Another, Vol. 1 (23 page)

“That’s a rough outline of what we talked about,” Mei said, then rested her slight chin in both hands. “You want to hear the rest?”

“Uh, yeah. That’d be…”

How could I not want to? Come on.

“Will you tell me?” I asked, straightening my back again.

“Ever since twenty-five years ago, this ‘abnormal phenomenon’ has kept happening, although not necessarily every year. As you might expect, people have tried to come up with something to counteract it.”

Mei began to tell me “the rest.” Her tone was as detached as ever, and still suggested that even she needed to grope for words.

“But something as insane as this, so completely incompatible with real-world logic…maybe you could call it supernatural…this kind of story could never be discussed by an official school administration.”

“That’s for sure.”

“So as a first step, at least, discussions at the local level, at the level of those directly involved in ‘the curse of third-year Class 3,’ have been at the core of all kinds of strategies that people have considered.”

“Like an exorcism?”

It was the simplest strategy that had occurred to me so far.

“They may have tried that,” Mei replied without the slightest of smiles. “Changing classrooms, for example. They tried switching from the room they’d used in the old building—Building Zero—for third-year Class 3 every year up till then. Thinking maybe the curse was tied to
that spot, to the classroom
.”

“Uh-huh.”

“But it didn’t do any good. They built a new school building and moved the third-year classrooms from Building Zero to Building C thirteen years ago. Apparently they were hoping that would be the end of it. But of course it didn’t end.”

“So you’re saying it wasn’t the classroom or the school building; it was purely
the third-year Class 3 group
that was the problem?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

She replied much as she had earlier, then let out another long sigh and shut her eyes.

For just a moment, I thought the cold of the overly air-conditioned room would turn her breath white. Without realizing it, I had begun rubbing my arms again.

“And this is where I suppose we finally get to the heart of things,” Mei said, gently opening her right eye. “They say it happened ten years ago. It’s not really clear if someone got the idea and spoke up about it or what, but they found
a strategy that was effective against these events
. If you do this, you’ll be able to avoid disaster—a strategy that makes it so people don’t start dying every month.”

“Oh…”

It was at that point that
a vague image
came into my mind of what sort of “strategy” Mei was talking about. That’s why. That. Meaning…

“We treat someone like they’re ‘not there’ in place of the ‘extra person.’”

The words that came from Mei’s lips were exactly what I had imagined.

“That way you bring the class back to the number of people it’s supposed to have. You balance the books. That’s how you prevent disaster for that year…with that
talisman
.”

Looks like this year was an “off year.”
Thank goodness.

When they started school, there were exactly thirty desks, and all of them were full…

We didn’t have anyone extra.

What a huge relief.

It was an “off year” last year, too, remember? Have there ever been two years in a row that
nothing happened
?

Isn’t it enough that it happened to us?

Totally. Maybe it’s getting weaker.

Still…I wonder if it’s true that
once
that
starts, someone with ties to our class dies every month
. I just find it so hard to believe, still.

But come on,
they even had that “torch-passing,”
so it’s not exactly a baseless story, is it?

Plus, there were a couple third-year students who died two years ago, remember? Accidents or suicide or whatever. And a couple people in their families…

That’s true, but…

That’s so scary, that your family can get dragged in, too.

It’s your parents and siblings that are really in trouble. They told us there’s that rule, that everyone related to you by blood within two degrees is fair game.

Within two degrees? So like, my grandma and grandpa, too?

That’s what I heard.

They said they’re safe if they’re more distant, like aunts and uncles and
cousins
.

What about that part where
if you don’t live in this town, you’re safe
?

Oh, I heard that, too.

Me, too. So then if it came to that, you could leave town…

But come on.

You can’t exactly do that when you’re still in middle school.

Even if I told my parents, I bet you they wouldn’t believe me.

But hey,
it didn’t happen
this year, so why worry about it?

I’m so relieved, seriously.

If we’d had someone extra, we would’ve had to treat someone like they’re “not there,” right?

That sounds so stressful.

When that happens, the teachers help you, though…

…Sounds complicated.

Who d’you think would’ve been “not there”?

The tactical officers pick a “candidate,” don’t they?
They probably picked someone over spring break, in case it was an “on year”…

…Probably.

I wonder if it was Misaki.

You think so, too?

Her last name is Misaki and everything! And I heard her family lives in the town of Misaki.

I know. It’s this creepy doll museum place.

She’s so weird, isn’t she?

I don’t think she has that many friends, either.

Whenever I try talking to her, she’s all cold, or like, distant…

She always has that eye patch on, right? Her left eye is fake, that’s why. It’s blue.

Wo-o-ow, really?

I don’t know how to deal with people like that.

Me either.

Me either, really…

Did you hear about the transfer student?

Yeah. They said he’s coming next week?

It’s already the second half of April. What a weird time to transfer.

Definitely…And I think it’s going to be a problem.

A problem?

Don’t you think this could be dangerous?

Huh?

Come on, about
the thing
.

Wha…No way.

The transfer student coming here means that starting next week, the number of people in the class is going to go up and we’re going to be short one desk.
Which means…

You mean
this year is actually an “on year”
?

People are saying that it could be…

Hold on a sec. When the transfer student gets here, the number’s going up, right? So that means we didn’t have anyone extra at the very beginning of April…

That’s true, but it could be
a different pattern than it’s ever been before
, too, don’t you think?

Hm-m-m. Why would they go and put the kid in Class 3 anyway?

The school must have had a reason to do it.

Seriously, though…

After all, it isn’t a publicly recognized issue. I heard the principal hardly even knows about it.

Hm-m-m.

Besides that…I heard the kid’s name is Sakakibara.

Whoa. That’s not a very promising name. But that’s not enough reason to say…

But the guy is actually…

I heard Kazami and Sakuragi went to the hospital yesterday.

To visit Sakakibara?

Yup. To visit him and do some recon.

What happened?

Apparently he came here for some family reason, but
he said this is the first time he’s ever lived in Yomiyama
.

So then…

He hasn’t even stayed here very long before.

Well, then…

So at least
it probably isn’t him, they said
.

You mean
he’s not “the casualty”
?

That’s right.
Kazami shook his hand, just to make sure.

He shook his hand? I forget, does that mean something?

Apparently there’s some story that
if you shake the hand of “the casualty” when you first meet them, you’ll know
. Their hand’s supposed to be freakishly cold.

Are you sure that’s true?

He said Sakakibara’s hand wasn’t cold.

Hmph. So then…what does that mean?

It’s someone besides him.

Oh…Figures.

Maybe someone besides him is the extra.
We have to consider that possibility, he said.

The tactical officers are working on it?

Looks like we’re going to talk it over, everyone together. That’s probably when we’ll…

Argh. I have no idea how much of this to believe, for real.

It’s like that for everyone. I know I feel like that…But if it really does start, things will get bad.

Yeah…

Someone’s going to die, every single month. And that’s not gonna be a problem we can shrug off on someone else.

…You’re right.

Yeah. So we’re gonna…

The transfer student, Koichi Sakakibara, will be coming to school next week, starting on June 6.

Considering that he’s transferring in, couldn’t that mean
it’s starting a month late—that it’s on the verge of starting
this year? It’s unprecedented, but for now, that interpretation is reasonable…No, it’s safer. That’s what I think.

But given that this is an anomalous situation, this year might actually be an “off year.” Although it would be difficult to undo the damage on the off chance that it’s not, so…

…

…As was mentioned earlier, it seems there was a major inadequacy in the “countermeasures” of two years ago. Accordingly, a total of seven students in Class 3 and their family members passed away.

…

…

…Are we agreed then, everyone?

As decided earlier,
when May begins, we must behave as if Misaki is not present in our class
. Diligence is required at all times between arriving at school and leaving campus, at the least. Understood?

Um, sir?

Yes, Sakuragi?

Are the other teachers aware of this, besides yourself and Ms. Mikami?

I expect their fullest possible cooperation. However, there is to be absolutely no discussion of this matter with teachers other than ourselves.

Not only teachers. You mustn’t speak about it to anyone outside of class.

Indeed. I would ask everyone
to refrain from mentioning this to others
as much as possible.
We’re told that the result of breaking this rule is to invite undue calamity.
In a manner of speaking, this is a “confidential decision,” a secret that must be concealed exclusively within third-year Class 3.
It cannot be revealed without good reason.

Sir?

Yes, Yonemura?

Does that include our families, too? We can’t even tell our parents and siblings?

The rule is that you must not speak of it.

But…

Do I make myself clear? The school as a public educational institute will never openly acknowledge that, predicated on the existence of something as unrealistic as a “curse,”
this sort of illogical “countermeasure” was employed to prevent it
. Despite the fact that many deaths have in fact occurred in the past. That is why
this system has been passed on for many long years in the form of a covert tradition of this group
. The secret must be protected from all those outside the group. All right?

…

…

…

Misaki. In some sense, from your perspective, this discussion has taken an extremely unreasonable turn. You’re likely to have a very difficult time, but…is that all right?

…

Will you cooperate?

If I were to say no right now, would that stop you?

Well…of course, we cannot force you. You have the right to refuse. However, if we have no “countermeasure” in place and the “disasters” begin for this year…

Yes…I know. I understand.

You will cooperate?

…Yes.

In that case, everyone, beginning in May, I want everyone to do their best to fulfill this as a decision of the class. So that we can overcome our shared difficulties and all graduate together in good health next March…

Don’t you think that’s dangerous? The way Sakakibara’s acting?

Yeah, I do.

I thought the teachers would have explained it to him before he got here.

You would think so, but they’re the teachers. Maybe they thought the students would handle it amongst themselves…

And Akazawa hasn’t been at school. Is she sick? If she were here, she would’ve taken care of it, no problem.

Maybe so.

You gotta try harder. You’re a tactical officer, too, aren’t you?

But I never thought he would do that so soon…

Whatever the plan was, he’s already talked to her a bunch. And she’s not supposed to be there.
That blows it, no?

We shouldn’t have danced around it and just brought it up sooner.

You’re telling me. You and Sakuragi should’ve explained things to him when you saw him at the hospital or something.

No, that day wasn’t…The atmosphere wasn’t right to just launch into a conversation like that.

Then why not do it now?

Hold on. That’s…

What is it?

Look, if we want to explain the situation to him now,
the only way to do it is if we acknowledge that she’s there
…And wouldn’t that be bad?

Hm-m-m.

I think it would be pretty bad, personally.

Wouldn’t it be okay if we told him outside school?

Maybe…But what if that blows it, too?

If you start to question everything, we’re not gonna be able to do anything.

Still, we need to bring Sakakibara into line.
Do something so he quits interacting with her, otherwise…

I’ll try, I guess.

How?

…I’ll think about it.

We can’t really rely on that.

But don’t forget.
He went against the “decision,” so if no one dies in May, then that would
solve the problem.
We’re asking all these questions, but if this year wound up being an “off year” after all, we’d be out of the woods.

Yeah.

I feel like maybe it’ll be all right.

That would be nice.

But I guess until then, we’ve got to get him to behave. Let’s just hope this month ends without anything happening.

For real.