Epi.3-1: The One Who Sees

In a certain forest, there was a single road.

Walking for about ten minutes along a path wide enough for a car,
at last, an uncanny structure came into view.

A peculiar building, its mismatched architectural styles patched together at random.
Shattered windows, crumbling outer walls.
There was no wind—only the faint rustling of the trees could be heard.

In such a place, a lone man was standing.
With a digital camera mounted on a tripod aimed at the structure,
he himself stood with his back turned toward the camera.

“Fufu… so it’s here.
Places where the ‘wave-flow’ reverses feel different right from the entrance.”

His black long coat swayed as he turned.
A headlamp sat on his forehead.
Prayer beads and paper talismans like bundled bills hung from his neck,
and a mysterious charm rested on his chest.
He showed no sign of taking off his sunglasses.

“Today’s site is the ‘Abandoned House in the Forest.’
In certain occult circles, it’s even labeled as ‘extremely dangerous.’”

Still speaking with his back turned, the man suddenly spun around to face the camera.

“I’m the strongest psychic in history—Saikikku Hirai!
Today, I’m gonna purge every evil spirit in this place!”

He raised his thumb high, striking his signature pose.

He folded the tripod and switched it into a selfie-stick style.
Keeping the camera pointed in the direction he was heading,
he opened the door and stepped into the abandoned house.
When the door closed behind him, the interior was swallowed by darkness.

“Pretty dark… Light—on!”

The lamp on his forehead snapped on with a sharp click, sending dust swirling into the air.
The old floorboards rose into view, glowing pale under the beam.

“…It’s here. My body’s reacting.
First, my left shoulder… there’s a sharp tingle.
Ahh, this one’s a female ghost.”

Wearing a proud expression, Hirai went on.

“This coldness—no, it’s different.
The ‘sense of time’ is out of sync… You get it?
It’s the distortion of grudges accumulated in this space.”

On the second-floor hallway, looking down toward the entrance hall,
Sayuri and Shinobu were standing.

“…Hey, hasn’t it been kind of noisy for a while?”
“…Yes. His voice is… very loud.”
Shinobu agreed with Sayuri’s words.

Hirai’s voice echoed through the house, louder than before.

“You’re watching me! I know you’re there!”

“Wow, he can tell from this distance. That’s amazing.”
“Does he… have incredibly strong spiritual sense?”

“But still, he’s not actually seeing anything, right?
He’s just… sensing it a little?”
Sayuri hopped lightly onto the railing.

“Wanna give him a tiny scare?”

A mischievous spark appeared on her face.

“Eh? I really think you shouldn’t…”
Shinobu tried to stop her, timidly.

“It’ll be fine, seriously.
I’m just gonna float a bit and go ‘Boo!’—super gentle.”

Shinobu swallowed her words and watched her go.