The House in Which Nightmares Dwell 1.4

[touchturnfly]

4

Hirota stared at Midori. She seemed like a delicate young woman. She was frightened of all kinds of non-existing evil spirits of rivers and mountains, and he could no longer pity her white face that grew even more pale.

-- Of course, Hirota did not believe in things like ghosts and such. He thought that such things were illusions that displayed people's cowardice.

"Agawa-san had gotten hold of a terribly deficient building. Something like electrical appliances breaking down, I am certain it's because of a problem with the electrical system. Wouldn't the leaking of rain, and also the echoes of the voices from the neighbouring houses be because of a problem with the walls? You're frightened by thinking whether there something is there or not, so you see shadows inside the mirrors. -- Isn't it like that?"

Midori looked up at Hirota with teary eyes.

"We said the same to the electrician and the carpenter over and over again. But everyone repaired it properly and told me that this can't be the problem. Despite that the same things keep happening over and over?"

"The people who investigated it were probably bad. Have you tried changing the contractor?"

"No, I haven't gone that far... ... Where should I ask for that to get simply over it, because I don't really understand it... ... But, what I want to ask is to introduce us to a real estate agent, so to speak I've been doing nothing but always doing maintenance to my house. Despite that the answer is always the same. They say that malfunctions just do not happen."

Hirota sighed.

"Sometimes, there are people who have bad luck with machines. Even the machines my friend bought broke down badly early on, whatever it may have been. Agawa-san, isn't it that your luck was bad as well?"

"... ...But."

"In this world incredibly strange things happen. However, that's not the fault of ghosts, curses and such. I think that blaming such things is, pardon me, foolish."

"Is that so... ..."

Midori muttered like that, but Saki was obviously not pleased.

"Hirota-kun, you did that quickly huh."

Hirota once again openly voiced his feelings of displeasure.

"It's true."

"Is it by chance that a problem is completely due to bad luck? So many troubles occurred in succession within such a short time, and moreover isn't it strange that even if you've repaired it over and over again, it didn't get fixed. Even the specialists said that it wasn't the case, right?"

"Those things are there as well. You may have a hunch that there is a deep meaning, but actually there's not something like a meaning to it."

Saki was always like this. She seemed to blame all sorts of things on the paranormal. Thanks to that the quarrels with Hirota never ceased.

Saki sighed lightly.

"... ...Oh, fine then. What Hirota-kun is saying is that it is because of an imagination."

"If you knew that, why did you call me out?"

"Right," Saki playfully smiled.

"Is there a meaning, is there no meaning? Aren't you in the mood to try confirm it at this opportunity?"

Hirota frowned.

"-- What do you mean?"

"First, Hirota-kun will stay overnight at Midori's house. Doesn't it feel bad or hopeless for Midori who is only with her mother to be in a strange house. If Hirota-kun stays over it would give Midori some relief, if by any chance something happens even Hirota-kun can perhaps have a valuable personal experience."

"Hey you... ..."

"Or, are you scared?"

"There's now way I'm scared," Hirota said and looked at Midori. "Still, Agawa-san as well wouldn't want a man to enter their house of two women."

Saki looked at Midori. Midori seems to have become smaller and bent down.

"I'd... ... be glad to have you over, it would help. But... ... it's small," Midori said and tried to gauge Hirota's feelings from his expression. "My mother and I are anxious. If there is a person who is someone we can rely on, it would be truly helpful.

"See," Saki stared at Hirota.

"... ...Hirota-san, it must be troublesome to you, but... ..."

"It doesn't matter to me in particular."

"Well, then it's decided."

Saki clapped her hands and stared at Hirota's face with a meaningful look.

"For a short while Hirota-kun will become Midori's free-loader for multiple purposes. -- On top of that, how about we let yet another specialist investigate this?

"Specialist?"

When Hirota returned a question, Saki glanced at Hirota's eyes from her brows with a facial expression that had a hidden meaning.

"-- That is, Shibuya Psychic Research."

Hirota frowned. It was a name he had heard somewhere before.

"Hirota-kun told me that this kind of place existed," Saki secretly exchanged looks with him as she said this. With an expression that was confidential from Midori, Hirota remembered that name.

"Nakai --"

"We'll request them to investigate. -- How about it?"

"But, do you know where it is?

Saki smiled.

"Of course, I know it," she said as she pointed to the ceiling with a finger.

"-- On the second floor."

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