落とし穴番外：夏の思い出を (Part1)
Pitfall Side Story: Summer Memories
Side: Taizo
*Jii-wa, jii-wa, jiwawa...*
Amidst the chorus of cicadas, I had come to Yuki’s house to pick up Firia.
"Damn it! Lost again. I managed to take down three of them, though."
"You’re probably not used to playing doubles yet. You need quite a bit of practice for that."
"That’s true. Just grinding levels isn't enough. You need a sense for the game, too."
"Games are truly profound. I never imagined that lazy Comet could be so capable."
Those snippets of conversation drifted from the back of the room. It seemed Firia had enjoyed her gaming session. It was a stroke of luck that she’d gained a new perspective; hopefully, this would soften her stance toward Comet a little. Then again, given that Comet’s issues usually stemmed from ignoring household rules, that might be a tall order.
As such idle thoughts crossed my mind, I entered the room, intending to call out to Firia. Just then—
*Thump-thump, patter-patter...*
I heard the sound of running from the hallway. Aslin and the others burst into the room, scanning the area frantically. When their eyes met mine, they stopped.
"Oh, good evening! Uncle Taizo!"
"Good evening, Uncle Taizo!"
"Hello there. Sorry to intrude."
I returned the greeting to the energetic girls. Honestly, these children were always a delight to see. They were straightforward, honest, and above all, found joy in learning. It made me wonder just how far they would grow.
As I was lost in these sentimental thoughts, the girls suddenly asked something peculiar.
"Hey, Uncle Taizo. Have you ever seen a *yokai*?"
"Huh?"
There was no doubt that this was the start of the whole affair.
"Yokai? Is that a type of *yokan* (sweet bean jelly)?"
My wife, Firia, tilted her head, asking a dazed question after hearing Aslin’s inquiry. Well, since we were having tea, I could see why she’d think of a snack.
"No, *yokai*. Spirits and monsters. Spelled with the characters for 'bewitching' and 'strange'."
"Oh, so you even know the kanji, Comet?"
"Of course. I’m a huge fan of Japanese culture, you know? How could I play games without knowing about yokai?"
*Hahaha*, a gaming connection. Typical of Comet. Regardless, we abandoned the idea of leaving and decided to hear the girls out.
"So, why are you girls asking about yokai?" Taiki asked, tilting his head. It was a question everyone shared. Why bring this up now?
"Well, because it's summer!"
"It's summer!"
The two answered energetically.
"Well, I suppose it is common to tell ghost stories to cool off in the summer, or visit haunted spots..."
"It is a classic, but..."
"Why the obsession with yokai?" I asked, digging deeper.
The two smiled brightly.
"We've never met one! We want to see them!"
"We want to see them!"
"Ah..."
Everyone in the room nodded in understanding. They just wanted to see and know something unknown. That was all. However...
"I’m sorry, you two. I’ve never seen a yokai either."
"Aww..."
The sight of their disappointed faces pained me. I had expected as much, but I couldn't lie to them, so I told them the truth.
"Perhaps Yuki or Taiki have seen one?"
As soon as I said that, the two turned toward Yuki and Taiki, eyes filled with expectation. But both men shook their heads in unison.
"I’ve never seen anything I’d classify as a yokai."
"Same here."
"Aww, bummer."
Hmm. It seemed even Yuki and Taiki hadn't encountered them.
"Well, I understand how you feel... though I suppose goblins and Kirika’s dullahan could be considered yokai in the Japanese sense."
"Ah, that’s true. Goblins are technically in the fairy category, right?"
"Oh? Is that so? I had assumed they were a type of *gaki* (hungry ghost)."
I see. So goblins are a type of fairy.
"Big Brother, those are the monsters of this world."
"Firia and the others want to see *Japanese* yokai."
I figured as much. If seeing a goblin were enough to satisfy them, they wouldn't have brought this up.
"But ghosts exist, so I think yokai must exist too."
"That’s right!"
Indeed, the actual ghosts that Laria summoned still existed in Weed today. Back in Japan, I had dismissed ghosts as mere tall tales, but since I’d seen the real thing, I had no choice but to acknowledge their existence. The world was still full of things we didn't know. That was why I couldn't deny Aslin and Firia’s words.
"Still, this isn't Earth, and I can't exactly show you the real thing..."
I was thinking that we didn't even know what the "real thing" looked like ourselves, when—
"You seem to be having some trouble?"
A familiar female voice came from behind me.
...Damn it. I knew she’d stick her nose into something like this.
"Go home, useless goddess. You’re not invited," Yuki said immediately.
At first, I thought he was being a bit too harsh, but after experiencing firsthand how a simple situation could spiral into a massive disaster whenever she was involved, I couldn't really blame him.
"You’re as cold as ever. I, who have let you enjoy the seasonal traditions of summer so many times, have gone out of my way to come here. You’re doing ghost stories again this year, right?"
Luna, however, was completely used to it. She ignored the cold shoulder entirely and kept talking. But I knew that if we left this to her, something outrageous would happen. As I racked my brain for a way to settle this peacefully...
"Aslin and the others want to see 'yokai,' but we can't do anything about it. Can you bring us some yokai, Luna?"
To my surprise, Yuki simply stated the request. At the same time, for some reason, Luna’s smile froze completely.
"Eh? Yokai?"
"Yes, yokai."
"Yeah, we want to see them!"
"We want to see them!"
"Ah... I see..."
For some reason, Luna looked incredibly troubled. I was puzzled by this reaction, which I hadn't seen before, and asked for the reason.
"Is there a problem?"
"Taizo, you’re asking *me* that? What kind of yokai are you imagining? Generally speaking."
"Generally? Well, usually things like Kappa, Rokurokubi, or locally, Ippon-datara, or Kage-name? Oh, and the famous Zashiki-warashi, of course."
"Yeah, yeah. You’ve got the famous ones down. Now, do you know the characteristics of those yokai?"
"Characteristics? You mean liking cucumbers or having long necks?"