About a Place in the Kinki Region p.25: Excerpts from the "Scary School Stories" series
Scary School Stories volume 2 (1st ed. 2003), excerpt from "Chapter 1: The School's Seven Mysteries"
The School's Nine Mysteries
At one particular elementary school, the students whisper about nine mysteries instead of seven. Let's find out what they are...
First Mystery - "The Mirror on the Landing"
A large mirror is hung on the wall on the landing halfway up a staircase often used by children in fourth-to-sixth-year. They say the mirror is haunted by the ghost of a headmaster who ran the school a number of decades ago. If you don't do what your teachers tell you to, he'll drag you into the mirror with him.
Second Mystery - "The Dancing Anatomical Model"
They say the anatomical model kept in the science lab on the third floor dances through the night. A long time ago, a teacher was making the rounds on night duty when they heard a sound coming from the locked-up science lab. When they peeked through the window built into the door, it looked like the model was having a ton of fun dancing away.
Third Mystery - "Mashiro-san"
They say if you linger at the school way past closing, a horrifying ghost by the name of Mashiro-san will show up. Nobody knows what they look like, because if you see them, you won't make it out alive.
Fourth Mystery - "The Pale Hand in the Pool"
They say that a long time ago, a girl drowned in the school swimming pool and has since returned as a ghost. Her sickly pale hand reaches out beneath the water and grabs the ankles of swimming students, dragging them below the surface. One time, a student was secretly swimming in the pool during summer holidays when they weren't allowed to, and they drowned as the pale hand dragged them under.
Fifth Mystery - "The Piano That Plays On Its Own"
They say the piano kept at the back of the gymnasium can sometimes be heard playing itself when nobody is around. The story goes that a student messed up playing the school song on the piano during a graduation performance, and took their own life out of embarrassment. Now, they can be found playing that same piano to this day, practicing that same song.
Sixth Mystery - "The Woman In The Painting"
There's a painting of a woman kept in the art storage room, but nobody knows who painted it. They say that you only have to see it once for the woman to start showing up in your dreams. Because of this, nobody is ever allowed into the art storage room.
Seventh Mystery - "The Severed Head At The Walkway"
They say a severed head flies across the walkway between two of the school's buildings at night. One night, a student who forgot a handout had returned to the school to collect it. When they were crossing the walkway, the head swiftly flew towards them with a grin on its face.
Eighth Mystery - "The School Bell"
The school bell always sounds across the school via the broadcasting room at five PM each day, but it sometimes sounds three minutes late. They say this is the exact time a student took their own life in the past, and hearing this late bell ring makes people want to take their own life too.
Ninth Mystery - "Akio-kun"
They say the ghost of a boy named Akio-kun can be seen in dark places around the school, such as behind the blackout curtains in the free-use rooms, or the far stall in the bathrooms. He'll ask you to be his friend, but you have to say no. If you accept, he'll eat you.
Scary School Stories volume 6 (1st ed. 2007), excerpt from "Chapter 3: Scary Rumours Passed Around School"
* The Jumping Woman
This is a story about T-kun, a boy in his fourth year of elementary school.
T-kun was doing his homework one evening after dinner in his room upstairs.
He was shocked when he saw a woman jumping up, all the way to his second-floor window, to peek on him.
He screamed and ran out of his room, where he saw his mother standing at the bottom of the stairs.
T-kun hastily tried to explain what he'd just saw but his mother just stood still, staring him in the face.
It wasn't his mother. It was the woman from the window, wearing his mother's clothes.
Nobody ever saw T-kun or his family again.
* Akito-kun's Payphone
There's a payphone booth not far from the elementary school R-chan attends.
They say that if you go inside and put your ear to the phone at exactly five PM, a boy named Akito-kun will be on the other end. The rumour goes that if you tell Akito-kun your wish, he'll make it come true.
R-chan had a crush on a boy in her class. She wanted to get closer to him, so she decided to go to the booth and pick up the phone on the hour.
She waited, listening to the receiver, but heard nothing on the other end. She was a little disappointed, but spoke her wish into the phone anyway.
When she exited the booth, she was a boy standing just outside. He was wearing shorts and t-shirt despite it being winter.
"Are you Akito-kun?" she asked. As she did, the boy opened his mouth wide.
R-chan has been missing ever since.
Translation Notes 25-34
The translation notes are organised by part. Please be careful of spoiling yourself by reading ahead.
This is an amateur translation of the web novel 近畿地方のある場所について as posted to kakuyomu.jp by the author 背筋. The web novel is freely accessible to the public, and this translation has no relation to any other adaptions. I claim no rights or ownership of the content presented.