Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 5 (section)

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Just as I ran toward the main building, I was immediately met by Bou-san and the others as they were returning.

“What’s wrong?”

“Kazuyasu-san... ”

What should I say?

“He attacked the base and fought with Lin-san… he escaped to the garden. I was told to get you, Bou-san.”

“—John, come on!”

“Alright!”

They ran off. Akifumi-san followed them. I stopped Ayako, who tried to follow thereafter.

“Go to the base! So it’s not attacked again!”

“What about you, Mai?”

“I’m going after them.”

My feet already started running.

“Wait—! Don’t go! Even if you go!”

“I’m weak, so there’s something only I can do!”

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I rushed into the garden and looked around the surrounding area. Where did Lin-san and Kazuyasu-san go!? The others, who were a little in front of me, were also looking around. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a whistle from the direction of the cape.

“Bou-san, over there!”

We ran. We ran through the large garden, and when we went around the teahouse, Lin-san’s figure became visible.

“Lin-san!”

Lin-san, who cast a glance in this direction, had a growing number of cuts. Kazuyasu-san could be seen hiding behind the shrubbery.

“Takigawa-san, watch yourself. He can use whirlwind sickles.”

“...damn.”

Kazuyasu-san growled in the back of his throat like a cornered beast. Lin-san and Bou-san slowly closed in on him. Out of breath and dizzy, I placed my hand against the hedgerow. I felt nauseous with tension and fatigue—

“Mai-san, are you alr...”

I didn’t hear the end of John’s words.

Suddenly, the scene lurched violently. It was distorted and twisted, and just as I clung to the hedgerow, I was pushed forcefully from behind.

—I’m falling!

My body became rigid. The scene was shaking and the surface of the water at the bottom of the cliff suddenly appeared in my field of view. The rocky stretch was washed by the waves and the waves bubbled pure white… I was going to crash. I could not live if I slammed into that.

Immediately, my field of view changed. The edge of the cliff was visible at my feet and then time stopped there. I was thrown into the air. The hedgerow was visible by the edge of the cliff, which I was slipping away from. Then, the figure of a person was there. As I grasped at edge of the hedgerow, the apathetic face that watched me fall away was…

“Mai-san!?”

John called me and brought me back to myself.

I didn’t fall. My hand was grasping the hedgerow as it should be. My feet were properly situated.... my knees collapsed and I sat down on the spot.

“Taniyama-san.”

Tears spilled in large drops.

“...Kazuyasu-san, you did it, didn’t you?”

Kazuyasu-san showed his face from among the shrubbery. He looked in my direction.

“You pushed Nao-san from here.”

Images surfaced in my mind. In an evening room, a birdcage was there and Kazuyasu-san thrusted his hand inside the cage. There were cries like the high-pitched scream of birds…

“It was you who killed the birds and dogs, too.”

In the garden. He was coming out of the garage. Katsuki-kun and Wakako-chan were watching him…

“You also tampered with the car... why are you doing all of this?”

My tears would not stop. Kazuyasu-san did those things, and yet he didn’t.

Bou-san quickly formed the sword seal.

“...who are you?”

Only a growl was heard from the shrubbery.

“What grudge do you bear to do something like this?”

A spray of blood went up like a burst of mist. A red wound appeared on Bou-san’s arm.

“Tell me who!”

A low laughter resounded from the shrubbery.

“Why do you want to release Naru?”

There was no reply. Only a chuckle reverberated from the shrubbery.

“What’s your purpose?”

Finally, a low voice replied.

“Death.”

Suddenly, he sprung out from the shrubbery where he was hiding and ran low through the garden. He was much faster than my eyes could follow. When my eyes caught up with the direction Kazuyasu-san had run, his figure was nowhere.

When I pushed down the hedgerow, there was only an expanse of sky fully bathed in light.

By the time I reached the hedgerow on the cove side, there was a figure floating in the pure white foam that stretched over the surface of the cove water. Akifumi-san stopped Bou-san who tried to rush off in order to bring him back to his senses.

“It’s already... too late.”

“But...”

After he said that, Bou-san exhaled and looked down.

The neck of that person, who floated face down in the foam, was bent at a very unusual angle. If anyone were to look, they would know that it was already too late. 

“Like this...”

People died even before this case. But, it wasn’t in front of my eyes.

“Not like this!”

Tears rapidly flooded my eyes and it was impossible to open them.

“What did we come here for!? We can’t do anything at all!!”

A painful sorrow filled my chest and it was impossible to even breathe or swallow. With this bitter thing caught in my throat, I thought I would surely suffocate. Someone stroked my back. A warm arm went around my shoulders.

“...it was nobody’s fault.”

It was Akifumi-san’s voice.

“It wasn’t Taniyama-san or Takigawa-san’s fault. It was nobody’s fault.”

I could not answer. I also couldn’t open my eyes. My head was down and I rubbed my forehead against the top of Akifumi-san’s shouldered.

“I know that you did everything you could.”

Still, it doesn’t make sense that people should have to die.

“I think I’m okay with this.”

...how...

When I raised my face, Akifumi-san was crying.

“Because at least my brother… lived without knowing what he had done.”

...what he had done. That he pushed his little sister and let her die…

I nodded. Even so, I couldn’t stop crying.