Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Hoshino Gen tidied up the low table before him, then called a taxi. If his employee loved exercising, that was her business. As the boss, Hoshino Gen wouldn’t compromise his own comfort.

Within ten minutes, a taxi pulled outside the antique shop and honked. Carrying his laptop—the one he used to finish the mission—Hoshino Gen boarded the taxi in a good mood.

Hoshino’s residence, a high-end apartment in the Koto district, was in a standalone building with hotel-like management. The taxi drove unimpeded to the base of the building.

But before Hoshino Gen got out, he spotted a familiar Lexus SUV driving away. He recognized it as the office vehicle for his sister. Looks like Hoshino Rin had already beaten him home.

As he thought this, his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

When Hoshino checked the screen, sure enough, it was “The World’s Cutest Little Sister~ (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)” calling.

He didn’t answer or decline the call. Instead, he set his phone to silence. When the taxi stopped at the building’s automatic glass doors, Hoshino Gen got out and entered, only to spot Hoshino Rin in the corner of the lobby. She was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, waiting for him to pick up her call.

Silently, Hoshino Gen walked up and patted her delicate shoulder.

“Eek!” Startled, Hoshino Rin almost dropped her phone. But when she realized who it was, her mismatched eyes sparkled with delight.

“Onii-chan!” she exclaimed and tried to hug his arm. However, Hoshino Gen, unaccustomed to physical contact, instinctively dodged.

Hoshino Rin didn’t mind too much, only puffing her cheeks in a small pout. After all, even if the lobby staff was obligated to protect residents’ privacy, some might lack professional ethics. A sneaky photo of them could easily make its way online, where the media might spin it into a mess.

Though Hoshino Rin had been planning to reveal the “I have a twin brother” fact to the media to make going out with him less problematic, she didn’t want it to happen through a leak.

Hanging up her call, Hoshino Rin’s gaze fell on the laptop under Hoshino’s arm. Sharp as ever, she quickly guessed what had happened. Brimming with excitement, she pointed at the laptop and asked, “Brother, did you finish the game?”

Hoshino Gen smiled, raising a finger to his lips to signal silence as they stepped into the elevator.

It wasn’t until they reached the twelfth floor, verified their fingerprints, and entered their home that Hoshino Rin finally spoke up, taking off her cap and mask.

“Did you get the affection level to sixty?!”

“Did the ghost really show up?”

“Did you deal with it?!”

Like an overly chatty sparrow, Hoshino Rin bombarded Hoshino Gen with questions.

Hoshino Gen, though seeing no reason to keep things from his sister—who already knew some of the details—was too lazy to explain. He pulled the phone from his pocket, wrapped in its red thread, and held it out.

The moment Hoshino Rin peered through the thread to glimpse the screen, her words froze. Her expression shifted, her face turning pale.

Her instincts screamed that the girl on the screen was no ordinary image but a genuine ghost.

Facing something she had only heard about in horror stories, Hoshino Rin was naturally scared. Yet with her brother beside her, she felt an odd mix of fear and exhilaration—a thrill akin to visiting a zoo and seeing venomous snakes behind glass.

Her jelly-like lips trembled slightly as she looked at Hoshino Gen with glowing eyes. In that moment, her admiration for him surged uncontrollably.

Hoshino Gen pocketed the phone again, smiling. “Alright, I got caught in the rain earlier and am soaked. I’m going to take a shower. I’ve already eaten, so if you’re hungry, just order something.”

While Hoshino Gen went to shower, Hoshino Rin didn’t bother ordering food. She wasn’t particularly hungry after snacking on fruit at the office and didn’t feel like consuming more calories.

Alone in the living room, Hoshino Rin glanced at the PS5 under the TV, tempted. Gaming was a long-standing hobby of hers, and encountering supernatural phenomena hadn’t changed that.

But instead of playing alone like before… Hoshino Rin glanced in the direction of Hoshino Gen’s bedroom and decisively chose to head to the bathroom in her own room to take a shower—she’d invite her brother to play games together afterwards.

…

The Next Morning

Hoshino Gen stifled a yawn as he climbed into a taxi headed for school. He had stayed up half the night gaming with his idol sister, who was still fast asleep at home. Unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid dragging his tired self to class.

Halfway there, drowsy in the backseat, he caught sight of Shimizu Yuu walking to school. Instantly awake, he asked the driver to pull over and enthusiastically invited her to ride along.

Though hesitant at first, Shimizu Yuu—exhausted from a restless night—finally agreed.

The two arrived at school together, swapped their shoes at the lockers, and entered the classroom, parting ways to take their seats.

Unlike the friendless loner Hoshino Gen, Shimizu Yuu was quite popular thanks to her likable personality.

The moment she sat down, Suzuki Sawami, who had been chatting with other girls, rushed over.

“Yuu-chan, Yuu-chan! I heard yesterday’s test results are being announced this afternoon! And tomorrow’s the parent-teacher conference!”

Still half-asleep, Shimizu Yuu snapped to attention.

“What?! Parent-teacher conference?!”