Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-03-16T16:50:24Z

Asteradragon:

"It's a primitive response to gratitude. To give pleasure. You see, our normal hosts are quite mindless; they can be thanked only by physical sensation."

"Thank you for agreeing to transport me. Thank you very much."

* "The Only Neat Thing to Do" by James Tiptree, Jr.

¬
==Chapter 1==
During the winter when I was sixteen, I met many different types of people –a boxer, a soldier, a gigolo, a detective, and a yakuza member. They were all NEETs – just different kinds. The term ‘NEET’ occasionally finds itself on the news or in the newspapers, and I thought it merely referred to unmotivated and unemployed youths, but in reality there are actually many different sides to them. There is no all-encompassing reason as to why they remain jobless or fail to attend school.

“The term ‘NEET’ refers to neither ‘useless people’ nor ‘lazy people’.” That is what the detective said to me. “The only difference lies in the rules. While everybody else uses the board to play checkers, we play chess instead.”

“I don’t get it. Doesn’t that mean you’re just getting in the way?” I questioned naively. The detective thought for a moment, pursing her cherry-like lips which eventually gave way to a silent smile.

“I suppose that it would seem that way to those who just want to rush ahead. I understand that society wishes to just group us together and label us; flinging us out into a rubbish dump. I also understand that they wish to point and laugh at us mockingly. Let them laugh all they want. No matter how you argue it, the fact that we are a negative influence on society at large is undeniable."

The detective gazed at her opened hands before raising her head again. This time, her smile was not one of sarcasm and bitterness – but one that was comparable to the rays of sunlight on a freezing day of winter. “We will never laugh at ourselves. Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That is the meaning of living, is it not?”

I couldn’t give her an answer, because I had never thought so deeply about such matters before. Regardless, no matter how many metaphors you use, isn’t the fact that you are all useless people the main point?

However, it was also in that very same winter when I saw my first dead corpse, and when I first assaulted another person. It was the first time in my life that I contemplated about what it means to be alive. I suppose anybody who has witnessed another person forfeit his life and seek death will feel the same way as I have.

Yet, that is a story for much later. For now, I would like to talk about the winter when I first met all these people, and the story of a normal, non-NEET girl.

<center>*</center>

Near the end of November, I met Ayaka for the first time.

After school ended on Tuesday, I sat on the water tower on the roof of the southern campus, and stared blankly at tall buildings far away. Normally once school ends, I would go to the computer lab and focus on club activities that only need one person. But on afternoons with computer lessons, there are a lot of students remaining to play on the computers that they usually don’t have access to. I am unable to bring myself to walk in just like that, so I end up coming up to the roof to waste time every Tuesday and Thursday. Staring at the computer lab on the second story of the northern campus, I gave off a lot of "Get lost already!" waves, and sighed as I looked at the streets below.

The streets of the city I currently live in can be divided into two colors, while the long thin river that flows like the artery of a patient is the divider of the colors. The side closer to me has rusted roofs of factories, cheap apartments lying side by side, and then there is the high school. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of shrines and graves in this area; My house is also on this side. On the other side is a tall flyover bridge with a highway leading to the capital, a gigantic train station with countless railways, tall buildings packed along complicatedly interweaving roads on the slope, shopping malls and television stations. On sunny days, you can even see the shadow of the government building far away. Tokyo is an amazing place to let boring housings that can be found anywhere in Japan and tall modern buildings co-exist peacefully here.

Looking down from the roof, the train station is like a scene in an advertisement on TV, without realism. Perhaps it's because I don't want to get close to that area? As we can wear our school uniform and straightaway go out to play immediately after school, I heard that our school is rather popular in Tokyo; If the sailor costume has bright colors, it might even increases the attractiveness by around 40%.

That day was a cloudy day, just nice enough that you can closely examine the glass panels of the tall buildings that are normally unclear due to their piercing reflections. Speaking of which, they are just a bunch of glass windows that are cut using similar methods. I always filled those glass squares with colors in my mind, as though I was sketching pixel art.

I've gotten used to killing time like that. I think it's because I'm always transferring schools due to my dad's work. At the beginning of October, when I transferred into my current high school, I joined the Computer Club just because there was no one else active there, and went about my school life without getting noticed by anyone. I've often thought that there's no point in me going to high school, while I couldn't follow the lessons as well.

As I was gazing at the building, I suddenly heard a clattering sound below me, and thus I leaned my upper body outwards to have a look. The water supply tower was set on top of the stair room jutting out from the roof while the sound was that of someone who had climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

"Eh? He's not here?"

I heard a girl's voice. When I carefully leaned forward and peered directly below, she turned around, meeting my gaze.

She had short hair, and strong-spirited eyebrows, in contrast her eyes, which gave off a cute, friendly impression. I felt like I'd seen her before. As I moved to get up, she made an extremely surprised face, letting out a "Wah!", causing me to tumbled down from the water supply tower.

It was lucky that I fell from my feet, but as the backs of my hands scraped roughly against the concrete wall, the first thing she did when we met was to wash my wounds with water from the watering can she had.

"Why would you climb up a place like that, it's dangerous!"

She said while applying plasters on my wound. Being asked such a question, I couldn’t answer her.

“……idiots and something likes high places, after all.”

“You have to play down the ‘idiots’ part when you say that!” <ref>Japanese idiom, idiots and smoke like high places. </ref>

She calmly replied. Although I wanted to escape, I couldn’t do so as my hand was held tightly.

“There, I’m done. Remember not to climb to high places again.” She lightly tapped my right hand that was full of plasters, just like a caretaker who was scolding small children. Then, she said while smiling, “Even though I said all that, I actually climbed it before myself. Seeing the ladder over there really gives you an urge to climb it, doesn't it?”

Anyway, who on earth is this girl? As I can’t recall neither faces nor names of anyone in school, I cannot think of any girl who would talk to me with such a friendly tone.

Suddenly, I saw the yellow badge on her left arm. Although it was quite old and was already somewhat faded, the words ‘Gardening Committee’ could still be seen on it. At that moment, I finally noticed the large number of flower pots arranged by the railings. Does our school even have a Gardening Committee?

“Ah, so you have to climb that high to see the computer lab! Are you that type of person, Fujishima-kun? Those who can’t concentrate when someone else is in the room? The type that people call the artistic type?

The girl held on to the railings, saying all that while looking at the school building opposite of us. I was taken aback.

“——How do you know about that?”

I let out a shout that startled even myself. She turned around to look at me with a look of shock on her face.

“Well, our class is on this side of the third floor, so that's why the computer lab can be seen from there. Besides, Fujishima-kun always sits beside the windows.”

I was found out. Color drained out of my face. How much does this girl know? She doesn’t know that I was drawing naughty pictures on the computer, does she? Wait, that’s not the main point…

“Why do you know my name?”

She raised her arms like a baseball pitcher who was getting ready to pitch the ball. It seemed my question surprised her..

“Don’t you remember me? We’re even in the same class!”

“Huh?”

I started to become anxious. From the time when I transferred to this school, I practically avoided all contact with other people, which is why I can’t remember the names of my classmates.

“It was I who told you where the canteen is and also collected information of World History for you. Even when you were changing clothes during P.E class, I have helped you out!”

“Wa- Wait a minute!”

“That last comment was just a joke~”

Ugh, this girl…

“Although that I thought that you might have forgotten about me, I didn’t really believe that it would really be true…..”

Seeing the girl with tears glistening in her eyes, I can’t help but feel somewhat guilty.

“My name is Ayaka Shinozaki, and I sit just beside you in class. How can you forget about me even like this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Fujishima-kun, you don’t think that you are a part of class 1-4, do you? You even skipped school during the school festival.

But the school festival was held just a week after I transferred, so I had no other choice but to skip it!

“And you aren’t even wearing the class badge. It's rare for public high schools to have class badges, so it would be a pity if you don’t wear it!”

I didn’t really think it’s a pity, so I lied to her: “ I lost it.”

“Then I’ll lend you mine then, I have some to spare at home.” Said Ayaka while she took off her class badge from her sailor uniform.

“Huh? No, there’s really no need to.”

“Seriously, don’t move.”

She caught me from the back when I was trying to escape. I couldn’t help but freeze and pause my breathing for a moment. She moved her hands to the front of my blazer and put on the class badge on the collar of my blazer. Looking at this from another angle, wouldn’t it seem like she was hugging me from behind? No, wait, I have to calm down.

After what seemed like a very long time, the warmth of her body finally faded from my back.

“Hmm, that’s better.”

She turned me around and nodded with a satisfied look on her face. With a complicated feeling, I lowered my gaze and gazed at the blue and green badge. It was as though an alien thing appeared on my neck. Why did she help me until this extent? I saw many other people who take very good care of transfer students, but it was the first time I saw someone who was ''that'' helpful.

“It is a requirement of the school rules that one must wear a class badge, so don’t you take it off.”

“Why do the schools in Tokyo have so many odd rules…..”

Actually, isn’t it my fault for feeling that Tokyo is a very free place in the first place? One of the many annoying rules is that students must join at least one club. It was all because of these rules that I got into these kinds of troubles.

“If it weren’t for the school rules, you probably would have been in the Going-Home-Club, wouldn't you?”

So? So what?

“But isn’t the Computer Club going to be abolished next year?”

“……Huh?”

“You see, the Third Years are going to graduate soon. I heard that they are going to abolish clubs that have less than two members when they decide the club budgets next April.”

It was the first time that I’ve heard of such an important matter. I thought of the pale, tomato-shaped face of the Computer Club advisor. That guy wants to let the Computer Club close down without saying a thing, huh? No wonder my club activities are so relaxing.

“As I was saying…”

Ayaka suddenly raised her voice, startling me into stepping back half a step.

“I have something to discuss with you. If you accept my conditions…..” Her expression was that of one who made a strong resolution. “I agree to join the Computer Club!”

“……Conditions?”

“Actually, I’m the only member left in the Gardening Club as well.”

Ayaka, who had a triumphant look on her face for some reason, placed the armband on her left arm on my palm. Gardening Club? Isn’t it the Gardening Committee?

“The committee was closed down ages ago. I found this lying around in a cupboard. Isn’t it cool?”

“Not at all.”

“Why do you always say things like that!”

Her whole face flushed red. Why do you have to be so agitated, I don't understand at all.

“Small clubs have to help each other out, isn’t that right?”

<center>*</center>

In the end, I succumbed to Ayaka’s threats and accepted her conditions. We went to the staff room to hand in our application forms, and things were supposed to end just like that. Realizing that I cannot stay at the rooftop alone anymore, I could only find another place to while away time after school. On the way home, I thought to myself: Is the library better or is the restroom exclusive for teachers better?

However, Ayaka walked by my table right after school.

“I’m going to borrow the keys to the rooftop, so you can get the gardening tools first! You know where they are , right? You can find them in the cupboard with “Gardening Committee” on it.”

My classmates’ gazes fluttered between Ayaka and I, who was busy putting away my books.

“Am I not just a ghost member?” I started to say.

“…..A ghost member?” With her face pale, Ayaka turned away and covered her mouth. “Th- That’s right, I’m so sorry. I- I was just too excited, and that confused me for a moment.”

It looked like tears could pour out of her eyes at any moment. My classmates’ gazes pierced through me, as though it was I who made Ayaka cry…… No, it ''was'' I who made her cry. Anyhow, this situation is just terrible.

“Erm, uh, wait a sec!”

“Fujishima-kun, you’re busy with your activities at the Computer Club, right? I’m really sorry for bothering you.”

“O- Of course not——”

“Aren’t you going to complete your drawing of the girl on the computer soon? You just haven’t added the dress yet, right?”

“UWAAAAAAHHHHH!”

I hastily covered Ayaka’s mouth.

“Alright, alright! I got it. I’ll help you then.”

“…… Really?” The tears vanished from her face in a flash. “Thank you so much!”

She stuck out her tongue, as though it was just a prank just now. Arrggh, this girl…

“Aya-chan, there's a new member in your club?”

A female classmate asked while giving me a suspicious look.

“Oh, yes. That’s why we have more horsepower now. You can ask him anything about plants!”

My classmates exchanged looks.

“Oh, yeah!” a male classmate raised his hand. “There’s a lot of mold on the washroom sink, please think of something to help.”

“Mold isn’t even a plant!” exclaimed Ayaka.

“No, it should count as a plant, shouldn’t it?” “Differentiating organisms by animals or plants is already outdated!” “Aren’t the ones in the washroom moss?” “Lichen are definitely not plants!” “The ones in the Biology Club, shut up.” “But it's growing really quickly.” “Looks like a person's face.” “Seriously?”

The guys started to discuss the topic with vigor. What is wrong with this class? After about twenty minutes of discussion, Ayaka ended up getting a mold spray to clear it away. I hastily stopped Ayaka, who was about to dash into the men’s washroom.

“……Allow me!”

My classmates probably feel sorry for me for having to clear away the mold that have spread on the whole wall. A few of them came in to give me a hand. The washroom soon stank of the pungent odor of chlorine.

“Fujishima, it was hard on you……”

They started to pity me.

“Of course, Shinozaki is not bad too.” “Not a bad person.” “Yeah.”

I nodded tiredly while scrubbing the wall vigorously with a sponge.

I suddenly noticed that it was the first time my classmates called me by my name. Even so, I just stammered, unable to even answer them properly.

<center>*</center>

“Let’s have a welcome party! My treat!”

She said that evening as we were carrying the orchid plants indoors.

“I work part time at a ramen store, so I can give you a discount.”

I thought to myself: How rare for high school girls to work part time.

“As I often went there, I became a part time worker in the end. There are many interesting customers as well. Do you want to go with me?”

“Why——”

Thinking that I would have to see Ayaka’s tearful face if I refuse her, I nodded reluctantly. After keeping the tools in the cupboard and returning the keys to the staff’s office, I walked out of the school entrance with her.

After learning that I haven’t even gone across the Shuto Expressway, she was astonished.

“But don’t you live just nearby?”

“Well, I’ve just moved here recently, and there’s a lot of people at the station, so I didn’t really feel like going. Besides, I don’t even have a reason to go there.”

“Don't you usually go to bookshops or record stores?”

I nodded. Usually, I would just buy books or records that I want online, as I might not find the things that I want even if the actual shops are big.

“Is that so? But the shop that I’ve just mentioned is very far from the station. The ramen isn’t really that good, but the ice-cream there is extremely delicious, so it’s still very famous.”

“Then just start an ice-cream shop instead…”

“Try not to say that to Min-san, or you’ll get ramen served with ice cream.”

Min-san would probably the owner of the ramen shop. Is he Chinese?

Ayaka walked a bit faster than me. Seeing her happily prancing around, I was extremely mystified. Where did it went wrong? How did it turn out like this? Why is she so nice to me?

When we were crossing the bridge, a large delivery truck passed by, spraying dust on us. After entering the streets, we walked passed the Shuto Expressway viaduct and towards the station. Then, we went along with the crowd and entered the south side of the underpass and exited it through the east side.

We walked back to the surface in the direction of the railways. After we passed by a tramp’s tent in a park, we found the ramen shop in a dark alley unreached by streetlights. On the first floor of the building that had both shops and lodgings, only the signboard that says ‘Hanamaru Ramen’ had any light on it. The customers gathered around the shop looked like bugs attracted to a bug zapper.

The interior of the ramen shop was very cramped. Most of the space in the shop was taken up by the kitchen, while only five tables were in the shop. The other customers could only dine outside on a steel chair. There were even some customers who were sitting on turned over beer crates, eating their ramen while holding the bowl.

“You can just sit wherever you like.”

After saying that, she entered the shop. Although she told me to sit wherever I like, the problem is the chairs and beer crates are already fully seated.

I saw a man sitting on the emergency staircase between a building and another one that Ayaka just went in, located by the entrance of the kitchen. Beneath the stairs, there were stacks of worn tires, small gas tanks and some cardboard boxes full of stains.

When he raised his head, I couldn’t help but take a step back. The man was about twenty and had darkish skin. It was already November, but he was just wearing a T-shirt, completely showing off his bulging biceps. On the moment that he stared at me, I even thought that I would get killed.

“Are you a student of M High School?”

“Nonono, I’m still in middle school. Do I look that much like a high schooler?” I lied for no reason at all. He put down his bowl and said:

“Really? There's a teacher teaching Maths, Fukumoto-sensei. Does he still have any hair left?”

“No, a lot of his hair has already dropped o……AHHH!”

He approached me and flicked my forehead. The pain made me feel as though it bore a hole on my forehead.

“…… Uuuuuu…… That’s too despicable of you. Since you’ve graduated from our school, why don’t you say so in the first place!” I, myself, don’t understand why I feel that he is despicable (It was obvious from my school uniform that I’m from M High School, its my problem for lying). I covered my aching forehead and crouched down while moaning. On that moment, a voice rang behind me:

“He didn’t graduate. This guy was kicked out of school: a drop out. Here, eat this.”

When I turned my head, I saw a young lady in a gray, sleeveless vest standing behind me. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and you could see a white sarashi<ref>A cloth used to bind one's chest</ref> around her chest. She looked just like a laborer. It was only because of the black apron with ‘Hanamaru’ printed on it in white that I realized that she was from the shop. Does that mean that she is Min-san? So she’s a woman!

The thing that Min-san just stuffed into my hands was a paper cup filled with ice cream.

“Master, I’ve told you many times already, I was not kicked out. I dropped out myself.”

“Say that after you’ve clear your tab, you bum.”

“Babies are jobless when they are born too! It’s just that they are tainted in the large bathtub called life after that!"

That would be colorless, not jobless. <ref>In Japanese, jobless and colorless have the same pronunciation (Mushoku)</ref> But Min-san doesn’t seem wanting to reply him, but instead turned around and went back into the kitchen that was filled with white smoke. I held the paper cup with the ice cream and just stood there in a daze for quite some time.

“Hey, you there!” the person who was kicked out of school called me. As soon as I turned around, I hastily covered my forehead.

“What are you so nervous for! So you’re in first year now, huh?” He said while looking at my class badge. “How many fails did you get in your test?”

“Huh?”

Why on earth are you asking me something like this?

“Fujishima-kun, don’t chat with Tetsu-senpai for too long, you’ll get the NEET virus!”

Ayaka, who wore her black apron over her school uniform, said while walking out of the kitchen with a tray full of bowls. The dark skinned guy —— Tetsu-senpai gnashed his teeth, but only pretended to flick Ayaka’s forehead. This is just plain preferential treatment! Ayaka stuck out her tongue, and started to serve the customers outside the shop.

“Oh, just answer me already! Your face is that of one who fails a lot since first year.”

Although I thought that he was a busybody, what he said was still the truth. I could only answer in a small voice: “ I need to retake my English and Japanese History.” Tetsu-senpai caught hold of my arms while beaming, forcefully dragged me to a gas tank and made me sit down.

“Actually, the seats here are specially for NEETs. You have the potential to be a NEET, so if you drop out, feel free to come here! We will always welcome you.”

“No, please don’t expect that of me.” We? Are there anyone else who’s with him?

“Why? I can start from teaching you how to choose pachinko machines! Also, I know some of the employees quite well, so I know which one has the highest frequency of hitting the jackpot!”

When I had a closer look, I saw some magazines about pachinko gambling stashed in Tetsu-senpai’s hind pocket. Whoa, so this guy is a professional pachinko player. What a useless person. I averted my gaze, and started to eat the ice-cream using a wooden spoon. Basking in the evening sun of this late autumn and savoring the delightful aroma of the ramen soup while eating ice cream is indeed exceptionally scrumptious.

The second person of the ‘we’ that Tetsu-senpai spoke of appeared when I was eating roast pork noodles. He suddenly pressed a hard object against the back of my head and said: “Don’t move. Throw away your weapon, raise your hands, declare your name and unit.” I almost spitted the roast pork out of my mouth.

“Erm…… Err…… But……” If I raised my hands, the roast pork will fall down!

“Major, you are so slow. Stop doing idiotic stuff and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai said while stirring his vanilla flavoured ice cream and caramel sauce.

“But he’s sitting on my seat! Who is this fellow?”

“Narumi. He’s in the same club as Ayaka.”

“Hiro-san said that he’s coming later too, there won’t be enough seats then.”

“Hiro can just sit on Narumi’s thigh.”

“Oh, I see.”

What do you mean you see?

The guy called Major then walked into my field of vision. He wore a dark green and coffee-coloured camouflaging sports attire, a sturdy looking helmet, and a pair of sunglasses shaped like goggles. He was somewhat thin and his skin was a beautiful shade of pink that belongs to primary school students. He actually looked about my age. While putting away the model gun (Well, I think it might be a model gun, but what if it’s a real gun?) into his khaki backpack, he looked at me and said:

“But isn’t this guy a high schooler? He doesn’t fit the description of a NEET.”

“Don’t worry, he’s my kouhai. He’ll become a great NEET after a year or two.”

“I definitely won’t become a NEET!” I protested hastily. Through his goggles, Major glared at me and sat on a cardboard box.

“In this era when there are about a billion NEETs in our country, NEET-in-waitings like you are necessary, are they not? The future of our country sure is dark.”

“……in waiting?”

In bewilderment, I asked him what did he mean by that. Major pointed at me and started to chatter enthusiastically:

“Speaking of which, do you know the how a NEET is defined? The term ‘NEET’ was originally used on people who are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are not in education or employment. When the word came to Japan from England, its meaning changed to include people from 15 to 34. As a lot of types appeared after that, they were even classified into an active type and a passive type, a sudden type, challenged type, caveman type and hesitating type. Besides that, there were also some attempts to classify them using three-dimensional coordination to divide them into eight quadrants, but they are actually just meaningless classifications to me.”

“Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.”

Ayaka served Major his salt-flavoured ramen. It looks like Mukai is Major’s real name.

“I’m so sorry, Fujishima-kun, there would be less customers after a while.”

I tried to give Ayaka a ‘justfindanexcuseformetoleavethisseat’ signal, but she didn’t get it. Major sipped some soup and continued:

“NEETs were originally just a cultural illness of reliance, and will only appear in a prosperous country like ours. We should be more proud of NEETs! Love the country that strives to produce NEETs, for world peace, we must stand up! We must find more non NEET-in-waiting elites, learn from each other , form a new Japanese Party, and bravely challenge the evil! Grow, NEETs! Grow like blazing fire! NEETs!”

“So noisy! Just shut up and eat your noodles!”

Min-san’s furious outburst echoed from the kitchen, and a small frying pan flew out of the kitchen soon after, landing on Major’s head.

“Huh? What’s with that guy?”

A male voice rang in the alley, and a tall silhouette appeared at the end of the alley.

A young man daringly wearing a brightly colored coat with khaki jeans was standing at the end of the alley. His occupation was a mystery, but he radiated the aura of a professional person. His aura was different from what Tetsu-senpai had, but they have the same imposing manner. That man approached, almost causing me to fall off the gas tank.

“He’s Ayaka’s friend. See, he’s from M High School.” Said Tetsu-senpai. “Oh? Oh——”That man patted my shoulders and said:

“There was a time when Tetsu was wearing this uniform too!”

He shot a look at the narrow kitchen back door and sat down beside Tetsu-senpai. I started to get confused. Aren’t the seats here just for NEETs?

“Hi, nice to meet you. Here’s my card.” He took a piece of card out of his pocket and handed it to me. He ''is'' a working person! While thinking so, I took the card, on the card it was printed:

‘NEET - Hiroaki Kuwabara’

…… Huh? I nearly fainted at that moment.

To reconfirm the world that I live in, I breathed in deeply and looked at my surroundings. Tetsu-senpai was eating ice cream, Major was eating salt-flavored ramen. Ayaka was busy washing bowls in the smoky kitchen, Min-san was having a battle royale with flames. Looking at the night skies in this autumn, the only person who found something wrong was me.

“Is…… Is your job a NEET?”

I asked cautiously. Hiro showed me a smile worthy of a toothpaste advertisement while saying:

“What are you talking about? A NEET isn't an occupation!”

Well, that’s true. As I was about to nod, Hiro’s next comment completely devastated me.

“Being a NEET is a lifestyle.”

He actually said that it was a lifestyle? I almost cried. Hiro, with his eyes narrowed while pushing back his hair, was meaninglessly handsome. What on earth is with these people?

“Did you make these cards before this, Hiro?”

“Well, its quite convenient while flirting. People always laugh when they see it.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you’ll make your girlfriend angry like this, and that you shouldn't flirt with other people so much?”

“Ah, I broke up with her already. I’m now living at the house of a lady working at a night club. Making it clear that I’m jobless from the start makes my life much easier!”

So Hiro-san is a gigolo! Well, he did say that it was a lifestyle.

I listened to their conversation at the sidelines while drinking the ramen soup, but I didn't really notice its taste. From their conversation, I gathered that they were about 18 to 19, and are supposed to be teenagers who have bright futures.

I vaguely thought to myself: would Tetsu-senpai’s words that I’ll turn out like them soon come true? I could only hope that this won’t be true.

After we finished eating the ramen, and were enjoying the ice creams (Tetsu-senpai was already eating a second), extremely noisy rock music suddenly blared in this narrow space. It was ‘Colorado Bulldog<ref>Song by the band Mr. Big</ref>. The three immediately sprang up, took out their cellphones that were almost simultaneously playing the same ringtone.

Tetsu-senpai picked up the call first, then Major and Hiro’s phone immediately stopped ringing. An expression that looked very much like regret appeared on their faces.

“Min-san, Alice has an order for you! Onion ramen, without ramen, roast pork and egg.”

Doesn’t that mean that there's only leeks left? I thought to myself. After three minutes, the bowl that Min-san took out did look like there was only leeks and soup.

“Tell this to her clearly, we sell ramen.” Min-san said with a sour expression on her face.

The leeks floating in the soup looked like islands in a sea of soup. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san looked at each other.

“The problem is, who’s gonna take it to her?” said Tetsu-senpai.

“Does Alice seem like she’s in a bad mood?” asked Hiro.

“Definitely.”

“Are you guys taking it to her?” me asking this question was a sign of doom. Tetsu-senpai nodded, and then slapped his kneecap.

“Since there’s four people here, lets decide by a Yamanote Line game<ref>Originally, it’s a game where the each player tells the name of a station that the Yamanote Line can reach. Here, they will say things that are related to the topic given</ref>, the one who loses sends it.”

Four people?

“So what’s the topic?”

“Lets use “Brochures commonly found at employment agencies” then.”

“Okay, but there’s only one chance when you can’t answer.”

“Wa- Wait a minute, did you count me in?”

“Okay, lets start from me. ‘ Guide to a Laborer’s Insurance’.”

“ ‘Searching for your Dreams from Thirty-two’.”

“ ‘Discover your Talents in Two Minutes’.”

“Ah, uh, erm……”

“Narumi, that’s your first loss. ‘How to Resign Favorably’.”

“ ‘Starting Your Business From A Computer’!”

“ ‘Guide for Blending in your New Workplace’.”

“…… How on earth would I know any of those!”

“Ah, getting angry are you? Narumi, as long as you’re a NEET, you’ll have to know about these! Going to an employment agency but coming back without doing anything, this is a route that all of us must take.”

No, the problem is I’m not a NEET.

“If you lose you’ll have to admit it, loser.”

“Don’t mind it, Narumi, it isn’t embarrassing that you don’t know about these.”

“Well, of course! Don’t console me!”

“But you still have to send over the ramen!”

Unable to retort, that was how I fell into their trap.

The place that I was supposed to send the ramen was in the same building as the ramen shop, but on the third floor, room 308. As they said: “You’ll know when you go.” There was a large signboard on the door.

‘NEET Detective Agency’

The words were written with a somewhat cute handwriting, and there were a row of mystifying English words.

It’s the only NEET thing to do

My mind had already gone numb after the events that I’ve gone through today, so I won’t be surprised even if I see a NEET being a detective. I used the corner of the tray that held the ramen to press the electric bell, and the side camera modified into the electric bell flashed blue. According to Tetsu-senpai, that was the sign for ‘Come in’.

After opening the door, I saw that it was a long single room. As the air-conditioner was going strong, it was even colder than outside. Walking past the fridge, kitchen and washing machine in the corridor, a narrow room could be seen. As there were not any partitions in the room, a computer rack could be seen even from the entrance, while countless monitors filled the walls of the room.

“Your ramen is here……”

“Please enter.”

The voice of a young girl rang from inside of the room.

While holding the tray,I walked into the room. This room is really quite something. Three sides of the walls were covered with unknown machines, liquid plasma monitors and electric cables, while the small space left —— the floor in the middle of the room, was filled with a mattress. As though she was buried in dolls, the silhouette wearing pajamas turned around.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 037.jpg|thumb|''She looked just like a doll.'']]

She looked just like a doll. She had a small face, a pair of large eyes that were in contrast with her face, unbelievably white skin, thin limbs, sleek hair flowing on the sheets, and was wearing pale blue pajamas with pictures of cartoon bears on it. I held the tray and stared at the girl.

The girl shifted the table that the keyboard was on aside, and pulled to her bed another long table that was just like those small tables that were used with the mattresses in a hospital.

“What are you standing there for? I ordered leek ramen. I don’t remember ordering a high school student-shaped ornament.”

“Ah, um…… Where should I put the ramen?”

“Since you're standing so far away, do you think that my arms seem like they’re long enough that I can take the bowls from your hands?”

I was scolded by her. But I do not even feel angry or surprised anymore. I placed the tray on the table in front of the girl. She took the disposable chopsticks, looked at it for awhile and breathed in deeply. Her small face was full of determination while the hands holding the tip of the chopsticks were applying force on it. But when the chopsticks were dragged into a ‘人’ shape, it just shook but did not separate. How little strength does this girl have?

“…… Would you like me to give you a hand?”

The cute girl wearing the pajamas was visibly glaring at me.

“It seems that you’re the type that sees a frail bird that couldn’t fly, tosses them upwards and sink in your own satisfaction after that, are you not? These type of people are the most useless of them all. When you walk away triumphantly, the bird would fall back down on the asphalt road and die, but you won’t even know that. Being dumb really should have a limit.”

It’s just a pair of disposable chopsticks, why am I scolded like this? But I did not retort her. Again, she breathed in deeply and applied force to separate the chopsticks.

Thwack.

The chopstick on the right has split into two. This is the most common result. She emotionlessly stared for awhile at the chopsticks with unequal length, and then started to cry. Hey, don’t cry!

She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, and started to eat the leek ramen(that pretty much has only leeks in it). As I was thinking of this, she started to glare at me again and said: “Your interests are really out of my comprehension. Does silently watching people eat make you happy?”

“Ah, so- sorry.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, this time she said: “Where do you think you're going? If you are gone, who will dispose of the bowls? You should really think about this.” I scratched my head, and having no other choice, I squatted down at the entrance with my back to the mattress.

While listening to the girl wearing pajamas eating the onions, I mulled over the things that happened today. I'm just here because I couldn’t refuse Ayaka’s request…… Then, I encountered a lot of stuff. I'm really tired. As I was about to drift into sleep, the girl’s voice rang out yet again.

“Narumi, I’m done. Get some beverages for me from the fridge.”

Startled, I turned back to face the girl.

“Eh, huh?”

“I said, get me something to drink from the fridge. Falling asleep even in someone else’s house, you really are shameless.”

Who are you to say that about me? But still, I followed her instructions as I did not have the energy to retort. After opening the fridge, I found that it was stuffed full of 350ml red cans, and nothing else. I thought that all of them were Coke, but they were actually all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper Dr. Pepper]. I don’t even have the energy to say anything anymore. The girl drank all of the Dr. Pepper that I brought her in one breath, and happiness welled out from her face. Seeing that expression made me feel that I could forgive everything.

“When God was creating the world, it was because He drank Dr. Pepper that He took a rest on the seventh day. If Dr. Pepper does not exist, there would be twelve days in a week instead of seven.”

“Is that so?”

“Narumi, you should drink it too! I can’t give you the ones in my fridge, but I can tell you where you can get them.”

So you're not giving them to me?

“…… Wait!” That was when I realized: “Why do you know my name?”

Was it when she was talking to Tetsu-senpai on the phone? No, at that moment Alice was just ordering her leek ramen, and she hung up right after she ordered. There wasn’t any time for them to say my name.

“Fujishima Narumi, sixteen, male, 164cm tall, weighs 51kg, in class 1-4 of M high school……” She fluently spoke of all of my personal information —— address, phone number, educational background, and family background. I was speechless.

“Ayaka said that there was a new club member, so I just did a little investigation. There is so much information in your school, but so little protective measures, so it’s better if you be more careful.”

At a loss of words, I looked at the wall formed of computers.

“…… Are you a hacker?”

“I’m not a hacker.”

The girl smiled while shaking her head.

“I’m a NEET detective.”

The detective said, Alice was partly her real name, and partly an alias.

“Yuuko can also be read as Alice <ref>有子is read as Yuuko, but 有can be read as ari, 子 can be read as su</ref>. The name Alice was taken from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tiptree,_Jr. James Tiptree's] real name.”

“Who is she?”

Alice sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, looking at me as though she was looking at an idiot.

“She’s a novelist! Didn’t you see the signboard at the door? Although I changed a letter, it was quite a famous quote! Haven’t you read of it before?”

I cocked my head, thinking of the English words on the signboard.

“The detectives that you speak of…… Don’t they just accept other people’s requests and investigate various cases?”

“I am not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. They are as different as Chofu and Den Enchofu, mind you. An ordinary detective asks around for information, monitors other people, all in all going here and there to search for information and find their target. NEET detectives, on the other hand……”

Alice puffed out her chest, turned around to the wall covered with machines and waved her hands.

“Do not need to leave their rooms even a step, but can search the whole world to find out the truth. You probably just think that I’m just a hikkikomori who’s overly reliant on the Internet, huh? You don’t need to lie.”

“Erm….. Yeah.”

“Hmph, that’s because the common man cannot understand the work of a detective. A detective is the messanger of the deceased, looking for the words lost from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honor of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living. That is why this is such an unpopular and misunderstood occupation……
Is your expression questioning that why am I, as a hikkikomori, am saying all these?”

“No, my expression shouldn’t be that obvious.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“But you look like you have something to say. Don’t worry, just ask! Because of my occupation, I am already used to never ending questions. And I will let you fall into despair very quickly.”

…… Despair?

I don’t really have anything much to ask, just that I’m a bit shocked by the endless chatter of this strange girl, Alice. But in this situation, it seems that I need to ask a question. Looking around the room that looks like a control room, I asked the question that was the most confusing to me.

“You…… What do you usually eat? Do you always eat those stuff?”

Alice’s round eyes became even rounder.

“This trivial matter is the first thing that you thought of?’’

“…… I think that what we eat is very important.”

“Yes, you are correct. You are also an oddball, different from what Ayaka has said.”

Alice narrowed her eyes while looking at me, as though she was smiling.

“To obtain the nutrients essential for my body, drinking Dr. Pepper would suffice. But Min-san is very persistent, so sometimes I eat some vegetables as well.”

“So that’s why you don’t grow……”

“Where did your biased opinion that only tall people are good come from? I can list out fifty advantages for being a shorty and disadvantages of being tall, if you are willing to have a debate, I am always ready to accept the challenge.”

“No, sorry.”

I was just thinking about her height, which resulted in me mumbling to myself and getting heard.

“So do you depend on Min-san for your daily life?”

Alice raised her eyebrows.

“You’re really impolite, you know. I’ve already said that I’m a NEET detective, a NEET detective is an occupational detective! I have an actual income, and pay her for everything.”

“Eh, eh, but aren’t you a NEET?” aren’t all NEETs jobless?

“You misunderstood NEETs from a fundamental level. The second E in NEET is Employment, being employed by someone. My occupation is a personal enterprise, so I’m not employed. How other people view that depends.”

How other people would view.

“…… Lifestyle huh?”

“In Hiro’s life, that is so. Turgenev might say call it the ending of an illusion, Dostoyevsky might call it hell, William Somerset Maugham might call it reality, while Haruki Murakami might call it self. I use another name for it, but anyhow it’s unrelated to the matter of income.”

I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about, but the fact that the pajamas-clad girl earned money by being a detective is somewhat unbelievable. Which reminds me, she seems to be familiar with the usage of computers and the Internet.

“Your expression tells me that you don’t believe me. No matter, another man would come here in a moment to request for my investigation, you’ll probably believe it after you’ve heard it.”

“…… Huh?”

At that moment, the doorbell rang as she had predicted. I turned around and looked at the door.

“Open the door.”

“Me?”

“It would be nice if the agency adds some other way to welcome guests besides the blue lights.”

As I walked to the entrance to open the door, I froze as there were three men outside the door. The young man in the middle was wearing a leather coat and looked slightly older than me, but his expression was like that of a wild wolf. Among the other two who were flanking his sides, one was a man having muscles like a rocky mountain, the other was tall like an electric pole. Both of them were wearing the same gray hoodie.

“Who is this guy? Where’s Alice?”

The wolf said. It was as though I was pierced by his sharp gaze, my lips trembled and I was unable to speak. At this moment, Alice’s voice came from inside the room:

“Oh, Yondaime, please come in.”

The two people behind the man who was called Yondaime said: “We’ll wait here.” And then I was dragged into the room. After the door was closed, the two men disappeared from my field of vision. At the moment when I was closing the door, I felt as if I was glared at, and my hands holding the door handle trembled.

“Narumi, get another can of Dr. Pepper.”

Alice’s voice finally peeled my hands off the door handle.

“Hey, who is that guy? Aren’t we going to talk about the job?”

When I handed the Dr. Pepper to Alice, Yondaime who was sitting beside the matress used his chin to point at me, and then turned around and said to me: “You, get out for a moment.”

“Eh?”

Telling me to go outside the room to become best friends with the two bear-like bodyguards, and wait for you to finish discussing? What are you talking about!

“Yondaime, just imagine that there’s a high school student-shaped ornament here, relax and start the discussion.”

“Hey, Alice, are you joking? You should know that this isn’t something that you can let outsiders know!”

“It doesn’t matter, Narumi is only my assistant for today, I can guarantee that he will not speak of this to anyone else.”

I don’t even know when I’ve become an assistant.

“That's not the point.”

“If you’re so insistent, why don’t you talk so that outsiders wouldn’t understand? Your job has a lot of jargon anyway. If you would not want then, you can just give the request to some other people.”

An awkward expression appeared on Yondaime’s face and he used his foot to kick the bedstead. Finally, he sighed and started to talk.

Indeed, I could not understand a thing, it was all a bunch of unknown nouns and verbs that you couldn’t understand. The ones that I could barely understand “deal with him when we catch him”, are the ones that I really don’t want to understand.

“Hmm.”

Alice finished listening to Yondaime’s explanation and finished drinking her second can of Dr. Pepper.

“I understand. Narumi, do you understand what he just said?”

I hastily shook my head.

“Is that so? Basically, someone is doing unknown drug dealing behind Yondaime’s back, so he requested me to help find out about the ways that they deal drugs.”

“What is the use of me talking like that when you explain it to him!” Yondaime flew into a rage. That was quite understandable. I felt somewhat happy and thought: Great, finally someone would teach her a lesson…… “What is with that happy look on your face!” Yondaime’s changed his target of anger to me. I could only retreat to the corridor and hid behind the fridge.

“Well, as I had a big headache this morning, I wanted to enrage the first person who came in to vent my annoyace, whoever it was. Although Narumi was the first person to come in, but for some reason he is quite tolerant of it, and didn’t get angry at all.”

So she did all that on purpose!

“Coincidentally, the next person was you, so I vented my annoyance on you, so don’t mind it. If I did anything wrong, you’ll always get angry, and that’s why I like you the most.”

Alice stretched her legs out of the blanket and smiled sweetly. At this moment, I was totally defeated (Yondaime probably was, too). Yondaime hammered the blanket for some time, tried to say something but then stopped, and then he stood up.

“So are you willing to accept the request?”

“I accept it, so just leave it all to me!”

“I will mail the details to you, goodbye.”

Yondaime walked to the corridor and dragged me out from the fridge. He caught hold of my left shoulder and applied force on it until his thumb almost sank into my body.

“Ah, ouch…….”

“I’ve remembered your face, and will find out your address immediately. Listen closely, you didn’t hear anything just now. Is that clear?”

The wolfish eyes came closer to my eyes, while I could only nod while trembling.

“Answer me!”

“I…… I didn’t hear anything.”

Yondaime tossed me to the ground and walked out of the room.

“Are you alright?”

Alice came over and asked as I was huddled up on the floor in exhaustion. So she can walk? I thought that she had an illness that causes her to die if she leaves her bed.

“I just feel very tired.”

The words popped out of my mouth. That would be my feelings about what occurred the whole day.

“If I didn’t do so, I’m afraid you’ll still think that I’m a hikkikomori who’s over-reliant on the Internet. Don’t mind it!”

“No, I already understand clearly.”

Because of Ayaka, I stepped into an unbelievable world. Drug dealing, detectives and hackers, I had always hoped that these only exist in worlds that I don’t know of.

“You just wanted me to understand your work, so you said nonsensically that I’m your assistant and that I’m tight-lipped……”

“That is not nonsense. You are indeed tight-lipped, I am sure of it.”

I raised my head to look at Alice and saw that she was smiling. Since this is the first time that we’ve met, why does she dare to say so?

“Hey, Narumi. The people who met me, each and every one of them would ask: ''‘Are you really a NEET? Why did you become a NEET?’'', and you are the first one who did not ask me this question.”

Adjusting to my eye level, Alice squatted down.

“Although it might be because you’re thoughtless or uncaring, but I -- we NEETs would be extremely happy. Instead of pitying us, ignoring us would have been better. 'Why did we become NEETs?', this question shouldn’t even be asked. Because there is only one reason – it is written on our page of God’s notebook: ‘We lose when we work.’ There is no other reason.”

“…… God’s notebook?”

“Isn’t this statement so irresponsible that it’s great?”

Placing her hands and chin on her knees, Alice said while smiling:

“What the word NEET really means, is actually not ‘Someone who doesn’t know how to do anything’, and not ‘Someone who doesn’t want to do anything’.”

<center>*</center>

Holding the empty bowl on the plate while walking out of the NEET Detective Agency, I saw that it was already completely dark outside. The starlight could not be seen as it was hidden by the piercing lights on the earth. The ramen shop below had become extremely crowded. Laughter and angry shouts coming from there could be heard even from here.

After I walked down the emergency backstairs, I found Yondaime sitting on the seat exclusively for NEETs that I was sitting on just now. Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro-san and Yondaime surrounded the wooden table, and looked like they were doing something together. The clear tinkle of a bell-like sound could be heard even from far away.

“Sou-san! Didn’t you say that you are only playing for five minutes!?”

The bodyguard, Rocky, who was standing behind Yondaime was shouting angrily by Yondaime’s ears.

“Shut up, how can I go back when I’m in a losing streak! Tetsu, hurry up and throw already!”

“Okay, four five and six.”

“Impossible!”

A large bundle of money was on the bowl. So they’re playing a game of dices. Do these four know each other?

“Fujishima-kun, Min-san made a flavored ice cream, do you want to try some?”

Ayaka ran out holding an ice cream cone. While licking the ice cream which was giving out a fragrant aroma, I listened to the dice tinkling along in the bowl. Yondaime was shouting with his whole face red, throwing his cash onto the bowl like a ninja throwing knives. Looking at this situation, I couldn’t help but feel – somewhat happy.

<center>*</center>

On the way home, the streetlights on the street was very dim. Walking in front of me, Ayaka turned around and said:

“I’m so sorry, I did say that I wanted to have a welcome party for you, but coincidentally the shop was busy……”

Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve talked much with Ayaka today at the shop. There were so many customers that even I helped to deliver.

“Oh yeah, did you see Alice?”

“Yeah…… She’s an oddball.” I couldn’t say anything else about her.

“But it was really unbelievable today. There are indeed a lot of interesting people behind the ramen shop, but its rare that all of them were present like today! You’re so lucky, Fujishima-kun.”

“Does that count as lucky?”

Indeed, the people that I met and the faces that I’ve seen today has far exceeded my brain capacity, but I still remembered all of them. Tetsu-senpai, Min-san, Major, Hiro-san, Alice and Yondaime.

“It would be even better if brother could come.”

Brother?

“After my brother left school, he became a NEET. He usually goes to the ramen shop to hang out with Tetsu-senpai and the others. But recently he didn’t even go home or to the shop. I couldn’t even reach his phone.”

“You can’t really say that all of those who hang out there don’t have a job……?”

A horrible illusion came upon me. Would I turn out like them when I　leave school someday?

Ayaka turned around and said: “Did you ever think of leaving school?”

“Every day.”

Under the streetlight, an inscrutable expression appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“…… Even now?”

I was momentarily speechless. Being unable to immediately answer this question is indeed strange.

Ayaka gazed sincerely at me.

I averted her gaze and lied: “Now…… I don’t want to……. Probably!”

“Is that so.” A gentle smile appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“But I think you have no need to lie right now.”

I stopped walking, speechless, and Ayaka stopped too. Coincidentally, we were standing in the middle of two streetlights, while our shadows interlaced on the asphalt road.

“…… Why?”

I could only say this one word. Why? How did she know that I was lying?

“Because…… That place originally belonged to me.” Ayaka said. “It was because there were no other members that I entered the Gardening Club. So in this case, I’m your senior for about half a year!”

I pondered the reason why Ayaka can smile while saying such a thing. Because she is different from me, and can chat with the other students in our class as if nothing had happened, it seemed as natural as breathing.

Hearing me speak of my true thoughts, she showed me a glass-like small that was even more transparent.

“It’s really simple, you can do it as well. Shout when you’re angry like the others, laugh when you’re happy like the others, and speak your mind when you want something.”

I lowered my head, and thought repeatedly about what Ayaka meant by her words. I still don’t get it. I just felt that her words was like that of a busybody, although its contents completely suits my current situation.

After we crossed the bridge, Ayaka and I said goodbye to each other.

Looking at the silhouette of Ayaka running towards the station, I thought of a scene when she was shouting or laughing like the others. Wasn't she just pushing herself? Does she mean that I should do that as well? Forcing myself to talk to the other students, forcing myself to smile.

I wish that she would not care about me anymore. I just couldn’t do what she said anyhow.

<references/>

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-03-16T16:07:45Z

Asteradragon:

"It's a primitive response to gratitude. To give pleasure. You see, our normal hosts are quite mindless; they can be thanked only by physical sensation."

"Thank you for agreeing to transport me. Thank you very much."

* "The Only Neat Thing to Do" by James Tiptree, Jr.

¬
==Chapter 1==
During the winter when I was sixteen, I met many different types of people –a boxer, a soldier, a gigolo, a detective, and a yakuza member. They were all NEETs – just different kinds. The term ‘NEET’ occasionally finds itself on the news or in the newspapers, and I thought it merely referred to unmotivated and unemployed youths, but in reality there are actually many different sides to them. There is no all-encompassing reason as to why they remain jobless or fail to attend school.

“The term ‘NEET’ refers to neither ‘useless people’ nor ‘lazy people’.” That is what the detective said to me. “The only difference lies in the rules. While everybody else uses the board to play checkers, we play chess instead.”

“I don’t get it. Doesn’t that mean you’re just getting in the way?” I questioned naively. The detective thought for a moment, pursing her cherry-like lips which eventually gave way to a silent smile.

“I suppose that it would seem that way to those who just want to rush ahead. I understand that society wishesto just group us together and label us; flinging us out into a rubbish dump. I also understand that they wish to point and laugh at us mockingly. Let them laugh all they want. No matter how you argue it, the fact that we are a negative influence on society at large is undeniable."

The detective gazed at her opened hands before raising her head again. This time, her smile was not one of sarcasm and bitterness – but one that was comparable to the rays of sunlight on a freezing day of winter. “We will never laugh at ourselves. Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That is the meaning of living, is it not?”

I couldn’t give her an answer, because I had never thought so deeply about such matters before. Regardless, no matter how many metaphors you use, isn’t the fact that you are all useless people the main point?

However, it was also in that very same winter when I saw my first dead corpse, and when I first assaulted another person. It was the first time in my life that I contemplated about what it means to be alive. I suppose anybody who has witnessed another person forfeiting his lifeand seeking death will feel the same way as I have.

Yet, that is a story for much later. For now, I would like to talk about the winter when I first met all these people, and the story of a normal, non-NEET girl.

<center>*</center>

Near the end of November, I met Ayaka for the first time.

After school ended on Tuesday, I sat on the water tower on the roof of the southern campus, and stared blankly at tall buildings far away. Normally once school ends, I would go to the computer lab and focus on club activities that only need one person. But on afternoons with computer lessons, there are a lot of students remaining to play on the computers that they usually don’t have access to. I am unable to bring myself to walk in just like that, so I end up coming up to the roof to waste time every Tuesday and Thursday. Staring at the computer lab on the second story of the northern campus, I gave off a lot of "Get lost already!" waves, and sighed as I looked at the streets below.

The streets of the city I currently live in can be divided into two colors, while the long thin river that flows like the artery of a patient is the divider of the colors. The side closer to me has rusted roofs of factories, cheap apartments lying side by side, and then there is the high school. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of shrines and graves in this area; My house is also on this side. On the other side is a tall flyover bridge with a highway leading to the capital, a gigantic train station with countless railways, tall buildings packed along complicatedly interweaving roads on the slope, shopping malls and television stations. On sunny days, you can even see the shadow of the government building far away. Tokyo is an amazing place to let boring housings that can be found anywhere in Japan and tall modern buildings co-exist peacefully here.

Looking down from the roof, the train station is like a scene in an advertisement on TV, without realism. Perhaps it's because I don't want to get close to that area? As we can wear our school uniform and straightaway go out to play immediately after school, I heard that our school is rather popular in Tokyo; If the sailor costume has bright colors, it might even increases the attractiveness by around 40%.

That day was a cloudy day, just nice enough that you can closely examine the glass panels of the tall buildings that are normally unclear due to their piercing reflections. Speaking of which, they are just a bunch of glass windows that are cut using similar methods. I always filled those glass squares with colors in my mind, as though I was sketching pixel art.

I've gotten used to killing time like that. I think it's because I'm always transferring schools due to my dad's work. At the beginning of October, when I transferred into my current high school, I joined the Computer Club just because there was no one else active there, and went about my school life without getting noticed by anyone. I've often thought that there's no point in me going to high school, while I couldn't follow the lessons as well.

As I was gazing at the building, I suddenly heard a clattering sound below me, and thus I leaned my upper body outwards to have a look. The water supply tower was set on top of the stair room jutting out from the roof while the sound was that of someone who had climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

"Eh? He's not here?"

I heard a girl's voice. When I carefully leaned forward and peered directly below, she turned around, meeting my gaze.

She had short hair, and strong-spirited eyebrows, in contrast her eyes, which gave off a cute, friendly impression. I felt like I'd seen her before. As I moved to get up, she made an extremely surprised face, letting out a "Wah!", causing me to tumbled down from the water supply tower.

It was lucky that I fell from my feet, but as the backs of my hands scraped roughly against the concrete wall, the first thing she did when we met was to wash my wounds with water from the watering can she had.

"Why would you climb up a place like that, it's dangerous!"

She said while applying plasters on my wound. Being asked such a question, I couldn’t answer her.

“……idiots and something likes high places, after all.”

“You have to play down the ‘idiots’ part when you say that!” <ref>Japanese idiom, idiots and smoke like high places. </ref>

She calmly replied. Although I wanted to escape, I couldn’t do so as my hand was held tightly.

“There, I’m done. Remember not to climb to high places again.” She lightly tapped my right hand that was full of plasters, just like a caretaker who was scolding small children. Then, she said while smiling, “Even though I said all that, I actually climbed it before myself. Seeing the ladder over there really gives you an urge to climb it, doesn't it?”

Anyway, who on earth is this girl? As I can’t recall neither faces nor names of anyone in school, I cannot think of any girl who would talk to me with such a friendly tone.

Suddenly, I saw the yellow badge on her left arm. Although it was quite old and was already somewhat faded, the words ‘Gardening Committee’ could still be seen on it. At that moment, I finally noticed the large number of flower pots arranged by the railings. Does our school even have a Gardening Committee?

“Ah, so you have to climb that high to see the computer lab! Are you that type of person, Fujishima-kun? Those who can’t concentrate when someone else is in the room? The type that people call the artistic type?

The girl held on to the railings, saying all that while looking at the school building opposite of us. I was taken aback.

“——How do you know about that?”

I let out a shout that startled even myself. She turned around to look at me with a look of shock on her face.

“Well, our class is on this side of the third floor, so that's why the computer lab can be seen from there. Besides, Fujishima-kun always sits beside the windows.”

I was found out. Color drained out of my face. How much does this girl know? She doesn’t know that I was drawing naughty pictures on the computer, does she? Wait, that’s not the main point…

“Why do you know my name?”

She raised her arms like a baseball pitcher who was getting ready to pitch the ball. It seemed my question surprised her..

“Don’t you remember me? We’re even in the same class!”

“Huh?”

I started to become anxious. From the time when I transferred to this school, I practically avoided all contact with other people, which is why I can’t remember the names of my classmates.

“It was I who told you where the canteen is and also collected information of World History for you. Even when you were changing clothes during P.E class, I have helped you out!”

“Wa- Wait a minute!”

“That last comment was just a joke~”

Ugh, this girl…

“Although that I thought that you might have forgotten about me, I didn’t really believe that it would really be true…..”

Seeing the girl with tears glistening in her eyes, I can’t help but feel somewhat guilty.

“My name is Ayaka Shinozaki, and I sit just beside you in class. How can you forget about me even like this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Fujishima-kun, you don’t think that you are a part of class 1-4, do you? You even skipped school during the school festival.

But the school festival was held just a week after I transferred, so I had no other choice but to skip it!

“And you aren’t even wearing the class badge. It's rare for public high schools to have class badges, so it would be a pity if you don’t wear it!”

I didn’t really think it’s a pity, so I lied to her: “ I lost it.”

“Then I’ll lend you mine then, I have some to spare at home.” Said Ayaka while she took off her class badge from her sailor uniform.

“Huh? No, there’s really no need to.”

“Seriously, don’t move.”

She caught me from the back when I was trying to escape. I couldn’t help but freeze and pause my breathing for a moment. She moved her hands to the front of my blazer and put on the class badge on the collar of my blazer. Looking at this from another angle, wouldn’t it seem like she was hugging me from behind? No, wait, I have to calm down.

After what seemed like a very long time, the warmth of her body finally faded from my back.

“Hmm, that’s better.”

She turned me around and nodded with a satisfied look on her face. With a complicated feeling, I lowered my gaze and gazed at the blue and green badge. It was as though an alien thing appeared on my neck. Why did she help me until this extent? I saw many other people who take very good care of transfer students, but it was the first time I saw someone who was ''that'' helpful.

“It is a requirement of the school rules that one must wear a class badge, so don’t you take it off.”

“Why do the schools in Tokyo have so many odd rules…..”

Actually, isn’t it my fault for feeling that Tokyo is a very free place in the first place? One of the many annoying rules is that students must join at least one club. It was all because of these rules that I got into these kinds of troubles.

“If it weren’t for the school rules, you probably would have been in the Going-Home-Club, wouldn't you?”

So? So what?

“But isn’t the Computer Club going to be abolished next year?”

“……Huh?”

“You see, the Third Years are going to graduate soon. I heard that they are going to abolish clubs that have less than two members when they decide the club budgets next April.”

It was the first time that I’ve heard of such an important matter. I thought of the pale, tomato-shaped face of the Computer Club advisor. That guy wants to let the Computer Club close down without saying a thing, huh? No wonder my club activities are so relaxing.

“As I was saying…”

Ayaka suddenly raised her voice, startling me into stepping back half a step.

“I have something to discuss with you. If you accept my conditions…..” Her expression was that of one who made a strong resolution. “I agree to join the Computer Club!”

“……Conditions?”

“Actually, I’m the only member left in the Gardening Club as well.”

Ayaka, who had a triumphant look on her face for some reason, placed the armband on her left arm on my palm. Gardening Club? Isn’t it the Gardening Committee?

“The committee was closed down ages ago. I found this lying around in a cupboard. Isn’t it cool?”

“Not at all.”

“Why do you always say things like that!”

Her whole face flushed red. Why do you have to be so agitated, I don't understand at all.

“Small clubs have to help each other out, isn’t that right?”

<center>*</center>

In the end, I succumbed to Ayaka’s threats and accepted her conditions. We went to the staff room to hand in our application forms, and things were supposed to end just like that. Realizing that I cannot stay at the rooftop alone anymore, I could only find another place to while away time after school. On the way home, I thought to myself: Is the library better or is the restroom exclusive for teachers better?

However, Ayaka walked by my table right after school.

“I’m going to borrow the keys to the rooftop, so you can get the gardening tools first! You know where they are , right? You can find them in the cupboard with “Gardening Committee” on it.”

My classmates’ gazes fluttered between Ayaka and I, who was busy putting away my books.

“Am I not just a ghost member?” I started to say.

“…..A ghost member?” With her face pale, Ayaka turned away and covered her mouth. “Th- That’s right, I’m so sorry. I- I was just too excited, and that confused me for a moment.”

It looked like tears could pour out of her eyes at any moment. My classmates’ gazes pierced through me, as though it was I who made Ayaka cry…… No, it ''was'' I who made her cry. Anyhow, this situation is just terrible.

“Erm, uh, wait a sec!”

“Fujishima-kun, you’re busy with your activities at the Computer Club, right? I’m really sorry for bothering you.”

“O- Of course not——”

“Aren’t you going to complete your drawing of the girl on the computer soon? You just haven’t added the dress yet, right?”

“UWAAAAAAHHHHH!”

I hastily covered Ayaka’s mouth.

“Alright, alright! I got it. I’ll help you then.”

“…… Really?” The tears vanished from her face in a flash. “Thank you so much!”

She stuck out her tongue, as though it was just a prank just now. Arrggh, this girl…

“Aya-chan, there's a new member in your club?”

A female classmate asked while giving me a suspicious look.

“Oh, yes. That’s why we have more horsepower now. You can ask him anything about plants!”

My classmates exchanged looks.

“Oh, yeah!” a male classmate raised his hand. “There’s a lot of mold on the washroom sink, please think of something to help.”

“Mold isn’t even a plant!” exclaimed Ayaka.

“No, it should count as a plant, shouldn’t it?” “Differentiating organisms by animals or plants is already outdated!” “Aren’t the ones in the washroom moss?” “Lichen are definitely not plants!” “The ones in the Biology Club, shut up.” “But it's growing really quickly.” “Looks like a person's face.” “Seriously?”

The guys started to discuss the topic with vigor. What is wrong with this class? After about twenty minutes of discussion, Ayaka ended up getting a mold spray to clear it away. I hastily stopped Ayaka, who was about to dash into the men’s washroom.

“……Allow me!”

My classmates probably feel sorry for me for having to clear away the mold that have spread on the whole wall. A few of them came in to give me a hand. The washroom soon stank of the pungent odor of chlorine.

“Fujishima, it was hard on you……”

They started to pity me.

“Of course, Shinozaki is not bad too.” “Not a bad person.” “Yeah.”

I nodded tiredly while scrubbing the wall vigorously with a sponge.

I suddenly noticed that it was the first time my classmates called me by my name. Even so, I just stammered, unable to even answer them properly.

<center>*</center>

“Let’s have a welcome party! My treat!”

She said that evening as we were carrying the orchid plants indoors.

“I work part time at a ramen store, so I can give you a discount.”

I thought to myself: How rare for high school girls to work part time.

“As I often went there, I became a part time worker in the end. There are many interesting customers as well. Do you want to go with me?”

“Why——”

Thinking that I would have to see Ayaka’s tearful face if I refuse her, I nodded reluctantly. After keeping the tools in the cupboard and returning the keys to the staff’s office, I walked out of the school entrance with her.

After learning that I haven’t even gone across the Shuto Expressway, she was astonished.

“But don’t you live just nearby?”

“Well, I’ve just moved here recently, and there’s a lot of people at the station, so I didn’t really feel like going. Besides, I don’t even have a reason to go there.”

“Don't you usually go to bookshops or record stores?”

I nodded. Usually, I would just buy books or records that I want online, as I might not find the things that I want even if the actual shops are big.

“Is that so? But the shop that I’ve just mentioned is very far from the station. The ramen isn’t really that good, but the ice-cream there is extremely delicious, so it’s still very famous.”

“Then just start an ice-cream shop instead…”

“Try not to say that to Min-san, or you’ll get ramen served with ice cream.”

Min-san would probably the owner of the ramen shop. Is he Chinese?

Ayaka walked a bit faster than me. Seeing her happily prancing around, I was extremely mystified. Where did it went wrong? How did it turn out like this? Why is she so nice to me?

When we were crossing the bridge, a large delivery truck passed by, spraying dust on us. After entering the streets, we walked passed the Shuto Expressway viaduct and towards the station. Then, we went along with the crowd and entered the south side of the underpass and exited it through the east side.

We walked back to the surface in the direction of the railways. After we passed by a tramp’s tent in a park, we found the ramen shop in a dark alley unreached by streetlights. On the first floor of the building that had both shops and lodgings, only the signboard that says ‘Hanamaru Ramen’ had any light on it. The customers gathered around the shop looked like bugs attracted to a bug zapper.

The interior of the ramen shop was very cramped. Most of the space in the shop was taken up by the kitchen, while only five tables were in the shop. The other customers could only dine outside on a steel chair. There were even some customers who were sitting on turned over beer crates, eating their ramen while holding the bowl.

“You can just sit wherever you like.”

After saying that, she entered the shop. Although she told me to sit wherever I like, the problem is the chairs and beer crates are already fully seated.

I saw a man sitting on the emergency staircase between a building and another one that Ayaka just went in, located by the entrance of the kitchen. Beneath the stairs, there were stacks of worn tires, small gas tanks and some cardboard boxes full of stains.

When he raised his head, I couldn’t help but take a step back. The man was about twenty and had darkish skin. It was already November, but he was just wearing a T-shirt, completely showing off his bulging biceps. On the moment that he stared at me, I even thought that I would get killed.

“Are you a student of M High School?”

“Nonono, I’m still in middle school. Do I look that much like a high schooler?” I lied for no reason at all. He put down his bowl and said:

“Really? There's a teacher teaching Maths, Fukumoto-sensei. Does he still have any hair left?”

“No, a lot of his hair has already dropped o……AHHH!”

He approached me and flicked my forehead. The pain made me feel as though it bore a hole on my forehead.

“…… Uuuuuu…… That’s too despicable of you. Since you’ve graduated from our school, why don’t you say so in the first place!” I, myself, don’t understand why I feel that he is despicable (It was obvious from my school uniform that I’m from M High School, its my problem for lying). I covered my aching forehead and crouched down while moaning. On that moment, a voice rang behind me:

“He didn’t graduate. This guy was kicked out of school: a drop out. Here, eat this.”

When I turned my head, I saw a young lady in a gray, sleeveless vest standing behind me. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and you could see a white sarashi<ref>A cloth used to bind one's chest</ref> around her chest. She looked just like a laborer. It was only because of the black apron with ‘Hanamaru’ printed on it in white that I realized that she was from the shop. Does that mean that she is Min-san? So she’s a woman!

The thing that Min-san just stuffed into my hands was a paper cup filled with ice cream.

“Master, I’ve told you many times already, I was not kicked out. I dropped out myself.”

“Say that after you’ve clear your tab, you bum.”

“Babies are jobless when they are born too! It’s just that they are tainted in the large bathtub called life after that!"

That would be colorless, not jobless. <ref>In Japanese, jobless and colorless have the same pronunciation (Mushoku)</ref> But Min-san doesn’t seem wanting to reply him, but instead turned around and went back into the kitchen that was filled with white smoke. I held the paper cup with the ice cream and just stood there in a daze for quite some time.

“Hey, you there!” the person who was kicked out of school called me. As soon as I turned around, I hastily covered my forehead.

“What are you so nervous for! So you’re in first year now, huh?” He said while looking at my class badge. “How many fails did you get in your test?”

“Huh?”

Why on earth are you asking me something like this?

“Fujishima-kun, don’t chat with Tetsu-senpai for too long, you’ll get the NEET virus!”

Ayaka, who wore her black apron over her school uniform, said while walking out of the kitchen with a tray full of bowls. The dark skinned guy —— Tetsu-senpai gnashed his teeth, but only pretended to flick Ayaka’s forehead. This is just plain preferential treatment! Ayaka stuck out her tongue, and started to serve the customers outside the shop.

“Oh, just answer me already! Your face is that of one who fails a lot since first year.”

Although I thought that he was a busybody, what he said was still the truth. I could only answer in a small voice: “ I need to retake my English and Japanese History.” Tetsu-senpai caught hold of my arms while beaming, forcefully dragged me to a gas tank and made me sit down.

“Actually, the seats here are specially for NEETs. You have the potential to be a NEET, so if you drop out, feel free to come here! We will always welcome you.”

“No, please don’t expect that of me.” We? Are there anyone else who’s with him?

“Why? I can start from teaching you how to choose pachinko machines! Also, I know some of the employees quite well, so I know which one has the highest frequency of hitting the jackpot!”

When I had a closer look, I saw some magazines about pachinko gambling stashed in Tetsu-senpai’s hind pocket. Whoa, so this guy is a professional pachinko player. What a useless person. I averted my gaze, and started to eat the ice-cream using a wooden spoon. Basking in the evening sun of this late autumn and savoring the delightful aroma of the ramen soup while eating ice cream is indeed exceptionally scrumptious.

The second person of the ‘we’ that Tetsu-senpai spoke of appeared when I was eating roast pork noodles. He suddenly pressed a hard object against the back of my head and said: “Don’t move. Throw away your weapon, raise your hands, declare your name and unit.” I almost spitted the roast pork out of my mouth.

“Erm…… Err…… But……” If I raised my hands, the roast pork will fall down!

“Major, you are so slow. Stop doing idiotic stuff and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai said while stirring his vanilla flavoured ice cream and caramel sauce.

“But he’s sitting on my seat! Who is this fellow?”

“Narumi. He’s in the same club as Ayaka.”

“Hiro-san said that he’s coming later too, there won’t be enough seats then.”

“Hiro can just sit on Narumi’s thigh.”

“Oh, I see.”

What do you mean you see?

The guy called Major then walked into my field of vision. He wore a dark green and coffee-coloured camouflaging sports attire, a sturdy looking helmet, and a pair of sunglasses shaped like goggles. He was somewhat thin and his skin was a beautiful shade of pink that belongs to primary school students. He actually looked about my age. While putting away the model gun (Well, I think it might be a model gun, but what if it’s a real gun?) into his khaki backpack, he looked at me and said:

“But isn’t this guy a high schooler? He doesn’t fit the description of a NEET.”

“Don’t worry, he’s my kouhai. He’ll become a great NEET after a year or two.”

“I definitely won’t become a NEET!” I protested hastily. Through his goggles, Major glared at me and sat on a cardboard box.

“In this era when there are about a billion NEETs in our country, NEET-in-waitings like you are necessary, are they not? The future of our country sure is dark.”

“……in waiting?”

In bewilderment, I asked him what did he mean by that. Major pointed at me and started to chatter enthusiastically:

“Speaking of which, do you know the how a NEET is defined? The term ‘NEET’ was originally used on people who are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are not in education or employment. When the word came to Japan from England, its meaning changed to include people from 15 to 34. As a lot of types appeared after that, they were even classified into an active type and a passive type, a sudden type, challenged type, caveman type and hesitating type. Besides that, there were also some attempts to classify them using three-dimensional coordination to divide them into eight quadrants, but they are actually just meaningless classifications to me.”

“Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.”

Ayaka served Major his salt-flavoured ramen. It looks like Mukai is Major’s real name.

“I’m so sorry, Fujishima-kun, there would be less customers after a while.”

I tried to give Ayaka a ‘justfindanexcuseformetoleavethisseat’ signal, but she didn’t get it. Major sipped some soup and continued:

“NEETs were originally just a cultural illness of reliance, and will only appear in a prosperous country like ours. We should be more proud of NEETs! Love the country that strives to produce NEETs, for world peace, we must stand up! We must find more non NEET-in-waiting elites, learn from each other , form a new Japanese Party, and bravely challenge the evil! Grow, NEETs! Grow like blazing fire! NEETs!”

“So noisy! Just shut up and eat your noodles!”

Min-san’s furious outburst echoed from the kitchen, and a small frying pan flew out of the kitchen soon after, landing on Major’s head.

“Huh? What’s with that guy?”

A male voice rang in the alley, and a tall silhouette appeared at the end of the alley.

A young man daringly wearing a brightly colored coat with khaki jeans was standing at the end of the alley. His occupation was a mystery, but he radiated the aura of a professional person. His aura was different from what Tetsu-senpai had, but they have the same imposing manner. That man approached, almost causing me to fall off the gas tank.

“He’s Ayaka’s friend. See, he’s from M High School.” Said Tetsu-senpai. “Oh? Oh——”That man patted my shoulders and said:

“There was a time when Tetsu was wearing this uniform too!”

He shot a look at the narrow kitchen back door and sat down beside Tetsu-senpai. I started to get confused. Aren’t the seats here just for NEETs?

“Hi, nice to meet you. Here’s my card.” He took a piece of card out of his pocket and handed it to me. He ''is'' a working person! While thinking so, I took the card, on the card it was printed:

‘NEET - Hiroaki Kuwabara’

…… Huh? I nearly fainted at that moment.

To reconfirm the world that I live in, I breathed in deeply and looked at my surroundings. Tetsu-senpai was eating ice cream, Major was eating salt-flavored ramen. Ayaka was busy washing bowls in the smoky kitchen, Min-san was having a battle royale with flames. Looking at the night skies in this autumn, the only person who found something wrong was me.

“Is…… Is your job a NEET?”

I asked cautiously. Hiro showed me a smile worthy of a toothpaste advertisement while saying:

“What are you talking about? A NEET isn't an occupation!”

Well, that’s true. As I was about to nod, Hiro’s next comment completely devastated me.

“Being a NEET is a lifestyle.”

He actually said that it was a lifestyle? I almost cried. Hiro, with his eyes narrowed while pushing back his hair, was meaninglessly handsome. What on earth is with these people?

“Did you make these cards before this, Hiro?”

“Well, its quite convenient while flirting. People always laugh when they see it.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you’ll make your girlfriend angry like this, and that you shouldn't flirt with other people so much?”

“Ah, I broke up with her already. I’m now living at the house of a lady working at a night club. Making it clear that I’m jobless from the start makes my life much easier!”

So Hiro-san is a gigolo! Well, he did say that it was a lifestyle.

I listened to their conversation at the sidelines while drinking the ramen soup, but I didn't really notice its taste. From their conversation, I gathered that they were about 18 to 19, and are supposed to be teenagers who have bright futures.

I vaguely thought to myself: would Tetsu-senpai’s words that I’ll turn out like them soon come true? I could only hope that this won’t be true.

After we finished eating the ramen, and were enjoying the ice creams (Tetsu-senpai was already eating a second), extremely noisy rock music suddenly blared in this narrow space. It was ‘Colorado Bulldog<ref>Song by the band Mr. Big</ref>. The three immediately sprang up, took out their cellphones that were almost simultaneously playing the same ringtone.

Tetsu-senpai picked up the call first, then Major and Hiro’s phone immediately stopped ringing. An expression that looked very much like regret appeared on their faces.

“Min-san, Alice has an order for you! Onion ramen, without ramen, roast pork and egg.”

Doesn’t that mean that there's only leeks left? I thought to myself. After three minutes, the bowl that Min-san took out did look like there was only leeks and soup.

“Tell this to her clearly, we sell ramen.” Min-san said with a sour expression on her face.

The leeks floating in the soup looked like islands in a sea of soup. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san looked at each other.

“The problem is, who’s gonna take it to her?” said Tetsu-senpai.

“Does Alice seem like she’s in a bad mood?” asked Hiro.

“Definitely.”

“Are you guys taking it to her?” me asking this question was a sign of doom. Tetsu-senpai nodded, and then slapped his kneecap.

“Since there’s four people here, lets decide by a Yamanote Line game<ref>Originally, it’s a game where the each player tells the name of a station that the Yamanote Line can reach. Here, they will say things that are related to the topic given</ref>, the one who loses sends it.”

Four people?

“So what’s the topic?”

“Lets use “Brochures commonly found at employment agencies” then.”

“Okay, but there’s only one chance when you can’t answer.”

“Wa- Wait a minute, did you count me in?”

“Okay, lets start from me. ‘ Guide to a Laborer’s Insurance’.”

“ ‘Searching for your Dreams from Thirty-two’.”

“ ‘Discover your Talents in Two Minutes’.”

“Ah, uh, erm……”

“Narumi, that’s your first loss. ‘How to Resign Favorably’.”

“ ‘Starting Your Business From A Computer’!”

“ ‘Guide for Blending in your New Workplace’.”

“…… How on earth would I know any of those!”

“Ah, getting angry are you? Narumi, as long as you’re a NEET, you’ll have to know about these! Going to an employment agency but coming back without doing anything, this is a route that all of us must take.”

No, the problem is I’m not a NEET.

“If you lose you’ll have to admit it, loser.”

“Don’t mind it, Narumi, it isn’t embarrassing that you don’t know about these.”

“Well, of course! Don’t console me!”

“But you still have to send over the ramen!”

Unable to retort, that was how I fell into their trap.

The place that I was supposed to send the ramen was in the same building as the ramen shop, but on the third floor, room 308. As they said: “You’ll know when you go.” There was a large signboard on the door.

‘NEET Detective Agency’

The words were written with a somewhat cute handwriting, and there were a row of mystifying English words.

It’s the only NEET thing to do

My mind had already gone numb after the events that I’ve gone through today, so I won’t be surprised even if I see a NEET being a detective. I used the corner of the tray that held the ramen to press the electric bell, and the side camera modified into the electric bell flashed blue. According to Tetsu-senpai, that was the sign for ‘Come in’.

After opening the door, I saw that it was a long single room. As the air-conditioner was going strong, it was even colder than outside. Walking past the fridge, kitchen and washing machine in the corridor, a narrow room could be seen. As there were not any partitions in the room, a computer rack could be seen even from the entrance, while countless monitors filled the walls of the room.

“Your ramen is here……”

“Please enter.”

The voice of a young girl rang from inside of the room.

While holding the tray,I walked into the room. This room is really quite something. Three sides of the walls were covered with unknown machines, liquid plasma monitors and electric cables, while the small space left —— the floor in the middle of the room, was filled with a mattress. As though she was buried in dolls, the silhouette wearing pajamas turned around.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 037.jpg|thumb|''She looked just like a doll.'']]

She looked just like a doll. She had a small face, a pair of large eyes that were in contrast with her face, unbelievably white skin, thin limbs, sleek hair flowing on the sheets, and was wearing pale blue pajamas with pictures of cartoon bears on it. I held the tray and stared at the girl.

The girl shifted the table that the keyboard was on aside, and pulled to her bed another long table that was just like those small tables that were used with the mattresses in a hospital.

“What are you standing there for? I ordered leek ramen. I don’t remember ordering a high school student-shaped ornament.”

“Ah, um…… Where should I put the ramen?”

“Since you're standing so far away, do you think that my arms seem like they’re long enough that I can take the bowls from your hands?”

I was scolded by her. But I do not even feel angry or surprised anymore. I placed the tray on the table in front of the girl. She took the disposable chopsticks, looked at it for awhile and breathed in deeply. Her small face was full of determination while the hands holding the tip of the chopsticks were applying force on it. But when the chopsticks were dragged into a ‘人’ shape, it just shook but did not separate. How little strength does this girl have?

“…… Would you like me to give you a hand?”

The cute girl wearing the pajamas was visibly glaring at me.

“It seems that you’re the type that sees a frail bird that couldn’t fly, tosses them upwards and sink in your own satisfaction after that, are you not? These type of people are the most useless of them all. When you walk away triumphantly, the bird would fall back down on the asphalt road and die, but you won’t even know that. Being dumb really should have a limit.”

It’s just a pair of disposable chopsticks, why am I scolded like this? But I did not retort her. Again, she breathed in deeply and applied force to separate the chopsticks.

Thwack.

The chopstick on the right has split into two. This is the most common result. She emotionlessly stared for awhile at the chopsticks with unequal length, and then started to cry. Hey, don’t cry!

She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, and started to eat the leek ramen(that pretty much has only leeks in it). As I was thinking of this, she started to glare at me again and said: “Your interests are really out of my comprehension. Does silently watching people eat make you happy?”

“Ah, so- sorry.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, this time she said: “Where do you think you're going? If you are gone, who will dispose of the bowls? You should really think about this.” I scratched my head, and having no other choice, I squatted down at the entrance with my back to the mattress.

While listening to the girl wearing pajamas eating the onions, I mulled over the things that happened today. I'm just here because I couldn’t refuse Ayaka’s request…… Then, I encountered a lot of stuff. I'm really tired. As I was about to drift into sleep, the girl’s voice rang out yet again.

“Narumi, I’m done. Get some beverages for me from the fridge.”

Startled, I turned back to face the girl.

“Eh, huh?”

“I said, get me something to drink from the fridge. Falling asleep even in someone else’s house, you really are shameless.”

Who are you to say that about me? But still, I followed her instructions as I did not have the energy to retort. After opening the fridge, I found that it was stuffed full of 350ml red cans, and nothing else. I thought that all of them were Coke, but they were actually all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper Dr. Pepper]. I don’t even have the energy to say anything anymore. The girl drank all of the Dr. Pepper that I brought her in one breath, and happiness welled out from her face. Seeing that expression made me feel that I could forgive everything.

“When God was creating the world, it was because He drank Dr. Pepper that He took a rest on the seventh day. If Dr. Pepper does not exist, there would be twelve days in a week instead of seven.”

“Is that so?”

“Narumi, you should drink it too! I can’t give you the ones in my fridge, but I can tell you where you can get them.”

So you're not giving them to me?

“…… Wait!” That was when I realized: “Why do you know my name?”

Was it when she was talking to Tetsu-senpai on the phone? No, at that moment Alice was just ordering her leek ramen, and she hung up right after she ordered. There wasn’t any time for them to say my name.

“Fujishima Narumi, sixteen, male, 164cm tall, weighs 51kg, in class 1-4 of M high school……” She fluently spoke of all of my personal information —— address, phone number, educational background, and family background. I was speechless.

“Ayaka said that there was a new club member, so I just did a little investigation. There is so much information in your school, but so little protective measures, so it’s better if you be more careful.”

At a loss of words, I looked at the wall formed of computers.

“…… Are you a hacker?”

“I’m not a hacker.”

The girl smiled while shaking her head.

“I’m a NEET detective.”

The detective said, Alice was partly her real name, and partly an alias.

“Yuuko can also be read as Alice <ref>有子is read as Yuuko, but 有can be read as ari, 子 can be read as su</ref>. The name Alice was taken from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tiptree,_Jr. James Tiptree's] real name.”

“Who is she?”

Alice sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, looking at me as though she was looking at an idiot.

“She’s a novelist! Didn’t you see the signboard at the door? Although I changed a letter, it was quite a famous quote! Haven’t you read of it before?”

I cocked my head, thinking of the English words on the signboard.

“The detectives that you speak of…… Don’t they just accept other people’s requests and investigate various cases?”

“I am not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. They are as different as Chofu and Den Enchofu, mind you. An ordinary detective asks around for information, monitors other people, all in all going here and there to search for information and find their target. NEET detectives, on the other hand……”

Alice puffed out her chest, turned around to the wall covered with machines and waved her hands.

“Do not need to leave their rooms even a step, but can search the whole world to find out the truth. You probably just think that I’m just a hikkikomori who’s overly reliant on the Internet, huh? You don’t need to lie.”

“Erm….. Yeah.”

“Hmph, that’s because the common man cannot understand the work of a detective. A detective is the messanger of the deceased, looking for the words lost from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honor of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living. That is why this is such an unpopular and misunderstood occupation……
Is your expression questioning that why am I, as a hikkikomori, am saying all these?”

“No, my expression shouldn’t be that obvious.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“But you look like you have something to say. Don’t worry, just ask! Because of my occupation, I am already used to never ending questions. And I will let you fall into despair very quickly.”

…… Despair?

I don’t really have anything much to ask, just that I’m a bit shocked by the endless chatter of this strange girl, Alice. But in this situation, it seems that I need to ask a question. Looking around the room that looks like a control room, I asked the question that was the most confusing to me.

“You…… What do you usually eat? Do you always eat those stuff?”

Alice’s round eyes became even rounder.

“This trivial matter is the first thing that you thought of?’’

“…… I think that what we eat is very important.”

“Yes, you are correct. You are also an oddball, different from what Ayaka has said.”

Alice narrowed her eyes while looking at me, as though she was smiling.

“To obtain the nutrients essential for my body, drinking Dr. Pepper would suffice. But Min-san is very persistent, so sometimes I eat some vegetables as well.”

“So that’s why you don’t grow……”

“Where did your biased opinion that only tall people are good come from? I can list out fifty advantages for being a shorty and disadvantages of being tall, if you are willing to have a debate, I am always ready to accept the challenge.”

“No, sorry.”

I was just thinking about her height, which resulted in me mumbling to myself and getting heard.

“So do you depend on Min-san for your daily life?”

Alice raised her eyebrows.

“You’re really impolite, you know. I’ve already said that I’m a NEET detective, a NEET detective is an occupational detective! I have an actual income, and pay her for everything.”

“Eh, eh, but aren’t you a NEET?” aren’t all NEETs jobless?

“You misunderstood NEETs from a fundamental level. The second E in NEET is Employment, being employed by someone. My occupation is a personal enterprise, so I’m not employed. How other people view that depends.”

How other people would view.

“…… Lifestyle huh?”

“In Hiro’s life, that is so. Turgenev might say call it the ending of an illusion, Dostoyevsky might call it hell, William Somerset Maugham might call it reality, while Haruki Murakami might call it self. I use another name for it, but anyhow it’s unrelated to the matter of income.”

I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about, but the fact that the pajamas-clad girl earned money by being a detective is somewhat unbelievable. Which reminds me, she seems to be familiar with the usage of computers and the Internet.

“Your expression tells me that you don’t believe me. No matter, another man would come here in a moment to request for my investigation, you’ll probably believe it after you’ve heard it.”

“…… Huh?”

At that moment, the doorbell rang as she had predicted. I turned around and looked at the door.

“Open the door.”

“Me?”

“It would be nice if the agency adds some other way to welcome guests besides the blue lights.”

As I walked to the entrance to open the door, I froze as there were three men outside the door. The young man in the middle was wearing a leather coat and looked slightly older than me, but his expression was like that of a wild wolf. Among the other two who were flanking his sides, one was a man having muscles like a rocky mountain, the other was tall like an electric pole. Both of them were wearing the same gray hoodie.

“Who is this guy? Where’s Alice?”

The wolf said. It was as though I was pierced by his sharp gaze, my lips trembled and I was unable to speak. At this moment, Alice’s voice came from inside the room:

“Oh, Yondaime, please come in.”

The two people behind the man who was called Yondaime said: “We’ll wait here.” And then I was dragged into the room. After the door was closed, the two men disappeared from my field of vision. At the moment when I was closing the door, I felt as if I was glared at, and my hands holding the door handle trembled.

“Narumi, get another can of Dr. Pepper.”

Alice’s voice finally peeled my hands off the door handle.

“Hey, who is that guy? Aren’t we going to talk about the job?”

When I handed the Dr. Pepper to Alice, Yondaime who was sitting beside the matress used his chin to point at me, and then turned around and said to me: “You, get out for a moment.”

“Eh?”

Telling me to go outside the room to become best friends with the two bear-like bodyguards, and wait for you to finish discussing? What are you talking about!

“Yondaime, just imagine that there’s a high school student-shaped ornament here, relax and start the discussion.”

“Hey, Alice, are you joking? You should know that this isn’t something that you can let outsiders know!”

“It doesn’t matter, Narumi is only my assistant for today, I can guarantee that he will not speak of this to anyone else.”

I don’t even know when I’ve become an assistant.

“That's not the point.”

“If you’re so insistent, why don’t you talk so that outsiders wouldn’t understand? Your job has a lot of jargon anyway. If you would not want then, you can just give the request to some other people.”

An awkward expression appeared on Yondaime’s face and he used his foot to kick the bedstead. Finally, he sighed and started to talk.

Indeed, I could not understand a thing, it was all a bunch of unknown nouns and verbs that you couldn’t understand. The ones that I could barely understand “deal with him when we catch him”, are the ones that I really don’t want to understand.

“Hmm.”

Alice finished listening to Yondaime’s explanation and finished drinking her second can of Dr. Pepper.

“I understand. Narumi, do you understand what he just said?”

I hastily shook my head.

“Is that so? Basically, someone is doing unknown drug dealing behind Yondaime’s back, so he requested me to help find out about the ways that they deal drugs.”

“What is the use of me talking like that when you explain it to him!” Yondaime flew into a rage. That was quite understandable. I felt somewhat happy and thought: Great, finally someone would teach her a lesson…… “What is with that happy look on your face!” Yondaime’s changed his target of anger to me. I could only retreat to the corridor and hid behind the fridge.

“Well, as I had a big headache this morning, I wanted to enrage the first person who came in to vent my annoyace, whoever it was. Although Narumi was the first person to come in, but for some reason he is quite tolerant of it, and didn’t get angry at all.”

So she did all that on purpose!

“Coincidentally, the next person was you, so I vented my annoyance on you, so don’t mind it. If I did anything wrong, you’ll always get angry, and that’s why I like you the most.”

Alice stretched her legs out of the blanket and smiled sweetly. At this moment, I was totally defeated (Yondaime probably was, too). Yondaime hammered the blanket for some time, tried to say something but then stopped, and then he stood up.

“So are you willing to accept the request?”

“I accept it, so just leave it all to me!”

“I will mail the details to you, goodbye.”

Yondaime walked to the corridor and dragged me out from the fridge. He caught hold of my left shoulder and applied force on it until his thumb almost sank into my body.

“Ah, ouch…….”

“I’ve remembered your face, and will find out your address immediately. Listen closely, you didn’t hear anything just now. Is that clear?”

The wolfish eyes came closer to my eyes, while I could only nod while trembling.

“Answer me!”

“I…… I didn’t hear anything.”

Yondaime tossed me to the ground and walked out of the room.

“Are you alright?”

Alice came over and asked as I was huddled up on the floor in exhaustion. So she can walk? I thought that she had an illness that causes her to die if she leaves her bed.

“I just feel very tired.”

The words popped out of my mouth. That would be my feelings about what occurred the whole day.

“If I didn’t do so, I’m afraid you’ll still think that I’m a hikkikomori who’s over-reliant on the Internet. Don’t mind it!”

“No, I already understand clearly.”

Because of Ayaka, I stepped into an unbelievable world. Drug dealing, detectives and hackers, I had always hoped that these only exist in worlds that I don’t know of.

“You just wanted me to understand your work, so you said nonsensically that I’m your assistant and that I’m tight-lipped……”

“That is not nonsense. You are indeed tight-lipped, I am sure of it.”

I raised my head to look at Alice and saw that she was smiling. Since this is the first time that we’ve met, why does she dare to say so?

“Hey, Narumi. The people who met me, each and every one of them would ask: ''‘Are you really a NEET? Why did you become a NEET?’'', and you are the first one who did not ask me this question.”

Adjusting to my eye level, Alice squatted down.

“Although it might be because you’re thoughtless or uncaring, but I -- we NEETs would be extremely happy. Instead of pitying us, ignoring us would have been better. 'Why did we become NEETs?', this question shouldn’t even be asked. Because there is only one reason – it is written on our page of God’s notebook: ‘We lose when we work.’ There is no other reason.”

“…… God’s notebook?”

“Isn’t this statement so irresponsible that it’s great?”

Placing her hands and chin on her knees, Alice said while smiling:

“What the word NEET really means, is actually not ‘Someone who doesn’t know how to do anything’, and not ‘Someone who doesn’t want to do anything’.”

<center>*</center>

Holding the empty bowl on the plate while walking out of the NEET Detective Agency, I saw that it was already completely dark outside. The starlight could not be seen as it was hidden by the piercing lights on the earth. The ramen shop below had become extremely crowded. Laughter and angry shouts coming from there could be heard even from here.

After I walked down the emergency backstairs, I found Yondaime sitting on the seat exclusively for NEETs that I was sitting on just now. Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro-san and Yondaime surrounded the wooden table, and looked like they were doing something together. The clear tinkle of a bell-like sound could be heard even from far away.

“Sou-san! Didn’t you say that you are only playing for five minutes!?”

The bodyguard, Rocky, who was standing behind Yondaime was shouting angrily by Yondaime’s ears.

“Shut up, how can I go back when I’m in a losing streak! Tetsu, hurry up and throw already!”

“Okay, four five and six.”

“Impossible!”

A large bundle of money was on the bowl. So they’re playing a game of dices. Do these four know each other?

“Fujishima-kun, Min-san made a flavored ice cream, do you want to try some?”

Ayaka ran out holding an ice cream cone. While licking the ice cream which was giving out a fragrant aroma, I listened to the dice tinkling along in the bowl. Yondaime was shouting with his whole face red, throwing his cash onto the bowl like a ninja throwing knives. Looking at this situation, I couldn’t help but feel – somewhat happy.

<center>*</center>

On the way home, the streetlights on the street was very dim. Walking in front of me, Ayaka turned around and said:

“I’m so sorry, I did say that I wanted to have a welcome party for you, but coincidentally the shop was busy……”

Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve talked much with Ayaka today at the shop. There were so many customers that even I helped to deliver.

“Oh yeah, did you see Alice?”

“Yeah…… She’s an oddball.” I couldn’t say anything else about her.

“But it was really unbelievable today. There are indeed a lot of interesting people behind the ramen shop, but its rare that all of them were present like today! You’re so lucky, Fujishima-kun.”

“Does that count as lucky?”

Indeed, the people that I met and the faces that I’ve seen today has far exceeded my brain capacity, but I still remembered all of them. Tetsu-senpai, Min-san, Major, Hiro-san, Alice and Yondaime.

“It would be even better if brother could come.”

Brother?

“After my brother left school, he became a NEET. He usually goes to the ramen shop to hang out with Tetsu-senpai and the others. But recently he didn’t even go home or to the shop. I couldn’t even reach his phone.”

“You can’t really say that all of those who hang out there don’t have a job……?”

A horrible illusion came upon me. Would I turn out like them when I　leave school someday?

Ayaka turned around and said: “Did you ever think of leaving school?”

“Every day.”

Under the streetlight, an inscrutable expression appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“…… Even now?”

I was momentarily speechless. Being unable to immediately answer this question is indeed strange.

Ayaka gazed sincerely at me.

I averted her gaze and lied: “Now…… I don’t want to……. Probably!”

“Is that so.” A gentle smile appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“But I think you have no need to lie right now.”

I stopped walking, speechless, and Ayaka stopped too. Coincidentally, we were standing in the middle of two streetlights, while our shadows interlaced on the asphalt road.

“…… Why?”

I could only say this one word. Why? How did she know that I was lying?

“Because…… That place originally belonged to me.” Ayaka said. “It was because there were no other members that I entered the Gardening Club. So in this case, I’m your senior for about half a year!”

I pondered the reason why Ayaka can smile while saying such a thing. Because she is different from me, and can chat with the other students in our class as if nothing had happened, it seemed as natural as breathing.

Hearing me speak of my true thoughts, she showed me a glass-like small that was even more transparent.

“It’s really simple, you can do it as well. Shout when you’re angry like the others, laugh when you’re happy like the others, and speak your mind when you want something.”

I lowered my head, and thought repeatedly about what Ayaka meant by her words. I still don’t get it. I just felt that her words was like that of a busybody, although its contents completely suits my current situation.

After we crossed the bridge, Ayaka and I said goodbye to each other.

Looking at the silhouette of Ayaka running towards the station, I thought of a scene when she was shouting or laughing like the others. Wasn't she just pushing herself? Does she mean that I should do that as well? Forcing myself to talk to the other students, forcing myself to smile.

I wish that she would not care about me anymore. I just couldn’t do what she said anyhow.

<references/>

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-03-16T16:05:49Z

Asteradragon:

"It's a primitive response to gratitude. To give pleasure. You see, our normal hosts are quite mindless; they can be thanked only by physical sensation."

"Thank you for agreeing to transport me. Thank you very much."

* "The Only Neat Thing to Do" by James Tiptree, Jr.

¬
==Chapter 1==
During the winter when I was sixteen, I met many different types of people –a boxer, a soldier, a gigolo, a detective, and a yakuza member. They were all NEETs – just different kinds. The term ‘NEET’ occasionally finds itself on the news or in the newspapers, and I thought it merely referred to unmotivated and unemployed youths, but in reality there are actually many different sides to them. There is no all-encompassing reason as to why they remain jobless or fail to attendschool.

“The term ‘NEET’ refers to neither ‘useless people’ nor ‘lazy people’.” That is what the detective said to me. “The only difference lies in the rules. While everybody else uses the board to play checkers, we play chess instead.”

“I don’t get it. Doesn’t that mean you’re just getting in the way?” I questioned naively. The detective thought for a moment, pursing her cherry-like lips which eventually gave way to a silent smile.

“I suppose that it would seem that way to those who just want to rush ahead. I understand that society wishesto just group us together and label us; flinging us out into a rubbish dump. I also understand that they wish to point and laugh at us mockingly. Let them laugh all they want. No matter how you argue it, the fact that we are a negative influence on society at large is undeniable."

The detective gazed at her opened hands before raising her head again. This time, her smile was not one of sarcasm and bitterness – but one that was comparable to the rays of sunlight on a freezing day of winter. “We will never laugh at ourselves. Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That is the meaning of living, is it not?”

I couldn’t give her an answer, because I had never thought so deeply about such matters before. Regardless, no matter how many metaphors you use, isn’t the fact that you are all useless people the main point?

However, it was also in that very same winter when I saw my first dead corpse, and when I first assaulted another person. It was the first time in my life that I contemplated about what it means to be alive. I suppose anybody who has witnessed another person forfeiting his lifeand seeking death will feel the same way as I have.

Yet, that is a story for much later. For now, I would like to talk about the winter when I first met all these people, and the story of a normal, non-NEET girl.

<center>*</center>

Near the end of November, I met Ayaka for the first time.

After school ended on Tuesday, I sat on the water tower on the roof of the southern campus, and stared blankly at tall buildings far away. Normally once school ends, I would go to the computer lab and focus on club activities that only need one person. But on afternoons with computer lessons, there are a lot of students remaining to play on the computers that they usually don’t have access to. I am unable to bring myself to walk in just like that, so I end up coming up to the roof to waste time every Tuesday and Thursday. Staring at the computer lab on the second story of the northern campus, I gave off a lot of "Get lost already!" waves, and sighed as I looked at the streets below.

The streets of the city I currently live in can be divided into two colors, while the long thin river that flows like the artery of a patient is the divider of the colors. The side closer to me has rusted roofs of factories, cheap apartments lying side by side, and then there is the high school. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of shrines and graves in this area; My house is also on this side. On the other side is a tall flyover bridge with a highway leading to the capital, a gigantic train station with countless railways, tall buildings packed along complicatedly interweaving roads on the slope, shopping malls and television stations. On sunny days, you can even see the shadow of the government building far away. Tokyo is an amazing place to let boring housings that can be found anywhere in Japan and tall modern buildings co-exist peacefully here.

Looking down from the roof, the train station is like a scene in an advertisement on TV, without realism. Perhaps it's because I don't want to get close to that area? As we can wear our school uniform and straightaway go out to play immediately after school, I heard that our school is rather popular in Tokyo; If the sailor costume has bright colors, it might even increases the attractiveness by around 40%.

That day was a cloudy day, just nice enough that you can closely examine the glass panels of the tall buildings that are normally unclear due to their piercing reflections. Speaking of which, they are just a bunch of glass windows that are cut using similar methods. I always filled those glass squares with colors in my mind, as though I was sketching pixel art.

I've gotten used to killing time like that. I think it's because I'm always transferring schools due to my dad's work. At the beginning of October, when I transferred into my current high school, I joined the Computer Club just because there was no one else active there, and went about my school life without getting noticed by anyone. I've often thought that there's no point in me going to high school, while I couldn't follow the lessons as well.

As I was gazing at the building, I suddenly heard a clattering sound below me, and thus I leaned my upper body outwards to have a look. The water supply tower was set on top of the stair room jutting out from the roof while the sound was that of someone who had climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

"Eh? He's not here?"

I heard a girl's voice. When I carefully leaned forward and peered directly below, she turned around, meeting my gaze.

She had short hair, and strong-spirited eyebrows, in contrast her eyes, which gave off a cute, friendly impression. I felt like I'd seen her before. As I moved to get up, she made an extremely surprised face, letting out a "Wah!", causing me to tumbled down from the water supply tower.

It was lucky that I fell from my feet, but as the backs of my hands scraped roughly against the concrete wall, the first thing she did when we met was to wash my wounds with water from the watering can she had.

"Why would you climb up a place like that, it's dangerous!"

She said while applying plasters on my wound. Being asked such a question, I couldn’t answer her.

“……idiots and something likes high places, after all.”

“You have to play down the ‘idiots’ part when you say that!” <ref>Japanese idiom, idiots and smoke like high places. </ref>

She calmly replied. Although I wanted to escape, I couldn’t do so as my hand was held tightly.

“There, I’m done. Remember not to climb to high places again.” She lightly tapped my right hand that was full of plasters, just like a caretaker who was scolding small children. Then, she said while smiling, “Even though I said all that, I actually climbed it before myself. Seeing the ladder over there really gives you an urge to climb it, doesn't it?”

Anyway, who on earth is this girl? As I can’t recall neither faces nor names of anyone in school, I cannot think of any girl who would talk to me with such a friendly tone.

Suddenly, I saw the yellow badge on her left arm. Although it was quite old and was already somewhat faded, the words ‘Gardening Committee’ could still be seen on it. At that moment, I finally noticed the large number of flower pots arranged by the railings. Does our school even have a Gardening Committee?

“Ah, so you have to climb that high to see the computer lab! Are you that type of person, Fujishima-kun? Those who can’t concentrate when someone else is in the room? The type that people call the artistic type?

The girl held on to the railings, saying all that while looking at the school building opposite of us. I was taken aback.

“——How do you know about that?”

I let out a shout that startled even myself. She turned around to look at me with a look of shock on her face.

“Well, our class is on this side of the third floor, so that's why the computer lab can be seen from there. Besides, Fujishima-kun always sits beside the windows.”

I was found out. Color drained out of my face. How much does this girl know? She doesn’t know that I was drawing naughty pictures on the computer, does she? Wait, that’s not the main point…

“Why do you know my name?”

She raised her arms like a baseball pitcher who was getting ready to pitch the ball. It seemed my question surprised her..

“Don’t you remember me? We’re even in the same class!”

“Huh?”

I started to become anxious. From the time when I transferred to this school, I practically avoided all contact with other people, which is why I can’t remember the names of my classmates.

“It was I who told you where the canteen is and also collected information of World History for you. Even when you were changing clothes during P.E class, I have helped you out!”

“Wa- Wait a minute!”

“That last comment was just a joke~”

Ugh, this girl…

“Although that I thought that you might have forgotten about me, I didn’t really believe that it would really be true…..”

Seeing the girl with tears glistening in her eyes, I can’t help but feel somewhat guilty.

“My name is Ayaka Shinozaki, and I sit just beside you in class. How can you forget about me even like this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Fujishima-kun, you don’t think that you are a part of class 1-4, do you? You even skipped school during the school festival.

But the school festival was held just a week after I transferred, so I had no other choice but to skip it!

“And you aren’t even wearing the class badge. It's rare for public high schools to have class badges, so it would be a pity if you don’t wear it!”

I didn’t really think it’s a pity, so I lied to her: “ I lost it.”

“Then I’ll lend you mine then, I have some to spare at home.” Said Ayaka while she took off her class badge from her sailor uniform.

“Huh? No, there’s really no need to.”

“Seriously, don’t move.”

She caught me from the back when I was trying to escape. I couldn’t help but freeze and pause my breathing for a moment. She moved her hands to the front of my blazer and put on the class badge on the collar of my blazer. Looking at this from another angle, wouldn’t it seem like she was hugging me from behind? No, wait, I have to calm down.

After what seemed like a very long time, the warmth of her body finally faded from my back.

“Hmm, that’s better.”

She turned me around and nodded with a satisfied look on her face. With a complicated feeling, I lowered my gaze and gazed at the blue and green badge. It was as though an alien thing appeared on my neck. Why did she help me until this extent? I saw many other people who take very good care of transfer students, but it was the first time I saw someone who was ''that'' helpful.

“It is a requirement of the school rules that one must wear a class badge, so don’t you take it off.”

“Why do the schools in Tokyo have so many odd rules…..”

Actually, isn’t it my fault for feeling that Tokyo is a very free place in the first place? One of the many annoying rules is that students must join at least one club. It was all because of these rules that I got into these kinds of troubles.

“If it weren’t for the school rules, you probably would have been in the Going-Home-Club, wouldn't you?”

So? So what?

“But isn’t the Computer Club going to be abolished next year?”

“……Huh?”

“You see, the Third Years are going to graduate soon. I heard that they are going to abolish clubs that have less than two members when they decide the club budgets next April.”

It was the first time that I’ve heard of such an important matter. I thought of the pale, tomato-shaped face of the Computer Club advisor. That guy wants to let the Computer Club close down without saying a thing, huh? No wonder my club activities are so relaxing.

“As I was saying…”

Ayaka suddenly raised her voice, startling me into stepping back half a step.

“I have something to discuss with you. If you accept my conditions…..” Her expression was that of one who made a strong resolution. “I agree to join the Computer Club!”

“……Conditions?”

“Actually, I’m the only member left in the Gardening Club as well.”

Ayaka, who had a triumphant look on her face for some reason, placed the armband on her left arm on my palm. Gardening Club? Isn’t it the Gardening Committee?

“The committee was closed down ages ago. I found this lying around in a cupboard. Isn’t it cool?”

“Not at all.”

“Why do you always say things like that!”

Her whole face flushed red. Why do you have to be so agitated, I don't understand at all.

“Small clubs have to help each other out, isn’t that right?”

<center>*</center>

In the end, I succumbed to Ayaka’s threats and accepted her conditions. We went to the staff room to hand in our application forms, and things were supposed to end just like that. Realizing that I cannot stay at the rooftop alone anymore, I could only find another place to while away time after school. On the way home, I thought to myself: Is the library better or is the restroom exclusive for teachers better?

However, Ayaka walked by my table right after school.

“I’m going to borrow the keys to the rooftop, so you can get the gardening tools first! You know where they are , right? You can find them in the cupboard with “Gardening Committee” on it.”

My classmates’ gazes fluttered between Ayaka and I, who was busy putting away my books.

“Am I not just a ghost member?” I started to say.

“…..A ghost member?” With her face pale, Ayaka turned away and covered her mouth. “Th- That’s right, I’m so sorry. I- I was just too excited, and that confused me for a moment.”

It looked like tears could pour out of her eyes at any moment. My classmates’ gazes pierced through me, as though it was I who made Ayaka cry…… No, it ''was'' I who made her cry. Anyhow, this situation is just terrible.

“Erm, uh, wait a sec!”

“Fujishima-kun, you’re busy with your activities at the Computer Club, right? I’m really sorry for bothering you.”

“O- Of course not——”

“Aren’t you going to complete your drawing of the girl on the computer soon? You just haven’t added the dress yet, right?”

“UWAAAAAAHHHHH!”

I hastily covered Ayaka’s mouth.

“Alright, alright! I got it. I’ll help you then.”

“…… Really?” The tears vanished from her face in a flash. “Thank you so much!”

She stuck out her tongue, as though it was just a prank just now. Arrggh, this girl…

“Aya-chan, there's a new member in your club?”

A female classmate asked while giving me a suspicious look.

“Oh, yes. That’s why we have more horsepower now. You can ask him anything about plants!”

My classmates exchanged looks.

“Oh, yeah!” a male classmate raised his hand. “There’s a lot of mold on the washroom sink, please think of something to help.”

“Mold isn’t even a plant!” exclaimed Ayaka.

“No, it should count as a plant, shouldn’t it?” “Differentiating organisms by animals or plants is already outdated!” “Aren’t the ones in the washroom moss?” “Lichen are definitely not plants!” “The ones in the Biology Club, shut up.” “But it's growing really quickly.” “Looks like a person's face.” “Seriously?”

The guys started to discuss the topic with vigor. What is wrong with this class? After about twenty minutes of discussion, Ayaka ended up getting a mold spray to clear it away. I hastily stopped Ayaka, who was about to dash into the men’s washroom.

“……Allow me!”

My classmates probably feel sorry for me for having to clear away the mold that have spread on the whole wall. A few of them came in to give me a hand. The washroom soon stank of the pungent odor of chlorine.

“Fujishima, it was hard on you……”

They started to pity me.

“Of course, Shinozaki is not bad too.” “Not a bad person.” “Yeah.”

I nodded tiredly while scrubbing the wall vigorously with a sponge.

I suddenly noticed that it was the first time my classmates called me by my name. Even so, I just stammered, unable to even answer them properly.

<center>*</center>

“Let’s have a welcome party! My treat!”

She said that evening as we were carrying the orchid plants indoors.

“I work part time at a ramen store, so I can give you a discount.”

I thought to myself: How rare for high school girls to work part time.

“As I often went there, I became a part time worker in the end. There are many interesting customers as well. Do you want to go with me?”

“Why——”

Thinking that I would have to see Ayaka’s tearful face if I refuse her, I nodded reluctantly. After keeping the tools in the cupboard and returning the keys to the staff’s office, I walked out of the school entrance with her.

After learning that I haven’t even gone across the Shuto Expressway, she was astonished.

“But don’t you live just nearby?”

“Well, I’ve just moved here recently, and there’s a lot of people at the station, so I didn’t really feel like going. Besides, I don’t even have a reason to go there.”

“Don't you usually go to bookshops or record stores?”

I nodded. Usually, I would just buy books or records that I want online, as I might not find the things that I want even if the actual shops are big.

“Is that so? But the shop that I’ve just mentioned is very far from the station. The ramen isn’t really that good, but the ice-cream there is extremely delicious, so it’s still very famous.”

“Then just start an ice-cream shop instead…”

“Try not to say that to Min-san, or you’ll get ramen served with ice cream.”

Min-san would probably the owner of the ramen shop. Is he Chinese?

Ayaka walked a bit faster than me. Seeing her happily prancing around, I was extremely mystified. Where did it went wrong? How did it turn out like this? Why is she so nice to me?

When we were crossing the bridge, a large delivery truck passed by, spraying dust on us. After entering the streets, we walked passed the Shuto Expressway viaduct and towards the station. Then, we went along with the crowd and entered the south side of the underpass and exited it through the east side.

We walked back to the surface in the direction of the railways. After we passed by a tramp’s tent in a park, we found the ramen shop in a dark alley unreached by streetlights. On the first floor of the building that had both shops and lodgings, only the signboard that says ‘Hanamaru Ramen’ had any light on it. The customers gathered around the shop looked like bugs attracted to a bug zapper.

The interior of the ramen shop was very cramped. Most of the space in the shop was taken up by the kitchen, while only five tables were in the shop. The other customers could only dine outside on a steel chair. There were even some customers who were sitting on turned over beer crates, eating their ramen while holding the bowl.

“You can just sit wherever you like.”

After saying that, she entered the shop. Although she told me to sit wherever I like, the problem is the chairs and beer crates are already fully seated.

I saw a man sitting on the emergency staircase between a building and another one that Ayaka just went in, located by the entrance of the kitchen. Beneath the stairs, there were stacks of worn tires, small gas tanks and some cardboard boxes full of stains.

When he raised his head, I couldn’t help but take a step back. The man was about twenty and had darkish skin. It was already November, but he was just wearing a T-shirt, completely showing off his bulging biceps. On the moment that he stared at me, I even thought that I would get killed.

“Are you a student of M High School?”

“Nonono, I’m still in middle school. Do I look that much like a high schooler?” I lied for no reason at all. He put down his bowl and said:

“Really? There's a teacher teaching Maths, Fukumoto-sensei. Does he still have any hair left?”

“No, a lot of his hair has already dropped o……AHHH!”

He approached me and flicked my forehead. The pain made me feel as though it bore a hole on my forehead.

“…… Uuuuuu…… That’s too despicable of you. Since you’ve graduated from our school, why don’t you say so in the first place!” I, myself, don’t understand why I feel that he is despicable (It was obvious from my school uniform that I’m from M High School, its my problem for lying). I covered my aching forehead and crouched down while moaning. On that moment, a voice rang behind me:

“He didn’t graduate. This guy was kicked out of school: a drop out. Here, eat this.”

When I turned my head, I saw a young lady in a gray, sleeveless vest standing behind me. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and you could see a white sarashi<ref>A cloth used to bind one's chest</ref> around her chest. She looked just like a laborer. It was only because of the black apron with ‘Hanamaru’ printed on it in white that I realized that she was from the shop. Does that mean that she is Min-san? So she’s a woman!

The thing that Min-san just stuffed into my hands was a paper cup filled with ice cream.

“Master, I’ve told you many times already, I was not kicked out. I dropped out myself.”

“Say that after you’ve clear your tab, you bum.”

“Babies are jobless when they are born too! It’s just that they are tainted in the large bathtub called life after that!"

That would be colorless, not jobless. <ref>In Japanese, jobless and colorless have the same pronunciation (Mushoku)</ref> But Min-san doesn’t seem wanting to reply him, but instead turned around and went back into the kitchen that was filled with white smoke. I held the paper cup with the ice cream and just stood there in a daze for quite some time.

“Hey, you there!” the person who was kicked out of school called me. As soon as I turned around, I hastily covered my forehead.

“What are you so nervous for! So you’re in first year now, huh?” He said while looking at my class badge. “How many fails did you get in your test?”

“Huh?”

Why on earth are you asking me something like this?

“Fujishima-kun, don’t chat with Tetsu-senpai for too long, you’ll get the NEET virus!”

Ayaka, who wore her black apron over her school uniform, said while walking out of the kitchen with a tray full of bowls. The dark skinned guy —— Tetsu-senpai gnashed his teeth, but only pretended to flick Ayaka’s forehead. This is just plain preferential treatment! Ayaka stuck out her tongue, and started to serve the customers outside the shop.

“Oh, just answer me already! Your face is that of one who fails a lot since first year.”

Although I thought that he was a busybody, what he said was still the truth. I could only answer in a small voice: “ I need to retake my English and Japanese History.” Tetsu-senpai caught hold of my arms while beaming, forcefully dragged me to a gas tank and made me sit down.

“Actually, the seats here are specially for NEETs. You have the potential to be a NEET, so if you drop out, feel free to come here! We will always welcome you.”

“No, please don’t expect that of me.” We? Are there anyone else who’s with him?

“Why? I can start from teaching you how to choose pachinko machines! Also, I know some of the employees quite well, so I know which one has the highest frequency of hitting the jackpot!”

When I had a closer look, I saw some magazines about pachinko gambling stashed in Tetsu-senpai’s hind pocket. Whoa, so this guy is a professional pachinko player. What a useless person. I averted my gaze, and started to eat the ice-cream using a wooden spoon. Basking in the evening sun of this late autumn and savoring the delightful aroma of the ramen soup while eating ice cream is indeed exceptionally scrumptious.

The second person of the ‘we’ that Tetsu-senpai spoke of appeared when I was eating roast pork noodles. He suddenly pressed a hard object against the back of my head and said: “Don’t move. Throw away your weapon, raise your hands, declare your name and unit.” I almost spitted the roast pork out of my mouth.

“Erm…… Err…… But……” If I raised my hands, the roast pork will fall down!

“Major, you are so slow. Stop doing idiotic stuff and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai said while stirring his vanilla flavoured ice cream and caramel sauce.

“But he’s sitting on my seat! Who is this fellow?”

“Narumi. He’s in the same club as Ayaka.”

“Hiro-san said that he’s coming later too, there won’t be enough seats then.”

“Hiro can just sit on Narumi’s thigh.”

“Oh, I see.”

What do you mean you see?

The guy called Major then walked into my field of vision. He wore a dark green and coffee-coloured camouflaging sports attire, a sturdy looking helmet, and a pair of sunglasses shaped like goggles. He was somewhat thin and his skin was a beautiful shade of pink that belongs to primary school students. He actually looked about my age. While putting away the model gun (Well, I think it might be a model gun, but what if it’s a real gun?) into his khaki backpack, he looked at me and said:

“But isn’t this guy a high schooler? He doesn’t fit the description of a NEET.”

“Don’t worry, he’s my kouhai. He’ll become a great NEET after a year or two.”

“I definitely won’t become a NEET!” I protested hastily. Through his goggles, Major glared at me and sat on a cardboard box.

“In this era when there are about a billion NEETs in our country, NEET-in-waitings like you are necessary, are they not? The future of our country sure is dark.”

“……in waiting?”

In bewilderment, I asked him what did he mean by that. Major pointed at me and started to chatter enthusiastically:

“Speaking of which, do you know the how a NEET is defined? The term ‘NEET’ was originally used on people who are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are not in education or employment. When the word came to Japan from England, its meaning changed to include people from 15 to 34. As a lot of types appeared after that, they were even classified into an active type and a passive type, a sudden type, challenged type, caveman type and hesitating type. Besides that, there were also some attempts to classify them using three-dimensional coordination to divide them into eight quadrants, but they are actually just meaningless classifications to me.”

“Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.”

Ayaka served Major his salt-flavoured ramen. It looks like Mukai is Major’s real name.

“I’m so sorry, Fujishima-kun, there would be less customers after a while.”

I tried to give Ayaka a ‘justfindanexcuseformetoleavethisseat’ signal, but she didn’t get it. Major sipped some soup and continued:

“NEETs were originally just a cultural illness of reliance, and will only appear in a prosperous country like ours. We should be more proud of NEETs! Love the country that strives to produce NEETs, for world peace, we must stand up! We must find more non NEET-in-waiting elites, learn from each other , form a new Japanese Party, and bravely challenge the evil! Grow, NEETs! Grow like blazing fire! NEETs!”

“So noisy! Just shut up and eat your noodles!”

Min-san’s furious outburst echoed from the kitchen, and a small frying pan flew out of the kitchen soon after, landing on Major’s head.

“Huh? What’s with that guy?”

A male voice rang in the alley, and a tall silhouette appeared at the end of the alley.

A young man daringly wearing a brightly colored coat with khaki jeans was standing at the end of the alley. His occupation was a mystery, but he radiated the aura of a professional person. His aura was different from what Tetsu-senpai had, but they have the same imposing manner. That man approached, almost causing me to fall off the gas tank.

“He’s Ayaka’s friend. See, he’s from M High School.” Said Tetsu-senpai. “Oh? Oh——”That man patted my shoulders and said:

“There was a time when Tetsu was wearing this uniform too!”

He shot a look at the narrow kitchen back door and sat down beside Tetsu-senpai. I started to get confused. Aren’t the seats here just for NEETs?

“Hi, nice to meet you. Here’s my card.” He took a piece of card out of his pocket and handed it to me. He ''is'' a working person! While thinking so, I took the card, on the card it was printed:

‘NEET - Hiroaki Kuwabara’

…… Huh? I nearly fainted at that moment.

To reconfirm the world that I live in, I breathed in deeply and looked at my surroundings. Tetsu-senpai was eating ice cream, Major was eating salt-flavored ramen. Ayaka was busy washing bowls in the smoky kitchen, Min-san was having a battle royale with flames. Looking at the night skies in this autumn, the only person who found something wrong was me.

“Is…… Is your job a NEET?”

I asked cautiously. Hiro showed me a smile worthy of a toothpaste advertisement while saying:

“What are you talking about? A NEET isn't an occupation!”

Well, that’s true. As I was about to nod, Hiro’s next comment completely devastated me.

“Being a NEET is a lifestyle.”

He actually said that it was a lifestyle? I almost cried. Hiro, with his eyes narrowed while pushing back his hair, was meaninglessly handsome. What on earth is with these people?

“Did you make these cards before this, Hiro?”

“Well, its quite convenient while flirting. People always laugh when they see it.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you’ll make your girlfriend angry like this, and that you shouldn't flirt with other people so much?”

“Ah, I broke up with her already. I’m now living at the house of a lady working at a night club. Making it clear that I’m jobless from the start makes my life much easier!”

So Hiro-san is a gigolo! Well, he did say that it was a lifestyle.

I listened to their conversation at the sidelines while drinking the ramen soup, but I didn't really notice its taste. From their conversation, I gathered that they were about 18 to 19, and are supposed to be teenagers who have bright futures.

I vaguely thought to myself: would Tetsu-senpai’s words that I’ll turn out like them soon come true? I could only hope that this won’t be true.

After we finished eating the ramen, and were enjoying the ice creams (Tetsu-senpai was already eating a second), extremely noisy rock music suddenly blared in this narrow space. It was ‘Colorado Bulldog<ref>Song by the band Mr. Big</ref>. The three immediately sprang up, took out their cellphones that were almost simultaneously playing the same ringtone.

Tetsu-senpai picked up the call first, then Major and Hiro’s phone immediately stopped ringing. An expression that looked very much like regret appeared on their faces.

“Min-san, Alice has an order for you! Onion ramen, without ramen, roast pork and egg.”

Doesn’t that mean that there's only leeks left? I thought to myself. After three minutes, the bowl that Min-san took out did look like there was only leeks and soup.

“Tell this to her clearly, we sell ramen.” Min-san said with a sour expression on her face.

The leeks floating in the soup looked like islands in a sea of soup. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san looked at each other.

“The problem is, who’s gonna take it to her?” said Tetsu-senpai.

“Does Alice seem like she’s in a bad mood?” asked Hiro.

“Definitely.”

“Are you guys taking it to her?” me asking this question was a sign of doom. Tetsu-senpai nodded, and then slapped his kneecap.

“Since there’s four people here, lets decide by a Yamanote Line game<ref>Originally, it’s a game where the each player tells the name of a station that the Yamanote Line can reach. Here, they will say things that are related to the topic given</ref>, the one who loses sends it.”

Four people?

“So what’s the topic?”

“Lets use “Brochures commonly found at employment agencies” then.”

“Okay, but there’s only one chance when you can’t answer.”

“Wa- Wait a minute, did you count me in?”

“Okay, lets start from me. ‘ Guide to a Laborer’s Insurance’.”

“ ‘Searching for your Dreams from Thirty-two’.”

“ ‘Discover your Talents in Two Minutes’.”

“Ah, uh, erm……”

“Narumi, that’s your first loss. ‘How to Resign Favorably’.”

“ ‘Starting Your Business From A Computer’!”

“ ‘Guide for Blending in your New Workplace’.”

“…… How on earth would I know any of those!”

“Ah, getting angry are you? Narumi, as long as you’re a NEET, you’ll have to know about these! Going to an employment agency but coming back without doing anything, this is a route that all of us must take.”

No, the problem is I’m not a NEET.

“If you lose you’ll have to admit it, loser.”

“Don’t mind it, Narumi, it isn’t embarrassing that you don’t know about these.”

“Well, of course! Don’t console me!”

“But you still have to send over the ramen!”

Unable to retort, that was how I fell into their trap.

The place that I was supposed to send the ramen was in the same building as the ramen shop, but on the third floor, room 308. As they said: “You’ll know when you go.” There was a large signboard on the door.

‘NEET Detective Agency’

The words were written with a somewhat cute handwriting, and there were a row of mystifying English words.

It’s the only NEET thing to do

My mind had already gone numb after the events that I’ve gone through today, so I won’t be surprised even if I see a NEET being a detective. I used the corner of the tray that held the ramen to press the electric bell, and the side camera modified into the electric bell flashed blue. According to Tetsu-senpai, that was the sign for ‘Come in’.

After opening the door, I saw that it was a long single room. As the air-conditioner was going strong, it was even colder than outside. Walking past the fridge, kitchen and washing machine in the corridor, a narrow room could be seen. As there were not any partitions in the room, a computer rack could be seen even from the entrance, while countless monitors filled the walls of the room.

“Your ramen is here……”

“Please enter.”

The voice of a young girl rang from inside of the room.

While holding the tray,I walked into the room. This room is really quite something. Three sides of the walls were covered with unknown machines, liquid plasma monitors and electric cables, while the small space left —— the floor in the middle of the room, was filled with a mattress. As though she was buried in dolls, the silhouette wearing pajamas turned around.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 037.jpg|thumb|''She looked just like a doll.'']]

She looked just like a doll. She had a small face, a pair of large eyes that were in contrast with her face, unbelievably white skin, thin limbs, sleek hair flowing on the sheets, and was wearing pale blue pajamas with pictures of cartoon bears on it. I held the tray and stared at the girl.

The girl shifted the table that the keyboard was on aside, and pulled to her bed another long table that was just like those small tables that were used with the mattresses in a hospital.

“What are you standing there for? I ordered leek ramen. I don’t remember ordering a high school student-shaped ornament.”

“Ah, um…… Where should I put the ramen?”

“Since you're standing so far away, do you think that my arms seem like they’re long enough that I can take the bowls from your hands?”

I was scolded by her. But I do not even feel angry or surprised anymore. I placed the tray on the table in front of the girl. She took the disposable chopsticks, looked at it for awhile and breathed in deeply. Her small face was full of determination while the hands holding the tip of the chopsticks were applying force on it. But when the chopsticks were dragged into a ‘人’ shape, it just shook but did not separate. How little strength does this girl have?

“…… Would you like me to give you a hand?”

The cute girl wearing the pajamas was visibly glaring at me.

“It seems that you’re the type that sees a frail bird that couldn’t fly, tosses them upwards and sink in your own satisfaction after that, are you not? These type of people are the most useless of them all. When you walk away triumphantly, the bird would fall back down on the asphalt road and die, but you won’t even know that. Being dumb really should have a limit.”

It’s just a pair of disposable chopsticks, why am I scolded like this? But I did not retort her. Again, she breathed in deeply and applied force to separate the chopsticks.

Thwack.

The chopstick on the right has split into two. This is the most common result. She emotionlessly stared for awhile at the chopsticks with unequal length, and then started to cry. Hey, don’t cry!

She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, and started to eat the leek ramen(that pretty much has only leeks in it). As I was thinking of this, she started to glare at me again and said: “Your interests are really out of my comprehension. Does silently watching people eat make you happy?”

“Ah, so- sorry.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, this time she said: “Where do you think you're going? If you are gone, who will dispose of the bowls? You should really think about this.” I scratched my head, and having no other choice, I squatted down at the entrance with my back to the mattress.

While listening to the girl wearing pajamas eating the onions, I mulled over the things that happened today. I'm just here because I couldn’t refuse Ayaka’s request…… Then, I encountered a lot of stuff. I'm really tired. As I was about to drift into sleep, the girl’s voice rang out yet again.

“Narumi, I’m done. Get some beverages for me from the fridge.”

Startled, I turned back to face the girl.

“Eh, huh?”

“I said, get me something to drink from the fridge. Falling asleep even in someone else’s house, you really are shameless.”

Who are you to say that about me? But still, I followed her instructions as I did not have the energy to retort. After opening the fridge, I found that it was stuffed full of 350ml red cans, and nothing else. I thought that all of them were Coke, but they were actually all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper Dr. Pepper]. I don’t even have the energy to say anything anymore. The girl drank all of the Dr. Pepper that I brought her in one breath, and happiness welled out from her face. Seeing that expression made me feel that I could forgive everything.

“When God was creating the world, it was because He drank Dr. Pepper that He took a rest on the seventh day. If Dr. Pepper does not exist, there would be twelve days in a week instead of seven.”

“Is that so?”

“Narumi, you should drink it too! I can’t give you the ones in my fridge, but I can tell you where you can get them.”

So you're not giving them to me?

“…… Wait!” That was when I realized: “Why do you know my name?”

Was it when she was talking to Tetsu-senpai on the phone? No, at that moment Alice was just ordering her leek ramen, and she hung up right after she ordered. There wasn’t any time for them to say my name.

“Fujishima Narumi, sixteen, male, 164cm tall, weighs 51kg, in class 1-4 of M high school……” She fluently spoke of all of my personal information —— address, phone number, educational background, and family background. I was speechless.

“Ayaka said that there was a new club member, so I just did a little investigation. There is so much information in your school, but so little protective measures, so it’s better if you be more careful.”

At a loss of words, I looked at the wall formed of computers.

“…… Are you a hacker?”

“I’m not a hacker.”

The girl smiled while shaking her head.

“I’m a NEET detective.”

The detective said, Alice was partly her real name, and partly an alias.

“Yuuko can also be read as Alice <ref>有子is read as Yuuko, but 有can be read as ari, 子 can be read as su</ref>. The name Alice was taken from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tiptree,_Jr. James Tiptree's] real name.”

“Who is she?”

Alice sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, looking at me as though she was looking at an idiot.

“She’s a novelist! Didn’t you see the signboard at the door? Although I changed a letter, it was quite a famous quote! Haven’t you read of it before?”

I cocked my head, thinking of the English words on the signboard.

“The detectives that you speak of…… Don’t they just accept other people’s requests and investigate various cases?”

“I am not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. They are as different as Chofu and Den Enchofu, mind you. An ordinary detective asks around for information, monitors other people, all in all going here and there to search for information and find their target. NEET detectives, on the other hand……”

Alice puffed out her chest, turned around to the wall covered with machines and waved her hands.

“Do not need to leave their rooms even a step, but can search the whole world to find out the truth. You probably just think that I’m just a hikkikomori who’s overly reliant on the Internet, huh? You don’t need to lie.”

“Erm….. Yeah.”

“Hmph, that’s because the common man cannot understand the work of a detective. A detective is the messanger of the deceased, looking for the words lost from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honor of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living. That is why this is such an unpopular and misunderstood occupation……
Is your expression questioning that why am I, as a hikkikomori, am saying all these?”

“No, my expression shouldn’t be that obvious.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“But you look like you have something to say. Don’t worry, just ask! Because of my occupation, I am already used to never ending questions. And I will let you fall into despair very quickly.”

…… Despair?

I don’t really have anything much to ask, just that I’m a bit shocked by the endless chatter of this strange girl, Alice. But in this situation, it seems that I need to ask a question. Looking around the room that looks like a control room, I asked the question that was the most confusing to me.

“You…… What do you usually eat? Do you always eat those stuff?”

Alice’s round eyes became even rounder.

“This trivial matter is the first thing that you thought of?’’

“…… I think that what we eat is very important.”

“Yes, you are correct. You are also an oddball, different from what Ayaka has said.”

Alice narrowed her eyes while looking at me, as though she was smiling.

“To obtain the nutrients essential for my body, drinking Dr. Pepper would suffice. But Min-san is very persistent, so sometimes I eat some vegetables as well.”

“So that’s why you don’t grow……”

“Where did your biased opinion that only tall people are good come from? I can list out fifty advantages for being a shorty and disadvantages of being tall, if you are willing to have a debate, I am always ready to accept the challenge.”

“No, sorry.”

I was just thinking about her height, which resulted in me mumbling to myself and getting heard.

“So do you depend on Min-san for your daily life?”

Alice raised her eyebrows.

“You’re really impolite, you know. I’ve already said that I’m a NEET detective, a NEET detective is an occupational detective! I have an actual income, and pay her for everything.”

“Eh, eh, but aren’t you a NEET?” aren’t all NEETs jobless?

“You misunderstood NEETs from a fundamental level. The second E in NEET is Employment, being employed by someone. My occupation is a personal enterprise, so I’m not employed. How other people view that depends.”

How other people would view.

“…… Lifestyle huh?”

“In Hiro’s life, that is so. Turgenev might say call it the ending of an illusion, Dostoyevsky might call it hell, William Somerset Maugham might call it reality, while Haruki Murakami might call it self. I use another name for it, but anyhow it’s unrelated to the matter of income.”

I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about, but the fact that the pajamas-clad girl earned money by being a detective is somewhat unbelievable. Which reminds me, she seems to be familiar with the usage of computers and the Internet.

“Your expression tells me that you don’t believe me. No matter, another man would come here in a moment to request for my investigation, you’ll probably believe it after you’ve heard it.”

“…… Huh?”

At that moment, the doorbell rang as she had predicted. I turned around and looked at the door.

“Open the door.”

“Me?”

“It would be nice if the agency adds some other way to welcome guests besides the blue lights.”

As I walked to the entrance to open the door, I froze as there were three men outside the door. The young man in the middle was wearing a leather coat and looked slightly older than me, but his expression was like that of a wild wolf. Among the other two who were flanking his sides, one was a man having muscles like a rocky mountain, the other was tall like an electric pole. Both of them were wearing the same gray hoodie.

“Who is this guy? Where’s Alice?”

The wolf said. It was as though I was pierced by his sharp gaze, my lips trembled and I was unable to speak. At this moment, Alice’s voice came from inside the room:

“Oh, Yondaime, please come in.”

The two people behind the man who was called Yondaime said: “We’ll wait here.” And then I was dragged into the room. After the door was closed, the two men disappeared from my field of vision. At the moment when I was closing the door, I felt as if I was glared at, and my hands holding the door handle trembled.

“Narumi, get another can of Dr. Pepper.”

Alice’s voice finally peeled my hands off the door handle.

“Hey, who is that guy? Aren’t we going to talk about the job?”

When I handed the Dr. Pepper to Alice, Yondaime who was sitting beside the matress used his chin to point at me, and then turned around and said to me: “You, get out for a moment.”

“Eh?”

Telling me to go outside the room to become best friends with the two bear-like bodyguards, and wait for you to finish discussing? What are you talking about!

“Yondaime, just imagine that there’s a high school student-shaped ornament here, relax and start the discussion.”

“Hey, Alice, are you joking? You should know that this isn’t something that you can let outsiders know!”

“It doesn’t matter, Narumi is only my assistant for today, I can guarantee that he will not speak of this to anyone else.”

I don’t even know when I’ve become an assistant.

“That's not the point.”

“If you’re so insistent, why don’t you talk so that outsiders wouldn’t understand? Your job has a lot of jargon anyway. If you would not want then, you can just give the request to some other people.”

An awkward expression appeared on Yondaime’s face and he used his foot to kick the bedstead. Finally, he sighed and started to talk.

Indeed, I could not understand a thing, it was all a bunch of unknown nouns and verbs that you couldn’t understand. The ones that I could barely understand “deal with him when we catch him”, are the ones that I really don’t want to understand.

“Hmm.”

Alice finished listening to Yondaime’s explanation and finished drinking her second can of Dr. Pepper.

“I understand. Narumi, do you understand what he just said?”

I hastily shook my head.

“Is that so? Basically, someone is doing unknown drug dealing behind Yondaime’s back, so he requested me to help find out about the ways that they deal drugs.”

“What is the use of me talking like that when you explain it to him!” Yondaime flew into a rage. That was quite understandable. I felt somewhat happy and thought: Great, finally someone would teach her a lesson…… “What is with that happy look on your face!” Yondaime’s changed his target of anger to me. I could only retreat to the corridor and hid behind the fridge.

“Well, as I had a big headache this morning, I wanted to enrage the first person who came in to vent my annoyace, whoever it was. Although Narumi was the first person to come in, but for some reason he is quite tolerant of it, and didn’t get angry at all.”

So she did all that on purpose!

“Coincidentally, the next person was you, so I vented my annoyance on you, so don’t mind it. If I did anything wrong, you’ll always get angry, and that’s why I like you the most.”

Alice stretched her legs out of the blanket and smiled sweetly. At this moment, I was totally defeated (Yondaime probably was, too). Yondaime hammered the blanket for some time, tried to say something but then stopped, and then he stood up.

“So are you willing to accept the request?”

“I accept it, so just leave it all to me!”

“I will mail the details to you, goodbye.”

Yondaime walked to the corridor and dragged me out from the fridge. He caught hold of my left shoulder and applied force on it until his thumb almost sank into my body.

“Ah, ouch…….”

“I’ve remembered your face, and will find out your address immediately. Listen closely, you didn’t hear anything just now. Is that clear?”

The wolfish eyes came closer to my eyes, while I could only nod while trembling.

“Answer me!”

“I…… I didn’t hear anything.”

Yondaime tossed me to the ground and walked out of the room.

“Are you alright?”

Alice came over and asked as I was huddled up on the floor in exhaustion. So she can walk? I thought that she had an illness that causes her to die if she leaves her bed.

“I just feel very tired.”

The words popped out of my mouth. That would be my feelings about what occurred the whole day.

“If I didn’t do so, I’m afraid you’ll still think that I’m a hikkikomori who’s over-reliant on the Internet. Don’t mind it!”

“No, I already understand clearly.”

Because of Ayaka, I stepped into an unbelievable world. Drug dealing, detectives and hackers, I had always hoped that these only exist in worlds that I don’t know of.

“You just wanted me to understand your work, so you said nonsensically that I’m your assistant and that I’m tight-lipped……”

“That is not nonsense. You are indeed tight-lipped, I am sure of it.”

I raised my head to look at Alice and saw that she was smiling. Since this is the first time that we’ve met, why does she dare to say so?

“Hey, Narumi. The people who met me, each and every one of them would ask: ''‘Are you really a NEET? Why did you become a NEET?’'', and you are the first one who did not ask me this question.”

Adjusting to my eye level, Alice squatted down.

“Although it might be because you’re thoughtless or uncaring, but I -- we NEETs would be extremely happy. Instead of pitying us, ignoring us would have been better. 'Why did we become NEETs?', this question shouldn’t even be asked. Because there is only one reason – it is written on our page of God’s notebook: ‘We lose when we work.’ There is no other reason.”

“…… God’s notebook?”

“Isn’t this statement so irresponsible that it’s great?”

Placing her hands and chin on her knees, Alice said while smiling:

“What the word NEET really means, is actually not ‘Someone who doesn’t know how to do anything’, and not ‘Someone who doesn’t want to do anything’.”

<center>*</center>

Holding the empty bowl on the plate while walking out of the NEET Detective Agency, I saw that it was already completely dark outside. The starlight could not be seen as it was hidden by the piercing lights on the earth. The ramen shop below had become extremely crowded. Laughter and angry shouts coming from there could be heard even from here.

After I walked down the emergency backstairs, I found Yondaime sitting on the seat exclusively for NEETs that I was sitting on just now. Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro-san and Yondaime surrounded the wooden table, and looked like they were doing something together. The clear tinkle of a bell-like sound could be heard even from far away.

“Sou-san! Didn’t you say that you are only playing for five minutes!?”

The bodyguard, Rocky, who was standing behind Yondaime was shouting angrily by Yondaime’s ears.

“Shut up, how can I go back when I’m in a losing streak! Tetsu, hurry up and throw already!”

“Okay, four five and six.”

“Impossible!”

A large bundle of money was on the bowl. So they’re playing a game of dices. Do these four know each other?

“Fujishima-kun, Min-san made a flavored ice cream, do you want to try some?”

Ayaka ran out holding an ice cream cone. While licking the ice cream which was giving out a fragrant aroma, I listened to the dice tinkling along in the bowl. Yondaime was shouting with his whole face red, throwing his cash onto the bowl like a ninja throwing knives. Looking at this situation, I couldn’t help but feel – somewhat happy.

<center>*</center>

On the way home, the streetlights on the street was very dim. Walking in front of me, Ayaka turned around and said:

“I’m so sorry, I did say that I wanted to have a welcome party for you, but coincidentally the shop was busy……”

Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve talked much with Ayaka today at the shop. There were so many customers that even I helped to deliver.

“Oh yeah, did you see Alice?”

“Yeah…… She’s an oddball.” I couldn’t say anything else about her.

“But it was really unbelievable today. There are indeed a lot of interesting people behind the ramen shop, but its rare that all of them were present like today! You’re so lucky, Fujishima-kun.”

“Does that count as lucky?”

Indeed, the people that I met and the faces that I’ve seen today has far exceeded my brain capacity, but I still remembered all of them. Tetsu-senpai, Min-san, Major, Hiro-san, Alice and Yondaime.

“It would be even better if brother could come.”

Brother?

“After my brother left school, he became a NEET. He usually goes to the ramen shop to hang out with Tetsu-senpai and the others. But recently he didn’t even go home or to the shop. I couldn’t even reach his phone.”

“You can’t really say that all of those who hang out there don’t have a job……?”

A horrible illusion came upon me. Would I turn out like them when I　leave school someday?

Ayaka turned around and said: “Did you ever think of leaving school?”

“Every day.”

Under the streetlight, an inscrutable expression appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“…… Even now?”

I was momentarily speechless. Being unable to immediately answer this question is indeed strange.

Ayaka gazed sincerely at me.

I averted her gaze and lied: “Now…… I don’t want to……. Probably!”

“Is that so.” A gentle smile appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“But I think you have no need to lie right now.”

I stopped walking, speechless, and Ayaka stopped too. Coincidentally, we were standing in the middle of two streetlights, while our shadows interlaced on the asphalt road.

“…… Why?”

I could only say this one word. Why? How did she know that I was lying?

“Because…… That place originally belonged to me.” Ayaka said. “It was because there were no other members that I entered the Gardening Club. So in this case, I’m your senior for about half a year!”

I pondered the reason why Ayaka can smile while saying such a thing. Because she is different from me, and can chat with the other students in our class as if nothing had happened, it seemed as natural as breathing.

Hearing me speak of my true thoughts, she showed me a glass-like small that was even more transparent.

“It’s really simple, you can do it as well. Shout when you’re angry like the others, laugh when you’re happy like the others, and speak your mind when you want something.”

I lowered my head, and thought repeatedly about what Ayaka meant by her words. I still don’t get it. I just felt that her words was like that of a busybody, although its contents completely suits my current situation.

After we crossed the bridge, Ayaka and I said goodbye to each other.

Looking at the silhouette of Ayaka running towards the station, I thought of a scene when she was shouting or laughing like the others. Wasn't she just pushing herself? Does she mean that I should do that as well? Forcing myself to talk to the other students, forcing myself to smile.

I wish that she would not care about me anymore. I just couldn’t do what she said anyhow.

<references/>

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-03-16T16:05:06Z

Asteradragon:

"It's a primitive response to gratitude. To give pleasure. You see, our normal hosts are quite mindless; they can be thanked only by physical sensation."

"Thank you for agreeing to transport me. Thank you very much."

* "The Only Neat Thing to Do" by James Tiptree, Jr.

¬
==Chapter 1==
During the winter when I was sixteen, I met many different types of people –a boxer, a soldier, a gigolo, a detective, and a yakuza member. They were all NEETs – just different kinds. The term ‘NEET’ occasionally finds itself on the news or in the newspapers, and I thought it merely referred to unmotivated and unemployed youths, but in reality there are actually many different sides to them. There is no all-encompassing reason as to why they remain jobless or fail to attendschool.

“The term ‘NEET’ refers to neither ‘useless people’ nor ‘lazy people’.” That is what the detective said to me. “The only difference lies in the rules. While everybody else uses the board to play checkers, we play chess instead.”

“I don’t get it. Doesn’t that mean you’re just getting in the way?” I questioned naively. The detective thought for a moment, pursing her cherry-like lips which eventually gaveway to a silent smile.

“I suppose that it would seem that way to those who just want to rush ahead. I understand that society wishesto just group us together and label us; flinging us out into a rubbish dump. I also understand that they wish to point and laugh at us mockingly. Let them laugh all they want. No matter how you argue it, the fact that we are a negative influence on society at large is undeniable."

The detective gazed at her opened hands before raising her head again. This time, her smile was not one of sarcasm and bitterness – but one that was comparable to the rays of sunlight on a freezing day of winter. “We will never laugh at ourselves. Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That is the meaning of living, is it not?”

I couldn’t give her an answer, because I had never thought so deeply about such matters before. Regardless, no matter how many metaphors you use, isn’t the fact that you are all useless people the main point?

However, it was also in that very same winter when I saw my first dead corpse, and when I first assaulted another person. It was the first time in my life that I contemplated about what it means to be alive. I suppose anybody who has witnessed another person forfeiting his lifeand seeking death will feel the same way as I have.

Yet, that is a story for much later. For now, I would like to talk about the winter when I first met all these people, and the story of a normal, non-NEET girl.

<center>*</center>

Near the end of November, I met Ayaka for the first time.

After school ended on Tuesday, I sat on the water tower on the roof of the southern campus, and stared blankly at tall buildings far away. Normally once school ends, I would go to the computer lab and focus on club activities that only need one person. But on afternoons with computer lessons, there are a lot of students remaining to play on the computers that they usually don’t have access to. I am unable to bring myself to walk in just like that, so I end up coming up to the roof to waste time every Tuesday and Thursday. Staring at the computer lab on the second story of the northern campus, I gave off a lot of "Get lost already!" waves, and sighed as I looked at the streets below.

The streets of the city I currently live in can be divided into two colors, while the long thin river that flows like the artery of a patient is the divider of the colors. The side closer to me has rusted roofs of factories, cheap apartments lying side by side, and then there is the high school. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of shrines and graves in this area; My house is also on this side. On the other side is a tall flyover bridge with a highway leading to the capital, a gigantic train station with countless railways, tall buildings packed along complicatedly interweaving roads on the slope, shopping malls and television stations. On sunny days, you can even see the shadow of the government building far away. Tokyo is an amazing place to let boring housings that can be found anywhere in Japan and tall modern buildings co-exist peacefully here.

Looking down from the roof, the train station is like a scene in an advertisement on TV, without realism. Perhaps it's because I don't want to get close to that area? As we can wear our school uniform and straightaway go out to play immediately after school, I heard that our school is rather popular in Tokyo; If the sailor costume has bright colors, it might even increases the attractiveness by around 40%.

That day was a cloudy day, just nice enough that you can closely examine the glass panels of the tall buildings that are normally unclear due to their piercing reflections. Speaking of which, they are just a bunch of glass windows that are cut using similar methods. I always filled those glass squares with colors in my mind, as though I was sketching pixel art.

I've gotten used to killing time like that. I think it's because I'm always transferring schools due to my dad's work. At the beginning of October, when I transferred into my current high school, I joined the Computer Club just because there was no one else active there, and went about my school life without getting noticed by anyone. I've often thought that there's no point in me going to high school, while I couldn't follow the lessons as well.

As I was gazing at the building, I suddenly heard a clattering sound below me, and thus I leaned my upper body outwards to have a look. The water supply tower was set on top of the stair room jutting out from the roof while the sound was that of someone who had climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

"Eh? He's not here?"

I heard a girl's voice. When I carefully leaned forward and peered directly below, she turned around, meeting my gaze.

She had short hair, and strong-spirited eyebrows, in contrast her eyes, which gave off a cute, friendly impression. I felt like I'd seen her before. As I moved to get up, she made an extremely surprised face, letting out a "Wah!", causing me to tumbled down from the water supply tower.

It was lucky that I fell from my feet, but as the backs of my hands scraped roughly against the concrete wall, the first thing she did when we met was to wash my wounds with water from the watering can she had.

"Why would you climb up a place like that, it's dangerous!"

She said while applying plasters on my wound. Being asked such a question, I couldn’t answer her.

“……idiots and something likes high places, after all.”

“You have to play down the ‘idiots’ part when you say that!” <ref>Japanese idiom, idiots and smoke like high places. </ref>

She calmly replied. Although I wanted to escape, I couldn’t do so as my hand was held tightly.

“There, I’m done. Remember not to climb to high places again.” She lightly tapped my right hand that was full of plasters, just like a caretaker who was scolding small children. Then, she said while smiling, “Even though I said all that, I actually climbed it before myself. Seeing the ladder over there really gives you an urge to climb it, doesn't it?”

Anyway, who on earth is this girl? As I can’t recall neither faces nor names of anyone in school, I cannot think of any girl who would talk to me with such a friendly tone.

Suddenly, I saw the yellow badge on her left arm. Although it was quite old and was already somewhat faded, the words ‘Gardening Committee’ could still be seen on it. At that moment, I finally noticed the large number of flower pots arranged by the railings. Does our school even have a Gardening Committee?

“Ah, so you have to climb that high to see the computer lab! Are you that type of person, Fujishima-kun? Those who can’t concentrate when someone else is in the room? The type that people call the artistic type?

The girl held on to the railings, saying all that while looking at the school building opposite of us. I was taken aback.

“——How do you know about that?”

I let out a shout that startled even myself. She turned around to look at me with a look of shock on her face.

“Well, our class is on this side of the third floor, so that's why the computer lab can be seen from there. Besides, Fujishima-kun always sits beside the windows.”

I was found out. Color drained out of my face. How much does this girl know? She doesn’t know that I was drawing naughty pictures on the computer, does she? Wait, that’s not the main point…

“Why do you know my name?”

She raised her arms like a baseball pitcher who was getting ready to pitch the ball. It seemed my question surprised her..

“Don’t you remember me? We’re even in the same class!”

“Huh?”

I started to become anxious. From the time when I transferred to this school, I practically avoided all contact with other people, which is why I can’t remember the names of my classmates.

“It was I who told you where the canteen is and also collected information of World History for you. Even when you were changing clothes during P.E class, I have helped you out!”

“Wa- Wait a minute!”

“That last comment was just a joke~”

Ugh, this girl…

“Although that I thought that you might have forgotten about me, I didn’t really believe that it would really be true…..”

Seeing the girl with tears glistening in her eyes, I can’t help but feel somewhat guilty.

“My name is Ayaka Shinozaki, and I sit just beside you in class. How can you forget about me even like this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Fujishima-kun, you don’t think that you are a part of class 1-4, do you? You even skipped school during the school festival.

But the school festival was held just a week after I transferred, so I had no other choice but to skip it!

“And you aren’t even wearing the class badge. It's rare for public high schools to have class badges, so it would be a pity if you don’t wear it!”

I didn’t really think it’s a pity, so I lied to her: “ I lost it.”

“Then I’ll lend you mine then, I have some to spare at home.” Said Ayaka while she took off her class badge from her sailor uniform.

“Huh? No, there’s really no need to.”

“Seriously, don’t move.”

She caught me from the back when I was trying to escape. I couldn’t help but freeze and pause my breathing for a moment. She moved her hands to the front of my blazer and put on the class badge on the collar of my blazer. Looking at this from another angle, wouldn’t it seem like she was hugging me from behind? No, wait, I have to calm down.

After what seemed like a very long time, the warmth of her body finally faded from my back.

“Hmm, that’s better.”

She turned me around and nodded with a satisfied look on her face. With a complicated feeling, I lowered my gaze and gazed at the blue and green badge. It was as though an alien thing appeared on my neck. Why did she help me until this extent? I saw many other people who take very good care of transfer students, but it was the first time I saw someone who was ''that'' helpful.

“It is a requirement of the school rules that one must wear a class badge, so don’t you take it off.”

“Why do the schools in Tokyo have so many odd rules…..”

Actually, isn’t it my fault for feeling that Tokyo is a very free place in the first place? One of the many annoying rules is that students must join at least one club. It was all because of these rules that I got into these kinds of troubles.

“If it weren’t for the school rules, you probably would have been in the Going-Home-Club, wouldn't you?”

So? So what?

“But isn’t the Computer Club going to be abolished next year?”

“……Huh?”

“You see, the Third Years are going to graduate soon. I heard that they are going to abolish clubs that have less than two members when they decide the club budgets next April.”

It was the first time that I’ve heard of such an important matter. I thought of the pale, tomato-shaped face of the Computer Club advisor. That guy wants to let the Computer Club close down without saying a thing, huh? No wonder my club activities are so relaxing.

“As I was saying…”

Ayaka suddenly raised her voice, startling me into stepping back half a step.

“I have something to discuss with you. If you accept my conditions…..” Her expression was that of one who made a strong resolution. “I agree to join the Computer Club!”

“……Conditions?”

“Actually, I’m the only member left in the Gardening Club as well.”

Ayaka, who had a triumphant look on her face for some reason, placed the armband on her left arm on my palm. Gardening Club? Isn’t it the Gardening Committee?

“The committee was closed down ages ago. I found this lying around in a cupboard. Isn’t it cool?”

“Not at all.”

“Why do you always say things like that!”

Her whole face flushed red. Why do you have to be so agitated, I don't understand at all.

“Small clubs have to help each other out, isn’t that right?”

<center>*</center>

In the end, I succumbed to Ayaka’s threats and accepted her conditions. We went to the staff room to hand in our application forms, and things were supposed to end just like that. Realizing that I cannot stay at the rooftop alone anymore, I could only find another place to while away time after school. On the way home, I thought to myself: Is the library better or is the restroom exclusive for teachers better?

However, Ayaka walked by my table right after school.

“I’m going to borrow the keys to the rooftop, so you can get the gardening tools first! You know where they are , right? You can find them in the cupboard with “Gardening Committee” on it.”

My classmates’ gazes fluttered between Ayaka and I, who was busy putting away my books.

“Am I not just a ghost member?” I started to say.

“…..A ghost member?” With her face pale, Ayaka turned away and covered her mouth. “Th- That’s right, I’m so sorry. I- I was just too excited, and that confused me for a moment.”

It looked like tears could pour out of her eyes at any moment. My classmates’ gazes pierced through me, as though it was I who made Ayaka cry…… No, it ''was'' I who made her cry. Anyhow, this situation is just terrible.

“Erm, uh, wait a sec!”

“Fujishima-kun, you’re busy with your activities at the Computer Club, right? I’m really sorry for bothering you.”

“O- Of course not——”

“Aren’t you going to complete your drawing of the girl on the computer soon? You just haven’t added the dress yet, right?”

“UWAAAAAAHHHHH!”

I hastily covered Ayaka’s mouth.

“Alright, alright! I got it. I’ll help you then.”

“…… Really?” The tears vanished from her face in a flash. “Thank you so much!”

She stuck out her tongue, as though it was just a prank just now. Arrggh, this girl…

“Aya-chan, there's a new member in your club?”

A female classmate asked while giving me a suspicious look.

“Oh, yes. That’s why we have more horsepower now. You can ask him anything about plants!”

My classmates exchanged looks.

“Oh, yeah!” a male classmate raised his hand. “There’s a lot of mold on the washroom sink, please think of something to help.”

“Mold isn’t even a plant!” exclaimed Ayaka.

“No, it should count as a plant, shouldn’t it?” “Differentiating organisms by animals or plants is already outdated!” “Aren’t the ones in the washroom moss?” “Lichen are definitely not plants!” “The ones in the Biology Club, shut up.” “But it's growing really quickly.” “Looks like a person's face.” “Seriously?”

The guys started to discuss the topic with vigor. What is wrong with this class? After about twenty minutes of discussion, Ayaka ended up getting a mold spray to clear it away. I hastily stopped Ayaka, who was about to dash into the men’s washroom.

“……Allow me!”

My classmates probably feel sorry for me for having to clear away the mold that have spread on the whole wall. A few of them came in to give me a hand. The washroom soon stank of the pungent odor of chlorine.

“Fujishima, it was hard on you……”

They started to pity me.

“Of course, Shinozaki is not bad too.” “Not a bad person.” “Yeah.”

I nodded tiredly while scrubbing the wall vigorously with a sponge.

I suddenly noticed that it was the first time my classmates called me by my name. Even so, I just stammered, unable to even answer them properly.

<center>*</center>

“Let’s have a welcome party! My treat!”

She said that evening as we were carrying the orchid plants indoors.

“I work part time at a ramen store, so I can give you a discount.”

I thought to myself: How rare for high school girls to work part time.

“As I often went there, I became a part time worker in the end. There are many interesting customers as well. Do you want to go with me?”

“Why——”

Thinking that I would have to see Ayaka’s tearful face if I refuse her, I nodded reluctantly. After keeping the tools in the cupboard and returning the keys to the staff’s office, I walked out of the school entrance with her.

After learning that I haven’t even gone across the Shuto Expressway, she was astonished.

“But don’t you live just nearby?”

“Well, I’ve just moved here recently, and there’s a lot of people at the station, so I didn’t really feel like going. Besides, I don’t even have a reason to go there.”

“Don't you usually go to bookshops or record stores?”

I nodded. Usually, I would just buy books or records that I want online, as I might not find the things that I want even if the actual shops are big.

“Is that so? But the shop that I’ve just mentioned is very far from the station. The ramen isn’t really that good, but the ice-cream there is extremely delicious, so it’s still very famous.”

“Then just start an ice-cream shop instead…”

“Try not to say that to Min-san, or you’ll get ramen served with ice cream.”

Min-san would probably the owner of the ramen shop. Is he Chinese?

Ayaka walked a bit faster than me. Seeing her happily prancing around, I was extremely mystified. Where did it went wrong? How did it turn out like this? Why is she so nice to me?

When we were crossing the bridge, a large delivery truck passed by, spraying dust on us. After entering the streets, we walked passed the Shuto Expressway viaduct and towards the station. Then, we went along with the crowd and entered the south side of the underpass and exited it through the east side.

We walked back to the surface in the direction of the railways. After we passed by a tramp’s tent in a park, we found the ramen shop in a dark alley unreached by streetlights. On the first floor of the building that had both shops and lodgings, only the signboard that says ‘Hanamaru Ramen’ had any light on it. The customers gathered around the shop looked like bugs attracted to a bug zapper.

The interior of the ramen shop was very cramped. Most of the space in the shop was taken up by the kitchen, while only five tables were in the shop. The other customers could only dine outside on a steel chair. There were even some customers who were sitting on turned over beer crates, eating their ramen while holding the bowl.

“You can just sit wherever you like.”

After saying that, she entered the shop. Although she told me to sit wherever I like, the problem is the chairs and beer crates are already fully seated.

I saw a man sitting on the emergency staircase between a building and another one that Ayaka just went in, located by the entrance of the kitchen. Beneath the stairs, there were stacks of worn tires, small gas tanks and some cardboard boxes full of stains.

When he raised his head, I couldn’t help but take a step back. The man was about twenty and had darkish skin. It was already November, but he was just wearing a T-shirt, completely showing off his bulging biceps. On the moment that he stared at me, I even thought that I would get killed.

“Are you a student of M High School?”

“Nonono, I’m still in middle school. Do I look that much like a high schooler?” I lied for no reason at all. He put down his bowl and said:

“Really? There's a teacher teaching Maths, Fukumoto-sensei. Does he still have any hair left?”

“No, a lot of his hair has already dropped o……AHHH!”

He approached me and flicked my forehead. The pain made me feel as though it bore a hole on my forehead.

“…… Uuuuuu…… That’s too despicable of you. Since you’ve graduated from our school, why don’t you say so in the first place!” I, myself, don’t understand why I feel that he is despicable (It was obvious from my school uniform that I’m from M High School, its my problem for lying). I covered my aching forehead and crouched down while moaning. On that moment, a voice rang behind me:

“He didn’t graduate. This guy was kicked out of school: a drop out. Here, eat this.”

When I turned my head, I saw a young lady in a gray, sleeveless vest standing behind me. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and you could see a white sarashi<ref>A cloth used to bind one's chest</ref> around her chest. She looked just like a laborer. It was only because of the black apron with ‘Hanamaru’ printed on it in white that I realized that she was from the shop. Does that mean that she is Min-san? So she’s a woman!

The thing that Min-san just stuffed into my hands was a paper cup filled with ice cream.

“Master, I’ve told you many times already, I was not kicked out. I dropped out myself.”

“Say that after you’ve clear your tab, you bum.”

“Babies are jobless when they are born too! It’s just that they are tainted in the large bathtub called life after that!"

That would be colorless, not jobless. <ref>In Japanese, jobless and colorless have the same pronunciation (Mushoku)</ref> But Min-san doesn’t seem wanting to reply him, but instead turned around and went back into the kitchen that was filled with white smoke. I held the paper cup with the ice cream and just stood there in a daze for quite some time.

“Hey, you there!” the person who was kicked out of school called me. As soon as I turned around, I hastily covered my forehead.

“What are you so nervous for! So you’re in first year now, huh?” He said while looking at my class badge. “How many fails did you get in your test?”

“Huh?”

Why on earth are you asking me something like this?

“Fujishima-kun, don’t chat with Tetsu-senpai for too long, you’ll get the NEET virus!”

Ayaka, who wore her black apron over her school uniform, said while walking out of the kitchen with a tray full of bowls. The dark skinned guy —— Tetsu-senpai gnashed his teeth, but only pretended to flick Ayaka’s forehead. This is just plain preferential treatment! Ayaka stuck out her tongue, and started to serve the customers outside the shop.

“Oh, just answer me already! Your face is that of one who fails a lot since first year.”

Although I thought that he was a busybody, what he said was still the truth. I could only answer in a small voice: “ I need to retake my English and Japanese History.” Tetsu-senpai caught hold of my arms while beaming, forcefully dragged me to a gas tank and made me sit down.

“Actually, the seats here are specially for NEETs. You have the potential to be a NEET, so if you drop out, feel free to come here! We will always welcome you.”

“No, please don’t expect that of me.” We? Are there anyone else who’s with him?

“Why? I can start from teaching you how to choose pachinko machines! Also, I know some of the employees quite well, so I know which one has the highest frequency of hitting the jackpot!”

When I had a closer look, I saw some magazines about pachinko gambling stashed in Tetsu-senpai’s hind pocket. Whoa, so this guy is a professional pachinko player. What a useless person. I averted my gaze, and started to eat the ice-cream using a wooden spoon. Basking in the evening sun of this late autumn and savoring the delightful aroma of the ramen soup while eating ice cream is indeed exceptionally scrumptious.

The second person of the ‘we’ that Tetsu-senpai spoke of appeared when I was eating roast pork noodles. He suddenly pressed a hard object against the back of my head and said: “Don’t move. Throw away your weapon, raise your hands, declare your name and unit.” I almost spitted the roast pork out of my mouth.

“Erm…… Err…… But……” If I raised my hands, the roast pork will fall down!

“Major, you are so slow. Stop doing idiotic stuff and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai said while stirring his vanilla flavoured ice cream and caramel sauce.

“But he’s sitting on my seat! Who is this fellow?”

“Narumi. He’s in the same club as Ayaka.”

“Hiro-san said that he’s coming later too, there won’t be enough seats then.”

“Hiro can just sit on Narumi’s thigh.”

“Oh, I see.”

What do you mean you see?

The guy called Major then walked into my field of vision. He wore a dark green and coffee-coloured camouflaging sports attire, a sturdy looking helmet, and a pair of sunglasses shaped like goggles. He was somewhat thin and his skin was a beautiful shade of pink that belongs to primary school students. He actually looked about my age. While putting away the model gun (Well, I think it might be a model gun, but what if it’s a real gun?) into his khaki backpack, he looked at me and said:

“But isn’t this guy a high schooler? He doesn’t fit the description of a NEET.”

“Don’t worry, he’s my kouhai. He’ll become a great NEET after a year or two.”

“I definitely won’t become a NEET!” I protested hastily. Through his goggles, Major glared at me and sat on a cardboard box.

“In this era when there are about a billion NEETs in our country, NEET-in-waitings like you are necessary, are they not? The future of our country sure is dark.”

“……in waiting?”

In bewilderment, I asked him what did he mean by that. Major pointed at me and started to chatter enthusiastically:

“Speaking of which, do you know the how a NEET is defined? The term ‘NEET’ was originally used on people who are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are not in education or employment. When the word came to Japan from England, its meaning changed to include people from 15 to 34. As a lot of types appeared after that, they were even classified into an active type and a passive type, a sudden type, challenged type, caveman type and hesitating type. Besides that, there were also some attempts to classify them using three-dimensional coordination to divide them into eight quadrants, but they are actually just meaningless classifications to me.”

“Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.”

Ayaka served Major his salt-flavoured ramen. It looks like Mukai is Major’s real name.

“I’m so sorry, Fujishima-kun, there would be less customers after a while.”

I tried to give Ayaka a ‘justfindanexcuseformetoleavethisseat’ signal, but she didn’t get it. Major sipped some soup and continued:

“NEETs were originally just a cultural illness of reliance, and will only appear in a prosperous country like ours. We should be more proud of NEETs! Love the country that strives to produce NEETs, for world peace, we must stand up! We must find more non NEET-in-waiting elites, learn from each other , form a new Japanese Party, and bravely challenge the evil! Grow, NEETs! Grow like blazing fire! NEETs!”

“So noisy! Just shut up and eat your noodles!”

Min-san’s furious outburst echoed from the kitchen, and a small frying pan flew out of the kitchen soon after, landing on Major’s head.

“Huh? What’s with that guy?”

A male voice rang in the alley, and a tall silhouette appeared at the end of the alley.

A young man daringly wearing a brightly colored coat with khaki jeans was standing at the end of the alley. His occupation was a mystery, but he radiated the aura of a professional person. His aura was different from what Tetsu-senpai had, but they have the same imposing manner. That man approached, almost causing me to fall off the gas tank.

“He’s Ayaka’s friend. See, he’s from M High School.” Said Tetsu-senpai. “Oh? Oh——”That man patted my shoulders and said:

“There was a time when Tetsu was wearing this uniform too!”

He shot a look at the narrow kitchen back door and sat down beside Tetsu-senpai. I started to get confused. Aren’t the seats here just for NEETs?

“Hi, nice to meet you. Here’s my card.” He took a piece of card out of his pocket and handed it to me. He ''is'' a working person! While thinking so, I took the card, on the card it was printed:

‘NEET - Hiroaki Kuwabara’

…… Huh? I nearly fainted at that moment.

To reconfirm the world that I live in, I breathed in deeply and looked at my surroundings. Tetsu-senpai was eating ice cream, Major was eating salt-flavored ramen. Ayaka was busy washing bowls in the smoky kitchen, Min-san was having a battle royale with flames. Looking at the night skies in this autumn, the only person who found something wrong was me.

“Is…… Is your job a NEET?”

I asked cautiously. Hiro showed me a smile worthy of a toothpaste advertisement while saying:

“What are you talking about? A NEET isn't an occupation!”

Well, that’s true. As I was about to nod, Hiro’s next comment completely devastated me.

“Being a NEET is a lifestyle.”

He actually said that it was a lifestyle? I almost cried. Hiro, with his eyes narrowed while pushing back his hair, was meaninglessly handsome. What on earth is with these people?

“Did you make these cards before this, Hiro?”

“Well, its quite convenient while flirting. People always laugh when they see it.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you’ll make your girlfriend angry like this, and that you shouldn't flirt with other people so much?”

“Ah, I broke up with her already. I’m now living at the house of a lady working at a night club. Making it clear that I’m jobless from the start makes my life much easier!”

So Hiro-san is a gigolo! Well, he did say that it was a lifestyle.

I listened to their conversation at the sidelines while drinking the ramen soup, but I didn't really notice its taste. From their conversation, I gathered that they were about 18 to 19, and are supposed to be teenagers who have bright futures.

I vaguely thought to myself: would Tetsu-senpai’s words that I’ll turn out like them soon come true? I could only hope that this won’t be true.

After we finished eating the ramen, and were enjoying the ice creams (Tetsu-senpai was already eating a second), extremely noisy rock music suddenly blared in this narrow space. It was ‘Colorado Bulldog<ref>Song by the band Mr. Big</ref>. The three immediately sprang up, took out their cellphones that were almost simultaneously playing the same ringtone.

Tetsu-senpai picked up the call first, then Major and Hiro’s phone immediately stopped ringing. An expression that looked very much like regret appeared on their faces.

“Min-san, Alice has an order for you! Onion ramen, without ramen, roast pork and egg.”

Doesn’t that mean that there's only leeks left? I thought to myself. After three minutes, the bowl that Min-san took out did look like there was only leeks and soup.

“Tell this to her clearly, we sell ramen.” Min-san said with a sour expression on her face.

The leeks floating in the soup looked like islands in a sea of soup. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san looked at each other.

“The problem is, who’s gonna take it to her?” said Tetsu-senpai.

“Does Alice seem like she’s in a bad mood?” asked Hiro.

“Definitely.”

“Are you guys taking it to her?” me asking this question was a sign of doom. Tetsu-senpai nodded, and then slapped his kneecap.

“Since there’s four people here, lets decide by a Yamanote Line game<ref>Originally, it’s a game where the each player tells the name of a station that the Yamanote Line can reach. Here, they will say things that are related to the topic given</ref>, the one who loses sends it.”

Four people?

“So what’s the topic?”

“Lets use “Brochures commonly found at employment agencies” then.”

“Okay, but there’s only one chance when you can’t answer.”

“Wa- Wait a minute, did you count me in?”

“Okay, lets start from me. ‘ Guide to a Laborer’s Insurance’.”

“ ‘Searching for your Dreams from Thirty-two’.”

“ ‘Discover your Talents in Two Minutes’.”

“Ah, uh, erm……”

“Narumi, that’s your first loss. ‘How to Resign Favorably’.”

“ ‘Starting Your Business From A Computer’!”

“ ‘Guide for Blending in your New Workplace’.”

“…… How on earth would I know any of those!”

“Ah, getting angry are you? Narumi, as long as you’re a NEET, you’ll have to know about these! Going to an employment agency but coming back without doing anything, this is a route that all of us must take.”

No, the problem is I’m not a NEET.

“If you lose you’ll have to admit it, loser.”

“Don’t mind it, Narumi, it isn’t embarrassing that you don’t know about these.”

“Well, of course! Don’t console me!”

“But you still have to send over the ramen!”

Unable to retort, that was how I fell into their trap.

The place that I was supposed to send the ramen was in the same building as the ramen shop, but on the third floor, room 308. As they said: “You’ll know when you go.” There was a large signboard on the door.

‘NEET Detective Agency’

The words were written with a somewhat cute handwriting, and there were a row of mystifying English words.

It’s the only NEET thing to do

My mind had already gone numb after the events that I’ve gone through today, so I won’t be surprised even if I see a NEET being a detective. I used the corner of the tray that held the ramen to press the electric bell, and the side camera modified into the electric bell flashed blue. According to Tetsu-senpai, that was the sign for ‘Come in’.

After opening the door, I saw that it was a long single room. As the air-conditioner was going strong, it was even colder than outside. Walking past the fridge, kitchen and washing machine in the corridor, a narrow room could be seen. As there were not any partitions in the room, a computer rack could be seen even from the entrance, while countless monitors filled the walls of the room.

“Your ramen is here……”

“Please enter.”

The voice of a young girl rang from inside of the room.

While holding the tray,I walked into the room. This room is really quite something. Three sides of the walls were covered with unknown machines, liquid plasma monitors and electric cables, while the small space left —— the floor in the middle of the room, was filled with a mattress. As though she was buried in dolls, the silhouette wearing pajamas turned around.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 037.jpg|thumb|''She looked just like a doll.'']]

She looked just like a doll. She had a small face, a pair of large eyes that were in contrast with her face, unbelievably white skin, thin limbs, sleek hair flowing on the sheets, and was wearing pale blue pajamas with pictures of cartoon bears on it. I held the tray and stared at the girl.

The girl shifted the table that the keyboard was on aside, and pulled to her bed another long table that was just like those small tables that were used with the mattresses in a hospital.

“What are you standing there for? I ordered leek ramen. I don’t remember ordering a high school student-shaped ornament.”

“Ah, um…… Where should I put the ramen?”

“Since you're standing so far away, do you think that my arms seem like they’re long enough that I can take the bowls from your hands?”

I was scolded by her. But I do not even feel angry or surprised anymore. I placed the tray on the table in front of the girl. She took the disposable chopsticks, looked at it for awhile and breathed in deeply. Her small face was full of determination while the hands holding the tip of the chopsticks were applying force on it. But when the chopsticks were dragged into a ‘人’ shape, it just shook but did not separate. How little strength does this girl have?

“…… Would you like me to give you a hand?”

The cute girl wearing the pajamas was visibly glaring at me.

“It seems that you’re the type that sees a frail bird that couldn’t fly, tosses them upwards and sink in your own satisfaction after that, are you not? These type of people are the most useless of them all. When you walk away triumphantly, the bird would fall back down on the asphalt road and die, but you won’t even know that. Being dumb really should have a limit.”

It’s just a pair of disposable chopsticks, why am I scolded like this? But I did not retort her. Again, she breathed in deeply and applied force to separate the chopsticks.

Thwack.

The chopstick on the right has split into two. This is the most common result. She emotionlessly stared for awhile at the chopsticks with unequal length, and then started to cry. Hey, don’t cry!

She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, and started to eat the leek ramen(that pretty much has only leeks in it). As I was thinking of this, she started to glare at me again and said: “Your interests are really out of my comprehension. Does silently watching people eat make you happy?”

“Ah, so- sorry.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, this time she said: “Where do you think you're going? If you are gone, who will dispose of the bowls? You should really think about this.” I scratched my head, and having no other choice, I squatted down at the entrance with my back to the mattress.

While listening to the girl wearing pajamas eating the onions, I mulled over the things that happened today. I'm just here because I couldn’t refuse Ayaka’s request…… Then, I encountered a lot of stuff. I'm really tired. As I was about to drift into sleep, the girl’s voice rang out yet again.

“Narumi, I’m done. Get some beverages for me from the fridge.”

Startled, I turned back to face the girl.

“Eh, huh?”

“I said, get me something to drink from the fridge. Falling asleep even in someone else’s house, you really are shameless.”

Who are you to say that about me? But still, I followed her instructions as I did not have the energy to retort. After opening the fridge, I found that it was stuffed full of 350ml red cans, and nothing else. I thought that all of them were Coke, but they were actually all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper Dr. Pepper]. I don’t even have the energy to say anything anymore. The girl drank all of the Dr. Pepper that I brought her in one breath, and happiness welled out from her face. Seeing that expression made me feel that I could forgive everything.

“When God was creating the world, it was because He drank Dr. Pepper that He took a rest on the seventh day. If Dr. Pepper does not exist, there would be twelve days in a week instead of seven.”

“Is that so?”

“Narumi, you should drink it too! I can’t give you the ones in my fridge, but I can tell you where you can get them.”

So you're not giving them to me?

“…… Wait!” That was when I realized: “Why do you know my name?”

Was it when she was talking to Tetsu-senpai on the phone? No, at that moment Alice was just ordering her leek ramen, and she hung up right after she ordered. There wasn’t any time for them to say my name.

“Fujishima Narumi, sixteen, male, 164cm tall, weighs 51kg, in class 1-4 of M high school……” She fluently spoke of all of my personal information —— address, phone number, educational background, and family background. I was speechless.

“Ayaka said that there was a new club member, so I just did a little investigation. There is so much information in your school, but so little protective measures, so it’s better if you be more careful.”

At a loss of words, I looked at the wall formed of computers.

“…… Are you a hacker?”

“I’m not a hacker.”

The girl smiled while shaking her head.

“I’m a NEET detective.”

The detective said, Alice was partly her real name, and partly an alias.

“Yuuko can also be read as Alice <ref>有子is read as Yuuko, but 有can be read as ari, 子 can be read as su</ref>. The name Alice was taken from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tiptree,_Jr. James Tiptree's] real name.”

“Who is she?”

Alice sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, looking at me as though she was looking at an idiot.

“She’s a novelist! Didn’t you see the signboard at the door? Although I changed a letter, it was quite a famous quote! Haven’t you read of it before?”

I cocked my head, thinking of the English words on the signboard.

“The detectives that you speak of…… Don’t they just accept other people’s requests and investigate various cases?”

“I am not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. They are as different as Chofu and Den Enchofu, mind you. An ordinary detective asks around for information, monitors other people, all in all going here and there to search for information and find their target. NEET detectives, on the other hand……”

Alice puffed out her chest, turned around to the wall covered with machines and waved her hands.

“Do not need to leave their rooms even a step, but can search the whole world to find out the truth. You probably just think that I’m just a hikkikomori who’s overly reliant on the Internet, huh? You don’t need to lie.”

“Erm….. Yeah.”

“Hmph, that’s because the common man cannot understand the work of a detective. A detective is the messanger of the deceased, looking for the words lost from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honor of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living. That is why this is such an unpopular and misunderstood occupation……
Is your expression questioning that why am I, as a hikkikomori, am saying all these?”

“No, my expression shouldn’t be that obvious.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“But you look like you have something to say. Don’t worry, just ask! Because of my occupation, I am already used to never ending questions. And I will let you fall into despair very quickly.”

…… Despair?

I don’t really have anything much to ask, just that I’m a bit shocked by the endless chatter of this strange girl, Alice. But in this situation, it seems that I need to ask a question. Looking around the room that looks like a control room, I asked the question that was the most confusing to me.

“You…… What do you usually eat? Do you always eat those stuff?”

Alice’s round eyes became even rounder.

“This trivial matter is the first thing that you thought of?’’

“…… I think that what we eat is very important.”

“Yes, you are correct. You are also an oddball, different from what Ayaka has said.”

Alice narrowed her eyes while looking at me, as though she was smiling.

“To obtain the nutrients essential for my body, drinking Dr. Pepper would suffice. But Min-san is very persistent, so sometimes I eat some vegetables as well.”

“So that’s why you don’t grow……”

“Where did your biased opinion that only tall people are good come from? I can list out fifty advantages for being a shorty and disadvantages of being tall, if you are willing to have a debate, I am always ready to accept the challenge.”

“No, sorry.”

I was just thinking about her height, which resulted in me mumbling to myself and getting heard.

“So do you depend on Min-san for your daily life?”

Alice raised her eyebrows.

“You’re really impolite, you know. I’ve already said that I’m a NEET detective, a NEET detective is an occupational detective! I have an actual income, and pay her for everything.”

“Eh, eh, but aren’t you a NEET?” aren’t all NEETs jobless?

“You misunderstood NEETs from a fundamental level. The second E in NEET is Employment, being employed by someone. My occupation is a personal enterprise, so I’m not employed. How other people view that depends.”

How other people would view.

“…… Lifestyle huh?”

“In Hiro’s life, that is so. Turgenev might say call it the ending of an illusion, Dostoyevsky might call it hell, William Somerset Maugham might call it reality, while Haruki Murakami might call it self. I use another name for it, but anyhow it’s unrelated to the matter of income.”

I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about, but the fact that the pajamas-clad girl earned money by being a detective is somewhat unbelievable. Which reminds me, she seems to be familiar with the usage of computers and the Internet.

“Your expression tells me that you don’t believe me. No matter, another man would come here in a moment to request for my investigation, you’ll probably believe it after you’ve heard it.”

“…… Huh?”

At that moment, the doorbell rang as she had predicted. I turned around and looked at the door.

“Open the door.”

“Me?”

“It would be nice if the agency adds some other way to welcome guests besides the blue lights.”

As I walked to the entrance to open the door, I froze as there were three men outside the door. The young man in the middle was wearing a leather coat and looked slightly older than me, but his expression was like that of a wild wolf. Among the other two who were flanking his sides, one was a man having muscles like a rocky mountain, the other was tall like an electric pole. Both of them were wearing the same gray hoodie.

“Who is this guy? Where’s Alice?”

The wolf said. It was as though I was pierced by his sharp gaze, my lips trembled and I was unable to speak. At this moment, Alice’s voice came from inside the room:

“Oh, Yondaime, please come in.”

The two people behind the man who was called Yondaime said: “We’ll wait here.” And then I was dragged into the room. After the door was closed, the two men disappeared from my field of vision. At the moment when I was closing the door, I felt as if I was glared at, and my hands holding the door handle trembled.

“Narumi, get another can of Dr. Pepper.”

Alice’s voice finally peeled my hands off the door handle.

“Hey, who is that guy? Aren’t we going to talk about the job?”

When I handed the Dr. Pepper to Alice, Yondaime who was sitting beside the matress used his chin to point at me, and then turned around and said to me: “You, get out for a moment.”

“Eh?”

Telling me to go outside the room to become best friends with the two bear-like bodyguards, and wait for you to finish discussing? What are you talking about!

“Yondaime, just imagine that there’s a high school student-shaped ornament here, relax and start the discussion.”

“Hey, Alice, are you joking? You should know that this isn’t something that you can let outsiders know!”

“It doesn’t matter, Narumi is only my assistant for today, I can guarantee that he will not speak of this to anyone else.”

I don’t even know when I’ve become an assistant.

“That's not the point.”

“If you’re so insistent, why don’t you talk so that outsiders wouldn’t understand? Your job has a lot of jargon anyway. If you would not want then, you can just give the request to some other people.”

An awkward expression appeared on Yondaime’s face and he used his foot to kick the bedstead. Finally, he sighed and started to talk.

Indeed, I could not understand a thing, it was all a bunch of unknown nouns and verbs that you couldn’t understand. The ones that I could barely understand “deal with him when we catch him”, are the ones that I really don’t want to understand.

“Hmm.”

Alice finished listening to Yondaime’s explanation and finished drinking her second can of Dr. Pepper.

“I understand. Narumi, do you understand what he just said?”

I hastily shook my head.

“Is that so? Basically, someone is doing unknown drug dealing behind Yondaime’s back, so he requested me to help find out about the ways that they deal drugs.”

“What is the use of me talking like that when you explain it to him!” Yondaime flew into a rage. That was quite understandable. I felt somewhat happy and thought: Great, finally someone would teach her a lesson…… “What is with that happy look on your face!” Yondaime’s changed his target of anger to me. I could only retreat to the corridor and hid behind the fridge.

“Well, as I had a big headache this morning, I wanted to enrage the first person who came in to vent my annoyace, whoever it was. Although Narumi was the first person to come in, but for some reason he is quite tolerant of it, and didn’t get angry at all.”

So she did all that on purpose!

“Coincidentally, the next person was you, so I vented my annoyance on you, so don’t mind it. If I did anything wrong, you’ll always get angry, and that’s why I like you the most.”

Alice stretched her legs out of the blanket and smiled sweetly. At this moment, I was totally defeated (Yondaime probably was, too). Yondaime hammered the blanket for some time, tried to say something but then stopped, and then he stood up.

“So are you willing to accept the request?”

“I accept it, so just leave it all to me!”

“I will mail the details to you, goodbye.”

Yondaime walked to the corridor and dragged me out from the fridge. He caught hold of my left shoulder and applied force on it until his thumb almost sank into my body.

“Ah, ouch…….”

“I’ve remembered your face, and will find out your address immediately. Listen closely, you didn’t hear anything just now. Is that clear?”

The wolfish eyes came closer to my eyes, while I could only nod while trembling.

“Answer me!”

“I…… I didn’t hear anything.”

Yondaime tossed me to the ground and walked out of the room.

“Are you alright?”

Alice came over and asked as I was huddled up on the floor in exhaustion. So she can walk? I thought that she had an illness that causes her to die if she leaves her bed.

“I just feel very tired.”

The words popped out of my mouth. That would be my feelings about what occurred the whole day.

“If I didn’t do so, I’m afraid you’ll still think that I’m a hikkikomori who’s over-reliant on the Internet. Don’t mind it!”

“No, I already understand clearly.”

Because of Ayaka, I stepped into an unbelievable world. Drug dealing, detectives and hackers, I had always hoped that these only exist in worlds that I don’t know of.

“You just wanted me to understand your work, so you said nonsensically that I’m your assistant and that I’m tight-lipped……”

“That is not nonsense. You are indeed tight-lipped, I am sure of it.”

I raised my head to look at Alice and saw that she was smiling. Since this is the first time that we’ve met, why does she dare to say so?

“Hey, Narumi. The people who met me, each and every one of them would ask: ''‘Are you really a NEET? Why did you become a NEET?’'', and you are the first one who did not ask me this question.”

Adjusting to my eye level, Alice squatted down.

“Although it might be because you’re thoughtless or uncaring, but I -- we NEETs would be extremely happy. Instead of pitying us, ignoring us would have been better. 'Why did we become NEETs?', this question shouldn’t even be asked. Because there is only one reason – it is written on our page of God’s notebook: ‘We lose when we work.’ There is no other reason.”

“…… God’s notebook?”

“Isn’t this statement so irresponsible that it’s great?”

Placing her hands and chin on her knees, Alice said while smiling:

“What the word NEET really means, is actually not ‘Someone who doesn’t know how to do anything’, and not ‘Someone who doesn’t want to do anything’.”

<center>*</center>

Holding the empty bowl on the plate while walking out of the NEET Detective Agency, I saw that it was already completely dark outside. The starlight could not be seen as it was hidden by the piercing lights on the earth. The ramen shop below had become extremely crowded. Laughter and angry shouts coming from there could be heard even from here.

After I walked down the emergency backstairs, I found Yondaime sitting on the seat exclusively for NEETs that I was sitting on just now. Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro-san and Yondaime surrounded the wooden table, and looked like they were doing something together. The clear tinkle of a bell-like sound could be heard even from far away.

“Sou-san! Didn’t you say that you are only playing for five minutes!?”

The bodyguard, Rocky, who was standing behind Yondaime was shouting angrily by Yondaime’s ears.

“Shut up, how can I go back when I’m in a losing streak! Tetsu, hurry up and throw already!”

“Okay, four five and six.”

“Impossible!”

A large bundle of money was on the bowl. So they’re playing a game of dices. Do these four know each other?

“Fujishima-kun, Min-san made a flavored ice cream, do you want to try some?”

Ayaka ran out holding an ice cream cone. While licking the ice cream which was giving out a fragrant aroma, I listened to the dice tinkling along in the bowl. Yondaime was shouting with his whole face red, throwing his cash onto the bowl like a ninja throwing knives. Looking at this situation, I couldn’t help but feel – somewhat happy.

<center>*</center>

On the way home, the streetlights on the street was very dim. Walking in front of me, Ayaka turned around and said:

“I’m so sorry, I did say that I wanted to have a welcome party for you, but coincidentally the shop was busy……”

Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve talked much with Ayaka today at the shop. There were so many customers that even I helped to deliver.

“Oh yeah, did you see Alice?”

“Yeah…… She’s an oddball.” I couldn’t say anything else about her.

“But it was really unbelievable today. There are indeed a lot of interesting people behind the ramen shop, but its rare that all of them were present like today! You’re so lucky, Fujishima-kun.”

“Does that count as lucky?”

Indeed, the people that I met and the faces that I’ve seen today has far exceeded my brain capacity, but I still remembered all of them. Tetsu-senpai, Min-san, Major, Hiro-san, Alice and Yondaime.

“It would be even better if brother could come.”

Brother?

“After my brother left school, he became a NEET. He usually goes to the ramen shop to hang out with Tetsu-senpai and the others. But recently he didn’t even go home or to the shop. I couldn’t even reach his phone.”

“You can’t really say that all of those who hang out there don’t have a job……?”

A horrible illusion came upon me. Would I turn out like them when I　leave school someday?

Ayaka turned around and said: “Did you ever think of leaving school?”

“Every day.”

Under the streetlight, an inscrutable expression appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“…… Even now?”

I was momentarily speechless. Being unable to immediately answer this question is indeed strange.

Ayaka gazed sincerely at me.

I averted her gaze and lied: “Now…… I don’t want to……. Probably!”

“Is that so.” A gentle smile appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“But I think you have no need to lie right now.”

I stopped walking, speechless, and Ayaka stopped too. Coincidentally, we were standing in the middle of two streetlights, while our shadows interlaced on the asphalt road.

“…… Why?”

I could only say this one word. Why? How did she know that I was lying?

“Because…… That place originally belonged to me.” Ayaka said. “It was because there were no other members that I entered the Gardening Club. So in this case, I’m your senior for about half a year!”

I pondered the reason why Ayaka can smile while saying such a thing. Because she is different from me, and can chat with the other students in our class as if nothing had happened, it seemed as natural as breathing.

Hearing me speak of my true thoughts, she showed me a glass-like small that was even more transparent.

“It’s really simple, you can do it as well. Shout when you’re angry like the others, laugh when you’re happy like the others, and speak your mind when you want something.”

I lowered my head, and thought repeatedly about what Ayaka meant by her words. I still don’t get it. I just felt that her words was like that of a busybody, although its contents completely suits my current situation.

After we crossed the bridge, Ayaka and I said goodbye to each other.

Looking at the silhouette of Ayaka running towards the station, I thought of a scene when she was shouting or laughing like the others. Wasn't she just pushing herself? Does she mean that I should do that as well? Forcing myself to talk to the other students, forcing myself to smile.

I wish that she would not care about me anymore. I just couldn’t do what she said anyhow.

<references/>

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 1

2012-03-16T16:04:08Z

Asteradragon:

"It's a primitive response to gratitude. To give pleasure. You see, our normal hosts are quite mindless; they can be thanked only by physical sensation."

"Thank you for agreeing to transport me. Thank you very much."

*- "The Only Neat Thing to Do" by James Tiptree, Jr.

¬
==Chapter 1==
During the winter when I was sixteen, I met many different types of people –a boxer, a soldier, a gigolo, a detective, and a yakuza member. They were all NEETs – just different kinds. The term ‘NEET’ occasionally finds itself on the news or in the newspapers, and I thought it merely referred to unmotivated and unemployed youths, but in reality there are actually many different sides to them. There is no all-encompassing reason as to why they remain jobless or fail to attendschool.

“The term ‘NEET’ refers to neither ‘useless people’ nor ‘lazy people’.” That is what the detective said to me. “The only difference lies in the rules. While everybody else uses the board to play checkers, we play chess instead.”

“I don’t get it. Doesn’t that mean you’re just getting in the way?” I questioned naively. The detective thought for a moment, pursing her cherry-like lips which eventually gaveway to a silent smile.

“I suppose that it would seem that way to those who just want to rush ahead. I understand that society wishesto just group us together and label us; flinging us out into a rubbish dump. I also understand that they wish to point and laugh at us mockingly. Let them laugh all they want. No matter how you argue it, the fact that we are a negative influence on society at large is undeniable."

The detective gazed at her opened hands before raising her head again. This time, her smile was not one of sarcasm and bitterness – but one that was comparable to the rays of sunlight on a freezing day of winter. “We will never laugh at ourselves. Just as earthworms do not fear darkness and penguins are not ashamed of their inability to fly. That is the meaning of living, is it not?”

I couldn’t give her an answer, because I had never thought so deeply about such matters before. Regardless, no matter how many metaphors you use, isn’t the fact that you are all useless people the main point?

However, it was also in that very same winter when I saw my first dead corpse, and when I first assaulted another person. It was the first time in my life that I contemplated about what it means to be alive. I suppose anybody who has witnessed another person forfeiting his lifeand seeking death will feel the same way as I have.

Yet, that is a story for much later. For now, I would like to talk about the winter when I first met all these people, and the story of a normal, non-NEET girl.

<center>*</center>

Near the end of November, I met Ayaka for the first time.

After school ended on Tuesday, I sat on the water tower on the roof of the southern campus, and stared blankly at tall buildings far away. Normally once school ends, I would go to the computer lab and focus on club activities that only need one person. But on afternoons with computer lessons, there are a lot of students remaining to play on the computers that they usually don’t have access to. I am unable to bring myself to walk in just like that, so I end up coming up to the roof to waste time every Tuesday and Thursday. Staring at the computer lab on the second story of the northern campus, I gave off a lot of "Get lost already!" waves, and sighed as I looked at the streets below.

The streets of the city I currently live in can be divided into two colors, while the long thin river that flows like the artery of a patient is the divider of the colors. The side closer to me has rusted roofs of factories, cheap apartments lying side by side, and then there is the high school. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of shrines and graves in this area; My house is also on this side. On the other side is a tall flyover bridge with a highway leading to the capital, a gigantic train station with countless railways, tall buildings packed along complicatedly interweaving roads on the slope, shopping malls and television stations. On sunny days, you can even see the shadow of the government building far away. Tokyo is an amazing place to let boring housings that can be found anywhere in Japan and tall modern buildings co-exist peacefully here.

Looking down from the roof, the train station is like a scene in an advertisement on TV, without realism. Perhaps it's because I don't want to get close to that area? As we can wear our school uniform and straightaway go out to play immediately after school, I heard that our school is rather popular in Tokyo; If the sailor costume has bright colors, it might even increases the attractiveness by around 40%.

That day was a cloudy day, just nice enough that you can closely examine the glass panels of the tall buildings that are normally unclear due to their piercing reflections. Speaking of which, they are just a bunch of glass windows that are cut using similar methods. I always filled those glass squares with colors in my mind, as though I was sketching pixel art.

I've gotten used to killing time like that. I think it's because I'm always transferring schools due to my dad's work. At the beginning of October, when I transferred into my current high school, I joined the Computer Club just because there was no one else active there, and went about my school life without getting noticed by anyone. I've often thought that there's no point in me going to high school, while I couldn't follow the lessons as well.

As I was gazing at the building, I suddenly heard a clattering sound below me, and thus I leaned my upper body outwards to have a look. The water supply tower was set on top of the stair room jutting out from the roof while the sound was that of someone who had climbed up the stairs and opened the door.

"Eh? He's not here?"

I heard a girl's voice. When I carefully leaned forward and peered directly below, she turned around, meeting my gaze.

She had short hair, and strong-spirited eyebrows, in contrast her eyes, which gave off a cute, friendly impression. I felt like I'd seen her before. As I moved to get up, she made an extremely surprised face, letting out a "Wah!", causing me to tumbled down from the water supply tower.

It was lucky that I fell from my feet, but as the backs of my hands scraped roughly against the concrete wall, the first thing she did when we met was to wash my wounds with water from the watering can she had.

"Why would you climb up a place like that, it's dangerous!"

She said while applying plasters on my wound. Being asked such a question, I couldn’t answer her.

“……idiots and something likes high places, after all.”

“You have to play down the ‘idiots’ part when you say that!” <ref>Japanese idiom, idiots and smoke like high places. </ref>

She calmly replied. Although I wanted to escape, I couldn’t do so as my hand was held tightly.

“There, I’m done. Remember not to climb to high places again.” She lightly tapped my right hand that was full of plasters, just like a caretaker who was scolding small children. Then, she said while smiling, “Even though I said all that, I actually climbed it before myself. Seeing the ladder over there really gives you an urge to climb it, doesn't it?”

Anyway, who on earth is this girl? As I can’t recall neither faces nor names of anyone in school, I cannot think of any girl who would talk to me with such a friendly tone.

Suddenly, I saw the yellow badge on her left arm. Although it was quite old and was already somewhat faded, the words ‘Gardening Committee’ could still be seen on it. At that moment, I finally noticed the large number of flower pots arranged by the railings. Does our school even have a Gardening Committee?

“Ah, so you have to climb that high to see the computer lab! Are you that type of person, Fujishima-kun? Those who can’t concentrate when someone else is in the room? The type that people call the artistic type?

The girl held on to the railings, saying all that while looking at the school building opposite of us. I was taken aback.

“——How do you know about that?”

I let out a shout that startled even myself. She turned around to look at me with a look of shock on her face.

“Well, our class is on this side of the third floor, so that's why the computer lab can be seen from there. Besides, Fujishima-kun always sits beside the windows.”

I was found out. Color drained out of my face. How much does this girl know? She doesn’t know that I was drawing naughty pictures on the computer, does she? Wait, that’s not the main point…

“Why do you know my name?”

She raised her arms like a baseball pitcher who was getting ready to pitch the ball. It seemed my question surprised her..

“Don’t you remember me? We’re even in the same class!”

“Huh?”

I started to become anxious. From the time when I transferred to this school, I practically avoided all contact with other people, which is why I can’t remember the names of my classmates.

“It was I who told you where the canteen is and also collected information of World History for you. Even when you were changing clothes during P.E class, I have helped you out!”

“Wa- Wait a minute!”

“That last comment was just a joke~”

Ugh, this girl…

“Although that I thought that you might have forgotten about me, I didn’t really believe that it would really be true…..”

Seeing the girl with tears glistening in her eyes, I can’t help but feel somewhat guilty.

“My name is Ayaka Shinozaki, and I sit just beside you in class. How can you forget about me even like this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Fujishima-kun, you don’t think that you are a part of class 1-4, do you? You even skipped school during the school festival.

But the school festival was held just a week after I transferred, so I had no other choice but to skip it!

“And you aren’t even wearing the class badge. It's rare for public high schools to have class badges, so it would be a pity if you don’t wear it!”

I didn’t really think it’s a pity, so I lied to her: “ I lost it.”

“Then I’ll lend you mine then, I have some to spare at home.” Said Ayaka while she took off her class badge from her sailor uniform.

“Huh? No, there’s really no need to.”

“Seriously, don’t move.”

She caught me from the back when I was trying to escape. I couldn’t help but freeze and pause my breathing for a moment. She moved her hands to the front of my blazer and put on the class badge on the collar of my blazer. Looking at this from another angle, wouldn’t it seem like she was hugging me from behind? No, wait, I have to calm down.

After what seemed like a very long time, the warmth of her body finally faded from my back.

“Hmm, that’s better.”

She turned me around and nodded with a satisfied look on her face. With a complicated feeling, I lowered my gaze and gazed at the blue and green badge. It was as though an alien thing appeared on my neck. Why did she help me until this extent? I saw many other people who take very good care of transfer students, but it was the first time I saw someone who was ''that'' helpful.

“It is a requirement of the school rules that one must wear a class badge, so don’t you take it off.”

“Why do the schools in Tokyo have so many odd rules…..”

Actually, isn’t it my fault for feeling that Tokyo is a very free place in the first place? One of the many annoying rules is that students must join at least one club. It was all because of these rules that I got into these kinds of troubles.

“If it weren’t for the school rules, you probably would have been in the Going-Home-Club, wouldn't you?”

So? So what?

“But isn’t the Computer Club going to be abolished next year?”

“……Huh?”

“You see, the Third Years are going to graduate soon. I heard that they are going to abolish clubs that have less than two members when they decide the club budgets next April.”

It was the first time that I’ve heard of such an important matter. I thought of the pale, tomato-shaped face of the Computer Club advisor. That guy wants to let the Computer Club close down without saying a thing, huh? No wonder my club activities are so relaxing.

“As I was saying…”

Ayaka suddenly raised her voice, startling me into stepping back half a step.

“I have something to discuss with you. If you accept my conditions…..” Her expression was that of one who made a strong resolution. “I agree to join the Computer Club!”

“……Conditions?”

“Actually, I’m the only member left in the Gardening Club as well.”

Ayaka, who had a triumphant look on her face for some reason, placed the armband on her left arm on my palm. Gardening Club? Isn’t it the Gardening Committee?

“The committee was closed down ages ago. I found this lying around in a cupboard. Isn’t it cool?”

“Not at all.”

“Why do you always say things like that!”

Her whole face flushed red. Why do you have to be so agitated, I don't understand at all.

“Small clubs have to help each other out, isn’t that right?”

<center>*</center>

In the end, I succumbed to Ayaka’s threats and accepted her conditions. We went to the staff room to hand in our application forms, and things were supposed to end just like that. Realizing that I cannot stay at the rooftop alone anymore, I could only find another place to while away time after school. On the way home, I thought to myself: Is the library better or is the restroom exclusive for teachers better?

However, Ayaka walked by my table right after school.

“I’m going to borrow the keys to the rooftop, so you can get the gardening tools first! You know where they are , right? You can find them in the cupboard with “Gardening Committee” on it.”

My classmates’ gazes fluttered between Ayaka and I, who was busy putting away my books.

“Am I not just a ghost member?” I started to say.

“…..A ghost member?” With her face pale, Ayaka turned away and covered her mouth. “Th- That’s right, I’m so sorry. I- I was just too excited, and that confused me for a moment.”

It looked like tears could pour out of her eyes at any moment. My classmates’ gazes pierced through me, as though it was I who made Ayaka cry…… No, it ''was'' I who made her cry. Anyhow, this situation is just terrible.

“Erm, uh, wait a sec!”

“Fujishima-kun, you’re busy with your activities at the Computer Club, right? I’m really sorry for bothering you.”

“O- Of course not——”

“Aren’t you going to complete your drawing of the girl on the computer soon? You just haven’t added the dress yet, right?”

“UWAAAAAAHHHHH!”

I hastily covered Ayaka’s mouth.

“Alright, alright! I got it. I’ll help you then.”

“…… Really?” The tears vanished from her face in a flash. “Thank you so much!”

She stuck out her tongue, as though it was just a prank just now. Arrggh, this girl…

“Aya-chan, there's a new member in your club?”

A female classmate asked while giving me a suspicious look.

“Oh, yes. That’s why we have more horsepower now. You can ask him anything about plants!”

My classmates exchanged looks.

“Oh, yeah!” a male classmate raised his hand. “There’s a lot of mold on the washroom sink, please think of something to help.”

“Mold isn’t even a plant!” exclaimed Ayaka.

“No, it should count as a plant, shouldn’t it?” “Differentiating organisms by animals or plants is already outdated!” “Aren’t the ones in the washroom moss?” “Lichen are definitely not plants!” “The ones in the Biology Club, shut up.” “But it's growing really quickly.” “Looks like a person's face.” “Seriously?”

The guys started to discuss the topic with vigor. What is wrong with this class? After about twenty minutes of discussion, Ayaka ended up getting a mold spray to clear it away. I hastily stopped Ayaka, who was about to dash into the men’s washroom.

“……Allow me!”

My classmates probably feel sorry for me for having to clear away the mold that have spread on the whole wall. A few of them came in to give me a hand. The washroom soon stank of the pungent odor of chlorine.

“Fujishima, it was hard on you……”

They started to pity me.

“Of course, Shinozaki is not bad too.” “Not a bad person.” “Yeah.”

I nodded tiredly while scrubbing the wall vigorously with a sponge.

I suddenly noticed that it was the first time my classmates called me by my name. Even so, I just stammered, unable to even answer them properly.

<center>*</center>

“Let’s have a welcome party! My treat!”

She said that evening as we were carrying the orchid plants indoors.

“I work part time at a ramen store, so I can give you a discount.”

I thought to myself: How rare for high school girls to work part time.

“As I often went there, I became a part time worker in the end. There are many interesting customers as well. Do you want to go with me?”

“Why——”

Thinking that I would have to see Ayaka’s tearful face if I refuse her, I nodded reluctantly. After keeping the tools in the cupboard and returning the keys to the staff’s office, I walked out of the school entrance with her.

After learning that I haven’t even gone across the Shuto Expressway, she was astonished.

“But don’t you live just nearby?”

“Well, I’ve just moved here recently, and there’s a lot of people at the station, so I didn’t really feel like going. Besides, I don’t even have a reason to go there.”

“Don't you usually go to bookshops or record stores?”

I nodded. Usually, I would just buy books or records that I want online, as I might not find the things that I want even if the actual shops are big.

“Is that so? But the shop that I’ve just mentioned is very far from the station. The ramen isn’t really that good, but the ice-cream there is extremely delicious, so it’s still very famous.”

“Then just start an ice-cream shop instead…”

“Try not to say that to Min-san, or you’ll get ramen served with ice cream.”

Min-san would probably the owner of the ramen shop. Is he Chinese?

Ayaka walked a bit faster than me. Seeing her happily prancing around, I was extremely mystified. Where did it went wrong? How did it turn out like this? Why is she so nice to me?

When we were crossing the bridge, a large delivery truck passed by, spraying dust on us. After entering the streets, we walked passed the Shuto Expressway viaduct and towards the station. Then, we went along with the crowd and entered the south side of the underpass and exited it through the east side.

We walked back to the surface in the direction of the railways. After we passed by a tramp’s tent in a park, we found the ramen shop in a dark alley unreached by streetlights. On the first floor of the building that had both shops and lodgings, only the signboard that says ‘Hanamaru Ramen’ had any light on it. The customers gathered around the shop looked like bugs attracted to a bug zapper.

The interior of the ramen shop was very cramped. Most of the space in the shop was taken up by the kitchen, while only five tables were in the shop. The other customers could only dine outside on a steel chair. There were even some customers who were sitting on turned over beer crates, eating their ramen while holding the bowl.

“You can just sit wherever you like.”

After saying that, she entered the shop. Although she told me to sit wherever I like, the problem is the chairs and beer crates are already fully seated.

I saw a man sitting on the emergency staircase between a building and another one that Ayaka just went in, located by the entrance of the kitchen. Beneath the stairs, there were stacks of worn tires, small gas tanks and some cardboard boxes full of stains.

When he raised his head, I couldn’t help but take a step back. The man was about twenty and had darkish skin. It was already November, but he was just wearing a T-shirt, completely showing off his bulging biceps. On the moment that he stared at me, I even thought that I would get killed.

“Are you a student of M High School?”

“Nonono, I’m still in middle school. Do I look that much like a high schooler?” I lied for no reason at all. He put down his bowl and said:

“Really? There's a teacher teaching Maths, Fukumoto-sensei. Does he still have any hair left?”

“No, a lot of his hair has already dropped o……AHHH!”

He approached me and flicked my forehead. The pain made me feel as though it bore a hole on my forehead.

“…… Uuuuuu…… That’s too despicable of you. Since you’ve graduated from our school, why don’t you say so in the first place!” I, myself, don’t understand why I feel that he is despicable (It was obvious from my school uniform that I’m from M High School, its my problem for lying). I covered my aching forehead and crouched down while moaning. On that moment, a voice rang behind me:

“He didn’t graduate. This guy was kicked out of school: a drop out. Here, eat this.”

When I turned my head, I saw a young lady in a gray, sleeveless vest standing behind me. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and you could see a white sarashi<ref>A cloth used to bind one's chest</ref> around her chest. She looked just like a laborer. It was only because of the black apron with ‘Hanamaru’ printed on it in white that I realized that she was from the shop. Does that mean that she is Min-san? So she’s a woman!

The thing that Min-san just stuffed into my hands was a paper cup filled with ice cream.

“Master, I’ve told you many times already, I was not kicked out. I dropped out myself.”

“Say that after you’ve clear your tab, you bum.”

“Babies are jobless when they are born too! It’s just that they are tainted in the large bathtub called life after that!"

That would be colorless, not jobless. <ref>In Japanese, jobless and colorless have the same pronunciation (Mushoku)</ref> But Min-san doesn’t seem wanting to reply him, but instead turned around and went back into the kitchen that was filled with white smoke. I held the paper cup with the ice cream and just stood there in a daze for quite some time.

“Hey, you there!” the person who was kicked out of school called me. As soon as I turned around, I hastily covered my forehead.

“What are you so nervous for! So you’re in first year now, huh?” He said while looking at my class badge. “How many fails did you get in your test?”

“Huh?”

Why on earth are you asking me something like this?

“Fujishima-kun, don’t chat with Tetsu-senpai for too long, you’ll get the NEET virus!”

Ayaka, who wore her black apron over her school uniform, said while walking out of the kitchen with a tray full of bowls. The dark skinned guy —— Tetsu-senpai gnashed his teeth, but only pretended to flick Ayaka’s forehead. This is just plain preferential treatment! Ayaka stuck out her tongue, and started to serve the customers outside the shop.

“Oh, just answer me already! Your face is that of one who fails a lot since first year.”

Although I thought that he was a busybody, what he said was still the truth. I could only answer in a small voice: “ I need to retake my English and Japanese History.” Tetsu-senpai caught hold of my arms while beaming, forcefully dragged me to a gas tank and made me sit down.

“Actually, the seats here are specially for NEETs. You have the potential to be a NEET, so if you drop out, feel free to come here! We will always welcome you.”

“No, please don’t expect that of me.” We? Are there anyone else who’s with him?

“Why? I can start from teaching you how to choose pachinko machines! Also, I know some of the employees quite well, so I know which one has the highest frequency of hitting the jackpot!”

When I had a closer look, I saw some magazines about pachinko gambling stashed in Tetsu-senpai’s hind pocket. Whoa, so this guy is a professional pachinko player. What a useless person. I averted my gaze, and started to eat the ice-cream using a wooden spoon. Basking in the evening sun of this late autumn and savoring the delightful aroma of the ramen soup while eating ice cream is indeed exceptionally scrumptious.

The second person of the ‘we’ that Tetsu-senpai spoke of appeared when I was eating roast pork noodles. He suddenly pressed a hard object against the back of my head and said: “Don’t move. Throw away your weapon, raise your hands, declare your name and unit.” I almost spitted the roast pork out of my mouth.

“Erm…… Err…… But……” If I raised my hands, the roast pork will fall down!

“Major, you are so slow. Stop doing idiotic stuff and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai said while stirring his vanilla flavoured ice cream and caramel sauce.

“But he’s sitting on my seat! Who is this fellow?”

“Narumi. He’s in the same club as Ayaka.”

“Hiro-san said that he’s coming later too, there won’t be enough seats then.”

“Hiro can just sit on Narumi’s thigh.”

“Oh, I see.”

What do you mean you see?

The guy called Major then walked into my field of vision. He wore a dark green and coffee-coloured camouflaging sports attire, a sturdy looking helmet, and a pair of sunglasses shaped like goggles. He was somewhat thin and his skin was a beautiful shade of pink that belongs to primary school students. He actually looked about my age. While putting away the model gun (Well, I think it might be a model gun, but what if it’s a real gun?) into his khaki backpack, he looked at me and said:

“But isn’t this guy a high schooler? He doesn’t fit the description of a NEET.”

“Don’t worry, he’s my kouhai. He’ll become a great NEET after a year or two.”

“I definitely won’t become a NEET!” I protested hastily. Through his goggles, Major glared at me and sat on a cardboard box.

“In this era when there are about a billion NEETs in our country, NEET-in-waitings like you are necessary, are they not? The future of our country sure is dark.”

“……in waiting?”

In bewilderment, I asked him what did he mean by that. Major pointed at me and started to chatter enthusiastically:

“Speaking of which, do you know the how a NEET is defined? The term ‘NEET’ was originally used on people who are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are not in education or employment. When the word came to Japan from England, its meaning changed to include people from 15 to 34. As a lot of types appeared after that, they were even classified into an active type and a passive type, a sudden type, challenged type, caveman type and hesitating type. Besides that, there were also some attempts to classify them using three-dimensional coordination to divide them into eight quadrants, but they are actually just meaningless classifications to me.”

“Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.”

Ayaka served Major his salt-flavoured ramen. It looks like Mukai is Major’s real name.

“I’m so sorry, Fujishima-kun, there would be less customers after a while.”

I tried to give Ayaka a ‘justfindanexcuseformetoleavethisseat’ signal, but she didn’t get it. Major sipped some soup and continued:

“NEETs were originally just a cultural illness of reliance, and will only appear in a prosperous country like ours. We should be more proud of NEETs! Love the country that strives to produce NEETs, for world peace, we must stand up! We must find more non NEET-in-waiting elites, learn from each other , form a new Japanese Party, and bravely challenge the evil! Grow, NEETs! Grow like blazing fire! NEETs!”

“So noisy! Just shut up and eat your noodles!”

Min-san’s furious outburst echoed from the kitchen, and a small frying pan flew out of the kitchen soon after, landing on Major’s head.

“Huh? What’s with that guy?”

A male voice rang in the alley, and a tall silhouette appeared at the end of the alley.

A young man daringly wearing a brightly colored coat with khaki jeans was standing at the end of the alley. His occupation was a mystery, but he radiated the aura of a professional person. His aura was different from what Tetsu-senpai had, but they have the same imposing manner. That man approached, almost causing me to fall off the gas tank.

“He’s Ayaka’s friend. See, he’s from M High School.” Said Tetsu-senpai. “Oh? Oh——”That man patted my shoulders and said:

“There was a time when Tetsu was wearing this uniform too!”

He shot a look at the narrow kitchen back door and sat down beside Tetsu-senpai. I started to get confused. Aren’t the seats here just for NEETs?

“Hi, nice to meet you. Here’s my card.” He took a piece of card out of his pocket and handed it to me. He ''is'' a working person! While thinking so, I took the card, on the card it was printed:

‘NEET - Hiroaki Kuwabara’

…… Huh? I nearly fainted at that moment.

To reconfirm the world that I live in, I breathed in deeply and looked at my surroundings. Tetsu-senpai was eating ice cream, Major was eating salt-flavored ramen. Ayaka was busy washing bowls in the smoky kitchen, Min-san was having a battle royale with flames. Looking at the night skies in this autumn, the only person who found something wrong was me.

“Is…… Is your job a NEET?”

I asked cautiously. Hiro showed me a smile worthy of a toothpaste advertisement while saying:

“What are you talking about? A NEET isn't an occupation!”

Well, that’s true. As I was about to nod, Hiro’s next comment completely devastated me.

“Being a NEET is a lifestyle.”

He actually said that it was a lifestyle? I almost cried. Hiro, with his eyes narrowed while pushing back his hair, was meaninglessly handsome. What on earth is with these people?

“Did you make these cards before this, Hiro?”

“Well, its quite convenient while flirting. People always laugh when they see it.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you’ll make your girlfriend angry like this, and that you shouldn't flirt with other people so much?”

“Ah, I broke up with her already. I’m now living at the house of a lady working at a night club. Making it clear that I’m jobless from the start makes my life much easier!”

So Hiro-san is a gigolo! Well, he did say that it was a lifestyle.

I listened to their conversation at the sidelines while drinking the ramen soup, but I didn't really notice its taste. From their conversation, I gathered that they were about 18 to 19, and are supposed to be teenagers who have bright futures.

I vaguely thought to myself: would Tetsu-senpai’s words that I’ll turn out like them soon come true? I could only hope that this won’t be true.

After we finished eating the ramen, and were enjoying the ice creams (Tetsu-senpai was already eating a second), extremely noisy rock music suddenly blared in this narrow space. It was ‘Colorado Bulldog<ref>Song by the band Mr. Big</ref>. The three immediately sprang up, took out their cellphones that were almost simultaneously playing the same ringtone.

Tetsu-senpai picked up the call first, then Major and Hiro’s phone immediately stopped ringing. An expression that looked very much like regret appeared on their faces.

“Min-san, Alice has an order for you! Onion ramen, without ramen, roast pork and egg.”

Doesn’t that mean that there's only leeks left? I thought to myself. After three minutes, the bowl that Min-san took out did look like there was only leeks and soup.

“Tell this to her clearly, we sell ramen.” Min-san said with a sour expression on her face.

The leeks floating in the soup looked like islands in a sea of soup. Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro-san looked at each other.

“The problem is, who’s gonna take it to her?” said Tetsu-senpai.

“Does Alice seem like she’s in a bad mood?” asked Hiro.

“Definitely.”

“Are you guys taking it to her?” me asking this question was a sign of doom. Tetsu-senpai nodded, and then slapped his kneecap.

“Since there’s four people here, lets decide by a Yamanote Line game<ref>Originally, it’s a game where the each player tells the name of a station that the Yamanote Line can reach. Here, they will say things that are related to the topic given</ref>, the one who loses sends it.”

Four people?

“So what’s the topic?”

“Lets use “Brochures commonly found at employment agencies” then.”

“Okay, but there’s only one chance when you can’t answer.”

“Wa- Wait a minute, did you count me in?”

“Okay, lets start from me. ‘ Guide to a Laborer’s Insurance’.”

“ ‘Searching for your Dreams from Thirty-two’.”

“ ‘Discover your Talents in Two Minutes’.”

“Ah, uh, erm……”

“Narumi, that’s your first loss. ‘How to Resign Favorably’.”

“ ‘Starting Your Business From A Computer’!”

“ ‘Guide for Blending in your New Workplace’.”

“…… How on earth would I know any of those!”

“Ah, getting angry are you? Narumi, as long as you’re a NEET, you’ll have to know about these! Going to an employment agency but coming back without doing anything, this is a route that all of us must take.”

No, the problem is I’m not a NEET.

“If you lose you’ll have to admit it, loser.”

“Don’t mind it, Narumi, it isn’t embarrassing that you don’t know about these.”

“Well, of course! Don’t console me!”

“But you still have to send over the ramen!”

Unable to retort, that was how I fell into their trap.

The place that I was supposed to send the ramen was in the same building as the ramen shop, but on the third floor, room 308. As they said: “You’ll know when you go.” There was a large signboard on the door.

‘NEET Detective Agency’

The words were written with a somewhat cute handwriting, and there were a row of mystifying English words.

It’s the only NEET thing to do

My mind had already gone numb after the events that I’ve gone through today, so I won’t be surprised even if I see a NEET being a detective. I used the corner of the tray that held the ramen to press the electric bell, and the side camera modified into the electric bell flashed blue. According to Tetsu-senpai, that was the sign for ‘Come in’.

After opening the door, I saw that it was a long single room. As the air-conditioner was going strong, it was even colder than outside. Walking past the fridge, kitchen and washing machine in the corridor, a narrow room could be seen. As there were not any partitions in the room, a computer rack could be seen even from the entrance, while countless monitors filled the walls of the room.

“Your ramen is here……”

“Please enter.”

The voice of a young girl rang from inside of the room.

While holding the tray,I walked into the room. This room is really quite something. Three sides of the walls were covered with unknown machines, liquid plasma monitors and electric cables, while the small space left —— the floor in the middle of the room, was filled with a mattress. As though she was buried in dolls, the silhouette wearing pajamas turned around.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 037.jpg|thumb|''She looked just like a doll.'']]

She looked just like a doll. She had a small face, a pair of large eyes that were in contrast with her face, unbelievably white skin, thin limbs, sleek hair flowing on the sheets, and was wearing pale blue pajamas with pictures of cartoon bears on it. I held the tray and stared at the girl.

The girl shifted the table that the keyboard was on aside, and pulled to her bed another long table that was just like those small tables that were used with the mattresses in a hospital.

“What are you standing there for? I ordered leek ramen. I don’t remember ordering a high school student-shaped ornament.”

“Ah, um…… Where should I put the ramen?”

“Since you're standing so far away, do you think that my arms seem like they’re long enough that I can take the bowls from your hands?”

I was scolded by her. But I do not even feel angry or surprised anymore. I placed the tray on the table in front of the girl. She took the disposable chopsticks, looked at it for awhile and breathed in deeply. Her small face was full of determination while the hands holding the tip of the chopsticks were applying force on it. But when the chopsticks were dragged into a ‘人’ shape, it just shook but did not separate. How little strength does this girl have?

“…… Would you like me to give you a hand?”

The cute girl wearing the pajamas was visibly glaring at me.

“It seems that you’re the type that sees a frail bird that couldn’t fly, tosses them upwards and sink in your own satisfaction after that, are you not? These type of people are the most useless of them all. When you walk away triumphantly, the bird would fall back down on the asphalt road and die, but you won’t even know that. Being dumb really should have a limit.”

It’s just a pair of disposable chopsticks, why am I scolded like this? But I did not retort her. Again, she breathed in deeply and applied force to separate the chopsticks.

Thwack.

The chopstick on the right has split into two. This is the most common result. She emotionlessly stared for awhile at the chopsticks with unequal length, and then started to cry. Hey, don’t cry!

She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, and started to eat the leek ramen(that pretty much has only leeks in it). As I was thinking of this, she started to glare at me again and said: “Your interests are really out of my comprehension. Does silently watching people eat make you happy?”

“Ah, so- sorry.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, this time she said: “Where do you think you're going? If you are gone, who will dispose of the bowls? You should really think about this.” I scratched my head, and having no other choice, I squatted down at the entrance with my back to the mattress.

While listening to the girl wearing pajamas eating the onions, I mulled over the things that happened today. I'm just here because I couldn’t refuse Ayaka’s request…… Then, I encountered a lot of stuff. I'm really tired. As I was about to drift into sleep, the girl’s voice rang out yet again.

“Narumi, I’m done. Get some beverages for me from the fridge.”

Startled, I turned back to face the girl.

“Eh, huh?”

“I said, get me something to drink from the fridge. Falling asleep even in someone else’s house, you really are shameless.”

Who are you to say that about me? But still, I followed her instructions as I did not have the energy to retort. After opening the fridge, I found that it was stuffed full of 350ml red cans, and nothing else. I thought that all of them were Coke, but they were actually all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper Dr. Pepper]. I don’t even have the energy to say anything anymore. The girl drank all of the Dr. Pepper that I brought her in one breath, and happiness welled out from her face. Seeing that expression made me feel that I could forgive everything.

“When God was creating the world, it was because He drank Dr. Pepper that He took a rest on the seventh day. If Dr. Pepper does not exist, there would be twelve days in a week instead of seven.”

“Is that so?”

“Narumi, you should drink it too! I can’t give you the ones in my fridge, but I can tell you where you can get them.”

So you're not giving them to me?

“…… Wait!” That was when I realized: “Why do you know my name?”

Was it when she was talking to Tetsu-senpai on the phone? No, at that moment Alice was just ordering her leek ramen, and she hung up right after she ordered. There wasn’t any time for them to say my name.

“Fujishima Narumi, sixteen, male, 164cm tall, weighs 51kg, in class 1-4 of M high school……” She fluently spoke of all of my personal information —— address, phone number, educational background, and family background. I was speechless.

“Ayaka said that there was a new club member, so I just did a little investigation. There is so much information in your school, but so little protective measures, so it’s better if you be more careful.”

At a loss of words, I looked at the wall formed of computers.

“…… Are you a hacker?”

“I’m not a hacker.”

The girl smiled while shaking her head.

“I’m a NEET detective.”

The detective said, Alice was partly her real name, and partly an alias.

“Yuuko can also be read as Alice <ref>有子is read as Yuuko, but 有can be read as ari, 子 can be read as su</ref>. The name Alice was taken from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tiptree,_Jr. James Tiptree's] real name.”

“Who is she?”

Alice sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, looking at me as though she was looking at an idiot.

“She’s a novelist! Didn’t you see the signboard at the door? Although I changed a letter, it was quite a famous quote! Haven’t you read of it before?”

I cocked my head, thinking of the English words on the signboard.

“The detectives that you speak of…… Don’t they just accept other people’s requests and investigate various cases?”

“I am not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective. They are as different as Chofu and Den Enchofu, mind you. An ordinary detective asks around for information, monitors other people, all in all going here and there to search for information and find their target. NEET detectives, on the other hand……”

Alice puffed out her chest, turned around to the wall covered with machines and waved her hands.

“Do not need to leave their rooms even a step, but can search the whole world to find out the truth. You probably just think that I’m just a hikkikomori who’s overly reliant on the Internet, huh? You don’t need to lie.”

“Erm….. Yeah.”

“Hmph, that’s because the common man cannot understand the work of a detective. A detective is the messanger of the deceased, looking for the words lost from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honor of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living. That is why this is such an unpopular and misunderstood occupation……
Is your expression questioning that why am I, as a hikkikomori, am saying all these?”

“No, my expression shouldn’t be that obvious.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“But you look like you have something to say. Don’t worry, just ask! Because of my occupation, I am already used to never ending questions. And I will let you fall into despair very quickly.”

…… Despair?

I don’t really have anything much to ask, just that I’m a bit shocked by the endless chatter of this strange girl, Alice. But in this situation, it seems that I need to ask a question. Looking around the room that looks like a control room, I asked the question that was the most confusing to me.

“You…… What do you usually eat? Do you always eat those stuff?”

Alice’s round eyes became even rounder.

“This trivial matter is the first thing that you thought of?’’

“…… I think that what we eat is very important.”

“Yes, you are correct. You are also an oddball, different from what Ayaka has said.”

Alice narrowed her eyes while looking at me, as though she was smiling.

“To obtain the nutrients essential for my body, drinking Dr. Pepper would suffice. But Min-san is very persistent, so sometimes I eat some vegetables as well.”

“So that’s why you don’t grow……”

“Where did your biased opinion that only tall people are good come from? I can list out fifty advantages for being a shorty and disadvantages of being tall, if you are willing to have a debate, I am always ready to accept the challenge.”

“No, sorry.”

I was just thinking about her height, which resulted in me mumbling to myself and getting heard.

“So do you depend on Min-san for your daily life?”

Alice raised her eyebrows.

“You’re really impolite, you know. I’ve already said that I’m a NEET detective, a NEET detective is an occupational detective! I have an actual income, and pay her for everything.”

“Eh, eh, but aren’t you a NEET?” aren’t all NEETs jobless?

“You misunderstood NEETs from a fundamental level. The second E in NEET is Employment, being employed by someone. My occupation is a personal enterprise, so I’m not employed. How other people view that depends.”

How other people would view.

“…… Lifestyle huh?”

“In Hiro’s life, that is so. Turgenev might say call it the ending of an illusion, Dostoyevsky might call it hell, William Somerset Maugham might call it reality, while Haruki Murakami might call it self. I use another name for it, but anyhow it’s unrelated to the matter of income.”

I have absolutely no idea what she is talking about, but the fact that the pajamas-clad girl earned money by being a detective is somewhat unbelievable. Which reminds me, she seems to be familiar with the usage of computers and the Internet.

“Your expression tells me that you don’t believe me. No matter, another man would come here in a moment to request for my investigation, you’ll probably believe it after you’ve heard it.”

“…… Huh?”

At that moment, the doorbell rang as she had predicted. I turned around and looked at the door.

“Open the door.”

“Me?”

“It would be nice if the agency adds some other way to welcome guests besides the blue lights.”

As I walked to the entrance to open the door, I froze as there were three men outside the door. The young man in the middle was wearing a leather coat and looked slightly older than me, but his expression was like that of a wild wolf. Among the other two who were flanking his sides, one was a man having muscles like a rocky mountain, the other was tall like an electric pole. Both of them were wearing the same gray hoodie.

“Who is this guy? Where’s Alice?”

The wolf said. It was as though I was pierced by his sharp gaze, my lips trembled and I was unable to speak. At this moment, Alice’s voice came from inside the room:

“Oh, Yondaime, please come in.”

The two people behind the man who was called Yondaime said: “We’ll wait here.” And then I was dragged into the room. After the door was closed, the two men disappeared from my field of vision. At the moment when I was closing the door, I felt as if I was glared at, and my hands holding the door handle trembled.

“Narumi, get another can of Dr. Pepper.”

Alice’s voice finally peeled my hands off the door handle.

“Hey, who is that guy? Aren’t we going to talk about the job?”

When I handed the Dr. Pepper to Alice, Yondaime who was sitting beside the matress used his chin to point at me, and then turned around and said to me: “You, get out for a moment.”

“Eh?”

Telling me to go outside the room to become best friends with the two bear-like bodyguards, and wait for you to finish discussing? What are you talking about!

“Yondaime, just imagine that there’s a high school student-shaped ornament here, relax and start the discussion.”

“Hey, Alice, are you joking? You should know that this isn’t something that you can let outsiders know!”

“It doesn’t matter, Narumi is only my assistant for today, I can guarantee that he will not speak of this to anyone else.”

I don’t even know when I’ve become an assistant.

“That's not the point.”

“If you’re so insistent, why don’t you talk so that outsiders wouldn’t understand? Your job has a lot of jargon anyway. If you would not want then, you can just give the request to some other people.”

An awkward expression appeared on Yondaime’s face and he used his foot to kick the bedstead. Finally, he sighed and started to talk.

Indeed, I could not understand a thing, it was all a bunch of unknown nouns and verbs that you couldn’t understand. The ones that I could barely understand “deal with him when we catch him”, are the ones that I really don’t want to understand.

“Hmm.”

Alice finished listening to Yondaime’s explanation and finished drinking her second can of Dr. Pepper.

“I understand. Narumi, do you understand what he just said?”

I hastily shook my head.

“Is that so? Basically, someone is doing unknown drug dealing behind Yondaime’s back, so he requested me to help find out about the ways that they deal drugs.”

“What is the use of me talking like that when you explain it to him!” Yondaime flew into a rage. That was quite understandable. I felt somewhat happy and thought: Great, finally someone would teach her a lesson…… “What is with that happy look on your face!” Yondaime’s changed his target of anger to me. I could only retreat to the corridor and hid behind the fridge.

“Well, as I had a big headache this morning, I wanted to enrage the first person who came in to vent my annoyace, whoever it was. Although Narumi was the first person to come in, but for some reason he is quite tolerant of it, and didn’t get angry at all.”

So she did all that on purpose!

“Coincidentally, the next person was you, so I vented my annoyance on you, so don’t mind it. If I did anything wrong, you’ll always get angry, and that’s why I like you the most.”

Alice stretched her legs out of the blanket and smiled sweetly. At this moment, I was totally defeated (Yondaime probably was, too). Yondaime hammered the blanket for some time, tried to say something but then stopped, and then he stood up.

“So are you willing to accept the request?”

“I accept it, so just leave it all to me!”

“I will mail the details to you, goodbye.”

Yondaime walked to the corridor and dragged me out from the fridge. He caught hold of my left shoulder and applied force on it until his thumb almost sank into my body.

“Ah, ouch…….”

“I’ve remembered your face, and will find out your address immediately. Listen closely, you didn’t hear anything just now. Is that clear?”

The wolfish eyes came closer to my eyes, while I could only nod while trembling.

“Answer me!”

“I…… I didn’t hear anything.”

Yondaime tossed me to the ground and walked out of the room.

“Are you alright?”

Alice came over and asked as I was huddled up on the floor in exhaustion. So she can walk? I thought that she had an illness that causes her to die if she leaves her bed.

“I just feel very tired.”

The words popped out of my mouth. That would be my feelings about what occurred the whole day.

“If I didn’t do so, I’m afraid you’ll still think that I’m a hikkikomori who’s over-reliant on the Internet. Don’t mind it!”

“No, I already understand clearly.”

Because of Ayaka, I stepped into an unbelievable world. Drug dealing, detectives and hackers, I had always hoped that these only exist in worlds that I don’t know of.

“You just wanted me to understand your work, so you said nonsensically that I’m your assistant and that I’m tight-lipped……”

“That is not nonsense. You are indeed tight-lipped, I am sure of it.”

I raised my head to look at Alice and saw that she was smiling. Since this is the first time that we’ve met, why does she dare to say so?

“Hey, Narumi. The people who met me, each and every one of them would ask: ''‘Are you really a NEET? Why did you become a NEET?’'', and you are the first one who did not ask me this question.”

Adjusting to my eye level, Alice squatted down.

“Although it might be because you’re thoughtless or uncaring, but I -- we NEETs would be extremely happy. Instead of pitying us, ignoring us would have been better. 'Why did we become NEETs?', this question shouldn’t even be asked. Because there is only one reason – it is written on our page of God’s notebook: ‘We lose when we work.’ There is no other reason.”

“…… God’s notebook?”

“Isn’t this statement so irresponsible that it’s great?”

Placing her hands and chin on her knees, Alice said while smiling:

“What the word NEET really means, is actually not ‘Someone who doesn’t know how to do anything’, and not ‘Someone who doesn’t want to do anything’.”

<center>*</center>

Holding the empty bowl on the plate while walking out of the NEET Detective Agency, I saw that it was already completely dark outside. The starlight could not be seen as it was hidden by the piercing lights on the earth. The ramen shop below had become extremely crowded. Laughter and angry shouts coming from there could be heard even from here.

After I walked down the emergency backstairs, I found Yondaime sitting on the seat exclusively for NEETs that I was sitting on just now. Tetsu-senpai, Major, Hiro-san and Yondaime surrounded the wooden table, and looked like they were doing something together. The clear tinkle of a bell-like sound could be heard even from far away.

“Sou-san! Didn’t you say that you are only playing for five minutes!?”

The bodyguard, Rocky, who was standing behind Yondaime was shouting angrily by Yondaime’s ears.

“Shut up, how can I go back when I’m in a losing streak! Tetsu, hurry up and throw already!”

“Okay, four five and six.”

“Impossible!”

A large bundle of money was on the bowl. So they’re playing a game of dices. Do these four know each other?

“Fujishima-kun, Min-san made a flavored ice cream, do you want to try some?”

Ayaka ran out holding an ice cream cone. While licking the ice cream which was giving out a fragrant aroma, I listened to the dice tinkling along in the bowl. Yondaime was shouting with his whole face red, throwing his cash onto the bowl like a ninja throwing knives. Looking at this situation, I couldn’t help but feel – somewhat happy.

<center>*</center>

On the way home, the streetlights on the street was very dim. Walking in front of me, Ayaka turned around and said:

“I’m so sorry, I did say that I wanted to have a welcome party for you, but coincidentally the shop was busy……”

Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve talked much with Ayaka today at the shop. There were so many customers that even I helped to deliver.

“Oh yeah, did you see Alice?”

“Yeah…… She’s an oddball.” I couldn’t say anything else about her.

“But it was really unbelievable today. There are indeed a lot of interesting people behind the ramen shop, but its rare that all of them were present like today! You’re so lucky, Fujishima-kun.”

“Does that count as lucky?”

Indeed, the people that I met and the faces that I’ve seen today has far exceeded my brain capacity, but I still remembered all of them. Tetsu-senpai, Min-san, Major, Hiro-san, Alice and Yondaime.

“It would be even better if brother could come.”

Brother?

“After my brother left school, he became a NEET. He usually goes to the ramen shop to hang out with Tetsu-senpai and the others. But recently he didn’t even go home or to the shop. I couldn’t even reach his phone.”

“You can’t really say that all of those who hang out there don’t have a job……?”

A horrible illusion came upon me. Would I turn out like them when I　leave school someday?

Ayaka turned around and said: “Did you ever think of leaving school?”

“Every day.”

Under the streetlight, an inscrutable expression appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“…… Even now?”

I was momentarily speechless. Being unable to immediately answer this question is indeed strange.

Ayaka gazed sincerely at me.

I averted her gaze and lied: “Now…… I don’t want to……. Probably!”

“Is that so.” A gentle smile appeared on Ayaka’s face.

“But I think you have no need to lie right now.”

I stopped walking, speechless, and Ayaka stopped too. Coincidentally, we were standing in the middle of two streetlights, while our shadows interlaced on the asphalt road.

“…… Why?”

I could only say this one word. Why? How did she know that I was lying?

“Because…… That place originally belonged to me.” Ayaka said. “It was because there were no other members that I entered the Gardening Club. So in this case, I’m your senior for about half a year!”

I pondered the reason why Ayaka can smile while saying such a thing. Because she is different from me, and can chat with the other students in our class as if nothing had happened, it seemed as natural as breathing.

Hearing me speak of my true thoughts, she showed me a glass-like small that was even more transparent.

“It’s really simple, you can do it as well. Shout when you’re angry like the others, laugh when you’re happy like the others, and speak your mind when you want something.”

I lowered my head, and thought repeatedly about what Ayaka meant by her words. I still don’t get it. I just felt that her words was like that of a busybody, although its contents completely suits my current situation.

After we crossed the bridge, Ayaka and I said goodbye to each other.

Looking at the silhouette of Ayaka running towards the station, I thought of a scene when she was shouting or laughing like the others. Wasn't she just pushing herself? Does she mean that I should do that as well? Forcing myself to talk to the other students, forcing myself to smile.

I wish that she would not care about me anymore. I just couldn’t do what she said anyhow.

<references/>

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Afterword

2011-12-27T03:16:18Z

Asteradragon:

==Afterword==

Before this, my friend once told me some good advice that felt somewhat unpleasant to me. ‘Not only do your novels lack content, even the afterwords are lame. Your topics every time are empty and full of useless content that have absolutely no connection with your novel, do you actually think anyone wants to read this? Stop dreaming. A rich woman won't appear and pity you just because you show how poor you are in the afterword, or buy clothes for you and give you financial assistance.” Although I didn’t know why he knew my small dream in such detail, his words always made sense, causing me to be unable to retort. And it was because I loved to show off useless information: for instance, cup noodles that are soaked for twenty minutes would expand, filling the stomach easily; and they would make people lose their appetite because of its nasty taste, so a meal a day would be sufficient— and that caused the others to suspect that there’s a problem with my personality. So it’s about time to change the subject.

Then what should I write? My friend told me, the people who flip through books at a bookshop, most of them read the afterword. So I should introduce the contents of the novel in the afterword, and let people understand the contents at a glance. I agree. So that’s why many books have things about the contents in the afterword.

So here are the contents of the book:

“We are a group of dropouts known as people who only graduate from middle school, who don’t want to study, have no intention to work, and are labeled NEETs by the government. We left the wings of our parents, and stayed at the ramen shop; but are not cooped up at the ramen shop doing nothing! As long as we are free, and depending on how good the payment is, we, the NEET N Squad, can do anything. Changing the possible to the impossible, crushing the calculations of the Labour Bureau! We are the jobless NEET N Squad!

‘I’m Shionji Yuko, a NEET leader. Everyone calls me Alice. My special skill is drinking a can of Dr. Pepper in one gulp and hacking into computer systems. If not for a genius commander like me, I wouldn’t have the ability to be the leader of these useless NEETs.’

‘I’m Kuwabara Hiroaki, everyone calls me Hiro. With my handsome appearance, women can’t escape me. Because I’m living a life of a gigolo, from bras to panties(as long as they’re lingerie), I collect them all.’

‘Hi, sorry for the wait! I’m Mukai Hitoshi, everyone calls me Major. My wiretapping and photo taking skills are top notch! You’re saying that I’m a Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure otaku? A military otaku? So? So what?’

‘I’m Ichinomiya Tetsuo, everyone calls me Tetsu the Pachinko Master. I can beat up the police who are out patrolling, but don’t play dices with me!’

We are the NEET N Squad who don’t have any value for survival, bravely challenging the society that says we won't eat if we don't work! If you dropped out too, remember to look for us!”

…… And that’s how it is. Furthermore, although he’s not in the summary, the main character is actually a male high school student.

Because some professional nomenclature often appears in my work, I’ll explain to the readers here—

‘NEET’ : The word is formed from the initials of the sentence ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training.’. The one that is most misunderstood is the first one, ’unemployed’. This is not related to one’s salary. Just like me, who is always showing off his poor financial status in the afterwords, dreaming of the day when a rich woman will feed me — although I have a salary, I’m still a NEET.

‘Dr. Pepper’: A beverage that was released in America in 1885 and is now common everywhere, is the oldest carbonated drink of them all. In Japan, because there’s only five companies that import Dr. Pepper, including the Coca Cola Company, the vending machines that sell Dr. Pepper can only be found in the Kanto, Niigata, Shizuoka and Okinawa districts.

‘Playing dices’: A game that was played in Japan since old times, the requirements are three dices. A large profit can be obtained if played as a gambling game, so it is against the hundred and eighty fifth law of Japan’s gambling law. I nearly went against the law too.

‘You won't eat if you don't work’: According to the twenty seventh law of Japanese law, each and every person has the right and obligation to work. I’ve asked my friend in the law profession: I don’t need rights, so can I not have the obligation? After laughing heartily for twenty minutes, he told me: 'If you want to return the rights, then you must first relieve yourself of the obligation to live.'

Since the publisher said that I could write four pages for the afterword, I feel that I can put in some simple and useful information in it. Although people probably will write useless things if they have spare pages, there’s still one page, so I would like to say something meaningful.

About the starting point of the book: the idea of a ‘NEET detective’, I thought of it when I was chatting on a BBS late at night. The initial setting for the detective was a twenty eight year old jobless NEET man, even though he’s a detective, he’s reliant on the Internet and stays at home every day. If someone gave him a request, he would use Google to search, or post questions on major BBSes to search for an answer, a useless character.

Although I say this every time, this book could only be published with the help of many people. A special thanks to Y-san who proposed that I change the detective to a girl, the responsible editor, Yuasa(?)-sama who edited my drafts repeatedly, Kishida Mel-sensei who gave life to the characters, here I give them my greatest thanks. Thank you.

November 2006, Sugii Hikaru

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 2 Illustrations|Volume 2 Illustrations]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 7

2011-12-27T03:16:02Z

Asteradragon:

==Chapter 7==

So I continued to live on hopelessly.

Our resilience is just too meaningless, and cause us to be unable to escape from this world if the angels don’t lend us a helping hand.

Actually, the police had already grasped the clue about Toshi and Hakamizaka from the medication that they got from Ayaka’s body, it’s just because of the fact that Hakamizaka is the son of a politician, they’ve handled the evidence that they collected very carefully. They never would’ve thought that a large group of NEETs would barge in, and even turned the whole matter upside down. The CID who interrogated me seemed to know Tetsu-senpai as well, and he told me the whole truth dolefully.

I was let go after just being interrogated once, while quite a few people from Hirasaka-gumi, led by Yondaime, were arrested. The reason that Alice and I were immediately released was probably because Yondaime hid a part of the truth, because he said to me when we separated: “You owe me one.”

Hakamizaka Shirou was dead even when the ambulance arrived at the scene; the other five who took part in manufacturing and selling the drugs also overdosed on the drug, and died in the hospital.

Just like that, the angels’ wings disappeared from the streets.

A typical ending.

I’m not sure of the details of what occurred after that, because I didn’t show up at Hanamaru Ramen Shop anymore.

<center>*</center>

January ended, and February passed gradually. After a few snowstorms, I failed in three more subjects in the end of semester test at the end of February.

I kept avoiding the Gardening Club, as I would think of Ayaka and get depressed there. Why was I depressed? I looked at the barren garden from the window of the classroom. It’s just that I’ve returned to the days before I met Ayaka, the me at that time didn’t feel painful when I was alone.

The reason that I changed was of course, because I started to understand the warmth of having other people by my side, so I thought of ways to forget about it, and avoid talking to the others. To my classmates who were worried about me and tried to chat with me, I just shook my head, refusing to say anything. Right after the make up examinations ended, I stopped going to school.

It’s just that I’ve gone back to the days before I met her— those are just lies.

Ayaka’s disappearance was like the wound of a scratch, deeply etched into my heart.

<center>*</center>

Sometimes, I would subconsciously remember things about Ayaka. Especially during midnight, when I laid on my bed, staring at the pitch black skies at the other side of the glass window.

Next, I would think of Alice’s cold hands, Min-san’s ice cream, and the sounds and laughter of four people surrounding a bowl, playing a game of dices.

But that did not exist solely for me. If I firmly deem that they exist solely for me, when I discover the truth, all of this would be taken away, defiled, vanish, leaving my own pitiful self.

If the ending is like this, it’s better if I don’t get closer from the start.

Those are my conclusions. Even if I would be alone like this, and nobody would ever speak to me or call my name again.
<center>*</center>

But one night, my phone suddenly rang. I kept skipping school, and just like that, the spring holidays arrived. On the first day of the spring holidays, my phone rang. It was because I was rolling around on my bed with the lights on, that I subconsciously picked up the phone.

‘It’s me, go to your school right away. I’m waiting for you in front of the entrance.’

It was Alice. It was indeed Alice’s voice.

I couldn’t believe it, and was dumbstruck, my phone pressed to my phone, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

‘What’s with you? Are you trying to tell me that you’re going to sleep soon? Late night is the time that I move about. As my assistant, you’re telling me that you want to sleep? Isn’t it the spring holidays right now? Hurry up and make preparations to come out.’

“Wh…..” Unable to speak properly, I choked. “Wh- Why? The school?”

Does Alice know what time it is?

‘It is now three thirty five at night. Come here in thirty minutes. You are absolutely not allowed to let me wait for you outside.’

“Why do I……:”

‘You just have to ask about everything, such an annoyance. You’re my assistant, right? Or did you forget about our employment contract? I have something that I need you to see, so don’t ask anymore, hurry up and come.’

I flipped over my phone and looked at it in great detail. I just have this feeling that the phone call was just my imagination, but the liquid plasma screen did show a phone log.

Something for me to see?

As I was determined not to meet again, I originally wanted to just ignore Alice’s phone call and sleep. But even when I closed my eyes and lied down on the bed to sleep, Alice’s words still lingered in my mind.

School. Something that I have to see.

Would it be something about Ayaka?

I got up from the bed and carefully tip toed downstairs to avoid waking my sister, and walked out of the entrance. Probably because it’s already springtime, I could finally go out at night without wearing a sweater.

I got onto my bike, riding in a zephyr in the night.

<center>*</center>

“You’re late by twelve minutes.”

Alice was mad. Just like that day, she wore a black, western dress, a bonnet with a veil on it, held a plushie of a baby bear in her hands, and was squatting down on the pillar in front of the school gate.

It was the first time I came to the entrance of M High School late at night, white fluorescent lights on the walls surrounding the school faintly illuminated the campus. A corner of the glass window on the third floor reflected the moon. There wasn’t anyone in there.

“Because you have this look of incomprehension on your face, I’ll just tell you first. I’m a hikikomori, the degree of pain of staying outside is an extension of the exponential function (Z: I don’t get it. Can someone check this out for me?) . You might think that twelve minutes is not a big deal, but for me, you’ll have to add the twenty five minutes of getting here from my room.”

“Sorry, but since it’s already late at night, it’s better not to make a fuss out here.”

Alice’s shut mouth started to pout, and caught hold of my belt with trembling hands.

“Take me to the place where the few potted plants are placed on the rooftop.”

“Rooftop……? But……”

“I’m a NEET detective. The alarms have already been switched off, and I have the keys as well.”

How did she get the keys?

“If you want to know, just ask Major. I’m don’t know about the details. Goodness knows how he got that.”

Major…… I had this feeling from before that he had criminal tendencies, but never would I thought that it was true. But why are we going to the rooftop anyways?

Alice stopped answering my questions, showed me a ‘you’ll know when you see it’ expression and pushed on my back forcefully. I sighed and accepted the keys.

After I opened the door, I stepped onto the nostalgic uneven ground of cement. As it was unlit, it was pitch black at the rooftop. The streetlights were too low after all, while the brightness of the stars was too far away.

The indistinct view of the night could be seen at the other side of the railings. Through the river, gazing at the direction of the station, the brightness of that area was like a desecration of the night. With its back to the station, the ambiguous boundary between the night sky and the earth were scattered with headlamps and the lights that seeped out of the windows of the buildings.

My thanks to the night sky. If it was daytime right now, I would probably think of Ayaka again, right?

“Ahhhh, there’s something helpful here. Could we climb up there from here?”

Alice said while tightly holding onto my belt behind me. Raising my head to look upwards, there was only the night sky and a huge, black hole— no, the shadow of the water tower.

“…… are you climbing?”

“Being higher is better.”

I had wanted to say that it’s too dangerous climbing up in the dark, but was deterred by Alice’s determined eyes. But even if I climbed up the ladder, I still had to use up a lot of energy to drag the helpless Alice up.

“What is with this ladder, not even thinking for users who are my size, really!”

Alice clambered up to the top of the water tower, sticking close to the surface that was uneven due to being slightly raised, and complained while panting.

“You could just put the plushie at the bottom…..”

“Do you think I can stand the horrors of being outside without Lyril? I know that you’re both cold and insensitive, but I didn’t know that you’re that over!”

“Okay, I get it, I get it, sorry.”

Alice soared angrily while clutching on my clothes for dear life, not even being slightly courageous.

“So what are we going to do next? Summon a UFO?”

“We wait till dawn.”

“…… Eh?”

“We’re waiting here until dawn.”

I couldn’t say anything for a moment.

I had wanted to complain, but after seeing Alice hugging her knees, burying her chin in her teddy bear while with her eyes glued to the floor of cement, I couldn’t say anything.

Alice said that she had something for me to see. She did this for me, and only me, and for that reason she came out from her shell— the room that was full of machines, to wait for me, didn’t she?

I squatted down beside Alice, feeling the warmth of her body beside me.

There was only the slight sounds of the wind, faraway exhaust pipes of cars, and the sound of Alice’s breathing.

Not knowing for how long, as if pure, clear water seeped into the bottom of the night, the skies gradually turned blue. The lights of the streetlights started to fade, while the darkness of the night gradually faded from the floors of the rooftop. Bunches of weeds could be seen on the cement floor.

“Ayaka……”

Alice said in a small voice.

“Did she really go away without telling you a thing?”

I bit my lips and nodded.

“Really? Then I will tell you the words that have faded away in place of the deceased.”

“…… Eh?”

“That would be the reason why Ayaka chose to jump down from the school building. It’s going to be daybreak soon.”

Alice said that it was the sole mystery.

The mystery that connected me to Alice.

“…… Do you understand now?”

“Ayaka jumped down from the rooftop so that the rooftop would be sealed off.”

“……. Wh……What?”

“Don’t you understand? This is the sacred place where you and Ayaka spent your time together. So that no other people would trespass in here, she chose to jump off here. The graduation photos were to be taken here, right? But if someone committed suicide here, the school must seal off all the entrances to the rooftop because of safety reasons— you see, it has started.”

Started? What started?

Following Alice’s gaze, I looked at the floor of the rooftop.

In the long, extended period of time, the sun rose behind me. The clear morning that gently blended together light and darkness, cold air filled my surroundings, and I realized at that moment.

At the start, I thought that something was off, but the lush grassy land on the cement floor started to recover its greenery while bathing in the rays of sunlight, and a vivid red spread throughout the surrounding as if they were dyed.

Flowers.

In the dense grassy land on the rooftop, many flowers started to bloom, as though welcoming the morning sun.

I almost cried out loud, a hot substance filling my throat. The red stars that surfaced from the greenery clearly drew out a picture.

“The flowers are planted in a circle…… No, a double circle…… or triple……?”

Alice said in a small voice that wasn’t much different from the sound of her breathing. My fingers tightly clenched my knees, and shook my head. No, that’s not a circle. The letter G was inside of C, while the letter M was engulfed by the letter G.

It was our flag.

It’s the symbol that connects Ayaka and I.

In the light of dawn, it was as though the flowers used their faces to greet joy, blooming splendidly. How long did Alice and I stare silently at the flowers?

“Long-headed poppy.”

Alice stared at our flag while muttering.

“They bloom as soon as day breaks, and withers after a day.”

I couldn’t shift my gaze, and could only nod in agreement. My chest hurts like it was being held tightly, and heat rose in my body. I’m the only one left, and there’s nobody beside me. Why? Why did you leave this thing? Why are you letting me remember this?

“Ayaka might have been blinded by the drug, but she remembered this place in the end, and jumped down to protect this place.”

Alice said with a small but determined voice.

“I know.” My voice that came from my throat was wet.

“Ayaka kept thinking for you.”

“I know!”

So what? I don’t need this thing, I only wish that Ayaka would continue to be healthy. My wish is so small, it’s just that small……

“Of course all of this is only my assumptions, but I don’t really know if it’s true. Digging out the words of the deceased from their graves—“

“Shut up!”

“—anyways, it is just a consolation for the living. What Ayaka was really thinking of, I don’t understand too. But……”

Alice stacked her hand on my hand that was on my knee.

“This beautiful scene is real, only this is a fact. So you must accept it, right?”

The flag of flowers in my eyes started to blur, and the rooftop melted in a sea on that morning. The first teardrop trickled down from my cheeks, and they couldn’t be stopped anymore, and filled my whole world. That was the first time I cried after Ayaka’s suicide.

Why do people only leave memories? Isn’t it better if they rook away the memories about them with their death? Memories can’t be erased, my whole life before me would be used up to search for Ayaka’s true message in this beautiful scene.

“Narumi, do you hate me for bringing you here?”

Facing Alice’s question, I shook my head, tears flowing down my face. How could I hate you?

“Then it’s better if you just hate me. I’ve told you before, Ayaka’s suicide, your sadness, all of them are my fault.”

“Stop talking.”

“I can only use this method to connect with the world, so it’s better if you hate me or reprimand me.”

“STOP TALKING!”

I shouted harshly, turning around to face Alice. Her large eyes seemed to have a hint of tears in it, but those might just be my own tears.

“Is there any meaning to that? Are you an idiot? Shout when you’re angry like the others, and laugh when you’re happy like the others, speak your mind when you want something, why can’t you even do such a simple thing?”

“Because I’m that kind of person, didn’t you know?”

“I don’t know!”

I flung away Alice’s hand that was tightly holding on to my shirt.

“Narumi, wait—.”

I jumped down from the water tower, bouts of aches coming from my knees and my waist. I ignored Alice’s words, rushed out of the door and down the stairs. I, myself, don’t understand why am I so angry, but the anger was neither directed at Ayaka nor Alice, and not myself either.

Tears choked my throat. I ran in the streets on this morning, my lungs hurting like they were burning. When I ran past the bridge, the morning sun illuminated my face from the side.

I stood still temporarily, placed my elbows on the railings and looked downwards. I wept for awhile, the tears dropped down, and were absorbed by the billowing dust that was swept up by a truck..
<center>*</center>

Even so, I’m still just a useless, brainless, insensitive and cold-blooded person. The meaningless anger vanished right that day, and tears couldn’t even come out anymore.

Humans could get used to anything.

And they don’t even feel that their habits are sorrowful things.

The people who feel that it’s sorrowful are probably those who are in heaven, huh?

All of us are just manipulated by the notebook that was scribbled on randomly by that guy, being a bit angrier every day, smiling some more, then regret some more, we could only strive to live on like this.

<center>*</center>

On the evening two days after that, I dragged my sluggish body, wearing a thick woolen jacket, and wobbly rode my bike to the hospital.

Ayaka was still in a coma.

In the bright room that was so bright that it’s annoying, the patient that is lying on the bed at the center of the room didn’t even have a hint of blood in her face, and that person is Ayaka. The nurses told me: “She’s still breathing!” but I can’t see any movement in her chest. The ward was so silent that I could almost hear the sound of the liquid in the IV drip trickling through the tube.

I thought, Ayaka’s body is indeed here.

But her soul is at goodness knows where.

At that time, light shone from the other side of the door that was forcefully opened because of the drug. The place that I saw was probably not where Ayaka was, but my own; while the destination that Hakamizaka headed to was the darkness in his heart. We are all imprisoned in our own body, and probably couldn’t go elsewhere.

That’s right, are you Fujishima-kun? I raised my head because of the nurse’s question. I think that they are Ayaka’s classmates, they’ve brought something and asked me to give them to you.

The nurse took something out of the wardrobe at the side of the walls. It was a plastic bag that was filled with ten colored papers. Words written with an oil-based pen was written on the plastic bag: ‘Fujishima-kun’s ten papers’.

I blankly stared at the face of the nurse. The nurse smiled and pointed in the direction of the bed. At that moment, I realized that about a thousand paper cranes were hung beside her pillow, and the card that was nearby said that it was a gift from class 1-4.

Just call me if there’s anything. The nurse left after saying that.

I’m alone.

I looked at the plastic bag with the colored papers inside with my head lowered.

Why didn’t they forget about me? I didn’t even answer them when they talked to me, I didn’t even go to school.

I would probably cry if I continued to think about it, so I sat down on the round stool and took out the colored papers from the bag.

It was just ten paper cranes, but it took me a long, long time. Each one of the paper cranes were all quite ugly due to them being crumpled up. To tie the cranes onto the thousand cranes, I went to the side of the pillow and suddenly found something.

On the wardrobe at the other side of the bed, things that seemed like gifts from the visitors were stacked on it, forming an intriguing combination.

A small wreath of flowers was placed in a transparent, palm-sized box.

Beside the wreath of flowers was a plastic tank model.

The only normal present was a flower basket with dried up flowers.

And there was also a 350cc deep red can.

At the side of the bed, which is also at the side of Ayaka’s face, I bent down my back and looked directly at Ayaka.

Saying that I can’t go anywhere is just a lie, because I can still walk with my own two feet. Ayaka can’t even use her legs to walk around now, but I have somewhere that I must go.

After hanging the ten paper cranes with the thousand paper cranes, and was about to walk out of the ward, I suddenly stopped.

It was like I’ve heard something, like someone was calling me, so I turned my head around. Of course, it was just my illusion, as Ayaka was still frozen at the middle of the white ward. But I noticed the changes on Ayaka, hurriedly rushed to the bed and stared at her face.

Ayaka’s eyelids slowly fluttered open.

I could see the color of Ayaka’s irises, but she was not looking at me. Ayaka’s eyes probably saw through my face, saw through the ceiling of the hospital, passed through the blue skies of the spring that was so sunny that it made people feel stupid, and was looking at that open door.

My hand moved on its own, not sure of how many time I pressed the emergency button. The sound of many footsteps came closer to the ward and surrounded me. The nurses pushed me away and pressed herself close to Ayaka’s face. As soon as she said to call a doctor, another nurse hurriedly ran out of the ward. The people wearing white robes finally surrounded the bed and started to argue after doing a brain wave examination, saying that it was the reflective action of the iris, then shooed me out of the ward.

The white haired doctor walked out and started to explain about Ayaka’s condition to me, who was sitting blankly in the sofa of the corridor. Everything isn’t clear yet, as they won’t know if they didn’t do detailed examination. Although it’s not too clear, conditions like this would occur occasionally. Although the chances of her awakening are small, there is still a possibility.

So go home for today.

I once chose to cover my ears and just wait.

But now I have a place that I must go. So, I nodded and stood up.

<center>*</center>

Passing the bridge, passing through the Shuto Expressway, going around the station, I walked towards Hanamaru Ramen Shop that I didn’t show up for about a month and a half already.

“I’ve thought of a new dish: ‘Sesame Butter Ramen’, try it!”

Min-san, who was about to start work, said as if nothing had happened. It was like I came here yesterday and the day before yesterday. Min-san’s tone of speech made my chest hurt— but they also calmed me.

“Sesame and butter are both good, but when mixed……”

I think that they’ll be bad.

“Stop your blabbering. It’s going to be done soon, so eat it.”

“I have to go to Alice’s place for awhile.”

“Hmm— ? Ahhhh, that’s right……”

Min-san stretched her upper body out of the counter and patted my shoulder.

“She’s really mad, you should be mentally prepared.”

Eh, she’s really mad

“There’s no ice cream to help you this time, so you’ll have to put in effort yourself!”

Min-san laughed evilly, and forcefully pushed at my back. It can’t be helped, it’s my fault, after all.

<center>*</center>

The air in the NEET Detective Agency was so cold that it could freeze people to death, and my feelings were also as sharp as the shards of ice that were given out by the air conditioner along with the cold air. Alice, who was wearing pajamas, had her back to me. Her black hair that flowed on the blanket like rivers looked like a sharp object made of glass that day.

“No need, you don’t need to apologize to me, it’s just a small thing. Forsaking me on top of the water tower at the rooftop that day, although I experienced two hours like I was an abandoned man-made satellite, I couldn’t find any reason for you to apologize even after looking through the whole world. Being unable to climb down the ladder myself is completely my own fault. If you really want to apologize, then go look for Major. He was called out by my phone call early that morning, hid from the teachers on duty that day and fetched me from the water tower."

“…… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I apologize to you.”

Alice didn’t even turn her head over, harshly pounding on the keyboard. Empty cans of Dr. Pepper were stacked beneath the bed, forming a circular wall.

She’s obviously mad. Why am I so stupid?

It’s just because Alice was talking to me at my side, I vented my confused emotions on her, just like a kid.

“Didn’t I say you don’t need to apologize to me!”

Alice’s voice that sounded like there were thorns in it came from my back.

“But abandoning you outside and running home is indeed my fault. Sorry, I won’t do it again. When we go out next time, I’ll take really good care……”

The black hair suddenly moved. Alice turned her hair around, her face burning red.

“Th- th- that’s just because you’re coincidentally by my side! Don’t talk as if I can’t go out if you’re not here!”

“Ah, so- sorry.”

I curled up my body. I obviously didn’t mean that too.

“What is the motive of you coming here today, besides making fun of me? If there’s anything else, hurry up and speak!”

Alice swung her pillow around with her face red, hitting the carpet.

Something else.

The conversation just now was what I wanted to say…… If I just said that honestly, I would probably just make Alice even angrier, huh? What on Earth should I say?

Alice suddenly turned around to face the keyboard with her back against me.

I pondered for a moment on what to say.

Would this type of lame argument work?

I don’t know, so I could only try.

“…… My employment contract…… is it still effective?”

The sound of the keyboard pounding stopped, the black hair flowing to a different direction because Alice turned around to face me. Her brows were tightly knotted, and the corner of her lips moved slightly downwards.

“Of course it’s finished, because the contract ends when I find out about the truth.”

“But……”

I used my tongue to wet my lips, suppressing the nervous emotions in my heart.

“ Alice said it before, but you’re still not sure about the situation. So……”

I crudely pointed out the errors in Alice’s words. If it’s Alice, if it’s the usual Alice, she would’ve used fifteen times of her debating power to overwhelm me from the start. But the Alice at that moment suddenly froze because of my answer.

“So I’m still Alice’s assistant, right?”

“So I’m here to apologize today, and from now on—”

Ayaka might awaken some day, and she might tell us the truth that day. So until that day, I will be Alice’s assistant.

My words were interrupted because Alice suddenly started to throw empty cans of Dr. Pepper at me. The pure ‘dong’ sound of the metal rang.

“Idiot! Get out!”

Alice said with a slight red tinge on her cheeks. This was the shortest comment that I’ve ever heard Alice say.

I lowered my head, paused my breathing, sighed and stood up.

When I walked out of the room, actually I wasn’t here for an apology, and neither here for the matter about being her assistant, and so I’ve forgotten about it subconsciously because I thought that it was too stupid. Surely enough,the only words that I could say is just these.

“…… Thank you, in ways more than one.”

I said to the silhouette wearing teddy bear pajamas.

Walking out of the room and closing the door, the sentence on the signboard came into my eyes.

It’s the only NEET thing to do.

Shouldn’t there be a better way of setting thing? But it can’t be helped, I’m just a useless, brainless, insensitive and cold-blooded kid. For me, this is already the best effort that I have. If this doesn’t succeed as well, the regret wouldn’t get me anywhere.

There’s no reason for me to be here now.

This is the result that I have chosen, because life cannot be turned back.

<center>*</center>

After I walked down the stairs and was walking towards the streets, I met a darkish person. It was Tetsu-senpai! I became harried. After just half a month, I didn’t even know what to say at the start, I even thought of going past Tetsu-senpai and just runaway.

But Tetsu-senpai spoke as if nothing had happened:

“Oh? Well if it isn’t Narumi. You came at just the right time.”

From behind Tetsu-senpai, Hiro, Major who had a model gun slung on his back, and Yondaime who was wearing a purple vest were noisily walking towards the kitchen backdoor.

“Narumi, it’s been a long time. We’re going to visit Toshi today! To the police hospital, the police hospital! It’s at Iidabashi, have you ever went there before? No, right? It’s my first time too.” Hiro showed us a hearty smile as usual. “I never thought that Yondaime would come too, I really thought that he’d be locked up for five years or so too. I never would’ve thought that he’d be out so soon, so we’re celebrating for him getting out of the jail.”

“Don’t say it like that, it’s the end of my custody.”

“So nobody in your gang got caught? Congratulations. Because it’s your treat, I’ll go all out and order a large bowl of roast pork noodles.”

“Oi, wait a sec, why am I treating? Normally shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

“It’s the same when you get the ball into the hole when playing golf!”

“It’s not!”

“You’re so fussy, then how about the five of us play a game of poker, the last player treats!”

Tetsu-senpai took a pack of poker cards out of his pocket.

Five of us?

“Narumi, what are you doing? Hurry up and sit down!” Tetsu-sempai sat down on the stairs and knocked on the place beside him. Hiro who was sitting on the gas tank, Major who was sitting on the stacked up tires, and Yondaime who was sitting on the beer crate were all looking at me.

“…… I…… can join too?”

“Of course!” Hiro patted my back.

I stood blankly there, lowered my head and closed my eyes, trying to suppress my tears from falling. Why? Why would I feel like crying because of this? From that day, it feels like somewhere in my heart was hurt. But it’s okay even so, it’s not like my heart is broken or something—

At that moment, the phone in my pocket started to vibrate.

I used my rigid hand to take out the phone from my pocket.

‘There’s two orders for you right now.’

Alice said. It was indeed Alice’s voice.

‘The first thing, change your ringtone to ‘Colorado Bulldog’.’

My hand that was holding the phone was trembling. So that my tears would not fall, I forced myself to look at the sunny skies.

‘The second thing, my stock of Dr. Pepper had finished. You’d see Lowson Market after you turn right at the end of the road, hurry up and go buy a crate of Dr. Pepper here.’

“Mnn, ah, that is……”

I said with tears in my eyes.

‘I’m not forgiving you, because I wasn’t even angry with you, and you don’t have to apologize to me!’

“Mnn, I understand.”

‘Write NEET Detective Agency at the end of the receipt.’

And then Alice hung up suddenly. I wiped my red eyes, and the four looked at me while smiling or in surprise.

“…… I want a sports drink.”

“I want black coffee from Wonder.”

“It’s fine as long as it’s hundred percent fruit juice.”

“Oolong tea. I’ll kill you if you dare to buy a brand other than Suntory.”

And so I immediately became the errand boy. Well, it’s okay even if it’s like that. I might be a useless, brainless, insensitive and cold-blooded kid, but there’s still something that I could do.

Tetsu-senpai kicked my bottom, and I was kicked out. My pockets stuffed full of change, I ran towards the main street.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 6

2011-12-27T03:15:48Z

Asteradragon:

==Chapter 6==

A strong tinge of purple pervaded the streets of that Friday night, the buses that bore their maws towards the bus stop were expelling large amounts of purple spots that stuck onto people’s faces. During the red light, the purple spots gathered at the zebra crossing, flowing slowly. Why is it that the street isn’t destroyed because of the bruises? I stood before the road, breathing in the pungent odor of the exhaust gas while thinking.

‘…… Narumi, how do you feel?’

Alice’s voice came from the earphones stuck in my ears.

“I feel like puking.”

My voice had probably spread out through the microphone hidden in my muffler. The knitted cap on my head looked like a strangely shaped pot, and a camera was set up inside it; I’m starting to feel as if I’m not a person anymore. If I’m a robot, I would probably be able to get the repulsive feeling to disappear after pressing a button.

‘If the repulsive feeling disappears, you won’t be able to come back anymore. Listen, don’t think about negative things, even thinking of the ice cream that Master made would be okay, as you’ll be devoured by the drug.’

Alice’s advice is just useless to me. The dry, bitter taste of Angel Fix is still lingering in my mouth. Because it was too bitter, I bit my mouth to hide the taste with blood, but it became more terrible instead. After a few minutes, I realized that using the taste of blood to hide the taste of the drug is already an abnormal thought, and a chill came upon my back. At this moment, the sense of wanting to puke came upon me once again.

I’m being devoured by the drug.

“…… I just feel that my eyes are strange today, it’s like I’m looking at everything through an infrared camera. Why is everybody wearing masks? Is there a festival today?”

‘Narumi, calm down, nobody’s wearing masks.’

‘But…..”

The green light lit up, and someone was pushing against my back. The masked crowd flowed from two sides of the road to the dark, murky river of the asphalt road. I was drawn into the crowd, and took a step forward.

Tetsu-senpai and Hiro should be tailing me somewhere, and that’s my only consolation. If I couldn’t even remember that, I’ll probably just drown in the streets, not able to float ever again, right?

Hiro was in charge of tailing the drug dealer.

Tetsu-senpai, on the other hand, was in charge of— collecting my corpse.

Nobody knows if I will be able to find them, and I might just die in vain.

The horns of the cars are making my ears hurt. Going past the zebra crossing, in the crowd, the piercing music in the pharmacy is hurting my ears, and my head hurts too, the repulsive feeling is becoming stronger.

‘Walk onto the slope from the street center, and wander around the Hotel Street.’

“Alice, why are you gnashing your teeth? It’s so noisy, stop that.”

‘ What are you talking about? I’m not gnashing my teeth.’

I only noticed after Alice said that, the teeth gnashing sound was the footsteps of high heeled shoes of a college student beside me who looked like a woman. I knotted my brows, stopped walking and kept my distance with her. But it’s completely useless, footsteps came from all around me. I covered my ears, almost kneeling on the ground. Damn it! Why do women in the street always wear high heeled shoes, hurry up and change into flat ones!

‘What’s with you, Narumi? Am I talking too loudly?’

“It’s…… nothing.”

I used the back of my palm to wipe away the spit at the corner of my mouth and stood up again. The office ladies gave me a look and passed by me. Never mind, it’s just footsteps. I breathed in deeply, and held in the gastric acid that felt like it’s burning in my throat. How much time has passed since I took the medicine? Probably just twenty minutes? Or has two weeks already passed, and it’s just that I couldn’t remember? Angel? It’s just a repulsive feeling.

While moaning, I walked to the west of the street center. I felt terrible when I passed through the playground, the flood of noises made me feel that I was shot at from the side by a thousand air guns.

‘Vice Admiral Fujishima, please take note. Your blood pressure is rising rapidly.’

Major’s voice came from the earphones. I placed my hand on my left wrist. Not only did Major set up cameras, microphones and earphones, he even installed things to measure my pulse, blood pressure and body temperature. I feel like I’m a robot that’s controlled from afar.

‘Narumi, you’re probably going to cross the boundary between reality and hallucination soon, you must think of something happy!’

Something happy?

Three uniformed girls passed by my side while exiting a HMV Record Store. It’s our school uniform. Happy moments in my memory—

‘Don’t think of Ayaka!’

Alice sensed my thoughts with her acute intuition, and tried to stop me with her piercing voice. But she was too late. I was forced to relive the moments with Ayaka on the rooftop that day, the night skies were at the other side of the railing. Ayaka was at my side, and the watering can wettened my hand. Ayaka said: Just wait until spring comes…… and then it changed to spring. The night skies were chased away, and my body was surrounded by a gentle, gold radiance……

What is this?

I stood at the center of the crossroad, the road was surrounded by buildings full of colorful neon lights. Raising my head to look at the sky, I saw it.

“…… Angel?”

‘Narumi, what did you see? Whatever it is, just tell me, try to describe it, and don’t just sink in the feeling.’

I squinted, hugging the streetlight, because it seemed like I would be flushed away by the radiance if I didn’t do so.

“Alice, hey, have you ever looked at the surroundings from the centre of an explosion?”

‘Sorry, but I’m a hikikomori, so I’ve never seen an explosion before. But even if I have a chance to see it in the future, I’ll politely decline your recommendation of how to watch it.’

“Really? Because that’s what I’m feeling right now.”

I stretched out my hand towards a light particle. The sweet flow of electricity passed through my fingers, my head.

“Ahhhh…….”

I let out my hot breath. From god knows when, the repulsive feeling and my headache vanished. The sensation that took their place filled my skull, the power that melted the snow accumulated through the winter, the power that pulled the sun out from the surface of the sea during a new day. I knew what that power was called, everyone knew it, it’s just that the people who couldn’t see angels have forgotten about it.

I thought, Toshi probably saw the same scene, huh? If that is so, then I’ll forgive him. I’ll forgive Ayaka who jumped off the school building without saying a word, because she just went to see the angels. You see, if you just stretch out your hands, angels are around us. Forgive those faceless, purple patients who are just swept through the night, they just don’t know the existence and the name of this light.

“Alice, do you know what this is called?”

Even my own mutterings turned into brilliant light particles, intercrossing with my white breathing and spread out.

‘I know, it’s love. Love makes the world go round.’

The sweet voice of the young girl was quoting the lyrics from Bob Dylan’s songs, yes, it’s love. Before Dylan gave it to us, he might not have known about its name, too. But we know, its name is love, so I am definitely not letting go.

‘Narumi, but you’re looking for another song, remember? It’s Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’.’

Hearing Alice’s words, I remembered. That’s right, I’ve forgotten. I have to search for heaven’s door.

I need to meet Ayaka.

I stepped on the surface of the night river, every step turned into a ripple and spread to the whole world. The whole world is beckoning to me, saying that they exist because of me, and that we are one and the same. I raised my fist to the sky that was raining feathers of the angels, and felt that I had to sing. I was born for this moment, to accept the guidance of the rays of love, walk up the slope, and open the doors to heaven. Listen, there’s a faint sound of the plucking of a guitar. The hostels arranged side by side are palaces of gold, the sounds of footsteps, noises, the sounds of the engines of cars further away, the sounds of thousands of the outer unit of air conditioners, the sound of wet breathing due to lust, all of them combined into a chorus of holy music, getting close to Dylan’s husky voice.

‘ Knockin’ on heaven’s door…….’

I heard it. I could really hear it. In the tens of thousands of music that were gently caressing me, I could differentiate Dylan’s music. I found Dylan’s singing voice.

“…… I found it.”

At the instant when I was murmuring to myself, joy that was close to melancholy gushed out from my mouth and my ears, then splattered onto my skin.

The man was leaning against the steel door that looked sticky and filthy because of spray pain, and gradually squatted down. His head was lowered, and he tapped his knees to the tempo of the holy music with earphones on his ears.

‘Narumi, you found him? Really?’

Don’t you know? Can’t you see it? Shining wings are clearly drawn on both of the man’s cheeks, it’s so dazzling, too.

‘Narumi, answer me if you’ve found him, and don’t get any closer!’

The voice of the young girl resounded in my ears. With my hands on the wall of the hostel, I slowly walked towards the angel. It felt just like stepping on clouds. Very soon I’m going to reach him, very soon.

‘Tetsu, catch hold of Narumi, and don’t get caught! Hiro, you know it, right? He’s the one who’s wearing a leather jacket and squatting down with earphones on. You can’t get caught by him! And don’t let him run away! Narumi! Narumi! Get a hold of yourself!’

I pulled off the noisy earphone. The song of the angel flowed directly into my mind. This is the music of the song Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. I’ll get there soon. Soon I’ll be able to see Ayaka again. Just as I was about to stretch out my hand, someone fiercely caught hold of my shoulders.

Let go! Let go of me!

I struggled until my wrist almost broke off. He’s flying away, the angel is flying away. The door that was opening soon is closing. I clutched the asphalt road with my fingers, not noticing that I was lying on the ground. That’s why the ray of light is above me, until darkness and the long, dark clouds gradually covered up my eyelids. I repeatedly knocked on heaven’s door, again and again, again and again, knocked and knocked……

<center>*</center>

I think everyone has thought at least once when they were little, why do humans continue to live, because there isn’t a simple and clear answer written in the textbooks of this country (An answer existed in the past, but was burned down during the Second World War and the collapse of the economy).

Some people made a simple conclusion, that is to obtain happiness, and then stopped thinking about it; while the people who couldn’t stop thinking about it realized that this answer is just another way of phrasing the question, and in the end they sank deeper into the swamp of questions.

Some people were already satisfied with the answer on the P.E textbook during high school, the three main requirements of humans, a meaningless answer; And some people even answered it in a cycle— living is to search for the meaning of our existence; there were also some people who started to read philosophical books just so that they could have a cool answer if they were asked, but in the end stopped after they read the first paragraph of the forth page, and completely forgot about the question.

I am not any of those people.

Before I became an awkward high school student, I was a not so awkward middle school student. Those days, I skipped school before, and pondered about the question while sitting beside the riverbank.

Because we don’t want to die— that was the only possible answer I could think of. Though this answered the question ‘Why do humans want to live’, it still couldn’t answer the question ‘What do humans live for’. At least I still knew that when I was in middle school.

Apart from that, I had a strong suspicion for the definition that to live means that you haven’t died yet. That’s because I knew that another type of incomprehensible people who exists in this world— those who aren’t dead, but aren’t really living either, for instance my father. From the day when my mom passed away because of an accident, it was like a part of my father was brought to a different world. This is one of the rare things that I agree with my sister. After that, father was almost never at home, and just mailed us money for our daily expenses.

As long as you are living, you can’t evade death. Some people could only reach this conclusion after a whole life of ignorance, so I, who understood this just by observing my relatives, am actually quite lucky.

If there is no meaning to life, then why do we live? I, who was still thirteen at that time, was wearing my uniform with wet pants as the grassy land beside the river was wet with dew. After that day, I didn’t take any step forward.

But there is one thing that I can be sure of.

There wouldn’t be any answer no matter how I thought. Even if there’s a formula for solving problems, there are too many unknowns. But if I understood, it would probably a split second understanding, just like being struck by lightning.

But what would I become after that?

Would I still be myself?
<center>*</center>

When I woke up, I felt an extended, severe pain.

When I tried to open my eyes, there was an uncomfortable resistance like I was trying to pick away a scab.

It’s so bright. The piercing lights hurt my eyes.

There seemed to be a shadow in front of me. What is is?

I didn’t realize after quite some time that the shadow was the upside down face of a young girl.

“Narumi, welcome back.”

The young girl was smiling, her black hair sliding from her shoulders onto my neck.

I tried to sit, and felt the pain of my stiff back tightening. I frowned.

I was sleeping on the bed in Alice’s room, surrounded by the black machines on the wall, the sound of the fan turning and the cold artificial air.

It was obviously extremely cold, but there wasn’t even a small reaction from my body.

I looked at my palms, feeling that this isn’t my body. I have obviously seen my skin and the wrinkles on it for thousands of times, but if you just lifted the thin layer of skin, it would feel like it is filled with an unknown liquid. That is what I felt at that moment.

Then, where did my body go?

`My soul— where did it vanish to?

I thought of the moment I saw the angel, the moment that it fused with the stunningly radiant world. Even so, all of that have vanished.

No.

They did not vanish.

“How do you feel….. What a stupid question!”

Alice murmured behind me.

Asking me how I feel? Do you even need to ask?

Terrible.

My head didn’t hurt, and I didn’t feel repulsive, even the pain in my teeth vanished, and I couldn’t even feel the cold. But, but—

I understood.

I didn’t even have to think about it. What have Toshi said to me at that moment? I think it’s something like the reason that we continue to live is to stimulate our nerves. But why did Toshi, the person who was directly stimulated by the angels, and I feel so terrible? That quite clear, it’s because Toshi’s answer isn’t the answer. Stimulating our nerves for the sense of comfort is only a part of living, the pleasure is our goal and not just a trick, it’s one of the reasons of the error in the formula of its design. The one who I am right now— the one who had been guided by the angel have seen that formula. The variable of the red pills giving pleasure, it’s just a simple calculation, everyone knows the answer for that, everyone knows.

The answer is zero.

There is absolutely no meaning to life.

Even breathing and heartbeats could make people feel painful, I tightly held the blanket, my shoulders shaking, trying to contain the pain. No, why am I containing it? It’ll be okay if I just stop, stop breathing, stop the flow of blood, stop thinking about everything. If the statement that people continue to live because they don’t want to die is true, then the opposite must be correct as well.

If only I would stop.

“— Your request has already been completed, right?”

It was Alice’s voice. I turned my head over.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 271.jpg|thumb|''The darkness that lacked luster wrapped her whole body, even her gloves were black. She wore a bonnet, and a thin veil covered her entire face.'']]
I finally realized that Alice was not wearing pajamas, but a black dress. The darkness that lacked luster wrapped her whole body, even her gloves were black. She wore a bonnet, and a thin veil covered her entire face.

They were clothes for people in mourning .

“…… Request?”

“You gave me a request, right? It’s because you wanted to know the true reason for Ayaka’s suicide. You already know now, so the request has been completed, isn’t that right?

“Wha……”

Looking at the back of Alice’s shoulder, a switched off computer screen reflected my face— a raised, crooked face. There wasn’t even a hint of anger on it. The face looked like it belonged to a dead person, reddish black markings surfaced below the eyes, as if it was drawn onto the face with charcoal.

“…… ah, AAHHH!”

I remember this face, I’ve remembered. On that freezing dawn, blood spread in the garden, Ayaka who stared at the skies with black eyes, there were those same markings on that face.

The reason for Ayaka’s suicide.

I’ve understood.

Alice have said before this, there is absolutely no mystery concerning Ayaka’s suicide, so I don’t need to think why she wanted to die. As Alice have said, I don’t need to think at all. The thoughts and emptiness in my heart are the answer.

Because Ayaka knew it too.

Living is meaningless.

“To explain in a scientific way……”

Alice said. The fuzzy face of the young girl gradually became clearer.

“Bruises like that appearing is a sign of being allergic to the contents of Angel Fix. There are some people who are not suited to taking the drug. Both you and Ayaka are this type of people, it’s that simple. The signs of allergy would cause a strong sense of emptiness after the hallucinations fade, do you understand? What you are feeling right now is only a horrendous hallucination caused by the drug, that might be the facts but not the truth.”

So…… So what?

Alice shifted her gaze away from me, as if she was pained.

“Another way of saying that would be, it is not the truth…… but the facts. I know that this explanation is utterly meaningless. The despair and happiness that you felt, all of them are chemical reactions that are released by your nervous system due to the drug.”

Is that so……. Utterly meaningless. So all of our emotions: anger, sadness, happiness and emptiness, all of them are chemical reactions.

So, all of them are true facts.

“The drug would amplify all your emotions, no matter how tiny your regret is, or even the guilt because of the sin of planting the flowers. Even if it isn’t deliberate, there is no room for negotiation in front of the drug. In front of the facts, the truth could only stay silent. So……”

The dark eyes gazed at me.

“I wouldn’t say anything to stop you.”

I gazed at the small, pale pink mouth.

“If you plan to change into that, I have no power to stop you. However……”

The folded paper that was held in Alice’s hands, is the will that Alice force me to write the day that I decided to take the Angel Fix. At that moment, I was completely clueless to the reason that Alice asked me to write it, so the contents in it were only hastily scribbled things.

The one who wrote the will is not the person that I am now.

“But, I will definitely tell people about you. Telling people that you did indeed exist, telling them you were brave, telling them you finished the thing that you should do.”

The thing I should do.

The thing I should do?

The sound of an opening door came from behind me.

“Hey! Alice! Why did you tell Yondaime!”

It was Tetsu-senpai’s furious voice. I turned around and met his gaze, and senpai who was about to walk into the room was taken aback, his whole body stiff.

“Narumi, so you’re awake? Are you okay?”

I weakly nodded.

“Have Hiro brought his car? We can’t let Yondaime wait for so long, he’ll become anxious. Let’s go!”

“Alice, you’re going too?”

“Don’t you understand after seeing my clothes? Yondaime can’t be stopped if I don’t go.”

“Ah…… Oi! Why did you tell Yondaime? The people from Hirasaka-gumi already surrounded their hideout, and would probably slaughter everyone inside.”

Ah, Toshi and the others were found?

That’s right, I ate the Angel Fix because of this I’ve already forgotten about it. Now that I think about it, it felt like it happened a lifetime ago.

Finished the thing that I should do.

So what?

Alice crawled to my side and walked down from the bed.

“There is a business contract between Yondaime and I. As a detective, I am responsible for providing all information about Fix. Furthermore, there’s at least seven to eight people at their side, right? Anyhow, we must borrow the strength of Hirasaka-gumi.

“But……”

“That is why I gave them a condition, they can’t take action before I appear. I assure you, I have a plan, and wouldn’t let them do anything to Toshi.”

Unsatisfied, Tetsu-senpai sank into a silence and walked out of the room.

Alice turned around.

Half of my face was buried in the pillow, but I felt her gaze through the black veil.

“All of this is because of your contribution. To me, the things that happen after that are just gifts for our satisfaction, but to you….. There’s probably no difference, right?”

No difference.

“…… I’m going out. You can just continue to sleep here if you want to, and if you want to jump off a building, please walk further to your right, move the rack and then you can open the windows to jump out of it. But it’s just the third floor here, so it’s not guaranteed that your attempt would be successful.”

“…… Are you going?”

“I’ve said so already, didn’t I? I want to know why Ayaka wanted to jump from the school rooftop. Toshi and Hakamizaka should know something. For this reason, and only for this reason, I’m doing things to this extent, even though it’s meaningless even after I know it.”

“…… Are you just leaving me here?”

I slowly got up, my voice like the buzzing of a mosquito. Alice tilted her head at me slightly.

“Do you want to go with me? Why? You really don’t need to go along with my self-satisfaction.”

I shook my head. I don’t really want to follow her, and actually don’t want to go anywhere or do anything. But……

“Then—“

“……. Go yourself!”

Alice’s eyes widened.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m telling you not to leave me alone and go yourself!”

A hoarse shout came out from my throat.

“Always looking like you know everything, triumphantly saying all those devious things, but couldn’t you understand such a simple thing if I didn’t say so?”

I didn’t know why I was so angry, but was only venting my emotions, which felt like pieces of hot, scorching irons, on the fuzzy shadow in front of me.

“Just order me around as usual! Can’t you see that I can’t recover by my own? I feel all empty inside, and can’t go anywhere! Just give me any order! If not, I- I- I……”

I tightly held the side of the bed, and coughed violently like I was squeezing out all the air inside of my body, and my bones felt as if they were all shattering. But, my body is already useless anyways. These hands, these feet, all of them are useless, and can’t help anyone anymore. So no matter what, even if they become rotten, just pretend that they don’t exist from the start. If even these people forgot about me—

A cold hand was placed on my neck.

My body had a spasm, it was like the cold hand was absorbing heat, suppressing my trembling lungs, shoulders and heart.

“— That’s true, your request has already been completed….. But you haven’t given me my payment yet.”

I bore the pain that felt as if my skin was being torn off, and raised my head. The first thing that I saw was Alice’s smile that was framed with her black hair that was flowing like a river.

“Then just work till you drop, because you’re my assistant! Your hands, your legs, your eyes, your ears, your throat, your nails, your teeth, your tongue, and even your last drop of blood……”

The diminutive queen pointed at my forehead lightly with her index finger.

“— all of them are now my property.”

<center>*</center>

Gazing at the skies from the back seat of the car, I could see the crimson sun setting.

Hiro sat on the driver’s seat and said: “You slept for about fifteen hours already.” Tetsu-senpai sat on the front leat, while Alice was stuck in the middle of Major and I. Alice tightly hugged her baby bear plushie that was somewhat smaller than her mocha bear, and was called Lyril. The blue foreign car set out with its back to the road beside the river, bringing an eccentric group of five and a bear, only the translucent, white moon was chasing us.

“I’ve contacted Narumi’s family. They weren’t worried at all. By the way, do remember to introduce your sister to me after this.”

Almost at the same time, Tetsu-senapi pulled Hiro’s hair while Major aimed a kick at the driver’s seat. But I didn’t laugh. After Hiro said that, I remembered fuzzily, so I have family. I just feel that the last time I went home, it was already three years ago.

During our journey, Alice didn’t say even one word. Hugging her plushie until even her fingernails turned deathly white, Alice was even sweating cold sweat.

Well, this girl is a hikikomori, after all. Why must she go out even so? It was obvious that she could just hand it to Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai, and the matter would end.

While looking at the moon, I thought, this problem is going to end soon.

Meeting Ayaka— when was that again? It was on November. January is going to end soon, so we’ve known each other for about three months now. If I would describe this with old-fashioned terms, I would say that it was like I had a long dream.

Everything had a sense of emptiness before I closed my eyes, so would it be even emptier after waking up?

It’s going to end soon.

The car swayed with force and stopped.

The commercial street without much business going on— there were a noodle shop, a photo shop, a bicycle shop and a pet store. It’s just five in the evening, and they’ve already closed. It was just a five minute trip from the station, but it was so deserted that you couldn’t imagine that they’re in the same district.

At the parking lot that was so big that it doesn’t match with the desolate commercial street, there gathered young men who were wearing black T-shirts with a swallowtail butterfly emblem printed on it. Hiro parked the car at the side of the parking lot.

“Ane-san, thanks for your hard work!”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

Tens of vicious-looking yakuza shonens bowed to the young girl who walked down of the car with a plushie in her hands, and the scene was dyed orange by the setting sun. At this instant, I saw a supernatural scene that isn’t strange even if the world ended.

“Aniki, thanks for your hard work too.”

“I’ve heard, aniki gambled with his life to find this place.”

“As expected of aniki.”

Rocky and Pole surrounded me. I shifted my gaze and shook my head. I didn’t do anything, and can’t do anything as well.

The wolf donning a crimson jacket separated the members of Hirasaka-gumi and came closer to us.

“Is it okay for you to go out……”

Yondaime looked at Alice with his head lowered, saying with a worried look on his face.

“Of course it’s not okay, can’t you see after seeing this?”

Using the plushie to cover over half of her face, Alice was still determined to say those annoying words even though her hands were trembling slightly.

“Why are you deliberately coming out? It’s the same with that last incident, you always come out when things are coming to an end.”

“That’s because I’m a NEET detective. No matter how arrogantly I leaned on an armchair, telling you my assumptions, I still have to fill my hands full of blood in the end. If I didn’t do so, I would only come into contact with the world of the dead forever.”

Alice said with a pained voice, her lips turning purple. I didn’t understand what she was saying. Yondaime placed his hand on his forehead and shaked his head.

“We’ve surrounded them, but not even one person came out. However, it was so quiet in there since an hour ago that it makes people feel uncomfortable.”

Yondaime used his chin to point at the four-storey building beside the parking lot.

“Have you entered it?”

“Didn’t you say that I can’t enter? We’ve confirmed that there’s at least six people in there. Hey! So we can attack right now, right? You should remember that we’ve waited for a few hours already.”

“No, Toshi is our partner.”

“Do you think I would specially forgive anyone?”

“I don’t think so, so……” Alice hid behind Tetsu-senpai. “So Tetsu will accept Judgment in place of Toshi.”

A shocked expression appeared on Tetsu-senpai’s face. He heaved a sigh after his body stiffened for awhile.

“Saying something like ‘I’ve got a plan’…… So that’s how it is.”

Like they’ve confirmed with each other in advance, Yondaime sighed too.

The said Judgment of Hirasaka-gumi is really just a fight.

“Oioioioi! Sou-san and Tetsu-san are having a fight to the finish!”

“How’s the results right?”

“Forty three wins, forty nine losses, and three draws.”

“Then isn’t the result clear already?”

“Okay, I’ll bet five thousand on Sou-san.”

“I’ll bet ten thousand on Tetsu-san!” “You traitor!” “There’s no choice, how could the bet continue if I don’t do that?” “If that’s the case, toughen up a bit, Tetsu-san.”

The black shirted men suddenly started a bet.

“Oi! You guys—” Yondaime hurriedly tried to stop them, but it was too late. They’ve already decided on the dealer, and started to bet. Yondaime’s followers formed a human wall, forming a temporary boxing ring at the center of the parking lot. Alice sneakily walked away from Tetsu-senpai’s back, and only senpai and Yondaime were left in the centre to face each other.

“Oh, forget it. This type of idiotic end is just our style.”

Senpai laughed wryly while tying bandages on his fists.

With a bitter face, Yondaime bit back the words that he was going to say, took of his jacket and threw it behind him.

“Sou-san, please use your secret technique!” “Tetsu-san, I’m leaving my ten thousand to you!”

The lackey’s rough cheering interlaced together. I was dumbfounded for a moment because of the idiotic end. Alice pulled the hem of my jacket.

“Narumi, we’re going in, so don’t space out. Major, hurry up and open the lock.”

“Ehhh? But Tetsu-senpai is stil……”

“Do you even have to ask? That’s just a diversion. If you really wait until Yondaime goes in, he won’t hear anyone’s words.”

Major was already taking out the tools for opening the lock. Yondaime’s voice echoed over. So we’ve still been noticed huh?

“Oi! Alice! You let me wait for so long, and then you’re going in by yourself?”

Alice slowly turned over and pointed at Yondaime.

“Oh? You’re not giving up on the God’s Judgment that has already started, are you?”

“But……”

Tetsu-senpai, who had already prepared his battle stance, smiled wryly while shortening his distance with Yondaime. Yondaime could only unwillingly raise his fists.

“Oi! You guys go too!” Yondaime ordered his followers beside him while keeping his eyes on Tetsu-senpai.

“……. Eh? No no no, this match really can’t be missed.”

“We’ll regret it forever if we missed it.”

“My ten thousand.”

“Shut up! You idiots hurry up and go! If only they went in, what if something happens?”

At the instant when the steel door was pried open, a strange smell rushed over and stimulated our senses— it was the smell of a type of plant, the choking, bitter and fresh smell of a plant. It was a familiar smell to me. Among the ten over people who went into the building, only I was familiar with the smell, as though it was still lingering in my mouth. As soon as we entered, we saw a cramped, dusty hall, and quite a few ragged sofas piled at a corner, as if it was an abandoned hospital.

“Alice, why don’t you just wait on the car?”

Hiro said in a low murmur. Alice pressed her bear forcefully onto my back, and shook her head while holding on to me. I turned my head over, and I could see that she looked even more terrible than just now.

“Do you want me to continue living completely without coming in contact with this world? Don’t joke with me.”

The black shirted men passed by us an ran to the stairs.

“Four of you search the first floor.

“Can be just beat them up if we see anyone?”

“You’re being to aggressive!”

Footsteps echoed in the building.

I looked at my palm again. The feeling of being cut open both physically and mentally is still lingering in my body. The feeling will never disappear now. Do I have to continue to live, being imprisoned in a body that is not mine? Being unable to use my own hand to touch any object.

The basement was a large, cubical space. There were facilities for factories used for manufacturing set up in the whole of the building. Walking down the stairs, the appearance of the factory could be seen from the handrail. The machines arranged side by side with its back to the walls were like large fridges, sandbags were carelessly piled up at a corner, the table was full of test tubes, and the flashing fluorescent light lit up the room uncomfortably. Water kept dripping into the sink from the open tap. The air of the basement was filled with a familiar smell. Hiro, Major and the black shirted men frowned, used their sleeves to cover their noses, and walked down the stairs.

Black sofas that had their legs cut off were arranged in a line as a replacement for a beds, and quite a few men were stacked together on it.

It was like an elephant had a rampage in the room, as quite a few racks were lying down on the floor. A man used his white robe as a blanket, sitting on a slanted rack, tiredly leaning his back against the bare cement wall, while fragments of glass were scattered around his feet.

“Heh……”

The man slowly raised his head, looked at me— no, Alice, who was behind me, and showed us a disgusting smile. He was very much different from my memory of his appearance, and also the photos that Alice found. His hair so long that it touched his collar, his face was sunken, while his widened eyes behind his glasses looked like they almost dropped out.

But I immediately knew that he was Hakamizaka Shirou.

“What a delicate angel. Are you Alice?”

Hakamizaka laughed piercingly at the faraway ceiling.

“I’ve heard about you from Shinozaki…… You’re really a child. I’ve never thought that you would find us so quickly, it’s so delightful.”

Hiro pushed me away and went closer to Hakamizaka to ask: “Hey! Where’s Toshi?”

“Probably somewhere over there! He took quite a lot too, I’m not sure if he’s alive or dead. Hmph, of course, we, ourselves, should enjoy our last stocks.”

A chill came over my back.

This guy is hopeless.

All of the things in this room has already died.

Hiro and two back shirted men walked past the fallen racks and tables, and walked towards the room. Moans came from a sandbag nearby.

“Toshi! Hey! Toshi! Get a hold of yourself! Can you puke them out? Hurry up and throw up!”

Hiro said in a pained voice.

“Oi! Get some water here.”

It was the flustered footsteps of the black shirted men. Hakamizaka looked at the small commotion and laughed through his nose.

Alice tightly held my arms.

“Hakamizaka Shirou, do you think that your experiment has succeeded?”

Facing Alice’s questions, Hakamizaka raised his eyebrow.

“Of course it’s a success, doesn’t it seem like a success to you? Haven’t everyone seen the real world? An in reality, some people had been taken away by the angels too. Angel Fix used its own power to form a spreading system cycle, could other medicine do this? Only I did it! Thus, my experiment is a success! I’ve succeeded!”

The uncomfortable laughter that was like the sounds of someone scratching his back came again. I don’t want to hear him talk, and don’t want to even hear his voice anyone. Anyone, just hurry up and take him away.

But Alice asked again.

“…… Do you think Ayaka is a successful case too?”

“Ayaka?”

“Toshi’s sister.”

Hakamizaka’s eyes lost its focus.

“Ahhh…… That couldn’t be helped. She realized the truth of the flowers, and said that she was going to call the police, so I could only force her to take the pills. Now…… She fell into a coma…… right?”

“You’ve forced her to take it?” Major jumped onto the rack, grabbing Hakamizaka’s collar.

` “So what? Not taking it is a sin.”

Hakamizaka’s answer started to become garbled.

“Alice, can I try the interrogation methods of the People’s Liberation Army on him?”

“Major, stop that. Don’t dirty your knife with his flesh and blood.”

I subconsciously held Alice’s hand tightly.

It’s a simple thing, there’s no mystery.

Ayaka was just unable to take the hallucinations brought by the drug anymore, so she jumped off the building.

It’s that simple.

The Fix amplified her guilt for planting the flowers that were used as the raw material that were used for manufacturing the drug, causing Ayaka to be engulfed by her own guilt.

Hakamizaka’s voice echoed in my empty mind.

“I feel sorry for her too, as I didn’t mean to kill her at first.”

“And you’re saying you didn’t mean to kill here?” Major interrupted with a livid voice. Even so, Hakamizaka continued to mutter.

“Shinozaki was a good girl. She thought that I’m a specialist of poppy flowers, and chatted happily with me about gardening. I’ve planned to give her money as payment, but she only said that it’s okay if I gave her flowers……”

“Flowers?”

Alice took half a step out from my back.

“Ayaka said that she wanted flowers?”

“That’s right. She said that she needed a lot of the same flower, so from the time she started to plant, she’ve probably planted about a thousand or so?”

“What flower is it?”

“It’s a weed called long-headed poppy, quite a nice flower! She had the same interest as me. It’s a pity that she went to hell. Occasionally, there would be people who mistake the angel as a reaper, those people are not qualified to pass through the radiant door.”

Hakamizaka’s glared at me.

“…… You’re the same……. You took the pills, right? Haha, it’s as I’ve said. It’s such a pity, but unlike you, I’ll be taken to the heavens!”

His words chilled me to the marrows.

As Hakamizaka have said, I felt regret.

I couldn’t reach the light, and couldn’t catch the angel’s hand. I have already lost it, and I will never have the chance ever again. What took its place is an emptiness that was like a dry darkness sticking to my hands.

“You…… What do you want to do?”

I really don’t need to ask, but my mouth acted without permission. Hakamizaka’s eyebrows twitched like a mutated organism.

“Having seen it with your own eyes, shouldn’t you already understand? Get it? There’s a door at the other side of the dazzling whirlwind, it’s a heavy door made of mahogany, and is always open for about two centimeters, and you could see the other side from there.”

Hakamizaka’s screeching voice became even more high-pitched.

“It’s nighttime, an eternal night. It is like Greece from four thousand and five hundred years ago. The time forms a cycle, and flows eternally. The moon shines on the bricks that were corroded and mottled because of the sea breeze, and everyone are singing side by side on the pure white beach. I’ve tried to put my fingers onto the door, but I was dragged back here every time. I couldn’t reach it, as it couldn’t be reached without a pile of corpses below me. I’ll definitely be able to this time, this, time, definitely……”

I wanted to retort, but a fluffy thing was stuffed into my hands, interrupting my words. After handing the plushie to me, Alice walked out from my back. She walked to the gap between the fallen racks, reached the place where Hakamizaka was at and stared at his face.

“Can you see me? Who do I look like?”

“…… Angel……”

“That’s right, I’ve seen God’s Notepad. I saw the namelist that consists of a hundred and forty thousand and four thousand people, but I didn’t see your name on in.”

“…… Liar!”

“God did not summon you to his country, and didn’t even record your name. Just pass your last moments in this warm darkness! That is the eternal punishment that you deserve.”

“LIAR! LI- AR!”

Hakamizaka’s head sagged to the other side, his starkly pale Adam’s apple was visible in the darkness.

In the silence that was mixed with noise, Alice turned her head over. Her black dress fused with the darkness, and only her white face was faintly visible behind her veil.

“…… What did you say to him?” Major said with a tiny voice that was almost like the sound of him breathing.

“I didn’t say anything, because he made me angry, so I just said some empty words to upset the drug addict. How could we let these people off the hook?”

Alice returned to my side, and snatched away her doll from me, who was at a loss. She returned to my back again, and tightly held the sleeve of my shirt.

“Let’s go! Narumi, things have ended now.”

A low murmur came from behind me.

“All the clues have lined up in a straight line, there’s nothing left to see here. Just let Hirasaka-gumi handle the rest. My work is done, and there’s no room for a detective right now.”
<center>*</center>

At the centre of the parking lot that was dyed purple due to the setting sun, Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai sat face to face with their foreheads and fists close together. I really have no idea what they’re doing. The two probably had a huge fight, huh? A few red scratches could be seen on their face, and their clothes were filthy. The bodyguards Rocky and Pole went closer to look, as if they were worried. When we had a closer look, we finally realized that they were finger wrestling.

“You guys are still at it…….”

Alice said with a surprised tone.

“You’re the one who told us to fight!”

“I will not give up so easily! You hit me about three punches more!”

Sounds of footsteps entered the parking lot, interrupting Yondaime and Tetsu-senpai’s extended match. Yondaime showed us a ferocious expression, patted away the sand on his knees and stood up.

Rocky asked: “So- Sou-san isn’t going to continue, what about the bet?” and was immediately beaten up by Yondaime! “Shut up!”

Almost all the members of Hirasaka-gumi who went into the building had came back. Major and Hiro were there, and even Toshi, who was leaning on Hiro’s elbow, was present.

Yondaime asked: “…… So?”

“There’s eight people in total. There weren’t anyone above the second floor, but almost all of them lost consciousness because of the drug. The only person who could talk is this guy.” One of the black shirted men pointed at Toshi with his chin.

“Have you called the ambulance yet?”

“Understood!”

Yondaime nodded. I thought, surprised: So he really will save people?

One of the lackeys said quietly to me: “It’s useless to hit the drug addicts who lost consciousness. We’ll have to wait till they’re out of the hospital to beat them up.” What a polite yakuza shonen.

“Then what about Toshi? Stop your meaningless fight.”

Yondaime shouted angrily at Hiro. Hiro shut his mouth, and slowly placed Toshi’s body onto the asphalt road.

Toshi was crying.

His eyes seemed that they’re conscious. His glasses were crooked, face swollen, saliva and tears flowing to his chin, and he was muttering to himself.

Do you have any right to cry? It was as though a viscous, cold magma-like liquid flowed into my empty body.

“Why…… Why did you save me? Just leave me alone……”

I could hear Toshi’s mutterings. Didn’t you ask us to save you yourself? Are you joking?

Yondaime glared at Alice, who was behind me.

“ ‘Your fists do not exist just to punch these pitiful people’, don’t try to tell me meaningless stuff like this.”

“I won’t say them. I don’t hate decay as much as I hate ignorance, but I still hate it. But Yondaime, is revenge really that important to you? Would your world collapse if you don’t take an eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth?”

“Of course.” Yondaime immediately answered: “Don’t ask questions that you already know the answer for, there’s nothing more important in my world than revenge.”

“That’s right! This is really a dumb question.”

Alice looked as if she was smiling.

“But Yondaime, even so, revenge is not your mission this time. Do you get what I mean?”

A shocked expression suddenly appeared on Yondaime’s face, which turned into anger. In the end, he heaved a sigh and calmed down, scratching his head while saying:

“Ah— Oh— So that’s how it is. Damn it, you really are a troublesome person. I get it, I get it! I’ll just get back.”

Finally, the wolf gazed at me.

Putting on his jacket again, Yondaime turned his back to us.

“Gardening Club kid, there’s no time to ask anymore. Settle things before the ambulance is here.”

His words were like a signal, Tetsu-senpai and the black shirted men, everyone kept their distance from me. Me? Why me?

“Narumi!”

Alice, who stuck to my back, muttered.

“Just ask if you have anything to ask him, and just say if you have something to say. This is your request, so you should end things.”

And then the temperature of her body left my side.

The only people in the center of the circle were me, and the squatting Toshi.l

Something I want to ask?

Ayaka….. Did she have any last words?

Do I really want to know these kind of things? Don’t I already know the answer? She was blinded by the drug, so it’s impossible for her to think of me. If she have thought, if she had thought about me—

She shouldn’t just leave without saying anything.

“Oi, Narumi…… Give me the pills. There should be some there…… right? I’ve just puked them all out…… Blast……”

Toshi’s unpleasant mutterings were like bubbles that popped out from the bottom of mud, jumping on the surface of my consciousness, causing me to become nauseous.

“I can’t go on any more anyways……Just let me die. Trash like me- like me- is- is already…..”

I don’t have anything to ask, or anything I want to know. Even so, even so……

“…… stand up!”

My voice was garbled. It’s just a simple sentence, but it made pain course through my windpipe. Toshi looked at me as if he was about to melt.

“I’m telling you to stand up.”

Toshi was lying down unmoving on the asphalt road. I grabbed the back of his collar, and forcefully made him stand up. His body was so light that it’s scary.

“Narumi, do you need the bandages?”

Tetsu-senpai said behind me. I turned over and shook my head.

After that, I faced Toshi again, took half a step back, twisted my hips and punched.

At the instant when the punch landed on Toshi’s face, the bones of my fingers and my wrist lamented in agony, the numbing pain echoed in my skull. Toshi spitted out saliva that was mixed with blood and collapsed, lying down at the foot of the members of Hirasaka-gumi, who had formed a boxing ring. When you hit someone, you would feel pain yourself. I must use my own body and my bare fists, to confirm this simple fact again.

“Don’t sleep! Stand up!”

I caught hold of Toshi’s wrists, and stepped on his foot, making him stand up. My left fist punched at his abdomen, and his body curved in an arc after being punched. He flew backwards, and I landed a right punch on his chin. Severe pain spread through my whole body. Not only my fingers were dirty because of Toshi’s blood, my own bones might have fractured too. Because of my heartbeat, and even my eardrums were throbbing in pain. That is a real pain that belongs to my real world.

Someone placed his hand on my shoulder. I only realized that the unpleasant sound, was the sound of my shoulders heaving because of my ragged breathing. Toshi was lying down on the asphalt road, weeping while trembling.

“Narumi, that’s enough.”

Hiro’s gentle voice clearly rang on my back.

Tetsu-senpai and Major squatted down and carried Toshi.

Just like that, my sixteen year old winter came to an end like a long dream.

After waking up, my soul felt empty, even hitting other people couldn’t fill it up.

The siren of an ambulance could be heard in a distance. I looked downwards, unfeeling, my hands were full of blood, and my fingers could only open halfway. Those are my hands, my pain, my body, they’re finally back. It’s something that I have to continue to drag on and continue to go forward— myself.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 5

2011-12-27T03:15:35Z

Asteradragon:

==Chapter 5==

From the next day, my school life became very busy. As soon as school was over, I had to take care of the garden. Sayuri-sensei helped out with that too.

“Before Fujishima-kun entered the Gardening Club, I came over here to help out occasionally too.”

Holding the pot of orchid, she said emotionally.

You could just put the flowers aside in the winter season when the flowers don’t bloom, that was my thoughts before this; but now I know that if we didn’t prepare during the winter, the flowers won’t bloom the next year.

I, myself, don’t know why I’m continuing the Gardening Club activities, but I just felt that if I continued to take care of the plants that Ayaka nurtured, I might be able to know her thoughts better, albeit slightly. Those were my thoughts.

After finishing the club activities, I went through the Shuto Expressway by the river, went past the station and arrived at ‘Hanamaru’. After greeting Min-san, I went to the back of the shop.

The only person who was earlier than me that day was Hiro. He wore a coat with gold buttons sewed onto in with a pair of white jeans. I’ve never seen Hiro wearing the same clothes before, but they’ll probably be gifts from women anyways.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 207.jpg|thumb|''Hiro was sitting on the charred gas tank with a phone clamped between his shoulders and ears, and sending messages with the two phones on his hands.'']]
Hiro was sitting on the charred gas tank with a phone clamped between his shoulders and ears, and sending messages with the two phones on his hands. Its just like the acrobatics people do on the streets.

“…… Ah? Is this Mika? It’s me, yes yes, I’m Yumi’s friend, that’s right, Hiro. Nice to meet you. Hahaha, Eh? Really? Asking me out…… Hmm, mmnn, what about this Friday? Are you free?”

If other people who aren’t in the know heard him talking, they would probably just think that he’s flirting. But his words follow a common pattern, unknowingly changing the subject to the drug. “Ah, I’ve heard about it. That’s right, a pink powder…… Mnn, no, I’ve never tried it before, but I’ve heard from my friends that it’s great. Who’s the one who bought it? Mnn, mnn……” just like that.

I sat on the worn out tires, looking at Hiro, impressed. Hiro turned off the phone on his right and, hung up the phone that he was previously talking on and placed it into his pocket, then smiled at me. After that, his left hand continued it’s previous actions, writing something on a piece of paper with a pen.

“It seems like quite a lot of girls have bought it before, but they’ve bought it from their friends, so it’s hard to find the source.”

I asked, purely because of interest: “Hiro, how many girls do you know?”

“Mnnn—— I don’t know.”

Just after Hiro answered me, his phone rang again. Hiro picked up the phone, and started his strawberry-like sweet talking, he really doesn’t have any free time. While he was talking on the phone, Hiro’s left hand didn’t stop at all. The thing that was placed on the table seemed to be a map of the places nearby the station, Marui Supermarket, Balco Supermarket, Tokyu Home Centre, First Bookshop…… A red pen was used to draw another and another circle on the streets between the shop names that I’ve just seen.

“Phew!”

Hiro finally heaved a sigh, placed a row of phones on the table (there’s not only three, but also two more in his pockets). He stretched and drank a cup of coffee.

“This one is for female high schoolers, this one is for wives; this one is for attacking the ladies that I want to go out with, this one is for defending against the ladies that I don’t like that much……” Hiro explained the usage of his phones one by one. Attack? Defend?

“When compared to a gigolo, you’re more like a hustler……”

I was somewhat defeated by Hiro.

“Do you know what is the difference between a gigolo and a hustler?”

Hiro asked. I tilted my head.

“A gigolo is exclusively locked onto someone, while a hustler must be loved at the same time by three people or above. I’m still a rookie, and dare not say that I’m a hustler.”

“Ah……” What a complicated world. “So, what about a man who is loved by two people at the same time?”

“A person who goes out with two women usually gets a knife in his chest by the women, so they don’t need a name.”

“Oh, I see.” Wait, why am I agreeing??

“But after starting the investigation, it really is muddled up. It’s no small wonder that Yondaime would have trouble with this.”

Hiro turned the map over and said, filling the spaces with names of women and numbers.

“What is that?”

“The price is too cheap, they’ve bought them from people that they know, and also the price doesn’t even have a standard. This drug is too strange, it’s even so common too……”

Ah, so the numbers are prices. I have no idea about prices for drugs, so I’m not sure what they mean by cheap. There are even some zeroes on the map, does that mean that they got them for free?

“What about this side of the map?”

“Ah, that’s the place they bought the drug. A double circle would mean that it’s suspected as the source of the drug.”

I was dumbstruck, staring at the map that was almost completely dyed red. It was not even three days after they vowed to look for Toshi, but Hiro, alone, had already gotten so much information from his five phones.

“Vice Admiral Fujishima is here! Just at the right moment.”

A voice came from behind me. When I turned my head around, Major was standing behind me while carrying an enormous backpack that looked like a small hill.

“Help me to take the backpack down, this thing is broken.” Major said. So, I went over to help me, and spent a lot of effort before we lightly placed the backpack onto the ground.

“I stayed up for two days straight to finish that!”

Major seemed quite delighted when he said that, took out small cameras from his bag and placed them on the wooden stand. The said cameras were just palm-sized black cubes with a round lens on it. There were about twenty identical cameras.

“Major really went all out!”

“I’ve actually finished making the cameras a long time ago, just that installing a verifying software took a long time. There weren’t any missions for pinpointing a certain target until now, so there wasn’t any chane to use it, hehe.”

“So how do you use these cameras?”

“You’ve come just at the right time, Vice Admiral Fujishima. Actually you look very bland, so using you for a test would be perfect.”

I just feel that Major said something rude to me in a straightforward manner. Major borrowed the socket in the kitchen, connected it to the notebook-sized computer, and arranged quite a few cameras in an arc to face my face. Then, he asked Hiro to raise one of them, looking at the computer screen while making adjustments: “Shift it down a little, that’s right, okay, it’s done.” Then Major turned to me and said:

“Walk outside and then walk back again.”

Completely befuddled, I acted in accordance with Major’s word, walked out and walked back to their side. As soon as I entered the shadows of the building, Major’s computer emitted the piercing sound of an alarm. I was startled and took a step back. Hiro was surprised until the camera on his hand nearly fell. Only Major was laughing sneakily while slapping his knees.

“Hmm, its accuracy is indeed higher if you take the photo from the front. Vice Admiral Fujishima, try to walk in with your head lowered this time.”

After that, I followed Major’s instructions, keeping my head lowered, walked horizontally, or turning my head around while walking. I did these odd actions while walking from outside to the kitchen backdoor. Every time I walked in, Major’s computer would sound the alarm. It was not until Min-san scolded: “Shut up, keep quiet! And don’t just use my socket like you own it!” that things came to an end. However, Min-san didn’t really say anything about the camera and the computer.

I finally realized after that…..

“The camera could recognize my face?”

“That’s right. If a photo is taken from a close distance from six sides, the accuracy could be that high. When I went to the research room on summer, the professor was doing an experiment on this, so I just borrowed his idea.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Hiro went closer to look at the camera and the monitor. This really isn’t the standard of interest. Having such superb skills, why is he still a NEET?

“You’re going to use it to search for Toshi?”

“We don’t really have that big of a budget, so we have to lock onto some places. This system really uses up a lot of power.”

“Never mind the battery, what about the information about Toshi’s face? You can’t use the system without it, right?”

“The surveillance system in Alice’s room probably has information for about a month.”

Ah, so Major was the one behind the surveillance cameras too? I just feel that things are getting to a larger and larger scale, I could only watch at the side with my mouth open like an idiot.

“Oh yeah, where’s Tetsu?”

Major placed the cameras back into his bag and asked.

“He’s probably at the police station.”

“Ah, if we have the investigation report from the police, we could pinpoint a place to set up the cameras.” Major said as if it wasn’t anything important.

“Tetsu-senpai…… have connections with the police?”

Hiro smiled wryly, is it because my surprised expression is that funny?

“Before he started boxing, he was always taken care by the police. I remember that it was the youth counselors who brought him to the boxing centre while weeping and asked them to take care of him. After he started boxing, he stopped getting into fights.”

In the end, he became a pachinko gambler right now— that was Hiro’s conclusion. I’ve never heard about Tetsu-senpai’s past, but he couldn’t just get information from the police, could he……

Right when I was thinking about that, Tetsu-senpai appeared at the ramen shop. It was about seven at night. He took out a notebook from his T-shirt, then put it in front of Major and Hiro with a thunk.

“Tetsu, you reek of smoke.”

“It can’t be helped, the only place where the smell of cigarette is stronger than the pachinko shop is the police station. And the smell of smoke isn’t the main point. I tidied up the map a bit, so take out yours for a look.”

Major skimmed through the notes while saying: “There’s really not much progress for the police’s investigation.” Looking from the side, the notebook was scrawled full of words written with a pencil, probably Tetsu-senpai’s notes? He really did get news from the police?

The three surrounded the old wooden stand and started to talk quietly. Hiro added the information from the police onto the map full of red marks.

There’s really no room for me to take part in this anymore.

When they were having a discussion over there, I went into the ramen shop and helped to wash the dishes. Min-san didn’t ask me for help, it’s just that I just couldn’t stay at the backdoor of the kitchen anymore, so I willingly offered to help.

“— wouldn’t it be better if we handed the information to Yondaime too?”

“I don’t want to borrow the strength of his gang.”

“But progress will be faster if we share information.”

“I’ll take a copy of this over, and will go to the hotel as well. I have something to ask some of the girls directly.”

“Tetsu, so could you help me to set the surveillance cameras?”

“Okay.”

When I was eavesdropping in the kitchen, the three finished their discussion and left. The customers came in like they were taking turns to eat. In the steam of the bustling shop, I felt as if I’ve been forgotten by everyone.

Probably because of my dejected expression, Min-san patted me on the shoulders.

“…… the three…… seems very good at this.”

“Oh yes— they’ve done these kind of things from before this. Though they’re just helping Alice, I really think that they should just go to work if they can do things to this extent.”

I feel so too.

<center>*</center>

“It’s because we couldn’t do it that we became NEETs!”

Alice said jubilantly. As usual, the air conditioning in room 308 is going strong. The pajamas-clad girl was in a good mood that day, and even ate the soy sauce ramen with some noodles in it without even much grumbling.

“Most of the people in this world don’t understand NEETS. The qualities of humans are not determined by their quantity, but their direction. Although people say something like people have their own strengths, their own ambitions, and life has limitless possibilities, they are still limited by the one dimensional world during actual evaluation.”

“…… Do you mean even Min-san can’t understand?”

“Master is different, because she won’t say all those rubbish. The things that she taught us were after understanding all our fates, her innocent and true considerations. But people like Master is a minority, most people don’t really understand what ‘infinite possibilities mean. Because they couldn’t imagine what’s behind their ships, so some of them vigorously rowed against the flow. Isn’t that right? That’s because the direction that they’re going forward is directly opposite to us.”

Mnn…… That might be right……

“If I gave people like you a direction, you’ll turn out like that automatically. Tetsu, Major and Hiro might truly want to save Toshi, seeing as they’ve been partners who had been playing games of dice together. Even so, they just wanted to pretend that they’re cool, so they can’t take part actively. They were actually waiting for your help.”

I recalled the burning passion in their eyes— maybe it was all like Alice have said.

“Although I speak of this like it’s none of my business, actually I’m also a person who likes to hide my true thoughts. The only worrying thing for NEETs is only one— not knowing what to do.”

Alice put down the bowl, holding her chopsticks weakly while spacing out with lonely eyes.

“After the big flood, God used four bases to engrave his best wishes and absolute orders for all living creatures, have you heard about it? ‘You must live strong and breed to fill up the whole world.’ But— He forgot to write it on us.”

Her words sounded just like a joke, but seeing Alice smiling as if she finally saw the beaming face of the sun after floating in the sea for three days while clutching on a plank, I couldn’t laugh at all.

“…… but, you’re the same right?”

Alice said. She placed the bowl on her bent knees, gazing at me with white fumes of the hot soup swirling between us.

“Not knowing what to do, which is why you want to know something that’s useless even if you know, feeling very, very anxious, so anxious that you can’t stand it.”

The truth is as Alice have said, so I didn’t answer her.

“Why? Why is it that we can only see what we have lost?”

Alice stopped talking then. She again picked up the chopsticks, temporarily focusing on her bowl. The room was filled only with the sound of Alice slurping her noodles, chewing on onions and the sound of a large number of cooling fans.

When I stood up, took out a can of Dr. Pepper and placed it in front of Alice, she had just finished eating her last mouthful of noodles.

“You’re only clever when it comes to these things.”

Alice laughed while opening the can, while I squatted down at a corner of the bed, hugging my knees.

“I don’t have any other talents anyways, so I’ll just get cans of Dr. Pepper for you forever.”

The words that I said only to ridicule myself felt as if they would become real after I said it. That made me feel even more hurt.

“Narumi…..”

I raised my head because of Alice’s call.

` Alice was waving to me…… Eh? What is it? Does she want me to go there? Feeling suspicious, I slowly edged there while kneeling.

“Good boy.”

Alice patted my head.

“What are you……” What are you doing? I couldn’t help but take a step back.

“That’s the first time I got that reaction. Hiro was delighted,while Yondaime showed an annoyed expression but didn’t run away.”

“No…… I think it’s better if you don’t do these kind of things to guys.”

“Why?”

Asking me why, I couldn’t answer.

“Didn’t you say that you’re useless? Didn’t you even listen to what I’ve said just now? It’s so rare that I’m telling you meaningful things like people must have their own talents, humans have limitless possibilities and so on, too.”

…… Didn’t you just say that those are meaningless statements?

“But no matter what you do, the person who will praise you is not here anymore.”

Alice’s gentle voice made my whole body freeze.

On the wall beside the entrance, I slowly slid down to the floor.

“Even if you have a direction— there’s nothing at all in the direction that you’re going. The only destination is the cemetery. So at least let me touch your head as a consolation.”

Alice walked down from the bed and came closer to me. She bent down slightly her eyes at the same level of me, who’s sitting down on the floor, then again used her chilly hands to rub my hair.

<center>*</center>

There weren’t any news on the next few days.

Although I went to the ‘Hanamaru Ramen Shop’ every day after school, I didn’t do anything special. Hiro went to the hotel every day. Major claimed the gas tank in front of the stairs as his own, facing his notebook-sized computer with a vicious expression on his face, causing people to stay away from him.

I originally wanted to ask Min-san to let me give her a hand, but she seemed to have noticed my thoughts and said with a stiff expression:

“No, thanks……. You just hurry up and find a wife that’s really good at doing housework, and steer clear of the kitchen forever.”

Although her words were harsh, I couldn’t say anything to rebuke her. That’s because I created a new record that even Ayaka couldn’t achieve— breaking five bowls in just two hours. Squatting down on the wet soil, I almost wept because of my own uselessness.

Right when January was about to end, a big case occurred. I saw it on the television when I was about to go to school. The middle-aged male broadcaster suppressed his feelings with skill, and only showed about a centimeter of regret on his face while broadcasting.

“…… mass poisoning incident has occurred. On about eleven at night, six people suddenly fainted at a night club that opened until late night……”

The shop was just beside Balco Supermarket, a famous club that even I’ve heard of. Of course, the broadcaster didn’t say that the club was in any way related to the drugs.

But at about eight that night, Tetsu-senpai who didn’t appear at the ‘Hanamaru Ramen Shop’ for quite a long time came in and said casually: “The mass poisoning incident is related to Fix. Ah….. Yeah, that’s what I heard from the police.” Is it okay for the police in this area to do this? Revealing information to a nineteen year old pachinko gambler, did they tell him that just because he’s Tetsu-senpai?

“Any news from Yondaime?”

“There’s probably more people than the police working on this. As it’s a human sea attack, we’ll probably find something soon…… I gave them the information that I’ve tidied up. But the pills are already so widespread, why aren’t there any clues?”

“Erm……”

I politely interrupted. Tetsu-senpai and Major turned around to face me at the same time, making me feel somewhat nervous.

“…… if we’re using a human sea tactic, can I help out?”

Senpai cocked his head.

“How about you ask Yondaime about that? Although I think you’ll be refused.”

“Eh? Why?”

“That guy seems to hate you a lot, even though you’ve met for only two or three times.”

“Thi- this……”

“No matter how Yondaime sees you, you can’t take part because you’re a high schooler. Although they are yakuzas, they’re actually quite decent. Those who are schooling can’t join them, their enemies would be enemies forever.”

I see, it’s because I’m not even a NEET. Facing me, who was looking downcast, Tetsu-senpai showed a mystified expression.

“What is it? Just having another person to help wouldn’t improve things, and you’re the customer, so you don’t have to do anything and just wait for the results.”

It’s not that problem. Then what’s the difference with this and letting Alice handle all of it, and just be in charge of getting Dr. Pepper? There’s no difference asking for help from anyone, but I must depend on myself to find out the reason for Ayaka’s suicide. I could only tell myself repeatedly that I must find out the truth by myself, using the reason of doing something to help out Ayaka so that the emptiness in my heart could be filled.

Even though I knew that it couldn’t be filled.

It’s impossible to fill it, because Ayaka would not smile or speak to me anymore. Because I’m not doing anything by Ayaka’s request, she didn’t say anything— didn’t say anything to me, and tried to commit suicide.

To her, our friendship is just to this extent, huh?

Now, it is already too late.

The ringtone of ‘Colorado Bulldog’ rang as usual, stirring me from my indecisive emotions. Tetsu-senpai and Hiro stood up, but the only phone that was ringing was Major’s.

‘It’s me, did you bring the recorder today?’

Recorder?

“Yes, but what do you want to do with it?”

After that, Alice and Major had a conversation on the phone for awhile. After they hung up, Major looked at us and said:

“It seems that they’ve found the person who stabbed people in Yondaime’s shop. He was caught while drinking in a shop, and caused some trouble by taking out a knife.”

I was taken aback and stood up. Now that we’ve found one of the drug dealers, we can start to take action.

Tetsu-senpai said: “Is that guy an idiot? At least get it clear that he’s on the turf of Hirasaka-gumi.”

“And he went into the shop when Tetsu and Hiro was doing investigations there, is this what they call finding something through sheer luck after looking for it for a long time (Z: It’s actually an idiom, can’t find any other substitutes)?”

“So what did Alice say?”

“She wanted to hear the contents of the interrogation, so she asked me to record it.”

“Oh, that’s why she asked you if you have a recorder on you. But Yondaime probably started to beat him up, right?”

“I heard that Yondaime isn’t there yet, so she wanted me to hurry there.”

“If you don’t hurry, the guy would be get beaten up into a pulp. Yondaime is merciless towards people who make a move on his partners.”

My back felt cold after hearing Tetsu-senpai’s words.

“I walked here today, because I came here directly from Akihabara…”

“Narumi, you rode a bike here, right? Take me there.”

Eh?

“You want to help Yondaime, right? It’s probably okay if you just tell him.”

“But……”

“Stop that nonsense and go! You’re not alright staying here anyways, are you?”

Indeed, that is so. Why is Tetsu-senpai so clear about my thoughts? Or is my crestfallen expression that easy to read?

“Let’s go! Vice Admiral Fujishima, ride like the wind!”

Major started to hit my bottom with his bag energetically.

<center>*</center>

Club Haploid Heart was located at a basement of a small building at the Snack Street behind Tokyu Shopping Mall. Yellow neon signs were hung on the cramped stairway leading to the basement, and the name of the shop was written in English cursive. I found a sticker with a swallowtail butterfly emblem on it stuck onto the lower right corner of the signboard. It seems that the shop was a franchising store. Is this shop really operated by Hirasaka-gumi? I always thought that Hirasaka-gumi was just a fake yakuza gang that was formed from NEETs, this is really getting more and more confusing. To be honest, I thought that Hirasaka-gumi was a motorbike gang until last month.

“Are you going to wait outside?”

“Well, I’m here anyways, there’s no reason for me to just wait outside.”

As it’s my first time entering a club, I was quite nervous. Two young men squatting down at the corner, playing games on their phones, turned around to stare at Major and I, as though they were looking at ostriches that escaped from the zoo.

Walking to the end of the stairway, we opened the massive doors, seeing the walls and floor of the short passageway that were painted gold A counter was at the left, while there’s a door deeper in the room. The room looked just like a pressurized cabin in sci-fi movies. The high-pitched part of a dance song could be heard in here.

“High schoolers are prohibited from entering the shop.”

Wearing a black wired sweater, the male supervisor that looked somewhat like a woman said to us. He directly glared at me, then shifted his gaze to Major, who was wearing a military uniform, completely failing to fit in with the night club. At that moment, I just realized that I was still wearing my school uniform as I went directly to the ramen shop after school.

“We’re not customers, Souchiro asked us to come.”

Major lied indifferently.

“Ah, Sou-san asked you to come, did he?”

“There’s a problem right now, so we—“

“And when did I ask you to come again?”

Major jumped about two meters because of the sharp voice. Turning around to look at the entrance that we’ve just came in from, Yondaime, who was wearing a crimson coat, walked towards us against the light followed by Rocky and Pole.

“Sou-san, thanks for your hard work.”

The guy(woman?) behind the counter said in a high-pitched voice. I sneaked a peek at him, and found that his whole face was red because of nervousness, and only his eyes were glittering.

“Aniki, thanks for your hard work!”

Rocky and Pole greeted me in a chorus with their heads lowered. Major stared at me with an astonished expression on his face. I, myself, don’t know how it turned out like this either!

“What are you doing here? Did Alice say something unnecessary again?”

“She just wants to know the contents of the interrogation.”

Major shrugged, and showed Yondaime the palm-sized recorder. Yondaime made a ‘tut’ sound.

“And why is the Gardening Club kid here, too?”

“Vice Admiral Fujishima is Alice’s assistant.”

“Ah— enough, I get it. It’s so troublesome.” Yondaime pushed Major and I away and said to the counter: “Sorry for troubling you, the person that I’m looking for is inside, right?”

When the door inside opened, Yondaime turned his head around and said to me:

“Gardening Club kid, at least take off your coat and your tie!”

It was like the shop was in alternate dimension. A slow song was being played on the dance floor. An eerie orange color that appeared only at dawn in the black seas surfaced in the middle of the dance floor; the strangely dressed DJ wore four different colored shirts, and was playing the six beat music that made people feel anxious. In the darkness, the crowd shook their head with the beat, jewellery and glasses glittering due to the dim reflected light.

With Yondaime in the lead, followed by Rocky, Pole, me, and lastly Major, the peculiar group walked in a line further into the shop, pushing away the other people in the crowd.

“Ah! Sou-san!”

“Sou-san, good to see you again! It’s rare that you would appear at this time.”

A row of office ladies who finished work surrounded Yondaime.

“So sorry, but I’m busy right now. I’ll come find you later.”

“Ehhhhhh—”

“It was so scary just now! A crazy fellow took a knife and went on a rampage, it was so terrifying.”

“Good thing the show didn’t just stop because of this. The DJ today is great, Sou-san should listen together!”

Rocky opened his mouth, showing his teeth to scare them away, while Major and I slipped through the gap. The suspicious gazes of the girls are really painful. After that, Yondaime had to deal with the girls who rushed over when they saw him every five meters. Finally, we reached an inconspicuous door in the shadows of the spiral staircase, and the words ‘Staff Only’ were written on it.

At the moment the door was opened, the odd sound made by a man rang in the corridors. I couldn’t tell if it was a wail of distress or his laughter. I suddenly felt a chill on my back.

Metal racks, wooden boxes, stacked round stools, the cement wall that was pasted full of faded Pepsi Cola posters, there was an ancient air to the room. The wide warehouse might be shared, because quite a few doors could be seen on our way here.

“Thanks for your hard work!”

“Thanks for your hard work!”

A few men wearing black T-shirts greeted Yondaime.

“Aniki is here too?”

Even I, who was hiding behind Rocky, was found immediately.

There was a tied up man lying on the floor at a corner of the warehouse. He wore a dark green hoodie with a slightly dirty pants; His eyes that looked like a crow searching for trash in a junkyard were wandering under his unruly hair. His skin and lips were parched, so his age couldn’t be estimated, but he should be quite young.

“He had quite a lot of the pills on him.”

One of the lackeys handed a plastic bag to Yondaime. They were pills placed into different packets. They were much redder than what I first saw, but the marking of the wings and the two letters— A.F, I still have an impression on them.

“The amount that they’re selling is increasing lately.”

“It might be a stock-clearing sale.”

“Oh, oh, oh…….”

The man lying on the floor twisted his body while trying to get a hold on Yondaime’s leg. The black shirted guys kicked the man in the stomach.

Yondaime took off his coat and handed it to Pole, who was behind him. He squatted down, caught hold of the man’s unruly hair and turned the man’s face towards his own shoulders.

“You recognize this emblem, right? You’re the one who stabbed one of us, right?”

The man didn’t answer, but just foamed in the mouth. I was overwhelmed by Yondaime’s imposing aura, and could not even make a sound. I suddenly felt that the area was giving out a thoughtful air.

“How do you meet the people who made Fix? Where are they?”

There were Yondime’s low voice, and a high-pitched voice that almost buried Yondaime’s voice.

“Don’t even need to contact them, they are there, only we can see them. The top of their head is shining, have wings, can hear the song. We can hear…… and can se, only we can see.”

“Stop that nonsense!”

One of the lackeys kicked the man’s back, causing the man to cough violently, but he didn’t stop talking.

“The wings that you couldn’t see, but we can see. In the crowd, the song guides us. You can’t hear it, right? Scum like you could never hear it. Dylan, Bob Dylan’s ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ is sung, and the angels will correct us.”

Angel Fix will not look down on anyone, that’s what Toshi said. I couldn’t help but push away the broad back of one of the lackeys and ran towards the man. As soon as my face got close to him, I smelled the odor of blood that he coughed out.

“Do you know Shinozaki? It’s this person, this guy.”

I took out a copy of the wanted poster with the photos of the six people on it, showed it to him and pointed at the bottom right corner.

“Have you seen this guy?”

“Aniki, it’s dangerous to get close. Please step aside.”

The black shirted man caught hold of my collar and pulled me away. The man didn’t look at the poster or at me, but continued with his weak voice that sounded as if he squeezed them out:

“You who cannot see the angels or hear the song should just die. Kill you, I want to kill you, I’m very gentle, so I just stabbed that guy in the stomach, the blood is warm……”

Veins showed on the lackey’s forehead, and he raised his hand.

With a ‘thwack’, his hand was stopped.

“…… Sou-san!”

Yondaime slowly put down the hand of his follower.

“Undo the rope on him.”

“We don’t know what he’s going to do!”

“Stop making a fuss. This type of scum needs a trial too.”

Trial?

After the man was free, he stood up stiffly like a robot. Yondaime took out the large saber searched from the man, pulled out the scabbard and looked at the blade.

“Hey! The trials of Hirasaka-gumi have been suggested by a certain idiot following the customs of medieval Europe. They are also known as God’s Judgment; because God will let the right party win.”

The man picked up the knife that was thrown to his side like a hungry wolf preying on sheep. I nearly cried out loud.

“Aniki, please go out.”

A few black shirted men formed a wall with their back, leading Major and I out of the warehouse.

“That’s really dangerous! K- Knives…...”

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, Yondaime will definitely be okay.”

At the instant when Major murmured that, the drug addict kicked the wall and leapt to his front. It was like we could hear the sounds of the blade slicing the air. But Yondaime couldn’t be seen anymore, so we didn’t know how he moved. Yondaime stood in front of the drug addict leaping towards him, and he hit the man in the back of his head. When the man collapsed, the sound of his teeth cracking echoed in the room.

A black stain spread from the head of the collapsed man.

“…… Thanks for your hard work.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

The members of Hirasaka-gumi solemnly bowed. Yondaime kicked over the motionless man, and blood could be seen on the man’s face.

“Gardening Club kid, get out of here. What goes on next isn’t something that a kid like you can see.”

“But……”

“Aniki, sorry for this.”

Before I could protest, two lackeys pushed me out to the corridor. At the instant when the doors were closed, I saw Major who was starting the recorder, and the eyes of Yondaime who caught hold of the man’s hair.

I was left alone in the cold corridor that was illuminated by flashing neon lights.

Wails of agony came from behind the door, and they lingered in my mind for a long, long time.

<center>*</center>

Squatting down on the corridors with my face buried in my hands, I raised my head when I heard the sound of the door opening.

Yondaime walked out behind Major. I realized that there were blood on his fists.

“…… How’s that guy?”

“He’s just blabbering some things that people couldn’t understand, so I haven’t killed him yet. There are still some things that I have to ask him.”

Haven’t? Haven’t killed him yet?

What if he doesn’t have any information on him?

“Major, take this bag of pills to Alice.”

“The contents changed?”

“That’s possible. The people who are hospitalized increased lately. Just a small amount of it could make them very high, causing the idiotic kids to be so happy. It seems that a lot of other chemicals have been added.”

Other chemicals have been added. At this moment, I realized with a shock that it’s because of the decrease in raw material.

Because of Ayaka’s absence.

Major took the plastic bag from Yondaime and placed it into my hands.

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, help me take the pills to Alice. I need to go home for awhile.”

“Oi! Don’t ask a high schooler to send this type of thing!”

Major turned to Yondaime and shrugged.

“It’s okay if it’s Vice Admiral Fujishima! His face and his appearance is bland to the extreme, even if a terrorist attack happened at the Imperial Palace, he could still go where he wants in the Chiyoda area without even being questioned.”

Mind your own business.

Yondaime made a ‘tut’ noise and said: “Why aren’t you sending it there?”

“Because I have to go edit the audio! How could you let Alice hear the sounds of Yondaime dislocating the man’s arms, breaking his teeth and trampling on his hands!”

“You really are an annoying guy.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Pole stuck his head out of the warehouse.

“Sou-san, we’ve finished bandaging his wounds. Should we bring him to the office?”

“I’ll hand it to you.”

As Yondaime was about to walk further into the corridors,

“Erm—”

Yondaime is always so sensitive to my voice, like he felt that I was an irritating bug that stopped on his neck.

My voice disappeared because of the glare by the wolf, and made me unsure of what to say next. Indeed, I came here to help find Toshi, but the atmosphere at that moment made me unable to say that.

This is really not a world that I could live in.

<center>*</center>

On the way back to the ramen shop from the night club, my phone vibrated suddenly when I was riding on the trails beside the park. I stopped, looked at the name shown on the liquid plasma screen, and nearly cried out loud.

Shinozaki Ayaka.

With a ‘Ker-plunk’, pain came from my elbow and kneecaps. My bike fell onto the ground, while I, too, was sprawled on the road. Some drunk office workers scolded me whehn passing by, but my eyes were still glued to my tightly held phone. Ayaka, it’s Ayaka! How could that be? Why was Ayaka calling me?

Lying on the asphalt road, I picked up the phone with trembling hands.

“…… Hello?”

‘…… Hmm? Mnn? Oh, oho~ this number really is yours, ah, hahaha!’

A familiar voice came from the phone, the loud but somewhat hourse voice of a man.

“— Toshi?”

‘ There’s only your number and the ramen shop’s in Ayaka’s phone, ahaha, hahahaha!”

Toshi’s eerily piercing laughter is obviously the ones after he took the drug. Why would Toshi have Ayaka’s phone? The thought that Ayaka might have saw Toshi before she tried to commit suicide completely missed my mind.

“Where….. are you right now——”

‘There’s wanted posters everywhere, even Hakamizaka’s face has been found out. Haha, I’ve really underestimated Alice, she’s truly a freak.”

“What did you do to Ayaka?”

‘Why, why did it turn out like this……’ Toshi’s voice sounded somewhat listless.

‘About Ayaka, I’m also…… If I, I……”

Sniffles came from the other side of the phone. Toshi was crying, he just couldn’t hear my words.

‘We can’t run away anymore……’

Toshi’s voice gradually became smaller.

“Hurry up and say where you are!” I shouted, as if I’m hammering him. Toshi started to mutter:

‘…… hey……. Sa…… save…….. Me……”

“Are you joking! You—”

The noise of something suddenly came from the other side of the phone, interrupting my words. A man roaring: ‘Idiot, who are you talking to!’ and then a noise like a cabinet keeping cutlery was overturned sounded.

When I shifted the phone away from my ears due to the noise, a familiar voice of a man came from the phone:

‘…… So you’re Alice, huh?’

A husky voice.

“Who are you—?”

I’ve already noticed before I asked him who he was, this is the voice of the man who stood beside me at the zebra crossings the last day I met Toshi.

“Are you— Hakamizaka? Where are you? What did you do to Toshi!”

‘You’re not Alice? Isn’t the detective looking for me? Do you know Alice?’

“Answer me! Why did you take Toshi away?”

I stood up, going forward while clutching at my bike with one hand, as though I’m clenching desperately at the neck of the man at the other side of the phone.

‘Oh, you’re the high schooler who was chasing Shinozaki that time.’

The man was laughing. Hakamizaka was laughing at me through Ayaka’s phone. Anger that flowed in through my ears were like boiling blood, suppressing my breathing.

‘Tell the detective, find me if she’s really that good. Come catch me. If even you guys found me, my experiment would be a success.’

“You……What are you, trying to do?”

‘Telling you would just be a waste of time. You don’t have a clue, so you won’t be able to come, I understood that when I saw you. But some people can, and many other people can too. I will correct those people. Even if there’s only one, I will bring them to heaven.’

Just when Hakamizaka’s voice raised all of a sudden, the phone was hung up.

I redialed Ayaka’s phone number for a lot of times, almost to the extent of breaking my thumb. But I couldn’t reach the number. The cold tone of the voice mail said that there’s no signal or the phone is off.

I got onto my bike and pedaled furiously. While I was dashing on the road, I might have shouted some incomprehensible words.

<center>*</center>

“Alice!”

I rushed inside the room like I was going to tear down the door of room 308, causing Tetsu-senpai, who was yawning in front of the bed, to jump in surprise. Sitting opposite to him, Alice’s hair flew up.

“Narumi, what’s with you? You even forgot to ring the doorbell—”

“Toshi just called me. He’s carrying Ayaka’s phone right now, and is with Hakamizaka!”

Alice and I looked at each other, and Alice understood my meaning in a flash. Alice closed her mouth, turning again to the keyboard and hammered it in a surprisingly majestic manner while calling people at the same time.

Using a satellite to detect the weak electromagnetic waves from a phone and check one’s location originally requires the permission of the opposing party, but Alice is a cracker who could even find out the phone log of their phones.

“Narumi, calm down and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai forced me to sit down beside the fridge, as if he was going to flatten my head. My head hurts, breathing felt difficult; My body below my neck felt freezing cold, but my face was burning hot. I saw stars, and my lips were trembling uncontrollably.

“Breathe slowly, you’re over-breathing. Listen…… One, two three.”

Tetsu-senpai’s large hand slowly massaged my back. I felt air blocking my windpipe like a fist, but I still forced myself to coordinate my breathing with Tetsu-senpai’s beats. My chest that felt as if it was tied up at first, slowly felt more comfortable.

“It’s no good, the phone isn’t turned on.”

After about fifteen minutes, Alice finally turned her head around and said. I leaned against the side of the fridge, exhausted. My breathing was still very rapid, so I drank a mouthful of the sports drink that Tetsu-senpai bought me.

“Narumi, are you okay?”

“Urgh…..”

I wanted to answer ‘Yeah’ but couldn’t talk properly. Tetsu-senpai sat at the end of the bed.

“Darn, I’ve forgotten that there’s still the trail of Ayaka’s phone.”

“I forgot about it too. If only I’ve noticed earlier……”

Alice’s face twisted because of hate, her thumb massaging her lower lip.

“But according to the phone log, they’re still in the area.”

“They’ve probably ran away by now, haven’t they?”

“God knows. The facilities for manufacturing drugs are probably on this street, which is why they’re in this area. Leaving behind all of their stuff and running away requires comprehension…… Narumi, what did Toshi say to you?”

I blankly stared at Alice who was asking me a question, unable to comprehend at that moment that she was asking me.

Toshi. What did Toshi say in the phone again? He said that there’s wanted posters everywhere and they can’t run away now. And then, and then—

“…… He asked us to save him.”

Although there were only a small hint of a change in Tetsu-senpai’s expression, I still noticed it.

“Really?”

I nodded.

At the last moment, Toshi did say: ‘Save me.’

“Alice, I got it.”

Because of my words, the black hair swayed.

“You said that you didn’t understand why Toshi let me see the drugs, right?”

“Yeah……”

“Toshi didn’t come to borrow money from Ayaka that day, and he wasn’t here to spy on your job, he’s actually……”

Although there aren’t any concrete evidence, I still know it.

“He’s actually here to ask for help, but he just couldn’t say it out loud, but hoped that someone, no matter anyone, would realize his plea for help, and then, and then……”

Did Toshi ask for help from Hakamizaka? Thus, the man used the pink pills to take the place of a helping hand?

Why is he so idiotic? Why didn’t he just say so in the first place? Why now? “ It’s already too late! Idiot! He should say so earlier! Why didn’t he say so before Ayaka commited suicide? Why did she try to commit suicide without even saying a word? Why? Why……”

I was truly angry at that moment, angry at Ayaka, and also Toshi. The two matters muddled into one in my brain, turned into words and spilled out from my mouth. But I couldn’t stop. You want us to save you only now? It’s all because of you that Ayaka fell into a coma. What a joke! Stop joking!

I supported my hands on the cold floor, and started to bellow as though I was throwing up.

After I finished shouting wordlessly until I could not say anything anymore, the silence that was flattening us gradually lifted.

In the frozen room, the first person to take action was Tetsu-senpai. He stood up from the bed and walked towards the entrance.

“So you’re finally serious?”

Alice asked with a steady voice. Senpai placed his hand on the handle, saying without even turning his head back:

“Idiot, I’m always that serious, it’s just that I’m not in a rush.”

“Oh really? If you don’t hurry up, Toshi would either be swallowed up by the angels or slaughtered by Yondaime.”

“I know.”

The sound of the closing door shook me to the core.

It was only at these moments that Alice didn’t say anything, and even took out a can of Dr. Pepper from her fridge herself. Alice squatted down by my side. Although our arms were only separated by a layer of clothing, our body temperatures were very far.

<center>*</center>
The following day, after class finished.

I squatted down alone in a corner of the school garden and dug while thinking that I’m never going to Hanamaru Ramen Shop ever again. It was not only because I have nothing to do there, it was also because my very existence was getting in everybody’s ways.

Even if I don’t know anything, I still want to find something that only I could do. Even strolling in the streets the whole day while holding a poster would be fine. Just waiting on a gas tank just made me feel like I’m going to be flattened.

Something that I can do.

Something that only I can do.

Is there such a thing?

When using the spade to turn over the decaying roots, the thing in my pocket fell onto the soil.

“Ah……”

It was a small plastic bag. There were four red pills in it, and on them were engraved the wings of an angel.

It was the Angel Fix that Yondaime gave me yesterday. That’s right, I originally went back to the ramen shop to give the pills to Alice. I had actually forgotted all about it.

I lifted up the bag and looked at it through the weak rays of the winter sun.

The members of the baseball club ran through the courtyard, and two girls from the tennis club passed by them. Probably nobody would even think that I’m holding a drug that’s named an angel, right? Because of these tiny pills, quite a few people have already died.

It’s because of them that Ayaka fell into a coma.

Anger surged in my heart all of a sudden. I held the plastic bag tightly, used the spade to stab the soil forcibly, trying to restrain myself. It’s just a drug. A round object that got its contents from the fruits of some strange poppy flowers. Even if I tore them apart, ground them into powder and burn them into ashes, Ayaka wouldn’t come back.

Closing my eyes, I slowly breathed out.

Then, I lifted the plastic bag to eye level and again said to myself, this is just a drug.

“……. Hmm?”

I had a feeling that something was not right.

I didn’t understand the reason. Raising the plastic bag, I turned its contents over again and again, feeling that something was…… off, but I didn’t know what was wrong with it.

“FU- JI- SHI- MA- KUN!”

The voice of a girl interrupted my train of thought. I hastily stuffed the pills back into my pocket. Sayuri-sensei ran over to me from the school building wearing pure white clothing and a mini skirt.

“I’m sorry, can you please move the pots to another side?”

Sensei pointed at the flowerpot that haven’t bloomed yet.

“Is there…… anything wrong?”

My answering voice sounded somewhat unnatural.

“As the rooftop is locked now, the graduation photo is going to be taken at the courtyard. We must find some space for that.”

Ahhhh…… So that’s why.

“So am I bothering them then?”

Sayuri-sensei smiled wryly.

“Yeah, we can’t go through the activities of the Gardening Club today.”

Anyways, I stood up. It was like someone told me, I had to walk somewhere, and not squat down and think of meaningless things. I sighed, stood up and patted away the soil on my knees. Because of Sayuri-sensei’s help, we moved all the plants to the entrance in five minutes.

<center>*</center>

In the end, I still went to the ramen shop. I couldn’t just disappear without even handing Alice the stuff.

I originally planned to hand the pills to anyone and then walk away, but there’s not even a person at the kitchen backdoor. Am I too early? But I didn’t want to hand it directly to Alice. She would probably see through my thoughts as soon as she saw my face, and then give some hurtful comments.

Thinking that I had no choice, I could only wait on the gas tank for everyone to arrive. Min-san who was busy preparing soup said: “They’ve already gathered at the office.”

They?

As soon as I opened the door to the NEET Detective Agency, room 308, I heard the familiar voices of the guys from the inside of the office.

“…… only we could find them, there are glowing wings on the angel’s head, and heard a song, we could hear, and could see, only us……”

Hiro and Tetsu-senpai sat at two sides of the bed while Major was sitting opposite to Alice. A large amount of plastic bags containing pink pills were stacked on the blankets. The voice came from Major’s recorder, which is the voice of the drug dealer we caught at Club Haploid Heart.

Tetsu-senpai muttered: “They’re saying the same thing as the guys caught by the police.”

“Because they have shining wings on their head, and Bob Dylan’s song so they could find it immediately…… (Sigh). If there’s really such an obvious person, Hirasaka-gumi would find them long ago.”

Alice shook her head and turned off the recorder.

“Narumi, what are you spacing off at the entrance for? We’re having a meeting right now, so hurry up and close the door, then get me a can of Dr. Pepper.”

“Ah…… Mnn.”

A meeting? I’m extremely getting in their way, so I’d better get out quickly.

I handed the Dr. Pepper and the Angel Fix to Alice together.

“Hmm? Ahhh, it’s the thing that Yondaime gave you yesterday. You just keep forgetting important things easily.”

“Mnn….. Sorry. I’ll just go home then.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, Major grabbed my coat.

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, where are you going? We’re having a tactical meeting right now!”

“Well, it’s just that…… I’m getting in the way, right?”

“Stop babbling and sit down. You’re my assistant, right? If you went home, who’ll get me my second can of Dr. Pepper after I finished my first one?”

Alice spoke to me with an arrogant air as usual. Vortexes of questions appeared in my mind, but in the end I just bit my lower lip, saying nothing and sat down beside Major, who offered me a seat. It’s too crowded. This really isn’t a room for the meeting of five people.

Even though I would only get in the way, I might think of something after listening to the meeting. I changed my mind, and started to think of anything that I could do to help.

“The said wings and song might just be a code or something.”

Hiro said while flipping through the information.

“The bones in his hands were fractured by Yondaime, is it possible for him to continue having that illusion? And the five people who were arrested said the same thing!”

“There’s no common point for the drug dealers…… And they’re not even drug dealers, but just people who bought them in pill shape, the ones we call the first customers.”

“Someone even got them for free, meaning that the organization is not after profits, but did this for an experiment.”

“Then the drug addicts gather at points where there are shining wings on the people’s heads and the music. Is it only them who could differentiate the markings? Is this a joke?”

I could understand what everyone said for now. We still couldn’t find the person who directly took part in manufacturing. The man who was almost beaten to death by Yondaime some time ago bought a pile of drugs and sold them everywhere, but was clueless about things concerning the organization.

Is there such a thing? If the police or Hirasaka-gumi tried to buy the pills, they should probably find out about it immediately.

“I’ve tracked the girls who bought the drug too, but couldn’t find people of the organization.”

“There should be some kind of code. They’re having regular supplies too, and yet the police in plain clothes couldn’t find them.”

“So the problem is with the wings and the song.”

“I really have no idea what that means.”

While listening to Hiro, Major and Tetsu-senpai’s discussion, I observed the large amount of Angel Fix lying beside Alice’s foot. Again, I had that strange feeling that I had when I was at the school garden. What on Earth is it? What is the thing that keeps attracting me to them?

I subconsciously picked up a plastic bag. Alice noticed it and said: “Narumi?” I indifferently held the plastic bag and looked at it through the lights, and flipped it over to the back. At that moment I finally realized, the problem was not with the pills inside, but the bag itself.

“Alice……”

I knew that my voice was shaking.

“— do you have a water based pen?”

“Water based pen?”

“It’s okay as long as it’s water based. Lend me one if you have it.”

Not sure from what time, the other three were looking at me silently. I took the red pen from Alice’s hands, took out the pills, pressed the plastic bag against the walls and started to scribble on it from the corner.

“AH!” “AHHHHH!”

I’m not sure whose shouts were those, and might even be my own voice. The transparent plastic bag that was dyed red red— a pair of open wings surfaced on it because of waterproof materials.

“This is almost completely…… drawn using transparent paint, right?”

Major said in a low voice, and I nodded.

The same drawing was drawn on each bag with the same material, and the picture surfaced on it because of the water based ink. Same as the wings carved onto the pills but with one of them facing the opposite direction, they were the wings of an angel.

“Narumi…… This thing…… You found it……”

“…… But, what’s with this?”

Hiro asked.

“This is the shining wings, and that’s why the police and Hirasaka-gumi didn’t notice it.”

I answered, staring at a plastic bag that I didn’t paint on. You really won’t find it if you’re not looking closely at it through a light.

“So this is the shining wings?”

The statement of the drug dealer: ‘Glowing wings on their heads’ and ‘A song that could be heard’.

Those were not hallucinations caused by the drug—

All of them were real.

The same paint could be used on the face, and also on a cap; Playing Bob Dylan’s song non-stop, with their pockets full of the pink-colored magic drug.

“But why would the people who bought the pills realize it? It’s so strange.”

“The side effects of Angel Fix cause their vision and hearing to become extremely sensitive, so that’s why they found out about the signals, huh? Narumi.”

Alice answered in my stead, and I silently nodded.

‘It seemed that it had stopped’, ‘Could even see a slight movement’ , ‘Could win if I just close my eyes and listen to the sound’.

With just a correction— you would see the angels.

“They just have to wait for the people who had their minds sharpened after taking the drug. Is there really such a stupid way of selling?”

“The way they sell them is indeed stupid, but what if that’s exactly their purpose?”

“…… What do you mean by that?”

“The experiment! A human experiment to confirm how effective the drug is. Could they create believers who could find the angel wings and song on such a noisy street—

Alice caught a handful of the Angel Fix by her foot and spread them on her bed.

“— and so his experiment is successful.”

Tetsu-senpai stood with his mouth open, unable to say even one word.

After a moment of silence, Hiro said:

“…… All of them are your assumptions?”

“Of course.”

Alice said while looking at the small hill of pills.

“…… So, what should we do then?”

After Major’s words, the room sank into a silence.

The silence was heavy, as though it was frozen petrol, flowing into the room through the windows, because the five who were present knew what was coming next.

At that moment, I felt a sense of déjà vu that stiffened my whole body— I saw this scene before, as if I knew it a few thousand years, tens of thousands of years ago. That was what I felt, but of course that’s probably just my imagination.

Even so, I still think that way right now. It might be because I saw my page on God’s notebook before I was born, forgetting about the rest but clearly remembering what I should say in this situation.

Because, if there is a meaning for me to exist at this place on this moment—

Probably it’s just for this purpose, right?

Thus, I spoke.

“I’ll take the drug, and find the drug dealer.”

Sitting beside me, Major gasped instead.

Alice just continued to stare at my eyes.

Tetsu-senpai heaved a long sigh and sat onto the computer rack.

Hiro finally said.

“We can’t let Narumi do these kinds of things……”

“Then who else is going to do it?”

I interrupted Hiro’s words unhesitatingly.

“Apart from myself, who else saw the drawing on the bag? People can’t just see it just by taking the drug, can they? If anyone could see it, then we should have noticed it earlier.”

“No, aren’t those just your assumptions?”

“Then! Are there any other ways? The only thing I can do is this! Even if you stop me, I’m still going to do it.”

I tightly held the plastic bag containing the Angel Fix, so tight that it was almost torn apart.

“Some people even died because of it, so……”

“Hiro, shut up.”

Alice’s majestic voice rang in the room.

Hiro showed a dumbstruck expression for a moment, and then looked like he immediately became an obedient leopard and lowered his head.

Alice stood up from her bed, black hair flowing on her delicate shoulders. The small queen who forced the wall of machines to obey herself looked at me from above with an icy gaze.

“Narumi, there’s no difference with eating the pills and dying. Even if your are okay physically, you would also die mentally, do you understand? Never mind, I don’t think you would understand, you won’t get it if you didn’t take it. This is a helpless contradiction."

I silently listened to Alice’s statement.

“But even so— if you are still determined to do it, I won’t stop you, and will not let anyone stop you.”

I felt that my decision has already been made tens of thousands of years before, so I answered unhesitatingly:

“I will do it, because that’s what I’ve decided.”

A sad expression was shown on Alice’s face. Her long eyelashes drooped, as if she was going to wipe away tears, and opened her eyes again.

“Major, prepare a mini-microphone, earphones and a camera that can be fitted into a cap. Hiro and Tetsu will decide on the place and time. I’ll arrange all the information into a map.”

“Alice…… Is this really okay?”

Hiro looked at me and said restlessly. Alice just looked at him once and said:

“There’s no other way, we can only go forward on this road. This is—”

At that moment, Alice’s expression was really, truly lonely. The loneliness would make people feel as though their heart was directly entangled by thin threads as soon as they saw it, and an expression that would shatter into teardrops if too much force is used.

“This is the only feasible way. So don’t say anything, and do your own part.”

<center>*</center>

I was the last person out of the detective agency, because I was forced to stay and write Alice’s documents. The wind was so strong outside, even colder than the strong air conditioning inside the room. The brightness of the sleepless town shone onto the bottomless night. Not even one star was shining in the night skies.

I turned my head and stared at the signboard of the agency.

It’s the only NEET thing to do.

Is that really so? I don’t know, either.

But this is undeniably the only thing that I can do. It’s not for Ayaka, and not for Toshi, not for anyone, but for my own self.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 5

2011-12-27T03:15:19Z

Asteradragon:

==Chapter 2==

From the next day, my school life became very busy. As soon as school was over, I had to take care of the garden. Sayuri-sensei helped out with that too.

“Before Fujishima-kun entered the Gardening Club, I came over here to help out occasionally too.”

Holding the pot of orchid, she said emotionally.

You could just put the flowers aside in the winter season when the flowers don’t bloom, that was my thoughts before this; but now I know that if we didn’t prepare during the winter, the flowers won’t bloom the next year.

I, myself, don’t know why I’m continuing the Gardening Club activities, but I just felt that if I continued to take care of the plants that Ayaka nurtured, I might be able to know her thoughts better, albeit slightly. Those were my thoughts.

After finishing the club activities, I went through the Shuto Expressway by the river, went past the station and arrived at ‘Hanamaru’. After greeting Min-san, I went to the back of the shop.

The only person who was earlier than me that day was Hiro. He wore a coat with gold buttons sewed onto in with a pair of white jeans. I’ve never seen Hiro wearing the same clothes before, but they’ll probably be gifts from women anyways.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 207.jpg|thumb|''Hiro was sitting on the charred gas tank with a phone clamped between his shoulders and ears, and sending messages with the two phones on his hands.'']]
Hiro was sitting on the charred gas tank with a phone clamped between his shoulders and ears, and sending messages with the two phones on his hands. Its just like the acrobatics people do on the streets.

“…… Ah? Is this Mika? It’s me, yes yes, I’m Yumi’s friend, that’s right, Hiro. Nice to meet you. Hahaha, Eh? Really? Asking me out…… Hmm, mmnn, what about this Friday? Are you free?”

If other people who aren’t in the know heard him talking, they would probably just think that he’s flirting. But his words follow a common pattern, unknowingly changing the subject to the drug. “Ah, I’ve heard about it. That’s right, a pink powder…… Mnn, no, I’ve never tried it before, but I’ve heard from my friends that it’s great. Who’s the one who bought it? Mnn, mnn……” just like that.

I sat on the worn out tires, looking at Hiro, impressed. Hiro turned off the phone on his right and, hung up the phone that he was previously talking on and placed it into his pocket, then smiled at me. After that, his left hand continued it’s previous actions, writing something on a piece of paper with a pen.

“It seems like quite a lot of girls have bought it before, but they’ve bought it from their friends, so it’s hard to find the source.”

I asked, purely because of interest: “Hiro, how many girls do you know?”

“Mnnn—— I don’t know.”

Just after Hiro answered me, his phone rang again. Hiro picked up the phone, and started his strawberry-like sweet talking, he really doesn’t have any free time. While he was talking on the phone, Hiro’s left hand didn’t stop at all. The thing that was placed on the table seemed to be a map of the places nearby the station, Marui Supermarket, Balco Supermarket, Tokyu Home Centre, First Bookshop…… A red pen was used to draw another and another circle on the streets between the shop names that I’ve just seen.

“Phew!”

Hiro finally heaved a sigh, placed a row of phones on the table (there’s not only three, but also two more in his pockets). He stretched and drank a cup of coffee.

“This one is for female high schoolers, this one is for wives; this one is for attacking the ladies that I want to go out with, this one is for defending against the ladies that I don’t like that much……” Hiro explained the usage of his phones one by one. Attack? Defend?

“When compared to a gigolo, you’re more like a hustler……”

I was somewhat defeated by Hiro.

“Do you know what is the difference between a gigolo and a hustler?”

Hiro asked. I tilted my head.

“A gigolo is exclusively locked onto someone, while a hustler must be loved at the same time by three people or above. I’m still a rookie, and dare not say that I’m a hustler.”

“Ah……” What a complicated world. “So, what about a man who is loved by two people at the same time?”

“A person who goes out with two women usually gets a knife in his chest by the women, so they don’t need a name.”

“Oh, I see.” Wait, why am I agreeing??

“But after starting the investigation, it really is muddled up. It’s no small wonder that Yondaime would have trouble with this.”

Hiro turned the map over and said, filling the spaces with names of women and numbers.

“What is that?”

“The price is too cheap, they’ve bought them from people that they know, and also the price doesn’t even have a standard. This drug is too strange, it’s even so common too……”

Ah, so the numbers are prices. I have no idea about prices for drugs, so I’m not sure what they mean by cheap. There are even some zeroes on the map, does that mean that they got them for free?

“What about this side of the map?”

“Ah, that’s the place they bought the drug. A double circle would mean that it’s suspected as the source of the drug.”

I was dumbstruck, staring at the map that was almost completely dyed red. It was not even three days after they vowed to look for Toshi, but Hiro, alone, had already gotten so much information from his five phones.

“Vice Admiral Fujishima is here! Just at the right moment.”

A voice came from behind me. When I turned my head around, Major was standing behind me while carrying an enormous backpack that looked like a small hill.

“Help me to take the backpack down, this thing is broken.” Major said. So, I went over to help me, and spent a lot of effort before we lightly placed the backpack onto the ground.

“I stayed up for two days straight to finish that!”

Major seemed quite delighted when he said that, took out small cameras from his bag and placed them on the wooden stand. The said cameras were just palm-sized black cubes with a round lens on it. There were about twenty identical cameras.

“Major really went all out!”

“I’ve actually finished making the cameras a long time ago, just that installing a verifying software took a long time. There weren’t any missions for pinpointing a certain target until now, so there wasn’t any chane to use it, hehe.”

“So how do you use these cameras?”

“You’ve come just at the right time, Vice Admiral Fujishima. Actually you look very bland, so using you for a test would be perfect.”

I just feel that Major said something rude to me in a straightforward manner. Major borrowed the socket in the kitchen, connected it to the notebook-sized computer, and arranged quite a few cameras in an arc to face my face. Then, he asked Hiro to raise one of them, looking at the computer screen while making adjustments: “Shift it down a little, that’s right, okay, it’s done.” Then Major turned to me and said:

“Walk outside and then walk back again.”

Completely befuddled, I acted in accordance with Major’s word, walked out and walked back to their side. As soon as I entered the shadows of the building, Major’s computer emitted the piercing sound of an alarm. I was startled and took a step back. Hiro was surprised until the camera on his hand nearly fell. Only Major was laughing sneakily while slapping his knees.

“Hmm, its accuracy is indeed higher if you take the photo from the front. Vice Admiral Fujishima, try to walk in with your head lowered this time.”

After that, I followed Major’s instructions, keeping my head lowered, walked horizontally, or turning my head around while walking. I did these odd actions while walking from outside to the kitchen backdoor. Every time I walked in, Major’s computer would sound the alarm. It was not until Min-san scolded: “Shut up, keep quiet! And don’t just use my socket like you own it!” that things came to an end. However, Min-san didn’t really say anything about the camera and the computer.

I finally realized after that…..

“The camera could recognize my face?”

“That’s right. If a photo is taken from a close distance from six sides, the accuracy could be that high. When I went to the research room on summer, the professor was doing an experiment on this, so I just borrowed his idea.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Hiro went closer to look at the camera and the monitor. This really isn’t the standard of interest. Having such superb skills, why is he still a NEET?

“You’re going to use it to search for Toshi?”

“We don’t really have that big of a budget, so we have to lock onto some places. This system really uses up a lot of power.”

“Never mind the battery, what about the information about Toshi’s face? You can’t use the system without it, right?”

“The surveillance system in Alice’s room probably has information for about a month.”

Ah, so Major was the one behind the surveillance cameras too? I just feel that things are getting to a larger and larger scale, I could only watch at the side with my mouth open like an idiot.

“Oh yeah, where’s Tetsu?”

Major placed the cameras back into his bag and asked.

“He’s probably at the police station.”

“Ah, if we have the investigation report from the police, we could pinpoint a place to set up the cameras.” Major said as if it wasn’t anything important.

“Tetsu-senpai…… have connections with the police?”

Hiro smiled wryly, is it because my surprised expression is that funny?

“Before he started boxing, he was always taken care by the police. I remember that it was the youth counselors who brought him to the boxing centre while weeping and asked them to take care of him. After he started boxing, he stopped getting into fights.”

In the end, he became a pachinko gambler right now— that was Hiro’s conclusion. I’ve never heard about Tetsu-senpai’s past, but he couldn’t just get information from the police, could he……

Right when I was thinking about that, Tetsu-senpai appeared at the ramen shop. It was about seven at night. He took out a notebook from his T-shirt, then put it in front of Major and Hiro with a thunk.

“Tetsu, you reek of smoke.”

“It can’t be helped, the only place where the smell of cigarette is stronger than the pachinko shop is the police station. And the smell of smoke isn’t the main point. I tidied up the map a bit, so take out yours for a look.”

Major skimmed through the notes while saying: “There’s really not much progress for the police’s investigation.” Looking from the side, the notebook was scrawled full of words written with a pencil, probably Tetsu-senpai’s notes? He really did get news from the police?

The three surrounded the old wooden stand and started to talk quietly. Hiro added the information from the police onto the map full of red marks.

There’s really no room for me to take part in this anymore.

When they were having a discussion over there, I went into the ramen shop and helped to wash the dishes. Min-san didn’t ask me for help, it’s just that I just couldn’t stay at the backdoor of the kitchen anymore, so I willingly offered to help.

“— wouldn’t it be better if we handed the information to Yondaime too?”

“I don’t want to borrow the strength of his gang.”

“But progress will be faster if we share information.”

“I’ll take a copy of this over, and will go to the hotel as well. I have something to ask some of the girls directly.”

“Tetsu, so could you help me to set the surveillance cameras?”

“Okay.”

When I was eavesdropping in the kitchen, the three finished their discussion and left. The customers came in like they were taking turns to eat. In the steam of the bustling shop, I felt as if I’ve been forgotten by everyone.

Probably because of my dejected expression, Min-san patted me on the shoulders.

“…… the three…… seems very good at this.”

“Oh yes— they’ve done these kind of things from before this. Though they’re just helping Alice, I really think that they should just go to work if they can do things to this extent.”

I feel so too.

<center>*</center>

“It’s because we couldn’t do it that we became NEETs!”

Alice said jubilantly. As usual, the air conditioning in room 308 is going strong. The pajamas-clad girl was in a good mood that day, and even ate the soy sauce ramen with some noodles in it without even much grumbling.

“Most of the people in this world don’t understand NEETS. The qualities of humans are not determined by their quantity, but their direction. Although people say something like people have their own strengths, their own ambitions, and life has limitless possibilities, they are still limited by the one dimensional world during actual evaluation.”

“…… Do you mean even Min-san can’t understand?”

“Master is different, because she won’t say all those rubbish. The things that she taught us were after understanding all our fates, her innocent and true considerations. But people like Master is a minority, most people don’t really understand what ‘infinite possibilities mean. Because they couldn’t imagine what’s behind their ships, so some of them vigorously rowed against the flow. Isn’t that right? That’s because the direction that they’re going forward is directly opposite to us.”

Mnn…… That might be right……

“If I gave people like you a direction, you’ll turn out like that automatically. Tetsu, Major and Hiro might truly want to save Toshi, seeing as they’ve been partners who had been playing games of dice together. Even so, they just wanted to pretend that they’re cool, so they can’t take part actively. They were actually waiting for your help.”

I recalled the burning passion in their eyes— maybe it was all like Alice have said.

“Although I speak of this like it’s none of my business, actually I’m also a person who likes to hide my true thoughts. The only worrying thing for NEETs is only one— not knowing what to do.”

Alice put down the bowl, holding her chopsticks weakly while spacing out with lonely eyes.

“After the big flood, God used four bases to engrave his best wishes and absolute orders for all living creatures, have you heard about it? ‘You must live strong and breed to fill up the whole world.’ But— He forgot to write it on us.”

Her words sounded just like a joke, but seeing Alice smiling as if she finally saw the beaming face of the sun after floating in the sea for three days while clutching on a plank, I couldn’t laugh at all.

“…… but, you’re the same right?”

Alice said. She placed the bowl on her bent knees, gazing at me with white fumes of the hot soup swirling between us.

“Not knowing what to do, which is why you want to know something that’s useless even if you know, feeling very, very anxious, so anxious that you can’t stand it.”

The truth is as Alice have said, so I didn’t answer her.

“Why? Why is it that we can only see what we have lost?”

Alice stopped talking then. She again picked up the chopsticks, temporarily focusing on her bowl. The room was filled only with the sound of Alice slurping her noodles, chewing on onions and the sound of a large number of cooling fans.

When I stood up, took out a can of Dr. Pepper and placed it in front of Alice, she had just finished eating her last mouthful of noodles.

“You’re only clever when it comes to these things.”

Alice laughed while opening the can, while I squatted down at a corner of the bed, hugging my knees.

“I don’t have any other talents anyways, so I’ll just get cans of Dr. Pepper for you forever.”

The words that I said only to ridicule myself felt as if they would become real after I said it. That made me feel even more hurt.

“Narumi…..”

I raised my head because of Alice’s call.

` Alice was waving to me…… Eh? What is it? Does she want me to go there? Feeling suspicious, I slowly edged there while kneeling.

“Good boy.”

Alice patted my head.

“What are you……” What are you doing? I couldn’t help but take a step back.

“That’s the first time I got that reaction. Hiro was delighted,while Yondaime showed an annoyed expression but didn’t run away.”

“No…… I think it’s better if you don’t do these kind of things to guys.”

“Why?”

Asking me why, I couldn’t answer.

“Didn’t you say that you’re useless? Didn’t you even listen to what I’ve said just now? It’s so rare that I’m telling you meaningful things like people must have their own talents, humans have limitless possibilities and so on, too.”

…… Didn’t you just say that those are meaningless statements?

“But no matter what you do, the person who will praise you is not here anymore.”

Alice’s gentle voice made my whole body freeze.

On the wall beside the entrance, I slowly slid down to the floor.

“Even if you have a direction— there’s nothing at all in the direction that you’re going. The only destination is the cemetery. So at least let me touch your head as a consolation.”

Alice walked down from the bed and came closer to me. She bent down slightly her eyes at the same level of me, who’s sitting down on the floor, then again used her chilly hands to rub my hair.

<center>*</center>

There weren’t any news on the next few days.

Although I went to the ‘Hanamaru Ramen Shop’ every day after school, I didn’t do anything special. Hiro went to the hotel every day. Major claimed the gas tank in front of the stairs as his own, facing his notebook-sized computer with a vicious expression on his face, causing people to stay away from him.

I originally wanted to ask Min-san to let me give her a hand, but she seemed to have noticed my thoughts and said with a stiff expression:

“No, thanks……. You just hurry up and find a wife that’s really good at doing housework, and steer clear of the kitchen forever.”

Although her words were harsh, I couldn’t say anything to rebuke her. That’s because I created a new record that even Ayaka couldn’t achieve— breaking five bowls in just two hours. Squatting down on the wet soil, I almost wept because of my own uselessness.

Right when January was about to end, a big case occurred. I saw it on the television when I was about to go to school. The middle-aged male broadcaster suppressed his feelings with skill, and only showed about a centimeter of regret on his face while broadcasting.

“…… mass poisoning incident has occurred. On about eleven at night, six people suddenly fainted at a night club that opened until late night……”

The shop was just beside Balco Supermarket, a famous club that even I’ve heard of. Of course, the broadcaster didn’t say that the club was in any way related to the drugs.

But at about eight that night, Tetsu-senpai who didn’t appear at the ‘Hanamaru Ramen Shop’ for quite a long time came in and said casually: “The mass poisoning incident is related to Fix. Ah….. Yeah, that’s what I heard from the police.” Is it okay for the police in this area to do this? Revealing information to a nineteen year old pachinko gambler, did they tell him that just because he’s Tetsu-senpai?

“Any news from Yondaime?”

“There’s probably more people than the police working on this. As it’s a human sea attack, we’ll probably find something soon…… I gave them the information that I’ve tidied up. But the pills are already so widespread, why aren’t there any clues?”

“Erm……”

I politely interrupted. Tetsu-senpai and Major turned around to face me at the same time, making me feel somewhat nervous.

“…… if we’re using a human sea tactic, can I help out?”

Senpai cocked his head.

“How about you ask Yondaime about that? Although I think you’ll be refused.”

“Eh? Why?”

“That guy seems to hate you a lot, even though you’ve met for only two or three times.”

“Thi- this……”

“No matter how Yondaime sees you, you can’t take part because you’re a high schooler. Although they are yakuzas, they’re actually quite decent. Those who are schooling can’t join them, their enemies would be enemies forever.”

I see, it’s because I’m not even a NEET. Facing me, who was looking downcast, Tetsu-senpai showed a mystified expression.

“What is it? Just having another person to help wouldn’t improve things, and you’re the customer, so you don’t have to do anything and just wait for the results.”

It’s not that problem. Then what’s the difference with this and letting Alice handle all of it, and just be in charge of getting Dr. Pepper? There’s no difference asking for help from anyone, but I must depend on myself to find out the reason for Ayaka’s suicide. I could only tell myself repeatedly that I must find out the truth by myself, using the reason of doing something to help out Ayaka so that the emptiness in my heart could be filled.

Even though I knew that it couldn’t be filled.

It’s impossible to fill it, because Ayaka would not smile or speak to me anymore. Because I’m not doing anything by Ayaka’s request, she didn’t say anything— didn’t say anything to me, and tried to commit suicide.

To her, our friendship is just to this extent, huh?

Now, it is already too late.

The ringtone of ‘Colorado Bulldog’ rang as usual, stirring me from my indecisive emotions. Tetsu-senpai and Hiro stood up, but the only phone that was ringing was Major’s.

‘It’s me, did you bring the recorder today?’

Recorder?

“Yes, but what do you want to do with it?”

After that, Alice and Major had a conversation on the phone for awhile. After they hung up, Major looked at us and said:

“It seems that they’ve found the person who stabbed people in Yondaime’s shop. He was caught while drinking in a shop, and caused some trouble by taking out a knife.”

I was taken aback and stood up. Now that we’ve found one of the drug dealers, we can start to take action.

Tetsu-senpai said: “Is that guy an idiot? At least get it clear that he’s on the turf of Hirasaka-gumi.”

“And he went into the shop when Tetsu and Hiro was doing investigations there, is this what they call finding something through sheer luck after looking for it for a long time (Z: It’s actually an idiom, can’t find any other substitutes)?”

“So what did Alice say?”

“She wanted to hear the contents of the interrogation, so she asked me to record it.”

“Oh, that’s why she asked you if you have a recorder on you. But Yondaime probably started to beat him up, right?”

“I heard that Yondaime isn’t there yet, so she wanted me to hurry there.”

“If you don’t hurry, the guy would be get beaten up into a pulp. Yondaime is merciless towards people who make a move on his partners.”

My back felt cold after hearing Tetsu-senpai’s words.

“I walked here today, because I came here directly from Akihabara…”

“Narumi, you rode a bike here, right? Take me there.”

Eh?

“You want to help Yondaime, right? It’s probably okay if you just tell him.”

“But……”

“Stop that nonsense and go! You’re not alright staying here anyways, are you?”

Indeed, that is so. Why is Tetsu-senpai so clear about my thoughts? Or is my crestfallen expression that easy to read?

“Let’s go! Vice Admiral Fujishima, ride like the wind!”

Major started to hit my bottom with his bag energetically.

<center>*</center>

Club Haploid Heart was located at a basement of a small building at the Snack Street behind Tokyu Shopping Mall. Yellow neon signs were hung on the cramped stairway leading to the basement, and the name of the shop was written in English cursive. I found a sticker with a swallowtail butterfly emblem on it stuck onto the lower right corner of the signboard. It seems that the shop was a franchising store. Is this shop really operated by Hirasaka-gumi? I always thought that Hirasaka-gumi was just a fake yakuza gang that was formed from NEETs, this is really getting more and more confusing. To be honest, I thought that Hirasaka-gumi was a motorbike gang until last month.

“Are you going to wait outside?”

“Well, I’m here anyways, there’s no reason for me to just wait outside.”

As it’s my first time entering a club, I was quite nervous. Two young men squatting down at the corner, playing games on their phones, turned around to stare at Major and I, as though they were looking at ostriches that escaped from the zoo.

Walking to the end of the stairway, we opened the massive doors, seeing the walls and floor of the short passageway that were painted gold A counter was at the left, while there’s a door deeper in the room. The room looked just like a pressurized cabin in sci-fi movies. The high-pitched part of a dance song could be heard in here.

“High schoolers are prohibited from entering the shop.”

Wearing a black wired sweater, the male supervisor that looked somewhat like a woman said to us. He directly glared at me, then shifted his gaze to Major, who was wearing a military uniform, completely failing to fit in with the night club. At that moment, I just realized that I was still wearing my school uniform as I went directly to the ramen shop after school.

“We’re not customers, Souchiro asked us to come.”

Major lied indifferently.

“Ah, Sou-san asked you to come, did he?”

“There’s a problem right now, so we—“

“And when did I ask you to come again?”

Major jumped about two meters because of the sharp voice. Turning around to look at the entrance that we’ve just came in from, Yondaime, who was wearing a crimson coat, walked towards us against the light followed by Rocky and Pole.

“Sou-san, thanks for your hard work.”

The guy(woman?) behind the counter said in a high-pitched voice. I sneaked a peek at him, and found that his whole face was red because of nervousness, and only his eyes were glittering.

“Aniki, thanks for your hard work!”

Rocky and Pole greeted me in a chorus with their heads lowered. Major stared at me with an astonished expression on his face. I, myself, don’t know how it turned out like this either!

“What are you doing here? Did Alice say something unnecessary again?”

“She just wants to know the contents of the interrogation.”

Major shrugged, and showed Yondaime the palm-sized recorder. Yondaime made a ‘tut’ sound.

“And why is the Gardening Club kid here, too?”

“Vice Admiral Fujishima is Alice’s assistant.”

“Ah— enough, I get it. It’s so troublesome.” Yondaime pushed Major and I away and said to the counter: “Sorry for troubling you, the person that I’m looking for is inside, right?”

When the door inside opened, Yondaime turned his head around and said to me:

“Gardening Club kid, at least take off your coat and your tie!”

It was like the shop was in alternate dimension. A slow song was being played on the dance floor. An eerie orange color that appeared only at dawn in the black seas surfaced in the middle of the dance floor; the strangely dressed DJ wore four different colored shirts, and was playing the six beat music that made people feel anxious. In the darkness, the crowd shook their head with the beat, jewellery and glasses glittering due to the dim reflected light.

With Yondaime in the lead, followed by Rocky, Pole, me, and lastly Major, the peculiar group walked in a line further into the shop, pushing away the other people in the crowd.

“Ah! Sou-san!”

“Sou-san, good to see you again! It’s rare that you would appear at this time.”

A row of office ladies who finished work surrounded Yondaime.

“So sorry, but I’m busy right now. I’ll come find you later.”

“Ehhhhhh—”

“It was so scary just now! A crazy fellow took a knife and went on a rampage, it was so terrifying.”

“Good thing the show didn’t just stop because of this. The DJ today is great, Sou-san should listen together!”

Rocky opened his mouth, showing his teeth to scare them away, while Major and I slipped through the gap. The suspicious gazes of the girls are really painful. After that, Yondaime had to deal with the girls who rushed over when they saw him every five meters. Finally, we reached an inconspicuous door in the shadows of the spiral staircase, and the words ‘Staff Only’ were written on it.

At the moment the door was opened, the odd sound made by a man rang in the corridors. I couldn’t tell if it was a wail of distress or his laughter. I suddenly felt a chill on my back.

Metal racks, wooden boxes, stacked round stools, the cement wall that was pasted full of faded Pepsi Cola posters, there was an ancient air to the room. The wide warehouse might be shared, because quite a few doors could be seen on our way here.

“Thanks for your hard work!”

“Thanks for your hard work!”

A few men wearing black T-shirts greeted Yondaime.

“Aniki is here too?”

Even I, who was hiding behind Rocky, was found immediately.

There was a tied up man lying on the floor at a corner of the warehouse. He wore a dark green hoodie with a slightly dirty pants; His eyes that looked like a crow searching for trash in a junkyard were wandering under his unruly hair. His skin and lips were parched, so his age couldn’t be estimated, but he should be quite young.

“He had quite a lot of the pills on him.”

One of the lackeys handed a plastic bag to Yondaime. They were pills placed into different packets. They were much redder than what I first saw, but the marking of the wings and the two letters— A.F, I still have an impression on them.

“The amount that they’re selling is increasing lately.”

“It might be a stock-clearing sale.”

“Oh, oh, oh…….”

The man lying on the floor twisted his body while trying to get a hold on Yondaime’s leg. The black shirted guys kicked the man in the stomach.

Yondaime took off his coat and handed it to Pole, who was behind him. He squatted down, caught hold of the man’s unruly hair and turned the man’s face towards his own shoulders.

“You recognize this emblem, right? You’re the one who stabbed one of us, right?”

The man didn’t answer, but just foamed in the mouth. I was overwhelmed by Yondaime’s imposing aura, and could not even make a sound. I suddenly felt that the area was giving out a thoughtful air.

“How do you meet the people who made Fix? Where are they?”

There were Yondime’s low voice, and a high-pitched voice that almost buried Yondaime’s voice.

“Don’t even need to contact them, they are there, only we can see them. The top of their head is shining, have wings, can hear the song. We can hear…… and can se, only we can see.”

“Stop that nonsense!”

One of the lackeys kicked the man’s back, causing the man to cough violently, but he didn’t stop talking.

“The wings that you couldn’t see, but we can see. In the crowd, the song guides us. You can’t hear it, right? Scum like you could never hear it. Dylan, Bob Dylan’s ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ is sung, and the angels will correct us.”

Angel Fix will not look down on anyone, that’s what Toshi said. I couldn’t help but push away the broad back of one of the lackeys and ran towards the man. As soon as my face got close to him, I smelled the odor of blood that he coughed out.

“Do you know Shinozaki? It’s this person, this guy.”

I took out a copy of the wanted poster with the photos of the six people on it, showed it to him and pointed at the bottom right corner.

“Have you seen this guy?”

“Aniki, it’s dangerous to get close. Please step aside.”

The black shirted man caught hold of my collar and pulled me away. The man didn’t look at the poster or at me, but continued with his weak voice that sounded as if he squeezed them out:

“You who cannot see the angels or hear the song should just die. Kill you, I want to kill you, I’m very gentle, so I just stabbed that guy in the stomach, the blood is warm……”

Veins showed on the lackey’s forehead, and he raised his hand.

With a ‘thwack’, his hand was stopped.

“…… Sou-san!”

Yondaime slowly put down the hand of his follower.

“Undo the rope on him.”

“We don’t know what he’s going to do!”

“Stop making a fuss. This type of scum needs a trial too.”

Trial?

After the man was free, he stood up stiffly like a robot. Yondaime took out the large saber searched from the man, pulled out the scabbard and looked at the blade.

“Hey! The trials of Hirasaka-gumi have been suggested by a certain idiot following the customs of medieval Europe. They are also known as God’s Judgment; because God will let the right party win.”

The man picked up the knife that was thrown to his side like a hungry wolf preying on sheep. I nearly cried out loud.

“Aniki, please go out.”

A few black shirted men formed a wall with their back, leading Major and I out of the warehouse.

“That’s really dangerous! K- Knives…...”

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, Yondaime will definitely be okay.”

At the instant when Major murmured that, the drug addict kicked the wall and leapt to his front. It was like we could hear the sounds of the blade slicing the air. But Yondaime couldn’t be seen anymore, so we didn’t know how he moved. Yondaime stood in front of the drug addict leaping towards him, and he hit the man in the back of his head. When the man collapsed, the sound of his teeth cracking echoed in the room.

A black stain spread from the head of the collapsed man.

“…… Thanks for your hard work.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

The members of Hirasaka-gumi solemnly bowed. Yondaime kicked over the motionless man, and blood could be seen on the man’s face.

“Gardening Club kid, get out of here. What goes on next isn’t something that a kid like you can see.”

“But……”

“Aniki, sorry for this.”

Before I could protest, two lackeys pushed me out to the corridor. At the instant when the doors were closed, I saw Major who was starting the recorder, and the eyes of Yondaime who caught hold of the man’s hair.

I was left alone in the cold corridor that was illuminated by flashing neon lights.

Wails of agony came from behind the door, and they lingered in my mind for a long, long time.

<center>*</center>

Squatting down on the corridors with my face buried in my hands, I raised my head when I heard the sound of the door opening.

Yondaime walked out behind Major. I realized that there were blood on his fists.

“…… How’s that guy?”

“He’s just blabbering some things that people couldn’t understand, so I haven’t killed him yet. There are still some things that I have to ask him.”

Haven’t? Haven’t killed him yet?

What if he doesn’t have any information on him?

“Major, take this bag of pills to Alice.”

“The contents changed?”

“That’s possible. The people who are hospitalized increased lately. Just a small amount of it could make them very high, causing the idiotic kids to be so happy. It seems that a lot of other chemicals have been added.”

Other chemicals have been added. At this moment, I realized with a shock that it’s because of the decrease in raw material.

Because of Ayaka’s absence.

Major took the plastic bag from Yondaime and placed it into my hands.

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, help me take the pills to Alice. I need to go home for awhile.”

“Oi! Don’t ask a high schooler to send this type of thing!”

Major turned to Yondaime and shrugged.

“It’s okay if it’s Vice Admiral Fujishima! His face and his appearance is bland to the extreme, even if a terrorist attack happened at the Imperial Palace, he could still go where he wants in the Chiyoda area without even being questioned.”

Mind your own business.

Yondaime made a ‘tut’ noise and said: “Why aren’t you sending it there?”

“Because I have to go edit the audio! How could you let Alice hear the sounds of Yondaime dislocating the man’s arms, breaking his teeth and trampling on his hands!”

“You really are an annoying guy.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Pole stuck his head out of the warehouse.

“Sou-san, we’ve finished bandaging his wounds. Should we bring him to the office?”

“I’ll hand it to you.”

As Yondaime was about to walk further into the corridors,

“Erm—”

Yondaime is always so sensitive to my voice, like he felt that I was an irritating bug that stopped on his neck.

My voice disappeared because of the glare by the wolf, and made me unsure of what to say next. Indeed, I came here to help find Toshi, but the atmosphere at that moment made me unable to say that.

This is really not a world that I could live in.

<center>*</center>

On the way back to the ramen shop from the night club, my phone vibrated suddenly when I was riding on the trails beside the park. I stopped, looked at the name shown on the liquid plasma screen, and nearly cried out loud.

Shinozaki Ayaka.

With a ‘Ker-plunk’, pain came from my elbow and kneecaps. My bike fell onto the ground, while I, too, was sprawled on the road. Some drunk office workers scolded me whehn passing by, but my eyes were still glued to my tightly held phone. Ayaka, it’s Ayaka! How could that be? Why was Ayaka calling me?

Lying on the asphalt road, I picked up the phone with trembling hands.

“…… Hello?”

‘…… Hmm? Mnn? Oh, oho~ this number really is yours, ah, hahaha!’

A familiar voice came from the phone, the loud but somewhat hourse voice of a man.

“— Toshi?”

‘ There’s only your number and the ramen shop’s in Ayaka’s phone, ahaha, hahahaha!”

Toshi’s eerily piercing laughter is obviously the ones after he took the drug. Why would Toshi have Ayaka’s phone? The thought that Ayaka might have saw Toshi before she tried to commit suicide completely missed my mind.

“Where….. are you right now——”

‘There’s wanted posters everywhere, even Hakamizaka’s face has been found out. Haha, I’ve really underestimated Alice, she’s truly a freak.”

“What did you do to Ayaka?”

‘Why, why did it turn out like this……’ Toshi’s voice sounded somewhat listless.

‘About Ayaka, I’m also…… If I, I……”

Sniffles came from the other side of the phone. Toshi was crying, he just couldn’t hear my words.

‘We can’t run away anymore……’

Toshi’s voice gradually became smaller.

“Hurry up and say where you are!” I shouted, as if I’m hammering him. Toshi started to mutter:

‘…… hey……. Sa…… save…….. Me……”

“Are you joking! You—”

The noise of something suddenly came from the other side of the phone, interrupting my words. A man roaring: ‘Idiot, who are you talking to!’ and then a noise like a cabinet keeping cutlery was overturned sounded.

When I shifted the phone away from my ears due to the noise, a familiar voice of a man came from the phone:

‘…… So you’re Alice, huh?’

A husky voice.

“Who are you—?”

I’ve already noticed before I asked him who he was, this is the voice of the man who stood beside me at the zebra crossings the last day I met Toshi.

“Are you— Hakamizaka? Where are you? What did you do to Toshi!”

‘You’re not Alice? Isn’t the detective looking for me? Do you know Alice?’

“Answer me! Why did you take Toshi away?”

I stood up, going forward while clutching at my bike with one hand, as though I’m clenching desperately at the neck of the man at the other side of the phone.

‘Oh, you’re the high schooler who was chasing Shinozaki that time.’

The man was laughing. Hakamizaka was laughing at me through Ayaka’s phone. Anger that flowed in through my ears were like boiling blood, suppressing my breathing.

‘Tell the detective, find me if she’s really that good. Come catch me. If even you guys found me, my experiment would be a success.’

“You……What are you, trying to do?”

‘Telling you would just be a waste of time. You don’t have a clue, so you won’t be able to come, I understood that when I saw you. But some people can, and many other people can too. I will correct those people. Even if there’s only one, I will bring them to heaven.’

Just when Hakamizaka’s voice raised all of a sudden, the phone was hung up.

I redialed Ayaka’s phone number for a lot of times, almost to the extent of breaking my thumb. But I couldn’t reach the number. The cold tone of the voice mail said that there’s no signal or the phone is off.

I got onto my bike and pedaled furiously. While I was dashing on the road, I might have shouted some incomprehensible words.

<center>*</center>

“Alice!”

I rushed inside the room like I was going to tear down the door of room 308, causing Tetsu-senpai, who was yawning in front of the bed, to jump in surprise. Sitting opposite to him, Alice’s hair flew up.

“Narumi, what’s with you? You even forgot to ring the doorbell—”

“Toshi just called me. He’s carrying Ayaka’s phone right now, and is with Hakamizaka!”

Alice and I looked at each other, and Alice understood my meaning in a flash. Alice closed her mouth, turning again to the keyboard and hammered it in a surprisingly majestic manner while calling people at the same time.

Using a satellite to detect the weak electromagnetic waves from a phone and check one’s location originally requires the permission of the opposing party, but Alice is a cracker who could even find out the phone log of their phones.

“Narumi, calm down and sit down.”

Tetsu-senpai forced me to sit down beside the fridge, as if he was going to flatten my head. My head hurts, breathing felt difficult; My body below my neck felt freezing cold, but my face was burning hot. I saw stars, and my lips were trembling uncontrollably.

“Breathe slowly, you’re over-breathing. Listen…… One, two three.”

Tetsu-senpai’s large hand slowly massaged my back. I felt air blocking my windpipe like a fist, but I still forced myself to coordinate my breathing with Tetsu-senpai’s beats. My chest that felt as if it was tied up at first, slowly felt more comfortable.

“It’s no good, the phone isn’t turned on.”

After about fifteen minutes, Alice finally turned her head around and said. I leaned against the side of the fridge, exhausted. My breathing was still very rapid, so I drank a mouthful of the sports drink that Tetsu-senpai bought me.

“Narumi, are you okay?”

“Urgh…..”

I wanted to answer ‘Yeah’ but couldn’t talk properly. Tetsu-senpai sat at the end of the bed.

“Darn, I’ve forgotten that there’s still the trail of Ayaka’s phone.”

“I forgot about it too. If only I’ve noticed earlier……”

Alice’s face twisted because of hate, her thumb massaging her lower lip.

“But according to the phone log, they’re still in the area.”

“They’ve probably ran away by now, haven’t they?”

“God knows. The facilities for manufacturing drugs are probably on this street, which is why they’re in this area. Leaving behind all of their stuff and running away requires comprehension…… Narumi, what did Toshi say to you?”

I blankly stared at Alice who was asking me a question, unable to comprehend at that moment that she was asking me.

Toshi. What did Toshi say in the phone again? He said that there’s wanted posters everywhere and they can’t run away now. And then, and then—

“…… He asked us to save him.”

Although there were only a small hint of a change in Tetsu-senpai’s expression, I still noticed it.

“Really?”

I nodded.

At the last moment, Toshi did say: ‘Save me.’

“Alice, I got it.”

Because of my words, the black hair swayed.

“You said that you didn’t understand why Toshi let me see the drugs, right?”

“Yeah……”

“Toshi didn’t come to borrow money from Ayaka that day, and he wasn’t here to spy on your job, he’s actually……”

Although there aren’t any concrete evidence, I still know it.

“He’s actually here to ask for help, but he just couldn’t say it out loud, but hoped that someone, no matter anyone, would realize his plea for help, and then, and then……”

Did Toshi ask for help from Hakamizaka? Thus, the man used the pink pills to take the place of a helping hand?

Why is he so idiotic? Why didn’t he just say so in the first place? Why now? “ It’s already too late! Idiot! He should say so earlier! Why didn’t he say so before Ayaka commited suicide? Why did she try to commit suicide without even saying a word? Why? Why……”

I was truly angry at that moment, angry at Ayaka, and also Toshi. The two matters muddled into one in my brain, turned into words and spilled out from my mouth. But I couldn’t stop. You want us to save you only now? It’s all because of you that Ayaka fell into a coma. What a joke! Stop joking!

I supported my hands on the cold floor, and started to bellow as though I was throwing up.

After I finished shouting wordlessly until I could not say anything anymore, the silence that was flattening us gradually lifted.

In the frozen room, the first person to take action was Tetsu-senpai. He stood up from the bed and walked towards the entrance.

“So you’re finally serious?”

Alice asked with a steady voice. Senpai placed his hand on the handle, saying without even turning his head back:

“Idiot, I’m always that serious, it’s just that I’m not in a rush.”

“Oh really? If you don’t hurry up, Toshi would either be swallowed up by the angels or slaughtered by Yondaime.”

“I know.”

The sound of the closing door shook me to the core.

It was only at these moments that Alice didn’t say anything, and even took out a can of Dr. Pepper from her fridge herself. Alice squatted down by my side. Although our arms were only separated by a layer of clothing, our body temperatures were very far.

<center>*</center>
The following day, after class finished.

I squatted down alone in a corner of the school garden and dug while thinking that I’m never going to Hanamaru Ramen Shop ever again. It was not only because I have nothing to do there, it was also because my very existence was getting in everybody’s ways.

Even if I don’t know anything, I still want to find something that only I could do. Even strolling in the streets the whole day while holding a poster would be fine. Just waiting on a gas tank just made me feel like I’m going to be flattened.

Something that I can do.

Something that only I can do.

Is there such a thing?

When using the spade to turn over the decaying roots, the thing in my pocket fell onto the soil.

“Ah……”

It was a small plastic bag. There were four red pills in it, and on them were engraved the wings of an angel.

It was the Angel Fix that Yondaime gave me yesterday. That’s right, I originally went back to the ramen shop to give the pills to Alice. I had actually forgotted all about it.

I lifted up the bag and looked at it through the weak rays of the winter sun.

The members of the baseball club ran through the courtyard, and two girls from the tennis club passed by them. Probably nobody would even think that I’m holding a drug that’s named an angel, right? Because of these tiny pills, quite a few people have already died.

It’s because of them that Ayaka fell into a coma.

Anger surged in my heart all of a sudden. I held the plastic bag tightly, used the spade to stab the soil forcibly, trying to restrain myself. It’s just a drug. A round object that got its contents from the fruits of some strange poppy flowers. Even if I tore them apart, ground them into powder and burn them into ashes, Ayaka wouldn’t come back.

Closing my eyes, I slowly breathed out.

Then, I lifted the plastic bag to eye level and again said to myself, this is just a drug.

“……. Hmm?”

I had a feeling that something was not right.

I didn’t understand the reason. Raising the plastic bag, I turned its contents over again and again, feeling that something was…… off, but I didn’t know what was wrong with it.

“FU- JI- SHI- MA- KUN!”

The voice of a girl interrupted my train of thought. I hastily stuffed the pills back into my pocket. Sayuri-sensei ran over to me from the school building wearing pure white clothing and a mini skirt.

“I’m sorry, can you please move the pots to another side?”

Sensei pointed at the flowerpot that haven’t bloomed yet.

“Is there…… anything wrong?”

My answering voice sounded somewhat unnatural.

“As the rooftop is locked now, the graduation photo is going to be taken at the courtyard. We must find some space for that.”

Ahhhh…… So that’s why.

“So am I bothering them then?”

Sayuri-sensei smiled wryly.

“Yeah, we can’t go through the activities of the Gardening Club today.”

Anyways, I stood up. It was like someone told me, I had to walk somewhere, and not squat down and think of meaningless things. I sighed, stood up and patted away the soil on my knees. Because of Sayuri-sensei’s help, we moved all the plants to the entrance in five minutes.

<center>*</center>

In the end, I still went to the ramen shop. I couldn’t just disappear without even handing Alice the stuff.

I originally planned to hand the pills to anyone and then walk away, but there’s not even a person at the kitchen backdoor. Am I too early? But I didn’t want to hand it directly to Alice. She would probably see through my thoughts as soon as she saw my face, and then give some hurtful comments.

Thinking that I had no choice, I could only wait on the gas tank for everyone to arrive. Min-san who was busy preparing soup said: “They’ve already gathered at the office.”

They?

As soon as I opened the door to the NEET Detective Agency, room 308, I heard the familiar voices of the guys from the inside of the office.

“…… only we could find them, there are glowing wings on the angel’s head, and heard a song, we could hear, and could see, only us……”

Hiro and Tetsu-senpai sat at two sides of the bed while Major was sitting opposite to Alice. A large amount of plastic bags containing pink pills were stacked on the blankets. The voice came from Major’s recorder, which is the voice of the drug dealer we caught at Club Haploid Heart.

Tetsu-senpai muttered: “They’re saying the same thing as the guys caught by the police.”

“Because they have shining wings on their head, and Bob Dylan’s song so they could find it immediately…… (Sigh). If there’s really such an obvious person, Hirasaka-gumi would find them long ago.”

Alice shook her head and turned off the recorder.

“Narumi, what are you spacing off at the entrance for? We’re having a meeting right now, so hurry up and close the door, then get me a can of Dr. Pepper.”

“Ah…… Mnn.”

A meeting? I’m extremely getting in their way, so I’d better get out quickly.

I handed the Dr. Pepper and the Angel Fix to Alice together.

“Hmm? Ahhh, it’s the thing that Yondaime gave you yesterday. You just keep forgetting important things easily.”

“Mnn….. Sorry. I’ll just go home then.”

When I was about to walk out of the room, Major grabbed my coat.

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, where are you going? We’re having a tactical meeting right now!”

“Well, it’s just that…… I’m getting in the way, right?”

“Stop babbling and sit down. You’re my assistant, right? If you went home, who’ll get me my second can of Dr. Pepper after I finished my first one?”

Alice spoke to me with an arrogant air as usual. Vortexes of questions appeared in my mind, but in the end I just bit my lower lip, saying nothing and sat down beside Major, who offered me a seat. It’s too crowded. This really isn’t a room for the meeting of five people.

Even though I would only get in the way, I might think of something after listening to the meeting. I changed my mind, and started to think of anything that I could do to help.

“The said wings and song might just be a code or something.”

Hiro said while flipping through the information.

“The bones in his hands were fractured by Yondaime, is it possible for him to continue having that illusion? And the five people who were arrested said the same thing!”

“There’s no common point for the drug dealers…… And they’re not even drug dealers, but just people who bought them in pill shape, the ones we call the first customers.”

“Someone even got them for free, meaning that the organization is not after profits, but did this for an experiment.”

“Then the drug addicts gather at points where there are shining wings on the people’s heads and the music. Is it only them who could differentiate the markings? Is this a joke?”

I could understand what everyone said for now. We still couldn’t find the person who directly took part in manufacturing. The man who was almost beaten to death by Yondaime some time ago bought a pile of drugs and sold them everywhere, but was clueless about things concerning the organization.

Is there such a thing? If the police or Hirasaka-gumi tried to buy the pills, they should probably find out about it immediately.

“I’ve tracked the girls who bought the drug too, but couldn’t find people of the organization.”

“There should be some kind of code. They’re having regular supplies too, and yet the police in plain clothes couldn’t find them.”

“So the problem is with the wings and the song.”

“I really have no idea what that means.”

While listening to Hiro, Major and Tetsu-senpai’s discussion, I observed the large amount of Angel Fix lying beside Alice’s foot. Again, I had that strange feeling that I had when I was at the school garden. What on Earth is it? What is the thing that keeps attracting me to them?

I subconsciously picked up a plastic bag. Alice noticed it and said: “Narumi?” I indifferently held the plastic bag and looked at it through the lights, and flipped it over to the back. At that moment I finally realized, the problem was not with the pills inside, but the bag itself.

“Alice……”

I knew that my voice was shaking.

“— do you have a water based pen?”

“Water based pen?”

“It’s okay as long as it’s water based. Lend me one if you have it.”

Not sure from what time, the other three were looking at me silently. I took the red pen from Alice’s hands, took out the pills, pressed the plastic bag against the walls and started to scribble on it from the corner.

“AH!” “AHHHHH!”

I’m not sure whose shouts were those, and might even be my own voice. The transparent plastic bag that was dyed red red— a pair of open wings surfaced on it because of waterproof materials.

“This is almost completely…… drawn using transparent paint, right?”

Major said in a low voice, and I nodded.

The same drawing was drawn on each bag with the same material, and the picture surfaced on it because of the water based ink. Same as the wings carved onto the pills but with one of them facing the opposite direction, they were the wings of an angel.

“Narumi…… This thing…… You found it……”

“…… But, what’s with this?”

Hiro asked.

“This is the shining wings, and that’s why the police and Hirasaka-gumi didn’t notice it.”

I answered, staring at a plastic bag that I didn’t paint on. You really won’t find it if you’re not looking closely at it through a light.

“So this is the shining wings?”

The statement of the drug dealer: ‘Glowing wings on their heads’ and ‘A song that could be heard’.

Those were not hallucinations caused by the drug—

All of them were real.

The same paint could be used on the face, and also on a cap; Playing Bob Dylan’s song non-stop, with their pockets full of the pink-colored magic drug.

“But why would the people who bought the pills realize it? It’s so strange.”

“The side effects of Angel Fix cause their vision and hearing to become extremely sensitive, so that’s why they found out about the signals, huh? Narumi.”

Alice answered in my stead, and I silently nodded.

‘It seemed that it had stopped’, ‘Could even see a slight movement’ , ‘Could win if I just close my eyes and listen to the sound’.

With just a correction— you would see the angels.

“They just have to wait for the people who had their minds sharpened after taking the drug. Is there really such a stupid way of selling?”

“The way they sell them is indeed stupid, but what if that’s exactly their purpose?”

“…… What do you mean by that?”

“The experiment! A human experiment to confirm how effective the drug is. Could they create believers who could find the angel wings and song on such a noisy street—

Alice caught a handful of the Angel Fix by her foot and spread them on her bed.

“— and so his experiment is successful.”

Tetsu-senpai stood with his mouth open, unable to say even one word.

After a moment of silence, Hiro said:

“…… All of them are your assumptions?”

“Of course.”

Alice said while looking at the small hill of pills.

“…… So, what should we do then?”

After Major’s words, the room sank into a silence.

The silence was heavy, as though it was frozen petrol, flowing into the room through the windows, because the five who were present knew what was coming next.

At that moment, I felt a sense of déjà vu that stiffened my whole body— I saw this scene before, as if I knew it a few thousand years, tens of thousands of years ago. That was what I felt, but of course that’s probably just my imagination.

Even so, I still think that way right now. It might be because I saw my page on God’s notebook before I was born, forgetting about the rest but clearly remembering what I should say in this situation.

Because, if there is a meaning for me to exist at this place on this moment—

Probably it’s just for this purpose, right?

Thus, I spoke.

“I’ll take the drug, and find the drug dealer.”

Sitting beside me, Major gasped instead.

Alice just continued to stare at my eyes.

Tetsu-senpai heaved a long sigh and sat onto the computer rack.

Hiro finally said.

“We can’t let Narumi do these kinds of things……”

“Then who else is going to do it?”

I interrupted Hiro’s words unhesitatingly.

“Apart from myself, who else saw the drawing on the bag? People can’t just see it just by taking the drug, can they? If anyone could see it, then we should have noticed it earlier.”

“No, aren’t those just your assumptions?”

“Then! Are there any other ways? The only thing I can do is this! Even if you stop me, I’m still going to do it.”

I tightly held the plastic bag containing the Angel Fix, so tight that it was almost torn apart.

“Some people even died because of it, so……”

“Hiro, shut up.”

Alice’s majestic voice rang in the room.

Hiro showed a dumbstruck expression for a moment, and then looked like he immediately became an obedient leopard and lowered his head.

Alice stood up from her bed, black hair flowing on her delicate shoulders. The small queen who forced the wall of machines to obey herself looked at me from above with an icy gaze.

“Narumi, there’s no difference with eating the pills and dying. Even if your are okay physically, you would also die mentally, do you understand? Never mind, I don’t think you would understand, you won’t get it if you didn’t take it. This is a helpless contradiction."

I silently listened to Alice’s statement.

“But even so— if you are still determined to do it, I won’t stop you, and will not let anyone stop you.”

I felt that my decision has already been made tens of thousands of years before, so I answered unhesitatingly:

“I will do it, because that’s what I’ve decided.”

A sad expression was shown on Alice’s face. Her long eyelashes drooped, as if she was going to wipe away tears, and opened her eyes again.

“Major, prepare a mini-microphone, earphones and a camera that can be fitted into a cap. Hiro and Tetsu will decide on the place and time. I’ll arrange all the information into a map.”

“Alice…… Is this really okay?”

Hiro looked at me and said restlessly. Alice just looked at him once and said:

“There’s no other way, we can only go forward on this road. This is—”

At that moment, Alice’s expression was really, truly lonely. The loneliness would make people feel as though their heart was directly entangled by thin threads as soon as they saw it, and an expression that would shatter into teardrops if too much force is used.

“This is the only feasible way. So don’t say anything, and do your own part.”

<center>*</center>

I was the last person out of the detective agency, because I was forced to stay and write Alice’s documents. The wind was so strong outside, even colder than the strong air conditioning inside the room. The brightness of the sleepless town shone onto the bottomless night. Not even one star was shining in the night skies.

I turned my head and stared at the signboard of the agency.

It’s the only NEET thing to do.

Is that really so? I don’t know, either.

But this is undeniably the only thing that I can do. It’s not for Ayaka, and not for Toshi, not for anyone, but for my own self.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 4

2011-12-27T03:15:03Z

Asteradragon:

==Chapter 4==

I looked at the sign, which was just a piece of coarse, white paper with ‘No Entry’ written on it, that was stuck onto the door of the rooftop, and suddenly thought of something meaningless. Some people say that there are some things in life that can’t be restored, and there are some people who don’t think so, but I would unquestionably support the former. If the ‘something that can’t be restored’ refers to death, the ‘something that can’t be restored’ theory can’t be established. Why is that? That’s because the moment when a person dies, does not count as his or her life anymore.

But what about the deaths of other people? Are those things that could not be restored as well? Indeed, humans cannot revive from their death, so the emptiness that is formed in one’s heart is filled by some other people or things; or they can close their own heart, sealing it with tape. As for the people who couldn’t do that, they would choose to commit suicide, so life truly does not have things that can’t be restored. If it was me from last week, I might have already let go, but after seeing a person who can’t even die, I learnt a terrible lesson.

There are only things that couldn’t be restored in life.

Although I don’t really know if it’s right or not.

The only thing that I could make sure of is, the door to the rooftop has already been locked up. It seemed that the rooftop is being temporarily sealed off. The rooftop where Ayaka jumped off of was not the rooftop of the south school building where we tended to the plants, but the north school building in the opposite direction, but that’s not the point.

I turned the handle, gave up on opening the door to the rooftop, and went down the stairs. I’m probably just not suited to being a detective. For a more capable person, they would probably think of a way to borrow the keys to the rooftop, or even just climb up the pipes to reach their destination!

<center>*</center>

A detective’s assistant.

The employment contract between Alice and I was established the second day. Alice called me over and asked me to tell her everything I know about Ayaka. Geez, she’s such an inconsiderate person. After suffering for an hour, Alice said in a straightforward manner:

“Okay, I get it. All the clues have been tied up.”

So what’s the answer? But Alice refused to tell me.

“What I know now is the truth, not the facts!” Alice’s words had me at a loss.

“The truth and the facts…… What’s the difference?”

“Really, to put it bluntly it’s just my intuition. It’s enough if I alone knew the truth, but my pride does not allow me to just report the truth to my clients.”

“Hmmm…… Is it because you don’t have evidence yet?”

“Well, that’s the case in short. So that’s why I told you to help do the chores around here, which is your payment for the information by labor work. If I told you about the information right now, doesn’t that mean that I don’t get an equal payment? If you want to gloss through the facts, and only want to know the truth, you could just investigate it yourself! Go! Just work hard like a mule that had it’s eyes covered!”

The scene when Alice held my hand with tears in her eyes was like a scam. Today she used her usual tone and said to me:

“Just continue your activities in the Gardening Club as usual and observe closely where Ayaka had been. That’s your first job.”

<center>*</center>

That was why I continued to walk to the garden.

There was not even one person at the courtyard after school. It might be because it’s near the exams, or it might because it’s the winter right now, but another reason would be the large, black stains spread on the ground between the garden and the school buildings. I stood beside the black stains and looked for awhile. It was the first time I saw with my own eyes the true feeling of death, and it was still present at the scene. Rain or snow might wash it away eventually, but right now the stains are still on the ground.

There’s nothing else.

What could you do with this kind of thing? Alice had already explained that she’d already understood the reason for Ayaka committing suicide, but a will couldn’t be found, the police were staying silent, while the magazines were just targeting Ayaka’s family that couldn’t be said as favorable. The things that other people could not see, could you see them from the small room that was full of machines?

Just thinking about this is meaningless, so I walked towards my final destination— the greenhouse behind the school building. That was Ayaka’s holy ground. I borrowed the keys to the greenhouse from the staffroom, and the strong smell of grass came upon me as soon as I opened the door.

The area of the floor was about twice as big as my room, and was about twelve tatamis big. The greenhouse looked somewhat desolate, I only saw a row of wilting tropical plants arranged on a rack, not even flowering. Probably someone sorted out the place after Ayaka commited suicide?

When I raised my head, I saw pipes interlacing on the ceiling, and there were something that looked like a sprinkler. They probably spray fertilizers or water automatically? There were also additional lighting equipments. This is obviously just a normal high school, so why is there such an advanced greenhouse? Is the school budget that big?

I sat down on the lower part of a rack and leaned against the empty rack. I closed my eyes, allowing my body to sink into the smell of the soil that was like warm water.

We couldn’t find Toshi, and Ayaka was not even here anymore. There’s only me left in the place that belonged to us, while only the drug addicts who were hospitalized or arrested increased gradually.

My phone that was in my pocket suddenly rang. I was startled, and bumped my head on the rack on top of my head.

‘It’s me. Are you working seriously? You aren’t lying down thinking about meaningless things over and over again, are you? Although I’m a NEET, I’m very strict regarding other people’s laziness, so please remember that.’

A young girl’s voice came from the other side of the phone. I couldn’t help but look around the greenhouse. There aren’t any surveillance cameras over here, are there?”

‘You’re probably still at school right now, right?’

“…… Yeah, I’m in the greenhouse. I followed your instructions to closely observe the greenhouse.”

‘Good. I want to confirm something with you, is there two entrances to the greenhouse?’

I stood up. Two entrances?

At the opposite of the door that I came in from, there is indeed another identical steel door.

Why did Alice know about this? Is having two doors in a greenhouse that common? Or did she find out about that by searching the internet?

“Open the other door.”

“But it’s a wall at the other side of the door!”

The greenhouse was at a corner of the school, and looked as if it’s squeezed by the surrounding walls.

‘Do you think I don’t even know about something like that? Stop that nonsense, and just do it.”

Opening the lock, a deep ‘dong’ sound came right after I turned the handle. I could only open it for about ten centimeters or so.

“Can’t open it!”

‘…… Do you hear it? Yeah, it should probably be at that part…… A plank? It’s probably just that, right?’

Alice suddenly said some incomprehensible words, and her voice sounded somewhat far. Ah, she might be talking with some other people. When I was thinking about meaningless stuff again, the door suddenly opened. Holding the handle, I was dragged forward and almost fell down.

Outside the door was a silhouette. Raising my head, I crossed eyes with the sharp gaze of a beast, and my mind went blank momentarily.

It was Yondaime.

Why is it Yondaime? And why did the door open?

Did something happen? I really don’t understand.

Holding a phone, Yondaime said: “The door’s open, yeah, that’s right. Hmm…… No, they’ve been cleared away, nothing left. To continue tailing is just a waste of time.” I did just hear Yondaime’s answering voice just now.

‘Then it’s up to you after this. There’s probably a surprised Narumi sprawled on the ground, so please explain things to him, I’m really busy, you know.’

“He- Heyhey, Alice!”

The voice stopped coming from Yondaime’s phone. After a moment, there was an uncomfortable silence between Yondaime and I. Yondaime walked into the greenhouse after tch-ing, and I hastily stepped aside. Even then, Yondaime just glared at me, not saying anything. I shifted my gaze and looked outside the door, finally solving the mystery that was in front of me.

A tower-shaped wooden signboard and dirty tombstones covered with dust could be seen at the other side of the door— it was the graveyard beside the school. The wall that was close to the entrance of the greenhouse fell coincidentally, and was only blocked by a large plank.

But why did Alice know of this shortcut? Also, why did Yondaime appear here?

Yondaime ignored me, and used his phone to take photos of the interior of the greenhouse.

“Yondaime, why are you here?”

“Don’t call me Yondaime.”

“Err, then should I call you Sou-san?”

“When did you become a part of our group?”

‘Narumi, Yondaime’s surname is Hinamura, so you can just call him Hina. He’ll be thrilled.”

Uwaah, Alice didn’t hang up on me yet. With a ferocious expression, Yondaime snatched my phone and hung up on Alice. I though that he would just crush my phone.

“…… Hi- Hina?” “I’ll kill you!” Yondaime stuffed my phone into my mouth. What is this guy doing!

“Your job is to open the lock of the greenhouse, right? Just get out of here since you’ve done your job.”

Facing Yondaime’s comment, I could only stare.

“…… What’s with that?”

“Didn’t Alice say anything to you?”

Feeling miserable, I nodded. Yondaime heaved a long sigh.

“Then think about it clearly.”

The connection between Yondaime and Ayaka……

…… is Toshi. Only Toshi, and Angel Fix.

Then, did Ayaka commit suicide because of Toshi? But what’s their connection with the greenhouse? Fragments of my memories swirled around in my mind, just like a puzzle that couldn’t be completed.

“Wait, please wait!”

I hurriedly called Yondaime who was about to walk out of the greenhouse. Yondaime turned around, his wolfish eyes looking even more vicious.

“…… Is Ayaka related to the drug? Why, is there—“

“Of course they’re related, you idiot! If it’s not because of that thing, you could still continue your peaceful activities of the Gardening Club. Can’t you see that something was wrong if things didn’t happen?”

I didn’t know how to answer him.

The door to the cemetery slammed shut, leaving me alone in the greenhouse along with the warm heat of the plants.

Is it because of the drug? Did Ayaka fall into a coma because of the detestable pink pills? Why? Is it because Toshi did something?

It was all the fault of Angel Fix.

No matter how I pondered, there was no progress. I gave up on thinking, went back to the staffroom and returned the key. When I was about to walk out of the staffroom, Sayuri-sensei called me.

“Although I know that it’s not appropriate asking you about this right now, but what are you going to do concerning the Gardening Club?”

“What to do?”

“After all…… something like this happened, so you’re the remaining member of the club.”

Ahh, that’s right. I recalled the day when I met Ayaka, and our promise.

“Of course, I would hope that you could continue, and would ask other students if they’re interested in joining. Some teachers also said that the garden must have someone tending to them.”

I was silent, in a deep thought. To be honest, I don’t know a thing about gardening, so if I must continue club activities alone until April, when recruiting starts, it’s impossible. But I didn’t want to just let the garden and greenhouse stay bare, because those places belonged to Ayaka.

Even if she’s not coming back anymore.

It seemed that Sayuri-sensei misunderstood my silence.

“Sorry for suddenly asking you about things like this. You probably have your own thoughts about it. If you don’t want to continue joining the club, I wouldn’t force you to.”

“Err……”

Sayuri-sensei had already been a teacher for five years now. Even though she’s single, there are rumors circulating her as she looked extremely pretty. Giving out a charming expression with her bright eyes is her weapon. Being stared at with this look, I surrendered.

“It’s not that I don’t want to continue……”

“Really?”

A relieved expression appeared on Sayuri-sensei’s face.

“Those are Shinozaki’s precious flowers, so I hope that we can leave them alone. Additionally, the flowers in the greenhouse are about to bloom……”

…… About to bloom?

“Almost all of the plants in the greenhouse have disappeared, aren’t they disposed of by you?”

Sayuri-sensei’s eyes turned round.

“Disappeared? Really?”

She balanced her pen on her lower lip and thought for awhile.

“Could it be Shinozaki who disposed of them?”

Ayaka disposed of them?

It might be because of that, for taking care……Wait, that’s not right……

I recalled the words that Yondaime have said. He said while talking to Alice on the phone: “They were cleared away.”

Ayaka and the greenhouse.

Toshi.

Angel Fix.

The fragments in my mind started to piece together.

<center>*</center>

It was January when I rode my bike to the ramen shop in a frenzy, while the sun have set quickly. Looking past the red rays bathing the curtains, there were not even one customer in the shop. I rode my bike until I collided with the plastic barrel behind the shop, balanced my bike on the wall and ran to the stairs.

Just when I was about to run upstairs, Min-san called me from the kitchen.

“Come in and sit down.”

“I’m busy right now.”

“Stop blabbering and sit down, or I’ll hit you.”

Because Min-san was waving her soup ladle vigorously, I went into the shop obediently and sat on the seat in front of the counter.

Min-san plopped a paper cup in front of me, a pomelo smoothie. The sour taste prickled my brain like frozen needles. It was as though the warmth of my body was absorbed by the smoothie, and then a mild spiciness came upon me, quite a mysterious flavor. I suddenly remembered that it was winter right now, and my body started to shiver.

“I’ve put ginger in the smoothie.”

“Oh……” As she said, it was the spiciness of ginger. Surprisingly, the taste of pomelos and ginger blend quite well together……

“It’s a dessert made specially for winter that makes the body feel warm.”

Min-san smiled triumphantly, puffing up her sarashi-bound chest.

“My dad was an outdoor sports type of person who lived on due to his determination. He used to take me to snowy mountains or to swim in ice cold water, so I usually depended on chewing raw ginger used for cooking soup to support myself.” …… Was she training to become a ninja?

“But I’m actually not that good at swimming when I was little.”

“Eh?”

“What’s with that expression, everyone has something that they’re not good at, don’t they?”

Well, that’s not really wrong, but I absolutely can’t imagine how Min-san looked like when she was little.

“A person who can’t swim always flails in the water when drowning, right? I always got scolded by dad because of this. Don’t move if you don’t know how to swim, and you’ll float naturally. But for a person who’s drowning, you can’t think of these things.”

At that moment Min-san stopped and stared at me. That was when I realized that Min-san was lecturing me, although she didn’t say so clearly.

My brain calmed down.

Indeed, I wanted to see Alice just minutes before, driven by impulse, and to grab the pajamas-clad girl by her throat and tell her to explain things clearly. But I am completely unsure of what to ask, as I haven’t even thought about it. What an idiot I am.

I shoulders sagged. A person who can’t swim could just not move and could float naturally, but what should I do?

“Min-san……”

“Hmm?” Min-san who was cutting onions stopped and raised her head.

“About…… Ayaka not being here, what do you think about it?”

“Are you an idiot? You don’t need to ask another person’s opinion for this.”

Min-san’s voice seemed as if she was really angry.

“If I tell you that I would go and visit her, crying my eyes out, would you feel that you would do that too? If I tell you that I feel okay about it, would you feel that it’s okay if you didn’t do anything?”

Min-san’s words were like Yondaime’s fist, heavily pushing against my abdomen. I lowered my head while holding the cup of ice cream and felt that I kept repeating the same stupid thing these few months, surprising the other people.

I lowered my head and stood up.

“I’m going to Alice’s office for awhile.”

“Okay.”

Min-san’s outstretched hands appeared before my eyes. She placed a paper cup that was closed with a lid— a pomelo smoothie like what I’ve just eaten just now.

“Take it to that girl, I think she’s in a bad mood today too.”

<center>*</center>

As Min-san have guessed, Alice looked terrible. It was a cold month, but the air-conditioner was still going strong. Empty cans of Dr. Pepper were stacked in front of her bed like a beehive. The bed was led by Mocha Bear (Yondaime used his professional skills to fix the ears on again), while an army of other dolls and plushies surrounded her. A cooling paste was stuck onto her forehead, while black circles appeared below her eyes.

“How courageous you are, coming into my territory wearing thick clothes like a Russian soldier. I’ll give you two choices, take off the sports get-up that makes people feel hot as soon as they see it, or you can get out of my room.”

“…… I want to ask you every time, why do you make your room feel so cold?”

“Are the things that are at the two sides of your head handles used for moving? I’m asking if you’re going to get out or to take them off!”

I glumly took off my sports jacket. Brrrrrr, it’s so cold. Alice waved at the wall that was full of machines.

“My eyes and ears would give off heat so long as they could move. Compared to the eternal darkness and silence, what’s a little coldness going to do."

“But I think that humans do not need to work in coordination with that.”

My teeth clattered while I was answering due to the cold.

“How arrogant. You’re really a surprisingly self-centered human, and couldn’t be helped at all. Do you want the environment to cooperate with humans? That is a stupid behaviour. According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, from the moment when humans lost to God, they found that changing themselves would be better than using philosophy or natural science to change the world. Everyone have already changed direction, but you alone are still standing in a sinking ship, blankly waving the flag of an alchemist. That’s rare. If I made your life into a movie, we’d probably get all the prizes.”

“Argh……”

Hehe, so I’m an arrogant and self-centered human. So that’s it, I’ve just noticed when Alice said that about me. Although all of that just sounded like Alice making excuses, I’ve already surrendered to the coldness and Alice’s articulate debates.

“Okay, sorry. I’ll even take off the sweater, okay?”

Alice widened her eyes.

“…… What an oddball you are. An air conditioner is obviously one of the assets that humans use for the nature to coordinate with humans, but why did you give up on debating so quickly? You could at least say that I’m the one who’s self-centered.”

“No……”

I’ve suddenly realized that I feel better after Alice scolded me, and could not help but feel somewhat impatient. I’m a hopeless cause.

“I’m somewhat tired right now, so I don’t have the energy to rebuke you.”

As Alice started to talk again, I hurriedly handed the smoothie to her so that she would shut up.

After opening the lid, Alice’s eyes sparkled because of the sweet fragrance of the pamelo, but right after she ate a mouthful, she made a ‘Wuwu~’ noise, and her eyes squinted into a straight line.

“What is it?”

“It’s spicy……”

Alice said with tears in her eyes. Is it so spicy that it could make people cry?

“Master is so impressive……. An amazingness that even I could not predict…… Wuwu……~”

“Are you okay?”

“…… I’m alright. It’s just too tasty, I’m going to eat them all up!”

Alice ate the smoothie with her mouth pouting, looking like she wanted to cry out. Her whole body contorted for each mouthful that she had.

“Don’t force yourself to do it. I’ll eat up the rest of them for you.”

“Why are you so greedy! You’ve already ate some downstairs, but you still want to eat up my share. I won’t even give you one mouthful.”

Alice stuck out her tongue at me, then used ten minutes to eat them all up. It seemed that the spiciness still lingered on her tongue even after she finished eating it. Alice pouted, her eyes almost squinted into a line. She waved her hands while sitting on the carpet like she wanted to say something, so I took out a can of Dr. Pepper and handed it to her.

After drinking the whole can of Dr. Pepper in one gulp, Alice sighed, and seemed like her mood’s much better.

“As my assistant, it seems that you’ve accumulated much experience. You could even finish your main job without even me saying anything. Your performance as an assistant is passable like this.”

“So the main job of an assistant is to get Dr. Pepper……”

“Do you think that I’m wrong about this?”

No, it’s clear what you’re going to say!

“So next, let’s solve your problem! Yondaime probably didn’t explain anything to you, so just ask if you have any questions! Although I might not answer you.”

Then what does this count as?

I sank into deep thought. Indeed, I would be taken as an idiot by Alice no matter what I ask, and might not answer me. But sometimes, not answering is also an answer.

And also……

I’m not always fumbling in the dark.

“Don’t you have something you wanted to ask me?”

Alice bent her knees, placed her chin on them and tilted her head.

“I’m thinking of what to ask you.”

“Well, that’s some growth!”

That’s probably because of Min-san’s pamelo smoothie. If I straightaway rushed in here, and said whatever I thought, Alice would probably make me as an idiot again.

I thought for a long time and said:

“Can you give me a copy of the information about Angel Fix? The one with the photos.”

The smile vanished from Alice’s face. She didn’t answer at first, and the room was just filled with the sound of the cooling fan of the CPUs. I thought in instinct: Ahh, I’ve asked the right question. At the same time, I felt as if my heart was stuffed to the bottom of my shoes.

Finally, Alice muttered:

“Are you mentally prepared to dig the grave of the deceased?”

I—

nodded slightly.

Alice showed me her sad eyes, nodded and answered me.

“I understand, here’s the information. But before I give it to you, there’s something I need to ask you.”

Being an assistant needs a heavy price. Alice sat on her bed and beckoned at me. Eh? Wait a sec? To the bed? Is she telling me to get on her bed?

“What are you dilly-dallying for? Are your hands so long that you could press the keyboard from there?”

“…… Keyboard?”

“The job that I’m requesting you to do requires the use of a computer, so I’m asking you to come over here.”

“Ah, oh……”

So that my embarrassing misunderstanding would not be found out, I turned around and stood up.

“Err, may I get on your bed?”

“Just hurry up.”

On the blanket, I politely shifted over to Alice’s side by using my knees. Being on the same bed as a girl, that makes me really nervous.

“You’re good at editing photos, right? Then I’ll hand this picture to you.”

Alice pointed at the bottom of her screen. She had opened Photoshop, and a young man with a sharp chin was shown on the screen.

“Editing?”

“That’s right, because this information is going to be photocopied and distributed. Haven’t you heard of it before? Humans don’t remember things by their original appearance, so a person would have a stronger impression on something if the facial features are more emphasized. It’s the same with a portrait.”

Ahhh, I think I’ve heard of that before. My gaze fell on the screen again.

At that moment, a chill crept up my back. I’ve saw this man before. But where?

“…… Who is this guy?”

“His name is Shirou Hakamizaka, a researcher.”

I stared at Alice in surprise. Hakamizaka?

I looked at the screen again. A sharp chin, a face that looks intellectual, this probably came from a driving license or something, huh? There isn’t even the hint of a smile on his face. I tried to put on a pair of frameless glasses in my mind…… I’ve got it! That’s right, on the day that Toshi disappeared, I spotted this guy who makes people feel uneasy near the zebra crossings.

“He enrolled into T Medical University seven years ago, not in Pharmacy, but Life Schiences. It’s somewhat strange if you say that it’s a subject for researching genetic inheritance. I’ve heard that his results are quite good, and even went to Iran to study abroad. He probably found that there.”

Found? Found what?

“That’s it!”

Alice handed a pile of papers to me, and the photo of a red flower was on the topmost paper. It was the papers that I saw that time.

“Originally, the flowers on the photo isn’t that rare, and wouldn’t have any medical effects, so Hakamizak probably found its mutated variety. At the research centre, we found it from plants that had similar alkaloids. This is the payment for your labor, I’ll just give it to you first! So let’s ignore the information for now……”

“The people that are related to this incident is not only Hakamizaka, I’ve thoroughly investigated the people that might have relations with him. I’m not sure if every one of them are related with the drug, but anyways, this is a family business-type drug organization. Hakamizaka’s fater is a powerful second-generation politician, so their modal probably comes from Hakamizaka’s usual pocket money. I’ve investigated the assets under his father’s name, but couldn’t find their current location yet. It’s both thoughtful and daring, a mere researcher starting from zero, looking for people online, nurturing the raw material, manufacturing, and then selling them cheaply. This is why they haven’t been caught right until now.”

Alice enlarged the other windows for me. Most of them are not taken from the front, and are parts of a group photo or some very unclear photos.

“Where did you find all this?”

“I’ve already said that I’m a NEET detective, right? The hardest thing was to find out Shirou Hakamizaka’s phone number, while the others were a cinch.”

I was taken aback. So she DOES know how to check phone logs?

“So you’re really a hacker……”

“I’m not a hacker. A hacker is originally a name the students in Massachusetts Institute of Technology gave to the people who does large pranks. What you’re saying is probably a cracker who steals information. I’m different from a cracker, which I’ve told you a lot of times. I’m a NEET detective. So stop that nonsense and turn your attention to the screen.”

Alice caught hold of my face and turned my head to the computer screen.

I wouldn’t mistake the person on the last screen, it’s Toshi. With the same eyes as Ayaka, the same outline as Ayaka, I almost cried out loud. Even though I knew that from the start……. Even though I knew that from the start……

“Are you…… sure?”

In the end I still asked. Alice answered me with a gentle voice:

“We’re not sure yet. The world that I can see is only the limited scenes of the limitless small windows on the network. In chance, Toshi bumped into Hakamizaka at a drug discussing website, and then became friends. Toshi might have just gotten the Angel Fix straight from Hakamizaka, and did not take part in the manufacturing or dealing of the drug. I cannot deny the possibility of this.”

Alice’s words were like she’s reading from a script, making people feel empty.

“There are a few places in Toshi’s behavior that are perplexing. Additionally, when he came to the ramen shop that day, he probably wasn’t trying to get money from Ayaka.”

“…… Eh?”

“Toshi did ask you, right? If Yondaime came to my office or not. And then he said that it’s the only thing that he wanted to ask, right?”

“Ah……”

I remembered, Toshi DID say that. At that time, I wasn’t sure why Toshi wanted to ask that, but knowing what Toshi hid, I understand now.

“He’s here to check out…… if Alice and Yondaime have started to investigate the matter about the drug?”

“This is still speculation, and not the truth. But this hypothesis has a contradiction. Listen, if Toshi have is already guarded against me, why did he still let you see the Angel Fix?”

I became silent.

It was indeed strange. If he felt that Alice had started to investigate the matter, he probably wouldn’t be so careless that he’d show me his confused look after he took the drug.

Hakamizak did say that he finally found Toshi or something like that, so that’s probably Toshi’s own free will?

I don’t get it.

If the person who heard about Angel Fix was not me, but a more sensitive person, they would probably think of Yondaime or Alice, who were investigating this matter, and it would not turn out like this. If it wasn’t me……

Why me?

Why did Toshi—

I don’t get it.

“You don’t get it, and I don’t understand either, so……”

Alice lightly raised my hand and placed it on the mouse. The pointer on the screen shook.

“I’m the same as you. You wanted to use the information and your own eyes and ears to confirm the truth, and to learn the truth, I want to find Toshi.”

Editing six photos and combining them into one took two hours. Alice squatted by my side, staring at the edited pictures on the screen. Usually, she would not stop talking even for a moment, but only at these times would she be silent. That made me so nervous. I tried not to look at Alice’s direction, and focused my attention on the computer screen. My neck aches… This is the first time that I felt uncomfortable when the other party isn’t talking.

“Alice, I’m done.”

“Hmmmmmm…… Mnn.”

So she fell asleep. That’s why she was so silent.

“You’re so slow that you made me fall asleep. Hmm, that’s not bad.”

Not even a word of consolation. Never mind. Alice pushed me away, activated the mailing system and mailed the zipped folder. After that, she pulled out a phone from behind the messy computer rack.

“…… Yondaime? Mn, it’s me. We’ve finished editing the photo, and I sent it there already…… Hmm? That’s a zipped folder! Zipped. Eh? Just double click it with your mouse and print it in A4 size. Nonono, there should be paint on your computer right? No? Ahhh, that’s right, your computer was picked up by Major and then remodeled right, so at least just download a free editing software! What? You don’t get it? At least get me a person who understands……”

When she was talking on the phone, Alice’s voice was sometimes so low that it’s scary, and sometime it rose like she’s angry. In the end, Alice screamed: “I had enough! Forget it! I’ll just tell Narumi to go there right now. Just you wait!” and then hung up. Eh? Wait a minute……How does that concern me?

“So it’s like that……”

Alice looked at me and said determinedly. So what?

“The people in Hirasaka-gumi doesn’t even have basic knowledge about computers, it’s terrible. Even if it’s God who’s educating idiots, He would feel frustrated too. Therefore it’s better for you to go.”

“Err, no, wait a sec……”

“This is also the job of an assistant, so hurry up and go.”

Without giving me a chance to rebuke her, I was chased out of the detective firm.
<center>*</center>

“I didn’t think that there would be a day when we need your help……”

Yondaime said with a bitter expression. At the interior of Hirasaka-gumi, there were simple beds, a small kitchen, and a bridge, while there was a desk and an old computer further inside the room. As though we were attracted to the rays of light emitted by the monitor, the followers were tidily arranged by my side, led by Yondaime, while I sat on the chair in the middle with my body curled up.

“Sou-san, we’ve already gathered down here.”

The lackey who opened the door and went in reported.

“Hey! Hurry up and fix it!”

The tall lackey crossed over my shoulders and said with his eyes glued to the screen, and even knocked on my head. It was one of the bodyguards that I saw before, the one who was as tall as an electric pole.

“I’m downloading the file right now.”

While thinking to myself why am I in such a mess, I opened the large enterprising website that provided free softwares and downloaded the simplest video processing software. It seemed that Major installed only the most basic applications on the computer. The hard disk was almost completely empty, only the mailing software has any trace of usage. I thought that young people nowadays were all good at using computers, but now I realized that wasn’t the case.

As soon as I opened the picture that I’ve edited, the surrounding people made an astonished sound. You don’t need to be so surprised, do you? I adjusted the size of the picture to A4 size and then printed it out. While being guarded in bated breath by the men wearing the black T-shirts with their emblem on it, the color printer slowly printed out the paper that had the faces of six people on it.

“Whoa!”

“That’s so incredible!”

“A miracle!”

“It’s so unbelievable that I don’t even understand what I’m seeing.”

“Wow, print five more…… No, please print five more copies.”

After six copies of the pictures were printed, the person who rushed me just now, Pole, was now clutching at my shoulders with his eyes wet.

“Sorry! As expected from Ane-san’s assistant! I’ve wronged you, aniki!”

“Thanks for your hard work, aniki!”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

Nonono, don’t treat me like that. Yondaime took the six papers with a peeved expression on his face, distributed them to the others and said: “Don’t be stupid. Take it to a convenience store and photocopy two hundred copies for each paper.”

“Understood! I shall go hone my manly aura right away.”

“Understood!”

<center>*</center>

There were quite a lot of people gathered at the parking lot below the office of Hirasaka-gumi. The empty space that could accommodate twenty cars at most was densely packed with people, who were muttering to each other in the darkness. They were all ordinary young people who could just hang out around the streets. A hundred…… Two hundred….. No, it should be more? The cold air of the winter evening was completely chased out of the parking lot. All of them were men, so they emitted an odd atmosphere. The place where the fans gather before a concert starts would feel like this too, probably?

“Aniki, please walk over here.”

A man wearing a black T-shirt pulled at my collar as I was standing at the entrance, flustered, and brought me to further in the right side. The guys with an emblem on their shirts were standing in a row like cheerleaders. But really, I’m just here to get back my bike. I’m now seriously regretting my decision. I should’ve parked outside!

“Does Hirasaka-gumi have that much people?”

The person seemed to hear my mutterings.

“No, the people who are truly in the group are just twenty something, but the small groups over here listen to Sou-san. Sou-san looks after the jobless people over here, so they would come over here if he called them.”

I sighed and looked at the crowd. The heat that they were emitting was giving me a headache. When I started to straighten my back, looked around and was thinking:: “I’ll get out of here double quick, after I find my bike.”, the noise suddenly piped down.

The gazes of the people were all focused on Yondaime. With his back to the greenish white lights outside, Yondaime walked into the entrance of the parking lot from the slope. His crimson coat rolled up because of the wind formed by atmospheric pressure. It could be felt that everone was waiting for Yondaime to speak, and the matter about my bike disappeared from my mind in a flash.

. “Some people were throwing rubbish randomly in this area.”

Yondaime said in a calm tone.

“It’s pink trash that has grown wings. The police didn’t do anything until someone was stabbed recently, because this kind of drug only appears on the streets, and are not sold in an organization. The people who made and sold them are nobodies like us.”

Two hundred men nodded at the same time, forming a small wave.

“So we’ll just deal with this problem ourselves. Because the people who foamed at their mouths because of their addiction, the people who were hurt by the drug addicts who were clouded mentally after taking drugs, are all our mates. The police would only take action after four or five people have died, and it’ll be too late that time. Who could prevent this from happening?”

As an answer to Yondaime’s question, quite a few types of answers interlaced in the air. Noise rang in the darkness as though an express train passed through, because of the angry shouts of the two hundred people with raised hands. Even in the din, Yondaime’s voice still rang clearly.

“That’s right, only us. If we handed things to the police, the stupid nobodies could continue their monkey business for a month or so, are arrested and sent to the jail or youth detention centre, and are let out after three years or so.”

Angry shouts of ‘What a joke!’, ‘Kill them!’ and so on could be heard. I shivered. Over two hundred vicious beasts would be let out the streets at the same time because of Yondaime’s orders.

“So have you got the photo already? We aren’t sure if the ones on them are related to the drug, so don’t act recklessly after finding them. Getting the truth out of them is Hirasaka-gumi’s job, so don’t you guys risk getting arrested. Just looking for them is okay, photocopying them and giving them to other people is alright too. If you find a person who’s selling the drug, catch him even if he’s not on the piece of paper. When things end, Hirasaka-gumi will take care of things.”

Yondaime looked at me—No, at the black shirted men beside me.

“Give them a warning, let everyone know better than to do things on this street.”

After the crowd of two hundred or so people went out, I collapsed onto the empty parking lot and rested for awhile. Long shadows of the members of Hirasaka-gumi that were left swayed on the ground. It was as though the angry roars of the beasts were still remaining on the floor and the walls.

“Aniki, is this your bike?”

One of the members pushed my bike from the depths of the parking lot here. I weakly nodded.

“Thank you for your help, we’ll take care of the rest. Don’t be a busybody, there’s nothing you can help.”

Yondaime said towards my back, and left.

“Hey!”

I stood up and called Yondaime, who turned around and glared at me wolfishly.

“If…… you found Toshi…… what are you going to do?”

“God knows, if he’s lucky he’d probably not be sent to the cemetery, but just the hospital.”

Was that a joke? Don’t you know Toshi? But I couldn’t say it.

“Do you think I would have mercy on Toshi just because I know him?”

Yondaime saw through my thoughts.

“One of my followers was stabbed, and his own sister has been harmed by himself and gone into a coma. Can you still forgive him then?

The words pierced deeply into my heart.

Ayaka, was harmed by Toshi?

“I don’t care how you think, but taking care of the person we caught is our freedom, and our responsibility.”

The other members of Hirasaka-gumi nodded seriously.

After Yondime and the other members walked out of the parking lot, I caught hold of the handle of my bike and stood up.

Ayaka was harmed.

Ayaka…… was harmed by Toshi.

<center>*</center>

The next day, I took the papers about Angel Fix I got from Alice to school.

During recess, I went to look for Sayuri-sensei at the staffroom, who’ve just came back.

“What is it? Do you want to have lunch with me because you don’t have any friends? I’m sorry, but I have to prepare for my afternoon class.”

Sayuri-sensei is just as usual, I don’t know what she’s so excited for. Mind your own business, and stop fussing.

“I’m not here to have lunch with you, but to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“You saw the plants in the greenhouse before right? During the second semester.”

“That’s right, I’ve went into the greenhouse quite a few times.”

I took a piece of paper out of my pocket. It’s the picture of the flower that I’ve cut out from the information about Angel Fix. After I handed her the photo, Sayuri-sensei tilted her head and looked at it for a moment, then nodded with an “Oh~” sound.

“There’s a lot of these flowers in the greenhouse before this, all planted using hydroponics. There’s also a pile of boxes on the floor…… But the color of the flower is bluer than in the photo.”

“…… It’s probably a mutated variety.”

My voice sounded like a bubble that drifted up from the bottom of a swimming pool. So the flowers there were a bluish color…… Even if it’s Alice who seems like she knows everything, probably doesn’t know about this, right? In despair, I remembered the bluish purple flowers swaying in the air-conditioned greenhouse.

The flowers that Ayaka planted.

“What type of flower is this?”

“I think its scientific name is Papaverbracteatum Lindl.”

“Uwaah, it sounds like you’re eating screws when you read its name, although the flowers are pretty.”

Seeing as it’s a mutated variety and has been successfully grown, it means that this is a new breed. Shouldn’t we have a new name for it? While thinking of this, I left the staffroom. A crowd of girls were holding their trophies from the Welfare Society, happily chatting away and walked past me.

What name would Hakamizaka give them?

Because of the flowers, Ayaka—

I subconsciously clenched the photo that I’ve cut down.

<center>*</center>

After school, I went to Hanamaru Ramen Shop. There weren’t even a customer in the shop, and only Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro were doing something while surrounding the gas tank. I could hear crackling sounds and black smoke wafting up from there.

“What are you guys doing?”

“We’re trying to raise a fire. We don’t know when we would become a vagrant, so this is a drill for that time.”

Tetsu-senpai said with one hand on the gas tank. There were newspapers,dismantled chairs and table legs burning brightly.

Major said: “Next we just have to learn how to make a cardboard house, then we won’t have to worry when we’ll become a vagrant.” What an annoying drill, and it does seem quite realistic.

“Doing these things at the back of the shop would get you a scolding from Min-san!”

“Never mind, never mind. There’s no customer here anyways, and we’re burning the stuff to help clear up the shop. It’s the fifteenth of January today, coincidentally the festival of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosojin dosojin].”

“It’s because of people like you that customers aren’t coming.”

Min-san’s scolding came from the kitchen, even saying that she’ll burn us altogether. It’s now just five in the evening, when the sun sets later, there’ll be customers, right?

“Vice Admiral Fujishima, you could just throw anything you want to burn in here!” Don’t call me vice admiral……

“I burned the posters of the girls that I went out with. I feel so contented right now.”

“I burned the horse racing tickets that I didn’t win for. The blasted Japan Racing Association should remember this, I’ll definitely get back at them this year!”

“I wanted to burn my student ID, but was stopped by them…..”

Don’t burn your student ID, Major. Did you encounter something annoying in school?

I gazed at the crackling flames for awhile, then took a stack of papers from my bag and put it inside. The photocopied papers full of chemical equations and words disappeared in the flames in a flash, turning to ashes.

“That’s for the drugs……”

Hiro seemed to have noticed.

“Alice gave you that, right? Is it okay to burn it?”

“It doesn’t matter, things have already finished.”

“Have you found out about something?”

I nodded dubiously, then squatted down due to a sudden wave of tiredness. Some warmth came from the surface of the gas tank, making the coldness even clearer.

We silently surrounded the burning gas tank, until the sun slowly set. The sounds of customers ordering food from Min-san came from the shop, while the sound of the crackling flames eventually disappeared, as if absorbed by the dark air.

“I finally understood, you’re very similar to Alice.”

Tetsu-senpai muttered. I was taken aback, and raised my head.

“Handling everything yourself, keeping everything to yourself, forcing yourself to the limits but couldn’t see the others, feeling that everything is your fault, so that’s why you resonate with each other.”

Similar? Resonate? I, myself, don’t think so.

“But Alice is really capable, unlike Vice Admiral Fujishima.”

“Major, that’s to direct of you.”

Tetsu-senpai laughed, but I didn’t. It is indeed as he had said.

“It’s about time we get inside.”

Hiro said, and the customers came in threes and twos.

We couldn’t move the gas tank for now, so we just left it there for now. We shifted to the backdoor of the kitchen. Tetsu-senpai said that he wanted to treat us all to ramen. It seemed that he lost money for gambling on horses and pachinko lately, so he’s treating us to change his luck. I ordered a Chinese garlic naengmyeon. Min-san was about to walk out and complain about something, but went back into the kitchen to make it after she saw me. What acute sense she has.

“In this weather, you want to eat that……”

Tetsu-senpai looked at the dish on top of my knees and stuck his tongue out.

“…… Major, do you remember the day that you ordered this?”

Because of my question, Major and Hiro looked at each other.

“Major got some information from his school. Hiro, Ayaka and I were eating ice cream, then Alice called……”

I thought about that day— when Ayaka was still healthily working in the kitchen and the shop.

“Hiro and I took some stuff to Yondaime, and Ayaka went home early when we came back. Probably it’s from that day, Ayaka’s behavior became strange……”

I knew that I shouldn’t do so, but I couldn’t help but look at Hiro.

“Ayaka saw the information of Angel Fix lying around, so she found out that the flowers that she were growing in the greenhouse are the raw material for the drug.”

“Is…… it my fault?”

Hiro started to moan. I shook my head while smiling. The smile is okay, probably?

“Leaving the information in the shop isn’t your fault, because the only person who notice that we couldn’t let Ayaka see it was me.”

“But, Narumi……”

“The following ones would just be my own speculation. About summer or fall last year, Ayaka accepted the request of Toshi who didn’t go home for a long time, to plant flowers in the school greenhouse. Toshi used the back door of the greenhouse to collect the plants on a regular basis. Ayaka knew a bit about Hakamizaka’s identity, so she thought that Toshi was helping in an experiment for the university or something like that…… But, she found that things are not so that day.”

My words stopped at this moment, then there was a silence. Behind us came the sound of bowls colliding, eating noodles, ordering and eating ice cream.

And then? I don’t understand. What would Ayaka who found out that her own brother told her to plant drugs do? Probably she went to question Toshi about it? And then—

I don’t understand.

Where did it went wrong, causing Ayaka to commit suicide?

Alice said that she knew the reason. Did she have a piece of the puzzle that I don’t have? Or did I miss something? I don’t get it, why must Ayaka commit suicide? Why did she do that without even saying something to me? Even though I’m so useless, there’s something…… there’s something that I could help with……

“Then it’s confirmed.”

I raised my head because of Tetsu-senpai’s statement.

“It’s confirmed that Toshi is one of them.”

I weakly nodded.

Alice said that Toshi might have no connections with the drug dealing, but being unsure of Toshi’s reason he let me see the Angel Fix, everything is unsure.

Yondaime also said that the person they were searching for might not have any connections with the drug.

That’s quite the white lie that they fed us.

Angel Fix.

Growing pink wings, it took away Ayaka.

“So what are you going to do then?”

I stared at Tetsu-senpai’s face with my mouth half open. There was not a hint of anger or pity on his face, his eyes were just like a crane game machine that takes coin without an emotion. I couldn’t help but shift my gaze, and lowered my head.

What— am I going to do?

I don’t know. Because there’s nothing more that I can help with. If there’s something that I could help with, I should’ve done it earlier. Before Ayaka committed suicide, before Toshi’s disappearance.

The only thing that I could do for Ayaka right now, is only to find out the reason for her suicide, and search for Toshi, who should know the truth.

“Is that really for Ayaka?”

Tetsu-senpai’s words rang out. My back froze.

For Ayaka?

There’s no such thing, because Ayaka’s heart is already dead. Only her body is left in the ward, while her soul has already disappeared in the winter sky.

That is why—

That’s why, the things that I’m doing is for myself. To relieve my own emotions, because I’m impatient right now.

“That’s great!”

Tetsu-senpai said. I raised my head.

“I’ve said that before, right. I wouldn’t help a person who wouldn’t even ask for him himself.”

“Then……” I looked at Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro. Their faces were somewhat blurry for some reason. “If I ask for help, you guys would help me?”

“Of course! Vice Admiral Fujishima is also a part of the Japanese army!”

Hiro smiled and said: “How could us NEETs not help each other?”

But can three NEETs and an idiotic high schooler who might become a NEET in the future do anything? What can we do if we just combine four weak hands—

“There’s definitely a way.”

Tetsu-senpai said.

I bit my lips. At this time, at such an important moment, I’m still a useless person who can’t even see them in the eye.

“Please….. help……”

A sound like using a thread to rub my teeth came from my throat.

“Please help me.”

I felt the three of them standing up.

When I raised my head, I saw Tetsu-senpai on the phone. Alice’s voice could be faintly heard on the other side.

‘I don’t think I’ve told you guys to help out.’

“We’ve accepted the request directly from Narumi.”

‘Then there’s no payment this time. If you want payment, just get it from Narumi. You should know that he can’t pay, right!’

“It’s okay, I’ll ask him to waive the money that I owed him from gambling in dices.”

“Eh? Wait a sec, then the only person who benefits from this is Tetsu!”

Hiro interrupted.

“I’ll treat you all to roasted meat.”

“But that isn’t fair, right? A debt of two hundred and seventy thousand exchanged for only roasted meat.”

“The model gun that I wanted is eighty seven thousand.”

“Shut up! Those aren’t important!” Tetsu-senpai said, annoyed. “You too, how long are you going to dawdle there, hurry up and stand up!”

Catching hold of my hand, Tetsu-senpai dragged me up forcibly.

Weakly raising my head, I was shocked when I saw the faces of the three people. In front of the dark ramen shop door, the eyes that exist for the sake of looking at pachinko machines, the eyes that exist for the sake of reading information about the militaries, the eyes that exist for the sake of looking at girls, they are all gleaming together.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 3

2011-12-27T03:14:04Z

Asteradragon:

==Chapter 3==

During the winter break, I started to show up at Hanamaru Ramen Shop more often, because Ayaka was usually working there. Just staying at home is really boring, anyways.

At first, Ayaka was surprised every time she saw me.

“So you can go out even when you have nothing to do?”

What kind of person does she think I am?

Hanamaru Ramen Shop was always very free in the winter, there weren’t much customers in the morning. One reason is because it’s the new year period. On the other hand, it’s because there is a chance that the ramen shop is mistaken to be an ice cream shop.

That day, Hiro, Ayaka and I were tasting Min-san’s special hemp ice cream. As I had been tasting only salty ramen the whole day, my tongue felt much better when it came in contact with the sweet taste of the hemp and vanilla ice cream. The soup that Min-san makes is now much better than what she made before, but tasting them every day is still very painful.

“Did Toshi contact you after that?”

Facing Hiro’s inquiries, Ayaka bit her spoon, knitted her brows and shook her head.

“He didn’t even come home for the new year.”

Does Ayaka know that Toshi was addicted to drugs? From last year's end until this year, quite a few cases of violence occurred in the streets. I heard that the police couldn’t make head or tails of what the suspects said, as the drug addicts' addiction of the drug made them suffer when they were in custody. I watch the news every morning and night, and the name Shinozaki Toshi could be seen on the television screen each time, as he is missing right now.

Ayaka said: “ I think my brother is probably at Hakamizaka’s place.”

“Is that person Toshi’s girlfriend?”

“No, he’s a guy! I’m not sure, but I think he’s a university student or a researcher.”

It’s impossible for brother to have a girlfriend! Ayaka said seriously, which was out of character. Although it was pitiful for Toshi to be said that he could not have a girlfriend, but actually I have the same sentiments. Only Hiro gave a contrasting opinion.

“Really? His weak personality is actually quite suited for being a gigolo. I won’t be surprised even if he’s staying at some girl’s place right now. Actually, I’m more relieved if that's the case.”

“No doubt that it’ll be more reassuring if things are so…… But it’s impossible! Brother can’t wash his clothes and can’t cook.”

“Nonono, a gigolo doesn’t need to wash clothes or cook.”

“Is that so?”

“Although they’re sometimes misunderstood, the ones that could do housework are ‘househusbands’, not gigolos. Gigolos want women to feel: ‘This guy can’t live on without me!’ so the housework is handled by the women.”

This guy is completely useless.

“Wow, I can’t do it if it were me. I would probably feel embarrassed for that and give them a hand, finish the cooking and wait for them to come back or something like that.”

“That’s right, the job of a gigolo is to bring out the motherly instinct in a woman, a normal person isn’t competent enough to do all that.”

“That’s so wonderful of you!”

It’s not wonderful at all, what nonsense is Hiro spouting? He’s an incomparably useless scum! Although I was thinking that to myself, I was lazy to correct them, so I continued to eat my hemp ice cream.

“Have you ever thought about marriage?”

“Never!”

“Why is that?”

“Actually I have a person that I truly love in my heart, so I can’t marry other women.”

“But then is it okay for you to live together with them? Don’t you feel that you’re doing something wrong on the girls?”

“I feel that I’m wronging them as well, but I couldn’t change it, this is my lifestyle.”

“Go to hell!”

“That won’t do, Fujishima-kun, you spoke out the things that you are thinking about again.”

Ah, it’s true, but never mind.

“Did you guys just mention Hakamizaka?”

A voice came from behind us. I turned over my head, and saw a person wearing a square, fur hat like those worn by the Alaskan soldiers, and a plump waterproof outer coat used in the army. I only recognized after a while that that person was Major. The goggles-styled sunglasses completely covered up his eyes, making them seem as if they’re a part of his face.

“Ah! Mukai-san, it’s been a while, happy new year! What would you like to order today?”

“I’m on duty right now.”

“What about the Chinese Garlic set?”

“Hmmm…… Okay then!”

Why did Major order something so obediently? And also, what is the Chinese Garlic set?

It was like Major couldn’t handle Ayaka. Among the people that I know, only Ayaka calls Major by his name. Every time when I hear it, I thought to myself: Who is Mukai-san?

“Finally there’s some work to do! Min-san, one Chinese naengmyeon(Note: a type of noodles), with added garlic!”

Ayaka stood up and rushed into the kitchen. Eating naengmyeon in this cold weather? Major looked as if he has just swallowed a live toad, and sat down on the gas tank that Ayaka was sitting on just now.

Hiro asked Major: “Major, did you know the person called Haka-something?”

“I think there’s a person called Hakamizaka at the research centre of our school.”

Hiro and I were taken aback and looked at each other. Hiro leaned forward and continued:

“We’ve heard that Hakamizaka is the person who’s hanging out with Toshi lately.”

Major pressed his hand against his chin and thought for a while.

“Do you know him? Then try to make some inquiries!”

“No, I’ve just heard about his name. He’s really famous! They say that he doesn’t even show up at the research centre, but his PhD thesis went through. But they might just have the same name, right? Why would Toshi hang out with this kind of people?”

“Haka-something isn’t a name that every Tom, Dick and Harry has! Toshi didn’t contact us much lately.”

“But I’ve just went to the school once today, do you want me to go again? There’s professors and students everywhere!”

Of course there’s professors and students in a university! But Major is actually a university student! This point really surprised me.

“The professors just nag me to death whenever I show up.”

“Then just leave school earlier!”

“What are you talking about? For the sake of barely staying in school, I strived to get credits that are barely enough to pass, and then skip classes, maintaining the state of not going to the next level or graduating, waiting for eight years to pass then leave school automatically.”

“…… Don’t you want to graduate?” I actually asked him that.

“Am I still considered a NEET if I graduate normally from university? Don’t you know what the second E in NEET means?” Seeing you screaming blue murder about things like this, I’m having a headache too.

“Major goes to university for the sake of searching for information.”

“That’s because history books and military information is not cheap! Letting the school library buy it is the best plan. I just ask the library to buy books for me before I leave school, until the whole room is filled with the books that I want to read, and then the room would be called the Major room.”

Just buy it yourself if you want to read it! What a troublesome student.

“That’s right, let me tell you, the books that are in this time are about battle submarines that can emit signals!”

“Oh yeah, Major, didn’t you go to school because of Alice’s request?”

Major opened the bag and turned it upside down, and the papers inside fell out onto the crate that we used as a table.

“You guys want to see the photocopied information, huh? You’re holding that upside down.”

“I don’t understand this.”

“I, myself, don’t understand it as well.”

I went over to look at the papers that Hiro was holding, the color photocopied paper had a tall, red flower on it, and words were closely packed around the plant.

“You know that drugs are running rampant in the streets right now, right? This is what Yondaime requested Alice to investigate. I’ve heard that it isn’t anything good. Toshi wouldn’t be taking these, would he……”

I was taken aback, and thought of the pink pills that were used to block the twinkling lights of the Christmas decorations, which had wings of angels and two English letters on it. After taking the pills, he claimed that it was a legal medication that could make things ‘look as if they’re not moving’. What was its name again? What was it called? It was at the tip of my tongue, but I still couldn’t remember it.

“Ah, that is……”

“Mukai-san, sorry for the wait.”

Ayaka served Major his naengmyeon, interrupting my words. I swallowed back what I was about to say, because I didn’t want Ayaka to hear it. Hiro showed a confused expression and tilted his head. I hastily shook my head.

“What is it?” Ayaka came over to look, and I speedily snatched the paper from Hiro’s hands and turned it over.

“That’s so bad of you! What are you hiding, Fujishima-kun?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all.”

At this moment, a customer finally appeared in the shop. Ayaka hurriedly put on her apron and went to serve him, allowing me to heave a sigh of relief.

“What is it? What’s with you, Narumi?”

Just as I was about to answer, the blaring ringtone of ‘COLORADOBULLDOG’ rang in the shop. Major’s skinny body jumped almost a meter high, while Hiro hurriedly took out his phone, but Major was faster.

“I know that you’re here, so don’t talk rubbish with the others downstairs. Hurry up and get here! It’s urgent! And Hiro, hurry up and dive the car to the front, quick!”

Even I could hear Alice’s voice at the other side of the phone clearly, showing how painful Major’s ears are right now. As Major was about to answer her, she hung up.

“Alice is also in a bad mood today, huh?” Hiro raised his head and looked at the worn-out building behind him.

“Don’t you know? Every twenty nine days, Alice would get into a mentally unstable state for five days, this is the result of my detailed investigation so it can’t be wrong. As for the reason, I’m still not sure of that.”

Isn’t the reason obviously because of the girls’ period? But seeing Major triumphantly speaking of all that to Hiro, I couldn’t tell that to them.

“Every twenty nine days, so today is the second day.”

“I’ll go drive the car over here. What would be the matter, I wonder?”

Hiro left, leaving a silent Major. I tilted my head. Alice isn’t that scary, is she? She seemed like she’s in a bad mood everyday, anyways! After I said that, and was fiercely glared at by Major, whose eyes were hidden beneath the goggles.

Finally, Major said seriously:

“Do you know vice-admiral Jisaburo Ozawa? He’s the last Commander in Chief of Combined Fleet of the Japanese Navies.”

“Never heard of him.”

“Then don’t you know about the naval battle that occurred during the Second World War at Leyte Gulf, Phillipines? It is considered to be the largest naval battle in the world, and Vice-Admiral Ozawa used his team as bait to lure the enemy away , and successfully shifted the attention of the American forces away from Leyte.”

“Ah?”

“So we’re counting on you, Vice-Admiral Fujishima.” Who’s the vice-admiral? “Let’s meet at the Yakusuni Shrine!”

“Refused!”
<center>*</center>

In the end, I went with Major. As soon as I stepped into Alice’s room, I saw her curled in her blanket, looking as though she was going to cry.

“Mocha Bear’s ear has fallen off!”

A huge, tea-colored teddy bear was placed at the front of the bed. No matter how you look at it, it was larger than Alice, but that might be because she’s too petite. As Alice said, the thread holding together the bear’s right ear has burst, exposing the cotton that was hidden in the seams.

“Careful! Carefully place it into the box! Stuff it full of towels! Narumi, don’t touch the wound! What if you enlarge the wound!”

Following Alice’s directions that were full of yelling and crying, Major and I placed the hurt plushie into a big cardboard box stuffed full of rolled up towels if the seams of the box. The huge, wrapped up box is indeed a thing that couldn’t be handled by just a person.

Major asked: “So it’ll be okay if we just bring this to Yondaime’s?”

“Tell him to fix it by this night, this concerns my life!”

Alice said with tears in her eyes. Why would they hand it to Yondaime? How does this concern her life? Questions swirled around in my mind, but the atmosphere does not allow me to ask them.

“And here’s the information that you asked me to find.”

Alice took the transparent file from Major, read it as fast as if she’s reading manga, then extracted a portion of the photocopied papers and threw it at me.

“What are you spacing out for? Don’t you know what to do with this if I didn’t tell you to hand this to Yondaime as well?”

Major and I fled the room with the box containing Alice’s precious bear.

<center>*</center>

Hiro’s car was a dark blue, high classed imported car, and doesn’t seem to be something that could be owned by a nineteen year old guy.

“It’s because I’m the only one that has a car, although I didn’t buy it myself.”

He explained that it was a gift from his girlfriend, and it was from his ex-ex-ex-girlfriend. This guy would probably get a knife in his chest by a woman one day.

“But driving there is a suicidal action……” I looked at the other side of the railway, which had grand lights lighting up the night skies. There were three roads at the south side of the station, and there were always traffic jams there.

“Speaking of which, just bringing this box over there with this car also counts as a suicidal action, doesn’t it?”

I lowered my head and looked at the large box containing the plushie. Hiro had a point. Actually, we could just tie the box at the back of a motorbike and send it there, but Major said that he needed to go back to his school for awhile, and rode the motorbike away. It seemed like he wanted to investigate this Hakamizaka guy.

We stuffed the box into the backseat, used the safety belt to keep it still and went back to the front seat.

“Is that bear really that important?”

“Alice can’t sleep without it at night.”

“Ah?” Things got that bad, just because of that? “But why are we taking it to Yondaime?”

“Ah— about Yondaime, he looks fierce and all, but he has an interest in arts and crafts. He helped Alice to fix the plushie once before, and his skill is top notch. That was also the first time for me to see Yondaime sewing.”

“Who……”

The car soundlessly drove on the streets. The night view has become a river formed by streetlights.

“Who on Earth is that guy?”

“Have you ever heard of the Hirasaka-gumi?"

I do have a faint impression of the name, as it would come up between conversations in school.

“Are they a motorcycle gang?”

“Nono, they’re not a motorcycle gang. They’re just a gang formed from a bunch of kids who likes to fight or to follow the crowd in this district, a self-proclaimed yakuza gang. Yondaime is their leader.”

Hiro said in a casual manner. But even I, who just moved here, know of the existence of the Hirasaka-gumi, so shouldn’t they be quite a large organization?

“Is it because Yondaime is the forth generation of the organization that he is called Yondaime?”

“No, he’s the first leader of the Hirasaka-gumi. He founded Hirasaka-gumi, and so the only person who could control their members is him.”

“Eh? Then why is he called Yondaime?”

“Because he is the forth generation in his hometown, Kansai. It seemed that he ran away from home, and that place is where the true yakuza truly lies."

Whoa, really? Then why didn’t he just stay home and be their forth generation leader?

“He’ll get angry whenever someone calls him Yondaime, but Alice felt amused about that so she deliberately called him Yondaime. That ended up being his nickname between us.”

“You guys really went too far……”

I muttered to myself, and Hiro laughed while patting at the gear he was holding.

“He’s even worse than us! But nobody can beat her, no matter it is Yondaime or us, understand?”

I thought of the snow white skin that was like a Japanese doll, large eyes and long hair as black as molasses. I get what Hiro meant, as I couldn’t win against her.

“But you should refrain from mentioning this to other people, because Yondaime will kill you. Hirasaka-gumi is a self-proclaimed chivalrous organization, and are very adamant, so they won’t forgive those who misuse drugs.”

I remembered something.

“Hiro, do you remember what the drug is called?”

“Nope…… Ah, I’ve forgotten, it should be written on the information gathered by Major, shouldn’t it?”

I skimmed through the papers that we were supposed to give to Yondaime. The rather complicated chemical equations and content written in professional terms made my head spin. Repeating the same action, excitement, overly-alert, insomnia, rising blood pressure, sharp ears, slack pupils…… The side-effects of the drug were densely packed on the paper, telling people how dangerous it is to consume it, the name of the drug, which was the most important to me, was not written on it.

I hope that it's just my groundless fears.

<center>*</center>

The office of Hirasaka-gumi was situated at a somewhat dirty building, after driving on the slope that was at the left side of the main street in front of the station. The building was just beside the fork on the slope.

We parked the car at the parking lot and took out the box. We went on the cramped elevator that was making a noise like the painful panting of old men, up till the forth floor. As soon as we walked out of the elevator, we could see the long, straight signboard hung beside the metal door, and the words ‘Hirasaka-gumi” was solemnly written on it. A swallowtail butterfly-shaped logo of the gang was drawn in a round, black frame…… Wait, it shouldn’t be the logo of their gang, but the emblem of their organization. I was really freaked out, they aren’t really yakuzas, are they? But without even using the doorbell, Hiro straightaway opened the door and went in.

The door in the room was somewhat smaller than the doors in a classroom, and looked even smaller because of the cupboards arranged by the wall, the sofa at the center of the room and the tables. Four or five guys wearing black T-shirts were originally sitting down, but suddenly stood up at the same time.

“Second brother(Note: not sure about this), thanks for your hard work!”

“Thanks for your hard work!”

They saluted Hiro. I couldn’t help but take a step back, nearly dropping the box in the process. What is with this situation? Second brother?

The people wearing black T-shirts were quite young, at most they’re at the age when they’ve just graduated from high school. They had skin that was dyed into a dark color, bleached hair and had piercings in their ears. They looked just like ordinary young people who would gather at the streets of the street centre every night. The only thing different with them is that there was an emblem printed on top of their T-shirts.

Hiro answered: “ Don’t call me that! I’ve said that loads of times, don’t call me second brother.”

“But you and Sou-san are just like brothers. Here, let me help you to take your stuff.”

While saying that, Yondaime’s bodyguard – Rocky placed the box onto the ground.

“Well, forget about it, I’ve dated quite a lot of girls before, so in some way, I’m a brother to Yondaime.” How does that count as being his brother?

“Hiro, you really don't want to live anymore, do you?”

Yondaime opened the door to the right and walked out. That day, he was wearing a purple vest, and you can see a tattoo of their emblem on his right shoulder.

“Aren’t you here to hand me an investigation report? What’s with this large box? It isn’t stuffed full of reports, is it?” Yondaime sat down on the chair behind the table and said lazily. Hiro shook his head and tore away the tape on the box.

“Nono, this is Alice’s request. Her doll’s ear dropped off and she wanted someone to fix it.”

Hearing Hiro’s words, Yondaime almost jumped up a few feet, just like a spring. He jumped over the table and leaped in front of me in a flash, pressed down the box that was about to be opened, and glared ferociously at Hiro.

“Don’t you know that? You can’t speak of that thing here!”

“Sou-san, what’s in the box?”

“Nothing! Carry the box to my car, and don’t look inside. If you look, I’ll beat you up until you forget about it!”

Yondaime’s imposing manner was just like a hurricane, and he threw the car keys to another man. “Yes, sir! I’ll go hone my manliness right away!” He picked up the keys and saluted. How could you even hone your manliness while moving a cardboard box anyway?

“This is ane-san’s stuff, so we should move it carefully.”

Ane-san would be Alice, right? Did they watch too many strange movies or something? The box was taken out by two guys wearing black T-shirts. Did we just do some meaningless labor? I raised my head and looked at Hiro. He was laughing sneakily. Oh~ So he deliberately moved it here to annoy Yondaime…… He told me not to tell anyone, but he himself wanted to tease Yondaime.

“You’ll have to fix it by tonight.”

“I know! I’ll send it there after I fix it.”

Anyhow, he’s still a yakuza boss, but he would actually spend the night fixing a doll for a pajamas-clad hikkikomori? It’s such a mystery, what the heck is with this situation? I looked at the people in the room, thinking that they would probably be very surprised if they know that, huh?

“Do you know it too? Hiro told you about that, didn’t he?”

Yondaime grabbed my shirt by the collar.

“Know what?”

“Know that thing! That!” At this moment, I suddenly felt like teasing him.

“Eh? Which matter do you mean by that?” “Don’t you know it? It’s my…… that!” “You keep mentioning that, but how would I know what’s that when you don’t say it clearly?” “Don’t play the fool! Idiot, how could I possibly say it out myself!” “Eh? But I’m not sure, so why don’t you just tell me the possible answers?” “Narumi, I know that you’re very amused right now, but Yondaime would be very distressed if you don’t stop talking!” “I’ll be the one distressed if I stop talking!” “Here’s the investigation report.”

Hiro handed Yondaime the transparent file, as though nothing happened just now. Yondaime tossed me to the floor and snatched the folder. “Hey! Get me the folder from the hospital.” Yondaime commanded. A man wearing a black T-shirt walked into the room and handed us a sea blue folder.

Returning to the other side of the table, Yondaime looked at the two folders with a serious expression on his face. Hiro went closer to have a look and asked:

“What’s this?”

“It’s the symptoms for the people who were hospitalized this month or so for taking drugs, we’re investigating that as well.”

“That’s quite patient of you…… Oh yeah, you could just compare it with Alice’s information.”

“Right…… Hmm, this guy is……” Yondaime’s finger moved along the information of the drug effects, and then pointed at the papers in the sea blue folder. “…… We guessed correctly. The effects of the drug is too long to be MDMA, while stimulants can’t be taken directly, and the patient is young too.”

“Is it Fix?”

Rocky the bodyguard asked while peeking at the side.

“We won’t know if we don’t ask. He’s at N Hospital, so let’s go!”

Yondaime’s words caused all of the black-shirts to stand up and put on jackets. It felt as though the atmosphere in the room changed completely like a light was suddenly turned on.

…… Fix?

The memory of that moment finally surfaced, the carving of the letters A.F at the bottom of an angel’s wings. Toshi have said that, angels would not have preferential treatment on humans.

“…… Angel Fix?”

Because of my mutterings, Yondaime fiercely turned around, scaring me until I couldn’t even straighten my back.

“Why do you know of Angel Fix?”

“Eh….. That, that’s because……”

Yondaime took hold of my collar, and Hiro answered for me with his face green:

“That day I was with Toshi…… That guy……”

“Hey, so the things that Toshi was holding on to were pills? Round ones, you sure?”

Yondaime tightly held my collar, and pulled it until it almost couldn’t rise up higher. Being caught, I nodded fervently. Hiro took hold of Yondaime’s hand, trying to pull him away from me.

“Stop that! Do you want to kill him? What’s with the pills?”

Yondaime tossed me to the sofa, and I could only cough violently while keeping a hand on the floor for support. Yondaime’s voice sounded from above me.

“Didn’t Alice tell you anything? The way of selling Angel Fix was very special, and didn’t have any fixed way of selling them. The people who bought them crushed them into powder, and then sold them to other people that they know. It was like they didn’t even want to earn money, so we couldn’t find the source of the drug. The only thing that we are sure of is, the source of the drug is a person with the round pills.”

Yondaime stopped talking for a moment and looked at me.

“Is Toshi the person who directly bought the pills, or is he the person who’s selling them?”

Putting on the white coat that his lackeys handed him, Yondaime swiftly sent orders using a phone. Some of them went to the hospital while some of them went to search for Toshi. Yondaime and some of his lackeys stayed at the office while the others hastily walked out of it.

“Just go home, Narumi!”

Hiro pulled at the collar of my sports jacket, and only then did I woke up from my stupor.

“You guys aren’t looking for….. Toshi, are you?”

“I don’t even know where he is.”

“But……”

If I have noticed earlier……

“What are you dawdling there for? Hurry up and go home, don’t get in our way.”

Yondaime’s tone was harsh, so Hiro could only drag me out by the arms, but my legs didn’t move. Shouldn’t there be something that I can help with? Although I’m not really clear about Toshi’s problem, but the person who spoke to him last before he disappeared was me. There should be something that I can help with.

“There’s nothing that needs your help. Hurry up and scram. There’s already someone dead because of the drug.”

Yondaime answered sternly.

“But……”

It’s all my fault, if I caught hold of Toshi properly, all of this would be okay. If only I remembered the name of the drug earlier and discussed it with someone……

“Narumi……”

It looked as if Hiro, who was at my back, was going to say something, but was halted by Yondaime’s raised hand. I felt like I was going to be bitten to death by him, so I could only shut my mouth and lowered my head. The sound of the lackey’s footsteps disappeared from the door. I secretly raised my head again.

Yondaime was originally standing at the other side of the sofa, but his wolfish eyes suddenly appeared again before me. I suffered a heavy punch in the stomach, and could not help but to bend my back, saliva dripping out of my open jaw. Yondaime used the hand that he just punched me with to support me and harshly hurled me back to the sofa.

“If that was a knife, you’re already dead. Don’t be so cocky, kid. A normal person will only get in our way if they get hurt when taking part in an investigation, so you’d better get lost!”

After Yondaime walked out of the room, I leant against Hiro’s shoulders and stood up again.

<center>*</center>

The sun had already set by the time we returned to the ramen shop It was as though we could touch the cold air that was accumulated between the buildings. Only the surroundings of the curtains of ‘Hanamaru Ramen Shop’, which had streetlights shining on it, had some warmth there. I dumbfounded for a moment while looking at the lights.

Walking to the back door of the kitchen, the silhouette that was sitting on a pile of old tires was Tetsu-senpai, wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Holding a bowl, senpai turned around, and there were only the sounds of him eating ramen in the darkness.

“Where’s Hiro?”

“He’s parking his car.”

I sat down on the worn out tires, and stopped talking. Senpai finished the salt flavored ramen together with the soup, then took out a crumpled up pachinko magazine from his back.

Isn’t he going to ask about Toshi? Or did he already know but doesn’t care? Am I the only one who’s like an idiot that thinks that I’m involved in this matter?

“What is it?”

I don’t know if he just noticed my gaze, but Tetsu-senpai shifted his attention from the magazine to me.

“Do you already know about Toshi?”

“Yondaime called just now. Toshi is such an idiot.”

“You guys were…… friends, right?”

“We’re friends now, too, as long as he is willing to come.” Tetsu-senpai laughed after saying that.

Then, aren’t you worried of him?

The smile disappeared from senpai’s face, as though he noticed what I wanted to say.

“That guy didn’t come seek for our help, did he? We don’t even know where he is, so we could only stay out of this matter.”

But, I had this feeling – he might have sunk into a seriously helpless state, and that it’d be best if someone could hear his soundless voice. But at least I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t do anything.

“My eyes exist for the purpose of taking note of the number 7s that lie side by side, while looking for a kid that’s addicted to drugs is Yondaime’s job.”

After saying all that, he sank into his pachinko magazine again.

Was this guy really a boxer……?

I suddenly stood up, and went closer to Tetsu-senpai. Almost at the same moment that he raised his head from his magazine, I threw a punch at senpai’s stomach, and uttered a late sound. My fist was blocked by Tetsu-senpai’s large left hand.

“What are you doing?”

Tetsu-senpai didn’t sound angry at all. I shaked my head and squatted down.

“…… Tetsu-senpai, please teach me boxing.”

“Why do you want to learn how to box all for a sudden?”

“No particular reason.”

I know that I’m just a feeble kid, but I still feel depressed when I know this fact clearly. It can’t be helped, I couldn’t do anything in reality.

That’s right, I should tell Ayaka about what happened to Toshi. But how should I tell her that? While thinking, I looked for Ayaka from the kitchen to outside the shop, but I couldn’t see her anywhere.

“Min-san, where’s Ayaka?”

I poked my head into the kitchen backdoor and asked. Min-san answered without getting her eyes off her pot on the flames:

“She went home early just now. She looked like she’s very ill, did something happen to her?”

Went home early?

I looked at Tetsu-senpai’s face.

“She’s not here when I came.”

It couldn’t be because she already knew about Toshi taking drugs? It’s impossible. Then what could be the matter? Or did she eat the leftover hemp ice cream alone, and then had a stomachache?

I leant my back against the gas tank and squatted down. My mood right now was as though I’ve walking around the wrong place and then going to a dead end, then repeating the same situation again.

I lowered my head, and the phone in my pocket started to quiver.

“I’ve heard from Yondaime. But let’s not talk about how you forgot about such important information first. Where’s Ayaka? I couldn’t get to her phone.”

Am I imagining things? Alice’s voice sounded extremely cold.

“…… It looks like she went home early because she felt ill.”

“Went home early, huh? This is bad, she’s the only clue for contacting Toshi. The third semester starts tomorrow, right? If you see her in school tomorrow, tell her to call me immediately. Although I don’t really think the siblings are in contact……”

At that moment, I recalled the night that Toshi called Ayaka. He said that he was calling from Hakamizaka’s phone.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ve really had enough of your dim-wittedness, I really don’t know what to compare your brain to. Comparing to the speed that your brain processes, the speed that stalactites grow at could be considered quicker.”

Being cruelly chided, my whole body almost curled into a ball.

“When was that last call? Try to think of an exact time.”

“It should be…… Before seven. Why are you asking me about the time?”

“I could find out who they are just by checking the phone log. Since we can’t get to Toshi’s phone, we would have a breakthrough if we could just find out Hakamizaka’s way of contact.”

Checking the phone log? But how?

“But Ayaka said that there’s no number displayed.”

“So what? It’s just not displayed on Ayaka’s phone, but there would still be a record at the telecommunication centre!”

How can you check such a thing? Isn’t that a crime?

“Aren’t you somewhat looking down on NEET detectives?

Alice hung up.

I stared at my cold phone for awhile. Which reminds me, I think she said that she’s a hacker or something like that. She could investigate my file even with Dr. Pepper in one hand, and humming a song through her nose, right? But shouldn’t it be impossible for her to investigate the records of the telecommunication centre?

It’s useless if I worry. The only thing that I could do is to tell Ayaka about Toshi’s problem, at least telling her this is my duty. But how should I say it? Your brother is currently addicted to drugs so don’t go near to him, could I tell her something like this?

I don’t know. I don’t have the confidence to tell her about this.

<center>*</center>

On the day of the opening ceremony, Ayaka didn’t go to school. I was worried that she had a bad flu, but she didn’t answer the phone when I called. It couldn’t be helped. I could only take care of the garden and the plants alone, while ignoring the greenhouse.

Ayaka didn’t go to school the next day too. Looking for her at the ramen shop, she wasn’t there too.

“She doesn’t seem like a person who would be absent for no reason.” Min-san knitted her brows. As she was extremely busy serving and washing the dishes, I gave her a hand in washing up the dishes.

The day when I finally saw Ayaka was the fifth day of the new semester, a Friday. I immediately went to the rooftop after school, and saw a familiar silhouette. With a black armband on her left arm, Ayaka was watering the plants. I was taken aback when I saw Ayaka, who turned her head over. Obviously nothing changed for her, but she looked like someone else for a moment.

“I’m sorry for being absent without a reason.”

“Did you get flu?”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s probably just flu.”

She gave me a faint smile, one that even I knew that it was fake.

“It seemed like you did the club activities properly when I’m not here.”

“I’m a club member, after all!”

“Thank you, Fujishima-kun.” Ayaka showed me a transparent smile that made people feel helpless. “But if you would put on the armband, I would be even happier.”

“No, that’s too embarrassing. Hey! Stop that!”

Ayaka took off her own armband and started to attack me, trying to put it on my left hand.

“You must wear it the whole day, that’s an order from the club president.”

Ayaka looked really happy that day. She taught me a lot of things, like how to prune, pick seeds, types of fertilizers and floriography, until I almost couldn’t remember them all. Seeing Ayaka like that, I couldn’t help but have an urget to ask her for a few times: “Did something happen to you?” I originally wanted to tell Ayaka about Toshi, but didn’t do so as I didn’t know how to tell that to her.

Finally, it was already sunset. The clock on the school building opposite to this building said that it was four forty-five. We sat side by side on the railings and looked at the evening sky.

“Do you have any siblings?”

Ayaka asked.

“A sister.”

“Really? How’s your relationship with her?”

“Not really good. Recently I kept going home late, so I kept getting scolded. But sister would always make dinner for me, so its still okay, I guess?”

“Your sister is the only one cooking? What about your parents?”

“My father is only home for about five days in a year, while my mother’s already dead.”

“Ah – sorry.”

“Why is it that whenever I answer that my mom is dead, everyone apologizes to me?” I said. “Why? I’m not even angry. Or is it only normal being angry now?”

“Hmmm…… Hmm?” Ayaka’s eyes wandered. “I don’t think you need to force yourself to get angry.”

“Really? I don’t know what they mean by normal.”

“You don’t need to feel that you have some kind of handicap!”

“That’s because your words made me feel handicapped.”

Ayaka laughed dryly.

“That’s just a lie. As I don’t really know how talk to the others, actually I only wanted to talk to you.”

I felt Ayaka’s gaze on my face, but I couldn’t turn my face over.

“I didn’t go to school when I was in middle school, but just studied at home. After I went to high school, I just feel that…… feel that I should start over. Until about May or so, I passed my time at the rooftop during recess and after school. After that, I tried to chat with the others and avoid coming to the rooftop. But I still felt very lonely in my heart, and could only feel happy when I’m gardening.

Ayaka raised her head to look at the setting sun.

“One day, I came back to the rooftop because of despair, but I found that you were here.”

When did that happen, I wonder? Much earlier than when I noticed Ayaka, she had already knew who I was.

“That time I wanted to look for you and have a talk, but I didn’t have a chance. So I moved a few plants to the rooftop and pretended to stay at the rooftop because of club activites.”

I almost couldn’t breathe at this moment.

“I’m probably clumsier than you. Although you might not feel it, I’m really thankful to you. So, when spring comes –”

Ayaka stopped and gazed at the soil full of weeds.

When spring comes?

What on Earth was the matter? Ayaka’s really strange today. Saying all these things that make people feel uncomfortable, something DID happen, right? I must ask her about this.

But as I was about to speak, there was a sound that indicated that someone was opening the door to the rooftop.

A person wearing a pale green coat and unforgettably long hear appeared at the door. It was the consultant teacher for the Gardening Club – Sayuri-sensei (because everyone calls her by her name, I don’t know what teacher’s surname is) .

“Ah, both of you are here.”

Wearing high-heeled shoes, Sayuri-sensei ran unsteadily while waving at us.

“Shinozaki, did you take leave because of flu?”

“I’m okay already.”

Ayaka showed a nervous smile while saying.

“Really? Then that’s great. That’s right, you should clear the plants at the rooftop.”

Ayaka frowned and said: “Is there going to be any activities there?”

“The group photo for the graduation yearbook. I’ve heard that we would assemble at the rooftop, and the photo would be taken from above on a helicopter.”

Sayuri-sensei looked around the rooftop.

“But there’s so much weeds here, we can’t just have you to clearing them.”

As sensei have said, the weeds occupied the whole rooftop just by growing in the cracks in the floor.

She took out a tape measure and started to measure the size of the rooftop. There are about two hundred people or so graduating from our school (it’s actually rare for a school in this district to have so many people graduating). Would the rooftop be enough for that many people?

“That’s right, it’s already the season for graduation. Time really flies.”

After Sayuri-sensei left, Ayaka said in a lonely tone:

“But there’s no problem if Fujishima-kun is here. We’re going to recruit a lot of new members next year!”

Ayaka looked at the black armband on my arm, and I nodded silently.

Until much later, I still remembered what Ayaka said that time – what did that mean?

Does she mean that she’s okay if she’s with me?

Or – does she mean that it okay if it’s just me?

“So, Fujishima-kun……”

Ayaka hesitated, staring at my face. That was the first time, and the last time, that Ayaka hesitated when speaking to me. That was obviously an unusual situation, why didn’t I notice it? Why?

But Ayaka gave me, who was confused, a smile and shook her head.

“Sorry, there’s nothing.”

<center>*</center>

The club activities ended for that day. After that, we went to the ramen shop together. Ayaka was harshly scolded by Min-san for being absent without a reason, so she broke a pile of bowls due to being overactive.

When I was trying the abnormally bitter mocha ice cream, Tetsu-senpai, Major and Hiro appeared, which was quite early for them.

Hiro said: “We visited the hospital just now.”

“Visited the hospital?”

“One of the kids in Yondaime’s organization got stabbed. He found the source of the drug, but that guy had a knife and he started to crave for his drug.”

“Then……”

“Anyhow it’s fine if he’s okay. He was my kouhai, too.”

Tetsu-senpai sat on the ladder and sighed.

“Now Hirasaka-gumi is murderously searching in the streets, so if Toshi is also a drug dealer……”

Senpai sneaked a peek at Ayaka who was in the kitchen, lowered his volume and said:

“He’ll probably get caught soon.”

Major told us: “It looks like Hakamizaka really is a researcher from our school.” “Alice is on that trail, so we could probably catch him soon.”

I sneaked a peek at Ayaka too, thinking that I don’t need to force myself to tell her about Toshi seeing as we’ll find him soon. I consoled myself that way, and didn’t want Ayaka to worry on the other hand.

I just hope Toshi coincidentally got the drug from someone, and then was addicted.

“Good. Before Toshi comes back, let’s just teach Narumi first.”

“Let’s start from playing dices!”

Eh? How did things turn up like this?

But I could not refuse as I was surrounded by Tetsu-senpai, Hiro and Major. It was actually the first time that I was force to gamble money in a game of dice. In the end, senpai owed me about two hundred and seventy thousand yen. Senpai who lost all of his money said to me halfway: “Although I don’t have any money left, I’m still going to bet ten thousand!”, or “I can’t pay all that anyway, so I’ll add twenty thousand!” What a ridiculous person.

<center>*</center>

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 141.jpg|thumb|Ayaka hurriedly chased the bus, and waved at me.]]
On the way home, I walked to the bus stopwith Ayaka, but still couldn’t say anything. When we walked past the bridge, the bus coincidentally passed by us. Ayaka hurriedly chased the bus, and waved at me.

I could still remember clearly Ayaka’s face at that moment.

That was the last time that I saw Ayaka’s healthy smile.

<center>*</center>

In the cold air of the Tuesday morning, someone found Ayaka collapsed at the garden in front of the school building. The teachers and students from the sports clubs formed a wall of humans, surrounding the blood that was splattered on the cement ground. Ayaka’s upper body was collapsed on her garden that she tended to for ten months. She had a pale, green face and reddish black marks could be seen clearly below her open eyes, making her look like she’s in the battle clothes of the natives.

The girls turned their head around and threw up. Although the teachers were desperately shooing away the students, the crowd was still there. I also stood in the wall of humans, faintly hearing the sound of an ambulance getting closer.

I kept staring at Ayaka’s small body being moved to a stretcher, until the white car swallowed her up and left. The sound of the ambulance rang again. I rushed to the parking lot for bicycles, opened the lock like I was going to break it, got on my bike and rushed out.

I chased the ambulance that was rushing out to the road, the freezing wind scratched my ears, as if it’s going to cut my ear off.

I don’t really remember what happened after I reached the hospital. I remember the white walls of the corridors, the lit light on top of the door of the surgery room, stretchers going here and there, and the footsteps of the nurses.

Ayaka was sent directly to the ICU room straight after she went through surger, while I was kicked out of the hospital. A crowd wearing familiar uniforms was gathered at the entrance, even though it was so late.

“Fujishima, how is Ayaka?”

“Have the surgery finished?”

“Hey, is Ayaka okay? Hey!”

Surrounded by my classmates, I could only shake my head while looking at the floor. The noise was painful to my ears. I pushed away the people and ran away.

At the pitch black bicycle parking lot, my bike was so cold that it was as if it had frozen.

When I went home, I snuggled into my bed, imagining the moment when Ayaka crossed over the railings on the rooftop to jump of the building, but I couldn’t. What’s with this? What on Earh is with this? My tightly clenched hands started to tremble, and I started feeling nauseous. I fervently tried not to, and in the end I went into the realm when reality and dreams interlaced and slept.

<center>*</center>

The next morning, the television broadcasted the news of a female student suiciding by jumping off the rooftop of M High School. It seemed like they found her shoes arranged tidily by the railings, but didn’t find a will. When the screen showed the familiar school entrance and buildings, I rushed into the washroom and threw up, but only gastric acid came out.

“I’ll help you call the school for sick leave!”

My sister said to me, who closed myself in my room. It was only at these moments that my emotionless, stern sister with her sharp eyes made me feel a hint of gratitude. Finally, her voice saying “I’m going out” and there were footsteps walking out of the entrance. I’m the only one left in the house.

There’s only me left.

I recalled the day on the rooftop. Did I say anything wrong? Was Ayaka trying to say anything to me? Why didn’t she say it? Did I miss something? If I asked her, would she answer? Why didn’t I ask? Why? My phone rang for quite some time, but I pretended not to hear it. My mind kept replaying the few hours on that day at the rooftop.

The only thing that Ayaka left me was the armband of the Gardening Club, printed with an orange logo on it. It’s the armband that she wore on her arm that day. After I was forced to put it on, I to return it to her, and brought it back home straightaway.

Have Ayaka already planned to suicide at that moment?

I don’t get it.

When I suddenly felt like opening the curtains, it was already dark outside. As soon as I turned on the lights, the glass windows reflected the pitiful face of a young man.

That person was me.

With my back on the blue skies of the evening, I squatted down on the mat. It was like my body belonged to another person, as I couldn’t even feel a hint of coldness.

<center>*</center>

When I finally saw Ayaka, it was two days after that.

In the room that was colorless but exceptionally bright, Ayaka laid on the mattress. I thought that Ayaka would be surrounded by many types of tubes and unknown machine, making her seem like a scary pincushion; but there’s really just an IV hanging on her hand. I only recognized Ayaka’s face. Her hair were completely shaved off. Her tightly wrapped head laid on the pillow looked very small in comparison.

I sat on the round stool, looking at the pale eyelids that wouldn’t open again. At the other side of the bed, the doctor was explaining to Ayaka’s mother about the difference of a person in a vegetative state and brain death.

I thought to myself: What’s the difference?

Both could not talk or laugh, so what’s the difference?

Why didn’t anyone say anything to me, who’s present? I don’t get it. It’s probably because I came here early morning although it was already school time, so I was mistaken as her family? The doctor then started to explain the payment for euthanasia and life support system, but that might not be a doctor, but a merciless person from the insurance company. You all should just shut up. Why could you say these things in front of Ayaka as if nothing have happened?

Why did this happen on Ayaka?

Anger suddenly surged inside of me.

This is all someone’s fault, some person forced Ayaka to an impasse. What did God write in Ayaka’s page of His notebook? Although it was a dumb thought, but I couldn’t stop it. At a place that I don’t know of, even if someone is stabbed, shot, or ran over, I don’t care, but not about Ayaka.

I hugged my knees on the hard, round stool of the hospital, restraining the dumb thoughts that exploded in my heart.

After that, my classmates came to visit Ayaka for quite a few times. Compared with seeing Ayaka, they were even more surprised when they say me. It seemed that they said stuff like cheer up, you can’t skip school or something like that, but I couldn’t really remember it.

In the end, the only person in the ward was me. Only me and Ayaka’s empty shell were left. The winter sunlight that passed through the curtains were slow and weak.

I couldn’t take it, so I dragged my stiff body and ran out of the hospital, went home, and closed myself in my room.

<center>*</center>

On the following two or three days, I didn’t even go out of my room.

I didn’t feel like going to the hospital anymore, as I didn’t want to see my classmates, and I felt sad when I saw Ayaka.

My sister knocked on the door and said: “ You’ve skipped school for about a week now, huh?” I silently shook my head. Even though she couldn’t see my expression, she still placed a big bowl of porridge in front of the door and went to work.

I didn’t even touch it, and left the porridge to cool. It was not until noon that I opened the window that I didn’t open for three days, and breathed in the outside air. My lungs and throat were burning, giving out white fumes so clear that you could even catch it with your hands. The sunny sky was so dazzling that even my eyes started to hurt.

The last moments that I went through with Ayaka on the roof, was also a sunny day like this.

Seeing the fact that I would turn out like this, I felt perplexed too. It was just someone other than me doing suicide, it was just someone other than me who wouldn’t smile or open their mouth again, that’s all.

The me three months before would probably laugh at me right now, huh? Or -

The doorbell suddenly rang, scaring me into hiding below the windows. At the moment when I froze, the doorbell rang twice, thrice, and then a whole lot more. The sharp sound of the electric doorbell pierced my eardrums. Who was that? Why did they do that? Was that a child playing a prank?

The sounds of the doorbell finally stopped, and the sounds of an exhaust engine started. I peeked at the road outside the windows, and saw a skinny silhouette donning clothes for camouflage driving away a motorbike, and disappeared at the corner.

It was Major.

Why did Major come to my house?

I ran down the stairs and opened the door to the entrance. There was a black box on the doorstep, and familiar words were written on it in white – Hanamaru. With trembling hands, I picked up the box, tore away the tape and opened it.

White fumes rushed out. In the whitish solids – dry ice, there were two round, transparent plastic cup, and there were ice cream sprinkled with chocolate powder on top on it.

Tiramisu.

‘Give me a pull.’

I moved the box to the kitchen and sat down on the floor. I took out a cup and ate a mouthful of the ice cream. Swallowing food was abnormally hard, I choked on my second mouthful of ice cream. The ice cream that was cold, sweet and painful.

After finishing the two ice creams, I stared at the dry ice in the box until they finished subliming and disappeared. The weight and coldness on my knees finally disappeared after a long, long time.

When I took a bath, I felt that my whole body have been refreshed.

Finally, it was five in the evening. After I dried myself and walked out of the door.

<center>*</center>

I just didn’t go to the ramen shop for a week, but everything seemed to have changed. The shop was full of customers, there were even people holding bowls on the chairs outside and on beer crates. It’s just the usual view of the ramen shop, but Ayaka was not there.

Min-san looked at me, who was standing at the entrance, for a moment. The office workers who were chewing dumplings while reading the sports news were also staring at me.

Min-san said: “You’ve finished the two ice creams?” I nodded.

“Is that so? One of them was for Ayaka.”

Min-san’s words pierced my heart.

I left the bright entrance of the shop and went to the backdoor of the kitchen, but only saw Tetsu-senpai’s silhouette in the darkness. Senpai was sitting on the second step of the stairs, and was reading a magazine about pachinko machines. I didn’t even know what to say, so I could only remain silent, listening to the sounds of people ordering food and the sounds of cutlery colliding.

Tetsu-senpai finally stood up. I was surprised, and hurriedly straightened my back.

“Narumi, you wanted me to teach you boxing, right?”

“….. Eh? Oh, Yeah…… That’s right.”

“I owe you two hundred thousand, so I’ll teach you for free, a two years course.”

“Senpai……”

“Stand up, and take off your coat.”

Tetsu-senpai’s words were hard to oppose. I stood up and took off my coat.

“Why did you want to learn boxing?”

I stared blankly at Tetsu-senpai, then lowered my head and looked at my coarse hands.

“…… It’s because I wanted to, become stronger……”

“Hmm, so what’s the fastest way to become stronger?”

“Eh? Isn’t it practice?”

“No, the correct answer is……”

Tetsu-senpai took out two rolls of bandages out of the bag beside him.

“Put on the bandages.”

“Eh?”

“The difference between a boxer and ordinary people is not being strong or weak, but they couldn’t hit other people meaninglessly. When you hit other people, your fists would hurt, and the other party would hurt too. When you think that the other person would hurt too, you couldn’t hit them anymore. Put on the bandages.”

Tetsu-senpai wrapped up both of my fists firmly with bandages. My clenched fists didn’t even feel like it’s my own. After that, senpai took out a punching bag and wore it on his hands.

“Come! Punch me! Anywhere is okay.”

I lowered my head and started to hesitate. I was unable to raise my fists.

“Just start! Sometimes, it’s better for people to look for something to hit. Don’t think of anything, just start!”

I raised my head and saw senpai smiling.

“I will accept your weak, powerless punches.”

My shoulders tremebled, and a viscous liquid rose from the upper part of my waist to my flanks. If I just stood there without moving, I would probably just scream without a reason, so I flung out my tightly clenched fists.

[[Image:Kamisama no memocho vol01 153.jpg|thumb|Right, left, right, I continuously hit Tetsu-senpai’s large silhouette.]]
My outstretched right fist made a ‘dong’ sound, and was absorbed by the boxing gloves. A numbing pain was transmitted to my elbows and shoulders. I didn’t care, and lashed out with my left fist. Colliding with the punching gloves as soon as I straightened my hands, the pain could be felt even from my teeth. Right, left, right, I continuously hit Tetsu-senpai’s large silhouette. Even though I gave punched a lot, the tightly held boxing gloves would receive my fists, reflecting the attack back to my body. It hurts. When you hit people, your own self would feel pain. It’s a simple and persuasive fact. Did Ayaka feel pain at that moment too? Or did she have no time to feel pain? Sweat trickled into my eyes, blurring my vision. I could only hear my rapid breathing and the sound of me hitting the punching gloves. This is a real sound that belonged to me, and real pain.

I don’t know how long I’ve practiced, but before I knew it, I stood with my back bent, panting while holding the worn tires. As I worked out suddenly, my ears rang and my chest hurt. Sweat flowed from my forehead to my chin.

At moment, I finally knew why I came to the ramen shop – for Ayaka, and for myself.

I raised my head, and saw Tetsu-senpai looking relaxed.

“Do you want practice some more?”

I shook my head.

“Thank….. you, that’s…… all for today.”

I took off the bandages and handed it back to senpai, my body still burning. That’s quite natural, it’s because I’m still alive. Ayaka might not feel this heat any more, but at least I could still stand up with my own two feet.

“I’ll go look for Alice.”

<center>*</center>

The room was dimly lit because of the tens of monitors in the room. Alice was sitting on the bedside. It might be because of her black, luscious hair, but it made her silhouette look just like a vase, and the vase was filled with stars in the galaxy.

“This is the way that I express my sadness, because I do not know of any other way.”

Alice said with her back against me. In the darkness, the speed of Alice hammering on the keyboard was rapid, and the sound was like the rapid-fire sound of an automatic rifle used in a war that was at the other side of the Earth.

“I’ve checked Ayaka’s medical records, but actually I know that I didn’t have to do that. The one who understands the most that Ayaka could not recover ever again, would probably be you, who had seen it with your own eyes.”

Could not—recover.

Is that true? Although the doctors have said, Ayaka would probably need to lie on the bed all her life, passing her days in a vegetative state.

“But you still came to to look for me. I’ve actually though that you’d close yourself in your room, or have already attempted suicide.”

“Is that so?”

I sat down in front of the bed. Alice stopped typing on the keyboard and turned around. The colorful pajamas looked like it was the color of mercury due to the rays of light by the monitor, while the eyes looked as though they would crumble if you just touch it, and were emitting a weak ray of light.

“…… You wouldn’t even get angry if I said that.”

“Eh?”

“No, nothing, it’s my bad.”

I think I’ve heard something incredible, Alice actually apologized to me.

“I have no reason to get angry. If nobody cares about me, then I would probably turn out like you have said.”

“Really? Then you should be thankful to the shopkeeper who’s so good at making ice creams.”

I nodded my head.

“Speak your request!”

“Alice, you’re a detective, right?”

“I’m not an ordinary detective, but a NEET detective!”

“One who could search the whole world without taking a step out of the room, and find out the truth?”

“It is as you have said.” Alice showed her sad eyes, smiling self-mockingly.

Of course I don’t believe her exaggerated promotions, but I don’t have any other people to turn to.

“Then……” I swallowed, “I would like to request you to investigate something for me.”

I spoke of it myself, but it sounded somewhat funny.

At that moment, I was stared at by Alice’s large, deep eyes, and experienced the pain of a stopped breathing. The young girl said with a faint voice:

“What do you wish to know?”

“Why did Ayaka…… turn out like that?”

Alice drooped her long eyelashes, looking as if she’s thinking, and also looked like she was listening to a sound that she couldn’t hear.

“…… Do you still remember what I’ve said before? A detective is the representative of the deceased, looking for lost words from their graves, hurting the living for the sake of protecting the honour of the deceased, and condemning the dead for the sake of consoling the living.”

“I remember.”

Alice opened her eyes.

“Then I’ll ask you once again, my investigation might expose what Ayaka wanted to hide, or even destroy your ignorant but peaceful life. Do you still want to know even so?”

Even so—

Even so, I--

“I still want to know.”

Alice gave a huge sigh.

“I understand, then I accept your request. You don’t need to pay me, because I, too, wish to know the answer.”

I widened my eyes.

“…… Eh?”

“I’ve already figured out what you want to know, although all of this is too late……”

“The- then……”

Alice’s sharp voice interrupted my words.

“Things are already clear, you don’t need to ponder why Ayaka wanted to die, the thing that I wish to know of is not this.”

“What are you talking abo……”

“What I wish to know is, ‘Why did Ayaka choose to die at school’.”

I was momentarily dumbstruck, and couldn’t understand what Alice wanted to say.

“The day before she committed suicide was Monday, and Ayaka didn’t go to school, you know of this too. But according to witnesses, Ayaka went to school after school finished for some reason, and didn’t go back home. On Monday night, Ayaka had already hid herself on the rooftop, then waited until morning to commit suicide from the rooftop. Do you understand? Ayaka didn’t just impulsively ran to the school rooftop to commit suicide, but had chosen to commit suicide at the school rooftop from the start. Why did she do so?”

I felt a chill across my back.

The reason that she chose to die at school. Choosing…… the place that she’d die?

“I don’t understand. I don’t understand why Ayaka wanted to die at school, but I must know. So I need your help, as the person who’s the closest with Ayaka these two months is you.”

“Me……? Why? Why do you want to know about this?”

Alice raised one side of her brows with her eyes widened, looking like she’s angry or mystified.

“Why? Why do I want to know about this? You’re asking me this question? You who wanted to know why Ayaka committed suicide, actually asked me this question?”

“Ah……”

“Just like you, I must know the reason for why Ayaka committed suicide, because I should be able to prevent her from doing that. If I knew about this earlier, knowing much more, I could prevent Ayaka from committing suicide. It’s my fault that Ayaka turned out like that. Even if things have already happened, I must know about that still, although it’s already too late. If I don’t do that, I will, I will……”

Alice made a sound as if she was forced into a corner and said repeatedly. I suppressed the emotions accumulated at my chest. What are the emotions that the young girl in front of me showed me? Nostalgia, pain and helplessness.

"Are you willing to help me? Let’s just make it as the payment for your request."

Alice looked at me like a drowning person clutching at a straw, the faint rays of light, the stars in the glass, now looked as if they were going to shatter.

The hands stretched towards my hand—

And I took hold of it.

“I understand, so I’ll be your assistant, right?”

Alice heard my answer, and a surprised expression surfaced on her face.

The cold fingers.

The wet eyes filled with darkness.

All of them melted in a warm smile.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Afterword

2011-12-24T16:13:45Z

Asteradragon:

Before this, my friend once told me some good advice that felt somewhat unpleasant to me. ‘Not only do your novels lack content, even the afterwords are lame. Your topics every time are empty and full of useless content that have absolutely no connection with your novel, do you actually think anyone wants to read this? Stop dreaming. A rich woman won't appear and pity you just because you show how poor you are in the afterword, or buy clothes for you and give you financial assistance.” Although I didn’t know why he knew my small dream in such detail, his words always made sense, causing me to be unable to retort. And it was because I loved to show off useless information: for instance, cup noodles that are soaked for twenty minutes would expand, filling the stomach easily; and they would make people lose their appetite because of its nasty taste, so a meal a day would be sufficient— and that caused the others to suspect that there’s a problem with my personality. So it’s about time to change the subject.

Then what should I write? My friend told me, the people who flip through books at a bookshop, most of them read the afterword. So I should introduce the contents of the novel in the afterword, and let people understand the contents at a glance. I agree. So that’s why many books have things about the contents in the afterword.

So here are the contents of the book:

“We are a group of dropouts known as people who only graduate from middle school, who don’t want to study, have no intention to work, and are labeled NEETs by the government. We left the wings of our parents, and stayed at the ramen shop; but are not cooped up at the ramen shop doing nothing! As long as we are free, and depending on how good the payment is, we, the NEET N Squad, can do anything. Changing the possible to the impossible, crushing the calculations of the Labour Bureau! We are the jobless NEET N Squad!

‘I’m Shionji Yuko, a NEET leader. Everyone calls me Alice. My special skill is drinking a can of Dr. Pepper in one gulp and hacking into computer systems. If not for a genius commander like me, I wouldn’t have the ability to be the leader of these useless NEETs.’

‘I’m Kuwabara Hiroaki, everyone calls me Hiro. With my handsome appearance, women can’t escape me. Because I’m living a life of a gigolo, from bras to panties(as long as they’re lingerie), I collect them all.’

‘Hi, sorry for the wait! I’m Mukai Hitoshi, everyone calls me Major. My wiretapping and photo taking skills are top notch! You’re saying that I’m a Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure otaku? A military otaku? So? So what?’

‘I’m Ichinomiya Tetsuo, everyone calls me Tetsu the Pachinko Master. I can beat up the police who are out patrolling, but don’t play dices with me!’

We are the NEET N Squad who don’t have any value for survival, bravely challenging the society that says we won't eat if we don't work! If you dropped out too, remember to look for us!”

…… And that’s how it is. Furthermore, although he’s not in the summary, the main character is actually a male high school student.

Because some professional nomenclature often appears in my work, I’ll explain to the readers here—

‘NEET’ : The word is formed from the initials of the sentence ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training.’. The one that is most misunderstood is the first one, ’unemployed’. This is not related to one’s salary. Just like me, who is always showing off his poor financial status in the afterwords, dreaming of the day when a rich woman will feed me — although I have a salary, I’m still a NEET.

‘Dr. Pepper’: A beverage that was released in America in 1885 and is now common everywhere, is the oldest carbonated drink of them all. In Japan, because there’s only five companies that import Dr. Pepper, including the Coca Cola Company, the vending machines that sell Dr. Pepper can only be found in the Kanto, Niigata, Shizuoka and Okinawa districts.

‘Playing dices’: A game that was played in Japan since old times, the requirements are three dices. A large profit can be obtained if played as a gambling game, so it is against the hundred and eighty fifth law of Japan’s gambling law. I nearly went against the law too.

‘You won't eat if you don't work’: According to the twenty seventh law of Japanese law, each and every person has the right and obligation to work. I’ve asked my friend in the law profession: I don’t need rights, so can I not have the obligation? After laughing heartily for twenty minutes, he told me: 'If you want to return the rights, then you must first relieve yourself of the obligation to live.'

Since the publisher said that I could write four pages for the afterword, I feel that I can put in some simple and useful information in it. Although people probably will write useless things if they have spare pages, there’s still one page, so I would like to say something meaningful.

About the starting point of the book: the idea of a ‘NEET detective’, I thought of it when I was chatting on a BBS late at night. The initial setting for the detective was a twenty eight year old jobless NEET man, even though he’s a detective, he’s reliant on the Internet and stays at home every day. If someone gave him a request, he would use Google to search, or post questions on major BBSes to search for an answer, a useless character.

Although I say this every time, this book could only be published with the help of many people. A special thanks to Y-san who proposed that I change the detective to a girl, the responsible editor, Yuasa(?)-sama who edited my drafts repeatedly, Kishida Mel-sensei who gave life to the characters, here I give them my greatest thanks. Thank you.

November 2006, Sugii Hikaru

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 2 Illustrations|Volume 2 Illustrations]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Afterword

2011-12-24T16:13:21Z

Asteradragon:

Before this, my friend once told me some good advice that felt somewhat unpleasant to me. ‘Not only do your novels lack content, even the afterwords is lame. Your topics every time are empty and full of useless content that have absolutely no connection with your novel, do you actually think anyone wants to read this? Stop dreaming. A rich woman won't appear and pity you just because you show how poor you are in the afterword, or buy clothes for you and give you financial assistance.” Although I didn’t know why he knew my small dream in such detail, his words always made sense, causing me to be unable to retort. And it was because I loved to show off useless information: for instance, cup noodles that are soaked for twenty minutes would expand, filling the stomach easily; and they would make people lose their appetite because of its nasty taste, so a meal a day would be sufficient— and that caused the others to suspect that there’s a problem with my personality. So it’s about time to change the subject.

Then what should I write? My friend told me, the people who flip through books at a bookshop, most of them read the afterword. So I should introduce the contents of the novel in the afterword, and let people understand the contents at a glance. I agree. So that’s why many books have things about the contents in the afterword.

So here are the contents of the book:

“We are a group of dropouts known as people who only graduate from middle school, who don’t want to study, have no intention to work, and are labeled NEETs by the government. We left the wings of our parents, and stayed at the ramen shop; but are not cooped up at the ramen shop doing nothing! As long as we are free, and depending on how good the payment is, we, the NEET N Squad, can do anything. Changing the possible to the impossible, crushing the calculations of the Labour Bureau! We are the jobless NEET N Squad!

‘I’m Shionji Yuko, a NEET leader. Everyone calls me Alice. My special skill is drinking a can of Dr. Pepper in one gulp and hacking into computer systems. If not for a genius commander like me, I wouldn’t have the ability to be the leader of these useless NEETs.’

‘I’m Kuwabara Hiroaki, everyone calls me Hiro. With my handsome appearance, women can’t escape me. Because I’m living a life of a gigolo, from bras to panties(as long as they’re lingerie), I collect them all.’

‘Hi, sorry for the wait! I’m Mukai Hitoshi, everyone calls me Major. My wiretapping and photo taking skills are top notch! You’re saying that I’m a Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure otaku? A military otaku? So? So what?’

‘I’m Ichinomiya Tetsuo, everyone calls me Tetsu the Pachinko Master. I can beat up the police who are out patrolling, but don’t play dices with me!’

We are the NEET N Squad who don’t have any value for survival, bravely challenging the society that says we won't eat if we don't work! If you dropped out too, remember to look for us!”

…… And that’s how it is. Furthermore, although he’s not in the summary, the main character is actually a male high school student.

Because some professional nomenclature often appears in my work, I’ll explain to the readers here—

‘NEET’ : The word is formed from the initials of the sentence ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training.’. The one that is most misunderstood is the first one, ’unemployed’. This is not related to one’s salary. Just like me, who is always showing off his poor financial status in the afterwords, dreaming of the day when a rich woman will feed me — although I have a salary, I’m still a NEET.

‘Dr. Pepper’: A beverage that was released in America in 1885 and is now common everywhere, is the oldest carbonated drink of them all. In Japan, because there’s only five companies that import Dr. Pepper, including the Coca Cola Company, the vending machines that sell Dr. Pepper can only be found in the Kanto, Niigata, Shizuoka and Okinawa districts.

‘Playing dices’: A game that was played in Japan since old times, the requirements are three dices. A large profit can be obtained if played as a gambling game, so it is against the hundred and eighty fifth law of Japan’s gambling law. I nearly went against the law too.

‘You won't eat if you don't work’: According to the twenty seventh law of Japanese law, each and every person has the right and obligation to work. I’ve asked my friend in the law profession: I don’t need rights, so can I not have the obligation? After laughing heartily for twenty minutes, he told me: 'If you want to return the rights, then you must first relieve yourself of the obligation to live.'

Since the publisher said that I could write four pages for the afterword, I feel that I can put in some simple and useful information in it. Although people probably will write useless things if they have spare pages, there’s still one page, so I would like to say something meaningful.

About the starting point of the book: the idea of a ‘NEET detective’, I thought of it when I was chatting on a BBS late at night. The initial setting for the detective was a twenty eight year old jobless NEET man, even though he’s a detective, he’s reliant on the Internet and stays at home every day. If someone gave him a request, he would use Google to search, or post questions on major BBSes to search for an answer, a useless character.

Although I say this every time, this book could only be published with the help of many people. A special thanks to Y-san who proposed that I change the detective to a girl, the responsible editor, Yuasa(?)-sama who edited my drafts repeatedly, Kishida Mel-sensei who gave life to the characters, here I give them my greatest thanks. Thank you.

November 2006, Sugii Hikaru

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 1 Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
| Return to [[Kamisama no Memochou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Kamisama no Memochou:Volume 2 Illustrations|Volume 2 Illustrations]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User:Asteradragon

2011-06-18T01:03:49Z

Asteradragon:

Nothing much to say besides I follow the usually pattern of readers on this website: Consume voraciously, swear to edit afterwards, forget, repeat.

Talk:Monogatari Series

2011-05-29T17:56:39Z

Asteradragon:

Stalled projects

I hate it when a new project gets started because the anime airs with a lot of hype, then the TL loses interest and no one updates it. As in the forums, project won't be marked 'dropped' until after a period of 3-6 months- there aren't clear guidelines on this...

heh the anime I heard accurately depicts and explains all the jokes in the novels, or so I heard. I watched it myself, but I have yet to read the novels. From reading the novel translations, however it seems to be almost the same. I can not say I would ever want to translate these novels way too hard for me to get the jokes across, and then it loses all its fun. I wish someone translate Koyomi Vamp and the two fire sister's stories.
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 01:06, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

See, the project still has had some activity left - Now Hitagi Crab is complete... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 21:47, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

Though that seems to be the case, when one looks at the list of editors, one can only feel that something is wrong. Hey fans... help out if you can... even if you make a few corrections each session, everything adds up. --[[User:Visicury|Visicury]] 03:24, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

Oh, that are only the dedicated editors - the casual editors (which may edit while reading) arent mentioned there. --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 14:26, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

== Go ==

Keep going with this awesome project guys, Koyomi Vamp rocks!!
Ganbare~!!

Excellent work on Kizumonogatari, Shikijin. Your expedient progress is really appreciated! [[User:LoliSauce|LoliSauce]] 02:53, 28 October 2010 (UTC)

== Question on book title ==
Yo, for "Kabukimonogatari / 傾物語" I was researching with a friend and his JP coworker about the kanji in this title and it has us completely stumped. Is there some kind of weird reading of 傾 or 傾物 that is supposed to have some relevance to kabuki? It seems so completely weird and out of place that we're wondering if it's actually a mistake somehow (incorrect first kanji or perhaps incorrect translation, as unlikely as either are). Anyone able to shed some light on this?

[[User:LoliSauce|LoliSauce]] 10:51, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

I'm not 100% sure but the word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku, meaning "to lean", and the kanji 傾 also means more or less "to lean/to incline/to tend".

[[User:Vaelis|Vaelis]] 12:26, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

Oh wow. If that's the case, then that's some pretty serious levels of wordplay. Thanks for the insight.

[[User:LoliSauce|LoliSauce]] 04:51, 1 September 2010 (UTC)

== "Deleted" ==

Does anyone have any idea why the paragraph above is allowed here as it is simply an advertising of some delivery service in Russian?

Is it? Probably because no one did notice that... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 04:59, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

== Some questions about editing translated text ==
Hi, All. I would like to do some edits to the texts already translated into English. Not sure how major is a "major edit" referenced in the Format Guidelines, apologies if the matter below is too trivial.

I would like to consider changing ''To me June 13th is a date of commemoration.'' in [[Bakemonogatari/Bakemonogatari/Tsubasa Cat/003]] to ''To me June 13th is a date to remember.'' I am under strong impression that Araragi-kun is not going to hold a special celebration or some formal memorial service to mark that day, but treat is as an important day in his life, with a meaning special to him first of all, a milestone if you will... "A day to remember" seems to be a more natural way of saying it than the probably more correctly translated "commemoration". Ideas? Please feel free to redirect me to a more proper place to ask this question.
[[User:Techtime|Techtime]] 23:18, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

== Kaien-NISIO.IS.IN.English Translation ==

In case someone is interested, their project page has been updated. This means they translated chapter 5 of Mayoi Snail. Or, at least, they've done a part.

== Kaien-NISIO.IS.IN.English Translation ==
The translator of ↑ here. I think that now I know why so many people want to share editing rights for the book. No, it doesn't work like that, 化物語 vol 1 is not an open wiki-like project, and google just keeps spamming my mail ~_~ Just join the rizon channel or mail me conventionally and request to participate. [[User:Kaens|Kaens]]

== Updates ==

Yeah, just wanted to point out that the "Project Updates" section on the main Bakemonogatari page hasn't been..well...updated since the the 2009 project start.

Also, since the Anime covers the events so well, does that mean that the novels after Kizumonogatari will be translated and just not those covered by the Anime? I hope so :) [[User:Ax'el|Ax'el]] 00:49, 15 May 2011 (UCT)

== Kizu Chapter 18 ==

Okay I think this is something everyone who roams around here need to discuss. Should or should we not delete chapter 18? The chapter has been here for a while now and I don't know how many people have read it but I think everyone who has would agree that there is something wrong. It doesn't take someone who has read the original to realize that it is really poorly written with really bad grammar and sentence structure. I mean my translations weren't perfect either but I literally don't understand what is going on in chapter 18. With that in mind should we take it out and wait for someone else to replace it with one better? --[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] 03:56, 16 May 2011 (UCT)

I agree. The translation look like a machine-translation to me, and I can't understand most of it. So just go ahead and delete it. --[[User:KilluaX90|KilluaX90]]

I'm for deleting it as well. There are all sorts of coherency/grammar issues. There are parts that are somewhat understandable, but it's still poor/confusing at best. --[[User:Remotemine|Remotemine]]

I've unlinked the chapter from the main page but I haven't touched the chapter itself. As long as people don't put in the effort into finding the chapter I think it's good enough.--[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] 00:38, 17 May 2011 (UCT)

== Editing ==

'''Ax'el:''' Well, I don't mind taking a crack at editing if you don't mind. I am very good with words. Though I've never done something like this before, I will edit it even if I must re-write it. Just tell me what you need me to do and I'll take care of it. Since I learn through osmosis I can spend time that I would be "studying" (lulz, study...riiight, game stats count don't they?) to edit instea... I mean, "as well". >-.-> Be warned, I know next to nothing other than self-taught mythology and whatever history I learned from novels and Age of Empires II about other countries (well, even so, I do know a LOT of mythology from MANY different countries, some of it can get kinda weird. But I majorly digress). Anyway, whatever, I'll do it because I'm bored and because I don't want to wait for someone else to do it. Fork it over! :D [[User:Ax'el|Ax'el]] 19:34, 18 May 2011 (UCT)

== Series name ==

Okay I am personally very well aware of the fact that people tend to refer to the whole series as "Bakemonogatari" but if we think closely that's not really correct. Bakemonogatari is only the first two books and all the others use different names. The Japanese wiki and I believe even the author refer to it as the "Monogatari" series. With that being said I propose that we change the page and everything and put it under the correct name.--[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] 13:48, 22 May 2011 (UCT)

Oh c'mon, who cares? -- [[User:Novurdim|Novurdim]]

[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] - You have a point, but for a significant portion of the readers that visit this wikia the word(s) "Bakemonogatari" are much more recognizable than "Monogatari"; as monogatari means "story"; and "monogatari series" would mean "story series"; something that doesn't exactly make sense. Also; Bakemonogatari is a portmanteau that translates into "ghostory" or "monstory", a title I believe suits the series in general. --[[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 14:00, 29 May 2011 (EST)

Talk:Monogatari Series

2011-05-29T17:56:13Z

Asteradragon:

Stalled projects

I hate it when a new project gets started because the anime airs with a lot of hype, then the TL loses interest and no one updates it. As in the forums, project won't be marked 'dropped' until after a period of 3-6 months- there aren't clear guidelines on this...

heh the anime I heard accurately depicts and explains all the jokes in the novels, or so I heard. I watched it myself, but I have yet to read the novels. From reading the novel translations, however it seems to be almost the same. I can not say I would ever want to translate these novels way too hard for me to get the jokes across, and then it loses all its fun. I wish someone translate Koyomi Vamp and the two fire sister's stories.
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 01:06, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

See, the project still has had some activity left - Now Hitagi Crab is complete... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 21:47, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

Though that seems to be the case, when one looks at the list of editors, one can only feel that something is wrong. Hey fans... help out if you can... even if you make a few corrections each session, everything adds up. --[[User:Visicury|Visicury]] 03:24, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

Oh, that are only the dedicated editors - the casual editors (which may edit while reading) arent mentioned there. --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 14:26, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

== Go ==

Keep going with this awesome project guys, Koyomi Vamp rocks!!
Ganbare~!!

Excellent work on Kizumonogatari, Shikijin. Your expedient progress is really appreciated! [[User:LoliSauce|LoliSauce]] 02:53, 28 October 2010 (UTC)

== Question on book title ==
Yo, for "Kabukimonogatari / 傾物語" I was researching with a friend and his JP coworker about the kanji in this title and it has us completely stumped. Is there some kind of weird reading of 傾 or 傾物 that is supposed to have some relevance to kabuki? It seems so completely weird and out of place that we're wondering if it's actually a mistake somehow (incorrect first kanji or perhaps incorrect translation, as unlikely as either are). Anyone able to shed some light on this?

[[User:LoliSauce|LoliSauce]] 10:51, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

I'm not 100% sure but the word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku, meaning "to lean", and the kanji 傾 also means more or less "to lean/to incline/to tend".

[[User:Vaelis|Vaelis]] 12:26, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

Oh wow. If that's the case, then that's some pretty serious levels of wordplay. Thanks for the insight.

[[User:LoliSauce|LoliSauce]] 04:51, 1 September 2010 (UTC)

== "Deleted" ==

Does anyone have any idea why the paragraph above is allowed here as it is simply an advertising of some delivery service in Russian?

Is it? Probably because no one did notice that... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 04:59, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

== Some questions about editing translated text ==
Hi, All. I would like to do some edits to the texts already translated into English. Not sure how major is a "major edit" referenced in the Format Guidelines, apologies if the matter below is too trivial.

I would like to consider changing ''To me June 13th is a date of commemoration.'' in [[Bakemonogatari/Bakemonogatari/Tsubasa Cat/003]] to ''To me June 13th is a date to remember.'' I am under strong impression that Araragi-kun is not going to hold a special celebration or some formal memorial service to mark that day, but treat is as an important day in his life, with a meaning special to him first of all, a milestone if you will... "A day to remember" seems to be a more natural way of saying it than the probably more correctly translated "commemoration". Ideas? Please feel free to redirect me to a more proper place to ask this question.
[[User:Techtime|Techtime]] 23:18, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

== Kaien-NISIO.IS.IN.English Translation ==

In case someone is interested, their project page has been updated. This means they translated chapter 5 of Mayoi Snail. Or, at least, they've done a part.

== Kaien-NISIO.IS.IN.English Translation ==
The translator of ↑ here. I think that now I know why so many people want to share editing rights for the book. No, it doesn't work like that, 化物語 vol 1 is not an open wiki-like project, and google just keeps spamming my mail ~_~ Just join the rizon channel or mail me conventionally and request to participate. [[User:Kaens|Kaens]]

== Updates ==

Yeah, just wanted to point out that the "Project Updates" section on the main Bakemonogatari page hasn't been..well...updated since the the 2009 project start.

Also, since the Anime covers the events so well, does that mean that the novels after Kizumonogatari will be translated and just not those covered by the Anime? I hope so :) [[User:Ax'el|Ax'el]] 00:49, 15 May 2011 (UCT)

== Kizu Chapter 18 ==

Okay I think this is something everyone who roams around here need to discuss. Should or should we not delete chapter 18? The chapter has been here for a while now and I don't know how many people have read it but I think everyone who has would agree that there is something wrong. It doesn't take someone who has read the original to realize that it is really poorly written with really bad grammar and sentence structure. I mean my translations weren't perfect either but I literally don't understand what is going on in chapter 18. With that in mind should we take it out and wait for someone else to replace it with one better? --[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] 03:56, 16 May 2011 (UCT)

I agree. The translation look like a machine-translation to me, and I can't understand most of it. So just go ahead and delete it. --[[User:KilluaX90|KilluaX90]]

I'm for deleting it as well. There are all sorts of coherency/grammar issues. There are parts that are somewhat understandable, but it's still poor/confusing at best. --[[User:Remotemine|Remotemine]]

I've unlinked the chapter from the main page but I haven't touched the chapter itself. As long as people don't put in the effort into finding the chapter I think it's good enough.--[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] 00:38, 17 May 2011 (UCT)

== Editing ==

'''Ax'el:''' Well, I don't mind taking a crack at editing if you don't mind. I am very good with words. Though I've never done something like this before, I will edit it even if I must re-write it. Just tell me what you need me to do and I'll take care of it. Since I learn through osmosis I can spend time that I would be "studying" (lulz, study...riiight, game stats count don't they?) to edit instea... I mean, "as well". >-.-> Be warned, I know next to nothing other than self-taught mythology and whatever history I learned from novels and Age of Empires II about other countries (well, even so, I do know a LOT of mythology from MANY different countries, some of it can get kinda weird. But I majorly digress). Anyway, whatever, I'll do it because I'm bored and because I don't want to wait for someone else to do it. Fork it over! :D [[User:Ax'el|Ax'el]] 19:34, 18 May 2011 (UCT)

== Series name ==

Okay I am personally very well aware of the fact that people tend to refer to the whole series as "Bakemonogatari" but if we think closely that's not really correct. Bakemonogatari is only the first two books and all the others use different names. The Japanese wiki and I believe even the author refer to it as the "Monogatari" series. With that being said I propose that we change the page and everything and put it under the correct name.--[[User:Omimon|Omimon]] 13:48, 22 May 2011 (UCT)

Oh c'mon, who cares? -- [[User:Novurdim|Novurdim]]

[[User:Omimon|Omimon] - You have a point, but for a significant portion of the readers that visit this wikia the word(s) "Bakemonogatari" are much more recognizable than "Monogatari"; as monogatari means "story"; and "monogatari series" would mean "story series"; something that doesn't exactly make sense. Also; Bakemonogatari is a portmanteau that translates into "ghostory" or "monstory", a title I believe suits the series in general. --[[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 14:00, 29 May 2011 (EST)

Talk:Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai

2011-05-21T23:54:45Z

Asteradragon: /* Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai anime adaptation confirmed */ new section

== Pls. more ==

add more chapter

To the person at the top: http://www.mangafox.com/manga/boku_wa_tomodachi_ga_sukunai/ . I'd like to stress though that I'm extremely happy to be able to read the original!

--

Thanks for your work!

== Color Illustrations ==

Alright, I've been wondering how do i upload illustrations images on this website? It's been 1 month since the project started and i would like to contribute. Please response ASAP. Thank you. -- [[User:Aezile|Aezile]] 08:46, 10 April 2011 (GMT)

I myself am very confused at the organization of the illustrations.

@Big boss, free to explain how you would like the formatting of the illustration page to be done? ^_^

@Aezile Just upload the illustrations using "Upload File" link at the bottom left, and follow the organization for volume 1 for now --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 08:15, 19 May 2011 (UCT)

Can i just name it Illustrations rather than splitting it into 3 parts? and I keep getting this:
Upload warning
It is recommended that files are no larger than 307200; this file is $2.
Please modify the file description below and try again. Need help badly -- [[User:Aezile|Aezile]]18:42, 19 May 2011 (GMT)

== Mikazuki vs Mikaduki ==

Should we stick to Mikazuki for pronunciation rather than Mikaduki for IME typing? --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 16:02, 19 May 2011 (UCT)

I know i'm in no position to say this but I do really think that Mikazuki is more appropriate. [[User:Aezile|Aezile]] 18:10, 19 May 2011 (GMT)

== Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai anime adaptation confirmed ==

Not sure if this is the appropriate place; but for the fans of this series that aren't aware of this yet the 6th volume of the light novel confirms an anime adaption "in the near future" on the front cover. Rejoice!
-[[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 7:58, 21 May 2011 (EST)

Hidan no Aria

2011-05-21T23:50:29Z

Asteradragon:

[[Image:Hidan no Aria_Volume_1_Cover.jpg|200px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover.]]
Project page for Hidan no Aria. Enjoy the visit.

The ''Hidan no Aria'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Hidan_no_Aria_~Versión_Española~|Español (Spanish)]]
*[[Hidan_no_Aria_(Version_française)|Français (French)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----

== Story Synopsis ==

Tokyo Butei High School--- A special school where armed detectives, also known as "Butei", are brought up. Tohyama Kinji is a sophomore student who has a unique body that activates a "super mode" when it is stimulated by "something". He tries to hide it from others in order to live a peaceful life, but trouble comes to find him when he becomes the victim of a bombing incident, where he meets the Butei High "Assault" department elite, Aria H. Kanzaki.

== Translation ==

===[[Hidan no Aria:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Hidan no Aria:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Hidan no Aria:guidelines|Hidan no Aria Format/Style Guideline]]

==Updates==
*24 March 2011 - Volume 3 completed.
*2 April 2011 - Volume 1 completed.
*8 April 2011 - Volume 2 completed.
*19 April 2011 - Volume 4 completed.
*24 April 2011 - First Arc -The Prologue (Overture)- completed.
*27 April 2011 - Jeanne declared as the translators' knight.
*1 May 2011 - Volume 5 completed.

==Terminologies==
All terminologies, character informations, and other informations regarding this series are hosted on [http://hidannoaria.wikia.com/wiki/Hidan_no_Aria_Wiki this wikia]. Some can also be found in these [[Hidan no Aria:guidelines|guidelines]].

==The ''Hidan no Aria'' series by [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/赤松中学 Akamatsu Chuugaku]==

=== Volume 1 - Aria the Scarlet Ammo ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume1|Full Text]])===

::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Prologue|Reload]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter1|1st Ammo - La bambina da l'ARIA]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Kanzaki H. Aria]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Assault]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Behind the Fringe]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Holmes]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Last Ammo|Last Ammo - La bambina da l'ARIA]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]

=== Volume 2 - Blazing Diamond Dust ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume2|Full Text]])===

::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Armed Shrine-Maiden]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Edge Catching]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Caged Bird]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Man-made Beach]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Diamond Dust]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - Who Performed the Last Move?]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 3 - Honey Trap ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Quadras Under the Moon]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - High Butei Riko]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Wolf and Reki]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Infiltration]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter5|5th Ammo - 296 Meters Above Ground Billiards]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - You Stole my Precious Thing]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 4 - Fall of the Scarlet Ammo ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Invisible Bullet]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Emergency Mission -Quest Boost-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Summer Festival]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Infighting -Falling Out-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Golden Pavillion -Abu Simbel-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - Awakening of the Scarlet Ammo]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 5 - Overture's Fine ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter1|Pierce 1 - The Man Beyond Space and Time]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter2|Pierce 2 - Overture's Fine]] 
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter3|Reload 1 - Konayuki, Shirayuki's sister]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter4|Reload 2 - Marseille Roulette]] 
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter5|Reload 3 - Goodbye Aria]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!! Hello Reki]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 6 - Killing Range 2051 ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Manhunt]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Water Tossing]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Caravan I -Field Trip-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Flash Cannon]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!! Reki]] (0%)
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 7 - Castling Turn ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume7_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume7_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Case E8]]
::*2nd Ammo - HURRY UP
::*3rd Ammo - The Third Quadra
::*4th Ammo - Team Baskerville
::*Go for the Next!! The War Meeting

=== Volume 8 - Tornado High ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume8_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*1st Ammo - Night of Terror -Turbulent-
::*2nd Ammo - Cosplay Cafeteria
::*3rd Ammo - Silver-White ICBM
::*4th Ammo - 350m Altitude Tornado
::*Go for the Next!! The Spiral Heaven's Tree -Tornado High-

=== Volume 9 - Spark Out ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume9_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*1st Ammo - Spark Witch -Dracula Hilda-
::*2nd Ammo - Magnificent Riko -Fii Bucuros Riko-
::*3rd Ammo - Secret Rehabilitation -Boy Meets Girl-
::*4th Ammo - Cultural Festival Day 1 -Carnaval Via-
::*5th Ammo - Cultural Festival Day 2 -Carnaval Finale-
::*Go for the Next!! The G Bloodlines

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator: [[User:onizuka-gto|Onizuka-GTO]]
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Nera Sleith|Nera Sleith]]

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''

:* [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]]
:* [[Cosmic Eagle]]

'''INACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]]

:* [[User:Nera Sleith|Nera Sleith]]

:* [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] (Chinese trans.)

'''A.W.O.L'''

:* [[User:Spadey|Spadey]]

'''K.I.A.'''

:* [[User:Ken FF|Ken FF]]

===Editors===
:*[[User:Darn2k|Darn2k]]
:*[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]
:*[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]]
:*[[User:Zeker|Zeker]]
:*[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]]

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - "Hidan no Aria I Aria the Scarlet Ammo" / 第一巻: 緋弾のアリア　(Published　August 25, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8401-2401-0)
* Volume 2 - "Hidan no Aria II Blazing Diamond Dust" / 第二巻: 緋弾のアリアⅡ　燃える銀氷 (Published December 25, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8401-2600-7)
* Volume 3 - "Hidan no Aria III Honey Trap" / 第三巻: 緋弾のアリアⅢ 蜂蜜色の罠 (Published March 25, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-2720-2)
* Volume 4 - "Hidan no Aria IV Fall of the Scarlet Ammo" / 第四巻: 緋弾のアリアⅣ 堕ちた緋弾 (Published August 21, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-2873-5)
* Volume 5 - "Hidan no Aria V Overture's Fine" / 第五巻: 緋弾のアリアV 序曲の終止線 (Published December 25, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-3126-1)
* Volume 6 - "Hidan no Aria VI Killing Range 2051" / 第六巻: 緋弾のアリアVI 絶対半径2051 (Published April 23, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3281-7)
* Volume 7 - "Hidan no Aria VII Castling Turn" / 第七巻: 緋弾のアリアVII 火と風の円舞(Published August 21, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3486-6)
* Volume 8 - "Hidan no Aria VIII Tornado High" / 第八巻: 緋弾のアリアVIII 螺旋の天空樹(Published December 25, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3678-5)
* Volume 9 - "Hidan no Aria IX Spark Out" / 第九巻: 緋弾のアリアIX 蒼き閃光(Published March 25, 2011, ISBN 978-4-8401-3859-8)

Hidan no Aria

2011-05-21T23:48:56Z

Asteradragon:

[[Image:Hidan no Aria_Volume_1_Cover.jpg|200px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover.]]
Project page for Hidan no Aria. Enjoy the visit.

The ''Hidan no Aria'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Hidan_no_Aria_~Versión_Española~|Español (Spanish)]]
*[[Hidan_no_Aria_(Version_française)|Français (French)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----

== Story Synopsis ==

Tokyo Butei High school--- A special school where armed detectives, also known as "Butei" are trained. Tohyama Kinji is a sophomore student who has the unique body which activates a "super mode" when it was stimulated by "something". He tries to hide it to others in order to live a peaceful life. But trouble came to find him when he became a victim of a bombing incident, where he met the Butei high "Assault" department elite, Aria H. Kanzaki.

== Translation ==

===[[Hidan no Aria:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Hidan no Aria:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Hidan no Aria:guidelines|Hidan no Aria Format/Style Guideline]]

==Updates==
*24 March 2011 - Volume 3 completed.
*2 April 2011 - Volume 1 completed.
*8 April 2011 - Volume 2 completed.
*19 April 2011 - Volume 4 completed.
*24 April 2011 - First Arc -The Prologue (Overture)- completed.
*27 April 2011 - Jeanne declared as the translators' knight.
*1 May 2011 - Volume 5 completed.

==Terminologies==
All terminologies, character informations, and other informations regarding this series are hosted on [http://hidannoaria.wikia.com/wiki/Hidan_no_Aria_Wiki this wikia]. Some can also be found in these [[Hidan no Aria:guidelines|guidelines]].

==The ''Hidan no Aria'' series by [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/赤松中学 Akamatsu Chuugaku]==

=== Volume 1 - Aria the Scarlet Ammo ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume1|Full Text]])===

::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Prologue|Reload]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter1|1st Ammo - La bambina da l'ARIA]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Kanzaki H. Aria]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Assault]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Behind the Fringe]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Holmes]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Last Ammo|Last Ammo - La bambina da l'ARIA]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]

=== Volume 2 - Blazing Diamond Dust ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume2|Full Text]])===

::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Armed Shrine-Maiden]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Edge Catching]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Caged Bird]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Man-made Beach]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Diamond Dust]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - Who Performed the Last Move?]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 3 - Honey Trap ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Quadras Under the Moon]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - High Butei Riko]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Wolf and Reki]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Infiltration]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter5|5th Ammo - 296 Meters Above Ground Billiards]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - You Stole my Precious Thing]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 4 - Fall of the Scarlet Ammo ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Invisible Bullet]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Emergency Mission -Quest Boost-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Summer Festival]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Infighting -Falling Out-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Golden Pavillion -Abu Simbel-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - Awakening of the Scarlet Ammo]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 5 - Overture's Fine ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter1|Pierce 1 - The Man Beyond Space and Time]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter2|Pierce 2 - Overture's Fine]] 
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter3|Reload 1 - Konayuki, Shirayuki's sister]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter4|Reload 2 - Marseille Roulette]] 
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter5|Reload 3 - Goodbye Aria]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!! Hello Reki]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 6 - Killing Range 2051 ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Manhunt]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Water Tossing]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Caravan I -Field Trip-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Flash Cannon]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!! Reki]] (0%)
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 7 - Castling Turn ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume7_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume7_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Case E8]]
::*2nd Ammo - HURRY UP
::*3rd Ammo - The Third Quadra
::*4th Ammo - Team Baskerville
::*Go for the Next!! The War Meeting

=== Volume 8 - Tornado High ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume8_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*1st Ammo - Night of Terror -Turbulent-
::*2nd Ammo - Cosplay Cafeteria
::*3rd Ammo - Silver-White ICBM
::*4th Ammo - 350m Altitude Tornado
::*Go for the Next!! The Spiral Heaven's Tree -Tornado High-

=== Volume 9 - Spark Out ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume9_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*1st Ammo - Spark Witch -Dracula Hilda-
::*2nd Ammo - Magnificent Riko -Fii Bucuros Riko-
::*3rd Ammo - Secret Rehabilitation -Boy Meets Girl-
::*4th Ammo - Cultural Festival Day 1 -Carnaval Via-
::*5th Ammo - Cultural Festival Day 2 -Carnaval Finale-
::*Go for the Next!! The G Bloodlines

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator: [[User:onizuka-gto|Onizuka-GTO]]
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Nera Sleith|Nera Sleith]]

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''

:* [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]]
:* [[Cosmic Eagle]]

'''INACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]]

:* [[User:Nera Sleith|Nera Sleith]]

:* [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] (Chinese trans.)

'''A.W.O.L'''

:* [[User:Spadey|Spadey]]

'''K.I.A.'''

:* [[User:Ken FF|Ken FF]]

===Editors===
:*[[User:Darn2k|Darn2k]]
:*[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]
:*[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]]
:*[[User:Zeker|Zeker]]
:*[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]]

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - "Hidan no Aria I Aria the Scarlet Ammo" / 第一巻: 緋弾のアリア　(Published　August 25, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8401-2401-0)
* Volume 2 - "Hidan no Aria II Blazing Diamond Dust" / 第二巻: 緋弾のアリアⅡ　燃える銀氷 (Published December 25, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8401-2600-7)
* Volume 3 - "Hidan no Aria III Honey Trap" / 第三巻: 緋弾のアリアⅢ 蜂蜜色の罠 (Published March 25, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-2720-2)
* Volume 4 - "Hidan no Aria IV Fall of the Scarlet Ammo" / 第四巻: 緋弾のアリアⅣ 堕ちた緋弾 (Published August 21, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-2873-5)
* Volume 5 - "Hidan no Aria V Overture's Fine" / 第五巻: 緋弾のアリアV 序曲の終止線 (Published December 25, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-3126-1)
* Volume 6 - "Hidan no Aria VI Killing Range 2051" / 第六巻: 緋弾のアリアVI 絶対半径2051 (Published April 23, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3281-7)
* Volume 7 - "Hidan no Aria VII Castling Turn" / 第七巻: 緋弾のアリアVII 火と風の円舞(Published August 21, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3486-6)
* Volume 8 - "Hidan no Aria VIII Tornado High" / 第八巻: 緋弾のアリアVIII 螺旋の天空樹(Published December 25, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3678-5)
* Volume 9 - "Hidan no Aria IX Spark Out" / 第九巻: 緋弾のアリアIX 蒼き閃光(Published March 25, 2011, ISBN 978-4-8401-3859-8)

Hidan no Aria

2011-05-21T23:47:52Z

Asteradragon:

[[Image:Hidan no Aria_Volume_1_Cover.jpg|200px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover.]]
Project page for Hidan no Aria. Enjoy the visit.

The ''Hidan no Aria'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Hidan_no_Aria_~Versión_Española~|Español (Spanish)]]
*[[Hidan_no_Aria_(Version_française)|Français (French)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----

== Story Synopsis ==

Tokyo Butei High school--- A special school where armed detectives, also known as "Butei" are being brought up. Tohyama Kinji is a sophomore student who has the unique body which activates a "super mode" when it was stimulated by "something". He tries to hide it to others in order to live a peaceful life. But trouble came to find him when he became a victim of a bombing incident, where he met the Butei high "Assault" department elite, Aria H. Kanzaki.

== Translation ==

===[[Hidan no Aria:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Hidan no Aria:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Hidan no Aria:guidelines|Hidan no Aria Format/Style Guideline]]

==Updates==
*24 March 2011 - Volume 3 completed.
*2 April 2011 - Volume 1 completed.
*8 April 2011 - Volume 2 completed.
*19 April 2011 - Volume 4 completed.
*24 April 2011 - First Arc -The Prologue (Overture)- completed.
*27 April 2011 - Jeanne declared as the translators' knight.
*1 May 2011 - Volume 5 completed.

==Terminologies==
All terminologies, character informations, and other informations regarding this series are hosted on [http://hidannoaria.wikia.com/wiki/Hidan_no_Aria_Wiki this wikia]. Some can also be found in these [[Hidan no Aria:guidelines|guidelines]].

==The ''Hidan no Aria'' series by [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/赤松中学 Akamatsu Chuugaku]==

=== Volume 1 - Aria the Scarlet Ammo ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume1|Full Text]])===

::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Prologue|Reload]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter1|1st Ammo - La bambina da l'ARIA]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Kanzaki H. Aria]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Assault]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Behind the Fringe]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Holmes]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Last Ammo|Last Ammo - La bambina da l'ARIA]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume1_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]

=== Volume 2 - Blazing Diamond Dust ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume2|Full Text]])===

::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Armed Shrine-Maiden]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Edge Catching]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Caged Bird]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Man-made Beach]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Diamond Dust]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - Who Performed the Last Move?]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume2_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 3 - Honey Trap ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Quadras Under the Moon]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - High Butei Riko]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Wolf and Reki]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Infiltration]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Chapter5|5th Ammo - 296 Meters Above Ground Billiards]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - You Stole my Precious Thing]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume3_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 4 - Fall of the Scarlet Ammo ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Invisible Bullet]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Emergency Mission -Quest Boost-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Summer Festival]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Infighting -Falling Out-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Chapter5|5th Ammo - Golden Pavillion -Abu Simbel-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Last_Ammo|Last Ammo - Awakening of the Scarlet Ammo]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!!]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume4_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 5 - Overture's Fine ([[Hidan no Aria:Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter1|Pierce 1 - The Man Beyond Space and Time]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter2|Pierce 2 - Overture's Fine]] 
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter3|Reload 1 - Konayuki, Shirayuki's sister]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter4|Reload 2 - Marseille Roulette]] 
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Chapter5|Reload 3 - Goodbye Aria]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!! Hello Reki]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume5_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 6 - Killing Range 2051 ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Manhunt]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter2|2nd Ammo - Water Tossing]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter3|3rd Ammo - Caravan I -Field Trip-]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Chapter4|4th Ammo - Flash Cannon]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Epilogue|Epilogue - Go for the Next!! Reki]] (0%)
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume6_Translator's Notes|Translation Notes and References]]

=== Volume 7 - Castling Turn ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume7_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume7_Chapter1|1st Ammo - Case E8]]
::*2nd Ammo - HURRY UP
::*3rd Ammo - The Third Quadra
::*4th Ammo - Team Baskerville
::*Go for the Next!! The War Meeting

=== Volume 8 - Tornado High ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume8_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*1st Ammo - Night of Terror -Turbulent-
::*2nd Ammo - Cosplay Cafeteria
::*3rd Ammo - Silver-White ICBM
::*4th Ammo - 350m Altitude Tornado
::*Go for the Next!! The Spiral Heaven's Tree -Tornado High-

=== Volume 9 - Spark Out ===
::*[[Hidan no Aria:Volume9_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*1st Ammo - Spark Witch -Dracula Hilda-
::*2nd Ammo - Magnificent Riko -Fii Bucuros Riko-
::*3rd Ammo - Secret Rehabilitation -Boy Meets Girl-
::*4th Ammo - Cultural Festival Day 1 -Carnaval Via-
::*5th Ammo - Cultural Festival Day 2 -Carnaval Finale-
::*Go for the Next!! The G Bloodlines

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator: [[User:onizuka-gto|Onizuka-GTO]]
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Nera Sleith|Nera Sleith]]

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''

:* [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]]
:* [[Cosmic Eagle]]

'''INACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]]

:* [[User:Nera Sleith|Nera Sleith]]

:* [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] (Chinese trans.)

'''A.W.O.L'''

:* [[User:Spadey|Spadey]]

'''K.I.A.'''

:* [[User:Ken FF|Ken FF]]

===Editors===
:*[[User:Darn2k|Darn2k]]
:*[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]
:*[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]]
:*[[User:Zeker|Zeker]]
:*[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]]

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - "Hidan no Aria I Aria the Scarlet Ammo" / 第一巻: 緋弾のアリア　(Published　August 25, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8401-2401-0)
* Volume 2 - "Hidan no Aria II Blazing Diamond Dust" / 第二巻: 緋弾のアリアⅡ　燃える銀氷 (Published December 25, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8401-2600-7)
* Volume 3 - "Hidan no Aria III Honey Trap" / 第三巻: 緋弾のアリアⅢ 蜂蜜色の罠 (Published March 25, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-2720-2)
* Volume 4 - "Hidan no Aria IV Fall of the Scarlet Ammo" / 第四巻: 緋弾のアリアⅣ 堕ちた緋弾 (Published August 21, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-2873-5)
* Volume 5 - "Hidan no Aria V Overture's Fine" / 第五巻: 緋弾のアリアV 序曲の終止線 (Published December 25, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8401-3126-1)
* Volume 6 - "Hidan no Aria VI Killing Range 2051" / 第六巻: 緋弾のアリアVI 絶対半径2051 (Published April 23, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3281-7)
* Volume 7 - "Hidan no Aria VII Castling Turn" / 第七巻: 緋弾のアリアVII 火と風の円舞(Published August 21, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3486-6)
* Volume 8 - "Hidan no Aria VIII Tornado High" / 第八巻: 緋弾のアリアVIII 螺旋の天空樹(Published December 25, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8401-3678-5)
* Volume 9 - "Hidan no Aria IX Spark Out" / 第九巻: 緋弾のアリアIX 蒼き閃光(Published March 25, 2011, ISBN 978-4-8401-3859-8)

User talk:YoakeNoHikari

2011-05-01T00:54:25Z

Asteradragon:

(I don't know if this is how i supposed to comment)
Like everyone...Great Job on Hidan no Aria series...
I'm enjoying this series (Currently in Vol 3)
It's Thanks for the hard work of you guys...

--------

Wow, superb job on the Hidan no Aria series. Godspeed my friend :)

Good to hear : ) - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 13:18, 2 April 2011 (EDT)

--------

Yep awesome, really solid and fast translation of a pretty good novel.

Do you have any plan after volume 2 ? Volume 2 of Sword Art Online is missing some chapter and all the translator of that volume is inactive, could you help with that ^_^

I'm planning on finishing Hidan no Aria, sorry. - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 13:50, 3 April 2011 (EDT)

--------
Please dont make requests directly to the translators. They do what they can. Post in the forum instead of bugging them. No offence intended. Love /--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 21:33, 3 April 2011 (EDT)

--------
Nice translating for Hidan no Aria! I had kinda given up on a TL coming for it, so imagine my pleasant surprise when I saw how much had been added since I last checked! I've been editing behind you for the last couple days :p. Not that I've had to change all that much, you're doing a great job translating. Keep up the good work! [[User:Starkiller4299|Starkiller4299]] 16:25, 6 April 2011 (EDT)

You're very welcome. - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 18:49, 6 April 2011 (EDT)

Great job translating HnA.. Im very thankful that you decided to translate it. 1 question though, if there are no future problems, do you intend to translate the whole novel series ??
Once again, thank you --[[Special:Contributions/119.40.120.229|119.40.120.229]] 12:57, 8 April 2011 (EDT)

Yes. - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 13:03, 8 April 2011 (EDT)

do you plan to translate other novel after HnA finished? if yes, what series? just asking... anyways, thanks a bunch for translating HnA...

Infinite Stratos, Baka to Tesuto to Syokanju, and SAO. - [[User:YoakeNoHikari|YoakeNoHikari]] 16:07, 10 April 2011 (UCT)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for making Baka to Tesuto to Syokanji translation. I am looking forward for it. Article113

--------

Really great thanks for translating Hidan no Aria. I was waiting so long for a translation, and here you are now XDDD
Keep working, thats really good job you've done.
You are Legen — wait for it... - ..Dary!

--------

Great...you really seem enthousiastic. Keep it up! [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] 20:11, 29 April 2011 (UCT)

== nice joke ==

nice joke lol

== V6 ==

When you finish Reload 3, you can do V6 Ch1. I already did 5%, but check it to be sure. [[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]] 20:18, 30 April 2011 (UCT)

== You Rock ==

Us fans cannot thank you enough for your super-duper translation speed and accuracy. You're our BFF forever and ever! [[User:Asteradragon|asteradragon]] 30 April 2011 (EST)

Talk:Hidan no Aria:Volume1 Prologue

2011-04-08T22:08:47Z

Asteradragon:

Major edit. I changed weird diction choices, corrected tenses, corrected sentence structures, and added some extra adjectives and adverbs here and there so as to help the reader understand what's being said in context. I tried to retain the original meaning of the initial translation, but I don't really know how successful I was. If this was a rough draft, and you were planning to edit it yourself, revert the changes back to the initial translation, and edit yourself. If you feel this is an incompetent edit, again, revert back to pre-edit page. Anyways, good luck with the translation. I appreciate it, even if I've only read the prologue (which wasn't the most interesting or inspiring thing in the world).

:I would disagree with some of the edits, like:

''"But that's none of your concern."'' to ''"But that shouldn’t be of any of your concern."''

''...donned...'' to ''...wore...''

since there are nothing wrong with them. But overall your edits are not too bad, so it's all right to leave it as it is.

--[[User:Zyzzyva165|Zyzzyva165]] 13:15, 12 February 2009 (UTC)

Hmmmm, you're right when you say there's nothing wrong with them grammatically. Those were more of diction choices/style changes I made based on the context in an attempt to make it flow better.

"But that's none of your concern" <-- Not wrong grammatically, but it just felt more offensive than it should have been, and I don't think that's what he was trying to go for based on the context of what I read.

"...donned..." to "...wore..." <--- I've never heard anyone say go don your shirt, or I donned my shirt before getting out of bed. For me the word don has a more majestic and fanciful connotation/feel to it. I'd use it to describe putting on a suit of armor <--- ie. "I donned my armor, and stepped forward onto the battlefield" or something like that. In that context, the word don sounds natural, as opposed to overblown. However, here, it just sounds too fanciful, since the character putting on his uniform to greet someone at the door really a grand enough moment to entail the usage of the word "don". That said, although there was nothing wrong with it grammatically, the word just felt out of place due to its connotation for me.

I do understand where you're coming from though, seeing as making too many unnecessary changes will ultimately result in an unfaithful translation. I understand that. However, I felt that those changes were necessary, which is why I made them. Literal translations are okay in the beginning stages, as they are ultimately the most faithful kinds of translations, but imo, a translation should still be readable when faithful, and it should still have a distinct style that flows well in order to be consistent for readers to be able to read. Translators who are proficient in both English and the language they're translating from tend to be able to adapt a style that flows well while consistently remaining faithful to the original text (they are also able to do a literal translation, and make faithful stylistic changes themselves later). However, in the case of a super rough draft, or a translator who's not as proficient in English as they are in the language they're translating from, vice versa, there's no consistency or conformity to the writing style; the writing style is all over the place, and just that makes the work both awkward and hard to read.

Those are the reasons I made the changes. That aside though, I'm not going to undermine the translator's work by rewriting everything just because I think his/her style sucks; I'd only change words that I feel are out of place, leaving as much intact as possible, while making it easy to read. Still, a translation check/edit by translator would be nice, since it'd ensure accuracy and faithfulness, and it might even add a consistent style to the work. It'd also make editing a lot easier, since it took me about 2 hours to edit just 7 pages (It's not that I read slow, it was just that HARD to edit/read).

"Her face gradually turned blue" is that the right color? (no idea about the original novel so I'm just asking)

it should be red i think, blue should be when you don't breath or something like that
:According to the novel it's 蒼白, meaning pale. [[User:EusthEnoptEron|EusthEnoptEron]] 21:59, 14 January 2010 (UTC)

----'"But that shouldn’t be of any of your concern."''
Something about this still sounds really awkward... Maybe change it, but I'm not too sure, so I'm just gonna put a note here.
"But that shouldn't be any of your concern" is what you were going after?
Though it still sounds a bit too...distant.
"But you shouldn't worry yourself about it"?

I'm pretty good with English as a native speaker, and "But that shouldn't be of any of your concern." is extravagantly formal at best and downright awkward in the conversational tone the narrator takes on during the prologue. Sorry if I offended you, but I'm going to do my best to make the overall tone and flow of this series more relaxed in my edits (If the translator finds any offense to any of my corrections please alert me; I'll be glad to make amends). [[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 6:16, 8 April 2011 (EST)

Talk:Hidan no Aria Archived

2011-04-07T00:49:13Z

Asteradragon:

nice novel, with a monthly manga and a coming anime

WHERE ARE THE TRANSLATORS XD WHY WON'T THEY REPLY! WHY WONT THEY LET ME TRANSLATE >_<!!!
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 08:40, 11 May 2010 (UTC)

Why not just continue translating until they reply?

start translating from ch 3 so you are sure you won't translate the same thing^^

Mr. Seoulfighter, please lend us your godly powers and translate this LN, thank you very much ~Ghost

Fine I'll start picking this up soon since I've received no contact from the other translators, and realized it's never been updated. but right now I have to find a job to help pay for college -.-... my dad wasted my tuition on my stepmother... WASTED 35,000$ on her jewelry and clothes(tears)!
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 02:43, 6 July 2010 (UTC)

:That's sad. Sometimes I wonder how parents can be this cruel and selfish... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 20:31, 6 July 2010 (UTC)
::If this happened to me, I'd give those parents of mine a MASSIVE chewing out. I mean seriously, WTF? Well, good luck to you though Seoulfighter.

you have my sympathy Seoulfighter-san. Your tuition fee must be the top priority because it is the job of the parents to make sure their children graduate from school... Thanks again ~ Ghost

don't worry abouts TL and think about yourself, Real Life has top priority^^(even if this will make us a little sad)

I got contacted by the original translator, and Undying told me that his hard drive got wiped so he won't be working on this project. I guess for now, while I wait for a reply from the places I applied to I'll do some translating.

As for my parents if I tried to chew them out my dad would start a Socratic Seminar about how my line of logic is flawed and his is correct this lasts for 3 HOURS and can go up to 6 if I argue... my mom is poor, and my dad sold my car(My dad had 3 cars one of which he had originally planned on giving to me.) and gave that money to my sister.
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 18:52, 13 July 2010 (UTC)

:Your mom is poor? Step-mom or real mom?

::My Real mom who has a job... and my step-mom who is leeching off my father... both are poor. - seoulfighter

:::I get the feeling that you don't really like your stepmom...

children suffered because of their irresponsible parents.... Hang-on seoulfighter ~ Ghost

Your dad doesnt like you (anymore)? You haven't made him angry, did you? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 20:54, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

lol No my dad never said he doesn't like me. He says he loves me like all his children =.=... which is meaningless considering all of us were kicked out to accommodate my stepmother... As for what I did to piss him off. He asked me during college to be a dog that just studies and stay in my room, and listen to every command he gives me =.=. What would YOU do if your parents said those words to you... Then said they only have your best interest in mind...
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 06:44, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Not all parents' words are correct, they are also human who commit mistakes. Have you talked about how you feel with your father? Maybe you and your father misunderstood each other. Misunderstanding might cause great conflict on the future. ~ Ghost

I have talked to him sat down face to face and tried to sort it out. The only thing that ended up happening is that he said I'm being illogical. He said he couldn't understand why I can't just listen to everything he says and have faith that every decision he's making for me is the best for me =.=. I'll start translating some more to blow off some steam >_<!
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 21:05, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

wow... just finished reading the last chapter of volume one... I must say... chapter 5 is basically as long as the first 4 chapters combined... I'll refrain from giving spoilers but that was really an unexpected twist that I should have seen coming...

its almost a month or more since the last update..... any news? This and <sword art online> made me craving for more LOL ~ghost

Last time I checked, Spadey was approximately 42% done. Expect chapter 5 to be completed at least by the end of this month, if not the next.
--[[User:Asian InvAsian|Asian InvAsian]] 05:07, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

If you want, I can give you some spoilers on both this and SAO --[[User:Eveonder|Eveonder]] 05:20, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

ow thanks for the update! and about the spoiler... thanks but I will wait for the complete chapter ^^ --[[User:Ghost|Ghost]]

did he used the word dog?REAlly? wow i know who is in the (hell)list--[[User:Cognitio|Cognitio]]

Here i go again and asking for the status LOL --[[User:Ghost|Ghost]] 10:35 , 15 October 2010 (GMT + 8:00)

Since the manga release at snail pace....I am waiting for the last chapter here... [[User:xenocross|xenocross]]

If you want an update, I'd suggest you look in here -> http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=2527&start=75 --[[User:Asian InvAsian|Asian InvAsian]] 02:31, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

If you want an update, I'd suggest you look in here -> http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=2527&start=75 --[[User:Asian InvAsian|Asian InvAsian]] 02:31, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

Summary of previous discussion: Translator is trying to go to school. Has problems. Will gambatte. Our heartfelt approval.
--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:28, 21 March 2011 (EDT)

--I don't know how else to contact translators of this series, so I'll post here. Seeing as the anime adaption is coming out in around a week, I'm guessing there will be a lot more views of this series. As such, I wouldn't mind if the translators spit out a roughly translated version of the next few volumes, I have 2+ hours a day I can spend fixing up English, I can probably revise a chapter a day if need be. --[[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 8:52, 6 March 2011 (EST)

Talk:Hidan no Aria Archived

2011-04-07T00:48:51Z

Asteradragon:

nice novel, with a monthly manga and a coming anime

WHERE ARE THE TRANSLATORS XD WHY WON'T THEY REPLY! WHY WONT THEY LET ME TRANSLATE >_<!!!
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 08:40, 11 May 2010 (UTC)

Why not just continue translating until they reply?

start translating from ch 3 so you are sure you won't translate the same thing^^

Mr. Seoulfighter, please lend us your godly powers and translate this LN, thank you very much ~Ghost

Fine I'll start picking this up soon since I've received no contact from the other translators, and realized it's never been updated. but right now I have to find a job to help pay for college -.-... my dad wasted my tuition on my stepmother... WASTED 35,000$ on her jewelry and clothes(tears)!
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 02:43, 6 July 2010 (UTC)

:That's sad. Sometimes I wonder how parents can be this cruel and selfish... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 20:31, 6 July 2010 (UTC)
::If this happened to me, I'd give those parents of mine a MASSIVE chewing out. I mean seriously, WTF? Well, good luck to you though Seoulfighter.

you have my sympathy Seoulfighter-san. Your tuition fee must be the top priority because it is the job of the parents to make sure their children graduate from school... Thanks again ~ Ghost

don't worry abouts TL and think about yourself, Real Life has top priority^^(even if this will make us a little sad)

I got contacted by the original translator, and Undying told me that his hard drive got wiped so he won't be working on this project. I guess for now, while I wait for a reply from the places I applied to I'll do some translating.

As for my parents if I tried to chew them out my dad would start a Socratic Seminar about how my line of logic is flawed and his is correct this lasts for 3 HOURS and can go up to 6 if I argue... my mom is poor, and my dad sold my car(My dad had 3 cars one of which he had originally planned on giving to me.) and gave that money to my sister.
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 18:52, 13 July 2010 (UTC)

:Your mom is poor? Step-mom or real mom?

::My Real mom who has a job... and my step-mom who is leeching off my father... both are poor. - seoulfighter

:::I get the feeling that you don't really like your stepmom...

children suffered because of their irresponsible parents.... Hang-on seoulfighter ~ Ghost

Your dad doesnt like you (anymore)? You haven't made him angry, did you? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 20:54, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

lol No my dad never said he doesn't like me. He says he loves me like all his children =.=... which is meaningless considering all of us were kicked out to accommodate my stepmother... As for what I did to piss him off. He asked me during college to be a dog that just studies and stay in my room, and listen to every command he gives me =.=. What would YOU do if your parents said those words to you... Then said they only have your best interest in mind...
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 06:44, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Not all parents' words are correct, they are also human who commit mistakes. Have you talked about how you feel with your father? Maybe you and your father misunderstood each other. Misunderstanding might cause great conflict on the future. ~ Ghost

I have talked to him sat down face to face and tried to sort it out. The only thing that ended up happening is that he said I'm being illogical. He said he couldn't understand why I can't just listen to everything he says and have faith that every decision he's making for me is the best for me =.=. I'll start translating some more to blow off some steam >_<!
--[[User:Seoulfighter|Seoulfighter]] 21:05, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

wow... just finished reading the last chapter of volume one... I must say... chapter 5 is basically as long as the first 4 chapters combined... I'll refrain from giving spoilers but that was really an unexpected twist that I should have seen coming...

its almost a month or more since the last update..... any news? This and <sword art online> made me craving for more LOL ~ghost

Last time I checked, Spadey was approximately 42% done. Expect chapter 5 to be completed at least by the end of this month, if not the next.
--[[User:Asian InvAsian|Asian InvAsian]] 05:07, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

If you want, I can give you some spoilers on both this and SAO --[[User:Eveonder|Eveonder]] 05:20, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

ow thanks for the update! and about the spoiler... thanks but I will wait for the complete chapter ^^ --[[User:Ghost|Ghost]]

did he used the word dog?REAlly? wow i know who is in the (hell)list--[[User:Cognitio|Cognitio]]

Here i go again and asking for the status LOL --[[User:Ghost|Ghost]] 10:35 , 15 October 2010 (GMT + 8:00)

Since the manga release at snail pace....I am waiting for the last chapter here... [[User:xenocross|xenocross]]

If you want an update, I'd suggest you look in here -> http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=2527&start=75 --[[User:Asian InvAsian|Asian InvAsian]] 02:31, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

If you want an update, I'd suggest you look in here -> http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=2527&start=75 --[[User:Asian InvAsian|Asian InvAsian]] 02:31, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

Summary of previous discussion: Translator is trying to go to school. Has problems. Will gambatte. Our heartfelt approval.
--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:28, 21 March 2011 (EDT)
--I don't know how else to contact translators of this series, so I'll post here. Seeing as the anime adaption is coming out in around a week, I'm guessing there will be a lot more views of this series. As such, I wouldn't mind if the translators spit out a roughly translated version of the next few volumes, I have 2+ hours a day I can spend fixing up English, I can probably revise a chapter a day if need be. --[[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 8:52, 6 March 2011 (EST)

Talk:Toaru Majutsu no Index

2011-04-06T15:30:17Z

Asteradragon: /* How I enlist ? */

[http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=1697525#post1697525 Illustration overview] reminder found in the project forum...

== How I enlist ? ==

I done reading to aru majutsu no index chapter 9. So i want to post it in here.
Is it possible? How can I post it anyway? Japanese to Indonesia. japanese to englist. - ([[User:Kili|Kili]])

Well, you could really just post it unless you want specific clearance from the moderators at the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=2148&start=195 project forum]. For the Indonesian one, you should make a topic with something along the lines of "To Aru Majutsu no Index - Indonesian" at the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=29 Alternative Language Forum] for help with setting that up.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. -Repose

actuality I already completed translate english. Not so hard to make it to indonesia. but if I done where and how post it ? - ([[User:Kili|Kili]])

The Indonesian version? For that you have to create the Alternate Language Project similar to other Alternate Language Projects with the complete translation of the Project Page (as a naming example: <nowiki>[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Bahasa Indonesia]]</nowiki> ([[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Bahasa Indonesia]])), Registration Page, a thread in the Alternate Language Subforum in the Baka-Tsuki Forum and at least one translated Chapter to get the approval to continue the project. --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 23:19, 9 December 2009 (UTC)

it so hard for to made but I will keep trying. I need time to study about it.

am i wrong ?

I've just joined up, and have registered on the TAMNI register page, is that good enough? I can't seem to get into the forum link. --[[User:Flere821|Flere821]] 09:44, 26 June 2010 (UTC)

Should be just fine, as I assume you'll be translating to English like the other things you've done. I suppose you don't need the forum unless you want to set up a project page up or want to discuss translation terms, but still, not sure why the links don't work for you. --[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

I've noticed some irregular grammar and English usage on several chapters, do the translators/lead editors for this series mind if I take an axe to these chapters? My English is pretty good, it's just that I may be a bit liberal in changing adjectives or phrasing of words --[[User:Asteradragon|Asteradragon]] 11:33, 6 April 2011 (EST)

==Chapter 2: Doubt_Lovers.==
The link refer to "http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=To_Aru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume5_'''Chapter1'''" So I think of them is wrong?
--[[User:Hypernova|Hypernova]] 12:16, 14 February 2010 (UTC)

Thanks EnigmaticRepose for fixing it!--[[User:Hypernova|Hypernova]] 00:32, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

==What the shit.==
Why would a translation project start at volume 12 instead of volume 1? Imagine watching the Lord of the Rings movie series for the first time in your life...except instead of watching it starting from the first movie, you skip to the middle of the 3rd movie during the seige of Gondor. And as you sit through the movie you keep going "Oh this sword guy is kinda cool whats his name? And who is this Sauron guy?".

you, whoever you are, are being horrendously rude and ungrateful for the fact that the translators (you seem pointed at [[user:Joay|Joay]] in particular) not only translate these novels, they do it for free. Besides that, volumes 1 through 6 are covered by the anime, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_light_novels] has synopses of all the novels. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 04:15, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Also since the translators have the power, they can decide what they like to translate, so if you could translate as well you could start with volume 1 if you like it... or with chapter x in volume y ;) So if you dont cant and dont like it you dont have to read it. I am gratful for that what we have, so should you too if you like to read more of those otherwise unobtainable unreadable volumes. --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 08:34, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

hmm, now that volume 7 and 9 are translated and volume 10 is being translated, i'd like to ask if there is a specific reason that volume 8 was skipped.? It doesn't really matter though, since i was just wondering if maybe the story in 8 takes place in a different time than 7->9. other than that, i'm fine with waiting, since you're all (yeah, you translators ^_^ ) doing a fantastic job at translating this so far. keep up the good work.
oh yeah, and... Ganbare!--[[User:AzraRillian|-AzraRillian - Transcend The Sin - "You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body." C.S. Lewis]] 03:18, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

===Took me five months to even notice this, sorry...===

The reason why I did Volumes 9 and 10 before volume 8 was basically because of a request (the first guy who PMed me when I worked on this project asked me whether I can do Volume 9 first. So, sorry...?

And to the guy who has been complaining about Volume 1 not being translated first, well, no point talking about it now when out of a sudden, there are three guys working on volume 1 now (I'm really, really glad to have other people share the workload). Like what [[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] said, the anime has pretty much covered most of the important aspects, and since there's a sizeable fandom of it that can provide all sorts of information, you're not really in the dark regarding what has happened. The 'Lord of the Rings' idea doesn't really work since you would have most likely gone about trying to find out what's going on in order to answer the question of 'what's going on?' Or did you not even bother looking for it?

Well, instead of complaining, you might as well do something about it if you can. Orders are nothing if the actions are not done, you know. We're not entitled to do this for you, we're not even paid to do this. We're doing this only because we want to. We translators here are like Kamijo Touma, we don't have a reason to do things, we just do it.

--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 17:30, 12 September 2010 (UTC)

== What tense to use? ==

So, after reading some chapters of the seventh volume I would like to ask a question. What tense would you use in descriptions? Right now I’m doing some edits on the translated texts but there is always this one thing I’m tripping over. In this volume, and most likely also in the others, we have a third person narrator. In this case you would normally write the descriptions or narrations in the past tense, right? That’s what I would do at least and is commonly done in the most English novels. But as it is, there are some differences in the Asian and the English writing and that includes the used tenses. Because of these differences the translator decided to use the present tense in the above-named cases (most of the time at least). Of course, this isn’t a mistake, but I often feel like it would be one. Perhaps I’m just too used reading the past tense in descriptions but to me, with some exceptions, it often feels awkward when I read some of them in present tense. I would like to get some more opinions on this matter. Is it just me who has this problem or do you think the same as me? [[user:AJS90|AJS90]] 21 March 2010

I've really just been using present tense for everything, which I based off of how the translators worded it. It's a bit weird for the narrator to do so, but eh, I'm used to it already. ...On a side note, it's nice not being the only editor anymore. ~EnigmaticRepose

Yeah, I've been using present tense for my edits, too- but only because there might be a convention in light novels regarding it that I'm unaware of. Better safe than sorry, you know? I MIGHT try a past-tense sweep edit for second opinions, but only after I'm done with my ongoing ones.--Tactician J 03:13, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

Regarding that a discussion was recently started in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3547 forum] too --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 18:11, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

== I need illustrations for Volume 10 ==

Exactly what's written on it. Would the uploader kindly upload the illustrations of the other volumes? Many thanks in advance.~Teh Ping

would it be enough a link of megaupload volumes 1-16 and with the illustration? anyway heres the link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2AS0PZD7
-ark

== Pic translation ==
Ah, could someone translate the pics too, if there is on them something to translate, please? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 05:54, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Most the pictures just have quotes from the novel, with additional tiny descriptions, like 'Academy City Tokiwadai Student' or 'English Purist "Church of Necessary Evil (Necessarius)' and the like, so you aren't missing much. It's really just a fit it in the context after you read it, as they're supposed to be teasers for the story anyway (which is why they're placed in the beginning).

Hm, I thought it would be nice - like we have it for Sword Art Online especially since we dont have translations for all volumes, so some teasers would be nice ;). Have meant only pics like those: [[:Image:Index v01 002-003.jpg|Image 1]]; [[:Image:Index v01 004-005.jpg|Image 2]]; [[:Image:Index v01 006-007.jpg|Image 3]] --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 10:33, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

== Just a slight concern. ==

As Joay and I are busy with our own stuff, I suppose that there should be some sort of a Project Supervisor around to keep check of certain stuff. There will be updates in the future, as Twi will continue to translate this series (hopefully), but I hope that there's someone to keep this series in check, since it's no longer a 'small' project anymore (I guess, since YMMV). ~Teh Ping

== Spanish section request ==

I would like to start a spanish section for the novels.--[[Special:Contributions/190.41.2.140|190.41.2.140]] 22:51, 26 May 2010 (UTC)

You should make a topic with something along the lines of "To Aru Majutsu no Index - Spanish" at the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=29 Alternative Language Forum] for help with setting that up. Registering may also be a good idea. An Indonesian one was also set up, so you could use that as a reference. --EnigmaticRepose

== I'll try to translate a bit ==

Currently my japanese is iffy at best, but as i'm studying it might as well give it a shot.I'll try to pick up the 1st chapter of volume one (no one's doing it right?). I'm asking here first as well, i don't know if i can manage it yet.
If i manage to somehow not embarrass myself too much doing that i'll register, and work on the rest of the volume.
Again, i can't be sure i'll manage it so... best try it out first then see.--[[User:AADragon|AADragon]] 16:35, 9 August 2010 (UTC)

No one would say something against it, just feel free to ge ahead, but best would be to register the chapter before, even if it is not very probable that some other translator would translate it anytime soon, but wonder happens sometime, so just to be safe ;) --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 20:04, 11 August 2010 (UTC)

==Thanks for your work!!==
Glad to see translated this novel series by Teh_Ping and Joay, thank you very much for working so hard and fast.
At this point, I can say that the translators will surpass Index II(by JCStaff) in covering the novels :)

another fan of Teh_Ping and Joay, thank you very much for all of the great work ^^)/

== Translations? ==

I'm new here, and I want to translate some stuff.
I was reading the chinese version and randomly decided to translate V1C4 from Chinese to English.

Do I need some sort of clearance? Or can I just go ahead and upload my stuff (especially since my translation quality is most definitely sub-par)?

===Go ahead and just upload it===

The editors will be helping out with the language. I'll also help you proofread it if you want.

Over here, there's no need for any bureaucratic red tape. Any translator can just upload their stuff here, so you can just upload it.

EDIT: Still having a bit of trouble with the formatting, garr...

--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 03:51, 11 September 2010 (UTC)

== Some Question ==

Er.... So, I already translated about three chapter and half from the 2nd Volume...
and the question is... How do I upload it? Any clues?

===Here's what you need===

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Format_guideline#Wiki_Editing_Tips

1. First, go to the volume that you want to upload.

2. Do you see the edit button on the top right hand corner? Click it.

3. Look at the 'Internal link' section, that is how you're going to add hyperlinks. (You can look at the other volumes for reference)

4. If you did it right, the words should be in red, click on it.

5. Now, you should be in a new page. Click on the 'create' button at the top.

6. Upload the text that you have already translated. (Make sure to press 'enter' once after every paragraph so that it's easier to
read.)

7. Next, the headings. At the wiki editing tips page, look at the 'headings' section (well, duh).

8. If you see the format used on all B-T texts, you'll probably get an idea of how to do it. (Just copy what they do.)

9. For pictures, it's under 'thumbnail image', the 'picture' would be from the illustrations of the volume that's available here. If I want a picture from say 'Volume 1 page 031', the format would be <nowiki>[[Image:Index_v01_031.jpg|thumb]]</nowiki>

10. For a footer, just go to any completed chapter here, copy the scripts for the footer, and make the necessary edits.

If you need any more help, you can pm me.

--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 15:31, 11 September 2010 (UTC)

I wonder what happened with this translator and translation... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 09:30, 17 December 2010 (UTC)

----

==VOLUME 11==

english Volume 11 has been sabed over by the spanish version. Any chance of recovery?

===Erm, excuse me, but you lost me there===

Is there anything wrong? Since when do we have a Spanish section?

--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 17:41, 12 September 2010 (UTC)

----
Not sure, but I think they're talking about all the chapter titles being in gratuitous Italian.

----
Actually, check the scan of the [http://img55.imageshack.us/f/009xf5.jpg/ original table of contents]. You'll see that it's actually in said gratuitous Italian. (This may be incorrect, but I doubt it) --[[User:MerrickXasis|MerrickXasis]]

----

Oh that, that's what you guys meant. Yes, it's supposed to be in gratuitous Italian, since the plot setting is in Italy (Before you guys start blaming me for spoiling it, the prologue of Volume 11 will be uploaded in 4 hours.)--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 09:21, 13 September 2010 (UTC)

==To Aru Majutsu No Index Volume 3==

Can You work on volume 3. Sorry for asking, because I love this arc. --anonymous

the sisters arc is great, but, we have it already in two separate manga and the anime. new content would be my preference. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 15:00, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Ah, we'll see how it goes. Most likely, I'll leave it as training for some new translator. I'm planning to be more of a drill sergeant for these new translators, so, get ready.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 15:54, 22 October 2010 (UTC)

Ah, I know about the anime and manga but I love to read more. But anyway Thank^^. I will wait for anyone to translate it.

==Consensus: Past or Present?==
'''Please Vote [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3547 poll]'''
----
With six active translators and three editors, this project needs to come to an agreement regarding tense usage. Do we stick to present tense, or do we shift to past tense?--Tactician J 10:21, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

For me, it's more of past for what just happened and present for what happens during the sequence. I also use a 'present future tense'. Next vote?--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 11:21, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

I'm all for present as usual, but as I've said before, I can work with either. I get more attached to present tense stories, anyway. If we do end up agreeing on present tense, we might want to put it somewhere on the main page, and even in commentary tags by the editor list for extra insurance, as odds are potential editors/translators don't check the talk page until someone actually uses it. —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

I've only just realised/remembered there's a talk page here ^.^; I'm voting for past tense as that's what I'm used to, and that from what I can gather from the '''official''' Chinese translated Index Novels I have on hand right now they use past tense as well. It'll be easier for me to work in past tense. --[[User:Flere821|Flere821]] 09:16, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

Regarding that a discussion was recently started in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3547 forum] too --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 18:12, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

== Volume 14 ==

I know this must be annoying being asked this but could someone work on doing Volume 14?

I don't think anyone is doing this at the moment, volumes 1,SS1,15, & 22 seem to be under active or semi-active translation, but volume 14 is probably coming soon. admitedly, it's just a guess, but as it will be the first volume not in the first season untranslated after SS1 is done, it will probably get done soon. If you can translate, however, feel free to start, no one has registered for it. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 06:38, 5 November 2010 (UTC)

== Churches ==

To the translators and editors: both the anglican church and russian orthodox church exists :[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England],[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church] exist. they are not made up by the author. (technically the anglican church's proper name is the 'Church of England', and is the leader of the 'Anglican Communion'). I'm quite certain also that the Roman Catholic Church exists also, being a lapsed member. The Amakusa Church is made up though: it was named after an island of japan where the heads of executed christians were buried in 1637 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amakusa]. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 14:19, 5 November 2010 (UTC)

Well, I don't really know how to explain this, but here's a post by an AS user called Thirdlc, which I find to be very good in explaining it.

"The author uses coined words like 十字教, イギリス清教, ローマ正教 and ロシア成教, instead of actual words like キリスト教 (Christianity), 英国国教会 (Church of England), ローマ・カトリック (Roman Catholic Church), ロシア正教 (Russian Orthodox Church).

I don't like it that those are directly referred, ignoring the author's intention.

Looking at these names, it's possible that the author just wants to make them end with "seikyou" and there is not much meaning in 清.

イギリス清教 (Igirisu [B]seikyou[/B]), ローマ正教 (Roma [B]seikyou[/B]), ロシア成教 (Roshia [B]seikyou[/B]), 天草式十字凄教 (Amakusa-shiki juuji [B]seikyou[/B]) "

--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 11:26, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

*No hand facepalm...*

Well, to any editor, I'm going to need your help here.

For all the 'Amakusa Catholics' change them into the 'Amakusa-style Church'.

Anyone got any other way to translate the rest, or should we stick to the terms given in volume 7?--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 14:30, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

Ah--[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 14:55, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

That could need a [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3514 guideline discussion]... ;) --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 17:01, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

I think this needs to be translated consistently between the volumes. A guideline discussion seems necessary. Just because Vol. 7 was translated first doesn't mean that it's done appropriately (I haven't even looked, so couldn't venture an opinion). Likewise, I would hesitate to buy into a 'canon' translation by a Japanese author - church names tend to be archaic English, for one thing, which is not well covered by Japanese style English education.

My take, now that I see some of the source: 教 seems to be used in the way that we use ''teaching,'' ''rite,''(compare 'rites' of Freemasonry) or even (religious) ''tradition'' in English. So maybe translate イギリス清教 as 'English Puritan rite,' 'English Puritan church,' or 'English Puritan teaching.' By extension, that would lead to 'Roman Orthodox rite'/'Roman Orthodox church' and 'Russian Institutional rite/church' (I'm having a tough time translating the on reading of 成 into something that isn't 'orthodox' in this context.) Likewise, 凄教 translates pretty well as 'cult' for me. Did a little googling and found this page [http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Amakusa-Style_Remix_of_Church] which seems to agree with my 'cult' definition. So the 'Amakusa cult.'

By analogy, It seems obvious that the author is ''suggesting'' real churches, but is very careful not to use their common names in Japanese, I would guess both to avoid angry adherents of the real churches and to help with the alternate universe separation of realities. For example, ロシア成教 is practically synonymous with the meaning of 'Russian Orthodox Church' but just happens to not be the way it is written in Japanese. It seems that we would want a similar obfuscation in the translation for the same reasons. -[[User:Senile seinen|Senile seinen]] 16:58, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

I just want to give my two cents to agree with the character 教 itself translating to cult. It's used quite commonly in Chinese text to such effect. However, I believe the only problem in doing so would be that cults in the English language are usually seen as heretical and some organizations might not fit that light. -[[User:Snorca|Snorca]] 17:30, 17 November 2010

Well, I should be resting, but since this is important, I'll give an answer.

The so-called canon translations aren't invented by me or Joay or any other translator. When I said Volume 7, I meant the chapter titles of volume 7. The names on the main page, they're canon, we didn't do anything except removing the japanese text. Of course, if we're to go by our own common knowledge, cult would be the better term, but it'll feel a lot less familiar.
 
 

Why are these religions named as 'cults'? As someone who has Chinese as my first language, I haven't came across something like the character '教' being equivalent to that... (Or I just can't remember it - can anyone give some examples?)
But yeah, in canon these Churches are for all intents and purposes 'religions' and not 'cults' as the English speakers understand it.
Maybe we can make some sort of 'need-to-know' translation notes for readers on the Index Novels' main page if this issue becomes a serious one? Just putting it out there the Churches in this universe is not the ones equivalent to Real-Life's ones. In the Official Chinese Translated Volume 1 of TAMNI (pg30, next to a illustration page of Index) I have on hand there's a Note saying all churches mentioned in this series are made-up ones by the author.
Also, I can vouch for the English spellings being correct (I have a hard copy of the Official Chinese translated Index Novel Vol7) given in Vol7 of the Churches are as the person above me has said - so I think what we have right now should stay. --[[User:Flere821|Flere821]] 05:27, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

Have you read the Jing Yong novels? Condor heroes etc? The Ming Cult gets referenced quite often -[[User:Snorca|Snorca]] 07:13, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

Its Japanese then maybe the meaning of '教' is different between Japanese and Chinese? (Rikaichan says for that "teach", "faith", "doctrine") And if the Churches are realy made up by the author shouldnt then イギリス清教, ローマ正教, ロシア成教 and 天草式十字凄教 be British Puritan, Roman Orthodox, Russian 成(?) and Amakusa(n) 凄 (? unorthodox) faith or doctrine instead of Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Church? --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 09:45, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

No no, Kanji used by Japanese have basically the same meaning in Chinese. In Chinese, that character does indeed mean teach, doctrine, etc. It depends on how it is used. It is really difficult to draw meaning from one character, it depends on how it is used along with other characters before one can drawn meaning from it. -[[User:Snorca|Snorca]] 17:03, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

---

I haven't came across those examples you (Snorca) mentioned, but from what I looked up in a Chinese -> English dictionary (Granted, this particular reference book is from 1994 so it's more than a decade old...) the character '教' doesn't have the meaning of cult... and as far as I know from other sources the Chinese term for 'cult' is '邪教', the characters can literally be translated into 'evil religion'. The character '教' alone doesn't mean 'cult' but just 'religion' I think.

But precise meaning/s of the words aside, IMO for all intents and purposes these 'religious organisations', for a lack of better term right now, are similar in structure to real-life churches, even if they're not named the same. These organisations are churches in canon (in terms of influence, history and other such aspects), not cults, and should probably be called as 'churches'. And to prevent mixing up with Real-Life versions maybe some other name can be introduced, but with the word 'church' included? Or like I suggested earlier we can just note the differences between the ToaruVerse Churches and the Real-Life Churches on the TAMNI main page?

That reminds me, the novels calls 'Christianity' (for a lack of better term to describe the religion that is born from the death of the Son of God is called , the name 'Jesus' is never mentioned in the novels and is always refered to as the 'Son of God') the 'Religion of the Cross', ie '十字教', instead of the usual Chinese version '基督教'. Maybe we should change that in our translations as well somehow? --[[User:Flere821|Flere821]] 21:57, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, as I've said, the word cult will have problems because it has a negative connotation in it based on how the mass media portrays it. Not all cults are evil though, religions would refuse to be classified as a cult, but in essence of the word, they technically are cults. Cults are basically a group with religious beliefs, but are somewhat considered strange. It had been given a negative image due to how most religions (not gonna name the most obvious one) really, really hate how people stray from their practices.

Anyway, the word church doesn't necessarily mean Christianity. It simply means a sanctuary. For example, the infamous cult church I used to live close by: The Church of Scientology. There are many other cults out there with churches but lack popularity.

Of course, how we use these words are up to the editors and translators. I really have no opinion on what we use, just trying to provide some insight as to how those words are technically acceptable. -[[User:Snorca|Snorca]] 23:26, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

Because I was the first one to use the word 'cult' I had better clarify what I meant: I used the word 'cult' '''only''' in reference to the kanji combination 凄教. While all of the church/religion names end with kanji that can be pronounced as "seikyou", the actual kanji used are DIFFERENT between the different religions. Only the ''Amakusa seikyou'' has the kanji 凄教 for "seikyou." 凄 translates as 'uncanny, weird, threatening, horrible,' and 教 is the 'teaching, faith, doctrine' kanji we see at the end of all these word. 'Weird/horrible faith' is pretty close to 'cult.'

By this reasoning, '''only''' the Amakusa group would be called a 'cult.' As I wrote above, the others would be something like "Russian Institutional Church," "English Puritan Rite/Church" and "Roman Orthodox Church." --[[User:Senile seinen|Senile seinen]] 14:56, 19 November 2010 (UTC)

凄 also means ''wonderful, great, terrific, tremendous, real''. --[[User:El Phoenix|El Phoenix]] 12:15, 22 November 2010 (UTC)

Well, I'll make this clear. Here are the original chapter titles of volume 7:

* Prologue: 行動開始　The_Page_is_Opened.
* Chapter 1: 学園都市　Science_Worship.
* Chapter 2: ローマ正教　The_Roman_Catholic_Church.
* Chapter 3: イギリス清教　Anglican_Church.
* Chapter 4: 天草式十字凄教　AMAKUSA_Style_Remix_of_Church.
* Epilogue: 行動終了　The_Page_is_Shut. --[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 13:15, 22 November 2010 (UTC)

== Main Page Format ==
'''Please Vote [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3562 poll]'''
----

Okay, let's clear some things up. Do we want to keep the author's bizarre English, underscores and all? I think we should, since he uses symbols in the majority of the titles, and they were originally removed due to someone mistaking it for bad formatting.

And how do we want to format the chapter titles? I was thinking keeping the two titles, separated by two spaces, the first title ending in a period and the second being italicized. I've made my own test version and have viewed it via Show Preview, but because *20 edits later by others*, I never really got the chance to apply it. I can still apply it and all we would have to do is undo the revision if anyone agrees with my thoughts.

So, ideas, opinions? —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

Before I like to start on this. I'll like to emphasize that I won't tolerate any format changes, none, unless we all agree to it. To both The Shadow , I understand what you're trying to do, but how would you like it if someone is to take help you do something, yet without your permission, and not the way you wanted it? It's the same thing. And to Suzuku, I have to be blunt here, that was really rude. You should have talked it out before taking action. I'll beseech to everyone, not just the two parties involved, that if you want to carry out any format changes like tenses and the like, please discuss it with us first before you do anything.

Now, onto the main point. I feel that either we leave if as it was, or we do the original titles that has the Japanese versions. The translations of the titles may not be universally accepted, unlike the original, so it would be difficult at times to reconcile with the translations, like here:

* Novel Illustrations
* Prologue: Begin Action — The_Page_is_Opened.
* Chapter 1: Academy City — Science_Worship.
* Chapter 2: Roman Orthodox Church — The_Roman_Catholic_Church.
* Chapter 3: British Puritan Church — Anglican_Church.
* Chapter 4: Amakusa-style Church of Distinct Doctrines — AMAKUSA_Style_Remix_of_Church.
* Epilogue: End Action — The_Page_is_Shut.
* Afterword

I'm in favour of the status quo, or even better, if we can leave the original Japanese titles.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 03:22, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

I think you guys need to request someone with supervisor rights to become your supervisor and serve as an arbitrator? --[[User:Larethian|Larethian]] 03:52, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

From my understanding the original novels, for each chapter, have a japanese title and a english title (the one with the underscores). If this is the case, my preference would be for both to be present, as above. Admittedly, it looks pretty odd for volume 7, but it looks like there the difficulty would be differentiating between religion as organization vs. religion as belief system. Also, sorry for contributing to edit war. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 04:14, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

While I'm fine with the either of the older formats (just "Science_Worship./Science Worship.", no translated titles), will the Japanese titles work out since this a translation project? Yeah, 5–10 passersby will understand them, but the majority won't. And the titles look nice on the contents pages because they're neatly separated into columns, whereas since the title translations can get fairly long-winded, it makes it somewhat difficult to make it look consistent and not have a huge amount of unnecessary space between a title. Though we could also romanize them instead, like:

*Prologue: Kōdō Kaishi.  ''The_Page_is_Opened.''

That would make some romanization difficult, though (especially if your knowledge of the language is half-assed like mine), and would slightly be better than just right-out Japanese characters. And Teh Ping, were you in favor for the original English lines with the underscores or the spaces?

And just for a side-note, the Russian project of Index has both titles, though the translator keeps the English titles as-is, most likely because he's a Japanese to Russian translator (must make Kamachi's heavy use of English-oriented furigana a pain).

Also, Larethian, we've gotten quite far without the supposedly necessary supervisor or admin, so why start now? It's actually sort of surprising that Index hasn't had one volunteer yet. —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

Well, it's good that you guys can arbitrate among yourself. On closer look now, I see that the edit war is caused by casual editors rather than editors of the project. Speaking of the supervisors, I don't even see them around much? I know Vaelis, who has admin rights, is actively lurking.:) --[[User:Larethian|Larethian]] 06:57, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

I also think that you should keep the two titles: the first title translated into English and the weird English title of the Author. The current version looks ok but you could italicize the second title. — [[User:Vaelis|Vaelis]] 08:41, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

Well, there's too few translators for us to sort ourselves out -_-, so we didn't need a supervisor up till now. However, if there's a need to have one, seeing how it goes now with all the debates here, I'll volunteer for it.

As for the author's English, I say we keep the underscores. Honestly, I prefer the Japanese titles for the first title instead of the translated ones. Maybe we should get Tact to chip in his thoughts on this, since he's the proofreader here. Will do a poll when I get home, or if we really can't decide, I'll get Herald of Meridian to post a poll on the wikia.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 09:53, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

When I said Japanese, I meant the original hiragana, katakana, kanji and the likes, not romaji.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 10:38, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

I think Teh Ping's suggestion of retaining the original script for the chapter 7 titles makes the most sense-it's exactly what we have chosen to do in translating the chapter titles of the manga (Hoshi no Furu Machi) I'm editing. Yes, keep the underscores and all. I don't really see a problem with using JIS romaji in place of the katakana/hiragana/kanji, but I don't see an advantage to it either.

My concern is the translation of these terms in the body text - it needs to be consistent within and between volumes, and I believe it should closely mirror the meaning of the hiragana/katakana/kanji in the body text, rather than the author's somewhat engrishy attempt at translation himself in the chapter titles. This is with the goal of emulating the Japanese reader's experience as closely as possible. -- [[User:Senile seinen|Senile seinen]] 15:07, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

We have created a [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3562 poll] regarding that in the wiki!

@Teh_Ping I dont think you should translate 教 as church if also 会 (as 教会) would be needed to become the word for church...

Also I would prefer an English translation (since I cant read Kanji (only with Rikachan) nor understand the Romaji transcription, but would also like to know the name of the title) with the original hidden in <nowiki>  </nowiki> and with the "subtitle" in ''italic'' separated with a normal dash (-) and not a "& mdash ;"(—), but without the underlines but rather with spaces (but that is only because I think it looks strange with those underlines). --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 17:56, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

My view is that keep the Japanese version of the chapter titles and give the English translation of that on the chapter page itself, even if only for the reason it looks better on the contents page that way (among others). As for the underscores and other things in the author's English, I suggest we keep it the same as how it is shown - if necessary change it on the chapter page, but leave it as it is on the main page. --[[User:Flere821|Flere821]] 21:36, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

What would you think if it was formated like that:
----
===Example===
'''<nowiki>===Volume 3===</nowiki>'''
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume3_Prologue|Prologue: Radio Noise]]
** Level2
*Chapter 1: Imagine Breaker
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume3_Chapter1|Level0(and_More)]]
* Radio Noise
**Level2(Product_Model)

----
(Prologue example 1; Chap 1 example 2; Chap 2 example 3 - but I think "chapter" should be kept) --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 18:54, 24 November 2010 (UTC)

Beyond the inconsistent link locations, I'm not in favor of having each chapter split up over two lines, it seems that it could be confusing, especially to people new to the site, and it doesn't look as nice to me. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 04:42, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

As said that are three different examples. The Prologue is example 1, chapter 1 is example 2 and chapter 2 is example 3 - its just another suggestion instead of the long chapter titles in one line... Of those examples I would prefer example 2, which would mostly be like its done with some MariMite chapters. --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 06:55, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

Well, building off of Darklor's example, here's what the idea I suggested in the forums would look like:
----
===Example 2===
'''<nowiki>===Volume 1===</nowiki>'''
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*'''Prologue: The Tale of the Illusion Killer Boy/幻想殺しの少年のお話'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Prologue|The_Imagine-Breaker.]]
*'''Chapter 1: The Magician Lands in the Town/魔術師は塔に降り立つ'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Chapter 1|FAIR,_Occasionally_GIRL.]]
*'''Chapter 2: The Conjurer Bestows Demise/奇術師は終焉を与える'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Chapter 2|The_7th-Edge.]]
*'''Chapter 3: The Grimoire Peacefully Smiles/魔道書は静かに微笑む'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Chapter 3|Forget_me_not.]]
*'''Chapter 4: The Retiring Magician Chooses the End/退魔師は終わりを選ぶ'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Chapter 4|(N)Ever_Say_Good_bye.]]
*'''Epilogue: The Conclusion of the Index of Prohibited Books Girl/禁書目録の少女の結末'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Epilogue|Index-Librorum-Prohibitorum.]]

----
So what does everyone think? It's certainly unique, but considering the chapter title scheme of the Index novel is unique, it fits. ---- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 16:28, 27 November 2010 (UTC)

Looks great: but would it possibly be better to have whitespace on both sides of the '/' mark? Like:

*'''Prologue: The Tale of the Illusion Killer Boy / 幻想殺しの少年のお話'''
**[[To Aru Majutsu no Index:Volume1_Prologue|The_Imagine-Breaker.]]

Just a minor suggestion. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 01:12, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

It's not a noticeable change, but I don't mind. -- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 06:41, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

First off I'd like to apologize to Teh Ping and everyone else. Like you said it probably would have been better to start off this discussion before sparking the whole little edit war that went on. In regards to the discussion itself I think your suggestion looks rather nice Suzuku, especially with Sagantsu's minor tweak. Maybe it would also be good to add a little note somewhere on the main page explaining how Kamachi formats the chapter titles so people can see where each part comes from. [[User:The Shadow|The Shadow]] 04:58, 3 December 2010 (UTC)

Holy canoli at these great walls of text! In any case, I quite like Suzuku's suggestion (with Saganatsu's addendum). --Tactician J 23:24, 6 December 2010 (UTC)

==Awards==
2011 is correct? Because at the moment its only 2010... --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 18:22, 24 November 2010 (UTC)

Yes, it's correct, as the listing is for the entire year of 2011, which is why the polling is done at the end of 2010. ---- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 16:28, 27 November 2010 (UTC)

While we're on it, I tweaked the format for the award section a bit. Any objections/complaints? ---- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 18:00, 27 November 2010 (UTC)

==Short Synopsis==
I replaced it with an edited version of the wiki's. Yes, I realize the old one was also just a more cut up version of the wiki's, but the English wasn't as well worded and it looked a bit sparse. Objections? ---- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 18:00, 27 November 2010 (UTC)

==Header==
So I added one. Thoughts? ---- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 18:55, 27 November 2010 (UTC)

Don't see any problems, and no objections to one personally. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 01:10, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Hmm, I would say bold would be better for the first "To Aru Majutsu no Index". --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 04:10, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

I tried that, but it came off looking weird, so I stuck with italics. -- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 06:38, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

== chapter title Vol2 Ch3 ==

I don't think that the chapter title for Volume 2 Chapter 3 is correct: it's an exact copy of Volume 1 Chapter 3, in both the english and translated japanese. could someone check this? --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 04:30, 29 November 2010 (UTC)

No, it's correct. The chapter title uses the exact same Kanji and English title as the title of Volume 1 Chapter 3. -- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 06:00, 29 November 2010 (UTC)

=="To Aru" Majutsu no Index==
Wikipedia recently agreed to have the wiki page on this series be titled "Toaru Majutsu no Index". Should we follow their decision? --Tactician J 23:24, 6 December 2010 (UTC)

would be alot of work: main page, registration page, one formatting page, upto 10 pages per volume (4 chapters, one epilogue, one war report, one declaration of..., an afterword, a full text page, and a illustrations page)= upper limit of 243 pages needing moving, updating the links on all of them, updating the links on the sidebar... . If someone is willing to do all that, I'm all for it. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 00:08, 7 December 2010 (UTC)

I don't particularly mind either way, though I do think Toaru is the correct version myself. I don't know how formatting links work for the server admin, so it might be easier to just do it next the B-T server randomly goes down. Again. —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

== Underscores ==

Was there a decision or two I missed somewhere? why did [[User:Kraft|Kraft]] take out all the underscores on the chapter titles? was under impression that they were to be left in. also, why added the periods at the end? --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 21:35, 7 December 2010 (UTC)

From the looks of it, Kraft has been re-editing the titles applying punctuation rules and probably assumed the underscores were a formatting issue without knowing that the current format was agreed upon by the editors and supervisors of the project (I don't think they realized that was how it was meant to be). It would be nice if the entire series could be locked only to have edits approved by a supervisor or editor to prevent drive-by editing on a project of such a large scale. --[[User:Lighthalzen|Lighthalzen]] 22:19, 7 December 2010 (UTC)

Dunno, but the ending period on the translated line helps distinguish the two titles. And I see he did it on the chapter pages themselves, but the decision was for the main page itself. The problem with the supervisor–editor thing is, we don't have a specific supervisor for the Index project, nor do any of them seem to frequent enough for all the updates we make to the main page (the percentage updates). We also don't have an editor with actual editor rights anyway (though I wish Tact would frequent more to get it). Besides, the translators would need the similar abilities just to create a page. —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

==Inserting hidden page numbers into the text?==
Is it possible for the translators to mark where the pages start and end? That would enable me to look up the original lines more easily, and I'd like to try making some nice-looking PDFs down the road... --Tactician J 14:28, 8 December 2010 (UTC)

I could go through eventually and help with that if I stop being lazy and when the tense issue is resolved. Anyway, I did a small preview of how it would look on parts 9–10 of volume 16's chapter 1. Basically, lines can be cut off randomly in the middle of the sentence (or words for that matter), so don't feel too reliant on the original formatting. Not to mention that every other page has the two titles for the chapter. And out of curiosity, how would you do the illustrations? Some colored ones have three-page-spreads and seeing an illustration after the part it happens in the text just isn't the same as seeing it as you turn the page, so would you use a two-page style, two-pages for just illustrations with the text page, or just one page at a time? —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]] 14:51, 12 December 2010 (UTC)

Text pages get single pages, but two-/three-page illustration spreads will be fused together, more or less. --Tactician J 15:03, 28 December 2010 (UTC)

==Thought processes==
Just wondering if I am the only one that's slightly uncomfortable with how thoughts are differentiated from the rest of the text in different ways. It seems that the most common methods of indicating thoughts are either in (parenthesis), ''italics'', or ''(italics and parenthesis)''. Perhaps we can come to some kind of a standard for this... or is there a difference as to how certain thought processes are? (I don't have access to the Japanese text or cultural knowledge to know...) -[[User:Snorca|Snorca]] 23:12, 15 December 2010 (UTC)

In the original texts, most thoughts are in parentheses but some also aren't, just like how most spoken dialogue is in quotes but some isn't. English novels also do it (the quoteless dialogues, though thoughts don't have to be emphasized with italics or parentheses), but I think it's more of a slight difference to not feel so abusive with them during dialogue/thought scenes. The italics is just something we started doing (I don't remember why?) and aren't in the original format. I don't think Japanese use italics at all, but they do have a way to emphasize certain parts of a line without just bolding it, though I forget what it's called. If you have any lines in mind that you'd like to me to look up and post as examples, go ahead, though it'll be in Japanese. —[[User:EnigmaticRepose|EnigmaticRepose]]

Occassionally some do use bold, but most of the time, most novels use 『』 or 【】 parentheses for emphasis. Italics look intuitive for monologue (and yes the Japanese don't use them). I've used it right from the start in LOLH, because I saw it in Toradora. Some CSR pages I saw use parentheses, but '''Italics''' just feel right to me. I've not read enough Index to know how the author presents thoughts. But based on your description, my guess is those in parentheses are First-Person monologue, while those that aren't are narrator-reported thoughts. --[[User:Larethian|Larethian]] 04:11, 16 December 2010 (UTC)

Wow, never thought they might be monologues. I normally associate monologues with just quotation marks since they're said aloud. Now I'm even more confused as to what to do/how to read, haha. --[[User:Snorca|Snorca]] 06:00, 16 December 2010 (UTC)

== british vs american english ==

which english should we use: part of the project is in american english and part in british. It's not really that important to me which, but we should probably settle on one or the other. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 20:29, 20 December 2010 (UTC)

british will be better because they don`t use america--[[User:Cognitio|Cognitio]]

Do you mean to say that the story has English characters but no (few?) American characters? That makes some sense.--[[User:CarVac|CarVac]] 22:16, 20 December 2010 (UTC)

American English. See the [[Format_guideline#Spelling_and_Grammar|Format guideline]]. [[User:Vaelis|Vaelis]] 13:33, 21 December 2010 (UTC)

That standard was established before we had multiple projects, and was left in. given that it was written for when we only had one project, should it be up to each project to decide which version?
the original line was this:
:* '''Due to the nature of this website, and the nationality of the majority of Editors & Readers the standard spelling lexicon for this project will be based upon American English as defined by the Fourth Edition of the [http://www.bartleby.com/61/ American Heritage Dictionary]''' --13:18, 26 April 2006 by [[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]]

the current version in place is
:Due to the nature of this website, and the nationality of the majority of Editors and Readers, the standard spelling lexicon for this Wiki will be based upon American English as defined by the Fourth Edition of the [http://www.bartleby.com/61/ American Heritage Dictionary] --5:37, 16 March 2007 by [[User:Smidge204|Smidge204]]

which was changed as part of the original update altering the format page from a Haruhi only version to a version for all projects.

also, [[User:Smidge204|Smidge204]] stopped editing a year before this project was created: [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=To_Aru_Majutsu_no_Index&dir=prev&action=history here] vs [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Special:Contributions/Smidge204 here]. and thus the format page, in it's current form, would not have considered a project that might have reason to use british english.

As the current text came about due to a change regarding the style of the formatting page, and not as an actual policy decision, and as the party who made the original style decision is no longer on the wiki to ask, I argue that the statement currently on the format page can be overridden by the people working on a particular project, especially if there is reason beyond personal preference, as has been argued above.

thus we come back to the question: which would the contributors prefer for this project? --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 14:42, 21 December 2010 (UTC)

Ah stop arguing. As the one responsible for all of these, I'll take the charges (my job anyway, haven't updated the Supervisor tag)

I have already PMed Big Boss regarding this, so if he doesn't have any personal preference regarding this, I will make the decision.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 14:45, 21 December 2010 (UTC)

To quote the PM:

[quote="thelastguardian"]Well, if they are from England, of course they speak British English :p . Seems perfectly logical to me.[/quote]

There you have it. I'm going to introduce a new set of guidelines soon.

I'd let the England-based characters speak British English, but what about the narration? --Tactician J 15:03, 28 December 2010 (UTC)

Honestly, I don't like the idea of switching languages here and there so easily, feels weird to me because it's like the characters are in a different realm from the readers.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 15:57, 28 December 2010 (UTC)

== Dragon ==

who is this dragon in vol 15?

see volume 19 --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 07:08, 24 January 2011 (UTC)

== who's gonna translte volume 15 and 19? ==

can someone translate all of volume 15 and 19? the parts about shiage are just epic.

- Give it some time. JS06 is translating SS1. Volume 15 hasn't been translated dedicated-ly since December and Vol 19 was mostly translated by Flare in December-who is less active now. Volume 15 has a higher chance of being translated soon after SS1 is completed.

Well, I'm not letting anyone translate 15 until Joay himself says that he will allow others to take over.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 17:45, 28 January 2011 (UTC)

+ That's fine. Can you ask Joay if it is ok for others to take over vol 15?

Sounds like you are under the assumption that someone would do it if no Joay doesn't they might work the earlier novels... On a side note can someone post on the boards that activation email are down. I can't get the activation email and I can't post telling someone to look into that. --[[User:Shido|Shido]] 01:43, 1 February 2011 (UTC)

Way ahead of you, check js06's talk page.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 02:40, 1 February 2011 (UTC)

== volume 23 and 24 ==

i heard its out already, volume 23 and 24. are you guys going to translate them?

Volume 23 will be called New Testament Volume 1. As for whether we will be translating it, you can bet on it once we get resources.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 13:37, 13 February 2011 (UTC)

==And Misaka Mikoto?==
Looks like the novel have the "New testament" series and you already put a Spoier about Touma (Dead), Accelerator and Shiage, but WHAT HAPPENED TO MISAKA? (and index but I relly do not care too much).

== SS Volume 2? ==

Just wondering: where in the timeline does SS Volume 2 take place? On the main page it's shown between Volumes 16 and 17, but on the Registration page it's shown between Volumes 19 and 20.

--[[User:Stiyl|Stiyl]] 00:34, 26 February 2011 (UTC)

== alternative language? ==

according to Category:Alternative Languages, british english is an alternative language. does this mean this project is, or only that projects with a british english variant are alternative? --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 19:28, 5 March 2011 (UTC)

== Terminology ==

In Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 4, Tatemiya Saiji is referred to as "Substitute Pope". He was previously referred to in Volumes 7 and 11 as "substitute Supreme Pontiff" (likewise, Kanzaki Kaori is referred to as "Supreme Pontiff"). If the Japanese writing for these terms is the same in each instance, then it would be best to pick a standard translation and use that.

--[[User:Stiyl|Stiyl]] 05:31, 6 March 2011 (UTC)

Edit:
Also "Acqua of the Back" (Volume 14 Epilogue) versus "Acqua of the Rear".

--[[User:Stiyl|Stiyl]] 06:21, 6 March 2011 (UTC)

It's Supreme Pontiff and Acqua of the Back, according to the TamnI wiki. We follow their spellings and terminology, as far as I know. --[[User:Saganatsu|Saganatsu]] 06:37, 6 March 2011 (UTC)

Ah, alright then. I've been avoiding looking at the wiki because every time I look at it, I accidentally read another spoiler.

--[[User:Stiyl|Stiyl]] 04:13, 12 March 2011 (UTC)

==New Testament: Toaru Majutsu no Index or Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament?==

Just to make sure we have a set standard for how the title should be, should we refer to the new series with NT in front of the title or after? Since Kamachi has "Shinyaku" in front of "Toaru Majutsu no Index", I'm inclined to believe that it's his intention to have the series referred to with New Testament at the front of the title. Also, do really need to have 'NT' in front of the volumes? I don't think it's necessary personally. -- [[User:Suzuku|Suzuku]] 22:27, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

Well, I just named it like that because I was too lazy to put in spacing in front...--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 07:58, 23 March 2011 (EDT)

==Volume 22 - continuation?==

If I may ask, I've been around B-T since the last week of October and I noticed that Volume 22 almost done and were left hanging, will any translator still going to translate the rest of the parts? Please don't take my question in a different way, thank you. -- アクシス

As of now, our only hope here is for either js06 or pikachuwei to finish up those parts. I'm out, that's for sure. No problems asking about who will translate the volumes or whatsoever, but I am 'a bit' annoyed about timeframes, seeing how recent events have gone for me, so I am terribly sorry if I antagonized anyone because of this.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 07:43, 23 March 2011 (EDT)

Iiya, Iiya, I truly understand, I'm just asking, if it is going to be continued or not because I'm planning to order the novel, if it is not (^_^;). Your answer was a yes, so I'll keep waiting, there're still many LN's here anyway that are very interesting to read like Bt-Tt-Shoukanjuu, Mushi to Medama, Fate/Zero, ZnT and many more that'll take me months to finish it. Thanks for anwsering (￣▽￣)ノ -- アクシス

== The Spin-Offs ==

Are there plans to translate those? Because if not, I suggest that they link to the summaries posted in the To Aru wiki, so that people can at least know what happens in those stories.

Maybe, good point. As of now, there are plans to translate the side story, but the main story takes precedence. I can assure you though that there are plans to do that.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 07:43, 23 March 2011 (EDT)

Then, if main story is highest priority, then will translation of Volume 17 be next after NT is completed? --[[Special:Contributions/164.107.33.220|164.107.33.220]] 12:59, 25 March 2011 (EDT)Lojik:)

User:Asteradragon

2011-04-04T19:00:00Z

Asteradragon: Created page with "Hey guys. I'm freakishly new to anything Japanese, but for some reason the whole idea of translating books is awesome to me. If any translators are reading this, I'd love it if y..."

Hey guys.
I'm freakishly new to anything Japanese, but for some reason the whole idea of translating books is awesome to me. If any translators are reading this, I'd love it if you guys could put out rushed-translated chapters, I have no qualms whatsoever of going through posted things and fixing up the english if it means I get to read more :3

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter8

2011-04-03T23:19:35Z

Asteradragon: /* Chapter Eight: Jörmungand */

===Chapter Eight: Jörmungand ===

“Louise, class started.”

Saito tried to wake Louise up. However, she tugged back on the blanket and did not come out of the bed.

“Get up.”

Saito pulled the blanket, but she pulled it back with force. It looked like Louise had no intentions of getting out of the bed. Siesta, who watched that sort of scene, primly poked Saito's shoulder.

“Hm?”

Then Siesta clung to Saito and shouted.

“Such a thing! Saito-san! Doing such a thing so early in the morning!”

Still, Louise didn’t get up from the bed. She seemed to be considerably depressed.

“Hey Louise… You are really depressed...”

Siesta abruptly parted from Saito and said with a polite cough.

“Saito-san, what did you do to make Miss Vallière so depressed?”

“Huh? I didn’t do anything.”

“Liar. Then, why is Miss Vallière depressed so much? What did you do to that girl?”

“Just what kind of person you think I am?!”

“Is it true?”

“It is. Why would I do such things to Tabitha? Louise is depressed about her magic not working. Hey, Louise, stop sulking this instant.”

Saito rocked Louise.

“Saito-san.”

“Hm?”

“That small girl… Indeed, it must really be your fetish. My mother said – when a man loves small girls more than needed, he will perpetrate in the future.”

“You see…”

“But, if Saito-san has to perpetrate then… I…”

Siesta’s face turned crimson, putting more fuss into Saito’s brains.

“Anyway, we need to wake Louise up… Hey Siesta, hold this.”

Saito and Siesta held the edges of the blanket and pulled. Clinging to the blanket, Louise rolled with it to the floor. The baby doll dress from yesterday, somewhat suited to wear as a nightdress. Because it was a chilly night, Siesta put the clothes on.

“Oi, Louise. Morning.”

“Funya.”

Though Saito patted her cheek, Louise stayed almost unresponsive. All she did – was look at the ceiling absent-mindedly.

“Uwaa, she really looks like an empty doll.”

Siesta poked Louise.

“Funya.”

“Miss Vallière, wake up.”

“Funya. Funya, funya.”

“Wa, this is really amusing.”

Siesta poked all over Louise. But Louise remained still.

“Come on… Hey Louise, everyone feels sad once in a while. But this is too depressing.”

Then, Louise’s mouth was opened with a lot of effort. And said in an empty voice.

“Useless. I cannot use ‘Void’ at all. Even the ‘explosion’ is not working no matter what I recite. That’s how it is now.”

“It’s just a bad mood.”

However, Saito's attempts to comfort Louise did not reach her, who was lying on the floor.

“What to do… Only because of ‘Void’ was I of any use… Without it I am back to being Louise the Zero again…”

“It’s just back to the start, alright?”

However Louise responded no more. She just stared absent-mindedly into space.

“Derf.”

Saito decided to ask the sword. Recently Derflinger was neglected on numerous occasions, so he answered in a foul mood.

“Andayo. So you call me out when you need an advice, huh. And you pull me out when you need to cut, huh. What if I am tired?”

“Listen up. Louise cannot use ‘Void’ anymore, can you tell us something about it?”

“Well I guess it’s because her willpower is down.”

“Really? Is that all? Then all she needs is just to rest?”

“No, because it’s 'Void' the matter is not that simple. With usual elements you need to rest a number of days to recover…’Void,’ though, its unclear how it gets accumulated and up till now it was used a lot. Remember that big explosion Louise cast?”

“Ah, you mean the one that destroyed that huge battleship?”

“That one; it consumed a lot of her willpower that she was storing up till then. Therefore, she could shoot such a big thing. Since then the remaining willpower has been consumed little by little. She hasn't been able to cast anything as big, right?”

It was as he said. There were no such huge light balls anymore.

“Then, she only needs to restore some of it again.”

“But how long will it take to cast ‘Void’ again? One year, two years…or maybe a whole decade…”

“Then we’ll be very patient.”

“She may not be able to cast it with such power again.”

Saito looked at Louise. She was lying spread on the floor, her eyes puffy from crying.

It hurt Saito to see Louise like this.

“Hey Louise, give it a break. You already worked hard enough. Even God-sama said to take a rest in a while.”

“…that’s impossible.”

“What?”

“I can’t settle down while knowing there is someone scheming something bad. Besides I still need to find a way to return you home. There are still many things left unfinished. Yet… I am useless like this…”

[[Image:ZnT11-173.jpg|thumb]]

Louise began to cry again. Siesta tried to comfort Louise.

“That… Miss Vallière is not useless. You are pretty. And you have a power to comfort anyone. Hey, stop crying.”

However, Louise did not stop crying. With Louise being so sad, even Siesta started to weep.

Now then, what to do, he started to worry…

“Saitooooooooo! An order came! All Knights of the Undine Corps are commanded by Her Majesty!”

Guiche jumped in.

“Commanded?”

“That’s right! We, The Knight Corps of the Undine and Louise, were given a direct command. Aah I'm so glad! Though we were not punished, I was still nervous thinking that Her Majesty might still be displeased!”

“You were nervous? You were just fooling around!”

“Don’t say such mean things. Though I had a laughing face on the outside, I was not calm inside. Anyways, my worries were just imaginary tears. Her Majesty’s trust in us is still unshaken!”

“Tsk, so what about princess-sama?

“Anyways, we need to come to the castle. Aah, lets go. We cannot attend lessons now!”

Guiche trembled with joy.

Saito really did not want to trouble Louise at such time. However… because they passed the border without permission, refusing to go now, may cause some tension between them and Henrietta.

Saito quickly got ready. However, he only carried Derflinger on his back.

“What about the others?”

“For the time being - only you, me and Louise were asked to come.”

“Louise can’t.”

“Eh? Why?”

“I’ll go.”

Thumbing, Louise stood up.

“Don’t over do it. Your condition is bad right now.”

“Bad or good – it is of no importance.”

“What, what is wrong?”

Guiche with a surprised expression stared at the couple.

“No, this fellow? Right now, her magic… ouch!”

Louise suddenly kicked Saito between his legs, making him faint in agony.

“…you talk too much. If it is something concerning Her Majesty - I will go no matter what.”

At that time, an owl flew in from the window.

“Ara. Tourukas? What’s the matter?”

Saito recalled this name. ''Where have I heard it before?'' – he wondered, while the owl passed Louise an envelope.

“Letter to the Louise-sama.”

“Letter?”

Louise began to read the letter. For a moment, her face lightened up… and then became cloudy again.

And then paled.

“What’s wrong? From whom is the letter?”

There was no answer. Louise folded the letter, placed it into her pocket, and staggered towards the closet to change her clothes.

“Oi, are you really alright?”

In the academy's stable, Saito asked Louise while putting a saddle on his horse, but she didn’t answer. Pressing her lips into a thin line, she silently straddled the horse.

''Well, it will probably be an easy mission, so it’s alright.'' While he thought so, passing the school’s gates, Sylphid flew down from the sky and landed in front of everyone.

“What the? You!”

He saw Tabitha and Kirche on top of it.

“I’ll go too.”

Surprisingly, the one who opened the mouth was not Kirche but Tabitha.

“This child, after she saw you out of the window, she dashed outside in an instant.”

Kirche said whilst spreading her arms wide open.

“Y-You? Why?”

Saito asked in surprise after a short pause. The previous night as well, she was really eager to help him to learn the Halkeginian written language.

“Silly question. That’s because you helped me.”

“It wasn’t just me who helped you.”

Saito said.

“Surely, you must be special.”

Kirche said while laughing.

“Louise, it’s not like that.”
　
Saito called out to Louise, fearing unforeseen retribution from her.

However Louise was still looking detached. She just straddled the horse and rode forward alone.

“Oi, Louise. There’s no need to ride a horse. Sylphid could carry us.”

Even though Saito called her, Louise just urged the horse with the riding crop.

“What are you-“

''A little while ago, after reading the letter, she started to act strange. No, she has been acting strange for a while already'' - Saito thought, while he, together with Guiche, perched on Sylphid’s back.

Sylphid flapped her mighty wings and lifted herself up into the sky.

Seeing them before her, Louise bent forward and hastily urged the horse to sprint faster.

Ignoring that, Saito asked Sylphid.

“Sylphid, pull her in as well.”

“Kyuikyui.”

Sylphid made joyful sounds, and landed down before Louise and the horse. Seeing the dragon appear, the horse stopped in its tracks and neighed in fear.

Sylphid dexterously extended her long tongue, and carefully pulled Louise from the saddle and threw her over the back.

With a loud ‘huff’ Saito caught Louise in his arms.

Despite being treated so harshly, Louise did not complain, only her shoulders trembled slightly.

“Hm? What’s wrong with this child?”

What was written in that letter?

Saito felt uneasy.

Was it something concerning the "Void?" Saito suddenly remembered where he heard of that owl before.

It was Louise’s family’s owl! He recalled - once, this Tourukas flew through Cattleya’s carriage window and landed on Saito’s head.

''Someone from that strict family of Louise's must have asked something of her'' – Saito concluded. The letter must have surely been concerning the willpower, and for Louise, who had just lost her ability to use "Void," it felt like a final blow.

''Talking to her right now won’t do any good'' – Saito thought, gently holding her.

After waiting impatiently for the group to arrive to the royal palace, Henrietta seemed to be very worried. The queen looked at every one of The Knight Corps of the Water Spirit. The Undine knight squad that Saito was an assistant commander of.

“Welcome. There’s something I have to ask from you.”

“What are your orders, your majesty?”

Guiche kneeled on one knee, while Henrietta spoke of her request.

“I want you to bring here the ‘Void’ user from Albion.”

“Tiffania?”

Saito asked surprised and Henrietta nodded.

“…it is not good to have a ‘Void’ user living all alone like that. Besides she has Albion’s royal family’s keepsake, so she must be my cousin. I cannot overlook that. When sooner or later Gallia expands, she could be attacked by that demon just like you, Louise.”

“She is not alone. She lives with orphans. Tiffania is acting in their mother’s place.”

“Then please bring those orphans too. Let’s secure their lives.”

“…I see. If you are worried to this extent, then we will bring them.”

“Thank you. This is my wish.”

Henrietta said, placing her elbows on the chair and taking a deep sigh. Seeing her like this, Saito wondered.

“Is there something troubling you?”

“I will tell you sooner or later. For now, just hurry up and go.”

“Ship preparations will take time…”

Then, the small figure of Tabitha behind them uttered silently.

“Sylphid.”

“Indeed. Because it is a wind dragon it is faster than a ship.”

Guiche nodded.

Henrietta noticed Tabitha and took her hand.

“Princess of Gallia. I wish to express my gratitude for your cooperation. Sooner or later we will need to discuss about you and future plans.”

Tabitha gave a small nod.

“For your return, let's prepare the ship of Rosais. Anyway, the sooner we leave for Albion the better.”

Henrietta, who seemed to be heavily worried, informed the party cordially. Saito looked from Henrietta to Louise. It was unusual that these two friends hadn’t talked. It must have been because they both had their own worries. The separate problems occupied both their minds completely.

Saito had uneasy feeling. What on earth was happening?

San Marin – town of Gallia, situated at the sea.

Here was the base of Gallia’s navy, similar to every Halkeginian air base, various buildings were built in there. Iron towers, including pier ships, and the brick houses stood in rows.

There was one building in the corner of this urban area.

It had foundations made of bricks and mortar, hidden by the tree frames and a sail cloth as the roof, pulled over the cut into half column and laid down in its full length.

The guards were placed in the surroundings to keep the citizens from coming close to the outskirts.

One huge ship approached the iron tower built in front of that building.

The soldiers in the sentry, looked up at the ship.

“Ha, isn’t that Charles Orléans?”

“Unusually huge ship.”

This was a Gallia’s royal family’s warship named after the crown prince who had died three years before. 150 mails in total length, after the Lexington of the Albion’s air force sank, it was the largest warship in Halkeginia.

Seeing the royal family flag flapping on the mast, the guard was speechless.

“Hey, look at the flag. The king is on its deck.”

“True. Is it some kind of inspection?”

The guard said absentmindedly, narrowing his eyes.

“Could this be about the ‘experimentation building?’”

“What?”

“Don’t you know? A lot of suspicious folks were loitering around lately. Finally, even king-sama arrived. Between you and me, they say that even an elf was seen.”

Lowering his voice his fellow whispered.

“Elf? It must be a lie. Some sort of drunkards’ deliriums surely.”

“No no, it seems to be true. It had an unusually clear face. And in the middle of the night they say that it, together with the followers, went to the ‘experimentation building.’ It is said that a pair of sharp ears were seen peeking from the hat edges too.”

His mate trembled.

“Don’t be afraid.”

The ship moored to the iron tower, and the gathered orchestra began to play, greeting the king. Soldiers in formal uniforms lined up left and right alongside the stone path from the iron tower, saluting with their wands.

The gangway came down from the ship and a vivid blue haired hero-like figure appeared.

“What does the ‘incapable king’ want from such a place as this?”

“But…”

His mate turned around and looked up at the huge "experimentation building" and whispered.

“Just between us, but what the heck is this thing anyway?”

The temperature made Mrs. Molière, who entered the "experimental building," lift her eyebrows. It felt like a steam bath inside.

“It’s hot.”

The mistress dizzily looked up. However, the king didn’t really seem to mind the heat. The man in scholar clothes beside them explained.

“It is done with purpose. The whole building is covered with a sail cloth so that no air or sound can escape. Inside the air is heated by the spring sunshine level. It is created by numerous blast-furnaces. It is easier to keep the heat when you prevent its leak.”

“What did you want me to see then?”

Mrs. Molière sulkily asked. A lot of suspicious jars and pans were queued up and used for difficult magical researching. Large blast-furnaces were melting the bright red steel producing incredible heat.

There were a lot of men in researcher's clothing coming, giving some work instructions to busy workers, and then leaving. Every worker was told beforehand about Joseph’s visit so they were trying to not pay attention.

One section they passed had large anvils lined up. Blacksmiths surrounding them were forging a ten mail length steel plate. A large number of such plates were already piled up nearby.

“What are you making such big steel plates for?”

When Mrs. Molière asked, Joseph shook his head and answered.

“For armor.”

“Mo! Who would wear such huge armor?!”

However, Joseph didn't answer.

Finally, after some time, they arrived to the central and very spacious portion of the building. Seats reserved for special guests were installed there - his retainer was already prepared for the waited Joseph's arrival.

“We waited for your command, Joseph-sama.”

It was a slim woman whose face was hidden under a deep hood, and after her words, she bowed reverently. Mrs. Molière, saw this figure a few times in the palace. The mistress felt something cold in that woman, and quietly drew closer to Joseph.

“Aah Myoz! Myoz!”

However, Joseph ran up to the hooded woman and embraced her strongly. The edges of the hooded woman’s, called Myoz, lips curved up. Mrs. Molière puckered up her brows.

“Once I heard that one item was completed, I flew here in an instant.”

“It was only possible due to the cooperation of Lord Bidashal.”

A man standing next to Myoz slightly bent his skinny body, paying his devoirs to Joseph.

Because of the big hat he wore, one could not see his face. Only a small mouth slightly peeped out.

“Oh Bidashal! You did great! You helped a lot in the difficult making of ‘Jörmungand’!”

“I fulfilled my part of the agreement.”

Bidashal said in non-chalant voice.

To these words Mrs. Molière’s eyebrows arched even higher up. Such words were unsuited talking to the king, but Joseph didn’t seem to mind that.

“What? You are talking about ‘Jörmungand’s’ completion as if it was a failure!”

“But Your Majesty, all that matters is your niece who is still in Tristain’s hands - I do not care about any other internal affairs.”

“That Tristainian lass? I’ll use my measures to get her. Leave.”

Joseph was already crazy about the new toy.

Mrs. Molière took an interest into this "Jörmungand" that made the king so obsessed.

“Your Majesty, could you tell me what is that ‘Jörmungand?’”

“Remember that knight doll you once gave me?”

“The knight doll?”

Mrs. Molière was taken away by the shock. Did the king use such an enormous building just to make himself a new toy doll?

''Since he is the king, I guess that would not matter much'' – Mrs. Molière thought. In that artificial miniature garden, Joseph was amusing himself with war all day long.

“Behold.”

Joseph sat on the prepared chair. Mrs. Molière sat next to him.

There was a wide spacious place before them. Its circular shape made it look like a coliseum.

“What will happen, some kind of show will start?”

“The entertainment. The entertainment! Indeed, a joyful entertainment will start now!”

Joseph, watched the coliseum with a boy-like fascination.

While Mrs. Molière was waiting quietly as well… the hedge on the west side opened, and with loud, earth-shattering sounds, a ten mails high, huge golem appeared.

“It’s just an earth golem.”

Mrs. Molière said in a disappointed voice, watching the scene. Indeed, though it was a splendid Golem, it was still the usual earth golem.

One after another three earth golems appeared.

One golem picked up the cannon placed in the corner of coliseum. The he prepared the cannon – packed the gunpowder and loaded a shell. Such a move took Mrs. Molière’s breath away. Even while walking normally a golem could do a lot of destruction.

And for such a huge golem - these movements were unusually dexterous.

“The elite knights of the West Parterre - square-class earth golems.”

Myoz explained.

Indeed, square-class…

“Umm, is that golem a ‘Jörmungand?’”

However, Joseph did not answer.

Then…

The edge of Joseph's lip lifted up, and his face became like a birds of prey.

The hedge on the east side opened, and another huge golem appeared.

Mrs. Molière’s eyes opened wide. A tiny gasp escaped her lips.

The ‘thing’ that appeared was not only enormous, but also carried an ominous atmosphere around it.

“W-What is that...?”

It was a 25 mails tall giant, and like a person wearing a robe, its body was wrapped up in a sail. He was at the size of ceilings. However, his movements were totally different from the ones usually associated with golems.

The giant took one step.

Zam! – earth trembled, and the chair on which Mrs. Molière sat, shook.

However, apart from the loud sound, it walked gracefully like a true human.

“T-This golem can really walk so smoothly…”

Mrs. Molière wondered.

“Walking smoothly is not the only thing it can do.”

Not able to contain the joy, Joseph said in awe.

Three golems, bending slightly, moved towards the newly appeared "Jörmungand."

Two golems moved to right and left.

In quickness that did not suit such gigantic bodies, the golems raised their fists.

Thud!

A big cloud of dust lifted and Mrs. Molière instinctively shut her eyes.

The two golems’ fists heavily planted against the left and right sides of Jörmungand’s face.

When she squeezed her eyes open… she saw a surprising spectacle.

Jörmungand was holding the fists of the right and left earth golems tightly in his grasp.

“What a power…”

After leaving such a strong impression, the spectacle before Mrs. Molière’s eyes continued to unfold even further.

Jörmungand, pulled the two golems, and crushed them into each other.

A monstrous cloud of dust flew up, forcing Mrs. Molière into a violent coughing fit.

The two golems were completely mashed against each other, and now only one big pile of dirt remained.

The last earth golem aimed the cannon at Jörmungand. Mrs. Molière instinctively shouted.

“Stop! If it shoots the cannon, Jörmungand will crumble! It’s dangerous!”

Mrs. Molière’s shout did not reach anyone - the golem lit the match cord and fired the cannon. The roaring sound was deafening; a severe firing line burned the eyes, and the jet-black smoke filled the place.

The roof sailcloth flapped loudly.

Mrs. Molière closed her eyes again.

''Now its turned into rubble for sure…'' she thought slowly opening her eyes again, but Jörmungand was still standing there.

The improvised robe of sailcloth was completely torn by the cannon shell, and Jörmungand's surface was visible.

It was the shining steel that met Mrs. Molière’s eyes.

“The armor… Just how thick is this armor...?”

Though he wore such armor, Jörmungand plunged forward in a speed of blitz. Hit by the Jörmungand's tackle, the earth golem shattered in an instant.

Witnessing such an unbelievable spectacle with her own two eyes, Mrs. Molière was completely at a loss of words.

After a moment of silence, Mrs. Molière finally worked the words out of her throat, barely able to think.

“Your Majesty… what kind of monster have you created?”

“Ancient and legendary – when those two elements combine, they create a miracle.”

“…ten of such monsters would be enough to conquer Halkeginia.”

“Ten? Much more than that – we’ll create a whole knight unit of Jörmungands.”

Mrs. Molière suddenly recalled the huge steel plates she saw before, and her eyes widened.

Not being able to grasp the spectacle and Joseph’s words together, she fainted.

“Did you like it?”

Myoz… Myoznitnirn approached Joseph and kneeled down on one knee.

“Of course. Turned very well. This knight doll…”

“Real value cannot be measured until it’s used in the actual combat.”

“We already have perfectly fitting guys for that.”

Joseph smiled.

“My brother. We will capture my niece easily… with this Jörmungand…”

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Chapter9|Chapter 9]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>