♦ 5 “the curse” case (consultation’s difficulty……〇X□△)After school of the following day – Monday.
In front of the three of us who sat on the sofa in the literature club’s clubroom, was Ten-nee and captain of cheer club ー Kameno Ayumu-senpai sitting alongside. Firstly, Senpai who just visited us apologizes.
「I’m sorry. Suddenly intruding like this……」
「No, I heard about your visit today so please don’t worry about it」
Because today is also boiling hot, I smiles wryly while fanning my forehead with my hand.
「I see. Thank you, Ten-chan. For telling everyone beforehand」
Kameno-senpai joins her hands before her cow-like huge b.r.e.a.s.t.s. An unhurried tone. Quirky long hair is gathered into one long braid and the drooping eyes which give the impression of her gentle nature are the most impressive.
When we met her before, her physical condition was bad and she was escorted by Ten-nee and the vice-president Kurashima-senpai, but looks like she’s in a considerably great shape today, her complexion is also good and lively.
But, because today’s weather is cloudless, sweats are running on that white cheeks of her.
「Fuー. Nevertheless, so hot……」
*tayun tayun*. Two swellings, which were somehow pushed into the uniform, rampage strongly every time senpai holds the chest part of her uniform to fan, my eyes unintentionally follow that simple up and down movement.
「「……」」
「u……」
C, c.r.a.p. I am being seen by two girls in both sides.
Aizawa stared at me reservedly, and I got cold eyes from Shinonome.
So, Ten-nee, with a serious face, hastens the story.
「Ayumu-senpai, to be honest, I haven’t talked about the details yet. I heard that it was restricted to the club for the time being, so I thought it would be bad if I said without your affirmation」
「I see……Ten-chan, you seriously protected your promise with me, didn’t you?」
「Ha, hai」
Yesterday, Ten-nee didn’t talk about the details at Garnir.
The reason was that the president would officially request us after Monday’s cla.s.ses. I immediately ask.
「Then, senpai, what do you want to request us?」
Kameno-senpai changed her expression into a serious one and stared at me.
「The story I will talk from this moment, only two people, me and Ten-chan, know. It’s the “it will be bad if it’s leaked outside” information, so please promise not to reveal it, absolutely」
Shinonome answers with confidence.
「You don’t need to be worry. In the situation where the information is leaked, it’s us to be doubted. Besides, the consultation office won’t leak the information acquired from the job. Because that act violates the law」
Saying a similar thing before, Shinonome gives me and Aizawa a warning.
「Ano, can I ask one thing before hearing the request?」
「It’s fine, whaat is it?」 (she said “naani?” instead of “nani”)
Uwa, this person’s switching is really awesome……
As expected from the club president of a veteran school, the gaze in serious moments is breathtakingly powerful.
「……sono, perhaps, senpai was recommended by someone to come here to consult, right?」
「e? etto, thatーー」
A, she has a really troubled face and returns to that soberness. That means, as expectedー
Without delay, Aizawa leans forward and asks.
「That person’s name, can’t you tell us?」
「U, uーn. Sorryyy. To be honest, I’m told to be silent by the person who introduced me here」
Then, Kameno-senpai’s request is also one of the trial?
Really, until when will this trial thing continue……?
Don’t tell me, it’s that Kuroki Ami who resented the literature club in return for the previous time? Maa, she’s obedient recently, and I think I don’t hear any wind’s rumor about her…… (風の噂, means rumors coming from nowhere)
After staring at Senpai who smiles apologetically for a while, Shinonome smiles.
「Kameno-senpai, then, is it good to hear the detail of the request?」
「A……un, it’s ended now, right?」 (今はそれが先だよね, perhaps she asks if he finished asking)
Senpai who once again stiffened her expression talks about the details of the request and the general situations.
The contents were astonishing.
「ーーA, all members of the club collapsed because of the curse, you want us to somehow……?」
To me who repeat the request, Kameno-senpai and Ten-nee nod meekly.
Yesterday, Ten-nee said about curse or something like that so I prepared myself, but it’s unexpected that “that’ was the request.
Ten-nee who looks depressed raises her face and explains.
「Sat.u.r.day of the week before last week, in other words, the day after Kousuke and Aizawa Manaha had a date after school, it happened」
In other words, the next day after the date which also served as Aizawa’s grat.i.tude for saving her from expulsion risk.
「From that day, we of the cheer club went to Ayumu-senpai’s house ー Kameno Ryokan for a 2 day 1 night training camp. As for practice place, we used a local gymnasium nearby. And, the room we stayed at that time」 (ryokan is a j.a.panese-style inn)
「A cursed room, wasn’t it?」
When I refer to the information a while ago, Ten-nee confirms and continues.
「The room we stayed was “that”, I also knew that for the first time three days ago after being told by Ayumu-senpai, but at that time, everyone other than me and president had collapsed」
Three days ago, was it last week’s Friday?
「Sorry Ten-chan, I was silent about the fact that that large room was like that. But I didn’t believe, I thought that everyone would only be afraid so I didn’t tell anyone. More or less, because it was the room with such an ominous rumor, I wanted to change to another room, but there were lots of customers that day, that was the only vacant room……
But, because of that, everyone」
As if feeling her responsibility, senpai grasps the hem of her skirt strongly with a melancholic expression.
Therefore, I say.
「P, please wait. Is the curse really the cause? Because that’s too unscientific, maybe everyone of the club just used the curse to have a day off」
「Ikuno-kun, the fact that the room they stayed had a shady history, I’m sure that only Kameno-senpai knew from the start. Because it looks like only Takatora-san was told and no one else was, surely the club members don’t know that information even now……therefore, it’s impossible to think that they used the curse as the proof for their absence」
Certainly, it may be so. Butーー
「Then, did Shinonome say that the curse is the cause?」
「Fufu, I didn’t say so, did I?」
Shinonome entwines the hair covered her shoulders with the back of her hand and brushes it off, then smiles gently. (東雲は肩にかかった髪を手の甲に絡ませるようにして払い、優しく微笑む。)
「I also don’t believe in unscientific things like curse. After all, in reality, there are two people who stayed at the same room and still in good health. The cause must be somewhere else」
Ten-nee who was having an uneasy face, shows a slightly bright expression.
「I, is that so……Then, the curse is not the cause?」
「Right, of course」
When Shinonome answered positively, Ten-nee stroked her flat chest in relief.
「Then, all members of the club won’t die, right? Thank goodness……」
「Die you saidーーby the way, Kameno-senpai, what’s the origin of the cursed room?」 Shinonome who let out a chuckle after hearing Ten-nee’s words asks.
「E, did you ask me? The story is a little scary, is it okay?」
「Hai. It’s my nature not to believe such a thing」
It’s a fearful thing to normal girls though.
As expected of Shinonome, it’s like she really doesn’t have a weak point. I smiled very coolly.
「Ano, I’m also all right so please let us hear for the time being」
「So? Then I will tell you, but…….ready?」
But at that time, my upper arm was wrapped with a wonderful sensationーmunyuuu.
「U, uu……」
Aizawa held my arm and trembled.
My arm is wrapped in a soft, lukewarm, marshmallow-like sensation, my face instantly becomes red
「W, wait Aizawa, w, w, w, what happened?」
This heat, the arm which was already held became stuffy by the heat of Aizawa’s b.r.e.a.s.t.s. (the 1st heat is 暑さ, which means the hotness of weather)
「Sorry, Ikuno……I」
She raises her slightly turned red face, averts her eyes as if embarra.s.sed.
「S, scared」
Murmuring with a very thin voice, she searches for me and holds my arm more.
Under usual circ.u.mstances, I would doubt that she appeals frailly to fall to a man, but Aizawa isn’t a b.i.t.c.h. Perhaps, it’s because the number of consultants was low? ( もしかして、だからさっきから口数が少なかったのかな？)
A, that reminds me, on the way back yesterdayーー
After I parted from Ten-nee and the other, for a short while, because the direction to Aizawa’s home was the same, we got on the same train.
And, Aizawa who sat next to me was worried,
「Ikuno……Takatora-san, said something about a curse, right?」
「Un, she really said that. I wonder if it has any relation to the request?」
「……n」
Aizawa who looked downward and *gyuu* grasped her denim trousers, eventually looked at me.
「It, it’s not a scary request, right? Nee, it’s different right, Ikuno?」
「E? A, un……perhaps it’s different, I wonder?」
Though I didn’t know whether she was fl.u.s.tered at that time, was Aizawa afraid?
At the time of Ten-nee’s case too, I think she refused to enter the audiovisual room which had some scary rumors. Although Aizawa is rather frank, she’s unexpectedly a coward.
I find that slightly funny, while my lips are loosening I look at Aizawa.
「Ku……uu〜〜!」
Then, I notice that Ten-nee is glaring at Aizawa and groaning like a beast.
She suddenly stands up and runs *totatota* to next to me. (run around fussily SFX)
「Shinonome Ibuki, move nearby a bit」
「Fufu. I already predicted what you are going to do in general. Here」
Shinonome gallantly handed over the place next to me, Ten-nee sat there and held my arm. Unlike the opposite arm, it was pushed against *pito* by two small bulge. (SFX: gently touching sound)
「Eーtto, what are you doing, Ten-nee?」
「I, I’m also not very good at scary stories. Therefore I’m doing this」
「E? But Ten-nee, from old days, you was all right even in a haunted house, right?」
「U……that」
Ten-nee who has a troubled face, nervously looks for words
「A, anyway, scary things are scary!」
Closing her eyes tightly and yelling like a child, her face becomes deep red.
Yareyare. Although Ten-nee, about her personality, has grown up, the part of monopolizing me doesn’t seem to change……
While I, who can’t move, is dripping with sweat because of two people’s body temperature, Shinonome who puts some distance and sits on the sofa quietly doesn’t show a behavior of minding about us and advances the story.
「Then Kameno-senpai, can you tell the story?」
「Un. Then, from where shall I talk? It seems to be a quite old story, I didn’t ask grandma the detailed story so I don’t understand. For now, I only talk about what I know, okay?」
Saying that with an unhurried tone, Senpai begins to tell.
「The large room all member stayed at, hasn’t had a visitor staying in for quite a long time to be honest. If you ask why it was in such a situationーー」
「n……」
Aizawa is frightened like a small animal, further increasing the breast pressure to my arm.
Although I’m experiencing the happy numbness of my arm, I somehow gather my consciousness to the story.
「Visitors who stayed there died after 10 days, things like that happened. Of course, it was the story I heard from my old grandma, so I don’t know whether it’s true or not」
If the story is true for argument’s sake, 10 days later is.
Because cheer club lodged on last last week’s Sat.u.r.day, today is the 9th day. In other wordsーー
「If that legend was the truth, all member will die tomorrow, right?」
When Shinonome asks, Kameno-senpai nods and says with a gloomy expression.
「I, didn’t believe the curse of that room until now. But the reason why everyone collapsed, I couldn’t think of anything other than that, so I’m unable to not believe」
「Uu」
Ten-nee who was relieved at first, strengthens her hugs as if feeling anxious.
I who was hugged by two girls talk.
「Senpai, the story of the reason why the curse happened, what is it?」
「A……sorry. That story is the main subject」
Senpai claps her hands *pan* with a fl.u.s.tered expression.
Kameno-senpai, she’s really a natural airhead, just like her expression……
While I smile wryly, senpai begins to talk with a complicated face, as if searching her memory.
「Etto, my ryokan is an old shop from the early Edo period…….in that period, in that room, it seemed to happen. Uーn, murder, or is it suicide, I wonder? With that reason, it looked like a bloodstained woman or a specter (yuurei) of a man came out night after night in that big roomーー」
「I, Ikuno……!」
「a……nn」
Aizawa is scared and buries her face to my shoulder, Ten-nee who saw that pushes her small swellings against me even more.
……although there’s no reason to worry, as expected, I couldn’t concentrate on listening to the story.
「Then, people who stayed in that big room became ill without exception. And before we knew, people who did the oharai (purification ritual in Shinto) within 10 days were saved, and those who didn’t died after 10 days. But if lucky, one can be saved without doing anythingーーthat rumor was spread out in the town, now 『the cursed room』 seems to be famous and is well-known by everyone in my home town」
Senpai finished talking, Shinonome who put her legs diagonally says her thanks, looking composed.
「Kameno-senpai, thank you for the story. Other than that, just now while listening, there’s something I’m bothered by ー the reason all club members collapsed was only because of the so-called curse, but why did you think so?」
「E, thaatーー」
Kameno-senpai talks. While it’s true that it was a training camp, she didn’t set a specially intense (training) menu, so it seems unlikely that it was because of fatigue. Other guests didn’t have any problem, so it’s not because the ingredients used for food was bad or it was food poisoning. Among the guests and club members, no one had a weird flu, I didn’t think they caught an illness, either.
Because of those, the reason all club members collapsed was completely unknown, senpai and Ten-nee’s conclusion was that it was because of the curse.
「……I, I see. In that situation, I understand why you believed the curse」
With the summer’s noises from behind, I who was still hugged by two girls painfully says so.
Shinonome puts her finger to her lips,
「Maa, it’s not like I don’t understandーーby the way, Kameno-senpai, all club members, since when and what kind of symptoms did they collapse?」
「Ten-chan, the first was in the morning of the 2nd day of the training camp, right……?」
「A, haiーーwhen I woke up at 7 – the time to get out of bed, third year Sakamoto-senpai had high fever. And she was the first」
Ten-nee says so to us, and senpai continues.
「Fortunately, nothing else happened that day and the training camp ended, but from the next Monday to Friday, the members had high fever one by one and absented from the school. The last one was quite unbelievable but even Yuki-chan who tried her best collapsed……beginning from that time, I thought it must be the curse. Therefore, I decided to let Ten-chan consult and request you guys」
I see, then at the literature club.
After that, upon hearing senpai’s story, not a single collapsed member attended the school yet.
As expected, that strange situation even makes me begin to feel some chills.
「Shinonome, this situation is clearly abnormal, isn’t it……?」
「……」
Although I asked, for some reason she’s pondering around with a worried look on her face.
Therefore, I once again arrange in my head,
Why all members, except 2 people, collapsed?
For argument’s sake, the practice menu in the training camp was very harsh, the fatigue would pile up. But after that, the condition in which they were unable to attend school for many days seems unlikely.
Because two people here is still lively, it wasn’t because of food poisoning in the ryokan, and it’s hard to think it was because they contracted a disease with extremely high infection rate.
It’s not fatigue, food poisoning or disease, they didn’t use the curse to take a day off either.
Then, why?
The reason the club members had an unidentified fever and was bedridden for days……
Then, I suddenly think.
This is really because of the curse, isn’t itーー
Then the silent Kameno-senpai talks while her eyes become a little teary.
「The summer compet.i.tion in August, is the last highlight scene for the third-year. Besides, we wanted to a.s.sist our advisor Kawagishi-sensei, who began her maternity leave, to leave a good result, we would to our best in the remaining month, everyone just promised that and yet……why did this happened?」
「Ayumu-senpai……」
Ten-nee separated her hand from my arm.
Aizawa who was afraid until a while ago also releases me after seeing senpai’s situation.
「Ano, Kameno-senpai. I, if I can help with anything, I will try my best, so please cheer up」
「A, arigatoo, Aizawa-chan……also, sorrry, for making you worry」
Senpai smiles while wiping the tears with her finger,
「I, can only do things I like until high school, it’s impossible not to succeed the ryokan after graduation. Therefore, even just one day, I want to do my best with everyone very much. But, if this is really a curse……everyone of the club, tomorrow……」
In the situation where the credibility of the curse is increasing, everyone would end up thinking so in the end.
Tears once again come out from Senpai’s gentle eyes.
Ten-nee who was unable to remain indifferent looks at me with a helpless gaze,
「Please, Koukuse, please somehow help cheer club! It’s as you see, so!!」
*pekori* The childhood friend of mine politely lowers her head to me.
「……Ten-nee」
I want to do something.
But, can someone like me do anything?
If I promise hastily here and can’t solve the problem, I will make Kameno-senpai sad even more. Though I want to do my best to play an active part as a club president more than Shinonome, even so, I must not undertake it irresponsibly.
Iya, but……things like leaving Ten-nee before my eyes and the crying senpai, there’s no way I canーーThen, seeing me who is unable to decide, she smiles as always.
「Really, Ikuno-kun can’t be helped, huh?」
Letting her smooth and lovely black hair flutter, Shinonome slowly opens her jewel-like eyes which was once concealed.
With just that, it feels like the inside of the humid room was filled with a feeling of coolness, similar to when a wind bell sounded.
「Fine. That request, I will be responsible for undertaking it」
Senpai stares at Shinonome with tear-stained pupils.
「Ibuki-chan……can you do it, somehow?」
「Hai. Of course, it’s not absolute. But, even if it’s unreasonable, we must hurry. Because, the curse would be activated tomorrow」
Despite saying that, Shinonome surely doesn’t believe in something like a curse.
But she said that, perhaps for senpai’s sake.
……Senpai, you said you wanted to do club activities with everyone very much, even just one day, right?
Therefore, I think Shinonome intends to solve the case hurriedly by tomorrow.
What’s that, this fellow Shinonome.
Despite being the neat-type b.i.t.c.h I hate the most, isn’t she unexpectedly good?
ーーthen, I notice.
「Are, but wait……that reminds me, senpai, a while ago you said that they could be saved if we did the oharai within 10 days, right? We still don’t know if this case is because of the curse, but isn’t it worth trying to do the oharai?」
Then if the club members get better, the request will become unnecessary. But senpai shows disapproval.
「I thought about it, too. But, in the situation where everyone is staying in bed at home, if we go to do the oharai for each person, I think the amount of money will surely become enormous. About that (the oharai), I heard that it was expensive……」
「Is that so……I see」
Then in the worst case that the curse was the cause, it would be similar to having no way to deal with it, right?
Then we have no choice but to identify the cause that’s not a curse somehow or other and explore for the solution.
「Perhaps, that’s all of the information we can get here. After that, I think we have no choice but to check the actual place in various waysーーthen, Kameno-senpai」
Shinonome has an unapproachable n.o.ble-like smile, as if she’s scheming something.
「Tonight, can we stay in the ryokan?」
「E……Ibuki, stay?」
「Don’t be afraid, Aizawa-san. I will be there too so it’s all right」
「Uーn, I think it’s all right, probably. But wait a sec, I will make a callーー」
Like that, the talk advances without a hitch. Favorable conditions such as 3 people, meals, free of charge were given.
We of the literature club hurriedly head to Kameno ryokan.