Chapter 2: Holiday Plans
“Kasugadani.”
It was after school, and the students were getting ready to go home.
The girls turned their attention to the entrance to the classroom, and for some reason they let out a cheer.
Without paying any attention to them, the other person called out to Houzuki. Houzuki lives a boring, meaningless life, so who had called her, and why?
When she looked up, she saw the black-haired male teacher in a lab coat beckoning her over.
“Oh, Kuroomi-sensei.”
“Come here for a moment.”
“?”
The person on the other end was Kuroomi Otoya, the biology teacher in charge of the juniors’ classes. Moreover, for some reason, he was beckoning to her.
Did something happen related to Yuiru?
It seemed unfair to hold Houzuki responsible. Normally, she was just caught up in the meals of that silver-haired, red-eyed male student, not doing anything herself.
With a quietly disapproving expression, Houzuki approached Otoya near the entrance, clutching her phone tightly.
“What is it?”
“Do you have any plans for the three-day weekend starting tomorrow?”
“Plans?”
The three-day weekend starts tomorrow.
A high school student would probably go out and play somewhere in the city, but unfortunately Houzuki has no plans. She doesn’t have any friends to hang out with, it’s a sad fact.
When Houzuki didn’t answer, “That’s great, you’re free then.” Otoya decides. What will he do if she tells him after that she made plans?
“Actually, I know someone who’s working at a resort hotel.”
“A resort hotel?”
“It’s a hotel that’s built on the seashore and is famous for its ocean views.”
Otoya, looking troubled and holding his cell phone in one hand,
“Apparently, they’ve sealed up all the windows of the rooms facing the sea with plywood.”
“The view is the selling point of a resort hotel, isn’t it? What’s the point of doing something that reduces your profits?”
“It seems the hotel manager is also troubled.”
Therefore, Otoya points his finger at Houzuki,
“I was thinking of having that Irune fella eat the ghost in the resort. You come too, Kasugadani, the manager said he’ll pay you for the part-time work.”
“Is it okay for me to come along?”
“On the contrary, you’re greatly welcome.”
Houzuki is troubled by a constitution that attracts ghosts to her, and the ghost of the male high school student who is haunting her―― Yuiru Enen can eat ghosts. It’s fair to say that Yuiru wanders this world with the sole purpose of consuming ghosts.
Indeed, if Houzuki attracts the ghost in the resort and Yuiru eats it, they can run the hotel properly. She never expected to be used to exorcise ghosts.
After thinking for a bit, Houzuki comes to a conclusion.
“I understand, I will bring Yuiru and Towako with me.”
“I will also be there on the appointed day so I will pick you up with the car. Just prepare for your lodging.”
“Yes. I’ll be under you care during that time.”
And that’s how they came to their decision, but for some reason the cold stares from the girls made Houzuki feel the chill.
☆
“Ah, I see. The next meal is at the resort hotel.”
Houzuki, having explained the situation, packed several days’ worth of clothes and pajamas into a large bag. As she murmured, “Was there anything else I needed…,” her best friend, Aoyagi Towako, handed her a toothbrush set.
How kind of her to help her best friend pack. She makes a better impression than Yuiru Enen, the silver-haired, red-eyed male student who performs synchronized swimming in the air.
As Yuiru performs synchronized swimming in the air,
“I see, I might as well test to see if I can get out of Tsukinashi Town. It’s nice to have a meal somewhere different from the usual.”
“You’re making me not want to take you with me……”
“If you don’t take me, it’ll be like facing a parade of demons naked.”
“That analogy.”
Houzuki glares at Yuiru with a completely displeased expression for using such an unpleasant analogy.
“Why can’t you come up with anything but such unpleasant analogies?”
“Hmm, was it weird? It’s the truth so there is nothing I can do about it.”
Yuiru leans closer to Houzuki,
“If you don’t have the ability to exorcise ghosts, you’ll have no choice but to rely on me. You’ll end up possessed and going mad, or–“
Laughing with a glint in his red eyes, Yuiru continues speaking.
“Since we’ll be near the sea this time, won’t you get dragged into the water and die?”
“…………”
In truth, Houzuki has no ability to exorcize ghosts. All she has is the ability to attract them.
The only ones here who might have the potential to fend off ghosts were students like the silver-haired, red-eyed boy present. If he were to consume the ghosts, everything would be resolved, and he could satisfy his own hunger as well—a win-win situation.
It couldn’t be said to be mean-spirited. Before ghosts, Houzuki was powerless.
“You can’t cause trouble for the other customers.”
“They can’t see me in the first place, can they? I’m not sure if it’s a haunted picture, though.”
“Maybe I should let the teacher keep an eye on you this time.”
“That guy will not hold back and beat me up!! Houzuki, have you finally sold your soul to the devil!?”
“You’re going that far?”
As she watched Houzuki bantering with Yuiru while packing, and Yuiru willfully complaining about Otoya’s surveillance while stomping his feet on the ceiling, Towako smiled and murmured.
“No matter what they say, they’re getting along really well with each other.”
