Nozono Shizuka: ".."
Tsukiyoushoku is considered a relatively famous existence even among Yokai, yet these two don't even know that. Has Kisaragi Chiyo not taught them anything regarding this subject?
Could it be that Kisaragi is following some kind of free-range, carefree educational approach this time?
Thinking of this, Mechano Family looked at Kisaragi Chiyo with a sense of frustration at her lack of progress.
Kisaragi Chiyo: "?"
Before Kisaragi Chiyo could even show a look of confusion, Nozono Shizuka withdrew his gaze first.
“Tsukiyoushoku is a yokai who is fond of traveling everywhere,” Nozono Shizuka introduced to the two of them.
It is said that during his travels, he chooses abandoned residential houses and warehouses that haven't been used for a long time as temporary resting places.
And when he leaves.." Mechano Family said, glancing at Kisaragi Chiyo, "as a reward, he turns one old thing in that house into something brand new.
Of course," the crimson eyes narrowed slightly, Mechano Family let out a light chuckle, saying in a lighthearted tone, "There have also been rumors that Tsukiyoushoku possesses the power to make one grow young again, restoring one's youth.
A Yokai possessing such power could almost be called a miracle.
However, there is one regrettable point," Mechano Family shook his head. "This return is complete; even the memories have returned to the past along with everything else.
"A miracle??" Matsuda Jinpei repeated. From his expression, he didn't seem to believe in this so-called miracle.
He did not care about the mystical power of the Tsukiyoushoku, a capability that humans had been constantly praying for and pursuing for hundreds of years. At the moment, the only thing he cared about was what kind of impact this ability would have on Kisaragi Chiyo.
"Don't worry." Nozono Shizuka seemed to have read the anxiety in Matsuda Jinpei's heart.
The 'blessing' on Kisaragi Chiyo is gradually fading.
Rather, Tsukiyoushoku merely gave him a brief experience of reliving his youth as a form of repayment.
This guy.." Mechano Family lowered his eyes, as if thinking of something from the past, "I'm afraid he's used his sensitivity to other people's emotions to help a yokai again, haven't they?
Again?
Hara Kenji raised an eyebrow when he heard that term. But in the end, he didn't ask anything; he didn't even need to speak to be certain that the human claiming to be from the Mechano Family would never tell him what he wanted to know.
“Probably by tomorrow.. or perhaps the day after, it should be fully recovered.” Nozono Shizuka curled his fingers against his chin and gave a meaningful smile to Hara and Matsuda, saying with implication, "Well.. since it's a deal made in gratitude, given Kisaragi's personality, I'm afraid he agreed to Tsukiyoushoku's method himself."
"What??" Matsuda Jinpei frowned. He wanted to press further, but he saw the young man opposite him raise a finger, making a shushing gesture.
"Alright, next it should be the business of you three." Nozono Shizuka picked up the coffee cup in front of him, refusing to continue the conversation any further.
"This is a good opportunity. Why don't you cherish such rare times while you can?" As he spoke, a brochure was handed in front of Matsuda Jinpei.
"Ah, that's right." Just as Hara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei were about to stand up and leave with Kisaragi Chiyo, Nozono Shizuka suddenly chimed in again.
"I had the clerk pack up a portion of cream scones." That same tone and attitude appeared again, leaving Hara feeling quite conflicted and annoyed.
It's the shop's signature recommendation; I thought Kisaragi Chiyo would like it.
*
Nozono Shizuka sat in his seat, watching the three of them leave with a smile, just as he had just picked up a piece of lemon cake, preparing to put it into his mouth.
Ms. Nanase appeared behind him like a ghost.
"Head of the Family." Her tone carried a faint hint of a smile, yet it also carried a sensation that made one feel an involuntary sense of guilt and a chill running down one's spine.
But Nozono Shizuka clearly wasn't in that kind of mood; he turned his head back with great composure.
Ms. Nanase, you've come too.
I thought you would come out to say a few words to Kisaragi Chiyo, after all, don't you quite like Kisaragi Chiyo?
A yokai, an evil spirit.." Ms. Nanase shook her head as she watched the three of them walk away. "As the head of the family, you should have advised him.
It's not like I haven't tried to advise him," Nozono Shizuka said with a slight smile. "But if he were to just obediently listen to my advice.. then he wouldn't be Kisaragi.
"Heh." Ms. Nanase let out a cold laugh, it was unclear whether it was directed at the disobedient Kisaragi or at those two dangerous non-humans.
"In any case, as long as Kisaragi Chiyo can tame them.. wouldn't she still be able to bring assistance to the Mechano Family?" Nozono Shizuka's hand, clutching a fork, once again stirred with the urge to reach for the crème brûlée sitting nearby.
"Tame them?" Before the fork could touch the crème brûlée, Ms. Nanase lifted the dessert from the table.
Tame with what? By feeding myself to a tiger?
And the head of the family," Ms. Nanase said, looking down at Nozono Shizuka from a height, "your sugar intake for today has already exceeded the limit.
.." Nozono Shizuka blinked. "Am I really not allowed to finish that pudding?
"No." Ms. Nanase refused without hesitation, as she left, she did not forget to take the other untouched parfait with her.
“..”
"I've really suffered a great loss." Nozono Shizuka smiled helplessly, his expression appearing somewhat troubled as he carefully savored every bite of the only surviving lemon cake.
Kisaragi, you've made me play the villain this time.
Has it been decided so easily? To reveal your entire past to them?
Nozono Shizuka narrowed his crimson eyes and looked toward the distance outside the glass window, where a figure with wide black wings flew across the sky.
A bird.. no, that's not right?
Oh, it's a cat." Nozono Shizuka slowly widened his eyes. "No wonder, no wonder..
In that case, the one beside it is..
The sound grew fainter and fainter, finally fading into the air, becoming barely audible.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thanks to all the little angels for your support, mwah 03330
Chapter 79
"Alright, stay right there, don't move." Matsuda Jinpei pressed one hand on top of Kisaragi Chiyo's head, while his other hand held a thin pencil, drawing a light black mark on the room's wall that could be easily erased.
One meter sixty-five." Hara Kenji squeezed through from behind, his gaze falling upon that line. "For Chiyo-chan's current age, it's a bit on the short side..
“Indeed, at fifteen years old, once the epiphyseal plates close in another two or three years, there will be no way to grow any taller.” Matsuda Jinpei lowered his eyes, moving his hand away from the top of Kisaragi Chiyo's head.
"However, depending on the situation," Hara said, drawing out his words. He looked at the youth's slightly depressed face and couldn't help but find it incredibly interesting; he could spend an entire day just staring at Kisaragi Chiyo's every move.
"You don't need to worry too much about your height." Hara Kenji lowered his eyes to meet the gaze of the youth looking up at him, his expression remaining calm, yet his eyes betrayed a hint of longing. It made him want nothing more than to pull the boy into a tight embrace and take several deep breaths of him.
"Future Chiyo-chan will be able to grow to 1.74 meters." Hara Kenji reached out and put his arm around the youth's shoulder; the sleeves that had been too long before now fit perfectly.
I told you I had foresight.
He stood with his hands on his hips, looking smug. He was standing by the table, where the promotional brochures that Nozono Shizuka had just handed to Matsuda Jinpei were spread out.
"A festival?" Matsuda Jinpei bit into a tomato-flavored biscuit finger, one of many snacks they had just bought from the convenience store, which also included a large assortment of various flavored snacks.
"Didn't you say we were going to watch a movie in the hotel tonight?" Matsuda Jinpei commanded Kisaragi Chiyo to get him a part from the toolbox nearby.
The projector, which hadn't been used for a long time, had some minor internal faults; as long as the aged parts were replaced, it could still be used normally.
Matsuda Jinpei didn't notice the projector's location in the hotel room at first. It was only when Hara Kenji was enthusiastically exploring his temporary territory that he found it, tucked away in a corner of the bottom shelf of the room's storage cabinet.
Among them was a DVD player and several discs.
"The interface model is correct; it can connect to the projector." After Hara wiped away the dust, Matsuda picked up the DVD and took a look. Upon attempting to start it, he found that the machine's operation was quite smooth.
"That's wonderful then." Hara Kenji squatted to one side with a smile, checking through the discs that had just been brought out.
The Ring," "One Missed Call," "Ju-on".. After checking the names of the movies, Hara Kenji's expression became somewhat complicated. "They're all horror movies.
They really are old movies." Matsuda Jinpei put down the repaired projector and gave them a casual glance. "They've been sitting here for about ten years, haven't they?
We already watched these movies back in high school.." As he spoke, Matsuda Jinpei suddenly paused, glanced at Hara Kenji, gave a calm, casual "oh.
I forgot, you don't remember.
Matsuda Jinpei looked at the somewhat bewildered expression on Hara Kenji's face and chuckled softly. He raised an eyebrow and asked in a casual tone, "Then how about we rewatch it together tonight? Of course, I won't give you any spoilers in advance."
Without waiting for Hara Kenji's response, Matsuda Jinpei turned around and asked the deep in thought Kisaragi Chiyo, who was facing the lines on the wall used to record height changes, "How about watching a horror movie together tonight?"
Hearing Matsuda's words, Kisaragi Chiyo slowly turned around. Her misty gray eyes fell upon the few DVDs in Hara Kenji's hands, as if she were judging them.
"I'm fine with anything." The fifteen-year-old Kisaragi Chiyo nodded. Although her expression remained unchanged, her gaze did not shift from those somewhat frightening DVD covers.
Matsuda Jinpei naturally noticed this as well.
Are you afraid of ghosts?
No." Kisaragi Chiyo quickly denied it, shaking his head. "I just don't have a good impression of them.
Matsuda Jinpei heard the youth's answer and said nothing. He turned around, his eyes met those of Hara Kenji, who was crouching on the ground and still looking quite large.
"Hara." After a cat and a dog stared at each other for about ten seconds, Matsuda Jinmi spoke first.
"What?" Hara Kenji blinked, looking bewildered.
Your hair is dragging on the floor.
“..”
Hearing this, Hara Kenji stood up abruptly with a sudden movement. He twirled the ends of his hair and inspected them carefully, only feeling relieved once he was certain no dust had clung to them.
This is the problem with having long hair," Hara Kenji complained with a troubled expression. "I wish I had short or medium-length hair like Little Jinpei and Chiyo-chan.
Matsuda Jinpei's lips twitched as if he wanted to speak, but in the end, he swallowed the words he was about to say.
*
"Are you feeling bored?" While Hara Kenji went to the bathroom to fix his hair, Matsuda Jinpei came over to sit by Kisaragi Chiyo's side.
At fifteen years old, Kisaragi Chiyo still kept his shoulder-length bob. His youthful features had not yet fully matured, there was a sense of adolescent innocence in his eyes and voice. Combined with Kisaragi Chiyo's current height and build, which were neither tall nor robust, he inevitably possessed a somewhat androgynous quality.
"No." Kisaragi Chiyo lowered his eyes, his gaze drifting past the balcony toward the street outside, where all manner of people and various buildings stood, with houses of varying heights clustered together as if surrounding the rolling mountains of his hometown.
"Those are vehicles." Kisaragi Chiyo stared for a long time before uttering those words.
In his memory, he had seen cars before. When he was still small, probably five or six years old, Grandma Oboshima took him away from the shrine for the first time. They passed through villages, walked out of the mountains, arrived at a place called Hanbara, where there were mountains similar to these.
That trip was to offer congratulations to the newborn child of the Mechano Family, the child who would one day become the leader of the Mechano Family Exorcists.
The next time he visited the Mechano Family was seven years later, that child was already seven years old.
His appearance looked somewhat similar to the red-eyed man seen at the dessert shop today.