We met in a coincidence; an act of a subconscious mind.

XXXXX

I heard about that youkai accidentally, when one of those human told one of their infamous tale of youkai extermination. It's strange I thought, for telling something like that to a youkai like me. Well normally I did NOT do 'thinking', so it's fine. Anyway, she told me her adventure with high enthusiasm; about how she broke into the western-style mansion and reached the basement, stealing a few of books on the way. There she met the youkai.

Locked behind the magic-enforced steel door was the 'dirty little secret' of the mansion; a youkai way too dangerous, too strong that everything it touched crumbled into nothing. The black and white shivered a bit as she told me that, as if recalling the chill back at their first encounter, or simply to add an emphasis to her story I didn't know. I listened closely, though I didn't sure why, my curiosity perked nonetheless. Before I noticed anything I was already there, in front of the rusty door, and before long I was already inside, gazing eye to eye with that monster. Like any other encounter in Gensokyo, a danmaku battle started not long after.

She was nothing but a lonely little girl afraid of something unknown to her, thus she broke them; that was my first thought as our battle continued. As someone who had control over the subconscious it was easy for me to call out her hidden fear; her paranoia. It was not long until she kneeled on the ground clutching her head, muttering 'I'm sorry' over and over like a broken doll.

"See? It looks like the rumor about you was wrong."

I smiled sweetly, dusting off my skirt. She was still shivering, tears slowly dripping down her face. My smile stretched from ear to ear as I hovered above her, whispering.

"But you broke the rule, and a bad girl must be punished. Go and be crushed by your own fear."

As I said that, her unending apologies turned into a muted scream. A chill went down my spine; looked like it was the right time to say 'I've done it now'. Something was definitely not right.

"I see. It's so simple."

She smiled. Whether her muttering or the strange aura around her I wasn't sure; still I stood my ground and simply watched.

"I only need to destroy myself."

As she said that, blood burst out of her body. And she laughed. The sound of blood splattering and bone cracking was drowned by her insane laughter. And then everything stopped. Did she commit suicide? I wondered as I watch her still body. I gulped. Somehow I know that was wrong. As to prove my theory, a smile once again stretched on her face.

"All the scary things disappeared~"

Her body jerked forward and fell to the ground. I stared at her, dumbfounded. What did she do? I watched as she wriggled on the floor, as if forgetting how to stand. After a while she stopped and muttered to herself.

"Huh? ...hm? Ah, I see. So that's how it is."

She started to stand, slowly.

"Hand. Elbow, shoulder. Hip joint. Right dorsal muscle. Is the balance of the lower body like this? Smile...like this? Wings...don't need to move them I guess."

I stared as she finally stood. She wavered as she tried to walk, laughing to herself. Finally I realized what was happening, and I froze.

Impossible, she... She destroyed her whole subconscious!

As I finally took a real notice on her she was staring at me, smiling.

"The 'nothing' over there is you, right?"

I was dumbstruck. It seemed that I have to take back what I said; she really was a monster. I felt my third eye shifted once again, but before it could open at all she was already there, gently keeping it shut.

"It's the first time I found a youkai I couldn't destroy."

I smiled, a sincere one; something I rarely did in years.

"It's first time a youkai could nullify my ability as well."

And after a few laughs, our danmaku battle continued. This time, purely for fun.

XXXXX

Her name was Flandre Scarlet, though I stuck into calling her Flan-chan lately. I learned that she was locked up for 495 years, pretty much for her dangerous ability. Well, she couldn't destroy me so we get along quite well.

Every once in a while we would snuck out, playing under the moonlight. We would pull pranks on the fairies, go hide and seek in the bamboo forest of lost while hunting for rabbits, or simply climbed the youkai mountain to enjoy the moon. As her world started to expand, my world started to get smaller.

Every night I would always head to the exact same place, playing with the exact same companion. I even started to return home everyday, much to my sister's joy. One time I invited her to Earth Spirit Palace. I showed her the pets, the underground city, the nuclear reactor, and many many more. Sometimes we would share a bed and have a sleepover, or simply eating my sister's delicious cooking. I was surprised that she got along quite well with Okuu and Orin as well. Times flew and before I knew it, I had my whole world centered around her. And slowly, the lid on my third eyes started to shift open.

The time when my third was fully opened gave off a strange sensation. As if the world was much clearer than before, but resort something darker. Yes, it was at that time that I realized—

"Hey, Koishi. You know what? Last night onee-sama was—"

—when I could fully comprehend her words—

"—and then she laughed. Hehe, I wonder if I could someday make her laugh, too."

—and saw right into her heart—

"What do you think I should bring her, today?"

—that I wasn't the one reflected in her eyes, for all this time. We would play, we would have fun, but...I wasn't the one she longed for. Her eyes gazed beyond me, to the unreachable dream of her past. It was then that I realized that every night, when I came to her room, her sparkling eyes that was filled with hope dulled a bit as I entered. Yes, I understood now. I wasn't the one she was waiting for. And it hurt.

"...Koishi, are you alright?"

I turned my face to the source of the voice and quickly met her worried expression.

"Why are you crying? Did someone bully you? Who was it? I'll crush them into dust!"

Did I? I wiped my wet face and stared at my own tears. Yes, I just did. I smiled. And then Iaughed, softly, not anything like the insane giggle I had long ago. I saw her tilted her head, confused. After a while I took a deep breath and let myself fall to the green grass below me. She followed my movement and lied down beside me.

"Hey, Flan-chan."

I started, as I stretched my arms to the starry sky.

"Do you like being with me?"

"Of course. Why would you ask that?"

I simply smiled. Suddenly, I heard her muttered a small 'oh' and clapped her hands, as if an idea just stroke her.

"Are you worried because you have finally opened your third eye? Don't worry about it. I won't run away from you like anyone else. Beside, I have nothing to hide. There is nothing but a mess inside me."

I glanced to see her grinning face. It was only half true. She had her sane moments, like the one we were currently spending together now.

"Then, it is my turn to ask. Aren't you afraid being with me?"

"Eh?"

I was kind of taken aback by her question; I never thought she was ever bothered about such things.

"You have finally opened your third eye now. I—"

She turned to face me.

"—can clearly see your 'eye' now."

She sighed and turned her face back to the night sky, bringing her right hand toward it.

"If I crushed that 'eye' you might die, you know."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. After a while I giggled and tackled her. She seemed surprised by my action, as she tried to pry me off herself.

"Don't worry about it, Flan-chan. I know you're a good girl. And if things turned to the worst, I will try to do something about it. Beside, if my third eye stay shut like before...well, I somehow think it is better this way."

"...why? Isn't it better to have it stay shut?"

She stopped struggling and gazed deep into my eyes. Our face was so close and for a second I think I feel my face heated up, so I let her go and shifted my gaze away.

"Well, closing my third eye is the same as closing my heart. So I couldn't feel anything; not joy, not sadness. Nothing. And it is all thanks to you, Flan-chan. To be able to feel love and be loved again."

"Hehe, you're welcome."

I flushed in embarrassment once again; looked like it took a while to deal with this newfound feeling. I saw her trailed off, gazing at the stars.

"...I wonder if I could open onee-sama's third eye as well."

"What do you mean?"

I cringed a bit at the name. I had never knew about her much, but somehow, every time Flan-chan mentioned her, I felt a strange squeeze in my newly open heart.

"Well you see, the onee-sama I knew long long ago, before we even moved to Gensokyo, was nothing like the onee-sama I know now. She would visit me every night. She would come down to the basement and tell me stories. That's why, even though I've never been let outside, I've never felt lonely. But one day she stopped visiting, and whenever I met her, she would simply smile and leave. That empty smile; it was the same as the first time we met, when you were swallowed by the subconscious that I felt like staring into empty space. So I thought maybe I will try to open onee-sama's third eye as well."

Something felt hurt when I see that soft smile she wore, a smile she had never given to me, the smile she gave only to her beloved onee-sama. It felt worse since I hadn't gotten used to pain once again.

"And beside it might be my fault..."

I heard her whispered quietly before standing up. I followed her movement with my eyes and rose to a sitting position.

"I have broken too many things to remember. And onee-sama—Remi, she had given up a lot of things for me. She is still trying to take care of me even though I've broken many many things. So when she stopped visiting, I thought maybe I have finally broke her heart. So if I can fix your heart—"

She turned around, facing me, a bittersweet smile on her face.

"—I can definitely fix Remi's, right?"

I froze there, simply staring at her, didn't even know what I was thinking, or even thinking at all.

"I was never good at fixing things though, so, Koishi."

She smiled sheepishly and offered her right hand to me.

"Would you come and help me?"

I swallowed, lowering my face to the ground. I hurt so much, this unnoticed love of mine. But what hurt more was the fact that one time, when I accidentally gazed into her beloved onee-sama's heart, she had always love her sister deep in her heart. If Flan-chan ever succeeded, then I will probably—

"Alright."

I took her hand, a huge grin on my face. And then we left, hand on hand, back to our playful world of childplays and pranks. And softly, I felt my third started to shift again.

XXXXX

This love from my subconscious, was acknowledged by my conscious mind. My heart. And once again I hope, like many years before, that I have never acquired this third eye.

For my love will forever be unnoticed.

Hello everyone, long time no see. Wow, I thought I'll never write a story anymore. Good thing I do.

The first half of the story retell the event from a touhou doujinshi "Spell Break" by nuebako. You can read it at Danbooru if you're interested. I suggest that you do. The amount of insanity's just awesome.

Anyway, sorry for my long absence. This and that happen, and well, I just started writing again. I will try to resume my previous works so sit still.

And while I'm at it, please leave a review and of course, enjoy the story~