In a small town lies Kaijo High School, but our story no longer takes place there. In the next city lies Hanabu University. It's an ordinary uni with ordinary students. 4 friends who used to form a part of their high school culture club are now navigating the next part of thier lives and this is their story...
The City
Lizzy: I'm going to have to go look for him
Tori: I thought you didn't care about him
Lizzy: I don't! It's just it's been an hour and he's never an hour late
Yazzy: Maybe we can all look for him?
Katie: Yeah thats a good idea. Yazzy, you and Tori go check the mall and Lizzy and I will look round the Square
Yazzy: Sounds good
Yazzy and Tori head off
Katie: What's wrong?
Lizzy: Nothing's wrong, nothing at all. I'm not worried at all, ha ha, I'm not bothered that he's not here, not all panicking that maybe he's hurt or in some sort of danger, not worried at all
Katie: Liz...
Lizzy: You sound like Kieran, calling me Liz
Katie: Lizzy come on
Lizzy: You know he hasn't called me Lizzy since she died.
Katie: Is this what this is about?
Lizzy: He's barely been the same since then. I worry about him every day. I panic that he's going to do something stupid, something he can't undo. I worry every day when I can't get a hold of him, even now after all this time, my first thought is that he's done that. He doesn't look at me the same way anymore, all I can remember is the look on his face that day, he needs someone there for him
Katie: And who's there for you?
Lizzy: It's not the same, it's not the same
Katie: Of course it's the same! You were there too!
Lizzy: I can't breathe
Lizzy's breaths become faster and more shallow, she begins grappling for air
Katie: Liz..it's going to be ok, come on
Katie sits with Lizzy and calms her back down again. After some time, her panic attack is over and Lizzy begins to feel better
Lizzy: We have to find him
Katie: We will
Lizzy: You know, I'm not alone...I have you and in a way I have the man child as well, he's there, just in his own way
Katie: Lizzy, do you have feelings for him?
Lizzy: This question is irrelevant
Katie: Look at me and answer the question
Lizzy looks at Katie
6 Months Ago
A dark bedroom
Kieran: Liz.....
Lizzy: Kieran.....
Back to present day
Lizzy: I don't love him and I don't want a relationship with him
Katie: But you are closer to him than you're letting on?
Lizzy: The accident changed things, we have always been friends but it just brought us closer together, bonding more over her death
Katie: There's nothing wrong with that
Lizzy: Of course there is! Look at him! He's gross and he's seriously bad for my Uni reputation
Katie: Stop putting your wall up! This isn't an anime, stop being a Tsundere
Lizzy: I'm not a Tsundere
Katie: Well you're pushing Yandere so...
Lizzy: There's something I haven't told anyone
Katie: Yes?
Lizzy: Kieran and I used to meet, whenever one of us was struggling, we would meet. Sometimes he came to my dorm room and other times I would go to his. We would talk about things and just help each other deal with things
Katie: And what's wrong with that?
Lizzy: Please don't make me repeat my thoughts about that man child.
Katie: Do you still?
Lizzy: No, it stopped about 6 months ago, it just stopped
Katie: You're lying to me.....but I'm not going to force it
Lizzy begins to cry
Lizzy: I just want him to be safe, I can't bear to lose him
Yazzy and Tori appear in the distance
Lizzy: Crap! Don't let them see me
Lizzy jumps into a bush
Katie: Any luck?
Tori: No, nothing
Yazzy: This is bad
Katie: It's ok, we'll keep on going
Bush: Try searching the manga store
Yazzy: What was that?
Tori: Sounded like the bush was talking
Katie: It was me, my voice just got a bit leafy
Tori: ....leafy
Katie: Yeah, anyway manga store sounds like a good idea, let's go
Yazzy: Are you coming? No point sitting here on your own
Katie: Uhhhh ok
Bush: (whispers) Katie! Where are you going? Come back
Katie, Yazzy and Tori wander off
Bush: BITCH
Lizzy strolls through a nearby park. She hears a strange noise coming from a hedge and goes to check it out
Lizzy: Hello?
On entering the hedge, she find Kieran curled up in a vulnerable state. He's crying, breathing heavily and in a severe state of distress
Lizzy: Kieran! What's wrong?! Hey! Look at me! It's ok, hey it's ok!
She holds him
Lizzy: What's happened? How long have you been here?
Kieran: Liz....
Lizzy: Come on, it's ok, you're ok
Late that evening
Lizzy: (on phone) Yeah we're back now, I had to sit with him for a while until it was safe to move him. We got a taxi back and we're in his dorm room. I'll be back later Katie, thanks for everything
Lizzy puts down the phone and turns towards Kieran
Lizzy: Are you going to tell me what that was about?
Kieran: I don't know
Lizzy: You can't not know
Kieran: I don't know!
Lizzy: Stop lying
Kieran pouts
Lizzy: You need to be honest
Kieran: I saw my dad
Lizzy: Ouch
Kieran: He was just there, walking around like he's never done anything wrong and I just panicked but...
Lizzy: But....
Kieran: I've never responded like that before, I just couldn't control myself, I was overcome, it was all just too much
Lizzy: I was worried about you! You should have called me
Kieran: I didn't want to burden you, not after-
Lizzy: I don't care! You have a problem, call me. You need something, call me. You want to talk, call me. Fuck the past, I am here, always. I was so worried about you, don't do that to me again
Kieran: I'm sorry. Look it's getting late, you should really go back to your dorm.
Lizzy: I don't want to leave you!
Kieran: I'll be fine. Thank you for being there today
Lizzy: Anytime
Lizzy and Katie's Room
Katie: Ok?
Lizzy: Yeah, nasty panic attack, he's ok now. His dad had really fucked him up in life, poor guy
Katie: Damn
Lizzy: I'm just glad he's back home
Katie: And you're sure it's nothing more than a friendship?
Lizzy: I only love 2D boys
Katie: I...
In the night
Tori: Yazzy can you hear something?
Yazzy: Huh what?
Tori: It sounds like there's someone in the corridor
A crash can be heard and someone tries their door handle but their door is locked
Tori: Call Kieran
Kieran's dorm
Kieran's phone rings
Kieran: Hello?
Yazzy: Kieran! There's someone outside our dorm room
Kieran: Could it not be someone messing about?
Yazzy: It's 4am on a Tuesday, it's not that. We're serious....please
Kieran: Ok, I'll get the RA and I'll come check on you guys
Katie and Lizzy's dorm
Katie: Did you hear that?
Lizzy: There's someone outside our door
Katie: Lizzy...I didn't lock the door
Lizzy: I didn't either
The door handle turns
Lizzy: Quick into the bathroom
Lizzy and Katie dart to the bathroom. A shadowy figure enters the room
Katie: I'm scared
Lizzy: Shush, we need to stay quiet
Shouting can be heard down the corridor
Kieran: LIZ?! KATIE?!
Lizzy: Crap what is he doing here, he needs to get away
Katie sees the man turning around
Katie: Lizzy, he has a knife
Lizzy: Oh my god
Kieran: LIZZY
Lizzy: Don't come in here, please don't come in here
Lizzy can't see but she works out Kieran is at the dorm door
Kieran: Who are you? What are you doing in here
Katie and Lizzy sees the man jump for Kieran
Kieran: HEY!
Lizzy: KIERAN
Lizzy and Katie burst out of the bathroom, the man panics and runs, Katie chases after him while Lizzy stops at Kieran
Lizzy: Are you ok?
Kieran stands up
Kieran: Yeah I'm ok
Lizzy: Why are you wet?
Lizzy turns the light on to see her hands stained red with blood. She looks back towards Kieran to see he has been stabbed close to the chest
Lizzy: No...
Kieran looks down and becomes aware of what's happened to him, his legs give way and he collapses
Kieran: Liz...
Lizzy: HANG IN THERE! OH GOD! Oh god, it's ok, we're gonna find someone! HELP! KATIE! YAZZY! TORI!! PLEASE SOMEONE! PLEASE. Kieran, it's ok, it's fine, please
Tori and Yazzy appear looking shocked at the sight in front of them
Lizzy: CALL AN AMBULANCE
Both start dialling
Kieran: Liz...I'm sorry
Lizzy: No, you don't get to do this, you don't get to leave me like this
Kieran: Lizzy....
Lizzy: You haven't called me that in years
Lizzy is trying hard to stop the bleeding but she knows she can't. She sobs uncontrollably
Kieran: I'm....sorry...for that day.....I really love you you know
Lizzy: Shut up you fuckhead, we don't need this now, it's not that time
Kieran: Thank you....for everything
Lizzy: Stop it! Stop it! You're not dying, you're not allowed to die now. I'm meant to be the one who kills you
Kieran: You're a good person Lizzy...you need to know that...
Lizzy: Come on, you're my friend, one of my best. WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT AMBULANCE
Kieran smiles as he breathes his last breath. His body goes limp and his hand drops to the floor
Tori: No...
Yazzy: Kieran....
Lizzy lets his body gently lay on the floor and she leans down towards his ear
Lizzy: I love you too