you for the past few hours."

Mary comes closer to Rei as she sits down and continues to look at him with her dark gazing eyes. Rei is still unsure from who she is, he couldn't bear those questions much longer that lingers in his mind so he tried to ask her right away without any hesitation.

"Why?... Why are you here? Why do you try to stalk and follow me these days? Are there any reasons why you are doing this stuff," he asked.

The girl looked at him with pale eyes again, with just in a second it flashes away and completely avoids his question by changing the topic. She looked at the view of the environment and said,

"Did you know that there's a myth in school in japan, if two people meet and kiss together on the school rooftop that means they'll be together for eternity." Mary said with a soft voice

Rei was left with confusion and disbelief while listening to her story.

"Ever since the day we first met, before the time at the park. I was almost dragged in the corner, strangled and suffocating in deep pain on a small bucket of water. My friend and I were trying to find a way out. Being toyed by those fucking bullies, my friend died because of them right? Until I met you, you were the one who saved me before. I know you don't remember it much but I still tried to tell you what happened before.``

Rei vaguely remembers much in the past, but glimpses of memories are coming back. He began to realize she was the one who was in the accident before.

"You've finally remembered it right?" She asked with a calm voice

Rei was unaware of the situation as Mary quickly went closer to him. He jumped out and fell down the chair, completely into the ground. Mary gently laid on top of him, he can barely move because of her. She was completely focused on him as she gently moved her chest near him and looked back with lustful eyes.

"Wanna do it right now…with me?" She says, with a gentle sweet voice.

"I uhm… W-wait! Are you completely out of your mind right now!" Rei suddenly shouted as he almost fell for her lusty charms and temptations.

The school bell suddenly rang and he immediately stood up and went down stairs and to his classroom, leaving Mary behind with a completely blank face and dark eyes.

"We were that close…why do you still keep running away from me… don't worry soon I'll do my best to make you mine?"

A few days have passed, and the stalking still continues as Rei begins to avoid her, place to place, especially inside the library, where no single student comes inside. He bristles down to the shelves and reads books and novels one by one to kill time. He kneeled down to one of the shelves and saw an old scratched book hidden to the right corner, he then grabbed the book and took it. Dust covered the pages as he blew those away and sat on the chair, looking at the cover page entitled "the dark goddess".

He turned out to be curious about the book and its contents. Before opening the book, he saw a girl at the corner of the table. He didn't even notice her presence since he went to this room. The girl was the one who helped her yesterday, she's silent in the room while holding a novel.

"That's quite a dark book you found there…" she says, with a soft voice.

Rei was surprised when she knew what he was holding.

"H- how did you know?" He asked

"I've read that before… theories say that there was a goddess which was released here into the real world. She replied.

"You really love things about this huh…?" Rei responded, with an amused and curious face.

"Legend says, She was an archon before she proclaimed herself as a goddess, I don't recall much of her name but her figure is quite intriguing."

"I wonder if I can meet that goddess," Rei replied out of the blue.

The silence in the room was gone and his worry began to slow down. Rei sat on the chair beside her and introduced himself.

"Oh Sorry...My name's Rei by the way, it was nice meeting you here."

"Charlotte… Charlotte Rose.…" she replied with a shy face.

"Are you feeling okay, how's your bruises"

"It's fine this'll heal sooner" Charlotte replied while holding her palm with scratches.

They began chatting for a minute. A short time had passed and the girl gently slid her chair and stood up.

"T-thank you for helping me back there…I really appreciate it so much…I can't thank you enough" she smiled and bowed her head with respect and gratitude.

Rei was still sitting down on the chair as Kanae gently lifted her head up again.

"I…I need to go to my room for cleaning I guess…see you later, Rei"

She gently approached the door and left. Rei felt at ease after talking with her. But just as soon Rei tried to stand up, a mysterious girl was walking silently near behind and immediately covered his eyes with surprise.

"Guess who it is? She said with an exciting expression.

"This voice!?" Rei speaks in his thoughts while trying to recognize the woman behind her. He suddenly realized that there's no one in this room except for him who's been hiding from Mary since last Tuesday. He finally realized it was Mary behind her as he Louden his voice.

"Mary!?" he shouted.

Mary removed his hands then clasped and said," Did I scare you senpai"

"H-how did you find me here!?" Rei asked, with a nervous face. He is completely in confusion as Mary walked right in front of his chair and sat in front of his lap while him sitting on the chair. Mary extended her arms and locked her fingers onto Rei's shoulder as she began smiling psychotically. His heart began beating fast as she then gently went closer near his face, pressing her soft chest.

"Now... it's just the two of us here and that bitch is now gone, no one will interfere our love time, "

Rei can't even think straight yet he is completely still out of fear and tension. She suddenly grabbed his necktie and placed her face on his shoulder.

"I finally get to smell sensei again… I wouldn't ever let you go again this time!"

Just as Rei wanted to shout, he realized that no sound escaped his lips as it was sealed by the girl's lips. Her arms tightened around his shoulder where he could barely move as he felt her tongue charging inside his mouth, their tongues intertwining, tasting and touching. Suddenly Rei felt a small tablet inside his throat and swallowed it. Just as Mary finished, Rei began to feel weak and dizzy. He tried to focus himself on her yet barely made a clear vision of the place.

"Rei-san's mouth is too delicious" Mary seemed to be awfully satisfied with their colliding mouths and tongues.

"What did you d-" Rei says, with a struggle and weak voice until seconds after his consciousness began to fade away, his body felt numb, and he couldn't think straight anymore. Mary wears goggles while expressing an obsessive, psychotic smile, waiting for something more exciting than what she did to him right now. Mary continues to look at him and giggle with a cute smile.

"That was my first kiss. This proves that we are lovers fufu!" Mary continues to stare at him with cruelty

Her last words began to be unclear to his mind until he immediately fell asleep while sitting on the chair lying down on her lap. She gently stood up and dragged him somewhere while he remained unconscious.