Chapter 36. In Chapter 36, Wang Ma wanted to reveal a certain name...

"Hoo-ha-hoo-ha-"

After opening all the classroom windows, they quickly retreated from inside and moved to a place where they wouldn't smell that indescribable odor too much.

Wang Ma Xiaoji pulled off his mask and breathed in the fresh air in an exaggerated manner. Perhaps because the smell in the classroom was so terrible, his complexion looked much darker than before, and he appeared listless.

"...Ah, I should have pretended not to hear anything and not come up with you guys."

See? Even his voice is much softer than usual.

"However, it's easy to get into trouble if you act alone at a time like this, isn't it?" This was Hinata Hajime, who also felt that the air outside was so fresh at that moment.

"Tch, what are you pretending for, Kohinata? It sounds like you encounter this kind of thing all the time."

"Ah, no, well... I subconsciously thought of the scenario in horror movies where lone people are more likely to get into trouble, so what's it like in reality?"

"Of course, it's easy to get into trouble if you act alone, you idiot!"

"..."

"Hahaha, Hinata's expression looks so scary~ I'd better run!"

No, he wanted to take back his earlier thought. Looking up at the stars in the sky, Tsukino and Chiya, who weren't participating in the conversation, thought to themselves, "Ohma is still very energetic, at least on the surface."

By now, it was completely dark. But even so, there were still several hours until midnight, so they had enough time to wait for the smell in the room to fade to a level that was tolerable for humans.

Of course, they wouldn't just sit around doing nothing and wait idly. Moreover, resting in such a setting would inevitably give one a strange sense of guilt, like starting to play games before finishing homework.

In short, let's keep doing something. Facing a life-or-death crisis, the fact that we're actually quite relaxed just doesn't feel right.

Besides, since they were already here, and since an anomaly had suddenly appeared in one classroom, perhaps it was happening elsewhere as well? With this in mind, they checked the floor again and finally stopped only after confirming that there were no other anomalies.

"I don't know if you brought your own. If not, then take these. This time, the monster is afraid of damaging its cloth, but it's not very convenient to use a dagger when the cloth is floating around in the air. Scissors should be easier to apply force with."

Tsukino and Chiya took out the things they hadn't had time to hand over to the other two from their bags when they were on the playground.

"I suggest you all carry your weapons with you right now, since you all saw what happened just now. The time wasn't up yet, but... Hyuga?"

Hyuga Hajime, who was about to reach out to take the scissors from the black-haired boy, suddenly froze. Then, his body swayed uncontrollably to one side. Ohma Kokichi, who was standing next to him, instinctively reached out to steady him, preventing him from falling to the ground.

Tsukino and Chiya reacted quickly, but he was holding a pair of scissors in each hand, making it inconvenient for him to lend a hand.

Fortunately, before Chiya could retract the scissors, Hyuga Hajime staggered and grabbed the wall beside him. With the support of the wall, his body stopped swaying, but he looked as if he might collapse again at any moment.

Hyuga Hajime's brows were furrowed, and his expression looked both pained and dazed. His fingers, which were gripping the wall, unconsciously tightened, and his knuckles turned slightly white from the force. His lips trembled involuntarily, and a few breaths escaped his lips.

"Uh, what was that just now..."

A few seconds later, as if the pain had finally ended, Hyuga Hajime straightened up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the hand that wasn't supporting him against the wall.

He took another breath, and finally regained his usual voice: "It's from the mark... I'm afraid we only have this night left."

It was a mysterious feeling; when the pain, even more terrible than that brought by the previous mark, arrived, it was accompanied by a warning that death was imminent.

If this matter isn't resolved by nightfall, the next dawn will mark my death.

At this point, Hyuga Hajime, who had just escaped the pain inflicted by the mark, couldn't help but feel a little worried. Could the few clues they had obtained really allow them to resolve the matter safely tonight?

"...You scared me!" Ohma Kokichi, who had already let go of his hand, looked terrified. "So it was my death day. I thought Kohinata was trying to scam me."

Hajime Hinata: "..."

Hajime Hyuga: "Ohma, do you want to hear what you're saying?"

"Because our death is only approaching, not already here, which means we just need to resolve this before dawn. And I already know the solution."

Faced with Hinata Hajime's accusations, Ohma Kokichi seemed completely unconcerned and spoke with a relaxed expression.

"In comparison, staged accidents that catch people off guard are more troublesome, but I won't go into details. I don't think Kohinata wants to know the tragic end of the last guy who tried to stage an accident for me. Oh dear—it's really pitiful for his sixty-year-old son and ten-year-old mother~"

That last sentence just doesn't make sense no matter how you look at it. But now, everyone understands what the most important part of what Wang Ma Xiaoji just said was, so probably no one will dwell on the last joke anymore...

Hyuga Soichi turned his head and saw Tsukino and Chiya pondering, "A sixty-year-old son and a ten-year-old mother, what an amazing family."

Hyuga Hajime: "Tsukino Kazuya, you're thinking so seriously..." You don't need to be so serious in such a strange place!

Wangma Xiaoji smiled brightly: "Hahaha, isn't that amazing? Because I was lying, and Kozuki Kazuma who believed it was an idiot!"

Hajime Hinata: "..." Isn't this guy's personality a bit too awful!

Tsukino and Chiya said curtly, "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. We were tricked without even realizing it."

Oh no, if this keeps up, I'll become the one who makes all the sarcastic remarks.

Hinata Hajime's lips twitched slightly as he wondered if he had been making too many sarcastic remarks lately... No, it was definitely because these two had too many flaws to be found in.

However, it must be admitted that the gloomy atmosphere caused by the news of his impending death has dissipated considerably. Even Hyuga Hajime, who was most directly affected by the mark at the beginning, is now at a loss for words. Although he is still somewhat uneasy, his heart is no longer completely occupied by anxiety.

Perhaps it's because... their seemingly indifferent attitude towards the impending death caused by the strange occurrences is quite reassuring.

Because, didn't Wang Ma just say something like "I already know the solution"? If Hyuga Hajime heard this, he subconsciously attributed their attitude to confidence.

Perhaps things can be resolved smoothly before dawn, but the prerequisite for this "resolution" is undoubtedly—

Seeing that the conversation between the two beside him was going off on a tangent, Hyuga Hajime took the scissors that Tsukino had just handed him and asked seriously, "By the way, Ohma. What did you mean by 'already knowing the solution'?"

"Oh, right, is that so?"

Originally, due to the sudden situation at the time, Ohma Kokichi, who also did not have time to grab the scissors, took the other pair of scissors first, and then opened his other hand, which had been clenched into a fist.

"Look, this is it. What do you think? Does it look familiar?"

That looks so familiar.

Tsukino, Chiya, and Hinata Hajime gazed at the little toy lying quietly in Ouma Kokichi's palm.

After receiving the names "Yoshiko Morikawa" and "Junko Enoshima" yesterday, it's impossible to ignore them. Yoshiko Morikawa might be difficult to find, but the name Junko Enoshima brings up a lot of information when entered into a search engine.

As a model, Junko Enoshima is beautiful, flamboyant, and confident. Her signature look is her striking twin tails, which are just as flamboyant as her personality and have an astonishing amount of hair.

What was placed in Wang Ma Xiaoji's palm at that moment were the two hair ties she often wore.

Tsukino and Chiya examined the white teddy bear and the ribbon hair tie: "Did Ohma take this from the lectern?"

Although the purple-haired boy only stopped for a few seconds, he still stood out when everyone was racing against time because of the unbearable smell.

At least Tsukino and Chiya noticed.

“Yes, that’s right.” Wang Ma Xiaoji admitted, “Although the smell inside was really bad, it was just something I was grabbing from the podium, so it didn’t take much time. I put them away as soon as I noticed them.”

Tsukino and Chiya put their bags back on: "It seems almost certain that the 'Enoshima Junko' that the strange person liked before his death was that middle school model."

"But," Hinata Hajime asked, full of questions, "what's the connection between confirming Enoshima Junko's identity and the method for resolving the incident?"

“Of course there are.” Wangma Xiaoji put his hands together again. “That’s true. Although Kozuki and I had already given Kohinata some emergency education on the supernatural, some things just don’t feel real unless you see them with your own eyes, right?”

"The supernatural beings are no longer human, and similarly, they lack the rationality that humans possess. Like the supernatural being we encountered yesterday, it couldn't even remember its own name or who its beloved was. And the things we saw and found in the supernatural realms are most likely related to the supernatural beings' obsessions. Obviously, this supernatural being concerned with love letters, confessions, promises, and the person it loved."

“In other words…” Wangma Xiaoji deliberately dragged out his words, “These two hair ties are so iconic. So if someone wears them, the weirdo might mistake the person with pigtails using these hair ties for someone they like.”

"Is this even possible?" Hyuga Hajime glanced at Tsukino and Chiya subconsciously. After receiving a nod of approval from them, he continued to think about it based on this premise. "If that's the case, then yes, it might indeed be a breakthrough point."

"Right?" Wang Ma Xiaoji revealed a sly smile. He looked at the person who had suddenly fallen silent. "So the question is, who will use these two hair ties to tie their hair?"

Tsukino and Chiya, the only ones present with long hair: "..."

Tsukino and Chiya calmly said, "Let's stick it on Hinata's ahoge (cowlick)."

Hajime Hyuga: ? ? ?

I never expected you to be like this, Tsukino Kazu!

*******

The protest was ineffective, but Tsukino and Chiya, who had only made a token effort to protest, sighed.

He understood the urgency of the situation. If Wang Ma's guess was correct, then using those hair ties to tie his hair might indeed be a good way to mislead the strange creature. And among the people present, only Chiya had enough hair to tie into a pair of pigtails that didn't look too strange.

Tsukino and Chiya untied their braids, then casually tidied their hair with one hand and reached out to Ohma Kokichi with the other, waiting for him to hand them the two hair ties they were holding.

But the purple-haired boy who initially suggested tying his hair up has yet to take any action.

Tsukino and Qianye:?

Even Tsukino and Chiya were momentarily at a loss as to what Ouma Shokichi was thinking.

The black-haired boy, still holding out his hand, asked in confusion, "Ohma?"

"...It's nothing. I was just thinking that Kozuki is really easy to talk to. As a result, many of the methods I originally planned don't need to be implemented."

Wang Ma Xiaoji, who had seemed a little lost in thought, picked up the conversation in time, but still didn't seem to have any intention of giving away the hair tie immediately.

"So it's a little bit of a shame~"

"pity?"

Since it was still early, and apart from the classroom where it wasn't convenient to stay for an extended period, there was nothing else unusual on this floor. There wasn't much else to do besides distributing supplies and conserving their energy. Tsukino and Chiya decided to follow his lead and continue asking questions, trying to deduce Ohma Kokichi's thoughts.

"Yes, what a pity." Wangma Xiaoji looked melancholy. "Kozuki agreed too decisively. I was thinking that if Kozuki refused to comply, I would have Kohinata forcibly subdue her, and then I would braid her hair!"

Tsukino and Chiya: "It doesn't have to be that bad..."

Hajime Hyuga: "Ohma, your last sentence is your real purpose, isn't it?"

"Hehe, although I really want to do that, Hinata and Tsukino are about the same height. If Tsukino wants to resist, she won't be able to suppress it for long."

"Why should I necessarily follow your lead?"

"Because Kohinata seems pretty easy to fool too." Ohma Kokichi said this with a straight face, a statement that seemed to provoke some envy. "Hmm, it's true. In terms of being easily fooled and in terms of size and strength, Kohinata really can't compare..."

"..."

"No, it's nothing."

After a strange and abrupt silence, the purple-haired boy, who had been chattering incessantly, smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Compared to this, although I just made a suggestion, I didn't have time to mention the risks involved because Kozuki agreed so quickly."

Was he trying to say someone's name before he quieted down?

Tsukino and Chiya, who had already withdrawn their hands and crossed their arms, hummed in agreement: "Risk? Warning?"

"That's right. Because the suggestion just now was based on the premise that 'the strange creature really likes Enoshima Junko, and it would be great if we could use Enoshima's identity to eliminate its obsession and help it attain enlightenment.'"

Wang Ma Xiaoji raised a finger and shook it gently.

"But actually, there is another possibility."

"Undeniably, Enoshima holds a significant place in the heart of the supernatural being. The supernatural being is obsessed with promises and confessions. To be honest, we can pretty much deduce that Enoshima received love letters from Morikawa during his lifetime, but he either didn't come or came too late. So, Kozuki, who intends to accept playing the role of this Enoshima... how do you plan to dispel the supernatural being's obsession?"

"Apologize to Morikawa for being late? Accept Morikawa's confession? Of course, if that can end Morikawa's obsession, then everyone will be happy."

"However, as I mentioned before, there is another possibility."

Wang Ma Xiaoji's voice, like the moonlight streaming down the corridor, was filled with a calm and ruthless indifference: "Indeed, Morikawa values ​​Enoshima, but... the feeling of 'wanting the other to die' is also a form of 'valuing'."

"Morikawa has been concerned about Enoshima's absence until now, to the point that anyone who receives a love letter from her now that she has become a monster and does not arrive as promised will have an accident like Natsukawa-san... So, the monster's feelings for Enoshima may no longer be 'love' but 'hate' by now."

"Although sometimes 'love' and 'hate' are equally terrible, in our current situation, it is strange that harboring overwhelming hatred is more dangerous."

"So, Kozue, you need to think this through... If you accept the hair tie, it means you might be facing a strange and terrifying killing intent, you know?"

His response was a hand that reached out even more decisively than before.

The purple-haired boy was speechless for a moment. This was far too fast, as if no one had heard a word he had just said.

But Wang Ma Xiaoji knew that wasn't the case.

He looked up at the person in front of him.

After the braids were loosened, the smooth, jet-black hair cascaded down naturally and was then tucked behind Qianye's back.

A portion of the cool moonlight seemed to fall into his eyes, so that even though Tsukino and Chiyo maintained their usual calm expressions, one could sense a touch of tenderness in his gaze, which seemed to blend into the moonlight.

Of course, it would be a big mistake to assume he is harmless just because of his appearance. Just a few days ago, Wang Ma Xiaoji witnessed the man in front of him precisely replicate the so-called "perfect murder" in an instant... although the "victim" was a weirdo.

Tsukino and Chiya were not unaware of the potential dangers; they were fully aware of the dangers, yet they were still willing to reach out without hesitation... Was this because time was running out and they had no other choice, or because they were confident enough?

Since Tsukino and Chiya didn't hesitate, Ohma Kokichi didn't say anything more. After staring at him for a few seconds, he readily handed over the two hair ties to them.

For a fleeting moment, her fingertips touched the warmth emanating from another person, then quickly withdrew. Wang Ma Xiaoji pulled her hand back, watching the black-haired boy skillfully tie up her hair, and couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity.

Is there nothing that could truly shake his resolve and make him hesitate?

*******

"My hair volume isn't as amazing as Junko Enoshima's."

Tsukino and Chiya casually fiddled with one side of their hair that was hanging down, as if they were not quite used to it.

"However, Wang Ma was right before. Sometimes the way strange people recognize each other is really weird, so it shouldn't be a big problem... Can you put your phones down now?"

Hyuga Hajime coughed lightly: "Okay." He said he'd take the phone but didn't mention deleting the photos.

"One more." Wangma Xiaoji held up his phone and blatantly snapped a picture of Tsukino and Chiya, who had already tied their hair into pigtails. "It still feels a little strange... Hmm... Tsukino and Chiya have such gentle features. Could it be the clothes? Maybe we should try a dress on her?"

Hajime Hinata: "Are you really giving serious feedback or just saying you want to see this yourself?"

Tsukino and Chiya: "I knew it? But this should be enough to confuse the strange creatures. Besides, it's hard to find a dress that fits right now, so let's leave it at that for now."

Hajime Hinata: "You're answering so seriously..."

During their conversation, the three of them entered the only classroom on this floor that was currently showing signs of anomaly.

They tacitly put on masks—although the smell had dissipated considerably compared to before, it wasn't fresh enough to breathe freely. In short, they decided to investigate quickly and leave as soon as possible.

*******

Tsukino and Chiya stood by the classroom window.

The evening breeze brushed against his cheeks, and the hair hanging on both sides was slightly blown by the wind before falling back down as the wind subsided.

He looked thoughtfully at the curtains by the window, which had also been burned, and held in his hand the lunchbox he had just found in the trash can.

The bento box looked quite old, originally covered in dust, though Tsukino and Chiya had wiped it clean... but it still didn't look very clean. Even so, Tsukino and Chiya could still tell that the bento box must have originally been exquisite and beautiful.

The box contained chocolate cookies.

Tsukino and Chiya opened the lid, looked at the dark brown chocolate that had solidified on the bottom of the bento box, then looked at the suspicious spots on the limp cookies, and finally closed the lid again.

He also had two tattered pieces of paper on him, which he had either pulled out or plucked from a desk drawer in the classroom and a thermos, respectively. The contents of the papers were still barely legible.

"I've checked it again here too," came Hyuga Hajime's voice from not far behind. "There shouldn't be anything I missed."

"As for me here..." Wangma Xiaoji, who had been facing a desk drawer lying on the ground, suddenly looked up, "This is the last one, over."

“I’m done too.” Tsukino and Chiyo took one last look out the window. It was pitch black outside, and even shining a flashlight downstairs wouldn’t do any good. “Then let’s go out and put together the clues we just got.”

Time is running out.

Tsukino and Chiya, who were furthest from the door, walked behind the other two. Out of the corner of his eye, he could vaguely sense something wriggling to his left, accompanied by a disgusting, sticky sound, but he ignored it and walked straight out.

The overall clues we've gathered so far aren't many. But time is of the essence, and we can only make a desperate attempt based on the pieces of truth we've managed to piece together.

We need to resolve this matter tonight.

He wants to continue going to school tomorrow.

-----------------------

Author's note: I wonder if any readers are taking the college entrance exam? Good luck on your exam! [pat on the head][pat on the head]