𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘀𝘂𝗸𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗶 || 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗼. 𝘁𝗯𝗵𝗸

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙑𝙄𝙄𝙄 ; 𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙮

"Here are the boxes, Yashiro."

Yashiro grinned as the apparition handed the student the crates of veggies. "Thank you so much, Kajiyashiki!" Y/n looked the girl in the eyes before relaxing her stare and laughing softly. "Aha. You don't need to address me formally just because I'm a few years older."

"Eh?! How old are you?"

"Well. Let's see.." Y/n says, seeming to ponder before snapping her fingers, "Nineteen." She speaks frankly as Yashiro looks away, nearly as surprised as Y/n laughs softly. "Take a joke, I'm kidding."

"Hm? You seem more relaxed today, Y/n." Yashiro whispers quietly as the apparition nods, "Anyways, because today was the exact day I died..."

"I'm sixteen years old right now, but I'm chronologically older than Hanako, who is around 55 years old." She explained, "Ah...I see."

"Mhm. Did...that take you aback slightly?" Y/n asks as Yashiro shook her head, "No, not really. But thank you for helping again, Miyoko!" She says while averting her gaze and lowering her head as Y/n waves slightly. She then felt two hands rest on her shoulders and slowly dropped her arm.

"...Can you believe it, Hanako? It's a bit amusing if you ask me." She murmurs in a low tone, her fingers trembling, before Hanako's hand wanders down to grip her hand as she looks at him, "We're never going to see them again." Hanako swallowed forcibly and her face grew gloomy. "Hm."

She was fully aware of everything that would transpire in the next hours, but she was unable to prevent it other than by altering Teru's future. If she did anything else, it would change the course of everyone else's lives, which would be contrary to her purpose to just change Teru's future.

She desperately wanted to fix everything.

"The fact that I've only been here for a short time before departing for good is the true punishment." She lamented and rested her hands on her hips. "Oh well. I gave it my all, and I'm sure we'll see each other again on the Far Shore soon."

"That's not the Kokkuri-san I know."

Hanako laughed as Y/n frowned, "...Perhaps it isn't, which is remarkable given how severe I am about everything. I wanted so desperately to make Teru's future enjoyable, but ever since I entered the scene, I have ruined everything." Y/n's entire body began to quiver, followed by sniffles, as Hanako blinked in disbelief, pulling her arms up, attempting to cover her face in her hands as she cried silently.

"I...I failed again..." Hanako drifted over to the ghost, embracing and caressing the girl he had been closest friends with within mortal life. "There there~ You've done well. You can still take action, right? A little apparition told me you went to Tsuchigomori the other night."

"...I won't fail this time, Hanako." She tried to wipe away her evident tears as Hanako loomed her figure over her petite body, cupping her face and caressing her cheeks, wiping away her tears. "Such a baby~" He cooed.

"You can do it. You're my best friend after all, are you not Former No. 2?"

┊ ┊ ⋆˚ 

The day unfolded as she had intended; nevertheless, she was called away from the Kokkuri Game and was unable to spend as much time with Teru today. It was fortunate since she wanted to get rid of her developing relationship with the male, even though she knew he would soon develop misgivings about her.

The first-year students continued their School Sleepover with death never leaving Yashiro's mind for a second, while Kou's mind was almost tormented by all that had happened thus far. She was aware that Yashiro would finally run into School Mystery No. 6 with Akane by her side in the elevator.