Tokyo Exorcism Diary

As the guests of honor entered, the host of the banquet naturally had to come forward to greet them.

Leading the way with a warm smile, Amamiya Keigo strode up first.

“Mr. Hoshino, you truly live up to your reputation—so distinguished and poised!”

The middle-aged man extended his hand toward Hoshino Gen. Hoshino Gen paused briefly, then reached out as well, giving the other man’s hand a polite shake.

“President Amamiya. A pleasure.”

Though he smiled, the indifference laced within his tone and demeanor was impossible to miss. Anyone could see it; anyone could feel it.

But Amamiya Keigo didn’t seem the least bit bothered. He already knew about Hoshino Gen’s personality from the Hoshino Conglomerate side—this was no surprise. Keeping his enthusiasm intact, he gestured toward the young woman standing behind him, still smiling brightly.

“This is my daughter, Sashi. She’s about your age. You young folks should get along well in the future.”

At the perfect moment, Amamiya Sashi dipped into a graceful curtsy, holding her skirt just so. Surely, the etiquette teachers who had trained her would have been thoroughly pleased.

Meanwhile, Hoshino Gen took a moment to size up Sashi. She looked more or less like her photos—a genuinely attractive girl. At least, it wasn’t one of those ‘image for reference only’ situations.

A solid nine out of ten, he mused. For reference, Shimizu Yuu and Kiryu Rakuye were also around this level in his books. The only perfect ten? His little sister, Hoshino Rin.

Of course, this rating had nothing to do with closeness or personal feelings—it was purely objective. After all, Hoshino Gen had met the current hottest idol group in Japan, tky02, and aside from Rin, he’d rate those idols at an impressive average of eight. No wonder they were so popular…

His thoughts drifted a little far, but he didn’t lose focus. Once Amamiya Sashi finished her curtsy, he returned her courtesy with a polite nod and smile.

Their gazes met briefly. Amamiya Sashi immediately shifted her eyes away, flustered. But Hoshino Gen, sharp as ever, noticed something—her gaze wasn’t random. She had a target.

His eyes followed instinctively, landing on a boy in a white suit standing beside Asaba Shinichi—a boy who was smiling faintly. At that very moment, the boy’s gaze had also locked onto Sashi’s.

Though, it only lasted for an instant. That boy clearly sensed Hoshino Gen’s stare and quickly shifted his eyes toward Hoshino Gen, offering a friendly, knowing smile.

Hoshino Gen’s brow arched slightly. He understood at once, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. The whole atmosphere of the banquet suddenly felt lighter. Even his attitude toward Amamiya Keigo, who was still introducing more eager guests, softened noticeably.

…

Retracting his gaze from the man surrounded by all that fawning attention, Takasugi Yusuke’s smile carried a hint of playfulness. He brought the wine glass to his lips, taking a slow sip. Just as he was about to rise from his seat, someone pressed down on his shoulder.

“Hey now, don’t tell me you’ve set your sights on that guy?” came a light, teasing voice beside him.

Still smiling, Yuusuke tilted his head, casting a glance sideways.
“What? Is he your friend?”

“Hardly. We’ve just exchanged a few blows.” Asaba Shinichi chuckled. “If your cousin hadn’t asked me to keep an eye on you, honestly, if you two threw down right now, I’d be all for it. Would’ve made for a fun show. But this venue’s not exactly ideal—cleanup would be a nightmare.”

Yusuke kept his easy smile.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Asaba laughed, tugging up his oversized sleeve to reveal a pale pink scar wrapping around his forearm.

“Just had it reattached. Probably still needs a bit before it’s back to normal.”

Takasugi Yusuke’s expression finally shifted. His dark eyes opened, bottomless as two deep wells.

“He did that?”

“I got a hit in too, you know.” Shinichi grinned.

“Full strength?”

“Not quite. Maybe a third.” Shinichi watched as a trace of something sly flickered over Yusuke’s face. He added lazily, “Though, to be fair, that guy was wearing one and a half ability locks at the time.”

“…”

Yusuke fell silent for a beat, but soon enough, that trademark smile returned.

“Monsters these days keep popping up one after another. Business sure is getting tough.”

Shinichi snickered.

“You know, if you ever felt like joining Special Affairs, you’d already have access to all his files by now.”

“And if you had those files, you’d know—he wouldn’t be the least bit interested in your childhood sweetheart. Guys like him… he’s my kind of person.”

“In fact, he’s worse. Self-destructive, to a dangerous degree. A real lunatic.”

“…A lunatic, huh?”

“That’s right.” Shinichi laughed. “You’re not far off either. Anyone who keeps brushing shoulders with vengeful spirits… tell me, how many of them walk away sane?”

Yusuke’s smile remained as he turned his eyes back to the center of the crowd. There stood Hoshino Gen, calmly handling the chattering, clinging masses around him.

He took another sip of wine, murmuring softly,

“Doesn’t matter.”

…

As the banquet rolled into its middle stretch, most guests began wandering freely about the hall. Rows of long tables were laden with food and wine, free for the taking. The crowd surrounding Hoshino Gen had gradually thinned, leaving only the father-daughter duo, Amamiya Keigo and Sashi.

At this point, Amamiya Keigo  gave his daughter a hearty pat on the shoulder, chuckling,
“Sashi, stay here and chat with Mr. Hoshino. It’ll do you good to interact with someone outstanding like him.”

With that, he glanced at Hoshino Gen and smiled.
“If you’ll excuse me.”

HoshinoGen smiled politely and nodded. Amamiya Keigo laughed as he took his leave.

Everyone who’d been invited tonight knew exactly why this banquet was being held. In such circumstances, naturally no one was foolish enough to barge in and interrupt.

Which left only Hoshino Gen and Amamiya Sashi standing alone at the center of the grand hall.

Amamiya Sashi bit her lip lightly, her mind a complete blank. The idea of an arranged marriage… of course she resisted. She was a young girl in her prime, pampered and doted on all her life—how could she possibly accept being engaged to some stranger who fell from the sky?

Back when she thought her prospective fiancé would be some hideous, obese, crippled heir, she’d rather die than agree.

But when Hoshino Gen had actually appeared in front of her… to be honest, there was a moment. A fleeting instant when she thought, well, maybe being engaged to him wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Yet once that heartbeat passed, the resistance slowly returned. Maybe not as fierce as before, but lingering nonetheless. Perhaps because of a certain figure still stuck in her mind, haunting her thoughts.

Still, a union with the Hoshino Conglomerate… it was undeniably beneficial. For her family. For her parents, who had always cherished her…

She wavered. Torn.

At last, Amamiya Sashi parted her lips, about to say something—anything. Maybe if she talked to him more, if she got to know him, this rejection in her heart would soften…

But just as she opened her mouth—before a single sound could come out—something unexpected happened.

Hoshino Gen didn’t even glance at her.
He turned and walked off without hesitation.

Amamiya Sashi followed his line of sight—and her expression immediately darkened.

A certain young man in a samurai-style outfit was standing not far off, waving enthusiastically at him.