After Hozuki Nozomi and Yukinoshita Yukino left, two girls emerged from another alley. One had long black hair, while the other had short golden hair.
Upon closer inspection, the two were Yotsuya Miko and her best friend, Yurikawa Hana.
Yotsuya Miko, a girl with spiritual sight., had the ability to see evil spirits. Meanwhile, Yurikawa Hana was unknowingly radiating life energy, making her the equivalent of a dazzling light bulb in the eyes of malevolent entities.
It was most likely this peculiar contrast—Yotsuya Miko's spiritual sight and Yurikawa Hana's vitality—that continuously attracted the supernatural.
Yotsuya Miko cautiously scanned her surroundings. Upon confirming that the grotesque, eye-covered spirit from earlier had vanished, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she thought, 'I really need to find a chance to ask Nozomi-kun for help. If possible, it would be even better if I could become his apprentice…'
She was truly exhausted from living in constant fear of evil spirits. One moment of carelessness, and she might get dragged away to who-knows-where.
It was one thing if she suffered alone—but watching her best friend, Yurikawa Hana, have her life energy drained right before her eyes was unbearable. The sheer helplessness she felt was suffocating.
==========================
Back at Sakurasou.
Hozuki Nozomi had already returned with Yukinoshita Yukino.
Stepping inside, Yukino couldn't shake a lingering awkwardness.
After all, she had stormed out earlier because of something Sayu Ogiwara had said. Now she was back, and the situation felt… strange.
Her cheeks heated up slightly in embarrassment.
Sayu, however, didn't tease her about it. Instead, she simply smiled and said, "Yukinoshita-san, after you ran off earlier, I contacted Nozomi-kun."
"There's a new school called Kouka High School] right across from Suimei Academy. The students there seem to have a penchant for delinquency, so it's best to avoid going out alone."
Yukinoshita Yukino nodded solemnly. "I understand. Thank you."
Had Sayu Ogiwara not reached out to Nozomi, she dreaded to think of what might have happened to her tonight.
She had always believed that the exclusion and isolation she suffered from childhood were the worst things she could experience.
But tonight, she saw a much darker side of human nature.
The filthy words, the lecherous gazes, the malicious intent—just recalling it made her tremble.
Sayu Ogiwara noticed her unease and spoke gently, "You don't have to thank me. But… I hope you won't be angry with me for being so blunt earlier." She then changed the topic. "It's getting late. I was about to start cooking. If you'd like, you're welcome to stay for dinner."
She didn't pressure Yukino, simply giving her the choice before leaving for the kitchen, effectively giving her space to process everything.
That left just Nozomi and Yukino in the room.
Nozomi, noticing her complexion wasn't great, sat beside her and spoke in a soft voice.
"Are you scared?"
"… A little," Yukino admitted after a brief silence.
"Sorry. If I hadn't asked you to come take care of the cats at Sakurasou, you wouldn't have encountered something like this."
"What does that have to do with you?" Yukino shook her head, disagreeing with his words. "I came here of my own accord. And I ran away on my own."
She paused before adding, "If anything, I should be thanking you. If not for you… I…"
"I'm just glad you're safe." Nozomi smiled reassuringly, seeing that she had calmed down somewhat.
Still, in the back of his mind, he thought, 'Those delinquents… They need to be dealt with.'
Some people played at being bad for attention, to look cool, or to act rebellious.
But others…
Like those six pieces of trash he encountered tonight—they were criminals.
Yukinoshita Yukino hesitated before speaking up again.
"… Nozomi-kun, I have a question."
"Go ahead," he said easily. "If I don't answer, you'll probably just stay up all night overthinking it."
She inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself.
"What we encountered earlier… was it supernatural?"
"Yes," Nozomi confirmed without hesitation. "Those guys had done too many terrible things, so they were haunted by lingering resentment."
He continued, "After I knocked them down, they got possessed by vengeful spirits. But don't worry—most people go their whole lives without ever encountering anything supernatural."
"…That's not very reassuring," Yukino muttered, rolling her eyes slightly.
She had faced such an incomprehensible horror—of course she was afraid. Only someone completely abnormal wouldn't be.
Still, she pressed on. "Then… what happened to those people in the end?"
She asked cautiously, as if bracing herself for the answer.
Nozomi met her gaze, then answered frankly: "They disappeared."
"…Disappeared?" Yukino's lips parted slightly.
"To be precise, I destroyed them." Nozomi's voice was calm, yet resolute. "The evil spirits had already taken their lives. They were nothing more than puppets. Leaving them in this world would only lead to more victims."
A heavy silence settled between them before he suddenly added, "And you know what? I felt relieved when I did it."
Yukino blinked in surprise and looked at him, slightly unsettled.
"…Does that make me a bad person?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, watching her reaction.
Yukino hesitated, lowering her gaze.
"…Why did you feel relieved?" she asked softly.
Nozomi took a moment to think before answering. "To be honest… it made me angry."
His tone was light, but the coldness in his eyes was unmistakable. "When I think about what they were planning to do to you, it pisses me off."
A faint blush crept up Yukino's cheeks.
So that was why…
She found herself gripping the hem of her skirt, an odd feeling stirring inside her chest.
He hadn't just been acting out of duty.
It was because it was her.
Because she was the one in danger.
A strange, conflicting sensation coursed through her, a mix of gratitude and unease.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to him with a serious expression. "Nozomi... I don't think you're a bad person."
She met his gaze directly, her tone firm. "Those people deserved it. So, please... don't let it weigh on your heart."
The second daughter of the Yukinoshita family was nothing if not pragmatic. If someone thought he was cruel simply because he disposed of a few scumbags, only to distance themselves from him afterward, that would be nothing but foolish.
Nozomi's lips curled into an amused smirk. "I see. So, Yukinoshita, do you have any other questions?"
Of course, she did.
For one, she wanted to know if he could really control and command cats. But if she asked, it might expose the fact that he had deliberately approached her. She wasn't ready for that conversation. If it had been before, she would have inquired without hesitation. But now… she found herself hesitating.
Noticing her momentary silence, Nozomi chuckled softly. "Since you have nothing more to ask, how about staying for dinner tonight? There are plenty of guest rooms in Sakurasou, so if you'd like, you can even spend the night."
Yukino, however, shook her head. "No, I still want to go home."
"Alright, then I'll take you back."
With that, Nozomi escorted her to the train station, watching as she boarded and disappeared into the night. Only after confirming she was safely on her way did he turn back toward Sakurasou.
Upon his return, Ogiwara Sayu greeted him, an unmistakable glint of guilt in her eyes. "Nozomi… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have confessed to Yukinoshita."
Instead of reprimanding her, Nozomi simply wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace, running his fingers soothingly through her soft hair.
"It's okay," he reassured her. "She would have found out sooner or later. You just told her a little earlier than expected. I don't blame you. If anything, I should be thanking you for looking out for this family."
Sayu's eyes welled up with emotion. She instinctively tightened her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. "For you, I'd do anything."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, tinged with vulnerability. "I just thought… if Mahiru accepted it so easily, Yukinoshita would too. But… she's really proud, isn't she?"
Nozomi chuckled, effortlessly lifting her into his arms. "That she is. But don't blame yourself. Maybe this will make it easier for her to accept things in the long run."
Sayu sighed, nuzzling against his shoulder. "Am I terrible for trying to manipulate her into this?"
"You know it's mean, huh?" Nozomi teased, kissing her forehead lightly. "But don't worry. No matter what, I'll stand by you."
Sayu giggled softly at his words before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and pulling away. "Alright, I'll go make dinner."
Meanwhile, across town, Yukinoshita Yukino sat in her bedroom, feeling far more restless than she would have liked. She hugged her panda plushie, Mr. Pan, tightly, her thoughts in disarray.
Today had been... overwhelming.
There was no doubt about it now—Nozomi truly possessed an unfathomable power. Being with him meant safety. Security. But...
He's too unpredictable.
And...
She recalled Sayu's words about how she and Mahiru had no choice but to surrender.
Her cheeks flushed an even deeper red as she buried her face into her plushie. "Baka… he's such a pervert!"
The memory of his arm around her waist, the way he had pulled her close—it was far too much for her poor heart to handle.
Why was she even thinking about these things?
She tossed and turned in her bed, unable to find sleep. Then, another thought crept into her mind, making her stiffen.
If he's really that powerful… wouldn't that mean I wouldn't be able to withstand it?
Yukino wasn't naive. She had a basic understanding of such matters, even if she lacked experience. But she also knew her own weaknesses well. Her body had always been frail. While she had sharp intelligence and talent, physical exertion drained her too quickly.
If I really end up marrying him… would I even be able to fulfill my role properly?
Her entire face felt like it was on fire at the thought. She clutched Mr. Pan even tighter, groaning into its soft plush surface.
Maybe Sayu's idea… isn't so bad after all?
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Attached is Yurikawa Hana, Miko's bestie from Mieruko-chan.