𝕂𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕜𝕖-𝕆𝕟𝕟𝕒: 𝕛𝕙𝕤𝕜

十六

『ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴᴀᴍᴇ: ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 16』

Hanako waved a hand in front of Yashiro as she groggily woke up. She rubbed her right eye and looked up at Hanako's smiling form. "Hanako-kun? Are we back. . . ?"

He nodded, "Where is Jiyuu-chan and Minamoto-kun?!" his smile faltered slightly, but he kept the facade going in front of the young girl.

"Jiyuu is resting in the infirmary, Minamoto is right there." He pointed at the middle schooler who was sitting in the corner in deep thought, "he fought so bravely. . ." he wiped his invisible tears with a handkerchief.

"Everyone will change back right? Aoi and the other students. . ."

Hanako picked up the fox spirit off of the ground, "well of course, they'll all get changed back. She'll make sure of it."

"She?"

He held up the fox spirit by her collar, her massive fluffy tail and adorable form sparking excitement and confusion through Yashiro. Her ears were covered in bells, similar to the woman at the boundary's ribbons.

"The Misaki's Stairs' true identity. An inari statue to be exact" he pointed at her, "but this one moves."

"Go on. No. 2, aren't you going to say you're sorry?" The fox spirit shook it's head, refusing to even give a single glance to the duo. "I'll turn you into fox udon. . . " Hanako gripped onto her ear tightly, waving his knife in front of her as she jolts.

"What'll happen to the kids who were turned into dolls? Aoi and everyone else. . . " Yashiro asked.

"They'll all be back to normal by morning, it's not like I have that much power left anyway." She responded, staring at the ground dejectedly.

Yashiro noticed her quivering frame and reached into her pocket, taking out the photograph of Misaki and the other children. "Fox-san. . . here."

"J-Just so you know! I haven't forgiven you for what you said about Jiyuu-chan! That was really scary and you hurt her really badly, I also thought I was going to die!" Yashiro's eyes softened, "I also destroyed something important to you, so for that. . . at least. . . "

She reached out to pat the spirit's head, "I'm sorry."

Instead of receiving an apology, the fox bit Yashiro's hand and ripped the paper out of her hands, "don't touch me! I have no intention on being friends with you!" the fox started to walk up the stairs, reaching the fifth step.

"And. . . My name is Yako! Next time you call me fox-san, I'll bite your hand off." Before the fox could leave the scene with the photograph, Yashiro told her to stop.

"Uhm. . . Can you tell me what is your relationship with Jiyuu-chan?" Yako slowly turned around to look at her, a grim expression.

"Perhaps you should ask her directly, but. . . " She bit down on the photograph harder as she thought about you, "I was envious of her marriage and ability to be loved by others, although," she turned to Hanako and glared at him.

Yako started to walk up the stairs again, "I can't forgive her for killing someone who is supposed to be dear to her. You could say. . . We are polar opposites."

Hanako tilted his hat, avoiding Yako's intense gaze on him. With that, Yako left the scene without a trace. However, she wasn't the only thing leaving without the trace.

The black origami quietly fled the comfort of Yashiro's dress, going towards a specific person hiding behind a door.

You awoke to the sound of someone opening the door to the infirmary. The cloth placed around you serving as a blanket slipping off of your body, exposing your skin to the cold environment. With the open window, you could tell that it was already dark. You could feel the bandages around your torso becoming loose whenever you tried moving. You noticed that the person who arrived was Hanako, but you refused to look at him in the eye, afraid of what he would say to your reckless behavior. Hanako placed his hat down on one of the tables, moving closer to you and staring the scars on your skin. You noticed that without his usual hat, he looked more like your age and a real boy.

"I told you. I shouldn't have left you up there." He clenched his fist in anger, "I didn't know she would go this far on you."

You watched the poor boy shiver, his fear and relief crashing against each other like ocean waves. He was glad that you were still here but disappointed at the state Yako left you in. You could see the tears prickling the sides of his eyes and you reached out to him, gently wiping them away.

"It's not a big dea—" You felt yourself being shoved onto the bed, your arms restrained at the top of your head while he pressed his body against yours, "—Hanako?"

"Don't say that!" You heard him choke a sob, wailing on top of you and you felt the tears drop onto your cheek like rain. "Don't say that when I was so worried about you!"

"Do you even understand how I felt when Minamoto carried you?! When you were injured?!"

This position brings back memories. . .

This scene replaying out in front of you was parallel to the time you and Hanako spent together after school. Instead of being above Hanako, you were below him listening to him cry. It hurts to cry, but you couldn't fight back the tears that were forming as you saw him break down on top of you. The moon shining so brightly against his cheek and the wind blowing the curtains with a gentle breeze. You could see each and every individual star in the sky, the little specks glowing and twinkling. As you tried to move your wrist, you felt him tighten his grip, keeping you immobile.

"Do you understand how it felt to see you like this?!" He whimpered, his grip on your wrists loosening

You stared at him silently, afraid that he might pull away if you say the wrong thing. "Tell me Jiyuu."

"Tell me about yourself." He pressed his forehead against yours, gazing into your (e/c) orbs, "I want to know more about you."

Your lips trembled, "why. . ?"

"Please" Hanako begged, "Tell me your name, your real name." You could feel his breath against your lips and his eyes staring deeply into yours. You couldn't help but be entranced by the look in his eyes, the desperation, and emotions that laid hidden away from everyone else but you.

You liked the attention he gave you.

It made your ghostly heart feel. . . warm.

His fingers intertwined with yours, keeping them held within his hand and squeezing them softly. You finally took notice of how his hands felt against yours. They were delicate and precise, almost scared of hurting you as they held on. He was childish with everything he did, treating it as a game, but with you. . . you felt as if it was something more. Even you felt childish for wanting more of what he has given you.

"My name. . . " The droplets on your eyes that were a gentle stream overflowed,

"My name is. . . (L/n) (Y/n)."

That very night, you could feel your tears join together with his, sliding down your cheeks.