Chapter 8.10: Hirai’s Secret X


    Only<em>i</em>mere<em>i</em>seconds after she closed her eyes.


    When<em>i</em>her eyelids fluttered open once more, <em>Ayame</em>, as she had called herself, was no longer present.


    Her<em>i</em>expression reverted to her usual soft one. At this instant, the <em>original Hirai</em> was back to her true self.


    Ah! I<em>i</em>felt like I had a great sleep. Huh? Hakamada?


    H-Hi Hirai!?


    With<em>i</em>eyes<em>i</em>wide open and arms outstretched above her head, Hirai was indisputably Hirai. Her voice, tone, and every other aspect were reminiscent of Hirai. Notwithstanding the ws in her Japanese, she was indeed<em>i</em>Hirai.


    Startled<em>i</em>yet relieved to have her revert to her former self, I stood still, my mouth agape, while she grinned at<em>i</em>me.


    Whats<em>i</em>wrong?


    No, this<em>i</em>was not a matter of what was wrong


    I-I-I-I<em>i</em>am sorry!!


    Regardless<em>i</em>of me being possessed, I tightened her neck drastically. Had that person not manifested, Hirai truly would have perished. Whenever the faint handprint of mine that lingered on the nape of her neck came into view, my heart ached deep in<em>i</em>my chest.


    Dont mind it, it<em>i</em>will fade away soon. Ahaha, we bothnded ourselves into a messy predicament, didnt we?


    I<em>i</em>am<em>i</em>truly sorry


    Dont<em>i</em>be that downcastwere both in one piece, you know.


    As<em>i</em>my<em>i</em>shoulders slumped, Hirai told me to get my spirits up (?) and patted me on the back, ah I knew it, this person was undoubtedly different from the person I had just spoken with earlier.


    I<em>i</em>should confirm that at least for now, nevertheless.


    Um, Hirai. This<em>i</em>may sound crazy, but who is Ayame?


    The<em>i</em>answer was immediate when I inquired about<em>i</em>it.


    Huh? Oh! Thats my maman[i].


    M-Ma


    Maman.


    Maman?


    That<em>i</em>would<em>i</em>mean


    Your<em>i</em>mother!?


    You<em>i</em>were speaking to her, right? Earlier.


    What<em>i</em>exactly is<em>i</em>going on?


    Hold<em>i</em>on, hold<em>i</em>on, Hirais mother, Hirais mother, earlier she


    Mother? Why<em>i</em>Hirais mother was Hirai herself? No, I mean, your mother was Hirai, and you yourself too, wait no, I didnt get a single thing!


    Confusion<em>i</em>reigned in my mind as Hirai said the person who was talking to me earlier (that was likewise Hirai) was her mother.


    Details, please.


    Yeah. You<em>i</em>probably dont understand unless the exnation is given, right? Sorry, Ive been keeping it a secret until now


    Once<em>i</em>and for all, Hirai revealed her secret to me.


    The<em>i</em>mother, Hirai Ayame, a so-called guardian spirit that protected her daughter, Hirai, periodically took over her body to keep her safe. When<em>i</em>Ayame possessed her, not only Hirais consciousness but her body and thoughts were in her control as well. During that time, she indeed transformed and became a different person. She did, nheless, only ever unveil herself when Hirai was in peril; otherwise, she remained a<em>i</em>spirit by Hirais side.


    This<em>i</em>story was another unbelievable one but I had witnessed it with my own eyes, and apparently that was what happened. It was the<em>i</em>will of a firm mother who wished to protect her daughter. So far, in spite of almost being victims of molestation, stalking, and so forth, everything was eventually resolved in a smooth flow of events. It was undeniably thanks to the advice and assistance of Hirais mother, Ayame. Incidentally, it appeared that<em>i</em>the store manager and Takenaka from the convenience store were the only ones who knew about this, aside from her family.


    Maman<em>i</em>looks and speaks in a terrifying tone, but she is in fact incredibly sweet, and always saves the day, just like she did today.


    I<em>i</em>see Your mother loves you very much.


    After<em>i</em>listening to the whole story of Hirai, I finally unraveled the mystery behind the whole thing, while simultaneously feeling slightly touched by the wondrous love of her family. Indeed, when the cat that possessed me was separated from me, that person empathized with the hardship of being parted from its family while trying to persuade it to leave me.


    Surely, it<em>i</em>was because she was in the same boat as the cat.


    Even<em>i</em>so, even after her death, she was still protecting Hirai, her daughter. She<em>i</em>kept watching out for her.


    She said all those things to me and then disappeared before me but I supposed everything was a form of mothers love


    Huh? What<em>i</em>are you talking about, Hakamada? My maman is living a normal life, you know?


    What!? Trantor: MadHatter


    Yeah, shes<em>i</em>at<em>i</em>my parents house in Hokkaido. Do you want me to show you a photo of herter?


    WhatNot shared on aggregator websites


    ording<em>i</em>to her story, Ayame was a well-known medium in Hokkaido, and her power was said to surpass that of Hirai and Takenaka.


    Every<em>i</em>now and then, she<em>i</em>would ept a request to personally visit a sacred ce and subdue evil and vengeful spirits in various ces (her main job apparently was part-time at a supermarket), but what was remarkable was that she was not only purifying evil and<em>i</em>vengeful spirits and guiding them to Buddhahood, but she was apparently so worried about her daughter who hade to Honshu<em>i</em>that she detached part of her consciousness and went into a semi-astralized state, and though Ayame herself was in Hokkaido, she<em>i</em>sent half of her consciousness toward Hirai and became a living spirit, possessing her. She was capable of performing astonishing feats that no ordinary person would<em>i</em>be able to imitate.


    Hirais<em>i</em>mothers ability to pull off such a feat astounded me considering that she was still alive and that she<em>i</em>was in Hokkaido, which was far distant from<em>i</em>here.


    I<em>i</em>mean, just how worried were you over your daughter? Rather than saying amazing, or overreacting, wasnt that extreme overprotectiveness?


    Hirai havent you<em>i</em>ever thought that you kind of hate it??


    Hate<em>i</em>it? About<em>i</em>what?


    I I see.


    Notwithstanding, I<em>i</em>found it marvelous that Hirai, who went out to Honshu to work in thepany of her mothers living spirit until now, was equally exceptional.


    I<em>i</em>wonder if that cat has attained Buddhahood.


    Yeah, its<em>i</em>okay. I am confident that the cat has attained Buddhahood and is probably in heaven by now.


    I have<em>i</em>done something wrong to that cat, havent I?


    Clutching<em>i</em>a small cat food can, I muttered to her, and she gave a subtle headshake in response.


    No. Its not<em>i</em>a bad thing, because even though that feeling of yours wasnt epted, I think its a tiny act of kindness on your part.


    Could<em>i</em>be.


    I<em>i</em>am sure that the cat is pleased that Hakamada was the only one who tried to make a memorial service for it.


    <em>Although its only a small detail, that feeling has been acknowledged.</em>


    That<em>i</em>was what Hirai told me.


    If that<em>i</em>was the case, I hope so


    Somehow, its tough, isnt it? Everythings so much<em>i</em>moreplicated here.


    Yeah.3edc


    Do<em>i</em>you<em>i</em>want to resign?


    No, I<em>i</em>will carry<em>i</em>on.


    Is<em>i</em>that so? Thats<em>i</em>great!


    Its<em>i</em>tough, and things<em>i</em>like this may ur again, but I enjoy being with these people, so I dont feel like quitting just yet.


    Besides, I<em>i</em>still had reasons to stay.


    Finally, the<em>i</em>shift ended. Hirai and I parted ways and made our way home.


    With<em>i</em>the<em>i</em>morning sun streaming down on my back, I<em>i</em>let out a big yawn. Perhaps<em>i</em>due to being possessed, I<em>i</em>felt twice as exhausted as usual, so I got on my bike, drained.


    Neither<em>i</em>tomorrow nor the day after, I had no part-time job, and if I just went home and slept, I might be able to sleep for the next two full days.


    While<em>i</em>I<em>i</em>was mulling over this, I reached that tunnel. Unexpectedly, I stepped on the brake and brought the bike to a halt.


    That<em>i</em>mottled patterned cat was in front of the tunnels entrance. The same mottled patterned cat, which had often presented itself in front of me, was basking in the light the same way I<em>i</em>was, looking<em>i</em>at me with an expression as if it wanted to say something. Yet, the cat didnt wear a resentful expression on its face like<em>i</em>before.


    I<em>i</em>dismounted from my bike, approached the cat, and ced the contents of the cat food can a short distance away from it.


    With<em>i</em>me taking several steps backward, the cat, seemingly starving, sprang for the can and began to eat it, noisily.


    I am<em>i</em>sorry I could only do this, I said to the cat, which asionally licked its tongue. Try not to get run over.


    <em>Stayialive for that cat.</em>


    Nah-oh.e3dfv


    As<em>i</em>if to say, I understand, the cat turned to me and purred.


    After<em>i</em>waiting for the cat to finish its meal, I made sure it disappeared into the copse and it never looked back before I mounted my bike and<em>i</em>started it up again.


    T/N:


    [i] Its another way of saying mother in Japanese. Though, I will be using the literal word since the depicted Hirai uses strange Japanese