"This apartment has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and two baths. It's got the basic furnishings, and it's ready to move in—plus there's a big balcony with morning sun for drying clothes."
"It's probably better than your last place."
Shirakawa wheeled their luggage into the open unit on the 14th floor. Most of the apartments he rented out were on the middle or lower levels.
Higher floors had better views—naturally, the price was higher.
Still, for cute girl tenants, he didn't mind them being neighbors at all. He gave them a quick rundown of the amenities and layout before turning to Miko.
"So, what do you think?"
"It's only 15,000 yen a month. Utilities based on market rate, and there's no key money or extra fees."
"..."
"I'll take it!"
Miko agreed without hesitation. Compared to their previous rental, this was a world of difference. The best part?
There wasn't a single ghost or spirit nearby.
For someone like her, that alone was worth its weight in gold.
"I'm good too. If Miko's fine with it, then I've got no complaints. I just can't believe we found a place this nice for the same rent."
Yurizono was practically glowing with excitement.
"Thanks so much, Shirakawa-kun! Wanna join us for lunch?"
"Maybe next time. I live just one floor up, so if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Mio had already bought ingredients for lunch.
So there wasn't really any reason to go out with Miko and Hana. They lived close anyway—plenty of chances to eat together in the future.
Shirakawa shook his head politely.
Still, he kept casting quiet glances toward Yurikawa. That dense aura of malice was noticeably thinning the more they interacted.
Perhaps her body's natural vitality was slowly purging it.
But what intrigued him more was—
Where had she come into contact with such a curse?
Telling her outright would be pointless. Without spiritual sight, she wouldn't believe him—even if he caught a ghost in front of her.
After some thought, Shirakawa turned to Miko and, while she was unpacking, quietly sent a LINE message.
"I'm sensing a strong curse clinging to Yurikawa."
"It wasn't caused by you—but could you ask her where she's been lately?"
"If she says anything, let me know. Thanks."
Moments later, Miko glanced at her phone, then looked at Shirakawa with a touch of confusion. But once she read the message, her usual stoic face shifted—just slightly—into one of quiet concern.
"Got it. Thanks, Shirakawa-kun."
---
Back at his apartment, Shirakawa checked the time. Mio and Sagiri should've returned with the groceries by now.
A lunch prepared by a beautiful housewife…
This was definitely not something to miss.
As he stepped inside—
"Hmm?"
No one came to greet him, but a pair of indoor slippers were neatly placed at the entrance. They'd clearly been set out just for him.
Is this the fabled care of a young housewife?
Even Shirakawa felt his mood lift. Walking into the living room, he glanced into the semi-open kitchen and saw a familiar silhouette.
"Hey, Auntie."
"You're back, Shirakawa-kun?"
Izumi Mio turned, still holding a fresh prawn she was prepping for tempura. Her smile, bright and warm, lit up the entire room.
Choosing the ingredients proved a bit difficult.
Mainly because she'd forgotten to ask Shirakawa about his preferences, and she didn't want to overspend either. Izumi Mio was careful not to take too much advantage.
She only picked reasonably priced groceries.
After all, she wanted to make a hearty homemade lunch with her own cooking—for Shirakawa-kun!
As she busied herself with preparations, Izumi Mio didn't forget to explain, "I forgot to ask what Shirakawa-kun likes to eat, so I just prepared some more common dishes."
"Grilled eel rice bowl, shrimp tempura, tonkatsu, and pork ribs stewed with onions..."
"You're working hard, Auntie."
The gas stove was blazing, filling the home with a warm, lived-in aroma. Shirakawa smiled and nodded, stepping forward to see if there was anything he could help with.
But...
Mio, handling everything with practiced ease, didn't give him the chance. Instead, she turned slightly, her face aglow with a bright and charming smile.
In a gentle tone, she asked, "Is there anything you'd like to eat, Shirakawa-kun?"
"If I don't know how to make it, I can learn!"
"Hmm… let me think. Actually, I've always been really interested in Chinese cuisine. But I'm not sure if that'd be too much trouble for you, Aunt Mio."
Being able to order like this was, of course, ideal.
Most Japanese dishes, for Shirakawa, merely satisfied bodily needs. But when it came to real flavor—nothing compared to the rich variety of cuisine from his previous life.
"Oh? So Shirakawa-kun likes Chinese cooking..."
As she took the last piece of tempura out of the oil and plated it onto shiso leaves, Mio clapped her hands—mission complete.
She made a mental note of Shirakawa's preference.
After seasoning the pork rib soup just right, she turned to the young man beside her and said, "I'll go call Sagiri down. You don't need to wait for me—feel free to start first!"
"I couldn't possibly."
Shirakawa chuckled and shook his head, watching as Izumi Mio—still wearing her apron—headed downstairs to call her daughter to the table.
He was just about to bring the food to the dining table—
When his phone buzzed in his pocket.
Pulling it out, he saw a LINE message from Yotsuya Miko:
"Shirakawa-kun, I've figured out what happened!"