Sanzu

A late autumn evening blanketed the quiet neighborhood in a thick darkness. Every other streetlight on the street by your mother's house was dimly lit, casting long shadows on the pavement. You were returning from a friend's house, tired and lost in your thoughts, hoping to reach the safety of home as quickly as possible. As you passed the dark fences, you distinctly heard heavy, raspy breathing behind you. You turned around for a second: the silhouette of a tall man loomed in the gloom. Thinking it was just a random passerby, you quickened your pace.

But the steps behind also quickened.

You broke into a quick walk, then broke into a run, feeling the sticky fear grip your throat. Your heart pounded wildly in your chest. You raced across the street, hearing the hurried footsteps of your pursuer behind you.

Here it is - the treasured gate.

You ran up to it, frantically tugging at the handle, hoping to slip inside... but the metal door didn't even budge. Locked. How could Mom have forgotten to open it?!

Panic washed over you. You pulled the handle a second, third time, horrified by the realization that you were trapped.

At that moment, the footsteps behind you suddenly faded. Someone's heavy, cold hand suddenly and powerfully landed on your shoulder, turning your trembling body to face your pursuer.

A familiar face appeared in the dim light of the streetlamp. His pink hair was slightly tousled from running, and the scars at the corners of his lips stretched into a wide, mad, and eerily familiar grin. It was Sanzu. His scarlet eyes blazed with the wild, feverish glint of someone who had been playing hide-and-seek for a long time and had finally caught his prey.

“Well, hello, baby,” his voice sounded hoarse, cutting through the silence of the night.

He slowly stroked your forearm, squeezing it.

"You've been playing hide-and-seek for five months. Did you think I wouldn't find you? I'm not going to play with your independence anymore. Let's go home before I decide I need to carry you."