Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 1 (section)

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It was the evening of the following day when we arrived at the Yoshimi house, which was in Noto.

In the end, it was decided that Bou-san and Ayako would accompany us, so as usual, we crossed the simmering Japanese archipelago in two cars. Sheesh, it was a nauseating long journey.

The Yoshimi house was on a cape overlooking the Sea of Japan. From the road along the coast, a narrow side road extended through the forest to the seaside. Entering the road, an impressive building of Japanese construction immediately appeared. This was the Yoshimi house, a Japanese-style restaurant, which Akifumi-san’s family runs.

Akifumi-san, who had come back the previous day on an airplane, welcomed us and we were guided to the main building where the family lives. In the main building, which is connected to the restaurant by a corridor, was a tatami mat room in the very back.

In there, an old woman was sitting on a futon waiting.

“Grandmother, they’ve arrived.”

Saying so, Akifumi-san lead us into the tatami mat room.

“This is my grandmother.”

She was an old woman like a small guardian deity of children. She neatly placed her hands on top of the futon and deeply bowed her head.

“My name is Yoshimi Yae. I humbly beg you to look into our case.”

The grandmother is the actual requester— Akifumi-san and Hazuki-chan were the ones who came to the office of ‘Shibuya Psychic Research.’

“In truth, I should have gone to make the request, but as you can see, my health is somewhat impaired, so my grandson was sent as my proxy. I think even this was impolite, however, please pardon it.”

After Akifumi-san introduced us to his grandmother, there came a calm seeming man and a woman wearing a kimono who waited with tea. The man was Akifumi-san’s father Yoshimi Taizou-san, and the woman was his mother Yoshimi Hiroe-san.

The pair politely greeted us, and Naru lightly nodded in return.

“—I’d like to hear the details of the request again from grandmother.”

The grandmother nodded, pursing her mouth.

“...Where should I begin?”

Slightly tilting her head, she began talking.

“You’ll probably think this is foolish, but this house is cursed. A few days ago, my husband passed away...”

“My condolences.”

“No. He lived a long life. ...At any rate, there is a disquieting legend in the house of Yoshimi. It is said that accidents occur whenever there is a change of ownership...”

The grandmother frowned after saying this.

“It was also true in the previous generation— when my father passed away and my husband took over the house. After the death of the previous head, corpses from the family began appearing one after another. Gathered in a big house, relatives had been living merrily, then just like that the number of people had decreased and the house was empty.”

“Is that type of thing also happening now...?”

When Naru asked, the grandmother nodded.

“Yes. It was the same thing when the house was ceded to the previous generation from the generation before. Although, I don’t remember much since I was young at the time. However, among my six siblings, I alone survived. Because of that, I did not become anxious. Actually, that eczema began to form on Hazuki immediately in response to my husband’s death and in less than one week, it has become as it is now. Considering this, it doesn’t seem like an ordinary case. With regards to the bruises on her neck as well as the Kaimyou on her back, it seems as if someone is saying they’ll cut off Hazuki’s head.”

Saying so, the old woman fixed her gaze on Naru.

“Just as I had thought there was no option but to rely on people from another profession, I received a referral to you by a guest named Ohashi-sama.”

Ohashi-san was the man who came with the request of the previous incident.

While Naru took notes, he said,

“I’d like to hear about when the predecessor, your father, died. When was it?”

“It was thirty-two years prior to now.”

“Several people seem to have passed away, but do you remember the number and the causes of death?”

The grandmother nodded.

“There were eight people from this house. The five youngest of the seven children of this house, the oldest grandchild, my cousin, and my uncle. Half died in accidents, and the rest from illnesses with unknown causes.”

I looked around the Japanese-style room, which had begun to darken. There was a large Buddhist family altar by the grandmother’s bedside. Eight people from within the family. The heavy number of eight.

“From this house —that is to say, there are people who died in addition to the family?”

When Naru asked, the grandmother nodded.

“Two restaurant customers, in accidents...”

When Naru looked down at his notebook to brood, Akifumi-san’s mother Hiroe-obasan, who had been silently sitting beside the futon, spoke up.

“Mother, wouldn’t it be better to tell them everything?”

The grandmother looked down. Naru stared back at Hiroe-san.

“My mother… is worried whether all of you will return from here.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Three spiritualists died.”

‘I see,’ Bou-san muttered quietly.

“We invited two people from a spiritualist company, however, when they began their prayer, they soon died in accidents. The person we also invited after that died in an accident, too.”

When Hiroe-obasan said this, the grandmother nodded while still looking down.

“We would very much like your help, but considering the risk, it’s unreasonable...”

Bou-san interrupted Hiroe-obasan.

“If it’s too dangerous, we’ll desist and leave. We understand what’s involved. However, I’m not so cowardly that I’ll leave without seeing what I’m up against.”

“...Thank you.”

Bou-san smiled at Hiroe-obasan, who completely bowed her head.

“However, Naru-chan, it’ll be troublesome if customers are also in danger.”

Naru nodded. He spoke to Hiroe-obsan,

“Right now, are there any customers in the shop?”

“There aren’t any here. The restaurant has been closed since my father died. Mother...”

Hiroe-obsan stared at the grandmother.

“She absolutely insisted. Employees were also asked to take a vacation after the funeral ended. Only the family is in this building now.”

“I think that’s a sensible action.”

Naru nodded lightly. Then,

“Have you experienced any incidents, or seen anything strange?”

The one to reply was Akifumi-san.

“After grandfather’s funeral, it started with the death of grandmother’s hill myna, and over about three days, all the birds and dogs we had raised died. There were the two canary birds my niece had raised and the three dogs. The birds died in their cages, but the dogs were found washed up on the shore.”

Wow…

“Other than that?”

Akifumi-san looked at his mother. Hiroe-obsan replied,

“Some of the employees said they saw a ghost in part of the restaurant. It was peeking into a room from the window.”

“Is it a definite location?”

“No. I think it was perhaps the cove side room, but...”

“Cove side room?”

Hiroe-obsan nodded.

“I think you’ll understand when we show you around afterwards, however… since there’s only the cove side, it’s a strange location for someone to peek in from outside... ”

‘I see,’ Naru muttered as he closed his notebook.

“For the time being, we’ll decide where to put the equipment. Did you prepare a room?”

Akifumi-san stood up.

“Certainly. I will guide you.”