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The way to become a supernatural, huh? I want to. I want to be a supernatural so badly, so that I could help Mitsuba. But I'm stuck in a hard place. I'd help Mitsuba and myself by becoming a supernatural, but who else would I help? Nobody. It'd hurt everyone else. But still, I held the damn kitchen knife above my brother, trembling.
"The way to become a supernatural, eh?" Natsuhiko-senpai's words rang through my mind, reminding me how to do this. "First, you gotta kill someone. Doesn't matter how, just kill 'em dead. Then, you have to kill yourself. There are other ways, but this one's the easiest. It's how No.7 and No.5 did it."
Fuck. I am so so sorry, Teru-nii and Tiara. I am so sorry. I have to kill you, Teru-nii, and I'm gonna leave you behind, Tiara, but it'll be okay. I promise everything's gonna be just fine.
"Kou-!" Teru-nii tried to stop me, grasping my shaking hands and starting to pull the blade away from me and him. "Kou.." His voice was soothing, and warm.
I hated it.
I hated it so much.
My hands moved on their own, sinking the blade into my brother's chest with such ease that it disgusted me. My grip on the steel base of the kitchen knife tightened and I twisted the blade until it found its way to a pulsing organ. The heart. My brother cried out in pain, but he didn't fight back. He almost looked.... Forgiving? I hate this. I hate this. But in the end, everything will be okay, right, Mitsuba? Everything will be just fine if I become a supernatural for you.
I dug the blade into Teru-nii's heart and watched tears of pain flow down his face. He died because of me, me and my stupidly selfish but right solution.
I stood up, my legs trembling as I moved towards the kitchen again, where the rest of the knives were. I found the sharpest one, and held it up to my head. I'm sorry Tiara. I'm sorry you're gonna have to see this when you wake up. I love you. I'm sorry, Yokoo and Satou, but I have to. This is the way it's gonna have to be. I'll become a human again, I swear, and I'll bring back Mitsuba too while I'm at it. I promise, I'll be oka-
The knife impaled my skull, and I dropped to the ground, feeling the blood exit my body. I can't move, and I'm losing my senses. I.... Can't.... Think... Right...
I'm... Dying..
Finally.
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When I woke up, my body felt see-through. Something didn't feel right. My heartbeat was faint, and I felt cold. I felt so damn cold. I guess I was a supernatural now, though. Hooray...? I should get out of here before Tiara wakes up. I was out for two hours though, so that may be soon.
I walked around my house, saying goodbye to everything, and then said goodbye to my little sister as she slept, and left my house. It wouldn't be forever, I promise myself that, but it may be months. Years. Maybe even centuries. Hopefully not that long, but it'll be a while. But still, I will return.
The sun started to rise, but my eyes were unaffected by the change in light. Interesting... I walked along the sidewalk seeing many people walk by or through me. It was weird, not being acknowledged, but I could put up with it. It'd make everyone happy after all, I don't want to let people hear me whine.
I went to the school, letting people walk through me without a care in the world. When I saw Mitsuba, I called out to him loudly. "Miiitsuba!!" He floated over to me and smacked the top of my head. "Don't just call out like that-huh?" He looked at me with the expression of utter fear, and surprise. "You're...." "Yeah..." I smiled softly at him, a hint of sadness tracing my eyes. "You died..." I watched as his beautiful pink eyes darkened, overcome with a sadness I'd only seen in him once before, when he learned he was a fake.
I grinned, pushing away my own emotions and I held his hands in my own. "But now, I can uphold my promise!" I told him, squeezing his hands. I was referring back when we were in the painting, when I jumped off the ledge. "I'll figure out how to become human with you!" My cheeks almost burned from smiling, but I had to make sure he knew that I was fine with it. I had to be fine with this. "But why...?" "Hm?" "Why would you do that for me?" He asked me, seeming truly sad.
"Because I promised, didn't I?" "I- Minamoto-kun, are you an idiot? What about your family? Friends?" "I'll see 'em' soon enough, since we're gonna be humans together too. Plus, Hanako and Nene-senpai can still see me even if I'm dead!" I squeezed his hands again in a comforting way. "And I have you! You're my friend, so...." My face ever so slightly warmed.
Mitsuba looked down at our hands, frowning. He seemed to be regretting my decision for me. I hated that expression. "How'd you become a supernatural?" He asked, serious. I gasped slightly, my eyes went wide. I can't tell him I killed someone, much less tell him it was my brother. What should I do? Damn. If you knew, would you still look at me like you do? When you smile at me, you look so damn happy, so if I told you I killed my brother, would you still look at me like I was brighter than the sun? Prolly' not.
"Er... It's complicated... But I'm here now, so... Yay?" "Idiot! It's not 'yay' it's 'dammit'!" He scolded me, slapping my shoulder. "You shouldn't have done that! You... You had a future! Don't waste that!" He yelled at me. It reminded me of Hanako's words when that Tsukasa brat killed Mitsuba and made this one.
"You shouldn't be so kind to the dead. We no longer have futures that are worth fighting for." Was it?
I bowed my head, taking the words to heart. "I'm sorry.." I apologized, releasing his hands and taking a step back. Mitsuba sighed and leaned against a wall. "No point in apologizing. You can't take it back. But you didn't give me a good answer. How did you become a supernatural, Kou Minamoto?" The use of my full name made my heart beat with a nervousness I don't think I'd ever felt before.
"I can't tell you that." I responded simply. I can't let him know. I don't want him to know. If he knew, he'd hate me. "Tell me!" He shouted, tugging on my shirt violently. "No!!" I yelled back in turn, my tone was rough. I hated that. My hand slapped over my mouth, and Mitsuba looked at my eyes with almost.... Sadness? "What did you do?" He asked me with the softest voice. This was too much. I gave in, "I killed someone... And then offed myself... that's how I was told to become a supernatural." I explained to him. Mitsuba's expression only grew sadder, and the grip on my shirt disappeared, his hands falling to my own. "Come with me.." he led me to the nearest bathroom, and into the mirrors. It felt stranger than it did when I was alive. I felt out of place in his boundary now, like there was something higher than me in a sense. Odd.
He pushed me against the wall of his boundary and clenched his fists, bunching up the black fabric of my shirt in his hands. When Mitsuba looked up, staring into my eyes, he looked unbelievably angry with me. "You were supposed to go on and forget about me! Idiot! Idiot! You were supposed to live as a human, and I never get my wish. That was the way things had to happen. Why would you do that? Why would you go and change the future like that?! This isn't... You were supposed to live, and become a great exorcist, and be happy with your precious family. You were supposed to forget me!! Why would you destroy that future of happiness?! And for me?! Idiot!" Mitsuba shouted at me, hitting my chest with one of his fists. It stung, both his words and his small attacks.
I stopped one of his fists, and directed his hand back to his side. Now, I can't give Mitsuba the warmth I remember him saying he loved, but still, I embraced him, and murmured into his pink hair, "I did it for you because I promised. You're important to me. Why do you think I tried so desperately to keep you alive at the aquarium? And what right do you have to decide my future for me?" "I...." "Exactly. None. Don't do that, Mitsuba. Don't make my decision worthless, please." I begged. Mitsuba nodded, swallowing his pride.
I grinned, ruffling his hair. "Anyways! We have to become alive together again, kay'?" I asked, excited. Mitsuba stopped my hand, "Yeah but stop destroying my hair!" "Hehe!" I giggled as my other hand took out the hair-tie and the clips holding his short locks back, and watched his pink hair fall onto his shoulders and face. "Stop it!" He playfully hit my shoulder, but it didn't hurt. Not in the slightest. I ran my fingers through his long bangs, letting my hand brush against the tip of his nose.
He looked down and backed off, letting me stop leaning against the somewhat uncomfortable wall. I stood up and stretched my arms. "So, how're we gonna become humans? Any clue?" I queried, grinning sweetly at Mitsuba. The glint in his eyes returned. He was once again looking at me like I was his everything. That expression would never fail to make my heart beat faster. I wanted nothing more but to smother him with love, and kiss him, and hug him, and tell him how much I care for him, but I'll restrain myself for now. For now.
Mitsuba shook his head in response to my question. "No idea. But, I need you alive to keep your promise. So first, I'm gonna spread your rumor. Gimme something to work with, Lame Traffic Safety Earring." I sighed, missing the previous few minutes where he'd forgotten my stupid ass nickname. "Uhhh just make me your assistant or something. I don't care, as long as I don't have to suffer, or my body doesn't change." I recalled memories of the previous Sousuke Mitsuba, his body twisting and changing. All because of the rumor. "Fine fine. You're not that creative, are you, Minamoto-kun?" Mitsuba huffed, crossing his arms and glaring at me. "Nope!" I grinned.
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Days. Weeks. Months. Years. A decade.
Time went by. How much time? I don't care to keep track.
Nene Yashiro died.
Amane Yugi moved on to the full afterlife.
Teru Minamoto was announced long dead.
I've been with Sousuke Mitsuba, No.3 of the seven wonders, as his 'assistant' for years now.
If I was still alive, I'd be a grown man. But I'm stuck as a fourteen year old boy, in this cold, see-through body. I saw my little sister today, talking to another girl who looked incredibly like Sakura Nanamine. Her daughter, maybe? She was attending the middle school of Komome Academy. She was twelve already, huh? Then seven years have passed.
I'm so proud of Tiara. Her appearance didn't change a lot though. Her messy, long golden hair went down to her knees, and it was kept in two low bunches. Her bright blue eyes were shining with life and hope. Something I long lost. As I stared out the mirror and watched students go by, fiddling with a chain that hung from my dark hoodie, I felt a cold but comforting hand on my shoulder. I lifted my hand to caress the fingers that wrapped around my shoulder and I smiled softly.
"Hey Sousuke... You find anything?" "Not that we don't already know. But... I have a theory." "Let me hear it." "You're not gonna like it, Kou." "Just tell me." "You're the only one that can become human again. I was born on the far shore, meaning I can't become human, just like Hanako said that day." That day? What day? My memory has become hazy these past years. "I won't be a human without you. I promised." My tone was nonchalant, and almost even emotionless. Mitsuba growled slightly and grabbed my collar, pushing me against the wall. He pressed his lips to mine, and tilted my head down slightly, to deal with our height difference. I wasn't used to his surprise affection, but honestly, I was unfazed by most things now.
I could feel my younger, happier self slipping away with every second I was dead. Mitsuba motioned his head away from me and cupped my cheeks with his hands. "Please stop always looking like you want to cry. You told me that you didn't want your decision to be worthless. But now, you're starting to think that exact thing aren't you? Hypocrite." I looked away, ashamed. Mitsuba was right.
Where did I go these past seven years?