FALLEN part 1: Desperation and Devastation [ An OHSHC fanfiction ]

Chapter 2: Dominance

[ It's time to continue where we left off before, and see what kinds of mischief the black magic club is up to... ] 

8/26/2015-- 

                "Come with me, Kao-chan!" Honey beamed as he pulled Kaoru by the arm down the hallway ecstatically, who hesitantly resisted.

Classes had come and gone, leaving time to advance forth fervently like a child in a candy store at the mall. History, math, other subject as well were now in hibernation awaiting the start of a new day to repeat itself, but until then, clubs around the school buildings were actively participating in wonted activities for the evening, as per tradition. The clubs, busy. Other students, home. Teachers, in preparation to leave. All was settling down in gradual silence for the coming evening.

The bells of the large clock tower blossomed in marvelous tone, which rang about upon the entire campus in graceful beauty. The petals fluttered once again, racing each other in the winds of the big, blue sky and its dazzling wonders above, soon to turn a soothing orange-cream colour with the setting of the sun.

Only mere shadows in the blazing glory of the outside, Honey ran down the hall, pulling Kaoru who seemed impervious to his gleeful smile and acted reluctant to follow.

"Let go of me," he muttered in a flat tone. "How did you even find me?"

"It's called, The Final Wish Ritual! They're waiting for us, let's go!"

" "Final Wish Ritual"...? What are you going on about, Honey-Senpai?"

"We're all gonna do it together. Neko-Chan says it must be done by close friends of the spirit, or else it won't work!"

Kaoru did a skeptical breath and pulled free. Honey turned around and they faced each other in the hallway, the sun blaring their silhouettes in the background.

"Wait, that creep Nekozawa... You mean he wants to do a ritual for..."

Honey's eyes twinkled, his cheeks turned pink as his smile grew full in hopefulness. He did an overexaggerated nod while staring up at his friend. Kaoru stared back with less elation than his companion's, expressing more of a speechlessly exasperated tone with an empty stare. After a moment of exchanging glances, he turned and began walking away without a word. Honey was quick to grab his arm once more.

"W-Wait!" He called in a sanguine manner. "Please come do it with us. It'll only work if all of us do it together!"

"I don't want anything to do with this. Besides, knowing that freak, after doing this ritual we'd probably all end up cursed or something."

Honey tugged childishly, a big frown forming on his face as he spoke, "Please.", his tone mellowing down to a softer one. Kaoru did a discreet side-glance, but quickly looked the other way.

"We just want Hika-Chan to be happy," he continued seriously. "I'm sure he's waiting for us to send our goodbye wishes."

Kaoru hid his eyes under his bangs, arm going limp as he stared to the floor in dolor. He hung his head and went still, his arm swinging back to his side as Honey slowly let go. The hall went into a still silence for a minute or so.

"I'm sure it'll make him happy. So let's do it," he whispered with an empathetic expression. "'K?"

Kaoru kept the silence close as if it were his only protection, like a bulletproof vest, the bullets being the words he was trying to stop himself from saying. The guilt he was trying hard to compress into nothing popped through and shattered his racing mind like fragile glass dropped to a tile flooring. Haunted by these demons of hate, yet deep down he couldn't bear to deny the fact that maybe, somewhere, his dear late brother's spirit wasn't completely dispersed into nonexistence. Maybe he really was waiting. Maybe he wasn't gone forever. This guilt was what soon led him to be controlled by those around him, by Honey who was now leading him once more down the hallways as he was put into this thought, and by Nekozawa for coming up with this ritual in the first place. As he stepped forth, he finally snapped awake and raised his voice again.