Hello and welcome to chapter 7 of "I need you now" :D
(This chapter corresponds to the end of the Confession Tree arc)
Title: "If there's darkness, there always will be light."

Art at the top: https://twitter.com/aidairo2009/status/500932789978406912/photo/1
By @aidairo2009 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aidairo2009

Psychological fact: Research has found that good relationships are more important to a long life than exercise.

Enjoy!

***
Previously:

Then, the eyes widened and the girl screamed at the same time the monsters launched themselves at her. Her hand could be seen slowly sinking in the sea of beasts and when it totally disappeared, the apparitions backed away and there was no trace of the girl.
The living beings present in the room, minus Yashiro, start to glance everywhere and running around in the hope to find an exit.
The group of monsters turns turned to them and all of them grew an unsettling smile on their faces.

"Who will be the next one?"

***

As you can see, the situation isn't exactly idealistic.
It was Halloween and the school had planned a masquerade, but some brave ones and an assistant of the seventh mystery had the very smart idea to attend the one they weren't supposed to take part in. Some of the 'brave' ones thought that it was just some filthy rumors and they were going to prove it by participating in it, some just wanted to see how the supernaturals act and some others thought that it was the masquerade the school planned because their sense of direction was as low as some insects' height.

But all of them didn't exactly come here to get attacked by the supernaturals, the only thing they wanted was to have a good night and it seems like the universe thought that no, they were NOT going to have a great day.
Let's say that while I'm talking to you, because who needs the fourth wall anyway? It's clearly not like someone from your universe was narrating the story, not at all.

Ahem, forgive my manners, I said: while I'm talking to you, a lot of chaos is spreading in that very room.
Screeches of the unfortunate souls that fell into this apparition's trap were echoing sharply in the room, causing the more fortunate to panic even more. All of the humans were chased down by the beasts and some had been caught and throw were their punishments were waiting for them.

Funny how all of this started with a single confession, it was going well, it's such a shame.
The girl named Megumi was a friend with that boy named Erik, he was from another country and Megumi was his first friend ever. The two of them weren't very popular but they weren't exactly hated either, you can say that they were placed into the 'average' section but everyone knew that if one sticks around, it probably means the other wasn't far.

And of course, like a cliché, she fell in love with him. She had heard of the rumors about that Halloween party last year but she couldn't attend it because her parents were taken to the hospital and she couldn't just abandon them so now that she was here, she wanted to confess, encouraged by the first part of the rumor.
Oh, how fatal that mistake was.

Megumi and Erik were friends for two years now and she thought that they knew each other as they knew themselves.
But she was wrong, terribly wrong. She genuinely admires him being so nice to everyone and being so smart, he wasn't particularly handsome but it wasn't a problem to her, she loved him for who he was and not his appearance.
Poor Megumi, she didn't know what was coming to her.
A douche bag, that's what he was and what she fell for.

Now because of both of them, everyone in the room had to suffer even if they didn't do anything. The rumor wasn't joking when it said their worst nightmare would become reality.
Megumi's worst nightmare was to have everyone dying or suffering because of something she had done and Eric was to be kidnapped and being dragged to hell.

If they don't find a way out and fast then they are sure to end up like them.

Like any of who was left, Yashiro was running around in the hope to find an exit, but luck wasn't on their side whenever she wanted to go somewhere, the entrance was either vanished or blocked from access. Even with Hanako's help, she wasn't sure they will be able to get out.

Out of breath, she finally gave up at one moment when she couldn't see the monsters behind them anymore. She slides on the wall, sitting up at one moment. Hanako was floating by her side, his knife in hand as he glances around.
If it continues like this, then all of the students will be in danger and Hanako doesn't know if he would be capable of saving them without 'sacrificing' Yashiro.

Not literally of course, but having a nightmare while being conscious sucked.

(STOP RIGHT HERE!
So for those who are confused by what he meant, I am here to explain-
Megumi and Erik were the ones who broke the rules and activate the apparition's action mode, these two were supposed to be the only ones punished but since one of their fears, equals Megumi's, affected others then they will also experience their nightmare but they will not become reality, it may seem like it but no. They will basically be stuck in another dimension until the apparition dies-)

Sighing softly, he looked at Yashiro to check how she was doing, as expected, she didn't really look relaxed.
She hugged her knees close to her chest, panting heavily with a blank expression narrowed by a dark shadow. Sweats were streaming down her face and she was trembling and the way she was breathing made her chest goes up and down in what seems like an uncomfortable manner.

"Yashiro, that may seem like a strange question but do you trust me?" The human looked up to him, surprise. Their eyes locked and Yashiro seemed to be suspicious. The way his eyes were glittering signaled that he was preparing something and she will mostly not enjoy it.
"Yes..?" She inches a few centimeters away from him, still eyeing him, alert.

Hanako smiles sadly and makes her stood up by her arm, she yelps, not expecting it.
"You're probably going to hate me for this Yashiro, but remember that I'm doing this for us and the other students okay?"
Panic raised in Yashiro's body, which was reflected by her change of expression. Okay, what the heck is he planning to do?
"Hanako-Kun, what are you-"

The next event happened so quickly that she didn't even have the time to scream.
The monsters that she saw before grab her and drag her down in the ground that changed itself into a puddle of darkness and the last thing she saw before complete darkness was Hanako giving her a reassuring and comforting smile.

***

She was plugged into the darkness for a few minutes now, with Kuraijoudai going with her, after all, no one knows what could happen in the 'nightmare' and letting her go away without a minimum of protection was careless and dangerous. Once she was out of sight, Hanako span around while Hakujoudai swirls towards him and plops on his collar, his cape materializing.

A dreadful silence washed over the room or the sounds were muffled for Hanako's ears, his glowing green eyes illuminated a part of the wall beside him but his eyes were fixated on a figure that was drawn in the deepest corner of the ballroom. Its back was straight and a costume could be made out if you concentrated enough on it, even the silhouette of a necktie could be seen when it occasionally turns its torso around. In fact, the supernatural looked like he was going to a wedding as shown with how ridiculously well dressed he was.

The boy couldn't see his face, not that he cared. But something catches his attention and it was his hands that seemed long enough to tear someone into pieces without even trying, the ghost grins mischievously, taking his knife silently out and walking slowly towards the said apparition.

He had found the culprit of all of these mysterious Halloween parties.

***

Yashiro groans, her eyes half-lidded eyes flickering in discomfort at the blinding orange light coming from the sunset which she found quite weird since she was certain it was past 6 p.m. A grimace once again formed itself on her face and she pressed her face on an oddly soft object that was right in front of her in an attempt to use it as a shield against the sun's light. She tightened her arms around familiar shoulders which had for effect for her to shot her eyes open.

She hadn't noticed when she was starting to wake up but she was being given a piggyback ride by none other than a raven-haired boy, who was actually transporting her to the school's gates. He had to make sure to make the minimal movements for the girl to be able to rest for a bit. But when she drover her face closer to his neck, her breath tickled his skin which made him cracked a chuckle. Sometimes, being sensitive could really be a pain.

"Hanako-Kun..?" Yashiro drawly called his name after her eyes were capable of readjusting and when her vision cleared, she saw that it was indeed him. Same choppy black hair, cold and pale skin, smelling like donuts or vanilla (she still needed to verify that information) and that same old hat that was probably made of rock seeing how resistant it was.

"Mhm." The ghost hums in response, a smile spread across his face reminding the human of these grins that some talented artists could be able to catch and conserved in their paintings like a rare treasure, sometimes she wondered how he was able to deliver such smiles even when he was faking it, this ability to fake emotions so well was both impressive and concerning, at least to her it was.

"Did you sleep well?" That question snaps her out of her thoughts, when sleepy she had the habit of spacing out often.
She nods to answer his question and instantly dazed out of the conversation again, the memory of what happened before and why she was being carried by her friend was blurry and she was focusing on the task of bringing her memories back to the light, in hope to understand the situation better.

Gosh, it feels like someone talking about blacking out because of drinking too much alcohol. Her face twisted in disgust when she remembered the occasional moments of seeing her parents stumbling in the apartment, completely out of it because of being drunk. They looked pathetically vulnerable like this, not even mentioning the strange things they would do when they were in this state. Not seeing your parents often and your only memories of them being this sucked, Yashiro shakes her head vigorously, focus.

There were no drinks at the party anyway so it couldn't be it.
Right? She sighs, resting her forehead on her hand.
Her brain felt heavy and she felt like she was going to pass out at any moment now, even if a nap sounded tempting, she had to stay awake after all she still had homework to do and taking care of her hamster.

That's when everything in her mind cleared and she now remembered why she was here, what they previously were doing, and any spared details. She smacks Hanako's head as hard as she could, taking the ghost by surprise who let out an 'Ow!' And dropped the human. Nene hugged her bag tightly against her chest while Hanako was still rubbing his head in pain.
Clearly, he had gone through worse but he couldn't deny that this one hurt.

"Yashiro wha-" Before he could continue his sentence, he saw the betrayed look on her face and the tears slowly streaming down her cheeks ,because of the shock, his voice blocked in his throat and he didn't dare to move an inch. Not like he could have the chance to anyway since Yashiro suddenly turned around and sprinted towards him. When she got close enough to him, she jumped in his direction.

"Hanako-Kun I hate you!" She head butted him, resulting of adding the pain to the previous hit.
"Ouch!" The impact had thrown him back, and he once again found himself rubbing the area where she had hit him. At the same time, Yashiro starts sobbing uncontrollably all in the while of walking away and shouting at him reproaches.
"I'm going home..." She declares, pushing the gate away from her as said object emitted a strident sound.

"W-Wait!" He desperately extends his hand towards her 'fading' figure, his voice cracking at the call.
"What for...?" She murmurs so quietly that it was almost inaudible, her tears had now dried a little but new ones were still flowing out.
"U-Um.." The mystery stutters out before gulping and taking his hat off with his right hand.

Before the human could go past the gate, the boy's hand tugs her by her hand towards the school, his head lowered and grip tight.
"I'm sorry," The apology came out as a whisper, overlapping the quiet scream of the wind. Leaves planed towards them, dancing at the breeze's rhythm. Mixed with the fading light of the sunset, it made the scene (because of lack of appropriate words,) magical.

"I didn't mean to make you cry." Yashiro stared at Hanako's eyes with shock in contrast of him who was avoiding it. With a flustered face and guilt drawn on his facial features, she knew that his apology was as sincere as it could have been and it had honestly touch her how respectful he was now.

"When Hanako-Kun took off his hat,
for the first time ever he looked like a normal boy."

The anomaly bits his lips and narrowed his eyes, and without warning, he pulled the human towards him.

"That's when I realised,
I kept saying I was his friend, but I don't know anything about him.
I didn't try to either or not enough."

"The crime he committed,
The way he feels,
His real name...
These are all a mystery to me."

"Stay here until you stop crying."
Yashiro was first taken by surprise but her tensed shoulders eventually relaxed and she also grips onto his uniform and squeezed her eyes shut, making a note to herself to cherish this moment.
"Okay..."

"Today at this moment,
I really felt like I wanted to know more about him."

TBC

***

So yeah, chapter 7 is complete :D
Thank you all for having the patience to read this book!

And wow, a chapter shorter than 4000 words? :0
That's a first! Also, it may just be me but does the chapter looks rushed to you guys?
I don't know why I feel like it is, maybe it's because of the length of it.
Also, I'm excited for the next arc as it is the fifth wonder and I will repeat it when the time comes but two crucial information will be discovered in this arc and I changed some things up obviously.

See you later! 😊👍🌸
-Asuka

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