I have a name for you.
From now on, you are Yuzu.
Konohana Kitan
Episode 6: Konohanatei Horror Stories
There was once a girl who didn't have any family.
She had no friends either, and she spent all her time alone.
She did what she could to make friends, but no one truly loved her.
Why am I not good enough?
What do I have to change about myself?
Is it because I'm me?
Should I become someone else?
With that idea,
believing she could become someone else if she erased herself...
Hey, am I the person you want now?
Will you like me now?
Why are you running away?
Am I still not good enough?
Tell me you like me.
Then you can become like me.
Why are you still up?!
S...
Sorry.
Sheesh.
They just think staying up late won't ruin their complexion.
Damn, Okami!
She's five times more powerful at night!
Shall we call it a night?
That was fun.
Satsuki and Okiku should have come...
Huh?
What is it?
One, two, three, four, five...
There's one extra.
Konohanatei
Holy crap!
This isn't funny!
What is going on?
The lights are out all over the building!
Yeah.
We were telling horror stories, and an actual ghost showed up.
Please stop talking about that.
All right, ghosts aside,
everyone split up to turn the lights back on and make sure the guests are safe.
Got it?
Okay.
Satsuki, you... never mind.
I can!
I can do it.
I'll check the first floor with Yuzu.
Okay.
If you see a ghost, get rid of it.
Come on, I'd rather catch it.
Oh, dear.
It's so quiet.
One time when I was little, I napped too long and couldn't sleep at night.
I got lonely being by myself at night, so I asked Bikuni-sama to stay with me.
When that clock strikes twelve, today ends, and tomorrow comes.
You know how it's morning when you wake up and it's "tomorrow"?
No, I think the new morning is "today."
That's right.
It's always "today" before you even notice.
So?
Where does tomorrow come from?
Who's switching today out with tomorrow?
It was a very, very strange trick.
I felt like I'd gotten to see one of the world's secrets.
On a special night like tonight, I feel like another secret is hiding somewhere.
It makes me so excited.
Oh, yeah. You said you were raised by a human.
Yes.
I was adopted.
Adopted?
Satsuki-chan?
A weird sound is coming out of you.
I'm fine.
Um, Satsuki-chan, are you afraid of gho—
No!
Of course.
Stop being silly. Let's go.
Did someone just...
Satsuki-chan...
I-I'm not afraid of ghosts! I'm not!
She's shaking.
She's so thin.
So soft...
Satsuki-chan's an amazing person, but she's still just a normal girl.
Yes, I know.
It's okay.
Why are you two getting all cuddly here?
We're not cuddling!
Give me that!
You, too. Get up and...
Why are you laughing?
It's nothing.
See, on special nights like this one,
you can find secrets that you don't see in the sunlight.
Hey, have you seen Ren?
We got split up.
No, I haven't seen her.
She's such a scaredy-cat.
She even told me not to let go of her hand...
Hey, Nacchan, you'd better not let go of my hand.
Sure.
And walk a little slower.
You're going too fast.
Sure.
You don't have to stop.
Nacchan?
Ren, do you like me?
Wh-Wh-What are you saying in a place like this?!
Do you?
She's so awesome. She's so awesome. She's so awesome.
We can't be doing this while we're working.
But I kind of like that sense of shame...
What's wrong with her?
Did she get food poisoning from the miso mackerel we had for dinner?
I should have brushed my teeth!
She's so close!
Her face...
Oh my God, she's so awesome!
Damn it, just go for it!
I love you.
I-I'm sorry we were making so much noise.
No, thank you for that.
Thank...
H-How could she make fun of me like that?
It's not like I'm disappointed by it or anything!
Not really...
It's such a pain, going around and turning on all the lights.
No!
Stay away!
It's a lot brighter now.
I'm not scared or anything.
I'm just a bit sc— I just don't like it.
Kiri?
You're the ghost Natsume was talking about.
How did you find out?
I didn't have to.
You just lost your edge.
You got gross, so I whacked you.
What's up?
Natsume, help me out.
Let's catch it.
Sure!
I thought you were afraid of me.
Well, too bad.
I'm not af— It's not ghosts that I hate.
It's the darkness.
Why would you tell the enemy your weakness?!
You're the worst!
How could you do that after what you did to me? You pervert!
Wh-What are you talking about?
Shut up, idiot!
Go ask your own d#&@!
But I don't have one.
Hey, now.
It's late.
Quiet down.
Huh?
What...
Two Kiri-neesamas?
Which one's real?
We could check by stripping her down.
There's something hot about playing with your own body.
That settles it.
You're the real one.
It's running away! After it!
It's just a ghost. Leave it.
It's ghost season. What can you do?
They're seasonal?!
This is all because you guys were telling horror stories.
Stop!
Huh?
Where's Yuzu?
Oh, yeah. Where did she go?
Hey... Where are we going?
Somewhere happy.
You'd come with me, right?
Yes, I'll come with you.
By the way, who are you?
You noticed?
You came with me knowing I'm an impostor?
I couldn't say no to a face like that.
You were adopted?
Yes, I was stuck in the snow by myself, and that's when Bikuni-sama took me in.
By yourself?
I see.
Would you come to like me?
Who would I have to be for you to like me?
What should I change about myself?
Just tell me that, and...
Who do you like?
I...
Then what about you?
Me? I...
I hate that man.
Yohei-san, you mean?
He makes fun of me.
Hey, it's Bikuni-sama's errand fox.
You're slow as always.
Don't sulk.
You'll get even uglier.
He'd never have talked to me like that if I served an Inari shrine.
Yuzu, can you read people's minds?
No.
Then why do you say that as though it were truth?
I want you to learn to hear not just words, but the true thoughts behind them.
I'm sorry.
You'd better stop being useless, or you'll get kicked out of the temple.
That's crazy.
Bikuni-sama would never kick me out.
The Inari shrine in my town is short on manpower.
Or should I say foxpower?
Why don't you have Yuzu work there?
Indeed.
I'll think about it.
Yeah, that's the thing. I was just...
Yo, Yuzu-bou.
Working hard as always, huh?
What's wrong with her?
She looked upset.
What was that noise, Yuzu?
Yuzu!
I-I was trying to wipe the Buddha.
Bikuni-sama!
Oh, dear.
Are you hurt?
I'm sorry.
I'll be more careful.
I'll work even harder.
So please let me stay with you!
What makes you say that?
Because I'm useless.
That's why you're going to send me away...
Look, Yuzu.
Do you think that flower is useless?
No, the flowers are pretty, and they smell nice, and they heal the mind.
But they aren't there only for the sake of our enjoyment.
The nectar and scent both attract insects.
It's so that they can propagate.
The flowers themselves surely don't know that they
eased someone's mind and gave them strength.
That's too complicated. I don't get it.
Didn't you say no one would make fun of you if you served an Inari shrine?
I thought, if that would give you confidence, it might be worth sending you off.
But as you are now, I worry.
Continue to serve me from now on, Yuzu.
Bikuni-sama!
Past that mountain and further still,
at the top of a large post town, there's a splendid inn.
Are you talking about Konohanatei?
You know of it, too?
I've been long acquainted with the okami there.
I've only been there once, but man, it was exceptional.
Thank you.
You're that little fox from way back.
You've grown quite a bit.
Yes.
Oh, right. There are a lot of adorable fox attendants there.
They're all about your age.
Foxes? About my age?
I said to the head attendant,
"It must be tough, dealing with different guests every day."
That's what makes it enjoyable.
If, when you're tired, when you're in pain, you can recall your dreamlike visit here,
Konohanatei will stay as brilliant in your heart as flower blossoms in full bloom.
Nothing would bring me, as an attendant,
more joy than if you can make such a memory here.
...she said.
Past that mountain and further still...
Yuzu.
I-I'm sorry.
I was studying properly.
To learn is not only to gain knowledge atop a desk.
You must go and learn from many other souls, Yuzu.
That's something you could do at Konohanatei.
Konohanatei...
Do you mean it, Bikuni-sama?
Remember what I said about the flowers?
You are those flowers to me, Yuzu.
That's why I'm sending you off.
So that you can bloom even more proudly.
Bikuni-sama!
Huh?
Was I just dreaming standing up?
You haven't given me an answer.
Who do you like?
A lot of people.
Bikuni-sama, the people who visit the temple,
the people at Konohanatei, the guests here...
A slight change in circumstances, and I might have never met any of them.
Just being with them fills me with gratitude for that miracle.
And today, I met you.
I wanted to meet you, too.
But earlier.
A boat?
Are you getting on?
I'm headed to the happy place you wanted.
Yeah.
Hey, Yuzu, what would you do if I didn't let go of your hand until we got to the other side?
I'd come with you to the other side, and then come back.
I'm sorry for peeping on you.
Peeping?
I hope I can put on beautiful flowers next time.
Let's meet again, Yuzu.
With a smile like that, I'm sure you can make everyone love you.
You don't need to be anyone else.
Oh? I see.
And that's why you came home in the morning?
Yes.
You've sure got guts, though, Yun-tan.
You're not scared of ghosts?
Ghosts?
Oh, you mean how she took on other forms?
That's right. She was good at imitating people.
Um...
The girl you sent off...
She was a ghost. An evil spirit. Get it?
That was a close one, though.
She crossed a river, didn't she?
Yes.
That was the River Styx.
That was the story of a slightly odd night of my first summer at Konohanatei.
The end.
Konohanatei Horror Stories
The End
Next Episode: Night of the Summer Festival