Chapter 5: Humans and Ghosts Are Different; She Will Send Hagiwara to Rebirth
It's been two years.
Chinatsu lowered her eyes.
She met Kenji Hagiwara two years ago. Kenji Hagiwara is a bound spirit who, due to his deep-seated obsession, cannot be reincarnated and can only wander around the place of death every day.
He was a bomb disposal police officer who was blown to pieces in a mistake. This floor was rebuilt and bought by Chinatsu Takanashi two years ago.
"Young lady, don't believe him. People have died here. You absolutely must not move in!"
When she came to see the house, Kenji Hagiwara was hovering around her, loudly accusing the unscrupulous real estate agent of selling a haunted house as a normal one, and urging her to leave quickly and not be fooled.
But when he discovered that she could see ghosts, Kenji Hagiwara's attitude did a complete 180-degree turn, and he rubbed his hands together and begged Chinatsu Takanashi to move in.
"I'm so bored. Nobody can see me, and nobody can talk to me. I'm so bored I could die."
He was already dead.
"Please, please, just chat with the second-year student occasionally, and I can look after the house for you, please!"
He clasped his hands together, and his pleading eyes made Chizuru Kotori hallucinate a giant dog.
Ghosts exist.
The first ghost that Chika Takanashi encountered was Nadeshiko, the older sister from the villain's family.
She was beautiful, wearing a light green gauze dress with two simple straps that tied her waist, making her seem to have a life of her own, swaying gently with her mood.
After that, she saw some ghosts, but not often. Only Kenji Hagiwara and she spent a lot of time together.
Between life and death lies an insurmountable chasm.
She doesn't ask about Kenji Hagiwara's past, nor about his friends and family, and she doesn't allow Kenji Hagiwara to care about her affairs. This is a form of protection for both of them.
Okay, that was just an excuse.
In fact, Takanashi Chinatsu just didn't want to take responsibility. The more she knew about the other person's relatives and friends, and about their past, the deeper their bond became.
She dislikes responsibilities that don't belong to her, always feeling that if she knew, she would have to bear something. She prefers to ignore them, pretend not to know, and live a much easier life.
Kenji Hagiwara has high emotional intelligence, and the two have always had a great understanding in this regard.
Until today, Kenji Hagiwara has crossed the line.
After all, it's been two years.
Before meeting her, Kenji Hagiwara had been wandering alone for a year, with no one to see him, no one to hear him, and no one to touch or do.
They live in this world, yet they seem like survivors of fate, out of place with the rest of the world.
Even when they meet, they always keep their distance. They joke around and seem close, but they can't really have a heart-to-heart talk.
Three years is enough time to wear down a person's enthusiasm for life, and also enough time to wear down a person's patience.
In fact, the fact that Kenji Hagiwara only asked the question today already made Chinatsu Takanashi feel quite impressed.
Perhaps it's time to end this journey of encountering ghosts.
Moving or finding an exorcist, whatever, Takanashi Chinatsu doesn't want anyone to forcibly interfere in her life, nor does she want to bear anyone's responsibility. She won't help Hagiwara Kenji find relatives or friends, nor does she intend to interfere in his fate.
Lunch break.
Standing on the rooftop, the spring breeze caressed my cheeks, bringing with it a rich floral fragrance.
The cherry blossoms on campus are in full bloom. Takanashi Chika sits quietly on the edge of the rooftop, her legs dangling in mid-air, and opens her lunchbox to prepare for her meal.
"Idiot, it's dangerous!" Touya grabbed Takanashi Chinatsu's arm and forcefully pulled her away from the edge of the rooftop.
"I won't fall!"
"That's dangerous too!"
Takanashi Chinatsu glared at Touya, then turned her gaze to Yukito, seeking his support: "Yukito, don't you think Touya is making a mountain out of a molehill!"
Yukito, who is usually gentle and indulgent towards Chika, put on a stern face this time and said seriously, "Chika-chan, it is indeed dangerous. It would be troublesome if you accidentally fell."
"I'll be very careful..." Takanashi Chinatsu couldn't finish her sentence. She could still retort to Touya, but even the usually gentle Yukito didn't support her, so she immediately touched her nose and admitted her mistake.
"Chika-chan, this is delicious." Yukito's bento box was still untouched. He used unused chopsticks to put a piece of steak and a few takoyaki on Chika's plate, looking at Chika's simple bento box with some concern: "Just sandwiches? Won't you be full?"
"Her cooking skills are only good enough to make a sandwich. But even if she can't cook, she should at least buy some fast food. I think your brain is rusty!" Touya mocked, handing her a banana.
Chinatsu glared at him fiercely, grabbed a banana, and smashed it on Touya's head: "Your brain is rusty!"
The force wasn't strong, it didn't hurt at all. Touya squinted one eye and gave Takanashi Chinatsu a disdainful look.
Snow Rabbit spread out a blanket, and the three of them sat down and laid out their food to eat.
Chinatsu subconsciously touched her wrist, only to find nothing. She awkwardly placed her fingers on the heart-shaped pendant on her chest.
"Hey, Touya."
"What?" Touya asked without looking up as he squeezed salad dressing into the lunchbox.
"You gave me a bracelet before, didn't you?"
"Huh?" Yukito, who had been enjoying his meal, paused, his gossipy eyes excitedly shifting between Touya and China.
"Eat your food!" Touya glared at Yukito, then corrected Takanashi Chinatsu: "That's not a bracelet, it's a safety rope. I've already made you wear it on your wrist."
Touya glanced at Takanashi Chinatsu's empty wrist and sneered.
"Why does Chinatsu-chan wear a safety rope?" Yukito raised his hand.
Touya's answer was perfunctory: "Because it can keep you safe."
"But you didn't give me any!"
"You still need a safety rope?" Touya's eyes were strange. Did this guy even know how powerful he was? Takanashi Chinatsu needed a safety rope because she could see ghosts but had no ability to protect herself. But hadn't she always ignored it? Why was she suddenly bringing it up again today?
Touya raised an eyebrow; it seemed the situation had changed.
"Did you lose it? Do you need me to go and get you another one?" Touya asked casually.
"No need, just tell me the shrine's address, I'll go ask for help myself." Takanashi Chinatsu didn't want the two of them to worry; she was going there to ask the shrine's priestess for help.
Humans and ghosts are destined to be apart; sending Kenji Hagiwara to the afterlife was the last thing Chika Takanashi could do for him.
A note from the author:
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A major crisis for the second-year graduate student!
Chinatsu Takanashi is a rational and cold-hearted person. Before the age of 13, with an adoptive father but no organization, Chinatsu Takanashi could love everyone around her and develop deep feelings for everyone. After the age of 13, without an adoptive father but with an organization, Chinatsu Takanashi became a hedgehog, and her feelings for new acquaintances were always superficial.
Organization, you've really neglected Chinatsu-chan!
Red envelopes will be dropping in the comments section!
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