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ลำดับตอนที่ #26 : VOLUME 4 - FEELINGS TO PROTECT extra file: photograph
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psychic detective yakumo novel translation
VOLUME 4 - FEELINGS TO PROTECT
extra file: photograph (TRANSLATION NOTES)
-
It was a few days after the case at the school –
-
He’ll probably complain again, saying I’ve brought him trouble –
I stood in front of the
I took the photo out of the envelope and looked at it again.
It was a photo taken in front of a cherry blossom tree for an elementary school graduation album. Smiling children stood in rows.
At first glance it wasn’t noticeable, but when I look carefully, I can see a child I know by the cherry blossom tree.
A boy between elementary and middle school age in a gym uniform.
His whole body is blurry, like he’s covered by mist –
It was spirit photography, but it didn’t feel terrifying. He just looked sad, like he had been left out.
When the sixth-grade teacher asked me to show my exorcist friend, I didn’t refuse, since I felt like I couldn’t leave this alone.
I know I’m just being meddlesome. But –
I put the photo back in the envelope, prepared myself and opened the door.
‘Hey.’
'You again? I don’t mind that you’ve got so much free time, but don’t bother me.’
Yakumo sighed – he was clearly fed up already – and ran a hand through his messy hair.
I wanted to retort, but I was in a situation where I couldn’t press my luck.
'It’s not like I planned to bother you… I just… er…’
I sat opposite him and glanced at Yakumo’s face as I put the envelope on the table.
After he yawned, he rubbed his face with a fist. He was just like a cat.
'Hey, will you listen to this?’
'I don’t want to listen.’
'What do you mean by that?’
'It’s just some more trouble, right?’
'That’s…’
He really was sharp.
'Honestly. Why do you always pick up trouble?’
'It’s not like I picked it up. But somebody asked me…’
And Yakumo was partly responsible too.
He’d told Yokouchi that he was an exorcist when they met during the case, so now there was a rumour that I was acquainted with an exorcist. That was why I ended up with spirit photography.
'It’s your fault for letting your guard down.’
'Hey, what do you mean by that?’
'That guy probably took you lightly, thinking everything would work out if he just pushed his troubles to you.’
'Take me lightly…’
'You’re so obtuse it oozes out of you.’
He just said whatever he wanted.
I came here because I wanted to ask him for help, but I couldn’t stand it anymore.
'Fine. I’ll do something about it myself.’
I hit the table with both hands and stood up.
I thought he’d be a bit surprised, but Yakumo’s eyes were as sleepy as ever. I felt silly, and my anger deflated like a popped balloon.
I left the
I’d had a faint hope that he might come out after me so I walked slowly, but all I felt was a dry wind pass me by.
He’s heartless –
-
I stood in front of the cherry blossom tree in the elementary school’s courtyard.
Right now, it was just branches since the leaves had fallen off, but when the season came, it would have new buds and be in full bloom.
The picture had been taken around here, if I remembered correctly.
Anyway, I’d come to the scene, but the truth was I didn’t know what to do next.
– If I only I could see them.
I put my hand in my jacket pocket, since I wanted to check the photo again.
'Eh?’
I thought I put it in here – it wasn’t in my breast pocket or my bag.
– Did I drop it?
'Is this what you’re looking for?’
I almost jumped when somebody suddenly called out to me. I turned around and saw Yakumo standing there.
In his hand was that photo.
'Why are you here, Yakumo-kun?’
'That’s why I said you’re obtuse.’
'Shut up.’
'You forgot this in my room earlier.’
That’s right. I brought it to the room to show Yakumo. I left it on the table and came here.
But –
'How’d you know I was here?’
Yakumo shook his head, like he was exasperated.
'You said you’d do something yourself. Since it’s you, like the blockhead you are, you thought that you would be able to do something about it if you went to the scene.’
The way he said it was so irritating. I wanted to complain, but I couldn’t talk back since it was unfortunately just as he said.
'That’s right. I’m the one at fault.’
'As long as you know that.’
I took the photo back from Yakumo, angry at how proud he was acting.
Even after Yakumo handed over the photo, he didn’t leave. He stared at the cherry blossom tree like something had caught him.
'What is it?’
I tried asking him, but Yakumo started walking to the cherry blossom tree instead of replying.
I realised from that action. Yakumo’s eyes saw something.
The wind was blowing –
The branches shook. They sounded like somebody was whispering.
'I’ve got a request for you.’
After a silence, Yakumo said just that.
'What?’
'Is there a reference room in this school?’
'The room beside the staff room is the reference room, but…’
'There’s something I want you to look for.’
'You’re not going to come with me?’
Yakumo raised an eyebrow, looking displeased.
'I’m an outsider. Of course I can’t go in the school building.’
Even though he’d gone in with no problems last case. He probably just thought it was a pain.
'Then what should I look for?’
'Something that kid left behind.’
After Yakumo said that, he looked at the cherry blossom tree again.
In the end, I went to the reference room myself.
I got the key in the staff room by lying about how I needed to look something up, and then I went to the room beside the staff room.
The room had no windows so it was a bit suffocating. There were racks surrounding the room, and cardboard boxes with labels for the years were lined up on them.
Yakumo had instructed me to look through last year’s Class 6-2 box.
I found it right away. Will what he wants really be here – I was doubtful as I opened it.
Dust flew up. Inside, there was a pile of documents.
'OK.’
I put the cardboard box on the floor and started looking through its contents.
There were a bunch of documents – test papers, compositions – but I couldn’t find anything that looked like what I was looking for.
Yakumo didn’t say anything, but there’d definitely been a child’s ghost there.
I remembered the sad expression I’d seen in the photo.
I wonder why that child is wandering –
That wouldn’t do. I could think about that later. I had to look first.
'There it is.’
Finally, I found what I was looking for. It was at the bottom of the box.
I thought it’d be in worse condition, but it was kept unexpectedly well.
OK, now things were good.
I was just about to leave the reference room when my mobile rang.
'Hello.’
It was from Yakumo. His timing was so good it was like he’d been watching her.
'Yup, it was there.’
'The temple? Where?’
'I didn’t understand since you didn’t explain properly.’
In my irritation, I hung up.
-
The yellow leaves of the gingko trees made the road narrower.
Isshin’s temple was at the top of this sloping road.
When I reached the gate, out of breath, Yakumo came out from the shadow of a pole.
'You’re late.’
Can’t he say something better –
'What? It’s 'cause I was helping a bit.’
'You’re the one who were asked to do this, right? You should be grateful that I’m even helping.’
'Ah, yes, of course.’
'I also had a number of things to prepare myself.’
What did he have to prepare?
'So where is it?’
'Here.’
I lifted up what I found in the reference room for Yakumo to see.
'Well done.’
Right after he said that, Yakumo turned around.
There was no point doing anything for this guy.
'Oh, Haruka-chan.’
Somebody called out to me, so I looked over.
Isshin stood there in priest’s robes.
'Hello. I apologise for the last time I came.’
I remembered what happened during the last case and hurriedly looked down.
'What? It’s nothing to worry about.’
Isshin laughed pleasantly. His expression really was relaxing.
'Leave the chitchat at that and hurry up.’
Yakumo said that sullenly and started walking away briskly.
'That’s right,’ said Isshin, before he followed Yakumo.
'Isshin-san, you’re coming as well?’
'I am.’
Isn’t that natural? Isshin’s words sounded that way.
It seemed that I was the only one who didn’t understand the situation.
'Um… Where are we going?’
I spoke up to the two of them heading towards the back of the cemetery.
'You still don’t understand?’
Yakumo’s gaze when he glanced behind him was clearly scornful.
Even if he looked at me like that, I wouldn’t understand the things I didn’t understand. I thought he might explain, but Yakumo walked forward silently.
I walked down the narrow road through the cemetery without knowing a thing.
Finally, Yakumo and Isshin stopped in front of a gravestone.
There was a gravestone that had Sano Family engraved on it, and beside it was a jizo statue[1].
'This is…’
I finally understood. So that’s how it is –
'Um…’
When somebody called out to us, I was so surprised I turned around.
A woman in her late thirties was standing there. She was holding a spirit tablet[2] like it was very important to her.
Her cheeks were hollow and there was no life in her eyes. She looked like she was wasting away.
'I apologise for calling you out so unexpectedly.’
Isshin made a deep bow.
'No. Then…’
The woman appeared a bit confused.
'Actually, we haven’t given Takeshi-kun his graduation certificate yet,’ said Yakumo.
'Graduation certificate…’
'Yes. It’s a bit late, but we thought we would give him the graduation certificate here. Takeshi-kun wants it as well.’
'Takeshi…’
The woman’s voice was hoarse. There were tears in her eyes.
'Sensei, I leave it to you.’
When Yakumo said that, he hit me on the shoulder.
He’s lying, right? He should’ve told me earlier. Even if he suddenly tells me to award a graduation certificate, I don’t know how –
'Ah.’
I unconsciously spoke up.
For just a moment, I saw a boy standing next to the woman.
He disappeared right afterwards, but it was definitely the child from the photo. My eyes might’ve been playing tricks on me, but –
The child in the photo probably died from some circumstances before he graduated.
He was probably in the photo because he wanted some proof that he graduated.
That was why Yakumo pushed the graduation certificate on me.
Then, he worked together with Isshin-san to call his mother here. To have an out-of-season graduation ceremony –
For that child – when I thought that, I mysteriously calmed down.
'Sano Takeshi-kun.’
– Yes.
My ears might have been mistaken, but I heard a bright reply.
'Here, we acknowledge that you have completed the elementary school curriculum.’
While looking directly at the face of his mother, I handed her the graduation certificate with both hands.
She bit her lips tightly, bowed and took the graduation certificate. She was crying.
At first, she bit her lip to restrain herself, but she finally sat down on the floor, as if she had collapsed.
'Thank you so much. Thank you so much…’
Her shoulders shook as she repeated those words.
This is no good – I felt like I would cry too.
-
After we finished the graduation ceremony at the cemetery, I walked on the sloping road with Yakumo.
I felt like we’d done something good.
But there was still something I didn’t understand.
'Yakumo-kun, how’d you find out the mother’s contact info?’
'It’s a public school, but there was a strong possibility that she lived nearby.’
'That so?’
Come to think of it, Isshin had said that he graduated from this school too.
'With that in mind, I checked with my uncle, and bingo.’
'Oh? But how’d you know that child’s name?’
'His name was written on the gym uniform he was wearing.’
'Ah.’
Now that he mentioned it, the child in photo had been wearing a gym uniform.
'How’d you know he died last year?’
'Gut feeling.’
'Eh?’
I stopped walking in my surprise.
'I could tell his class from the gym uniform. In any case, he’d been wandering around here recently. I checked with my uncle and thought I’d share what was correct once I found out, but I was right,’ said Yakumo calmly.
What a guy!
I was irritated, so I poked Yakumo in the side.
He jumped like a cat – it was cute.
I looked away from Yakumo, since it seemed he’d complain, and I continued talking.
'Why did he die?’
'Seems to have been a traffic accident. About half a year before the graduation ceremony. He was in a vegetative state and was in the hospital the whole time. In the end, he died a week after the graduation ceremony.
Yakumo’s voice sounded a bit sad.
'I see… So he didn’t get his graduation certificate and couldn’t be in the photo for the graduation album.
'That’s right.’
Ah, I forgot the most important part.
'What should I do about the spirit photography?’
'Just say it’s an optical illusion.’
'OK, I will.’
That child wanted to be in the graduation album too.
-
When I looked up, a streak of clouds was in the clear autumn sky –
-
[1] In Buddhism in Japan, Ojizo-sama (お地蔵様) is the saviour of souls suffering in the underworld. Jizo statues are put in graveyards for children who died before their parents. The parents often give them children’s clothing to wear. HERE are some pictures.
[2] A spirit tablet or oihai (お位牌) is an effigy for a specific ancestor. HERE is an example.
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