We arrived at Kyoto. Sensei is still angry on us.... As we walked around the city sightseeing various old palaces and shrines... After the sightseeing we took a cab.... We still don't know why we are brought here. And where are we going.... Soon the cab stopped in front of what seemed an old Japanese traditional house....she opened the cab door getting down and gestured us to follow her. Getting down we saw her knocking at a big old design door. The door opened as two young women came out wearing white kimonos.... Revealing the fact that they're onmyoujis... We looked at Sensei confused when she start speaking the them.

Kumiko : Tell your Sensei that Kumiko has come to meet her.

One of them bows and walked in the main house. Few minutes later an elderly woman accompanied her. She was wearing traditional clothes and had grumpy look on her wrinkled face.

Kumiko : Jitsuko! Um.... You look old....

Jitsuko : (clearly not happy with her presence) And you look the same.

Kumiko : As grumpy as ever huh?

Jitsuko : I have nothing to do with a Yokai.

Kumiko : You used to be lot more sweeter.

Jitsuko : I was an idiot at that time. Thinking you are a human.

Kumiko : You used to train under my Master's successor.

Jitsuko : Just leave before I lose control.

Kumiko : Please.... I need a help....

Jitsuko : Why should I help a Yokai like you?

Kumiko : I swear in the name of master... This is first and last time.

Jitsuko : Fine. What is it?

Kumiko : Can you keep these two? She is Akari and that is Rikuo Nura. I want them to get along.

Jitsuko : Nura? From Nura clan? (Her eyes widens) I can't keep two yokais in my house. This is a place for Onmyoujis. Not a joking house. So take them back!

Kumiko : Thank you very much. I will see you two next week. (Waves before leaving)

Jitsuko : I fucking hate her.... You two. Come in. I will explain your job. And no shitting around in my house! Understand??

Me : Yea....

We walked in as she gives us two buckets of water and old clothes.

Jitsuko : I want the house clean. Start from the long wooden corridor.

We glared at each other as soon as she takes her depart. Wetting the cloth in the water bucket we kneeled down and started competing against each other to see who can wipe clean the corridor first. We were nearing the end of the wooden corridor when both of us slipped hitting against the wall. As we got on our feets we heard a child giggling as she comes out from her hiding place.

She had long white hair and small sharp-pointed eyes. She takes a martial art position and glared at us as if ready to fight.

Girl : Who are you strangers? Are you here to harm my grandma?!

Rikuo : Grandma?

Me : You mean old hag Jitsuko?

Girl : Yea. Am her granddaughter Aratani.

Rikuo : Well... We are her guests.

Me : More like servants.

Aratani : Cool! It would be fun playing with you two! (Giggles)

Me : (raising brow) Did you pour oil at that part of the corridor? (Pointing my finger)

Aratani : Yup! (Laughing) It was fun seeing you idiots fall down on your face!

Me : Clean it.

Aratani : What?....

Me : I said, clean it.

Aratani : You will make an orphan like me work? 😢

Me : Orphan?..... (My heart sank... I knew the feeling of losing parent)

Aratani : My parents passed away in a car accident... Since then my grandma hates me more.... She had such high hopes on me that I will become a great Onmyouji after her.... But I don't believe in those myths... 🤷‍♀

Rikuo : What if we say. We are Yokais. And that they really exists?

Aratani : (she becomes scared and almost teary) R-Really?.... (Then her expressions changed as she starts laughing) Nice joke! Now get back to your work!

She continues laughing mockingly as we picked up the clothes she looked at the other direction.

Aratani : Look! There she is! Grandma!

She ran towards her grandmother holding her hand. Trying to attract her attention but the elderly woman didn't even cared to look at her granddaughter's face to my great annoyance. How can she do that to her own granddaughter?

We laid down on the floor tired after wiping the whole house. I closed my eyes and soon start snoring when my abdomen started feeling heavy. Opening my eyes I found Aratani standing while keeping one foot on my stomach and another on Rikuo.

Me : What is it....

Aratani : My ball got stuck on the tree branch... But my grandma don't allow anyone to climb up that tree. I thought of asking you for help. (She looks at us)

Me : (sighs) Get down from us. Then only we can help.

Aratani : Oh. Sorry.

She steps aside as we got up on our feets and start walking towards the Cherry Tree. A ball was stuck on one of the branches as the girl pointed at it.

Aratani : Please. 😣

I tried to use the back of my kanata to remove it but failed. It was higher than expected. Now how can we give it to her without climbing the tree? 🤷‍♀ Rikuo threw his shoe to take it out but instead his shoe gets stuck too.

Aratani : Why don't you get up on Rikuo's shoulders? That would make it easier!

Me : What? No!

Rikuo : Work with her? Never. And why should I be the one giving shoulder?

Aratani : Cause your a guy. (Pouts) Moreover working together makes jobs easier.

Me : That's a bad idea. I can't help you.

Aratani : Fine! Don't help! (She runs out of the house crying)

Late at night....

The spirits of the dead who were killed in particularly violent manners- abused wives, tortured captives, defeated enemies- often do not rest well. One such spirit is Kuchisake-Onna, the ghost of a woman who was mutilated, come back to wreck vengeance on the world. Her name comes from the deep, bloody gash which runs across her face, grinning from ear to ear she appears at night to lone travelers on the road, covering her grizzly mouth with a cloth mask, a fan,  or a handkerchief.

It's over 10 pm and Aratani didn't return home.... Rikuo and I ran down the streets to find her separately to make it quicker. Aratani walks in the dark street still crying about the incident when she bumps into someone. Looking up she found an woman who's face was covered with a mask.

Aratani : Am sorry.

She was about to leave when that woman blocks her way.

Aratani  : Um.... Let me go....

Woman  : Am I pretty?

Aratani  : (she looks at her for a second)  Yea. You are. Now let me go.

She takes off the mask revealing her split face... Aratani's eyes widens in fear....

Kushisake-Onna  : How about now?

Aratani  : Y-Yea... You are...

She takes out her knife and aimed at Aratani's face to split open her face just like her's when two swords entered her body from different directions... I take out my blood stained Katana from her body as the dead Kushisake-Onna lay on the ground. Rikuo stood on the other side in his Yokai form. Somehow we reached here at the same time only to find Aratani's life in danger. Without thinking twice we charged towards the Kushisake-Onna and killed her before any harms are done. This Yokai is not easy to be get ridden of..... I looked at Aratani and handed her the ball.

Aratani  : How?....

Me  : Maybe cause we listened to your advice? (I wink at Rikuo)

Aratani  : (grins)  That's good! Never ever leave each other side!

Rikuo  : Let's get back home. We gotta talk about your old hag's behaviour towards you.

Aratani  : Huh? Why?....

Me  : Cause she is acting like a bullshit towards you. (I hold her hand as we walked towards the house)

At the house....

Jitsuko  : (rising her brow)  What did you say?....

Me  : I asked you to behave nicely with your granddaughter.

Rikuo  : Her parents death has nothing to do with her.

Jitsuko  : You people have gone mad! I knew letting you stay here was a bad idea! You two are going back tomorrow itself!

She walks away angrily. We looked confused and pissed when one of her student watches us concerned.

Me  : What's her problem?! How can she behave like that to Aratani!

Student  : From where you heard that name?

Me  : She told it herself.

Student  : (face turns pale)  Impossible....

Me   : Huh?

Student  : Aratani... I mean sensei's granddaughter passed away five years ago along with her parents in the car accident!

Rikuo  : What?!..

Me  : Then whom we saw?.....

We ran outside and found her standing under the same cherry tree.... She smiled at us while her body starts fading away....

Aratani  : United we stand.... Divided we fall... (Fades away)

Tears rolled down from my eyes... As that day I learned the biggest lesson of my life from a little ghost.....

To be continued.....