Chapter 95: The Ghost in Red Wandering in Touma Kazusa's Home
"Mmhmm... so that's how it is..."
After listening to Kazusa's description, Yoru had a rough idea.
This was highly likely a real supernatural event.
On one hand, Kazusa was different from those bored students who had nothing to do; she wouldn't make a fuss over nothing.
On the other hand.
A ghost playing the piano—wasn't this a classic trope?
But usually in such stories, it was in an empty activity room.
Running into someone's house, playing their piano, and now even competing to play.
This is a ghost with a sincere love for music.
Miko also gave her comment.
"Listening to Touma-san's description, the problem isn't very big."
If it were an evil spirit, even not a very powerful one, Kazusa should feel heavy in her body, listless, or sleep poorly.
Instead of playing the piano every day.
This indicated it wasn't an evil spirit but an ordinary ghost, or simply an obsession transformed from a deceased human.
"Touma-san."
Thinking of this, Rio asked specifically.
"Is that piano in your house newly bought?"
"Mmhmm..."
Hearing this question, Kazusa looked a bit lonely.
She lowered her head, her expression unseen, but her voice carried a hint of inexplicable sadness.
"It was moved here by my mother's people when she left two months ago."
Rio thought that makes sense.
Generally speaking, evil spirits, ghosts, and spirits lingering in the world due to obsessions after death couldn't affect objects in the physical world.
But there was an exception.
That was objects they contacted many times during their lifetime, or simply objects that caused them to be unable to rest in peace.
In such cases, they could cause slight effects.
But limited to small actions like pressing piano keys, as in this case.
For a strangeness of this level, the Super-Quant Club didn't even need to intervene.
Those small amulets in Oda Noto's shop would be completely enough.
Of course, since Kazusa came to them and was a classmate of Yoru, Miko, and Yui, they definitely had to help.
Just as Rio was about to speak, Yoru beat her to it.
"Say no more. I'll handle this personally. I also know a thing or two about music theory."
"Really?"
Hearing this, Kazusa couldn't help but ask curiously.
"You play instruments too? Guitar? Bass? Or orchestral instruments?"
Yoru shook his head.
"None of them."
Kazusa was even more puzzled. High school students practicing instruments were usually hobbies; what else could it be besides these?
"Then what instrument?"
Yoru spoke slowly.
"Suona." (Chinese double-reed horn).
"Uh..."
Kazusa was stunned.
On her pretty face, which was always emotionless like a robot and forever cold, an obvious emotional fluctuation appeared for the first time.
After hesitating for a long while, Kazusa nodded noncommittally.
"Mmhmm... quite good too."
She really didn't expect a high school boy to practice an instrument like the Suona.
The Suona, the rogue of musical instruments!
"Since that is the case."
Yoru stood up and smiled.
"Choosing a day is not as good as hitting the day (doing it now). Since I'm free right now, I'll go to your house for exorcism immediately."
"No problem."
Kazusa didn't show any shyness because this was her plan.
"Farewell. Green mountains do not change, green waters flow long; we shall meet again." (Chinese idiom for goodbye).
Yoru clasped his fists at Mai and Rio, then left the door with Kazusa at lightning speed.
Mai and Rio looked at each other.
The air fell silent again.
Like to compete?
Now look, Yoru ran to Touma's house. No more competition.
"Futaba-san."
Mai looked at Rio and smiled.
"Yoru has left; why don't you go home too?"
Rio glanced at Mai, put her glasses back on, and asked back.
"What about you?"
"I have something to ask him, so I'll wait for him to come back."
"Is that so? Then I'll wait with you."
"Sure."
The two girls sat opposite each other, both making up their minds.
Usually, since Yoru went out, they would just come back the next day; it wasn't like they couldn't see him again.
But today.
Neither Mai nor Rio would leave here.
Otherwise, wouldn't it be leaving an opportunity for the rival?
...
Half an hour later.
"This is my home. No one else, make yourself comfortable."
Kazusa said casually.
Her residence was a luxury apartment on a single floor. In the center of the living room stood a piano polished to a shine, looking very expensive.
Yoru didn't make the customary sigh of "your house is so big."
At this moment, he had retracted his deterrence against evil spirits, his so-called aura.
Otherwise, mere ordinary ghosts wouldn't dare approach within a kilometer radius of him.
Yoru didn't usually choose to do this for two main reasons.
On one hand, he didn't want to see those things as eyesores.
On the other hand, this was also a strict quality control standard of a diner for food.
Devouring ordinary evil spirits and ghosts was just a drop in the bucket for him now, better than nothing.
Only powerful evil spirits confident in their strength who dared to approach despite his oppressive aura met Yoru's current standards.
"Seems it hasn't started yet."
Seeing the piano sitting there without any movement, Kazusa said faintly and sat on the sofa.
According to her personality, she actually wouldn't waste a single moment that could be used to play the piano.
But this time, it was the first time in her life that Kazusa didn't want to play the piano.
She wanted to focus all her attention on Yoru.
And...
Kazusa's expression seemed calm.
In reality, her hands were trembling with nervousness.
This was the first time.
Possessing excellent piano playing talent no less than her mother Touma Youko, Kazusa experienced trembling hands for the first time.
Why?
She didn't understand herself, just felt very nervous inside.
Even more nervous than her first public performance or playing in front of her mother.
"Oh, then wait a bit."
Yoru said nonchalantly and also sat on the sofa.
Seeing him sit on the sofa next to her instead of choosing to sit beside her, Kazusa felt relieved as if a heavy burden was lifted but also felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
To be honest.
Kazusa didn't know what she was thinking.
Spring break was ending in a few days.
If she wanted to issue a commission, she could have waited until school started.
Then she wouldn't have needed to call Hiratsuka-sensei.
According to Kazusa's usual personality, she would avoid communicating with others if possible.
Why didn't she choose to wait but made a decision contrary to her usual character?
Kazusa didn't understand; she couldn't understand herself like this.
The living room fell into silence.
Time passed second by second.
Yoru looked very relaxed, not in a hurry to go back at all.
He enjoyed spending time with Rio and Mai.
But there was a prerequisite.
It was Mai or Rio.
Not Mai and Rio.
Shuraba.
What a terrifying word.
The best way to resolve disputes is to make the source of disputes disappear.
So Yoru disappeared.
Of course, there was another reason.
He really wanted to see what kind of ghost would play the piano in Kazusa's house every day.
Such high artistic attainment?
Unknown time passed.
Just as Kazusa was letting her imagination run wild, she suddenly heard a slight piano sound.
Yoru looked up and saw a key on the piano in the living room depressed.
"It started."
Following Kazusa's words, the keys on the piano began to undulate like waves.
Keys falling and popping up one by one, giving birth to a beautiful yet sad and poignant tune.
In Kazusa's eyes, the piano was playing by itself.
She even had the leisure to listen attentively, nodding occasionally as if approving of this piano piece.
Seeing Kazusa like this, Yoru finally understood.
He originally thought she didn't have the attribute of fear of ghosts.
Turns out Kazusa's love for piano completely overshadowed her fear of supernatural events, hence the reaction.
Yoru even suspected.
If this matter hadn't started affecting Kazusa's daily practice, she wouldn't even have sought him for a commission but would have chosen to listen forever.
Yoru looked at Kazusa and lowered his voice.
"What do you think?"
Kazusa pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.
"I think this piece has high requirements for speed and fluency. It's extremely difficult, proving the performer's level is also very high, almost comparable to my mother."
Yoru looked speechless.
No, I didn't ask you this.
Forget it.
After all, it's Touma Kazusa.
Being a little abnormal is quite normal.
The scene Yoru saw was completely different from Kazusa's.
A woman wearing a red evening gown, with loose long hair and a thin figure, was sitting in front of the piano pressing the keys.
The evening gown on her body wasn't actually red.
Two lines of bloody tears flowed constantly from her face, dripping onto the clothes.
This evening gown was dyed red by blood.
Bastard (BYD), it's a Vengeful Spirit (Li Gui).
Unexpectedly, an ordinary supernatural event had an unexpected harvest.
The food even dipped itself in ketchup.
Interesting.
Hearing the words "Vengeful Spirit," the piano sound stopped abruptly.
The female ghost sitting in front of the piano slowly raised her head.
Under the face covered by long hair was a pair of eerie eyeballs with only whites, constantly seeping crimson bloody tears.
"You... can see me?"
"Heh, turning the world upside down." (Referring to ghost questioning human).
Yoru chuckled lightly. With an extremely fast movement that Kazusa sitting on the sofa didn't even see clearly, he rushed instantly in front of the piano.
Bang!
Yoru grabbed the female ghost's neck with one hand and pinned her against the living room wall.
At this moment, the oppressive pressure he had originally concealed, which was like a natural enemy to evil spirits and ghosts making them feel intense fear in their bones, burst out again without concealment.
The originally clawing red-clothed female ghost instantly became much more well-behaved.
Kazusa didn't understand what happened.
She only knew Yoru suddenly flashed in front of the piano, then pinned something against the wall with a one-handed grasping gesture.
"Behave yourself."
Feeling the increasing force on her neck, the red-clothed female ghost stopped struggling immediately.
She had realized.
Compared to the human in front of her, she was nothing at all.
"That's right."
Yoru revealed a kind smile and spoke gently.
"Can you speak?"
The red-clothed female ghost didn't dare hesitate and nodded like a chicken pecking rice.
"Yes, I can."
"Good."
Yoru smiled with satisfaction.
"I ask, you answer. Understand?"
"Understood, understood, understood. Please ask."
"Why play the piano in someone else's house?"
Hearing this question, the red-clothed female ghost looked pitiful.
"This was originally my piano."
"Hey, talking back?"
Yoru frowned, put the red-clothed female ghost down first, then guided patiently.
"You are a ghost now; there are no personal property rights, understand?"
The red-clothed female ghost froze.
What he said...
Seems to make sense.
"But... this was originally my piano too."
"Look at what you are saying."
Yoru waved his hand and patted the red-clothed female ghost's shoulder earnestly.
"You know the law of conservation of mass, right?"
"Heard of it."
"That's it then. If we really discuss it, all matter in this world was once owned by someone else. This piano was yours before doesn't mean it's yours now. If we follow this rule, what would living people use? Am I right?"
"Ah this..."
The red-clothed female ghost was speechless.
She really didn't expect.
As a Vengeful Spirit, she would be talked down by a human one day.
And she couldn't refute it.
Yoru's sudden reasoning wasn't just for being abstract.
While saying these words, he was carefully observing the red-clothed female ghost's expression.
From the opponent's eyes...
Oh, the red-clothed female ghost only has whites; can't see the look in her eyes.
Judging from the body movements and the expression of frowning in thought, this female ghost wasn't the kind of evil spirit holding great hostility towards humans.
Although dressed scary, she should only be classified as a ghost.
She just wants to play the piano; what did she do wrong!
Of course, Yoru didn't dwell on this but changed the subject.
"Then the next question. Why did you ask if I could see you? Did you intend to harm Me (Zhen)?"
The red-clothed female ghost looked like she wanted to cry.
"No, big brother. I asked if you could see because I have something to say to that girl."
"Oh, so that's it."
Just as the red-clothed female ghost thought Yoru should apologize next, she heard him speak first with a righteous look.
"Then why didn't you say so earlier? It's all your fault."
The red-clothed female ghost was about to cry.
What kind of person is this?
I only had time to say one sentence before being pinned to the wall by you.
Result: It became my problem?
Although she thought so, facing the pressure emitted by Yoru, the red-clothed female ghost could only lower her head and say sincerely.
"Sorry, I was wrong."
Able to bend and stretch, truly a hero among ghosts.
"Sincere attitude, worthy of praise."
After praising her, Yoru asked immediately.
"So, what do you want to say to her? She can't see or hear you; I can convey it for you."
Speaking of this topic, the red-clothed female ghost's timid and fearful appearance instantly disappeared without a trace.
She stood up, pointed to the piano in front of her, and said.
"It's hard to describe with words alone. How about this? You ask her to play the piece I just played once, and I'll speak while she plays."
"Sure (Chi Chu)."
Yoru waved to Kazusa still sitting on the sofa.
"Come here, play a tune for Master (Ye)."
Kazusa narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her beautiful eyes.
"Do you take me for a performer?"
Although she said that, Kazusa still stood up obediently, walked to the piano, sat down, and placed her ten slender white fingers gently on the black and white keys.
This was Touma Kazusa.
Besides being Tsundere, there was another attribute that couldn't be ignored.
Commonly known as Loyal Dog.
Regardless of the reason, even without any reason, as long as Yoru wanted to listen, she was willing to play for him.
As Kazusa's knuckles bent slightly, melodious music spread throughout the living room.
Yoru just thought it sounded good.
After all, he couldn't play the piano; his main job was playing the Suona.
But as the saying goes:
Laymen watch the excitement; experts watch the method.
The red-clothed female ghost, also a pianist, kept her gaze on Kazusa's hands.
Watching the fingering of pressing the keys, she couldn't help but frown, subconsciously reaching out to correct Kazusa's movements.
Result: It just passed straight through Kazusa's white hands.
Seeing the red-clothed female ghost cast a pleading look, Yoru understood her meaning.
He reached towards Kazusa's slender right hand placed on the keys, hovered there, and asked softly.
"May I?"
Kazusa froze, even stopping her piano playing.
After hesitating for a long while, she pursed her lips nervously, nodded slightly, and said in a voice as tiny as a mosquito's.
"Mmhmm, okay."
After placing his hand on the back of Kazusa's hand, feeling her slightly trembling slender fingers and the slightly cool yet soft and smooth touch that one couldn't bear to let go, Yoru remembered something.
Kazusa couldn't hear the red-clothed female ghost speaking.
In her eyes, it looked like while she was playing, Yoru suddenly reached over, wanting to touch her hand, and even asked specifically.
In this situation, Kazusa actually replied "Okay."
Meaningful, truly meaningful.