Preview-

Mizuki's POV:

I stared at my left hand for the longest time… that small 6 year old boy was holding it in his hands as if wanting to protect it…he kept staring at my hand, as if wanted to get rid of the pain…

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

I failed to notice that he was looking at me…and when I did notice, it really surprised me.

I smiled gently at him, "No, the doctor took good care of my hand. It doesn't hurt anymore, but it still needs to heal."

Why was I talking so normally to this ghost child? He gave me a gentle smile.

"Is your name, Mizuki?"

"Um, yes, but how do you know my name?"

"Haha, you have the same name as my mommy."

"Your mommy?"

"Mhm! Oneesan looks like mama too!" the boy nodded enthusiastically and looked really happy.

I smiled gently at the boy, "What's your name?"

With a giant grin, he said, "Kei!"

…what?

Chapter 10 – Just a Dream?

Mizuki's POV:
…Kei…Kei…?

I took a closer look just to see if I was hallucinating…this kid, I can feel his hands, or at least the pressure of them…and I can see right through him, and yet, I can see his face and the distinct features of his clothing. They're kind of weird, and yet…normal at the same time…

"There's something I want to ask you, neesan."

"What is it?"

"You're clothes…they're out of date."

I looked at him weird…this yellow, I have to admit weird, dress is the school's uniform…

"Ah, these aren't my clothes, it's the school's uniform. I attend Ouran Academy…"

Kei looked at me weirdly.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. He looked confused as if trying to process what I just said.

"It's just…Ouran Academy's uniforms are different…"

Different? Is he talking about the male uniforms?

"Where I come from, the female students wear black and white plaid skirts, with black stocking, a white blouse, blue jacket or vest during the warm seasons, and a tie, color depending on your grade. Black for first years, blue for second years, and gold for third years."

…that was so…detailed…and what?

"Um…is there an Ouran Academy in your universe too?"

He gave me a weird look…did I say something weird?

"I don't know. Maybe. But mommy says that there are infinite numbers of possibilities!"

His grin…it reminds me a little bit of Kei's…I mean, my twin this time…

"Anyways, I think my time is up here. I might see you tomorrow!"

Kei slowly dissolved away like sand in the wind and disappeared…I did not see him for the rest of the night.

The thing is…why am I so calm with all this?

Is it because I'm so used to seeing and hearing things that they all seem normal to me? …This is getting scary…I might need to see a therapist…

*knock knock*

"Come in."

Haruto nii-san came in with a worried look.

"Mi-chan…it's almost midnight…who were you talking to?"

I just smiled at him…acting stupid would be the best for niisan…right?

"Nobody, niichan must be hearing things. Are you getting enough sleep? It's late, and you've been working pretty hard these days. You should get some rest."

I just kept sitting there, like an idiot…smiling…

Niichan gave me a suspicious look…but I guess he knew that I didn't want to talk about what was going on…he just plays along…

"Yeah…I think I might be hearing things…I need some rest…Hotaru Mizuki…you get some sleep too…Good Night."

"Good Night, Niichan."

Uh-oh…he said my full name…*sigh* why does niisan need to be so smart!?

Monday…

Class 1-D

"Ah, Hotaru-san, you've been moved back to class 1-A. Apparently, they made a mistake in the system and accidently moved you down."

Mizuki's POV:
A mistake? …They never make a mistake in the office…Suoh-Senpai must have done something…

"Hotaru-san?"

"Ah, yes. Should I grab my stuff and move now?"

The teacher looked at me kind of confused.

"Um, yes. You are a student of class 1-A again starting today…please pack your stuff before class starts, or you will most likely be marked late."

I quickly gathered my belongings from my desk and bowed to the teacher, thanked her, and left.

Right as I left the room… I heard something…that I thought I would never hear again…

"HELP ME! PLEASE SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! PLEASE HELP ME!"

I spun around to see if anybody was getting hurt, but people were just minding their own business going to homeroom as usual…but…

"SOMEBODY PLEASE!"

…Who's shouting for help?

…I'm used to it…but…this still freaks me out…

?: (Grabs Mizuki's shoulder)

Mizuki: "AHHHH!"

?: "Why are you shouting? Are you okay?"

Mizuki: "What the-" (turns around) "Kaoru! DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!" (Punches Kaoru)

Kaoru: "Ow! I didn't mean to scare you. I was just seeing if you were doing okay…but seeing as you have your strength, I see you're doing just fine." (Rubs right arm)

Mizuki: "…sorry…"

Kaoru: "Anyways, why so jumpy?"

Mizuki: "Ah…it's…nothing."

Kaoru: (Frowns) "…what's wrong? Did something happen? Are you hearing things again?"

Mizuki: "You know I've been hearing things and seeing things…and you know I don't have schizophrenia…"

Kaoru: "…was somebody screaming for help?"

Mizuki: (Surprised) "How'd you know?"

Kaoru: "I have something to show you. Let's go to the library."

Mizuki: "What about class?"

Kaoru: "We have study period all day, so we can do whatever we like."

Mizuki: "Is sensei sick?"

Kaoru: "Yeah, but we have other things to worry about."

Mizuki's POV:
Worry? What does he mean worry? And why are we going to the library of all places?

"Hurry up, Hikaru is waiting for us." Kaoru was rushing me and kept pulling my arm a bit roughly…is he mad that I punched him?

We finally made it to the 3rd library on the second floor…why this library? It was the oldest, but also had the least amount of books and they never set the Internet up for this place…although it'd be useless since there's wifi here…

Hikaru: "You two took your sweet time."

Kaoru: "Sorry, Mizuki was walking too slow."

Mizuki: "Hey! You made me half run half speed walk all the way here."

H&K: "Yeah, whatever. Just come over here already."

Mizuki: "…what are we doing?"

H&K: "Solving your mysteries."

Mizuki: "Mysteries? What do you mean?"

Mizuki's POV:
Hikaru looked at me dead in the eye with a serious expression…this was so unlike him…actually…both of them…what's going on…is this one of their elaborate pranks again? If it is…they're both going to get it….

"I know what you're thinking, this isn't a prank."

What the? It seemed as if Hikaru read my mind…

"We wouldn't joke about anything serious as your condition. We're not that heartless."

And Kaoru answers my other question…seriously…they scare more than Kyoya-senpai sometimes…

Hikaru: "Anyways, we'll get straight to the point."

Mizuki: "What?"

Kaoru: "You, what you're seeing is actually real. They may be hallucinations, but they're events that happened."

Mizuki: "Wait…what? What are you two babbling on about?"

H&K: (Looks at each other and back at Mizuki) "you're looking into the past."

Mizuki: "…what? Looking into the past? …yeah right…that can't be true right?"

Kyoya: "I'm afraid they are."

Mizuki: "Ootori-senpai? What are you doing here?"

Kyoya: "I was dragged here by an idiot."

Tamaki: "Who're you calling an idiot? Anyways, you have to admit that you're a bit curious yourself, aren't you, Kyoya?"

Kyoya: "Ha, you're not too far off."

Tamaki: "But you wouldn't have come here if it wasn't for me."

Kyoya: "Actually, I had to come here to return a book."

Tamaki: "But you resisted when I dragged you here."

Kyoya: "Who wants to be pulled along?"

Mizuki: "Come on, Kyoya-senpai. Throw him a bone, this is getting depressing."

Kyoya: "Haha. Fine. I was actually a bit curious about Mizuki's condition."

Mizuki: "…"

Kyoya: "Anyway…first things first, anything new?"

Mizuki: "…well…two nights ago, I ghost child visited me…he said his name was Kei and that his mom and I looked similar…he seemed around to be six to seven years old. Also, today, I heard somebody screaming for help. She kept repeating help, help, but when I turned around…nobody was there. That was until Kaoru scared me…"

Tamaki: "Anything else?"

Mizuki: "…yeah…I feel like…I changed…after the day I fainted on the road…something inside me changed…something about me…I changed…but I don't know what. I either became calmer … or I somehow accepted the facts that I will always be a crazy person who sees and hears things that aren't there. I don't know what it is…but something about me changed…and yet I don't know what."

Hikaru: "We thought you would notice sooner or later."

Mizuki: "What?"

Kaoru: "You're not the same as before."

Mizuki: "…what are you saying?"

Kyoya: "Couldn't you have noticed this faster?"

Mizuki: "um…"

Honey: "Why are you taking so long to notice things?"

Mizuki: "Honey-senpai? When'd you get here?"

Mori: "Slow."

Mizuki: "eh?"

Haruhi: "You're just taking your sweet time, aren't you?"

Hikaru: "Well, you better hurry up,"

Kaoru: "You're running out of time, sweetie."

Tamaki: "Don't you get it?"

Mizuki: "What's going on?"

Tamaki: "You're a freak."

Mizuki: (Shocked) "W-what?"

Tamaki: "You're such a burden. Do you know what I had to go through to keep you at this school?"

Honey: "You're really annoying, Mizuki."

H&K: "Just leave us already. NODOBY wants YOU."

Mizuki: "…what's…going…on?"

?: "Onee-chan."

Mizuki: (looks down and sees 6yr old ghost boy)

Kei: "Leave here. They're trying to trick you. Don't listen to them."

Mizuki: (Falls on her knees)

H&K: "Weakling"

Tamaki: "Burden"

Honey: "Freak"

Haruhi: "Nobody"

Kyoya: "Trash"

Mizuki's POV:
W-what's going on?

"Nee-san, hurry. Follow me."

I-I'm trying…but my legs…they're not moving…I'm stuck…

"HELP!"

Who's that?

"PLEASE, SOMBODY! ANYBODY! HELP ME!"

W-was…was that me? Am I the one who's screaming for help?

"PLEASE! HELP ME!"

…it is me…but…why do I sounds different?

"SOMEBO-!"

Haruto: "MIZUKI!"

Mizuki: (Gasps for air)

Haruto: "Calm down." (Pats Mizuki and gives her a hug) "It's okay. Nobody is going to hurt you. Everything is okay. Calm down."

Mizuki: "D-dream?"

Mizuki's POV:
I looked around me, and sure enough, I was in my pajamas, on my bed. Niichan is comforting me...D-did…I scream in my sleep? That felt so real…it was just a dream…

"Are you okay?"

Niichan looked at me with a worried expression and handed me a glass of water.

"What did you dream about that made you so scared? Look, you're covered with sweat, and your skin looks sickly pale. You're not getting sick, are you?"

Niichan put his hand on my forehead, "Nope, you're temperature normal."

We sat there in silence for five minutes before the little ghost boy appeared again…

"Oneesan, are you okay? You escaped from them, right?"

He also looked at me with a worried expression…wait…then…that wasn't a dream?

"N-niichan…"
"Yeah?"

"…c-can you…see him?"

Haruto's POV:
Mizuki pointed something behind me, but when I turned around to see what it was, there was nothing there. Just her usual desk. I turned to face her again, and asked what she was seeing.

"You don't see the little boy?"

She gave me a confused expression. What is she talking about? A little boy? There's nothing there.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't see anybody."

"N-never mind then."

She looked down on her folded hands with a dazed look in her eyes. I want to know what happened…but…I think I should let her get her rest for now.

"Mi-chan, just try and go back to sleep for now, and we'll see if you feel better at breakfast. Okay?"

Mizuki slowly nodded her head and slipped back in bed.

Mizuki's POV:

Niichan left the room, and when I thought it was safe, I talked to the ghost child again.

"You said your name was Kei, right?"

He nodded and walked towards the bed.

"May I sit?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Onee-san, you got away from them safely, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

Kei had a worried expression on his face…

"Those things that were disguised as your friends, they're actually called Sraef. They like to take things that mean the most to you and make you afraid of them."

"Really? Is that why you told me to get away?"

"No."

"No?"

I looked at him confusingly…then why did he want me to get away?

"It's not because I didn't want you to be afraid of your friends. It was because I didn't want the Sraefs to kill eat you."

E-eat me?

"They don't really eat you physically, but they will eat you emotionally, but it will feel as if they were eating you physically. It's all too real and should you fall into their trap, you will never awake again."

"So…basically…I die?"

"umm…it's not that simple actually. Instead of dying, you spend the rest of your days inside their stomach…and it's not nice in there. Your worst nightmares will also come to life in there and nothing will be able to reach you, nobody will ever know that you're there. Everybody will think that you're just sleeping."

"So…if I don't be careful…"

"Your body will just become an empty vessel for ghosts from the past to visit, or demons to posses…you must be careful not to go near the Sraefs."

I looked at him and nodded.

"It may only have been just a dream this time…but even in dreams…Sraefs are dangerous. Please, watch out and be careful…"

I gave him a gentle smile and in return he nodded and again disappeared like sand in the wind.

…Sraefs huh?

If you have any questions, feel free to message me. :)

General description of Mizuki, Kei and Haruto:

Mizuki: 16 y.o. female. Attends Ouran Academy. Wants to become fashion designer, own her own company and clothing line. Wants to go to ESMOD. (Fashion University)

Kei: 16 y.o. male attends regular HS. Wants to become a professor.

Haruto: 20 y.o. male co-owner of Hotaru family's fashion and toy company (Graduated from a high school in America, didn't go to college, but profits rose when he became a co-owner strangely.) stay in school.