Ss (October 2017) (1/2)

Bad things are si The past will eventually catch up with you Even if you desperately insist that you were young when you did it—that everyone e—you cannot expect to be able to hide behind those circu o, a line from a book I read recently comes to mind: fate defies expectation; one truly cannot predict where its pitfalls will open1 If only because it left with me the resolve to live the rest of my life as honestly as possible, I can say that there is value in the ht in this place and at this time

One Tuesday, in a rare event, every eology classroom Why did everyone attend on this one day—wasn't there only ever atirritated me to no end

In a fit of enthusiasht it withto on a desk, and—what can I say—it felt like being aotten

”Would you look at that This brings back some memories,” Satoshi+ remarked casually Next to him, Ibara spoke up in admiration

”You ood stuff”

Ohinata puffed out her chest in an exaggerated ”

I suppose that means Ibara was the one responsible for this particular pay classroo sense of unease welling up insideso well

Chitanda, who had been sitting in the back of the class, stood up and looked at the pamphlet that Ohinata had placed on the desk

” 'Book Report Examples'… What is it?”

”Well, you see…” Ohinata started, but then glanced over at Ibara, who continued where she left off

”Back in Kaburaya Middle School, they would hand them out before summer break started Everyone had to do book reports over their vacations, but ave us the book reports from the previous year, to use as a reference”

”Mr Hanashi+ht?” Satoshi+ added, to which Ohinata said so like, ”Hana-cchi! That name takes me back!”

Did people really call him that…?

”By Mr Hanashi+ma, you mean the japanese Studies teacher at Kaburaya Middle School, yes? I believe he was the one that sent Oreki's book report to the city contest,” said Chitanda

”That’s hi stickler when it cara as you did that, he was always saying hoanted us to write about books hatever perspective anted I remember this pamphlet was filled with like, um, like theto show us just how ot one every year, so three in total I figured all the other ”

”Yes, we didn't have anything like this in Inji Middle School”

Out of all of the Classics Club members, Chitanda was the only one ent to a different middle school

”Did you use them as a reference as well, fukube-san?” she continued

”I remember the exa from them… Actually, I'm pretty sure I didn't even do the book reports in the first place”

That's probably not the kind of thing you should say with that usto Ibara shook her head with disappointment

”I read it I enjoyed it every year, to be honest,” Ohinata said, loud as ever ”I really like japanese Studies, but when I read this, I can't help but realize how stiffis All I can do is write normal textbook analysis”

”On that subject,” Chitanda said with a joking smile, ”you'll find I'm hard to beat”

”Haha Oh, the woes of us normal folk”

”Indeed”

Part of ree with Ohinata and Chitanda calling theuess you could say they were norards when compared to Satoshi+ at least

For no reason in particular, I directed by eyes towards the s and saw the various athletic clubs scattered around the school yard It was Spring, and there were blossoed to secure new e There wasn't any real knowledge vital in the Classics Club, nor any pointers for how to avoid getting injured, so having a random conversation like this was all we could really do

Chitanda picked up the pae

” 'I read ”Rump-titty-titty-Tum-TAH-Tee” ' Oh? It looks like the person who did this one has their name in only initials KB I can only think of two students who fit that”

”This one has the full name Aoki Kaoruko”

The pamphlet would be seen by their underclassmen, after all, so there were lots of people who didn't want their reports to be added to it There was nothing you could do if your report was chosen in the city contest, but that aside, most students preferred their narades below theuide for students writing their book reports, so there wasn't really any need for the names of the writers For those who didn't want their names in it, their initials were used instead

”Forget about that…” said Ohinata as she took the paes and then grandly announced that which I had been so desperately pleading against on the inside ”This is the part I want to show you guys I read 'Records of the Moon over the Mountain'—by HO”

This single part was the sole reason she unearthed this booklet

”Someone ent to Kabuyara Middle School, and who has the initials HO…” Chitanda wondered

”Someone one year older than Ohinata, which rade as we are…” Ibara muttered

”HO Ho… Ho… Someone ould choose 'Records of the Moon over the Mountain,' a story as short as it is famous…” Satoshi+ mused, head tilted

These people continue to tor onto my desk and said obstinately, ”It's not me”

Ohinata clapped her hands with glee ”You don't say! If it wasn't you, senpai, then I guess we can read it to our hearts' content”

I was at a loss for words

”I take it back It was me”

Satoshi+ grinned back sympathetically, and Ibara placed her hands on her hips

”Of course we knew that, Houtarou”

”Why would you try such an obvious lie?”

With a caring smile, Chitanda tilted her head a fraction ”You must've been embarrassed, Oreki-san”

If it was that obvious, then why did you bring it up?!

Do you want to read it? Ohinata asked, to which the other members all responded in their oays that they did There was no longer anywhere foras 'Records of the Moon over the Mountain' was the only one they read, at least it wouldn't amount to a fatal blow

”Now then, everyone, in an effort for all of us to further strengthen our abilities in the japanese Studies, I would like to present to you… Oreki-senpai's book report!” As Ohinata said this, she stole a glance in my direction and continued with an earnest expression, ”That is, if it's okay with you, senpai”

I' happened just last week My answer reed

”It's already been released for the world to see Do whatever you want”

Although, strictly speaking, I allowed for it to be published for my middle school underclassmen to see under the condition that it was done anonymously, I couldn't exactly rescind that permission now that the author was revealed That said, three years ago, when I was asked if I was okay with er students, I could've never i oing back fro made public, and it's not like I can attach any conditions to it in the first place… At least, that's what my sister would say

Ohinata beamed and then looked around at all of the club members

”On that note, is there anyone here who hasn't read 'Records of the Moon over the Mountain'?”

The geology classrooe silence

From what I can tell, it’s not a silence that necessarily indicates everyone has read the story I have a feeling it'sthe lines of: I read it, sure, but if there was anyone here who didn't, they'd probably feel aard about forcing everyone to take the tiht now At any rate, Satoshi+ was the first person to speak up

”Maybe I have… Could you give us a little summary?”

”Roger!”

Puffing out her chest, Ohinata started to speak in a clear voice

” 'Records of the Moon over the Mountain' is a really famous short story by Atsushi+ Nakajima It starts with a very talented overnment official, but he eventually quits in order to write poetry and pass his naain finds a job, but eventually he disappears since he can't handle the treatment

”Soovern through the er suddenly escapes back into the brushes, saying soer's voice, the official calls out the name of the man who disappeared soer say that it was hier in the first place or as going on in his h”

Satoshi+ responded with an auous expression, ”Gotcha Thanks”

Ohinata placed a hand on the pamphlet and smiled proudly, as if she'd been the one to write it

”When I read this analysis by HO, I was bloay It's not like the idea never occurred to me, but I had never even considered to flesh out the concept, let alone sublad I was able to meet the author I'd love to shake your hand”

Our desks were far apart The both of us held out our hands into the nothingness and exchanged an iinary handshake

”With that, um, let's do it like this”

With the pa me lined up their heads side-by-side and started to read

Itoon anything would probably be a tall order I remember what I wrote for the most part

I Read ”Records of the Moon over the Mountain”

HO – Second Year

I read ”Records of the Moon over the Mountain” It was very interesting I'ain It's good Richou was still doing well I hope helife

There are cats near where I live, and though I've heard them meow before, I've never heard them speak I don't pay close attention to them, so it's possible that they do in fact speak when I'm not around, but it's probably safe to say that they don't The shape of their ues, and throats are different from that of humans, after all

Ensan was attacked by a tiger in thehi over and over, ”That was a close one” Hearing that, Ensan asked, ”Froer responded, ”Indeed” Ensan spoke facing the thicket, and the answer came from that direction

Like cats, tigers have ues, and throats different from those of humans' Even if it possessed the er to replicate huarbled and aard Unlike parrots and their ability to e

From the quiet voice alone, however, Ensan was able to tell it was Richou This ers can't talk, and Ensan heard Richou's voice, then there can be only one possible conclusion

In the thicket were both a tiger and Richou, still in human form

The fact that Richou was able to speak caler likelyin the mountains? I believe there are two possibilities

The first is that, in order to prevent tigers fro his best to keep the, Richou kept an eye on the tigers and reat person

The other is that he set the tiger on passing travelers, retrieving money and valuables from their corpses He was essentially a bandit—he was a bad person

It's difficult to conclude whether Richou was a protector or a bandit froave Ensan Richou was deeply embarrassed by his inability to become a poet, so it was likely they he'd hide that side of the story if in reality he wasn't able to becoh, there is one possibility that I found

After telling Ensan about ent through hissome of the poetry he made, Richou asks him to take care of his fa, ”I should've started by asking that… if I were really human”

I think this is a little strange, however Having experienced the bitterness of failing to become a first-rate poet, Richou abandoned both his position in society as well as his fa about those hardshi+ps first strikesto do, yet he becoives an unnecessary self-deprecating excuse like this anyways Why was this?

Couldn't the reason be because Richou knew his fa Ensan to take care of his faave away that he knew his fah money and shelter to live without any problems As a result, he could've panicked andthe delayed response on his lack of huht

Richou would've known about his fahit to theer, so I think it's safe to say that's why he left the house to become a bandit

After the tiger narrowly avoided attacking Ensan, Richou kept on repeating to himself, ”That was a close one” It's possible he said that not because he realized it was his friend, but for a different reason It was still night out, and their surroundings were dark It's possible that he didn't see Ensan's face, but instead noticed the clothes and ornamentation that showed his position

Richou, the tiger-taovernment official at the last possible second and iovern that area's tiger population in earnest It's possible even the otten involved That's why Richou continued to say, ”That was a close one” It really was, after all

It's good Richou seeerous one Helife This is”Records of the Moon over the Mountain”

I heard an unintelligible sigh that was somewhere between shock and disappointment I couldn't tell who it came from, but it seemed pretty clear that it wasn't one of ad: the first to strike wins Before anyone could say anything to me, I seized the initiative

”You kno it goes Kids in middle school always come up with lame stuff like this”

With quiet awe, Satoshi+ said, ”I don't knohat to say I didn't think you were too weird back inelse, weren't you?”

Ohinata was brilee ”I never even considered the fact that Ensan wasn't directly seeing the tiger speak—even though I've read it so many times!”

Ibara on the other hand see the story as it is really so bad? I er, so I just took it at face-value and read it like that”

”I think that's fine too”

Not even I honestly believed that Richou was actually a bandit There's no way I'd er was a justto be sensible and settling on a be-all-end-all conclusion, all it asif I could read it like this solely from ritten in the text—simple, possibly even mean-spirited, fun Above all, the truth was that I purposely read the story with such an arbitrary lens as to find a theory thatBecause of that, even the japanese Studies teacher Mr Hanashi+ma was only able to soes a little overboard, when he saw it

Accepting the text with ”It's just that kind of story” is al hand It's like they've agreed to help one another, or even beca rare—I'd even call it coe when aout loud, and that all historical e isn't going to acco my book report—in which I seemed to reject all forms of cooperation with the text and tossed theround into trash—I find even ree that it was the work of a middle schooler

I didn't feel like trudging though an explanation of any of that to Ibara I would only be e myself further

Chitanda's already massive eyes were open even further, but she didn't say anything—aloing to say so cat before, Oreki-san?, her eyes turned toin size From her expression, I couldn't tell if it was out of surprise or incredulity, but I got the feeling I was being scolded for whatever reason and averted aze

”Oreki-san—”

The rest was seely stuck in her throat

”—you really are incredible”

I can take that as praise, right?

Well, at any rate, the difficult part is over We can finally stop doing unproductive things like dredging up soy on a constructive future Iculture festival, let us all work together to create a brilliant anthology and spread the nah!

…Or not If I say that now, Satoshi+ will probably end up replying with soet Houtarou to do an analysis of The Tale of Heike for it?2

Well this is a problee the topic now? Ohinata didn't let this et past her Of course, that's not to say she was ai inaccording to her own original plan, but it certainly felt like e of Ohinata suddenly reached her hand into her school-issued bag and pulled out another pamphlet titled ”Book Report Examples”

”Actually, this one's my favorite”

Where did you set your pitfall, you foul demon called Fate?!

The reason Ohinata took the effort to search her room for this pamphlet was almost undoubtedly because, at some point in time unbeknown to me, Ibara had told her about my book reports By some freak occurrence, the report I wrote on ”Run Melos” in my first year of middle school was the first point in a series of events that eventually led to the conversation happening in front ofabout it probably caused Ohinata to suddenly remember the ”Book Report Examples”

In my first year at Kaburaya, I wrote about ”Run Melos” In my second, I wrote about ”Records of the Moon over the Mountain” Thinking back to either of those reports o red in the face with embarrassment Deep down inside, it s while so all of the oing back for me after this next one

”I got another one in my third year as well, and it also had an analysis from HO It kinda feels like some of the sentences are off, but I was pretty fond of it anyways”

Is it… is it too late forat Ohinata with everything I had, rip the pa all the pieces down h time? Even if, in this hypothetical world, it was impossible for me to eradicate all the copies of this ”Book Report Examples,” wouldn't I—if only at this very time and in this very place—at least be able to prevent ht of day?

”Also, it's about the story, 'The Fight between the Monkey and the Crab,' ” Ohinata continued

Ah, she just had to say it

”Wait, are you serious?”

”Really?”

Satoshi+ and Ibara both spoke up in unison, and as they did, the pa left I can do Itabout it had I only reacted right away, but as it stands now,prevented nificant pamphlet like that disappear Ah, those who are slow to decide lose everything In this moment, I have learned this lesson…

In all reality, if I say so like, Oh , I didn't realize you had that one too I'd rather you didn't read it, I know these guys won't push the issue No one likes having so teased like that taken from under their noses, and I'm sure the curious Chitanda would die a little on the inside if I did do that, but on the outside at least, she'd probably be understanding

The reason I can't say it is because of my earlier declaration, It's already been released for the world to see Do whatever you want Even though her having another of my book reports would seeht, I still went ahead withthe answer I gave withtwisted here like this I could feelcheaper by the day

Because of all of this, I have no choice but to bear the public reading of ht between the Monkey and the Crab”

What a all worked up about? I'lace, it's just your everyday book report after all There's no way they'll notice anything out of place, right?

I decided to not watch the over there in the first place—but I could still hear what they were saying

”I'ain, but is there anyone here who hasn't read 'The Fight between the Monkey and the Crab?' ”

Satoshi+ responded, ”Folk tales have a lot of variations Let if know if my version is different”

”Well, actually, the thing is—”

”It's about a monkey who trades his persimmon for a crab's rice ball, but the persimmon doesn't ripen, so the crab plants the seed instead That seed eventually grows into a persimmon tree, and the monkey decides to take fruit fro a ton of the persimmons, and after some stuff happens, the monkey takes one of the unripened persi it

”The crab had a son, and that son decided to get revenge Allied with a chestnut, a bee, some horse shi+t—excuse the French—and athe chestnut over a fire pit, but it explodes, burning hiet sos him, and he runs outside his house to escape When he does, he steps in the horse shi+t and falls over, at which point thehie is a success The story goes so like that”

Ohinata let out an iet at least one part when they try to remember folk tales You really know your stuff, fukube-senpai!”

”Well, you know, I'm not that—”

”But I' to tell you this, but 'The Fight between the Monkey and the Crab' here actually refers to Ryuunosuke Akutagawa's short story, not the folk tale”

What she said Sorry about that, Satoshi+

Of course, Satoshi+ didn't seem all too heartbroken