Author's note: Alright, wow. I've never written so much in just a month. Thank you to everyone who reads, follows or has this story on their favourite list. The mishap with not being able to see or read stories last night until this morning, did it happen to everyone too or just me?
If you have noticed, I love the song Hello, My Old Heart. If you have the time, please listen to it. It gives me so much feels.
Anyway, Savage Kill: Thank you for reviewing again and yes, you are absolutely right. You're getting very close :) Do you have any guesses on who grey eyes is?
Xxdreamergirl95xX: Thanks again for your constant reviews!
Also, thanks to KandyMiraj for following and putting this story on favourite.
Everyone, thank you so much for reading even though I rarely update, I am so glad that I still have readers who are interested to see how things progress.
On a latter note, on the next chapters, there might be some overlap with another story I've written and there may be some spoilers on how my other story progress.
Chapter 5: The Aftermath
Hello, my old heart
How have you been?
Are you still there inside my chest?
I've been so worried
You've been so still
Barely beating at all
Hello, my old heart
It's been so long
Since I've given you away
And every day I add another stone
To the walls I built around you
To keep you safe
Hello, my old heart
How have you been?
How is it, being locked away?
Don't you worry
In there, you're safe
And it's true you'll never beat, but you'll never break
-Hello My Old Heart by The Oh Hello's
It felt disgusting.
Filthy and revolting
She wanted to vomit while clinging to the bed sheets.
She knew what was going to happen and yet… this was… More... This was worse. This was just plain wrong. More than anything, she wanted to cry, but somehow she couldn't.
She ran to the bathroom to vomit.
"So, Tetsu, let me get this straight. You want me to spy on someone—" "Hai." "That someone being your co-worker?"
"That someone being a nurse in the school I work at, yes." This time they weren't talking on the phone. Kuroko's eyes did not waver.
"Uh, Tetsu?"
"Hai, Aomine-kun?"
"You know that sounds completely insane, right?" Aomine couldn't understand whether the shorter guy—the kindergarten teacher, for fuck's sake—was messing with him.
"Hai, I am concerned for her wellbeing." He elaborated, but it still didn't seem sufficient enough of an excuse to explain… why he wanted Daiki to play the spy game.
"Haaaaa?"
"Aomine-kun, nurse-san has been seemingly unwell for the past few days—" "Ha? Then get her to see a doctor not a police man." He argued. It didn't sit well with Daiki that Tetsu wanted him to spy on a girl just 'cause he felt like something was off.
"Also, Aomine-kun, I suspect some foul play."
"Huh?" That caught his attention. "What kind of foul play?"
"I do not know."
"Haaaaaaaaaaaa?" He uttered more exaggeratedly, hands moving and motioning everywhere indicating his irritation.
"But I do know that something is very wrong." He had to hand it to Tetsu, the guy was anything but persistent. "I assure you, Aomine-kun. Something is very wrong with Naoki-san."
"Naoki?" He had whispered the name, but Kuroko had heard him regardless. By his stunned silence after uttering her name and the sudden stop in hand gestures, Kuroko assumed Aomine knew her.
"Hai." Kuroko continued "Tsukino Naoki-san."
It still tasted terrible.
She had puked her guts out and tried to mask the taste by a dozen mouthwashes. It just wasn't doing it. This fucking thing promised 99.9% bacterial death, tasted almost as terrible as vodka and still didn't do shit.
Her mouth tasted acidic and no matter how many mouthwashes she downed, it still left an unpleasant aftertaste. She should have brushed her teeth, but she felt… tired. After the tango with that asshole, she felt helpless. What she did… what she shouldn't have done… that was beyond vile.
She wanted to call in sick, but the house was too quiet. It was all too suffocating. She felt smaller and smaller. Sweat rolled down her face and mingled with her tears. When had she started crying? Probably a long while ago, but when had she been so silent even she hadn't noticed it?
Eyes swollen and hair slightly greasy, she felt that she was at a disadvantage in this house. If she didn't get out, what would happen?
After sitting, limbs awkward and head on top of their toilet cover, she stood and the mirror affirmed her suspicions.
She was a monster.
Not even the elegant kind, not even the scary kind and most certainly not the beautiful kind. What she was… was questionable. It wasn't as if she didn't recognize who she was in the mirror. Rather, it was as if she remembered.
Yes, she was a terrible monster, a cowering monster, an ugly monster—a broken monster, even, but a monster nonetheless. And if anything, she would do what monsters did best.
Devour and survive.
"Tetsu, you do know what you're asking from me isn't just impossible, it's also illegal?" It was a rhetorical question. The policeman didn't know if the teacher was trying to be funny or not. But, the name… the very name Tsukino Naoki had meant something to Tetsu and it meant something to him as well.
"Hai, I am fully aware that it's illegal, Aomine-kun." How could he just throw those words at his so easily with such a serious face? Wasn't he aware that there would be consequences?
Aomine stared at his face for something. Anything, really. A quick wavering glance, fear or any hint of anxiety. There was none.
"Tetsu—"
"Aomine-kun."
They were silent for a moment until the shorter one spoke "Aomine, kun," he repeated the taller one's name for recognition or reassurance, neither of them were quite sure, "I am aware of the consequences of my actions."
"Then you should be aware of mine." I can't let you do this, Tetsu were the unspoken words, but both had understood.
"If you want to do a surveillance check on her and you want the police involved, you need to have concrete evidence. Like what exactly are you looking for? An affair?" He asked, but his tone was scolding.
"Naoki-san would never stoop so low." Aomine was more than irritated at his colleague's quick reply. Her? Tsukino Naoki, chaste and pure? If given a chance, he'd spit at those claims, but he was more concerned about Kuroko.
It wasn't like him to fall for lies so easily.
He exhaled exasperatedly. "If you want police help, then you need to know what you're looking for. At least have an idea before you come bother someone."
The day was a blur. She hadn't remembered what had happened, just that had ended.
They had seen each other after work again.
This time not in her house, of course. It was her sanctuary and he had defiled it with his presence. Not that hers was any better, mind you. But, she was not going to have that again. Her house was hers. It was something he could not take away from her, just like he couldn't take away who she was.
When it was over, she was faced with a mirror all over again. Alone and lonely, she stared.
She couldn't stop laughing "Ahahahaha!" Her body trembled all over and her face was turning red, but there were no signs of stopping.
She continued to laugh.
Her eyes were tearing as much as she was and her laughs hysterical. He had already taken it. Whatever she had, whatever she was protecting, he had already taken all of it.
How could she have forgotten, even for a second, that the world was often more cruel than kind?