Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Shimizu Yuu barely made it past a few lines of the contract before her mind started spinning. The thick stack of A4 papers, each densely packed with fine print, overwhelmed her with a sense of defeat. She didn’t believe she had the will to finish reading it.

As she struggled to force herself to absorb the words line by line, Hoshino Gen returned with Hoshino Rin. He placed a silver cup on the table and pulled a needle from seemingly nowhere, holding it deftly in his left hand.

Under Shimizu Yuu’s puzzled gaze, Hoshino Gen smiled at her. “Shall we begin? Where would you like it?”

“Huh? We’re starting already?” Shimizu Yuu’s eyes widened as she stared at the needle. Uncertain, she asked, “With just… this?”

Hoshino Gen responded with a silent smile.

Shimizu Yuu hesitated. She was tempted to back out but knew she wasn’t the type to retreat once she had made a decision. Gritting her teeth, she steeled her resolve.

Taking a deep breath, she stretched out her right arm and laid it on the table as if for a medical checkup. Pointing to her smooth, fair forearm, she said, “Here… I guess.”

Without further ado, Hoshino Gen pulled her arm closer and prepared to begin.

“Wait!”

He looked up at her with mild confusion, his expression questioning her sudden interruption.

“I’m… uh… not great with pain. Can you go easy on me?” Shimizu Yuu said in a small voice.

Hoshino Gen simply lowered his head and, without a word, pressed the needle into her arm.

“Ah!” Shimizu Yuu yelped, squeezing her eyes shut as pain flared where the needle pierced her skin.

But Hoshino Gen showed no mercy. The needle danced at an incredible speed, rising and falling rhythmically, leaving faint red marks that quickly formed intricate patterns on her pale skin.

As time passed, the sharp stings began to dull, and Shimizu Yuu gradually became desensitized. Where she had flinched and whimpered with every stroke at first, now her eyes merely followed the motion of the needle, dull and unfocused.

Hoshino Rin, watching from the side, covered her mouth in astonishment, her expression an unspoken, I don’t get it, but I’m deeply impressed.

After about ten minutes, the inside of Shimizu Yuu’s forearm was inflamed and dotted with countless pinpricks. These marks connected to form an intricate design of mystical symbols—a talisman of some kind.

Beads of blood began to seep from the needlework. Hoshino Gen took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the surface clean.

“All… all done?” Shimizu Yuu’s voice trembled with a mix of relief and lingering pain. Tears glistened in her almond-shaped eyes, a testament to her endurance.

Hoshino Gen’s smile was warm. “Almost. Just one last step.”

From the pocket of his seemingly endless inventory, Hoshino Gen retrieved a tiny brush. Dipping it into the silver cup, he stirred gently before withdrawing it. The once pristine white bristles now shimmered with an intoxicating crimson hue.

Hoshino Rin peeked into the silver cup curiously, only to discover it was entirely clean—no trace of the crimson liquid remained.

By now, Hoshino Gen had moved Shimizu Yuu’s arm back into position. With a steady hand, he brought the brush down to the upper corner of the talisman design and let the tip touch her skin.

Shimizu Yuu felt a wave of heat rush through her arm. It wasn’t the sharp, biting pain of the needle but the sudden warmth of stepping into a hot bath—a sensation both startling and oddly comforting.

Her instinct was to flinch, but Hoshino Gen’s firm grip kept her arm steady. Slowly, the brush danced across the design, filling in gaps with strokes so precise they seemed alive. A soothing warmth spread through her body as he worked.

When he finally lifted the brush, Shimizu Yuu almost felt disappointed.

But that fleeting moment of tranquility was soon replaced by awe. As the talisman was completed, a golden-red glow erupted from her arm. Steam hissed as it escaped into the air, and the symbols pulsed with an entrancing radiance.

The glow dimmed, the steam dissipated, and the intricate design vanished entirely, leaving her skin smooth and unblemished.

Wide-eyed, Shimizu Yuu touched the spot with her other hand. It was as silky as ever, without even the faintest hint of the ordeal she had just endured.

“That’s it?” Shimizu Yuu asked, still processing what had happened.

Hoshino Gen said nothing at first. Instead, he reached for the black sheathed blade nearby and uncovered its sinister blade with a crisp clang. He held it close to Shimizu Yuu’s arm.

In an instant, her forearm glowed brightly, the golden-red talisman reappearing with dazzling clarity. The blade trembled as though responding to its presence.

Sliding the blade back into its sheath, Hoshino Gen chuckled softly as the glow faded and the symbols vanished again.

Shimizu Yuu was now certain that the pain she had just endured was worth it—no, it was super worth it! In fact, she could even accept it if it hurt two or three times more! The scene just now, which was nothing short of a dream come true, had deeply touched a certain part of her heart, and her small face flushed with excitement.

“This! You… I… this…” Shimuzu Yuu stammered, pointing at her wrist, her excitement reaching its peak!

Equally excited was Hoshino Rin, who sat beside Hoshino Gen. However, her attention wasn’t on the tattoo on Shimizu Yuu’s wrist, which could be both invisible and glowing. Instead, she was looking at her brother with eyes sparkling with admiration.

Hoshino Gen chuckled and said, “Don’t get too excited. You’d best hope that thing never needs to be activated again.”

Then his tone shifted, bright and cheerful. “Anyway, the contract’s signed, the preparations are complete—Shimizu-san, it’s time to work.”

“No problem!” Shimizu Yuu, still riding the high of her experience, agreed with her boss without hesitation. “What do you need me to do?”

Hoshino Gen snapped his fingers. “Simple.”

“Remember the English composition Fujiwara sensei assigned us before school ended? I need you to write mine. Just make sure it doesn’t match yours too closely,” he explained. “You can write it in Japanese first and use an online translator to convert it into English.”

Reaching over, Hoshino Gen grabbed the contract Shimizu Yuu had been struggling with earlier. Scribbling two English words in the corner with his pen, he slid it back to her. “Here’s my handwriting. Try to match it.”

“…”

Silence.

“Wait… what?”