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"Huh? You're giving me donuts? Me!? For real?!"

"All right~!!"

The young apparition smiled with absolute glee after you gifted him the treats Yashiro, Kou and you had made. He danced around happily, raising the donuts over his head as if they were a grand prize.

"Does it make you that happy...?" Yashiro mumbled with a curious look, turning to pour some tea into a cup.

Placing down a book you had been reading while waiting for Yashiro to set up the mini picnic, you smiled warmly. "I'm glad you like it!"

"I love it! Plus... You two are acting normal today."

"Normal..? How?" Yashiro placed the cup down and turned to Hanako, confused.

Hanako looked down with a soft smile, avoiding eye contact with either of you.

"You guys have been acting kind of weird lately..."

You and Yashiro glanced at each other with worried looks. Without saying a word, the two of you stood up and made your way to Hanako with determined looks.

"You're a ghost, Hanako-kun. You're already dead. And you're different from normal people in a lot of other ways." Yashiro began.

"I know it's too late for this, but we were giving that some serious thought..."

"And honestly, you're kind of a pain." You finished, flashing off your most radiant smiles.

As if he was physically attacked by your blunt words, Hanako jolted back, falling to the floor from the pain.

"W-Well, I won't deny it..." He mumbled.

"But you know? That's fine. We decide what we want to do, so no matter how much trouble you are...!" Yashiro spoke, looking down at the boy with a committed look. You mirrored her expression, crouching to his level.

"We like you, Hanako-kun!" The two of you spoke in unison.

"So, we're going to stick by you!" You said innocently.

"A-As friends, of course! You're totally not my type! And d-don't even think about pulling Y/N-chan into something like that either!" She shuddered at the idea, pulling you away from Hanako slightly, with a protective aura.

"Oh, okay." Hanako nodded absentmindedly, looking at you with wide eyes.

To you, he seemed taken aback by the sudden confession. His golden eyes peered into your (e/c) ones, and without another word, you gave him a reassuring smile.

He did, however, appear a little reluctant. He kept his genuine emotions hidden once more, but you weren't offended or worried this time.

Take all the time you need, Hanako-kun!

You thought to yourself happily, reaching for your book once again.

"Anyway, these aren't really an apology. But let's eat them together."

The two of you took your rightful spots on the ground. As you flipped through the pages of your book, Yashiro began pulling at the red bow that had been wrapped around the bag that sealed away the treats.

"You really don't mind...?" Hanako questioned.

"Hm, mind what?" Yashiro replied, you looked up in curiosity as well.

"I mean, to tell the truth... When it comes to you both, I-"

Sensing an abrupt negative energy, you quickly jumped to your feet. You hadn't even noticed anything prior, but the intensity of the unknown entity's aura had you on edge immediately.

As you leap in front of Yashiro to shield her, you notice a dark black paper crane that appears to have sprung from the bag Yashiro was opening.

"A... Black paper crane?" Yashiro whispered, timidly holding onto your arm.

The mysterious paper crane swooped down, spinning rapidly around the three of you. Black smoke began to appear in a spiral as you grab onto Yashiro protectively.

Hanako crouched down near you as well, holding out a protective arm between you and the black crane.

"I don't know what apparition you are..." He begins, pulling out his sharp knife.

"But we were having an important discussion... So stay out of it!"

With a slightly annoyed expression, Hanako jumped up to the crane and slashed it with his weapon. With that one slash, the paper crane tore into smaller pieces instantly.

But it wasn't over yet. Despite the crane going limp at your feet, you still felt that another soul was present.

This energy...! It's suffocating!

You held your chest in pain as you watched the paper crane disappear into a dark flame. The sound of a young boy's laughter filled your ears.

"Found you~!"

A hakujoudai appeared from the flames, and the voice of a boy came with it as well. Despite his lively personality, you felt the air around you thicken. Fear radiated not only off of Yashiro but Hanako too.

Almost as if he was doing it subconsciously, Hanako reaches for your arm.

"Wow, that knife takes me back..."

As the flames began to fade, a boy appeared. His features resembled Hanako's so much so, that it was as if he were looking at a mirror.

"Hmmm? Are you going to protect these girls?"

However, their energies were completely different. Hanako was frightened and anxious, while the boy was... dangerous.

"Even though you killed me?"

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Who is this boy?

Does he know Hanako-kun?

Why... Did he say Hanako-kun killed him?

All of these thoughts rushed through your head at once. The spiritual energy was so strong that it nauseated you.

"Long time no see. You haven't forgotten me right... Amane?"

As the boy continued to speak, Hanako's grasp tightened around your arm. Yashiro, who had been holding to you from behind, peered out to examine the boy more closely.

"H-Hanako-kun...?!" She whispered, noticing the familiar name.

The three of you stood in shock as the fourth boy made his way closer to you. With each step he took, an overwhelming feeling followed.

"His aura... I've sensed it before..." You mumbled to yourself, earning a worried gaze from Yashiro.

"Heh! Did I scare you? I've got a great assistant, you know? She helped me get all the way up here."

"So, Amane..."

The boy came to a halt in front of Hanako, reaching out a hand to his face.

"Are you happy to see me?" The boy tilted Hanako's chin up with a wide smile.

Hanako's grip on your arm loosened, you couldn't see his face, but you knew something was wrong. The chains binding your souls strained, it felt as if he was tugging you towards him.

It felt like he was begging for help.

"Hanako-kun!" You called out, grabbing his hand in an instant and pulling him away from the strange boy. He fell into the warmth of your arms, looking up at you with a blank stare.

"Y/N...?" He muttered to himself, something that never passed your ears.

When you pulled Hanako to safety, Yashiro had gotten a boiling cup of tea and splashed it on the menacing boy.

"Wow~ You two aren't half bad..." The boy mumbled with a smile. His hand was slowly fading away due to Yashiro's dowsing.

He leans in close and grips Yashiro's arm. When his attention shifted from over Yashiro's shoulder to you, he smiled even more.

"Hmm... How interesting. I've found a pretty butterfly~"

His ominous gaze receded into the afternoon's orange sky, but his smile never faltered.

"See you!"

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