Strange Birds

•|• Lesson Ten •|•

"So... Is it me, or have you two been acting strange these last few days?" A confused and worried ghost inquired. It's been about a week since the incidents of being in No.5's boundary, and destroying the yorishiro. However, Hanako seemed to be rather concerned with how Yashiro and Amane have been well... almost avoiding her- socially and mentally anyways.

"What do you mean Hana-chan?" Amane muttered, a slight grin on his face as he looked over his shoulder as he absentmindedly mopped the flood. "Yeah, we're totally fine." Yashiro said, except it was more clear on her end that she seemed to lack some kind of enthusiasm.

"Are you sure?" Hanako asked again, tilting her head enough that her hat tipped over, now lopsided on the girl's head. "You're both quiet, you're usually way more reactive and talkative..." she huffed a bit, continuing to sit on the windowsill while the two brushed off her concerns. "You always have something to complain about!" Kou was standing idly by, spritzing the mirror and wiping it down as he listened into the conversation the ghost was engaging in.

"Isn't that a good thing though?" Amane inquired, raising an eyebrow at the ghost.

Hanako then leaped off the windowsill, wandering over towards Yashiro and tugging on her sleeve with the biggest puppy dog eyes. "And why won't you look at me?!" She cried out. Amane blinked before moving over to the ghost, putting his warm hands on her cold cheeks- and then squishing her face. "Everything is completely fine Hana-chan, no need to be so concerned." He said innocently, letting Yashiro off the hook a bit. "So you'll look at me?" Hanako asked him, and he nodded in response. "Yashiro's just tired! Right?" He asked, looking at the magenta-eyed girl and she nodded rapidly enough that she made herself dizzy. "Y-Yeah! Just.. not getting enough sleep lately." She sweatdropped.

"You could have told me! You don't have to clean if you're so tired!" Hanako complained, as Amane was still squishing and pinching her cheeks. "Ow- Ow, ow, ow!! Amaneeeeee..." she whined, before Kou stepped in so he could release the poor ghost from his touching behavior.

The following day, Amane and Yashiro sat in class. She had a downcast look to her, almost in such a gloomy state that even Aoi was getting concerned over her health. After class, Yashiro had started confessing her emotions to Amane.

"I just can't seem to look her in the eyes!" She wailed, tears at the corner of her eyes as she swung the garden hoe into the dirt. "Ever since seeing Hanako-chan's past self- I just can't." She sniffed as the boy nodded. In some ways, he could relate- not to just Yashiro's concerns, but something about the way Hanako's emotions tied her down. While they were certainly curious about everything that happened to the girl, she wasn't exactly willing to open up about it either. If anything, maybe she didn't want them to know. He didn't blame her, if so.

"I mean! We're just normal teenagers!!" She exclaimed, swinging the hoe into the ground again and dropping it as her arms limp at her side for a moment. "It would have been okay if I didn't see those memories, and now I just... don't know what I should do, or what would be best..." she finished off, quietly mumbling. Amane sighed a bit. "I don't know either." He muttered. Would both he and Yashiro have been better off not summoning Hanako? Maybe. As he stood there awkwardly thinking to himself, Yashiro began using another gardening tool or so, grabbing at the dirt and plants while the Mokkee bounded over in interest. Hibiki, the group's little mokke friend, was somehow on top of her head...