Aishite

''Can you tell me, Sureddo, Who is hiding in the shadow? Who will confess? Who is obsessed? Does someone love me? What is their name? Will I feel same? I can’t wait To know my fate. Please, don’t deny Or just let me die. Sureddo, Sureddo, Don’t hide in the shadow.'' These rhymes were repeated every year on the third of March by many female students of the Kamome Academy. No, it wasn’t a school mystery. Rather, it was just a harmless game invented forty years ago by someone desperate to find a “soulmate” of high school girls. Someone believed in powers of that Sureddo from the poem, someone wanted to believe, and someone did it all for fun. Everyone represented Sureddo in their own way. To some, she seemed like an old and wise fortune teller, to others — a young lady who knows everything about love passions. In any case, for some reason everyone thought that Sureddo should be female. Sureddo never gave a specific answer to the pleas of the schoolgirls, but after a short time they all found a guy or broke up with a guy. Cyclically. When Nene first learned about this strange custom, she never hesitated, began to memorize the cherished spell, as if preparing for a test. However, on the third of March, when it was supposed to turn to Sureddo, Yashiro fell ill and every day after that she lamented the missed chance, went to the "meeting place with Sureddo", which was a special monument dedicated to Kamome's students who died for the good of society, begged Sureddo herself to forgive and help, but the lousy ghost never gave no signs. Gradually, hope for an answer left Yashiro, and when the girl became Hanako's assistant, time that had previously been spent pleading with Sureddo disappeared.

***

''Nene-san! Today is the third of March again, remember? You can summon Sureddo-sama again!'' Aoi said with a radiant smile. Nene's charming crimson eyes widened. ''What?! Already today?! How quickly this year flew by…'' Purple-haired girl smiled softly. ''Shall we go there after school?'' ''You still ask!'' Yashiro replied happily. Lessons seemed painfully long for Nene, and immediately after the call, she casually threw her textbooks into her bag and rushed to the courtyard of the school, to that monument, the place of spiritual meeting with Sureddo, who did not want to help in any way. Almost without thinking about words, girl muttered the memorized rhyme, which Aoi watched with constant tenderness. ''Well, Nene-chan, now it remains only to wait…'' Aoi's words were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Hanako-kun. ''Yashiro-san!'' Boy shouted, pouncing on Nene with suffocating, as always, hugs ''What are you two doing here?'' ''Oh, Hanako, and you're here" Akane-chan commented without losing her positive mood and, winking at her friend, added cunningly "Nene-san just asked Sureddo-sama to show her her betrothed.'' ''W-what are you hinting at, huh?!'' Owner of cream-colored hair with turquoise ends was indignant, blushing deeply. "If I were you, I wouldn't believe these empty fortune-telling" Hanako said thoughtfully, looking with some reproach at the monument in which Sureddo supposedly lived "Oh, yes. I didn't just come here. You do understand what I want, don't you?'' ''Scrubbing toilets again?'' Nene suggested dejectedly. ''Exactly!'' Boy agreed with exaggerated joy. "I'll help you, Nene-chan!" Aoi said, taking her friend's hand, and two girls went to the third floor. When they were out of sight, Hanako asked with displeasure, turning back to the memorial: ''Are you going to be offended?'' Having received no answer, he confidently stepped right into the photos hanging on the monument and disappeared.