PRETTY GIRLS CAN NEVER DIE (2)

It's at least a half hour drive to get to the outskirts of town. No wonder the two of them carpool all the time... if Mizuki lives this far away from the rest of us.

Ah, I won't lie, though; I-I'm kinda uncomfortable being in this part of town... The buildings gradually fall into more and more disrepair the further we go, most if not all of them likely having fallen into abandonment. It very much feels like the kind of place that you'd get mugged in, if you weren't careful. I feel awful for thinking that, but it's just what comes to mind.

"You actually think you're in any danger here, Chii-chan?" Asahi seems amused. Can she read my expression that easily... even when I'm like this?

"No, I mean... I-I know I'm fine, but... anxiety, y-y'know?"

"Fair. I... know that all too well." She mulls something over. "Say, Chii-chan. Can I ask you something?"

"S-sure."

"So, you're an earth witch, right?"

"Yeah."

"Meaning you're incredibly strong."

"Yeah."

"...Why the hammer, then?"

I can't help but grin a little. "I-It's the presentation, really."

"Presentation?"

"If I'm on my own-- at least, when I was human --people would see how small I am and try to pick on me. They'd think they could take me on."

"Right."

"Well, if I've got a giant hammer, then that's more imposing. It's huge, unwieldy, yet I'm able to carry it with ease. I-it sends them a message, one that doesn't even require me to say to their face."

"Oh? What's the message?"

"'Don't fuck with me.'"

Arriving at Mizuki's house, Asahi helps me out of her car, before bowing her head in embarrassment.

"C-can you... uh..." She's at a loss for words.

"I'll go first." I try my best to make a guess.

The fact that she pulls me in a hug tells me I was right-- or at least, that I was close. "Th... thank you..."

As I move for the door to Mizuki's house... I notice Asahi driving off to be a bit further away. She's... taking the love confession p-pretty poorly, isn't she? I mean... I probably would too, so...

I knock delicately on the door, not wanting to uh... put it in any further disrepair than it's already in.

"It's... C-Chisaki." I say, trying to make my presence known so that she doesn't try and attack me or anything.

No response.

I try a few more times, all to no avail.

"I... I'm coming in... s-sorry..."

Pushing the door open, I'm admittedly taken a bit by surprise as to how poorly kept the house is. Like, it's an abandoned house, of course, but I would've thought she would've tried to clean it up some more, given it's her living space.

...Meh, probably still cleaner than my room ever was.

Where is Mizuki, though...?

Ah, there she is.

...Lying face down on the floor.

Not wearing any shoes, either.

Fuck, no. No. Nonononononono not again-

I rush over, rolling her over in a panic. "M-Mizuki...! Mizuki!! A-are you okay...?"

"F-f-fuckin' hell, Chisa-tan! Let a girl sleep, fer' chrissakes!" Mizuki stirs angrily, upset that I'd apparently woken her up.

Oh thank god. Thank every god that has ever lived.

...

"S-sorry... I just... I thought, um, uh..."

"That I'd killed myself?"

"U-umm..."

"Nah, not yet. I'm close, but not yet."

........

I sniffle.

She grins slightly. "Yer' not gettin' rid of me that easily, Chisa-tan. I think about killin' myself all the time. It's nothin' new. So what brings..."

Sniffle... sniffle... I begin sobbing, c-c-clutching onto Mizuki as I pull her into a-a tight hug.

"W-woah woah woah, e-ease up, girl...! I, uh.... like having all the bones in... my body... is everythin' alright, Chisaki...?"

"Please... please please please don't kill yourself... Please..." I'm... h-hyperventilating... a-aren't I...? h.....hhhhh...... nnnhhh.....

H-her eyes widen. "Fuck, I didn't mean ta'- I'm... sorry. I... I'm not going anywhere, Chisaki." She r-returns the hug, k-keeping me c-c-close... "I'm not going anywhere... I'm right here. I'm right here, Chisaki..."

....

........

...........

"S-sorry again. I'm kinda used ta' takin' the shit I deal with lightly when I'm with Asahin and the others, I... I didn't realize that it was a touchy subject fer' you."

I gently break the hug, sitting down beside her. "I'd... my dad had taken his life. A bit after he'd found out I was a witch."

"Shit. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine... I-it's fine." I hold onto my knees, sighing. "I just... I don't want to lose you too, Mizuki."

"...Well, it's just like I said. I get in these moods from time ta' time, but they usually come and go. ...Appreciate ya' for checking in on me, though."

"Mmm."

...

"A-ah... Mizuki?" I speak up, after having sat in silence with her until I could regain my composure.

"Yea?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"What happened?"

"...Whadd'ya mean?" She squints her eyes.

"I-I mean... well, Asahi-"

Her expression sours.

"A-Asahi had told me something happened to you, but didn't want to speak on your behalf."

She smiles wistfully. "Well, I appreciate her respecting privacy, then." She glances at me. "Ya' sure you wanna hear me yap about how shit my life is, though?"

"I-it's why I came here. I didn't want you to be alone."

Mizuki huffs. "Well, fair enough." She thinks. "Where to begin... where to begin... Ah. I got beat up by my parents."

"O-oh my god. I'm sorry..."

"Yea, turns out trying to visit yer' abusive alcoholic parents for some money-- pretty bad fuckin' idea. Who would've thought?"

"...Why'd you do it? I-if you don't mind me asking."

"Nah, it's... it's fine. I'd... gotten fired from my job. Again." She sighs. "Turns out fast food restaurants don't tend to take well to sweaty bitches like me."

"I... assume you didn't tell them you were a witch."

"Why would I? They would've just fired my ass even faster." She leans back against the wall, closing her eyes. "It's not the only reason I'd went, though. I ah... got a bit mushy and sentimental seein' you have that entire... thing with yer' mom, and so I got it into my head that maybe, just maybe I could try and patch things up with ma and pa." She points to her good eye, which seems a bit swollen. "Didn't work out, as you can imagine."

I whimper at the sight. "That's..." I don't know how to respond, really. S-so... I rest an arm around Mizuki-- slowly yet easing into it after I see she's alright with me doing so.

"Ya know... We're kindred spirits, in a way."

"How so?"

"We're both gross and liquid-y." She teases.

I chuckle. "I guess you're right, yeah."

"Still sorry that this all happened to you, Chisa-tan."

"It's fine. I-I think I'm getting used to it, by now."

"That's good. Hopefully we can try and reverse it, though."

"Yeah."

"Hey... can I confess something to ya, Chisa-tan?"

My heart skips a beat. What... could she be t-talking about?"

"Go for it."

"I'm jealous of you."