Utsuro no Hako:Volume2 April 30 (ch2)

Utsuro no Hako:Volume2 April 30

April 30 (Thursday) 00:00

The second day begins.

April 30 (Thursday) 12:37

Lunch break.
The reason for my yawn just now might be the mysterious call I received at six o'clock this morning.
«I'll make you a boxed lunch today.»
The call had been terminated before I could respond anything.
What's that mean...?
It's the last day of April and thus Golden Week — meaning that our consecutive holidays are soon to come, too. I go to the corridor and wait for Otonashi-san like I always do. We have lunch together in the school cafeteria every day, but she has never made me a boxed lunch before.

"Kazu-kun! Haru just let me in on it! A Boxed-Lunch-with-Maria event is waiting for you?!"
It's getting noisy. Next to Kokone, who has gone round me, is a grinning Haruaki.
"...Haruaki, didn't I tell you to keep quiet about it to spare me some trouble?"
"You did, but I'm free to obey or not!"
What an awful friend.
"Kazu-kun, what's the deal with that exciting event?! Details, please!"
"...well, for some reason I suddenly got a call this morn――"
"A wake-up call?! All lovey-dovey, aren't ya!"
Please let people finish.
"A wake-up call..."
This murmur makes me spin around.
...Ugh, another bothersome person arrived.
"Ah, Rikorin. 'Sup."
"Good morning..."
The short and short-haired girl who was addressed strangely by Kokone is called Riko Asami, a freshman. She is a classmate of Otonashi-san's and member of the Maria Otonashi fan club that flourished after the school entrance ceremony. They normally come here together, but it seems she went ahead today. Maybe it's just me, but her face and voice seems even gloomier than usual to me.
Said Asami-san is gazing at me absent-mindedly.
"...Um?"
Or is she scowling at me?
"You're getting a boxed lunch from Maria-san or something, huh? Heard of it."
"Y-Yeah, seems like it."
Asami-san doesn't say anything in reply and keeps staring at me.
"......if only the batteries in your mobile would explode... if only you would use those suspicious and way too cheap batteries you get get in that certain country... swell batteries, swell...!"
Her mumbled curses give me the creeps.
"B-But why Kazu-kun of all people, hm?" Kokone cuts in with a smile, trying to clear the tension in the air. "Thanks to that, Kazu-kun's been getting kinda scary glances from the guys recently, hasn't he? I heard he's first in the 'I'd like to kill him by feigning an accident' ranking!"
"What's that deranged ranking... who on earth would say that...?"
"I did."
Haruaki raises his hand.
"Of course I handed in a vote! I can't stand you being all lovey-dovey with Maria-chan!!"
I almost tumble over.
I'm sure Haruaki is just joking, but the glances have certainly gotten scary lately. I don't think Otonashi-san is the only cause for this, though——
"Mh? Why are you looking at me?"
"......nothing."
I bet she's not aware that me being so pally with her is probably a cause as well...
Kokone just cocks her head. Unlike during that March that was almost going to continue for all eternity, she now wears her hair with a ponytail bound on one side. A "side-ponytail", I suppose?
"Say say, I've been wondering: how did you tame Otonashi-san?!"
"Now, 'tame' is really not the right word..."
"Otonashi-san should be used to being hit on, so you didn't use the usual methods, right? Ah, now I get it! You made her feel that you were the special one for her, huh?" Kokone says triumphantly and starts to make some random assumptions. "Let's see... you might have saved her from some pervert who attacked her――Oh, doesn't that sound quite plausible?! The pervert was like «Hey sweety, your navel fluff smells so good... Wha! Now if that's not scab down there! B-But I don't care!!» And right when he was about to charge at her while murmuring those words, you saved her from his evil claws, right!?"
"I don't have the guts to defy such a 'real' pervert... in the first place, we aren't dating each other, you know?"
This is an absolute fact. But Kokone's grin just gets broader.
"Sooo, how do you explain that incident at the ceremony, mm? Mm? Mmmm?"
"T-That's――"
The «war proclamation» at the school entrance ceremony. I know in what way everyone misunderstood this. I absolutely have to come up with an explanation and get her to stop that big grin.
"That's just, you see, Otonashi-san's a little odd and—"
"—I'm odd, you say?"
A familiar voice behind me. I reluctantly turn around.
Maria Otonashi.
On seeing her face, my body spontaneously grows stiff. No, it's not like I broke out in cold sweat because of her accusing words. I merely grew stiff because I saw her incredibly pretty face without having had any time to prepare myself.
I have yet to get used to her resolute personality and stunning looks. I can't help but get flustered. I count up to three in my mind as I always do — my preparations to talk to her.
I've been together with Otonashi-san for a human lifespan. I'm aware of that. But I don't 'feel' like I did so anymore.
"Why are you so stiff? Do you think I'm angry? I wouldn't get angry because of that, now would I?"
"Y-Yeah."
While I was bewildered, Asami-san toddled wordlessly around Otonashi-san to stand behind her.
"...mh? What is it Asami?"
Asami-san didn't answer and just continued to stare at me. Haruaki opened his mouth instead.
"She's a bit strange today. Maybe she's worrying that Maria-chan was swept away by Hoshii because of this decisive «boxed lunch»-event."
"......to call her 'Maria-chan' is much too over-familiar. You ought to append a «-sama»..."
Asami-san mumbled her words again with a half-opened mouth and down-cast eyes.
"Whatever. Let's go, Kazuki."
"Err, to the school cafeteria?"
Otonashi-san uttered a irritated sigh.
"Why can't you get it at the point of time I told you that I would make you a boxed lunch? Isn't it clear that I did so because the situation is unfavorable at the school cafeteria?"
Unfavorable at the school cafeteria?
We met every day during the lunch break, in order to discuss the 'boxes' or '0'.
Well, but it's not like there's new information every day, and there's almost never anything that mustn't be heard by strangers. Or, instead of 'almost never', 'never' since Otonashi-san had entered school. Therefore, the school cafeteria has never been a problem.
But today the school cafeteria was unfavorable.
"So that's the reason for this boxed lunch. ...but isn't there bread at the store?"
When I murmured this, Otonashi-san suddenly drew close to my face and whispered into my ear.
"...I got fed up with the bread from there during the 'Rejecting Classroom'. You understand, don't you...?"
Ah, well... I can understand that you don't want them to hear the word 'Rejecting Classroom', but if you draw this near in front of Asami-san, she might think we want to show off, you know?
I sneaked a peek at her, and as expected, her glance seemed a lot sharper to me.
"Err, Maria-san. May I join you today...?"
"Sorry, Asami. I want to eat with just Kazuki today."
"Just you two..."
"Well, let's go Kazuki."
Otonashi-san grabbed my arm and started to walk away. Haruaki said something like "Hyaa~~" without reading the mood.
...I wonder how Asami-san is feeling about this?
When I turned around due to uneasiness, she was murmuring something with cast-down eyes.
"......if only a female cockroach with a swollen abdomen would enter your mouth, lay her eggs inside your stomach, breed, and eat you from inside...!"
She's saying scary things!

April 30 (Thursday) 12:43

"Somehow it feels nostalgic to come to the back of the school building."
The back of the school building is a place where we talked quite often during the repeating world.
Apparently Otonashi-san didn't plan to indulge in reminiscing, shooting a glance at me, and handing over to me a cloth-wrapped boxed lunch that she had taken out unceremoniously from her bag.
"...T-thanks."
"You're welcome."
I untied the cloth and removed the cover. It looked ordinary. Somehow this was a bit unexpected.
The first dish I tried was the asparagus bacon. I put it in my mouth.
....mh, the taste's ordinary, too.
"Err... this asparagus bacon is really tasty."
"That's frozen food."
........err, I see, yeah, well then of course it's ordinary.
This time I took the hamburger. As expected, the appearance and the taste were both ordinary.
"......err, this hamburger is really tas―-―"
"That's frozen food, too."
...as I thought!
I checked the contents of the boxed lunch. If it's like this, then the potatoes, meatballs, dumplings and the mixed vegetables are all without a doubt frozen food, too.
"Don't make a strange fuss about it. There's no need to praise me frantically."
"...say, Otonashi-san. Did you never cook inside the 'Rejecting Classroom'?"
Otonashi-san told me that she tried numerous things, beginning with martial arts, inside those recurrences.
"Oho? It looks like you badly want to criticize my cooking."
"I-It's not like..."
"It's like this. ...I don't really mind, though. I did cook, in fact. I'm good enough to cook some quite refined dishes. But I couldn't get myself to like doing it. I was unable to find the same pleasure in cooking as I felt by pursuing various martial arts."
"So that's why you skimped on the lunch..."
"Finally you said it clearly."
Whoops.
I got a glimpse of Otonashi-san's expression. ...well, she doesn't seem particularly angry.
"...err, but say, you aren't interested in cooking, so are you perhaps also not interested in food itself?"
"Not exactly. I'm happy when I eat something delicious."
"By the way, what's your favorite dish?"
"Strawberry tarte. Basically all confectionery that uses strawberry―――hey, why did you grow stiff with the meatball still in your mouth?"
"Ah, no――"
Such a cute favorite dish? I could still understand if it was something like sweet-potato paste, but I don't think strawberries suit her at all―――I was about to say this aloud, but could bear it somehow. Whew, dangerous.
"Hohoo, you have some nerves to claim to others that their favorite dishes don't suit them."
"......I've never said so."
"Sweet-potato paste would suit whom, you said?"
...why did you see so easily through me, Otonashi-san?
"But so you like eating, but you don't like cooking."
I changed the subject by saying so.
"I still cannot really find any pleasure in savoring my own cooking myself. I can't help but to perceive it as work."
I see. Naturally there wasn't anyone that would eat her cooking for her in this repeating world. I've almost never cooked until now, but I know that seeing someone eat one's own cooking is one of the pleasures of cooking.
Therefore it feels suddenly like work if there's no one else to eat it.
"...That doesn't matter. It's not like I called you to the back of the school building to chat about such a thing."
"Y-Yeah."
"I'll move onto the main subject now."
Saying so, Otonashi-san searched her bag and took her mobile phone out.
"I received a mail late at night yesterday."
"A mail?"
When I had asked back, she held the display wordlessly out in front of my eyes.
«I was able to grant my earnest desire. Now I can go out with you.»
Those letters were displayed.
Err... what's this? The mail of a fresh couple... or so it looks like. Err? In other words, Otonashi-san started to go out with someone? This Otonashi-san?
When I looked at her she was smiling wryly at my reaction.
"Well, I understood with your reaction when we met today, though. ...Kazuki, take a look at the sender."
I looked as I was told. The name after 'From' was--- "Eh?"
――«Kazuki Hoshino».
So I was the one that sent this mail? ...no, no, no, that's impossible. I don't have the slightest memory of this. But since it was indeed sent...?
"At first I thought it was a forgery. But that's unlikely since the mail filter is turned on. It's safe to assume that this mail was sent by your mobile phone."
"But Otonashi-san, I don't remember having sent this――"
"Then how about checking your outbox? It should still be in there if the box wasn't emptied."
I nodded and took out my mobile phone. When I checked it, I found the mail.

«I was able to grant my earnest desire. Now I can go out with you.»
The same text was in the already-sent mail.
"T-That's――"
I turned pale.
"Rest assured, Kazuki. I gather from your look at least that this mail wasn't sent with your deliberate will. But if it really was done by someone else, then he must have used your mobile phone after 02:00 at morning to send me this mail."
The date of the mail is April 30. In other words, 02:23 this morning.
At this time, my mobile phone was beside my pillow. I woke up because of Otonashi-san's phone call today, so that's beyond doubt. So that means, someone broke into my room late at night? What's this? Why would someone go so far...?

"Kazuki."
Otonashi-san said this to me when I was confused.
"I slipped into the 'box' called 'Rejecting Classroom' some time ago. Do you know why I was able to do so?"
"...?"
I can't grasp the intention in her words.
"It has something to do with this subject. «I am a 'box', thus I could slip in»――I told you this, but that doesn't explain directly the reason why I could slip in, does it?"
"...now that you say it, indeed not."
"I am able to perceive 'boxes' and can find them. And then I can slip into this 'box'."
"...yeah."
"A method to send a mail from your mobile phone to mine after 02:00 at morning. Alternatively, a method to make us think so. There are probably numerous ways to do so, but I considered following."
Then she said it.
"This is the deed of a 'box'."
――a 'box'?
"Well... I wonder? I mean, why would someone specially use a 'box' just for something like――"
"Kazuki, didn't I mention it? I am able to perceive 'boxes'. ...Aah, as you say, this mail might have nothing to do with it. But I can say one thing for sure."
Otonashi-san stared at me almost with a scowl and spoke.

"Someone is currently using a 'box' nearby."
Not because of her words, but because of her straightforward glance, I finally realized what was about to happen to me.
It's happening again.
Again, a 'box' is going to try to destroy my everyday life.
"Well then, Kazuki, let's return to the mail. Assuming this was accomplished with the use of a 'box'; what is the meaning behind this mail, then? Considering it as a mere prank of the 'owner' that acquired abilities is a bit too optimistic, isn't it?"
"...so you what do you think...?"
"It's a declaration of war against us. Or else it might simply be a fact."
"A fact...?"
What could this mean? Otonashi-san didn't really start going out with the 'owner' as far as I can tell.
"Maybe it's some kind of metaphor. Or this future was set definitely using the 'box'... but just this is beyond question:"
Otonashi-san breathed out lightly and continued.
"The 'owner' is trying to interfere with us directly, using his 'box'."
Right, it's like that. Or else there'd be no reason for him to send such a message from my mobile phone to Otonashi-san.
"...what should I do?"
"It's beyond doubt that a 'box' was used. I need to find out how this 'box' is used and grasp its nature. I want you to help me with this. You're sensitive to slight changes of your everyday life, aren't you? Hence, you might notice some abnormalities in this everyday life that I don't notice."
"Okay, got it. I'll try searching!"
"Please do. I'll contact you too, when I come across something."
I was going to start eating again since I thought our talk was over. But then I noticed that Otonashi-san still had her chopsticks stopped and stopped myself.
"Is there still something, Otonashi-san?"
"Mhh... aah, I guess so."
Otonashi-san continued strangely vaguely.
"It's trifling, really, but there's something that bothers me. And it's unpleasant. Therefore I'll tell you."
"...OK, please do."
"Why did you change your method of addressing me?"
"Eh?"
She raised an unexpected question.
"...if there's no special reason, I don't mind."
With these words, Otonashi-san continued to eat again.
It bothered me, but I decided to think that it was really nothing of importance and continued eating.

April 30 (Thursday) 22:38

Slight changes to this everyday life. I tried thinking about it while sitting on the writing desk that I had been using since primary school, but nothing came to mind. Changes. There are changes everywhere.
Unable to find an answer, I had opened my mobile phone for no particular reason.
A picture of Mogi-san in pajamas was displayed on the screen.
While she did seem even thinner than usual, there was nothing pitiful at all. She was making a peace sign in the hospital with a smile as bright as a sunflower.
"Kazu-chan is grinning! He's viewing lewd pictures!"
I closed my mobile phone in a hurry when I heard the voice of my sister, older than me by three years.
"I-I wasn't!"
"You're disturbed~ How suspicious~"
My older sister, Ruka Hoshino, climbed on the upper bunk of our bunk beds with a broad grin. ...And again she's only wearing her underwear, Ruu-chan. Geez... despite being almost 20 years old, she's still tottering around in this appearance all the time. She should be aware that I'm currently a second year high school student in his teens.
"Aah, let's guess, you looked at a picture Kasumi Mogi-san, didn't you~?"
"Wha――-!"
How did she---?!
"Awa, was it a bull's eye? Uhehe..."
"W-wait a sec! To begin with, why do you know about Mogi-san... Ah! Don't tell me you looked through my mobile phone without asking?!"
"I didn't~. I just saw her name when she called you once, really. I just tried to comment on the picture with something random~... but then again, aren't you a bit perverted for looking at pictures of girls while grinning?"
This is exactly why I want my own room!
To hide my discomfort, I embraced my mobile phone and dived into the lower stuck.
"Say, say, is Kasumi Mogi-san your girlfriend?"
"N-No, she isn't!"
"So what's your relationship, then? Or rather, what does she think of you?"
"......err..."
What relationship... I wonder? What -does- she think of me?
Well, she did confess to me inside the 'Rejecting Classroom,' and the fact that she sent me this picture means that she feels something for me... probably.
Her consideration for me, isn't unpleasant.
But more than this... to be honest, I don't know. My feelings from inside the 'Rejecting Classroom' aren't here anymore. It's likely that we had been affected by each other. I have some memories that imply this. But right because of this, I'm unable to view her from a brand new standpoint. I have no idea how proper those feelings of mine are in this everyday life.
"Well... we surely are friends!"
Although this was the answer I arrived at after thinking desperately, she didn't reply. Strange...---after I thought this and concentrated, I heard the calm rhythm of her sleep.
...It never ceases to amaze me how fast she falls asleep.
Come to think of it, I haven't replied to this mail yet. When I noticed this, I began typing a reply.
I looked at the clock at the corner of the screen.
«22:59»

I was in the midst of typing the mail.
But suddenly, my consciousness was interrupted.

April 30 (Thursday) 23:18

Well then, let's make a call.