Please forgive for the long delay on editing.
She had some exams to work so yeah...
thanks for reviews/comment/faves/follows.
The midnight, Café of the murder site;
Eli and Nozomi decided to bring the trio and Maki to join their investigation, they stood right in front of the café's entrance and brought everything they needed to survive in the dark such as flash-light, batteries and….
"Honoka… you're…carrying snacks?" Umi asked with a frown on her face.
"Ehh…but I might get hungry at times…" Honoka replied.
"Uhmmm….is it ok to make the floor dirty though? I mean, you might drop some crumbs…" Kotori said.
"Exactly!" Umi said clearly,
"W-wawah… uh….but…. I'll be in big danger if I didn't bring some snacks…"
"Honoka!" Umi placed her hands on her hips.
Nozomi giggled at them,
"Now-now, that's fine…the detective has photographed everything important so that we can do whatever we need to do here. Plus… she also said that she wanted to test our ability in solving this kind of cases, the lesser mess we make, the better…"
"Doesn't that also mean that Honoka really shouldn't bring her snacks?!" Umi emphasized on her 'should not' as her eyes darken towards Honoka.
"It just means that she can bring her snacks, but she will have to be responsible for herself as well or I'll make her do so…" Eli said.
"Ok!" Honoka replied cheerfully.
"H-Honoka?! Since when are you able to take responsibility… !? I doubt you were ever able to do that! You always put those on us…" Umi protested.
"Now-now, Umi-chan… let's just skip that and let her bring in the snacks, maybe it could be of help? Besides, aren't those chocolate cookies?" Nozomi asked,
"Yep! Chocolate cookies all the way! I should've brought the strawberry one though…" Honoka replied.
"Chocolate is fine, hmm… I wish I have those too now…" Nozomi replied as she licked her own lips.
"I can share! Hehe…" Honoka said.
"It's fine, Honoka-chan… I actually prefer the one that could melt inside my mouth…." Nozomi replied again.
"Oh! Well, I have those! But I accidentally bought the dark one so… it's going to be bitter…"
"Just how many snacks did you bring…." Umi sighed heavily.
"Uhm…about 8 types?"
"8 types?!" Kotori, Umi, and Nozomi said in surprise.
"Yep! I have…uh… Chocolate cookies, Dark Chocolate bar, Strawberry steamed bun, strawberry sandwich, Strawberry coated mini sticks snacks, Manjuus from my shop, Odango from my shop too then a few Chocolate coated biscuits…"
"W…wow…. You're that well prepared…" Nozomi appreciated.
"Of course, hehe!" Honoka replied proudly.
"Speaking of which, Maki, you've been quiet… are you not feeling well?" Nozomi asked.
"H-Huh? Well…I'm fine… it just that…uhm… I feel a little strange going out at night…" Maki replied.
"Don't worry, your parents were convinced enough that you're staying at your friend's house…plus, there won't be any danger if you all follow my orders…" Eli replied,
"Yep, we both have considered everything so… each of you will take the safe job…" Nozomi added.
"Like what?" Kotori asked.
"According to the information, given by the detective, she managed to escape from the very creature that appeared by leaving the building, so that means, outside the building is going to be the safe zone. Then… it was also said that he appears in bright places and someone without ability like her could see him..." Eli explained,
"That's why, you four will have to stay outside, and do as we tell you… First, Maki-chan… we will hand you a walkie-talkie…" Nozomi added as she handed a walkie-talkie to Maki.
"It will function like a phone, but, since you're better at hearing, you will have to keep your ears sharp and tell us if you hear anything strange…." Eli added again.
"…got it…." Maki replied.
"Second, Kotori-chan, I hope you know how to operate a computer."
"Of course I do!" Kotori replied.
"Then, I would like you to keep your eyes on the screen, we will stream everything inside through the small camera that we will attach on our neck…" Nozomi explained as she gestured to the small laptop that she has prepared.
"Then for Umi-chan, I hope you don't mind doing a little exercise… we want you to keep an eye on windows—as we will turn on all the lights inside the building…" she continued as she points to the windows of the building.
"Got it!" Umi said clearly.
"As for you, Honoka-chan… we want you to give support to your friends…since you are ready with all those snacks…" Nozomi said.
"Ok!" Honoka replied cheerfully.
"For now though, I want a little of your support…" Nozomi said.
"Like what?" Honoka asked.
"Can I have… the chocolate bar please…?" the purplenette asked somewhat shyly.
Eli frowned slightly as she noticed the gesture that she made.
"Why are you suddenly acting like you have shame…?" the blonde asked coldly.
"Oh—Ericchi…come on, it's like… you know…it's sort of…embarrassing to ask for that from someone…especially…when there's another intention behind it…"
"You're not getting it… you could've just bought it by yourself before we came here…" Eli responded fiercely before she dragged Nozomi inside the building.
"B-B-but! Ericchiiii!"
As the two went in, the others watch them in confusion. It was all quiet until Umi decided to make a comment,
"Is it just my feeling or… Ayase-senpai is somewhat a little possessive?"
"Hmmm…now that I think about it… maybe she is possessive…!" Kotori replied.
"What is possessive?" Honoka asked.
"Do you seriously not know what possessive is?! How old are you?!" Maki replied.
Inside the building,
The Police have left the very place ever since the latest incident. Even though there was one that was told to stay guard until Nozomi and Eli arrives, no one came in and instead, they left a note near a key that they hung on the key holder.
It says:
Dear Toujou-san and Ayase-san,
Take care of yourself and good luck.
P.S : we left the refrigerator on, got some nice coffee inside too!
"They're kind…" Nozomi commented as she took out her rubber gloves that were given by the police before they headed here.
Eli sighed while she started to wear her rubber gloves.
"Or they're just trying to apologize for being a coward…"
"I remember someone told me that you're scared of the dark as well…"
"And yet I'm facing it… so take that into consideration…" Eli replied as she turns on the light. The first room is the dining room, where counters and seats are placed. It has been a lot dirtier than the first time they entered the very place. The menus are gone and the cashier machine has been emptied. Then there's a big white cross painted all over the wall to mark that the owner of the place has passed away.
"It's good that our mission now is to look for a spirit that appears between the lights… what if it was the other way around?" Nozomi asked teasingly.
"We have our flash-lights. These aren't being carried for nothing…" Eli replied again as the two enter the second room, which is the kitchen…
At first, things were too dark and they barely see anything but shadows. When Nozomi turns on her flash-light and directs it inside, she could see a swift shadow pass by—but it was small, like a rat's shadow. Then when Eli did the same as Nozomi, she just saw dirty tables plus an insect pass by.
Perhaps, for those who aren't that familiar with exploring dark places, will take a lot of courage to step their foot inside the kitchen. Not to mention the history that occurred inside it too. Perhaps, they will fear seeing an appearance of people who has passed away.
They could hear the refrigerator make noises, indicating that it's on. So the duo steps in further into the kitchen and switches on the light. Currently there is nothing but furniture around them, along with a few marks left by the police. This also happened to be the place that was said to be where the detective was attacked by the spirit of vengeance. The two headed to the refrigerator and opened it carefully to find two cans of coffee placed inside it and another note left by the police.
Dear Toujou-san and Ayase-san,
This place might be creepy for you two, eh? But… anyhow… those marks are left intentionally by request of the detective, so that you two could do some investigation and tell us the resultsafterwards. A big honor will await you in the station if you do a good job on this!
P.S: Don't forget to always wear your gloves!
"Does anyone ever see high-school students get these kind of complex jobs by a bunch of policemen?"
"Well, does anyone ever think of meeting a genius like us, Ericchi?"
"Us…? You mean… me?" Eli replied with a smug face.
"Well, alright, you're indeed a genius, Ericchi… but you should acknowledge mine too… even though I don't have as many trophies as you, I still achieved a level of knowledge that not many people have…"
"Such as… molesting people? I think you're a lot smarter than me for that…"
"I'm not that perverted, Ericchi. Not that I ever did anything as bad as licking someone's nipples…"
"Uh-huh, sure… I believe you with all of my heart…." Eli replied sarcastically.
"Seriously though, Ericchi… just believe me that I'm a genius…"
"Mmhm…. Alright…" Eli replied again as they continue to walk around the area to investigate. They opened each of the drawers, reckoning that the police haven't yet moved the canned food ingredients from the inside.
"Come to think of it, Nozomi… why do you think the refrigerator was left empty while these canned food ingredients are left here…?"
"Maybe, they just don't serve frozen stuff? I heard a good restaurant will always use fresh ingredients instead of frozen ones… which also makes canned food the best choice to get around the statement…I mean… at least it's not frozen!"
"If that was the case, then, why do you think they own the refrigerators for…?"
"To keep things…? Like…drinks? Or maybe they were out of stock of the things that were supposed to be kept there?"
"Possible… let's try checking the freezer…" Eli said as she opened it at her will. They could see a few plastic of ice and a few blocks of ices kept inside.
"The ices... for drinks…" Nozomi said.
Eli nodded before she started to check on what may be behind the ices plastics.
"Frozen Yoghurts…" she said as she picks one.
"Hmm…French Vanilla…it looks tasty…" Nozomi said.
"I think we can make a parfait out of this…" the blonde said jokingly,
"I prefer some nice melted chocolate though…" Nozomi replied with a smile on her face,
"Melted chocolate? Do you just love licking that off of the silver paper?"
"I'd prefer that on my skin…" the purplenette said again.
Eli sighed,
"When you're the one who says it, I just automatically assume you're doing something perverted…"
"I was talking about fingers!"
"Still doesn't make it any better…" Eli replied as the two headed to the door that led into the family room.
Eli turned on the light immediately as she found the switch placed right next to the entrance.
The family room is huge, it has plenty of decorations which described that the family must've been very passionate about the culinary field. They kept a lot of food magazines, a few trophies from winning culinary related competitions, and pictures of them in many countries and places.
"Wow…looks like this family isn't that simple after all…" Nozomi said.
"They've traveled through countries, huh? Impressive…" Eli said.
"I've traveled through countries as well, Ericchi… my father is a photographer…"
"No one's asking you, Nozomi…" Eli replied,
"Now-now, aren't you being a little cruel?"
"Putting that old news aside, do you think a person who travels a lot will have time to open a business in a place like this? I heard from the police about how this family didn't hire any staff to take care of this very place… it was all done by their own hands."
"Hmm...maybe they traveled in the past then decided to stay here after they got tired?" Nozomi replied.
Suddenly, their walkie-talkie pinged,
"What's up, Maki-chan?" Nozomi replied.
"Just to confirm something according to Ayase-senpai's question…."
"What about it?" Eli asked.
"You were asking if they had any time to open up a business, right? You should check the family pictures…see how many family members are in it…"
The two headed to the pictures to take a closer look.
"Four….in all of the pictures" Nozomi said.
"It is indeed, four…. A Father, two daughters, and a mother…" Eli replied.
"So I might be right… perhaps they stopped traveling ever since the mother left…"
"Why did she leave anyway?" Nozomi asked.
"I don't know...but I just heard that from somewhere…" Maki replied.
"Ah…look here, Nozomi…" Eli said as she immediately found something placed close to all the family pictures,
It's a picture of the mother, colored in gray and a ribbon along with a few remains of incense along with the white rice placed neatly inside a gold bowl.
"She died…." Nozomi said.
Eli also turns her sight to the rotten fruits that was placed on a plate next to the pictures,
"Ew…no wonder something smelled bad…" she said.
"I'm glad the police didn't move that…else, the spirit could be angry…" Nozomi said.
"Really?" Eli asked,
"Nah— mostly, those who're deceased and honored in such a manner will go to the light earlier. It's still nice to honor them even if their spirits couldn't see themselves being treated that way…"
"Question…" Maki said.
"Hmm…?" Nozomi responded,
"Will they be called if we dishonor them?"
"Nah…. But, if you somehow are haunted by them, then it's probably just a manifestation of your unconscious guilt… psychologically, humans tend to make such imaginations…you know…that's why you may have to learn the difference between someone who was just overwhelmed by imagination and someone who actually has given abilities…"
"A manifestation, huh?"
"Yup, you can have a lot of people admit themselves to be able to see what was supposed to be unseen, but not all of them can actually see, as some may just be overwhelmed by some specific unconscious emotions…such as extreme fear, hunger, thirst, or guilt…"
"So it's like Fata Morgana?" Maki asked.
"Pretty much, yeah… but not that similar…" Nozomi replied.
"What is… Fata Morgana?" Honoka asked through Maki's walkie-talkie.
"A Mirage, are you familiar with that?" Eli replied
"No…?" Honoka replied.
"An optical phenomenon that you could see in a few places in specific conditions… they happened because rays of lights are bent when they pass through air layers of different temperatures in a steep thermal inversion where an atmospheric duct has formed…" Eli explained,
"I still don't get it…" Honoka replied.
"Basically, Honoka-chan, it's just an optical phenomenon…"
"A simple example of it, people who travel through the hot desert long enough will often see a big pond of water awaiting them in the distance, because they're psychologically thirsty, they tend to see it as an Oasis…but by the time they approach it, the so-called Oasis is gone like it never existed…" Nozomi explained.
"Oohhh…ok! So…. If we relate that to the previous conversation… you are saying that sometimes you could see someone haunting you when you have an extreme emotion towards them?"
"Yep, or… you're just naturally scared of random people…or ghosts…"
"Ahh…I see…that's why I've been feeling like Yukiho is watching my back…" Honoka said.
"What did you do to your sister, Honoka?" Umi asked.
"Ehh..uhm…well…I just took some of her cash from inside her drawer…I was about to return it but I keep forgetting to save up my money for it…" Honoka replied sheepishly.
"That's bad, you have to return it soon…!" Umi scolded.
"I know! I know!" Honoka said.
"By the way, I hear a radio being played inside…" Maki said through the walkie-talkie…
"Are you seriously able to hear that? Because, we can't!" Nozomi said.
"Uh… maybe it's not in your room right now… I hear it closer to the outside of the building…" Maki replied.
"Could that be on the second floor? We couldn't see or hear any radio in the first room…" Eli said.
"Maybe… try to check it out later…" Maki said.
"Strange isn't it, to have a radio being played in a place that's supposed to be abandoned…" Umi said.
"I heard, a ghosts presence could trigger such events…" Nozomi said,
"Eh…? Now that you mention it…maybe he is in the second floor after all…" Maki said.
"Did you hear anything else?" Eli asked.
"Not really, honestly…I just heard a radio… I could barely make out what its saying as well… it just started to playing about a few minutes ago… right around the time I said I heard it…"
"Hmm…." Nozomi and Eli started to think.
"We will check upstairs then…" Nozomi said as she turns her sight to the stairs that led to the upper floor—then noticed a pair of shoes on the stairs along with black trousers, walking upstairs in a very-normal manner. Since Eli is still right next to her, it can't be her walking upstairs before her. There's also the fact that no policemen who came by tonight. If so, they could've just approached them instead.
Despite the sight she just saw, she has no intention to let that stop her from investigating upstairs. Eli nodded to Nozomi to confirm that she agreed to go. The two walks up together with their flashlights on, finding no one awaiting them in the darkness until they found the switch to the lights.
Once again, they only meet with furniture, rats, insects and nothing else.
"I smell something…." Eli said.
"Hmm…? What smells, Ericchi?" Nozomi asked.
"I don't want to believe myself for describing this smell but…. it smells like blood…"
"Don't tell me…" Nozomi frowned,
"Aahhh! Please don't let it be what I think it might be!" Kotori screamed from Maki's walkie-talkie.
"We will turn off the camera…" Eli said.
"No-no, don't! Let me see it!" Kotori said.
"Uhm…are you sure, Kotori-chan?" Nozomi asked.
"I'm very sure!" she replied.
"Alright…." Nozomi replied as she and Eli keeps moving toward the first door they found.
As they enter the very place, the duo turns on the light and starts scanning through every corner, they once again were met with nothing more than bedroom furniture.
"The smell isn't coming from here, but…this room seems to not be that important to the investigation…" Eli stated.
"Are you sure? This seems to be important… it looks like one of the daughters room…"
"And what's so important about that?" Eli asked.
"Remember that one of the daughters had an affair with the restaurant owner? Maybe we can find something that became a motive for the murder…" Nozomi replied.
"Try to look for something that made the father angry…" Maki said.
"Eh…?" Nozomi and Eli tried to confirm about what they just heard.
"The murder should have started from the father's rage…so perhaps, if you could find anything that made him angry…" Maki continued.
Eli and Nozomi nodded before they started to look around the very room. In all their opinion, the room was extremely neat and was very easy to find things around as they are all placed in right order. There are also a few culinary magazines stacked on the cupboard, and a few envelopes hidden under it.
Nozomi tried to pick one up before she accidentally dropped a stamp which caused Eli to look down and notice something was hidden under the cupboard…or have fallen under it….
She bent down to pick it up, finding out that…what fell under it was a test pack with positive results. Eli quickly dropped it again in disgust.
"W-what is that? Ayase-senpai?" Kotori asked.
"A disgusting test-pack, why the hell did she keep that here…" Eli replied.
"Maybe she had no intention of doing so…?" Nozomi commented as she places down the envelope that appeared to be empty.
"Do you think that's what made the father angry though?" Maki asked.
"Maybe he found that out…or… she was unfortunate enough to be found with that…" Nozomi said.
"To be found with that, huh? Then maybe, if she was found with that, she was dragged down by him as well and killed during that event?" Eli asked,
"What we need to know is where exactly she died… but…I doubt we can find that out since… she probably is no longer here…" Nozomi said as she averted her eyes from Eli.
"Is there any way for them to die somewhere closer to the restaurant next to this building?" Maki asked.
"Come to think of it, the Snow Girl also said that the aura was behind this building…" Nozomi said.
"Let's look from here…" Eli said before she headed to the only window in the room, looking out to find Umi currently looking at them from the yard, placed to the west of the building. She remains silent despite her eyes meeting with the blonde's.
Then the two just let things go like nothing happened before…
"Nothing there…" Eli said.
"Not even anything out there? Like…a wandering soul perhaps?" Nozomi asked,
Eli checked it out once more—but there really is nothing that relates to the spirits at the moment, not even on the road.
"No…there's really nothing…" Eli confirmed.
"Weird… that means that a bigger spirit is really here and scaring off common wanderers…"
"We still have two rooms to investigate…" Eli said,
"True… maybe we will find something in the next room…?" Nozomi said before she and Eli decided to leave the room with lights and heads to the next room.
They once again find the switch immediately as they enter the room, but again—there's nothing but furniture there… except…
"This isn't where the source of the smell is, but it's much stronger here…and I think i can finally hear the radio…" Eli said.
"Then maybe the radio is in the next room?" Nozomi replied,
"Maybe… and maybe something big is actually there… do you think we should prepare ourselves from here?" Eli asked.
"Do you think this room is like the save point, huh?" Nozomi replied with her teasing smile.
"You think it's a game?"
"Just to make things fun, but I'm pretty sure there is no reset button if we fail…" she chuckled,
"I'm glad you remember that fact…" Eli said before she heads back to the door of the room, then leaves to the next room.
Nozomi followed her, expecting to find something inside the last room, knowing that it might be where the scent of blood came from, she waited for Eli to open the door—then look for the switch next to the door as always which was found immediately.
As the light switched on, they could hear Kotori scream in panic, though they have no idea what made her do so since… they once again met with nothing but furniture and the radio that was kept on.
"Nothing…? That was disappointing…" Nozomi said as she and Eli walk deeper into the room.
As she said that, a red liquid dropped on her nose. She and Eli quickly lift their sight to find a policeman, with a big slit on his throat and taped strongly against the ceiling. His eyes were gone and his wrists were also slit…
"Oh dear…." Eli said calmly as her eyes focuses on the freshness of the flesh—then to the blood that dripped from his stained cloth.
"Someone just put him up there…a while ago…." She continued.
They could hear Honoka coughed as if she just choked on her snacks.
"Gross…" Maki commented.
"I can't see anything…!" Kotori said.
"Of course, you're closing your eyes!" Maki said.
"Nozomi! Eli! I saw something dark moving quickly in the other room!" Umi shouted.
"What?" Nozomi and Eli quickly tried to head out, but their door suddenly slammed shut and dead locked itself.
"No! The door!" Nozomi said as she and Eli quickly grabs the door handle. They tried to open it but in a failed attempt.
Meanwhile outside, Kotori who watched the screen very intensely along with Maki—knowing that the two seniors are currently in trouble. Umi kept close watch on the dark figure, passing through the rooms as if he never needed a door to begin with and Honoka was still coughing from her snacks.
The screen was fine until they could see a static effect and a loud and clear voice through their walkie-talkie…
"Leave…."
And from that very second, all the lights in the building suddenly turns off.
"Hey! You two! Can you hear me?!" Maki shouted in panic—realizing that the walkie-talkie went off as well.
"Oh no!" Kotori covered her face in fear.
Maki clenched her fist and she quickly picks up a spare flashlight off the ground next to Honoka. Without a second thought, she ran into the building.
"W-whoaa! Maki-chan!" Honoka shouted.
"Maki!" Umi shouted as she takes one step and stopped at the time she look into the now dark-building.
"This is dangerous…" she continued before she also ran into the building to catch up with the red haired girl.
"U-Umi-chan!" Kotori said in panic,
"No…." she said weakly as she watches the blue haired girl go inside.
"Ooo! I'll catch up!" Honoka said before she also ran in along with her snacks.
"No-no! Honoka-chan!" Kotori's remark was ignored completely by the ginger haired girl.
"Uuh…! I have no choice!" Kotori quickly makes an emergency call as she watches the ginger haired girl leaving into the darkness.
Back to where the two seniors are,
They still have their flashlights to help them see their surroundings, though with a dead body on the ceiling and the scent of blood that remains strong in their nose, it makes them feel even less comfortable to stay around and eager for them to find a way out.
"Ericchi… did you find anything?" Nozomi asked.
"Just the radio and that's about it…" Eli replied as she browses through the area where the radio was.
"Keys…? No hidden keys?" Nozomi asked.
"No…"
"Think we can just jump off through the window…?" Nozomi asked again,
"The height is certainly not that challenging, but the thing is… I can't open the window…" Eli replied.
"Let's break it…" Nozomi said.
And without any delay, Eli picks up the radio and throws it at the window— yet the radio recoiled back and breaks into pieces. The two quickly make a distance.
"Great… a multilayered security glass…" Eli said.
"Such a choice for a security…" Nozomi said.
"Let's just keep looking, maybe there really is something for us to use…" Eli replied.
"I wonder if we can just break the door since it's probably a lot more fragile than that window?" Nozomi asked
"A good idea, but do you think any of us could do it?" Eli asked.
"Get your beast out of its place, maybe it can do it?"
"And you think I can get a hold of it?! I don't even remember anything whenever it took my consciousness!"
"This is why chocolate will do something good! That beast loves chocolate!"
"Huh? How could you just say that out of nowhere?!"
"It's not out of nowhere, Ericchi… it actually loves chocolate!"
"Bah—putting that aside now, Nozomi, do you think the police up there may have anything we can use?"
"Like…guns?" Nozomi asked.
"Exactly…." Eli replied.
"How can we get up there though… I see no chairs or sofa that could be enough for any of us to reach up there?"
"You can climb my shoulder… or you prefer me to climb your shoulder…" Eli said.
Nozomi lifts her eyebrows,
"That's a really hard choice, Ericchi!"
"Huh?"
"You see…if you are one that climbs my shoulder, I probably could see your cleavage down there—a good thing for me…but there's a big chance of—…." Before Nozomi finished, Eli sighed heavily and crouched,
"Get on my shoulder… I'm not getting on yours…"
"That was quick…" Nozomi said.
"Hurry up…" Eli continued.
Nozomi chuckled before she places her feet on Eli's shoulder, then was lifted up with ease— reaching up to the corpse,
"Ew…he smells worse up here…." Nozomi said as she pulls out the gun from his belt.
"Obviously, because he might have been sweating really hard before his death… I wonder why we couldn't hear him screaming…or anything… his mouth wasn't muffled…"
Nozomi remain quiet as she remembers the shoes and trouser that she saw before they headed upstairs. When Eli crouched down again, Nozomi was taking notice of the shoes and trousers that the police wore. It's somewhat different than the ones she saw.
"Maybe the sound made his scream blend together with the radio?" Eli continued as she lets Nozomi down.
"There might be real danger somewhere around this place, or perhaps an actual murderer instead of the spirit one..." Nozomi replied as she handed the gun to Eli.
"If that's what happened, I wonder why this person didn't take this gun from the police…and why we didn't see him when we got up here…."
"Maybe he is trying to stay as clean as possible?"
"Perhaps…" Eli replied before she aimed the gun at the door handle, firing a couple shots before breaking it with ease.
"You're good…" Nozomi replied.
"I knew how to use guns since I was ten… told you I'm a genius…" Eli said before the two could hear a loud thump from somewhere outside the room.
The two quickly opens the door and looks outside.
It was indeed dark—but a faint blue light went in through the windows and ventilation, they maneuvered their flashlights in a swift motion until they were able to spot two figures with flashlights in their hand, sitting on the floor of the family room. A heavy bleeding wound was seen on Umi's arm and Maki's leg was stabbed close to the knee. The two crouched as they both seemed to be trying to protect each other.
"Maki-chan! Umi-chan!" Nozomi shouted to their presence,
"Toujou-senpai!" Umi shouted back.
Then a dark shadow passes through the window rapidly towards the two seniors.
"W-watch out!" Umi warned before a slender shadow appears close to Nozomi and Eli—and it immediately attempted to slit Nozomi's throat before Eli quickly grabs his hand and throws him in a different direction. He floats and passes through all obstacles as he was thrown to the middle of the room.
A painful wound was created on Eli's wrist, and started blood dripping onto the floor as the two seniors keep their eyes on the creature.
"Leave…" he said again.
Eli and Nozomi frowned at the creature,
"And who are you to tell us what to do?!" Nozomi said.
The creature floats to them again as he positioned his knife—once again towards Nozomi instead of Eli who is clearly right in front, protecting the purple haired girl.
Once again, Eli grabs the creature and shoves him away to the other side while Nozomi has channeled a spell and blasts a spiritual fire towards him. The fire managed to burn his sleeve, though he was also quick enough to put it off by swatting his burning arm in the air.
When Nozomi thought to make another fire—the lights suddenly turned back on. It seemed that the creature was also surprised by it.
"Umi-chaaan! Maki-chaaan! Toujou-senpaiiii! Ayase-senpaiiii! I turned on the lights!" shouted a familiar voice from the kitchen.
"H-Honoka!" Umi said as she turn her eyes around.
The dark creature quickly floats his way to the kitchen,
"No!" Umi quickly ran without a second thought, Nozomi quickly ran downstairs as well while Eli suddenly crouched down and grabs her head. Maki who was left on the floor quickly turns her eyes towards the blonde as she started to be able to hear a mantra being spoken to her.
"Hey! You! Don't listen to that!" she shouted.
It took Nozomi's attention for a moment, but didn't let it concern her right now as she ran to the kitchen—channeling a spell that she certainly will shoot at the creature. Even though there's a part of Nozomi that wanted to meet the beast once again, knowing that a chocolate bar probably would be somewhere near her.
When she arrived to the kitchen, she could see Umi standing bravely in front of Honoka, spreading her hand as if she is trying to protect her while the dark creature floats above them. Nozomi was about to shoot her spiritual fire—but….
"Hey…do you want this?" Honoka suddenly said as she offered the Odango to the creature.
The creature remained silent, though he seemed to be interested on the offer.
"Somehow, you remind me with someone who I used to meet around here… I told him about 8 types of snacks that I love to bring around… then he said, this one is his favorite….because it looks like it was made with a lot of love…"
The creature seemed to take notice to her words, then he carefully approach them—with Umi still standing steadily in front of Honoka. The creature took the Odango and he was somehow able to pick it up.
He carefully eats the odango—and just within half a minute, his body started to react to it. For some reason, all the darkness started to dim and create popping lights. Eventually, he turned into a bright transparent soul…
"Magnificent! This is the best sweet I ever had!" the soul said.
"Wh-whoa?! Aren't you the man who I met before?!" Honoka said. Umi and Nozomi's jaw dropped from the statement.
"Ah—and you're that girl! It's been a while!" he said in a very friendly manner.
"W-wait a minute…what's going on here?" Nozomi asked—still holding the spiritual fire in her hand.
"Oh… a new lady… Hello! My name is Christopher, I came from England!" he said with a polite and gentle gesture.
Nozomi blinked, can't believe that he is actually a gentle man.
"I love Japanese food more than anything else, and the daughter of this café made the best Japanese food around here!" he said.
"So…that's why you had an affair with her?"
"Affair? No-way in seven hell, young lady! I'm very committed to m'one and only wife…" He replied.
"Then…the test-pack…?" Nozomi pointed.
"Ohh! That…. that wasn't m'child! That was from her relation with a man down the street, she was asking me to help to talk with her father—but there was a little misunderstanding when she was careless and come to m'home….supposedly, she came through the backyard of this very building to meet me and start talking about how to arrange things. Though she was found out in her room by her daddy, at the time she held her test-pack too. Spontaneously, her daddy was so angered and assumed I impregnated the sweet lass since I tended to give such a friendly visit to her… he killed us all in the backyard…you won't find the entrance if you didn't enter m'restaurant!"
"So...how did your body end up there along with his body….?" Nozomi asked again as she pointed to the mark on the kitchen,
"Ohhh…that one? Well… simply, someone moved m'body… but it wasn't the father or the daughter… It should be m'wife's cousin who now run's the restaurant!"
"Say…what?" Nozomi lifted her eyebrows.
"Yep, m'wife's cousin always wanted the restaurant! I've expected her to do as much! She was also one to kill the big man…"
"W-what….? Then... why did your soul carry such a weapon?" Nozomi asked as she pointed to the knife in his hand.
"That's what I've been wanting to ask m'self… I honestly have no reason to be aggressive towards others! Though there is a power that was starting to control I! Then all I could think of was to protect what's around me…. this café is precious to me, since this is where I enjoyed all the Japanese food!"
"So that's why you said 'leave'….huh?"
"Aye, young lady! Hmm...did I hurt any of ye?" he asked as he began to examine everyone—then noticing the wound on Umi's arm. Umi still remained in her place, looking at the transparent soul, who was somehow visible to her eyes.
"Ay-ay-ay…. I did…." He said sadly.
"There should be a first aid kit somewhere near the counter… y'all better medicate it before it's too late!"
"Tell me, what is this power that is starting to control you?" Nozomi asked.
"Hmm…sounded like a spell spoken by a lady— but if m'memory didn't fail me, it was spoken by a very tall lady with a black dress…"
"A very tall lady with black dress…." Umi and Nozomi repeated as they began to jog their memories, trying to remember where they found or heard something similar to it.
"I can feel her presence here…." he said before he floats to the family room. Nozomi, Umi and Honoka quickly follows suit to the very room as well—finding Maki no longer sitting on the floor, but a trail of blood leading upstairs.
"There!" the man pointed to where Eli and Maki crouched together upstairs,
Maki is currently yelling at Eli,
"Stop listening! Don't listen anything other than me right now! Don't listen to that mantra, ok?!"
Eli remains quiet as she touches her head. The mantra is getting louder and louder, yet Maki was also getting louder as well.
"Ericchi!" Nozomi called.
"Ah—the black lady escaped!" Christopher said.
Eli lifted her head, focusing her sight on Nozomi. She looked pale and her pupils seem to be smaller as well—it just looked like she was about to unleash something scary from within herself.
"Nozomi…." the blonde let out a sigh.
"Good timing… I think you just made the mantra stop…" Maki said.
The purplenette shook her head,
"The credit is yours, Maki-chan… good job on stalling her…" she said—even though there's a part of her that feels disappointed by that fact.
"Heh—not really, but if that makes me sound good…" the red haired girl replied with a slight blush on her face.
Suddenly, a familiar detective, two policemen and Kotori ran into the building.
"Halt!" the detective said as she found the group along with an unbelievably transparent yet visible ghost as well.
"W-waaah! Umi-chaan! Honoka-chan! You two are safeeee!" Kotori said cheerfully as she hugged the two.
"W-waaa! Kotori-chaaann!" Honoka hugged her back.
"K-Kotori!" Umi said as she tried to retort, causing her bleeding arm to accidentally get touched by the ash brunette.
"W-waaah! Umi-chan you're bleeding!" Kotori panicked before she quickly takes out her medical kit that was somehow placed on her arm. The detective probably gave it to her.
"Aren't you…. the restaurant owner…?"
"Oo…Aye! I am! Ms. Detective! I just killed someone too when I was angered! Think it was one of your policeman! But fret not, friend… I think I ate his soul as well! He won't haunt this place—Ha!"
"W-what? You just admitted it in a flash?!" The detective raises her eyebrow.
"Aye…but the previous one wasn't m'doing!"
"Then explain that!" The detective yelled to the spirit.
The Otonokizaka High-school, morning;
The case was put to an end and the two returned to their usual activities. Since they had to stay up all night the day before, the two was feeling somewhat tired as they prepare the next event which is the school's festival.
"Aaahmm…Good morning, Ericchi…" Nozomi greeted as she yawns.
"Feeling tired?" Eli asked,
"Somewhat… but how about your wrist? Is it all good?" she takes a look at the blonde's hand which she has a bandage warped on.
"It is…I'm glad we were able to get over the case…" Eli replied as she showed her warped wrist as she carried a stack of book on her other arm.
"For some reason, I feel glad that it didn't end with you eating them…"
"I suppose we owe something to Maki for that… but she knows well about when things could go wrong in me…"
"She was able to hear the mantra…I'm jealous…." Nozomi replied.
"Maybe that means you will have to increase your spiritual power…." Eli replied.
"It's not that simple, sheesh!" she shoves the blonde slightly.
"It takes a lot of years for someone to improve their power, you know!" she continued again.
Eli chuckled before she headed to the student council room, allowing Nozomi to walk in and shut the door carefully.
"You know, Ericchi… last night, Christopher paid a visit to my apartment…"
Eli let the stack of books, which she has been carrying to the student council room, fall on the table roughly, her face, which was amused, turned into a frown. Then she turned her sight to the purplenette along with a sharp glare,
"What did you do with him?"
"He was just telling me that he was thankful because I showed him mercy. He knows my ability and that's why he said that I probably am the biggest threat for his kind….Also, bringing Honoka with us…was a good thing for him…he can't imagine what may have happened if she didn't show up…."
"They're somehow becoming something good, yes…"
"Yup! ...did you know that they wanted to join more cases later?"
"Later, ok? The festival comes first…" Eli said.
"I know…hehe…Maki-chan also told me that she can help if there's more things to do—not only for the festival… who knew she could be such a sweet girl…."
"I'm just glad that there's only one girl like her right now, else it will be a big chaos…" Eli replied.
"Hmm…a girl like her? Who do you think a person that looks like her by personality…?" Nozomi asked teasingly,
"Well—…."
And before Eli was able to finish her words, a little girl with black hair came into the room,
"Oi! You two!" she said loudly.
"What? Why are you entering this place in that manner?" Eli asked coldly.
"Eeek…! I mean….Yooooooooo! You two!" Niko tried to regather her composure
"Nikocchi, we're not that friendly with each other…." Nozomi replied.
"Aarggh...Screw that… I just want to ask—Why are you two letting those damned ghost help running the Haunted Café in our classroom?!"
"Did they at least do their job?" Eli asked.
"They did! That's the problem! I mean… Don't you think it's cheating?!"
"No… everyone can bring anything to what they're representing to the public. It's open to the public after all so such way is necessary in order to grab more customers…" Nozomi replied.
"Huh?! Alright…then I guess I'll just try to get along with that noisy not-so-halved woman…" Niko replied sarcastically before she turns around—and bumps her head with a tall girl's breast.
She looks from the tip of the tall girl's shoes, a bandage warp seen around her knee, to an elite junior high-school uniform, which was perfectly fit and worn neatly, completing her entire look.
"The hell are you going?!" the tall girl complained as she didn't bent her head down but glancing down at the black haired girl with her snotty face.
"Huh? The heck are you?!" the short girl responded.
"Why are you bumping yourself to me?!" the tall girl said,
"Why are you not looking at me down here, idiot?!" the short girl said to the taller girl.
"Oh…Maki-chan…welcome…" Nozomi said as she looks at the taller girl.
"There you are…" Maki replied before she shoves the short girl away and enters the room.
"Oi! Watch yourself!" Niko complained at her but it was completely ignored...
"I've prepared everything in the auditorium, got a few judges to come in as well—and I'm one of them…"
"Ooh…so, you're claiming that you're a professional musician, huh?" Nozomi asked with an astonished smile.
"Hmmph…I could hear every flaw if you ask me, even if it was in the most similar sound…" Maki replied proudly.
"Where the hell did you get this arrogant brat from...Nozomi?" Niko asked as she keeps checking out the red haired girl,
"Huh? What is this little annoying thing doing here?" Maki responded.
"Shut up, you're no older than me I bet…" Niko replied.
"I'm 14 years old thank you…" Maki said.
"That's younger than me, idiot! I'm just as old as Nozomi and Eli!" Niko said.
"Lies, you're just an eight year old cosplaying as a high-school girl…right?" Maki replied.
"No, idiot, I really am older than that!"
"Lies!" then the two started to argue in front of the council's door.
Eli sighed heavily and coughed to get them to realize that they've been bothering the quietness, yet the two kept going on endlessly, which makes the blonde only sigh again.
"It's kind of reminding me with how we were, Ericchi…" Nozomi replied.
"I think we still constantly do that in some occasion…" Eli sighed.
"Speaking of which, do you want to have some chocolate? I think I could get one if you like—I found someone was selling all kind of snacks in their class…"
Eli blushes slightly to the offer,
"If you have nothing to do, then go on get it…" she said as she turns her eyes away.
"Hmmm….I see a hit of red on your face, are you thinking that it might be something special…Ericchi?"
"You have to get some papers done after you bring the chocolate for me, so you better hurry yourself…" Eli said.
"Eh….? But..aren't I supposed to buy the chocolate if I have nothing to do right now?"
"Just—Go! You have nothing to do right now so go get the chocolate!" Eli said
"Alright-Alright, Ericchi…I'll go get your chocolate…!" Nozomi said as she walks out of the council room, passing through the arguing girls who seem to have forgotten where they are.
Nozomi stopped in the hallway, facing towards the crowd and decorations around the area.
So you really do love chocolate!
Or am I just assuming things?
She talks to herself before she cheerfully walks to where she is supposed to go to.
The café, in a bright noon;
Christopher—the deceased restaurant owner was no longer able to be seen by the living. Though he managed to fill out all his tasks—from explaining to the detective of how the incident happened, then about how they can capture the sneaky culprit, and about how he has to put his biography written on a paper, helped by the detective herself.
It's still a mystery about how he was able to be seen before, unfortunately he has no knowledge of how to control his appearance.
Passing from door to door of each room, watching the café being emptied along with the restaurant makes he feel somewhat sad, but happy at the same time as he knows that he will have to move on from everything he owns in life. He told the detective to sell everything in the cafe and give all the wealth for charity since he knows—that nobody needs it anymore. Then as for his restaurant, he could've just given it to his wife, but he admitted that his relation with his wife isn't that good and he wishes to be able to get around the laws to make his wealth somehow not reach her. So he also told the detective to just sell everything else and close the restaurant for good.
The detective agreed to the idea considering a few things that he stated—from about how his wife helped her cousin to get her hand on his restaurant, and about how the wife pretend that she never knew about the fact that he died.
Even though he didn't know about the café owners whereabouts, or what he exactly feels toward this act, he just believes that what happened will be for the best of everyone else.
An altar to honor the family, the murdered police and him, is built behind the café. There are not many people who came to visit, but at least a few of the police have done the favor.
The detective helped him make the entire incident sound sensible in the ears of the living—knowing that a spiritual story will not do any good. Either way, he knows that there will be nothing left for him to think about.
His soul is in peace—if he may say. He just needs to head to the light after he feels satisfied looking at everything around him, which leads to his memory with the woman he will never see again.
Saying his last goodbye to the world, he turns his gaze to the door that appears brighter than the sunlight. He walks with a sure step, then eventually running to where he should've been after his life. Though when he was about to reach the door that he believed to be the last door he needed to get through—a pale and long slender hands grabs him.
When he turns his sight around—he could see a tall woman-like creature in a black dress. He swears he could see a hint of beauty before her face suddenly distorted into a monstrous mouth with small sharp teeth all over. She opened her huge mouth and in just within a second, she swallowed him.
He didn't get a chance to scream for help, even so, no one will hear him.
Honestly, i get a little hard time keeping the suspense, but i tried lol.
That's it for now, see you next chapter.