#7: Young & Box

This is a stupid idea

Few days ago after Satoshi funeral, Ren got a fever and It's made him collapse in pain, and become unconscious.

The reason, it's because he receives, or remember the memories about the day when Satoshi was killed, and he fought the killer.

Albeit hazy, he gets know the culprit's face, or at least he knows that under his eyes, there's a black shade, so he thought of it as a dark circles.

Next day he wakes up, and go to Zenkichi who is glad and happy because he regains consciousness.

"Oldman i-"

"Reeennn!" Zenkichi ran to, and hug Ren tightly while crying "Uwooo i though- i though i'm gonna lost another son wooo Rennn!!!"

"G- get off!! I'll prefer Yukari-nee san to hug me, rather than Oldman like you!" Ren struggle to shrug off Zenkichi, it takes a while but eventually Zenkichi let go of him.

"So how are you? And what do you want to say again?"

"I'm fine, really! Old man I..."

After that he told everything in his dreams to Zenkichi, he also urges him to tell anything he knows about Satoshi fate, the exorcist from the island, or anything related to the island.

But Zenkichi which memories are lost doesn't know what's Ren's talking about, and he denies Satoshi death because of exorcist, rather than an Impurity.

Zenkichi also says that even he doesn't know much about Tsuchimikado Island.

Ren who listening decide to dismiss himself and go to Yukari to talk about Satoshi death.

"So you're saying-"

"Yeah! What you says yesterday is correct! Satoshi-nii san is killed by an exorcist from Tsuchimikado Island"

"But why?!"

"That's..." Ren wants to answer, but he also doesn't know why Satoshi was killed "I don't know".

"Whatever it is, I think Satoshi-nii san get himself in a very serious trouble"

"Like?"

"I don't know. Maybe he unknowingly got cursed that endanger the mass, maybe he's discovering some forbidden knowledge, maybe someone set him up... seriously I don't know!"

"Onii-chan..." Yukari swept her tears away. She takes a deep breath, and look at Ren in the eyes.

She knows what to do next "Ren! We must go to the island!"

Ren nod to Yukari suggestion "I agree! But... how?"

"Hum hum, like this..." Yukari whisper to Ren, about her plan.

She told Ren, she would infiltrate to the island by using her occupation as a scientist to research the flora of Tsuchimikado Island.

"Can you do that?"

"Hum hum, of course I can!"

"Wait! What about me? I'm just a middle school student, I don't know about researching plants!"

"Oh right. Hmm... just stay in home then"

Ren twitch his eye "You can't do that! I want to settle the score with that bastard!"

"No! If you're coming for that, I rather leave you home"

"I can become your assistant!"

Yukari touch her chin, and thinking "Hmm... still no"

"Ther-"

Ren want to refute, and plead to Yukari to bring him, but Yukari quickly waltz off from home.

Few days later.

"So?"

"It was rejected"

"Pfft!" Scoff Ren.

Yukari who hears him pouting, she grab Ren's shoulders and swing him back and forth.

"Then do you got any ideas?" Ask Yukari still irritated by Ren.

"Of course I do, unlike you, I'm an exorcist!" Say Ren pointing his thumb to himself proudly "I already send request to do Divination Ceremonies"

"Ugh...." say Yukari felt cheated.

Few days later a letter containing answer for Ren's Divination Ceremonies come.

Zenkichi read it, and show it Ren and Yukari.

"As i though..."

A big REJECTED word in red, stamped in front of Ren's information page.

"Why?!" Shout Ren angrily.

"Too young. See? Just like I told you before"

"Kuh!"

"Pffftt!" Yukari scoff at Ren.

Hearing her, Ren's eye twitch, and his face dye in red because embarrassment.

....

Back to present.

Yukari's, and Ren's idea is rejected. They then brainstorm together how to get inside Tsuchimikado Island.

In the end, the most plausible idea is to mail themself.

This is a stupid idea

In front of him are Yukari who's been sitting inside a cardboard box of mandarin oranges. By mailing themself inside a box, like a package. Yukari think it would bring them to (infiltrate) Tsuchimikado Island.

"What are you waiting for? Get in!" Urge Yukari requesting Ren to get inside the box.

".....thanks, I'll go with another box"

"Why? This box is enough for both of us"

Ren look at the box Yukari is in, that cardboard box is used to storage, and ship mandarin oranges.

Moreover, that box is tiny, he wonders how can Yukari fit inside it, so easily at that.

Enough you say? In that box? Together? Nope!

Ren then goes to get box used for washing machine. Not only that he also bought resources like water bottles, snacks, HT/walkie-talkies, TP, and adult diapers for picking flowers in case of emergency, and clothes and sleeping bag.

"Now this. Is. Appropriate"

He also gives it to Yukari plus a Japaneses bread which made Yukari embarrassed, and start pinch his cheeks until it swollen red.

With the help of acquaintances, they help packaging them, and delivering them to local delivery service then help shipping them to Tsuchimikado Island.

Ren alone in his uncomfortable box, closed his eyes to sleep, he then swears

"Wait for me, you Dark Circles Bastard!! I'll make you pay for killing Satoshi-nii san, and...

"For made Zenkichi oldman prostrate!!"

.....................................

Bonus chapter: It was him!

Tsuchimikado Island, Taigetsurō.

Inside head exorcist office.

"He~ quiet a skilled child he had"

A man wearing glasses with amber eyes and long white hair was holding a paper containing Ren's information paper.

While he's still reading Ren's information and past achievements, he was disturbed by a sudden knocking sounds.

"Come in"

A young man enter the office. He had peculiar look that made you won't forget him (except with some technique). Black hair, black eyes with dark circles, and a yellow strand hair for ahoge.

"Yo Seigen, you look tired" tease the glasses man.

"Tch! I'm always looks like this, Arima" say Seigen.

"Let's go to the point! What do you want?!"

"Here!" Arima then show Seigen a paper with Ren's image in it. Seigen a bit shocked when Arima show it to him, or more importantly Ren's photo.

That is the child who he fought, and memories was erased back when he went to Narukami City.

"You see... this child want to come to Tsuchimikado Island, so for his divination ceremonies I want yo-"

"I refuse!" Arima word was cut off.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! I haven't told you ye-"

"I refuse!"

"At least let me finish my words!" Say Arima begging.

"I know what you want, but still... I refuse!"

"Why?!"

"Too young!"

Say Seigen before he exits the room, and close the door with a loud bang. Arima who's left behind in his office sigh, and put a stamp on Ren's paper.

Few days later, Narukami City, Otomi residence.

"Why?!"

"Too young"