Ummm hey there
We should start apologizing now for being REALLY late with the update. October was the last one and wow, I can't believe it took us that long. We hope you can still remember this.
Hontoni gomennasai
Both of us have been really busy with college. Reports, plates, thesis and everything in between has really been a handful and we kinda had a hard time juggling everything.
Now for the replies:
@Yuki88: Again, sorry for the late update. I think "late" is an understatement. Both of us has been experiencing it lately. We need our monthly fixed of Mariharu!! Hehe
Thanks for reading
@yanouchi: Ahh yanouchi-san. I think I really apologize especially to you for having this almost 6 months delayed
. Thank you for your support from the beginning, and not just HWG, but also for Fool Like Me. Thank you for reading
@Haru_Jei: Maritomo is one of those pairings that has been unnoticed but has a lot of potential (Saw some gifs from tumblr) Sorry for the update though. Thank you for reading
@noah minami: This chapter will shed some light to that. Sorry for the delay. Thank you for reading
@leipyon: Hahaha Thinking back, that scene made us laugh just by thinking about it. We apologize for the long delayed. Thank you for reading
@FoF: Woah, that kind of plot can be made into a fanfic. But as much I want it to develop, I can't afford to have another fanfic that I'm pretty sure I won't be able to finish. We apologize for the late update. We are really sorry, but thank you for reading
@theblueknight: Who doesn't love that fic? It is the best and our all time favorite
Sorry for the late update. Thanks for reading
Again, we deeply apologize for the almost half a year delayed.
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Chapter 2: The Art of StalkingHave you ever had a nightmare and you can’t wake up? Many would say that if you sleep after a full meal, you'd definitely have a nightmare. But thinking about it, I never really had a full meal just yet and I’m currently having one of those things you call nightmares.
“Wake up, Mariko! Wake up!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. I shook myself. I even slapped my face just so I can feel the pain in my cheeks.
This is just a bad dream. Yeah, that's all it is. I’m currently at my home, on my soft bed sleeping like an innocent baby under a warm blanket.
I looked again at the phone and moved my hand forward. Slowly, I steadied my pace as I tell myself that I was just hallucinating. Then, after I was inches away, I struck my hand as fast as I could, and to my surprise, it passed through again.
No! This isn’t happening. It can’t be!
Then, at the corner of my eye, I saw my co-worker Yuko passing by me. A little background about her, I’ve known Yuko since I entered AAF. She was one of the employees that got mass hired alongside me, Miichan and Takamina, and weirdly enough, we’re on the same station. We got close over the years as we worked together, and given the fact that her station is right next to mine, we have a steady friendship.
“Yuko! Yuko! I need to talk to-” My eyes went wide again as Yuko literally went past me. I gasped for air as I felt that every molecule of my body became gas and returned to solid again.I checked myself again and looked back at the retreating back of my co-worker.
Why can’t they see me? What the hell is going on?
“Oh, Yuko, are you going there after work?” A familiar voice said, coming from the end of the hall.
Go where? To me?
“Of course, I’m going to visit my friend.” I can’t understand you, Yuko. Go to your friend?
“It’s so sad that it happened.” Mayu, what are you trying to say?
“I wish that it never did. I mean, look at this office. It’s so dull and boring.” Way to go Sae, you added more fuel to my never ending questions.
“The rest of the office will go there after work. Do you wanna come?”
“Yeah, I’m free later.” Yuko said as they walked together to the elevator. I can hear their chatters becoming less audible as they left me all by myself.
It was only me in the office. I felt alone. Nobody can see me. Nobody can hear me.
Nobody…
…….
Hold up. That’s not entirely true. Someone DID talk to me. But did that happen before I woke up?
No. I’m certain that someone did. But who?
It felt really vivid but I can still remember it. I must remember. I closed my eyes real tight and tried to picture out a memory.
Amidst the uncertainty of my memory, a face suddenly came to mind. A smooth, pale face. Brownish long straight hair. Pink plump lips with a mole at the lower right lip.
*Elevator Opens* *Sounds of footsteps*
“Hey, Ricchan. Here’s the DVD you lent me the other day. Thanks.” All this talking is making me lose focus.
“Ahhh, no problem, Paruru. So how was it?” Ahhh, this isn’t helping. I need a quiet place to think.
“It was good. The giants were scary, eating people and all. And I never thought that people could also turn into giants, or titans for that
matter.”
“…”
Giant?
“You know, last night, my cousin watched this weird elephant on TV.”
“What was weird about it?”
“The elephant’s name is Dumbo and he was part of the circus.”
“What’s weird about that?”
“It could fly.”
“Fly?!?! How? Why?”
“It has really big ears and uses them to fly.”
“You’re right, it is weird….”
“…”
Ears?
Giant. Ears.
Giant…ears?
GIANT EARS!!!
I remember it now. It was the girl at the park. She can see and talk to me. How was that possible? But who cares right now? I must find her. But what if she would think I’m scamming her again? I have no other choice. I must convince her. She’s my only hope.
-------
Whew! I’m….*sigh*…..here. God must really hate me. If everything I touch can pass through me, why can I still be exhausted? I’ve been walking all day and my feet are killing me.
As I reached the park, I scanned the whole premises. The sun started to set as the light illuminated the whole area. The only people left are starting to leave one by one as they anticipated night fall.
Ahhhh, I don’t see her anywhere. Maybe she already left.This is great, just great. I’ve walked basically for nothing.
Why do you hate me so much Kami-sama?
As I was about to give up, from the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar brown-haired girl leaving a grocery store.
There she is. I must approach her.
But.....what if she won’t believe me? I’ll make a fool out of myself. Oi oi oi, she’s leaving, I have to act fast.
-------
What a day I’m having, huh? Taken to account that for the whole day, I have walked my ass off, and to be given MUCH confusion on what the hell is happening, I have now stooped low as I follow, no, more like stalk someone home. Never in a million years have I imagined myself doing this.
It seems like she finally arrived at her destination as she entered an average- looking building. It doesn’t strike me as fancy but it looks comfortable and livable enough. Thinking back, I remembered my gift for Tomochin. Just thinking about that made my heart beat so fast. The image of her showing me her fang-like smile as we enter the place for the first time, the way she would link her arms around mine, and the way she would give me those sweet and captivating eyes as I give her the grand tour of the place where we will make many happy memories together.
That’s what I want. To be able to be with her again, and that’s why I’m doing this. I will search Earth’s end to find out what’s happening, and I will do whatever it takes to put things back to the way it used to be. I will try even if it kills me.
I took cover behind a wall as she continued to walk towards the end of the hall. With her phone between her ears and shoulder, and grocery bags on her left hand, she used her right hand to get her keys from her purse that was clutched on her other shoulder.
“I’m telling you, everything’s fine. I’ve finally settled in at the apartment.”
As she walked inside, she proceeded to put her things at the kitchen counter. But before she returned to close the door, I quickly and swiftly sneaked inside. I made sure that I didn’t make a sound as I immediately took cover inside the first room I saw that was fortunately open.
“You’re worse than my mother. Yes, I will lock the door every time and as a matter of fact, I’m doing it right now.”
The other person at the line should worry. I easily entered her home without her even noticing, but then again, maybe she can’t really see me just like the others.
“And yes, you can visit me, Acchan. Okay, I’ll talk to you later. I have work to do. Say hello to Mimi-chan for me. Bye bye.”
She hung up her phone and proceeded to the kitchen counter where she left her groceries. Peaking my head to the corner, I can see her taking out the things she bought.
A gallon of milk. A carton of eggs. Seems ordinary enough.
And woah-! Is that 10 pieces of melon pan? She’s even taking out more items.
5 bags of chips. 7 boxes of Pocky. 8 pieces of Papico. Forget about Dumbo, this girl can eat like Luffy from One Piece. Well, at least that's what Takamina told me.
I mean, how is this girl even alive? She mostly bought junk food, and by looking at her food cabinet, that is all she has.
My fixation on her eating habit was suddenly stopped by her humming. The tune became familiar to me as I recognized it as one of those songs Tomochin listened to in her car stereo.
“Aitakatta.Aitakatta.Aitakatta Yes! Kimini~”It’s now or never. I have to approach her and see if this will work. Taking a deep breath, I left her room and slowly walked towards the kitchen. Her back facing me as she puts the snacks at the top closet.
My heart is pounding. My palm is sweating. My throat is clasping. Is this going to work? No, it has to work. I have no other choice if I want things back to normal.
As I mentally psyche myself, from the corner of my eyes, I saw something move. Is that a dog?
No way! It is looking directly at me? A dog can see me!? I swayed my head slowly and it seemed to be following me with those eyes.
Incredible! Maybe I should wave at it just to make sure I’m not dreaming of this.
“Woof! Woof!”
“Shhh. Be quiet, Usagi-chan, or else the landlord will find out.” Her back is still facing me as she continued to arrange her groceries.
“WOOF!!WOOF!!”
“Are you hungry? Here let me fill your-“
Time stood still the second our eyes met. Her eyes widened in surprise and mouth slightly agaped.
“GAHH! What are you doing here?!?!” Without thinking, she took the nearest frying pan and used it as a weapon.
Seriously?!?
“Don’t come any closer or else I’ll have to use this.”
“Wait! You can see me?”
“What kind of question is that? Don’t take me as a fool. I can totally see you, and who do you think you are? You’re-..... Hold on, I know
you. You’re the scammer at the park!”
“I’m not a scammer.”
“Not only you tried to scam me, but you also followed me home and robbed me!”
“I haven’t stolen anything.”
“Yet.”
“Ok, ok. I get your point, but you can see me right?” I have to make sure I’m not dreaming of this. A while ago my hand went past a phone, and worse, my whole body turned into gas and back to solid by passing through a person. How can she see me?
“Look. I don’t know what kind of mind games you’re playing, but I’m calling the police.”
“Fine, call them, but before that, can you touch me?”
That sounded wrong than it did in my head. And judging by her grossed out reaction, I’m not the only who thinks so. It was way, way wrong.
Really wrong.
“A-a-are you insane? Are you even in the right mind? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Clearly, it’s a bit off, but even though that phrase is being used by sex offenders, which of course, I didn’t mean to sound like, I’m serious about it.”
And here’s another round of cricket’s chirping as she blinked back a few times. I totally can’t blame her on this one. I mean, who wouldn’t be shocked if someone asked you that?
She finally had a grasp on reality as she tightened her grip on the frying pan and started giving me this menacing look.
“I’m giving you your last chance. Walk away now or I will call the police.” She sounded dead serious. “You give me no choice.”
“W-Wait!.....” That seemed to stop her in her tracks. “I- um…… I-If you um…… called the police….” I have no idea where I am going with this, but then, I remembered something. “How about umm… Usagi-chan?”
Her eyebrows furrowed, bewildered by my sudden statement. “What about Usagi-chan?”
“Well, if you called the police, the landlord will find out….” With that said, slowly, she started to have a grip on what I am saying. “…. And if the landlord finds out, they will take Usagi-chan away, right?”
Silence once made an appearance as I looked at her. I think the idea of her dog being taken out must have made an impact, because she looked like she was thinking of something. Her eyes downcast on the floor for a second, then suddenly back to me. I think she
noticed me looking at her.
“You’re right.” Her tensed body began to soften up. “I just sneaked her in because that greedy landlord have this rule of not allowing pets in the building. And this is the only apartment that’s nice and just right for my price range.”
“A-and that would jeopardize it if you call the cops. I mean no harm. I promise.” Will this work? She looked at me then back to her dog as it began to waggle its tail on me. Thinking back, the dog never left its eyes on me. Can this dog really see me?
“WOOF!!”
“I know I sound crazy but if you were in my position, you would do the same.”
“….”
“It might seem crazy but I got into a car accident a few hours ago. I woke up and everything was different. No one can see me. No one can talk to me. Not one single person, except you.”
“How can you be so sure that I’m the only one?”
“Cause right now you’re speaking to me. We’re having a conversation. We’re exchanging words, and best of all, you know that I’m
here.”
“No. I don’t believe that. I’m going to prove it that you are human.” With the frying pan in tow, she walked towards me. Our distance
started closing in as she stepped in front of me.
“I would be a lot more comfortable if you don’t have that in your hand.” I swallowed an unnoticed lump in my throat as the thought of getting hit with that metal that is in her hands occured in my mind.
“You really don’t have the leverage to negotiate so I’m keeping this. It’s for my own safety.” I’m pretty sure she will hit me at this point.
“W-What are you going to do?”
“To prove that what you’ve been saying are all lies. That during the whole time, you are lying.”
“W-Wait, are you going to hit me with that thing?”
“Pretty much.” What the hell?! She can’t be serious?
“Oh, I’m damn serious.” This is too much. I backed up until I can feel the wall behind my back.
“If you’re story is right, you shouldn’t feel this.” The weight of that is surely heavy.
“And what if I can?”
“Then you are going to get hurt by lying.”
“No no no.” I closed my eyes and covered my head with my hands as she started to raise it. And then—
I prepared myself for the blow to come. I’m sure it won’t hurt, right? Right?
“….”
Huh, it has been a few seconds but why isn’t she hitting?
“What are you waiting for? Do it already.”
“….”
Still, nothing. Slowly, I opened my eyes and met her widely-opened ones. Did she—?
“ Y-y-you are telling the truth.”
TBCSo that was Chapter 2. We don't know if that was good enough to be called as an update.
If you have any questions, suggestions, violent reactions, don't be afraid to ask.
PS: It's past 3 in the morning here so I will re-recheck again if I have any mistakes.
Topic: Halfway Gone [MariHaru] Chapter 2: The Art of Stalking (Read 5756 times)