Haguko’s Curse

The night was silent outside save for the gentle rustle of trees in a mild breeze that blew every now and then. The moon peeked from behind a row of tall beech trees. The ceaseless songs of crickets echoed all over town. 

A quiet, thin mist crept slowly as the few street lamps that were still on suddenly went out. Now bathing in darkness, the town looked heavy with an inexplicable presence that signaled a vaguely grim end to anyone who dared to step outside. 

Inside the Nakamura household, Botan and Asa sat opposite each other on the tatami in their room, lit by a single blinding phone flashlight. They’d put a large white bristol board between them which they were using to draw up an elaborate plan for visiting the mountains.

“Asa”, Botan whispered.

“Mm”

“Was it just me or did you also notice that it suddenly became dark?”

“It’s already dark, moron”, Asa muttered dismissively, focusing on the unfinished flow chart on the bristol board.

“No but it became darker”

“Yeah the street lights went out”

Botan glanced outside, “Whoa, that’s weird” 

A chill crept up his spine and his hairs stood up as he briefly imagined how vulnerable he would be if he was standing on the street. Asa looked up at him and sighed.

“I don’t get you”

Botan met her gaze, “What do you mean?”

“You’re just so obviously scared but you still wanna go into these mountains”, she paused, “Why do you always do whatever Daiki wants?”

He went silent and looked out the latticed window. A thick mist rose up outside. Botan sighed.

“I feel bad for him”

“Because he wants to put everyone at risk cause he’s too bored to stay inside?”

“Then why did you agree to do it?” Botan snapped.

Asa shrugged and looked at the unfinished flow chart. 

“He’s my friend”, Botan sighed, “In my life I’ve never really been one to go out of my way for someone. If it inconvenienced me I would just leave them to deal with it themselves”

A chill flew around the room and the flashlight went out. Asa picked the phone up.

“It says that it’s still on”

They exchanged looks.

“I’ll re-start the phone and try again”, she did as suggested and the phone lit up. Asa put it down and went back to the flow chart.

“And?”, She murmured. 

Botan looked out the window. In the sky dark clouds moved swiftly above swaying tree-tops. 

“And because I was like that, I lost all my friends. Everyone just went away and I lost touch with all of them. I didn’t care but looking back now, I don’t really have any good memories with anyone” he paused, “When they announced the summer holidays, that’s all Daiki’s been talking about. Going to this restaurant and that restaurant. Hitting up pubs, going on a road trip. He was so obsessed with doing something fun. But the virus got worse and he had to stay home, and now this stupid mountain-people-disappearing thing. I just felt bad, you know. I felt like I should be there for him”

Asa scoffed, “God, you’re cheesy”

“You can say that but I just wanna do it for him.” he glanced at Asa, still bent over the bristol board with a ruler and a permanent marker, trying to draw perfect lines. She would always get like this when they asked for her help. Botan hated the fact that she was a perfectionist with them, bossing them around when it came to group projects. Sometimes her frustrations weren’t even justified, Botan thought; they were just tantrums. He much rather preferred her company when she was just scornful and aloof. But Daiki always entrusted group projects to her. 

“So” Botan broke the silence, “If you’re so against me helping Daiki out, why are you trying to do it?”

Asa capped the marker and lifted up the Bristol board to examine what she had created so far.

“Because, unlike you, I’m not scared of the mountains”.