Secrets of the Eyepatch Senior and the Infirmary

Episode 1: The Eyepatch senpai and the Infirmary

After fifth period ended, I found myself walking down the steps near the school’s front entrance.

The chime signaling the end of the day hadn’t rung yet, but the classroom was already empty.

Everyone had either gone off to club activities... or just gone home.

The school building felt strangely quiet—like the whole place was holding its breath.

I headed toward the nurse’s office at the far end of the building.

It was one of those days, and my head was swimming. I figured I’d rest a bit before going home.

That was all I meant to do—just stop by for a moment.

When I reached the door, I noticed a soft light seeping through the gap in the curtain.

In that silent hallway, it was like time had stopped in that one little corner.

I opened the door gently... and someone was already there.

Sitting on the edge of the bed by the window was a girl with a white eyepatch.

Cradled carefully in her lap was a stuffed angel doll.

Her wavy hair looked... somehow familiar. Almost like mine.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

She smiled softly.

Her voice was clear and gentle, and yet—something about it tugged at my memory.

It felt nostalgic, like something I'd forgotten long ago... but couldn’t quite recall.

And that smile—it sent a shiver down my spine.

Even though she was smiling, there was a shadow behind it, like a crack in glass.

“Uh... do I know you...?”

“Nope. This is our first time meeting. But I’ve been waiting for you all the same.”

She leaned back against the bedframe, her fingers idly stroking the plush doll’s ears.

I stood frozen, unable to move or speak.

“Is the school nurse not here…?”

I finally managed to squeeze the words out, and she tilted her head with a small laugh.

“Nope. Staff meeting. So right now, it’s just the two of us—me and you, Sumire-chan.”

...Sumire-chan?

How does she know my name?

Just as I opened my mouth to ask, she gently held out the stuffed angel toward me.

“I made this one to look just like you. The eyes, the hair color, even the loose ribbon... See? Isn’t it perfect?”

She giggled, so naturally—too naturally.

And yet, I felt a chill run down my spine.

We’d never met before. So why did she know so much about me?

“I knew you’d come. But still... I’m so happy you actually did.”

My legs felt heavier somehow.

Why did I come here today? Was it just because I didn’t feel well?

Or... had everything—even that—been in the palm of her hand all along?

Was I led here?

“Why would you think I’d come...?”

“Hey, Sumire-chan. You're having a tough time today, right? Because of your period.”

My heart skipped a beat.

...What?

No one knew that. I hadn’t told anyone.

“It’s written all over your face.”

She smiled again. That same soft smile, her voice warm and gentle.

But her eyes—those eyes pierced right through me, like she could see everything I was hiding.

The room was warm, yet my back felt ice cold.

“I can see a little bit into the future,” she said casually, like it was no big deal.

It sounded like a joke—but I couldn’t laugh.

“Are you... serious?”

“Whether you believe me or not is up to you. But—”

She stood and walked toward me, slowly, deliberately.

I couldn’t look away. But deep down, my instincts screamed at me to run.

“Your ribbon’s a little messy.”

With that, she reached toward my chest.

I flinched, tried to pull back—but my body didn’t listen.

Her fingers gently fixed the ribbon, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“It’d be a waste to leave a cute girl like you looking all disheveled.”

As she straightened it, our eyes stayed locked.

I couldn’t escape. It felt like I was sinking—dragged into some deep, quiet place.

I didn’t know her.

And yet... it didn’t feel like this was our first meeting.

That strange, fabricated feeling of familiarity clung to my chest like fog.

—I was scared.

But I wanted to keep looking. I wanted to understand her.

Fear and curiosity began to bloom inside me, side by side.

“Oh right,” she said with a playful laugh. “I never told you my name, did I? I’m Yuri Amamiya. Second-year. Nice to meet you, Sumire-chan.”

Then, she hugged the stuffed angel tightly and murmured:

“You know, Sumire-chan... I’ve been talking to this little one the whole time.

Waiting for you to come. It was really lonely.”

The way she held the doll—it was like it had taken my place all this time.

Like I’d just walked in on something I wasn’t supposed to see.

That strange sensation I’d felt since entering the nurse’s office...

It was as if another me had already been here.

Waiting. Watching. Existing before I arrived.

And that unsettling feeling slowly began to spread through every inch of my body.