The next day flew by so fast.

School was... somewhat... normal that day. There were specific students being pulled out of class to be questioned about the murder that happened the previous day, myself being one of them.

I am sure that many we certainly not aware that there was a dead student outside of a classroom. The thought of it was very hard to process. To think that I had been sitting next to a corpse, which was a few mere metres away from me, sent shivers down my spine. That person existed and lived once in their lives. Just imagining the people that would be mourning is too much to think about.

The policeman I was talking to didn't realise how tight his uniform was on him. He had quite the beer gut, and I had to hold myself back from making any rude comments to myself. It would be nice if he could at least get a new uniform shirt.

"Did you see anything suspicious yesterday outside of the window?" said the pot-bellied policeman.

Now, I probably would've told the truth, but there were a few things that stopped me from doing so.

First of all, I don't want to be caught out for watching after - hours, because that would just make me even more suspicious.

Secondly, there was something at the back of my mind telling me not to say anything. Not for the fact that I will have to get involved even more in the case, which is although a good point, but it was more than that. Something was telling me to say I didn't see anything. It was like a sub-conscious voice in my head telling me not to. It was strange, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Thirdly, I have mastered the art of lying, so it will be very easy for me to look innocent. I knew how well to lie from, well... experience.

I simply shake my head and explain I hadn't seen anything suspicious at all yesterday. I felt quite relieved when I lied about it. There was something about lying that made me feel somewhat excited. It was like a small blood rush, because you've made someone trust a theory that doesn't even exist. It was sort of cruel. Just to imagine, many lives are built on top of piles of lies - including mine. But the difference there was, my lies that I live on are lies about the past - not about myself.

To be honest, I didn't know why I was trying to cover up that monster- God, I already hated him and I didn't even know what his name was. But he was different. There was something about him that I need to know.

The thing is, I don't know what that 'something' is.

I went back to class and sat back in my seat. It made a little creaking sound.

The students turned to look at me for a few couple of seconds. Soon enough, their heads turned back to pay attention to the lesson. Then, they called another student out of class, and they walked out.

By the looks of things, they don't seem to have any evidence of the killer. It was strange how I was the only one that actually saw him jump over the fence. Honestly, it was quite obvious he was there. I saw him jumping over the fence, so he must've just gotten away before anyone could come. But something about it seems fishy. It was so obvious. How did he sneak past everyone and leave no evidence?

Jesus Christ - who was this guy? And what did he want from me? Well, I guess everyone else was too focused on the dead body itself rather than the actual murderer.

The windows were boarded up on the classroom, since there was still probably mess from the murder. There were several police cars parked outside the school and everything was pretty intense for the other students. I personally didn't like the police. I didn't have anything against them, really, but they just got on my nerves sometimes. Like flies buzzing on a hot day, pissing me off.

I could hear people talking on the other side of the wall, where the crime scene was. The words 'blood' and 'how' came up a lot in the conversations. It was mostly people astounded at how it actually happened. I was, too. They talked a lot about a 'hit and run' murderer. They at least had that accurate. But my question was, why the hell did he strike a kid at school, during school hours? It was very hard to process - what has he done to him? Maybe he was a hitman of some sort? I wasn't exactly close with the kid, but I did know that he was decent. The kind of guy that has average grades, but was very mutual with everyone. Those kinds of people were people that I personally had a liking to, since they didn't have enemies, or caused any trouble. Just normal, average people. But why kill him?

There were also a lot of cursing and a lot of stressed voices. It was certainly obvious, since there was a goddamn mess. I am quite confused at the fact that school didn't let us stay home that day. I mean, someone died. And they didn't even bother to make it public at all. I could understand that, but why make us come to school? I would have much rather stayed at home and do nothing all day.

I have to stop overthinking this. Surely it is unhealthy for my well-being, thinking too much about blood and murder and whatnot.

When we are excused to lunch, I decide to go and sit in the place I saw yesterday, as I found the murderer jumping over the fence. It seemed that no one inhabited it at lunch, so maybe I could finally have some peace and quiet at school for once. I grab my bento lunch out of my bag and begin making my way over to the place. There was a large weeping cherry tree there that was just about to begin blooming. It was a pretty tree. I walked under the tree, pushing the blossoms out of the way and I sat down against the trunk of the tree.

I could smell the scent of the blossoms. It was so peaceful here. It reminds me of my mother. She always smelled like cherry blossoms. Probably because she loved plants. She had developed a beautiful habit of bonsai. She had them displayed all over the garden, and always worked on little bonsai projects. She would enter competitions for them, and occasionally, even win prizes. I guess it is good to have hobbies. I really didn't have any. I was thinking about joining the judo club. At least it was something that could keep me fit. Besides, I had to join a club - or my grades were going to be deducted.

I cross my legs and place my lunchbox in my lap gently. My lunchbox was light blue and had a cat on the front. I still have this from middle school. I honestly have no idea why I kept it. Maybe I just love cats?

I lift the lid off my lunchbox and instantly the beautiful smell of rice, curry, meat and vegetable wafts into the air, making me even hungrier. It smelt absolutely delicious. I put so much effort into making my lunch last night. Even if I live alone, I always cook my own meals for myself. It was fun, actually. Cooking was one of the very few things that made me happy.

I picked up my fork and stab it into my curry meat, bringing it to my mouth and taking a bite. The sweet taste of the honey curry filled my mouth, sending me into tastebud heaven. I had to make this more often. It took me no time to finish the whole piece of meat. It tasted amazing.

But before I could stab my fork into another piece, I see something behind the other side of the cherry blossom wall. It was a figure.

I furrow my brow. Who would want to bother me? Especially in this area of the yard? I take a deep breath and put my food down.

I stand up slowly and approach the sheet of blossoms.

But before I could touch the flowers, I freeze.

Something wasn't right.

There was something at the back of my mind saying that this is off.

My gut was tingling with suspense. Something was telling me that I should run, and that I should get away. But what was it? I haven't felt this strange feeling in a little while. It was the sort of feeling you would get before you get into big trouble. The feeling when you know you're going to do something that will get you into deep shit.

Something told me that this was dangerous.

But before I could say anything, the breeze blows the cherry blossoms to the side and there stands the same man that killed the student yesterday.

His raw eyes stared into mine, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I gasp and take a step back.

"It's you again." I whisper.

Why hadn't anyone seen him yet?

He slowly nods. His smile will forever haunt my nightmares.

What had happened to his face? And why was his nose...

"...Kurochi. Are you scared?" he says.

And once again, I am paralysed. It was as if he had some sort of button that he pushed. And when he did push it, I couldn't move. What was he doing?

I clench my teeth and grunt.

I push the cherry blossoms away violently and I throw a punch at him.

But, before I could make contact with his skin... he was gone.

By the time I had moved the cherry blossoms away, he had vanished into thin air again.

I scream in frustration and kick the dirt.

He did it again. Again.

I clench my fist and walk back into my cherry blossom hideout.

I stood there, looking at my feet. His words were looping around, again and again in my head; 'Kurochi... are you scared?'

I wanted to find him and kill him. He has already made enough fun of me, can't he just go away and continue killing for sport? I wanted him to stop bothering me. What did he want with me? I really wanted nothing to do with him.

But then I realised something. I realised something real quick.

"What if..." I murmured, "What if... he wants to kill..."

Me.

He wants to kill me.

My face goes white. The man is following me because he wants to murder me next. All of this murder at the school was to draw me out, so that I was vulnerable. I can't believe it.

I look up, brushing the hair away from my face.

But right in front of my face, there he was. I widen my eyes in terror.

His face was only inches away from mine, as he held a sharp knife to my throat.

I tried to scream, but nothing came out. I can feel my heart beating a thousand miles an hour, almost exploding out of my chest. I can feel his breath against my face, and a bead of sweat drips down from my forehead. A serial killer was holding me at knifepoint.

His face was imprinted in my mind now, up this close. Those eyes, his leathery skin. His strawy black hair. And that smile. That thing he cut onto his face.

I blinked once. But before his big, blood-smeared, knife could pierce my skin, he vanished into thin air.

I couldn't believe my eyes. He had disappeared and turned into a cloud of fog.

As soon as the fog cloud appeared where he previously was standing, I fell backwards. It was as if for those few seconds, everything was in slow motion. It felt like the world around me had slowed down, and my brain was having a meltdown.

The hard ground hits my back and I lie there for a few moments with eyes full of terror. This guy... who was he?

He knew where I was at all times. He knew my weakness. He knew how to paralyse me and make me scared. It was as if he had me in the palm of his hands, and he could read me like a child's picture book. Or even more like I was his puppet. Strings tied to me, leading to the hands of this murderous psychopath. He controlled my every move, and he was watching me at all times. Playing me out in his little show, making me vulnerable. The thought of it made me sick. I had never been so scared in my whole life - it was actually outstanding.

I lay there for the rest of lunchtime, thinking about all of these bizarre events, his face appearing in my mind at all times. I couldn't close my sore eyes - it was as if there was something holding them open. They were becoming dry and red, just like his.

And so I lay there for the next hour, my bento lunch beginning to go cold.