I Was Possessed By An Unknown Manga

The next day.

I woke up early in the morning and did some light stretches.

Since I hadn’t exercised properly for the past two days, I needed to get my slightly stiff muscles back into shape.

“321, 322, 323…”

Every time I train, I always feel that as I swing my arms and legs, all the surrounding noises disappear as if by magic, and all distracting thoughts vanish.

In other words, it was a state of complete selflessness.

After training in Hayate, the secret martial art of the Fuma Clan, the dawn had already broken by the time I finished my morning exercise.

‘Has it already gotten this late?’

Realizing belatedly that my whole body was drenched in sweat, I took off my shirt to cool down.

As my bare skin was exposed, white steam rose from my body, probably due to body heat.

“Hoo…”

It was right at that moment.

“Awesome!”

Suddenly, a lively voice came from behind.

“What?”

Turning my head, I was surprised to find Hattori with a sparrow on her shoulder, just like yesterday.

I hadn’t sensed her presence at all.

“How long have you been watching?”

“From the time you were swinging your arms doing that strange exercise that looks like Tai Chi?”

She meant she had been watching almost from the beginning.

It was a mistake.

I was so focused on exercising that I didn’t realize someone was approaching.

She approached quickly and looked at my body.

“By the way, Kim, your body is amazing. It’s like a Greek statue.”

“R-Really? Thanks.”

Since it was a kind of compliment I had never heard before, I could only smile awkwardly and agree.

But her compliment didn’t end with words; she came closer and touched my arm.

I became aware of her touch, and my pulse quickened.

“How long did it take to build a body like this?”

“About three years?”

“…Are you by any chance a roider?”

“I get that misunderstanding a lot, but absolutely not.”

I just have more male hormones– No, Yang energy than others.

“Hehe, just kidding.”

Saying that with a mischievous smile, Hattori stepped back.

“It looks like it’s time for breakfast, so let’s go back to the dorm.”

I nodded and put on the yukata top I had taken off earlier.

“But what brings you here?”

“Just a simple walk. I like to breathe the fresh morning air.”

Saying that with her hands behind her back, Hattori turned her head and asked.

“If you don’t mind, can I ask you one thing?”

“What is it?”

“Who do you like among the three? Or is it someone else?”

There was no subject, but I knew what she was asking about without her saying it.

“It’s difficult to answer.”

“Aww~ don’t be like that and just tell me honestly. I’m good at keeping secrets. I’ll give you some advice.”

As she said that, her eyes sparkled, showing that her interest in others’ love lives was not an exaggeration.

So, I gave a vague answer.

“It’s a bit difficult now, but I’ll tell you when we get closer.”

“Ah! That’s unfair!”

Hattori said that while grumbling beside me, but I had no intention of answering her question properly.

After that, we returned to the dorm and had a Japanese-style breakfast in the dining hall, just like yesterday.

Then came the morning assembly.

“If anything happens, you must contact the teacher! And make sure to answer if we call! Be back at the dorm by 6 PM!”

Since today’s theme was free travel, Yamada, who emphasized the importance of contact more than ever, sighed softly and asked the gathered second-year students.

“Please don’t cause any trouble anywhere. It tarnishes the school’s name. If you cause trouble, the first-year students going on the school trip next year will lose their free travel. Just like how you lost Hawaii.”

““Yes~””

“You’re good at responding. Very good at it.”

Matsuda, still shaking his head as if worried, soon said, “Have a good time,” and ended the morning assembly.

“Yu-seong, who are you going to hang out with?”

I scratched my head and answered Satoru’s question.

“I’m planning to go alone today. I have an appointment with someone I met in Kyoto yesterday.”

“Huh? Who? A girl?”

“A guy. Man. Why do you always think that way?”

“Ouch!”

When I said that and tapped his shoulder, Satoru pretended to be in pain and hid behind Ryuji, who was chatting with Yaguchi.

The two, who had started dating since yesterday, didn’t seem much different from before.

They had always been so close that they were often called a couple, and they knew each other so well.

“Oh, should we go here once?”

“Where is it?”

“It’s a shrine famous as a couple’s spot. Couples who pray here never break up.”

“Sounds great!”

Correction.

Their actions hadn’t changed, but their speech had become that of a lovey-dovey couple.

I bit my nails and quietly asked Chiaki, who was looking enviously at the two who had become a couple.

“Are you okay?”

Despite the cold atmosphere that seemed like a storm could blow in at any moment, Chiaki’s response was normal.

「Yeah, I’m okay. It’s more bearable than I thought.」

From Chiaki’s perspective, it might feel like she was suddenly NTR’d.

If she hadn’t died of an incurable disease, it would be her, not Yaguchi, standing next to Ryuji.

「No matter how much I like Ryuji, the living should marry the living. If that’s for Ryuji’s sake, I can endure it as much as I need to.」

Mahes looked at Chiaki with softened eyes.

It was like a grandfather looking at his admirable granddaughter.

「Despite having the power to easily ignore the laws of the afterlife, you don’t break them for the sake of your loved one. Admirable.」

「Be quiet. I didn’t say that to get praised by you.」

Chiaki said that while glaring at Mahes, but he didn’t seem to care much.

Rather, he was smiling with his arms wide open.

「Hahaha, I’m generous, so I can accept that level of mischief. Young lady.」

These two, they bicker but still get along well.

Anyway, since the appointment time is approaching, I should get going.

“See you in the evening.”

When I said that and waved, Ryuji, Satoru, and Yaguchi each waved back.

I left the dorm alone and was heading to the bus stop when suddenly a familiar voice came from behind.

“Ryu-chan!”

When I turned around, Rika, dressed more energetically than ever, was standing there.

As expected of a former model, she seemed to glow even just standing still.

With a slightly flushed face, she spoke to me.

“If it’s okay, today with me…”

“Sorry. I have something I absolutely have to do today.”

Hesitate.

When I cut her off firmly, Rika hesitated and asked.

“What is it?”

“There’s someone in Kyoto who has done me a great favor. And now that person is in trouble. So I have to go help.”

“…”

Hearing my reason, Rika was silent for a moment.

Then she laughed awkwardly and nodded.

“If it’s for something like that, there’s really nothing I can do. I wanted to hang out today.”

Seeing her somewhat sad expression, I couldn’t speak easily.

In the meantime, the bus I had to take arrived at the stop.

The back door of the bus opened.

“…”

I hesitated, then spoke to Rika just before getting on the bus.

“I promise. Let’s go somewhere together after this school trip.”

“!”

Rika looked up with a surprised expression.

Sitting by the bus window, I waved at Rika.

The wide-open back door closed, and the bus slowly started.

I leaned my head against the window.

‘If you’re afraid of hurting someone from the start, you can’t even begin.’

It was a thought-provoking statement in many ways.

---

The bus I was on drove for about 20 minutes and arrived in the middle of Kyoto.

After paying the bus fare and getting off through the front door, the red torii gate of a Japanese shrine greeted me from the front.

Checking the time on my phone, I saw there were still about 10 minutes left until the appointment.

Walking slowly into the precincts, I saw a serene shrine surrounded by green trees and a saisenbako.¹

I threw a 5-yen coin from my coin purse into the saisenbako and clapped twice.

Then, I shook the bell’s rope hanging above the saisenbako a couple of times.

Ding! Ding!

“What wish did you make?”

At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind.

Holding a bag with a suit in one hand, I naturally turned around and spoke.

“I wished for success in what I have to do today.”

Standing in front of the torii was the Vice President, looking different from usual.

Wearing sunglasses instead of glasses, a black suit, and brown shoes.

He looked like a bodyguard working for a security company.

He approached slowly and said.

“Let’s go. There’s not much time left until the lady’s engagement ceremony.”

“Yes. But I need to change my clothes first.”

When I said that and slightly shook the bag in my right hand, the Vice President sighed softly and gestured.

“Follow me. I’ll show you a place where you can change.”

TL/N: Offertory box ️