Black Magic

by Anonymous

Summary:

Akademi High seems like a normal school, but it is surrounded in a dark aura. Its legacy of evil is fated to continue, unless Kokuma—a demon disguised as a student—can do anything to stop it.

Notes:

This was plotted out after the intro cutscene and before Raibaru.

Chapter 1: Higanbana

Kokuma hated the white hot sun, overbearing on her exposed nape. The light autumn air wasn’t enough to cool her—hardly anything was, save for the dead of winter or a high-end AC. She fanned herself with one of her pale hands as she stepped inside the school building to replace her outdoor shoes.

If there was one thing Kokuma Jutsu couldn’t get used to in human life, it was how unbearably hot everything was. Though, she supposed that was more a symptom of being a demon than a trait of the overworld.

She placed her outdoor shoes in her locker. Ah, yes, Kokuma was a demon. It had been about a year since she came here, to the prestigious Japanese school Akademi High, but an uncountable number of years since Kokuma was born.

Closing the metal door, Kokuma turned and walked down the hallway to her club, the Occult Club. She couldn’t help but chuckle whenever she thought of it; the members’ devotion to the otherworldly was admirable, if a bit (or incredibly) inaccurate. Irony was probably the main reason why Kokuma decided to join despite her circumstances, only staying because of everyone’s friendliness and open-mindedness.

As Kokuma walked into the dark room, she saw one of her clubmates look up at her. “Oh, Kokuma, you’re here!” That was Supana Churu. She was a first-year and slightly shorter than Kokuma’s human form, putting her hair up in pigtails adorned by plastic skulls. “How come you’re late?”

She fanned herself again. “It’s too hot out. How am I supposed to drag myself out of bed like this?”

“It’s 16 degrees out,” said someone else, a boy named Daku Atsu. He was a second-year who wore glasses and always seemed to be annoyed with something.

Kokuma rolled her eyes jokingly. “That’s too hot.”

“Um.” At that, the room fell silent. “It’s set to be a full moon tonight.” Saying this was the quiet club leader, Oka Ruto. Oka had a mop of black hair covering her pale face, eyes big with perpetual nervousness. “It’s a full moon tonight” was codeword for “I want to try to summon a demon”; why Oka always insisted on equivocating was a mystery.

Of all of the Occult Club’s activities, demon-summoning was their hallmark. Not for any allure in the mysterious act, but in the fact that it always ended in predictable failure.

Propping open the club doors with one leg was Shin Higaku, who was closest to Oka. “I have most of the materials here.” Shin, with hair as disheveled as Oka’s, was carrying a hodgepodge of artifacts. Beside him carrying more things was the final club member, Chojo Tekina, whose hair covered his right eye.

“Good.” A small smile appeared on Oka’s lips. “Once we’re set up, we can start.”

“And hurry up so we don’t get late for class like last month,” Daku quipped, setting out the paraphernalia.

Kokuma was completely clueless as always when it came to the odd rhythm of setting up the charms, the tomes, the relics, the what-have-you’s, but the whole place was decked out to Oka’s satisfaction in about 15 minutes.

The humans knelt and chanted something vaguely in Latin under the dim tealights (real flames were banned after the incident), but Kokuma instead closed her eyes and searched for her link to the demon realm. After all this time she was still in the dark about exactly what she needed to do here. All her superiors had to say was that the school gave off an unsettling atmosphere.

Inhale. Exhale. The ambient sounds of the clubroom faded away, the imprint of light on her eyelids turning into the inky black place Kokuma called home. Communicating like this was something she had never mastered, and her control over her form slipped away into something earnest.

Slowly, Kokuma steadied herself until she could stand straight on the ghostly plane. Waiting in front of her was one of her brothers, watching her with amusement.

“Are you done?” he asked boredly, stifling a yawn.

She scowled at him. “Brother, you know why I am here. Have you heard any word about what I need to do?”

“Why do you ask me?” He looked away as if preoccupied with something else. “Ask the one who gave you your mission.”

“Don’t answer the phone if you’re just going to complain.” She crossed her arms. 

“Answer the phone you say?” Her brother smirked. “Why, it’s only been a year and you already act so human!”

Kokuma glowered. “You’re always so superfluous. Just answer my question before they finish.”

“Ah, your human friends’ cute little rituals.” He laughed. “I would have punished them just for the audacity! I simply don’t understand your hesitation.”

“Excuse me for being considerate,” Kokuma said. “It’s anyways charming.”

“To answer your question: no, I haven’t heard anything, though I might have were I listening.” He grinned. “Don’t you have to go soon?”
And then the link was severed, Kokuma falling squarely back into reality. She startled, feeling Supana’s hand on her arm.

“Are you okay?” Supana asked softly. Everyone else was cleaning up.

“Yeah, just spacing out.” Kokuma smiled and stood up.

Supana stood as well, biting her lip.

Kokuma looked at her in concern. “What about you? You look kinda nervous.”

“Well, I…” Supana looked to the side. “I—nothing. There’s just a test coming up. Speaking of which, I should, uh, go take it.” She darted out of the club.

“Stop trying to escape responsibility!” Daku scolded as Supana left.

---

 I wonder if I can get away with communicating with the realm again, Kokuma thought as she barely listened to the teacher in front. No, it’ll be just as boring as this.

She inwardly sighed and doodled in her notebook. As she doodled, though, a feeling of unease struck her with sudden vigor.

Her pencil fell out of her hand onto the desk, but its sound was muffled against the dread building in her heart. Gods, she felt sick to her stomach; Kokuma couldn’t remember the last time she felt this way.

Unable to take it anymore, she stood up. “Nana-sensei, please, could I be excused?”

The teacher waved her away, and Kokuma left. Even leaving the room didn’t quell the unease. Kokuma decided to stop by the restroom, hoping a splash of cold water would calm her nerves.

But there’s a thing about gut feelings—they’re usually right.

The first thing Kokuma heard upon entering the girl’s bathroom was the sickening sound of skin being torn apart. A black-haired girl stood over the supine form of a bloodied body, blossoms of red pooling around them both. Unthinking, Kokuma screamed in horror.

The black-haired girl whirled around, her manic grey eyes a sight more devilish than any creature from the realm. The knife in her hand gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and she dashed at Kokuma.

She can’t hurt me, she can’t hurt me, she can’t hurt me —yet the black-haired girl running after her without fear still caused Kokuma to yelp and leave the school as fast as she could.

As she passed the school grounds, she caught sight of the black-haired girl glaring at her with cold eyes. The panic didn’t settle until Kokuma finally reached home, door slamming behind her.

Leaning on a bookshelf, Kokuma caught her breath, starting to feel ridiculous for letting a teenage girl overwhelm her. “What the hell was that…”

The unsettling atmosphere made sense now. After a moment of racking her head, the name of the black-haired girl finally came to her: Ayano Aishi. Ayano was a mysterious second-year that mostly kept to herself. The perfect kind of person who would commit such a crime.

Kokuma sat down on her sofa and crossed her legs, closing her eyes. The motion was still unsteady, but the environment of humans soon faded away into the ghastly realm.

Before her now wasn't the smug face of her brother, but her grandfather. She knelt on one one leg in respect. "Grandfather, I believe I have discovered what I must do."

He gave a silent gesture to continue. "It concerns a girl named Ayano Aishi. Just today I found her in the middle of a murder."

"Aishi…" That was a voice, she felt, that stretched upon epochs. It was utterly ageless and primeval; simply put, it demanded respect. "That is not a name of no significance."

"What do you mean…?" She lifted her head.

"The line of the Aishi women began a long time ago." He moved a hand outwards, creating apparitions of the past. "Its founder made a contract with a demon to secure her love. However, her bloodline was cursed to be devoid of emotion henceforth."

"I see." Kokuma's family was one of the most influential in the realm; still, her elders were dreadfully protective of any threats to their status. She should have known their concern with the school wasn't altruistic.

"So, my granddaughter, that is your task. Kill the Aishi girl, and eliminate the curse."

Kokuma rose slowly. "Ah, Grandfather, must I kill…?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "However you lift the curse is no matter to me."

The connection severed.

Chapter 2: Deal with the Devil

Notes:

I cannot promise a regular upload schedule.

It was a ways to go before class started, yet Kokuma was again the last one to arrive to the club. As she walked in, thoughts of the conversation with her grandfather flitted around her head.

Kill her. Ayano gripped the knife tightly to prevent it from slipping under the slick coating of blood. Must I kill? Kokuma had seen the victim in school before, always smiling and jubilant… 

But she couldn’t kill. Maybe it was her age, but all Kokuma could see was a young girl unthinkingly committing sin. Still—

“Hey, anybody home?” Supana waved a hand in front of her face.

Kokuma yelped in surprise. “Sorry, just thinking.”

“Jeez… Is everything okay?” She twirled a pigtail. “You didn’t come to the meeting during lunch or afterschool.”

“Right. I had a family emergency. It’s no problem, though!” she added, seeing Supana’s concern.

“That’s good.” Supana looked away, her cheeks turning pink. “Um, anyways, I want to ask you something—”

The door opened behind them.

“Leave. Now.” Oka stood, suspicious eyes pointed at the person in the doorway. Her usual nervous voice was replaced with one of full certainty.

Kokuma turned, only to see—budding roses lain precariously by her pale arms—Ayano Aishi, the bearer of the curse. She swallowed.

The crazed demeanor, though, was gone. Instead was a polite but withdrawn school girl, who rubbed her hands tentatively. “Sorry to interrupt… I was just wondering if I could borrow Kokuma for a moment?”

Oka stepped forward. “You… emanate evil. Leave this place, demon!”

Kokuma stifled a laugh. “Oka, I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding. Don’t worry about it.” She winked (though it looked more like a blink) and left with Ayano.

“So, what do you need… Ayano, right?” The girl walked with a slow gait, perfect for concealing a knife… somewhere.

Ayano nodded. “Um, actually, it’s a little private. I—I hope you don’t mind if we go somewhere quieter?”

“Not at all.”

They eventually stopped to a storage closet where the Science Club tended to keep their gadgets. Kokuma casually leaned on a shelf while Ayano closed the door.

Ayano approached Kokuma, and without warning pulled out a knife and attempted to stab her. Kokuma grabbed her arm, the glinting blade dreadfully close. “You’re too obvious.” Kokuma plucked the knife away as if it were but a sheet of paper.

“Y-you…” Her eyes narrowed in frustration.

“Listen. I’m not going to report you to the police or anything.” Kokuma put the knife down on the shelf behind her. “In fact, I want to help you.”

Ayano looked at her wordlessly.

“Forget about yesterday; you surprised me, that’s all.” She held up her right hand. “I swear to God I’m serious. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll see it done.”

Ayano looked at the door, at the knife, at Kokuma before speaking hesitantly. “I want you to kill Osana Najimi.”

I won’t kill. “You can trust me.” She took the knife and hid it away, smiling at the silent Ayano as she left.

Oka was right at the door when Kokuma re-entered the clubroom. “...A-are you okay?”

“What? Yeah, she was just telling me something.”

Oka looked at her suspiciously, but said nothing more.

“What was it?” Supana asked.

“I can’t tell you! It’s a secret .” She grinned. “Oh, actually, I have a random question for you.”

Supana blushed. “Ehehe, really? So do I. You go first.”

“Do you know anything about Osana Najimi? Like, where I could find her around lunchtime?” Kokuma said.

Looking away, Supana answered with a flat voice after a moment. “She’d… probably be in her classroom. In 2-1.”

“Thanks!” There was not a hint of realization in her voice.

---

Ayano is one of the students filtering out of Classroom 2-1, giving Kokuma a knowing look as she leaves. As expected, Osana was still there, putting a bento box in her bag. She had orange pigtails that went to her waist, decorated by a cute ribbon and hair ties.

“Hello, you're Osana, right?"

Osana turned. "That's me."

Kokuma offered a smile. "I need to talk to you about something. But… not here."

Osana cocked an eyebrow but hitched her bag on her shoulder. Kokuma led her outside the school gate, where the gym teacher Kyoshi Taiso was thankfully not keeping watch.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I planned to meet someone during lunch." At that, her cheeks tinged pink. "Are we almost done?"

Kokuma looked down the path leading to town. "Someone wants you dead. That's why I came for you; they wanted me to kill you," she said somberly.

"Wh-what?" Osana backed away, but Kokuma reached for her, holding her forearm firmly.

"I won't, certainly, but it's not safe for you to stay here." She looked Osana in the eye. "I can defuse this, but please, until then, stay at home."

"What are you talking about? You have to call the police!"

"That won't change anything." Kokuma exited through the side gate, dragging Osana with her.

"Stop it! I can walk for myself!" Osana said.

"If they see you at school, you'll be in greater danger than you are in now." They were at the street now; the houses that lined it gave an air of calm. "I can protect you. Please."

"Let go!" Osana still tried to pull away, unsuccessfully. "I can deal with this myself!"

"No you can't!" Kokuma yelled with frustration, pushing Osana over to the street.

Osana stood up, her face an angry red, but as she tried to walk back, she collided with an invisible barrier to the school. "What the hell…?" She placed a hand tentatively on the barrier, the air underneath as solid as stone for her only. "What the hell are you?"

Kokuma watched her silently, blinking at Osana's confusion, before hurrying back to class.

---

 "Are you done?" Ayano’s flat voice startled her, causing Kokuma to drop her indoor shoes onto the floor.

She bent to pick them up. "Concerning… yes." Kokuma fought back a frown as she shut the locker door.

"I see." After a while, she continued. "You didn't seem like the kind of person to do it."

"Most people aren't." Kokuma at least said that. "But whatever. Can I walk home with you?"

Ayano looked to the side. "...For what?"

"Well, I'd like to become your friend." Kokuma offered a smile, and Ayano eventually shrugged and said sure.

The walk to Ayano’s home was quiet; they were the only two on the street. Kokuma looked at the other girl, who was facing straight ahead. "Though, Ayano, there's something I want to know."

Ayano looked at her curiously. "Why did you do it? Why did you kill her? What did Kokona Haruka ever do to you?" Kokuma asked.

"I—she—" Ayano stopped. She was quiet for a moment, but Kokuma could see her fists tightly curl, her eyes turn dark, her lips forming a grimace. "I've never been able to feel anything," she said finally.

"None of us has. Not my mother or my grandmother, or any other woman in my family. Unless… we are cured. By our soul mate…" She held a hand to her bosom, slowly clenching and unclenching it.

"A curse," Kokuma said. "But, if Kokona is your—"

"No!" The words echoed through the sky. "His name is Taro Yamada. That—that whore was going to steal him from me! She doesn't deserve him! No one deserves him but me!"

Kokuma put a hand on Ayano’s shoulder to steady her. Ayano pushed the hand away, sighing. "Why are you even helping me?"

"I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to be your friend." Kokuma gave a wan smile.

Ayano was silent, and turned back to the street.

---

The moon was steadily climbing higher in the orange sky. The ceiling lights were off, and Kokuma sat cross-legged on her bed. Then her ringer sounded.

Kokuma groaned, and decided contacting her grandfather wasn't as important and seeing who was texting her. Yet when she opened her phone, what she saw was a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Good evening, Jutsu.

She would normally delete spam messages, yet seeing her name both interested and worried her.

Kokuma: Hello? who is this lol?

The reply was instantaneous.

Unknown: Some people call me "Info-chan".

Kokuma: Ok what's up?

Unknown: As per my name may imply, I am the source of all information in Akademi.

Unknown: That means I control all the video recordings.

Kokuma: Oh I see where this is going

Unknown: Yes. I want you to explain your little stunt with Najimi today.

Kokuma: Where did you put cameras by the gate? That seems like an awkward place to hide them

Unknown: What did you do with her?

Kokuma: It's a secret. Anyways it was nice to meet you, goodnight

How annoying. Kokuma had never liked humans getting entangled with her affairs. What happened with Osana today was a disappointment already.

Unknown: What you do to Najimi is no bother to me. My concern is what you want with Aishi.

Kokuma: Oh ho ho so that's what you wanted?

Kokuma: How come, you like her~?

Unknown: I

Unknown: No, I definitely do not!

Unknown: I work very closely with Ayano these days. It would not do if anything were to happen.

Unknown: *Aishi. We're hardly friends.

Kokuma:  Aw, Info-chan has a crush! I can't believe it

Kokuma: And like I told Ayano, I just want to make friends with her :)

Chapter 3: Date with the Devil

There was a dead silence before Oka exhaled and said in a low voice, “Ah, it appears the ritual failed.” She brushed her hood off her dark hair. “Perhaps, the moon is not in the correct position today…”

Kokuma stood and stretched, quickly unpinning the black cloak. Yesterday still hung heavy in her mind. Sure, Osana was “dealt with”, but something told her that didn’t spell the end of the Aishi curse.

“Hey, Kokuma?” asked Supana, breaking Kokuma’s concentration.

“Hmm, what is it?”

Supana looked away, her cheeks flushing a vibrant pink. “W-well, it’s a Friday. So, I was wondering if maybe you would want to grab dinner?” She fiddled with her hands, laughing nervously.

“That’s a good idea.” Kokuma smiled obliviously. “Yeah, I don’t think we’ve ever gone out as an entire club.”

“Wait, that’s not—”

“Hey everyone, Supana was suggesting we have a club outing today!” Kokuma said, already turned to everyone else. “Wanna get dinner?”

Supana held her head in her hands in embarrassment. “No, I—”

“That’s a good idea, Supana.” Oka fidgeted with her arm warmers, speaking in a light voice. “It has been so long since we’ve all been together.”

Shin smiled. “Outside of school, that is.”

“Wait…” Supana groaned to herself. To her, Kokuma was always ever clueless to the nuances of human language, taking things out of the intended context to a strange and otherworldly one. Supana was wont to correct her, but now with Oka agreeing to the impromptu plan? It would be painful to disappoint her. "Yeah. That sounds nice.”

“You treating us?” Daku smirked playfully.

“I’m not made of money, three-eyes.” Supana scowled.

---

 In the end, Kokuma decided to call Ayano. “Hey, is this Ayano? This is Kokuma.”

Ayano sighed for… an aggressively long time. “Yes. How did you find this number?”

“Oh…” Kokuma leaned on her heels. “Let’s just say your associate gave it to me.”

“Damn it, Info.” She sighed again. “What do you need?”

“Well, me and the Occult Club are having a night out. You should join us!” Kokuma said.

“I’m busy tonight.”

Kokuma rolled her eyes. “Doing what, reading manga?”

There was a pause. “None of your business.”

"Right. But like I said before, I truly want to become your friend," she said. "And I'm sure the rest of the Occult Club would like to meet you too."

"I don't think your club leader approves of me," said Ayano dryly. "She called me a demon."

"Once she sees how nice you are, Oka will be apologizing, no doubt." Kokuma hummed. "Tell you what, your house is along the way anyways, so you have until I pass by to decide."

"I have decided. I'm not going."

"See you in fifteen minutes!" Kokuma hung up the phone.

Although Ayano had under no uncertain terms said she wasn't going, she found herself discarding her uniform and regarding her wardrobe with great scrutiny.

She was never one for fashion to begin with, but eventually she settled on a plain purple sweater and a denim skirt. In fifteen minutes on the dot, true to her word, Kokuma called her again, asking about her choice.

Ayano stepped outside with a flat expression. Kokuma grinned. "So you're coming?"

"It's not like I have a choice," Ayano grumbled.

"You always have a choice." They began to walk to the meeting place. "What kind of manga do you read?"

Ayano didn't answer, and they made it to the restaurant in silence ten minutes later. It was a small place just outside of the Buraza suburbs, and most of the club was already there waiting.

"Hey, sorry, are we late?" Kokuma asked, jogging up to Supana.

Supana looked down and pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "No, Oka isn't here yet. You brought someone?"

Ayano reached Kokuma's side. "This is Ayano Aishi. She came into the clubroom yesterday."

"Oh." Supana bit her lip. "What did you need with Kokuma anyways?"

"That's…" Ayano looked away. "A secret."

Supana blushed a jealous red. "You two are really getting close, huh?"

"I guess so?" Kokuma rubbed her nape. "We really formally met yesterday."

Softly, Ayano muttered, "You're so…" Annoying.

"Maybe we should head inside?" Kokuma suggested. "Tell Oka to meet us there?"

Supana said nothing, only nodding and turning to the rest of the group.

So everyone made their way inside, sitting at two tables pushed together. Supana sat next to Kokuma, but so did Ayano. With a hand glumly on her chin, Supana looked at Ayano, unsure whether to feel jealous or sad.

"So I brought my friend Ayano Aishi, I hope you don't mind." Kokuma touched Ayano’s shoulder in a gesture that was quickly shoved off. "So, why don't we introduce ourselves?”

The introductions went around the table until it was Supana’s turn. “What? Oh, I’m Supana Churu…”

Unlike most things, this didn’t go unnoticed by Kokuma. “Is everything alright?”

Supana looked up and offered a wan smile. “Yeah, I just… didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“So right after bed after this then?” Kokuma joked.

“Yeah.”

For a moment everyone was silent. “It’s nice to meet you.” If anything, at least Ayano had a good fake smile.

“You seem like a nice person,” Shin said, returning the smile. “I really don’t know why Oka was so angry with you yesterday.”

“Unless you’re actually a demon,” Daku teased.

“Don’t be rude, you barely know her!” Chojo scolded, although it was in his small voice as usual.

"It's fine." Ayano’s laugh was just as convincing. "I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone."

"As am I. Thank you for letting Ayano join us tonight," Kokuma said.

"Oh, look who it is! We were just talking about you!" Supana said, a little too loudly.

Everyone turned to see Oka walk in with a hesitant smile on her face. She wore a simple outfit, a black sweater with dark pants. “S-sorry I’m late.”

“You aren’t late,” said Shin. “It’s only been a few minutes.”

“A-ah, okay…” Oka pulled out the chair next to him, and as she sat down, she caught sight of Ayano across from her. “You… what are you doing here?”

“I…”

Kokuma laughed to cover the tension. “Oh, I decided to invite Ayano! I hope you don’t mind.”

“She’s fooling you.” Oka’s eyes were as dark as steel. “She may seem nice, but she is a monster. I can feel it.”

Ayano blinked, her face betraying nothing. “I’m right here.”

Before Oka could retort, Kokuma stood up and nearly shouted, “Waitress, we’re ready!”

So she came, and left just as quickly. Oka stared intently at Ayano, but each impulse to jump up and criticize her was quelled by Shin placing a calming hand on hers. It was fifteen minutes later, when the waitress returned, when the real tension began.

As soon as the food arrived, Daku had jumped into some story, but Ayano wasn’t paying attention. Instead, she stared at Oka, her empty eyes boring a hole into Oka’s forehead.

“What do you want?” Oka snapped finally, the chopsticks gripped tightly in her pale hands pushing apart.

Ayano looked around with false innocence.  “Me?”

Oka exhaled sharply, Shin again gently touching her hand. “Oka, please…”

“Stop it.” She whipped around to look at him. Although her mouth was tightly wound into an angry grimace, her hands trembled and her breath quickened. “You wouldn’t understand. I can feel it, she’s—”

Standing abruptly, Ayano looked at Oka with a hard glare. “Why do you even hate me? Besides the fact that I emanate evil.”

“You—you—”

Kokuma stood. “What’s with all this tension? What happened to a nice outing that Supana suggested?” She looked at her expectantly.

Supana absently moved the food around her plate, eyebrows knitted anxiously. Hearing her name, she turned the other way, tears threatening to spill out. Everything just wasn’t going her way. Really, ever since Kokuma misunderstood her words earlier, a feeling of great upset manifested in her gut. Ayano’s surprise appearance only made her feel worse, even though Ayano didn’t seem to care one way or the other about anyone at the table.

“Whatever,” Supana said. She had wanted to say it cooly, but the words were laced with a heavy sadness ready to leach out. “I’m going home.”

She stood up, and shoved her chair under the table, stalking out of the restaurant with crossed arms.

“S-sorry.” Oka was the first to speak, fiddling with her hands.

Ayano sank back into her seat, and only after a prolonged silence did she say, “I’m sorry.”

The rest of the night progressed awkwardly, but quietly.

Notes:

there may be an indefinite hiatus coming up

Chapter 4: Introspect

Kokuma was an interesting person.

For a while, that was all Ayano could muster when thinking of her. Everything else—Kokuma’s motivations, goals, beliefs—it was all a mystery to her. Ayano could read most people, their entire life story written plainly on their faces. Kokona Haruka wanted someone to love, Info-chan wanted a new pawn to play with, her lovely Senpai wanted a peaceful life.

And Ayano wanted her Senpai.

Kokuma had said she only wanted to make friends, yet Ayano doubted it. Who would want to make friends with a murderer? Surely, Kokuma was using her for something—but if in the end Ayano still got her Senpai, it really wasn’t something worrying about.

Even so, she frowned uncomfortably. Were it in any other situation, she wouldn’t care so much about things being logical, but this was Ayano’s future with Taro on the line. The other day, Kokuma had said one of the club members randomly decided to invite everyone; Friday’s dinner wasn’t a carefully planned ploy.

Kokuma was an interesting person. She was nice with her friends, and with Ayano, but she was the same person who had killed Osana Najimi. Ayano found herself wondering if Kokuma’s niceness was only a mask hiding her true dark desires—

—Ayano still remembered her hands stained in dark waters.

Slowly, she uncurled her hand from the tight fist she was holding and exhaled. Kokuma was… nice. Ayano’s childhood friends, who really only existed because of her father’s worry, weren’t like Kokuma. Maybe because they were children back then, but Kokuma readily accepted Ayano’s explanation without laughing or disbelieving. Maybe Kokuma was just as messed up as her.

Though… she liked Kokuma, as much as a girl without emotions could. She was quick to make conversation and get to know Ayano (even with her dampened feelings, Ayano did have interests. Idly, she wondered if Kokuma shared them).

She blinked. Yes, Kokuma was an interesting person. Ayano didn’t know if she should call Kokuma her friend or her accomplice, but she was at least an interesting person.

A sharp tone interrupted her thoughts. “Father,” she said, answering her phone.

“Ayano, what have you been up to?” Her father’s voice sounded more tired than usual.

Following in my mother’s footsteps. “Nothing.” She was suddenly more entranced with an anime poster on her wall than the phone call.

Her mother’s voice suddenly burst in at full volume. “My love, you’re talking to—ah, my little Ayano, tell your mother how you’ve been!”

“Mother, I…” She paused. “I made a friend. She’s been helping with… I also found a boy.”

“Not everyone is trustworthy.” Ryoba’s voice was low, the same tone she took when she was angry at Ayano or her father.

“I can trust her. I can trust her.” She found herself defending Kokuma. “She’s helped me in what I need to do. I… should go now.” Without waiting for an answer, Ayano hung up.

Kokuma was nice, and certainly an interesting person.

Chapter 5: The Goddess of Retribution

A familiar sense of dread permeated the air. Kokuma shivered, despite the day’s warmth, and stepped inside. The crowd of students by the lockers almost drowned out that sense, but it still hung in the back of her mind.

Kokuma was about to disregard it as nerves before she remembered that the last time she felt this dread, Ayano had plunged a knife into someone’s back. She looked around, seeing Ayano boredly putting her shoes away.

“I’ll just head to the club,” Kokuma whispered to herself.

The gaggle of students split apart to their daily routines, and Kokuma headed towards the direction of the Occult Club. Separated from everyone, the unease in her heart grew and grew.

Then it suddenly spiked into warning sirens—looking at her like this, Kokuma might have thought nothing of it. The other girl was facing the opposite direction, her hair shiny and in curls, seemingly lost in thought.

“You’re…” The rest of the thought hitched in her throat.

Kokona Haruka turned, impassive eyes staring at her. Her eyes were a deep red, just like—like blooming roses.

Everything about this was wrong. Even the way this person stood was a pale imitation of the real thing, like a ghost donning a human skin.

Kokuma inhaled underneath unmoving eyes. “Sorry. I thought you were someone else,” she said cooly before turning around and leaving.

As soon as she thought Kokona was out of earshot, Kokuma began to speed walk through the halls to find Ayano (running wasn’t allowed). She was already in her classroom, absentmindedly tracing patterns with her finger on her desk.

She looked up at the noise with the same brand of impassive eyes. “Oh. Do you need anything?”

Kokuma looked about the room; a couple of other students were here as well. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private?”

Ayano sighed, but still moved to follow. Kokuma led her to the end of the hallway. “What is it?” Ayano asked impatiently. Briefly, she wondered if Kokuma was here to murder her.

“Kokona’s back.”

“What?” Ayano blinked, trying to process what she just said. “But I—but she’s—”

“The real Kokona is… well, you know.” Kokuma was quick to jump in. “This is no doubt an imposter.”

Ayano paused. “I can take care of her.”

“No, don’t!” She looked around. The hall was still empty. “I think she’s far more dangerous than you expect.”

“What do you know?” Ayano narrowed her grey eyes. “I killed her once, I can kill her again.”

The imposter’s rose-red eyes burned in the back of her mind. It was a deep, intrinsic feeling, the fact that she couldn’t possibly be human. Kokuma frowned at the thought. “This isn’t Kokona. She’s dead.”

“More the reason to get rid of her.” Frustration eked upon her features.

“You don’t even know what this imposter is here for.” Kokuma looked away. “If you engage with her, I fear something terrible will happen.”

“It won’t.” Her voice was growing steely.

“I want you to be safe,” Kokuma said. “And I’m sure your Taro does too.”

Ayano exhaled. “Fine, I won’t do anything.”

“That’s good. I’m glad.” Kokuma smiled. “This imposter… really worries me. There’s something off about her.” If the imposter managed to stir up trouble, would Kokuma be able to intervene bloodlessly? Humans were such an easy variable to account for, but the inhuman were fickle, strange, arbitrary.

Ayano is silent for a moment. “I have to get back to class.”

---

 

As soon as class is over, Kokuma climbs up the stairs to the roof. Who she was looking to see is already there, gossiping like old women.

“Good afternoon,” Kokuma greeted politely.

The Basu sisters turned to face her, their identical faces turned up into smirks.

“Look who it is, my sister!” Inkyu said with a laugh, her pink pigtails bobbing with the movement. “It’s one of those cultists!”

Sakyu snickered, holding her manicured hand up to her red lips. “I see you’re following in your leader’s footsteps! What ever will you do, dear? Perhaps threaten me with garlic?” That’s right—Oka was convinced these two were demons, and watched them when she could to prove it. Though, Oka was off doing something else at the moment.

“Be serious. I need your help with something.” Kokuma rolled her eyes.

“Older sister, what do you suppose she wants?” Inkyu giggled. “Do you think she wants to play demons?”

“Well? Spit it out, darling.” Sakyu fluffed her purple hair.

“I know exactly who you two are. You need to improve your glamor.” Kokuma crossed her arms. “As for me, I think you should know my family’s name.” The name sung through the air, bold and bright and screeching. It was a name of untold millenia, of unspeakable words. The sounds were unholy, inhuman, alien.

“O-oh. Forgive me!” Sakyu bowed at her feet in shame.

Inkyu did the same, unsure and slow. “Uh, older sister, why are we bowing?”

Sakyu swatted at her sister. “You idiot! She’s a demoness of one of the most influential clans in the realm!”

Inkyu swore. “Oh, please forgive me! I was a fool!”

“Just stand up and act normal, will you? You’re just trying to get in my good books.” Kokuma rolled her eyes again. There was a reason she often didn’t seek out the company of other families.

The sisters stood from their bow, preening their barely tousled hair. “I will be your servant.”

“Don’t promise that!” Kokuma shook her head. “I don’t want a servant, I want a favor.”

“What do you need?” Sakyu asked.

“I want you to keep an eye on the person that looks like Kokona Haruka,” said Kokuma.

“Ah, so it’s a human thing?” Inkyu tilted her head. “You must be very busy, then.”

Sakyu punched her in the arm. “I apologize, my sister is an idiot.”

“No, she’s not,” said Kokuma dryly. “Kokona Haruka was murdered Wednesday morning in the girl’s restroom. There is someone roaming the school wearing her skin. I don’t know who this is nor what she wants, but I know she cannot be completely human.”

She held one hand at her bosom. “I fear she may be after my human friend, Ayano Aishi. I want you two to keep an eye on this imposter and make sure she doesn’t hurt Ayano. Or anyone.”

“I see.” Sakyu then grinned. “Of course, I cannot do things for free.”

“Give me your terms.”

Sakyu gave a little wave. “I want nothing much. Just keep telling your clansmen about my sister and me. Make them like us.”

Kokuma looked at Inkyu. “And do you have anything you want?”

Inkyu thought long and hard. “You know how they have, like, strawberry flavored cream cheese? I want that on a bagel.” Sakyu punched her.

“So it’s agreed then,” Kokuma said, stifling a smile.

---

“Taro, I’m so bored,” Osana groaned. She laid supine on her bed, letting her orange pigtails dangle to the floor.

“Then why don’t you just come to school? You said you weren’t sick.” Taro was on the other side of the phone call, interrupted while eating lunch.

“Ugh, didn’t we go over this already?” Yet she was ready to rant and repeat herself. “I said that I literally can’t go to school!”

“You said that, multiple times actually, but you didn’t explain what you meant,” Taro said.

“Okay, so, on Thursday, this creepy occult girl came up to me and tells me I’m in danger or whatever.” Osana flipped over onto her stomach. “She wants me to stay home, but no way! This school is not cheap.”

“I… don’t see where the problem is,” said Taro. “And I thought you said you hated school.”

“That was just exaggeration. I’m trying to get an education here.” Osana rolled her eyes. “But this girl pushed me out of the school, and now I literally can’t go in.”

Taro paused. “Is she threatening you?”

“I… don’t know? Maybe?” Osana sat up. “But that’s not the point. It’s like there’s a giant wall in front of the school gates, but only for me. I see other people going in and out as they please, but I can’t.”

“Um, to be honest, that sounds a little bit…”

“Fake?” Osana huffed. “I know. But I’m telling you, Taro, I’m telling the truth. Like, how can I even comprehend this?”

Taro laughed softly. “In any case, I thought you would be celebrating.”

“You’re so dumb,” Osana said, but laughed along anyways. “I can’t celebrate when everyone’s still in school.”

---

Supana fidgeted with her hands nervously. The past few days have gone disastrously, but today she was feeling optimistic.

Her optimism drained bit by bit for each minute that Kokuma didn’t come to lunch.

“Hey, are you feeling alright?” Chojo asked with a quiet expression, breaking Supana out of her worries.

“Yeah, I’m just—waiting for someone,” she said.

“Kokuma, right?” he guessed. “Don’t worry about her, she skips lunch all the time.”

“I thought you would have wanted to avoid her after you made her pay for you,” Daku said teasingly.

“Hey, sh-shut up! I didn’t plan for fighting! I didn’t plan for anyone else, either.” The last part was muttered under her breath.

“Ayano Aishi worries me.” Oka’s voice was barely a whisper. Shin reached over to rub the palm of her hand.

“Whatever.” Supana frowned. “Who cares about Ayano?”

“I think you’re just jealous,” said Daku with a smug smile.

“Oh, quit it, three-eyes!”

“You’re one to talk, eyepatch,” Daku said as Kokuma appeared at the end of the hallway.

“I’m sorry everyone, I got caught up with someone!” she apologized, moving to take a seat next to Supana.

Someone, Supana thought bitterly, but shook the feeling away. “Um, Kokuma, I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

“Yeah, shoot.”

Again Supana twisted her fingers together. “We should do something tonight. M-maybe we can go for dinner?”

“Sure.” Kokuma looked away, guiltily. “It won’t be a repeat of last time. Ayano’ll—”

“Just the two of us?” Supana interrupted.

Kokuma blinked in surprise. “Yeah. That sounds nice. Fun.” She smiled.

Maybe things were looking up for Supana, just this once.

Notes:

I was really hungry when I wrote this chapter so that's why Inkyu said that. God i love strawberry cream cheese.

Kokuma: what do you want to eat
Sakyu: the souls of the innocent...
Inkyu: a bagel
Sakyu: NO!
Inkyu: two bagels

Chapter 6: In Candlelight

It was almost eight o’clock, the time when Supana and Kokuma agreed to meet. “For our date.” Supana smiled, excited that she was finally able to get through Kokuma’s denseness.

She was certain that Kokuma shared her feelings. During the start of school, Supana was just a recent middle-school graduate, antsy and excited and unsure of starting at a new school. Supana wasn’t sure she would make any friends, as she awkwardly stumbled among the other first years. That was when Supana first met Kokuma.

“Are you a first year?” Approaching Supana was a short-haired girl.

Supana looked up in surprise. She hadn’t expected anyone to speak to her; even in middle school, she was quite the loner. “Yeah, I am.”

“So am I.” The short-haired girl sat down next to Supana. “My name is Kokuma Jutsu.”

“I’m Supana Churu. What school did you go to?”

Kokuma smiled. “Oh, you wouldn’t know the name… I’m rather apprehensive in going here. My family wanted me to attend.”

“So did mine!” Supana laughed. “They really wanted me to go to a prestigious high school!”

“I just didn’t expect Akademi to be like this.” Kokuma looked away, lost in thought.

“Like what?”

Kokuma met her eye again. “It’s very nice. And hot.” She groaned and fanned herself.

Supana smiled from the memory. In fact, it was Kokuma that encouraged her to join the Occult Club.

“You’re joining the Occult Club?” Supana asked. “Isn’t that kind of… scary?”

Kokuma shook her head. “No, it’s not scary, the club leader said she’s into summoning demons.” She winked. “Not like those kinds of things are real, right?”

“If you say so.” Supana sighed and sat down next to her. “I just don’t know if I’m going to join any clubs…”

“Oh, come join the Occult Club with me,” Kokuma suggested. “We can spend more time together, then!”

Supana blushed. “Huh? M-maybe I should check it out…”

“Sorry, am I late?” Kokuma’s words interrupted Supana’s reminiscing.

Supana took a quick glance at her phone. “No, you’re just on time!” She grinned in excitement. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“It’s only been a couple of hours?” Kokuma tilted her head.

Supana tittered nervously. “Well, whatever.” Hesitantly, Supana reached for her wrist. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

The two of them settled inside. The waitress greeted them—they probably looked like two friends on an outing. Supana hoped by the end of the night, they would be more than just friends.

It was not long before their dinner came. Supana anxiously rubbed her hands together. “Um. It’s been a busy couple of weeks, hasn’t it?”

Kokuma snorted. “Definitely.”

“Things are changing so fast, and I…” Supana paused.

“Is everything okay?” Kokuma gave her a soft expression.

“I’m just a little nervous.” Supana inhaled sharply. “Okay, it’s now or never. Kokuma Jutsu, I have something to ask you!!”

Kokuma offered a little smile. “Oh?”

“You were my first friend at Akademi, and I guess I just realized that…” Supana paused. “I think I’m in love with you! Will you—will you be my girlfriend?” Her face was beet red. Her heart was pounding faster than it ever had before.

Kokuma’s breath hitched upon hearing this. The feeling she got when she looked at Supana was the same feeling when she looked at Oka, or at Shin, or at Ayano, or at Osana… 

Kokuma was born over eight hundred years ago. She still remembers the dull heat of candlelight as she awoke in the world. She was not like those among the realm who were born human, those who sought out the powers of demons for their own desires. Kokuma was born with demon blood, and it is with demon blood she will die.

Even the form she took was nothing but a facsimile of a human. Taking it, at first, was shaky and awkward. The morning sun was too hot for her fake skin, the sights and sounds too bright and loud for her alien senses. Kokuma was born as ash, as smoke, as dust, something ever changing and ever still.

And to her, Supana was so young. Nothing the girl could experience could match the hundreds of years Kokuma had lived. The hundreds of years of war and famine; of fortune and happiness; of birth and death; of all the humans that lived through them. 

“I…” Kokuma swallowed. Everyday she felt more human, like she was slowly shedding the awkwardness and clumsiness. Yet right now she felt painfully aware of how otherworldly she was. “I don’t know.”

“Wh-what?” Supana spoke so quietly. “What do you mean?” Her fists repeatedly curled and uncurled in anxiety.

“We’re just so different.” Kokuma looked away; she felt dreadful turning down Supana like this. The declaration, in her point of view, came out of nowhere. Besides, Supana was just so young and so innocent. They were from two different worlds; it wouldn’t feel right.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Supana’s dark eyes shone with tears. She couldn’t cry, no, she wouldn’t cry. It wouldn’t be fair to Kokuma, to put that burden on her… Even so, why did it hurt so much? Kokuma was obligated to nothing.

Kokuma shook her head sadly. “I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

Now tears flowed freely down her face. “Is it Ayano? You love her, don’t you?”

Kokuma leaned over, hesitantly reaching for her hand. “I like all my friends, equally.” She pursed her lips. “But I don’t love anyone. You’re still my friend.”

Somehow that was the most heartbreaking thing about the rejection. Kokuma wouldn’t give a straight answer about why they couldn’t date. If she were in love with someone else, it would be more okay. Love does what love does, but… everything was just so unclear.

“I… understand.” Supana didn’t understand at all. But Kokuma still smiled like everything was okay, like she didn’t just break her heart, and the night progressed in silence.