Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Ten people gathered for lunch. To Hoshino Gen, it didn’t feel much different from eating in the school cafeteria—though the ingredients and flavors were certainly a cut above.

An expensive meal wrapped up quickly amid the lively atmosphere.

When it comes to building social connections, meals are undeniably effective, especially when there are mutual acquaintances around to bridge the gaps. In the span of just one meal, the group, which had initially been divided into two distinct circles, now seemed as if they’d all known each other for ages.

Maybe it was the influence of the bustling environment, or the presence of familiar faces easing the flow of conversation—but at least for now, the camaraderie felt genuine.

During the meal, they’d already made plans to head to Disneyland together in the afternoon. Hoshino Gen hadn’t said a word the whole time, yet somehow, he’d been roped into the group’s plans without his consent.

So, when they left the restaurant and he smiled, waved, and made to head home, everyone—except for the unsurprised Shimizu Yuu and the quietly observant Kiryu Rakuye—looked at him with confused, astonished expressions.

Kiryu Rakuye, who had still been harboring a sliver of hope, sighed inwardly. But she quickly plastered on a puzzled face, running up to block his path.

“Eh? Senpai, you’re not coming with us? It’s rare for everyone to hang out like this—and it’s the last day of vacation too…”

“Sorry, not interested,” Hoshino Gen replied with a light smile. Then, glancing at Shimizu Yuu, who had been inexplicably sulking all day, he added with the same cheerful tone, “Have fun, but don’t forget you’ve got work to finish. Make sure you head back early.”

With that, he turned to leave.

But just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Pulling it out, he saw it was a call from his little sister.

Answering, Hoshino Rin’s voice came through the line. “Onii-chan, where are you? Liz just called me saying she’s not feeling well. Could you take her to the hospital?”

“I’m out, but I was just about to head back,” Hoshino Gen replied, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“I see. I’m on my way to Osaka for a shoot and won’t be back for a couple of days. Until then, I’ll leave Liz in your care.”

“Got it.”

He wasn’t particularly bothered. After all, the little loli was still family, and besides, she was an English girl who couldn’t speak Japanese. With no one else at home, he really was her only option. Sure, she’d been a bit prickly with him at first, but she’d apologized properly afterward. Now that she was sick, he couldn’t exactly ignore her.

It wasn’t like he hated people—he just didn’t like unnecessary interactions. That didn’t make him some cold-hearted jerk.

Ending the call, he turned back to the curious group, waving his phone slightly. “My sister’s sick. Gotta take her to the hospital.”

Curiosity morphed into concern in an instant. Kiryu Rakuye quickly asked, “She’s sick? Is it Rin-chan?”

“No, it’s a cousin from the UK.”

“Ah… then I’ll come with you. It’d be more convenient to have another girl around, right?”

“No need. See you.”

She wasn’t wrong, but Hoshino Gen rejected her offer without hesitation. His polite smile always carried a faint, intangible distance. Waving goodbye once more, he turned and walked away, disappearing from view in no time.

The group left behind exchanged looks.

Oguri Aino couldn’t help but mutter to Itou Saki, “That’s the first time I’ve heard Hoshino speak. His voice is… unexpectedly nice, huh?”

…

When Hoshino Gen got home, Lisz was curled up into a small ball on the sofa.

He walked over and asked in English, “How are you feeling? If you can walk, get up. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Liz lifted her pale face. Seeing it was him, she opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but no words came out. She just held her stomach, got off the sofa, and stood up silently.

This time, Hoshino Gen didn’t just pick a random clinic. Instead, he took her to a large hospital nearby for a thorough check-up.

The diagnosis: gastrointestinal motility issues caused by dysbiosis, triggered by acute stress.

The result surprised him a little—but thinking it over, it made sense. The kidnapping incident hadn’t been long ago. Although Liz had acted like nothing happened afterward, she was still just a nine-year-old kid. Sure, she was mentally tougher than most children her age, but being alone most of the time afterward had likely taken its toll.

Sometimes, the anxiety and fear that creep in after an event are even worse than the fear experienced during it.

Given the circumstances, it wasn’t exactly shocking that she’d gotten sick.

After taking the prescribed medicine, Liz’s stomach pain eased quickly. She also had a short counseling session with a psychologist.

Before they left, the doctor recommended taking Liz to lively places to help her relax.

Hoshino Gen didn’t respond to that suggestion. He figured it’d be better for Hoshino Rin or Tilina to handle things like that once they were back.

As they were descending in the hospital elevator, his phone vibrated again.

But this time, it wasn’t a call. The vibration was faint—hesitant, almost.

He pulled out his phone. Somehow, the screen had switched to the [redskirt] app.

Standing there was Chi-chan, her delicate face tinged with a shy blush. A message slowly appeared in the chat box:

“Um… I’ve seen amusement parks online before, but… I’ve never actually been to one. Just once is enough—can you take me?”

“……”

Hoshino Gen fell silent.

Tch.

How should he put this?

Sure, she was technically a ghost now, but after resolving her grudge and signing a contract with him, her human side had started to resurface. It wasn’t that strange. Besides, Michiko had been just a teenage girl when she died—liking amusement parks wasn’t exactly unheard of.

Hoshino Gen could ignore most people’s requests without batting an eye. But for a girl who’d entrusted her very existence to him, he didn’t feel like saying no.

Thinking back, he’d even promised her a new life before they signed the contract.

With a sigh, he smiled wryly, turned off his phone, and slipped it back into his pocket.

Then he glanced at Liz, who was silently staring at the floor beside him.

After a moment’s thought, he asked with a small smile, “Wanna go to an amusement park?”