Tokyo Exorcism Diary

To be honest, Shimizu Yuu was momentarily stunned by the sight. If possible, she even wanted to snap a picture with her phone and make it her wallpaper.

However, she quickly snapped out of it. Smacking her cheeks lightly with both hands, she thought, Phew! I almost got mesmerized by this guy’s looks! Shimizu Yuu, how can you be as shallow as those people who judge others solely by their appearance? That’s not right.

As someone who prides herself on having a noble spirit, Shimizu Yuu soon breaks free from the special atmosphere of the scene. With her mind clear, she could now objectively regard the guy who dared to sleep so openly in class.

Tch. Actually, on closer inspection, it’s nothing much. Just sleeping. He probably stayed up all night yesterday.

“Shimizu.”

Lost in her thoughts, Shimizu Yuu was startled when the teacher called her name from the podium. But as the national runner-up in the middle school Kendo Championship, her reaction time was sharp.

She shot up from her seat and responded briskly, “Yes!”

“Answer the question I just asked.” The math teacher, a middle-aged woman nearing menopause, was stern and traditional—unlike the young and trendy English homeroom teacher. She was the type of teacher students liked the least.

Rumor had it that earlier in the semester, this menopausal math teacher had a huge argument with the director over not being assigned as the homeroom teacher…

In the moment her name was called, Shimizu Yuu’s heart sank.

Forget answering the question—she didn’t even know what the question was.

Pouting slightly, Shimizu Yuu lowered her head and admitted honestly, “I’m sorry, teacher. I was distracted.”

Her attitude was good, and her apology sincere. But the stern teacher wasn’t buying it. With sharp eyes, she pointed to the hallway.

Shimizu Yuu sighed softly and trudged out of the classroom to stand as punishment.

“Hoshino.”

The classroom fell silent. No one spoke, let alone responded. Clearly, the earlier incident had its intended effect—scaring the students into silence. But this also made the sleeping figure even more conspicuous.

“Hoshino!”

The teacher’s angry shout shattered the serene image of a flowing oil painting.

Hoshino Gen slowly opened his slightly hazy, heterochromatic eyes. Lifting his head, he was momentarily dazed but quickly realized what was happening.

Using his left hand to prop himself up from the desk, he met the teacher’s simmering gaze silently.

“Repeat what I just explained,” the teacher demanded.

Hoshino Gen said nothing.

The teacher, now furious, pointed toward the hallway. Hoshino Gen glanced in the direction, immediately understanding her intent.

Knowing he was at fault, Hoshino Gen got up and left the classroom without a word to join Shimizu Yuu in the hallway.

The quiet corridor now had both of them leaning against the wall. When Shimizu Yuu heard the teacher shout “Hoshino” earlier, she had already anticipated this outcome. But now, seeing him yawn lazily while standing there as punishment, she couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.

She glanced at Hoshino Gen, her face full of glee. Her bright, pretty eyes practically shouted, So, even you get your comeuppance, huh?

Hoshino Gen noticed her gaze and turned to look at her, his expression faintly exasperated. Still, he didn’t seem to mind much. Flashing her a polite smile, he then averted his eyes to stare elsewhere.

This reaction made Shimizu Yuu feel a little deflated.

Pouting slightly, she hesitated momentarily before whispering, “I tried out those talisman you gave me.”

Hoshino Gen nodded. Whether he was responding to her or simply nodding off was unclear.

But Shimizu Yuu interpreted it as the former. She edged a little closer, embarrassed, and asked softly, “Um… Can I buy some talisman from you?”

Hoshino Gen leaned against the wall, eyelids half-lowered, looking so drowsy it seemed he might fall asleep standing up.

“How much do you think one should cost?” His casual reply left Shimizu Yuu momentarily speechless.

How much? That was a tough question. In the real world, pricing an item was usually straightforward. If you genuinely wanted to buy or sell something, you likely had a mental figure in mind the moment the thought crossed your mind.

But pricing something that could activate superpowers? That was a whole different ball game. Three days ago, she hadn’t even known such a thing existed. Without any point of reference, how could she determine its value?

“I don’t know. How much do you want for them?” Yuu Shimizu asked softly.

She expected Hoshino Gen to name a sky-high price. To her surprise, he turned toward her and studied her thoughtfully.

His gaze made Shimizu Yuu shiver. Just as she was debating whether to punch him in the eye, Hoshino Gen finally spoke.

“Your name is Shimizu Yuu, right?” 

Though puzzled, Shimizu Yuu nodded.

“Are you brave?” he continued.

“Uh… I guess?” Though confused by the question, she answered truthfully. After all, someone without guts wouldn’t be such a fan of horror novels with supernatural elements.

Satisfied with her answer, Hoshino Gen fell into contemplation again. Observing her closely, he noted her glossy black hair, fair skin, bright and clear almond-shaped eyes, and petite, rosy lips. Most strikingly, she had a slender, tall figure with long, straight legs—a genuine beauty.

Hmm… Not very bright, decently strong, adaptable, and brave. Plus, she’s easy on the eyes—a bonus.

An idea, long abandoned due to the hassle it entailed, resurfaced in his mind.

As Shimizu Yuu squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze, Hoshino Gen finally broke the silence with a smile.

“I have a job for you. Interested? The pay is one talisman per week.”

Shimizu Yuu’s heart skipped a beat. The chance to earn talismans again almost made her agree instantly. But just as she was about to respond, she remembered how he had been staring at her moments earlier. Crossing her arms defensively, she asked warily, “What kind of job?”