Chapter 83
The Midsummer Idiot
Horror games. This is a genre of games that are gruesome and sometimes don't make you feel the weight of life. However, unlike other genres, these games emphasize the importance of realism, and many of them are made with very realistic image quality, making the genre even more popular among certain walks of life. I've played a few of these games myself. And most importantly, it's a genre that's perfect for summer.
[It's scary.]
[Why did you buy the game?]
At 4 p.m... There's an idiot who whines and complains at me when the murderous intent inside me arises. His name is Yamazaki. He's a boy who tested his guts in another dimension, got lost in a strange place, and was killed 18 times by evil spirits. I hope he reaches Buddhism soon.
Yamazaki here is the idiot who couldn't back down from doing this alone with such determination, probably because it was summer vacation, and he couldn't sleep as a result. That doesn't make any sense at all...
[Yamazaki. Is there a basketball in your room?]
[Yeah! There is! It's hanging next to my desk!]
[I see, I hope we don't make eye contact.]
[Eh...?]
I closed the screen of my smartphone and threw it over there. I watched as it landed on a nearby pillow, then I pulled up my blanket. I can still sleep, I think I can wake up in six hours. I'm often late for my part-time job, but I'm sure it's because of the spirits. Wow, we were just talking about horror, and all I could think of were hilarious characters.
"...Shut up!"
Even though I set my smartphone on silent mode, it vibrated on the pillow. It was so loud, I could hear Yamazaki's screams through the vibrations of my smartphone. He sent me a lot of messages, didn't he?
—Haha, b*stard.
I picked up my smartphone and operated the settings screen on the messaging app. In a sleepy state, I fiddled with my profile and chaotically changed my name to "You guys are confused, right?", then made my icons and home screen a black-and-red mess by using a photo I randomly picked up from a Google search. Meanwhile, my private chat with Yamazaki continued to update.
Yamazaki, who are you talking to?
I threw my smartphone onto the pillow again and covered it with the blanket. Within five seconds, the smartphone stopped vibrating. Now you know, Yamazaki, you're a b*stard... ...I hope you can't sleep and you're forced to play horror games again, you b*stard.
"...Fuah..."
I was finally able to sleep. It was getting light outside, but at this rate, I'd wake up in six hours. No, no, I'll be late for my part-time job, I need to wake up by then...
I grinned as I imagined Yamazaki shivering in fear, and before I knew it, I had fallen into my dream.
♦
[So, what's your reason for changing your profile?]
[I'm sorry.]
When I finished my part-time job without incident, the number of notifications on my smartphone was so overwhelming that I wondered what was going on. When I looked at the display, it was KKKKK - like a demon. It was Ashida. I got carried away by the vibe of a yandere or something and looked at the contents of the message, and just realized. My account seemed to have a severe bug...
—Oh, no, it's not a bug.
It's from Ashida-san the Nagger. Natsukawa saw the icon and name from my profile and misunderstood that my smartphone was broken, or had a virus or something, and she started complaining about it to Ashida. Ashida-san the Nagger, who knew how I joked around with the innocent Natsukawa, was nagging me, a boy. Sounds like a pudding that has a high degree of chewiness...
This made me remember the side of Ashida that I had seen at the family restaurant. The power when Ashida, who I admittedly loved Natsukawa, secretly snapped at Natsukawa. With a feeling of horror, I hurriedly opened the messaging app and edited my profile. As I did that and greeted the group chat with the majority of sessions that had just been formed, Ashida replied to me with expressionless words.
From both of their perspectives, it was just a bad joke, so I had no choice but to apologize. Hieh... ...No matter how much I apologized, I didn't get anything back... I didn't read anything, but it made me horrifying to think that Ashida was on the other side of her smartphone screen with a blank expression on her face. Imagining a terrified Natsukawa made me feel like my heart had been squeezed.
"Oh my, this is bad..."
The weather was hot today. I hung my head in the middle of the sidewalk with people passing by. Maybe it's my fault, but sometimes I do things that make other people uncomfortable. And it's bad because it's a bit disorganized.
[I'm sorry, I don't have a specific reason.]
[Then you'll do anything for us, right?]
[Eh?]
Eh? What did you say just now?
This kind of thing... ...isn't that what I said to show sincerity? No, it's not that I would do anything, right from the start. I wonder if they'll forgive me quietly if I beg for forgiveness... ...Eh? Is it possible that I can't resist this anymore? That's strange, isn't it...?
[Aichi, you can't just read, say something to him.]
[Eh!?]
Hey. You girls cut each other off and move on to the topic before the fight. I'm scared the hell out of you, girls.
The function of seeing who reads messages is horrible... ...although Natsukawa probably intended to wait and see this message. I already knew that she was watching us from earlier, but I didn't want to make her feel scared and uncomfortable, so I couldn't help but not talk to her.
[Now, Sajocchi will carry out even our most unreasonable requests.]
No, no, no matter what happens... —Wait?
An unreasonable request from... ...Natsukawa? An unreasonable request... ...it's like when you ask someone to do something they normally wouldn't do until you feel extremely satisfied and fulfilled. And I'm the one who's going to do that? From who? Is it from Natsukawa? From that Natsukawa?
Surprisingly, even under the scorching sun, my body suddenly felt lighter. I wonder what they'll ask me to do — I'm really scared. Geez, I'm getting goosebumps. But I must accept this punishment for what I've done.
...Fuhehe.
[That's somewhat... ...Tell me whatever you want me to do.]
[Eh!?]
[I can already imagine Sajocchi's face...]
[Still, haven't? Natsukawa, you still haven't thought of it?]
[Wait a minute!]
[D*mn you, Sajocchi!]
Okay, take it easy, me. What about the contents of my wallet? I just received my wages in the post, and it's like global warming happening in the summer. Seriously, it's making the ice in my nostalgia melt. I can buy you 40 cups of tapioca milk tea right now.
You think I'm doing this part-time job just to earn money to play around with, right? Of course not, I'm not stupid, I'm just securing resources to ensure there's a buffer to respond flexibly to emergencies like this. I'm not going to provide my grief to work part-time with ulterior motives (very excited).
[Let me think about that first!]
[I will accept any punishment.]
[Why are you so determined, anyway?!]
[It can't be helped, it's Sajocchi, after all.]
No, that's not it. I owe Natsukawa-sama and Ashida-sama a debt of gratitude for the trouble I caused them, but they also suggested ways to make amends. But I think it would be very immoral of me, as the culprit, to be passive.
All right, then. If that's the case, then I'll be an idiot if I just relax here, won't I? If you say that you cannot forgive me even if I turn my head back, I will atone for my sins with a spirit of service that will fulfill your every request.
"I'm going home!"
Before I knew it, I had arrived home. I think I uttered the best sound of my life. The AC was working properly in the room to the corridor, so it was cool and soothing. But still, I didn't think my burning heart would cool down.
It was Big Sis who had just come down the stairs. As usual, today, she was wearing thin clothes, as if she wasn't a beautiful high school girl. When she saw me, she frowned as if she had seen a cockroach and leaned back.
Hey, j*rk! Don't stare at my face and act rude to me!
"You... ...Why are you sweating and smiling? It's disgusting, you know."
Oh, I'm disgusting, huh?
Author's Note: Yeah.
TL Note: Maybe we're a bit late, but we just found out that there is a difference with the LN version, where in that version there is a story with Aika's POV after this story.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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