I stare at the message again.
[Hey, thanks again for earlier. I had fun.] – Aika Fujishiro
My first thought: Did she really have fun?
My second thought: WAIT—HOW DID SHE GET MY NUMBER?!
I Sat up in bed, staring into the middle distance like a war veteran trying to remember where it all went wrong.
She just transferred today.
She barely talked to anyone.
We’ve never exchanged numbers.
I would remember. I SWEAR I would remember.
I immediately text my best friend.
[Yuuji]
Bro emergency.
[Daichi]
Is this about the math test?
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
[Yuuji]
No.
How did Aika get my number.
She texted me.
[Daichi]
HUH???
LIKE SHE TEXTED YOU TEXTED YOU???
[Yuuji]
Yes. I’m panicking. Say something useful.
[Daichi]
bruh i didn’t even know she had a phone
maybe you gave it to her??
[Yuuji]
WHEN?? WITH MY BRAIN CELLS??
I toss my phone into a pillow and scream into another one.
This isn’t just a message. This is an unsolved mystery. A government-level information breach.
I run through the possible explanations:
- Did I somehow write it on my notebook and she saw?
- Did I leave my number on the classroom board by accident? (No. I’m not that stupid. I think.)
- Did… did Hana give it to her??
I storm out of my room.
“HANA!!”
She’s in the living room eating choco-puffs directly out of the box.
“What?” she says, suspiciously innocent.
“Did you give anyone my number today?”
She squints. “Define ‘anyone.’”
“Did a girl ask you for it?”
“…Maybe.”
“HANA!!”
She grins, stuffing more cereal in her mouth.
Turns out, during our chaotic morning rush, Aika saw my phone lock screen on the desk, which had my full name and number on it like an absolute moron, “in case I lose it.”
And just like that… betrayal to myself, but i didn't know that.
Back in my room, I finally text back.
[Yuuji]: “Haha, yeah, no problem. I had fun too. How’d you get my number tho?”
A few seconds pass.
[Aika]: “A magician never reveals her secrets.”
I blink.
Sit up.
Read it again.
Then I fall backward and whisper, “I’m going to die.”
To be continued…