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 ood friend S

wasself

With S's fearful intelligence, S saw through

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 classroom, 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 hell

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 rooh 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 thealu

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 class portraits

I painstakingly looked at each person‟s face to find one that ave me a funny

sensation

Class One, Class Two, Class Three, Class FourWhenever

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

was brushi+ng against my neck

I found it

The portrait photos of 3rd Year Class 5

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

But the place where his portrait should go was ee there was an empty space

that once had a photo

The photo had been neatly cut out

There should be a photo in that empty space 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 roup photo? Or did he…)

I closed the yearbook and walked to the co the

year nuo, 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 „juhtly 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 coo-“

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

those syain 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-santo 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 hi conspiracy

The relatives who pried on his inheritance decided to send out assassins 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 ht now”

“So one 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 hly Maybe my deduction really was „correct in

some places‟!”

“And how are we supposed to investigate soo?”

“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 soed 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 sairl 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? Kobayashi+? This is the Kakimoto house”

The third person

“Hohohohohoho, our Masao

Hohohohohohoho”

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

Tooko-senpai se

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 e

Why does our club still exist? This problematic than the real identity 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 hi to his death, I was

very frightened The roof re 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 so 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 class use I heard that the

funds for this auditoriuraduates 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, a the numerous clubs in this school, the Orchestra is very special Compared

to the two e roo a

fully equipped secure mansion to a bathroom-less old apartment

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

could seat thousands of people The clubtheir 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 nuht the

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

“Huh…just because they have ood”

Tooko-senpai, as 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 s dye smell

(What is this?)

The rooh the sky roof, lit up the room One side of the

as 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 illuht that

one couldn‟t help but close his eyes

Her facial features ell-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 lusty 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 japanese]

“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 class nickna special treatment

froenerously accepted everything

Perhaps that‟s because unlike h class‟ 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

ae 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 raduates 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 soate 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, ill exchange ant just as we decided Are you prepared for it,

Tooko?”

“Gosh!+ 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 blushi+ng furiously Her slender fingers stopped on the buttons on her chest

“Please wait a second What do youto do that she

needs to strip?”

I was cohly ehly

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 cere 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~~~~, ait! I didn‟t say I will strip alloff An…and…I need to hear the

intel first”

“What you are saying is that, if the intel is satisfying enough, you ?”

“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 breasts! 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 i 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 , 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

stohter

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

pure flatness……ahahahahaha……”

“If you laugh any! Maki!”

“Kuu…pupu…understood”

“Gosh!+ Everyone is such an idiot!”

Tooko-senpai, still looking furious, started to unbutton her shi+rt

With a snap, she unbuttoned her top button

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, ot this roo

Everyday after school I would spend half s I want to draw,

to coe every kind of trick- just to be able to draw

what that person truly looks like The ti 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 saht 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 shi+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 ether; with

her sleepy eyes, she dreamily looked forward

(That was unexpected sexy…I never knew you could be described as such, Tooko-senpai)

“…During that time Shuuji Kataoka was in a relationshi+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 irlfriend to everyone

Shuuji was already skilled at ain 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 hio home

together”