Chapter Text
"Give it back!"
"Or what? You gonna cry again?"
"It's not funny! Give it!" Hanako sniffed, wiping any preemptive tears from her eyes. She desperately chased after her stuffed rabbit as it was tossed around from person to person. The group of girls giggled as they watched her scramble around the circle in attempt to snatch her toy back.
"You're such a crybaby!" One of the girls grabbed her hair and yanked on it. Hanako cried out in pain as she stumbled backwards and fell.
"I... I'm not! I…" Tears began streaming down her face as she tried to get to her knees. Before she could get to her feet, she was swiftly kicked back down to the ground.
"Bringin' toys to school? What are you, five?!"
"Give it back…" Hanako sobbed, clutching into her stomach as she once again attempted to stand on her own. "Give it back or else!"
"Or else what? Gonna get your stupid sister again?" Another girl kicked her while the others laughed.
"P-please!" Hanako hiccupped. "I won't bring it again…j-just leave me alone!"
"Crybaby! Crybaby!" The girls jeered. The rabbit was tossed haphazardly in the streets as they closed in on her. Without thinking, Hanako crawled towards the street, screaming.
"NO!"
"Hanako! Come on, you're gonna miss breakfast!"
Hanako stirred in bed, wrapping herself up in blankets. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she looked around her bedroom. All was still, and all was the same. Her uniform was still strewn about her desk, just as she had left it.
"Hanako!"
She could hear her sister's cries becoming increasingly annoyed. Hanako hesitantly rolled out of bed, falling to the ground with a soft thud. She struggled to free herself from the warm and cozy cocoon she trapped herself in. The sound of footsteps coming up to her room only made her panic more as she tried to wiggle her way out. The door to Hanako's bedroom swung open as Taeko barged into the room, eyes narrowed and eyebrows high.
"Hanako, if you don't hurry, your food is gonna…" She stared down at her sister. "…Get cold…"
"Help me!" Hanako whined and tried to free one of her arms. Taeko shook her head and sighed. With one swift motion, she took Hanako and rolled her in the opposite direction, freeing her from her own stupidity.
Hanako jumped to her feet and stretched. "Thanks a bunch!"
"Hurry up, yeah? You don't want to keep Osana waiting do you?" Taeko ruffled her sister's hair.
"If anything, she'll yell at YOU and not me." Hanako stuck her tongue out and began rummaging through her drawers for a set of underclothes."I'll be down in a sec!"
After brushing her teeth and haphazardly throwing on her uniform, Hanako rushed down to the kitchen to eat her breakfast. Before she could even take a sip of her strawberry milk, Taeko had rushed her out of the house. Hanako protested, but managed to sneak a few granola bars into her bag before being swiftly dragged down the street. The two made idle conversation as they walked down the block together.
"You sleep okay?" Taeko glanced over at Hanako, who seemed to be having a bit of trouble opening her granola bar.
“Mmhm!” Hanako settled for ripping the wrapper off with her teeth and shoving the trash into her skirt pocket. “Well, kinda.”
“Kind of? Hanako, I told you not to stay up watching--”
“I wasn’t!” Hanako pouted. “I had that super weird dream again and I didn’t sleep!”
Taeko paused, the concern apparent on her face. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Hanako shook her head and took a big bite out of her granola. “--ish fine! --on’t wah-ry abah it!”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Taeko sighed. She loved her sister dearly, but sometimes she wondered if Hanako was completely put together or not. As they rounded the corner, the sisters finally came across Osana, who was too engrossed in whatever was on her phone to notice their approach.
“Osanaaaa!” Hanako quickly swallowed and ran over to Osana, capturing her in a hug. Osana yelped as she lurched forward. She kept an iron grip on her phone and immediately scowled as Hanako nuzzled her cheek into Osana's shoulder.
“Quit it!” Osana squirmed, attempting to resume typing. Hanako pouted and released her. Taeko chuckled, waving to Osana.
“Good morning!”
“Where were you two?” Osana put a hand on her hip, typing furiously with her other hand.
“I uh, kinda overslept.” Hanako laughed nervously.
Osana looked up at them, brow furrowed and lips pursed.
“We haven’t kept you waiting for too long, have we?” Taeko pulled Hanako back to her side. Osana finally turned her phone off and rolled her eyes, sliding her phone into the pocket of her bag,
“You’re lucky I left the house later than usual. Otherwise, I would’ve left you!”
“You wouldn’t really do that...right, Osana?” Hanako approached her.
“Unlike you, I actually care about being on time!” Osana huffed. Her glare softened upon seeing Hanako staring at her with her renowned puppy dog eyes. There were two things that could break through the perpetually frigid walls of Osana’s heart: free money and the sad, pitiful look Hanako gave her whenever she really wanted to get under her skin. Osana crossed her arms and averted her gaze, tapping her foot to keep herself distracted.
“W-Well, of course not! What kinda jerk do you take me for?!”
“Thank you ever so much for your kindness, Ms. Najimi.” Taeko chuckled. “Shall we then?”
“Let’s go already!” Osana began speed walking forward. Taeko and Hanako exchanged a curious look with one another before hurrying to match her pace.
“So Osana! Did you see it?” Hanako attempted to break the awkward silence.
“See...what?”
“Yesterday’s ‘Miyuki’ episode!”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess.” Osana mumbled, pulling her phone out again.
“Wasn’t it great?! Did you see the part where Mermia used her superpowers to flood a whole building?” Hanako began talking faster, hopeful eyes staring at Osana as she rambled on. “And, and then Miyuki dove in like whooosh! And she was all ‘You’re not alone! Let me help!’”
“Yeah, that sure was something, huh?” Osana deadpanned.
Taeko, on the other hand, was completely lost.
“Then they fought the bad guy like zoom! Whammo! ” Hanako punched the air for emphasis. “And then Aria came back at the last second and the fight scene! Was! Amazing!“
“Uh-huh.”
“I really hope the next episode is-- Hey, are you even listening?”
Osana looked up from her screen again. “I am! It's just... I'm waiting for a call.”
“Ooh, is it your booooyfriend?” Hanako sung.
“Hanako, hush!” Taeko nudged her, frowning.
“Boyfriend?!” Osana's cheeks burned bright red. “Just because I have guy friends does not mean they're my boyfriend! And besides, I'm not even--” She paused rant, staring back at Taeko's worried countenance. Osana cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “It's more important than some stupid guy.”
“You're being so weird today.” Hanako huffed, finally falling silent.
After a bit of walking and a whole lot of unsettling tension, the trio finally made it to Akademi High. Truthfully, Hanako had never been so happy to abandon her sister and her friend after such an uncomfortable walk
“See you after school, bye!” Hanako made a run for the courtyard, hoping to catch up with her friends. Osana and Taeko waved as she departed. Taeko turned to Osana, adjusting her grip on her bag.
“Listen, about today--”
“I’ll apologize to her later! This call is super important, Taeko.”
"I’ll drop it for now. But are you going to help me decorate the house for tomorrow or what?”
“I said I would, didn’t I?”
“I’m serious.” Taeko brought Osana to the side, speaking in hushed tones. “I...I want her to have a good birthday before I graduate this year.”
“I know!” Osana finally let her emotions get to her and hung her head down. “I know.”
“I know it’s too much to ask, but...promise me that you’ll keep an eye on her, yeah?”
Osana couldn’t bring herself to use yet another snarky remark. The genuine concern on Taeko’s worked wonders for making her feel guilty. Osana nodded, pigtails swaying with her motions. “Promise.”
“Cross your heart?”
“Taeko, what are you, seven?”
“Cross your heart ….?”
Osana rolled her eyes, making an X motion across her chest with her fist. “And hope to die.”
“Great! See you at lunch!” Taeko perked up, giving Osana a quick hug before walking into the building and up the stairs. Before she could say another word, her phone began to ring. Osana scrambled to answer, a wave of anxiety coming over her as she accepted the call and brought her phone up to her ear.
“Hello?” She began walking away from the door and towards her locker.
Osana Najimi.
Do you have the courage to walk among the dark?
“Yeah.” Osana’s grip tightened on her phone.
Do you accept the task entrusted to you?
Osana looked over at Taeko as she sauntered up the stairs.
“...I accept.”