Sharing a Terrifying Experience That’s Been Happening Since Childhood[1] My writing sucks, and this is probably going to be long, but if anyone’s willing to listen… Are you interested?

• [2] Please do.

[3] Just FYI, I’m 27 now. Some parts from way back are a bit fuzzy. Some detailed descriptions might be partly imagination, so bear with me. Also, there are a lot of mysteries left, so if anyone figures things out after I’ve written it all, please let me know.

[4] Like I wrote in the thread title, this is a story that’s been going on since I was in 4th grade. Back then, I had a close guy friend and a girl friend, and the three of us were always together during recess and after school. Let’s call them A-kun and C-na for now. We’d mess around, fight sometimes, you know, like a typical group of three close friends. Then one day, C-na was absent from school. I immediately thought something was off. C-na was incredibly healthy, like super healthy, and had never missed a single day of school before.

[5] Me: Hey, looks like C-na’s out today.”” A-kun: “”Probably just ate too much dinner and got a stomach ache (lol).”” Me: “”(lol)””. We didn’t really think much of it. We wondered if we should visit her after school, but figured she’d be fine and back tomorrow, so we didn’t go. However, the next day, C-na was absent again.“

• [6] Reading.

[7] Me: “Hmm, maybe she’s still not feeling well?” A-kun: “Maybe she ate something she found on the ground this time? (lol).” Me: “(lol)”. A-kun was still laughing it off, but I had a bad feeling. That feeling turned out to be right during morning homeroom. Teacher: “Uh, regarding N (C-na), who has been absent for the past few days, she’s actually been hospitalized since then.” Me: “Eh?” A-kun: “Huh?”. We were both stunned. According to the teacher, C-na had suddenly collapsed at home before coming to school and was taken by ambulance. It was decided that the two of us, being her close friends, would represent the class and visit her after school the next day.

Homeroom: Time in Japanese schools where the class teacher and students gather before or after classes.

[8] Me: “Whoa, whoa… what’s going on?” A-kun: “Hmm, seems like a pretty big deal for just a stomach ache…” A-kun was still making light of it, but honestly, I was pretty anxious and worried. While maybe not as tough as C-na, I was pretty healthy myself, and hospitals always had a ‘this is serious’ vibe to me. A-kun: “Well, let’s go visit her tomorrow. Tell her to hurry up and come back to school.” Me: “Yeah.” And so, the next day, A-kun and I visited the hospital where C-na was admitted.

[9] A-kun: “Whoa! It’s huge! Oh, look, there’s a nurse!!” Me: “Stop it, you’re embarrassing me…” Ignoring A-kun, who was excited about his first hospital visit, I went to the reception desk to ask about visiting C-na. Me: “Excuse me, C-na… uh, where is N-san’s room?” Receptionist: “Yes, uhm, N-san’s room is… Room 203.” After getting the room number from the receptionist, we headed to her room.

[10] It was a large room shared by four people. We stepped into the room and looked for C-na. Me: “Hmmmm, ah, there she is! Hey! C-na!!” C-na was looking out the window. Noticing my voice, she turned towards us. C-na: “Ah!!” A-kun: “Yo!!” C-na greeted us with a huge smile. Her complexion looked normal, and she seemed energetic.

[11] A-kun: “What’s this about collapsing? How pathetic!” Me: “You look like you’re doing well.” C-na: “Oh man, it was crazy! (lol) But you guys actually came!” A-kun: “Well, we just wanted to tease you a bit (lol).” Me: “We were joking about you eating something you found off the ground (lol).” C-na: “What are you saying?! (lol)”. After that, we got caught up in silly conversations, and before we knew it, visiting hours were over.

[12] Me: “Ah, look at the time. Well, C-na, we’ll come again soon.” A-kun: “Yeah, see ya. When do you think you’ll be discharged?” C-na: “The doctor said it’s nothing serious, so I think it’ll be soon.” Me: “I see. Get well soon and come back to school.” A-kun: “See ya later!” C-na: “Okay! Thanks for coming! See you at school!!” On the way back from the hospital: Me: “Glad she seemed okay.” A-kun: “You probably couldn’t kill her even if you tried (lol). Unless a meteor falls on her head (lol).” Me: “Hahahahaha (lol).” A-kun: “Hope she comes back to school soon.” Me: “Yeah.”

[13] Three days passed. C-na still hadn’t been discharged. Me: “Hey, C-na’s still not out of the hospital?” A-kun: “Maybe she slipped on the stairs and delayed her discharge? (lol).” Me: “(lol)”. But even then, I had this vague, bad feeling. Then four days passed, five, six, a whole week. C-na still didn’t come back to school.

[14] Me: “Hmm, C-na said ‘soon,’ but it’s taking a while.” A-kun: “Hmm, maybe she fell in love with a doctor at the hospital! Hmmmm.” A-kun was still trying to brush it off with jokes, but even he seemed worried now. Me: “Should we go see her after school today?” A-kun: “Yeah, let’s. It’s probably some dumb reason anyway.” After school, we headed back to the hospital where C-na was staying.

[15] When we entered her room, C-na was lying down. Me: “Hey! C-na!” C-na: “Ah! You came!” A-kun: “Sup.” C-na still had that big smile, but somehow her complexion looked worse, and her eyes seemed cloudy. A-kun: “Long vacation, huh! (lol)” Me: “Still not looking like you’ll be discharged?” C-na: “They’re saying something about doing some tests or whatever, I don’t really get it.”**

• [16] Watching.

[17] A-kun: “Testing your head? (lol)” C-na: “How rude! (lol)” Me: “So it looks like discharge is still a ways off?” C-na: “Yeah, but they said once the tests are done and everything’s okay, I can go home right away!” A-kun: “I see, I see. Anyway, hurry up and get back to school.” C-na: “Yeah! Of course! I wanna hang out with everyone soon!” After that, just like last time, we chatted about random stuff and left the hospital casually.

[18] On the way back from the hospital: A-kun: “Worried for nothing! She seemed super energetic!” Me: “Hmm, but she looked like she lost some weight.” A-kun: “The hospital food probably sucks. She usually eats tons of snacks too, you know (lol).” Me: “But yeah, she seemed energetic enough, and it’s good she seems like she’ll be coming home soon.” A-kun: “Yeah. Once she’s back, let’s make up for the time we couldn’t hang out and drag her all over the place.” Me: “Sounds good! And then we’ll end up fighting over something stupid again (lol).” A-kun: “Ah, I wish she’d come back to school already.” We walked home, imagining what it would be like when C-na returned to school. The next day, A-kun and I spent time thinking about C-na coming back. Probably because there were usually three of us, just the two of us felt a bit flat. However, even after two weeks, C-na didn’t come back to school.

[19] Me: “Hey… still not back yet?” A-kun: “…Maybe something’s really wrong with her head… she gets angry so easily, after all.” It was the same old A-kun, but he seemed worried. We thought about visiting her again, but neither of us suggested it. I think, subconsciously, we were both scared of what might happen if we were confronted with a cruel reality.

[20] And then, three weeks passed. Me: “Hey… A-kun.” A-kun: “Hm?” Me: “No… never mind.” A-kun: “Okay…” No way… not that C-na… She’ll probably just show up at school eventually saying, “Sorry I’m so late!” Yeah, that must be it. Both A-kun and I spent our days holding onto that vague anxiety, and eventually, a little over a month passed.

[21] Me: “A-kun…” A-kun: “Yeah.” Me: “Today, I think I’m going to visit C-na. Want to come with?” A-kun: “I was just about to ask you the same thing.” We finally decided to act. Carrying an indescribable anxiety, we headed towards C-na’s hospital.

[23] Me: “Um… we came to visit N-san.” Receptionist: “Yes, uhm, she’s in Room 506 now.” Me: “Eh? Oh, okay.” For some reason, her room had changed. A-kun and I headed up to the 5th floor. When we reached the room entrance, the nameplate only had C-na’s name on it. It seemed to be a private room. When we entered, a curtain was drawn, and a middle-aged woman was sitting in a chair.

• [25] Fast pace makes it easy to read.

[26] Me: “Hey, isn’t that C-na’s mom?” A-kun: “Oh, you’re right.” We had only met C-na’s mother a few times, but she seemed to remember us. She turned towards us and spoke. C-na’s Mom: “Oh, [Narrator]-kun and A-kun. You came to see C-na.” C-na’s mother looked incredibly worn out, with large dark circles under her eyes. Me: “Yes. Is C-na here?” C-na’s Mom: “Yes, she is. C-na, your friends are here to see you.” Saying that, C-na’s mother pulled back the curtain. C-na was lying there, but we were startled by how utterly strange she looked.

[27] C-na was covered in tubes. Her face was gaunt, and she looked so thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. C-na: “Ah… you came.” Me: “………” I was so shocked by her appearance that I couldn’t speak. A-kun: “O-oh! Y-you’ve gotten really skinny!” C-na: “Yeah, I can’t even eat the things I like.” A-kun: “W-well, when you get back to school, let’s stuff ourselves with cheap snacks again, okay? Ri-right…” As expected, even the usually unflappable A-kun seemed taken aback by her condition. After that, we talked about how things were at school, what was on TV recently, but I don’t remember much of it.

• [28] This is tough. My eyes are already welling up at this point.

[29] C-na’s Mom: “Oh, yes.” C-na’s mother, who had been quietly listening beside us, spoke up. C-na’s Mom: “Could I take a picture of you all?” Me: “Yes, that’s fine.” A-kun: “Sure.” Why take a picture now? I wondered, but we readily agreed. C-na’s Mom: “Okay, I’ll take it now. Ready, cheese!” The moment we all flashed peace signs, the shutter clicked. C-na’s Mom: “Okay, I’ll give these to you guys once they’re developed. C-na, Mom has some errands to run, so I’ll be back tomorrow. Thank you both for coming.”

[30] >>28 Ah… I should say this upfront… this isn’t a touching story.

[31] Seeming to be in quite a hurry, C-na’s mother hastily left the room. The three of us were left alone. However, perhaps due to C-na’s atmosphere, it was clear that the conversation wouldn’t pick up any further, so we decided to leave. Me: “Well, we should get going too.” A-kun: “Yeah, see ya later.” C-na: “Ah! Wait!!” Me: “Hm?” C-na: “You’ll… stay with me forever, right?” Me: “Of course, we’re friends.” A-kun: “Yeah. Let’s go play all over the place when you get out!!” C-na: “Okay, thank you! You promise!!” C-na’s entire face expressed her joy.

[32] Then, one week later, the time finally came. During morning homeroom. Teacher: “I have some very sad news. C-na-san has passed away.” Me & A-kun: “!!!” C-na was dead… Even though I understood the words, my mind couldn’t catch up. Even seeing her in that state, deep down, I must have still held onto the hope that she would come back to school. Teacher: “I am also very sad. So incredibly sad.” The teacher continued speaking, choking back sobs. Everyone in the class was crying. But for some reason, I couldn’t shed a tear. I don’t remember much after that, but A-kun and I were to attend C-na’s funeral.

[33] A-kun and I spent the days leading up to the funeral like empty shells, and on the day, we went to the service. Mimicking the adults, we offered incense (shoko) and greeted C-na’s mother. C-na’s Mom: “Really… C-na was so indebted to you, [Narrator]-kun and A-kun.” Me: “No… not at all.” A-kun: “………” C-na’s Mom: “Oh, yes, here. These are the photos from the hospital.” C-na’s mother took out two photos from inside her mourning clothes. C-na’s Mom: “Please, take these and live your lives fully, for C-na’s sake too.” The moment I took them, tears started streaming down my face. Me: “(Sobbing)” A-kun: “….Ugh (groan)”. A-kun was crying too, just a little. Both A-kun and I put the photos away and left the funeral hall.

Shoko: A ritual in Buddhist funerals where attendees offer incense to the deceased.

• [34] You made me cry.

[35] The death of a friend was a huge shock, even for a child, and I spent some time feeling down. Still, life gradually returned to normal, and by the time two months had passed, both A-kun and I had made new friends and were living our usual lives again. Then one day, I had a terrifying dream.

• [36] Is this supernatural? If it’s a scary story, I won’t be able to go to the toilet, so I’ll stop reading.

[39] I was in a space where the air felt heavy and oppressive. But I couldn’t tell where I was, couldn’t even tell if my feet were touching the ground. Everything around was pitch black, and I couldn’t see ahead. I didn’t know if I was walking or not, but I moved forward. As I did, I sensed a presence behind me. I turned around, and there stood a girl with her head bowed down, very close to me. Huh? C-na!! Isn’t that C-na?! Her distinctive curly hair, the shoes she always wore. There was no mistake, it was C-na.

• [40] This thread is rough for me, about to take a bath.

[41] I tried to call out to her, but for some reason, no sound came out, so I gestured to get her attention. The girl who looked like C-na slowly raised her face. Me: “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Goosebumps instantly covered my body. The girl standing there was definitely C-na, but the things that should have been there—her eyes—were missing.

[42] Where her eyeballs should have been were empty sockets, revealing darkness within. Furthermore, her mouth lacked teeth and a tongue, just a gaping void. Me: “Ah… ah…” I was so horrified I couldn’t move at all. I wanted to run, but maybe I was paralyzed? My body wouldn’t obey me at all. C-na: “………………” C-na opened her mouth and seemed to be saying something, but I couldn’t hear anything. Me: “What… are you saying?” After C-na finished saying whatever she was saying, she suddenly grabbed my arm. It was startlingly cold; even in the dream, I could feel that coldness.

[43] Me: “W-what are you doing! Let go!!!” C-na: “………………” C-na silently tried to pull me somewhere. I resisted desperately. Me: “Stop it!!!” Maybe because of my desperate struggle, C-na seemed to give up and let go of my arm. Me: “Hah… hah… hah…” C-na: “……………” Me: “!!!!!!!!!!!” C-na was smiling. With her eyeless, mouthless face, she grinned. At that moment, I woke up.

[44] I woke up at 3 AM. I immediately rushed to wake my mother up and cried to her. My mother gently comforted me, probably thinking I was still shocked from my friend’s death. After that, I couldn’t sleep a wink and went to school.

[45] Me: “Hey, A-kun, morning…” A-kun: “Yeah…” Of course, I had no energy, but A-kun also seemed down. Me: “You seem out of it. What’s wrong?” A-kun: “………” A-kun was usually full of energy; something was clearly wrong. A-kun: “I had… a dream… about C-na.” Me: “Eh…?”

[46] When I asked for details, it turned out that the dream A-kun had was exactly the same as mine. When I told A-kun this, his face turned pale. A-kun: “What does this mean?!” Me: “H-how should I know?!” Not understanding what was happening, we both started to panic. But there was nothing we could do. A-kun and I forced ourselves to decide it was just a coincidence and tried to push the problem out of our minds. Even though two people having the exact same dream couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.

[47] And that night, I had the dream again. Exactly the same content. I woke up drenched in sweat and ran crying to my mother again. As before, my mother gently comforted me, but there was no way my feelings could be calmed. Me: “What is this… What the hell is going on?!!!” The next day, I went to school completely exhausted, but A-kun wasn’t there. I sat through classes I couldn’t understand and hurried home. Once home, I just spaced out, not doing anything in particular.

[48] Me: “I’m… scared to sleep.” I’d had the same dream two nights in a row; a third night seemed possible. Me: “What should I do… What can I do……… That’s it!!!” Something clicked in my mind. Me: “I should sleep with Mom!” Back then, I was quite the mama’s boy and would immediately run crying to my mother whenever something happened. Even if I had the scary dream again, Mom would surely figure something out! I believed that without a doubt. Me: “Mom.” Mom: “Hm?” Me: “Let’s sleep together tonight.” Mom: “Okay.” I mentally pumped my fist.

[49] And so, that night, I got into the same futon as my mother and fell asleep wrapped in a comforting sense of relief. This should be fine, I thought, not worried at all. However, that night, I had the dream again. Exactly the same content, the exact same nightmare. The only difference was that the room I woke up in wasn’t the one I had fallen asleep in with my mother, but my own room.

[50] Me: “W-why…” I ran full speed to my mother’s room. She was asleep, as if nothing had happened. I woke her up again and asked for details. Me: “Mom!! Why did you put me back in my room while I was sleeping?” Mom: “Huh?” she answered, still half-asleep. Me: “You carried me to my room while I was sleeping, didn’t you! That’s awful!!” Mom: “What are you talking about? You suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and went back to your own room.” Me: “Eh…” Mom: “You didn’t answer when I called out to you. Weren’t you sleepwalking?” Me: “………”

[51] Completely stunned, I returned to my room. I looked at the clock; it was 3 AM. Me: “Why… why?” There was no way I could fall back asleep in this state. I stayed awake until it was time for school. I barely paid attention in class, and after school, I went over to A-kun.

[52] A-kun: “Hey…” Me: “Yeah…” A-kun: “I was sick yesterday and stayed home, but…” Me: “Yeah?” A-kun: “I’ve seen it two nights in a row since then… C-na’s dream.” Me: “Eh? You too, A-kun…?” A-kun: “Eh, so you too?” Me: “Yeah.” A-kun: “………” What should we do? We were both at our wits’ end.

• [53] I see, so >>1 was about to be taken to the other side… Well, anyway, choosing not to go was the right move. C-chan was lonely and tried to drag you in. You should visit her grave.

[54] Me: “C-na… is she trying to tell us something?” A-kun: “Eh?” Me: “In the dream, C-na is saying something, right?” A-kun: “Yeah, but I can’t understand what she’s saying.” Me: “From her mouth movements…” I desperately tried to recall how C-na’s mouth moved in the dream. “Sa,” “mu,” “sa,” “i.” “Sa,” “shi,” “i.” “Ki,” “te.” “Sa,” “i,” “mu,” “i.” “Mi,” “shi,” “ki,” “te.”

[55] Me: “………” A-kun: “Did you figure something out?” Me: “Cold… Lonely… Come.” A-kun: “………” Me: “Is she trying to… take us with her?” C-na, who was dead, was trying to take us away… Just thinking about it gave me goosebumps.

[56] To break the current situation, I decided to look for new clues. Me: “Wait, the photo.” A-kun: “Eh?” Me: “The photo taken of me, you, and C-na.” A-kun: “Oh yeah. What about it?” Me: “Let’s take a look at it.” A-kun: “You mean look for clues?” Me: “Yeah. Maybe we’ll find something.” I had been carrying that photo with me all the time. I took it out of my backpack and looked at it.

[57] Me: “Hmm……….. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!” A-kun: “What’s wrong?………. !!!!!!!!!!” I was speechless. Seeing my reaction, A-kun looked at the photo and was also speechless. There was me and A-kun, making peace signs towards C-na’s mother, and C-na in the middle. But C-na… had no eyeballs. Just like in the dream.

[58] A-kun: “Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!” A-kun snatched the photo from me and tore it into pieces. Me: “H-hey!! What are you doing!!!” A-kun: “Hah… hah… hah….” A-kun: “What the hell is this?! I don’t get it!!” Me: “Ahhh…” These bizarre phenomena kept happening one after another; we were completely on the verge of freaking out.

[59] ???: “Excuse me…” Me & A-kun: “Whoa!” Startled by someone suddenly speaking from behind, I jumped. Turning around, I saw our classmate, D-ko. D-ko was a typically gloomy classmate, had no friends, and would disappear somewhere during recess instead of talking to anyone.

[60] Me: “W-what is it?” D-ko: “I felt… a terrifying presence.” Me: “Huh?” D-ko: “That.” D-ko pointed at the torn-up photo. Me: “…Do you know something?” D-ko: “She’ll be here… soon.”

[61] Me: “Huh!? What do you mean!?” Coming here? Does she mean C-na’s coming to take us…? A-kun: “Why?! We were C-na’s best friends!” D-ko: “That girl went to hell.”

[62] Me & A-kun: “………” Me: “Th-then what should we do?!” D-ko: “There’s nothing you can do.” Me & A-kun: “Eh…” D-ko: “Her desire to drag someone down with her is too strong. Nothing can be done.”

[63] Me: “No…” So, all we could do was wait for C-na to appear in the real world and take us away…? D-ko: “Here…” D-ko took something out of her pocket and handed it to us. Me: “What’s this?” What she gave us was a tiny little amulet (omamori). D-ko: “I don’t think something like this can stop it, but…” Me: “Oh, thank you.” A-kun: “………” D-ko: “It’s such a terrifying presence… this probably won’t last long.” With those words, D-ko left the classroom.

Omamori: A small pouch-like charm sold at Japanese shrines and temples, believed to ward off evil or bring good luck.

[64] A-kun chased after D-ko as she left the classroom, but she was already gone from the hallway. Me: “What was that about?” A-kun: “Beats me…” D-ko, who appeared suddenly and gave us an amulet. The amulet itself was tiny, maybe a third the size of my palm. A-kun: “Is this thing really gonna protect us?” Me: “I don’t know, but we have to believe in it.” We were clutching at straws, but I believed in its power and placed the amulet under my pillow before sleeping. However, that night, I still had the dream.

• [65] Scary, but sad.

[66] But the content was different from before. When I became aware, C-na was already right in front of me, staring at me. I couldn’t tell her expression without eyeballs, but her aura was clearly different from before. C-na: “………” C-na was saying something. C-na: “…not.” C-na: “won’t forgive, you.” Me: “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” At that moment, I woke up from the dream.

[67] Me: “Hah… hah… hah… huh?” I happened to glance at the amulet by my pillow. There was a small scratch on it, like a tiny claw mark. After that, for the rest of elementary school, C-na never appeared in my dreams again. Of course, it goes without saying that I always took the amulet with me whenever I slept away from home.

[68] The next time something happens is when I’m in high school. If anyone’s still interested in this clumsy writing, I’ll continue.

• [69] Interested.
• [70] Stop… no, please continue.
• [71] Reading, waiting for the rest.

[72] Okay, hang on a sec then.

• [73] Scary.

[74] Sorry for the wait, I’ll continue.

[75] After that, middle school passed without incident, and I safely entered high school. I grew distant from A-kun, and D-ko moved away somewhere during 5th grade. High school life was pretty fulfilling; I got my first girlfriend, had my first time, etc. The shadow fell over this life in the spring of my second year of high school.

[76] Girlfriend: “Hey hey, have you heard the rumor about Kanako-san? Ka like ‘add’, Na like ‘Nara’, and Ko like ‘child’.” Me: “Huh? What’s that?” Girlfriend: “In your dreams, this girl named Kanako-san appears and tries to take you to the world of the dead. She keeps saying ‘I’m lonely, I’m lonely’ while pulling your hand.” Me: “Hmm.” Girlfriend: “And get this, she has no eyes or teeth, just black empty sockets!” Me: “Ugh…” For a moment, I wondered if it could be C-na, but C-na’s name wasn’t Kanako. Girlfriend: “And if you keep refusing, she comes into the real world to take you directly!” Me: “That’s a dumb story.” Girlfriend: “Ah, you don’t believe me!” Me: “It’s just some common rumor, right?” Just another urban legend you hear everywhere, I thought, paying it no mind.

[77] Then one day, Friend A: “Hey, man, I had the Kanako-san dream…” Me: “Huh?” Turns out, my friend had the dream about Kanako-san that my girlfriend had told me about. Me: “Don’t worry about it. You probably just dreamed it because you heard the scary story.” This friend A was a really good guy, but a total scaredy-cat. Friend A: “Y-you think so?” Me: “Yeah. Don’t think too much about it.” Friend: “Okay…” But honestly, something about it felt strangely familiar and bothered me.

• [78] Seriously scary. Someone talk to me.

[79] That night, I kept agonizing over the rumor. A dream I hadn’t seen in years, since elementary school, and now a rumor about a dream with the exact same content was going around. I didn’t know if it was true, but my friend even said he’d actually seen it. Me: “Right! The amulet!!” I checked the amulet I always kept under my pillow. Me: “…..Eh?” The amulet was definitely there. But it was no longer whole. It looked like it had been torn in two, and there was red liquid stuck to it. My face went pale, and I threw the amulet away. Me: “W-why…” I couldn’t sleep a wink that night.

[80] The next day, I went to school feeling like I wasn’t really alive. During break time, still reeling from last night’s shock, I sat with my head in my hands. Why did the amulet end up like that? Nothing happened during middle school, so why now? Could it be related to the Kanako-san rumor? The questions kept piling up.

[81] Classmate A: “You know the Kanako-san rumor?” Classmate B: “Yeah, yeah!” I flinched for a second but listened in on their conversation. Classmate A: “They say you get taken away, right? Apparently, A-san from Class B said she had the dream, and hasn’t come to school since!” Classmate B: “Scary!!” Me: “Can you tell me more about that story?” Classmate A: “Eh?” They seemed surprised by my sudden appearance, but I had to ask. Classmate A: “But [Narrator]-kun, I thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?” Me: “Yeah, but, well, I’m just a little curious.” Classmate A: “Hmm, okay, sure.” And so, I listened to the details of the Kanako-san rumor. Here’s a summary:

[82] 1. Her name is Kanako-san. 2. She appears in the dreams of people who hear the rumor. 3. She’s a girl around middle or high school age. 4. She has long black hair and wears a plaid shirt and skirt. 5. She has no eyeballs, just blackness, and also no teeth or tongue. 6. She tries to drag you away by pulling your hand. 7. If you see the dream for several days, she appears in reality to take you.

• [83] Opened this right before bed, of course it’s the occult board.

[84] …Hmm? I felt something was off. How did it compare to the dream I used to have? Points 5 and 6 matched exactly with my dream. But 1, 2, 3, and 4 were strange.

[90] First, C-na’s name wasn’t Kanako. Also, her appearance was completely different from C-na’s curly hair. Even if the Kanako-san dream was the same as mine, C-na only wanted to take me and A-kun, so why would she appear in other people’s dreams? And, a girl around middle school age… C-na died in 4th grade. It’s unlikely she’d be mistaken for a middle schooler, let alone a high schooler. Hmm, the more I thought about it, the less sense it made. My head was full of question marks.

[91] Me: “Why is it called the Kanako-san rumor?” I asked directly. Classmate: “Dunno. Isn’t the girl in the dream named Kanako-san?” Me: “Hmm.”

[92] Although there were many differences from C-na’s dream, some parts were identical. A girl with no eyes, tongue, or teeth, who pulls your hand… Was this just a coincidence? And then there was the torn amulet… Damn it, the more I thought, the more confusing it got. Carrying various questions, I headed home. That day, I worried I might have the dream again since the amulet was gone, but I didn’t.

[93] After that, daily life continued uneventfully. I didn’t have C-na’s dream; it was peaceful. However, the Kanako-san rumor persisted… Then one day, Friend A stopped coming to school. No way… I thought, but I couldn’t jump to conclusions without any real evidence. Despite my concern, my classmates were gossiping freely.

[94] Classmate A: “Kanako-san definitely took him!” Classmate B: “He did say he had the dream!” I felt a slight irritation at their insensitivity, but I was genuinely concerned about Friend A. Me: “Guess I should investigate.”

[95] However, while he was a friend, we weren’t close enough to have each other’s phone numbers or email addresses. So, I first decided to talk to a classmate who was close to Friend A. Me: “Hey, haven’t seen A around lately. Is he sick or something?” Classmate C: “I don’t know either. He’s not replying to emails, and he doesn’t pick up his phone.” Me: “I see. Thanks.”

[96] It seemed quickest to ask the homeroom teacher. Me: “Sensei, why has A been absent recently?” Teacher: “Hmm, family matters.” Me: “Family matters?” Teacher: “Yeah. He’ll probably come back when things settle down.” Me: “I see.” Even as he said that, I felt something wasn’t quite right.

[97] So, I decided to go directly to A’s house and ask. I wasn’t entirely sure why I was going this far. But that rumor was just too concerning.

• [98] Oh crap, I saw it too. It’s okay, right?

[99] This must be it… The next day, after getting the address from a classmate, I used the time after school to go to A’s house. A’s house wasn’t too far from school, located in a very ordinary residential area. It was a standalone house, but looked quite old, with cracks here and there. Me: “Wonder if A’s home. Even if he is, what should I say?” Showing up suddenly like this is annoying, right… Thinking that, I rang the doorbell.

• [100] So interesting and curious I can’t sleep. It’s fine.

[101] … … No answer. Me: “Guess they’re out.” I rang it several more times, but no one came out. I happened to look up at the house. Me: “Hm?” By the window, a woman was standing there. Why didn’t she answer after I rang the bell so many times? As I kept looking at the window, the woman turned towards me.

[102] Me: “Ugh…” Because of the frosted glass, I couldn’t see clearly, but the moment our eyes met face-to-face, I felt an indescribable chill. Me: “Eh?” After making eye contact with me, the woman, for some reason, stretched out her arms and pressed her face and arms against the glass. Her palms and arms, plastered flat against it.

[103] Me: “S-sorry for bothering you!!” Overcome by the creepiness, I yelled out even though she couldn’t possibly hear me and fled as if escaping. What the hell was that… So scary. Was that A’s older or younger sister? Why didn’t she answer the door after I rang so much? Although, having someone that creepy answer would have been a problem too…

[104] The next day, curious, I decided to ask a classmate. Me: “Hey, did A have an older or younger sister?” Classmate C: “Nah, I’m pretty sure he’s an only child.” Me: “R-really?” Well, the possibility of it being his mother wasn’t zero, but… Several days passed after that, but A still didn’t come back to school.

[105] Then, one night, feeling a bit hungry, I decided to bike to the convenience store. It was quite late at night, but the store was close, so I didn’t mind. As I was cheerfully cycling towards the convenience store, someone yelled loudly from behind me.

[106] ???: “Hey you!! Stop!!!” Me: “Eh?” Turning around, I saw a police officer on a bicycle. I stopped and waited for the officer to approach. The officer looked quite angry. Crap… is he mad because I’m out late?

• [107] If you use 2chmate, you’ll know, but the fact that >>1’s name is Shiina is also scary. (TL Note: This refers to the OP’s tripcode/ID potentially containing “椎名”, which sounds like C-na).

[109] Officer: “You shouldn’t be riding double, especially going that fast!!” Me: “Eh?” Officer: “And the girl on the back… huh?” Me: “I’m not riding double.” Officer: “That can’t be right! I definitely saw a girl clinging onto your back.”

• [110] >>107 It’s a coincidence (lol). Tell me it’s a coincidence…

[111] For a moment, I felt a chill… That couldn’t be possible. But the officer looked serious. Officer: “W-was I mistaken… No, but I definitely saw…” The officer muttered to himself, but I was on edge. Officer: “W-well, anyway, try not to go out late at night!” After that, I got a small lecture and was sent home.

[113] What a nasty joke that was. He probably just wanted to scare me so I wouldn’t go out late at night! That must be it! ……… My heart felt anything but light. Something inside me was warning me, ‘This is bad’. Something was definitely happening around me.

[114] Sorry, I’m hitting my limit with sleepiness. Is it okay if I write again tomorrow night?

• [115] O-okay… (； ･д･´)…gulp…(･д´･ ；)
• [116] Whoa, got the chills…
• [117] Thanks. Waiting.
• [118] Hey idiot don’t sleep! It’s dangerous if you sleep!

[120] You’ll understand when I tell the whole story, but due to certain circumstances, I barely sleep. I’ll try to write as soon as possible, maybe late night again. If anyone’s still interested, I’d appreciate it if you kept the thread bumped.

• [122] Thanks. How’s it going, scary.
• [123] This is a genuinely scary thread for the first time in a while.
• [125] >>1 Thanks. Looking forward to it~.
• [126] Just caught up. Too scary to sleep.
• [127] This is intriguing. I’ll wait.
• [129] Bump.
• [133] Scary.
• [136] Come to think of it, we heard the rumor too, so maybe in our dreams that…
• [138] This isn’t the end… right?
• [145] Caught up bump yo.
• [147] Probably fake, but I’ll bite.
• [150] Can’t stop thinking about the continuation. Come back soon.
• [167] >>1 You’ve got quite the writing talent.
• [170] Caught up. Hurry hurry hurry!!!!!
• [171] Finished reading. Just wondering, did you keep the amulet under your pillow the whole time? Since middle school? Did you never check it during that time? Or did it deteriorate just in the last few days?

[181] Back for a bit. Thanks for reading my clumsy writing. To those saying it’s fake, thanks for reading anyway. I have to leave again soon, so the continuation will be around 11 PM. See you later. >>171 As I wrote, I took it with me when I slept away from home, so I did check it. But since I hadn’t seen the dream for a while, I hadn’t examined it closely.

• [173] Bump.
• [175] Woke up~. Didn’t dream bump.
• [182] Need the rest of the story.
• [184] My phone turned off when I opened this thread ＼(^Д^)／
• [193] Why did C-na fall into hell? Bump.
• [195] >>193 Occult board logic: Maybe she was deceived by a demon and made a contract while she was ill.
• [196] Too scary lol.
• [203] Didn’t this happen because you answered “Yeah” to C-na’s “You’ll stay with me forever?”… Though you kinda had to answer that way. Wait, are you telling this story to spread the curse, >>1?
• [205] >>203 I don’t think so. The cause is probably Kanako-san.
• [208] >>205 Kanako -> C-na… So Kanako existed even before that?
• [210] >>208 C-na chan got dragged down by Kanako-san. Only fragments of memory remain, her consciousness is gone. C-na chan has no previous memories. All she remembers is the promise from >>1 and A-kun answering ‘Yeah!’ to ‘You’ll stay with me, right?’.
• [209] If C-na really fell into hell, maybe her mother knew and tried to get >>1 and friends dragged down too by taking that photo…… Nah, that’s too far-fetched, right?
• [218] I’m curious about the connection between Kanako and the hospital where Shiina (C-na) was admitted.
• [226] Didn’t dream~. My personal theory summary: C-na gets seriously ill. Makes a deal with a demon? – Pays with her eyes and mouth. – Takes the photo to spread the curse. – Mom is an accomplice. The curse activates after time passes (i.e., high school). – Acquaintance stops coming to school. – Goes to the house and finds a weird woman (looking for >>1 since he tore the photo?) <- Current point. ~~~ A-kun might be taken soon? >>1 is next, so he’s spreading the story to avoid it? Just kidding. That sounds cheap.
• [227] Predicting D-ko’s reappearance.
• [233] Bump.
• [242] Bump~.
• [250] Still not here…

[251] Very sorry for the delay.

• [252] Yo, been waiting!
• [254] Can’t stop being excited.
• [256] HEEEEERE!
• [257] Support bump.

[255] Thank you to everyone who kept the thread bumped. It jumps quite a bit, but this continues from >>113.

[259] After school, I sat with my head in my hands. Inexplicable phenomena, things that could now be called paranormal, were happening one after another. And then there was A. It seemed reasonable to assume something had happened to A. Even if it were family matters, not sending a single email to his friends was abnormal. And that creepy house…

[261] ???: “What are you muttering about?” Me: “Whoa!! Oh, it’s just you, XX.” Girlfriend: “Ehehe, did I surprise you?” I was startled by her sudden appearance. Apparently, she’d been watching me muttering to myself at my desk the whole time. What a weird hobby…

[262] Me: “Oh, right!” I decided to ask her for help. Girlfriend: “Hmm?” Me: “You told me about the Kanako-san rumor before, right? I need you to find someone who knows more details about it.” Girlfriend: “Eh, why? You seemed totally uninterested.” Me: “Well, yeah, just… various reasons.” Girlfriend: “Okay! I’ll look into it.” Me: “Thanks.” She knows a lot of people. Maybe this would bring in some new information.

• [263] Caught up! Too scary to sleep (lol)
• [264] Heart’s pounding (^ _ ^)

[265] I took action myself as well. Starting the next day, I asked various people, including classmates, about the rumor, but didn’t get any favorable results. I talked to every acquaintance I could find in school, but only got information like “I’ve heard the rumor.” I heard things like “XX-san from class ~ disappeared” or “XX-san apparently had the dream,” but they lacked credibility.

[267] Amidst this dead end, an acquaintance introduced me to someone: a guy named D-kun from another school. Apparently, he belonged to an Occult Research Club. My own school’s Occult Research Club just made weird newspapers and pamphlets, and I didn’t really want to get involved, but needs must, I suppose. And he’s from another school… well, can’t be helped.

[268] I had my acquaintance set up a meeting, and made plans to visit D-kun’s school’s Occult Research Club after school. The next day, I visited D-kun’s school after classes. D-kun’s school wasn’t far from mine, just a short train ride away. Me: “………” Standing before the school gate, I took a breath. What a huge school… It was incomparably larger than mine. D-kun’s school allowed casual clothes, so I could enter without attracting strange looks.

• [269] Oh, you’re here. I wonder how far that rumor has spread.

[271] True to its exterior, the inside of the school was also very spacious. Me: “Is there like, a club building or something?” Having no idea where to go, I asked a nearby student. Me: “Um, which way is the Occult Research Club?” Student: “It’s over there, but… you really want to join that?” Me: “Eh?” Student: “I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s full of weirdos.” Me: “Oh…” That seemed overly prejudiced… but anyway, I headed in the direction he pointed.

[272] Me: “This must be it…” Finding the sign that read “Occult Research Club,” I went inside. Me: “Um, is D-kun here?” ???: “Hm?” There was only one person in the clubroom, a skinny guy who looked like a bean sprout, who responded. He looked like a stereotypical otaku.

[273] D-kun: “I’m D-kun. What’s up? Want to join the club?” Me: “Uh, no, that’s not it. XX introduced me.” D-kun: “Oh! I heard about you! Heard you have an interesting story?” It wouldn’t be great if he found it too interesting, though…

[275] I told D-kun about the rumor spreading in my high school. D-kun listened intently, nodding along. After I finished speaking, D-kun spoke up. D-kun: “That’s a truly fascinating story.” Me: “Uh, you think so?” D-kun: “Based purely on my speculation, Kanako-san might be based on a real person.”

[277] Me: “What!?” Kanako-san being a real person… what did that mean? D-kun: “Alright, let me explain my thoughts in order… Are you familiar with the similar stories of Kashima-san or Hikiko-san?” Me: “No, I don’t know them.” D-kun: “The characters in those urban legends are Kashima Reiko and Mori Hime Kiko. Compare them to Kanako-san. Do you notice anything?”

[280] Me: “Hmm.” I thought about it. Me: “Somehow, Kanako-san sounds more like a name someone could actually have.” D-kun: “Exactly. That’s right. Of course, that’s not the only reason, but I’ll get to that later… Oh, please sit down.” D-kun offered me a chair. I sat down and prepared to hear the rest of his explanation.

• [282] Writing this much dialogue, the realism…

[283] Ah, forgot to mention, regarding the character dialogue, especially with D-kun, I’ve kept the important parts, but many details are fuzzy because it was long ago. Please bear with me.

[285] D-kun: “As you said, compared to Kashima Reiko or Mori Hime Kiko, it’s a more realistic name. Furthermore, it’s interesting that the rumor’s title is spreading in Kanji, not Katakana.” Me: “Meaning?” D-kun: “Rumors constantly evolve. A title like ‘Kanako-san’ lacks impact, wouldn’t you say? This suggests it might be from before someone altered it. And I’m focusing on a particular aspect of this rumor.” Me: “Which aspect?” D-kun: “The countermeasure.” Me: “Countermeasure?”

[287] D-kun: “Yes. Urban legends where you encounter some kind of entity often have some established countermeasure. For Kashima-san, you answer her questions correctly. For Hikiko-san, you imitate a bully, etc. Others include Kuchisake-onna (Slit-mouthed Woman), Aka Manto (Red Cape), Akai Chan-chanko (Red Vest), etc.” Me: “Huh…” D-kun: “Basically, it’s like this.” Sensing my confusion, D-kun used paper and pen to explain.

[288] Rumor starts -> Spreads in a small community -> Temporary completion -> Spreads externally -> Interesting parts are extracted -> Rumor finalized

[291] D-kun: “Initially, it spreads in a small community due to the psychological factor of having people around who are easier to tell even seemingly dismissible stories to. The rumor gradually takes shape, reaches a temporary completion, and then spreads externally. Once out in the world, the rumor is altered by imaginative people. Finally, the rumor is completed.” Me: “Uh-huh.” D-kun: “The key here is when the countermeasure is created. Suppose you have an extreme phobia. If you heard such a rumor, what would you do?” Me: “Hmm… I’d ask how I could be saved.”

[292] D-kun: “Exactly. Urban legends involving encounters with entities aim to instill fear. Especially if there’s no countermeasure, people would desperately ask for a way to survive. That’s when someone who wants to feel superior inevitably appears. This is also human psychology.” Me: “Psychology?” D-kun: “Many humans have a desire to stand out from others. If there’s no known countermeasure, someone claiming to know one will surely attract attention, right?” Me: “True.”

[293] D-kun: “So, the creation of countermeasures stems from the human desire to feel superior, stand out, be admired. As I mentioned, many people dislike these kinds of horror stories, and the desire to stand out is very common… which means…” Me: “The fact that no countermeasure is established… suggests the Kanako-san rumor might have started very recently?” D-kun: “Brilliant!! Why don’t you join the Occult Research Club? Even from another school, you’d be most welcome!” Me: “No, thank you.” I lightly deflected D-kun’s invitation and asked the question that was bothering me.

• [294] Who started the rumor, then?

[295] Me: “Why did you think Kanako-san was based on a real person?” D-kun: “Long black hair, plaid shirt, skirt. I focused on this part.” Me: “Meaning?” D-kun: “Didn’t you feel anything strange about it?” Me: “Hmm.” After thinking for a moment, I gave my honest impression.

[296] Me: “It feels like that part isn’t really necessary…” D-kun: “Right. For an urban legend meant to scare, it clearly seems out of place. And despite being an unfinished urban legend, this part alone is strangely detailed. Of course, this part would likely be removed as the rumor spreads externally.” Me: “Uh-huh.” D-kun: “Unlike other parts, it doesn’t serve to incite fear. It’s part of an unfinished, early-stage rumor, yet it possesses unnatural detail. Therefore, ‘long black hair, plaid shirt, skirt’ likely represents something real. Combined with the realistic name ‘Kanako-san,’ it’s natural to assume there’s a real model.” Me: “I see…” Guess he wasn’t in the Occult Research Club for nothing. D-kun’s logic was convincing.

[297] Me: “Is there any way to know where the rumor started?” D-kun: “I have a pretty good idea about that.” Me: “Eh? Really?” I couldn’t hide my surprise at D-kun’s confident assertion. D-kun: “Your school.” Me: “My school?”

• [298] Watching!

[300] D-kun: “As I mentioned, these kinds of urban legends tend to form within a narrow community before spreading externally. Also, compared to similar urban legends, the detailed structure isn’t fully developed. Yet, it’s spreading in its unfinished state within your school. Which means…” D-kun paused dramatically before declaring, D-kun: “Kanako-san likely has a real model, the rumor started recently, and the origin is your school.” Me: “Whoa…” I was completely overwhelmed by D-kun’s reasoning.

[301] Considering all this, investigating the truth behind the rumor probably required focusing inquiries within the school. I should look for anyone named Kanako-san, and find out if anything strange had happened recently. I thanked D-kun profusely and left the clubroom.

[302] First, I asked my girlfriend to focus her inquiries within the school, while I searched for anyone named Kanako. However, this proved difficult; I couldn’t just go around asking every class, and even if someone had a similar name like “可南子 or 香夏子,” it wasn’t an exact match. Amidst this search, something terrifying happened.

[304] Late at night, I woke up needing to use the toilet. After relieving myself and returning to my room, I noticed something strange. Me: “It’s cold…” Compared to before I left the room, the temperature had clearly dropped. It had been a warm day, yet this room alone felt unnaturally cold, as if isolated.

• [306] Sixth Sense vibes…

[307] Me: “What the…” Although bothered, I crawled into my futon. But as I casually glanced towards the window, I froze in terror. At the window… the woman I saw at A’s house was plastered against it.

• [308] Uwaaaaaaa!! So scary!! What do I do, can’t leave my room (lol)
• [309] You didn’t close your curtains?! (lol)
• [313] >>309 Maybe she’s inside (lol)
• [310] Eeeek! Can’t go to the toilet

[311] Me: “Ah…” I couldn’t scream. Like I was paralyzed, my body wouldn’t move. BANG!!!!!! BANG!!!!!! BANG!!!!!! Me: “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The woman started pounding crazily on the window.

[317] Me: “P-please… disappear!!” I closed my eyes and desperately prayed in my mind. Bang…! Bang…! … Whether my wish was granted or not, the sound stopped. When I opened my eyes, the woman was gone. Overwhelmed by terror, I pulled the covers over my head and shivered until morning.

[320] There might not be much time left… I frantically tried to gather information. Me: “Did you find out anything?” Girlfriend: “Hmm, nothing special. Oh, actually,” Me: “Hm?” Girlfriend: “I had the dream too. The Kanako-san dream.”

[325] Me: “Eh…” Girlfriend: “Don’t worry so much, it’s fine!” Me: “………” She was optimistic, but I panicked.

[327] I searched desperately for anyone connected to the rumor. Amidst this, my girlfriend finally found someone who knew the details. Girlfriend: “Apparently, there’s a graduate who knows a lot about the rumor.” I begged her to set up a meeting, and successfully got an appointment with the person involved.

[328] Me: “This must be it…” The designated place was a coffee shop near the school. 5 PM. I went inside and looked for the table I was told. There were hardly any customers. Me: “Sofa seat in the back right… ah, that must be it.” I sat down and waited for the person to arrive.

[329] Me: “They’re not here yet…” 10 minutes passed, then 20. Maybe I got stood up? Just as that suspicion began to surface, ???: “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

[330] Me: “Ah.” Hearing the voice, I turned around to see a man standing there. ???: “Are you the one who wanted to know more about the rumor?” Me: “Yes. Uh, my name is XX.” ???: “I’m E-kun.” The man sat down opposite me. He was of medium build, looked mature, and had well-defined features, but his expression was dark. Me: “Um, I heard you know a lot about the rumor.” E-kun: “Kanako… is my girlfriend.”

• [332] Wha… What did he say?!

[333] Me: “Eh?” Caught off guard by his unexpected words, I couldn’t hide my surprise. E-kun: “Was my girlfriend… is more accurate.” Me: “Um… excuse me, but…” Did they break up? I wanted to ask, but couldn’t bring myself to. E-kun: “No, she disappeared. Suddenly.” Me: “Disappeared?” E-kun: “Yeah. A few months ago. Just vanished.”

• [334] New development?

[336] According to his detailed account, Kanako-san had gone missing several months prior. Her phone wouldn’t connect at all, and when he went to the dorm where she lived and asked the manager, he was only told that she hadn’t been back for a long time. E-kun: “I want you to look at this.” E-kun took a notebook out of his bag. E-kun: “It’s Kanako’s diary. Please read it.” I hesitated slightly at reading someone else’s diary, but decided to proceed.

[338] Month X, Day X Ugh! So bored!! And getting hospitalized for appendicitis is really bad luck… Since I’m so bored, I’m gonna start writing a diary from now on!! Apparently, Kanako-san wrote this diary while hospitalized for appendicitis.

[340] Month X, Day X Today, I made friends with a boy!! A boy with a really wonderful smile!! But when I asked his name or age, he just said, “I don’t know.” What a strange kid. So I decided to just call him XX-chan!!

[341] Month X, Day X XX-chan doesn’t talk much on his own. But he always says, “I’m lonely, I’m lonely.” I’ve never seen his mom or dad visit him either. Poor thing. He asked me, “Big sister, will you stay with me?” so I answered, “Of course!” XX-chan looked happy.

[342] From there, the diary became rambling. Hospital food sucks, E came to visit, the surgery was scary, etc. The diary also recorded the day of her discharge. Month X, Day X Discharged today! Goodbye boring hospital life!! I wanted to see XX-chan one last time, but couldn’t. Come to think of it, since he always came to me, I never even found out which room he was staying in. Hope he gets discharged soon too. From there, it recorded her life after discharge.

[343] Month X, Day X I had a really scary dream. Eyeless XX-chan trying to take me away. Saying “Lonely, lonely,” while trying to pull me. So scary.

[344] Month X, Day X I dream about XX-chan every day. Scary. Month X, Day X I’m scared to sleep. XX-chan will be in my dreams again. Month X, Day X XX-chan was in front of the mirror. Month X, Day X Everywhere I go, XX-chan follows me. Help me. The diary ended there.

[345] Me: “………” After finishing reading, I was speechless, unable to put my feelings into words. Me: “…Why did, uh, Kanako-san appear in dreams?” I voiced the question I had. E-kun: “I don’t know. But I had the dream too.” Me: “You too, E-kun?” E-kun: “Yeah. And Kanako has already appeared in reality.” Me: “A-actually, me too!!” I told him everything that had happened so far. About A, about the person resembling Kanako who appeared in reality. Me: “Isn’t there any way to stop this?” E-kun: “………”

• [346] Same as C-na…

[347] Seeing E-kun fall silent, I couldn’t hide my disappointment. E-kun: “It’s already ending.” Me: “Eh?” E-kun: “………” As he said that and stood up, I stopped him. Me: “Wait!” E-kun: “Don’t stop me. And also…” Me: “Eh?” E-kun: “You haven’t seen the dream, so why… that’s the only thing I don’t understand.” Leaving those words behind, E-kun also left money for my share and departed.

[348] Me: “………” Left alone, I remained stunned for a while. After that, the person resembling Kanako-san never appeared before me again. The Kanako-san rumor died down, and after some time, no one talked about it anymore. A still didn’t return to school, and I lost contact with E-kun, even through my girlfriend. He seemed to have become unreachable.

[349] Then one day, I received a call from an unexpected person. It was A-kun.

[350] A-kun: “Yo.” Me: “A-kun! Long time no see!” A-kun: “Yeah.” Me: “What’s up all of a sudden?” A-kun: “………” Me: “Hm? What’s wrong?” A-kun: “Do you remember… about C-na?” Me: “Of course.” A-kun: “Has anything unusual happened?” Me: “Ugh… yeah, there has. Not sure if it’s related to C-na, though.” A-kun: “Tell me.” I explained the recent events in detail to A-kun.

[352] A-kun: “………” Me: “What? What’s wrong?” A-kun: “I see…” Me: “Eh? What is it?” A-kun: “No, it’s nothing. See ya.” And with that, A-kun abruptly hung up the phone. What was that about…?

[353] The next time something happens to me is when I’m in university. This has gotten really long. If anyone’s still interested, I’ll write more. It’ll conclude next time, but I think the ending will be very abrupt and still full of mysteries. The content might also be quite unpleasant, but if you’re okay with that, I’ll write it.

• [354] You grew apart from A-kun since middle school, right? It wasn’t because you moved far away or anything?

[357] >>354 We didn’t move far apart. But we just stopped hanging out completely.

• [361] >>357 Ah okay okay thanks. Yeah, guess you don’t really meet unless you make an effort (lol).
• [355] Never mind that, continue.
• [356] >>1 Thanks. Watching~.
• [358] Please write it.
• [362] Having come this far, I want to see it through to the end.
• [363] Write it till the end. Even if no one else reads it, I will.
• [365] No no, it’s interesting. Please finish it.
• [368] >>1 Ganbatte.

[369] I entered university. I wasn’t particularly smart, but I managed to get into a decent university through recommendations. I joined a club, occasionally attended classes, spent most of my time at the club, and played around. Just a typical university student, really. In this unchanging routine, something strange happened during my third year, at a club training camp.

[370] E-ko: “Hey, XX-kun, carry this luggage!!” Me: “Eh, ah, u-uh, yeah! Sure!” E-ko: “It’s so hot, right? Why did they choose such a remote mountain for the camp?” Me: “W-well, they said it gets cold at night, so maybe it’ll cool down?” E-ko: “I see. Looking forward to the campfire!” Me: “Yeah, me too!” This E-ko, who suddenly appeared, was the girl I was currently interested in. She wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but she had charm and something that attracted people. We had hung out together a few times and frequently exchanged emails, but hadn’t made much progress, and now here we were at the camp.

[371] F-kun: “Heh heh, you sly dog~” Me: “Whoa! Wh-what?!” F-kun: “Hope things develop nicely for you during this camp~, ahahahaha!” Me: “What are you talking about! What if she hears you!!” F-kun slapped my shoulder repeatedly. This guy, F-kun, was my closest friend in the club, and we always hung out together. Laughing loudly, F-kun carried away some luggage. Well, I actually was hoping things would progress during this camp. Time to say goodbye to this lack of progress!! Alright!! Let’s do this!!! Senior: “What are you talking about?” Apparently, I had said that out loud. With my senior’s cold remark at my back, I blushed and carried the luggage.

[373] After that, while admiring E-ko’s swimsuit during river play and getting pushed into the river, dinner time arrived. Dinner was curry and yakisoba. The firewood provided by the campsite was clearly insufficient, so several people decided to go into the nearby mountain to gather more. E-ko: “Okay, I’ll go!” E-ko volunteered first. Was this my chance to be alone with E-ko?! Junior: “Then, I’ll also…” Me: “………” I glared at him with silent pressure. Junior: “Ah, actually, never mind…” Me: “I’ll go!” Senior: “Okay, then I’ll leave it to you two.” I smirked inwardly.

[374] Me: “I-it’s kinda hot, huh?” E-ko: “Really? I think it’s cool.” Me: “L-looks like it might rain.” E-ko: “It’s perfectly clear though.” Dammit, just like when we hung out before, I get nervous when I’m alone with E-ko. Does E-ko even like me a little bit…? She’s really hard to read. Me: “Hey, E-ko, you have someone you like right now, right?” This was a question I had confirmed before.

[375] E-ko: “Hmm? Yeah, I do.” Me: “Any chance of things progressing?” E-ko: “Hmm, seems difficult.” Me: “Really…” Is it me?! That hope existed, but if I asked her name and it wasn’t me, I wouldn’t be able to face it. I didn’t have the courage to ask her name. E-ko: “Don’t you have someone, [Narrator]-kun?” Me: “I do.” E-ko: “She must be a nice girl.” Me: “E-ko, it’s you.” E-ko: “Eh!” Me: “I like you.” E-ko: “…Actually, I also… like you, [Narrator]-kun…”

[376] E-ko: “What are you spacing out for?” Me: “Ah, s-sorry!” E-ko: “We won’t finish if we don’t gather firewood quickly!” Me: “R-right.” My sweet fantasy was instantly shattered. Following E-ko, who was diligently gathering firewood, I started gathering wood too. E-ko: “Okay, this should be enough.” We silently gathered wood, and before we knew it, E-ko and I had collected a large amount. Me: “Okay, let’s head back then.” We returned to the campsite.

[377] Dinner wasn’t exactly a culinary masterpiece, but working together was very enjoyable and seemed to make the food taste twice as good. Everyone was excitedly eating together, but I had a concern. E-ko wasn’t there? I scanned the surroundings looking for E-ko… there she was. For some reason, she was eating at a distance from everyone else. I stood up, grabbed a beer for E-ko too, and approached her.

[378] Me: “What are you doing?” E-ko: “Oh, [Narrator]-kun.” Me: “Why don’t you join the fun with everyone? What’s wrong?” E-ko: “I’m not really fond of noisy places.” It was true; E-ko did tend to be like that. She was generally cheerful, but even when the club was partying, she didn’t really like joining the circle. I handed E-ko the beer and opened mine. We toasted and took a sip. I wondered what to talk about, but E-ko spoke up unexpectedly.

[379] E-ko: “I haven’t told you before, but I don’t have parents.” Me: “Oh, really.” E-ko: “And my only relative, my younger sister, went missing half a year ago.” Me: “………” I was at a loss for words. E-ko: “Ahaha, sorry! Suddenly talking about dark stuff.” Me: “No, it’s okay.” E-ko: “My family used to have fun meals together like this too. So it makes my chest ache a little.” Me: “I see…” E-ko: “Sorry for bringing the mood down! Let’s switch to cheerful topics!” Me: “Okay!” After that, E-ko and I talked about various things. Fun things, funny things. And about the future.

[380] Me: “I want to be a teacher, elementary school. What do you want to be, E-ko?” E-ko: “………” Huh, E-ko seemed strange. Me: “M-maybe you haven’t decided yet?” E-ko: “………” E-ko kept looking down and didn’t answer. Did I ask something wrong…? E-ko: “Ah, maybe we should head back soon.” E-ko stood up without answering my question. The gloomy expression was already gone. Me: “Ah, yeah, right.” E-ko: “If we disappear together for too long, people might get weird ideas (lol).” Me: “I wouldn’t mind, though.” E-ko: “Eh?” Me: “No, nothing. Let’s go back.” After that, various people teased us when we returned together, but the day passed uneventfully. Still, what was up with E-ko’s reaction back there?

[381] And then, the second day of the camp. It was a three-day, two-night trip, so today was the last day. Today was packed with events: river rafting and a test of courage (kimodameshi). The river rafting was a mess—we fell into the river while messing around, a senior miscalculated and crashed into the bank—but the test of courage was a major event for me. Pairs of guys and girls would walk along a mountain path and return. It was a simple setup, but the path was incredibly dark and eerie, and having only flashlights for light added to the fear factor. The pairs were decided by drawing lots, and I managed to get paired with E-ko. I later heard that F-kun, who made the lots, had rigged it so E-ko and I would be partners. F-kun… you’re a true friend.

Kimodameshi: A traditional Japanese game where people visit dark or scary places to test their bravery.

[382] My heart was ecstatic, but E-ko looked unhappy. Me: “What’s wrong?” E-ko: “I’m not good with scary things…” This might be a chance to show my manly side! I waited expectantly for it to start. One pair, then another departed, and finally, it was E-ko’s and my turn. Me: “Let’s go.” E-ko: “O-okay.” Lighting the rough path with the flashlight, we proceeded slowly. E-ko: “Ooh, scary.” Me: “I-it’s okay!” I was relatively okay with this kind of thing, but it was creepier than I imagined, and honestly, I was a little scared too. As we cautiously moved forward, we saw an embankment ahead. We had to turn right here, but unlike the path so far, we had to turn right into complete darkness, creating a fear of the unknown. But chickening out here wouldn’t be manly. Me: “I’ll go check ahead.” E-ko: “Okay.” Telling E-ko that, I looked around the right turn.

[383] Me: “There’s nothing… here.” Well, it would be bad if there was something (lol). Relieved, I turned to go back to E-ko, but at that moment, something flew past in front of me. Me: “Eh…?” It was a woman’s severed head. Me: “Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!” The shock was so great my legs gave out, and I couldn’t move. The severed head slowly approached. Me: “D-don’t come closer!!” My pleas were useless; the head came right up close to me, finally stopping just inches from my face. Me: “Ah… ah… ah…” ???: “Bwahahahahahaha!!!” Suddenly, laughter erupted from somewhere. Me: “Eh?” Looking towards the laughter, I saw a senior emerging from the bushes. Senior: “Whoops, sorry sorry. Didn’t think you’d get that scared.” Me: “………” Looking closely, the severed head was just a simple prop hanging from a string. All my fear instantly vanished, replaced entirely by embarrassment. Senior: “Your reaction (lol) was priceless (lol).” E-ko: “Ahahahahaha!!!” E-ko had joined in, bursting into laughter. Someone, please just erase me from existence.
[384] After that, my plan to show E-ko my manly side had completely failed, so I just kind of went through the motions for the rest of the course. All while hearing E-ko’s “Don’t worry about it!” behind me. That night, I couldn’t sleep for some reason, so I was just spacing out by the riverbank away from the camp. E-ko must think I’m pathetic… she must. Because of that incident, my stock has plummeted… Ahh, what should I do… The more I thought about it, the more depressed I got.

[387] E-ko: “Mind if I sit here?” Me: “Whoa!!” It was E-ko. When did she get so close? E-ko: “Sorry, did I startle you?” Me: “N-no, it’s fine. What are you doing up, E-ko?” E-ko: “I just couldn’t sleep for some reason.” Me: “I see.” E-ko: “………” Me: “………” Awkward… Especially after what happened, it’s extra awkward.

[388] E-ko: “Giggle” Me: “!?” E-ko: “I just remembered you from earlier.” Me: “Ah…” Please don’t rub it in… E-ko: “It was kind of cute. You’re really funny, [Narrator]-kun.” Me: “Oh, thanks.” E-ko: “Hmmmm” Me: “Hm?” E-ko: “Maybe I should just say it.” Me: “Say what?” E-ko: “The person I like… it’s you, [Narrator]-kun.” Me: “Eh…?”

[389] My heart pounded. No way… E-ko: “Ahaha! I said it!!” Me: “………” E-ko: “I was wondering when to tell you… but the timing felt right, hehe.” Me: “I… I too…” E-ko: “Hm?” Me: “I like you too, E-ko.” E-ko: “Eh!?” Me: “I like you.” E-ko: “[Narrator]-kun…” Me: “E-ko…” I gently pressed my lips against E-ko’s.

[390] E-ko: “Mm…” How long did our lips stay together? Without either of us planning it, we pulled apart. Me: “Maybe… we should head back?” E-ko: “Yeah…” Holding E-ko’s hand, I walked back to the campsite. Me: “Well, see you tomorrow.” E-ko: “Yeah, see you tomorrow.” I parted ways with E-ko and went to bed. Wrapped in happiness, I drifted off into a pleasant sleep. However, that night, I had a dream.

[392] Wh… where is this? The dream I used to have as a child. A space surrounded by pitch blackness, with heavy air. Yes, the same space as C-na’s dream. Am I going to meet C-na again…? No…! Why now…?! Having the nightmare I hadn’t seen since childhood threw me into a panic. Then, I realized there was a presence behind me. Me: “………” I didn’t want to turn around. But… I had to see. I slowly turned back.

[393] Me: “…Eh?” When I turned around, there stood the figure of a young man. Me: “Not C-na…?” The young man had vacant eyes, but they were fixed firmly on me. Young Man: “………” The young man was saying something. What was he saying? I couldn’t understand at all. But the young man was rattling on, as if desperately trying to convey something to me. I wanted to hear, but I couldn’t make it out… Gradually, the young man’s face began to blur… And then I woke up.

[394] Me: “………” Not C-na’s dream…? What was that…? I felt a strange sense of unease. That young man… Senior: “Heeey! Time to make breakfast!” Me: “Ah!! Yes!!!” Snapped back to reality, I was roped into preparing breakfast. But it was such a strange dream. Until the camp ended, it lingered in the back of my mind.

[395] The camp ended, and university life resumed. When I told the club members that E-ko and I had started dating, everyone except F-kun was surprised, but they congratulated us. E-ko and I met every day and talked about all sorts of things. We laughed ourselves silly over stupid things and went to many different places. I was truly happy. Having someone you love really enriches your life. I started putting more effort into my studies, and my grades improved significantly. Everything was going smoothly. Amidst this smooth sailing, I joined a seminar (zemi) and began seriously preparing for graduation. In the first class of that seminar, I would encounter a certain person.

Zemi: Small-group specialized seminar classes in Japanese universities.

[396] Me: “Hm…?” The seminar members introduced themselves one by one. My attention was drawn to one girl. Me: “Huh…? Have I seen her somewhere before…?” Long, straight black hair, a neat appearance, and a quiet demeanor. You could call her beautiful. I felt like I had met her somewhere… but I couldn’t remember. Hmm, who was she? Unable to solve the mystery, it was time to form groups of three and work on the assignment. As luck would have it, I was grouped with that girl.

[397] The three of us awkwardly introduced ourselves and started working on the assignment, but one member left to use the restroom. I was left alone with that girl. Me: “Ah, nice to meet you, I’m XX, please treat me well.” ???: “I heard you say that earlier.” Me: “………” What a difficult person to approach. Still, seeing her up close… I really have met her somewhere before. ???: “Besides, it’s not the first time we’ve met.” Me: “Eh?” ???: “Have you forgotten? It’s D-ko, from elementary school.”

[398] D-ko, who lingered in the corner of my memory, began to take shape. Me: “Ah…!” D-ko: “It’s been a while.” To meet D-ko again here of all places… It inevitably brought back memories of C-na’s dream. D-ko was the one who had helped me back then. Me: “Thank you, for back then.” D-ko: “For what?” Me: “The amulet. It helped.” D-ko: “No, but…” Me: “Eh?” D-ko: “It seems like it’s not over after all.” Me: “Huh?” Not over… what did that mean? I had many questions, but the member who had left returned, interrupting our conversation.

• [399] That whole part with E-ko was loooong (lol) But >>1 is nice enough to keep posting when asked to continue.

[401] After that, my university life continued smoothly, but something started to worry me. E-ko: “………” Me: “What’s wrong?” E-ko: “N-nothing! It’s nothing!” Me: “You sure?” E-ko started showing dark expressions from time to time. That hadn’t happened before. It became more noticeable as the days passed, and even people around us seemed to notice. F-kun said, “Did you do something to make her sad?!” but I had absolutely no idea what he meant. Then, one day, I was supposed to go to E-ko’s place.

[402] E-ko lived on the third floor of an apartment building. It was a cheap-looking apartment, the kind you could find anywhere. As I entered the building, I heard a voice coming from the third floor. ???: “Why” Hm? I listened closely, and it sounded like E-ko’s voice. E-ko: “jo u ki to na wo” Me: “(Confused)” E-ko: “na no wa suki mo” Because of the distance, I could only hear fragments. E-ko: “so chi ku to Konai” What was she saying…? I hurried up to E-ko’s room on the third floor.

[403] I knocked on the door and called out for E-ko. But there was no answer. Me: “(Confused)” I knocked again, but no response. Me: “I’m coming in, okay?” Losing patience, I opened the door. It wasn’t locked. However, the moment I stepped inside, I noticed something was wrong.

• [404] Ahhh ((ﾟДﾟ;)))

[405] Me: “Ugh…” What is this…? The room was abnormally cold. Me: “Hey! E-ko!?” I desperately searched for E-ko. Not in the living room…? Where? Toilet? Bathroom? …!! There, E-ko. She was collapsed, slumped over the bathroom sink. Me: “E-ko! It’s me! Are you okay!!” I frantically rubbed her back and tried to rouse her.

[406] E-ko: “…Ngh.” Me: “Ah…” She seemed to be coming around. E-ko: “[Narrator]-kun…” Me: “Are you okay? What happened!?” E-ko: “I think… I just got a little anemic… ehehe.” Me: “Let’s move somewhere else so you can rest.” E-ko: “Okay, thank you…” Still, this whole room was abnormally cold. Way too cold. It wasn’t just a low temperature, but… how to put it… a coldness that weighed heavily on the heart. … … …? I feel like I’ve experienced this same sensation before…?

[408] Me: “Let’s go outside for a bit.” Normally, I should have put her to bed, but I sensed some kind of danger, so I carried E-ko out to a park bench. I sat E-ko down on the bench and sat beside her. I bought a warm drink and handed it to E-ko. Her face was deathly pale at first, but she gradually seemed to calm down. Me: “E-ko? Are you okay?” E-ko: “…Yeah, I’m okay.” But I’d never heard that E-ko had anemia before. Me: “Anemia… You never had it before, did it just happen suddenly?” E-ko: “Yeah, just… felt a little dizzy, but I’m okay.” Me: “I see…”

[409] Me: “E-ko, were you talking to someone?” E-ko: “Eh?” Me: “I heard someone talking.” E-ko: “Oh, yeah, I had a visitor just now. It was time for you to arrive, so I had them leave quickly.” Me: “I see…” E-ko: “………” What is this? Something feels off. E-ko: “Sorry… can I just rest for today?” Me: “Oh, yeah, of course.” E-ko: “I’m sorry you came all this way.” Me: “Should I walk you to your room?” E-ko: “No, it’s okay here.” Me: “Okay, well then, see you when you’re feeling better.” E-ko: “Yeah.”

[410] On my way home, I thought about what felt off. That coldness… the air conditioner wasn’t on, yet it was that cold…? E-ko said she had a visitor, but I heard the voice the moment I set foot in the apartment building. It only took a few minutes to get from hearing that conversation to E-ko’s room. Could someone get out of the apartment that quickly…? Well, there are two staircases, so it’s possible they rushed down the opposite one while I was coming up. (Questioning) Feeling strangely uneasy, I went home. And that night, I had that dream again.

[412] Heavy air, pitch-black space. That dream again. I sensed a presence behind me and turned around. Me: “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” My hair stood on end instantly. There stood the young man I had seen in the previous dream. But his eyes were strange. One eye was missing… Me: “………” I froze, struck by the young man’s bizarre appearance. He was desperately trying to convey something again. But… as before, I couldn’t understand him. Gradually, the young man’s face blurred… And then, I woke up.

413 I thought about the dream I just had. Having the same dream repeatedly, just like C-na’s dream. And that young man, I felt like I’d met him somewhere before. I desperately searched my memories, trying to find someone who matched. (Thinking) (Thinking) (Flash of insight) Ah! I blurted it out loud. That young man… That was…… A-kun.

[414] No way, did something happen to A-kun? Unable to shake the uneasy feeling, I decided to call A-kun. Come to think of it, how many years had it been since I last called A-kun? He had called me once. Yes, back when I was caught up in the Kanako-san rumor. What did A-kun want back then? Thinking about that, I dialed his number.

• [415] Scaaaary
• [416] D-ko with the amulet is intriguing, but A-kun, seriously?

417 (Silence) “The number you have dialed is not currently in service.” No good…? I guess I’ll have to go directly to A-kun’s house. I decided to visit A-kun’s house after my classes ended. A-kun’s house was located deep within a residential area. I remembered it being a single-story house, quite old in appearance. I had visited many times during elementary school, so finding it wasn’t difficult. However, standing in front of A-kun’s house, I found myself completely unable to move.

418 It had always looked old, but now it was dilapidated beyond belief. It was impossible to think anyone lived there. As expected, the intercom didn’t ring when pressed. Having no choice, I knocked quite hard on the door. Thump! Thump! Thump! (Silence) (Silence) No response. I reached for the sliding door handle and tried to turn it, but as expected, it was locked. What should I do… I guess I’ll try the back entrance. A-kun’s house had a back entrance on the opposite side. His room was close to it, so I used to sneak in that way back in the day. Pushing through the overgrown weeds in the garden, I headed towards the back entrance. Me: “Eh?” I froze when I saw the back wall.

[419] 呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪呪
(Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse)

• [423] >>419 Seriously gonna cry lol
• [428] >>419 I see, Curse huh

[420] What… is this? The entire back wall was covered in characters written with something like paint. Glancing at the back door, I saw a single large character written in red. “夢” (Dream) …The sheer strangeness left me speechless. I desperately fled the scene. I was scared.

[424] What the hell was that… I don’t understand. I desperately tried to unsee what I had just witnessed. Even though, in reality, I had seen it.

[426] Amidst all this, on the way back from a date with E-ko at the aquarium. Me: “Today was fun, wasn’t it?” E-ko: “Yeah.” Me: “E-ko… you seem down often lately, what’s wrong?” E-ko: “………” Me: “If something’s bothering you, I want you to tell me. Is there something you’re unhappy about with me?” E-ko: “No, I love you, [Narrator]-kun.” Me: “Okay… If anything happens, tell me right away, okay?” E-ko: “[Narrator]-kun…” Me: “Hm?” E-ko: “I want to be with you forever…” Me: “Of course, me too.” For some reason, E-ko looked slightly tearful. E-ko: “I want to be together! I want to!” Saying that, E-ko started crying as if a dam had broken. I couldn’t hide my surprise at this sudden outburst. Me: “O-of course we will!” E-ko: “Uuu… Waaaaah!” She must have been worried about something. I gently hugged E-ko. Me: “It’s okay… It’s okay.” E-ko: “………” After crying for a while, E-ko gently pulled away from me. E-ko: “Thank you.” Me: “No problem. Are you okay?” E-ko: “Anymore…” Me: “Eh?” E-ko: “No, thank you for today!! See you!!”

[430] E-ko left with her head down. W-what was that…? If something was worrying her, I wish she would just talk to me about it… I felt unsettled, but there was nothing I could do. And then, on the day we marked six months together. I received a present from E-ko.

[433] Me: “What… is this?” E-ko: “It’s my late mother’s pocket watch!” Me: “Eh! N-no way! Something this important!” E-ko: “It’s okay… please take it.” Me: “O-okay, I understand.” E-ko: “[Narrator]-kun.” Me: “What?” E-ko: “Thank you for everything up until now. It was fun.”

[434] Me: “Eh!?” My head spun from the suddenness. Was this… her breaking up with me? Me: “Does that mean… you want to break up?” I asked E-ko, flustered. E-ko: “………” Me: “Why?! Didn’t we both say we wanted to be together forever!” E-ko: “I’m sorry…” Me: “Why…” E-ko: “Please don’t ask why, I beg you.” Me: “………” E-ko: “It was really, really fun! Goodbye…!” E-ko ran off as if fleeing. Without looking back even once. Left behind, I stood there stunned. My mind couldn’t keep up with the sudden turn of events. I couldn’t think of any reason for breaking up… Why?

[435] From the next day on, I spent my days like an empty shell. I barely managed to attend classes, but had no motivation to go to the club. I didn’t eat much and visibly lost weight. F-kun and other club members sent numerous calls and emails, but I just replied saying I wouldn’t be going for a while and hung up. Then, during a break between classes. Me: “………” F-kun: “Hey.” Me: “………” F-kun: “Hey, I said!” Me: “Hm? Oh, what is it, F-kun…” F-kun: “What do you mean ‘what is it’!! Everyone’s worried about you!” Me: “………” I didn’t feel like answering. F-kun: “E-ko-chan is out of contact too, what’s going on!” Me: “Eh? E-ko is?” F-kun: “Yeah. She became unreachable right around the same time you stopped coming to the club.” What could this mean? F-kun: “Did something happen?”

[436] Me: “………We broke up.” F-kun: “Eh?” Me: “E-ko and I broke up.” F-kun: “R-really?” Me: “………” F-kun: “But isn’t it weird that she’s unreachable?” I thought so too. It’s understandable if she felt awkward and couldn’t come to the club. But not answering calls or emails at all was abnormal. F-kun: “Anyway… well, show your face when you feel better.” F-kun said that and left. E-ko… what happened? It would be a lie to say I didn’t still have feelings for her. After all, the way we broke up was just too unsatisfactory. E-ko had said she wasn’t unhappy with me, and besides, would someone give away an important memento to someone they were breaking up with? (Questioning)… It was too inexplicable. Maybe I should try looking for E-ko. I decided to take action.

[438] Naturally, her phone wouldn’t connect, so I decided to try visiting E-ko’s seminar. I grabbed a random person and asked about E-ko. Me: “Um, is E-ko-san here?” Seminar Student: “Nah, haven’t seen her around lately.” Me: “I see.” I asked various other people about E-ko, but nobody knew her recent whereabouts. After school, I visited E-ko’s apartment where she lived alone, but she wasn’t there, so I decided to ask the building manager. Manager: “Ah, XX-san? She hasn’t been back for a while, you know.” Me: “Eh, she hasn’t even come home?” Manager: “That’s right. I was thinking of contacting her family soon.” Me: “I see…” I held my head in my hands. Going this far for someone I broke up with might even be considered stalking. But still, I liked her that much, so I couldn’t help but worry. However, there was nothing I could do, and days passed fruitlessly.

[439] Then, after seminar class ended. D-ko: “[Narrator]-kun.” Me: “Hm? What?” D-ko: “I have something to talk about regarding the girl you were dating.” Me: “Eh? E-ko? Do you know something?” D-ko: “Didn’t you ask anything?” Me: “Ask what…? I don’t even know what happened, and she wouldn’t tell me anything.” D-ko: “…I see. So that’s how it is.” Me: “What is it? What do you mean?” D-ko: “Either way, I don’t think you can resist.”

[440] Me: “Huh?” I didn’t understand. D-ko: “Don’t you remember the promise you guys made to that girl back then?” Me: “That girl? Promise…?” D-ko: “…Sometimes ignorance is bliss.” Saying that, D-ko started to get up from her seat. Me: “W-wait!!” D-ko: “A-kun too…” Me: “A-kun…?” I was surprised by the unexpected name. D-ko: “It’s too late.” And with that, D-ko left. Left alone, I was completely lost and stunned. I don’t understand… I don’t understand any of it.

[441] Since then, E-ko was never found. And for some reason, I started having dreams about C-na again. But unlike the dreams I had as a child, C-na just stares intently at me. She doesn’t say anything. I have the C-na dream several times a week. Maybe C-na will be watching me today. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe the day after. Just watching intently, without saying a word. Staring straight at me.

[444] This turned out really long, but thank you to everyone who read it. Only mysteries remain… I still don’t understand it myself.

• [446] Eh!? The end!?
• [447] Wh-wh-wh-what’s the ending?

[448] That’s the end. I wrote it exactly as it happened, so the ending is abrupt.

• [449] Eh, what is this, that’s it?
• [450] How long ago did E-ko disappear?

[452] >>450 About 6 years ago.

• [453] What!? It’s over!? That makes it even scarier!

[454] I still see C-na’s dream.

• [455] Have you really heard nothing, not even rumors, about the people who disappeared?

[459] >>455 Haven’t heard… anything at all.

• [456] D-ko seems to know something, can’t you contact her?

[459] >>456 I can’t. Maybe I could if I tried to investigate.

• [457] My image of C-na has turned into a blonde girl. This is totally like a manga!
• [458] Go get an exorcism (oharai). If you don’t take some kind of action, things seem likely to get worse. Just a layman’s opinion though (lol).

Oharai: A purification ritual performed in Japanese Shinto or Buddhism to remove misfortune or impurity.

[466] >>458 I tried something like that once. Didn’t work. Still have the dreams.

• [460] Oh no, everything is starting to look like faces now.
• [463] C-na (deceased) ->-> Kanako (missing) ->-> E-kun (man in dream?) C-na ->-> A-kun (missing) C-na ->-> [Narrator]-kun (being cornered) -> [Narrator]-kun’s girlfriend (just saw dream?) -> [Narrator]-kun’s new girlfriend (missing) Someone add to this.
• [484] >>463 Boy (unidentified) ->-> Kanako (missing) ->-> E-kun (man in dream?) C-na ->-> A-kun (missing) C-na ->-> [Narrator]-kun (being cornered) -> [Narrator]-kun’s old girlfriend (just saw dream, whereabouts unknown) -> [Narrator]-kun’s new girlfriend (missing) ■ Appeared in dreams: [Narrator]-kun -> C-na, male A-kun -> C-na Friend, Old Girlfriend -> Kanako ■ Others Woman banging on window (unidentified)
• [494] >>484 Ah, so C-na and A-kun appeared in [Narrator]-kun’s dream. Those who die or go mad appear in dreams. Also seems like hearing the story makes it contagious. And D-ko knows way too much.
• [465] Seems like there’s a hint somewhere in the elementary school days. And what happened to the high school girlfriend who knew a lot of people?

[468] >>465 We broke up when I went to university.

• [471] What are you doing now? Can you graduate?

[475] >>471 Already graduated and working.

• [474] Your girlfriend saw the dream too, right? Have you really had no contact at all since then?

[478] >>474 No contact. We broke up on bad terms.

• [477] So it’s ongoing? Does the C-na in your dreams now have eyes and a mouth?

[479] >>477 No. But she doesn’t do anything.

• [483] The forgotten “promise” must be the problem. Could the “promise” be from when she asked, “You’ll stay with me forever?”
• [502] >>1 Just watching is scary. Do you have a girlfriend now?

[503] Just those two. Since something happened to both of them, dating someone else is a bit… if something were to happen again…

• [530] >>503 Well, since high school, >>1’s relationships seem to be the trigger. If this really happened to me, I might consider becoming a Shinto priest or Buddhist monk.
• [542] >>530 Reading that made me wonder, did you promise C-na you’d marry her or go somewhere together?

[545] >>542 Of course, I loved C-na, and I think I told her I liked her quite easily. I did say we’d go to lots of places when she got out of the hospital.

• [505] Have you visited C-na’s family home?

[513] >>505 I went to look once. It was an empty lot.

• [514] >>513 How about meeting D-ko? She seems to know something.

[515] >>514 I’ve thought about trying. But I’m scared.

• [517] >>515 Scared of what? Isn’t staying as you are scarier?

[521] >>517 She seems to know a lot, and I hesitate thinking something might happen again. But I know I can’t stay like this.

• [511] >>507 Nice work~, what did you make that with?
• [512] >>511 Thanks~. But I just threw it together in PowerPoint lol
• [523] >>512 That helped a bit. Thanks.
• [532] E-ko’s sister is missing? Has anyone matching her description appeared??

[539] >>532 I haven’t met anyone like that at all.

• [543] Also, could E-ko’s family have been in debt and E-ko got caught up in trouble?

[545] >>543 I haven’t heard anything like that.

• [550] Could there be something about the hospital C-na was in?
• [556] What the heck is this (lol)
• [565] >>26->>29 >>56->>58 This part reminded me of the “Your daughter has fallen into hell” copypasta. Assuming it’s fiction, whoever made that is really amazing.
• [567] Okay, >>1’s priorities should be: 1 Meet D-ko and hear her story 2 Go to C-na’s family home and talk to them 3 Go to the occult board 4 Investigate A-kun’s university circle, friends, etc. Just checking, but you reported the missing persons cases to the police, right?
• [570] Also, it feels like people >>1 cares about start going missing. Especially E, it was noticeable even before they started dating. You could call it an unfortunate coincidence, but that’s all. Meaning, you should be careful about your actions. Also, if this isn’t fiction, there are probably two types of spirits involved here. The ones appearing in dreams aren’t so bad, but spirits interfering in reality are extremely difficult even for renowned exorcists to handle. So I don’t recommend exorcism. Too many fakes, and spirits that can be exorcised don’t cause such serious harm. Listing in order of least dangerous: Feeling a presence > Seeing in dreams > Seeing in reality > Interfering with reality besides humans > Interfering with humans. Roughly like that, with some variation. Furthermore, I don’t think there’s a specific cure for this. The only thing I can think of is symptomatic treatment, like constantly striving for your own mental stability. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
• [571] >>570 Mostly agree. Since it’s affecting the real world, it’s probably some kind of demon. Don’t know which is the original demon, but maybe C-na and the others were absorbed by it? Regular exorcism is impossible, so you’d need an Onmyoji or a highly skilled Ogamiya (Shaman). If this isn’t fiction, it’s a huge case, so probably no one would take it…

Onmyoji: Officials under the ancient Japanese Ritsuryo system who practiced divination, astronomy, calendrical calculations, etc., based on Yin-Yang and Five Elements philosophy. Later active among commoners, gaining a strong association with magic.
Ogamiya: Religious practitioners in Japanese folk belief who perform prayers, fortune-telling, spirit removal, etc.