Chapter 11: Don’t come over here.
Leaving the swamp house with difficulty, Houzuki follows the animal trail in the western forest, struggling to resist the urge to collapse to his knees.
The ghost that possessed the Ichimatsu doll and the female ghost that began appearing in the swamp house have been exorcised. Rather than exorcising them, the silver-haired, red-eyed high school boy who possessed Houzuki turned them into a meal.
There’s no way a ghost will appear there again. There’s no need for the shimenawa rope and paper streamers anymore.
“I’m tired. I think somen noodles will be okay for dinner again today.”
“I like somen noodles, so that’s fine.”
Towako, who is following behind Houzuki, say this with genuine joy. It’s very much appreciated that she says she likes somen noodles.
“Hmm, somen noodles. You can only eat somen noodles in the summer, so I want to eat them until I puke.”
“Don’t eat them until you puke.”
“I’m kidding, Houzuki. So stop making that face that says, ‘Can I just skip dinner for you?’ Please don’t, I beg you.”
Yuiru pleaded with Houzuki with all his might, and somehow managed to avoid being the only one to go without dinner. “It can’t be helped,” Houzuki said, and he sighed in relief.
Eventually the forest came to an end, and Houzuki returned to the familiar Tsukinashi Town.
The fiery sky was slowly giving way to darkness, a time that attracts ghosts and other unpleasant things to Tsukinashi Town. Evening was also a fairly favorable time for ghosts and demons, so it was dangerous to wander outside.
Then Houzuki noticed a familiar bicycle parked in front of the forest. It was a small bike, designed for elementary school boys, and next to it was a child pacing back and forth in front of the forest with an anxious look on his face.
“Ah”
It was the ringleader from back then. Was he still in front of the forest?
The ringleader looked surprised to see Houzuki back, but quickly asked, “Is it over?” His voice was trembling a little.
However, his gaze was directed behind Houzuki. Perhaps there was still a ghost in the Swamp House.
The ringleader pointed his trembling fingertips at Houzuki’s back and asked,
“… Lady, who is that man behind you?”
“A man?”
“White hair, red eyes…”
“Yeah.”
Houzuki nodded in understanding after hearing the characteristics.
“Yuiru , it seems this boy can see you.”
“Oh?”
Yuiru peeks out from behind Houzuki and strides over to the ringleader . The ringleader leans back in surprise as he suddenly closes the distance.
“You can see me now?”
“Wha, what the heck? What on earth is this?”
“Oh, oh, ohh~. This is interesting, interesting indeed. Be careful during times when you can see ghosts when you originally couldn’t.”
Yuiru grins at the ringleader boy,
“Don’t come over here, little boy. You better go home now, be careful on your way back.”
“O, okay……?”
As the ringleader boy’s eyes dart about, he rides his own bicycle. After that, “See, see you later……” he rode off while saying so.
Yuiru waves his hand until he can no longer see the ringleader ‘s back, then says “Whew” and the expression disappears from his face.
The quickness with which he changes makes it hard to believe that the kind smile he had up until then was a lie. Even Houzuki, watching from the sidelines, feels a chill run down her spine.
“Yuiru , why did you say that?”
“What do you mean?”
“You told him not to come over here. Does it mean something?”
Yuiru nods with an ‘Oh’ at Houzuki’s word and said,
“Don’t they say it often? It’s dangerous if you can see ghosts.”
“Is that the case?”
“If you can see something you couldn’t see before, that could be a sign to die.”
Yuiru looked in the direction the ringleader had gone, and said,
“That little brat has potential, so I hope he lives a long life before he dies.”
From the ghosts’ point of view, they probably don’t need any more friends. That’s why he told the ringleader .
–Don’t come over here.
Houzuki couldn’t say anything to Yuiru , whose profile looked somehow lonely.
