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Umemiya Hajime was the star of the campus. Everyone flocked to him; drawn in by his charisma, good looks, and charming personality. He was the captain and ace of the university's judo team, the student council president, and one of the top students in his year. Not to mention, he was an all-around good guy; friendly and approachable despite his overwhelming popularity. Both men and women wanted to be around him, be friends with him. Even just being seen with him was an honor. Every time he hung out with people, he almost always took care of the bill. So he had a lot of money too.
No one on this earth could be more perfect. God, if there was one, clearly favored Umemiya Hajime.
Sakura Haruka glanced at the senior up front, talking about an upcoming event organized by the council. Sakura scowled.
Bullshit, he thought. The guy had a few screws loose, but everyone was too blinded. Sakura despised the guy: his fake smiles, his fake laughs, his fake everything. Sakura stayed away from him as much as possible.
It had all started back a few months ago.
A few months back, Sakura was dragged by his 'new friends' Nirei and Suo to a drinking party. Students from all years were there, talking loud, being rowdy, and generally having fun. Sakura was already feeling tipsy from the few drinks he had had, but he couldn't bring himself to let loose in front of all his seniors. But the alcohol did help in making him more amenable to conversation, and as socially awkward as he was, he found himself participating in small chats with the friendly seniors and classmates who were asking him questions about his hair and eyes, ooh-ing and aah-ing over their uniqueness. Sakura felt that familiar overwhelming sensation of warmth overtaking him, burning the tips of his ears as the people around him continued to lavish attention on his two-toned hair and heterochromatic eyes.
Then a voice cut through the room, rendering everyone to a beat of silence.
"Wow! All the juniors are here! That's so awesome!"
That was the first time Sakura saw Umemiya Hajime.
The silence quickly blew into raucous cheers and hollers as multiple people called out to Umemiya or came up to him and greeted him. He instantly became the center of the room, his smile lighting the place up. His white hair was styled up and his gray eyes shone with mirth as he laughed and gave his greetings.
Then his eyes landed on Sakura, and he felt a chill run through him.
"Oh my! I don't think I saw you at the orientation!" Umemiya commented, head tilted.
Sakura stared.
Nirei elbowed him and hissed, "That's Umemiya-senpai! Introduce yourself!"
Sakura scoffed and took a sip from his glass. He muttered, "Why should I? He's not asking for my name, is he?"
"Then, what is your name?"
To Sakura's surprise, Umemiya had stepped closer to their table and heard his snide comment. Umemiya was still grinning, but there was something...off about it to Sakura.
"...Sakura Haruka."
Umemiya grinned wider, his eyes almost disappearing from it. "Oh, nice to meet you, Sakura! I'm Umemiya Hajime. Let's get along!"
The senior held his hand out. Sakura peered up at him, frowning. After a beat, reluctant as can be, Sakura shook his hand.
The grip tightened for a split second, and Sakura saw it--those gray eyes turning cold, condescending--but it was gone in a flash. Sakura gaped. Umemiya let go of his hand and waved.
"See you around!"
Sakura didn't bother replying or waving back. He only stared at Umemiya's back as he walked away to another table.
Sakura decided then: there was something about that Umemiya guy, but people didn't realize it. But, well, that was none of Sakura's business.
Until fate decided it was.
It was a cold night about a week after the party when Sakura crossed paths with Umemiya for the second time. Sakura was walking back to the dorms when he saw Umemiya come out of an alley in a black hoodie. They almost bumped into each other but Sakura's quick reflexes as well as the smell of iron made him stop in his tracks.
Wait, the smell of iron?
Umemiya gave him a glance, an unreadable expression on his face that smoothly transitioned into a smile. "Hey! It's you, Sakura. Coming back from a jog?"
Every cell in Sakura's body blared in caution. Something was wrong, and he should end this interaction as fast as possible. "No. Just a walk. Bye, senpai."
Sakura tried to pass him, but Umemiya patted him on the shoulder. Sakura's skin broke out in goosebumps. From behind him, Umemiya quipped, "Let's walk together! It can get dangerous at night. Strength in numbers, yeah?"
Silence weighed down on them. Sakura turned back and saw the easygoing senior's gentle smile. Sakura scowled and shrugged his hand off. "I can handle myself, thanks."
"If that's the case, then you can protect me!" Umemiya replied, eyes twinkling with excitement.
I can't be alone with him. Sakura's instincts screamed.
"...Actually, I can't."
Sakura pulled up his phone, scrolling through his messages. "Nirei just asked me to go to the convenience store to buy something. I have to go back."
Umemiya pouted. "I see, well,"
The pout became a grin. "Let's hang out together some other time, okay?"
Sakura didn't bother responding. He walked back the way he came from, and he felt his senior's eyes on his back all the way until he disappeared from the corner.
(When Sakura walked back home again, he took a different way.)
Sakura didn't bother voicing his thoughts on Umemiya to others. It was pretty clear that no one would believe him or take him seriously, considering Umemiya's image and influence. Sakura, however, prided himself on his intuition. Years from practising martial arts and learning survival skills had honed his instincts, and his natural sense for danger was his best asset. It was telling him that Umemiya Hajime was dangerous in some way. Behind the cheerful smiles and charming laughter, Sakura was sure that the senior was hiding something. Sakura tried to ignore his curiosity, but he couldn't. He despised the guy, but he also wanted to figure him out. It was frustrating. It also didn't help that Umemiya seemed to have taken a 'liking' to him, meeting him at every turn and going up to him if they were so much as in the same room.
Every encounter only fueled Sakura's suspicions of the guy. Sakura found himself becoming ruder with every interaction, more blatant in his dislike. Umemiya, on the other hand, seemed to not be affected. Every brush-off and snide remark only had him quipping, "Ooh, why are you always so grumpy?"
Sakura would look into those gray eyes and tell him every time, "I don't like you."
And every time, Umemiya would only give a fake cry and say, "That hurts, Sakura!"
Sakura would run away then.
It was like a game of cat and mouse with neither of them voicing it out or acknowledging it. Umemiya tried to get him alone, but Sakura would avoid him or only be with him in crowded places. He never wanted a repeat of the alley incident.
(Umemiya stared at Sakura's retreating figure. He hasn't had this much fun playing with someone in a long while.)
"Out again this late at night? Sakura."
"...Why are you here?"
The two of them stood facing each other in the park. A breeze blew. Umemiya was wearing a black shirt. Sakura saw scratches on his arms.
"Out for a jog. It's cooler than in the morning!" Umemiya chirped.
Sakura glared at him. Umemiya took a few steps closer, stopping right in front of him.
"You should really, really stop being out so late at night, Sakura."
Then Umemiya's mouth opened, and his eyes blacked out as his face distorted into a wide, distorted scream---
Sakura woke up, panting and sweating.
What is he hiding. What is it about him?
("...rising number of dead bodies. The police warn everyone to be on high alert, to go out in groups, and report any suspicious person or activity--")
A cold sensation pricked the back of his neck. Sakura yelped and he whirled around, expecting Suo or Nirei but it was--
"Soda for your thoughts?" Umemiya greeted.
The cafeteria buzzed and chattered as the lone television mounted up droned on, drowned by the noise of the students.
Sakura was too exhausted and sleep deprived for this bullshit. It also didn't help that the literal suject of his nightmares was right there. "Shut up. Go away."
Umemiya pouted and promptly plopped onto the chair right across Sakura's. He rested his elbow on the table, palming his cheek. "Hey Sakura?"
"What." Sakura grumbled, picking at his food.
"You been having trouble sleeping? Someone watching you, maybe?"
Sakura's neck whipped up so fast he felt it would snap. Umemiya's grin was in place, his eyes as cheerful as ever.
"Just kidding! But hey, look at the bags under your eyes. If it's because of what's been on the news, chill out."
Umemiya leaned closer, his voice dropping to a murmur. "I'm sure you'll be fine."
Umemiya admitted it. Whatever it was, he had admitted it. But why to Sakura? Why him, of all people?
You know what he's telling you. You know.
From that day on, Sakura felt eyes on him. He would turn back or look around, and no one would be there, but he could feel someone watching him. Was he being paranoid?
"Have you even slept at all these days?" his friends would ask.
Sakura can't bring himself to tell them that every time he tries, he would have that same nightmare, over and over until he finally gave up sleep altogether and laid on his futon, listening to the steady drip of water echo throughout his apartment.
"I really like you, Sakura. Will you go out with me?"
The bar broke out into raucous catcalls and loud gasps as Umemiya, seemingly anxious, asked him that question right in front of everyone.
A trap.
Sakura would be damned if he were to take the cowardly way out. He'd get down to the bottom of this, once and for all.
"Okay, Umemiya-senpai. I'll go out with you."
The two gazed at each other. Umemiya smirked, but it was gone as quick as a blink, blooming into a smile.
Umemiya played the part of the doting, perfect boyfriend to sickening perfection. Sakura knew he was creeping closer. Taking over Sakura's thoughts, his friends, his schedule, luring him in. Sakura let himself be pulled, desperate to understand and put an end to what had become his obsession.
Umemiya let him in; slowly, carefully.
Bloodied nails. Hair in the sink. Clothes reeking of a metallic scent. A sleek, almost empty penthouse with just the two of them.
Umemiya kissed him fiercely, hands roaming all over his body with Sakura struggling to breathe, struggling to keep up. In between open mouthed kisses, he gasped, "Why me?"
Umemiya stopped. His face blank, but hands tight around Sakura's waist. Gently, he kissed Sakura's forehead and replied, "Because you can't help yourself."
He rested his forehead against Sakura's and whispered, "Can you?"
Sakura's breath hitched. "I know everything."
"And yet here you are."
Beside Umemiya, Sakura stops having nightmares. But the eyes remain.