Chapter 9: Volume 1 - CH 9

–beep-beep-beep

The alarm on my phone goes off. It’s morning already… I slept deeply, but morning came in a flash.

This room has blackout curtains, so it’s hard to get any light in. Even in the morning, the room was dimly lit.

I turn off the alarm and try to put my hand under the covers.

—Funin [TLN: idk what sfx this is lol]

Suddenly, I felt something touch the back of my hand. Huh? Did I just touch something?

Am I still sleepwalking or am I dreaming?

I slowly open my heavy eyelids and check my surroundings with my thin eyes.

There is someone next to my bed. White clothes, long hair. And without saying a word, she’s looking at me.

You’ve got to be kidding! I didn’t do anything. I still have things I want to do!

I’m not afraid of ghosts! I’m sure I’m looking at the wrong thing! Excuse me!

I’ll close my eyes tightly once, and when I open them a second time, please be gone!

Please!

With these thoughts in mind, I closed my eyes again and chanted a sutra in my mind that I wasn’t even sure was correct.

I had never seen this before. When I came to this house, I thought it would be okay because it was an old house, but then I saw it!

He’s gone, isn’t he? I’m gonna open my eyes, okay? Okay?

One, two, three! I couldn’t open my eyes.

What if… What if I see it again? And what if it looks more terrifying than I thought it would or something?

I’m sure it will be traumatic. What should I do? Well, I wonder if she’s still around….

I slowly pull my hand out of the futon and use it to search the area where the woman in white was.

—Funin [TLN: again, I think it’s sfx for touching something?]

“Mmmm…”

It’s there. It’s still there! God! Buddha! Please do something! This time I heard voices too!

What the hell am I supposed to do? Call for help? Or do I just jump up and kick her in the face?

Would a physical attack work in the first place? My brain awakened as my head got confused.

“You’re awake, aren’t you? Are you still asleep? I’ll open the curtains, okay?”

I open my eyes fearfully, listening to the sound of the curtains being opened.

The morning sunlight comes into the room. It’s so bright, my body feels like it’s going to unravel.

As my eyes grow clearer and clearer, I get out of bed and look around.

The figure opening the curtains was not a monster, but a goddess. Her figure, bathed in the morning sunlight and glowing white, is a goddess!

But aside from that, it’s Himekawa-sama, isn’t it? By the way, did I let you stay here last night?

Maybe it was because I was out of it, or maybe it was because it was morning, but I had forgotten all about it.

“I just woke up. I mean, why are you in my room?”

After opening the curtain, Himekawa was still wearing the clothes she had worn to bed last night.

She sits down next to the bed and looks at me.

“Before I went to bed last night, you said to me, ‘When you wake up tomorrow, let me know.’ But I don’t have your contact information, so I can’t call you. I knocked a few times, but it was silent. When the alarm went off, I thought you had woken up, and I felt bad, but I let myself in.”

“Oh yeah, I’ m pretty sure I told you to let me know when you woke up. Yes, there is no mistake. But you know what, Himekawa? A man has to fight in the morning Please don’t come to me right after you wake up.” [TLN: I’m not explaining what he meant by fighting]

“I’m sorry. But if you give me your phone number, I’ll call you when I wake up?”

Then Himekawa pulls out her phone and shows me the screen.

I guess this means we should exchange numbers, right?

Come to think of it, I don’t have the numbers of any of the girls in my class, or any of the girls in my school, on my phone.

Congratulations, Himekawa. You’re the first.

I exchanged phone numbers and message exchange app information with Himekawa.

Then, I talk to Himekawa as she is leaving the room.

“Breakfast is at 7:30. Until then, you’re free to do anything. I’m going for a little run”

As part of my daily routine, I run a short distance every day in the early morning.

I’m a homecoming club member, but it’s bad for my health if I don’t exercise a little. I don’t take it seriously, but I think it’s better than not doing it at all.

I put the earphone in one ear and played the same song as usual.

The sun was not yet high in the sky and the wind still felt a little chilly.

I put on my jersey and went for a light run around the city. The shopping street is always bustling with people. The park where the kids are running around, and my favorite candy store.

I run the same course as usual, and come back to my house. It always takes me about the same amount of time.

I haven’t measured my time, but I wonder if it’s decreasing.　I’ll try to measure it next time.

I opened the front door and took off my shoes. I looked at the clock and saw that it was seven o’clock.

It’s just the right time to start preparing breakfast.

After washing my hands in the bathroom, I went to the kitchen.

I heard a “thump-thump-thump” sound coming from the door. What are you doing?

TLN: Classes are starting for me, so releases might slow down especially on weekdays.