《Chronicles of the Paranormal》 Chapter 1 Chronicles of the Paranormal Chapter 1 It¡¯s nothing more than a hallucination. If you don¡¯t acknowledge its existence, it¡¯s like it¡¯s not even there in the first place. This was the thought of Takada Kotone as she vigorously brushed her teeth that Wednesday morning while glaring at something in the mirror. Her own reflection stared back at her, of course, revealing a tall teenager with an oval face, a short straight nose, a well trained physique, and lovely tresses of long brunette hair. Her sharp brown eyes invoked a challenge towards the mirror, or rather something in the mirror. A pallid reflection in the upper corner of the mirror floated wistfully towards the ceiling, watching Kotone perform her morning duties. Kotone closed her eyes. It was obviously a hallucination, a byproduct of her half-dreaming musings as she slowly woke up. Not real. She was tired from last night, that had to be it. Nevertheless, that blurred image ¨C a lithe pale girl with owlish cerulean eyes, two long black braids that dangled to her shoulder, and slightly large ears ¨C remained in her peripheral vision. Kotone let out a laugh, then put a hand upon her brow and shook her head. Her heart beat in a steady rhythm, her hand felt no heat upon her brow, and her blood pressure and vitals seemed normal. It had to be a product of her imagination. It was a bright and sunny day with the sakura blossoms in bloom, with nothing strange occurring otherwise. No one else in the household had acknowledged this spirit. ¡°You¡¯re not so easily spooked by this, are you?¡± Kotone directed at her reflection. ¡°Let¡¯s be rational. There¡¯s no such thing as spirits or ghosts. I thought you were a tougher girl than this, Takada Kotone. You gotta shape up and confront your problems head on. This hallucination isn¡¯t your real problem. It¡¯s you overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion and insisting you don¡¯t need any sleep whatsoever, despite the fact that every functional human being needs at least eight hours a sleep a day.¡± Kotone spit into the sink and washed it down the drain. Then she meticulously combed sections of her hair into sleek perfection with a perfectly symmetrical part in the middle. Her straight part through the middle was her trademark feature. Yet when she stared at her reflection in the mirror, the ghost was still there. Wait, was it making faces at her? She frowned, twisted around, and hurled her hairbrush at the lingering specter. The hairbrush clattered against the wall then banged down to the floor. Kotone winced then let out a heavy sigh. Of course it would phase through. ¡°Oh sure, since I¡¯m dead, it¡¯s alright to throw things at me,¡± the ghost said. ¡°Twenty points if you throw it through my stomach. Fifty points if you throw it through my head. Who am I, Moaning Myrtle? Just because I¡¯m dead doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t have feelings!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not real,¡± Kotone muttered before washing her face. The cold water upon her face was a welcome relief, though that relief dissipated when the spirit hovered next to and touched her. Kotone¡¯s skin tightened. Just a temperature shift in the room, nothing more, she told herself. There wasn¡¯t a ghost floating next to her or talking to her. That was just silly. Irrational. Kotone exited the bathroom and went to grab a quick breakfast before she left for school. She was punctual, as usual, as punctuality was a feature she admired. When she went downstairs to the kitchen, her father was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. He glanced up from the news and crinkled his eyes in affection towards her. ¡°Good morning, Kotone. How are you doing today?¡± ¡°Just fine. I¡¯m getting a quick breakfast before I head towards school. I¡¯ll also be walking Megumi to school today.¡± ¡°You go do that,¡± her father said before returning to his newspaper. He furrowed his brow as a cold draft coursed through the room. ¡°Chilly, isn¡¯t it? The weather does say that we should be expecting rain soon.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said before popping a piece of toast into her mouth. Once she finished it, she bowed towards her father. ¡°Goodbye, Father. I¡¯m heading off.¡± He nodded farewell and she made her way towards Megumi¡¯s house. The neighborhood had cozy square homes with street walls surrounding their perimeters. Kotone followed the corridors of the stone walls that went towards Megumi¡¯s house, passing by persimmon, orange, and pear trees with low-hanging boughs ripe with fermented citrus and fruit along the way. To a foreigner all the street walls hovering above would have been disorienting, though Kotone found them comforting and enjoyed the maze-like structure. It brought a sense of order and privacy into the neighborhood. Megumi waited for her just outside her modest home. She waved happily towards Kotone as she approached. Megumi was far shorter in stature than Kotone. Her large eyes were emerald green and they bore babydoll lashes. A cute button nose was at the center of her face, which other people often commented on and how it lent her an adorable appearance, along with her heart-shaped face that was cherubic in quality and in demeanor. Her hair was dyed fox gold orange and pulled into pigtails which swayed with each movement of her head as she chattered on about the latest horoscope she gleaned from the most recent magazine that she followed. ¡°Today¡¯s horoscope is very promising today,¡± Megumi said as she read the astrology paper that she had clenched in her hands. ¡°A Gemini like me will have influence over other people today, talking about my ideas and persuading others to see my point of view. As for you, it says that you, as an Aries, are subject to an eclipse. The eclipse is to bring your attention to important matters that you¡¯ve ignored in your life, or things you¡¯ve known about but haven¡¯t acknowledged. Make sure to take advantage of this opportunity for self-realization.¡± ¡°What a bunch of crap,¡± Kotone said. ¡°Astrology is nothing more than a hoax full of generalized statements to make people believe that what they¡¯re saying is true, that their predictions are right, and that your life is dictated by the stars. I, for one, am in charge of my own life, and I won¡¯t let some silly astrology paper tell me what I¡¯m supposed to do with my life.¡± ¡°Oh, Kotone-chan.¡± Megumi clenched tighter onto the papers. ¡°But what if the astrology paper is telling the truth? You dismiss it as something trivial, but I think there are greater powers at work here. I mean, the universe is receptive to your wants and needs, so you should open up to it and live the life that you want.¡± Kotone rolled her eyes hard. ¡°Oh come on. I don¡¯t believe in asinine astrology or New Age nonsense that you do. If the universe really did deliver on its promises, I would be rich and a well-respected young woman known throughout the world, but as you can see, that hasn¡¯t happened. No, I won¡¯t wait on the universe to grant my wishes. It¡¯s up to me to grant my wishes.¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t I tell you this.¡± Megumi folded her hands behind her back and walked in front of Kotone, keeping her gaze level to Kotone¡¯s. ¡°There was another part to that horoscope as well. It said that you will meet someone very important, and the person in question will become a huge part of your life. Sounds like romance, no?¡± ¡°I have no interest in romance. It¡¯s absolutely ridiculous. I have other priorities in my life.¡± ¡°Think on it.¡± Kotone let out a sigh. ¡°What complete and utter crap.¡± They both arrived at school without incident. The weird hallucination that haunted Kotone¡¯s mind started to fade away from her consciousness as she made her way into the classroom. Now this was more her element, as an industrious worker and class president. There was work that needed to be done, and Kotone would fulfill her duties. The teacher cleared his throat before making an announcement. ¡°Class, we have a new student transferring into our school today. I would like for you all to welcome her and make her feel comfortable at this school. So, let me introduce you to our new transfer student.¡± A petite girl who was shorter in stature than even Megumi entered through the door. She had large rounded eyes that were silvery blue in coloration and appeared lethargic in their apathetic gaze. Her short-cropped white hair framed a slightly rounded face, and the nose was rather pointed, though it didn¡¯t seem to ruin the aesthetics of her face, which was generally pleasing to the eye. However, there seemed to be a lack of emotion upon the girl¡¯s face, lending her a doll-like appearance. Coupled with her lithe build, it made Kotone think of the Faye that populated European literature.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. She stood in front of the blackboard, where their teacher wrote her name in kanji. The kanji on the board read Natsume Ayano. ¡°Good morning, my name is Natsume Ayano,¡± the transfer student said, her voice curiously flat. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all. I hope that we can get along.¡± The other students murmured amongst themselves about how cute the transfer student was. However, some of the students whispered that there was something odd about Ayano, that they couldn¡¯t quite put their finger on it. They also noted Ayano¡¯s white hair, which some students seemed to like the aesthetics of and others seemed to be creeped out by it. ¡°Takada-san, can I entrust you with the duties of showing Ayano around the school and introducing her to everybody?¡± their teacher asked. ¡°That I can do,¡± Kotone said with a nod of her head. Business as usual. The teacher instructed Ayano towards the empty seat next to Kotone, where she was to sit. As she closed in, Kotone squinted her eyes. There was a white aura emanating off of her. Didn¡¯t anybody else see what Kotone could? None of the other students commented on it. It had to be another hallucination. She really needed to get more rest. Kotone put on a pleasant smile and extended a hand towards the transfer student. ¡°I am Takada Kotone. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Ayano fixed her silvery blues on Kotone and took in as much as she could. Kotone meanwhile averted her gaze for once, unable to stare any longer at her. ¡°Nice to meet you, Takada-san,¡± Ayano finally said. ¡°Please treat me well.¡± After that, class went into session. Kotone took out her notes and pencils. She glanced towards Ayano, and saw the white aura still emanating from her being. Kotone blinked, yet it was still there. Then she surveyed the classroom. Ayano was the only one with an aura. And glancing at her was like peering into the sun. Something about it made her whirl. Kotone put a hand to her head, shook it off, and returned back to her notes. She tried her best to remain focused on the lesson, but something about Ayano was bothering her. Why was she seeing this aura, and the other students weren¡¯t? Why was it focused only on Ayano? Everyone else appeared normal. Whatever it was, it piqued Kotone¡¯s curiosity despite of herself, and she stole a peek at Ayano one final time. The aura seemed to grow even brighter and Kotone¡¯s cranium pounded harder than before. She Kotone then focused on her notes again, and the headache disappeared. Strangely, she got headaches when she stared at Ayano--or the aura, or whatever it was. Or maybe it was just because she didn¡¯t get enough rest, though a lingering doubt settled in the back of her mind. Wouldn¡¯t the rest of the students have ¡®auras¡¯ around them if she were hallucinating things, and wouldn¡¯t the headaches continue to be prolonged even after she glanced away from someone? When the bell finally rang and signified lunch time, Kotone let out a sigh of relief. Kotone gestured for Ayano to follow her, and she did so. They made their way towards the school roof, where Megumi and Kotone usually ate their lunches together. Megumi waited for the two of them at the school roof, having prepared two bento boxes--one for herself, and one for Kotone. Kotone accepted hers gratefully. Inside Kotone¡¯ bento were hot dogs shaped like octopuses, apples shaped like rabbits, some sushi rolls, and omelette rice. Kotone smiled a little at Megumi before saying, ¡°You out did yourself this time, Megumi.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad that you like my lunches!¡± Megumi said with a smile as she opened up her own bento, which mirrored Kotone¡¯s. ¡°I put extra love in them! Though let¡¯s see, Ayano-chan, what do you have in your bento?¡± Ayano lifted the lid of her bento box to reveal a bunch of white rice with an umeboshi dead in the center. It was definitely not like the elaborate lunches that Megumi made, though Kotone supposed she couldn¡¯t blame Ayano for making such a simple lunch. The only extent of Kotone¡¯s cooking ability was onigiri, and she sometimes salted them way too much for other people¡¯s liking. ¡°Only white rice and an umeboshi?¡± Megumi said while she peered into Ayano¡¯s lunch. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to share some of mine, Ayano-chan? You¡¯re welcome to it, if you¡¯d like!¡± ¡°I prefer simple foods.¡± Ayano plucked the umeboshi from the center with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth. ¡°I prefer white rice and eggs. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Megumi said, her smile unfazed. ¡°Well if you ever want me to make you lunch, then I would be happy to do it.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Ayano said. Megumi nodded and they continued to eat their lunches. During this time, Kotone remained silent, as her headache from earlier only grew and expanded into a pulsing nightmare. Kotone put a hand to her forehead, before putting it down again. She couldn''t waver and show any signs of weakness in front of the new student. She needed to make a good impression, headache or no. ¡°So Kotone-chan,¡± Megumi said after she finished chewing a hot dog, ¡°was there anything you were ignoring so far today?¡± Kotone sighed. Megumi was still going on about the horoscope. ¡°I haven¡¯t had any major revelations, so there¡¯s nothing to report.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s a shame. I was hoping that I would be able to persuade you, because my own horoscope hasn¡¯t come up yet today. I¡¯m not giving up yet, though! The day is still young!¡± ¡°How very interesting,¡± Ayano said. ¡°What else did the horoscope say, Megumi-san?¡± Megumi¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°You¡¯re interested in the supernatural as well, Ayano-chan?!¡± ¡°You could say I¡¯m a specialist.¡± Ayano glanced towards Kotone, who averted her gaze once more. Kotone continued to struggle against the pounding that afflicted her. The most she could muster in relation to the conversation was the rolling of her eyes. It seemed Megumi and Ayano would get along just fine with one another, since they both were paranormal nuts. ¡®However, I don¡¯t believe that horoscopes are really reliable,¡± Ayano went on. ¡°Oh really?¡± Megumi took an apple rabbit and bit into it. ¡°Most people don¡¯t believe in horoscopes and predetermined destinies, but I find the entire idea romantic. The universe has everything planned out for each individual, and that also means there are some people that are destined to be lovers with one another, and then they continually reincarnate in several lifetimes and always find themselves with one another again. Why is that? The red string of fate, of course. Don¡¯t you just find that kind of stuff so amazing? A soulmate. Someone who is a part of you and completes you.¡± ¡°There is no such thing as a soulmate,¡± Ayano said. ¡°There are souls that you feel a connection to, yes, though there are some souls that are connected to a wide variety of other souls, and different souls could be one¡¯s ¡®soulmate¡¯ in one lifetime and there might be another soul in the next. That¡¯s just how the cycle goes. The idea of soulmates is just a romantic¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°Ooh, you seem to have a lot of thoughts on the matter, Ayano-chan,¡± Megumi said with a smile. ¡°So what kinds of things are you into?¡± ¡°I do fortune-telling for a living,¡± Ayano said. ¡°Fortune-telling? That¡¯s so cool! Can you tell me my fortune, please?¡± While Megumi and Ayano conversed with one another, Kotone¡¯s head thickened more and more. The white aura from Ayano only made it pulsate even worse. She couldn¡¯t even look directly at Ayano anymore. Kotone closed her eyes. I can overcome this. Impossible becomes ¡®I¡¯m possible¡¯ if you put an apostrophe in there. I can make this stupid headache go away! When she opened her eyes, the aura was gone and the throbbing stopped. Ayano directed a wry smile towards Kotone, who shivered in response. What did that smile possibly mean? Why did Ayano smirk at her like that? Whatever it was, she must¡¯ve made some kind of impression on Ayano, as Ayano gave a subtle nod towards Kotone¡¯s direction before finishing off the rest of her rice. After lunch, with the headache gone, Kotone could concentrate more on her studies. She went through her classes dutifully, from Math to Science and English class. She wrote down theorems and equations and vocabulary words in separate notebooks that she categorized neatly into sections, and she even wrote down some extra notes and her own commentary on the notes themselves to help her better understand the material. She gave Ayano a tour of the school afterward. She showed her the various classrooms, the library, computer lab room, the art room, and various after. Ayano¡¯s expression remained stoic the entire time, and Kotone had to wonder if Ayano was even impressed at all. Still, the day proceeded as normally after that, and when it came time to go home, Kotone packed her notebooks and material into her backpack and started to head back home. She escorted Megumi back home and waved goodbye towards her friend, before heading towards her house. When she entered inside, she took off her shoes and greeted her parents while she entered through. Then she made her way into the room, where she was prepared to study, though something unexpected that threw her off. The hallucination from earlier was still there. Why was she still seeing this silly hallucination? It wasn¡¯t real. She really needed to make sure she got proper sleep tonight instead of pulling another all-nighter. ¡°C-Could...could you help me please?¡± the ghost said, her eyes fixated on the ground. So now it was talking to her. Great. She really needed to do something about this. ¡°You¡¯re not real,¡± Kotone muttered as she went to her desk and pulled out her notebooks for English. She looked up the vocabulary words then wrote down the words that she needed to know along with their definitions on a sheet of paper. Then she transferred these notes onto notecards, with the English word on one side and the Japanese definition on the other side. ¡°Please!¡± a voice said right in her ear. ¡°I need your help! Only you can possibly help me with this. Help me, please, I¡¯m begging you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not real!¡± Kotone said before swatting at the ghost. Her hand struck against a chill spot in the air and sent the spirit soaring through the wall. Kotone held her breath for a few moments. She only let out a pent up sigh of relief when the hallucination didn¡¯t return. ¡°Kotone-chan? Are you alright?¡± her mother called up from downstairs. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom,¡± Kotone said, flushing a little. She must¡¯ve been louder than she thought. At any rate, enough was enough. She needed proper sleep to regulate her biorhythms and hopefully get rid of the hallucinations permanently. Yes, sleep sounded good right now; and by tomorrow, she would be free of all hallucinations. Or at least that¡¯s what she believed. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Kotone woke up that morning to find the ghost hovering over her. She closed her eyes again. Was she dreaming? She had to be. It was the only rational explanation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but please, I need your help!¡± said the ghost. ¡°I really, really need your help! I wouldn¡¯t bother you otherwise, but this is really important, and you¡¯re the only person who can do this for me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not real!¡± Kotone shouted at the ghost. ¡°Stop bothering me and go away already!¡± ¡°Please, just listen to what I have to say! I¡¯ve been searching everywhere for a solution an-¡± ¡°No!¡± Kotone said before she lashed out at the ghost again. Again it went flying through the wall. After that incident, Kotone undressed from her pajamas and put on her sailor uniform, complete with the shirt, skirt, tie, and stockings that went with it. Once she was satisfied that the tie was knotted correctly in place and there was not a wrinkle anywhere to be found on her dress, Kotone ate a quick breakfast and went outside to meet up with Megumi, who was cheerily waving at her, as always. ¡°Hey Kotone-chan! How are you this morning?¡± ¡°Much better. I¡¯m feeling charged up to do important things today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Megumi said, and they began walking towards the school together. ¡°So how was your night?¡± Kotone asked to spur on a conversation with her friend. ¡°Oh uh, you know, studying...the character dynamics in the various anime that I watch late at night?¡± Megumi said with a goofy smile on her face. ¡°Oh, and did I tell you that Ayano-chan told my fortune? Everything was 100% correct! She even predicted the twists in the newest anime that were airing, as well! Isn¡¯t that cool?¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say that it¡¯s particularly amazing. Anime has become increasingly more predictable these days. Fortune-telling is a just scam that other people try to persuade other people into believing to make money off of them. There¡¯s no such thing as being able to predict the future, that¡¯s just silly.¡± A draft whirled out of nowhere, and Kotone braced herself against the freak wind. Her hair streamed behind her, messing up the straight part she carefully combed. Her eyes then widened and she glanced down. She was wearing a skirt. The wind lifted up her skirt for all the world to see. A flush crept across Kotone¡¯s cheeks, staining her cheeks a deep crimson red despite the fact she tried to remain as dignified as possible. She cleared her throat when she noticed Ayano approaching her. ¡°That¡¯s fancy underwear that you¡¯re wearing, Kotone-san,¡± Ayano said. ¡°S-Shut up!¡± Her cheeks reddened considerably. ¡°Ufufufufufu¡­¡± A prominent chord stood out. Kotone¡¯s eyes narrowed then darted back and forth between the white-haired girl and the seemingly empty space behind her. ¡°Ufufufu!¡± Kotone gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fists. It¡¯s probably that damned ghost from before. She shook her head. No, even if there was a ghost - which there most certainly wasn¡¯t - she had another matter to attend to, such as the strange girl that caught her in an inopportune moment. ¡°Good morning, Ayano-chan!¡± Megumi said. ¡°Good morning. May I walk with you to school?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Megumi said. ¡°The more the merrier, right, Kotone-chan?¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯ll do no harm. Do what you like.¡± Megumi wrapped her arms around Ayano¡¯s shoulders and clasped her tight against her. ¡°Thank you so much for telling my fortune yesterday! You¡¯re like the most adorable fortune-teller ever!¡± ¡°My tiny size is full of concentrated cuteness,¡± Ayano said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she look just like a pretty little porcelain doll, Kotone-chan?¡± Kotone rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure, whatever.¡± Kotone muttered something under her breath, still fuming about Ayano seeing her black laced panties. But it wasn¡¯t enough for Kotone to acknowledge the spirit¡¯s existence. Ghosts simply didn¡¯t exist. What just happened was just an unfortunate incident. She would fix that soon enough. After all, she, Takada Kotone, was an industrious worker. Once they made it to class, Kotone straightened into her seat and took out her notebooks and pencil. She would remind Ayano that she was a competent class president, that she knew her stuff, that she was an intelligent and well-educated young woman who was serious about her career. ¡°Today we¡¯re going to learn about mitosis,¡± the teacher explained as he wrote down notes on the whiteboard. ¡°Mitosis the process of nuclear cell division. The nucleus of the cell divides, resulting into two sets of chromosomes¡­ And is so¡­.¡± Kotone went to write her notes down, but her pencil snapped cleanly in half. She ground her teeth together. A tic started to form in her right eye, though she took a deep breath. She had to keep her composure; it was a school environment, after all. She got out another pencil, but it too snapped when she tried to write down the notes. She swore something underneath her breath. ¡°Ufufufu...how do you like that?¡± said the ghost. Kotone took out a pen and scrawled some notes down on a fresh sheet of notebook paper. Success! The pen didn¡¯t snap! She allowed herself a quick smile. Ghost or no ghost, she would not be outwitted. Her victory, however, was short lived. Her seat collapsed on one side, nearly toppling her over onto the white tile floor. Her hands slammed onto the desktop to brace herself from falling. This was just a minor setback. She still had things under control. She just needed to keep calm and maintain her dignity throughout this trial. Yet the desk itself unhinged and collapsed onto the floor with a crash. Kotone knocked her head dead center in the middle of the desk. Her brain whirled in ever decreasing circles. What in the name of God, Buddha, or whatever entity out there had some vendetta against her for her lack of faith? She didn¡¯t deserve this! The seat made one final wobble before it too unhinged and collapsed. Kotone¡¯s bottom bumped the floor. A jolt shot up on her tailbone. ¡°Takada-san, are you alright?¡± asked the teacher. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Except for her broken dignity. A series of unfortunate events happening one after another. She just couldn¡¯t catch a break. Nevertheless, she had to remain calm. After all, she was the model student and class president. Kotone caught a fleeting smile on Ayano¡¯s lips. Was Ayano laughing at her misfortune? Her cheeks reddened again. Ayano would forever remember her as the girl whose skirt got flipped by a freak wind and wears fancy underwear. ¡°Takada-san, we will replace your desk and chair as soon as possible. For now, go to the infirmary and see if there are any bruises that need mended,¡± the teacher advised. Kotone made her way towards the infirmary, where she explained the situation about a collapsing desk and chair. The nurse clucked her tongue sympathetically and bid Kotone rest a little while. She folded her hands upon her chest and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there was the ghost, floating above her. Her smile was that of a cat who caught a canary. ¡°Did you like my little performance back there? I could do all sorts of things with my ghostly powers. I wonder what I should do next¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being a nuisance.¡± She threw an arm across her eyes. ¡°Oh, I could be even worse than that. I could get nastier. Pretty soon I will be throwing furniture around the room, causing heavy machinery to accidentally drop on you when you least suspect it and flickering the lights on and off. I could do those things, you know, but I haven¡¯t needed to go to drastic measures.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A sigh escaped from her lips. ¡°What do you want from me? If you want me to say that you¡¯re real, then you¡¯re real. You¡¯ve proven your point.¡± The ghost floated down to the floor and put a spectral hand against Kotone¡¯s bedside. ¡°What I want is to move on from this place.¡± ¡°And how do you expect me to help you? Couldn¡¯t you have gone to a shrine and have some spiritualist purify you or whatever? I don¡¯t dabble in the supernatural.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exactly enter a shrine because I¡¯ve committed a great crime in the spiritual world and you¡¯ve drawn me.¡± ¡°What crime?¡± The ghost averted her gaze and tugged at her braid. Was it Kotone¡¯s imagination, or did the ghost shrink to a smaller size. The ghost paused for a moment, realized what she was doing and cleared her throat. ¡°...I¡­ I committed suicide.¡± Kotone¡¯s stomach churned when the ghost mentioned her suicide. The ghost must have summoned up a lot of courage to say that to her. Damn it! She had been so insensitive this entire time! She could¡¯ve listened to the ghost in the first place, but she was so adamant against acknowledging the supernatural. Sometimes, Kotone¡¯s stubborn nature got the best of her. Still, she was no spiritualist. She was simply an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl that wanted to become a lawyer in America. Just what exactly could she do for this poor spirit? Even if she now acknowledged that the ghost girl was real, that didn¡¯t make her an expert on the paranormal or ghosts. She dealt with the rational waking world rather than the deep subconscious of cyclopean menageries that dominated dreams. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can do, but I¡¯ll try to help you,¡± Kotone decided. ¡°I¡¯ll try to think of a solution after school. But no more ghostly business!¡± Hana put a hand to her face, eyes wide and shimmering. ¡°I¡¯m in your debt, truly. I shall leave you alone for now and let you think of how to let me pass on.¡± The ghost girl then faded away into the background, blending into the colors of her surroundings. Kotone blinked, then shook her head. Just what was she going to do? --x-- Kotone left school around 2:30 pm after catching up on her lost notes from Megumi. She thanked her friend for being diligent about her note-taking this time, even though the notes had distracted drawings of flowers and hearts on them. Still, it was better than nothing. Once Megumi departed towards her house, Kotone felt a tug at the sleeve of her uniform. She turned to see little Ayano glancing up at her. ¡°Can we talk a moment, Kotone-san?¡± Kotone nodded. Just what she needed. If the girl really was a specialist in the supernatural, then she would prove to be a helpful ally. Kotone followed after her, preparing questions in her mind as they walked. The area they went to was renowned for its parks, which were full of greenery and lush life that the elderly in the neighborhood enjoyed spending their days there, along with the fresh clean air that embodied the atmosphere. Kotone would sometimes wander to these parks to clear her head and think. Ayano sat on one of the empty swings in the park, swinging back and forth. ¡°You can see ghosts, can¡¯t you?¡± Kotone¡¯s muscles turned rigid and her feet became rooted to the spot. She paused, uncertain on how to best respond. Should she tell the truth, or should she come up with an evasive answer? Could she see the ghost as well? That was one thing that they shared in common if it turned out to be true. ¡°Yes,¡± Kotone finally answered. ¡°I know the name of the ghost that is following you,¡± Ayano announced, her expression rather calm. ¡°Hana Yurizuka.¡± ¡°Really now?¡± Kotone said and then a pain formed in the back of her throat. She never even asked for the ghost¡¯s name. Who exactly was Hana Yurizuka? Why did she commit suicide? Had she been bullied to the breaking point? Did she simply get tired of living? Did something traumatize her so much that she believed that suicide was the only way out? Or did she lose everything that she had in life? Whatever it was, it made her stomach twist in knots. ¡°I can help you, if you wish,¡± Ayano said. ¡°You can?¡± Ayano nodded. ¡°I have a lot of experience with the paranormal. I have come to give you a forewarning, Takada Kotone.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± Ayano turned to look at the infinite blue skies above them then glanced at Kotone with a somewhat sad gaze. Did the girl pity her? Did this girl, someone she hardly knew, actually pity her? ¡°There are so many futures and possibilities,¡± Ayano softly explained. ¡°Overlapping one another, interweaving, converging and diverging into two different timelines, sometimes, three, four, and then they all merge together again. I¡¯m not sure how to explain it all to you in this short amount of time. But your life is in danger, and I must do everything within my power to make sure that you survive. You are an important piece in all of this, my Catalyst.¡± ¡°My life is in danger? Everyone¡¯s life is always in peril the day that they¡¯re born. And you know what we do about it? We just live life the best we can, struggle through each second to second, make it through each day, rinse and repeat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s admirable, but don¡¯t be so hasty in risking your life. Your spiritual powers are awakening. That means more entities and the like will be attracted to you. I know that your heart is set on helping Hana, but once you delve into the paranormal, there¡¯s no going back to a normal life.¡± Kotone flinched upon hearing Ayano¡¯s words. Would she no longer be able to live a normal life? She wasn¡¯t cruel enough to refuse help to someone who desperately needed it, though she wanted to live free of ghosts and spirits and the like. Hana was supposed to be a one-time thing. ¡°Why is this happening to me?¡± Kotone asked. Ayano gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re my Catalyst.¡± ¡°Catalyst? What does that even mean?!¡± ¡°It means that you can change the fates and destinies of others. I myself am an Oracle. I can see the different timelines and possibilities that a future may hold. It¡¯s constantly shifting, ever-changing, though, with you, I cannot see your future at all. You¡¯re very interesting, Takada Kotone.¡± ¡°Why me, of all people!? Why do I have these spiritual powers? Why are these supernatural entities attracted to me?¡± ¡°You always had these great powers of yours. It¡¯s just your stubborn nature and refusal to believe in the supernatural prevented you from seeing the spirits and ghosts that follow you around.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t changed at all! That¡¯s ridiculous! What you¡¯re saying is complete nonsense and I¡¯m not going to stand for it! I¡¯ve always been the same that I¡¯ve always been, nothing¡¯s changed. Even if these paranormal things are happening, I¡¯m still me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed whether you acknowledge it or not. You are my Catalyst. It¡¯s as simple as that. Whether or not you¡¯ll prove worthy is a different matter, though I¡¯ll give you some time to adjust. It is a rather life-changing experience, knowing that you can see ghosts and learning more about the spiritual world.¡± Kotone paused for a moment and reconsidered everything that Ayano said. Then she stiffened. ¡°Today¡¯s horoscope is very promising today. A Gemini like me will have influence over other people today, talking about my ideas and persuading others to see my point of view. As for you, it says that you, as an Aries, are subject to an eclipse. The eclipse is to bring your attention to important matters that you¡¯ve ignored in your life, or things you¡¯ve known about but hasn¡¯t acknowledged. Make sure to take advantage of this opportunity for self-realization.¡± Could it have been Megumi who changed her? Megumi¡¯s unwavering enthusiasm about the paranormal led to Kotone hearing about all kinds of horoscopes that were dictated by the stars, mysterious unidentified animals, good luck charms, and more. Did all of that have an impact on her thinking? It was too eerily accurate to be a complete coincidence, perhaps, though that¡¯s probably all that it was. Maybe for a moment she foolishly believed in what Megumi had to say, and now that Ayano was telling her about all this, she was being subtly manipulated into believing these things were true and real. ¡°You can reveal yourself now,¡± Ayano said as she turned her gaze towards a seemingly empty space in the park. ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention of harming you.¡± The air shimmered and then the ghost girl from earlier materialized into being. A downcast expression was on Hana¡¯s face. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Hana said while bowing towards Ayano several times. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t help but listen in. Though I suppose you knew I was here the entire time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Oracle, most people can¡¯t keep things hidden from me,¡± Ayano said. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re going to put you to rest. But first, I must ask you one thing: Why did you commit suicide? Suicide is a permanent thing to a temporary situation. And you definitely left a mess behind for people to clean up afterward.¡± ¡°Ayano-san, are you trying to make her feel worse about herself?!" Ayano glanced towards Kotone then settled her gaze on the ghost, who was now wringing her hands. ¡°Suicide is a high crime in the spiritual world.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s supposedly a high crime in the spiritual world, that was still pretty rude. Honestly, have some compassion for the poor girl. She has her reasons, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for what I said. It¡¯s the truth, and I believe in telling the truth, no matter how harsh it may seem.¡± Kotone bristled at Ayano¡¯s response, though she took a few breaths to ease her nerves. What she needed now was answers, answers that she could only acquire from this girl. ¡°So there¡¯s a spiritual world after death?¡± Kotone folded her arms. ¡°What is that like?¡± ¡°There is an influx of souls that are waiting to be reincarnated into their next life, or being judged for their crimes,¡± Ayano explained. ¡°What happens to souls that commit suicide?¡± ¡°They usually have to serve some karmic debt by performing deeds to pay off for their sins. They have to raise spiritual currency in order to reincarnate into their next life and hopefully not make the same mistake that they did before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Hana said as she looked down onto the ground. ¡°Sometimes souls are judged whether they go to reincarnate or whether they stay in the void for spiritual reflection. I wanted to pay off my karmic debts, though I was afraid that I would be sent to the void at first to confront my past and the reason for my suicide.¡± ¡°Reincarnate or go into The Void, huh?¡± Kotone said. ¡°What¡¯s The Void?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you would call going to Heaven or Hell, I suppose,¡± Ayano said. ¡°That¡¯s just a simpler way of putting it rather than saying reincarnation or being sent to the void. The spiritual court determines where you go after you explain your situation to them.¡± ¡°Spiritual court...?¡± Kotone perked up a bit. ¡°Is there any way to travel to the spirit world if you¡¯re still living?¡± ¡°There is a way,¡± Ayano answered. ¡°It involves complicated magic that converts the person into ectoplasm temporarily to traverse the intangible world.¡± ¡°What happens if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± Ayano smiled grimly. ¡°You could only become partially converted, which isn¡¯t a pretty sight. When someone tried to Portal without the proper precautions, they found pieces of him scattered throughout seven parts of the world.¡± Kotone¡¯s hands trembled. Being found a mass of scattered body parts that had been dissolved or seemingly liquefied into a mysterious substance would not be a pretty picture at all. Still, she needed to go through with this. Even if the consequences were dire, she was no coward. She wouldn¡¯t shy away from something like this if it meant helping a person who desperately needed it. ¡°Why don¡¯t I do this for you, then, Hana?¡± Kotone said. ¡°Why don¡¯t I go to this spiritual court myself and act as your advocate to prevent you from going to the void? I can make some convincing arguments in your case.¡± ¡°You¡¯d really do that? For me?¡± Kotone nodded. Hana smiled at this. ¡°Alright, I shall tell you my story.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Hana met her in the piano room at school, playing Clair De Lune with an elegant grace that awoke deep buried feelings within Hana that she thought she suppressed long ago. Such a melancholy song. Yet, Hana found herself drawn to the piano room. A tall, slender girl with a heart-shaped face, aristocratic nose, and longer fingers was sitting at the piano bench, enraptured within the song that she played. The floorboards underneath Hana¡¯s shoes creaked. The beautiful girl stopped playing and regarded Hana. Hana blushed. It was as if a spotlight centered itself on her, exposing her. She stared down at the ground and looked anywhere except for the other girl. ¡°You are Hana-san, aren¡¯t you?¡± the girl asked. Hana let out a barely perceptible squeak which meant yes, and then went to play with one of the braids that hung over her shoulders. God, she probably looked so stupid right now, and she was sure that the other girl marked her off as weird or boring or creepy. ¡°I see,¡± the other girl said. ¡°My name is Misaki. I¡¯ve seen you scurry around the school sometimes with your head down and rushing to classes without saying hello to anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good at making friends,¡± Hana whispered. ¡°People think that I¡¯m weird and creepy.¡± ¡°What I think is that you should stand proud and tall. Look people in the eye.¡± Misaki smiled gently at her. Hana¡¯s heart flutter a beat inside her throat. The other girl put a reassuring hand on Hana¡¯s shoulder, and Hana managed to look at Misaki in the eye. ¡°I heard you playing the piano,¡± Hana said. ¡°I was just curious to see who was playing.¡± ¡°Is there a particular piece that you wanted to hear?¡± ¡°A tragic song. I like those the best.¡± ¡°A tragic song, huh?¡± Misaki made her way to the piano bench, spread her fingers across the ebony and ivory keys, and played Ave Maria Schubert. There was something almost nostalgic in the sonorous notes reverberating throughout the darkened room. Hana felt the vibrations of emotion thrum as Misaki¡¯s hands effortlessly scaled across the piano in grand flourishes and sweeping gestures. She closed her eyes and receded back into a meditative trance that drifted her away from reality and into her own personal world. Swaying in rhythm to the music, moved by an internal metronome as essential to her as her circadian rhythm, a light-hearted and light-headed sensation of flight alleviated her depressive spirit. Each note resonated with the depth of her pathos personified as passion. Misaki didn¡¯t need words to express them; music alone was enough. She pored through every note, each one pulsing like a heartbeat. Hana foolishly thought that Misaki conveyed the sincerity of her tone, the resonance of her love, her soul, to her. Her heart rose and fell with each lilting note, visualizing sensations rather than imagery. Hana never visualized well; she was an emotional creature, and she felt that emotions contained more vibrancy and life than colors ever could. Once Misaki finished playing, Hana found herself so entranced with the wonders of the beautiful song that she barely heard what Misaki said. She snapped out of her daze and asked, ¡°What did you say, Misaki-san?¡± ¡°I love the piano because you can express so many emotions through the notes. I always feel that I can convey myself better through music rather than words.¡± ¡°I felt like I could understand you while you were playing that music,¡± Hana said, looking down as she spoke. ¡°You certainly put your heart and soul into playing the piano. It must be nice, to have something to be devoted to whole-heartedly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything that you would pour your heart and soul into, Hana-san? Life isn¡¯t worth living if you don¡¯t have some kind of passion in your life.¡± Hana thought for a moment, and shook her head. There was nothing that she devoted herself to with as much dedication as Misaki did to the piano. She had no special talents, or so she felt. She was a plain-looking girl with no ambition, content to wander through life rather than pursue something meaningful. Sometimes Hana contemplated the meaning of her existence, and seemed to find it meaningless. Though something in Misaki¡¯s piano playing ignited a spark inside her, something that she never felt before. A warm glowing feeling inside her chest, where she was content with things and maybe buoyant with life. Somehow, Misaki¡¯s music reached deep into her heart, entranced her, luring her like the songs of sirens that lured sailors into the waters. ¡°I would like to hear you play again,¡± Hana said. Misaki gave her a brilliant smile. ¡°Of course. Come to the piano room anytime and I shall play whatever piece you would like.¡± --x-- Hana would come to the piano room everyday just to listen to Misaki playing. Every time, Hana felt that soaring sensation within her and a warm glow within her that erupted into a full-blown supernova. Hana dutifully made her way to the piano room every time Misaki was there, and Misaki would play the pieces that she liked, just as she promised. Once she familiarized herself with Misaki¡¯s music, Hana decided that she wanted to learn more and more about Misaki. Likewise, Misaki wanted to learn more about Hana, and this mutual friendship left Hana feeling a warm contentment that she gained a new friend. ¡°Hana-san,¡± Misaki said after she finished playing, ¡°would you like to give a try playing the piano?¡± Hana poked her two index fingers together. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to read the notes¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you. Come sit at the piano bench.¡± Hana did as she was told, and when she sat down, Misaki was standing right behind her, hovering her hands over her own. Hana blushed, though said nothing. Misaki then explained the notes for the left and right hands, and the keys that corresponded with each notes. The first song that Hana played with Misaki¡¯s guidance was a simple one, a little tune known as Mary Had A Little Lamb. First, Misaki played on top of her hands to guide her, though eventually Hana could play the tune without Misaki. When she discovered that she could play the piano, Hana beamed. ¡°You¡¯re a good teacher,¡± Hana said. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to impart knowledge to others,¡± Misaki said with a smile. ¡°The piano is a wonderful medium, isn¡¯t it? Do you understand what I mean when I said that you can express so many emotions through the notes?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I do.¡± ¡°I can teach you to play some more, if you like. You have a talent for it, Hana. Believe me. You could become even better than I am, if you practice.¡± Hana looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t think that I could be as good as you, Misaki-san.¡± ¡°Of course you can. You need more confidence in yourself. As long as you believe in yourself, you can do anything that you wanted. Remember that.¡± ¡°Misaki-san, you play like a professional. You could go somewhere with this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just someone who is passionate for music and grew up having instruments in the house.¡± ¡°You can play other instruments as well?¡± ¡°At home there is a violin, a flute, and a harp. And of course a piano. It¡¯s easier to learn how to play other instruments when you start with the piano, and you can branch off from there. What about you? Is there anything in particular that you like to do?¡± ¡°Well, I like to read, I guess, though I¡¯m not really all that book-smart. I know a few things here and there, but there¡¯s so much that I don¡¯t know. The more that I learn and read, I realize how much I don¡¯t know at all. I try to fill in all the gaps in my knowledge, but it¡¯s impossible.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°That¡¯s part of being humble and wise. Knowing that you don¡¯t know everything. There will always be gaps in knowledge, but it¡¯s more important that the knowledge that you do have is used properly. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right about that,¡± Hana said, smiling an intoxicated smile towards Misaki. ¡°And isn¡¯t it about experience and making connections?¡± ¡°Exactly. The piano has taught me many things. It taught me the basics for note-reading, which I could transfer to playing other instruments. Not only that, but the piano taught me how to express my emotions and feelings. It¡¯s something that I¡¯m passionate about, that I put my heart and soul into because I love music. Whenever I try to play the piano, I also try to paint pictures with notes. Didn¡¯t you find yourself imagining things while I was playing the piano?¡± ¡°I could picture moonlight reflecting across the lake when you played Claire de Lune. I saw it so vividly inside my head. It was amazing. You really do paint pictures with notes.¡± ¡°Thank you. I wasn¡¯t always good at the piano, though,¡± Misaki said while folding her hands in her lap. ¡°I one time composed a piece for my mother when I was little. I put everything that I had into that song, though once I played the piece on the piano, my mother said that it was childish, amateurish and technically incorrect. She was a strict piano teacher, and nothing ever seemed to satisfy her.¡± Hana put a hand to her mouth and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re a wonderful piano player. Your mother never should¡¯ve said that about the song that you wrote for her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. To be truthful, it was amateurish and childish. Years passed by and I haven¡¯t written any original material of my own, though one day, I hope that I can create a piece that moves someone. Something that conveys my feelings and heart to them. Because that¡¯s what good music does. It lets you see deep into the musician¡¯s emotions, laid out bare for all to see. It¡¯s a kind of soul resonance; your heart knows it, your entire body knows it, deep down to the marrow of your bones.¡± ¡°I think that you will be able to do it. I know you can.¡± ¡°Yes. My mother knew the technicalities of a piece and could play with precision. Though she could never play with emotion. She was never an emotional woman. I might make some technical mistakes, but at least I put heart into my music.¡± ¡°Your mother only cared about the technicalities. But she never thought about the time and dedication you put into a piece for her? That¡¯s so sad. Though what¡¯s also sad is the fact that I think there is nothing in the world that ever moved your mother.¡± ¡°No. She never cried during funerals and she never seemed to be particularly proud of me, even though I worked hard to be where I am now. We came from two different disciplines¡ªshe believes in playing all the notes in the way that they¡¯re written, and I deviate and make up my own songs, improvise, putting some more emotion into it. It always annoyed her when I did that, and she would slap my hands and say Misaki Hiraga, you¡¯re not playing the piece correctly, you never do. Enough about me, though. How about your parents?¡± ¡°My parents...¡± Hana paused. ¡°...My father left when I was very young. My mom would still hang out his clothes to dry for people to see, so that people would think that he was still there. I was forced to become studious, and read lots of books at a young age. Mom said if I studied hard, I would be able to go to a good college, and get a decent job to help support her when she was older. She also said that, maybe, just maybe, if I could get entrance into a prestigious school, my father would come back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Misaki said softly, as she put a comforting hand upon Hana. ¡°Don¡¯t be. So anyway, I studied day and night, barely getting a wink of sleep most days. It was always books for me, and I didn¡¯t have time to make friends. I wanted to make sure that I got good grades at school, so that my father could see them and perhaps be proud of me. When I managed to get an application for entrance into a prestigious school, I was so proud of myself. I thought that Daddy would come home with us. But after all that work and effort, it was for nothing. He never came back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s horrible that you had to go through all that. Now I understand why you seem so shy and reserved all the time. It must have been hard, growing up without your father.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all in the past. I don¡¯t think about him much anymore. So, I guess the thing is to look forward to the future. I will continue to study and get good grades. Perhaps I can become a veterinarian one day.¡± ¡°You like working with animals? What¡¯s your favorite animal?¡± Hana fidgeted with the ends of her skirt. ¡°Rabbits. I think they¡¯re sweet and cuddly animals.¡± ¡°I like cats. I think that there will be no technology nor advanced human knowledge that will ever understand cats. They¡¯re mysterious creatures, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I¡¯m allergic to cats, so I can¡¯t have one.¡± Hana sighed. ¡°Though I¡¯m sure it would be lovely to own one.¡± ¡°I took care of a stray once. I gave it a saucer of milk every day to make sure that it had something to eat. Though my mother chased it away. She was never too fond of animals, especially cats.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°It is. I felt lonely at the mansion, without any animal companion to befriend me. Though when you first came into the piano room, you¡¯re the first real friend that I ever had.¡± Hana looked into Misaki¡¯s eyes for a moment, before she clasped both of her hands within her own. ¡°You¡¯re my first real friend too. I¡¯m glad that we¡¯re friends.¡± --x-- Months passed and they became inseparable friends. Hana would always come to the piano room to listen to Misaki play, and Misaki would dedicate her time and devotion to playing songs for Hana. However, one particular day, Misaki said that she was going to perform a special piece for Hana. Excited, Hana went into the piano room with anticipation and saw Misaki waiting for her, looking beautiful as always. ¡°After ten years have passed, I decided to write an original song,¡± Misaki finally said with a smile as she put her hands hovering above the keys. ¡°I tried to think of something special, something that expressed everything about me into music. I thought and I thought, until the song came to me out of the blue. Please listen and enjoy while I play.¡± With that, Misaki began. With a flourish of her hands, the notes magically painted beautiful imagery inside Hana¡¯s head. She pictured a young little girl sitting at the piano, taking her first few tentative steps playing the piano, halting, hesitant, yet hopeful at the same time. As the notes continued to resound throughout the room, Hana imagined a young girl composing an original piece for her mother, who then rejected her and told her that her writing was technically incorrect, a deep scar that afflicted Misaki till this very day. But as she continued on, the song lifted, then soared and crescendo and climaxed into a wonderful burst of sound that was like aural fireworks. Hana found herself crying tears at the piano piece that Misaki composed. It was beautiful. She managed to convey her emotions and life story into a simple piece of music. Hana clapped when the song was over, and Misaki was blushed. ¡°That was beautiful, Misaki-chan!¡± Hana wiped the tears away with her closed hands. ¡°I think that was your best performance yet! You really should go professional in playing the piano!¡± ¡°I had a muse to inspire me. In truth, this song is dedicated to you, my dearest friend.¡± ¡°To me?¡± Misaki smiled and nodded. ¡°Ever since you walked in the piano room that day, you were the only one to genuinely praise my piano playing skills. After having been trained by my mom to play the piano her way, someone listening to the earnest and genuine way that I really play has helped me get over my mother insulting my piano piece dedicated to her. I decided if I were to write another piano piece, it would be in dedication to you, someone who loved the pure, honest way that I played.¡± ¡°I adore your piano playing, Misaki. You¡¯re just so amazingly talented at it; I can¡¯t believe that your mother couldn¡¯t see your brilliance. To dedicate such a song to me; I¡¯m truly honored.¡± Misaki smiled gently with a blush upon her delicate cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you liked it.¡± --x-- A few more months have passed. Ever since that day that Misaki played a piano piece dedicated to her, Hana realized that she was slowly but surely falling in love with Misaki. She didn¡¯t realize it until now, though besides being her only true friend, Misaki was also the first person that Hana ever felt the beginnings of a crush on. At first, Hana didn¡¯t want to believe that she was in love with her best friend. From what she knew about love, it didn¡¯t last forever, especially since her father separated himself from his wife and daughter. And yet when it came to Misaki, Hana would feel her breath catch in her throat and think about her all the time. Today, Hana decided, was the day that she would confess to Misaki. She felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the prospect, but she decided that she will confess now or she will never be able to do it again. So. Today was the day that she would say it. That she loved Misaki Hiraga. There was a slight perk in Hana¡¯s step as she began making her way towards school, hoping to see Misaki. When she arrived, however, the atmosphere was solemn and the students were silent. Hana caught the sleeve of one of the students that remained solemn-faced, and said, ¡°Hey, do you know what¡¯s going on? Do you know where Misaki is?¡± The girl¡¯s face wilted. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. You and Hiraga-san were good friends, weren¡¯t you? I¡¯d hate to tell you this, but Hiraga-san is dead. It was a traffic accident.¡± Her world receded. There was no sight. There was no sound. Her vision blurred. ¡°Hana-san? Hana-san? Are you all right?¡± Her face contorted into a frown.. Misaki was dead? No, no, that was impossible. She still had to be alive. Hana was going to tell Misaki what she truly felt. They were going to go on dates together, maybe eventually get married, and grow old together. There were so many things she wanted to share. But Misaki was dead. The girl had said so. Feeling as though she might retch, Hana reeled away. She ran into the school, down the corridors blindly, and made her way to the school roof. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing up here, but something compelled her to be here. She reached out to the chained link fence and let the tears fall. Misaki, who was so full of vibrant life and talent, was dead. It seemed so unfair. that her life was cruelly taken away from her at the prime of her life. Now, Hana had no one. Hana took a deep shuddering breath. Why did God have to take Misaki away from her? Her heart clenched. She glanced down, down the side of the roof. If she died too, would she be able to see Misaki again? A new determination overcame Hana, and she climbed the chained link fence until she was on the other side of it. She held onto the chain link fence with one hand and examined the plummet down. Could she really do it? Could she really jump? Ever since you walked in the piano room that day, you were the only one to genuinely praise my piano playing skills. ¡­I decided if I were to write another piano piece, it would be in dedication to you, someone who loved the pure, honest way that I played. Hana closed her eyes then leapt into the unknown. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°That¡¯s how it all happened,¡± Hana confessed after she finished telling her story to Kotone and Ayano. ¡°It sounds like it was really hard for you,¡± Kotone said. ¡°You never got to confess to your lover.¡± ¡°That is a touching story and all,¡± Ayano said with an expressionless tone, ¡°but there are complications in the matter that you¡¯ll be facing. First of all, committing suicide messes with the Shinigami¡¯s scheduling of deaths. It takes a carefully regulated system that handles the influx of souls that are being born, dying, and reincarnating.¡± ¡°So this shinigami is in control of everything?¡± Kotone crossed her arms. ¡°Are there several shinigami or just one?¡± ¡°There are several shinigami that oversee the soul flow in the afterlife,¡± Ayano explained. ¡°Just having one Overseer would be a tremendous task to put upon a single individual. Most of the shinigami would agree that Hana committing suicide is an inconvenience and they would have to rewrite their systems to accommodate her.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know all that before committing suicide¡­¡± Hana said, while casting her gaze to the ground and putting a hand against her chest. ¡°But even if I did know, I probably still would have done it. Without Misaki, there was just no reason for me to continue living.¡± ¡°That kind of selfish thinking only inconveniences people,¡± Ayano said matter of factly, to which Kotone frowned. ¡°Hey, I think it¡¯s already punishment enough that she has to go through all these spiritual procedures without seeing her lover,¡± Kotone protested. ¡°Besides, Ayano-san, why are you being so tough on her? Haven¡¯t you ever been in love or loved someone before?¡± ¡°Are you encouraging people to commit suicide, Kotone?¡± Ayano asked. ¡°I¡¯m not encouraging it, but I can at least understand the reasons behind someone would do that.¡± ¡°What matters now is solving the situation at hand, not the emotional reasons behind something,¡± Ayano said. Kotone agreed, though she didn¡¯t want to admit this out loud; she didn¡¯t want Hana to feel any more worse than she probably already did. Besides, it would be a waste of breath trying to argue with Ayano further. The little white-haired girl could be quite as stubborn as she was. ¡°So let me think for a moment,¡± Kotone said as she tried to reason to herself what was going on. ¡°When a person dies, they either go on to reincarnate or go to the void. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct,¡± Ayano answered while Hana nodded. ¡°Are there any alternatives to the void?¡± Kotone asked. ¡°Usually a spirit tries to pay off their karmic debts by performing good deeds, though this is no small task either. It would take several lifetimes to pay off the ones that they currently have, and then there is a backlog of karmic debts from their current lifetime that needs to be paid off to the people it has affected. They are usually overseen by a Shinigami, and they work souls ragged.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have lifetimes to wait!¡± Hana interjected when she heard Ayano¡¯s explanation about the void and the performing deeds underneath a Shinigami taskmaster. ¡°I need to see Misaki sooner than that! I know this is selfish of me to ask, but I want to see her as soon as possible, instead of having to go to the void or performing good deeds for several lifetimes. That is because I need to let her know that I love her. Before she reincarnates.¡± Kotone could understand Hana¡¯s reasoning. After being separated from her lover so cruelly, it¡¯s only natural that she would want to see Misaki¡¯s face again. However, there were more questions that bubbled into Kotone¡¯s consciousness, along with a lingering doubt about whether or not she was capable of doing this for Hana. The pressure to perform had been something that Kotone thrived on, though determining the fate of a soul in the afterlife wasn¡¯t a small thing. ¡°I need a moment,¡± Kotone said as she took off her backpack and took out a pencil and a notebook. She sprawled laborious notes about the spiritual world and its workings. ¡°All right, what I need to know is this: Who is the shinigami that is presiding over your case?¡± ¡°Rin Kajiwara, I believe,¡± Hana answered. ¡°I see,¡± Kotone said, before she looked to Ayano. ¡°Is there anything that you know about Rin Kajiwara?¡± ¡°She has a reputation of sorts,¡± Ayano said as she fiddled with the black ribbon in her hair. ¡°What would you like to know about her?¡± ¡°Everything. Anything and everything,¡± Kotone said as she began to write on a separate page from the notes she made earlier. --x-- A woman with light blue hair and pink-tinted eyes walked down a long corridor, walking with confident strides as her heels clacked on the floor. Her hair had two strands of curls dangling by the sides of her face, and the rest of her hair was put up into a sort of bun with spiky juts of hair protruding from the top of it. She looked over the case that she was judge over. Rin pursed her lips for a moment, frowning, as she saw the cause of her client¡¯s death. Suicide. She didn¡¯t approve of suicides, especially since it was considered one of the highest crimes in the spiritual world. Committing suicide meant that you were fighting against your fate, taking you away from your predestined journey through life and the spiritual afterlife beyond. Everything was perfectly calculated, so Rin believed; and committing suicide messed up those careful deliberations that the shinigami put into place for lost souls. ¡°Committed suicide,¡± Rin said while she narrowed her eyes at the case before her. ¡°Twenty-five years old. Played video games and read manga a lot in his lifetime, stayed home as a shut in NEET. Original parents were divorced, mother sent him to an orphanage. Picked up by a stepmother that loved him, though he never showed any appreciation for her. Couldn¡¯t find a job that would hire him. Took his life by putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger. Really, the people who commit suicide are so selfish.¡± ¡°Um¡­Miss Shinigami¡­¡± the man before her said timidly, his eyes darting to the ground and was unable to look her in the eye. ¡°I know it looks bad, but please let me explain. I know that I never showed any affection towards my stepmother, though I was too afraid to get too attached to her.¡± ¡°And?¡± Rin raised a brow. ¡°She did everything for you. Though no, you committed suicide and left her a mess to clean up after while she was grieving for you. It¡¯s inexcusable.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°You must understand, please¡­I wasn¡¯t thinking at the time, I was just so overwhelmed that¡ª¡± ¡°Exactly, you didn¡¯t think,¡± she said, tapping the clipboard that she held containing his case files. ¡°There was a whole system prepared for you in this lifetime and the afterlife. You were supposed to live on and start a family with a loving wife that would have taken care of you, to balance out the karma that you had with your real mother, and have two lovely children. However, since you killed yourself, the wife that you one day would have married experienced a mysterious accident as a karmic ripple effect of your actions, and your two children were therefore never born. Don¡¯t you see the foolishness of your actions?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know all that!¡± The man put hands to his head, trying not to weep in front of her. ¡°I just¡­couldn¡¯t take it anymore! I didn¡¯t mean to take three lives with me!¡± ¡°What¡¯s done is done, can¡¯t be undone. Into the void with you it is. No trial. I¡¯m sure the Harpies will have a fun time with you.¡± ¡°Wait, please, give me another chance. I didn¡¯t know this would happen!¡± the man cried. (Description of the portal & him being taken into The Void. We have to make this nightmarish!) Once Rin watched him disappear through the portal, she let out a sigh and took off her glasses. At least the case was done and over with. It was a pretty clear-cut case, she thought. These people may not know how the afterlife works, but suicide is a high crime and it shouldn¡¯t go unpunished. As she made her way out of her office, she heard the other shinigami passing down the hallway whispering to one another. When she approached them, she narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°You two. What are you talking about?¡± One of the shinigami, a young female with dark pink hair, turned towards Rin and her face paled. Rin stepped closer and said, ¡°If there is something that you wish to discuss with me, then spit it out. Say it to my face.¡± ¡°N-Nothing, Kajiwara-san,¡± the pink-haired female shinigami said. ¡°We were simply discussing your boyfriend, Karma-san.¡± Rin had a look of contempt on her face, before saying, ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend. I have no time for silly romances with coworkers. It only interferes with my job as a professional. So put that thought outside your little head.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± both female shinigami said at once, before hurriedly making their way towards the other side of the corridor, away from her. Rin let out a sigh. Putting up a tough front made her off putting with everyone else, though it was necessary. She needed to keep up this facade to make sure that she didn¡¯t lapse into emotional weakness like she had before. It was something that put her reputation at stake, and Rin tried her hardest to make up for it. She was certain that the two gossiping shinigami weren¡¯t talking about Karma after all, but rather of her mistake which she tried to undo. No, she wouldn¡¯t think about that right now. There were other priorities that she had to attend to, such as her next cases that she was supposed to work on. Karma was supposed to be working on the paperwork for that¡­that is, he wasn¡¯t slacking off, as usual. Once she made her way towards Karma¡¯s room, she knocked sharply on the door, and waiting for Karma to answer. ¡°Hello, hello, Rin,¡± Karma said after opening the door. ¡°Would you prefer a cup of tea or coffee? I¡¯ve got both. And do you take sugar in either of them?¡± ¡°Stop with the pleasantries, Karma, and tell me about the next cases I¡¯ll be working on,¡± Rin said while adjusting her glasses upon the bridge of her nose. ¡°Right,¡± Karma said as he ran a hand through his red hair. He let Rin into the room and then handed her some files that she took a glance through, skimming through their contents. ¡°How¡¯d your last case go?¡± ¡°Sent ¡®em to the void,¡± Rin said crisply. ¡°He¡¯s going to get what he deserves.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re a little harsh on the people who commit suicide?¡± Karma said with an easy grin on his face as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back against his chair, propping his feet up on the desk. ¡°I mean, sure, it¡¯s an inconvenience for us, but it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have the power to fix things right again. It just takes a little tinkering with the system.¡± ¡°Do you know how many suicides take place in a single year? More than I care to account for. Taking care of the influx of souls that come into our society is pain enough, and then we have to cast judgment on all of them, and then there¡¯s the fact that we have to manipulate the destinies of other people to accommodate the person who committed suicide. It¡¯s a cowardly thing to do.¡± ¡°I say it takes a certain kind of courage to commit suicide,¡± Karma said while he winked one eye open and stared at her. ¡°That¡¯s taking your own life with your own hands. It¡¯s not a decision that is made lightly. Besides, what do most people know about the system of the afterlife? Most of the souls come in blindly and don¡¯t know where to go.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that our perfect system is imperfect? That is absolute nonsense. The rules are put into place for a reason. The souls that come into our world are lost little lambs that need guidance and discipline. If there was nothing to punish for suicide or murder, then there would be chaos. As ugly as the void may be, it is a necessary element to the afterlife which helps rehabilitate souls.¡± ¡°If you say so, Rin-chan.¡± Karma shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Your next client is a young girl named Hana Yurizuka. Which is interesting, because I¡¯ve passed judgment on a soul that was related to her, Misaki Hiraga.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Poor Hiraga-san was disoriented when she first came to our society. She didn¡¯t remember that she died in a car crash, and seemed so lost and confused. I asked her whether she would like to move on and reincarnate, though she said that she was waiting for something. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she felt that it was something important.¡± ¡°Hmph, so those two have been lovers in their past lives, is that correct? And she doesn¡¯t even remember the face of her lover? That is just as well. It¡¯s better that you send her off to reincarnate rather than having her linger around anymore than necessary.¡± ¡°I told her that I would give her a waiting period of three days. To make a decision.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too soft,¡± was the only thing that Rin said before reading the rest of Hana Yurizuka¡¯s case file.