A/N Someone tell us to stop doing this at school-

BUT ONLY TWO WEEKS ISH LEFT SO :D

Collab with icy_b0ba 

     Yashiro Nene skipped through the corridors, heading to the bathroom as the end-of-school bell rang. She passed numerous groups of students, but paid no notice to any of them until snippets of a conversation caught her attention. Specifically the subject of it, something rather familiar to her.

     "...Did you know...?...Hanako-san..." "I overheard...possibly..."

     Intrigued by the mention of her sort-of-maybe-kind-of-boyfriend, she approached the group of girls, inquiring, "What are you talking about?"

     "Nene-chan!" one of the girls greeted her. "You're totally into these types of rumors and stuff, right? The Seven Wonders?" she asked.

     Nene nodded, "Yes- why do you ask?" This was her specialty after all, as assistant to the boss of them. Another one of the girls grabbed her arm and pulled her into their tight circle, giggling excitedly.

     "Well," the first girl whispered, as if what she was saying was very important, "You know Hanako-san, right? The ghost that haunts the girl's bathroom?"

     Nene nodded, wondering where this was going.

     "There's a rumor going around that Hanako-san didn't actually die from suicide. She died because someone murdered her, like abusive parents or friends. What do you think, Nene-chan??"

     This caught Nene off guard. What was she supposed to say? It's not like Kamome's Hanako was the Hanako-san everyone thought he was. "Uh..em..." she stuttered. "I don't think h-she was murdered there..."

     "How sad, honestly," a girl said. "I pity her. Probably was her fate to die like that."

     "Isn't it a bit pathetic though? Like she couldn't do anything about abusive parents?"

     "Hmm, that's true. I mean, she should have stood up to them! I know I would..."

     As they continued talking, anger poked at Nene. Who were these girls to be chatting about another's death so lightheartedly, moreover Hanako-kun's? Sure they weren't actually talking about her Hanako-kun, but it was still rude nonetheless...

     Nene slightly backed out of the circle, causing the girls to look at her quizzically. "Nene-chan?" One of them asked, "Is something wrong?"

     How could she say nothing was wrong? First, they were rudely poking at a rumored person's death, and second, they thought having a fate to die young was pathetic? How would they feel if they were in her shoes?

     "I...I mean...don't you think it's a bit rude to assume that Hanako-k-san didn't try to do anything? How would you defend yourself from someone trying to kill you?" Nene's voice raised at the end. .

     "Oh Nene-chan," the leader of the girls, the rumor-spreader laughed, almost teasingly. "You're so sweet, honestly. Calm down, she's not real!"

     "Or is sheeeeee~" a girl grasped at the first's shoulder, causing her to squeal. They all burst out laughing, but not Nene. Her face had taken on her signature determination.

     "What if she is? What if she's hearing every word? What if it hurts her?"

     The girls laughed it off, "She's just a rumor! Ghosts don't exist, silly."

     Nene had no intention of shutting up, "Why don't you go and find out, then?"

     The girls paused. Then one of them spoke up, "You mean, like, try to summon her or something?" Nene nodded determinedly. The girls looked at each other, then shrugged, "Sure, why not?" the leader quipped. "It's fun to try out these rumors once in a while, after all."

     Nene turned around, leading the girls to the bathroom she was so familiar with (which was where she was planning to go in the first place). Walking inside, she walked straight up to the third stall. She jabbed her thumb at it and asked, "Well? Who wants to knock?"

     The girls whispered among themselves for a moment before one brave soul stepped up, "I'll do it."

     Nene leaned against the wall next to Hanako's favorite spot, the windowsill, as the girl recalled the instructions of the iconic rumor.

     Knock three times.

     Then call.

     "Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?" her voice wavered at the end, her facade beginning to break a bit.

     SQUEEEEEAAAAK

     The door creaked open, slowly, slowly revealing what lay behind it.

     Nene watched from her perch, as it reminded her of the first time she summoned her ghost friend herself.

     The opening door creaked open completely to show... an empty stall.

     The knocker, looking half relieved, half disappointed, only shrugged, "Well, I guess she's not in there. Told you so, Nene-chan," she giggled, definitely relieved.

     "Yashirooo~"

     Hanako's voice rang in Nene's ears. She squeaked and whipped her head around to see an outstretched Hanako, resting his head on her shoulders. "Since when do you go through all the trouble of summo-"

     "Nene-chan?"

     The girls were staring at her, confused.

     "Ah-" she blushed, unsure what to say. She knew they couldn't see a lazy ghost boy relaxing on her as if her shoulder was a pillow, so what was her plan from here?

     Oh.

     OH!

     ANOTHER RUMOR!

     "Well," Nene said, "Did you know that if your hands suddenly feel cold when you summon a ghost, it means they're holding your hands?" she shot a glance at Hanako, motioning with her eyes at the girls.

     He blinked, and his bright golden eyes stared at her quizzically, "Eh...?"

     There was an awkward ten seconds as Hanako attempted to figure out what Nene meant. It wasn't everyday she just sauntered in here trying to prove that Hanako-san exists. He was rightfully baffled.

     "OHH, that's what you-" his eyes widened in understanding as he floated over to one of the girls and rested his chilling hands on hers.

     She jumped back, clutching her hand to her chest, "Wh- my hand feels- COLD?!"

     Another girl snickered at her friend, "That's probably just the air conditioning! You're just being parano-KYAAA-?!" she too jumped, as if her hand had just been stuck into a bowl of ice water. "What was that?!"

     Smugly, Nene flashed a thumbs-up to Hanako, who shot her a look that screamed Am I here just to suffer?

     Most of the girls were still skeptical, though, and one of them piped up, "Cold hands don't prove a ghost exists. That could be anything!"

     "Alright. You want hard evidence? Well here you go!" Nene huffed, "Oh Hanako-san~" she sang, her magenta-toned eyes dancing with mischief, "Could you open the window for me, please?"

      Hanako, still radiating chilly air to the girls, sighed annoyedly, "Do I have to? Why the heck am I doing this again?" But Nene huffed at him and he reluctantly opened the window, holding it open for a few seconds before it dropped down again.

     "See?" Nene announced, "If that's not proof, I don't know what is!"

     That girl still wasn't convinced, though, "That could have been the wind..." her voice was twinged with uncertainty, however, so Nene was convinced her plan was working.

     "Oh Hanako-san, would you turn on the sinks for me?" Nene said sweetly. Her tone made Hanako look away, his ears tinged red. He turned away from her, so his face was hidden, and he turned on the sink closest to their companions.

     "KYAAAAAAAAA!!!" Half of them shrieked, terrified. "T-T-That s-s-s-ink-k..."

      Hanako flipped up the tap to another, frowning.

     "Makes you wonder who's really assisting who around here..." he muttered, low enough so that Nene couldn't hear.

     More and more of the girls were becoming unsettled by this point, and most of them did indeed believe, to some degree, that a ghost haunted the bathroom. Still, one remained entirely skeptical. "Please, that could have just been the plumbing..." she looked around at her friends, "Come on, guys, really. You don't actually believe in ghosts, do you?" 

     "Sheesh, still don't believe me?" Nene asked, "Fine!" she pretended to look around at the bathroom, "Wow Hanako-san, this bathroom sure is dirty. Will you get me a mop?"

     "Wow, you're right Yashiro, so are you gonna cleeeeean?..." Hanako whined, "How much longer am I to do this??"

      She glared at him, and he sighed in defeat and went to get the mop in the opposite corner. His movements caused the girls to shudder yet again, wind breezing by their trembling figures. Nene waited where she was, one hand outstretched in anticipation of the mop.

     "N-Nene-chan is she re-really-"

     "Re-LAX," Nene assured her, opening her hand, waiting for the tool.

      WHAM

      Nene tumbled backwards, nearly tripping over her backpack and rubbing her poor forehead. Said mop landed softly on the floor next to her.

      "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" She shrieked angrily at Hanako, who held up his hands in defense. Nene grabbed the mop and started chasing the boy. Hanako dodged as she frantically swiped at him, "Yashiro, I'm sorry! I-I wasn't-"

     "GEEZ, HANAKO-KUN!!" Nene cried, still at him.

     "H-Hanako...kun?" One of the girls murmured. They looked at each other, in the midst of the chaos of Nene trying to catch the invisible Hanako, realization dawning upon them.

     "NE-NE-NENE-CHAN CAN TALK TO GHOSTS?!" Another girl shrieked, promptly sending the others freaking out as well.

     None of it actually reached Nene, though.

     She was too busy trying to give Hanako payback.

     "Hnghhhhh can't you aim-eh?" Nene stopped in her tracks, only then realizing what it looked like. "Uh-Um-Ehe-it's-" she stuttered, unable to explain. All pairs of widened eyes were on her, looking at her like she was crazy.

     Haku-joudai breezed around her shoulders, causing her to look at Hanako behind her. Her eyes were asking all sorts of questions, but Hanako's face was hidden as he looked down, as if in thought. Then he popped up, snapping his fingers.

     "My, my Yashiro, this is going on far too long. The only person I want in here is," he took her hand with one of his and his other hand caressed her cheek. "My. Darling. Assistant~"

     Red lava exploded all over Nene's face, her eyes glittering at the affection.

     "AH-" The girl's feet were swept off the ground and she found herself snugly in Hanako's arms, off the floor. But it didn't appear like that to girls, clearly.

      It just looked like Nene was being carried by thin air.

     Nene's eyes widened, "I-I can exp-"

     The girls, having by this point completely backed into a corner, stared at Nene, shock and fear animating their eyes. "G-G-GHOST!!" One of them screamed, and it sent the entire group into a panic, sprinting out of the bathroom while screaming in terror.

     "Hanako-kun!! I was trying to prove a point!!" Nene protested, frowning and trying to wriggle out of his hold. He didn't let her, though.

     "Uh- What point?" Hanako asked, "Also, why were you making me do all those things? You're supposed to be my assistant, not the other way around."

     "Pff- Wha- I- I WAS DEFENDING YOU!!" Nene huffed indignantly, "Don't I at least get a 'thank you'??"

     Hanako let her down, staring confusedly, "Hold on- what? Defending-? Why would I need defen-? I am so confused right now. Explanation please?"

     Nene sighed, "I was walking to the bathroom, when I found a group of girls talking about how you- how you d-died. They were being so lighthearted and rude about it, and I- and I- s-so I...It made me so mad!! I knew that they weren't talking about you "Hanako-san"...but still. So...So I dared them to summon you, and uh- well- you were there for the rest of it..."

     "You got mad about me?" Hanako reached a hand to his chest, pointing at himself. His face was tinted with a sort of awe. Whenever Nene acted considerately of him, he always felt that way.

      Unable to look at him, Nene began playing with Haku-joudai, nodding feebly. "I-I mean of course I did...You're my -um- you're really, really special to me, Hanako-kun," she stated honestly. A rosy blush dusted her pale cheeks as Haku-joudai began nuzzling her hand. Like a domino effect, color also spilled over Hanako's cheeks, but for some reason, he didn't hide his face as usual.

     But Nene's face was also hinted with something else: curiosity. Although she couldn't voice her thoughts.

     Come on Nene! Ask him! This will eat you up if you don't!

     Nene listened to the internal battle going on inside of her, while Hanako played with the rim of his hat in silence.

     Exhaling heavily, Nene mustered up all the courage and her voice broke the silence, "Hey, Hanako-kun?" The apparition dropped his hand, turning his face to her. "I...h-how did you...um...y-you know..."

     Hanako gazed at her quizzically, "How did I...?"

     Nene frowned, desperately trying to form words. "J-Just how, you know those girls were talking about how Hanako-san," the words felt foreign in Nene's mouth. She had gotten so used to her Hanako-kun. "...how Hanako-san...died..." She let her eyes ask for her, her mahogany irises bubbling with questions.

     Hanako finished her sentence for her, gaze dropping to the floor, "So now... you want to know how I  died, don't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

     He glanced up at her, his own golden eyes dull and emotionless. No sorrow. No joy. Nothing. As if his own death didn't bother him in the least.

     Nene stared right back, searching for any feelings behind his barricade. But to no avail. Even though she knew Hanako well enough to know he always hid his emotions -his feelings from the world- she so wished he would share something with her, didn't he know he didn't have to bear it alone anymore? Whatever happened to him when he was alive...

     Meanwhile Hanako looked down, the brim of his school hat and his dark bangs obscuring his expression. After a long and brooding silence, he spoke up.

     "Yashiro..." he paused, seeming to reconsider his words.

     "Yes?" Nene immediately replied. It felt like she was on pins and needles.

     "Yashiro... you trust me, right?"

     Nene nodded, "Of course..."

     He grabbed both her hands, "Then you'll understand that now's not the time to tell you how I passed, not yet." His amber eyes glimmered as he gazed into hers, "Don't worry, Yashiro. I promised I'd tell you in time, and that's a promise I intend to keep. Just... not now."

     Silently, their eye contact said more than words did. Like a mutual understanding. Nene looked away and sighed, gripping his cool fingers with her own. As she looked at them, she wondered what, what exactly had those hands done when he was alive.

     But she wasn't worried. Because she'd know everything someday. She'd understand what he'd gone through, what he wanted to do, what he couldn't do. And when that day came, she promised to share all of it with him. The pain, the joy, because that's what love does, doesn't it? Love is patient, love is kind, after all.

     And maybe then she could finally debunk the rumors about Hanako-san for sure.

     Not today. But someday.

     And Nene thought that that moment was something well worth waiting for.

A/N Ok so anyway we have an

Ahem 

Alternative ending 

It was Icy's fault she started it

Peace out!❤️