A long and deafening silence befell between Naoko and me, and I felt an intense atmosphere gradually surrounded the whole kitchen, suffocating me and making me feel powerless. I felt like all my limbs weakened, and I lost every last ounce of my strength in my body as Naoko’s last words rang in my head over and over again. It kept playing in my mind like a broken record.
My eyes widened in surprise like they will pop out of my sockets any time as I stared at my own reflection on the innocent black coffee I prepared for myself. Fear and shock were visible on my face like I had seen something I should not, and I felt my whole body shiver due to the chills that ran up to my spine. The chills spread throughout my body, making me feel cold and numb even though I was holding a hot cup of coff
