I ended up getting recommended some Junji Ito videos on youtube and I was reminded of my old crossover of Tomie with the Crossroads Pretty Boy. This time, Kawakami Tomie is an attendee of the school and tries out the game all the girls are playing, and her results are far different than the other girls.
Thanks for reading!
-Lucicelo
Another afternoon of fog descended into the town of Nanchou-shi.
To most inhabitants of the town, they shut themselves behind the safety of their home, uninterested in fighting through the thick and white fog. Most activities were finished before the inevitable mist appeared and few cars were on the road.
Yet, groups of high school students snuck out, interested in acting out the rumored game.
The game of summoning the Pretty Boy in order to receive their love prediction.
There were some bad predictions, but those were brushed aside for the success stories. No one wanted to admit their failure of confirming their happy ending. So, the ones who were failures, ended up posting anonymously in message forums. Warning others away from attempting this game.
No one listened to the apparent sore losers.
Girls from all over town continued on playing the game,
Soon enough, happy girls returned from university during their break. Ecstatic in dangling their true love on their arm, thrilled to announce the Pretty Boy was right.
The increase of girls breaking curfew rose when the university girls left town.
This repetition happened in the same intervals throughout the years. No one was surprised at the naivete of these girls. Most of the town inhabitants believe none of the rumors of this supposed Pretty Boy.
Yet, the daydreams of the future and the perfect man pushed these girls into going through this game.
Their rising fear of being a single woman amplified whenever new pretty girls or boys transferred into their school. The popular students rushed to infuse them into their groups or date them. Whichever one came first.
Although, there were instances where the new student caused divided commentary throughout the student body.
Kawakami Tomie was one such girl.
No matter where Tomie walked to, the boys turned their glances toward her. Committed guys peeked at her from the corners of their eyes, wanting to glimpse at the perfect woman. Their girlfriends' pinches and hissed words did nothing to break them from their trances.
It didn't take long for the female students to turn against Tomie. Whatever well-meaning thoughts they held for this girl seemed to disappear. The more boys commented about her beauty, the more the girls whispered about her seducing the whole school.
Tomie didn't care about the opinions of jealous girls.
None of the inhabitants of the town caught her attention. There was nothing for her to covet. The boys were immature and lacked use. No money of their own to spend. The men fell on their feet for her, telling her they would buy her whatever she desired. Her beauty already enraptured them in her web, keeping them there until she was done with them.
Other than deflecting the heated girls, her experience in this town was a bore.
Which was why the legend of the Pretty Boy caught her attention.
Of course, she found out about this legend through hearing out the popular boy complaining about his frayed relationship. How his girlfriend was convinced he was not her true love. The Pretty Boy told her she would find her love when she graduated university.
He was not that love.
She nodded in the right intervals, reassuring him he would be alright. He relayed the whole concept of this legend with a curt tone. Tomie was careful in what she asked. His jaw was clenched, and his face was squashed in anger. Almost resentful of this guy for having broken his relationship with an utterance.
Tomie was grateful for his services, so she hugged him. He hesitated for one moment before he held her. When she released him, his awed expression was flattering. This was the one boy Tomie had not turned to her side yet.
She walked away, leaving him watching her with longing in his eyes.
Tomie knew none of the girls would have told her.
Not even the normal looking girls wanted to attempt a friendship with her. They followed the crowds of girls who turned against Tomie. The reprieve from their own bullying was a push for them to support the popular girls. They didn't want those girls to turn against them and have their bullying resume.
Tomie held no patience in her body. Not one to tolerate rudeness, she turned their words against them through using others. She lured them into spaces where the boys and teachers jumped out to defend her. Many of these girls were reprimanded or suspended for their actions. Their bodies were a good shield for Tomie to search out the newest person to fall into her hands.
Her boredom brought Tomie to wander the roads.
She was curious.
Curious to know if a love would appear to her soon.
She hoped this man crossed her path as soon as possible.
After all, her departure from this town was imminent. She couldn't remain in this small town, wasting away her beauty for those who were unworthy. Wasting her beauty for those who didn't appreciate her was blasphemy.
Finishing high school was a means to an end. University was her ticket to find someone to take care of her. Care for her to enough to where she wouldn't lift a finger. Her hands were not meant for work. Her body was a temple. She was to be admired and complimented.
Pausing at one of the intersections, Tomie did everything the girls talked about. Before the time came, she lifted up her school bag to cover her face.
It didn't take long for the Pretty Boy to appear.
Looking above her school bag, Tomie felt her skin flush. As the wind brushed against her hot skin, her body shivered underneath her fluffy sweater. When she gazed up at the oncoming apparition, her knees weakened.
The descriptions given by the popular boy who overheard other girls talking about the Pretty boy, was nothing compared to witnessing the boy for herself. Her own assertion of her own perfection didn't let her admit that someone other than her was beautiful, ethereal, almost unearthly. He was a contestant for the most beautiful person in the world.
The effect on her body was worse when he turned his attention onto her. He paused in front of her, causing a shadow to fall above her body. Tomie felt his stare bearing down, observing her whole body.
No one told her that the prediction would like he searched into her soul.
Taking a step back, Tomie dug her fingers into the leather of her school bag. She didn't know what to do. This Pretty Boy was frozen in place, almost as if he was observing her. Instead of a love prediction, the Pretty Boy stared at her. This would have caused a flicker of arrogance to filter into Tomie had it not been for the awkwardness of the situation.
He said nothing.
Tomie dared to look right into his white eyes, seeing no sign of life in them.
Straightening up her back, she gulped.
Maybe, she made a mistake in playing this game.
She was alone. There was no one to protect her if this Pretty Boy turned against her. His skinny form didn't hide the power that exuded off of him. He could overpower her without issue.
Taking a step back, the Pretty Boy stepped into her intersection. Narrowing her eyes, Tomie continued on walking back, wanting to see if he followed her. He did. He seemed to slowly glide after her, almost as if he was trailing behind his prey.
Backed up against the wall, Tomie kept the school bag in front of her face. "W-What are you doing?!"
The Pretty Boy remained silent.
He slammed his hands against the wall, causing Tomie to loosen her grip on her schoolbag. The bag slipped out of her hands. She hissed as the bag hit her loafers before it fell onto the dirty ground. She couldn't complain about having to dust off her bag when the Pretty Boy jailed her in with his looming form. She was stuck.
Furrowing her well sculpted brows, Tomie uttered out. "W-What is my prediction? Tell me."
Pretty Boy's plump red lips formed a smile.
Tomie didn't have time to react when those cherry red lips pressed against hers. She could do nothing more than to scream into his lips as he stared right into her eyes. His cold, freezing lips, were hard, not soft and delicate.
Pretty Boy's body blocked her from making an escape. He closed the gap between their bodies, causing the ridges of the rock to stab into Tomie's back. She opened her mouth to complain and he deepened their kiss.
Panicking, Tomie lifted her right hand, slamming it against Pretty Boy's head. He released his hold onto her lips, giving her a chance to breathe. He took a step back before she used the same hand to slap him. Hard.
Seemingly unaffected by the hard slap, he leaned close enough for their noses to touch. Tomie shivered from the coldness of his skin. Her delicate hand pulsated against her side, but she was tempted to hit him again.
His sultry voice informed her, delight clear in the smirk of his lips. "You will return back to me."
He said nothing else before he retreated back into the mist and disappeared.
The end.
