Natsuki dragged a folding table from the balcony. "Just cleaned yesterday, actually."
"Oh?" Hana raised an eyebrow.
"Usually it's a disaster zone," Natsuki shrugged. "Can't take a step without tripping over something. Weird stuff happens all the time, too."
"Weird stuff?" Hana's eyes widened. "Like what?"
Natsuki lowered his voice dramatically. "Not long ago, I woke up and something important was missing. Door was locked, windows shut tight. No sign of a break-in. But this thing? Vanished into thin air..."
"A g-ghost?" Hana whispered.
Miko rolled her eyes. "What'd you lose?"
"Excellent question," Natsuki said, face serious. "I got up, got dressed, and found only one sock. The other? Gone. Searched everywhere."
"A sock?!" Hana exclaimed. "That's what this is about?"
"What did you think it was?" Natsuki asked innocently.
Hana puffed up her cheeks. "Natsuki, you jerk!"
"Hey, I didn't lie," he grinned. "Vanishing socks are one of the top three supernatural events in daily life."
"What are the other two?" Hana asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Natsuki met her gaze. "You really want to know?"
Hana nodded eagerly.
Natsuki pulled out his textbook. "Not telling."
"Miko!" Hana whined. "Natsuki's being mean! Do something!"
Miko, sprawled on the table like a limp fish, mumbled, "Sorry, too tired to care."
As they studied, Miko's eyelids grew heavy. Soon, she was fast asleep at the table.
"Poor thing," Hana whispered. "Let's let her rest, okay?"
Natsuki nodded. No point waking her up—it's not like they were in an exam.
"Miko's been having a rough time," Hana continued softly. "She's so distracted in class, always nodding off. But she fights sleep like it's her enemy. I'm glad she's finally getting some rest."
Natsuki looked at Hana, surprised. This girl noticed way more than he'd given her credit for.
"You're staring, Natsuki," Hana pouted. "Thinking something rude, aren't you?"
Natsuki ignored her, grabbing a blanket from the closet and gently draping it over Miko.
"Aw, that's sweet of you," Hana whispered.
Natsuki shrugged. "It's getting chilly. Let's keep studying."
Hana scooted closer, mindful of Miko. "Help me with this one? There are nine lit candles, you blow out five. How many are left? I said four, but the answer's five. Why?"
As Hana leaned in, Natsuki found his gaze drawn to her chest, which was pressed against the table. He mentally scolded himself. "Sit up straight," he muttered. "You'll hurt your back."
.........
Time passed, and the room grew dim.
"What time is it?" Hana asked, noticing the darkening sky.
"5:10," Natsuki replied, checking his phone.
"Guess we should head home," Hana yawned, stretching. "PE class today. My shoulders are killing me. Can't wait for a hot bath."
Natsuki doubted PE was the real culprit for her shoulder pain, but kept that thought to himself.
Suddenly, Hana let out a small cry. Something small and dark whizzed past Natsuki's face, grazing his cheek.
"What the—?" He touched his face, confused.
Hana's face was bright red as she clutched at her collar. Natsuki's eyes widened as he realized her shirt was gaping open, revealing more than it should.
"I'm so sorry!" Hana stammered, mortified. "I stretched too hard and my button flew off... again."
"Again?" Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "This happens often?"
"I'm so sorry!" Hana exclaimed, still clutching her collar.
Natsuki rubbed his cheek. "It's fine. The button bounced under the bed."
"I'll get it!" Hana insisted, kneeling to peer under the bed.
Natsuki averted his eyes, realizing her position was... compromising. "Wait, I can—"
"It's too dark," Hana said. "Could you shine your phone light under there?"
Natsuki nodded, crouching to illuminate the space.
"I see it!" Hana exclaimed. "It's way in the back."
Before Natsuki could suggest using a broom or hanger, Hana wriggled under the bed.
"Got it!" she called. As she tried to back out, she let out a small yelp. "Um, Natsuki? I'm stuck. My uniform caught on something."
Natsuki sighed. "Hold still. Let me see."
He carefully examined where her clothing had snagged, trying to maintain her dignity.
"There's a nail," he explained. "Don't move, I'll unhook you."
"O-okay," Hana stammered. "Be careful..."
Natsuki gently freed her uniform. "Alright, you should be good now. Come out slowly."
A moment later, Hana emerged, hair mussed and face flushed. She flopped onto the bed, catching her breath.
"That was more of an adventure than I bargained for," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Maybe next time we use a broom," Natsuki suggested dryly.
"Thanks for your help." As Natsuki let out a sigh of relief, an unbelievable voice reached his ears. "...What are you doing?!"
Miko was stunned, doubting her own eyes. Wake up. Her good friend was disheveled, face flushed, tears in her eyes, lying on the bed looking distressed. Her childhood friend had his right hand on her best friend's waist, as if trying to get closer. In this situation, Miko suddenly thought of a TV drama plot. My husband is currently... No, I'm a girl, so am I the wife? Even though they weren't dating, it was too much for her childhood friend and best friend to do that in front of her!
"Ah! Miko, listen to my explanation!" Lily suddenly opened her eyes wide, her already red face growing even hotter, steam practically rising from her head. "It's not what it looks like!"
Looking at the exposed skin on her best friend's chest, Miko's mouth twitched slightly, and she raised her hand to cover her forehead. "Lily, put your clothes on first."
"I'm sorry, my clothes are damaged," the blonde girl said, eyes misty with shame.
Hearing this, Miko paused for a moment and silently turned to look at Natsuki.
"It has nothing to do with me," Natsuki quickly raised his hands in innocence. "Just listen to my explanation... Actually, let Lily explain it."
The suspect's defense seemed totally unreliable.
"I just..." Lily covered her chest with her hands and began to narrate tearfully.
Looking at the button lying in her friend's palm, Miko let out a sigh of relief. With witnesses and evidence, it seemed she had indeed misunderstood.
Natsuki sighed quietly, "It hurts to be wrongly accused by those closest to you."
Miko's pretty face flushed slightly. "I didn't say anything just now."
Natsuki retorted, "A suspicious look is scarier than an accusation."
"...Get out." Miko sat up straight and pointed to the door. "And bring me the sewing kit."
After Natsuki found the sewing kit and gave it to Miko, he was quickly kicked out of the room again.
A moment later, two girls came downstairs. Lily's buttons had been sewn back on, but to be safe, she still covered her collar, a blush on her face as she whispered, "Goodbye Natsuki, I'm going home."
Natsuki nodded. "See you tomorrow."
"I'm leaving too," Miko said, grabbing her schoolbag and following her friend.
No words were spoken that night.
............
The next day in the classroom, Chika approached Natsuki, holding her schoolbag with both hands. "Good morning, Natsuki!"
As expected of a socially skilled girl, she'd smoothly transitioned from calling him "Amemiya-san" to "Natsuki-san" over the past two days, and now to the familiar "Natsuki." It sounded quite natural.
"Morning."
Natsuki looked up at Chika's face, slightly surprised. "Why do you have dark circles under your eyes?"
Hearing this, Chika bit her lower lip, looking aggrieved. "Last night while I was sleeping, a super scary ghost suddenly appeared by my bed and kept staring at me. I tried changing rooms, but it followed me. It was terrifying, and I couldn't sleep at all."
As they were talking, Kaguya walked into the classroom.
"Kaguya, you lied. Wearing an eye patch didn't work," Chika said, looking pitifully at the ice-cold girl. "That vengeful spirit kept staring at me. I could feel it on my skin."
"I never said the eye patch was 100% effective," Kaguya replied coldly. "It was just a suggestion."
Natsuki looked at Kaguya. After not seeing her for a night, her dark circles showed no signs of fading. She clearly hadn't slept well either.
"Time to open the blind box!" Chika clenched her fists, cheering herself up. "Before I left this morning, I watched a horoscope show. The host said my fortune today is great!"
Kaguya's eyelashes trembled slightly as she thought of yesterday's interesting task. She couldn't help biting her lower lip.
Fraud. Astrology isn't reliable at all!
Chika quickly bought today's blind box. Upon opening it, a faint golden light flickered, immediately catching Natsuki and Kaguya's attention.
Golden light? Could it be the legendary item?
[Ten times critical strike!]
[Congratulations: You get 100 game coins]
Natsuki looked at Chika in surprise. Just by opening a blind box, she got a ten times critical hit. Was she some kind of destiny's child?
As it stood, game coins were quite valuable. Natsuki and Kaguya had completed the novice mission and each got ten game coins. After finishing the School of Vengeful Spirits, they only got seventy game coins in total. All their hard work wasn't worth as much as one of Chika's blind boxes.
"Hmm..." Chika blinked. "I guess I'm lucky, right?"
Kaguya bit her lower lip silently. Not fair! Yesterday the fortune teller said she'd have good luck, so why was her task so awful? Was someone targeting her?
"Natsuki, what's in your blind box?" Chika looked over expectantly.
Natsuki agreed and purchased today's blind box from the mall. He'd checked this morning - the item was a prop, not a vengeful spirit. Unfortunately, he didn't know exactly what it was.
After opening the blind box, Natsuki only felt his palm sink slightly.
"Hey, is that a comb?" Chika asked curiously.
Kaguya whispered, "An ordinary comb?"
"It should be... not ordinary," Natsuki replied with a subtle tone, quickly showing the comb's properties to the two girls.
[Props: Blood-stained comb]
[This is a Showa-era comb. The previous owner was a barber who gave customers middle-parted hairstyles for 30 years. The middle-parting technique is imprinted in the comb. As long as the target has hair, it can force them to have a middle-parted hairstyle.]
[Note: Don't leave, let me give you a middle part]
"The era of middle-parts is over," Chika complained. "This comb is useless."
"I object. Even if it's useless, we can still put it to good use," Natsuki said seriously. "If we're ever in an extremely cold environment, we can use it as firewood."
Chika retorted, "Such a small comb isn't enough for burning."
"This comb has no usage conditions. It can be used anytime, anywhere," Natsuki looked at the girls with interest. "Want to try it?"
"I refuse." Chika quickly covered her bangs and stepped back. "I don't want a middle-part!"
"What about you, Kaguya?" Natsuki looked at the ice-cold girl. "Want to try a middle-part?"
Kaguya crossed her arms, smiling sweetly: "Natsuki, you're very cute."
"I'm sorry, I take that back."
No one was willing to try the middle-part comb. Soon, it was Kaguya's turn for the blind box.
The blind box disappeared. Kaguya's hands were empty.
Natsuki raised an eyebrow, somewhat skeptical: "Kaguya, did you win the prize again?"
Kaguya bit her lip, feeling aggrieved.
[Congratulations, you've obtained the interesting task: Kill 100 people!]
[Fun Mission: Kill Hundreds of People]
[Task: It's time to show your real strength. Defeat one hundred opponents by force before 24:00 today and let your reputation spread far and wide.]
[Reward: Exclusive Bound Equipment] [Failure penalty: Hearing sealed for 24 hours]
[Note: The reward is very valuable, don't miss it]
[Note: Cheating prohibited. Ensure fair duels. Secret collusion, bribery, etc. will invalidate defeats.]
"Kaguya, are you okay?" Chika asked cautiously.
Apart from biting her lip slightly, Kaguya showed no abnormality. Her expression was calm as she said, "I'm fine."
"That's good," Chika sighed in relief. "Two days of strange missions in a row... if it were me, I'd probably cry."
You've been fooled. The ice queen is just good at managing her expressions. She appears calm, but she's not calm at all inside!
Natsuki looked at Kaguya and could clearly see words gushing out above her head.
[It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair...] Why me again? I feel like someone is secretly targeting me!