Just call me a necromancer, because I'm reviving all my old fics lol


When Nagisa was four, his Dad explained to him that he had to be a boy at school and a girl at home. He didn't know what that meant then, not really, all he knew was that he wore shorts at school and dresses when he was at home with mummy. He thought every kid lived like he did.

"Why is your hair so long? You look like a girl." School-friends would ask.

"I am a girl when I'm at home." Nagisa would explain.

"You're weird."

He soon learned not to talk about being a girl when he was at school.


When Nagisa was seven, he started to resent the flowery, puffy dresses his mum forced him to wear at home; he hated how restrictive they were, how delicate, how he couldn't do anything fun in them in case they made a mess. He hated how he had to stay home when other kids from his class got to play in the park and explore the forest outside the house. While the other boys were out hunting stag beetles and making Dens, Nagisa was sat at home, playing dress-up for his mum and learning how to be a 'proper young lady'. Nagisa knew he wasn't a girl at this point, and he didn't want to be a girl. But every time he tried to speak to Mummy about it, she would just talk over him and not listen, tell him he was being stupid.

It was because he was sick of being mistaken for a girl, that's why he did it. It was an impulse, after a day of particularly bad bullying from the kids in his class. He walked home and went straight to his mother's sewing kit and pulled out the scissors and cut off his hair without even looking in the mirror.

That was the first time his mother had slapped him, but it certainly wasn't the last.


When Nagisa was eight, he realised he was living somebody else's life. He was playing on his bedroom floor with his toy cars; something his father had bought him on the promise that he wouldn't tell Mummy. Nagisa had never liked his bedroom, it was a powdery blue and pink colour, filled with dolls and toys that had all been around for as long as Nagisa can remember, and the bedding and paint-work seemed old somehow. As he pushed the cars across the floor boards, he realised that one was loose.

Tentatively, he pulled up the floor board and found a large chocolate tin underneath a layer of dust covering it. Excitedly, he pulled it out. Could it be hidden treasure? A time-Capsule? He wondered to himself. He pried it open quickly, before his mother returned.

Inside there was a hodgepodge of items; an old diary, some photographs and a few little trinkets; a shiny locket, a beaded friendship bracelet, an unopened pack of candy that looked old. Yeah, maybe he shouldn't eat that.

Nagisa frowned as he picked up the pictures, taking a look. The first one was of a red-haired boy who looked a few years older than him.. twelve maybe, he appeared to be in the forest near Nagisa's house, leaning against a tree, his hair was vibrant and his golden eyes danced with mischeif. It was the next picture that made him freeze; It was the same red-haired boy again, still against a tree, but this time, Nagisa was stood next to him. Well, at least it looked like Nagisa- the person next to him had his same features and the same blue eyes and blue hair, This Nagisa was laughing along with the red-haired boy, his arms around This Nagisa's shoulders.

But Nagisa was certain he'd never seen that boy before in his life, even though in the picture, they looked like best friends. It was only when he looked closer that he realsied something.. The Nagisa in the picture was clearly a few years older than he was, and their hair was far longer than his had ever been. So it wasn't him.

But later, when he approached his mother with the picture, and asked who it was, she just gave him a sickly sweet smile.

"Why, that's you, honey."

"But I don't know that red haired boy- "

"He used to live next door. He was a bad influence you, remember? It's probably best you forget all about him." She said. "Now stop asking silly questions, you're giving mummy a headache."

Nagisa knew the topic was closed and didn't ask about it again. Nagisa kept the pictures in his drawer, looking at them often. He wondered who the red-haired boy was, the one who looked like he was the Nagisa-in-the-picture's best-friend. Nagisa didn't have a best friend, so sometimes, he pretended Red was (that's what he called him). He imagined they'd be best-buddies and go on all sorts of adventures together, far away from his mother.


When Nagisa was 11, his Dad apologised to him for his Mum's behaviour.

"Listen, I know Hiromei can be... hard on you sometimes." Dad said with a forced smile as he sat on the foot of Nagisa's bed. "But.. she's been through a lot and she's just very protective."

"What has she been through? Why does she feel like she can run my life?" Nagisa sniffled, he was huddled in bed. He should be on a school trip now, the final one of primary school, but his mother had banned him. Nagisa had badly wanted to take parrt- it would of been so much fun, and it might be the last time he gets to spend time with some of his friends before middle school, but his mother had said it was 'too dangerous' and banned him. Now, Nagisa was here by himself while the rest of his class had fun; it wasn't fair. He had actually stood up for himself for once, and it had resulted in a pretty nasty argument that ended with Mummy throwing him against the wall.

Dad sighed, looking pained. "It's grown-up stuff, Nagisa, I'll tell you when you're older.


When Nagisa was 13, he thought that he had finally met the red-haired boy from the picture in real-life. He had been walking home from school with Sugino after watching his baseball match (Sugino had lost), the setting sun bathing them all in it's orange-red glow.

Someone walked past who took Nagisa's breath away- He would recognise that face anywhere, it was the red-haired boy from the picture. Without even thinking about it, Nagisa called out to him.

"Hey- wait- " He said. The figure turned to face him fully, and the spell was broken. It wasn't the red-haired boy, it was Gakushuu Asano, the principle's son. It was just the warm colours of the sunset that had made his orange hair appear as red for a moment.

"Can I help you?" Asano asked, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Of course the Principle's perfect son always had to be polite. For the first time, Nagisa noticed that Asano's face really did look a lot like the boy in the picture's, even if his hair was different.

"N- Nothing, sorry, I thought you were somebody else." Nagisa said with a nervous laugh, feeling himself blush.


When Nagisa was fourteen, he finally found out the truth from a complete stranger. He was just walking down the street when he passed a man who looked to be in his twenties. They made eyecontact, both politely nodding, but then the man stopped dead in his tracks when he really saw Nagisa. He froze on the spot, dropping his briefcase, his mouth gaping open and his eyes widening.

"A- Are you okay?" Nagisa asked, feeling suddenly self-consicous.. was there something wrong with him. The man opened and closed his mouth a few times before speaking. He let out a nervous laugh.

"S- Sorry. It's just.. you look just like a girl who I used to go to school with years ago, Shiota, she was called." He said, scambling to pick up his briefcase. "It really is uncanny. She was a lovely girl too, we were only 12 when she died.. it was a big shock. She drowned. Sorry- I'm rambling. You've just surprised me." He gave another awkward laugh before scurrying off.

Suddenly, Nagisa realised something.

"I had a sister." Nagisa had said, confronting his Dad later that night. "Why didn't you tell me."

"Nagisa.. how did you- well, however you found out. It's not like I wanted to keep it from you. It was just.. painful to talk about." His father gulped, and Nagisa couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "And your mother.. she never really came to terms with it. She doesn't even acknowledge that.. that our daughter has passed."

"Dad.. What was her name?"

His Dad didn't answer.

"Dad?"

"Her name was Nagisa." His Dad said in a tiny voice. Nagisa felt his stomach plummet, everything felt into place.

"So I'm just a replacement?" He growled.

"It wasn't meant like- "

"Of course it was. Mum even thinks we're the same person." Nagisa breathed out, "I knew I wasn't crazy. This isn't my own life at all, this whole time, I've just been living hers!"

"I'm sorry." His Dad said, Nagisa stormed off to his room. He never confronted his mother about it. He knew that there was no point.


When Nagisa is fifteen, he finally finds out the identity of the red-haired boy in the picture. He and a few other students with bad grades were having tutoring sessions at school by Asano (Because their continued failings reflected poorley on the school). Asano was certainly doing this for his own reputation rather than any vested interest in Nagisa's success. Normally, he'd do these sessions in the library, but it was coming up to exam season and the library was packed, so Asano had invited Nagisa around to his house.

Nagisa would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated. The Asano's were scary people, Gakushuu might be all bright smiles and kind words, but he ruled student council with an iron fist and was notoriously ruthless to those who crossed him.

Principle Asano was even worse- even the teachers were scared of him, and he was known for being even more cut-throat. The toxic relationship between Gakushuu and his father was pretty much an open secret in the school, there was a coldness to their relationship that went beyond just professionalism. It didn't go unnoticed how, the few times Gakushuu would lose the top spot in exams, he would come to school with various injuries the next day.

Gakushuu's house was surprisingly normal (well, it was about twice the size of Nagisa's) and thankfully, the principle hadn't been in. The two of them had sat in the study room together in silence, Nagisa working through the questions the other had assigned him. His eyes wandered, noticing a few pictures on the wall, which surpirsed Nagisa- he never pegged the Asano's for the type to have family pictures. Indeed, the ones of father and son looked particularly formal. His eyes moved on to the next picture, one of a boy holding a toddler in his lap. That's when he saw it. The boy's red hair and golden eyes. He recognised them instantly.

"Who is that- " Nagisa asked, pointing at the picture. Gakushuu scowled.

"You're meant to be studying not looking at pictures. No wonder you're close to failing." Gakushuu said. Nagisa felt himself blush.

"Um. Sorry.. but can you still tell me who it is?" Nagisa asked, Gakushuu let out an annoyed sigh.

"That's my stupid brother, Karma." Gakushuu said, looking irritated just mentioning his name.

"You two look alike."

"That's surprising. We don't have the same father." Gakushuu said, before frowning, before realising he had probably said too much. "But don't go telling people about that. That's my family business."

"I wont. I promise." Nagisa said. Gakushuu having a half-brother was probably one of the least scandalous things he had heard about the Asano's considering the rumours floating around about them, but he didn't mention that. Nagisa stayed and finished his study session, but the whole time he couldn't stop looking at the picture. Finally. Finally he know who the boy in the picture was.


When Nagisa was sixteen, he was being chased by a couple of bullies, and ran out in front of Karma Akabane's car, and they met for the first time.

When he was sixteen, Karma Akabane tried to track him down, and Nagisa mistook him for a mugger.

When he was sixteen, he gave Gakushuu Asano a peice of paper with his address and told him to pass it to Karma, that he would explain everything to him.


Lockdown has me reviving dead stories left and right lol

I always at least wanted to get this chapter out, so anyone who cares know the truth about who the alive-Nagisa is. Sorry it took (checks dates) 4 years.

I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but if you are, I just want to say thanks for the reviews and support, and sorry this took SO long