Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin

Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Being Disowned on an Island
“That’s enough!” I turn my head and shout at my father.

“This is already the 21st century already! No one is doing like this anymore, this kind of family business! The way of helping others for free without any meanings, to continue with that would be a waste!”

Our family has one family business that has to be inherited from generation to generation without any stop. It had been pa.s.sed on from great grandfather to grandfather and then until it comes to my father without any obstacles. I, who was born to be my father’s son, have been determined since birth already that I must continue inheriting it.

Because I didn’t prepare to plan anything beforehand, so I understood since at the beginning that it is necessary to continue proceeding this business, no matter if it’s handicraft skills that have been inherited from generation to generation or all the pure ancestor’s morals that were cultivated since I was a child.

‘It is a business that proceeds very well. Actually, it is not a bad job at all.’

But that is usually more an opinion of the people around which during my childhood I was never even doubtful at all that if I’m actually a working employee in this job, there’s no way that I’ll have this kind of thinking like this for sure.

During my innocent childhood that had been educated with only pleasant things, I’ve never been a little bit doubtful at all because at that time I thought that it was a normal thing.

But once I grew up, learnt more things, I started to have some curiosity.

Eh? Is it a bit too strange right? Why do I have to inherit this business too?

And then I already lost interest with forward path that has been laying. That kind of thing won’t be able to tie onto me no matter what but that doesn’t mean I want to become a pioneer who rebuild the abandoned land that is far from development or something like that. But even in that case, I’m still hesitant about my own future that has already been determined.

Primary, junior high school, senior high school, once I’m getting older, the experience that has been collected is also increasing in order. That also makes me thinking of being against the inheritance of my family business even more. Until recently, the thinking that ‘there’s no way I’m going to take over the position in my family business at all’ has turned out to become a secret inside my mind already.

The fact that this has happened may probably be due to something that has already been set.

During that night too, I was called to come to my father’s office and was asked about our family business endlessly. My father is a person who dedicates himself to the work and also maintains our home. He called me to meet him at the office during the night that I knew that I have to stay home anyway and he said to me about taking over the family business since my grandfather’s generation.

Actually, it’s really such a shame that more than half of the stories of our long-time family business have been stuck in my brain which made my ears weary after listening for ages.

No matter how many times we tell I can still remember it but my father doesn’t seem to have the time to stop talking. Doesn’t he understand teenagers like me, or is it because the older he gets the lonelier he becomes? Maybe sometimes my father just only wanted to say something probably. If he really wants to talk to his child, then please give me some pocket money as well.

On that day, a very long story of my father has started together with me who’s also feeling bored as well.

But on that day there’s something that’s to

tally different.

I don’t know why I’m so upset that much. The person who’s upset isn’t my father but it’s me instead.

I am not able to hold my feeling and listen to my father any longer.

Additionally, on that day there were terrible events happening since morning as if the heaven had threatened.

Since I had forgotten to set my alarm until I woke up late and did not have any breakfast. Once I went to school late, I got punished by standing in the hallway while during that time, every single cla.s.smate writing love letters to the cutest student in the cla.s.s for that person to read. And I have forgotten to bring my lunchbox since I was in hurry on the way so I forgot to bring my wallet as well. Neither my close friends nor male friends of the entire cla.s.s let me borrow their money, not even one single person, so I couldn’t eat any lunch. During on the way back from school, the eroge book that was hidden has been put on top of the table. Moreover, the person who found it should probably be my younger sister who’s likely to lose respect in me. This might make my sister who knows the secret feel disgusted in me. It is certain that if my mother knows about this case, I may probably be punished to not get any meal for sure. I am thinking very differently and varied while I’m hiding myself under the blanket in a dark bedroom.

Once my friends and cla.s.smates all know about the whole detail of embarra.s.sing love letter, I don’t feel like I want to go to school tomorrow at all. The eye expression that expresses many varied meanings of my younger’s sister emotions, who’s currently studying in junior high school, is beyond the meaning of ‘pain’ already or has already turned into the fear that I have. Argh, I can’t hold it anymore! But even in that case then I shouldn’t give up. There may probably be something great happening for sure. Ten seconds later, I have thought that it is impossible to solve those things, unless it is possible to return to the past only.

Then I got called by my father to meet him at the office even if I’m in a mood that have to tolerate for having to listen to an annoying long story like that. Who can possibly be patient with that?

Today is just one day with the image and pride that have been collected for several years. For a senior high school guy who’s innocent, it is a story that is critical for losing different things all at once. Furthermore, since morning there’s nothing that reaches my stomach apart from pure water. In that moment, why do I have to listen about morality from the clans?

I have to do something to be able to go back and solve the problems that had happened on that day. In addition, my mental state with an empty stomach for the whole day is resembled to as a blue robotic cat which has been summoned like a lightning and start doing a magnificent idea which is claimed that ‘if you get a handful of Dorayaki and insert into the mouth will probably help something’. This will make him have to run in a hurry to the bakery store to buy something like that.

Right now I don’t have enough free time to listen at those nonsensical stories like that.

The thinking like that may probably be part of the factors as well because once I’m conscious, I would have brought all the dissatisfactions against my family business, that has been inherited for ages beyond my age, and throw them all to my dad.

“That’s enough! It’s very annoying, now please listen, there’s no way I’m going to follow your footstep for inheriting the family business or stuffs like that!”

Even if I sighed while breathing since I yelled too much, but once I get to liberate all the emotions that have been trapped for a long period of time, it feels such a great relief.

But at the same time, I notice my father’s reaction. I stare at my father together with starting to feel a bit guilty that am I saying too much or not. The only thing he could do is to keep quiet and fold his arms thoughtfully.

After a while, my father then deliberately speaks out loud.

“I am really impressed,”

“Is there anything really impressive? Does the thing that I’ve just said really congenial or what? If that’s the case, then I’m relieved,”

“I’m also impressed with your dumbness, but from what I’ve just said, it doesn’t mean that I’m impressed but it means that I’m going to disown you instead”.

Until that moment, I just realized that I misunderstood between ‘being disowned’ and ‘being impressed’. But that seems to be something that I can’t be helped because I never have expected that just only saying that I won’t going to take over the family business position would result in being disowned by my father like this.

After he said something like that already, he raised one of his eyebrows.

“In that case, would you like to inherit our family business or not?”

“No way!”

“Then I’m going to abandon you, go away to wherever you want to go right now!” He said articulately without any hesitations.

It may probably be due to that I did not receive any nutrients from foods since morning until I’ve forgotten that my dad is a person who truly does anything from whatever he says. But in that case, I did not reply back that ‘oh I see’ like that at all.

“Get out of my house right now!” He turned his face back to me who could only stand firm and getting scolded again. Leaving the house even if being pressurized like this may probably be a right move of a person who’s fully a teenager. But unfortunately, I still haven’t had the chance to think about the consequences of that action. Because I am not a hot-tempered person, at last I could only stay still like that.

From now on it may be about getting prepared to leave this house. If I turn back towards my father, I may claim farewell to him but I also don’t know what to do with this unexpected event.

For me, it’s such a difficult task.

“Stop being foolishly persevering like this, you should shut up and follow the path that I have set up for you,”

“No way, a gentleman should never recant his own words,”

Even if I’m boastful like that, but if I got banished from the house by my father right now, it would probably be difficult.

“Oh great, a guy who’s only able to do things mediocrely will never succeed in anything. You’re such a person who never think back and forth.”

Thanks for being able to guess your son’s behavior accurately, idiotic father!

From sitting down quietly and using my dad’s thought for ten minutes, the result is:

“Alright, let’s say, we’ll have to wait until you graduate from senior high school first before I can banish you away. I think it’s me and your mother’s duties to pay for your tuition fees and have to pay until that time comes. But I also don’t want to see your face anymore, therefore, please get out of this house”.

Once he said like that, he picks up a pen and writes something on a piece of paper.

“You get out of here first, I may need time for managing things for an hour and also transfer your school too. The place that you’re going to go is here”.

Here is the message written in the paper that my father has given to me.

School District ‘Nanae Island’, Nanae High School the Third.

My dad is acting like Tooyama Kinjirou in that manner. Even when he banished his own son from the house he still pretends to speak in a cool way.

An hour after that, I’ve finally got kicked out of the house where the head craftsman, who’s working in our family business, is the person who sends me away. The head craftsman is an uncle who doesn’t look really admirable or enjoy talking.

He’s a type of guy who doesn’t express his feelings through words but he shows them more from his actions. Actually, he’s a very kind person, he took care of me since I was little.

I’m having udon noodles that the head craftsman’s wife cooked which makes me burst into tears that wasn’t seen for ages already in front of head craftsman and his wife.

It’s very painful, so mentally painful.

I was stunned when I just suddenly got kicked out from the house without doing anything even if I refused to accept things that my parents had truly prepared for me but I’m not able to stand firm with my own legs. I still have to rely on my parents even due to my pathetical behavior. At last, I have to choose to stay on the island that my dad had prepared for me.

If the uncle craftsman’s home also still has a daughter, then sometimes I may not weep like this for sure.

The uncle craftsman’s daughter is like a pretty elder sister who’s 3 years older than me. She left home to go live her life independently to study at university. If she wears a maid dress and gla.s.ses, she’ll look perfect to my specification that I’m looking for. If she’s still here, then I will feel much mentally stronger and wouldn’t have cried like that for sure.

But because I stay with my kindest uncle and auntie like this, so I did dare cry without being shy.

Sometimes I may have truly cried from the bottom of my heart like when I was in grade 4 which I opened a girl’s skirts who was my cla.s.smate and I got avenged by pushed out from the cla.s.sroom’s window on the third floor.

Once it’s like that, I… Juugo Yama, who’s right now waiting to be punished whether I’m going to be disowned in the future or not, then got released onto an island to walk across the Pacific Ocean to this island.

The last man standing Jenga who’s at the back of the ship that’s floating in the middle of the large ocean waves, crashing and reflecting the rain clouds’ shadows. The cool breeze from the north, which is the destination, is still breezing remorselessly towards a guy who has a heart full of scars from being kicked out from home. The ship that the guy who’s staying on is heading towards an island faraway in the middle of the ocean.

From everything, it’s a lie, totally nonsensical. Actually, it’s totally the opposite instead.

“I’m finally liberated!”

I shouted with lifting both of my hands towards the sky. Once we get to head towards a very wide ocean. The yelling sound as if the person who sets sail of the ship wants to become a head of pirate.

It has only been three days after my father sentenced to disown me and send me to an island. Right now I’m on a ferry ship that’s heading towards Nanae Island.

The bright blue sky is like wishing me luck for starting a brand new life of mine. The ferry ship is moving through the water surface smoothly heading to the south. The cool wind that blows also makes me feel much more relaxed and more than anything. My heart is now truly brighter than before.

It’s true that the night that I got kicked from the house from my father and sent to this island had made me cry. But once I cried after one night then I’m totally no longer sorrowful. The pain has been drained by the tears. My heart is now back to become brighter once again and I feel much fresher again like this. When I was bitter, I didn’t have to tolerate with anything. Just only weeping out my tears it’s actually great like this. Crying may be seen as not a cool thing so I thought that it wouldn’t be really great to cry, but it turns out it’s not like that.

From now on, if there’s any time that’s sorrowful, I’ll try to cry enthusiastically then. Obviously, I have to cry without letting anybody see.

There were many things that happened from the time that had past and ended up with me being banished from home. From now on, I’ll get to live my life whatever my heart wanted until I want to shout out that word once more with the mental state that’s brightly relieved and with the feeling that’s amazing.

“I’m liberated!”

The destination that this ferry ship is heading to is not Grand Line but it’s a paradise that’s a ‘Popular Special Student Zone’, Nanae Island.

Living independently on the southern island must have activities and many different events for teenagers to wait for sure.

The bonds in the past may not be able to hold back me anymore. From now on will be restarting again from scratch. Therefore, the things that have been cultivated until right now I shall throw them all away.

I’ll try forget about the stories of my family, and the story of my uncle craftsman I shall drain it with tears. The stories of my friends and writing a love letter to a girl which was an incident that made me unable to control my anger and also when I got banished from home, I shall totally forget them all.

Goodbye everyone (adios amigo)

From this reason, my heart is focused on the brand new paradise and not long I’m able to see the Nanae Island like in the pamphlet which has a prologue that Nanae Island is an inhabited island located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

But once I read the summary carefully, I think I should call it an island that has been reconstructed from scratch would sound much better. According to the explanation in the pamphlet states that before it has become Nanae Island like today it seems it was only a small deserted island surrounded by reefs.

But because some reefs that appear up from the middle of the sea, the soil carried from the mainland and the human science that makes some various things fly, once all these things a.s.semble then turn out to become a popular Nanae Island like nowadays.

The width of this island in the present is almost equivalent to Awaji Island that’s located in Seto Sea. But it seems that the island construction technology during this modern era is also able to expand the width continuously. But since I’ve never been to Awaji Island before so I’m unable to imagine that how big is this island.

The announcement speech from the ship then starts at the same time when the view of the island becomes visible. Once I look at the island I found out that:

“…Wow, it’s very big,”

Once I look at that island from the ferry ship that I’m on at first, I expected that it should take around 30 minutes to reach there. But once I’ve seen at a close distance, it even surprises me that is this really an island. I’ve never knew before about which ocean or continent is it located at. Even if I’ve seen this island before, I may not be able to decide whether it’s larger or smaller than Greenland. It’s large at a size that I could also call it either as an island or a continent. To conclude, Nanae Island, which is inhabited by approximately a hundred thousand people, is much larger than I had imagined.

I carry my bag on the side of my shoulder that contains all the stuffs inside one bag and jump off the ferry that leads me to the port.

The point where I step my feet on should be the ground certainly but according to the information that the pamphlet has said, this area is the coast of the whole island. It isn’t a real ground but it is a way of using floating tiles that compile many latest technical sciences for using in production, connection and constructing artificial ground. In other words, beneath the ground is a sea.

It seems like it’s a common ground in general until I almost opposed what is written in the pamphlet is actually a lie. Instead of having those groups of Hula girls from Hawaii waiting to welcome like we see on television, it turns out to be groups of old uncles similar to policemen standing firm waiting to welcome under the curved door and claiming that “welcome to Nanae Island”.

“Welcome to Nanae Island, please fill for immigration over here,”

After that I got sent to a building nearby and queue up at the end of the line where the people are queuing.

This is like the same atmosphere as immigration bureau of the airports in foreign countries which I’ve seen on TV before.

The luggage that I was carrying that gets sent to be checked in a machine that’s similar to metal detection machine and my body must receive security check for a long period of time until the interview for answering questions from immigration bureau staffs. I’ve hand in the certificate about people who’s coming to this island to the staff.

The staff does security check very thoroughly on me from head to toes all at once before going to question me that,

“What is your intention of visiting Nanae Island?”

I’m thinking of answering something absurd to call humors from the staff. But since I see the security staff looking kind, the person who reminds me of Mr. Eddie E the unmoral police, the person who has three types of post in Super Famicom Final Five in Retro Collection games of my father, is swinging the baton for fun, so I answered according to the truth.

Suddenly, the staff then stamp on my certificate easily and only this I am able to leave the gate right away.

Once I pa.s.sed the strict security check until it’s almost impossible that this island is also located in j.a.pan like this is the true meaning that I’ve entered Nanae Island already.

After that the thing which I see in front are houses standing in a long line which really creates an impression for me.

“Wow, that’s amazing,”

The construction that was designed with precision and connected in a line. Once I looked these buildings from perspective view, I’m delighted with greatness and beauty of them.

The city deserves to be built by an architect who was regarded as a genius.

But the thing that I’m interested more than these buildings is the people who are walking in this city instead.

But everybody is all young. No matter where I focus my eyes on, everybody is wearing school uniform but it’s probably normal because the people who live on this island are mostly students.

Nanae Island, or an island that has an alias as Special Student Zone, is actually a southern island of paradise that 80% of the population are students. This island is built to be a place for training and educating the groups of students. The number of inst.i.tutions including junior, senior high school and also university in total contain more than 21 places and the number of fields contain 5 times the number of inst.i.tutions or more than 100 fields. At this island has places that support more various researches. The equipment and tools for modern researches are ready for using in facilities in terms of research which is a distinctive point of this island. Hence, it seems like there are a group of professors that took their time sailing across the oceans from different countries.

But the complicated story like this has been written on the pamphlet for me already and whatever is going to happen, I don’t care.

“Hey, it’s really great,”

The southern island has many girls as if my mind gets to release all the stress.

Because of my excitement, the purpose of building this island has changed in a different direction.

I would like to walk continuously and aimlessly in this city like this for a while but I have to go find a residence first. I call a taxi that’s parking in line in front of me and hand in the written message to the driver. The taxi follows through the road smoothly that doesn’t have many vehicles. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the destination, an apartment with two floors which is located in the middle of the residence known as “Shiawase Dormitory”.

“Alright, don’t think too much with its name,” I came here following the guidance message written on the paper from the authority who accommodates the residence for me. I knock on the door of housekeeper’s room that’s distant from the apartment.

“I’m coming,”

The housekeeper opens the door with a reply, wow… so beautiful.

It seems it’s a pleasant sign. I could only lift up my fingers and feel grateful to be looked after by the housekeeper. She’s tall, slim and firm at every part of the body. Her hair is long down to her back.

“Uuuuhhh”, her eyes cause a flow in tears when she yawns. It’s very affectionate and attractive. Moreover, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s seem to be large as well. It’s probably as large as the size of Gravier Idol Cup E and the way she dresses is completely terrible. What on earth is wearing an undershirt and extremely short shorts until I almost going to say it out loud that she’s dressing to attract an alligator is also good enough! The housekeeper who dresses beyond the beauty like this, what’s your real purpose of taking care of!? Certainly, if I say that out loud, I’ll be considered as a grotesque person for sure so I have to worry about myself first. But it seems that the longer I try to keep my mouth shut, it turns out that I become much more excited.

Then this housekeeper still has an unusual aura that shines as well and at the same time, there’s a smell of liquor flowing through the air as well. I enter the housekeeper’s room with my weary eyes full of drowsiness when it’s still actually just 1 p.m. on Sat.u.r.day.

“Eh… you’re Juugo Yama right,”

The room laid down with eight Tatami mats is filled with the mess of empty beer cans over the place giving an unpleasant smell everywhere.

“Yes,” I answered the lady housekeeper’s question while she’s walking towards the other side of the table.

“My name is Shiki Maboro. I’m both an owner and a housekeeper of this Shiawase dormitory. Actually, I’m already 28. Most of my work is looking after this place. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

The housekeeper smiles together with claiming that she wants to imply that she seems to ignore her own duty without any worries.

“Please keep in me in mind,” I bend down my head.

“Oh and also how old are you Juugo?” Once the greeting of keeping me in mind ends like a closing ceremony, Shiki-san then changes to talk in a casual way until I’m astonished.

“Oh I’m already 16 sir, the day after tomorrow I’m moving to study at Nanae high school the third.”

“Oh, looking from the outside you look like an adult,”

“Miss housekeeper also looks very young as well,” once I’ve said like that, the housekeeper suddenly looks instantly happy.

“Wow, Juugo-kun says something very great, would you like anything to drink? Even if there are only beers at this place, but it seems you are legal to drink now.”

Does she look at me like I’m her long time no see uncle or what?

I could only think like that in my mind so I have to take a risk answering in a polite way with the housekeeper who recommended me some beers for a kid who’s underage like me to drink on Sat.u.r.day noontime.

“I’m sorry but the doctor advised me not to drink,”

“Oh really, then I’ll drink instead,”

Shiki-san ignores with a happy face without caring my bright smile that I tried to overact.

She cries out “argh” together with standing up with her long slim feet and reaches out to open the fridge. The beer can is making a colliding sound and she picks up one can of beer. She pulls the can opener ring and there’s a fizzing sound. Then she drinks it swiftly.

Gulp, gulp, gulp…

For sure that she doesn’t forget to put one of her hands on her hips as well and then,

“Ah,” her facial expression is full of delight.

“What, I thought you said you’re going to drink and you’ve actually finished drinking too, this person,”

“Eh? I told you already that I would drink,”

It seems like she isn’t probably joking.

“By the way… coming to study eleventh grade in the middle of the first time like this, it’s actually like moving out of a sudden I wonder,” said Shiki-san while tilting her beer can.

“Argh!” Then she kneel down to sit down on her bottom at the same place.

“Yes, it’s because there’s a little problem at home,” I avoid looking directly her eyes when answering her question.

“Is it about your father’s business or something like that?”

“Yes… you could say like that,”

“What is your father’s job?”

“How could I say, it’s a business probably similar to one kind of charitable work…”

No matter what, I really cannot tell the truth that my current status is I got kicked out from home. If I let this conversation continues any longer, it would seem worse.

“Hmm,” then after that Shiki-san did not continue asking anything else.

“No matter what we do, but it seems it’s a great fortune that I get to move school to here in a sudden like this. Normally, there are many schools that have enough seats to accept more students.”

At this Nanae Island, there will be a significant migration during March because it’s a time when the students graduate and leave and those new students will come here for education at this island. Moreover, most new students coming here usually will have a final decision of the schools of where they’ll be studying already. Hence, there would hardly be any seats left.

“Oh… I have one thing I want to ask you, is the room rental cost only really this much?”

I take out the paper that I got from the rental house broker and hand it for her to see. Shiki-san who’s both an owner and a housekeeper of this Shiawase dormitory then nods her head hesitantly.

“Alright, it’s a room with a size of eight mats, there’s one toilet and kitchenware in the room. There is a television, a computer and a washing machine being set up and many other things. The rental cost is exactly 5000 yen per month.”

Two days before my life has been set for sure that I would be kicked out from home forcing me to live and study here at Nanae Island, so I thought that I should find a proper place to stay first as my main priority.

During when I entered into the sub-branch of big housing brokerage office, which is able to manage different things on Nanae Island within one straightforward process,

“Is there anything I can help you, sir?”

A male staff wearing a suit grabbed my attention for query, so I answered that,

“I want a cheap place to stay,”

In a typical questioning and answering, the staff would ask once again for more detail.

“At about what price would you prefer, sir?”

“The cheaper, the better,” this was the thing that I’m desperately in need.

One day after being kicked out from home, I received a mail from my father via my mobile phone saying that,

“I’ll give you only 50,000 yen for your expenses, if that’s not enough then go find a special part-time job,”

At that moment I was very delighted. 50,000 yen is a huge amount of money. If it wasn’t during receiving bonus income on new year, then I wouldn’t have seen this much amount of money. I actually receive this money every single month, this is awesome! But once I think about it again, for a senior high school student without any life insurance, what can 50,000 yen be paid for at an adequate amount? The only thing I could say is that it’s not enough!

“No, it’s still not enough! Can I have some more please,”

I replied his mail immediately and then after that not even a minute yet he had replied back.

“Then I’ll reduce it to 40,000 per month,”

Hey hold on, are you joking me, you dare reducing the money instead!

I stop thinking of sending complaints via mail back to him right away because there’s a chance that the more I complain, the greater the reduction in money will happen. If it’s this old uncle then he would probably reduce it further for sure. Finally, for me who has to be able to live my life with only 40,000 yen per month, which is unaffordable to pay for expenses, have found that paying for house rental fee is most serious problem. If I do not manage the money that my father gave to me, I don’t know if it’ll be enough to pay for the house rental fee or not.

“If at cheap cost, you’re fine with any kind of room right?”

“Yes sir,”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,”

“In that case we manage to find one for you right away, right now we can a room like this,” once he finished talking, then he takes out a doc.u.ment folder showing the details of the rent houses including various ill.u.s.trations for me to have a look.

Once I’ve seen I felt a bit shocked. There are photos being taken from different perspectives inside the room. The decoration is also beautiful. Moreover, there are appliances being fully set up. But I’m more interested from everything is why is there a young cute girl being taken in the photo as well.

She posed in various ways in the photos from different perspectives together with smiling and showing two fingers.

I feel that I should name the t.i.tle of this photo as ‘relaxing with the young girl when returning to your room’.

“Umm, is this the current tenant?”

“No it isn’t, there’s n.o.body living here,”

That’s right, if there’s someone still living there then the staff wouldn’t have recommended me this room. So that means is that young girl a model or something like that, huh? Is there such thing that a model is a presenter for a rental room as well? Moreover, this girl is very cute, she’s kind of my type I’m looking for.

“Umm, what is this girl’s name?”

Since she’s a model who I’ve never seen before so I unintendedly ask for her name.

“I’m really sorry sir, I also don’t know either,”

Oh I see, it seems like right now this girl may still not be popular yet in the industry. But since she’s cute like this, not long she’ll be a rising pop star for sure. Let me go check her profile then. I secretly thought like that and come back to the topic that we’re still talking.

“The photo of this room looks alright when there are every single furniture inside, but how about a photo of an empty room?”

“There isn’t, this room has a TV, a computer and a washing machine and other things all being set up together for renting already.”

For me I didn’t bring anything with me that much. It’s such a great pleasure to have every electrical appliance inside the room ready for use.

“If in that case, isn’t this room expensive?”

“Not at all, the rental cost of this room is only 5000 yen per month only,”

I’ve become stunned for a while because of its negligible price.

“What… 5,000 yen! Eh, isn’t this too strange!?”

I yelled out without thinking. Well it’s actually true, no matter what it’s still too cheap.

“Well, the accommodation at Nanae Island usually has only customers that are students mainly. Since it’s at the student price, so it’s this cheap.”

“Even in that case, isn’t it a bit too cheap?”

“Yes, it’s true that it’s overly too cheap, therefore, we didn’t post this on the room recommendation board.” The staffs are supposed to have a duty of recommending rental rooms of the company but this staff finds a way to break off the conversation instead. Once the other side came to tell directly and sincerely like that, it makes me who was feeling distrustful turns out to feel relieved and welcomed. If there are some rooms that have the same quality and requirement in Nanae Island at the cheapest possible price, it seems like we would probably get a room at a price 7-8 times more expensive than this.

Even if I reserved this room beforehand and had a look at other rooms, I found out that the first room that the staff recommended is the best. Other rooms are incomparable to this room because other rooms usually must face many problems.

An apartment that has every appliance being fully set up at a price lower than the rental room quality like this, there’s no other choice for a student that transferred in the middle of the term like me.

While I’m thinking about when I went to search for rooms and got this room, it was correct that the housekeeper seems to start looking dizzy from the alcohol concentration. Then she asks,

“Oh yes, but the head of housing broker, did they talk about the requirements or not?”

“Yes sir, there’s no need to pay for the insurance cost and grant. But if there are any damages, you must pay for compensation. Oh and you must pay for the rent in advance for 1 year.”

“Alright,” Shiki-san listens and nods with hesitation. “In that case no matter what reason, we are unable to refund for the rental fee, is that okay?”

So that means I have to use my budget with paying for the rental cost at 50,000 yen. But there’s no need to concern about the rental fee for the entire year. 50,000 yen may be a huge amount of money and may be difficult at the start. If we sum up the small amount of pocket money with the salary of the first month, then it’ll be difficult for just only the first month. I have to be patient and able to get through it.

“Would you mind sir?”

“Then… please sign off right here,”

I sign my name and stamp my fingerprint onto the contract that Shiki-san gave to me.

“Please keep this with you,”

After that I place the money envelope for the annual room rental fee on the table deferentially and push the envelope to the owner of rental apartment.

“Done,” the owner collects without checking anything inside the envelope at all and additionally, throws it around there with a thump noise.

“Eh!” I’m astonished with her stupid action and then the lady apartment owner then stands up.

“Right then, I’ll take you to have a look at your room, follow me,” In Shiki-san’s hand is still carrying a beer can that has been leftover. She takes me to the rented room.

We have reached the two-storey apartment which is right next to the owner’s room. The Shiawase dormitory has in total of 6 rooms and each floor has 3 rooms. The room that I’ll be staying, starting from today, is the room in the center of the second floor. The room number is 202.

Once I walked up the staircase and reached at the front of my room, Shiki-san then picks the key out from her plump b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

“Here you go,”

Why did she have to pick the key from there? I’m wondering while receiving the key that’s still warm due to the heat from Shiki-san’s body.

“You may use it whenever you like,”

Use what? This key? What does she mean by using it whenever you like?

I decide that I’ll go consider about bring this key for using thoroughly later.

But right now I still need to use it in a usual way first. I insert the key deeply through the keyhole and turn. The door becomes unlocked with a sound and then I open the door.

“You may take a look around the room, I’ll be waiting outside around here for a while.”

Shiki-san leans against the handrail and tells me. I tilt my neck curiously with that speech. But once I opened the door, I’ve found a hall with shoes being placed in front of the entry at a size of half of a mat. If I walk further, then I can see a kitchen. On the right hand side, is a washing sink and around there is a washing machine. On the left hand side, there is a toilet door. Deeper ahead is a room’s door that is the main area that I have to live my life at that location particularly from now on. And at that time, I feel something strange suddenly.

“Hmm? It seems I can hear the sound from TV right?”

First I heard like there were somebody chattering from inside the room… maybe my ears were distorted by myself.

With curiosity, I take off my shoes at the entrance of the hall and walk past the kitchen and turn the doork.n.o.b to open the door.

“Eh?”

I make an eye contact with a girl who’s sitting down and eating custard.

That young girl who’s wearing a one piece dress, once she sees me, she stood still and then suddenly have an astonished face.

We are staring at each other like that.

She seems to be a bit astonished. The custard that’s on top of the spoon seems to be very bouncy, same with her lips. Her eyes are rounded with long hair that looks pretty soft being tied up with a cutely designed bow. There’s a strangely designed rounded necklace on her neck at the size of her forehand. But the prominent point of that girl is her slim body until it’s able to see through her one piece dress that she’s wearing, so I know that she has a decent body shape. Right here she’s a pretty girl that if there’s a hundred people and we remove some people with strange personality traits for about five people and leave the remaining ninety-five people standing, they’ll say the same word as ‘so cute’ for sure.

“…I’m sorry, I entered the wrong room,”

I close the door and put on my shoes at the hallway and leave the room with locking the door using a key before going to breathe in deeply.

Breathe in, hbb, breathe out, fuu, breathe in, hbb, and breathe out, fuu.

Alright! It’s discreetly cold. I’m standing frozen in front of the room and look up above the door once again. There’s a sign written the room number 202 where the number is in an exact serial order. Not wrong for sure, this room will become a mansion of mine from now on certainly. In that case, that girl inside the room just a while ago… wait? It seems I’ve seen that girl somewhere before…

“It’s the girl in that photograph!”

The girl who was sitting and eating custard inside the room just a while ago was the same girl in the example room picture that the housing broker company gave to me for sure.

And how did she come and stay here? Why? Hey, wait! How’s that possible? How could that cute model come to stay inside my room? I must have seen it wrongly for sure. It’s because that young girl in that photograph is very cute until the imagery haunts me inside my head for sure. Yes, it’s must be like that for sure, but if it’s like that then there’s something quite curious as well. The fact that our brains deceive ourselves like this means that do I have the intention to make a fool out of myself already? With the human spirit since the very beginning… why did I choose to sail the philosophical ship through the sea then? Calm down, Juugo!

Was that event just a delusion or not? The proving method is actually very simple, isn’t it?

“Just only entering that room once more then I shall know the truth,”

Therefore, I have to insert the key into the hole once more with my hands that are soaked with sweat from the excitement. I apply force once again, grab the doork.n.o.b and open it, leave my shoes off at the entrance, and walk through the kitchen and open the room door immediately.

“Hahaha,”

There’s a girl with a cute smile on her face watching TV with laughter and amus.e.m.e.nt right there for sure. This time I close the room door once again without even putting on my shoes that I took off right in front of me. I walk out of the room and meet Shiki-san right away.

“What does this even mean!”

The apartment owner looks toward me who’s yelling while she’s relaxing with the wind form the sea and drinking beer at the same time. Then she giggles.

“Well, no matter how many times I see this it’s always funny right. Everyone who came to this room at first must have a reaction like this for almost all people.”

“Can you please stop giggling and answer me! Who’s that girl! And how the h.e.l.l did she get into my room!”

“Which girl? Which person? There’s n.o.body in that room at all,”

“Until now please do not lie!”

“Then let’s go prove it together,”

Shiki-san, who’s full of confidence, pushes me out of the way and walk to room 202 in a courage way. It makes me feel nervous like I have never expected before.

Eh? Or it seems that there’s actually n.o.body here? No, but I saw she was still here a while ago… or is this a pattern that if we enter the room right now then there would be n.o.body?

Shiki-san abandons me, who’s swallowing my throat hard, and walks past the kitchen. She’s right in front of the room already and holds the doork.n.o.b without any hesitation.
Creak

“Hahaha,”

There must be a girl who’s holding her stomach laughing right there for sure.

“She’s truly right there, did you see?”

Even if I have just thought like that for sure but Shiki-san invades the room without any reactions at all before stopping in the middle of the room.

Eh? What’s that kind of reaction? Or is this something that only I could see.

“Ahahaha,”

Then Shiki-san watches TV and starts laughing immediately.

“I did not intend to come stand here watching TV and then laugh!”

“d.a.m.n it, isn’t this TV program supposed to be funny?”

“I know right? I also like this TV program too,”

Both of them glare at each other and burst into laughter at the same time.

“You guys do know each other! And you guys also look very close to each other as well!”

Shiki-san laughs for a while then turns to face me together with saying that “there’s n.o.body seem to be here at all you see?”

“Are you blind! Isn’t there a straight-haired girl in front of you?”

Shiki-san squints her eyes and laughs at me who pointed to the young girl who uses a plastic spoon to pick up custard into her own mouth with full of power until her cheeks become chubby.

She repeats herself once more.

“That’s why I’ve said that there are no humans living here.”

The chilling fear is crawling at the back of me until I get gooseb.u.mps. The outside temperature may haven’t change but my body temperature must have dropped to only 5 degrees Celsius for sure.

“If in that case, that girl is?” I point my shaking finger to that girl.

“Oh, it’s this girl, it’s a spirit of a girl who got murdered in this room 10 years ago,” Shiki-san answers with a serious facial expression.

“Hey, did you reveal it this fast!” The spiritual girl (alias) raises her voice with dissatisfaction.

“Well you have received the rental fee already, then there’s nothing to care about anymore,”

Until now, I’ve finally realized.

The unusual cheap rental room for only 5,000 yen per month reminds me of when the house broker agency asked me that any apartment would do right. Moreover, there are strange requirements such as having to pay for the rental fee one year in advance or in other words that is,

“I got deceived!”

“I did not at all! How rude was that.”

“I never knew before there’s a ghost in this room,”

“You’re saying too obviously, the fact that there’s a refrigerator, a computer, a TV, a washing machine and various other things, they are set up in this room for you as well.”

So you mean that those other things you can say in other words that there’s one set of housewares and a spirit in the room as well.

“What kind of vague word is this?”

“Done,”

“What do you mean by done, this is clearly bringing me into a trap on purpose,”

“Alright,”

“You admitted yourself very easily right, apartment owner!”

“You’re such an idiot, dear new student, like this it’s the fault of the person who got tricked actually,”

“Eh? Isn’t there anything you’re going to argue back? So boring,” Shiki-san looks very irksome. Certainly, I do want to argue back anyway but that phrase makes me speechless. It’s a moral phrase of my family that has been inherited from ancestors.

‘Deception is not a sin, but being deceived creates a sin.’

This quote has a hidden message behind that is when we believe in others too easily without be able to see through and realize the truth is a loss. The curiosity will make us see constantly but it’s my own fault who decided to come and stay here without even thinking of finding the truth of suspicion in detailed.

I had been preached by my father through eyes for most of the time since young which I thought that I truly know the truth of this moral teaching in detailed already. But it turns out that I stupidly fell into the trap very easily like that.

“Well… because it’s like that, whenever you want to leave, then just go ahead, no problem, but before you go please let us know first so that we can announce to others who would want to come stay here later on.”

It’s not because of being scolded by my father and I chose to move out immediately! I don’t even have any money! I yell like that in my mind. At last, I could only stand firm and calm down my temper.

Why is the side that’s wrong have to be me?

The apartment owner who’s looking drunk and ends the conversation before walking away together with a laughter that sounds like mocking me who has to be in the circ.u.mstance like this as “then, I’ll see you later.”

There’s nothing I could do but only be crestfallen and looking at Shiki-san disappearing. Then I could perceive someone glaring to this direction so I turn back to have a look.

The spirit girl (alias) is glaring to this direction.

“By the way, would you like to have a seat, since this is your room right?”

The spirit girl (alias) who’s looking unusually chilled differing from me who has such a bad manner.

Before I sit down on the floor like what the spirit girl told me.

“There’s a pillow right there,”

I grab a frog faced-like pillow that the spirit girl suggested for me to lean on while having a look around the room with care. There’s a 40 inched LCD TV on the room’s wall. On the TV shelf there’s a HDD player including other modern game players. On the desk, there’s a flat screen computer monitor. On top of the movable drawer, there’s a keyboard and a mouse. The CPU is placed underneath and there’s an empty bookshelf right next to. Apart from that, the strange thing is the refrigerator is located at the corner of the room. Why is it here instead of being in the kitchen? The floor is covered with a light green mat which reminds me of the gra.s.s field. On top of the mat there’s a white foldable table and the bed that the spirit girl is sitting on is a 3 feet single bed.

Inside this room there’s no sign of dusts at all as if the room has been cleaned consistently.

The spirit girl (alias) smiles to me who’s examining the room.

“Hey what’s your name?”

“…Juugo Yama sir,”

“Really… my name is Nanana Ryuugajou, nice to meet you.”

“Na? Nanana?”

“Just now there’s one extra ‘na’, repeat after me ‘na na na’.”

“Is that really your real name?”

“Yes,”

“Wow that’s an awesome name,” I truly praise from my own feeling and I think that there’s something that I need to check to ensure that it is right.

“Oh, are you really a spirit sir?”

“Yes, a spirit that has been stuck here, and did not go anywhere for 10 years already,” it seems she has lived here for very long.

“Oh, previously from what Shiki-san said that Ryuugajou-san…”

“You can call me Nanana,”

“Alright Nanana-chan, were you murdered in this room?”

“Yes, about in this way,”

Nanana-chan smiles and lies down on with her face down to demonstrate when she got murdered. She tries to act as close as possible to the real situation which I do think that it’s very real. But the fact that using herself to act a scene that she had died before is something that’s really not funny at all.

“And what was the cause of your death?”

“I got stabbed at the back for just one wound,”

Looking from the way her body was facing down and pointing to the door, it still looks like being ambushed from the back at the same time as when just entering the room for sure. If I’ve interpreted like this, the next basic question is,

“Oh I heard about this story before as well but the spirit that’s stuck here, people are able to see, the spirit itself can touch things and able to eat custard as well?”

“Umm… I’ve also never seen that kind of spirit before so I don’t know too,”

Hey, are you kidding me, haunted ghost guarding this room!

Then what can we do next, what can we do, really? Wait a second, but in this circ.u.mstance, Nanana-chan who’s standing and claiming that she herself is a ghost guarding the room but she’s still just a young girl looking extremely cute, isn’t it?

No matter what cases, I need to investigate the genuine person of her first.

“Oh… may I grab your hand please?”

“Umm, yes,” she reaches out her hand obeying my begging very easily together with a smile on her face.

I could hardly believe with my eyes but I still have to try again. This time I slowly reach out my hand to touch and then my hand and Nanana-chan’s hand are overlapped. It is an image that is far beyond the truth.

The fact that I see Nanana-chan’s finger appearing from my hand clearly like this doesn’t make feel great that much. I pull away my hand immediately.

“How’s it, are you satisfied now?” She’s asking as if she could read my mind.

“If in that case then please keep me in mind once again,” Nanana-chan smiles and then reaches out her hand to grab my hand together with shaking. It’s such a tender hand of a young girl. But it’s so cold even if I’m actually the person who started touching but unable to touch like this. But why it seems like if the other side is the person who touches then it’s touchable. It seems like there are many other limitations but this is enough to confirm that…

She’s actually a literal. It is a real spirit for sure. Nanana-chan who sees me is stunned like that then starts to smile and giggle.

“Hence, after Juugo has examined that I’m actually a spirit, then I would like to start a fighting contest right now,”

After that the spirit girl becomes suddenly speechless.

“…Eh? Contest? Fighting? Why do I have to?”

“So that we can decide who’s going to be the owner of this room,”

The status of not being a normal human, it may probably make her mind abnormal as well.

“I don’t even understand at all!”

“Since the person who rented this room is Juugo right? But the person who came to stay here first is me. Therefore, let’s decide clearly since at the start that who’s going to be the person who stays here better alright.”

“Wait, it’s strange about this thinking! Strange… eh? This is actually strange too? I express my confusion.

“There’s no meaning for thinking complicatedly like that. At last the person who’s weaker in this room must lose to somebody who’s stronger anyway.”

“Wait, you live in ‘that world’ already instead,” I argued.

“Wow, it’s seems pretty enjoyable,” She applauds. It seems she’s feeling enjoyable already.

“Alright, I think no matter which side must have something to explain or oppose. But the fact that I have greater experience in terms of a human living with a ghost in this room, if we do not compromise since the beginning, finally, there must be somebody doing things as he or she have wished. In contrast, the other person must be the side who has to tolerate. Therefore, the person who should serve as the room owner position is really important, am I right?”

This is such an extraordinary idea but if it’s possible to not fight for being the owner, just sitting down and talk peacefully is also able to solve the problem as well.

“Oh… can’t Nanana-chan able to leave this room at all?”

“To leave or go anywhere is not possible in whatever cases. I am a spirit that gets stuck here.”

Oh I see.

“Oh… and don’t you reborn to your next life?”

“It’s not because I don’t want to go, and don’t know when I’m here, it’s because I’m unable to reborn so I have to stay here.”

“Oh I see, then how will you able to reborn?”

Nanana-chan smiles together with saying that “when we can find the murderer and kill it with my hands,”

Hey, why do you have to say something that sounds c.u.mbersome again, you spiritual ghost.

But in fact, it seems that this spirit is confined here and unable to go anywhere. It may be due to its wrath and agony that have yet to be banished. That may probably be the cause that makes the spirit unable to reborn again.

“Hence, I’ll help you do something but first let’s stop arguing with each other for now,”

Nanana-chan sighs to me who’s trying to compromise in a peaceful way.

“I told you already that it’s irrelevant, try imagine it, I also live my life normally in this room such as eating custards, watching TV and playing games.”

“Even if you’re a spirit?”

“Yes, even if I’m a spirit but I live my life that way in this room and there’s Juugo who’s a new dweller coming to stay, and now what’s going to happen?”

“Whoa… two persons coming to stay in the same room, which means… we’re living together as a couple!”

“I don’t mean about a s.e.xual relationship like that,”

Nanana-chan interrupts me who’s cheeks are redden.

“Then what is it instead?”

“It’s that I don’t want to change my rhythm of life at all. I want to do anything whenever I want.”

“I see,”

“Therefore, what will you do if you have to stay in this room like that,”

I just want to live normally but having to be disturbed by the spirit.

“Oh I see, I understand now,”

I’ve finally understood the thing that Nanana-chan is trying to tell me.

That thing is in this room, who will have a higher position, lower position, who will be able to do whatever he or she wants and who must be the person having to tolerate.

“Imagine if you win, I will disappear and stay quietly, and will appear to do anything I want only when Juugo isn’t in this room,”

“You are able to disappear,”

“Because I’m a spirit,”

Once she said like that, Nanana-chan then actually disappears.

“Something like this,”

Not even a second, she appears and stood right at the back of me.

“Now I get it!”

It’s not because it’s too quick until it’s invisible, but Nanana-chan can actually teleport from one place to another. This time she walks normally back to behind me.

“There you go, but for me, I’m a person who hates being patient so much. Even if I’ve become a spirit already, my behavior still doesn’t change so I don’t want to do anything like what I’ve said previously.”

“I think there’s no problem at all, if we stay together closely, isn’t that great?”

“Although you’ve said like this at the beginning, later on you’ll definitely feel annoyed,”

“That’s right?”

“Yes like this,”

“The fact that teenagers dream of having a crush on girls makes me think that there’s full of happiness when being together,”

“That kind of stuff why don’t you go live with the person whom you actually like. Right now I’m just a spirit, therefore, please do not be angry with me,”

From this speech it seems that she doesn’t seem to compromise at all.

“But if Juugo wins, then I’ll do whatever you want. If you tell me not to disappear then I won’t. If you want me to play as your lover, then I’ll act as your lover in a scene.”

“Then bring it on!!” It makes me change my mind to fight harmlessly. My enthusiasm is more active than a hundred percent which right now is at the level that I’m able to kill the last boss within one sword. Nanana-chan smiles once sees me standing up and punching the air showing my fitness.

“From what I’ve expected, this young boy is a piece of cake,”

Nanana-chan quickly place down the plain custard cup and put away the foldable table including clearing the s.p.a.ce that is used for housewares. She transforms a squared eight-mat sized room into a fighting arena.

“Aya,” I’m in the prepared mode ready to fight with Nanana-chan.

“The people who know the true self of me mostly would all run away but Juugo doesn’t look shocked at all right?”

“No actually, I do, quite a lot, why do I have to voyage to the southern island for starting a fight between two different species. I’ve never thought of fighting against a guarding room ghost at all.”

“But after you knew the truth of who I am actually, then you still choose to talk to me face-to-face right? I disappeared for you to see already and you still haven’t freaked out or started running away yet. There you go, you’re awesome.”

How’s it like that.

“Yes, I may probably have a greater resistance force than a normal person, bring it on!”

“A resistance force? Against a spirit?”

“It’s not like that, the resistance force that I mean is being a bit shocked without freaking out, argh! Argh!”

“Hmm,”

Even if I’ve been seen with full of curiosity but too shy to tell the truth directly.

“Who are you Juugo and where are you from?”

“I just started Grade 11, after this will be a skill level for newbies that just moved to this island,”

“Eh, you are able to?”

“How am I able” to do it!” I oppose but take the joke. After I look up to the ceiling and try calling out but for sure there’s nothing appearing out at all.

“Hey, Nanana-chan, I will try to maintain my watchfulness but I’m starting to feel tired, starting to pant, unable to breathe properly.”

“Oh I’m really sorry, then let the battle right now, the basic rule is fighting with using mixture of martial arts. The person who makes the opponent have to say ‘I give up’ will be the winner,”

“Argh, let’s begin!”

Although there may be no bell ringing as a starting signal, Nanana-chan then beckons to challenge the duel. I immediately attack.

It’s not because I’m boasting but I’m not a kind of person who threatens young girls even if she’s already dead.

Hence, so I intend to beat her tenderly by twisting the bone segment until she can no longer hold it and gives up by herself. But I’ve just forgotten about the basic thing.

Bang!

“Argh,”

That is the fact that I’m unable to touch Nanana-chan who’s a spirit.

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