“Thanks for the meal. Starting tomorrow, I won’t be coming anymore…”

Perhaps because he knew this would be the last time he ate a bento prepared by Yotsuya Miko, Hikigaya Hachiman savored it very seriously. After finishing everything, he returned the utensils to Yotsuya Miko and then expressed his intention to leave.

“Why won’t you be coming tomorrow?”

After taking back the utensils and tidying them up, Yotsuya Miko tilted her head and looked at him in confusion.

“Didn’t you already agree?”

Blinking, Hachiman looked genuinely puzzled.

“I never said anything like that. I only asked you not to waste food…”

Yotsuya smiled.

“So what would happen if I don’t come tomorrow?”

Hearing her words, Hachiman’s expression froze. He hadn’t expected Yotsuya to trap him like this.

“Of course, nothing in particular will happen—except maybe a lunch will be wasted.”

“Wasting food is disgraceful!”

From the side, Yurikawa Hana—who had been more or less invisible during the whole exchange—nodded solemnly and chimed in. Though what she really meant was, “If Hachiman doesn’t come, then that extra bento is mine.” But feeling the subtle threat in Yotsuya’s eyes, she decided to just let it go.

“This is totally unreasonable.”

Realizing that Yotsuya still planned to prepare a bento tomorrow, and that his absence would result in wasted food, Hachiman looked exasperated.

“But the choice is entirely up to you.”

Indeed, starting tomorrow, no one was forcing Hachiman to go to the rooftop. As long as he was okay with seeing a lovingly prepared bento go to waste…

In the end, Hachiman left without saying anything else. But Yotsuya was certain—he’d be back tomorrow.

.

.

.

“Hey, Miko, how did you suddenly get so good at handling him?”

As soon as Hachiman left the rooftop, Yurikawa Hana scooted up to Yotsuya and asked how she had managed to keep such a tight hold on him today.

“Obviously, I had help strategizing.”

Yotsuya took out her phone, sent a victory sticker to someone on LINE, then raised her head and looked at Yurikawa disapprovingly.

“You really were just eating the whole time during our conversation, weren’t you?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt, you know? I’m kind of dense when it comes to emotional stuff, and I was scared I’d say something wrong…”

Yurikawa scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed as she explained.

Just as Yotsuya was about to reply, her phone vibrated.

“Is that the person who helped you come up with the plan?”

Seeing the unfamiliar icon on the screen, Yurikawa leaned in curiously.

“Yeah. I met them by chance the day before yesterday while searching for ways to deal with evil spirits…”

Though Yurikawa normally came across as silly, she was surprisingly sharp in critical moments. Despite Yotsuya’s efforts to hide it, Yurikawa figured out the truth about the ghosts around her in the third semester of their first year. In the end, Yotsuya confessed everything.

She had thought Yurikawa would burst into tears upon learning her surroundings were filled with invisible spirits. Instead, Yurikawa, after an initial scare, became incredibly intrigued.

This girl couldn’t handle horror movies, yet found real-life ghosts fascinating. This must be the definition of Lord Ye loves dragons—someone obsessed with something until faced with the real thing.

After learning about the existence of evil spirits, Yotsuya stopped hiding anything from Yurikawa—even about Hikigaya Hachiman.

Yotsuya figured Yurikawa was being so enthusiastic around Hachiman to make herself known, so that if she ever found herself in danger, he might save her life.

“You already met Hachiman. Why are you still searching for ways to deal with spirits?”

Yotsuya’s words surprised Yurikawa.

After all, Hachiman was an exorcist—if trouble came, she could just ask him for help. Why bother scouring the internet for unreliable methods?

“I feel bad always relying on him!”

A trace of helplessness appeared on Yotsuya’s face.

She had already accepted that she probably had the world’s worst luck when it came to spiritual energy. Unless Hachiman stayed by her side at all times, she’d eventually end up alone and face evil spirits again.

Even if she acted like she couldn’t see them to avoid attention, higher-level spirits could still make her tremble with fear, ruining the act.

Besides, it wasn’t like she and Hachiman were actually in a relationship. To keep troubling him, all while thinking that a lunch a day was enough repayment—who would buy that?

“And besides, didn’t that prayer bead work before?”

Recalling how putting on the bead had dispersed some spirits, Yotsuya regained her determination.

“But didn’t that bead break afterward?”

Yurikawa ruthlessly threw cold water on her enthusiasm.

Even that bead gifted by the old lady only lasted a few seconds before breaking. So Yurikawa didn’t think much of Yotsuya’s plan to rely on such methods.

“Speaking of which, we never paid for that broken prayer bead…” Discover more novels at novel_fіre.net

Hearing Yurikawa mention the old woman, Yotsuya sheepishly stuck out her tongue.

“Well, when we go out this weekend, let’s stop by her shop and buy something.”

.

.

.

“So I still have to go to the rooftop tomorrow after all?”

In the Service Club room that afternoon, Hachiman sat on a bench holding a book, lost in thought.

Last night, Yukinoshita had officially declared that he had graduated from her study sessions. So now, she was on the other side of the room helping Yuigahama study.

He could hear Yukinoshita’s sighs and Yuigahama’s whimpers echoing across the room.

Hachiman could only shake his head and silently wish Yuigahama a speedy liberation from her academic suffering.

[Kawasaki Saki: Is meeting Saturday at 3 PM okay?]

Suddenly, a message from Kawasaki Saki popped up on his phone.

It took Hachiman a few seconds to remember—it was about that exorcist grandmother’s request.

Saturday afternoon, huh…

Glancing toward Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, Hachiman thought it over for a moment, then replied:

[Hikigaya Hachiman: No problem.]

[Kawasaki Saki: Great, let’s meet at the plaza at 2:30.]

After that message, her profile icon dimmed again.

“The plaza, huh…”

Looking at the increasingly familiar place on the screen, Hachiman rubbed his forehead.

Hopefully, that exorcist grandma would give him the answers he was looking for…

As always read ahead (60 chapters) on my pa tre on!

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep