You know the drill. Isn't mine.

A female ghost appeared beside the hooded figure. "Yokoshima-kun," she scolded, "you're not suppose to scare him to death!"

A hand appeared out of each sleeve. One pulled back the hood, while the other yanked off the skeleton mask. He glared at the female ghost. "Ah, Okinu-chan! You never let me have any fun!" He knelt down next to Ryo. "Oi, Ryo! Come on. Wake up!"

Ryo opened his eyes and looked at the figure above him. "Tadao?" The young man nodded. "You're the Ghost of Mokkori Future, ne?" Again Tadao nodded. Ryo sat up. Why did he have the feeling that this was familiar?

Tadao helped him to his feet. "Time to show you the things to come." He held out his sleeve. As soon as Ryo touched it, they were in a room. Outside the window, snow could be seen falling.

"This is my place! Why are we here?"

Tadao pointed to three women sitting on the couch. They all wore black. Miki was weeping openly. Reika sniffled and dabbed her eyes. Saeko sat staring sadly at the wall. Ryo walked up to them, knowing that to jump at them would only cause him to crash into the couch. Plus, he was rather disturbed by their sadness. He turned to Tadao. "What happened? Why..." Tadao was no longer beside him. Instead he was beside the couch trying to look down the top of Saeko's dress. "Oi!"

Tadao looked up. "Oh, like you never did this!" He returned to looking down Saeko's dress. After a moment's thought, Ryo joined him. Their eyes glazed over as they began to drool.

They stopped when Reika spoke. "I still can't believe it! So young!"

Miki nodded. "Only yesterday, we were talking and laughing at the cafe. And now..." She looked up. Her eyes were red and puffy. "Where's..."

"I don't know," Saeko answered. "Hasn't been around since the funeral."

Miki gasped. "You don't think...!"

"Suicide," Reika finished. "I hope not! It's bad enough to lose one!"

"I doubt it," Saeko said, brushing her hair away from her face. "Too strong for that." Then adding, under her breath, "I hope."

Ryo looked over at Tadao. "Who are they talking about? Who died?"

Tadao said nothing, but held out his sleeve. Ryo took it and the room disappeared, to be replaced by a very familiar scene. Ryo turned to glare at Tadao. "What is it with you ghosts and graveyards?"

Tadao pointed at a nearby grave that was covered with a thin layer of fresh snow. "Brush the snow off," Tadao told him. "Look at the name on the grave."

Ryo could hear his heart pounding. Now he knew why this all seemed familiar! It was from that English story. A Christmas Carol! "No! I'm not going to do it!" He looked at Tadao. "I know what will happen. But like the story, this is only what may be, ne?" He bowed down before the ghost. "Please! I don't want to be dead! There are still so many women out there for me! You're a pervert, too! You should understand!"

"Look at the name."

Ryo swallowed hard. He knelt down beside the grave and wiped the snow away. He stared at the grave in confusion. He looked back up at Tadao. "But I already know that Makimura is dead."

"Eh?" Tadao looked over Ryo's shoulder at the grave. "Hideyuki Makimura." Tadao blinked a couple of times. "No! No! NO! Not that one!" He pointed to the grave next to it. A grave that was very fresh. "That one!"

Ryo looked at it. The name was covered by the snow that continued to fall. Ryo made his way to it, uneasily. His breath came in short gasps, his heart pounding so hard, it hurt. He faced death on a continual basis, but it was a very different thing to face you own death. With one quick swipe of his hand across the gravestone, he uncovered the name.

Ryo's heart stopped as the blood drained from his face. Then his heart started pounding even harder, though the blood never seemed to return to his face. He looked at the name on the grave with more horror than he ever felt in his life. The name on the gravestone read: "Kaori Makimura."

Ryo stared at the gravestone in a state of shock. Any name, he could have handled. After all, he had lost so many in his life. His mother, several friends and colleagues, including his best friend. But this. This was more than anything he had ever lost. His hands came down on the gravestone as his head rested itself on the very name engraved into it. He shuddered continuously and his breath was ragged. "No," he barely whispered. "God, no! Not Kaori!"

Tadao stood just behind him, looking down at the grave. "She was very pretty. So sweet and caring. Such a shame that no one, other than her brother, loved her."

"No!" Ryo raised his head but didn't look up from the grave. "I did! I loved her!" A tear rolled down his cheek followed by another. "I loved her more than anything."

"But you never told her. She never knew."

Ryo had no answer. He just knelt before the grave staring at the name. Finally, he asked. "How did she die?"

"A client who was a man. You didn't take the case, but she did. As you might guess, it was too much for her. She died quickly, so she didn't suffer."

"And that's suppose to make me feel better?"

Tadao stared at him, before saying quietly, "it's time to go."

"No! Wait! Like in that English story, I can change this, ne? Tell me that I can prevent this death! Please!"

"It's time to go." Tadao faded, along with the graveyard. Before he completely faded, Tadao's distant voice said, "remember what you saw this night. Remember it, Ryo."

Ryo woke to find that he was lying on the floor.

He sat up and looked around. He was in his room again. Pale light was coming through the curtains. It was morning, but what day? Getting to his feet, he ran out the door. "Kaori-chan! Kaori-chan!"

"I'm here, Ryo," she called from the kitchen.

He ran into the kitchen. Sure enough, there she stood. She turned to him as he entered. "How are you feeling?"

"Kaori-chan, what day is this?"

"Why it's Christmas Day."

"Christmas Day! Yatta! The ghosts did it all in one night!"

A sweat-drop appeared on Kaori's head. 'Maybe I hit him one time too many,' she thought. "Ah, breakfast is ready." He took a breath and calmed himself. Kaori was alive and safe, and he was going to make sure she stayed that way. He sat down at the table, as Kaori set breakfast down.

"Ne, Kaori-chan. How's about we visit Makimura's grave today? It's been a long time since I've been there."

Kaori's eyes softened. "Sure, Ryo." 'Maybe that hit on the head did the trick. Maybe it's made him a new man. A better man.'

Ryo stood at the grave-site, while Kaori placed the flowers on top of the stone. 'Arigato, Makimura,' Ryo thought. 'And don't worry, I'll keep my promise to you. I'll make sure that Kaori is well taken care of.' A moment later, a vision caught his eye.

"Arigato, Ryo," Kaori said, "I really appreciate..." She stopped, when she looked up and saw that Ryo was no longer there.

"What's a lovely lady like you doing here all alone," Ryo asked of a young woman, who was also visiting the graveyard.

"RYO!" Ryo took off running, as mallet-toting Kaori gave chase.

Five figures appeared by the gravestone. They gave a collective sigh. Finally, Ataru turned to Makimura. "Well, at least you tried."

THE END