Unsafety

Part 1 - The club president 

-Here's the first Gōsutohāto, can you interact with objects? 

-Yesterday I discovered that if I concentrate hard enough I can grab things for at least 1 second, but after that I drop them. 

Asuna's face lit up. 

-Can you do it now? 

-Yes, I don't think so. 

Akari reached across the table, reached out her hand and put it on one of the buttons of my shirt, at first it was the usual thing that I couldn't touch it, but after a few seconds, I felt my shirt being tugged, and she released the collar button. 

-Akari, can you try to touch me? 

Her eyes reflected sadness. 

-Yesterday I tried everything I could to touch my parents, but it was all in vain, I don't think it works with people. 

Having felt Akari's touch through the movement of the shirt, it made me more excited than I should have been, I was thoughtless, the bitter moment caused me to be crestfallen. 

-I think if you can touch objects, maybe you can touch people if you can better control your... I guess you could call it "state", this reminded me of a movie where an ancient necklace allowed the characters to touch and see ghosts. 

-Do you think it's a good idea to bring up the topic of a fictional necklace from a movie right now Asuna? 

-Of course Hikaru, the film was based on a legend from our country, the emerald talisman. 

I was startled. 

-There really is a talisman that would allow me to touch her. 

I hadn't thought about what I said, so I was a bit embarrassed, but I wasn't the only one, Akari was red as a tomato. 

-But what a pervert. 

Asuna puffed out one of her cheeks in annoyance. 

-But I can't say for sure that it really works, it was just an idea, plus no one's ever found the necklace. 

-Then why bring it up? 

Akari had stolen the words right out of my mouth, she too had gotten her hopes up for a moment. 

-Hehehehe, I just got excited. 

-Asuna, you're making me regret apologising. 

-I'm sorry, on a more serious note, I think we should first define why Gōsutohāto is still with us. 

-What do you mean by that, Kimigawa? 

I mean why you came back as a ghost, if he has something unfinished in this life, or they put a curse on you, or somehow they took your soul out of your body, the theories are many, I think that if we're going to do something about your situation we should know which way to go. 

-Kimigawa, do you want to help me? 

-Of course I do, I know we were never close, in fact, we never talked, but you're the first paranormal case I can see in my life, I mean something real, and I wouldn't like to see Hikaru sad anymore... 

Asuna... I have to be honest with her. 

I tried to grab Akari's hand, but obviously I couldn't do it. 

-Excuse me, it's habit. 

-Calm down. 

-Asuna has to know that Akari and I are boyfriend and girlfriend, I proposed to her the same day this happened. 

-I see, even so, I won't change my mind. I want to help Gōsutohāto, if she'll let me. 

Something gave me a bad feeling that was strange... I looked at Akari to see if she noticed, but it didn't seem that way. 

-Thank you so much Kimigawa, I really appreciate it, really, I'll count on your help, along with that of my boyfriend. 

I didn't know how much I needed to hear those words from Akari, my heart was almost bursting with happiness. 

- Gōsutohāto do you think we can be friends, and I can call you by your name. 

-Definitely... Asuna. 

Akari smiled at Asuna, she couldn't help her happiness, she was an open book. 

-Then I'll tell everyone in the club to get to work. 

Hit the table 

-I forbid you Asuna. 

-Until we know what happened to Akari, you have to keep this a secret, we don't know if.... 

I swallowed my breath because I didn't want to say the following, but I had to. 

-... we don't know if her killer is still in the school, if he finds out we're looking for him, he could run away or worse he could come after us, do you understand? 

-I don't like to hide things from my friends, but for you I will make an exception, I promise, but what do you think of what Hikaru says, Akari... it felt good to say your name. It felt good to say your name. 

-If that's what Hikaru thinks is best for me, I agree, besides I wouldn't want to put you in danger. 

-Then that's all there is left to say, I'll look for all the information I can find to help them. 

-We are counting on you then, Asuna. 

-All the same, join me for lunch, here at the club. 

-If I don't see the problem... -If I don't see the problem... 

-Akari, you can't eat, right? -No, Hikaru. 

-No Hikaru, I'm not hungry, I'm not sleepy either, I tried to sleep last night, but I couldn't, it's not that I feel exhausted for not sleeping or eating, but eat without problems, it doesn't bother me. 

I got a little sad, I wasn't already sad, just his words increased the feeling. 

-Akari, will you go back to your parents' house when school is over, or will you become the myth of the academy like the ghost that roams the halls. 

-That was insensitive again, Asuna. 

-Sorry. 

She stuck out her tongue, as she apologised. 

-If you want, you can occupy the club as you please and stay here, if you want. 

-I thank you president Asuna, I don't want to go back home, and my parents can't see me, I don't want to go through that again. 

-Akari... Honey, I'd like... you to come and live with me while we solve your problem... so if you want to talk or want to be with someone I can... do it. 

It cost me a lot to have said all that. 

She was blushing, trying not to smile, but I could tell she loved the idea. 

Me and Hikaru sleeping under the same roof... I can't get over the excitement anymore. 

-Yes... you don't think I'm going to make a nuisance of myself. 

-They're going to share an adult life, but how obscene. 

-And what the fuck are you thinking, you pervert. 

Part 2 - Conflict 

The snow was falling more and more frequently, few cars were to be seen on the streets, not to mention that we hardly saw a single person on the way to my house. Neither I nor Akari had said a word the whole way, in fact, each of us was dead embarrassed, as if we were two first-time couples, which we were, but it was as if nothing had happened to Akari, it was as if we were two normal people walking down the street. 

-It looks like we're going to see a snowstorm at night. 

-I think you might be right, Akari, plus the mountain wind is starting to come up. 

I paused for a while. 

-You know Akari, I wish I could have introduced my family, especially my sister Emi, but despite everything that has happened, I'm happy to be able to share with you. 

-It makes me happy that you feel that way, but I think that the way I am now I will only cause you problems, it's very possible that there is no solution for me, think about it, they killed me, I can't even kiss you, I don't think we should be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore.... 

-Stop, I understand how you feel, it's unfair for both of us, but whatever the reason why you're still here, I don't care, it's enough to be by your side, I don't care that you're a spirit, I won't deny that I don't want to touch you, kiss you, even go further (I said this last thing in a low voice), but it makes me happy to be by your side. 

-Hikaru, if you say such beautiful things to me, it's harder for me to stay away from you. 

-Then I'll be sure to say more things like that, Akari, I don't want to part from you, promise me. 

-I promise I'll do everything I can to get us together, but if we find out there's no way to fix me, promise me you'll make your life with someone else, Hikaru I can't chain you to me, you could intern him with Asuna, it's clear she likes you. 

-The woman I like is right in front of me, understand, I've known for a long time that Asuna likes me, but you stole my heart the day we talked for the first time in the asotea, you were the first and only person who liked the way I am. 

There was a little lie in what I said since Emi was the first person to accept me as I am.

-Hikaru... 

There's no way I understand, at what point did I deserve someone like him, even though I don't have a pulse, he manages to make me feel it racing. 

-You win my no-go. 

She leaned close to my ear, whispering to me, making my skin crawl. 

-You could do that again. 

She laughed. 

-I don't want to. 

That's better. 

-I wanted to talk to you about Asuna, I don't quite trust her. 

-Why are you saying that now, I thought she was your friend, sometimes I even thought they were more than that? 

-No wonder she wasn't surprised that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, there was no hint of surprise. 

-Now that you say it, you're right, but I don't think that's the only reason to distrust her, maybe she saw us when we confessed. 

-I don't know, I think that since I found out what happened to you, I've become paranoid, I've doubted everyone but two people, but there was something strange about Asuna, I don't know how to put it, but that makes me distrust her. 

Akari paused.

-Who are those people?

-You, and Emi, my sister. 

-You always speak well of her, I'm curious to meet her, she may not be able to meet me, but at least I'll know why you adore her so much. 

-It's thanks to her that I was able to propose, she gave me the courage to do it. 

-Then if I ever get to talk to her, I'll be sure to thank her. 

Akari took 2 steps forward from me, looked at me and kissed me, I felt no touch at all, but there was something in the essence of her action that made that nothingness feel good, I let myself go as if I was really kissing her lips. 

-That was wonderful, Akari. 

I pretended as if our foreheads were touching and we stayed like that for a while until the cold made me need to move.