"Damn, my legs are going to ache now!"
Between yesterday's conversations and a short walk, I completely forgot my bicycle at school! I can't believe such an important thing could just fly out of my head. It's all Rei's fault—she got me so wrapped up in conversation, and then she was walking around looking so pensive that all my attention shifted to her!
Slowly, I tramped toward the school, clutching the handle of my bag in one hand. There was a silver lining, though: on my bike, I always raced too fast, not noticing the details. There's the stream with tiny fish, there's the bridge hung with lovers' locks, and there's...
"Missing Person"?
I walked closer. The notice looked fresh; the glue hadn't even had a chance to dry properly. The photo showed a guy my age in a school blazer, similar to mine. No one had gone missing from around here in a long time, and when it did happen, they usually found some drunkard in the woods, alive or dead. The fact that they've put up a poster means there are no leads. What could have happened?
If I think about it too much, I'll be late!
Anyway, I shouldn't fill my head with unnecessary things. I've already gotten involved with a girl who's obsessed with ghosts. I should "make some room" in my head to process all this... even if I don't want to.
Walking into the classroom, I was once again engulfed by the hum of voices. My eyes immediately fell on Kaito—my friend was clearly arguing with Haruto, waving some papers in front of his face.
"Haruto, dammit, what do you mean, 'forgot'?! "
"Well, I forgot! What's the big deal?!"
"We have to hand in the project in two days, and you...!"
I couldn't resist the temptation.
"What's this, 'lovers' quarrel'?" I asked with a sly grin.
"What?!" Haruto's eyes widened. "Kaito, are you one of those guys?"
"W-what?! No!" Kaito shot me a vicious glare. "Just shut up already! How long are you going to bug me? Wasn't yesterday with the leg enough?!"
"With the leg? Makoto, are you also...?"
"THE CHICKEN LEG, DAMMIT!" Kaito exploded.
I burst out laughing and, leaving them to sort it out, headed to my desk.
As usual, our "medium" was sitting, staring out the window. I sat down, but instead of a greeting, all I got was a sideways glance before she turned away again.
"Is she still lost in her fantasies?"
Before I could start a conversation, the math teacher walked in. Instant silence. I froze too—it's best to be "quieter than water, lower than grass" in his class, or the old man will give you so much extra homework you'll be doing catch-up until graduation.
"Inadzuka!" his voice boomed, and I automatically jumped up. "A problem for you: what is the sine of 75 degrees if the sine of 45 degrees is 22 and the sine of 30 degrees is 21?"
Why me again?! This is the second day in a row that teachers have thrown their problems at me first. At least I'm not bad at math.
Bumping into two desks on the way, I went to the blackboard and picked up the chalk. "I'll use the sine addition formula!"
I quickly wrote on the board. Whatever else, I was pretty good at math. The best part was I didn't have to memorize anything—it all just came to me from the very first lessons on new topics!
Finishing the problem, I turned around and wiped the chalk dust from my hands.
"The answer is 46+2," I mumbled, putting the chalk down.
The old man grunted but nodded—so it was correct. Phew, a narrow escape...
I felt the admiring glances of my classmates on me. My charm rating suddenly went up... Wait, that's not from here!
I returned to my seat, where Rei was diligently copying the solution from the board. "I hope they don't call on me again... Or better yet, none of the teachers at all!"
But in the very next class, my peace (and not just mine) was shattered. The natural wonder behind me suddenly jumped up, grabbed me by the collar of my blazer, and lifted me with her!
"That's it! I need a club!" she exclaimed, a crazily joyful smile on her face. "What's with that look? You don't like it? You were the one who said yesterday that I need a place for people like me!"
"Well, uh..." I placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's a good idea, but..."
I gestured around the classroom and let my gaze rest on the stunned English teacher.
"We're in class, you know. Sit down and calm down."
We settled back into our seats, and I clutched my head. "God, now everyone will definitely think I've lost it too!"
Couldn't she have just told me about her idea? Why did she have to put words in my mouth?! I can already see Kaito thinking of new ways to tease me. What did I do to deserve this?!
I desperately hoped I was mistaken or that Rei would change her mind. I was ready to do anything—even wash dishes for free in the cafeteria—just to avoid helping her create this club!
But as soon as the bell rang, I felt myself grabbed by the collar and dragged across the classroom. I didn't even resist... My fate was sealed. It was pointless to run.
Dragging me into some school corner, Rei stood in front of me, proudly crossing her arms.
"Well?"
"What 'well'?"
"Where's the admiration for my brilliant idea?" she tapped her finger against her temple.
Yesterday's conversation in the library flashed in my memory.
"What brilliance? I laid it all out for you yesterday—I didn't just chew it up; I gave you a ready-made description, just without a name!" I exhaled. "And then you went and told the whole class that I gave you the idea!"
"Well..." She hesitated, clearly cornered. "It doesn't matter!"
"Oh, this master of manipulation..."
"Anyway, here's your assignment!" She leaned in, lifted her chin, and poked me in the chest. "You find the members, and I'll find the room!"
"Why do I have to do this?"
"Because..." her eyes lit up. "You're my servant now!"
I was dumbfounded, to put it mildly. My eyes went wide, and my feet automatically took a step back. What "servant"?!
"W-what servant?! Serfdom was abolished back in the Tenshō era (late 16th century)!"
"Well, not a slave, just a servant," she theatrically rolled her eyes. "You'll just carry out orders, help me, make tea, and bring me bento!"
You just described a slave, you idiot...
"Let's drop the 'servant' thing. I'll just help out, okay?"
"Fine!" she grumbled unhappily. "Then I'll see you in the old building after school! Go find them!" And with those words, she sped off.
"The old building"? Where is that even? Dammit...
The rest of the day was shot. Her request threw me completely off balance. Knowing Rei, her club would definitely be paranormal-related... Although, what if she actually used her head for once? But how am I supposed to approach people?
"Hey, want to join Rei Tono's club? Yeah, you know, that weird girl! What's the club about? The devil himself couldn't tell you..."
I wonder if she would actually execute me if I didn't do something for her. She did mention something like that once...
I came back to my senses only at lunch with Kaito and Haruto. A sudden question pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Why aren't you eating? I'll finish it!" Haruto asked.
"Huh? Just thinking." I twirled my chopsticks. "By the way, do you guys want to join a club?"
"What club?" Kaito grumbled with a mouth full of food.
And that was the exact question I didn't have an answer to.
"You heard it in class; that strange girl is starting one!" Haruto answered for me.
"Oh, right! But what does that have to do with you, Makoto? Why do you care?"
"Kaito, don't you know? Girls love obedient guys, right? Is that what I'm getting from this?" Haruto grinned foolishly.
"Not at all!"
I didn't even try...
The last class ended. The sky outside was already turning yellow, and besides Kaito and Haruto, I hadn't managed to recruit anyone—and even they didn't appreciate the idea. I'd have to go empty-handed. But first, I had to find that damn old building!
After asking a couple of seniors, I finally got to the place. It turned out that the building used to be the main school, and after the new one was built, it was repurposed for club rooms.
Wandering through the corridors, I managed to spot the music club, the art club, the tea ceremony club, and even the young detectives' club. I didn't realize there were so many!
Rei was hanging around one of the doors, bored, kicking the wall with the tip of her shoe. If she was so bored, why did she run ahead?
"Well, how'd it go?" I asked, walking up to her.
"Relatively..." Disappointment was in her voice. "I found a room, but..." She shook some papers in her hands. "Why didn't they approve my club in the teachers' office?!"
I took the application from her. "The Ghost and Spirit Hunting Club"? Seriously?"
"You know clubs are supposed to promote something socially useful." I folded the paper in half. "That version is definitely not going to pass."
"Why should I have to compromise for them? I want exactly this kind of club!"
I sighed deeply. She was smart—you could see it in class—but sometimes she was just so dense...
"How about we look at the room first, and then we'll decide?"
Rei's face lit up with a smile, and she flung the door open.
"Ta-da!"
The room was small but clean, aside from a layer of dust. Against the wall was an empty bookshelf, and in the middle was a long table. There was only one chair, a life-worn one, waiting modestly in the corner. I immediately threw the windows open so we wouldn't suffocate.
The place was cozy. A TV and a kettle would be great in here, and some chairs—it would be perfect. Although what difference does it make? This will be the last time I'm here.
"This definitely needs to be cleaned..." Rei sneezed again.
"You handle that; I'll be right back." And I left, leaving her in a cloud of dust.
Since I failed with the members, I'll help in another way!
In the teachers' office, I only found the geography teacher.
"Hello, who should I talk to about the clubs?"
She took off her glasses and gave me a withering look. A lump formed in my throat.
"What's with everyone and clubs today?" she turned to me. "What's the matter?"
I handed her the revised application. The teacher scoffed.
"More of this mystical nonsense!" she returned the sheet. "We don't need an occultism club."
I was about to leave, but then an idea hit me.
"'The Folklore and Paranormal Phenomena Research Club.' With an academic focus. We'd study Japanese legends, yokai, and mythology from different countries. I think a lot of people would find it interesting!"
She stared at me for a long time, as if trying to figure out how to checkmate me in one move. But then she smiled.
"You're a clever one!" she said, handing me a clean form. "Fill it out again, and I'll sign it."
I was already triumphant, but her face darkened again.
"The club must have a minimum of three members." She turned away. "So..."
"Sign up a third one."
A guy with long hair covering his ears unexpectedly stepped out of the shadows.
"Not just clever, but lucky, too." the teacher sighed. "Are you new here? Name and class?"
"10-D. Yami Ren."
After filling out the application, she looked at me again.
"Do you need a faculty advisor?"
Before I could answer, as if by another stroke of luck, the gym teacher walked into the office and took an interest in our gathering.
"What's this meeting about?" He glanced at the paper and burst out laughing. "What a club!"
Unexpectedly, he signed his name as the advisor and left. The geography teacher looked at me with a silent question: "How do you do that?"
Returning with the new "member," I thought to myself. Ren spoke so slowly and monotonously that you could fall asleep listening to him.
Endless sneezes were coming from the room. "Is she not going to suffocate in there?" Inside, we found a teary-eyed Rei, wiping dust.
"You're back!" sneeze "Where were you?!" sneeze "Can you imagine..." sneeze "How tired..." sneeze "I am..." sneeze "OF SNEEZING!"
Seeing Ren with the documents, she instantly forgot her misery.
"You brought a member? And also..." she read the name. "'Folklore and Paranormal Phenomena Research'?" What kind of nonsense is this?"
"It's what we got. I tried for 'occultism,' but it was rejected." I suddenly realized. "Wait, am I explaining myself?! At least say thank you; you have an official club now!"
"Fine, fine..." she waved her hand. "Whatever is on paper, we're going to be an occultism club!"
"Oh, how interesting!" Ren chimed in. "I'm Yami Ren from 10-D." he introduced himself politely.
Rei and Ren... The important thing is not to mix them up...
It seems my duty is done...
I picked up my bag and was heading for the exit when cold fingers dug into my wrist.
"Where are you going?" Rei's voice sounded unnaturally sweet.
"Home. Obviously."
"The club president hasn't dismissed you yet!" she put on a "strict boss" face that looked comical.
I tiredly rubbed the bridge of my nose.
"I didn't even want to be here, to be honest..."
Rei thought for a second, and then her lips stretched into a wicked grin. Oh, this is bad...
"I just remembered something..." she yanked my hand, pulling me back into the room. "Someone here still owes me!"
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"The 'servant' joke is no longer a joke!" she declared triumphantly.
Damn... So that's how it is?
And so, thanks to my own big mouth and this cursed project, I've signed my own death warrant—becoming a permanent member of a club run by a beautiful but completely insane girl.
May 9th. The first day of tough exams...
No matter how important today was, my mind couldn't let go of the memories of last night in the club.
And her endless commands... Buy this, fix that... And her? She just directs and orders. Ren and I probably have to bow to her just because she deigned to personally clean the room!
How the hell did I even become a member of her club?... I still don't understand.
Coming to school, I found the class in such silence for the first time, despite it being break time. Everyone was sitting with their heads buried in textbooks, cramming biology material at the last minute—today's exam subject.
As for the project... Rei and I handed it in on time, unlike Kaito and Haruto. We were even praised for the unconventional topic and quality of execution, although I knew the teachers were wary of the second section with its frightening details.
This time, the girl was acting strangely—she wasn't sleeping or staring out the window, but was focused on chewing her pen, writing something in a notebook. This strange sight sparked an unhealthy interest in me.
"What are you thinking about?" I sat down next to her. "You're usually either staring out the window or sleeping, but here you are."
"...We need this, and definitely that!" she mumbled, continuing to write. "Do you think a big pentagram on the wall would spruce up our club?"
"First of all, I still can't come to terms with the fact that 'our' club even exists. Secondly, our exam is in ten minutes, and you're thinking about pentagrams?!"
"Like this one!" she drew a star with a circle in the air. "What if ghosts start visiting more often?"
She completely missed my sarcasm...
However, I have to admit—I've gotten much better at tolerating her nonsense. Before, the mere mention of her quirks would infuriate me, but now I've just accepted it as a given.
"And we also need a computer!" she suddenly announced, leaning toward me.
"I don't like that intense stare..."
"Find a computer!"
"Where am I supposed to get you one?!"
In our time, schools were just starting to get internet connections, and she wants a computer for the club... What's its official name again? "Folklore and Paranormal Phenomena Research"? In short, for occultism!
Thankfully, our "intellectual" dialogue was interrupted by the teachers walking in. I turned to the blackboard, waiting for the tests to be handed out.
Human anatomy... Eye anatomy... Bacterial anatomy... Just endless "anatomy"... And how am I supposed to know all this?
After the start of the exam was announced, I concentrated on every question. I absolutely had to get the highest score, or at least come close—I plan to enroll in a prestigious science university in the capital, and for that, I need good grades.
Glancing around the class, I noticed that everyone else was also stuck on the difficult questions, just like me. No matter how smart I considered myself, the mental fog was still there. Except for one head, apparently—behind me, Rei was writing quickly without stopping. It wasn't a guarantee that she was correct, but I was impressed anyway.
The clock ticked down the final minutes of the exam. After carefully selecting the correct answers, I managed to fill out the entire form.
"I hope at least 70% of the answers are right..."
The papers were collected, and the bell rang. How I wished I could just go home after such a stressful exam... But English, physics, and Japanese were still ahead. And, of course, the club. I was trapped...
The day was dreary. I even managed to doze off in Japanese class—that's how boring it was! Lunch was also unremarkable, except that Ren unexpectedly joined us, silently finishing his meal. It was strange, but Kaito and Haruto didn't even comment on my participation in the "medium's" club. They've probably already come to terms with the fact that I'm now tied to this strange girl.
After lunch, most of the students went home, but I was dragged to the club by the scruff of my neck, like a puppy. I couldn't escape...
In the club room, Ren was already there, engrossed in a small book. I wondered what a person who voluntarily joined such a club would read.
I immediately noticed that six new chairs had appeared in the room, and that one old, time-worn one was now waiting modestly in the corner, with the guy sitting in a new one.
"Wow, and I was just about to ask you guys to find chairs!" Rei exclaimed, finally letting go of me.
"I foresaw such a request and took care of it in advance," Ren replied, without looking up from his book.
"Are you a psychic?!"
"No, just logic," he smiled.
Does he really like this place?... I should learn from him...
"Let's begin our first official club meeting!" Rei announced ceremoniously.
"Are we talking about the pentagram and the computer again?" I slumped tiredly into a chair.
"That was on the agenda, but... Well, yes, let's start with that!"
Maybe this way I can escape faster...
"We need a computer to keep records! It's more convenient than paper. And the pentagram..."
"I'll have to abstain from pentagrams, as will Makoto," Ren raised his hand. "You don't want one either, right?" He looked at me, and I just raised my hand.
"What's wrong with pentagrams, everyone?!" Rei crossed her arms. "Fine!"
Thanks, Ren... At least we're on the same page about something.
"But how are you going to get a computer? It's expensive," I asked.
She suddenly came up to me and gently placed her hands on my shoulders. I flinched in surprise. At first, I thought it was a gesture of kindness, but her wicked smirk revealed her true intentions.
"You've already helped us organize the club..." she whispered, leaning toward my ear. "So... Go and beg for funding!"
With a sharp push toward the door, she literally shoved me into the hallway.
I could kill myself for the fact that her scent is still in my nostrils...
Realizing that resistance was futile, I obediently trudged down the corridor. Where do I even go for money? A programming club—that's understandable, but why do we need a computer?!
In the teachers' office, just like last time, only the geography teacher was there. Seeing me, she tensed up.
"About the club again?" I nodded silently.
I needed to come up with a convincing reason... But what to say? "We need it to summon spirits"?!
"We need a small amount of funding..."
"For 'Folklore and Paranormal Phenomena Research'?" she sighed heavily. "And who, in your opinion, is going to agree to that?"
"At least for a computer..."
"A computer?" she raised an eyebrow. "You're not planning to play games on it, are you?"
"For... archiving!"
"Of what?"
My brain frantically produced a saving lie.
"We're collecting local legends, recording eyewitness accounts, and scanning old newspapers about anomalous cases. All of this needs to be systematized! And we'll make presentations for school conferences. Without a computer, we'd just have notebooks—that's ancient history!"
I was surprised myself at how I came up with that... Even though I didn't really know what we were doing.
The teacher tapped a pencil on the table.
"If that's the case... Fine."
"Seriously?!"
Did it actually work?!
"But!" she suddenly raised a finger. "Only if you actually do research and not nonsense. You'll submit a report once a month. Otherwise, the funding will be cut off."
Of course, there had to be a "but"...
"Of course! Everything will be top-notch!" I lied brazenly.
"Good. Come see me after school tomorrow. Now go, you're a sight for sore eyes."
With a sense of unexpected victory, I left.
Honestly, I expected her to send me away... But the main thing is tomorrow. And maybe we'll have a computer!
And that means... I'll finally have a legitimate reason to go to the club.
I did manage to please our painstakingly demanding club president, after which she dismissed us from the meeting. It wasn't because Ren and I wanted to leave—it was just that she had business to attend to. I wonder how much longer I would have sat there if not for her sudden plans?
I was just about to get on my, in my humble opinion, incredible blue bicycle seat, when Ren approached me with a suggestion to talk. His usual calm expression had been replaced by a very serious one. His intense gaze made me afraid to refuse, but I was also curious about what he wanted to tell me.
I set my bike aside and followed Ren. We sat in a small gazebo almost in the school's backyard—the same place where third-graders usually trade cards from their collector sets. He treated me to a can of peach soda, my favorite—how did he know? That eased my feeling of lost time.
"How do you like Rei?" he asked me, sharply opening his can with a characteristic hiss.
The question embarrassed me. I had time to think that this was yet another person already setting up a future for her and me. Like Kaito and his friend, even though I gave him a hint to stop, from time to time he might blurt something like that out.
"She's an ordinary girl..." I took a sip of soda, feeling the bubbles tickle my throat. "Well, of course, with her quirks, but I've gotten used to them."
"Interesting..." he leaned back on the bench, and at that moment, a ray of sunlight, piercing through the leaves, fell directly on his face.
After his concise answer, silence reigned, broken only by the distant shouts of the gym teacher.
It's curious to watch people just run in circles... Maybe that's why Rei loves to look out the window?
I would have gladly continued to enjoy the drink in silence, but Ren decided to turn my world upside down with one phrase:
"I am the same kind of spirit our president sees."
"What?" I choked on my soda, and the sweet liquid unpleasantly tickled my nose.
At that moment, I was finally convinced: fate is a great comedian, bringing me together with two absolute weirdos.
With Rei, it was still passable—her delusions could be dismissed as remnants of a childhood fantasy. But when a seemingly serious guy who could explain the Pythagorean theorem to me claims that he is literally not human... That smelled not of childhood fantasies, but of full-blown psychiatry.
"I was pleasantly surprised to find a gifted person in this school. That's why I joined your club."
"Hold on!" I nearly dropped the can, feeling the cold condensation run down my fingers. "Are you saying you're a ghost? A spirit? A curse? I don't even know what to call it!"
"That's right. I'm a spirit who inhabited this body a few years ago."
No, he's definitely crazy... I had already come to terms with Rei's quirks, but this went beyond all reasonable limits.
"Damn... Well, okay, what can you even do?" I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, desperately trying to find a logical explanation. "In all fantasy, people like you have some kind of powers! Magic or something like that."
"I understand that it's difficult for you to believe in the existence of something irrational," he got up. "But give me time, and I will demonstrate my abilities. For example..." he walked away from me and then turned around, "you like peaches, don't you?"
With those words and an unusual smile, he walked away, leaving me with a severely overloaded brain.
And I have to be in the same club with these people... If he's really not joking... How did he know about the peach, and what is his goal in telling me his secret?!
But there was no time to ponder—another exam was tomorrow, and it was my turn to cook dinner today.
At home, I was met only by my younger sister, whose chatter temporarily pushed thoughts of my strange friends out of my mind.
"Big brother, look!" she showed me a craft made of green leaves right at the door. "We made it at school today!"
"It's beautiful!" I carefully took her creation. "Good job."
Patting my sister's head, I walked on.
"Are Mom and Dad not back yet?"
"Nope!" she shook her head energetically. "Mom said they have a lot of work!"
"I see. How about I rest for a bit, and then we'll cook something tasty?"
"Yay!"
While my sister returned to her activities, I went up to my room on the second floor. The space was clearly divided into two zones: a bright one with a bed, a couple of books, and some trinkets, and a dark one with a desk that was cleaned once a month, by the grace of a miracle.
Lounging on the bed, I checked my phone. No messages. I should get Rei's contact info—after all, she's the club president.
After a bit of idling, I went to the kitchen. What should I cook? The main thing is for it to be delicious and hearty. And also original—my little sister, though cute, is a terrible picky eater. For example, she can't stand rice omelets, which I consider simple and tasty.
While I was fussing around the stove, my parents returned. My tired mom thanked me for the help. I made a not-too-spicy curry—especially for Momo, so she wouldn't scream that her "mouth is on fire."
After dinner, my head was buzzing with formulas and terms. Although there's a plus to this exam system—in such a short time, we don't cover much, so there's less to study. I wonder how many points I got on today's exam? I'll only find out when it's all over...
Pedaling, I was surprised by how light the ride was—and at that very moment, the pedal fell off, almost sending me into a nearby tree. Miraculously keeping my balance, I stopped.
"Oh, damn..."
As luck would have it, I didn't have any tools with me. I was always planning to attach a bag with the necessary things, but I kept putting it off! I couldn't fix this by hand...
"W-what happened?" a timid female voice asked.
I turned around and saw a girl with peach-colored (obviously dyed) hair and big brown eyes that looked at me with concern.
"Oh, you know..." I showed her the fallen pedal. "Just a bad day."
"L-let me help!"
She clumsily got off her white bicycle, almost falling in the process, and pulled a wrench out of her bag. With noticeable difficulty, dropping the tool, she still managed to screw the pedal back on.
"Thank you!" I bowed politely.
"Y-you're welcome!" her cheeks turned pink. "B-be careful! I'm leaving now!"
She almost fell again getting on her bike and hurried away.
She really is shy...
I was already imagining getting to school safely, when ten meters later, the pedal fell off again. Just as I thought; I should have done it myself... Putting the pedal in my backpack, I set off on foot, pushing the bike beside me. Surely one of the teachers would have a tool!
The bright morning sun was unexpectedly replaced by a rainy afternoon. How strange—it's been raining so often lately... But it's actually convenient for me! I need to go to the teachers' office, and then to the club—maybe the rain will have stopped by then.
Entering the office, for the third time this week, I saw the same scene: the teacher, without saying a word, just pointed to the next door. I obediently headed there.
"Take it," she said curtly, pointing to a desk where a brand-new LCD monitor, system unit, keyboard, and mouse were sitting. "In a couple of days, I'll send you the school account details for the sponsorship disbursements."
My surprise was hard to describe. There was just one problem—I couldn't carry all this alone. I had to drag Ren out of the club, and together we safely delivered the computer to our room. By the time Rei arrived, we had already set up the equipment on a separate table and even turned it on.
"What...?" the girl froze in the doorway, her eyes wide. "You actually got it?!"
"It wouldn't be me if I hadn't managed," I replied, not hiding my slight pride.
Rei rushed over, literally pushing us aside and settling in front of the monitor like a child in front of a Christmas present.
"Okay... Now we need a kettle and a tea set!" she announced, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Again?!" I couldn't help but say.
Ren just glanced at me, smiled, and scratched the back of his head.
Oh, damn...
And so, I found myself between two weirdos in this ridiculous club. One claims to be a spirit, and the other not only calls me her servant but also a "medium." The irony of fate—I, who wanted to be involved the least, am now an official club member and the "servant" of a girl-medium...