Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Splash—

Raindrops pattered against the roof, trickled down the eaves, streaked across the windows, and splashed onto the ground.

Inside the antique shop, bathed in the warm glow of yellow light, Shimizu Yuu stretched her wrist and rolled her shoulders, having finally finished all her homework.

About ten minutes ago, Kiryu Rakuye had left after taking a phone call, leaving only Shimizu Yuu and Hoshino Gen in the shop.

Shimizu Yuu glanced outside at the darkening sky and the rain that seemed to wrap around the world, but she couldn’t resist shifting her gaze to Hoshino Gen, who was seated in a single armchair, reading.

After a while, she suddenly blurted out, “Are you this cold to your girlfriend too?”

“Hm?” Hoshino Gen looked up, his eyes filled with confusion as he stared at this clueless part-timer, wondering if he’d heard her wrong. He raised an eyebrow. “Did you say… girlfriend?”

Shimizu Yuu blinked, looking even more puzzled than he was. “Yeah. Isn’t Kiryu your girlfriend? You treat her the same as everyone else. That’s not how a proper boyfriend acts…”

“Hold on…” Hoshino Gen gave her a look reserved for idiots. “When did she become my girlfriend?”

“Eh?” Shimizu Yuu froze for a second, instinctively asking, “Isn’t she?”

Hoshino Gen nearly laughed out loud but held it in, shaking his head in disbelief as he turned his attention back to his book.

Shimizu Yuu, however, grew even more confused. “But didn’t she say—”

She trailed off mid-sentence, realizing that when she tried to recall what Kiryu Rakuye had actually said that morning, there had been no mention of her being Hoshino Gen’s girlfriend. This whole assumption… was entirely her own deduction!

Stunned, Shimizu Yuu stared blankly for a moment, still not quite convinced. “She’s really not your girlfriend?”

“What do you think?” Hoshino Gen couldn’t even be bothered to look up.

“You’re not dating anyone?”

This time, Hoshino Gen didn’t even respond.

Despite his usual indifference, Shimizu Yuu didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, the gloominess that had lingered in her eyes all day seemed to vanish, replaced by an unexpected brightness.

Hoshino Gen glanced up, as if remembering something. “Finished the homework?”

“Yep!” Shimizu Yuu replied immediately, her energy noticeably different.

Hoshino Gen raised an eyebrow, unable to figure out why this idiot part-timer suddenly seemed so motivated. “Good. Dust the room, then you can clock out.”

“Okay!” Shimizu Yuu quickly tidied the desk and got up, heading straight to the storage room to grab the vacuum. She wasn’t sure what had come over her—after feeling restless all day, she suddenly felt like she had endless energy.

But after thinking it over, she had an epiphany. It must be because the weather was too dry earlier. That’s why I felt off. Now that it’s raining, I feel better! Yes, that has to be it.

Hoshino Gen watched her back with a strange look before shaking his head and returning to his book. Yep, still can’t understand how idiots think.

…

The rain continued on and off throughout the night, lingering into the early morning.

After washing up, Hoshino Gen pulled a sandwich from the fridge, heated it in the microwave for breakfast, and shared it with Liz. Afterward, he called the hotel to arrange her lunch before heading out.

The sky was heavy with clouds, and raindrops fell in a steady drizzle. The motorcycle he’d brought back yesterday was left in the underground parking lot—he opted for a taxi to school instead.

When Hoshino Gen arrived at the classroom, it was buzzing with noise. Students who hadn’t seen each other for a week were chatting animatedly about their fun vacations, undeterred by the gloomy weather.

Class rep Oguri Aino had started collecting homework. Some students begged for more time to finish, but the ever-strict rep showed no mercy, snatching up their notebooks without hesitation.

When she reached Hoshino Gen’s desk, Oguri Aino flashed a mysterious smile and whispered, “Hoshino, time to hand in your homework. If you haven’t done it, just call me ‘Class Rep-sama,’ and I might cover for you.”

Hoshino Gen chuckled softly, pulling his completed homework from his bag and placing it on the desk.

Oguri Aino raised an eyebrow, flipping through the pages. “Huh, didn’t expect your handwriting to be this neat.”

Hoshino Gen kept his smile, saying nothing. Well, that idiot did copy my handwriting, but after writing so much, her own habits must’ve crept in…

Oguri Aino didn’t press further. With a sigh of mock regret, she moved on to the next student.

The first period was the usual morning assembly. Homeroom teacher Fujihara announced that the school would hold a cultural festival in three days, and students should start preparing. The rest of the period was left for free discussion.

The cultural festival—or gakuensai—was an annual event at almost every school in Japan. On the day of the festival, the campus would open to the public, with classes, clubs, and the student council hosting various activities.

If sports festivals were about showcasing individual talents, then the cultural festival was the perfect stage for teamwork.

In the days leading up to the event, the school would be at its liveliest. Classrooms would be transformed with decorations matching each activity’s theme—haunted houses and cafés being the most common.

After a period of heated discussion, Class 1-A voted to hold a theatrical performance.

Hoshino Gen had no opinion on the matter. In fact, he didn’t care about class activities at all—as long as he wasn’t forced to participate. He’d even submitted a blank vote earlier.

Thanks to the upcoming festival, students quickly shifted from post-holiday laziness to full-on festival mode.

Whether between classes or during lunch breaks, conversations about the festival filled the air.

The excitement lasted until the end of the day. By the shoe lockers, after changing his shoes, Hoshino Gen found Shimizu Yuu approaching.

“You don’t need to come to the antique shop tonight,” he informed her.

Shimizu Yuu blinked in surprise. “Why?”

“Got something to investigate,” Hoshino Gen replied casually.

Her eyes lit up immediately. She glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, then whispered excitedly, “Paranormal stuff?”