"Ehhh?", Only now did Yumiko realize that at some unknown point, a transparent black-haired girl had appeared beside her, and she immediately jumped up in fright.
"Gh-ghost—ghost! So close!", That sudden jump caused her to instinctively let go of the brown-haired girl she'd been supporting, who was still unconscious.
Thankfully, Kaito moved swiftly, catching the brown-haired girl by the waist and holding up her soft, limp body, preventing her from falling headfirst to the ground.
At the same time, he commented speechlessly, "You're making a fuss. Weren't you the one who requested this?"
'Well… yes, that is true, but, turning your head and suddenly seeing a ghost staring at you from what was previously an empty space, any normal person would be startled, right?'
Miura Yumiko's delicate face turned slightly red, and she murmured a quiet excuse, "I-I just wasn't prepared…"
"Forget it," Kaito shook his head and looked toward the ghost girl in front of him, "Continue. I'll decide how to deal with you depending on the situation."
"Thank you, sir," The ghost girl gave a deep bow and began recounting her story.
Her name was Mizusaki Aki. She was once a student of Tsukinomori.
Born into a wealthy family, she practiced piano diligently from a young age and was a famously gifted musical prodigy.
However, she failed in a competition, and after returning home, she had a big argument with her mother over a trivial matter. Upset, she came alone to the school's music room to practice piano.
Unexpectedly, she suffered sudden heart failure, and in the depths of regret and despair, she slowly stopped breathing.
After death, Mizusaki Aki spent a long time in a mindless state, like a newborn baby, unaware of her surroundings. No one could see her, and she couldn't interact with the outside world.
Until a few days ago, for some unknown reason, she suddenly regained many memories from her life. Her mind gradually cleared up, and aside from still being transparent, she became no different from a normal person.
Mizusaki Aki had thought about visiting her home, but no matter what, she couldn't leave the music room.
After countless attempts failed, she had to give up the idea of leaving. Her only daily entertainment was playing her favorite piano pieces after school.
"So, how did this girl get involved?", Kaito pointed. He was referring, of course, to the brown-haired girl who'd been possessed to play the piano.
The ghost girl looked a little nervous but still explained in a low voice, "She was attracted by my piano music and voluntarily entered the classroom. My spirit isn't particularly strong, so it's hard for me to influence reality. Usually, I'm exhausted after just one piece unless I find a compatible medium…"
"But I really didn't mean to hurt her! I just wanted to use her body to play the piano to my heart's content!"
"A-and I even gave her compensation. Maybe because I was good at piano when alive, the pieces I play now have a stress-relieving effect. They let her have sweet dreams! And her mind becomes much sharper for a while!"
"You're not wrong, but the living and the dead walk separate paths."
Kaito's expression showed no emotion, and his tone was calm, "Taking over her body consumes her vitality. It doesn't threaten her life in the short term, but it will definitely cause minor illnesses and bad luck."
"S-sorry… I didn't know it would have such consequences…", Mizusaki Aki lowered her head, looking guilty.
She really hadn't meant any harm, just wanted to enjoy playing the piano.
After all, it was her first time being a ghost. She didn't know the professional rules, and no one had told her.
But a mistake was still a mistake. Mizusaki Aki was afraid this handsome boy in front of her might just slap her into oblivion, so she quickly said, "I-I'll make it up to her! As long as it's something I can do, anything is fine!"
"In that case, why not ask the victim herself?"
Kaito lowered his head. The brown-haired girl in his arms was still unconscious, but her long, slender brows furrowed slightly.
It wasn't too serious, she hadn't been possessed for long. She was just a little weak.
He passed a wisp of spiritual energy into her, replenishing her drained vitality. The next second, the girl slowly opened her sapphire blue eyes, filled with gratitude.
Though she had just fainted, she'd actually still been conscious. Able to hear everything that happened around her, but unable to speak.
Now finally free of the restriction, she originally wanted to express her thanks immediately, but before she could open her mouth, she saw the handsome boy so close to her and froze up.
"Can you stand up on your own?", Kaito, unfazed, simply asked this. Seeing her nod in a daze, he let go without hesitation, showing no intention of taking advantage.
The warmth of his spring-like embrace left just like that, leaving the brown-haired girl with a sense of loss, while also making her aware of her inappropriate reaction.
"Um… my name is Nagasaki Soyo. I'm a student at this school," Nagasaki Soyo tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to make her voice sound sweet and pleasant, "Thank you very much for your help. May I ask your name?"
"Kurumizaka Kaito."
After a brief pause, Kaito added, "Let's save the long introductions for later. Miss Nagasaki, as the victim, what do you think?"
'My opinion?'
She'd only come back to campus to retrieve something she'd left behind, and ended up being possessed by a ghost.
Nagasaki Soyo was still somewhat frightened, but after a moment's hesitation, she looked at the trembling Mizusaki Aki.
"Senpai Mizusaki, I've heard your name before."
As a famous piano prodigy, Mizusaki Aki was once well-known at Tsukinomori. But after her early death and the school's efforts to suppress the news, people gradually stopped mentioning her.
Nagasaki Soyo had only heard the name by chance from a senior.
Though Mizusaki Aki was technically her senior's senior, she didn't actually seem that old, only nineteen when she died, and with her petite figure, she looked more like a middle schooler.
Now she was looking at her with wide, puppy-like eyes, like a child who'd made a mistake…
Nagasaki Soyo's heart softened. She quietly said, "This time… it was an accident. Let's just pretend it never happened."
"Wahhh! Nagasaki kouhai, I'm so sorry!"
Mizusaki Aki burst into tears, wanting to throw herself into a hug. But afraid that getting too close would drain Soyo's vitality, so she just hovered in place, motionless.
'Since the victim herself isn't bothered, and nothing terrible really happened, this matter is settled.'
But after a moment's hesitation, Mizusaki Aki raised a new request to Kaito.
"You want to pass on?"
"That's right…", Mizusaki Aki looked a bit downcast.
Passing on didn't mean becoming a Buddha or god. It was just a euphemism for the dead in Japanese culture.
Remaining in soul form, with intelligence, might seem similar to living, but was that really living?
If you called this living, her soul was trapped in this tiny music room, like a prison.
No, even worse than prison.
At least in prison you could chat with your cellmates, or get time outside.
Her only entertainment was playing the piano. And not even to her heart's content. Just one piece left her exhausted.
The rest of the time, all she could do… was daze off.
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