Head Hunters

Chapter 24

Makoto's POV
"Shall we get going to Mai's grave then?" Izu asks.
"Y'know, I think you're forgetting someone," Ren laughs.
"Yeah I know. How long should it take her to walk here? Like Jesus Christ, she's taking so long. Hey Makoto, I bet you ¥500 she'll wuss out and just stay home."
"Well I guess you owe Makoto ¥500," Mitsuha smirks appearing out of nowhere.
"Dammit."
"You're the one who made the bet, come on Izu," I reply, holding my hand out. Surprisingly, he drops five ¥100 coins into my hand, looking quite annoyed when Ren begins to mock him.

As a group, we begin heading to the graveyard, Mai leading the way as she's the only one who knows exactly where she is. Just as we walk towards the grave, I notice an old woman standing there silently.

"Who's that Mai? Do you know her?" Goro asks.
"Mhmm. She looks so different."

She doesn't have to say anymore for me to realise that the woman standing there is Mai's mother. I met her once or twice when visiting Etsuko. Like the one time Etsuko has to babysit me when I was around seven, their mother was there and she ended up looking after me more than Etsuko did.

Not wanting to bother her, but still wanting to do this, I walk over to the grave, the others following behind me.

"Mrs Kimaku, it's been a while," I say softly.
"Makoto, you're all grown up. You look just like your mother did at your age. Whatever are you doing here? And what's with all these friends?" She replies, her cracked, dry lips smiling.
"On the news I heard that the man who stabbed me also had something to do with your daughter, Mai. As for my friends, one of them was also physically affected by him, and they all went through a lot of emotional pain as of recent. We wanted to pay our respects to her."

Suddenly, her wrinkled fingers grab my cheeks and she turns me around to face her. She lightly hits me on the head before saying, "I thought your parents taught you better. You should know not to lie."

"W-what?!"

"I know a liar when I see one. Whilst I'm sure parts of that were true, I know not to think the whole thing it the truth.

"Plus, I can tell when my Mai has influenced someone. Just like your mother, you used to be a rather blank person, didn't show much emotion. After she met Etsuko she began to get better but Mai, she's what truly made her the person she is today. So all I can assume is that she's done something to help you. The real question is, do you know where she is right now?"

"Mhmm. Right there," I point over to where Mai is standing and I see tears appear in Mrs Kimaku's eyes.

"Hey Mum. It's been a while hasn't it," Mai smiles, walking over and pulling her mother into a tight embrace.
"You're acting like it's only been a few months. You know as well as I do that I do that it's been much longer than that."
"Yeah, I do... so much has happened, but I bet you'd be glad to know that I've made so many new friends, and the guy who killed me, he'll be punished eventually. They just need to catch him."
"And then you'll finally be able to rest without worrying about him anymore."
"Yeah..."
"I'll leave you kids be for now. You came here for a reason and I don't intend on bothering you."
"I'll visit you again mum."
"Bye Mrs Kimaku."

She walks off and we all gather around the grave. Mai stands directly in front of it. Looking down at the floor then turning back around to look at us.

"They were all buried here. If we searched we could find every last on of his victims and tell them the good news. But we don't have to search, they'll come. And we'll tell them together. Makoto, Mitsuha and I will tell them the good news."

She grabs mine and Mitsuha's hands and pulls us close to her. The others stand behind us, watching eagerly.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, four teenagers appear, each of them wearing old versions of our high school uniform except for one boy, who wears the current uniform.

"You're all Kobayashi's victims, right?" Mitsuha asks, clearly unnerved by their presence. They nod, the boy wearing the same uniform as us stepping forward.
"You're the girl I read about in the newspaper before I died. Looking at you now, I'm glad you lived and I was killed," He speaks softly, his voice barely audible.
"You three must be the ones who were killed before Mai then," Goro says, looking at the others.
"We have good news for you. He's been found out for his crimes, he won't get away with what he did to all of you," I add.
"And he won't get away for what he did to any of you either. Even your friends who weren't physically injured by him, he won't get away for what he did for them. We want to thank you," another ghost, this one a female, speaks.
"Yes, all of you were able to expose him for his sins."

"Only because Mai confronted me about it."
"And only because you all agreed to help me, you were all an important part of this journey," Mai replies.

"Thank you all of you. We wish you luck for the lives you will all lead. Including you Mai Kimaku. Keep an eye on them for us alright."
"I will. I won't let anyone lay a hand on them."
"Same goes for all of you. Look after her."

"As if we're not going to, she's done so much for us we're basically obligated to support her," Haruko laughs.
"I'm almost ashamed to admit this but she brought us closer than I ever thought was possible. We really do owe her," Izu groans.
"So we'll do everything we can to help," Mona beams.

"Goodbye then, Mai Kimaku, Shin High School Student Council, and Mitsuha Daisuke."

And just like that they disappear. Like they were never there in the first place.

"It's over... it's all over," I sigh, the idea of it being oddly surreal.
"We did it, that's all that really matters. We exposed him and no one else had to die. You didn't have to die," Goro grins.

"Just kiss already you love birds," Izu calls.
"This isn't exactly the place for something like that," Hikari sighs.

"I guess it's time to head back to your house Mako Chan," Mai suggests.
"Yeah. Let's go home Mai. I'll see you all tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye guys."

And now, the case has come to a close. Well, for us at least. But that doesn't mean all of the stress is gone.

Us third years have entrance exams and graduation to worry about and Mitsuha's joining high school in only a few months.

Despite our main problem being gone, we still have just as important work to do.

Nova Note:
Yikes
Another chapter already
I'm just speeding up the process of it coming to an end now. Oh well, I wanted to write this part because I had the idea of Mai's mother showing up in my mind a lot recently and basically I didn't want to forget it.

I have plans for the next chapter(s?) and the sequel tho

I'm gonna have so much fun with this last bit you don't understand

Bye y'all