“Huh, I see,” Senjogahara muttered, sounding disappointed. “I was planning on trying all sorts of things on you if I got the chance. Too bad."
"From the sound of it, some very grotesque planning was going on behind my back... “
"How rude. I was only going to &0/o your /- before *^ing it."
"What do those symbols mean?!
"And I wanted to do this and that to you, too."
"What is that underlining supposed to suggest?!"
Oshino tended to be on the fourth floor.
The building had an elevator, but it was of course out of service.
That meant our options were busting through the elevator's roof and using the cables to climb to the fourth floor, or taking the stairs. I think it'd be fair to say that anyone would pick the latter option.
I started up the stairs, still tugging Senjogahara by the hand.
"Let me tell you one last thing, Araragi."
"What is it?"
"I might not look it with my clothes on, but actually, my body might not be worth breaking the law to make yours."
It seemed that Miss Hitagi Senjogahara hewed to the highest notions of chastity.
"Was that too roundabout for you? Then let me say it flat-out. If you lay bare your base instincts and rape me, I will do anything and everything in my power to pay you back slash-fiction style."
“…..”
As for shame and modesty, she had none at all.
Actually, she was just plain scary.
"You know, this isn't only about what you said just now, but looking at everything you do, Senjogahara, you seem a little, I guess' too self-conscious? Like maybe you should dial down your persecution complex?”
"Ugh. Don't you know that some things are best left unsaid, even if they're true?"
"You were aware of it?!"
"Anyway, this building looks like it's about to collapse. I can't believe this—Oshino person lives here."
"Yeah... well, he's a pretty weird guy."
Though if you asked me how he compared to Senjogahara, at that point I'd have had to think it over.
"Shouldn't we have contacted him in advance?" she fretted. "It's a little late now, but we're the ones who're seeking advice... "
"Putting aside my shock at your apparent display of common sense, he unfortunately doesn't carry a cell phone."
"How enigmatic. Almost a suspicious character. What exactly does he do?"
"I don't know the details, but—he says he specializes in cases like mine and yours."
"Hmph."
It was far from a proper explanation, but Senjogahara didn't try to dig any deeper. Perhaps she thought that she was about to meet him anyway, or that there was no point in asking. She was right either way.
"Hey. You wear your watch on your right arm, Araragi."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"Are you a contrarian or something?"
"Start by asking if I'm left-handed!"
"Uh huh. Well, are you?"
I was a contrarian.
fourth floor.
As the building was originally a cram school, it had three class-like rooms—but with the doors to all three broken, they and the hallway connecting them were now a single area. When I peeked inside the closest one first, wondering where Oshino was:
"Oh, Araragi. So you finally came."
Mémé Oshino was right there.
Sitting cross-legged atop his makeshift bed (if you could call it that) of a number of rotting desks pushed together and bound with plastic string, he was facing me.
As if he'd been expecting me.
Like always—like he saw it all coming.
As for Senjogahara—she was visibly creeped out.
While I did tell her in advance, Oshino's filthy demeanor significantly deviated, no doubt, from a modern-day high school girl's aesthetic standards. Anyone would look as ragged as him living in these ruins, but even I, a boy, could say that Oshino's appearance was not a hygienic one. If we're to be entirely honest. But most of all, his psychedelic Hawaiian shirt was the fatal blow.
I think this every time I see him, but really, the fact that such a person is my savior can be a downer… Though I'm sure someone as mature as Hanekawa isn't bothered one bit.
"Oh, so you've brought yet another girl with you today, Araragi? You're with a new one every time we meet. Why, I'm quite glad for you."
"Stop making me out to be some sort of sleazebag."
"Hah—hm?"
Oshino cast a distant gaze in Senjogahara's direction.
As if he was looking at something behind her.
“Nice to meet you, missy. I'm Oshino."
"Nice to meet you—I'm Hitagi Senjogahara."
She'd managed to give him a proper greeting.
So she was discriminating with her acid tongue. At least, it looked like she could be polite to her elders.
"Araragi is my classmate, and he told me about you.
"Huh. Is that so."
Oshino nodded meaningfully.
He looked down, pulled out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth but instead of lighting it, he kept it there and used it to indicate windows, or rather, the scenery beyond the random fragments of glass that had long ceased to function as windows.
Then, after waiting for more than long enough, he turned to me.
“So, Araragi You got a thing for girls with straight bangs?”
"What was it I just told you not to do? And girls with straight bangs? Isn't that what you'd call a plain-old pedophile? Don't lump me in with your generation who had Full House airing on TV when you were going through puberty."
"Right." Oshino laughed.
Senjogahara scowled in response.
The word "pedophile" might've been what did it.
"Um—anyway," I said, "get the details from her directly, but Oshino—about two years ago, this girl over here— “
"Don't call me that," Senjogahara commanded me.