An attempted confession leads to a near death experience. All of a sudden, Kawasaki and Hachiman find themselves embroiled in bizarre occurences that put their very lives at risk. So strange, in fact, that they begin to question their sanity...
AN: So, Anniversary's nearly finished and I thought it was about time to get started on a new fic. This idea's been running through my head for awhile now, and although it's pretty risky and I'm not sure whether the mix of Oregairu and horror will work, it's also definitely an experiment that I'm willing to try. I've written horror for myself before, but never published it, so I suppose you couuld say this is new ground for me.
Also, I thought I'd just inform you about who the main characters will be. The majority of the fic will transpire from Hachiman's perspective with only a few interruptions, obviously, and interactions with the Service Club will continue but Kawasaki is going to feature a much more prominent role. You probably gathered as much from the summary, but still. She's someone that I don't think gets enough attention in the fandom, and I've never written about her before either so I wanted to give it a go. The story will have romantic elements, with hints at 8manxSaki as well as 8manxServiceClub (both members) but the horror/mystery will be the main focus. The main couple, however, will probably be Hachiman and Kawasaki, for the same reason.
My inspiration for the horror elements of this story came from various J-horror films, such as Ju-On: The Grudge and Dark Water.
In terms of content, it's Rated T for moderate violence and gore and there may be some sexual stuff later on, so bare in that mind. Nonetheless, hope you enjoy it, I guess. I tried to be a bit more extensive and descriptive with my writing here.
My Highschool Horror Story Is Wrong, As You'd Expect
Chapter One:
Kawasaki Saki had visited the Service Club on several occasions previously. The first time hadn't been of her own volition- due to the interference of Taishi, they'd sought her out instead of the other way round. The second time had concerned chocolates for Keika. Both had provided her with an experience that was somewhere inbetween inconceivably irritating, and relieving. Despite the daunting list of idiosyncrasies they possessed, they always seemed to be successful in their bizarre endeavours. It didn't matter that the solutions they came up with to ease said endeavours were absurdly longwinded and elaborate. It didn't matter that the relationship between the club members, at times, seemed to be dysfunctional, or that the constant squabbling between Yukino and Hachiman made you want to leave almost as soon as you'd walked through the door.
However, she always got the impression that their arguments were, in one way, something of a disguise. A disguise to themselves, that helped to deny the reality of their feelings. It was stark and bluntly noticeable to anyone who interacted with them that, behind the bickering, there were three very close friends. If they had their way (or more specifically, Yui and Yukino had their way) it would probably be something a little more.
Saki would never even consider admitting it, of course, but she supposed she was a little jealous of the connection they'd stumbled into cultivating. It wasn't perfect. If anything, it was ugly. Tainted by painful awkwardness and discomfort and an unexplainable need to lie to each other, but it was a connection nonetheless.
Those kind of social ties were, in her eyes, oddly desirable. Kawasaki Saki considered herself to be a loner, as did the rest of the school. She was used to leaving class early, and eating her homemade bento on the Soubu High rooftop in the company of no one except herself. But, if anything, it was precisely that reason why she found herself longing for something genuine. She hated the fact that she couldn't control her emotions. She hated that her carefully constructed delinquent facade was exactly that- a facade, and not a reality.
A person's longings are impossible to predict, or control. That was precisely why she found herself standing outside the Service Club room, on a cold afternoon in the November of their third year.
She sighed, shuffling her feet. The past few weeks, on the outset, would've seemed perfectly normal, and inkeeping with her routine. She went to school, took notes dilligently but never enough to draw attention to herself. At around four o'clock, she'd return home, greet her siblings and cook their meal to the best her limited abilities would allow. Then, she'd get Keika and her brother to bed as soon as possible (Taishi would follow a few hours later). The remaining hours would be spent studying, or if the day had been particularly tiring, she'd just go straight to sleep.
But the particulars of her routine had been upset by one thing. Or rather, one person. Hikigaya Hachiman.
She shook her head. The idea of him, even now, summoned the slightest of blushes to her cheeks. He'd descended on her thoughts as fiercely and unexpectedly as rainfall in April, and so succesfully that she found it difficult to think of anything else. Whenever she entered their homeroom, she had to forcefully avert her gaze from the sight of him in his usual seat, just in case their eyes met. On the occasions that she failed in doing so, or they were forced to interact, she'd be reduced to stumbling over her words, barely forming coherent sentences.
Having a crush at Saki's age was hardly unexpected. In fact, it was all but obligatory, and yet a tiny, naive part of her had somehow never anticipated such a development. In fact, the very same part of her despised it. She hated that, when she lay awake in the moments before succumbing to sleep, Hikigaya Hachiman was the only thing that crossed her mind. Most of all, she hated that it was Hikigaya Hachiman, out of all the boys in the school, that she'd become so pathetically, helplessly enamoured with. He wasn't exactly handsome, or suave, or dashing.
Then again, those were never qualities Saki had ever been that interested in. If she were ever to be in a romantic relationship, she'd care far more that they understood each other. That they were considerate of each other, and that, first and foremost... that they made each other happy. Could Hikigaya Hachiman, the dead fish-eyed, cynical, semi-nihilist of Class 2F ever compromise with her in such a way?
It was silly to even take into account a notion like that if there was no chance of a relationship developing between them, anywat. Hikigaya Hachiman was preoccupied. If he had any interest in romance, which she'd yet to see any evidence of, it would surely be with Yuigahama Yui or Yukinoshita Yukino. Two girls that were far closer to him, and that knew him clearer, than she could surely ever hope. And...
She sighed. Two girls that are far more beautiful than... than I could ever hope to be.
If 'Hikki' wasn't interested in them, then what hope did she have?
And yet, here she was.
Kawasaki Saki removed her iphone from her blazer pocket and unlocked it. She often set herself reminders, just in case she forgot to collect items from the shop for her family, or cook a certain food that Keika had requested.
1. Remember to buy more milk.
2. Taishi said that he was struggling with Maths, check to make sure he's okay?
The sight of the third made her fiddle with the hem of her skirt.
3. Confess to Hachiman.
She'd set it to repeat every afternoon a couple of days ago, just before she fell asleep. Once typing the words, she promptly dropped her phone and wished that she hadn't.
But the reminder hadn't been deleted. Kawasaki Saki had never been stupid- in middle school, she'd been something of a model student, before she'd been forced to concentrate on accruing the money for her future tuition. A natural curiosity paved the way for her to be a natural learner; if she really put effort into her academics, she could rise up the ranks in subject results faster than most.
She'd attempted to curb the same curiosity towards the matter at hand, and failed miserably. Despite the unlikelihood that Hachiman would even contemplate accepting the confession... she had to know his answer. Regardless.
Taking a deep breath, Saki pushed the door aside.
She was granted a moment of respite upon discovery that the clubroom was empty. The table and chairs where Hachiman, Yui and Yukino sat were all in their usual spots, in addition to the smaller table by the window, where the Service Club president's tea set was kept. One of Hachiman's light novels was lying on his side, the cover closed. She assumed that they were simply dealing with a request elsewhere in the school, perhaps regarding Isshiki.
Deciding that she'd wait until they returned, Kawasaki adopted the seat typical of the club's various clients. Not even thinking about it, she put her iphone on the table, and the screen lit up automatically, displaying the reminders.
She began to go over her plan for how she'd broach the subject to Hachiman in her mind. Assuming that all three of them returned from whatever request they were currently dealing with together, she'd simply claim that her own request required Hachiman's help alone. If they questioned her, which seemed likely, she'd tell them that she wanted his advice on how to appeal to a guy that she liked, or perhaps that she needed his opinion on some chocolate or food that she'd cooked.
Once getting him alone (the very prospect of being alone with Hachiman made her nervous), she'd ask him to accompany her up to the rooftop. Saki had envisioned, in her head, that he'd probably ask her, in return, why they needed to go to that specific spot. She'd planned on being evasive and coy, but mulling the matter over now, she wasn't sure whether she'd be able to speak so confidently in his presence.
Part of the reason Saki had chosen today was because even two people as generally pessimisstic as her and Hachiman couldn't deny the weather was beautiful. It was the first day of sun they'd had in the entirety of November, and probably the last that they'd have for awhile. The view from the Service Club window alone was magnificent. The sun had turned from orange to a deep pink, almost scarlet against the flecks of black clouds littering the sky. There was a reaosn why she chose to spend her lunch times on the roof back in her first year- the idyllic view it provided of the Chiba streets stretched out in front of her often helped to soften the numbing feeling of eating alone.
It would provide the perfect backdrop for her confession-
Suddenly, her musings were interrupted by the incessant, tinny sound of her phone's ringtone. Someone was calling her. Almost instinctively, she picked it up and glanced at the screen, expecting to see the name of Taishi, or perhaps her parents, if it were an emergency.
Instead, all it said was 'No Caller ID'.
She shrugged and rejected the call. Someone had probably dialled her accidentally.
Saki's thoughts returned to the confession once she placed the iphone back in its original spot. Where was she? The view from the Soubu High roof would provide the perfect backdrop for her confession. That was it. The mood would be right. Soothing, therapeutic, and... and romantic...
She blushed a little more.
"Hikigaya-san... I have something to tell you."
"Yes, Saki?"
She knew that he would never use her first name, but she found the thought to be quite-
The phone rang again.
Kawasaki looked at it, slightly confused. It would have to be a frightening coincidence to receive two calls from different people in such quick succession.
She picked up the phone. Sure enough, 'No Caller ID' was once again displayed on the screen.
This time, she decided to pick it up. They might even ring for a third time if she didn't.
"Hello?"
There was a long pause, where the only thing she could hear was the sound distortion of the call. It sounded a little off-putting, like the white noise you hear when caught between two radio stations.
"... Why are you here?"
She frowned, and glanced at the phone screen again. The voice itself was barely audible. A whisper, too quiet for her to tell whether its owner was male or female. Perhaps they hadn't heard her?
"Hello?" she repeated.
"... Why are you here?"
Now that she thought about it, the voice was a little off-putting too.
"Sorry, I think you've got the wrong number. Try typing it again, okay? I'm gonna hang up."
"Why are you he-"
She hung up.
For a moment, all that Saki did was continue to look at the back of her phone, this time clasped within her hand. When it seemed that nothing was happening, she placed the phone back on the table.
She tried to clear her thoughts of the phone call, and return to the notion teasing her mind; that of herself and her crush, alone on the rooftop. It's nothing, Saki. You're just nervous because of the... because of the thing. Sure, the voice was a little weird, but it's not unusual to call a wrong numb-
The phone rang for a third time.
This time, Saki didn't hesitate, grabbing it and answering straight away.
"Listen, I really think you've made a mistak-"
"Why are you here?"
The voice was a little louder this time. A little more insistent. A little... colder.
She felt an unexpected chill, rushing down her spine.
"What... why do you keep saying that?"
"Why are you here?"
"I... who is this? Is this Yumiko or something? 'Cause I'm serious, this really isn't funny-"
"Why are you here?"
"Stop saying that."
"Why are you h-"
"I told you stop saying that!"
The voice didn't reply, but the sound of the static on the call only increased in volume. Why was it so loud? It wasn't nearly so much usually-
She realised.
It wasn't static. It was breathing. Heavy breathing, on the other side of the line.
With a gasp of shock, she hung up the phone again, dropping it onto the carpet. She stood up from the chair, looking around the room frantically. There was nobody at the door- she'd be able to see their face in the glass. It wasn't like the members of the Service Club to pull a prank like this. It... she couldn't think of anybody who would do something like this...
Saki moved over to the window of the clubroom, glancing down at the schoolyard below. It was deserted. The whole school was, at this time of day, apart from those who took part in clubs. There might be people on the football or tennis courts, but she wasn't really close enough to anyone outside of Class 2F for them to think it suitable to make jokes with her. Besides, they didn't know her number-
The sound of fluttering pages made her turn around in shock.
Her eyes widened. On the table, Hachiman's light novel had been opened to a page half way through.
W- what...
There was no one else in the room. She was alone. For some reason, it felt like the temperature inside had dropped.
Saki watched, unable to think, as the page began to rustle and move. As if someone were touching it. Her whole body had gone numb. Her mind had frozen solid.
Then, something appeared. A dot, splashed clumsily onto the black of the text, in the top left corner of the page. It looked like ink. Deep red ink. Soon, the dot turned into lines. Then, the lines turned into letters. Bold, blood red letters. Stretching across the double page, from left to right.
It spelled out two words, large enough for her to read.
KAWASAKI SAKI
She wanted to scream. To shout for help. All that came out was a chipped, rasping sound, as if someone were throttling her.
Soon, the writing began again, just below her name. Penned in the same terrible, red writing.
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
Sometime before the final world was spelled out, Saki had started hyperventilating.
"Pl- please..." she whispered. "I- I..."
Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps. Just outside the door. For the briefest of seconds, she thought it might be Hachiman, Yui and Yukino returning. Her hopes rose. Saki tried to speak, to call for them.
Then, she saw the top of a head. Inky black hair. Flickering in the light.
Barely thinking about it, she sunk down the wall that her back had been pressed up against, until her trembling fingers were clutched around her knees. Her eyes slammed shut.
"This isn't real. This isn't real..." she whimpered.
The thought echoed through her mind even as she heard her the creak of the door being pulled aside. Even as she heard that thin, rasping, all too real voice once more.
"Why are you here?"
For the briefest of moments, she looked up.
A set of thin, deathly pale fingers, curled around the door. Each one coated, dripping with the liquid on the page.
Each one dripping with blood.
This time, Kawasaki Saki screamed.