MAGENTA EYES ; HANAKO-SAN

          YUGI AMANE WAS NEVER ONE TO DWELL WITH RUMORS, it never really piqued his interest because for him: rumors are nothing but a flimsy, well-known story made by someone with a wild imagination, and Amane definitely wouldn't waste his energy just to humor those rumor-mongers.

Besides, if there was something he'd waste time with, it would be with astronomy. Why summon ghosts that could possibly take away your life when you could go stargaze outside during the night when the moon ruled the midnight skies, stars sprinkled like a painting?

But in this case, he pretty much had no choice anyway, so he'd have to set aside those fantasies for now. His younger twin brother, Yugi Tsukasa, forced him to go and mess with one of the seven mysteries. Afraid that Amane would anger his brother ( and those never end well ), he reluctantly obliged.

"Rumor has it, that there are 7 mysteries inside this school," Tsukasa had told him with a grin, an unreadable glint in his eyes that made Amane wary. "It is said that if you uncover the truth behind these mysteries, something will occur."

"What?" Amane stared at his brother in confusion, blinking. "What are you talking about, Tsukasa?"

The said boy giggled, his fangs visible in daylight, so sharp and Amane knew well enough it could tear through skin—the cuts and bruises on his arm aren't from his clumsy nature, those were just half-baked excuses. "You don't know them, do you, Amane? How about I tell you the most well-known one?" This made Amane perk up, unaware that there were rumors circling around in the school that everybody knew but him. "The seventh mystery. Hanako-san of the toilet."

Amane felt goosebumps rise on his skin at the mention of the name. Whispers began to ring inside his mind, even though Tsukasa and him were alone in the room, making his head throb. He was unsure if Tsukasa was doing this on purpose.

Tsukasa propped his elbow on the desk and tilted his head ( Amane could only assume it was to make him look innocent, though he knew from the bottom of his heart Tsukasa is far from that ). "They said that in the 3rd stall of the 3rd floor boys' bathroom in the old building. You can find Hanako-san. A wish will be granted for anyone who can successfully summon him. But in return, he will take away something that person holds dear."

Amane frowned. He couldn't help but think of what Hanako-san could probably take away from him. Tsukasa, perhaps? His love for astronomy? The moon? There are lots of things Amane holds dear. And then he wondered why Hanako-san's place is a freaking bathroom.

"To summon him," Tsukasa continued, staring right at Amane as if to pierce through his soul with the eyes they both have, "you knock on the door three times. And then say—"

"Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?" Amane's voice cracked at the end of the sentence, his tone wobbling from fear and the insanely fast beating of his heart. He held his hands close to his chest, uncomfortable with the eerie, cold atmosphere the place gave off.

Silence washed over the room for a moment, almost beckoning Amane to go and get away! But with feet planted on the ground, a determination to not anger his brother, he couldn't bring himself to move.

The door creaked open, fingers crawling out with a high-pitched, "I'm here—" but then when the door fully opened, it only revealed an empty toilet stall.

As Amane was about to sigh in relief, however, he felt a cold hand on his shoulder accompanied by a breathy, "behind you."

Amane yelped and whirled, pushing away the person, ( he thought it was Tsukasa because it's not the first time his brother pulled pranks like this ) but he didn't feel a body. Peeking through one eye, Amane realized that it wasn't his brother at all! In fact, it's a girl, giggles getting louder and louder because of his girly reaction, ironically.

Wait, a girl—!?

"Are you alright?" She asked, face close to his as if she has no idea personal space exists. Amane's face flushed in embarrassment, crawling away from the mysterious woman that  appeared out of nowhere.

A translucent body. . .

Will-o-wisps. . .

An old school uniform—

"A-Are you. . ." Amane couldn't even speak without stuttering, too shocked to form a coherent sentence. He gaped at the girl before him, eyes traveling to the white seal on her left cheek which only confirmed his suspicions.

She grinned and floated over to the toilet, hovering above it slightly as she winked, leg on top of the other. "Seventh of the school's seven mysteries, Hanako-san of the toilet. It's a pleasure to meet you." She tipped her hat, lips still curled up.

"Hanako-san!?" Amane parroted in surprise, disbelief painted over his features. "But where's your gakuran? Your short black hair? Are you sure you're Hanako-san? Plus, you're a girl." It couldn't be. Hanako-san is way too different from this girl—for starters, she's a girl ( not to mention in a boys' bathroom ) for Christ's sake. She wore a black sailor-style uniform ( similar to the uniform girls wore today ) but her sleeves were long, and her skirt is separated, dark and pleated.

"I'm pretty sure I know who I am, boy," said Hanako, a bit sarcastic, yet still amused. She skipped over to him, amber eyes gleaming as she studied his features. She hummed, pleased with his flustered face. "'sides, don't you think that doesn't suit me?" She cupped her cheek and pouted, coyly batting her eyelashes at him as Amane's face twisted in disgust.

This ghost is surprisingly trendy and fashionable, Amane thought, completely forgetting the scare she gave him earlier. Amane's eyes flickered to a will-o-wisp that traveled to Hanako's palm as she held it up.

"I am indeed a girl," she said, "aside from my gender—and, er, well my clothes—all stories you've heard of me were true. I will grant the wish of who summons me." She stared at Amane for a moment, before adding, "for a price, of course."

Amane stared at the dusty floor, finding it interesting more than the other-worldly girl before him. How did he even get into this mess anyway? He thought that after trying to summon Hanako-san, nothing big would happen. Amane would tell Tsukasa that the rumors were all fake, there was no such thing as a ghost in a bathroom in the old school building; no such thing as a wish-granting apparition. And they would go back home, minding their own business, and forgetting that the rumors of the school mysteries ever even existed.

Even so, Amane is standing right here.

Hanako snapped her finger to snap Amane out of the trance he's in. "Don't you have a wish? Don't tell me you came in here just for fun." She cocked a brow at him.

Amane's eyes widened as he audibly gulped. "N-No, I have a wish. I have a wish, yeah, definitely." Amane wanted to slap himself for that poor attempt at convincing her, but then it would weird her out even more when he would suddenly slap himself out of nowhere. "So. . ."

"Well then, let me hear it." Hanako smiled encouragingly. "State your name and your wish."

"My name is Yugi Amane, a high school student from Class 1-A and I. . ." The words couldn't reach Amane's tongue; it fell on the floor and Amane couldn't pick it up. What did he wish for? What? For love? For money? Higher grades? For a better life? Pressure began to cloud his mind.

Then suddenly, the moon flashed in his brain, as bright and golden as ever. "I want to go to the. . ." he trailed off, memories of him stargazing hitting his mind like a gunshot, painful and harsh, making his heart ache and his words immediately change. "I want to have another friend."

"Another?" Hanako echoed, pulling a notebook and a pen out of nowhere, its colors were pastel and cute which made Amane crack a small smile. "What do you mean by that, Yugi-san?"

"Yes. The first friend I have is the moon." When Hanako stared at him weirdly, Amane awkwardly coughed and scratched the back of his head. He knew that he must've sounded pathetic, saying that his only companion is a freaking moon, but he didn't want to drag Tsukasa into this.

"I see." Amane felt himself shiver from the calculative stare Hanako gave him, eyes suddenly devoid of amusement and now filled with curiosity. "Okay," she hummed, "I'll grant your wish, then."

Amane beamed. "Really?" Hanako chuckled and pat his head, floating a few inches above the ground so that she can be taller than him. Amane really did need a friend; someone he can be himself with, a shoulder to cry on, and a person he'll never be afraid to reach out to. But, now that he thought about it . . . "How do you even grant wishes, Hanako-san? Do you have magical items?" His eyes sparkled as he fantasized over being able to see otherworldly items—just thinking about it made him internally squeal.

"Yep," Hanako chirped, fumbling with the pockets of her skirt ( her skirt has pockets? ). She drew out a big book, happily handing it over to Amane ( Amane ignoring where that book came from ). "Here you go."

Amane took the book from her and frowned at the title. "How to Impress People 101?" He flipped over to the first few pages. "Show off your talents? Hanako-san, what the heck?" He deadpanned, itching to throw the book at her for thinking it's a joke—then again, it'd be unmanly to hit a girl. "What's this? This isn't magical at all."

Hanako raised her arms in surrender, giggling nervously. "Well, well—" she floated over by the window, sitting down— "This might not be a surprise you, but anytime you elicit services from a ghost like me, you have to pay a price. You've heard from my rumor, haven't you? Should you ever desire for powers beyond human understanding, a larger fee is required. So," she paused and pointed at the book in Amane's hand, "it's safer to use this."

"I . . ." Amane felt a bit torn. He went in here for the risk anyway, so what's the point if she won't even give it to him? "But I want those powers, Hanako-san."

Hanako's face fell for a split second, letting out a soft "oh", before quickly covering it up with a sweet smile. "Well, I'm sorry, boy, but I don't have any magic items on me right now."

"Oh." But how is this going to work? Hanako is a freaking apparition, it would be stupid ( and such a waste ) to not take advantage of that. Amane wildly shook his head. Eh, Hanako-san grants wishes! She probably has granted more extreme ones than mine, he thought as he watched as Hanako reads from the book she pulled out.

"Say, Yugi, do you have any specialties?"

—

Amane found himself seated on the rooftop's surface, a telescope planted in front of them as they gaze at the view of the low sunset—it truly is a sight that never failed to excite Amane, seeing as how only in a matter of a few minutes, stars would become more visible to the naked eye, form constellations, brighten up the sky along with the golden moon that Amane wanted nothing more than to go to.

And through his trusty telescope, he'd see a world that lured him into this wild fantasy: where it's only darkness with the beauty of the littered stars; something that Amane absolutely adores from this wretched world.

"Stargazing," Hanako muttered under her breath with a smile. "I see. This is your specialty, huh?" She relaxed, leaning on the ground as her pretty magenta eyes took in the sight—Amane swore he could see the whole sky in her doe-like eyes.

Amane coughed, surprised by his own thoughts. "I . . . started my passion for astronomy because it helps me detach myself from reality and I find it breathtaking and interesting, don't you think so, too, Hanako-san?" He hopefully asked her, a smile on his face. He didn't realize that he completely ignored the view right in front of him and only stared at the ghost's face until she turned to him and smirked.

"Of course." She averted her attention back to the constellations, her eye peeking through the telescope. "It's beautiful. I should really stargaze more often." She glanced at him, then back at the telescope. "But don't you want to see it, too? You're the one who suggested stargazing, Yugi. It's pretty."

Amane sadly smiled. "The reason why I don't want to see it too much is because it's pretty. I'm scared that I'll be too caught up I'd want to go to the moon. And that would be impossible because I've made up my mind to not go anywhere."

Hanako hummed and stared at him, frowning. "Is that so?" Then, a grin broke across Hanako's face, her eyes fluttered shut as she rested her chin on her palm. "Why not wish for the moon, instead? Why would you want to be stuck here when you can go beyond?"

"Beyond?" Amane opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, searching for the right words to say. "A promise is a promise. Although promises are meant to be broken, mine is already set in stone." Something about the wry grin Amane wore made Hanako frown. The boy laughed to himself, trying to shake away the sudden tense atmosphere. "A friend would be nice. Someone I'd look forward to seeing every day, someone I'd pour all my feelings to, someone I can protect because they'll do the same to me, and someone I'd share everything with."

"That oddly sounds like a lover, Yugi-san," Hanako joked, but Amane shrugged.

"So be it. A friend or a lover doesn't matter to me, I just want something like that," Amane told her, eyes glued on the stars that began to become clearer each passing minute, unable to stare back from the intensity of Hanako's eyes.

"Anybody will do for you, huh?"

"Wha . . . " Somehow, something by the way Hanako said it made Amane shiver—he didn't know why, and he didn't want to assume, but she said it as if she's insinuating that she's an option. "No way!" He forced a laugh. "Hanako-san, don't be ridiculous!"

Hanako's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Okay, okay." Once again, she rummaged in that pocket of hers, bringing out a heart-shaped paper ( Amane could only assume for love letters, which threw him off-guard a bit ), and a pen this time.

"What's this?" Amane sputtered, studying the objects Hanako gave him in confusion. "A postcard?"

Hanako smirked. "Let us begin, shall we?"

"Operation one; socialize! It's the first step before blooming friendships!" Hanako cheered, face scrunched up as she threw peace signs, her whole face beaming so bright that Amane had to squint. "You aren't lonely—you're just not social enough! Now that we have your skills and talents covered, you can go sweep them off their feet! You're a natural, don't worry."

Amane pouted. "But how would you know that? We just met, Hanako-san," he pointed out. Although, being honest, Amane had never felt closer to someone before even though they'd only met for less than two days.

Hanako winked at him, her face closer to his. Amane's breath hitched when their shoulders touched, his heart racing faster than a rocket. "Call it gut instinct, boy, yeah?" she said after a while, then pulled away, leaving Amane a blushing mess. "You're a sweetheart, I know it." Well, there's definitely a lot of things Hanako doesn't know about Amane then.

Amane, now steaming from all the compliments, started a violent cough fit and looked away from Hanako, forgetting about the fact that he doesn't have any excuse for his blush because they're all alone on the rooftop.

"Aw," Hanako cooed, catching Amane's attention, "are you getting flustered, Yugi? Isn't that cute." She laughed when a whine rumbled from the back of Amane's throat, a silent plea for her to stop because he couldn't handle her. Who would, honestly? Amane doesn't interact with girls often, so it's a wonder that he's still even alive because he's been with Hanako for hours. "Tomorrow, we'll start, yeah?" She turned to him, still grinning as if that's all she knows how to do.

Amane found himself frowning. "Yeah." He stared at the postcard on his palm, his bottom lip bitten by his teeth. How will this even work?

"Overthinking?" Hanako sighed and faced him, a small encouraging smile gracing her cherry-stained lips. "This will all work out, don't worry. You did your very best to get to where you are now."

Amane gazed at Hanako, suddenly lost in her waves of fuchsia, the soft moonlight shaping her face. Ironic, really—Amane was in a trance by her angelic beauty, even though this same girl is known to be a ruthless apparition; cursed to the school grounds for a good reason. "Hanako-san . . . " Amane clenched his fist, millions of thoughts swirling in his head, all of them screaming different things—but the one that stood out the most is the one saying that he should trust her. She's a ghost, after all. What's the worse that could happen?