Mononohare: The Mystery of Shinjubiki

            There are numerous reasons why I want to live in the countryside. The most important reason was because of the fresh wind that’s strongest by day and lighter by night, bringing tranquility in my mind, and a quivering lukewarm breeze. There is no doubt that the countryside is an Aircon itself and it’s something that every urban folk would want to feel. When I was a kid, I’ve always been a fan of the wind, running, and cycling, they all produce winds for me to feel. But most of all, it was because of a windflower that has three leaflets with white sepals, and prominent yellow stamens. It’s something that I did not stumble upon nor did I catch a glimpse of it in a floret shop when I was running or cycling, but it was something that appeared in my dreams that soothed me and made me feel like I could reach the sky.

             Another reason was because of a fateful encounter with a beautiful blonde-haired girl wearing a sunny outfit and a shawl, standing at the end of the stairs while staring at me for a short amount of time which exactly made me self-conscious. She wasn't just any other girl, but she was someone that felt important who is holding the definition to my lule. Although isn’t it surprising that of all of the things I would encounter, it’s a girl? But calling it a fateful encounter like it was meant for me is very ridiculous.

            And as you have heard, I have become tempted to live in the countryside solely because of her suits and ongoing posture that’s giving me a windy appeal. But to be honest, those breasts were the real reason and I wouldn’t admit it because I don’t want to be branded as a pervert. Chests have its variety and leaning on the largest chest is the real desire of men, but flats have their charms too, it’s just that they don’t have it in them to be sexy, they can only be cute.

            Although, even if a woman does have a large chest, if they don’t fit your criteria, then they are just a bloated pufferfish that you don’t want to hook in your fishing hook and you also don’t want to touch. If someday, when a woman becomes successful in life by having a small or large chest, then I’d want to meet that woman and marry her.

            Back to the point, I did continue to reach the end, however, I wasn’t able to find her and ended up going home without anything to gain. But wasn’t that mountain a shrine? There has been a tradition that in every century, some deities would appear and rule over the shrine as the people would offer coins or foods. But with that said, I don’t believe in fictional deities that can only be heard in rumors.  

            Japanese folklore monsters? Mythological monsters?

            They don’t even belong on this planet.

            A sudden chair scraping could be heard in front of me and it caught my attention. “What are you gawking at, dumbass?” An ongoing person said with a smile as he sat on the chair he just moved.

            It’s just Atsushi Naoko. I thought I was about to randomly get confessed by a dude, which will not happen. Didn’t they know that Shunichi Rei is an alpha male? Blowing away all homosexuals with stares alone. To be honest, I should have said sigma. That’s who I am and I am not denying it.

            “Stop calling me a dumbass,” I said, annoyed. “Atsushi, do you know anything about the Hachi-mountain shrine near the station?”

            “It’s the eight shrine, isn’t it?” He lazily said.

            That’s like saying ‘Hotdog’ is a hot dog and it would sound like a dog ‘in heat’ which would sound vulgar while making it sound like a ‘heated’ dog which would make it hair-raising, and what if the temperature rises up to 41.111°C? That’ll surely kill the dog and turn him into a ‘hotdog’.

            “Obviously.”

            But I kind of knew he would respond in that way.

            "Although, I’ve heard that it was built by the Amanoshiro Clan, solely from someone’s request. Other than that, it’s basically just an abandoned shrine that’s still unkempt as always but maybe it has changed, I don’t know.”

            Someone’s request…

            Other than that, how does he know it’s unkempt?

            “You’ve been inside there before?”

            “Yeah.” He sighed. “You know the tradition wherein every decade or precisely, two thousand and one hundred ninety days, most of the Shinjubikian travel over there to offer some monetary offering? My parents just happened to do that and I got involved in it when I was a kid.”

            Ah, I forgot. Both of his parents are professional high-rollers. It wouldn’t be surprising if they wanted to sacrifice their money for luck which is a waste of money. I mean, I don’t want to criticize what they are doing because I am no professional making it certain that losing a limb in the casino is a hundred percent.

            But I wonder if they would sacrifice their son for more good luck…

            What an evil plot trajectory.

            “So your parents left you again, huh.”

            “They always do.” He then closely looked at me. “So, why are you asking me these questions? Did you catch something interesting?”

            Interesting… hmm… yes, those vivid sceneries that feel like it’s pulling me, tempting me to uncover the truth and finally meet that large-breasted sister. But because I am no Sherlock Holmes, I don’t have any skills to figure her out—or if this was a game, I am like fighting the final boss naked. Wait, already in the final boss? So, in short, a dumbass searching an answer for a pointless cause.

            “On the weekends, I went there because I was curious and when I was walking above the stairs, I saw a golden-haired girl wearing a shawl. I haven’t seen her face clearly because of the sunlight, but she really caught my eye and further brought suspicions as you’ve said that the shrine was long empty.”

            “Sure, that shrine is already uninhabited, but that shouldn’t stop freelancers or kids from going over there. Besides, you’re just trying to know that girl because she had a large breast, right?”

            As Atsushi pointed out my real desire to know that girl, my mind quickly distorted itself, showing a golden-haired woman wearing a sunny outfit and a shawl talking to me in the shrine. When those vivid memories, or more like, a foreshadowing of the future, I put the palm of my hand in my forehead, worried.

            What was that?

            It felt like I was experiencing those memories with my own hands, with my mouth, right now.

            “Are you okay?” Atsushi worriedly asked me.

            This is probably just a headache.

            “There is nothing to worry about. I was just disappointed at myself from getting figured out. In any case, isn’t it a man’s dream to know his destined one, especially, a large-breasted person that appeared at the end of the stairs that stared at you for five seconds?”

            “No. She is just probably thinking you are creepy and then ran away from you.”

            “Let’s not create a sudden conclusion for now.”

            “You just did that.”

            “Ahem, I don’t remember.”

            “But a girl wearing a shawl?” He said with a troubled face.

            Why is he thinking out loud? Does he not understand, or maybe he does, but he can’t just figure it out. Could it be? That at this moment, I am just a side character, fueling a mystery for the main character to solve. He… he already got an inner clue?

            “You’ve got an idea?”

            “Well, I’ve got a guess but I don’t have any evidence to back it up so I’ll just keep it to myself. It seems that I can only answer your question once I see the person that you are talking about.”

            Well, I am okay with being the side character. I just want to make sure if he really is the main character.

            “Fine by me.”

            The bell rang after our conversation and we pulled ourselves in our seat, listening to some tiring and teary lessons. The birds created some unnoticeable chirping sounds and flew when our advisor smacked the chalkboard. The lessons made my legs stiff, making my uncontrollable urge to constantly bounce my legs to appear, and then, I was looking at everyone with boring thoughts. And lastly but not least, I was scribbling a stickman in my notebook. 

            Isn't all I've done sound irrelevant? But isn't attending a class without listening sounds more irrelevant? Next time, if I walk through the gate, someone should stop me immediately or this will happen again. 

            If only that'll happen.

            The lesson then ended as the clock rang, the moment the hour hand pointed its direction diagonally to the right.

            I looked at Atsushi who was already doing an okay hand gesture, making me stand up and leave the classroom first which he then followed after. In the hallway, we passed a lot of students murmuring about irrelevant ghost rumors while we hurried outside to go through the Hachi-mountain shrine without taking any long cuts.

            We did argue whether we would take a ride or walk through there but even if he would take a ride himself, he’ll be waiting for a longer amount of time, forcing him to just walk with me. Isn’t it just an outcome of the same answer? Or maybe threatening me would make me ride a car with him.

            Better not tell him that.

            “It’s still breathtaking as always. It’s been so long since I’ve walked here.” Atsushi freely walked around with his two hands behind his neck.

            “Is that so? This place does seem to be a good place for people to hike over because it has some long stairs and nice scenery.” I said.

            “There you go again with your walking habit. Shunichi, don’t you ever get tired walking around without taking a break?”

            “Don’t you ever get tired of telling me the same thing?”

            “No.”

            “Thus, this discussion is over.”

            As we walked, the crimson skies were about to disappear and are replaced by the starlight night, making the place even more abandoned and our footsteps becoming loud as the cicadas. At this moment, I thought deeply about our situation.

            Now that I think about it, why are we walking over the shrine?

            What if that girl doesn’t live here or she might have been a foreigner and has already left. Maybe the reason why I haven’t found her was that she is afraid of strangers or boys and hid. But if that logic appeared in my mind, or to Atsushi’s mind, why aren’t we stopping yet? Is her existence important for me to think about her over and over again? These might be because of those vivid foreshadows and I want to see if they are real.

            After a long walk, we finally reached the end of the stairs.

            “Why is it colder and chilly?” I crossed my shaking arms. “This hasn’t happened before—”

            “Where are you looking… at?”

            What is happening here?

            As we looked around with a hanging mouth, the ground became a den of snow. The environment changed to winter and it’s been snowflakes. We continue to walk around and notice that it was all real and not an illusion, but without knowing the cause, we became more oddly confused.

            “This is anything out-of-ordinary.” Atsushi repelled back in outright doubt.

            “Yeah, right. As if summer would suddenly snow for just a minute and turn the place into what winter would become.” I also doubted such an occurrence and as I looked around, I saw a beautiful woman with snow-white skin and long black hair. “Atsushi,” I nudged at Atsushi. “A white woman is wearing a kimono right there.”

            That's very odd. I've searched that direction without anything to find. Did we miss each other by any chance? All I know is that her transparent skin is making her inconspicuous in the snow and something is telling me that she is someone I do not want to mess with. 

            It might just be a feeling and nothing worth taking seriously.

            “That’s odd, but she might answer our questions,” Atsushi suggested and we quickly went to ask her.

            Alright, how do we ask again?

            First of all, it has to start by complimenting her name with every single thing I can think of, and then apologizing to her while bowing and when all of those happens, I'll have to finally ask her the question politely. This doesn't seem like it'll go well, but they do say that not all professionals can achieve immediate success. Oi, oi, I wasn't directing the word professional at me. 

            I breathed in and out and then said, “Uh… S-Sexy wearing kimono woman, I apologize for the inconvenience, but do you know why it’s snowing in here?”

            Who the hell is a sexy wearing kimono woman?

            After that starting line of a conversation, I was met with a deadly cold glare and silence, which made me fall back, punching the ground over my failure, but fear not, as Atsushi, has more experience at talking to beautiful women.

            Damn, it’s been a long time since I’ve been ignored like this!

            This is a mistake!

            No, seriously, did the way I appealed to her a mistake?

            Or was I born a mistake itself?

            “Hello,” He coolly said in English. “Sexy miss, we are students of Franz high school and we were wondering if you’ve seen a girl wearing a shawl?” He professionally said with a big smile, but the woman responded with the same thing, making it understandable that she is the god of the lose-lose outcome. However, she seemed to be glaring unusually, now that Atsushi was the one who talked to her.

            Is he really the main character?

            But for sure, this is a very cringe scene. Hah. Hah. I can’t even laugh.

            I patted Atsushi on his back and apologetically said, “We all make failures. For now, this one’s on me. We’ll ride the whole park (and also walk) and drink water (because we are still minors) while singing karaoke songs (so that we can move on), but the feeling of talking to a woman we’ll never be the same ever again.”

            “What are you talking about? And stop talking in parenthesis and make this look like I’ve been rejected. I wasn’t even confessing!”

            “But to be ignored personally at this kind of level. What kind of alpha male are you?”

            “I don’t want to hear that from a virgin.”

            “Unlike you, I don’t mess around with girls using the same old cringe lines seven times in each different seven girls that you’ve met this week.”

            “How did you even know that? And how about you? You’ll never be as good at interacting with ladies because you are a virgin!”

            “No virgins would want seven girls at once, turbo-virgin! Or is this your true form, your desire to have a harem?”

            As we continue to argue, a soft running footstep could be heard besides us and we looked only to get jump scared by the woman itself, who opened her mouth revealing some point teeth pointing at us but we quickly avoided her by reflex.

            “Uh-oh, this woman is messed up. You shouldn’t have talked to her because your turbo-virgin scent made her insane.” I said.

            “I don’t want to hear that from a Zeta male that stepped back just as he failed his first starting line with a virgin look on his face.” He angrily said.

            Wait, I just remembered. Isn't this shrine already uninhabited? Then who is that woman? I don't have the time to deduce an answer right now.

            Her fierce attacks continued without warnings as we became forced to play a cat-and-mouse game while rebuking each other but decided to drop it at one point.

            “You don’t think she can hear us?” I asked while running.

            “I don't think so. Maybe she only wants to suck us with her sharp pointy nails, which made me understand that I don’t think we will be getting out of here alive without saving our virginity.” Atsushi certainly said.

            “I am not prepared for that yet.”

            I wonder how it would feel if she does, though. But right now, it’s still bothering me whether this is the right moment to be thinking out pointless stuff, right now. We are getting attacked, after all. 

            “Although, that woman looks like a Yuki-onna. Those snow-white skin. I remember Yuki-onna's preys on lost travelers in the snow by sucking their life force using her mouth with an icy breath too.”

            “Why the hell would I believe something like that crazy woman looking like a Yuki-hoe, it’s just a crazy woman with genetic pointy teeth that lives in the streets.”

            “A bitch?” He asked in English.

            “Speak Japanese, please,” I sighed said. “It doesn't look like this will be a fun night.”

            “As you’ve said, we all make failures. There are times when regretting our past actions can do anything, so I think moving on and thinking about the future is the best thing to do, Rei.”

            “That figure-of-speech better save us from our situation!”

            “But I don't think we have to worry, because somewhere within me is telling me that someone will save us, right now.”

            His gambling instincts is giving him a certain feeling? I might just have to take his word for it. He is the son of the two famous high-rollers, after all. That's something I cannot comprehend. 

            As our cat and mouse game became longer, we became tired and lost our speed and balance, eventually making Atsushi fall from the tree’s root, making him groan from the pain. He tried to stand up but he didn't have enough strength to do it.

            “Atsushi!” I yelled with worry and ran in his direction to push the woman away, however, she was too fast.

            I wish I knew what I was supposed to do at this moment. This isn’t supposed to be happening and I am not letting happen but I don’t know what to do. Is she seriously going to suck our life force? If she does, then he’ll die while I might become the second victim. There is also no signal in this place. Dammit! He hasn’t even had his first real girlfriend yet, even though he is seven-timing.

            What am I supposed to do?

            I clenched my fist, hopeless while thinking of a solution. When suddenly, that vivid recollection that I don’t remember emerged, and it’s just the same dreaming, but it feels like I am seeing the future, where I was talking to a beautiful small girl wearing a sunny outfit, just like the girl I met two days ago. And those made me remember something important, which is the girl’s name, and with a feeling that she’d save us if I say her name, I shouted her name with all my strength!

            “Fūjin Kohana!”

            The moment I said that name, the place within me trembled as the snow continuously flew, producing a hurricane that blew me over, putting me unconscious and never knowing what happened next.