Chapter 6: Found you~
“Hmm, quite a salty taste indeed. The rust adds a nice kick, making it delicious.”
Yuiru leisurely expresses his thoughts while gnawing on the rusty can. It’s surprising to be able to gnaw on inanimate objects like that, but it’s understandable if that’s the essence of a ghost.
In fact, the bobbed-haired girl, due to the rusty can being gnawed on, was writhing in pain on the gym floor. One could say she resembled a fish washed up on shore.
After consuming about half of the rusty can, Yuiru continues.
“Oh, look at that insolent brat writhing on the floor. Delightful, delightful.”
“Hurry up and finish eating so we can leave once it’s gone.”
Upon hearing Houzuki’s words, Yuiru responds while gnawing on the can, “Don’t rush me.”
“If you’re bored, why not play hide and seek? It might distract you for a bit.”
“I don’t want to play hide and seek.”
“Just do it. Come on, if you’re the seeker, you won’t have any complaints, right?”
It’s unusual for Yuiru to push so insistently.
Curious, Houzuki begins to count slowly. Mimicking the counting method of the Oni heard during the terrifying school-wide game of hide and seek, she counts meticulously and deliberately.
“One…”
The significance of this is unclear.
“Two…”
So it can be heard throughout the whole gymnasium.
“Three…”
While imitating the Oni’s counting method at that time,
“Four…”
She calls out into the empty gymnasium.
“Five…”
Halfway there now.
“Six…”
Almost time for the Oni to start moving.
“Seven…”
Tension fills the air.
“Eight…”
The Oni is about to start moving.
“Nine…”
Just one more second.
“Ten…”
As the gymnasium is dyed in the colors of dusk, Houzuki’s countdown echoes throughout.
Having mimicked the demons from the school-wide hide and seek game, all that remains are the finishing words.
Surveying the gymnasium, with Yuiru, Towako, and Otoya watching, Houzuki utters the final words:
“Ready or not, here I come.”
In response to her call, a voice echoes back,
――I’m ready.
There she is.
The voice came from the gym storage shed where the rusty can was found.
Houzuki hurriedly ran to the shed and opened its heavy door. Inside the dimly lit shed, various tools for classes were scattered around, but no sign of anyone.
Stepping into the chilly air that brushed against her skin, Houzuki spoke to the elusive figure that had yet to reveal itself.
“I found you.”
Then, from the shadow of the vaulting box, a small girl peeked out.
Looking somewhat embarrassed but still smiling, as if to say she truly enjoyed this game from the bottom of her heart, the girl shyly smiled and said to Houzuki.
“You found me.”
The girl leaped out from the shadow of the vaulting box and headed back to the gymnasium.
When Houzuki turned around, the girl was already gone.
Neither the bobbed-haired girl writhing on the gym floor nor the rusty can waiting to be consumed in Yuiru’s hands remained in sight.
Licking the rust from his fingertips, Yuiru remarked,
“Hmm, still hiding, huh? Good thing you were found.”
With that, he clasped his hands together.
“Go chi sou sa ma de shi ta”
☆
It was already nightfall.
Since it wouldn’t be safe for students to stay out so late, it was arranged for Otoya to escort Houzuki home.
Never did they think that two hours had passed during the school-wide hide and seek game. It seemed that time flowed differently between the dusk-lit school building and the actual school building.
“Hey, Yuiru.”
“What is it, Houzuki?”
Looking up at the silver-haired red-eyed male student floating beside her, Houzuki asked,
“How did you know that she was still hiding in the gym storage shed?”
“While I was eating that rusty can, such memories just flowed into me.”
Yuiru landed next to Houzuki with a thud.
“It’s a memory of someone shouting ‘Let me out, let me out’ while pounding on the wall repeatedly. It’s probably the same kid who turned into the bobbed-haired girl. Seems like she wasn’t satisfied with just playing.”
“…Has this been happening for a while?”
Houzuki asked, and Yuiru shook his head.
“This phenomenon is new, but it’s probably because I’ve been devouring ghosts left and right. It’s a good sign.”
“What do you mean, a good sign?”
“The more ghosts I devour, the stronger I become.”
With his red eyes shining brightly, the silver-haired red-eyed male student licked his lips and continued,
“By feasting on ghosts endlessly, I can consume even stronger ones. Eventually, I’ll become—”
Gazing up at the pale blue moon hanging in the night sky, Yuiru fell silent.
Eventually?
What lies ahead?
Why does Yuiru need to consume ghosts? He doesn’t require ghostly meals, yet he assimilates his own kind and devours them. What is his purpose?
“Yuiru.”
Houzuki looked at Yuiru and asked,
“Why do you eat ghosts?”
Yuiru’s answer to that question was quite simple.
“Because there’s a ghost I want to eat. They are stronger than me, so if I don’t become stronger, I won’t be able to devour them completely without hurting myself. That’s unacceptable.”
Driven by an oddly strong sense of duty, Yuiru continued,
“I’ve made up my mind to eat them no matter what.”
His voice was unusually serious, far from his usual demeanor.
