Edogawa Nishiguchi Ayakashi Clinic - Chapter 11
Thank goodness today is a day off.
My encounter with the old man with the long nose and the laughing woman yesterday left me so tired that I skipped dinner and slept immediately.
The last thing I remembered last night was throwing myself on the bed after I dropped my bag somewhere and took off my jacket.
But even though I slept 14 hours and my body felt light as a feather, my head felt strangely heavy.
Even if I washed my face or showered, I couldn’t feel refreshed and would immediately go back to bed once I let my mind wander.
“That was definitely strange…”
Taking my phone, I opened L*NE and selected “Riho” from my list of contacts. Even though it had only been less than 2 months, she was only one of the few remaining friends I had.
Scratch that.
She was the only close friend I had.
[You know, the clinic I’m working at right now is pretty strange.]
No response came no matter how long I waited.
Just as I thought of calling her, I looked at the clock and saw that it was only 9pm.
“A rizokyaba was it…” [1]
When everyone was busy job hunting, she once told me that she wanted to live a full life of diving and working at a girl’s bar in a faraway island in Okinawa.
If it’s Riho, she probably pulled it off. I was always envious of that super free-spirited personality of hers.
Besides, I never saw her worry about money even once.
“And here I am worrying about my phone bill…”
While I was helping out at home and assisting with funerals, I often wondered if only money mattered at the end of the day.
Of course, money can’t buy everything, but I feel like it could solve most of my problems.
At the very least, I wouldn’t have to worry about living expenses if I made enough.
I wouldn’t have to choose the lowest smartphone plan, nor would I have to worry about the data consumed when I call via L*NE.
I could even live in Tokyo without relying on the allowance my father in the countryside sends me.
“I wonder if I made the right choice working at that suspicious clinic…”
No, this won’t do.
They’re even hosting a welcome party for me on Sunday, so I can’t stay depressed like this.
If I couldn’t turn my mood around I might have to rely on sleeping pills, so I opened my laptop and tried to distract myself.
Aah, I want to be an OL working in Marunouchi after all. [2][3]
I’ve never used Excel or Powerpoint though.
But if I worked as an OL, I won’t have to worry about expensive lunches and such.
“Nonono, rather than that, I have to search [ayakashi] and [clinic]”
I snapped out of my daydreams and entered the keywords on the search bar but the only results I found were either from games, light novels, or manga.
“Heeh, so this is what’s popular nowadays.”
Ahhh this can’t be. I got too engrossed with searching.
Anyway, nothing useful came out when I searched for “Ayakashi Clinic” either.
But before I could go to Y*tube or A*zon, I decided I had to search one more thing.
“This time, it’s [what is] and [ayakashi]”
Sea monsters, mysteries, ghosts, comedians…
None of these results are related to medicine at all.
What I did learn was that ayakashi are different from spirits.
Is this some kind of prank?
“Alright, then what about… [Akashiya]?”
The only things that came out were listings for restaurants and plant names.
Of course, the name “Akashiya Clinic” didn’t turn up anything either.
Is egosa still a thing in this time and age?[4]
“Wait, could it be an anagram instead?”
Ayakashi, akashiya, akayashi, ashikaya
Is this some kind of gestaltism?
All that fuss only made me feel worse.
“Hmm, then what if—”
My heart pounded as I typed in the name Tengo Niimi.
Surely he would have some sort of record around, right?
However, that wasn’t the only reason my heart pounded faster.
“No way, what is this—”
His career history was very unusual.
Graduated from T University.
Studied in Australia after working at the National Research Center?
After that, he became an associate professor at TK University, and after he became a professor he quit!?
But there was something stranger than his career record.
“Then how old is he now!?”
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Rizokyaba – Short for Resort Cabaret, this is a type of part time job where staff can work on beach bars on beach islands at night while enjoying activities such as diving by day. Source
[2] OL – Japanese slang for Office Lady
[3] Marunouchi – is a commercial district located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Source
[4] Egosa – Japanese slang for ego surfing
