Chapter 10
At the first ring of the doorbell, Asano Nao thought it was her imagination. She hadn’t ordered anything online recently; no delivery person should be at her door.
It wasn’t until the second ring echoed in her ears that she had to accept the fact: someone was visiting.
The clear ring of the bell pierced through the darkness and emptiness of the first floor, adding a touch of eeriness. She shivered, put down Minami Yuuki’s photo, prepared herself mentally, and went downstairs.
The staircase, long in need of repair, creaked as one of the wooden boards groaned. She turned on the living room light and walked to the door.
The doorbell rang a third time.
She pressed her eye to the peephole and looked outside.
Outside, the streetlamp illuminated the visitor’s face. That slender body, moist eyes, and somewhat thin lips were all parts Asano Nao was familiar with, parts that combined into a person she both knew and didn’t know.
How could he be here?
Asano Nao was so frightened she took a step back. The peephole seemed like the fierce eye of a wild beast, glaring at her, instilling fear.