Ryuga went downstairs and met with Renji's parents.
"I think he needs some time… some alone time. These past few days must have been rough on him. The constant pressure from doctors, medics, or even exorcists must have taken quite a toll."
It wasn't like Mr. and Mrs. Kurodo didn't understand that. But their desperation to cure their child far exceeded reason. They were so fixated on saving him that they had completely ignored his fragile mental state.
Mr. Kurodo sat dejectedly on the sofa, pressing his palm against his forehead.
"What do you think? Will he be alright?"
Mrs. Kurodo added, "Did you exorcise the ghost or spirit harming my son?"
Ryuga brushed a hand through his hair. "Well, I can't say I have. The process takes time and patience. I just built a bit of rapport with him today, tried to assess the level of danger the spirit possessing him poses.
"But fret not, it won't be long before I start the exorcism. You need to be patient. For today, we're done. I'll come back tomorrow at the same time. If you aren't home, just call him."
"Okay," Mr. Kurodo nodded.
"So, well… Naoya-san. Let's go."
Naoya-san stood from his seat and gave a brief bow before the two made their way toward the exit. As they walked to the car, Naoya-san spoke up.
"What's the deal with the kid? You seem to be in a foul mood. Everything alright?"
"Nah, it's nothing much. Just how he reacted. You know, I first thought he might have anorexia, the eating disorder. Maybe he was trying to hide it because it's mostly associated with females. Perhaps he was feeling ashamed.
"But… I don't think that's the case. His reaction was different. Something else was gnawing at him. But I can't point out what."
"And that's why you're in a foul mood. Because there's someone you can't read. Well… that's one hell of a problem to have. But unfortunately, I can't help, so you'll have to suck it up."
Ryuga's lips twitched. He barely resisted the urge to snap back, but his mood was already foul, and bantering for no reason would only make it worse.
"Wow… you seem awfully calm today. Did that pea from a newborn pod actually stitch your mouth shut? Damn! That boy's got skills."
That was the final nail in the coffin. Ryuga's inner saint strangled itself for what felt like the thousandth time. His mood was already bad, what difference would another half hour of bickering make?
"You motherfu—!"
Just as the curse slipped out, his phone chimed with a notification.
The sound caught his attention, pulling his gaze toward the screen. It was a message from the group chat.
The time read 8:13 sharp. Not exactly late, but nobody in the group usually chatted at this hour.
Which was odd… very odd.
A voice chat was sent by Hina. It wasn't long, just four seconds. Ryuga didn't wait a moment longer and pressed play.
And then, the voice came.
—Help! Help! There's someone in my house! There are many people in my house! Plea—!
The voice cut off abruptly, making Ryuga's scalp go numb. His mind instantly connected the dots, and a dreadful thought sank in.
"Shit!"
He turned to call for Naoya-san, but before he could move, a hand touched his left shoulder.
It was Naoya-san's. "Let's go. Tell me the location. I'll drive, you call the police in the meantime."
Ryuga nodded and rushed into the car. He sent Hina's location to Naoya-san and dialed the police.
By the time the call ended, the group chat was already flooded with a mix of concerned and skeptical messages.
Sayo and Fuyumi were the doubtful ones. They found it hard to believe that something like this would happen right after their haunted mansion trip. They assumed it was a prank meant to spook everyone.
The others, on the other hand, were genuinely worried for Hina's safety. Ryouma, in particular, was bombarding the chat with frantic messages.
He even tried calling Hina, but her number was unreachable. That only made his anxious heart more restless.
—Everyone, calm down. Me and Naoya-san are heading to Hina's house. I've already called the police, so help should arrive soon. Hina will be alright, trust me.
A reply from Ryouma came almost immediately.
—Ok, if you're saying that, I'll trust you. But let me be clear, I'm also coming there. Souta and Daichi are with me too. Hina said there are many people in her house, so the more the merrier… I guess.
Ryuga rubbed his forehead. The usually calm-headed Ryouma really had another side when someone was in trouble. His composed façade completely vanished, replaced by pure impulsiveness.
—Ok, fine. But make sure not to rush! Say it again with me. DO NOT RUSH IN!
—...
—MF REPLY BACK!
—Yeah, I got it.
—ARE YOU BLIND? I SAID REPLY BACK. REPEAT THE DAMN SENTENCE!
—Ok, fine. I got it. DO NOT RUSH IN!
"This fucker… he acts like a little kid sometimes. I get that you have a crush on her, but damn. Don't get yourself killed in the process."
Ryuga slammed his fist against the car door in frustration. The impact made his hands tremble, and the blood drained from his knuckles.
Naoya-san spoke calmly. "Settle down, Ryuga. Talking shit about your friend won't change anything if you're making the same mistake yourself. Hurting your own hand won't help anyone."
Ryuga paused, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. "Yeah, thanks. I was overreacting. Let's just go."
"Hmmm, that's better."