[Dear LittleSister. Translator: Madhatter

Apparently, oneof my foolish acquaintances has been stranded in the sea of trees, soyour brother valiantly sets off by himself to look forthem. I am not committing suicide, so pleasedon’t be mistaken and make a fuss aboutit.

If youdon’t hear from me by the time you read this letter, please, I beg you, filea missing persons report with the police.

Onceagain, please don’t make a fuss when you read this.

Andno, it’s not a prank, I’m serious.

Don’tthrow it in the trash halfway through reading the letter. Because if something happens to me, it will all depend on your cool-headed discretion.

Seriously, please.

P.S.

It’snot suicide, it’s really not suicide.

Fromyour brother.]

Asfor the cause and effect of this, Ihad no idea, but I, a 25-year-old freeter, was going to step into the sea of trees where suicidal people were found lying around as corpses yearafter year…

Incaseof emergency, I left a note to my sister, who would probably visit around midday today, containing a clear explanation of why I wasgoing there.

Determined, I left myhouse. Not shared on aggregator sites

Shouldthe worst-case scenario unfurl, itwould impose immense hardships on my family, including my sister.

Iwould absolutely endeavor with all my efforts to refrain from such a situation.

Besides…When I was writing this, I was wondering if this might be a kind of suicide note. This note would function as a suicide note unless I returned unscathed, despite I shook my head and felt it was an omen. It was terrifying.

Speakingof terrifying, what I found most disconcerting at this point was that I was unable to predict my sister’s response after readingit.

Hopefully, shewould stick to the letter’s directions, but given that my younger sister was a highly eccentric second-year junior high school student, it seemed more likely that she would be distraught or throw it in the trash instead of believing init.

Ibegyou not to let the latter happen. Even worse, she could be too engrossed in the Internet to notice this note.

Thatwaspossible…

Please, comeon my little sister, sayingthat everything hanging by a thread on me depended on you was not an overstatement.

Withmy bag over my shoulder, I headed for the convenience store on mymotorcycle.

Yakumo, theyoung man, had apparently goneto the convenience store earlier; whetherby flying or by instantaneous movement was uncertain, but a short while ago, he vanished right before myeyes.

Rightafter that, Isearched everywhere in the room for a flashlight but was unsuccessful. Without any other choice, I decided to get one at the convenience store where Iworked. Cell phone flashlights weren’t that reliable and I knew I neededa proper one.

Ah… thatwas fine. I hopedthe night shift workers wouldn’t be suspicious of me.

Whileworrying about that, I parkedmy bike in a corner of the convenience store parking lot.

Therewas no trace of Yakumo. Hadn’t he arrivedyet? Well, whatever, I had something to do before hearrived.

Ipeeked into the store from outside. Of course, discreetly, so as not to draw too much attention.

O-Ohhh… Oh.

“…Forreal?”

Tomy bad luck, these were the people I least wanted to see right now. Along with other customers inside the store, Takenaka and Hirai, who were standing at the cash register, seemed bored. Theywere the strongest spiritual duo I had ever met.

Toavoid being discovered, I hid in the corner of the store.

Ugh, of all people, itwas those two.

Whatshould I do… Wouldthey think nothing of me showing up at this hour and going out of my way to buy a flashlight at a place like this?

Althoughthey may not be able to figure out that I was going to head into the sea of trees, they struck at the heart of the matter in a strange way, even though theywere different types of people…

Ipulled up the hood of the hoodie I had worn to ward off insects, looked down, knowing it was suspicious, and decided to enter the store without looking at them if atall possible.magic

Imean…

Suspicious, suspicious, suspicious…! Iwas too suspicious!

Thiswas not a good idea at all, theywere totally suspicious! Notonly the two of them but even the customers in the store were glancing at me! Evenif I told myself to avoid contact with them at all costs, theywould have recognized me!Inwardlyimpatient, Icame to the shelf in front of the store where batteries and chargers were lined up.

Thereit was—a decent-sized flashlight. What? Batteries were sold separately? Theconvenience store quality was so stingy, making me buy not only the flashlight but the batteriesas well…

While I didn’t have time to complain aboutit, the price of this cheap light, which could be sold even at a hundred-yen store… Once this case was over, I would confront that man aboutthe bill.

“―Um, Hakamada?”2ws

“Owapu!?”21ews

Thehood fell off inreaction to the idiotic voice I made as I jumped back. Beforeme was Takenaka with a slightly troubled look on his face.

“Ah, I knewit.”

WhenTakenakasaid that, I exclaimed internally.

I-I… have been exposeddddddddddd.

Thatwasway too fast! Noteven three minutes had gone by!

Tomystiffening, Takenaka made an uncomfortable face and awkwardly greeted me with a “Good evening.”

Well, of course Isaid “Good evening” in return.

Even I was uncomfortable meeting this person because Takenaka probably saw the previous hellscape that Hirai hadshown me… Inshort.

Ughhhhhhhhhh!!

Iwanted to get out of the store right now!

Hiraiwasatthe cash register behind the shelf, saying, “Oh, Hakamada!” and waving her hand.

EvenHiraispottedme.

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