Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 5 Chapter 2 (section)

===4===

“Where do you want the camera to be placed?”

Everyone asked while we hefted the video recorder while walking.

“In any case, use our living quarters as the center, then gradually expand the radius to ascertain a circle of safety.”

Bou-san, apparently very frustrated, spoke loudly.

“Hey hey, if it is like this, how much time will it take to completely investigate this entire building?”

“This too can’t be helped. Or do you want to run away home, Takigawa-san?”

Withdrawing from the truth presented by Naru, Bou-san hugged his head.

“… I’m sorry. It is my mistake, can you speak to me as you normally do, OK?”

An extremely sarcastic smile appeared on Naru’s face.

“Because this time it might develop into a long battle, this too cannot be helped, right?”

Really, Bou-san who spoke softly turned to look at me.

“Right, Mai. I’ve always wanted to ask you, do your parents say anything with you not being at home for such a long period of time?”

… What are you still saying at this point in time?

“You don’t attend school too, right? You’ll get reprimanded by your teacher like this.”

“I say, you’re asking me this only at this point in time? We’ve already known each other for over a year, right?”

“No, I’ve always wanted to ask you.”

“There isn’t anyone whom I have to account to at home.”

“Oya, you’ve such a complicated family environment.”

“Yeah. Because I am an orphan.”

Silence~~

It was like the scene had frozen solid. Everyone’s gaze had centered on me. Oya?

Bou-san nervously asked.

“Orphan?”

“Yeah. It is just like that.”

“Uncles and Aunts etc?”

“Not a single one. I am an unfortunate girl without any relatives. Did I shock you all?”

“… I’m shocked.”

My father did not have any relatives; my mother, too, did not have any relatives. 

I’ve really lost to them. Because they are two such careless people. When both persons have no relatives, doesn’t it mean that early death runs in both families? Did you not notice even this type of thing, the pair of you?

Look, not only did my father die before I knew him, my mother too passed away while I was in secondary school. Really, ai~~

If it weren’t for a kind hearted teacher who let me board at his place, I would have ended up on the streets as a secondary school student.

“… and then?”

Bou-san asked.

“What?”

“How do you live now?”

“Ah ah. I currently earn my own living. That’s very incredible right?”

“Incredible…”

“I’m exempted from paying school fees. Our school is very kind to poor students. My living expenses depend on my scholarship and the money I get from wages. Because my salary has increased recently, my life has become more comfortable~~.”

He~ he~ he. I’ve bought a heater this winter~~. Even when I already have a kotatsu at home~~.

Bou-san suddenly hugged my head.

“Hey hey hey~~!”

“You can cry in my arms.”

What is he thinking – this Bou-san?

“I don’t need to, can you let go?”

“You can tell me at any time whenever you feel tired of life. I will willingly marry you.”

“Do you mean to say that you want to give me a regular job?”

Or rather is the job as a musician in a recording studio a regular job~? I’ve never heard that that job had annual leave or a pension or anything, so it shouldn’t be (a regular job).

“Not cute at all.”

Bou-san rapped my head once with a boo.

“Sorry. Because my life has been too hard my personality has flaws. Ah ah, I hate this world…”

Pretending to cry, boo hoo, my head sustained another hit. Whatever~~

“Your school only allows you to work because it is like this?”

“Yeah. From the start our school allows students to work. In my case, because it is to survive, my school has given me leave.”

He~ he~ he~.

Bou-san nodded.

“If when you oversleep, you tell the school you’ve gone to work…”

“Yeah yeah. I can take leave whenever I like~~.”

After I said that, I thought: crap. There were cold looks around me.

“So that’s the truth, you’re doing this to play truant. … you’ll turn stupid like that.”

It wasn’t Naru, but Bou-san who said that; but because even his accent imitated Naru’s very closely, I couldn’t help laughing out loud – despite Naru standing at one side with a blank expression.

With the corner of the second floor which was our living quarters as the center, there were 4 night vision cameras and automatic temperature recorders placed around. And besides that, there were 12 microphones set up all around. After the Mansion Explorer Team trio of Bou-san, John and Yasuhara left with tape measures and compasses to construct a floor plan, we adjusted the equipment at base. Even if it was only adjusting the cables, deciding and checking the camera angles, it was soon nearly twilight.

That day, we did not know what the other psychics were doing. After we had dinner we had a meeting at our base; then after exorcising and cleansing each room we went to bed early.

Although Naru was adamant about us not conducting investigations at night, the others apparently continued investigating deep into the night.