Blood Moon

Epilogue (3/5)

A/N: Manaka and Kaede Ending

*Hiroshi's Pov*

-Manaka-

Now that Ikebukuro is once again safe from anymore vengeful spirits that wants to kill you. My ordinary life was back on track. Which means...I have to go back to worrying about school...

Speaking of school, Summer Vacation is ending in a week.

So me and Manaka were finishing up whatever homework left for us over the summer.

Manaka: Hey Hiroshi...

Me: You can't copy off of my homework.

Manaka: Oh come on! Have a heart!

Me: I don't want to spend the last week of summer watching you doing plagiarism off of my work. Get your lazy butt off and do it yourself.

She scowled at me.

It was just me, her, and Ruri in my apartment. The others already left. Ruri was playing a small game I've brought for her while Hachiko was nearby looking after Ruri and watching the lifeless stabbed doll on guard as usual.

Me: Hey...Manaka...

Manaka: Yeah...?

Me: Thanks...

Manaka: Eh? What for?

Me: For...having my back all these years. If it wasn't for you and the others...I probably wouldn't know what I do.

Manaka:...Ehhh...Who are you and what have you done with the real Hiroshi?

Me: Urusai...I'm being genuine for once.

Manaka: I know. It's just... surprising to see you act like that. Ya know. You really have grown up. You went from being a crybaby to standing on your own two feet. Can't help but say I'm proud~!

Me: Tsk...

If only I could say the same about Tomoki. Him standing up for himself had got him killed...

Me: But...Even though Tomoki is gone...a part of me wish I could turn back time in order to prevent Reiki Saiko from harming him...

I know it isn't really my fault but still...

I witnessed it but didn't do anything about it...

Hiroshi: Maybe...if I had the guts to stand up for him instead of worrying about myself and the bullying...maybe I could've saved him...then you, me, him, and the others all could've been friends...

Manaka:...

That was the thing...

In the end, Tomoki was just a classmate to us. He was never our friend to begin with. Another reason why I didn't bother to help him.

Another lost soul that society forgot to save...

Manaka: Don't beat yourself up for it. Remember what I said before before this whole thing started? There are just some things that fall out of our control...we can't change the past...after all, we're only human...

Me: Yeah...You did say that...

Even though I did bring everyone else back...It's just Tomoki on the other hand...

Manaka: At least those assholes got what they deserve. That's what more important and Tanaka-kun can finally be at peace...

Me: Yeah...

Manaka: Now stop dwelling in the past...There's a lot of things we can do together~! Like...Let's hangout together and go to Shibuya! I want to check out their latest games.

Me: *Smiles*...Sure.

She grinned at my answer.

Manaka: Then what are we waiting for~? Let's Hassle! The two of us are going to have a blast!

-Kaede-

Kaede: Thanks for inviting me today.

Me: No problem...

Kaede: I think you already know the reason why I'm here...

Me: No doubt...

She was here to see the doll. She wanted to examined it to see if it had any supernatural phenomenon.

She walked over to the doll and started looking at all over...

Me: Anything suspecious?

Kaede: Right now...it's just a lifeless doll but I wouldn't be surprised if it does come back to life. It would be best to monitor it everyday to make sure.

Me: Yeah...

Kaede: So...Imori Kagura's soul was merged with the doll?

Me: Yep. I saw for myself and Kuro-san told me later on. It's hard to believe that a doll like this can cause so much trouble...

Kaede: Hmm...

She took one more good look at the doll. Kamishiro herself told me she had a few nightmares about the doll coming back to kill her once more.

I don't blame her...She...was mutilated once...

Me: I gotta ask you...after everything you went through...are you going to stop hunting after spirits...?

Kamishiro looked at me like I grew a second head.

Kaede: Oh goodness no! In fact, I'm more intrigued in the supernatural then I already had! I want to continue explore the mysteries all around Japan! Starting here in Ikebukuro! I think there were reports about the Headless Rider being seen!

Brave Girl....

Me: Oh boy...

Here we go again...I get the feeling she's going to take me for a ride.

Kaede: As your guardian angel of darkness. I say we should start a new investigation. Think about it. The rumors around Japan...like An everlasting cradle, a never-ending loop. All happiness was forgiven and all sins were discarded. It was heaven in the most purest form, and they were only ever meant to exist in this realm! So many wonders I can't stop! What do you say, Hiroshi-kun? Do you want to continue chasing after mysteries?

Me:....*Smiles* My Summer may have been one of hell of nightmare. But I gotta say it wasn't interesting. I feel like I could take anything on.

Kamishiro smiled at my answer.

A part of me saw Misachiko for a moment. I guess in some way...She is like a guardian angel of darkness...

Thanks to her logic on ghosts, it had saved me from death multiple times.

Kaede: Arigatou Hiroshi-kun. You won't be disappointed! With your skills along with my mine. We'll make a great team. Whether it be fate or destiny. I think it brought us twice as closer than we already were~!