"best friends!"

"aren't you gonna say something?" TBHK

- the tired and annoyed ghost, _____, of the northwest boys' restrooms has a heart. how about that, huh? 1,117 words.

warnings: slight ooc Nene, some food mentions

headcanons mentioned: wlw!nene, second year timeskip
reader info: tsundere ghost (not one of the seven mysteries), he/him pronouns

a/n: i hate the word tsundere but, i can't think of another word. there's talk of another character, she's just someone i made up for the sake of this book. <3

"aren't you gonna say something?"

"Her eyes are so pretty! They're the most gorgeous ocean blue! And her hair? Absolutely beautiful! And-"

"If you like her so much, then marry her."

"Huh?! I have to ask her out first!"

Yashiro Nene, a second year at Kamome Academy, was gushing about a new crush she had, nothing out of the ordinary. She pouted at her apparition friend, Hanako, who was technically forced to listen. If she cleans the bathrooms, he has to listen to her talk.

It wasn't too bad in her first year, when it was over some boy and she was practically desperate. But now, in her second year, she only found actual crushes who were nice to her and didn't make fun of her legs, especially her current one who said that she liked Nene's legs. That flipped the switch for her very quickly. She went on and on about the president of Class 3-A, Ryūjin, while Hanako and Kou listened, happy she found someone she genuinely liked... there was one person who didn't like the talk of it though.

"She asked for my pencil today!" Nene said, holding a sponge. "She walked up to me in the halls and said 'Hey, Nene, may I borrow your pencil for English?' and I was so excited, I almost dropped my bag!" She started to scrub the mirrors until she saw a (h/c) haired ghost behind her, floating with his legs perched on one of the restroom's stall doors.

The ghost of _____, a hot-headed student that wandered around the school garden. He continues to do this, even in his angry afterlife.

His (e/c) eyes stared her down in the reflection, obviously annoyed. Hanako wasn't phased by his random appearance but, Kou still wasn't used to it.

"QUIT DOING THAT!" He yelled, not even earning a glance. Hanako waved happily, getting a full head turn before he turned back to Nene.

"You're a loud talker." He growled. "Shut up about that girl, it's carrying into the boys' restrooms and I'm trying to relax."

"That's mean! An apparition obviously doesn't know how to be in love!"

"Ghost, not apparition. Please shut up." He said, flying closer her, but Kou jumped in his way. "Relax, loverboy, just cause she's annoying doesn't mean I'm going to kill her." Nene crossed her arms, pouting while the ghost and the blond argued, when she felt something in her pocket that cheered her up. A letter.

A sweet, eggshell white envelope with her crush's name written in a blue glitter pen in fancy cursive. It was sealed with a heart shaped wax and a candy cane sticker on the side. Hanako flew over, admiring how shiny it was. She reached back into her pocket and pulled out a gold necklace, a snowflake charm at the end of it, and put them together.

"Do you think she'll like it? I want to confess since it's been a month." The room was only filled with the echo of Kou's dedication in defending Nene, but _____ was intrigued by the conversation near the window. "I made her a strawberry-filled rice cake, too! It's in my locker and-"

"You think that Ryū-san would like that?" He asked, sounding more mean than genuine. She nodded, sure of herself and putting the cleaning supplies back.

"Of course she would! Who wouldn't like strawberry-filled rice cakes and pretty jewelry?"

"Ryūjin. That's who." The older put it bluntly. "But, yes, it is my bad if you get heartbroken from dumb gifts." With that, he flew back to the other side of the school to relax again.

"Don't mind him, Nene! I think she'll like it!" Hanako pats her head, handing her things back. She looks down at them, slightly nervous, but shakes it away.

"Yeah! Matter of fact, I'm gonna put these in her locker right now!" She laughed, stepping out of the very clean restroom, and skipping down the hall. While she did have an underlying feeling it wasn't going to go well, she had a stronger feeling that she was going to get a girlfriend this week.

TIMESKIP

It was after school near the school's garden pumpkin patch. Nene had been standing at the spot for an hour, but no one was coming. Only her friend, Akane, came by to wish her good luck, but the love-struck girl didn't have much of that. Her luck with boys? Just as bad as her luck with girls. She guessed it was just as bad with everyone. Girls, boys, the few non-binary first years that made fun of her "radish" legs, everyone.

"Nene?" A soft, whistle of a voice came peaking around the corner. Nene raised her head, the tears forming in her eyes dissapearing. It was Ryūjin, her pink hair tied into a neat ponytail with a black bow. "I'm so sorry I was late, I hope you're not upset."

"No, it's okay, Senpai! I figured you were busy." She nervously laughed. "So.. you got my letter? And gifts?" Ryūjin's blue eyes softened sadly, the letter in her hand.. along with the gifts in their packages.

"I apologize, Nene.." She hands them to the younger. "I appreciate it, truly, but I am already taken. I hope you can understand." The older bowed, quickly walking away.

"It's... okay, Senpai." Nene whispered, tears forming again. She walked to the wall of the school and slid down, her items hitting the grass. She covered her head in her arms, letting out large but slow tears.

Maybe she was just never going to find love. Maybe she was destined to be alone forever. Like the ladies with the hundreds of cats and crazy hair. At least the cats would love her, right? She sighed, another tear leaving her eye, as a jingling sound came from next to her.

_____, twirling the necklace around his finger, quietly. His tired eyes met hers. She expected a whitty remark or something else smartassed, but instead, he handed her a flat pebble. The side of it was chipped, showing tiny crystals like a cave. Her sad, magenta eyes blinked at him slowly.

"Aren't you going to say something?" She choaked out, trying not to cry again. He looked at her, from her curled form to the abandoned gifts to the sunset colored sky again.

"You're already upset. What would be the point?" Her hair fell over her face as he lays down on the dirt. "But... do you wanna talk about it? While I'm available at least." She peaked from under her hair, eyes slightly puffy and tightly gripping his unusually pretty gift.

"Yeah, that'd be nice. Thank you, _____."

"Yeah, whatever. Just start venting."

- HI AGAIN! i haven't seen TBHK in a while so this is.. ooc but, i'm trying :)