Chapter Text
"No, Ichika, not like that! How come you aren't listening?!" Shiho snaps at me as I strum the wrong string again. We've been at this for hours, and I just can't seem to get this part right, no matter what I do.
"I am listening! I'm just... having trouble, that's all!" I say, mumbling the last bit. Tokyo Teddy Bear is probably one of my top songs, and when the others agreed to play it I was ecstatic - until I realized just how hard it was going to be.
As I'm having second thoughts about even doing the song altogether, Luka speaks up. "Ichika, just keep going at it. You'll get it eventually, don't just give up when you've already learned the rest of the song."
I smile. "Thanks Luka. If only some people could be as kind as you when it comes t-" Shiho, who was rolling her eyes before snaps alert. "Shut up. Shut up Ichika."
"What? What's wrong? Shiho-"
"I said, shut up!!" Shiho barks at Luka. Despite how rude she was, we both comply. Shiho seems to be looking out for something, and I watch her share a look with Luka. They both obviously know something, and my heart rate spikes.
"Shiho." Luka says. "You two should leave. It's probably fine - but if it isn't then I don't want either of you here on the chance something happens."
"But what about you guys?!" Shiho protests "We can leave Sekai, but you can't! We should be here if something happens!!"
"Uhm... wh-what's going on? You guys?" I say. Neither of them even turn their heads to me. Their current conversation seems to take precedents over me being an oblivious idiot.
"We're not physical beings, Shiho. We can't get hurt. You two can! You need to leave. I don't think anything will happen, but I need to guarantee your safety."
Shiho opens her mouth to protest but a very serious look from Luka shuts her up. "Alright. We'll go. Be... be careful, Luka." Shiho says. It seems she doesn't fully know what's going on, but whatever it is she heard must've been bad. "C'mon, Ichika." She says, trying to make herself sound brave. It doesn't work.
"Alright." I say. "J-just let me get my phone"
"Ugh!! Seriously Ichika?!" Shiho storms over to the window and grabs my bag. "There? Happy? We need to go now-"
The glass shatters. I watch as Shiho's face drains of color in an instant. She drops my bag and grabs for the windowsill, sending Phenny plushies scattering.
"Shiho!" I drop almost fall forward trying to catch her. The air is cold, freezing even. It reminds me of when my parents took me to a ski resort when I was little, but this is a different kind of cold. It's menacing. It's the kind of cold that wraps It's fingers around lost hikers, guiding them to death. The kind that blankets cars and leaves families to suffocate. The kind that comes when a shard of glass the size of a home-made Taiyaki is blown into the back of Shiho's neck.
"...no.....Shiho..no! NO! LUKA! LUKA, HELP!!" I cry out as Shiho gasps for breath, but it's no use. As I look to Luka for guidance, help, anything, she's gone. There is no Luka. There is a pile of pink wires where Luka once stood. I barely even have time to process this though, because Shiho is coughing, which means she's alive.
"Shiho!! Hold on - everything will be okay! You're gonna be fine! I promise!!" I grab Shiho's phone and click Untitled, hoping to god that Shiho will be ok.