“You’re really helpless, A-ya.”
——A memory from my childhood.
Even if I said we were always together, our families were friends, so we had no choice but to play together.
Somehow, I was always bad with A-ya, who I could never understand what he was thinking about.
I think that, ever since he was little, he’d never been good at communicating with people.
“I should say it more like this.”
Since I was a child, I was good at gaining favor with adults and not making enemies, so there was nothing else but to gradually become curious about A-ya’s behaviour.
And at first, I really only began to follow up on A-ya’s behaviour on a bit of a whim.
“A-ya’s just embarrassed, that’s all.”
At the time, I felt that A-ya had no enemies around him, and I as a child had taken the liberty to feel like a hero.
“You’re really helpless, A-ya.”
Without me, A-ya was no good.
The one who saved A-ya, my childhood friend, from the shadows was me.
I felt a strange sense of fulfillment.
A-ya never directly showed any signs of appreciation, but I at that time had accepted it as one of his bad points, hence always believed that I was needed by him, never doubting it.
The helpless A-ya, and I, the hero.
To think that, as a result of my own will, going through life was something this simple.
I had it all so easy. Without thinking, my smiles showed through.
——But, I, who was not a perfect, flawless hero, made a mistake somewhere.
In the sixth year of elementary school, several classmates had come over to my house.
Of course, A-ya was also attending the sleepover.
While helping A-ya participate in the conversations like usual, and enjoying games, among other things, I had thought that the sleepover had gone smoothly without any problems.
A rabbit doll that was like something a girl would own.
The truth was, it was placed beside my bed even now.
Also, to be honest, I still sometimes spoke with it even after all these years, but I no longer went to sleep with it.
Instantly, I thought, “Crap!”
And my bad premonition was impressively spot on, as he began to pretentiously make a fuss about it.
“Uwah! C-ta! Why do you have such a girly thing? You don’t have any sisters, so this is definitely yours, right?!”
I broke into a cold sweat, and tried to somehow search for something to lie to him with.
A blunder! A blunder!! A blunder of a lifetime!!
“……That doll, is mine, so……”
My ears doubted those sudden words that someone said.
Turning in the direction that the voice had come from, A-ya, with his usual expressionless face, was standing there.
“The doll……is mine…so……give it back.”
“My house is nearby, so……the last time I came over, I forgot it……”
“……Hmmmph.”
Having lost interest, the classmate handed the doll to A-ya.
I heaved a sigh of relief, and at the same time was assaulted by a complex feeling.
——Just what was A-ya thinking?!
It could be that, even normally, A-ya had been looking for an opportunity to take revenge on me.
Until now, I had been saving A-ya, and had found my own worth in doing that.
The fact that our roles had reversed was extremely bad!
On that day, because I was so worried about what A-ya would say the next day, I couldn’t sleep.
And on the next day, after our classmates had left, A-ya and I were left by ourselves in my room.
I was completely unable to say anything.
Just what are you thinking?
“……Um……”
The one who spoke up first was A-ya.
And what came next was something I’d never expected.
“……Thanks for everything.”
“……!!”
At those sudden words, I think that I probably made a strange face.
The upper half of my face was surprised, while the lower half was twisted with joy, and my expression soon changed to one entirely of delight.
A-ya really appreciated me after all!
Because he never really showed his emotions, there were times where I’d thought he hadn’t noticed.
——But I was wrong!
…….No, that’s not it.
Rather, it was for his own sake.
That’s right!
From now on, too, I had to keep helping A-ya!
“…………You’re helpless, A-ya.”
I couldn’t take this smile off of my face. I couldn’t keep calm, either.
“……Yeah. I’m sorry about always.”
“Yeah. Ah, that’s right……here.”
“…………I’ll give it to you.”
“That doll…I’ll give it to you……A-ya.”
“Just take it! Okay?”
“…………Okay.”
Having said that, A-ya hugged the doll expressionlessly.
I thought that somehow, that appearance strangely suited him.
And from that day on, as to make sure A-ya would not make any enemies, and so that he’d never have any trouble with human relations, I helped him from behind the scenes.
Time passed, and the two of us entered high school.
During middle school, A-ya had become obsessed with urban legends, ghost stories, and other things that could be classified as the occult, and on top of that, he turned pessimistic.
If you ask me, to do everything too perfectly is, conversely, what will make people become your enemy.
Though, if I were to be in an inferior position by a certain amount, I’d immediately be looked down upon by those in the higher ranks in the class,
I, who paid more attention to that than anything else, and while paying careful attention to A-ya’s behaviour, was subtly led on to a certain degree of balance.
Although A-ya had no friends that he was close with besides me, because I was there for him, he was never isolated.
While those days continued on, I came to gently watch over A-ya.
——But, one day, that changed.
A-ya had brought the most popular girl who was said to be the number one cutest girl in the school, B-ko, to our classroom in the old school building.
“……Hey, B-ko-chan, nice to meet you.”
“Hahah, who doesn’t? Ah, my name’s C-ta. A-ya’s childhood friend.”
Just what had happened?!
Even though I’d learned how to prevent A-ya from becoming too conspicuous, just how had he come into contact with this kind of person?! If I don’t get this girl away from A-ya quickly, then……!
But, contrary to my expectations, another member joined our old school building group, and though we had no clear purpose, we soon began to have activities like those of a club.
——And then, about a month passed.
One day, after school in the old school building.
“……Oh my.”
Basically, I was bad at talking to girls, but she was better than B-ko.
I spoke with my usual smile.
“Ehh, it’s because I wanted to speak with you.”
She grinned and faced my way.
“……Sorry, don’t you mean……with B-ko?”
“……I see. What is it?”
D-ne had become a member of our old school building group because of B-ko’s coming as well. Her main characteristic was her long, black hair, and no matter how you looked at it, she seemed to have a pessimistic personality. She didn’t stand out too much in the class, either, and she gave the impression that she didn’t have any especially good friends, either.
It could be that she naturally had more of a prank-loving personality.
“……I, I think that you and I are quite alike.”
“That’s just on the surface, isn’t it?”
D-ne raised her chin, and continued while shuffling her feet.
“……What are you saying……?”
“D-ne-chan? What are you saying——!”
“——Shut up.”
“… Ufufu, it’s a joke. I think that, despite this, I would like to become friends with you, C-ta-san. You may not have the same intention, but considering the mutual benefits for each other, it’s not something you can’t understand, right?”
……This person.
“……Huh? C-ta.”
There, A-ya and B-ko stood together.
“Is that so?”
D-ne said as she smiled, facing this way.
“…………Ahh, yeah, just small talk.”
I replied, and returned to my usual smile.
After that, several days passed.
It was when I had been heading to the old school building together with A-ya.
D-ne had thought that I was dependent on A-ya. That’s wrong! Totally wrong! A-ya’s the one who depends on me. That’s how it is, right? I was the one who saved A-ya. If I didn’t help him, right now, A-ya would surely be……. Surely be……what? If I weren’t here, what would become of A-ya? Would he be alone in the class? Would nothing change from now? In the first place, was A-ya interested in that sort of thing? No, that’s wrong. At that time, he said “Thank you” to me, didn’t he! A-ya should appreciate me!! That’s right, there’s no mistake in that.
“——……ta? C-ta?”
“……Are you alright? Are you sick?”
“……Is that so?”
A-ya examined me for a bit.
Although he retained his usual, expressionless face, I soon understood.
“……By the way, what happened today?”
“That’s right……! Hey, C-ta, you know about the inexplicable chain of murders that happened in this old school building, right? The truth is, yesterday, I coincidentally found a diary in the old school building that seems to be an important clue! Though, I still haven’t looked at the contents——……”
See. A-ya’s been like this since long ago. Whenever he found anything, he’d come report it to me first.
I’d listen to his stories and express my own opinions.
Though he was always quiet, when he talked about these kinds of things he begin to talk quickly, and the volume of his voice would increase slightly.
That sort of A-ya was the same as usual.
Nothing has changed.
“Hehh, that’s pretty cool!”
“Right? I also talked about it to B-ko, but she didn’t really seem to show any interest. Well then, today, we’ll all investigate this together——”
——What was that?
……He also talked about it to B-ko?
Up until now, even though you’d always come talk to me first, even about the most trivial things?
Wait a second. This way, doesn’t it mean I’m unable to check A-ya to make sure he doesn’t say things he shouldn’t? Why had you done such a selfish thing without my permission? Even moreso, why to B-ko? No, have you still not gotten close to her? In the first place, why do I care? Isn’t this just like what D-ne had said? I……depend on A-ya? It couldn’t be, it’s not like that. It’s not like that……!
I didn’t really remember anything after that. No, I actually did remember, but it was like I was looking objectively at a world that had nothing to do with me. While keeping calm on the surface, I kept thinking of other things. Only my feelings felt completely out of place.
——It was as if, I was reading a novel.
Thinking back to my memories that had lost all feeling, after that, A-ya and I had joined with everyone in the classroom, and began to read the diary. In it, written there were rumors that we’d never heard about until then, and information about the “Bookmark of Demise”, and everyone, not just A-ya, became excited.
And, after some more time had passed.
Before I realized it, I was inside of my house.
And, while, thinking of that doll for some reason, fell asleep without realizing it——.
About a week after that.
While toying around with my cell phone, I spent a while just silently thinking about things, until I heard the sound of the door opening.
B-ko confirmed that it was me, and glared this way.
I replied with my usual, idiotic grin.
“…Can’t you do something about that childhood friend of yours?”
“Ahh, that rumor? Isn’t it a masterpiece? As usual, it’s the best.”
Just as B-ko moved closer towards me, the sound of the classroom’s door opening was heard.
——It was A-ya.
“……What’re you talking about?”
B-ko approached A-ya while glaring at him.
“Look, don’t call smoke where there’s no fire. I only meant it as a little prank.”
“If someone happened to see you right now, won’t they think you’re an impostor?”
“——But, I think it’s wonderful that B-ko-chan has that dual nature.”
“Dual nature……You’re saying it like I have a split personality.”
With a smile that seemed like it was only decorative, D-ne said those absurd words.
Having thought that, I had been, without thinking about it, laughing inside at how much this person called D-ne pretended to be a kind person on the exterior.
“Oh, shut up.”
I continued to talk to B-ko as if mocking her.
“That’s right, and it matches our activities so perfectly, too.”
“Club activities … Can we really even call it that?”
——Certainly, it wasn’t anything big.
Before this, we’d only get together about once a week, sometimes not even meeting at all, but lately, we’d been getting together almost every single day as if someone were gathering us together in the old school building.
At that time, only A-ya, B-ko and I were there, and though it felt like we were just “trying it out”, as soon as we started we were hit by a sensation as if a cold bar had been stuck up our spines, and amidst our fear, we ended it halfway.
Today, all the members in the old school building were gathered.
A-ya suddenly spoke up.
“It might just be my imagination, though, but it might actually be a supernatural phenomenon.”
B-ko stood up, and adjusted her chair so that she was sitting facing towards A-ya.
“Are you sure……it’s not just your family?”
“Then, is it like someone’s watching from outside or something?”
……Hmm…”
“If it was ‘Mearry-san’, you’d be getting phone calls, right?”
“Yeah……”
“There’s something else that’s also been on my mind.”
“The other day, we did Kokkuri-san, didn’t we? The three of us, B-ko, C-ta, and I …”
“——The following day, I started to feel someone’s gaze on me……That’s why, perhaps this has something to do with the “Bookmark of Demise, is what I’ve been thinking……”
“……”
“……”
——He can feel a gaze……huh.
But, that was——……
“……Anyway, the last attempt at ‘Kokkuri-san’ failed.”
“Failed……?”
“……It’s true that we didn’t do as it said in the rules……but……”
Although I anticipated his next words, all I thought was, “It’s quite like A-ya.”
“……Let’s do it one more time.”
Thus, we began the ritual of “Kokkuri-san” in order to obtain the “Bookmark of Demise”, as was written in the diary.
“……Okay then, was A-ya’s dinner last night made of meat?”
“… It’s the only thing I could think of on the spot.”
“……It says “yes”……What did you eat?”
“Hamburger, huh~ the hamburger steaks at A-ya’s place are really great, I want to eat them again…”
We continued to proceed with Kokkuri-san in that manner, until we finally approached the final stage.
“Next is……C-ta, huh. Hmm, I wonder what kind of question would be good?”
I said while looking at A-ya.
“Eh?”
“……Ah, it moved.”
“C-ta, what is the meaning of……?”
“…………”
“…….It was a rabbit.”
“……Right?”
——…………”Right”?
Wait a second, A-ya. It’s a very important doll to you, right?
A-ya couldn’t have, he couldn’t have, before I noticed…….
——BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!
””“”——”“”“
Suddenly, the old cathode-ray tube television that was set up in the old school building began to light up while spouting noise.
“What?”
“……It couldn’t be…!”
「——A game with a single traitor, a “fox”, has begun.」
The robotic voice resounded inside the room.
It was as if unpleasant noise had been poured directly into my brain.
『If you wish to escape, pay attention to the following conditions, and seek the end.
—Now, the beginning of a fun Demise Game will begin.』
・To reach the end of the game, the “fox” must be killed.
・While searching for the “fox”, Kokkuri-san’s demands must be met.
・You will be given one week to fulfill Kokkuri-san’s demands.
・If the demands are shown to someone outside of the game, that person will die.
・Until the end of the game is reached, you absolutely cannot escape.
The indifferently said words whose meaning I didn’t really understand began to agitate my brain.
Game? Traitor? Fox?
Just what was that being said earlier……?
I wanted to just laugh it off as a poor joke, but this absolute fear told me, told everyone, that it was no trivial matter.
“…………h”
——BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!
When the voice finally faded out, the intense noise came again.
The man’s face that was displayed on the screen was twisted as if it were something not of this world, and switched between a laughing, troubled, crying and angry expression.
——And then, incoming silence.
“……What was that……j-just now……?”
“……”Fox?” A “traitor”……?”
“…………”
We all fell silent at the same time, and looked at each other.
After that, for quite a long time……though in reality, it might not even have been one minute……the silence continued on. And prompted by someone’s suggestion of “……Anyway, let’s go home for today……”, we left the school.
Eventually, I went home together with A-ya, but neither of us said a word.
Soon, the same old familiar screen came up.
——On it, the figure of A-ya, who I had just split up with, was displayed.
At first, it had half been intended as a joke.
This so-called interest of examining people’s lifestyles had persisted for A-ya’s sake, and had escalated from there.
Among the things I had discovered in his house, there was nothing suspicious.
That’s exactly right! It’s because I’m A-ya’s one and only best friend!
With that kind of feeling in mind, I prepared my hidden camera and recording device, and began to monitor A-ya.
“Can feel a gaze……huh.”
When A-ya returned to his room, he sat beside his bed in a fetal position, hugging his knees, and crept into the futon while shivering. But no matter how many times he came out of the futon to check his surroundings, he repeatedly turned the TV on and off.
While watching A-ya do those things, I whispered to myself, and somehow managed to remain calm.
“You’re really just……so helpless, A-ya.”
“It couldn’t be, there’s no way it really……”
That’s right, if I thought calmly about it, there should be no way this would really happen.
I have to do this right, because I’m the only one who can save A-ya.
……Although, my mental fatigue seemed to be reaching its peak.
I turned off my PC’s power, and deciding to get in my bed, stood up from my chair.
——When I turned around——…
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
On top of my bed was an object I’d never seen.
The goosebumps on my skin told me:
What do you mean by this?! What do you mean by this?!!
That that kind of thing existed, that kind of thing……!
It’s scary! Scary! What should I do! What should I do?! What am I supposed to do?!
My heart’s beating increased in tempo.
Firstly, I have to get rid of this…….
In the meantime, I stowed it away in my bag, and just like A-ya had done earlier, tucked myself under the futon and closed my eyes while hugging my knees. I noticed an incoming call on my cell phone, but I ignored it and fell asleep.
And on the next day, after I had confirmed that A-ya had left his house, I headed off for school again today.
Besides, I didn’t know whether or not I’d really die after receiving the book.
As expected, I wasn’t brave enough to ask the other members about the Book of Demise, but I wonder if I would be able to ask about how I should act in response to it, is what I thought.
I(1) passed through the school gates, and when I drew near where the shoe lockers were located, A-ya was there, being talked to by a classmate.
“He~y, A-ya!”
“——Hm? What’s that?”
I immediately knew that it was “that letter”.
The classmate picked up that letter and spoke.
“……Ah, oi.”
“Cut it out……”
“Aw, come on, just let me take a little peek, okay? Please?”
……Wait, A-ya, it can’t……it can’t be.
A-ya certainly had a subservient personality, but in reality, he was timid to the point where he couldn’t kill even a bug, not to mention he was kind; if he so much as hurt someone, he would hurt himself…that was the sort of personality he had…….
So it couldn’t be, you wouldn’t say those kinds of things, right?
“……I guess it can’t be helped……Don’t tell anyone else, okay?”
——A-yaa!!
I suppressed my voice which nearly came out without thinking, and I hid myself in the shadows of the shoe lockers.
What would become of him, who had seen the letter? If, if that was somehow real——!!
“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
“——Ah!”
That classmate handed the letter to A-ya, and while mumbling incoherently, staggered down the hall, as if all his will to live had been lost.
“……H-hey……”
——And then, that incident occurred during lunch break.
——As I thought, as I thought, that “letter” and this “book” and even this bookmarkk!
It was true……it was really true!!
Except for a group of students who had been selected for questioning, all students in the school were ordered to return home, but, just like yesterday, my legs carried me to the old school building.
In the usual classroom, the same faces from yesterday had gathered.
“——Hey, who told him? ——Who’s the traitor?!”
No, if it were so, a letter shouldn’t have been sent to A-ya…….
What if it was an act to convince all of us to believe that the Bookmark of Demise was real?!
I don’t get it, A-ya! I don’t get it!!
“I heard that recently, B-ko’s impostor seemed to have appeared.”
What if, A-ya had already become an impostor?
I have to make sure I have to make sure I have to make sure!
……Eventually, we realized again that we were unable to do anything about our present situation, and we were led to the conclusion that, for today, we should return home at once.
There were two reasons.
And, as well, I was scared of being together with A-ya.
I returned to the actual school building.
From outside, the voices of people having to do with the police, and those of reporters, could be heard.
Walking up the stairs at a brisk pace, I headed to my own class.
But there, I sensed a feeling of unease.
——I realized that my bag felt light.
The massive feeling from just now had suddenly disappeared somewhere.
In the corner of the hallway, I gingerly opened my bag, and what should have been there was gone, and something that shouldn’t have been there was now present.
——The book had disappeared, and in its place, a single “letter” was there.
“……Ah!!”
Without thinking, I dropped my bag.
A second copy?! No, could it be that…….
……So, after all, A-ya was——!!
[T/N:(1) In the novel, this sentence is written in third person perspective, but it might only have been a typo, so I changed it to first person…]
From that day on, I began to monitor A-ya.
For 24 hours, without even sleeping, just earnestly monitoring A-ya.
But, even after a day had passed, even after two days had passed, A-ya made no moves.
It reached a point where I went to A-ya’s house, because he remained so spaced out and unmoving in his room that I’d thought that the video had malfunctioned.
……Is A-ya the traitor?
……Had A-ya already turned into an imposter?
Because I still couldn’t find the answer, I felt myself growing more and more edgy with each passing day.
Innocently continuing to stare at the display, just as I thought it distorted slightly, suddenly, noise could be heard.
“Good evening. This is a special broadcast. We will be announcing the victims thus far.”
“The person who looked at his phone as he walked today.”
“The person who felt accomplished after walking 10,000 steps.”
“The person who peeked into another person’s letter.”
“Moving on, we will be listing tomorrow’s victims.”
“The person who ignored the demands made.”
“The person who skipped school and played all alone.”
“——The person who is turning pale at this very moment.”
“Tomorrow’s victims are these people. We pray for your happiness in the next world. ……Good night.”
The announcer’s monotone voice echoed around the small room.
I felt myself grow cold, as if my spine had been frozen.
——We’ll be killed in the end……!!
No no no no no no no no no no no no noooo!!
“To reach the end of the game, the “fox” must be killed.”
I remembered the announcer’s voice that I’d heard in the old school building.
Whether A-ya is the traitor, or whether I was wrong, I just have to confirm that.
I’m the only one who can save A-ya.
I have to kill the “fox”, and save A-ya……!!