"Hanako...Hanako! C'mon, Hanako, get up."
This voice...? I don't recognize it. Who does it belong to? My eyelids are heavy. I feel weak. But I must...I must see...who...is calling me...
My eyes opened to the sight of a familiar black-haired girl. Her eyes were twinkling with a delightful expression as she looked down at me. It was Lucy. The strange thing about her voice was that it was more clear and lively now, rather than when I had first heard her in the hospital. That's right...the hospital...she died. But how could she-...I'm dreaming, aren't I?
"Hanako, are you alright now?" She asked.
"Uh, y-yeah..." I said quietly. She smiled and held out her hand. I gratefully accepted it, and she helped me on my feet.
"Good, I'm glad," she sighed. "You're just in time to play with Reiha and me!"
Reiha?! "Lucy, I-" Before I had the chance to react, Lucy had already begun leading me in the direction of what appeared to be a small playground in the midst of a beautiful sunset. It was only then that I actually took note to where I was and my surroundings. The vast, cloudless sky was illuminated with countless shades of orange, pink, yellow, and purple, the sun casting a beautiful shadow over the park as if the day were ending. But for some strange reason it felt as though the day were only beginning.
As we grew closer to the playground, the faint image of a scarlet haired woman came into view. The crimson dress she wore triggered a certain memory to reveal itself, and not a pleasant one, either. Her legs hung over the side of the platform, swinging back and forth.
"Ah, Lucy, there you a-..."
She stopped. Reiha's eyes widened at the sight of my hand holding Lucy's. I couldn't tell if she was angry, or just flat-out astonished. Unable to think of anything better to say, I whispered, "It's you..."
"Hanako Izumi," Reiha said back, bitter nostalgia clear as day on her face. She slipped off the playground platform and began to make her way over to me, her red dress swaying in the wind behind her. Then, she did the most unexpected thing. The second Lucy had released my hand, Reiha claimed it, and she yanked me into a hug.
Yes. Reiha—of all people—was hugging me.
"R-Reiha..." I tried to sound surprised, but I couldn't hold back the tears of happiness that were pouring out of my eyes. I clenched the back of her dress tightly with my hand, part of me never wanting her to let go. I don't know what was going on with me, but something inside me just felt overjoyed that I could see her alive and well again. Even if it was only a dream.
I felt her hand move up to my head and softly ruffling my hair. These gentle gestures didn't seem like Reiha at all, but I was too caught up in the moment to care. Suddenly, she whispered, "Quit crying, you disgusting fool."
Okay, that sounded a bit more like her.
I pulled back from the hug and wiped my eyes with the backs of my wrists, laughing quietly. "I'm sorry. It's just...I'm surprised...and happy. And very, very confused..." I shook my head. "Why are you in my dream? You and Lucy? I mean, is there a reason behind it?"
She was quiet at first, furrowing her brow and appearing to be deep in thought.
"...Does Niall miss me...?"
"Yes," I answered without hesitation. "He misses you a lot." I fought hard to hold back another tear. "And I'm sorry...I'm sorry I'm the one who..."
"It's okay," she said calmly. "I'll be able to see him again someday soon."
My heart skipped a beat. "W-what, don't tell me Niall is going to die, too?!" Relax, me. Don't jump to conclusions, now....
To my relief, Reiha shook her head, the same time stifling a laugh. "Not at all," she said. "Or at least, I hope not. What I mean is that I'll be seeing you all again someday. When the time is right, you'll know..."
Wh-what is she talking about? My eyes trembled.
"I'm coming back...the fall of the first Midnight marked the rise of a new..." Amusement dripped with every word she spoke, her voice darkening, but her expression remaining cheerful, only contributing to the mind-boggling mystery of it all. "I'm coming back..." She said again. "I'm coming back...I'm coming back...I'm coming b-"
"Reiha."
She stopped. Lucy had grabbed her arm and was tugging at it gently, trying to get the scarlet haired woman's attention.
"Reiha, I think you're frightening Hanako," she said. "Maybe you should give it a rest."
Reiha smiled down at Lucy with a look of endearment. "Yes, of course, Lucy dear. I apologize, Hanako. I must have gotten carried away."
"N-no problem." I shuttered.
"Anyway, Hanako, how about you join Lucy and I on our picnic?" Reiha offered politely. "I'm sure you could enjoy yourself. We can talk."
"A-about what...?"
"Anything." Reiha seized my wrist and took off towards the sunset, a giggling Lucy following directly behind. She whisked me off passed the playground, out across the field until nothing but the sunlit grass was to be seen. There was a chestnut woven basket sitting atop a plaid, silk blanket, its appearance quite welcoming. Next thing I knew, the three of us were seated in a small circle around the basket, our hands on our laps. Lucy reached for the basket and was about to open it, but Reiha swatted her hand away. "Lucy..." She said in a low, motherly tone. "We let our guest go first. Hanako?"
My hands quivered. "Uh, n-no, it's fine, I'm not that hungry anyway..."
"Eat something, you ungrateful creature," Reiha spat, her hands gripping her dress tightly.
My breath hitched as I tried my hardest not to show fear. I reached for the basket and opened it gradually, then took out the contents: a plate of triangle shaped sandwiches, a pitcher of lemonade, and a small box of assorted cake slices. Thank goodness it's something normal... I let out a sigh of relief. Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting. Along with these things were three glasses and three paper plates. It was strange, I thought. It was almost as if they had known beforehand I would be joining them. That thought aside, I poured lemonade into each of the cups, then proceeded to take two of the sandwiches and place them on my plate. Lucy and Reiha got theirs next.
"So, um...what did you want to talk about?" I asked awkwardly, taking a small bite of my sandwich. It was tuna. Not my favorite, but I wasn't going to complain.
"How has Niall been?" said Reiha.
I cracked a smile. She really does care a lot for him, doesn't she? "He's-...."
I had to stop myself for a moment. What was I just about to say? He's fine? No. No, 'cuz that would be lying. "He's-....managing...." I sighed. Reiha's expression let me know she wasn't surprised by this.
"I expected as much," she said, taking a sip of her drink, then releasing a huff of air through her nose. "It'll only be so long 'til he snaps. Oh, that'll be the day..."
The gap after her words was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Lucy didn't say a word, and she appeared so suddenly shy. I tapped my fingers against my plastic cup, attempting to fill that gap, but it didn't work so well, so I spoke. "The sunset is beautiful."
Lucy seemed to perk up at the sound of this. "Yes!" She exclaimed, placing down her plate and jumping to her feet. "But just wait 'til you see the sunrise!"
Reiha laughed delightedly. She gazed adoringly at Lucy as the raven haired girl began to frolic in the meadow as the young, carefree girl that she was. It was at times like this when I realized how—strange this may sound—caring even demons could be. Often times I forgot that I, too, was a demon...but that was beside the point. Before long, Reiha had accompanied Lucy, and the two were soon playing a friendly game of tag. I didn't join them though. I much rather enjoyed watching.
Watching. Observing. Eyes...getting heavy...tired...getting sleepy....
"Hey. Blockhead."
"Wha-?" I blinked. Reiha was standing directly in front of me, bent over and waving her hands in front of my face. "Sorry~..." I mumbled. "Was I falling asleep?"
"Yeah."
"Hanako!" Lucy cried. The sound of her voice shook me awake. "Hanako, look! The sun is rising!"
Rising?! But how-!? "It was just setting a moment ago! Wasn't it?"
Reiha let out a small laugh, then voiced something mysterious in a rather hypnotic tone: "In the blink of an eye, the day shall go. And in the blink of an eye, a new shall show. Shredded sails around me float, on beaten, battered, worn out boats. They sail in search for one still hope. A beacon of light that soon will go. Across the waves, so silently, it glides and paints the pale blue sky. Across the waves it makes its mark, and writes its message in the dark. 'The day draws near when tears will rust. Sinful desires of greed and lust. The day draws near when all shall cry, just three days wake 'til he must die.'"
My stomach churned with every word she uttered. My mind was twisted and my brain was throbbing from all the confusion. By now I'm sure all this may sound like I was repeating myself, and I suppose I was. What had she just said? Was it some sort of complex poem? That last phrase stuck in my mind, though. 'Three days wake 'til he must die.' What does that mean? Three days wake...three...days...wake...
"Your dream is ending..." Reiha whispered, her eyes staring into the rising sun. "Do not tell Niall that I spoke with you. Do you understand, Hanako? He knows not that I will come. And I do not wish for him to know. Do not tell him."
"O-okay..." She is scaring me...really...scaring me...
"I shall see you some day soon...Shadow Keeper....very soon."
"Goodbye, Hanako," said Lucy. "Be good to him. Be good to Niall no matter what."
I will...I...I'll do my best....