Just Another Ghostly Story

Ugly Truth

"Hmmm... So he rarely shows up in school huh... Well this is tough" Daisuke comments. Sitting across him on one of the box thrown out here in this forgotten alley of the school, is Mizuki. Similarly pondering the issue at hand.

"What do we do? We can't exactly get his help" she remarks.

"No, even if we get his help, it won't solve the actual problem at hand. Relying on the illusion to win her love wouldn't fix anything, instead it only damages her" he explains.

"What do you mean?"

"The ghost don't work for free, especially for humans. If it does any favor, it usually also takes something back. You've seen what Kirei chan looks like yesterday, that's the result of her Reichitsu getting eaten and also tainted from long exposure to foreign Reichitsu, the ghost's"

"Getting eaten?! How long can she survive that?" Mizuki's shocked by his rather graphic statement.

"It's not as bad as it sounds, it'll take a while to consume a person's Reichitsu completely because they regenerate steadily everyday. The contamination from that exposure is the bigger problem, If she keeps this up her physical condition will get worse and her spiritual immune system will get compromised, making her vulnerable to more ghosts from now on"

"That's not good! We have to separate the ghost from her right now" Mizuki suggests.

"Don't be hasty. You won't get to do that so easily, remember what I said about a completed possession, it'll harm her too"

"But, then-?" Mizuki still impatient, worrying about the girl's condition.

"Don't worry! You've done a great job collecting the information we need, now it's my turn to carry out the next phase of the plan" A smirk colors his face.

"Still it's funny how you went about getting that. That whole conversation was hilarious. I was just giving you pointers but I didn't expect you'd follow them exactly" He laughs.

"S-shut up! Forget about that this instant!! Forgeeeeeeett!!" Her face flushes red while she keep hammering his head.

And the bell rings.

Later that evening,

They're in the train, it's the one Kirei takes back home after school. Mizuki is in the other car while Daisuke is in the same one Kirei's in, right across her too. Mizuki can only observe them being so close together a few meters away. She recalls Daisuke's entrance into the train earlier
'what's with that acting earlier? pretending to be in a rush and dropping his stuff in front of her. are you in a teen drama or something?' irritated, it's plaguing her mind.

"Umm, thanks for helping me out earlier" Daisuke said nervously, like he's awkwardly trying to start a conversation. Although he looks, slightly different now compared to his usual appearance. He looks taller, his eyes rounder. Going for the soft giant appeal.

"Ah don't worry about it! It's nothing" Kirei responds, similarly jittery. She'd gone through several confessions now that she's figured out he's making an attempt. But
'Has there always been someone this hot riding this train before? I never seen him'
Her mind is riddled with curiosity.
'no no no! Kirei chan! You can't do this, your heart already belongs to Hizashi kun! I don't even know this guy'

"That uniform, you go to Hokubu High too?" Daisuke continues.

"Eh? Uh yeah... Do you know someone who goes there too?" She replies, assuming he's from a different school because Daisuke is wearing a different uniform than his Hokubu uniform.

"Owh yes my sister studies there too. I was just running some errand for her"

'Uwaaahh, he lies as naturally as he breath'
Mizuki thought, listening from the other car.