"This is our real destination."
Following Mei Mei's lead, the boys arrived at a modest two-story building not far from the cram school.
The wooden sign above the front door was so weathered it looked ready to rot away, but the faded characters still showed that this was an old restaurant with a long history.
Yet even at this time of day, when students were just out of school and office workers were heading home, normally the busiest time for eating, the doors were tightly shut. A sign reading "Temporarily Closed" hung outside, clearly left there for some time.
People passing by would glance at the entrance, perhaps hoping for something different. But when they saw the same closed door as always, disappointment filled their faces. Shaking their heads, they walked off with sighs.
It was obvious this little restaurant was quite loved in the neighborhood.
"Is there a cursed spirit inside?" Nanami guessed after sensing the faint trace of cursed energy in the building.
"This place has been open for decades," Mei Mei explained. "Students and office workers around here were regulars. But about half a month ago, it suddenly stopped operating."
Ding… ding…
She continued speaking while stepping forward and pressing the doorbell.
According to what she had gathered, the restaurant owner's wife, an elderly woman, had fallen gravely ill. But no matter how many tests the hospital ran, no cause could be found. The only thing doctors confirmed was that her body was extremely weak. Worse still, her condition had only worsened after visiting the hospital.
With no other choice, she refused her husband and children's pleas to stay at the hospital and insisted on returning home, to this restaurant filled with memories, to rest. In truth, she was waiting for her final days.
But through her crow's eyes, Mei Mei had already seen what was happening from the upstairs window. The so-called illness was nothing more than the work of a small cursed spirit. Hospitals were natural breeding grounds for grudges and negative emotions, so it wasn't strange that her condition had deteriorated after visiting one.
"Uh… the owner's not in a good mood lately," a passerby whispered after noticing the three children. "You kids should probably—"
"We're here to make him feel better," Mukuro interrupted bluntly before the man could finish.
"No business."
The wooden door creaked open just a crack. A white-haired old man looked at the three of them. Realizing they were only children, he didn't scold them, but his hoarse, time-worn voice was cold as he muttered those two words. He was about to close the door again.
"Boss, we came to see Grandma," Mei Mei quickly said, holding the door before it could shut. Her words carried enough warmth to spark a faint light in the man's weary eyes.
"Come in."
After a moment of silence, he stepped aside and let them in.
The restaurant was dim inside. Several tables stood scattered about, each covered in dust.
"My wife's health hasn't been good these days," the old man said as he led them past the dining area to a staircase near the kitchen. He reminded them not to make noise. If his wife's spirits were good, they could keep her company for a while. In his heart, he thought that even if there was only a tiny chance, maybe their visit might lift her condition just a little.
"She'll be fine," Mei Mei assured him.
With the old man leading the way, they stopped in front of a door upstairs.
Knock, knock.
"It's me. Are you awake? Some cute kids came to see you today." He tapped gently on the door, then opened it a crack, listening closely for any response.
"That thing's huge…" Through the gap, Nanami finally saw the truth in the room.
Beside the bed stood a cursed spirit shaped like a grotesque mosquito, its size nearly half that of an adult. The long, needle-like proboscis, sharp as a sword, was buried deep into the frail woman lying on the bed.
"What are you talking about? Huge what?" The old man, hearing no reply from his wife, was about to shut the door and send them away. But Nanami's words made him frown, irritation flashing in his eyes.
"No time, old man. Move aside."
Mukuro didn't bother with Mei Mei's gradual approach. He brushed past the old man, slipping through the narrow opening that barely allowed a child through.
"Hey, you brat—"
The old man panicked. He wanted to shout but stopped, afraid of waking his sleeping wife. In a rush, he reached out to grab Mukuro, but in the blink of an eye, the boy was already at the bedside.
"A ghost?!" the old man exclaimed, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
"Bug zapper."
To avoid frightening the old man yet still reveal his intentions, Mukuro's right eye glowed with the number "1." In his hand appeared a giant electric swatter.
The cursed spirit turned, its bulging eyes widening in shock at the sudden intruder.
"What are you doing?!" The old man at the door could no longer hold back. He rushed forward, intending to stop Mukuro.
Bzzzt! Crack!
Before he could even reach him, Mukuro swung the swatter down beside the bed. Blue sparks burst across the net, electricity buzzing and hissing through the air.
The smell of something burning filled the room. Though the old man could not see it, the cursed spirit writhed in pain as the current surged through its body.
Then, just as suddenly, the weapon vanished from Mukuro's hand. The mosquito-like creature disintegrated into ash, scattering in silence.
Mukuro clapped his hands together, expression calm. The task was done.
"What… what on earth…" the old man murmured, stunned. Everything had unfolded too fast, far beyond his understanding. He had no idea whether what the boy had just done was good or bad.
"Husband, they're…?"
A frail voice rose from the bed. The old woman stirred slightly, her thin body trembling as she woke.
"Oh, oh! They're just children from the nearby elementary school," the old man said quickly, turning back toward her. "They used to eat here often. They heard you weren't feeling well, so they came to see you."
"I see," she said with a gentle smile. "Thank you, little lucky stars. After this nap, I feel so much lighter…"
Her loving gaze fell on the children, and the old man discovered her pale face even seemed to regain a touch of color.
"That's good… that's good," he repeated with a foolish grin, tears brimming in his eyes.
"I'm hungry," the old woman whispered. "I want to eat your cooking."
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