Chapter 7
We're back. Just like you asked, here’s drinks and snacks.
Ohh. Welcome back, thanks for the hard work. We're just about done here too. All I gotta do is just put down these candles and—
There.
Woah. What is all this? You definitely went above and beyond with preparing everything. Where did you even get these futons?
Amagi went and got them from the Vice President's room. You’d think telling 100 stories would just be some late night chit-chat, but for it to end up going this far…
—Amagi. The use of fire is strictly prohibited here. Candles or anything of the like would surely cause trouble, no?
It’s fiiiiine. These candles are LEDs, not real. If you blow on it there’s even a sensor that picks it up, and the candle will go out!
Surely if we do something we gotta do it right~
Don’t only be motivated at a time like this…it’s awful.
Go on. This is the practice room we use frequently, so there’s nothing to be particularly scared of.
Ah. Merumeru, are you suuuure about that? Watch this. If I put the light out like so—
What do you think of this! Isn’t this great? It’s the perfect setting for telling ghost stories, isn’t it?
This training is definitely gonna be good. Right, Kohaku-chan?
Ugh…
(Th-that’s true. Up until a few minutes ago, I was doing just fine. Then the second the lights went out, this place turned into that way it was “just like back then”…!)
(Are we seriously going to tell 100 stories in a place like this? There’s tons of stories about people getting into trouble when telling horror stories like this for laughs, so why on earth are we doing it?)
(Not to mention, why do we have to be in the dark? It wouldn’t make a difference if we were in the light. Aren’t we living in an era of innovation? Wouldn’t it be so much better if we told 100 stories in a nice, bright room with BGM and light sticks waving around?!)
(Ah. Being in the dark made my senses sharper. I can sense things more than usual…! Usually I wouldn’t even spare these things much of my attention. But I can even smell tasty food around…)
(Nn? Wait, isn’t it weird that I’m smelling something tasty? We’re in a pretty big building, after all. If I’m not hallucinating, then where is it coming from…?)
…~ (Happily getting a large dinner ready)
Grrah! Niki, Rinne-kun over here is trying real hard to make the perfect setting for telling ghost stories, and you’re ruining the mood!
Owowowowow!? Quit putting me in a headlock~!?
B-Besides, Rinne-kun, didn’t you say it would be okay to eat a good dinner~? That’s why I gave it my best effort to make all this!?
There’s a limit to what you’re supposed to do! What the hell even is all this?! We’re not in a buffet!
There’s sandwiches, onigiri, soup, pizza as well as dumplings, fried chicken, and french fries. Even cakes and jellies too…
All of this lined up really does make it look like a buffet.
Like I said~ I’m more scared of going hungry than of ghosts. That’s why I have to make sure everything is all set for dinner. I would be terrified if I went hungry in the middle of the night…
……
(Hm? They’re acting like normal, so I don’t feel as scared as I did before.)
(I can do this…! At this rate, making it to the end is doable…! I’ll make it through this no matter what it takes! I’ll get through today so that I can make it to a beautiful tomorrow!)
……
……
…(Gulps)
—It couldn’t have been the manager or anyone else in the staff. So, just who was the guy that I saw at “Cinnamon”…?
I wonder if it had anything to do with the high fever I had for three days after that. I still have no idea. That’s where my story stops.
Ah, hm? What’s wrong? You guys suddenly went quiet.
You, the hell are you on about?! You’re in a position where you said something weird and everyone else says “No way, that’s not true”!
Eeeh?! You’re the one that asked me to tell a horror story so I did~!?
That horror story was the most genuine. Especially because of the fact that it’s in a setting that’s familiar to us, so it made it more realistic.
Seriously. Niki’s such a bastard~
Nn? Ah, it’s already getting really late so I’m gonna take a quick break. We’ve still got the whole night ahead of us.
You’re still up for it, Amagi? HiMERU, for one, would like to get some rest.
Don’t be such a loner, Merumeru~
Please don’t latch onto HiMERU. It’s irritating.
Augh… My stomach is at it’s limit since I’ve been up this long…!
At this rate I’m gonna die, and I’ll be the ghost here~…
Shiina. Don’t fall onto the tile. If you’re going to collapse anywhere, at least fall onto one of the futons.
(Niki-han was the one I thought I could listen to without any worries! That traitooor! …What am I gonna do now? I have to use the bathroom…)
…(Secretly looks around)
(Rinne-han is definitely gonna make fun of me, no way.)
(Niki-han is…uuum. He wouldn’t make fun of me but he’d prioritize his food, I can’t count on him. I’m also holding a grudge against him for what happened before.)
(HiMERU-han really is the only one I can ask here…)
Good grief. How the two of you are the eldest but are still managing to put yourselves in this kind of mess is unbelievable.
(whispering) HiMERU-han.
Hm? What’s wrong, Oukawa?
U-umm…I need to use the bathroom…
HiMERU-han, could you…
……
Ah, just when HiMERU was thinking he could use a break. Could he come with you, Oukawa?
…! Yeah! Let’s go together~ [1]
Chapter 8
Uwah?! Just now, did I just hear a clanking sound?!
You did. It was likely the temperature and humidity that caused the place to rumble.
Aah…is that so? The place rumbling huh…
Is this wrong? It's normal for someone to get scared by any weird noises that happen suddenly.
—Agreed. HiMERU thinks it's normal as well.
...HiMERU-han, you're so calm. You probably don't even feel the slightest bit scared after hearing all those horror stories, do you?
Well, that's right. With being in the industry, those kinds of stories can be heard floating around extremely often, but they aren't very credible.
Eh?! That much?!
Yes. They're on TV and the radio. It appears that there's more horror stories about studios and such, and there are also myths about occupied hotels on the countryside.
In addition, like Shiina described, the ES building has many mysteries of its own.
Uuu…just what're you trying to say...?
However. As explained previously, the stories aren't credible, so you don't really need to be scared of them.
More importantly, these horror stories have inconsistencies that HiMERU is more interested in.
I really don't know how else to say this, but you're a really dry fellow. Finding flaws in horror stories really is something only you would have the audacity to do, HiMERU-han.
Well, that's fair enough.
—Oukawa. We've arrived at the restroom. HiMERU will wait for you outside, so please go and do what you have to.
Ah. Yeah, I'll get going then.
Umm, the lightswitch—ah, there it is. I'll just flip it and…
There.
(Even though the lights turned on and it's bright...I don't know why the bathroom's making me so anxious. There’s a big mirror plus it’s still and quiet space, I wonder if that's what's making me feel that way.)
(There's no chance I'm gonna feel any better by staying here. Alright. HiMERU-han is still waiting for me out there. There's probably nothing weird in such a clean restroom either.)
Don't be scared, don't be scared, don't be scared...
I'm Rinne-kuuun[2]. And I'm behind Kohaku-chyan right nyoooow…
GyaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAH!
O-Oukawa?! What's going on?!
.........
Um. Just what kind of situation is this exactly?
GyaaAAH! My arm! It's gonna break, it'll break!!!
I, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I'm not afraid if you come at me! Get the hell outta here, you ghost!
…What happened is clearer now. This idiot snuck past HiMERU's blind spot and startled Oukawa, correct?
Oukawa, Oukawa. Please calm down and look. That's not a ghost, but it's Amagi.
GyaaaAA—ah...?
Kohaku-chan! Give, give[3]! At this rate you'll break my arm! You'll break it clean off!
..... Hrrmph!
Owowowowow! Kohaku-chan! I'm telling you it's not a ghost, it's me, it's me! I'm your "unit"s reliable leader Amagi Rinne, I'm telling you!
Obviously I'm tightening my grip because of you! You're always going around doing all sorts of nonsense!
Auuughhhh! Give, give, give!
Haah...you two need to stop it. If you keep being this loud then the security guards will get suspicious. Our plans will be impeded if that ends up happening.
You're such an asshole! I've had enough of all this!
Agreed. That was done in bad taste, Amagi.
n? Mrhff mrrrpgh~ (Welcome baaack~) Mogumogu
Aah! Niki! Just what are you doing, eating all by yourself?
—Mogumogu… gulp. It's because Kohaku-chan, HiMERU-kun, and Rinne-kun all left and never came back~
Seriously! I was out here having a bad time too, yknow? Usually to save energy I'd be sleeping by now. But since I'm up late I got hungry. I got really hungry…
Plus, I used up calories telling those 100 stories, so my hunger level really reached its limit. Mogumogu…
I really was gonna wait until everyone got back, y'know that? But I didn't know how long that was gonna take. I was stuck on what I should do until I heard Kohaku's scream from somewhere far off.
I figured Rinne-kun played some kind of prank on Kohaku-chan in order to scare him, so I guessed you'd be late coming back. I wasn't just gonna wait to starve to death, so I ate and replenished my energy. Mogumogu…
Impressive, Shiina. It's almost like you were there to witness it. It was unexpected that you'd guess 100% of Amagi's actions.
Mogumogu…Well, we have been together for a long time~ I can just tell when most things are gonna happen. Mogumogu.
Don't just sit and eat while you explain. Share some with us too.
—Ah?! You already ate most of it?!
Ah. That pizza with all your favorite toppings on it, I saved it for last. Rinne-kun, please don't try to eat that alone!
Look who's talking. Bastard.
I really wonder if this counts as training…
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Translation Notes
(1): Kohaku has used this exact type of dialogue line to HiMERU before during mainsto! HiMERU big brother instict kicked in I think :3
(2): He used “atashi” here instead of “orecchi” (normally) or “ore” (speaking seriously)
(3): That’s how it’s written in the textbox in ktkn but in case the clarification is needed he’s like saying “Uncle!”/“Give up”/“Get off” etc. Basically asking Kohaku to surrender.