1 Chapter 1: The Art of Deception

Ren Higurashi was no ordinary man. In the tiny rural town of Misaki, he was known far and wide as the man to call when you had a ghost problem. Together with his partner in crime, Jiro, they claimed to have the power to exorcise restless spirits, a service for which the superstitious townsfolk were more than willing to pay handsomely. The truth, however, was far more mundane: Ren was a con artist. And a good one at that.

Today, Ren and Jiro were summoned to the house of an old woman who insisted that a mischievous spirit was causing havoc in her home. As they arrived at the dilapidated house, the old woman, Mrs. Kato, greeted them nervously.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here, Mr. Higurashi," she said, wringing her hands. "The spirit has been causing such a mess, I've hardly been able to sleep!"

Ren gave her a reassuring smile, projecting an air of confidence and calm. "Don't worry, Mrs. Kato. We'll take care of it."

As they entered the house, Jiro began setting up their 'tools'—a colorful collection of charms and talismans bought from a novelty store—while Ren started the 'ritual'. He walked around the house, waving his arms dramatically and chanting gibberish. The performance was all for show, but it seemed to comfort Mrs. Kato.

After an hour of theatrics, Ren declared the house free of spirits. A relieved Mrs. Kato thanked them profusely, pressing a small sack of coins into Ren's hand. As they left, Jiro couldn't help but chuckle.

"We're really getting good at this," he said, grinning at Ren.

Ren shrugged, pocketing the coins. "People want to believe in something," he said. "Might as well be us."

That night, as Ren counted his earnings, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. But the money was good, and in a town like Misaki, opportunities were scarce. He convinced himself that he was providing a service, giving people peace of mind. And if it meant he could live comfortably, who was he to complain?

But as he drifted off to sleep, Ren couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that his luck was about to run out. And he couldn't have been more right.

The following morning, Ren found himself being summoned to a wealthy merchant's house. The merchant, Mr. Sato, claimed that an angry spirit was ruining his business, causing items to fly off the shelves and scaring away customers. Sensing a hefty payout, Ren and Jiro quickly made their way to the merchant's house.

Once there, they went through their usual routine: Jiro setting up the 'tools' while Ren started the 'ritual'. They added a few extra theatrics for good measure, hoping to impress the wealthy merchant.

After a particularly dramatic performance involving a 'spirit banishing' chant, Ren declared the house spirit-free. Mr. Sato, looking both relieved and impressed, paid them generously.

"Thank you, Mr. Higurashi," he said, shaking Ren's hand enthusiastically. "You have saved my business!"

As they left the merchant's house, Jiro couldn't contain his excitement. "We're going to be rich if we keep this up, Ren!"

Ren laughed, but the uneasy feeling from the night before still lingered. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Jiro. Remember, the higher we climb, the harder we fall."

Later that night, as Ren lay in bed counting his coins, the uneasy feeling returned. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, that something bad was about to happen. But he brushed it off, convincing himself it was just paranoia. After all, they had just scored their biggest payout yet. There was nothing to worry about.

Or so he thought.

The next morning, Ren woke up to a pounding headache and a strange sense of foreboding. He decided to ignore it, assuming it was just a hangover from the celebratory drinks he and Jiro had had the night before. But as he went about his day, the headache worsened, and the sense of unease grew stronger.

He was about to dismiss it as just a bad day when he got a call from Mrs. Kato, the old woman they had helped just a few days ago. She sounded terrified.

"Mr. Higurashi," she said, her voice trembling. "The spirit...it's back. And it's angrier than ever. Please...I need your help."

Ren was taken aback. This was the first time a 'client' had called them back, claiming their exorcism hadn't worked. But as he promised to help her, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. Was his luck finally running out?

On arriving at Mrs. Kato's house, Ren and Jiro were surprised to see it in chaos. Things were scattered all over the place, and Mrs. Kato seemed on the verge of tears.

"I did what you said, Mr. Higurashi," she cried. "I offered the spirit peace, but it only got angrier."

Ren was taken aback. Despite his profession, he never truly believed in the existence of ghosts. He and Jiro had been playing along, duping their clients with stories and charades of malevolent spirits. But the desperation in Mrs. Kato's voice and the turmoil in her house had him puzzled.

"Okay, Mrs. Kato, calm down. We'll handle this," he assured her. But in the back of his mind, doubt began to creep in. Were they out of their depth this time?

They started their usual ritual, but this time something felt off. There was a strange chill in the air, and Ren's headache intensified. It was then he noticed the figure in the corner of his eye.

At first, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. But as he turned his head, he was met with a sight that froze his blood. It was a woman, or what looked like a woman, with long, untamed hair covering her face. She was garbed in a white dress, looking so much out of place yet entirely dominating the scene.

Ren blinked, hoping the image would disappear, but it didn't. The figure floated aimlessly, seemingly unaware of their presence.

"Jiro," Ren whispered, his voice barely audible. "Do you see that?"

Jiro turned his gaze towards the direction Ren was pointing and froze. His face drained of color, and for a moment, he looked as terrified as Mrs. Kato.

"Ren... What's going on?" Jiro muttered, fear creeping into his voice. "That's... That's..."

"I know," Ren interrupted. "It's a ghost."

They stood there in stunned silence, watching as the ghostly figure hovered around the room. Ren could feel his heart pounding in his chest. This was uncharted territory for him. He was a con artist, not a real exorcist.

After what felt like an eternity, the ghostly figure vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. The room suddenly felt warmer, and Ren could feel his headache subsiding.

"Did... Did we just see a real ghost?" Jiro asked, looking shell-shocked.

"I think we did," Ren replied, equally shocked. This was a game-changer. Everything they thought they knew, everything they'd been doing – it was all turned upside down in an instant.

But before they could comprehend what had just happened, they heard a soft whimper from Mrs. Kato. She was trembling, her face pale as she looked at them with hope-filled eyes.

"Is it... Is it gone?" she asked.

Ren looked at Jiro, who simply shrugged in response. Turning back to Mrs. Kato, he replied, "Yes, I believe it is."

The relief on Mrs. Kato's face was palpable. She thanked them profusely and paid them double their usual fee, insisting they'd saved her life.

As they left Mrs. Kato's house, Ren and Jiro remained silent. The shock of what they'd witnessed still hadn't worn off. For the first time, they'd come face to face with the reality they'd always dismissed as superstition.

That night, Ren lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The image of the ghostly woman was etched into his mind. As fear gave way to curiosity, he found himself pondering over the day's event.

Could he have been wrong all along? Were ghosts real?

The answer, it seemed, would change his life forever.