Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.
This was based on the anime with added sugar and spice from yours truly.
Well, that was a weird dream, I thought to myself after I uncharacteristically woke up without hearing my alarm clock.
"I must be early." My eyes widened when I saw my alarm clock on the ground with its hands barely moving. I felt a tinge of pain on my right hand and saw it was a little red.
"So that was it." I murmured when I thought back to a part of my dream where I was trying to kill a cockroach.
I groaned then, it hit me. "I'M LATE!" I quickly got up to take a quick shower, brush my teeth and change into my school uniform with my utter disgracefulness. I ran out the door contemplating if I should grab some breakfast along the way but decided against it. I could always eat more at lunch.
I got to class with a few seconds to spare. I barely caught my breath when Yukimura-sensei walked into our classroom.
"Taniyama-san? Do you have anything to say?"
"Eh?" Why would I say something? Then I realized that I was still standing and looking like a complete idiot while my classmates snickered.
"No, none, nothing sensei," I bowed and gave a peal of nervous laughter as I lightly scratch the back of my head.
I sat down and Yukimura-sensei just gave us a small smile and shook his head lightly. It is common for me to zone out every once in a while. He's just one of those teachers who were kind enough to tolerate it.
I sighed and listened to the lesson. I have to learn as much as I can since there's always the possibility that I might discontinue schooling. I was writing intently in my notebook, taking in every word Mr. Yukimura has to offer when I heard splashing of water in the back of my mind.
Water? The bathroom was at the end of the hallway. There's nowhere I could hear water dripping from here. I looked around. No one seems to hear it so I just shrugged it off. When I tried to focus on what the gray-haired man was saying, I was completely lost. I should really work on focusing better.
I looked outside and let my mind wander. I'll just ask Michiru or Keiko to teach me the parts that I missed. My dream from last night, I remembered. It was different from the dreams I had before. It wasn't about school or my family. It wasn't the usual view of my mom cooking and me happily setting up the table or scaring Michiru with Keiko.
This dream was warm. I remember seeing a lot of lace and fluff. Everything was swimming in white and azure. I always liked blue but that color beautifully complemented all the snowy fabrics around me. The scene then shifted, I felt myself walk then stop. I was looking in a sea of cerulean, presidential blue, really. Those eyes, they were… breathtaking.
They were reflecting pure joy and love. I felt warm just looking at them. I barely recognized the person's face. It was too bright to make out any features but I didn't mind. I was drowning in the deepest blues that was enough for my heart to flutter then I heard something crash, like glass breaking and things falling all at the same time that caused me to wake up.
I didn't notice a hand waving in front of my face.
"Mai!" It was Keiko. "Are you finally here with us or are you still floating somewhere?"
"You've been smiling like an idiot for 5 minutes, ignoring every word we've said." That's Michiru alright. Always blunt but with a hint of concern.
"I was just thinking of something. It's no big deal," I answered trying to wave them off.
"You're blushing, Mai! That can't be nothing!" Keiko put her hand on my forehead as she continued to squeal. "And your face is hot, Mai!"
"Who is he? What's his name?" Michiru starts to interrogate me. "He has to be a senpai, doesn't he? You refused to go out with any guy from our year level so it has to be someone older than us!"
"Oh! Is it Mizuki Hajime-senpai?! Please tell me it is. He always smiles at you when he sees you!"
Here we go again. Ever since we entered high school together, Michiru and Keiko have been trying to set me up and teasing me to go out with a lot of guys saying that I should start searching for the love of my life or something like that. They think that I really need the experience in the love department having little to no interest in any guy at all. It's hard to get mad at them for doing that though. I can see why they think I need someone since I've been alone for most of my life but I'm really alright. I can manage myself and I have been accustomed to independence.
I sighed then smiled, "It's really nothing. I haven't had breakfast and was thinking of all the food I would like to eat so please, I'm really starving."
Keiko gave me an exasperated moan, "Leave it to you to daydream about food than the perfect man."
Michiru, on the other hand, laughed at me and said that I should just consider dating to get all the free food I want. I giggled at that because it's too close to impossible.
"Shall we? The growling in my stomach can't seem to simmer down," I said starting to walk out of the classroom. They were right behind me and soon we're walking together to the cafeteria.
We ate lunch like usual but I ended up eating two extra cups of rice than usual. The other two didn't let me live that down saying that I can't afford to be fat. I just let them. I'm not really worried about how I looked.
The rest of the afternoon went by quickly. At some point, it started to rain, the warmth from my daydreaming completely fading. When the dismissal bell rang, everyone slowly got up to go home. Some were more excited than the others. I waved goodbye to some of my classmates while I fixed my things.
I stayed behind like any other day. This is just what we did: me, Michiru and Keiko. After school, we would talk about the things that other people might cringe at. I don't exactly know why my friends liked this after class activity of ours but the chills and the goosebumps give me exhilaration more than anything else. This is one of the few things I really feel passionate about.
We went to the audiovisual room since no one else was there. Very few classes are held there anyway so it was perfect. We turned off the lights and got our flashlights out. We took seats near one another and started.
"I got a good one today," Keiko said eagerly. She proceeded to tell her story on a house down their block where lights flickered on and off every day at 3 in the morning. She said the owners didn't have any idea why that happens since the lights were regularly checked and were working properly at any other time. The events escalated as they began to hear scratching sounds but they claim they didn't own any pets. They had enough when their youngest daughter acted differently. She began locking herself in her room and talking to herself or someone. They often heard different voices outside her room but when they open it, she would be sitting on the ground alone. One night the whole family was woken up by a bloodcurdling scream then, they found out that the girl was missing from her room and on the walls were "she's mine" written in blood. The police never found the girl and the family moved out. No one lives in the house anymore but the lights still flicker on and off at 3 AM every day.
When she finished her story, she turned off her flashlight then I continued our little game and told them the story of the public restroom and the woman who was covered in blood like a red coat. My friends reprimanded me for using my "scary voice" when I finished telling my story. I just grinned and turned off my light.
Michiru went last. By this time, we were the only ones left at the school. If it wasn't for the rain, it would have been completely silent.
"Okay, this one's about the old schoolhouse."
"Do you mean that creepy old building down the street that's collapsing?" Keiko asked.
Michiru nodded and corrected that the building was not collapsing but instead, being demolished when all the workers suddenly quit because of a… curse. That got my attention.
She said a lot of people died in that schoolhouse over the years. The most famous was the death of a teacher who hanged himself. When the workers started to build the new school, they decided it was best to tear the old one down. The roof began collapsing on the workers and the demolition was suspended as soon as it started. Last year, they attempted to start knocking it down again to build a new gymnasium but a truck went out of control and crashed into the field, killing a few students who were having classes outside that day. We were shocked upon hearing that.
"There's more," she said. "A senpai told me this story. One night a student was walking down the street when she passed by the old schoolhouse. When she glanced at it, she saw a figure of a man staring at her with bloodshot eyes and an eerie smile." I took a sharp intake of air then Michiru turned off her light.
This is it. We started counting. There were only three of us so we should be only able to count to three. If it goes beyond that then someone or something was in there with us.
Keiko started, "one."
"Two," I followed.
"Three," lastly (I hope) Michiru.
"Four." I don't recognize that voice. Who was that? We screamed fearing for our lives. Have we disturbed a lost soul and now it wants revenge? I panicked as the air went out of my lungs then the lights were turned on and I was relieved. It's human.
"Oh please tell me that was you just now," Michiru asked the stranger.
"Was I out of line?" was the stranger's answer. Thank God it was him.
I felt the tension leave all of our shoulders and the stranger proceeded to tell us that he wasn't expecting anyone to be at the school that late. We looked up to see the expression he was wearing. He was smirking. His pale complexion was brilliantly contrasted by his clothing and dark hair. I didn't know anyone else who wore that much black.
Before I knew it, my friends were blushing and going up to the stranger, badgering him with questions. I stood but stayed where I was.
"What year are you?" asked Michiru who stood beside a flushed Keiko.
"I'm 17 years old this year," the man in black answered. He dressed mature for 17 years old, I thought. That was a weird answer to that question. Normally, people answer with their year level, not their age. He would have been a second year high school student so, a senpai.
I was slightly alarmed when they decided to invite the stranger, Shibuya Kazuya as he tells us, to tell ghost stories with us. They giggled when he answered that he liked talking about the paranormal too. Honestly, my friends should learn to dial down the flirting.
I walked over to them but a little farther from my friends. I noticed his face. He was definitely good-looking but I felt something was off then, I took another step forward and focused on his eyes. They were a deep blue color with a hint of purple. He was smiling but it didn't reach his eyes. They showed remorse and pain. His eyes, they looked familiar but different all together. He seems… lonely.