"Then what is the third possibility?" Kisaragi Chiyo tilted her head, looking at the Evil Spirit with curiosity.
"Actually, I think the possibility of a third kind is quite small." The Evil Spirit couldn't help but reach out to touch his lover's face, before letting out a cough and returning to a serious expression.
The third one is an accomplice.
"Even though an accomplice like me escaped legal punishment in the end, is he seeking revenge against me because of his resentment?" Kisaragi Chiyo lowered her eyes, her gaze falling upon those medical records, suddenly understood why Hara Kenji had said this was the least likely possibility.
Comparing the second and third notes with the sounds you heard while hiding in the cabinet, Kisaragi, we can infer that the image of this hallucination is likely related to the killer.
"If I were truly an accomplice, then the hallucination I saw would likely be a victim coming to claim my life," Kisaragi Chiyo added softly, picking up where Hara left off.
Yes." Hara Kenji nodded. "So I am more inclined to believe that I was a witness to that past case.
Ah." Kisaragi Chiyo let out a soft gasp, as if she had suddenly thought of something. "Perhaps I am ill, but isn't what I saw in my hallucinations and auditory illusions not entirely false?
Hearing this, Hara Kenji's gaze fell upon the third note.
"Alright.. I'm getting goosebumps." Hara Kenji rubbed his arms vigorously, having understood the implication in Kisaragi Chiyo's words.
When we saw what was written on the third note, that he had already been released from prison, we subconsciously assumed he was released after I transferred schools. Then, he created a murder case in the vicinity—to be more precise, there should be two cases now—that shared the same characteristics as the original one, to tell me he was back.
"But in reality, none of us are clear on when that original murder actually took place? How many years was the killer sentenced to? Or exactly when was he released from prison?" These were all pieces of information they had yet to find, so it was only natural that the note had led their thoughts astray.
“If that's the case.." Kisaragi Chiyo unconsciously lowered his voice. He could hear the sound of his own heart beating strongly and rapidly, a familiar, strange sense of dissonance began to spread through his heart once again.
Then, out of the hallucinations and auditory illusions I saw in the past, how many were false? And how many came from the killer himself?
As soon as this question was asked, a chilling sensation instantly crawled up his spine, like a cold needle pricking his nerves and causing them to ache.
Kisaragi Chiyo knew that was not what he was feeling.
“Kisaragi?” Hara Kenji watched Kisaragi Chiyo, who had suddenly risen slowly, his expression instinctively began to grow wary of his surroundings.
Kisaragi Chiyo said nothing; following his intuition, he cast his gaze toward a pile of fuzzy decorations placed on the desk.
When he had just entered, he hadn't noticed in the dim light. Now that he was looking closely, he discovered that among a group of Hello Kitty and Piano dolls, a large-eyed green frog was hiding in the middle, looking so out of place.
A tiny red light flashed within the pitch-black pupils of the frog doll.
That was the state of the camera being operational.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you for the support, my little angels! Mwah! 030
Chapter 119
A chill wound up her spine like a snake, fear licked at her skin, cold sweat slid down her forehead; Kisaragi Chiyo's face turned extremely pale, like a piece of white paper that had been forcibly crumpled.
She stared at the red dot of the operating camera, under the weight of tension and stimulation, that feeling of panic and fear transformed entirely into a surge of intense, raging fury.
Why? Why must she continue to live in such constant fear?
She strode forward, grabbed the green frog doll, held it high. The glaring incandescent light from the ceiling illuminated her wide-eyed gaze and her slightly distorted expression.
The doll was slammed heavily onto the ground, followed by one kick after another. As if venting all the fear she had accumulated during this time, she stomped the camera into pieces.
..
By the time Kisaragi Chiyo came to her senses, she was sitting slumped on the ground, her back against Hara Kenji's firm chest, completely enclosed in his arms.
"Kisaragi.." Noticing the slightly weary expression on his face, Hara Kenji reached out and tenderly massaged Kisaragi Chiyo's throbbing temples.
"Are you feeling alright now?" the other person asked softly in his ear.
"Barely." Kisaragi Chiyo adjusted her posture, leaning her head against the other's shoulder. The familiar, cool fragrance enveloped her, amidst that reassuring scent, she closed her eyes, listening to the sound of their two heartbeats gradually synchronizing in the silence.
That fear did not belong to him, nor did that anger. Everything he had just done was part of a forced plotline.. but the intense emotions thumping in his chest had not yet fully subsided. Even though his mind could calmly stand at a bystander's perspective to analyze every move of "me," the experience of feeling it all firsthand made it impossible for him to avoid feeling mentally exhausted.
Kenji.
Kisaragi Chiyo raised her head, placing one hand gently against Hara Kenji's chest. She realized she had already been infected by the emotions of this identity, everything about her would have an increasingly profound impact on him as things developed.. Therefore, she desperately needed to do something to make herself feel relaxed, or something to distract her attention.
"Hmm?" Hara Kenji lowered his head, his eyebrows furrowing, his beautiful dark purple eyes staring unblinkingly at Kisaragi Chiyo.
"What's wrong?" the Evil Spirit asked in confusion.
“I..” Just as the words left his mouth, Kisaragi Chiyo suddenly laughed. The narrow ends of his eyes curved into an upward arc as he easily broke free from Hara Kenji's embrace, pushing the Evil Spirit to the ground before the other could even react.
They had spread a light-colored blanket in this corner of the bedroom. As Hara Kenji fell onto the blanket following Kisaragi Chiyo's momentum, his expression was still somewhat dazed. His long black hair spread out beneath him like a blooming flower or soft seaweed, spreading out like water.
"Chi.. Chiyo-chan?" Hara Kenji blinked. He had just raised his hand when those long, slender, well-defined fingers were grasped by Kisaragi Chiyo.
I think.. right now, I need to rely on some special methods to distract myself.
Kisaragi Chiyo stood up and straddled Hara Kenji's waist. She lowered her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her raven-colored hair was soft as it caught the light; in Hara Kenji's eyes, even the strands of hair curved with an ambiguous grace.
"To avoid having too much influence on me.. you'll help me, won't you?" Kisaragi tilted her head, her gaze shimmering as she looked at Hara Kenji.
"Of course.." Once he realized what the method the other person was referring to was, Hara Kenji's gaze grew deep and dark, condensing into something tangible in his eyes, as his other hand gently brushed against Kisaragi Chiyo's thigh.
"I would be happy to serve," Hara Kenji said softly.
Pure white, translucent tentacles had appeared in the room, twisting and entangling themselves at some unknown moment; like sea anemones seeking to ensnare their prey, they opened their arms toward the boy.
"Don't rush." Kisaragi Chiyo reached out without changing expression and grabbed one of the flexible tentacles that had slithered under his pajama hem.
"I have class tomorrow." As he said this, the youth took the initiative to undo the buttons of his pajamas.
So, don't make a mess of me.
"I understand." Hara Kenji's voice was dry as he stared intently at Kisaragi Chiyo's every move. Soft pajamas slipped from the other's shoulders; under the light, the youth's fair, slender body was incredibly beautiful, where even a single lowered gaze or a slight quiver of the eyelashes could easily capture all of Hara Kenji's attention.
"I will be restrained." As the words fell, the lights went out, gasps and soft moans echoed in the darkness, eventually settling into the stillness of the deep night after a long time.
Everything was restrained, just as Hara Kenji had promised, including the kisses.
Yet, in the midst of the touch, this restraint transformed into a continuous, gentle wave. Like tides crashing against the shore, one after another, leaving no space even for a breath. It successfully turned Kisaragi Chiyo's mind into a chaotic blank, leaving her with no strength left to think about anything else.
Like a small fish caught in the waves, both her body and her thoughts were completely under his control.
..
When Kisaragi Chiyo woke up the next day, his mind was still a complete blank. He sat on the edge of the bed and thought for a long time, until a soft, dry kiss landed on his cheek, only then did Kisaragi Chiyo finally snap out of it from that restrained assistance from last night.
"You call that restraint?" Kisaragi Chiyo questioned Hara Kenji, who was leaning against him. At this moment, the other man was radiating an aura of pure satisfaction, looking like a predator showing a contented expression after a full meal.
“How could it not be?” Hara Kenji wrapped his arms around Kisaragi Chiyo's waist, resting his head gently against his lover's back. His long black hair was spread across his body, lustrous and radiant.
I have always been very restrained." Hara Kenji gave a slightly modest smile, his hands gently pressing against Kisaragi Chiyo's lower abdomen. "If I weren't restrained, I would have devoured you inside and out so many times by now.. Ah, or rather, this place is already filled with my things.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
How did I never notice this before?" Kisaragi Chiyo tilted her head, looking at Hara Kenji with a gaze of astonishment. "How did I never realize you were such a..
That word rolled around Kisaragi Chiyo's mouth several times, but in the end, she still didn't say it.
"There's no other way." Hara Kenji was amused by Kisaragi Chiyo's expression. He held the youth even tighter, as if wanting to press him into his own embrace.
Because you are just too lewd, Kisaragi." Hara Kenji rubbed his lips against the other's earlobe, "It makes me unable to resist the urge to give you everything.
And guess what," Hara Kenji said, maliciously reminding Kisaragi Chiyo of something, "could the physiological reactions you experience in the Dreamscape reflect onto your body in reality?
Upon hearing this, Kisaragi Chiyo's body stiffened completely.
"You're joking, right.." Kisaragi Chiyo was breaking into a cold sweat.. Well, he admitted he should be feeling guilty.
If those reactions really reflected into reality.. he already didn't dare to imagine what Matsuda Jinpei, who chose to stay outside the Dreamscape to take care of him, would think after seeing it.
"Is Chiyo-chan worried that Little Jinpei is jealous?" Hara Kenji said with a grin, poking Kisaragi Chiyo's cheek with his finger, his mischievous expression making one feel quite flustered.
"What a nasty guy," Kisaragi Chiyo complained to Hara Kenji.
Sorry," Hara Kenji said perfunctorily, rubbing his furry head against the boy. "My apologies, then.
*
The bald teacher's lecture in class was so boring it made one feel drowsy. Kisaragi Chiyo rested her head on one hand, her gaze falling upon Yamae in the front row.
She was taking notes diligently, looking like a very hardworking and studious student; her grades were indeed among the top in the grade.
But even for a student like her, a student who seemed to belong to a completely different world from me, what kind of connection could she possibly have to this Dreamscape?
Could it be simply because she once showed me kindness, that in my eyes, the faces of all other students are blurred, leaving only Yamae Nami's face clearly visible?
But none of that was the most important thing.
Kisaragi Chiyo lowered her eyes and erased what she had written in the notebook beside her. Rather than focusing on Yamae, what she needed to figure out now was exactly what kind of murder had occurred at her former school? And what did that murder have in common with the two that happened after she transferred schools?
And.. how to deal with the killer?
Lost in thought, class ended before he knew it.
"Oboshima," Yamae's voice came from ahead. Kisaragi Chiyo raised his head, as the girl walked up to his desk, he closed his notebook, which was filled with questions, a step ahead.
"What's wrong?" Kisaragi Chiyo looked up, his gaze falling upon Yamae Nami's smiling face. She had changed her twin tails into two braids hanging before her chest today, looking friendly and cute.
"Do you want to have lunch together?" Yamae held up the bento box in her hands, a light green translucent lunch box filled to the brim with food.
Kisaragi Chiyo's gaze fixed slightly upon seeing the bento box in Yamae's hands, because he saw a cartoon pattern of a green frog with large eyes printed on the light green bento box.
"Um.. what is that?" Kisaragi Chiyo pointed at the bento box in Yamae's hands. It wasn't his fault for being overly sensitive; things that frequently appeared in the Dreamscape usually carried special significance.
"Eh?" Yamae blinked in confusion. Her amber eyes looked at Kisaragi Chiyo; although she wasn't quite sure what the purpose of the question was, she still answered truthfully.
"It's Big Eyes Frog." When Yamae smiled, two dimples appeared on her cheeks, making her look a bit more bashful.
"It's very cute, right?" Yamae seemed to really like this cartoon character, after answering, she extended the invitation once again.
Oboshima-san, would you like to have a lunch bento together today?
No," Kisaragi Chiyo heard her own voice refuse coldly, "I have other things to do at noon.
".." Yamae said nothing, a look of disappointment crossing her face, but she quickly pulled herself together again.
Alright," Yamae said with an unchanging smile. "Then next time, let's have bento together next time.
Kisaragi Chiyo said nothing, only gave a casual nod, stood up, left the classroom in a hurry without taking anything. Before leaving, she also heard other classmates nearby complaining to Yamae, "What an impolite person, even though you were so kind as to invite her, Yamae."
Don't say that." Yamae's tone was still smiling. "Maybe.. the classmate just happened to have other things to do today.
“..”
Only after walking out of the teaching building did Kisaragi Chiyo stop. He leaned against the wall of the building and looked straight ahead, a flash of deep thought crossing his misty gray eyes.