Meanwhile, on the other side, Hojo Yoru had already returned to Sobu High.
He didn't belong to any clubs. Back before he awakened his ability, his athletic instincts and physical fitness were already excellent—he'd even won a few track-and-field meets in middle school. But now that he was a devil hunter, there was no way he'd waste time on club activities.
Fighting ghouls and devils was what was truly interesting. Compared to that, high school sports competitions were mind-numbingly boring.
Maybe that was just how it worked—easy to go from frugal to extravagant, hard to go back.
Asuna Yuuki wasn't around. Hojo Yoru had no "train the Pokémon" schedule to run. And the Ghoul Countermeasure Bureau hadn't agreed to his conditions yet. So after enrolling at Sobu High, he finally got a full day of completely self-directed free time.
And for this hard-won freedom, his choice was—
"Who allowed you—"
The instant Hojo pushed open the door, the piano music—gentle, beautiful, and threaded with a faint tragic ache—cut off sharply, like a heavy chord slammed down to vent the performer's anger. At the same time, Touma Kazusa's cold voice snapped out.
She narrowed her eyes toward the doorway, brows drawn tight. Her slender, pale fingers clenched hard—like she was about to stand up and beat the living daylights out of the rude intruder who'd dared interrupt her playing.
But the moment Hojo's figure reflected in her clear, delicate eyes, she froze for a beat.
The corners of her lips lifted—so faint it was almost invisible. Her brows eased. Even her gaze softened.
Then, almost instantly, she forced her face back into an expressionless mask—like nothing had happened.
"You didn't even knock. Rude."
(Illustration: Touma Kazusa)
Hojo ignored her deliberate distance completely. After closing the music room door again, he dragged a chair over, sat down against the wall, and teased her with a grin.
"That emotional switch you just pulled—expression, mood, timing—honestly Oscar-worthy. If you're happy to see me, just be happy. It's not embarrassing."
"Don't flatter yourself."
Kazusa avoided his eyes, keeping her voice cool.
"I just don't like strangers interrupting me when I'm practicing. If it's you, I'm simply… not as angry. Happy? You're imagining things."
Hojo nodded like he accepted that, then stood as if to leave.
"Alright. Then I'm going."
"Don't—"
In that instant, a flash of reluctance and sadness surfaced on Kazusa's pale, beautiful face—like a little girl who'd finally gotten the toy she'd wanted forever, only to have it snatched away.
"I'm just messing with you."
Hojo sat back down.
Kazusa bit her lip, glaring like she wanted to say something sharp—but when her eyes landed on Hojo's smiling, annoyingly handsome face, her momentum deflated. Her slim fingers drifted over the black-and-white keys. After a long pause, she finally spoke in a small voice.
"...How's your relationship with your family?"
"Very harmonious," Hojo answered with a straight face.
"No fighting. No interference in anything I decide—everything's my choice. The atmosphere at home is quiet and peaceful. Flawless."
Kazusa nodded, taking it at face value.
"Sounds like your parents are decent people. And yeah… with how cheerful you are, it must be because of your home enviro—"
Hojo waved a hand, cutting her off.
"My parents have been dead for a long time."
Kazusa went silent.
"...."
So that's what "we never fight and never interfere" meant.
For a moment, she genuinely didn't know what to say.
Comfort him? That wasn't her style.
And honestly, she didn't even know who had it worse—Hojo, who'd become an orphan young…
…or herself, who'd never met her father, and whose mother, Touma Yoko, never showed care or closeness.
After a long silence, Kazusa finally just dipped her chin and said, in that flat, unreadable tone of hers:
"I see."
Touma Kazusa wasn't unconcerned about Hojo's feelings. She simply didn't know how to "show concern." On the outside she looked like a cold, aloof black-haired beauty—
—but she wasn't really cold.
She was… broken in the emotional department.
When it came to social interaction and expressing feelings, she was basically a guy in a wheelchair trying to run a marathon.
Even so, she tried—clumsily—to convey: I care. I want to comfort you.
Her thin fingers settled onto the keys.
"Do you want to hear me play the piano?"
"Hear it? Not really interested," Hojo said, shaking his head.
Then he added with a grin, "But if it's watching you… yeah. That's definitely pleasing to the eye."
"Mm. Don't worry."
Kazusa didn't get shy at all—instead, she went completely serious.
"I've received professional performance training. Not just technique—my hand motions, posture, demeanor, facial expression—everything is professional-grade. I won't disappoint you."
"…You're unreal."
Hojo sighed, helpless.
"I'm saying you look good. I even phrased it politely. Why do I have to pry your brain open and explain it piece by piece before you understand?"
They say straight shots beat tsunderes—but they don't beat someone who's just dense.
"Eh…?"
Kazusa blinked. Then her face flushed bright red—because her skin was so pale, the blush was painfully obvious, like she'd instantly overheated.
"Y-You… don't just say things like that out of nowhere…"
To cover her panic—and to stop Hojo from breaking her guard again—Kazusa forced herself to start playing.
And the result of that performance…
Even Hojo, who normally didn't listen to classical music, could tell she messed up a lot of notes.
"S-So… how was it?" Kazusa asked, a little lacking in confidence.
She knew she'd made plenty of mistakes.
Was it stage fright because someone was watching?
Impossible. She'd been competing since childhood, winning championships in front of audiences and judges. How could she possibly get nervous now?
"Extremely good."
Hojo gave her a thumbs-up, looking sincerely amazed.
"It was supposed to be soft and wistful—kind of bleak and tender—but you played it like a jump-scare compilation. Is this the legendary horror-style piano technique? Master Touma… I have been enlightened."
"Enlightened my— …pfft."
Kazusa clenched her fist, about to snap—
—but Hojo's face was so dead serious while he said something so absurd that even though he was clearly roasting her, she couldn't help it.
She burst out laughing.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 120)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 100)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 100)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter89)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter86)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter63)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter75)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 53
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 57
From Junkman to Wasteland 35
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