Tokyo Exorcism Diary

The confusion quickly dissipated. After all, it had only been a few days since the incident. While it wasn’t exactly an important memory, it wasn’t something that should be forgotten so quickly either.

Back at Disneyland, even though it was technically Michiko possessing this little girl’s body, at least on the surface, Liz’s affectionate gestures toward him didn’t seem all that inappropriate, right?

Or rather, if he were to return to his previous indifferent attitude toward Liz suddenly, wouldn’t that feel even more unnatural?

Hoshino Gen found it a little odd, but that didn’t stop him from quietly withdrawing his hand from the little girl’s soft, warm embrace.

Liz blinked in confusion, tilting her face upward to look at him curiously.

“I’m not feeling well. Don’t get too close,” Hoshino Gen casually found an excuse and said in English.

“Are you sick?” The little girl’s face immediately showed concern—an expression completely different from when she had first arrived.

“No.” Hoshino Gen didn’t care about such things. He got up and moved to the single-seater couch on the other side. “Just watch your show. Don’t mind me.”

Liz stared at him with her beautiful blue eyes for a long moment before reluctantly turning her attention back to the TV. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that her cousin’s attitude toward her was somehow different from when they were at Disneyland…

Outside, the drizzly May weather brought a lingering chill to the room. With the curtains drawn, the indoor lighting was dim. The rhythmic patter of rain mixed with the eerie sounds from the horror movie playing on the television.

From the kitchen, Hoshino Rin’s voice rang out—

“Dinner’s ready.”

…

The next day, the rain finally cleared, and Hoshino Gen went to school as usual.

Perhaps because he rarely interacted with his classmates, his absence the previous day didn’t cause even the slightest stir when he arrived that morning.

The campus was still buzzing with excitement over the upcoming school festival. Unlike the classes that required every student to participate in setting up cafés or haunted houses, Class 1-A was putting on a play.

Although stage performances required quite a few actors—including background extras and minor roles—plus a scriptwriting team and backstage crew, meaning nearly the entire class was actively involved, there were still a handful of students who remained on the sidelines.

Hoshino Gen, unsurprisingly, was one of them. Between classes, he had nothing to do, making him seem like an outsider.

Two delicate, fair hands suddenly planted themselves on his desk. Hoshino Gen, who had been quietly reading, slowly looked up. As expected, he saw an unhappy Shimizu Yuu staring down at him.

Hoshino Gen smiled. “What’s wrong?”

That one sentence nearly made Shimizu Yuu choke on her frustration.

“You’re seriously asking me that!?” She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Did you check your phone?”

“I did.”

“Then did you see my messages?”

“I did.”

“When did you wake up?”

“Yesterday afternoon.”

Shimizu Yuu could no longer stay calm. She glanced around, ensuring no one was paying attention, then leaned down and nearly growled, “Then why didn’t you reply? Do you have any idea how worried people were? I barely slept a wink last night! Is moving your fingers to send a reply really that hard?”

Hoshino Gen held her gaze momentarily, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. Unable to hold back, he chuckled. “My bad, my bad. I was going to send you a period, but I forgot. Anyway, thanks for your concern.”

He wasn’t lying—he did appreciate others worrying about him and had no intention of causing trouble on purpose. It was just that yesterday, his attention had been completely occupied by the resident in his left eye, so Shimizu Yuu’s messages had slipped his mind.

“You’re still laughing!” Shimizu Yuu was furious.

The curve of Hoshino Gen’s lips deepened slightly. Amused, he said, “My mistake.”

By now, a few classmates had noticed the commotion. After all, Hoshino Gen had long established a reputation as the “silent, strange” type. Seeing someone actively engaging with him? That was a minor newsworthy event in Class 1-A.

Noticing this, Shimizu Yuu shot him a fierce glare and muttered under her breath, “Annoying jerk.”

Then, she hurriedly walked away—not because she was worried about being seen talking to him, but simply because she knew Hoshino Gen wasn’t the type to enjoy attention. If his “smiling enigma” persona were to crumble, given his appearance, he’d probably never have a moment of peace between classes again.

As soon as she returned to her seat, Suzuki Sawami sidled up to her with a teasing grin. “What were you talking about with Hoshino? From the way you looked, you were like a wife scolding her husband for staying out all night~”

“What are you even saying!” Shimizu Yuu’s bright, almond-shaped eyes widened as she protested, “He and I are just regular friends! Sawami, that’s so disrespectful!”

Suzuki Sawami giggled. “Regular friends, huh~? There are plenty of people in this school who’d love to be Hoshino’s ‘regular friend,’ but somehow, you’re the only one who actually managed it.”

That’s because I know his secret! Shimizu Yuu grumbled internally. Of course, she couldn’t say that aloud. Instead, she pouted, at a loss for words, before muttering, “Just don’t say weird things, okay? It wouldn’t be good if people heard.”

“Yes, yes~” Suzuki Sawami smiled knowingly, her gaze shifting between Shimizu Yuu and Hoshino Gen. When her eyes landed on him, taking in his ridiculously handsome side profile, she couldn’t help but sigh internally.

Even the most aloof, untouchable person still had to go through the turbulence of youth, huh?

Shimizu Yuu had no idea what her friend was thinking. As for Hoshino Gen—he didn’t know, and he didn’t care.

The bell rang. Next was P.E. class.

After gathering on the field, the gym teacher led them to the kendo hall. Today’s lesson was on kendo fundamentals.

Ten minutes of basic swings, then paired practice. Students were assigned partners based on their lineup order. The teacher and Shimizu Yuu—who had placed second in the national middle school kendo tournament—demonstrated the movements at the front, while the rest followed along.

Hoshino Gen was paired with a boy named Uchida Mitsutaka, one of those students who consistently ranked at the bottom academically but was always full of energy.