Para-Ohno-man
Title: Para-Ohno-man
By: arashiforyou
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor/ General
Word Count: 3572
Pairing: Ohno and...ghosts?!/ some Ohmiya
Summary: The reason why Ohno appeared fearless in the Haunted House episodes is not because he was sleepy. He's not afraid because he sees ghosts on a daily basis.
A/N: It result of this confession post on tumblr (http://stormtales.tumblr.com/post/44196645152/appa-chan-stormtales-5-nin-de-arashi) The sounds similar to ParaNorman, but I haven't seen the movie, so i'm writing this without knowledge of it. i'm just borrowing its title. this was a real quickie one-shot, and honestly i regret nothing! XD
Also, this story takes place in 2008 when they did their haunted house episodes.
Ohno will never forget the day he saw his first ghost. It was back when he was doing Kyo to Kyo and living on his own. His room, apparently, was haunted by a former stage actor. He appeared out of nowhere when Ohno turned on the lights-pouring himself a ghost pot of tea. It scared Ohno so bad; he called his mother as his first plan of action. The ghost just watched Ohno innocently while sipping his ghost tea. Of course, Ohno's mother didn't believe him and told him to be a man and face his fears (and that she loves him and missed him dearly). He was still terrified and coward under his blankets-hoping the ghost would go away or that he was just imagining.
But the ghost talked to him. Ohno was still hiding in his bed, but as he listened to the ghost's story, he didn't felt as scared anymore. He even got the courage to sit next to the ghost by the table, and they chatted into the night. Since then, he realized that everything he knew about ghosts were wrong.
First, they don't stay the same height. Rather, they change into smaller almost pixie sized beings. After his first encounter, he started noticing more ghosts hanging out by the ball parks, walking on water, or casually walking over people's heads. He asked why they're so small, and apparently it's more "convenient" for them. He only met a few rare ghosts that were as tall as trees, but they weren't scary.
In fact, he learned that ghost never intend to be scary. Rather, they are incredible chatty. All the horror films he's seen were false. The ghosts can't even make physical contact with anything, so moving things or haunting people with wooing voices were all lies. It was just the humans perception of the dead. Ohno realized that humans only make the ghost seem horrifying because of human ideas of regretful death or yearning for vengeance, but ghosts have no such desire. They told him that when they die, negative thoughts doesn't seemed to matter. Feelings such as hate, anger, or revenge were all in the human's head. As a ghost, they achieve a different level of conscious. Something that Ohno will never know until his time comes.
And yet Ohno couldn't understand why he was the only one able to see them. While he was on his way to work, he spotted three ghost teenagers making faces at an old man waiting for the train. Ohno tried his best to ignore them, but it was rather rude. Still, he didn't dare say anything to them. Otherwise, the senior citizen would think he was talking to himself like a crazy lunatic.
For years, seeing ghosts has become a regular basis to him. Occasionally, he made friends with them, but other times they were just down right annoying. Ohno trained himself to keep his mouth shut, or he'll lose it while working.
He finally entered the greenroom and saw the other members were already there.
"Morning," Jun greeted, followed by the others.
"Morning," Ohno mumbled.
A petite female ghost hopped from Jun's head and strolled towards him. "Hi, Ohno! Nice day for recording, huh."
Ohno just nodded his head to her. Rika was the ghost that "haunts" the greenroom in their studio. She died of food poisoning from one of the meals the staff provided for her. Even though it was decades ago, he followed her advice to avoid the studio's food that contained chicken.
"I heard today you're going to be filming outdoors," Rika chatted. "Kuu! It's blazing hot out there, isn't it? Well, I wouldn't know because I'm dead and everything. But summer is a fun time because the studio is always so busy. They're trying to make a summer theme episode today. Maybe you'll do something really hilarious and silly! Too bad you can't say anything to me now since the boys are here, but just hear me out! Your manager was in here earlier and said-"
"Riida!" Sho spoke.
"Huh?"
"Weren't you listening?" Sho sighed.
"Oh, I was..." he eyed at Rika before he bowed his head, "Sorry."
"Look, I know you're tired from filming Maou last night," Sho said. "But please be in conversations today."
"I will," Ohno nodded.
"Ah, it's alright," Nino said. "That's just how Ohno is, right?"
He never told anyone about his ghost secret. He worried no one would believe him, and frankly it was better this way. He has been labeled as someone who has his head in the clouds, or presumed as someone who is always sleepy. But he just can't drown out these annoying ghosts that try to pick the noses of his interviewers. It throws off his concentration. However, there were times when he wished there was another living being who understands him or share his power. It made him feel lonely if he thinks too much on it.
It turns out Rika was right. They were recording another summer episode and this time Sho was with them. Throughout the day, Ohno barely spoke. He was too busy listening in to so many voices and different stories told by the ghosts that walked with them. Summer was the ideal condition for ghosts to be out for some unknown reason. A middle-aged female ghost wouldn't stop giggling and pretend to peek inside Jun's shirt. Another one was a little ghost boy who found it amusing to pass through Nino's head.
"I feel like I'm getting a headache," Nino mumbled to him when the camera wasn't rolling. "Do you have medicine?"
"No...maybe it was the snow cones," Ohno answered, and the ghost boy continued to swim through Nino's noggin.
The day ended with another adventure into an abandoned hotel inn. Ohno looked up at the building and immediately knew it was fake. The term "haunted" was another misconception from humans. Ghosts haunt places because it's occupied with lots of people, not the other way around. They don't haunt places where it's secluded or abandoned. They don't like living in such places because there would be no one to fool around with. The first clue Ohno saw was the number of tiny pixie ghosts hovering over the building. This meant the hotel inn was still in use.
"And now we have a guest speaker, the expert at telling ghost stories,"
"Not you again," Jun grunted while a mini male ghost sat on his shoulder.
"Yeah," the ghost pouted. "He tells the wrong kind of scary stories."
Still, they sat around the large lamp and listened. Ohno couldn't pay attention since the actual ghost that was mentioned in the said story was sitting next to him.
The storyteller continued. "The girl was left alone for so long because she was abnormal and was always ill. No one wanted to deal with her."
"That's totally wrong," the girl ghost said. "I was actually very beautiful and the people loved me. You humans have a weird way trying to twist the truth to get a reaction out of others. It freakin' kills me!"
Ohno tried not to smirk since everyone was so absorbed into the story. So he focused his eyes on the lamp in the center.
"There was a legend that if you enter the bathrooms where she used to be, she will appear before you. All you have to do was knock on the door three times, she'll come out and say-"
"Shut the door!" the ghost shouted over the storyteller. "Why on Earth would I want someone to interrupt me peeing?! A little privacy, please!"
Ohno had to bite the inside of his cheeks to stop from giggling.
"Hey, they're planning to scare your friends," the ghost girl said to Ohno. "The assistant got a pair of cymbals at the ready."
'Oh joy,' Ohno thought.
After a moment of silence, Ohno heard the crash of the cymbals, causing everyone to jump out of their seats and yelling out a wimpy cry. Ohno expected it to be a lot louder. The ghost girl that sat next to him got up and drifted away, Ohno watched her leave-wondering when they'll meet again.
"So the first people to enter the haunted hotel will be...Sakurai and Aiba," Nakajima announced.
"Seriously," Sho sighed. He pointed at Aiba. "This guy right here is the worse. He gets really scared and shakes his hands like this!"
"Hey," Aiba patted Sho, "You get scared just as easily!"
While they waited Ohno, Nino, and Jun sat alone while Nakajima and Matsushima get to watch Sho and Aiba's progression.
"How did you do that, Ohno?" Jun asked.
"Did what?"
"Not reacting to the cymbals?"
"Weren't you listening to the story?" Nino asked.
Ohno rubbed his hands. "I was....I guess I didn't find it all that scary."
"Seriously?" Jun smirked, staring at him suspiciously. "Not even a little?"
"Hey, remember last time?" Nino said. "Ohno didn't even made a single noise."
"Yeah, I was the only one screaming," Jun said, "How come?"
"That abandoned hospital wasn't real," Ohno said, mumbled. "There wasn't a single ghost there."
"What? How do you know that?" Nino frowned.
"You mean aside from Oshima?" Jun raised an eyebrow amusingly.
Just then, Oshima's grandmother ghost appeared behind Jun. Ohno knew her because they've met before during their early Himitsu no Arashi recording. The woman acts like a guardian ghost to her granddaughter. Ohno thought it was a nice gesture, and he could not help but think how similar they look.
"Is he making fun of my granddaughter again?" She crossed her thick arms. "This man thinks he can dangle my baby girl's heart around just because he's so good looking?!"
Ohno watched as the ghost got down to Jun's eye level and pointed at him accusingly. And yet Jun didn't react to her.
"You listen hear, boy" The grandma ghost threatened. "Break my granddaughter's heart, and I'll make sure when you become a ghost you'll be scrubbing ghost toilets for decades!"
'Well that's new. I didn't know they had toilets,' Ohno thought. But he ignored the ghost. It wasn't like she'll harm Jun anyway.
"It's nothing," Ohno shook his head to Jun. "I was just really sleepy that day."
"And today too, I noticed," Nino said. "We'll see who really screams tonight. I swear, I'm not paying for all these goods again."
"Okay, guys. It's your turn," their manager called to them.
They took their lanterns while Nino was in charge of holding the doll. Ohno walked up to the hotel when he distinctly realized that he took the lead with Nino and Jun behind him. He forgot they were still a little spooked out by the story and the sudden scare. Eventually, Jun tried to even his pace with Ohno, but Nino was especially clingy. When they enter the building, Ohno couldn't help but laugh at the over the top decoration. It was too messy, and ghosts don't like messiness. No doubt it can be a bit scary, but it was hard not to laugh when a batch of ghosts were partying under the dim lit lamps like a rave club.
Suddenly, a wooden box blasted across from him.
"That's dangerous," Ohno blurted out. He could hear Nino giggling either because he was amused by his words, or Nino was actually scared for a moment.
They climbed up the stairs and a classic telephone rang. Ohno assumed it was suppose to scare them, but it'll be harder when there were three people and about a dozen of ghosts following them. Since he was the closest, he picked up the receiver
"Hello?"
"KAIdanooRIutoBASUrumuniHAIru."
"What?" Ohno frowned, slightly annoyed with the unnecessary sound effects. Ghosts talk straight. They don't talk in any sort of demonic voices. It's just silly.
The person on the phone tried talking again, but he still couldn't get it. In the end, Jun took the phone-probably determined not to appear afraid.
"Go down the stairs and then where?" Jun asked. "The bathroom?"
"Having a nice chat, are we?" Nino laughed.
"Once we're in the bathroom, then what?" Jun continued, but he heard the dial tone. "Hello? Hello?"
"How rude," another woman ghost appeared by the wall. "It's like you humans mock us."
Ohno watched the young ghost lady skip around until a man burst through the thin cardboard roof. It wasn't the sudden surprised that made him flinch, but he felt a small piece of the cardboard come close to his eye. Nino grabbed onto Ohno's sleeve and Jun flinched towards him as well. Ohno looked up and thought the make-up was pretty creative.
"Go," the man grunted.
Jun and Nino tried their best to avoid eye contact with the man. Ohno thought it was hilarious, but he suppressed his laughter. He didn't want to be rude. They entered another room where futons were laid out, and there were clearly people hiding inside them. What was so amusing to Ohno was the amount of ghosts jumping on the blankets. Suddenly, a woman screamed, and the people underneath started shaking the blankets-causing the poor ghosts to fall over. Ohno was almost left behind by Nino and Jun who went up ahead of him, but he felt sorry for the ghosts that simply wanted to have fun.
They ventured down into the bathroom and knocked on the stalls. Nothing happened, but Ohno thought it was gross that school girl ghosts swam in the water. They warned him that the storyteller from early was going to suddenly surprise them again and only Jun and Nino flinched, but they didn't scream.
After another false story, they went into another room with three jars. They all had to reach inside and grab the key. Another ghost girl dressed in a kimono drifted over the jars.
"It's a trap," she teased Ohno. "You won't like it."
Still, he reached inside and felt someone grab his arm.
"Ugh, this is the worse," Ohno moaned. He wanted nothing more than to go home after this.
At long last, they reached the pond where they were supposed to place the blasted doll on the shrine. Ohno already spotted ghosts pointing and prodding at the "fake" ghosts ready to jump at them. After they paid their respects, a loud boom echoed through speakers-making Nino especially freak out. Ohno found it both amusing and annoying that Jun and Nino were leaving him in the dust.
In the end, Aiba was the one who was the biggest scaredy cat, but all Ohno could think of was going home. He had enough of ghost themes for one day, and that's saying a lot considering he sees them every day. During their ride back to the studio, and everyone was quiet in the dark van, Nino leaned over and whispered to Ohno.
"Did you even have fun today?" Nino asked.
Ohno glanced at him. "Of course I did. Why?"
"Nothing. Just asking," Nino shrugged.
He did felt bad for not saying much today. He must have come off as someone who didn't want to be at work today. He has been seeing ghosts for more than eleven years. He was getting tired of having to pretend he doesn't see them. He was tired of hiding and feeling lonely with his secret. If only there was a way for Nino to understand his situation.
"Are you busy tomorrow?" Ohno asked, and Nino shook his head. "Then, there's something I would like to do."
* * *
"We didn't have to go to my old house," Nino complained.
"It's the best setting," Ohno tried to explain. "Is your mom home?"
"At this time, she's probably working."
"Good. So we can be alone," Ohno said. "Come on."
Nino opened the front door with his spare key and entered the house. Ohno has been here a few times. The first thing he noticed was Nino's grandfather alter at the end of the living room. Nino immediately made himself at home, dropping his coat, putting on slippers, and headed inside the kitchen.
"I think there's some green tea here," Nino called.
But Ohno approached the shrine. He rang the small bell and bowed his head. Others don't know that the bell really does call to the dead. Soon enough, Nino's grandfather appeared next to him.
"It's good to see you again," the ghost smiled. "Kazunari hardly rings my bell."
"I thought it was time I explain to him about my abilities," Ohno said quietly.
"Are you sure about this?" He said. "He might not believe in you."
"He will if I tell him something only you two would know," Ohno said. "Anything will do. Something that Nino remembers of you."
The grandfather ghost grinned softly before he told Ohno a special secret. Finally, Nino entered with a tray of tea.
"I remembered where my mom kept her old teapot," Nino said, pouring a cup. "But there was only herbal tea. I couldn't find anything else so-"
"How about pour another one?" Ohno spoke.
"Are we expecting someone?"
"Well, yeah. He's already here. Your grandfather."
The summer cicadas chirped loudly outside. Ohno kept a calm and genuine smile while Nino stared at him in confusion.
"I'm sorry...what?" Nino frowned.
"Your grandfather," Ohno said, turning to indicate where he sat. "I called him here to show you something that only I can do. Something I've been able to do for a long time."
Nino slowly sat down on the carpet as Ohno set his teacup down.
"Since I was seventeen, I started seeing ghosts," Ohno said blatantly. "They talk to me, and sometimes I chat with them. But not all the time because others don't see them like I do. So I try to ignore them, but it's hard because they never shut up. You can't really blame them since their loved ones can't hear them. I haven't met anyone who can see them, so I think I'm the only one, or at least the only one in Japan."
Nino's mouth hung slightly open.
"I've talked to my great-grandmother once," Ohno smirked. "She looked like my mother, and now she lives in my parent's house. There's also a ghost in our greenroom name Rika, and she always likes to sit on Jun's head. And yesterday when you said you had a headache, it was because a ghost boy was having fun and moving through your head."
Nino looked horrified. Still. Ohno pressed on.
"I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not crazy. And I have proof," Ohno said. "Your grandfather told me when you were five, he would read to you Fist of the North Star because you couldn't fall asleep."
Nino's eyes widen.
"He also said you were quite spoiled," Ohno chuckled softly. "When you wouldn't do a peace sign for pictures, your grandfather would blackmail you saying he wouldn't read to you anymore manga, and so you did what he said. Also, your grandfather would hand feed you orange slices on hot summer days. There was also a time when you were sick and your mother and sister couldn't care for you, so he stayed home with you instead of attending to his factory...he would give you herbal tea instead of medicine."
Ohno waited for a response. Nino's eyes were glossy, and he swallowed a couple of times before he finally spoke.
"W-where...where is he?" Nino asked quietly.
"Right here," Ohno said, pointing at the head of the small table. "Ask him anything, and I'll tell you what he said."
Nino nervously glanced up and stared back at his teacup. He knows that Nino couldn't see his grandfather, but Ohno started to think Nino believes in him. He hasn't questioned him so far-he rarely does. It was a good sign.
"Before he died," Nino finally spoke, his voice brittle and small. "He said he wanted me to do a favor...but I never got to know what he wanted. What was it that he wanted me to do?"
Ohno turned his head and listened to the grandfather ghost. He waited until the ghost finished his story. Ohno closed his eyes for a brief moment to take it all in.
"On the top shelf in his closet," Ohno started, "there is a wooden box. He has been collecting something for years in that box. He said it's still there upstairs."
Immediately, Nino got up and Ohno waited for his return. In no time, Nino came back with a large box. It was almost like a mini trunk, and Nino had a hard time carrying it across the room. He set it down with a heavy huff.
"I wanted you to see it with me," Nino said. "I wasn't sure if I should open it. I remember my grandfather would yell at me for trying to break into his room. This was considered top secret for him."
"He wants you to open it," Ohno nodded.
Ohno watched Nino's grandfather got up and kneel next to his grandson. Even though he couldn't physical move or touch anything, he placed his hands with Nino's and they opened the chest. Inside was a collection of photo albums, toy trinkets, and stacks of old Shonen Jump magazines. Nino slowly picked up the toys.
"I thought I broke this," Nino mumbled.
He reached inside and pulled the photo albums that were filled with pictures of him and his sister when they were younger. Finally, Nino pulled out a magazine.
"These were all the issues with Fist of the North Star," Ohno said. "He wanted you to read to him at least one chapter."
At long last, Nino shed a single tear, but it wasn't out of sadness. It was a happy tear. Ohno didn't have to explain to Nino that this chest proved to him that his grandfather cared for him and remembered him the most. Nino looked up and smiled at him, Ohno knew at that moment he believed in him. Finally, Ohno wasn't alone in his secret.
Nino turned the pages and started reading out loud.
The End
-------------
well that was certainly and unexpected ending, ne!
now that i got this short bunny plot out of the way, i can focus back on my other stories XDD
By: arashiforyou
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor/ General
Word Count: 3572
Pairing: Ohno and...ghosts?!/ some Ohmiya
Summary: The reason why Ohno appeared fearless in the Haunted House episodes is not because he was sleepy. He's not afraid because he sees ghosts on a daily basis.
A/N: It result of this confession post on tumblr (http://stormtales.tumblr.com/post/44196645152/appa-chan-stormtales-5-nin-de-arashi) The sounds similar to ParaNorman, but I haven't seen the movie, so i'm writing this without knowledge of it. i'm just borrowing its title. this was a real quickie one-shot, and honestly i regret nothing! XD
Also, this story takes place in 2008 when they did their haunted house episodes.
Ohno will never forget the day he saw his first ghost. It was back when he was doing Kyo to Kyo and living on his own. His room, apparently, was haunted by a former stage actor. He appeared out of nowhere when Ohno turned on the lights-pouring himself a ghost pot of tea. It scared Ohno so bad; he called his mother as his first plan of action. The ghost just watched Ohno innocently while sipping his ghost tea. Of course, Ohno's mother didn't believe him and told him to be a man and face his fears (and that she loves him and missed him dearly). He was still terrified and coward under his blankets-hoping the ghost would go away or that he was just imagining.
But the ghost talked to him. Ohno was still hiding in his bed, but as he listened to the ghost's story, he didn't felt as scared anymore. He even got the courage to sit next to the ghost by the table, and they chatted into the night. Since then, he realized that everything he knew about ghosts were wrong.
First, they don't stay the same height. Rather, they change into smaller almost pixie sized beings. After his first encounter, he started noticing more ghosts hanging out by the ball parks, walking on water, or casually walking over people's heads. He asked why they're so small, and apparently it's more "convenient" for them. He only met a few rare ghosts that were as tall as trees, but they weren't scary.
In fact, he learned that ghost never intend to be scary. Rather, they are incredible chatty. All the horror films he's seen were false. The ghosts can't even make physical contact with anything, so moving things or haunting people with wooing voices were all lies. It was just the humans perception of the dead. Ohno realized that humans only make the ghost seem horrifying because of human ideas of regretful death or yearning for vengeance, but ghosts have no such desire. They told him that when they die, negative thoughts doesn't seemed to matter. Feelings such as hate, anger, or revenge were all in the human's head. As a ghost, they achieve a different level of conscious. Something that Ohno will never know until his time comes.
And yet Ohno couldn't understand why he was the only one able to see them. While he was on his way to work, he spotted three ghost teenagers making faces at an old man waiting for the train. Ohno tried his best to ignore them, but it was rather rude. Still, he didn't dare say anything to them. Otherwise, the senior citizen would think he was talking to himself like a crazy lunatic.
For years, seeing ghosts has become a regular basis to him. Occasionally, he made friends with them, but other times they were just down right annoying. Ohno trained himself to keep his mouth shut, or he'll lose it while working.
He finally entered the greenroom and saw the other members were already there.
"Morning," Jun greeted, followed by the others.
"Morning," Ohno mumbled.
A petite female ghost hopped from Jun's head and strolled towards him. "Hi, Ohno! Nice day for recording, huh."
Ohno just nodded his head to her. Rika was the ghost that "haunts" the greenroom in their studio. She died of food poisoning from one of the meals the staff provided for her. Even though it was decades ago, he followed her advice to avoid the studio's food that contained chicken.
"I heard today you're going to be filming outdoors," Rika chatted. "Kuu! It's blazing hot out there, isn't it? Well, I wouldn't know because I'm dead and everything. But summer is a fun time because the studio is always so busy. They're trying to make a summer theme episode today. Maybe you'll do something really hilarious and silly! Too bad you can't say anything to me now since the boys are here, but just hear me out! Your manager was in here earlier and said-"
"Riida!" Sho spoke.
"Huh?"
"Weren't you listening?" Sho sighed.
"Oh, I was..." he eyed at Rika before he bowed his head, "Sorry."
"Look, I know you're tired from filming Maou last night," Sho said. "But please be in conversations today."
"I will," Ohno nodded.
"Ah, it's alright," Nino said. "That's just how Ohno is, right?"
He never told anyone about his ghost secret. He worried no one would believe him, and frankly it was better this way. He has been labeled as someone who has his head in the clouds, or presumed as someone who is always sleepy. But he just can't drown out these annoying ghosts that try to pick the noses of his interviewers. It throws off his concentration. However, there were times when he wished there was another living being who understands him or share his power. It made him feel lonely if he thinks too much on it.
It turns out Rika was right. They were recording another summer episode and this time Sho was with them. Throughout the day, Ohno barely spoke. He was too busy listening in to so many voices and different stories told by the ghosts that walked with them. Summer was the ideal condition for ghosts to be out for some unknown reason. A middle-aged female ghost wouldn't stop giggling and pretend to peek inside Jun's shirt. Another one was a little ghost boy who found it amusing to pass through Nino's head.
"I feel like I'm getting a headache," Nino mumbled to him when the camera wasn't rolling. "Do you have medicine?"
"No...maybe it was the snow cones," Ohno answered, and the ghost boy continued to swim through Nino's noggin.
The day ended with another adventure into an abandoned hotel inn. Ohno looked up at the building and immediately knew it was fake. The term "haunted" was another misconception from humans. Ghosts haunt places because it's occupied with lots of people, not the other way around. They don't haunt places where it's secluded or abandoned. They don't like living in such places because there would be no one to fool around with. The first clue Ohno saw was the number of tiny pixie ghosts hovering over the building. This meant the hotel inn was still in use.
"And now we have a guest speaker, the expert at telling ghost stories,"
"Not you again," Jun grunted while a mini male ghost sat on his shoulder.
"Yeah," the ghost pouted. "He tells the wrong kind of scary stories."
Still, they sat around the large lamp and listened. Ohno couldn't pay attention since the actual ghost that was mentioned in the said story was sitting next to him.
The storyteller continued. "The girl was left alone for so long because she was abnormal and was always ill. No one wanted to deal with her."
"That's totally wrong," the girl ghost said. "I was actually very beautiful and the people loved me. You humans have a weird way trying to twist the truth to get a reaction out of others. It freakin' kills me!"
Ohno tried not to smirk since everyone was so absorbed into the story. So he focused his eyes on the lamp in the center.
"There was a legend that if you enter the bathrooms where she used to be, she will appear before you. All you have to do was knock on the door three times, she'll come out and say-"
"Shut the door!" the ghost shouted over the storyteller. "Why on Earth would I want someone to interrupt me peeing?! A little privacy, please!"
Ohno had to bite the inside of his cheeks to stop from giggling.
"Hey, they're planning to scare your friends," the ghost girl said to Ohno. "The assistant got a pair of cymbals at the ready."
'Oh joy,' Ohno thought.
After a moment of silence, Ohno heard the crash of the cymbals, causing everyone to jump out of their seats and yelling out a wimpy cry. Ohno expected it to be a lot louder. The ghost girl that sat next to him got up and drifted away, Ohno watched her leave-wondering when they'll meet again.
"So the first people to enter the haunted hotel will be...Sakurai and Aiba," Nakajima announced.
"Seriously," Sho sighed. He pointed at Aiba. "This guy right here is the worse. He gets really scared and shakes his hands like this!"
"Hey," Aiba patted Sho, "You get scared just as easily!"
While they waited Ohno, Nino, and Jun sat alone while Nakajima and Matsushima get to watch Sho and Aiba's progression.
"How did you do that, Ohno?" Jun asked.
"Did what?"
"Not reacting to the cymbals?"
"Weren't you listening to the story?" Nino asked.
Ohno rubbed his hands. "I was....I guess I didn't find it all that scary."
"Seriously?" Jun smirked, staring at him suspiciously. "Not even a little?"
"Hey, remember last time?" Nino said. "Ohno didn't even made a single noise."
"Yeah, I was the only one screaming," Jun said, "How come?"
"That abandoned hospital wasn't real," Ohno said, mumbled. "There wasn't a single ghost there."
"What? How do you know that?" Nino frowned.
"You mean aside from Oshima?" Jun raised an eyebrow amusingly.
Just then, Oshima's grandmother ghost appeared behind Jun. Ohno knew her because they've met before during their early Himitsu no Arashi recording. The woman acts like a guardian ghost to her granddaughter. Ohno thought it was a nice gesture, and he could not help but think how similar they look.
"Is he making fun of my granddaughter again?" She crossed her thick arms. "This man thinks he can dangle my baby girl's heart around just because he's so good looking?!"
Ohno watched as the ghost got down to Jun's eye level and pointed at him accusingly. And yet Jun didn't react to her.
"You listen hear, boy" The grandma ghost threatened. "Break my granddaughter's heart, and I'll make sure when you become a ghost you'll be scrubbing ghost toilets for decades!"
'Well that's new. I didn't know they had toilets,' Ohno thought. But he ignored the ghost. It wasn't like she'll harm Jun anyway.
"It's nothing," Ohno shook his head to Jun. "I was just really sleepy that day."
"And today too, I noticed," Nino said. "We'll see who really screams tonight. I swear, I'm not paying for all these goods again."
"Okay, guys. It's your turn," their manager called to them.
They took their lanterns while Nino was in charge of holding the doll. Ohno walked up to the hotel when he distinctly realized that he took the lead with Nino and Jun behind him. He forgot they were still a little spooked out by the story and the sudden scare. Eventually, Jun tried to even his pace with Ohno, but Nino was especially clingy. When they enter the building, Ohno couldn't help but laugh at the over the top decoration. It was too messy, and ghosts don't like messiness. No doubt it can be a bit scary, but it was hard not to laugh when a batch of ghosts were partying under the dim lit lamps like a rave club.
Suddenly, a wooden box blasted across from him.
"That's dangerous," Ohno blurted out. He could hear Nino giggling either because he was amused by his words, or Nino was actually scared for a moment.
They climbed up the stairs and a classic telephone rang. Ohno assumed it was suppose to scare them, but it'll be harder when there were three people and about a dozen of ghosts following them. Since he was the closest, he picked up the receiver
"Hello?"
"KAIdanooRIutoBASUrumuniHAIru."
"What?" Ohno frowned, slightly annoyed with the unnecessary sound effects. Ghosts talk straight. They don't talk in any sort of demonic voices. It's just silly.
The person on the phone tried talking again, but he still couldn't get it. In the end, Jun took the phone-probably determined not to appear afraid.
"Go down the stairs and then where?" Jun asked. "The bathroom?"
"Having a nice chat, are we?" Nino laughed.
"Once we're in the bathroom, then what?" Jun continued, but he heard the dial tone. "Hello? Hello?"
"How rude," another woman ghost appeared by the wall. "It's like you humans mock us."
Ohno watched the young ghost lady skip around until a man burst through the thin cardboard roof. It wasn't the sudden surprised that made him flinch, but he felt a small piece of the cardboard come close to his eye. Nino grabbed onto Ohno's sleeve and Jun flinched towards him as well. Ohno looked up and thought the make-up was pretty creative.
"Go," the man grunted.
Jun and Nino tried their best to avoid eye contact with the man. Ohno thought it was hilarious, but he suppressed his laughter. He didn't want to be rude. They entered another room where futons were laid out, and there were clearly people hiding inside them. What was so amusing to Ohno was the amount of ghosts jumping on the blankets. Suddenly, a woman screamed, and the people underneath started shaking the blankets-causing the poor ghosts to fall over. Ohno was almost left behind by Nino and Jun who went up ahead of him, but he felt sorry for the ghosts that simply wanted to have fun.
They ventured down into the bathroom and knocked on the stalls. Nothing happened, but Ohno thought it was gross that school girl ghosts swam in the water. They warned him that the storyteller from early was going to suddenly surprise them again and only Jun and Nino flinched, but they didn't scream.
After another false story, they went into another room with three jars. They all had to reach inside and grab the key. Another ghost girl dressed in a kimono drifted over the jars.
"It's a trap," she teased Ohno. "You won't like it."
Still, he reached inside and felt someone grab his arm.
"Ugh, this is the worse," Ohno moaned. He wanted nothing more than to go home after this.
At long last, they reached the pond where they were supposed to place the blasted doll on the shrine. Ohno already spotted ghosts pointing and prodding at the "fake" ghosts ready to jump at them. After they paid their respects, a loud boom echoed through speakers-making Nino especially freak out. Ohno found it both amusing and annoying that Jun and Nino were leaving him in the dust.
In the end, Aiba was the one who was the biggest scaredy cat, but all Ohno could think of was going home. He had enough of ghost themes for one day, and that's saying a lot considering he sees them every day. During their ride back to the studio, and everyone was quiet in the dark van, Nino leaned over and whispered to Ohno.
"Did you even have fun today?" Nino asked.
Ohno glanced at him. "Of course I did. Why?"
"Nothing. Just asking," Nino shrugged.
He did felt bad for not saying much today. He must have come off as someone who didn't want to be at work today. He has been seeing ghosts for more than eleven years. He was getting tired of having to pretend he doesn't see them. He was tired of hiding and feeling lonely with his secret. If only there was a way for Nino to understand his situation.
"Are you busy tomorrow?" Ohno asked, and Nino shook his head. "Then, there's something I would like to do."
* * *
"We didn't have to go to my old house," Nino complained.
"It's the best setting," Ohno tried to explain. "Is your mom home?"
"At this time, she's probably working."
"Good. So we can be alone," Ohno said. "Come on."
Nino opened the front door with his spare key and entered the house. Ohno has been here a few times. The first thing he noticed was Nino's grandfather alter at the end of the living room. Nino immediately made himself at home, dropping his coat, putting on slippers, and headed inside the kitchen.
"I think there's some green tea here," Nino called.
But Ohno approached the shrine. He rang the small bell and bowed his head. Others don't know that the bell really does call to the dead. Soon enough, Nino's grandfather appeared next to him.
"It's good to see you again," the ghost smiled. "Kazunari hardly rings my bell."
"I thought it was time I explain to him about my abilities," Ohno said quietly.
"Are you sure about this?" He said. "He might not believe in you."
"He will if I tell him something only you two would know," Ohno said. "Anything will do. Something that Nino remembers of you."
The grandfather ghost grinned softly before he told Ohno a special secret. Finally, Nino entered with a tray of tea.
"I remembered where my mom kept her old teapot," Nino said, pouring a cup. "But there was only herbal tea. I couldn't find anything else so-"
"How about pour another one?" Ohno spoke.
"Are we expecting someone?"
"Well, yeah. He's already here. Your grandfather."
The summer cicadas chirped loudly outside. Ohno kept a calm and genuine smile while Nino stared at him in confusion.
"I'm sorry...what?" Nino frowned.
"Your grandfather," Ohno said, turning to indicate where he sat. "I called him here to show you something that only I can do. Something I've been able to do for a long time."
Nino slowly sat down on the carpet as Ohno set his teacup down.
"Since I was seventeen, I started seeing ghosts," Ohno said blatantly. "They talk to me, and sometimes I chat with them. But not all the time because others don't see them like I do. So I try to ignore them, but it's hard because they never shut up. You can't really blame them since their loved ones can't hear them. I haven't met anyone who can see them, so I think I'm the only one, or at least the only one in Japan."
Nino's mouth hung slightly open.
"I've talked to my great-grandmother once," Ohno smirked. "She looked like my mother, and now she lives in my parent's house. There's also a ghost in our greenroom name Rika, and she always likes to sit on Jun's head. And yesterday when you said you had a headache, it was because a ghost boy was having fun and moving through your head."
Nino looked horrified. Still. Ohno pressed on.
"I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not crazy. And I have proof," Ohno said. "Your grandfather told me when you were five, he would read to you Fist of the North Star because you couldn't fall asleep."
Nino's eyes widen.
"He also said you were quite spoiled," Ohno chuckled softly. "When you wouldn't do a peace sign for pictures, your grandfather would blackmail you saying he wouldn't read to you anymore manga, and so you did what he said. Also, your grandfather would hand feed you orange slices on hot summer days. There was also a time when you were sick and your mother and sister couldn't care for you, so he stayed home with you instead of attending to his factory...he would give you herbal tea instead of medicine."
Ohno waited for a response. Nino's eyes were glossy, and he swallowed a couple of times before he finally spoke.
"W-where...where is he?" Nino asked quietly.
"Right here," Ohno said, pointing at the head of the small table. "Ask him anything, and I'll tell you what he said."
Nino nervously glanced up and stared back at his teacup. He knows that Nino couldn't see his grandfather, but Ohno started to think Nino believes in him. He hasn't questioned him so far-he rarely does. It was a good sign.
"Before he died," Nino finally spoke, his voice brittle and small. "He said he wanted me to do a favor...but I never got to know what he wanted. What was it that he wanted me to do?"
Ohno turned his head and listened to the grandfather ghost. He waited until the ghost finished his story. Ohno closed his eyes for a brief moment to take it all in.
"On the top shelf in his closet," Ohno started, "there is a wooden box. He has been collecting something for years in that box. He said it's still there upstairs."
Immediately, Nino got up and Ohno waited for his return. In no time, Nino came back with a large box. It was almost like a mini trunk, and Nino had a hard time carrying it across the room. He set it down with a heavy huff.
"I wanted you to see it with me," Nino said. "I wasn't sure if I should open it. I remember my grandfather would yell at me for trying to break into his room. This was considered top secret for him."
"He wants you to open it," Ohno nodded.
Ohno watched Nino's grandfather got up and kneel next to his grandson. Even though he couldn't physical move or touch anything, he placed his hands with Nino's and they opened the chest. Inside was a collection of photo albums, toy trinkets, and stacks of old Shonen Jump magazines. Nino slowly picked up the toys.
"I thought I broke this," Nino mumbled.
He reached inside and pulled the photo albums that were filled with pictures of him and his sister when they were younger. Finally, Nino pulled out a magazine.
"These were all the issues with Fist of the North Star," Ohno said. "He wanted you to read to him at least one chapter."
At long last, Nino shed a single tear, but it wasn't out of sadness. It was a happy tear. Ohno didn't have to explain to Nino that this chest proved to him that his grandfather cared for him and remembered him the most. Nino looked up and smiled at him, Ohno knew at that moment he believed in him. Finally, Ohno wasn't alone in his secret.
Nino turned the pages and started reading out loud.
The End
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well that was certainly and unexpected ending, ne!
now that i got this short bunny plot out of the way, i can focus back on my other stories XDD