"Halloween?"
It was after school on a Friday, a week after that cosplay event in Rias's house and few days into October. Coming home from school with Yasaka, I ended up visiting the Uzumaki Store on my way back. Right now, we were walking beside each other, headed towards that place.
"Yeah, Halloween. There's going to be a 'fair' at our house starting tomorrow."
"Hmm… Halloween, huh…?" In other words, just like the department store in front of the train station, it seemed that the Uzumaki household would also be putting on a Halloween fair. "You're a traditional sweets shop, and you're celebrating Halloween? What's up with that?"
"Ah, you're making fun of me. We definitely make candy that's meant for Halloween too. To be honest, I called you to come with me today so we could maybe taste-test some of them. They're pretty amazing, so look forward to it!"
"I see, Halloween, huh?"
I paused for a moment, and stared at the decorations I was not used to seeing. There were many ghosts and Jack-O-Lanterns hanging in front of the store. A contrast of orange and black. It was a marriage of Japanese and Western styles. The words "Uzumaki Store" were skillfully carved into a conspicuous wooden sign. If nothing other than the wooden sign were there, the shop would look everything like a respectable, well-established store, but with the department-store-like banner that declared "Uzumaki Store Halloween Fair, Starting Tomorrow!" right next to it, the entire spectacle seemed strangely mismatched and surreal.
I was a bit worried, so I asked her directly, "Are people actually going to come for this?"
"T-they will… definitely. We're also holding events on the first day too."
"Events?"
"We'll call all the neighborhood elementary school students over and hold candy making demonstrations, and we'll hand out candy, and all the shop employees will be in costumes."
"Costumes, huh…? The word "cosplay" came to mind even though I had just done that not long ago, but I shook my head and dismissed the image.
"The shop employees, you said… you mean Ojii-chan and Obaa-chan, right?"
I could imagine that it would be a pleasant spectacle, but it really just seemed way too simple of a setup. They were also rounding up elementary school students… would that honestly work if they were trying to use this as a sales promotion?
"Ahh, tomorrow everyone in the family is helping out with the shop. So I'll also be in a costume. As a witch…"
"Witch!?"
I couldn't stop myself from spurting that out. I mean, Yasaka as a witch… . a smile leaked out onto my face, and Yasaka, seemingly embarrassed, began to get angry.
"You're so mean… don't laugh like that… and also, you're imagining something strange, aren't you?"
"I'm definitely not."
As she began hitting me with her book bag, I headed around towards the back entrance. Heading inside, I walked towards the living room as I always did, but the exact moment I opened the sliding door, the blood froze in my veins.
"Uwaah!?"
Standing in the entranceway leading to the living room, Yasaka and I froze with fear. Lying on top of the tatami, Grandpa Hashirama was collapsed onto his face.
"Ojii-chan!" Flustered, I rushed up to him.
Dammit! What exactly do you do at a time like this…!? Let's try calling out to him first.
"Jii-chan, are you alright!? Hey!" No response. And what's more, his skin was terribly cold to the touch. A shiver ran up my spine. Hesitating for only a moment, I tried taking his pulse.
… I really can't remember how. At the very least, the strong, steady rhythm I could feel when I took my own pulse… it wasn't there. His body was drained of all its strength.
"Yasaka, an ambulance! Call an ambulance!"
"Y-yeah! A-alright!"
Yasaka stumbled away and ran out of the room. I took Grandpa Hashirama's body into my arms. That moment, I could barely stifle a shriek from coming out of my mouth. his exposed face was ashen, and his cold, white eyes were opened wide.
"Jii-chan…" My grief won over my fear, and tears welled up in my eyes. Feeling a presence behind me, I turned around and saw Grandma Mito standing behind me.
"Ah, Haruto-chan. Welcome." Her gentle smile reminded me of Yasaka.
"Baa-chan… look at Jii-chan…!" As I called out to her, half in tears, Grandma Mito took a good look at Grandpa Hashirama's corpse, and gave a response of "ah, I see."
"Ah, I see"? What was up with that light response!? This wasn't a situation in which she should be responding like that!
"The idiot is playing dead, isn't he?"
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeehhh!?" Opening my eyes wide, I quickly looked back and forth between Grandpa Hashirama's corpse and Grandma Mito. Playing dead… but, this… he really seems completely dead here. "What are you talking about!? his body is so cold!"
"Ah, that old fool was just in the store's refrigerator nude for a while, so I thought his time had finally come… to think he was doing that just for the sake of pulling off this kind of prank…"
"What a troubling man" she seemed to be thinking as she smiled. But I was still not convinced.
"B-but he has no pulse!"
"He's always had a weak pulse, this man."
"B-but! Even then, this dead body stench… what about that?!"
"That's just the smell of old age. Haruto-chan, try to remember. Your grandfather has always smelled like this, right?"
"… Ugh, yes, certainly… but…"
Maybe it was because she saw that I was not going to budge from my position, Grandma Mito put one hand to her cheek and seemed troubled.
"Well, I'll just have to show you some proof, right?" Saying that, she put her mouth to Grandpa Hashirama's ear. "If you don't get up immediately, I'm going to burn all of your entire Icha Icha collections one by one, alright?"
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The response was dramatic. Grandpa Hashirama jumped to his feet, obviously revived. "You scary witch of a woman! What are you planning to do with my precious art!?"
Grandpa Hashirama shouted with his white eyes open wide. H-he really was alive… I'm the one who should be asking you what you were planning to do! I thought my heart was going to stop! Grandma Mito ignored his complaint, and looked at me with one eye closed. "See? Like I said."
Next, Grandpa Hashirama faced me. He cheerfully raised one of his hands. "Haruto, happy Halloween! Trick or… what was it?"
"How should I know!? Have your brains rotted away or something, you stupid old man!?" I couldn't help but retort like that with all my strength