Nanako-chan SOS (Part 2)
1/
Play *14
(shows Inui house)
Here is a single house.
The location is one corner of the residential district. Twenty minutes to walk to the train station, and just a minor nongovernmental station at that. In addition, with not even one convenience store nearby, it is truly an inconvenient place to live.
Even so, this is my home, and the fact that I have had no complaints after moving here almost eight years ago shows that humans are tough creatures.
On the nameplate is "Š£."
This reads "Inui." It's a pretty uncommon last name, so there is no house besides ours in this residential area with a nameplate that says "Inui."
"Wah~, arrived--"
I skipped school this morning, and with nothing to do, I came back home.
First of all, because I'm someone who lives in this house.
Last name is Inui, first name is Arihiko. Since I'm a male, Arihiko (-L•F) seems like a simply chosen name. My older sister's name is Ichigo (ˆêŽq), just as simply - I don't even need to explain its origin.
And I don't know whether that's simple or exciting, but my parents both died a long time ago in an accident, so there are no others in the Inui household apart from my older sister and me.
Since the two of us were left alone about eight years ago, Inui Arihiko grew up as an orphan during the ages most sensitive to influence.
However, my older sister, who should have replaced my parents, was an idiot whose life skills did not surpass mine.
Maybe she felt something from our parents' deaths, but my older sister showed off stupidity greater than mine by doing whatever she liked, and since I grew up by myself, doing whatever I liked as well, I've become a great delinquent by now.
So, today I again only showed up when necessary and quickly escaped the school.
If I had any regret, it would be that I failed in convincing a first-year girl to come out with me.
"---This doesn't seem to end, these days my situation with the girls isn't so good."
Since the girls suddenly exploded around that guy who didn't have any girls up until now, I've been constantly failing.
...... Well, in this kind of situation, the best thing to do is to sleep for a bit and then go out to the streets, so for now, I should go back home.
Stop music
----But.
I'll say it now, but Inui Arihiko has zero inspiration.
Having lived for 10-something years I have never seen a demon, a fact that I can confidently affirm.
(kitchen scene)
Play *14
"Sub---"
My right hand holding the kitchen knife hurts.
It's an injury I got by cutting my hand on that piece of junk I brought home that rainy day.
That cut, which used to bleed so magnificently, has healed quite a bit, so I only have a band aid on it right now.
I take off the piece of paper attached to the cork board - when my older sister is home, no noise is allowed - and begin to cook.
"...... Really, that Ichigo, if she's home she should at least make some rice."
Just like me, my older sister is always away from home.
She's home right now, but when she comes home, she always locks herself in her room and doesn't come out.
With an older sister like that, I can't expect her to make food, so I decided to prepare some.
Even so, the only things I can make are fried rice, fried rice with kimchi in it, and fried rice with every ingredient in it.
"...... Huh, what is this?"
When I opened the refrigerator, the situation inside was so different from yesterday that I tilted my head.
Over half of all those vegetables I had bought had disappeared. ...... It would be a rare event, but my older sister might have made something.
"What is this? If you're gonna cook, at least leave some for me, too."
'Cooking for one and cooking for two, the amount of work is no different,' I mutter as I make vegetable fried rice and put it in my stomach.
"That's it, lunch is complete."
Enjoying the fullness, I head towards my room.
Stop music
----Rustle.
"-------Ah?"
I only realized I heard a noise once I had climbed the stairs and arrived in front of my room.
Rustlerustle. Gnawgnaw. Chewchew. Gulp.
"...... Heh.
Before I could be surprised, I hardened my mind.
The sound coming from my room is obviously that of someone looking for something.
I don't know about others, but Inui Arihiko didn't grow up to panic in a situation like this.
"...... Heh, trying to steal from my room, this guy's got guts......"
Smiling broadly and without hesitation, I opened the door.
-------There is something strange there.
"Eh?"
"-----"
I closed the door.
"What...... Whatwhat, what------"
What, what was that just now---!
"W, wait just a second!"
C, could my eyes be playing tricks on me?
For some reason, I feel like I saw something I shouldn't have seen.
"Calm down, calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down......! Alright, I'm tired right now. I'm really tired. After all, this is my second consecutive day being awake. And I don't have enough calcium. Plus these days, my luck with women is horrible. ...... That's right, since I'm this tired, it's not strange to see a hallucination once in a while||!"
Okay, that's what it is!
In that case, everything is okay, I didn't see anything just now.
See, even that noise that was coming from the room is gon----
......
............
.....................
Munchmunch. Bite. Chewchew.
Play *3
"Hey, why are you starting again, you brat!"
"Eh... ...! Ye, yes, what is it......!?"
This mysterious creature raises its head in surprise.
I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that someone who had clearly illegally broken in was sitting there and looking calm.
"W, what are you doing, you punk?"
"Would you like to come in?"
It tilts its head like a pigeon.
...... Ah.
For some reason, that calm look gets my blood boiling.
"What are you talking about, 'would you like to come in?' Being a burglar, you have the audacity to be so calm----"
I stretched out my arm to grab its collar, but my hand hit the straw mat instead.
"---------Hah?"
The sound of my face going pale.
My arm had completely gone through this creature before my eyes.
"Gh--"
The word ghost just wouldn't come out of my mouth, so I just waved my hands around to verify that this person was indeed like a hologram.
The one who was stealing and eating someone else's carrots (those were definitely the carrots I had bought).
"Oh, I was wondering who it was, but it's just you. Then, hello, master!"
With a smiling face, it said those words that might make me faint.
(fade)
Stop music
(Arihiko's room)
Play *14
Let's get a hold of the situation.
This creature that suddenly appeared for no reason in my room was occult.
I don't know if it's a ghost or a wraith, but since it said, "I'm a spirit--," it must be a type of spirit.
If I look closely, it has a tail and its hands and feet couldn't possibly be those of a human, so it might be the spirit of an animal.@ Why something like that is taking the shape of a human, that of a girl even - if someone asked me that, I'd be stuck.
So now, the identity of this occult thing in front of the absent-minded Inui Arihiko who began this sad story was still a mystery, and if there was one thing I could figure out, it was,
"-----It's a talking horse."
If this was an animal's spirit, it was definitely the spirit of a horse.
"That's not right, master. I'm not a horse."
"--------"
It vehemently refutes that.
I threw my alarm clock at the horse's face.
The alarm clock goes through the horse and hits the wall.
"Whoa~, that was dangerous!"
The horse speaks without any sign of confusion.
---This is bad, this is definitely for real.
"Hey."
"Yes, what is it, master?"
"Don't kid me with your 'what is it master.' What are you talking about......! I don't know why you came into someone else's house, but if you're a ghost, you should act like one and disappear now that you've been discovered by a human! What are you doing, just peacefully making idle talk......?"
Bam, I stomped on the floor.
Anyway, this is a ghost. I understood, but I couldn't accept it, so I decided to get angry, unnaturally so even in my opinion.
"Ow!? So, you want me to do something as bothersome as say the same thing again......?"
The horse speaks indecisively.
"That's not it, you idiot! ...... Listen, you're saying that you're a ghost that lost its master, and when you came to, you were in my room and you got hungry, so you snatched food from our kitchen! Really, am I such an idiot to talk about something like that without end for 10 or 20 minutes!?"
"Ah...... But it seemed that this master was stupid, so I thought I would have to explain everything properly..."
"St, st, stupid!? Really, you're saying that as a horse||!?"
I forgot that even if I touched it, I would go through it, and put my hands around the horse's head. I balled both of my hands into fists and applied pressure from both sides, as if I was making pickled ume plums.
"Ow! It hurts, master, it hurts!"
"-----Huh?"
I was shocked. My left hand can touch its body.
My left hand would be where I cut myself when I was gathering that piece of junk.
I take my left hand off of it.
"Ooh. Ooooooooh, I don't like that. I don't like it, so please don't do it again..."
The horse rubs the right part of its head where I was pushing it.
"..............."
...... This is bad.
This thing is so calm that it makes me, who is screaming, look stupid.
"----Hey."
"Really, master's been saying just that for a while. Hey. Look. Look. Look look look. ...... Huh, for some reason, that feels good? Hey, get your head on straight, master! I got to try saying that just once--"
Bambam, full of energy the horse beats my head with its hand shod with a horseshoe.
(screen shakes)
"Kuk-----!"
...... To be honest, it really hurts.
If you want to know how strong it is, it's strong enough to make me see stars.
"Y, you!"
'That hurt just now,' I swallowed those words with all my might.
If it realized that its light hits had hurt me that much, I don't know what kind of things it might do next. ...... Well, I couldn't think that this thing could possibly be that quick-witted, but I should still be careful.
"...... Hey, horse."
"Yes, what is it, master?"
"...... Yeah, that. I have a mountain of things I want to say to you, but first, stop that."
"...? That, what do you mean?"
"What I mean is, that 'master' or whatever. I'm telling you, I don't remember ever becoming the master of some talking horse. On top of that, I don't really feel like playing with an occult being like you......!"
Bam, I once again slam my foot on the floor with strength.
Maybe pushed back by the force, the horse backed off a little, and,
"Whoa, master isn't my master!?"
Looked at me as if truly surprised.
"T, that's problematic......! To say you don't remember, that's a breach of the contract! So master isn't master, eh- then that means----"
The horse falls into thought in confusion.
That confused look mirrored what I had looked like just a moment ago, so watching it made me feel good, but to be honest, I couldn't be very happy.
"So, I'm not a master or anything. And you'd just be a bother to me, so just treat me like an everyday person."
"What------!?"
The horse looks even more perplexed.
It seems that to this thing, I can't have any status other than a master.
Well, that kind of situation isn't something I would know.
If you're going to be puzzled, do it somewhere else, where I can't see.
"---Be quiet. Anyway, I'm not your master or anything. I'm just a stranger with no relation, so hurry up and get out of here."
I wave my hand towards the door.
"Ah, I see. Then, let's do it that way."
It said. The horse had recovered.
"Alright, if you're not my master, you're not my master. I got it, it's a special case, but from now on, I agree to call Arihiko-san just Arihiko-san--"
"---Wait, wait wait wait wait! What are you doing, deciding all by yourself? Really, I don't want to ask, but tell me the context, the context!"
"Context? That is, from now on, I will consider Arihiko-san as a host. This room might be cramped and a bit drab, but as long as you keep it clean, I'll be patient."
The horse, after looking around the area bit, whispered 'service?'
"Ooh-------"
"Ah, I don't need any thanks. Since I'm a protective spirit, I'll stay next to Arihiko-san as much as possible--"
"D, don't talk such nonsense......! Wh, who told you that you could live in my room!?"
"Kya......!"
Roar, kya--, I scare the horse.
Shivering from fear, the horse quietly flees to a corner of the room.
---What is this, it's a real scaredy-cat.
Then with just one decisive push, I should be able to get rid of it.
"Hey!"
"Yes, yesyes, I'm scared Arihiko-san..."
"That's right, I'm scary. If I get angry, I'm even scarier. So get out. If you get out right now and don't show your face to me again, then I'll forgive you for the carrots you stole."
"What? ...... That is, does that mean the contract is broken?"
"Ooh. I'm not sure what you're talking about, but anyway, that contract is broken. If you got it, then hurry---"
"...... Ooh, I see. No, I don't want that, how many people has it been, dying from a freak accident? It's never my fault, but it's not a very happy thing, either"
Isn't that right? It says something strange.
A bad feeling goes up my spine.
...... This guy was so annoying that I forgot, but that's right, this guy was a ghost.
"---Wait just a second. Is this what you're saying? That is, that if I throw you out, I'll be--- punished, or something?"
"...... Divine retribution, you mean?"
The ghost tilted its head.
"..................... Heh."
Saying that, it slowly turned its view to the side.
"Ooooh! What is that, that meaningless laughter?"
"Huhu............ Three days from now, skewered by something............... Thump!"
"Y, yyyyy, you, is that a threat!? Damn, I'm not scared at all...!"
I grab the horse with my left hand and shake its neck.
As if it had suddenly turned into someone else, the horse just kept laughing dryly.
...... So, I lost.
I pretended to be tough, but being very weak to occult things, it was impossible for me to resist any more.
In my mind, lamenting this crazy situation, I seriously started to think 'I'll run away to somewhere tomorrow.'
In the end, I accepted this crazy encumbrance.
Of course, I don't plan on keeping it for long. It's because I decided to listen to what it had to say and to find its weakness, then to find a way to throw it away.
...... Since even if I tell it to get out it just pretends not to hear, there is currently nothing I can do.
Thus, this isn't a defeat but rather a strategic cease-fire.
---Then.
If that's how it is, there is something I need to know first as the landlord.
"----Hey, horse!"
"Arihiko-san, I'm not a horse, so I don't really like you calling me that. ...... So, if possible, please call me by my name--"
"I know. So teach me your name. You seem to know my name, but I don't know any ghosts. There's no way that I would know your name."
"Ah, now that you mention it--"
Giving another crazy smile, the horse said its name was Seven.
"............ Seven, you say?"
Hah. Well, I didn't think it was Japanese, but it really wasn't Japanese.
...... Well, this guy wasn't a human to begin with.
"...... Um, Arihiko-san......? Don't you like my name......?"
The horse...... Seven looks at my face with a worried look. ...... Hm, since it regained its composure, I could look at its shape calmly.
"---That's right, it doesn't fit."
"........................"
It slumps its shoulders.
That behavior, even acknowledging that its hands and feet were strange, was not something you could attribute to a horse.
------Hmph.
Ah, that is, it is too human.
So I don't like the name Seven.
First of all, such a smart-sounding name doesn't belong to this air-headed ghost.
Something a bit more unsophisticated and simplistic would be more fitting.
"You, is 'Seven' your original name?"
"Well, I've never been called anything different, so it probably is."
"What is that? You don't even know your own name?"
"As I said, I can't remember"
...... Her memory's no good.
Well, since it's a ghost, I guess it wouldn't have a name, but since the ghost itself can't remember its name, the conversation can't progress.
But I can't call it Seven just because of that.
Since it doesn't match up,
"It's Nanako."
"-----What?"
"As I said, Nanako. I'll call you that, so remember it."
That's right, for ease, I decided to use Nanako as a pseudonym.
"---------"
The horse...... no, Nanako stands there absent-mindedly.
"What is it, if you don't like it, hurry up and tell me. If it's now, we can still change it."
If it's this guy, it's obvious it will say something like "I don't want such a senseless name---"
"Ehehe--, it's embarrassing for some reason--!"
"----------"
It seems that Nanako is happy.
...... To confess, her smiling face is quite cute.
Even taking into account the pointy ears and the fingerless and toeless hands and feet, Nanako is quite good looking.
...... Should I leave it at that?
To a healthy young man like me, Nanako's body is quite stimulating.
Stop music
"-----Alright, shall I test it out?"
I get up from the floor mat.
"What......? Ah, Arihiko-san, do you happen to be thinking of something ridiculous?"
"Not really. I just plan to check how much like a human you really are."
I slowly go towards Nanako.
"Hyat---! Ah, Arihiko-san, your eyes look se, serious!"
I circle around Nanako who is slowly fleeing to a corner of the room.
"Arihiko-san, I'm a spirit. It would be best to not have such wicked thoughts......"
"Don't worry, it's all about gaining experience."
'Well, it's definitely my first time with bestiality,' I add.
"-----! Hya, Arihiko-san, as a master, you make me defend against too many things--!"
Nanako waves her hand to shoo me away.
I was saying it as a joke, but it looks like Nanako didn't get it. ...... This is getting more and more entertaining.
"What, the master is the owner, right? ...... Unless you're saying you have a true owner besides me."
"Oooah, I don't know anyone that evil--!"
Huh. Now it started to jump around on all fours.
It looks like she's quite weak against this master of hers. In that case, does that mean if I find that person, I will be able to get rid of her?"
---Well, anyway, let's continue doing what we were doing."
I stretch out my left arm and grab Nanako's arm.
A feeling of smoothness.
...... Whoa, this guy is really first class. Just touching her skin gives me an electric feeling, what does she eat?
Hm, I started this as a half-joke, half-threat, but if I'm not careful, it might become truthful.
That's that, but if someone saw this, there might be a dangerous misunderstanding.
To bring home a girl in this strange an attire, and to try to take her even when she's refusing, it looks just like rape----
Play *3
"Hey. Arihiko, keep it down."
Saying that.
Bam! With vigor, Nee-san slammed open the door.
"-----------"
"-----------"
The older sister and younger brother stare at each other as if looking through one another.
As if she understood my nervousness,
"Ah, it's Ichigo-kun... Please excuse me--"
Nanako said that, peacefully as usual.
"-----Ichigo. This is a misunderstanding."
I make sure to say that first.
"............... Again, a strange hobby."
Ooh, what does that tone as if you've resigned yourself mean!
"...... Really. To think that a pervert would come out of our family."
Nee-san closed the door and went down the stairs.
Then, without even a bit of hesitation, there is the sound of the phone being picked up.
"Ah, hello police? Could you come here for a bit?"
"Whoah, are you going to just throw your younger brother to the wolves, you horrible sister!?"
Panicking, I run to the hallway.
"Help me--, I'm going to get raped--"
Nanako urges on my sister with a shaking voice.
"You brat, you got some guts!"
Yelling like that, I stole the phone from my sister who was about to give out our address.
---Hah.
For some reason, I feel like not just with one foot, but all the way to the neck, I've fallen into a quagmire---