Chapter 16: Two Incidents
Takada ShĹji, after a long 'frowning in deep thought' moment, suddenly slapped his knee. âWait a minute! Isnât this exactly what I was saying? The whole storyâs full of holes because Kimura-san just made it up! Thatâs it, isnât it, Senpai?â
Yomikawa Tsuko didnât grace him with a direct answer. Instead, her cold gaze shifted to Ĺgami YĹsuke. âĹgami-kun, you stated earlier that Fujita-kun was, in fact, injured by that falling chandelier. You used this to counter Takada-kunâs theory that the injuries were faked. Could you elaborate on your meaning?â
âSo,â Kana interjected, her voice soft but edged with a new suspicion, âdoes this mean Ĺgami-san also thinks the whole story is a fabrication?â If that was true, then his earlier dismissal of Takadaâs idea felt less like logical debate and more like⌠deliberate obfuscation. For reasons she couldnât quite pinpoint, her initial unease around Ĺgami YĹsuke was solidifying into a distinct dislike.
Junko shot Kana a quick, disapproving frown before jumping to Ĺgamiâs defense. âNow, hold on. Maybe Ĺgami-kun has a different angle. He never explicitly said the entire story was made up.â
Ĺgami YĹsuke, though slightly perplexed by the sudden frost from Kana, offered his explanation, his voice calm and measured. âMy current hypothesis is that Kimura-sanâs⌠experiences⌠and the unfortunate accidents that befell Fujita-san and ItĹ-san are, in fact, two entirely separate and distinct incidents. It is merely the unfortunate coincidence of their timing that has led those involved to conflate them, to weave them into a single, terrifying narrative. As for fabrication⌠I believe ItĹ-san, subjectively, is not attempting to deceive. However, objectively speaking, itâs highly probable that he has⌠embellished⌠certain aspects of his own ordeal for dramatic effect.â
âRegarding Kimura-sanâs alleged sleepwalking,â Ĺgami continued, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow, âits authenticity remains⌠uncertain. Without concrete, verifiable evidence, I cannot, at this juncture, make a definitive judgment.â
âTwo separate incidents?â Yomikawa Tsuko murmured, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. For a fleeting instant, her mind flashed back to the disorienting chaos of the night her own hair had been⌠exchanged. A mystery that, to this day, remained stubbornly unsolved.
Ĺgami YĹsuke nodded, oblivious to her internal distraction. âPrecisely. Kimura-sanâs apparent somnambulism is one distinct event. The misfortunes that struck Fujita-san and ItĹ-san, however, are, in my assessment, entirely unrelated to Kimura-sanâs nocturnal wanderings, the cave on Mount Karasu-Go, or any other supposedly supernatural element. Only by decoupling these events can we begin to unravel the inherent contradictions within the overall narrative.â
Kanaâs frown deepened. âBut⌠can it really be such a perfect, terrible coincidence? And ItĹ-san and Fujita-san⌠they didnât do anything to bring bad luck on themselves. And Kimura-san even warned them beforehand. It just⌠it doesnât feel right, does it?â
âAnd if the incidents are unrelated,â Takada ShĹji challenged, jumping back into the fray, âthen what about the crows? How do you explain a whole flock of crows attacking ItĹ-sanâs window?â
Ĺgami YĹsuke calmly retrieved his phone, tapping the screen to bring up some saved information. âI anticipated that query. Crows colliding with glass, while unsettling, is not an extraordinarily rare phenomenon. Glass, particularly at certain angles and under specific lighting conditions, can create reflections that birds misinterpret â as open sky, or even as a rival bird. Itâs plausible that after ItĹ-san extinguished his lights, his window, at that precise moment, caught some transient external light source, a reflection that provoked the crowsâ aggressive behavior.â
He paused, letting that sink in before adding, âFurthermore, crows are remarkably intelligent creatures, known for their long memories and, shall we say, their capacity for holding grudges. If, on his way home that evening, ItĹ-san had, perhaps, antagonized the crows in some way â thrown a stone, shouted at them â itâs not beyond the realm of possibility that their actions were a form of⌠retaliatory harassment.â
âIn short,â Ĺgami concluded, a note of finality in his voice, âwhile disturbing, I do not believe the incident with the crows can be definitively classified as paranormal.â One of the primary reasons heâd considered seeking Kishida Masayoshiâs assistance was to obtain a more detailed, objective account of ItĹâs injury. ItĹâs own narrative was hazy on certain points, potentially omitting crucial details. If he could verify that aspect, the entire edifice of the supernatural explanation might begin to crumble.
It was Ĺgamiâs nature, his intellectual imperative, to dissect such mysteries, to lay bare the underlying cause and effect, preferably with swift efficiency â within a week, ideally. It was a source of constant, low-grade frustration that no one else in this club seemed to share his enthusiasm for such rigorous, timely investigation.
He looked towards Yomikawa Tsuko, a silent question in his eyes. âSenpai, your own thoughts on this matter?â
Yomikawa, naturally, had no profound insights to offer, or at least, none she was willing to share. Her own agenda, her own intricate plans, consumed far too much of her mental bandwidth to waste precious energy on this particular schoolyard drama. âI was merely contemplating our clubâs activities for the upcoming weekend,â she said, her voice smooth and noncommittal.
Kana blinked, surprised. âBut⌠arenât we proceeding with Junko-chanâs plan? The surveillance footage, the route tracing?â
âIn addition to that, yes,â Yomikawa Tsuko said, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. âWe might also consider⌠a little excursion up Mount Karasu-Go. To locate this rather intriguing cave Kimura-kun described. I confess, it has piqued my curiosity.â
âOh. I see.â Kana visibly relaxed, a small sigh of relief escaping her. For a moment, sheâd worried their exciting weekend plans were about to be shelved.
Takada ShĹji, ever loyal, immediately voiced his enthusiastic support. âA hike? Excellent idea, Senpai! Mount Karasu-Go is perfectly safe, reallyâŚâ He trailed off, the memory of Kimuraâs harrowing tale belatedly surfacing. A sheepish grin spread across his face.
Ĺgami YĹsuke, however, frowned, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. âA hike? This weekend? I had actually intended to visit the abandoned shrine of Lord Mask-Taker. Frankly, compared to Kimura-kunâs rather⌠localized⌠experiences, the ancient legend of Lord Mask-Taker might hold secrets of far greater significance, far more worthy of our investigative efforts.â
This one, Yomikawa Tsuko mused, her eyes narrowing for the briefest of instants before her placid mask slipped back into place, he truly is obsessed with the legend of Lord Mask-Taker, isnât he? A dangerous fixation.
Junko, however, seemed entirely unfazed, almost gleeful. âAn abandoned shrine, you say? Oh, that sounds wonderfully creepy! Prime territory for all sorts of supernatural shenanigans! And this whole âknowing the story brings misfortuneâ curse⌠well, weâve all definitely ticked that box, havenât we? Venturing into such a notoriously dangerous place, especially now⌠something delightfully dreadful might actually happen!â
Ĺgami YĹsuke merely shrugged, âAnd wouldnât that be the perfect opportunity to empirically test the validity of that particular component of the narrative?â
âAfter all,â he continued, a more serious, analytical tone returning, âthat specific element â the misfortune befalling those who know the tale â that was most likely an embellishment, wasnât it? Something ItĹ-san and Fujita-san concocted, based on some offhand remark Kimura-san might have made. They were both injured, traumatized. Itâs entirely plausible that their subjective belief in Kimura-sanâs ominous warnings was⌠amplified⌠by their own unfortunate experiences.â
âSo, youâre saying weâre all walking targets now?â Takada didnât sound particularly alarmed; in fact, there was a hint of excitement in his voice. âUsing ourselves as bait⌠well, that was kind of the unspoken plan all along, wasnât it?â
Junko giggled, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Ĺgami. âI simply canât wait to see what delightful misfortune befalls Ĺgami-kun first. You absolutely must tell me all the gory details afterwards.â
âMy standing hypothesis,â Ĺgami YĹsuke stated, leaning back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, the picture of unconcerned skepticism, âis that precisely nothing will occur. Itâs akin to those ancient superstitions, isnât it? The notion that dropping oneâs chopsticks during a meal, or a mirror inexplicably shattering, will inevitably lead to some dire consequence. People subscribe to such beliefs primarily due to psychological suggestion. Everyone experiences days where they feel inexplicably unlucky, donât they?â
Junko couldnât help but laugh. âWell, when you put it that way, I suppose you have a point.â
Kana, who had been uncharacteristically silent throughout this exchange, suddenly looked up, a strange, almost haunted expression clouding her usually bright features. âYou canât be so certain of that,â she said, her voice a low, cryptic murmur.
Ĺgami YĹsuke blinked, taken aback by her sudden, somber interjection. âEh? Why do you say that, Kana-san?â
âIsnât it obvious?â Takada ShĹji scoffed, a smirk on his face. âIn all the best horror movies, itâs always the smug skeptic like you, the one who arrogantly dismisses the ancient curses and the dire warnings⌠theyâre always the first to get picked off. Usually in some spectacularly gruesome fashion, designed to terrify everyone else into believing.â
Junko pouted, completely dismissing Kanaâs unsettling remark. âOh, that entirely depends on the type of movie! If itâs a story that requires intelligence, a clever protagonist to unravel the mystery⌠then Ĺgami-kun would undoubtedly be the hero, the main character!â
Yomikawa Tsukoâs gaze drifted from Ĺgami YĹsukeâs confident, skeptical face to Kanaâs now-silent, troubled one. This little club of theirs, with its volatile mix of personalities and hidden currents⌠it was becoming more and more⌠entertaining. She truly looked forward to observing what transpired next.
âIn any event,â she said, her voice smoothly cutting through the lingering tension, âthe matter of the proposed excursion to the mountain can be discussed in more detail later. It seems everyone has⌠contributed quite thoroughly⌠for today. If there is nothing further, let us consider this meeting adjourned.â
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