Chapter 5 Chapter 5 The Shadow of the Event
— Unlucky this month.
I think so.This June is a month where things don't go your way.So all the boring things happen, all the annoying thoughts.
——Stay honestly until the summer vacation.
Even without these things, Wataru hated this June the most in a year.Wet and raining.Sometimes the temperature drops suddenly and the nose keeps running, but at night it makes people sweat profusely.I can't figure out whether to wear long sleeves or short sleeves. The shirts and trousers I like don't dry out once they are washed.I don't understand why my mother doesn't buy a clothes dryer?When I bought this new washing machine, the owner of the home appliance store tried hard to sell it, saying that if I bought it as a package, I would give it a cheap price.What do you say "it's not necessary for my house to face south", the sun doesn't come out, and the drying things just can't be done, and I think it's shabby to dry clothes at home, I don't like it.
On this point, it can be said that "father and son are of the same heart", and San Guming also thinks so.When Bangzi was drying clothes all over the room, he would show his displeasure and grumble like a child, "What's going on here?"
"Wouldn't it be nice to buy a clothes dryer?"
He also made the same suggestion as Gen.However, Bangzi did not accept it.
"That's too extravagant. The so-called plum rain doesn't mean that the sun doesn't come out for a whole week or ten days."
If it continues to rain, this kind of small quarrel-like confrontation will happen in Mitani's house with the frequency of greetings in the morning and evening.Other than that, however, it was largely uneventful, and June passed quietly—and wetly.Gen thought, it's better to be obedient, so he shrank his neck like a little turtle and became more honest.
The rumors of the ghost building are also completely inaudible. Maybe there is a reason why I have not paid attention to it.Everyone is used to it.Since then, I have never seen anyone from the Dasong family, and Ake also said that he has never seen anyone from their family.Work is still there.
Mitsuru Ashikawa proved that she is also a top student not only in school, but also in the "Spring Together Study Club".The cram school conducts an ability test every two months. The teacher in charge of teaching, Ishii, and the person in charge of the cram school said that it is "to grasp the progress of everyone's academic ability."Ashikawa easily surpassed Yutaro Miyahara and was far ahead.It is said that his grades are not only the best among fifth-grade tutoring students this year, but also absolutely leading in the previous ones.
Whether in cram school or school, Gen took care not to meet Lu Chuan face to face every day, and the slightly archaic saying is "meeting by chance".Forget about being unilaterally humiliated like that.That's not an all-out fight.Gen is going all out, but Lu Chuan just shakes Gen with the tip of his sword.Because of this, Wataru was not only injured at the time, but every time he thought about it afterwards, he felt that the injury was deeper.It's good to avoid it.
In the middle of June, fortunately, there is a happy goal that is more worth remembering than Luchuan and the ghost mansion.It's nothing else, it's the plan to spend the whole August at my hometown in Chiba.
In the summer vacation so far, it has become a custom to go to Grandma Chiba to spend a happy vacation from the end of July to the first week of August—the most suitable season for sea bathing.On the one hand, San Guming can't take vacations, and Kuniko can't leave the house empty while her husband is working, so at this time, only Gen lives at grandma's house.Wataru has been used to this arrangement since kindergarten.He never cried because he was homesick and wanted to see his mother. Even Uncle "Lu" assured him: "Geng is a child of the sea."
For this reason, this year I finally stopped being stingy and only went for a week or ten days, and planned to spend the entire August in Chiba.Of course, since you stay for so long, you can't just play like a tourist.Grandma's shop, the small shop by the sea, and Uncle "Lu"'s work, I have to help as much as possible.
"If you can really work, you will be paid accordingly." Uncle "Lu" said.I am very excited about this, the word "salary" is great!
After Romancing Singleton Saga 3, probably in mid-November, there will be a very interesting video game called Bionic Lord.Although it's not an RPG, it's an action game, but judging from the information provided by the magazine, this sci-fi story is complicated, full of suspense, and the protagonist is very handsome.Its scheduled price is 7200 yen, two-disc CD.
When I first saw it in a magazine, I thought I had no choice but to give up. It was less than two months before "Saga 3", and it was absolutely impossible to raise 7,200 yen. There was no way.
If it was Ake, there might be a way.If there are two months, pocket money can be planned.The uncles and aunts of the Xiaocun family were busy with business and could not take care of Ake, so they were more considerate than the Sangu family in terms of pocket money.Uncles and aunts will not strictly censor the content of the game.
There's one fundamentally big snag, though — Ake doesn't like action games.He is RPG life. ""Bionic Lord"?" What is it?Oh?The protagonist is a cyborg?Beat the aliens who invaded the earth, and rescued the residents who were imprisoned in the space colony?Gen desperately bragged to him about the fun of the game, but Ake didn't hear it, and then asked:
"Then, don't you use magic?"
As soon as he answered "no use", it was useless at that time.Because for Ake, a game without magic is like sushi without prunes, meaningless.
In other words, asking Katsumi Komura to buy "Lord Bionic", and then borrow it to play or just play it-this strategy will not work from the beginning.
Woohoo, I need money!Really feel this.At this moment, the words of Uncle "Lu" came.Want to be here all August?If you work hard, you will be paid!
I can work!Of course I can work!
Gen tried desperately to convince his parents.Sanguming and Kuniko were quite resistant to their son leaving home for a whole month at the beginning, and half a month at most would be fine.However, thirty days?That's kinda...
"If you stay with grandma Chiba all the time, you can just play and not do your homework, that's no good." Bangzi objected.
"I finished my homework in July. It's just the exercise book. I can write the rest of the diary and composition in Chiba."
"What about the morning glory observation?"
"That can be done in Chiba. Mom, didn't you say that if you put potted morning glory on your roof, bugs will come, and it's annoying?"
Bangzi murmured "ohhh".She really hates bugs.Bugs will crawl from the vines onto the laundry.Every summer, whenever the morning glories were planted due to Gen's homework, something would happen on the rooftop that Kuni would exclaim, and he would lose face nearby, and there was nothing he could do.
On the other hand, Akira Mitani was more difficult to deal with.
"Even if it's with relatives, it's too early to work part-time. I'm a primary school student, and I can't do it until I enter junior high school."
"But Uncle 'Lu' said it's okay."
"That's Uncle's idea, Dad's different. You're still a kid and you can't work for money."
There is simply no way to talk about it.No matter what you say, or how you say it, the answer is the same.You are still early.Gen felt that his eyes were pitch black.Every day, he racked his brains to think about how to change his father's mind, and what reasons he should use to convince him, so that he was not at ease at night.
And yet—that's how it is.
"Wen, you can spend your summer vacation with grandma and Uncle Wu."
On the last Sunday in June, at the late breakfast table, Akira Sangu suddenly said these words.Ming read the newspaper, and suddenly said it as if nothing had happened. Rather than saying it was a conclusion to a matter that had been discussed for a long time and asked for countless times, it was as easy as "taking some salt".Gen couldn't believe it all at once, thinking that he had fallen asleep, and turned to look at Bangzi's face.Mom was also taken aback.
"Husband—is that okay?" Bangzi asked with a smile, "Let Gen go to Chiba for the whole of August?"
"No problem." Ming flipped through the newspaper, "Or, you might as well take a trip."
"That's not okay," Bangzi laughed, "Leave you here, I'll go bathing in the sea alone, hey!" She nodded to Gen.
"It's nothing." Ming said without raising his eyes from the newspaper, "Usually, it's always impossible to get in touch with each other, making it look like a mother-child family? I also look like a lonely family."
There seems to be a little "content" in this statement.Gen really felt this.Last Saturday, Dad went to work on his day off. He was out all day and came back very late. Maybe something went wrong, maybe he was really tired, so he was in a bad mood.
"That's why we spend more time together during the summer vacation, right?"
Bangzi smiled at Gen.This time, "Help me" was clearly written on her face, "Captain Ming has entered a bad mood mode, Second Class Gen."
However, Gen is very difficult.Dad's promise is what he could only wish for.This time it was finally delivered to your door, but you have to stand on the side of your mother and refuse it?
"Besides, if you go to Chiba for the whole of August, you won't be able to see Odawara's grandparents." Kuniko said, stood up, and brought a coffee pot, "The two of them will be lonely. How pitiful."
Ming is silent.Not only that, but he held up the newspaper to cover his face.Bangzi said this and that again.But Ming is only vague.The atmosphere at the dinner table also became dignified.
In the end, although it was achieved bit by bit, Wataru was allowed to go to Chiba for a month during the summer vacation.
In order to spend an efficient and happy month in Chiba, most of the homework must be done in July when I am in Tokyo.At this point, it belongs to a well-arranged character.He made a plan. For about ten days in July, no matter how strong the temptation was, he would get up at the time of radio gymnastics. Except for swimming lessons twice a week, he would just stay at home and do his homework.Thinking of these, Wataru became very excited.In the past, this was the most annoying June, and it was also the core of the hate - the dripping rain and the stuffy heat, as well as the blocked nostrils after getting cold at night; but this year, I didn't feel bitter about the gloomy rainy season.On the damp air and overcast skies, the summer of endless fun is waiting for the time to come out.
"Are you in a good mood recently?"
Asked by Ake in this way, Gen revealed the secret of happiness, and the envy was clearly written on Ake's face.
"That's great, if only I could go and play."
"May I ask Uncle 'Lu' for you?"
Wat would be happier if Ake went with him.
"Uncle, he must say OK."
"Oh..." Ake rarely showed a slightly hesitant expression, "However, I still have to help the shop."
"What about the Obon holiday?"
"At that time, our family went on a trip. Because my parents seldom rest, the whole family travel is a must."
"Are you so filial?"
"—what do you say?"
As they spoke, the two laughed.
The days go on like this, and at the end of June, if you turn over another calendar, you will enter the long-awaited July—this is the afternoon of such a day.
Because he had to attend a cram school that day, he hurried back home.He wanted to stuff some food into his belly and go out.
At this time, he saw beautiful women's shoes in the hallway, and there was a voice in the living room, it was a woman's voice.
Peeking quietly, it was my mother's friend, the wife of the president of the real estate company.There was the scent of cologne.
"Yo, you're back." Bangzi spotted Gen and greeted him.The president's wife also looked back.Today, Heng doesn't want to make a mistake and let the upcoming trip to Chiba fail, so he took care of his mother's face and said hello like a good child.
Maybe it's satisfying, mother quickly prepared the snacks, and allowed Gen to eat them in her room instead of in front of the guests.The dim sum is a luxurious high point, like a hill of fruit piles.
"It's from Madam Saeki, you have to thank Auntie."
Mother handed over the tray, smiled like the president's wife, and said.By the way, the company of the president's wife is called "Saeki Real Estate".
When the mother and queen, Kuniko's friends come to visit, Wat has to sit at the same table. While drinking tea, he accepts all kinds of questions: school, friends, etc. These are all very boring things. law.It was easily exempted today, which made Gen feel relieved, but then he felt strange for no reason.Why enjoy such treatment beyond the law?Kuniko and President Saeki's wife continued to chat, chirping.twitter.
The answer is very clear.They don't want Gen to hear their conversation.So what to do?Needless to say, eavesdrop.He grabbed the pastry with his hands and ate it, while leaning close to the door, listening attentively.
"—Then what are the police going to do?" Bangzi asked in a low voice.
Gen licked his finger sticky with cream, his eyes widened.
"Of course we're looking for criminals. We probably have a target."
"Must be perverted. Maybe he's done the same thing before."
"That's also possible... I heard it might be a bad gang."
"Bad gangs—high school students? Couldn't they be junior high school students? You can really do it. Can't you even drive a car?"
"That's right. There's been a lot of kids going to high school and then dropping out and hanging around the house these days, these guys get together..."
"There's going to be a problem. Well, it's not just a problem. It's a crime."
"So you're talking about organizing a security team. Like yours, my family has boys, but those families with girls are troubled and trembling."
"That's very natural. It's really pitiful," the president's wife sighed, "The Dasong family also..."
Gen just put the cherry on top of the cake into his mouth, and swallowed the pip in surprise.
Big pine?Is it Mr. Dasong, the owner of Dasong Building?That's right.It was Mrs. Saeki who told the details of the Omatsu Building under construction.
"Is it a junior high school student—his daughter?"
"Yes. But Dasong's family didn't call the police immediately after the incident. After this incident. That's why—maybe the criminals who robbed the young lady were the same group. That's why they told it, and the police are also inquiring everywhere. "
"Although I understand their feelings, it would be better if they called the police earlier."
"Well, I heard that Miss Omatsu's family can't speak because of the blow of the incident. How should I put it, there must be something wrong with her brain."
hit?Bangzi was silent.And Gen, who was sticking to the inside of the door, was shocked by the bigger impact and stood still.His face was as pale as cream stuck to his face.
The junior high school daughter of the Dasong family.
Can't speak.
Out of my mind.
It's Kaori.It will not be anyone else.
She has a pair of breathtakingly beautiful but empty eyes, and she sits in a wheelchair pushed by her brother.Like an unfinished doll.The slender neck swayed.
Kaori——said she became like that, the result of an "accident", said it was an incident related to perverts or bad gangs, and said that the police were dispatched.
Mrs. Saeki said just now that she "robbed Miss"?Who was Kaori kidnapped?Was she kidnapped and damaged like that?
The stomach sac shrunk to the size of a fist, "swiped" and fell to the ground, falling to the knees before stopping.Couldn't eat more than one bite of the cake.
Although Gen's age has not reached the entrance of puberty, the entrance can be seen from the foothold.Moreover, the entrance to adolescence has neither doors nor barriers.It used to exist, but with the progress of the times, it was gradually dismantled.Therefore, it is far enough to fully peek into the inside, because the entrance and the things inside are extraordinarily gorgeous, and what he already knows is twice as much as what his parents guessed he might have learned.
Therefore, it can be inferred why Omatsu Kaori was damaged and how it was damaged.What's the deal with girls.Because it is speculation, the details will be different—maybe there are considerable differences, but overall, it is a terrible, ominous, and dirty thing, so intuitive understanding is not bad.
It's time for cram school.Wataru had to put the tray in the kitchen, say goodbye and go out.However, I don't know what expression to make.Mom, I know that girl.I know Kaori.I've seen her, and to be honest, I've always missed her because she's so cute, just like the fairy Nina.
Just thinking about it makes me almost cry.
Gen slipped out of the room like a ninja, got rid of the whispered conversation between his mother and the president's wife, and ran towards the cram school with the support of an indescribable force.Passers-by may be surprised; why is the boy so angry?
During the whole time in the cram school that day, even if he was sitting quietly in the chair—the teacher was explaining to Wataru what he did wrong in the arithmetic problems in his homework, or Miyahara Yutaro was admiringly studying hard as usual—Wataru I feel like I'm running all by myself, I don't know where I'm going or why I'm running, I just run and run.Just like that hero, he firmly believes that as long as he runs, there is a monster waiting at the destination ahead, and he must defeat it.
However, in reality, he was at a loss and didn't know where to go.So he is alone.
The cram school is over, it's past eight o'clock in the evening.I usually feel very hungry, but today I don’t feel like I haven’t eaten, it’s just that my stomach feels empty.He didn't chat with his friends, he hurriedly packed up his reference books and notebooks, and walked back home silently.
Walking and walking, I want to go to Dasong Building for no reason, and I always feel that I can see Kaori when I go.The first encounter was at a much later time, in the middle of the night.So at this time, she probably won't be there.Moreover, it is still unknown whether the Dasong Building, which is under construction, is included in Kaori's usual walking route.Maybe it happened that when President Omatsu took his daughter out for a walk that night, he stopped by to take a look at the situation of the half-built building.
Even though he was thinking ideally, he was already walking towards the Dasong Building.There was no chance of being stopped by Ming when I walked to the gate of the apartment building tonight.Go straight to Dasong Building with a clear goal.Luckily it stopped raining tonight.
It was about half a month ago that Ake met the president of Dasong. At that time, the president of Dasong was with the person in gray work clothes.However, there was no news that the building was going to be reopened afterwards. The thin frame of the Dasong Building was covered with tarpaulins. Although it was approaching summer, it stood there a bit cold.
It was empty, as expected.Every day when I pass by on the way to and from school, there are still people walking around, but after all, this place is close to the shrine, surrounded by houses, and there are no shops and self-service malls at a glance, and it becomes quiet at night.
Gen stood under the street lamp and looked up at the Dasong Building.The thick ropes that bind the tarps together have absorbed the rain of the past few days and hang like dead earthworms.It's over there, and it's over here.Count and watch.
If the project is in progress, an extra-thick tarpaulin will be covered at the entrance and exit. Only this tarpaulin is fastened with a large padlock instead of a rope. Before finding the construction unit that continues to start, the padlock will be closed. The key must be kept by President Omatsu.When they met here last time, maybe before Wat and Ake arrived, they had already opened the padlock and were checking the situation inside the building.
Trying to peek through the gaps between the tarps, barely visible rebar and something like steps, kind of musty.
Gen's eyes fell on the digital display of the watch.8:19:32 p.m. …
Why did President Omatsu take Kaori out for a walk at such a late hour?Can't this place be viewed during the day?Why in the middle of the night——
Is it because Kaori's miserable condition is fully exposed under the bright sunlight if she goes out during the day, is it unbearable?Was it Kaori herself who hated going out during the day?No, maybe she wasn't afraid of the sun, but of strangers on the street.Make her think of the guy who hurt her?Or, was it reminding her that people weren't reaching out?
In order to clear up the ensuing heavy doubts, Wataru wanted to know the details of the incident.But on the other hand, he didn't want to know what was going on.
In Wataru's eyes, this building, which was suspended halfway due to a series of bad luck, overlapped with Omatsu Kaori, which was really helpless.Standing here because of an unreasonable fate, it was left idly aside and weakened bit by bit. This is not only the case with buildings, isn't it also the case with Kaori's soul? ——Heng couldn't let go of this.
Because his heart was filled with sorrow and anger, Heng's eyes couldn't see reality, and couldn't perceive what was in front of him.
And when he came back to his senses, everything just now was like a phantom.Isn't it, if there is something that shouldn't be there, even if it's just a fifth grader, it's a dream, an illusion, it's not real...
The padlocked tarp was gently pushed away from the inside.
see a hand.
His eyes wide open, he stared blankly at that hand.It's moving.
Unusually white hands.But it wasn't a woman's hand, it was wrinkled and dry, like Odawara's grandfather's hand.
That hand raised the tarpaulin, and the gap widened, and someone was watching Wataru from the gap.
"Wow!"
The sound of belated surprise turned into a voice and blurted out.While yelling, the hand that raised the tarpaulin retracted, and the gap closed.The padlock wobbled.
Someone is in the building.
Gen suddenly bent down and grabbed the lower edge of the tarpaulin. Although the tarpaulin was unexpectedly heavy, he lifted his hands up, and there was a gap of about 30 centimeters.He slid in through the gap, and the wet dust stuck to his cheeks and jaw due to his body drilling so hard, but he didn't care.
Kneeling on the tarpaulin, he found that it seemed particularly dark at this moment.Light from street lamps filtered in faintly from where the tarps met.As far as the light is concerned, that's all.The concrete foundation, steel pillars, and the steps near the right all appear as a dark mass because of this weak light source.
There was a voice.on the right.Gen suddenly turned his face to that side.
The top of the steps—from the first floor to the second floor, from the second floor to the third floor, from the third floor to the fourth floor—turns up through the turning platform. It seems that only the turning platform from the third floor to the fourth floor is set up, and there is no going up.Check it carefully, it is indeed gone.dangling.
I saw a figure walking up the stairs.
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