"There's a quiz on Friday. If my grades are too bad, Mom will nag me." Miko's voice was weary. "Hana will be there too."
Natsuki pondered. "Wouldn't it be inappropriate for me to join a girls' study session?"
"It's totally fine." Hana raised her right hand, her smile bright. "Amamiya-kun just needs to bring Booty-tarou along."
Wait.
What kind of ridiculous name is that?
Seeing Natsuki's speechless look, Hana giggled. "That's the name I gave Aki-chan. Booty daifuku is super delicious."
Enough already—don't go giving other people's pets weird names!
And what even is "booty daifuku"? With such a terrible name, can they actually sell those?!
"Let's go then."
Natsuki agreed.
"Amamiya-kun, can I hold Booty-tarou's leash?"
Hana clasped her hands before her chest and looked up at him. Her hopeful gaze was like a little deer in Nara begging for deer crackers.
"Here."
Natsuki didn't mind. He handed over the leash.
"Thank you, Amamiya-kun." The blonde girl cheered. "Amamiya-kun really is a good person."
Natsuki replied expressionlessly:
"Please don't casually hand out friend-zone cards."
"Don't worry." Hana giggled. "You and Miko are childhood friends, so even if you get friend-zoned, you won't be single forever."
"Like I said, being childhood friends doesn't mean we're dating. We're just normal friends..."
Miko's pretty face reddened slightly as she weakly protested.
That's right.
Natsuki and Miko really were childhood friends.
In his first year of middle school, Natsuki had moved with his parents. Their new house happened to be right next to Miko's. After transferring, he attended the same middle school as her. You could say he had witnessed firsthand Miko's transformation from an unremarkable middle schooler into the alluring figure she was today.
Adolescent girls really did change day by day.
The two families got along well.
Natsuki's parents were often busy with work, traveling all over for business. Miko's mother would occasionally invite him over for meals... So calling them childhood friends was indeed accurate.
However, the two weren't dating.
They could only be called friends on good terms.
To be honest, in real life, brothers and sisters don't end up in German orthopedics situations, and so-called childhood friends rarely end up together after growing up. They usually just become childhood playmates.
Soon they arrived at Miko's house.
"I'm home."
Miko called out calmly, took out her key, and opened the door.
"Excuse the intrusion."
Hana led the dog inside.
Natsuki stepped into the entryway and was about to take off his shoes when he suddenly heard an ethereal voice:
"Welcome home."
"Hm?"
Natsuki paused slightly. He looked toward the source of the sound and was surprised to see a man walking over from the living room.
More precisely, it was a translucent, ghostly middle-aged man, emitting a faint white glow.
"Uncle?"
Natsuki recognized him immediately.
Miko's father.
When Natsuki had first transferred here, Miko's father was still alive. Later, her father contracted an incurable illness and eventually passed away.
Over these past two days, Natsuki had seen countless evil spirits, but this was the first time he'd encountered a ghost like Miko's father—one without any evil, chaotic, or maddened aura. Instead, he gave off a vague sense of warmth, which made Natsuki quite curious.
Miko was secretly observing from the corner of her eye.
As expected, he can see Dad... Wait!
Her eyes suddenly went wide as she thought of something serious.
Based on her previous observations, Natsuki seemed to have awakened some strange ability that could harm those vengeful spirits. Weak ones would even dissipate into smoke directly.
Could Dad be in danger too?
At this thought, Miko's heart stopped.
Even if Dad had become a ghost, he was still a member of the family. If he got hurt because of her...
No!
Act quickly!
At this critical moment, Miko's brain spun rapidly. She suddenly turned around and threw herself into Natsuki's arms.
A genuine embrace!
"Eh eh eh?!"
Hana's eyes went wide. She covered her cheeks with both hands, fingers spread apart. "And you said you two were just ordinary childhood friends—you're hugging each other!"
Miko's pretty face flushed slightly, but she couldn't worry about that now. She quickly leaned close to Natsuki's ear and whispered:
"Natsuki, don't hurt Dad."
A faint fruity fragrance drifted to his nose—the scent of green apple shampoo. Beyond that, there was also the smell of strawberry cake and the fragrance of Miko's cosmetics.
Breathing in the scent on Miko, Natsuki quietly assured her:
"I know."
The Evil Dispersion aura could be activated, but it could also be voluntarily turned off.
While there were many evil spirits in the real world, they weren't densely packed on every street and alley. You'd just encounter one from time to time.
So Natsuki kept it off by default.
"Phew..."
Having received his assurance, Miko let out a breath of relief. She released Natsuki and stepped back two paces to put some distance between them.
Facing her friend's gossipy gaze, Miko raised her right hand and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, acting as if nothing had happened:
"I just slipped."
"Liar. There's no water on the floor, and no banana peel either. How could you slip?"
"I lost my balance."
"..."
Natsuki silently changed into slippers.
Meanwhile.
Miko's ghost father had already walked over to the three of them, a gratified smile on his face:
"Miko has finally grown up."
Then he looked toward Natsuki:
"Natsuki, take good care of Miko. You two should get married after graduating high school."
Hey hey, isn't getting married right after high school a bit too soon?
You've already become a ghost—stop worrying so much!
Hearing her father's words, the tips of Miko's pale ears flushed slightly red, but her face maintained its nonchalant expression, as if she hadn't heard anything:
"Let's go, to my room."
"..."
Following Miko up the stairs, they arrived at her room.
"Eh~ Miko's room is so ordinary."
Hana clasped her hands behind her back and gave her assessment.
"Sorry for being so ordinary."
Miko's tone was indifferent. She paid no attention to her friend's evaluation. From a corner, she retrieved a folding table, unfolded it in the middle of the room, and set it up.
"I thought Miko's room would have a super huge teddy bear bigger than a person..."
"Giant teddy bears are super expensive, and they're hard to wash once they get dirty." Miko knelt down and took out the daifuku from her bag. "I don't like them at all."
Hana continued:
"Why is there a world map on the wall instead of a pretty girl poster?"
"Pretty girl posters are something only boys like to put up." Miko, dark circles and all, said, "Hurry up and sit down so we can study."
Hana obediently sat down. While petting the Akita's head, she looked toward Natsuki. The girl's curiosity was quite robust.
"Does Amamiya-kun's room have pretty girl posters?"
"If you want to know, you can come hang out in my room." Natsuki said casually.
"I'll pass." Hana covered her chest with both hands. "Mom said I shouldn't casually go to strange boys' rooms. It might be dangerous."
Natsuki sighed in disappointment, his tone wistful:
"So in Yurikawa-san's eyes, I'm just a dangerous stranger."
"You're not a stranger at all—Amamiya-kun is already a friend." Hana quickly waved her hands. "...I'll come hang out in your room later!"
"I refuse."
Natsuki raised his teacup and took a sip.
"Huh?"
"There are things in my room that can't be seen by others. It really is dangerous. Yurikawa-san, you'd better not come."
"..."