"KIKUCHI! Please stay with us!"

A hazy boy in a white uniform leaned over my body, crying.

"Ami..why are you crying?" I asked, wiping one of the tears off of his face weakly.

"It's not fair Kikuchi. They shot you too many times. You had a life. YOU WERE INNOCENT!" He sobbed grabbing my hand tightly. A black snake had slithered up next to me, silently watching. Ami didn't seem to notice it, and if the snake noticed Ami, it
didn't seem to strike.

"Kikuchi. I'm sorry you were dragged into this haze."

"What haze? I'm suppose to be dying."

"Kikuchi..please! You have to stay awake! I love you! I always have. I meant to tell you this before. I've wanted to walk home with you and hold your hand and kiss you and do thing that couples do!" Ami yelled crying into my hand.

"Senpai...I love..." My eyes closed as I took in a deep breath that would never come out.

"They should have left you alone, of course I don't want you to be dead. You shouldn't wish for people to be dead. But you would rather be dead then alive in this story."

"What story?"

"Did a black snake eat you?"

I was sitting in a black chair, surrounded by what looked like the inside of a clock. The voice was a disembodied girls voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

"I don't know. I just know that the guy shot me and now I'm here!" I yelled angrily at the invisible voice. "Why are you haunting me? I want to die in peace!"

"Because you're a red eyed hero with the eyes of the past."

"I don't want to be a hero, all I did was try to save Senpai from being captured and they shot me for it. A real hero would have made it out alive with him, but no! He's back there crying over my dead body!" I threw my hand in an random direction.

For the first time I was confused on how I got there. By this time I was crying, if only I was stronger I could have survived.

"You'll be a wonderful hero. You gave your own life for the one you loved in hopes that you could save him."

"And look where I am! I'm dead and I'm talking to a ghost!" I hid my face in my hands, crying. A bright light appeared, forcing my hands from my face, in front of me and a girl with a black high school uniform and a red scarf was standing in front
of me.

She leaned over and patted the top of my head.

"Ayano..Tateyama.. You're Dr. Tate's daughter. The one who died a year ago." I mumbled the last part in respect.

"You knew my father?"

"Yeah. I use to have a friend that was in his class of 2."

"You know they got stuck in the haze also? They got sick and died. Konoha and Ene, but in their first life they were best known at Haruka and Takane."

"Takane...is alive?" I yelled. My older sister was an online friend with Takane and sometimes she would help me with my homework. I met her during the school festival, when they made the shooting gallery. I lost terribly.

"Do you wish to see her? I can tell you where to find them." Ayano offered me, grabbing my hands.

"Please. I can't go home. My friends, my family. They all think I'm dead."

"Good bye for now Kikuchi-chan." The red scarfed girl wished me good bye and disappeared, leaving a origami crane behind.

I picked it up and opened it.

Join the Mekakushi-Dan. They'll find you, don't worry.

"Who the hell are the Mekakushi-Dan?!" I yelled into the alley that I appeared in. For some reason I had the urge to go to the mall.

I started walking through the alleys when I realized that I was covered in blood stains, not a good look for a middle school girl.

So I walked into a shady thrift store, the only place where a girl can walk in with blood all over her. If they ask I can say I got rid of a love rival, and rock the yandere look.

"What can I get ya little lady? Don't ya got school or somethin to be in?" A older man asked pulling the cigar out of his mouth.

"I don't. You got anything new?" I asked keeping my head down even though it was super dim inside.

"A couple hoodies to your right, blouses in the back along with pants."

"Thanks man."

"No problem. Yell if you see somethin. I'll give you a discount. Most of this shits on sale anyway. Boss is an ass so I make his income shit."

I nodded and went straight to the hoodies. There was a bunch of them but my favorite was a white cat hoodie.

"Yo old man! What can I get for this?" I asked holding up the hoodie. He got up from the desk, putting the cigar in his fingers and looked closely at the jacket.

"2."
"Like 20?" I asked confused.
"No 2. 2 dollars."

"Thank you sir!" I bowed multiple times and payed for it.

"No prob. Come back soon now ya hear?"

I put the jacket on and placed the hoodie on before walking out of the front entrance. I started to walk down the street when I ran into a green haired person wearing a purple hoodie.

"Sorry." We said in unison. At that moment I got a terrible headache and I wanted to scream and lay on the ground. The person grabbed my arm and pulled me into the alley.

"Kikuchi Yasuijo. Come with me."