[To Live] Revised

Cut It Out!

Recess...

"So how do you summon Hanako-san?"

Y/N returned Osane's curious smile with an eager one. "Here! It's really simple!"

Osane was amused by her determination; Y/N had even specifically gone to Sukora's third floor and found the third bathroom stall.

Y/N knocked on the cubicle's door, chanting: "Hanako-san, Hanako-san, Hanako-san... are you there?"

And then, out of instinct, Y/N looked up. She despised how she still had a sense of hope, as if Hanako would arrive.

Osane patiently stood with arms behind her back.

Y/N sighed sadly, glancing at her waiting friend. She turned away, then shrugged. "He would come out by then. It's as simple as that."

Osane nodded thoughtfully, about to hook an arm around Y/N's. "C'mon, it's nearly the end of recess! We should be going!"

But Y/N had her eyes fixated on the stall.

There was a hand that had grasped the edge of the stall door, and she thought she could hear a faint voice calling...

"I'm here."

'Hanako-kun...?'

"Y/N-chan?" Osane looked at her worriedly.

"You go ahead!" Y/N forced a smile, slinking away from her. "I need to use the bathroom."

Osane looked at her suspiciously, but nodded anyway. The brunette wandered off.

Y/N lost the smile on her face, her heart now racing and searching for the one person she had hoped for ever since day one:

Hanako.

She took a step closer to the stall. The hand slipped off, and the door creaked open. She shuffled forward cautiously.

The door gave way.

Y/N's eyes widened in relief at first when she saw the black hair, amber eyes-

"Hana-"

-black patch.

The apparition sneered. "Nope!"

Y/N reared up, her summer Taekwando sessions flooding through.

Soon, Tsukasa found himself knocked across the bathroom floor.

"WHAT THE HECK?!" He scowled, clutching his grazed cheek.

Y/N's eyes had darkened, and she wanted to put all her experience on her long-gone assailant.

Tsukasa tried to get up, but Y/N had kicked him in the side.

"Listen, Y/N!" The boy snapped, recoiling in pain. "I can-"

Y/N punched him in the chest. His kakujoudai whipped out.

"STOP THAT FOOLISH-"

She bowled him over, tackling him to the ground.

"OW!" Tsukasa cried.

"What are you doing here?" Y/N's voice was steady and cold. She had learned how to fear the apparition and how to take him down.

"Chill out, you oaf..."

Y/N pressed her knee tighter to his chest. Tsukasa gasped for air, but managed to pull out his knife.

Y/N pushed the hilt down, staring him down with a furious glare.

Tsukasa looked back up with wide eyes. "Please don't hurt me!"