Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Mikaela Kane, a second-year student at Kamome Gakuen, was quiet and hardworking. He had a clear goal: to leave his small town for the bright, busy city of Tokyo. He knew he had to work hard to make his dreams come true. Mikaela was respectful and liked being alone, not wanting to bother anyone. But everything changed when his secret was revealed...

"Please!"

A group of students laughed from the other side of the janitor's closet door. Mikaela sniffled, pressing his hands against the door, trying to free himself. His cheeks puffed up like a startled chipmunk.

"T-This isn't funny! Let me out!"

More laughter followed, mocking him.

"Kane-san!" one of the boys shouted, "Trash belongs locked away! You should know that!"

Mikaela's face turned red with embarrassment. "I'm not trash."

"Oh? You're not?" a girl's voice mocked, "Mama says people like you shouldn't even be on Earth. Is that true?"

Mikaela wanted to argue but couldn’t. The girl’s words echoed in his mind, making him feel sick and small. His stomach twisted with unease, and his shoulders hunched.

"It's not true..."

The mocking grew quieter, but faint whispers and giggles continued. He couldn’t hear the words, but he had a sinking feeling he knew what they were saying. Tears began to form in his eyes despite his efforts to hold them back.

"Please..." he whispered, "Even if you think I'm gross... let me out..."

It wasn’t fair. Why did this always happen to him? He had never been cruel to anyone. He always tried to help, sharing pens and pencils, being kind and friendly. Why did they treat him like this? What was wrong with him? Was it really so bad?

The whispers turned into arguing. Suddenly, the door opened, and Mikaela stumbled forward, caught off guard. He failed to keep his balance but bumped into someone.

"Ew!"

"He's touching you!"

Rough hands shoved him back, and Mikaela fell hard, hitting the ground and smacking his head against the wall. He winced and touched the bump on his head.

"He-He touched me!" the boy shouted, holding his hands out as if they were dirty. "You don’t think it’ll spread, do you? I don’t want to be like him!"

One of the girls gasped, "Hurry! To the boys’ bathroom! Wash his germs off!"

Mikaela’s eyes darted between his classmates, three girls and two boys, all glaring at him in disgust. Fear twisted inside him as their cold eyes looked down on him. He pulled his knees close, his heart pounding in the silence.

They wouldn’t hurt him, would they?

"Oh, stop overreacting, Kane-san!" one girl rolled her eyes. "It was just a prank! You didn’t have to freak out!"

Mikaela swallowed hard, trying to explain. "I know! I know it was a prank! I didn’t mean to...”

"We know what you want!" another boy snarled, his face twisted in disgust.

Mikaela flinched.

"I just wanted to be friends," he whispered.

The other girl snorted, turning her head away. "Who would want to be friends with someone like you? Mama said you shouldn’t even be here. It's a disgrace they let you stay!"

"I'm not unnatural. It's normal!" Mikaela stammered, trying to defend himself.

"No, it’s not!" she snapped. "Why don’t you just disappear? We don’t need you here!"

Mikaela’s face burned again. He pulled his knees up to his chest as they walked away, laughing. He watched them leave; his vision blurry with tears. He hiccupped and wiped his eyes, feeling his face heat up. Slowly, he stood up, feeling weak and heavy.

Pranks. His classmates had tormented him ever since his secret got out. From small things like pulling his hair and putting insects in his backpack to bigger things like dumping pink paint on him or pushing him down the stairs. He hadn’t been seriously hurt, just small bruises and scratches. But the teachers didn’t care when he reported it.

"It is just kids being kids! If you want to fit in, maybe you should change something about yourself. Maybe they’ll accept you, Kane-san?"

Mikaela sniffed, rubbing his face. Why should he have to change? It was hard enough just being himself. Why was it his job to change when he was the one being hurt? He never asked to be bullied.

"Stop," Mikaela told himself, shaking his head. "Don’t cry! You only have two more years. Then you’re out of here!"

Two more years at Kamome Gakuen. Then he could leave. He could go anywhere if he worked hard enough and earned a scholarship. Mikaela was smart. He could do it. Two more years, and then he could escape this place and start over.

"Just two more years," he whispered, trying to smile.

Once those two years were up, he would be somewhere new. Somewhere better than Kamome Gakuen. He didn’t know what awaited him, but he hoped it would be better.

Mikaela wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his big yellow sweater and grabbed his backpack, which his classmates had kicked around the hallway. He checked it and was relieved to see all his things, books, papers, and lunchbox, were still there. The last time his classmates had gotten hold of it, they’d thrown everything out the window, and he had spent hours picking it all up.

With a heavy sigh, Mikaela walked down the hallway, ignoring the students who either didn’t notice him or whispered about him. Even his teacher didn’t pay attention as he passed by. Mikaela knew the teacher thought he deserved it.

Mikaela felt like there was a heavy rock sitting in his stomach. Each step he took felt like dragging thick, heavy chains. He just wanted to sleep. Why did school feel so long? It had only been three hours, just lunchtime, but it felt like hours. Mikaela was trying to find a quiet spot to eat when his classmates found him and ruined his break.

He placed his hand on the door handle to the staircase and quietly stepped into the dark stairwell. Standing at the top, he peeked over the railing, seeing his classmates gathering below. A wave of dread washed over him, like weights on his shoulders.

"Hey, have you seen Kane-san?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, we did! Haha! We locked him in the janitor’s closet!"

"You should have heard him! He was crying so much!"

Mikaela swallowed hard, straightening up and pressing his hands to his sides. What should he do? His next class was on the bottom level, so he'd have to pass them to get there. Should he risk being late and take a longer route, or go down the stairs and face them?

"Ew! He's so gross! Did you see how he looked at you this morning?"

"What?! Don’t be creepy!"

"I’m serious!"

Mikaela bit back a groan. He hadn’t been looking at anyone! He avoided eye contact to avoid trouble. Once, a girl had forgotten her pen, and when Mikaela offered her one, she screamed and caused him to get sent to the principal’s office. Trying to be helpful always ended badly.

"Are you serious? That’s disgusting! Ah! I have goosebumps!"

"Hahaha! Maybe he likes you!"

"Shut up! That's gross!"

Mikaela closed his eyes tightly, backing up and grabbing the door behind him. Just as he was about to leave the stairwell and risk being late, he heard their laughter again. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage.

"Let’s go find him!"

"Yeah! Let’s teach Kane-san a lesson!"

Mikaela froze. His heart jumped into his throat. A lesson? For what? He hadn’t done anything wrong!

"Oh! Look!"

"Kane-san is already here! How lucky we are!"

Mikaela’s heart started to race. He peeked at the grinning students, feeling like ice cold water had been thrown over him. He could hear their heavy footsteps climbing the stairs toward him, their voices dark and loud. It was like a cry was building in his chest, and Mikaela did the only thing he could think of, he ran.

He shoved the door open and sprinted, hearing the loud cheers of his classmates behind him as they chased him. Their voices echoed around him.

It felt like something was pulling at his skin as Mikaela ran as fast as he could. He turned corners, desperately trying to escape. His vision blurred, and his chest tightened with sharp pain, making it hard to breathe. His feet burned as he ran.

Then, he saw a door slightly open. Mikaela gritted his teeth and shoved it open, rushing inside. But as he entered, his feet tangled, and he tripped, landing face-first on the floor. He lay still, hearing his pursuers' footsteps pass by the door. After a moment, Mikaela pushed himself up, relieved to hear them walk away.

Mikaela glanced around the room and his face went pale. The room had sinks and cubicles, and it looked like a bathroom. His heart raced as a high-pitched whine escaped him.

"No!" he cried, jumping to his feet. "The girls’ bathroom! Of course, this happens to me!"

He shook his head, rushing to leave, but imagined the rumours that would spread if anyone saw him. He wasn’t some pervert or whatever they might call him.

He grabbed the door handle with sweaty hands and tried to turn it. It wouldn’t budge. No matter how much he pulled, it stayed locked.

"What? Why is it locked?" he whispered, stepping back. His heart sank. If the door was locked, it meant his classmates had probably caught him and locked him in here to prank him.

"Another prank..." he murmured, his shoulders slumping. He could already hear the rumours spreading.

Mikaela sighed and turned to look at the bathroom. It wasn’t very clean or nice, and it was smaller than he expected. The paint on the walls was chipped, and the wooden cubicles were split. The musty smell made him grimace as he covered his nose.

"I thought... girls' bathrooms were supposed to be nicer..." he mumbled.

He cautiously stepped further into the room, worried the floor might give way. His eyes landed on the small, dirty window across from him. The glass was cracked and stained brown, with colourful butterfly and flower stickers stuck to it. It was the only thing that looked halfway decent. The light above flickered and buzzed.

Mikaela shook his head, trying to ignore the strange feeling in the air. He went over to the window and tried to open it but couldn’t reach the latch. He frowned, scanning the room for something to help. His eyes landed on an empty bucket. He grabbed it and placed it under the window. Standing on the bucket, he grabbed the rusty latch and struggled to lift it. After a moment, the metal screeched and the window opened with a loud clank.

Mikaela leaned against the wall, finally able to breathe in the fresh air.

"That’s better," he sighed, enjoying the cool breeze.

Just then, a small noise from behind him made Mikaela jump. He almost fell off the bucket but managed to keep his balance.

"Hello?" he called out nervously. "If you're from my class, this isn't funny!"

But there was no answer. The bathroom was silent. Mikaela turned slowly and glanced at the cubicles. The first few were empty, but the last one’s door was shut. He nervously approached and pushed on the door with his fingers. It was locked.

"Hey, is someone in there?" Mikaela asked, pushing against the door again.

When no one answered, he straightened up and looked around nervously. He couldn't see or hear anything. Swallowing, he looked down at the small gap under the cubicle door.

Mikaela bit his lip and slowly got onto his knees. He leaned down, trying to see under the door. He squinted and saw the toilet, but no feet.

"No one's there... I guess," Mikaela muttered, standing up and sighing with relief. He rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes for a second. "I really thought..."

He chuckled quietly at himself. He had really thought someone was spying on him. How silly. He smiled, then looked down at his hands, frowning. They were dirty.

A disgusted sound came from his throat as he spun around to the sinks. Like everything else in the bathroom, the sinks were old and dirty, with little smudges on them. Mikaela shuddered and turned on the tap, but when the water came out, it was a thick brown colour. He quickly turned it off, scrunching up his nose.

"What the hell?" he whispered. "This bathroom is a mess. How can the school let it get like this?"

He stepped away from the sink, worried. "How could the principal or teachers let this happen? It's dangerous."

Sighing, Mikaela wiped his hands on his sweater and crouched down under the sinks, hugging his knees and resting his chin on them. He stared at nothing for a while. His eyes then went back to the locked cubicle door. It was odd. No one had been in the bathroom for a while, so why was it locked?

"I wonder if this bathroom has any ghost stories... Probably," he mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment.

His stomach growled loudly. Mikaela jumped up quickly, banging his head against the sink. He rubbed his forehead, groaning.

"Why do I keep hitting my head?" Mikaela whined, wincing.

His stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten in a while. He looked at his old backpack, his eyes darting nervously around the quiet bathroom. It felt like there were spiders hiding in the shadows. He was locked in here by his classmates, feeling trapped. With a sigh, he opened his lunchbox.

He carefully lifted the lid. His lunch was simple: a few chicken dumplings and a chocolate donut he'd made. It wasn't much, but it reminded him of how little he had. He sighed and took a bite of the dumpling, his eyes wandering back to the locked cubicle.

That's when he noticed something strange. There were faded red marker scribbles on the corner of the door. How had he missed them before? He leaned closer, squinting at the writing.

“The seventh mystery?” he read aloud. “What’s that?”

He crawled closer to the door, curious. "Knock three times and call for Hanako-san... she will grant you a wish."

Mikaela swallowed his dumpling and thought for a moment. "Hanako-san? I've never heard of that name... I wonder who she is, and why she's locked in the bathroom cubicle..." He scratched his head. When he had looked under the door earlier, there were no feet. How could Hanako-san be inside?

"Is this a ghost story or something?" he wondered, picking at his hair.

"Call Hanako-san, and she’ll grant you a wish." It sounded too good to be true. If it was real, there had to be a catch. But with nothing else to do, Mikaela decided to try it.

"Well... what could it hurt?" he muttered, glancing at the locked cubicle door.

His frown deepened. How long would he be stuck here? He hoped his classmates wouldn't forget about him. The thought of spending the night in this dirty bathroom made him shiver.

Mikaela knocked three times on the door. The sound echoed through the bathroom, and a chill ran down his spine.

"Um... Hanako-san, are you there?"

The wind outside the window picked up, whistling through the cracks. Mikaela flinched, looking at the window. No answer came from the door. It was silent.

"Guess it was just a story," Mikaela said with a nervous laugh. He reached for his donut but froze when he saw his lunchbox was empty.

"What... I swear I didn't eat all of it... did I?"

A strange clicking noise came from the cubicle. Mikaela froze, wide-eyed with fear. His mouth went dry, and his chest tightened. Slowly, he turned back to the closed cubicle, watching the small gap under the door. The clicking became scratching, and the darkness under the door seemed to grow deeper. Heart racing, Mikaela crouched down slowly, peering into the space.

Amber eyes stared back at him.

Mikaela felt like he'd been splashed with ice-cold water. His heart pounded. Then, as if breaking free from a trance, he screamed and scrambled backward, slamming his head against the sink. He curled into a ball, clutching his throbbing head.

Laughter echoed in the air, light and mischievous.

"Are you okay?" a high-pitched voice asked.

Mikaela blinked through his tears, staring at a face just inches from his own. The boy had glowing amber eyes and a mischievous grin that made Mikaela shiver.

Mikaela squealed and tried to move back, but he hit his head against the sink again.

"At this rate, you're going to lose all your brain cells!" the boy teased, clearly enjoying Mikaela's reaction.

Mikaela stared at the strange boy, realization dawning on him. Those were the same eyes he had seen under the cubicle door. Looking at the now open cubicle, he noticed it was the cleanest part of the bathroom. How strange.

"Who... who..." Mikaela stuttered.

"Who am I?" the boy asked, finishing the question for him.

Mikaela gulped and tried to back into the cramped space under the sink. The boy seemed more amused by Mikaela's fear. His face flickered in the dim light, making Mikaela feel sick.

The boy crouched in front of him, one hand resting on his knee, the other propping up his cheek. He looked at Mikaela, chewing something, before swallowing it with a delighted hum.

"Thanks for the snack! It was delicious!" the boy said.

Mikaela's eyes widened. His donut, his only treat, had been taken without him noticing.

"...Um... you're welcome... I guess," Mikaela mumbled.

His attention shifted to a red orb hovering above them. Tiny specks of light floated away and disappeared. He jerked back as another orb, glowing green, flew close to his face. The light nearly burned his eyes.

The boy in black and red laughed again, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He stood up, stretching his arms, bones popping loudly, making Mikaela flinch. Then the boy glided over to the toilet, sitting on it and adjusting the flap of his hat.

“Seventh of the school’s seven mysteries!” he sang, the orbs twirling around him. “Hanako-san of the toilet! Pleased to meet you!”

Mikaela stared at the boy, taking slow steps forward like a cautious cat but keeping a safe distance. The boy's words echoed in his mind, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Hanako…-san…" Mikaela whispered, remembering the name from the cubicle door.

"That's right! You can call me Hanako-kun if you want!" the boy cheered, wiggling his fingers at Mikaela. "All those stories you heard about me are true! I’ll grant the wish of whoever calls me!"

Mikaela just stared, not showing any reaction. Hanako’s smile faltered, and before Mikaela could blink, the boy appeared right in front of his face, causing him to squeal in surprise.

"No way!" Hanako said. "You’ve never heard of me, have you?"

Mikaela rubbed his ears and took a deep breath. "No… sorry, I haven’t…" he mumbled quietly.

Hanako put his hands on his hips and pouted like a disappointed puppy. "How do you not know me?!" he said loudly. "You’ve heard about the seven mysteries, right? Please tell me you’ve heard of them!"

Mikaela blinked. "Mysteries?" he repeated quietly, chewing on the inside of his mouth. "I… what mysteries…?"

Hanako dropped to the floor, crossing his legs in front of Mikaela and leaning in close, narrowing his eyes. The two floating orbs above them shimmered with tiny sparks of light.

"You really don’t know?" Hanako asked, rubbing his chin. "How fascinating. I’ve never been summoned by someone who didn’t know what they were doing. What have you been doing all year? Living under a rock?"

Mikaela’s face twisted. What had he been doing all year? Surviving, avoiding his classmates, trying not to get bullied too badly.

"I don’t need this," Mikaela muttered, standing up quickly. "I don’t care about your mysteries. I have enough to deal with."

Hanako raised an eyebrow, looking at him curiously. "Other things to worry about? Like what?"

Mikaela’s face flushed. He clenched his fists, trying to stay calm despite his growing fear. "It’s none of your business. I’m leaving now!"

Without saying another word, Mikaela turned to the door, embarrassed about yelling at someone, even if he didn’t know him. He reached for the handle, but it didn’t turn.

"It’s locked," Hanako said from behind him, his voice soft. He floated just off the ground. "Oh, that's a nice shade of red!"

Mikaela’s face turned even redder. He tugged on the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge. He gritted his teeth, holding back a frustrated whimper.

"Why won’t it open?" he whispered to himself.

"Who’s pushing it?" Hanako asked, tilting his head.

Mikaela sighed and shook his head. "Never mind," he muttered, looking down at his feet. He turned back around and froze.

"Y-You’re flying?" he asked, wide-eyed.

Hanako blinked slowly and raised an eyebrow. "Oh right. You don’t know about the mysteries."

"I’m a ghost!"

"A ghost?" Mikaela repeated, staring.

Hanako floated closer, and Mikaela reached out to poke him. His finger went right through Hanako’s face. Mikaela jumped back, yelping and hitting the door behind him.

"You're a ghost!" Mikaela said, his voice full of disbelief.

"I just said that!" Hanako laughed.

Mikaela squeezed his eyes shut, then rubbed his face, hoping to clear his head. He opened his eyes again, and for a moment, Hanako was gone.

"He’s gone?" Mikaela whispered. "Was it all in my head?"

He stepped forward cautiously, his nerves growing again. He pressed his hand to his aching head, trying to make sense of it all.

"Maybe I imagined it… but it felt so real…" Mikaela said to himself.

He bit his lip and moved toward his backpack. As he crouched down to pick it up, his eyes went to his empty lunchbox. Had Hanako really eaten his donut? If this was all in his head, the food should still be there. But when Mikaela picked up the lunchbox, it was completely empty.

Mikaela groaned.

"Boo!"

Mikaela screamed, spinning around in panic and throwing the lunchbox toward the voice. The box flew right through Hanako’s grinning face and slammed into the wall, sending dust flying everywhere.

Hanako laughed, floating back and crossing his arms behind his head. "Your face was priceless! Hahaha!"

"You!" Mikaela groaned, his shoulders hunched up to his ears. "What do you want?!"

"Me?" Hanako grinned wider, tapping his chest. "You summoned me, remember?"

Mikaela frowned. "Not on purpose! I didn’t even know about you!"

"Hmm, true," Hanako shrugged. "But I’m here now! So, I can grant any wish you want!"

Mikaela hesitated, a wish? Any wish? It sounded too good to be true. He didn’t believe it.

"I don’t want anything," Mikaela said finally.

Hanako’s face showed surprise. Mikaela figured it wasn’t every day someone called Hanako but didn’t want a wish. Hanako blinked at Mikaela, still processing.

"Really?" Hanako asked, scratching his chin. "Nothing at all? I can give you fame, fortune, or even have all your chores and homework done for a year! Maybe until you graduate!"

"If that doesn’t interest you," Hanako added, smiling even wider, "I can grant you friendship too?"

Mikaela’s eyes twitched.

Mikaela looked down at his feet, thinking. Friendship? Could he wish for that? He had always wanted friends, but ever since his secret came out, no one wanted to be around him. He had hoped to make a friend or two when he first came to school, but after his secret was exposed, everything changed.

Could he really wish for friendship?

“…No,” Mikaela said suddenly, shaking his head. “No, I don’t want friendship.”

He wanted friends more than anything, but after how his classmates treated him when they learned his secret, he didn’t want to be friends with anyone who had hurt him like that.

“I don’t want to wish for anything,” he sighed, turning away. “Just leave me alone, ghost boy or not…”

As Mikaela turned, he felt a cold breeze on his face, making him open his eyes. He froze when he saw Hanako’s face inches from his, his honey-coloured eyes filling his vision.

“How about love?” Hanako asked with a grin. “I can help you find someone who makes your heart flutter.”

Hanako was so close that their noses almost touched. As he spoke about love, Hanako raised his hand and hovered his fingers over Mikaela’s chest.

“Don’t you want to know what love feels like? I can help you find your soulmate!”

Hanako leaned in even closer, his lips dangerously close to Mikaela’s. The grin on his face grew sharp, and Mikaela could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His face flushed red from how close Hanako was, and just as Mikaela tensed, ready for a kiss, he felt a cold chill run through him.

Laughter filled the air.

"W-What?" Mikaela gasped, his eyes snapping open to find Hanako floating above him, laughing with his hands on his stomach.

Hanako laughed so hard, his head tilting back. “It’s been forever since a human made me laugh this much! I’ve never seen anyone so scared of a little kiss!” he said, blowing a raspberry. “Forget the fact I can’t even touch you!”

Mikaela’s face turned even redder, and his hands balled into fists. “T-That wasn’t funny!” he snapped.

“It totally was!” Hanako said, wiping a tear from his eye and pulling at his red-lined cap.

Mikaela grumbled, pouting as he looked away from the ghost. His face was still hot, and his neck felt like it was on fire. He looked down at the wooden panel beneath his feet and kicked it softly.

“It wasn’t funny… it was stupid of you,” Mikaela mumbled.

Hanako floated lazily, flipping onto his stomach and resting his head in his hands. “Hmm? What do you mean?” he asked, confused.

Mikaela’s frustration boiled over. “How are you this naïve?” he snapped.

“Naïve?” Hanako repeated, an amused grin creeping back on his face. “Trust me, I’m the last person you’d call naïve.”

Mikaela’s face twisted in annoyance, and he puffed his chest out. “Then you should know how ridiculous and mean it was to do that! We’re both boys, for crying out loud!”

Hanako raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “...Is that all?” he asked. “How outdated.”

Mikaela’s lips curled into a sharp frown, and he hissed, “Don’t talk to me about being outdated. You wouldn’t get it, and you definitely wouldn’t understand how hard it’s been. So don’t mess with me like that!”

Hanako went silent. His grin vanished, and he pouted, his eyes darkening. He glared down at Mikaela. “I understand more than you think.”

Mikaela’s lips curled into a snarl as he glared back, ready to yell. But before he could say anything, Hanako was gone. Mikaela blinked in surprise, his expression shifting to confusion. He looked around the bathroom, scanning for any sign of Hanako. When he turned toward the cubicle, he saw the door was closed.

Mikaela stepped forward cautiously and knocked softly on the door. He leaned in, trying to listen, but heard nothing.

“Hanako-san?” he called quietly. The only answer was the sound of the bathroom door clicking open.

Mikaela stared at the door, which was now wide open. There was no one outside. He glanced between the two doors before shrugging. With one last look at the closed cubicle door, he grabbed his backpack and quickly left the girls’ bathroom.

He peeked out into the hallway, worried his classmates might be waiting for him. But the hallway was empty. No one was around.

He glanced back at the bathroom one more time, his eyes locking onto the cubicle where Hanako had been. He puffed out his cheeks, annoyed and frustrated by the ghost boy’s antics. Shaking his head, Mikaela turned and walked quickly away, already sure he had missed the rest of his afternoon lessons.

“...I bet I’ve got detention now...”

~#~

Mikaela had detention.

He dragged his feet down the corridor, feeling miserable. His arms were covered in bruises from when the other students had attacked him earlier that morning. He rubbed his hands together, sighing deeply. His legs hurt from being kicked out from under him. He was soaked, his blonde hair sticking to his face, and his school pants clinging to his legs. The students had thrown his stuff into the school fountain, and he had to fish it out. He couldn’t afford new things, so he hoped his stuff could still be saved.

The incident with Hanako slipped from his mind.

Sniffling, Mikaela walked through the school gates, his back slumped and his hands holding the straps of his backpack. He pouted, hardly noticing the people around him. Those who passed didn’t seem to notice him either.

Suddenly, Mikaela stopped. His eyes widened, and his heart raced as he almost stepped on something small. He took a step back and saw a tiny animal walking out from a bush. It had a long nose and big paws, its back covered in golden spikes that wobbled as it moved.

"A hedgehog?" Mikaela said, stepping closer. He tilted his head and muttered, "Hedgehogs aren’t usually out here... too many cars."

He watched the little creature for a few moments before shrugging and stepping over it, deciding to ignore the strange sight. His body ached from the earlier attack, and he wasn’t in the mood for more surprises. His classmates had already pushed him enough.

But then, a loud screech made his ears perk up. Car tires squealed, and Mikaela could feel the wind whipping his hair as a car sped down the road. His eyes darted between the car and the hedgehog, still unaware of the approaching danger. The little hedgehog paused in the middle of the road, scratching its head.

Mikaela’s stomach twisted with worry as he saw the car getting closer and closer. He didn’t think. He just ran, leaping off the curb and grabbing the hedgehog, lifting it out of harm’s way. The car honked at him, narrowly missing him as his foot caught the edge of the pavement, sending him flying.

He tumbled through the air, landing hard on his head with a sickening thud.

"Ow," Mikaela groaned, rubbing the back of his neck, wincing from the pain.

He sat up slowly, cradling his head in his hands as the pain pulsed. But then, he felt something strange in his arms. Blinking, Mikaela looked at his sleeves and saw two sharp golden points sticking out from his arms.

"W-What…" he mumbled, lightly touching one of the points.

Pain shot through him, and he yelped, pulling his arms close to his body, but accidentally brushing the points against his chin, causing even more pain. He clenched his teeth, trying to fight through it.

Taking a deep breath, Mikaela grabbed one of the points and ripped it out like a band-aid. The pain was intense, making him freeze up, his whole-body tense.

After a few moments, the pain turned into a dull ache, and Mikaela opened his eyes again. He sniffled, looking at the second point still stuck in his arm. It was sharp, and a small hint of red made him feel sick. It could be his blood.

With another deep breath, he ripped the second point out, gasping from the pain.

When it was finally over, Mikaela slouched back, rubbing his sore arms. His eyes went to the golden points lying on the ground. They looked so metallic. He picked one up, turning it over in his fingers before accidentally pricking his thumb on the sharp end. A drop of blood formed, and he sucked on it, grimacing.

“The hedgehog…” he gasped, looking around.

He hurried to find the little creature, but it was nowhere to be seen. Not on the road, not in the bushes. The hedgehog was gone. Mikaela glanced up and saw a faint yellow trail disappear into thin air.

Not only had the hedgehog vanished but so had the golden points. It was as if they had never been there. The dull ache in his arms, however, told him otherwise.

“What...?” he mumbled, confused.

Before he could think more about it, the sky grew darker. Thunder rumbled overhead, and a thick cloud cover swallowed the sky. Rain started to fall, sharp and cold, stinging his face. Mikaela shivered, already soaked from earlier, and now the rain threatened to give him a cold.

He pulled his hood up and slowly stood; his legs shaky from the fall. The rain grew stronger, turning into hail, making his head throb. He hurried across the street, heading toward the Kamome Gakuen dorms, which were across from the school. They were a smaller building for students like him. Thankfully, Mikaela had a place to stay.

With his head down and heat rising to his cheeks, Mikaela entered the dorm, climbing the stairs to the second floor. The dorm had only three floors, and Mikaela had been in the same room since his first year. Back then, some students resented him for getting a dorm so early, especially since he was a first year. Things got worse after his secret came out, but at least he had a roof over his head.

Mikaela jumped into his bed, wrapping himself in the thick quilts. He tugged them over his head, curling up tight. His dorm was small, probably one of the smallest, but it was warm and cozy. Well, as cozy as the cheapest dorm could be. It got super-hot in summer and freezing in winter. If it wasn’t cleaned often, mold would grow. During his study breaks, Mikaela cleaned the dorm from top to bottom to keep it mold-free.

With a soft sigh, Mikaela rolled his head across his worn-out pillow. He stretched his arm out and pulled up his sleeve, pressing his fingers gently into his skin, trying to feel where the golden points had left marks. His lips twisted into a frown.

“Nothing?” he mumbled.

He couldn’t feel where the spikes had hurt him. It was like they never even happened.

“It’s gone…” Mikaela said quietly.

The next morning, Mikaela rushed to class. Even though his dorm was close by, he had terrible time management. One minute, he was in bed, the next he was running, sweat already forming on his forehead.

“He runs weird, doesn’t he?”

“Look at his fat arms and legs.”

Mikaela tried to ignore the whispers and giggles. His face turned red as he pumped his legs harder. He slid around a corner and almost tripped into Kamome Gakuen. His backpack slipped from his shoulder as he ran, but he quickly grabbed it before it hit the ground.

“Why is he scratching like that?”

Mikaela stopped and looked down. His hand was scratching his arm without him noticing. He shook both his arms quickly, then rushed toward his class, barely making it before the bell rang. The other students who saw him run into the class began to murmur and giggle.

Face burning, Mikaela hurried to his usual spot in the back of the classroom. He slumped over his desk, arms hanging off the side, trying to hide his face in his arms. He could hear the whispers getting louder as the other students made fun of him. At least in the back row, no one could throw paper at him like when he was a first-year.

The teacher’s voice blurred in Mikaela’s ears as he tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling crawling under his skin.

“Kane,” a voice hissed.

Mikaela blinked and looked at his neighbor. The girl next to him glared at him, eyes full of frustration.

“Kane, stop that,” she grumbled.

“Um… stop what?” Mikaela asked awkwardly.

“Scratching! Do you have fleas or something?!” she growled.

Mikaela looked down at his arms, realizing he’d been scratching again without thinking. He quickly pulled his arms close to his body and hid them under his desk.

“S-Sorry…”

“You’re so weird,” the girl rolled her eyes, turning back to the teacher.

Mikaela sank deeper into his chair, embarrassed. The laughter and whispers around him grew louder, making his headache. He took a deep breath and tried to focus.

Mikaela finally gathered his things and tried to leave. But his legs felt weak, and his skin tingled with discomfort. As he walked down the hall, he scratched at his leg without thinking. When he noticed, he quickly rushed forward, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Why do I keep doing that?” he mumbled quietly.

He checked his reflection in the mirror after he ran into the boys’ bathroom. He didn’t see any rash or redness, but something felt off. He stretched his arms out and pulled up his sleeves. His stomach twisted with nerves.

His arms had tiny golden dots all over them.

Mikaela gasped and ran his fingers across his skin, feeling the bumps.

“What are these?!” he exclaimed, trying to scratch them off, but they wouldn’t come off.

Panicked, Mikaela pulled up his pants, his eyes widening. The dots were on his legs, too. They felt cold and strange under his fingers. He pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling dizzy.

“Yesterday… those spikes…” he whispered, his face full of disbelief. “Did the spikes… do this to me?”

Mikaela ran his hands through his hair, but when he stopped, something felt wrong. He blinked, then reached up to touch his head. His fingers wiggled in confusion. His face went pale when he realized what was happening. He yanked a strange, blunt golden spike from his hair. It didn’t feel like a hair at all.

“What’s going on?” he gasped.

Mikaela stared at the spike in his hand, feeling everything around him slow down. He looked into the mirror, and his heart dropped.

His whole body jerked towards the mirror. His jaw dropped in shock as he looked at his reflection. His skin had turned a pale yellow, covered in tiny golden spikes.

“What is happening?!” he whispered, touching his face and feeling the sharp bumps under his skin.

The bathroom suddenly started shaking. The grey tiles seemed to move on their own, and black gas began seeping through tiny cracks in the walls. Dust swirled around the room, and tiny creatures crawled over every surface, making squeaky noises as they moved. Wherever they went, they left behind smudges of dirt.

"W-What are these things?" Mikaela gasped, stepping back as the dust creatures started to move toward him.

More squeals echoed as the creatures climbed onto his shoes. No matter how hard Mikaela tried to kick them off, they kept coming back. Panicked, he began shaking his hands, trying to brush them away. The dust creatures gathered into a thick mush, crawling up his legs like a mass of spiders.

Mikaela shook his head wildly and cried out, brushing them off, but more kept coming. He stumbled backward, feeling something like thick ropes wrapping around his legs, and fell to the ground. It felt like a cloud of dust surrounding him, making odd noises as it closed in.

Screaming, Mikaela kicked his legs and scrambled to his feet, running out of the bathroom with the dust cloud chasing after him. The hallway was strangely empty, but Mikaela didn’t stop. His legs burned, and his chest ached as he ran, but he pushed himself forward.

He almost tripped and crashed into the staircase, landing painfully on the steps. His hands and knees throbbed. Mikaela whimpered as he pushed himself up. He could hear a buzzing sound coming from the bathroom door he had just left. He froze, listening as the sound faded down the hall.

Shaking, Mikaela looked at his hands. They were a pale yellow with tiny golden dots. He quickly realized they probably went up his arms and legs, too.

His legs were weak, but he forced himself to stand. He remembered the strange bathroom incident, where the floor felt like it might give way. With a sharp breath, Mikaela hurried up the stairs, heading back toward the bathroom.

He pushed the door open with a crash and stumbled inside, his heart pounding. The bathroom looked the same as before, with the light flickering above him. The window was open, and the cubicle door where the ghost boy had appeared was closed.

"What was his name again?...Haruka? No, Hana…Hanako!" Mikaela muttered to himself, knocking on the cubicle door.

He knocked again, his hand aching. Before he could shout Hanako’s name again, the bathroom door slammed open. A swarm of dust creatures rushed in, moving like a cloud of wasps. They flowed through the walls and floor, gathering into a massive mass that surrounded Mikaela, trapping him.

He screamed, but the dust creatures didn’t move closer to him this time. They just stayed in a circle around him, watching silently.

"Why aren’t they doing anything?" Mikaela wondered aloud.

"They’re waiting."

Mikaela looked up to see Hanako hovering above him. The ghost boy was leaning over the cubicle door, his elbow resting on top, watching with a smirk.

"W-Waiting?" Mikaela asked, his voice trembling.

Hanako closed one eye and glanced down at him. "Hmm. Dust devils are more like a net."

"A net?" Mikaela gasped. "For what?"

Hanako just grinned and leaned closer. Mikaela flinched, thinking Hanako was about to touch him, but his hand passed through Mikaela’s face and out his hair. Mikaela yelped as Hanako pulled a golden spike from his head, twirling it between his fingers.

"You've been cursed with the Kamaitachi’s mark," Hanako said with a mischievous laugh. "Dust Devils work for Kamaitachi, capturing new slaves, or meals."

Mikaela’s eyes widened. "Kamaitachi is going to eat me?" he cried.

Hanako shrugged. "Who knows. The old man changes his mind all the time."

Mikaela’s face twisted in disbelief. His forehead hit the door with a thud, his sobs filling the air.

"All this for saving a hedgehog?" he muttered.

Hanako blinked. "Hmm?"

"Humans are always whining!" a loud voice echoed through the bathroom. The Dust Devils scattered, and the wooden panels cracked. Red and black steam filled the air as a huge creature appeared. It was massive, its body stretching across the bathroom, with a bushy tail and enormous paws that had sickle-like claws. What frightened Mikaela the most was its face.

"Ah! An old man’s face!" Mikaela screamed, pressing against the cubicle door. "Please don’t eat me!"

The creature’s voice was deep but wise. "Such a hard human to find. I’m not here to eat you."

Mikaela blinked. "You’re not?" he asked awkwardly.

The creature chuckled, red spikes flying from its body, hitting the walls. "Of course! You should be happy! It’s not every day I, Kamaitachi, offer a sickle!"

Mikaela backed away slowly, trembling. He gasped as the old, wrinkled face leaned closer to him.

"A sickle?" Mikaela whispered.

Kamaitachi’s mouth twisted into a wise smile. His eyes were just pools of white. He leaned in closer, his breath washing over Mikaela. "Imagine my surprise when I found out a human saved my precious sapling. My young one wandered too far from home, and a human saved him from being crushed. I’ve lost too many children to humans."

"The hedgehog?" Mikaela asked, remembering the small golden creature he’d saved.

Kamaitachi let out a loud laugh. "I’ve come to take you!" he bellowed, more red spikes flying from his body. "The ceremony will be at dawn!"

Mikaela’s stomach twisted with fear. "Ceremony? What ceremony?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Hanako stood up straight, clapping his hands like a child. His eyes sparkled with something odd. "Oh! Congratulations! I wish you a happy life in your marriage!"

Mikaela snapped his head up, confused. "Marriage? What are you talking about? I can't marry a hedgehog!"

"Of course, you can!" Kamaitachi said, "You're already changing!"

Before Mikaela could respond, he heard the sound of clothes tearing. His eyes widened, and he screamed as spikes shot out from his back. They were big and thick, making him jerk forward from the force. He cried out at the sight of them.

"Enough! We need to hurry! We have a wedding to prepare for!" Kamaitachi barked.

The Dust Devils swarmed around the room. Mikaela cried out again and grabbed the top of the cubicle door, shaking as the Dust Devils tried to pull him off.

"I don't want to marry a hedgehog!" Mikaela sobbed, tears running down his face.

Hanako hummed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the door and getting right in Mikaela’s face. "It wouldn’t be that bad! You’d have servants, slaves, and everything you could ever want! You’d be pampered!"

"No! No! No!" Mikaela cried. "I don't want to go! I want to stay here!"

Hanako’s eyes narrowed, and he grinned. "Well, there is a way. I can grant you a wish."

"A wish?" Mikaela asked, feeling the Dust Devils tug harder. "Okay! Okay! I want a wish, Hanako! I want to stay here!"

Hanako’s face turned serious. The shadows around him deepened, making his honey eyes stand out even more. He bared his sharp teeth at Mikaela, then suddenly moved right through him and hovered in front of Kamaitachi.

"Unfortunately, you can’t take this human," Hanako said coolly.

Kamaitachi hissed and snapped his claws at Hanako. "You're in my way, brat! I’m over ten thousand years old! You think you can stop me?"

Hanako tilted his head, unfazed. "You think you're strong enough to take him?"

Kamaitachi growled. "Shut up!" he yelled, sending red spikes flying from his body.

Hanako lazily raised his hand. He pulled a knife from his belly and swung it around, a wicked grin on his face. Red sparks flickered around the blade. In one quick move, he sliced through the Dust Devils. The little creatures squealed and scattered.

Mikaela yelped as he fell to the ground, hitting his head painfully against the wall. The impact made a sickening crack, and he whimpered, rubbing his head.

"Ow," he muttered.

"I still have to grant him a wish," Hanako said, twirling the golden spike in his fingers. "Once that’s done, you can have him, if you still want him."

Hanako suddenly crouched in front of Mikaela, his face blank, no smug grin in sight. He seemed different, like he’d put on a mask.

"Uh… Hanako, what are you?"

"Say 'ah,'" Hanako said suddenly, biting down on the spike and moving closer to Mikaela. Before Mikaela could react, the spike was pushed into his mouth, scratching the back of his throat. The two were almost nose to nose, and the spike dissolved between them. Little sizzling sounds filled the air, and golden smoke swirled around their heads.

"Ta-dah!" Hanako sang, stepping back. He wiped his mouth, smirking again, and gave Mikaela a light pat on the head.

"You! You insolent brat!" Kamaitachi howled. "How dare you ruin our bride!"

Mikaela blinked, his hand slowly reaching up to touch his lips. The spike was gone. Where did it go?

"That's how your kind does it, right?" Hanako said, shrugging nonchalantly. "You can’t take someone who’s already engaged."

Mikaela’s eyes widened. "Engaged?"

Kamaitachi’s anger flared. "You fool! There’s another way to take the bride, even if you ruined him! By killing the groom!" he screamed, swinging his claw at Hanako.

Hanako easily dodged the attack, slashing his knife across Kamaitachi’s stomach.

"I'm already dead!" Hanako said, grinning.

Kamaitachi’s body began to crumble. "How could a weak spirit like you have this much power?" he growled, black dust falling from his body. "Curse you, school brat!"

Mikaela blinked. Suddenly, the bathroom was empty, just him and Hanako. He swallowed hard, looking around the room, half-expecting the Dust Devils to return.

"Hmm," Hanako said. "Kamaitachi is pretty stubborn. We’ll probably see him again eventually." He twirled around, a smug grin spreading across his face. "But that’s it! No use crying over spilled milk! This is what happens when you get involved with the supernatural!"

"You get what you get!" he added with a shrug.

Mikaela's face scrunched up. "I never wanted to get involved! It was just a hedgehog crossing the road! I didn’t think this would happen!" He hugged himself, shivering. "…I almost married a hedgehog… and not Sonic either…"

"I'm human again!"

Mikaela gasped, running his hands up and down his arms. His fingers reached up to his head, feeling the small bumps at the base of his skull. They didn’t feel the same as before. The golden dots on his arms and legs now looked more like freckles.

"Well..." he chuckled awkwardly, "Mostly..."

He suddenly remembered, he had asked for a wish, and Hanako had granted it. Mikaela swallowed hard, a cold chill creeping down his spine.

"Hanako... how did you grant my wish?" he asked quietly, almost breaking.

Hanako hummed, tilting his head to the side. His green and red eyes swirled around him. He leaned in close to Mikaela with a sharp grin, grabbing Mikaela’s hands and effortlessly pulling him up from the ground. Their fingers were tangled together, Hanako hovering slightly above Mikaela.

"Now our fates are tied together," Hanako said, grinning wider. "We’re bound across the worlds of the living and the dead. The curse is split between us. In spirit terms, our red strings are tied together."

"In human terms, I suppose we're betrothed."

Mikaela’s face went pale as if his very soul had been pulled out of him by a sharp hook. He slowly slumped, feeling weak, almost falling if Hanako hadn’t been holding his hands.

"Aw, don't make that face!" Hanako laughed. "It was either me or an ugly hedgehog! Who would you have preferred?"

"The hedgehog…" Mikaela muttered.

Hanako pouted, then smirked. "Oh, that hurt," he sniffled, putting a hand to his chest. "Don’t worry, I’ll be a good partner."

Suddenly, Mikaela yelped as golden spikes erupted from his body. They flew around the room, hitting the walls. Mikaela blinked, surprised.

"Oh..." he said quietly, rubbing his head.

Hanako floated above him, smiling. "Well, I couldn't turn you fully human again. You’ll need to learn to control your emotions," he teased, pulling a spike from the ceiling and wiggling it at Mikaela. "Don’t want you hurting someone by accident, right?"

Mikaela bit his lip, feeling worried. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. Why was this happening to him? He was just a normal boy trying to get through school without trouble. But now, his secret was out, his classmates were making his life difficult, and he was tied to this powerful ghost boy. He wasn’t even fully human anymore! Was he cursed to be half-hedgehog forever? Would spikes shoot out every time he got too excited, scared, or nervous?

"This... this has to be some kind of nightmare!" Mikaela whimpered, overwhelmed.

"Nope! It’s real!" Hanako said, flicking Mikaela's forehead. "See? That hurt, right?"

Mikaela put his hand to his forehead, frowning deeply. So, it wasn’t a nightmare. It was real. He was stuck like this? What would happen when he left Kamome Gakuen? Could he even leave? If he was tied to Hanako now, what would happen?

"Oh, I forgot to mention something!" Hanako said, his voice suddenly sweet. He smiled in a way that seemed far too kind compared to his usual smugness.

Mikaela shuddered. "Can you stop that?"

Hanako blinked, seemingly innocent. "Am I making you uncomfortable? Are you sweating? You’re turning red! I like that shade!"

Mikaela flushed as Hanako got closer. Then, more spikes erupted from his body, flying in all directions. Hanako squealed in delight, dancing between the spikes, before poking Mikaela on the nose with one.

"I need a payment!" Hanako said, grinning.

"Payment?" Mikaela repeated, confused. "You never mentioned anything about a payment…"

Hanako snorted. "What? You think I grant wishes for free? Everything comes with a price! Especially a wish like yours! It shouldn’t be a surprise," he said, leaping backward and sitting on the back of the toilet. He crossed his legs and put a finger to his cheek.

"Anytime you ask a ghost, like me, for help, you have to pay! If you want something beyond human or soul, a bigger fee is required."

Mikaela swallowed hard. "And what type of wish was mine?"

"Ah, you’re clever!" Hanako teased, clapping his hands. "Your wish wasn’t a balanced one! You wanted to stay here, right? I granted it using my own wisp-soul!"

"...Don’t tell me…" Mikaela mumbled.

Hanako's grin grew wider. "Yup!" he said, winking playfully. "Your wish was on a whole new level!"

Mikaela took a deep breath. "What do you want then? Food? Money?"

He didn’t have anything of value to offer. What could someone like Hanako want? Suddenly, Mikaela’s fear spiked. Could Hanako want his soul? Did the ghost want to eat it? Or did he expect Mikaela to give up his firstborn child?

"No, no," Hanako said. "Those things are all human things. Your wish was beyond that."

Mikaela’s face drained of colour. His hands slowly went to his cheek, feeling the cold sweat. "Oh my gosh… you want my soul, don’t you? You want to eat my soul!"

Hanako hummed deeply, crouching in front of Mikaela. He propped his elbow on his knee and rested his fist on his cheek. "Your soul? Hmm, I guess that’s one way to think of it. But I’m not that evil! I’m kind enough to give you a chance to save it!"

Mikaela’s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"I’ll have you pay me back with your body!" Hanako said, eyes glowing with excitement. "You’re a second year now, so you’ve got two more years to work off your debt."

Mikaela’s throat tightened in fear. "A-And if I don’t… work off my debt?"

"I’ll eat your soul!" Hanako purred, grinning widely.

Mikaela froze, his body stiffening as more spikes shot out from him. He didn’t even feel them. His mind was spinning. Hanako would eat his soul if he didn’t work off his debt in two years?

"Wait…" Mikaela stammered. His eyes went wide. "You want my…?"

"Your labour!" Hanako finished for him, winking. "Did you think I meant something else? I didn’t know you had such a dirty mind, Senpai!"

Mikaela cried out, jumping to his feet. "I’m leaving now!"

"See you tomorrow, Senpai!" Hanako called cheerfully.

~#~

Mikaela Kane loved to be creative. He spent hours drawing, sketching, and painting. He liked expressing his thoughts through art. It helped him feel better during tough times.

One thing Mikaela enjoyed was looking out the window and drawing whatever he saw. During his first year at school, he would sit in his dorm and sketch the view. His dorm was across from the school, and at the time, it seemed like any other normal view. But later, when he looked back at his sketches, he noticed something strange. There were odd details like a figure in the window, a shadow that didn’t belong, or a person who didn’t look real. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but after he learned about the supernatural, those details seemed very strange.

Mikaela loved drawing and painting. It helped him clear his mind. But after his secret was exposed and his sketchbook was destroyed, he couldn’t draw the same way anymore. The memories of his drawings being pinned up in the school hallways still made him shiver. It took a week for them to take the drawings down, and the kids who did it were never punished.

"Ah, my life," he thought. He hadn’t been able to really draw since then.

Mikaela grumbled softly, staring at the whiteboard. His fingers fidgeted with the pencil, unsure of what to draw. He knew that once the lesson was over, someone would probably take his drawing and make fun of it. So, what was the point of trying? He felt no motivation. He glanced at the teacher, realizing he couldn’t get away with not doing anything.

He sighed deeply and slouched in his chair, listening to the chatter of the other students. A quick look around the room made him feel lonely. Art class used to be his favourite, but now it was his least favourite.

Mikaela lifted his head when he noticed small paw prints smudged on the side of a cupboard. A chill ran through him as he stared at the prints. His classmates didn’t seem to notice the prints covering everything around them. As he looked closer, he heard faint squeals and clatters. When he couldn’t find anything, he pushed the sounds out of his mind. The noises seemed to move between the frames of the bathroom, leaving paw prints everywhere. How strange. He hadn’t noticed them before.

Suddenly, a loud smack echoed in his ears. It felt like a snake was wrapping around his head. The pain was sharp, and he sat up straight, his shoulders tense. A shriek escaped his mouth as he grabbed his forehead. Pain shot through the middle of his forehead. The lump of clay on his face fell off and hit the desk with a loud smack. A throb spread through his body as spikes suddenly shot from his head.

"Whoa, what was that?" someone asked.

"I don't know. Maybe the ceiling?"

“They’re spikes?” someone else said.

Mikaela sniffled, eyes watering, as he covered his forehead. A bruise was already forming, and tears ran down his cheeks as his nose began to swell from the tiny sobs. The lump of clay on the desk was cracked and faded, definitely big enough to hurt if thrown. He bit back another cry, rubbing his forehead gently.

"Who hates me enough to throw something like that at me?" he thought, looking around the room. The other students were giggling, but no one seemed to notice or care. His teacher didn’t react either. Not even when Mikaela cried out in pain. He slouched further into his chair, resting his head on his desk, crossing his arms.

A gentle breeze brushed across his head, making his hair move. He sniffed and looked up. There, floating above him, was a small orb of light. It glowed brightly, casting tiny specks of white and green across his desk. Normally, he would have been drawn to it, but something about it felt off. The green flames inside the orb flickered like a fire.

"Don’t worry, I’m not going to skip after class," Mikaela muttered to the orb, though he knew it couldn’t understand him. The orb grew brighter and hovered closer, brushing against Mikaela’s cheek, though he didn’t feel it. He stared at the flames inside, mesmerized by their movement.

“Mister Kane,” a voice said suddenly, snapping him out of his trance. A textbook was placed on his head. “What exactly are you doing?”

Mikaela flushed, wiping his face and sitting up straight. “N-Nothing, sir.”

“I hope not,” the teacher replied sternly. “Your board is blank. Hurry up, Mister Kane. I wouldn’t want to fail you.”

Mikaela bit his lip. “Right. Of course not, sir.”

He stayed quiet as the teacher walked away, ignoring the clay and his cry. He sighed deeply, hearing the giggles from the other students. He rubbed his forehead and stared at the blank page. What should he draw? There were only twenty minutes left. Whatever he drew, it had to be decent.

The orb floated around him, and Mikaela watched it for a few seconds from the corner of his eye. By the end of the class, he put down his pencil and handed the paper to the teacher.

The teacher raised an eyebrow as he looked at the paper. “I have to say, this isn’t what I expected from you. What is this supposed to be?”

“Oh,” Mikaela said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s supposed to be a spiritual orb…”

The orb caught Mikaela's attention again, moving slowly behind the teacher, as if it were attached to him by a string.

“…They say it brings luck,” Mikaela muttered quietly.

The teacher snorted but didn’t say anything. He dropped the orb onto his neck and sat down, flipping through the other students’ work. Mikaela awkwardly stared at the old man for a moment before quietly slipping out the door. He peeked down the hallway, relieved to see it empty.

Could he finally make it through the hallway unnoticed? Maybe today was the rare day when his classmates were too busy to bother him, and he could walk through the school without getting attacked. As he thought this, his hand touched his forehead, and he let out a quiet whimper.

“Why?” he whispered to himself, sniffling. His teacher hadn’t even acknowledged that he’d been crying.

Mikaela’s eyes followed the orb, which was still floating after him. He grumbled, straightened up, and the orb moved closer, sending emerald sparkles across his face.

“What was your name again?” he asked, tapping his chin. He leaned forward, then quickly jerked back when the orb shimmered brightly in response. “Haruka?”

The orb’s light dimmed. It moved quickly toward him and bounced off his nose. Mikaela jumped back, covering his nose with a confused look on his face.

“Okay, guess that’s not your name. Haru, or... Haruon?” he tried again, before squealing when the orb hit him in the face once more. “Alright! Alright!”

Mikaela waved his hand at the orb, trying to push it away, but his hand went right through it. The orb kept circling him, bumping into him repeatedly. He sighed and took a step back, still frustrated with it.

“Oh, Haku?” he said suddenly, snapping his fingers. “It was Haku-Judai, right?”

The orb glowed brighter, almost like it was alive, spinning around Mikaela’s head, leaving trails of sparkles behind it like falling snow. Mikaela smiled in awe, staring at the beautiful light.

Suddenly, he heard giggling from nearby students. His heart skipped. He quickly stepped back from the door. A group of students was climbing the stairs, and if Mikaela didn’t move now, they would spot him. The orb seemed to notice and flared up brightly, drawing his attention again.

“…You want me to follow you?” Mikaela whispered.

The orb floated back and forth, sending out a burst of glitter from its center like confetti. Mikaela glanced over his shoulder at the students still coming up the stairs. He stepped forward, following the orb quickly.

He turned a corner, only to find himself at a dead end. He stopped, confused, and watched as the orb passed through the wall before returning when it saw Mikaela wasn’t following. The orb flared up again, its light sizzling around it. It moved back through the wall, waiting for Mikaela to follow.

Mikaela frowned and took a step toward the wall. When his hand touched it, it went straight through, like the wall wasn’t there. His eyes widened, and he stared at his hand in disbelief.

How strange. This definitely wasn’t what he expected when he woke up this morning. He had hoped the day before was just a bad dream, but it was real.

Mikaela took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pushed forward. It felt like a thin layer of wax was on his body, and a chill ran from his fingers up to his neck. He tripped over something solid, and before he knew it, he was on the floor with a loud thud.

“Ow,” he mumbled, rubbing his head. It really hurt. Why did he keep tripping? This had to be at least the third time today.

He sat up, sniffing, and rubbed his aching ankle. As he did, something brushed against his hip. He blinked and looked down. There, lying next to him, was what looked like a stuffed animal.

Suddenly, a bunch of small, white, bunny-like creatures appeared, hopping around him. Their long ears wiggled back and forth. One of the bunnies crawled onto Mikaela’s lap, its big ribbon standing out against its black fur.

Mikaela picked it up like a puppet. It felt strange in his hands, like he could see it but couldn’t feel it.

“What in the world?” he whispered, staring at the tiny creatures.

There were so many of them, all giggling and dancing around him. The bunny in his hands jumped up and down, squealing happily. Mikaela smiled, feeling his heart warm.

“You’re so cute!” he giggled, petting the bunny. “Aw, you guys are so sweet!”

But then, suddenly, Mikaela began to feel much colder. His body seemed to move backward on its own, like something was pulling him. He felt warm arms wrap around his shoulders, a chest press up against his back, and hot breath on his cheek.

Mikaela’s heart skipped a beat as a hand grabbed his chin and tilted his head up. Something wet and warm swiped across his cheek.

“Senpai~” a voice purred softly.

“You should choose me instead. I’ll treat you... muuuch... better~ Senpaiii~”

Mikaela’s face turned pale, and a chill ran down his spine. His body stiffened, and he gasped. He quickly spun around, his golden spikes forming around him.

“H-Hanako-san!” he shouted.

Hanako laughed happily, easily dodging the spikes, dancing through the air. He twirled upside down, crossing his arms behind his head with a smug smile.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Hanako teased, winking.

Mikaela puffed out his cheeks and hunched his shoulders. “I don’t like that.”

Hanako just hummed brightly, “And why not?”

Mikaela opened his mouth to respond but stopped himself, shaking his head. He grumbled, then turned back to the adorable bunny puppets still in his hands. They had stopped moving and were watching the golden spikes embedded in the walls and floor.

It was then that Mikaela realized he was back in the bathroom. The one that was falling apart, the one Hanako had asked him to fix as part of his debt for his wish.

Mikaela shivered, pressing his hand to his chest. If he didn’t work off his debt, Hanako would eat his soul when he graduated.

Mikaela was in shock.

“How did I...?” he mumbled.

He looked back at the wall he had just passed through, remembering how he followed the orb. He saw the two orbs, the red one and Haku-Judai, spinning around together, clearly happy to be reunited.

“It’s one of many shortcuts,” Hanako said with a shrug, picking at a loose strand of hair. “You think it’s easy to move around a school this big?”

Mikaela thought about it. That made sense, but Hanako was a ghost, right?

Before he could say more, Hanako suddenly grabbed his face, lifting his head. Their noses nearly touched, and Hanako grinned at him.

“Don’t tell me you actually believe those silly stories about spirits teleporting?” Hanako teased, his warm breath brushing Mikaela’s lips.

Mikaela shuddered and pulled back but accidentally smacked his head against the wall behind him. He groaned and rubbed his sore head.

Hanako laughed, clearly amused. “You’re something else, Senpai.”

Mikaela sighed. “I really don’t like that,” he mumbled, feeling his shoulders sag as Hanako floated away from him.

The little bunny spirit wiggled its long ears, its eyes sparkling. Mikaela smiled, charmed by it. The other bunny spirits were messing with the spikes, pulling them free and playing around with them.

“Hanako-san,” Mikaela asked, “What are these things?”

Hanako floated above him, whistling. “Fairies,” he grinned.

“Fairies? But aren’t they supposed to be humanoid with wings?” Mikaela blinked.

Hanako giggled. “Humanoids with wings? Are they tiny too?”

Mikaela pouted, looking away. He held the bunny puppet up to get a better look at it. The little dark bunny snuggled closer to his face, rubbing its soft cheek against his own.

“Where do things go when they’re forgotten? Do they fade away?” Hanako mused. “No, they’re still with us, even now. Have you heard the rumours? About the faeries?”

Mikaela sighed, frustrated. “No! I haven’t!” he snapped, “And you know that!”

Hanako grinned wider and laughed. “You will, in time.” He floated behind Mikaela, sitting close with his chin resting on Mikaela’s shoulder. “There, there,” he teased, pinching Mikaela’s cheek.

Mikaela frowned and tried to pull away, but Hanako tugged harder, making Mikaela force a strained smile.

“Stop!” Mikaela whined, sending a burst of golden spikes from his body. They bounced around the room. When Mikaela turned to look, his eyes widened in surprise.

“I’m sorry!” he quickly apologized.

The little bunny spirits all looked frightened or confused. Some of the spikes had stuck to them. They shook themselves, and the spikes popped out. Mikaela gasped as the spikes flew past him.

“Whoa…” he muttered, still shocked.

Hanako laughed, floating closer to Mikaela. He slid his hands along Mikaela’s stomach, making him release more spikes in surprise. Hanako grinned in amusement.

“They’re called Mokke,” he explained. “They’re also known as faeries. Mischievous spirits that have been with humans for a long time.”

Mikaela sat up, getting closer to the bunnies. “So you’re the ones stealing things all year?” he asked. “You’ve caused a lot of trouble.”

“We’re sorry!” one of the bunnies squeaked, rubbing against Mikaela’s hand.

Mikaela gasped. “You can talk?!”

“Most spirits can,” Hanako said, floating above Mikaela. He leaned back with his arms behind his head, smiling down at him.

“It depends on if they have something to say,” he added.

Mikaela nodded, understanding. He knew some people could connect with spirits, but it was rare for them to speak with the living. It would be a big deal if spirits were talking like this everywhere.

“It’s alright. I forgive you,” Mikaela said with a smile.

The bunny spirits brightened up immediately. Before Mikaela could react, they swarmed around him, nuzzling his face and cuddling into his arms. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“You guys are so cute!” he said, hugging them back. Their little purring sounds made him smile even more. “Aw, I didn’t know spirits could be so cute!”

He shivered at the memory of Kamaitachi, the creepy demon. He almost married a hedgehog!

“They’re just using you, Senpai!” Hanako said with a sly grin.

“Using me?” Mikaela asked, annoyed, slapping Hanako’s hand away.

Hanako tapped his chin. “Their rumours…”

One of the bunnies jumped into Mikaela’s lap. “Have you ever lost something you were keeping a close eye on?” it asked.

“Or had something disappeared just when you needed it most?” another one added.

The dark bunny with the ribbon rubbed against Mikaela’s hip. “Has that happened to you?”

“Then you’ve been a victim of the faeries!” they all said together.

Mikaela stared at the bunnies, amazed by their antics. He smiled and gently lowered his hands, letting the bunny with the dark fur jump toward the others.

“A victim of the faeries?” Mikaela repeated, curious. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

Hanako gave him a dark look. “Oh? You think it’s not bad? But you haven’t heard the whole story…”

Mikaela tilted his head. “What do you mean? I’m looking at them now... What will happen?”

Just as he said that, a dark shadow appeared behind him. It stretched up, and clawed hands reached out from it, scraping across his throat. Mikaela froze, a cold shiver running up his spine.

Slowly, Mikaela turned his head, eyes widening in horror. The creature behind him looked like it had been soaked in a swamp. Its skin was wrinkled and covered in slits. It had a huge mouth full of sharp teeth.

Mikaela screamed in terror. His body jerked, sending more spikes flying. The spikes pierced the creature, popping it like a balloon. Steam escaped as the creature shrivelled up, and the bunny spirits fell to the floor with loud squeals.

Mikaela blinked, staring down at the still bunnies. They whimpered quietly.

Hanako crossed his arms and leaned against Mikaela’s back. He clicked his tongue and rested his head on Mikaela’s shoulder.

“Well, it’s said that if you look at them, they’ll take your life,” Hanako sighed, raising his arms. “But a small poke makes them pop like balloons. Not really dangerous.”

Mikaela snorted, “Sure.”

“Aw, did you really think I’d let you get hurt?” Hanako teased, hugging Mikaela’s cheek. “You’re so cute, so cute, there-there!”

“Stop!” Mikaela grumbled, trying to get away. He rubbed his cheek and sniffed, “I don’t understand any of this. Why are they here?”

Hanako stood up, hands on his hips with a big grin. “Some harmless spirits in the school are affected by the living. The Mokke are affected by the children’s energy. They like stealing things and causing mischief, just like the kids do.”

“Mischief?” Mikaela said, looking at the black bunny with the ribbon, which was happily rubbing against his side.

“We didn’t mean any harm!” the little bunny said. “Especially not to Mi-chan!”

Mikaela’s face fell. “Mi-chan?”

“Ha! That’s so cute!” Hanako laughed, “Mi-chan! Mi-chan!”

“Don’t call me that!” Mikaela snapped.

Hanako flipped upside down, covering his head. “Ah! Senpai is so scary!”

“Why you…” Mikaela muttered.

Another bunny hopped up to Mikaela. “We’re sorry! We didn’t mean to! The kids… they’re the ones that changed our story.”

“Story?” Mikaela frowned.

“Most spirits can’t go against their rumours. If they act differently than their story, they disappear.”

Mikaela scratched his head, confused. All this talk about rumours and stories was hard to keep up with. He didn’t pay attention to the rumours at school. He had other things to worry about.

“Right. Okay,” he said, feeling a bit lost.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Hanako grinned.

Mikaela twitched. “Of course I do!”

Hanako bowed his head, motioning for Mikaela to explain. Mikaela couldn’t find the words, and Hanako patted his head. “There-there, I didn’t expect you to understand fully.”

“What does that mean!” Mikaela snapped.

Hanako laughed.

“We need your help, Mi-chan!” the bunnies said.

“Please, we really need your help!” they added.

Mikaela looked up, startled, as the bunnies surrounded him, their eyes wide and big. His heart skipped a beat.

“My help? Are you sure?” Mikaela asked. “I’m not that smart. I’m barely passing school…”

Hanako giggled. “You’re that dumb? I never noticed!”

“I wouldn’t expect you to know about grades!” Mikaela replied.

Hanako suddenly grabbed Mikaela’s chin and pulled him forward, making their faces very close. Hanako’s nose almost touched Mikaela’s.

“You’d be surprised,” Hanako whispered. “If you want, I could tutor you in my special ways…”

Mikaela’s face turned bright red. “P-Personal special ways!” he stammered, his eyes wide. He pulled away, steam puffing from his head like a train.

Hanako grinned and laughed. “You’re so cute, Senpai!”

Mikaela shook his head. “Anyway! How can I help you? I’ve only been involved in the supernatural for two days…”

“Change our story, please!” the bunnies begged.

“I… what? Write something new?” Mikaela asked.

Hanako chuckled. “Not exactly. You’re human, so you have the power to change our rumours. You can change the connection we have with the children here.”

“Change the connection?” Mikaela repeated, thinking.

The bunnies snuggled up to him, their eyes starting to fill with tears. “Please! We’ll give you candy! We want to stay here.”

Mikaela felt a wave of sympathy. He smiled down at the bunnies. “Of course I’ll help. I guess I’ll start with the first years. They’re... so naive...” He nervously tugged at his hair.

The bunnies were just like him. They wanted to stay. Mikaela remembered how he almost became a bride to that creepy hedgehog spirit. He shuddered.

“Wait a minute,” Mikaela said, thinking hard. “You said they’re harmless in that other form. So why change their story if they’re not dangerous? They’re just a little different looking.”

Hanako smiled and crouched in front of Mikaela. He patted his head and rested his cheek on his hand. “You’re clever! Catching that so quickly! I’m impressed!”

Mikaela grunted and waved Hanako’s hand away.

“I’m here to keep the peace between spirits and the living,” Hanako said seriously. “I’m one of the seven mysteries of this school. I can’t let a dangerous spirit stay here.”

Mikaela froze. “You… you’re not talking about the Mokke, are you?”

“Nope!” Hanako grinned.

The bunnies bounced around, their ears standing up. A few tried to hide in Mikaela’s sweater as Hanako sighed.

“There’s another form of the Mokke, and it’s attracting something dangerous. If it shows up, it’ll hurt the living.”

Mikaela sat back, uneasy. “Like what?”

“Something evil,” Hanako said.

Mikaela stayed silent for a moment. “So... what will you do?”

The room grew darker, and steam slowly filled the air. Hanako’s face was partly hidden by his cap. The two lights above glowed eerily. Mikaela gulped, expecting Hanako to pull out his knife or something dark and dangerous. But instead, Hanako grinned with a spicy smile.

“I’ll use the Mokke as bait!”

The bunnies let out high-pitched cries. Their ears stood up, and they backed away from Hanako. He grabbed one and twirled it around between his hands. His smile turned dark.

“And you too, Senpai.”

Mikaela’s stomach twisted. He looked at the shivering bunnies, feeling nervous. The idea of being used as bait made him want to run and hide in his dorm forever.

What was happening to his life?

“You’re... gonna use me as bait?” Mikaela stuttered, forcing the words out.

Hanako smirked, looking sharp. “That’s right. The spirit is drawn to pure souls,” he said, moving closer to Mikaela. “Sweet, cotton candy souls~”

“Cotton candy souls…” Mikaela weakly repeated. “I don’t like that description of my soul…”

Hanako chuckled, licking his lips. His eyes turned cold and sharp. In a flash, Hanako grabbed Mikaela’s face again, but this time, his fingers were spread wide and pressed hard against Mikaela’s cheek. He squished Mikaela’s face, making it look comically like a fish.

“There-there, don’t worry! No fear, no fear!” Hanako snickered, his voice sending a chill down Mikaela’s spine. “I won’t let anyone harm your soul.”

Hanako leaned in even closer, squishing Mikaela’s face more. He blew a soft breath into Mikaela’s face.

“It’s mine, after all.”

Mikaela’s spikes suddenly shot out from his body. Hanako didn’t move, staying still with a smile. The spikes flew past Hanako, missing him completely. Then, Hanako yanked Mikaela forward, their faces almost touching. When Mikaela’s forehead brushed the tip of Hanako’s cap, pain shot through his head, reminding him of the clay lump.

Mikaela squinted his eyes, his face twisting with pain. His shoulders tensed, and his ears popped. The pain finally faded, but Hanako still hadn’t moved or let go of him.

Hanako’s face was blank, his honey-coloured eyes flat, like a calm, still pond. His lips were tight, and slowly, he pulled back. His hands dropped from Mikaela’s face.

“Senpai?” Hanako said softly.

He slid his hand under Mikaela’s messy hair, lifting it. When he saw the bruise, his eyes widened, and his jaw tightened.

“How did this happen?” he asked.

Mikaela let out a grunt, shuddering as Hanako touched the bruise. Hanako gently traced his fingers over the dark, yellow-and-purple mark. As Hanako leaned in to get a better look, Mikaela jerked away from his touch. He quickly smoothed his hair down, biting his lip to keep from crying out as he stood up.

“It’s nothing,” Mikaela said quickly. “I just walked into a wall, that’s all.”

Hanako stared at him for a few seconds, his gaze sharp. Then, his expression changed to something mischievous. His lips spread into a wide smile, showing his sharp teeth.

“Senpai, you’ll be late if you don’t leave now~”

Mikaela jumped when he heard the lunch bell ring.

~#~

The sky quickly darkened, turning gloomy. Thick grey clouds covered it, blocking any light. There were no birds in the sky, and the wind grew colder, sharper. Mikaela shivered when a breeze hit him. He wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing them as he felt his hair tugged by the wind.

Kamome Gakuen's roof was probably the cleanest of all the schools. Mikaela had never been up there before, but he was surprised at how little trash there was. It made sense, he guessed. The roof door was locked with a big sign saying anyone caught up there would be punished. Mikaela had gotten in due to some strange circumstances.

Mikaela sighed and huddled in on himself, nervously biting his lip as his eyes scanned the empty, quiet roof. It felt still and eerie. He stepped back carefully, biting back a whimper when he bumped into the roof’s railing.

A small force brushed against Mikaela’s ankle, making him jump. It was the dark-coloured Mokke with the pretty ribbon, rubbing its head against him while purring to comfort him. Mikaela smiled and picked it up, holding the little bunny close. Around the roof, other Mokke sat in small groups, cuddling together. Mikaela watched them with a feeling of pity.

“Um…” Mikaela began, “Hanako-san, what exactly are we baiting?”

“You don’t want to know,” Hanako replied.

Mikaela pouted. “How will we know if it shows up? If it’s here?”

Green and red glowing orbs zipped through the air, brushing against Mikaela’s cheek like the soft touch of a candle flame. The orbs sparkled, greeting each other. Then, ghostly fingers appeared at the base of Mikaela’s throat, slowly moving up until they gently cupped his face.

“We’ll know,” Hanako teased, leaning over Mikaela. His face was upside down as he held Mikaela’s face firmly. “Don’t worry about it~”

Mikaela shuddered, his face red with a mix of fear and embarrassment. He tried to pull away from the spirit’s grip, but Hanako was unusually strong. Mikaela straightened up, letting out a surprised squawk as Hanako lightly licked his nose. Spikes shot from Mikaela’s head, flaring out like a peacock’s tail.

“Oh!” Hanako blinked in mild surprise.

“Unhand that child, you vile fiend!”

“Child?” Mikaela muttered.

Hanako turned toward the voice, his eyes narrowing. “Excuse me? I’m way too special to be called vile!” he snapped, grinning teasingly.

Mikaela, seeing Hanako distracted, quickly backed away from him. He freed his face from Hanako’s hands, which made the spirit pout but not look away from the newcomer. Mikaela turned to the new boy, frowning slightly.

“You are certainly something! But I wouldn’t call it special!” the new boy said, standing tall in front of Mikaela and Hanako. “I’m here to stop your evil and save the innocent! No one else will suffer because of you!”

“Suffer?” Hanako repeated, tilting his head. “Me? I’ve never tortured anyone.”

Mikaela twitched. “Maybe not in an evil way…”

“Huh? What did you say, Senpai?”

“Nothing!” Mikaela quickly responded.

The new boy shrieked, pointing a finger at Hanako. “Enough! I won’t fall for your tricks, you demon! You’ve met your match!”

“Demon? Well, that’s an upgrade from vile,” Hanako said casually.

Mikaela scratched his head. “Hanako-san, do you know him? He seems to know you pretty well.”

“Senpai, how you hurt me!” Hanako whined, before shrugging and spreading his hands. “Nope! I’ve never seen him before!”

“Um… excuse me?” Mikaela said, focusing on the new boy while holding the dark bunny Mokke to his chest, almost protectively. “Who are you?”

The boy paused, opening his mouth, then shutting it, looking confused. “Me?”

Mikaela awkwardly smiled and nodded.

“Oh! I’m Kou! Kou Minamoto!” he said cheerfully. His eyes narrowed with determination. “I just transferred in. I’m a first-year.”

Mikaela’s eyes widened. “You’re human?!”

“…You’re really human.”

Mikaela poked Kou lightly.

Kou stared at Mikaela in confusion, raising an eyebrow before grabbing Mikaela’s wrist. “Of course I am! Wait! What did you do to this poor boy, you fiend!”

Hanako frowned and muttered under his breath about being called “vile fiend” again. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Mikaela. He wiggled between the boys, blocking Kou from touching Mikaela, wagging a finger in Kou’s face.

“Ah-ah! Don’t touch people without their consent!” Hanako said cheerfully.

Mikaela snorted. “You’re one to talk.”

“Now-now, I’m defending your honor here!” Hanako teased, even patting Mikaela on the head, proving Mikaela’s point. “But now that he mentioned his name, I think I know who he is.”

“I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve never seen him before… but I think he’s from the exorcist clan, the warriors,” Hanako said, tapping his chin. “I’ve heard of them. A long time ago, when nights were darker, we were called ‘Youkai.’ We were stronger back then. There were three Youkai who were the most powerful and feared: the Nine-Tailed Fox, Great Tengu, and Shuten Douji. Shuten Douji, the Oni of Mount Ooe, was killed by the famous exorcist Minamoto no Yorimitsu.”

Mikaela’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I get it! Minamoto no Yorimitsu, so that means you’re his descendant?” he asked, turning to Kou.

“Exactly!” Kou said proudly, puffing out his chest.

“But that doesn’t explain why you’re here…” Mikaela muttered, his shoulders sagging. “Kamome Gakuen isn’t anything special. Not interesting enough for an exorcist to come here.”

Mikaela paused. “Were you looking for Hanako-san?”

Hanako’s head snapped up, his honey-coloured eyes glowing softly. He turned his attention from the Mokke to Kou.

“Hm?” Hanako said, sliding toward the taller boy, leaning in teasingly. “You after a wish or something? You know, there’s always a price to pay~”

Kou bristled, quickly shoving a piece of fabric tied to a staff in Hanako’s face, his frustration clear. “How dare you! I won’t fall for your twisted games!”

“Twisted games?” Hanako said innocently. “I’ve never done anything like that! People come to me for help, and I generously offer it.”

Mikaela snorted. “Generously? My payment was my soul.”

“What?!” Kou shouted. “You gave your soul to him!”

Hanako sighed dramatically. “Now, now! I just granted his wish! It’s not my fault his payment was on the other side! Besides, I gave him a chance to work off his debt, so he can keep his soul!” He hummed. “Senpai, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you don’t like your fiancé~”

"Fiancé?" Kou blinked.

Mikaela shook his head. "It's a weird term... not really human... it's a long story."

"It's the same thing," Hanako sang.

Hanako grabbed Mikaela's cheeks and playfully pulled them. When Mikaela pulled away, Hanako pinched his nose.

"Enough!" Kou shouted.

Kou dashed across the roof, jumping into the air. He raised his staff and tried to slam it onto Hanako's head. But Hanako easily twisted away, avoiding the strike. It was impressive how fast Hanako moved. Mikaela watched in shock as Kou moved too quickly for him to follow.

"I'm going to send you to purgatory!" Kou yelled, swinging his staff at Hanako again.

Hanako grabbed the end of the staff with a grin. "How do you plan to do that? I doubt you have the power to pull it off."

"You don’t? Too bad, demon!" Kou retorted.

Lightning sparked from the staff, crackling around Hanako’s hand, tearing at his skin. Hanako winced but didn't seem seriously hurt. His hand was fine afterward, though his face still twitched in pain.

"Hanako-san!" Mikaela called out. "Minamoto-san, you can’t just do that!"

Mikaela rushed to Hanako's side. Hanako swayed, then fell into Mikaela's arms. Mikaela struggled to catch him, nearly falling to the ground. The ribbon-wearing Mokke hopped over and looked at Hanako’s face. Mikaela might have noticed that the Mokke seemed calm now, its ears no longer tense.

"That monster must have done something to you. What kind of spell did he cast?" Kou said, pulling out a white paper talisman from his pocket.

Mikaela blinked. Before he could react, Kou stuck the talisman to his forehead. Mikaela pulled back in surprise.

"What?" he asked.

Kou smiled proudly. "This talisman is a powerful cure from my family. It should break whatever evil spell Hanako cast on you. My staff and the Raiteijou are both designed to get rid of evil spirits."

"The Raiteijou? Deadly spirits?" Mikaela asked, raising an eyebrow. He tried to pull the talisman off but couldn't. "Ah! Why won’t it come off? Minamoto-san, Hanako-san isn’t evil. He’s never hurt me and has been helping me."

"Hanako-san is...”

"He’s not just any school spirit. He’s a monster. A cruel and dangerous spirit who’s haunted this school for years! He tricks people into giving away their souls," Kou said firmly. "He even carries a knife, which means he used it in his life to kill someone."

Mikaela froze. "Wait... Hanako-san killed someone?"

"I... I knew Hanako was a bit... strange, but... he’s a spirit who haunts a toilet. He cares more about that toilet than anything else. Why would he... how...?"

Before Mikaela could finish, Hanako grabbed the talisman from his forehead and ripped it off. Mikaela winced at the sharp pain.

"Do you know anything about privacy?" Hanako said, his voice cold. He burned the talisman with his green and red glowing eyes. "I made a deal with God. If I do my duty well enough, I can rest in peace."

Mikaela rubbed his nose. "A deal with God?"

"Sorry, but I can’t let you exorcise me," Hanako said, pulling out his knife again, red sparks flashing from its edge.

Mikaela stepped back as Kou charged at Hanako, swinging his staff. The air crackled with more electric spikes as Kou tried to strike. Mikaela watched Hanako in awe. Every time he moved, red and black energy swirled around him.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Mikaela looked up in surprise as Kou held his staff high, surrounded by more lightning. Mikaela heard a quiet squeal and turned to find the little Mokke trembling next to him. Every flash of lightning scared the Mokke, so Mikaela picked it up to comfort it.

"This is insane!" Mikaela muttered. "At this rate, they'll hit the Mokke or even the students below us..."

Mikaela was amazed no one had come to check on the commotion. The lightning and noise should’ve gotten someone's attention. He clenched his teeth, watching as Hanako slashed at Kou with his knife. Kou dodged easily, but Hanako seemed distracted. It almost looked like he wasn't really trying.

"That's enough! We need to stop this!" Mikaela muttered.

He looked at the Mokke in his arms. The others had gathered around him, watching the fight. Mikaela bit his lip in thought. He’d seen the Mokke work together before, using their ears to stay in sync.

Hanako suddenly pulled back, his eyes narrowing with a smirk. His body jerked up, suspended by a colourful, fuzzy rope made of little puppet-like creatures. Some of their bead eyes looked at Hanako, while others stared at Kou.

 “What is this?!” Kou yelled, struggling against the ribbon that had him trapped. He flailed his arms and legs, but it didn’t help. “Let me out!”

Hanako laughed and petted the Mokke pressed against his stomach. “We scared them, but it’s okay. It’s okay.”

Mikaela sighed and held the dark Mokke still as he walked forward. He smiled at the Mokke and felt proud that they had followed his plan so well.

“Stop being so dumb,” Mikaela said, glaring at the two boys. “Stop fighting! What do you think will happen if you break the school or hurt the club down there?”

Kou whined, still struggling against the ribbon. “You don’t get it! I have to banish him! Hanako-san is a dangerous spirit! If I don’t exorcise him now, we’re all in danger!”

Hanako didn’t respond but laughed instead, grinning and crossing his arms over the Mokke, rocking back and forth like a child.

“I don’t care!” Mikaela said firmly, making Kou gasp. “I don’t know about the past evil Hanako, but the one I know hasn’t given me any reason to think he’s evil.”

“You said he wanted to eat your soul!” Kou shouted.

Mikaela scratched his head awkwardly. “Yeah, that’s true, but my wish was complicated. It had to do with another world or something... so I get why the price was strange. But Hanako gave me the chance to save my soul! Evil spirits don’t do that!” He smiled, getting more passionate. “Besides, he’s, my friend.”

Hanako looked surprised. “I am?”

“Yes!” Mikaela said quickly. “So, stop fighting! Or you’ll answer to me!”

The two boys didn’t reply. Hanako looked like he was about to speak but looked away when Mikaela glared at him. Kou just grumbled, clenching his fists tightly, muttering to himself.

“Do you both promise not to fight?” Mikaela asked.

Both boys nodded. One nodded happily, the other reluctantly.

“Good!” Mikaela smiled.

Then things happened fast. Mikaela wasn’t expecting it and had completely forgotten about it. The air suddenly grew colder, and the wind picked up. Water began to drizzle from the clouds, hitting his head. When he breathed out, he saw frost. The little Mokke in his arms stiffened, its fur standing on end.

Later, Mikaela would ask Kou (since Hanako wouldn’t talk about it) what he saw. Kou would explain that the creature seemed to rise from the wet roof, her long body formed from the water, slowly slithering toward Mikaela.

“Mikaela!” Hanako shouted, eyes wide in horror.

Mikaela could barely make a sound as the creature slid closer. She looked like something from a nightmare, not beautiful at all. Her skin was covered in dark, colourful scales. Her face was made of layers, with six ruby-red eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth like a squid. She had almost no hair, but tiny white hairs covered her flat hat.

She roared, raising her webbed hands high. The Mokke around Mikaela scrambled away in fear as she charged at them, sending debris flying.

Mikaela’s heart raced. The wind whipped around his face as he was thrown off the roof. Everything blurred around him. As he fell, red and green light swirled around him. White sparks rained down, and suddenly arms caught him. Hanako had swooped in mid-air, holding Mikaela gently.

“Hanako-san?” Mikaela asked weakly.

He looked pale but turned his gaze to the creature below them. The serpent-like monster was thrashing, trying to grab the Mokke. Her shrieks made Mikaela’s ears hurt.

“Oi, orangeade!” Hanako called out.

He landed near Kou and gently set Mikaela down. He looked at the monster, his eyes narrowing.

“Don’t call me that!” Kou snapped.

Hanako rolled his eyes. “This is Mia. We need to send her back to purgatory.”

“Mia?” Kou repeated, flipping through his grandmother’s journal. His eyes widened when he found what he was looking for. “A scale of Lamia! Are you insane?! How are we supposed to banish that?!”

“What’s Lamia?” Mikaela asked, confused.

Kou raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

Hanako explained, “Lamia is a mythical demon. She was cursed by jealousy and became a monster. Lamia hunts children and craves their blood.”

He paused. “A scale of Lamia is born every time her story is told in a new place. They’re called Mia and they hunt the souls of children’s spirits, like the Mokke. The Mokke are connected to children’s dreams, thoughts, and emotions.”

Mikaela’s eyes widened as he looked at Mia, still thrashing on the roof. The serpent’s tail whipped around, knocking things over as she chased the Mokke.

“What happens if she eats a Mokke?” Mikaela asked, his voice shaking.

Hanako closed his eyes for a moment, then said, “If she eats a Mokke, the child connected to it will lose their dreams, thoughts, or emotions.” He said this a little too cheerfully.

Mikaela looked at Mia nervously, still holding the Mokke tight.

“Come on, orangeade!” Hanako called, standing up. His cloak flared out, glowing red markings starting to appear on its edges. He twirled his knife in his fingers, green and red sparks dancing on its point. The orb attached to his chest sparkled brighter.

Kou grumbled but stood up, gripping his staff tightly, watching Mia carefully.

Mikaela noticed the Mokke were gathering behind him, looking scared. His stomach churned as Mia’s six red eyes locked onto him. She roared, her mouth splitting open to reveal sharp teeth. She lunged toward Mikaela and the Mokke, her body glowing as she attacked.

Mikaela and the bunny spirits screamed as the creature got closer. Her tail waved back and forth, and her head tilted back as her mouth opened wide. Mia leaped into the air, about to strike, but just as she came down, Mikaela shouted out. He shut his eyes and raised his arms to shield himself, when he suddenly felt the familiar sting of bumblebees. Spikes shot out of his body, spraying across Mia and surprising her. She backed away, squealing as the spikes stuck in her skin.

Mia screamed in pain, trying to pull out the spikes. Hanako quickly rushed in, slashing his knife across her middle. Mia’s body jerked up from the sudden attack. She hissed at Hanako, then roared and swung her tail at him. Hanako jumped over it, slicing her scales as he moved.

“Hold it! I won’t let this evil creature hurt innocent people!” Kou shouted.

Kou swung his staff, sending a burst of lightning across the roof. The electricity crackled in the sky as another bolt of lightning struck from above. The lightning hit Mia, making her screech in pain. Her back arched, and steam rose from her skin. As the lightning stopped, Hanako spun in the air and stabbed his knife into her face, embedding it in her forehead before pulling it out.

Mia didn’t move. Slowly, she began to fall backward off the roof. Her massive body crashed onto the ground with a loud bang.

Mikaela rushed to the edge of the roof to look down. Mia’s body melted away in the rain, dissolving like watercolour until there was nothing left.

“That was easier than I thought…” Kou said proudly, puffing out his chest. “See? A demon’s no match for the Minamoto clan!”

Hanako nodded. “That creature was weaker than usual. I think Lamia’s story hasn’t been told much lately.”

Mikaela smiled in relief when he saw Hanako land safely. He ran to him and hugged him tightly.

“You’re okay?!” Mikaela asked.

Hanako blinked and stared at him with a blank expression, then slowly hugged Mikaela back. After a few seconds, Hanako pulled away. His voice turned serious.

“Mikaela,” he said in a flat tone, “You know I’m a murderer, right? Are you okay with being friends with me?”

Mikaela paused, then smiled softly. “You said you made a deal with God, right? I remember.”

Hanako’s eyes flickered at the mention of it.

“I don’t know what happened before, but if God gave you a chance, then so will I,” Mikaela said with a smile. “You’re my friend. I’ll call you Hanako-kun. That sounds more friendly.”

Hanako lowered his head, his face hidden by his cap. Mikaela thought he was upset, but suddenly, Hanako grinned and jumped at him.

“Aw, so you were worried about me?! That’s so sweet!” Hanako teased, pulling Mikaela into a tight hug, squishing their faces together. “I knew you liked me!”

Mikaela’s face turned red, and a shudder ran through him. The spikes shot out again. Hanako laughed as they flew past him harmlessly. The Mokke danced around them, whispering to each other.

“That’s enough!” Kou shouted.

He ran forward and swung his staff, trying to hit Hanako. But Hanako wrapped both arms around Mikaela and jumped into the air. They landed some distance away from Kou.

“You promised you wouldn’t fight anymore!” Mikaela complained.

Kou scowled. “I won’t trust him! Just because we beat Mia doesn’t mean I trust him! My grandmother said he’s evil!” he snapped, sending electricity at Hanako.

Hanako dodged it easily and jumped onto a railing, flipping upside down next to Kou.

“Hey, doesn’t that hurt your hand?” Hanako asked, smiling.

Kou’s face turned pale as he realized what happened. He yelled and struck at Hanako with his staff. A cocoon of electricity surrounded Hanako, crackling with power and pain.

“Hanako-kun!” Mikaela gasped.

“Bwahaha!” Kou laughed. “You’ll never learn! This time, there’ll be nothing left of you!”

When the smoke cleared, Hanako was standing unharmed. He smiled and swung his knife at Kou’s face, but Kou quickly dodged.

Mikaela watched as Hanako laughed, swinging his knife playfully. Hanako was clearly having fun as Kou got more and more frustrated. It took Mikaela a moment to realize they were playing tug-of-war with Kou’s staff.

“I really like your staff, kid!” Hanako said cheerfully, making Mikaela grunt. “Give it to me, and I might let you go.”

“Don’t look down on me!” Kou sneered, pulling his staff harder. “I’m not backing down!”

Hanako shrugged. “Okay!” he said, letting go of the staff.

Kou stumbled back, surprised. Hanako immediately jumped on him, pinning him to the ground and flicking him on the head.

“Ha! I win!” Hanako cheered, holding up Kou’s staff. He summoned a talisman, similar to the one Kou had stuck to Mikaela’s face. “Let’s seal this away for everyone’s safety!”

Kou shot up, trying to rip the seal off. “What did you do?! Take it off now!”

“Don’t wanna!” Hanako giggled, covering his ears.

Mikaela got up and walked over to them. He noticed Kou’s right-hand twitching.

“Minamoto-san, is your hand, okay?” Mikaela asked, reaching for it.

“Wh-um, no, I…” Kou started, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

Hanako poked Kou’s hand, making him hiss in pain. “I knew it!” Hanako said with a grin. “You don’t know how to control your family’s power. You shock yourself every time you use it.”

Kou glared at him. “Nobody asked you! I’ll protect everyone, no matter what happens to me!”

Mikaela smiled softly as he wrapped a bandage around Kou’s hand. “That’s really admirable,” he said.

“Oh, well…” Kou blinked, looking down at Mikaela. “I mean, my family expects me to be strong…”

Hanako stepped closer to Mikaela, wrapping his arms around him gently. “Don’t rush. I know your family puts pressure on you but take it slow. You’ll be a great exorcist one day. And when that happens, a little spirit like me won’t stand a chance!”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Hanako added with a smile.

Kou stared at them. “Looking forward to it? But I’m supposed to be exorcising you... You’re such a weirdo.”

"Done," Mikaela said, dropping his hands. "You should change the bandages, or it'll get infected. If you hurt yourself every time you use your staff, you should've taken better care of your wound."

“…Um…thanks?”

Hanako sighed and leaned forward, resting his chin on Mikaela’s shoulder. "Now that Senpai is done, I can finally do this!" he said, excitedly swinging through the air. He kicked Kou in the stomach, making the orange-haired boy groan in pain.

"Y-You jerk… that was low..."

Mikaela stared, wide-eyed, as Kou collapsed to the ground, unconscious. "You knocked him out! Why would you do that?"

"No reason~" Hanako sang, wrapping his arms around Mikaela and rubbing his cheek against Mikaela’s. He made the same annoying cooing noises. "But he'll be fine. He'll wake up soon. And next time, I doubt he'll be able to exorcise me."

"Besides... I don't mind the company."

~#~

Mikaela hunched over in front of the window, his hands loosely gripping the broomstick. His hair fell messily, almost like it was alive.

“I would have been a great choice,” Mikaela muttered to himself, resting his head on the broom. “I’m a perfect fit. I have good grades, I work hard, and if given the chance, I’d help anyone who needs it…”

He glanced at the chalkboard, his shoulders slumping even more when he saw the names written there. He sighed and walked toward the board, grabbing the eraser.

“It’s not fair,” he whispered, his voice slightly shaky. “Just because I’m different… they wrote me off…”

His eyes burned with frustration as he looked at the names, noticing his own was missing again. He had added it several times, but every time he checked, it was erased. He eventually gave up.

Mikaela shook his head and began wiping the board. With every pass, his anger faded and was replaced by sadness. Before long, his face felt hot and itchy.

“How unfair…” he sniffled.

A sob escaped him, and his grip tightened around the broomstick. Tears began to fall.

Something brushed his ankle. Normally, Mikaela would have freaked out, wondering what kind of animal could be in the school. But today, as he hiccupped and looked down, he saw a little black Mokke with a cute ribbon around its neck. Its long ears fluttered as it nuzzled his ankle.

“Oh. Hello again,” he said softly, picking the Mokke up. “It’s you again.”

The Mokke squeaked and wiggled in Mikaela’s hands. It looked up at him with its big eyes.

Mikaela smiled, rubbing his wet eyes. “I’m okay. Just a little emotional today…”

The Mokke made more soft sounds, as if trying to comfort him. Mikaela chuckled.

“You’re not like the others, are you?” he said, holding the little black bunny up. “You… can’t talk?”

The Mokke’s long ears folded down, and it nodded. It was mute.

“You’re like me… different,” Mikaela said quietly.

He took a deep breath, put away the cleaning supplies, watered the flowers, and fed the class fish. He smiled at the fish before turning to leave.

“Huh?” He noticed the Mokke was watching the fish. “This is our class pet. We have a fish. She’s great. It’ll be my turn to take care of her soon.”

The Mokke didn’t move, but Mikaela left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

“That’s odd,” Mikaela muttered. “No Haku Joudai following me around today…”

Suddenly, someone shouted his name.

“Mikaela-san! Mikaela Kane!”

He stopped and looked around. The hall was empty, but then he heard fast footsteps.

“Mikaela-san!”

Mikaela blinked and turned. An older boy stopped in front of him, panting.

“I finally found you!” the boy said, stepping back. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”

“Um… who are you again?” Mikaela asked, confused. The Mokke bounced up and down, making a sound that was almost like a giggle.

The older boy looked frustrated. “Seriously? Don’t you remember last week?”

“Last week?” Mikaela thought for a second. “Oh! The exorcist boy! Sorry, I forgot…”

“Kou Minamoto,” the boy sighed.

“Right. Kou-san. The first year. I remember now…”

Kou sniffled. “Anyway, I can see you have a spirit attached to you. Do you want me to remove it? I can do it quickly!”

“No!” Mikaela gasped, pulling the Mokke closer. The little spirit squeaked when Kou held out his staff, the seal still on it.

“He’s my friend!”

Kou stared at him. “You shouldn’t make friends with spirits. Most of them are parasites. They’ll attach themselves to your soul and be a real pain.”

Mikaela frowned. “You’re not talking about this Mokke, right?”

Kou shrugged. “Anyway, what were you doing? I was just going to the bathroom. If I don’t go soon, Hanako-kun will be looking for me, and we’ll all get in trouble,” Mikaela sighed, rolling his eyes but smiling slightly.

Kou scratched his head. “Actually, I wanted to ask if you knew anything about students going missing.”

“Missing?” Mikaela gasped. “What do you mean? I didn’t know about anyone missing!”

Kou nodded. “Kokoo-san disappeared this morning. When I asked about him, no one remembered him, almost like he never existed.”

Mikaela froze. “Students disappearing? And no one remembers them? That’s creepy…”

He thought for a moment. “If someone went missing in my class… would I remember them?”

Kou seemed uncomfortable. “You probably would…”

“Then how do you remember Kokoo-san?”

“Well, Kokoo-san and I were kind of friends, I guess. My family has spiritual powers, so that probably helps me remember,” Kou said. “Do you have any friends in your class? You should keep an eye on them.”

Mikaela hesitated. He didn’t have any friends. The closest thing to a friend he had was a dead boy. He felt a little sad but shook it off.

“Right…” he muttered.

Mikaela sighed deeply. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something strange. He turned toward it. A long shape of white light flickered down the hall, disappearing around a corner. Mikaela took a step, then another, until he was following it.

“Mikaela-san? Wait!” Kou called, but his voice sounded far away, like he was underwater.

Mikaela didn’t know why, but he couldn’t stop himself. He had to follow the light. Something deep inside urged him to keep going. He didn’t know where he was heading, but soon he found himself at the bottom of a strange set of stairs.

Suddenly, everything went quiet. The light moved up the steps, glowing brighter at the top before disappearing. Mikaela felt numb as a chill ran through him, and small fingers seemed to brush against his skin.

“Mikaela-san?” Kou’s voice echoed strangely.

Mikaela stepped forward; his hands drawn toward the stairs. Each step felt heavy. Darkness crept into his vision, and soon, everything went black. The last thing he heard was Kou’s voice before he lost consciousness.

~#~

“You scumbag!”

Hanako hummed, eyes half-closed. He glanced over at the bathroom door.

“You disgusting bastard!” Kou yelled, kicking the door open with his boot. He swung his staff as he stormed into the room. “This is the girls’ bathroom! Not only are you a nasty spirit, but you’re also a filthy one!”

Hanako rolled his eyes. “Do you ever stop talking? You’re starting to sound like that little American dog... what were they called again? Oh, right, a Chihuahua!”

Kou twitched in annoyance. He stomped up to Hanako, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. “This is your fault! If this is some twisted joke, you better stop it now! Stop spreading those stupid ghost stories!”

Hanako whined, “Stupid stories? Excuse you, those are masterpieces!”

“Cut the crap!” Kou snapped. “What have you done with my classmate, Yokoo-san?”

The little white Mokke in the bathroom stared up at Kou, their ears standing straight.

Hanako wiggled free from Kou’s grip and groaned. He straightened his black coat, pouting. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you don’t like me, Kou-kun~”

“Don’t call me that!” Kou growled.

“Oh, how scary!” Hanako grinned. “But I don’t know anything about Yokoo-san. I’ve got better things to do than prank kids! What would I even do with kids?”

Kou was fuming, practically spitting fire. “Cut it out! Speak clearly! Why are people going missing?”

Hanako sighed, rubbing his nose. “It’s probably another mysterious thing. There are seven places in this school that connect to the netherworld. A staircase is one of them, and the most active, I think. That’s probably how people are going missing…”

“Staircase?” Kou asked. “Didn’t Mikaela-san go up a staircase?”

“Senpai?” Hanako replied.

Suddenly, there was a popping sound. Hanako turned his head as a flickering red light appeared out of thin air. The little white wisps around it made the orb seem nervous or worried.

“What?!” Hanako said, staring at the orb. “What do you mean you couldn’t find him? He’s still on the ground! I can sense Senpai!”

Kou snorted. “He went up the staircase.”

“Speak, Chihuahua!”

“Stop calling me that!”

~#~

Mikaela had been through a lot in a short time. He'd gotten involved in the supernatural in ways that no one should. But, like he was told, there’s no point in complaining about it, you just accept what comes your way.

Still, Mikaela never expected to wake up in a strange place. One minute he was talking to Kou, and the next, he found himself here.

“What... where am I?” he muttered, looking around at the mess. “Trash?”

Everywhere around him was scattered with things, small items like pencils and pens, big things like a wardrobe or a tumble dryer. There were clothes tossed around, one even hanging close to his face. The strangest thing was a bunch of sunflowers. Mikaela couldn’t look away.

“So pretty…” he whispered, getting to his feet.

Just as he was about to touch the flowers, he felt something move on his shoulder. Mikaela turned to find the Mokke still with him.

“Why should I touch them? I love sunflowers,” he said.

The Mokke jumped up and down, making some excited noises. Mikaela smiled, dropping his hand. He leaned closer to the flowers, inspecting them without touching. His eyes then lifted to see a shrine in front of him. Pretty lanterns hung in the air, tags swaying from the wood. The whole place looked beautiful, well-maintained, and cared for.

“What is this place?” he muttered. “Everything feels different… How did I end up here? I was just at school…”

He moved toward the shrine, noticing one path leading in. But when he looked behind him, he saw piles of trash blocking his way.

“It’s okay,” he whispered to the Mokke, who was hiding on his neck, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Mikaela took a deep breath, pushed open the heavy shrine door, and shuddered as it creaked loudly. Beyond the door were stairs, stretching far up. Sunflowers pushed through cracks in the steps.

“Dolls?” Mikaela noticed.

Small dolls, just above his knees, were walking up the stairs. It took him a second to realize that more dolls were climbing up, coming from the junk behind him. They all had their faces covered with paper, wearing white kimonos, and were tied together by red string around their wrists and waists. It was like they were dragging each other up the stairs.

One of the dolls tripped, crashing to the ground. The red string snapped, then tied itself back together, leaving the doll behind. The others kept going, walking right over the fallen doll.

“Hey!” Mikaela cried.

He rushed to the fallen doll, pulling it away from the others. He carefully picked it up, holding it in his arms.

“Are… are you okay?” he asked, setting the doll down.

The doll didn’t answer. Its arms hung limply at its sides, and its head dropped as if a string had been cut.

“Do you know the way out? How did I get here?” Mikaela asked, but the doll stayed silent.

Sighing, Mikaela stood up and looked at the stairs again.

“I guess I don’t have a choice…” he muttered.

He began climbing the stairs, and soon noticed that the doll was following him. He glanced back and saw it behind him. The Mokke on his shoulder trembled, so Mikaela gently placed his hand on it to comfort it.

The dolls moved with an eerie sound, clicking and clunking as they climbed. It felt like someone was watching him.

“I feel like I’m being watched…” Mikaela whispered, rubbing his arms.

The stairs led to a flat space that looked like an alleyway. Banners hung along the walls, and small black specks scurried around. Birdhouses, some broken and some new, were scattered about.

Mikaela moved forward, but his foot hit something hard. He looked down and frowned.

“Scissors?” he muttered, seeing broken scissors scattered on the ground. They had been split in half.

The Mokke on his shoulder trembled even harder, making a scream-like sound. Mikaela looked up and his face went pale.

“Why?”

Thousands of dolls hung from a dark space above, tied with webs like spider threads. Their limbs looked fragile and ready to fall apart.

“…What is this place?” Mikaela whispered, feeling scared.

The doll behind him took another step and suddenly crumbled into pieces. Its arms and legs scattered across the floor. Mikaela jumped, startled, but quickly crouched down in front of the doll. He gently took its hand, but as soon as his fingers touched it, the doll turned to dust.

“Bells?” Mikaela blinked, hearing a sound. “I can hear bells…”

He noticed a needle stuck in the doll’s kimono. Slowly, he pulled it out and saw that the needle was blunt. There was a red string attached to it. Mikaela followed the thread, pulling it from the ground as it led into the alleyway.

The dolls continued their march through the alley. As Mikaela pulled the thread, the dolls parted, creating a path for him.

He nervously stepped forward, trying to avoid tripping. As he walked, he saw more doll limbs scattered on the ground. He hadn’t noticed the webs growing thicker, but they seemed to appear the further he went.

Mannequins appeared on iron bars, looking human-like. Mikaela stopped in front of one, shuddering at its creepy posture.

“That’s… unsettling…” he muttered, turning away.

A shrill scream pierced the air. Mikaela froze, feeling sharp pain as little golden spikes seemed to sting him all over. He turned back around to see the mannequin’s headless body, stained with red.

“W-What?” he stammered, backing away.

Suddenly, a phone rang. Mikaela jumped, spinning to see an old-fashioned radio on a table. His eyes widened in surprise.

“That wasn’t there before…”

‘Long time no chat. You remember me, don’t you?’

Mikaela froze. He rushed to the table, dropping to his knees.

“H-Hanako-kun?” he called, “Hanako-kun, can you hear me?”

‘You’ve crossed the boundary too much this time. We’ll talk again soon.’

Mikaela’s face turned white. “Hanako-kun… you can’t hear me… who… who are you talking to?”

"Boundary?" Mikaela felt a chill. "Does this mean Hanako-kun is here too?"

Taking a deep breath, he felt a bit relieved. “Okay. I can do this.”

He bit his lip and turned away from the radio. Gripping the red string, he followed it deeper into the alleyway. More mannequins lay scattered around, some intact, some broken apart.

Mikaela stumbled into a new area. The string led him to a strange wooden post surrounded by shrine cabinets. Unusually large bells hung from above, and there was more clutter, but it seemed neat in its own way.

“…My body…”

Mikaela jumped at the deep voice. He quickly looked around, trying to see if anyone was nearby, but the place was empty. No one else was there.

“Your body?” he said quietly, looking back at the shrine cabinets.

Nervously, Mikaela moved closer to the shrine post. The wooden doors were covered with strange seals. He touched one lightly but quickly pulled his hand away when the doors suddenly shook, as if something was moving inside.

“Help! Help me!”

Mikaela’s heart skipped a beat. He stumbled back, falling to the ground, eyes wide as he stared at the doors. Voices begged from behind them, crying for help.

“Please! Help! Let me out!”

The voices grew louder, making Mikaela’s ears burn.

“Let me out!”

Mikaela covered his ears, trying to block it out. His head felt dizzy, and he had a horrible urge to vomit.

“Okay!” he shouted. “I’ll help you! Just stop!” His eyes were filled with tears as he looked around, desperate for something to open the door.

“Scissors?!”

Mikaela spotted an old, broken pair of scissors under some junk. He grabbed them, stumbling against the post. The screaming was making it hard to concentrate, but he forced the scissors into the gap between the doors. He cut through the seals and pulled the doors open.

He shut his eyes tight, expecting something to jump at him. But when he opened them, everything was quiet. The voices had stopped. Slowly, he looked inside the shrine cabinets.

“Doll parts?” Mikaela raised an eyebrow. “Why is there a bike wheel?”

He rubbed his head, feeling a headache from the noise. He picked up a doll's head and pulled it back into the shrine. “Ugh, it’s so ugly. Why is there a broom? What’s with the tutu?”

Something brushed against his knees. It was the red string. He picked up the needle and looked at it.

“Maybe... I’m supposed to sew the parts together?” he muttered. “I can’t even fix my shirts!”

Suddenly, the bells above him rang. Mikaela looked up. “I guess that’s my answer…”

He groaned deeply, slumping down in front of the post, staring at the doll parts. “How am I supposed to do this?” he muttered.

It took him a long time, making mistake after mistake. When he finally finished, Mikaela had no idea how much time had passed.

“Now what?” he asked, standing up. “It looks... really stupid.”

Behind him, a soft scratching sound grew louder. At first, he didn’t think much of it, but then a chill ran up his spine, and he froze.

Mikaela slowly turned around.

His face drained of colour. His heart raced, and he stumbled back, protecting his chest instinctively.

A creature with many twisted limbs jerked and moved in an eerie way. It was made from several mannequins pieced together into a terrifying fox-like creature. Its red-stained white body was like something out of a nightmare.

The creature's head split into two, and it screeched loudly. Mikaela screamed in fear, scrambling to the ground and barely avoiding its attack. The creature crashed into a pile of junk.

The mannequin's body twisted around, its eyeless sockets staring at Mikaela. Its arms shot out, holding sharp scissors that snipped in the air.

The scissors snapped toward him, missing as he rolled away. As he moved, Mikaela instinctively sent out golden spikes, hitting the mannequin’s hands and making it drop the scissors.

A loud, sinister laugh echoed through the air. Mikaela turned just in time to see a massive pair of golden scissors aiming at his throat. But before they could cut him, something grabbed him and yanked him down. The scissors barely grazed his hair as he was pinned to the ground. Suddenly, a blast of lightning and thunder struck, frying the scissors. The creature screeched in pain.

“Hanako-kun?!” Mikaela gasped.

Hanako hummed as he pulled Mikaela up and jumped backward. As they did, the dolls Mikaela had been following earlier rushed through the junk.

“Kid!” Hanako ordered.

Kou huffed and swung his staff, smashing the dolls. “Don’t boss me around, you little imp!”

“Imp? Haha!” Hanako grinned. “Attaboy!”

Hanako then stood up straight and wrapped an arm around Mikaela’s waist, lifting him easily. Mikaela felt a little embarrassed since he was taller than Hanako, but it was so easy for Hanako to pick him up. Mikaela looked up at him and felt a shiver at the sly grin on Hanako's face.

“Runaway!”

The mannequin fox roared and snapped at them as they ran toward the only archway in the area. Mikaela was sure it wasn’t there before. As they passed through, a loud drumbeat rang in his ears, and everything around them went dark. The floor beneath their feet looked like glass.

“Are you okay, Senpai?” Hanako asked, dropping Mikaela clumsily.

Mikaela groaned. “Just peachy.”

“You should be glad I gave up my time to save you,” Hanako said, grabbing Mikaela’s chin and making him look at him. “It was a pain dealing with the Kid!”

Kou grumbled, “It was hard to deal with me? Bull. The imp kept insulting everyone on the phone.”

“She started it. She shouldn’t have taken my things,” Hanako said with a shrug, pinching Mikaela’s cheek.

Mikaela frowned. “Don’t talk about me like that.”

Hanako pouted but let Mikaela slap his hand away. He acted hurt but winked playfully.

“Where are we?” Mikaela asked. “I’m not sure how I ended up here.”

“We’re in one of the mysterious places, number 2!” Hanako cheered, raising his arm. “Misaki stairs! You should know better than to climb into a demon’s mouth!”

Mikaela sighed. “I didn’t know climbing the music stairs would get me spirited away!”

“Ah yes. My damsel in distress~” Hanako sang.

Kou rolled his eyes and moved in front of Mikaela, smiling warmly.

“I was really worried about you, Mikaela-san. You disappeared right in front of me!” he said, placing his hand on Mikaela’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Mikaela smiled back. “Thank you for coming after me, Kou-san. I really appreciate it.”

Hanako grumbled, eyeing the two of them before pushing himself between them. He shoved his hand roughly against Kou’s chest and forced him back a few steps.

“That’s enough! That’s enough!” Hanako whined. He turned to Mikaela. “I came to save you! The Kid just tagged along! I did all the work! You should thank me!”

Kou muttered, “Hey!” while Mikaela blinked in surprise. He looked between the two boys and let out a nervous laugh, breaking their stare-off.

“Sorry,” Mikaela said, covering his mouth. “It’s just... you’re both fighting over who rescued me… but we’re still in danger, right?”

Hanako paused, his eyes scanning the darkness before he hummed a tune and floated around Mikaela, thinking deeply. He snapped his fingers and pointed at a figure in the distance.

“Senpai’s so clever!” Hanako teased. “We’re still in danger! Look, there’s someone else here!”

Mikaela turned to look at the figure. His eyes widened when he saw a person sitting in a wheelchair. The figure’s body looked strange and blocky. It took Mikaela a moment to realize.

“Oh, it’s my doll.”

The two boys gave him a strange look. Mikaela blushed in embarrassment and scratched the back of his neck.

“I mean… not my doll. I just put it together... you know?” he said weakly. “With sewing and all…”

Hanako laughed. “How housewife of you.”

Mikaela bit back a growl and walked over to the doll in the wheelchair. The head was big, the torso was too thick, and the bright pink tutu made him dizzy. He tilted his head as he looked at it.

“It’s so… bad…” Mikaela mumbled.

Kou patted him lightly on the shoulder. “It’s not terrible.”

“You’re being too nice, Kou-san. You can just say it’s ugly…” Mikaela sighed.

Hanako snorted. “Yikes. Senpai’s right! It’s ugly!” he said. “But the Kid gave it those weird legs!”

“What! You said it didn’t matter! And besides, you picked the gross head and the broom for the arm!” Kou shot back. “And what’s with the tutu!?”

Hanako bristled. “There’s nothing wrong with pink.”

“That’s not the point!” Kou argued.

Mikaela scratched his head. “They… picked the doll parts out?”

A small smile tugged at Mikaela’s lips. It became clear how much trouble the two had while coming to find him. He felt a warm feeling spread through him. But before he could say anything, he heard water splashing.

A figure approached slowly, walking gracefully.

A beautiful young woman glided toward them.

‘You finally made it.’

Mikaela gasped quietly. He recognized the voice from the radio. The woman had long, golden curls and the most beautiful sparkling eyes Mikaela had ever seen. Bells were attached to her kimono, and they chimed with every step.

“She’s… so lovely…” he thought. “Is she Misaki-san?”

‘I didn’t think you all would make it.’

As the woman got closer, her gentle smile turned into a blank expression, then into a wide grin as she rushed past the three of them. She crouched in front of the doll, her gloved hands cupping its ugly face. She leaned closer with a sweet gasp.

“I…um…”

The woman sighed deeply, then turned her head to look back at them. Her eyes narrowed like a snakes, and her smile grew even wider.

‘This is wonderful! I can feel the passion you put into this body!’

Mikaela’s eyes widened in shock. His face turned pale as he looked between the stunning woman, who could easily be a model or actress, and the ugly doll he had made with thread and needle. He had little bandages on his hands from it.

“You… you like this?” he asked awkwardly.

The woman smiled even wider, her curls bouncing with every move, and the bells chimed.

‘I do. It is truly stunning!’

Mikaela opened his mouth but quickly shut it. His eyes widened even more, then watered. He tugged on Hanako’s jacket sleeve to get his attention.

“Hanako-kun, Hanako-kun, she isn’t serious… is she?” he whispered, feeling embarrassed.

The spirit hummed, hand on his chin. "I know, right? She has terrible taste!"

Mikaela grunted, feeling like a heavy block had hit him on the head. He shook it off, but barely had time before the woman grabbed his small hands. She began shaking them up and down, quickly.

"I was so lost! I don’t know what human bodies are made of! But I thought it was a great idea to ask humans about human things! You did such a good job! Your soul! I knew you’d be perfect to help me!"

Mikaela awkwardly looked up at her. "Help you? You mean when I, um, put it together?"

"Yes! It's so perfect! You did it so well! This is nothing like the other bodies I’ve made. I’m sure this one will work out! I can smell your soul in it now!"

Mikaela took a small step back, putting a hand on his chest. His soul? What did she mean by that? His soul was inside the doll?

"Isn’t that right, Misaki-kun?! Come on, love. Please, try to walk now!"

The doll didn’t move. It stayed sitting in the wheelchair. Mikaela’s heart skipped a beat as it shifted its head, turning away from the woman to look at Mikaela. A creepy chill ran down his spine, and he took another step away.

"Misaki-kun! Please! Don’t ignore me! I know you’re strong enough now. The child's soul will keep you strong, my love!"

But the doll still didn’t move. Mikaela stared at the upset woman and the doll, a creepy feeling crawling through his body.

"It’s alive?" he gasped.

The woman pouted. "Misaki-kun is just being stubborn. You built him such a nice body, but he won’t use it. How ungrateful! He keeps trying to run away. Why? Why doesn't he see that I’m the only one for him?"

She held her hands up, and suddenly smoke began to roll around her. Bodies appeared, laying across the glass floor. Mikaela felt a tremble run through him as he recognized the uniforms on them.

"T-The missing students?" he gasped. "They're all here?"

"Yes. And now, for the main event. If Misaki-kun won't accept me, then I’ll destroy what he loves most in front of him!" she said with a wicked grin. "Just like the rumour says! I’ll tear you apart just as it’s foretold!"

Mikaela froze, feeling like spiders were crawling on him. He looked up and saw the huge scissors hanging above him, ready to cut his throat. But just as they were about to close, something slammed into his side. An arm shot up to block the scissors.

"Kou-san?!"

Kou grumbled, "That was close. Mikaela-san, are you okay?!"

"Hm," Mikaela nodded. "T-Thank you, Kou-san. Are you al, !"

Kou blinked in confusion, then screamed in a high-pitched voice. His left arm morphed into a doll arm. His eyes widened in shock, and his jaw dropped. He started flailing the arm around, screaming.

"It looks like you got hit by her scissor curse," Hanako said casually, appearing behind Mikaela and pulling him away. "If you touch them, you turn into a doll."

Kou twitched. "How are we supposed to fight now?! Oh! Hanako, you bastard, do that thing you did when you were fighting me?!"

"I can't," Hanako shrugged. "Unless she gives me permission, I can't use Hakujoudai’s power. This is her domain. No. 2’s domain. So right now, I’m pretty useless."

Mikaela snorted. He didn’t believe Hanako was truly “useless,” but No. 2 looked terrifying with the power to turn people into dolls... all because ‘Misaki’ kept rejecting the bodies she made for him. Mikaela looked at the doll and bit his bottom lip. He didn’t want to be here.

"What do we do then?" Mikaela asked quietly, turning to Hanako. "How do we get out of here without becoming a doll?"

Hanako patted Mikaela on the head. "Don’t worry. You won’t become a doll, Senpai. I wouldn’t let that happen. The kid, though... I couldn’t care less about him."

"HEY!"

Mikaela frowned. "Hanako-kun, how do we all get out of here?"

Hanako paused. He stared at Mikaela, slowly reaching up and brushing the blonde's hair away from his forehead. He stared at the bruise that was slowly healing. The spirit stayed silent, just watching.

"I told you; I walked into a door!" Mikaela whined, pulling his head away and puffing his cheeks. "What’s that got to do with getting out of here?"

"In a place where there’s no birth or death, those who don’t know when to give up hold the most power."

Mikaela paused, the words sinking in. Before he could reply, Hanako shook his head, tugging at his hat. A smirk grew on his impish face, and Mikaela shivered.

"Would you do anything to get out of here?"

Mikaela opened his mouth but then closed it. Why did he feel like he was about to agree to something dangerous? It seemed to happen a lot when it came to Hanako. He swallowed thickly and nodded.

"Y-Yeah. Anything."

Hanako chuckled darkly. "You're brave, but you should be careful. Don’t agree to things before you know what you’re really agreeing to. I could easily ask you to fall on a sword."

"Would you?" Mikaela asked nervously.

Hanako just chuckled again, grinning even wider. He leaned close to Mikaela’s face, his breath brushing against Mikaela's lips. It was only when Mikaela felt something wrapping around him that he snapped out of his thoughts. He jerked his head up and tried to pull away from Hanako, but the ghost yanked him.

"Senpai, I’ve got an idea. To get out of here and stop No. 2’s power, we need to find her yorishiro and destroy it!" Hanako said, putting a finger against Mikaela's lips to stop him from talking. "It’s not up here, so it’s probably at the bottom."

Mikaela bit his bottom lip. "Bottom of what exactly?"

Suddenly, Hanako shoved Mikaela hard in the chest, sending him flying over a cliff. A cliff Mikaela hadn’t noticed before. He screamed as he fell through the dim air, curling his knees as he plummeted. Golden spikes shot out in all directions, stabbing into his skin. Mikaela was sure he blacked out.

"We’re all counting on you."

~#~

"Mi-chan? Mi-chan?"

Mikaela blinked slowly, “Who’s calling me?”

“Mikaela-chan, wake up. Come on.”

It was a voice he didn’t recognize. Mikaela opened his eyes and saw a face very close to his. He stared at it for a few seconds, then screamed and backed up, hitting a tree behind him. He grunted and looked at what seemed like a floating fish.

“W-Who? What? Where?”

The fish hovered in the air, its fins swaying gently. Mikaela looked around, confused. How did he end up in a shrine? There were cherry blossom trees, Mokke, and an odd-coloured sky.

“I’m alive…” Mikaela said, hugging himself, feeling cold. “I thought I’d be dead.”

Mikaela groaned, “That… he pushed me off a cliff! Stupid imp!”

The fish swam closer, “You had quite a fall. I was worried, but I’m glad you’re okay.”

“…W-Who are you?” Mikaela asked awkwardly, trying to move away from the fish. Was that a ribbon on its head?

The fish twirled around, like it was trying to impress him.

“I’m Nene!” it said cheerfully, its voice echoing, “I’m so glad you’re here now!”

“Nene-san?” Mikaela said, standing up slowly. He brushed himself off and looked around. He didn’t see anyone in the shrine. “Where are we?”

“No.2’s domain. She sealed me down here,” Nene pouted.

Mikaela looked at her, “Why?”

Nene whined, “I asked for help, but instead, she just wanted me to feed a ‘Misaki-san,’ whoever that is!”

“Oh. Um, don’t worry, Nene-san, I’ll help you out,” Mikaela said.

Nene twirled happily around his face, giggling.

“Thank you so much!”

“It’s so bright, and the atmosphere is so different here,” Mikaela thought, glancing back at the shrine. “What am I looking for again?”

‘We have to find her yorishiro and destroy it.’

Mikaela pouted, “What’s a yorishiro, and where would it be? Hanako-kun never explained it to me. Nene-san, do you know what a yorishiro is?”

Nene hummed softly, “I think a yorishiro is a weakness every mystery has. It’s what gives them their power. Like a battery. If you destroy it, the mystery weakens. It’s usually hidden deep within their domain, the farthest place from this world. I think it’s down here…”

Mikaela looked at Nene, “Aren’t you a mystery, Nene-san?”

“Me?!” Nene squealed, shaking. “No way! I stay away from this place. Last time No.7 tried to eat me! He’s like a cat!”

Mikaela gasped, “Hanako-kun tried to eat you?!”

“He did! He did!”

Mikaela thought about it for a second. Maybe Hanako was a bit cat-like? More like a puppy though.

He started walking, feeling like if he saw a yorishiro, he’d know what it was. As he took a step, something fell on his head. He grunted and caught a worn-out leather book.

“Mi-chan, are you okay?” Nene said, swimming close. “A journal?”

Mikaela laughed awkwardly. Mi-chan?

“Today I threatened a student. It was super fun.”

“Let’s not do that…”

“Misaki gave me a new hairstyle.”

“Cut my hair. I hate Misaki. Thank you, sensei.”

“I fixed it for you.”

“Today I took a ‘photograph’ with Misaki and the other kids.”

Nene swirled upside down, “What a strange book. Do people really write such things?”

“A photo… is that Misaki-sensei? The poor doll?” Mikaela wondered. “I think No.2 is keeping him here. She kept making him bodies, but he kept rejecting them…”

“Young love~” Nene giggled.

Mikaela blinked, “Sure…”

“Misaki gave me some hair shears. None of the other kids got any. Only me. Misaki loves me. I’ll put the scissors in the shrine to keep them safe. Good for you, Misaki.”

Nene spun around Mikaela’s head, giggling, “This girl must really love her sensei! I know the feeling! When I was younger, I loved my teacher so much! What about you, Mi-chan? Did you love your teacher too?!”

Mikaela nervously laughed, “…Not exactly…”

“Misaki didn’t come today. I have nothing else to do, so I made dolls while I watched people come and go all day.”

“Still no Misaki today. No Misaki today ever.”

“Today I heard a rumour. There was an accident on these stairs the other day… A teacher slipped and broke his neck… dying. I wonder what it means to die? The next time I see Misaki, I’ll ask him.”

Mikaela froze, a chill running down his spine as he stared at the writing. The ink seemed to stare back.

“You don’t think…?” Nene asked nervously.

“I’m sure it’s not like that…” Mikaela said, flipping the page.

“Misaki… where are you? I’ll find you. I will.”

“Misaki, the only thing to do is make a new body for you. Then you will have to come back, right?”

“…I found Misaki. I will lock him away where I will have him forever. But I miss his touch. I should keep making him a new body, so we can truly be together.”

“Misaki, why do you hate me?”

Mikaela swallowed hard, feeling like he couldn’t breathe. A sharp pain hit him as he stared at the words. So, it was true. The woman trapped Misaki’s soul here and forced him into dolls, so they could be together forever. Could that really work?

“What are you doing?” Mikaela turned quickly as the woman appeared, coming down the stairs with scissors in hand. Mikaela stepped back, “W-Who are you? You wrote this, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. It’s my finest work. I have to make a body for Misaki. Then we can be together. A perfect body. One he won’t reject.”

Mikaela tried to move away, but the dolls appeared around him, their blank faces staring up at him.

“Why… Why would you trap the person you love? His soul is here, isn’t it? Misaki cared for his students. Why hurt them in front of him?” Mikaela shouted, “Of course he’ll reject those stupid bodies. He wouldn’t want to be with someone like you! Ever!”

The woman laughed sharply. “That’s exactly what I want! I want Misaki to be angry with me! I want him to yell at me! I would do anything to make him show me any emotion! Anything!”

Mikaela cried out, falling back as the woman rushed at him. Her kimono swirled, and she raised the scissors high, ready to strike.

“No! Help! Help! Hanako-kun!” he cried, shielding his face.

Just as the scissors were about to hit, a ball of light with green sparks shot through the air, knocking the scissors from her hand. The woman jumped back in shock.

“You? No.7? How did you find us?!” she yelled.

Hanako landed gracefully beside them, holding his hand out. The ball of light returned to him.

“My Hakujoudai follows Mikaela. It can track him anywhere, even here. So, I can always find him.”

Mikaela sniffed, noticing Hanako had called him by his full name. Hanako seemed serious... and hurt. Mikaela rushed forward to catch him as he stumbled, covered in cuts, bruises, and scratches.

“H-Hanko-kun?! What happened to you?” he gasped, holding the spirit up.

Hanako groaned, leaning against Mikaela. “I’m dying, Mikaela.”

“Good grief, you’re so fragile! Did our little game upstairs really take that much out of you?” The women snorted.

Hanako grumbled and glared at the woman. “That was just a joke. I’m already dead. But yeah, fighting No.2 in her own domain is tough. I’d like to see how you’d do in another mystery territory. It’s not easy.”

“Hanako-kun…” Mikaela whispered.

Hanako looked up at him, then pulled him closer. He tilted his head and whispered into Mikaela’s ear.

“Listen, Mikaela. If we destroy the yorishiro, we can do whatever we want. Did you find anything? It’s probably something that No.2 cares about a lot.”

“Something important to her? D-Do we have the right to do that?” Mikaela asked quietly.

Hanako winced. “It’s not perfect, but it’s the only choice we have. Got any ideas?”

Mikaela bit his lip. Something important? A thought clicked in his head, and his eyes widened.

“I think I have an idea.”

“Mi-chan!” Nene suddenly shouted across the shrine, swimming around something wrapped up in tape. “Here! I found the shears! The ones from the book! Remember?!”

Hanako blinked. “What? Is that a fish?”

Mikaela laughed awkwardly. “It’s… a long story.”

“I’m sorry, but no time for talking.”

The woman jumped into the air again, raising her scissors. In a blur, red rope shot out, wrapping around the woman and her scissors. Hanako quickly pulled the rope, tightening it.

“No.7! Don’t stop me!” the woman yelled.

Hanako panted. “Sorry, but I can’t let you do this, No.2.”

“Go!”

Mikaela nodded and turned toward where Nene was waiting. He gasped as all the dolls rushed toward him, trying to grab his legs and hold him down.

“Stop! I need my yorishiro, or I won’t be able to keep Misaki! Everything I’ve done has been for him!” the woman screamed.

“You’re not doing this for Misaki! You’re doing it for yourself!” Mikaela shouted back.

Mikaela didn’t know why, but when he looked at the dolls, he did the first thing that came to mind. He jumped, pushing off the dolls and landing on top of the shrine. He quickly tore off the tape and opened the doors. Inside, there were shears held in place by a black seal.

“No!”

As the woman charged toward him, Mikaela ripped the seal off and grabbed the shears. With one quick pull, they snapped apart. Suddenly, Hanako appeared in front of him, his long black hair flying around them, holding a large knife.

“H-Hanako-kun?”

“Mystery No.2. The Misaki stairs. You’ve failed your duty! Return your seat number.”

Hanako raised his knife and sliced it through the woman’s chest. She stumbled back, falling to her knees. Cracks like glass appeared on her body. As she fell, a familiar doll appeared. It wasn’t the one Mikaela had made, but the one he had seen earlier. It appeared in front of the woman and gently patted her head.

“Well done…”

“M-Misaki…”

~#~

“Senpai? Senpaiiiiiii?”

Mikaela winced and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked, rubbed them, sniffled, and looked up to see Hanako crouching over him, waving.

“H-Hanako-kun?” Mikaela mumbled as he sat up, “We’re… back?”

“Yup,” Hanako grinned and gently petted Mikaela’s head, running his fingers through his blonde curls. “You did well, Mikaela.”

Mikaela blinked at him. “I did? Are you sure? I felt like I just got in the way.”

“Huh? You’re so humble, Senpai!” Hanako giggled. His face softened. “If you hadn’t found N0.2’s yorishiro and destroyed it, who knows what would have happened. We could have ended up like the kid!”

Mikaela’s eyes widened at the mention of Kou. He quickly turned to where Hanako was pointing and gasped in shock. He carefully lifted the small plush doll.

“This is Kou-san?!”

Hanako fluttered behind him. “He fought bravely~” he said, fake sniffling as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.

“He’s... so cute now!” Mikaela said, hugging the doll tightly.

Hanako pouted and quickly wrapped his arms around Mikaela’s shoulders, pulling him away from the doll. “But I’m cuter, right Senpai?”

“That’s still up for debate…” Mikaela muttered.

Hanako groaned. “You’re so mean! You’re breaking my poor, fragile heart!”

Mikaela rolled his eyes. “He’ll change back, right?”

“Sadly,” Hanako pouted. “All the dolls of the missing students will change back. They’ll probably wake up in the school’s medical wing with no memory of what happened. Don’t worry.”

Mikaela looked back at Hanako, then tilted his head. “Who is she?”

Hanako smiled widely and suddenly pulled up a small fox by the back of her neck. The bells on her large ears jingled as he moved her.

“Here she is. No.2’s true identity,” Hanako said. “An Inari statue, but this one moves!” He shook the little fox. “Go on, No.2, say you’re sorry!”

The fox narrowed her eyes at Mikaela, flicked her tail back and forth, and then turned her head away with a loud huff. Mikaela awkwardly laughed.

Hanako grabbed the fox by the head. “I’ll turn you into fox udon!”

Mikaela gasped and quickly grabbed the fox, holding her at a safe distance. “H-Hanako-kun! You can’t threaten to turn other spirits into udon!” he warned.

Hanako hummed innocently.

“The children will be fine by morning, including your strange friend,” the fox grunted in a deep voice. “It’s not like I have much power left anyway.”

“Oh,” Mikaela smiled, “That’s good.”

He gently placed the fox back on the ground. His eyes softened when he saw her ears fold inward and heard her sad whimper. Tiny balls of light floated around her tail.

“Oh, Fox-san,” he said, pulling a photograph from his pocket. “I know I destroyed something important to you. I’m really sorry.”

The fox stared at him, then hissed, “I don’t want to be friends with you! And my name is Yako! Next time you call me Fox-san, I’ll bite your hand off!”

“Yako?” Mikaela mumbled, trying to hide his hands in his sweater sleeves. He didn’t want Yako to bite them.

“Told you!” Hanako said, floating behind Mikaela with his hands in his pockets. “We should have turned her into fox udon.”

“Hanako-kun,” Mikaela sighed. “Why do you always go to violence?”

Hanako giggled. “Me? Violence? I’ve never!”

Mikaela groaned and stood up, feeling exhausted. He just wanted to go to his dorm and sleep. After everything that happened, he couldn’t wait to curl up in bed. It felt like he had just been kidnapped and almost lost his head.

“I wonder where Nene-san went?” Mikaela thought, looking around for the little fish but seeing nothing. She had been there when Hanako defeated Yako.

With another sigh, Mikaela slowly walked down the stairs away from ‘Misaki’s stairs.’ Hanako quietly followed him until Mikaela almost missed a step and nearly fell.

“Senpai?” Hanako said, tilting his head.

Mikaela laughed sheepishly. “Ah, I guess I’m out of energy. I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus…”

“Mikaela…”

When Hanako called him by his full name, Mikaela turned and froze as Hanako suddenly moved close and kissed his cheek. Hanako pulled away with his usual mischievous grin.

“Hehe. Your reward. A magic spell to make you feel better.”

Mikaela stared blankly, shocked, and then his face turned red. He let out a squeal and pushed Hanako away, but only ended up slipping down the steps and hitting his head.

“Ow… Why do I keep hitting my head?” Mikaela sniffled, rubbing his forehead.

Hanako hummed. “Those poor brain cells.”

Mikaela glared up at him. “H-Hanako-kun! You can’t just do that!”

“Do what?” Hanako asked, acting innocent.

Mikaela waved his hands. “You know what! You can’t do that! What if someone saw? You’re always doing things like that, even after I told you it’s cruel!”

“Not this again,” Hanako groaned. “You’re so old-fashioned!”

“Old-fashioned?!” Mikaela hissed. “What would you know? You’ve been dead for who knows how long! Don’t talk about things you don’t understand! You don’t know how hard it is for me, or what trouble I could get into if someone saw that!”

Hanako fell silent, his face blank. Then, his eyes darkened, and he looked at Mikaela with a cold stare.

“You mean like the bruise on your forehead?”

Mikaela froze, his face turning bright red. He quickly looked away. “No, um, I-“

“Walked into a door, right? I heard you,” Hanako rolled his eyes, then glared at Mikaela. His shoulders slumped, and his hands went into his pockets. “Are you sure it wasn’t one of your ‘friends’?”

Mikaela opened his mouth to reply but stopped. “That’s… none of your business, Hanako-kun! Why do you even care?”

Hanako didn’t respond. He disappeared from sight, leaving Mikaela alone.

~#~

The ball flew toward him fast. Mikaela Kane had overslept by ten minutes, something that almost never happened. He had a feeling he knew why, it had been a few days since the Misaki stairs, and he still felt drained!

He ran toward the school courtyard, biting his bottom lip. Just as he reached for the door, the ball slammed into his throat, knocking the air out of him. He crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.

Laughter echoed around him as a group of students gathered.

“That’s right, Kane! On your knees, like a dog!”

Mikaela winced. He looked up through his hair to see the familiar group standing over him, their faces full of delight.

“You’ve had it easy, Kane!” a green-haired girl shouted, stomping up to him. “Ever since we lost track of you a few weeks ago, you’ve been strolling around like you own the place!”

Mikaela shook, trying to shrink into himself. He swallowed thickly and spoke in a shaky voice. “N-No, I-“

“Spreading your disgusting gems everywhere!” another boy added, laughing. “No wonder you’re always alone!”

A third boy shook his head, glaring at Mikaela. “No, that’s not true! He’s been hanging around with that new third-year. What’s going on, huh?”

The girl nodded quickly; her eyes wide. "Right! I almost forgot! You're disgusting! What are you trying to do, drag that poor boy down with you? I bet he doesn't even know how messed up you are!"

Mikaela’s heart sank as they talked about Kou. What would Kou think if he found out about Mikaela’s secret?

"I-I’m not like that…" Mikaela tried to explain, but they cut him off.

The girl with bubble-gum pink hair, who had been quiet until now, slapped him hard across the cheek. The hit made his head snap back, and he saw the baseball bat she was holding. Had she been the one to hit him with the ball?

"You’re really starting to piss me off," she said calmly, her voice so quiet, it felt worse than shouting. "No one wants a disgusting pig like you here."

Mikaela’s eyes filled with tears as she pushed the bat into his throat, making it hard for him to breathe. He gasped for air, his body trembling from the pressure.

"Why can’t you just disappear? I hate seeing your face every day, reminding me how awful school is," she added, leaning in even closer, forcing the bat deeper into his throat.

Her classmates laughed; their eyes full of cruel joy. Mikaela tried to push the bat away, but the girl was stronger than she looked.

"You’re an embarrassment to everyone here."

Mikaela opened his mouth to speak, but only a weak, wheezing sound came out. Tears slipped down his cheeks as his head throbbed, his whole-body pulsing with pain.

The girl scoffed and yanked the bat away, leaving Mikaela gasping for air. She casually flipped her pink curls over her shoulder, shaking her head in disgust.

"Pathetic," she muttered. "Look at you, wheezing like a pig."

Mikaela sniffed, wiping his face with the sleeve of his yellow sweater. His face was flushed, and his eyes were swollen with tears. He tried to sit up but felt too weak.

"Who would ever want you? You’ll always be alone, Kane. No one will want anything to do with someone like you," she sneered.

"You’ll die alone."

The school bell rang, signalling the start of the day. The group of students turned to leave, but not before one of them spat at Mikaela. He flinched, covering his head with his arms in case they kicked or hit him, but no more blows came. They just laughed as they walked away, leaving him behind.

Mikaela stayed on the ground for a moment, trying to collect himself. Slowly, he stood up, feeling dizzy and weak. He wiped away his tears and blinked up at the school doors.

"I’ll die alone?" he whispered to himself, his chest tight with the weight of their words.

He shook his head, rubbing his face. His arms wrapped tightly around himself as he tried to keep himself together. "I’m not... I’m not normal. I’ll never be normal."

The thought haunted him, and for a moment, he felt like he couldn’t go on. He pulled a sharp spike from his head and stared at it, wondering if it would hurt if he stuck it in his eye. He sniffed, wiping away more tears. His emotions were all over the place, and it felt like he was losing control.

"A-Am I really that disgusting?" he whispered, his throat tight. "I’m just... not normal."

He paused, trying to stop crying. He turned toward the school stairs but stopped after taking one step. With a small sob, he turned around and walked toward the only place he felt safe, the school’s greenhouse. No one really came there, and it at least had a sink where he could wash his face.

"I haven’t been here since…" he trailed off, tugging at his sweater. Not since his first year.

Mikaela washed his face slowly, rubbing his sore throat. His body ached, and his head throbbed. He crouched down in front of the sink, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in them. What was the point of going to class? He’d just be ignored and pushed outside, maybe even given detention. His teacher probably didn’t care about him either.

Mikaela closed his eyes, tears still slipping out. Suddenly, he felt something warm and soft press against him. He looked up in surprise and smiled when he saw the familiar little bunny creatures, the Mokke, wiggling toward him. They had colourful candy in their long ears and were cooing happily to each other.

"Candy?" one of the Mokke asked, bouncing closer to him.

Another Mokke held out the candy with its ears. "It’ll make you feel better!"

Mikaela gently took the bright blue candy from the Mokke, smiling weakly. "T-Thank you," he said, his voice strained as he swallowed the words.

The Mokke fell silent, watching him carefully. Then, without warning, they crowded around him, purring and snuggling up to him. Mikaela smiled softly as he petted them. They cared about him, and it felt nice to be surrounded by warmth.

His little black Mokke quickly joined the group, and Mikaela whispered, "I’m okay... honestly."

The Mokke all cooed at once, making Mikaela sigh in contentment. He felt his eyes grow heavy and soon fell asleep, feeling safe and comforted by the tiny creatures.

But then, suddenly, something jolted him awake. A nightmare flashed in his mind, a vision of blood, pain, and darkness. His heart raced as the sounds of voices and the feeling of sharp spikes filled his head.

"Why... so much blood?" he whispered, feeling the overwhelming panic rise in his chest. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening, since he had gotten involved in the supernatural, his dreams had been getting darker and more terrifying.

He hugged his knees tightly to his chest, trying to calm his breathing. "I’m not... ready for this."

Mikaela sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. His fingers pressed against his skin, and he pouted deeply, his shoulders hunched up. He let out a quiet, broken moan. Waking up to sharp spikes poking out of his body and cold sweat every day was so exhausting.

He lifted his head and looked around the greenhouse. The sun shone brightly through the windows, and Mikaela could hear wind outside. Slowly, he stood up and walked over to the window, peering outside at the students.

“It’s lunch already?” he whispered, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “I slept through the whole morning?”

He groaned and slouched back, realizing the trouble he’d be in if he went to class now. His teacher wouldn’t listen to him, and Mikaela was sure his classmates wouldn’t care either.

Just then, a gentle breeze flowed in through the window, bringing with it a slight rustling noise. Mikaela blinked and saw colourful paper falling to the floor. He looked up to see a Mokke standing nearby, frozen with wide eyes after dropping the paper. Mikaela reached out and picked up a sheet of bright yellow paper. He stared at it for a moment before starting to fold it.

Each fold had to be perfect, each line had to fit just right. Mikaela focused on the task, making sure every crease was precise. After finishing one piece, he picked up another and continued folding. The black Mokke hopped over to watch him, its ears perked up with interest. Mikaela used yellow, orange, green, and brown paper.

When he finished, he held up the origami flower with a proud smile.

“I did it.”

A voice interrupted him. “What are you doing?”

Mikaela hummed, “Origami! I’m pretty good at it. My grandma used to teach me every evening when I was little…” He paused, blinking and looking around.

He suddenly realized he was alone in the greenhouse, except for the Mokke and his origami flower. One Mokke jumped onto the counter and stared at him.

“Who’s there?” Mikaela frowned. “If you’re here to tease me again, just go away.”

“I’m not gonna hurt you!” a voice whined loudly, followed by the sound of water splashing.

Mikaela raised an eyebrow and carefully stood up, walking shakily towards the wooden counter. As he moved closer, he saw a round fishbowl sitting there. Inside was a fish with long, glittering green and white fins, big brown eyes, and a red ribbon tied around it.

“Nene-san?” Mikaela gasped, placing his origami flower beside the bowl. “What are you doing here? How are you here? You disappeared after we returned from Misaki stairs…”

The fish swirled gracefully in the bowl. “Well, I’m kind of a fish. After we returned from Misaki stairs, I ended up at the bottom of the stairs, out of water. A girl with purple hair found me and brought me here. She saved me before I dried out. Mi-chan!”

“I’m so sorry, Nene-san!” Mikaela said, his eyes wide. “I looked for you, I did, but then Han-oh…”

Nene twirled around in the water. “But what?”

Mikaela snorted and shook his head. He nervously picked at his hair and accidentally pulled a spike from his skull. His head stung and his eyes watered. He blinked, distracted by a new Mokke that he hadn’t seen before. It was golden and sneaking closer to the fishbowl.

“N-Nothing, nothing happened.”

Nene puffed out her cheeks and swam closer to the surface, her large eyes staring up at Mikaela. He blushed, feeling embarrassed.

“Oh, Nene-san,” he said quickly, “What did you mean back in second’s domain? You said you needed help? Maybe I can help?”

Nene squealed happily. “You will? Oh, Mi-chan! That would mean so much to me! I’m a fish, but I’m not really a fish!

“You’re not a fish?” Mikaela blinked in confusion. “But… you look like one. You have fins and scales… what else could you be?” He shook his head and placed the golden Mokke back on the floor.

The Mokke seemed disappointed and flopped down. The little midnight Mokke with the ribbon jumped over to comfort it, patting its head with its ear.

Nene splashed some water at Mikaela’s face. “Of course I’m not a fish! I’ve been cursed! I need help to break it! I can smell a curse on you too, that’s how I found you.”

Mikaela frowned, holding up the golden spike. “I think it’s a curse from, um, Kam-achi?”

“Kamaitachi,” Nene corrected, “He’s a grumpy old man. I’m surprised you managed to get away from him.”

Mikaela shivered. “You know him?”

“I know of him,” Nene hummed, “I know some ancient spirits.”

Mikaela stared at her in awe. “What… who are you? How can you know ancient spirits?”

Nene sighed. “I’ve been cursed by the Mermaid Queen. She gave me this curse, and now I’m stuck like this.”

“Mermaid Queen?” Mikaela repeated, “Like Ariel?”

“You’re so strange, Mi-chan!” Nene giggled, “The Queen cursed me, and now I can’t go back to my old form. I barely escaped from the seaweed dungeon!”

“Seaweed dungeon?” Mikaela gasped. “Are you from the ocean?”

“Not exactly,” Nene said with a sigh, “I’m from a lake, but it’s dried up now. The Mermaid took me in and tricked me. Now, if she finds me, she’ll drag me back. I just want to go home, Mi-chan…”

Mikaela tugged at his sweater. “I’ll help you, Nene-san. I know some strong people who might be able to break the curse and send you home.”

“Really?!” Nene cried out; her eyes bright with hope.

With a kind smile, Mikaela nodded, “I’ll do my best, Nene-san. First,” he said, lifting the bowl carefully, “I’ll take you to the girls' bathroom on the third floor!”

“Why the girls' bathroom?” Nene asked, tilting her head.

Mikaela gave a small, embarrassed laugh, “Well, it’s kind of strange, but a weird friend of mine is there. He might know what we need to do. I’m sure Ha…um…”

“What’s wrong?” Nene asked, noticing his sudden sadness.

Mikaela straightened up quickly, holding the bowl carefully after almost dropping it. He sighed deeply, blowing a strand of blonde hair out of his face, “It’s nothing... I think... Hanako-kun is upset with me. After he saved me from Misaki’s stairs... I yelled at him for doing something really mean.”

“What did he do?” Nene asked.

Mikaela groaned, his face turning red as he remembered what happened. He rubbed the cheek where Hanako had kissed him, confused about why he did it.

“He... he kissed me...” Mikaela said softly.

Nene gasped, “He kissed you?! That’s so cute!”

“No, Nene-san, you don’t understand,” Mikaela said, shaking his head, “He kissed me on the cheek...”

“A kiss is a kiss!” Nene giggled, her fins fluttering with excitement.

Mikaela frowned deeply, “Doesn’t it bother you? I’m a guy, and Hanako-kun is a guy too... I think he kissed me to tease me or make fun of me.”

“Why would he do that?” Nene asked, “Why would it bother me? Humans are so confusing.”

“Was he the one who helped you with your curse?” Nene asked.

“Y-Yes,” Mikaela muttered, “I saved a hedgehog that turned out to be Kamaitachi’s son... and he gave me a sickle, or whatever that means...”

Nene gasped, “A sickle?! Oh my gosh! Are you getting married?”

Mikaela blinked in confusion. A sickle meant marriage. He shook his head, unsure of what to make of it. He didn’t want to marry a hedgehog.

“I can’t marry a hedgehog!” Mikaela said quickly.

Nene giggled, “Of course not! That must have been the hedgehog curse, right?”

“He turned me half-hedgehog…” Mikaela nodded.

Nene suddenly snorted, narrowing her eyes, “No.7 helped you? For free? I doubt it. Not after he tried to eat me when I went to him for help. I don’t know if you should ask him for help again.”

“…Hanako-kun isn’t that mean, Nene-san. I’m sure he’ll help. He did save me from Kamaitachi and Yako,” Mikaela said quietly, peeking out the window of the greenhouse, “But did he really try to eat you? I can’t see Hanako-kun doing that…”

Nene closed her eyes, “He grabbed me by my fin and dangled me over his mouth. He was so happy when I screamed! I only escaped when an incredibly hot guy told him off.”

“Incredibly hot guy?” Mikaela repeated, “You mean... Kou?”

Nene spun around, her tail swishing in the water. Mikaela noticed she was blushing.

“I didn’t catch his name,” she said softly.

Mikaela stared in disbelief. She already liked someone she barely knew just because he was good-looking. What would Kou think if he found out? Mikaela couldn’t help but giggle quietly at the thought of Kou’s reaction.

“Well, Hanako-kun helped me, and I haven’t seen him since,” Mikaela continued. “I don’t know why he tried to eat you, but I think it was just a prank. He’s a trickster.”

Nene stayed quiet for a moment, then sighed, “I don’t trust No.7, but I trust you. I’ll give him one last chance, but if he tries to eat me again, that’s it! I’ll do something... I don’t know what, but I’ll make him regret it!”

“Okay, Nene-san,” Mikaela said, trying to calm her down.

Nene pouted, “How did No.7 break your curse?”

Mikaela blinked and tried to remember how Hanako helped him. His face turned red as he recalled what happened, and he quickly covered his mouth.

“What did he do?” Nene asked, bouncing excitedly in the water, “Did he kiss you?”

“No!” Mikaela blurted out, “He didn’t do anything!”

It wasn’t entirely true, but Mikaela didn’t want to talk about it. Hanako teased him enough about it already.

“Hanako-kun fought Kamaitachi and helped break the curse... sort of. He took half of the curse too,” Mikaela said quietly. “He helped me carry it.”

Nene squealed, “That’s so romantic! Even if I don’t trust No.7, he is handsome. I love a good love story!”

“Love story?” Mikaela repeated, “Hanako-kun is handsome, I guess, but this isn’t a love story. He’s, my friend.”

Nene laughed, “A friend-to-lover story! That’s the best kind!”

Mikaela shook his head. Nene was obsessed with love stories, just like when they read about Yako and Misaki. She was always excited about romance.

“He helped me with my Kamaitachi curse, and in return, I owe him a favor. I have to do labour for him,” Mikaela said.

“Labour?” Nene said with disappointment. “That’s not romantic at all. I was hoping for something better!”

Mikaela frowned weakly, “Well, it doesn’t matter. He’s been ignoring me since I yelled at him. He hasn’t talked to me at all.”

“What do you mean?” Nene asked.

Mikaela kicked at the floor with his foot, “After I yelled at him, he disappeared. I haven’t seen him since. He’s supposed to meet me at the bathroom during lunch, but if I don’t show up, he sends a wisp after me.”

“He hasn’t done that this time...” Nene said quietly.

Mikaela looked up at Nene, “Does... does that upset you?”

“I... I think so. He’s my friend, and I care about him. I don’t want to lose him. I don’t understand why he’s upset with me. He’s the one who teased me, mocked me for... for...” Mikaela trailed off, pressing his lips together. “He kissed me on the cheek, and I called him mean for doing it.”

“Hanako-kun said I have outdated thoughts... that really upset me. I yelled at him, especially when he brought up...”

Mikaela touched the bruise on his forehead, but it had faded from purple to yellow. It would go away soon.

“Mi-chan?” Nene asked.

“It’s nothing!” Mikaela quickly said. “It’s nothing to worry about, Nene-san. I’m fine!”

Nene blinked up at him, “So, how does No.7 act around you? You can tell how someone feels by their body language!”

Mikaela stared at Nene, his mind racing. Body language? He thought about Hanako’s actions, his teasing, his touch. His body started to heat up as he remembered how Hanako had cupped his face or wrapped his arms around him.

“What is it? What is it?” Nene cried out, “Tell me, Mi-chan! What’s No.7 done?!”

Mikaela shook his head, his face turning bright red, “It doesn’t mean anything! Hanako-kun just likes to tease me! He likes to touch me, but it doesn’t mean anything! I... I think he challenges himself to see how close he can get to me without triggering my spikes!”

Nene’s eyes widened. “He likes to touch you! That’s so romantic! It shows how much he cares for you, and the reason he touches you is to show his feelings!” she said excitedly, her voice echoing around the greenhouse. “No.7 wants you to feel how much he cares!”

Mikaela was shocked by what Nene was saying. It sounded so sweet, and part of him really wanted that to be true. But it seemed unlikely. No one would ever feel that way about him. He would probably end up alone.

Hanako didn’t like him like that. He probably just touched Mikaela to see his reaction, especially since Hanako liked the spikes when Mikaela got flustered.

“Did he say anything?” Nene giggled, her fins fluttering. “What did he say? I bet it was romantic!”

“It’s not romantic, Nene,” Mikaela mumbled, feeling embarrassed. “He just likes to tease me. That’s what our friendship is like. He probably just enjoys seeing how flustered I get.”

“Sure, sure!” Nene said playfully. “But good things have come from it, right?”

Mikaela paused, thinking for a moment. “Well... yeah. I met the cute Mokke, helped some students trapped in Misaki’s stairs, and I met Kou.”

“See! Not all bad!” Nene cheered. “I don’t trust No.7, but it seems like he cares about you, Mi-chan!”

Mikaela smiled weakly. He hoped Hanako cared about him. After all, Hanako was his first friend, besides Kou. Still, it was a little depressing that his first friends were ghosts.

“I just wish he hadn’t done that...” Mikaela sighed. “I’ve never been kissed before... why would he just do that?”

“Don’t answer that!” Nene pouted. “Mi-chan, if he kissed you out of nowhere, there’s only one reason!”

Mikaela frowned. “Which is...?”

“He likes you!”

Mikaela froze. “Excuse me? Of course he likes me, we’re friends...”

Nene groaned, splashing Mikaela with water. “No! Mi-chan! You know what I mean! He likes you like that!”

“But he’s so short...” Mikaela muttered.

“What?” Nene said, shocked. “Mi-chan! You can’t reject him just because he’s short! What’s your type?”

Mikaela thought for a moment. “Well, I guess... if I had a type, they’d be kind, helpful, and maybe have big eyes. I think eyes are the best part of someone, especially the colour.”

Nene giggled. “You’d want to get lost in their eyes? Maybe they’d need to be strong to protect you?”

“Yeah!” Mikaela nodded. “I’m weak and clumsy.”

“Mi-chan, you have no experience, do you?” Nene teased, flapping her tail and splashing water everywhere. Mikaela blushed. “What if No.7 confesses to you? Oh, I’m so excited for you! But don’t let him fool you with his pretty face!”

Mikaela laughed awkwardly. It was an interesting thought, but he didn’t think something like that would happen. Hanako didn’t like him that way. The idea of Hanako confessing to him was strange, but also kind of exciting. Mikaela felt his face warm up but quickly pushed the thought aside.

“Nene, that’s really unlikely,” he chuckled nervously, looking away.

Nene hummed, “It’s happening everywhere these days! Don’t give up, Mi-chan! Look over there!”

Mikaela turned to look outside. He saw a huge tree that seemed out of place. Its branches stretched far, covered with thick green leaves, and it looked so beautiful.

“The Confession Tree!” Nene exclaimed.

Mikaela tilted his head. “Confession Tree?”

“Yeah! They say the god of romance grew that tree. Any couple that confesses their love under it will be together forever!” Nene sighed dreamily. “I really want to be confessed to under it!”

Mikaela frowned. “Don’t you think that’s a bit... cliché?”

“How dare you!” Nene pouted.

Mikaela was confused. “But... have we always had that tree?”

The tree was so big and full of life compared to the school. He couldn’t remember seeing it before. It made the school look dull in comparison.

“Look! Look! Someone’s already there!” Nene squealed.

Mikaela saw a boy with reddish hair coming out from under the tree. He wore green glasses and a green school shirt with a white sweater vest. Next to him was another boy with messy blonde hair, looking bored as he played on his phone.

“That’s Aoi Akane,” Mikaela said. “He’s a first year and a member of the student council.”

Mikaela had wanted to join the student council, but when he tried to run for class president, his name kept getting erased, and his teacher ignored it.

“Aoi Akane?” Nene said, “He’s cute! And who’s that? He’s hot!”

Mikaela laughed awkwardly. “I’m not sure... I don’t really know everyone at school.”

The other boy with Akane had spiky blonde hair and was wearing a black headband. He didn’t seem interested at all.

Mikaela pointed at his shirt. “Maybe his name is Lemon?”

Nene giggled. “Strange name, Mi-chan!”

Akane, looking nervous, started to speak, “Lemon, I... I love you! Please go out with me!”

Lemon barely looked up from his phone. “Oh, sure. Why not? Whatever.”

Akane seemed frustrated and punched Lemon. “Take it seriously!”

Nene gasped. “I thought his name was Aoi! Did he just confess to himself?”

“I think that girl is Aoi,” Mikaela said, pointing to a purple-haired girl standing on the edge of the courtyard, looking amused. “Akane is probably practicing his confession.”

Nene jumped up. “That’s her! The girl who saved me!”

Mikaela was surprised. “Oh?”

“Mi-chan! Love is in the air! There are so many couples around! Maybe No.7 will ask you to meet under the tree!” Nene said excitedly.

Mikaela sighed. “I hope he doesn’t... that’s the last thing I need.”

“Mi-chan!” Nene said, calling his name happily.

~#~

Mikaela slowly approached the girls' bathroom on the third floor, feeling nervous. He gripped Nene's fishbowl tightly and kept his head down as he walked. It was strange; he hadn't run into anyone. No students whispering or his Sensei walking by.

"Mi-chan?" Nene’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Ah, I’m alright, Nene-san."

He took a deep breath and pushed open the bathroom door. It was unusually quiet and dark. There should have been sunlight coming through the window, but it felt eerie. Mikaela swallowed hard as he stepped inside.

"Hanako-kun?" he called out, looking around but seeing no one.

He walked over to the bathroom stall, but the door was locked. He knocked nervously, feeling his anxiety rise.

"Hanako-kun? Are you there?"

Nene floated in the bowl and pouted, "Maybe No.7 isn’t here. Could he be out? What does he do?"

“You ask a lot of questions, Nene-san,” Mikaela smiled weakly. “But Hanako-kun doesn’t usually leave. Sometimes he goes to the roof, but he mostly stays here.”

“Ah, his domain is probably here then,” Nene hummed.

Mikaela blinked, confused. "His domain?"

“Like No.2, Misaki stairs."

"Hanako-kun has a domain too?" Mikaela muttered.

“Some things are better left alone~”

Suddenly, Mikaela felt a chill run down his spine. He jumped in surprise, spinning around. His back hit the stall door with a thud as his body released a wave of hedgehog spikes.

“H-Hanako-kun!” Mikaela gasped.

The ghost smiled innocently, tilting his head. He floated closer and leaned in, getting too close for comfort.

"Senpai!" Hanako teased, “You should know better than to poke around in other people's business~”

Mikaela shuddered. “I-I wasn’t going to! Ah, Hanako-kun! Stop teasing me!” He slapped the ghost's hand away as Hanako continued to poke at him.

“Teasing? Me? Oh, Senpai, I had no idea you thought so highly of me!” Hanako grinned, amused.

“Only you would make it sound like that...” Mikaela sighed, rolling his eyes. He nervously glanced down at his feet, feeling embarrassed. “Hanako-kun, I’m sorry…”

Hanako blinked in confusion. “Huh? Did you do something wrong? Did you bring something into the building? Ah, Senpai!” Hanako sighed dramatically, crossing his arms. “You sure like to get into trouble.”

Mikaela twitched. "I do not!"

"Ah, no need to deny it~" Hanako teased, lightly patting Mikaela on the cheek. "There’s not much going on in that little head of yours, huh? Don’t worry, your knight in shining armor is here to save the day!"

Mikaela puffed his cheeks, feeling his face turn red. Knight in shining armor? Since when did Hanako call himself that?

"That’s not what I meant," Mikaela said, his voice soft. He looked at Hanako seriously. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. I shouldn’t have...”

Hanako placed a finger on Mikaela’s lips. "You don’t need to finish that sentence. I’m fine with waiting."

Waiting? Mikaela felt confused, and a little offended, but he didn’t have time to think about it when Hanako leaned in even closer. His face was inches away from Mikaela’s, and his heart pounded loudly. Mikaela was sure Hanako could hear it.

Just as Hanako’s face almost touched his, Mikaela yelped. A splash of water hit him in the face, catching Hanako off guard and making him screech. Hanako pulled back, dripping wet, looking like a puppy that had just been dunked in water.

“Did...did that fish just spit water at me?”

Mikaela gasped, “Nene-san!”

“N-No.7! How dare you!” Nene shrieked, splashing water angrily from her bowl. “Can’t you see you’re making Mi-chan uncomfortable?!”

Hanako blinked, looking amused. "Uncomfortable? He doesn’t look uncomfortable to me, right, Senpai~" he purred, pressing his hand against the door next to Mikaela's face.

“I-I...um!” Mikaela stammered, unsure how to respond, especially when Hanako gently cupped his chin.

Nene flared up again, shooting water at Hanako. He easily tilted his head back, letting the water hit the ceiling instead, where it rained down onto the floor.

“I remember you,” Hanako said suddenly, snatching the bowl from Mikaela’s hands and holding it out of his reach. "You were in Yako’s domain! Ahhh, yes! The funny little fish scale!"

Nene squealed as Hanako bounced the bowl up and down, sending her flying inside. It was impressive how he caught her each time.

“I demand you stop this right now!” Nene shouted.

Mikaela stood frozen, his face pale with shock. “H-Hanako-kun!” he gasped.

He lunged forward to grab the bowl, but Hanako quickly moved, making Mikaela crash into the wall. Mikaela groaned, rubbing his head as he sank to the floor, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Senpai, don’t you ever learn?” Hanako hummed, floating down behind Mikaela and patting his head. “Those poor brain cells of yours. You’re gonna lose all of them at this rate.”

Mikaela sniffled. “Why does this always happen to me?”

“Bad luck~” Hanako sang.

Nene screamed again as Hanako started spinning the bowl on his finger, making her dizzy inside.

"Hanako-kun!" Mikaela shouted, standing up. "Stop bullying Nene-san!"

Hanako blinked twice and then pouted, leaning in closer to Mikaela. "Oh, don’t tell me you like the fish more than me? Senpai~ I’m so hurt!"

Mikaela rolled his eyes. "Give me the bowl, Hanako-kun. Now."

Hanako sighed, shoulders slouching. He handed the bowl back with a grumble.

"No more games," Mikaela said firmly.

Hanako muttered, "Fine. I’ll play by your rules. Sorry, Nene-san."

Nene glared at him. "I don’t believe you’re sorry!"

“Oh, how you wound me,” Hanako smirked, pressing a hand to his chest.

Mikaela rubbed his temples. "Hanako-kun, stop!" he whined. "Nene-san needs your help."

Hanako’s face turned smug. “Oh? She needs help, does she?” he asked, eyes gleaming. “What did she do to upset the Mermaid Queen?”

Nene cried out. “I didn’t do anything! She…she...”

“The Queen doesn’t curse anyone for no reason,” Hanako snorted, narrowing his eyes. “So, I bet you’re not as innocent as you seem.”

"I did no such thing!" Nene shouted, splashing water at him again.

Hanako leaned back, crossing his arms, his disbelief clear. “Sure, and I’m Captain of Dunkin' Donuts.”

"Dunkin' Donuts?" Mikaela thought, confused.

Nene flared up. “I don’t like what you’re suggesting!”

“I’m not suggesting anything,” Hanako shrugged, uninterested. “But I won’t help someone who won’t own up to their actions. Why should I waste my time on that?”

Mikaela shifted awkwardly, not sure how to react. Hanako seemed a bit... hypercritical.

“Hanak...” Mikaela started, but Hanako covered his mouth with a finger.

"Now-now, Senpai," Hanako purred, “This is between me and the fish. So, what will it be, Nene-san? Are you going to admit what you did, or not?”

Nene didn’t say anything. She just floated quietly in the bowl.

Hanako sighed. “Just as I expected. I’m not wasting my time or energy on someone who won’t take responsibility.”

Mikaela just stared quietly, still not fully understanding.

“Hanako-kun,” Mikaela said with a worried frown, “Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh?”

Hanako stared at Mikaela but didn’t say anything. Mikaela quickly realized what he said probably wasn’t the right thing. He swallowed hard and turned away, biting his lip.

“Sorry…”

Without warning, Hanako brightened up. He spun around and grabbed Mikaela’s shoulders, pulling him close. Their noses nearly touched. The fishbowl was the only thing keeping them apart.

“Senpai! After school, will you come with me to the big tree in the courtyard?”

Mikaela was silent for a moment. He couldn’t quite understand why, but his mind was telling him this was important. He still didn’t know why.

“Uh, sure… I guess?” Mikaela shrugged.

Nene squealed from the bowl, “He means the confession tree, Mi-chan!”

“Confession tree?” Mikaela repeated, confused, before his eyes widened. His mind flashed back to a conversation earlier. His face turned red, and his heart skipped a beat. “W-What? Why?”

Hanako grinned. “So, you know about it! That saves me time. Let’s just say I have something important to tell you!”

“L-Like what?” Mikaela said nervously. He couldn’t believe it.

“Telling you now would spoil the surprise,” Hanako winked, tapping Mikaela on the nose. “I’ll see you there!”

With that, Hanako vanished, leaving Mikaela alone in the bathroom. Mikaela’s face burned as he covered it with his hands and let out a quiet cry. His shoulders slumped in horror.

“Nene-san! W-What should I do?”

Nene, like Hanako, seemed suddenly happy. She flapped around in the bowl with excitement, grinning.

“What do you mean, what do you do? I knew it! I knew it! As much as I don’t like No.7, I love love!” Nene giggled. “He’s going to confess, right? Yes? Yes?”

“Love?” Mikaela thought in disbelief, shaking his head. “I-I can’t… I mean, Hanako-kun is… I’m… Nene-san! I just can’t!”

Nene pouted, if that was possible for a fish, and whimpered. “It’s so romantic! A ghost boyfriend! It would be so special, like the heroine in a manga!”

“H-Heroine?” Mikaela repeated, scratching his head. “But I’m not a heroine, and this isn’t a manga. It’s real life. I’m a guy, and Hanako-kun is… dead. It’s not right…”

Nene hummed thoughtfully. “Well, No.7 is handsome, but he’s not my type. Maybe if he took off his hat and was taller, he could be a hot guy.”

“Nene-san…” Mikaela sighed.

After Nene rambled on about romance and “hot guys” at school, Mikaela decided to head to the greenhouse instead of going to class. He’d already missed most of the day and was sure the teachers had marked him absent. He would just say he was sick.

As Mikaela stepped into the greenhouse, he stopped short, surprised to see someone else there.

“O-Oh! I’m sorry! I’ll, uh, leave you alone!”

A girl was inside. She had beautiful purple hair tied in a braid, with ribbons hanging from it. She sniffled and looked back at Mikaela.

Nene made a noise when she saw the girl.

“You… You have my fish…” the girl said quietly. “Why?”

Mikaela’s face went pale as he realized who she was. It was the girl who had saved Nene.

“I-I’m sorry. I found her this morning, and I didn’t know she belonged to anyone. I just wanted to feed her and make sure Nene-san was okay!” Mikaela explained quickly, placing the bowl on the counter.

The girl stared at him, almost suspiciously. “I see… Nene-san?”

“Ah! It’s just a name I thought she wanted to be called!” Mikaela blurted out.

“Nene… is that true?” the girl asked, looking at the fish. Nene twirled around, letting out a small sound of agreement. “Oh. She likes it. I hadn’t given her a name yet, but Nene-chan sounds nice.”

Mikaela laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. “R-Right.”

“You’re Mikaela Kane, aren’t you?” the girl suddenly asked, looking at him closely. “I’ve heard some interesting things about you.”

Mikaela’s eyes widened. “Oh. Of course you have.”

“Are they true?”

Before Mikaela could answer, the girl gasped as Nene splashed water at her. She jumped back, looking at the fish. Nene shook her fins, clearly annoyed, and the girl quickly bowed low.

“I’m so sorry! That was rude of me! I shouldn’t have been so insensitive!”

“Please forgive me!” she added.

Mikaela blinked in surprise. “Oh, um… It’s alright, really…”

“I’m Akane Aoi,” the girl said, straightening up with a smile.

Mikaela nodded awkwardly. “Nice to meet you, Akane-san.”

“No need for formalities! Call me Aoi!” she said cheerfully, almost as if she was forcing the smile. She gave a little curtsy like a princess, pulling at her dress. Then, she used a handkerchief to dab at her face.

“I hope you don’t mind my appearance. I wasn’t expecting to be seen,” Aoi said.

Mikaela quickly said, “It’s fine, Aoi-san. Are you okay? Can I help with anything?”

“You are very kind, Mikaela-san,” Aoi said with a smile. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just being silly.”

Mikaela looked around, not understanding what had made Aoi upset. Why was she acting like this?

“It’s just that…” Aoi trailed off.

Mikaela looked out the greenhouse window, and his heart sank. It wasn’t shock or fear, but sadness. He understood why Aoi was upset now. From what he had heard, she was the most popular girl at school. Every guy wanted to date her.

“Does… does it make you uncomfortable?” he asked nervously.

Aoi looked at him in surprise. “Uncomfortable? Oh! No-no-no! It’s not that, Mikaela-san! I don’t mind. The thing is… Akane-kun and I grew up together. He’s always liked me, following me around, carrying my things, and saying he loves me. I don’t get why he’s suddenly dating Lemon-kun. I just don’t understand!”

“Oh… I see,” Mikaela said, wanting to comfort her but unsure if it was his place to.

‘Wasn’t Akane-san planning to confess to Aoi-san this morning? And Lemon-san was helping him, right?’ Mikaela thought, but he couldn’t quite remember.

Aoi sniffled, wiping her eyes. “How childish of me. I shouldn’t be upset about this. If Akane-kun is happy with Lemon-kun, I should be happy for him. It just hurts, is all.”

“You… You’re very admirable, Aoi-san…” Mikaela said quietly.

“Thank you, Mikaela-san!” Aoi smiled brightly, “I hope we can be good friends!”

Friends?

Mikaela blinked, “Me too?”

Aoi giggled and waved as she left the greenhouse, taking Nene with her. Mikaela watched her go, a little confused. She left quickly. He hoped Aoi would take good care of Nene. He had planned on keeping Nene in his dorm, but maybe she’d be happier with Aoi. After all, they were both girls.

‘Aoi-san is a little strange,’ Mikaela thought, turning away from the door.

Mikaela’s eyes widened when he saw something on the counter. He stepped up to it, still confused, and gently picked up an origami crane. It was in the spot where his sunflower had been. Mikaela didn’t remember making this one. Where had his sunflower gone?

“A crane?” he whispered, holding it up to look at it. “But my sunflower… where did it go? Did Aoi-san take it? Did she make this? I thought it would be ruined if someone knew I made it…”

The crane was beautifully made, perfectly folded. It looked way better than his sunflower. Mikaela had always thought he was good at origami, but this one was amazing. Whoever made it was probably an expert!

“It’s so beautiful,” he whispered, turning it around. “But why is it dark purple? I thought cranes were usually light colours, to grant the wish of the person who made it…”

‘If you fold a thousand cranes, one’s wish will come true,’ Mikaela remembered his Grandma saying. ‘A symbol of hope and healing.’

Mikaela smiled to himself, “Well… I guess I’m lucky to have found something like this. Whoever made this is amazing. They won’t mind if I take it, right?”

As Mikaela turned the crane around, he blinked in surprise. He saw neat, beautiful writing.

“Hello! Let’s trade!”

Mikaela blinked slowly. “Trade?” he read aloud, feeling his face heat up and a warm feeling fill his chest. Someone really made the crane for him! They wanted to trade!

“They… liked my sunflower?” he wondered, giggling a little.

“I’m so lucky.”

~#~

Mikaela walked slowly, keeping a safe distance behind the others. He dropped farther back until he was nearly the only one left outside. He swallowed hard and glanced at the big tree in the middle of the yard.

‘I still don’t know what to do,’ Mikaela sighed, brushing his blonde hair out of his face. ‘Hanako-kun has to be serious, right?’

Mikaela stopped. ‘If he is joking, I’ll never forgive him! After what he did yesterday, I won’t forgive him if he’s just messing with me again! But... he looked so serious…’

Mikaela slowly moved closer to the tree. He saw a familiar figure standing under the branches, surrounded by pink Sakura blossoms. Hanako seemed real, like a living person. Mikaela’s chest tightened at the thought.

“Hana... Hanako-kun.”

Mikaela’s body shook when Hanako turned to face him. He had a bright, sharp smile, and his amber eyes sparkled. Mikaela felt like his nerves were on fire, like a huge festival of fireworks was going on inside him.

“Mikaela, you made it,” Hanako said softly.

Hearing his full name, not "Senpai" or "Mikaela-kun," made Mikaela feel even more confused. This didn’t feel like a joke. Hanako seemed serious. Before Mikaela could react, Hanako stepped forward and grabbed his shoulders, surprising him.

“Wait, Hanako-kun, this is...” Mikaela began.

“Mikaela, I love you! I love you so much, please go out with me!” Hanako said quickly.

Mikaela’s mind went blank. His insides twisted, and he felt heat spreading through him. His eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected such a sudden confession. Especially not from Hanako, who usually spoke in riddles. Mikaela had thought Hanako might confess in a more complicated way.

‘What am I supposed to do?’ Mikaela thought, feeling sick. ‘Is this what it’s like to be confessed to? Hanako knows this isn’t right, right? We’re both... no... what do I say?’

Maybe he had misheard Hanako. Yes, maybe Hanako said something else!

“E-Excuse me? W-What did you say, Hanako-kun?” Mikaela asked, his voice shaking.

For a moment, Hanako’s expression changed. Then he took a deep breath and stepped closer to Mikaela, his face almost touching his.

“Mikaela Kane, please take me seriously. I adore you. I’m in love with you. Please go out with me!” Hanako said.

“Oh...” Mikaela gasped.

So, he hadn’t misheard…

Hanako tilted his head. “What are you doing?” he whispered, glancing at the tree with his sparkling eyes. “Senpai, just turn me down already.”

Mikaela froze, feeling his stomach twist. Suddenly, his body felt like it was burning with acid. His head was spinning, and everything around him looked blurry, like a watercolour painting.

“I... what?” Mikaela stammered.

“Hurry!” Hanako shouted, glaring at him.

Mikaela jerked away from Hanako. “I’m sorry?!”

The air around him seemed to charge with energy, and a powerful wind blew through, tugging at his hair and clothes. It hurt! Mikaela stumbled back, tears in his eyes from the force of the wind. But when he looked up, he saw Hanako standing protectively in front of him.

The tree shook, its leaves and flowers spinning faster. The bark cracked, and an old man’s face appeared in the trunk. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Mikaela and Hanako.

‘I will help you find true happiness! Do not fear! I will guide you to your greatest desire!’ the tree said.

Mikaela stepped back, startled, as one of the tree’s branches shot forward. Before it could reach him, a golden and rose light surrounded him like a flower, pushing the branch away with a loud screech.

“A protection spell?” Mikaela thought, feeling his legs shake.

He felt a tingling on his right cheek, the one Hanako had kissed the day before. Just as Mikaela was about to fall, Hanako’s arm wrapped around him, holding him close. Hanako’s hand ran through Mikaela’s golden hair as he held out a carving knife.

“There you are, Kodama. I’ve been waiting for you,” Hanako smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “It’s good I have an assistant to help me catch you, since you’re a spirit that only appears to couples.”

“No.7? Why? I’ve done nothing wrong! I just want to make people happy!” the tree spirit said.

“And that’s called meddling,” Hanako replied, his voice sharp.

Hanako moved quickly, flashing between the branches. He brought down his knife with a burst of red light, splitting the tree in half. The tree shook as pink light exploded around it, and its blossoms began to curl in on themselves.

“It’s done,” Hanako said.

Mikaela breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the small, shrivelled tree. “It’s small now…”

The tree spirit’s voice echoed, angry. ‘How dare you reduce me to this? Do you know how long it took me to gather all that power from rumours?’

Hanako straightened up as his cloak faded away. “It’s okay to help people find love, but you took it too far, Kodama.”

“Kodama?” Mikaela asked. “A tree spirit?”

“Exactly,” Hanako said with a wink, snapping his fingers. “If someone confessed their love under that tree, it would force them to become a couple, even if it wasn’t real. You’ve probably noticed all the sudden couples around the school, right?”

“Akane-san and Lemon-san...” Mikaela realized, placing a hand over his chest.

“So that’s what was going on...” Mikaela thought, stepping back. He should be relieved. Love wasn’t something he wanted. Having a boyfriend... he couldn’t imagine what would happen then. His peers would tease and bully him, especially if they found out Hanako was a ghost.

But deep down, Mikaela felt tears welling up. He hated how Hanako kept playing with him. Kissing him, pulling him close, confessing to him. All for what?

Mikaela couldn’t handle it. He just couldn’t… not when he was still so confused and struggling. He felt like he was drowning in normal life every day. Hanako was making it worse, all the time!

“What should we do about the new rumour? We’ll need one for the Misaki Stairs too. Hmm, what should it be?” Hanako’s voice rambled on, “Senpai?”

But in the end, it wasn’t so bad, was it? Mikaela realized there was no reason to worry. He should have figured out that this was just another trick from a supernatural.

Mikaela sniffled. He felt overwhelmed. Why… why him?

“Why do I have to be so different?” Mikaela whispered, his voice shaky, tears starting to fall down his cheeks.

“Senpai?! Are you upset because it wasn’t a real love confession?” Hanako asked.

Mikaela could hear the laughter in Hanako’s voice, and it made him even more upset. Why? Why did Hanako have to put him through all this? Marriage, being betrothed… no, it shouldn’t have happened. It wasn’t fair.

“Huh? Mikaela?” Hanako said, reaching out.

“Don’t touch me!” Mikaela shouted, slapping Hanako’s hand away. “I hate you! I hate you! Why do you always do this? All the time! I’m so embarrassed, and I’m exhausted! Life just keeps beating me down, over and over. And for what? Your amusement?!”

Hanako gasped. “No! No, Mikaela, it’s not like that!”

“Yes, it is!” Mikaela hiccupped, sobbing. “I told you to stop! I don’t like it! My life is hard enough! Why did you kiss my cheek yesterday?”

“W-Well… because you were tired. I wanted to help. I cast a spell to make sure the supernaturals wouldn’t bother you for a while, to give you a break!” Hanako said quickly, looking flustered. He looked like he wanted to touch Mikaela, but he stopped before his fingers could touch him.

Mikaela cried harder. “It’s so confusing!” he cried, wiping his eyes with his sleeves. “You know! You know why everyone hates me! Why they pick on me! You know the truth behind the bruise on my forehead! You know, Hanako! You don’t need me to say it! You already know, but you keep making it worse!”

“I can’t handle it!” Mikaela sniffled, glaring at Hanako with his red, swollen eyes. “It’s too much! You’re making it harder for me to understand myself! I just need a break... from you, from everyone…”

“I’m going home now. I don’t know when I’ll be back…”

“Wait!” Hanako called out.

Mikaela sniffed, rubbing his face with both hands. He turned toward Hanako, “Why? There’s nothing left to say. Hanako-kun, just... stop.”

“Please,” Hanako said, taking Mikaela’s hand. He removed his hat and looked at Mikaela. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

Mikaela blinked in surprise, turning fully toward Hanako, his lips tight. Every breath he took shook. He sniffed and tugged at his sweater.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry, I went too far. I have no excuse. I shouldn’t have done that. The truth is, I understand. I do… and I’m here for you, if you’ll let me be.”

Mikaela sobbed.

“If you want, stay here until you’ve finished crying…”

Hanako gently wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. One hand went to the back of Mikaela’s head, running his fingers through his golden hair. Mikaela tried to stop himself, but he cried harder in Hanako’s arms, his hands gripping Hanako’s jacket.

“W-Why?” Mikaela hiccupped. “You’re doing it again... playing with me... again...”

Hanako shook his head. “I’m not. Please believe me... I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

When Hanako took off his hat, for the first time, he looked like a normal boy. That’s when Mikaela realized that even though he kept saying he was Hanako’s friend, he didn’t really know anything about him. He hadn’t tried to learn about what happened to Hanako, why he died, his real name, or why he was so passionate about all this…

And Mikaela felt like he wanted to know more about him.