Chapter Two: Rumors

I was greeted by sunshine when I stepped out the door the next morning, school bag in hand.

The weather had warmed up considerably in the last few weeks, paving the way for the summer that was just on the horizon. I wasn't looking forward to it. I preferred the moderate temperatures of spring and fall and the unparalleled views of the cherry blossoms and bright colored leaves brought on by the changing seasons.

If only cherry blossom season hadn't already come and passed. I would have been tempted to take a detour on the way to school. It wasn't like I didn't have time.

Like every time I walked outside, I had the distinct feeling of someone watching me and paused on the porch to look around. Unlike last night, I couldn't linger long. The front door gave a loud creak from behind me as the person on the other side opened it. I swiftly moved onto the sidewalk and began to head toward school as fast as I could, my gaze focused on what was ahead of me.

It was a short stroll to my school. Two buildings were located on the property; the one on the left was the High School division, and the other on the right was the Junior High. To further distinguish between the students, the uniforms of the two schools were starkly different. While mine was styled like a blue sailor suit, the girls in junior high had to sport white-colored buttoned-up shirts with green skirts. The boys in high school donned a blue military-style uniform, while their younger counterparts only had to wear white-colored buttoned-up shirts with green slacks.

Dozens of students had already arrived before me. Some were walking to their respective buildings to get a head start, and others were huddled together as they talked animatedly with each other. I stepped through the school gate, intending to head to the building on the left.

"Oyamada!" a boy called out from my right.

That one word was enough to make me come to a screeching halt. Dread consumed me as I turned my attention to the two boys and girl approaching an incredibly short boy with sandy-brown hair.

My thoughts went back to last night while I stared at his uniform.

"Of course," I muttered with a frown as I fought off a curse that threatened to come from my lips.

I should have realized we attended the same school when I saw Manta yesterday. It's a miracle we haven't bumped into each other before now... I'll have to make sure to keep a sharp lookout for him, so I can evade him. I can't risk another encounter between us. My mother would never forgive me. It was already a stretch to speak with him last night. I wasn't going to push my luck.

Knowing I should hurry before he caught sight of me, I took another step forward then froze once again as my stomach plummeted. The familiar sensation of a shaman's presence came rushing through me and made all the muscles in my body tense. I didn't have to search for the source. I knew who had caused it the moment I saw the brown-haired boy from last night at the corner of my eye. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he strolled past me, the wind blowing back the long bangs framing his face.

What in the hell is he doing here?

I stared at him with horror, my eyes taking in his form as he grew more and more distant. He was wearing the same thing from the night before. However, just like with Manta, I hadn't realized what his clothes had meant until now. It was the uniform for the junior high division, the very same one that Manta had on.

No.

Someone bumped into my stiff form hard enough I fell to the ground, taking me by surprise in my distressed state. Shrill laughter rang out while I pushed myself onto my hands and knees, my mind still racing from the boy's unexpected appearance but now also feeling annoyed. When I looked at the offender with a glare, an unsurprising group of females was smirking back at me as they headed for the high school building. Choosing to ignore it, I looked away and picked up my bag as I stood. They were the least of my problems right now. A shaman had just transferred to my school.

My thoughts continued to dwell on the situation even after class started. In all honesty, there were only two things I could do to deal with it. One was to inform my parents that Manta was attending the school to persuade them to transfer me. My second alternative was to disregard everything and pretend like I didn't know who, or what, either of them was.

I didn't like the prospect of either choice.

The first would unquestionably cause a disturbance even with the omission of the shaman boy's existence. Although, he was the reason I was considering a transfer in the first place. I couldn't foresee how my mother, or her husband, would react to the news, given their unpredictability. They were likely to take the entire situation too far to get me away from Manta. But, the other possibility would mean I stayed here for my final year of high school and risk the chance of seeing either boy every day until graduation.

"Damn it," I mumbled to myself with a frustrated sigh while sitting at my desk.

The bell for lunch had already rung, and everyone else was amongst their friends enjoying the break. I was by myself, barely aware of the food in front of me, still trying to figure out what to do.

"You'll never guess what I heard."

"What?"

I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes as I took a bite of my lunch.

There were three girls, only one of which was in my class, that had a bad habit of spreading any rumors that were going around. I'd been the main topic of their discussions more times than I wanted. The group of girls that had shoved me down this morning loved trying to make my life as miserable as possible, even if it meant spreading lies. I generally tried blocking out their conversations, finding them a waste of time. Petty gossip doesn't interest me.

"My little sister texted me and said that Manta Oyamada tried to convince everyone that he's seen ghosts."

Her amusement-filled words caused my movements to cease as I began focusing on what they were talking about.

My suspicions about Manta when he ran off last night... they couldn't have been correct, right?

"What?" came the skeptical reply.

A buzzing sound came from the desk behind me, the same one they had huddled around.

"Who's it from? What does it say?"

"It's my sister. Apparently, he's still trying to convince them he's seen them and claims that the new kid in their class is involved."

"New kid?"

"They have a transfer student. Oyamada freaked out when he saw him this morning."

"Is he cute?"

"I'm more curious about what Oyamada is saying. Thirteen-year-old's aren't my cup of tea."

"True."

"We could always go see what's going on."

The suggestion seemed to be too tempting for them to resist. All three girls promptly stood and began to walk towards the door of the room.

I let out another sigh when they stepped into the hallway and frowned thoughtfully.

Based on their conversation, it was safe to assume he really could see them. But... how? Why can he suddenly see them after all this time? How could our encounter with that boy be enough to awaken such a power? Mine never awakened when—

A loud bang reverberated through the room, causing me to jump in surprise. Thankfully it had also interrupted my unpleasant train of thought.

"Himiko!" the voice of my little cousin exclaimed.

Everyone around me fell silent as I turned pale and glanced uneasily at the front of the classroom. Manta walked farther into the room before spotting me and marching in my direction with a determined expression on his face. I knew he was here to talk. Indisputably, he planned to prove he was telling the truth about what happened last night.

I instantly shot to my feet and ran for the back door of the classroom as fast as I could, my heart racing a hundred miles per hour. I have to get out of here. I have to get away.

"What?!" Manta shouted in surprise. "Wait!"

I ignored him, throwing open the door and barreling into the hallway.

The reservations I once felt about asking my parents for a transfer were now eradicated with Manta's appearance. There was no doubt in my mind that I needed to ask them. There was no other way to deal with the situation. I couldn't risk something like this happening again. I couldn't allow my thoughts to linger on him or the shaman boy anymore. None of it is my business. There's no point in dwelling on it any longer. It's over. I'm over it.

My encounter with Manta became common knowledge by the end of the school day. Fed up with the snickers and stares I was getting, I stuffed my things inside my bag and stomped out of the classroom. When I reached the entrance doors of the building, I stopped and carefully scanned the courtyard through the windows for any signs of the short boy.

"Do you need an escort, Chibana?" one of the boys nearby asked with amusement. "I wouldn't want you to become frightened because of a midget."

A fierce scowl formed on my face as I gave the attractive blue-eyed black-haired teenager a glare. Unaffected by my attitude, he shrugged with a laugh as he and his group of friends headed out the door.

"Suit yourself."

Distractions now off to the side, I focused my attention on the people outside. When I felt convinced we wouldn't see each other, I rushed out of the building and off school property as fast as my legs could carry me.

Instead of going home to pass the time before cram school, I walked over to the river running through the center of town and sat on its grassy edge. Taking several deep breaths, I felt myself calm down and looked out at the clear blue water in front of me.

The place I had chosen to take solace was a tranquil spot next to the school I'd discovered some time ago. I used the area for some peace and quiet whenever I'd had a long day. No one else seemed to be interested in the location, not even the residents living nearby. It was my own not-so-secret place, where I could relax and not be bothered by anyone.

I pulled a book from my bag and allowed myself to relax for the first time since the day began as I dived into my studies.

"What the hell was that?!" I heard what sounded like Manta bellow a few hours later.

I peered over my book and glanced in the direction of the noise, making sure to keep my face covered. My eyes barely caught a glimpse of the shaman boy as he rushed off the bridge overlooking the river as if in a hurry. However, I didn't see Manta. Having every intention to disregard what I just saw, my gaze fell back onto my book.

His voice broke through the silence once again before I could gather my thoughts. "What the hell?! I've lost him!"

Wary, I looked over in his direction a second time. He was standing at the edge of the bridge, a deep scowl on his face.

"I won't give up that easily!" he shouted again.

That all too familiar resolute Oyamada expression appeared on his face as he marched forward. I watched him, my body rigid until he finally disappeared from view. He never noticed me sitting nearby.

I lowered the book to my lap and gave an exasperated sigh as I stared up at the orange sky above.

He really is too stubborn for his own good. I hope he doesn't end up doing something stupid in his pursuit to show everyone that he's telling the truth. If he's as strong-minded as his father, he'll do anything it takes to prove his point. However, I knew first hand that it's best to drop it. It's impossible to unequivocally prove the existence of ghosts, and even if it wasn't, he's better off not trying. Nothing good would come of it.

The walk home after cram school was even shorter than yesterday as I made my way there, determination to ask for a transfer filling every fiber of my being. I threw the door open in my haste to get inside, then nearly crashed into my mother at the base of the stairs as it slammed shut behind me. Neither of us had been expecting to see one another and stared at each other in surprise.

My mother, Suki Hachisuka, was a beautiful woman with long silky brown hair and deep green eyes. Her blue buttoned-up silk shirt and crisp black slacks showed her profession. She was a successful businesswoman who helped run her husband's multi-billion dollar corporation. With but a few rare exceptions, she always had an unmistakable air of confidence about her that presented itself in the way she carried herself.

I could only stare at her. All the doubts and fears I held of her reaction, taking their unrelenting grip on my heart and assaulting my mind with a vengeance. The resolve I'd had when I walked through the door had vanished just by the mere sight of her.

She was the first to break the silence as she composed herself. "It's rare for you to be here for dinner during the week."

My gaze fell to the floor as I silently nodded.

"Go wash up for dinner."

I repeated my actions and waited until she had passed through the doorway leading into the dining room before stepping onto the stairs.

There's no way I could ask for a transfer. I didn't have the courage. I would just have to avoid Manta and the shaman boy. It was the best solution. It was the only thing I could do.