Chapter 9: Souta Shibuya Goes Out to Town
<Souta Shibuya’s Perspective>
ーーAfter school.
Touru: “Let’s go out and have some fun, Souta!”
Being invited by my friend, Touru, we came down to Shinjuku.
Touru: “Hey hey, would you like to go karaoke’ing with us?”
“..........” (ignore)
Touru hits on a woman who’s probably a college student, and she completely ignores him.
Ack, he said we’ll go “have some fun,” but I guess he meant hitting on girls.
I wish he would realize that it’s fun just hanging out with the two of us…..
I sighed as Touru went after the 10th girl that day in complete futility.
Looks like there won’t be anything for him today.
I didn’t join him in his efforts and sipped my coke slowly and watched.
Touru: “ACK! It’s no use. Today’s just a bad day.”
Touru came back.
He was laughing cheerily, and he showed no signs of the failures affecting him in any way.
Touru simply enjoys asking out the girls itself and whether they agree or not is just secondary.
Souta: “Then let’s wrap it up here and go find something else to do.”
I was getting bored of people watching and suggested it to Touru.
Touru: “Hmmmm, but since that [girl] isn’t around, this is your chance…..”
Souta: “Hm? What?”
Touru: “Oh, nothing. Just speaking to myself.”
Souta: “?”
I don’t get him sometimes.
But I guess I shouldn’t worry about that either.
Souta: “Then let’s go to a Karaoke…..”
But as I made the suggestion…
Touru: “Sorry, Souta. Looks like I have <WORK> to do.”
Touru’s relaxed smile disappeared and his expression changed.
His voice was hard and eyes narrow.
…….ohhhh, the usual, huh.
Souta: “Touru, which person is it?”
Touru: “The girl who just crossed the crosswalk and is heading this way. She’s wearing a red shirt and a black skirt.”
I made sure to not make eye contact by trying to catch her in my peripheral vision.
She seems to be the same age as us.
She looks bored as she looks at her phone and swung around an expensive looking purse.
She looks like a cheerful girl with dyed brown hair which reminded me of Yukina, but she wore lots of jewelry and makeup that differed from Yukina as well.
She’s a pretty girl that seems used to the night life of the city.
Souta: “Touru, that girl….?”
Touru: “Yeah, she has a [sign of death] showing around her.”
Souta: “Do we follow her?”
Touru: “Yeah, just in case.”
Souta: “Roger that.”
Touru is a Pastor-in-Training of the [True Sun Church] and has the ability to see when a person is in danger of dying.
I can’t really understand what he sees or how he sees these things.
But Touru has never been wrong. When he sees the signs, there is death waiting in that person’s path.
I’ve been to too many incidents with Touru, and I was there in person when it happened, so I have very little doubt now.
But according to Touru, he doesn’t even know what kind of death awaits them……
The girl doesn’t seem to have a destination in mind and is just walking.
Her steps are firm, and she doesn’t look sick to me.
Is there going to be some kind of accident?
I’m reminded of when Yukina was hit by a car.
If it’s a traffic accident, I’m determined to save her.
As I was secretly hardening my resolve, the girl suddenly walks down a dimly lit back alley way.
In that area, there are more lively bars and clubs during the nights.
But before the evening, there’s not many people walking that way.
It was then….
“Erika…...I was waiting for you.”
“YーYou?! Why are you here?”
“I”ve been looking for you…….for a long time now….”
“.......hey, you’re grossing me out.”
Before the girl, a large man appeared.
He looked like he could be in his 20s.
Touru: “Souta…….”
Souta: “Yeah, looks dangerous.”
The two looked like they knew each other, but their relationship didn’t look that well.
“Why won’t you answer my calls?! You completely ignore me on Line and my texts!”
“ThーThat’s my business! I don’t really know you anyway!”
“What do you mean?! I’ve bought whatever you want! Weren’t we going to live together?!”
“ThーThat’s because I got busy with school and……”
“You liar! I know you’re seeing other men…….I heard that from your friends……”
“WhーWhat are you talking about? I really was busy……”
“Then, let me check your phone. If there’s no proof, I’ll believe you.”
“Whー?! NO!”
“What?!”
“I told you that we were done, right?! Why do I have to show you my phone!”
“I knew it….there’s another guy……”
“I told you, there’s not!”
“How can I believe you?!”
The two continue to scream at one another.
Souta: (Hmmmmm….looks like a messy relationship…..)
This isn’t something a bystander can just butt-in about….
Souta: “Hey, Touru. What should we do…..?”
I was going to suggest exiting the scene and wanted his take, but blood was draining from his face as he turned pale.
Touru: “This isn’t good……..that guy, he’s turning into an Evil Ogre…..”
Souta: “What……?”
I didn’t recognize the specialized lingo he was using.
Evil what?
Touru sometimes uses terms that he learned during his Pastor-in-Training, but I don’t know what it means.
I guess I could ask later.
“Just let me see your phone! Can’t you see that I’m holding this!”
“Hey!”
Crap, he took out a knife.
This is really bad.
Is this the cause of death?!
Souta: “Touru! I’ll stop him! Go contact the police!”
Touru: “HーHey! Souta! An [Evil Ogre] is dangerous! Even if it’s you……”
I ignore Touru’s warnings, and get into between the man and woman.
Souta: “Hey, you two. Don’t you think a knife is going too far?”
“Who are you?”
Souta: “WhーWho….?”
I try not to trigger the man and speak softly.
“Shut up! You! Are you Erika’s man?! If you’re going to get in the way, I’ll kill you!”
The man readies a large kitchen knife.
Every time the man yells, the girl behind me flinches.
Ugh……..I wish he would calm down….
Looking closely, the man’s eyes are not focused.
His expression is strange as well.
Is he a drug addict?
Souta: “Miss, I suggest that you run away.”
I try to suggest it kindly to the lady behind me.
“IーI can’t……..my legs…….won’t move……..”
Looks like she crumpled to the ground after seeing the knife and is unable to get back up.
This isn’t looking good….
“DIEー!”
The man readies the knife in front of his chest and charges.
Wait, wait. Aren’t you too simple-minded?
Souta: (sigh……………)
I let out a deep sigh as I turned my right shoulder towards him in a ready stance.
Before me is the man with the knife.
ーー[Ancient Arts] <Parry>
I move my body out of the knife’s path.
Before my eyes, a thick knife cuts through the air.
ーー[Ancient Arts] <Disarm>
I slam my arm down hard and chop the man’s wrist.
The man lets out a short grunt of pain and drops the knife.
I pick up the knife quietly.
<<<<>>>>
CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation)
Sign of Death, “shisou” (死相) - A fortune telling like sign that shows up on a person when there is imminent death heading their way. Sometimes, it would be a person with a ghastly expression that look like they’re on the verge of death, and other times, fortune tellers and psychics will tell you that you have “signs of death” written all over your face, and to pay them money so you can learn how to avoid it. Wiki says it’s related to Buddhism. I didn’t know that.
Evil Ogre, “ak-ki” (悪鬼) - Aku (悪) “evil”; Ki (鬼) “ogre”.
This.
The “Oni” is typically introduced to Japanese children through fables and fairy tales early in life, but it's not a part of any traditional religious lore that I'm aware of. The most famous tales are “Momotaro” and “Kintaro.” In both tales, you are introduced to humanoid “evil” creatures with either red or blue skin, horns on their heads, and large fangs. They swing around spiked iron clubs, and the hero usually defeats them and takes back hordes of treasures the “Oni” accumulated (sound familiar?). They also appear as guards or gatekeepers of “hell” where the “Great Demon King - Enma (エンマ大王)” will judge whether you go to heaven or hell. The original lore was probably brought from China in relation to the Yin and Yang philosophies, but the creatures are now ingrained firmly and deeply into the Japanese culture. If you hear references to a “Oni-Teacher” or “Oni-Instructor” or “Oni-Mom” (oni-baba), you are referring to someone as inhumanely cruel and puts you through severe suffering.
<<<<>>>>
♪~CHONKY Novels Discord~♪ General Chat and Announcements: https://discord.gg/CdjxzQBvRt
♪~SGF Fan Discord~♪ Release Announcements and Illustrations: https://discord.gg/49qeF58fdV
<<<<>>>>
CREDITS
Spirit Girlfriend ~ Seems Like I Am the Only One Who Doesn’t Realize That I Have Been Possessed by My Dead Girlfriend~
Written by: Isle Osaki (Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isle_Osaki)
Translated by: ChonkyTranslator
Japanese Title:
ユーレイな彼女 ～どうやら死んだ恋人が取り憑いてることに、俺だけ気付いてないらしい～
作者: 大崎 アイル (オオサキ アイル)
Original Source Link:
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4912fy/9/