Revenge for grudges, retribution for wrongs.
Kitahara Makoto would never say disgusting things like repaying evil with good; when encountering grudges, he would naturally return them tenfold.
The demon-like sensei was still in a subconscious state at this moment, and upon seeing Ghost-senpai, who had become an 'evil spirit' coming for revenge, his face immediately filled with terror, and he begged for mercy in fright.
The following scene was very tragic, completely describable as blood splattering.
Sakiko and Soyo both turned their pretty faces away, not daring to look.
"Let's go out first." Kitahara Makoto retracted his gaze and walked out of the music classroom. "We'll come back later to finish up."
"..."
While in the RV, the three of them had discussed with Ghost-senpai how to make the demon-like sensei confess his crimes and face justice.
Finally, at Soyo's suggestion, they chose a 'Groundhog Day' style infinite loop dream, similar to 'Triangle'.
Every time the demon-like sensei 'woke up' from a layer of the dream, a stroke of the character for 'death' would appear on his body, until he completely broke down and voluntarily confessed his crimes and submitted to justice—
The damage caused by Ghost-senpai in the dream could not affect reality, at most causing mental confusion, but don't forget, Kitahara Makoto was also there.
The Nightmare's ability was quite powerful and could completely map the damage in the dream to the real world.
When the demon-like sensei woke up from layer after layer of dreams and returned to the real world, then discovered a bloody 'death' character on his heart, even if his personality was extremely resilient, he would surely have a mental breakdown.
There's no need to say more about what happened next.
The infinite loop dream officially began.
The demon-like sensei was first subjected to inhumane torture in the music classroom; when he 'woke up' from the nightmare and entered the second layer of the dream, he would find a wound on his heart.
Immediately after, Kitahara Makoto communicated with Hana in his mind, asking Hana to speed up the flow of time, and in a blink of an eye, they were back in the music classroom at night.
The ghost Senpai was ready, beginning a new round of revenge.
As the dream cycled layer by layer, the demon-like sensei's mental state quickly began to collapse...
"That's enough." Kitahara Makoto gently exhaled, looking at Ghost-senpai, "Does Senpai still want to continue?"
The ghost Senpai shook her head:
"Let's stop here."
After tormenting him so many times in the dream, the resentment in her heart had actually been mostly vented.
"Then, that's it for today."
Kitahara Makoto raised his right hand and gently snapped his fingers.
Clap.
The Dream World quietly shattered.
Opening his eyes, the morning light outside the RV was already bright, and unknowingly, it was the next day.
Kitahara Makoto's gaze shifted, and he found that Togawa-chan had appeared in his arms at some point, and his right hand had reached into Togawa-chan's pajamas...
"Stare—"
Togawa Sakiko quickly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp.
"Togawa-chan, good morning."
Kitahara Makoto greeted her as if nothing had happened.
Togawa Sakiko bit her silver teeth and said:
"Quickly take your hand out!"
"Immediately."
Kitahara Makoto responded, and couldn't help but give a squeeze; Togawa-chan's 'conscience' was indeed firm and smooth.
"Ugh..."
Togawa Sakiko involuntarily let out a soft hum, her pretty face instantly flushed, and the shyness in her eyes quickly turned into murderous intent.
"I'm going to the bathroom."
Kitahara Makoto knew when to stop and quickly got up and slipped away.
Togawa Sakiko quietly breathed a sigh of relief, covering her chest as she sat up, then glanced sideways and saw that Nagasaki Soyo had opened her eyes at some point and was quietly looking over.
"I'm sorry, did I disturb Soyo...?"
Togawa Sakiko's pretty face immediately became burning hot.
"Sakiko doesn't need to apologize." Nagasaki Soyo also sat up, her voice gentle, "If Sakiko hadn't chosen to sleep in the middle, I would have been the one taken advantage of."
After a pause, Nagasaki Soyo suddenly lowered her voice, a curious expression on her pretty face:
"Sakiko, how far have you and Kitahara-kun progressed?"
"What do you mean?"
Togawa Sakiko chose to feign ignorance.
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face was slightly red, and she whispered:
"Have you done that kind of thing from yesterday's video...?"
"Of course not!"
Togawa Sakiko denied it shyly.
At most, she was deceived by sweet talk that night, and then got her hands and feet dirty, that's all!
"Even if not, you must have done something very intimate, right?" Nagasaki Soyo pursed her pink lips. "Both your tone of voice and your gaze are much more intimate than last week."
"..."
Togawa Sakiko had nothing to refute.
"We clearly agreed to form a united front... Is it because of Mai-senpai who appeared in the Otherworld that day?"
Nagasaki Soyo asked softly.
Togawa Sakiko did not deny it, quietly clenching her fists:
"Feelings don't distinguish between first come, first served; it's not about who came first being better... I want to be the most important person!"
Nagasaki Soyo heard this and couldn't help but purse her pink lips:
"So, Sakiko has already tacitly allowed Kitahara-kun to have a harem?"
Given Togawa Sakiko's proud personality, when she proposed the points system, it was already a disguised agreement.
If it were anyone else, upon learning that their partner was cheating and starting a harem, they would immediately break up without any hesitation.
Togawa Sakiko raised her hand to gently comb the hair by her ear, then suddenly counter-asked:
"What about Soyo then?"
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed slightly, and she whispered, "Although Kitahara-kun's behavior of building a harem is super excessive and annoying, if Togawa is willing… I can also agree."
"Your mother won't agree, will she?"
"We can hide it from Mom. The marriage rate in Japan is so low now, and there are countless people who never marry in their lifetime. Besides, after going to university, I can move out, so Mom won't know." Nagasaki Soyo's tone was slightly regretful, "It's a pity Taki and Mutsumi aren't here, otherwise everyone could be reunited…"
Togawa Sakiko bit her silver teeth.
"I absolutely don't want that kind of reunion!"
"…"
The three of them finished washing up one by one, and it was already seven o'clock in the morning.
Yesterday's elderly driver quietly appeared, communicated with the three, and then discreetly drove the RV away.
"There's no movement at all inside the house." Looking through the curtains at the detached house behind her, Nagasaki Soyo was slightly worried, "Could it be that it had no effect?"
"Don't rush, let the bullet fly for a while." Kitahara Makoto was quite calm, "Surrendering and running away from home are certainly not the same thing. If the demon-like sensei is unwilling to surrender, then we'll come a few more times."
Facts proved that the demon-like sensei was not as mentally resilient as imagined. His crime back then was likely just an impulse, or perhaps the punishment of infinite dream recursion was too terrifying. Kitahara Makoto and the two girls had just finished breakfast when they received a call from Mr. Fukada.
Mr. Fukada's voice on the phone was excited, and he only said a few short words.
"That demon has finally surrendered!"
Hearing this news, Nagasaki Soyo and Togawa Sakiko both became happy.
"It's a pity ghost Senpai has already returned to school, otherwise she would definitely be super happy, right?"
Togawa Sakiko smiled brightly, genuinely happy about the demon-like sensei's confession and surrender.
"That…" Nagasaki Soyo suddenly thought of a possibility and couldn't help but whisper, "Now that the demon-like sensei has confessed and surrendered, will ghost Senpai become a Buddha because her obsession disappears?"
The so-called becoming a Buddha is a special term in Japan, mainly referring to the soul returning to heaven and earth and being reborn into the Pure Land after an obsession disappears… In simple terms, it means completely disappearing.
Togawa Sakiko couldn't help but bite her lower lip upon hearing this.
Having spent so much time with ghost Senpai, she had developed some feelings. If she were to become a Buddha and disappear, she would inevitably feel reluctant.
"Don't overthink it. If you have a question, ask the answer book…"
Kitahara Makoto directly opened his backpack and took out the answer book.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The answer book flipped pages rapidly.
A line of text appeared on the blank page:
[Will not become a Buddha].
Seeing the answer on the book, Togawa Sakiko immediately felt relieved.
"It's fine… Everyone go back and rest. We'll go to Tsukinomori Academy again in the evening."
In a blink of an eye, it was six o'clock in the afternoon.
Tsukinomori Academy.
Although it was summer vacation, the school could still be accessed—every summer vacation is when various national competitions are held, such as Slam Dunk's basketball games, Koshien in baseball, and Gyokuryuki in kendo, etc. The training grounds are basically on campus.
Mr. Fukada and Mrs. Fukada also came along. Both of them were clearly equally worried about whether their daughter would become a Buddha, and their expressions were quite sorrowful. Although their daughter was a ghost now, they could still meet and talk to her, but if she became a Buddha, she would completely disappear.
"Togawa, it's up to you."
Kitahara Makoto said softly.
Togawa Sakiko nodded gently, sat down at the piano, and began to play a familiar tune.
They had already asked the answer book a long time ago. Ghost-senpai was an Earth-Bound spirit, and both the piano and the classroom were indispensable. Simply moving the piano away wouldn't work; she could only be summoned in this music classroom through the piano in front of them.
Not long after, ghost Senpai quietly appeared in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Togawa Sakiko quietly got up and walked to Kitahara Makoto and Soyo's side.
"Kitahara-kun, let's go out."
"Mm."
Kitahara Makoto nodded lightly and walked out of the music classroom with the two girls, leaving the space for ghost Senpai and her family of three.
They arrived in the hallway.
Sakiko and Soyo went to the bathroom together, while Kitahara Makoto took out his phone and told Kita and Bocchi-chan the news of the demon-like sensei's confession and surrender. The two girls were also exceptionally happy.
Kita: "Finally, ghost Senpai's injustice has been cleared! Happy!"
Bocchi-chan: "Kitahara-kun, you've worked hard."
"It was indeed very hard." Kitahara Makoto said shamelessly, "Seeing how hard I worked, shouldn't you give me a little reward?"
Kita: "…"
Bocchi-chan: "…"
Half an hour later.
Ghost-senpai's parents came out. Mr. Fukada's expression was one of relief, and Mrs. Fukada's eyes were red, clearly having cried inside.
"…Words cannot express our gratitude!"
The couple bowed in gratitude to Kitahara Makoto and Togawa Sakiko, their faces filled with thanks.
"That demon-like sensei already surrendered this morning. Barring any surprises, he will be brought to justice very soon." Mr. Fukada's tone was steady, "I will transfer the reward to the two of you as soon as possible."
"The reward is not urgent." Kitahara Makoto said softly, "You two should believe now that the Senpai will not become a Buddha, right?"
Regarding the matter of ghost Senpai not becoming a Buddha, Kitahara Makoto had mentioned it when they first met, but the couple hadn't seen it with their own eyes, so they had been feeling anxious.
"Although Misaki has become a ghost, we are content as long as she can stay by our side." Mrs. Fukada's eyes were red, "Please take good care of Misaki in the future. We beg you."
"…"
After a few simple words, Kitahara Makoto, Sakiko, and Soyo walked into the music classroom.
"Sakiko, Soyo, and Kitahara-sama, you're finally here!"
Ghost-senpai clasped her hands, her face full of anticipation.
"That demon has finally surrendered! Today, I'm going to have a big feast to celebrate!"
"Become a Buddha?"
"One Piece hasn't ended yet, so I don't want to become a Buddha!"
"After being a ghost for so long, of course, I have to enjoy myself properly!"