Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 8 Chapter 8 (section)

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“...wait.”

I called out without thinking.

“Please wait, Kirishima-sensei!”

He looked back.

“It’s no use. Don’t do that.”

He walked towards me in the dark passage. A shadow fell over his face and his expression appeared somewhat cruel. I never would have guessed that he was a gentle teacher until just a moment ago.

“...don’t take them there. Both you and the children are dead.”

He came close to me.

“Please understand. All of you are already dead. Even if you take them there, it will only be painful, you won’t find comfort. They can’t go home and they won’t be able to see their mothers. Only pain remains and it won’t get any better...!”

His hands reached out and caught ahold of my shoulders. He grasped both my shoulders with such force that my bones cracked, then he turned me sideways with all his might.

“Sensei!”

I was forced to turn sideways, and then there was a classroom before me. 

I stood in front of the classroom’s blackboard. There were eighteen desks in the classroom and the children were seated at them.

“I’m going to introduce a transfer student.”

As Sensei said this, I looked back at him. A bright, warm smile appeared on his face.

“This is Taniyama Mai-san. Everyone, get along well!”

‘Yes!’ they all replied in unison, then laughed.

“Taniyama-san’s seat is right there. Saori, please look after her.”

‘Yes!’ answered the oldest girl. Sensei nudged my back and I was pushed into the classroom. All the children appeared extremely happy.

“Taniyama-san is much older than everyone, so if you have any troubles, please speak with her. —Taniyama-san also, please take care of everyone.”

I sat in a small chair. Saori-chan grinned beside me.

“...Sensei, this is no use. Something like this, don’t...”

I looked up at a small girl standing beside Kirishima-sensei.

“Sensei, there’s exactly forty people here, right?”

Sensei patted the girl’s head.

“Excellent! You were able to count it properly.”

“Yeah!”

‘Sensei,’ one of the other children called out to Kirishima-sensei.

“If we get anymore, can we have another class?”

“That’s right! We can divide it into two groups soon.”

“Then we can play dodgeball between the classes, right?”

“That’s right!”

“But, what about the teacher? If we have two classes and one teacher, it will be strange.”

“It’s okay.”

Sensei smiled.

“Because there are people who can become teachers.”

“Really?”

“Really. Soon, the teachers will increase. Then we’ll have to make a staff room.”

“Awesome! Wouldn’t it be nice if the school got full soon, Sensei?”

“It would!”

I watched the conversation between Sensei and the students with sadness.

...the sudden tragedy. The lonely school that sad hearts created. Since the school was lonely, it would be good if it became filled with students and because there were no longer any new students, it would at the very least be filled with transfer students. The children were sad and alone, hungry and thirsty. Because I understood these feelings, it was so painful I wanted to cry.

“Kirishima-sensei, please stop this!”

Sensei looked over at me with puzzlement.

“Please stop this already. Even if the school building fills up, the loneliness will never end. The reason everyone’s lonely isn’t because there aren’t enough students. It’s because they’re no longer living.”

“...what are you talking about?”

Sensei smiled. His eyes took on a disquieting hue.

“Everyone is already dead. The bus was in an accident on the way back from the field trip and everyone died. Even if you pretend to forget, everyone remembers. So it will always be painful. No matter how much you increase your friends, no matter how lively the school becomes, it can’t heal the loneliness of not being able to live anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I understand Sensei’s feelings. The sudden death of these small children. Even though their future and dreams should have existed, they were all cut off. They were scared, in pain, dying. I can understand your feelings for wanting to do this, but as long as you do this, it will continue to be painful. Even for the transfer students you bring in, it will be just as painful.”

“Taniyama-san, you’re a bit of a strange child, aren’t you?”

“Please stop this already! Everyone, remember!”

I looked around at all the children, who were staring at me. The students had increased to thirty-nine without me noticing. 

“There was a terrible accident. Because of this, everyone died.”

Suddenly, a boy in a seat at the front burst into tears. Then, as if contagious, the other children began to cry as well.

“You’re in pain, right? You’re sad, right? But, the transfer students you took are in pain, too. In order to not be in pain, you have to go to the other side of the bridge. If you [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume8_Translator's_Notes#Sanzu_River|cross the river]], all the pain and suffering will disappear. Even if you increase your friends, the pain will not go away.”

The inside of the classroom was filled with weeping and voices calling out, ‘It hurts!’ I felt like a bully, but I had to do this in order to alleviate everyone’s pain.

“Is there anyone who’s gone home? Anyone who’s seen their mother and father?”

My arm was grabbed with an intense force.

“You’re a cruel child.”

“It isn’t cruel.”

“It is cruel. Everyone’s crying so much. Don’t you think it’s pitiful!?”

“I think it’s pitiful to forever remain this way without change!”

Even if they want to go home, they can’t go home. Even if they want to see someone, they can’t see that person. It’s because they’re dead. All these children are dead. Therefore, they can’t go home no matter how much they wish to. They can’t see their mother and father.

“My mother and father also died. I’d be very sad if they were trapped somewhere like this. I don’t mind if they forget about me because I want them to cross over the bridge quickly and be at ease. Therefore, I want everyone to be at ease, too.”

The room was filled with crying. See, they could not forget. Like this, it would always be painful.

“It’s a lie!”

Kirishima-sensei loudly raised his voice.

“It’s a lie that we’re died! Don’t believe it!”

“Sensei, stop it!”

Suddenly, something flew at me. I felt it cut my body. There weren’t any injuries, but there was a piercing pain that made my whole body numb.

“Sensei, please understand!”

“Shut up! The students and I are fine like this!!”

Something came flying at me with great force. I was nearly sent flying. I was forced out into the corridor and the moment I hit the wall, I heard Naru’s voice.

“Mai!! Come back!!”

—Go back? Go back where?

“Remember your body!”


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