Story of Hiroshi- Chapter 3

The hand pulled from Hiroshi's face, and an unfamiliar voice spoke, "You may open your eyes now, Hiroshi." He slowly did and was confused at the strange shape before him, so he put his glasses back on, and yelped when he could see it clearly.

Before him no longer was his psychiatrist but some pale translucent apparition. It's face was separated into three layered plates one for its eyes, one for its nose, and one for its mouth. It's hands had thumbs on both sides and it's fingers ended with strange paper-like tags. Lastly was it's legs, which were absent and replaced with three tattered tails. 

The thing sighed, "This is the truth. First, let me apologize for misleading you into thinking I am your psychiatrist. I am sorry."

Hiroshi calmed down a bit and replied nervously, "O-okay."

"Second, let me introduce myself properly. My name is Jun."

Hiroshi nodded.

"Third, let me state that although I fooled you in my appearance, I have been watching over you and I do want to help you."

"Alright."

"Fourth," Jun gave a light chuckle as he offered his hand, "let me demonstrate my ability to manipulate physical matter by pulling you back on your feet."

"Oh," Hiroshi uttered as he then noticed that he had fallen to the ground again, "Thank you." He accepted his hand, and found himself on his feet again. He then asked, "So, how are you going to help me? Is there something I need to do?"

"Well," Jun began, making a guiding motion with his finger, "join me down this path, and we'll talk more about it."

"About onis..." Hiroshi concluded glumly.

"Not strictly."

They continued down the path. Discussing and conversing. Hiroshi was uneasy, but still continued alongside Jun. They seemed to have been walking for about half an hour, when he realized he didn't know what he was walking with.

"So... what exactly are you?" He asked, half-fearing he would offend him.

"I'm a spirit."

"So, you're like a ghost?"

Jun nodded a bit, "Sort of. Although I didn't come from somebody who has died."

"Are there other's like you around here."

"Not exactly like me. But there are other creatures here in the forest. We're going to go see one." Jun suddenly noticed and pointed to an unusually large tree, "Ah! Do you see that tree there?"

Hiroshi looked carefully at it. It had a sizable trunk, wide, overhanging branches, and large yellowish fruit. "Yes. What of it?"

"Take a closer look at it's fruit," Jun asked, stifling a grin.

Hiroshi simply shrugged as he reached for a branch bearing some. As he got close, some of the fruit started to dangle, and he could see what they really were: human heads, and all grinning. Hiroshi recoiled from the tree, and stepped back a few feet, as the heads all seemed to pleasantly chuckle to themselves. Hiroshi then demanded to an also chortling Jun what it was.

"What the hell was that!?"

"A jinmenju--a tree that grows human head shaped fruit."

"And why did you have me get close to it!? Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Hiroshi, calm down. They're harmless."

"Then, why were they grinning creepily like that, and laughing?"

"Because that's what they normally do to all passerby."

"So they just stay there, laughing at anything?"

"That's right."

"Then what was the point of you not telling me beforehand?"

"Well, you needed to see that not all yokai are dangerous. And you needed to see that firsthand."

"That doesn't make any--wait..." Hiroshi paused for a bit, then asked "Yokai? Like, folklore?"

"Of course! A lot of the creatures in yokai are actually quite real!"

He spent a moment thinking to himself aloud. "So if they are real..."

"Yes, they are real," Jun assured, nodding.

"Are... Onis... real?"

"Yes, they are," he replied, with increasing anticipation.

"Then my friends were really taken by them... That means it wasn't my imagination..." his face then lit up, "So, I'm not crazy!"

Jun clapped "Well done! You've taken a big step, Hiroshi!"

Hiroshi then felt his entire being suddenly feel lighter. It wasn't his fault, he wasn't a murderer. Then another thought came to his mind that shattered the new-found optimism, that didn't change what had happened after. He had still gone to an insane asylum. He had still gone to prison. He had still lost his home, family, and his old life. He was momentarily silent, enough for Jun to notice.