Chapter 3 “Rumors of the Night Class”
“I believe that it’s an absolute lie.”
Her best friend, Aoyagi Towako, says this with an overly serious expression.
It was lunchtime, and the students were noisily pecking at each other’s lunch boxes.
Houzuki was no exception, and it was her daily routine to sit on the stairs leading to the rooftop with Towako and eat quietly. No one would come here, and she wouldn’t have to be exposed to the painfully cold stares she received.
Because of her tendency to attract ghosts, she was always seen as distant by others.
“What a huge self-talker……” or “What is she saying?”, they would whisper about her.
Every time, Aoyagi Towako encourages her and comforts her. She’s always been helped by her.
“That’s definitely a lie. On what basis did he say he was trying to improve Houzuki-chan’s constitution? He’s not a spiritual medium or anything, he’s just an evil spirit.”
“……But you see, Towako.”
Houzuki looked down at her half-eaten lunch.
“I want to believe. I’ve relied on shrines, temples, and spiritual mediums, all to no avail, but I want to believe in the words of that ghost.”
“Houzuki-chan…”
Towako lets out a small sigh and,
“I understand. If Houzuki-chan says that much, then I won’t say anything. I’ll cooperate as much as I can.”
“Thank you, Towako.”
Although she might worry her best friend, Houzuki would like to try if she can improve her constitution.
The shrines, temples, and spiritual mediums have given up. Even so, that evil spirit came up with a suggestion for improvement, even though she had once almost given up. She’d like to take a chance on that.
Houzuki brings the omelet sweetened with sugar to her mouth,
“So, Towako. I’d like to ask you something.”
“What is it, Houzuki-chan?”
“Do you know Misako-sensei?”
It was the female teacher whose name Houzuki also had never heard before.
But that evil spirit――Yuiru Enen knew.
She’s a mysterious female teacher whose face is distorted into a frightening monster. She is a ghost that she would never want to see again if possible, but maybe there is a solution.
Just because Houzuki doesn’t know about it, it might be a famous ghost story at this XX High School.
“I know her.”
Aoyagi Towako’s answer is very quick.
“She was a teacher who died in an accident a few years ago. You see, she died after being pushed off the footbridge.”
“Ah, that time.”
Houzuki also remembers the details of the incident.
There is a relatively large footbridge near this XX High School. It’s a fairy tale footbridge named “Yumeno Oohashi”, but a fall accident occurred on this footbridge.
The victim was a schoolteacher, and as a result of an argument with a man she was dating at the time, she was thrown off the bridge and died. The man was arrested as a suspect in the murder, but died mysteriously in custody.
He said, “A woman with a distorted face came to hold a class with a textbook in her hand. It was horrifying.”
Is the victim of that incident appearing in the old school building as an evil spirit? And is she holding meaningless lessons and teaching to the male student who doesn’t seem to be even listening?
What a sad ghost. To think that she would still be obsessed with teaching even after death.
“……Maybe I should let her finish her class.”
“What?”
“Misako-sensei’s class. I have to finish that person’s class and let her enter Nirvana……”
Isn’t it sad that she has to continue holding classes in the old school building, with classrooms that look like a cathedral?
“……Houzuki-chan, you’re so nice.”
Towako patted Houzuki on the head and smiled kindly.
“Sure, just do what you want to do. Maybe, you’re not absolutely wrong about it.”
“Thank you, Towako. For having my back.”
Houzuki, who smiled back at her kind friend who was always there for her.
“By the way, Towako.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Where’s your lunch? Didn’t you bring any today?”
“Oh~…………”
There was no lunchbox wrapped on Aoyagi Towako’s lap, and there was no sign of a lunch that she had purchased at a convenience store.
She whispered in a low voice as she shyly scratched her cheek with her finger.
“I gained weight because I snacked a lot. I’m going on a diet starting today.”
“Eh, but you still have to eat lunch…”
“It’s okay. I’ll eat a lot in the morning and at night.”
Hey, don’t worry about it, just eat.
Towako asks her to eat, and Houzuki apologetically says, “Really? I’m sorry,” as she steadily consumes her lunch.
Even though she doesn’t look that fat, does she need to go on a diet? ――Houzuki had a small doubt, but she was sure that Towako would get angry if she pointed it out, so she decided to keep her mouth shut.
☆
After school.
Even though it was still daylight, the area around the old school building was somehow gloomy.
There is a feeling that the area around the old school building is isolated from the rest of the world. Just getting close gives her goosebumps, but she can’t solve the problem if she stops here.
Hozuki grabbed the strap of her bag and made up her mind to stand in front of the door of the old school building.
“Class… I have a class… That’s right, class. I have to take the class.”
Houzuki let out a deep sigh, even though she was finally able to go home after her real class.
Because of her troublesome constitution, she never expected to be involved in such an incident.
It is completely unexpected.
To be honest, she would like to turn back right now and go home, but there’s a reason she can’t do that.
She must take the class taught by Misako-sensei and quickly enter Nirvana.
That’s how Houzuki stops attracting ghosts.
“Reducing the number of ghosts will decrease the likelihood of me seeing them…… how did he come up with that?”
“That’s because only I can do that. It’s totally impossible for you.”
“Who decide that……”
She heard a voice from behind her
Houzuki slowly turned around and saw a male student standing there with his head down..
A pair of red eyes peeking through the gap between his transparent silver hair and long bangs, and the black collar of his high school uniform doesn’t look worn or disheveled at all.
However, there is no shadow at his feet, and the eerie bearing is that of a ghost.
Yuiru Enen.
He’s an evil spirit that has this old school building as his stronghold.
“Y, you finally came out!!”
“Ooops, this much won’t scare you, I see. Too bad, too bad.”
Yuiru said ‘My, my’ and shrugs,
“So? By incorrigibly visiting the old school building, does it mean that you agree to my proposal of decreasing the ghosts?”
“…… Yes.”
Houzuki nodded.
There are too many ghosts in this Tsukinashi Town. If the ghosts that infest this town disappear, Houzuki will surely be freed from her tendency to attract ghosts.
She couldn’t do it herself. But with this evil spirit, it might be possible.
“I’ll do it. Just reduce the number of ghosts, right?”
“Of course.”
Yuiru grinned and said,
“First, we’ll try it with Misako-sensei. Then we’ll erase the ghosts that are infesting this town. Well, if there’s a way to improve your constitution to attract ghosts in the process, let’s move in that direction. ―― Do you have any objections?”
“None.”
“Excellent.”
Nodding generously, Yuiru,
“By the way, have you prepared for class?”
“Of course.”
Houzuki glances at her bag.
Her bag contains the modern Japanese textbook and notebook she is currently using. She heard that Misako-sensei’s subject was modern Japanese, so she made sure to prepare for that class.
From now on, she has to take that incomprehensible and scary class! Her legs start shaking when she thinks about it. Still, this is to improve this constitution.
“Then let’s go, Servant.”
“It’s Houzuki.”
Houzuki, who hates being called a servant,
“Kasugadani Houzuki, that’s my name. Stop calling me Servant.”
“Oh, Kasugadani, is it? ―― Now, where did I hear that name before? Hmm, it’s a pity that I can’t remember. Truly a pity.”
Yuiru tilts his head to the side of the partition and seems to be trying to remember where he heard the surname Kasugadani, but in the end, he can’t remember and seems to have given up.
The surname Kasugadani is extremely rare, and even in Tsukinashi Town, there is no other surname other than Houzuki.
Still, this sounds familiar, so he wonders if he’s acquainted to any of her relatives.
――The ghost’s? Acquainted?
“Nono nono……”
“What’s with that reaction?”
“I just never heard of any of my relatives being acquainted with a ghost.”
“What are you talking about, Houzuki? I used to be human and was very much alive, you know? I just died suddenly.”
“Suddenly…… don’t you remember the cause of your death?”
“Nope, I don’t~.”
Yuiru simply dismisses her, saying, “Well, there’s no need to remember how I died.” It seems surprisingly important, but it doesn’t seem to be that important to him.
It’s at that moment.
The distorted sound of the bell that she heard yesterday echoed through the sky, which was turning slightly red.
Gara~n, goro~n.
It’s finally time for class to start.
“Then let’s go, Houzuki. Let’s finish the lesson with our own hands.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
She will end that scary lesson.
Houzuki steps into the dark and dusty old school building.
In order to make that female teacher, who is passionate about her lessons, enter Nirvana from this world.
Gyi~, patan.
