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Natsume Yuujinchou: “Two Difficult People (Part 2)” Summary (Chapter 96)

Because the thing they are looking for is somewhere unexpected—...

Part 1

The concluding part to the story with Taki’s brother! It was such a cute and sweet chapter~ TwT

- Niji

[Everything under the cut.]

Chapter 96: “Two Difficult People” (Part 2)

Natsume lets out a cry upon seeing the shadow behind Isamu, surprising everyone. The youkai slides back into Isamu.

Just then, Nyanko arrives, popping his head under the tent.

Isamu: Oi! What is that adorable creature!? Natsume: Ado-...!? Sorry, this is my cat. Isamu: Cat!? Natsume: Ah… His feet are dirty, so I’ll take him outside. Isamu: Huh? Wait…!

Natsume leaves.

Isamu: …Natsume-kun seems flustered. Taki: ……… Isamu: ——But well, that’s the reason why I can’t stay inside the house. I wasn’t trying to avoid you, Tooru. Taki: Huh? Isamu: Seems like I made you uncomfortable. Sorry about that. Taki: ——It’s alright, thank you.

Out in the yard, Nyanko-sensei tells Natsume that Isamu might have gotten possessed since he goes to strange places frequently. Because Taki’s house is still filled with all the barriers and spells that Taki’s grandfather had left, it might have affected the youkai possessing Isamu, and, consequently, affected Isamu himself.

Natsume suggests exorcising the youkai right away, but Nyanko-sensei warns against it.

Nyanko: He seems quite powerful. Natsume: Huh? Nyanko: However, there hasn’t been anything weird happening when he’s outside the house, right? Then he might just be a harmless one. Rather than doing a botched job and angering him, you’re better off leaving him alone. He’ll leave sooner or later. Natsume: But… While he’s around, Isamu-san can’t enter the house as he likes… (Even though Isamu-san came home because he remembered the key, and wanted to look for the keyhole——) Nyanko: Well… There’s actually something we can do. Natsume: Huh?

The three of them return to the house, but Taki worries for Isamu as his complexion has gone pale. Right then, Nyanko-sensei drops himself onto Isamu’s shoulder.

Isamu: !! HE’S HERE AGAIN!! JUST WHAT IS THIS ATTRACTIVE CREATURE? *squeeeeze!* Taki: Ah! Nyanko-sensei!! Natsume: (——… Like brother, like sister…)

Natsume asks Isamu to hold onto Nyanko-sensei (though Isamu is already rubbing his face against Nyanko lol), with the reason that he doesn’t want Nyanko-sensei to get lost in the house.

In actuality, Nyanko-sensei had offered this plan. Because of his powers, by touching Isamu, he should be able to impede the influence of other youkai—especially since Nyanko-sensei is already used to the inside of the house.

Isamu hands them a sketch of the keyhole in scale (7mm), and they split up. Natsume and Taki search together in the same room, during which Natsume informs Taki about Isamu being possessed, and how Nyanko-sensei is sticking with him because of that. Taki thanks him.

Taki: …… If my grandfather was still here…… and met you, Natsume-kun… I’m sure he’d be so happy he could dance.

Natsume: Is this a photo of your grandfather? Taki: Yes. Natsume: He seems like a kind person. It’s quite strange. You and your grandfather adored ayakashi, and yet Isamu-san is a realist. Taki: Haha. ——Still, it was fun.

Taki: When I was younger, the three of us would visit the places in legends. Grandpa would excitedly tell us about its history, while big brother* would go “That’s weird!” and ask about this and that. And I just enjoyed it so much. ——Though, as my brother** grew older, it became just Grandpa and me.

[This was likely an intentional change. So far Taki has referred to Isamu as “Nii-san”, but during this recollection, she refers to him as “Onii-chan” (*), which is a lot more endearing. Shortly after, she reverts back to calling him “Nii-san” (**). It is likely because she used to refer to him as “Onii-chan” when they were children, but opted to call him more formally after they grew distant.]

[Also, and this is just me analyzing stuff, but it seems quite obvious that Isamu’s interest in visiting places with rumors or legends isn’t just because he’s a realist, but because of his childhood with his grandpa. It’s probably his way of subconsciously revisiting those fun times he had as a child.]

Taki apologizes for talking so much about herself, and they move on to the next room. There, they find a pile of boxes, but Taki stops Natsume from going through them.

Taki: TH- THESE ARE FINE!! THEY ARE ALL NEW!! Natsume Huh? …But… Taki: ……… These are——…!

Taki: ——…… These are just full of the souvenirs my parents sent from overseas …They always send a lot… …Recently, because of some reason, they would go back immediately… ———The truth is, I could have gone with them as well… But this house was where Grandpa and my brother…… It’s full of memories for me, so I just couldn’t let it be. I was selfish, and asked to stay behind to look after the house…

Taki: ——I’m sorry. This is such a childish thing… I didn’t want to tell you guys… Natsume: ———No… (I’ve wondered if she was always alone in such a huge house, but…) I see. Taki, you’re protecting this house for everyone to come back to. Taki: —— Yes.

They continue to search for the keyhole, but to no avail. Natsume asks if Taki had seen that key before, but Taki replies that she doesn’t think so. However, she felt as though she might remember something about it, and decides to keep thinking.

Alone, Natsume heads back to Isamu to see if he found anything. Isamu replies that he hasn’t, but exclaims that he no longer feels uncomfortable in the house.

Isamu: By now, usually I would have felt so unwell that I would just dash out of the house... And yet I’m still okay. I wonder why… Natsume: Is that so? That’s good news.

Natsume asks if the notebook that the key was stuck in could be a hint, but Isamu explains that the notebook was from his childhood and didn’t have much in it.

Natsume: Maybe it’s just a work of art? Isamu: ——No, it’s rather vague, but I feel as though it’s a really important key.

Isamu: The moment I found it, ——I felt as though I’d forgotten something I mustn’t forget… something I had to remember——… Natsume: (——An important key that he mustn’t forget………) ——Is that key really something that belonged to you, Isamu-san? Isamu: Well of course. It was in my notebook… ——… It should… be mine, after all… ——Someone gave it… to me…… ……? Natsume: ! Someone did!? Who was it? ———…

Natsume senses a dark shadow towering above them. He looks up. It’s the youkai possessing Isamu.

Natsume: ——… ——Do you know… what this key is for…? Youkai: *shake shake* Natsume: ——… Why are you with Isamu-san? Could I ask you to leave? Youkai: *shake shake* Isamu: ……Natsume-kun?

Youkai: I… can’t… leave, that’s why… I’ll apologise with a warning… Natsume: Huh? Youkai: At the phoenix bookshelf… Human child… will be crushed…

Realizing that he meant Taki, Natsume quickly asks Isamu if he knew of a phoenix bookshelf. Isamu says that there’s a bookshelf with a relief of a bird in the west storeroom. They head over there as quickly as they can.

At the bookshelf, Taki is looking around for the keyhole, but couldn’t find it. She was certain there would be something around here.

Just then, the box from the top of the shelf topples.

Isamu, Natsume, and Nyanko-sensei arrive just as the box spills its contents over her. Nyanko-sensei transforms into his original form as Taki shuts her eyes, ready for the impact.

But she doesn’t feel it. She opens her eyes…

Taki: Brother…

[GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH]

Nyanko-sensei reverts back to his usual form. Everyone seems to be alright.

Taki: ——I’m so sorry. Are you both okay? Isamu: It’s not something you need to apologize for, Tooru. I’m the one that asked you guys to help me look for it. Natsume: It’s quite an old bookshelf, so it’s easy for it to shake… ——But Taki, why are you here? Taki: Well… I was thinking about the key…… It’s quite an old key, so I wondered if Brother might have gotten it from someone else, and that maybe that someone was Grandpa. Isamu: ——… Taki: Grandpa and I had a lot of common topics to talk about, but even just exchanging a couple of words with Brother made him really happy. I was still quite young and was born late, so I wondered if there could be a secret between the two of them that I didn’t know——…

Taki: I remembered that there was a time where I was feeling jealous over it. ——What did the two of them talk about before I was born? Where did they play together? I would always pester Mom and Dad to tell me about it. And then, I remembered that one of the things they mentioned was that you two often read books and chatted together in front of the bookshelf in the west storeroom…

Taki: Somehow or another, I just thought that this place might have been important to the both of you. But It seems like I’m wrong. I couldn’t find a keyhole anywhere… Isamu: ——No. I’ve remembered it too. Taki: Huh…?

Isamu: ——Move aside. *push push…* Everyone: *push push push…* Shelf: *slide… slide* Isamu: ——Yes… It’s like that. This shelf cannot be shifted alone. That’s why both Grandpa and I needed to be here…

Behind the shelf was a small door… with a keyhole.

Isamu slides the key in. It turns.

Natsume: ——What’s inside… …Stones…?

Three stones sit inside it. Isamu reaches for one, and clutches it between his hands.

Isamu: ——Yeah. I remembered. Taki: What is it?

He turns to Taki, his hands still on the stone.

Isamu: This is yours. Taki: Huh? Isamu: On the day before you were born, Grandpa and me went for a stroll at a dry river bank. Grandpa seemed to have heard of a rumor that stones with flowers on them were a sign of good luck, and suggested that we find some as presents for my sister who was about to be born.

[Stone washers??]

Isamu: ——I knew it was probably nothing more than a superstition, but I wanted to find them too. However, even though we searched till the sun had set, we still couldn’t find one.

Isamu: That’s why we decided to pick prettier stones and draw flowers on them when we get back. And with them as presents, we would be able to surprise my little sister some day. We promised to keep it a secret between us… And then Grandpa gave me this key——…

However, after the commotion of Taki’s birth, and their grandfather’s failing health, Isamu completely forgot about it.

Shin’ichiro: ——Isamu. Behind this bookshelf is a hidden door. You can’t do it alone. You have to have two people, or the shelf won’t move. Isamu: Okay. Shin’ichiro: Let’s keep our presents for the coming baby in this secret place.

Isamu: ——I’m sorry, Grandpa. I couldn’t find the real one… This is just a normal stone… I wonder if she would like it?

Shin’ichiro: I’m sure she will. Look at how beautiful it is. If she doesn’t like it, then let’s come look for them again together, Isamu.

Shin’ichiro: It’s a promise.

Taki: Thank you. Brother, Grandpa.

The incident ends.

Isamu is getting ready to go back to university, but spends just a couple more minutes with Natsume.

Isamu: ——At that time, I told Grandpa that “This is just a normal stone,” but it was probably precious to me. But I couldn’t say something like that. ——However, I’m sure if it was Tooru, she would be able to voice those words out honestly. Natsume: ——Haha, that’s true.

Natsume asks Isamu never to stop visiting weird places, which Isamu agrees he would never let go.

Isamu: ——I have so much to thank you for, Natsume-kun. Natsume: No, I didn’t do much. Isamu: …….. If it’s you, I don’t mind leaving my little sister in your care. Natsume & Nyanko: *PFFF!*

[HAHAHAHAHA]

Isamu: Thanks for your help. See you. Natsume: ——… (He’s like a tornado.)

Natsume explains to Taki that, just like how Taki has talent in spells, Isamu’s body is extremely easy for ayakashi to possess. The youkai that is currently possessing him had come from a wayside shrine at the back of his university, but accidentally possessed him. That’s why he’s staying with Isamu in order to return back to where he belongs.

Taki thanks Natsume and Nyanko-sensei for their help. Just then, the girl whom Taki had previously helped in the library appears, offering new sweets as thanks for what she did before. She asks if Taki would like to try them with her, and Taki accepts it.

Nyanko: ——A gift as thanks… Ah! Natsume! My eclair!! Natsume: I know. It was a promise, after all.

“Two Difficult People” END

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