Ch.104Chapter 16. Worries and Concerns (4)

I thought having these kinds of thoughts would be troublesome, but living in this house inevitably led to certain realizations.

It’s comfortable.

Yes. Incredibly comfortable.

In both my previous life and this one, living alone certainly had its advantages. Not having to worry about others’ gazes when you’re at home.

Well, except for the fact that there’s no one to have warm conversations with. I felt that refreshing sense of liberation when I first lived independently too.

However, living alone has one fatal drawback.

You have to take care of your own life.

No one nags you about personal hygiene, no one prepares meals for you, and dishes or laundry remain untouched unless you deal with them yourself.

If you do nothing, dust continues to accumulate in your room, you eat poorly or just skip meals altogether.

After your life deteriorates in various ways, you start wishing someone was there beside you.

…

Well, I don’t have time to feel that way now, but I was still the one doing most of the housework.

Koko had been helping with chores a little, but she was still somewhat clumsy. And above all, I felt uncomfortable asking Koko to do this and that. So I ended up doing almost all the housework myself.

But here…

“Delicious!”

“…It really is.”

Koko and Nakahara exclaimed in succession.

Yes. Shii lives in this house.

And Shii was the most ideal little sister I had ever seen.

Recalling Shii’s testimony, Sasaki was apparently a typical teenage boy who avoided troublesome tasks at home, but Shii would scold him, wake him up early in the morning, prepare his meals, and even walk to school with him.

I suppose it’s inevitable to become spoiled living with such a sister.

“…Do I have to overcome this environment…?”

Nakahara sighed deeply as she spoke.

I suppose so.

In the original story, Sasaki rather impertinently thought this was normal for girls his age.

I’m not saying he looked down on other girls, but he was clearly under a massive misconception.

Originally, when Shii was hospitalized after being attacked by Huacha, he would realize how much he had been depending on her, but ironically, that incident never happened in this world.

“…”

Taking a bite of grilled salmon, I thought that Sasaki was truly a fortunate kid.

…Well, I don’t know if it’s some kind of reaction or what, but with parents like that, I suppose it evens out. In a way, Shii became this kind of person because of that woman who calls herself a mother.

While we were enjoying our somewhat awkward but relatively peaceful meal,

Ding-dong.

Someone quite rudely rang the doorbell during dinner time.

Sasaki, Shii, and I exchanged glances.

“What’s going on?”

Nakahara looked a bit confused by our reaction.

“Do you three have some kind of arrangement?”

“…”

What should we do?

After thinking briefly, I stood up.

As I picked up my rice bowl and soup bowl, Shii and Sasaki quickly followed suit. They both grabbed the bowls that I, Koko, and Nakahara had been using.

“What’s happening? Seriously, what’s going on?”

When I addressed her, Nakahara looked at me with the same confused expression.

“…Just follow me without saying anything for now.”

“Huh? What?”

Despite her extreme confusion at my serious expression.

“Please.”

At Sasaki’s earnest look, she found herself nodding without realizing it.

We quickly carried our dishes upstairs. Then we entered Shii’s room and sat down.

Sasaki and Shii probably took care of our shoes that were in the entryway.

“Meow.”

“Shh.”

Kuro, who had been sleeping on Shii’s bed, meowed, but I held up one finger to silence him. Kuro showed little interest, yawned widely, then curled up and lay down again.

“What’s going on?”

Nakahara asked the same question for the third time.

Sensing she might really get angry if I ignored her again, I said:

“An unwelcome visitor has arrived.”

“Unwelcome visitor?”

“…”

I felt somewhat uncomfortable being the one to tell her that their mother had come, so I just nodded.

“What kind of person is this visitor? Are they trying to harm you two?”

“…Something like that.”

Since she came to extort money, it could be considered harmful.

By the way, Koko was still downstairs. She was barefoot. She was perfect for the task I had in mind.

“Then shouldn’t we go help?”

Nakahara immediately spoke with an indignant expression, but I picked up my bowl from the floor and continued eating as I replied:

“That’s why we’re here helping.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Nakahara stop trying to stand up and stared at me intently.

Then she sat back down.

“…I see.”

Though unintentional, both Koko and I had shown Nakahara our true forms.

I had only shown her the extent of bleeding profusely, but Koko had clearly revealed a form that wasn’t human.

After I woke up in the hospital and explained what had happened, Nakahara didn’t ask about our identities. It was probably her way of being considerate. Above all, there was no need to recall such terrible memories.

Besides, Koko normally just looked like a cute schoolgirl. Someone who seemed somewhat pitiful and sad if you observed her.

“So, um, Koko is… doing that, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

When Nakahara made an uncertain expression, I asked:

“Why?”

As I stirred my miso soup with chopsticks, Nakahara maintained that uncertain expression and said:

“Well…”

She hesitated before answering.

“Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“…”

At my question, Nakahara thought for a moment before nodding.

Hmm.

How should I explain this?

If asked whether it was uncomfortable or not, I felt the same way.

As I had heard from Yuka before, Koko was satisfied with her current life.

She didn’t change her appearance in front of others because she worried about my words and about disrupting that life.

“…Do you know why Koko resembles me?”

“…Because you’re twins?”

“No.”

At my answer, Nakahara frowned.

After thinking for a while, understanding dawned on her face.

That’s right.

Koko isn’t ‘originally’ a being that looks like that. As she was in the refrigerator, and as I first encountered her, Koko’s original form is closer to something amorphous.

Koko is merely imitating my appearance.

Because it’s useful. It’s more convenient when staying with me, and when she looks like that around people, she won’t be attacked, and everyone likes her.

Whether Koko wants that or not—I think it’s the former, but that concept of ‘wanting’ is somewhat different from ‘desperately needing.’ Koko immediately reverted to her true form when she truly felt it necessary.

‘Wanting to’ and ‘needing to’ don’t always overlap.

“Koko doesn’t want this current life to be disrupted.”

I said that and continued eating.

Nakahara didn’t ask any more detailed questions.

She just picked up her chopsticks and followed my lead.

Though we couldn’t finish our meal.

*

Sasaki was trying his hardest.

It took tremendous effort not to look at Koko, who had openly transformed the house interior into something like a theme park horror house.

Isn’t that right?

It’s not easy for anyone to ‘not see’ a child hanging from the ceiling, with thin hair wrapped all around it.

Both Sasaki and Shii roughly knew what kind of being Koko was. They were there at that time, after all.

But seeing someone who looked exactly like a girl from their grade hanging from the ceiling like she’d been lynched, staring down at them, was another matter entirely.

“Ah, aah…”

The woman who had fallen on her backside at the entrance pointed at Koko and made such sounds.

“What’s wrong?”

Shii asked with a voice full of concern.

To this woman who knew nothing about the current situation, everything must seem absurd. She probably saw a ghost for the first time in her life.

Well, it wasn’t actually a ghost.

But Shii wasn’t worried about her mother. She was just concerned about whether this situation would work out properly.

“Th-there, that…!”

The woman screamed.

Sasaki deliberately turned around.

For a moment, his eyes met Koko’s and he felt a slight chill, but he forcibly tore his gaze away from her, looking around as if there was nothing there, then turned back to the woman.

Frowning as much as possible to hide his expression.

“What are you talking about?”

“Can’t you see? You can’t see that?!”

The woman screamed, but Sasaki and Shii gritted their teeth and ignored Koko.

It was becoming difficult.

The black hair that had enveloped the ceiling was expanding its territory, now reaching the front door.

It seemed like a thin curtain would soon form over the entrance. A curtain made of hair.

If seen in a movie, it might have been just another scene, but seeing it in reality was completely different. Not awkward CGI, but real hair extending.

“Why on earth—”

“Eek!”

As Sasaki approached with a clueless expression, the woman screamed, jumped to her feet, opened the door, and ran out.

Tap, tap, tap…

It was an anticlimactic ending.

Sasaki and Shii blankly stared at the woman’s retreating figure.

“Did I do well?”

Startled by the sudden voice behind them, both turned around.

Koko, who had somehow come back down to the floor, was standing behind them.

Shii hurriedly closed the door, and Sasaki held one finger to his lips.

“Koko, shh!”

“Okay!”

At Sasaki’s words, Koko quickly covered her mouth with both hands.

Looking at her like this, she was just a cute girl who seemed drawn in a picture. Perhaps because her appearance matched Kurosawa’s, she looked even cuter than Kurosawa, who never showed such expressions.

Though her hair was disheveled.

Perhaps if Koko had transformed her face as well, Sasaki and Shii wouldn’t have been able to react so calmly.

Does Koko have some resistance to changing this appearance?

“…I don’t hear any more sounds.”

Only after Shii, who had her ear pressed against the door, said this did Sasaki heave a deep sigh.

“…Let’s go upstairs and call Kurosawa and Nanami.”

“I’ll go!”

Koko shouted and ran up the stairs with pattering footsteps.

Sasaki and Shii looked at each other.

Then, without anyone taking the lead, they both shrugged.

*

“…If that woman comes back, let me know. I’ll help again.”

“I’ll help!”

Koko raised one hand enthusiastically at my words.

The ‘haunted house’ strategy had achieved short-term success.

But I didn’t think that persistent woman wouldn’t return.

Aren’t people scarier than ghosts? A distant ghost can’t hurt me, but a nearby debt collector can break my fingers.

If she comes back with the mindset of just grabbing money and leaving, things will be different.

“I can’t keep receiving help like this…”

“It’s fine.”

Sasaki closed his mouth at my words.

“Thank you, senior.”

“It’s nothing.”

Thanks to them, I got to sit comfortably and enjoy a delicious meal.

“…”

By the way, Nakahara made various excuses wanting to stay a few more days, but she seemed to have nothing to say when I insisted on leaving today.

“The meal was great.”

“Please come again!”

Shii said with a bright smile.

“What about me?”

“Ah… you’re welcome too.”

“…Isn’t your reaction too different?”

Nakahara pouted but soon let out a small sigh.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Yes! Goodbye, Kuro!”

“Meow.”

All he did was curl up on Shii’s bed and sleep.

Well, I guess it can’t be helped since he’s cute.

Although my hands were full with luggage, my heart felt content. We exchanged greetings once more and were able to part ways with refreshed spirits.

Let’s continue to tease that woman over time.

Wouldn’t there be methods like ‘the ghost has attached itself to you’? I wonder how she would react then.

*

“What the hell? Ghosts don’t exist in this world.”

“It’s true! I saw it!”

A slovenly-looking man with his hands in his pockets, yawning.

And a somewhat loose-looking woman guiding him. Passersby subtly kept their distance from the pair.

They were the kind of people occasionally seen even in expensive neighborhoods. Having money doesn’t necessarily mean having culture.

And these two arrived at the center of a neighborhood lined with such luxurious houses.

It was in front of a two-story house that was clearly worth more than a penny or two.

“Is there no one inside? You said your daughter lives here?”

“…I guess.”

The woman muttered at the man’s words.

Despite it being dark after sunset, the house seemed empty with its lights off.

There was nothing particularly eerie about the place, but strangely, there was a chill in the air.

The man didn’t seem to mind the chill. Well, it was getting to be the season when nights turn chilly.

“L-let’s just go.”

The woman said, wrapping her arms around herself.

If there were people inside, they would certainly be her son and daughter. But for some reason, the way the two had looked at that girl hanging from the ceiling yesterday was strange.

As if somehow, what was there seemed natural.

Of course, they might have simply found nothing. They were children abandoned long ago—in fact, she sometimes regretted that—

“Oh, hey. The door is opening.”

The man said, holding the doorknob.

Click.

The door opened too easily.

The inside was pitch black, but as the entrance opened, the street lamp light shone in, vaguely revealing the interior.

Whew. The man whistled.

“Can’t we live here? Can’t we just do something about that son? What was her name, Shii? She doesn’t say anything when she’s with you anyway.”

The man said, looking back, but the woman’s face had turned pale.

Her gaze was fixed on the open house.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

The woman moved her jaw as if trying to say something, but no sound came out.

She just pointed at the house with trembling fingers.

“Huh?”

The man turned his head.

Far away.

At the corner leading to the kitchen, visible even from the entrance, a human silhouette was faintly visible.

White legs and a skirt hem.

“Oh, what? Someone’s inside. Hey, Shii, long time no see?”

Come to think of it, the last time he saw her, she had grown quite well. Enough to remind him of this woman’s younger days.

The memory of her as a snotty little kid still irritated him, but now.

However, the man’s body froze as he was about to casually enter the house.

“…”

Something was strange.

Had that child grown so tall?

No, to begin with, if it was a human form—

Only after pushing his body slightly inside did he realize how strange it was that the silhouette was elongated vertically.

Above the skirt, a waist was visible. As if the uniform had been bought without anticipating such height, white flesh was exposed.

But it didn’t look sensual at all.

Rather, it looked strange, as if someone had forcibly stretched a person vertically.

Hair became visible.

Only after hearing the man’s voice did it slowly pull its head out from around the corner.

Fingers appeared. Like playing piano keys in order, starting with the long pinky finger, each one gripped the corner.

Turning its body slowly, it peeked just its head around the corner.

Even if the man had only seen Shii’s last appearance in photos, he could tell with absolute certainty that this wasn’t Shii.

It wasn’t even human to begin with.

The head that had been facing the floor slowly turned toward where the man was.

It looked like a three-year-old child’s first attempt at drawing a person with crayons.

The two eyes were misaligned. The nose was just a single dot. The mouth, spread wide horizontally, was so high up that there seemed to be no philtrum at all.

The skin was white as paper. There should have been at least one blue vein visible, but even that was absent, making it look like a mannequin.

But that outer covering was clearly flesh of some kind, not plastic.

The misaligned eyes slowly looked at the man. Those too-darkly, too-largely painted eyes stared directly at him.

The mouth opened.

Inside, without a single tooth, pointed gums were stabbing each other without properly interlocking.

Despite having no blood, bright red blood was flowing from those gums. It was like seeing teeth made of flesh.

And that thing moved.

“Uh, uwaaaaah!?”

The man fell backward on his backside, then quickly turned and crawled away.

“I told you! Didn’t I tell you?!”

The woman screamed.

People passing by looked in their direction, but the two paid no attention to that.

Unlike when they arrived, the two ran with an enormous distance between them.

There was not the slightest show of loyalty as cohabitants.

*

“Huh?”

“Brother?”

“No, the door was open.”

Today was a day when both Sasaki and Shii had part-time jobs.

Coincidentally meeting at the station, they smiled and returned home together, only to find the door they had surely locked was open.

Both Sasaki and Shii’s expressions hardened simultaneously.

“…Stay right behind me.”

As Sasaki said this, Shii stuck close to his back.

As they cautiously opened the door while extremely tense—

“Meow.”

Such a sound came from inside.

“Kuro?”

Shii murmured, recognizing that distinctive meow.

“Meow.”

Opening the door, they found Kuro sitting in the entryway.

“Didn’t Kurosawa take him yesterday?”

“…I wonder if he got dropped somewhere along the way?”

Shii entered and picked up Kuro.

“Meow.”

When she lifted him by placing her hands under his armpits, Kuro meowed with a sullen expression.

“Still, it’s fortunate. What if he hadn’t been able to get into our house?”

“…I wonder if a window was open somewhere?”

“Let’s check the house and then contact Kurosawa.”

“Yes, brother.”

And so they inspected the house.

Fortunately, nothing was missing.

*

“Kuro is there?”

Receiving Sasaki’s call, I scratched my head.

I had been searching everywhere with Koko because Kuro wasn’t at home.

“How did he get there?”

Saitama and Tokyo. On the map, they share a border, but in reality, it’s like the distance between Gyeonggi-do and Seoul. No, since Tokyo’s 23 wards are actually larger than Seoul, the actual distance might be even greater.

Kuro went all that way?

…It’s not an impossible distance to walk in a day, but still.

This is strange. Both Koko and I definitely saw him at home this morning.

Or did I mistakenly think I brought him home yesterday? No, that can’t be right?

[Maybe you lost him along the way?]

Sasaki cautiously suggested, but I could only tilt my head in confusion.

“…Alright. I’ll come get him.”

[It’s late today, so you can come tomorrow.]

“…He doesn’t have a litter box there, right?”

I said, looking at Kuro’s litter box at home.

[Um… I’m sure we can manage somehow?]

“…”

I sighed and rubbed my face.

“…Okay. I’ll come tomorrow.”

“Are we going to Shii’s house tomorrow?”

“Yes, it looks like it.”

When Koko, who had been listening to the conversation beside me, asked, I nodded.

“Then, can we eat Shii’s food?”

[I’ll prepare it for you, senior.]

Apparently also listening on the other end of the line, Shii answered.

“Wow!”

“…”

Hey, aren’t you too excited about this?

…Have I been relying too much on bean sprouts lately? Should I start diversifying the menu?

I pondered this quite seriously.