A/N: When it comes to the things Ai says, I made it a mix of the Japanese version and the English dub I watch on T.V. So some things may not sound right, but that's how the dubbed version is like and well, since it's the one I usually watch, it's the one I memorized. Live with it… please? xD
Light in the Dark
Chapter 2
Masame's POV
I had nowhere to go... My house... was destroyed... I can't stay at Michino nee-chan's place either... Their family is already packed in their house and I couldn't bear burdening them further. So until I find a place of my own, I'm staying at the hospital... The doctors insisted. All my clothes were destroyed as well, but nee-chan was kind enough to give me some of hers.
I still can't believe... that I'm alone though... Both my parents were only children and my grandparents are dead too. I have nee-chan, but... We aren't actually related... So I'm the last Yamaoka alive then...
The day I woke up, Michino nee-chan went with me to the cemetery. 4 graves stood there, side by side. I wondered... Why didn't I die? Why leave me... to suffer all of this... Why...? Why did they leave me... behind?
Wait. This... It just doesn't fit! We all suffered the same damage, why didn't I die?! This... This was no accident at all! It... was planned! Planned from the very beginning! But... Who... Who did it...? Ah, I'm jumping to conclusions again. Before I go accusing people, I gotta make sure my hunch is right!
I went to the hospital and asked about the rest of my family. I looked at their autopsies and... There. There it was... They... They were poisoned! Someone poisoned them! But... How? And when? Maybe onee-chan can help me...
I went straight to onee-chan's place and told her what I thought was going on.
"Well, who do you think could've done it then?" She wondered.
"That's the thing. I need your help so I can find out who killed them." I said with determination.
"Well... Does your dad have any enemies?" She asked.
"Not that I know of."
"How about your mom?"
"Nope, she's way too nice."
"Nagame-chan?"
"If she had any enemies they would be her age. I doubt that a 15-year-old could do something like that."
"Daichi-kun?"
"He's Mr. Popular in his class!"
"Well then, that only leaves one person." She stared at me intensely.
"Me?!"
"Who else could it be?" Her long chocolate-brown curls covered her auburn eyes.
I was speechless.
"Well, do you have any enemies? Think hard now..." She was actually serious about this... I can't believe it!
I thought long and hard. Was there anyone that I wasn't in good terms with?
...
That's when it hit me.
"Hiiraga-san."
"Hiiraga-san? You mean your classmate?!" Michino's jaw dropped.
"I can't think of anyone else." I sighed.
"But... Why would she..." Michino nee-chan looked pensive.
"Do you recall the accident I was involved in?"
"The one with the Hiiraga boy? Oh God. Hiiraga. She's related to him, isn't she?!"
"He's her little brother in fact. And I can't think of anyone else who would have a grudge on me."
"Then it must be her! But... We should confront her... Just in case." Her voice shook.
We went over to Hiiraga-san's place. She came out and scoffed at the sight of me.
"Oh, so you've woken up then. So, how does it feel to lose your family huh?" She just smirked.
That heartless bitch.
"You... So you did do it!" I was ready to punch her straight in the face! But nee-chan held me back.
"And so what if I did? You deserved it! After you killed my brother... Yo-kun..." Her ice-blue eyes were piercing right into my soul.
"That's what happens when you mess with me." She gave me a mocking smile.
"And don't bother trying to turn me in. You have no proof on me. At all." She flipped her short black hair and walked back into her house.
"Shimata! Why did you stop me, nee-chan?!" I was in rage.
"There are more ways to resolve this you know." She sighed.
I couldn't answer her. I might say something I would regret.
Later on that day, I was waiting for the bus that would bring me back to my temporary home. That's when I heard two high school students talking.
"Hey have you heard about the Hotline to Hell?" The first one said.
"You mean the one that gets revenge for you?" The second one answered.
"Yeah! That one!"
"They say if you go there at midnight, the Hell Girl will take revenge for you!"
"Scary!"
That's when the bus arrived and everyone got on.
The Hotline to Hell huh?
~ 11:59 P.M. ~
Just one more minute... Will this really work?
12:00 A.M.
There!
*click!*
The page turned black. I thought it was just an error, but then a flame appeared in the middle and an empty task bar appeared with a sentence written on top.
"I will deliver your vengeance." It read.
There's only one way to see if this is real...
Hiiraga Tsunee
I clicked enter and suddenly I wasn't in the hospital room anymore.
An eternal sunset glowed over the horizon. The reds and oranges blended in perfect harmony up in the sky. And there in front of me was the shadow of a large tree and figures of people. I went closer and saw 4 of them there. An old man with a traditional styled kimono, a hat and a red scarf, a beautiful woman with a blue kimono and a big red sash tied around her waist – Wait, a red sash? Is she... a prostitute? Hm... Well anyway, there was a young man with a casual outfit and his hair covered one of his eyes, and there was a young girl there. She looked like she was about 13-years-old. She was wearing a black sailor uniform with a red tie. Her crimson eyes contrasted her pale face and her long black hair cascaded behind her.
"Are…are you… Jigoku Shoujo?" I asked, still amazed that it wasn't just a myth.
"Hai. I am Enma Ai." Her voice was emotionless and airy.
"Wanyuudou." She said without turning back.
"Hai, ojou." The old man replied and threw his scarf around his neck. A moment later, he turned into a black straw doll with a red string on it.
"This is for you." She said, holding out the doll.
"If you truly wish to eliminate the person tormenting you, then you must untie that red string. Once you remove it, you will enter into an official contract with me. The one you seek to take revenge on will immediately be taken to hell." She explained as I took the doll into my hands.
"This sounds too good to be true. There's a catch isn't there?" My hands were shaking involuntarily as I spoke.
She nodded. "When one is cursed, two graves are dug. And after your body dies, your soul will be taken to hell as well. Your soul will wander in pain and suffering for all eternity, never knowing what paradise is like."
The thought made me tremble. If I went to hell… I would never see my family again… But if I don't do this, Hiiraga will get away with what she did. Ahh, I can't think straight!
"That's only after you die though." She added. Was it supposed to comfort me?
"Can I think about it? I don't have to pull the string right now, do I?"
She shook her head and suddenly I was back at the hospital.
"The rest is for you to decide." I heard her say.
~*~*~
I went to school again for the first time since I woke up the next day. Everyone crowded me and asked me so many questions. Guess we made the headlines then…
I went to class and apologized to my teacher for being away so long. She told me that I wasn't at fault and that she'd give me make-up lessons. Nakagawa-sensei is nice.
I made my way to my seat. Thankfully, it's far away from Hiiraga-san's seat. During lunch break, I sat under my favorite tree in the field and ate alone there. A young man came up to me. He was wearing a long-sleeved yellow shirt and an orange vest. He had jeans, sneakers and he wore red glasses. His black hair covered one of his eyes. I feel like I've seen him before, but where?
"Hey, you're Yamaoka Masame, right?" He asked.
"Yes… And you are?"
"Ichimoku Ren. I'm in my 3rd year of culinary arts." He smiled.
"I'm in my 2nd year of animation." I smiled.
"Mind if I sit here?" He pointed to the spot next to me.
"Please, go ahead."
"So what are you having?" He asked while opening his own bento box.
"Nothing much… Just some fried fish and rice."
"Did you cook it yourself?"
"No, the hospital I'm staying at gave me this."
"Ahh, I see."
He didn't ask about the hospital, so he must know about what happened to me…
"So tell me about yourself." I said. I was curious about why he was here talking to me…Was it because of what happened?
"Well, what do you wanna know?"
We talked for the whole lunch period. He seemed like a really nice guy. I was about to go back to class when he called my attention.
"What time does your class end?" He asked.
"Around 4."
"I'll meet you outside your classroom." He smiled.
"Alright. See you later!" I didn't protest. He was nice, and I would be glad to have a friend in the same school. It's not that I don't have friends, but they all study in other places.
~After class~
"Yama-san." He tapped my shoulder. I told him to call me that since Yamaoka was quite long. And I in turn called him Moku-san.
"So, shall we go?" He reached his hand out.
I took his hand and we left. For some reason, it didn't feel weird that we were acting so close.
"So, you're staying at the hospital for now?" He asked.
"Yeah. I would stay at one of my friends' houses, but I wouldn't want to bother them." I answered.
"Well, I know we just met, but why don't you stay at my place?"
"Wh..what?" Oh gosh, am I blushing?!
"I'm serious. I live alone and we go to the same school… There's a spare room you could use too." He really meant it!
"W…wait, you live alone? So where do you get money?"
"I have a part-time job at a nearby restaurant." He smiled.
"I…" This could work, but still… It's quite embarrassing…
"Well of course, that's for you to decide." He smiled and pat my head.
"Oh alright, you win. At least you can cook. Now I won't have to deal with hospital food everyday!" I laughed.
"Ichimoku Ren, chef-in-training, is at your service!" He winked.
I wonder… Is it wrong to be doing this? I just met this guy, yet I'm going to live with him. Maybe I should just think of it as roommates. There's nothing wrong with that, right?
We went to the hospital to get my minimal stuff and then he went to Moku-san's home.
It was a cozy little home, fit for a person like him. The guest room was cute too, so I had no complaints.
I think… Maybe I could get used to this.
~To Be Continued~
