Smile, Kaori~!

Chapter One

Even before we all had been damned to the Hell that was Heavenly Host Elementary School, I could tell that something was off about your seemingly normal life.

I was an extremely average teenage girl, in all terms of the word. I made normal level grades; the fact that I maintained a B in my worst subjects enough to please me. I wasn't exceptionally good looking either, and did nothing to make myself look any better than I naturally did. Even disregarding these factors, my personality was nothing to save myself from being anything but a completely normal girl. I was polite when needed and made friends pretty easily.

However, on the inside, I knew I wasn't really all that 'average'.

I, in all honesty, preferred to stick to myself over socializing with others. Often times, I found myself with way too much time on my hands; and made it a hobby to find abnormal interests to spice up my otherwise dull lifestyle. As such, I had inevitably became a fan of the occult; studying up on myths and legends and laughing at the idiotic antics of 'professionals' on television regularly. Throughout my research, I discovered a was a descended relative of the murder victim Sachiko Shinozaki.

Most would see my little subculture as harmless, however, which made me, despite this; still achingly normal in terms of the current day world. So, why was it that something felt...off about my daily life?

Despite having friends and socializing often like any good teenager should, I would often times find yourself alone walking to and fro various locations. During these times of seclusion, I could almost always locate the sound of distant footsteps looming behind me; paired with the unmistakable feeling of being watched.

Now, most would just find me paranoid, given that after investigation I always came up empty handed. But, I knew those sounds. Countless late nights of watching cheesy horror movies had left you imprinted with the tell-tale signs of being followed. So, why was it I could never find said follower? Were they...a ghost? Or maybe it really was just my imagination getting the better of me?

All of my doubts, however, were proven wrong when, on one such evening when you were returning home from a study session with my classmates, I heard a new sound. A dreadfully awakening, yet very mundane sound.

'Click!'

My head had swiveled quickly to follow the sound of the camera in the darkening city streets, but, as always, my blue couldn't pinpoint anyone around me. But there was no denying what I had heard. Someone, or something, had just taken a picture of me. My skin had crawled at the thought, and I swiftly made your way home to the safety of your parents' company.

What if it was some sicko who did unmentionable things in my name? My spine had shivered as I thought to myself in my room that night, unable to sleep as I simply stared up at the ceiling above you. Or maybe it was some perverted bastard with a fetish for me? Train of thought reeling, I had simply pulled my covers over my head; willing them to protect me during the night.

There was nothing I could do about these happenings.

Not unless I got proof.

However, try and try as I may to catch even a glimpse of my stalker; I always came away empty handed. They were either extremely skilled in their trade, or they really were just a phantom of the night...

Regardless of these almost daily antics from my follower, I still managed to maintain my daily life. So, it was not unreasonable when Ayumi Shinozaki, my class representative and personal best friend in the occult ways, had invited me to join her and some other of our classmates and acquaintances to join in on a 'friendship ritual'; as she called it.

I was more than wary of the situation. I had read countless articles online that proclaimed the extreme danger behind performing any type of ritual, and, despite my interest in everything scary and dark, had never dared go against their words. However, after the group's insisting, I knew that my social standing would not be maintained if I didn't comply. I already wasn't that popular, so having rumors spread about how 'the ghost-loving chick is afraid of ghosts' was not how I wanted the rest of my high school career to be go.