Chapter 7 | July 11th (AM 7:30)

(Student Dormitory – Cafeteria/Meeting Room)

 

Even though it’s the rainy season, there hasn’t been much rain lately, and the media has been reporting concerns about water shortages this summer.

At our student dormitory, an incident came up.

“This morning, there was a strange person around the dorm,”

In the student dormitory’s cafeteria/meeting room.

At the breakfast table, Arisa brought it up hesitantly.

“A strange person?” I asked. “What do you mean? What were they like?”

“Well, um… it might just be Arisa’s imagination, but…”

According to her explanation, it happened early this morning when the sky was just starting to brighten. She stepped out of her room to use the bathroom and saw the shadow of a suspicious figure through the hallway window.

“It was still completely dark, and it was only for a moment, so it might’ve been a mistake. Or maybe Arisa was half-asleep and mistook something else for it.”

“Could it have been someone from the dorm?” I suggested. “Like President-san, for example—she’s always gripping a wooden sword for practice in the morning.”

I said this while looking around at the other dorm residents. But there was no reaction—not from President-san, not from Akiko, not from Nasuhara-san, not from Ginbei.

“…Hmm. So it’s safe to say it was someone from outside, then?”

“I think so.”

“Was this suspicious person inside the dorm’s grounds?”

“Yes. I think it was around the garden area.”

“Male? Female?”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t tell… Arisa got scared right away and ran back to her room… I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s fine. If something had happened to you while trying to figure out who they were, that’d be no laughing matter. When something seems dangerous, running away is the best choice.”

A suspicious person, huh.

Well, as you all know, this dorm is pretty run-down, and the renovations—including security upgrades—keep getting delayed. So it’s not surprising if a petty thief or two slipped in. Honestly, it almost feels like, Oh, they’ve finally shown up, which is oddly satisfying in a way.

“But still, Arisa, are you sure what you saw was really a suspicious person?”

“? What do you mean, Nii-sama?”

“I’m just wondering if there could be other possibilities. You saw it when it wasn’t even morning yet, right? The sky was still dark?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Like, maybe you mistook a stray cat for a person. Or maybe some laundry hanging out to dry looked human in the dark.”

“N-No, that’s not it! Arisa saw it clearly… I think I saw it clearly!”

“Got it. Then… maybe it’s that?”

“That? What’s that?”

“You know, that. It’s getting hot lately, and it’s about that time of year when those summer classics start showing up.”

“Hii!? N-No way, Akito Nii-sama…?”

“Yeah. That thing you’re really bad with, Arisa. You know, the ‘Hyuu~ dorodoro hyuu~’ kind.”

“…! …!?” (← Arisa turning pale and trembling)

“This dorm’s an old building, so it’s got plenty of stories like that. I figured it’d happen eventually, and looks like it finally did.”

“Hawawa… Y-You’re joking, right, Nii-sama? There’s no way ghosts exist in this world… right?”

“Well, who knows? No matter how advanced science gets, the world’s still full of mysteries.”

“Awaawa, n-no way…”

Arisa’s mood plummeted in an instant.

Yeah, she’s always been weak to this kind of stuff. It’s gotten better lately, but back in the day, she’d even drag me along just to go to the bathroom. I’d been impressed by how much she’d grown since we reunited, but it seems her weaknesses aren’t so easily overcome.

And it’s not just Arisa who’s bad with ghost stories.

“H-Hey, Onii-chan!? Could you stop scaring us with baseless stuff like that!?”

“Exactly, Akito. Spreading unscientific, baseless rumors to unsettle people is really bad. Ghosts and spirits can’t possibly exist. What Arisa-kun saw was probably just a suspicious person—or at worst, a simple mistake. Honestly, Akito, you’re a second-year in high school and still talking like ghosts are real? It’s downright deplorable.”

—Right.

Akiko and Ginbei, two people I’ve known forever, are also terrible with occult stuff.

“I love Onii-chan and respect him from the bottom of my heart, but there’s one thing that really exasperates me. It’s how he keeps bringing up ghost stories every chance he gets. It’s bad enough that he still won’t accept my unwavering love, but the ghost talk is even worse, Onii-chan.”

“I completely agree. I’ve argued with Akito countless times about how ghosts can’t possibly exist, but he never listens to me. Instead, he twists it into something ridiculous like, ‘So basically, Gin’s scared of ghosts, huh?’—totally missing the point. It’s laughable. Me, scared of ghosts? Not even if the world turned upside down.”

“…And yet, despite what these two are saying,”

Ignoring the overly dramatic reactions from Akiko and Ginbei that contradict their words, I turned to the poker-faced vice-president.

“What do you think, Nasuhara-san? Do you believe in ghosts?”

“…”

Nasuhara-san, always marching to her own beat, excessively practical, and the daughter of the cutting-edge Nasuhara Industries’ president, stayed expressionless for a moment before replying,

“What an utterly ridiculous question. It’s head and shoulders above the dumbest questions I’ve ever heard in my life. Ghosts are nothing more than illusions born from the darkness of the human psyche. Studying their psychological aspects might be worthwhile, but seriously debating their existence is a complete waste of time. If such vague entities actually existed, the world would look entirely different—proving, in the simplest and most certain terms, that ghosts don’t exist. Right, Akki, you agree, don’t you?”

…Huh?

Isn’t she overreacting a bit too much? Just like certain other people.

“Uh, Nasuhara-san?”

“What?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but… could it be that you’re scared of ghosts or spirits?”

“No. I’m not scared at all.”

“So you can walk alone at night?”

“Of course I can, but I don’t do dangerous things like that. I could if I wanted to, though.”

“How about watching a late-night ghost show by yourself?”

“Piece of cake. But I don’t have a habit of staying up late, and I’m not a fan of TV anyway, so if you told me to actually do it, I’d refuse with all my might.”

“By the way, there’s been a weird dark shadow behind you for a while—”

“!?”

“…Or at least it felt like it, but it’s probably just my eyes playing tricks. Sorry for scaring you.”

I clasped my hands in apology to Nasuhara-san, who whipped around so fast she nearly fell off her chair. (And it wasn’t just her—Akiko, Ginbei, and Arisa all nearly collapsed too.)

Yep, this is unexpected.

Who’d have thought even Nasuhara-san had such a low tolerance for the occult… Honestly, the scaredy-cat ratio in this dorm is way too high.

“—Hey, hey, Himenokōji Akito. You shouldn’t scare people like that.”

President-san, who’d been silent until now, finally spoke up.

“The issue here isn’t whether ghosts exist or not. It’s that there might’ve been a suspicious person lurking around the dorm, and we need to deal with it, right? Don’t derail the conversation.”

“Ugh, sorry. You’re right.”

Yeah, I got carried away with the teasing. What matters now isn’t some supernatural mystery—it’s figuring out how to handle a real, potential threat. As expected of President-san, she knows how to take control of the situation.

“Actually, I just heard something from the neighborhood association. Seems like lately, there’ve been reports of molesters and weirdos popping up around here.”

“Oh, really? So the suspicious person Arisa saw might’ve been—”

“It’s not impossible. Apparently, the locals are forming a patrol group to keep watch at night since leaving it all to the police won’t solve things fast enough.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“And of course, this isn’t someone else’s problem. If the neighborhood’s stepping up, it’s only right for us to pitch in as part of the community.”

“Right. I agree.”

“Then it’s settled. I’m counting on you, Himenokōji Akito.”

“Huh?”

Blinking at the sudden shift in the conversation, I asked,

“Counting on me for what?”

“What else? Cooperating with the neighborhood watch to patrol around the dorm and the area. If we’re sending someone, you’re the obvious choice, right? You’re the dorm leader, after all.”

“Well, yeah, I guess, but—”

“And you’re a guy.”

“True, but still—hear me out. Doesn’t it make more sense for President-san to do it? You practice kendo and all. If it’s about catching a shady character, isn’t this your moment?”

“Nah, I’m busy.”

“If you’re gonna say that, I’m busy too! Plus, President-san, isn’t this a golden opportunity? You could prove that katana you always carry isn’t just for show.”

“No, no. I’m the leader who keeps you all in line. It’s not commendable for me to jump into the front lines so casually, right? Take the military, for example—grunts might charge in, but generals and marshals don’t go running out willy-nilly. Wars wouldn’t work otherwise.”

“Well, sure, but—”

It’s not like I don’t get her point, but something feels off. For someone as flashy as President-san, she’s being oddly cautious—almost too passive. Normally, she’d leap at the chance to take the lead and tie up any intruder before we could even blink.

…Wait a sec.

Could it be—no way, right?

“President-san.”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Your hands have been trembling for a while now. You okay?”

“W-What!? Don’t be ridiculous, they’re not trembling!”

President-san said, hastily hiding her chopstick-holding hand behind her back.

Of course, they weren’t really trembling—I was just testing her. But her reaction was way bigger than I expected.

And that kind of reaction can only mean one thing.

No way, seriously? I only meant to tease Arisa a little with some light occult talk. I figured Akiko and Ginbei would bite, but Nasuhara-san and even President-san too?

At this rate, I’m the only one in this dorm who isn’t a scaredy-cat… Wait, weren’t all these people supposed to be elite candidates with bright futures? How is it okay for them to be this terrified, like a bunch of kindergarteners?

“…Ahem. Anyway,”

Ignoring my exasperation, President-san let out a deliberate cough and said,

“It’s true that our living situation’s gotten a bit dicey lately. Going out for a quick patrol at night wouldn’t hurt.”

“Well, I’m on board with that.”

“And that job’s falling to you.”

“Like I said, I’d rather not.”

I gave President-san a deadpan stare as she kept trying to shove the task onto me. I usually reserve late nights for work—writing, to be precise—and that time’s my lifeline. Losing it stings.

That said, ignoring this issue could lead to bigger problems. And making someone else—like Arisa—do it instead is out of the question.

So, what now?

What’s the safest and most effective choice here?

 

◆◆◆

 

And so, that night,

all six of us dormmates ended up patrolling the town together.

“Wow, a nighttime stroll is pretty nice, huh, Onii-chan! I’ve never walked around a residential area at night before—it feels so fresh!”

“Hold on, Himenokōji-san, are you misunderstanding something? We’re not here to play around, so you’d better take this seriously.”

“Nasuhara-kun’s right. While we’re out here, ghosts or spirits—I mean, those suspicious people who’ve been showing up around here lately—could pop up any second. We should stay sharp and focus on our patrol duty.”

“Oh, but Arisa feels so much safer going outside with everyone like this. Even a dark town at night doesn’t feel scary at all!”

“Hey, hey, you lot, keep it down. It’s late enough that most folks are trying to sleep. We’re out here to help the neighborhood, but if we become the nuisance, what’s the point?”

…And so it went.

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, Ginbei, Arisa, President-san, and I—the six of us—chatted noisily while walking around the residential area near the dorm.

In a way, it makes sense.

Given the recent situation, patrolling isn’t something we can skip. And for safety’s sake, sticking together in a big group is obviously better.

Of course, if someone said, “Why not just hire security?” or “Isn’t it weird for minors to wander around at night?” we’d have no rebuttal. That we’ve settled on this odd compromise, skipping over logical solutions, just shows how scary group momentum can be.

“Still, the town’s so quiet at night, huh? During the day, this area’s got a lot more life to it.”

“It’s the ‘even the plants sleep at the witching hour’ thing, right? Since ancient times, nights were meant to be dark and quiet. Honestly, I’d welcome this vibe if it weren’t for uncouth things like ghosts or spirits…”

“You’re such a dummy, Gin-Gin. Nonscientific stuff like that doesn’t exist, so there’s no point worrying about it. Take a page from my book and act bold—bold, I say! That way, those types won’t dare mess with us. The ones who get all timid are the perfect prey—they’re just asking to get targeted.”

“…Which mouth is this clown of a President using to spew such grand nonsense? Hey, everyone, how about we try an attraction where we toss President into the darkness and run away? I bet we’d hear some delightful screams.”

“Hawawa, Anastasia-neesama, that’s too mean! Poor President-neesama… Besides, having more people together makes Arisa feel stronger.”

…Yeah, well.

It’s less like a patrol and more like a girls’ night out—or honestly, a midnight picnic. All this chattering’s probably just to distract from the fear—not that they’d admit it. No point nitpicking, though. It’s like how you get jumpy after a horror movie—half of this is my fault for starting it, anyway.

“Oh! Look, everyone, over there! There’s a house with a funny shape—see it?”

“Oh, you’re right. It’s like an upside-down cocktail glass—what a weird design. Must be tough living in a place like that.”

“Probably one of those. Some designer got ‘avant-garde’ mixed up and built it in a youthful burst of folly.”

“Hey, hey, you lot, watch it. Someone nearby might overhear—don’t go saying reckless stuff.”

“Oh, but Arisa doesn’t dislike houses like that! It feels like being at an amusement park or a theme park—so fun!”

“Oh! Look, everyone, over there! The kitties are having a nighttime meeting! Wow, so cute!”

“Huh, cats? Where, where are they!?”

“Over there, Gin-Gin. The edge of that empty lot on the right.”

“Wow, you’re right! Arisa loves cats so much—they’re super cute, right?”

“Hey, hey, don’t tell me you lot are seriously thinking of going over there to pet those cats?”

“You say that, but when there are adorable cats right in front of us, doesn’t it feel wrong to just ignore them?”

“Akiko-kun’s got a point. I’m not particularly fond of cats—they’re not exactly rare, and going out of our way to pet them here is absurd. But on the other hand, doing nothing feels rude, like we’re letting a chance slip by.”

“Tch, you two are ridiculous. Making all these excuses when it’s obvious you just want to play with the cats.”

“Muu! Nasuhara-san’s acting all high and mighty again!”

“I’m surprised, honestly. Nasuhara-kun’s supposed to be the biggest sucker for cute things here—she should’ve been the first to lose it and run over to pet them.”

“Hmph. Don’t lump me in with you lot. Staying rational no matter what is who I am—it proves I’m superior to everyone here and shows just how special I am.”

“Sigh.”

“Sigh.”

“By the way, with so many cats gathered there, a fight could break out any moment, and that’d bother the neighbors. We’re patrolling to keep the peace, so stepping in to mediate is the right move. Come on, no time to dawdle—let’s head over and do our duty. The town’s peace and the cats’ well-being are in our hands!”

“…She’s going anyway, huh.”

“…Exactly. If she’s into cats, she should just say so.”

“Well, Nasuhara-san probably doesn’t want to hear that from Ginbei-san.”

“Hm? Did you say something, Akiko-kun?”

“Akiko-neesama, Ginbei-neesama, forget that—let’s hurry! Anastasia-neesama’s getting way too close to the cats without holding back—if she keeps that up, they’ll get scared and run off!”

“Oh, you’re right. We can’t just stand here—let’s go, Akiko-kun!”

“Right! We can’t let Nasuhara-san beat us to it!”

“Hey, hey, are you lot even listening to me? Making a racket like that’ll disturb the neighbors and hurt St. Liliana Academy’s rep—ugh, fine, they’re not listening. Hey, don’t leave me behind! I like petting animals too, y’know!”

…And so, we all crashed the cats’ meeting and ended up happily bonding with them. It’s less a midnight picnic vibe now and more utterly and completely a midnight picnic.

Sheesh.

It’s fun watching them enjoy themselves, but I wish they’d remember we’re not here to play. This feels more like chaperoning kindergarteners than anything else.

Oh, and by the way, let’s just ignore any comments like, “What if a suspicious person sneaks in while we’re all out?” We had a bit of a tussle deciding who’d stay and who’d go, and this is the result—so cut us some slack.

Also, while we’re at it, please hold off on pointing out, “Shouldn’t you focus on patrolling the dorm instead?” You’re totally right, but I’m aware the means and ends are getting flipped here.

…What? Too many things to nitpick? Don’t ask me—I don’t know! I’d love to nitpick this mess myself!

“Ah!? That’s not fair, Nasuhara-san! I had my eye on that cute calico from the start! Don’t hog her—let me hold her too!”

“Hmph, too naive. This is a dog-eat-dog world—first come, first served. I claimed this one fair and square, so I’ve got exclusive rights. Go cry your regrets out and play with some ugly leftover cat over there.”

“You’re the naive one, Nasuhara-kun. Judging cats by surface cuteness is amateur thinking. Real cat lovers know the ones slightly off from typical beauty standards have more character. …Or so I’ve heard from someone—not me, mind you. Following their logic, this black-spotted, steamed-bun-faced cat has an avant-garde, antique-vase vibe. Right, Arisa-kun?”

“Yes, Ginbei-neesama, I totally agree! These cats are so friendly with people—someone must be taking good care of them. Look, they’re coming right up to us without us doing anything! Wow, so cute!”

“Hey, hold on, that’s not true—they’re not coming near me at all! …Oi, why won’t you warm up to me? Is it my voice? Does my way of talking scare you? Or is it this katana? Damn it, how do I get to touch these little brats…!”

Well, they’re having fun, so I guess it’s fine—makes me realize I’m soft not just on Akiko but on all the dormmates. I mean, they might’ve forgotten, but this area’s had suspicious people popping up lately, right? They’re usually so capable, so letting loose once in a while is okay—but keep it in moderation, please?

 

◆◆◆

 

…My hopes were in vain, though, as the rest of the patrol unfolded with a complete loss of focus.

They found stairs and started playing ‘Gummy-Chocolate-Pine.’ (a step-based playtime activity)

They messed around on playground equipment in an empty park like kids.

All that got us nearly picked up by a cop for causing trouble.

Is this the magic of the night or something?

With a vibe that’d never fly in daylight, they giggled and enjoyed their nighttime girls’ party to the fullest.

And that sight—hardly something you’d expect from the student council of a prestigious academy—wasn’t exactly model behavior we could show regular students. If the board found out, it’d be more than a minor uproar.

“It’s a break, a break.”

But President-san just laughed it off, browsing the ice cream section at a convenience store we’d stopped at.

“Student council members are always under everyone’s eyes, y’know? If my awesome subordinates don’t cut loose now and then, the stress’ll break ’em—no matter how great they are.”

“I get what you’re saying, President-san, but…”

“Plus, since this council lineup started, we’ve barely gone anywhere together as a group. Honestly, I think we should’ve done something like this sooner to bond.”

“Fair point, but still… y’know? Everyone, including my little sister, comes from good families—couldn’t they be a bit more considerate? From my perspective, stuck on the outside looking in.”

“Idiot, if they worried about that, it wouldn’t be cutting loose. You might not get it since you’re like the council’s errand boy, but the stress on folks with real titles is insane.”

Hard to argue with that—especially since President-san’s the one who stuck me in this vague council role in the first place.

“And you should know that better than anyone, right? Lately, there’s been some weird stalker stuff going on, hasn’t there?”

Wait—she knows about that!? This President-san doesn’t miss a trick… Where’s she getting this info? Is there a tracker or hidden camera on me or something?

“It’s not just my cute subordinates—Arisa Takanomiya’s got her share of stress too, y’know? She’s working hard in a new environment, and she gets tons of attention as it is. On top of her dorm manager duties, she’s keeping up with schoolwork too… I heard she even helped with a paper for some academic journal recently. Her name didn’t make it to the credits since she’s behind the scenes, but still.”

Whoa, really? News to me.

That Arisa—she doesn’t even tell me stuff like that. She’s got this stubborn streak, or maybe a core of determination, where she never shows her efforts or complaints. Impressive, honestly, for someone her age.

Half-impressed, half-exasperated, I glanced around the store.

Arisa and the rest of the council were giggling over at the magazine section, flipping through teen mags and chatting about cute outfits—which one suits who better—stuff like that. Hearing it made me feel oddly happy too.

Seeing Arisa blend into the group so naturally put me at ease. After tonight’s patrol, it really feels like she’s been fully accepted as part of the dorm crew.

It’s annoying, but if this was all President-san’s plan, I’ve got no choice but to humbly thank her.

“Alright, time to head back.”

With that thought, President-san put her hands on her hips and said,

“Today’s work is done. Let’s get back to our beds.”

“Huh, that’s it? We didn’t do anything work-like—just enjoyed a night stroll, basically.”

“Yup, that’s plenty. We weren’t officially asked by the neighborhood—it’s just us doing it on our own.”

“Well, sure, but—”

“And it worked well enough, didn’t it? Look, with us making a ruckus out here, any suspicious types wouldn’t dare show their faces, right? Plus, it was a great break for my adorable subordinates—a total win with nothing to complain about.”

“…Listening to you, it sounds like everything went exactly according to your plan.”

“Heh, pretty much. Let’s be real—us amateurs patrolling around isn’t gonna protect the town. Even if we hunted for shady folks like our lives depended on it, we wouldn’t find ’em that easily.”

President-san said with a playful wink.

Man, she’s impossible to read. As expected of St. Liliana Academy’s student council president—she’s got the quirks to match leading this oddball crew. Wait, could her acting scared of ghosts earlier have been fake too? That kicked off this whole night patrol thing, after all—

…So, mulling over stuff like that, the six of us started heading back together.

“…Huh?”

I was the first to notice something off.

We’d finished our patrol, triumphantly returning, and the dorm came into view, swallowed by the darkness.

“? What’s wrong, Onii-chan?”

My little sister, walking right behind me, asked as I tilted my head.

“Oh—no, it’s nothing, yeah. …No, wait, this isn’t something I can brush off. What do I do…?”

“You’re being awfully cagey. No secrets between siblings, okay? If something’s bothering you, spill it all.”

“Yeah, fair point, but—”

“Oh, I get it! You’ve finally decided to sneak into my room tonight, haven’t you?”

“Nope, not even a tiny bit of that’s on my mind.”

“Then maybe you suddenly got the urge to steal my lips?”

“No, wrong again. It’s just that I noticed something, that’s all.”

“Oh, is that so? What’d you notice?”

“Well, it’s kinda hard to say, but…”

“No secrets, remember? I just said that.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Okay, I’ll be straight with you.”

Still hesitating, I reluctantly opened my mouth.

It feels like I’m dragging this out, but honestly, it’s something I’m unsure about sharing.

“Just now, in the dorm’s courtyard, I thought I saw something like a black shadow.”

…See?

Everyone’s faces turned visibly pale, even in the dark.

“—W-Wait, Onii-chan!?”

After a few seconds, my sister panicked and said,

“That’s a mean trick! We finally finished the patrol and got back, and you say something like that… It’s worse than a movie that builds up a happy ending just to drop a bad one!”

“For once, I agree with Himenokōji-san.”

Nasuhara-san nodded vigorously and added,

“Trying to scare me with a lie like that is just cowardly, Akki. After we barely made it through that dark patrol, this is too harsh.”

“Hold on, barely made it? Weren’t you all giggling and having fun out there?”

I threw in a retort, but it didn’t seem to get through. They didn’t say it out loud, but Ginbei and Arisa clearly agreed with them. Hmm, I see—so all that excitement was partly to cover up their fear…

“Looks like they fell right into the trap.”

Meanwhile, President-san alone smirked confidently, stroking her chin.

“I figured if we all went out, we might catch ’em in the act. Didn’t expect results this fast, though.”

“? Meaning what, exactly?”

“Everything went according to my plan, that’s what.”

Winking at my confusion, President-san continued,

“I bet that whatever Arisa Takanomiya saw—molester, thief, whatever—would show up again eventually. Criminals return to the scene, right? Show a little opening, and they’ll bite.”

“Oh. I see.”

“What’s with that lukewarm reaction, huh?”

“Well, if that was really your goal, President-san, weren’t there better ways? Like pretending to leave and staking out the dorm to catch them?”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Point is, the prey’s right in front of us—no sense sitting around twiddling our thumbs. Let’s go check it out.”

“W-Wait a sec!”

That was Akiko.

“That’s way too reckless! What if the black shadow Onii-chan saw is someone really dangerous!? What if someone gets hurt!?”

“This crew’s not that weak. We can handle a thief or pervert or two just fine.”

“But there’s always a chance something could go wrong! We should leave it to the police!”

“Take too long, and they’ll slip away. Quick decisions are my motto—and my student council’s too. This dorm’s ours, and we deal with what happens in our turf ourselves.”

“B-But—”

Shivering as if it were too awful to say, Akiko added,

“What if… just maybe… what Onii-chan saw wasn’t human? Even the student council president can’t handle that… right?”

“Relax. We’ve got a reliable guy for times like this.”

With that, President-san clapped me on the shoulder.

Obviously, no shoulder-tap was needed—there’s only one guy here. And even without the nudge, I’ve got some pride. I’m not about to use the girls as shields in a situation like this. Still, this flow’s kinda exasperating.

“Himenokōji Akito takes the lead. I’ll bring up the rear. Stick together—if we split up, something might happen.”

President-san briskly gave orders, and we formed a makeshift line.

From the front: me, Akiko, Arisa, Nasuhara-san, Ginbei, President-san.

“Okay, we’ll circle the building first. Everyone follow slowly and don’t get separated, got it?”

Once the line was set, I slipped through the dorm’s gate with quiet steps.

The sky was thinly clouded, with little moonlight. Perfect for hiding—but also tough for spotting anything. In this double-edged situation, could I actually catch sight of that ‘black shadow’?

“Ugh… this is tense, Onii-chan.”

“Hey, Himenokōji-san, keep it down in a situation like this. If you keep blabbering, I’ll leave you behind.”

“Um, Anastasia-neesama, can we hold hands? Arisa’s really bad with stuff like this… Hau!? Something’s pulling Arisa’s hem! C-Could this be a ghost…!?”

“Don’t say dumb things, Arisa-kun. Ghosts don’t exist, so it’s physically impossible for something nonexistent to pull on you.”

“Exactly, Arisa Takanomiya. It’s just Gin-Gin’s hand pulling your clothes, so relax. I can see it clear as day from back here—Gin-Gin’s pretty spooked too, huh?”

“S-Such things should stay unsaid even if you notice them, President-san!? I’ve got my weaknesses too, you know!”

“Hehe, Gin-Gin’s adorable when she panics. Arisa-san relying on me is irresistibly cute too. Seeing you two makes me almost forget the fear… Oh, I’ve got an idea! Me, Gin-Gin, and Arisa-san should literally link arms. If the three of us stick close and move forward, nothing’ll scare us!”

“Oh, then I’ll—”

“No, Himenokōji-san, you can’t.”

“Why!?”

“Because you never show me anything cute. If you want in with us that badly, swear eternal loyalty to me and promise never to defy me.”

“Hmph, fine then! I’ll stick with Onii-chan instead!”

“Oh, in that case, count me in too. I’ll stick to Himenokōji Akito in all sorts of ways as we go.”

“…Uh, everyone? Can we take this a bit more seriously?”

These guys had zero tension. There might be something dangerous ahead, so I’d at least like them to shut up and move stealthily… Though if they got too scared, that’d be a hassle too. Maybe this vibe’s just right.

So, weaving through bushes and stepping over weeds, we crept along for a few minutes.

We circled the dorm, but no sign of the ‘black shadow.’

“Hmm. Nothing here.”

“Nope, nothing.”

“Must’ve been Akki mistaking something. Like the saying goes, ‘The ghost’s true form was just withered reeds.’”

“I’m with Nasuhara-kun on this. That black shadow’s probably just a phantom born from Akito’s fear. He acts all fearless about ghosts, but deep down, he’s been trembling all along… He’s always had that bluffing streak.”

“Fuah~ Arisa’s relieved. Now I can sleep soundly tonight.”

The mood relaxed instantly, and they all started chattering again. No, no—I don’t think it was a mistake. Not an illusion—I’m sure I saw it—

“Oh, there it is. The black shadow. Over there.”

The shadow I caught this time wasn’t outside—it was inside the dorm. Crossing the hallway, to be exact—oh, right, that makes sense. If it’s already inside, no wonder we didn’t find it in the yard.

“…We locked the dorm, right?”

“…We did. Before heading out, all of us checked every door and window.”

“…And from what I saw, no windows were broken…”

“Hii!? S-So that means…!?”

“It slipped through a wall or something? Hmm…”

The optimism flipped, and a tense air settled over us.

“…Well, if it’s inside, we’ve got no choice but to go in too, right?”

“Ehh!? Seriously, Onii-chan!?”

“Well, yeah—that’s why we’re here. Plus, if we don’t go in, where are we sleeping tonight?”

“T-That’s true, but…”

“…Akki’s oddly gung-ho today. He wasn’t like this earlier…”

“He gets weirdly gutsy sometimes. If he were always like this, it’d be fine, but he only flips in moments like these—makes him a handful.”

“B-But, Akito Nii-sama, you’re so dependable! Arisa’s still scared, but with Nii-sama, I can push through. It’ll be okay.”

“No other choice, huh. We can’t just stand around out here forever. If anyone wants to stay behind, fine—but staying put might be scarier.”

So it was settled.

Holding our breath, we unlocked the front door and slipped inside.

The familiar hallway felt different tonight, almost ominous.

The unlit fluorescent lights.

The glass windows reflecting only pitch-black darkness.

Every little thing seemed loaded with meaning, tightening my stomach. If even I feel this way, how must the others behind me feel? Unlike their usual chatter, they’re all dead silent now, radiating tension I can feel on my skin.

Hmm.

This is getting serious.

Whatever that black shadow is, I’ll be the first to face it. I’m not exactly strong, but I’ve got to step up here—as a guy and as dorm leader—

Clack

A noise.

The already taut air nearly snapped. Someone’s throat made a strangled chicken sound, and I prayed they wouldn’t scream. We’ve got the upper hand since we noticed first—no need to give that away.

Signaling the others to stop with my hand, I focused on pinpointing the sound. Creak, clunk. Smaller than before, but clear when I listened—definitely not wind or the house settling. A thief? Panty raider? Or maybe a poltergeist?

Sharpening my hearing further.

Got it. The source.

Two rooms down from where I stood—the cafeteria/meeting room.

Glancing back, I gestured for everyone to wait here.

I broke off alone, moving carefully to avoid making noise.

Listening closely—yep, bingo. Rustling from inside. No doubt about it, the ‘black shadow’ is hiding in there.

My decision was swift.

Releasing the tension in my legs, I charged in full force. Bracing for a close fight, I kept low, flicked on my flashlight for a blinding effect, and lunged to tackle the shadow I spotted—

“Nyau~”

…The unexpected meow drained all the fight out of me.

And that wasn’t all. The ‘black shadow’ lit up by my flashlight was just as surprising—

“…It’s a cat.”

I muttered with a sigh.

And I recognized it. That black patch around its right eye—like a certain student council president—yep, it was the kitten Ginbei had been looking after at a corner of St. Liliana Academy, no mistake.

 

◆◆◆

 

“…Give me a break, Ginbei.”

“…I’m so sorry.”

In the now-lit cafeteria/meeting room, my silver-haired best friend shrank into herself, utterly mortified.

“But let me explain. This was completely unexpected for me too. I had no idea this little one followed us all the way here and snuck in—none, not until just now. Believe me.”

“Yeah, I’m not doubting you. You were the most freaked out of all of us, so there’s no reason you’d set this up to scare us.”

“Exactly, exactly! This cat probably sniffed me out and used some sneaky smarts to get in here without anyone—including me—noticing. It’s a real handful, despite its cute looks.”

Ginbei said, lifting the kitten and giving it a little ‘bad kitty’ gesture.

Anyway, you probably get the gist by now—this seems to be how it all shakes out. The black shadows Arisa and I saw were likely just this tiny intruder, mistaken for something else. Light can make small things cast big shadows, right? Plus, Arisa—and even I, to some extent—were probably primed to fear the dark more than necessary. Like Nasuhara-san said, it’s a textbook case of ‘The ghost’s true form was just withered reeds.’

“Phew~ I’m so glad, Onii-chan!”

Without blaming the shrinking Ginbei, Akiko beamed and said,

“Now that we know what Arisa-chan saw, I can sleep easy tonight. If this dragged into tomorrow, I’d have had to crawl into Onii-chan’s futon to sleep—barely escaped that crisis! …Though sleeping with Onii-chan wouldn’t be bad at all—actually, that might’ve been better!”

She teased lightly.

The others chimed in too:

“Well, I figured it’d be something like this, so I wasn’t scared from the start. I just played along to fit the mood.”

“Arisa’s just glad nothing happened. And Akito Nii-sama stepping up to lead us was so cool—I’m happy I got to see that side of him.”

“Yup. Bit of a boring ending, but I’m glad this wrapped up without incident.”

They offered comments like that.

Couldn’t agree more. Nothing beats peace and quiet—no injuries, everyone safe and sound—that’s the best outcome.

Still, after all this commotion, it wasn’t like we got off scot-free.

“By the way, Ginbei-san.”

“W-What, Akiko-kun?”

“This kitten—it’s the one you’ve been taking care of somewhere, right?”

“Huh? What’re you talking about?”

“Oh, no ‘what’re you talking about’ here. You know this kitten, don’t you?”

“Who knows? Maybe I do, maybe I don’t… There are tons of cats out there—I can’t keep track of them all.”

“That kitten you’re holding has some pretty distinct features, though.”

“Dunno about that. I’m no cat expert—don’t know what’s common or rare.”

“Back when we were walking, you got really excited about that cat gathering, didn’t you?”

“If that’s how your eyes saw it, then maybe. But not everything you see is the truth.”

“Also, this kitten followed your scent here, right? You said so yourself earlier.”

“I might’ve said something like that, but it’s just a guess—more like a joke you should ignore—”

“Basically, Gin-Gin loves cats.”

Cutting through Akiko’s roundabout probing, Nasuhara-san laid it out flat.

“Probably got attached to a cat she was secretly looking after somewhere, and it followed her here by mistake—all because Gin-Gin’s a cat lover who’s loved by cats.”

“N-No, I’m not exactly a cat lover—”

“Pretty sneaky, Gin-Gin. If you’re taking care of cats, you could’ve told us. Right, President?”

“Yup. One kitten’s no burden for this Nikaidō Arashi. We could’ve kept it in the dorm or found it a home—plenty of options. …Man, Gin-Gin really loves cats, huh? She’s usually so cool-headed, but she gets all mushy with them. Even earlier, she was going ‘bad kitty’ at it.”

“T-That was just, y’know, since it’s a cat—a kitten—I treated it like a human baby or something—”

“Arisa’s confused—why’s Ginbei-neesama so embarrassed? Cats are super cute, Ginbei-neesama loves cats, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Let’s pamper them even more. And Ginbei-neesama pampering cats is adorable too, so seeing two cute things makes Arisa so happy!”

“Ugh, even Arisa-kun’s saying stuff like that…”

Poor Ginbei—already prone to being teased—was now firmly locked into that role.

She used to pride herself on being cool, but ever since moving here, she’s been thrown off her game. Looks like she’s the only one who drew the short straw this time. Yep, condolences.

Anyway, with this, any immediate, real threats to us are gone. The neighborhood’s suspicious person issue lingers, but this ordeal’s built some teamwork among us—so all in all, not a bad event. Yep, all’s well that ends well. No matter what happened along the way, a happy ending makes it all okay. It’s late—time to sleep for tomorrow—

…

………

……………

“Onii-chan?”

Akiko, who’d been teasing Ginbei with everyone else, tilted her head and asked,

“What’s wrong? Your face looks stiff.”

“…Oh, no. It’s nothing. Yeah. Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. Your eyes are sharp, and your voice is weirdly low. Did something happen? Sudden stomachache?”

“No, I’m fine—my stomach’s pretty tough, luckily. It’s not that, uh, not that at all…”

“You’re being cagey again. No secrets between siblings.”

“…Yeah, you’re right. Secrets aren’t good.”

“Exactly. Being open and honest is the key to getting along—and to world peace.”

“Yep, true enough.”

No point dragging this out—it’s not something I can keep to myself anyway.

I decided to just say it.

“So, just now,” pointing at the darkness beyond the window, “I saw something ghost-like out there.”

“────!?”

The cheerful vibe froze solid in an instant.

“It floated up and vanished—like two or three seconds tops. Over there, by those hydrangea bushes. I thought it might be my eyes, tried to think that, but it was so clear, y’know? This time, it wasn’t just a black shadow—more like a full-on black figure. Crystal clear, too. If it were a shirt or plastic bag blown by the wind, that’d be great, but it’s calm out tonight… Man, you really see stuff like this, huh? Maybe because we were all hyped up about ghosts and spirits—heard they get drawn to that kind of vibe. Ugh, I didn’t believe in this stuff, but after today, I might have to rethink that—”

“…………” (← Akiko)

“…………” (← Nasuhara-san)

“…………” (← Ginbei)

“…………” (← Arisa)

“…………” (← President-san)

—Yup.

Everyone just froze. Sorry, really—it felt like I had to say it, and keeping it to myself was honestly too much. Laugh at me for not being able to bury this fear.

“Onii-chan.”

Akiko looked at me with the most serious eyes I’d ever seen.

“I’ve got a request—will you hear me out?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

“I swear on my life I won’t do anything weird, so please let me sleep in your room tonight. I’m certain I won’t sleep a wink otherwise.”

“Yeah, fair… Honestly, even I’m not up for sleeping alone tonight. Okay, Akiko, bring your futon to my room—”

“Then I’m joining too, Akki.”

“Huh, Nasuhara-san too? No, wait, that’s kinda bad, isn’t it? Akiko and I are siblings, so it’s whatever, but…”

“If you abandon me here, I’ll curse you forever. Semi-seriously.”

“Ugh, fine, I guess… Okay, Nasuhara-san, you too.”

“N-Nii-sama, Nii-sama, can Arisa join too? Arisa can’t sleep alone tonight either—it’s impossible. Please, please!”

“W-Wait a sec, you lot—are you all planning to sleep in Akito’s room together!? We’re supposed to be role models for the students—doing this would affect the whole academy’s discipline! Besides, Akito’s room isn’t big enough for—”

“It’s fine, Gin-Gin—this once, there’s no other way. As student council president, I’m declaring this an emergency. Even I can’t act tough tonight… I’ll quietly move my futon to Himenokōji Akito’s room. You staying alone in your room, Gin-Gin?”

“D-Don’t be absurd, of course I can’t! I’m sleeping in Akito’s room too—no matter what anyone says!”

◆◆◆

 

…So that night, we all dragged our futons into my cramped room, huddling together and trembling as we slept.

There was some bickering over who’d sleep where, but that day, no one had the energy to argue much. With me—the only guy—in the middle, everyone clustered around like reindeer in a blizzard, waiting for morning.

Man, what a wild day this turned into.

Whatever I saw, we should probably do an exorcism or some charms soon—thinking that, I found comfort in the presence of my sleeping friends, closing my eyes and patiently waiting to drift into dreams…