Chapter Nineteen: Farewell, my Kiku:

They held her funeral five days later. Her death was ruled a suicide. Her family and I didn’t believe it for one second.

“My baby girl was murdered!” her mother cried. I already knew who. Kaoru, you bastard!, I thought. I won’t let you get away with this! The family tried to push to launch a full murder investigation, but really, what evidence did they have? Kiku have you physical injuries to her body. There weren’t any witnesses around either. I couldn’t tell them the truth either. Who would believe that a vampire killed my best friend? In the end, I had to put on a brave face and comfort the family.

I sat near the back during the funeral. My memories of Kiku filled my head. She was one of my first friends that I ever met. When I was smaller, not many kids wanted to be friends with me because they thought I was snob due to my background. Yet, that didn’t matter to Kiku. She just walked up to me and started talking.

“Hi!” she said. I looked at her rather stunned. That was the first time anyone even spoke to me in school. I must have looked at her with big eyes. I gave her a small wave.

“Hi,” I mumbled. Kiku made a funny face at me.

“Aww,” she pouted. “I’m not going to bite! I’m really nice!” I blinked at her silent. Then, she stuck her hand out at me.

“Let’s be friends!” she said. “Best friends!” I still didn’t understand how to handle this. I nodded and took her hand. That silly little girl grinned at me. It’s because of her the kids started to talk to me and treat like an ordinary person. Through Kiku, I met my other friends.

Kiku had always been the first person I ran to with my problems. She didn’t try to fix them on the first go. That’s where she and my family were different. My mother and father tried to fix everything without listening first. Kiku actually took time to listen to me. I just felt better talking to her.

We had always been there for each other. She was even there when Akio was murdered. Kiku never left my side while I was grieving. She called me every morning and night. Even when she was at work, she called me.

“Won’t you get in trouble?” I asked.

“Nah,” Kiku brushed off. “You are more important than work here.” I only sniffled when she told me this. We even planned out our futures together.

“Setsuna-chan,” she said one summer last year on my porch. I glanced over at her.

“Yes?” I asked. She turned to me with a popsicle in her mouth.

“What do you want to do with your life after college?” she asked. I looked at her in an odd way.

“Hm?” I asked.

“You know,” Kiku said. “After you graduate college.” I nodded a bit.

“Ah,” I said. “Well, inherit my family’s business, marry Akio, and have a couple of children.” Kiku smirked a bit.

“Lucky,” she muttered.

“Why is that?” I asked. Kiku shrugged at me.

“What about you?” I asked. She gave me a little smile.

“Become the principal of an art school, get married, and have a daughter,” my dear friend told me. “But, if that fails, I could become the manager of a high-end art store.” I smiled at her.

“I hope your dreams do come true,” I said. Kiku only giggled.

I broke down inside when they started playing Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind.” This was her favorite song since junior high. Kiku would never admit this publicly, of course. She would have rather be seen as an energetic girl with a huge smile on her face.

“You’re the classy, sophistic one in our group,” she would tell me when I asked why she wouldn’t admit to liking “Candle in the Wind” to the rest of our friends. “There is no room for two of us like that.” I only lightly brushed it off without a single thought. I glanced over and saw Kiku’s more breaking down sobbing once more. It just made my stomach turn. The poor woman didn’t even know the truth behind her daughter’s death. It made me sick that I couldn’t tell her why. The worst part was it’s all my fault.

All because of one little mistake I made that night, Akio and Kiku are dead. I have a bad feeling that more will follow them if I don’t fix this. I clenched my fist as I felt myself trembling in rage. The chorus of “Candle in the Wind” was more than I could take at the moment. I stood up and quietly walked into the hallway. I fought back my tears as I swallowed my fury.

Just you wait, Kaoru!, I thought. I will make you answer for Kiku’s death! Mark my fucking words, you bastard! Mark my words!