153 - Nekomata

【猫又、nekomata】

[The first character in nekomata means cat, as I'm sure many are aware, however, there are two ways to write this word in Japanese. The first is written above, with the second character meaning 'again' or 'and'. The second is "猫股", with the new character meaning 'a fork', like in a road, tree, or even in a person (the crotch).]

The name "nekomata" comes from the sight of a cat's tail splitting in two when it grows old and develops mystical powers.

Since ancient times, it has been said that long-lived cats, by virtue of their longevity, acquire magical powers, learn to speak human languages, stand on their hind legs and walk, and can even turn into humans and attack people.

Although it is now believed that it is mainly female cats that can change form, the "Illustrated Sino-Japanese Encyclopedia (1719)" states that a male cat with pure yellowish-red hair that lives more than ten-odd years will transform and bring misfortune, suggesting that it was male cats that originally would change form.

In China, it is said that a cat from Jinhua, if bathed in the life essence of the moon every night, will transform within three years of being kept and take on the form of a human being to bewitch humans. If a person is bewitched by this cat, they will fall asleep and never wake up, and the only way to cure them is to feed them the cat's flesh.

There are many stories of monster cats throughout Japan, but the most famous is probably the "Monster Cat of Nabeshima" from Saga Prefecture.

During the Edo period, Saga was ruled by the Nabeshima family who had replaced the Ryuuzouji family, the previous lords of the domain. One day, Mitsushige Nabeshima, head of the clan, was playing Go with his vassal, Mataichirou Ryuuzouji, a direct descendant of the previous lord, when they had a quarrel and Mataichirou was murdered.

When Mataichirou's mother learned of the incident, she cursed the lord and committed suicide.

Koma, her cat, licked all of the mother's blood, and after killing the feudal lord's concubine, disguised itself as the concubine and tormented the feudal lord night and day. A retainer, who was on guard duty at the castle, witnessed the concubine's suspicious behavior, such as licking the oil from lanterns, and realized that she was a monster cat, and attacked her.

However, she avoided the attack and fled to the mountains, taking the form of a frightening monster cat.

Cats have a long history as friends of humans, and there are many stories about them around the world.

It is said that Egypt was the first country to keep cats as pets, sometimes revered as sacred beasts. Therefore, in ancient Egypt, there was a god named Bastet, a cat-headed humanoid.

In Northern Europe, there is also a black cat fairy called Cait Sith, who is said to walk on two legs and speak human language.

139 - Tengu

【天狗、tengu】

[The first character of tengu means 'heaven', but the second one could mean many things including 'dog', 'sentinel', 'scoundrel', or 'useless'. Which meaning is used may depend on how they're characterized.]

With a bright red face, long nose, a black kite's wings on its back, and a feather fan in its hand, this creature of legend is said to possess powerful divine powers and inhabit the mountains.

In the past, many mysterious phenomena in the mountains were attributed to the work of tengu, such as a loud sound of a tree being felled sounding out in the mountains without a corresponding event actually occurring, called a "tengu toppling (tengu-daoshi)", or the sudden flying of rocks seemingly without motive, called "tengu stones (tengu-tsubute)".

However, the appearance of tengu has changed over time.

The first written mention of the tengu is in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan).

The tengu described there is said to have looked like a star that floated down from the east with a thunderous roar, and the image of the tengu flying in the sky seems to have come from that time.

Originally thought to be invisible, tengu were eventually depicted as black kite-like figures that used magic to kidnap people and taunt monks as Buddhism became more stylized and extravagant.

In addition, under the influence of the Shenxian and Shugendou thoughts (Chinese and Japanese mountain ascetic philosophies, respectively), it came to be popularly believed that among the monks, those who had lost their original path due to wicked knowledge would enter the mountains and become tengu. Of course, it is this image of the mountain ascetic that gave rise to the tengu's typical attire.

On the other hand, for Shugendou practitioners, tengu were thought of as spirits of the mountains, and this is how tengu came to have two sides, one good and one evil.

Kurama Tengu, the high priest of Kurama Mountain who is said to have instructed Ushiwakamaru (A.K.A. Minamoto no Yoshitsune) in the art of war and protected him, may also represent this aspect of the tengu.

The red face and red nose, known as tengu characteristics, are thought to have come from Sarutahiko (the leader of the earthly gods), who is said to have led Ninigi-no-Mikoto (the grandson of Amaterasu Ookami) in his descent from heaven in Japanese mythology, and whose nose was seven feet long and whose face shone like a red lantern plant.

119 - Life Flashing Before One's Eyes

【走馬灯、souma-tou】

[Lit. Running-horse lantern]

Although the Japanese word "souma-tou" can refer to the phenomenon of one's life flashing before their eyes, it's mainly used to refer to revolving lanterns.

It is a type of lantern used to both enjoy the cool breeze and please the eye on hot summer nights, it is one of the most popular features of the summer nighttime.

Inside the lantern, which is usually covered with cloth or paper, an inner frame is placed in the shape of a picture or pattern made of cut or colored paper.

A pinwheel is attached to the top of the shaft of the inner frame, and the rising air current generated by the heat of the light inside the lantern turns the pinwheel, causing the inner frame itself to rotate.

In this way, the pattern of the inner frame, illuminated by light, garnishes the room as if it were a rotating painting.

It is said that when a person is about to die, memories of their past are said to pass through their mind.

It is believed that this phenomenon occurs when the brain is significantly stimulated in the face of a life-threatening situation, and the appearance of this phenomenon is just like a revolving lantern, hence the Japanese expression "memories came to mind like a revolving lantern".

83 - Three Babaa / Four O'Clock Babaa

【三ばばあ・四時ばばあ、san babaa・yo-ji babaa】

[What you're about to read is nearly untranslatable Japanese toilet humor, in order to make it comprehensible, I didn't translate 'babaa', meaning 'old woman' or 'hag'.]

Both are old women yokai that appear in restrooms in school ghost stories.

Three babaa is also called the "three o'clock babaa", and there are several rumors as to what kind of yokai it is.

One claims it is a being that lurks in the third private room's door, locking inside anyone who enters.

However, they can get out by urinating, but not by defecating.

Another rumor has it that it is a specter who cries out for help from inside the toilet bowl at three o'clock, or that she appears through a yellow crack in the wall of the restroom and prevents the flushing of large stools.

There is also a rumor that there is another yokai called the "twelve o'clock babaa" who locks people in the toilet, and once you are locked in, you cannot get out until the three o'clock babaa arrives.

The four o'clock babaa has another name, the "4D babaa".

It is said to appear in the fourth private room of a restroom at exactly 4 hours, 44 minutes, and 44 seconds, sometimes in the form of only transparent eyes.

It will ask, "What color do you like?" If you don't answer with "four o'clock baba color and skin color" [Direct translation], you will be strangled to death with a red scarf.

It is also said that when you see a circle drawn on a blackboard or in a toilet at school, it is the work of the four o'clock babaa and that if you touch it, you will be sucked into the fourth dimension.

Compared to the phenomenon of the four o'clock babaa, which is similar to other yokai that appear in toilets, three babaa's appearance is not only unclear but also strangely related to feces.

Perhaps the three babaa is a rumor originating in the Kansai region, where people refer to fecal matter as "baba".

35 - Spiriting Away

【神隠し、kami-kakushi】

[Lit. "hidden by the gods"]

The phenomenon in which a person suddenly disappears, as if abducted by someone, for unknown reasons or causes, is called "spiriting away".

In some cases, the disappeared person is never found, and in other cases, they return just as abruptly one day.

However, even if the person returns, they reportedly have no memory of the time they were spirited away.

The Edo period book "Earmuffs" tells the following story.

In the 8th year of the Kan'ei Era, the son of a carpenter, aged around 18-19, disappeared while on his way to Kasai. Despite the efforts of his relatives and neighbors, his whereabouts remained completely unknown.

Later, however, the young man was found at a shrine in Enoshima. The youth had no recollection of what happened after he left for Kasai, and did not even know where he was now. Furthermore, the carpenter's younger brother also disappeared when he was 18-19 years old, but he was never found.

Similarly, in Melbourne, Australia, in the year 1900, four girls and a teacher were on their way from school to a picnic when they suddenly went missing.

A week later, one of the missing persons was found, but he had no memory of the time he was missing, and the rest of the missing persons were never found. This event was made into a movie and became famous worldwide.

In 13th century Germany, 130 children were kidnapped by a traveling man and were never found despite the efforts of the adults who followed them. This is a reality known around the world as the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale "The Pied Piper of Hamelin."

Such incidents are said to have occurred frequently in Japan until the 1950s.

In Europe, too, there have been incidents of children going missing and suddenly returning without any memory of their disappearance. They were called "changelings" and were thought to be the work of fairies. [The original Japanese seems to call both the disappearances and the children "changelings".]

1 - Blue Blood

【青い血、aoi chi】

["Aoichi" sounds very close to "oishii", meaning tasty.]

In Spain and Italy, aristocrats are called "blue bloods", a term used to describe unmixed and noble lineage (this is due to the paleness of the nobility's skin from not laboring under the sun, which allowed the blue veins in their arm to be very clear to the eye), but that is not the case here at all.

The "blue blood" here is a famous joke... or rather, an infamous pun.

For example, there is one in which the floor of a school is covered with blue blood, and when the student licks it..., and another in which a man is taken to a dark room with the curtains closed even though it is daytime, and is forced to drink a drink by a vampire-like figure... The story is supposed to be scary in the first half, and then the story ends with a punchline, or it could be as simple as Dracula drinking blue blood and saying, "Goo~d blood!"

There are numerous variants circulating around, but they all have the same conclusion.

Like this story, many other rumors appear to be horror tales but are actually jokes. For instance: [The next examples are nearly impossible to make into English puns without changing the original meaning, so I'll show the original spellings so you can see the puns]

"Terrifying miso soup [kyoufu no miso-shiru]" (Today is wheat miso soup [kyou, fu no miso-shiru]),

"The evil cross [aku no juujika]" (Open at ten...? [aku no juuji ka...?]),

"A demon's doll [akuma no ningyou]" (Ah! Teddy bear! [a! kuma no ningyou!]),

and so on. All of them are characterized by their extreme silliness.

Hitomi Chapter - Reiko Kashima - Part 3 - Good and Bad Ends

 Don't forget to read the first or previous part if you haven't!

In the last part, we learned of an unexpected connection between the hospital staff and the victim, however, none of them seemed pleased with their re-encounter. But, before we could think of the ramifications, we were called to Fukuoka's room by Ochiai, both to soothe Fukuoka after having a nightmare (at which point we learned that he was awake during the paranormal event we experienced in his room) and so he could tell us of a possibly illegal experiment being run on the hospital. This experiment involved the administration of an unlicensed drug to children, which Ochiai claimed was for a similar purpose as the Soviet artificial esper experiments. We dismissed it, of course, but he also gave us a newspaper from 13 years ago related to Reiko Kashima, it talked about a train accident and the victim's severe injuries on their right hand. Once again, we ignored his claims and instead continued our original plan: checking Kaburagi's corpse in the morgue.

Once there, we discovered that his right arm, previously burned to the bone, completely missing, and not only that, but that we were also locked in (potentially by multiple people) and the temperature was lowering to sub-zero. Thankfully, a sudden power outage saved us, which allowed Dr. Takada to enter the room. After telling him what happened to the arm, we went to warm up in his laboratory, meeting Kaburagi's fiancée Hisako on the way, strangely enough. In the lab, we learned that the blackout came from an over-exerting air conditioning unit, likely the same one from the morgue. And now, we'll be using this opportunity to speak with him and start to unveil this case. Let's begin, shall we?

I---

      ⬢ >Inquire into his relationship with Ms. Hisako.

   >Ask about Fukuoka-kun's condition.

   >Talk about Ochiai.

   

Choosing the top option will just cut to the chase, but the lower options also give us more info.

   >Ask about Fukuoka-kun's condition.

"Incidentally, about Fukuoka-kun's condition... how is it?"

"That's very sudden, isn't it? Well, it shouldn't be getting worse... But on the other hand..."

"It isn't improving?"

"Yeah, unfortunately..."

"Do you know what's causing it, Doctor?"

"That's... not necessary for you to know."

"What...? Then why isn't he recovering? You haven't forsaken him, have you?"

"Of course, I'm trying my best, you don't need to say that. But... his power is insufficient..."

"...Power? Do you mean will?"

"......"

"Doctor... You aren't hiding something from me, are you? Previously, when Ochiai talked about "materials", you did the same..."

"...Please forget about that."

"I can't just forget it! Something is happening to Fukuoka-kun... And I want to know the truth!"

"The truth... It would be good for you to not know too much."

"Doctor..." I suddenly felt Dr. Takada was so far away. The doctor that could always be relied upon wasn't here.

"...When the time comes, I'll confide in you. So, until then... could you wait, please?"

"By that... Do you mean stay quiet?"

"I'm only asking you to wait..."

"Dr. Takada... Can I trust you?"

"I wouldn't do anything harmful to him, nor am I planning to do so in the future. That is all I want you to understand."

"...I understand. I'll believe in you." Having said that... Truthfully, I still can't shake off my unease for some reason.

Dr. Takada and Fukuoka-kun.... What kind of tie binds them? Is it within the realm of my imagination? Or is it...

"By the way, Shikibu-kun..."

"Yes?"

"The autopsy report I put over here, you didn't take it with you, did you?"

"No, I didn't..."

"Where did I put it? How strange."

"You can't find it?"

"Yeah, I have to submit it before the day is over, but I couldn't do it yet."

"Dr. Takada..."

"Hm?"

"I might be changing the topic, but... You're acquainted with Ms. Hisako, right?"

"Yeah, she, well, got into a horrible accident a long time ago. She suffered a severe injury on her right hand... I was in charge of her operation at that time."

"And when was that?"

"Around 13 years ago. When I still lived in Hokkaido." Hokkaido? 13 years ago? Could it be...

Conjecture from Takada's Words

Inferring from Dr. Takada's words...

                 >Hisako received a terrible injury in an accident in Hokkaido.

   >Hisako was hospitalized due to an accident in Hokkaido.

   

Both are correct.

   >Hisako was hospitalized due to an accident in Hokkaido.

Hisako was hospitalized because of an accident that happened in Hokkaido... That's likely a fact.

But the terrible injury she received in that accident... Surely, it must have been a disaster.

The one in charge of her operation was...

       >Dr. Takada.

                                 >A private clinician from the area.

   

This is another pop quiz, so let's get on with it.

       >Dr. Takada.

Dr. Takada... He was in Hokkaido...

       >13 years ago, when the accident happened.

>Just yesterday.

   

Again, pop quiz.

       >13 years ago, when the accident happened.

13 years ago... Doesn't that match with the timing of the news clipping Ochiai gave me...?

                               >It matches. (Conclusion)

                               >It doesn't match. (Conclusion)

   

I deliberately pointed out the date in the summary because they do match.

   >It matches.

The timing matches...

That means... the article was talking about Ms. Hisako? And the doctor in charge was Dr. Takada...

"Doctor, could it be... this..." I held out the clipping that Ochiai gave me, and then Dr. Takada spoke with a smile.

"Haha, that one's a total lie."

"Lie?"

"The accident wasn't actually that bad, and Reiko Kashima... well, I guess that's the level of a third-rate newspaper."

"As I mentioned earlier, Ms. Hisako suffered a severe injury to her right hand in the accident. To write such a terrible article just because of that... How despicable."

"Yeah, certainly."

"Don't they know they're only adding to people's misfortune?"

I see, the reason she was wearing gloves was to hide her scars.

And the Reiko Kashima spoken of in the newspaper was... Ms. Hisako Mareki...?

"Ms. Hisako... I feel sorry for her."

"Yeah, she was still in elementary school at that time. She suffered horrible {bullying}, apparently..."

"I didn't know..."

"Oh, I've gotten caught up in our talk..."

"......"

"Perhaps... If you want to know more about that time, why not ask Tsutsumi-kun? He should know better than me."

"Oh, yes. I heard that he was a classmate of hers."

"But, well, this isn't something that needs to be brought up again, isn't it? Digging up others' past at this point would be..."

Hm? That reminds me of Ms. Hisako. Why... was she still here at that time?

I understand that she was locked in. But she was standing in front of the automatic door when the power should have been restored for a while...

Ms. Hisako Mareki, hm... I'll try talking with her.

Speaking of which... I've been wondering about this for a while now, but there's a file open on the computer on Dr. Takada's desk that I've never seen before.

I wonder what's on that file. Huh? And... what is this...?

Atop Dr. Takada's desk is a medicine unfamiliar to me.

"Um, Dr. Takada?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"I'm sorry, but... uh, what is that drug? And, that file..."

"A-ah, that's for an unrelated patient."

"Is... that so?" However, I've never seen it before. Not once...

Dr. Takada closed the computer file and hurriedly put the medicine in a drawer on his desk.

"Eh?" For a moment, I could see the contents of the file.

In it was written... "Atsufumi Fukuoka"... I got a sense that Fukuoka-kun's name was noted down.

"D-doctor? That file..."

"Hm? What?"

"Now... Fukuoka-kun's name..."

"No, no. This is a new drug for cognitively impaired patients. It's no wonder you don't know about it."

"Cognitively impaired? But Fukuoka-kun..."

"More importantly... That's right! How about we go out to dinner sometime?"

"Please, stop trying to fool me!"

"It's no go, huh?"

"N-no, that's not what I meant, I was talking about something else..."

"Tomorrow night... I'll talk more then."

"...Understood."

It was true that I saw Dr. Takada only as my superior... But there was also a part of me that was attracted to him as a man.

"Oh, yes! Dr. Takada..."

"Hm? What now?"

"Do you know where Ms. Hisako lives?"

"If I remember... Together with Mr. Kaburagi..."

"It's at Aoyama's first district, Doctor."

Out of nowhere, a voice sounded out from the direction of the door. Turning around, I saw Ochiai standing there. "Y-you..."

"Sorry about it. I didn't plan on eavesdropping..."

I could feel myself turning red up to my ears. This man... From where did he hear our talk? "Excuse me! I'm going to Ms. Hisako's house..."

Exiting to the hallway, I come across Tsutsumi-kun. "What's wrong? You're making a gloomy face."

"In the end, you wanted Dr. Takada?"

"Eh?"

"Even after I gathered the courage to ask you out... In the end... you wanted Dr. Takada...?"

"...W-what are you saying...?" Tsutsumi-kun was standing motionless.

I'll be getting nowhere if this stands. "Sorry... See you later."

At any rate, I have to hurry. If my reasoning is correct...

"You don't know! Dr. Takada is...!!" Tsutsumi-kun's shout pierced my back. Turning around, I saw Tsutsumi-kun was still frozen in place.

Do I ask for an explanation from Tsutsumi-kun, or do I continue going?

            >Hurry ahead.

 ⬢ >Ask him for an explanation.

    ⬢ >Run in the opposite direction.

   

Unlike what you'd expect, running off actually gives us information that the other options don't.

        >Run in the opposite direction.

Tsutsumi-kun remained motionless. I began to run in the opposite direction. Even from here, I was close enough to the exit.

"Dr. Shikibu!!"

I heard Tsutsumi-kun scream from far away. But I have no time to look back. "Do you know what the second oldest profession in the world is?"

I stop walking and turn around. "Doctors, right? Some people think it was thieves instead... So what?"

"Then... have you heard of a postmortem contagion?"

"I know what that is. Patients with certain infectious diseases, for example, must be carefully autopsied. Isn't that common knowledge?"

"...Yes...it's common sense."

"What are you trying to say? You're being too vague. I'm in a hurry, you know."

"What if there was a disease that was still unknown and could be transmitted after death... What would you do, Dr. Shikibu?"

"I wouldn't be able to do anything... If it's still unknown, there's nothing I can do to prevent it."

"Well... do you know about human experimentation? It was a long time ago... during the war..."

"I know. So what?"

"......This is everything I wanted to say......"

"Huh...? You're not making any sense." What is Tsutsumi-kun trying to tell me? Doctors... Postmortem contagions... Human experimentation... What's the connection?

"Well then... I have to hurry."

"......" I don't understand the true intent behind his words. What in the world ties them all together...?

I turned around and dashed to the exit. At any rate, I had to move on. For now, I just... look forward...

The apartment Ms. Hisako resides in... Terumitsu Kaburagi's apartment was five minutes away from the hospital by motorcycle.

Now, what should I say going in? ...Let's just go directly to where she is. I got on the elevator of the apartment building and headed to the floor I wanted to go to.

[Doorbell rings]

"Yes, this is Kaburagi."

"Excuse me, my name is Shikibu and I'm from the Kamone University Hospital... May I have a word with you?"

"...Yes. I'm opening the door now..."

The apartment was about the size of a 4LDK, having enough space for 4 bedrooms, and a living, dining, and kitchen area. [This is a common way to categorize apartments in Japan] I was shown into the living room.

"...Come in, please take a seat..." Ms. Hisako's voice was as unfeeling as usual.

"...Dr. Shikibu, right? What business do you have with me today...?"

"Um... Recently, some inexplicable events have been happening around me. However, I believe they were man-made..."

"......"

"Let me ask you directly, Ms. Hisako. You... are in possession of Mr. Kaburagi's right arm, aren't you?"

Even I thought this was a stupid question to ask. But I can't back out now, so I continue.

"You were at the morgue at the same time as I was. And there, you severed his right arm and took it with you."

"...Do you have any proof...?"

"I do."

"...Fufu, you're quite confident, aren't you. Despite the police having given up themselves..."

"The proof is your behavior at that time."

"Behavior...?" Ms. Hisako made a curious-looking face.

"You were in the laboratory ward during the blackout, correct?"

"...Yes, so...?"

"Even after the power was restored, you still stayed in the ward for some time. You should have left, yet didn't. Without your inaction, we couldn't have met you there... at the entrance."

"...That's because... I got lost..."

"Lost? In that simple building? That's not a very persuasive reason."

"........." Now, what should I do? Should I play my trump card here...?

What do I do? Do I pull out the newspaper clipping? Or...

                                >Bring up the newspaper clipping.

  ⬢ >Survey the situation.

      ⬢ >Try changing the topic.

   

The last choice gives us a few FOAF entries and doesn't kill us, making it the best choice.

          >Try changing the topic.

"Well... How about we change the direction of our talk for a bit? We're still trying to figure each other out, aren't we?"

"...If you'd like... I wonder, what could you wish to tell me about...?"

"Very well... How about an urban legend? Are you interested in them?" I brought up a topic I would never usually talk about.

"...Fine by me... Let's hear it..."

"Then... Let's start with that story about cactuses..."

Reiko Kashima is also an urban legend... And if this series of incidents are related to urban legends... With those justifications in mind, I continued with a story I didn't want to tell.

I displayed all the urban legends I knew, concluding with a story about spiders. It felt almost like an act of penance for me.

However, it did not have the desired effect, and the mannequin-like expression on Ms. Hisako's face did not change.

It's no use. It seems I'll have to use that after all...

"Ms. Hisako, please take a look at this." I took out the newspaper clipping Ochiai gave me. Ms. Hisako's countenance... did not change.

"This is... about me, isn't it...?"

She flatly acknowledged it. "...This article is talking about... me..."

"...As expected, I was right." I suddenly felt ashamed of my actions. What I'm doing is no different from Ochiai...

"Doctor... Would you kindly look at this?" Ms. Hisako took out an elementary school graduation album.

There I could see childhood images of Terumitsu Kaburagi, Ms. Hisako, and even Tsutsumi-kun.

"Tsutsumi-kun and Kaburagi were very good friends. They were the central figures of our class... and were always picking on us girls... But now it's a good memory..."

"Is it really... a good memory?" I rejected her words based on my supposition.

"...What do you mean by that?"

"For it to become a good memory... Was their bullying so trivial?"

"......"

Ms. Hisako stayed silent with an unchanging expression. What could those pupils of hers, staring at a faraway place, be thinking...?

The Article from the Past and Hisako

What Ms. Hisako said earlier... About Terumitsu Kaburagi and Tsutsumi-kun in their elementary school days was...

       >Probably true.

>Certainly a lie.

   

Likely the truth, considering Tsutsumi's reaction.

       >Probably true.

It's probably the truth. And this reminds me of that thing...

   >The newspaper.

       >The incident.

   

They actually refer to the same thing.

   >The newspaper.

The newspaper article... What weighs on my mind is that article from 13 years ago. I can only imagine the consequences it brought about...

       >Ms. Hisako suffered bullying.

         >Ms. Hisako grew closer to her class.

   

There's no way she got scot-free from an article like that.

       >Ms. Hisako suffered bullying.

It's not hard to imagine that this newspaper article was the cause of the horrible bullying she suffered.

Anyone of elementary to middle school age would have taken that article to heart... What an awfully dreadful story...

"Ms. Hisako... Were the Reiko Kashima rumors the reason why you were bullied by Mr. Kaburagi and Tsutsumi-kun...?"

"......"

"If so, then you must have been under quite the cruel treatment..." Ms. Hisako, for the first time, showed a reaction to my words.

"...W-would you... like something cold...? From the refrigerator..."

Ms. Hisako was in unrest... Her bullied past was a reality, it seems. Just a little more... and I'll probably reach the truth...

"Ms. Hisako. Don't you need that something cold more than me?" I stood up and looked through the refrigerator of my own accord.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

With an animal-like exclamation, Hisako threw a bottle at me.

I was caught completely off guard. The bottle fell right next to me, and then the floor sizzled and burned.

"Ms. Hisako...!"

"*sobbing*... You understand!? Do you think you understand the pain of that bullying!?" She went to pick up the bottle off the floor.

I quickly kicked the bottle away. It rolled away with a clattering sound.

"*sobbing*... It was so cruel... Everyone, they kept saying, 'Reiko Kashima, Reiko Kashima', sometimes they would even throw rocks at me." Ms. Hisako continued her story with her hands on the floor.

"Ms. Hisako, did you perhaps come closer to Terumitsu Kaburagi to make him pay for his bullying?"

"Yes, I did. There was no other reason."

"After the paper came out... I was bullied so badly I thought I about dying... but I didn't do it... because of them."

"Kaburagi... Before I knew it, he was being called a celebrity. If a model like him were to lose their right arm... I'm sure the media would have had a field day with him."

"I wanted him to feel the same way! I wanted him to know how painful it is to have your story spun about in whatever way the media wants!"

"I see... But Kaburagi died."

"I know! That was a miscalculation! I, by no means, wished for his death... I was so frustrated! Because... if that were to happen... I wouldn't be able to complete my {revenge}... So... thanks to that, I ended up having to bring back his right arm."

"His right arm? Why?"

"...Because I wanted to keep looking at it."

"Wanted to... keep looking at it?" It felt as if that was the first time I heard those words.

"Looking at his arm granted me peace. Thinking... he was the same... calmed my heart..."

"Watching over Kaburagi's right arm forever... that is my revenge... Ufu...fufufu..." Her pale-white face was contorted in madness.

"...Was it you... who set up those various tricks...?"

"Yes. So you would cast a suspicious glare on Tsutsumi... That would have caused him great pain. Ufufu..."

"Why me...?"

"Tsutsumi is in love with you. If I could, I would have had Tsutsumi killed by your hand, but... ufufu."

She did everything for such a thing... No, as an outsider, I'm not in a position to say that... What I can do is...

"Ms. Hisako... Your revenge is over. Please... hand yourself over to the police."

As I turned to leave, her quiet laughter followed me to the end...

It was an incident beyond my endurance.

I suddenly remembered my promise to Dr. Takada. Tomorrow night, I would have dinner with him...

Maybe I recalled it because I was subconsciously looking for a way out to cleanse this clouded mind of mine.

But first... Let's organize this case one more time.

With that, I'll be able to liberate myself...

[It's Inference Logic time, I'll do just like last time]

[There's nothing very surprising in the choices, except for the one we unlocked by choosing those two options, the one in the bottom-left corner. Among the four choices of Delusions, Drug's Side-effects, Poltergeist, and Esper, there isn't a single wrong option. Except that Poltergeist and Esper are only half-correct, what that means is hard to figure out. I'll speak more about it later.]

[All correct, either way]

Tonight was when the promise Dr. Takada made was to be fulfilled. It may have been after the events of yesterday... but that's exactly why I want to meet with him so much.

The appointed time was 8 p.m... 30 minutes have already passed. Dr. Takada... Could he be dealing with an emergency case? Or...

"Got dumped, Dr. Shikibu?" When I looked around, I saw Ochiai standing there.

"You, why...?"

"...Following people around is my job, you know..." Ochiai replied with some strained laughter.

"I see. What a fine occupation." I had even become used to dealing with this man.

"Do you mind to your side... Doctor?"

"Suit yourself..."

"Barkeep, one gimlet please."

"Huh, I didn't expect you to ask for such a tasteful drink."

"It's something I've liked since a long time ago..."

Perhaps because of the alcohol, or because had completed his work, Ochiai's attitude had become even less formal. I'm not criticizing him or anything. Rather, I feel that this is true character.

"You're not following Fukuoka-kun around anymore?"

"...Yeah... He's... already gone, too..."

"Eh...? What do you mean?"

"Dr. Takada and Fukuoka-kun... have both disappeared... to a place my hands cannot reach."

"An unreachable place...?" He couldn't mean that they died... I was so frightened I couldn't ask in return.

"Doctor. The list from the other day... Do you still have it?"

"Yes... here."

"This new drug... It was for use in human experimentation. I think I've already told you this before..."

"Are you going to drag that up again?"

"Well, listen here. The list calls it just a vaccine for the flu, but... that's the official story."

"Then what's the hidden story?"

"There are side effects... on the brain, I hear..." Ochiai pointed to his head as he spoke.

"The brain...?"

"Fukuoka-kun... The medicine that caused his condition is... this thing."

"And the people who experimented with this new drug... They're the "organization" I've been pursuing."

"Organization? Ridiculous... Are you trying to suggest that it's a state-sponsored conspiracy? Why don't you quit being a reporter and become a screenwriter?"

"Kukuku... Well, that's what I thought you'd say. But first, hear me out 'til the end."

"...Continuing, the pawn of that organization, the one using the hospital as a cover for their experiments was Dr. Takada... I just visited his laboratory and found it deserted."

"He's also not answering his house phone. His research documents are gone... Maybe... he got the results he was after... Or maybe it was the opposite..."

"I think... it's the latter. Because that person vanished, too..."

We looked back from the counter, finding Tsutsumi-kun there. "Tsutsumi-kun... For how long have you been there?"

"I saw it as well. Dr. Takada's desk was... already vacant... Just about everything was spotless..."

"Is that everything? Did you come here to tell me that?"

"Yeah. But also... The drug experiments that guy talked about were real! Dr. Takada gave me the task to administer that unknown medicine to Fukuoka-kun."

"...No way... You're lying, right...?" Dr. Takada, doing such a thing...?

"I'm sorry, I betrayed you, Dr. Shikibu... It's the worst, isn't it? For this to happen..."

"Yes, it's the worst!! What was that medicine!? What kind of side effects does it have!?"

"...Don't you know that, Doctor? That drug works on the psyche, it can cause extreme excitement, or it can make you quiet and obedient..."

"...Are you talking about Ms. Hisako?" Tsutsumi-kun interrupted Ochiai's words.

"...Hmph. Please don't reveal the answer so soon."

"Ms. Hisako? Why bring her up...?" Stroking his beard, Ochiai answered slowly.

"She, well, was a test subject..."

"According to my investigation... Ms. Hisako Mareki had been going to Dr. Takada's laboratory for a long time."

"I, occasionally... also happened to see her go there sometimes."

"Hisako had... gone to his lab once every week, but I always tried to avoid meeting her..."

It seems Tsutsumi-kun was afraid of Ms. Hisako's revenge. If he went to that extent, he must have done some terrible things, didn't he...?

"......I'm, going back to the hospital......"

I left the bar and called a taxi. The conversation I had with Ochiai and Tsutsumi-kun... I wanted to prove it was a lie as soon as possible...

"Dr. Takada!" The doctor's laboratory was... empty, like nobody used it... from the beginning. Be it the desk or the locker... It's all been put in order.

"Ah..." The monitor was pitch black, but it didn't seem to have been turned off. It probably was put in sleep mode...

Moving the mouse, the monitor came to life again, and there was that file, still left open. The file Dr. Takada wanted to hide...

"List of New, Unlicensed Drug Administration Experiments"

So it was written. And in there, Fukuoka-kun's name... the name of the administered medicine... the dates... the following developments... Those were the particulars covered in the file.

The Lists' Contents

Comparing the drug administered to Fukuoka-kun and Ochiai's new medicine list, I see that...

              >The medicine's name match.

    >There are no matches.

   

There's obviously going to have a match.

              >The medicine's name match.

...There is one matching drug. That is to say, the new medicine administered to Fukuoka-kun...

         >Still hasn't been approved.

   >Has already been approved.

   

There's no use denying it at this point.

         >Still hasn't been approved.

The drug administered to Fukuoka-kun hasn't been approved yet... I don't know how he was able to obtain such a thing, but at least I know for a fact it was prescribed.

Furthermore...

           >The one to do so was Dr. Takada.

         >The one to do so was another doctor.

   

Again, no use denying it.

   >The one to do so was Dr. Takada.

The one who prescribed it was Dr. Takada... Then what about the organization Ochiai spoke of...?

       >Everything was as Ochiai claimed. (Conclusion)

   >The organization arranged this from the beginning. (Conclusion)

   

The conspiracy was real!

     >Everything was as Ochiai claimed.

Everything was as Ochiai claimed... He was speaking the truth from the outset...

"Impossible... It was all true...?" I couldn't believe it. The things written on this file... I wished it was all lies.

The drug yet to be licensed by the Ministry of Wealth, Labor, and Welfare that Ochiai talked about... This is evidence of its administration to Fukuoka-kun. The medicine's explanation column had "flu vaccine" written on it.

This "flu vaccine"... is it the vaccine Ochiai spoke of that affected the mind? This was administered to Ms. Hisako as well... and her violent change in behavior... Was this the cause?

"Fukuoka-kun... How is he...?" I wonder what will happen to him? According to Ochiai, he already disappeared, too...

I hurried to room number 607.

The inside of the room had become deserted as well. It was scrubbed clean of everything... This place, too, seemed to have been empty from the start.

I ran to the nurses' station to confirm Fukuoka-kun's whereabouts.

However, he had already been discharged. How can this be...

Dr. Takada had finished the discharging procedure and then sent his resignation letter... Such a thing is... unthinkable!

Where did Dr. Takada go from there? And, what happened to Fukuoka-kun...?

I don't know... I don't know... I don't know...! Everything that's been happening... it's all outside my common sense.

What is truth and what is a lie...? All that was left was a nihilistic reality.

Just, what if the usual figure of Dr. Takada was in there...? While entertaining such fantasies, I aimlessly made my way back to his laboratory.

But reality didn't make way for my naive delusions...

"The computer... it's still on." As I approached the monitor to turn off the computer... a file jumped out at me.

A text file titled "hitomi.txt".

What could this be... I tried several times to open it, but it seems to be password-locked and I can't unlock it.

What if... this was a message from Dr. Takada? No matter what it took, I wanted to open this file... But even with that in mind, I couldn't do anything.

I tried several times to input passwords that seemed to be related to Dr. Takada, but the file remained silent...

I'll challenge it again tomorrow... My exhausted brain can't come up with a good answer...

I arrived at the motorcycle parking spot and turned the key to start the engine of my beloved bike. But the engine didn't start... Taking a good look, I saw traces of something on the tank.

"This is..." Those were traces of someone having tried to force open the oil tank.

"Why at this time... This hasn't been a good day."

I sighed and stared at the tank. Then I noticed something written on its side.

"kashima reiko"

This is... Reiko Kashima? Could this be... a message from Dr. Takada?

I returned to Dr. Takada's laboratory and hurriedly started up his personal computer. Then, I double-clicked on the file named "hitomi.txt", which I couldn't open earlier.

I inputted "kashima reiko" as the password... And this previously shut door was opened.

In there... something like a letter, beginning with "To Shikibu-kun", was left behind.

However, the important part... the body of the letter was all garbled. This is... unreadable.

It was deliberately erased by someone. Perhaps the same way as Dr. Takada and Fukuoka-kun...

"Until the very end... truly... it was already..."

The tears wouldn't stop. I would never see him again... I had this pessimistic certainty in my mind. I couldn't understand why... I thought that...

"Dr. Takada..."

I saved the file to a floppy and put it in my pocket before leaving the lab. The doctor is not coming back to this room anymore...

This thought, together with my tears, boiled up into an intense desire to know the truth. Was it really... as Ochiai had said?

I want to ascertain the truth, based solely on my beliefs...

Afterward, I was assigned to that laboratory. Shikibu's laboratory... Although only the name was changed, it felt like just about everything was different.

And, with Dr. Takada's and Fukuoka-kun's whereabouts still unknown, we reach today...

However, when I saw the scratches on this tank, I suddenly remembered Dr. Takada. I felt that he might be right there by my side.

At that time... The last message he left me... I still keep it in a safe place. I believe that one day I will be able to read that file...

Perhaps... his erased whereabouts will be discovered by Junya-kun's office as they continue their investigations... I've gained that hope recently.

With the recent string of strange cases that have been happening one after another, I have a feeling that... I would be reunited with Dr. Takada when the full extent of these incidents became known...

This mystery will be solved one day. Just like the brand on my back...

That day... may already be upon us...

Comprehensive Evaluation: S Class

Hitomi Chapter - Reiko Kashima - End

[And we reached the end, but there are still some entries and bad endings to get.]

[This takes place the second time we meet Fukuoka]

Should I listen to Ochiai or continue talking to Fukuoka-kun?

       ⬢ >Hear Ochiai out.

                       >Keep talking to Fukuoka-kun.

   

As you can see, there's no third option, this is because I didn't choose to activate the first flag. Now, let's get some more entries.

   >Hear Ochiai out.

"It should be fine... Well then, let's go somewhere else."

"Yep, it would be awkward to talk here. Boy, I'll tell you some other scary story next time, okay?"

"Yeah! They'll be even scarier next time, right?"

"Haha, I don't know if you'll be able to sleep then."

"I'll be fine!!"

"I see... Then, I tell you the one I've been holding onto."

"What is it about? I want to hear a little bit of it."

"Hmm, let's see... Well, what about this? It's a scary story related to perfume..." Saying so, Ochiai stared at me.

Was there some kind of metaphor in that story? Given his character, I doubt it would have been an ordinary story. Be that as it may, I was curious about the contents of the story, too.

"Uh-hum, this is a story that took place in a foreign country's shopping mall. There were some guys doing business with a sign saying they were selling perfume at an exceptionally low price... They would approach customers..."

"And while saying "What do you think? Want this perfume?", they would give them a whiff of the product."

"What then?"

"However, well... the thing they called a perfume was, in fact... chloroform... Basically, an anesthetic."

"......"

"The story goes that the customers were put to sleep, during which time they'd have their money and goods stolen from them."

"Hmph, that wasn't scary."

"That's not all. Some of them were even kidnapped. How about it? What if you ended up in that situation...?"

"...That's scary, but... I don't buy things like perfume."

"Haha, that's true. Sorry, sorry. Next time, I'll tell you a much scarier story."

[Fade to black]

The story he told just now was... medically speaking, complete nonsense.

In dramas and other popular TV shows, people often faint when someone puts a piece of cotton or other material soaked in chloroform to their mouths. In reality, however, this is not the case.

Volatile anesthetics do not work that way. The same can be said for anesthesia during surgery. Therefore, such stories are nothing more than rumors.

But, oh well. I should talk with Ochiai at once. "---!!?"

Suddenly, Ochiai grabbed my arm. "W-what is it?"

"Let's talk outside." Ochiai tugged on my arm and led me out of the sick room and into the hallway.

"...Pushy, aren't you?"

"This is just how I am. Excuse me."

"So? What do you want to tell me?"

[It returns to what we already saw, so let's skip to our first bad(?) end.]

Do I tell him about the arm, or---?

       >Tell Takada about the arm.

   >Tell Takada about what happened during the blackout.

  ⬢ >Ignore Takada and warm myself up.

   

This last option is only unlocked if we go out with Tsutsumi.

     >Ignore Takada and warm myself up.

"This place is way too cold. I'll be warming myself up in the laboratory."

"I see. You should do that."

"Yes, then, excuse me..."

Once I reached the laboratory, I met Tsutsumi-kun inside. "Ah, Tsutsumi-kun..."

The scenes of our dinner from the other day flashed through my mind. That day was... surprisingly enjoyable.

"...Ah, Dr. Hitomi..."

"......"

I couldn't follow up on those two words. I wonder why... I got this strange feeling...

"Um, Dr. Hitomi?"

"Uh, Tsutsumi-kun..."

"Oh, c-come in..."

"No, I should say that..."

It may have been a long time since I felt it.

"U-uhm... Dr. Hitomi... There are a lot of urban legends about hospitals, aren't there?"

"Eh? Yeah... there are." ...Why are we having this conversation now?

I felt irritation. The things that come from this... The emotions that originate from this topic... I know them well. "For example... the story of the bone-breaking job..."

"Or the story that says the weight of the soul is 21 grams?"

"That's right. I actually believed them until I came here."

"I see... Me, too... a long time ago..."

"You believed them too?"

"Yeah, there was a time when I did. Now... I'm completely on the dismissing side, however."

"Is that so... Uh... By the way..."

"W-what?"

"Uhm... The other day was pretty fun."

"Yeah... It's been a long time... since I had so much fun."

"Um, next time... if it's okay with you, do you want to..."

"Go somewhere and enjoy ourselves?"

"Yes! Let's go!"

"Where would you like to take me then?"

"Well... for example... an amusement park..."

"......"

"It's a no, I see... Why don't we go to an exhibition? You like motorcycles, don't you, Dr. Hitomi?"

"Ah, speaking of that... It's almost time for this show I was planning to watch to begin. I'd forgotten."

"Then... let's go to that show."

"And after that...?"

"Afterwards... well... let's have another grown-up time, shall we? How about that bar-like place again?"

"You'll have to consult your wallet."

"Hahah, I'm in trouble... But it's okay. I'm actually quite wealthy."

"Really? That's..."

"I don't look the part, right? Don't worry. Leave it to me."

I guess he's pushing himself as much as he can. I understand that. For now, I'm going to go along with it... at least for a while...

I'm grateful to him for reminding me of this nostalgic feeling... Or am I exaggerating it a bit too much? But, going out with him... Truthfully, I'm looking forward to it.

"Dr. Hitomi... Dr. Hitomi?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. What was it?"

"Next Sunday... What do you think?"

"Alright. Let's do it then."

"Well... I guess that's that then."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Yeah! I'm looking forward to it, too!"

Would these conversations be repeated between us in the future? I was both happy and somewhat lonely at the same time.

I'm not sure I'm ready to get that off my chest yet, but maybe someday...

With this... The second stage of my life began...

Comprehensive Evaluation: D Class

Hitomi Chapter - Reiko Kashima - End

[...Okay, that's not much of a bad ending, but it doesn't lead to the solving of the mystery, so okay. Let's go to the other bad ending.]

What do I do? Do I pull out the newspaper clipping? Or...

                                >Bring up the newspaper clipping.

  ⬢ >Survey the situation.

      ⬢ >Try changing the topic.

   

The last choice gives us a few FOAF entries and doesn't kill us, making it the best choice.

      >Survey the situation.

Let's try surveying the situation for a bit. However, this is a beautifully tidy room. It's like a showroom. ...In a sense, it's a room without warmth.

What do I do? I'm one step closer to finding the smoking gun, but... something's... missing?

"...Hey, Dr. Shikibu..."

"Eh? What is it?"

"...Um... Do you want to drink some tea?"

"Yes. Be my guest."

"...That's good. I'll go prepare it..." Saying that, Ms. Hisako went to the kitchen.

Her figure was so graceful that even I, a woman, could not help but be enchanted by it.

"Sorry for making you wait..."

"Thank you."

"Um... The sugar is... Oh my. Pardon me... I forgot it in the kitchen..."

"Then, I'll go retrieve it." I stood up and headed for the kitchen. Sugar... where could it be?

"Uhm... Ms. Hisako? Where is the sugar..."

"......" Turning around, I see Ms. Hisako holding a small bottle.

"Good-bye... Dr. Shikibu..."

[White flash]

Hot!!!! My body is... burning... Is this sulfuric acid? Hot... hot...

"You'd be better off... not snooping around so much..."

"Ms... Hisako...... You... are......"

I couldn't stand up anymore... Hisako is endlessly pouring sulfuric acid on me.

The sulfuric acid, which should have felt hot at first... is gradually becoming less painful...

Has it... already reached my nervous system? It's no good... my body... is melting away...

I didn't think... I'd go out this way... I shouldn't... have played the detective...

I regret it... but it's too late... I gather up my remaining strength and look at my right arm... it's already just bone. I wonder if I'll ever feel pain again...

Is this... the gods' mercy...?

...This signaled the end of my life.

...It was the worst... the lowest... human life...

Comprehensive Evaluation: D Class

Hitomi Chapter - Reiko Kashima - End

And that's the sixth chapter of Hayarigami. The fact that there wasn't any ghost was actually surprising, but is that really true? What do I mean? I think that we've gotten another glimpse into the objective of the organization, and I'll be writing down my theory here.

The organization's objective is to somehow gain control over spirits, like how we saw in the Final Episode. However, in this case, it's not with technology but with psychic powers. They've been trying that for over 13 years most likely, and depending on Fukuoka's results, may still be trying. These psychic powers are probably akin to using spirits like how onmyouji use shikigami, let's check this theory with the hints they've given.

Tsutsumi gave us three keywords: doctor, postmortem contagion, and human experimentation. We can fill in two just fine, but what is the postmortem contagion? I'd say becoming a ghost, or 'infecting' someone with a haunting. Also, there's the mystery of how Hisako created those hauntings, while her power might have been insufficient 13 years back, the hatred and madness she bore might have increased her powers enough to control a few weak spirits. This would explain the hauntings and how multiple people were in a hallway for a second and gone the next.

However, I won't speak much about Dr. Takada's and Fukuoka's fate, as there's not enough evidence to make a good guess.

Either way, I actually enjoyed this episode a lot and hope the next one will be just as good. Its name is...

Yuuka Chapter - Spirited Away

This one will actually be a little different, I'll start by showing a (or maybe a few) bad ending(s) first because there are a lot of them, and a single choice can lock you out of the good ending.

Anyway, I'll see you next time!