The Memory Store at Kurama 2nd District

Chapter 1 | A Highschool Girl and an Unfamiliar Alley

Support the original translation team by reading on Chaotic Frog Novels!

“Have a good day.”

As I bowed deeply towards the space the last customer was standing in just a moment ago, a faint sweet scent grazed my nose. I then looked up and saw the same unchanging guest room. Once I confirmed the job was done, I stretched my whole body. 

“Shiro-sama, thank you for your hard work.”

I was tapped lightly on the head, so I glanced back. Momose-san, who had already wiped off his business smile, was holding a teacup with one hand. The part of my body that was touched, by those fingertips that were so beautiful you wouldn’t think belonged to a man, gradually turned warmer.

“Momose-san too, thank you for the hard work.”

My wide-eyed gaze was transfixed as I watched Momose’s eyelashes flutter in front of me. 

He left the cup and then moved his thin lips to speak. 

“In any case… The fact that we are able to meet again… Shiro-sama is the first person, you know?”

‘The first.’ The fact that I was such a simple person, as to be happy just from hearing that word said in such a calm tone, was embarrassing. 

“Why do you think that is?” 

When I asked that deceitful question, Momose, who usually kept his guard up and showed no slip-ups, uncharacteristically opened his eyes and mouth wide. His astonished expression was completely new to me. 

I opened my mouth to answer the question.

“Momose-san said so himself. If one doesn’t wish to meet, then it’s impossible to meet. That’s all there is.” I playfully said as I stood up. 

It seemed those words were enough to break through his mask, and a troubled frown was drawn across his beautiful face. 

“Well, I better get going! Thank you for the tea!” I said.

I straightened my knees and bowed thankfully to Momose. 

“Eh, ahh, please be careful on your way home.” he said

“Yes!” I replied.

I opened the sliding door against the backdrop of the setting sun shining into the store. As the outside turned dark, there wasn’t a light source that could be found illuminating the inside of the store any longer.

This mysterious life which I’ve grown accustomed to, started not so long ago.

It seems a back alley is not necessarily always a dark place. 

While I was amazed by my discovery, I was also thinking about how to punish myself for what I did just a moment ago. 

I had realized that the correct answer was to follow the school rules, which strictly prohibit detours, and go home quietly. That way, I wouldn’t have gotten lost in the town I’ve lived in for the last sixteen years.

“What should I do…” 

The faint echo of my voice was immediately sucked into the concrete wall. 

I had never left Kuramacho town since the day I was born. 

I loved this town as though I was a living part of it, and so I always went back home traversing through the shopping district. 

Since I was running later than usual today, most stores had their shutters down. The sun was setting, and dim streetlights were illuminating the shopping street.

When I passed in front of the long-established movie theater “Makiki Kinemaki”, I found a road I had never seen. This was my mistake.

“Was there such a road before?” 

I fearfully took a peek, but it was so dark I couldn’t see the end of the road. The mysterious atmosphere stimulated my curiosity, and I proceeded to walk into the alley.

It was just so dark.

Just as I stretched my hand forward and advanced slowly, a dazzling light flashed into my eyes.

When I reacted and turned my gaze down, I noticed that the white part of my school sailor outfit had turned orange.

It was the dead of night moments ago, but somehow, the sunset was currently illuminating the concrete walls and I. 

Since the walls had no shadow, it seemed the light was coming directly from above. However, even if I looked up, I couldn’t see anything that looked like the sun. Instead, a structure that seemed like a red sky was spreading before me.

There was no way I was going back now, so I continued walking, when crows cawed loudly and passed overhead. 

“So there are crows here…”

At least I felt a little reassured that I was not the only living being in this alley. Just as I quickened my pace, the concrete walls turned into wooden ones, and I immediately stopped, as if my feet had become cobblestones. Soon after, the view finally became clear. 

Even though I’d gone to a place that seemed vacant, there stood a small house. 

On top of the big sliding door of the house, the place’s name was written on a sign that looked like it would come off at any moment.

“Memory store? Kurohane? Kurou? An…?”

Even though it must have been a long time since I had set foot in the alley, the sun still seemed to be directly shining from above.

I knocked on the door and called out.

“Excuse me, is someone here?”

My voice might have been shaking a little. The area was so quiet, and the sunset seemed to be absorbing my voice. I waited for a while, but there was no reply.

“I’m sorry… please excuse me,” I said as I entered.

The interior was one of a very old shop. Pretty bottles were lined up left and right on the shelves, reminiscent of the candy store that my grandfather took me to when I was little.

“Haruomi, there’s a customer.”

As I looked around the room, I suddenly heard a childish voice from the back of the store.

“Oh, a customer? How rare.” A low voice responded, just as I heard some footsteps that followed. 

“Oh, I’m sorry …” I hurriedly turned to the owner of the voice, and my whole body turned to stone.