The brightness of the sun rose, gently hitting Haru's sleeping eyes. She opened her eyes to find that morning had already arrived. Beside her, Kyo was sleeping soundly like a baby. Haru smiled as she looked at him.
"Haha, it's really been a while since he's slept like this with me. When this monkey was little, he always used to sleep with me. Well, I guess kids really grow up so fast."
Haru gently stroked his hair, feeling proud knowing she had raised him well. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was already 7:00 a.m.
As she got up from bed, she carefully moved to let Kyo sleep without making a sound, not wanting to disturb his rest. She went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, knowing she needed to get ready for school. Her daily routine had begun. After making breakfast, she left a note for Kyo, reminding him to eat.
Once she was dressed in her uniform and had her bag packed, she stepped out of the house. As she walked, she saw a familiar figure waiting at the school gate. It was Kasube, who always waited for her, no matter what. He loved waiting for his dearest friend, and to him, Haru was a role model—brave and strong on the outside, yet soft like a little girl craving love and attention.
"HARUUUU! You're early today!" Kasube exclaimed as he spotted her.
He rushed over and hugged her tightly, rubbing his cheeks against hers playfully.
"My lovely Haru! I missed you so much!"
"Y-yeah, me too," Haru managed to say, her usual poker face betraying her struggle to breathe from his tight embrace. Kasube glanced at her and grinned.
"Alrighttttt! Let's walk together to class, Haru!"
"I think you should let me go first; I might fall at this rate," Haru said, feeling like a sandwich in his arms.
Kasube released her with a laugh, and they started to walk together. As they strolled, Kasube recalled how they became friends. At the beginning of the school year, he was a new student, excited and a bit nervous about making friends. After introducing himself, he quickly became popular due to his good looks and friendly nature. Everyone was curious about him, except for one girl—Haru. To her, he was just another person who smiled a lot.
Despite his initial popularity, some students began to envy Kasube, and he found himself hated by a few. However, he continued to treat everyone with kindness. But then came the day that turned his life upside down—the day he lost his beloved dog, Cookie.
He had found Cookie lying in the yard, covered in blood. The sight was horrifying—his stomach was cut open, and his eyes were gone. It was clear someone had done this intentionally. Kasube was left in shock, unable to comprehend the brutality of the situation.
"C-Cookie… Cooki-iie… COOKIE! H-how does this—don't worry, everything will be fine! You just need treatment! Yeah, treatment!" he cried out, falling to his knees, holding his dog's lifeless body. Blood stained his clothes, but he didn't care. For two hours, he cried without stopping, losing himself in grief.
Finally, he reached a point where he could cry no more. He looked at Cookie's body, feeling emptiness consume him.
"You were the only one I had, Cookie. Now I don't have anyone by my side anymore. Is the world always this dark? It's so cold..."
He fell asleep in the yard, hugging Cookie, surrounded by the chaos of his grief.
Two days passed, and no one had seen Kasube. His absence worried the entire school, especially since he was never one to miss class. Even the teachers were concerned. Haru wondered about him, but it didn't seem like her business—until one day, during a lecture, the teacher mentioned his absence.
"Kasube is not here again. Does anyone know what's going on with him?"
Half the class erupted in chaos, fighting over who would visit his house. Amid the commotion, Haru raised her voice.
"Class, silence! Kasube is also a student in this class. As monitor, I will take responsibility for his well-being. I'll be the one to visit him, so please concentrate on your studies."
The class quieted down, and the teacher thanked her for stepping in. As she left, Haru couldn't help but wonder, What in the world happened to that smiley guy?
After school, she arrived at Kasube's house, having gotten the address from her teacher. It was nearby, so she didn't take long to find it. She rang the doorbell but received no answer.
"Hmm, is no one home? Or did I come at the wrong time?"
Haru stood there, ringing the bell several more times but still getting no response. Just as she was about to give up and leave, she noticed the front door was slightly ajar.
There's no time to think; I should check inside. No one leaves their door open like this, she thought.
Haru stepped inside, and her heart sank at the sight before her. Kasube sat under a tree, his gaze fixed on the ground. His clothes and face were stained with blood and dirt. Beside him lay Cookie's decaying body, insects crawling over it, eating away at the remains. The stench of death filled the air, making her stomach turn. She quickly covered her mouth, horrified by what she saw.
"Kasube! Kasube! Hey!" she called out, trying to reach him. "Get up!"
She shouted his name repeatedly, but he didn't seem to hear her. He continued to stare at the lifeless body with a vacant smile on his face, not even blinking.
"KASUBE!" she shouted again, louder this time. This finally snapped him out of his daze.
"Oh… good morning, Miss Monitor. Sorry, I couldn't hear you. I was actually playing with my dog, haha. Isn't Cookie cute?"
Haru understood what was happening. She glanced at Kasube and the horrific sight beside him.
"Yeah, he is cute…" she said gently, not wanting to hurt him further. She needed to navigate this carefully, ensuring not to worsen his fragile mental state.
"Is Cookie your pet, Kasube?" she asked softly.
"Yes! He's been with me since childhood. He's my one and only friend," Kasube replied, a flicker of excitement in his voice.
"You and Cookie must've been really close," Haru said, her heart aching for him. She didn't know all the details, but she could tell this situation was no joke.
Haru stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace, ensuring he couldn't see the horrific scene before him.
"Kasube, come here…" she whispered, holding him tightly against her.
"Y-yeah… Cookie needs to sleep. He's too tired… g-good night, Cookie..." Kasube murmured, tears streaming down his face as he hugged Haru, pouring out his sorrow into her embrace.
She felt the warmth of his body against her, a stark contrast to the cold reality surrounding them. Haru stroked his hair softly, making sure to shield him from the gruesome sight.
With her gentle presence, she offered him comfort, a safe space to grieve. He continued to cry, releasing the pain that had consumed him, feeling a sense of warmth and connection as he let it all out.
---
The memory began to fade, and Kasube blinked, suddenly aware of his surroundings. He was back in class, sitting next to Haru, who was focused on her notes as the lecture was about to start in five minutes.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?" she asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Kasube looked at her and smiled, a warmth spreading in his chest. "It's the 20th time I've called you, silly. What were you daydreaming about?"
He grinned playfully, leaning over and pulling Haru into a tight hug, rubbing his cheek against hers like he always did.
"W-what's up with you all of a sudden?" Haru said, confused but not resisting his affectionate gesture.
Kasube smiled, looking at her with genuine warmth. "Nothing… I was just thinking about you, hehe."
Haru rolled her eyes but couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at her lips. "You're such a goof."
But as Kasube settled back into his seat, he knew it was more than just playfulness. He meant every word. Haru had been there for him during his darkest moment, and he would always be grateful for that.
He stare at her while she was making notes,
Haru...now i don't have anyone other then you..
Kasube though himself while he looked at her with hope in his eyes.
CONTINUE...