Vol 1 Chapter 2.1 (1/2)

VOLUME 1

[2nd Discussion ~ The Ghost-story Telling Student Council]

“The truly scary things aren’t ghosts or monsters! They’re humans themselves!”

As usual, the president stuck out her small chest and proudly spoke as if she were reciting something she probably read in some book.

Honestly, I agreed. But because that was a way too obvious way to answer, I gave a half-a.s.sed response instead.

“Ah, yeah. Sure.”

“It’s true! Besides, both ghosts and monsters were created by humans!”

“No, I feel like that explanation is a bit off……”

When people say “humans are scary,” I don’t think that’s what they mean. However, the president really looked satisfied as she reclined in her chair…… I’ve always thought about it, but why does this person get a kick from flagrantly ripping off wise sayings and presenting them seriously?

Not only I, but Chizuru-san, Minatsu, and Mafuyu-chan also didn’t have any particular reaction, and each gave their own half-hearted agreements.

The president started talking about this topic, probably because among the students, the rumors of “The Seven Wonders” started to increase.

The Seven Wonders. If you knew all seven, you would be cursed. But when I thought about it, somehow I came up with 21. It’s overkill. If a curse were to befall me, I wouldn’t be the only one in trouble; another unrelated person could be dragged into it and die.

Considering I wasn’t even that interested in the rumors yet I still knew so many, I could pretty much guess what the present situation in school was… If people on average knew more than 21 of these wonders, and the curse were real, then not just the school, but the entire town would blow up.

“The situation is already urgent!”

The president was enthusiastic. On the whiteboard in thick, thick, thiiiiiiick writing, she wrote “Today’s Agenda – Regarding the overly widespread condition of ghost stories.”

I don’t know why, but it seemed that the president didn’t like the current situation. It couldn’t be that she actually feared Resident Evil-like dangers, could it? (1)

Next to me, Minatsu stealthily whispered into my ear.

“(Why is Prez-san this enthusiastic?)”

“(Who knows…… maybe she’s actually a coward? Especially with that type of body.)”

“(Oh, that makes sense. Hey, how about we test it out?)”

Minatsu informed me, and with a s.a.d.i.s.tic smile, raised her hand upright at the president who was continuing her fervent speech.

“Hey Prez-san!”

“Yes, Minatsu.”

“Prez-san, do you know this story? The story of a girl who went into a certain bathroom –”

“Wa, ahhahh! Wh, why are you suddenly telling a story like that?! Don’t go off topic!”

“It’s not off topic. Look, to deal with things, shouldn’t you first learn about them in depth?

“Ugu…… Anyway! It’s fine if I don’t hear it!”

We watched over the president’s confused state.

All of the student council members’ eyes gleamed with a suspicious sparkle.

“(This could be interesting!)”

Even Mafuyu-chan was tempted to do something. Aah…… Mafuyu-chan did like things like scary stories, didn’t she? And because she usually took the role of being made fun of, she welcomed this situation with open arms.

Acting like they hadn’t noticed her cowardice, everyone except the president began to discreetly s.h.i.+ft the conversation towards avenues the president didn’t want it to go down.

Chizuru-san moved first.

“It’s as Minatsu said. Yes, it’s exactly that. First you have to identify the circulating ghost stories one by one, and then you need to verify them.”

“Eh, eeehh?!”

The president was clearly upset.

I saw an opportunity to jump in and I pounced.

“That’s right. We should talk about each of the ghost stories we know here.”

“Wha-, Sugisaki! There’s no need to do something like–”

“Ma, Mafuyu also thinks we should do it!”

“Even Mafuyu-chan……”

The president winced. At this point, I delivered my finisher.

“Ohh? Prez…… could it be that you’re scared?”

“Wha –”

At my finisher, Chizuru-san followed up with her own final blow.

“Oh, there’s no way Key-kun. There’s just no way that the student council president of all people would be frightened of the school’s ghost stories. Now, aren’t you belittling her too much? Right, Aka-chan?”

“Uh, uuuhh?”

At that, even the s.h.i.+na sisters gave pursuit.

“As if anyone is afraid of ghost stories at this age!”

“Ma, Mafuyu has also loved scary stories…… since primary school.”

“Ugu.”

The president began sweating profusely. The ends of her mouth bent downward, tears welled up in her eyes, and her face became extremely pitiful. However…… the president crossed her arms and reclined in her chair. She declared confidently, “Hu, humph!”

“A, as an adult, I wouldn’t be afwaid of something like ghost stories.”

She took the bait…… This is bad. I might awaken my inner s.a.d.i.s.t. This was too fun. Teasing the president felt too good. If I were to go out with her, would I be able to stand not seeing her troubled face once a day?

I looked at Chizuru-san, and she also had a look of light ecstasy…… A s.a.d.i.s.t. This person was a genuine s.a.d.i.s.t. Even though her personality was completely different from the president, I now understand why she was close to her.

While we watched, the president seemed to prepare herself for the worst. She slammed her hands onto the long table with a bang. Chizuru-san and I were even more thrilled as we realized how much those hands were trembling.

“A, alright then, let’s tell them. Ghost stories. B, but since we don’t have a lot of time, how about we keep it to one person per story?”

“Awesome! Then we’ll start with me.”

“Hu, huh? Already?”

“It’s better to get this done quick right? Hm? Prez…… are you scared?”

“Go ahead Minatsu.”

The president acted as bravely as she could. As everyone nonchalantly watched, Minatsu readily leaned in close and began her ghost story.

“So, since I’m up first, I’m fired up and ready to go! Prepare yourself.

“…… In this school’s home economics room, there are no kitchen knives. Do you know why that is? That is because they are all kept in a cupboard in the home ec prep room. But, remember this well. Under the home ec room’s kitchen table, there is a s.p.a.ce set for kitchen knives. Normally they would be kept there. If you were to practice cooking, it’s a utensil you would almost definitely need to use, and to prepare them one by one every time from the prep room would be very troublesome, wouldn’t it?

“So then why are the knives in the prep room? That was because …… there was a knife in the home ec room, but because of that a certain tragedy struck.”

Minatsu erased her usual energetic-girl manner and built up her story with a low voice. Considering how Minatsu usually acted, when she spoke seriously, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavier.

The president gulped down her saliva. She seemed fine earlier, but her eyes flit around restlessly, she repeatedly crossed and uncrossed her arms, and she looked to be restless.

Minatsu grinned lightly at the president’s condition. At Minatsu’s expression, the president became even more terrified.

“Once there was a certain schoolgirl…… for now we’ll call her Kurimu-chan……”

“Why do we have to call her Kurimu-chan?!”

The president screamed with tears in her eyes. Minatsu splendidly ignored her.

“Kurimu-chan was a charming young girl. Even though she was short and her body wasn’t quite filled out in various places, well, her face was really pretty, and that got her a bit of attention”

“…… Somehow, I feel like you’re saying mean things about her on purpose.”

“So back to Kurimu-chan. This Kurimu-chan who could only eat half of a banana.”

“It’s like Kurimu-chan came out of a nursery rhyme.”

“One day, she forgot something at school. Even though she realized this in the middle of the night, she needed it that day no matter what. And since her home was actually in the same neighborhood, she went to school to get it.

“Even though the school at night was definitely scary, because Kurimu-chan has done this several times before, she was already used to it.

“That day also, as usual, Kurimu-chan was going back to get something she forgot.

“And then.

“The next day, her cold body was found.”

“Eek.”

The president reacted with surprise…… It was good narration. A sudden development. I don’t know exactly what happened, but for now, I just know something extremely bad happened. Minatsu…… Minatsu was unexpectedly used to telling stories.

“Kurimu-chan…… died in the home ec room. Her whole body was completely stabbed.”

“For some reason, I more and more don’t want the setting to have the name Kurimu-chan in it……”

Kurimu-chan (the real one) became pale. However, Minatsu just blatantly ignored that as well.

“The criminal was caught immediately. Lately, that degenerate had been frequently appearing in the outskirts of town. Kurimu-chan happened to come across him just where he was gloating after being able to trespa.s.s into the school. It was then that she became easy prey.

Of course, Kurimu-chan ran, but was steadily driven to her end. In the end, she took refuge in the home ec room. However…… that was a mistake. The man noticed that it was the home ec room, took a kitchen knife out from the s.p.a.ce under the kitchen table, and then –“

“…………”

The president was silent. When I looked closely at her, she looked as if she was trying to block reality out, so I clapped my hands in front of her face to bring her back. (2)

The president cleared her throat with a cough and stared at Minatsu.

“O-Oh, so that’s it? After that sort of murder incident, the kitchen knives were just moved to a different place, big deal……”

“No, that’s not it Prez-san. That wasn’t the real reason the knives were moved to the prep room.”

“Eh?”

“Something terrible happened…… After the incident, a student who stayed in the home ec room after school……”

“Wh…… what happened?”