𝕂𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕜𝕖-𝕆𝕟𝕟𝕒: 𝕛𝕙𝕤𝕜

二十一

『ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢɪᴇꜱ: ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 21』

"School mystery. . . I have done nothing worthy of chastisement!" The strange tree called Kodama shouted, defending himself, "I am merely trying to make everyone happy-"

Hanako cut through his words as he quickly approached the tree with his cape, "and that. . . " he swung his knife against the tree's trunk, ". . . is exactly what people call 'meddling!'"

"Hngh!" The tree gasped before he turned into a spiral-shaped cloud, eventually disappearing.

However, in a couple of minutes, he has returned as a small tree, looking exactly like broccoli that was planted into the ground. "It's a lot smaller now. . ." Yashiro pointed out.

"How dare you reduce me to this. . . " The tree looked almost flustered, "do you know how long it took me to save up all that power from the students' rumors?" He cried invisible tears.

You quietly snorted at its pathetic figure. In the corner of your eye, you could see Yashiro frowning and disappointed. She looked a little deflated after that confession scene and you hoped that it wasn't because of you. Hanako straightened his back and looked down at Kodama.

"It's okay to help people find love, but you took it too far." He said as he tilted his hat.

Yashiro looked at him in confusion, "Hanako-kun, what is this. . . ?"

Hanako smiled, "a Kodama. A supernatural tree. Apparently, if someone confessed their love underneath it, it would forcibly graft blossoms of love into both people and make them into a couple." Hanako turned towards her, "you noticed all the weird couples cropping up in the school lately, didn't you?"

"Oh. . ." She looked dejected as you bit onto the tips of your fingers. There was this itching feeling within your heart that made you want to scratch it, something about her expression annoyed you to the core. You couldn't tell whether or not it was because you hated having her feel so bad or the fact that you can't say anything about it now.

"But. . . uh. . . isn't that what you were helping us with?" Hanako asked as Yashiro waved her hands around trying to play it cool.

"Uh yeah! That's right! I did notice all the couples!" She hurriedly responded, her eyes flickering to anywhere other than Hanako and you. Yashiro awkwardly laughed as she felt her heart crumble into a million pieces.

You turned to Hanako with a worried expression, your eyebrows furrowed and mouth shifting into a frown. Perhaps Yashiro really wanted to be confessed to? You couldn't read her mind but as you recalled, neither you or Hanako seemed to match her specific tastes. Not to mention, you both haven't interacted as much ever since the Misaki Stairs incident. It felt as if you were a bit distant from Yashiro but you didn't know how else to talk to her aside from those Seven Mysteries which you called side quests.

You chewed on the skin as your eyes narrowed. No doubt that this feeling within you made you a bit annoyed. As much as you wanted to comfort Yashiro and tell her it would be all okay, you didn't know what she was feeling or thinking about. You knew nothing about her and she knew nothing about you. The only person you've opened up to was Hanako. . . But you can tell that Yashiro was excluded. Unbeknownst to you, Yashiro was staring at you carefully, watching as you bit down on yourself. The radish-colored female felt horrid inside knowing that the confession you and her had wasn't real, but she kept trying to convince herself that it was for the better in order to save the other students from a forced relationship.

However, deep within her heart, she really wished that you two would share your feelings for each other.

'Of course, they wouldn't return any of my feelings. . . ' Yashiro frowned.

Hanako broke the silence, "what should we do for the new rumor? We'll have to come up with one for the Misaki Stairs too." He was writing into some sheet of paper, most likely planning the new rumors for the supernaturals they have beaten.

"Yashiro?" Yashiro started walking towards the gate of the school, ready to leave with her head tilted downwards. "Yaashiro?" He called out, beckoning her to come back.

He started to follow after her, his shoulders grasping onto hers, "Oh! I get it! You're disappointed because it wasn't a real love confession." As Yashiro avoided his gaze, you and him saw the giant water droplets that formed in the corners of her eyes.

She hiccuped and sobbed, trying to avoid both of you as she tried to continue walking. "I hate you!" She headbutted Hanako and wiped her tears with a fist. "I'm so embarrassed. . . I feel so stupid. Why did you both confess to me like this out of the blue? Why couldn't you tell me it was all a joke or a plan?"

Your finger twitched as you saw her tears drip onto the floor. "Yashiro-san. . . "

"It was all confusing!" She slapped Hanako, blaming him for the lack of communication between everyone. She started to walk closer towards the gate, "I'm going home. . . "

"Yashiro! Wait!" You quickly grabbed onto her wrist, turning her around. You huffed as you stared into her eyes with your apologetic (e/c) orbs. Hanako gripped onto her other wrist, the two of you pulling off your hats and focusing on her.

"We didn't mean to make you cry like this." Yashiro's eyes widened at the sight.

Hanako's eyes looked away from her in shame as you held back your tears. 'When they took off their hats. . . For the first time, Hanako looked like a normal boy.'

'And Jiyuu-chan's expression hurts my heart. . . ' Yashiro winced as her lips grimaced, a rotten feeling flowing through her. 'That's when I realize. . . I kept calling them my friends. . . But I know nothing about them. I didn't even try to find out despite my feelings towards Jiyuu-chan.'

'I never asked about the crimes they committed. . . the reason they died. . . nor their real names. . . Maybe that's why they're so close. . .Because they actually talked to each other. . .' Hanako and you pulled Yashiro close to your arms. 'And. . . I don't know anything.'

"Stay here until you stop crying." You both squeezed her body tightly as she felt her face grow warm.

"Okay. . . " Yashiro gripped onto your shoulders as her tears subsided.

'Today, at this moment, for the first time. . . I felt like I wanted to know more about them.'