—Very well, it's settled then. Pray your belongings haven't been redecorated by Ghosts —Kohaku muttered with his sly smile, rising gracefully to his feet.
Takumi, still processing everything that had just happened, could only nod. It all felt surreal, but somehow, he knew he had no choice anymore.
Kohaku seemed in a good mood, humming Kakushinteki Metamorfo-se as they left the building.
During the ride, Takumi barely spoke. He just stared out the window, the weight of reality pressing down on his shoulders.
When they arrived, he opened the door to his home with a knot in his throat. Before he could react, Ghosts scattered in every direction.
He had sensed them for days, but now, seeing them flee, a strange relief washed over him, as if a burden had been lifted from his chest.
He started stuffing clothes into a suitcase, then froze when his eyes landed on a photo on his desk—his family. He picked it up carefully, fingers brushing over the glass of the frame.
Kohaku caught sight of it and grinned with malicious amusement.
—Ready to leave behind your pathetic little life? The dead already claimed it~~ —he teased, popping a couple of mints into his mouth.
Takumi clenched his teeth and slid the photo into his suitcase.
—Let's go.
—So impatient, and we've only just begun… —Kohaku contradicted him on purpose, tone mocking.
Inside the taxi, Takumi stared out at the road, watching the city drift away.
—I thought the Association of Exorcists would be in Tokyo… —he tried making conversation.
—It is. That's the headquarters, where they scout talent. Where we're headed is where the accepted ones are trained.
—R-right… —Takumi replied, insecure.
Ren… I didn't even get to say goodbye. I hope I see you there.
Kohaku burst into laughter.
—What's with that face? You look like some stuck-up prude. —He pulled down his own eyelids, mocking Takumi's gloomy expression.
Takumi scowled.
—…Idiot.
—Don't get mad, it's just a joke. I love to have fun~~ —Kohaku answered in his usual mocking tone.
Takumi sighed and chose to ignore him. His eyes wandered to the massive, ancient-looking buildings on the horizon.
—Whoa… it looks like an old Japanese castle!
—Not bad, but it could be better~ —Kohaku said flatly.
Takumi huffed at his lack of enthusiasm.
—So… "Cursed"? That's what I am, huh? —he muttered, remembering the word.
Kohaku chuckled.
—Exactly. That's what you are.
—That's bad, right?
—Mmm… Well, a Cursed will never be accepted by the AOE. Pride bigger than their brains~~.
The massive halls left him uneasy. He still felt completely disoriented.
—Are there others here?
—Of course~, and you'll be joining them.
Kohaku slid open a massive door, revealing a wide tatami-floored hall with rooms lining the sides.
All eyes turned toward him. Dozens of kids his age, some older, some younger, stared.
—Say hello to your new companion, our latest little Cursed —Kohaku announced with a ridiculous hand flourish.
Murmurs rippled across the room.
—Seriously? Another one?
—He looks scared to death.
—Ha, how long will this one last?
Takumi swallowed hard. Some faces looked kind, others hostile. His skin prickled—he had never been good with people, and now his survival depended on it.
One boy approached with a wide, confident smile. His presence radiated warmth, his sweet scent oddly comforting.
—Welcome. I'm Mirio. What's your name?
Takumi hesitated, but Kohaku shoved him forward.
—Takumi Hoshino. Nice to meet you… everyone.
—Great, Takumi. Don't worry, we all understand. They look mean, but everyone here's actually kind. —Mirio gestured to the group.
Takumi blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected such a warm welcome.
—Yeah, we're all here for the same reason —added a girl named Haruka—. You'll see, it's not so bad.
Takumi relaxed a little. Maybe this wouldn't be as terrible as he feared.
—But let me give you some advice… —Mirio lowered his voice—. Don't get too close to the exorcists.
—Why? Shouldn't they help us? Although… —he glanced at Kohaku, who only smirked.
—They're arrogant. Born with Jaki. They look down on us because we got our power by accident.
—Jaki… again with that. Is it really that important? On TV it always seemed irrelevant.*
Haruka sat down beside him while Kohaku quietly slipped out of the hall, smirking.
—It's the energy that lets us see and fight Ghosts. They're born with it; we got ours by accident.
A chill ran down Takumi's spine. This world was completely foreign to him.
Accident, huh? That's all it is. I don't feel special at all. Ren, you'd probably love being Cursed.
—…I wish it weren't like this.
Mirio and Haruka fell silent.
—We get it. None of us asked for this —Haruka muttered, glancing at the door Kohaku had left through.
—Sadly true. Still, Kohaku's a good person. Not like the other exorcists.
Good? Are we even talking about the same Kohaku? Takumi thought, rubbing at the burns where the chains had bound him.
—He's known as the Bandaged Exorcist. His rank is E.
—E for… idiot? —Takumi muttered. The two laughed, shaking their heads.
—E for Special —Mirio said proudly—. The highest class. Exorcists like him are seen as gods.
—Why?
—Because they wield powers of creation and destruction. Most of their abilities are tied to nature.
Yeah, "special" fits him alright.
Takumi glanced at the phone in Mirio's hand and quickly recognized it.
—You'll see soon enough how "fun" he can be —Haruka added with a bright smile.
Takumi looked at Mirio and Haruka. Their smiles were warm, but their eyes trembled like cornered animals. Something in this place had scarred them… and he knew he'd be next.
Meanwhile, Kohaku strolled away slowly, his mocking smile hiding a darker thought. How many of them would actually survive?
The question lingered like a silent threat, his melodic laughter fading into the shadows of the corridor.
…
The lights glared overhead, fists slammed into a heavy bag in rhythmic bursts.
The sharp scent of sweat hung in the air, mingled with ragged breaths of intense training.
—You're fired up tonight —a colleague arrived, orange eyes fixed on him.
—I have to train. I won't rest until that bastard is dead. —The blows grew stronger, as if he'd just recalled something he'd tried to bury.
—Mm… I get it. I want to see his corpse burn too.
Shiro froze mid-punch. His bandaged hands were stained crimson, blood dripping from his knuckles.
—They asked for this. They'll pay in blood.
He kept hitting, fists and kicks pounding relentlessly, one name echoing in his mind: Hero. To Shiro, that name was a curse.
—I know. When this is over… I'll savor every second of killing Hero!! —His final punch sent the bag flying, smashing against the wall, tearing apart fabric and chain alike.
—Hahaha… you never fail to amuse me. I'll see you at 4 P.M. for tea.
The man sighed, nodding wordlessly. Soft footsteps and the happy barking of a dog echoed through the floor.
This will end in a year. And when it does… Kohaku falls with me, and I'll have my revenge.
…
That night, all the Cursed gathered outside for a celebration in honor of their new companion.
The welcome was warmer than Takumi ever expected. They'd even thrown a small party just for him.
From afar, Kohaku dangled lazily from a tree, watching their happy faces.
—Poor creatures. If only they knew what's coming~~ —he whispered to himself.
The bonfire crackled, flames dancing with the cold night wind, scattering sparks in the dark.
—Having fun? —Mirio offered Takumi a steaming cup of sweet tea.
—It's better than I thought. Not bad —Takumi admitted, relaxed but conflicted. He blew gently over the surface of the drink.
—We're all family here. So you can call me big brother, and rely on me. —Mirio ruffled his hair kindly.
Takumi's grip tightened on the cup. He didn't know why, but those words burned.
"I'll be like your big brother, trust me, Takumi."
—Stupid Ren~ —he whispered with a small smile.
The name left a bitter taste. What would Ren think, seeing him now, surrounded by Cursed?
—Did you say something?
—Eh? No, sorry… Thanks for including me. —It was all Takumi could manage, the emotions clawing inside him too strange to voice.
After a pause, he looked at Mirio, curiosity in his eyes.
—Sorry but… how did you end up here?
Mirio looked surprised, then sad, then sighed deeply before answering:
—I went with friends on a courage test in a cemetery. Everything was fine until I heard a friend scream. I ran to help… —his fists clenched with anger, grief, resentment.
—You went to the fog, too?
—Yeah. At first I refused, but later… it was better to stay here. My parents think I got a scholarship at a private school. —He laughed bitterly.
Takumi just listened, watching the fire glow against the night, the smell of coal sharp in the air.
—This place has to be better than risking your family.
—Exactly. Plus, no more studying, and I get paid, haha. It's better than it looks.
Haruka suddenly hugged Takumi from behind.
—Ahhh!? —he yelped, spilling his tea as Haruka and Mirio burst out laughing.
—So jumpy~~ —Haruka teased, sitting in front of them. —What were you two talking about?
—Our pasts —Mirio replied.
—Oh? Then I'll share mine. I came here on a bet with friends. We stayed overnight in an abandoned hospital. When I came out, I was already contaminated with Jaki.
—Kohaku picked you up too? —Takumi asked.
—Yeah. That day was insane.
—Wow. And here I thought you had to make direct contact with a… Ghost.
Mirio grew serious.
—Think of it like this. Imagine your veins.
He grabbed Takumi's arm, tracing each vein with his finger.
—Jaki works like a vaccine. It flows through you and activates what little everyone already has inside.
Takumi shivered.
—…Does that give us powers?
—No. It just lets us see Ghosts, that's it —Haruka said flatly, disappointment in her tone. —So don't expect anything flashy.
Takumi said nothing, still staring at his arm, veins feeling like conduits of energy.
A strong gust blew, extinguishing the fire and jolting him from his drowsy state.
—We should sleep. Training tomorrow —Mirio ordered, and everyone obeyed, cleaning up before heading to their rooms.
Takumi lay on his bed, staring at bare walls. No photos, no books, no smell of his grandfather's coffee. Just a row of beds and the echo of other people's laughter.
—This is my new home. —The word "home" chilled his tongue like ice water and mint.
—Good night, Takumi —Mirio mumbled before drifting off—. We'll support you, no matter what the future brings.
Yeah… tomorrow I'll start on the right foot.
And so, between shadows and snores, Takumi began a new life… unaware his name was already on the blacklist.
—How sweet they all are… though I doubt they'll last long.
Kohaku answered a call, his grin widening at the voice on the other end.
—Only one survived —the voice rasped as if torn from its throat. Kohaku laughed—. She's ready. Bring her to my room.
The man on the line only nodded, passed the data to Kohaku, then hung up.
—Livia Rossetti…
The name echoed in the darkness. Kohaku pulled out his phone, scanning the report: a black-haired girl, battered and broken.