落とし穴１４３堀：夏の怪談リバイバル (Part2)
"That is precisely why I want to surprise him, no matter what. Well, I wouldn't force anyone to join the ghost tour, but he seems quite curious about it himself."
Indeed, this was also a way to satisfy the curiosity of Yuki and the others. If they wanted to research ghosts, there was no better way than to have an actual paranormal experience.
"That's true. Yuki would probably be delighted by it, actually. I think it’s a fine idea. If he gets startled, that’s just all the more entertaining. I’d love to see how Taiki and Taizo react when they’re caught off guard, too; they’re usually so composed."
"Hmm. It does seem like it’ll be quite a challenge to actually startle Yuki-san, though."
"That’s true. Well, we can think about that as we go. Are we doing this just among ourselves? If we leave people out, Seraria and the others will definitely be angry, won't they?"
"Of course, Seraria and the rest are all welcome to join if they wish. If we leave them out, they’ll surely be upset."
I made sure to cover all the bases. I didn't think something like this would break the bonds between the wives, but one must be thorough about these things.
"Besides, if we don't get everyone on board, there's a chance Yuki might catch on."
"True. Though, Aslin and the others are easy to read. I'll just take them out under the guise of a sleepover."
"That should work. We still need to gather everyone else, though..."
"In that case, it might be less suspicious if we just hold it at home under the pretense of a 'girls' night out.'"
"A girls' night out? What's that?"
Naturally, Noriko wouldn't know. So, I took a moment to explain.
"Huh. So you all gather as wives to talk about Yuki? You people are really something else. I’ve heard plenty of people ask why you go to such lengths, but honestly, the 'common sense' back in Japan seems more abnormal to me now."
"Common sense is a troublesome thing, indeed."
"It really is. If it weren't for that common sense, Yuki would be even more affectionate with us."
"I'll be honest with you: I think Yuki is showing a lot of restraint. It’s impressive that he can keep his composure even when beauties like Deryu and the others are coming onto him. That’s the one thing I truly respect him for. Anyway, I get the plan. We just need to gather there, right?"
"I'm counting on you. Oh, but it’s during the day—can you ghosts even come out in the daylight?"
True, ghosts are usually associated with the night.
"We can come out without any issues. Ghosts are, in a sense, things that slip into the gaps of consciousness, so the time of day doesn't really matter. It’s more about whether or not you can perceive us."
"Hmm. I see. But then, how is it that we are able to see you, Noriko?"
"That’s because you’ve firmly recognized my existence. You’ve clearly acknowledged the existence of ghosts, so your focus has sharpened. It’s like when you’re looking at text—if you aren't consciously reading it, you don't actually register what’s written, right?"
"Ah, I see. So we’ve reached the point where we can see ghosts."
As I nodded along to Noriko’s explanation, she suddenly put on a serious, eerie expression...
"That said, just because you can see us doesn't mean you should go around looking for them. I know it’s rich coming from me, but ghosts are fundamentally things that go unnoticed. If you acknowledge them, they tend to latch onto you. I don't know how the ghosts here operate, but back on Earth, the types you can perceive are usually dangerous. Especially in crowded places during the day—if you’re the only one who can see them, that’s a bad sign. If you find one, just ignore it."
"Hmm. When you say it like that, it carries weight."
"True. But, on the flip side, we can use that to surprise Yuki and the others."
"That’s a great idea. It’ll be like I’m being haunted by a ghost that only I can see while we’re out in town."
"I’m starting to get excited. I can’t wait to see how Yuki-san reacts to something like that."
And so, the plan was solidified. Once the sun rose, I shared the idea with Seraria and the others...
"Oh? Startling my husband? I like it. We’d love to see that, too."
With Seraria’s blessing, the other wives nodded happily, and everyone began strategizing on how to pull off the scare.
And so, the summer tradition has begun!
This time, we’re on the side of scaring Yuki!
I wonder how Yuki will react to this prank!
Also, I’ll be participating in Summer Comiket!
Just as a booth staff member, though. I’ll be helping out at Suzume Yamaneko-san’s booth.
I can probably sign some things, too!
The booth is "Day 4, West Ne-03b."
Look forward to Summer Comiket!