Chapter 61. Lucky Street

Monday.

Qiao Qiao pushed his little scooter and walked into the school campus.

The on-duty teacher and the discipline committee members stood at the entrance, checking students’ appearance and attire.

“Chuan Shang, your hair has grown a centimeter, hasn’t it?”

“An Yuan, is your skirt a bit too short?”

“Suzuki, why do you smell like smoke?”

And so on.

Qiao Qiao was not stopped.

Even though the discipline committee member, Shi Ge Natsume from the second year, stared at him as if he were some dangerous individual.

Qiao Qiao, undisturbed, met Shi Ge Natsume’s intense gaze and walked through the school gate.

After parking his scooter, he arrived at the shoe lockers and saw the hair style he had arranged yesterday still perfectly intact in the narrow gap. He nodded in satisfaction.

He opened his locker, changed his shoes, and headed for the classroom.

The classroom was lively that morning.

After all, it was Monday.

With two days of the weekend behind them, there must be plenty to share.

“Hey, want to go to karaoke tonight?”

Just as Qiao Qiao sat down, Sakamoto Kazuya patted his shoulder.

“There’ll be girls from Ochanomizu this time,” he added, somewhat mysteriously.

“No, with finals approaching, I need to study seriously,” Qiao Qiao declined Sakamoto Kazuya’s invitation.

“Finals? Isn’t there still over a month?” Sakamoto Kazuya glanced at the date on his phone.

“Wouldn’t it be enough to start studying a week or two ahead?”

“There’s a proverb from China,” said Qiao Qiao, looking at Sakamoto Kazuya.

“When living in peace, be mindful of danger; preparation brings security, security brings no harm.”

He was not one of those naturally talented students.

If he didn’t start reviewing early, and something came up to delay him, it would be disastrous.

“Alright,” Sakamoto Kazuya said awkwardly, returning to his seat.

Qiao Qiao took out a book about yokai borrowed from the library, using it as his morning self-study before the first lesson.

At that moment—

“I heard there’s a lucky street in Chiyoda Ward.”

“What, what?”

“My cousin told me about it. She said if you walk through that street after ten at night while thinking about your wish, and hear some sound, your wish will quickly come true.”

“Really? I’m not sure I believe it.”

“It’s true! My cousin tried it once, and she passed her exam right away.”

Some girls nearby were gossiping, their voices drifting to Qiao Qiao’s ears.

Hmm.

A lucky street?

Another urban legend?

Lately, Chiyoda Ward seems to have more strange incidents than usual.

Qiao Qiao studied, but his mind was elsewhere, considering these rumors.

The girls chatted amongst themselves, eventually deciding to check it out that night.

Wait, as high school students, shouldn’t they be home by ten? Isn’t that a bit problematic?

Though Qiao Qiao himself had no right to criticize, given his own obligations, he felt resigned.

“What if there really are vengeful spirits or something?”

“Ten o’clock is kind of late, isn’t it?”

“Hey, why don’t we invite Shi Ge? She’s an apprentice shrine maiden at Toshogu Shrine.”

“Great idea! With her there, we’ll be safe.”

Hmm?

Are they inviting Natsume?

Qiao Qiao recalled the way she’d stared at him that morning.

That should be fine.

After all, Ueno Toshogu Shrine is a grand shrine, and though she may not be as skilled as the shrine maidens of Asano, Natsume’s abilities shouldn’t be lacking.

The bell rang.

Qiao Qiao stopped his musings.

...

Late night.

Ten o’clock.

Chiyoda Ward.

Outside a small alley.

“So this is the alley?” Shi Ge Natsume glanced at the street. With her spiritual sight, nothing seemed unusual.

“Yes, yes, this is the place my cousin told me about,” Saito Rinko from Class 2-A nodded eagerly.

“It looks kind of creepy,” said her friend, Kinoshita Yuu, hiding behind Rinko.

“It’s fine; it looks gloomy, but actually a lot of people walk here. My cousin’s apartment is just up ahead, we can visit her afterward,” Rinko laughed.

Another friend couldn’t come because of strict parents, so it was just the three of them tonight.

At the end of May, the night held the restless heat of early summer.

The street seemed ordinary enough, and with Rinko’s explanation, it didn’t feel so frightening.

“Let’s try walking through,” said Shi Ge Natsume, though she remained alert.

She had been taught at the shrine:

Oddities often hide in the most mundane places.

Since today was a school day, she hadn’t needed to train at the shrine.

So she only carried a single gohei, without the more elaborate exorcism tools like kagura bells.

She took out the gohei and held it, just in case.

Since someone had placed a landmine in Qiao Qiao’s shoe locker, and she had later learned about the events through the shrine’s network, she had once been too afraid to leave home.

The world was too dangerous.

She hadn’t expected such a powerful yokai to hide among ordinary people.

It was a blow to the soul of an apprentice shrine maiden.

But Shi Ge Natsume eventually overcame her trauma and managed to step outside again.

Perhaps it was from that incident onwards—

Shi Ge Natsume had grown.

Now, with her spiritual sight fully open, she scanned the entire street.

Though Rinko claimed people often walked here, there was no one else tonight.

The three girls were alone.

...

“It’s kind of scary,” whispered Kinoshita Yuu, trembling.

Despite the bright streetlights and distant city bustle, she shivered.

Shi Ge Natsume walked at the front.

Gohei in hand, her mind was clear and focused.

Unlike the frightened Kinoshita Yuu and the vigilant Natsume, Saito Rinko, walking behind, was thinking about her wish.

She hoped to score well on the finals.

If she got good grades, maybe her father would take her abroad during summer vacation.

As she pondered these things, a sudden chill swept across the back of her neck.

It felt as if—

Someone was blowing on her nape.

“Hey.”

She heard a voice calling.

Saito Rinko turned around.

“Cousin?”

She stared in surprise at her cousin, Saito Ayumi.

Ayumi was a university student.

She held a convenience store bento and a can of beer, clearly just back from shopping.

Ahead, Shi Ge Natsume and Kinoshita Yuu also heard the voice.

“Hey.”

They turned around.

“Saito?” Shi Ge Natsume saw another woman standing beside Rinko and became cautious.

“That’s my cousin,” Rinko explained.

“What a scare,” Kinoshita Yuu said, still trembling.

“My place is just ahead. Why don’t you come up and sit for a while?” Ayumi smiled at the three high school girls.

...

Tuesday.

Qiao Qiao once again pushed his little scooter into the campus.

On-duty teachers and discipline committee members checked students’ appearance and attire at the gate.

“Takada, did you secretly wear lipstick?”

“Hasegawa, move your hair aside, let me see if you got your ears pierced.”

“Kudo, that’s not how you wear your uniform, is it?”

And so on.

Everything was as usual.

Qiao Qiao walked through the gate.

Suddenly.

He noticed.

Among the discipline committee members beside the teacher—

Shi Ge Natsume.

Was smiling at him.