Tokyo Exorcism Diary

At Segawa Private Academy, the classroom of Class 1-D was a chaotic mess during break time.

Most of the noise came from typical high school chatter, but if one listened closely, quite a few voices were whispering about Sasaki Ayane and Hoshino Gen.

As the undisputed center of attention in the class, Sasaki Ayane was quietly seated at her desk, flipping through a book on painting. Sunlight streamed in through the window, flowing over her figure, yet it failed to melt even a fraction of her cool and aloof aura. Her jet-black hair draped smoothly down her back, and her fair skin shimmered like glass under the light. Words like pretty or beautiful were far too bland and one-dimensional to describe her.

If anything, she resembled a moonlit fairy—an ethereal being untouched by the dust of the mortal world.

Just like now, she seemed utterly unaffected by the chatter around her, as if last night’s life-altering event didn’t weigh on her mind at all.

She moved at her own pace, calmly walking toward her future, undisturbed by anyone or anything.

“Ayane-chan~” came a cheerful voice from the front of the classroom. It was the young and enthusiastic homeroom teacher. The classroom quieted slightly. Sasaki Ayane lifted her head, a subtle curiosity flickering across her flawless, sculpture-like face.

The teacher didn’t offer any explanation, simply beaming as she gestured for Ayane to come over.

Ayane closed her book and rose calmly from her seat. Just as she stepped away, a boy who had been leaning on someone else’s desk chatting turned around to leave. In that moment, Ayane passed right in front of him, a lock of her silky hair brushing against his face and carrying a soft, intoxicating fragrance.

She didn’t notice. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead as she walked past, but the boy froze, staring at her cool, delicate figure as she moved away, gulping nervously as his face flushed bright red.

Smack!

A friend behind him slapped him on the shoulder, teasing, “Stop staring—she’s someone else’s fiancée now~”

“……”

Ayane stepped out of the classroom, still puzzled. But when she saw the elderly butler—dressed in a suit and white-haired—standing just outside in the corridor, her confusion only deepened.

Fortunately, the old butler who had watched her grow up didn’t leave her in the dark for long. He smiled gently and said, “Young Miss, please pause your school day for now and return to the manor with me. Your grandfather wishes to see you.”

“Grandfather wants to see me?” Ayane blinked in surprise. There didn’t seem to be anything strange about her grandfather missing her and wanting to see her. After all, he had doted on her since childhood—almost to an overindulgent degree.

But the problem was… for the past six months, he had shut himself away in the meditation chamber, refusing to see anyone except the old butler who delivered his meals. And no one had been allowed near the place at all…

So what now—was her grandfather suddenly willing to see people again?

As if reading her mind, the butler added gently, “It’s because he heard about your engagement.”

Ayane immediately understood. She turned to look at her smiling homeroom teacher, who nodded warmly and said, “Go on. I’ll write the leave slip for you.”

“Thank you, Teacher.” Ayane nodded politely.

…

“Onii-cahn, you’re not going to school today?” Maybe it was the insomnia from the night before, but Hoshino Rin had slept in. Still in her pajamas, she padded into the living room and saw Hoshino Hoshino Gen playing video games on the sofa after returning from the café. Her voice was weak and sleepy, but she couldn’t help but ask, “Or… did I mix up the dates? Is it the weekend already?”

Hoshino Gen didn’t look up. “I’m tired. Taking the day off.”

“Oh…” Rin nodded, still a little out of it. She walked over to the couch and plopped down beside her brother. After a moment, she glanced at the small space between them, then scooted closer—almost leaning against him.

Hoshino Gen shot her a side glance but said nothing. He simply shifted away slightly and kept playing.

Rin puffed out her cheeks and moved even closer.

This time, Hoshino Gen didn’t move. He paused the game and turned to look at his unusually clingy little sister, expressionless.

Rin didn’t flinch. Instead, she recalled the many times she’d tried to get close to her brother, only to be brushed off or rejected. Her lips slowly puckered into a pout, and her peach blossom eyes turned red around the rims. Eventually, tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks like delicate glass beads.

Tears streaming, she whispered in a soft, wronged voice, “Onii-chan… do you hate me?”

“…?” Hoshino Gen froze. A big question mark practically floated above his head. What the hell was wrong with this crybaby today?

His silence seemed to make things worse. Rin’s voice became even more pitiful, and paired with her pearl-like tears, even pitiful seemed too weak a word to describe her state.

“Why?” she sniffled, on the verge of a full-on sob.

Hoshino Gen rolled his eyes. He couldn’t make sense of his dumb sister’s brain at all. Just then, the doorbell rang.

He looked at Rin—who was still sniffling and had no intention of answering the door—and sighed, putting down his controller and getting up.

At the door stood an elderly man dressed like a butler. The man gave a polite, gentlemanly smile.

“Young Master Hoshino, sorry for the intrusion. I am the butler of the Sasaki estate. I wonder if you might have a moment to come with me?”

Hoshino Gen raised an eyebrow. “Where to?”

“Oh, you see, the head of the Sasaki family, Mr. Sasaki Shinichiro, heard about your engagement to his granddaughter. He’s quite curious about you and would like to meet, if you’re willing…”

“He wasn’t at the engagement party last night?” Hoshino Gen’s expression shifted as he cut in with a polite but cold smile. “If he didn’t have time to attend his own granddaughter’s engagement, why would he have time to meet me now? Sorry, but my time’s valuable too. It’s just an arranged marriage, not a slave contract—don’t expect me to come running on command. If he wants to meet, let’s wait until our schedules align.”

His words didn’t match the politeness of his smile at all, but the butler remained unfazed, still smiling as he reached into his breast pocket.

He took out a small box and opened it, revealing a jet-black jade ring.

“Mr. Shinichiro figured you might not want to come,” he said, “so he asked me to show you this. He said if, even after seeing it, you’re still not interested, then he won’t insist.”

Hoshino Gen’s gaze sharpened instantly. A vessel… and a high-quality one at that. What did this mean? Did the Sasaki family have people like him too? Or… was that old man, Sasaki Shinichiro , one of them?

Sasaki Ayane’s grandfather had to be at least sixty. Still alive and kicking? People in their line of work didn’t live long. In both of Hoshino Gen’s lives, the only one in the trade who could be considered “long-lived” was his master.

Now he was genuinely intrigued. His eyes flicked with interest as he turned to the butler.

“Wait here.”

He didn’t close the door, just turned back inside to grab a pair of shoes from the cabinet. In the living room, the background game music was mixed with Rin’s muffled sobbing.

Hoshino Gen glanced back and met his sister’s tear-filled eyes.

He paused for a second… then turned away and stepped out the door.