在這座萬事屋裡,「店長」這個名詞無疑是神祕的代名詞。神秘,也可說是未知,毫無道理且無跡可尋。371Please respect copyright.PENANAWYPX79VkBK
371Please respect copyright.PENANAXuRDZFeWKv
為何如是形容?原因在於絳雉與玄鶚從來沒有在那扇拉門後方看到過任何人。其實並沒有不能進入那個房間的規定,然而,無論打開門多少次,那裡面的和室都是一片漆黑。371Please respect copyright.PENANAjfCAPI1kg2
371Please respect copyright.PENANAcRrmF2FTCo
只有萬事屋的黑白二名少年心知肚明,乍看之下毫無人跡,帶著渾沌的黑暗之中,「店長」確實存在著。371Please respect copyright.PENANA3yLa8we4C7
371Please respect copyright.PENANA5sb6GrRf4Q
事件就從這天清晨開始。371Please respect copyright.PENANAZqUAvZEeux
371Please respect copyright.PENANAvPY85nwG3W
「咦咦咦咦咦!」371Please respect copyright.PENANAB8oPaMJMQl
371Please respect copyright.PENANA9QLTjo2AAM
不必睡覺而每晚在外面溜達到清晨才回來的萌理佳,才剛進門就發出刺耳的驚叫。371Please respect copyright.PENANA1uxTaFg9WY
371Please respect copyright.PENANA1wPv2eYmKk
實際上並不是剛剛進門,而是在經過接待區靠近餐桌時才因看見某樣東西而大叫出聲。371Please respect copyright.PENANAceK7Fp6ejl
371Please respect copyright.PENANApJkxH3Jlqd
才剛抵達萬事屋的一黑一白二名少年,一人從茶水前回過頭,一人則坐在餐桌邊,望著少女頭頂的潔白兔耳彈跳著,活潑地跑向店長所在的拉門前。裝著早餐的購物袋在她經過餐桌時被隨手放到桌上。而在那牆角一隅,堆放著一套漫畫。371Please respect copyright.PENANAnQAS99KjEa
371Please respect copyright.PENANAtnXpQnjHsG
「是我的漫畫!難道,是小路燒給我的嗎?她沒有忘記啊……真是太好了!我好想念你們喔!」萌理佳自顧自說著,將漫畫擁入懷中,滿臉幸福。371Please respect copyright.PENANA0YUpTGjy6T
371Please respect copyright.PENANA6a4N0GRFbN
小路……絳雉記得她是萌理佳的堂妹,也是在家族中最親近的人。371Please respect copyright.PENANAdgaWuBD1Xp
371Please respect copyright.PENANAvfC2YSbKOa
「不過,怎麼確定是妳的?書看起來很新哪。」玄鶚靠了過去,拿起其中一本翻閱。這才發現整套書都已經拆封了。371Please respect copyright.PENANApBO8YQrWbt
371Please respect copyright.PENANAI48zySTPYT
「我有蓋我的記號……你看!」371Please respect copyright.PENANALMXDe2jWWw
371Please respect copyright.PENANAGDaNwgMkH7
少女將漫畫翻到最後的空白頁,右下角蓋了一個小小的愛心印記。371Please respect copyright.PENANA0hPrZW4jkd
371Please respect copyright.PENANAM2Bmkxs3UW
看來確實是萌理佳的所有物沒錯。不過,為什麼會出現在這裡……371Please respect copyright.PENANAq6IA7JQxGE
371Please respect copyright.PENANAVankpA0IaG
二名少年同時將目光移往依舊緊閉的拉門。371Please respect copyright.PENANAADlQuAOnlR
371Please respect copyright.PENANAPfqsXLyHfZ
「嗯哼。」絳雉聳聳肩,一面嚥下口中的水,一面轉身放下水杯。371Please respect copyright.PENANAF2XPNKTRkp
371Please respect copyright.PENANAFxgoDwy20o
「店長果然偏愛女孩子啊!」玄鶚像是抱怨,又好似滿不在乎地說,一邊將視線移回手中的漫畫書。371Please respect copyright.PENANAU2XTVGpEth
371Please respect copyright.PENANAVVrz5zwOwZ
「雖然不太清楚常規上的事,但偏愛這點你們之前也有說過吧?搞得萬事屋好像真的因為我開很多先例似的……你們應該也有收過親人燒來的東西吧!」萌理佳忍不住埋怨。371Please respect copyright.PENANAnZmpEq0UAD
371Please respect copyright.PENANAQINOTS6dvP
一時之間,沒有人搭話。絳雉拿取早餐的手停在購物袋中,玄鶚翻頁的指尖也停滯了一瞬間。空氣彷彿就此凝結。371Please respect copyright.PENANA3t4uWWQfwx
371Please respect copyright.PENANAaklyBNkT6c
咦……萌理佳停頓了一陣,敏感地發覺氣氛丕變。371Please respect copyright.PENANAP38pctQ4an
371Please respect copyright.PENANAlZX76c3Pzj
「嘛,誰知道呢?」玄鶚手中的書頁翻了一面。「我們沒有生前的記憶。不知道是不是因為這樣,從來沒收過這種東西。」371Please respect copyright.PENANA7XWnj8NKhA
371Please respect copyright.PENANAb5lpZI542J
糟了,搞砸了!萌理佳表面上只是嚥了口口水,內心其實慌亂不已。371Please respect copyright.PENANAoxGGTeRlfm
371Please respect copyright.PENANA5ChVMqNnVz
正想要道歉,一股敲擊感隔著頭套傳入天靈蓋。371Please respect copyright.PENANA1ElAhOhKtl
371Please respect copyright.PENANA8PKDOxCocp
玄鶚拿著漫畫書,輕輕敲上少女頭頂。371Please respect copyright.PENANAvvmOyMe61y
371Please respect copyright.PENANAFSAkqxvr8V
「不可以只顧看漫畫喔,畢竟妳現在在這裡工作咩,要下班才能看。」他說,接著朝拉門揚揚下巴,「還有,記得向店長道謝呦。」371Please respect copyright.PENANAsRpPf58fBe
371Please respect copyright.PENANA2wqwGi7PPE
「啊,對喔……店長,非常謝謝您!」萌理佳像如夢初醒般彈起身子,朝拉門頻頻欠身。371Please respect copyright.PENANAQidJAPrxM7
371Please respect copyright.PENANA4QXWWxJGP2
拉門後方傳來些許騷動,而後又是一陣熟悉的嘆息。只不過,那嘆氣聲似乎比以往高亢一些,感覺羞澀地說著:「不客氣。」371Please respect copyright.PENANAC2ERR7JCyG
371Please respect copyright.PENANAg4eogEpZL6
*371Please respect copyright.PENANAgbRXhqPfwz
371Please respect copyright.PENANAgjGDYMIgIP
當今天一大早,新來的可愛少女一不小心戳到少年們的痛處之時,店長好不容易才忍住身體深處湧上的嘆息。371Please respect copyright.PENANAYxSvBq8aV4
371Please respect copyright.PENANAyGeH78Yq2r
店長總是「聽」著拉門另一方的動靜,偶爾發出嘆息般的聲音來表達意見。371Please respect copyright.PENANAYlliZTipJ4
371Please respect copyright.PENANAglAwu8JOAw
說是「聽」不盡然正確。畢竟店長有意識的知道自己並沒有所謂的耳朵。那種人類、部分動物,甚至或許植物也有的生理構造,自己根本就沒有。一切都來自連自身都未曾了解的感知能力。超越任何有機生命體,根本不該存在於這個世界的超群感知能力便是萬事屋店長所擁有的一切。371Please respect copyright.PENANAsEj6QOq3NF
371Please respect copyright.PENANAVIaEVlGwxx
店長除了自己之外一無所有。沒錯,就連萬事屋也並非其所有。萬事屋是萬事屋,而店長只是店長。不代表任何權威,在萬事屋之內亦是如此。店長是自古以來便存在的能量體,不屬於人間,亦非妖魔,更非為神。由於太過久遠,店長早已不記得待在萬事屋之前的記憶,相對地,倒是清楚記得門外的二名少年,尚未任職於萬事屋以前的事。371Please respect copyright.PENANAl9v8OtyIW8
371Please respect copyright.PENANA0YUJg45k3Q
也就是說,店長知道連玄鶚與絳雉本身都不記得的生前的記憶。371Please respect copyright.PENANAj75JRrjf05
371Please respect copyright.PENANA0nQfDY366i
在少女闖禍以後,店長「看」著二名少年微妙的情感反應。身體周遭的黑色霧狀物質彷彿受到驚擾,稍微騷動起來。371Please respect copyright.PENANASKnGVpGsnE
371Please respect copyright.PENANALSBafMzL9i
他們久違地動搖了。這在不久以前也曾經發生過,就在少女奪門而出的那天夜晚。二名少年周遭散發出剛來萬事屋時總是縈繞四周,那種躁動不安的磁場。371Please respect copyright.PENANANF3zdQU2ht
371Please respect copyright.PENANANfKHjWE3Ff
曾經,他們也是那樣的人類。待在房間一隅的店長暗自思忖。黑霧也隨著店長的「思緒」蠢動起來。371Please respect copyright.PENANAv1ekzyYG4r
371Please respect copyright.PENANAogjNbtC9V0
玄鶚與絳雉似乎以為這個房間裡的黑暗是光線不足所造成。但仔細打量其實不難發現其中的不自然之處。那就是,一進門的左側整面牆壁上,設有對外的落地窗門。371Please respect copyright.PENANAW4U8LEpQtz
371Please respect copyright.PENANAxBsImBChs9
無論透入的光線有多晦暗,室內都不可能一片漆黑。371Please respect copyright.PENANAUB2ZZRkXA4
371Please respect copyright.PENANAOLJLKbxfA5
那抹幽黑正是來自店長本身。其形體便是由那烏黑的濃霧所組成。若有似無,虛無飄渺,卻伴隨著濃烈的印象。就好比萬事屋給人的錯覺一般。371Please respect copyright.PENANAVg1Kha612O
371Please respect copyright.PENANA93AqTABALJ
少女充滿元氣的道謝聲穿透拉門。因害羞或難為情而透出紅暈的少女臉龐闖入店長的意識當中。店長霍地回過神來,黑霧在訝異之下朝四面八方飛散。371Please respect copyright.PENANAdP4UcBgFQO
371Please respect copyright.PENANAGHbyKf67lJ
少女單純直接的心觸動了店長。然而,為了不讓其他人察覺,只好硬著根本沒有的頭皮,不知所措地發出單音……只是,情緒方面似乎露了餡。371Please respect copyright.PENANAJd8AtfsZmO
371Please respect copyright.PENANAaTEri2xs0h
這名少女是感受著人類惡意生存到不久之前的孩子。雖然悲慘地早逝,卻擁有溫柔的心。或許一開始有些彆扭,甚至扭曲,在萬事屋的協助下還是完成心願,也直視了自己對兄長的情感。在短短的時間內,那幼稚而彆扭的心智令人難以置信的成長了許多。371Please respect copyright.PENANA5FJwDWn5FB
371Please respect copyright.PENANAW2Ofhp3dta
或許是預見到如此的發展,萬事屋才會選上她,讓她留在那二人身邊。沒錯,無法通過轟轟的原因正是如此。371Please respect copyright.PENANANuimjsgEBD
371Please respect copyright.PENANAtl2mRWlnVT
並非店長的意志,這是萬事屋自己的決定。彷彿石中劍會選擇將其拔出的亞瑟王,萬事屋選擇了萌理佳。兩者間或許有所差異,隨著萌理佳加入,不只是二名少年,就連店長也意識到沉在汙泥深處的什麼漸漸破土而出,浮出水面。371Please respect copyright.PENANAwp0cvs6W30
371Please respect copyright.PENANA55SIREJvBH
無論有什麼用意,那都是等同陰間的那一位大人所做的重大決定。371Please respect copyright.PENANA3nhzF5Cil3
371Please respect copyright.PENANANOPZQlARHk
因為,萬事屋是那一位的一部份。371Please respect copyright.PENANAacgzpTwoye
371Please respect copyright.PENANA2wsk6hvk9v
遠在玄鶚與絳雉來到這裡之前,就連店長本身都忘了自己是從何時開始待在萬事屋的……許多事都無法清楚解釋,來歷、過程、結果……都並非一直線運行。371Please respect copyright.PENANAaC389K30Ns
371Please respect copyright.PENANAigmyOBuITn
店長就在毫無結果的思慮下,迎來今日的委託人。371Please respect copyright.PENANASBSNSvzDrm
371Please respect copyright.PENANAAHe5VPLtEQ
371Please respect copyright.PENANAETUA154Dwg
*371Please respect copyright.PENANARNu8nT6VTt