The Kamijirou Anthology - Kamijirou Week 2022-23

Chapter 8: Ultimatum (Hanahaki)

So, let's go with some angst to finish, shall we? This time, a combination between Hanahaki and serial killers, with the same inspiration of the game I played before. You know how it works, a magical disease where the patient coughs flowers because of an unrequited love, and it can only be cured by telling the other person the real feelings of love. But if the feelings are not accepted or too much time passes, the patient will die.

Enjoy it!

The phonograph music was the first thing the boy heard when he regained consciousness. It was a classic tune from the 1890s, a tune that featured somewhat uncomfortable, somber-sounding music.

"Where? Where am I?"

He began to stand up slowly, trying his best not to fall down. He was locked in a small cell, where the only way to see outside was through a barred window in front of him. The cell had a small spotlight that illuminated his environment, which was a mess.

On the floor, there were flowers with clusters covered in blood. Petunias, orchids, all with a common color. Black as death. He was short of breath, and couldn't find a way to escape.

"Let me out!" Kaminari started pounding on the window, trying to break it. "Let me out you son of a bitch!"

His strength wasn't the best; his arms looked like noodles while his weak body just wanted to fall down in that place. But he didn't have to faint again, even though he had everything against him. He was thinking of using his electricity to open a hole, but he was afraid to think that it would make his illness worse.

It was then that a person appeared in front of him. There on the other side of his cell, a man in a mask and hat greeted the hero in preparation. He wore a cold look, with a gardener's suit and some horticultural tools.

"You took a long time sleeping beauty."

"Who are you?"

The stranger put a television in front of him, and started showing images. Images of people drowned with flowers, images of his modus operandi, images where he showed his history as a former horticulturist and a serial killer fanatic; a villain that Kaminari pursued along with his agency for his last year of UA, and who was now his prisoner. He knew him, but this was the first time he had seen him in person.

With seeing his victims and his history, he quickly knew who he was.

"Heartstone Killer..."

He knew his disease was hell. Coughing up flowers and choking every day was something he wasn't putting up with anymore. He was lying to his friends that he was fine, all so they wouldn't worry about him and focus on the assassin they had to capture. But now the situation was ironic. He was captured by the villain who used the Hanahaki as an indirect lethal weapon, the same villain he was chasing.

Those last few months were difficult for him. He never thought he would have Hanahaki, he never thought that from one day to the next, his feelings of love for Jirou would turn into a nightmare. He always hid with a fake smile that he didn't like her, but it was all a lie. He loved her with all his heart, but he always thought he wasn't enough for her. His jealousy every day killed him when he saw someone else with her; he even tried to make her only be with him. His madness was going too far, and his anxiety wasn't helping either.

Until it got to the point where the disease began to attack. It started with a few petals, and then they started to grow into normal flowers. Later, blood stained these when he coughed them up, making him realize that these pretty flowers were killing him inside. However, he never asked for any help. He never knew how he did it, but during those two months, he managed to make none of his friends or Jirou realize that he was sick. He lied to them that he was just having a bad sleep, but he knew he couldn't go on like this for long.