Volume 1 Chapter 5 (1/2)
Tuesday, April 7th, 7:30 AM
”In the end, she didn't come out at all”
”If you leave her here with me, she definitely won't come out”
Koutarou stopped with his shoe in hand and turned towards the inner room
Yurika had not come out of the wardrobe ever since she had jumped in
The frightened, sulking Yurika had refused to come out no matter how many times they tried to persuade her
And Koutarou was about to put things there on hold and head for school
”She'll cory”
”I hope so But at this rate, we're not going to get anywhere”
”You're right about that”
Koutarou finished putting on his shoes and forced a smile as he stood up
”Hurry up and come back, okay?”
”Yeah I don't have any work today, so I'll be home earlier than yesterday”
”Yeah, come back safely”
I' seen off
”Yeah, I'll see you later”
And saying good bye
The tho had been fighting over the rooh, it did not feel unnatural
As Koutarou stepped out he spotted Kenji, as leaving his bike in the bike racks in front of the apartments
”Hey, Mackenzie”
”Morning, Kou”
Having finished locking the bike, Kenji approached Koutarou, as in the
”Fuaaaaaaaaa”
”What, sleep-deprived again?”
”So like that It was hard to sleep”
”That ghost?”
”That's part of it”
Koutarou felt a sudden tremor
”Eh?”
At first Koutarou thought it was because he waseven when he had stopped
”What's wrong?”
”Isn't it shaking?”
”H a bit”
”An earthquake?”
”Probably I doubt there's any construction going on at this time, after all”
The two looked down at the ground, and after a few seconds the shaking ceased
”It looks like it's stopped”
”Well, that's about it I guess”
As they were talking shi+zuka's voice could be heard from above
”Good , Satomi-kun, Mackenzie-kun!”
Koutarou and Kenji looked up at shi+zuka, as on the second floor passage in theher door
”Good , Landlord-san!”
”Good i-san”
”The weather's very nice today”
shi+zuka walked down the stairs of the second floor
”Did I keep you waiting?”
”I didn't wait at all, Landlord-san”
”I only just arrived as well”
Today was the day lessons began at Kitsushouharukaze High School
Fortunately, the three happened to be assigned to the saether
”Oh, good Let's go then, shall we?”
”Yes!”
”Got it But Kou, you sure are strangely polite to Kasagi-san”
”You're right, Mackenzie-kun Even though I' me landlord-san”
”It's only norard”
”He's been raised to value hard work, so he's always like this towards those he works with”
”I see ufufufu”
The three walked together to school
It was the second day of school counting the entrance ceremony, and the classroom was quiet
There were a few groups talking, but it was one to the same middle school
It would probably take a few et used to one another
”Satomi-kun!”
In the quiet classroom shi+zuka's voice could be clearly heard
She was carrying a cardboard box andtowards Koutarou and Kenji's seats
”What is it, Landlord-san?”
”Fufufu, please don't call o”
”What's this?”
Koutarou received a small cardboard box from shi+zuka
”I spoke to a classmate of mine fros, and after I explained the circuave me all this”
When Koutarou opened the box he saw a lot of notes, labels, ropes and decorated sticks inside
”Religious equipment”
Kenji, whose seat was right in front of Koutarou and as also peeking into the box, stated the contents of the box before shi+zuka
”Religious equipment?”
Koutarou, who didn't understand, asked Kenji
”Yeah, look at this It has 'begone evil spirits' written on it”
”You're right”
”But to think there's equipathered here shi+nto, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic Wow, even Voodoo”
”Why would you give this to me, Landlord-san?”
”That's because you said a ghost appeared in your rooht help”
”Ah”
Koutarou finally reainst Sanae over the room
That's right, I' her over ownershi+p of the room
With Yurika showing up the day before, there was no time for any of that
”Wouldn't all of this cost quite a bit, Kasagi-san?”
”Oh, about that, Mackenzie-kun These were about to expire so I got them for free”
”Expire!? Religious equipment!?”
Hearing those unexpected words from shi+zuka's mouth left Kenji amazed
”That's what she said She also said the expiration date was really really close, so use them as soon as possible”
”To think the wave of civilization would affect even these kinds of things”
Kenji picked up a s charm, and stared at the label attached to it
'Expiration date: sixFor date of '
”The world is co to an end”
That was Kenji's honest opinion
”This'll help a lot, Landlord-san”
”I hope it'll be useful”
”I'll make it useful!”
”Do your best, Kou; I' for you!”
”Then help me out!”
”No way You know I's”
”Now that you mention it”
Kenji hated all things occult
Even though he was eable, he feared them more than Koutarou
If you asked him, he'd say he hated it because he knew about it
”Alright, with this”
Koutarou stoppedthat he had one other he had to drive out of his room
Self-proclaiical Girl Rainbow Yurika
She was an eirl with an excessive cosplay hobby
”Hey, Mackenzie”
”I won't help, no matter how many times you ask!”
”Not that There's so I want to ask”
”Hmm? What?”
Kenji nodded and turned to Koutarou, who indicated the cardboard box
”Ghosts can be exorcised with these kinds of things, right?”
”Well, yeah”
”So, what do you use to exorcise cosplayers?”
Koutarou looked at him seriously
”Are you stupid? There's no such thing!”
”Don't say that, I'm serious here”
Yesterday he'd only had to deal with a ghost, but today he also had to deal with a cosplayer
Koutarou was serious
”Seriously, cosplayers are just normal people Don't be stupid”
”So I can just use force?”
”Do whatever you want!”
Kenji adjusted his glasses with an annoyed expression
”Hmm”
And as Koutarou crossed his ar the two, started laughing
”Fufufu, you two sure get along well”
”Only because we've known each other for so long”
”Don't make it sound so unpleasant, Mackenzie!”
”Fufu You don't really hate it Right, Mackenzie-kun?”
”I really do!”
”You're not honest, are you, Mackenzie-kun”
”Landlord-san, he's always trying to act tough”
”Kou! Are you picking a fight with me!?”
”Ahahahaha!”
shi+zuka's laughter filled the classroo about so completely different
Do I really want to drive Sanae away?
For Koutarou, that was a sudden and unexpected doubt
After school, having finished clean-up duty, Koutarou headed for the club building
There were all kinds of clubs and societies in each of the rooms
In fact, you could call it an apart for clubs
”Well, it's technically treated as a society so”
Koutarou headed for the south wing of the second floor, where the societies had been gathered
Sports clubs were gathered around the entrances, but further inside the building there were almost no students to be found
In the quiet hallway only Koutarou's footsteps could be heard
”Here it is”
Koutarou stopped in front of the farthest back room
The Knitting Society
That was the society he had joined on announcement day
”hello?”
Koutarou knocked on the door
Because the door was made of resin and had an aluminium frame, the sound of the knock carried down the entire hallway
” Ye-Yes!”
A slightly panicked voice answered
Shortly after, the door was unlocked, and a girl's face popped out
”Who is - ah”
The girlit was Koutarou she eased up
”hello, Senpai”
”Welcome, Satomi-kun”
The girl was Sakuraba Harumi, the club president, and the only member apart from Koutarou
To Koutarou, as a corasp
To explain it, you spin the wool on your finger around the knitting needle, and on top of the needle you make loose knots
Although it is easy once one becomes used to it, Koutarou was clu it rather troublesome
”Senpai, what do I do here?”
”You pull to the right and then loop it around here”
”Oh, that's right Now I remember”
Koutarou would so on
And although he was soers on the needle, Koutarou was thoroughly knitting
”There's no need to rush, Satomi-kun I won't mind if you do it slowly; today is just practice”
”Ye-yes I'm sorry, I'm clumsy”
”I don't mind Everyone is like that when they first start”
Harumi seemed happy as she watched over Koutarou
Norht now she was upbeat and talkative, probably because she was doing what she loved
”Was it the same for you too, Senpai?”
”Yes I've even stabbedneedle before”
Harumi fondly re at her face at the tiet the smile on her face for the rest of the day
”Do this like this and Haha, I feelthat even senpai has failed before”
”When you put it like that it sounds like you're teasing er yet, so you ht be better than I was”
”Ahaha, I'll try”
Even while laughing Koutarou diligently keptaway from his hands
It sure is unexpected That someone like Satomi-kun would work this hard
Harumi, as seated next to Koutarou, couldn't help but find it mysterious
While she herself enjoyed knitting, she was also aware that not everyone else did
She did not expect an athletic type like Koutarou to show any interest in this kind of thing
She had at one point even wondered if he had some kind of ulterior motive, like the boy from announcement day
”Senpai, when I pull the knots is it alright if I put some force into it?”
”Ah, yes, that's okay But it'll turn out poorly if you pull too much and the sides become unbalanced, so be careful”
”Oh, I see Got it”
”Good”
Why does he work so hard?
In reality, however, that was not the case Koutarou was earnestly working away and trying to seriously learn knitting
Harumi couldn't help but find that mysterious
”Satomi-kun”
”Yes, what is it?”
Hearing Haru needles and looked up
Being confronted by Koutarou's gaze, Harumi's norhtly
”Do you ?”
”That's fine, ask ”
”I-in that case”
Having made up her mind, Harumi sed her saliva and pitched her question to Koutarou
”Sato?”
”Pick up knitting?”
Koutarou laughed self-consciously and put his hand to his head
”It doesn't fit me at all, does it? Ahahaha”
Koutarou are of how he must look to others
”Th-that's not what Ithis? And that made me wonder”
Hearing Koutarou's laughing voice, Haruaze doard
Looking at her, Koutarou decided to tell her about his circumstances
He felt that she would understand, and since she was his teacher he felt it was only fair she should know
”You don't see type, so I'll tell you”
”Satomi-kun?”
Haruhtly surprised that his face was more serious than she had expected
”Actually, there's a half-knit sweater in my room”
”Sweater Ah”
Harumi remembered Koutarou's words from the first time she had met him
”Would it be possible for a complete amateur to knit a sweater?”
”I hope to complete it withit'll take before I'll be able to do it though”
That sweater must hold some memories of someone special to him
That is what Haruhtly eentle
So that's why he's working so hard Hethe sweater I see, so that's how it is
Filled with relief, Harumi felt joy from the bottom of her heart
”I understand, Satomi-kun I'll make sure that you'll be able to complete that sweater!”
”Really!?”
”Yes!”
Haru seriously and that she had been able to find a true companion
”Let's work together, Satomi-kun!”
”Yes!”
Koutarou being unskilled was not a proble of it
But I wonder who knitted that sweater
Harumi asked herself, but the question quickly left her mind
That doesn't , Satomi-kun!
Haru found a true companion It was a truly joyful event for her
”I do this here, and”
Koutarou reviehat he had learned that day while walking to Corona House
The sight of a boyhis hands in a suspicious way in a town painted by the sunset was surreal
Even so, Koutarou was serious
He
”Hmm?”
As Koutarou returned to Corona House he could hear a sound froarden
”I wonder what that is”
As Koutarou rounded the concrete wall, he saw shi+zuka, earing an apron over her school unifore bamboo broom
She was in the arden
”Welcome back, Satomi-kun”
”I'm back, Landlord-san”
shi+zuka welcomed him with a smile
”I was cleaning the garden”
”I see”
There was a s up the weeds, she gathered them up with her broom
”I want to keep this as beautiful as possible”
shi+zuka smiled and narrowed her eyes as she looked up at Corona House, dyed by the sunset
Corona House was beautiful
Although the design was old fashi+oned, the 25 year old building showed no signs of its age
This was because shi+zuka had never neglectedit
”Landlord-san, you said this house was left behind by your parents”
Koutarou also looked up at Corona House
”Yes, that's right That's why I want to keep it standing as long as possible, although in the end it will probably be demolished”
”I'll make sure to live with care”
Koutarou understood shi+zuka's feelings
They were the sa the sweater
”Thank you, Satomi-kun”
”Well, I have to act cool from time to time”
”It would have been ascene too, if only you hadn't said that Ahaha”
”Wahahahaha!”
And as the two laughed, a sht flew across the crimson sky
”Ah, a shooting star”
”So it is”
The shooting star flew close by Corona House and had entered the view of the pair
”I wish that Satohost”
shi+zuka puts her hands together and made a wish
The star vanished at the sa
”I won't lose to a ghost Besides I got a bunch of religious equipment from you”
”Just in case, Satomi-kun Ufufu”
”I' trusted at all”
”I trust you”
”You're just feigning it!”
”Ara ara Ahahaha”
”Wahahahaha!”
The pair talked happily, but the only reason they were able to remain so cheerful was because they were unaware of as about to happen
Standing in front of Room 106, Koutarou reached into his pocket and took out his key He could hear voices co from inside
”Nooooooooo! Please don't come any closer!!”
”Fuefuefue, what does it matter, what does it matter?”
”I hate ghosts!!”
”What's the irl Rainbow Yurika?”
What he could hear were the voices of a frightened Yurika and a playful Sanae
”What are they doing?”
Koutarou unlocked the door, put the key back into his pocket, and opened the door
”Sa-save meeeeeee!”
”Oo!?
At that an tre as she hid behind Koutarou's back
”Gh-ghost-san, i-if you're going to possess someone, po-possess this person!”
”Coirl of love and courage”
Koutarou estruck
Well it's only natural; she's just a cosplayer after all
As Koutarou was thinking this, the other person in the room came to the front door
”Welcome home”
”Thanks, I'm back”
Koutarou responded to Sanae's welco Yurika followed him in
”Sanae, don't bully her too much She's not related to all this”
”I am related!”
”I know she's not directly related, but if she starts up a cosplay party here, I won't stand for it”
”I'irls are The ene!”
”It seems the party is just moments away”
”Right?”
”Please listen to what I have to say! Please!”
”Fine, fine”
”We knoe know Danger is approaching, right?”
”It ”
”That's true”
”Aaaaaaaa, you're not listening at all!”
As he entered the inner roo into a corner and turned to Sanae
”Sanae, let's leave this girl be for now”
”Yeah, I got it”
”Don't leave me be, please! This is important!”
”For the ti, let's settle this between you and me”
”Yeah”
Suddenly the s Sanae's expression darkened
” That's right, I had to drive you out of this room, didn't I”
”I can't afford to leave, so I need to exorcise you”
”That's right, that's what this was about”
That had been the intention of those two up until yesterday However, those feelings had gradually diminished
”Please listen to what I have to say!”
”Could you quiet down? There's no ti!”
”Sorry, I'll play with you later”
”Noooooo, I don't want to play with a ghost!”
”Do you want me to listen or not? Make up your mind!”
”Hey, Koutarou”
Sanae spoke to him in a quiet voice Up to that point, her voice had always been loud and energetic, so this attracted his attention
”Hmm?”
”Do you hate me?”
”Eh?”
”If by any chance you - ”
What interrupted Sanae was a large sound
”Kyaaaaaaa!?”
Yurika screamed, and at the same time the tata
Yurika, who had been standing on that round
”Why is it always me!?”
Yurika rolled, s
”Gyafu”
”What!? What just happened!?”
”Koutarou, below the tata out!”
”What!?”
Koutarou, who had been following the flying tata up from where the mat had been
There was a round hole in the floorboards, just large enough for a person to pass through
”It is a pleasure to ies for the surprise”
Coirl She appeared to be slightly older than Koutarou
She was tall, with a proper, for a composed atmosphere around her
”My name is Kiriha A descendant of the people of the earth, born to the Kurano family, who presides over oracles and incantations”
However, her clothes were strange
She earing rare old-fashi+oned clothing with lots of adornments
It was al the outfit of an ancient japanese shrine maiden
”Kiriha?”
”What's up with this one!?”
With this, four people had gathered in the small room Koutarou, Sanae, Yurika and Kiriha
Why do people keep flocking to this room?
Koutarou was less concerned with the appearance of Kiriha, andpopulation of his room
Koutarou, Sanae and Kiriha were sitting at the tea table in the middle of the room
Yurika was still lying next to the wall by the , unconscious and un
”Allow me to reintroduce myself My name is Kurano Kiriha As Kurano is the name of my clan, I'd prefer if you called me Kiriha”
”I'm Satomi Koutarou”
”I'm Sanae”
”Koutarou and Sanae Though it be merely until we're done with ”
Hearing their names, Kiriha politely bowed
”How polite”
”Le-let's get along”
Koutarou and Sanae returned the bow
”Firstly, I'd like to apologize I' out of a place like that It was the result of not wanting to cause a lot of commotion”
”Please raise your head, Kiriha-san”
Koutarou was gracious in kind to Kiriha, who kept bowing her head politely
”We wish to express our gratitude for your generosity Thank you, Koutarou”
Kiriha raised her head with a smile on her lips Her sincere demeanor and amiable posture dispelled Koutarou's wariness
Her clothes are strange and her tone is stiff, but it seems like she can at least hold a proper conversation
The encounters with Yurika yesterday and Sanae the day before had been disasters, but Kiriha's appearance left Koutarou with a good impression
”Well, Kiriha-san, what kind of business do you have here? And why did you come from below - ”
”Hey, Koutarou!”
”Uwa! Wh-what is it, Sanae?”
Sanae's sullen face cut in between the two, interrupting Koutarou mid-sentence
”Your attitude is completely different from when you met me and Yurika!”
”Of course it is The other party's attitude is different, after all”
”Aha~ I can see right through you~”
”Wh-what's with that look?”
”It's because of those big breasts, isn't it!? You pervert!”
”Eh? Are Kiriha-san's breasts big!?”
”If you didn't notice, you don't have to looook!”
An English-japanese dictionary sent flying by Sanae's Poltergeist struck Koutarou's head
”Do-don't be unreasonable!”
”This is usually hoe act!”
”Then don't get angry when you're left out of the conversation!”
”Grrr I still feel like so's unfair! Hmph, I don't care anyway!”
As if she had been talked down to by Koutarou, Sanae looked away sullenly
”Is it okay if I continue?”
Kiriha, who had been watching the pair in ahtened her posture
”I'm sorry, Kiriha-san”
”Not at all I'e tie place There's no need to worry”
”I appreciate you saying that Kiriha-san, I'll ask you again: what reason do you have for co here? And why did you come from under the floor?”
”Forwho I am”
Kiriha gazed directly at Koutarou and began to speak boldly
”I'uess from the name, we live in this planet”
”Ha But doesn't everyone?”
Koutarou didn't understand what Kiriha was talking about and replied with a perplexed expression on his face
People normally lived in the planet after all
”That's not what I meant We don't live on this planet, but literally inside of it”
”Eh!? Which means your people live under the earth?”
”That's right To round people We live coround”
”You don't mean”
”Un-underground people!?”
It wasn't just Koutarou, but Sanae, who had been looking aho stared at Kiriha in surprise
”What would someone like that ith us!?”
Sanae slammed her hands down on the tea table and leaned in towards Kiriha
”Cale in order so it's very cramped Don't move around too much”
”Ah, So-sorry”
Being repriinal place
”Our purpose for co”
”What does that mean?”
”Our tribe originally lived in the ion However, when your ancestors started usinginto our round”
”And that's how you becaround people?”
”That would be the result of it, yes Having gone underground, our tribe had originally planned on returning to the surface shortly thereafter However, they unexpectedly found the underground coround Those people would be my ancestors”
”Heeh”
Having co
The hole left in the floor seemed to lead doards into the very depths of the earth
”And recently, we made a historic discovery”
”A historic discovery? What?”
”A single book was discovered by chance In it, the position of the altar where our ancestors' souls are enshrined was recorded We have been seeking it for countless years”
”So, you surfaced to look for the altar?”
In response to Koutarou's question, Kiriha nodded
”That's right However, the position of the altar was accurately recorded, so there's no reason to look for it”
”So your business is almost done already”
”Good for you, Kiriha-san”
”It's not all that easy”
Kiriha sadly lowered her eyebrows and shook her head
”We would love nothing more than to rebuild our altar However, there's a problem with the place”
”The place?”
”I have a bad feeling about this”
Sanae made an unpleasant expression
”Actually, our altar's position would be the middle of this room”
Hearing Kiriha's words, they were just as Sanae had feared
”Which means, Kiriha-san”
”Yes, Koutarou Could you please relinquish this room to us? It's important for the altar to be in this exact position”
”I knew it!”
Sanae stood up in a hurry
”Of course on't give to you! I won't let you build soe altar here!”
Sanae refused to let somebody just build an altar in her home
”We won't forcibly evict you Our tribe has its pride and traditions We won't force our matters onto you In return, ould like to offer you the necessary compensation to find an abode elsewhere Kara that”