Because of the last "moonlit rendezvous," Shu began appearing in the dining hall almost every evening. Though he came nightly, he rarely ate much, always bringing his own sake wine instead. Haruko would occasionally join him for a glass, and they'd chat about matters that often felt more fantasy than fact.
Aside from Shu, Kogimi, Ms. Lu, Ms. Shimo, and Achi would occasionally come for meals, yet Shinya had all but disappeared; it had been two or three days since Haruko had last seen him. Though they still exchanged texts each day to coordinate on needed ingredients, his replies were consistently curt, no more than one or two words.
"...But somehow, the ingredients always get replenished. Is Mr. Shinya actively avoiding me?"
Tonight, Shu, Ms. Lu, and Mr. Kogimi were at the dinner table. As usual, Mr. Kogimi nibbled on just a bit, but never ate much; Ms. Lu, who wasn't particularly picky, still avoided anything spicy or overly flavorful; Shu, for his part, merely sipped his sake wine, only sampling bits of his favorite dishes.
"Yes. Recently, Shinya hasn't had any special duties; in fact, he's quite free. So I'd say he's most certainly avoiding Ms. Haruko," Kogimi remarked. Since he and Shinya had been jointly investigating the "spirit veins," Kogimi knew Shinya's recent schedule well enough to sell him out without hesitation.
Eavesdropping just outside, Shinya suppressed the urge to storm in and throttle Kogimi. He considered sending him a mental message to stop talking, but with Haruko's spiritual seal mostly broken, it was unclear if she could hear telepathic exchanges between yokai.
"Perhaps it's because Haruko's scent has grown stronger recently. For a young yokai like Shinya, there's always a chance he won't be able to resist… and might just devour you whole."
Shu…
This man was truly a troublemaker, though unlike Kogimi, who joked lightheartedly, Shu seemed to revel in stirring up chaos. And unfortunately, he wasn't wrong.
"Exactly! There are so many men in the world. Little Haruko, you're so adorable—you really shouldn't give that young tiger a second thought!"
Lu, ever the instigator, chimed in, adding, "Why not come along with Shimo and me for a group date next time? We know plenty of handsome model-types!"
"Ms. Lu, looks-wise, I believe Shu and I aren't exactly lacking?" Kogimi teased, though his gaze lingered on Haruko rather than Lu. Shu, undoubtedly the most handsome man in the entire building—no, the entire apartment complex—continued savoring his sake without a word.
"Thank you all for the reassurance, but… that really wasn't what I meant…" Haruko replied with a resigned smile.
"Haruko, just focus on your own affairs."
Shu's gaze held hers, as if reading into every unspoken thought. It was true—her life of late had been anything but ordinary.
Classes remained fascinating and occasionally challenging, and she was settling into her household roles, both with her housemates and in her chores, especially cooking dinner. Although she missed home, a recent call with her parents had ended with an hour-long account of her brother Chikage's latest exploits, leaving her with a debt she'd have to settle with him someday.
But there was one thing that had been far from normal: she had begun to "see things" she shouldn't.
A translucent woman who never boarded the train, standing on the station platform…
Occasionally passing by spirits in the street as if they were mere phantoms…
A salaryman in a suit, who, on closer inspection, sported horns upon his head…
The first time she encountered such sights, she nearly screamed. She'd told Abe no Seimei about it, and though he listened patiently, he could offer no real solutions, merely reassuring her that most spirits were harmless and nothing to worry about.
Shu was right—she had her own matters to focus on.
Though she hadn't mentioned any of this to anyone, sitting among the three at the table, she somehow felt they already knew.
"…I suppose I am a bit worn out lately. My nights are restless, my mind is frayed, and I feel… completely drained."
The truth was, this problem wasn't something she could discuss with anyone. To the yokai, these encounters were part of everyday life.
"Haruko, there's no need to worry too much. You're absolutely safe here in the Yokai Society." Shu, rare in his sincerity, offered words of comfort, only to revert immediately with a playful tone, "But, if you like, I could always keep you company at night."
"Tut tut, the old yokai is at it again…" Lu muttered as she spooned a few bites of Haruko's homemade strawberry yogurt, seizing the chance to taunt Shu.
"Must I act like an inexperienced young yokai and hide from Ms. Haruko?" Shu mused, casting a glance toward the dining room door. Among those present, he was the eldest by far, and it was impossible for him not to have noticed Shinya lurking outside.
"Inexperienced…?" Haruko recalled Seimei once mentioning that Mr. Shinya was quite young among the yokai.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Kogimi said as he helped clear the plates. Since Haruko handled cooking, cleanup was typically done by those who came for dinner. "Shinya's origins are rather unique, and he's quite young, so sometimes he ends up doing things only a baby yokai would do. Cut him some slack."
…Kogimi.
Shinya had known Kogimi would talk behind his back. In fact, Kogimi surely knew he was eavesdropping just outside and that he couldn't defend himself.
"Oh, is that so?" Haruko said, immediately accepting Kogimi's words.
…Haruko…
Faced with her unquestioning belief, Shinya could say nothing. After all, Kogimi wasn't lying.
"Despite my appearance, I'm over three hundred years old, you know."
…The little yokai… So you do know you look small.
"Kogimi and Shu are both much, much older than I am, but I'm not sure which of them is older. And Kogimi's age is… a bit complex." Ms. Lu attempted to explain the two eldest yokai to Haruko, though she herself wasn't entirely sure.
"In terms of years, it's probably Shu who's older."
Kogimi's "age" wasn't measured in years; in terms of knowledge and power, he rivaled Baron Barrett. Meanwhile, Shu's era of origin was likely several hundred years before the Baron's.
"Oh? Then I suppose I am the eldest," Shu replied, clearly unconcerned about his age.
If Haruko were to guess, she'd likely think Mr. Kogimi was the elder; he seemed so much more composed than the hedonistic Shu.
"Then what about Mr. Shinya?"
"Shinya is the youngest, even younger than you, Haruko!"
"Ms. Lu!"
Kogimi's sharp reminder left Lu looking guilty. The look of "I shouldn't have said that" on her face made Haruko even more curious. She turned a questioning gaze on Kogimi, but his polite smile left her unable to pursue the topic further.
"Sorry, did I touch on something I shouldn't?" she sighed, "I just don't want to grow distant from Mr. Shinya, and truly, it's hard to feel at ease in a place where so many things remain secret."
Her words drew a silence from everyone present.
At last, it was Kogimi who spoke.
"I understand. While I can't reveal everything, there are some things I can share."
Though Kogimi was undoubtedly loyal, Shinya also wished he could explain things directly to Haruko. He'd wanted to tell her himself, yet certain restrictions made it impossible; some things were beyond his control.
"The fact is, Shinya's origin is different from most yokai's. He was only 'born' three years ago. Which means… he's only three years old."
"Three years old?!"
"Yes, and aside from a certain Taoist from China, you are the only human he has come into close contact with."
For yokai, Taoists and ordinary people are vastly different, and human women even more so. Considering all this, Haruko began piecing together the situation from Shinya's perspective and found herself starting to understand.