SWEET CANDY ; THE FARIES

         ABOUT A WEEK HAD PASSED, and now Amane served as a janitor for Hanako-san's bathroom ( Hanako preferred to call him as her maid but Amane refused as soon as she suggested it, to Hanako's dismay ). He became in charge of toilet duty. The whole week, after becoming Hanako-san's secretary, right after classes are over, until the moment he left the school grounds, he's been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning! It frustrated him to no end, to think that being friends with an apparition would give him advantages, and he's left with mopping the floor.

When will this nightmare end? Amane wistfully thought, shaking his head. So many things to do here, I can just rest at home . . . and relax—maybe watch TV, or read about that astronomy book Tsuchigomori-sensei gave me—

"Yugi." The stern, unamused voice of Hanako snapped him out of his fantasy daze; the one where he wasn't involved with any mops, bleach, toilets, and ghosts. Hanako looked at Amane, unimpressed with his sudden pause. "What are you thinking about, huh? I've been talking here for hours, only to realize you weren't listening at all! Tell me, tell me!" She demanded, poking his cheek as Amane huffed and turned away. "What are you thinking about?"

"Not about you," Amane answered.

Hanako gasped and placed a hand on her chest, jaw on the floor. "How rude!" She angrily exclaimed with a cross of arms. "I thought we're friends now, Yugi-kun?" Her face softened into a pout, lips trembling, eyes watery, and hands clasped together as if she was pleading.

Geez, she surely knows how to shoot right at the heart, Amane thought to himself as he stared at Hanako's puppy eyes.

It wasn't that Amane didn't consider Hanako as a friend . . . it was more like he found it hard to believe that being her assistant ( her as in an apparition, a ghost, an immortal, a higher being—what more can he say? Hanako's the seventh of the mysteries, strongest and most well-known—Amane rightfully expected crazy adventures; swords, knives, more action, more drama! And most importantly, supernatural powers! )—and he's left with cleaning the toilets. Right, I can't complain. She's Hanako-san of the toilets, after all, he bitterly said to himself.

"Hanako-san, I have a life outside here, too, you know?" Amane told her, eyes sparkling as he continued convincing the nonchalant girl, who blankly stared at him, arms still intertwined and crossed. "I mean—you can't just expect me to clean the toilets all day every day and entertain you!"

"Yes, I do expect that," Hanako crossly replied. Sweat rolled down Amane's skin as he slumped. "C'mon!" Hanako whined, dragging the last syllable to irk Amane further. "You're my assistant! And I'm your boss. I did you a favor: saved you from permanently turning into a fish, and be your soulmate! The least you can do for me is keep me company!"

Amane sighed.

Hanako smirked a bit, but she quickly hid it away before Amane could catch it. She approached him, slowly and carefully, like a predator on its way to its prey ( Amane is too distracted mourning to notice her gleaming cat-like eyes ). "Hey, why not just—" she wrapped her arms from behind him, cuddling his back as her cheek rested on his neck— "pick me? Rather than doing all those nonsense, I swear I can do you muuuuch better."

Amane gasped and stared at the girl, bemused with their position, feeling his heart painfully throb inside his chest as he violently coughed the awkward atmosphere away. "I . . ." Amane gulped. "Between cleaning the toilet with Hanako-san and having fun—I think the answer is obvious."

Hanako's aura turned gloomy, all of a sudden, displeased with Amane's blunt answer. ( Well, it was sort of stupid to think Amane would choose her over his priorities—Amane is a teenage boy, after all, he has his buckets lists ). "I see." She turned away from, carrying the fish tank along with her. "It looks like our Yugi likes being a fish, huh? Let's go, Hakujodai, let's buy her some fish food."

"Yay! I love cleaning the toilets, yeah! Definitely!"

—

The warm weather made Amane feel a bit sleepy, his eyes drooping, tempted to just close and doze off from the boring lesson in front of him. It's so easy. He can just cover his face with the book and fall asleep in class! No one would know! Except . . . maybe my classmates. He mentally groaned, resisting the urge to bang his head on his desk to wake himself up. Besides, you did this before and Tsuchigomori-sensei was unhappy.

A cunning image of Hanako's Cheshire Cat grin flashed in his mind, almost as if taunting him, lingering in his thoughts and he can't push it away. Along with thinking of Hanako, he thought of his trusty mop ( the mop whose handle is probably always warm with how often he used it ).

I don't want to clean the toilets again today,  Amane thought to himself, eyes glued on his book, but he couldn't even read the words in his mind ( the characters slowly twist and turn, forming into shapes that don't even make sense—because this whole lesson doesn't make sense ). Amane's starting to think the fumes of the cleaning materials were getting to his brain.

As Amane yawned, a familiar Hitodama floated closer next to him, reminding him of its presence. Hanako-san says all this stuff about her treating him better and yet she puts me under surveillance.

"Hakujodai, right?" Amane whispered. The Hitodama shifted. What a weird name. "Then again, what's not weird about Hanako?" He quietly mumbled, where no one can hear him.

Such a shame that I have to spend after-school hours on a stinky toilet—no, even during classes, Hanako would visit me from time to time. Amane heaved a sigh, vividly remembering the day they met as if it was just yesterday. He saw the image of him as a fish ( scared, oblivious, ugly, helpless ). Then again, it's my fault. It can't be helped. Even if I have to sacrifice my free time.

"Yugi-san!" The teacher called out, pointing at the board. No one is confused as to which Yugi twin it was because Amane begged the teachers closest to him to do everything in their power to not make Tsukasa his classmate. "Please read the first paragraph on page 15."

"A-Ah, yes, sensei!" Amane stood up, the legs of his chair rattling as it got pushed backward. Patting his table, expecting to feel a hard-cover book, he only felt the smooth surface of his empty desk. Confused, Amane glanced down, then quietly cursed when he noticed nothing ( no book, no pencil case—not even his freaking moon themed eraser! ) was on his table. "W-What the . . . "

—

"Seriously, Amane?" Tsukasa laughed. "You're so clumsy. Your book was right in front of you and you still lost it? Geez, Amane, you can never do anything on your own, huh?" Tsukasa said, innocently grinning as if he didn't just insult his twin brother.

Amane looked away from him, embarrassed. He couldn't defend himself because even he didn't know what happened, he can't just assume that his stuff disappeared in thin air because that's absurd ( which also sounds like a lame excuse ).

"I already told you, Tsukasa," he said with a sigh, "I don't know what happened, but I'm pretty sure I know where I put my stuff. Not to mention I was just using it a second before it left." He then mumbled, "and I know I can take care of myself."

Tsukasa stared at him, eyes blank and narrowed, which made Amane gulp from the intensity. Tsukasa can be scary even without trying. Amane might be the older of the two, but it's Tsukasa who has the confidence and power over him. ( No matter how childish Tsukasa is, his sins do not belong to a minor ).

"Could it be . . . that it's the work of the Fairy?" He said, leaning his cheek on the palm of his hand.

Amane tilted his head to the side. "The what now? Fairy? Where did you hear that from?" He asked. Never had he heard that name mentioned in the school before. Is it one of Tsukasa's pranks again? Amane swore to himself he would never fall for the devil's tricks, but Tsukasa is making it seem legit ( that's what happened last time, too ). "Tsukasa, now is not the time for jokes. I don't know where my stuff is—"

"I heard—" Tsukasa interrupted him, placing a finger on Amane's lips— "I heard that if you lose things when you need it most, it's most likely the work of The Fairy." Just who is this Fairy? Amane wondered, angry at this being that humiliated him in front of the whole class. "But you know, Amane, I also heard that you should never look directly at the Fairy. If you ever catch sight of their form, your life gets taken away instead."

Well, surely, that took a turn, didn't it?

"So, don't go do something stupid. Okay, Amane?" Tsukasa told him with a sweet grin, his fangs showing. "Don't walk into something that can kill you. I know you. It's not the first time you did that." He lifted both of his arms and placed his hands on Amane's shoulders.

It was pretty puzzling to think that he and Tsukasa are twins because they are nothing alike ( aside from looks, of course )—Tsukasa is a devil dressed like an angel, a halo he put on himself idly resting on top of his mop of hair, pair of wings he stitched himself to add even more to his innocent facade; Amane is here looking like a jerk, with bruises all over, a bandage on his left cheek, and tired eyes that carried eyebags underneath, even though Amane can't even hurt a fly.

"I won't," Amane muttered, sighing.

His toes curled inside of his tattered school shoes, lips trembling, eyes watering in frustration. Sure, he was mad that he lost his book and school materials ( his favorite eraser, too! ), but it's even more frustrating that Tsukasa is now degrading him for something he didn't even do!

"Hey! It's terrible!" Voices began to rise, whispers floating around the hallway right outside of their classroom.

Amane followed the sound of chatters by the students, led to see their lockers with missing doors, stuff revealed for the world to see. ( Amane could've sworn that he saw a sock lazily stuffed inside there as if it was just thrown there. Just thinking about how stinky it must be—just the meter thought!—made him feel bile climb to his throat ).

"Who would do such a thing!?"

"I don't either, man! By the time I came here, it's already like this!"

No . . . Amane thought, a human can't do all of this; first steal everyone's belongings even though it's right in front of them, manage to loot almost every student's stuff, and now steal door lockers!?

Amane shook his head. No, that's not possible. It's just a rumor, right? Nodding to himself, Amane ran away from the scene, not in the right mind to deal with the commotion. He snuck away, not at all noticed by Tsukasa ( a bonus! ), and continued down to the hallways until he was in the dim part of the school.

The hitodama poked Amane's cheek as if trying to push him away from the hallway. "H-Hey! What's the big deal?" When he turned his head away to avoid the hitodama hovering his face, he caught a glimpse of a familiar book. "Wait a minute . . . is that?"

Amane knelt and snatched the book from the floor, relief flooding his senses. He lifted his head and realized that his moon-themed eraser was right in front of it. His eyes brightened. "My eraser!" The trail of stolen things continued and Amane fell for it; hook, line, and sinker. He picked everything up, ignoring that it was directed to a door.

Amane frowned when he heard rustling inside. Is someone inside there? He opened the door, the creak making him wince. He saw a figure, dark and gloomy, hands clawing on a pile of candy. The figure turned to him, an eye staring directly at Amane, piercing and suffocating—the stare alone made Amane freeze, unable to move and run away from the creature.

Amane yelped when hands latched themselves on his leg—

" YOU. SAW. US. "

—nails grazing the fabric of his pants, the simple feel of it sending goosebumps. The figure shifted and arose, growing bigger than it already is, sprinkled with eyes of different shapes, arms all around its body, and as tall as the ceiling.

"Get 'em, Hakujodai!"

In the blink of an eye, the hitodama—that Amane even forgot that was there—darted past Amane and crashed on the creature, making it crumble into pieces that Amane couldn't quite see because he heard the voice of a person that he needed to see.

"You seem to get caught up with apparitions and mysteries a lot, don't you, Yugi?" She walked closer to him, lips curled to a soft smile; kind and sweet, comforting Amane and his beating heart. "That's not good, is it? You need to be more careful. After all, you humans die rather easily—" she knelt to his height, leaning on her toes— "okay?"

Amane wanted to cry in joy. And honestly, it felt like it when his heart warmed so much he thought it'd burst in his chest, and when his eyes started to water. ( From relief? From fright? Amane didn't know either ). "Hanako-san . . . you saved me again . . . "

"But, of course! You are my dear assistant!" She pats his head and giggled. By the time she drew her hand up, something hard ( and yet it wasn't painful at all ) fell on Amane's head and landed beside him.

The bunny-like creatures stood, aligned in a row in front of the two, varying in colors and skin. "These guys are the Mokke," Hanako told him, a Mokke on her palm melting under her touch as she rubbed its head. "They're known as the Fairy." Amane's mouth went agape in realization. These bunnies are the Fairy? "They've been living around humans for a long time are known for stealing and pulling pranks on them." A Mokke hopped on Amane's palm, carrying a piece of candy with its ears. "The Mokke are a weak and cowardly supernatural. When they feel threatened, they combine into that thing that attacked you, which is why they look different from before."

"We did not mean to kill," one of them mumbled. "But our story was changed. There was no other way."

"Story?" Amane echoed. "A story?"

Hanako perked up from behind Amane. "They're talking about the rumors. Most supernaturals can't defy rumors. If they were to act differently from the rumors, they'll soon simply cease to exist."

Amane found himself staring at the Mokke, his heart softening at the sight of the creatures all hanging around by the bag of candy he must've caught a glimpse of earlier when they transformed into a monster that Amane could've sworn was going to kill him— no, Amane! Don't think about that now. These Mokke are an endangered species!

"Can I— can I help them in any way?" Amane stammered.

Hanako beamed, taking Amane's hand in hers and placing it near her chest, pleased with Amane's offer. "Change the rumors!" She told him. Amane cocked an eyebrow. "I am one of this school's seven mysteries! I watch over all the supernaturals and I must maintain the relationship between us and humans! I can't just leave supernaturals who are out to kill alone. I need to get rid of them for the sake of everyone!"

Amane never knew that this ghost—this playful who owned a mischievous smile, glinting cat-like eyes, a mind of a seven-year-old, and always treats everything like it's one big game—is the same ghost who's been tasked with such a thing. If it were Amane, he would've felt the whole world carried on his back. Amane respected Hanako-san now.

"But you, Yugi-kun, a human, would be able to change the rumors and save these little guys! So simple, but it means everything to them!" Hanako faltered, her face falling. ( Amane didn't know why the sight made him upset, too ). "But, then again, even if it's a request . . . Yugi almost got killed. You know you don't have to if you don't want—"

"I—" Amane couldn't find the words to say. It pressured him a bit, to know that the lives of these creatures are right at his palm. But even through hesitation, Amane knew what he needed to do. They didn't need to tell him twice.

"Please!"

"We're sorry about before!"

"We have lived here happily for hundreds of years, and we still wish to stay here a hundred more!"

Hanako loudly exhaled. "C'mon guys, we know that we shouldn't force him. We can just—"

"I'll do it! I'll— I'll change the rumors for them!" Amane exclaimed as the Mokkes happily bounced around him. "I know that this is important for them so I'll do everything I can to make them happy! It's the least I can do because I think they've gone through so much already."

"Are you sure?" Hanako asked him.

"Well, it was scary before . . . but you saved me, Hanako-san. And with the mermaid incident, too! Thank you so much, Hanako-san!" Amane beamed. "I don't really like it when I clean the toilets, but I like hanging out with you. I really am grateful for everything you've done for me so far."

And it was no lie, either. The past few days, Amane was actually happier than he was before. Hanako colored in his dull life; he no longer had to live with the same old, same old, a boring routine and caught up in everyday fears—no, Hanako changed all of that, and to think they just met a few days ago! Amane didn't want to admit it, but it was nice to look forward to something to go to, someone to see once classes are over.

Hanako's eyes bore into him, an indecipherable look on her face before she turned away from him and began to walk upstairs to the school balcony.

"Ah—where are you going, Hanako-san?"

"I've . . . really been enjoying it." She leaned on the rails, a soft smile on her face as she began rambling. "Having you as a friend. I always wait for you to come by, because I know that when you arrive, I can talk to you whenever I want! I could be saying nonsense, but somehow, just knowing that you'll listen no matter what, it warms my heart."

( Amane just noticed it, but Hanako-san really likes to babble a lot. Not that he minds—it's cute, really—but Amane is worried at himself for noticing even the littlest of things about her ).

"It feels nostalgic." Her eyes droned off, lost somewhere as she stared at the cloudy sky, almost as if her mind wandered off to where she's staring at. Strands of her hair that fell down on her shoulders like waterfalls began to weave into the wind's breeze. Amane felt breathless just looking at her.

It felt nice that Hanako already thought of him as a close friend—so much so that she began reminiscing of her past life and friends by hanging out with him. But if that's all in the past, and Hanako can no longer live in that day ever again ( because that's what a memory is; only a figment from long ago, you can never go through that again ), then that must be painful for her.

"How about I . . . " Amane spoke up, but his words stumbled and tripped, suddenly nervous when Hanako turned to look at him. "How about I call you Hanako-chan? That way it really feels like we're close friends, right?"

Silence washed over them for a minute, before Hanako grinned, a tint of red on her soft cheeks. "Really?"

"Really!" Amane affirmed. "You can call me Amane. I have a twin brother so it would've been confusing, anyway. So you call me Amane, and I'll call you Hanako-chan!"

"Thank you, Amane-kun."