𝕂𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕜𝕖-𝕆𝕟𝕟𝕒: 𝕛𝕙𝕤𝕜

二十四

『ᴊᴜꜱᴛɪꜰɪᴇᴅ: ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 24』

Kou hurriedly ran down the stairs and reached the bottom, seeing Hanako's arms still wrapped around you, cradling your body as you both seemed to have passed out. The blond exorcist started to violently shake Hanako and you, attempting to wake both of you up.

"Hey! Wake up!" Hanako suddenly jolted and sat up.

"Wow. That was scary! I thought I was gonna die!" You sturred around before your eyes fluttered open, Hanako looking at the floor in horror as he started to spur nonsense about how he's already dead.

"That knocked the wind out of me. . . " You sighed, wiping the invisible sweat off of your forehead, "almost saw my life flash before my eyes!"

The three of you looked at each other and smiled, giggling about how unusual the situation was. "Oh!" You fumbled around the pockets that you had in your jacket and pulled out an earring. It was Kou's earring that he wore before, and guessing by his reaction, he didn't know it was gone either. "Here you go."

"W-Where did you get that?" You tilted your head to the side at his question.

"You had a Mokke on your head the other day, most likely they took it off of your ear during that time." Kou's eyes widened, a warm feeling overcoming his heart.

'So, wait. . . This is the thing that looked so important. . . ?' Kou stared at the earring that was in his palm, lifting it up to his lips before putting it on.

". . . There is such a thing." You and Hanako hummed in response, unsure about what he was trying to say.

Kou gave both of you a big grin while his earring bounced simultaneously, "there is such a thing as a good supernatural!" He opened his hand outstretched to you and Hanako.

"I made up my mind! I'm not going to exorcise you after all!" Your eyes dimmed a little, still iffy on the subject.

". . . Why not? You said yourself that we were evil spirits of murderers." Hanako asked, his amber orbs turning towards you and Kou.

"Well. . . I was just running my mouth. I didn't know better then. I'm sorry. . . And I'm sure you had your reasons for it, right?"

"Reasons. . . " You mumbled, biting the inside of your cheek.

Did you have a real reason for what you did? The pain and sorrow you felt, was it enough to prove that you could commit such a crime? The crying and whimpers you had every single night in your room while your parents discussed the wedding plans, was all of that enough to justify the murder of your husband? If so, then why are you here on this shore? Heaven surely didn't approve of you, so why did Kou believe that you had a reason for what you did? It didn't seem plausible for you to go to heaven anymore if there was even such a thing for ghosts such as you. You clenched your teeth and fists, trembling slightly.

"Say, kid. Exactly what kind of reason. . . would justify killing another person?" Hanako shoved Kou on the floor, the young boy landing with a thud and looking up at him in shock. He shifted around onto his lap, raising his knife. "What if. . . I . . . Killed you right now?"

Kou stared up at him in horror, "let's say. . . I had a special reason for doing it. Would that make it right?" Hanako looked into Kou's blue orbs with a dead expression.

"H-Hanako. . . ?" Kou responded, his mouth stuttering a little as he started to feel afraid.

"That's enough." A sudden clap of thunder charged towards Hanako, the boy dropping his knife and screaming in pain. The lightning crackled and sizzled as Hanako bent over in agony, coughing and shrieking.