Suzukaze High School, Shibuya, Tokyo.
The final bell rang with the same dull melancholy as always, ending the eighth class as if apologizing for having existed.
Outside, the sky was clear. But inside classroom 1-C, the air still carried the collective fatigue of a day full of formulas, graphs, and teachers explaining things with even more sleep in their voices than the students had in their eyes.
Haruka (leaning on his desk, scrolling through his phone):— "...I can't believe Hirata sent another screenshot of the 'waifu ranking'."
He didn't smile, but his blue, cynical eyes betrayed that he didn't hate being there. Surrounded by people who talked too much but expected too little.
Hirata (walking in, looking excited, backpack full of keychains):— "Dude, look at this! There's a leak of the new Magical Girl Eclipse episode! Apparently, Sayaka is gonna—!"
Haruka (without looking up):— "—Die? Again?"
The others laughed. Haruka didn't. But he didn't seem annoyed either. This was as close as he got to feeling "included." And deep down, he liked it.
Sato (leaning in with a box of pocky):— "You should write anime theories, Hayashi. You'd make money just from the titles."
Haruka (reaching for a pocky):— "I already get enough suffering for free. Thanks."
And it was in that usual setting that his eyes caught something… off.
A soft red glow. He looked toward the hallway. And there she was.
Fiery red hair. A confident stance. Emerald green eyes that didn't ask permission—just stared, like they could see straight through someone's soul.
It was her... Momozono Miko.
And at that moment... Haruka felt something. Strange. Like a whisper brushing past his ear. Cold, heavy, and very, very old.
Haruka (turning his head subtly, whispering):— "...What the hell was that?"
Momozono paused for a second at the door. Her eyes met his. No smile. No greeting. And then... she walked on.
The group kept chatting about anime, games, and questionable memes. But Haruka wasn't listening anymore.
That girl, Momozono Miko. Those eyes. And that eerie thing… like a presence. Not human.
Haruka(staring at the empty hallway, resting his chin on his hand):— "Just my imagination. Lack of coffee and too much otaku density per square meter."
Hirata(poking his shoulder with a pack of dorayaki):— "Yo, you alive? They've called your name five times for the waifu showdown. You gonna defend Honoka-chan or what?"
Haruka(grabbing the sweet and standing up):— "Sure. With a tactical retreat."
He left the classroom—too fast for someone just "going to the bathroom."
The hallway was quiet. For a moment, Haruka thought he was alone. But the sound came before he noticed it.
A whisper, from the far end of the corridor.
???(dragging voice, faint, barely formed):— "...return... she... won't..."
Haruka stopped.The air grew colder. His skin bristled.
Haruka(looking around, hesitant):— "...Is someone there?"
Nothing.
Just the sound of the school clock...Tick. Tick. Tick.
Until...
???(appearing behind him, arms crossed, gaze intense):— "You heard it, didn't you?"
Haruka(turning quickly, startled):— "Tch! You were following me, Momozono?"
Miko(approaching slowly):— "No. I was just waiting to see if you'd ignore it or pretend it didn't happen."(pause)"But you heard it."
Haruka blinked. His heart was racing—not out of fear of her, but from not understanding what was going on.
Haruka (trying to sound skeptical, crossing his arms):— "And what if I say I didn't hear anything?"
Miko(raising an eyebrow, sarcastic):— "Then you'd be lying. And you're terrible at it."
Her green eyes shone with unsettling confidence.Haruka felt like he was being read like an open book.
Haruka (trying to keep his cool):— "Okay. Let's say maybe I heard something. So what?"
Miko(glancing up thoughtfully):— "Then you saw it. And heard it."(short pause)"You have an awakened spiritual fragment."
Haruka(chuckling dryly):— "You're kidding, right? Is this an improv theater club or are you seriously talking about ghosts?"
Silence.Miko just stared. Serious. No irony.
And then something behind Haruka... manifested.
A shapeless shadow, floating silently, like black smoke gaining form.
Eyes. Dozens. Lidless. Aimless. Just... watching.
Haruka couldn't breathe.
Haruka(whispering, paralyzed):— "...W-what... is that...?"
Miko reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper.
The creature lunged toward them with terrifying speed, full of murderous intent.
She flicked her wrist with precision, throwing the talisman like a shuriken.
Miko(commanding):— "Purification Talisman—Activate!"
The seal glowed.The shadow screamed—a sound like shattering glass and wind in agony.
And then… silence.
The shadow dissolved into the air.
Like it had never been there at all.
Haruka(on his knees, panting):— "...W-what... was that?"
Miko(putting another talisman back into her inner pocket):— "A Lesser Kodoku. Drawn to your energy."(pause)"Do you believe me now?"
The silence after the shadow's destruction was heavy, as if time itself had slowed. Haruka remained on the ground, unsure what to do with the weight of what he'd just learned. He looked at Miko—far too calm, like nothing had even happened.
Miko(putting the seals away with a sigh of light impatience):— "Don't look at me like that. I'm an exorcist. It was nothing special."(pause)"Just a pathetic spirit feeding off someone with no protection."
Haruka(holding his head, confused):— "Exorcist? You... you really believe in this stuff?"(softer)"This isn't a horror movie."
Miko(serious, unwavering gaze):— "No. It's way more real than you can imagine."
The air was still cold, as if the walls around him were closing in, but Haruka couldn't take his eyes off Miko's hands. The way she had dealt with that thing... like it was routine. Like she'd done it a thousand times.
Haruka(trying to make sense of it, standing up):— "And that shadow thing? What happened to it? How did you do that?"
Miko(shrugging):— "It was a purification exorcism. Basically, the seal breaks the bond between the entity and the host's energy."(pause)"You have the energy of a very sensitive person. That attracts those things."
Haruka frowned, a flicker of anger surfacing. He didn't want to be involved in this. But he was starting to realize there was no turning back. That presence, the feeling of being watched... it all made sense now.
Haruka(trying to walk away, dry tone):— "I'm not interested in joining your... supernatural world. I don't care about any of this."(sighs)"I just want to be left alone."
Miko(hand in her pocket, not aggressive):— "It doesn't work like that. You don't have a choice, Hayashi Haruka. You're already part of this. If you ignore it, it's only a matter of time before something worse shows up."(pause)"And I won't let you die just because you don't understand what's happening."
Haruka (turning to her, defiant):— "And what do you want from me? I barely know you! I don't care about your ghost-hunting life!"(looks down)"I just want my quiet life. Is that too much?"
Miko(firm, but with a flicker of empathy in her eyes):— "I get how you feel. But the thing is—you're not in control anymore. Not now."(pause)"You have rare energy. You're going to keep attracting spirits. You've already noticed, haven't you?"
Haruka was about to argue, but her gaze made him hesitate. There was a terrifying calm in her. Like she knew. And that bothered him.
She didn't seem like she wanted to convince him. She wasn't forcing him. But he knew that if he truly wanted to get rid of this, he'd have to make a choice. And deep down... he knew it wouldn't be easy.
Haruka(taking a deep breath, trying to stay calm):— "And what exactly do you expect me to do? Spend the rest of the school year trying to figure all this out?"(pause)"I'm not an exorcist. I'm just some guy trying to survive high school."
Miko(looking away, thoughtful for a second):— "It's not about being an exorcist, Hayashi Haruka. It's about surviving."(looks him dead in the eye)"You'll need to learn how to deal with what's happening. And... maybe I can help. But that means more than just pretending it's not real. You'll have to choose."
He felt the weight of her words. They made sense. He couldn't keep ignoring this. But the fear of the unknown still held him.
Miko gave him a faint smile, like she understood exactly what he was going through.It wasn't mocking—it was... kind.
Miko (turning toward the exit, already walking away):— "I'll give you some space to think. But not for long, Hayashi Haruka. I'll find you again. There's no running from this."(pause)"Now, if you'll excuse me."
Haruka(still shaken):— "This won't just go away with a hot shower and a good night's sleep, will it?"
Miko(without looking back, smirking):— "If it were that easy, I wouldn't have bothered waking you up. Good luck, Hayashi Haruka."(short pause)"Oh, and by the way—your name's too long to say all the time... I'm calling you Rinri-kun. Much faster. Works better."
She disappeared down the hallway, leaving Haruka behind—more lost than ever.