Prologue
I never knew it's gonna be happen. I thought that she is a best friend of mine. I don't know what to do. I still love her, but, what has she done? She has torn my heart into pieces, I can't forgive her
Chapter 1
A Reverse Act
It was one cloudy day, when Ayaka first met her. She woke up earlier this morning, just to continue her homework. Ayaka's mind was mixed up last night, so she couldn't concentrate on her work. She opened the window, and saw, a beautiful girl; outside her room she thought that girl was at the same age with her. Her hair was long and wavy, and she was wearing a sailor uniform.
She stepped out her room, and met that girl
"Mmm… Sorry, but what are you doing here? It's really early here. Do you need any help?" Ayaka asked her.
"Well, I'm lost. Can you tell me where to go here?" that girl replied.
She took out a piece of paper and gave it to Ayaka.
"Oh, Nagarime Public School, I knew it. It is my school, but, why did you want to go here?" asked Ayaka
"I'm new at this town. My mother passed away last week, so I have to live with my uncle here. Unfortunately, my uncle went to his office early, so he couldn't show me the direction to go to this school. I didn't have any relative here, and I found it's hard to talk to people. So I just went earlier from home, so I can arrive on time at school. But I found this house", she said
"Oh, don't worry. But, who are you anyway?" Ayaka asked curiously
"Hotari, Hotari Ayumi. May I know yours?"asked that girl
"You can call me, Ayaka-chan. It's okay."
"You leave alone here?"Ayumi asked shyly
"Yes. My mom and my dad were working in another town. They came home every month or at special occasion. Don't worry, I'm used to it" Ayaka answered with a little giggling.
Ayaka asked that girl to come inside her house. They talked and chatted, while they tried to get to know each other better. Ayumi seems to be a good girl and Ayaka enjoyed talking with her. They were talking all morning and Ayaka made breakfast for her too. After they ate their breakfast, they went to school together.
Nagarime Public School
07.00 am
Both of them arrived at school. Ayaka went to her class, while Ayumi met one of the teachers that ask her to introduce herself. 15 minutes later, the bell rang and everyone went to the class. Yasuno-sensei arrived with Ayumi. Then, Ayumi introduced herself to the class.
"Ohayo gozaimas! Watashi wa Ayumi-desu. I moved to this town yesterday and I'm brandly new here. I haven't known a lot of places here but I wish we can get on well. I hope all of you gave me support and help. Arigatou"
After that short introduction, Yasuno-sensei let her to choose where she should sit. She chose to sit beside her new friend, Ayaka. Ayaka was happy too, because she had a new friend. Before, she was very lonely. Nobody wants to play or talk with her. Why? No reason, really. She wasn't that bad, but whe wasn't pretty either. She was smart and really good at math. A lot of people said that she was boring and she could get angry easily. But actually, it doesn't make sense.
"Ayaka-chan, what about go to the cafeteria together?" said Ayumi with a smile
She was the first person who asks Ayaka to go to the cafeteria.
"Okay, thanks" replied Ayaka
They walked to the cafeteria together. 2 different people with 1 same vision, they want to make friends and accepted by the community. But, maybe life was easier for Ayumi. It was her first day at school, but everybody seems to like her very much. "Good Afternoon, Hotari-san", a lot of people greeted her, but nobody greeted Ayaka. Along the corridor, everybody smiled and said hi to her, but nobody said hi to Ayaka. But it wasn't a big problem. Ayaka already get used to it.
They arrived at the cafeteria. Ayaka ordered some meal, and so did Ayumi. And same like before, everybody stared at the beautiful Ayumi. Recess time end, and they should return to their class. It was biology class and everybody should create their own group. Everybody wanted to be in a same group with Ayumi. But Ayumi wanted to be in the same group with Ayaka too.
"Ayaka, would you?" asked Ayumi
Ayaka was really surprised. She never thought about this. Of course, she accepted. School ended, and every student could go home.
"Ayaka, wait. I'm not sure, if my uncle has returned or not. So, if you don't mind, can I go home with you?"Asked Ayumi softly
Ayaka nodded.
"Of course, you can. You are my best friend, you are always welcome" said Ayaka
The two of them walked home together, while a young girl with a sailor uniform was watching them carefully.
"What's wrong, mistress?"asked Ren
"Nothing, let's go home" answered that girl in the sailor uniform
"I hope nothing bad happen" Hone-Onna said desperately
Everybody hopes nothings bad happen to them. They were best friends and no one wants to be hurt.
"Sorry if I bothered you, I'll return your kindness later" said Ayumi shyly
"Don't worry, you are always welcome. You know what? You are the first person that smile to me, that ask me to go to the cafeteria, talk with me, and play with me. Nobody wants to do it, before. I'm glad that finally I have a friend" said Ayaka
"But, can I ask you something? Why everyone didn't want to become friends with you? You are interesting, and you are a great person. You're awesome!" Ayumi said
"Well, it goes like this…" Ayaka ready to reveal her deepest secret.
It was so quiet in that room, the two of them, were sitting quietly, face to face, heart to heart.
"Do you want to keep this as a promise?" Ayaka asked quietly
"Of course, don't worry. My mouth was shut up tightly" answered Ayumi seriously
"I bet you don't know about this person. His name is Kenichi Hyuuga. He is…"
"Do you mean, Kenichi-sama, the President of Student Council?"
"Yes, and guess what? I fell in love with him" Ayaka continued
"Whoa! That's cool. Keep fighting, girls! You can win his heart, I'm sure you can!" Ayumi answered childishly
"NO! Listen to me first, it wasn't about him, it was about… his ex-girlfriend, Takashi Asaka"
"I never heard that name before, what happen?"
"You keep it as a secret?" Ayaka asked once again
"Of course, I won't tell it to anyone; we're best friend, right?"
"Hyuuga didn't love me, because I'm too plain, he said. He had a crush on Asaka, and I was really jealous. I did anything to win his heart. I often put some pranks and made her uncomfortable, until finally she moved to another school. Since that moment, everyone thought that it was my fault, but I just do something that I think I should do it, especially Hyuuga-kun. But I think it was a best way. Asaka is not a really good person. I often saw her going out with different boy every night. I just.. want to protect Hyuuga-kun"
Then, both of them keep quiet, until finally Ayumi replied
"I never think about it, but honestly, what have you done is really bad. You hurt somebody's feeling. We can't MAKE love; love is something that comes naturally. I hope you can find your Prince charming soon" Ayumi hold Ayaka's hand
"Thanks, finally I had someone that I can rely on" Ayaka smiled, she was glad, that she had somebody that she can trust
Outside her home, Ai and her companions were watching silently
"I hope nothing bad happen after this. I still want to see happy ending" said Hone-Onna
"Me too" answered Wanyuudo
"Nobody knows, what happen after this. Let's go home" said Ai
The 4 of them walked quietly while there was another person that watching them carefully through the back window
THE NEXT DAY
Ayaka arrived at school, as usual. But there was something strange happening in that school. Everybody was staring at her, and she didn't know why.
"I have figured it out, so it was YOU" one girl said that to her
"Oh, so she was the one that made Asaka-chan quit! I've guessed it before" another girl said it to her
Everyone was talking about her, but she didn't know anything. One word in her mind, it must be Ayumi!
She rushed to the class and saw Ayumi was talking with another girl.
"Ayumi! I want to talk to you!" she pulled Ayumi's arm
"Ayaka-chan! Are you okay? Everyone was talking about you, and I'm so worried" said Ayumi
PLAAKKK… Ayaka slapped that beautiful young girl
"I thought that you are my best friend, I trusted you, but what have you done? You spread that secret! Now everybody knew about that, and they started to hate me even more!" said Ayaka angrily
"No, it wasn't me. I swear! I already made a promise, why wouldn't you believe me?" replied Ayumi
"It must be you! Nobody knew that secret, and I only told you, so it must be you!" Ayaka said
"Please… please believe me. I wouldn't do such a thing…" Ayumi started to cry
"Don't cry! The one that should cry is me, you ruined everything. You ruined our friendship. I should have known this before. I shouldn't trust anybody" Ayaka ready to leave
"Wait, I swear!" Ayumi grabbed her hand
"Leave me alone!" Ayaka pushed Ayumi.
A lot of people saw this, and they started to hate Ayaka even more
"Enough! You've hurt Asaka before, now you wanted to hurt Ayumi, too? What kind of girl are you?" said Hyuuga
But she didn't hear that… She kept running, running to some place, that she could be alone.
Meanwhile, that mysterious girl in the corner started to laugh once again
The next morning, Ayaka went to school, with her head down, and desperate feeling. She couldn't believe that actually, her own friend did it for her.
"Oh, here it comes our sassy selfish princess!" said one of the girl, that Ayaka even didn't remember her name. No, she must be knew her, but she was too afraid to held her head up and see who she was.
"Yeah, the terrible queen, much worse than Cinderella's stepmother" said another boy.
She ignored them and just walked to her chair, at the corner of the class. There, she found a letter, written and signed by Ayumi.
"Dear Ayaka,
It is really not my fault, really, I swear. I understand that you are mad at me, because I am the closest possibility to cause this. But, I will never betray my friend. I think you don't want to meet me, so I wait for you at the park, the spot that we used to hang out together
Sincerely,
Ayumi"
"No, she is not my friend, I won't forget her nor meet her today" Ayaka torn the letter down and throw it to the trash
BREAK TIME
Ayumi waited for Ayaka at the school's park, but she didn't come at all. There were a lot of girls that ask Ayumi to eat lunch with them, but Ayumi always refused.
"I'm really sorry, I am waiting for my dear friend here" she said.
The other girls became more and more angry to Ayaka. They thought that they were all Ayaka's fault, and they all thought that Ayaka was such a mean girl, a terrible villain, that hungry for a tortured, horrified, and painful soul.
Otherwise, Ayaka was the one that felt so much terrified and drowned in the deepest sorrow. She couldn't forget what she has done in the past, but she thought that she wasn't overdoing it, she's just…she's just try to protect the one that she loves, isn't it too obvious?
She couldn't forget the last year-event, a one big event that changed everything, even the last single detail. It was her deepest secret, the deepest hollow that no one can enter…
But how could her friend do this to her? She couldn't accept this.
*Ring ring*
Her phone rang. She picked it out
*One new message*
"If you want to end all of your problems, click this link below"
*open*
*404 Not Found*
"Okay, must be just a prank" Ayaka said. But actually she hoped that she could end all of this.
6 PM
*ring*
"Hello" answered Ayaka
*silent*
"Hello, Haruka family here"
*silent* *click off*
"Must be wrong caller" Ayaka thought
6.10 PM
*ring* *ring* *ring*
"Hello"
*click off*
6.15 PM
*ring* *ring* *ring*
6.20 PM
*knock* *knock*
Ayaka was terrified. She was really afraid, she disconnected the telephone wire, she looked at the door, but no one was there. It stopped for a few hours, then suddenly..
11.30 PM
*new email*
Ayaka opened that email
"Don't you feel sorry about this? Don't you feel guilty about this? BACK OFF! You're such a jerk that doesn't deserve to live!" -unknown sender
Ayaka quickly closed it again, now she was totally desperate. She didn't know what to do. Move to another school? That was ridiculous. People would think that she was too afraid to deal with the reality and she ran away to avoid all of this. She started to cry…cry until she fell asleep
11.59 AM
*new message*
Ayaka woke up and open her cellphone again.
"If you want to end all of this, click this link now!"
Ayaka thought that it was a prank again, but then suddenly her laptop displayed 3 new email from unknown senders, then it became 5, 10, there were a bunch!
She clicked on that link and gasped. It was real! It wasn't a prank!
First, she wasn't really sure about this, but then..
"Before she came here, I had a pleasant life. Now my life was so miserable because of her."
12.01 AM
*new message*
"Your request has been accepted" Hell Girl
Suddenly, a mysterious young girl with a sailor uniform appeared in front of her.
"If you really want to send her to hell, pull out this red string" she gave Ayaka a stray doll
"Hell – girl?"
"My name is Ai Enma"
Ayaka nearly put it directly
"But, you have to pay all of this at the end. When you died, you will also go to hell. The rest is up to you" that girl continued her sentences. Then she suddenly disappeared
Ayaka saved that stray doll. She didn't want to pull it, not yet. She wasn't ready to deal with the consequences. She just saved it inside her schoolbag, turn off her laptop, disconnected the phone wire, turn off her cellphone, locked all the doors and the windows, and fell asleep.
"look at her, she even doesn't feel guilty at all"
"yeah, such a terrible girl"
Ayaka just looked down the whole time; even just walking down the corridor could bring so much pain. But arriving at the class didn't change anything at all. She even asked the teacher to move her seat to the corner.
She often thought to pull out the string, but she always thought that it was useless, so she just carried that thing around.
"What is that thing?" a girl suddenly approached her
She quickly hid that stray doll
"Nothing" answered Ayaka
"Listen, I knew that you were always bullied, and I knew that you are actually a good and kind girl"
"You don't have to act like you are my fairy godmother. Go away, don't play with me or you would be bullied too!"
"No, I knew the whole thing around, that Ayumi girl was the one who spread gossip like that. Yesterday I saw her chatting with some girls, they were talking about you! It must be her!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, I even overheard that he planned to push you out from this school so she could become the queen of this school, and she doesn't have to take care of you anymore, the un-popular friend of her"
"I can't believe it, it must be a lie!"
"No, that was true. Hi, I'm Mizuki, the secretary of the student council; a secretary is an honest person"
Ayaka couldn't believe it. So it was true that Ayumi was the one who start it out. She quickly grabbed her black stray doll again and started to pull out the string, and then she paused for a bit
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up! Just pull out that string and she would disappear! Forever"
"What are you talking about? If I really pull it out, I will go to hell as well"
"That's just a rumor, right? Anyway, it was already a hell if you still live like this"
Ayaka started to touch the red string, ready to pull it out, looked up to Mizuki again, but she wasn't there!
"look at her, such an annoying face!"
"yeah, she even doesn't feel guilty at all"
"What happen to me? How dare you speak to your secretary like that?" replied Mizuki
"You are not our secretary anymore!" said Hyuuga
A girl pushed her to the locker
"Give me all of your money"
"Wait..wait..there must be some misunderstanding here, right?"
"Enough chit-chatting!" another girl pulled out her expensive necklace
"Wait, it is my favorite necklace!"
"SHUT UP!" a girl pulled out her hair
"What happen here?" shouted Mizuki
"O pitiful shadow bound in the darkness"
"Always looking down people and causing them pain"
"A soul drowned in sinful karma"
"Do you want to try how die is like?"
A girl with a kimono appeared in front of her, but she wasn't a student from that school
"NOOOOO!"
"Where am I?"
""I shall ferry the soul of your tormentors straight into the depths of Hell"
"Where did she go? She was here 30 seconds ago"
"Well, that's not important, anyway just throw away your stray doll, it was useless now" a girl with a different school uniform came inside
"Asaka? Is that you? I'm..I'm.."
"No need to explain. I know why you did that to me. I was a terrible person back then, but after you bullied me and I moved to another school, I realized that I was a mean girl so God taught me a lesson. Yeah, that's true. You taught me an important reason"
"Wait…what happen? I don't understand"
"Just throw away that doll. That girl was the one who spread the rumor, I just didn't want another innocent person got sent to hell, one soul is enough for today" she quickly grabbed that stray doll and thrown it into the trashbin
"So…Ayumi didn't spread that rumor?"
"No, she was a kind girl, as innocent as she will be. Come to her, she waited for you at the garden, like you two used to hang out together. And don't worry about that rumor, I got that covered, soon you will have your old life back"
Ayaka smiled a big smile that she could ever give.
"Thank you so much, I never can give it back to you"
She quickly ran to the park, to meet her best friend who always waits for her there.
"No, thank YOU" that girl whispered quietly.
"Thanks for watching me bullied, but didn't do anything at that time. Thanks for bullied me even more, and put all the blame to that girl, and now, made that girl to almost send her best friend to hell. I guess you deserved this. And so do I" she looked to her chest, while there was a black mark there.