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"I heard a rumor today."
You shivered subconsciously, an uneasy feeling crept up your spine and the air around you felt stiff. You couldn't help but look away from the student's notebook, an unfamiliar presence behind you felt too strong to ignore.
Behind you stood a man, he looked strikingly similar to the man in the old photo. His was was dark as he looked at the stairs, unable to read his emotions, You asked him.
"Are you Misaki?"
The man turned towards you and nodded silently. He glided towards Yashiro, who didn't seem to notice the man behind her.
"Yes, I am the real Misaki. A long time ago, I used to teach at the top of those very stairs. The notebook you are reading is from one of my students."
You gasped slightly, just enough to catch your friend's attention.
"I died on these stairs. An accident that I took the consequences of." Misaki continued to explain. You stared at him with curious eyes, taking in the emotion of his words.
Yashiro glanced at you from the corner of her eye,
"Y/N-Chan...? Who are you looking at?" Yashiro asked worriedly, turning to look in the direction you were focused on.
"She won't be able to see me, she doesn't have your ability," Misaki spoke up again, looking blankly at Yashiro.
"My ability... can I use it to help you?" You asked, determination filling your eyes.
He turned to look at you then, he smiled. It wasn't a happy smile nor a sad smile, he was content.
"It's a bit too late to help me, but may I ask for a favor?"
You nodded, prompting him to continue.
"Please, help my student with her grief. That is my last and most imperative request."
The once stiff air became smoother as you watched Misaki fade away. Everything was silent for a moment, only the rustles of the trees nearby could be heard. Yashiro tapped your shoulder lightly, pulling you out of your daze.
"Did something happen, Y/N...? You spaced out for a bit." The bright-eyed girl smiled worriedly, a bit nervous from the way you were acting.
"Sorry, I'm just... a bit dazed." You smiled back at her, reassuring her that you were fine. You felt as if a stone was held over your heart each time you lied to one of your friends, but you didn't want to drag Yashiro into any more stressful situations. A soul connector's problems should be dealt with on their own.
Yashiro nodded and continued to turn the pages, they turned up black for some time, but another note appeared soon after.
"Misaki may never come here again."
"I decided that I'll just have to make a Misaki"
For you and Yashiro, everything became clear. The woman who you had built the body for, was the same girl who was writing in this book. You finally understood her reason behind all of this.
The atmosphere around you became red and the sound of light footsteps echoed behind you.
"What are the two of you doing?"
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The woman's footsteps became closer, that was the only sound that could be heard throughout the entire area. You stood up first, turning towards the woman with a calm expression.
"You're the owner of this notebook, correct?"
The woman held the large scissors in her hand as she grew closer, her pace was slow and her voice did not waver as she spoke,
"That's correct."
Yashiro stood up behind you, holding the book close to her chest.
"You aren't Misaki."
"It's Misaki's body that I want to collect. Using his name saves time, wouldn't you two agree?"
Yashiro furrowed her eyebrows, her face reddened with anger when she turned to the woman.
"So that... you could make Misaki-San, you hurt Aoi and the others!"
Small dolls gathered around your feet, they reached and grabbed at Yashiro's legs. She struggles shortly, realizing that she couldn't move, she stopped. You didn't waver, keeping your gaze directly on the woman, watching her every move.
"Y-You loved Misaki-San, didn't you? What you're doing wouldn't make Misaki-San happy."
"Oh my!" The second Wonder smiled, holding her hand close to her mouth. Despite her attitude, you knew her aura didn't change.
She raised her leg and kicked Yashiro down the stairs, you called out to your friend, pulling yourself slightly out of the grip of the doll's hands. You watched helplessly as the woman passed you, and made her way quickly down the stairs towards your friends.
"I already know that."
"Misaki treasured his students. If he found out I'd done this, he'd be cross with me."
The grip the dolls had on you loosened some more, but it still wasn't enough. It would have been too late if you didn't do something, the large scissors were a moment close to cutting through Yashiro.
"But that's fine... I want Misaki to scold me again."
You thought back to what Misaki had told you, although you couldn't see him anywhere near, you still felt his presence grow on you.
"For that, I'll do anything!" The second wonder pulled the handles of her sharp scissors together, pulling the blades closer to Yashiro's neck.
"Help, Hanako-kun! Y/N-Chan!" Yashiro's face paled, pulling her hands over her face to hide from her deadly fate.
A bright light expanded itself at Yashiro's side, almost as if the light itself had heard her call for help. Then, with the blink of your eye, the second Wonder's scissors fell from her hand. You squinted to see what had caused the older apparition to drop her weapon and your eyes sparkled once you found out the cause.
"Hanako!"
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You stared at him in shock and worry, he didn't look in the best shape compared to when you last saw him. He looked a bit worn out but still managed to send a smile your way.
"Hey," Hanako uttered that simple greeting, but quickly fell to the floor due to exhaustion.
You and Yashiro called out his name, wasting no time to running to his side. You had almost completely forgotten about the task at hand, the worry for your friend washed every other worry away.
"Are you okay?!" Yashiro asked, helping Hanako sit up.
He reached out towards you, grabbing hold of your shoulders. His face was pale, and there was a scratch on his cheek.
"I might die." You couldn't tell if he was joking or serious, you weren't even sure that ghosts could die twice.
"Dear me, how touching. Did our little game earlier hit you that hard?" The green-haired woman smiled innocently which was a large contrast to how she was acting just a few minutes before.
"I'm just kidding. I mean, I'm already dead. Still, I am in a fix." Hanako spoke firmly, wiping his chin with the back of his hand.
"Wh-what should we do?" Yashiro asked worriedly, acting as Hanako's crutch and allowing him to lean on her for support.
Pulling both you and Yashiro into a huddle, he lowers his voice to a whisper and hides his mouth behind his hand.
"Listen, if you destroy her Yorishiro, then I can manage. Did the two of you find anything? There should be something here that's precious to Number Two." As Hanako whispered, your eyes lit up with recognition of what he could be asking about. Turing to Yashiro, she seems to share the same look.
"We just have to break it, right?" Yashiro asked Hanako then turning to you with an uncertain look.
"It has a talisman on it, you just have to peel it off. I'll deal with Number 2," Hanako explained, earning a determined agreement between you and Yashiro.
"Sorry, but I won't give you the time to chat." The other Wonder's voice grabs your attention in addition to the sound of her scissors opening once again.
But within a flash, Hanako and his haku joudai rush to the rescue, wrapping a rope around the Second Wonder's body.
"Number Seven, don't interfere!" The second Wonder called out, her face twisting in anger as she looked at the boy who had been restraining her.
"That's not an option. Now, go!"
Pulling Yashiro to her feet, you instantly run up the stairs. But, the path is blocked again by the iron gripped dolls.
"No, I won't let you! If you break my Yorishiro, I won't be able to make Misaki!" The second wonder screamed, pain and sadness lacing her words.
"I've been working for Misaki for so long!"
You couldn't help but feel the pain in your chest as you heard her plead, the words Misaki had told you before he disappeared made its way into your mind again.
"Please, help my student with her grief. That is my last and most imperative request."
But how can I be sure she'll listen...? How would I tell her? I can't figure this out on my own...
"Umm!" A familiar voice spoke up next to you, her abrupt outburst pulled you out of your inner thoughts.
"Seeing You makes me feel kind of... frustrated, I guess?" Yashiro continued, turning towards the green-haired woman at the bottom of the stairs.
"It's a little like looking at my past self.."
Her past self...? Now that I think about it... Yashiro and the Second wonder do have something similar.
Maybe that's why she looks so conflicted, even when number two is trying to kill her.
"Y/N-Chan, hold on!" Yashiro turns to you with a newfound determination, she takes hold of you and pulls you towards the group of dangerous dolls.
"Take that!"
"Ah-!" You quickly sync her moments, jumping over the dolls with a strong push of the foot.
You both land on the other side, Yashiro slightly stumbles but due to the strong grip you both have on each other, she steadies herself quickly.
She gives you a grateful smile and you both sprint off to where the Yorishiro is being held. Pulling open the doors of the cabinet, You reach for the object inside, matching what Hanako had described, you both assume that the object was her Yorishiro.
"Stop!" The older woman yelled, reaching out towards you helplessly. You give her one last look of sympathy before allowing Yashiro to grab the edge of the seal, ripping it off.
The distressed woman's footsteps could be heard behind you, looking over your shoulder, you are met with the sharp blades of her scissors.
You didn't flinch, neither did Yashiro.
Standing your ground, you watched as her scissors were thrown out of her hand as they collided with another object. Hanako appeared in front of you, he had transformed into his stronger form and held out his weapon with pride.
"Number Two of the Seven Wonders of the School, Misaki Stairs, you have abandoned your duty." Hanako propelled his weapon forward towards the woman, with a spark of light the knife had cut into her body.
"I'll need you to return your number."
You watched as she faded away, then at how the world around you faded away into a bright light. You closed your eyes briefly due to the brightness of the light, but when you had opened them, everything looked completely different.
"That does it. You can move now." A voice you've heard not too long ago spoke up, in the distance. Sitting up, you look towards the source of the voice, surprised to see Misaki and a smaller, more petite figure.
"You've already cut my hair before..."
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