Chapter 176: Teary-Eyed Yotsuya Miko, The "Reaper" on the Shinkansen
Hearing this girl's words and looking at the very expectant look on her cute small face, the boss scratched his head and apologized.
"Sorry about that, it just sold out."
"Eh... how could this be..."
Takanashi Rikka held her wallet with both hands, the word "disappointment" written all over her eyes.
Although other places also sold "Mask" figurines, on the one hand, the quality wasn't as good.
On the other hand, those people selling figurines were all for their own selfish desires, purely to make money.
Like the boss of this shop, donating all the proceeds from selling figurines to the families of the victims in the Teru Teru Bozu Killer incident, this was the act that gave the figurine the true soul of "Mask".
"To think it sold out so quickly..."
Ahem.
Seeing Takanashi Rikka's disappointed look, Miko coughed lightly twice, seemingly casually pointing to the figurine on the shelf wearing a pure white coat with pale gold patterns, with pale gold patterns like eyes on the mask, made according to her image in operations, and smiled at Rikka.
"Actually... this one looks quite nice too."
"This one?"
Takanashi Rikka pursed her lips, making no secret of her disappointment.
"Forget it, I only want 'Mask'."
Miko sighed slightly, thinking that among the members of the Super-Quant Club team, Yoru's popularity was truly on a completely different level.
"Here."
Just as Takanashi Rikka looked lonely and wanted to turn and leave, she saw Yoru hand the box in his hand to her.
"The 'Mask' figurine, take it."
"Eh?"
Takanashi Rikka froze for a moment, hurriedly waved her hands, and stammered.
"Th... this... I can't..."
"Don't mind it, the boss gave it to me for free anyway."
Yoru looked at the boss of the shop and smiled.
"Seeing her so panicked to buy a figurine, she must be a loyal supporter of 'Mask'. Is it okay if I give it to her?"
"It's fine, it's fine."
The boss waved his hand carelessly and laughed heartily.
"Rather, this kind of action of helping others solve difficulties is the meaning of 'Mask'."
Seeing the boss's appearance, Miko couldn't help asking curiously.
"But, why do you like 'Mask' so much? Pardon me for saying something somewhat impolite, but at an age like yours, shouldn't you have passed the stage of chasing idols?"
"There's something you don't know."
The boss put away his smile, a look of emotion on his face.
"That incident of the terrorist attack at the amusement park, I wonder if you saw it on the internet?"
Miko nodded.
"Mmhmm, I saw it."
"At that time, my wife and daughter were in the Ferris wheel."
"Eh!?"
Seeing Miko's surprised look, the boss scratched his head and smiled.
"So really speaking, 'Mask' is the benefactor who saved my wife and daughter. This is the only way I can repay him."
"So that's how it is..."
Hearing the boss's words, Miko felt a certain place in her heart strongly touched.
She stole a glance at Yoru beside her, wanting to see what kind of reaction the person involved would have hearing his own heroic deeds from someone else's mouth.
The result was as expected.
Yoru still had that relaxed expression; even his eyes didn't show the slightest fluctuation.
Miko recalled what the opponent said in McDonald's at that time.
"Acting to save others, or acting to live up to others' expectations, is certainly a kind of motive."
"It's just that, while enjoying the sense of accomplishment of saving others' destinies, one might also doubt their own actions because of being misunderstood, questioned, or even attacked by others."
"So my choice is to only do what I want to do, without being bound by others' views and ideas."
Not influenced by anyone, acting completely freely according to one's own heart.
It sounds simple, but it is very difficult to do.
Whether it's praise, disgust, or attack.
Completely ignoring all this, perhaps this kind of mindset is also one of the unique skills Yoru possesses as a professional exorcist.
"This... is it really okay?"
Seeing the boss also say so, Takanashi Rikka carefully took the box containing the figurine that Yoru handed over, the surprise in her eyes overflowing.
Only then did she look up at Yoru, seemingly wanting to say some words of thanks, but after seeing clearly the opponent's face, she couldn't help freezing for a moment.
"Um... are you... Yoru-san?"
Yoru smiled.
"Only recognized me now? Takanashi-san."
Miko was surprised upon hearing this.
"Eh, do you know each other?"
"Can't say we know each other."
Yoru pointed at Takanashi Rikka.
"This is Takanashi Rikka-san from the class next door. Our classrooms are next to each other; you must have met her in the corridor, right? Actually not remembering people's names, truly impolite, Miko."
Miko pouted, muttering softly.
"Rather, isn't it more suspicious that you remember the name of a girl you don't know from another class?"
As always, Yoru gave a sincere answer.
"Because Takanashi-san looks very cute, so I remembered it."
Miko: "... As expected of you."
Regarding the fact that Takanashi Rikka knew Yoru, she didn't find it strange.
In the entire Sobu High, from third years down to first years, who wouldn't know this famous figure, the Ultimate Evil of Sobu High, who defeated all the first-year students of Shuchiin in the joint exam?
"Takanashi-san, nice to meet you."
Miko smiled and nodded at Takanashi Rikka, considering it a greeting. Then a bit of jealousy appeared on her face. She grabbed Yoru's arm, as if declaring sovereignty, and said unpleasantly.
"Let's go, time to go home."
"Sure."
After the two walked further away and disappeared from sight, Takanashi Rikka tightly held the box containing the "Mask" figurine, murmuring to herself.
"Is Yoru-san... also a fan of 'Mask'..."
....
On the other side, after arriving at Yoru's home, Miko took off her coat, looking eager to try.
"You sit down, I'll go cook, it will be ready soon."
"Let me do it."
"Eh? You know how to cook?"
"Look at what you're saying, of course I do, I'm just usually too lazy to do it."
"Eh~~~ Then you do it."
Miko rested her chin on one hand, watching Yoru take ingredients out of the refrigerator, then tie on an apron with extremely skilled movements and begin preparing the ingredients. A smile couldn't help rising on the corner of her lips.
She lay on the sofa, her fair and tender feet swinging in the air, her voice carrying a smile.
"For the sake of you cooking for me, I won't hold it against you that you haven't given me a gift but gave a gift to Takanashi-san."
Yoru, busy in the kitchen, heard this and replied with a chuckle.
"Didn't I prepare a gift for you?"
"Eh?"
Miko was puzzled.
"What gift did you prepare for me?"
"Mikazuki Munechika."
"Eh?"
Miko froze for a moment, surprised.
"No... Mikazuki Munechika... is for me?"
"What else?"
Yoru asked back.
"Could it be I hold two swords alone? I don't play dual-wielding style either. Besides, you know Onimaru Kunitsuna's personality, it will throw a tantrum with me."
Hearing the latter half, Miko sighed slightly.
As expected of you.
Onimaru Kunitsuna as a sword also started getting jealous?
...
Half an hour later.
"Mmhmm~ Delicious~"
Miko picked up a chopstick of food and put it in her mouth, her face full of happy expressions.
"Didn't expect your cooking to be so delicious."
"Of course."
Yoru was not polite at all, saying faintly.
"I am perfect."
"Tch... Being able to say such things proves your personality is very narcissistic."
"Just telling the truth. The last guy as strong as me had already started doing whatever he wanted."
"Makes sense."
....
After finishing the meal, Yoru glanced outside the window at the gradually darkening sky, then looked at Miko and smiled.
"Are you staying over tonight?"
Hearing this, Miko's pretty face flushed red, twisting.
"Um... if you want... staying over isn't impossible..."
"Then you have to send a message to our Mom and tell her you're not going back tonight."
"What our Mom... we aren't even married yet, and you've already started changing how you address her?"
Miko first complained softly, then the blush on her face became more obvious. She nervously clutched the corner of her clothes, muttering softly.
"That... I, I, I already sent a message to Mom."
Yoru dragged out his voice, saying meaningfully.
"Oh~ Is that so~"
"S-so noisy!"
Miko said feeling both shy and angry. Then she directly sat on Yoru, hugged his neck, forcefully suppressed the shyness in her heart, leaned close to his ear, and said.
"What... what Futaba did, I also want to do..."
"Then how about together?"
Hearing Yoru's frivolous words, a layer of misty water vapor formed in Miko's golden eyes, and waves of shy pink blush appeared on her fair and tender skin.
"N-next... next time there's a chance, let's talk about it..."
....
After entering the bedroom and lying on the soft bed, Yoru whispered close to Miko's ear.
"Then... going in?"
Miko took a deep breath, tension showing on her face, feeling like her heart was about to jump out.
"Mmhmm... come in."
Next second, Miko frowned slightly, tears welling up in her golden eyes, looking pitiful.
"Too... too big, it hurts a bit."
The appearance of Miko with tears in her eyes catching Yoru's eyes could only be described with one word.
Erotic (Se Qi).
There was a desire to bully the opponent fiercely.
"W-why did it get bigger again..."
"Can't... can't fit anymore..."
.....
Three days later, on the Shinkansen train heading from Kyoto to Tokyo.
"Wuhu, finally setting off~"
Watching Yui cheering and jumping, Rio sitting beside her pushed her glasses and lowered her voice.
"This time is not just traveling; don't be too relaxed."
"I know, I know~"
Yui replied with a smile, looking at the scenery speeding past outside the window, the excitement on her face lingering.
This carriage was very empty, only having the Super-Quant Club members participating in this trip.
Hachishaku-sama still stayed in Kyoto. After all, with only Tamamo-no-Mae and the group of little Yokai under her, it was hard to say if they could handle sudden strangeness events.
Because this trip to Tokyo wasn't just for traveling, but also had the reason of returning the famous sword Mikazuki Munechika to its original owner, Makinohara Shoko didn't participate either.
Just like when participating in the joint exam before, differences arose among the members regarding seat arrangements.
The final solution was also the same as last time.
Marin was arranged to sit next to Yoru.
Not knowing why.
Marin always felt that an invisible war was going on secretly, but she was completely clueless.
Miko sat in her seat, looked at the empty carriage, and sighed.
"I hope no accidents happen before arriving in Tokyo."
"Don't worry."
Mai patted Miko's shoulder, comforting with a smile.
"Just purely going out traveling, taking a Shinkansen, no accidents will happen, otherwise it would be too unlucky."
Speaking of this, Mai took out a piece of chocolate from her bosom, secretly handed it to the seemingly empty seat behind her in the eyes of ordinary people, and smiled lowering her voice.
"Menma, this is for you to eat."
"Thank you, Mai-oneechan~"
Menma took the chocolate from Mai's hand, carefully unwrapped the wrapper, put it into her mouth, looking very happy.
"Really, it's all over the corner of your mouth."
Mai took out a tissue, wiped the chocolate stained on the corner of Menma's mouth, looked at the silly smiling opponent, smiled gently, looking like a good wife and loving mother.
Seeing her like this, Miko couldn't help sighing with emotion.
"Mai-senpai, you are very good at taking care of people."
"Of course, after all, I am a mature upperclassman~"
"By the way, Mai-senpai, are you an only child?"
Hearing this question from Miko, Mai froze for a moment. Her eyes suddenly became somewhat complicated, murmuring.
"Actually... I also have a younger sister, but... haven't seen each other for many years."
Noticing the change in Mai's expression, Miko knew she had asked a question she shouldn't have, and immediately smiled to change the subject.
"It's okay Mai-senpai, as long as you want to meet, you will definitely be able to meet very soon."
"Mmhmm, I hope so too."
....
On the other side, Marin flipped through her phone, showed the content on the screen to Yoru, and smiled.
"Yoru-kun, look at this, isn't it very cool?"
Yoru turned his head to glance at it and found a photo of a cosplay event scene on the screen.
The most eye-catching one, standing among the cosplayers, was a person wearing a black coat and a pure black mask, height about less than 1.7 meters.
"Cosplaying 'Mask'?"
"Yeah."
Marin nodded with a smile.
"It's very popular recently. Not only in Kyoto, but also at event venues in other cities, there are cosplayers playing 'Mask', ranking first in popularity."
Yoru shook his head and chuckled.
"For this kind that can't even restore the height, there's no need to cosplay, right? Besides, if everyone is cosplaying, in case a real one mixes in, that would be interesting."
"Mmhmm, mmhmm, what you said makes sense."
Marin nodded deeply in agreement, then examined Yoru, as if suddenly thinking of something, and said pleasantly surprised.
"Eh, Yoru-kun, your height seems to be not much different from 'Mask', and hair color and eye color are also the same, how about..."
Marin showed an embarrassed look, tucked her long blonde hair dyed pink at the ends behind her ear, and asked tentatively.
"Just right, there is a cosplay event in Tokyo these two days. Saki has already helped me make the costume, but going alone is still a bit nerve-wracking. Yoru-kun, can you accompany me? 'Mask's' cosplay costume is not hard to buy; I can use my pocket money to buy it for you."
Seeing Yoru didn't reply, Marin put her palms together. Her ten clean fingers with manicures sparkled under the sunlight, her face full of pleading.
"Please, please~"
"No need to buy clothes."
Yoru waved his hand and smiled.
"If I have time then, I will go."
"OK, 3Q (Thank you)~"
Just as the other members, except Yukino and Kazusa, were chatting, Mai suddenly frowned, pointed to the front position of the carriage, and lowered her voice to Miko beside her.
"Look there."
Miko followed the direction Mai pointed and couldn't help frowning either.
She saw that at some point, a faint layer of black mist had appeared on the floor of the carriage.
This aura was similar to evil spirits, but didn't seem like pure evil spirits.
Giving a feeling full of dead silence.
"Very strong."
Not only Miko and Mai, but Rio and Yui also noticed this sudden change.
"Do... do... doomed..."
Hearing a terrified voice from behind, Mai turned around and found that Menma, who was just smiling happily, actually had two streams of tears flowing down her face at this moment, looking extremely terrified.
"What's wrong? Don't be afraid, we are here..."
"No, Mai-oneechan, you guys leave quickly..."
The word "terror" was written all over Menma's eyes. Her small body curled into a ball and was still constantly trembling.
"This guy... is very... very terrifying."
Just as Menma's voice fell, the members inside the carriage who had awakened the Soul Manifestation ability simultaneously heard a strange sound coming from the very front of the carriage.
Screeech... screeech....
Like a metallic object dragging on the ground, setting one's teeth on edge.
Mai and others looked up and saw a weirdo approaching step by step towards the inside of the carriage. He was nearly two meters tall, with a very burly figure, wearing damaged black clothes, emitting thick black mist from the surface of his body, holding a huge axe in his right hand, a linen bundle in his left hand, and his face wrapped in bandages, full of oppression.
Just taking the first glance at this guy, Miko, who had the most exorcism experience, made a judgment, her golden pupils shrinking slightly in shock.
"This guy... is completely not on the same level as the previous evil spirits..."