[ES!! Era Year 2] Nightfall Séance
Chapter Index
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Translation Notes
Storytellers of Predawn 1
Season: ES 2nd Year, Summer (June)
2nd year of ES, in summer. In Seisoukan Dormitory, Sena Izumi’s dorm room…
(Mm~… I kept putting it off because I wasn’t getting anywhere, but I’m at my limit at this point.)
(…Who’d be the quickest person I could ask about this? Someone who’d know a lot would be—)
(Yuu-kun, wouldn’t it… If I recall correctly, he’s in a circle that has to do with that sort of thing.)1
(I feel like he’s the type to enjoy urban legends and the like. Even if he doesn’t know anything about that, I think he’d be willing to research for me if I ask him sincerely.)
(…But I don’t really want to show my pathetic side to Yuu-kun.)
(I have a prideful side that wants to remain as his “reliable Onii-chan”.)
(I’ll keep Yuu-kun as my last resort. With that said…)
(How about Kao-kun? He has a lot of connections, and he seems the type to have a bunch of stories at hand.)
(I think he could even bring me a really serious one, as a “trump card”.)
(Plus, the sea has all sorts of stories like that, so… Never mind, I’m counting him out.)
(Same with Itsuki, I’d rather avoid asking him for the same reason. If he makes me listen to some story that “has been passed down for several generations in France”, I know for a fact that I won’t be able to sleep.)
(That guy never stops talking once he gets into it, too. I feel like if I showed even an ounce of fear in my eyes, he’d gladly keep on going.)
(Nazunyan… How’s it for him again? He seemed surprisingly okay with the ghost that came up in the Chalk White Mansion…)2
(But I vaguely remember someone mentioning that he gets scared easily… I’m not too sure if I can depend on him for this.)
(Someone else I could ask is maybe… Morisawa?)
(Nope. Morisawa is the worst possible option. I get the sense that he’s as scared as me with horror, or possibly even more than me.)3
Sigh… I keep taking down each and every one of my options, leaving me with little choice.
I don’t have a huge circle of friends to begin with, and it’s really inconvenient in times like these.
(…Well, then again, it’s not like it’s automatically a good thing to have a lot of connections.)
(There are people who’re cut out for a “big circle with all sorts of people”, and there are people like me who’re more relaxed in a “small circle with a few close people”.)
(At work, I make sure to network and make personal connections in my own way—)
(But in my personal life, I’m satisfied enough having a few people I get along with. I could never be sociable with every single person like a people pleaser.)
(Well, anyway… Putting myself down for having a small circle of friends won’t change my situation.)
(Seriously, what am I gonna do? The only other person I could ask at this point is…)
(Kuma-kun, I guess? He might know something.)
(Honestly, though, I wanted to avoid relying on anyone from my unit.)
(And not to mention, this is Kuma-kun. I bet he’s gonna tease and make fun of me over this.)
(…But I can’t think of any other option at this point.)
(I don’t really have much of a choice. This isn’t the time to be stubborn, so I guess I’ll have to ask for a favor from Kuma-kun.)
(If memory serves me right, today’s supposed to be a day off for him, too.)
(I could invite him for lunch and ask him then… Well, I hope, at least.)
(He should still be in his room, so I should go now while I still can—)
Sound of the door opening
SENAAA!!
Ugyaa—!? Morisawa!?
You startled me! Don’t come in here without knocking first!
I’m sorry! It’s an emergency!
Sena! This is the only thing I’ll ever beg from you! Please hide me somewhere!
Hah? The heck? Are you running away from someone?
You’re joking, right? If anything, aren’t you someone with common sense? You wouldn’t be the type to mess up so hard that someone would chase after you.
And besides, I’m about to head out. You barged in here without an explanation, and now you want me to hide you somewhere? What’s going on?
Honestly… I don’t really know either.
Huh? You don’t?
Yeah. The truth is—
…Eek—I feel his “presence”! He’s getting closer!
It’s only a matter of time until he figures out where I am. I have to hurry and flee…!
No, no, wait—What do you mean by “presence”? Who are you talking about? What’s going on, seriously?
I’m sorry, but I have no time to talk!
Please keep it a secret that I was here! I’m counting on you, and farewell, Sena!
Wh—Wait—!
…He’s gone. What the heck was that…?
I don’t hear a thing even with my ear at the door. What did he mean by “presence”?
…He didn’t mean a ghost, right? Morisawa appearing at the exact moment I decide to ask Kuma-kun is the craziest coincidence that it’s just scary.
Ugh… None of my roommates are here now of all times. The room’s so quiet that I can’t feel at ease.
Am I just imagining things… Or is something really watching me…?
Alright, that’s enough! There’s no way that’s the case, and the best thing to do here is to not think about it.
…But, what if there really is a ghost when I open the door…?
Ahh jeez, sooo~ annoying! Don’t just say something eerie and disappear, Morisawa!
Storytellers of Predawn 2
Ten minutes later. In Seisoukan Dormitory, the first floor’s corridor…
…Hah, huff! I managed to get down here somehow…!
(I shouldn’t run in the corridors, so I walked as fast as I physically could… But it still took time to reach here.)
(That being said, I know it’s late to say this, but… Why am I so desperate to run away, anyway?)
(No—This is absolutely all “that guy”’s fault.)
(But… I ran off on reflex without actually hearing him out, so it may be my fault as well.)
(No matter who the person is, I should always face them directly from the front. And that’s all the more true for someone who calls himself an ally of justice!)
(Running away and avoiding any sort of communication makes me a failure as a hero…!)
(—But!)
(Don’t hesitate now, Morisawa Chiaki! I can feel my soul telling me… “You have to run away, even if it means doing it in shame”!)
(The way “he” is chasing after me is a little… no, extremely terrifying! It’s as horrifying as a vengeful spirit from a horror movie!)
(There’s no logic to it! I just feel like if I get caught in that tenacity, I won’t be able to recover ever again!)
(That’s exactly why! This is a strategic retreat! This is the best decision I can take for the perfect comeback!)
Fuhahahaha! ☆ In the name of Ryusei Red, I’ll make sure to outrun him!
Sound of the door opening
—Bam! ☆
Woah, what the hell!?
Oh my. You rolled in here like a wheel, Chiaki-san.
This is called “ukemi”! I honed this technique through all my stuntwork…♪4
…Wait, this isn’t the time to be proud of myself! I’m sorry for the sudden request, but please hide me somewhere!
You weren’t kiddin’ about it bein’ sudden… Hide you? Did ya get involved with somethin’ crazy or what?
Now, now. We can ask him all about it later, but for now, we need somewhere he can settle in.
It is a pastor’s duty to rescue lost lambs. I believe taking in Chiaki-san is the appropriate decision here.
…Well, that bein’ said, I just took a glance at our room… But I don’t really see a place he could hide.
Can we hide him in the TV stand’s drawer? Although, it seems impossible unless we can compress Morisawa-senpai somehow.
What the—“Compress”!? Don’t suggest something so disturbing!
Hm… Then how about underneath one of our beds?
As the saying goes, “it’s hard to see what’s under your nose”, so it may end up being surprisingly hard to notice you in there.
Oh, I see! I don’t have much time, so I’ll go with that. Here we go… There.
How’s it, Kazehaya? Am I fully hidden?
Yes. You should be fine as long as you don’t make a sound.
…You sure? I feel like he’s totally obvious.
But maybe it just seems that way to me ‘cause I know he’s in there…?
Sound of door knocking
…Kazehaya-senpai, someone’s knockin’ on the door.
I’ll open it. Let’s act like we normally do to avoid raising suspicion.
G-Got it…
(Actually… What the hell’s Morisawa-senpai bein’ chased by, anyway?)
(Dammit, I’m startin’ to get nervous…)
Who is it? …Ah.
hello~♪
Ah, Kanata-san, hello. Do you need us for something?
i had a feeling that the [person] i am [looking] for is here, so i came over.
i will look around the place for a bit, okay? please excuse me~…♪
Hah… Yes, feel free.
(The hell!? He didn’t even ask first… Hold on, Shinkai-senpai’s the one who’s chasin’ after Morisawa-senpai?)
(But they’re both from the same unit, and they looked to be on close terms, so why? I don’t get it at all, man~)
chiaki~ where are you~? chiaki~?
(…He went to the shower room. I guess this might actually work.)
(Whispering) Kazehaya-senpai, wouldn’t it be a good idea to let Morisawa-senpai run off now while he still can?
(Whispering) He didn’t get caught for the time being, but that was just dumb luck. It’s only a matter of time ‘til he’s spotted.
(Whispering) I’m conflicted… The shower room’s door is still open, so Kanata-san may take notice instantly if he hears a sound.
(Whispering) Then maybe we could play some music to cover that—Wait, crap. He’s comin’ back.
mm~ he is not in the [shower room]~ [someplace] chiaki would hide is~…
chiaki~ are you here~?
(…He opened the TV stand’s drawer. Good thing we didn’t hide Morisawa-senpai in there.)
(Well, not that he could’ve fit in it even if we shoved him in.)
(Woah, woah, the hell? The speakers are suddenly playin’ some tense music…?)
……♪
(Ah, Kazehaya-senpai’s behind that. He took note of me mentionin’ playin’ some music to cover any sound.)
(Now Morisawa-senpai can avoid bein’ spotted even if he makes a sound… at least, he should be able to.)
(But this tune’s the worst choice for it! This is what you’d hear when someone’s bein’ chased by an evil spirit in a horror movie…!)
he is not behind the [television] nor inside the [bookshelf], huh~
How the hell would he be there? Why’re you lookin’ there of all places?
it is just in case~ the next place could be…
—under the [bed], right?
let me take a small peek. here we go… ah—
Eeeek!?
chiaki, i fooound youuu…♪
Stop, don’t look at me! Your smile is scaring me!
uu… it makes me sad to be [rejected] by chiaki…
I-I’m not falling for that! You’re just trying to get sympathy from me to lure me out, aren’t you!?
uh-oh, you caught me.
ufufu, how cute~ you do not have to be so scared, you know~♪
come on, no more hiding~ let’s come out now~
U-Uwah, stop—DON’T DRAG ME AWAYYYYYY!!
…Chiaki-san got dragged out entirely.
Shinkai-senpai’s got superhuman strength despite his looks, after all.
Anyways… The hell are we lookin’ at? I don’t get this at all~!
Storytellers of Predawn 3
chiaki~ accept your fate and let yourself get [caught]…♪
Uu, nooo…!! Save me, Kazehaya! Oogami!
Hah? I dunno what I’m meant to do, though…
Could ya explain what’s goin’ on here already? Are you fightin’ amongst each other or somethin’?
[fighting]? not at all. we are [very close] to each other, after all~♪
when i greeted chiaki to ask him about [supernatural stories], he ran away from me as [fast] as he [could].
so i chased after him in hopes of getting him to [hear] me out.
I see…? Is that true, Chiaki-san?
Y-Yeah… For the life of me, I’m, erm, really not so good with ghosts…
Just the mention of the topic has me terrified enough for a chill to run down my spine. So I ran away on reflex.5
So that’s what it was. But supernatural stories don’t always mean it’ll be about ghosts, right?
But that’s the usual option, isn’t it? Ghosts and supernatural stories come hand-in-hand!
Well, I suppose I can’t really deny that… You should have followed the steps when talking about something like that, Kanata-san.
yes~ but even when i wanted to clear up the [misunderstanding], i could not actually [do] so unless i caught hold of chiaki.
fufu. and as i chased after him, i started to have fun with it…
it felt like we were playing a [game] of [tag]. that was nice [exercise], wasn’t it, chiaki…♪
Uu… I can’t decide whether to tell you off for playing around with me, or if I should just accept it as it is…!
Imagine how it feels to be chased after. It was seriously terrifying, okay!?
Like when you looked straight into my eyes as I was under the bed… Just remembering that brings me chills…!
is that so~ then how about chiaki tries chasing after me?
Let’s keep that for another time. …I don’t really want to touch on the topic, but you’ve gotten me curious, so let me hear you out.
Why did you want to speak to me about supernatural stories? I’m pretty sure I’m the most ill-fitted for that out of everyone in Ryuseitai.
Ah~… Sorry for interruptin’ the conversation, but…
Are you talkin’ about that one program? I think it was called “Storytellers of Predawn” or somethin’.
“Storytellers of Predawn”…? What’s that?
It’s a program that’s broadcasted live, in which participants take turns to tell a supernatural tale that they’ve gathered from others.
What a terrifying program…
…Ah—! Don’t tell me you want me in there!?
No, dude. The participants are me, Kazehaya-senpai, Shinkai-senpai, and Sena-senpai.
It’s gonna be done live, so there won’t be any editing, and if we stop talkin’ or get into a problem, we’ll just end up with a broadcast screwup.
It’d only be lame if we keep up the convo with improv topics, right? That’s why we decided to collect stories that could use up the timeslot.
After talkin’ it out, we decided to go with askin’ for a supernatural story from any acquaintances that know a lot about horror, and present it in the program.
‘Cause some of us don’t have any stories to tell on our own. We’d stretch out the time if we add in talks of where we got the story from, and it’d be excitin’ for the viewers to hear too, yeah?
Mm~… I understand what’s going on now, but it really doesn’t sit right with me somehow.
Like I asked earlier, why me? It’s clear as day that I wouldn’t have any knowledge of supernatural stories.
because when it is about [ghosts], i think of chiaki, and when it is about chiaki, i think of [ghosts].
it is that ‘know thyself, know thy enemy’ saying~ someone would know a lot about something because they [dislike] it so much.
i thought that if it is chiaki, he would know a whooole lot about [ghosts]…♪
Why would I!? I’ve been living all my life avoiding any and all signs of it!
…Mm? Speaking of which, wasn’t Sena also bad with horror…?
Meanwhile, in Sakuma Ritsu’s room…
—So that’s what it was~ That’s why you’re collecting supernatural stories, huh.
But why’d you accept this job, anyway? I feel like this isn’t really a program made for you, is it?
I feel the same. But apparently, the program’s producer asked a spirit medium to choose the participants…
And I can’t take the risk on the off-chance something goes wrong, y’know? I’d absolutely hate to get cursed all because I didn’t participate.
Ehh~… You’re the type to believe in that sorta stuff, Secchan?
Not entirely, but it’s just in case.
Hmm~…♪
What’s that face for, Kuma-kun?
Fufu. I was just thinking about how you really are bad with scary stuff.
But y’know, if you find it that scary, you could’ve just declined it. Even in horror movies, don’t people get involved in the incident because they get close to the freaky thing?
I feel like if you don’t get involved from the very beginning, you won’t suffer anything afterwards…?
…You’re right about that, but—
These sorts of projects will only increase as we enter into the summer season. If I keep running away from it just because I dislike it, my range of activities will only get smaller.
That’s why I’d like to try building up a tolerance for it. This is still way more bearable than doing a test of courage at an abandoned hospital, anyway.
Since this is based on the premise that someone tells me the story first, it’s still way better than facing things alone.
Mhm, mhm. Thanks for begging for my help in tears~♪
I’m not begging in tears.
I thought about who I could rely on for this, and in the end, you were the only option left.
I had Yuu-kun in mind too, but I don’t really want to show him my weaknesses. Plus, he’s in a circle for this sort of stuff, so he might bring over an insanely terrifying story instead.
Circle…? Do you mean the Mystery Researchers?1
Isn’t that circle all about going around spiritual hot spots, looking for unidentified creatures, and casually enjoying strange phenomena?
Like, the good-luck charm Aoba Oniichan gave me as a souvenir was actually from a famous shrine.
Eh, seriously? I avoided that circle because I thought it was 100% just occult stuff.
If that’s what it actually was, maybe I should’ve joined in. Nazunyan’s in it too, so?
Anyway. That’s the gist of it, so lend me a hand. Give me a story that’s “scary but not actually scary”.
What’s that mean? This is the first time I’m hearing that type of story…?
I won’t be able to talk about it if it’s too scary, okay?
Any realistic ones that would keep you awake at night are out. But I don’t want ones that are for babies, either. I’d like one that just gives off a “creepy” air.
Fufu. What a tough order we have here.
Alright then… How about this for a story?
Storytellers of Predawn 4
Several days later. Inside the S-TV photoshooting studio…
“—Good evening, everyone. Welcome to ‘Storytellers of Predawn’.”
“In this program, we will be taking turns to narrate a ‘scary tale’ we heard from our acquaintances.”
“This is no prerecorded show; we are currently live. There is no script nor editing here.”
“There’s a possible chance that things that mustn’t be shown will appear.”
“Tonight’s a night where anything could happen. Even if something unexpected is shown here… I hope you will all watch until the very end, without ever averting your eyes.”
…Uh, Kazehaya? Aren’t you skipping over way too much when we’ve just started?
The atmosphere of the studio suddenly got so cold, even though you were talking normally just a second ago.
fufu. tatsumi is really good at setting the [atmosphere].
izumi, if you feel scared, you are free to hold my hand, okay?
Hah? Don’t treat me like a little kid.
“Aight, I’ll start. This is an actual incident that happened in an acquaintance’s home—”
“On a late night… When he found himself awake, he could faintly hear the sound of a kid sobbin’.”
“At first, he thought he was just hearin’ things, but… He’d start hearing it every night, at the exact same time, so it started to creep him out.”
“Even when he told his relatives about it, they didn’t really take note of it. So one night, he finally decided to check what’s goin’ on for himself.”
“He trailed after the voice and went out the backyard. There, he found a shed that used to be for storin’ firewood. When he peeked in, he found a buncha old furniture and junk stored there.”
“Through the creaks of the rusted door, the cold wind howled through…”
“The piled wooden crates and furniture creaked and scraped, and it sounded almost like a kid crying.”
“—Long story short, the cause of the whole thing was the sound of the wind.”
“The next day, he told his relatives about it, and this was what they said: ‘Fear is not from outside, but from within our hearts.’”
“…Pretty deep stuff, right? Gave me the chills a li’l.”
“…….”
“…Wait, that’s the end of it? It’s just some story about a deteriorating storage room.”
“Hah!? Oi, that’s uncalled for!”
“Okay, but… We know exactly why it happened, and you explained what happened all the way to the end, so there was no space for us to imagine what could have happened.”
“Aren’t supernatural stories scary because you don’t know what happened?”
“Hell no! The main point of this story is that ‘fear comes from the inside’, m’kay!?”
“Dammit… I freaked the hell out when I first heard it, so I was so sure this’d hit off.”
“But I guess when it comes to these sortsa stories, the vibe changes entirely with just the way you talk about it, huh…”
“That’s true. To be honest, I’m not sure if I’m capable of talking about them properly myself, but—”
“Please allow me to be the one to talk next. An acquaintance of mine is a ghost—”
“your acquaintance… is a ghost?”
“Oh my, please excuse me, I misworded myself. More accurately, he is someone who is sometimes mistaken for a ghost.”
“He is capable of completely hiding his presence while moving within the ES building. And so, he told me that one day, he began to take note of a man whom he often spotted.”
“He said that, every time he happened to pass by that area, he would always find him there, whether day or night.”
“…So it’s a ghost bound to a specific area?”
“Yes, my acquaintance thought the same at first, but on further inspection, the man’s body wasn’t see-through, and he would talk to other staff members without any problems.”
“In other words, it was simply a workaholic at heart, who wanted to spend his whole day in the ES building.”
“In a way, you could say that he was ‘possessed’ by his job.”
“Regardless, while this story ends on a silly note, if you truly end up harming your health, your hard work will all be for nothing.”
“While it is wonderful to be absorbed into something, there is no point if it only acts as a detriment to your health.”
“To everyone watching this live broadcast, please make sure to take good care of your mind and body, and avoid overworking yourselves.”
“…Sena-senpai, you ain’t gonna say anythin’? Even though you picked holes in my story?”
“Hey, maybe don’t put it that way, okay? You make it sound like my job’s to pick everyone’s stories apart.”
“I think that was fine, really. It’s just like Kazehaya to say something like that, like… I could listen to the story at ease, so to speak. Personally, I think I’m grateful for a mild type of story like this.”
“Next up is Shinkai. The way he talks is pretty slow and relaxed, so this one shouldn’t be scary, either.”
“fufufu, we cannot be so sure of that~ you will have to find out after listening to it…♪”
“then i will start. i heard this [story] from chiaki—”
…We said we’d hide who we heard the stories from, but he just gave it away outta nowhere.
Fufu. That also adds to Kanata-san’s charm.
“it was during the filming for a [sentai show] with a certain [actor].”
“they were focused on the [battle scene] that day, so that [stuntman] was working since the morning.”
“the [filming] was going well, but just as they were nearing the [climactic] moment…”
“a higher-up at the [job site] got a [phone call].”
“in the call, he was told that the [stuntman] who was supposed to [work] today is currently in the [hospital] after having an [accident]—”
“strange, don’t you think? after all, that very same [stuntman]…”
“was at the [job site] all day, since that very morning. getting blasted by a [bomb], getting hit by an ultimate [finishing move], collapsing to the ground…”
“and even now, he is fighting in front of the [camera], you know?”
“if he truly is in the [hospital] right now after getting into an [accident]…”
“then [who] on earth is the [stuntman] before them…?”
Storytellers of Predawn 5
“………”
“………”
“…So? Who was the stuntman filmin’ at the job site, then?”
“Is this gonna end on somethin’ like a different person who came in as a substitute?”
“koga is so [impatient]~ i stayed quiet for a moment to bring out the [atmosphere], but the [story] is not actually over yet.”
“the higher-up of the [place] stopped the [filming], and asked that [stuntman].”
“ ‘—who really are you?’ ”
“the [stuntman] slowly took off his [helmet]. and then…”
“to everyone’s surprise, there was no [head] there.”
“and then everyone lived happily ever after…♪”
“Where in the hell!? There’s no ‘happily ever after’ here, and we don’t even know the truth behind it at all!”
“fufu. saying ‘happily ever after’ makes the [story] sound as if it ended nicely.”
“this [story] is apparently back in the days when [mobile phones] were barely used, and there are no [records] of it, either…”
“so nobody would know the [truth] behind it in this day and age.”
“apparently, in that [job site], there previously was a time when the amount of [gunpowder] to use was miscalculated, and set off a massive [bomb].”
“it caused horrible [burns] to the [stuntman]’s face at the time, and he had to retire.”
“from there on, every once in a while… a [stuntman] who seemed a little [unusual] would appear, or so i have heard.”
“maybe the retired stuntman’s [feelings] still remained in that place.”
“I see… It’s what we call ‘residual thoughts’, hm?”
(…I thought it’d be a heartwarming story or something, since it’s Shinkai we’re talking about…)
(But he’s caught me totally off-guard! I’ll only lose my presence of mind with a scary story like this…!)
(This is coming from Morisawa of all people!? Give me a break…!)
“…The air feels so deadly silent now.”
“Sena-senpai, we’re countin’ on ya as the ‘last reel’.”
“I know. Well, it’s not entirely a supernatural story, though.”
“Have any of you heard about ‘Kokkuri-san’? It’s basically a form of divination that’s simple enough even for kids.”
“My acquaintance learned about it from a manga he read when he was in elementary school.”
“If you follow the procedures, ‘Kokkuri-san’ will make an appearance and answer any of your questions.”
“I knew divination existed, but I’ve never tried it ‘cause it sounds so fishy.”
“I have also never experienced it before… What about you, Kanata-san?”
“me neither. does it really answer any question you have?”
“Yeah, according to what I’ve been told. I haven’t tried it before either, though.”
“then how about we try it right now? we still have time for the broadcast.”
“Heh. I expected you’d all be interested, so I asked the staff in advance.”
“…Wait, huh? I can’t find the 10 yen coin. I’m pretty sure I brought one over along with the piece of paper, though…?”
“do you need a [ten yen coin]? then let me [offer] one.”
“here is the [ten yen coin]~♪ everyone watching, please look closely. there are no [tricks] or [gimmicks] here~”
“That just makes it sound more suspicious, so could you maybe not?”
“I wrote all the Japanese syllables and phrases on the paper already, so we just need to put down the 10 yen coin now.”6
“First, we need everyone to keep their finger lightly touching the coin. It’s part of the ritual to call for ‘Kokkuri-san’.”
“Repeat after me, okay? …Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, please show yourself.”
“Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, please show yourself.”
“Please show yourself—… Wait, woah! It started movin’!”
“It stopped at ‘yes’. Looks like Kokkuri-san is here.”
“Right, we’ve finished the preparations. Now, if we ask any questions, the 10 yen coin will move and answer for us.”
“Go ahead, Oogami, try asking something to test the waters.”
“Aight. It’s the first question, so I guess I’ll ask somethin’ harmless…”
“Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san. Do y’know the name of the unit I’m from?”
“Oh, it moved immediately. ‘an-de-ddo’…”7
“wah, that is [correct]~♪ [kokkuri-san] knows a lot about [idols] too, huh?”
“Hmph. Well, this much is expected.”
“Aight, next question.”
(…Yep, it was a good idea to ask Kuma-kun.)
(With this, I can control the flow to match the timeslot of the broadcast, and most of all, it isn’t the least bit scary.)
(After all, the one moving the coin around is none other than me…♪)
(“Kokkuri-san” is so famous that even I know about it, and it should be pretty interesting for the viewers to watch.)
(I doubt that most of the people watching this program actually believe in a ‘being that can answer anything.’)
(Even if the answer was a little off, we can adjust the flow of the program by interacting. We’ll satisfy their curiosity if someone corrects any of the information.)
(The other three are aware of that sort of thing, so no matter where the ball rolls, it’ll turn out to be a good show.)
(I’ll take over things until the broadcast is over…♪)
(…Kazehaya-senpai and Shinkai-senpai are gladly enjoyin’ this, but…)
(This feels fishy somehow. I don’t have any proof, but… I’m guessin’ the one movin’ the 10 yen coin is Sena-senpai.)
(He was barely showin’ any excitement when we touched base, yet as soon as ‘Kokkuri-san’ started, he’s been strangely in a good mood.)
(…It’s fine, though. He’s the one who brought over ‘Kokkuri-san’ as material, anyway.)
(As a participant of this program, I’ll go along with it. I’m not childish enough to start yellin’ “this is a sham!” here.)
(I just don’t believe in it, is all. Superstition is nothin’ but superstition in the end.)
Storytellers of Predawn 6
Twenty minutes later…
(Good, good. Everything’s going according to how I imagined it. I appreciate everyone asking questions that’d grab the viewers.)
(Oogami’s light-hearted attitude is especially a huge help here. The studio is dim and quiet, so it gets eerie the moment there’s a pause in the conversation.)
(On the other hand, Shinkai’s questions are hard to work with because they’re so unpredictable…)
(But Kazehaya keeps picking up after the answers I give, and then concluding them in a satisfying way for the viewers, making us avoid any real issues.)
(…Maybe it was a good thing that these three were the ones chosen. If there was an overly serious person here, I wouldn’t have been able to manage it this well.)
(This broadcast would only turn into a huge mess if someone started poking fun at this without reading the room, or complaining that it’s a sham.)
(In a way, I guess that spirit medium wasn’t wrong with their choices after all.)
“…It’s almost time for this show to come to an end. Could I ask the last question?”
“Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san. Who is the idol that loves me?”
(…Fufufu. I’ll answer with Yuu-kun’s name and make it into an established fact.)
(If I make his name clear and known, I may get more jobs with Yuu-kun. Laying down the groundwork slow and steady will show fruition later down the line~)
(I worked hard as the ‘Kokkuri-san’ role, so it’s fine for me to have a reward at the end, right? ♪)
(—Wait, huh?)
(The 10 yen coin won’t move… How come? It was moving according to me just fine.)
“Oh, it finally started movin’. It suddenly wouldn’t respond, so it freaked me out for a sec.”
“…Well, a movin’ coin is strange in itself, though.”
“But still, why did it stop for so long? Does that mean there ain’t any idols who love Sena-senpai?”
“You sure are rude. It’s moving now, isn’t it?”
“But it’s just been movin’ in circles without actually makin’ a word, y’know?”
“Doesn’t that mean Kokkuri-san is strugglin’ to answer this?”
“That’s—…”
(Okay, seriously, who’s behind this? Who’s trying to get in the way of my plan!? Like, sure, there’s that “love burns stronger the more obstacles in the way” saying, but…)
(I don’t want that right now! This is the perfect chance to establish this as a fact once and for all…!)
“…mm? it finally started to choose a [word].”
“wo-chi-re… wo-chi-re…?”
“Hmm… It keeps looping ‘wo-chi-re’.”
“Was there an idol with that name…?”
“I dunno every single idol out there, but I’ve never heard of an idol called that.”
“Wochire… Wochire… Wait—”
“Is it ‘ochire’, as in… Tellin’ us to end this already?”8
“Hahh? Hold on! If this ends before we get to hear the idol’s name, it’s just gonna look stupid on my part!”
“What am I supposed to do about that? Throw your complaints on ‘Kokkuri-san’.”
“The yen coin keeps loopin’ ‘wochire’ over and over. It’s just bugged at this point.”
“…Perhaps it grew tired from all the questions.”
“Izumi-san, could you tell us how to end the ‘Kokkuri-san’ session?”
“…Sigh, fine.”
“I was told that if we politely ask, ‘please leave’, it will return back to its place.”
“Be careful though, because you’ll only get possessed if you move your finger away mid-way, or forcibly end it.”
“Possessed? C’mon now, you gotta tell us that from the start.”
“We went through the steps just fine, though. And even if I told you at the start, you would’ve forgotten about it.”
“…Come on, let’s say it together now.”
“Kokkuri-san, thank you very much. Please leave.”
(…Eh!? We asked it properly, so why is it still moving!?)
(Is it because I asked a question with wicked intentions?)
(But I was moving it this whole time. The one who was acting as ‘Kokkuri-san’ is me…)
“…mmh. it does not seem to be stopping at all.”
“does this mean we will never be able to move away from the [ten yen coin]?”
“This is a problem… And we’ll only get possessed if we force it to end, too…”
“On the theory we do get possessed, then even if we try to go through the purification process, we cannot predict where that will lead us. The risk is far too large to carelessly attempt it.”
“Also, that sorta drastic measure would just freak our viewers out.”
“This may be a horror-themed program, but that ain’t the sorta ending they’re hopin’ for, so… What’re we gonna do, Sena-senpai?”
“…Ahh, this is so irritating!”
“I thought we told you to P L E A S E L E A V E, NOW!!!”
“—…! Woah, it went to a complete stop!”
“Does that mean Sena-senpai’s spirit won? We can pull our finger away now, right…?”
“…Huff, huff… It’s fine. We’re falling behind schedule, so we need to end this quickly.”
“Someone read the cue card the staff brought out.”
“then i will read it~ …ahem.”
“how did you find ‘storytellers of predawn’, everyone? please send over your thoughts and opinions over at the program’s official website.”
“may we meet again on another silent night. goodbye~♪” (waves)
…Shinkai-senpai was the right call for concludin’ the program. He’s got a unique way of pacin’ things, so it feels like we got to end it on a good note.
I agree. Though, that “unexpected something” mentioned at the start ended up being shown, oddly enough.
But we took the appropriate procedures, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.
Feels like it might get picked up by the news, though… Anyway, you okay, Sena-senpai?
…………
…Oi, reply back with somethin’!
Don’t tell me you really got possessed—
Obviously not. I’m just exhausted. Sigh…
fufufu. that was exciting, wasn’t it~ it was just as wataru [predicted].
Wataru…? As in, Hibiki Wataru? The one from fine?
yes~ the truth is, the person i [asked] was actually wataru.
chiaki firmly refused to do so, after all.
so the [supernatural story] that i said was from chiaki is actually just a [made-up story] by wataru—
and this [ten yen coin] that can be controlled remotely is also a [magic tool] that wataru prepared.
Hah? Hold on! How’d he figure out that I’m going to do ‘Kokkuri-san’!?
…No, this is Hibiki we’re talking about, so I bet he caught hold of some info through a briefing or something.9
So you’re saying he was also behind the weird phenomenon at the end?
i [hinted] it earlier, you know? “there are no [tricks] or [gimmicks] here” is a common [phrase] in [magic shows].
and the ‘wo-chi-re’… if you shift each of them by one syllable, it becomes ‘wa-ta-ru’, right?10
Okay, that’s just way too simple to even notice! It’s not like I knew he’d be involved in this, anyway!
In other words, Kanata-san’s supernatural story is simply fiction, and there is no stuntman that retired after suffering from burns. Thank God.
That’s what you’re relieved about? Well, it’s just like you to be, I guess.
Anyways, I’m honestly glad to know the movin’ 10 yen coin was Hibiki-senpai’s doin’.
I didn’t buy it from the start, but… With old superstitions, it makes you worry about that “what if” chance ‘cause of just how vague the origins are.
But, well, we talked about supernatural stories, and a li’l strange phenomenon happened, so in terms of the program… I’d say it’s a happy endin’ all around?
Tell me where, exactly!? I don’t see anything to be happy about here!
This is Hibiki we’re talking about, so I know for a fact he watched the ‘Kokkuri-san’ session with a huge grin on his face!
I’m so frustrated…! I can already imagine his “heh, got you!” face right now, sooo~ annoying!
Just you wait, Hibiki! I’ll make sure to get you back for this…!
Translation Notes
- ↑ Mystery Researchers Circle, which consists of Makoto, Kanata, Rei, Nazuna, and Tsumugi.
- ↑ This is referencing the story Butlers, that happens in the Chalk White Mansion.
- ↑ In the Oshi Room, a chart was released to show who would be scared of ghosts and who would run away from it, etc. Chiaki was at the top of the “gets scared” chart: See the chart here (Shows all idols).
- ↑ Also known as “breakfall”. When doing a stunt or parkour, the way to fall safely is to roll or tumble down; this is called ukemi. This is also used in martial arts.
- ↑ Chiaki says 条件反射, lit. “conditioned reflex”. Unlike innate reflexes, these are reflexes that were developed afterwards after being “conditioned” to respond a certain way.
- ↑ This is how a Kokkuri-san board looks like. It has every Japanese syllable, “yes” and “no”, and numbers. For more information, see here.
- ↑ The coin goes over the Japanese syllables one by one. UNDEAD is said as andeddo in Japanese syllables.
- ↑ The wo hiragana can also be read as o, and Koga guesses it could be the word 落ちれ (to come to a conclusion).
- ↑ As a fun side note, Izumi and Wataru interact a lot in the audition VS★AUDIENCE. This story is set after the audition.
- ↑ This makes more sense when looking at a Kokkuri-san board. Above the hiraganas for “wo, chi, re” are “wa, ta, ru”.