Do ghosts even walk? Well they will.

It was a big venue

It was a big event solely dedicated for me, but…

I was sitting at the center of the stage.

I was holding my head as it still ached due to being hit with a sharp object that was suddenly thrown towards me. In respect to the object that hit me, I looked around and saw a microphone at the ground. I was wondering why it would hurt so much. That was no joke. It seemed like the crime was did out of pure hatred rather than having any bit of remorse at all.

Who in their right mind would?!

I wanted to scream it out but I still had to deliver a good appearance as the event was dedicated for me. Of course I would get mad to someone who dared to interrupt my very special introduction to myself. I would get crazily angry. I wanted to catch her, tie her and torture her until she spews out who she’s been working for.

As far as I could, I erupted while still maintaining minimal anger on my statement.

“HOOORA!! WHADDYA’ THINK YA DOIN!!—”

“Well…”

That was the face of someone I’ve made promise with three years ago.

Where have you been all these years?

The light that had been focusing on me was obstructing my vision quite a bit, keeping me from seeing the person that was approaching her clearly. It had not been a few more moments until a spotlight started focusing on the frail-bodied girl who was the culprit of throwing the mic to her.

What a grim premonition… fu fu fu… Dreams really could be scary at times.

I was shaking. Was it because of the cold temperature on the venue and I was at my almost naked outfit, or was it because of the happiness I felt due to the sudden reunion.

“Ky-Ky-Ky-Kyrie-schwenphai!?”

I stuttered the sentence out of me. The cold must have gotten into me that it started affecting my speech too.

“Humu. I see you never even changed after I graduated. Annette Monica. Or should I say, Anemone-sensei?”

“Bu-but wh-wh-why?!”

“It seems that you’re displeased to see me.”

I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was like a ghost suddenly appeared in front of me. She picked up the mic and started apologizing at the audience due to the commotion she’s caused. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was how I should talk to her after these three long years that we hadn’t seen each other.

“uwaaah…” –I blushed silently as she continued talking to the audience.

Looking back, it was about more than three years when I first met Kyrie-senpai.

---

Annette Monica

Modern Earth, 20xx-1

A girl in her scarlet red hair is to be seen sitting at her very own chair and desk placed at the very back corner besides the window of a certain class. It could be compared to those heroines at shoujo mangas where the very first page of the very first chapter could introduce a character like her.

Well that was me.

I was quite a loner when I was still at the very start of my high school. But it was not like I was casted aside by the whole class, nor was I being bullied. I just chose to be alone for some time myself. I did not had any problems making friends when I was at middle school too. In fact, I was pretty popular, but it was just way back then.

At the very first day of my high school I had suddenly caught a fever, so I had to stay at home for about a week. When I got back most of the girls from the class had formed their own groupies and were buddy-buddies with each other already.

It was not like I was afraid of talking to them.

I just felt like I wanted to be alone for the time being. I could always start talking to them and make friends. They had their first impressions and weird rumors going around but I didn’t care. I could always just prove them wrong.

Siiiiigggghh…

I let out a long sigh while supporting my chin with my right hand and looking outside the window as the clouds pass by.

My parents have always told me that I’m a half native and a half foreigner from a faraway land.

Well, aren’t those too fancy for a character background of a sub-character like me with no friends? It was actually like a character background from some fairy tale where the main character princess gets rescued by her prince charming at the time she needed him the most. Those formats are so very fir for an always delusional child like me.

They told me to always be friendly at school so I won’t grew up a lonely loner girl that’s always been being isolated by the class. I just followed, and I made friends, that’s how it had always been ever since.

“Well that was just at the past though…”

I murmured and gave another sigh.

Well what could a loner girl like me do at these kinds of situation anyways?

I stood up and left the classroom.

---

It was ideal for a loner girl like me to go towards the rooftop, bring a melon bread and milk from the vending machine, and take my lunch there like any other typical outlaw-ish type loner character. Yet I decided to take my lunch inside the classroom.

Munch… Munch… Munch…

“Uwaaaah. This is too much for me to eat…”

I looked at my lunchbox and saw the excessive food that would soon be wasted because I wouldn’t be able to eat what’s offered to me by my beloved mom. Those would be leftovers that either I bring home and tell my parents I did not have much appetite; or I would just throw them over and tell them I shared them with my friends.

I bet they would be “Oh, that’s nice, having lunch with friends sometimes. That’s the power of youth.”

I would still feel bad for the wasted food though. The food I’m eating was carefully prepared by my loving parents maybe for the sole purpose of sharing it with ‘friends’. In short, it was well-planned.

I looked around. I saw groupies already eating together. In a middle of a meal, it would be rude to just suddenly pop out and go ‘Oh hey! Could I still eat lunch with you?’ or something. And since there were only types of people at the classroom that’s either: eating, eaten already, or no plans to eat at all, I really felt out of place.

“Well, special occasions.” –I’ve decided to eat everything in exchange for gaining weight that day.

---

Days passed by, and most of my classmates had acknowledged my existence already. They would talk to me about random various stuff, related to studying or not. But I did my best to keep distance towards them. I did not want to enter their circle of friends and would want to maintain my status as a loner, since I was getting used to it already.

I was practically enjoying it.

But it did not last long. All those selfish acting struck back on me. In the end, I had to swallow my own pride and go against the way I wanted it to be. At the end of the day, I was still a loner little girl.

There were instances that would need groupmates, or P.E. partners, or even just the very little thought of having someone to chat with. There really were times that I would be staring at the window saying to myself ‘Ah, I miss those glamorous days where I still have friends that I could chat with…’

But still, at the end of the day, I was still a loner little girl.

“Ah there goes the bell, what are you gonna’ do after class? Let’s hang out!”

I’ve heard my other classmates.

I guess it’s time to go home…

“Or maybe not.”

Those were the times were its still not too late to join a club. I’ve thought that maybe I could search the school for clubs that might accept me, whatever club it is that’s not exhausting like sports clubs.

So I wandered around…

…and wandered…

…and wandered…

and wandered around the school until I’ve found myself in a place being seldom visited by most of the students. There were still clubrooms at the area but it would be like you never knew these clubs existed at first place. Actually it was the place that seemed to never exist at first place.

As I wandered around the area I reached the very end where a single door that might lead me to the other dimension could be found. It looked haunted, but at the same time it looked mysterious that you would get drawn and open it.

I opened the door.

“HIIIIYAAAAAAAH!!!!”

I screamed my lungs out.

“UWAH! What do you think you’re doing, suddenly screaming?”

I was startled to the point that I cramped up and couldn’t move my legs. I was scared upon seeing a ghost. She was a girl in our school uniform and had silver straight hair.

“Don’t… please don’t hurt me or haunt me… I’ve been a good girl. I promise I’ll socialize more with my classmates. Just don’t do anything bad to me.”

She looked at me with a dead fish eyes, which along with her monotonic voice as she talked.

I questioned myself if ghosts really could not project emotions, that’s why she’s been looking at me like that. What if she was already cursing me? I was too scared to even move a muscle. It was like all my body functions besides my five basic senses have halted. Actually I could have thought first if ghosts really exists, but I’ve skipped the fundamental parts and assessed she’s a ghost already.

“Oh good gracious, here we go again… Are you a freshman?”

“HIIIIIII!!!”

She started asking for my details. That’s it! She’s going to curse me!! I’m very dead for sure!!

I could not think up of a better response than a shriek. My body fell down at the floor slowly like a steady tower crumbling at the midst of a strong earthquake. I had always been afraid of ghosts, still, will and will always be.

She stood, and steadily walked towards me.

“You… You can w-w-walk?” –A silly question I’ve asked her.

“Humu. Of course I could. Do you not know…”

She headed towards me and whispered, “…not all ghosts are floating?”

Her voice send shivers down my spine. I should be at the peak of my fright but I realized too that she’s just teasing me. She’s a mere human, just like me.

But…

I was too late to realize it. I’ve shown a pathetic side of myself at a very first encounter with the person speaking to me. That should seal the worst first impression that any student at this school could have towards me.

“Heeeeh… You’re not a ghost. What have I been afraid for…”

My tone was disappointed, with a mix of the slightest intention of saving myself from embarrassment.

“How did you say so?”

The girl stood up, she went towards the sliding door at my back and closed it. I heard a clicking sound afterwards. She must have locked it. I wondered what her aim would be, locking us up at a deserted room at the ends of the school. She then went back and crouched in front of me.

The girl pressed her feeble body towards me. The force was so little that I was pushed back only until my back slightly pressed onto the wall. I supported my body from falling with both my arms at the ground.

“Wha- awawawa!!—”

“Shuuush. Stop making some noise. Others might hear us.”

The girl slowly pressed her index finger on my soft lips to stop my talking and stuttering.

I blushed. I wasn’t into relationship with my same gender, nor was I interested with ‘yuri’ stuff. Even for me, as a loner, I wanted to have a proper relationship with a boy in the near future, fell in love, marry, and raise a family. Would I be tainted by with some insane freak I just accidentally met at a deserted room at the farthest side of the school? I closed my eyes as I questioned those and got afraid that my purity will be tainted.

Then slowly, she got nearer… and nearer… until her face was almost touching mine.

Please stop… Stop… please… STOOOOP!!!

I closed my eyes, and waited for seconds like I didn’t care anymore. I would be broken but I guess it should be fine. I could manage anyways.

Then.

“Fufufu… FU HA HA HA HA!!! Humu. That was one of the best laughs I’ve had since ‘Meat lump’.”

She burst out laughing.

Eh?

“Humu. That decides it, I like you.”

“Eh?... what happened?”

“Are you really expecting something to happen? I’m quite amused.”

She regained her distance, and slowly stood up while laughing loudly. It seemed like she just teased me out of boredom. I’ve read quite a few manga and novels which introduced characters like her, but I really thought it would be something that could only be found on fictions.

I was at a loss for words. I did not know how I should react, given the situation I was put through.

“You…”

“I have a name, but for some reason you wanted to insist calling me ‘you’ then I would be kicking you out of here right now. My name is Kyrie. I’m a third year student here.”

“Th-then.. Kyrie-senpai, I suppose.”

“You could call me Kyrie if you want.”

She advised to not act too formal, but as if I would immediately get accustomed to that. She’s a third year and nearing her peak of her experience, and I was just a cocky freshman who would just start her high school life. In every aspect it would be difficult to adjust.

At least for a few months, if I get caught up with this.

During the days when I was still a kid, I used to be always getting caught up with events which forces me to become part of something: ‘A bystander who suddenly gets involved’. I was playful, even still at that moment. Part of me was wanting for something to happen that would stir up my everyday life. I suppose I’ve gotten too used to that kind of life.

“Why suddenly turn silent? Did your spirit left you? I have no means of getting it back.”

There was a quick pause, followed by the faint sound of student club activities from afar.

I decided to break the silence.

“Uhm… Kyrie-senpai…”

“Yes?”

She finally got back and found a comfortable position at her solo couch which just fits her small body.

I’ve got several questions I had at my mind, yet I still continued to ask the supposedly last-in-line question

“Don’t you have any friends?”

She became flustered. Then gave a big laugh

“Humu. That’s a tough question, indeed.”

She caught up with her breathing and talked.

“You like short but straight to the point talks, perhaps.”

“I… I’m sorry.” –I tried to trace back even at least a step.

“No, please don’t mind. Just how straightforward can you be?”

At which point did I do wrong? I could’ve asked her what club she currently houses at that secluded room. I could’ve also asked for the club members, or the adviser or whichever activities they’re doing. I could’ve also opened up a topic that’s less awkward.

At least she’s not short-minded of a person to get agitated over the slightest slips.

“Really. ‘cause I’ve just been wondering why you’re all alone here at a secluded place like this even if –”

“Even if?”

I’ve already noticed before, but still looking at her while she combs her silky silver straight long hair while looking at me with those majestic eyes were really captivating. It was like I was pulled in to another world where there were only the two of us, no one and nothing else. You might think she’s a ghost or an angel, or some god in disguise, but in reality, she’s still just a person, which in my perspective was someone close enough to be called perfect.

I blushed, and gathered all my determination to praise her just once. It might not happen again, a meeting like this, so at least I should give one.

“…you’re really pretty…”

“Humu, that should be something given…”

She went back to her monotone voice.

“I’m used to being praised young one, that’s to be expected of me. But you don’t need to go that far to make it sound like a praise you give only every once in a blue moon. It just makes it more favorable for you. I’m quite pissed, but I guess after hearing a praise like that, I would give you a small reward. Punishment comes later.”

What is she suddenly talking about? That’s quite arrogant tone.

“I’ll answer you three questions”

“You a genie or something?!”

“First of all, I have friends. In fact, they just haven’t arrived yet. I’m the club president and it would only be normal to have members if you want to keep the club going.”

“Eh—ah?”

I was caught off-trail. She suddenly started talking was it the question I asked her a while ago if she don’t have any friends? It was natural to think at first that where there’s a person, there’s a club. But at the same time the same could be said true about her being a loner and just wanted to pass time at a remote room at the almost non-existent corner of the school.

“I also have a normal life, friends at class, butlers in black suits, maids, fanclub, usual stuff”

Uwaaaah~~ as I thought, she’s not normal. The only thing normal among the things she mentioned is that she have a normal life!! –Which she clearly doesn’t!!! –In my case having friends at class is not normal too, so meh.

I needed to regain my composure faster than I could get swept up with the pace of her ridiculous talking.

“Uhm… Okay, okay, I’m sorry I’ve asked a stupid question without thinking it over carefully.”

“Okay then, so long as you understand. Now quick, proceed to the second question. I don’t have that much time left.”

She really talked like a being that popped out of a magic lamp and grants someone three ‘something’.

Do I continue speaking with her? Do I start excusing myself and leave?

Questions clouded my mind but she wouldn’t let me choose. It was more like her presence wouldn’t.

“Uhm… So what club is this?”

“Oh, this is the research club, AKA ‘Do Nothing or Go Home Squad’. As its name suggests, we literally do nothing that contributes to the school. We’re just goofing around and wasting free time. We don’t have any club activities nor set up any booths at festivals. By the way, telling the faculty won’t help. I’ve used my influence to have them cover up for our club activities. To others this is just a non-existent club that only goes through rumors and urban legends.”

“???”

The most unsettling part of her explanation was having her influence shut the faculty up with the existence of their club. It was in every aspect: wrong. I wondered how much of the student body knew it really exists and whether they were paid for their silence too. I was scared to know just how much of an influential being Kyrie-senpai at the school was. The more you know, the heavier the burden gets.

But I paid no mind. Wandering around and reaching the clubroom myself was a very more alarming thing to think about.

“Then why create your own little cradle here, if you also had group of friends at your class? Are they also the same as the other members?”

“Well… no, I’ve kept them separate. It’s okay by them anyways. I know they all just hang out with me for fame. It’s fine though, it’s not like I’m letting them manipulate my life events. I’ve got nothing to hide from them, so I’ve let them know everything, and the extent of what I know and what I could. They still chose to befriend me for their own sake. Feeling’s not really mutual, but no harm is being produced to both sides. But that’s not the case here at the club. It’s the actual opposite.”

Well that ensured there are other people know of this.

Well that’s not what’s important anymore.

“Is that all you want to ask me? The club members are about to arrive, you might not have a chance to do it later.”

The other club members are about to arrive at any moment yet still I feel lacking towards our one on one conversation. What did I wanted to ask at first? Why did I even stayed to the point that we’re already having a conversation? I was not sure. The answers I’m getting are being overshadowed by follow up questions I didn’t want to have. It was like adding more fuel to a forest fire.

It was then when

SLAM!!

“Aaaaaah! It’s so hot. I’m getting sweaty! Kyrie turn on the AC!”

“No, we’re cutting budget this month. We need more snacks, so deal with it.”

“Eeeeh?! ‘dun wanna’!!”

“Hey, Meat Lump! Don’t just stick your butt here! Enter now or I’m going to kick you! Quickly enter the room so nobody gets hurt.”

“Waaah! Kyrie-chaaan!!”

“He-hey! Don’t bump! The door’s too narrow!!”

About four other girls entered the room they came storming in one after another. The quiet peaceful environment created by the two of us, was suddenly stormed by these ‘fellow club members’.

“Oh, you’re new? I remember Kyrie saying some few days ago that we might have a new member. Sometimes I really wonders if she’s an esper or somebody with supernatural powers that came from another world. Amazing, isn’t she?”

The three entering members were now followed by the last one who approached me just like a normal human would. She seemed reasonable while she talked.

Aaah, finally somebody I could talk sense to.

I felt relieved that there would be somebody I could talk to directly from these bunch.

Or did I really?

“Well, time’s up. The other club members are already here.”

Kyrie-senpai continued to talk to me. I lost all my chance to ask the one last question building up inside me.

Or did I?

Was it really coincidence that had me ending up being here in this almost desolated place in search for a club I could join?

At that moment I was still conflicted upon believing fates and destinies. But if it was really fate that manipulated me on this fated meeting, I guess I have no choice but to play the role. Besides, the upperclassmen named Kyrie-senpai was too shrouded with mystery that it makes me want to know more and get closer to her.

“Uhm… Kyrie-senpai…”

I finally caught the attention of all the members.

“Oh there’s someone.”

“I didn’t noticed her there. Why is she still slumped like a kid?”

“Oh. Kyrie-chan drawn in another poor soul.”

She responded.

“I believe I’ve told you I won’t be answering any more questions once the other members arrived. Well anyways, I think it would be the most important you have. Well, let us hear it.”

I gathered my courage, it’s now or never.

“The— the club! Please let me join!”