'Hamada, Hamada, PLEASE be ok, please be ok.'

Izumi quickly ran up the stairs to his class, silently praying that Hamada would be there. He sat eagerly in his normal seat. When he didn't see Hamada in his seat his heart skipped a beat.

'Oh no, no, come on Hamada!'

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he focused all his energy into staring at the classroom door, waiting for the next person to come through. Slowly, the class started to fill up, but there was no sign of Hamada.

'Crap…I killed him! That's it, I killed him! Dammit!'

"Sorry I'm late."

"Ah, that's fine, take your seat Hamada."

The teacher nodded toward the back of the class as Hamada took his seat. Izumi was so relieved that it was clearly plain on his face. He turned and was about to try and talk to his friend, but paused when he saw the state he was in. He looked pale, and he had new bags under his eyes. The look in his eyes was one Izumi new all too well, the look of having seen something you weren't meant to.

Izumi kept trying to get a chance to talk to Hamada alone, but there was always someone else there, Tajima, Mihashi, even Abe. It felt as if everything was collaborating against him. Needless to say he didn't get any more sleep that night, so he was even more irritable than he had been yesterday.

"And then! This guy busted through the wall and he was like "HYOOO!", it was amazing!"

Tajima blabbered away about some TV he'd stayed up last night to watch. Mihashi was eagerly listening, chomping away at a small sandwich. Hamada was participating in the conversation like normal but…although he was smiling, he didn't seem happy. Izumi felt guilty, he knew he used to somehow pull people in his dreams when he was younger, but he had no idea he still could. But, like Hamada had said, he only did it when he had nightmares. It was slightly embarrassing that he would get so scared that he would pull someone into his dream like that.

"Nap time!"

Tajima yelled at the top of his lungs before clonking out at the desk he was sitting at. Mihashi followed, slumping over tiredly. Izumi paused, looking at Hamada, hesitating. He wanted to ask him, but wasn't sure how.

"…Hamada."

"Izumi…what kind of dreams have you been having?"

Hamada looked up at Izumi, a terrified gleam in his eyes. He lifted his shirt slightly, showing three very dangerous looking slashes across his stomach. Hamada glanced down at his own stomach before moving his gaze back up to meet Izumi's eyes. There was a heart dropping silence between the two boys before Hamada pulled his shirt back down.

"Uhh…I…I'm sorry."

"I want to help you Izumi, even though I'm still mad that you pulled me away from my dream about that one swimsuit model, what's her name-?"

"Look, Hamada, we can't tell anyone."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell Tajima, or Mihashi, or ANYONE, ok? I don't want them worrying."

Hamada seemed to struggle with the idea, but eventually nodded.

"Fine, but you've got some quick explaining to do! Who was that, why are you dreaming about him, and WHY is he trying to kill you?"

Izumi sighed tiredly.

"Kousuke, honey you don't look too good."

"I'm fine mom."

"You look like you haven't slept in days. You're not staying up too late are you?"

Izumi's mother sat across from him at the table, nervously picking at her food while giving him a worried gaze.

"No, I'm fine."

She didn't look convinced, but his mom looked down at her food, gently stabbing it with her fork.

"Mmm, well, it's just, mom…. I can't."

"Hm? Can't? Are you having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep?"

"Urgh, uh…both, I guess. I can't because…it's dangerous."

Mrs. Izumi stared at her son for a while before letting out a small laugh, a laugh that sounded scared and awkward at the same time.

"Oh, Kousuke you say the funniest things sometimes."

"Y-yeah…"

Izumi continued to eat his meal, keeping his head down. He knew what he would dream about that night, as soon as he fell asleep…HE'D be waiting. Although, Izumi wasn't sure if Hamada being there made him more upset or relieved. Sure, he'd have help, but, it also meant showing Hamada a weaker side of him that he didn't like others seeing; it was frustrating.

Izumi reluctantly got ready for bed, staring at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. He could barely recognize himself. He looked like he had just gotten into a fight with a tornado, tired, sick, and malnourished. It was hard to stay awake, but he just couldn't bring himself to fall asleep. The rhythmic feel of the toothbrush in his mouth resounded in Izumi's ears, lulling him into a zoned out state.

"Kousuke."

A menacingly deep voice sprung Izumi back into consciousness. Had he fallen asleep? But, it couldn't have been for more than a few seconds, that wouldn't be enough time for him to start dreaming, could it?