April 5th, 2002
Now thirteen and a half, Hotaru has gotten used to the fact that she sees the red strings of fate between people she interacts with and ignores; she still doesn't like that she's one of the rare folks able to see them at all but even so, their constant presence has become the norm. Whenever she can, she does her best to ignore their existence; she doesn't care much for soulmates, especially since she doesn't have one, her fingers remaining without a trace of a familiar red string.
So, she's grown uninterested. She's not going to attempt to connect any soulmates, as they can find each other on their own, someday or not at all. She doesn't care. Why should they get to find one another when she can't ever find her own? So, screw them; everyone's on their own. If they never meet each other, that's just too damn bad; life's unfair and so is death.
Bitterness is a bitch.
Her shoulder bag continuously knocks against her side as she makes her way to the library for free period, her only time away from the annoying classmates she has. She keeps her head down slightly as she goes, avoiding eye contact with anyone who'd potentially want a word with her; she doesn't feel like chatting. People are annoying.
As she goes, the red strings of fate float; they phase through her, intangible. There was once a time where seeing too many made her feel nauseated; now, they no longer cause her to be overwhelmed.
After she enters the library, she fumbles with the white collar of her black sailor shirt; the uniform feels uncomfortable. She feels at the red ribbon, which is wrapped around her neck and hiding mostly underneath the collar; she's tempted to rip it off, as feeling it moving around is making her very irritated, but then she'd get in trouble with the school faculty, thus eventually getting punished by her father, who still enjoys burning her things when she misbehaves. She huffs, scrubbing invisible dirt off her long black skirt; it's so hard being herself when she has to constantly hold back in an attempt to avoid her father's wraith. Her brown clogs click-clack as she walks across the marbled floor; she makes a face of annoyance at the sound. She'd give anything to wear the male's uniform instead. Perhaps someday, she will.
She's barely made it to an empty table when someone taps the side of her arm.
Groaning internally, she turns around; standing there is an older student, who is busty, tall, and looks like she's too popular to socialize with Hotaru, yet she's doing so anyway. Her uniform differs slightly; her sailor shirt is longer and white with a blue collar that has a white stripe in the middle, and it makes her skirt look mini. Not another one, Hotaru whines in her head; it has become a game to a lot of older females to "befriend" her for a few weeks before ultimately ditching her to then attempt to make a mockery of her, as if she was gonna tell anyone of the "friendship" between herself and the older student anyway. Always trying to save their own reputations, after they openly talked about messing with the outcast's emotions. They never learn, do they? I literally don't even care.
Hotaru, already irritated, skips pleasantries. "What?"
The girl, which she'll be referring to as 'Girl' from now on, seems completely unbothered by her attitude. "I was wondering if you could assist me with studying." She even sounds snobby. Ugh.
She blankly stares at Girl. They need to be more original with their lies. Like, come on now. "Find someone your own age, creeper."
"No one my age is as smart as you, though," Girl insists.
Raising an eyebrow, Hotaru looks around the library; nope, nobody nearby that she could possibly be talking to about that instead. She gazes back towards Girl. "You seriously can't be talking about me; I'm barely passing any of my own classes. Girl, bye." Turning her back to Girl, she puts her shoulder bag on the table and proceeds to sit down, which Girl allows her to do in peace.
Girl carries on trying. "But you're still passing and I need a passing grade to be able to graduate this year."
Hotaru groans, internally; Girl better just leave me be. "A little late into the final semester to be asking for help, don't ya think?"
With no shame, Girl continues. "I was too embarrassed to ask my peeps, so-"
"You're asking me here, out of sight of your friends, to avoid ruining your reputation?" Hotaru interrupts, revealing her immediate assumption.
"Basically, yeah," Girl answers, sitting across from her.
Hotaru impatiently taps on the table, wanting this conversation over with already. "At least you're more honest than the other ones," she openly states a few seconds later, not holding back her thoughts.
Girl doesn't pay attention to her wording. "Uh huh. So, anyway, will you help me or not?"
"Whatever," Hotaru immediately answers, finding the opening for this conversation to go silent, however temporary it's gonna be. "Only for a few weeks, I'll try to help you. But then, you have to go about your business and leave me the fuck alone."
"Deal," Girl cheerfully states before she gets back up.
The rest of Hotaru's free period was a blur from there; Girl left, allowing her to finally have some peace to chill and such, but that was short lived because Girl returned with a lot of textbooks. Hotaru had expected one, for one specific class; nah, bitch brought them all. Hoe needed help passing them all. Hotaru was grumpy for the remainder of the day. Joke was on Girl, though; Hotaru didn't understand a damn thing about any of the shit from Girl's classes, because she wasn't taking them, too. Sooo, it's not gonna be her fault since Girl refused to choose someone who actually knew what they were doing.
And so, the few weeks of torture came and went, which Hotaru was very grateful about; Girl was very annoying. At least Hotaru had the pleasure of purposely letting Girl think that she was doing her work correctly, when Hotaru wasn't even sure about what the hell was happening in the subjects. Girl should've found another tutor.
It's the final night of the supposed study sessions; hallelujah.
Hotaru sighs in relief, lying in bed. No more did she have to deal with Girl, whose real name she never learnt and doesn't care to. No more will she have to endure the stupid sleepovers she'd been forced into throughout the entirety of the "study sessions". Firstly, study sessions her ass; neither of them have become smarter from the intense attempts they made, though Girl genuinely seems to believe she has learnt a lot, which she hasn't. Secondly, the sleepovers were never Girl's idea; they'd been her father's idea.
And the reason why it was his idea can be heard throughout the corridors; he's at it again with Girl. Disgusting; neither of them have any shame. And their stamina sincerely shocks Hotaru; they must of been seductive demons in a past life or something, damn, the torture of overhearing all that is neverending.
Impatiently, she waits for them to finish their happy time. Not because she wants to enter a peacefully quiet slumber, not that she's ever had those anyway, but because they need to be in a deep sleep before she goes into the room and gets the hidden video camera. After all, she needs blackmail, just in case Girl comes to her about the bad grades she's going to be getting in those final exams. Oopsie doopsie; she really should've found another tutor.
Thinking about it, and even imagining the look on Girl's face when she sees the sex tapes, fills Hotaru with glee and satisfaction. Now, she kinda wishes she had dirt on all the other fake bitches, too. Oh well; this'll do.
She's unable to sneak into the room until some time after two in the morning. Jeez.
Tip-toeing into the bedroom, she holds in a sigh of relief; they're covered up this time, thank the heavens. She's been traumatized enough by their nudity, though truthfully, she'll have to check the tape to make sure it recorded everything; ugh, so disgusting, the things I do for blackmail material. She walks around the side of the bed and approaches the dresser; displayed inside an open drawer, with clothes keeping it hidden and propped up, is the video camera she's aiming to receive.
Taking it quietly and making sure to stop the recording, she turns around to make her way back out. Before she takes a step, Girl shifts in the bed, making Hotaru freeze; she'll sprint out of the room if she has to but the rest of her body hasn't caught up with her thoughts yet. Girl remains sound asleep, though now she's laying on her other side, facing Hotaru's direction.
Hotaru remains frozen, but for a completely different reason; Girl has a red string of fate and it's floating towards her father.
There's no way in Hell… she tries to rationalize in her head. He can't have a soulmate. Hell no, he can't. She tip-toes back the way she came, but keeps her eyes on the string. No way; there's just no way. It's connected with his red string of fate. No… Way… She nearly collapses in disbelief, almost drops the video camera. Successfully, she makes it out of the room, but at what cost?
Everything.
That's not fair. That's not fair. That's not fair. ThAt'S nOt FaIr! THAT'S NOT FAIR!
Hotaru makes it back to her bedroom, furious at her accidental discovery. How can he have a soulmate but I can't?! How?! He doesn't deserve one! I deserve one more far more than he does! IT'S NOT FAIR! She almost throws everything off her desk but stops at the last second; the noise would cause a disturbance and then she'd be punished, again; she's really tired of her things getting destroyed. Plus, the other sex tapes are on her harddrive now and she doesn't have a backup, so the blackmail would be gone, too, since the most expensive stuff is what he aims for nowadays. So, she throws a stuffed animal instead; he doesn't know about it, that's why it hasn't been burnt. Potential crisis averted.
Hotaru's fury burns on.
Then, a lightbulb goes off in her head. The sex tapes. Two birds with one stone.
She briefly glances at the video camera before approaching her computer. Sitting down, she gazes at the harddrive, then the video camera again. Further motivated to ruin them both, she gets to work.
After the weekend is over, Girl goes to school with prep in her step, thinking she's going to pass her exams the upcoming week. Her happiness fades into confusion when she notices everyone pointing at her, giving off various expressions, ranging from disgust to lust. Uncomfortable, she continues on, heading to her usual corner of the school corridors, ready to socialize with her posse before classes, only for those exact peeps to walk away as she approaches, as if not wanting to be seen around her.
It doesn't take her very long to understand what's happening.
Because, when she decides to go to her locker since her buds are ignoring her, she sees that someone has written 'slut' and 'whore' in red lipstick, plastering the words all over the inside. Propped against her textbooks is a cell-phone; hers. She thought she lost it. Displayed on it is a paused video. Curiosity kills the cat; she presses play, a major mistake.
Loud moans, her moans, fill the corridor and she quickly rushes to shut off the video, looking around in embarrassment. Everyone is either laughing, glaring, licking their lips at her, or calling her disgusting terms. That was her in the video, without a doubt. And only one person would've uploaded such a private moment. And as Girl locks eyes with that exact person, all she gets is a smirk and middle finger.
Girl doesn't have to deal with the torment for very long; a few days later, she's found dead in an alleyway, bloodied and naked. The culprits are found not long after; three boastful boys who knew her, having no shame in the actions that cost Toko (Girl) her life.
Hotaru should feel bad about that, but she doesn't. Because Girl, Toko, should've found a different tutor.
As for Hinata, Hotaru's father, he vanished. Not because of the sex tapes, since the age of consent within Japan is thirteen, but because of all the information Hotaru sent to the police about him; cons and all. Why was he able to vanish in the first place? Hotaru purposely let him know what she did. For her mother; losing him temporarily would wound her, but losing him forever would kill her.
Hotaru knows he'll come back one day. And she'll be ready for him.