Tokyo Exorcism Diary

When she saw the photo displayed on the tablet screen, Ayane Sasaki paused for a moment.

Dark hair hanging loosely, delicate features, skin pale and cool-toned, heterochromatic eyes—who else could it be but Gen Hoshino?

“Isn’t he super handsome? You go to the same school, right? Sis, do you know him?”

Even someone as usually aloof and indifferent to outsiders’ affairs as Ayane Sasaki couldn’t help but be a little surprised. She swiped the photo away, pulling up the chat history instead. Ignoring the trivial messages, Ayane glanced at the timestamp of the latest few lines.

Gradually, the slight crease between her brows smoothed out. She stood up and said helplessly to her sister, “You’ve been duped. The person chatting with you isn’t the same as the one in the photo.”

“Eh?” Sasaki Ruri blinked, her large, pretty eyes full of confusion. “How do you know that, Sis?”

“Because the person in the photo wasn’t using his phone or any other device during that time period. There’s no way he could’ve sent those messages.”

Ruri looked even more baffled. “So how do you know that?”

Ayane hesitated, then replied, “Because… he was with me during that time.”

“Ehhhh?!” Ruri gasped, her voice practically shooting through the ceiling. “With you?! D-Don’t tell me… Sis, you got yourself a boyfriend?!”

Her adorable face, teetering somewhere between cute and beautiful, wore an expression of such shock it was as if she’d just learned the world was ending.

Of course, she was mostly putting on a show. Even without Ayane denying it outright, Ruri already knew that was impossible. After all, aside from how her sister acted around her, Ayane was basically an ice queen. Love and dating felt so far removed from her, Ruri couldn’t even imagine putting the two concepts together.

And just as she was expecting her sister to flick her on the forehead and tell her to stop spouting nonsense—

Sasaki Ayane instead fell silent.

“…You’re kidding, right?!” This time, Ruri was genuinely stunned. No, more than stunned—she was in absolute disbelief. She stared at her sister’s quiet face, eyes going almost vacant from the sheer shock.

After a long pause, Ayane gently shook her head, smoothed out Ruri’s slightly messy bangs, and without saying another word, turned and walked toward her room.

Sasaki Ruri sat frozen, watching her sister’s slender figure retreat. She had no idea what to make of this. But as Ayane disappeared behind her door, Ruri felt like she’d found part of the answer.

Boyfriend or not, her sister definitely had something going on with that guy in the photo!

Turning back to her chat app—now filled with several new messages—Ruri curled her lip and decisively deleted the sleazy thief who’d been using someone else’s picture.

Meanwhile, Ayane had barely returned to her room when her phone rang. A mature woman’s voice came through the line, asking, “Have you given it some thought?”

It was a vague question, but Ayane knew exactly what it referred to.

Two days ago, her mother had told her that the Hoshino Conglomerate—who had always maintained a strong cooperative relationship with the Sasaki family—had proposed a marriage alliance. The boy was sixteen, same age as her, and within the Sasaki family, she was the only girl of suitable status and age. Her mother had asked for her thoughts on the matter.

But Ayane hadn’t given an immediate answer. Her mother had simply said, “No need to rush. He’s in the same school as you. Observe him for a few days, think it over carefully.”

To be honest, Ayane had long since mentally prepared herself for something like this. Growing up in this kind of family, constantly exposed to its expectations, coupled with her naturally cool personality, she’d never held much hope for the so-called idea of love.

As long as the person wasn’t unbearable, she could accept an arranged marriage. After all, she’d benefited greatly from the family and had always believed it was only right to contribute something in return.

So, from that moment on, she’d done as her mother suggested—quietly keeping an eye on Hoshino Gen, the boy whose name she’d heard mentioned before.

She learned that he rarely spoke at school, that he brushed off conversations with girls without hesitation, and that when bullied, he retaliated with brutal precision… And she couldn’t help but recall how he’d kept running beside her in the gym, face calm even when exhausted.

Sasaki Ayane was silent for a few seconds. Then, she responded into the phone, “I have no objections.”

“…I see. Understood.” The voice on the other end said softly.

…

Hoshino Gen received word that he’d be attending a banquet the day after school, with the event scheduled for that very evening.

Unlike the last banquet—where he’d shown up accompanied only by a butler and a bodyguard-driver—this time was different. Not only had Tilina returned, bringing Hoshino Rin along to join him, but even the current head of the Hoshino Conglomerate, their grandfather, made an appearance in person.

Oddly enough, the scale of this banquet seemed smaller than the one previously hosted by the Amamiya Corporation on the 33rd floor of the Narukami Tower. However, the guests tonight… each was more intimidating than the last.

The setup was different too. Everyone had assigned seats, carefully arranged according to status. The Hoshino Conglomerate, being the honored guests, naturally shared a table with the Sasaki clan, tonight’s hosts.

Throughout the evening, laughter and polite conversation filled the venue—except, notably, from Hoshino Gen and the ever-cool Sasaki Ayane. Even Rin found herself trapped in conversation by a sweet, wheelchair-bound girl from the Sasaki family.

As the banquet drew to a close, Tilina quietly asked Hoshino Gen whether he could accept Sasaki Ayane.

Hoshino Gen’s answer was nonchalant.

Thus, as though afraid that delaying even a little might allow unexpected variables to creep in, the Sasaki clan and the Hoshino Conglomerate formally announced the engagement before the night was over. And just like that, Hoshino Gen and Sasaki Ayane became an official betrothed pair.

…

The news sent quite a ripple through high society, even extending its shockwaves all the way to Segawa Private Academy.

After all, the academy wasn’t short on students from prominent families.

So, the next morning, nearly everyone in Segawa was left reeling by the revelation:

That the super-genius, ice-cold beauty Sasaki Ayane was now engaged to none other than Hoshino Gen—the same Hoshino Gen rumored to have blood on his hands.