Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 1 (section)

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Returning to the base, the rack was assembled on the veranda in the front room. When Ayako and Bou-san returned from seeing to Hazuki-chan’s well-being, the pair also helped carry the large amount of equipment. While we talked idly, by the time we finished the setup and check, it had become quite dark outside.

Afterwards, Akifumi-san guided us to a tatami mat room in the corner of the shop. When we were shown inside the wide, elegant room, four men were seated at a long table. One of them was Taizou-san, the father we met with the grandmother. Taizou-Ojisan was wearing white chef’s clothes. So that meant the meal would be made by Ojisan.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. It would be greatly appreciated.”

He politely bowed his head and guided us to the head seats. All these unnecessary kindnesses such as the hanging scrolls, flower arrangements, etc., are extremely uncomfortable for me. I would have been fed up if we had to sit in seiza, but fortunately, it turned out that we would be sitting at a table with recessed floors for our legs —relief.

Taizou-Ojisan introduced us to the men who were there. The somewhat older, plump man wearing a suit was Kazuyasu-san, the eldest son. The burly man wearing jeans and a t-shirt was Yasutaka-san, the second son. The man wearing the same chef’s clothing as Taizou-Ojisan was Eijirou-san, the son-in-law. They all seemed to be just past thirty. They’re all somewhat depressed looking, but them sitting here in descending order of sizes large, medium, and small was a little funny.

With only this many, I thought it was unimpressive, but then four woman carrying dishes came in. The brisk woman wearing a kimono was the mother Hiroe-san. The calm seeming woman was Youko-san, Kazuyasu-san’s wife. The really strong-willed looking woman, third from the front, was the eldest daughter Teruka-san. The fourth cool seeming, young woman, was the youngest daughter Nao-san.

Now there are even more people involved. I wonder if I can properly remember who is who… (anxiety)

“Shibuya-san, would you like sake?”

Taizou-Ojisan asked Naru.

“No. Neither Lin nor I drink.”

In addition to that, you're a minor.

“Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san, is it okay?”

Hearing this, Bou-san smiled.

“It’s greatly appreciated.”

So, you’re a heavy drinker. Ayako also smiled. I wonder if she drinks alot. Not surprisingly, we’ve never drank together.

“Taniyama-san?”

“No way!”

I’m a minor!

Of how many number of dishes that came out in turn, I took notice of Lin-san’s bowl, which was suddenly sitting next to me. Somewhat, only Lin-san’s food was different. Thinking this, I looked over the table. Naru’s was also different. Evidently, only Naru and Lin-san were served different dishes.

“Why is Lin-san’s food different?”

When I asked that in a low voice, Hiroe-Obasan, who had just set down the bowl, replied,

“We heard that Shibuya-san and Lin-san don’t eat meat, so we took the liberty of changing the menu, but... was that not right?”

“Huh? You don’t eat meat, Lin-san?”

This was a surprise. Come to think of it, since they always left behind a lot of food, I thought Lin-san and Naru had an unbalanced diet.

“You’re a vegetarian? You don’t eat meat at all?”

Lin-san nodded expressionlessly.

“It isn’t good to not eat meat. That’s why you’re skinny, Lin-san.”

Hiroe-obasan smiled softly and asked,

“Shall we bring a little something? After you came all this way to the seaside.”

Lin-san lightly bowed his head.

“During investigations, we will abstain from meat for the purpose of religious purification.”

<p>&#42;gasp* Amazing. Naru and Lin-san had left food behind with such deep consideration. I thought they were simply being stubborn because it was their personality.</p>

Truly, the world is profound.

“Spiritualists are very serious, aren’t they?”

When Taizou-ojisan said that admiringly, I didn't miss as Bou-san and Ayako fixed their eyes on their plates self-consciously  ...HaHaHa.

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We questioned the male and female camps about various things, however, not being able to gather anything, we withdrew to the base. In the base, the data that was being sent from the equipment in various places was shown by the lonely monitors.

“Abnormalities?”

Naru asked Lin-san, who sat in front of the equipment.

“Currently, there are none. I’ll check the previous results.”

Shown by the monitor screens were the corridor of the main building, Hazuki-chan’s room, the shop corridor, the cove side spare room, and five locations in the coast side spare rooms. There were no abnormalities in any of the videos.

“Do you think there will be activity tonight?

When I asked that, Naru answered while continuing to look at the screens,

“Well, there aren’t a lot clues about what exactly is happening. We’ll try going to the local library tomorrow. —Bou-san.”

“What's up?”

“Set up a barrier around Hazuki-chan for the night...”

As he started to say that, Akifumi-san came in with tools for making tea.

"Thank you for your hard work.”

He had arranged the teapot and electric kettle for us. While he was making tea, he said,

“Taniyama-san, that was unfortunate.”

Huh?

“Thirteen people. Were you disappointed by the small number of people?”

Ahaha, that’s it?

“Well, not really. But, I thought it would be more lively.”

“Normally, my brothers alone are more lively, but… recently they’ve been really gloomy.”

“Of course, when there is worry, you’ll definitely become gloomy, right?”

When I said that, Akifumi-san gave a mixed smile.

“Who was the son-in-law, again? Eijirou-san? He seemed like he was in somewhat of a bad mood, didn’t he?”

It felt like he was somewhat irritated. I was a little scared.

“I agree. I wonder what happened, suddenly.”

“Suddenly?”

Akifumi-san nodded.

“It may be nothing, but… Both Kuzu-niisan and Eijirou-niisan help with the shop, so they generally have good manners since manners are essential for the business. That was the first time I saw Eijirou-niisan with such a sullen expression.”

Naru frowned.

“In other words, Eijirou-san generally isn’t the sort of person to have such a sullen expression in public?”

“Yes. He might get angry, but until now, he’s never shown it in his expression. At least, that was the first time I had seen it on his face.”

“Kazuyasu-san, also?”

“Yes. Kuzu-niisan has seemed on edge these past two or three days. Yasu-niisan seems so also. Yasu-niisan is probably the worst. When he’s in public he restrains himself a little, but by nature he’s a very cheerful man. To the extent that he used to be scolded by our parents.”

...eeeh.

“How long has Yasutaka-san’s personality been different?”

“I think since the day of grandfather’s funeral. Even though I asked why, he won’t say.”

“Is there anyone else with changes in their personality?”

Akifumi-san was thoughtful for a moment.

“Youko-neesan.”

Now, which woman was she?

“The strong-willed looking one?”

“No, that’s Teruka. Teruka-neesan is the most strong-willed in nature of the family.”

“Then, the calm seeming one?”

“Yes. No, she’s a calm person by nature, but...”

“But?”

Asked by Naru, Akifumi-san replied,

“If I were to say whose personality changed the most of the family, it would be the children above all. There are another two in addition to Hazuki. Katsuki and Hazuki are the children of Kazu-niisan. Teruka-neesan’s child is Wakako. Katsuki and Wakako are strange. The pair are being secretive lately.”

When I tilted my head to the side, Akifumi-san smiled in a troubled fashion.

“How can I say this… Originally, they weren’t like that, however, recently they’ve been sticking close and won’t be separated from each other. On top of that, the pair talk secretively between themselves all the time. When I ask what they’re talking about, they exchange looks then run away...”

Hmm…

“This has also been about since grandfather’s funeral. The funeral was so hectic, there wasn’t time to be concerned about the children. In the last two or three days, it’s suddenly gotten to a state to be concerned about.”

“I see...”

Naru contemplated the situation.

A family who changed… I wonder what’s going on in this house…

Soon after, I was told to fix the angle of a camera that was placed in a room on the coast side, and I left the base. Upon entering the corridor, it was pitch black. Farther down, the light from the emergency lamp could be seen, which meant all of the electricity was off.

“Huh?”

I wonder if they turned it off to conserve electricity. I just had to go to the room diagonally opposite and, without thinking deeply, I began to walk. For now, it wasn’t dark enough that I couldn’t walk.

It was when I walked half-way. A faint voice came from somewhere along the dark and long corridor. I was surprised and stopped walking. The voice seemed faint like breathing. I looked around my surroundings, but they were obscured by the dark. Once again, just as I was thinking I might have imagined it, there came a voice like a faint whisper.

My heart was pounding. Once again, I looked around carefully. Then I noticed a lump on the corridor wall a short distance away towards the corridor of the main building. The lump was around waist height and about the size of a soccer ball.

“...san”

A quiet, secretive voice reached my ears.

“Is someone there…?”

Something thin extended from the lump, beckoning several times.

“...Oneesan.”

A child? Is it a child? The voice seemed like that of a child. When I looked harder, the lump seemed to be a child’s head. But, the corridor is straight, so there’s no turning point there.

“...Oneesan...”

Frightened by the whispering voice, I was just about to return to the base, and then I remembered there were lattice doors lined up along the walls. They were probably leaning out from inside the lattice door.

I took a breath of relief, then began to walk toward the child.

“Who is it?”

The child was beckoning. They came out into the corridor. One— Two people.

When I approached, it was definitely children. A boy and girl dressed in summer pajamas. They were either first graders in elementary school or below. In that case, these children were probably Katsuki-kun and Wakako-chan. Wakako-chan was just a little bigger.

“What’s wrong? You’re Katsuki-kun and Wakako-chan, right?”

When I stopped in front of them and asked, the pair stared at me. They whispered something to each other secretively. Then Wakako-chan said, 

“...how many of you are there?”

That was what I heard.

“Eh?”

Wakako-chan repeated it to include bite.

“How many are there?”

“There are five of us.”

I was getting ready to ask them if it was okay for them to be up this late at night when the pair began whispering again.

“...five people...”

“That’s a lot...”

“...that’s bad....”

I very faintly heard these words. They were discussing something secretly. Then, they abruptly turned away in unison. They began to walk toward the main building.

“Wait a minute. What’s wrong?”

Wakako-chan looked back.

“Five, right?”

“That’s right. Hey, what’s up?”

“It’s really nothing you need to worry about.”

Laughing quietly, they scurried away.

Dumbfounded, I vacantly watched the direction where the pair had disappeared for a short while.

...What was this uneasiness? I didn’t know what was so strange in particular, but… I could understood why it seemed difficult for Akifumi-san to talk about it. It was difficult to convey this feeling to others. Still, something was very strange…

I breathed out and attempted to go fix the camera angle. That was when it happened.

—Screams could be heard from the end of the corridor.

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