A/N: I had zero inspiration to write anything therefore my hiatus lasted longer than it should have. Anyway, here's your new chapter.

Devil Beside Me

#04

The Third

The grey rectangular alarm clock in a certain bedroom of the Ishigumi household continued its awful din, already fifteen minutes past the time its owner, Tsubaki, had set for it to ring. As the neon digits on the clock flashed 7:10, its repetitive loud beeps apparently fell on deaf ears once again because all Tsubaki did was snuggle deeper into her pillow after mumbling something incoherent.

Then the sound of foot slapping against the tiles came from outside her door, growing louder by the seconds.

The door swung opened and the loud beeps finally ceased.

"Wake up, Tsubaki dear," Haruko lifted her hand from the clock and casted a soft disapproving frown on her daughter who stirred with a groggily groan, "If you sleep anymore, you'll be late for school." She shook Tsubaki.

School…

Another groan escaped Tsubaki.

Face scrunching up into a scowl, Tsubaki sat up and stared blankly at her mother who stepped back.

Haruko stared back at her daughter's sleepy face and an amused smile curled her lips. "Get changed and come down for breakfast, sleepyhead." Haruko shook her head and turned to make her leave.

Tsubaki stared at her mother's retreating back in daze.

Her sleepy mind was a piece of blank right now with constant nagging at her about something…or someone.

Mei.

Her dream came rushing back to Tsubaki, jerking her out of stupor.

"Blue flames…" Tsubaki murmured under her breath the first thing about the dream that came to her mind and instantly felt an eerie chill run through her, failing to notice how her mother had stopped in her tracks right at her door. Before she could delve deeper into her dream, Haruko's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Did you…say something, Tsubaki dear?"

Tsubaki glanced up with a puzzled look and straight away noticed the worried furrow between her mother's brows.

If she told her mother about the recent dreams she had been having, she would probably never be allowed to leave the house or something. Her mother has always been overly, overly cautious about everything that concerns her ever since she was little. While Tsubaki could understand that because she was her only child and stuff, it was suffocating.

"Hmm?" She managed to painstakingly gain her mother's trust over the years; there was no need to worry her unnecessarily. "Oh, I said 'good morning'." Tsubaki flashed Haruko a smile and stood up to stretch.

Haruko watched Tsubaki take down the ironed uniform hanging from her wardrobe door with the worried look still on her face.

Was that what Tsubaki really said?

Closing the door softly behind her, Haruko proceeded down to the kitchen, struggling to shake off the uneasiness; it was the same sense of uneasiness that had woken her up the previous night. Was she reading into things too much again?

Haruko paused at a window and gazed out at the peaceful morning sky thoughtfully.

Taking her usual route to Seiko High, Tsubaki glanced down at her watch and noted with relief that it was still early. No prefects' meetings were scheduled in the morning recently thankfully, so she could take her time.

She swung her school briefcase onto her shoulder and stifled a yawn, feeling particularly tired this morning. It has been long time since she had a dream like that. It seemed to have sucked her energy out of her; she could barely hear her alarm clock which was right next to her.

Tsubaki knew it was only a dream – one that she had probably dreamt because the silly rumours of demons flying around are getting too intense. But what was with the incessant uneasiness she was feeling ever since she stepped out of her family's shrine?

The morning was bright and breezy, but what was with the sudden chill that went down her spine?

Tsubaki glanced down the quiet street behind her, her eyes glittering with uncertainty. Trying to shake off the feeling, she picked up her pace and quickly found herself reaching the end of the small street.

The main street was lively with students of Seiko High and its fairly busy road when she turned into a corner. Tsubaki sighed almost immediately when she looked ahead and saw the familiar, distant building of her school peeking out from behind the shorter buildings lining the road.

Out of nowhere, the sound of a roaring engine burst into the street behind her.

Heads in front of her turned in its direction almost simultaneously. Tsubaki too glanced over to the right to find herself watching a boy in a Seiko High uniform and something red on his back riding through the wind on a completely black motorbike.

Her eyes widened in recognition.

Okumura…-san?

Tsubaki turned to look at the empty seat beside hers, then back to the boys. Today they had to continue their discussion for their project and their team was lacking a member – Mei.

She dreamt of Mei last night and Mei did not turn up for school today. There was still no response to the text she had sent to Mei hours ago. It was merely a coincidence right? Mei was probably sick and she was sure she would see the bubbly girl tomorrow, Tsubaki tried to tell herself despite the strange, uneasy she had been feeling since she woke up.

That dream was just a dream, nothing more or less.

"…I think I would rather we go to Asakusa for this." Tsubaki pointed to the map of Tokyo that was handed out by their teacher. Each group had to choose a place for their project and they only had four days to decide.

Tsubaki looked over to Rin who she realized was staring out the window.

Rin was not as talkative as Kenichi but he was active throughout their discussions whenever they had one ever since their first day working together. Seeing him staring out the window with that unreadable expression brought her back to the first day they were assigned as a team.

"How about you, Okumura-san?"

The boy glanced over at her in surprise. "Huh?"

"Seriously dude, what's gotten into you today?" Kenichi shouldered him with an exasperated look. "You're spacing out too much. Any ideas where we should choose?"

"…Oh."

Tsubaki eyed him curiously, noting how distant he was today.

Rin shrugged. "I'm still new to Tokyo so I'm fine with anything."

Just then, the bell signalling the end of the lesson before they could continue.

"Ah nevermind guys, let's wait for Matsumoto before we decide then." Tsubaki watched Kenichi scribble 'Asakusa' in one of the boxes.

Rin ran a hand down his face with a silent sigh.

Memories of last night began to cloud his mind once more at the mention of Mei.

It all happened right under his nose. Right in front of him. Rin clenched his fists under the table in frustration. Even with him there, the demon had succeeded. He had thought he would put an end to all these but…no, he wasn't strong enough.

He failed them. Rin shifted his gaze to the girl across him, teeth gritting in anger directed at himself. He failed her.

Glancing up once Kenichi was done writing down their ideas, Tsubaki was surprised to find herself under the intense gaze of a pair of blue eyes, intense enough for her to sense a turmoil of emotions behind them.

"…Erm, Okumura-san?"

Tsubaki watched the storm in his eyes clear away as Rin murmured an apology and walked out of the classroom with not another word.

Their living room was uncharacteristically quiet and carried a heavy tension when Tsubaki reached home. She could feel her parents' eyes on her back as she placed her shoes into the shoes cabinet.

"Tsubaki-chan, you need to hear this…"

The first thing she noticed when she approached them was how her parents' lips were held in grim lines and how their eyes looked sad.

"What?" Tsubaki asked quietly. Her eyes shifted between them nervously seeking for answers to their strange behaviour and the heavy tension in the air. "What is it?" Anxiety and anticipation were like a shaking fist in her guts.

Her parents turned to each other and back to her.

"Well, there was a third one. Someone has disappeared again."

Oh no. An icy hand gripped her heart. Don't tell me…

"…And it's Mei-chan."

A/N: And this is where this story truly begins…! Reviews please!