Curled up in the corner of the classroom, clutching the schoolbag tightly against the chest, arms trembling uncontrollably.

“Urgh—!”

A force hits the chest, the body slamming into the wall.

“Hah… hah…”

Something… has blocked out the light.
A breath brushes close to the ear.

“—Someone like you… shouldn’t even be alive.”

What did I…

do wrong…?

“Tastes good?”

Watching the head being forced into the toilet, a surge of pleasure rises from within.

“Xingyue… something bad is going to happen…”

“What are you scared of? A few mouthfuls of water won’t kill you.”

The wear on the girl’s schoolbag—

one mark layered on,
then another.

Only a few inches of unbroken skin remain, like embers not yet extinguished.

The water is clearly hot… so why does it still feel so cold…?

So tired…

so… tired…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Open the door!”

Knuckles gripping the doorknob turn white,
while the hand pounding on the door is red, almost bleeding.

“Hurry, open the door!”

“Please… don’t scare Mom… okay…?”

On the way home, Xingyue thinks back on the news of the girl.

So fragile.

“Ugh—!”

Eyes snap open.

In a dim, cramped room.

Several figures in white coats stand right in front, their gazes cold, like frost.

“Wait…”

“What are you doing?!”

The only response—

is a cold liquid slowly seeping into the bloodstream.

—Consciousness cuts out.

Waking—
already back at school.

Sleeve pulled up at once.
No needle marks. No bruises—nothing.

Tch…

They’d better not cross my path.

Forcing down the surge of anger in the chest, heading toward the classroom—
only to hear a few voices at the corner of the hallway.

“Hey, have you heard? Xingyue hasn’t shown up for days.”

“Good. Trash like that is better off not coming.”

—Trash? Me?

Lunging toward the voices, a hand shoots out to grab one of their collars—

and catches nothing.

…?

“Do you know how many people she’s gotten killed? She’s basically a murderer.”

What does that have to do with me? She chose to die!

“I heard she gets to act that arrogant because she’s got something going on with that person.”

Why can’t I touch them?

“Hahaha—so gross~”

Enough…

The murmurs grow louder—
more and more vile.

Shut up!
Shut up!
Shut up—!

Why can’t anyone see me…

Wandering aimlessly.

A car comes rushing toward.

Bang—!

…It hurts.

Am I going to die…?

Consciousness drifts—
rising and sinking in the dark.

Awake again—
already standing in the hallway.

A chill rises from deep within, unstoppable.

Wh… what’s going on?

I was just…

Before it makes sense—
a group comes straight ahead.

“What are you trying to do?”

She backs away, step after step,
until her back hits the cold wall.

“Don’t be scared. We just want you to go back to your old line of work.”

Ngh…

Water rushes into the nose and mouth—
cold surges, tearing through the chest.

Struggling. Kicking.
Trying to lift the head, but shoved down, held fast.

As consciousness blurs—
hair is violently yanked upward—

“Hah…hah…—ngh—”

Barely a few breaths—
and the suffocation crashes in again.

Breathing.

Suffocating.

The world—just these two.

“Heh… does it taste good?”

“A few mouthfuls of water won’t kill you, will it?”

On the screen— a back pinned down.

“She will undergo thirty-seven more deaths within her mind, until her mistakes are paid off.”

“…I see.”

“Thank you—for getting justice for my child.”

“…Our condolences.”

The light of dusk quietly spills into the room,
mottled across the wall.

Step by step, walking into that dust-laden room.

…

A deep breath, drawn in.

The drawer is pulled open— light—yet pulled with all the strength there is.

What meets the eye— crooked, yet earnest handwriting…

—Mo M, I LOV E Y OU !

“My baby… you won’t have to go through this anymore…”

“Mommy’s already… made her pay for it…”

Sob… sob…

Could you come to me in my dreams,

even if it’s just to scold me…