AUTHOUR'S NOTE
Moshi moshi! It's nice to meet everyone again. A new story for everybody. This story is a little (actually, a lot) different from the last one. Also my first one shot story. The two main characters of this story are Kana and Tsurara (in spite of my great hatred for Tsurara *_* ). Anyways. Please enjoy ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't owe Nurarihyon no mago.
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There was chaos and commotion all over the street. The procession that was going on for the Annual Spring Festival came to a stop. Soon the police arrived where the accident had taken place, to investigate over the matter. People on the street were filled with panic. Everyone was still in shock for the incident which took place a few moments ago.
However, in the midst of all these, stood the little girl. The little girl whose loved one was the victim of the accident. She stood at a safe corner of the Ukiyoe Town Street along with her maid servant and her governess. She stood still and cried, "No, no, no. This is not true. Onee-chan is…is all right…She is not dead. No." "It's alright Ojou-sama. I am here with." said her maid, Miki. "No. No. No." She cried. "No. No. NO."
"Ojou-sama?" "Huh?" I sat up on my bed. "Kana-sama, are you alright?" Miki asked me in a worried manner. "Yes." I answered. "It was…it was… that dream… of onee-chan." I told her in a melancholic tone. It was as if Miki understood what I meant and comforted me. "It's alright Ojou-sama. I am here with you." Then she added in a crisp tone, "However, you should get ready fast and leave for your office. Or else you will set a bad example for your subordinates and underlings. After all you are the Chairman of the Ienaga Pharmaceuticals and Company." True. Quite true. I thought.
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While travelling in my car to the office all sorts of thoughts came to my mind. Who am I ? Kana Ienaga who owns the Ienaga Pharmaceuticals And Company. Is that really my identity? Yes. However, I have nobody whom I could call my own in this world. God had taken away everything from me. Even Tsurara-nee-chan.
Since childhood I and Tsurara-nee-chan had been orphans. We had only each other. We lived in Ukiyoe town (where I still live) in an orphanage named Sunshine Orphanage. It was situated in the Ukiyoe Town Street.
Everyone in the orphanage was happy to be with each other, and, I was happy whenever I was with onee-chan. She was about ten year older than me.
Whenever we had free time other than studying, it was Ukiyoe Town Street where we spent our time. We roamed around, helped other or played on the safer side of the street where there were no transports moving. We also planted little saplings on the sidewalks. The Ukiyoe Town Street and the Sunshine were like my only home.
When I was five and my sister was fifteen, we were adopted by a very rich couple named Rumi Ienaga and Yamato Ienaga and taken away from the Sunshine, and, Ukiyoe Town Street.
We were brought up with real love and care by them and I felt like they were my true parents. Onee-chan and I were living happily. However, we never forgot our old residence and often visited it.
Every year on 3rd of April, an Annual Spring Festival procession took place and it passed through the Ukiyoe Town Street. And every year during that day, in the evening we went to see the procession, with my parents and onee-chan.
However, these happy times did not last for long. When I was ten, our parents died in an air crash of an aeroplane, in which they were travelling, for some business trip. Onee-chan became the immediate heiress of the company and had to take on all the responsibilities.
Soon, onee-chan became a busy person and I could not much interact with her. I had only my maid to talk and play with, Miki. She was really a responsible and efficient person. She joined work only a few months after the death of our parents.
"Kana, I would like to tell you something." It was suddenly that onee-chan told me one day. "Hai?" "You should not tell each and everything of our family and our personal matters to everyone." I was surprised."Why?" I asked. "Well there are reasons. I don't trust our servants, especially Miki." I got a little offended and asked, "Why do you dislike Miki? She is really a wonderful and trustworthy woman." I did not get any reply.
It was often, that I was bored playing and studying alone in our huge house. However, one day onee-chan asked me, "Kana, would you like to go to the Ukiyoe Town Street tomorrow? It is 3rd of April tomorrow. Would you like to see the Spring Festival procession ?"I was really very excited. "Really?" I asked. "Yes." She replied.
That evening we went to see the Spring Festival procession. Along with me there was Tsurara-nee-chan, Miki and some members of our company. Ukiyoe Town Street was at its best that day. The whole street was decorated with sparkling lights. The walls of the houses were decorated with different patterns of those lights. I really loved the procession. It was really the most beautiful thing in the world.
I asked onee-chan, "Can you please buy me an ice-cream?" "Of course." She replied. However, little did I know that I had made the biggest mistake of my life.
The place where the shop was situated was almost devoid of people. As she stood there taking out the money from her purse, everything happened in almost a split second. The huge light which hung overhead, where onee-chan stood just collapsed. For a minute I was speechless, I stood motionless, helpless. That incident took away everything from my life.
In a few moments, the crowds were pushed back. There was panic among the people. The police soon came to investigate the matter, whether it was an accident, or a murder. But, the fact did not change, that I had lost onee-chan forever.
Since that day almost fourteen years have passed and now, I am the head of the Ienaga Pharmaceuticals And Company.
"Kana-sama, we are here." Someone called me. I snapped out of my thoughts to find it was Kubinashi, my driver who called me. I nodded and got down my car and walked into the office.
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After an important meeting, I went into my office cabin and started checking some documents. After I was done, my secretary, Yura came into my room. "Kana-san, are you done with checking the documents?" she asked. "Oh yes. Looks like everyone is really working hard." She nodded.
Then to my surprise, she said, "Kana-san tomorrow is a holiday for the Annual Spring Festival. Would you like to go there?" Well, yes. It is true. Tomorrow is 3rd of April. "Well," I said "I will visit onee-chan's grave tomorrow and I am really willing to visit Ukiyoe Town Street tomorrow for the procession." Since the time of onee-chan's accident I had stopped visiting Sunshine and Ukiyoe Town Street.
I saw a shadow of fear in Yura's face. "Why are you looking so frightened Yura-chan?" "Well, Kana-san to tell you the truth, people tell that Ukiyoe Town Street is haunted." With a look of disbelief, I said to her, "What nonsense are you speaking?" "I am telling the truth Kana-san. They tell that it is not safe to loiter around in the street after 8 p.m. It is haunted by a female soul." I clearly said without any hesitation, "I don't believe in such nonsense. All these are just utter rubbish. I will go to watch the procession tomorrow, and I would like you to accompany me along with Miki and some other friends of mine."
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Kneeling beside Tsurara-nee-chan's grave, I prayed for her soul to rest in peace. After praying, I stood up. "Come on Miki. Let's go." "Hai, Ojou-sama."
Soon my car was racing towards Ukiyoe Town Street. Throughout the ride Miki seemed nervous. There was no smile on her face. She seemed a little frightened and angry too.
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It was seven. We were already there on the Ukiyoe Town Street. Crowds of people were there to enjoy the procession. The sight of Ukiyoe Town Street refreshed all my memories of all those years back.
Soon the procession reached Ukiyoe Town Street and the street became even more crowded. People watched the procession from the doors and windows of their houses as well. Suddenly I realized that I was lost in the crowd. I lost sight of Yura, of Miki and my other friends. I tried to push through the crowd to get in front. However, I felt like someone was pulling me back. Within a few moments, my eyes and my mouth were covered with something and I was pulled away, far away from the crowd.
When my blindfold were removed I found that my hands were tied and so were my feet and I stood in one of the isolated alleys of Ukiyoe Town Street. There was person who stood in front of me, a few meters away. It was Miki.
"Miki. What is going on?" She looked at me with hatred and scornfully said, "Ienaga Kana-san, meet Ienaga Yosuzume, the next head of the Ienaga Pharmaceuticals And Company." Dumbfounded I uttered, "W-what are you telling Miki?" "Don't call me Miki, Kana, I am Yosuzume. The real heiress of the Ienaga Pharmaceuticals And Company." What is happening here? Am I going crazy?
"Let me tell you everything Kana. When I was twenty, my parents threw me out of the house because they thought that I was a very selfish, disobedient and spoilt girl and I wanted to own the company, all for myself. They adopted you and your onee-chan and after their death your Onee-chan Tsurara became the heiress. However, they also told me that if you people die before me, I will be the next heiress."
"That's why I joined as your maid and won over your trust. Then I plotted and killed your sister. And the police never came to know about it." It was then that I realized why onee-chan warned me about Miki.
"However, my miseries were still not over. Even after killing your onee-chan, I could not kill you. But now, my miseries are coming to an end. And now that our company…oh sorry, my company is running on profit so, I can easily remove you." She took out a gun and pointed it towards the huge decorative light over my head. "Just like your onee-chan, I bid you farewell now."
At that moment, all the lights suddenly went off. All the lights, of the Ukiyoe Town Street, and of every house went off. I saw Yosuzume's face filled with horror. "No…no…it can't b-be true. It can't b-be you." I looked back to see a silhouette. I recognized that face. It was…. Tsurara-nee-chan!
She spoke in a threatening voice. "Don't you dare to hurt Kana, you traitor!" All the lights started flickering and then there was the brightest display of lights I had ever seen.
A huge chandelier like light over Yosuzume's head just collapsed. With a loud shriek Yosuzume met her end.
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Yura and the others comforted me. The police arrived to investigate. Nobody understood how the same incident took place after fourteen years. However, I did. Tsurara-nee-chan had whispered to me, "It is alright Kana. You are safe now."
Every 3rd of April, I make my way to the Ukiyoe Town Street….. The street which made destiny.
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Hope everybody enjoyed it. Arigatou and please review. ^_^ .
Regards
s. Kana