The Next Day
Nanashi went to school as usual.
Early in the morning, he stopped by Eriri's house.
Sayuri greeted him with a small, awkward smile, telling him that Eriri wasn't feeling well and needed another day to rest.
He didn't need to ask why.
It was obvious.
Eriri had made too much noise yesterday.
Sayuri had found out about them.
Did he care? Not really.
What was done was done. There was nothing to hide.
Still, it was his fault that Eriri wasn't feeling well today.
After checking on her, he headed off to school alone.
The tram was as packed as ever.
Nanashi stood for a while, scrolling through the news on his phone.
Then—
"!!!"
Something hit him.
He looked up.
A beautiful blonde girl had bumped into him.
She had the distinct appearance of a gyaru—long, styled hair, perfectly manicured nails, rings on her fingers, multiple earrings and studs, and a black silk choker around her neck.
Her school uniform was worn loosely and casually.
A stereotypical gyaru through and through.
"Oh, sorry! I'm a little sleepy and lost my balance!"
Despite her flashy appearance, her voice was bright, cheerful, and polite.
"It's fine."
Nanashi brushed it off.
The girl glanced at his uniform.
They were from the same high school.
Her gaze lingered.
What a handsome face!
Great physique!
A perfect cosplayer body!
Then, her eyes widened in excitement as she noticed his golden irises.
Without hesitation, she asked boldly, "Are your eyes also colored contacts?"
Nanashi blinked.
"Also?"
Only then did he notice that her pupils were red—probably colored lenses.
"No, my eyes are naturally golden. No contacts."
The girl's eyes lit up even more.
"Whoa! That's so cool!"
She was lively, carefree—her personality refreshing.
Nanashi found her surprisingly interesting.
"My name is Nanashi Fumei. Second-year, Class 1. What about you?"
The girl suddenly realized she had been talking to him without even introducing herself. She hurriedly responded,
"I'm Marin Kitagawa! Second-year, Class 5!"
"…"
Marin?
Wasn't she the heroine from My Dress-Up Darling?
Nanashi smiled.
"Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, same here!"
In just a few exchanges, Marin seemed to warm up to Nanashi quickly.
Her next question was more direct.
"Nanashi-kun, have you ever done cosplay?"
"Cosplay? Not really."
Marin immediately looked disappointed.
With that body? That face? That build?
What a waste!
She hesitated, then asked,
"Are you at least interested in cosplay?"
Nanashi rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment.
"Hmm… It does sound kind of fun."
Marin's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Then you should totally try being a model! There's a comic convention next weekend!"
Nanashi chuckled.
"Alright. But I don't know much about it, so I might need your guidance, Kitagawa-san."
Marin grinned brilliantly, patting her chest confidently.
"Leave it to me!"
They exchanged contact information.
Marin, true to her nature, was always carefree when it came to things she loved.
And her greatest passion?
Cosplay.
"Ah!"
A startled scream rippled through the tram.
Everyone turned toward the source of the sound—including Nanashi.
A black-haired girl, also wearing the short-skirted high school uniform, had collapsed onto the floor.
Tears welled in her eyes as she clutched her knee.
She winced, mumbling, "Ugh… I fell yesterday, and my knee still hurts."
People around her nodded in understanding.
But—
Nanashi saw the truth.
The girl's big eyes trembled—not with pain, but with fear.
Because right in front of her—
A terrifying evil spirit was crawling out from the floor.
Its twisted form loomed toward her, its presence invisible to the normal eye.
To the others, the girl had simply fallen.
But in Nanashi's eyes—
She was facing something far more horrifying.
She had been terrified.
The reason she claimed her knee hurt was because the evil spirit looming before her kept whispering the same words over and over—
"You can see? You can see?"
She had repeated the excuse, hoping to hide the fact that she truly could see it.
But that horrifying spirit stood right in front of her, its grotesque form closing in.
Miko's breath hitched.
"So terrifying… I can't move…!"
Tears welled in her eyes as she desperately tried to stand, but her limbs had gone weak.
The people around her barely spared a glance.
No one wanted to risk involvement.
Helping a stranger could lead to trouble—misunderstandings, false accusations, or worse.
Meanwhile—
"You can see me? You can see it?!!"
The evil spirit's whispering grew louder, its presence pressing down on her.
It was getting closer.
Miko's heart pounded wildly.
She was on the verge of tears—
When suddenly—
"Are you okay?"
A gentle voice broke through the tension.
A hand reached out, piercing through the evil spirit's form as if it weren't even there.
To the other passengers, it was nothing more than a simple act of kindness—someone offering a helping hand.
But in Miko's eyes—
She saw it.
The very moment the outstretched hand brushed against the spirit—
It disintegrated instantly, dissolving like smoke in the wind.
Dazed, Miko slowly lifted her gaze.
Her eyes locked onto a pair of golden irises—just like hers.
The owner of those eyes smiled gently.
"Do you want me to help you up?" Nanashi asked.
Miko hesitated for a moment before pursing her lips and nodding.
"Um…"
She placed her small, trembling hand into his.
Nanashi's grip was steady and strong, effortlessly pulling her to her feet.
"…"
Miko couldn't stop staring at him.
It was as if she wanted to say something—to ask something—but she hesitated.
Sensing her uncertainty, Nanashi simply spoke.
"I'm the same as you."
"!!!!"
Miko's eyes widened in shock.
He's like me…!
He can see them too…!
And—he just destroyed that evil spirit effortlessly!
Ding!
The tram arrived at its stop.
As the doors slid open, Nanashi turned slightly and left her with a simple message:
"If you want answers, come find me at the Paranormal Research Club. My name is Nanashi Fumei."
And with that—
He stepped off the train, leaving Miko frozen in place, her heart still racing.