Chapter 1
He will vanish, and all I’ll have left is our memories.
His hands shake, particles dissipating around his translucent body, like embers of a kindling flame. He adjusts his naval hat, the visor over his amber eyes, veiled in wisping shadows. His lip trembles, unbridled emotion I’d call it, tears swelling beneath his eyes, trickling down his flushed cheeks.
“I’m sorry, Yashiro.”
He mutters, his opaque figure dissipating further.
The time you have is so transient.
even for a spiritual being like Hanako Kun, not by death, but the time he’ll spend with me.
“I don’t understand why you humans connect deeply to something that isn’t worth your time.”
Tears arch down my cheeks, breath feverish, and I stagger towards him.
“Don’t go, please.” The curtains billow up by the arched window sill, shrouding him behind it, his silhouette emerging from within the thin satin fabric.
“I guess that’s what love is, something that isn’t worth anyone’s time.”
His silhouette behind the curtain dissipates, falls as the wind falters.
“I’m sorry Yashiro for hurting you so much.”
Behind the curtain is moonlight, plunging through the greasy window onto the cedar classroom floor, where Hanako Kun was.
Within the haze of tears, rubbing my red eyes, I gaze around the classroom.
He’s gone.
What happened before all this?
A lot of things.
“Kou, I’m sorry, but I don’t like you like that.”
As though I’m witnessing Kou’s disappointment through the phone. His furrowed brow from nervousness, the awkward grin, glassy eyes as I knew he expected this. He sighs, partially hidden within the receiver’s ebbing static. “I-I understand, you like him, don’t you?”
“I-”
“Nevermind, I know you do, you should be with him anyway, you both like each other, so.”
“Yeah, mean I don’t like him like that!-”
The inflection of his voice lifts, causing static to remerge as he chuckles.
“I know you like him, Yashrio, you don’t have to lie.”
“Let’s not talk about Hanako Kun, a-alright? Are you okay with the whole rejection thing?”
“It’s not like I have a choice, do I?”
Clutching the phone, my hands trembling.
“I’m sorry”
Silence envelopes us, only faltering static emitting through the receiver was heard.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
Shutting my eyes, I press the red pulsing button on the phone.
It beep as it disconnects, and I’m reveling in silence and the flickering blue light of my phone’s home screen by myself.
My head in my hands, I want to cry, but I know I’m not the one who should be.
“I’m sorry, Kou.”
It’s the next day of school.
Circles beneath my eyes, hair disheveled as I tossed and turned during night, until the sun I believed would never make itself present trickled through the curtains.
I’m going to tell Hanako Kun I like him, even after what happened last night.
I had this planned.
I swiftly shoved them in the oven and crafted lemon glazed Donuts brimming with passion for him. I won’t let what happened ruin my plans, I had too much investment at this point.
Going through the hall to the girls bathroom, I’m at the broad looming birch door. I adjust my unkept hair, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, before clutching the brass doorknob.
It rattles as the door parts open, amber eyes gleaming at me as I tread inside.
“Hanako Kun?” Dawn’s orange glow flows through the blinds, encapsulates the room in amber.
A boy, his purple kimono, flutters behind him as he stands at the window sill gazing at me. A black seal on his cheek, small fangs protruding from his mouth as his lips stretch into a wide smile.
“No, Tsukasa.”
