Chapter 22: Help

Compared to Ryuji 's relaxed demeanor, the three girls from the game production club were far from comfortable. They had spent the night plagued by the strange encounter at Aki's house, and it showed on their faces when they met up during the break.

Upon seeing the dark circles and fatigue in each other's expressions, it was clear none of them had slept well.

"It seems like you all had the same dream, right?" Utaha sighed as she sat down on the rooftop, unconsciously standing on tiptoe, a habit she had when feeling unsettled.

Megumi nodded silently. She was beginning to regret ever going to Tomoya's house the previous night.

On the other hand, Eriri was far less composed. Her twin ponytails swayed wildly as she vented her frustration. "After I got home, every time I closed my eyes, I'd see that woman with half of her face as a skeleton, just standing there, staring at me. I couldn't sleep at all!"

Eriri looked exhausted. She had thought she was being haunted by something unnatural, and while nothing happened physically, the lack of sleep was taking its toll.

Utaha didn't say much, but it was clear she felt the same way. What they had experienced last night had completely shattered their sense of normalcy. Now they understood why Tomoya had seemed so different, so unnervingly detached.

"What should we do now? Go to a shrine?" Eriri suggested, her voice tinged with desperation. She had never been one to believe in the supernatural, but after last night, it seemed like the only logical solution.

"That's a good idea,"Utaha agreed, folding her arms. "There's got to be a shrine nearby that handles this sort of thing."

Megumi, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up, her voice calm but with a hint of something else behind it. "I think I know someone who can help with this kind of problem."

Both Utaha and Eriri turned to look at her in surprise. "You do?" they asked simultaneously.

---

During lunch break, Ryuji was spending time with Miko. She barely spared a thought for her best friend Yurikawa Hana; all she wanted was to be near Ryuji.

"Ryuji, what do you think we'll do after graduation?" Miko asked dreamily, holding onto his arm as they strolled through the school grounds.

"Maybe I'll go into demon exorcism, or something like that," Ryuji replied with a shrug. He wasn't someone with grand ambitions like saving the world. His goal was simple become strong and live life comfortably.

Miko seemed thrilled by the idea. "That sounds perfect! We can start a demon-hunting agency together. I'll be your assistant!"

Ryuji smiled, not wanting to burst her bubble. "Sounds good. You can take care of all the little things."

Just then, his phone buzzed with a message. He glanced down and saw it was from Kato Megumi, the girl he had saved from a strange encounter not long ago.

"Who is it?" Miko asked, noticing Ryuji's distraction.

"Ah, it's from someone at our school. I helped her out with a weird situation a while back. Seems like she's in trouble again and needs my help."

Miko nodded understandingly. "You should go, then."

Ryuji thought for a moment before pulling Miko closer. "Come with me. No need to stay behind."

"Really?" Miko asked, looking a bit hesitant. She worried that her presence might complicate things, especially when it came to supernatural matters.

"You're my girlfriend. You belong with me."

Miko blushed and nodded happily, letting Ryuji lead her by the hand.

Not far from them, Hana watched the two of them with a sigh. "Miko's really changed. She used to tell me everything, and now... I've been completely forgotten." Hana pouted. "I want a love like that too..."

---

Back on the rooftop, Utaha and Eriri were still staring at Megumi, processing what she had just said.

"You know someone who can help with... this?" Eriri asked incredulously.

"Yes," Megumi replied calmly. "I ran into something strange a little while back after school, and this person helped me out. I think he can help with whatever is happening now."

"Really?" Utaha's interest was piqued. "What happened to you?"

Megumi told them about her encounter with the human-faced dog, explaining how Ryuji had saved her just in time.

Both Utaha and Eriri were shocked by her story, leaning in as she spoke. It was hard to believe that someone as calm and indifferent as Megumi had been caught up in something so terrifying.

"And this person... is he a student here?" Utaha asked.

Megumi nodded. "Yes, he is. He should be here soon."

Just as they were processing this information, the rooftop door opened again. Ryuji stepped through, Miko right behind him, her hand still in his.

"Ryu..." Megumi stopped herself mid-greeting as she noticed Miko standing with him, her hand intertwined with his.

"Hello again, Kato-san," Ryuji greeted casually, not seeming to notice her pause.

"Hello, Ryuji-kun," Kato Megumi replied, keeping her usual calm expression, though there was a flicker of something in her eyes perhaps surprise or curiosity.

Seeing Megumi's subtle reaction, Ryuji decided to introduce Miko properly. "This is Yotsuya Miko, my girlfriend."

"Hello, my name is Yotsuya Miko!" Miko greeted with a bright smile, clearly proud to be introduced as Ryuji's girlfriend.

Utaha and Eriri blinked in surprise but quickly composed themselves.

"Nice to meet you," Utaha said politely, giving a small nod.

"Yeah, nice to meet you!" Eriri added, though she couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. They hadn't expected Ryuji to already have a girlfriend, let alone one as sweet-looking as Miko.

As the introductions ended, Megumi observed the pair. She had never thought much about Ryuji's personal life beyond their brief interactions, but seeing him with Miko... it made her feel something, though she wasn't entirely sure what it was.

"So," Ryuji started, "Kato-san, what seems to be the problem this time?"

Megumi quickly composed herself and explained, "It's not just me. Kasumigaoka-san and Sawamura-san here have also been having strange experiences after visiting Aki's house. Something... off is going on."

Ryuji listened attentively, nodding as Kato explained the eerie events, including the unsettling presence of a woman with half her face skeletal, who seemed to be haunting them. As he listened, his expression darkened slightly.

"Sounds like you've been caught up in something serious," he said, his tone more serious now. "I'll take care of it. Where's this Tomoya now?"

The three girls exchanged glances, unsure. "We don't know," Utaha admitted. "We tried contacting him after last night, but he's not responding to our messages."

"Well, we'll have to find him first. But don't worry. I'll get to the bottom of this."

Megumi, Utaha, and Eriri all nodded, a sense of relief washing over them. Even though the situation was bizarre, there was something about Ryuji that made them feel everything was going to be alright.

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