SWNOVELXO Chapter 117: Chapter 115: Pity
"Mom! What are you talking about!" Yui couldn't hold back her embarrassment any longer after hearing her mother's words. Her face turned bright red.
"I-I mean, Ryuji and I aren't even boyfriend and girlfriend yet!"
Though she liked him a lot, Yui knew they hadn't officially become a couple.
"..."
So, it was a one-sided crush.
Mrs. Yuigahama's momentary relief crumbled into disappointment. Well, it seems her hopes were a bit premature!
"You—" She was about to continue teasing, but seeing the panic in her daughter's eyes, she stopped herself. She didn't want to embarrass her any more than necessary.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more. After all, Ryuji-kun will be here soon!" Yui looked genuinely worried that her mother might say something embarrassing in front of him.
"I know, I know," Mrs. Yuigahama replied, chuckling to herself. The thoughts and feelings of her daughter were written all over her face. Mrs. Yuigahama wasn't oblivious, she could clearly see how infatuated Yui was.
She sighed inwardly. It's said that once daughters find love, they drift away from their mothers. Hers wasn't even in a relationship yet, and she was already getting protective of Ryuji. Ah, well.
"Is this Yui's house?"
Ryuji had arrived at the Yuigahama residence. Standing in front of the two-story house, he scanned it briefly, sensing the lingering presence of something unnatural.
"There's definitely some residual energy here, but it's not strong. The manifestation's still weak, it's more of a nuisance than a real threat," he muttered to himself. Still, weak or not, he couldn't just ignore it now that he was here.
Ryuji pressed the doorbell.
Inside, Yui's eyes lit up when she heard the chime. "That must be Ryuji-kun!" She dashed toward the door, her excitement clear in her voice.
"Slow down!" Mrs. Yuigahama called after her, though she couldn't help but smile at her daughter's enthusiasm.
Yui swung the door open. "Ryuji-kun!"
"Hey, Yui. Good evening," Ryuji greeted her with a smile.
"Thank you so much for coming, Ryuji-kun. I'm sorry to trouble you so late."
"It's no trouble," he replied with a warm smile, gently patting her on the head. The gesture was comforting, and Yui felt her worries melt away as she let him inside.
By now, Mrs. Yuigahama had made her way down from the second floor, and her eyes landed on Ryuji. She couldn't help but admire how handsome and calm he seemed. If she were younger, she might have been a bit flustered herself. But looking at him now, she found herself wondering, could a young man like Ryuji really be interested in her daughter? She only knew Yui had a crush on him, but what did he think?
Just as she was about to greet him, something cold and sinister flashed before her eyes. A chilling grin appeared in front of her, so sudden that she stumbled back in shock.
"Mom!" Yui shouted as she saw her mother losing her balance, falling backward toward the stairs.
Even though the stairs weren't that high, a fall like that could still cause serious injury. But before Yui could even react, Ryuji was already moving.
In an instant, he appeared beside Mrs. Yuigahama, catching her in his arms just before she hit the ground. There was no impact, no pain just the warmth of someone holding her securely.
"Am I… okay?" Mrs. Yuigahama blinked, disoriented but unharmed. Slowly, she realized she was in Ryuji's embrace. Her face turned bright red as the reality of the situation set in.
"Thank you, thank you so much," she stammered, looking up at Ryuji, who smiled down at her reassuringly.
"It's nothing," Ryuji replied smoothly, gently setting her back on her feet. As Mrs. Yuigahama stood there, flustered and embarrassed, Yui rushed over.
"Mom, are you alright?"
Seeing her mother safe in Ryuji's arms, Yui breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't even mind that Ryuji had held her mother, it was more important that she was unhurt.
"I-I'm fine," Mrs. Yuigahama said, still feeling a bit awkward. Here she was, getting flustered by a guy her daughter liked. How inappropriate! She quickly lowered her head to hide her blush.
"Thank you, Ryuji-kun," Yui said sincerely, her eyes filled with gratitude. She couldn't imagine what would have happened if he hadn't been here.
"It's nothing, really," Ryuji smiled, shaking his head. "Besides, it would've been a real shame if someone as lovely as your mother got hurt."
As he said that, he slowly helped Mrs. Yuigahama to the sofa. The words were casual, but they flustered her even more.
"I'm not that young," Mrs. Yuigahama muttered, embarrassed.
"Not at all! You look young enough that people would probably think you and Yui are sisters," Ryuji said, smiling.
Yui giggled happily. "I think so too! Mom looks so young!"
Mrs. Yuigahama shook her head, a small smile on her face. Her daughter's innocence made the situation less awkward.
Suddenly, Mrs. Yuigahama winced. "Ow…"
"Did you sprain your ankle?" Ryuji asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I think I twisted it when I almost fell."
"Let me take a look," Ryuji said, kneeling down in front of her. "I know a bit about massage, this should help ease the pain."
"Oh no, I've already troubled you enough tonight…" Mrs. Yuigahama tried to decline, but Ryuji was already gently examining her ankle.
"Really, it's no trouble at all," he said, smiling up at her before he began massaging her ankle with practiced hands.
Although it was purely to help her heal, the touch still made Mrs. Yuigahama's heart race a bit. It had been so long since anyone had taken care of her like this.
"Speaking of which," Ryuji said casually, hoping to change the subject and ease the tension in the air, "did anything strange happen to you today?"
"Strange?" Mrs. Yuigahama thought back to the events of the day. "Well, there was that accident at work…" She proceeded to explain about the intern who had died suddenly and the eerie sightings she'd experienced afterward.
Ryuji listened carefully, nodding as she spoke. "That makes sense."
"Is it related to the weird thing that's been haunting her?" Yui asked, curious and a little worried.
"Most likely, yes," Ryuji confirmed. "When someone dies suddenly, especially in a tragic accident, their spirit can hold onto strong emotions like resentment or jealousy. In this case, it seems like your mom felt pity for the intern, which might have created a connection between them."
"So, that's why this spirit targeted her?" Mrs. Yuigahama asked, looking a bit shaken.
"Exactly," Ryuji explained. "Newly formed spirits are often drawn to people who express emotions like sympathy or sorrow toward them. This one latched onto you because of that."
"But it didn't seem dangerous, right?" Yui asked, trying to comfort her mother.
"Right," Ryuji reassured them both. "The spirit was weak, more of a nuisance than a real threat. But if left alone, it could have become more aggressive over time."
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