Sleep evades me. Even the thought of closing my eyes makes my heart race with panic. I leave the light on, staring suspiciously at the walls as if they may give way to another horror at any moment. I don't know how much time passes. I just lie in bed trying to see in all directions simultaneously. Then, unexpectedly, I'm engulfed in darkness.

I find myself in my pajamas lying on a bridge in Yomi. I scramble to my feet and look around. A shadowy shape drifts toward me. It's the shinigami. I don't know how I know but when I see that pale unnaturally beautiful face, I'm not at all surprised.

It stops less than an arm's length away. "I have been thinking."

"About what?" I back up but there is no sign of whatever portal brought me here.

"About what you said. About love."

"Do you agree with me then?"

It steps closer so that we're nearly nose to nose. "Yes. You've convinced me. I believe love exists."A slight smile plays on the edges of those perfect lips and my feelings twist into a confused tangle.

"Does this mean that you will let Kioko-chan live?"

"That depends..." It's smile grows stronger and something like long grains of rice fall from somewhere just behind her face.

"O-o-n what?" I look down and what I thought was rice wriggles on the ground. As I watch, other insects come crawling out of the shadows.

"On whether she gets in my way."

I look up at her with a sudden jerk. "Your way?"

The wriggling white things are pouring out from around its face which starts to slip like a loose mask. "Remember our agreement? You had to make me love you." The maggots spill out of its mouth as it speaks. They fall out of empty black eyes as the mask finally slides off.

I see her true face now, a skull wrapped in papery layers of long-dead desiccated flesh. Terror seizes me, wrapping around me like a python. I can't move. I can't even breath. I struggle, trying to fill my lungs to scream.

"I love you."

It leans close as if to kiss me.

"Embrace me."

* * *

I wake up with my scream still ringing in my ears. I'm tangled up in my sheets and I struggle to break free, flinging myself out of bed and crashing into my desk. I land on the floor gasping and sweating.

It was a dream. It was all a dream right? That...thing, that monster couldn't possibly love anyone, much less me, right? But if so, what did that mean for Kioko-chan? How could I possible convince that horror to love me?

"It was all a dream." I say it out loud, trying to convince myself. I hold my panting breath, trying to slow the rapid drumming of my heart. Perhaps everything had been a dream, the girl on the subway platform, the bus accident, everything. I look to the chair on which my arm is resting as I sit on the floor. I had tossed my uniform across it the night before. The dirt and grass stains and bits of debris on it are proof of my panicked run from the shrine.

I slowly catch my breath and realize it's morning. In fact, if I don't hurry right now, I'll be late for school. I pull my spare school uniform out of the closet wondering how I could have overslept when it felt like I hadn't slept at all. As I gather my incomplete homework and shove it in my book bag, I dread seeing Shizuku-san again.

* * *

For the first time, I don't think about Kioko-chan on the way to school. My thoughts are held captive by that horror. How can I possible go to school-sit in the same classroom-with that monster? I feel sick and I think about turning around and going home and taking a sick day. The image of the nightmare is still fresh in my mind. That worm-infested face smiling back at me telling me it loved me. Even if I could convince it to love me, could I endure it without going crazy? What does this mean for Kioko-chan? How can I possibly save her?

I am so wrapped up in my thoughts I don't see the boys waiting for me until one with short bleach-blond hair shoves me up against the wall. My head bounces off the cement dizzily.

"You can't have both of them Ametsuchi."

"What?" I look around at the hard and angry faces gathered around me.

They're all from my class and Kurosawa-san is front and center, one hand on my shoulder and leaning hard. "It was bad enough that you took Fukui-san for yourself. You can't have Shizuku-san as well."

"Shizu-That's what this is about?"

"What do you think it's about? Don't you think it's unfair that you have two of the prettiest girls in our year?"

"Do you want to date her?"

Kurosawa-san is taken aback by my question. His small eyes slide guiltily sideways to the other boys. "It's not about that...it's just that you shouldn't have both..."

"Because I'd be very happy if you date her."

"You...would?"

I laugh. My laughter has a bit of a brittle edge to it and the others take a step back with puzzled frowns. I find it hard to stop laughing.

I suddenly see a possible solution to my dilemma. There's no way I can make that...thing, love me. But if I can get it to somehow fall in love with someone else, it will have to admit that love exists and leave Kioko-chan alone.

"What's so funny?" Kurosawa-san asks suspiciously.

"I want you to date her. I'll even help. In fact-" I look around at the boys' puzzled expressions. "If any of you can get her to say "I love you" to you, I will pay for your first date."

Every one of their eyebrows shoot up. Kurosawa-san drops the hand that was pushing me against the wall and his mouth falls open at the same time. "...Why?..."

"She has really been bothering me and Kioko-chan. It would make us both happy if she would bother someone else."

Kurosawa-san strokes his chin. "Really? It's like that, then? I had no idea." He looks back up at me with a wry smile. "I misjudged you, Ametsuchi. You're alright." He throws an arm across my shoulders and escorts me back to class. The rest of the boys follow and suddenly we're just a group of guys laughing and talking. I smile and forget my worries for a brief moment, feeling happy for the first time in a while. One of them slides the class room door open and we step in.

Shizuku-san slowly turns and looks at me with those dark expressionless eyes.

A shiver runs through me and I look to Kurosawa-san who throws me a wink and heads back to his desk. I find Kioko-chan over with Himura-san and Shimura-san and flee to her, doing my best to ignore Shizuku-san's presence.

"Ohaiyou." She says, wishing me a good morning. Himura-san and Shimura-san echo her.

"Ohayou gozaimasu."

"How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?"

"Not so well last night," I admit. "But I'm feeling pretty good now."

"Aww, Isn't that sweet?" Himura-san teases.

Kioko-chan blushes and looks away. Much to my surprise, I find myself blushing as well. If there is anyone in the world who is a complete opposite of Shizuku-san, I think to myself, It would be Kioko-chan.

"Well I do think it's sweet," Shimura-san says a little defensively.

"I wasn't saying it wasn't." Himura-san slapped Shimura-san's arm playfully.

"But your tone said otherwise."

"I think you're imagining my tone."

"I know what I heard."

"But I said..."

Kioko-chan turns away from them. "What did you do last night? I tried to text you."

"Ah..." Again, there is no way I can tell her the truth, but I hate the idea of lying to her. I smile guiltily and scratch at the back of my head in embarrassment. "I think I fell asleep when I was supposed to be doing my homework." Kioko-chan smiles with an understanding look. "Uh, hey! Can I look at your math notes? I didn't get to finish."

"Of course."

She pulls out her notebook and I pull Himura-san's chair around while those two continue to talk about boyfriends and the types of guys they like. I begin furiously copying down Kioko-chan's notes. When the first period bell rings, Himura-san kicks me out of her chair with one of her big feet and I go back to my desk trying not to notice Shizuku-san, but I can feel the thing's cold gaze upon me.

At the end of every class, during the five minute change period between teachers, I find an excuse to go back over to Kioko-chan's desk. Kurosawa-san is the first to walk over, sit in my desk and talk to Shizuku-san. Watanabe-san, who sits in front of me, must not have gotten the word. His large square face looks surprised and puzzled. They talk, or rather Kurosawa-san talks, until the second period bell rings. After second period, another boy comes over to talk to her and again after the third. During lunch a whole crowd of boys gather around her desk so that I can't even see her. I happily eat the lunch Kioko-chan brought for us and enjoy Himura-san and Shimura-san conversation with Kioko-chan.

I eat and look around, noticing all the other girls frowning in Shizuku-san's direction. They don't look happy to see all the boys crowded around her and I get a strange sense of foreboding as they begin whispering to each other.