Extra Chapter: I Will Be Myself (番外編 私は私らしく Bangai-hen Watashi wa Watashi Rashiku) is the thirtieth and final chapter of the Higanbana no Saku Yoru ni manga. It was originally written by Satomi Kuroshu (黒朱 里未) and was the winning entry in a short story contest held by pixiv.
Summary[]
Higanbana and Marie relax in the infirmary, where Higanbana complains about how bored she is. Marie exclaims that she’s been keeping track of how many times Higanbana says “bored” every day, and says that she’s doing it because she’s also bored. It’s summer vacation now, and all the kids who do club activities go home at noon. Higanbana says she won’t be bored this year since she can bully Marie now, much to the latter’s complaints.
Marie sees that this is Higanbana’s first time spending summer vacation with someone, and that it’s also the same for Marie. Since she never had friends when she was alive, Marie would spend summers reading alone. As Marie thinks about things to do on summer vacations with friends, Higanbana finally thinks of something devilish to do.
Higanbana and Marie go to the Headmaster’s office, where Higanbana doodles on all of his photographs. Marie tries getting her to stop, but Higanbana says the Headmaster is away on a business trip, and so this is her chance to get rid of all her resentment towards him. However, the Headmaster suddenly returns and hits Higanbana, and she apologizes. He laments that he can’t even leave the office for a short while, and then demands that Marie explain why she didn’t do anything to stop Higanbana. Marie also apologizes and Higanbana mocks her, and the Headmaster hits her again.
The Headmaster asks Marie what she’ll do for this year’s test of courage, but she’s confused. The Headmaster remembers that Marie never did one when she was alive, and explains that when students go up a few grades, the school uses this time to hold a test of courage. This year is special since they’ll be holding it in the old school building, which means Marie has to get involved.
Outside the old school building, teachers address a crowd of students and tell them about the test of courage route. Marie is nervous since there’s so many kids and doesn’t know what to do. Normally, only a few kids come to the old school building once a month for punishment games and such, and Mesomeso-san’s bathroom doesn’t seem to be on the route, but Marie still worries about what will happen if hundreds of kids come in. Marie calms down and decides that she’ll scare everyone and make them want to go home.
Higanbana arrives and mocks her, and encourages Marie to use this chance to eat the souls of children who come. Marie refuses, and Higanbana warns her that if she doesn't hunt, she could be eaten by other youkai, and leaves Marie to think about it. Marie understands what Higanbana is saying since that's how a youkai should be.
Marie hears two boys coming in for a test of courage and scares them away when they call for Mesomeso-san. Marie accepts that she doesn't want to hunt, but doesn't know why. Throughout the day, kids keep coming to test their courage, and Marie keeps repeating her Mesomeso-san story, hoping that none of the kids will actually answer her and open her stall door. Marie gets fed up and hopes for people to follow Mesomeso-san's rules so she won't have to kill and eat them, and Higanbana arrives to mock her again for refusing to hunt.
Marie says its fine, and then asks if it's okay for Higanbana to leave her post like this. Higanbana replies that the Headmaster and other school youkai are working hard so she has nothing to do, and so went to spectate Marie. Marie realizes that all of the kids who came so far had gotten discouraged right before breaking her rules, and assumes that Higanbana was helping her and so thanks her. Higanbana pretends not to understand and leaves Marie to keep doing her best.
Finally, the last schoolkid arrives. The boy asks Mesomeso-san to listen to his story and explains that he's always being bullied by his class, and so wants Mesomeso-san to kill him. Shocked, Marie answers the boy and says she understands him. She takes his hands and encourages the boy to endure it for now and promises that she'll watch over him, so he shouldn't ask to die. Marie tells him to live well, and the boy cries while promising to keep living, and then leaves. The school teachers announce the end of the test of courage.
Higanbana congratulates Marie and gives her some dorayaki. Marie says she wants to help weak people just like that boy, with Higanbana thinking she's talking about people with the same circumstances as her. Marie resolves to also live well herself until she becomes strong enough not to be targeted by youkai, and Higanbana giggles while saying she'll get in the way of hunting.
Higanbana and Marie hold hands and prepare to head back. Higanbana says Marie's line of "Live well, because there are no flowers that bloom in death" is a good line, and looks forward to enjoying the rest of summer vacation.
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