Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Tonight’s dinner at the Hoshino household was a special one—Hoshino Rin herself took over the kitchen. After watching a sushi-making tutorial online that afternoon, her curiosity got the better of her. Thus, their dinner shifted from the usual hotel-catered Japanese cuisine extravaganza to a handcrafted sushi feast prepared by none other than the nation’s top idol herself.

Hoshino Gen had no objections. Though he would never praise her gaming skills, he had to admit his little sister was exceptionally adept at everyday life skills.

At least the sushi piled high on his plate looked professional and tasted decent enough.

The record player in the living room was playing a serene classical violin piece. Meanwhile, in the dining room, Liz and Hoshino Rin chatted in English.

Hoshino Gen ate his sushi in silence, lost in his thoughts about the three paranormal cases at hand. Among them, the Tokyo Bay wraiths incident seemed the easiest on the surface, while the Nagano Nai ghost school case appeared the most challenging.

As for the Urban Legend Broadcast… that one was tricky. Its origins were unclear and difficult to trace, so he planned to tackle it last.

In terms of time sensitivity, his best option was to start with Shiratake Village in Chiba Prefecture. According to the files, the water ghost from Tokyo Bay often changed its activity zone.

The intelligence had an expiration date—recent reports suggested the ghost was active near Shiratake Village, but that might not be the case if he delayed. Tracking it down later would only become more difficult.

With that in mind, Hoshino Gen decided to head to Shiratake Village the next morning.

…

“By the way, brother, the film crew has a few scenes to shoot in a village near Chiba Prefecture. I’ll be leaving with them tomorrow for a two-day trip, so I’m counting on you to look after Liz, okay?”

After dinner, as Hoshino Gen passed through the living room, Hoshino Rin, seated on the sofa and playing a single-player game, casually dropped this news.

Hoshino Gen, who was heading back to his room, raised an eyebrow and looked at his sister with a trace of suspicion.
“A village near Chiba? For its idyllic scenery and proximity to Tokyo Bay?”

“Eh?” Hoshino Rin paused her game and looked at him in surprise. “How did you know that, brother?”

Then, as if realizing something, she nodded in understanding.
“Well, that kind of location is popular in movies and TV shows. Makes sense!”

Pouting, she started rambling.
“Honestly, I didn’t want to be in this drama at all—it’s exhausting and troublesome. But it’s a group project arranged by the agency for the whole TKY02 team. If I don’t participate, it might affect the show’s popularity and make everyone unhappy…”

“And, oh, brother, let me tell you, this show is so boring! The plot is so clichéd! For instance, the scenes we’re shooting in Chiba are about a group of high schoolers who get lost during a field trip and stumble into a village. On the first night, someone gets murdered. The villagers blame it on a ghost, but it turns out to be a human killer—”

“Stop.” Hoshino Gen cut her off before she could continue her endless rant. His calm voice carried a hint of exasperation.
“I’m not babysitting.”

Hoshino Rin blinked, tilting her head.
“Why not? Do you have plans tomorrow?”

Hoshino Gen didn’t answer her directly but instead asked,
“Is the village your crew is going to called Shiratake?”

“!” Hoshino Rin’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Brother, do you have mind-reading powers?!”

Hoshino Gen responded with a polite smile.

Hoshino Rin stuck out her tongue awkwardly.
Okay, maybe mind reading wasn’t realistic. But then again, her brother’s “superpowers” already defied common sense…

After a moment of thought, Hoshino Rin concluded. Nodding with a determined expression, she asked,
“Are you also heading there? Wait—could it be… the ghost rumors are real?”

“Maybe. I can’t say for sure if it’s still active now, but at least as of yesterday, a villager was attacked by a ghost.” Hoshino Gen didn’t bother hiding the truth from her.

Hoshino Rin’s eyes lit up briefly, but then she hesitated, nervously twirling a lock of hair.
“Should I… warn the crew to change locations or delay the shoot?”

“With what reason? Claiming there’s a ghost?” Hoshino Gen chuckled.
“Don’t bother. Without solid evidence, pushing for changes in the crew’s plans would hurt your reputation. It’s a thankless task. But if you really want to, I won’t stop you.”

With a shrug, he headed off to his room to shower.

Hoshino Rin frowned slightly, watching his retreating figure with a thoughtful look.

It wasn’t about whether her brother was right—she was preoccupied with another question.

Was her brother… worried about her? Was he concerned she’d make a mistake and hurt her image?

Had her recent efforts to strengthen their bond finally paid off? Yes. It had to be that.

Suppressing the urge to squeal, Hoshino Rin tossed aside her game controller and rolled around on the sofa in excitement.

Just then—

“Rin? What… are you doing?”

Fresh from her bath, Liz appeared in the living room, her damp blonde hair hanging loose. She froze at the sight of Hoshino Rin rolling around like a maniac on the sofa, her face a mix of shock and disillusionment.

Hearing Liz’s voice, Hoshino Rin froze mid-roll. She stiffly turned her head toward the little girl.

“…”

Silence. They stared at each other without a word.

…

The Next Morning

“Liz, have you packed your things? We’re leaving soon!” Hoshino Rin’s voice echoed from the entrance as she tugged her suitcase.

“All ready!” Liz replied, stepping out of her room in a white dress and a small sun hat, pulling a tiny suitcase behind her. She gave Hoshino Rin a bright smile, her earlier gloom nowhere to be seen.

Hoshino Rin leaned down and affectionately ruffled Liz’s soft cheeks.
“Our little Liz is just too adorable! Remember to stay safe around the other TKY02 sisters, okay?”

Liz giggled and slipped on her tiny black leather shoes, transforming into a picture-perfect little princess straight out of a fairy tale.

Hoshino Rin admired her handiwork with a satisfied smile. Beautiful things truly lifted one’s mood. But then a thought dampened her spirits. She pouted, muttering resentfully,
“Brother is so mean. We could’ve all taken the bus together and enjoyed a group trip vibe, but no—he insisted on going ahead alone…”