Previously,
"Welcome back!" He said. "Yeah! Welcome back!" Kou hugs Nene. I grip onto the key tightly. "Hey, Senpai, can I walk you home?" Kou asked. Yashiro nods and waves goodbye. "I'll see you later, Daikon!" I grinned. "Goodbye, tomato!" She sticks her tongue out. I look back at Hanako and he grabs my hand. He sets a kiss on my hand and smirked.

"I'm back, Amane," I said.

-Hell of Mirrors and Insecurities-

Warning now! Suicide!

~~~Girl's Bathroom~~~

"Spirit...photography?" Hanako, Nene, and Kou asked. I nod my head. "I borrowed this from Aoi the other day." I hand them a book called, "Garden Club Activity Log."

~~~~~~

"Weird photos?" I questioned my friend Aoi. "That's right. I was organizing the gardening club albums..." Aoi mentioned. "Oh yeah, that was a thing wasn't it?" I take a seat on the desk. "...and...only the photos of you have..." Aoi showed me the book. My eyes widened. "What the...?!"

~~~~~~

"What the?!" The boys and Nene shouted. The photo had arms in it. The arms were coming from the ground and were of various colors. "The actual photos are more funny than creepy," Yashiro noted. "Ever since I saw them, weird things have been happening," I added. "Like what?" Hanako asked. "They grow," I responded. "What grows?" Hanako solicited. "The hands grow! They're inconspicuous, but I catch them growing out of the corner of my eye! They don't do anything wrong but it bothers and..." I complained.

"Are you alright?" Hanako asked. I look up and I scream. "Right there! They're back!" I pointed. Yashiro yelped and gripped onto Kou."Wow, you're right." Hanako said. I backed up and fell. "What do you want?!" I yelled. I felt my eyes begin to water. "What evil hands! I'll make them pay." Koi said. "Don't worry Senpais! I'll exorcise 'em in no time!" He gives us a thumbs up. "Thank you, Kou-Kun!" I smile weakly. "Thays a hereditary exorcist for you!" Yashiro said. "I wonder if he'll be alright." Hanako thought out loud.

"Hey, hands! Take me on!" Kou challenged them to an arm wrestle. "Why arm wrestling?" Yashiro asked. "I don't know," I replied. "Maybe he couldn't think of any way to fight an arm?" Hanako suggested. An arm goes into Kou's challenge. "All right, bring it on! I'll teach you to mess with me!"  Before Kou can get any more confident, Kou's hands slapped the window. He falls in despair.  "Winner!" Hanako announced. "What savage evil spirits!" Kou mumbled. Nene rubs his back.

"You look like you're having fun, boy," Hanako noted. "Oh, look!" Nene shouted. I look over to Hanako and the arm disappears. "The hand disappeared." Hanako said. "Maybe..." Nene flipped through the book. I look at the book and the hand vanished. "They're gone from that photo!" I shouted. "Why?" Nene questioned. "Maybe they wanted attention?" He mumbled something after this. "Most lesser spirits are satisfied and disappear once you resolve their desires." He walks over to me.

"Then to rid of the arms, we have to..." I let out a small groan. "I think we just have to play with the hands that come out," Hanako proclaimed. "Okay." I replied. "I lost," Kou whispered. Nene rubs the blonde's back. "I lost to arms." Kou continued. "It's okay!" Nene told him. "You'll win next time!" She cheered him on. "Of course!" He blushed a light pink.

I smile and I felt a hug behind me. "Are you ready to have fun Y/N-Chan?" He whispered into my ear before chuckling. I jumped and backed away. "What's wrong?" He asked. "You're so red!" He smirked. "Hanako!" That was all I was able to muster.

~~~After playing with all the hands~~~

"Okay, one more to go!" Kou announced. "Almost all the photos are cleaned out now." Nene smiled. "I'm kind of worn out now. Some of them hit." Hanako was laying down. "Are those junior-high uniforms?" Kou asked. I look over to the book. The picture was me, Yashiro, and Aoi holding seedlings.

"They're photos from last year," Nene explained. "Wow!" Kou smiled. "You know, they're all pretty well taken," Kou told us. "We got a boy from the photography club to take them." I smiled. "Yeah! He won a lot of awards!" Nene added. "I think his name is on the last page." Yashiro added. Kou's eyes widened. I felt a cold presence on my wrist.

I got the chills and I look to my side. "D-Did you find out what you wanted?" I asked. The arm grew a mouth and I frown. I already knew what was going to happen next.

"Come here"

The hand grins. It started to pull me into the mirror and Hanako ran to me. "Y/N! Take my hand!" He stretched his arm out. "Senpai?!" Kou shouted. "Y/N-Chan!" Yashiro shrieked. I try to grab his hand. I reached my grip on his but it was too late. I got sucked into the mirror.

I fall onto the floor and look around. "Where am I?" I asked myself. I realized what happened and the arm was still on me. I tried pulling it away. "Is this a Boundary?! Why am I here? I don't want to be here!" I wailed. "What did I do?!" I get up and look around. I noticed the same pink-haired ghost was standing there.

"Hello!" I smiled. "Get off of me." I was shaking the arm off. I wipe my face with my dress and I look back up. The ghost was right next to me. "Hey, you..." The ghost started talking. "Y-Yes?" I tilted my head. He snickered. "Hey, what doctor did you get to get those?" He asked while pointing to my chest. "W-What?" I asked, covering my chest. "I mean, even your hair looks fake!" He insulted. "I thought someone was going to save me. Instead, it was a piece of plastic." The ghost said.

"I am not plastic! What the hell is wrong with you? First, you dared to drag me here, and then you insult me?! Who do you think you are?" I shouted. "Where even am I?" I started to cry. He tugged on my dress. "Come on." He pulled me until we reached a door. He opened it to show me a Boundary. "This is a School Wonder's Boundary. It's called the Hell of Mirror apparently, but I don't know the details." He told me. "There are so many mirrors. 'The Hell of Mirrors... I haven't heard of this before. I know Aoi-Chan would know." I said to myself.

"I'm Mitsuba. I was just getting worried because I can't get out of here." He explained. "Aren't you a junior-high student? Are you a ghost? Haven't we met before?" I asked him. "I don't know. None of that matters now, anyway." He looked upset. "I guess not. I want to get out of here first. How did you bring me here?" I cross my arms? "I asked them to bring someone to help me." He pointed to the arms.

I didn't want to give in. "Are these arms your friends?" I asked. "What?! Are you seriously saying someone as cute as me only has arms for friends?" He asked. "I mean with your definition of 'cute', definitely." I gave him a cold stare and I started walking away. "Wait! The answer is no! These are from the Wonder!" He confessed. 'This is arms are probably from the Wonder then.' I thought. "Most importantly, I asked for someone to help me, and you showed up. But... Will you help me?" He pleaded. He was trying to convince me with puppy eyes, but it wouldn't work on someone I just met.

"I honestly wouldn't be much help. I've only been to these places a few times." I told him. "I see. Thank Goodness. Thank you, Senpai!" He smiled. "No problem." I smiled back. We started to walk around. "Have you been in a Boundary before?" I turned so I can walk backward. "No. I haven't." He was far away from me but I didn't mind.

"Of course, you don't," I whispered. "Boundaries like this exist between the world of the living and the dead. They have power sources called Yorishiro. They are like batteries. When you find it and remove the seal. The Boundary can't work anymore. There's also little Mokke usually walking around. I haven't seen any though." I explained.

"You know too much for a living person." He said. "What?" I continued to walk and started to ignore the ghost. I felt something hit my head and I open my eyes. "Nene? What are you doing here? Did you get trapped?" I asked her. "No, Y/N-Chan. I'm here today because there's something I just had to tell you, Y/N-Chan." Nene told me. "What?" I put my hands on the mirror. "I've always been quiet about it, but you're really irritating." Nene tilted her head and stared at me creepily. I backed up slowly.

"No one says anything, but everyone really thinks so." She snaps her fingers and more mirrors appear. I cover my ears and I felt tears starting to flow. "So, starting today, we're all going, to be honest, and call you... Irritating Senpai." Yashiro told me. Everyone kept repeating the name. "Stop!" I begged.

~~~Meanwhile (3rd person)~~~

"The third of the Seven Wonders is the Hell of Mirrors. It's a mysterious world on the other side of mirrors. There's a mirror there that reflects the hearts of anyone who wanders in. People with beautiful hearts and brave people are fine. They can get back to their own world. But if there's even a little ugliness or fear in your heart, the mirror will reflect it. Then, the world will suddenly turn into hell and attack you."

"Y/N-Chan!" Nene shouted as she bangs on the mirror. Her dear friend, Y/N got pulled into a mirror. "Stop that! You will break the window!" Hanako takes Yashiro off the mirror. "Wonder number three?" Kou asked. "That's right." Hanako fixes his hat. "Now you mention it when I started school here, my brother told me, people, with guilty consciences should watch out when they look in mirrors," Kou told his friends. "That's the one." Hanako pressed his hand on the mirror. "And there's only one mirror apparition in this school, so that settles it," Hanako said.

"I see." Kou picked up a book one of the Mokke was holding. "Then, Mitsuba's got nothing to do with it... Right?" Kou asked. While they were talking. Nene was crying next to Kou. "I'd like ro rescue her as soon as we can... But to put it simply, Number Three attacks people in its Boundary by reflecting what they fear or don't want to see. So, its strength changes depending on who's in it. If I rush in blindly, I could end up making it stronger." He traced hearts on the mirror. "Hey, have you even been listening?" Hanako floated above Kou and Nene.

"Yup! You were saying your mind's super dirty, right?" Kou closed the book. "Well... I won't deny it." The spirit scratched the side of his cheek. "We need to get Y/N! I can't live without her!" Nene pulled on Kou's sleeve. "It will be okay, Senpai. We will get her back." The blonde flashed a smile and Nene smiled back a bit. The ghost frowned and looked at the mirror. "We've got to think up a plan soon," Kou said. "Yep!" The Daikon agreed. "Depending on what Y/N's afraid of...Number Three's behavior will change. For now, I'd like to at least find out what's going on inside." The scared boy explained.

~~~Back to First Person~~~

I felt my blood boil. "Hey, there Irritating-Chan!" Mitsuba laughed. "Isn't this mirror amazing? It can see everything you're afraid of." Nene smiled. "It isn't! This mirror sucks!" I shouted. I look to my side to see my mom in a mirror. "Why did your (brother/Sister) die? Couldn't it be you instead?" My mom asked me. "It wasn't my fault!" I yelled. I push Mitsuba in front of me and everyone disappears. I sigh. "Why isn't it working for you?" I asked him.

"It's been that way since I got here. It doesn't show anything for me. Maybe because I'm a ghost or maybe because I don't have memories." He told me. "What do you mean?" I make my next to him. "I don't remember. Not my life, or how I died, or anything. Of course, even if I did remember, I'd still be dead." He frowned more from the fact. "So, what do we do to get out of this irritating hell?" He asked. "We need to break the Yorishiro." I turned to the mirror. "Y/N!" Nene smiled at me.

"Do you want to go all the way up there, Irritating Senpai?" Nene asked me. "Where?" I looked around. "Right. Up. There." Nene pointed to the ceiling. I look at the glassy top. The seal was right in the middle. "To reach the stairs up to the Yorishiro, you need to pass through this mirror. But this mirror is only for nuisance delightful people. So, I feel bad for you but I can't let a nuisance like you through." Nene put her arms behind her back and smiled. "Stop. Nene-Chan wouldn't say things like that! I banged on the mirror. "Hey there, Irritating Senpai," Mitsuba called out. "My name is Y/N! Stop calling me that!" I give him a deadly glare. "Hanako, Help me!" I pleaded.

It abruptly got dark and cold. "What?" I looked around. "You must have realized by now, Irritating Senpai. The world is better off without someone so annoying. Your life has no value. So..." A bird came out of the mirror. "I shall take your place." It wasn't Nene anymore. It was a shadowy bird. "The girl turned into a monster!" Mitsuba yelled. "What you said isn't true!" I shouted. I was so scared but, showing it would make it worse. "Our goal is to exchange places with the living. That boy is a feeble spirit. He is not worth replacing. One might call him defective goods." The bird explained.

"Y-You're calling someone as cute as me defective?! You've got some nerve!" Mitsuba exclaimed. "Where are your eyes, you perverted mirror?!" He points in front of us. "You probably do not realize it, but your looks...are seven at best." The bird informed the spirit. Mitsuba falls to his knees. "Mitsuba?! How high did you think it was anyway?" I cross my arms. "By, the brat is about an eight." He confessed. "I don't care about your opinion. I'm an eleven and I know it." I roll my eyes at the Wonder. "Are you satisfied now? Then let's begin." He snaps his fingers and dolls came out of the other mirrors.

"My minions. I shall grant whichever of you steals that brat's soul the right to take her place. Now... The brat hunt begins!" The dolls came running towards us. I started running in the opposite direction. I felt a pair of hands grab me and lift me. "Y/N Senpai!" Mitsuba yelled. "Help me!" I try to push the fingers off me. "Switch with me." I turn to see a huge mouth with thousands of teeth. Before it can eat me, I heard it fall. "O-Over here, you bastard! This way, idiots!" Mitsuba yelled. "Mitsuba!" I smile. All the dolls turn to him. "This way, he said." They walk over to him. "N-Not over here after all!" He runs away. My smile quickly fades. "What the hell, Mitsuba!" I shouted.

The dolls pin him down. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Brat hunting is the best! I'm sorry, so let go of me!" Mitsuba begged. The doll hits the ghoul. "No!" I scream. "It's so irritating when they struggle. I felt the hands squeeze me and I gasp. I could barely breathe. I felt like it crushed my rib cage. "That's better." The Wonder said. "H-Help!" Mitsuba cried. "Help!" He wailed louder. I felt like I was crying too.

"I guess I've got no choice." Someone crushes the arms and I finally was able to breathe. "Amane?" I look back. "That isn't Hanako..." I whispered. "Hey. Stop." The Wonder pleaded. "Hey, what are you doing? Picking on weaklings?" Tsukasa had a hold on the bird. "We should be asking you that! What do think you're doing, baring into other people's Boundaries?!" The bird questioned.

Tsukasa cocks his head and slams the bird to the ground. I gasp and I step back. He kept banging his head until the bird was dead. "Oh man, the mirror broke," Tsukasa mentioned. He looks back at us. He started walking towards us. He bends down to us and I put my hands up in defense. "You alive?" He asked me. I put my hands down slowly. "Yeah," I replied.

"You are? Great!" He smiled. "I don't want Amane's girlfriend dying." He patted my head with his non-bloody hand. He get up and continued walking. "Still, Mitsuba... You really are hopeless. You can't do anything on your own." He told Mitsuba. The pink ghost started crying. "There, There." Tsukasa pats Mitsuba's head.

"What is going on?"

Word count: 2919
Published: January 1, 2022

My first chapter in 2022!