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It was said that on the night of Litha, when all is still and silent, she can be seen tending to the overgrown garden of old school grounds of Kamome Academy, where inexplicable flowers grow of the brightest hues.
It was raining that night. It made for a dreadful summer solstice. Amane wasn’t sure why he agreed to the dare—to spend the night in the garden. Kou had come up with it as a sort of revenge for Amane scaring him with an oni mask.
The dare was lame at best. As if he’d really see a ghost. Ghost only existed in the past, a past he never wanted to remember.
He sat crossed legged, back resting against the school’s pillar, shielding himself from the harsh rain. He pulled his hood on and hugged himself to keep warm. First day of summer and yet Amane thought he’d freeze death before morning comes.
Minutes or maybe hours had past, and he was bored out of his mind. His eyes kept lulling shut, despite the dampness around him. But then—something moved in the corner of his eye—his head snapped to the garden—and he gasped. A girl, probably the same age as himself, with hair as silver as the moon and bright as the exotic flowers in the garden. She sat on her knees, digging in the mud.
Amane frowned, and stood up, diligently. This had to be a trap. Kou must have paid some girl to come in the garden in the dead of night. Well, Amane wasn’t about to take the bait. He made his way over, and stood behind the girl. She hadn’t seemed to notice him yet. Her silvery hair waved down her back like a stormy sea with the tips green like a tangle of seaweed. And, for some reason, he couldn’t help but notice that her ankles were rather thick. His face warmed despite the chill in the air.
And he realized she reminded him of a radish. He bit back a laugh, and silently leaned down He bent his head close to her ear, and smirked. This will be good, imagining her jumping from fright.
“What are you doing at such a weird time and place, radish girl?” His voice startled the dead silence.
Not even a flinch, she continued to mind her business, tending to the garden. He choked on his own spit.
He squatted next to her and he studied her face. Her eyes were like a sunset—hues of red and orange and warmth that seem to contradict the stormy night. And her mouth covered by a mask. He waved a hand in front of her face—nothing. Not even the slight falter of her movements as her careful fingers tended to the muddy soil. And All Amane could think was how futile it was to mend the dirt on such a stormy night.
“Radish girl,” he said again, but again….nothing. Not even a slight tilt in her head. It was as if she were in her own world. Amane exhaled loudly, and muttered more to himself, “Kou really hired a great actress.”
It was only a second, but he caught sight of her small hand tense and her head jerk. She’d heard him, and he knew it. Without a second thought, he ripped her mask off and the girl fell back on her butt, and those sunset eyes bore into his with absolute horror.
“S-sorry!” Amane winced, clutching the offending mask. He goofed up…She was probably hired on the assumption that she wouldn’t be touched. “I didn’t mean to…”
“Wha—?” she tried to speak, but she seemed to be at a loss.
Amane grimaced. This was very…awkward. “Uh, you can leave now. You did your job…”
“My…job?” Her voice was as delicate as the flowers she’d been tending to.
He rubbed his neck. “You didn’t scare me.”
She gazed at him with such wide eyes—a quizzical stare. And the rain fell harder, and stinging his cheeks, making his bangs stick flatly against his forehead. He was cold—but she had to be colder—clad only in a gray summer uniform.
He sighed and shrugged off his hoodie. “Here,” he held it out for her.
But she didn’t take it—staring unblinkingly.
He flushed, and ducked his head, trying to hide his embarrassment as he placed it over her thin shoulders. “You seem cold.” The rain pelted him hard, raw and cruel.
She tilted her head, and regarded the hoodie with careful eyes. Her face was so pale, he wondered how it was possible. And at last, she said, “Thank you.”
Amane’s pulse jumped, he looked away, cheeks warming despite the frigid air. “Ah—you’re welcome.”
He squeezed his shoulder, and looked back over—except…she was gone. He stood tall, and spun around. Not even a single footprint. It was as if she’d vanished into thin air.
And all he had was her mask.
Goosebumps spread throughout his arms and the back of his neck. He had to admit, Kou managed to creep him out.
Just a little bit.
It was only when he left the school’s property, did Amane come to realize that the girl had been completely dry despite the summer storm.
And her mask was all he had left.
~Fin