How to Eat Life LN Chapter 1-2 Translation (2/2)
1-2 Imaginary Borderline (Part 2 of 2.)
Read Part 1 of this chapter before continuing this part!
When Tobi went to school on little to no sleep, a teacher wearing glasses with black frames eyed him in front of the gate. This person always wore a suit that fit him as if it was tailor-made. He really didn’t want the neat black-glasses man to call out to him this morning, so he decided to make the first move and dropped his head in a small bow.
“Good morning, Sensei.”
“…Um, right. Good morning.” The black glasses-wearing teacher looked noticeably daunted. Ever since freshman year, this man had bothered Tobi almost every morning, but then he receives a simple greeting and suddenly nothing happens. Just saying ‘good morning.’ Was this enough all along?
“Where did the wind blow from?”* Baku asked as Tobi was changing his shoes by the lockers.
*It is a common Japanese phrase used when something unexpected happens
“I dunno. I guess there’s no wind at all.”
“You’re having a change of heart? That is what caused it, isn’t it?”
“You’re making things up…” His slippers felt a little tight. Did his feet grow? When you’re going through a growth spurt, clothes stop fitting you, but having to buy new ones would hurt his finances a lot.
When he started walking towards the classroom, feeling slightly gloomier than before, a girl with long hair suddenly appeared from behind the lockers. Tobi stepped back on instinct.
“…Shi-Shiratama-san.”
“Good morning, Otogiri-kun.” Those eyes again. Shiratama was staring directly at Tobi.
“…Wh, what?” Tobi covered the lower part of his face with his arm and looked at the floor. “You want something? It’s still really early…”
“Actually, I was waiting here for you.”
“Huh? …W, why?”
“I told you yesterday, did I not?”
“Oh…”
“I would like to hear your answer.”
“A—”
“A?”
“About…”
The phrase “eyes flashing white and black”* popped into Tobi’s head. He had seen it in a dictionary some time ago. The situation he’d found himself in then wasn’t one to make his pupils switch colors, rather, it made his eyeballs spin violently in their sockets. Tobi’s eyes kept moving restlessly. It was making him feel sick. Many of their classmates were coming to the lockers and whispering amongst themselves while changing shoes. They’re probably starting to suspect there’s something between him and Shiratama. They’re wondering “What’s going on? What are the two of them doing?” without a doubt. In all honesty, despite being one of the people in question, Tobi himself didn’t know the answer.
*A Japanese phrase meaning being astonished, surprised, or shocked
“Hi,” If that wasn’t enough, a passing janitor just had to approach them and further amplify this predicament, turning it from complicated to chaotic.
“Good morning, Otogiri-kun. What are you doing here, Shiratama-san?”
“Haizaki-san.” Shiratama turned around, and when she recognized who was speaking to them, she bowed politely. “Good morning to you too. Thank you for your work even at these early hours.”
“It’s nothing.” Haizaki beamed brightly. He was carrying cardboard boxes. Tobi couldn’t see what was inside, but whatever it might be, he didn’t give a damn.
It seemed to be different in Shiratama’s case, though.
“They look heavy. Shall I assist you?”
“No, no, no, there’s no need!” Haizaki shook his head vigorously. His almond-shaped eyes became almost perfectly round. “Don’t trouble yourself. It is a part of my job, after all. I come to this school to work, and you come here to get your education.”
“I may not look like it, but I am pretty strong.”
Shiratama raised her right arm and flexed it. A thin arm. Very, very thin. Was there really any strength in it? Tobi sincerely doubted so, but he felt they weren’t quite on the same page. It wouldn’t matter even if, hypothetically, she had some sort of superhuman strength. Haizaki was carrying the boxes as part of his duties. A middle schooler like Shiratama wasn’t obligated to help him with it. That’s what he was trying to tell her. Even Tobi, who Baku calls antisocial, understood that much.
Shiratama Ryuuko might bring him trouble.
Tobi realized that last night.
An ordinary middle schooler wouldn’t go about asking classmates of the Otogiri Tobi sort to be their friend.
Tobi was aware of the fact that he’s not the type of person others can feel close to. He’s not happy. He’s not nice. Not even funny. His past was difficult to explain. He also carries around Baku, with whom only he can talk.
And despite all that, it seemed that there were things he notices that other people don’t.
What would Tobi think if there was someone else that’s just like him?
He would probably consider them a freak.
That’s likely what everyone sees Otogiri Tobi as — a freak.
Shiratama Ryuuko’s probably not much better if she wants to befriend this kind of person.
He wants to run. Get out of there as quickly as possible. Shiratama is talking with Haizaki. That’s his chance! He’s going to run while he still can!
Tobi tried to get away from them. Unfortunately, even though he made sure to tread especially lightly, he was noticed.
“No,” Shiratama grabbed his right arm dangerously close to his wrist. “Don’t go, Otogiri-kun. At least give me an answer.”
“Oh no,” Haizaki had a perplexed expression, as if he was feeling guilty. “Did I interrupt you by any chance? I’m sorry. Forgive me. I should be kicked by a horse, or however that goes…”
What would a horse be doing here? He’s read that in a book before. There was a saying that went somewhat along those lines.
‘Those who interfere with other people’s love lives should be eaten by dogs.’
The dogs can also be replaced with kicking horses.
Haizaki seems to be misunderstanding something here. It would be best to correct him. Eh, it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s not the time for that. Shiratama was still holding Tobi’s arm.
Will you let go already?
Tobi tried to express it with his eyes.
It’s not getting through. Shiratama just tilted her head curiously. He should be the one feeling curious.
Nothing to do about it now. Careful not to put too much strength into it, Tobi shook off Shiratama’s hand.
“So… About that, um, I’ll tell you when we’re walking, or something…” When Tobi timidly made this offer, Shiratama nodded. Should I start running at full speed? That idea came into his head, but he chose to ignore it. Shiratama was walking along on his left.
“I would like to hear your reply.”
“…Already? Isn’t it too early?”
“Are you still considering it?”
“Well… Considering, and, um…”
“He’s the indecisive type,” Baku said with a sigh.
“Does he have a hard time making decisions?” Shiratama asked.
“It’s more like he’s not used to expressing his thoughts or feelings with words. Never has been. Doesn’t talk to people.”
“What about you?”
“I’m different. And even so, he still tells me to ‘figure it out’ or ‘guess’ and stuff!”
“He expects you to understand him?”
“Something like that.”
“……Hey,” Tobi was knocking on his forehead with his fist. It started to hurt. “Can’t you talk normally? To others, it sounds like Shiratama-san is just murmuring to herself…”
“I apologize, I was careless,” Shiratama lowered her head a bit. “But would they not think that I am talking to you, Otogiri-kun? Or that I am trying to get your attention?”
“That’s just plain weird in itself…”
“Then talk back to me, please. Everything will be sorted this way.”
“……I’m talking to you right now.”
“So using this occasion, what is your answer?”
“I’m telling you I don’t know yet…” Tobi realized he was slouching. He couldn’t help but think he was attracting attention from the students passing by them in the corridor. “Besides…” Wait, they’re definitely staring at him. It’s because of Shiratama, clear as day. “Why?”
Shiratama’s eyes flashed when he asked that.
“Could you elaborate?”
“…Why do you want to be my friend? What’s the reason? Your motive?”
“It is because you are you.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Do you need me to explain?”
“If possible. If you can tell me in a way I’ll be able to understand…”
“To understand.” Shiratama nodded in agreement, and after thinking for a short moment with her eyebrows furrowed, she stopped walking.
In the middle of a staircase.
Tobi climbed one step farther than her and halted there.
Shiratama was looking at Tobi. She captured him in her gaze and wouldn’t let go.
“May I have some of your time? Preferably during today’s lunch break. This is a matter we will need to discuss in a place where people scarcely come.”
Those eyes were Tobi’s weakness. They’re impossible to ignore. He can’t look away from them.
“…Fine. Whatever.”
That was the only reply he could give. What else was there to do?
Right after lunchtime ended, the special classroom wing was empty. Tobi arranged to meet Shiratama on its outside emergency staircase.
He was waiting at the landing between the second and third floor, leaning against the railing when Shiratama opened the door and started climbing up the stairs.
Tobi had a strange inkling. It was because she was carrying a bag on her shoulder. Not the kind that’s normally used for school purposes. This one is small. Pretty sure they’re called pochettes.
“Hello.” Shiratama went up to the landing and gave a polite greeting.
“Yeah…” Tobi nodded back vaguely. Shiratama is so well mannered it takes him aback every time. “So… what is it? That motive? The reason why you asked to be my friend.”
“You know what they say, it is more suitable to present a proof rather than a theory.”
“…I guess. There was something like that.”
“With that being said, we came here together.”
“Together…?” Tobi frowned. From what he could see, Shiratama came alone. Didn’t bring anyone with her. She raised her pochette and opened it.
“Come out, Chinurasha.”
Did Shiratama just call out to someone while looking at the bag? If so, then she was presenting some eccentric behavior, to say the least. Tobi had always considered her to be quite the character, but not to this extent. He even started to worry about her. Was she alright? That question went for more than just this situation. Maybe there was a small pet, some sort of a rodent, hiding inside of the pochette? That would mean an entirely different issue with irrationality. You’re not allowed to bring animals to school. Even Tobi’s aware of that, and yet, it looks like that’s exactly what’s going on.
Something crawled out of the pouch
“Mmm…” Baku let out a small moan.
See?
It’s a tiny pet.
The little guy must’ve felt very cramped sitting inside that bag. Considering its size, it must have had to really squeeze in there to even just barely fit. Although, it looked like there was more fluff to it than most actual living creatures, so it was likely able to get into spaces much smaller than one might assume at first glance.
Is it a cat? A kitten? Probably not. Even saying ‘probably’ is a mistake in itself.
This creature has horns. It’s obvious that cats don’t have horns.
A small animal with two horns on its head—
Does something like that exist?
He hadn’t seen it in the animal atlas at the facility. The facility had also organized many field trips to the local zoo, and Tobi couldn’t remember seeing anything this size that grew horns during any of those. On the other hand, there might actually be a species like this living somewhere in this vast world that Tobi just doesn’t know about. Maybe it’s a horned animal’s young?
The creature left the pochette and started climbing up Shiratama’s body. It wasn’t particularly nimble but didn’t pause once on its way. It must do this regularly. When it reached Shiratama’s right shoulder, it turned its head towards Tobi.
It’s hard to tell if it has eyes or not. They might be buried under all that fur.
In spite of that, Tobi could feel its gaze upon him.
“Chinu, say your greetings.” The creature moved its head at Shiratama’s command, making a gesture resembling lowering it diagonally. Then, a teeny tiny mouth showed from within the fluffy fur.
Yuu—
Uyuu—
Kchuu—
That was what Tobi could hear coming out of it. Is this how this thing cries?
“……Hi.” Tobi bowed out of habit.
Shiratama scratched Chinu— or Chinurasha, whichever one it is— under its chin with her pointer finger.
“Good job.”
“Oi, Tobi—” Baku whispered, “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”
“…Notice what?”
“This thing isn’t normal!”
“Well, it’s a… unique creature. Has horns and all.”
“That’s not what I mean!” Baku seemed quite irritated. Save for the fact that he can speak with Tobi, he’s nothing short of a regular big backpack. However, he can open himself at will when mad. It’s different from a zipper getting loose. Tobi is the only one who can see it, but it’s as if a part of his zipper opens just like a mouth does.
It’s doing it right now.
“Are you STUPID, Tobi?! Dumb as a doorknob, for goodness’ sake!” Baku’s speaking, flapping his mouth. He’s shaken rather than irritated.
“I am,” Shiratama drew her shoulders back and touched cheeks with Chinu. “the only one who can see Chinu.”
“……But—”
He can see it.
Tobi can see it clearly.
It seemed that Chinu had a soft spot for Shiratama. In response to her action, it rubbed its face against her cheek and closed its eyes in delight. It let out low-pitched cries, though they sounded more like noises it wanted to hold in but couldn’t than its actual voice. Its horns dig into Shiratama’s skin, but it doesn’t look painful. At least, she isn’t feeling any pain. They must not be hard enough to pierce through.
“It’s the same as me!” Baku spat out, almost like he didn’t want to. Could he not stand it anymore? “Up until now, you were the only one who could hear me. And only Shiratama Ryuuko could see Chinurasha, or whatever its name was. It’s not exactly the same, but really FREAKIN’ close!”
“…So, Shiratama-san can hear you, and I can see Chinu.”
“That’s it.”
“Huh?” Tobi’s shoulders dropped. He knocked his fist on his forehead. “…Then what— what does it mean? H-how did it… happen…?”
“Frankly, I am also clueless.” Shiratama said nonchalantly. “I noticed you were talking with Baku-chan a while ago because I could hear his voice. It appeared that I was the only one. Only you and I can hear him, Otogiri-kun. I thought it had to have a special meaning.”
“……Special—” Tobi shook his head, barely putting in any strength. “It could be some kind of a disorder…”
“Do we have mental problems?”
“Well… It’s more likely than thinking that only the two of us are sane…”
“Oh right, Shiratama Ryuuko!” This time, Baku threw in a proper reluctant interruption, “Quit adding chan to my name!
Shiratama’s expression was puzzled.
“Baku-chan?”
“THAT! It makes me all itchy. Can’t really find the words. It’s disgusting!”
“I apologize.” Shiratama shrugged and lowered her head in a gesture that was all but apologetic. Chinu mimicked her.
That’s adorable.
Tobi startled himself by having that thought.
For the record, he only thought that Chinu was ‘adorable.’ That it and Shiratama did the same thing at the same time, yes.
“How about Baku-san?” When Shiratama asked this, Baku cleared his throat.
“That ain’t really feelin’ right either. Why not just drop honorifics altogether?”
“You’re putting on airs…” Tobi wanted to fling Baku to the ground. Baku got back at him immediately.
“I’m not putting on anything! Just sayin’ she can be casual with me! I’m being humble! Isn’t that right, Shiratama Ryuuko?”
Shiratama nodded. Chinu followed through.
“I will start calling you ‘Baku’ from now on.”
“Sure. That’s great. I’m real bad with all that ‘formal’ stuff anyway.”
“I have no issues with you calling me by my first name either.”
“That’s a given! Something like ‘Oryuu’* could also be nice. Yeah, not bad at all. Whaddya think?”
*Baku makes up a pet name by adding a hiragana character for “O” before the first and taking away the last syllable of the name.
“I do not dislike it, so you can call me whatever you wish.”
“Then I’m settling on ‘Oryuu’! Oryuu.”
“Yes.”
“……You’ve started to get along really fast.” Maybe Tobi should throw Baku towards Shiratama instead of smacking him to the ground.
“Ou? What’s thaaat? Are you jealous, Tobiii?” Baku giggled, “Worry not! Our relationship won’t change just because Oryuu’s here now.”
“The one where you’re… stuck with me?”
“Don’t call it that!”
“So what kind of relationship is it?”
“If you force words into it it’ll lose all its magic! But if you have to, then probably partners?”
“Chinurasha and I are also like partners,” Shiratama smiled brightly and turned to Chinu, adding ‘Right?’ as she did it. “It cannot speak like you, Baku, but it is always by my side. We have been together as long as I can remember.”
“…I want to ask something. What would you have done if I couldn’t see Chinu?”
“If that had happened, I would have—” Shiratama made all sorts of grimaces with her lips and puffed out her cheeks. “I would have been put in a difficult situation, to say the least. A pitiful middle school girl who claims to be seeing an invisible little creature, furthermore, behaves as if it were there with her…”
“It’s good that I can see Chinu then…”
“Honestly, I took a risk. Although I was quite convinced already that you could see them too, Otogiri-kun.”
“So you can say the results were alright?” Baku asked that incredibly lightly, but if Tobi were in Shiratama’s place, he wouldn’t have taken that risk.
Is there something wrong with me?
Tobi has had those thoughts a number of times. However you look at it, being able to talk with your backpack isn’t normal.
He can hear sounds other people can’t.
He can see things he’s not supposed to see.
Are those illusions? Is there something wrong with his brain? Is it some kind of mental illness? Maybe he should go see a doctor about it. He’s considered all of those options.
Tobi was so exhausted he might just fall off the railing. What had tired him out so much? One thing came to mind.
He’s not the only one. It’s relief he’s feeling. Those weren’t just products of his imagination.
Baku is there.
He’s not an illusion Tobi created.
He actually exists.
“…You can hear Baku just as I can, and I can see Chinu, just like you do. The things that other people can’t see…”
If that’s the case, maybe those ones as well?
Tobi decided to ask Shiratama.
“Does it mean you can see them too, Shiratama-san? Those… weird creatures other students bring here sometimes…”
Shiratama looked Tobi in the eye so that their gazes met.
After that, she nodded slowly.
Translated by Q-talations
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