First Page

The warm, herbal scent of the tea lingered in the air, mingling with the soft glow of the afternoon sun filtering through the shoji screens. I took a deep, steadying breath, the letter still clutched in my hands, its words echoing through my mind. My heart had been racing, but now, as I let Hisu's calm presence ground me, I felt the storm within me begin to settle.

Hisu sat across the table, her eyes soft with understanding but also shadowed by a heaviness, as if she carried the weight of many untold stories. She had given me the time I needed, allowing the silence to stretch out between us without interruption. When I finally lifted my gaze from the letter and met her eyes, she nodded, acknowledging that I was ready to hear more.

"I know how much this must hurt, Motosaki," she said gently, her voice like a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. "Learning the truth about your parents… it's never easy. But there are still things you need to understand—things about the Tomodachi, and why she became what she is."

I leaned back slightly, setting the letter down beside my untouched cup of tea. "The Tomodachi… my mother… she was somehow connected to it. But why? What happened to make her like that?"

Hisu took a slow sip from her cup before setting it down, her hands resting lightly around it. "The Tomodachi is more than just an evil spirit. She was once a person, like you and me—a student of Matsugaya High many years ago, just as you are now. Her name was Nanako Hashi."

"Nanako… Hashi?" I repeated, the name unfamiliar yet somehow haunting, as if I'd heard it whispered before. "So, she wasn't always a spirit?"

"No," Hisu said, shaking her head. "Nanako was once a bright, kind girl with a warm smile that could light up a room. But she was also deeply passionate, and when she loved, she loved fiercely. It was this passion that would lead her down a tragic path."

I could see Hisu's gaze shift, her eyes distant as if recalling a story passed down through the years. Her voice lowered, taking on a somber tone. "Nanako fell in love with a boy—someone who was popular and admired by many. She wasn't the only one. She had four friends, and they all cherished him just as deeply. At first, it seemed like a simple, bittersweet part of growing up, but feelings like that rarely stay simple for long."

The room felt quieter, the air thicker, as Hisu continued. "For a while, Nanako and her friends shared their secret infatuations, supporting each other despite the unspoken rivalry between them. But as the Matsugaya Festival approached—the most anticipated event of the school year—things began to change. Rumors started to spread, and trust between them began to fray. The festival was supposed to be a night of celebration, but for Nanako, it became a night of betrayal."

I found myself leaning forward, drawn into the story despite the dread pooling in my stomach. "What happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Hisu's expression darkened. "On December 20th, during the festival, one of Nanako's closest friends—someone she trusted more than anyone—lured her away from the festivities. They led her to a secluded part of the school grounds, under the pretense of sharing something special. But it was all a lie."

The room seemed to grow colder as Hisu spoke, the warmth of the tea in my hands unable to chase away the chill. "Nanako's friend betrayed her, attacking her in a fit of jealousy and rage. She was stabbed, her life taken under the dim lights of the festival lanterns, with music and laughter echoing distantly around her. No one heard her screams. No one came to help. By the time anyone realized she was missing, it was too late."

I felt a knot tighten in my throat, and I could barely bring myself to ask, "Why… why would her friend do that?"

"Jealousy, envy, love… sometimes those emotions twist into something darker," Hisu said softly, her eyes filled with a sadness that seemed to span decades. "Her friend wanted to be the only one. They thought that by eliminating Nanako, they would somehow be closer to the boy they loved. But instead, all they did was unleash something terrible."

I could see it so clearly in my mind: the lanterns glowing softly, the shadows of the school stretching long and dark, and Nanako, alone and betrayed, her blood pooling on the cold ground. "And that's when she became the Tomodachi?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

"Yes," Hisu confirmed. "Nanako's spirit was too angry, too bitter to pass on. She couldn't accept the betrayal, the injustice of how her life was taken from her. That anger, that pain, it kept her here, trapped between worlds. She became something twisted—an entity that seeks to impose her will on others, to control them, as if to never again feel the powerlessness she felt that night. That is how the Tomodachi was born."

I sat there, stunned, trying to piece together how this connected to everything I had learned so far. "So… my mother… she was somehow tied to all of this?"

Hisu hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Your mother, Mikoto, was drawn into the Tomodachi's web. Whether it was by chance or design, she became entangled in the spirit's influence, much like others before her. But it seems the Tomodachi found something in her that made her want to stay… closer."

"What do you mean?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

Hisu's eyes met mine, and there was a weight in them that made my chest tighten. "The Tomodachi isn't just a spirit that haunts the academy. She's a spirit that latches onto emotions—especially the dark, unresolved ones. Your mother… she was carrying a lot of pain, a lot of regret. The Tomodachi fed on that, and in some twisted way, they became linked."

My mind was spinning, trying to grasp the full picture. "So… when my parents…?" I trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.

Hisu nodded slowly. "Yes. The Tomodachi's influence was there, pushing, pulling, feeding off the despair and the isolation. Your mother was… manipulated, and it led to tragedy."

I clenched my fists, the paper of the letter crumpling slightly between my fingers. "Then how do I stop her?" I asked, my voice firmer than before. "How do I end this?"

Hisu's expression softened, but there was a resolve in her gaze. "That, Motosaki, is the question you must find the answer to. You must uncover what binds the Tomodachi to this world, and why she is so deeply connected to you. Only then can you hope to set her spirit—and yourself—free."

{Chapter 14: First Page}

After having that conversation with I decided it was time for me to head home. Hisu walked me out of the shrine once I called Hanma. Before I went to sit on a bench, Hisu placed a folded piece of paper in my hand.

"Before you try to take on the Tomodachi, you need this so you'll know more about her," Hisu said, a warm and gentle smile stretching on her lips.

I smiled back at her, giving her a respectful nod. "Thank you, Hisu..."

Hisu nodded back at me, walking back to the shrine. I watched her retreating form then looked back down at the piece of paper in my hands. I unfolded the page, noticing that it looked like a ripped piece from the book.

[Personality Traits]

• Cunning and Manipulative: The Tomodachi is intelligent and strategic, capable of devising intricate plans to achieve her goals. She knows how to play on the fears and insecurities of her victims, making her a formidable adversary.

• Bitter and Resentful: Her past fuels a deep resentment toward friendships and love, leading her to view relationships through a lens of envy and spite. This bitterness drives her actions, the more angrier she is to more harmful she will become.

• Deceptive Charm: When not in a state of possession, the Tomodachi may appear to be an alluring figure, drawing people in with a false sense of friendship and camaraderie. This ability to deceive can add an eerie atmosphere to interactions, creating tension and unease.

'So Hisu had this page the entire time...I wonder how she got it if the Tomodachi did rip it out of the book. No matter, I finally have more information of the Tomodachi, but as far as how to beat her, I don't know...' I thought, looking at the letting my father wrote for Hisu then noticed a number at the bottom of the page.

'Eight...the second piece of the code. But there are a total of eight places I need to explore here, and there are only four numbers to the lock,' I thought, humming softly to myself.

Suddenly, a honk sounded, catching my attention and breaking me out of my Detective Mode. I looked up, noticing Hanma parked in front of me then got up and entered his car.

"Seemed lost there, kid. If I hadn't honked, you wouldn't have even noticed me," Hanma chuckled, driving his way back to the town.

"Sorry about that. I do tend to get lost in thought here and there," I said, letting out a soft chuckle with Hanma.

Hanma looked at me through the rear view. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

I stared out the window, the conversation replaying in my head of the truth about my parents. "Yeah, but I guess sometimes it's better to leave things in the dark..."

"Yeah, I get that..." Hanma said, stopping his car behind a traffic jam.

The car fell silent, the sound of the humming engine and the soft japanese RnB music playing on the radio the only sounds at the moment. I couldn't get the fact that my mother was the Tomodachi's latest victim and both my parents were killed because of the Tomodachi. Without knowing how to appease such a malicious spirit, I was left at square one once again.

Finally making it to the train station, I got out of Hanma's cab and closed the door. Hanma rolled down his window and honked at me. I turned around to see what he needed.

"Stay safe out there, Motosaki. The weather out in the Tokyo and Shibuya area is supposed to be getting a little heated. The final stretches of summer y'know," He said, a cordial smile playing on his lips.

I smiled back at him, nodding my head. "Thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to prepare accordingly..."

"Enjoy the rest of your night," Hanma said, rolling up his window again then drove off.

I watched as his car disappeared into the distance, a hint of a smile curling on my lips. I made my way to the station, sitting on a bench to wait for the train to arrive. Once the train arrived, I stood up with a sigh and began to make my way inside the train car with a few others.

The train ride back was quiet, the car mostly empty except for a few late travelers and a couple of high schoolers murmuring sleepily across from me. I slouched back into the seat, eyes fixed on the scenery rushing by, though I wasn't really seeing it. My mind kept drifting back to Hisu and the strange truth she'd laid bare.

My mother… was that truly the way she'd gone? Killed my father, taken by the Tomodachi… it felt surreal, but at the same time, some pieces I'd never understood seemed to click into place. Every fragment of memory I had of them, every half-remembered conversation—I could feel myself trying to dig them up, trying to search for something, anything, that might make it all fit. But all I found was this hollow ache, like I'd been walking around carrying the weight of this curse for years without even knowing it.

The train pulled up to the last station, jerking me out of my thoughts. I blinked, watching the few passengers shuffle out, then stood and followed suit, shoving my hands in my pockets as I walked toward Aisha's house. I knew I'd have to talk to her about it eventually—there were things even she didn't know about what happened that night. And now, even more things I wasn't sure I wanted her to know.

Her place was just a short walk from the station, and I could see the lights glowing warm through the windows as I approached. When I reached the door, I didn't even have to knock; she'd somehow heard me coming and opened it right away.

"There you are, Motosaki." Aisha's voice sounded bright and smooth as always, but there was something in her gaze I couldn't quite place, like she was searching for something in my face. "How was your trip?"

I offered a tired smile, stepping inside and sliding off my shoes. "Good. Kind of exhausting, though."

She nodded, her eyes not leaving mine as I walked in, but I brushed it off as her usual interest. She was always curious, always paying attention. After all, she is a military child like I am.

"I made dinner," she said, her voice laced with warmth. "It's already out on the table."

"Thanks, Aisha," I said, letting her lead me to the small dining table. The scent of the food made me realize I hadn't eaten all day, and the thought of a hot meal started to clear away the fog in my head.

She had set the table for two, her place and mine, with a plate of rice, grilled fish, and some miso soup waiting. I sat down, murmuring another thank you, and started eating while she sat across from me, propping her chin on her hand.

"So," she began, tilting her head slightly as she watched me, "you were in Kojima Town today. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yeah… a bit." I glanced up at her, caught off guard by how intently she was watching me, but she just smiled, encouraging me to go on. "I did visit the Kojima Shrine..."

"What did you do there?" she asked. "It's a pretty quiet place, isn't it?"

I paused, swallowing a mouthful of rice. "Yeah, it is. I… I was meeting someone who knew my parents, actually. Her name's Hisu. She… told me some things about them."

"About them?" Her eyes flickered, something glinting there, but it was gone in a second. "Did she tell you anything useful?"

"Yeah," I said, staring down at my food. "Things I didn't know. Things that make everything… make more sense, in a way."

"Really?" She seemed fascinated, leaning in closer, fingers tapping rhythmically against her cup. "So it was worth it, then?"

"Yeah. It was…" I paused, feeling the weight of it all pressing down again. "It was hard to hear, but it was worth it."

She tilted her head, her lips curling into a soft, understanding smile, but something about the way she watched me felt different tonight, like she was holding herself back from saying something more.

"I'm glad it helped. I was wondering what you were up to. You were gone all day, and I thought…" She trailed off, then smiled again. "I just missed you, that's all."

I chuckled softly. "I'm back now."

She just watched me for a moment longer, her expression unreadable, and then looked down, her fingers tracing a small circle on the rim of her cup. "I'm glad. I was starting to worry, you know. Kojima Town can be… well, it's a lot taken what happened you know. It's not easy visiting Kojima Town sometimes after your parents' death..."

I gave her a faint smile. "Yeah...I understand that. I do find it hard to now still come in terms with it, but...at least Mom left something for us to remember them by."

She nodded, eyes flicking over me one last time. We fell into silence, the comfortable kind, with the occasional clinking of our chopsticks and the soft hum of the night settling in around us.

For a second, I thought I caught her watching me again out of the corner of my eye, but when I looked over, she was just calmly finishing her food. It must've been my imagination.

After finishing my meal, I began to feel a little lightheaded and stood up from the table. "I think I'm gonna head to bed early. It's...been kind of a long day..."

"Of course. I hope you sleep well, Saki~ Don't worry about your dishes, I'll handle them.." Aisha said, smiling sweetly at me.

I nodded at her then began to make my way out of the dining room, feeling a sense of unusual weariness within me. Aisha watched as I left the dining room, a simple smile on her face as her eyes watched my every step.

She could feel her heart still beating quickly as I was still in her vicinity. As soon as I left her vicinity, her heart rate went back to normal, her mind cleared of whatever she was thinking of then she got up to finally clean the kitchen.