Chapter 27: The Road Home is Ultimately Arduous!
Who knows how much time passed.
Luke looked at the very blue sky, the very white clouds.
Miko, in the center of the park, had managed to somewhat calm herself down, no longer shedding little pearls because of the crawling evil spirit following behind her.
Luke sighed.
It was a sigh of relief, definitely not a sigh because he could no longer see Miko's expression of wanting to cry but not daring to.
"Alright, let's stop here for today. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
Luke got off the swing and tossed the wooden sword in his hand to the girl.
"Hmm?" Yotsuya Miko, who was strolling leisurely, caught the peach wood sword strangely.
"Kill you~~~" The evil spirit dragging its ball-shaped belly behind still crawled slowly.
"I guess you won't be able to accept dealing with evil spirits with your fists right away. Use this for now," Luke pointed at the tireless evil spirit crawling over beside them.
"I'll lend it to you for a day. When I get back, I'll pick out a few items for you. Now, finish it off with the wooden sword first."
"Mm." Hearing his words, Yotsuya Miko nodded firmly, reversed her grip on the wooden sword, slowly walked up to the evil spirit, and stabbed down heavily.
With a sizzle, the evil spirit, just like before, turned into ashes that scattered in the wind.
"Ah!" Yotsuya Miko's tense mind inexplicably relaxed a lot.
The Yin-Yang Eye talent she had suddenly awakened a few days ago allowed her to see these evil spirits and ghosts living alongside humans.
Ever-present evil spirits, constantly whispering in her ear, asking if she could see...
The Buddhist beads and other items she bought were completely useless against them.
She could only pretend they didn't exist, couldn't tell her friends or family...
But now...
So tired, but so relieved.
Yotsuya Miko felt fatigue wash over her body, biting her lip to stop the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
Luke took out his phone.
Couldn't be helped, the world was just like this.
To describe it in Hiratsuka-sensei's words—
This world is neither gentle nor kind.
So living is exhausting.
But Yotsuya Miko was ultimately a strong girl and quickly stopped her tears.
Unfortunately...
"Let's call it a day here. It's time for me to catch the train back too."
Luke showed his phone.
"Add me as a friend."
"Mm."
After the wave of fatigue, Yotsuya Miko was filled with a newfound sense of security.
"...If you break or lose it, I might just turn into an evil spirit myself," Luke glanced at Yotsuya Miko.
She gripped the wooden sword tightly.
"I'll take good care of it."
...
Returning to the vicinity of his home from Yotsuya Miko's place, it was around five or six in the afternoon.
The bustling crowd on the shopping street hadn't thinned much.
Luke planned to head to the dessert shop he always frequented.
Although he wasn't particularly fond of sweets, he had a special liking for pudding and cream.
Besides, stocking up on some bread meant that he and Mikasa, the two big eaters, wouldn't have to rummage through cabinets starving at night.
Walking forward briskly, Luke suddenly saw a familiar blonde girl standing in front of the toy store, contemplating deeply...
Miura Yumiko.
Ran into someone I shouldn't have.
Better take a detour...
"Hey!"
A clear shout, but definitely not calling him, Luke was sure...
"Luke!"
My name's not that... Forget it.
Unable to abandon his name, Luke turned his head.
"Oh, it's Miura-san..."
Miura Yumiko, already fuming, glared at him with increasingly dangerous eyes, silent.
Luke looked at her puzzled, unsure where all her anger came from.
Maybe get some cupping therapy to cool down, girl...
"Yahallo." A short-haired girl with glasses popped out from beside Miura Yumiko.
What a strange greeting.
Luke glanced over.
Oh, it was that fujoshi.
Her name, name... Ebi-something-na?
Seeing Luke standing there dazed, Miura Yumiko's crossed arms involuntarily drooped in exasperation.
"Ebina Hina! How can you not even remember a classmate's name? Didn't I tell you before?"
"Yeah! I remember your name! And the name of the person in front of you... hehe..."
After saying that, Ebina Hina fell into her strange state again, drool unconsciously appearing at the corner of her mouth.
Luke was speechless.
This fujoshi was probably imagining something weird in her head again...
He really wanted to pry open her skull and see if it contained brains or waste.
But out of politeness, Luke still nodded in acknowledgment.
To avoid more trouble, he glanced at the blonde girl wearing her short skirt and decided to speak first, "Miura-san, is your knee better?"
Hearing his words, Miura Yumiko's face suddenly turned red, and she inexplicably attacked, "My knee is perfectly fine—! Stop having weird thoughts, you jerk! Catch!"
Luke caught the little bee plushie thrown like a hidden weapon, his gaze shifting to Miura Yumiko's knee.
The scar was already gone.
"Hey! Your gaze is making me a little uncomfortable..." Miura Yumiko said bluntly, shifting her knee slightly.
"Ah? Luke-san actually likes girls like Yumiko?"
Ebina Hina beside them immediately said, shocked, a look of regret clearly visible on her face.
Finally, a helpless sigh escaped her lips:
"Sigh!"
"What do you mean 'girls like me'?! Hina, you better explain yourself!"
Miura Yumiko furiously grabbed Ebina Hina by the neck.
"Ahhh! I was wrong! Spare me, Yumiko!"
Ebina Hina's body swayed back and forth with the blonde girl's force, desperately begging for mercy.
Watching the two acting out their routine, Luke's brow furrowed deeply.
Why don't you two form a comedy duo and debut already!
Call yourselves the comedy duo!
So shameless!
Luke walked past the two speechlessly.
"I have things to do, so I'll take my leave first."
Miura Yumiko watched Luke pass by, confused, her hand loosening slightly.
"Oof— Survived."
Ebina Hina collapsed limply on the ground, weakly rubbing her neck.
"Let's go, Hina!" Miura Yumiko quickly followed, calling out to Ebina Hina.
"Why are you two following me?" Luke asked helplessly, looking at the two girls now beside him, watching him.
"To prevent you from doing strange things to other women..." Miura Yumiko said.
"Hehe."
No need to look, that was Ebina Hina's laugh.
"Whatever." Luke took out the little bee plushie and handed it to Miura Yumiko.
"Don't you two have your own business here?"
Miura Yumiko took the plushie back into her bag.
"A friend's birthday is coming up. Hina and I came over to pick out a gift. We're already done."
"Go home early then. Walking at night makes it easy to encounter unclean things," Luke made a final effort.
"If we really encounter something, we'll leave it to you then," Miura Yumiko naturally issued the command.
Then, she asked softly, "Do you want to come to the birthday party? Look... you usually don't have chances to interact with classmates, that, that birthday party..."
"Not going," Luke refused decisively.
"Ah? But I'm sincerely inviting you..." Miura Yumiko started attacking his ear again.
Luke looked up at the sky.
Sigh.
...
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