Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Hoshino Gen’s order had been successfully executed. The player who drew the number 7 in this round was the short-haired girl, Ryouko. To carry out the command, she even enlisted help from her friend Iwato—who found an excuse to lure the innkeeper away from the bar, giving Ryouko the chance to sneak in and retrieve the straw doll hanging there.

The plan was simple, and it worked like a charm. So before long, the straw doll that had originally been hung behind the bar was now in Hoshino Gen’s hands.

“Are you done looking yet? If you are, I gotta hurry and return it. Iwato’s not gonna be able to stall for long!” Ryouko stood by the table, urging Hoshino Gen with a slightly impatient tone.

As he fiddled with the straw figure, Hoshino Gen quietly pinched off a tiny piece of straw. Hearing Ryouko’s words, he gave a small smile and handed the doll back to her.

For three rounds in a row, the “King” in the King’s Game had been either Hoshino Gen or one of his two companions. And with each new round, the commands they issued grew more bizarre—eerie even. What had started as a fun party game had turned into an atmosphere as cold as if someone had dumped three buckets of ice water over everyone’s heads. Most people had lost interest.

They played two more rounds after that, with Shinichi and Yusuke each taking a turn as the King. But again, their commands were cryptic and nonsensical.

And so, the King’s Game wrapped up after just five rounds, more or less abandoned. Ryouko then suggested they switch to a different game, and the rest readily agreed. Hoshino Gen and Yusuke, claiming they were tired, left the room and returned to their own, leaving only Shinichi behind to keep playing with the others…

…

Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward.

A forty-five-story skyscraper stood tall on the main street of Harajuku. At its top was a massive, three-dimensional “C” —it didn’t really mean anything, just a designation.

Its true name: StellarTower, Building C, one of the many office buildings under the sprawling StellarGroup.

The StellarGroup’s reach extended into virtually every sector—food, clothing, housing, electronics, real estate, even heavy industry. And just like its name suggested, its subsidiaries were as numerous as the stars.

TKY Office was one such subsidiary. Its headquarters were located in this very Building C, occupying three entire floors—27 through 29—housing both administrative spaces and activity areas for its members.

“Rin-chan.”

It was nearly 10 PM, and TKY02 member Asahina Kaoru, having changed out of her training uniform and packed up her things, stood at the doorway of the lounge. She looked at Hoshino Rin, who was sitting alone on the sofa inside, focused on her game console.

“Aren’t you going home?”

“Oh, Kaoru~” Rin turned her head and flashed a small smile. “No one’s waiting for me at home anyway, so there’s no rush.”

“No one?” Kaoru tilted her head, touching a delicate finger to her chin. “I know your mom and dad are super busy, but even your brother’s not around?”

“He’s got stuff going on up in Hokkaido,” Rin sighed. “Probably won’t be back for a while.”

“I see…” Kaoru looked at Rin’s slouched posture and drained expression, and couldn’t help but chuckle. “So your big brother’s away, and now Rin-chan’s all lonely, huh?”

Rin pouted, her lips soft and pink. “Of course I’m lonely! There’s not a single soul at home…”

“In that case—how about coming over to my place tonight?” Kaoru offered, smiling. “My mom’s out on a business trip too, so it’s just me.”

“Eh—” Rin’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”

“Totally! Just don’t complain my humble peasant home is too plain for a princess like you~” Kaoru joked.

But Rin didn’t care. She dropped her controller, grabbed her blue seashell-shaped purse, and cheerfully skipped over to Kaoru, looping an arm around hers.

Together, they took the elevator down and left StellarTower, climbing into the agency’s car—reserved specifically for Hoshino Rin—and headed off in the direction of Kaoru’s home.

…

Midway through the drive, there was a brief moment of chaos.

A swarm of police cars and motorcycles roared past them in a blur, sirens blaring. One motorcycle nearly clipped the side mirror of their car—but thankfully, nothing happened.

Rin and Kaoru tensed for a second, startled by how close it came. But soon, the adrenaline passed, and they forgot about the whole thing, returning to their interrupted girl talk.

“Kaoru~ you better tell the truth—have you really never had a crush on anyone before?”

“I have~ Your brother. I fell in love at first sight when we were in Shiratake Village!”

“Liar! Tell me the truth or I’m gonna tickle it out of you—!”

…

“Target lost. Repeat, target lost…”

The engine roars and wind screeches had finally faded. Kiryu Rakuye stepped down from the back of a motorcycle, listening to the voice crackling through her earpiece on the public channel, and let out a long, quiet sigh.

She had a bad feeling this would happen.

There was no way a vengeful spirit that had escaped from Containment No. 3 would be so easily recaptured.

…

Hokkaido, Kawasui Town.

It was deep into the night, and the rain hadn’t let up.

After the game ended, everyone had returned to their rooms for rest.

Saya had always been a light sleeper—perhaps it was a writer’s curse. If nothing distracted her eyes or ears, her mind would automatically drift into plotting her next story. More often than not, this meant insomnia, and even when she did sleep, it wasn’t restful.

And tonight, being in a strange new place didn’t help. She’d finally managed to fall asleep before midnight, only to be roused again by the unrelenting downpour.

Groggily, she rolled over and tried to bury her head under the blanket. But then she noticed something—

The futon next to her, where Ryouko should have been… was empty?

Her senses sharpened.

And only then did she realize—the rain wasn’t the only sound. There was something else, too. The faint slap of bare feet on the floor.

Saya turned her head toward the sound.

Ryouko was standing at the closed door, dancing.

The way she moved was… wrong. Awkward. Her limbs contorted into unnatural poses. And she was crying. Silent, helpless sobs as she danced.

“…”

Saya swallowed. She felt goosebumps rise across her entire body.

This was too eerie.

“Ryou… Ryouko?”

But Ryouko didn’t respond.

She just kept dancing. Crying harder and harder. Moving more and more wildly. Lost to everything around her…