Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 8 Chapter 8 (section)

===<center>1</center>===
“...there’s no one here anymore.”

Naru gave me a small smile as I raised my eyes to stare fixedly at his white face.

“Look closely.”

Saying that, his white hand pointed towards one of the walls. The wall he pointed at became transparent.

I stared intently. Not only the wall, but also the floor and just about everything became transparent. Only the thin outline of the classroom remained within the darkness. Several lights were flying there.

“There are a great deal of will-o’-the-wisps gathering in the first floor waiting room...”

“Yeah. They’re in there right now. Do you see anything else?”

“They’re moving around unsteadily.”

Small, white will-o’-the-wisps were drifting around the first floor corridor. Upon counting the number, there were twenty-one.

“And then?”

After he asked me, I questioned him in return.

“And then?”

“What else?”

I surveyed my surroundings once again. I noticed a few bright lights were visible.

The light that was immediately visible was tinged pink. When I looked more closely, I could see a figure within the light. It was my figure sitting there.

I could see a faint red light in the classroom next door. I could also see a figure within that light.

“...Bou-san.”

Bou-san was in the room next door. He was leaning on the wall and appeared to be contemplating something.

“...he’s alive…?”

The moment I said that, an image passed through my mind. I made my way half-way up the stairs. Even though I looked up the stairs, there was no one there. Even when I searched the second floor, there was no one there.

..hmm.

I looked over at Naru, who was smiling beside me.

“Perhaps, to Bou-san, we’re the ones who disappeared?”

“Right.”

“Well then, is it like that for everyone? John and Masako… everyone?”

“That’s right. Probably.”

Naru’s voice was very gentle.

When I turned my gaze toward the first floor, several figures were visible in the entry hall. John was pacing around while reciting something. Naru was sitting against the wall. Yasuhara-san was sitting next to him. Masako was standing on the opposite side. Each of them was encircled by a faint light. For the most part, it was a white light, however, it was very lightly colored.

I could see Ayako and Lin-san walking in the first floor corridor. Ayako was walking from the back. Lin-san was walking to the back. They nearly collided, quickly overlapped, and passed by each other.

“Huh...”

When I pointed, Naru nodded.

“Everyone is here.  However, they’re not aware of each other’s existence.”

“I see...”

I was so happy, I wanted to cry. Everyone was fine. No one was missing.

“What should I do now?”

After I asked, he put a hand on my shoulder.

“It’s about time you learned to do it on your own.”

“Does that mean I shouldn’t ask?”

“No, that’s not it. —Have you calmed down yet?”

“...yeah.”

“This place is still safe for a little while. So don’t worry and try it again.”

“Again?”

Naru nodded.

“Right. Come out by yourself without being drawn out by me.”

...come out without being drawn out…

“Then, you’ve been making me dream this whole time?”

...is that possibly what he’s implying? Is that how it is?

Naru didn’t reply. His beautiful smile returned.