There was something off about his smile, something eerie, but Kagome didn't have time to focus on it, her initial shock quickly devolving. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
His grin grew wider, and he twirled a keychain around his finger. "I made a copy of your key."
She tugged at his hand, trying to free herself. "Did you take it out of my bag at the café?" She knew there was something fishy about when she'd lost it. She swore she'd looked in every part of the breakroom before leaving.
"You should really lock up your stuff while you're working, Higurashi," he chastised. "No telling who might get into your things." He placed the key in his pocket, patting it twice. "But I can't blame you. You've been too distracted lately to abide by the rules."
She wished he'd turned on the light instead of hiding in darkness, but she would've instantly known something was wrong. Backing up, hoping to put some space between them, she took a calming breath. "Why are you here?" she repeated.
His head cocked to the side, and he eventually clicked his tongue. "You're not sad anymore." Kagome blinked in confusion, but he didn't give her the chance to question it. "You were so beautiful right before your grandfather died. You cried every day when you came to visit him."
Ice-cold dread pooled in her stomach. "How do you know that?"
"I was at the hospital too!" he chirped, somehow proud of the information. "I could see you from my room." He stroked the back of her cheek. "I love your tears." She smacked his hand away, eyes narrowing, and he sighed again. "See? That's what I mean. Normally, you'd be crying already." His fingers tightened around her wrist. "It's all his fault."
"Don't bring Gramps into this—"
"Not him!" His eyes became manic. "That stupid cop! My remedies worked so well until he showed up."
She'd never used them in the first place, but Hojo had stopped offering them to her lately. "Because I'm ready to move on," she admitted, not realizing how true it was until she said it. "Gramps didn't want me to be sad."
Hojo shook his head. "It's much better when you are," he said, voice ominous.
Kagome's back hit the wall as she tried to back away again, but she raised her chin. "I won't go back to the way I was," she said, shoulders straightening. This couldn't be the same harmless man who hung around the café. "Give me my key and get out."
The knife caught a ray of sunshine, and blue eyes widened in panic. "It's still a part of you. Show me those pretty tears, Higurashi. I've missed them so." She didn't get a chance to respond before he slashed through her shirt, two buttons falling away.
Kagome grabbed what was left of it, trying to shield herself, but froze when the blade touched her neck. There was nothing left of the former customer now. His features had taken on an unrecognizable craze, and fear had tears pricking the sides of her eyes.
"There you are," he crooned. "All I've heard is moaning lately, which is not the same."
All the remaining blood drained from her face. "Were you been hiding in my apartment before?"
His eyebrows raised. "What? Of course not! Only psychopaths do that!"
Was he serious? "Then how—"
He smiled again, and Kagome cowered. "I simply bugged your apartment. You have a wonderful singing voice, but the soft sniffles before you cry are my favourite." He brushed her bangs out of her eyes with the tip of the knife. "You pretend to be so strong, but you're just as weak as I am."
"I'm nothing like you," she shot back, though her voice trembled.
He sighed again, and for a moment, she thought he might let her go, but then he cut through her pants, leaving long, raw marks behind, and Kagome cried out as she slid to the floor. Hojo stood over her, twisting the blade in his hand before kneeling down.
"You know just as well as I how ugly this world is, Higurashi. Everyone in the hospital tried to convince me there was something worth living for, but humans aren't meant to be happy." He cut off another button. "Why should we continue to suffer?"
"Hojo, you're in charge of your own happiness," she argued feebly, but he didn't hear her.
"Will you die with me?" The fear was all-consuming now, freezing her in place as he leaned in, the knife once again at her neck. "I want you to come with me. It'll be so beautiful." She managed to shake her head once, and his lips pursed into a thin line before he slid the blade along her skin.
Fire followed, and she hissed in pain, trying to pull away, but his hand grabbed her shoulder, shoving her back up against the wall. He inspected the knife, cocking his head at the sight of her blood, then gave her a matching mark on the other side. Kagome cried out, and the manic smile returned.
"You would've agreed if I'd asked you in the hospital," he said.
Her neck was numb, but she managed to shoot a foot out, catching him in the shin. Hojo fell back, and she glared at him. "You and I are not the same!" she spat with more bravado than she felt. "I never wanted to kill myself!"
Even on her darkest days, especially right after the funeral, all she'd wanted was to see his smiling face again. But her thoughts had never become that extreme. She'd known things would get better.
Hojo shifted the handle into a more offensive position, and her eyes darted around in the hopes there was something nearby to protect her. Why couldn't she have held onto her bag? She at least had keys in there that could do some damage.
He rose to full height and advanced on her, but they both jumped when the front door opened, Sesshoumaru staring down at them with wide eyes. He took one look at her before launching himself at Hojo, disarming him and twisting his arm behind his back.
"Do not move," Sesshoumaru warned. "You are under arrest." He immediately pulled out his phone, calling out various codes before reciting off her address.
Hojo whined, looking over at Kagome. "You didn't tell me he was coming over tonight. We were supposed to be alone." Sesshoumaru caught sight of the wound on her neck, and she saw his marks turn jagged before his fist made contact with Hojo's face, the man instantly quieting.
"Are you alright?" he asked, not taking his eyes off Hojo. Kagome nodded but didn't get up, raising a hand to her neck to stop the bleeding, but Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Do not touch anything. Paramedics will be here soon to treat you."
"Thank you," she whispered, wishing she had the strength to move.
His knee was still in the back of Hojo's back, not trusting that he was actually unconscious, but his voice was low. "I cannot touch you until the scene has been cleared." His tone proved he wanted to do the opposite, and Kagome managed a soft smile before a woman with ruby eyes stepped into the room, gun raised.
She could hear sirens in the distance, but Kagome kept her eyes on Sesshoumaru even as the woman walked past her to check the other rooms. Her brain wouldn't compute any further questions, and soon she was moved outside to a stretcher, camera flashes lighting up each window as they collected evidence.
She was wheeled away into an ambulance, gloved hands bandaging up the skin around her neck and thighs, but Sesshoumaru prevented the doors from closing, reaching in to squeeze her hand. "I will be right behind you," he said, and she held onto that promise all the way to the hospital.