The Encounter

The Encounter

A long pause followed Kuina's words, and Hikaru finally broke the silence. "Uh, Kuina-chan, now that I've agreed to help, what happens now?"

Kuina's expression turned somber, her eyes clouding over with a profound sadness. "I seem to be drawn to a house not far from here, about three blocks east. I don't know, but I think that might be where I used to live when I was still alive, and a part of my soul still remains there, especially the part that contains my memories as a human."

Hikaru's brow furrowed in concern. "Don't you think it will be a bit weird for people when they see me talking to myself because they won't know I'm talking to you since they can't see you?"

Kuina's smile was tinged with a hint of mischief. "You're right, I haven't thought about that. But I've been a ghost long enough to know that using your Paranormal Energy, you can activate the ability to mask your presence so people can't see you."

Hikaru's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? How do I do that?"

Kuina's expression turned serious. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think that girl on the podcast managed to fend me off a couple of times using spells and abilities that require Paranormal Energy and Spiritual Energy. I think you should probably go look for her."

Hikaru's face fell, his voice laced with concern. "Alone? How am I supposed to even start looking for a random girl?"

Kuina's smile faltered, and she looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know where she lives, in the Northern Block in Hakuto. I'll accompany you, but we have a problem."

Hikaru's eyes narrowed, his voice tinged with concern. "A problem? What is it?"

Kuina's expression turned somber, her eyes clouding over with a hint of sadness. "My spirit is bound here in the South Block. Therefore, once we reach the divide, you'll be on your own, and you'll have to look for that girl on your own."

Hikaru's face fell, his voice laced with concern. "I believe her name is Hannah Kumamoto, because that's what was written on her diary. I managed to catch a glimpse of it."

Hikaru's eyes lit up with a sudden idea. "I could just use my phone to look her up on Facebook... Uh, wait, I forgot."

Kuina's smile was mockingly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You caused me to break it when you invited yourself into my room."

Hikaru's face fell, his voice tinged with frustration. "I'll use Mom's laptop; I'll go get it from her room."

Hikari exited his room, walking into the hallway, and made his way towards a room in the far corner, opposite from his own. He entered the room, which was neatly arranged and filled with the sweet scent of flowers. He began rummaging through his mom's closet, searching for her laptop, and eventually found it in a bag underneath a white blanket.

"Mom should stop hiding stuff; she isn't good at this," Hikari chuckled to himself.

He took the entire bag and headed back to his room. Upon entering, he could no longer detect Kuina's presence. He checked the time and saw that it was now past 8 pm, and the rain had long stopped. He placed the bag beside his own and slumped onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.

A few hours passed, and it was now 5:30 am. Hikari's room was still messy from the previous day, and the sun's rays penetrating his bedroom window woke him up. He saw his phone on the floor and remembered that it was broken, but when he flipped it over, it had returned to normal. He wondered if his encounter with Kuina was just a dream after all.

Hikari left his room after setting the alarm for 7:00 am, the time when Sato would pick him up for school. He went to take a shower and then ate spicy Ramen noodles for breakfast. Just as he was watching a rerun of his favorite anime, "Naruto," his mom called him.

On the other end of the line, Ms. Sasha Yamada, a woman in her late 40s, stood in an office skyscraper building, looking out the window at the bustling city below. The cacophony of the city was blocked out by the soundproofed windows. She was dressed formally, like a businesswoman.

"Hello, Hikari-chan, I hope you woke up well," Ms. Yamada said.

"Okasan!" Hikari replied enthusiastically.

"I've been bombarded with a lot of work, Hikari-chan, so I have to apologize that I won't be able to make it home today either. But I promise, tomorrow I'll be there," Ms. Yamada said.

Hikari's face fell, and he felt a surge of irritation. It wasn't the first time this had happened, and he was quite disappointed.

There was a pause on the line, and then Ms. Yamada spoke up again. "Hikari, are you there? Hikaru, my child..."

Just as Hikari was about to respond, the phone line went dead.

Hikari was shaken by the call, and suppressed feelings began to surface. He lost focus on his anime and his breakfast, and soon found himself engulfed by thoughts.

***

Three years ago, 14-year-old Hikari, with a weird hairdo, was crying profusely as his mother, Ms. Yamada, wiped away his tears. They were in the same spot where Hikari was now sitting, but the setup was different, and there was a portrait of his father, Hideo Azamara, on the wall. The portrait showed a man with a beautiful smile, a chiseled jaw, and a perfectly shaped beard, holding up little Hikari.

In the present, tears streamed down Hikari's face, a sign of the emotions he had been suppressing. He was obviously overwhelmed by the memory.

Hikari cried out, his voice shaking with emotion. He shook his head, and tears squirted out of his eyes. He let out a deep sigh and got up to retrieve his backpack from his room. As he entered his room, he could feel Kuina's presence gradually increasing. Just as he was about to walk out of the room with his backpack on, Kuina appeared, floating right in front of him, their lips almost touching. This caused Hikari to fall on his butt again.

Kuina laughed slyly and smiled. "What's with you always falling on your butt when you see me? It's as if you've just seen a ghost."

Hikari stood up, rubbing his butt. "You're literally a ghost... wait, you're here again. That must mean I wasn't dreaming, or this is just part of the dream."

Kuina chuckled. "How long do dreams last, anyway?"

Hikari laughed. "Very funny, Kuina. But since you're here, I have a condition to add to our deal yesterday."

Kuina's expression turned serious. "What is it, Hikari-kun?"

Hikari thought for a moment. "First, what happened yesterday? I went to get the laptop, like we agreed, to look up that girl's name... uh, what's her name again?"

Kuina took a long, awkward pause. "Hannah Kumamoto."

Hikari finished the sentence. "...to... then."

Kuina smiled awkwardly. "Hikaru-kun, there's another problem."

Hikari's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

Kuina's expression turned somber. "Your Paranormal and Spiritual Energies, regardless of their strength, deplete too quickly because you can't control them yet. This results in large amounts of your Spiritual Energy leaking out, causing a loss of your Paranormal Energy, which means you lose your ability to communicate with me. I didn't vanish yesterday, but rather, you could no longer see me. I was there, waiting for your Spiritual Energy to recharge so you could use your Paranormal ability to talk to me."

Hikari's eyes widened in understanding. "So what does this mean?"

Kuina's expression turned serious. "It means you'll need a teacher. And, unfortunately for you, I only know about these things because I've been around for a long time. I've seen others like you."

Hikari's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "So, you mean there are others like me and the girl?"

Kuina nodded. "Yes, Hikari-kun. But that's all I know. We have to visit my house soon. I'm getting this feeling like my days as a free spirit are numbered."

Hikari's expression turned determined. "Like I said, I have a condition. I want you to help me communicate with my father. I have a feeling he might be able to tell me something that can help."

Kuina's expression turned somber. "So, your father passed away?"

Hikari's eyes clouded over with sadness. "Yes, he did. He died three years ago when I was fourteen. And since then, I've always felt a tiny bit of his presence in me. I know this sounds silly, but I believe my father is still here in the world of the living. I do feel his presence, but it's like he's somewhere far."

Kuina's expression turned sympathetic. She floated closer to Hikari and entered his body, causing Hikari's body to levitate from where he was sitting. Blue energy emanated from his body as he was transported to the memory from three years ago. However, alterations had been made to the memory. The portrait of Hideo Azamara, Hikari's father, on the wall, showed Hideo holding up little Hikari. He uttered words to Hikari, who was being wiped clean of tears by his mother, Ms. Yamada.

"I'm sorry, Hikari-chan. I'm sorry I won't be there to celebrate your birthdays with you anymore or go on awesome adventures in the forest. But listen to me carefully. I don't have much time. I will give you a gift – the ability to see and communicate with spirits like me. This gift will be your connection to the spirit world."

Hikari freed himself from his mom's clutches and, like a magnet pulling an object, went towards his father's portrait. Dark green energy entered his body, and he fell to the ground. His mother, with a sense of urgency, rushed to pick him up.

Hikari returned to the present, Kuina's spirit exiting his body. He fell hard on his butt.

"Ouch, what happened?" Hikari asked, rubbing his sore backside.

Kuina floated beside him, her expression somber. "That memory was a message left by your father before he departed the world of the living to the Light World."

Hikari's eyes widened in understanding. "A message? What does it mean?"

Kuina's expression turned sympathetic. "I think it's a message about the gift he gave you – the ability to see and communicate with spirits like me."

Hikari's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "So, that's why I can see you?"

Kuina nodded. "Yes, Hikari-kun. Your father's gift allows you to see and communicate with spirits like me."

Hikari's expression turned determined. "I want to learn more about this gift and how to control it. Can you help me, Kuina?"

Kuina's expression turned serious. "I'll do my best to help you, Hikari-kun. But we need to be careful. There are those who would seek to exploit your gift for their own purposes."

Hikari's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Kuina's expression turned somber. "There are those who would seek to use your gift to communicate with spirits for their own gain. We need to be careful and keep your gift a secret."

Hikari nodded, determination in his eyes. "I understand. I'll be careful. Let's focus on learning more about this gift and how to control it."

Kuina nodded in agreement. "Let's get started, Hikari-kun."

Just then, Kuina started flickering, and half of her appearance became more transparent. Hikari freaked out. "Kuina-chan, what's going on? You're fading, half of you is gone!"

Kuina's expression turned serious. "I did stress that we have to hurry."

Just then, the doorbell rang. It was Sato, there to pick up Hikari for school. Hikari exclaimed, "Damn, it must be Sato-sama! If I go to school now, how long do you think you'll last, Kuina-chan?"

Kuina's expression turned urgent. "Time is no longer on our side, Hikari-kun. You must find that girl, Hannah Kumamoto."

Hikari thought frantically, "How do I even leave the house? Think, Hikari, think!"

Kuina's expression turned mischievous. "Jump out the window, Hikari-kun."

Hikari's eyes widened in alarm. "Ehh, have you forgotten I'm human? If I do that, I'll break my bones!"

Kuina chuckled. "Well, I did ask you nicely, Hikari-kun, but I'll do things my own way."

Kuina disappeared, and a strong energy, strong enough to erase a house, rushed towards Hikari, pushing him towards the window. Then, Kuina reappeared in a vortex for a brief moment and reentered Hikari's body. Using Hikari's body, she jumped out of the window, passing through it without breaking it. Kuina controlled Hikari's body, slowly descending to the ground outside.

Just when Kuina was about to reach the ground, her soul abruptly lost power to control Hikari, ejecting her from his body. Hikari landed on his butt again.

Meanwhile, Sato called out, "Hikari-kun, where are you?" Sato entered the house, leaving his shoes outside first. He continued to call out Hikari, but there was no response.

Just then, Sato's eyes turned fiery red again, and he started scanning the house for Hikari. He called out Hikari again, but this time his voice sounded deep, almost like a monster. "Hikari-chan, where are you?"

Hikari, slowly getting up, realized he was outside his house in the backyard, just below his room, which was on the second floor. "But how did I get here... Uh, I remember Kuina infiltrated my body and used it to jump out. I gotta admit, she's really smart."

Kuina materialized next to Hikari, and half of her appearance was still transparent. "You must hurry and find Hannah Kumamoto. I'll stay behind."

Hikari looked confused. "Didn't you say you were going to show me the way?"

Kuina's expression turned serious. "We have another problem now, Hikari. I sense an evil intent from Sato-kun. This can only mean that an unkind spirit has possessed him. So, I must stall them. I promise I won't hurt Sato-kun."

Kuina's expression turned determined. "This will create a diversion, and you'll have an open window to run and start looking for Hannah Kumamoto. On my signal, you run as fast as you can, Hikari-kun, and don't look back."

Hikari's eyes widened in understanding. "No, Kuina-chan, I won't leave you here... Ah, for Christ's sake, who am I kidding? I'll definitely leave here. Thank you, Kuina-chan. Sayonara."

Kuina signaled him by using force to push him, giving him the momentum. Hikari took off, running as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Sato-kun, now possessed by an evil spirit, was still looking for Hikari. "Hikari-chan, Hikari-chan... Oh, how lucky I am. There's Hikari-chan!" he exclaimed in a monstrous voice.

He saw Hikari running into the street and disappearing around the corner. Just as the possessed Sato was about to leave the house and chase after Hikari, Kuina materialized in front of him.

Kuina smiled mischievously. "Hi there."

The evil spirit possessing Sato sneered. "You must be the lost soul."

Kuina's expression turned somber. "Soon I'll find my way to the Light World."

The evil spirit laughed menacingly. "Not if I drag you to the Dark World with me!"

Kuina used all her force to try and push the Evil Sato back, but she was pushed back in recoil as the Evil Sato's Paranormal Energy was too powerful for her.

Evil Sato sneered, "You made quite an entrance, but all that was just for show. You're slowly disappearing into the void, and soon you'll be forgotten. You'll turn evil, just like me."

Kuina replied, "How do you know that? If you're already evil, don't you lose your sense of self after becoming an evil spirit?"

Evil Sato chuckled, "Indeed, you do, but I am built different. Once I was sucked into the void, somehow, somewhere, I hadn't lost my sense of self. I still turned evil and was called to the Dark World, where it was noted by my lord that I'm the most powerful spirit he's ever encountered so far."

Evil Sato continued, "Despite losing myself, I still retained all my memories and could easily pass off as a good spirit in the Light World. But I needed someone, a human with stronger paranormal energy, to siphon his energy. That's when I sensed a strong energy, and it turned out to be that boy Hikari. Once I have his energy, I'll use it to enter the Light World."

Kuina's expression turned desperate. "If I use all my energy now, I'll disappear forever," she thought telepathically. "Then I'll never know the real me. Hikari-kun, I believe in you, so I can only hope you've made it far enough that Evil Sato won't be able to catch up to you."

Kuina disappeared, and Evil Sato laughed menacingly. "Well, what do you know? She's gone. Now, now, I'll go look for Hikari-kun, or perhaps I should go..." In the middle of the sentence, Sato returned to normal, and the evil spirit faded. "Dammit, I wasted too much, but no matter. I'll replenish my paranormal energy, and next time, I'll have Hikari."

Meanwhile, Hikari was running as fast as he could and had surprisingly made it to downtown. "Huh, how fast was I going? I'm pretty sure I've been running for 10 minutes," he thought, panting. "Whatever, it must be Kuina-chan's energy that pushed me this far. Now, where is Hakuto?"

Hikari started approaching strangers walking on the sidewalks of the busy city of Kuroba, asking for directions to Hakuto. Most of them ignored him, but he kept trying until one finally answered him, an elderly man.

The elderly man pointed to a bus stop across the street. "Oh, you wanna know how to get to Hakuto? Well, you could just buy a ticket and stand near that bus stop over there and wait for a bus to Hakuto and flag it down. Or, if you have money, you'll just pay inside the bus, but it will cost extra."

Hikari bowed his head in respect. "Arigatou, sir."

The elderly man smiled and replied, "Well, take care now, young man."

Hikari patted his pockets and found that his wallet was still there. He ran off to the bus stop as the traffic lights turned red.

Hikari arrived at the bus stop and waited nervously, tapping his feet on the ground. "Come on," he muttered to himself.

After 15 minutes, the bus arrived, and Hikari got on, paying the driver 100 yen. The driver handed him a receipt as proof of payment, and the bus abruptly took off while Hikari was still looking for a seat.

Hikari almost fell, but a kind lady called out to him. "Excuse me, you can sit here. There's an empty seat right here in the back."

Hikari looked around, wondering who she was talking to, and the lady smiled. "No, I'm not talking to that young man who just almost fell. I'm talking to you, the one who's still standing."

Hikari chuckled and made his way to the back of the bus, sitting down next to the lady.

The lady smiled and said, "So, you're from Hakuto?"

Hikari replied, "No, I'm actually going to Hakuto."

The lady laughed. "Oh, well, in that case, would you please stop talking to me?"

Hikari grinned. "Yes, sorry."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, and then the bus continued on its route.

***

30 minutes passed, and the bus finally arrived at Hakuto, stopping at a bus stop in front of a convenience store. Hikari got off, looking around and taking out his phone to search for Hannah Kumamoto's address.

Hikari searched for Hannah Kumamoto on social media and found her profile. He clicked on it and checked her address. He then flagged down a taxi and showed the driver the address on his phone.

The taxi driver nodded and started driving. Hikari sat back, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He was getting close to finding Hannah Kumamoto, and he hoped she could help him understand what was happening.

As the taxi drove through the streets of Hakuto, Hikari couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He was being pulled into a world he didn't understand, and he wasn't sure if he was ready.

The taxi finally stopped in front of a small house on the outskirts of town. Hikari paid the driver and got out, looking up at the house.

He took a deep breath and walked up to the door, hesitating for a moment before knocking.

The door opened, and a girl with long black hair and piercing green eyes looked out at him. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Hikari's heart skipped a beat as he realized he was standing in front of Hannah Kumamoto. "Hi," he said, trying to sound calm. "My name is Hikari Yamada. I've been looking for you."

Hannah's eyes narrowed slightly, and she looked at Hikari with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. "What do you want?" she asked.

Hikari took a deep breath and launched into the story of how he h