After all, that guy is human; perhaps he is unwilling to accept his state of being neither man nor ghost, or perhaps simply living like this isn't enough.
So he began to look for a suitable Vessel," Kisaragi Chiyo said softly. "And I am one of them.
"Yes." Hozuki nodded, not denying it.
You are not the first, but you are the most suitable one so far.
Replacing a human body is too short-lived, stitching together the corpses of yokai is too easy to.. so he must find one that matches the human appearance he desires while also being able to withstand the power of a yokai.
"Only the combination of the two is the perfect existence he desires." Hozuki's tone was flat, but Kisaragi Chiyo could feel the other man staring at her without blinking.
Originally, such a harsh condition would have been difficult to achieve, but you appeared.
"I"—Kisaragi Chiyo's mind was a chaotic mess. He opened his mouth and looked at Hozuki's expressionless face, momentarily at a loss for words.
Because of him, that's why..
No." His new superior spoke up at that moment to deny his thoughts, "It was just a chance discovery. Before seeing you, he probably never imagined that a Vessel meeting his requirements actually existed in this world.
The reason he went to your village was for revenge.
Fifty years ago, he snatched a child from the village to serve as a Vessel for his next body. But his plan ultimately failed when Oboshima intervened to save the child, though she also sustained a hidden injury during that confrontation.
But he gained nothing from it either. The original plan was interrupted by the Oboshima shrine maiden, so he could only continue to linger on, clinging to life with the corpse of the monster while scouting for a suitable Vessel.
The Oboshima shrine maiden also worked for the Hell Assistant Official when she was young, so after she informed the Hell Assistant Official of her existence, we quickly sent people to capture her, but after that.." Hozuki shook his head, "something happened in Hell, she teamed up with some troublemakers to cause chaos, using the opportunity to escape from Hell.
And the first thing he did after escaping was to seek revenge against the Oboshima shrine maiden from back then.
“That is how it happened.” Hozuki watched him suddenly flash a faint smile, then he asked the young man, "Do you know why the Hell Assistant Official chose you?"
Kisaragi Chiyo gazed into the pitch-black eyes of this Hell Assistant Official and pursed her lips.
Hozuki paid no mind to Kisaragi Chiyo's silence, he continued, "Aside from your connection to the Oboshima shrine maiden, your ability and constitution are indeed suitable for becoming Hell's proxy in the human world."
And there is another important point.
Fifty years is coming around again.
He will definitely come to find you.
*
It's bait.
Kisaragi Chiyo tilted her head back to watch the snowflakes drifting down from the sky and let out a soft sigh.
"What are you overthinking now?" Matsuda Jinpei nudged Kisaragi Chiyo lightly with his shoulder; he could tell at a glance that Kisaragi Chiyo's emotions were becoming unsettled again.
Rather, it was more accurate to say that since her last return from the Hell Assistant Official, she had been in this preoccupied state.
After several consecutive days of this, Hara Kenji, unable to bear it any longer, pinned him down on the bed, along with Matsuda Jinpei, the three of them spent the entire day fooling around.
Rather than watching the young man's mood sink until he became a dark mushroom huddled in a corner, it was better to occupy his mind and senses with other things, leaving Kisaragi Chiyo with no way to dwell on or think about those complex and heavy news.
That time, Kisaragi Chiyo was driven to tears by the two of them.
Although it didn't reach the final step, the youth still struggled to hold on due to the long-lasting, continuous high-intensity fluctuations.
Every inch of her skin was kissed and caressed without reservation.. Kisaragi Chiyo struggled to escape, but she was pressed back down by the Evil Spirit, who smiled cruelly and ruthlessly.
It is not time for the end yet.
Hara Kenji reached out his hand and used his fingertip to gently wipe away the tears overflowing from the young man's eye.
..
“How is it?” The Evil Spirit used his hands to tilt the other's face, asking mischievously, “Does Chiyo-chan like this feeling?”
Kisaragi Chiyo's eyelashes were wet, his pupils were unfocused. His brain, turned into a muddled mess, even took several minutes to figure out the meaning behind Hara Kenji's words.
“.. I like it.” Kisaragi Chiyo opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but in the end, under the weight of double exhaustion, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
This was the deepest and longest sleep he had in days.
..
An incredibly shameful memory suddenly resurfaced in her mind. Although Kisaragi Chiyo knew Matsuda Jinpei didn't mean it that way, her ears still heated up instinctively, her cheeks began to burn.
It was only at this moment that Kisaragi Chiyo began to feel relieved that, because of the winter, most of his face was hidden within his scarf, making it impossible to see anything unusual.
No.." Kisaragi Chiyo didn't dare look Matsuda Jinpei in the eyes, noticing that Hara Kenji's thoughtful gaze was falling upon him from the side. To prevent the other from noticing anything, he replied to Matsuda in the calmest tone possible, "I'm just a little worried.. the snow seems to be getting heavier.
"Indeed." Matsuda Jinpei's attention was quickly diverted to the weather.
The snowflakes falling from the sky were indeed becoming increasingly dense.
"I can only hope this snow doesn't last too long." Otherwise, certain operations would inevitably be affected by the weather.
"I hope so." Kisaragi Chiyo nodded. He gazed at the tracks in the distance, with the familiar sound of a whistle, the train they were waiting for finally arrived, covered in snow.
"Let's head up quickly." Kisaragi Chiyo rubbed his hands together, while Hara Kenji's scrutinizing gaze made him feel as if he had needles pricking his back.
Therefore, he could only try his best to change the subject.
"I'm already feeling a bit too cold to bear." With a hint of complaining and coaxing in his voice, Matsuda Jinpei didn't doubt her for a second.
After all, Kisaragi Chiyo truly couldn't stand the cold; in winter, she could hardly do without heating and a kotatsu.
But as Hara Kenji watched Kisaragi Chiyo's back as she impatiently boarded the train, he felt there was something inexplicably wrong.
Was it his illusion?
Why did he always feel that the other's footsteps carried a hint of a frantic escape?
-----------------------
Author's Note: *Passing through the long tunnel of the prefectural border lies the Snow Country. — Yasunari Kawabata, Snow Country
Thanks to all the little angels for your support, mwah everyone 030
Chapter 140
The winter chill fogged the glass windows on both sides of the train. Outside the window, the pure white snowy landscape retreated continuously, the dark mountains and dark trees gradually receded into distant black dots, leaving only the power lines cutting through the sky, passing one after another.
Kisaragi Chiyo loosened the scarf around his neck, revealing the lower half of his face that had been wrapped up, his complexion grew a bit more flushed with the change in temperature.
Because the train's heating was concentrated under the seats, a warm sensation quickly spread through his legs, which had originally been stiff from the cold. He felt as if he were soaking in a brazier, he began to grow drowsy.
Kisaragi Chiyo's eyes were half-closed, as her head drooped, her vision gradually began to blur. It was probably because it was far too warm. In winter, sleep always occupies a significant part of the day.
Kisaragi Chiyo leaned his head gently against Matsuda Jinpei's shoulder, let out a yawn, a few physiological tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.
"I'm going to sleep for a bit." Kisaragi Chiyo murmured with her eyes closed, she soon fell asleep to the swaying of the train.
Perhaps fifteen minutes had passed, or maybe it was half an hour, but when Kisaragi Chiyo opened her eyes again, she had been woken by the heat.
The warmth from the heater under the train seat made the skin pressed against the chair feel feverish. That excessive heat seeped through his clothes, like being next to a boiling kettle, burning him awake from his slumber.
Kisaragi Chiyo raised his head and looked out the window. The snow falling from the sky had grown even heavier than before, fluttering in the wind like swirling white petals.
"Why not sleep a little longer?" Matsuda Jinpei looked at him from the side. Beneath his thick, dark lashes was a handsome face with aggressive features, his teal eyes were slightly lowered, as if he were wondering why the young man had woken up so early.
"I can't sleep." Kisaragi Chiyo pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his forehead; as expected, a thin layer of perspiration had already formed on his brow.
"The heating is too hot." Kisaragi Chiyo lifted his hands to untie the scarf wrapped around his neck, then, feeling as though it still wasn't enough, he unbuttoned a few more buttons on his coat.
"You're so delicate." Hara Kenji reached out with a smile, his cool fingertips lightly brushing against Kisaragi Chiyo's face. Looking at his soft and lovely lover, who was both sensitive to the cold and the heat, he smiled as he pressed the back of his icy hand against the young man's cheek.
"Does this feel any better?" Hara Kenji pressed his other hand against her as well, his calloused fingertips gently brushing against the corners of the youth's narrow eyes. He lowered his gaze, his dark purple eyes staring intently at the expression on the youth's face.
Do you want me to try another method?
"What method?" Kisaragi Chiyo lifted her eyelids to glance at the Evil Spirit, who was full of wicked ideas. Although she knew the other party wouldn't have any good ideas, Kisaragi still asked out of curiosity.
“Chiyo-chan, come a little closer.” Hara smiled as kindly as a big bad wolf trying to lure a little lamb, he put his arm around Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder, pulling her closer to his side.
Kisaragi Chiyo looked at him, confused, in the next second, the young man felt something crawl in through the hem of his coat.
"What is this.." Kisaragi Chiyo's body stiffened, because the thing that had crawled inside squeezed through the gaps in his inner clothing to reach the very center, pressing tightly against his skin at this moment.
"I'm telling you, don't go too far." Kisaragi Chiyo lowered her voice, her tone laced with a hint of grinding teeth; she had already guessed what the thing crawling inside her clothes was.
What else could it be besides that bastard Hara Kenji's tentacles?
Eh?" The Evil Spirit trailed off, blinking with an innocent expression. "I'm just helping Chiyo-chan cool down physically.
Size.
“Who wants your help in this manner?” Kisaragi Chiyo moved uncomfortably, then he felt the tentacles clinging to his waist begin to slowly crawl toward other places.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry." Hara Kenji lowered his head and nuzzled the young man's face with his nose in a pleasing manner.
He whispered in the young man's ear, "There are other passengers on the train.. It wouldn't be very good if we were discovered."
Kisaragi Chiyo: ".."
Kisaragi Chiyo said nothing; deciding it was better not to see, she closed her eyes tightly and leaned heavily against Matsuda Jinpei.
Matsuda Jinpei, whose shoulder had been bumped by Kisaragi Chiyo's head: ".."
Matsuda Jinpei silently rubbed his shoulder. He looked at Kisaragi Chiyo, who had her eyes closed but was already nearly crushing the scarf in her hands. His lips quivered for a moment, but in the end, he chose to remain silent.
He thought that Kisaragi might have forgotten one thing, which was that the humans around them always subconsciously ignored the existence of him and Hara. Therefore, the possibility of the young man being discovered by other passengers was simply impossible.
*
As soon as the train arrived at the station, Kisaragi Chiyo couldn't wait to get off and leave. Because he had stood up too suddenly, if Matsuda Jinpei hadn't reached out to grab him, Kisaragi Chiyo's legs, which had gone weak from the sudden movement, would have caused him to collapse straight onto the ground.
"Are you alright?" Matsuda Jinpei frowned. From his angle, he could easily see the young man's ears, which were flushed and burning beneath his black hair.
"I'm fine." Kisaragi Chiyo's movements stiffened; just as he stood up, the tentacles wrapped around him suddenly twitched.
"Are you sure?" Matsuda Jinpei sounded skeptical.
"I'm fine." Kisaragi Chiyo shook her head slightly, but ultimately did not refuse Matsuda Jinpei's support.
"Let me carry the luggage." Hara Kenji took the suitcase from Kisaragi Chiyo's hands. He grabbed the young man's wrist with one hand while standing on the other side, preventing him from being knocked over by the swarm of passengers crowding the platform.
Kisaragi Chiyo did not say anything. He looked up at Hara Kenji, after noticing his gaze, the other man turned his head and flashed him a beautiful smile.
..
By the time the three arrived at the inn, an hour had already passed.