Tokyo Exorcism Diary - Chapter 7

On a Saturday morning, a light drizzle fell from the gray sky.

Hoshino Rin had already been picked up early by her manager and assistant, while Hoshino Gen, after finishing his breakfast, also left the house.

However, his destination wasn’t the bustling streets popular with people his age on weekends. Instead, it was a deep alley near the district.

He rolled up the wide, dusty shutter that hadn’t been touched in a week, revealing a spotless glass display window inside. Beside the window stood a classic wooden door with a European medieval charm, and extending from the doorframe was an iron standing sign with the elegant words “Antique Shop” written in cursive.

This shop was located in a property Hoshino Gen had asked his father to purchase years ago. His father had never visited, nor cared what Gen did with the place. He had likely forgotten that this property was even in his name. The shop’s business license? Hoshino Gen had asked the butler from his grandfather’s side of the family to handle it.

In every sense, this “Antique Shop” was Hoshino Gen’s secret base.

On occasion, he would use the shop to buy and sell regular antiques, but due to its remote location—and the fact that he only came on his days off—customers were rare.

Hoshino Gen pulled out a key and unlocked the door. Casually, he tossed a talisman inside, and immediately a gust of wind swirled through the room, sweeping away the scant amount of accumulated dust and carrying it out past him into the world outside.

Only then did he change his shoes and step inside. The interior was filled with the same classic charm as its storefront. The primarily wooden décor and the intricate layout seemed designed to evoke a sense of timelessness.

With the gentle white noise of raindrops tapping against the window, Hoshino Gen entered the spacious reception area and entered the even larger showroom beyond.

Since the shop was called the “Antique Shop,” it naturally had antiques. The brightly lit showroom featured dozens of meticulously arranged plaster pedestals. Most, however, were empty. Only a scattered dozen or so held antiques, their muted colors exuding an air of age and mystery. Each item was covered with multiple yellow talismans, their surfaces inked with crimson characters and symbols.

The room’s temperature was noticeably colder than the rest of the shop, and the sight of the ominous talisman added an unsettling edge. Just standing there could make one’s heart involuntarily tighten with unease.

This was only natural. After all, every single antique in this room housed a real, vengeful spirit.

When a person dies, their soul detaches from their body, becoming a spirit severed from the material world. Typically, such spirits either pass on to the afterlife or dissipate entirely.

But some spirits, bound by deep-seated grudges, refuse to move on or disappear. These entities often seek out a third option: binding themselves to objects steeped in dark energy(Yin), using these items as vessels to influence the living world.

In simpler terms, they become what people commonly refer to as “ghosts.”

The stronger the grudge, the darker the energy needed in the vessel. Among all objects in the world, antiques are the most notorious for harboring such energy.

Hunting ghosts and exorcising spirits was undeniably dangerous work. Hoshino Gen was well aware of his limits. He never fancied himself a selfless hero or someone committed to the noble cause of vanquishing evil. The only reason he continued down this dangerous path after his old mentor passed away was the lucrative rewards that came with it.

Maybe it was because he’d grown up in poverty in a past life, but Hoshino Gen had a definite fondness for wealth. Even after training under his master and becoming financially stable, his “greed” evolved into a soul-deep obsession with “treasure.”

Rare treasures like a South Sea pearl necklace only unearthed once a century or a flawless pink diamond from a millennia-old excavation—just the names alone made him drool.

Antiques accounted for a significant portion of the world’s treasures, which meant nearly every vengeful spirit represented a potential treasure. And the more powerful the ghost, the more valuable the treasure.

Just thinking about the crimson cursed blade wielded by that ghostly swordsman in the forest dojo… Hoshino Gen couldn’t help but salivate. Yet, recalling how every confrontation with that ghost had ended with him barely escaping with his life, his mood soured like the dreary rain outside.

Expressionless, Hoshino Gen replayed the fight against the swordsman for the umpteenth time in his head while inspecting the showroom.

Once he confirmed that everything was in order, he left, firmly shutting the showroom door behind him.

Behind the antique-style bar, he brewed himself a cup of coffee and settled into the bay window on the other side of the reception area. Resting his head lightly against the cool glass, he listened to the rain outside. A unique tranquility spreads through the classical interior.

That blade… I want it. I need it. I have to have it.

The thought churned endlessly in his mind, like a maddened voice screaming and shouting. Hoshino Gen’s temple throbbed as he gulped down a bitter mouthful of coffee, barely managing to suppress his restless desire.

Pitter-patter—-

Raindrops pattered densely against the roof of the sports arena. In the backstage dressing room, Hoshino Rin sat curled up with her knees to her chest, scrolling through a webpage titled “Top Recommended Multiplayer Games” on her phone.

“Rin-chan~!”

A saccharine voice pierced her ears before a fragrant, soft body draped itself over her slender back.

“What should I do, Rin-chan?! We’re about to go on stage, and I’m so nervous!”

Hoshino Rin didn’t turn around. She didn’t need to; the voice of the person clinging to her back was unmistakable. It was Hayakawa Yukina, a second-gen member who had joined TKY02 two months ago. She was also the only second-gen member selected for the Shinjuku concert lineup.

Scrolling absentmindedly through her phone, Hoshino Rin offered a half-hearted reassurance. “Don’t be nervous. Just treat it like practice.”

“Easy for you to say,” Yukina’s sugary-sweet voice carried a trace of helplessness. “But a concert is still a concert! Didn’t all 8,000 tickets sell out instantly? Just imagining all those people watching us… staring at us… ugh, it’s terrifying!”

“Relax. Most people won’t even be looking at you. They’re here for Rin-chan and Kaoru, after all.”

Another voice chimed in suddenly, making both Hoshino Rin and Hayakawa Yukina turn their heads. It was their captain, Hayami Seiko, who had somehow appeared beside them without either noticing.

Seiko grinned at Yukina. “Just kidding, don’t take it to heart.”

She shifted her gaze to include Hoshino Rin as well, the smile on her face widening. “Showtime’s almost here, ladies. Ready to take the stage?”

The soothing background music faded, replaced by the patter of rain and the bustle of the streets. Shimizu Yuu held a shopping bag in one hand while sharing an umbrella with her best friend, Suzuki Sawami, as they left the clothing store behind.

“See? Didn’t I say this place was amazing?” Sawami exclaimed, swinging a bag identical to Yuu’s with unrestrained excitement. “Same brand, but everything here is 10% cheaper than at the other stores!”

“Still pricey, though…” Yuu sighed.

“Ugh! Why do we have to wear uniforms at school?” Sawami lamented, dramatically waving her arms. “I finally bought some cute clothes, and I can’t even show them off!”

“Speaking of which, Yuu, I heard from some other class yesterday that we have a test on Monday. What do you think about having a study session? We can use it as an excuse to show off our new outfits!”

“Yuu…?”

Her chatter slowed to a halt as she glanced at Yuu’s face, concern flickering in her eyes. “Yuu? What’s wrong?”

“Yuu!”

“Ah… huh?” Yuu snapped out of her daze, blinking at her friend in confusion. “What is it?”

Sawami slapped her forehead, exasperation written all over her face. “I should be the one asking you that! You’ve been acting off all day. Did you not sleep well last night?”

The question hit a nerve, and Yuu froze for a moment. It was true—she hadn’t slept well. Or, to be more accurate, she’d barely slept at all.

But could anyone blame her? Digesting the fact that her entire worldview had been shattered wasn’t exactly an overnight process. After all, she had seen it with her own eyes. That abandoned dojo yesterday… the scene inside had been like something straight out of a fantasy brought to life.