Flights of Fancy [JJK Reader Insert]

Chapter 1: She's Still Here

You didn't acknowledge that there was something different with you until you turned ten. There were always memories in which you could vividly remember some odd thing here and there, in the background or close to you over the years. You called them monsters. Your parents called them imaginary friends—or, in your case, imaginary monsters.

They monitored what you watched and read when you kept bringing them up every other time. And when they took away your gaming systems was when you shut up about them permanently. It left you to turn to something else to occupy your time, and that's when you had pestered them enough to enroll you in karate. Soon after, they assumed they had gone away by dispelling the monsters from your imagination, and you finally outgrowing such fantasies.

They never did go away, but of course, you never told anyone that.

You thought something was wrong with you but were afraid of what repercussions expressing that would have.

During this period, you made your trip back to Japan for your biannual visit. It was just a good few months after Rika's death. You hadn't been able to go to her funeral due to your father's work and your mother having to nurse her sickly father at the time. They didn't want you to go anyway, worried that seeing her little box urn would traumatize you. Or something like that. You didn't discuss it with them; you only overheard them talk one day when they thought you were in your room.

Contact with Yuta was virtually zero at that time as well. The last you talked was when your father passed you his phone with him on the line. Your aunt had a baby two months before Rika's death, so he spoke to you about that, how babies smelled distinctly just like a baby, and how his newborn sister would wake them up in the late night hours.

As your father and uncle had informed you, Yuta had become a recluse. He refused to leave his room if he didn't have to, and wouldn't make friends at school, let alone talk to others. They thought you could get through to him because you were both friends with Rika. You told them you'd try but weren't sure if you could do much.

And so off you went knocking on his bedroom door, glancing at the end of the hall where you could hear your mother and aunt whispering downstairs.

After some waiting, you decided to call out to him.

"Yuta?" there was silence in turn, "It's me."

More silence.

You frowned, looking down at the foot of the door to see the lightning inside his room. You found none. He must have the lights turned off.

"Yuta...we need to talk... Everyone's worried about you."

You got a response that time.

"I...don't want to talk..."

You felt a bit frustrated.

"You need to get out, Yuta," you told him, easing more command in your voice. "You can't hide in your room forever. You need to get out in the world one day."

Perhaps it was your imagination again, but you thought you could see something seeping out the bottom of the door, like some dark wispy smoke. You ignored it like you always did.

"It's what Rika would have wanted," you added.

There was a pause, and then he responded.

"Rika...you didn't see it...when she..."

You understood him. It was a scary world out there, a cruel, heartless world. You would get hurt, and this was one of those times. Yuta knew Rika for the longest time before you came around, but even then, you knew better than anyone that he would hide behind her. You slowly outgrew your timidness, and while you weren't expecting him to be some charming extrovert, you also knew he had to bite the bullet and make an effort to be less of a cowering animal. Now with Rika gone, he had lost that shield and comfort he had, leaving him out in the open. But still...

"She..."

How would he ever do anything if he was too afraid to attempt?

"What a joke..."

You grasped the doorknob and felt stupid for not checking if it could be opened. It's not like you would have known anyways. It wasn't polite to enter people's rooms without permission. But in this case, Yuta wouldn't stop you.

You twisted the knob and entered, hearing Yuta squeak in protest as you closed the door behind you. It was dark, but not enough for you to be completely blind. You could see his silhouette in the corner of his room, the literal corner—the furthest from the door and eye.

"Yuta."

He flinched at your voice, squeezing his arms tight around himself.

"Yuta."

"Please, go away!" He trembled.

The fear in his voice made you reel back some of your bite, and you felt pity for coming off so rough.

"Yuta, we need to..."

"Go away!" He shouted again.

You fell silent, hearing his quiet crying and mumbling.

"Rika...Rika she's...."

He was in denial, that much was clear, or still in shock.

You felt terrible.

"Yuta...I know...she's..."

That's when it manifested.

Felt it breathing down your face, like it was a predator who had found its prey. You had to crane your neck up to look at it. It was horrendous.

"Rika...she's..."

The fear paralyzed you and left you looking up like an idiot at this abomination from the depths of hell. You felt pure, unadulterated dread. This wasn't part of your imagination. Why would you ever conjure up such a thing?

"Rika...! Don't...! It's [Name]! [Name]...!"

This thing...it was...

It looked at you...or appeared to. It didn't have any signs of bearing actual optics.

It moved its giant maw and hands. You still couldn't move, shivering like one of the strays back home caught in the rain.

It cupped its hands around your tiny head, which could easily be squeezed.

"....[Na]...[me]..."

It caressed your face, much like your mother would do after sitting on your bedside and kissing you goodnight for bed.

It was so gentle, but it lacked warmth or had absence thereof.

"I...love...[Name]......."

It was....

"...Yuta....loves.....[Name].....too......"

...Rika?

You must be having a horrible nightmare. This wasn't Rika. Rika was kind and gentle, beautiful inside and out. Her smile was so bright. It made your heart swell every time you saw it.

How could this thing be Rika? Rika...she was dead. She...

She couldn't be this thing....could she...?

"Rika...didn't die...."

You brought your gaze to Yuta, teary-eyed and bewildered.

He looked just about ready to cry too.

"She didn't die..." he repeated, his voice wavering. "She's still here..."

"I love....Yuta....and [Name]...."

She was still here, but not in the same way as before.