CubexCursedxCurious:Volume4 Chapter3
Chapter 3 - Wondrous Touch / "Who are you?"
Part 1
What is your name? Yachi Haruaki.
Age? Sixteen.
Your father's name? Yachi Honatsu. Bastard Old Pops.
Best dish? Eh? I feel like I can cook anything!
Studying at which school? Taishyuu Private High School.
Who are your best friends? There's Taizou, Kana, etc. Oh, and also Class Rep.
Then what are our names?
"...Who are you?"
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING—"
Haruaki found himself grabbed by the collar and shaken back and forth. Although I have no idea what is going on I am sorry so please forgive me—Haruaki uttered in confusion. How infuriating.
"H-Haruaki-kun, you... Have you forgotten... Even me?"
"...Sorry."
"You've forgotten the time when I first arrived at this home? Admiring the night sky together for the first time, have you forgotten it? Back when you called me Kono-nee? Only half a year ago, I made you promise not to call me that anymore when we started high school together, is that forgotten too?"
"...Sorry."
"Ahhh—"
Konoha slumped her shoulders dejectedly, so depressed that she even planted her face into the tatami floor. Like a marionette whose control strings were severed, she lay collapsed motionlessly on the floor with her bottom raised in the air.
"Looks like he's neither lying nor playing a joke. But if that's really the case, I'll have to strangle him to death."
"I-I'm not lying! I don't really get it, but it seems like there are strange blanks in my mind... Only those particular parts... I can't really recall them."
"Haru, do you remember this home?"
"This home? Now that you ask, this place is my home. The only things good about it is it's old and spacious. Anything else...? I feel like there should be, uh..."
Kuroe sighed.
"Looks like... Only his memories related to cursed tools have been completely forgotten. The reason is not clear, however."
"Who knows. But one thing I do know is who caused this to him."
Hearing these mutterings, Konoha twitched her shoulder as her face remained on the tatami. But at this moment—
"Eh? Cursed tools... What are those?"
Fear and Kuroe turned to look at each other. Since Kuroe suggested that an explanation of cursed tools might provide the impetus to recover his memories, they went ahead and told him.
Haruaki initially smiled politely and went: "How could something like cursed tools possibly exist~?" Hence, Kuroe extended her hair and tickled his cheek, saying: "Do you still not believe?" Funnily enough—although it actually was not funny—Haruaki stared wide-eyed, full of shock.
"Hey Cow Tits, tell him that you're more than just a woman with a large bust."
"..."
Still lying sprawled on the tatami, Konoha reached for a scrapped pile of old magazines and sliced it apart as though her hand were a paper shredder. "So—" Fear took out the Rubik's cube and transformed it into the drill to show Haruaki who was still sitting in his futon.
"Me, I'm this kind of thing. What, you recall it now? Also, if you're going to admit that you're joking, this is your final chance!"
"Uwah! No, I'm not joking at all! Umm, sorry..."
"Hmm, but upon seeing something like this, a truly ordinary person should be more surprised, agitated or fearful instead. Since you didn't react that way—That means somewhere in the depths of your heart, you still regard cursed tools as basic knowledge perhaps."
"Speaking of which, why do I clearly find it suspicious, but... I'm not really afraid, it's as if I used to know about it in the past."
"You already knew in the first place! Jeez, you shameless brat..."
Then there were some further explanations and the girls also took the opportunity to tell him that this home was a facility for lifting curses from artifacts. "I see... Hmm~ It does feel like something I know... Yet not know..." Haruaki only gave these sorts of ambiguous responses.
"Hmm, I think I get the basic idea... Simply stated, I've currently forgotten things I should already know, right? Why would this happen?"
"An enemy did it."
"Enemy?"
Haruaki seemed surprised by this dangerous word. Fear crossed her arms and continued:
"However, there's nothing for you to worry about. We will help you find a way."
"Yeah, Haru, you only need to act as usual. After all, you still remember the things at school, so there shouldn't be anything inconvenient... At least, I don't think you should be lying down like a patient."
"That's true... Although it's uncomfortable to know I've lost my memory... Apart from that, I'm completely normal. Oh yeah, can I confirm something?"
"What is it?"
Haruaki scratched his head and said:
"Uh... In order to lift your curses, you girls came to this home and are living together with me, right? Since I want things to go back to the way they were as much as possible, I'd like to ask—How did I get along with you all? What were our relationships like?"
Konoha, who had been like a corpse, suddenly revived all at once with astounding vigor. She abruptly got up and said:
"I... For me—You treat me... more gentle than anyone! Or should I say, our hearts and minds are as one? The kind of feeling that as long as you're with me, nothing else matters—To be honest, perhaps we really have quite an extraordinary relationship after all! N-No, not perhaps but surely!"
"Wait a sec, she's lying! You're... You're... that... Yes! You worship me! A willing relationship between the ruler and the ruled. You're the servant in a master-servant relationship—You always prepare a feast of rice crackers for me every single day!"
"Hello darling, I am lover number one, Ningyouhara Kuroe."
"I'm totally confused here!"
Amidst the commotion, Fear thought to herself.
I want things to go back to the way they were. That was what Haruaki said just now. For whom?
The answer was obvious. It was for the girls.
In order to reduce as much as possible their suffering due to the change from before.
Even having lost important memories, Haruaki was not thinking of himself but being considerate for them.
Ahhh, how stupid he remains!
What an excessively nice guy I really feel like cursing.
Leaving behind Haruaki who said he wanted to change, the girls exited the room. Standing in the corridor, the three of them sighed.
Then unlike the mood inside the room, an atmosphere of icy-cold solemnity began to stir.
"How can we cure him?"
"If it's the effect of some sort of power, then logically speaking, defeating the perpetrator should do it, right?"
"Hmph, that man said something about the past and memory loss. It's perfectly clear who the perpetrator is."
"—I shall go out to the streets immediately. In any case, he must be located first."
"Cow Tits, I'm coming too."
"Not necessary. You're still quite unfamiliar with the layout of the streets, aren't you? You should stay here with Kuroe to protect Haruaki-kun. We cannot be sure if the enemy has given up on Haruaki-kun or not."
"Muu..."
"Kono-san, don't overdo it—"
"I won't. I am not so arrogant as to think I can win on my own—But it's possible I might run into a situation where I am forced to fight, such as if I were cornered without any avenue of retreat. Nevertheless, even if that sort of situation should arise—"
Smiling in a bone-chilling manner, Konoha continued:
"Only that man's head, now that is something I shall definitely cut off. Even if it means mutual destruction."
"Hmph, very well. Although I really want to say: 'please do so'—then again, that would mean I won't have a chance to take out my anger on that man, doesn't it? I forbid you to steal a march on me."
The killing intent in the air eased up subtly.
"Like I said, I'm not forcing myself because I want to. In any case, if I run into danger I will consider escaping. Well then, I'm relying on you two here."
Just as Konoha prepared to leave, she suddenly asked:
"By the way, I haven't seen Aiko-san since just now... What happened to her?"
No one present could answer this question.
Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
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Part 5
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Part 6
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Part 7
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Part 8
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Part 9
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