Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 8 Chapter 9

==Chapter 9: August 14th, 12 midnight – 1:00 am==
===<center>1</center>===
I abruptly returned to myself and woke up.

A deep darkness lay before my eyes. I was leaning against the door, nearly lying down.

“A failure...”

I failed.

—He’s obstinate.

I don’t think there are any words that can persuade someone who’s become so obstinate.

“...Kirishima...sensei.”

I understand his pain. I understand, but I cannot leave this as it is.

As it is, the children are miserable. They’re filled with the sorrow of death and wholly paralyzed. Because they’re lonely, they’re starving for something to fill that loneliness, calling out for companions, but it doesn’t console them in the least. They’re sorrow steadily grows once they’ve obtained one.

I will purify those children and ensure one never dies here again. I have to stop the loneliness.

And Kirishima-sensei.

He lost his life, and to make matters worse, he grieved the loss of his student’s lives. In an effort to erase it all, he became an obstinate person.

I understand his feelings, but  I think he’s a very gentle person.

Even so, I want to look after my companions just like he wanted to look after his students. I want us all to meet safely, leave this school together, and say, “See you later.”

Consequently, I remembered Naru’s words.

“Oh, I see now...”

How stupid of me!

“I was told I shouldn’t show them pity or sympathy.”

I smacked my head.

It was pointless even if I scolded myself. I needed to imbue them with light.

“Alright!”

Murmuring to myself, I stood up energetically.

“I’ll try it again.”

<font size="4"><center><b>***</b></center></font>

I opened the classroom door. Somehow, I felt it would be pointless no matter how much I called out from here.

—I’ll go to the classroom.

The place that Kirishima-sensei and the children are particular about. Because, undoubtedly, that place will be at least a little warmer for both the children and Sensei.

Within the darkness, as I walked towards the stairs, feeling my way along the wall with my hand, there was a slight clatter. When I stopped for a moment, the sound grew closer from in front of me.

As I remained still, a small, black shadow appeared alongside the wall. My pulse elevated slightly.

Three shadows appeared at the corner. They were about the size of children, but their silhouettes appeared distorted in some respects. They had small heads and limbs like sticks. Their chests and shoulders were also tremendously small, however, their stomachs were large to the extent of oddity. Their manner of walking with both hands was bizarre.

—’It’s dangerous,’ passed through my mind.

I wonder, is wariness a positive ‘feeling’ or a negative ‘feeling’?

I took a deep breath.

“...Hey, let’s go to the classroom.”

The approaching shadows momentarily stopped.

“Well, shall we go back to the classroom?”

I crouched down.

I mustn’t think of them as monsters. Those in front of me now are children. If a person is made of ‘body’ and ‘spirit’, then these children have no body.

—I love children.

Children are small and soft, and of course they’re brazenly mouthy and say spiteful things, but even so, they possess an atmosphere that makes it unable to resist hugging them.

I remembered that, after I started worked at ‘Shibuya Psychic Research’, I met a variety of children while going on investigations. I smiled lightly.

There were three small children in the house in Noto where we had been until now. We became good friends while our stay there dragged on. When it was time to go home, I was happy that they told me, “Please come again,” with tearful expressions. I wonder what everyone is doing now. —Well, naturally, they’re probably sleeping right now.

A genuine smile escaped.

“Well, would you like to go to the classroom? Shall we go together?”

The children tilted their heads a little. It was a truly endearing, child-like gesture.

“I’d like to see everyone in class and Kirishima-sensei. I want to say I’m sorry for being mean earlier… oh, was that a dream or reality?”

Like before, the children continued to tilt their heads, unmoving.

“I don’t really know. —Still, I feel that I need to say sorry. So, shall we go to the classroom? Will you take me?”

The children looked at each other once again, then moved awkwardly and turned their backs. Taking a few steps, they began walking towards the stairs.

“...thank you.”

<font size="4"><center><b>***</b></center></font>

After we went to the stairs, I saw some children at the bottom of the staircase. I walked without worrying and descended the stairs. None of them were a danger to me. I was gladdened by this and my mood steadily brightened.

—Well, such simplicity is necessary.

There were also two or so children in the entry hall and, as I smiled at them and walked towards the classroom, they toddled after me. Ten or so children followed around me and it was something enjoyable. Before long, the smallest child beside me raised her thin, fragile hand and I took ahold of it.

As soon as I grasped the small hand, which felt like a withered branch, my chest swelled with affection.

===<center>2</center>===

When I entered the classroom, there were a great deal of children inside. Children were seated at the desks, children gathered at the back of the classroom, children walked between the desks. They were doing a variety of things. It was as though I had really entered a classroom at recess.

There was a large shadow seated at the desk adjacent to the teaching podium. It was about the size of an adult and resembled a demon without horns. Sensei stood up. He remained standing, silently watching me.

“I’m sorry about earlier.”

I lightly bowed my head to Sensei, then also bowed my head to the children who were looking in my direction.

“I’m sorry.”

Saying that, I looked around the classroom.

“I’m sorry that I spoke cruelly. But, I'll say the same thing. Please don’t increase your friends anymore.”

Sensei took a step. I looked at him directly.

“Please return my companions.”

He took another step, the distance between us drawing nearer.

“Just like Sensei cares for everyone, my companions are important to me, too.”

Saying that, I looked around the classroom.

“Just like everyone loves Sensei and their friends, I really love my companions, too.”

Naru and Lin-san. Ayako and Masako. Bou-san, John, and Yasuhara-san.

Ever since we met by chance up until today, there have been things that were warm and gentle.

“Naru seems like an extremely cold-hearted person, but actually, there’s a part of him that’s surprisingly gentle. He’s good at magic tricks. There was a time before when he gave me encouragement me with that.”

All of a sudden, there was a noise and light illuminated the inside of the classroom. It was merely the clouds drifting apart and the moonlight shining in, but in a way, I felt greatly encouraged.

“Lin-san, too. Though he’s extremely expressionless, reticent, and difficult to approach, I think he’s actually a gentle person nonetheless. Also, because he’s such a person, when I receive a smile from him every once in a while, I feel like I’ve earned something. I feel like it’s a very good sign and it makes me happy.”

Although, he’s only given me enough smiles to count on one hand.

“If I’m speaking of those who put people off at first, then it’s certainly true of Masako, too. She seems stuck-up, but she’s a reliable gal. She’s clever, too. Actually, she’s quite admirable, and since I’m a rough person, I think her girlish nature is nice. Therefore, I’m extremely glad that Masako and I became good friends. —Yeah, Bou-san and Ayako’s first impression was bad, too. Still, everyone’s pretty nice.”

Actually, when I think about it, all of them have poor demeanors.

“Ayako is actually a really caring person. She’s noisy, though. In fact, she always fusses over me. I like it. It reminds me of my mother and makes me happy.”

Although, my mother was a bit quieter.

“Whenever I talk to Ayako, it cheers me up. That’s why I love her. I’m glad that I get lectured by Bou-san like I’m being scolded by a father. I really like it when he pushes me around with his big hands and pats my head. But it’s a secret, okay?”

If it got out, that guy would forever be emboldened by it.

“I love John’s slightly weird Kansai accent. He’s quiet and humble to the utmost. And yet, when a thought occurs to me and I look back at him, I realize he’s watching over me with kind eyes. That happens often and it’s wonderful. I also love Yasuhara-san’s immense cheerfulness. When I’m with him, I feel uplifted. No matter how serious a situation, when I hear Yasuhara-san’s jokes or his and Bou-san’s comic dialogue, it makes me feel like we’ll be able to manage one way or another.”

—Yeah, I really love them all.

“Therefore, I want you to return them. Because they’re all important to me. I love being with all of them. I want to leave the school building with them and return to Tokyo together. The office will be gone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll never see each other again.”

Saying this, I smiled slightly in embarrassment.

“...Yeah, I thought we might not meet again, but I felt like I’d be laughed at if I said, ‘Let’s get together even if the office closes.’ But I know that’s unlikely.”

I’m pretty stupid.

“After all, everyone’s kind to me. Even while I’m here, everyone is protecting me. To refuse to meet like that, I think it would have to be because it’s someone you dislike enough to not want to meet again or because it’s someone you don’t care about enough for it to matter that you meet again. I’m determined right now because everyone is important to me. And it’s a little conceited, but they protect me with all their might because they care about me.”

Kirishima-sensei was watching me.

The children filling the classroom were also watching me.

“Therefore, return everyone. Then, I want you to stop bringing more friends.”

My hand was lightly tugged and I remembered I was still holding the small child’s hand. The light of the moon was bright in my eyes, which had gotten used to the darkness, and I could clearly see that the child’s form was not human.

The imp that held my hand was staring up at me. I gave her a small smile.

“I think there are people who treasure and worry for the friends you brought here just like I treasure and worry for all my companions. Like me, I think there are people that they love. Not being able to see the people you love is painful. If my loved ones disappeared, I would be sad. I think that’s the same for everyone, too.”

===<center>3</center>===

“The same?”

The child holding my hand was the one who spoke.

“Yeah. —What’s your name?”

“Sugiura Ayano.”

Ayano-chan’s back straightened and before I knew it, she was standing upright. The hand I was holding, which had been so slender, thickened and felt slightly soft.

“Ayano-chan, you love your father, right?”

“I love him.”

“You love your mother, too, right?”

“Yeah!”

“I love my companions, too. It’s the same as Ayano-chan.”

“It is the same, huh?”

“Yeah. You love Sensei, too, right?”

“I really love him!”

I laughed.

“Because he’s a very gentle and good teacher, right?”

“Yeah!”

The face of a ten-year-old girl overlapped her nodding face.

“But it’s scary when he gets angry.”

“Ah, I see!”

“He’s really good at the horizontal bars.”

“Really.”

“But, he’s a little tone deaf.”

I laughed and looked at everyone in the classroom.

“Does everyone love Sensei, too?”

When I asked, their voices returned, ‘I love him!’

“If Sensei disappeared, it’d be lonely, right? You wouldn’t like it, right?”

They nodded their small faces.

“In that same way, all the transfer students had someone who became lonely.”

A hush fell over the class.

“Because you were all lonely, you brought children to play. But, just like you, the children had a teacher that they loved….therefore, don’t do it anymore.”

The children were all seated. The classroom was flooded with moonlight.

“I have no mother and father, but I’m not lonely because I have my companions. Will everyone be sad if you only have one classroom despite having Sensei and your friends?”

“Not at all!”

I heard a voice from behind me and when I looked back, it was Tsugumi-kun.

I patted Tsugumi-kun’s head.

“Well done! That a boy!”

“Yeah!”

I smiled at Tsugumi-kun, then looked at Kirishima-sensei. He no longer looked like a demon. The man hung his head and cast his eyes downward.

“Everyone loves Sensei tremendously.”

“......”

“I think it’s really nice that there are teachers who love their students and students who love their teacher.”

“...Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Sensei remained silent for a long while. Eventually, he spoke absently,

“It’s possible that I might be a very lucky person... ”

“...Yes.”

It was as I nodded. A light shone from behind. When I looked back, a bright light was shining through the gaps in the classroom door directly behind me. When I opened the door, it was midday outside.

Although it was dark inside here until just now, it didn’t seem blinding in the slightest. Just outside the door was a meadow rather than a corridor. Beautiful, soft green grass went on forever and the area was drenched in a downpour of brilliant light.

‘Wow...’ the children softly exclaimed.

Sensei looked outside in awe, then looked around the inside of the classroom.

“—Everyone, should we go on another field trip?”

There was a small shout of joy.

“Are we going on the bus?”

It was Mariko-chan who asked so uneasily.

“No, we won’t use the bus. We’re all going to walk there.”

“That’s a relief, then, Sensei.”

“Yeah. It’ll be okay.”

Smiling, Kirishima-sensei walked towards the door. I stepped aside just a bit and vacated the space. Sensei stood beside the door.

“Let’s go! —The smaller children should hold hands with their upperclassmen. Watch your step and don’t fall behind!”

‘Okay!’ they responded cheerfully.

Then, the children left the classroom one after another. Some of the children ran out by themselves and others grabbed the hands of the smaller children.

Sensei watched over them, and then he held out his hand toward Ayano-chan, who had held onto my hand and didn’t let go until the end.

“Ayano, too. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Ayano-chan released my hand and took ahold of Sensei’s. She looked back and waved her tiny hand.

“Bye-bye, Onee-chan!”

“Bye-bye!”

Kirishima-sensei bowed his head slightly. Immediately after, he tugged on Ayano-chan’s hand and exited the classroom. The door closed. —Then I was left behind inside the classroom.

Dust had accumulated on the floor and covered the desks and chairs. That was all that remained within the classroom. The deserted space was fully saturated in the pale light of the moon.

I cried a little just then, but it definitely wasn’t because I was in pain.

===<center>4</center>===

I went out into the corridor and stopped for a moment. I stared at the closed window.

When I gently reached out my hand and tried to move it, it creaked, but opened a little regardless. The gentle night breeze drifted in. I was greeted by the smell of wet grass.

I smiled complacently and this time opened the window with all my might. The old, hard to open window got caught, but opened wide nonetheless.

“Hehehe...”

The school yard was also drenched in a downpour of moonlight and was very bright.

I climbed out onto the window frame.

“Aiiee!”

I shouted and jumped off into the school yard.

I landed somehow and immediately started running. I ran through the wet grass, then looked back.

My eyes swept over the entirety of the wooden schoolhouse.

The tiled roof appeared silver in the moonlight. The windows looked like black holes and the walls were gray. A pleasant breeze was blowing. There was the high-pitched hum of insects.

“Oi!”

At the same time as the voice cried out, the second floor window loudly shattered and fell.

“Ehh?”

Accompanying the wild shout, Bou-san’s figure appeared from the window frame.

“Bou-san!”

As I waved my hand, something troubling occurred to me.

—Would he do that?

“What’s up?”

“I’m thinking about the problem of age and method.”

Bou-san’s voice carried a long way.

“What’s that?”

“Oh well, nevermind.”

As soon as I said this, he lightly climbed over the window frame. Of course, before I could tell him it wasn’t something an old man should do, he jumped from the second floor window. Certainly, it was the proper execution for the method, but he lost points for staggering upon landing.

“My, you’re still young, aren’t you?”

When I heard this and looked, Yasuhara-san’s face appeared from a window at the end of the second floor.

Bou-san looked back at the school building.

“Yo, why don’t you show me the skills of a true young man?”

“Eeeh? You expect me to jump down, too?”

“You’re young, aren’t you?”

“Will you catch me?”

“I refuse.”

“What kind of shameful things are you doing?”

Ayako called this out as her face appeared from a window on the first floor.

“Yay! Ayako! Long time no see!”

“It really was a long time, huh? I was wondering where you disappeared to.”

I laughed.

“I didn’t disappear. You’re the one who was gone, Ayako!”

“Don’t quibble!”

“Ahahaha!”

It’s the truth, though!

The door to the entry hall opened. Naru was the first to come out from there. When I waved, he looked away in seeming indifference. —Tch.

Following him out was Lin-san’s tall figure.

“Lin-san, you too, long time no see!”

When I called out, he stopped as if a little startled, then nodded to me. Next, Masako came out with quick little steps.

“Mai!”

“Yoo-hoo, Masako! How have you been?”

“What in the world happened? It’s you who I should be asking—”

Masako started to say this, then stopped walking. It seemed like she was going to come running over here, but she changed direction and rushed over to Naru. Such is why a woman’s friendship is fragile.

“Mai-san, were you alright?”

Saying that, John jumped down from a first floor window and actually rushed over to me.

John is truly kind. *tears*

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

“I’m glad. —Everyone, too.”

I looked around at the figures coming over in small groups.

Ayako and Yasuhara-san, who had given up on jumping out the window, came out from the entry hall.

—With that, everyone was together.

“So then? Who did it?”

Everyone tilted their heads at Bou-san’s words.

Hehehe. Only I know that.

“Seeing that you asked that, I guess it wasn’t you, Takigawa-san.”

Bou-san choked at Yasuhara-san’s words.

“It definitely wasn’t you, Shōnen.”

“If I did it, wouldn’t that cause everyone to lose face?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“It couldn’t possible have been… Shibuya-san. Seeing as he’s walking and standing all right like this.”

Naru lightly shrugged his shoulders.

“I would confess, however it was not me, either.”

This was said by Masako.

“I do not think it was Lin-san or Brown-san, either. It was a purification rather than an exorcism. Since I saw the light of purification.”

John nodded.

“Indeed. I couldn’t do anything.”

Then, everyone’s gaze turned to Ayako.

Of course, I’m a good-for-nothing…*mumble mumble*

“Me!?”

After opening her eyes wide, Ayako pointed at herself.

“Tch, no! There aren’t any trees I can rely on in this area.”

There was a momentary pause. Then, glances were exchanged.

Hey, why are you ignoring me?

“...there’s only one person left.”

This was said by Yasuhara-san.

“No way! I vote that they purified themselves.”

Ayako was the one who said this hateful thing.

“Well, are we going back?”

So cruel! *sob* Even Bou-san!

Then, while walking in the direction of the car, Bou-san ruffled my hair. Ayako and Masako also patted my back. Next were John and Yasuhara-san’s smiling faces and Lin-san’s auspicious smile. And then Naru spoke a single phrase.

“...Thanks for the hard work.”

—Well, whatever.


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