Chapter 2: Faceless Family
“They have no faces?”
Yuiru, reacting to Houzuki’s words, tilted his head in confusion.
“Is that so? Like, completely smooth faces?”
“If they were just that kind of yokai1, it would be better.”
It was a sight she truly wished she could forget.
The first time she saw them was at the funeral home.
Standing quietly by the coffins containing her parents’ bodies were faceless monsters.
They seemed invisible to the mourners; even those who came to pay their respects by offering incense didn’t seem to notice the faceless monsters standing by the coffins. Not even the chanting Buddhist priest, who stood so close to the coffins, peering at her parents’ bodies, seemed to notice them.
Only Houzuki could see them in that place. Only she recognized those faceless monsters.
Their faces were worn down, with no recognizable features such as noses or eyes. The duo, wearing tattered clothes, had finally begun to linger in Houzuki’s house.
Sometimes, they would even mimic her parents’ voices.
“I can’t take it anymore… I don’t want to see them anymore.”
Houzuki hugged herself, trembling as she remembered the faceless monsters lingering in her home.
Dealing with other supernatural occurrences or ghosts hadn’t been as frightening up to this point. Or perhaps it had been scary, but it had been limited to situations like being at school or riding the train.
But handling those monsters that appeared in her own home was something Houzuki couldn’t do.
“What should we do? How can we deal with those faceless monsters…?”
The one who spoke up was Yuiru Enen, the silver-haired, red-eyed male student who made the old school building his stronghold.
“I see, I see. That’s quite… appetizing, isn’t it?”
With eyes that shimmered mysteriously like the sunset sky, Yuiru licked his lips.
“Houzuki, I can handle those monsters for you.”
“…”
“However, it means parting ways with your parents. As you can see, I am a malevolent spirit that feeds on ghosts.”
“…”
“But if you’re okay with that, I’ll devour them for you.”
Houzuki gazed at Yuiru, speaking with a pleading tone.
“Please… they’re not family. They’re not even my deceased parents.”
“Very well.”
Yuiru nodded with a broad smile.
“Then let’s head to your house. I’m famished after all this time without a meal.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Hmm? Why not?”
As Yuiru tilted his head in confusion, Houzuki reached for her school bag.
It was long past the time for the dismissal chime.
Surely those monsters knew that Houzuki was still at school.
“They’re probably coming to pick me up.”
☆
As they left the school building, two figures stood by the school gate.
One was male, the other female.
Both had faces worn down, making their features indistinguishable. Their skin was oddly smooth, and they swayed slightly, waiting for their child to pass through the gate.
Houzuki, standing at the entrance, tightly pursed her lips.
“That’s terrible.”
Kuroomi Otoya says while gazing at the faceless monsters standing by the gate.
“Their height is unnaturally tall, and their necks, hands, and feet are too thin. It’s surprising they can even stand like that.”
“Well yeah, because they’re monsters.”
The one who responded to Kuroomi Otoya’s words in that manner was Towako, Houzuki’s close friend.
She had once been caught up among a crowd of evil spirits at an intersection.
Yuiru had come to her rescue. Though she never aged from her elementary school appearance, unlike her parents, she still had her own consciousness. Just being able to speak was a relief.
Despite towering over the school gate, they remained motionless, staring intently at Houzuki emerging from the school building. Their eyeless faces seemed to convey the message, “Hurry home.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Yuiru puts a hand on his chin.
“Those guys, they’re dangerous.”
“What?”
“Otoya, never let Houzuki get close to them. Never mind, don’t even let her go home.”
His profile was unusually serious, more so than Houzuki had ever seen before.
Pushed by Yuiru, Houzuki managed to avoid falling with Otoya’s support.
Why would he say such a thing? Houzuki couldn’t understand, but perhaps Yuiru, being a ghost, could.
Then, it seemed that Towako also sensed something from the faceless monsters standing by the school gate.
“Houzuki-chan, you can’t.”
“Towako?”
“Those things are bad. They’re terrible. Never go home with them.”
“Towako, why are you saying that too?”
Before she could voice her doubts about her statement, a shadow appeared in Houzuki’s field of vision.
When had it appeared?
The faceless monster was now right in front of Houzuki.
“――――”
Its face peered closely at her, and its thin, twig-like fingers grabbed hold of her wrist.
“No…!! Someone, someone help!!”
“Houzuki!!”
Yuiru reached out to grab Houzuki as she was dragged away by the monster.
Strangely, his hand, which should have been able to grab her, passed right through her.
Houzuki’s hand slipped through Yuiru’s, and she was abducted by the monsters.
“Why… why is this happening!?”
Without understanding what was happening, Houzuki was dragged through the gates of XX High School by the faceless monsters.
Strangely, the sunset sky above appeared distorted.
The world seen through the faceless monsters somehow seemed different from the world she was used to.
“What…… Where are you, taking me……”
When she asks the faceless monsters, they response with a hoarse voice without turning back.
Yo, ur, hou, s, e. 2
O, ur, hou, s, e. 2
TN:
1- A yokai is a supernatural creature from Japanese folklore, ranging from mischievous spirits to malevolent monsters. They have various forms and abilities, often associated with natural elements. Examples include kitsune (fox spirits), tanuki (raccoon dogs), and oni (ogres).
2- Your house.
2- Our house.
