Ribbons & Rumors

thirteen

Hanako continued to drag me down the hall, as we floated along. After getting sick of my long kimono sleeves getting tugged, I finally opened my mouth again, "Hanako, what gives?"

He turns around to give me a goofy grin. He lets go of my sleeve, "Oopsie! Got carried away!"

"What secrets are you &-"

Hanako intervened again, "Okay! All we need to do is check a few more places! Let's check the old building!"

I angrily huffed, trying to ignore the fact he ignored me...again, "What about all the rest of the rooms in this building?"

We continued walking down as he explained, "Well, I also asked Tsuchigomori if he'd seen any in the library, but none seemed to had appeared there. I think you would've noticed a commotion in your garden if they were there, they're not that sneaky. The broadcasting room is told to be locked...& the roof, well, we can check that last."

"Why last?"

He shrugged, as we finally neared the end of the last hallway to reach the second building, "Well, I thought it'd be a nice end of the day thing to do, ya know?"

I glared at him as he was continuing down endless halls & turns. Something seemed up with Hanako, ever since he went & talked to Tsuchigomori...but, I couldn't pinpoint exactly what. I wanted to brush it off like it was nothing, but it continued to bother me. But, asking him would lead me to a nothing, knowing he'd just blow me off...

Yet again.

So, I held my tongue as we made our way to the old building, where I prayed where we would find the Mokke.

I wanted to find the Mokke as fast as possible. Not because I wasn't enjoying my time with Hanako - which, I was in secret - I just wanted some time to breathe. Sure, this was better than cleaning the bathrooms but...I wanted to go sit down & talk. Like we did the other day in my boundary...something about that day, made me want to have more like it.

Shaking my head out of my thoughts, me & Hanako were in front of the door to the old building. He tugged it open, a large squeak erupting from it. I cringed at the noise;

"When they said this building was old, they really meant it."

Hanako nodded, "Yep! Now, ladies first!"

He bowed a little, extending his hand to the door, letting me know to go in. I muttered things under my breath, instead of making a joke or sarcastic comment...for the first time, in like, ever.

As I walked through the door, Hanako behind me, I noticed something in my vision. There was a clumped crowd of something in the far corner, all the way down the hall. I tried to make out what it was, but I just wound up closing my eyes from squinting them so hard.

I heard a laugh erupt from beside me, as I swiveled to see Hanako, "You know, you need your vision to see...right? Unless, don't tell me, your special ability is to see behind your eyelids?"

I crossed my arms, "Shut up ghost boy. Besides, you wouldn't know. You don't even know what my yorishrio is, nor my weapon. So, ha...."

"& that has to do with...?"

I stood there in dumbfounded silence. I turned away from him, heading towards the pink pile of crap that sat in the back of the hallway. I refused to respond to Hanako, knowing well that I had just started rambling to try & boost my ego.

Nice going Sephy.

I stomped halfway down the hall, Hanako floating behind me with a snicker here & there. As I got closer, my footsteps got softer. I started to see what was in the corner of the hallway - it was a clump of sleeping Mokke. Approaching the group of pink fluffy bunnies softly snoring, I bend down in front of them.

Giving a small smile, I turned to Hanako. He had an excited smile on his face, as he looked over to me, "You found them!"

"Heh...thankfully it wasn't that hard." I sighed, "Should we disrupt their nap?"

He bit his lip for a second, before nodding, "Yes, it's better safe than sorry..."

I got up, having Hanako's confused gaze follow me, "Hanako, what would happen if we were to just leave the Mokke here?"

Hanako tipped his hat up, "Sephy, I don't think I should tell you that just yet...I'm the only one who knows right now, & I think we should keep it that way. Just know, it would be the worst possible thing for the Mokke...they wouldn't be safe without being under my protective eye."

I hummed for a minute, thinking. I didn't want to disobey him, knowing that would end badly...& wanting to save the Mokke. But the curiosity was beating the hell out of me, of what exactly Hanako was trying to save them from.

Was he also trying to save me from whatever he knows?

I bend back down, inspecting all the Mokke cuddled into each other. I needed to find a Mokke that wasn't going to cause an avalanche when they fell, or cause to bad of a ruckus. I looked at one who was close to the bottom. Its long pink ears were down, holding a sucker close to its body. It was breathing lightly: in & out.

Rasing a delicate finger, I go to poke its little tummy. It moves a little, cute little murmur coming from the small apparition. I stifle a giggle, as I poke it again. Hanako watches me from the side quietly...I hope he wasn't getting any ideas from me being so calm & collected...or any pervy thoughts.

This time when I poke it, little black eyes flutter open. I quiet high pitched yawn seems to escape it, as its eyes open wide, looking at us two strange apparitions that now stood in front of it.

It looks between us two, as it holds it sucker closer to it. No noises escape the little guy, just darting eye contact from me to Hanako.

"Hey, little guy..." I speak softly, as its eyes reach over to me, "I'm..."

"AAAAAAAH!" it squeals, causing an avalanche of Mokke's to fall. It wiggles from its spot jumping away.

My eyes widen at the now all awake Mokke falling, & swarming the floor. As they were all shaken awake from their little dreamland, they start to all high pitch squeal, running around me & Hanako.

I stand up, & look at Hanako, who had an amused face looking at me.

I roll my eyes at him as he floats over to me, resting an arm around my shoulders, "Hey, that was pretty cute~"

Pushing him lightly, as he keeps his arm around me, I scoff, "Whatever. Let's just finish the job."

He chuckles, "Okay, okay."

Taking his arm from around me, he starts to gather screaming Mokke back all together...which barely works. I take a minute to myself, trying to wipe off a blush that suddenly arose to my face the minute he floated away.

This boy, what was he doing to me?