꧁ LIFE and DEATH ꧂

PLAY (Part 2)

The curtains opened on Kou and Shijima. Shijima was the girl who was going to confess to Teru.

"Ko-- er, Teru, I want to tell you that I love you! Will you go out with me?" Shijima was a really bad actor, and her performance was remedial at best. But she was the only one willing to play the role.

"I-I'm sorry, but I'm in love with someone else." Kou stumbled over his words, unable to take his eyes off Nene, who was seated at the edge of the stage, watching the scene play out.

"He's definitely in love with Radish-senpai," Mitsuba narrated.

"So that's it . . ." Nene looked at the bag in her hand. "He loves someone else. But now that I have this, it doesn't matter. But . . ." She looked back at Kou, who was exiting opposite of Shijima. "Do I love Minamoto-senpai? Wait, what are these?" Nene dropped the bag of pretend scales to inspect her arms. "Are these scales?

The curtains closed quickly. Nene rushed offstage. The curtains opened on the classroom again.

"What do you think?" Hanako faced away from the audience. He held a tank.

"What do I think of what?" Nene asked. Hanako spun around, showing the tank to the audience.

"Tada!"

Of course, Hanako really had turned Nene into a fish. She didn't want to, but as her 'director', Hanako just dumped water on her head.

"W-what happened?" Nene squeaked. Hanako laughed.

"I told you not to swallow the scale! But you didn't listen. Now, I imagine, the Mermaid will come to take you as her servant."

"Did I hear somebody call my name?"

Hanako stared at the creature that had just entered the stage.

"Y-Yako-sama?" Nene froze.

"That's not No. 2 . . ." Hanako mumbled, holding the tank tighter. "That's the real Mermaid."

"You've held on to my servant for a long time now, and I've allowed it. But now, I'm taking her. Come with me, girl! Leave behind those thick ankles and live in the sea!"

"What's wrong with her ankles?" Hanako reached for his knife. Glancing around, the ghost noted the absence of the other Wonders.

"This ghost is lying to you! He finds your ankles repulsive!" The Mermaid called. Nene held back tears. She was still trapped in the tank.

"Hanako-kun--"

"That's not true! I love Yashiro's ankles! I love all of her!" Hanako blushed at his words.

"Too bad!" The Mermaid lunged for the ghost and tank. Hanako scooped the Nene-fish out of the water and threw her into the air. With a few quick swipes of his knife, Hanako sent the Mermaid back to the Far Shore.

When Nene finally came back down after Hanako threw her, she was in human form. Hanako caught her bridal-style. He crumpled to his knees and hugged the girl. Nene fisted his gakuran and hugged him back.

"And then," Mitsuba narrated. He had entered the stage. "The two shared a kiss, binding their fate."

Hanako and Nene stared at Mitsuba, who held back a snicker.

"Then the two shared a passionate kiss, bringing their fate," Mitsuba repeated forcefully.

Hanako blushed and looked down at Nene. But before he could move, she pulled down his gakuran, forcing his face to hers.

And then, in the middle of their messed-up, slightly ruined retelling of how they met, Nene kissed Hanako.

If the audience had hands, then they would have clapped. But the few hundred Mokke assembled slapped their ears together, creating a similar sound to clapping.

Nene quickly pulled away. "T-That was my first kiss," she mumbled. But, since she was still miked, it ran through the hall, creating a chorus of "ooh"s.

Hanako and Nene laughed. The ghost stood up and quickly exited, still holding his assistant.

"Ready for the bows?" Hanako asked everyone. The Wonders and Nene nodded.

Yako and Tsuchigomori entered the stage first. Yako had done the beautiful costumes-- not that many were needed, just a few student costumes. Tsuchigomori had both been in it and helped direct the entire thing. They took their bows before moving to the back of the stage.

The applause continued as Kou, Shijima, and Akane entered. Kou was impossibly proud of himself for pulling off the role of his brother. Shijima, who was only in one scene, couldn't help but bask in the applause. Her sets were beautiful. And Akane was ready to head to the back of the stage, which he did.

Mitsuba entered next, taking the applause in full stride, smiling and waving to his Mokke. His snide personality subsided for a minute to give the audience a genuine smile. He quickly moved to the back of the stage as well.

Then, Nene and Hanako came out. Hanako grabbed Nene's hand, and the two took a bow together. The rest of the cast moved forward, and they all grabbed hands and dipped in one final bow.

They quickly exited the stage.

"That was incredible!" Nene giggled. Kou smiled.

"You were awesome, Senpai." He patted her shoulder.

Nene felt arms around her, and the person pulled her back against them.

"H-Hanako-kun?" Nene squeaked.

"No flirting with my Yashiro." Hanako gave Kou his death glare. Nene blushed.

"Y-your Y-Y-Yashiro?" she blushed harder.

"No. 7, stop it." Tsuchigomori attempted to pull Nene away from the ghost, but he failed. Tsuchigomori sighed and walked off, Kou following him.

"You did good today, Yashiro," Hanako whispered in her ear. Nene smiled.

"Thanks. You didn't mess up either."

"Aww, my daikon loves me!" Nene squirmed out of the ghost's grip.

"Don't call me a daikon!"

"Tsundere Daikon," Hanako corrected, grinning. "And you better be nice to me, or I might not save you next time." Nene fake-gasped as Hanako slid his arms around her.

"You wouldn't!" Hanako and Nene laughed.

"But really, you did an incredible job."

Nene blushed. "Thanks. You weren't bad yourself."

A/N:

I think Mitsuba ships Hananene. Anyone else get that feeling?

Stay safe and healthy!

~~ Author-chan ~~