DÉJÀ VU. . .

" I had a dream about you last night

Your eyes were shining so bright."

- dreams : bazzi

- where a ghost named hanako would get snippets of a girl with cream-colored hair and teal ends in his dreams. unbeknownst to him, those aren't small scenarios of his imagination but. . .

Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?

It all started with those words. Those simple, yet life-changing words.

Those words that Hanako never thought he'd think about every night in frustrated desperation.

Ever since he met Yashiro Nene, he's been seeing things. And, no, random visions are not normal for apparitions, especially for an apparition whose purpose and desire is far from that.

During the most random times, his eyes would feel droopy and completely blur, until he is suddenly in a different world. A body that he's somehow familiar with (he can't really tell, because everything was far from vivid) and a girl. A girl with bright magenta eyes that danced with mirth.

"Amane-kun! You're sleeping in class again!" She scolded, raising a finger and waving it around the boy's eyes. "How many times have I told you that you should sleep more early so this wouldn't happen again?"

Amane hummed and scratched his chin, feigning innocence. "Hm. . . like 14 times?  But if you count the time it happened twice a day then 15? Maybe? I don't know, I suck at math."

"Because you keep on sleeping during classes!"

"It's not my fault math is boring! I like P.E. and Science better."

The girl rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "Oh, what am I going to do with you. . ."

Amane shrugged. "Maybe help me sleep in class?"

"If you'd sleep in class again I won't give you any donuts. So don't keep this up!"

Amane froze a bit, yet he still kept his cool facade. "I don't care," he mumbled.

Lies.

"Homemade donuts."

Amane finally hesitated. "Fine."

She grinned and giggled. Amane absentmindedly smiled back at hearing the mellifluous sound.

She's so pretty.

Too bad Hanako can barely even tell if it's someone he knows. Damn him and his clear as mud visions

"Hanako-kun?" His assistant called out, snapping her fingers frantically. "Hanako-kun?" She repeated, yet louder and booming.

Hanako flinched and stared at the girl with wide eyes. "Yashiro. . ?"

The said girl huffed and crossed her arms. "Hanako-kun, as your assistant and friend, I just want to say I am deeply concerned about you. You've been spacing out a lot lately and that is not a good sign."

Hanako sighed, his shoulders slumped. "It's nothing. Let's just go back to cleaning, okay?" Hanako reached out for the mop, but Yashiro swiftly grabbed it and placed it far from Hanako's reach. "Yashiro, what-"

"I know something is bothering you. So, tell me, how can I help?" Yashiro asked, almost considered a shout.

Hanako pursued his lips. "You can help me by cleaning the toilets."

"I just finished cleaning." Yashiro glared at Hanako half-heartedly and just groaned in despair. "Oh, what am I going to do with you?" She glanced back at Hanako. Hanako swears he's never seen someone so done before. "You promised me you'd help me finish the cleaning quickly, yet I was the one who did all the work!

I won't give you any donuts if you keep this up!"

Hanako froze for a moment, frowning when Yashiro said those words. "Yashiro, can you repeat that?"

Yashiro stopped her ramble about her trying to be a good friend yet Hanako has too much walls around him, but then she noticed Hanako's serious expression and shut her mouth. "I'm just trying to be a good friend for you?"

Hanako shook his head. "No, no, before that."

"Ah, okay. I won't give you any donuts if you keep this up!"

Hanako stared at Yashiro with eyes that are hard to read. It was like he's. . .challenging her? "Not really an appealing offer."

Yashiro gulped and looked away. "Homemade donuts." Her brows furrowed at Hanako being all weird, but she decided to just shake it off. "You better believe it! I'll tell Kou that he shouldn't make you any more-"

Hanako's face morphed into something that Yashiro could only describe as pained.

"Hanako-kun? Are you really okay?" Yashiro asked, genuinely worried about him.

"No, I'm fine."

Must be my imagination.

- - -

"Amane-kun, are you okay? You haven't been talking a lot lately. . ." The girl with pretty amber eyes said, wide eyes staring up at him. Kind of like a puppy.

Amane quickly looked away. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

He thought she was going to bark back a response, something related with donuts which will spark a playful banter. But she just sighed sadly, and sniffled.

"Your bruises were showing a lot today and everyone, including Tsuchigomori-sensei, were talking about it. You'll probably get some advice from sensei, so don't escape when he asks you to stay back, okay?" She said. Her tone was. . .pitiful. Like she gave up.

Amane nodded, deciding he won't trust his words, especially in this fragile situation.

"I'm your friend, Amane-kun. So you can talk to me about it. I'll do anything if it means you'll be back to yourself again. . ."

Amane drank the sight of the bright amber eyes one last time.

Hanako blinked rapidly, making the blur go away. He had just experienced another glimpse, and this time, he understood.

It was about his past life.

Back when he was alive.

I mean, his name was said a lot of times, and if that alone wasn't enough proof then only God knows what is.

He heard the door open. It was Yashiro. She looked worried, her bottom lip stuck out.

Worried about him? Most likely.

Hanako admits he has been acting strange ever since he caught those glimpses of his past. He's been wondering why would he vision it at the most random times, and everytime, it would coincidentally be Yashiro saying the exact-

"Hanako-kun, are you okay? You haven't been talking a lot lately," Yashiro told him, trudging towards Hanako with caution that didn't miss Hanako's keen eye.

Hanako gave her a smile. "I'm fine! I'm just thinking about something. Why?" He suddenly leaned in close to her. "Are you worried about me?" He cooed dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. If he had long eyelashes he sure as heck would bat it.

Yashiro ignored his theatre-worthy words and held both of his hands. "I'm your friend, Hanako-kun. So you can talk to me about it. I'll do anything if it means you'll be back to yourself again. . ."

Hanako gasped.

Oh.

He gets it.

It's no doubt that those are the same pretty amber eyes.

"Yashiro, do you believe in past lives?" Hanako asked bluntly, which took Yashiro by surprise.

Is this a way to avoid the subject? Yashiro thought, narrowing her eyes on Hanako as if he's suspicious.

"I think reincarnations are real. Like, our souls are being recycled and all those stuff," Yashiro said. "I believe in past lives, but I also believe that it's highly possible we don't remember our past lives."

Yashiro took note of Hanako's crestfallen face.

"But," Yashiro began, causing Hanako to perk up. "With all these school mysteries, I think there are cases which are exceptional." She laughed, a breathless sort of laugh. "I wish I could remember my past life. I bet I was pretty."

Yeah, you are, Hanako thought.

"I want to. . .tell you something about my, uh, past life," Hanako blurted out.

Yashiro brightened. "Oh! Okay!"

"I had this friend. She's a girl. We're both really short. She's pretty, but no one really liked her that way, and she was sad all the time because of it." Hanako laughed a bit. "We'd always hang out, be silly, do stupid things. I was really happy with her."

Yashiro smiled. "That's so cool!"

Hanako's smile disappeared as his eyes went dark. "The next day, we heard a news that she died because of a car accident and my whole life went upside down that moment."

Yashiro's grin turned upside down in an instant. "What. . ?"

"I was really sad," Hanako said, his tone blank, yet his voice wavered. As if he was trying to bottle in those emotions. "Her life was so short. She was too young. I regret the fact that I kept her by my side the entire time. That was selfish of me. She could've travelled the whole world, made the best of every moment, and instead, she was stuck with me, threatening to take away my donuts."

Yashiro comfortingly placed a hand on Hanako's shoulder. "I bet she was really happy to spend her life with you. You shouldn't regret anything, Hanako-kun."

"Her last words for me was something about talking to her because she's my friend. She said she'd do anything to make me happy." Hanako sniffled.

Seeing Hanako so sad just made Yashiro's heart clench painfully. She assumed this was what Hanako was thinking about when he'd space out. She hugged him.

"You know, she looks like you," Hanako said.

Yashiro pulled away and tilted her head at this. "Huh?"

"Same eyes, same hair, same personality. . ."

And also the same person but we don't talk about that.

Yashiro placed a finger on her chin, while her eyes casted downwards. "Now that you mention it, I've been seeing visions of someone who looks like you. He wears a different uniform but he has the same eyes."

Hanako almost choked in air.

"He's kind of handsome, actually."

Hanako choked in air.

When Yashiro realized what she said, she was flustered. "Wait, no! Not that I'm saying you're handsome! I'm- I'm-"

She gave up.

Hanako smirked smugly despite the blush on his cheeks. "My, what a bold Daikon, telling me with no shame that I'm-"

Yashiro gave him an uppercut.

"Ow! Okay, okay!" Hanako cried out.

Hanako chuckled at Yashiro's attempt at being angry. Glaring isn't really suitable for Yashiro because she always ends up looking like an angry puppy whose toy got taken away or something.

"I guess you've really kept your promise on being a good friend, huh?" Hanako smiled. "Hey, Yashiro-"

The bell rung.

Yashiro gaped and immediately straightened, her eyes alarmed. "I'm sorry, Hanako-kun, I really need to go now!"

Hanako couldn't finish his sentence nor say anything at all because Yashiro already ran away.

Hanako's shoulder slumped in defeat, lips formed into a pout. He stood like a defeated man.

Maybe today's not the right day.

For now, he's content with knowing that no matter what happens, no matter what obstacle they face, their souls are bound together.

Nothing can break them apart, because they will always find their way back to each other.

And that's more than enough for Hanako.

- - -

HI GUYS I HAD TIME TO UPDATE SO HERE !

I was actually very excited to post this because I liked the idea 💕

Thank you for reading!