The Demon [A JSHK Fanfiction]

Chapter 06

It has been days since she was holed inside the room. All day, she has been doing nothing but read the same book over and over again.

She felt horrible. Feeling the familiar rush of anger as she read the book. She felt sick to her stomach as she remembered the horrible things she had done.

She clutched the book as soon as she had reached the final page, throwing it as far as she can. She hated its contents. She hated every part of that book. How is it that she was easily controlled by that girl?!

Sighing, she leaned back onto her chair. She watched as she rock ber feet back and forth, enjoying the sound of the water splashing. Her mind was clouded with events from the past.

"I wonder how Kou and Nene are doing?" She silently wondered, staring deeply into her own reflection. "Maybe Nene is mad at me for disappearing."

The silence inside the room was slowly starting to get to her. Slowly, she got up from her chair and she stepped into the ankle deep water. She looked around the dim room, searching for the way back.

"How could I forget?" She grumbled underneath her breath.

As she walked a random path, she admired the books in the shelves. Different names, colors— it simply caught her attention. However, her path hit a dead end. She sighed, going back to the way she came from.

As she reached the desk, she went towards the left side. She walked in silence, the only sound she could hear was the splashing of water underneath her as she walk.

The silence was broken when she heard a scream. She flinched before looking around frantically, trying to find the source. She immediately took off, silently hoping that she could reach to them in time.

"Damn it...!" She muttered, trying to find her way. She looked around her, the same things were still seen. She sighed, looking down to her feet.

She felt absolutely horrible. She can't save the person. If only she could get out in time.

As she walked, she felt confused. There was only silence around the area. She frowned. Wasn't someone here with her? Maybe they were safe? Still, she had hoped to find the person.

Izumi perked up at the sound of faint voices chatting away. Her brows furrowed as a question formed in her mind.

"Who he hell has time to chitchat when there's a danger lurking about?" Izumi wondered out loud. As she continued walking towards the voices, she heard a voice that sounds like the curator.

Smiling to herself, Izumi felt happy. She was nearing the exit. She could feel herself getting giddy as seconds rolled off. She turned left, immediately seeing a gigantic beast.

She walked near the beast made of butterflies, about to do something to it. But the curator beat her to it. She jumped away in time when it was slammed down.

"Ack— watch it, four-eyes!" Izumi yelled out in shock, catching all of their attention. A certain daikon-legged girl ran up to her, engulfing her in a tight hug.

"Izumi-chan!" Izumi patted the girl's head as the two toned teacher speak up.

"Here I am, trying to keep my mouth shut..." he started. Izumi walked towards Kou with Nene still clinging towards her. "And you two just won't stop yapping. It's annoying!"

"Ugh, this is why I hate kids," Izumi snickered at his comment, only to yelp when she felt herself being lifted along with two other teens.

'What did I even do?!' She thought to herself as she gave the teacher a confused look. She tried to get his hand off of her arm as she listened to him.

"These books have turned red. You read entries from the future, didn't you? And Izumi, stop struggling," Tsuchigomori added, showing a red-stained book in his hand. He glanced at Izumi who only struggled further. "Entitled brats."

"Sensei! Let us go!" Izumi whined, feeling her arm getting sore. But the spider-like teacher ignored her.

"Now then," the four watched in disgust as he ate a butterfly. Izumi grimaced in disgust, looking away from the teacher.

"Gross..." she muttered to herself, not wishing to see him eat yet another one.

"How are you planning to make this up to me?" The teacher asked, looking at the two human teens intimidatingly. Izumi looked back at him after shaking her disgust off.

"I didn't even do anything, sensei," Izumi muttered, sighing. She inhaled sharply as soon as they were dropped down the floor.

"Ow, ow, ow..." Izumi muttered, massaging her sore arm. She ignored the pain in her buttocks as she hoisted herself up. She helped the other two up as well.

"I won't lay a hand on the boss's guests," was what Izumi heard the teacher grumble.

"Uh, hey, Hanako, what's he...?" Kou trailed off, staring at his homeroom teacher.

"Oh! You haven't been introduced!" Hanako happily remembered. "School Mystery No. 5, "The 4PM Bookstacks". He's the curator, Tsuchigomori."

"You kids play nice, okay?" Izumi noticed a small white fox emerge from behind Tsuchigomori's foot. She tapped Nene's shoulders, whispering her question to her.

"Who's she?" Izumi whispered, discreetly pointing at the fox. Nene's eyes followed, smiling up at Izumi nervously.

"Her name is Yako-san of the Misaki Stairs. She's formerly School Mystery Number Two," Nene quietly explained, remembering the terror of the Misaki Stairs. Izumi nodded in understanding, but still curious about her being the former number two.

"I can't believe one of our teachers isn't human," Kou uttered out in disbelief, staring at the teacher above them.

"Well, it's not really that unusual," Izumi spoke, smiling slightly.

"There are, in fact, quite a few supernaturals who have chosen to blend in with humans," Tsuchigomori then started explaining more, but Izumi couldn't be bothered to listen to him. Nene gave both the teacher and Izumi a worried look.

"But, doesn't that mean we're in danger?" Nene asked. Izumi ruffled her hair, smiling as she do so.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Hanako started, gaining the three's attention. "We're here to make sure no one gets hurt."

"We are the school's seven mysteries!" Hanako enthusiastically started. Izumi wondered how he was like that all the time.

"...We supervise all the supernaturals that exist in the school..." the two toned teacher continued flatly. He knew Izumi would tease him about it later.

"...And maintain proper relations between people and supernaturals," the small fox, Yako, ended. Izumi chuckled at their tones.

"And, of course, Izumi-chan here is the protector of both humans and supernaturals alike," Izumi was pulled along with the enthusiastic bathroom ghost, leaving her dumbfounded.

"Well, the short version is— we do scare people, buuut..." Hanako dragged on. "We're a team of eight friends fighting on the side of justice to keep peace at the school. And I'm the leader!"

"But there're only four of you," Kou pointed out. Izumi nudged Tsuchigomori beside her.

"When was I involved in this?" She quietly asked him, feeling a bead of sweat roll down her forehead. The tall man only shrugged as an answer.

"And Yako-san was attacking students just a little while ago..." Nene said, her eyes looking at the fox. Izumi looking at the fox as well, curious as to what she had done.

"She's talking about you, stupid fox," the two toned man glanced at Yako.

"Shut up, emo spider! I'm gonna chew you to pieces!"