Chapter 49
Case 08: Does the Place Underground Exist, or not? (1)
Yoishi Mitsurugi… seems to have disappeared.
I heard a rumor like that around the middle of October – yes, just about a week after I heard the story about Krishna-san’s high school-days in the club room. The creepy story of Ayana Takamura, Krishna-san’s denpa senpai...err* or should I say, her senpai who was just a little too into the occult. I still felt a haunting gaze hanging over my head -- but humans have a way of adjusting to things. A few days after I had decided to stay away from Yoishi, the fear inside me gradually receded. In the first place, it’s only scary when you think about it. It's not like anything had happened since then, and then there was that bastard Sako, I didn't quite trust his words and actions, but he seemed to be working on it. As they say, one should go to a specialist for best results*, and as long as an expert was working on it, I would probably just be in the way as an amateur.
*TL/N: Denpa is a japanese slang which means psychic receiver of signals. A little derogatory which is why Nagi corrects himself here
*TL/N: Expression used here literally means: for rice cakes, (go to) the rice cake shop
I tried to convince myself by using that logic, in fact, the more I tried my best not to think about scary things, the more I began to forget them. I guess that was the carefree part of me.
Well, anyway -- about Yoishi. At the time, I don't think I was too worried when I was told that Yoishi had disappeared. I felt no seriousness when the word ‘disappeared’ was used for her of all people. At first, I thought she was probably digging around in some graveyards, exploring some abandoned ruins, or some other dangerous haunted place. However, the reality seems to have been different. She was said to have suddenly disappeared from school in broad daylight.
"Her leather shoes were left at the entrance. It’s already been a whole day now."
Yukihito Kurimoto-kun spoke, with a gloomy expression on his handsome face.
“Huh? She’s been missing since yesterday, and the school’s just letting things be?”
“That’s the type of school it is.”
Yukihito-kun explained with a sad smile.
“I don’t know if it’s what you’d call letting sleeping dogs, or a lack of urgency -- and well, she has a history of leaving school early many times without permission.”
As could be surmised by his surname, Yukihito Kurimoto-kun was Krishna-san’s aka Shiina Kurimoto-san’s four-year younger brother. He was also a first-year in high school belonging to the same Koumei institute affiliated high school as Yoishi, and he gave the impression of being a freshman who everyone liked. Like Krishna-san, he was also what you would call baby faced -- his shoulders were broad and his figure was tall, so he didn’t look like a girl, and the black blazer matched well with his tall, slender figure. He had arrived at the university’s Beatnik research society club room on his lunch break to inform us of Yoishi’s disappearance.
“So, Yukihito. How is the school dealing with it?”
Krishna-san asked, Yukihito nodded once and replied:
“At first, it was ‘Not again’. I heard they tried to contact her household, but since Mitsurugi-san lives alone and she’s gone off somewhere, then naturally, no one would answer. They also tried to contact her distant uncle who was registered as her guardian, but he was unreachable. And today, the teachers searched the campus, but she was still nowhere to be found. Also, I didn’t know about this before, but I heard she once went AWOL for three days and came to school the next day as if nothing had happened -- so that’s why they decided to call the police if she didn't show up until tomorrow.”
Calling the police after two days…?
How the hell can the teachers in the affiliated school be acting so carefree? Dammit.
I seethed with resentment while acting blind to my own shortcomings. Krishna-san then asked Yukihito-kun:
“If I remember correctly, you and Yoishi are in different classes, right?”
“I’m in class D, and she's in class A. I don’t know her directly, and I don't think she knows me. But for my part, I’ve been kind of worried about Mitsurugi-san.”
“Why is that?”
“Even though she tries not to associate with anyone, she sure stands out. Even though she’s pretty, she has a strangely strong intimidating air about her, like she’s a natural jewel mixed in among the polished artificial jewels – She’s always reading alone at her desk, looking somewhat lonely, but the invisible barrier that keeps her one meter away from everyone instead makes her stand out all the more.”
Ah, I get it. I mean, I can totally picture it in my head.
“Being late and leaving early without permission so many times means the teachers don’t know how to handle her. So, it might be because of that -- but even though she disappeared within the school this time, I have a feeling that the school didn’t search the campus very seriously. They probably just assumed she went home by herself and then went off somewhere.”
In short, it seemed Yukihito-kun had come to ask if we could search for her together if possible.
“So Yukihito, you think that Yoishi is still somewhere in the school,?”
Krishna asked, and Yukihito nodded with a slight scowl.
“I can’t say it with absolute certainty, though.”
“The teachers who know the campus in and out have already searched all the important places, right? What good will it do if we start looking now?”
“But—”
Thereupon, Yukihito-kun grinned broadly.
“Mitsurugi-san is a person who belongs to nee-san’s* side, right?”
*TL/N: Honorific for older sister
…I see, in other words, an outcast who chases after the faint beings known as ghosts.
“That’s why I thought you might also have a unique perspective and search method.”
Thereafter, Yukihito-kun looked at us and once again lowered his head.
“Well then, I look forward to working with you two.”
***
That’s what happened in the club room yesterday—
And now, here we were. The three of us were wandering together inside the Koumei affiliated high school at the start of lunchtime. To be honest, I had finally been able to get away from all sorts of problems by distancing myself from Yoishi, and I was quite apprehensive about searching for her – but this time, I was together with Krishna-san which was quite reassuring, and more importantly, there was a wonderful event waiting for me that would erase those apprehensions.
“Now just wait a minute, Yukihito.”
As if hiding behind me, Krishna-san spoke with her voice trailing off.
“It’s alright if we’re searching for Yoishi. She disappeared inside the school, so I know I need to be here to look for her. But – but… isn’t it a huge mistake for me to be dressed up like this?”
I almost burst into laughter, and turned around to see –
A black blazer and a white blouse.
A black tie around her neck, a black skirt, navy-blue socks and black leather shoes.
Krishna-san was dressed in the Koumei school uniform. She was undeniably cute with her flush red face, as she restlessly followed me and Yukihito Kurimoto-kun.
“It can’t be helped. It’s forbidden for anyone other than staff and students to come in here, and it’s best to wear a school uniform since we’re going to talk to the other students.”
“I could have come here as your guardian on a tour, or to collect some data for a news article from my alma mater, or something.”
“If we did that, then it would just put the students on guard.”
“That won’t do, Krishna-san.”
I unintentionally butted in.
“I’m so glad. You look so cute.”
The bust of her blouse was a little too tight, and the short skirt that showed off her white thighs was a feast for the eyes. I was also embarrassed when I put on Yukihito-kun's spare uniform, but I was so thrilled with Krishna-san's uniform that I was easily able to brush that aside.
“You were still a high school student half a year ago so it’s fine for you. I’m almost 21. It makes me cringe to think that a few years ago I was wearing such a short skirt!”
“If it were to shrink any further, it would be a real problem, wouldn’t it?”
“Leave me alone!”
I chuckled as Krishna-san yelled at me after pushing up her red glasses, which were slipping off, when Yukihito-kun spoke.
“Anyway, it’s reassuring to know that you two will be joining the search for her on campus. I appreciate it.”
He quickly bowed his head and with a grunt, Krishna-san fell silent.
I was once again deeply impressed by the boy known as Yukihito Kurimoto. As was expected from a younger brother of Krishna-san -- he was always calm, his choice of words was clear and logical, and on top of all that he had mastered the art of instantly silencing Krishna-san's temper tantrums. And yet, there is not the slightest hint of arrogance in his behavior that belittles his good looks or talent, and the bashful smile on his face was striking to see even as a man.
However—
Why was a person like Yukihito-kun so concerned about Yoishi?
Is it because of that? Is it because he’s actually a little attracted to her?
I watched Yukihito Kurimoto-kun’s tall figure from behind as we continued from the courtyard to the main school building. I could feel the sincerity from his back as he walked straight ahead. He might have only been around fifteen years old or so, but he still exuded that. Like my father often used to say: A man speaks with his back rather than his mouth. Indeed, it occurred to me that an upright boy like him might be a good fit for someone with a curved spine and a twisted way of life like Yoishi. I thought that somewhat sadly, considering I had a distorted past myself.
In any case, it was youthfulness that filled my field of vision.
A crowd of schoolgirls almost falling down as they laugh over something. A group of smiling school boys standing shoulder to shoulder and jokingly jabbing each other.
Lunch break had just started, and the school was bursting with an overflowing sense of freedom.
There were kids running by at full speed. There were kids making strange noises and were being berated by a passing teacher. Witnessing such a scene before my eyes, I think to myself, ‘ Ah Dammit, I’ve gotten old’, even though I was only 18. Just like Krishna-san said, I was a high school student just half a year ago, and yet, it felt like so long ago. It would be true to say that the past six months of my life had been pretty intense, but I was still extremely jealous. Especially seeing how dazzling the girls looked in their school uniforms. I mean, when Yoishi wears a black blazer with a tie, it looks like a mourning dress, but when a respectable girl wears it, it looks so elegant and cute.
As I walked through the crowd of high school girls in skirts so short you could almost see their panties, I went, "Alright," to myself and decided to enjoy the situation. Being able to infiltrate another high school wearing their uniform is not something you get to experience often. I've always had a secret admiration for Daniel Craig. It wouldn't be a bad idea to pretend to be 007 for a change – so I adjusted my hairstyle. I let my bangs down, just so I could make myself look a little younger.
“Hey, Nagi-kun. What are you doing?”
“…Uh. Just trying to make my hair style like a high schooler’s.”
“You look young enough to be okay. The problem is me. I wonder if I should wear pigtails or something.”
“Ehhh… did you wear pigtails in your high school days?”
“No, I’ve had this hair style since my primary school years.”
“Then it’s meaningless, right? You still look a middle school student afte----owwww!”
She pinched me in the back as hard as she could.
“But isn’t everyone staring at me? Look? They're looking at me right now, too. Isn't there something wrong with this outfit?
“It’s just your imagination. Just act natural.”
While such a conversation was unfolding – ‘Ah, damn it’, Yukihito-kun turned around and spoke.
“What are we going to do about the indoor shoes? They sell them at the school store, but buying them is just silly. Hmm. Just wait a moment.”
Saying that, Yukihito-kun ran off somewhere. Watching his receding figure, I talked to Krishna-san.
“Well, your brother turned out very nicely, didn’t he?”
“Well…I guess. Because Yukihito is so dependable, I’m able to indulge myself in this kind of thing.”
“This kind of thing?”
“The occult.”
…I see.
“But Yukihito knowing about Yoishi is messed up. It would be better off if he doesn’t get interested in my field.”
“It’ll be fine. He seems pretty dependable.”
“No, this kind of thing is dangerous to get into. People tend to become obsessed about it.”
“Ah, I understand.”
When I think about it, many of the regulars of the occult site "Ikaigabuchi", especially the ones who are really into it, are well-established members of society. Many of them are intellectuals, or whatever you want to call them, who have established a proper social foundation and are truly devoted to their occult hobby. If I look at the people I met at the offline meeting, I was amazed at the vast range of their specialties: There were people I had seen on TV, university professors and those that ran their own companies.
“But… just what happened to Yoishi?”
Krishna-san spoke with a grunt, as she crossed her arms and fell silent.
That uncharacteristically inarticulate way of speaking – it made me think. Could it be that Krishna-san was still thinking of that senpai who disappeared five years ago? Ayana Takamura: who could perceive ghosts, was well versed in taboo words, insanely immersed herself in the occult and ended up disappearing.
That girl also abruptly disappeared one day in the school. ‘You remind me too much of Takamura-senpai’, is what Krishna-san said to Yoishi.
It was true that, just as Ayana Takamura had the spread the taboo words ‘If you read, you’ll die’ through the school, Yoishi too had spread the ‘read at your own risk’ type ghost stories on the net in the past. But when you think about it, that was to save me, and in that sense, I was just as guilty as she was.
“…Say, Krishna-san.”
“Hm?”
“I finally managed to get Yoishi’s contact details the other day. Well, I tried calling her a while ago but I couldn't get through.”
Saying that, I moved to take out my phone from my pocket – when I saw Krishna-san glaring at me.
“A lot of things happened, and things got a little hazy -- but how long have you been meeting Yoishi for?”
“…Eh?”
“I told you, didn't I? As long as you're a member of the club, not to associate with Yoishi anymore. You definitely promised me that, so was it all a lie?”
“N-not at all. It wasn’t a lie—it was more of a coincidence, an unavoidable fate, or rather, it was more like I was a victim of a bolt of lightning from out of the blue.”
As my incoherent answer continued, I saw Yukihito-kun rushing back to us. Like meeting a Buddha in hell, I waved at him.
“Ah, Yukihito-kun! Over here!”
“Sorry to keep you two waiting. These are slippers meant for guests, but I think it’ll be fine. Please enter the school building with these.”
“Ohh, thanks a lot.”
“That, and this as well.”
He handed out two armbands. They were embroidered in red on a black background with the words ‘Koumei Academy Newspaper Club’.
“I employed the ‘collecting data for a news article’ strategy Nee-san mentioned earlier, I borrowed it from my friends in the newspaper club. The two of them are third-year students, so please pretend to be third-year students belonging to the newspaper club. Sure, if you pretend to be there to collect data for a news article, you won't arouse suspicion in the first-year classrooms – but just be careful with the teachers. Especially you, Nee-san, many of the teachers here still know you.”
“…Alright.”
“For the time being, let’s try and retrace Mitsurugi-san’s steps on the day she disappeared. Let’s start by asking around in her class, after that we’ll narrow down the places she frequented, and if we search her desk and belongings, we might be able to find something.”
“Can’t you do that by yourself Yukihito? Why is there a need for me to wear this—”
Casually ignoring Krishna-san’s grumblings, Yukihito-kun continued:
“Okay, let's start with her classroom.”
Yukihito-kun took the lead and walked in front of us. Stifling my laughter, I followed behind him, beckoning Krishna-san along, who was still mumbling about something.
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