Unexpected Friends
Chapters 25. Unreval

Hokkaido High School has 6 floors with the 7th floor as the top floor aka Rooftop.

So the journey they took was quite long to get to the top. And also the reason why the higher, the quieter.

A locked iron door awaits above the stairs. Akbar who had reached the front door immediately opened the iron handle.

'Couche'. The quiet and rarely visited scenery was the first thing they saw. Concrete floor and iron fence that coiled on the edge.

From above they could clearly see the vast school plan. The air blows very strongly due to the altitude. And the temperature was so cold that Akbar sneezed and Alice shivered. "Let's get this over." Alice said as she rubbed her hands together.

After they came out and stood face to face on the concrete floor of Rooftop, Alice began to speak, "Okay, is everything ready?" Everyone replied with a nod. Not with Akbar.

He asked, "Before that, where did you get that bracelet?" Alice stuttered to answer. He was at a loss for how to tell the origin of this bracelet which was actually very strange. "I was given by someone." Alice answered only.

"It is more important what is actually written in this auction. What did you write Akbar-san." Timpal Enji is impatient. Akbar breathed a rough breath. He's massaging his tired forehead.

Then after a few seconds he finally replied, "That means Watashi no tomodati no tame ni. Read,"

"For my friend."

***

"You still thinking about it?" Ayumi's short question makes Naoki flinch from her daydream. He looked up the view so that familiar faces accompanied him.

Naoki nodded to answer Ayumi. "I'm afraid she hates me." The next one that Kaouri slapped. Although not felt, but the slap made him surprised.

"So this is the guy who used to dare slap women?"

.... Plaque, *A hard slap landed on one of the gossipers' cheeks. Naoki doesn't care if he's a girl or not...

"A... I'm adukan*!"

Plaque, the second slap in the same place makes the girl's cheeks reddened hot. "Just try it." Threaten Naoki...

Kaouri stood up straight as she stared intently at Naoki. His dark aura came out and intimidated. "It used to be feigning ferocity, now it finally became a real Mellow Prince. I think you're weird." Sindir Kaouri crossed her arms.

The still shocked Naoki looked at the nanar Kaouri. No sound came out. So Kenji continues to talk Kaouri, "The Stupid one who weeps over the death of a cat, acts like a grown-up, when in fact fed up, right?"

Every word Kenji said always pierced the heart. But this time Naoki was silent because Kenji was right.

He was fed up of acting assertive and rude because of his position. "You want to be obeyed, so always put up a 'mask'." Kenji. Naoki was unable to retaliate, so he only nodded weakly.

Ayumi suddenly held Naoki's hand and made him rise from his seat. "Naoki doesn't have to lie anymore. Be honest now so that you are not burdened." After saying her words, Ayumi released her hand from Naoki.

Let him look around. Struggling friends who work hand in hand to help others. "Thank you." His speech was weak but with a smile that rose at the corner of his lips.

"*For my Friend,

Howwasyourday? Still busy?

Haha, probably sleeping in class as usual. I made this bracelet a sign of our friendship."

"Thank you for all this time Sudirman Akbar-Kun."

"Home, Fu-Fu Furugawa Naoki*...."

A voice out of nowhere came and sounded in their ears. But from his vocals, Naoki can find out who the owner of this voice is. "ALICE!"

"What happened to you?" Kaouri asked worried because of Naoki's spirit which suddenly blurred after the voice was over. But that question has not been answered.

Wush....

🥀🕷️🥀

[Alice POV]

"The bracelet was made by Na himself. There's even a letter." Akbar added.

Hurriedly Fumika took out a notebook and gave it to Akbar. He asked Akbar to rewrite the contents of the letter in question.

Although a little surprised by Fumika's strange request, Akbar still wrote back some of the contents of the letter that he could remember. When it was finished, Akbar gave it to Fumika to read by me.

After receiving the book, I looked around. There was still fear in my heart, but now there was Eliz and Fumika beside me. There are even Enji and Akbar who have promised to help if the difficulty.

"Ready in your command!" Said Fumika pretentious in English with a big smile. Eliz also encouraged me, "We will protect you Alice."

After the courage had come, I took a deep breath and then exhaled it. Everyone around was silent. And I began to read the contents of the letter that Akbar wrote.

"For my Friend,

Howwasyourday? Still busy?

Haha, probably sleeping in class as usual. I bought this bracelet as a sign of our friendship."

"Thank you for all this time Sudirman Akbar-Kun."

"Homest, Fu-Fu Furugawa Naoki....?"

No way! I don't believe what I read myself. The last sentence made my head dizzy and my heart tight. Moreover, the friends around me who showed excessive expressions of surprise.

"Sister Akbar! What the fuck are you!" Sentak Fumika angry. But the culprit only looked at him with a flat gaze. Then he replied, "When do you want to keep it a secret?"

Keeping secret?

"So you all know?!" Shouts loud.

It's only fitting that something has been strange all along. 'Na' in question is 'Naoki' which turns out to be the fourth victim of Pureya as well as a ghost at school. But, it's impossible, right? All this time I was together...

Wush....

The wind was ringing behind me. The getting colder Eve gripped my back. When I turned around to see who was called, how sad I was. That, right Naoki.

I was still in shock, unable to speak anymore. My gaze is empty like this is not my body anymore. "Paying!" The cry of Enji didn't shake me, either. "Enn! Aye? There's Akbar too."

Get me out.

"For God's sake, Naoki. Quickly return to your body!"

Eject me.

"I want to be stupid too."

"Can't you be Senpai?"

"That's how."

GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Puk, Eliz's touch on my shoulder made me realize from daydreaming. "Alice, I'm sorry we kept this a secret from you. We don't want you to be sad." Eliz's words that I should have received well.

But this heart could not accept it so I brushed off his rough hands. When I turned to look at their faces, my eyes felt blurred. Tears?

"Alice, calm yourself. We can explain." Fumika, you're the smartest, aren't you? Turns out you're sneaky too.

No, no, my heart is hurting again. I shouldn't have thought like this. I can let emotions rule.

"Alice listen to me. I'm not human, but I won't hurt you." Naoki held both palms of my hands. It feels cold, but the familiar face that accompanies me in my daily life is still clearly visible.

A warm gaze, a thin smile, and her long, unraveled hair. A body shorter than mine. He's still someone I know.

"Liar!"

A loud voice pierced my ear. It was so hard that my reflexes turned around and it didn't seem like I was the only one listening. "Oni." Mumbles.

A group of Oni crept all the way to Rooftop and others flew around it using some kind of wing. "They're using you! A-Li-ce." Say one of the Oni.

Enji and Akbar's brother who was nearby retreated away from them. "What the fuck are they?!" Shouted brother Akbar in fear. We began to retreat regularly until Eliz reached the doorknob to open the stairs.

But just as he was about to rotate the handle, a sticky liquid fell into his hand along with a long tongue. "It's nice to stab your friend in the back?" His words made Eliz grimace in fear.

"Stay away from him!" After Naoki said so, he easily kicked the Oni until it disappeared with the smoke along with the sound of pain. "Thanks, Brother Naoki." He nodded and let Eliz open the door.

The door finally opened and we could go down. It starts with Eliz, Fumika, and then Enji's sister comes down the stairs. Brother Akbar and Naoki stand guard at the door so that the Oni do not enter. "Quick Alice!" Remind Naoki to get me down the stairs. However, I was almost caught in daydreams.

Brakes. Akbar slammed the door and quickly locked it. "Don't dream of Alice! Let's get down quick." Akbar's words passed and came down faster than me.

"He'll come again! Someone will die today."

The oni's words behind the door made me stop stepping. I chuckled and turned to open the iron handle even though Naoki had warned me. "Alice! There's an Oni! Don't stupid... Oops."

"It turns out Naoki can say rude too huh?" Ledekku without noticing Naoki. "No. Gomae." Looks sad when I look at a very blue¹ glance. He feels very guilty. Funny thing.

I paused for a moment to open the door that was already unlocked. Then I said to Naoki, "If you feel guilty, ask them who is the next Pureya victim."

Naoki must be confused as to who Pureya I mean by his facial expression. But he obeyed and broke through the iron door that was in front of me. Wow, ghost's power!

From behind the door I could hear Naoki's voice facing the Oni. "Who will die again?" Then there was the sound of laughter and raucous giggling. "You think we'll answer that?"

"Stay away from me!"

The danger! Naoki's in danger!

Spontaneously I opened the door quickly. "Stop!" I saw a group of Oni shrinking in number along with smoke and cries of pain. Naoki was next to me smiling in a knot, "Alice, I told you if you dare, you can beat everything, right?"

I remember Naoki once said that. And it looks like I managed to defeat some of the Oni indirectly. "Gosh, this is too easy." I underestimated.

"Well, if you don't want to die a second time answer me. Who's gonna die?" My threats scare them. Some ran away, but there was one that I managed to catch by chance. It is shaped like a fox with a small bell around its neck. "Well O-N-I, answer me or not?"

"I-I'm not an oni!" The stammering speech of a creature who claimed not to be an Oni shocked me. "W-Watashi(I) fox demon." I don't really care who he is. But I'll show you a little appreciation, "Well, Kitune(Change) can 'do you answer my question?"

The demon nodded and replied, "A female human being. He had unknowingly befriended the killer himself."

"I don't know what his name is but now he's in danger. The tea he was about to drink had been poisoned." The words of this little fox made me think for a moment.

If it's tea, only one person I know will drink tea. Brother Haruka!

"Where is he now?" Ask Naoki. Then it was answered "Greenhouse." It felt enough, I let go of the fox and let it go while running around.

"We must hurry." Naoki's Order. I nodded and ran with him down the stairs. There is something important to say!

***

"You don't have to bother Anzu. Until I make all tea." Said Haruka who was preparing the cup for their afternoon tea.

Anzu who had made the tea poured it was the cup that Haruka prepared. And then he replied, "It's not a big deal. When will we have tea together?"

"Don't say it like this is Sakamoto Anzu's last time!" Haruka sat on her lap while putting on a sullen face. Anzu chuckled and muttered, "I will definitely miss you."

"What did you say?" Haruka's question was answered by Anzu. Haruka tried to pay attention while sipping her tea. "It tastes good Anzu!" Haruka said admiring the tea Anzu made. "Thank God you like it." The reply.

"Hoamm, by the way I'm sleepy. Let's go to..lasss." Before Haruka could stand up, her body suddenly fell into a deep sleep on the table.

"It looks like the dose is right."

[To Be Continue!]

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¹Murray