"[Yamasho]" "Stop this mischief right now!" "[Yamasho]" " Help me!" " Naughty children who don't do as they're told get punished!" "Listen, it's one thing if you want to play around, but causing trouble for people?" "I'm sorry." "Behave yourself from now on, OK?" "You can rest easy now, sir." "You shouldn't be having any more trouble with unusual phenomena." "Even the Paranormal Research Society couldn't solve this case." "I knew you could set things right." "Paranormal Research Society?" "The Paranormal Research Society" "If you listen closely, you should be able to hear" "The faint voice calling out to you" "Yes, deep within the thick woods of three thousand worlds" "Someone is screaming out to pry open the night" "Secret world, let's go to help beyond the veil" "Close your eyes and fly towards an invisible world" "Of the past, of the future" "Secret world, secret world" "[Paranormal Research Society]" "This is the Paranormal Research Society?" "When they hear about paranormal phenomena, they come out of nowhere, give a bunch of scientific advice and then disappear." "I really wish they'd give that stuff a rest." "Paranormal phenomena are caused by spirits and monsters, period." "You can't solve these cases scientifically." "Their mistaken advice will only confuse people suffering through bizarre phenomena." "I won't rest until I've given these people a piece of my mind!" "For crying out loud." "He says that, but quick show of hands for whoever thinks he just wants to whine about them stealing his cash flow." "Rosalie... although you may have episodes where you say strange things to yourself, by no means is it the work of spirits or monsters." "The truth is, it's merely a manifestation of your own inner voice." "Some people blurt out exactly what they're thinking or feeling or even imagining." "Yours is simply an extreme case of this behavior." "Your parents, unfortunately, did not understand this." "But I do understand it." "Rosalie, you need a strong sense of self so you won't be swept away by that inner voice." " I..." " Huh?" "I'm not lying." "I never said that." "Please, just consider that speaking what your inner voice tells you " "I said that I'm not lying!" " Rosalie." " Wait." "Hold on a moment!" "Are you the one running this so-called research society and giving out lousy advice to - Hasumi?" "So, Ichinomiya, just what is it that brings you here?" "Brings me?" "This is the Paranormal Research Society, isn't it?" "Yes, this is indeed the Paranormal Research Society, of which I happen to be the chairman." "So, it was you, Hasumi, who's been stealing my cash flow." "Your cash flow?" "What rudeness." "Our research society does not work for profit." "You're kidding." "It isn't a business?" "Then what on earth is the Paranormal Research Society?" "You want to know, do you?" "Then I suppose I'll tell you." "The Paranormal Research Society is an organization which I, Ryokan Hasumi, have founded in order to research superstitions and folklore, as well as occult phenomena." "In short, our aim is to use science to prove that so-called monsters and spirits..." " What do we have here?" " Hey, this looks tasty." " I can't wait." "I'm starving." " Listen when I'm talking, you hear me?" "!" "Salted rice crackers aren't that good with tea." "Sorry about that." "He didn't have any decent tea snacks, though." "What kind of thing is that to say after you barge in here and devour my food?" "!" "You believing-in-monsters-that-don't-exist quack of a folklorist!" "And just what are you smirking at, Ichinomiya?" "Monsters and spirits do exist." "There could be some under your nose right now, couldn't there?" "Delusional as always, I see." "Sir, someone's reported a paranormal event!" "Really?" "All right, we'll head out now to investigate." " Coming, Ichinomiya?" " Of course." "Today I'll put an end to those ridiculous delusions of yours." "Today I'm gonna prove it to you - monsters really do exist." "[Paranormal Research Society]" "Mr. Hasumi." "Going out, Mr. Hasumi?" "Ayame." "We've received word of a paranormal event and are going out to investigate it." "Do you think I could come with you to the site of the investigation?" "I see no reason why you couldn't." "Thank you so much." "Nice to meet you." "I'm Ayame, and I'm studying under Mr. Hasumi's guidance." "I'm Kantaro Ichinomiya." "Nice to meet you." "Ichinomiya?" "The same Ichinomiya who's writing "Stories of the Fantastic and the Bizarre"?" " Yes, that's correct." " Wow, that's amazing!" "I always look forward to each new volume." "Your latest, "The Mother-in-Law's Midnight Snacking," had me so scared!" "Imagine an old woman possessed, doing cartwheels while eating a live crab!" "Let's go, Ayame." "Yes, sir." "Night after night, the sound of the koto comes from the shed?" "Yes." "As I recall, my mother's old koto is in here somewhere." "I keep the door locked." "Nobody should be able to get in." "I just can't explain it, which makes me think it's gotta be the work of some kind of monster or spirit, maybe." "Wow." "So there was a monster here." "This is it, huh?" " Is this the koto in question?" " Yes." "Jeez, what's the big idea?" "It's covered in dust." "There's no evidence that anyone touched it." "It's also difficult to imagine mice being the culprits." "Huh?" "These are..." "So that's it, huh?" " There it is." " I understand now, sir." " I've solved this riddle." " Yeah?" " Really?" " As koto monsters go, there is one said to haunt koto which are no longer used." "The kotofurunushi, right?" " Yes, that's correct, Ayame." " There's a kotofurunushi here?" "Where?" "!" "There is no such thing as that!" "This has nothing to do with the occult." "Well, what is it, then?" "The cause is... right there." "Isn't it possible you've just misheard the sound of the wind chimes?" "After all, we have had a strong northerly wind blowing through the past few days." "And this window happens to face north." "Rin!" "As you can see, the wind has blown in several leaves and twigs." "Some must have hit the koto's strings, thus producing a sound." "The leaves and other debris swept in here by the wind should serve as adequate proof." "You mustn't scare the people living in this house, got it, little kotofurunushi?" "I didn't mean to." "What did you plan to do if the people got so spooked by that old koto they decided to just throw it out?" "You mustn't do this again, understand?" "It should be all right now." "You won't be experiencing that strange phenomenon ever again." "What are you talking about, Ichinomiya?" "And what was the big idea, walking off without hearing my scientific investigation?" "I was busy talking to the kotofurunushi and fixing the real problem." " Or did you miss it?" " What?" "Kotofurunushi?" " I've had quite enough of your nonsense." " Same to you." "I think you ought to give up your misguided unproductive scientific investigations." "Kotofurunushi." "Kotofurunushi." "Did it disappear already?" "Hey, Rosalie, would you like me to pour you another cup of tea?" "I wonder if she hates me." "I guess I'll go and clean this out." "Don't worry about it." "She's just at a difficult age." "Hey, who's up for a game of badminton?" "Loser gets ink smeared on their face." "And... go!" " OK, Haruka's not allowed to play." " Sorry." "There really are monsters." "He doesn't believe because he can't see them." "That Hasumi is one tough nut to crack." "But you can see them, can't you, Mr. Ichinomiya?" "Huh?" "In a way, I'm kinda jealous." "When I was a little girl, I could see monsters, too." "Huh?" "Well, actually, although I say that, thinking back to those days, I start to wonder if I saw them at all." "You see, as I got older, I just couldn't see them anymore." "But I missed being able to see them and studied folklore as best I could so I could remember monsters and spirits from books and legends even if I couldn't see them, although to tell the truth, I hope that someday I'll see them again." "I bet the monsters enjoy your company." "You'll get to see 'em again." "I'm sure of it." "You think so?" "Oh, I really hope so." "I'd be so happy!" "If I say something, then there's no doubt about it." "Though it seemed like an umbrella monster..." "Known as the honekarakasa, right?" "...that was in fact not the case." "I believe they merely saw a broken umbrella that was blowing around in the wind." "This phenomenon must be..." "Rin!" "Therefore, though it seemed a pot monster..." " You mean narigama." "...it was not one!" "Listen, you mustn't bother people." "Ichinomiya, are you gonna listen to my explanations or not?" "What about you?" "You even wanna see these monsters?" "Why, you..." "I guess I won't be able to see any monsters after all." "Sir, come quickly!" "Every day?" "It's like that?" "Yes." "No matter how well we fix it before going to bed, we wake up with this outrageous-looking hair." "If this isn't supernatural, what would you call it?" "Strange hair." "Let me see." "Wait." "I..." "Hey, I got it." "Ichinomiya..." "I knew it." "Hey, what's all that stuff?" " These are the hairs of a keukegen." " Keukegen?" "Really?" "It's a monster with big eyes and a body covered entirely in hair, but it only makes rare appearances, thus earning the nickname "phantom monster."" "Those hairs, however - What's wrong?" "What?" "What's so funny?" "Oh, nothing much." "Just thinking how much you must love monsters, Hasumi." "Don't be ridiculous." "I deny their very existence." "Really?" "Then how'd you come to know so much about them?" "How do you think?" "I am a folklorist, you idiot." "Good grief." "A keukegen?" "How absurd." "This is obviously a prank played by the neighborhood children." "Just you wait." "I'll find proof, and then I'll show you all the truth." "A keukegen, huh?" "I haven't even seen one myself." " Mr. Ichinomiya?" " I wanna" " No, I gotta see it!" "Hmm?" "Keukegen, are you there?" "Keukegen." "Keukegen." "The keukegen's favorite food is long black hair." "If you'd serve as bait, our keukegen is practically guaranteed to appear." "What's more, the keukegen is visible even to ordinary people." "I'm a little scared." "Maybe a lot." "But this is my big chance to see a monster up close." "OK, I'll do my best." "Keukegen!" "Keukegen!" "Hey, Rosalie, you're good at badminton." "I guess I'm no match for you, am I?" " No, you suck." " Come on!" "Sure, I'm not very good, but that kinda stings, you know?" "I guess I was right." "She hates me after all." "Now, don't forget, she's at a naive young age." "So why don't we play a board game together?" "Whoever's last has to finish off a plate of my special seven-pepper super-hot steamed buns, all right?" "Oh, keukegen!" "That's bizarre." "Why won't the monster appear even for such long, beautiful flowing black hair?" "Maybe if we had even more black hair." " What are you doing, Kantaro?" " Huh?" "Oh, Lord Sugino." "Why are you...?" " What's wrong?" " What's going on with your hair?" "My hair?" " What the heck is this?" " Of course." "The keukegen." " Gotcha." " Ouch!" "Ow!" "That hurt!" "Ow!" "Are you OK, Lord Sugino?" "Lord Sugino, you've got a bald spot!" "I what?" "!" "Wait." "Where is it going?" "Come back!" "Keukegen!" "Bastard!" "Give me back my hair!" "There we have it." "Looks like we have children's footprints." "As I thought, this was all just a prank on the part of some neighborhood children." "What is that old dude talking about?" "This is our secret opening." "That guy's a big dumb butt." "That damn thing's faster than it looks!" "Come on, don't run away, keukegen." "I only want to talk to you for a little bit." "You actually call that hiding?" "Well, Ichinomiya, are you still looking for your keukegen?" "Sorry to tell you, but I've already gotten to the bottom of this so-called phenomenon." " Keukegen." " What's the problem, Ichinomiya?" "Is it really so vexing that I solved the case before you?" " No, hang on, Ichinomiya!" " Keukegen." "You little..." " Get back here right now!" " Keukegen!" "What?" "A dead end?" " Stubborn little bastard." " Too bad." " There's no escape for you now." " It can't be." "Why on earth would you want to do me in?" "Now I get it." "Because I created the Paranormal Research Society." "And now that it's become an obstacle for you and your sham of a business, you want to get rid of me, right?" "Well, you're a coward, Ichinomiya!" "What are you doing, sir?" "No, Ayame, stop!" "Don't come any closer!" "Honestly, what are you doing with this unsightly wig, huh?" "Hey..." "It's gone!" "No way." "That was my chance to become friends with the little monster." "So that was a real monster?" "Wow, I actually got to see a monster again." "That was a monster just now?" "Come, don't be silly." "It was just a wad of hair." "Nothing but garbage." "Listen well, Ichinomiya." "We of the Paranormal Research Society will continue our efforts." "We'll disprove the folklore and superstitions that plague our society, and then finally you'll see that the truth is this - your monsters and assorted ilk do not exist." " Let's go, Ayame." " Oh, yes, sir." "Mr. Hasumi, I saw the monster, too, you know." "Seriously." "It was all in your mind." "You were merely seeing things." "But..." "Look, sir, it's another monster." "How impolite, Ayame." "He's merely a foreigner." "Muu." "Did you hear that?" "He said, "Muu. " "Muu, " he said." "It's a foreign word." "It's only natural that we won't understand him." "Not "him," moron." "Her!" "Some folks refuse to open their eyes." "Hang in there, Suzu." "Here, I'll pour you some water." "How much seven-pepper spice did you put in?" "I thought I was dying." "Thank you so much, Rosalie." "You saved me." "You lose." "What the heck is this?" "!" "You think that this was that keukegen thing Kantaro was talking about?" "Good morning." "Huh?" "What's with your hair?" "In the town at night, I found myself calling out to you" "I found myself calling out to you" "Though we're far apart" "I won't fall prey to loneliness" "When we feel there's someone on our side" "We all change" "Becoming stronger, stronger, stronger" "The unseen power invites hope" "The unseen power is the courage you gave me" "What will Kantaro's next case be?" "At Inari Shrine, which has been bathed in the color of maple," "Yoko meets a certain young man." "It turns out he's the owner of an established fabric shop." "While investigating an unusual disturbance at the shop," "Yoko and the young man quietly develop a closer relationship." "The two become quite attracted to one another." "However, fate will not allow such a bond." "Next time on Tactics, "Maple-Colored Love.""