Detective Saito's voice echoed through the room, his image on the television screen commanding attention.
He stood behind a podium, addressing a crowd of reporters.
And that would've explained why I thought he had a familiar face.
That man was truly a celebrity.
"Good afternoon. I am Detective Saito, and I am leading the investigation into the recent murder cases across the land. We are thoroughly examining all evidence and interviewing key witnesses. Our priority is to ensure justice is served and that the truth comes to light. We appreciate the public's cooperation and patience during this time."
I turned up the volume, my heart pounding in my chest.
This case seemed unrelated, yet seeing Detective Saito again only heightened my anxiety.
He was speaking about lots of things.
"So, what are you going to say about this tragic event, Detective Saito?" Asked the reporter.
"There isn't much to say. This is a tragedy, but I assure you that we'll investigate this question as much as we can." He said in a serious, professional tone.
That man truly loved his job; no wonder he was so famous.
I was still sitting at my table, eating some snacks and carefully following the program.
The quiet in my house became somehow unsettling.
After all the things that I've been told, staying alone in my house was an anxiety.
I was afraid that something like what happened to Hiro would happen to me, too.
But if the culprit was really Hina… I still had doubts about whether she would have really hurt me.
Except for her little crisis, she always acted like a normal girl… maybe.
Then I started to remember other strange moments during our usual meetings and dates.
"Mmmh…" I said to myself, trying to remember.
Then some images came to mind.
When we went shopping together one day, a female cashier was working there.
Hina paid everything and didn't let me speak to her, not even to pay.
She clearly didn't want me to interact with that girl… but I was too stupid to notice.
She even grabbed me quickly and walked me out.
Not even a single glance at the cashier.
Then, she wanted to visit a place that sells things for the house.
I didn't notice that back there, but she stayed for a while to watch all the types of knives the shop was selling.
It looked like her eyes were lost in another dimension.
When I called out to her, interrupting her daydreaming, she said it was nothing and that she was only imagining our future kitchen in our future house.
Well, having an overprotective girlfriend with an obsession for knives is pretty normal, isn't it?
I began to unite all the pieces of the puzzle, one by one, and, in the end, there was surely a problem with Hina's behavior.
I started to think with my mind and not with my heart.
She was dangerous—a lot.
Then, after my session of overthinking, I decided to change the channel on the TV.
To my surprise, I switched to the one that usually transmits anime.
Most importantly, the channel was playing an Anime based on one of my father's works: The Tale of a Vampire Slayer.
By far one of his favorite works.
I watched it too many times, but that was the only good thing I could see, so I decided to leave it playing in the background to keep me company.
But suddenly, my phone buzzed.
I felt a big shiver down my spine.
I hoped that it wasn't Hina.
This time, it was a call from Hana.
I let out a sigh of relief.
"Hey, Hana," I answered, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Kai, I can't stop thinking about everything. What did Detective Saito tell you?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
I hesitated, unsure of how many things I could say to her.
"He... shared some background information about Hina. It's complicated and very disturbing. I can't go into details right now, but please, stay safe. Let's keep a low profile for a while."
Hana sighed on the other end.
"I understand. But Kai, if there's anything I can do to help, please tell me." She said with a very worried tone.
"Just be careful, Hana. I don't want anything to happen to you," I said, my voice trembling slightly.
"Yes, Kai, I promise. Take care, you're way too important for me, and I don't want anything to happen to you. It would hurt me a lot." Hana replied with a tone filled with many emotions.
Her words actually made my heart lighter.
She genuinely worried about me.
We were family; it was obvious that she cared about me.
"Don't worry, Hana. I'll be okay." I said as I hung up the call.
After we ended the call, I felt a heavy weight settle over me.
The reality of the situation was sinking in, and I knew I had to stay vigilant.
I had a big responsibility on my shoulders…
Before putting my phone away, I saw the notification for Hina's last message after I told her I would take a shower.
15 minutes had already passed.
For some reason, she didn't message me anything like "Hey, are you done?"
She always sent messages like this.
Then I decided to take a real shower, hoping the hot water would help clear my mind.
As soon as I entered and opened the water, my overthinking session started again.
As the steam and the hot water enveloped me, I replayed Detective Saito's words in my head.
Hina's history, her manipulative behavior, the accidents... it all painted a picture of someone far more dangerous than I had ever imagined.
After the shower, I dried off and dressed, feeling a bit more composed.
My phone buzzed again, and I saw another message from Hina.
"Hey, are you done with the shower? I hope you're doing well. Just wanted to let you know that I'm really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. I miss you."
Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more sinister behind her sweet messages.
Maybe it was a coincidence, but her message arrived in the exact moment that I ended my shower.
Too many coincidences.
I had to stay alert and not let my guard down.
"Yes, Hina. I took more time because it has been a stressful day. I visited Hiro at the hospital, and luckily, he's feeling better… and about tomorrow, I'm still fine. I miss you too." I texted her to calm her down.
I had to play the part of the super-perfect boyfriend who knew nothing about her; otherwise, any suspicion by her could end in tragedy.
Then, another message came from Hina.
"Oh. So Hiro is okay?" That's what the text said. Nothing more.
"Yes. He's okay, luckily. I would've been dead too if something had happened to him." I texted back.
"I'm very happy about it!!! We can visit him together one of these days." Hina texted me.
I blinked a few times, thinking I hadn't read the message correctly.
She wanted to see Hiro with me.
She barely had any contact with him; she didn't have any reason to care about him.
"I don't think that's a good idea. He still needs to recover." I texted.
"Oh. You're right." The text said.
Even if it was behind a phone, I could feel that Hina's tone changed.
She looked deadly serious even behind those texts.
Then I changed the topic and talked with Hina about other things, like what she wanted to do tomorrow.
I also wanted to meet my friends, so I messaged Yuna to ask about the Karaoke.
She replied after some minutes and told me that it was closed and that they had nowhere to go.
So, I sighed and invited all my friends to my house.
They all accepted, and in 20 minutes, I found Hana, Haruto, Naomi, and Yuna knocking at my door.
I was happy to spend some time with them.
The last time I did something like this was four months ago.
They brought some snacks and table games, and we spent the afternoon and dinner together doing a lot of things and having lots of fun.
One thing I noticed was that Hana kept staying close to me, taking every opportunity to talk with me about anything.
Yuna and Haruto noticed that and started teasing her by saying some phrases like "you can't do this, Hana. He already has a girlfriend!!" With a giggle.
This only made Hana more and more embarrassed, and she had some adorable pouts on her face.
I must admit that we had a lot of fun, but still, I couldn't wash off the feeling of anxiety in my heart.
I loved these moments with my friend, and the thing I had to protect them from was the fuel that fueled my determination to resolve the situation.
Then, after dinner, my friends waved at me and walked out of my house.
The day was over.
Haruto drove from his house to mine.
I was glad for that since I would've been worried about them walking at night during these times.
Yuna, Naomi, and Haruto walked towards the car after waving goodbye to me.
The last one was Hana.
She asked Haruto to wait for her since she had something to ask me.
Hana looked at me with puppy eyes, and a blush spread across her face.
"K-Kai… I have a request…" she said while looking down and playing with her fingers.
"What is it, Hana?" I said while patting her head like a big brother.
She then raised her head and looked me in my eyes.
"K-Kai, I know that it may sound strange because you're already in a relationship, but… can I sleep here tonight? I'm scared to stay in my house." She asked, with a tone full of emotion.
My eyes widened a bit in surprise at her request, not expecting something like that.
I was embarrassed by that sudden request.
I thought about it for some seconds.
In other circumstances, I would've accepted, but then I remembered that I had to meet Hina the next day.
A voice inside my head was telling me that making Hana sleep here was a terrible idea, because I could find Hina at my door at any moment.
Although Hana and I were like family, my girlfriend would've been very jealous, and knowing about the situation, it was better not to do anything like this.
"Hana… I'm sorry, but I must refuse. It's much safer for you to stay in your home, trust me." I said in a worried tone while giving her a head pat.
Hana clenched her fists and teeth, but she calmed down after one second.
She then smiled at me and said:
"It's okay… I'm sorry for asking. Goodnight, Kai…" she whispered while looking away.
"Goodnight, Hana. I'm glad you understood the situation…" I said with a sorry tone.
But in the blink of an eye, Hana gave me a small kiss on my cheek and then ran towards Haruto's car.
I felt someone squeezing my heart from the inside.
Her gesture surprised me way too much, and I had no words to explain what I was feeling.
My eyes widened even more, and I touched my cheek to be sure that I wasn't dreaming.
"What a surprise…" I said to myself.
Then I headed to my room to put on a pair of pajamas and went into the living room to watch some TV.
Ah, of course, I sent lots of messages to Hina while my friends were here.
She wanted to know every single detail of what we were doing.
That evening, I tried to distract myself with some TV, but every channel seemed to remind me of the danger lurking around me.
News reports about crimes, dramas about betrayal and deceit—it all hit too close to home.
Then, I turned off the TV and went to bed.
But not before locking all the windows and doors.
Then I sent Hina a goodnight message and went to sleep.
As night fell, I finally managed to get some rest, though my sleep was restless and filled with nightmares.
Another thing I forgot to do was show Detective Saito the wounds Hina inflicted on me during her crisis.
Maybe there was no need…
The next day loomed ahead, and I knew it would be a crucial moment in uncovering the truth about Hina.
The next morning, I woke up early, my nerves on edge.
I checked my phone for any new messages from Hina but found none.
Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for our meeting.
I had to stay calm and collected, no matter what.
I had to act as naturally as possible, like in the first days of our relationship.
Arriving at the park, I spotted Hina sitting on a bench, looking as sweet and innocent as ever.
Her smile was radiant, but now it felt like a mask hiding something darker.
"Kai!" she called out, waving me over.
"Hey, Hina," I said, forcing a smile as I approached.
She immediately ran toward me and hugged me tightly.
She even gave me lots of kisses, a sign that she missed me.
"Oh, Kai!! I missed you so much!!! I'm sorry!!!" She said while burying her head on my chest and rubbing it against my chest.
"Mmmh…~ You smell so good…~" she said with a happy tone of voice.
Then, we sat together, and she immediately reached for my hand, her touch sending a jolt through me.
I didn't know what to feel.
The sight of her and her smile made me a little bit happy, but all the voices in my head were telling me to stay on alert.
"I'm so glad you're here," she said softly. "I missed you so much!!!"
"I missed you too, Hina," I replied, though my words felt hollow.
As we talked, I tried to steer the conversation towards anything that might give me clues about her recent behavior.
But Hina was as charming and evasive, dodging my subtle inquiries with ease.
Then, out of nowhere, she asked, "Kai, do you ever feel like someone is watching you? Like, really watching you?"
Her question caught me off guard, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. "What do you mean?" I asked cautiously.
She leaned in closer with her eyes narrowing.
"Just... sometimes I get this feeling, like there's always someone lurking in the shadows. Do you feel that way, too?"
My heart pounded in my chest.
Was she onto me? Or was this another one of her mind games?
"I... I don't know, Hina. Maybe it's just our imaginations," I said, trying to downplay the tension.
She smiled, but there was a glint in her eyes that sent chills down my spine.
"Maybe you're right. Or maybe there's more to it than we realize."
The rest of our conversation felt like walking on a tightrope, every word carefully chosen, every response measured.
I knew I had to keep playing my part until I could figure out my next move.
Then Hina and I walked around the city a bit and had a normal date like we used to.
The tension in the air was palpable, but at the same time, I tried my best to hide my unease, so everything looked like a totally normal date.
When we arrived at the end of the date, we walked back to the park, and as we were about to part ways, she hugged me and then sniffed my neck.
I thought this was a cute way for her to enjoy my smell, but what she said next scared me.
"Kai-Kun…" she whispered.
"W-What is it, Hina?" I asked while swallowing some saliva.
"Why do you smell like another woman, Kai-Kun? Why is there a woman scent in you, Kai-Kun?" She whispered with a deadly tone of voice while tightening her grip around my neck.
I felt her nails digging into my skin, almost hurting me.
I was scared for my life.
Her rapid breaths were touching my neck, and I felt like she could bite it at any moment.
"W-What do you mean…-?" I asked, but her nails pressed further into my skin.
One step and she could make me bleed.
"Don't lie to me, Kai-Kun. I love you, but I hate liars… so please tell me the truth…" Hina whispered again with her scary tone of voice.
My body was trembling.
Hina's grip was too strong, and I couldn't break free.
"I'm sorry… Y-Y know that I had friends in my house yesterday…! Hey, you're hurting me!" I said, trying to break free, but all my attempts were futile.
"I know this smell… but thanks for telling me the truth…" Hina whispered.
Then, after some seconds, Hina released me.
I took a deep breath and looked Hina in her eyes.
I was scared.
"Hina… what's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing, Kai." She replied with a smile.
"I just wanted to be sure that you aren't a liar. Sincerity is everything in a couple. If there's sincerity, we can resolve everything." She added.
Her tone of voice returned to normal.
Seconds earlier, Hina seemed like a totally different person.
I was scared for my life.
"Oh… okay…. But there was no need to be so aggressive…" I said, while still feeling some pain from Hina's nails.
She giggled at my reply.
"Hahaha! It was just a joke, my love. A joke." She said while laughing playfully.
"Just don't lie to me. Ever." She added while gently hugging me.
All I could do was hug her back.
"I love you, Kai-Kun…" she whispered into my ears with a tone full of desire.
I shivered at what she said.
I didn't reply to her because I was shocked.
She then broke the hug and looked into my eyes, asking if everything was okay.
I nodded and gave her a fake smile.
We were ready to go home, and as soon as we parted ways, Hina gave me another lingering hug, her grip just a bit too tight.
"See you soon, Kai," she whispered in my ear.
I nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, see you soon."
Walking away, I felt the weight of her gaze on my back.
The danger was real, and the clock was ticking. I had to find a way to expose the truth about Hina before it was too late.
I had to gather evidence about Hina secretly.
I had to visit every place that was part of her past.
Anything that could give me answers…
The situation was getting worse by every passing second.