Special thanks to MikoGalatea, the beta reader of my story and who really help me and my basics English.
Chapter 4
Tsuwabuki had just taken a morning walk. To his surprise, Mari wasn't around to annoy him. When he returned to the bedroom he shared with Nanami, he found that she'd woken up.
''Good morning,'' smiled Tsuwabuki.
''Good morning,'' Nanami said in returm.
''Nanami, maybe we can go outside. I'm sure fresh air would be good for you. You never leave your room.''
''T... That's because I'm still not used to being a ghost.''
''Oh, by the way, I met Miss Chida again. She told me Professor Nemuro - you know, the emotionless teacher - is a pedophile! I can't believe he's like that!''
Nanami freaked out. Little did Tsuwabuki know that he'd just made Nanami recall terrible memories she tried to hide in her mind.
xx
At the time, Nanami had been twelve years old. She was on vacation at her aunt and uncle's house. She really liked her cousin, who was five years old older than her. He was handsome, athletic, brillant, and he was always nice to Nanami; he was her role model.
She sat on a couch in the luxurious living room, waiting for him. When he arrived, he was with a black haired young boy Nanami had never seen before.
''Who is he?'' Nanami asked.
''He is Ishii Hikaru,'' said the cousin. ''He is a kid I help in his summer homework. Hikaru, said hello to my cousin Nanami.''
''Hello,'' smiled Hikaru.
''You seems really happy,'' said the young girl.
''Today I can stay! This is the first time I'll be sleeping here!''
''He is very excited because his family live in an apartment,'' explained the cousin.
''He's so nice,'' thought Nanami. ''He even takes care of poor kids!''
xx
That night, Nanami was unable to sleep. She was excited by the thought of what she could do with her cousin tomorrow. Then she needed to go to the toilet. She walked in the corridor, lit by different candles. She noticed light at her cousin's bedroom.
''Why he isn't sleeping?'' thought Nanami.
The door was slightly half-open. She advanced slowly and took a look.
It was the biggest error in her life.
She only saw it for a few seconds, but that was enough to ruin her innocence, her illusions and her little world. She recoiled in horror and tried to run back to her bedroom before he noticed her presence, afraid of what he could do to her.
But then, suddenly, her aunt appeared in front her.
''You saw it, didn't you?'' she asked coldly.
Nanami couldn't believe what her aunt had just said. She knew what he was doing with the boy, and yet she did nothing about that? But she was always talking about values everyone in the family should follow.
''Y... Yes...'' Nanami said, ashamed.
''Nanami, you are a smart girl and I think you know what you should do. If your cousin's... problem went public, the Kiryuu family's reputation would be ruined. You understand that, don't you?''
''Yes.''
''Good.''
''And... what about the boy?''
''Don't worry. Your cousin makes sure to choose families who really need money. They wouldn't say anything.''
Nanami was shocked and disgusted by the fact that her aunt, a person she always saw as gentle and wise, was acting like this. It just made the revelation worse for her.
xx
One year later, Nanami was now a student at Ohtori. She quickly gained a group of friends and, oddly, a servant. The servant was a young boy named Tsuwabuki. He had a crush on her, and while Nanami found this cute, she still didn't have a problem using him a little.
Today, Nanami was walking in the gardens and wondering where her friends were. She found them close to the greenhouse, but they didn't see her come.
''Man, Nanami is so boring,'' Yuuko said. ''I'm tired of always carrying out all her caprices!''
''Me too, but that's the price we pay to get that connection with one of the richest families in Japan!'' Keiko said.
''I saw her cousin at a party,'' Aiko said. ''He's so handsome!''
After hearing this, Nanami ran away, tears in her eyes. She was sobbing against a tree when Tsuwabuki arrived.
''Nanami, are you alright?''
''Yes, Tsuwabuki,'' lied Nanami. ''I just have a girl problem.''
''Oh.'' The young boy blushed.
Nanami looked at Tsuwabuki and smiled. Unlike all those hypocrites, he truly liked Nanami; she was sure about that. He was perhaps even the only person who truly cared about her.
''Tsuwabuki, what do you think about us both going to my aparment?''
''Y... your apartment!?''
''Yes. We can... talk with one another.''
xx
Tsuwabuki had talked about his family. It seemed to be a happy family in Nanami's eyes. When he'd finished, Tsuwabuki asked a question to the girl he loved.
''Nanami, how is your family?''
''My family's... very good. They're all charming.''
''I'd like meet them, then,'' smiled Tsuwabuki.
Immediately after he'd finished saying that, Nanami got horrible thoughts. She imagined her cousin approaching Tsuwabuki and doing horrible things to him. She then heard Tsuwabuki yawning.
''Sorry. I had trouble sleeping last night.''
''You can take a nap on my bed if you want.''
''Really?!'' Tsuwabuki was excited, as if Nanami had just asked him to go on a date with her.
xx
Tsuwabuki slept in the bed and he seems nice. Nanami looked at him.
''He's so innocent... unlike the others...'' thought Nanami. ''I should protect him against all the evil... but what can I do? This is the only way to make sure he won't be soiled by my cousin or anything else.''
In her hand, she had a candelabrum. She knew what to do with it.
xx
''Nanami? Are you alright?''
Tsuwabuki's voice snapped Nanami out of all those horrible memories.
''Yes, I'm alright, Mitsuru.''
''But you're crying!'' the boy pointed out.
Nanami looked at her boyfriend and hugged him.
''Mitsuru, promise me that whatever happens, you'll stay with me.''
''I promise, Nanami. You're the only one for me.''
While they hugged, Nanami felt remorse.
''I killed him, and yet I act like nothing happened,'' she thought. ''I didn't even think that others could've been in the building when I... ... I am a monster.''
xx
Shiori opened her eyes. She and Kozue had slept in the same bed; when she woke up, however, Shiori found Kozue a bit too close to her body. Then the blue haired girl woke up too.
''Good morning, Shiori!'' said Kozue. ''You look beautiful.''
''Huh... Thanks...'' Shiori blushed.
Kozue smiled, then to Shiori's surprise, she kissed her.
Shiori did not react well to the kiss. ''What are you doing?!'' she yelled, pushing Kozue away.
''Oh, sorry.''
''Sorry! That's all you're going to say? What would Touga think?!''
''Nothing, because he always goes away... if what you said is correct.''
''But maybe he'll return soon.''
''Based on what you told me, I really doubt that. You said that girl, Utena, stole him, but I thought about it and it's more likely that he's just a manwhore who has a different girlfriend each week!''
''He's not like that,'' cried Shiori.
Seeing her new friend crying made Kozue miserable; she knew she'd gone too far.
''I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that. I just think maybe we can... experiment with new things... together...''
Kozue tried to hug Shiori, but instead Shiori slapped her.
''DON'T TOUCH ME, DYKE!''
Kozue looked at Shiori with a hateful expression.
''Dyke...'' Kozue frowned. ''Dyke... Well, okay, then I'll leave you alone if I'm annoying you. Stay here with your stupid ghost.''
Kozue moved away, and Shiori felt more lonely than ever.
''I just lost the first friend I had in years... I'm pathetic...''
xx
Shiori didn't know that someone was using the control room to spy her.
''Good!'' said a voice. ''I was afraid this new friendship could ruin my plan, but this just made things better!''
xx
In another apartment, from the same building, three ghosts suddenly appeared.
''Hey, we've come back to life!'' commented Aiko.
''I think we're ghosts,'' said Yuuko.
''But when did that happen?'' asked Keiko. ''I remember there was a fire... and then... huh...''
''I think we were still in the room, but unconsicous,'' said Aiko.
''Idiot, how can a ghost be unconscious?'' Yuuko frowned.
''Well, all that matters is that somehow we're back,'' Keiko said. ''But now what can we do?''
xx
Kozue walked around without knowing where to go.
''Stupid Shiori! I found a girl who was to my taste, and she happens to hate lesbians...''
Kozue then felt a bit guilty about what she did to Shiori.
''Maybe I should have been more gentle?'' Kozue thought to herself.
She didn't see someone appear before her.
''Oh, you look really sad. I can help you.''
''What? Hey, who are you? W... What are you...''
xx
When Shiori left the building, she found a girl sitting on the grass, crying. She wanted to comfort the girl.
''What's your problem?''
''I love a boy...'' Mari explained. ''He promised me when we were little that we'd get married, but then he met a horrible girl. She stole him from me! And then because of her we're all dead, but he still only cares about her!''
What the girl said made Shiori think about herself, Touga and Utena.
''I understand your pain,'' said Shiori. ''Come with me. Maybe we can find a solution to your problem together.''
