Normally I wait a few days before posting the next chapter, but since I already had the chapter before this posted, I decided I wanted to go ahead and post something new along with its revival. So here's chapter two! It's a little short, I'm afraid, but I don't think it'll fail to interest you. If you can't tell, I'm pretty proud about this story. I think this one'll be good, and by good, I mean one of my best. I've been writing like a madwoman these past few days because I'm so excited over it! I might be a little too excited... Is that even possible? If it, that's what I am. But whatever! As long as it produces good results!

"No thanks, I've already got plans," I wave off the offer, sliding my books into my bag.

Yui leans over my desk, groaning. "Come ooon! It's our senior year! You've blown us off every year on your birthday until now to hang out with that chick that waits for you at the gate! You have to hang out with us this year! That girl can even come, too!"

"I told you," I sigh, "her name is Hanako."

"Doesn't matter," she grumbles, pushing her short chocolate hair behind her ear. "I'll throw the party of the century, so just come over!"

Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I reject her one last time. "I appreciate the effort, Yui, really. Hanako's got a present for me this year, though. She's taking me somewhere."

"Where?"

"It's a secret," I wink.

"Hey, Kiyoko." I turn to Mami, who's pointing out the window. "Your cousin's back."

Sure enough, a glance out the window reveals a short girl with long, black hair leaning against the gates. Yui pouts as I say goodbye and hurry out. I rush to my locker, throwing my slippers in and trading them for shoes. In my haste, I drop a shoe. As I bend down to pick it up, whispers reach my ears.

"...that girl again. She says they're cousins, but do you really think so? What if she's, you know, lez?" Slowly, I slip my foot into the empty shoe and straighten.

"I would believe it. Her mom played around, so why wouldn't she?"

"What if they really are cousins, and they're still like that?"

"Excuse me," I clear my throat, glaring over to the trio of girls lingering at the end of the lockers. Their mouths snap shut, caught. "If you feel like gossiping, next time you should do it out of earshot of whoever you're talking about."

"If you heard us," one pipes up, "why don't you answer it. Are we right?"

I smile. "Not at all." A buzzing brings my hand to my pocket, my fingers curling around my phone and dragging it out. A message from Hanako glows on the screen.

Ur taking too long

"See you tomorrow!" I nod to the gossipers, slamming my locker and dashing outside. At the entrance, Hanako's been approached by a handsome boy with glasses. I think...Hiro, from the next class over.

As soon as she spots me, though, she immediately forgets about him. "Took you long enough! We've got to get to the shop! Uta finished it!"

"What's the rush? It looks like you're finally making friends."

She eyes Hiro, who politely greets me. "He just came up and started speaking to me. I'd hardly call him a friend. Let's go already! If you don't hurry, I'm backing out of the deal!"

"Yes, yes. Sorry about her behavior, Hiro."

"No, it's alright-" But we're already walking away. I jab my friend in the ribs, knowing it won't hurt her.

"How many times must I tell you to be nicer to people?"

"Why? What does it matter if they like me?" she shrugs. "Besides, they're rarely nice to you."

I frown. "That's passed and you know it. I've made friends now, and people usually don't pick on me anymore."

"But they still do, don't they?"

"It's no big deal," I insist.

"It is!" she growls, literally baring her teeth. I jab her again in the side and this time she jabs me back. "Why do you let them talk about you? You said you'd be fine even without me at school!"

"And I am. I promise, it's not so bad." I glance over to her when she doesn't respond, the hard look in her eyes ensuring me that she's plotting again. I sigh. "Do not go beating people up again."

"Ki-"

"If you do it too much, people will start making the connection to the ghoul who protected me in elementary school." She scowls, knowing I'm right. Having arrived at a bustling street, we stop, and I raise my hand to hail a taxi. She refuses to shape up, though, even when we've climbed in the car and I've given the guy the address. Seeing this, I slide the door shut between us and the driver. "You've been irritable lately, Hanako."

"Well, excuse me," she rolls her eyes.

I lean against the window, eyeballing her out of the corner of my eye.. "Spill it. What's up?"

"Do I really have to put it into words?"

Of course, she means my birthday present. "I'm not going to run away screaming bloody murder."

"It just seems like a disturbing way to celebrate," she mutters, shifting and crossing her arms uncomfortably. "You really wanna watch?"

"Yes." I meet her gaze firmly. We share a stare for a few solid minutes before she breaks eye contact, dragging her phone from her pocket and fiddling with it. Before she can grow too absorbed in it, I ask, "Did you tell Mom we'd be home late?"

"She said she'd keep your dinner warm."

"Did she tell you what she's making?"

Hanako shrugs. "Didn't ask."

"Despite you knowing I'd want to know," I grin. This earns me a small smile out of her, although she tries to hide it.

"We're here," she changes the topic, resting her finger against her window to point to the shop growing closer. She climbs out of the car while I pay the driver, thanking him. Then I follow after her through the door she left wide open.

The outside of the mask shop, contrast to the interior, is about as unnotable as a shop can be. A dull building, neither kept in shape nor falling apart at the seams, with only a simple sign notifying the world that whatever's inside is open.

We enter, the crimson lighting engulfing us. Again, the shop is empty save for the mannequins and masks that litter the room. This time, though, Uta emerges from the back before we can call him.

"You've come for the mask," he states, lifting a red and gold wrapped gift. When I take it out of his hands he says, "Your birthday present. I'll give it to you half off."

Hanako rolls her eyes, offering him the cash. "We appreciate it." Then she hops up on a stool, legs crossed. "So, let's see it."

I glance to Uta for permission, but he just watches silently with patient black and red eyes. I decide to take that as a go ahead and begin ripping into the paper. Unable to tear it all in one go, I regrettably shred the wrapping paper into strips that fall to the floor. The box inside is plain white.

After a second of hesitation, I pry it open. What stares back at me is a bird. Well, sort of. It's flat, curved only to fit my face, with black ovals over the eyes. The nosepiece is colored dull gold, as if to mimic a beak, and the rest is streaked with black, white, and silverish grey to imitate feathers. I lift it from its box, turning it over carefully to study it from every angle. Hanako whistles and breaks my awed silence.

"Cool," she grins.

I look to Uta. "It really is pretty awesome."

"I'm glad you like it," he nods, leaning against his glass display case. "Does it fit?"

Turning my attention back to the mask, I search it for a string, or strap of some sort to hold it onto my face. When I find nothing, I blush, feeling just a tiny bit stupid. Hanako's mask didn't have anything like that, so why would mine? It just fit her face so well it stayed put.

So I slip it on.

Indeed, it conforms to every crevice of my face to comfortably cover it. My cheeks it leaves bare, spiking down only around the corners of my mouth. My vision remains clear, only slightly darkened, despite how pitch black the eyes had appeared from the other side.

Uta slips a mirror into my hand and I take a peek. What I see reflected, I can barely recognize as myself.

"Wow," I breathe, tilting my head and studying it from every angle. "This is amazing! You really made this just using the information you got when we met that one time?"

"Of course, it's my job." I stiffen when he grabs my chin, forcefully examining my face. After a second, he releases me. "Seems like it fits well. Do you have any complaints?"

"No."

"And you, Hanako?" He searches my companion for approval, apparently knowing she's the one to please and not me. She hops up from her seat, coming to stand a foot in front of me. My skin prickles when I see the unexpectedly grim expression she wears.

"If it only hid her hair, too," she mumbles in a low voice I'm not sure I was meant to hear. "Yes, this'll work. You like it, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then we're good!" I blink when, all of a sudden, she's smiling at Uta. After all these years, I'm still unable to predict her. I've also been unable to get used to her acting skills. I can't tell if the seriousness from before was fake, or if the fake expression is the smile she now shows. It makes me uneasy.

We give our farewells to Uta and leave, the mask going back in the box and lid replaced over it. Once again, we hail a taxi cab and start on our way home.

"By the way," Hanako mentions as we delve into traffic, "I'm pretty sure I smelled omelet rice before I left the house."

I immediately perk up. "Really?" Then I think for a moment. "Wait, do we have any ketchup? Should we stop by the store first?"

Hanako laughs. "I'm sure your mom's got it covered."

"But I think we ran out the last time we had fries."

"Maybe she ran to the store while we were out."

"But isn't that a waste of money? We can't afford to constantly have all the condiments," I worry. "How much did we spend on the mask?"

She flicks my arm and I wince. "Stop thinking like that. I used my own money to buy you that, so think of it as an extension of your birthday present given a little early."

"When are you going to tell me what you're doing to get that money?" I question, rubbing the spot she flicked. She falls silent. I already know it's something unsavory. Some jobs require RC tests these days, and if she were to find out there was one after already being accepted, she'd have to fabricate some reason to back out. Or quit. Either way, it might raise suspicions towards her, and being discovered remains one of her worst nightmares. She just doesn't have the resources to fake and RC test like most highly-functioning ghouls.

Although we continue to talk the rest of the ride home, nothing of true importance slips out of our lips. And I was right to worry. We ate omelet rice that night without any ketchup.

I want to try Omelet rice. Anyone else? It sounds delicious. That might be why I put it in. Ah! My mind is just flying right now! I'm totally on a writing high! I need to go get a mug of warm tea or something and calm down. Yeah, I should do that. I'll go do that after I post this. But I even have relaxing music playing right now, and that's not helping. Maybe it is, though, and that's the reason I'm able to sit down and type rather than bouncing off the walls. I didn't really have any caffeine today, either...just a brownie. That can't be enough to get this result, can it? BAH! Well, anyhow, I sincerely hope with all my heart that you liked this chapter and will continue to enjoy the story to come. I will do my best!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!