"Dad, let me explain!"
Ryo's siblings exchanged glances. Since when did their brother start calling their Otousan "Dad"? What is this—he rides a limousine once, and suddenly he's fluent in English?
"Oh, so now you're pulling the 'let me explain' card? Cut it out and get inside. We need to talk," Reiji snapped, throwing him a sharp look before glancing at Jun, giving him a curt nod, and heading into the house.
Ryo swallowed hard. How was he supposed to explain this to his father? He didn't want another argument.
"Jun-san, thanks for the ride. Please let Momohito-san know I'll message him once my bank account is set up," he said. Jun gave a slight nod before stepping back into the car. As soon as the butler drove away, Ryo braced himself and entered the house—only to be greeted by a lineup of spectators.
Peeking from the living room doorway were his siblings, his grandmother, and even Ayame. Great. His entire audience was ready.
Now seated in a formal seiza position on the floor, Ryo faced his father, who stood before him with arms crossed, a white towel draped around his shoulders—the same one he had tied around his head earlier. Reiji's sharp, narrowed eyes bore into him like a seasoned warrior sizing up his opponent. With his tan skin, black irises, and streaks of gray in his hair and mustache, he was the very picture of an imposing Japanese man in his forties.
"Who was that? And where have you been?" Reiji's voice was firm, his suspicion unmistakable.
"That was Jun-san, the butler of the Takahashi family," Ryo answered, keeping his tone as neutral as possible. Lying wasn't his strong suit, and honestly, he hated doing it—but there was no way he could let his father find out what he was really up to. So, he'd have to mix a little truth with a little... creative storytelling.
"And how exactly do you know them?" Reiji's eyes narrowed even further. He wasn't buying it.
"Uh... w-well, I was on my way to the shrine when I, uh, ran into a dog," Ryo stammered, scratching the back of his neck, avoiding his father's gaze. He had no idea where this story was going, but he was already in too deep.
"Oh? And what exactly does a dog have to do with the Takahashi family?" Reiji asked, now smacking the white towel against his palm like a whip as if preparing to strike Ryo's bum.
"Uhmm... w-well, the dog was missing! Yeah, a lost dog! And I saw the poster—the missing dog poster—and so I went to the address!"
Wow. Incredible.
Truly, a masterclass in lying.
"Yeah, that's right! The missing dog belonged to Momohito-san, the son of Matsuhito-san, the heir to the Takahashi family! So, yeah, they rewarded me and had their butler drive me home! End of story!"
If there were awards for lying, Ryo would definitely place in the top three.
"Hmm... are you telling the truth?" Reiji's voice was serious, his sharp gaze filled with suspicion. "This has nothing to do with that thing, right?"
If his father found out he was back to doing that, an argument was inevitable.
"No, Otousan. I swear, it's not that."
There was no way his father could know what he was up to. He had disappointed him one too many times, and he didn't want to add to that burden. The last thing he wanted was for his father to worry—or worse, get caught up in trouble because of him.
"Make sure of it," Reiji huffed. Then, shifting his focus to the shadows cast against the thin washi paper of the sliding door, he barked, "And as for you lot eavesdropping out there—if you've got time to snoop around, you've got time to help me harvest vegetables in the fields!"
The moment he said that chaos erupted.
One by one, his siblings bolted in different directions, fleeing as if their lives depended on it. Even their grandmother took off running—despite not even remembering why.
With the interrogation over, Ryo quickly stashed his money under his drawer before heading out to help with the harvest. Together with his siblings, he picked beans and other crops that needed to be gathered before the rainy season arrived.
As he worked, Ayame—who, despite being a ghost, had no trouble holding objects—helped with the harvest as well.
"Does your dad know you can see ghosts?" she asked casually, plucking a handful of beans.
Ryo froze mid-pick, his gloved hands tightening around the stems. Under the shade of his oversized straw hat, he wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced up at the bright blue sky dotted with large, fluffy clouds.
"He knows," he murmured, thankful that his siblings were scattered far enough not to overhear.
"So… when he mentioned that earlier," Ayame continued, grinning mischievously, "was he talking about your little scam—I mean, your service?"
"Oh, so you were eavesdropping on our conversation too," Ryo sighed before going back to picking beans.
"Of course," Ayame replied with a grin.
Ryo exhaled, then said, "I've been able to see ghosts since I was a kid. I used to get terrible fevers from the fear—seeing dead people scared me so much. Actually, all of us siblings were born with a third eye, but mine is the only one that never shuts. The others lost their ability to see spirits when they turned six."
Their eyes drifted to Ryota, the youngest sibling, who was happily running under the sun. Ryo was certain that, in time, his little brother's ability to see ghosts would fade away, too.
"Your dad seems really angry about this. But is there really anything wrong with using your third eye for a side hustle? I mean, you've helped people—like Akito-san and Matsuhito-san," Ayame pointed out.
"It's not just about my job now," Ryo admitted. "Back in middle school, I was involved in something else. And… I think it's also connected to Okaasan's death. That's why he doesn't want me using my ability anymore."
Ayame gasped, covering her mouth.
She had always wondered about Ryo's mother—why she never saw her around the house. She had assumed she was working overseas or just busy with something. But hearing this made her feel guilty for bringing it up.
"I'm sorry… I didn't know. I was being nosy," she muttered, lowering her gaze and returning to picking vegetables.
"Haha, don't worry about it," Ryo said with a small smile. "It's been five years since Okaasan passed. We've all moved on, even Ryota. He knows she's gone."
He stood up, lifting a basket full of freshly picked beans. "Thanks for worrying, Hoshino-san."
Ryo flashed her a warm smile before walking off to join his siblings. Ayame watched as he blended into his lively, bustling family. They might not be rich, but there was so much warmth and happiness between them.
For the first time in a while, she felt what a real family was supposed to be.
She glanced down at her hands. The plants she tried to touch passed right through them.
"Maybe… I should go home," she murmured. "I suddenly miss my parents."