Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Being “lively” in class didn’t mean eagerly answering questions during lessons. Rather, it referred to someone who enjoyed saying things that easily caught others’ attention, doing eye-catching actions, or making exaggerated movements—often drawing laughter from classmates. The type who was a bit loud and boisterous.

Popular among the boys, able to get along with the girls, and even had a decent relationship with the teachers.

Uchida Mitsutaka casually swung his bamboo sword through the air and grinned at Hoshino Gen. “Hey, Hoshino, why don’t you ever talk in class?”

“You think that makes you cool?”

Hoshino Gen smiled, raising his bamboo sword just like everyone else, assuming the middle stance demonstrated earlier by the P.E. teacher.

“But I think it’s super lame!” Uchida Mitsutaka took a stance opposite him, still grinning. “Since you never respond to anyone, a lot of people are getting pretty fed up with you, you know?”

Pa!

Uchida’s attack was effortlessly blocked by Hoshino Gen.

“There’s a rumor going around that you’re the son of some big corporation. Is that true? On TV, rich heirs always have bodyguards and get chauffeured to school in luxury cars.”

“But you don’t seem any different from us, so I guess that means the rumors aren’t true? So that also means the stuff online about Rin-chan being some corporate heiress is fake too?”

“Damn, my fantasies are shattered!” Uchida Mitsutaka let out a dramatic sigh, as if truly heartbroken. Yet, his attacks didn’t slow down in the slightest. “The idol industry is dirty, after all. If a regular idol with no background manages to make it big, it’s either because she’s being kept by some rich guy or because she’s slept her way up…”

His words were cut off when his bamboo sword went flying.

Hoshino Gen had easily deflected the wild, disorderly attacks before delivering a casual upward strike that disarmed him.

Uchida Mitsutaka froze momentarily, then burst into laughter and ran to retrieve his sword.

“You’re sneaky, man! Attacking when someone’s talking.” He spoke with a playful tone, then added, “You’re not mad, are you? I wasn’t talking about Rin-chan, you know… Well, whatever, sorry, sorry. Just kidding.”

Then his voice suddenly turned serious. “But I wasn’t kidding about people not liking you.”

“Eiki’s group is planning to bully you. Watch yourself.” Uchida Mitsutaka lowered his voice in warning.

Hoshino Gen kept his usual calm smile.

Uchida Mitsutaka clicked his tongue, suddenly finding it boring.

…

“Eiki, are you sure this’ll work?”

After P.E. class, a tall, skinny boy with acne all over his face glanced toward a buzz-cut boy leaning against the sink, a cigarette dangling lazily from his lips.

“Who cares? Worth a shot, right? Not like we lose anything if it doesn’t work. I’ve had enough of that kid.” Eiki exhaled a stream of smoke and smirked. “Besides, I’ve been watching him for a while. That guy’s probably autistic. A few beatings should get him to obey us. Then we just tell him if he brings his sister out to have dinner with us, we’ll let him off. You think he’d dare refuse?”

“If we get her in front of us, there’s no way we’d fail. Get her drunk, drug her, and deny everything later. Even if something happens, worst case, it’s just like back in middle school. My old man can handle it. In Japan, money is what makes you a big shot.”

Eiki patted the skinny guy on the shoulder, then kicked another boy beside him—a sturdily built one. “Right?”

“I just mean… people say Hoshino’s family is loaded. Someone at the last parent-teacher meeting even said they saw his mom driving a Maserati. What if we screw this up and end up dumped in Tokyo Bay instead?”

“Yeah, right.” Eiki waved dismissively, amused. “Rumors spread like crazy in school. Last time, someone even said my family was from the yakuza. And I’ve seen real corporate heirs before—Hoshino? No way.”

A sleazy grin spread across his face. “Let’s be real. That face, that body, those legs—don’t you want her? Ever since I got a close look at Rin-chan in class, I can’t stop thinking about her. I’m practically dying here.”

Just then, some cigarette ash fell onto his hand. Eiki hissed, shaking it off while swearing under his breath.

…

A pair of hands planted themselves on Hoshino Gen’s desk. Shadows loomed over him, dimming the light as he leaned on one hand, gazing absentmindedly out the window.

Noticing the shift in brightness, he turned his head.

Three figures surrounded his desk. The one in the center, the one with his hands pressed against the surface, had a buzz cut and an air of cocky indifference. To his sides stood a tall, skinny guy and a muscular one with tanned skin.

They were classmates. Hoshino Gen knew their names—Eiki Shota, Nakajima Takuma, and Shimoizumi Tetsuya.

That was about the extent of his knowledge regarding them.

“Hoshino, step outside. We need to talk.” Eiki Shota flashed a smirking grin.

His two companions stayed silent, but their expressions radiated the same smug arrogance.

Although it was just between classes and some students weren’t in the room, the scene quickly drew attention. First, because Eiki’s group was infamous. Second, because a lot of people found it intriguing that they were targeting Hoshino Gen.

Hoshino Gen recalled the warning Uchida Mitsutaka had given him during P.E.

Oh… bullying, huh?

The thought crossed his mind as he looked at the three before him.

Then, without meaning to, he laughed.

Being reborn into this world, this was a first. He had always known these things weren’t uncommon—especially in Japan. They were practically routine. But for it to happen to him…

“What the hell are you laughing at?” Eiki’s grin vanished, replaced by a glare. He reached out, aiming to grab Hoshino Gen’s hair.

But Hoshino Gen simply leaned back slightly, avoiding his hand with ease.

A chorus of gasps and startled cries erupted from the girls in class.

At that moment, Shimizu Yuu returned to the classroom with Suzuki Sawami and curiously asked a girl by the door what was going on. The girl, slightly slack-jawed, pointed toward Hoshino Gen’s desk and murmured in disbelief, “Eiki’s group is picking on Hoshino…”

“Huh?” Shimizu Yuu blinked in confusion.

Who was being bullied?