Unedited version~

Chapter 5

Nobara : Gratitude Towards Hell Girl

After a request that a boy named Meguro typed to send Anju, the Heaven Girl to the hell, Kikuri went and finally got the real story behind the request. But although Kikuri said to give up, Meguro didn’t. He sent the request everyday. Will Ai do something about it? And at the same time, in Heaven Girl’s residence….

“Hey, Anju!!” a boy with blond hair and green eyes was looking at the laptop in a pleasant place. Anju came to that boy and hit his head.

“ Auch, what was that for?!” That boy asked Anju, who was already beside him. “Call me sister!” That boy answered, “No way! Just because you are 24 months older than me!!! Anyway!! Look at the laptop!”

Anju looked at the laptop, “What’s this?”

It is written : Please send Enma Ai to Heaven….

“ Wow, a new joke?” a little girl peeked Anju and the boy. Anju turned back, “ Earl, don’t peek and just go back to your place…” That girl wrinkled, “ Aw-boo….” and she ran outside. “Not yet, it’s not yet time to show up, guys,” Anju murmured, “ and what’s more important is about this request…” A boy with grey hair and deep ocean blue eyes peeked, “Can I help you now?” Anju smiled, “It will be a good idea with your good spying skills!” That boy laughed happily.

“Be, careful, Russel!” Anju patted that boy’s head. The blond haired boy went to another r-place. Russel, the 10 year old grey-haired- boy put his hand on the monitor. He closed his eyes.

“Uhm… a girl….,” he murmured, “and she seems easy to talk with….” He jumped down and opened a door, “ Lemme go and check it out, sist.” Anju nodded, “ Sorry to bother you.”

“ Never mind that!” Russel smiled widely, “ I am happy to help you! Since Ken’s one that is always helping you and stuck to you. So, finally! My role!!…where is Ken?”

“ Well, he’s doing another thing for me. Ah, I’ve got another one to handle. See you!!” and Anju stretched her wings and disappeared. “Aw-sume!” Russel gave two thumbs up.

“Oops, I should get going too!” Russel punched his own head before he went outside and then run until he disappeared.

Meanwhile….

In the Residential Hospital…

“ Congratulations on your recovery, Nobara!” a 17 year-old girl gave a bouquet of flowers to a 16 year-old girl who is sitting on the wheelchair. Nobara, the girl on the wheelchair smiled and received the bouquet happily.

“ It’s all thanks to you, Kotori!” Nobara answered.

“ From now on, you will be my family! Welcome to my family!!” Kotori started to help Nobara to move her wheelchair to the parking field.

“ Well, but I won’t change my surname, that’s the best part of it! And I will be sisters with my beloved cousin, hehehe…,” Nobara laughed.

“ Sorry that I was late and because of that, you are unable to move your legs anymore..,” Kotori’s face became a bit sad.

“ Uh, never mind that! For me to survive is more than enough!” Nobara tried to make Kotori smile. Kotori smiled awkwardly and moved Nobara to the car. One woman and man were in the car already. They seem to be Kotori’s parents.

Russel was happy knowing a bit about the client, Nobara. He jumped down and ran until disappear. Apparently, he went back home.

o0o

“ So, you followed them until they went away?” asked Anju. The same blond boy glared at Anju and Russel. At the same time, he was also busy with the laptop.

“ Stupid Russel! And you said that his spying skills are awesome? Meh!” That boy commented.

“ But I have attached my equipment… bugs… uhm… tapper!” Russel didn’t reply that boy and continued to talk with Anju.

“ I see, good work. I’ll leave that to you! Just continue with it….”

“ Not yeeet?!” A little boy’s voice was heard from outside.

“ Oh, I gotta go now. Please, Russel!” Anju walked towards the voice while Russel stayed still. Should I ask Nobara about her request? But that’d be… Uhm…

“ Oh man, you’re not gonna believe what I’m going to say,” the boy moved the laptop’s mouse quickly.

“ What’s it, bro?” asked Russel.

“ A request from the same girl that you’re spying!” Russel rolled his eyes. So I really need to ask her?? “ Hurry up and solve this matter already!” that boy shouted. “ Uhm, okay… So, I’ll go to her right now to hear her story… Bye,” Russel jumped and teleported. The boy who was stuck with the laptop sighed.

o0o

“ So, Nobara-chan, from now on, you are going to live with us!” Kotori’s mother helped Nobara to get in, while Kotori brought in Nobara’s luggage. Kotori’s father was busy with the car at the moment.

“ Sorry for not noticing about ‘that’ sooner,” Kotori’s mother became sad. Just like Kotori, when they were talking about ‘that incident’. Nobara felt sad about them, because they regretted it so much. She smiled, “Aa, daijoubu! (It’s okay!)”

“ And again, sorry if you have to be in the same room with Kotori. It will be a bit stertorous, but please bear with it for now,” they came into a room. Kotori has already there, packing Nobara’s stuffs. “Don’t worry, obaa-san (auntie)! I’m okay if I have to be in the same room with Kotori! It will be fun!” Nobara moved her wheelchair to Kotori. Kotori smiled.

“Oh!” Nobara shouted a little. Kotori’s mother stopped and looked back, “Yes?” Nobara smiled, “Sorry if I’ll be bothering you!” Kotori’s mother giggled, “No, you won’t be a bother for us. You are the only daughter of my deceased sister, after all!”

“And Kotori…,” Nobara started a conversation when Kotori’s mother has already gone to a mall, “where’s ojii-san (uncle)?”

“Oh, my father said that he had some things to do at his office and he will go home soon. Ahaha, my father’s always like that. Although it’s holiday, he still wanna work. Or he forgot something there,” Kotori put the empty suitcase above the cupboard, “Yosh, that’ll do it!” Nobara stared at the clock that was hung at the wall, “Isn’t it about time you have to work in your part-time job’s place? Or are you in holiday?”

“Oops!” Kotori hit her own head, “I forgot about it! Yeah, my holiday is almost done… Well, my school gave me an extra. So I have to work today, and then tomorrow… And then the day after tomorrow, you and I will come into my school!” Kotori picked her handbag.

“ Will it be okay for me?” Kotori was about to go outside when Nobara asked her the question. She smiled, “It’ll be okay. Okay then, see you soon!”

“Be careful,” Nobara waved her hand.

Yesh! She’s alone now! Russel opened the door. Nobara heard that the door opened, “Kotori? Is there anything that you forgot to bring?” But she couldn’t see who’s outside. She moved her wheelchair closer to the door. And she saw Russel there, “who are you?” Russel came into the room and closed the door. He glared at Nobara, identifying her from down to top.

“ You contacted Heaven Community, didn’t you?” Nobara looked surprised.

“ How did you–….”

“ I know. And I came here to ask you about your weird request.”

“ Are you Heaven Girl’s partner?”

“ Well, sort of… Maybe I’m her second assistant?” Russel sat on the bed.

“ I guess it’s okay to tell you the story….,” Nobara moved her wheelchair closer to Russel.

“ Okay. So, when I was a kid, my mother died because of her illness. I was about 11 or 12 at that time. And then when I was 14, my father married another woman who became my step mother. She was so kind even to me,” Nobara tried to sit on the bed. Russel helped her. She lied down to the bed and continued to speak.

“ But everything changed… 1 year ago. My step mother was pregnant. I was so happy when I heard about that. My real mother’s body was so weak that she couldn’t give me a sibling. But when the baby was born. Oh, his name is Mao. He was just so cute!” Nobara smiled.

“ And then?” Russel asked the main of the problem.

“ And then…,” Nobara imaginated what happened after that….

o0o

The days of happiness and joy have ended for me. As soon as Mao is born, everything I did always have mistakes at my mother’s eyes. She always scolded me. When I intended to help her or take care of Mao, she started to accusate me of envying Mao and want to hurt him; or that I was about to make her injured.

My step mother tried to accusate me in front of my father’s eyes. At first, father—my real father scolded me. But then, he didn’t say anything more. Because of that, my step mother’s cruelness has become worse than ever. She didn’t accusate me, but she scolded me, she yelled at me, and she prohibited me from many things, she asked me—or forced me to do everything instead.

It was on my 16th birthday….

Kotori, my cousin only heard that my step mother gave me strict rules—nothing more. She decided to come to my previous house to give me a surprise at that time. My step mother didn’t recognize that Kotori came in at that time.

So, when I came home from a part-time job, my step mother has been waiting for me at that time. From her eyes and face, I understood if she had just experienced something that provoked her anger and the worst it, I could sense danger at that time. She wasn’t just intending to hit me, she grabbed a broom as the proof of it.

“ I’m home… uh…..,” I stopped to talk. She looked at me with an intimidating look. I moved back several paces until I touched the door, while she provoked me.

“ You naughty little girl!” She said it with an angry tone. Kotori came, hearing a ruckus. I saw her eyes behind my step mother. She looked very surprised. I wanted to talk to her, not intending to speak back to my step mother. But I knew if I didn’t respond at that time….

“ What is my fault?” I encouraged myself to speak back at her.

“ Your scores got worse…. and then you always tried to speak with your father about what I did, right? I heard you one night!!” Uh-oh… I guess she has a point. I really spoke to my father, but he didn’t believe me about it. He ignored me, so what’s the matter of it? I couldn’t understand.

“No, you’re wrong—….,” before I could continue my sentence, she hitted me with the broom. I couldn’t guard myself from her rage. I tried to cover my head with my arms. She smirked after seeing my injured arms. She took the broom away and she gave a few burnt on my skin with a cigarette. Not satisfied by only those actions, she kicked my legs. I struggled a bit, but it’s no use.

Riing-raang….

The sound of the phone saved my life. My step mother left me and accepted the phone. Usually, the phone or Mao’s cry would save my life. And Kotori, the one who saw that quickly helped me to stand up.

“ What happened?” She asked. I smiled bitterly.

“ I couldn’t explain it here….,” I tried not to look at Kotori’s eyes.

“ Let’s meet up at 7 PM today in that cafe. I’ll be waiting for you,” she patted me, “things would turn bad if your step mother saw me here, right?” I nodded. She opened the door silently, “see you.” I waved at her,”see you too.”

And at the cafe, I explained everything to her. She listened to me carefully. Her eyes sometimes got wet and she must wipe her tears that were about to fell.

“ Today is enough… I must go home or else she’d…,” I stood from my seat. She stood too.

“ Or else she’d what?” Kotori asked. She’s got emotional at that time, “I’m going to tell my parents about it! I’m going to save you, Nobara!”

“ No, please, don’t!” I have walked to the exit door already.

“ Nobara!!” Kotori chased me. I walked slowly again and moved back, “whatever happens—,” I continued, “don’t tell them.” I ran quickly. I must be at home before 8.30 or else my step mother would punish me again.

And then it happened the next day when I went home.

“ Welcome home, Nobara,” my step mother had stood in front of me at the moment I opened the door already. From her speaking tone, I could see that she’s angry.

“ You told your aunt and uncle right?” I was surprised.

“ No!!” I denied that fact. Could it be Kotori–??

“ You can’t lie from me!!” She grabbed my arms roughly and took me to the roof already.

“ Say the truth or I am going to push you down!!” Uh-oh, no… The roof is on the 3rd floor. This can’t be true…

“ I really never–,” before I finished my sentence, the bell rang.

“ Nobara? Nobara? Where are you?” Kotori’s voice.

“ How could you…?!!” My step mother grabbed my uniform. No good. She is definitely too strong and too scary for me!!

“ Nobara?! I’m coming in!!” I heard Kotori’s footsteps. She went upstairs.

“ No forgiveness for you anymore!!” She pushed me….

“ Kyaaa!!!” I screamed, I couldn’t believe that she really meant it. Vaguely, I saw Kotori that walked closer to the roof. She hurriedly ran to the roof and her hand tried to grab me from the bound of the flat roof to the sky. But she knew she couldn’t grab my hand anymore. Too late.

“ NOBARA!!!!!!!!” I heard her scream when I fainted.

From what I heard from her, she has contacted Hell Girl one night before the incident. So, after seeing my step mother pushing me down, she untied the red string on the straw doll and ferried my step mother to the hell. When Kotori told her parents about my step mother’s abuse at the night before that, her parents didn’t believe it and called my step mother in the morning before that incident.

I was taken to the hospital and I fell into a coma for 3 days. After that, I regained my consciousness back, but I couldn’t move my legs in exchange of my life. Kotori’s mother, my real mother’s younger sister got angry about this incident and about my father’s ignorance. She decided to take care of me—the only one of her (Kotori’s mother)’s sister that’s left. My father agreed because he was speechless when Kotori’s mother spoke about the fact that he ignored me although he knew that my step mother abused me. He took Mao and moved to a near city. I actually am okay if I have to stay with my father, but Kotori’s family don’t allow me to do so. But I still can meet father and Mao sometimes.

I don’t know how can I show my gratitude to Kotori, who saved my life. But since she got a restitution with Hell Girl, I couldn’t send her to Heaven. So I decided to request to send Hell Girl to the heaven. I’ve ever heard about her many times. She also played role in saving my life.

“ And that’s what happened,” Nobara closed her story, “so, what’s your answer? You are one of Heaven Girl’s company, aren’t you?” Russel remained quiet.

o0o

Meanwhile…

“ Hell Girl!” Meguro shouted happily when Ai stood in front of him, “finally you came here to fulfil my request!”

“..No,” Ai denied Meguro’s sentence.

“ What?!” Meguro became angry.

“ I couldn’t do that. Anju is similar to the ghosts or beings like what your friends have turned to be, and the same goes for me. I couldn’t take these kinds of requests, could I?” Ai explained. Meguro knelt down and cried.

“Please….” Ai walked, she looked at Meguro, “ Sorry, I couldn’t take your request. There is no use in persuading about your request.” And then she disappeared, leaving Meguro.

o0o

Russel remained quiet. He doesn’t know what else to say.

“ So, how about it?” Nobara smiled. Her eyes showed hope that are shown to Russel. And Russel is weak against these kind of eyes.

“Ugh…,” Russel tried to look somewhere else.

“ Sorry, but I guess we couldn’t take your request,” a younger boy’s voice was heard. Both Russel and Nobara looked at the source of the voice. A kid that is apparently 6 years old with white hair and blue eyes looked at them from their left side.

“ Who are–,” Nobara hasn’t finished speaking yet when…

“ Ken!!?” Russel jumped and ran closer to that boy, Ken.

“ Heaven Girl is going to decline your request officially, too, I came here before her,” Ken spoke.

“ Really?” Nobara couldn’t believe this.

“ Yeah,” Anju’s voice was heard at the opposite direction from Ken and Russel. Nobara looked at her right side and she saw Anju, the Heaven Girl.

“ Sorry, but I couldn’t take this request…,” Anju continued, “ do you understand why?”

Nobara nodded, “ I guess so… Thanks for listening to my story….”

Anju, Ken, and Russel disappeared after Nobara said so. Nobara just gazed at a picture in her leontin. A picture that showed her and Kotori. She smiled and touched the picture…