Tokyo Exorcism Diary

The cerulean sky rippled with a sea of pristine white clouds, and pink cherry blossoms blanketed the streets like a snowfall. April in Tokyo resembled a dazzling watercolor painting—just a fleeting glance was enough to brighten anyone’s mood.

However, for Shimizu Yuu, who had lived here all her life, this scenery had long since lost its charm. At this moment, her mood could only be described as rather gloomy.

Walking along the road to school, Shimizu Yuu sighed deeply, looking like a wilted cabbage. She had just tried to ask her mom for an advance on her allowance and was flatly denied. Now, all she had left in her piggy bank were a few jangling coins.

This meant she couldn’t even afford the latest issue of Spirit Detective Notes, the novel series she had recently been obsessed with.

Of course, she wasn’t blaming her mom. She was just kicking herself for spending money so recklessly in the past…

Thankfully, Shimizu Yuu had a naturally optimistic personality. After a brief moment of self-pity, she quickly rallied herself and began thinking of solutions.

For high school students, the typical ways to make money were limited: allowance, scholarships, or part-time jobs. Shimizu Yuu immediately ruled out scholarships—she had enough self-awareness to know her academic prowess wasn’t her strong suit. Sure, she had an extraordinary 95-point beauty score and a swordsmanship skill that could easily score above 90, but none of that changed the fact that she was, at her core, a slacker when it came to studying.

So, the only option left was clear.

Clenching her pale fists, Shimizu Yuu raised her head with determination. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes sparkled with resolve. “That’s it! I’ll stop club activities this semester and start working after school!”

No sooner had she made this firm decision than doubt began creeping in. Because at that exact moment, something familiar entered her field of vision.

It was a book. And from the glimpse of the cover, it looked very familiar. A lightbulb went off in Shimizu Yuu’s mind—Wait, isn’t that Spirit Detective Notes? Her gaze quickly shifted to the person holding the book.

The person wore the same school uniform as her, had a tall and upright posture, and his side profile—visible from behind—showed pale skin and striking features. In an instant, a name surfaced in Shimizu Yuu’s mind.

Hoshino Gen. Her classmate!

Although the school year had only just begun, Shimizu Yuu had already formed a strong impression of this classmate. It wasn’t due to anything he did, though. He was the type to sit quietly in the classroom, always reading, so much so that Shimizu Yuu had never even heard him speak.

Even when several girls approached him, captivated by his unfairly handsome, half-Japanese, half-European appearance, he would only fix them with a silent smile until they awkwardly walked away. He was a peculiar yet low-key individual.

But what made him truly unforgettable was his twin sister—Hoshino Rin. A school legend and a famous idol, she had only appeared during the entrance ceremony and never came to school again, yet she remained the talk of the school.

Yes, this guy had an absurdly cute idol sister! It was maddeningly unfair.

But that wasn’t the point right now. The real issue was that he was also reading Spirit Detective Notes. A fellow fan?! If that were the case, as a classmate, couldn’t she just get closer to him and borrow the book? Then she wouldn’t have to suffer through a part-time job and could continue attending kendo club with her best friend Suzuki Sawami, just like in middle school, when they went to the national championships during summer vacation…

Her eyes now sparkling like stars, Shimizu Yuu broke into a small jog and called out enthusiastically, “Hoshino-kun!”

The boy in front of her paused mid-step, turning slightly. His doll-like, strikingly handsome face came fully into view, particularly his left eye—a piercing blue, like a flawless sapphire that seemed to outshine even the clear sky above.

Ah, yes, just like his idol sister, he had rare heterochromatic eyes. Shimizu Yuu felt a pang of envy. Such gorgeous eyes… I want a pair like that too.

Meeting his gaze, Shimizu Yuu perked up and ran up to him energetically. She greeted him with a bright smile, “Hoshino-kun, you take this route to school too! I’ve never seen you here before.”

The boy smiled silently, showing no intention of responding.

Shimizu Yuu felt a bead of sweat drip down mentally. Oh no, here it is—the infamous “death smile” the girls in class always complain about. It’s so awkward that it makes people want to run.

But! she thought, steeling herself. For the sake of not having to work and still getting my hands on the book, I won’t give up today!

Taking a steadying breath, she suppressed the urge to curl her toes in awkwardness and continued walking beside him. With an even brighter smile, she asked, “Do you live in the neighborhood too?”

The boy remained silent, but he closed the book in his hands. At that moment, Shimizu Yuu got a clear view of the cover—it was indeed the latest issue of Spirit Detective Notes!

Her expression shifted to one of poorly concealed excitement. The words I want it were practically written all over her face as she struggled to remain calm. “Wow, you’re reading that too? I also love it! Oh, are you already on the latest issue? I just finished the last one. I’m so curious—did the grandmother from the Taisho era ever reunite with her husband…”

Before she could finish, Hoshino Gen’s eyebrow twitched, and he suddenly moved. In a flash, he darted to her other side, crouched slightly, and placed his hands on her shoulders. With a quick push, he turned her around to face him, using her as a shield just as a car sped past, splashing a wave of muddy water from a puddle left by last night’s rain.

Shimizu Yuu stood there, stunned, covered head to toe in brown mud.

She turned stiffly to look at Hoshino Gen, who remained spotless.

With a perfectly composed expression, he held out the Spirit Detective Notes to her with both hands and said solemnly, “Thank you.”

Then, before Shimizu Yuu could even process what had happened, Hoshino Gen had slipped into a nearby taxi and vanished from her bewildered sight in a matter of moments.

…

Shimizu Yuu was on the verge of losing her mind—not just because Hoshino Gen had used her as a shield against a deluge of muddy water, but because, after returning home to clean up and change clothes, she was, predictably, late! As punishment, she had to run several laps around the school’s 400-meter track, nearly collapsing from exhaustion by the end.

During the break after the first period, Shimizu Yuu didn’t even look at the much-anticipated latest issue of Spirit Detective Notes. Instead, she sat at her desk, glaring daggers at a certain shameless jerk seated by the window in the front row.

That guy, who acted so aloof and detached at school, was actually just a scoundrel who wouldn’t think twice about using a beautiful girl as a human mud shield!

“Yuu-chan, why were you so late today…? Eh? What’s wrong with you? Why do you look so angry?”

The voice of her best friend, Suzuki Sawami, sounded beside her. Shimizu Yuu turned her head to see a well-proportioned, pretty girl standing before her, curiosity written all over her face.

Faced with her friend’s question, Shimizu Yuu’s expression immediately fell. She wasn’t eager to share her humiliating morning, but Suzuki Sawami’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she followed Yuu’s earlier gaze. Her expression shifted to one of realization.

“Did he bully you?”

Shimizu Yuu pursed her lips, unwilling to reply.

Shimizu Sawami, however, was far from deterred. Her enthusiasm flared as she pressed, “What happened? Tell me everything!” Then, lowering her voice conspiratorially, she added, “If it’s bad enough, I’ve got just the plan to get back at him!”

Hearing this, Shimizu Yuu hesitated even more. Furrowing her brow, she whispered, “It’s not that serious… No need for revenge or anything.”

“Oh, come on! Not revenge, then—just a little lesson. You can’t just take this lying down like a turtle, right?” Sawami was relentless, her tone indignant, though her real motive seemed to include stirring up trouble for the handsome enigma in question.

Being called a turtle stung Shimizu Yuu’s pride. She opened her mouth, then sighed, finally recounting how Hoshino Gen had shielded himself with her body, leaving her drenched in mud and late for school.

When she finished, Suzuki Sawami slammed her hand on the desk, her expression righteous. “That’s outrageous! Is he even a man?!

Her righteous anger might have been more convincing if her eyes weren’t twinkling with excitement and her smile wasn’t curling higher by the second.

The commotion drew the attention of several classmates, but Sawami paid them no mind. She slapped a hand on Shimizu Yuu’s shoulder, declaring with gusto, “Don’t worry, I’ll avenge you!”

“…,” Shimizu Yuu side-eyed her suspiciously.

Hoshino Gen & Hoshino Rin

Shimizu Yuu