3. Pudding saves the day...night!

"Shuuta...Shuuta! SHUUTA!"

The cute ghost was screaming from the top of her lungs, she pouted cheeks fumed up for the fact that she spent 4 hours yelling, but the soulless idiot was still out of it…somehow.

"It's been 4 hours! And you're still sitting there just staring blankly at the wall. What happened?"  Hanako's face exploded with curiosity; what made him react like that?

"D...a...t...e..." Shuuta's vague voice startled Hanako, she shook her head, did she hear date?

"D-date?" Her curiosity nukes! Why did he say date like that?!

"If you don't tell me what happened, I'll burn all your manga!" Hanako didn't give Shuuta a choice anymore.

She was over it, 4 hours of yelling at a wall were sufficient for her to snap.

Tremble*

"What did you say?!" Shuuta instantly retorted; his eyes glowed red like a demon, and the pressure around the house became heavy; it felt as if the floor was a black hole pulling her down.

Her eyes shook and felt her hands quiver.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Hanako's head bobbed up and down apologizing; she then sat next to him reflexively.

Shuuta could see the curiosity in her eyes; taking a deep breath, he explained the situation to Hanako.

...

"I see." Hanako blankly says.

Her words alone were enough to convey her emotions…yet.

"Huh? That's all? Are you not going to be angry? I mean, I'm trying to help you by becoming your boyfriend and...well...I have a date...with a teacher..." Shuuta laughs wryly.

Actually, what the hell?!

'Now I realize that my situation is absurd; why is that nurse trying to get me to date Mikazuki?! I mean yes…as a virgin, I would agree but still!' Shuuta started arguing with his head.

'And what are the chances that Mikazuki would oblige?' He contemplated his situation thoroughly. And after a single second passed he shrugs it out.

Let's not think too much of it.

"It can't be helped! Just do what you have to do." Hanako stands up and drifts into the ceiling rather hastily.

'...so it did bother her.' Shuuta mentally sighs staring at the ceiling where she drifted to, and tried to remember what the nurse said.

…

"I know that you guys have a free weekend, it's the perfect chance to go out and enjoy yourselves, don't worry, I'll make sure to keep it a secret. So both of you can go all out!" The nurse exclaimed briskly.

On the other side, both Shuuta and Mikazuki were beyond shock, and their faces kept dropping as they heard the nurse talk about their "date."

'I NEVER AGREED!!' Shuuta's mind almost exploded after that inner scream. It was inconceivable! Why did that nurse have the brilliant idea to force a date upon them? Shuuta was betting if Mikazuki was against it.

Shuuta gazed back at the sexy teacher only to find her, well…

"Unbelievable...I've never seen my little sister like that...oh? So you're looking up to it, huh?" The nurse chuckles after her confirmation.

"No! I am not! Why would I ever want to go out with one of my students." Her body started to tingle; her face looked like it was melting down like ice cream.

"Huh? What's wrong? Why are you that red? Do you have a fever? Or something..." The nurse then started checking if she was sick or not; obviously, it was an excuse to get close to her; she then whispered something in her ear.

Even for Shuuta, that seemed very suspicious. What is she telling her?

Mikazuki reacted in a way too outlandish for the red-haired boy to comprehend, her bashful expression, shaky legs, and hard breathing...

'Wait a minute...I feel like I've seen these types of reactions on manga...they react like that when they get excited over something.' Shuuta feels like he's onto something, but he can't quite catch what he seeks.

After a second of deep thinking, only one hypothesis roamed Shuuta's mind.

'It's a fetish.'

Glancing back at Mikazuki, her bashful expression didn't help at all, it basically confirmed his theory.

He then nods to himself in agreement with his hypothesis.

'But really! She looks so cute when she acts like that, Aww man! Little buddy, ignore her! Don't give in to her beauty!' Shuuta is having a slight mental breakdown.

"Mmm...I guess nobody disagreed. It's set then. I'll be sending you guys a text when you'll be meeting."

…

"Well, now I just have to wait for the message! I can't wait! Who wouldn't want to go on a date with a hot teacher!" His words reverberated aloud across the room.

Silence.

It was too quiet out of nowhere. Shuuta became uneasy from such a muted atmosphere…the room turned rather chilly.

The lad felt a shiver up his spine after saying that. One of those; is "The murderer is inside the house scenario."

'I should quit watching horror movies at nig-'

*ZOOM!

*BOOM!

A basketball darted his way and walloped him on his head.

"Gah! What the-?" Shuuta stumbled a bit but was disoriented by the force.

*ZOOOM! ZOOOM! ZOOOM! ZOOOM!

Various objects, including manga books, came drifting his way incredibly fast. Shuuta barely saw them coming and evaded them by god's luck.

"Wait!!"

*ZOOOM! ZOOOM! ZOOOM! ZOOOM!

"Gaaah!! I can explain!"

*BOOM!

A thick manga book sniped his bean bag and dropped him to the ground; the pain took over him, and he started rolling like an idiot.

His voice even went an octave up sounding like a squeaky toy.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! It was a prank! So you do care for me; that's all I wanted to know."

Suddenly a box started levitating; it had a tape that reads 'Kitchen stuff,'

When Shuuta saw it, his face dropped, and his eyes began to shake uncontrollably.

The box opened, and various things came out, including knives and forks. Shuuta instantly ran for the door but got stopped midway by a strange force, his body wasn't moving at all, but he was running in place.

"Huh?! Hanako, please! I'm sorry!" The lad cried out.

The force then tossed Shuuta towards a wall, and the forks and knives darted his way, outlining his body.

"Eeeek!" He felt the air of the attack, completely horrified he cried out. "I thought I was dead…"

"Shuuta, you meanie!"

"Is that all you're gonna say?!"

"You hurt my feelings!"

"Well, you gave me PTSD!"

Hanako pouted in anger after hearing Shuuta's response.

More boxes started levitating again.

"Okay! Okay! I retract what I say! I'll go out to buy you something...how bout' pudding?" Shuuta gulped a huge load of saliva, still uneasy but stern of something.

'In every manga that I've read, the ghosts always like pudding for some reason.' Shuuta had thought, he even thought of re-reading some supernatural mangas for more information, maybe it'll help him later?

"Sure! Please get me some! I really love pudding!" Hanako instantly dropped the boxes. Changing her expression.

'Good grief.' Shuuta laughed inwardly, such mangas were true, and now he saw mangas in a new light.

From supernatural mangas, he'd learned that ghosts love pudding, but the reason is still unknown, maybe ghosts love sweets? How strange.

"Okay, I'll go out. Just stay here and wait for me." Shuuta said, whilst making his way out.

"Wait! What if I go too? It's too late at night! What if monsters come out for you? I just want to accompany you, Shuuta-Kun." Hanako reflexively retorted. She did not want to be left alone anymore, so she stared directly into Shuuta's silver eyes.

"S-sure I don't mind." Shuuta couldn't deny her request because if he did, everything could go downhill again. 'But monsters? Did she mean thugs or thieves?'

"Yay! Okay, let me change clothes first!" Hanako drifted away into the ceiling.

'Huh?! You can change clothes?' Shuuta was rendered speechless; how can a ghost change clothes?! And where the hell did she get clothes from?!

After she changed into a cute sweater and a black skirt, they both went out to the convenience store.

"Pudding! Pudding! Pudding!" Hanako was singing in harmony like a small kid and frolicking along the way.

Shuuta just smiled brightly at such a scene; he felt like he was part of an anime, he almost got killed by a ghost, and now he's buying the ghost pudding. It almost made Shuuta laugh how ludicrous his situation was.

"Hey, so how can you get out of the house and go to other places? And if you can go to other places...why are you staying at my house?" Shuuta was curious; he had wondered many times before but never had the chance to ask.

"Well, the thing is...that is my house, well I used to live there when...you know..."

'Oh crap! I stepped into a land mine again!'

"If you want me to leave, I'll leave...but you're the first guy that can talk to me and see me."

"No! It's alright! Having someone to talk to is quite nice! You don't have to leave! Actually, I won't let you leave!"

"Ehh…why?"

"Because you're going to be my girlfriend! And I won't let you get away from me!" Shuuta couldn't think of what to say to her; he even didn't mean to say all that; he realized what he said and blushed hard.

Oh god, did I mutter that nonchalantly?! What else could I have said? I'm not good at saying lovey-dovey stuff! Please someone kill me!

Hanako's eyes glistened after hearing that; she reflexively pressed against Shuuta, wrapping her slim arms around the shy boy.

"Thanks..." She whispered in a tender voice.

Shuuta felt her warm feelings oozing out of her, her face smiled brightly; well at least he didn't cringe her out!

Bystanders walked by and saw a teenager hugging the air. The lad felt a chill up his back as he realized how embarrassing he looked, his blush deepened.

"Mommy, what is he doing?"

"Don't look at him, sweetie, come on, let's go."

A kid and his mom passed them hastily and awkwardly.

Shuuta started crying out of cringe.

"Hanako, please let's go!" He sniffled.

"Okay."

Both reached into a neatly kept convenience store.

Inside, the boy with crimson hair got himself some candy and juice, he always loved chocolate mint as a kid. It was brought by his mother every time she came back from work. All he could see was her radiating smile.

"…!"

That same smile was precisely the same one as Hanako! That inner image made the flustered boy shoot a glance at Hanako, looking for her; she was humming and bobbing childishly, making a great impression of her gentleness.

That gentleness suddenly popped like a balloon. Hanako was carrying a big package of pudding.

"Hey! Don't you think that's a lot?!" Shuuta's brow twitched.

"No, this is for you." She smiled.

"Oh. Okay, thanks."

After that, Hanako got another package for herself.

Shuuta instantly saw through her, she was going to keep both packages to herself!

"Hold it! I see what you're doing!" Shuuta retorted, snatching the pudding from her small hands.

Hanako pouted at the lad's retort, she used her hidden trump card, sad puppy face! It made Shuuta almost immediately flushed out, it was like a cheat in real life.

"Tch...Fine, I'll buy them." Shuuta's will gave up completely. Other than foolishly accepting defeat, what else could Shuuta do in his situation? Make her cry?

...

On the way back, a boy was sulking as he walked, his allowance wasn't great to be precise and his degenerate aunty wasn't as reliable either, he could only endure and grit his heart out.

Cut me some of that money you abusive aunt of mine! I cross-dressed and posed in lewd manners, I will never forgive you!

Shuuta glanced down; his wallet was anorexic to the point dust flew away from it.

'Her beauty is too dangerous.' Shuuta remarked. 'It's almost as if I fell for a trap….'

The red-haired boy was suddenly brought back to reality by someone's hand, a stranger halted Shuuta out of the blue.

As he turned to see who it was, a blur flashed to his stomach, making Shuuta spit and groan, then a rough leather glove gripped Shuuta's face and smirked. "For our lord, it must be done."