Summer vacation, day one. Whenever that season rolled around, I'd start packing my bags, getting ready to go down to the countryside to visit my aunt. It's nothing too special, but it's a good escape from everything I guess. Besides, I've only got two options for the summer anyways, it’s either loud city, or cicada land. And if you’re me, that choice isn’t too hard.

I headed off to the station as soon as school was over. My dad and I met up there, as usual, and he gave me the same warning that he always does. It'd unfold like this:

"If you see a ghost wearing a white dress, make sure you run away."

"Yeah, I know dad."

"Tell me, what are you going to run away from?"

"A ghost with a white dress."

"Say it again."

"Ghost wearing a white dress."

"Again."

"Ghost white dress."

Then he'd nod, and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, I get it dad."

And after I'd board the train, he'd wave goodbye as it sped away, and I'd watch as his figure disappeared. It was a three hour wait.

I always went in the afternoon, so I'd get to my aunt's place around dusk. She'd wait for me at the other station, and pick me up as soon as I got there. We'd talk a bit, sometimes about my mom, or something else, and then I'd unpack, check my phone, and then leave the house with a “See you in a bit.”

As I normally did, I walked over to the edge of town where the houses stopped cascading, and just lied down, watching the grass and the sky do...

Well, nothing really.

In the moment, there wasn't much on my mind, I just sat there. I let my eyes wander around, taking in the scenery, like the grass blades rolling in the wind, or the clouds that were moving at a caterpillar pace. Just the usual weather of this town, same red sky at sunset and everything too.

Though, something was a bit off. When I looked again, I saw a weird little girl, who wore a white dress as she sat on a rotten stump.

Out of nowhere, I heard my dad's words echo in my mind, and I laughed. "Hah… What a load of crap." I said out loud.

I regret that a little, it was a big mistake. As soon as I said that, the little girl wearing a white dress turned around, and faced me. I saw her mouth move, and then freeze into an 'O' shape. She stared right into my eyes, and ran at me.

"Don't call me a poopoo, you're a poopoo!"

Yeah, that's what she said.

And that's how it began...

Her name was Akari, and she was the ghost in summer, who always pestered me throughout those days.