Tokyo Exorcism Diary

When Hoshino Gen returned to the manor, daylight had already broken. There was no sign of Hoshino Rin in the room, but the bed was neatly tidied. Hoshino Gen didn’t think much of it, casually freshening up in the bathroom before locking the door and collapsing onto the bed.

The duvet still carried a lingering sweet scent, like fruit milk, but Hoshino Gen was too lazy to change the sheets. He found a comfortable position, closed his eyes, and soon his breathing steadied, the lines of his face softening into sleep.

When he woke up, the sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window was painted in shades of blue and violet. The setting sun spilled its golden light over distant mountain ranges, casting warm hues onto the snow-covered landscape—a vivid oil painting, or perhaps a dream still lingering at dawn.

Hoshino Gen sat on the bed, gazing sideways out the window for a long, long time.

…

A private jet, carrying only the pilot, crew, and a single passenger, touched down in Tokyo. Half an hour later, a black Lamborghini sports car pulled up in front of a nameless café with a “Closed” sign hanging on the door.

The scissor door lifted, and out stepped a young man dressed in a plain white samurai outfit, wearing tabi socks and wooden sandals—yet incongruously sporting a pair of sunglasses on his face.

A sheathed katana dangled from one hand, while a stray blade of foxtail grass dangled from his lips. Grinning with roguish ease, he pushed open the café’s door.

“Anyone here?”

Silence answered him.

“Ah… Ah, looks like no one’s home~” he mused to himself. The man made himself at home, weaving through the wicker tables and chairs, slipping behind the counter to grind himself a cup of coffee. He flopped onto a chair, took a long sip, and sighed in satisfaction.

“Phew—Tokyo’s still the best.”

No sooner had he spoken than a voice echoed from the corridor leading to the back rooms, filled with surprise.

“Asaba-nii! When did you get back?”

Asaba Shinichi turned his head, laughing heartily.

“Wakana, huh? I was wondering why the place was unlocked. What are you doing here alone? Where’s everyone else?”

Shiina Wakana sat across from him. “Everyone’s out on assignments. What about you, Asaba-nii? Did things in Hokkaido get settled?”

“Hah! What kind of joke is that? If I’m involved, there’s no such thing as unresolved business.” He raised an eyebrow in mock pride. “Anyway, tell me—anything interesting happen while I was gone? Hokkaido’s boring as hell. I need some fun stories to pass the time.”

Shiina Wakana fell silent, her lips twitching as if unsure whether to humor him. But under Asaba Shinichi’s expectant gaze—sunglasses or not, his eyes practically sparkled with curiosity—she sighed and relented.

“Actually… something big did happen. The one person you’ve been waiting for… someone finally appeared who can take Oni-Kiri.”

Snap!

Before she could finish, Asaba Shinichi’s fingers snapped in excitement. He slammed his katana against the table and shot to his feet, the corners of his mouth curving into an uncontrollable grin.

“I knew it! I knew the world couldn’t be full of nobodies! Tell me—who is it? Where do they live?”

As he turned toward Shiina Wakana, the motion sent his sunglasses sliding down his nose. For a moment, his crimson eyes—glinting with madness and exhilaration—were laid bare.

Gone was the laid-back, older-brother figure from moments before. The blood-red gaze belonged to someone entirely different.

Pinned beneath that stare, Shiina Wakana couldn’t suppress a shiver, though the corners of her mouth twitched as if she couldn’t quite resist smiling.

…

Time slipped by. Half a month had passed since Hoshino Gen’s group had arrived in Zermatt, and they took the same private jet back to Tokyo.

Despite only being gone for two weeks, stepping into the apartment in Koto Ward with her suitcase in tow, Hoshino Rin felt as if years had passed.

Before boarding, they had been in a snowy fairy-tale town—and now they were back in the warm, bustling city.

No one was home. Their mother had taken Liz back to England weeks ago and hadn’t returned yet. Last they spoke, she mentioned negotiating a collaboration with some multinational company.

It was around five or six in the evening—perfect time to start making dinner.

After putting away her luggage, Hoshino Rin ran to knock on her brother’s door. Hoshino Gen had holed himself up in his room the moment they got home, already showing signs of evolving into a full-fledged shut-in.

The door opened quickly. Hoshino Rin beamed at her brother.

“Onii-chan, how about we go grocery shopping together? I can make Chinese food tonight!”

“…You don’t know how to cook,” Hoshino Gen replied, puzzled.

“Hehe!” At those words, Hoshino Rin’s grin turned smug. “Didn’t you notice? Every night in Switzerland, I would ‘disappear’ for a little while. Guess what I was doing?”

“You were learning Chinese cuisine from the chef?”

Hoshino Gen’s interest was piqued. The manor’s chef was one of the highlights of their trip—a European with unexpectedly masterful culinary skills. If his little sister had picked up a few tricks, he wouldn’t mind tagging along for groceries.

“Hmph!” Hoshino Rin folded her arms and tilted her chin up proudly, her little nose nearly pointing to the ceiling. “You’ll be amazed!”

Hoshino Gen believed her. Say what you would about this sister of his—when it came to learning, she had an uncanny knack. Languages, instruments… even without much practice, she always managed to wield her skills as if they were second nature.

They both changed outfits and headed out.

Hoshino Gen opted for a simple shirt, trousers, and sneakers. Hoshino Rin, on the other hand, dressed in a stylish ensemble—camisole blouse, black cardigan, palm-colored shorts, sheer knee-high socks, and black ankle boots. A black crossbody bag completed the look, making her radiate with youthful charm.

Even with sunglasses, a mask, and a baseball cap obscuring most of her face, her brilliance still shone through.

As the elevator descended, she leaned closer to her brother, tilting her head at their reflection in the mirror before snapping a photo with her phone.

Hoshino Gen glanced over at the shutter sound.

“Hehe~ Onii-chan, how about we stop by Ginza later? I want to pick out some clothes for you. With your looks, it’d be such a waste not to dress you up properly!”

Hoshino Gen rolled his eyes and ignored the suggestion outright—too frivolous, too pointless.