Aoharu Point

Chapter 1

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Edited by

Chapter 1

Translated by Houshi

There are points that humans can’t see. And this is my story of “How I became able to see those points”. Those points always influence us. Points are important. It is not an exaggerated story, and neither is it complicated or troublesome. Anyway, it is not that type of weird story. It is not something fantasy-ish or something fictional, either. Probably.

It’s not that, it is more of the usually ordinary kind — in other words, to us now, it is a realistic and practical story. How should I explain to people this strange phenomenon that happened to me? I still don’t know even now.

“I can see them.”

It’s kinda hard to say it since it feels like I’m talking about the supernatural. “Do you understand? Seems I’m possessed. By Masakado. You know, Taira no Masakado.” Even going further to say some stuff like that would just make the other person feel at a loss. That’s why I’ve hardly talked about it to anyone. If I were to name one of those very few who know about my case, it would be the hospital’s doctor at best. And I didn’t have much choice there. And that couldn’t be helped.

(T/N: Taira no Masakado was a distinguished samurai in the Heian period who led an insurgence against Kyoto’s central government. The central government then put a bounty on his head, and Taira no Sadamori, whose father Masakado had killed, and Fujiwara no Hidesato responded in kind by claiming his head in the battle of Kojima. Over the centuries, Masakado had become a demigod figure to the locals who were impressed by his stand against the central government and felt the need to appease his vengeful soul.)

“You’re still seeing those hallucinations, right?”

“Whether it’s just a hallucination… I’m starting to wonder if there’s more to it than a ‘hallucination’. It’s been weird lately.”

“Let’s try putting Aoki’s story in order.” The teacher picked up a pen and started writing something down on it.

“This is a human.” A figure of “50” was written over a pattern resembling a lavatory mark

“You can see figures over people’s heads. Is that right?”

I nod. It was last year that I had been hit in the head with a metal bat.

When I woke up on the hospital’s bed, I thought I must have lost my mind. The world looked intensely bright. And that was by no means a metaphor; I got dumbfounded as these weird, sparkly things kept floating around in the air. For a moment, How beautiful, I honestly thought. And then a few moments later, Whoa, wait a minute! What should I do now? I baffled.

While gawking at those glittery things in a daze for the entirety of days one week had passed, then they gradually converged inside me. I, with a bit of disappointment, watched as that light kept contracting.

The sparkly things finally disappeared completely; however, this time, I started seeing another hallucination. There was a two-digit figure floating over people’s heads. Disgusting – that was my first impression toward that figure.

“Depending on the person, that figure is different, right? Then, I’ll ask you again. What do you think that figure could possibly be?”

“Umm… how should I put it? The way I see it, I think it probably shows a human’s worth. For the most part, 50 is about the average.”

“By the way, how many points show up for me?”

The teacher asked a hint of amusement in his voice. The strangely confident tone gets me ticked off.

“46, apparently.” Since I hated my teacher, I lied to him.

“On second thought, that’s probably a hallucination.”

On the same note, this teacher’s having an affair with my mother. 46 are my dad’s points.

I had already conveyed to my homeroom teacher that I would be absent from the afternoon classes due to my hospital visit, which I received permission for. When I left the hospital, the sky was bright—white sunlight. The clouds were sparse, the colour of the sky was all that filled the corner of my eye, and I had the sudden urge to wander off to somewhere far away.

However, I can’t just lose myself in that sentimental feeling of escaping reality forever, so I immediately drop my gaze back to the ground. And naturally, those figures enter into my vision. I’m sick of them. Over the heads of the people milling about, a strange figure was floating. I can see them.

For convenience sake, I decided to call them “points”. Whether I’m walking on the road or riding the train, points would always show up over people’s heads. Though I’m used to it by this point, I would always get depressed at the phenomenon’s absurdity after leaving the hospital. Is it just a hallucination… Or maybe, some sort of weird phenomenon of the occult, I’m really not sure.

Anyway, I can see them. Over someone’s head, a two-digit figure would always float. Not like I wanted to see them anyway. From the look of it, those points are figures that show a person’s worth. Since I started seeing those points, I realized that fact immediately. A hopeless-looking person has low points. A good-looking person’s points are high.

Before going to school, I stop by the toilet then stand in front of the mirror. Over there, a male high school student with a dull face was reflected — in other words, me. 53. Average points.

I take out wax from my bag, then apply it to my hair. After that, I take off my glasses, and then I put contacts on. It’s kind of a pain, but I just couldn’t feel like going to school just like that. Once I finished taking care of my appearance, my points went up to 54. It might be an insignificant difference, but I want to prize it, insignificant as it may be.

Inside my heart, I create a persona—Naoto Aoki, not Arkin. I remember the persona of Naoto Aoki. Let’s blend into the classroom. Friendly smile: check. It doesn’t look suspicious, does it? I straighten my crooked posture, adjust my face muscles, and take a calm, deep breath. I must not let slip the fact that actually nothing feels fun for me. While looking at the mirror, I will use my facial expression to change. I gently shake my head, pushing away my unease. Finally, I pray for something randomly. Please let me spend a peaceful and safe student life today as well, without standing out and without getting ostracized.

Then I face myself inside the mirror and say, “Let’s do our best.” like Travis Scott and Vincent Gallo. I go to school late, pull open the door, and enter the classroom. I always get nervous at that moment. The fourth hour had already started.

There were points floating over the heads of my classmates. 49, 53,62, 53… Those were the usual figures that I got used to seeing.

“Aoki, you’re way too late.”, 49 days. Shortly after, “More like he slept his ass off!”, 53 cracks a joke with a low voice. I had a vague feeling that explaining my situation will just make things awkward, so I just answered with, “Yesterday I pulled an all-nighter watching videos on the internet.”

“What kind of videos?”

“Xvideos probably.” In their mind, the name of the website functioned as secret code toward the girls, but they couldn’t be any more far off from the mark, so I just answered with,” Bullseye.”, and then the conversation ended right there since it sounded funny to them.

Sometimes while having those kinds of banter, I want to disappear, I think inwardly. I want to disappear right this instant. If only I could turn invisible.

Even so, I think it would have been much better if I was being bullied. The worst thing is probably these moments, since no one talks to you.

I take out my notebook from my bag. Once again, I looked over the points floating around the inside of the classroom. Who should it be today?

My eyes stop on the person with the highest number of points. 78. Such a figure that conspicuously attracts attention was floating over his head. Those points were clearly over the top. Shortly-cut black hair, well-built body, and neatly chiseled features. His figure had the kind of beauty that you would associate with a great black crow. He had plenty of aura to draw other’s attention to him. Come to think of it. I feel like he’s always been in the limelight of the classroom as far as I could remember.

Fumikata Soyama. I had my classmate’s name on the top right corner of my notebook, whom I hardly know written.

Since 50 Is the average, by matching the number of added points and the ones deducted, it would sum up to a total of 28 plus points. Now I focus hard on his points while looking at them. Finally, a breakdown of the points reveals itself.

Tennis club (+4), Length (+2), Thin figure with well-defined muscles (+2), Handsome face (+6), Sense of fashion (+3), Communication ability (+7), excellent studying ability (+4)… I write all of them down as they float and fade out of sight in succession. Seeing points was not the only thing I could do. If I focus hard enough on them, a breakdown of the points will show up, too, alongside them.

You wouldn’t get tired of using this useless, esper-ish ability just to see those points. However, when you try to know their breakdown, a wave of fatigue immediately washes over you.

Ability number 1: Seeing people’s total points; you don’t get tired with this one.

Ability number 2: Being able to see the breakdown of people’s points; this one requires some focusing ability.

The second ability could only be used on one person or two per day. Now that I used my ability to get a hold of Soyama’s points’ breakdown, all the energy left my body, so that any attempt at following the lesson failed miserably. If I knew it was that tiring, I shouldn’t have bothered. And that was obviously the sensible thing to do, though.

This seemingly useless mysterious ability of mine. For better or worse, I’m trying to put it to good use.

By using people’s points as a reference, I try to work toward raising up my own points. For example, when I became a high school student, I started paying attention to my appearances because I realized that those who care about their appearances tend to have high points.

Like that, I build hypotheses and put them to practice. By repeating this, I have raised my points ever so slightly.

Well, then. I eyed the figure of 78 floating above Soyama’s head once again. And its breakdown, too.

To put it another way, you could call him a high-specked guy. He’s way over my league, way too perfect that I have no idea how I should imitate him. People who have this much high points are immensely rare. If a person’s points are high, he’s sure to shine, whether it be an interview, a company, or anywhere else. To lead a happy life piling up on points is essential. ( According to my investigation.)

Anyway, Soyama has a bright future ahead. Ahh, I’m so jealous. That’s really how I honestly feel.

I am jealous, and I think it’s amazing, and if I and I ever had the chance to be reborn, that’s how I would have liked to become.

People with high points really look to be enjoying their lives – and they look happy.

Compared to them, I… What about me?

54 are my points. My grades are so-so, and though I don’t consider myself to be dumb, my communication abilities are terrible, and my height is slightly lower than average. Overall I seem a bit above average, but there’s no telling when I might fall down. Fall down… but where exactly?

Anyone knows it. No one speaks it out loud, that’s all.

And despite everything, I’m desperate — To protect this petty, plebeian life of mine.

15 years old. When you turn this age, you gradually start to realize you’re not that amazing as you thought yourself to be, and that from now on, you wouldn’t become a big deal, either.

I’m sure I won’t become an important person. Like the majority of my classmates, probably.

I can easily imagine myself working in a dusty office of a dull company, creating some boring documents with excel, bowing down to people, licking people’s boots in drinking parties that make my stomach lurch going to them, and someday when I turned into a middle-aged man, we would probably be replaced by something like artificial intelligence, snatching away all of our work.

Somehow I feel it’d turn out that way. A bleak future for sure. But that’s how it is.

My points are mediocre, and, by the same token, I think my future is similarly ordinary.

Well, I’m fine with it either way. Really.

As long as I don’t wish for something big and over my head, I’ll still be able to lead a reasonably enjoyable life.

Being practical in life is important.

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