Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Hoshino Rin didn’t quite understand what her brother meant, but she didn’t press further.

“Calling wind and summoning rain! The kindergarten child, Saotome Ai, makes her entrance!” The playful opening theme came to an end, followed by the title of the episode flashing across the screen.

Hoshino Rin glanced at the television, a little surprised that her aloof and mysterious brother could have such childish tastes. As a seasoned internet-addicted girl, she naturally knew about Crayon Shin-chan, a show that had taken East Asia by storm — though her familiarity was only surface-level.

After all, having grown up in England, her aesthetic leaned more towards Western styles. This kind of cartoonish art didn’t appeal to her, dismissing it as something for kids.

But as she peeked at her brother sitting on the sofa, propping his face with one hand and watching intently, Hoshino Rin thought for a moment. If she wanted to understand someone, starting with what they liked was always the right approach.

She shifted her little butt on the carpet, scooted closer to Hoshino Gen’s legs, and leaned against the sofa, silently watching the TV along with him.

Gradually, her initial curiosity melted away. Now she was munching on a cucumber for her midnight snack, giggling as the show played on.

Hoshino Gen glanced down at his little sister, who had somehow ended up sprawled across his legs, grinning like a little fool. He rolled his eyes and chose to ignore her.

…

The plane had been flying at ten thousand meters for over ten hours. Due to the seven-hour time difference between Switzerland and Tokyo, night had already fallen when they landed at Geneva International Airport. It was only nine in the evening — the start of the city’s nightlife.

After resting at the hotel arranged by their accompanying staff, they adjusted to the local time. The next morning, they took a private car to Brig, then transferred to a small train that carried them to their final destination — the fairytale town of Zermatt at the foot of the Alps.

Located in southwestern Switzerland near the Italian border, towns like Zermatt weren’t rare in the country. But perhaps it was the intensely blue skies, or the town nestled beneath the Matterhorn, or the tranquil, elegant atmosphere that made it so irresistibly charming.

All these factors had turned it into a world-renowned travel destination.

Hoshino Gen and his group arrived around one in the afternoon. Even though it was already May, the temperature still hovered around freezing.

Beneath the azure sky, alpine wooden houses were scattered everywhere. The dark green peaks were dusted with snow, and melted streams trickled down into a winding creek that coursed through the town. The crisp sound of flowing water became the town’s most soothing backdrop.

The estate Tillina had mentioned lay on a gentle slope to the west of Zermatt. It belonged to the Isabelle family — a four-thousand-square-meter property completely enveloped by lush green meadows.

Their check-in went smoothly. Porters carried their luggage, and the rooms in the main building were already tidied up.

After unpacking and touring the rooms, Hoshino Rin immediately ran to her brother, eager to explore the town.

Though TKY02 was a national-level idol group in Japan, and Hoshino Rin stood at the pinnacle of the idol world, her international fame wasn’t quite as widespread. In this unfamiliar fairytale town, she could roam freely without worrying about fans swarming her.

Hoshino Gen had no objections. His resistance to beautiful scenery was about as weak as his resistance to good food.

Zermatt was car-free, with most people traveling on foot or by bicycle. The few vehicles in town were electric-powered.

The siblings walked all the way from the estate to the bustling town center, yet the atmosphere remained serene — no noisy crowds, no pollution, no traffic jams. The cool breeze carried only the freshest air and the faint fragrance of nature.

European architecture dominated the streets, with fair-skinned, blue-eyed locals passing by, chatting mostly in German. Hoshino Gen had learned German back in America to expand his client base, but his skills were middling — understanding casual conversations was beyond him.

The languages he truly mastered were Mandarin, English, Japanese, and Latin.

But language barriers posed no trouble for Hoshino Rin. German, French, even Italian — she could speak them all fluently.

When they passed a warmly lit wooden stall selling ice cream, Hoshino Rin tugged on her brother’s sleeve and pulled him over.

The vendor, a young Swiss man, beamed as Hoshino Rin ordered two strawberry cones in German.

“Oh! Beautiful lady, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen!”

“Thank you~” Despite hearing such compliments all her life, Hoshino Rin still beamed, clearly pleased.

Both siblings had inherited excellent genes from their parents — a blend of European and Asian features. Their fair skin leaned more towards a cold, porcelain white rather than the pallor of Caucasians. Their delicate, well-defined features, coupled with their unique eye color, made them stand out no matter where they were in the world.

The young vendor skillfully crafted the ice creams while joking, “Is that handsome guy behind you your boyfriend? What a lucky man!”

Hoshino Rin glanced back at her brother, who stood with arms crossed, gazing at the distant Matterhorn. Taking advantage of the fact that he couldn’t understand German, she grinned mischievously.

“Why would you think we’re a couple? We haven’t been acting that close, have we?”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be closer to him — but her brother was a big meanie who wouldn’t even let her hold his hand or cling to his arm. The best she could get was tugging at his sleeve or wrist.

So unfair! She was obviously adorable! There were countless people in the world who would love to get close to her!

Of course, no one else knew what was going on inside her head. The vendor handed her one cone and started making the second, flashing a bright smile.

“Haha, you can’t fool me. I’ve dated many girls. Every one of them loved me, so I know — when a girl likes someone, she can’t hide it. Her eyes, her gestures, every expression shouts to the world: Hey! Some lucky guy caught my eye!”

“Even if you’re not a couple now, you definitely will be. No boy could resist a girl like you.”

He passed her the second ice cream cone, noticing how her smile had frozen in place. As if he’d stumbled upon a little secret, he grinned wider.

“So… be brave, beautiful lady.”