Chapter 10: Tracked and Trapped

[“…Teacher, is this really okay?”]

Shortly after Sora collapsed and was taken to the hospital, the Teacher slipped something small under her bandages after her examination.
No one noticed his actions.

The item the Teacher prepared was a custom-made device commissioned from Millennium, making it impossible to detect.

[“If you get caught, a scolding won’t be the end of it, you know?”]

“…It’s fine. Even if Sora hates me for the rest of her life, I don’t care.”

For now, there’s no issue, and he’s slowly building trust with each student as Sora requested.

“But if you don’t win them over soon, it might be too late?”

Even so, he couldn’t shake his unease, so he had to prepare in advance.

Because he’s an adult and a teacher.

Because he has a duty to protect the kids, his students.

Even if that kid doesn’t want it, he’ll save her.

No matter what.

“And if I can save a student by being hated for life, isn’t that a fair trade?”

[“Teacher…”]

“Uhe~ Sorry for dragging you out so late, Teacher.”

“No worries. I came because I was worried about Sora, so don’t sweat it.”

As the sun set and it was time for everyone to head home, the Teacher visited the hospital to check on Sora.
He headed to her room with Hoshino, who happened to be outside.

Of course—

‘I’m grateful, but I wish he hadn’t come~’

Hoshino wasn’t exactly thrilled to see him.

Sure, she was grateful that he tracked Serika’s location, even risking a write-up, and her perception of him had shifted a bit.
But even so, she still couldn’t fully trust him.

“I’m sorry… Sora… Please, just stop…”

‘Because I can’t let that incident happen again.’

But she couldn’t just send him away after he went out of his way to visit.
Hoshino decided to let him stay for now, planning to intervene if he said anything risky.

Click

“Sora-chan, you awake… Huh?”

When they reached Sora’s hospital room, she was nowhere to be seen.

‘…No way.’

Feeling a surge of unease, Hoshino asked a nearby nurse about Sora’s whereabouts.

“Oh, the patient said she was stepping out for some fresh air just a bit ago.”

“…Sora-chan.”

Her unease turned to certainty.

“Hoshino…”

The Teacher, seeing this, sensed something bad had happened and called out to her.

“Sorry, Teacher. I’m going ahead.”

Hoshino’s face hardened as she ignored him and headed out.
If Sora’s disappearance was for the reason she feared, she had to stop her as soon as possible.

“Wait. You’re looking for Sora, right? I’ll help.”

“…Teacher, I appreciate it, but if it’s like last time, a write-up won’t be the end of it.”

Even if he hadn’t been caught, getting found out now would mean more than just a write-up.
Hoshino tried to refuse, but…

“I prepared something for moments like this.”

The Teacher flashed a confident smile and showed her his tablet screen.

“…Haha, Teacher. Not satisfied with just Serika, huh?”

“Stalker.”

Hoshino was dumbfounded by the sight.

But she couldn’t deny that, right now, the Teacher was more reliable than anyone else.

Scrape! Scrape!

“Ugh! Ow…!”

In a back alley of Abidos, the sound of a blade cutting flesh echoed alongside a girl’s pained groans.

Yes.

Scrape

Drip… Drip…

“Haaa…”

It was me, after sneaking out of the hospital.

Having safely escaped, I stopped by a convenience store to buy a suitably sharp cutter knife.
I found a spot in the alley and started self-harming.

For the record, the experiment I couldn’t finish last time because of Ayane failed.
My body was just too tough, as expected.

Even though the suicide attempt failed, once I started self-harming, my mood kept improving, so it was fine.

“Phew… This is it.”

I was a bit worried the feeling wouldn’t come back since it’d been a while, but if anything, the longer break made it even better.
The more I did it, the more my mood soared.
Thanks to that, my stress is almost completely gone.

But—

“Something’s still missing…”

There was a slight sense of dissatisfaction.
Maybe because I have so many scars already, they were getting in the way.
Even though my mood was good, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was lacking.

Of course, my arm was already so bloody it’s a wonder I haven’t passed out from blood loss.

Normally, this is where I’d stop.

“…Should I do a bit more?”

Unable to resist my urges, I turned my wrist to look at the back of my arm.
A clean, scar-free patch of skin.

Gulp…

What would it feel like to cut into that pristine skin?
I pressed the blade against it, ready to slice—

Grab!

“…Huh?”

A small hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.

“H-H-Ho…”

And the owner of that hand was none other than—

“Sora.”

“How did Hoshino-san find me?!”

The one person I absolutely couldn’t get caught by—Takanotsume Hoshino herself.

‘Crapcrapcrapcrap!!!!’

“Uh… W-Well, it’s just…”

‘How did she find me? This doesn’t make sense!’

It hadn’t even been that long since I snuck out of the hospital.
Finding me this quickly should be near impossible.
I even left my smartphone behind just in case, so it’s even more baffling.

‘W-Wait, could it be because of that? No, that can’t be it!’

Even if that were the reason, I’m not close to dying yet, so it still doesn’t add up.

No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t figure it out, but my questions were soon answered naturally.

“Sora…”

Behind Hoshino, the Teacher approached, holding a tablet that seemed to show my location, his face a mix of sadness and complexity.

“…Haha.”

‘Guess there’s a reason he’s called a stalker.’

Looks like I’d become his target without even realizing it.