Ghost Hunt:Volume6, page 3
part #6 of Ghost Hunt Series
Indeed. The town we passed through was by no means large, and this place is on the outskirts of town.
“We’re a little different from an ordinary restaurant. If I told you it’s a member’s only restaurant, would you understand?”
Oh, is there such a thing?
“Amaazing. Isn’t this great for you, Mai and Bou-san.”
Ayako put her hand on my shoulder.
“What?”
“You certainly wouldn’t be able to come to a place like this in your entire life. Aren’t you lucky to have this lucrative job?”
After all, I am a poor person.
“Just what are you implying with that, Ayako?”
“Ah, I can seize this chance to marry into a rich family. Hohoho.”
This— this woman.
“Um...”
“Hmph. There’s a charm woman and children don’t understand.”
“Then, why don’t you hurry? I think it’s too late after you pass your eve.”
“Not yet! There’s still time before my eve!”
“It’ll pass by while you’re speaking so ambitiously.”
“Well, I’m easy.”
“Is that in terms of what a lover is allowed to do?”
“Not cute!”
“Even being loved by Ayako is just creepy.”
—To say such a thing. Sorry, it was bad. Akifumi-san’s shoulders trembled. When our eyes met, he made an apologetic expression.
“...I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Please don’t overstrain yourself by laughing too much.”
After all, we're a pair of stand-up comedians.
Ayako suddenly pointed a finger at Akifumi-san.
“That’s right. How old are you, Yoshimi-san?”
Akifumi-san had a blank look.
“I’ll be twenty soon.”
Hehe, he’s her junior. That’s unfortunate, Ayako.
When I was laughing with all my might, an unparalleled ruthless voice sprang from behind.
“Mai! How long are you going to play around!”
Uh-ohh. Boss is angry. Work, work.
4
Akifumi-san helped me carry the large amount of equipment to the base.
“Put the equipment in the center of the shop. Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san, go to Hazuki-chan. For the time being, prepare talismans to ensure her safety.”
Yeah, yeah. Carry the camera and connect the video. To the thermography and the vibrometer and the infrared radar and all the rest of the measuring instruments.
“Somehow, you don’t seem very much like spiritualists.”
Akifumi-san said while he carried equipment into the empty room.
“Yes. Please call us ghost hunters. Excuse me, could you please grab the cable with the yellow tape on it?”
“So, you also handle this kind of machinery, Taniyama-san? —Um, cable?”
“It’s a cord. —Somehow I have a simple connection. The majority of it is still gibberish to me.”
“I feel even a simple connection is incredible. I’m not very good with machinery.”
“Not very good?”
“When I touch machines too much they seem to break. When face to face with machinery, I’m the type that gets nervous.”
Ah, I see.
“Aki...”
fumi-san, I started to say and quickly covered my mouth.
“I don’t mind going by Akifumi.”
He gave me a smile, but still, to call a man by his given name after being acquainted for such a short time is a little...
“I’m— I’m sorry. All the family members are ‘Yoshimi-san’, it was unintentional...”
“Please, don’t worry about it. Because even without the large number of people, it’s confusing.”
“Then excuse me, Akifumi-san. You said you’re twenty years old, are you a college student?”
“Yes. I go to the University of Tokyo.”
“Oh, so that means you don’t usually live here, right?”
“That’s right. But I try to come back to visit as much as possible during holidays.”
“Do you help in the shop still?”
Akifumi-san smiled and shook his head.
“My grandmother gets lonely. Since the family members are too busy with the shop.”
“Eeeh. Do all the people of the house work in the shop?”
“That’s right. But my youngest elder brother is a government worker.”
“Youngest elder brother— does that mean you have two or more brothers?”
“Two brothers and two sisters. I’m the youngest of five siblings.”
“Five… that’s a lot of people.”
Akifumi-san gave a somewhat mixed smile.
“If you die a lot, you have to have a lot of people or your house will become extinct.”
“Hmm... and along with your parents and grandmother?”
“Plus, my oldest brother and sister have children with their spouses. Three children in all. My brother has two children, and my sister has one child. Hazuki is the youngest child of my brother.”
*shock*
“That— that many people all live here?”
“Except me.”
I looked at my hands and counted on my fingers.
“Thirteen people in all? That’s impressive.”
Akifumi-san gave a pained smile.
“Nevertheless, if eight people die, not even half will remain.”
I thought this to be an unpleasant story. This was a cursed house where a large number of the family die. As such, a lot of damage is caused. And so as to not become extinct, the house produces a lot of children. It may be because I have no house or family, but that feels very wrong. It’s as though the children are tools to keep the house going. The parents will of course love the children, but I wonder what percentage of the love will be love for the human being.
Akifumi-san bowed his head a little.
“...I’m sorry. It’s a dark conversation.”
“No, it’s— it’s I who should say so.”
“Taniyama-san, what about your family?”
“Oh. I’m on my own.”
Akifumi-san looked surprised.
“...I’m sorry, that was inexcusable. I spoke callously.”
“No way! It’s natural to ask if you don’t know.”
Despite this, everyone apologizes.
“But…”
Everyone gets stuck with this topic.
“Please, don't trouble yourself. There’s a lot to a person, and that means there’s also a lot to me.”
“Indeed… ”
“Besides, if I had parents, they wouldn’t let me have this unusual part-time job. Then I wouldn’t have been able to come to such a luxurious restaurant and—.”
“...is that so?”
“That’s right. It’s easier like this. Especially, when I think my friends would quarrel with my family, among other things. No, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I think it’s good to have dead parents.”
“Perhaps that’s true.”
“Hmmm. Of course, it’s also lonely.”
Akifumi-san smiled.
“Add me and Taniyama-san and divide by two and the number is exactly right.”
“...seven people? Even so, according to social norms, that’s a little bit more.”
“Well, that’s true. My house really does have a lot of people.”
Akifumi-san said this as if just realizing it.
“Umm, this is something strange, but—”
“What is it?”
“How do you eat your meals?”
With thirteen people, I wondered if they all ate side by side in a row.
“Well, we usually eat together.”
I was impressed by what Akifumi-san said.
“Is that unusual?”
“Since your home is a restaurant, the people helping in the shop eat at unusual hours in the shop, right?”
“Oh, it’s also that sort of house.”
Ah. The world is vast.
“It’s a little disappointing. I wanted to see where thirteen people sit in a row.”
When I said this, Akifumi-san made a slightly mystified expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“My mother had said you would eat with all of us tonight.”
Wow. Perhaps it will be a feast ♡
“...I wonder how we’re going to eat.”
Hmm.
“It’s a total of eighteen people.”
“That... that isn’t a meal, that’s a banquet now.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
Akifumi-san and I thought pensively for a moment.
5
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.”
*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.
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.
***
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.
