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The fear in your heart
They heard a rumor about it. That’s the way their little adventures with the supernatural always started. But different than usual Kou had something important to attend to so that only left Yashiro and Hanako to take care of today’s apparition. They found its location rather quickly and were currently in its boundary.
It was pitch black. Wherever you looked, darkness stretched around you endlessly and it was eerily silent. Only the little pitter-patter of footsteps through puddles of water, that were typical for a boundary, could be heard.
Yashiro and Hanako, the latter of them holding his kitchen knife at the ready, carefully walked through the boundary in search of the rumored apparition. Although they were certain, that they knew what this supernatural did just a moment ago, it now seemed to have slipped their minds.
They were there only for a maximum of 30 seconds when suddenly a female voice echoed through the darkness:
“Let us begin!”
“Begin? Let what begin?” Yashiro asked confused.
“I don’t know, but stay behind me. I will protect you.” Hanako answered her determinedly while trying to find out from where the voice came.
But since the unknown voice had echoed through the whole boundary, he couldn’t pinpoint the location of the owner.
Just as suddenly as the voice had rung out, an unrecognizable dark figure, who was difficult to distinguish from the background because of that, attacked them with what might be a sword.
Hanako raised his knife without hesitation and parried his opponent’s sword with it. The resulting clang of the two weapons echoed through the darkness.
Relentlessly the figure attacked them. Striking left and right, from above and beneath. The attacks seemed to come from everywhere and without warning. Hanako tried to parry every single one of them with his knife, but even for him, the seventh of the seven School Wonders, it wasn’t an easy task. The sword of his opponent could hardly be seen and didn’t make a sound as it was swung. So the only sound that echoed through the space was the repeating clang of metal on metal. Additionally to that, he was trying to protect Yashiro.
Suddenly as though realizing, that Hanako wouldn’t give in, the figure changed its tactic. Instead of trying to harm Hanako, it aimed its sword precisely at his knife while swinging it with all its force alternating from above and beneath. Thereby it shortened the time between every next strike and so put Hanko under even more pressure.
Hanako could only do so much under this pressure before his grip on his knife weakened and the figure succeeded in disarming him. His knife was thrown up in the air before it fell clattering to the ground and landed a few feet away from its holder.
What th…
“Hanako-kun!” Yashiro called worriedly from behind his back.
Trying to quickly recover from the shock of being disarmed, Hanako let the arm, that was still raised, down and replied reassuringly:
“Don’t worry. You won’t get rid of me that easily.”
He shortly turned his head to her, giving her a slight smile before his face turned serious again. I need to distract it so that I can get my knife back.
“Hakujoudai!” Hanako called ordering while raising his right arm again and pointing his finger in front of him.
His Hakujoudai flew in the pointed direction.
The moment Hakujoudai moved, Hanako ran towards his knife. He stretched his right hand out to grab it as quickly as he could. Almost. But before he could even touch his knife, he was bumped sideways. The impact of this attack sent Hanako flying a few feet through the air, effectively separating him from his weapon. He landed hard on his back.
“Hanako-kun!” Yashiro called worriedly and wanted to run over to him.
“Stay!” Hanako ordered while rolling himself on his stomach.
“But…!” she tried to object.
“Stay where you are!” Hanako ordered again.
I can’t risk Yashiro’s life any more than I already did by putting any distance between us. I must protect her at any cost!
With this thought in mind, he started to prop himself up with his arms to get into a sitting position. But before he was even halfway there, the figure took Hanako’s abandoned knife, turned its back on him and rushed towards Yashiro.
Hanako’s eyes widened. His movements halted.
“No! Yashiro!” he screamed scared beyond belief.
Yashiro tried to run, but the figure was too fast. It stabbed her with the knife, Hanako’s knife, the very same one with which he killed his own brother decades ago, right through her heart.
Seeing Yashiro’s lifeless body fall to the ground, happened for Hanako in slow motion.
“YASHIRO!!!” Hanako screamed desperately before he rushed to stand up and charged at the figure.
He forcefully pushed it away from Yashiro’s body, causing it to drop Hanako’s knife. Hanako shortly looked at his knife, the knife that now was covered in Yashiro’s blood, before he averted his eyes from it.
He slowly kneeled down next to her and took her lifeless body in his arms.
“Yashiro.” Hanako whispered devastated while tightening his hold on her.
Tears, that were forming in his eyes fell one by one and landed on her pale skin, which got colder with every minute.
I’m so sorry Yashiro. I promised to protect you. I promised to grant you your wish. To extend your life span. But I couldn’t even protect you. It’s my fault. If I hadn’t left your side none of that would have happened. I’m sorry. So sorry.
As time went by more and more tears fell from Hanako’s eyes.
Suddenly Yashiro’s body glowed in a dimly light and was getting more transparent every few seconds.
“Wha…? No! Don’t…! Please don’t take her away from me!” Hanako begged, tightening his grip on her body even more and refusing to let her get taken away from him.
But his tries were in vain. He only could watch as Yashiro’s body slowly disappeared from within his arms.
Once she was gone, Hanako wailed loudly. It was as if somebody had plunged their hand into his body and taken his already dead heart from within him.
“Your wish will be granted.” The same female voice from the beginning announced loudly.
“My … wish?” Hanako asked confused, while tears were still falling from his eyes.
Suddenly the surroundings turned from black to white and he was forcefully pushed out of the boundary.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When Hanako opened his eyes, he was laying on his back and stared at the ceiling of the astrology club room of the school.
“Hanako-kun? You’re back! I was so worried! Don’t scare me like that ever again!” a voice he thought he’d never hear again said.
Turning his head towards the familiar voice, he saw Yashiro as alive and healthy as ever hovering worriedly above him.
“Yashiro.” Hanako whispered shocked.
“Hm?” Yashiro replied signaling that she heard him.
After overcoming the first shock, Hanako quickly sat up and jumped at her.
“Yashiro!” Hanako called and hugged her tightly.
“Hanako-kun!” Yashiro replied blushing while trying to put at least some space between them.
But Hanako wanted none of that and only tightened his arms around her.
What’s gotten into him? Yashiro looked concerned at him, which only got bigger once she realized that he’s shivering.
Hanako slowly tucked his head against her chest, which only made Yashiro’s blush stronger.
“Hanako-kun!” she cried scandalized thinking he would use this chance as usual and tell one of his suggestive jokes.
But instead of doing that, he only closed his eyes as if he was listening for something.
But what would he be listening for? The only sound that you can hear while laying on someone’s chest is their heartbeat. Why would he want to listen …
She’s alive. She’s still alive.
As time passed, Hanako slowly calmed down and his shivering stopped.
He raised his head from Yashiro’s chest and asked:
“What happened?”
“I could ask you the same”, Yashiro countered before she continued, “You weren’t in the bathroom when I got there, so I began to clean thinking that something had come up on your end. But as time went by and you still weren’t there after 30 minutes I went to Tsuchigomori-sensei and asked him if he knew something. He told me, that you wanted to meet an apparition in the astrology club room, which will grant you the most important wish in your heart if you manage to get through your biggest fear.”
“Ah, yeah. I remember now.” Hanako commented.
“So was your wish granted? Was it really worth it to go through your biggest fear?” Yashiro asked curiously.
“Yes it was and it was definitively worth it. But I don’t want to go through that ever again.” Hanako answered, a smile slowly returning to his face.
“And what did you wish for?” Yashiro asked curiously.
“To be able to grant you your wish. I wished that your life span would be extended.” Hanako replied smiling.
“You… you went through your biggest fear to extend my life span? That was your most important wish?” Yashiro asked shocked.
“Of course. I mean what would I do without my assistant? Besides you really mean a lot to me.” Hanako said being his usual self again.
“Hanako-kun, thank you!” Yashiro exclaimed happily and hugged him.
“You’re welcome!” Hanako replied smiling and hugged her back.