276-280

Chapter 276: The Class Reunion

Kyoto, Kita Ward, Ōji Honmachi.

*The Takahashi Residence.*

"Dad, what are you looking at?"

After dinner, the boy curiously poked his head out to observe his father, who sat on the tatami lost in thought.

Noticing the photo album in his father, Takahashi Iya's, hands, the boy couldn't help but ask.

"I'm looking at photos from my younger days," Takahashi replied with a faint smile. Flipping through the old album, he reminisced about the past.

"Is it because of tomorrow's class reunion?"

Carrying a cup of freshly brewed tea, his wife, Miu, approached the kotatsu. She handed the tea to her husband and glanced at a group photo labeled "Heisei Year 2."

"It has been twenty years since I've seen everyone," Takahashi said, taking a light sip of tea. Looking down at the youthful faces in the photos, he sighed, "I wonder how everyone is doing."

"Dad, which one is you in the photo?"

Amused by his father's nostalgic musings, the boy pointed at the faces in the photo and turned to ask.

"Haha, well, you'll have to figure that out yourself," Takahashi laughed, his son's curiosity snapping him back to reality.

"I guess it's this one!"

"Wrong."

"How about this one?"

"Still wrong."

"Then this one?"

"Nope, not that one either!"

"You rascal," Takahashi chuckled, shaking his head. "You’re so eager when it comes to picking out toys, yet you can't even recognize your dad’s face!"

After several incorrect guesses, Takahashi pointed to a corner of the photo. "Here, that's me. Make sure to remember it."

"How was I supposed to know? You’re hiding all the way in the corner!" the boy mumbled under his breath, his nose wrinkling in mock protest. Scanning the photo again, his eyes fell on a figure barely visible, with only half a face showing. Curious, he pointed at it and asked, "Dad, who's this? Why is only half their face showing in the photo?"

Takahashi’s expression subtly shifted. Avoiding the question, he replied, "Just a classmate from middle school—nothing special."

"Oh," the boy nodded absentmindedly, quickly losing interest and turning his attention to the other photos in the album.

"Dear?"

Miu, however, noticed her husband's unusual reaction. Just as she was about to say something, the living room phone suddenly rang.

Ring, ring, ring—

"Who could it be at this hour?"

The couple exchanged a glance.

"Could it be work calling?"

"I already took leave for tomorrow to attend the reunion."

Puzzled, Miu walked to the living room and picked up the phone.

"Hello, this is the Takahashi residence."

"Taka...hashi... Is this Takahashi?"

The voice on the other end was hoarse and weak, barely above a whisper, as though the speaker was curled up in some dark corner.

"Why...haven't you come yet...? I've been waiting... so long... so long..."

Could it be someone from the reunion?

As the fragmented voice continued, Miu's face showed visible confusion.

"Who was it?"

From his spot on the tatami, Takahashi gave her a questioning look.

"I don’t know. They didn’t say. It might be someone from the reunion," Miu said, shaking her head uncertainly.

"I’ll take it."

Hearing it might be an old classmate, Takahashi got up and took the receiver from his wife.

"This is Takahashi. Who is this?"

"Taka...hashi... I've been waiting for you all... I've been so excited... to see you all again..."

The voice grew more excited, punctuated with rapid, shallow breaths. Just as Takahashi opened his mouth to respond, the line abruptly disconnected.

Beep, beep, beep—

Holding the receiver, Takahashi stared blankly at the dial tone.

He looked up, meeting his wife’s silent, questioning gaze. Turning back to his son, who was still engrossed in the photo album, an inexplicable unease crept into his heart about the reunion the next day.

---

Kyoto Municipal Horikawa High School

At the entrance to the auditorium, a large sign read: "Class Reunion for Heisei Year 2 Graduates."

"Isn’t this Mrs. Yamaguchi? It’s been ages! I almost didn’t recognize you!"

"Feel free to call me by my maiden name, Yamato. Akane, you haven’t changed a bit! I, on the other hand, am now a mother of two, and even my figure is out of shape."

"I’ve heard about you! You married someone working at a big company. Life must be good for you, Yamato!"

"It’s just so-so. Can you believe it’s been twenty years since we graduated? Time flies!"

"Doesn’t it? Twenty years ago, we were clueless high school kids, and now, in the blink of an eye, we’ve spent so much time in the real world."

Inside the school auditorium, the graduates of Heisei Year 2 gathered in small groups, reminiscing about their high school days.

"Is that Takahashi?"

Holding a cup of tea, a man with a shiny bald spot approached Takahashi, who was standing by a table. He clapped him on the shoulder, calling out enthusiastically, "It’s been twenty years, hasn’t it?"

"And you are?"

Takahashi hesitated, his eyes drawn to the man’s noticeable hairstyle.

"It’s me, Yagi! Look!"

The man covered his bald spot with his hand, and only then did Takahashi recognize him, his face lighting up with excitement.

"So it’s you, Yagi! I almost didn’t recognize you!"

"Well, after graduation, I worked hard and climbed up to become a department manager, but I paid a heavy price for it," Yagi lamented.

Hearing this, Takahashi instinctively touched his thinning hairline, sharing a look of mutual understanding.

Chapter 277: The Time Capsule

“Let’s not talk about that.”

Shaking his head to steer the conversation away from hair, Yagi looked at Takahashi, whose temples had turned gray, and couldn’t help but ask:

“By the way, Takahashi, how have the past 20 years treated you? I haven’t heard from you since graduation.”

“I’m nothing like you, Yagi. I’m just an ordinary section chief at the company. I got married a few years ago, took on a mortgage, and now I’m just working hard to support my family.”

“Speaking of which, why didn’t you let me know when you got married? I thought we were close.”

“I wanted to, but I didn’t even have your address. When I tried to ask around, I heard you’d been transferred overseas. To be honest, I didn’t think you’d come to the reunion this time either.”

“That’s my fault. A few years ago, the company sent me abroad for expansion. I only returned to Japan in the past year or two. If the reunion had been held a couple of years earlier, I probably wouldn’t have been able to attend.”

Yagi smacked his shiny bald forehead, his expression one of sudden realization.

In the School Auditorium

While Takahashi and Yagi were catching up, on the stage, the person in charge of organizing the reunion grabbed a microphone and interrupted everyone’s reminiscing.

“Alright, everyone, it’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces after all these years. But for now, let’s set aside the chit-chat and move on to the highlight of today: digging up the time capsule buried on campus.”

“The time capsule, huh? I’d completely forgotten about that,” Yagi said with a hint of nostalgia after hearing the reminder.

“Do you remember what you put in the time capsule back then, Takahashi?”

“How could I? It’s been 20 years.”

The history of time capsules dates back to the 1939 World’s Fair, when the renowned physicist Einstein received a call from U.S. President Roosevelt. He was asked to write a letter to humanity 5,000 years in the future as part of a gift for the 1940 New York World’s Fair. From that event onward, time capsules became a tradition at World’s Fairs.

At the 1970 World’s Fair in Osaka, Japan, a spherical time capsule with a one-meter diameter was buried, sparking a nationwide fascination with the concept.

It was this cultural wave that inspired Takahashi and his classmates to bury their own time capsule as a graduation memento.

However, none of them had expected that they’d truly gather 20 years later to dig it up.

Under the organizer’s urging, everyone left the auditorium in small groups and made their way to the spot where the capsule had been buried.

“It’s amazing you still remember where we buried it.”

“Thank the teacher for that. He reminded us back then to bury it near the grove so we wouldn’t forget the location. Otherwise, we might never have found it.”

As the group approached the site, a sense of excitement grew.

They picked up the shovels they had prepared, and a few strong classmates began digging.

“By the way, I’ve noticed something about you, Takahashi...”

Standing among the crowd, Yagi couldn’t help but ask Takahashi, who seemed distracted:

“Are you looking for someone? Is there a classmate you were hoping to see who didn’t come?”

After all, 20 years had passed. It was natural that not all their classmates could attend. Some had unavoidable reasons for being absent, leaving a sense of regret for those who came.

“No, it’s not that... I just thought she might show up.”

“She? Who?”

“Keiko Watanabe.”

“Keiko Watanabe? Oh, her.”

Hearing the name, Yagi’s expression stiffened for a moment. He scratched his bald head awkwardly before saying:

“To be honest, we were pretty harsh back then. Even by today’s standards, the way we treated her was too much. Considering what middle school was like for her, it’s no wonder she didn’t come to the reunion. Those weren’t happy memories for her.”

Takahashi fell silent at Yagi’s words.

“Now that you mention it, I think I got a call yesterday. It mentioned the reunion, and I thought someone might bring it up today. But now, it seems like that call might’ve been from Keiko Watanabe... except...”

“You got a call too?!”

Takahashi looked at Yagi in surprise.

Yagi, just as startled, said, “Wait, Takahashi, you too?”

As the two exchanged confused looks, they overheard a conversation between two female classmates behind them.

“What? Yamato, you’ve kept in touch with Keiko Watanabe all this time?”

“Only occasionally. She calls sometimes and talks about high school. She remembers everything—what people did to her—clear as day, even after 20 years. At first, I felt guilty when she called, but it kept happening, and now I’m scared. She called yesterday too, said she was excited about the reunion. I thought she’d come, but...”

“Honestly, it’s a relief she didn’t show up. Sure, we isolated her back then, but it wasn’t entirely our fault. Her gloomy personality made it hard to connect with her. We were just kids—of course, we didn’t like someone so strange.”

“And hearing she’s still hung up on it after 20 years? That’s definitely not normal.”

“True.”

Hearing Akiko’s words, Yamato nodded in agreement.

Clang!

“Finally hit it!”

At the same time, the classmates digging up the capsule let out a sigh of relief, wiping sweat off their foreheads as they gazed into the deep pit.

“Looking back, what were we thinking, burying it so deep?”

“Probably weren’t thinking at all.”

“Haha, you’ve got a point.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 278: Inside the Time Capsule

“Alright, start pulling!”

“Those in the pit, come out carefully—watch out for any danger.”

The alumni association's organizer gave a warning to the students working inside the hole as chains were attached to the openings of the time capsule.

Due to its age, the time capsule was a heavy iron sphere, making its excavation a demanding task. It required a crane to lift it out of the soil.

“Everyone, the moment we've all been waiting for is almost here. The time capsule, buried twenty years ago, will finally be opened before our eyes. It contains the beautiful memories and aspirations of our school days…”

The organizer’s voice grew increasingly emotional as the time capsule was gently hoisted by the crane.

“Is it finally going to be opened?”

Among the crowd, Takahashi’s mind drifted as he stared at the capsule being carefully lowered to the ground.

*Bang!*

With a loud thud, the capsule hit the ground.

Immediately, members of the alumni association, already prepared with tools, approached the capsule to unscrew its bolts.

“Great. Now all that’s left is to remove the lid. Everyone, please stand back and refrain from crowding forward. Once it’s open, designated personnel will distribute the items inside,” the organizer instructed, ensuring order among the gathering alumni.

Working together, the bolts securing the corners of the time capsule were quickly removed. The organizer continued to remind attendees to stay calm and not rush in.

“Now, lift the lid,” someone called out.

With the bolts removed, the crane lifted the capsule's lid.

But instead of the nostalgic contents everyone anticipated, the capsule revealed a horrifying scene.

Inside lay Keiko Watanabe, her withered body still clad in the school uniform from twenty years ago. The letters and essays that were supposed to symbolize the group's shared memories had all been torn to shreds by her. She sat curled up inside the capsule, her wide, unseeing eyes seemingly fixed on the very classmates who had come to this reunion.

Even more chilling was the microphone clutched tightly in her desiccated hands, sparking the unnerving question: To whom had she been speaking inside the capsule? And, more disturbingly, would her voice continue to reach out?

---

“Have you heard?”

In Kyoto, at Horikawa Municipal High School, the discovery of a corpse inside a time capsule became the newest school urban legend.

Although the police had sealed off the scene and taken the capsule and Keiko Watanabe’s body into custody, the eyewitnesses spread the story far and wide. Even those who hadn’t been there soon heard about the shocking event.

“Is it true?!”

“Of course it’s true! I heard that one of the teachers who supervised that graduating class—the current head of student affairs—nearly fainted when he saw the body in the capsule.”

“Those alumni are so unlucky! What are the chances of something like this happening?”

“I don’t think it’s just bad luck. Rumor has it that the body in the capsule belonged to a classmate who wasn’t very well-liked. Could it be that she hid in the capsule as an act of revenge against the people who bullied her?”

“Come on, that’s ridiculous. How could one person manage to pull that off?”

“Then what do you think happened?”

“Maybe it was a group crime. What if the alumni killed her back then and decided to hide her in the capsule?”

“Your theory is so dark.”

“It’s still more believable than your crazy revenge story, baka!”

---

“What in the world is going on here?”

At the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department, Inspector Nakamori studied the investigation report from Horikawa High School. He turned to his staff with a grim expression.

“How did the victim end up in the time capsule? Why wasn’t she discovered for twenty years? And most importantly, how did no one notice her during the capsule’s burial?”

The officers exchanged uneasy glances. A case this bizarre was unprecedented, even for the Kyoto police.

“Based on reports from the victim’s former classmates, Keiko Watanabe wasn’t popular. Her reserved and gloomy personality made her a frequent target of bullying throughout her school years. Could it be that some of those bullies threw her into the capsule?”

One officer raised a hand, offering his perspective when prompted by Nakamori.

“That doesn’t add up. According to the testimony of the supervising teacher who buried the capsule, there was no sign of anything unusual during the entire process. Furthermore, the torn letters inside the capsule indicate that Keiko was conscious when she entered. Otherwise, how could she have shredded everything bit by bit?”

The police had examined the destroyed letters. Not a single one remained intact.

This suggested that Keiko had spent considerable time inside the capsule, methodically tearing the letters apart—a behavior far from typical for a victim.

“And there’s something even stranger,” another officer added. “The night before the reunion, several people reported receiving mysterious phone calls. They claimed the caller was Keiko Watanabe, who talked about events from twenty years ago. One witness even insisted that she had been receiving similar calls from Keiko ever since graduation.”

Hearing this, a chill ran through the room. Even the seasoned officers of the Kyoto police felt an inexplicable unease.

Though Japan officially considered itself a modern democracy, its deep-rooted traditions and superstitions often told a different story. With shrines and places of worship scattered throughout the country, belief in spirits and the supernatural was widespread.

Even within the police department, most officers—including Inspector Nakamori—adopted a cautious "better safe than sorry" approach to such matters.

As they listened to the report, many couldn’t help but suspect a supernatural element.

If ghosts were involved, this was no longer a case the police could handle.

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 279: The Spread of a Strange Tale

"Are you sure these people's testimonies are credible, Yamamoto?"

A light cough broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention back.

Inspector Nakamori looked at Officer Yamamoto, who had just revealed all this information, and couldn't help but ask.

"If it were just a single witness, we might chalk it up to coincidence or the mental state of the individual. However, it's not just one person who claims to have received a call from 'Keiko Watanabe.' Moreover, when she was unearthed from the time capsule, her posture remained as if she was holding a phone."

As Officer Yamamoto explained, Inspector Nakamori glanced at the file in his hand.

Coincidentally, the file contained a photo of Keiko Watanabe curled up inside the time capsule. Seeing her shriveled form in the picture, Nakamori calmly turned the page, steering the topic away from Yamamoto's increasingly unsettling account.

"While Yamamoto's explanation has a certain plausibility," Nakamori said, "as officers of the Metropolitan Police Department, we cannot attribute everything to supernatural causes. There may be hidden truths behind Keiko Watanabe's death that we are unaware of. Those phone calls may not have been made by Keiko herself but by someone impersonating her to exact revenge on the classmates who bullied her. Let's investigate Keiko Watanabe's family background for any potential clues."

"For now, you're dismissed."

"Yes, sir!"

The officers saluted and answered in unison after Nakamori's instructions.

---

"In reality, this might be a plausible investigative direction."

San Marino.

Through the system interface, Allen watched the scene at the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department and shook his head.

"Unfortunately, in this scripted evolution, the truth truly lies in the realm of supernatural folklore."

"And this is just the beginning..."

He left an enigmatic remark aimed at Nakamori and the others on the screen.

However, they clearly couldn't hear Allen's words through the system display.

---

"Have you heard of Keiko from the time capsule?"

"Keiko from the time capsule? You mean that recent rumor?"

"It's more than just a rumor. When they dug up Keiko, it even attracted the police from the Metropolitan Police Department. Witnesses saw them sealing off the scene and taking away the time capsule. But I’m not talking about that—I mean the story about Keiko in the time capsule."

"The rumor says Keiko's real name was Keiko Watanabe. She was a student at Horikawa High School in the second year of the Heisei era. During her time at school, she was constantly bullied and harassed by her classmates. To take revenge, Keiko hid herself in the time capsule. She destroyed everything inside the capsule and used the phone to seek vengeance on those who bullied her. Anyone who received a call from Keiko would die the next day."

"That's terrifying."

"There's more! It's said that because Keiko was bullied, if someone picks up a phone at 1 a.m. and says into the receiver, 'Keiko, can you hear my voice?'..."

"Is that real? This just happened recently—how could such a creepy story spread so quickly?"

"I think it's strange too, but they say someone actually tried calling Keiko and heard her voice on the other end."

"So, are you going to call Keiko?"

"Of course not! I wasn't bullied. Why would I call her for no reason?"

Just days after Keiko was unearthed from the class time capsule at the Horikawa High School reunion, the tale of "Keiko in the Time Capsule" began spreading like wildfire among the students.

This was not a coincidence—someone was deliberately fanning the flames.

---

San Marino.

Allen observed the situation at Horikawa High School with satisfaction, nodding approvingly.

He believed the seeds of this ghost story he had planted at the school would soon bear fruit.

After all, in schools—especially in Japan, where collectivism is emphasized and individuality is often suppressed—there’s a tendency to target those who don't fit in, using them as scapegoats to showcase the power of the group.

Victims of bullying often remain silent and passive, too afraid to share their plight with their families.

---

Bang! Bang!

"Ino, I know you're in there! Do you think hiding will solve anything?"

Inside the girls' restroom, several flashy-dressed girls angrily kicked the stall door, muttering curses.

"If you don't come out, don't blame me for what happens next..."

One of the girls, wearing a school uniform, showed an annoyed expression as there was still no response from inside.

"Ha! Since you like staying in the restroom so much, I’ll grant your wish!"

Satisfied with their actions, the girls finally left the restroom.

---

Several minutes later.

From one of the stalls, a girl stepped out.

She walked back to her classroom under the curious and mocking gazes of the other students in the hallway.

Back in class, Ino saw the bullies looking at her with smug, gloating expressions, while the rest of the classmates wore indifferent faces.

Silently returning to her seat, Ino had grown accustomed to such daily harassment.

She tried to suppress her emotions, acting as if she didn’t care, but her hand gripping the corner of her textbook betrayed her inner turmoil.

---

"I’m done eating."

"Won't you have some more, Ino?"

At home, Ino set down her chopsticks and replied to her parents without turning back as she headed to her room.

"Just leave her be," her father said sternly when her mother opened her mouth to speak. "She’s always sulking and shutting herself in her room. Who knows what’s on her mind?"

In her room, Ino buried herself under the covers.

It was the only place she felt safe from the torment of others.

As she lay curled up under her blanket, time passed unknowingly.

"...Keiko... from the time capsule..."

A faint voice echoed from beneath the covers.

(End of Chapter)