Tokyo Exorcism Diary

To have a real home.

For Kiryu Rakuye, this wasn’t a difficult dream to achieve. In fact, it seemed almost effortless—just a matter of time. She believed that once she grew a little older, she’d find the right person, get married, have children, and finally have a place she could truly call her own.

Even if she could no longer play the role of a carefree little girl, she was certain she’d excel as both a wife and a mother, just like her mother had when she was young.

But the role of the father was equally crucial. He couldn’t be too ordinary, like her dad—someone whose absence from a single accident left the whole family shattered. Nor could he be someone obsessed with money, treating family members as commodities or bargaining chips on display. He couldn’t be easily swayed by others either, changing his attitude toward his own family because of a few rumors… Of course, it would be even better if he, like her, possessed special abilities—able to protect himself and, more importantly, protect his family.

At first, Yuto-Senpai seemed like a great candidate. Wealthy, determined, and gifted with special abilities. After a few of her efforts, he even appeared to develop some feelings for her.

But now, it seemed that Hoshino-Senpai was an even better choice. His family background was on an entirely different level, practically at the pinnacle. His mind was unshakable, immune to influence or change, and his special ability was the most powerful she had ever seen.

The most critical factor was the psychological profile compiled by the team back at the organization. According to the dense pages of analysis, there was one line etched deep into Kiryu Rakuye’s mind: “The person who can truly enter his heart might be more important to him than his own life.”

Hoshino-Senpai was undoubtedly a superior choice compared to Yuto-Senpai.

If she could make him fall for her, her lifelong wish would finally come true. No, it would be even better than she had ever imagined…

“Kiryu-san?”

A sudden voice pulled Kiryu Rakuye back to reality. She took a light breath and lifted her head, her delicate, fair face adorned with a sweet smile. “Oh, Sato-san… Is something wrong?”

As she raised her face, a beam of afternoon sunlight spilled over her flawless features, making her look like an angel descended from heaven.

Sato’s breath hitched, his face flushing red as he quickly averted his gaze, flustered. “N-No, it’s nothing. I just saw you sitting here alone and… um, were you crying?”

“Huh?” Kiryu Rakuye blinked, then instinctively touched the corner of her eye. Her fingertips came away damp. For a brief moment, her sweet smile stiffened, but she quickly recovered, waving her hand cheerfully. “No, not at all! I was just cleaning earlier, and some dust got into my eyes. I came here to rub them out, that’s all.”

“I-I see!” Sato laughed nervously, scratching his head in embarrassment. Desperate to change the topic, he blurted, “Um, I heard a new café just opened on the shopping street outside school. Do you want to check it out together?”

“Oh? Really? Hmm… I’d love to, but sorry, I have something to take care of at home.” Kiryu Rakuye stood up, using her knees for support, and waved at Sato with her usual bright smile. “See you later, Sato-san.”

“Ah… uh, bye…” Sato watched her slender figure disappear into the distance. He stretched his arms out in a futile gesture before sighing, lightly punching his own forehead in frustration. “She was totally crying… Ugh, I’m such an idiot. Why couldn’t I be braver? It was the perfect chance…”

…

Whooosh—

The chilly wind swept low across the ground, but under the clear sky following the rain, the abandoned school campus seemed to shimmer with new life.

Hoshino Gen casually stepped over the yellow tape marked “Restricted Area,” hands stuffed in his pockets, sauntering through the crumbling school gate.

Beside him, Shimizu Yuu clutched a wooden sword, her eyes darting around nervously. She stuck close to him, her tension obvious.

Hoshino Gen chuckled. “Relax. If a ghost really shows up, that charm on your wrist will react. And when dealing with ghosts, mindset is everything. The more afraid you are, the more aggressive they become. The more nervous you get, the more likely you are to screw up.”

Despite her anxious nature, Shimizu Yuu was surprisingly receptive to good advice—especially when it was meant for her benefit.

She took a few deep breaths to loosen the stiffness in her body, then stared at the distant school building, trying to keep her voice steady. “Are we just going in like this?”

Hoshino Gen gave her a sidelong glance. “Not we. You.”

She blinked. “Me? Just like that? Alone?”

“If you think it’s too early, we can grab some lunch and come back when it’s dark. I don’t mind.” Hoshino Gen pulled out two lollipops from his pocket, offering her one. “Want one?”

Although she was hungry, the thought of returning at night made her shudder. If it was this creepy during the day, wouldn’t it be terrifying after dark? She grumbled inwardly but still accepted the candy. Her hands trembled slightly as she struggled to unwrap it. The sweet, tangy taste of orange helped ease her fear a little.

After taking a moment to steady her breathing, Shimizu Yuu stepped forward. She glanced back at Hoshino Gen, who stood there lazily with the lollipop in his mouth, looking completely unfazed. She opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately turned away without a word, heading straight for the school building.

They had taken the train to Nagano-machi Station and walked from there to this infamous “Haunted School,” once known as Sakaue Middle School. Hoshino Gen had told her all about it on the way.

Sakaue Middle School was a public institution with dismal academic performance and a terrible reputation. In the Koto district—and even across Tokyo—it was infamous for its delinquent students. Bullying, violence, even horrific incidents in the bathrooms were common. People in the area often referred to it as a “trash school for trash kids.”

Despite its awful reputation, the school was never short on students, mainly because it had no admission requirements and ridiculously low tuition fees. It was basically the slums of the academic world.

Logically, a school like this shouldn’t have been shut down easily—especially as a public institution.

But reality rarely follows logic. In its final year, a series of horrifying events turned Sakaue Middle School into a place people feared to even mention—a true “hell on Earth.”