~~Chapter 9~~
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A smaller boy stood in front of a giant supernatural, carrying a katana that used to sit on his back.
A group of adults watch in awe as the boy killed the being with a swing of his sword.
"This is amazing! He has a lot of skills for an eight-year-old."
"I'd expect nothing less of the eldest Minamoto boy."
An even smaller boy peeks from behind the bushes. He saw everything that happened. Admiration sparkles in his eyes.
"Teru! You're amazing!" He exclaims, tackling his brother. "Kou?! You followed me again?!" His brother asked, worriedly. "I told you to stay in your room. It's dangerous." The smaller brother ignored him.
"I promise, I'll be as strong as you one day!" Younger Kou exclaimed, smiling. "Maybe even stronger! I'll beat up all the supernaturals!"
His older brother smiled, amused. He pats Kou's head. "I'll be looking forward to it."
That's what I've always wanted, but...
~'~'~'~
"Oh, my! You're asking some very personal questions there, Yashiro. You dirty girl~" Hanako says, squishing Kou's shoulder while smirking.
Yashiro furrows her brows. "It's for a compatibility reading! And it's not DIRTY!" She exclaims, squeezing the other side of Kou's shoulder.
Y/n sat on the other side of Hanako, staring blankly in the distance. Kou sweat dropped. "Quick question.... Why am I being used as a barrier?" Y/n snaps out of it and turns to look at the three.
"Yashiro's being a tad bit aggressive..." "Hanako's being ridiculous and refusing to help!" She shoves the magazine towards Hanako, making Kou move over slightly. "How hard is it to tell me your real name, your blood type, your family structure, and your date of death?"
"What compatibility test factures in the day you die-?"
"Date of death?"
Y/n and Hanako ask at the same time, turning their heads to each other for a second, then looking at Yashiro. "Five death languages?" Kou asks, still being squashed.
"Anyway, why Hanako? What about someone you're into... Like the older Minamoto." Y/n tilts her head, raising a brow in confusion.
"Minamoto who--?" Kou looks at her. "Look, that's old! I never actually liked him. He was just a popular hot guy!" Yashiro exclaims at her best friend. Y/n hums, looking away.
"Like when you see an acter in a movie or something. You say you wanna date them, but you know it's never gonna actually happen." Her eyes sparkle as she stands up, walking to the fence with the other three behind her.
"I mean... Think about it. He's in the student counsel! He's smart... Hot... He's also kind and thoughtful!" Y/n narrows her eyes at the last part, huffing. Yeah right.
"Forget that... Minamoto's perfect." Minamoto, who's behind her, smiles. "Thank you very much."
Y/n frowns at him. Yashiro's eyes widen. "Ehh?! It's fine! Hot guys always talk to me!"
"Hey big bro!" Kou walks towards Teru, stopping in front of him. Teru smacks him lightly with his clipboard. "Where have you been?"
Teru turns to Yashiro, smiling. "You must be Yashiro. Can't believe we've never met." Y/n and Hanako perk up at this. "Didn't you say he picked up your pencil case?" They ask in unison.
"Nice to meet you!" She exclaims. "I'm Teru Minamoto." Y/n softly snorts, holding in her laughter. Hanako looks at her confused. "If only he knew... The gifts..." She whispered, Hanako lets out a soft laugh, then covers his mouth with his hands.
"Thanks for being a good friend to my brother!" Y/n frowns, furrowing her brows at the guy. "I mean... Sure." She responds. He smiles. "Now then..." He trails off, looking at the other two.
He isn't fond of Y/n for some unknown reason, and definitely isn't fond of Hanako. His face drops. "I... Need to go." Hanako lowers his head at him as he looks at Kou, raising his sheaf. "Kou. Come with me. We need to talk."
"Oh. Okay.." He follows his brother inside. Both watched, then turn their heads to the lovestruck Yashiro. "How did I not put it together?! It's the same name!"
"Wow." "No clue."
~~~
"What're you doing, Kou?" Teru asks, leaning on the stairs. "You're supposed to exorcise the seven wonders as soon as you find them. Right?"
Kou looks down. "I tolerated them because they weren't causing fatal harm to students. But lately... I've noticed a change in these pesky apparitions. The seven wonders in particular are the strongest, which also means they're the most dangerous." He explains, crossing his arms.
"I think it'd be smart to cut them off when we can." He finishes. "Yeah, but..." Kou starts. "Hanako hasn't been doing things that normal jerk apparitions usually do. I mean... It still pisses me off that he hangs in the girls restroom, but... He's not hurting anyone. He actually helped me and the other students out a lot.. Maybe he's changed--" "Don't even." Kou raises his head.
"There's no such thing as a good apparition, Kou." "I... Know... But.. He's.." Teru sighs. "I let you lead this because I hoped it'd make you grow as an exorcist, but it seems I was wrong." He turns to walk away.
"Do me a favor and stay away from the seven wonders. I'll take care of it from here on out." "Wait!" Kou places a hand on his older brothers shoulder. "Just give me more time!" Teru looked at his brothers desperate expression.
"Fine. I'll let it slide." He places a hand on Kou's head. "But don't make an idiot out of me. Take care of your response abilities." "I will..."
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I know what I said to Teru, but my heart's not into it like it was before. Plus, I think I'd anger Y/n and Nene if I exorcised Hanako, so, instead....
Kou's head pops out of the bush he was hiding in, looking around while feeling determind.
I'll convince him! Even if I have to cut classes!
~~~~~
In Kou's class....
"Hm. Where's Minamoto?" His teacher asks.
"He said he had labor pains, so he went to the nurse's office!" A classmate answers.
"HE'S GIVING BIRTH?!"
~~~~~
Back to Kou :D....
I'll stick to him like glue the whole time, and get proof that not all supernaturals are evil!
Kou looked behind a wall to see Hanako with a giant bag behind him, looking at the ground. He tried to jump to a wall, poking it with a stick he found. Kou sweatdropped.
He's really suspicious...
"Someone there?" Kou ducked in time as Yashiro's homeroom teacher looked out the window. He left when he saw nothing, making Kou sigh of relief.
"Whatcha doin'?" Hanako suddenly asks, floating upside down while looking at the teen. It startled Kou for a second, but he explained what he was doing.
"Ohh, so you were spying on me?" Hanako asked, smirking. "So you're skipping class for me? Such passion!"
Kou furrowed his eyebrows. "It's not for you! I'm doing this to reveal your evil deeds!" Kou argued, snatching the sack from the ghostly teen. "Hand me that!"
After opening the bag, his face drops. "Stolen items?" He asks, looking weirdly at an interesting Haniwa figure.
"It's not what you think," Hanako starts. "The Mokke stole them. I got Y/n to change the rumor, but I can't seem to get 'em to shake their thieving habits. Every once in a while, I collect everything that seems valuable, and give them back to their rightful owners." Hanako explained. "The Mokke like to hide their trophies all over the place, so I have to look everywhere."
So he isn't doing anything bad... Kou observes in his mind, smiling.
"Hey, kid. Can you do me a favor?" Hanako asked the other male. Kou looked at the ghost, who pointed to a tower next to the high school division. "Over there." Kou squints his eyes.
"What? Something up there?"
"Yeah, looks like it."
"It was hard work getting it up there! But we got too scared to get it back!" The Mokke exclaimed.
___________
"Okay. A little bit to the right." Hanako instructs. The boys were now trying to collect the item on the tower. Kou held Hanako by his feet as he reached for the item the pink rabbits placed under the window. Kou was not satisfied.
"Why you little--you're a ghost! Why are you so heavy?!" Kou exclaimed.
"That's rude..." Hanako mumbled.
"Can't you just float?!"
"I can't float this high. A little lower."
Kou obeyed, almost falling out of the window.
"Sorry about this, kid. It just seems too important." Hanako apologizes. Kou stopped to think.
I can't... See him as a bad supernatural, Teru...
Teru's words echo through his head.
Is that actually true? Maybe Teru just doesn't know. And maybe there aren't much, but maybe there's some good ones.
Suddenly, a large gust of wind blows the item away. Hanako tried to grab it, resulting in Kou loosing his grip on the ghosts' ankles.
Both of their eyes widen as Hanako started to fall.
"HEY! GRAB ON!" Kou yelled, trying to reach for him. But it was too late.
A thud was heard from below, Kou watching in horror. He ran down, railing into the wall.
"HANAKO!!" Kou exclaims, running to the mystery's side, shaking him. "WAKE UP! WAKE U-"
Hanako jolted up. "WOW! THAT WAS SCARY! I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE!" He exclaims.
Both boys stay quiet, processing what happened, and what he just said. He huffed, out of breath.
"But... Aren't you already dead?" Kou points out.
"Oh yeah.."
They become silent again, until bursting into laughter.
"OH MY GOD. You guys good?!" Y/n exclaims, running towards them, out of breath.
Both look at her. "Yeah. We're fine."
She sighs in relief. "Okay. Good."
"Skipping classes too?"
"Yeah. I was on my way to the bathroom until I saw you boys out here, and watched a certain ghost fall from the window. It was terrifying."
Hanako dryly laughs. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." His face lightens up, remembering the item they retrieved. "Oh right! Here you go!" Hanako threw the earring at Kou. He catches it, looking at it confused.
He felt his ear that it normally would be on, feeling it is, in fact, gone. "When'd they get that?!"
He recalled a Mokke sitting on his head earlier. "Ohh... Was it him?!"
Hanako grins. Y/n tilted her head, raising and eyebrow.
So... This was the important thing? Kou asks himself, remembering what the seventh mystery said earlier. "So there is such a thing..." He muttered.
The other teens heard him, looking at him confused. "What do you mean?" Y/n asked.
"There is such a thing as a good supernatural!" Kou exclaims, grinning. "I've made up my mind! I won't exorcise Hanako at all!" He concludes.
"Why not? You said it yourself, I'm a spirit of a murderer."
"Well... I was just running my mouth. I didn't know anything better, I'm sorry." He apologizes. "Plus, I'm sure you had a good reason for it, right?"
Hanako's face darkens. "Reasons, huh?"
Y/n sweatdrops at Hanako's expression. "I don't think it's a good idea to continue this conversation--"
"For now on, I'm gonna help--" Kou, cut her off, getting cut off by Hanako.
"Kid, say... What kind of reason would justify killing another being?" Hanako snapped, pushing Kou on the ground. "What if I... Killed you. Right now. And I had a good reason for it? Would it make it right?" Hanako asks, sitting on the kid while bringing up his knife with a dark aura around him.
Kou stared at him in disbelief. "Hanako...?"
"That's enough."
Lightning struck Hanako, making him fall over, screaming in pain. Y/n and Kou stared at him in horror.
"HANAKO!" The two exclaim together, quickly moving to him.
"Hanako..." Y/n muttered, hands on her mouth.
"It's not like you to skip class. I wondered what might've caused it. Kou." The two teens looked up at the older Minamoto. Y/n had fear in her eyes, scared for her friend, where as Kou just stared at him.
"Well? Wasn't I right?"
I remember standing behind my brother as he faced off supernaturals. I always new he'd win. He looked so cool standing out there.
When he'd turn to me, he always had a caring smile on his face. I thought that smile was the one he wore in battle, too. But... Every time, in every fight... Is this...
Kou stared at his brother in a scared way. Teru's face has a shadow over his eyes, making him look more scary, accompanied by a serious face.
The face you were making? Teru...? He finished.
"He's a dangerous supernatural. I'm gonna exorcise him right here and now." Teru explains, then smiles at the two younger teens. "So if you would get out of the way..?"
"N-No." They both say.
"Oh, honestly..." Teru starts, grabbing his bracelet. "I'm sorry to hear that." He wraps his brother up in the beads, as he turns to Y/n.
He shoots a small amount of lightning at her, making her shriek in pain, dropping to the ground. "I don't wish to hurt you, Y/n. But if you get in the way, I will." He speaks darkly.
He turns back to Kou with a smile. "You're just not mature enough, Kou. No need to bother yourself with all these unnecessary thoughts."
He walks towards Hanako, stopping a few feet away. The school mystery has a hand on the ground, the other messing with his collar.
"Haven't seen you since yesterday, school mystery. Glad to see you're doing well." He speaks, putting his sword close to Hanako's neck.
Hanako furrows his brow. "Haku-Joud---!" He's cut off by the lightning cage surrounding them. He lets out a small, quiet gasp.
"I won't let you summon your Tsueshiro. I wouldn't want this fight to get any more difficult."
A lightning cage..! At this rate, he can't get away. Still... The spirit blade is an anti-evil artifact mainly used for attack. It shouldn't be that good at controlling lightning, so... How..?
Hanako narrows his eyes at Teru, holding his knife in his right hand.
"What a scary face." Teru comments. Then, his face darkens, once again. "No matter how you cover it up... In the end, you can never hide what you truly are. A trouble-some ghost that goes unstable at a drop of the hat, and harms the living at the slightest provocation. Self serving, and violent... You took life from another, and yet you stubbornly cling to the near shore and refuse to accept your own death. To be perfectly honest... It's painful to look at." Teru raises his sword.
Hanako stands up, covering his eyes. Teru appears behind him, and kicks him, making him drop his knife. He grunts hitting the ground, and reaches for his knife. Before he could grab it, Teru stabs his sword through his hand. Hanako stares at it with wide eyes.
Teru places his foot on the ghosts head, activating the lightning causing him to screech in pain.
"HANAKO!!!" Y/n exclaims, trying to move but can't due to being paralyzed.
"Hanako! Teru..!!" Kou exclaims after her.
Kou grits his teeth. I've watched Teru fight my entire life. I know how this goes. He knocks his opponent off balance to give him an opening, hurts them with spiritual energy, then zap! The lightning goes through the spirit blade, and destroys his opponents soul from the inside.
So, it's best to stay out of range. But it looks like Hanako can't get away... I don't care how powerful an evil spirit Hanako is, if he gets zapped enough times, he's gonna be obliterated! If this keeps going, Teru's gonna exorcise him! I have to do something! Kou exclaims in his mind, wiggling around like a worm.
He glances over at Y/n, who's trying to move, but so far she can only move her hands. I have to... He tells himself in his mind. He freezes. He lifts his head up at the scene. Wait.. Do I really? Hanako definitely wasn't being himself back there... And Teru says we should exorcise him right now. Maybe I've been wrong all along. Yeah... I'm nothing, I'm weak. I've never exorcised a supernatural before, and I've always wanted to be like Teru. A hero, fighting for what's right... So this is probably the right----
Hanako's scream of pain cuts off his thoughts. Y/n continuously shakes herself, trying to get up to stop him.
"Just stop fighting it. You've been in the near shore for how many years now? It's about time you accepted your punishment." Teru says, walking to the ghost and putting his sword to his neck.
Hanako chuckles. "Ha... Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha. Punishment?" He repeats.
"What?" Teru asks, furrowing his eyebrows.
"You living people are all the same. You think dying, disappearing... Is the best way to atone. As if the life of a murderer could ever atone anything." He looks up with tears in his eyes. "Destroying me would only be a release! I... I still have things I need to do here!!" He exclaims.
Things he needs to do? Kou asks, looking at them. He's a supernatural, but he helps people. He protects us. Is that his way of atoning? No. He's just saying that. I can't know if that's true. Maybe it would be better... To stop thinking about it. He grips the beads. ...But
I just can't! He finishes, furrowing his brows.
"I see... You have your own issues you're working through." Teru grips his sword. "But..." He stabs the sword through Hanako's chest. Hanako staring at it. "It doesn't matter. None of it. You're a dangerous supernatural. So I'll exorcise you. That's all there is to it. It's over." Teru finishes.
He starts the lightning, but before it could reach the ghost, Kou grabs the sword, cutting his hand badly.
Hanako's eyebrows raise. "K..."
"You---how... When did you break free?" Teru asks.
Kou yells in rage, pushing his brother to the ground. "Kou! Stop this!!" Teru exclaims. He then notices his brothers hand on the katana. "...Kou. You're bleeding."
Kou huffs a few times, then grits his teeth, grabbing his brothers shirt.
"Stop treating me like an idiot!!!" He exclaims. "I know I'm weak, and I'm a lot stupider than you! But it's not true that I don't have to think about anything!! I can figure out that much!!" He snaps.
"I know you're right. I know next to nothing about him, and I think... It was totally wrong to decide whether he was good, or bad before I knew more." Small tears well up in his eyes.
"But exorcising all supernaturals because "Supernaturals are dangerous"... I just... I think there's something wrong with that. It's gonna take some time... I'm gonna get stronger, just like you, Teru." He wipes his eyes. "Then I'll decide what to do. If I have to exorcise him, so be it. So keep your hands off him!!" He finishes, pointing a finger at his older brother.
Teru frowns. "What if he attacks a student tomorrow?"
"I-I-I-I'll keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't! I'll take full responsibility!!" Kou exclaims, shaking one of his arms, his other hand holding up his index finger.
Teru fixes his tie. I suppose it wouldn't hurt... To let him go for now, and keep an eye on the situation. He thought, then gives him a small smile.
"Teru?"
"...Honestly," He starts. "I think we should exorcise him right now. But I don't want you both to hate me. So all right. Don't forget what you said. But I'm only doing this once, Kou." He says, walking away. Y/n can finally move, so she jumps up, running to Hanako, wrapping her arms around him, making him fall. "Whoa--!"
"YOU'RE OKAY!!" She exclaims, sniffling. "I thought you were going to die!! You scared me so bad! I-" She sniffles again, tightening her grip on him. He smiles, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sorry." She gets off him, wiping her eyes. Hanako sits up, and pats Y/n on the head. "It's okay."
His hat gets put on his head. He grabs it, looking at who gave it to him. Kou. "You heard him. As of today, I'm keeping an eye on you." He smiles at the supernatural, who's fixing his hat. Y/n springs up. "Oh shoot!! Gotta go! BYE GUYS!" She exclaims, running from the boys. They both wave at her, then look back at each other.
"You were saying?"
"Yeah. I talked the big talk to Teru, but you should know, I still don't trust you one bit! If I catch you pulling the tiniest shenanigans, I'll exorcise you on the spot! So keep that in mind!"
Hanako puts his arms on his knees, looking at them. When he doesn't respond, Kou kneels down. "Are you still crying?"
Hanako looks at him, then climbs on him, smirking. ""I'm looking forward to it!" Is what I'd like to say, but you've got a long way to go if you're still falling for a trick like this!" He says, holding a bottle. Kou examines it. "Uh---hey! Are those... FAKE TEARS?!" Hanako starts to laugh.
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Words: 3378
When I did Kou yelling the fake tears, I accidently made it fake years. What's that mean?! 😭
7/12/22 yes, I made it after I made the other ones. Shhhh....
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