Translator: raggykoshka
Editor: Vie
Illuminated by the light from Mutsu’s flashlight, Sousuke grabbed a nearby branch, and started to climb up higher onto the roof. The tall and well-built Sousuke checked for holes in the roof as he climbed and when he found none, he signaled to Mutsu and Hiroto that everything was okay.
“Sou-san, I’m going to throw you the flashlight.”
“Got it.”
The flashlight smoothly landed into Sousuke’s hands without even rotating in the air.
“Hiro-chan, are you going next? Or do you want to be the last?”
“Will your paper doll be able to help ?”
“It can’t do anything that I wouldn’t be able to do. Are you okay with waiting alone? I’m planning to make Shiki, the paper doll, wait below while we climb.”
Hiroto decided that he wanted to climb first and apprehensively handed over his flashlight. He then put his feet up onto the handrail, just as Sousuke had done minutes ago. But after that, things beca more difficult. Hiroto was a little shorter than the average adult male, and despite jumping, he could not reach the edge of the roof. He was not a sports person, and his actions proved that.
And thus, Mutsu also handed over her flashlight to the paper doll and started to climb while Hiroto was still fumbling about. She was of a similar build as Hiroto but fairly athletic, so she was able to easily climb up.
“Eh?! No way!!”
Almost as if it pitied Hiroto, the paper figure quickly reached his side.
“Don’t put your foot on the Shiki’s shoulder!”, Mutsu shouted from above.
But the paper doll still put its thin hands on its shoulder, making it so that Hiroto could place his foot there easier.
“Thank you!”
After he stepped on the figure’s shoulder, he could finally reach the edge of the roof with his hand. As soon as he reached it, Sousuke helped him, and soon he was finally sohow on top of it.
“What’s wrong, Mutsu?”
A bit away from them, Mutsu could be seen massaging her shoulder and wrist.
“It’s nothing.”
Only Sousuke, who knew the reason, gave an awkward laugh. He caught the flashlight that the paper figure had thrown him and handed it over to Hiroto. The view wasn’t very good. It wasn’t because it was night, but rather due to the tree branches extending everywhere around them. It was so bad that even slightly moving made them scared to be poked in the eyes.
“Aren’t the stars beautiful?”
Sousuke moved the branches out of the way and looked up. Stars that they couldn’t see in Mukai were clearly visible here.
“There’s a lot of them because it’s winter.”
Mutsu and Hiroto went quiet for a mont and also turned to look at the stars, but soon their necks started to hurt, and they shifted their eyes slightly lower, towards a mountain.
It seed like there was nothing different about it. There weren’t even any private residences on the mountain, not even any dim lights, only thickly growing trees.
Just then, a slight rustling sound was heard. Mutsu quickly moved to stand behind Sousuke, turning so that they were back-to-back.
“Can you hear that?”
Mutsu’s voice was sowhat tense.
“I can’t hear anyth-”
Mutsu elbowed Hiroto’s waist and he hurriedly stopped speaking. He tried to focus the best he could, but he was unable to hear anything in particular. The only audible thing was the rustling of leaves in the wind and the sound of scraping branches.
“Let’s go down, the footing is bad.”
Following Sousuke’s proposal they started to descend. When they reached the edge of the roof, Mutsu and Sousuke jumped down. Hiroto nervously approached the edge but lost his footing, slipped on so dry leaves, and fell down with a shout.
His feet got stuck in the handrail and he seed to hit his butt and back pretty hard. But he stood up, despite groaning in pain and went towards Mutsu and Sousuke as he rubbed his butt.
They started to walk, but when they reached the middle of the road that approached the shrine, Mutsu suddenly stopped.
She put her finger to her lips and closed her eyes.
“At our feet….?”
Mutsu’s faint voice made Sousuke and Hiroto point their flashlights downwards but the only things they were able to see were the cobble paving and the dry leaves.
How long did they stand there? It seed like a long ti, but in reality it wasn’t even for five minutes.
“Let’s go back.”
“Isn’t it cold?”
The tension was already gone from Mutsu’s voice.
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