"I... knew you once?" Kou's eyebrows furrowed.
He knew that, but to hear her actually say it set the puzzle pieces in motion.
Nene nodded, pulling her knees closer to her chest, "yeah."
A sigh left her, "I was your upperclassman... at one point, a long... long time ago."
His words caught in his throat as he felt tears fill his eyes. Swallowing, he looks away, unable to keep eye contact,
"Yashiro-senpai...," he spoke softly with realization.
Nene nodded, "Although I haven't been called that for a long time, Kou-kun."
He exhales shakily.
Nene almost remembered what it felt to breathe, watching him struggle to keep himself calm.
"I'm sorry." she apologized. She really didn't know what else to say.
Kou nodded, unable to speak.
"Really, I am... I really didn't want this to happen...."
I didn't want you to remember me.
She raised her hand, picking at the ends of the seal on her cheek.
"I just wanted everyone to be happy."
Kou kept his gaze on the ground, his hand balling into a fist,
"What about you?" he whispered.
She smiled, although she couldn't quite make it reach her eyes, "As long as everyone is happy, I am happy too."
"Bull." Kou scoffs.
Nene felt her smile drop.
"You wanted this to happen, and I got in the way because I remembered. And—" He tilted his head to look straight into her eyes, "Yashiro-senpai, I know you're not happy,"
"I am, though," Nene shook her head at his accusations, "Besides, it's better this way. This world is much better,"
"Is it, though?" Kou couldn't help but ask, "How is it better? How is this better? What about you? Why do you get to suffer?!" His voice raised with each question, tears building in his eyes.
She stared at him, a sad, watery smile on her face.
"This world is better, Kou-kun. You— you don't know what it was like before..."
"Explain then?! Why are you not alive and happy in this 'better world'?!"
"I wasn't happy then either!" Nene snapped at him, huffing, "I wasn't happy knowing I was going to die. I wasn't happy seeing people I like have to suffer and die!"
Her grip on the bench tightened, "I wasn't happy knowing you had to watch your friend be turned into a monster; I wasn't happy with my best friend suffering because of my time limit. I wasn't happy knowing that everything I did would be for nothing! I wasn't happy seeing everyone suffer!"
Kou, startled by her outburst, flinched away from her.
"Ah—" Nene stammered, realizing she had lost her composure, "I'm sorry, Kou-kun, I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine. Don't apologize for being honest,"
Her hands released the bench. She forced herself to relax her ghostly body,
"I... This world is something I wanted. It's something that I wished for more than anything. I am happy about this world." She inhaled, "Sure, I... I'm dead now, and I didn't exactly have the best life while alive,"
Nene tiptoes around the life she lived in this world [the scars still linger to this day], "But I... This life, this world! It's good. It isn't fake, it's happy. All my friends are alive and happy. You're happy, aren't you, Kou-kun?"
"I am." he immediately responds without thinking, "But... I know what it was like before now. Not exactly— I don't have all my memories, but I remember you, Yashiro-senpai. I remember you had a crush on my brother. I remember liking you. You were heart-driven— you still are— but you were smiling, and it was honest and genuine," He smiled, "I remember we cooked together a few times. You were my friend."
"Aren't I still your friend—" Nene shook her head, "Maybe not the same way, but we are friends, aren't we?"
"Of course we are!" Kou groaned, "But that's not the problem!"
Nene stared at him, waiting for him to continue. She didn't really know how to respond.
"It's that— It was our world! Why change it so much?"
"Because I—" Nene stopped, huffing, "I already told you, Kou-kun, I want you and Amane-kun... I want everyone to be happy!"
"How can either of us be happy knowing you just threw your life away for us?"
Nene let out an undignified groan from the abrupt annoyance bubbling up, "You don't understand!"
Her hands pushed her up, standing with a stomp, "You aren't supposed to know! You and Amane-kun were never supposed to find out! You weren't supposed to have those memories— you weren't supposed to find me, you—!" She let out another grumble, pulling on her hair, "I should've known better than letting you guys hang around..."
"Yashiro—"
"Hanako, remember?" Nene looked over at him with a tight smile, "I'm Hanako, please don't forget that,"
Kou rolled his eyes, "You seriously expect me just to let go of all of this—"
"Would you prefer to forget? Will it ease your mind if you never knew me as your senpai?" She asked, willing any gnawing sadness that'll doubtably come from that. [Nene doesn't understand why she'll feel that way when this is what she wanted.]
"Why would I want that!?" He shouted, dumbfounded by her even posing the question.
"It'll make you happier, to not know. We can go back to messing around, and you threatening to exorcise me." Ruby eyes softened, "You can go back to hanging with your friends without the guilt of knowing this wasn't the intended path,"
"Why would I want to forget all our memories together?" Kou asked, "How can you think I'll be happier without knowing that you really are a good person?"
Nene paused, watching the expression on his face,
"Okay, we don't have to go back to before," She was quick to give in to him. He's a soft spot for her. "Just... Don't tell anyone else about this,"
"I won't, senpai,"
She smiled, "Hanako-chan, remember?"
Kou looked away, embarrassed, "Right... Hanako-chan,"
Nene looked around the rooftop with a smile on her face.
"Ah!" Kou yelled, startled, "Crap! I have to go! I'm supposed to be watching Tiara!"
"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you late! Go! Go!" Nene apologized and ushered him to leave. "Have a nice day, Kou-kun!"
"Have a good day, too, Hanako-chan!"
And with that, he was off, throwing open the door and bolting down the stairs.
Her hand that she used to wave him off dropped with her smile.
"I really hate lying..."
Nene looked over to the Mokke that had been hiding, who watched silently, and shrugged, "I don't think I have to ask, but could you help me find out who all remembers?"
