Haruka Nanase was just an ordinary guy. He had a weird love for water which nobody really understood, he loved swimming. His favorite food was mackerel and he was also a really good artist. He lived alone, while his parents were overloaded with work outside town. He'd been living a pretty boring life. Had little to no friends, never been in a relationship. At school a few classmates tried talking to him but he just brushed them off. That's how it has always been and that's how it's gonna be. Or at least that's what he thought until one hot summer day in his junior year.
It was the last day before summer break, the sun was merciless at 3 in the afternoon and all he was looking forward to was going home and soaking in the bath for a few hours. He had just finished swimming practice and was headed to the school gates when someone shouted:
"Hey! Haru-chan! Me and Rei are going to have a karaoke party. Rin and Gou are also here, wanna come with us?" The people from the swim club that he goes to, the closest people he had.
The raven-haired turned around to see the blonde boy waving at him a few feet away. And the taller figure of Rei next to him. Slightly behind them were Gou and Rin, talking to each other. When they got close enough to hear Haru's response he just said:
"No" Not when he had a perfect opportunity to be in his water again, without being bothered.
"Ohh! Come on Haru-chaan! You never come with us!And it's the end of he year we should celebrate...just this time. Okeey? Promise~"
Haru couldn't resist when Nagisa was making that adorable face. And Rin's coming too, so it won't be that boring. Rin was a junior like him, while everyone else a year younger. But they didn't have any classes together except swimming.
He looked at the magenta-haired guy just in time to make eye contact and Rin nodded in approval.
"Fine."
"Yay! Thanks Haru-chaan. See Rei told you, he can't resist for too long."
Rin sent one of his teasing grins to Haru who just looked down in defeat.
"Nagisa-kun, that was not nice." Exclaimed Rei.
"But it worked right?"
"I guess so..."
"Hey Nii-san knows this really good place he's been to with friends, we should go there." Started Gou excitedly.
"Okeeey!" Cheered Nagisa while Rei was asking Rin where that place is. After locating it on his GPS all of them headed that way, Haruka silently following them. Rin would look back from time to time to make sure he's still there. And he was, but he wasn't all excited like everyone else.
When they got there the music started hurting the raven-haired's ears. He had never regretted anything the way he regretted this. And how was this better than his restful at home. He didn't know. But he was kind of glad that we agreed. Because of all people he had met, those were the ones he could easily call "friends". And he did, except he never said it out-loud. But they all knew Haru the way nobody else did. And that was relieving. To know that there's at least some people in this world. That you're not all alone.
They spend good 5 hours singing with their untalented voices. At least Nagisa, Rei and Gou did. The magenta haired not that much, Haru not at all. When the loud music was becoming unbearable, he would ask Rin to go outside to talk with him. About school, classes, sports...nothing they did often, but it was OK since it was the end of the year, right?
After the so-called celebration was over, everyone said their good-byes and were starting to head their own may. Gou with Rin, Nagisa with Rei. It was just when they were about to do that,when Nagisa asked:
"But Haru-chan aren't you lonely? We all have someone to keep us company and you're all al-"
"I'm fine!" He cut him off, starting at him warningly.
"Oh, OK..."
Nobody said anything after that. They just walked away in their own directions.
The water-lover was always like that. Pushing people away. It was a mystery how they even invited him, because this wasn't the first time he had done that to them. He was always isolating himself from everyone. It was better that way.
By the time he got home it was already 8:45 in the evening. It wasn't dark yet because it was summer. The first thing he did once he entered the house was rush to the bathroom, fill the bath with water and start taking his clothes off. Once it was full, he got inside and allowed himself time to relax. He had an annoying headache from the loud music. But he knew that once he let the water calm him down, he'll be okay.
More than two hours were spent there and it was almost 11 when he got out. He dried himself off, changed his clothes and went to bed. He was struggling to fall asleep. The headache was certainly gone, but he didn't feel at ease. He felt as if his he was being started at. He has been living alone since he entered high school, and throughout the years he never felt the way he did now.
He figured sleep is impossible like this, so he went to the kitchen to boil some milk hoping that it'll help him. After pouring it in a mug he just waited for it to cool off. Meanwhile he was staring at the wall. At nothingness. It felt kinda chilly even though it was summer and he was drowning in sweat a few hours ago.
There was a presence.
He didn't want to move, there might be something if he did. He shut his eyes closed. He should have stayed in bed. The hot sun and heat from before must have really hit him. Now he was hallucinating.
Opening his eyes slowly he looked down at the cup of milk. He drank it as fast as he could and rushed back to his bedroom. Closed the door. Hid under the covers and did not open his eyes.
"Hello..."
"...excuse me, mis-ster...um...can you hear me..."
"Just a goddamn dream Haru, go to sleep." he murmured to himself.
"Um...if you could, please say something...mister..."
The raven-haired did not move. He was not hallucinating. He was hearing things. A vague male voice. It sounded scared. Maybe someone outside the window was yelling at him.
He stood up, walked to the window, looked outside and there was...nothing. Just the empty streets. But he heard something and he was sure of it. He noticed a faint green glow from behind him. He turned around almost automatically yo see a...
...green glowing guy?
It didn't really amuse him. Hallucinations. The after effects of sunstroke. He let himself believe in even laughed at himself, something he didn't usually do.
"Oh, so you can see me. Thanks God."
The glowing man spoke. He spoke. His words in lip sync with his mouth's movements.
Haru couldn't say anything. He wasn't scared, no. He was just...confused. Were his eyes and ears playing games with him?
I've gone crazy. Was all he could think of.
"Are you, what I think you are?" The first thing that the raven-haired ask, in the most calm voice possible. A voice that could fool anyone who didn't know him. His simple, almost uninterested tone. Face relaxed. But on the inside he was puzzled. For the first time in his life, he was glad of his ability to look inexpressive. To not look shocked.
"Um, yeah I guess I am, you know" The figure looked away and started scratching the back of its head. "a ghost, you could say...but that's not quite it..."
That's not quite it?
Oh, he's just a hallucination, just go with it. Thought Haru. Hallucination, or a dream. Or anything that would make sense...as song as it makes sense. If this was just a dream, then it was a really realistic one indeed.
"I'm surprised, you haven't screamed yet" The so-called ghost tried to laugh, but it came out more like an ill giggle. "It's not like you see things like things like me everyday."
"No I don't."
"Yeah I figured so." That made up laugh again. "It'd be weird if you did right?"
"Yeah..." He was trying to find words to continue speaking. He needed to speak. To say something. Anything. "...am I dreaming? Are you real?"
The ghost's gaze was still turned to the side. "As real as a ghost can be...I guess."
Ghosts are NOT real. So he's not real. I wish for him to not be real. He kind of calmed down, reassured that he has not gone mental. So he could accept everything he says, because he's not real. He's just a dream.
"Why are you here?"
"I don't really know myself."
Is that even an answer. But does it matter, he's not real.
"What do you want from me?" He kept him voice low, calm.
"I don't know..."
Those undefined answers are starting to piss him off. How could he not know? But wait. Does it matter? He's not real.
"Well...I guess we should go to sleep and wake up in the morning then talk about this, what do you think?" That was all he could think of. He needed to go to sleep. And wake up. In the Real world. Where ghosts do not exist.
"Yeah I guess...well it would freak out anyone to see a glowing person at midnight right?"
Yes exactly.
Haru made his way to the bed, laid town but his eyes still locked on the radiating green boy. He wanted to close them, and get out of this annoying dream. Wake up in his room where he would be alone.
The creature's gaze was still away. He wouldn't look him way. Haru wanted him to. He wanted to see his face clearly if he wanted to remember him. That weird dream, he would think about again and again.
Just like that he fell asleep, lulled in thoughts.
The next morning when he woke up, he felt a lot better. Not tired, not confused. He was refreshed. Opening his eyes slowly, sun shining gently from the window. The perfect morning.
The turned slightly to the side, just to see...
...vaguely defined emerald eyes looking at him, gently.
"You finally woke up." His voice more stable than the whispering from his dream.
Again Haru didn't say anything. This wasn't a dream, certainly not. No,because he was pinching his skin, feeling the pain. And it was real. It did hurt.
"This is not a dream is it?"
The thing turned his eyes away. Again
"I suppose not. Is that...bad?"
The raven haired did not know how to answer that.
"I'm not mentally ill, am I?"
As real as ghosts can be...as "real"...as...Ghosts ARE real.
"No, thankfully." He giggled, but not the fake giggle from yesterday, just a normal one.
"So you're a ghost."
"Something along those lines, yes..."
"If you're that, that means you're..." he swallowed hard "...dead?"
"Yes." Green eyes turned back to him, the was a sad smile on him face.
He had so many questions on his mind, so many questions that needed to be answered. But all he could say was...
"So...if you're dead. Why do you wear clothes? If this is just your ghost you're supposed to be naked right? Is that like the clothes wore when you died ?"
Hi everyone! So yeah I started a new story. Hope you like it so far, I've got so many ideas for this, you guys don't even know! w
The idea and prompt was by: thetachibabe on tumblr
Update soon (hopefully XD)
