"I don't know what happened to her." Miku said as she batted her huge eyelashes and widened her bright blue eyes to make herself appear more innocent. Fucking narcissist, Mo had thought. She would have loved to see her get canned, but there was not one shred of evidence that could prove her guilt. Not yet, anyway.
Emma was never interviewed. There was a reason for that - she was dead. And much like the others, she had brought it upon herself.
"Why don't we go for a walk?" Luo had suggested to Haku they day after they were visited by the police. Haku had agreed, hoping the beautiful flower arrangements, nearly clipped grass and fresh air of the local park would do her some good.
They arrived shortly before noon and the playground was full of small children screaming up a storm. Not wanting to deal with all of that noise, the two girls had veered away and into the gardens. There was much more peace here, only the sounds of birds chirping and the occasional person or couple strolling by.
"Ooh, I like to sit here and watch the birds." Haku said, pointing to a wooden bench made of dark wood with several small patches of moss growing on it. "My dad used to take me here all the time, and watching the birds was my favourite thing to do. I'd name them and make up stories about them. It was kinda silly, actually…"
Luo laughed. "If it makes you feel any better, Gongyu used to do that, too. And she took it way too seriously."
The girls shared a giggle as they sat down and gazed at the birds hopping amidst the flowers. The sun was beating down, white-hot, covering everything in its warmth. The maze of flower patches and bushes filled the air with their sweet scents. The sky was a brilliant cerulean. The shrieks from the playground had died away some. The day was nice, just nice.
But then things began to sour.
"I'm scared," Haku said, slowly.
Luo reached over and rubbed her hand. "So am I. This past week has just been so surreal."
"I can't believe that four people are dead, and two of them didn't even deserve it!"
"Yes, it's a shame about Len and Fukase. But don't worry so much about Gumi and Rin. They deserved it."
Haku's mouth wavered, as if she was remembering something unpleasant.
"Honestly, those girls! The whole lot of them can die, for all I care. Especially Miku. I saw her when I was going home yesterday, and she passed by me on the street, and she looked at me and said "have fun hanging out with the slut of the whole school?" And then she tried to flip my skirt! The nerve of that bitch! Who does she think she is? I wanted to stab her then, but that wouldn't be too wise with people around."
Haku had a very grim half-smile, which quickly faded away when the two girls heard rustling from behind them, and turned around to see Emma sitting up on her knees behind one of the tulip patches with a thick, hardcover book next to her, a pencil in her hand, her eyes wide.
"You - you killed them!" She said.
Haku stood up, ready to go into flight mode at a moment's notice. Luo stood up too, but she was prepared for fight mode.
"I knew it! I knew you were a bitch! A vengeful little bitch! Murdering people over some silly little teasing! Disproportionate retribution at its finest!" Emma had a malicious gleam in her eyes. "And I'll bet it wasn't even you! I'll bet you got your friend to do your dirty work for you! Shameful!"
She stood up herself and Luo put a defensive arm across Haku's chest.
"Wait till the police hear about this!" Emma suddenly scooped up her book and dashed off amidst the flower bushes.
Luo wasted no time in following her.
Haku, however, remained in the same spot.
She couldn't believe their stupidity. Talking about their guilt in a public place. They didn't even check to make sure they were alone!
She smacked the palm of her hand against her face several times. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Haku snapped her head up when she heard a strangled gasp that sounded like Luo.
Oh no…
Haku ran over to where the sound originated from. And what she saw made her let out a strangled gasp of her own.
Emma had Luo pinned to a tree by pressing her forearm against Luo's throat and clawing at her face. Luo was holding her arms back while trying to desperately kick her in the legs and crotch.
Haku couldn't believe what she was seeing. She knew that Luo wasn't invincible, but she was completely getting her ass handed to her. Haku didn't like it at all.
And it was unfair! Luo killed Gumi and Rin to protect her! And here Emma was, accusing Haku of getting Luo to target them out of vengeance, to keep her hands clean! She said that like she knew what she was talking about!
Emma had dropped her book in the scuffle and it now lay close to where Haku was standing. It was hardcover, made from crimson leather. The front cover was flipped open, and on the first page, in big block letters, was "ACCOUNTING. 300 EMPTY PAGES FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE." And directly below that, in a messy scrawl, was "To Emma, from Dad. Happy 16th Birthday!" Haku briefly wondered why Emma's father would give her an accounting book for her birthday, but it was quickly overshadowed by the unfairness and rage swirling in her head.
She picked up the book and stood quietly behind Emma, before swinging the book down over her head.
Perhaps it was because it was unexpected, or maybe Haku just didn't know her own strength, but Emma fell to the ground and began to cry tears of pain. But Haku wasn't done yet.
She raised one foot and brought it down on her chest. Emma heaved and gave a throaty yell. She was silenced quickly by Haku lifting her foot again and again, stomping on her mouth, her jaw, chest, shoulders, forehead and neck until Emma was still.
Haku kept going, each stomp stronger than the last, until Luo pulled her away and Emma was well and truly dead.
Luo did not dawdle for even a second. He immediately picked up the body by the arms and dragged it under a nearby rosebush. She pushed it far enough under so that it was completely concealed, and hopefully wouldn't be discovered for a few days.
Haku, meanwhile, was flicking through the pages of the accounting book. She understood why Emma would be given such a thing. Each page was covered in admittedly beautiful illustrations of everything from scenery to household items. And on the last page with anything on it, was a pencil sketch of the tulips she had been kneeling by only minutes before. Now they knew what she had been doing at the park: drawing.
Luo then took Haku by the arm. "Come on. Let's go home."