Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 7 Chapter 7 (section)

===4===

Naru and I escaped into the nearest classroom, which was a place that had been cleansed by Bou-san previously. It should be safe for the time being, at least.

Once I stepped into the classroom, I collapsed immediately onto the floor. I clutched the vajra in my hand, and hugged myself tightly; tears flowed uncontrollably down.

“What should we do…?”

Even though I already knew it was a hopeless situation…

“What should we do…?”

Naru’s cool voice resounded,

“Who was that person? There should be another person who can drive for it to be right, because we have two vehicles. That person should be with those children; we cannot leave the children alone.”

“Yes, but why? Do you mean to say we’ve forgotten about the existence of that person?”

“—it looks to be like that.”

We still had another companion. – I started searching the depths of my memory.

But I felt there was a fog blocking it, making me unable to see clearly. I could only feel that for a long time we’ve been working together with somebody, gathering experiences together, arguing and laughing together.

“We accepted the Village Chief’s request to come here to perform exorcisms, and then we met the children on the way and requested that they show us the way. In the end all of us were sealed in together—”

“It looks like that’s what happened—”

“Although it appears like we’ve left the five children alone and gone off to perform exorcisms, this is not possible. In reality there should be still one person left behind.”

“Yeah, that is definitely the case. That we just left the children alone is a completely ridiculous idea, it’s definitely impossible that we’ve done that.”

“If that’s the case, then I think that other person should have some rather incredible powers, someone who is at least around the level of a monk. He should be staying with the children.”

“That should be the case.”

“Can that person drive—?”

Naru’s voice suddenly triggered my memory.

(It’s me)

The voice that awakened had a different tone, he appeared to have a Kansai accent.

“—it’s John!”

“Right – the one left behind is John.”

“But—wait, does John know how to drive? I feel like I’ve remembered something wrongly.”

“Didn’t you just say it yourself?”

“I said it – but I feel like there’s still something else.”

“If it is as we thought, there are 5 children below. Things like, ‘John knows how to drive’, can John himself, you and I believe that?”

“Indeed”, Naru said softly. 

“There are a total of 8 people in our party, inferring from the number of cups there are.”

“—Yeah.”

“But there are 5 children downstairs. You and I and the monk make 3, making a total of 8. If we add John, then there are too many.”

“Yeah – that’s true.”

“If that’s the case, then John is very likely to have been substituted for the children downstairs.”

– Indeed, John and 4 children stayed downstairs, and then the children found a way to make John vanish, then use another child to substitute his presence.

“But—if that’s the case—”

“Yes—if that’s the case, it probably isn’t John alone who had disappeared, there’re still 5 others who have been substituted by that group of children.”

“– Ah!”

“We were a party of 8, without a single child. Of our party, 5 people have been substituted—”

Myself, Naru, Bou-san, and amongst the 5, there was John and—

“—Masako and Ayako.”

“Yasuhara and Lin.”

– So that was the truth: Masako, who vanished with the lighter; Yasuhara, who was engulfed in flames in the classroom; Lin-san, who vanished in the corridor; and that malicious prank, ‘Congratulations, Ayako-san!’…

“—It’s Kirishima Hiroki (?)(桐岛裕紀)!”

Naru suddenly spoke.

“—Who?”

“Didn’t you see the photocopy of the newspaper? It’s the name of the teacher who died.”

“What about Kirishima-sensei?”

“He is the source of the phenomenon that we are in now. The person pulling the strings behind the scene is Kirishima. There isn’t any other possibility. If there were only the children, would they do this kind of thing? To set a trap and make us vanish one by one; and to make us lower our guard, send the children one by one into our company? This is definitely not the will of the children, nor should it be a plan that can be made by a child. – It is controlled by Kirishima behind the scenes.”

“Kirishima-sensei – then does that mean the epicenter is the teacher’s tea room?”

“It’s very dangerous to decide on that immediately like that. Anyhow, the probability of it being on the first floor is very high. If we want to catch him, he’s probably in the commonly used classroom or tea room.”

“Yeah—”

If we were to perform an exorcism in either location—but, how should we do it?

This, I definitely could not allow Naru to perform, although I did not think I could do it myself.

“—we can only choose between you and me to do it.”

“I can’t let Naru do it!”

“Then Mai, you want to try?”

“You think that—I, I can do it?”

“Exorcism is indeed very difficult.”

– As expected!

“Persuade him!”

“—Ai?”

“Go and persuade Kirishima. I can’t communicate with spirits. If it’s you there’s a possibility that it can be done.”

“Persuade him? Can I do that?”

The moment this sentence left my mouth I could feel the person beside me laugh.

“Yes, if you use the temper you usually use to scold me.”

– Ha?

“Then let me try!”

“Let’s go to the first floor. It’s easier to link with the spirits there. I’ll use a signal to help you enter a spirit state.”

“Spirit state?”

“It’s a state where it is easier to find spirits. Mediums and other (psychic users) go into this state during summoning.”

“—Got it.”

I felt Naru’s hand touch my wrist. His hand reached out and clasped my palm. Although the surroundings were chilly, the hand that held me was warm.

“Let’s go down. Don’t let go!”

“Yeah!”

Hand in hand, the two of us stood up. The vajra held in my right hand reminded me –

“Ne, do you think everyone will be alright?”

Naru replied in a low tone,

“This, I don’t know either.”

“This is for you.”

I handed the Vajra in Naru’s direction. Naru’s right hand continued holding me, his other hand reached out to receive the Vajra.

“What—?”

He couldn’t tell from feeling it.

“It was Bou-san’s. He threw it to Naru just now.”

Naru took the Vajra.

“—Is that so?!”

“What?”

“Nothing much, it looks like I’ve underestimated Bou-san!”

– Whatever.

“We can still make it!”

“Ai?”

“Anyway, let’s go to the first floor first.”

“—Yeah!”