千客万来の夜
One Night with a Flood of Visitors


Kei: Ah......

Even if I try to chase her, my lower body doesn't move.

Kei: Uuu, She's gone......

Sakuya: Don't you worry about that. You can just leave people like her alone.

Kei: "People like her?" That's mean. Uzuki-san saved my life, you know.

Sakuya: Oh, really? What I saw was the exact opposite.

Kei: Uuu......

Sakuya: All the same, I hate her guts, after all.

Yumei: That sounds like something you would say, Sakuya-san.

Sakuya: Oya......

Kei: Yumei-san, you're okay!?

Yumei: I'm fine, Kei-chan. Uzuki-san - wasn't it? - It's because of her that I can maintain my form like this.

Her willowy white hands reach out, and slowly pet my hair.
Just as it should be, a gentle sensation.

Yumei: Kei-chan, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.

Using her hand as a comb, she helps arrange my tousled hair, the traces of the past skirmish, as she apologizes.

Kei: No, it wasn't like that at all. If you weren't there, Yumei-san, I'd be a goner.

Sakuya: That aside, to think that ghosts really existed, huh.

As if she can't sit still without using her hands, she takes the hair that Yumei-san so carefully arranged, puts it in a three-threaded braid without even asking, and begins playing with it.
Wah, if you braid it so tightly, you'll wind up training it!

Kei: Sakuya-san!

Yumei: It's alright, Kei-chan. I really am like a ghost, after all...

She smiles as she lightly pats my fully-combed head.

Kei: But, Yumei-san......

Yumei: It's okay. Sakuya-san, please take care of her.

Sakuya: Yep, just leave it to me.

As if her concentration is set on braiding, she gives a half-hearted answer without looking up.
......Mm?
Though it was seemingly an ill-fitting response, Yumei-san looks satisfied, straightening her posture and bowing her head.
And then her form grows thin. Now that I think of it, her words just now sounded like something you'd hear as a last request...

Kei: Yumei-san!? Yumei-san, you mean you aren't really all ri--!?

Yumei: No, I'm merely releasing this shape on my own.

As she gently shakes her head, her transparent black hair shimmers in mid-sway.

Yumei: Maintaining a temporary shape requires a great deal of power. And as I am now, I don't have that allowance.

Sakuya: In other words, "take care to turn off unused lights, and let's give our all for energy conservation!" - oh yeah, well done indeed.

As she pulls on my thinly braided hair, like a dangling light switch.

Sakuya: Ghosts go away, out go the lights~♪

---On top of that, she's singing something strange.

Kei: Sakuya-san!

Sakuya: What're you angry about? Not like it's a lifelong farewell.

Kei: But it's still impolite! Talking about light use or whatever, you're being rude to Yumei-san!

Yumei: It's all right, Kei-chan. That's the way it is, after all. I stayed this long on a whim, anyway.

Yumei: Normally I should release my form as soon as possible, and regain my power.

Kei: But...... Yumei-san!?

As I reach my hand out to touch her, it extends cleanly through.

Yumei: So I can take form again, when you need my help...

In the excess of my motion, I fall to the floor.

Kei: Kyuu......

Sakuya: Uh-oh. Are you outta juice, too?

Continue...