Chapter 205: The Brainy Girl
"Your mom's calling you home for dinner..."
The sudden voice cut through the heavy air like a blade. In an instant, the suffocating tension that had been pressing down on the small park dispersed as if it had never existed.
All three of them twitched their lips involuntarily and turned toward the sound.
Down a winding, shadowed path, the dim light of a streetlamp revealed a young man in a neatly worn school uniform—the same one Machiko wore. His expression was calm, his steps unhurried, and his presence strangely grounding. He seemed to draw the darkness back with each step, like a ripple through still water.
"Eh? Kouya-kun?" Machiko's eyes widened in disbelief. Her voice cracked with surprise, her hand clutching the frightened kitten tighter against her chest.
She hadn't expected him at all. The moment she saw him, though, the chaotic tremor in her chest eased as if someone had gently pressed a hand against her heart.
"What are you standing around for? Go home and eat," Kouya said, his tone mild, his gaze steady.
"O-okay..." Machiko stammered quickly, her voice soft. Even though she'd already eaten her bento earlier, she wasn't foolish enough to ruin his effortless attempt at diffusing the situation.
...
Kouya hadn't intended to appear.
Whether that man wanted to seize the cat demon or that woman wanted to claim it made little difference to him. Both of them were clearly members of onmyouji families—people who handled spirits and monsters as part of their daily business.
If they took it away, it would've even saved him the trouble of calling the shrine maiden about it later. Convenient, really.
But, of course, things couldn't stay simple. The two of them were enemies—deadly ones by the look of it. And worse, they had decided to let their personal feud spill out here, right in front of a normal high school girl. That was unacceptable.
From what Kouya had learned during his time with the shrine maiden, onmyouji followed a general code: maintain balance, avoid unnecessary exposure, and never disturb the public peace. They didn't flaunt their powers before ordinary people. But when exceptions arose, their restraint vanished completely.
And if that happened here—Machiko would be caught in the crossfire.
"Who are you?" the woman demanded, her voice sharp, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Told you already—I'm here to call her home for dinner," Kouya said lightly, brushing off the tension as if it didn't exist. "We'll be going now. You two can finish your little argument."
The woman's expression twisted between irritation and amusement. She almost laughed from sheer disbelief.
Her mom calling her home for dinner? Was this kid serious? Why not say her mom wanted her to wear long johns while he was at it!
"You think you can come and go as you please? Did you even ask your big sister's permission?" she taunted, her red lips curling upward in mockery.
"Big sister?" Kouya frowned faintly, his gaze cold. "You must be delusional."
"You—you dare talk to me like that?" she snapped, incredulous. Her spiritual aura flared instinctively, like a wave of pressure filling the air.
She had assumed he was just some high school boy playing hero. A kid with a bit of spirit sensitivity, perhaps, but not someone who could stand before her without trembling. Yet the moment she met his eyes, her confidence faltered. Heat rose to her face—not from embarrassment but from the sting of humiliation.
"You little brat, you—"
Before she could finish, Kouya's eyes narrowed slightly, a chill gleam flashing across them.
Her words froze midair.
It was as if a beast had awakened behind his calm gaze—a silent predator whose presence crushed the world around him. The woman let out a sharp gasp, her body trembling as an invisible weight pressed down on her chest. For a split second, she could hardly breathe.
Kouya's expression didn't change as he turned to Machiko. "Let's go."
"M-Mm... okay." Machiko's voice came out small. She stood stunned for a heartbeat, then nodded quickly and followed, hugging the little cat demon tighter as they left the park.
...
Only after the two disappeared down the street did the woman's body finally move again. Her breath came out shaky, cold sweat sliding down her back. She stared into the night, face pale. "That young man... who on earth was he?"
Even a single glance from him had felt like standing before a roaring tiger—its feral presence overwhelming, its killing intent suffocating. Just that one look had left her injured. She knew it.
If she had dared say even one more word, she would have died.
"Idiot," muttered the tall man beside her, Ishida Ryuji. His tone was calm but laced with contempt as he turned to leave.
"You dare call me that?!" the woman shrieked, fury lighting her face. She raised her hand sharply. The fountain behind her burst upward, forming a twisting spear of water that hissed through the air, slicing toward him like a blade.
Ryuji's eyes flicked up briefly. With a quiet sigh, he lifted his own hand. Earth cracked open beneath his feet, and from it rose a massive, rock-covered arm that punched straight through the watery spear.
A deafening crash filled the air as water exploded outward in a rain of shimmering droplets.
"If you want revenge, I'll be waiting," he said evenly. "But get healed first. Otherwise, it won't even be worth my time."
Her face shifted between anger and humiliation. For a moment, she stood frozen, then stamped her foot and spun away, vanishing into the shadows.
...
"Eh? What's that sound behind us? Is it raining?" Machiko turned, her voice uncertain.
"Nothing. Probably filming a show," Kouya said casually, his tone so calm it made the lie sound natural.
"So it really was a prank show?" She sighed in relief, her grip on the cat relaxing.
Yet deep down, a small, uneasy feeling lingered. If Kouya hadn't come when he did... she wasn't sure what might have happened.
"Shikigami, yokai... it's all make-believe, right? There's no such thing in the real world..." Machiko murmured softly, convincing herself.
If only she knew.
Because they were all around her—the little cat demon in her arms, the so-called angel obsessed with cultivation, and the idiotic demon girl Satania in her class. None of them were human.
Machiko glanced at Kouya, meaning to thank him, but froze as a new thought struck her.
Wait a second... if this really was some prank show, wouldn't the crew have stopped them? They just walked away without anyone saying cut. That made no sense. And why was Kouya even here? His house wasn't anywhere near this part of town.
A ridiculous, embarrassing thought hit her.
"C-could it be... Kouya-kun asked those two to come? Just to act out a hero-saves-the-damsel scene?"
Her sleek black hair trembled as she turned red. Oh no. Oh no no no!
He already has Vigne, secretly dates Gabriel, and flirts with Shiraha from another class... and now he's after me too?!
Are all boys this dangerous? Or is it just Kouya-kun who's this terrifying?
Honestly, from another perspective, she herself was kind of impressive for being this paranoid.
"What's wrong?" Kouya asked, noticing the wild shifts in her expression.
Machiko jolted. "N-no, nothing. I'm home now!"
Kouya blinked as she suddenly took a half-step back while speaking, her voice shaky. Why was she acting like he might bite her?
During the short walk, her demeanor had completely flipped—from relief to unease to something shyly defensive. Her eyes flickered with something between fear and... embarrassment?
Kouya smirked slightly. He decided not to ask.
"The cat..."
"I'll take care of it!" she said quickly, her tone firm.
"Your house doesn't allow pets, right?" he said, glancing at the small creature. "Leave it to me. I know someone who can take it in."
"Really?" Her voice softened a little.
"Yeah. You can visit it whenever you like."
"Th-then okay..." she said, bowing slightly. "Thank you."
Kouya's eyebrow twitched. 'I save you from certain death, and this is the first time you thank me—for a cat?' He sighed inwardly. 'Completely brainwashed by cats...'
Reluctantly, Machiko extended the kitten toward him. The tiny creature meowed pitifully, rubbing its head against her palm, unwilling to leave. Only when Kouya shot it a sharp glare did it freeze and behave.
"Here," she murmured, averting her gaze slightly as she handed it over. "Please take good care of it. I'll come visit when I can..."
Kouya accepted the small, warm bundle. When Machiko finally turned and went upstairs, the quiet street settled again under the faint hum of the city night.
He waited until her footsteps faded.
Then, without changing his expression, he said softly:
"Come out."
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