Work Text:
It started when a guy was following her around. It was Monday and she was just walking home from swim practice. She left later than usual because her swim team was going to Vinyl City in two weeks for a competition coming up soon. So they had to stay an extra hour. So they got out at 6:05 rather than 5:05...at the start of winter.
Meaning it was going to be dark by time she started walking home.
Now, Aoi would normally be fine with this. She has been doing this for 2 years already so it shouldn't be a big deal...except Naomi walked home with her during this time. She stayed after school to help teachers, and usually didn't leave until 6:00 in general. But Naomi wasn't in town for the week, so she was stuck walking home for the week alone. It was going well until she noticed that a man was following her for the last couple of blocks. He could of looked no more than 25. She knew she couldn't go home, because then he'd know where she live. So her only option was to go to Kugari's house. He did say that if she was ever being followed, she could come to his house for safety.
So she did. She walked to Kugari's house that was closer. She texted him while she did this, still keeping her eyes on the guy.
'Kuga, I'm being followed. Is it okay if I come to your house?'
He texted back:
'Of course! Just tell me when you're near, and I'll meet you outside'
She felt relived when she saw him waiting outside his house. She practically ran to him when she saw him. The swimmer looked to see the man was finally walking away.
"Was that the guy?"
"Y...Yeah, he's been following me ever since I went past the convenience store near our s...school."
"He shouldn't be following teenage girls..." She heard the hint of anger in his voice.
"Don't do anything stupid Kugari..." She sighed.
"Alright. Fine. Let's just go inside. My dad can drop you off."
While they waited in the living room, Kugari started talking as he was done texting his dad.
"Has this guy this been following you for awhile now?" He brought up.
"No. He just started today. I noticed him after a few blocks." She sighed, laying her head back on the couch.
"Has this happened before?"
"Yes, but Naomi usually walks me and scares them off."
"I won't able be here for the rest of week. My dad and I are visiting my grandma."
Aoi started to worry again.
"But! There's a cafe near our school. It's open 24/7 and if he starts following you, go in there and wait until you can start walking again."
Aoi nodded and her and Kugari talked for the next hour to calm Aoi's nerve. Later Kugari's dad came in to take her home.
"I called your aunt. She said she'll be waiting for you on the porch." He said, singling her to come on.
She nodded and followed her friend's dad to the car. She opened the door and got in as it locked. He got in as well and started to drive them to Aoi's house. The ride was quite and they were almost there, until the older man spoke up.
"It was smart of you to come to our house." Her friend's father started.
"Thanks, I just wanted to be safe. Unfortunately, I know that I'm now being followed." She sighed as he pulled up to her house.
"Creeps will always be creeps, so it's best to try and say safe out there." He then reached in his clove compartment, opened it, took out a blue switch blade knife, and handed it to her.
"If he comes near you again, and tries to hurt you, use this." He told her.
Aoi hesitated at first, but took the blade. She attached it to her keys. She thanked him and got out the car, running over to her aunt who was on the porch and hugged her.
"Thank you, Haru" she thanked the man again and he nodded and waved bye to her, driving off after.
They both went inside while her aunt worried to hell and back, asking her questions and such.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't pick you up! I can see if work can let me go early so I can get you!" Her aunt stated.
"You don't have to do that! I'll be fine. Naomi and Kuku are both coming back next week and Kugari gave me a place to go if I'm being followed again. Not to mention, I don't have school on Friday. So I'll be fine." She reassured her aunt. She really didn't want her to worry.
"Are you sure? Because I can-"
"I'm sure auntie! I'll be fine." Aoi replied.
"Alright, but if you feel like you're endanger, call Ao! He'll meet you half way."
"I will, don't worry."
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When the next day hit, she did as she always did. Got ready for school, ate breakfast, said bye to her brother as her aunt was already at work, and stated walking to school. Things went as they always did. She was a little lonely but Cheery invited her to sit with her friends. After lunch she went to her last two classes and then got ready for practice. They were getting better by each day and they even talked after practice was over. Then it was time for Aoi to go home.
By the time she stepped out the school, it was already getting dark. She started her usual walk and then she finally got passed the convince store and then she heard the door open. Using her phone, she took the black screen to see who it was.
It was the same man from the night before.
She picked up her pace and started walking as fast as she could to the cafe that Kugari reccomended. It still had people in it. She quickly sat down and the man came in. Sitting two seats from her. He kept staring at her. He just wouldn't take her eyes off him and it made her want to cry. She got up and went over to the lady who was preping coffee, and whispered to her.
"The guy in that blue hoodie is following me. Can you please walk me out?" She asked the lady.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, sure. Let me just get my coworker real quick." She ran to the back and grabbed a man.
"I'll walk you out, while my co worker distracts him." She told him and started walking her out.
The man was about to get up until the other coworker stopped him by asking him questions.
"I will stay here until you are out of distance. Stay safe." The worker told Aoi.
She nodded and decided it was time to run and take a shortcut home. She ran as fast as her legs could take her, while she looked back to see if the man was following her. He wasn't there but she continued running until she was finally at home. She went inside, and turned on all the main lights. Her brother, Ao, came downstairs.
"Did that creep follow you home again?" He asked.
"Yeah..." She nodded.
"Next time he does, call me."
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The next time it happened it, she knew it was coming. She even saw him looking at her from across the road of her school. She ran inside and the school, and to her next class.
The fucking creep knew where she went to school at!
After school and practice was over, she went straight to the Nurse's Office. Where Nurse Rita was. She was a friend of Aoi's aunt. She was getting ready to leave as well.
"Miss Rita. Are you okay with driving me home?" She asked, and the nurse smiled.
"Oh course dear."
The ride home wasn't bad. Aoi trusted Rita and her aunt did too. When they appeared in her drive way, nurse Rita smiled at her but then it disappeared.
"I can't drive you home tomorrow. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow. So I won't be at school."
Aoi's heart dropped once she said that. How was she gonna get home now? Was she even going to make it safe?
"Alright...I guess I'll walk tomorrow."
------
The entire day she was shaking and didn't even talk. Not to Cheery. Not to her classmates. Not to her team. Not anyone.
When it was time to go home, she looked up to see that the sky was already dark. Their were no stars and no one was on the streets at all. She started to power walk. She couldn't run. She thought it was going fine, until she passed the cafe from earlier this week. It closed early. She picked up her pace after that.
"Where are you going in such a rush?"
Her heart dropped and she kept walking. She heard his foot movement pick up and she went even faster. She thought that if she ignored the man, he would leave her alone.
Until he grabbed her arm.
"I said, where are you going in such a rush?" The figure stated.
The swimmer froze. He was gripping onto her tight.
"Please let go of me sir..." She spoke softly, her voice cracking.
"Why? Where are you in such a rush?" He pulled her closer.
"That's none of your business..."
"I'm just curious. What? A guy can't be curious?"
Her heart started beating even faster and she tried to release her grip. He then tried to grab at her behind with the same hand and that was when she was finally had it.
"Don't fucking touch me! Don't fucking touch me! Get away from me!" She cried out loud, grabbing her keys and switching the knife she was given earlier this week.
She never knew where she cut him till the next day, she just knows that it got him off of her. Aoi ran as fast as she could, all the way to her house. Where her brother would be waiting.
"What happened? Why is there blood on you?" He asked as she ran passed him to her room.
They'd get their answer the
Neither would figure out the answers to their questions till the next morning.
"Man found dead in the middle of the sidewalk. Police say his neck was slit."
Ao looked to his younger sister. As they were both on the couch.
"Wasn't that the guy whose been following you all week?"
Aoi nodded.
They left it at that.