A/N: It's me again! Time really flies... So here you go! My new fanfic! My fanfics are getting shorter and shorter sigh...
The whole story will be written in Akaito's point of view. Tempted to write Mikuo's sometime... later... Like, laaaterrrrr...
It's a Wednesday morning when Hiyama-sensei told the class that Hatsune Mikuo had passed away.
The whole class was shocked. No one expected that a classmate would die. It all seemed so unreal. I myself was disturbed by the fact that someone in our class would actually die. I seemed to have assumed that a teenager would be immortal. Indestructible. Alive.
Hatsune Mikuo is apparently not.
I yawned and shook my head to clear the thoughts in my mind. I tugged at the collar of my shirt, attempting to cool down.
"You okay, Akaito? If you're sleepy you can rest a bit," Kaito-nii whispered in my ear, making me jump. Kaito-nii had always been like that. He claimed that his siblings are like his lovers and should be showered with love and care.
I just thought that he's plain creepy. "I'm fine," I said. I wasn't able to sleep the night before because I kept thinking about teens and life. I didn't play games till two in the morning, no. That's ridiculous.
Okay, maybe I DID play for quite a bit...
Kaito-nii smiled and ran his fingers through my hair. "Good, then."
"You're messing up my hair," I complained half-heartedly.
"Sorry." Kaito-nii smiled and brushed my hair back into place.
"I'll do it myself." I pushed his hand away and started tidying my hair.
He sighed and looked away. "You used to be a lot more honest when you're younger..." he said in a lamenting tone.
"I AM being honest," I said, "Don't touch me."
He looked hurt, but he didn't say anything.
By then lots of pairs of eyes were looking at us. I tried to picture Kaito-nii's mind thinking, 'Maybe it's not so suitable to touch Akaito all over at a funeral after all...' Hah, serves you right!
Though, among the many pairs of eyes, I found one that sent a shiver down my spine. I was rooted on the spot as I looked right back at those eyes. It's not like I wanted to; I couldn't look away.
They were teal, like Hatsune Mikuo's.
The face registered itself in my mind, and I shivered. That can't be...! Am I looking at Hatsune Mikuo right now?! He's supposed to be dead! This is his funeral after all, so he can't be standing among the crowd! Agh he's walking towards me! I had nothing to do with you, Hatsune! Don't do this to me!
"It's kind of you to come," he said to me. His voice wasn't the ghost-like echo I expected. It sounded quite normal. Maybe he's not dead after all. Maybe it's his relative who died. Yeah. Maybe I just misunderstood.
But why on earth would Hiyama-sensei tell us about Hatsune Mikuo's relative?! And the whole class was shocked, remember? So Hatsune Mikuo's dead all right!
Why is he standing in front of me, then?!
"I... It's nothing." I tried to keep my voice low. Kaito-nii obviously didn't see him. Was it because he had his glasses on? Almost everyone at the funeral wore glasses, so maybe the glasses block them from seeing ghosts. The theory was confirmed when I saw a little girl glancing at Hatsune. The people who neither wore glasses nor seemed to notice Hatsune may be faking it or wearing contact lenses. Yeah. I don't want to believe that I'm the only one who can see him, much less believe that I'm hallucinating.
Hatsune smiled at me. I'd never seen him smiling before. He looked good.
"Who are you talking to, Akaito?" Kaito-nii asked softly beside me.
"Wouldn't you like to know," I said.
Hastune was standing right before me then. He was wearing the school uniform.
"You're dead," I told him, in case he hadn't realised it yet.
He nodded. "You're the only classmate who came to my funeral so far."
I shrugged. "I heard we're distant relatives. Don't worry, the others will show up later." Ack, why am I talking to a ghost as if it's natural to do so? He's dead, Akaito! DEAD! You don't talk to dead people! Gah...
"Akaito, are you... by any chance, talking to...?" Kaito-nii asked, interrupting the eerie conversation once again. He looked nervously around.
"Oh, yes I am. You can at least see that I'm talking, right? Stop butting in like it's no one else's business," I snapped. Hatsune somehow piqued my interest, dead as he is. What's he doing here? Why hadn't he passed on or something? He must have had a dying wish unfulfilled. As someone who can see him, it's my duty to help him pass on.
As if! I'll pass!
But I had to admit that it's exciting to talk to the dead.
Hatsune laughed softly. "I wish I had siblings like yours."
"What was that?" I said, no, whispered. "You don't wish for creepy brothers who have no qualms about touching you."
He laughed some more. Good. I'm entertaining him. I like how he laughs. Somehow his laughter reminds me of ice-cream. Maybe it's the ice-cream cart.
"You have a great brother," he said.
"Yeah, if only I'm gay." I stole a glance at Kaito-nii who was presumably trying to get an exorcist, talking to Hatsune's family like that.
Hatsune laughed again. I'll get diabetes if he laughed any further. Y'know, the ice-cream thing and all. But I think diabetes is worth the sugar intake. Ah, sweet sugar. Nothing better than sweet habaneros.
Huh? You don't eat that? Was I the only one promoting the sweet habanero business? Wow, I feel accomplished.
"Well, I'm happy that you can see me," Hatsune said, "At least I don't feel so lonely anymore."
Lonely, huh... It must be pretty terrible if no one could see you. I certainly don't want to be a ghost after I die. "Why did you become a ghost in the first place?" I asked.
"Something about not getting enough credit to die." Hatsune scratched his head. "My time wasn't up, actually. I still have two months to spend before I'm supposed to die in a robbery where I'll be shot in the head."
"How did you die then?" I asked, getting more curious by the minute.
"Hm? You didn't know?" Hatsune looked at me incredulously. "I died in an accident. A car smashed into me and sent me flying. It was... exhilarating."
How was it exhilarating! You were gonna die, idiot! "Oh..."
"Though, I know I shouldn't feel so happy about it..." Hatsune smiled sheepishly. "And I'm surprised I can open up to you this easily. Being dead has its advantages, I think? I can feel myself getting attached to you."
That... doesn't that mean...?! "Don't possess me! I... I'm not tasty at all!" I cried, then clamped my mouth shut.
"I don't mean it like that..." Hatsune said.
"... Oh." My face flared up in embarrassment.
"I'll save you, Akaito!" Kaito-nii ran up to me and tackled me.
Save?! You call that saving?! Aren't you just attacking me?! And what do you think you're doing at a funeral?! I can already see the older generation shaking their heads!
"If anyone's taking Akaito, I am the one!" Kaito-nii grabbed me protectively.
Before I could react, a purse went 'smack' on Kaito-nii's head. Mum.
"Behave yourself, Kaito," Mum said in a serious tone, "And, Akaito, don't scare your brother like that."
"Yes, Mum," Kaito-nii and I said in unison, assuming a kneeling position each.
After Mum left, Kaito-nii glanced at me. "Did you really see him?" he asked.
"... No," I answered after thinking about it.
"You scared me back there. Don't joke around at a funeral, okay?" Kaito-nii heaved a sigh of relief.
I looked to Hatsune and shrugged. Can't talk anymore.
Hatsune nodded in understanding. "Sorry."
I shook my head. It's okay.
Hatsune turned and walked away.
I felt for him. Lonely again.
A/N: First chapter done! Yay!