Ben-To! Chapter 1 part2

Part II

I started living in Karasama high school’s private dormitory this autumn, breakfast was provided, but not lunch or dinner. When I moved into the dorm, I heard that the reason behind this was because this was the school’s way to “teach students to be independent”, but it was indeed quite harsh.

Conversely, students could freely use the kitchens available on each floor. To the students living there who couldn’t cook, forget about lunch, without dinner too, it was extremely brutal. Even if the rent for the dormitory could be considered to be fairly cheap, even if one cooked for oneself, or ate outside, it added up to be quite expensive.

Perhaps it was an agreement between the dormitory and the school, perhaps the secretly wanted the students who were living there to communicate and work together, however to a person like me who came here for a couple of days already, still did not have a friend to even eat at the same table with.

…… That being the case, let me do a small calculation for a bit.

The breakfast could be counted as being free, for lunch the canteen sells 100¥ sweet or salty bread, [5] and it was common for the three measly pieces to be split into two portions, furthermore, drinks were of course also required, so I do not select plastic bottles but 100¥ drink cartons,. Just for lunch alone, the amount of money spent on food was already 300¥.

Bread could still solve the lunch problem, however if even dinner consisted just of bread, there was still no room for optimism, besides, considering it’s nutritional value, the price of the breads would definitely raise by quite a lot.

However, this is just the daily predictions. Because the dormitory doesn’t provide meals on weekends and during holidays, in a nutshell, it meant that we had to take care of all our meals by ourselves. If during school days or holidays I sleep till the afternoon, the cost for breakfast would still be zero yen if calculated…..

Like always, the cost of one day’s worth of meals would be *WARNING ALGEBRA INCOMIIINNNGGG* (300+ x)¥, because one month has 4 weeks, so the cost of meals for a whole month (Yea I know only one month has 28 days and the rest have more but let’s just leave it at that for the sake of the story yea?) would be (4 * 7 * (300+ x))¥, simplifying it would result in an answer of (8400 +28x)¥.

The funds I get ever month amount to 30000 yen, therefore, by doing a bit of calculating, x can be found out, the largest amount of money I can spend on dinner is——-

8400+28x = 30000

x =771.42875

—— Even though the answer was like that, I can’t just spend all that money on food. If I eat at the nearby ramen shop , and select the basic meal set which costs 600¥ per bowl and using it to calculate, regarding x, the largest amount of money available for me to spend…… the amount of money left for me to use would be a 120¥.

Now, have you folks realised it? What on earth can you do with 120¥? Even buying a 410¥ JUMP manga, would require me to save for four days. To a youth who is a high schooler, especially to a youth who only needs to be fascinated to fall into a trap only children fall into, to one of those high schoolers…… Who just stepped into the latter half of puberty, must endure the life of waiting for 4 days to save enough money to buy a JUMP manga……

This is definitely equating and together, then using these two words to write a thesis with the best evidence.

……With things as they are, therefore, I went ahead and purposely wrote a

The letter looked very thin, or he used an express delivery with a brown envelop to quick reply. Really it’s just like that dad of mine who is an active member of the JGSDF, who would quickly act upon the regulations he imposed.

Judging from the thickness of the envelope, I don’t think he sent money, however, from the speed of the letter dad bothered to send, I ended up looking forward to read the contents of the letter too. The start of the letter will definitely start with , afterwards he would worry about my health or occasionally want me to return home to see me again, otherwise it would be a question, wait a moment, the letter will definitely have this appear, warm affection cannot be expressed with ink.

I can probably look forward to its content…… Wait, taking it to the next level, this kind of expectation could be said to be every child’s obligation. Thus, I was full of excitement, thinking of my parents as I opened the letter.

……Just that, I do not know why, but inside the letter, there only a piece of foolscap paper, for a moment, I thought that there had been a mistake in the address and my letter was sent back to me, but my letter had indeed been sent back home already.

Incidentally, I waved the paper under light for a bit, then it suddenly dawned on me. It seems that Dad had written a sentence on the back of the letter:

“Cicadas are also edible right?”

……How baffling. This is more or less like opening a box of cantaloupes (rock melons to me and you), and finding cabbages instead.

I obviously wrote about raising my living funds, so why is it that the reply tells me to eat cicadas? Finally, why must it be in half interrogative manner? Also, did he not know that there were no cicadas in autumn? Is it always midsummer in that person’s head?

Therefore, I hurriedly called back home, the person who answered was my mum.

“Your father said that if we had to give money to a small ocean, then why not buy MSX II (This is in the raws btw) (Note 1. In the 80s, Bill gates and Kazuhiko Nishi, teamed up with the president of ASCII media works Inc. to promote Japan’s first 8bit personal computer, it had the capabilities of playing games, and it could be used at home for work purposes too. ) [6] He’s officially lost it, I have completely no idea what he is thinking about!

If one wants to play MSX II, then the house’s SEGAMARK II (Note 2. 1984, July, SEGA’s newly released gaming console.) obviously still can be used, and there are official emulators too, there is no actual need to purposely use those old machines……

“Uh….. Satou-Kun?”

……Farewell, mum. I could only say it deep within my heart as I hung up.

I had not noticed it until now, but dad and mum have become quite obsessed.

……After experiencing this situation, I concluded that in order to let myself enjoy high school life to the fullest, I must settle my dinner as cheaply as possible. Therefore, I was forced to once again return to that place.

1945 hours, in a room close to the supermarket, and away from the dormitory.

24 hours ago, I was here, and was kicked to the point where I lost consciousness. If there was no way to grab the half-priced bento, I would have to work, otherwise the anticipated monthly JUMPSQUARE and ULTRAJUMP, even the reader’s reply [7] might be in danger. Although supporting a liked work requires buying a separate edition, but buying magazines with the manga author’s reply to support them was also a reader’s duty, therefore it definitely cannot be affected.

However, everyday classes will only end at around 5pm, factorising in the time taken for revision and preparation, would definitely require me to use the weekends to do part time jobs…… Except that this point absolutely cannot be compromised, just like what Jesus said , life isn’t just about eating food, must enjoy the weekends thoroughly, only then could it really be counted as a true high schooler’s life.

It was at this time, I heard a soft trembling voice that felt like a gentle breeze.

Without a single reason, I just stood there, standing uprightly outside the supermarket’s doorway, staring at the illuminated sign, while the person who had made those words towards me, was that Oshiori-san from yesterday. Due to the fact that she was standing 20 meters away on the pavement besides the stores, it was no wonder that the sound I heard felt very distant.

Although I also gave a greeting in return, however, she spent a few seconds before running towards me with a pata pata sound, at this point in time, a really amazing atmosphere was emanated from the two.

“I’m sorry……I thought since I saw you far away, If I pretended to not have noticed you, and moved closer before waving hello, was somewhat disrespectful, that’s why……I’m sorry……”

“Uh, you don’t have to apologise for this kind of thing…….”

Even though last night we had shared dinner together, but for some reason, perhaps due to the rhythm of her words or that sense of distance, I still couldn’t grasp her way of speaking.

As I was thinking about what to reply, I suddenly realised one thing, Oshiori-san was wearing glasses.

“Do you have myopia?”

As soon as she heard what I said, she hurriedly said sorry, and swiftly took of her glasses.

“I only need to wear them when I am writing fan fiction. Usually I don’t wear them, however I can be considered a member of light research

“So that’s why, so the word’s you said yesterday about dirtying my hand, was due to pen ink eh……”

“Ah……It is not related to ink……I was talking about bacteria”

……Bacteria…… Speaking of it, during elementary school, there was a person that was bullied due to bacteria…… feels like I haven’t heard this word in a long time already.

“Anyways, Satou-san has really come over too, is it because he smelt that kind of smell?”

Ok, I don’t know whether it is the rhythm of her words, or that sense of distance, I still cannot grasp……Saying it finish is troublesome, so I’ll leave out the rest.

I used my finger and scratched my nose, suddenly, at that moment, a relaxing yet serious smell [8] wafted into my nostrils, there was a female, like leaves being blown about [9], walked past my side, her prominent white face, the elongated eye shadow applied to her eyes, she was that girl that smiled at me yesterday.

“Hm…… That person looks a little like a witch.”

Like what Oshiori-san said, that word really resembled her to a shocking degree, although she and Oshiori-san wore the same uniform, but the feeling she emitted let one feel a shiver down their spine.

“The mystery of the half-prized bento, witch and the muscle headed detective…… I am starting to feel very excited! Oh!”

Oshiori-san stared at the back of the witch who was walking into the supermarket, while clenching her fist to her chest, it seems like the investigator in her heart has already……. Ah? Weren’t we talking about detectives earlier?

“A…… Satou-San has forgotten about it already…… That’s right…… I’m sorry, I said something weird again……”

Although I didn’t have any excited feelings, but I am a little curious, let’s put aside about that muscle headed detective mentioned earlier, I remember that that witch did indeed managed to obtain a ben-to yesterday. In other words, that witch probably knows what happened yesterday, it might even be possible to get a more in-depth understanding of the situation.

“Well, let’s go in then, who knows, we might even solve the mystery.”

Oshiori-san blinked her eyes, she lowered her head for a moment, when she raised her face, it was flushed red, even saying “Oh, Oh” that kind of answer that was unbefitting of her, looks like she had already became that muscle headed detective.

Thus, the two of them walked side by side into the supermarket, the cold biting air from the air conditioned fresh food corner wafted down the aisle. The speaker embedded in the celling was playing a relaxing tune, from the cash register, came sounds of change being dispensed…… it was the same exact situation as yesterday.

The witch stood at the snacks aisle that was near the cashier area, the chill I had felt from her completely disappeared, it was too the point that her presence had become very thin.

At that moment, *pop, bang* that kind of sound could be heard from besides the aisle, the staff entrance besides the snacks aisle opened, and the supermarket’s clerk appeared.

“She was just continuously watching, looking at FRISK (Clause 3: selling mints in Japan.) …… where’s the meaning in this?”

Hearing Oshiori-san’s question, I couldn’t help but feel like retorting ‘Are you a grade schooler that’s acting!?’.

She seemed to be very interested in my reaction, her eyes fliting over to steal a glance at me, how am I supposed to answer?

At the time I was glancing at her and thinking up of something to say, my ears heard a ‘kcha’ sound.

Followed by…… A kind of feeling that had also suddenly changed……

I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly had changed, moreover, Oshiori-san had also seemed to have felt something abnormal, and thus, like a small animal, was looking around. She seemed to be even more flustered than before.

To be more precise, the atmosphere around her completely changed, it was like the feeling of having your bare wrist touched, or it was like when you are in your room resting and you feel cockroaches crawling all over you……Although it was a little hard to understand, it probably felt like your body was completely stiff.

Was the atmosphere the same like yesterday? My memory was somewhat foggy, perhaps I had felt something similar, and perhaps I was completely unaware of it. Or perhaps I had already had a premonition that ‘something’ was about to happen, and that’s why I could discern the abnormal atmosphere that came along with it?

What on earth caused the atmosphere to change……at least I think it had something to do with that ‘kcha’ sound just now. I saw the store clerk take a marker and cross out the price card and stick stickers onto the products on sale, I determined that it was the sound of the shop clerk that had taken out half price stickers.

“Half price bentos…… Is, Is it that?”

Let’s temporarily ignore Oshiori-san who was trying hard to solve the puzzle, although I had already found out that the atmosphere had changed, but to the me who had set the half-price bentos as a target, did not have the capacity for calm logical thinking, because I had seen the clerk prepare to return to the office.

“I’ll go take a look.”

I left the pondering Oshiori-san alone, and headed for the bento section, over there, except for the clerk, were two other students dressed in similar freshman uniforms, they each reached out for the shelf containing the bentos with half priced stickers attached.

I was slightly slower and arrived half a beat later at the bento section……It was at this moment, I heard the door close with a “pa dong” sound, then I smelt the aroma of blooming flowers, only to see the “witch” who was previously at the snack section, stand right beside me, moreover we were at such close proximity that we could smell each other’s breath, I hadn’t even heard footsteps or sense anything at all.

It was not only that, but the bento section in front that only had two people now had turned into a wall of people, I had completely no idea when so many people arrived.

Even though I was doubtful, my heart was still pouring out a wave of anxiety that was causing me to feel dizzy, therefore I didn’t make any special choice, and raised my right hand towards the fried chicken bento box. However, my fingers hadn’t even touched the bento box, when my right flank was shoved forcefully, this wasn’t the feeling of being hit, but was like the feeling of getting hitting [10] someone when on a crowded train and you won’t feel any pain. I suddenly lost my balance, my centre of gravity was shifted from my right leg to the left, so I raised my right hand to maintain balance.

“The second time will be more painful ne~”

A female’s voice filled my eardrums, like a cold icy stream, and yet it was also like shards of glass falling onto the ground, the “witch’s” eyes quickly locked onto mine.

Then, my left foot which was supporting my weight received a painful impact, I didn’t even have time to think about the situation, and my left leg was swept away from underneath me, and my body suddenly rose into the air.

A guy’s hand stretched from over my right flank, aiming at the fried chicken bento I was about to take, the “witch’s” pale left hand also simultaneously rose towards that right hand.

During the time I was in the air after losing my balance, both my eyes were glued to the bento with the half-priced sticker attached, the thought of who would get the bento first kept on racing through my mind.

However, the answer to that question came sooner than I expected, because my stomach was swept by a sense of shock, I saw the “witch” use her right hand in a spear like fashion, and her hand locked down the bento first, simultaneously, her left hand assaulted me.

After being pushed like so, I collided with the guy to my right and we were both sent flying out of the bento section, and even over the meat section, into the seafood section.

The both of us crashed onto the hard ground, the impact of me hitting the ground left my brain in a mess, so I couldn’t utter out a cry as I rolled serval times across the floor.

I didn’t have a chance to catch my breath, luckily, the other guy that was thrown with me cushioned my fall, so I somehow managed to barely retain my consciousness, at this time, I desperately sucked air into my lungs.

“……*cough sfx*…….ah……”

I could only lie on the floor powerlessly, I struggled to focus on what was going on at the ben-to section, in the view that was contorted by the tears formed from the feeling of pain, I saw the same students from yesterday standing there, but the bentos, the witch or the wall of people that appeared from out of nowhere…… all disappeared into thin air.

“……wha, what on earth just happened……”

The word’s I struggled to speak was heard by no one, the looping background music [11] slowly faded away into the air.

However, the man who was sent flying with me muttered a response softly:

“That person……to go so far as to trash the me that is a dog…… skills could not even slightly scratch her…… that despicable witch……”

After that, he gently coughed a few times, and then lost consciousness.

Ice witch. This name echoed in my brain, with chaos, pain and fear—- this problem.