Chapter 1

**Supernaturals** (超自然的, *Chō shizen-teki*?) is the first chapter of Eri Yumiya's Merodikaru Mikkusu Monogatari.

## Summary

A boy who was mistaken as a girl, looks out of the mirror. That boy appears to be Shijima Lunami. The teacher calls attention of him to listen. Everyone laughs because of his attitude. He said in his mind that he has been dreaming about a blue cube.

When it was dismissal, Shijima went home and draw the blue cube's face on a paper. He think it might be because of him, playing JSAB the whole night before going to bed. She pictured the blue cube in her dream as Sad Cube.

One day, in his school, his friends talks about the rumors in their school. He asked what rumor is it. They replied that it's the Soul Shapes. One of them is Hanako-san. Shijima gets interested and joined their friends' conversation. They told Shijima that she occupy the third stall in the girls bathroom on the third floor. Shijima became scared since she always pee in that stall. Shijima went inside the girls bathroom and summons Hanako-san. Somehow, it wasn't the Hanako-san she imagined! It was a blue cube and a boy.

"Woah! W-Who are you? Are you Hanako-san? You don't look like one!" Shijima asked. The cube told him that He was the Hanako-san but it's not really his role to do that. He revealed his name as Cubical. "Anyway...the name's Cubical and I had a secret that I shouldn't tell since it's too depressing..." Cubical said. Shijima pats Cubical and said "Come on! Tell me! I won't cry or anything."

Cubical told that he has only 6 years left to live. Shijima was worried about him and asked why. He can't tell why since it's too much to explain.

Shijima introduces himself and says his wish is to have his feelings reciprocated right away by the person he likes: "Miyamizu-senpai" (Ayano Miyamizu) from second year, known as the princess of the school.

Cubical agrees to fulfil his wish, but offers a tattered self-help book of love strategies instead of a special tool like Shijima had expected. He explains that this is safer, since borrowing a supernatural's power comes with an equivalent price, and he doesn't have any such tools anyway. Reading Method 78 ("Leverage your special skills") from the book, Cubical asks Shijima if he has any skills.

Shijima reveals that his special skill is drawing, which he began (along with music and cooking) because the girl he used to like had said that he preferred boyish boys. Shijima had liked her since soon after starting middle school, and confessed to her one month ago, after three years of honing his skills. But she bluntly rejected him, saying she didn't know who he was, and that someone with a girlish personality and a trap like him wasn't her type.

Shijima resolutely claims that he isn't bothered by it anymore, saying that he'll show that girl up by having his feelings reciprocated by an amazing person like Ayano. Cubical comments that this really means he's fine with it being anyone. Shijima denies this, but Cubical points out that he knows almost nothing about Ayano, not even her first name. Unable to answer, Shijima tries to change the topic. Cubical offers him a heart-shaped message card and a pen instead, telling him to gift Ayano something he's planted. Shijima eventually agrees, deciding to write a thank-you note on the card (since Ayano helped to pick up her pencil case recently) as a confession would seem too hasty.

In her home again, his mother heard about Shijima that he likes Ayano. Shijima proves that isn't true (even tho it's true). Shijima went in his bedroom, asking himself that why does the Hanako-san he met looked exactly like Cube. In the morning, someone knocked on the door. It was Cubical, telling him that he needs to show something to Shijima.

In Cubical's hideout, Cubical revealed that Shijima is a "Soul". Shijima doesn't know anything about what he's saying. He explained what is mean to be a "Soul" clearly. Shijima got it now and Cubical told him that he can open portals to another world. Shijima told him to do one to see the proof. He took his alarm clock and opened a clock tower city. Shijima was amazed about it. Cubical also reveals that he lives in another world named Shape City. Shijima wanted to see what Shape City looked like so Cubical opened the portal to Shape City and went in together. Shijima saw himself that he was very pale. Cubical told him that "Souls" look different when entering Shape City. Cubical showed Shijima around Shape City and he was amazed. Cubical told him that he has his own home. Shijima followed Cubical to his home and he said that it's kinda stinky in his house. It smells like rotten onions.

After showing Shijima around Shape City, they heard heavy footsteps. Cubical told him that he needs to hide. It was their master who's making heavy footsteps. They went back to the real world since Cubical can sense the signal of Ayano.

In the real world, Ayano finds drawings and papers with a thank-you card on his desk, causing a ruckus over the strange occurrence. Shijima, who had been secretly watching with Cubical, is very embarrassed and says that he'll quit drawing. Cubical suggests switching to her other special skills instead, but their next three strategies (Shijima recording himself singing for Ayano, making a character bento for her, and colliding with her in the corridor) also fail for various reasons.

Back at the toilet, Shijima laments the failures and says there should be a more direct way, to which Cubical suggests confessing to Ayano. When Shijima vehemently rejects this, Cubical says it's the only idea he has left since he's also new to this. Shijima is shocked to hear it. Cubical replies that few people have called or are able to call on her. Shijima says that this explains why she's only given his ordinary items and chaste strategies despite being a ghost. Trying to refute this, Cubical shows him a kokeshi doll (which he claims is slightly erotic) but Shijima tosses it out the toilet window.

Shijima then notices a pouch that Cubical had dropped earlier. Opening it, Shijima finds two sparkling disc-like objects and asks Cubical what they are. When he answers that they're for matchmaking, Shijima puts one into her mouth before Hanako can stop him. He explains that they're mermaid scales, and that those who consume scales taken from the same mermaid will receive a dreadful curse, in exchange for a very strong bond. On hearing this, Shijima swallows the scale. He says that being cursed is alright if it means Ayano will reciprocate his feelings, calling Cubical a liar before running away.

When Shijima finally finds Ayano, there's already a boy confessing to her. Ayano declines, saying that there's already someone she likes, though Shijima thinks to herself that it wouldn't matter anyway with the mermaid scale. He suddenly realizes that scales have appeared on his hands and arms, and wonders how things turned out like this, despite his hard work. Shijima then admits that he's almost never talked to the people he likes, nor even gotten them to know his name. He had been working on the wrong things while being certain that he'd be rewarded for them, to the point of asking a supernatural for help, so now he's just reaping what he had sown.

Cubical finds him just in time. Shijima realizes that he's in water and able to breathe. It's revealed that Shijima has turned into a fish, and is now inside a fishtank Cubical had decorated. Cubical explains that this is the price: the curse has completely turned Shijima into a fish, though the effect could've been weakened if someone had swallowed the other scale. Cubical asks why Shijima hadn't used it, and he explains his realization: he was only trying to make use of Ayano rather than actually liking her, and (as Cubical had said previously) anyone would do as long as the feelings could be mutual, which turns out to be his true wish.

The mermaid then appears to receive Shijima as her servant. Batting Cubical aside, the mermaid picks up Shijima's fishtank. Cubical asks the mermaid to let him fulfil Shijima's wish first, but when she refuses, he draws a katana and slashes her underside, forcing her to temporarily retreat without Shijima. To fulfil Shijima's wish of becoming human again, Cubical swallows the scale, bonding them and allowing him to suppress the curse on him. Shijima becomes his assistant in exchange, and finds that he's able to touch Cubical now because of the bond. Cubical has granted two of his wishes: wanting to become human again, and wanting to have his feelings reciprocated by someone (which he says means the same as being bonded, to him). He then tells him that the scales will disappear by drying them.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Shijima Lunami
* Cubical
* Ayano Miyamizu
* Shinjo Akane
* Yuna Miyamizu
* Mermaid