Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 6 (section)

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We made arrangements while we waited for low tide.

“Um… you needn’t force yourself to do it. Since we understand the source of the curse, we only need to worship it with great respect from now on.”

Akifumi-san told us this. With a bitter expression, Bou-san replied,

“Naru-bou’s overtaking his rival. Anyway, we just have to try.”

“But...”

“Well, personally, it’s also about what happened to Nao-san and Kazuyasu-san. If I can return the blow, then I feel that I want to do it.”

Akifumi-san deeply bowed his head.

After that, Bou-san said,

“Shōnen and Masako, Ayako, Mai, stay. What are you going to do, John?”

He said so while Naru wasn’t present. John replied,

“I don’t think I’ll even be useful, but I’ll go anyway.”

“I’m going, too.”

When I said this, Bou-san lightly glared at me.

“You’ll get in the way. Don’t come. I don’t think I can protect you.”

...when it’s said so frankly, I’ll argue, but…

When I cast my eyes downward, Yasuhara-san interjected.

“Each person will look out for themselves. Right, Taniyama-san?”

“...eh?”

“By the way, I will also go.”

Bou-san opened his mouth with shock.

“Shōnen!”

“It can’t be stopped. It’s already been decided. Don’t worry. I’ll look after myself, and if I think it’s dangerous, I’ll escape before Takigawa-san.”

Bou-san argued harshly, but he was unable to obtain Yasuhara-san’s consent.

“I wash my hands of you.”

Yasuhara-san waved at the robes of Bou-san, who gave a parting threat and left, then looked at us.

“Everyone, please come, too, if at all possible.”

Masako, Ayako, and I all stared openmouthed.

“Hold on, boy, this is...”

Yasuhara-san made a serious expression.

“I know this isn’t a game. They need a rescue team.”

“Rescue… team?”

When I asked, Yasuhara-san nodded.

“You saw their injuries last night, right?”

“...oh.”

“I think Takigawa-san’s back is still bleeding. Since the wounds were so deep. He’ll probably need stitches. They aren’t wounds that can be held together with just bandages. Brown-san also has a deep wound on his arm. It isn’t as bad as Takigawa-san’s, but I think it will need stitches, too.”

I looked at John and Bou-san, who started talking in the distance.

Bou-san was in his Buddhist priest robes and John was also in his Catholic priest uniform. Both outfits were black and I more or less couldn’t really tell if they were bleeding.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if the shrine was somewhere an ambulance was able to come alongside if called, but how will they return to the coast if they collapse? It’s unlikely that Shibuya-san and Lin-san will be able to bring them back. If we don’t go, we won’t let them go either. ...How about it?”

Ayako looked up to the sky.

“...good grief, men… Naru, Bou-san and John, there’s really no helping them!”

“Right?”

To Yasuhara-san, who nodded nonchalantly,

“You, too! When you can’t even to use a single one of the nine syllables!”

“Ahahaha.”

Masako sighed.

“Both Takigawa-san and Brown-san say they will go if Naru goes. And I do not think Naru will stay… You should have seen his face when he woke up.”

“Was it terrible…?”

I guess his pride is shattered.

“I understand Matsuzaki-san’s feelings well. I thought that he was still possessed.”

...is that so?

“There is no choice when it comes to this... Mai.”

Eh!? “Mai”?

“Could you lend me some clothes? This type of clothing is out of the question in case of an emergency.”

“...No problem...”

Ah, I was surprised…

While returning with Masako to get the change of clothes, I grinned slightly. Masako disapproved.

“Is it that strange for me to wear western style clothes?”

“Well, there’s also that.”

“There is? What on earth is it?”

“Hmm...”

“Mai!”

I smiled.

“See, you used my name without an honorific.”

Masako covered her mouth in surprise. She looked at me petulantly and said,

“...do you disapprove? You use my name without honorifics.”

“Yup. So you can keep doing it ♡”

Masako glowered.

“I like being called without honorifics. It makes you feel closer, right?”

“...perhaps that’s true.”

“A while ago you would call me by my last, right? Recently, don’t you occasionally use my first name without honorifics? I’m happy with the change in sentiment.”

Masako looked at me out of the corner of her eye.

“It does not mean we are familiar with each other.”

“Sure.”

“It’s what you call fellow sufferers sympathizing with each other.”

Fellow sufferers?

Masako released a sigh.

“We both chose a difficult person.”

“...is that so?”

Umm, hello, that is it, right…? 

Unconcerned by me, who was flustered, Masako said,

“When I saw Naru after he woke up, I felt sorry for myself and wondered, ‘Why this person?’ However you think about it, someone like Takigawa-san or Yasuhara-san or Brown-san would be preferable.”

“...you can say that again.”

We sighed amicably.

“It would also be much easier to converse as well. But, I suppose I should say it cannot be helped.”

“Let’s call it something strange.”

“It really is, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, really.”

Once again, we sighed together, and then burst into giggles after that.

—Has a friendship unexpectedly happened from a ill-natured sweetheart?