Archive of Our Own

“Nice to meet you”

That was the word Haruaki wanted to use to define his life as he stepped into the age of twenty-five.

In April, when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom under the clear spring sky, life took a turn he had never dreamed of— a day that unexpectedly made him a part of Hyakki Academy. It happened so suddenly that he wanted to run back home, but the sweet allure of the bonus tempted him to stay and become a teacher at a school for yokai.

At first, he wanted to flee every ten seconds. But as he got used to it, the fear began to fade, from once every hour to disappearing altogether—though he couldn't pinpoint when that happened. Before he knew it, a bond had formed. And now, he loved this place more than anything else.

Because it was here that he met students like Sano Mikoto, who cared about him.
Because it was here that the class 2-3 students stood by him through thick and thin, no matter what kind of trouble their homeroom teacher dragged them into.
Because it was here that his childhood dream became a reality.

This was the place that gave him "friends" he cherished more than anything—a friendship he had longed for so deeply. Hyakki Academy gave that to Haruaki.

Above all else…

Because he was here, Haruaki had a place where he could laugh heartily with everyone.

As the seasons changed again, it became the third spring for the young man. It was time for the bittersweet graduation ceremony. Haruaki could still recall his first day at the school when class 2-3 gave him a rather cold welcome, looking at him as if he were garbage, hurting him so badly.

But today, those same students were closer to Haruaki than anyone else.

So much so that they had begged the principal to let Haruaki remain their homeroom teacher until their graduation. The bond within that class was so tight that they felt guilty to separate them. Thus, they all stayed together until their last day as students— with their beloved "Seimei-sensei."

Well, even today, they still couldn’t pronounce Haruaki’s name correctly.

But the love was always evident whenever they called him "Seimei." Just hearing that made Haruaki so happy he could barely contain himself.

During the graduation ceremony, the young man, who had to bid farewell to all his beloved students, couldn’t stop crying. His sobs grew louder until he couldn’t remain in the hall any longer, prompting the principal to ask his best friends, Miki Rintarou and Hatanaka Izuna, to take him out to calm down.

Haruaki wiped his tears, still sobbing, as his two friends patted his back to comfort him.

"Come on, Haruaki. This won’t be the last time you see them," one said.
"Yeah, so stop crying already," the other chimed in.

But their efforts weren’t enough. The mandragoras, who had followed Haruaki, jumped on him from all sides, hugging him tightly. Marshmallow, one of them, took a handkerchief Rintarou handed over and wiped Haruaki’s tears while cuddling him warmly.

With their support, the teary-eyed teacher finally stopped crying. He hugged the mandragoras back, and they all embraced each other in a funny but heartwarming scene.

His two friends smiled, until they heard a familiar voice.

"What are you doing? Are you really about to merge with the mandragora, Haruaki?"

It was a voice they hadn’t heard in nearly a year. An exchange program between gods and yokai— or that should be called a surveillance plan for Hyakki Academy by the beings from above —had been terminated. The infiltrator had left the school.

Haruaki recognized that smiling face and the long, single braid of black hair immediately.

"Isaburou-kun! You came!?"

Hearing such an obvious question, Ebisu Isaburou sighed.

"You can see me, can’t you? Why even ask?"

Haruaki laughed in response, smiling as memories of the past flooded his mind—memories of when he managed to open the heart of the god of fortune, who once despised yokai more than anything in the world. It took months, but not even a year. The time they spent together melted the barriers around Ebisu's heart.

With the warmth of a genuine smile as radiant as the sun from an ordinary human.

With a pure heart so kind that even a god's tightly sealed emotions began to waver.

And they became friends, calling each other by their first names with ease. Haruaki was unrivaled in breaking down walls.

Yet, he remained utterly unaware of how his charm could be terrifying to the divine.

But it didn’t matter. Both the god of fortune and the yakubyougami stood by Haruaki’s side. No one would dare harm him, not with yokai protecting the human they loved so dearly.

Of course, Haruaki had no idea.

And he probably never would.

That was just the nature of Abe Haruaki— sometimes observant to an unsettling degree, other times so naive it was frustrating.

“By the way, we were going for drinks after work. Would you like to join us, Isaburou-kun?”

Taking this chance of reuniting with old friends, the human  invited the god of fortune to their gathering. This made Rintarou, who wasn’t particularly fond of Ebisu, turn his head sharply and exclaim, “Huh?” His voice synchronized perfectly with the young god—an undeniable mismatch of personalities clashing yet again.

“It’s rare to get a chance to drink together, isn’t it? Rintarou-kun, you can sit next to me, and Isaburou-kun can sit next to Izuna-kun, just like always,” Haruaki said, his ruby-red eyes sparkling with warmth. “Just like the good old days. Come with us, okay?”

His usual charm attack, complete with a smile, worked its magic once again. Though Ebisu hesitated for a while, he eventually surrendered. Whenever his animosity toward Haruaki began to fade, he found himself unable to resist this human’s earnestness. In truth, everyone here seemed powerless against Haruaki’s heartfelt smile.

“Fine,” the god of fortune finally agreed, though he shot Rintarou a sharp glance and muttered, “But if he gets drunk and causes a scene, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I don’t do that anymore,” Rintarou retorted, scowling in annoyance.

“Don’t lie. The last time, you nearly trashed the bar. If it weren’t for Haruaki stepping in, it would’ve been chaos,” 

Izuna joined in, betraying his best friend by bringing up the past incident. Furious, Rintaro elbowed Izuna hard.

“Ow! That hurts, Rintarou!”

“Shut it, you idiot, Izuna!”

The oni and the kamaitachi continued their lively squabble as usual. Watching the familiar scene unfold, Haruaki couldn’t help but chuckle. Over the past two years of knowing them, he’d learned it was best not to interfere. They’d work things out on their own, and stepping in would only earn him a stray blow for his troubles.

As he watched them bicker yet again, someone new approached the scene.

“Seimei, they’re asking for you to join the group photo—”

It was Sano-kun, the yakubyougami from Class 2-3, who had come looking for his homeroom teacher. However, the moment he spotted the god of fortune grinning nearby, his face immediately darkened with annoyance.

“…Why are you here?”

“It’s perfectly normal for a big brother to attend his little brother’s graduation ceremony, don’t you think, Mii-kun?” Ebisu replied with a bright smile.

Sano turned away, though he didn’t seem as openly hostile as he had been two years ago when his older brother first intruded on Hyakki Academy. The once-severed bond between the two brothers had slowly been mended, all thanks to Haruaki.

Sano had once despised Ebisu.

But because of Haruaki, who had brought “Mii-kun’s big brother” back into his life, the two gods could now face each other again.

Though it would take time for them to fully reconnect, it was a good start. Sano gradually softened, becoming more approachable and even smiling more often. However, his sadistic side remained unchanged; he still delighted in taking pictures of Haruaki’s unfortunate mishaps with a gleeful grin. It was a habit that seemed impossible to break, though perhaps it wasn’t so bad.

As long as Sano was happy, Haruaki, as his teacher, was content.

Watching his student with a warm smile, Haruaki’s joy was obvious. But Sano, noticing the expression, raised an eyebrow in suspicion before pulling his usual disdainful face.

“What’s with the sudden smile? It’s creepy.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s go take a group photo, Sano-kun.”

With a cheerful grin, Haruaki led the way to where the rest of Class 2-3 was waiting. Sano followed behind, while the other adults observed from a distance.

“Hey~ Seimei, where’ve you been?”

“Hurry up, Seimei-sensei! We’re taking a picture!”

“Seimei-kun, stand next to me! Sano-kun, you too!”

“Don’t hog Seimei all by yourself! He’s the homeroom teacher for all of us, you know!”

The students’ voices overlapped as they vied for a spot next to their beloved teacher. Even the mandragoras weren’t to be outdone, all wanting to stand close to Haruaki. Laughing, Haruaki felt their affection overwhelm him. He loved his students just as much as they loved him.

This overflowing affection naturally led to chaos. Their group photo ended with everyone tumbling into a pile, trying to squeeze in closer to their advisor.

But that didn’t matter. Everyone in the picture was smiling brightly.

Haruaki planned to print and frame the photo later, hanging it on the wall as a cherished memory.

After the photo, they spent a little more time chatting and teasing each other, as students and teachers often do, before waving goodbye and going their separate ways. As he watched his students walk away, Haruaki felt a pang of sadness. He almost cried again but held back his tears, sending them off with a warm smile instead.

His students returned the gesture, smiling back at him.

It was a farewell filled with happiness.

"Haruaki-kun"

After the graduation ceremony, Haruaki heard someone's voice calling out to him. Soon after, a figure appeared silently by his side—a young man wearing the mask of an old man. In the past, Haruaki would have been startled and screamed in fright. However, after encountering this often enough, he grew somewhat desensitized. Now, his reaction was limited to just a startle— what else could he do? Someone suddenly appearing like a ghost was naturally terrifying.

"Principal? When did you get here?"

"Just now," the principal replied.

The conversation began in the same familiar way. Nurarihyon, the old man, often appear out of nowhere without a sound. Sometimes, he would stand next to Haruaki for quite some time without the young man noticing. Once Haruaki realized it, he would cry out in alarm, flustered, "Why didn't you say something sooner!?" His ahoge would ruffle nervously, often because he was secretly admiring pictures of sailor uniforms on his phone. And yet, he never understood why he felt embarrassed—everyone at school already knew about his peculiar tastes.

Whenever Haruaki protested like this, the ever-polite and humble principal would drop his facade, responding flatly, "And you're only now embarrassed by this?" with the irritated expression of Ashiya Douman .

—Over the past two years, Haruaki had come to know more about the true nature of his principal.

The principal, who had the charm of an older man, turned out to be unexpectedly childish as "Douman-san." He despised losing and was perpetually obsessed with Abe no Seimei. Haruaki was quite shocked when he discovered this side of him. Their bond grew stronger when Haruaki boldly challenged him, vowing to prove the innocence of this former human who had turned into a yokai, all within his tenure as a teacher at Hyakki Academy.

At first, Douman shook his head, mocking Haruaki for attempting the impossible.

But do you know what? Ashiya Douman was a pitiable man who had lost to Seimei time and time again—a total of 99 defeats.

And for the 100th time... he would lose again, this time to Haruaki, who shared the same soul as Seimei.

On the day the truth was revealed, Douman was proven innocent. He had never killed anyone. He only blamed himself for letting Seimei die, for being powerless on that day. His grief, unable to be released, chained him to the world as a yokai.

For over a thousand years, he bore the weight of sins he had never committed.

Haruaki was the one who helped lift that burden from his shoulders.

Their duel ended within a few short years. Haruaki smiled in triumph, while Douman clenched his fists in frustration. The sore loser couldn't accept his defeat and kept challenging Haruaki to board games, card games, and a variety of other contests, all of which ended with Doman's inevitable loss. Even the Karasu Tengu Troupe captain joked that it was like replaying the events of a thousand years ago.

And yet, it was through these interactions that their friendship deepened.

Haruaki’s days became increasingly vibrant and full of life.

Recalling those past moments, Haruaki smiled softly. At present, the principal stood by his side, his ruby eyes gazing at the students as they walked out of the school gates, his expression a mixture of emotions.

"Two years went by so fast, didn’t it?," said principal 

"Indeed. Even Sano-kun has grown so much," Haruaki replied.

"Haruaki-kun has grown a lot too..."

"I never thought that the crybaby who used to get bullied by elementary kids would grow into such a respectable teacher."

The unexpected compliment made Haruaki's face flush, caught between embarrassment at the praise and shame at his bitter past. For twenty-five years, he had been timid and unreliable, but in just two short years, he had matured. This brief yet transformative period would never have been possible —if not for his time at Hyakki Academy.

Because he met everyone here...

Getting to know everyone at Hyakki Academy—that was the greatest blessing of Haruaki’s life.

As he stared off into the vast sky, his face lit up with a faint smile. Haruaki murmured softly, sending his feelings into the spring breeze. Words he had always wanted to tell everyone who had come into his life. It was too embarrassing to say out loud—he’d probably cry before finishing.

But he wanted everyone to know his true feelings, as delicate as a whispered secret.

"I'm so glad I got to meet all of you."

Letting his words drift away with the cherry blossom petals, swaying gently in the wind and falling slowly into the palms of everyone who mattered to him, Haruaki’s story as a human teacher at a yokai school would continue, long into the future, until the day he retired.

Abe Haruaki had resolved to live his life that way.

“Farewell”

Death is an inescapable fate, and it slowly crept toward Haruaki after he had lived for centuries.

A hundred years might be fleeting for a yokai, but for a human, it is unbearably long. When he turned eighty, Haruaki’s twin brother—Amaaki, who had struggled to stay alive for his beloved younger brother—finally passed away, leaving Haruaki alone. His descendants were preoccupied with maintaining the Abeno Shrine, too busy to spare time for the elderly man nearing his end.

It was strange—Haruaki’s body remained as beautiful as when he was twenty-five. Inside, he was deteriorating, but his outward appearance was eternally unchanged. Douman had once told him that Seimei was the same— not aging, but not immortal either. When death came, one had to leave this world.

And soon, it would be Haruaki’s turn. A human who had long dwelled among yokai knew well that his time was near.

In his final days, he was under the care of Takahashi Akira, a highly skilled yokai doctor who cherished this human deeply. He tried to prolong the life of his ‘elder brother’ whom he deeply respected, but the human body was fragile—it crumbled so easily. The more he tried to hold on, the more painful it became.

"Thank you for doing so much for me, Akira-kun."

For the first time, as he expressed his gratitude, Haruaki saw Takahashi without his usual smile.

It was bitter and filled with sorrow.

Haruaki could only hold onto his hand weakly.

"Seimei, we’ve come to visit."

"You haven't changed a bit. I thought I’d see you as an old man by now."

"Seimei-kun~ We even wore sailor uniforms to see you today~"

"How embarrassing..."

His first students often came to visit. They had grown up, many had pursued their dreams. Akisame-kun had become a teacher as he wished, Fuji-kun had opened the drag bar he had always wanted, and many others had bright futures to be proud of. Some had families—Hijita-kun had married Zashiki-san, Nyuudou-kun and Utagawa-san had long been inseparable, while others, like Yanagida-kun and Momoyama-san, were unexpected couples. Their appearances had changed, but to Haruaki, they were still his little students. Perhaps this was how teachers always felt.

They came, held his hand, talked with him, and said their farewells.

Haruaki was never lonely—not even once.

Today was no different. Sano-kun came to visit him. His face still looked youthful, as if he had just graduated high school. He had stopped dying his hair, returning to its natural black, making him look like Ebisu without the braid. When Haruaki pointed this out, he received a sharp glare in response—those two brothers still didn’t get along.

Of course, Haruaki was delighted that his former student took the time to visit. They always had plenty to talk about, and whenever Sano came alone, he never left before spending at least half an hour with him.

"Sano-kun, you still look as good as ever, even though you're almost a hundred."

"You’re one to talk?"

Their conversations remained unchanged. Haruaki would chat away, and Sano would fire back with his usual retorts. Neither spoke of the approaching death—it would be too sad. Sano didn’t want to shed tears before the day arrived. That topic was forbidden.

As they talked, their eyes met.

Then the yakubyougami averted his gaze, looking away as he mumbled softly,

"...Thank you."

"Hm?"

"For… everything..."

A faint blush dusted the younger one's face. No matter how much time passed, he was still as tsundere as ever.

Haruaki simply smiled, as radiant as always, his unchanged face beaming.

"You’re welcome."

And with that, he bid farewell to Sano, who hurried away in embarrassment, as he waited to welcome his next visitors—his two dearest colleagues and friends.

"How are you, Haruaki? You still look well."

"Izuna-kun, Rintarou-kun."

They greeted each other with bright smiles. Haruaki waved lightly, welcoming Rintarou and Izuna. Once they sat on the chairs beside his bed, they started reminiscing. Decades of memories to revisit—they could talk all day and never run out of things to say.

Surprisingly, today, the usually reserved kamaitachi spoke the most. Normally, Rintarou was the one who kept conversations going, but today, he was unusually silent, letting the animal yokai delve into the past.

"Now that I think about it, I owe you a lot."

"You looked after my kids so many times, helped with Ibara-chan, and even got Takahashi to become a doctor. Because of you, I got to stay with my family longer than I expected..."

As he spoke, Izuna smiled. The most precious things in his life were all thanks to this man. Haruaki had ensured he didn’t let go of his dreamlike future.

If this was their last conversation, there was only one thing he wanted to say.

"Thank you, Haruaki."

Haruaki simply smiled in return before glancing at the sorrowful shutendouji, whose blue eyes were filled with concern.

"Rintarou-kun, you’re unusually quiet today… Is something wr—"

"Haruaki-kun, you’re so cruel..."

Before he could finish, Rintarou cut him off.

The oni finally met his gaze—his ocean-blue eyes brimming with unshed tears, his face full of anguish.

"Liar..." he whispered painfully.

Izuna frowned. "What are you talking about, Rintarou—"

"You said... you'd stay with me for another thousand years..."

Haruaki heard the sobs.

Rintarou’s voice trembled, on the verge of breaking.

Haruaki’s frail hand slowly lifted, touching the face of the oni who had never changed. His lifespan was long, his growth slow. This scene felt no different from the day Haruaki had helped him at Miki house decades ago. With gentle fingers, he wiped away the falling tears.

"Don’t cry, Rintarou-kun..."

"Or else… I won’t be able to hold back my own tears either..."

With his hoarse voice, Haruaki finally let his tears flow.

"Liar."

"I’m sorry..."

"Don't apologize..."

They were in pain. Their hearts ached. They cried together.

Outside the room, Ebisu Isaburou leaned against the wall with his guardian, sighing softly before walking away. Whether human or youkai, all were fragile and weak. The god of fortune had little fondness for tears—if they were to meet again, he would much rather see a smile. 

A smile like that of the sun, the same one that had once brought hope to many, himself and Mii-kun included.

On the final day, just one day before Haruaki’s 101st birthday, his visitors made his eyes widen in surprise.

The principal and the captain—and the four gods, now reduced to three. The two sides eyed each other with obvious hostility, an aura of tension simmering between them, ready to erupt into a fight. The hospital room no longer felt like a place of peace.

"What are you all doing here?"

"We should be asking you the same thing."

"Abe Haruaki is our master. What’s so strange about us being by his side?"

"What’s with you, Byakko-chan? Weren’t you just yelling at Haruaki-kun before?"

"Don’t bring up something from seventy years ago!"

The white tiger began arguing with the two individuals he disliked. The principal and the captain of the Karasu Tengu troupe joined forces to counter, though the latter seemed more intent on teasing Byakko rather than fighting seriously.

The former four auspicious beasts, now fallen, and the innocent man who had once been labeled a murderer were still at odds with the remaining three gods. Even though the truth had long been revealed, their clashing personalities ensured that every meeting turned into a battle of words.

If there was one thing that had changed since their contract was first made, it was that the three gods had now fully accepted Haruaki as their master. They had apologized for falsely accusing Douman before knowing the truth, and Suzaku had finally let go of his hatred toward Seimei.

But beyond that, nothing else had changed. Every time they met, arguments inevitably broke out. Frankly, Haruaki was growing a little bit tired of it.

He didn’t want everyone fighting in the hospital. If this place were to be destroyed, who knew what Dr. Takahashi would do?

The lone human among gods and youkai raised his hand, signaling that he had something to say. The room fell silent at once.

"Byakko-san, Genbu-san, Seiryuu-san," Haruaki called out, his tone more of a request than an order, lacking the commanding presence of a master. "May I speak with the principal and the captain alone?"

Byakko hesitated, but soon sighed and relented.

"If that’s what you want… fine."

With that, he returned to his shikigami talisman, followed by Seiryuu and Genbu. The room was left with only three occupants.

A heavy silence filled the air, thick with unspoken tension. The weight in the atmosphere deepened when the principal finally spoke.

"Haruaki-kun, Ranmaru-san has something he wants to ask you."

With that, he passed the conversation to the captain—formerly Suzaku . Even the principal seemed unaware of what his old friend was about to say. Haruaki guessed that he had likely been pestered into bringing him here. The captain was just that kind of person.

"Then let’s get straight to the point~ Haruaki-kun,"

His voice carried the same playful lilt as always.

But this time, it felt heavier than ever, as if the world around them had become a vacuum. All other noises faded away, allowing Ranmaru’s words to be heard with absolute clarity.

" Do you… want to become a yokai?"

Haruaki had never expected to hear that question.

The principal was just as shocked. His eyes widened as he quickly turned to the one who had just spoken.

"You—"

"Acchan, you want Haruaki-kun to live on too, don’t you?" Ranmaru interrupted, already predicting what Douman was about to say. "If Haruaki-kun became a yokai, he could continue living for thousands of years."

To tell the truth…It was an enticing offer.

Haruaki still wanted to be with his friends. He wanted to watch over his students for as long as possible.

He also wanted to stay by Rintarou-kun’s side for another thousand years.

And he wanted to attend reunions with everyone again. He wanted to return to Hyakki Academy as a teacher once more.

There were countless wishes that could never be fulfilled within the fleeting lifespan of a human.

If Haruaki so desired, Ranmaru was willing to make it happen.

Haruaki remained silent, lost in deep thought. His beautiful eyes held a faint sadness as he slowly formed a bittersweet smile.

Then he turned to face them, ready to give his answer.

With a smile as radiant as the sun.

"I’m sorry, but I want to remain human."

Haruaki may have had desires, but there was something far more important to him that he could not bear to let go of—something he wished to hold onto until his final breath.

"Even though my life is short and fragile, I want to always be the person everyone knows. I want to live and die as a human named Abe Haruaki."

"And… I want to continue living on in everyone’s memories that way."

He wanted to hold onto the memories he had created with so many people.

The memories he shared with those he loved most.

Every moment was precious, carrying meaning beyond measure.

And all of it was special because his life was short.

Memories were not something that could be created indefinitely.

Because of its fleeting nature, life held more value than anything else.

Haruaki cherished the memories born from his fragile yet beautiful existence. He wanted to treasure them until his last moment. He didn’t want to risk watching those precious things slowly fade away over an eternity.

And more than anything—

To everyone…

He was no one else but Abe Haruaki—the beloved human of the yokai.

"I want to remain human until the very last moment of my life."

With those words and a radiant smile, Ranmaru and Douman could only respond with quiet, knowing smiles of their own.

They bid their farewells.

Haruaki took his final breath just one minute before midnight.

He was gone. His body was laid to rest in the Abe family grave in Osaka. Yokai filled his funeral, mourning in sorrow. Rain poured, as if even the gods above wept.

But as sobs echoed through the air, light broke through the stormy sky. The sun fought to shine through, chasing away the rain clouds.

Like his smile had always done —chasing away the gloom in people’s hearts.

"Look, Seimei must be telling us to smile."

"If it's Haruaki-kun, that’s definitely possible."

"Seriously? Even in death, he's still the same."

Everyone reminisced, their memories of him as vivid as ever. The sunlit sky, now clearing, seemed as if he was smiling back at them.

Though Abe Haruaki no longer existed in this world, he would live on in their memories—forever.

“We will meet again”

If the time for parting must come, rather than saying goodbye, Haruaki would rather say those words to everyone instead.

In the last few months of his life, Rintarou often visited him alone. Their conversations remained as normal as ever—no sorrow, no grief. Death still seemed far away.

"Last night, I had the strangest dream."

That day, Haruaki spoke about his dream.

"I saw everyone surrounding me who looked like a high school student. They were smiling through their tears, and then Rintarou-kun ran up and hugged me tightly. The principal and Izuna-kun were standing a little further away, smiling. Then everyone carried me off somewhere, just like they used to play around when they were students. It was so funny."

It sure was a strange dream. Rintarou frowned. Perhaps it had surfaced from Haruaki’s deepest desires.

"That’s a strange dream indeed."

"Isn’t it?"

Haruaki laughed heartily. But for some reason, his eyes held a complexity—an aching longing mixed with sorrow, yet tinged with happiness and a quiet hope deep inside.

Then, he spoke, his words seemingly meaningless.

"Maybe… that could be my future self."

"..."

Rintarou fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "Sometimes, Haruaki-kun, you say the most ridiculous things."

"Haha, I’m just being delusional-aki."

His response was lighthearted, as if he didn’t dwell on it too much. Yet, he never entirely dismissed the possibility he had spoken of.

"But if that were true…"

"It would mean I’ll get to see everyone again someday. That would be nice."

With a smile full of hope, Haruaki left it at that.

Rintarou only laughed in return.

That possibility seemed so small, so unlikely.

One day, while dozing off in the faculty room as he often did, Rintarou found himself dreaming— reliving a memory from two hundred years ago.

His conversation with Haruaki that day had never faded. He remembered every word, even after two centuries had passed. The young shutendouji stretched his body, then noticed a commotion nearby. The faculty room was more crowded than usual.

Turning to his left, Rintarou saw Izuna.

And the familiar faces of the members of original class 2-3, all crammed together. The oni furrowed his brows.

"Wait a second, what are you all doing here?"

"No idea. The principal told us to come."

Nyuudou answered on their behalf, while Utagawa nodded, still assuming the role of class representative, just as in the old days. The entirety of Class 2-3 was present—even Sano had returned from Takamagahara, which only deepened Rintarou’s confusion.

"All of you?"

"Every single one of us."

The next question was why?

But Rintarou wouldn’t need to go find the principal to ask, because soon enough, the man himself emerged from the floor beneath them—his Nurarihyon ways still as startling as ever.

"Perfect timing, you’re awake, Rintarou-kun."

"Principal, what is all this about?"

The moment the culprit appeared, Rintarou wasted no time asking. The principal remained silent for a long moment. His expression beneath his mask was unreadable, but to Rintarou, it meant only one of two things—either this was truly good news, or he was about to be burdened with something.

"There’s a student I’d like to entrust to your care," the principal said, then turned to address class 2-3. "And… I want you all to meet him as well."

Hearing this, everyone furrowed their brows in confusion.

The Nurarihyon extended his hand toward the door. A shadow stood waiting behind the sliding screen.

"Come in, Haretoshi-kun ."

At his words, the door slid open with a soft creak, revealing a young boy.

A human boy, about sixteen years old.

His appearance made the oni’s eyes widen. No—his appearance made every yokai in the room stare in shock.

The boy hesitated, shifting nervously under their gazes. His ruby-red eyes flickered with uncertainty. A long ahoge atop his head swayed anxiously, reminiscent of a certain someone.

"N… Nice to meet you, Miki-sensei."

A soft, shy voice spoke.

"I’m Abe Haretoshi, a human."

Yet, his words echoed powerfully.

His radiant smile eclipsed his nervousness—just like someone from long, long ago.

For the briefest moment—just a single fleeting moment—Rintarou swore he saw Haruaki’s image overlap with the boy’s.

So alike. So similar.

As if he were a younger version of him—a high school-aged Haruaki.

"Wha—!? Principal! Why are there so many yokai here…!"

Rintarou recalled the dream.

"I saw everyone surrounding me who looked like a high school student."

Right now, all eyes were on Haretoshi.

"They were smiling through their tears,"

Their eyes glistened with unshed tears, yet their lips curled into smiles.

"and then Rintarou-kun ran up and hugged me tightly. The principal and Izuna-kun were standing a little further away, smiling.”

Without thinking, Rintarou rushed forward and embraced the boy.

He missed him. He longed for him.

The old man and the young itachi merely stood aside, watching the scene unfold.

"Then everyone carried me off somewhere, just like they used to play around when they were students. It was so funny."

The entirety of class 2-3 swarmed around Haretoshi. They shoved Rintarou aside without a second thought and erupted into shouts.

"Seimei is back!"

"It’s really Seimei, everyone!"

"It’s time to celebrate!!"

"Hey, calm down, you lunatics!"

They cheered and hoisted Haretoshi onto their shoulders, celebrating wildly.

"Who are you even talking about!?" the boy yelled, utterly lost. "And my name is Haretoshi!"

The faculty room that day was alive with laughter and joy.

Rintarou smiled softly.

Just as Haruaki had said—they had met again.

And on this day, there was only one thing they all wanted to say.

To the one who had returned to them—

"Welcome back."

Dear our beloved.

They spoke, their faces adorned with warm smiles.

Their longing, their yearning—it seeped into Haretoshi’s heart.

Though he had only just met these people today, he felt an unexplainable warmth, as if he had been waiting to see them all for a very long time.

"..."

Then, Haretoshi beamed—a smile as bright as the sun.

"I’m back."

END