CH 4 (1/2)

Bungaku Shoujo: Volume1 Chapter4

Chapter 4 - On that Sunny Day of May, He…

Let’s talk about S!

S was the person that understands me best. S was my sworn enemy and my good friend. S

was my other half and my opposing self.

With S's fearful intelligence, S saw through my everything.

All the clowns’ tricks I did to make others think I am perfect, they completely failed on S.

So, I was terrified of S.

Because I was terrified of S, I couldn’t escape from S.

In the cla.s.sroom, in the club, I was always at S’s side.

I felt S’s eyes were of divine judgement. My constant fear and shame made me tremble and

sweat.

The world is h.e.l.l.

And I am S’s slave.

◇ ◇ ◇

During lunch break the following day, I went to the library to check the past yearbook.

I sat on one of the chairs in the reading room, and started going through the yearbook from 10

years ago.

Inside it was a photo of the national final contest, the one in which the Archery Club got second

place. In it are the mustache-less Manabe-senpai, the gla.s.ses wearing alumni, with the laughing

Rihoko-san holding up the trophy and the certificate.

In it, I did not see a person that fit the description of Shuuji Kataoka.

Following that, I moved on to the cla.s.s portraits.

I painstakingly looked at each person‟s face to find one that matched mine. This gave me a funny

sensation.

Cla.s.s One, Cla.s.s Two, Cla.s.s Three, Cla.s.s FourWhenever

I flipped to the next page, I would feel shaky due to nervousness, as if an icy hand

was brus.h.i.+ng against my neck.

I found it.

The portrait photos of 3rd Year Cla.s.s 5.

Underneath each person‟s photo was a name. One of them said „Shuuji Kataoka‟.

But the place where his portrait should go was empty. On that page there was an empty s.p.a.ce

that once had a photo.

The photo had been neatly cut out.

There should be a photo in that empty s.p.a.ce. What does that mean?

In addition, who cut out and took the portrait?

I jolted.

(Did Shuuji Kataoka transfer schools before graduation?...Or was he hospitalized due to illness

or injury, and thus missed the group photo?... Or did he…)

I closed the yearbook and walked to the computer stations. I tried to search the web using the

year number from 10 years ago, the name „Shuuji Kataoka‟, and the school name.

I found an old news report.

I read the article, and immediately I felt dizzy.

In May, 10 years ago- Seijyou School‟s third year student Shuuji Kataoka (17 years old) jumped

from the school roof and fell to his death.

The phrases „roof‟ and „jumped‟ tightly clenched my heart. My door of old memories shook

violently.

Why did this happen…

My throat was dry, and my head was dizzy.

Why „roof‟?

Why „jumped‟?

This is the worst.

The news report said before he jumped, he even stabbed himself in the chest with a knife.

Moreover, because he left a will in his house, the death was judged as a suicide.

A nameless remorse and despair rushed up inside me, and I wanted to throw up.

Aah, why does this always happen!?

Before the second handnote even appeared, Shuuji Kataoka, just like Dazai Osamu, had already

committed suicide.

“What! Shuuji-senpai already committed suicide 10 years ago-“

In the Literature Club after school, after Tooko-senpai heard what I found, she was stunned.

“Does Chia-chan knows about this?”

“I don‟t know.”

I calmly answered.

When I learned from the library‟s computer that Shuuji Kataoka had already killed himself, both

sensations of dizziness and nausea attacked me. I even worried that I may start experiencing

those symptoms again. But my confusion, just like sea waves, came and went. Only questions

remained.

“There is no way she is seeing a person who died 10 years ago. Takeda-san must be lying to us.

Why is she doing this? What does Takeda-san have to gain from that?”

“…She said Konoha-kun looked like Shuuji-senpai, perhaps it‟s related to that. Hey Konoha-kun,

are you sure you don‟t have any relatives with the last name Kataoka?”

“Yes. At least, I have never heard of one.”

On that rainy day, the teary eyed Takeda-san ran to me and called me „Shuuji-senpai‟. Takedasan

must have known that I looked like Shuuji-senpai.

If that‟s the case, why did she try to get close to me?

Tooko-senpai took both ends of her braids with her hands and suddenly stood up.

“I got it! Maybe Shuuji-senpai and Konoha-kun were actually blood related brothers. On the

surface Shuuji-senpai killed himself, but the truth is he was involved in a frightening conspiracy.

The relatives who pried on his inheritance decided to send out a.s.sa.s.sins to eliminate the true

heir- Konoha-kun. Chia-chan is, in truth, a bodyguard that was sent to protect you, and then and

then…”

“Please stop your cheesy story.”

Tooko-senpai became fell-chested.

“Sorry.”

“Your cold is probably cooking up your brain matter right now.”

“So mean! My cold is gone already. Also, my deduction is not entirely off the mark.”

“Deduction? That wasn‟t deduction, it was more like delusion!”

“Uuuuhh~~~~~”

Tooko-senpai was very annoyed. Again she puffed her cheeks.

“Okay. We must investigate this matter thoroughly. Maybe my deduction really was „correct in

some places‟!”

“And how are we supposed to investigate something that happened 10 years ago?”

“We can ask the teachers that were in this school 10 years ago, or we can ask past Literature

Club members. There should be a way to solve this I think.”

“The Literature Club has graduated members?”

Tooko-senpai puffed up her flat chest and took out a notebook.

“Ehen. What we have here is a notebook that contains the contact information of all the former

members of the Seijou School Literature Club. Let‟s see, those who graduated 10 years

ago…see! There were three people!”

So few!

“Let‟s hurry and contact them!”

The somehow very excited Tooko-senpai dragged me out of the Literature Club room. On the

first floor there was a courtesy phone. Tooko-senpai looked at the notebook and dialed the phone

at the same time. The girl who 'possesses the special ability to destroy machines' (??) Tookosenpai

of course does not have a cell phone. As for me, I have few friends; it‟s even less likely

for me to have a cell phone.

Let‟s start with the first person.

“‟The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check your area code and dial again…‟”

The second person.

“Eh? Kobayas.h.i.+? This is the Kakimoto house.”

The third person.

“Hohohohohoho, our Masaomi-chan went to work in a research lab in Paris last spring.

Hohohohohohoho.”

“Ah-ah well, there are first and second years left anyway.”

Tooko-senpai smiled and flipped the page.

Second year, first person.

“‟The number you have dialed is unable to answer your call, please call back later…‟”

Second year, second person.

“Ha? Literature Club? I am in the middle of a mess. Phone back in half a year.” Ka-chin!

First year-

“No. There are no first year students. It‟s blank.”

As Tooko-senpai stared at the empty contact list, she looked half crying.

Why does our club still exist? This problem is even more enigmatic than the real ident.i.ty of

Shuuji Kataoka.

Tooko-senpai hung the phone tube onto her shoulders and started playing with her braids. I

calmly told her-

“Let‟s stop here! The problem with Takeda-san and Shuuji-senpai, let‟s leave it alone.”

To tell the truth, when I learned that Shuuji-senpai killed himself by falling to his death, I was

very frightened. The roof reminded me of something I hate most.

Tooko-senpai turned her head around and, with a slightly lonely expression, looked at me.

“Konoha-kun wants to stop here?”

“That…It does feel unpleasant that someone who looked similar to me killed themselves. Also, I

do feel that Takeda-san and the Archery Club graduates are hiding something. But, this can‟t be

helped.”

“…”

Tooko-senpai dejectedly lowered her eyebrows, and then strongly shook her head. Her cat-tail

like braids dangled along with her head.

“No, this won‟t do. Maybe the spirit of Shuuji-senpai wants to know the truth. That‟s why he

called us from the other world. If we just leave it at that, Shuuji-senpai will not be able to move

on to heaven. And I won‟t be able to taste Chia-chan‟s personally prepared tasty report.”

„From the other world‟, doesn‟t that mean he moved on to heaven already? So in fact what she

cares about most is food?...

She tightly grabbed my hands and, with a determined tone, she told me-

“Yes, things can‟t be left as they are. We will investigate this a bit more! For this, I…I…I…I

will strip!”

What?

On the following day, we came to the school‟s music auditorium.

This place was the property of the Orchestra, so it‟s not meant to be for cla.s.s use. I heard that the

funds for this auditorium came from the graduates and the supporters of the Orchestra.

The Orchestra has many members, and every year they would join the national contest and get

good results from it. In addition, many of its past members ended up to be active in the world

stage. I heard even the son of the school board president is from this Orchestra.

Which is why, among the numerous clubs in this school, the Orchestra is very special. Compared

to the two members only, storage room-turned-club room Literature Club, it‟s like comparing a

fully equipped secure mansion to a bathroom-less old apartment.

When we pushed open the soundproof heavy front entrance, we saw a huge auditorium that

could seat thousands of people. The club members, holding their violin, viola, cello etc., were

concentrating on listening to the foreign profession teacher.

“Wow…They are all members of the Orchestra.”

I originally thought the Archery Club was already numerous in head count; I never thought the

head count for the Orchestra would be even greater. There were at least a hundred people in here.

“Huh…just because they have many members doesn‟t mean it‟s good.”

Tooko-senpai, who was standing next to me, tried to contend.

Other than this huge auditorium, there were numerous smaller rooms. Under the lead of an

Orchestra member, we arrived at one of the rooms.

“Here.”

“Thank you, we can go in ourselves.”

“Very well. Excuse me.”

After the member left, a look of resolve appeared on Tooko-senpai‟s face, and she forcefully

pushed open the door.

“Hey, I have come, Maki!”

Suddenly, I smelled a stinging dye smell.

(What is this?)

The room was very bright. The sunlight, though the sky roof, lit up the room. One side of the

wall was pasted with painted cloth and sketched book canvas. In the middle of the room there

was a canvas leaning on a painting board. In front of the setup sat a female student. In her hand

there was a drawing brush. When she saw us, she smiled.

“Ah~, good. You didn‟t skip on our promise.”

Her long tea color, under the illumination of the sunlight, sparkled in gold. It was so bright that

one couldn‟t help but close his eyes.

Her facial features were well-defined. She was as tall as a guy, which made her seem impressive.

She was totally different from Tooko-senpai, in that her chest and her back appeared very well

endowed. Her whole body was of l.u.s.ty attractiveness.

This person was Himekura Maki.

She was the granddaughter of the school board president; she was also the president and the

conductor of the Orchestra. Her incredible looks and background made everyone call her „Hime‟

[TL note: Princess in j.a.panese].

“Fuun, so this is Konoha-kun? Aren‟t you cute. I am Himekura Maki. Just call me Maki.”

When her bright and lively eyes turned and looked at me, I felt nervous.

“Nice to meet you, Maki-senpai.”

I hurriedly return the greeting. Maki-senpai just looked at me and smiled.

Even though she was given the high cla.s.s nickname „Hime‟ as well as getting special treatment

from school, she did not feel ashamed or fazed; she just generously accepted everything.

Perhaps that‟s because unlike me, she was from a real „high cla.s.s‟ family. Maki-senpai first

looked at me with interest, then turned her attention to Tooko-senpai. She happily squinted her

eyes.

“Fufun….You even brought Konoha-kun here, you sure are brave, aren't you Tooko? You are

aware what we are about to do, right?”

Tooko-senpai puffed her cheeks.

“Maki, about the things I asked of you, did you seriously investigate them for me?”

“Don‟t think so low of us. Our club, unlike yours, has so many past graduates that we can throw

some of them away. It‟s easy to find someone to tell us what you want.”

“Fu, the Literature Club is composed of the few elites.”

“Yes yes. Also, all the members of my family clan are from this school. Some of them even

work as high-ranking police officers. I have asked some of them to investigate the incident with

Shuuji Kataoka.”

“And then?”

The corners of Maki-senpai‟s lips rose very high. She snickered mischievously and looked

straight at Tooko-senpai.

“About the intel, we will exchange what we want just as we decided. Are you prepared for it,

Tooko?”

“Gos.h.!.+ I know!”

“Then strip off your clothing and sit on this chair. Ah, just sit in any posture you like, I will pick

a good angle.”

“Uuuuuh~”

Tooko-senpai was blus.h.i.+ng furiously. Her slender fingers stopped on the b.u.t.tons on her chest.

“Please wait a second. What do you mean by „strip off‟? What are you all going to do that she

needs to strip?”

I was completely out of the situation. The highly embarra.s.sed Tooko-senpai and the highly

cheerful Maki answered at the same time-

“To be a painting model!”

“Yes, in the nude.”

What, nude!!!!!!!

“After I first saw Tooko during the school opening ceremony, I had been constantly trying to

convince her. I wanted to have a chance to paint a portrait of Tooko before we graduated. For a

truly beautiful girl, jewelery and clothing are absolute nonsense. I never thought a chance like

this would come, so lucky!”

Tooko-senpai‟s face kept on getting redder and redder.

“No~~~~, wa-wait! I didn‟t say I will strip all my clothing off. An….and….I need to hear the

intel first.”

“What you are saying is that, if the intel is satisfying enough, you may strip off all your clothing?”

“That….I may consider that.”

“Fufun, anyway let‟s start! Ah, Konoha-kun, just pick a seat anywhere over there, and enjoy

Tooko‟s nude body in detail.”

“Like I said I won‟t be fully nude!”

I calmly retort-

“Tooko-senpai does not have any b.r.e.a.s.t.s! She is a real airport [TL note: airport runway is…flat]!

Is it really all right for Tooko-senpai to be your model?”

“Konoha-kun!”

“Why, what a surprise. Have you seen Tooko‟s body before?”

“I can imagine it just by looking at the way she wears her clothing. No matter how you look at

her, the only thing you see is pure flatness, right? In my opinion, I think it‟s better for you to find

a more ample model.

“So meeeeeeeeean! Y-yes they aren't very big, but there are humps! They are not pure flatness!”

With a „puhn‟, Maki-senpai couldn‟t hold in her laughter anymore. She put her arms on her

stomach and started howling with laughter.

“Ahahahaha…aha…..…hahahahaha. You have a great personality, boy. Yes, Tooko only has

pure flatness……ahahahahaha…….”

“If you laugh anymore I am leaving! Maki!”

“Kuu…pupu…understood.”

“Gos.h.!.+ Everyone is such an idiot!”

Tooko-senpai, still looking furious, started to unb.u.t.ton her s.h.i.+rt.

With a snap, she unb.u.t.toned her top b.u.t.ton.

The sight of her white collarbone immediately flashed in my eyes.

“But, Tooko, I am very happy to be able to draw your portrait.”

Maki-senpai crossed her legs and laid open the sketchbook on her knees. She gazed at Tookosenpai.

“I actually didn‟t want to join the Orchestra- I wanted to join the Art Club. But due to a weird

tradition, my grandfather stuffed me into the Orchestra. I got this room as a condition for joining.

Everyday after school I would spend half my time drawing here. To look at things I want to draw,

to completely study every inch of its skin, to challenge every kind of trick- just to be able to draw

what that person truly looks like. The time I spend here makes me happier than anything else.”

Maki-senpai said enthusiastically. At the same time she picked up a charcoal pencil and started

to sketch Tooko-senpai‟s apparence on a blank piece of white paper.

Tooko-senpai sat on a chair and wrapped her arms around one of her knees. She took off the

shoe that was on her bent leg…*Ko-Ton* and threw it on the ground.

And then she took off the sock. *Po-Sa*…her pale ankle and her alluring toes were now exposed.

Her toenails were the same as her fingernails- they both had a light pink color.

Tooko-senpai moved her face closer to her knee cap and, as if she were someone else, calmly

asked-

“Tell me, Maki. Did Shuuji-senpai really commit suicide? When he jumped from the roof, didn't

he have a knife stabbed into his chest? Is it possible that someone else stabbed him?”

“It‟s true that there is a possibility that he was murdered; however, on that knife the police only

found Shuuji Kataoka‟s fingerprints. Furthermore, Shuuji Kataoka did have the motive to

commit suicide, a suicide note was also found in his house. These are the reasons the police

judged that the death was suicide.”

“Motive…”

 Shuru*

Tooko-senpai loosened her triple knit French braid, and let her hair down. Her s.h.i.+ny black hair

was as soft as ocean waves and blanketed her body. And I, as if I was being attracted by her,

leaned forward.

Maki-senpai lightly gasped.

Tooko-senpai‟s expression was both mature and s.e.xy. Her lips were softly closed together; with

her sleepy eyes, she dreamily looked forward.

(That was unexpected. s.e.xy…I never knew you could be described as such, Tooko-senpai.)

“…During that time Shuuji Kataoka was in a relations.h.i.+p with a student from the same year,

called Sakiko Kijima. Apparently they really liked each other. Sakiko was a nice and empathic

cute girl. Shuuji treasured her very much, and he loved to show off his girlfriend to everyone.

Shuuji was already skilled at making other people like him. Often he would gain the other

person‟s favor by telling jokes. If you asked him about Sakiko, he would tell you where they

went for dates, what they talked about on the phone the night before, etc. He would tell you

everything about them.

Sakiko also loved Shuuji very much. Whenever Shuuji‟s club activities ended, she would come

to the front of the Archery club to wait for him. Then they would affectionately go home

together.”

 Ko-Ton*