But just as the man and the spirit were contemplating what to do—and after Kisaragi Chiyo's suggestion that Hara Kenji should turn into a dog and carry the gift through a second-story window was rejected once again—Kisaragi Chiyo caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye as the two familiar-looking people stopped in front of a house not far away.
"What's wrong, brother?" Kageyama Ritsu noticed his brother turning his head, followed his gaze, only to see the two people who had just asked him for directions appearing nearby again.
"That person seems to be a friend of Master's." Kageyama Shigeo still had an impression of Kisaragi Chiyo; the high-quality Wagyu beef to be used for the hotpot party to be held at the Spiritual Consultation Office tonight had been provided by her.
That con artist has friends too?" Kageyama Ritsu raised an eyebrow. "He really is a strange fellow after all; what a bizarre connection.
"Do you know them too, Ritsu?" Kageyama Shigeo looked at the honor student younger brother beside him with some curiosity.
"They just asked me for directions not too long ago," Kageyama Ritsu answered truthfully.
"Ah, they're coming." Kageyama Shigeo looked calmly at the two people walking toward them, his gaze clashing with the evil spirit beside Kisaragi Chiyo for a second.
It was a dangerous look, like a canine marking its territory and asserting its dominance.
Just as Dimple said, it really was a dangerous and troublesome evil spirit.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to all the little angels for adding this to your collection. Mwah!
Chapter 37
“I understand.”
You want to commission me.
After Kisaragi Chiyo explained her purpose for coming, Kageyama Shigeo reached this conclusion.
"Yes, I heard Reigen Makoto mention it before; Kageyama, you are a second-year student at Salcheng Middle School. Given our connection as classmates of my sister, perhaps Miss Mizuno would be more willing to meet face-to-face." Kisaragi Chiyo spoke at a steady pace, clearly and concisely explaining the circumstances of her encounter with the spirit, Mizuno Yuri, to him.
"I see." Kageyama Shigeo accepted the reason Kisaragi Chiyo provided, but after hearing the name Mizuno Yuri, he lowered his head with a thoughtful expression.
"I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before.." Kageyama Shigeo fell into thought, his bowl-cut bangs casting a row of shadows across his face.
After all, she was a classmate of his, although they weren't in the same class, it wasn't impossible that he had happened to hear her name from someone else.
“.. Brother, have you forgotten?” Kageyama Ritsu, who had been silently observing Kisaragi Chiyo and the others, spoke up at the opportune moment: “Mizuno Yuri is the upperclassman who passed away in a car accident three weeks ago while saving an elementary school student.”
Later, the media praised Mizuno Yuri's commendable courage and spirit of sacrifice in news reports. At the same time, the tearful, handwritten letters of gratitude from the family of the rescued elementary school student were also put on display.
But perhaps, as Mizuno Yuri's family, they would have preferred she hadn't possessed such commendable courage.
"I remember now." At Kageyama Ritsu's reminder, Kageyama Shigeo finally remembered when he had heard that name.
"It is said that Mizuno died while pushing a child out of the way of an out-of-control vehicle," Kageyama Shigeo said, struggling to recall the scattered fragments of conversation he had heard.
Based on the direction Mizuno was heading home, she shouldn't have been there.
"I heard that Senior Mizuno has a habit of feeding the stray cats that gather in the abandoned tunnel, but that road is in the completely opposite direction from the tunnel," Kageyama Ritsu added more information.
Then, everyone's gazes instinctively fell upon the gift bag held by Kisaragi Chiyo.
"The reason Miss Mizuno appeared there was likely to buy a birthday gift for her younger sister," Kisaragi Chiyo said with downcast eyes, speaking in a calm tone about a truth that was somewhat cruel for Mizuno Tachibana.
".. That really is," Hara Kenji sighed softly; such regrets caused by coincidences were not uncommon in this world.
The crux of the matter now was that another new problem had been placed before them.
"Are you suggesting we tell Ms. Mizuno's sister about this?" Hara Kenji looked toward Kisaragi Chiyo, seemingly wanting to hear her thoughts.
As Mizuno Yuri's sister," Kisaragi Chiyo slowly raised her eyes and handed the gift in her hands to Kageyama Shigeo, "she has the right to know about this.
But this is outside the scope of the commission; it would be too cruel for both Kageyama Shigeo and Mizuno Tachibana.
Although Kisaragi Chiyo felt that Mizuno Tachibana had the right to know, she also felt that such a difficult task should not be left for Kageyama Shigeo to handle, that there might be other, more appropriate ways.
"After all, if a middle schooler were to do such a thing.." Although Hara Kenji, being a vengeful spirit, could instinctively sense the other's danger, Kageyama Shigeo was still a minor after all. In terms of both reason and propriety, it should be adults like them who reveal such a painful truth.
"I think even if we don't tell them why Mizuno Yuri was there at the time, her younger sister should still be able to guess it." Kageyama Ritsu looked at the birthday gift that had been transferred into Kageyama Shigeo's hands.
That carousel music box—there's only one shop in all of Chawashi that sells them.
Therefore, even if Kageyama Shigeo did not proactively inform Mizuno Tachibana, she would have quickly realized the truth upon seeing the gift.
“..”
Kisaragi Chiyo let out a soft breath and looked at Kageyama Shigeo with a solemn expression: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Kageyama-kun."
"I understand." Kageyama Shigeo nodded with a serious expression, indicating that he understood.
Does Brother need me to go with you?" Kageyama Ritsu asked, sounding a bit uneasy. He looked at Kageyama Shigeo with a hint of worry in his expression. "If Brother doesn't know how to start, I'll say it. Mizuno Tachibana is a member of the student council, just like me.
If I go along, it would be more convenient to state our purpose, wouldn't it?
"No." Kageyama Shigeo rejected his younger brother's request without the slightest hesitation. He glanced slightly to the side, his expression calm yet carrying a hint of serious tension.
“I want to go by myself.”
Perhaps because it was the first time he had received a request from an adult all by himself, Kageyama Shigeo felt a slight sense of trepidation; perhaps this was his first step toward becoming a more charming and independent person.
“.. I understand.” Kageyama Ritsu saw what was on his brother's mind, so he said, "Then I will wait here for you, brother."
So, under the watchful eyes of the two people and the malevolent spirit, Kageyama Shigeo rang the doorbell of the Mizuno residence.
*
"Did you see Senior Mizuno over by the abandoned tunnel?" Kageyama Ritsu asked Kisaragi Chiyo and the others for information, while keeping a close watch on the movement over by Kageyama Shigeo.
Yes." Kisaragi Chiyo didn't feel there was anything worth hiding. "Mizuno Yuri became a bound spirit, wandering around that intersection where she died; a Nekomata was the one who took her away.
Nekomata.." Kageyama Ritsu frowned upon hearing that. "So there really are yokai in this world.
"Since things like ghosts can exist, then it's not an unbelievable thing for monsters to exist as well." Kisaragi Chiyo saw Mizuno's front door open, a girl who looked somewhat like Mizuno Yuri cautiously poked her head out from behind the door.
"That makes sense.." Kageyama Ritsu thought about it and felt it was indeed so, his furrowed brow relaxed.
Perhaps it has something to do with how Mizuno-senpai used to go there frequently to feed the stray cats," Kageyama Ritsu speculated. "After that tunnel was abandoned following the collapse, it became a gathering place for strays.
"Collapse?" Upon hearing this word, Kisaragi Chiyo and Hara Kenji both froze for a moment.
Yes." Kageyama Ritsu looked at the two of them strangely. "That tunnel was abandoned precisely because it collapsed during the earthquake.
I see." Kisaragi Chiyo rested a hand against his chin, a contemplative expression crossing his face as he murmured his guess under his breath, ".. So the cats in that space were actually the souls of cats that had already died.. That's why Mizuno Yuri was so surprised to see Hara and me appearing there.. Because the space created by Nekomata only accommodates deceased souls.
But as for me..
Kisaragi Chiyo lowered her eyes, concealing the thoughts within them, stopped thinking further.
In the distance, after receiving the gift from Kageyama Shigeo, Mizuno Tachibana was already weeping uncontrollably.
Kisaragi Chiyo suddenly had a feeling that Mizuno Yuri's wish had been fulfilled, that she might soon vanish completely after her obsession was released.
"This, please trouble you to pass it to Kageyama-kun." Kisaragi Chiyo pulled a consultation fee contained in a brown envelope from her wide haori sleeve and handed it to Kageyama Ritsu.
We have other matters to attend to, so we're afraid we must head off first. Please pass along my thanks to Kageyama.
"Alright, I understand." Kageyama Ritsu made no attempt to make them stay. He gave a slight nod to Kisaragi Chiyo, after accepting the commission fee, he watched the two of them walk away.
*
When Kisaragi Chiyo and Hara Kenji returned to the front of that abandoned tunnel, they saw Mizuno Yuri, whose body had become even more transparent, Nekomata, who was crouching to the side, gently wagging its twin tails.
"I felt it." Mizuno Yuri clasped her hands tightly against her chest; although she looked as if she were about to cry, a look of satisfaction washed over her face.
"I heard Tachibana E calling my name." Mizuno Yuri slowly closed her eyes, in her darkness, she had a fleeting vision of her younger sister clutching at her hem and calling out for her sister.
"I want to go back." Opening her eyes again, only determination remained in Mizuno Yuri's eyes.
With her wish fulfilled, the restrictions on the earthbound spirit had been lifted, now Mizuno Yuri finally had complete freedom, even though she was about to disappear.
Even so, she was like a bird that must eventually return to its nest, choosing without hesitation to return to the side of her loved ones.
"But before that," Mizuno Yuri said with a smile to Kisaragi Chiyo and the others, her dark eyes bright and clear.
Xiaohei has something he wants to give to you all.
The black Nekomata stood up with an elegant posture and walked toward Kisaragi Chiyo.
At the other's gesture, Kisaragi Chiyo half-knelt and extended her hand.
In the next second, the cat's soft paw rested in Kisaragi Chiyo's palm.
Kisaragi Chiyo subconsciously squeezed the cat's paw in her hand, soon, she felt a faint gaze coming from behind her.
"Chiyo-chan." Hara Kenji's voice approached from behind, finally resting against her ear.
It seems the Yokai Lord didn't quite mean that.
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
"I understand.." Kisaragi Chiyo reluctantly let go, as this was the first time in his life he had been able to touch a cat from such close range, he didn't know when he would get another chance.
After Kisaragi Chiyo let go, Nekomata's claws quickly retracted, still carrying a hint of slight disdain. Then, an amusement park ticket appeared in Kisaragi Chiyo's hand.
"An amusement park?" Kisaragi Chiyo narrowed her eyes slightly, because she discovered that it was actually a ticket for the Tokyo Amusement Park.
"Yes." After Nekomata meowed a few times, Mizuno Yuri took on the responsibility of acting as the translator for the other.
Xiaohei said that this is a gift from one of its friends, the toolbox it used to fix the music box earlier was also a gift from that person.
A friend?" Hearing this, Kisaragi Chiyo finally showed a hint of interest. "Is it also a cat?
Nekomata: "Meow."
Kisaragi Chiyo, who could not understand a single word, nodded earnestly after Nekomata finished speaking, then looked up at Mizuno Yuri for help.
Hara Kenji: "Pfft, Chiyo-chan, you looked so serious just now, I actually thought you could understand what the Great Yokai was saying."
"Xiaohei's friend is indeed a cat." Mizuno Yuri looked as if she wanted to laugh but was holding it back, as she continued translating for Kisaragi Chiyo.
Xiaohei said that the other one is a very friendly cat, is also very responsible and has a strong sense of justice.
That's why you'll definitely be able to become good friends with them, Mr. Kisaragi," Mizuno Yuri said, winking at Kisaragi Chiyo. "If you become friends, perhaps you'll be granted permission to get one step closer to the kitty.
"I see." After hearing Mizuno Yuri's words, Kisaragi Chiyo nodded as if suddenly realizing something. He looked down at the amusement park ticket in his hands with an expression that was as focused and gentle as if he were looking at fried tofu in a sukiyaki pot.
I will definitely go.
"In that case, I wish that Mr. Kisaragi can realize his wish soon." After noticing Hara Kenji, who was casting a faint, lingering gaze from the side, Mizuno Yuri finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Well then, I'll be going now." Mizuno Yuri said to the two with a smile, then couldn't wait to fly toward home. Her translucent figure was like a meteor streaking across the horizon, carrying brilliant colors.
That was perhaps the color of twilight.