CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 1

Tachibana Rei sat on the wooden bench inside the small locker room of the convenience store, staring at the dull metal locker in front of her, her reflection faintly visible on its scratched surface.

The fluorescent lights above flickered every few seconds, humming with that low, monotonous buzz that filled the otherwise quiet space, and she let out a long sigh that seemed to carry the weight of everything she’d been holding back since last night.

She had been working here for only quite recently now, ever since her family’s financial situation worsened after her father’s company went under and her mother’s health started declining, leaving Rei with little choice but to take a part-time job after school.

She didn’t mind the work itself as it was easy enough, mostly standing behind the counter, restocking shelves, greeting customers.

But what she did mind was the constant fear gnawing at her since last night, that strange sense of being watched, those faint footsteps echoing behind her when she turned into the dimly lit alley that led home.

At first, she thought it was just her imagination, the result of fatigue and stress from both school and work.

But then she caught it, the unmistakable rustle of clothing, the faint sound of someone’s breath too close behind her.

She had quickened her pace, clutching her bag tighter, her heart pounding so loudly she thought the stranger might hear it.

When she finally reached the lights of her neighborhood, she dared to glance back, but whoever it was had already disappeared into the shadows.

It was then that she decided she couldn’t keep walking home alone at night.

So she messaged Tadano Taro, her childhood friend, the boy who had once promised to protect her when they were small, the same boy who lived only a few blocks away and who had always been there when she needed someone.

But when she told him about what happened and asked if he could walk her home after her shift, he had refused without even a moment’s hesitation.

He had said, "I can’t tonight, Rei. I’ve got something important to do."

Important. What could possibly be more important than her safety?

She had tried to reason with him, even teasing him a little the way she used to when they were kids, but his tone remained firm.

He told her not to worry so much, that she should just go home early, and if anything really happened, she should call the police.

As if calling the police was that simple. As if she could just run away and dial a number while being chased through the dark streets.

Rei bit her lip, frustration bubbling inside her.

Tadano Taro, despite being your everyday average high schooler, had always been dependable, always quick to lend a hand or stand up for her when others wouldn’t, so why now, when she actually needed him did he decide to act like this?

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, slamming her locker shut with a metallic clang.

Still, no matter how angry she felt, a part of her knew she couldn’t really blame him.

He had his own problems too, probably. Lately, she’d noticed that he’d been distant, distracted, like something was weighing on him that he didn’t want to talk about.

She noticed that he’d always look at the window, and would sometimes head to the library, and from the tired look in his eyes whenever she caught him at school, he was probably staying all night studying.

Maybe he was really dealing with something he couldn’t tell her. But that didn’t make it any less frustrating.

She pressed a hand against her chest and took a deep breath.

"It’s fine," she whispered, forcing herself to calm down. "As long as I go home early, it’ll be fine."

The clock above the door ticked quietly, the minute hand moving closer to her shift start.

Rei adjusted her uniform, straightening the name tag pinned to her chest, smoothing the wrinkles in her apron, and tied her long chestnut hair into a loose ponytail.

She checked her reflection one last time in the small mirror taped to the locker door, noticing the faint shadows under her eyes.

She hadn’t slept much last night, not after what happened.

Still, she couldn’t afford to look tired. Smiling was part of the job.

She turned and left the locker room, stepping into the store’s brightly lit main floor.

The smell of brewed coffee and instant noodles greeted her, the familiar hum of the refrigerators blending with the gentle jingle of the automatic door.

Outside, the sky was already darkening, the faint orange glow of sunset fading behind the city skyline.

As she walked to the counter, her coworker, a sleepy-looking college student named Aoki, gave her a half-hearted wave before mumbling something about taking his break.

Rei nodded and slipped behind the register, scanning the neatly arranged shelves filled with snacks and drinks.

The store was mostly quiet, only a few customers wandered through the aisles, their footsteps echoing softly against the linoleum floor.

Rei rested her hands on the counter, letting her thoughts drift.

She tried not to look at the clock, but she couldn’t help it. Every minute closer to closing time made her more uneasy.

The thought of walking home again under that same dim streetlight, past that same alley, sent a chill through her.

Maybe it really was just her imagination.

Maybe no one was following her.

But when she thought of how that faint crunch of gravel had matched her footsteps last night, how she’d felt someone’s gaze burning into her back even after turning the corner, she wasn’t so sure.

But for now, she forced herself to focus on her work, plastering a polite smile as the doorbell chimed again and a new customer entered the store, the faint scent of rain following him in.

*

*

*

Unbelievable.

Right when she was praying that tonight won’t be so hectic as she wanted to go home early, the gods decided to mess with her and made the night incredibly busy, forcing her to work overtime.

She couldn’t really refuse. She was new, and the boss was asking her nicely. What if she lost her job because of this?

She looked at the clock on the wall, it was already 11:32 in the evening.

"...maybe last night was just a one time thing?"

Just then, her phone buzzed, causing her to flinch as she quickly picked it up, hoping that it was a message from Taro, asking her if she’s still at work and wanted to walk her.

But upon opening her phone and seeing a message, she froze, her body trembling as she stared at the glowing screen in disbelief, her mind blank for several seconds before a wave of cold dread washed over her entire body, as though the air itself had turned to ice.

Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, her grip on the phone tightening until her knuckles turned white.

She could feel her heartbeat pounding violently in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears like thunder as she reread the message again and again—"I’m watching."

The photo attached showed her from behind the counter, smiling politely at a customer, completely unaware that someone had been taking pictures of her the whole time.

Her throat felt dry, her breath coming out in short, shaky bursts as she glanced around the empty locker room, suddenly hyper-aware of every sound, the hum of the fluorescent light above, the distant ticking of the wall clock, the faint rattle of the air conditioning vent.

She quickly stood up, clutching her bag to her chest, her eyes darting around the room, checking the corners, the lockers, the ceiling, half-expecting someone to step out of the shadows.

"This can’t be real..." she muttered under her breath, her voice trembling.

Maybe it was a prank.

Maybe one of her coworkers thought it was funny.

But deep down, she knew that wasn’t the case. The photo was taken from a strange angle, one she’d never even noticed anyone standing at.

Whoever it was, they’d been close, watching her carefully, waiting for the right moment.

Her phone buzzed again.

Another message.

"Don’t leave yet."

Rei gasped, her eyes widening. She immediately turned toward the locker room door, her instincts screaming at her to run, but her body refused to move.

Her legs felt like lead, her fingers numb. Slowly, she forced herself to take a step forward, then another, her every motion stiff and deliberate.

She reached the door and pressed her ear against it, listening.

The hallway outside was silent, but that only made her more uneasy.

Her mind raced.

She pushed the door open and stepped out, her heart hammering as her eyes scanned the dim corridor.

The store was quiet, the main lights already turned off except for the faint emergency lamps casting eerie shadows on the floor.

She could hear the distant hum of the refrigerators in the convenience section, the soft tapping of a loose ceiling vent somewhere above.

Rei gripped her phone tightly, her thumb hovering over her contacts.

She wanted to call Taro, even though he’d refused earlier, even though she was still angry.

He was the only one she could trust right now. But before she could press the button, a faint click echoed behind her.

She froze.

It sounded like the locker room door had just shut by itself.

Her breathing quickened. Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes wide, staring at the door now closed behind her.

For a brief moment, she swore she saw a faint shadow move across the narrow gap at the bottom.

She stumbled backward, her phone shaking in her grip.

Her mind screamed at her to run.

So she did.

Rei bolted through the dim hallway, her footsteps echoing loudly as she sprinted past the aisles of neatly stacked goods, her heart slamming against her ribs with every stride.

She didn’t look back. She didn’t dare. All she could think of was the exit sign ahead, glowing faintly red at the end of the corridor.

Her phone buzzed again. Against her better judgment, she looked.

A third message.

"You look beautiful when you’re scared."

Her fingers went numb, and the phone slipped from her grasp, clattering onto the tiled floor.

She didn’t stop to pick it up. She ran straight out the door into the cold night air, gasping as the sudden wind hit her face.

The parking lot was empty except for her reflection glinting faintly off the glass storefront.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that somewhere in that darkness, someone was still watching.