8
-
Yoshimi was really irritated when she thought how she was tricked in the end.
When she brought back her grandmother’s diary, just as Natori had told her to, he had already left, and only his assistant Taki Tooru was waiting. His pet cat was eating mizu youkan in the back.
According to the boy Taki’s explanation, her grandmother Ichiko and his grandfather Shinichirou’s game had reached an end, and nothing possessed the antiques in this shop anymore, meaning the exorcism had succeeded. Probably, there would not be any more rattling when they carried the items.
The usual sceptical Yoshimi could not believe it when she was told something like that so suddenly. However, the truth was that the mysterious presence she had felt each time she came to the shop had completely disappeared.
In the end, Yoshimi could only guess at what sort of ceremony had happened. The boy’s explanation was not to the point, and he just kept on saying not to worry.
– Just as I thought, Natori probably told me to bring my grandmother’s diary to chase me out.
When the boy handed the dream catcher back to her and she put it around her neck, she was oddly startled.
'Eh?’
When she said that quietly, the boy looked at her dubiously.
'Is something the matter?’
'I just felt it was a bit heavy.’
'Ah…’
'I wonder what Natori-san used this for.’
'That, um… That charm has the power to suck things in, right?’
'As expected, you know a lot. This is called a dream catcher. It’s a charm Native Americans used to catch bad dreams.’
'To catch bad dreams…’
The boy looked like he was mulling over something.
'Maybe, rather than just bad dreams, good dreams get caught too?’
'Eh?’
'Ah, no, I just thought that’d be nice. Maybe that was why it felt heavier.’
'It got heavier because of good dreams, huh… That’s a wonderful thought. But whose dreams?’
'Heh… The antiques’, definitely.’
The boy smiled, looking a bit embarrassed.
'Ah, also, about that go board and those go stones, Natori-san said that you should keep them if possible.’
'Yes, they’re mementos of my grandmother’s memories.’
'And your grandmother got it from her grandfather.’
'Eh? Really?’
'Ah, um, I feel like somebody said that.’
This time, the boy smiled like he was trying to cover something up.
Yoshimi left the shop together with the boy and his pet cat. She locked the door and left Lamp Hall. While walking with the boy to the station, Yoshimi wondered about what this meeting was in the end.
She probably would not meet with Natori or this boy again. Yoshimi felt that way.
However, meeting with those two had come from some mysterious connection, and she felt that it had a very important meaning for her life.
'So Yoshimi, you have to strain your ears for connections between people like that too. Even if it’s somebody you’ll only meet once in your whole life, that person might be somebody you have a mysterious connection to.’
Suddenly, her grandmother’s voice echoed in her ears.
– Eh? When did I hear this?
-
'Thank you very much. The truth was, I was troubled over what to do before coming here. I’m glad I came.’
When they parted, the boy Taki Tooru said this while looking straight at Yoshimi with a carefree expression.
'Same here. Please tell Natori-san thank you for me.’
Yoshimi muttered this quietly at the boy’s figure as he disappeared through the gates.
'Also, tell him he’s an idiot.’
-
8
-
Yoshimi was really irritated when she thought how she was tricked in the end.
When she brought back her grandmother’s diary, just as Natori had told her to, he had already left, and only his assistant Taki Tooru was waiting. His pet cat was eating mizu youkan in the back.
According to the boy Taki’s explanation, her grandmother Ichiko and his grandfather Shinichirou’s game had reached an end, and nothing possessed the antiques in this shop anymore, meaning the exorcism had succeeded. Probably, there would not be any more rattling when they carried the items.
The usual sceptical Yoshimi could not believe it when she was told something like that so suddenly. However, the truth was that the mysterious presence she had felt each time she came to the shop had completely disappeared.
In the end, Yoshimi could only guess at what sort of ceremony had happened. The boy’s explanation was not to the point, and he just kept on saying not to worry.
– Just as I thought, Natori probably told me to bring my grandmother’s diary to chase me out.
When the boy handed the dream catcher back to her and she put it around her neck, she was oddly startled.
'Eh?’
When she said that quietly, the boy looked at her dubiously.
'Is something the matter?’
'I just felt it was a bit heavy.’
'Ah…’
'I wonder what Natori-san used this for.’
'That, um… That charm has the power to suck things in, right?’
'As expected, you know a lot. This is called a dream catcher. It’s a charm Native Americans used to catch bad dreams.’
'To catch bad dreams…’
The boy looked like he was mulling over something.
'Maybe, rather than just bad dreams, good dreams get caught too?’
'Eh?’
'Ah, no, I just thought that’d be nice. Maybe that was why it felt heavier.’
'It got heavier because of good dreams, huh… That’s a wonderful thought. But whose dreams?’
'Heh… The antiques’, definitely.’
The boy smiled, looking a bit embarrassed.
'Ah, also, about that go board and those go stones, Natori-san said that you should keep them if possible.’
'Yes, they’re mementos of my grandmother’s memories.’
'And your grandmother got it from her grandfather.’
'Eh? Really?’
'Ah, um, I feel like somebody said that.’
This time, the boy smiled like he was trying to cover something up.
Yoshimi left the shop together with the boy and his pet cat. She locked the door and left Lamp Hall. While walking with the boy to the station, Yoshimi wondered about what this meeting was in the end.
She probably would not meet with Natori or this boy again. Yoshimi felt that way.
However, meeting with those two had come from some mysterious connection, and she felt that it had a very important meaning for her life.
'So Yoshimi, you have to strain your ears for connections between people like that too. Even if it’s somebody you’ll only meet once in your whole life, that person might be somebody you have a mysterious connection to.’
Suddenly, her grandmother’s voice echoed in her ears.
– Eh? When did I hear this?
-
'Thank you very much. The truth was, I was troubled over what to do before coming here. I’m glad I came.’
When they parted, the boy Taki Tooru said this while looking straight at Yoshimi with a carefree expression.
'Same here. Please tell Natori-san thank you for me.’
Yoshimi muttered this quietly at the boy’s figure as he disappeared through the gates.
'Also, tell him he’s an idiot.’
-
