【ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴғᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴛʀᴇᴇ】
Prepare yourselves for some real Hanako x reader moments! ♡
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Hatsume sighed as she stared at Yashiro working on the field with the the rest of the class. She decided accompany the human girl since she didn't wanted to stay in the bathroom, the whole day.
Ever since the incident on the Misaki Stairs a few days ago, Hanako refused to let Hatsume roam around the school her own. Unless Him, Yashiro, Kou or even Haku-joudai are with her, she could. Despite already having Haru-joudai floating around her.
Speaking of Kou, Hatsume got the chance to get to know the young exorcist, a day after the incident. The blonde boy thanked her so much for healing him after his fight with Hanako. After that, She and the exorcist became close friends, She even got confortable enough to not stutter infront of him and added a "-Kun" on to his first name.
"Hatsume-chan, are you alright?" Yashiro approached the quiet girl, holding a patch of weeds on her gloved hand. The Ghost Girl sighed.
"It's just Hanako-kun seems really protective these days, I can't barely do anything without someone watching me all the time." Hatsume explained. Yashiro looked at her, in concern.
"Hanako-kun just wanted to protect you, Back in the Misaki Stairs, I've noticed him looking rather upset, whenever we aren't looking. He really cares about you, you know. He just wanted to see you safe." Yashiro assured her.
"And besides, You two look cute together~" Yashiro giggled as Hatsume's soft skin turns bright red.
"W-what are y-you saying, Nene-chan?"
"I think you two, are the perfect couple.~" Yashiro teased. "How long do even knew him?"
"B-back when we were still a-alive..."
"Aww! How cute! Is it like a childhood love story?
"N-no! Its definitely not a love story! He doesn't like me! He's just too flirty and Clingy!"
All of sudden, Aoi approached the two. "Nene-chan, who were you talking to?"
"Ah Aoi! Just the person I wanted to see! You see, I have a friend...." Yashiro then began to explain, leaving a few things untold that this friend of hers was a school mystery and a ghost.
"I think.... it means that he really like her, Nene-chan!" Aoi exclaimed, blushing slighty about the situation. Obviously, Oblivious that the person they were talking about was right next to them. Hatsume blushed even more.
"I knew it! You think so too?!" Yashiro agreed, glancing once and a while at the ghost girl. "My friend, doesn't believe it herself. No matter how many times I tell her, she's too stubborn."
"If he kissed her out of nowhere, that's the only explanation!" Aoi exclaimed.
Hatsume couldn't believe at this, they wouldn't stop talking about her and Hanako.
'I don't like him that way.... D-do I?'
"What he's like?" Aoi asked the white haired girl. Yashiro thought for a moment, recalling all of Hanako's behavior around Hatsume, whenever she's around.
"Well... He's a bit protective, especially towards my friend. And he's a bit pervy and clingly, especially around her, always saying that she doesn't need any guys other than himself." Aoi nodded.
"He definitely Love her. Why don't she just try date him?" Hatsume couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Hanako loves her? No... Definitely not.
"Nene-chan, I think you need to tell her to be emotionally prepared." Aoi suggested. "He seems pretty interested on her, At this rate, He'll confess to her in the matter of time, soon!"
Hatsume looked at the violet haired girl in shocked. She then turned to Yashiro who was glancing at her, The white haired girl smirked.
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell her, but who knows, I think she's already aware of it."
"Do they go to this school?" Aoi asked. "Try suggesting that the guy should confess under the confession tree!"
"The Confession Tree?" Both girls asked in unison.
"The Confession Tree! They say that the god of romance grew that tree!" Aoi pointed at the said tree, not far from them. "And any couple who confesses their love under it will be bound Together in love!"
'What a cliche-' Hatsume thought but realized something. 'But since when we have a tree like that? Hanako and I should be aware of this, even if it's just a tree. We guard the school after all.'
"Look somebody's there!" The three girls looked at the person under the tree.
A boy with orange hair and specticles was under it. His name is Aoi Akane. Yashiro and Aoi's classmate. He then started talking.
"Ao-chan..." Yashiro and Hatsume looked at the violet haired girl.
"I LOVE YOU! PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!" He screamed. The person he was with only replied smoothly while typing on his phone.
"Yeah, sure, why not? Whatever." It was a boy with blonde hair, Yamabuki Lemon. Akane's bestfriend.
The girls looked at them confused. Akane then punched the boy on the ground. "TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!!!"
"He was just practicing..." Aoi said. The girls sweatdropped. The confession was actually for her.
"Those aside, Have you noticed all the new couple in class?" Aoi asked. The girls then looked around them, there are too many couples around. "Almost all of them are couples who successfully confessed under that tree!"
"That certain someone of that friend of yours might be asking her to meet under that tree before you know it, Nene-chan.~" The two humans squealed forgeting about Hatsume who was listening on their conversation.
'He wouldn't do it, would he?'
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"Hey, Hatsu-chan. After school tomorrow, will you come to the giant tree in the practice garden with me?" Hanako asked her as she was talking with Yashiro, who was mopping the bathroom floor. The two looked at him suprised.
'H-he actually would?!'
"Y-yo-you me-mean t-th-the C-con-confe-fesion T-tree?" Hatsume stuttered, her (e/c) eyes widening as she started blushing madly.
"Oh you actually already knew about it? That saves me the trouble of explaining." Hanako approached the ghost girl and whispered to her ear. "So,I'll see you there..."
Hanako then left the bathroom, not before turning to the white haired human girl and added. ".....And Yashiro? You won't be cleaning tomorrow, go home early after school."
Yashiro squealed after Hanako left. Dropping the mop, she then held her ghost friend by her shoulders. "IT'S HAPPENING! IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING!" She shook the poor girl over and over again.
"I'm so happy for you." She then wiped a tear from her ruby red eyes, dramatically. "My little Hatsume-chan is already growing up. And she's ending up with a pervert out of all people..." She then added.
"Maybe, you love him too, you just never knew it.."
Hatsume stared at the ground, blankly. She couldn't believe it.
After years spending together with Hanako, she didn't expecting that he actually like her.
"N-no...way..."
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"Aoi!" Yashiro screamed towards her friend as she entered the classroom, Hatsume was behind her, only wanting to listen on the lecture the teacher going to do soon. To pass some time before she could meet up with Hanako soon.
"You never guess what happened, Yesterday-"
"N-nene-chan...." Aoi shakily approach her white haired friend and shakily pointed at the small crowd around the two boys, who were practicing yesterday.
"What are you two doing?" Yashiro deadpanned.
"Well, since he helped me practice my confession, yesterday.... I just couldn't get Yamabuki out of my head..." Akane said blushing slightly.
"It was the same for me so...."
"We decided to be a couple!"
"Whaaat?!"
"Akane-kun....He said....He loved....me..." Aoi shook slightly.
The girls looked at her, sweatdropping. "Did you like Akane-kun, Aoi?" Yashiro asked.
"No.. We just grew up together, but we're just friends. And I'll end up with a weird name if I married him, so I can't ever date him... Or I'll be Aoi Aoi..."
"But For him to run into Yamabuki's arms..."
'She's conflicted...'
《After school》
Hatsume sighed. Yashiro already went home. It was time to meet up with Hanako.
'And we didn't even gotten any advice from, Aoi. But Nene-chan told me to be true about my feelings.... but...' She thought.
We've known each other, for a long time... I shouldn't be suprise if any of us fall for each other...'
Hatsume walked towards the tree's direction, as she got closer she could see a figure standing infront, waiting for her patiently. She could feel her non exsisting heart beat rapidly.
It was Hanako...
She became nervous on what was about to happened as she was finally under the tree, His back was turn, which means he didn't saw her coming. She stood there for few minutes until she manage the courage to speak up.
"H-Hanako-kun...." The said boy turned around to face her. She blushed as her (e/c) eyes met with his sunset yellow ones.
Hanako smiled warmly.. "You made it...." She just nodded. Butterflies were flipping inside her stomach.
"W-why did you call me here?" She asked, even if she already knew the answer. Hanako approached her and grabbed both of her shoulders. His face nearing to hers. "I'll just get right to it..." Hatsume face turns redder as possible
"I love you, Hatsume! Please go out with me!"
Hanako said loud and clear. He said it with so much passion and determination. Hatsume's mind went blank she was mentally screaming.
'What should I do?! I never had been confessed to!'
'What should I say?! I don't want to turn him down and hurt his feelings!'
'Should I say no? I don't want to lose the bonds we created for many years!
'Should I say yes? What would happen next?! I don't even know what couples do!'
'Should I ask Nene-chan? But she already went home, early!'
Hatsume mentally panicked. Hanako blinked and look at her confused. He then whispered to her ear. "Hatsume? What are you doing? Hurry and turn me down, Say "I'm sorry."
Hatsume looked at him confused. "W-what!"
"HURRY!" Hanako snapped, making her step back in fear. Tears threating to fall from her eyes.
"I-I'm s-sorry."
"Oh my... We can't have that.. If someone confesses their love to you, its only logical to accept it." A voice echoed around them, it came from the tree. Hanako put Hatsume behind him and raised an arm, protectively. His usual knife, out and ready.
The tree shook violently.
"It is love that leads people to happiness, and you refused it? Preposterous."
A face emerge from the center of the tree's trunk.
"I will assist you, in your search for happiness..."
Hatsume stared at the tree in terror. "W-what's that?! It's scary!"
"How rude! I'll show you scary!" The Confession tree swung a branch at her, but was thrown back when Hanako attacked it, before it could reach Hatsume.
"There you are, Kodama." Hanako said holding Hatsume close to him protectively, already transformed and pointing his knife at the tree.
"Good thing, my other half agreed. Since you're a supernatural who only appears infront of couple." Hanako smirked. Hatsume looked at him in disbelief.
Everything was a lie. Just to lure a supernatural out. Oh how naive she could be, Hanako planned this out in the very beginning. She was glad that it wasn't a real confession.
'But why does it hurt and affect me this much?'
"School mystery, I have done nothing worth of chastisement! I am merely trying to make people happy!" The Kodama shouted. Hanako then attacked it.
"And that.." He used his knife to cut throught. "Is what you called meddling!"
The Kodama wringled in pain and dissolved.
Everything returned to normal. The two mysteries then look at what left of the giant tree.
"It's alot smaller now." Hanako said, looking at the crying sapling.
"How dare you reduce me into this! Do you know how long it took me to save all that power from the students' rumor!?"
"It's okay to help people find love, but you took it too far." Hanako scolded.
"H-Hanako-kun...What's this?" Hatsume asked quietly...
"Oh? You haven't seen a Kodama, before? It apparently, if someone confessed their love underneat it, It would forcibly graft blossoms of love and make them into a couple. You've noticed all of the weird couple cropping up lately, didn't you?" Hanako said. She only nodded and turn around quietly.
"What rumors should we come up with, for Yashiro to spread? We need to come up for the Misaki's stairs, too. Hatsu-chan?" Hanako asked. He only met with silence.
He then looked at the female seventh mystery who's back was turn to face him. He then approached her snickering and started to tease.
"Oh I get it! You're disappointed that it wasn't a real confession? didn't you? My, my, Hatsu-chan. I never expect you to-"
Hanako eyes widened at the sight he saw. One of the things he hates seeing, when it comes to Hatsume.
She was crying, tears fell rapidly from her eyes. This one was too different from how she usually cried before. "H-Hatsume..."
"I HATE YOU, HANAKO!" She suddenly headbutted him. He held his head as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"H-Hatsume-chan?!" Hanako exclaimed holding his head.
"I w-was s-so confused! Y-you even yelled at me! I-I don't like people yelling or p-pressuring at me! Y-you did both, today!" She sobbed. "Y-you know it t-too well, b-but you still did it!"
"I-I'm sorry! The kodama will only appear around couples! That's why I asked you!"
"T-then..Why d-didn't you asked Nene-chan?! S-she's our assistant for a r-reason, you know!" Hanako remained silent, feeling guilty. She got it all wrong.
Hatsume wiped her eyes and tried to run away. But before she could, Hanako grabbed her by the wrist. She struggled from hid grip.
"W-wait!" Hatsume looked at him, tears again fell from her eyes as she stared at the boy infront of her. Her puffy eyes widened at the sight.
Hanako has his hat off, holding it on his free hand into his chest. He was giving her a pained, guilty expression. Nostalgia hit her.
"I'm sorry." He then placed his hat on her head. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
'When Hanako took off his hat... He look exactly like the boy he used to be...
Back when we were still alive...
To the time, when I would always been the one, protecting him...
When the two of us were still free from the burden, we carried now...
....And...'
Hanako then brought Hatsume into a hug. "I didn't asked Yashiro, because.....She's isn't you..." Hatsume cried and hugged him harder. "I would never confess to any other girls other than you."
The two stayed in that possition.
"Let's stay like this, until you stop crying... Okay..... (Y/n).....?" Hatsume nodded. Burying her face on his shoulder. Hanako kissed her temple and patted her hair.
'Maybe, you love him too, you just never knew it..'
'Nene-chan was right, all along and I didn't believed it...
I just didn't want to admit it. So I pushed my feelings away...
I was in denial for so long...
I do love him....
Which is the reason why I stayed, To be with him...
By his side, supporting him through everthing...
I just never knew...
I'm inlove with my other half of the seventh mystery...
I always have...
Since the very beginning...'