Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume4 Chapter3 (section)

=== 1 ===

On the second day, we collected the equipment from the classrooms where no changes were recorded, and added them primarily to the LL classroom, with the remainder going to the Printing Room and the Sickbay.

We bustled around the school compound where lessons were still going on, collecting and checking the data. We also discussed our next move and our plans for exorcisms.

I, ordered to collect tapes, stormed out of the Meeting Room.

I was furious and did not plan to follow Naru’s orders just now. Yeah, forget it. It’s more relaxing to run errands.

I jogged in the corridor; just as I was about to cross the terrace, “How’s it going? Is the exorcism complete?” an unexpected voice addressed me. I turned back; it was Matsuyama.

Yuck. I’ve run into the irritating bastard.

“We are currently trying our very best.”

Matsuyama smiled crookedly.

“This morning a fire occurred.”

“Ah…”

“You lot are unable to exorcise a single spirit, are you?”

He’s right… all the exorcisms were failures.

I had no retort to that; Matsuyama continued speaking. “There aren’t any spirits to begin with. So mind your behavior, understand? It was all just a temporary hallucination on the part of the students. So hurry up and get lost.”

“There are flaws in your argument, Sensei.”

“What?!”

“You bastard, do you believe in existence of spirits, or not? Could you spell that out for me?” Although that was what I thought, “it’s no use to preach to pigs”. I gently lowered my head.

“Nothing. Excuse me.”

I hurried away; Matsuyama bellowed behind me, “You are mesmerized by spirits and other nonsense, and you even end up skiving! Do you want me to tell you what would happen to people who blindly follow foolish superstitions?!”

I turned back. What did he want to say? It couldn’t be…

“What would happen?”

Matsuyama smiled.

“There was also such a person in our school. One who was fascinated by the occult and met a tragic end.”

“You are talking about… Sakauchi-kun?”

He was the first year student who committed suicide. He had written “ghost hunter” as his future aspiration.

“Be careful not to end up like him. Sakauchi is regretting it in the next world.”

“That’s saying, Sensei doesn’t think Sakauchi-kun’s death was regrettable?”

“What?”

“ ‘Such things happened because he was fascinated by nonsense, he got what he deserved.’ Is that what you mean?”

“Who said that?”

It was you…

“That was just what I understood from what I heard.”

All I heard were words delighting in the misfortune of others. Could such a person still be considered a teacher?

“What’s that, you… What’s that insolent attitude about?”

F**k…

“I still have work to do, excuse me.”

I nodded to him once more, turned and walked away from him.

Is there anything that can be said to one such as him?

“Hey, wait a second.”

The furious Matsuyama reached out.

I will hit you if you touch me!

At that moment, loud noises and the sound of many people screaming came from the classroom in front of me.

Immediately past the terrace was the Art Room.

I ran into that classroom. Matsuyama was right behind me.

“What happened?!”

I jumped in shock when the door opened.

All the students were standing. There were a few people squatting. Shards of broken glass littered the classroom - shards that were slightly curved and milky white. 

I looked to the ceiling.

There were 3 rows of 4 fluorescent lamps side by side. There was not a single fluorescent tube up there. 

“What happened?!” Matsuyama asked the students and the teacher who sat fallen on the teaching platform.

The fluorescent lights had fallen down. All the fluorescent lights in the classroom.

I suddenly recalled – immediately beneath this Art Room was the Geography Room.