Dead Man's Tales: HSOTD

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Today was turning out to be… perfect.

Rei knew she shouldn't think like that—not when so much had happened, and there was a whole level of tragedy to it. But she couldn't help it. The chaos that unfolded, the gang fight with the neighboring class, the mass exodus of students—all of it felt like the backdrop to something bigger. Something that, for once, felt like it was working in her favor.

There wasn't much in terms of media coverage, which was weird, but the rumors swirling around school were relentless. Some said the principal had made a quiet deal with the parents, promising not to put any negative marks on the students' records if they kept quiet. A mark like that could ruin a future, especially with colleges. The parents couldn't do much either; all the evidence pointed to their kids being in the wrong. And apparently, none of the students even denied it. They just… accepted it. Silent and guilty.

Now, half the class was gone. Pulled out by their parents. Every student, teacher, and parent couldn't stop talking about it. If Rei had to hear one more whispered conversation about what happened, she might lose her mind. But through all the mess and tragedy, one thing stood out. The highlight of her day—the part that made her smile despite everything.

Kozen was transferred into her class.

She watched him from her seat as he talked with another guy, someone from the same class. The way he carried himself, calm and unfazed by everything around him—it was almost magnetic. Ever since their first meeting on the train, Rei couldn't shake the feeling that she owed him something. She needed to thank him for what he did. He didn't have to help her, but he did.

Is that the only reason? A voice in the back of her mind whispered, teasing her.

Rei fiddled with her pencil, nervously twirling it between her fingers. 

I just want to be his friend, she told herself. She needed to expand her circle, right? It's high school, after all. She couldn't just stick to Takashi and Hisashi. She needed to branch out, meet new people, step out of her comfort zone…

Experience love, the voice added, and her cheeks flushed instantly. The pencil slipped from her fingers, clattering against the desk as she scrambled to pick it up. She felt a surge of embarrassment heat her face, and she hoped no one noticed the way she was blushing.

"Rei, what are you doing?" Hisashi's voice broke through her thoughts, and she blinked, looking up. The period had just ended, and she hadn't even noticed.

"Nothing," she said quickly, trying to sound casual. But the blush on her face was probably betraying her.

"Probably thinking about that black dude," Takashi grumbled from beside her, sounding annoyed.

Rei frowned. "Hey, what's your problem with Kozen?"

Takashi crossed his arms, looking irritated. "Well, I heard he's the reason his whole class got into that mess with the gang. They went after him, and the rest of the class got caught in the mix."

"That's just a rumor," Rei said, feeling a pang of frustration. Why did Takashi have to be so negative?

"Every rumor has some truth to it," he countered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why do you think the rest of the class is avoiding him and that other guy? No one wants to get caught up in whatever they're dealing with."

Rei glanced back at Kozen and Kohta, who were sitting quietly in the back of the room. Takashi was right about one thing—the rest of the class wasn't exactly eager to talk to them. No one even tried. And normally, high school drama was a magnet for gossip. Everyone should've been dying to know what happened, why their parents hadn't pulled them out of school like the others. But instead, they were being left alone, ignored. Like the entire situation was too much for anyone to touch.

Rei bit her lip. That wasn't fair. Kozen didn't deserve to be treated like that.

"I'm going to invite them to lunch," she said firmly, already making up her mind.

"No." Takashi hissed the word like Rei had just said something dangerous. But she wasn't about to listen to him.

"Fine, then I'm going to eat lunch with them," she replied, standing up and grabbing her things. She could feel Takashi's dumbfounded stare, like she'd just betrayed him. His hurt expression twisted something in her chest, but she shook it off.

It was awkward, Rei won't lie. 

Trying to interact with Kozen and Kohta felt like she was intruding on something private. The two of them seemed perfectly comfortable being left alone, but here she was, forcing her way in. 

Growing up means leaving your comfort zone, right? She reminded herself. But still, every time she opened her mouth, she could feel her nerves creeping up, making her words feel clumsy.

Kohta was talking about his plans for October. "So after school, I'm going to be starting my month of October by watching one new scary movie each day," he said, almost too casually for what sounded like a pretty intense plan.

"Where are you going to watch them?" Rei asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing, even though she could feel Kozen's quiet stare on her.

"There's a local theater that's playing a lot of American classics for 200 yen," Kohta said, smiling like he'd just struck gold. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"Count me in," Kozen said, without much hesitation, his voice low but certain.

Rei jumped at the opportunity, maybe too quickly. "How about we divide the month into 10 days paid by Kozen, 10 by Kohta, and 10 by me?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Kohta looked at her, his eyebrow raised. "Why?"

Rei froze for a second, feeling the heat rise to her face. Great, now I look like I'm forcing my way into their plans.

"Well," she stammered, "that way, whoever pays gets to choose the classic. Plus, I thought it would be fun." She tried to sound casual, but inside she was kicking herself. What the hell, girl? You barely know these guys, and now you're trying to wedge yourself into their plans?

She held her breath, waiting for them to say something. She was already imagining the embarrassment of them brushing off her suggestion. But then Kohta smiled. "I like it," he said, surprising her. She blinked, not expecting that.

Kozen paused, his gaze flicking between Kohta and her. 

Did I push too far? Does he even want me here?

Her heart started pounding in her chest. She knew she probably didn't make the best first impression when she sat down. His expression was unreadable, and she was sure she'd messed up. 

God, did I do something wrong?

But then his lips curled into a smirk.

"Whoever misses their payment gets pelted with eggs," he said, the hint of a challenge in his voice.

"Oh, a punishment, I like it," Kohta added, laughing, while Rei could only manage a nervous chuckle. 

Pelted with eggs?

She wasn't sure if they were serious, but at least it seemed like she hadn't completely ruined things.

The rest of the school day flew by in a blur, her mind stuck on that lunch conversation. She couldn't help but feel a weird mix of excitement and relief. She'd somehow managed to insert herself into their plans without making a complete fool of herself. Kozen and Kohta weren't the easiest guys to read, but maybe, just maybe, she could be part of their little world. She spent most of the afternoon daydreaming, the words on the blackboard melting into nothing as she imagined what hanging out with them would be like.

By the time the final bell rang, she couldn't wait to get out of school. When she finally made it home—if you could even call it home—the excitement was still buzzing in her chest. Home for her wasn't a warm family house like other kids had. It was just an empty apartment that her parents had bought for her while they worked with her grandpa, too far away to be part of her everyday life. The silence that greeted her felt suffocating sometimes, the rooms too big, too empty.

She dropped her bag by the door and collapsed onto the couch. At least tonight she had something to look forward to. She wouldn't be stuck watching crappy dramas while eating ice cream out of the tub for the millionth night in a row. No, this time she had plans, actual plans, with people who were… well, they were different. Different was good, right?

Rei stood in front of the mirror, pulling on her jacket, brushing a few stray hairs out of her face. 

Finally, she thought, glancing at the clock. She wasn't in a rush—the theater wasn't far, and she could just walk.

As she reached for her phone, it buzzed with a notification from the news. "Another update?" she muttered, half-heartedly opening the app. 

"Authorities in Biei remain baffled as the entire town continues to show no signs of life. What started as a search for missing persons has turned into a larger mystery, with no evidence of any struggle or natural disaster. This has led to growing international concern, and condolences have poured in from multiple nations, extending their sympathies to Japan in light of these events. While the investigation continues, theories have swarmed the internet, from the rational to the absurd—alien abductions, secret military experiments, even supernatural disappearances. So far, nothing has been confirmed. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of the residents of Biei, please contact—"

She closed the app, sighing. 

Huh.

It was creepy, sure, but the world had bigger problems, right? The internet was exploding with theories and conspiracies, as it always did. People loved to speculate about things they didn't understand. But for her, tonight was about something else. She wasn't going to let some mysterious disappearance pull her into a rabbit hole of paranoia. 

She grabbed her small purse, ready to head out. The night air was cooling, and the idea of walking to the theater felt kind of nice. She'd get some fresh air, clear her head, and then enjoy some classic horror films with Kozen and Kohta.

Rei walked out of her apartment only to find a small envelope lying on the ground, just by the door. She bent down, picking it up. It felt light, almost too light, like there was barely anything inside. Curiosity piqued, she stepped back inside and closed the door, ripping the top of the envelope open.

Nothing. No letter, no note, nothing explaining what this was. Except… a small Polaroid photo slipped out and landed in her palm. 

She stared at it, confused. The image was blurry, like it had been taken in a hurry. It looked like… a hospital room? She couldn't make out much, just the faint shape of medical equipment, maybe a bed. But the photo was so rushed, it almost felt like someone had taken it in the middle of something, like they didn't have time to focus. 

"What is this?" she mumbled to herself, flipping the Polaroid over. No writing, no message. Just a photo of… something. The longer she stared at it, the more unsettling it became. Is this some kind of prank? she wondered, her stomach twisting slightly at the oddness of the whole thing.

What Rei didn't know, what she couldn't have known at the time, was that this Polaroid was of her. 

Her, as a baby. 

This wasn't a random photo, and it wasn't a harmless prank. 

It was the first step, the first warning, from the man who would become her nightmare.

But in that moment, all she did was shake her head, shove the Polaroid into her pocket, and walk out the door, completely unaware of the storm that was about to crash into her life.