Hello! This is my first Shinrei Tantei Yakumo (Psychic Detective Yakumo) fanfic, so I hope you like it! This is a mutli-chapter fanfiction, and I will not update it often (most likely) because I have two other Nalu (Fairy Tail) fanfics I need to update also. I have been thinking of doing something like this for two days now, so here you go. The characters will be OCC (out of character) because I didn't make the manga or anime, but I hope they won't be too changed. All of this will be in Haruka's P.O.V. by the way. Also, italics like this mean that it's their thoughts.
"Good morning, class," Mrs. Taka, the teacher, said cheerfully. "We have a student teacher joining us from now on. Her name is Ms. Ozawa." She gestured to her right, which is where I stood.
I smiled and waved. "Hello, everyone," I said. Most of the class smiled and said hello back. I'm so glad I was put with a teacher with little kids. They're so much easier to handle and nicer than teenagers from what I remember. This is my second time being a student teacher. My first time was cut short thanks to a murder case that I got involved in to protect one of the students, whom transferred after the case. Hopefully, I can complete my training this time.
"She will be watching me teach you guys for a while, ok?" Mrs. Taka asked.
"Ok," the kids said together. My smile widened. They seem like such good kids.
The classes went by quickly, and I noticed that one boy was always left by himself in the corner furthest away from everyone. I watched him during breaks, but I couldn't see why the others, including Mrs. Taka, left him out unless they are only looking at his appearance. He had oily black hair that covered his left eye, and he looked too skinny in my opinion. He looked lonely as he stared out the window, which he did almost all the time. I once tried to walk over to talk to him during a break, but he looked at me, flinched, and looked at his desk. Needless to say, I didn't try to approach him again without trying to figuring out why he reacted like he did.
At lunch, the kids ate in the classroom and moved their desks in little groups, but the boy was left out again. I couldn't stand seeing him lonely anymore, so I finally decided to ask about why he was always alone.
"Mrs. Taka," I called as I walked over to sit with her at her desk. She turned her attention to me and gave me a smile. I smiled back and sat down. "Who is that boy?" I asked. I turned my attention back to the lonely boy. My eyes widened when I realized he didn't have a lunch.
Mrs. Taka sighed. I turned back to her in time to see her shift uncomfortably. She frowned and focused on her salad. "That's Yamamoto Rio," she said. "Everyone is a bit disturbed by him." I frowned. Apparently you are too, Mrs. Taka. "Even his mother avoids him. She hates coming to the school for parent teacher conferences, and she looks ashamed for being with him."
Anger flared within me. How could a mother act like that with her son? "What disturbs people about him?" I asked. I looked at Rio again and found him sneaking a glance at the other children. He seemed to become even lonelier than before. Poor Rio. He wants to spend time with the other children. My thoughts come to a screeching halt at Mrs. Taka's next words.
"His eyes," Mrs. Taka explains quietly. "One of his eyes is red." I gasp. Yakumo and his father aren't the only people with red eyes? Mrs. Taka sighs. "I know," she says. "It's hard to believe unless you see it, but once you see it, you'll wish you hadn't. It's disturbing, and it scares adults. How do you think children will react?"
Anger flared within me again. How could they shun him like this? He didn't have a choice when he was born with a red eye. I quickly stood up, grabbed my lunch, and walked over to Rio, who was looking out the window again. I think he saw me from the corner of his eye because his head whipped around to look at me. I saw his eyes move to my right. He flinched and looked at his desk again. He must really be like Yakumo. He can see ghosts. I wonder who he sees. I sit down on my knees in front of his desk.
"Do you see someone no one else sees?" I ask gently. His head snaps up and his visible green eye is wide in shock. I smile sadly at him. "I understand that some people see things other people can't." He bites his lip and looks down at his desk. Hesitantly, he nods a 'yes.' "Can you tell me what the person you see looks like?"
I wait patiently and am rewarded with a reply. "You," he said. "She looks like you, but around my age and with longer hair." Well, he can definitely see ghosts.
"Are you scared of her?" I ask gently. He nodded. "I can understand why," I said. "I can't see them, but I'm scared of them. I can't imagine what it's like to actually see them. You don't have to worry about the little girl though. She's my sister, Ayaka. She died when we were really young. She's been watching over me since."
He peeks up at me. "Really?" he asks quietly.
I smile at him. "Of course," I said. "I'll even bring a picture of her tomorrow so you can see that it's her."
He looked to my right again, but he didn't look as scared this time. He turned back to me. Quietly, he asked, "How did you know who she was if you can't see her?"
I smiled gently at Rio. "I have a friend around my age that can see ghosts too," I admit.
His eyes widen in shock. Then he smiles brightly. I couldn't help but to smile back. He's so cute when he smiles!
I set my lunch on his desk and push it towards him. "I'm full already," I said. "Do you want my lunch?" He nods his head enthusiastically. I sit with him and watch him eat my sandwich greedily. A heavy feeling settles in my gut. He really is too skinny. I'll have to start bringing him lunch. After he finishes eating, we talk for the rest of the lunch break. I want to ask if I can see his red eye, but he may pull back again. I'll ask him later.
Lunch ends on a good note between Rio and I, but Mrs. Taka gives me a weary look. I sigh and decide to wait until after school to ask what the look was for. During math, she let the kids work in groups, but Rio was by himself. I frowned. How long has this been going on? He didn't even look up to try and see if anyone would work with him. Mrs. Taka walked around between the groups and helped them when they had questions, but she looked reluctant to go anywhere near Rio.
I forced myself not to glare at her and stood up. "I'll help Rio," I said more sharply than I intended. Mrs. Taka noticed, but didn't say anything in front of the kids. I'll probably get an earful for that later. I walked over to Rio and knelt down beside him. "Do you need any help, Rio?" I asked. He jumped in shock and looked at me like I had two heads. I smiled at him again. "Sorry for startling you, Rio. Do you need any help?"
Rio glanced down at his paper and shrugged. I smiled wider and looked at his work. He had most of the paper done, and I could only see two questions with the wrong answer. "Wow, Rio," I said. "You're doing great. I see two wrong one's though, so let's go over those real quick." I looked at Rio and saw him looking at me with awe in his eyes. "What's wrong?"
Rio suddenly smiled brightly. "Nothing," he said. "Thank you."
I shook my head. "I'm your teacher. Well, your student teacher. I'm supposed to help you," I said.
"No one helps me," he mumbles.
My heart feels like its being rung out. "I'll help you now," I said softly.
His eye slowly filled with tears. I ruffled his hair and caught a glimpse of his red eye. His eyes widened in shock, and he jerked away so fast that he fell on the floor, which made his hair fall away from his face. I had a perfect view of his eyes. His eyes filled with fear.
I smiled sheepishly at him and held my hand out for him to take. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you again," I said.
He slowly grabbed my hand and sat back up, quickly covering his red eye again. "You aren't scared?" he asked.
I raised a brow at him. "Why would I be scared?" I asked.
"My eye," he said quietly. He stared at the floor.
I shook my head even though he couldn't see the movement. "Why would I be scared of such a pretty eye?"
His head popped up. Hope glimmered in his visible eye. "So, you only saw one of my eyes?"
I shook my head again. "No, I saw both of them. I think you're red eye is pretty," I said. His visible eye filled with shock and disbelief. I smiled at him. "If I didn't, would I still be standing here?"
His eyes filled with tears again. Before I could move, he launched himself at me. I caught him and landed on my butt with him in my arms. Eight year olds are heavier than I expected. Rio shook in my arms, and it took me a few seconds to realize he was crying. Well, this developed quickly. Who would have thought it would only take from lunch to the end of the school day to get him to open up like this.
"Rio," Mrs. Taka yelled sharply.
I smiled at her as I started to stroke Rio's hair. He's a child, so it's not weird. "It's ok, Mrs. Taka. He just needs to be held right now."
