Jikirukuto: Takoyuki Arc

Inside the dimly lit janitor's closet, Yuki sat slumped against a mop bucket, her knees hugged to her chest. The small, cramped space felt like a coffin, and she was weirdly okay with that.

"Finally… peace," she muttered to herself. "No crowds, no questions, no awkward stares. Just me and… uh…" She glanced at the assortment of cleaning supplies. "...Mr. Mop and Sir Bleachington. Truly, this is where I belong."

She exhaled dramatically, letting her body go limp like a ragdoll. "I am deceased. Dead. Gone. My social battery has officially flatlined. Put 'RIP Yuki' on my nonexistent tombstone."

Just as she was about to close her eyes and fully commit to her dramatic "death," the school bell rang, loud and shrill, jolting her back to reality.

Her eyes snapped open. "Wait… what?" She froze, her brain lagging like a slow internet connection.

It hit her all at once. "Oh no… CLASS IS STARTING!" Her voice cracked in panic. "Why am I even here?! I came to SCHOOL! I CAN'T HIDE IN A CLOSET ALL DAY!"

The Closet Escape Gone Wrong

Realizing she couldn't stay in her self-imposed coffin, Yuki pushed against the closet door, but it didn't budge. "Great. Just great. I'm stuck in a metaphor now." She kicked the door harder.

Suddenly, the door flew open with a bang, right as the janitor reached for the handle from the outside.

"BOO!" Yuki shouted unintentionally as she burst out, her hair messy and eyes wide like a ghost escaping its crypt.

The janitor let out a scream so loud it echoed down the hall. He clutched his chest dramatically, stumbled backward, and fell onto a pile of rags. "MY HEART! I'M TOO YOUNG TO GO!" he cried, though he was clearly in his sixties.

Yuki blinked at him, completely unphased. "Sorry, Mister Mop Man, but I've got bigger problems." Without another word, she sprinted down the hallway, leaving the janitor wheezing on the floor.

Lost and Panicking Again

As she darted through the corridors, Yuki muttered to herself, "Okay, calm down. Just find your classroom. It's not rocket science. It's just… basic navigation."

She paused at a fork in the hallway. "Left or right? Left or right?" She hesitated, then darted left. A second later, she realized she was back at the gymnasium. "NOPE, NOT HERE!"

She turned back, but as she ran, she passed a group of students. One of them called out, "Hey, isn't that the girl from the stage?"

Yuki froze mid-stride. Her entire body stiffened. "Nope. Not me. You're imagining things!" she yelled over her shoulder before bolting down another random hallway.

Her Reaction to Being Lost

Panting and sweaty, Yuki leaned against a locker, gripping her knees. "Why is this school so big? Who designed this place, an architect with a grudge against introverts?!"

She peeked around the corner, only to see another sea of students filing into their classrooms. Her anxiety spiked again. What if I just go home? Is that still an option? No, wait. They'll just find me again. I'm doomed either way.

Yuki spotted a passing teacher and tried to act normal. "Uh, excuse me? Could you tell me where—"

"Shouldn't you already be in class, young lady?" the teacher snapped before walking off without giving her a chance to ask.

Yuki let out a groan that sounded more like a dying animal. "Why does the universe hate me?"

Cliffhanger Ending

As she continued wandering aimlessly, Yuki stumbled upon a door that looked promising. "Finally! This has to be it!" She swung it open dramatically, only to find…

The janitor again, still recovering from his earlier "heart attack." He screamed and fell over, knocking over a bucket of water.

Yuki stared at him, deadpan. "Seriously?!"

To be continued…