Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the middle of a Japanese class, while Haruaki was teaching (read: whining), a large tremor hit Hyakki Highschool Island unexpectedly. Class 2-3, who were scolding their homeroom teacher about his childish behavior, lost their concentration and looked outside.

“An earthquake?” Sano frowned as he inched closer to the closest stable thing he could find.

“Probably. Everyone, hide under the tables.” Nyuudou, being the class representative that he was, told them cautiously. 

“Understood–! Whoa–?!” Hijita, who was about to head to a safe place, bumped into Zashiki unexpectedly when the earthquake intensified. The shaking floor was shaking so hard that he feared he might get thrown away.

“Move it, Hijita!” The girl pulled him down before the Dorotabou was hit by the incoming chair. Even if he was hit, he probably wouldn’t be hurt, but the sentiment sent tears to his eyes.

“S-sorry Beni-chan.” The redhead ended up being closer to his childhood friend than he expected.

On the other hand, Nyuudo was hugging Tama close to his chest while also pulling Kuniko close. The girl blushed hard. 

“Tsk, those guys are taking advantage of the situation, aren’t they?” Mujina, the sorry single guy of the group, clicked his tongue with obvious displeasure. In the end, he had to hide behind a desk with his fellow male classmates.

“Right?” Tobyou agreed with a bored look on his face.

“Haha…” Kurahashi could only laugh awkwardly besides them.

“Ah, Sano-kun!” Haruaki whined while making a grabby hand towards the sailor uniform that he snuggled into the classroom this morning. “I forgot that sailor uniform!”

“Continue to forget about it!” Sano gritted his teeth and, together with Maizuka, held Haruaki back. 

When the earthquake finally subsided, the classroom was left in a terrible mess. Luckily, no one seems injured. At least, no one was physically left injured. Haruaki’s sailor uniform, which he took to the classroom to decorate the space, ended up dirty and tattered. Haruaki himself was severely depressed afterwards, but that was expected.

“Next time don’t bring your precious items to the classroom, idiot.” Haruaki could only hang his head at Sano’s words.

“Everyone, are you okay?” Hatanaka, who didn’t have class at the time, slid the door open to check for casualties. When he saw that everyone was relatively safe— aside from the gloomy Haruaki that is— he sighed, relieved. “Great. That earthquake was entirely unexpected. The principal was worried.”

“Yeah, I didn’t hear anything from the news.” Utagawa agreed with a worried look. She exchanged glances with Renjou who nodded. “Was that natural?”

Before Hatanaka could answer, the speaker at the front of the class spoke up.

“To all faculty members, please assemble at the Principal’s office immediately.” Sakai’s voice rang out. “I repeat, all faculty members assemble at the Principal’s office immediately.”

“Ah, it seems we have to go.” Hatanaka frowned as he hoisted the gloomy Haruaki up his back. “You guys, don’t destroy the school when we’re gone, alright?”

“Sailor—” Gloomy-aki whined and flapped his limbs, only to be pinched in the cheeks by his best friend. “Ouchhhieee-”

Ignoring his friend’s pathetic cry, Hatanaka turned towards the students of class 2-3. “Do you understand or not?”

“Y-yes.” The students replied outwardly, but inside they all thought,

‘There’s no point in trying to act cool if you’re going to act so casually to each other anyways.’

Honestly, sometimes these adults act more childish than  they, literal highschoolers, do.

“What happened to him?” Was what Rintarou asked as soon as he saw Izuna carrying a Gloomy-aki to the office’s door.

“Nothing, just a uniform getting dirty after the tremor, that’s all.” Izuna said with an exasperated look on his face, only to be grabbed by the hair by the parasite on his back.

“What did you say about sailor uniform no. 3827?” The Japanese teacher’s ominous voice asked, much to the horror of his colleagues.

“N-nothing!”

“Idiot weasel just said it was awfully unfortunate that sailor no.3103 was damaged, that's all!” Rintarou hastily said, and Haruaki’s face immediately brightened.

“Oh, I see. I didn’t listen to you very well, I'm so sorry I misheard you, Izuna-kun.” Haruaki smiled sweetly towards the sweating Kamaitachi. “After all, you would never say something so rude towards a sailor uniform…right?”

“Y-y-yup!” Izuna’s head went up and down like a broken doll. The next thing he needed was for another natural disaster in the name of Abe Haruaki going berserk after an earthquake hit. In fact, the earthquake sounded like a small thing compared to this sailor-obsessed human,

“By the way, Rintarou-kun.” Haruaki’s face basically turned 270 degrees towards his Shuutendouji friend, which was terrifyingly inhuman to say the least. “It’s no. 3827, not no.3103.”

“I-I see.” Rintarou sweat dropped. Although the conversation was straying towards a fearsome territory, they managed to pull things back before it went to hell. The three, now in a relatively calm state, opened the door to the office to see all other teachers as well as the principal waiting for them.

“Finally.” The principal said in an exasperated tone. They couldn’t see the expression behind his mask, obviously, but after the Kyoto incident they all knew what he looked like, so it wasn’t that hard to imagine his flat look. “Now we can begin our meeting.”

“This is about the earthquake a moment ago, right? Is it really of unnatural origin?” Awayama, the P.E. teacher asked with a frown.

“That’s right. A moment ago, something…unusual appeared near our Hyakki Academy island.” The Principal admitted, but when he saw his employees’ troubled looks, he decided to cut to the chase and slid the window behind him with a loud BANG!

“And I mean, that thing.”

Haruaki’s eyes narrowed for a moment due to the intense sunlight penetrating his vision. He then slowly opened them again, only to be completely frozen at the sight behind the screen.

The view from the principal’s office, which should have been completely filled with nothing but the city below and the vast blue ocean faraway, had a new element painted upon its canvas.

Two islands, which were presumably connected below sea level, floated directly beside their own.

The islands that were similar, if not identical, to their own.

“W-where did that thing come from?!” Haruaki cried in shock. Just this morning, while he was observing the island from the Mandaroga garden on the rooftop, there was nothing of note within the vicinity of his eyesight. There should be nothing around this area, and yet…

“It looks just like our island…even the town and the school are the same.” Sato, the three eyed teacher who had great eyesight noted with a frown. “There are even youkai walking around!”

“Is it an illusion?” Sakai, the science teacher, wondered.

“Nope, it’s real.” 

The Karasutengu troupe leader appeared out of nowhere, surprising the faculty who were not familiar with his antics. He sat on top of the windowsill, ignoring the dirty look he gained from the principal. “Landed there, explored there. Everything’s as real as it can be.”

“If it’s not an illusion, then what is it?”

“Maybe it's a real illusion?”

“A youkai’s prank, maybe?”

“But what kind of youkai can create such a huge structure? It’s one thing if it’s a dream, but this…”

“Wait..maybe this is a dream.”

Murmurs were exchanged between the teachers. Some of them were possible, others not so much. Haruaki and his friends also put out some of their own two cents to the table.

“I mean, a realistic dream isn’t something impossible. I was stuck in a dream a youkai created once. I couldn't wake up from it even when I used my powers.” Haruaki pointed out.

“But that doesn’t make sense. A normal youkai can’t get us all under the same dream. Sure, if it’s just some of us then it’s possible. But not only are we all aware that this is abnormal, the place we are in is the Hyakki Highschool Island, which is practically the Principal’s domain since he rented it.” Rintarou pointed out. “Although said rent was free of charge.” He added.

“Why do I feel like that last comment was unnecessary, to say the least?” The principal’s voice was dry.

“Come on, Acchan. Cheer up. Now you might have two giant turtles to feed though.” 

“I don’t feel better by your useless encouragement at all.”

“By the way, Troupe Leader-san.” Ebisu, who was quietly observing the scene up until now, butted it with a guarded smile as always. “Have you spoken to anyone on that island yet?”

The troupe leader, who was using the name Ranmaru, gave Ebisu a weird look. However, when Haruaki blinked, the said weird look was completely gone. “Nope. But I can say there’s something…interesting about the youkai there though.”

“What is it?”

“Hm…” Ranmaru flapped his wings, once, twice, until he was flying a few centimeters away from the windowsill. 

“Why don’t you go with me, then?” Ranmaru offered, and although he didn’t specify the name, he was looking specifically at the idiot trio.

“Let’s go see if we can find something interesting on that island.”

Chapter Text

Multiple pieces of paper were handed towards him one day after class.

“Abe, don’t forget to give your homework to your brother. He hasn’t been to school for the past few days, so his homework is getting piled up.” Said the person in front of him, who was also his homeroom teacher.

“Oh, okay.” Haruaki received the math documents gingerly while thinking back to his sick brother, resting at their family home. Currently, he was living at the dormitory, but he guessed a quick trip back home wouldn’t be a bad idea. Besides, his brother must be dying in his sick bed right now, crying for his name day and night. He chuckled wryly at the thought.

Haruaki soon left his homeroom teacher and walked down the hallways of his school. Usually he would talk to his homeroom teacher a while longer, but for some reason every faculty member was called. The students were urged to go home quickly too, so he couldn’t attend his club activities either. 

“Yo, Haruaki. Wanna go back together?” His friend, Hatanaka Izuna, called as soon as he stepped into the classroom. His other friend, Miki Rintarou, was also waiting for him to return. Usually, they walked back to the dorms together, but unfortunately that wouldn’t be the case this time.

“Sorry, I need to take these to Ame.” Haruaki smiled sheepishly. Of course, his best friends were understanding enough and didn’t complain about letting them wait for nothing.

“Well, that brocon’s probably going crazy in his futon right now without his dear brother within his five meters vicinity.” Izuna scoffed lightly while Rintarou chuckled.

“Well, I guess we’ll be off then.” The Shuutendoji decided, before adding. “Be careful on your way home, alright? With the earthquake that happened and all.”

“Oh, yeah…” There was indeed an unexpected tremor about an hour or two ago. Since the news didn’t predict it, it might happen again soon. “I’ll be careful, thanks Rintarou-kun.”

“See you tomorrow, Haruaki.” Izuna waved him off before walking towards the exit with Rintarou. “Tell that guy to stop being sick if he doesn't wanna spread the germs to his brother, okay?”

Haruaki laughed and waved back to the two. He took some more time to pack his things up before going back.

His family home stood on a hill at the back of the island. It took about half an hour to walk there from school, which could be a hassle if he needed to commute daily. 

When Haruaki arrived, he immediately went to Amaaki’s side to deliver his homework. He then spent another half an hour with his brother who refused to let him go until he charged up his ‘Haru energy’. By the time Haruaki got to go back to the dorms, it was pretty late. He should have stayed at home tonight, but by the time he realized this fact he was half way down the hill. Climbing back up was more troublesome than walking down, and it wasn’t like it was that dark yet. Haruaki decided to follow through with his initial decision and marched down the stone staircase step by step.

As he was thinking about the new sailor uniform booklet he was planning to buy later, Haruaki heard a strange rusle coming from the woods along the path he was taking. At first he thought it was the wild animals running around as usual, but then he heard some talking noises. Worried that someone might be in the dangerous woods at dusk, Haruaki decided to check the source of the sound himself.

The voices grew louder as he walked closer. Three males were talking, and maybe arguing, about something he couldn’t yet make out.

“—ird leaving us here alone-”

“—skin him alive—”

“—pincipal—”

 Haruaki cautiously sneaked behind the bushes. The voices belonged to adults, and he feared that they might be criminals hiding in the shades of the woods. That being said, no usual criminals dared to step into this area before.

Crack

Because of his wandering mind, he accidentally stepped on a tree branch on the ground, causing a sound that made the three men whirled their heads towards his direction.

“Who’s there?!” One of them yelled, and Haruaki flinched with flight. The voice was aggressive, which reminded him of the delinquents he was so scared of. 

Haruaki refused to step out of his hiding place. Instead, he chose to shake like a scared child who was caught red-handed by his parents while stealing snacks before dinner. Although his own parents were very chill about it, he heard from Izuna that other parents could be very scary when they are mad. 

Speaking of Izuna, wasn’t that yelling man’s voice kind of similar to—

The sound of feet marching towards his direction snapped him back to reality. His frightened mind was a jumbled mess as he tried to figure out a way out of this situation. Should he ran? Should he play dead? Or should he use his power—

“Found you!” A voice that was so familiar to his ears called out, and Haruaki had to shield his eyes against the flashlight directed towards him.

“Huh? A kid?” The voice said in surprise, while another one, also awfully familiar to his ears, added; “And he’s a student!”

“What’s a high school student doing here?” The first person asked and, finally, Haruaki swallowed his urge to curl to himself and cry and lowered his arms to look at the scary adults.

“Huh?!”

Familiar faces yet not lined up before him. His friends, whom he thought he had separated from since the end of the school day, were staring at him with unfamiliar appearances.

Izuna’s hair was black, not blonde like had bleached himself. Rintarou’s headband was also absent. Not only that, both of them were wearing dress shirts and pants, not the student uniform he had come to associate them with.

And the most surprising of all was the third person, who looked exactly like himself.

The four of them were left shellshocked, and Izuna(?) quickly glanced back and forth between the two Haruaki-like people. 

“Why are there two of you?!” Izuna(?) cried in absolute confusion.

“I don’t know?!” His lookalike cried in a similar manner. “I don’t know anything anymore! First a strange island appeared, then we were forced to come, got dumped here, got lost for hours while being chased by hounds of dangerous-looking animals—- and now there’s a strange look alike!”

“Maybe he’s a doppelganger?” Rintarou(?) asked, and Izuna(?) shook his head.

“Couldn’t be. Doppelgangers only copy their target’s current looks, right? This kid here looks like he’s in high school! Not to mention, there’s no one else in this world who can shake his antenna like that.” Said the Kamaitachi while pointing at Haruaki’s trembling form (and antenna, too, apparently).  

While listening to the discussion between the three strange adults, Haruaki slowly came to the realization that, just like him, these adults were puzzled by his appearance. It was obvious that they knew a ‘Haruaki’ of their own—who was the adult who was standing before him— while he was an outlier; a strange younger doppelganger who was on a ‘strange identical island’ that appeared out of nowhere after an earthquake a few hours ago.

An earthquake which, to his knowledge, also happened on his island a few hours ago.

Finally, after he came to that conclusion, Haruaki swallowed his saliva and spoke up.

“H-hey,”

Three pairs of eyes snapped towards his direction, and he flinched. His body shook and his eyes were tearing up, but he still wanted to convey his message. It would have been much better if either of his friends were here. His Izuna would act as a stable pillar for him had something happen, and his Rintarou would know what he was going to say.

His eyes glanced back and forth in panic, before landing on his look-alike’s own unintentionally. Identical red eyes met and, as if a mutual understanding was exchanged, his counterpart touched his companions’ shoulders lightly.

“Hey…Izuna-kun, Rintarou-kun.” His look-alike called. “Why don’t we let him talk?”

The two people who looked like his friends calmed down and exchanged looks. Then, they all waited for Haruaki to talk. The pressure he felt at the start was still there, though Haruaki was glad he had a moment of calm. At least, right now, he was pretty sure none of these people were out for his blood.

“I- uhm, well,” Huruaki stuttered out. “My name is Haruaki. I’m a student at Hyakki highschool and—” The adults were surprised for some reason, and Haruaki grabbed the hem of his shirt nervously. He looked downwards in fear that he had said something wrong. “I was visiting my home and was about to go back to the dorm. B-but then I heard you guys in the woods a-and I was worried if someone’s lost.” Haruaki muttered, face red. “The woods at night can be dangerous, and there was an incident where a child got lost in there, so…”

“I mean, we were lost…” Rintarou(?) pointed out while the other two looked thoughtful.

“So, you’re a Hyakki high’s student and have a home here?” His look-alike asked. “Not in Osaka?”

“Osaka?” Haruaki repeated, confused. “I mean, we do have a vacation home there and all, but all of my family members live on this island…” This fact somehow made the group more confused than ever.

“I thought this might be the situation in my dream where I became a student, but even in that world I was an exchange student who moved in by myself…” His look-alike noted worriedly. 

“So you’re saying, not only is this kid not your younger self, but also not the you from a dream you had?” Izuna(?) concluded. “Then what is this…”

“A-actually!” Haruaki decided to use that moment to pipe in. “There was this tremor happening on this island a few hours ago too! You said you encountered one too, right?”

“So that’s the connection? The strange tremor that happened out of nowhere?” Rintarou(?) frowned. “Wait…because of that incident, we decided to investigate this island that appeared out of nowhere from our perspective. Does that mean, to this island’s residents, our island is also an anomaly?”

This realization made the others perk up.

“T-that’s true.”

“Then there’s a possibility that someone, or some people, from this island has arrived at our school?” Izuna(?) frowned. “Won’t that cause a commotion?”

“Hey,” Rintarou(?) crouched down to Haruaki’s eye level and asked. “If there were to be a strange island that looks exactly like this one that appears out of nowhere one day and you really need to look into it, who do you think will be the first ones to go to that strange island?”

“Isn’t that a bit too specific, Rintarou-kun?” His look-alike sweat dropped. 

Haruaki pondered for a moment. Out of the people he knew, there were some people who were often assigned to random tasks. And there were also people who were curious and wanted to check out potential threats. Since the place of interest was an island, there also needed to be someone who could travel fast…ideally, a person who could fly or swim…

“I think…” The three’s eyes fell upon him once again.

“I think, if there were a group of people like that, it would be…”

Chapter Text

“I knew that this was a bad idea! We shouldn’t have come!” 

“Shut up, Hijita! Your whining is starting to grate my ears.”

“But, Beni-chan—”

“Both of you are equally noisy.”

““Huhhhhh?””

Standing before the assembled forces of the Hyakki Academy Island, the three intruders bickered as if they were children. Behind them was a blackened area; evidence left behind by a large explosion that occurred as soon as the intruders arrived on the island. How they landed in the first place puzzled its residents, but the most important thing right now is to deal with these youkai accordingly. 

“While Hyakki Academy Island is open to visitors,” The principal, along with his combatant associates and employees, slowly appeared out of the black matter that was his divine step. His eyes, hidden behind the golden mask, were dark. “We do not appreciate intruders who trespass without permission. Pray tell: who are you people?”

“Ugh…” Hit by the overwhelming pressure from the Nurarihyon, the two youkai who looked like Hijita Koutarou and Zashiki Beniko stepped back slightly. The one who looked like Sano Mikoto, however, did not look perturbed.

“We are teachers from the Hyakki Academy Island.” He declared, much to the surprise of both his allies and the rest. “That being said, it seems like the ‘Hyakki Academy Island’ I know and this Hyakki Academy Island are completely different.”

“Hm…” The principal touched his mask’s beard thoughtfully. Behind him, the students who heard the commotion gathered around the area with interest. “So you’re saying that the island that appeared out of nowhere a few hours ago is your home, correct?”

“That’s right.” The Sano Mikoto-look-alike said with confidence. Unlike their Sano, however, he looked much older and had more curly hair colored in black. His icy blue eyes, although the same as his student counterpart, were hidden behind a thick pair of glasses. “We mean no harm. We just want to know why this happened.”

“Well, well, if that’s the case, then that was rude of me to assume things prematurely.” The principal admitted, but did not lower his guards. On the corner of his eyes, the man saw a blonde head along with his tanuki companion sneaking around quietly. “Unfortunately, we do not know the cause of this incident either.”

“What? Seriously?” The Hijita-look-alike sighed with disappointment. His long red hair, which the school had come to associate him with, was cut short. His eyepatch was also switched into a medical white one instead of a fashionable black.

“Yeah, it sucks, but not unexpected.” The Zashiki-look-alike pointed out. Unlike the other two, she did not look much different from the Zashiki they knew. However, both she and Hijita also looked much older than their student counterparts. They were probably in their late twenties, just like Sano. Her wandering eyes, hidden behind a round pair of glasses, caught sight of someone in the crowd. “Hey, Sano, Hijita, isn’t that…”

“Huh?” The confirmed ‘Hijita’ and ‘Sano’ followed her gaze towards a small group of students, consisting of their own Hijita, Nyuudou, and Akisame. All of whom looked shocked by the appearance of their older-looking friends.

“You’re kidding me…” ‘Hijita’ rubbed his eyes once, looked up, before rubbing his eyes again. “Me?! And Akisame and Nyuudo-san—? And why do they look so young?!”

“And at the same age, too.” ‘Sano’ hummed thoughtfully, ignoring the weird look the students made. “So it really isn’t time travel.” He noted before glancing at his own counterpart who was hiding behind him, still watching cautiously.

“An AU, maybe?” Zashiki purposed.

“What’s that?”

The woman scoffed at her probably-childhood friend’s cluelessness. “An ‘Alternative Universe’, dumbass. Just think about it. The setting is the same as ours, and yet the characters are altered in some ways. No matter how you look at it, we’re in some weird fanfiction plotline.”

‘Hijita’ made a wry face. “Don’t make it sound like we’re in a game.”

“No, actually, that could be possible.” The principal, who had been listening for quite some time, pointed out. Before ‘Hijita’ could argue, the masked man continued. “No, I don’t mean about the fanfiction part. I mean the alternative world part.”

“It’s ‘universe’. Alternative Universe; AU. Don’t use the wrong terminology, old man.”

“I agree, but I think we might need to discuss the potential changes more carefully.” With ‘Zashiki’ being completely ignored, ‘Sano’ and the principal came to a conclusion. 

“Let’s talk more in my office.”

“Understood.” ‘Sano’ nodded before pulling out his phone and dialing someone. He turned towards his companions. “I’m calling the principal. You guys go first.”

“Seriously…” ‘Zashiki’ rolled her eyes while ‘Hijita’ shrugged. 

“Fine by me.”

‘Zashiki’ and ‘Hijita’ followed the principal into his office while ‘Sano’ walked towards a more secluded area to talk to his boss. With the group coming to a general agreement and split up, the crowd whispered amongst themselves but started to disperse after a while.  

“Hey,”

Except for one, apparently.

Sano looked at his older, bespectacled counterpart with suspicion.

“How long are you going to keep watching?” His older counterpart asked without even glancing at him. Although he had already finished talking to his boss, his phone was still in his hand. He was messaging someone. 

“When did you notice me?”

“From the start.” Said the raven haired man. With that hair, the man reminded Sano of his brother more than himself. “I also saw you telling Maizuka to go back to the dorms first, so I knew you’re coming closer towards me.”

“What do you guys want?” Sano decided to cut to the chase and asked briskly. “Do you guys really don’t know what has happened?”

“No.” Replied the older man. “In the first place, I don’t think the cause of this incident lies on my side.”

The blonde teen raised a suspicious eyebrow at his words. “How did you know that?” He asked, only to catch the phone thrown his way.

On the phone was a news website from the mainland, where humans live. It was about a tremor that happened suddenly. 

“I can still connect news from the mainland from my phone, which means this island is where it originally was.” Said his older counterpart. Realizing what he was trying to say, Sano immediately grabbed his own phone. 

“But if you can’t, then that means…”

Sano’s phone disconnected as soon as he tapped into the human’s world’s channels. All of the connections to the mainland disappeared.

“You are the ones who were transported here.”

Chapter Text

“Sano-sensei, Zashiki-sensei, and Hijita-sensei?!” Izuna exclaimed, disbelieved. “When did those guys become teachers?!” 

“Maybe it’s the same situation as this kid here.” Rintarou pointed out. “The positions are all swapped. While Haruaki-kun is the student, those guys are the teachers.”

“Wait, does that mean Rintarou-kun and Izuna-kun are students too?” Haruaki asked the boy gently, which his younger counterpart affirmed with a shy nod.

“T-they’re my classmates and friends.” The younger Haruaki replied, making the older Haruaki smile with great joy.

“Hooray~!”

“Why are you so happy, idiot?” Izuna asked irritatedly. Rintarou also looked puzzled, which made Haruaki twist his boy left and right in embarrassment.

“Well~ The last time I saw myself as a teenager, you guys were teachers and I was a student so I wasn't close to you guys at all. Now though, we’re all friends again!” Haruaki pulled his friends close despite their protests. He hugged them tight.

“I’m glad we’re friends, even in a different universe.”

His friends, being the tsunderes they were, blushed red at the sudden emotional words. 

“W-what are you being sappy for, idiot! We still have to deal with your stupidity in another world!”

“Y-yeah! I-it isn’t like we’re happy or anything! Hahaha-”

The two frailed in Haruaki’s tight grip, but in the end both of them hugged him back with childish looks on their faces. Watching these people interact, the younger Haruaki found himself grinning ear to ear.

“A-and what are you smiling about?” Izuna, still blushing, tried to change the subject by directing the attention back to the only student in their midst. 

“Eh?! Well…” The young Haruaki poked his fingers together and looked away shyly. His attitude, manner, and personality seemed no different from his older counterpart. “I’m just…glad that even when we become adults, we can still be good friends like you guys…that’s all…”

‘Even his thought process is the same.’ Thought the three.

Ring ring. Someone messaged young Haruaki’s phone. The boy opened his device, much to the interest of the three teachers. His eyes widened slightly before he hurriedly typed something back.

“It’s Sano-sensei! Sano-sensei really is on your island!” The boy told them hastily, much to their surprise. “So are Zashiki-sensei and Hijita-sensei!”

“Wow, so your predictions were all correct, huh.” Rintarou noted, while Haruaki pondered. 

‘If there really were the three of them, how did they arrive at another island miles away so quickly? There should be another person with them.’ 

“Is there anything wrong?”

“N-nope!” Haruaki said instinctively to his Kamaitachi friend. The bespectacled weasel probably sensed something with his animal instincts, but because it really wasn’t anything big he decided to let the matter go.

“Uhm…” The boy then let out a wry hum when he read the messages sent back to him. He looked at the three of them with a troubled face. “I told Sensei about your arrival, so he told me to tell the principal. But apparently, there is already a youkai from your side visiting him right now.”

“Eh?” Haruaki blinked while his oni friend made the most disgusted expression ever.

“Don’t tell me that youkai is a bird who dropped us here a while ago.”

“Well…the principal did say that he’s quite a…unique Karasu Tengu.” The message probably didn’t say something so polite like that. The boy accidentally let his phone be seen upside down, and the three briefly saw something about ‘annoying brat of a crow with horrible attitude’ written on the screen. Young Haruaki pulled the screen back immediately though.

“Yeah..that’s the trash we used as a convenient plane a moment ago alright.” Rintarou muttered bitterly.

“Haha…”

“By the way, we should probably leave the woods soon.” Said young Haruaki with an awkward smile as he looked around. In the dark, slitted predatory eyes glared at them dangerously. Fangs were bared and heavy footsteps were heard. A howling sound followed, and it was then that they realized all the dangerous animals they had been running away from had all gathered here. 

Haruaki, Rintarou, and Izuna all stepped back with frightened looks on their faces.

“They aren’t really friendly towards strangers, you see.” Contrary to their expectations, the young teen was calm as he said this. In fact, he looked completely relaxed, a bit too relaxed. It was like he was talking about domestic cats or dogs instead of deadly animals. “They bite sometimes.”

“We won’t just get bitten at this rate! We’ll get torn to pieces!!” Izuna cried in panic before turning back to yell at the two parasites hiding behind his back. “And why are you two using me as a shield?!”

“W-well, they’re scary and my powers aren’t effective against wild animals.” Haruaki pointed out with a pale face. 

“I don’t wanna get touched by their dirty paws and saliva!”

“You’re just being picky, aren’t you?!”

While they were arguing, a wolf jumped out, followed by a bear and a tiger.

“KYAAAAA–!!!” They screamed. Later, they would look back to this moment and realize how silly the situation was. A kamaitachi, an oni, and a human that was far more inhuman than any youkai, screamed at the sight of mere animals. However, this was not the future and at this moment they were all terrified out of their collective minds. 

“Follow me!” Young Haruaki’s voice called out to them. He was already a bit further away, where there was a path leading to light amongst the darkness of the night. The path that did not have any terrifying-looking animals.

The three sprinted towards young Haruaki’s direction and followed him out. The howling sounds of predators slowly got quieter until they all disappeared. When they stepped into the main road, the sight of a stone staircase and a countless torii greeted their eyes.

“Huh?” Haruaki blinked and looked around. “Isn’t this…the entrance to Marodo shrine?”

“So that was the woods on the shrine’s mountain after all?” Rintarou touched his chin while inspecting a well-crafted stone lantern closely. It looked quite old and beautiful, with a star pattern engraved on it. “Strange. I don’t remember the shrine was this well-decorated…or dangerous, actually.”

“Huh, is that so?” Young Haruaki said, a bit surprised. “Well, a school principal ordered the shrine to be renovated at some point in the past, so that he didn’t need to spend a lot of money on school trips since the shrine’s already so similar to the Fushimi Inari shrine.”

“Wow…” Izuna sweatdropped. That did sound like something their principal would do at some point if he was desperate.

“A school principal?” Rintarou couldn't help but point out.

“Yeah?” Young Haruaki didn't look like he noticed anything wrong with his wording at all. 

But now that young Haruaki brought up the principal again, Izuna couldn’t help but wonder who he was. Would he still be the same person as theirs? Or someone else is the principal here…

‘Wouldn’t be impossible. That old man could get kicked out anytime. Especially if his hobbies were found out.’ 

“Is this another difference, then?” Asked Haruaki, looking equally thoughtful. 

“Mmhm, could be.” His younger counterpart hummed as they walked down the stairs together. “Since this place is the entrance of my family home, it’s weird if you of all people have never noticed the change before.”

“…Eh?” The three blinked at the same time. That wasn’t really what they were pondering about, but the new lore drop shocked them into forgetting the previous topic.

“Seriously?”

“Well, he did say he was visiting his home a moment ago…” Rintarou reasoned. 

“So your family also runs a shrine here?” Izuna asked.

“Uh-huh,” Young Haruaki nodded. “I only sell charms at the shrine office though. I don’t really get involved with the ceremonial stuff.”

‘Even that is the same.’ They all thought. The conversation continued to stray to different changes between their islands. They learned that he, along with his friends, were the students of class 2-3 and that Sano was their homeroom teacher. The fact that the latter taught math sent chills down their spines. They also told him about their own stories; that they were teachers and all. He looked especially surprised by the fact that Izuna was a teacher though, which was understandable but still ticked the weasel off a bit. 

When they finally arrived at the last stair step, young Haruaki realized something.

“Ah! I forgot my bag in the woods! Sorry, I have to go back!”

“What?!” The adults couldn't help but shout.

“It’s dangerous there!” Haruaki pointed out worriedly. 

“Yeah, just pick it up tomorrow after school or something. Bring an adult with you too.” Izuna agreed.

“But my homework is in there…My textbooks too!” Young Haruaki cried, distressed. “Sano-sensei’s homework is due tomorrow, and I’ll be disfigured if I don’t turn it in on time!”

“That’s horrifying! Are teachers allowed to do that to students?! I mean, I was done the same a lot of times, but I’m the teacher and he’s the student, so…”

“Well, I was really exaggerating a bit…” Young Haruaki admitted while poking his fingers together, much to the relief (and exasperation) of the adults. “But I’ll really be in trouble if I don’t turn it in though! Not only Sano-sensei’s homework, but others too! Besides, those chil- animals won’t harm me! I’ve been around here since I was born, after all.” The teen pointed out hastily.

“I mean, you’re not wrong…” Rintarou admitted, taking note of the correction, and young Haruaki nodded.

“From here is the main street. There’s street lights all the way, and you can see the school from afar. You can easily go to the school; the principal is already waiting for you.” Explained the teen. When they still looked a bit skeptical about letting the boy go into the woods alone, he just laughed reassuringly. “Don’t worry! I have a baby alarm with me! If something happens, I just have to press this button and my family will come straight for me.” The boy showed his small red button proudly. It was the same one Izuna’s children carried around.

“I-I see..” In the end, they let young Haruaki wander back into the woods before walking down the main street by themselves.

Chapter Text

“Hm…I see, so this is the general structure of your school’s faculty?”

“That’s right.” Replied the older Sano. After talking to his boss and his student, the math teacher arrived at the principal’s office with a blonde companion trailing his every step. Right now, said blonde companion was keeping himself entertained by talking with Zashiki and Hijita in a smaller room. 

Older’s Sano’s bespectacled eyes then looked around the office with mild interest, before looking at a corner of the room that was bare of anything interesting. 

No, that wasn’t quite right. The fact that there was nothing there in and of itself was what interested him.

“Say, I’ve been meaning to ask.” Said the math teacher.

“Oh? What is it?”

“Our school’s principal changes once in a while. Apparently, the longest principal in power stayed in his position for two hundred years before retiring.” Sano then looked at this school’s principal, who had been wearing a suspicious golden mask since they met without any sign of discarding it. He could not see the face behind the mask, but he could sense surprise leaking from the Nurarihyon. “All in all, our principal is the 26th principal, technically. And in the principal office, there are photos of his predecessors on the corner over there.” The man gestured towards the empty spot he was looking at a moment ago. 

“Since this place doesn’t have something like that, can I assume that you’re the only person in power since the foundation of the school?”

The masked man stroked his fake beard calmly. On the outside, at least. On the inside, the man was wrecking his brain while trying to come up with a reason for him a thousand years ago to retire, but couldn’t find any. No, actually he should be considering the possibility of him not being the one who founded the school in the first place, but that thought creates a strange feeling inside himself. A nauseous feeling that makes him want to throw up and slam his fist against the wall. The feeling that could make him physically cough up blood. The feeling of defeat—-

“Yes, that is correct.” The principal replied in a smooth voice, as if what he had been thinking about was all a lie. And it was, because no way that was true. 

“I am the founder, as well as the sole principal of this school.”

“I see.” Sano accepted the answer right away. He didn’t seem surprised, which was ironically surprising. “You should be around his age then.”

Behind the mask, the principal blinked. 

“Who?”

Sano shook his head. “You’ll meet him soon enough, whether you like it or not.” That statement sounded ominous, for some reason. And suddenly the principal didn’t want to know about that mysterious person anymore. “Anyways, you should meet up with my principal at some point. He might not be as old or as experienced as you, but he’s competent. It’ll probably make the process of figuring things out much easier that way.”

“It sure will.” The principal agreed. Hearing someone else being called ‘the principal’ was such a surreal feeling he didn’t know he hated. Something in his heart was irritated by the sound of it, which was probably his Everest-high ego. Sano probably noticed this fact at some point, but still did it to irritate him anyway.

“Now we can probably conclude this matter right here.” The black haired teacher declared while pushing back his chair and stood up. “Neither of us wants conflict, and neither of us knows what happened either. Since it’s late, let’s continue this tomorrow and I’ll arrange a meeting between you and my principal or something.”

“That sounds ideal, yes.” The principal agreed, but before Sano left, he called out. “By the way, Sano-kun.”

Sano paused at his call. The familiar way of calling his name probably sounded foreign to him, but the principal refused to be considerate and change it (mostly out of spite).

“I’ve noticed this for a while now, but your spirit power…” The principal raised his hands towards his mouth as he watched the man’s reaction slowly. 

“Is near zero, isn’t it?”

Sano’s face was as impassive as ever.

“Say, are you happen to be—-”

The principal’s words echoed within the room clearly. When he finished his sentence, the bespectacled man simply closed his eyes and opened them again. Blue eyes looked at the principal’s ones from behind the mask.

“That’s right.”

Thud thud thud- Footsteps echoed in the hallway, unbeknownst to the two occupants of the principal’s office.

“I’m—-”

BANG!! The door to the office swung open.

“HEY YOU BASTARDS!! Where the hell is Sano-kun?!?!”

“Mame, don’t—-!”

“—human.”

A moment of silence reigned in the room. For some reason, some students barged into the office without his permission and heard the last part as clear as day. Not only that—

Bang! The door connected to a smaller room also swung open not long after. 

“Mame!” Young Sano popped in when he heard his best friend’s aggressive barking. The older Hijita and Zashiki also fell to the ground, presumably due to loss of balance after they eavesdropped on them. It took young Sano a moment to process and realize what he heard, though. “Wait, you’re a what?”

“I’m a human.” Replied the math teacher with the most obvious look on his face. He then blinked when he saw the residents of this island gawking at him with disbelief. “What? Is it that surprising?”

“Of course it is!!” Hijita, who accompanied Maizuka and Nyuudo as well as Akisame, cried. “You’re the most inhuman being on this island— when it comes to morality, I mean. Physically it’s Seimei.”

“Huh,” The older Sano glanced at his younger counterpart, who was still gawking at him, appalled. “Then what are you?”

“M-me?” Sano let out an uncharacteristic stutter. He looked unsure, for some reason. Only the principal seemed to know why. “I’m…a yakubyougami. A youkai.”

“A youkai?” The raven haired Sano raised his eyebrow. It was hard to decipher what kind of emotion he was having. “Well, that’s something.”

“So even our races can be swapped?” The older version of Hijita asked from the floor. Zashiki had already sat up by now, but she was using the former as her convenient throne. Hijita then turned towards his counterpart. 

“Hey, what are you?”

“Huh?” The young redhead blinked. “A Dorotabou, obviously.”

“Great.” 

“And you folks?” Zashiki asked the other three students, who flinched under her stare. “What are you?”

Nyuudou’s face was unimpressed to say the least. “As you can see, I’m a Hitotsume-kozo.”

“I’m a Nekomata.” Akisame said before transforming into a small cat.

Maizuka was the last to answer, since he took his sweet time to reach Sano’s side before clinging to him like a koala. “And I’m a cute Mamedanuki!” Following his friend’s suit, he then transformed into a small tanuki, much to Sano’s delight. 

“Huh, it’s all the same.” Zashiki blinked, before leaning back. “This is boring.”

“Maybe it’s just Sano?” Hijita wondered, and the older Sano shrugged. 

“No idea. We just have to find out, I guess.”

“By the way, Mame, what are you doing here?” Asked the blonde. 

“Eh, well, Sano-kun didn’t return to the dorms after two pm., so I got worried.” Said the tanuki in a sweet voice. Sano, unable to resist Mame’s cuteness, snuggled into his fur. 

“Sorry for making you worry.”

This scene might look cute between the two of them, but for others, this is absolutely terrifying.

“Mame actually headbutted me in a muscular form, asking where the hell I took Sano.” The young Hijita muttered with a pale face while nursing his injured abnomant. Akisame looked at him with pity.

“He was cursing all the way here too.” The cat complained.

“I swear he was plotting the school’s destruction at some point.” Said Nyuudou wryly. Without a doubt, if the Mamedanuki put his mind into it, the school would be left in shambles. The thought sent shivers to the principal’s spine.

Said old man cleared his throat slightly.

“Let’s continue this tomorrow.” The masked man decided promptly. He then turned towards the students. “Try keeping the things you heard in this room a secret as much as you can. I don’t want a commotion to happen amongst the residents.”

“They’ll end up even more panicked if they don’t know what’s going on, though.” Nyuudou pointed out wisely. “And since these three already showed their faces to the public, I doubt a secret will stay a secret for long.”

“Hm…well, you’re not wrong.” The principal agreed, paused, before adding. “Still, try not to spread unnecessary information to the public, okay?”

The word ‘unnecessary information’ was a bit vague, and neither of them knew what ‘unnecessary information’ was, anyways. To put it simply, the principal lets them talk whatever they want, as long as no catastrophe happens within the next few days.

“Understood.” Said the students before taking their leave. The adults were the only ones left within the room when the door clicked shut. 

Ring ring. Someone messaged into Sano’s phone, and all eyes fell upon him as he opened the screen.

A sigh escaped his lips. 

“What is it?”

“My student who met your employees just split up with them a moment ago. Apparently he lost his bag, so he went back to grab it.” The man told them.

“What.” The principal’s voice was as flat as the tile floor. “No. Don’t. Without a chaperone they’ll get lost at best, destroy the entire island at worst.”

“You’re kidding. There’s no way those guys can be as bad as you said.” Hijita muttered.

“Who are they? Maybe they’re someone we know.” Zashiki asked, interested.

Behind the mask, the principal raised his eyebrow, only now realizing that his employees might have another version of themselves at the other island too, just like the students. He had to admit though, he was quite curious. So, he told them the names. “Abe Haruaki, Hatanaka Izuna, and Miki Rintarou.”

As soon as the names reached their ears, the three people’s faces darkened instantly. 

“Oh, them.”

“If it’s them, you might be right.”

“This will end up destroying the island at this rate. Why did you let them go?” Faced with the accusing stares from the three, the principal bristled. 

“I did not. It was that stupid bird who kidnapped my employees and took them there.” Although the principal’s tone was polite, his words were not. He cleared his throat. “Anyways, a night there shouldn’t be too bad.” The masked man reasoned.

The three teachers could only exchange looks.

“Well, I guess we can only wait and see.”

Chapter Text

“ How exactly did we get lost?” Rintarou complained for the third time. “Last I checked, we only had to 1.walk straight ahead 2.turn right 3.walk a bit more and boom! We’ll be at the school by now.” But they were not, in fact, at school. On the contrary, they were in the middle of nowhere at night, with barely any light guiding their way, all because a certain sailor obsessed human being saw a vague image of a sailor uniform floating past him and began chasing after it like a pig running for a carrot on a stick. 

If that wasn’t enough, a certain weasel got a bit too quick on his feet while following the said sailor-obsessed human and ended up tripping a rock by his feet, causing both him and Haruaki to roll their way out of their path. Rintarou, being the good friend he was, quickly ran after the two idiots and grabbed their hands before they fell to their death by a cliff.

““I’m sowwy…”” Haruaki and Izuna, the two culprits to this unfortunate series of events, apologized with guilt. In the end, Rintarou could only sigh. It was one thing if they apologize and change themselves, but he knew that, not a day after this, these two would do something stupid again anyways. Worse, he had a feeling that he might get involved in all of it too. 

“Let’s just…figure out where we are.” Rintarou proposed. Right now, there were a lot of trees surrounding them, but there was no sign of human residents in sight. Or maybe there was, but they just couldn’t see it because of the darkness. Rintarou tried using the flashlight on his phone to look around, but even with the light’s help, it was still a bit hard to look around. 

“This doesn’t seem like the woods we were in before.” Haruaki noted.

“Right…but the trees are still too high.” Izuna tried to see beyond the treetops to look for the school, but the only lights he could see from here were from the stars and the moon. “How about we climb up, then?”

“Eh…” Rintarou made a disgusted face. “Don’t wanna. You do it, weasel.”

“You little…” Although Izuna wanted to retort to the Oni’s lazy words, the fact that he had just been saved by this guy five minutes prior shut him down immediately. “Tsk…Haruaki. Do you wanna try?”

“Eh…” He was given the exact same response. “I don’t really wanna…”

Izuna’s eyebrows twitched irritatingly.

“Oh, what’s that?” The Kamaitachi looked up and pointed at a tree top. “Isn’t that a new sailor uniform?!” 

“Wait, what?!” Without a second thought, Haruaki grabbed onto a nearby tree and slid his way upward with a crazed look on his face. “Where?! Where?!”

“Wow, playing dirty huh, Hatanaka?” Rintarou said dryly as he watched their friend realize that he was tricked into climbing the damn tree before complaining about being unable to go down. 

“His fault for not realizing it, not mine.”

“Heyy~ I think I see the school~!” Haruaki said from above, before pointing north. “It’s that way, I think.”

“At least try to sound more sure of yourself, idiot.” The bespectacled weasel sighed. “Now come down and let’s go.”

The walk to the direction Haruaki pointed was scarily quiet. The tension from all around them was high, and somehow it felt like they were being watched. 

Izuna, being the animal youkai he was, bristled and looked around every minute or so. 

“Hey, stop looking around.” Rintarou told him with a dry voice, but Izuna shook his head vehemently like there was no tomorrow. 

“Someone’s definitely watching us, I just know it.” He insisted, much to the worry of his friends. His eyes then caught sight of something moving from behind, and it definitely was not an animal. 

“Izuna-kun…” Haruaki said his name with concern as he watched his friend hug his leg like a child. “It’s hard to walk like this…”

“D-didn’t you see that?! Something’s coming closer!” Izuna told him with a pale, terrified face. “It’s giving me bad vibes! Don’t you trust my instincts, Haruaki!?”

“Well, I do, but…” Haruaki decided to turn to his other friend for help. “Rintarou-ku–”

However, when he turned around, Rintarou was not there anymore.

“...”

Shocked silence reigned in the air. Both teachers began sweating profusely.

“H-hey, where did Rintarou-kun go?”

“M-Maybe the toilet? Yeah, it must be the toilet. Haha…”

“Hahaha….”

Nervous laughter was exchanged between them, but when no voice appeared next, they sweated even harder.

“Heyyyy~ Rintarou~~~! If you don’t come out now, we’ll leave you here~!” Izuna yelled with a terrified look on his face.

“Yeah~ come out quickly, Rintarou-kun~~~~” Haruaki added.

A moment passed, but there was no reply.

They exchanged looks shakily.

“That can’t be it, right?” The Japanese teacher asked his friend. “R-rintarou-kun is…”

“Don’t say it, Haruaki!” Izuna shut him up immediately. “Rintarou will return! D-definitely!”

Crack Someone stepped on a tree branch.

“See?!” The weasel pointed at the area the sound came from triumphantly. “Heyyyy~ Rintarou, no more tricks! Come out already!”

Rustles came closer to their general direction. Step by step, the person’s figure casted a shadow within the shades…

And then, red eyes began popping up. One after one.

“Heh~ So that person was really Miki-senpai after all.”

“?!” The two teachers stepped away from the horrifying creature that was definitely not Rintarou.

“To think that two versions of senpai could exist…I was sooo curious I couldn’t hold myself back.”

A familiar voice and a familiar face. The figure in uniform emerged from under the trees’ shades, revealing the sight of none other than a younger Takahashi Akira under the moonlight.

The man— no, the boy’s face flushed red with ecstacy. 

“Hey~ You’re also the same right? I really, really wanna know you! Let me see you closer!”

“ GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! ” 

Izuna and Haruaki’s scream echoed across the dark woods. The stress and suspense they had been accumulating since the start of the night transformed into fear that overloaded their brains instantly.

Not long after, they passed out with foams coming out of their mouths.

“— aki-kun, na—kun .” A voice called their names, but it was blurry and hard to make sense of.“— Haru— Izu— ” Ah— wait, was that—

“Haruaki-kun! Izuna-kun!!”

Two pairs of eyes snapped open instantly and two bodies soon sprung up not long after. The Shutendouji that had been calling out their names repeatedly only sigh with exasperation. 

“Rintarou-kun, you’re safe!” Haruaki craned his neck, inhumanly mind you, towards his friend's direction.

Rintarou frowned. “Of course I am, why shouldn’t I be?”

“‘Cause that mad doctor kidnapped you!” Izuna pointed out, almost childishly, and Rintarou sighed again while resisting the urge to facepalm.

“I just saw light from somewhere, so I went to look.” The oni explained. “Then, I found them.” He gestured towards two teenagers who were conversing not too far away. Both of them had familiar faces— or at least, familiar appearances, ones they could recognize immediately. 

“Ah! Takahashi-sensei and Yamazaki-san!” Haruaki let out an ‘ohhh’ sound, which drew the two’s attention towards himself.

“You’re awake~!” Young Takahashi bolted towards his side instantly, causing Izuna to flinch and looked like he was about to faint again if not for his oni friend’s pinch. “Hi, big Onii-san!”

Haruaki and Rintarou blinked while Izuna wilted in pain. “‘Big Onii-san’?”

Young Takahashi nodded innocently, before tilting his head to the side. “You’re Abe Haruaki and Miki Rintarou, right? Then you’re Onii-san and Miki-senpai! Did I say it wrong?” The teen turned towards his doppelganger friend, who pinched the bridge of his (non-existence) nose tiredly. 

“Didn’t Rensuke-san tell you, Akira-kun? They aren’t the same ones we know.” Young Yamazaki scolded, but the young oni just tilted his head cutely.

“Is that so?” The innocent smile stretched wide on his face and was replaced by a psychotic grin as he turned back towards the three, all eyes wide open. “Then their insides can really be different, then? I wonder what their brains look like~!”

As the Dodomeki itched closer, a small knife appeared in his hand out of nowhere. The three people, two of them forced to lay on beds, had a hard time trying to escape the boy’s reach.

“That’s quite enough, Akira-kun.” A gentle voice scolded, and Takahashi’s eyes blinked close. “Let them rest for now.”

A woman in a kimono walked into the room, in her hands was a tray full of food and some glasses of water. She put the tray on a table nearby, before turning to look at them with a soft smile on her face.

“Hello there, you three.”

“U-Utagawa-san!” Haruaki called the name of his student, who had a face identical to the woman before him. It took him just a second before he corrected himself. “O-or not?”

The woman looked like she was in her early thirties, unlike his student who was still in her teens. Her hair, usually in a ponytail updo, was let free with a ribbon tying some of the strands on the back of her head. She was definitely Utagawa Kuniko, but probably not the same one Haruaki and the others knew. 

The woman simply chuckled kindly. 

“That’s right! I’m Utagawa Kuniko.” She confirmed. With a slight gesture of her hand, she introduced the teens loitering around them one by one. “And these are Takahashi Akira-kun and Yamazaki Makoto-kun.” The two nodded their heads when they were called. It was almost innocent, if not for the fact that Takahashi was half-way through the process of cutting Izuna up. “I heard about your arrival from my husband, so I was planning to meet you all tomorrow. But then Akira-kun said he saw someone around the woods outside there, so…”

“Eh, is that so?” Haruaki blinked before looking at Rintarou, who shrugged. “Wait, husband? Eh?”

“I met those kids a bit further away from where we were, and decided to check out this mansion.” Rintarou explained, ignoring the struggling Izuna who was trying to get away from Takahashi’s grasp, but to no avail. “That kid there disappeared soon after though, so it’s not hard to guess he was trying to find you. Well…I’d rather not be in the general area of when that happens, though. ” 

“So you ditched us!!” Izuna accused. 

“Shut up, four eyes!”

“Don’t worry, I can examine you too, Miki-senpai!!” Takahashi used Izuna’s body to lean closer to Rintarou, who jumped at the unexpected intimacy. “Now, come on here~!!”

“ GAHHHHHHHHHHH—-!!!! ”

“Heh, Utagawa-san is married, huh?” While his friends had a squabby fight over a petty event, Haruaki was having a great time chatting with the woman and the doppelganger over tea and snacks. “Who are you married to?”

“Fufu, take a guess.” Utagawa giggled, before pointing at a picture hanging on the wall. It was an old image of a Utagawa in her early twenties and a Hitotsume-kozo, aka Nyuudo Rensuke, smiling brightly at the camera.  “We've been married for over a century now!”

“Wow! That’s amazing!” To be honest, Haruaki couldn’t think of anyone else Utagawa would be married to. But what surprised him was that, turns out, the youkai before him was even older than he first thought. “The Utagawa-san and Nyuudo-kun I know are still seventeen!”

“Really?!” Yamazaki pipped in excitedly. “I can’t imagine Kuniko-san at my age….”

“She’s an amazing student! I’m her homeroom teacher!” Haruaki couldn’t help but declare the fact proudly. “I really want you two to meet…but wah…I’ll get scolded by the principal for that.” The man wilted with a disappointed look on his face, which made the older Utagawa chuckle.

“I see you’re no different from the Haruaki-kun I know. That’s a relief.” She said with a smile. “By the way, I told my husband that you’re already here, so he’s going to come meet you himself later today. Will that be a problem?” 

“Eh, that’s alright, I think.” Haruaki blinked before looking around. “Is this really your house, though? It looks more like a hospital room to me.”

“Well, you’re not wrong.” It was Yamazaki who reply to his question. “This room is the Nyuudou household’s medical room. Kuniko-san is a doctor, after all, so it has to be well-equipped.”

“Whoa!” Haruaki’s face brightened like he had seen the stars, only for him to curl into himself and cry. “I’m so glad~ The Utagawa-san I know also wants to become a doctor in the future! I know she can do it~!”

Ding dong A bell rang out from the front door, drawing the attention of the people in the room.

“Must be Rensuke-kun.” Utagawa smiled before standing up from her seat. “Makoto-kun, Akira-kun, since Abe-san and Hananaka-san here seem better now, why don’t you two take them to the living room? I’ll bring Rensuke-kun over in a bit.”

“Yes, ma’am!” The two boys saluted at the same time, which in turn saved Izuna and Rintarou from being harassed by Takahashi any further.

Chapter Text

“You’re staying with us?” Sano squinted at his counterpart suspiciously. In his hands was Mame, as always. “Why not just go back to your island or something?” 

“We came here on a one-way trip.” The older Sano shrugged. He unconsciously patted the Mamedanuki in front of him, ignoring the displeased look his blonde counterpart made. “The one who took us here already left hours ago; he had a job to do and promised to come pick us up tomorrow morning.”

“You—” 

“Come on, Sano-kun, I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” Mame, who was enjoying the older Sano’s pat for a while now, spoke up sleepily. “‘Sides, he can just sleep on the floor or something.”

Sano looked at his friend, then at his older counterpart petulantly. 

“It’s only ‘cause Mame said so.” The blonde grumbled, which made the older Sano smile a bit. “Hey, what’s with that look on your face?”

“Nothing,” Sano said, but his face was still plastered by a light smile. “I just never thought that I was like you when I was your age.”

“You picking a fight?”

“Sano-kun’s starting to sound like Hijitan.” Mame complained at tugged his sleeves childishly. “Let’s go in, Sano-kun. I wanna go to sleep.”

Sano did not pout, but he did huff. “Fine, come in.”

Sano soon tugged Mame into bed and closed the door for privacy. He came out not long after with a pair of mugs containing some steaming milk. The older Sano accepted the peace-offering with a raise of an eyebrow.

“Is there laxative in there?”

“No, but there will be if you don’t stop talking nonsense.” The older Sano shrugged at his younger counterpart’s cold words and drank the warm liquid peacefully.

When he saw that Sano just continued to stare at him, he decided to indulge the boy a bit.

“Is there anything you want to know?” The man asked, much to the surprise of the blonde. “I’ll answer your questions truthfully.”

“All of them?” Sano asked suspiciously.

“Obviously not, there’s something better left unsaid…like the principal’s creative cursing words when he’s at his boiling point and Zashiki’s fanfiction stash, for example.” While young Sano wanted to disagree with him, he found himself unable to. “But aside from things I don’t want to talk about, I’ll answer you truthfully.”

Well, that was more than he could have hoped to ask for in other scenarios. “Fine.” He decided to agree.

“Oh, and one thing.” The teacher added, much to his annoyance. “The same goes to you, too.”

Sano narrowed his eyes. “So you want me to feed you information in return?”

“Pretty much.” The older man admitted. “There’s a lot I want to know about, so this is a fair-fair deal, right?”

Sano sighed. “Makes sense. I’ll go first, then.” The ‘human’ nodded.

“Are you really a human?”

“That’s right.” The answer was immediate. “Born from a human, raised as a human, my flesh and blood are human.” The man’s blue eyes locked with his. “And I’ll probably die as a human, too.”

 Sano gulped. Something about the last part made him more tense than before.

“My turn, then.” The older Sano placed his mug on the low table before him calmly. 

“Are you really a youkai?”

Sano flinched at the unexpected question. No, actually, he should have expected it at some point, but he didn’t think it would be this early on. 

“…Pass.”

“Fine.” Luckily, the older man honoured the deal and didn’t ask further. Still, with a question like that, refusing to answer was pretty much an answer in and of itself. “You next.”

“…Aside from you, are there any other humans on the Hyakki Academy Island?”

“What kind of question was that?” The older Sano raised his eyebrows. He seemed genuinely puzzled. “Obviously not.”

Sano’s mouth immediately hung open in a mix of shock, confusion, and horror. 

“Then, is there anyone by the name of ‘Abe Haruaki’ there?!” The boy hastily asked. “Uhm- How about ‘Seimei’?! ‘Abe Amaaki?!’ Maybe—!”

“Calm down.” His older counterpart’s simple words and a gentle touch on his head made him breathe at a regular pace again. He didn’t even realize that his heart was pumping so loudly a moment ago. 

The man’s hand moved a bit, and Sano soon found himself being patted by his older self.

“There’s an ‘Abe Haruaki’ on the island.” Said the black haired man. “He’s my student; the one I talked about earlier. He was the one who found that group of teachers on my island. You don’t have to be so worried.”

“O-oh…” Sano’s face burned red. He then sat down on his legs again. “I see.”

The man, who he kind of forgot that he was a teacher for a moment, smiled a bit. “So that Abe on this island is a human? What a shocker.”

His older counterpart’s words made the blonde realize something.

“So the Seimei you know isn’t a human?” He asked, appalled. Never in a million years could he imagine his homeroom teacher as something aside from a human, although his obsession and common sense were nothing less than inhuman. This is even more jarring than the fact that the ‘Sano’ he was talking to was a human.

“‘Seimei’?” For some reason, the nickname their class gave their homeroom teacher made the man paused for a bit. “Well, yeah. The Abe’s are all youkai.”

This made Sano pause.

“Even Dopp— I mean, Amaaki?”

“Even Abe Amaaki, yes.” Although his expression hardly changed, his older counterpart looked amused. “In fact he has a phobia regarding humans. He can’t stay conscious even a second in my presence and ends up failing all of my exams, somehow.” That sounds horrible. The Doppel that Sano knew already had a massive fear for youkai, but at least he lived far away from most youkai. But the Amaaki who had a fear for humans had to see the human Sano’s face everyday, not to mention the fact that he would have a hard time trying to survive seeing his homeroom teacher had they met. 

“What type of youkai are they?” Sano asked, very curious. However, his older counterpart raised an eyebrow.

“Isn’t it my turn to ask?”

Sano squinted at him.

“You asked, and I quote, ‘So the Seimei you know isn’t a human?’” The older Sano said lightly. “In fact, you also asked, ‘Even Dopp— I mean, Amaaki?’”

“Why did you have to copy even my mistake?” The boy complained, but the black haired man just shrugged.

“Now, here’s my question;” The older Sano’s eyes were serious, unlike before.

“Do you know a man by the name of ‘Abe no Seimei’?”

The blonde blinked.

“Who doesn't know about him? He’s literally in every history textbook.” Thinking that letting his older counterpart find more info by himself might be more appropriate for this question in particular, Sano handed him a book he used in Miki’s class to him. He even opened a page that talked about the onmyoji for easy access. “It’s almost like the person who wrote these books has some sort of obsession about this guy.” Which he did. In the principal's office, the scarred man sneezed. 

The man didn’t take long to finish the section about Abe no Seimei. In fact, he finished it so quickly that he opened his hand as if he was asking for more.

“…” Sano handed him another one, this time with more than a page regarding Abe no Seimei. The man took his sweet time trying to absorb and process the information he was given, before flipping the history book and reading some parts in it to get the gist of the differences between their history, presumably.

The fact that their roles were swapped was one thing, but the fact that their history could be altered was concerning, to say the least. At some point, the older Sano gave up and decided to borrow the whole stack of books his younger counterpart had given him.

“I’ll borrow some from my island to give it to you too.” The man offered, and the deal was sealed.  

“Now, it’s time for you to answer my question.” Sano said. “What type of youkai are the Abe’s?”

“Pass.”

The blonde blinked.

“What?”

“I said; pass.” The black haired man repeated. “I don’t want to go into this discussion just now.”

Sano made a face. He had thought that the man was just teasing him when he asked before, but the fact that he really didn’t want to answer the question worried him. 

“Fine, but I get to ask again.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Sano curled his lips.

“Do you know someone named ‘Ebisu Isaburo’?”

His older counterpart gave him a look, before turning away.

“Pass.”

“What?”

“Pass.”

“Come on, you can’t pass two questions on a roll!”

“There’s no such rule. In fact, I made the rules.” The man argued, and Sano gave up. It seemed like the conversation was going a bit into a dangerous territory, so he decided to steer it back.

“How about this; who’s your school principal?”

It seems like this question was decent enough.

“I think you know him.” The man replied, to which he blinked.

“I do?”

“He was there in the Principal Office, wasn’t he?” His older counterpart hinted.

“The Hitotsume-Kozo, Nyuudou Rensuke.”

Chapter Text

“So Nyuudou-kun is the school’s principal after all!” Haruaki exclaimed in awe. “That’s amazing!”

The youkai he was talking to, the Hitotsume-kozo wearing an expensive-looking kimono, smiled awkwardly. He looked to be around the same age as Utagawa, so he should also be over a century old now, which was still a bit jarring to the human Haruaki. “No, it’s really not.” He said. “More importantly, can you take this guy back? He tried to rob the school blind, and I’d rather he not rob my house.” 

A man tied in rope was ushered inside. That man was none other than the Karasu Tengu Troupe Captain, aka. Former god Suzaku, aka. Karasuma Ranmaru, their resident unreliable thief.

“Hehe, hi Haruaki-kun.” The man dressed in tracksuit smiled innocently at the three teachers. “And Miki-kun and Hatanaka-kun too. Hi~”

“ ‘Hi~’ My ass, you scumbag thief!!” Rintarou and Izuna both stood up and yelled at the Karasu Tengu with vengeful looks on their faces. “What the hell were you thinking, dumping us in the middle of a dangerous forest like that?!”

“Eh~ But that place was so different from the one we have, so I thought you’d be interested.”

“Ask for our consent first!!”

“By the way, Haruaki-kun.” The troupe leader ignored the two, much to their annoyance, and hopped awkwardly towards Haruaki. “Can you release me? It’s getting kinda hard to walk.”

Haruaki only gave him an innocently guilty look.

“Eh? But if I do that you’ll rob Nyuudou-san’s house though?”

“Haha…” Ranmaru could only smile wryly under the stares of all occupants within the room, knowing that they all thought the same and that he would have to stay tied for the rest of the meeting. 

“Here’s some late-night snacks.” Utagawa appeared from the kitchen with another tray of sweets and tea in her hands. Yamazaki followed her steps with another tray. “Dear, what happened to you?” The woman looked at the tied Ranmaru with pity. Before the man could ask for help from the kind-looking woman, however, she continued. “It must be hard for you to eat this way. Akira-kun, can you help him?”

“Wait, what? No—”

“Okay~!” The Dodomeki raised up his hand obediently before walking over to Ranmaru with a cute smile on his face and a fork with cake in his hand. “Wow, you look a lot like a senior I know! He’s such a weirdo though, I wonder if you’re as weird as him!”

“E-eh? n-not really?” Ranmaru tried to inch away from the boy. However, it was hard to move due to his restraints. Worse, the vengeful teacher duo appeared behind him with sadistic smiles on their faces.

“Where are you going, thief-san?” Rintarou asked with a wide, dark smile. “The boy here just wants to feed you some cake!”

“That’s right!” Unlike his best friend, Izuna didn’t even try to hide his awful personality as he and Rintarou grabbed Ranmaru’s struggling form in place. “Hey, brat. Don’t you wanna know what this bird has in his throat? Do you think he has teeth? Or do you think he’s hiding a beak?”

“Huh? Karasu Tengu’s can do that?” Takahashi asked, surprised, while Ranmaru vehemently shook his head like there was no tomorrow. 

“Nope, nope, nope!! I have teeth! Normal teeth! See?!” The man bared his teeth for Takahashi to see, but unfortunately for him, the boy wasn’t satisfied.

“I wanna see it for myself, though.” The young oni said in disappointment, before smiling brightly. “I know! I’ll use my eyes to look into your throat until I find something!” Ranmaru’s face became deadly pale while Takahashi’s was beginning to get redder and redder with ecstasy. Red eyes opened at the tips of his fingers. “Now, open your mouth, Onii-san! Ah~”

“ AARGHHHHHHHHHHH—- !!!” Soon, the Karasu Tengu’s scream echoed within the entire mansion. Haruaki could only watch the scene in worry.

“Don’t make that face. Akira won’t kill him.” Nyuudou told him. But even then, he couldn’t help but add, “Probably.”

“Eh, I’m not really worried about the captain though.” Haruaki said innocently. “I’m worried about Takahashi-kun’s hygiene. The captain’s mouth can’t be that clean.”

“You’re worried about that?” The older man sweat-dropped. It was so weird to call Nyuudou that, though. Even though Nyuudou— and Utagawa, actually— was one of the most mature students he had, he was still a child in Haruaki’s eyes. A matured child, but a child nonetheless. But these Nyuudou and Utagawa were full grown adults, older than him, in fact. 

“By the way, I was told you wanted to see us?” Haruaki asked, and Nyuudou nodded. 

“I really wanted to know what happened for us to have a neighbor island like this out of nowhere. And also, the purpose of the other party too.” The man explained. “While waiting for you, some of my employees landed on your island and sent some information over. Still, I want to confirm this; you and your people don’t know anything about this incident, is that right?”

Haruaki nodded nervously. “Yeah. At least I don’t think anyone knows about it. We were all surprised.”

“Hm…” The man before him hummed softly. Despite the strange situation at hand, he looked calm and composed. He reminded him of Haruaki’s own principal in that aspect, although he didn’t wear a mask that hid his expression so he was easier to read. “If that’s the case, mutual cooperation should be the best way to go, isn’t it?”

“Y-yes! I think so too!” Nyuudo’s calm eye startled Haruaki a bit. That’s right, he didn’t only remind Haruaki of the principal alone, but also Nyuudo’s own father. With the age and attire Nyuudou was so similar to his father that it was hard to tell them apart…had the man not dyed his hair red like Renka.

‘Even in another version of himself, Nyuudou kun still inherited his mother’s traits…’ The thought tears Haruaki up a bit. The image of the orange haired woman entered his mind, and he tried his best to push it back for now.

“Is there anything wrong?” Nyuudou asked, but Haruaki shook his head and gave him a smile.

“It’s nothing!”

“Hm…well,” The Hitotsume-kozo accepted the answer well enough, even though he still looked a bit doubtful. “There’s still things I want to talk to you about, like some differences between the island’s facilities and history. I even heard from my employees that some of our races can differ.” The last bit surprised not only Haruaki, but also his two best friends who were finally done with Ranmaru. The latter was lying on the ground with foam coming out of his mouth while young Takahashi was poking him with a stick. 

“That’s…”

“Possible…?” The thought of being something else aside from what they are baffled them greatly. Some ridiculous thoughts entered the teachers’ minds, like Rintarou being an Ittan-momen or a Rokurokubi instead of an oni, or Izuna being a Nekomata or a Choukeshin instead of a Kamaitachi— But then the thoughts popped when Nyuudou spoke up again.

“Of course, when I said ‘race’, I wasn’t only talking about youkai.”

The implication behind the words made the gears in the three idiots’ brains turn. On the Hyakki Academy Island, only three races live. The majority of them are youkai, and aside from that are—-

“Even gods and humans?!” They cried in shock. Izuna and Rintarou looked at Haruaki with complicated looks on their faces while Haruaki himself was processing things. Of course, Nyuudou didn’t specify who he was talking about, but there were only so many humans and gods living on the island, so it wasn’t much of a reach to think of Haruaki first…

Although the three weren’t sure if Nyuudou knew this, their eyes and expressions were enough to tell him some facts. The man simply looked at them and closed his eyes. “If possible, I would like to compare the schools— no, if possible, I would like to compare the islands’ database to look for notable differences between our realities. That will be hard without your cooperation, of course, but—-”

Thud The dull sound of something falling quieted the room. Nyuudou blinked in surprise before looking at the collapsed human teacher.

“W-what happened?!” Young Yamazaki shouted, alarmed. Even the composed Nyuudou earlier was left jaw-dropped. His brain, accustomed to political practices and negotiation, was already working hard to try and come up with an excuse for an envoy (of sorts) from another party to die in his home. Izuna and Rintarou, however, only let out an ‘ah’ sound before looking at the clock.

Utagawa, being the doctor she was, bent down and examined his breathing pattern. She sighed and told the rest. “He’s only sleeping.”

“Sleeping?! But he was—” Nyuudou blinked when Izuna came touching his shoulder with a patronizing smile on his face. Rintarou, with the same look, pointed at the clock which had just struck 10. 

“This guy sleeps automatically when the clock comes around.” Izuna explained.

“And he won’t wake up until it’s his designated time. Trust me, we tried.” Rintarou added, much to the confusion of the rest.

“So he has like a built-in alarm clock in his body?” Takahashi came jumping around Haruaki’s sleeping form with excitement. “I had never been around Onii-san when he sleeps before, so I didn’t know!”

“Akira-kun, you shall not cut him up to look for an alarm clock.” Utagawa reminded him sternly, much to the disappointment of the boy.

“Yes, ma’am~”

“Excuse me, but can we borrow your spare bed?” Rintarou asked. “Hatanaka and I can answer your questions, but we have to get him to sleep properly first.”

“Well, I guess that’s fine.” Nyuudou agreed with an exasperated huff. Although he looked concerned a moment ago, right now he is calm again. Either he was very adaptable, or he was just accustomed to weird stuff that happened around him at this point, who knows. 

“Let’s continue this later.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, is it true that the island that appeared yesterday is an alternative version of ours?!”

“I heard so too! I wonder what kind of person I am there!”

“I heard we might be older there too! Hijita from class 2-3 was a full grown adult last night!”

“Really?!”

“Yeah! Not only Hijita, but I heard Zashiki and Sano were also adults! All three of them!”

“You’re kidding!”

“And Sano has black hair and glasses!”

“Sano-kun? Glasses? I’d never thought that’d be a combo…”

“Whoa…the story spreads so quickly it’s scary.” Nyuudou muttered as he blatantly listened to the conversation outside. To be fair, it wasn’t eavesdropping if those students didn’t even bother to lower their voices. “And we haven’t even said anything yet…”

“‘We’?” Hijita, Tama, and Maizuka all blinked innocently. Nyuudou was about to ask what was the implication behind that when he heard,

“Oh, and I heard that the Sano from the other island is a human!”

““ WHAT?! ””

“No way that’s true, that guy—-!”

BAM! Nyuudou shut the window to their class before going back to sit again. He let himself fall into his chair, took a moment of breather, before lifting his one eye up to glare at his friends.

“You guys…”

“What? The principal did say we can talk, didn’t he?” Hijita retorted while Mame and Tama nodded.  

“That’s right, that’s right!”

“We have the youkai right to speak!!”

“Ugh…” Nyuudou held his head and groaned. “This will only cause more confusion—!”

“Actually, when did you guys learn all of this?” Mujina, being Tama’s roommate, was one of the first people who heard about the situation from the cat. However, last night he wasn’t at the scene and was sleeping peacefully in the dorm room. “No, actually, I know when, but why didn’t you wake me up!?” The Nopperabou complained.

“Eh~ But you told me to disturb you ‘cuz you were trying to catch some sleep after an all-nighter you pulled yesterday.” Tama reasoned. The truth was, Mujina did indeed say that as he did indeed pull an all-nighter to play games the day before. Still, the real reason why Tama didn’t wake him up last night was because he found it too troublesome. 

Mujina could only click his tongue. “Well, I wanna see those grown up guys too. I wonder what kind of a loser Hijita will be when he grows up.”

“Hey, that’s mean!” Hijita retorted and they ended up having a small petty fight. Ignoring the two, Nyuudou turned towards Mame.

“By the way, where’s Sano?” He asked. “It’s rare for you not to be with him all the time.”

“Sano-kun went out with the older Sano-kun in the morning.” Mame ignored the slight sarcastic remark and replied as cutely as ever. “I thought it was just him and the other Sano-kun at first, but then I later learned from Hijitan that the older Hijitan and older Beniko-chan were going out too. That’s why if Sano-kun gets hurt I’ll kill Hijitan!”

“Wait, what?!” Hijita whirled around in panic. “Me?!”

“Wow, the tanuki’s as ruthless as ever.” Tama noted casually while Nyuudou sweat dropped. ‘More like; as terrifying as ever.’

“Hey, you guys. Quiet down already.” A voice spoke up as soon as the school bell rang. The first class has started, but it was Hatanaka’s. And since the man and his other two colleagues had gone out and hadn’t returned yet, they thought the class would be a self study session, however…

“H-Hijita?!”

“You-?!”

The person who stepped into the classroom was none other than the older-looking Hijita, followed by the older looking Zashiki and the two Sano’s. All of the adults looked like they were doing the most normal thing ever, even though their Sano was making a weirded out face while the students outside were still watching their every move in shock.

“I’ll be in charge of the first class instead of your Spookalogy teacher.” The older redhead told them, before turning back and barking at the gawking students from other classes. “And you kids, go back to your classrooms already!”

“Y-yes sir!” The students immediately hurried away, and soon it was just the three adults and class 2-3, who were still left speechless by the newcomers’ presenses. 

“You guys, go back to your seats! I’ll be starting the roll calls instead of your homeroom teacher too.” He ordered, and the students immediately complied. Except for his younger counterpart, that is.

“Hey, why are you here?!” The red haired teen cried. “Last night you said you’re going back to your island!” Beniko, who was sleeping until now, was awakened by the commotion. She too gawked at the presence of the three.

“C’mon! Seriously?!” Since the three adults didn’t have a place to stay last night, they stayed with their younger counterparts, aka. the dorms. Nyuudou knew of this since he was Hijita’s roommate and had to suffer the consequences of these adults’ lack of preparations.

“Well, the guy who sent us here still has work to do and will be free after lunch.” The older Zashiki Warashi shrugged and made her way to the back of the class, ignoring the other students’ interested looks. The older Sano followed her while his counterpart went back to his seat. “And since there’s time to spare, we thought Hijita-sensei here could stand-in for your absent teacher. Sano and I are just doing class observation. So, if Hijita messes up, just tell me. I’ll tell the Principal to cut his paycheck.”

“What?!” The older redhead cried. It seemed like their relationship stayed the same even when years passed. The thought made some students muffled a laugh, much to the annoyance of the teacher.

The older-looking Hijita cleared his throat. 

“Now, let’s begin–”

“Hey, Sensei!” Mujina raised his hand, interrupting the older man.

Older Hijita, to his credit, was calm.

“What is it?”

“You said you’ll be standing in for Hatanaka, so that means you’re also a Spookalogy teacher, right?”

“That’s right.” The older Hijita nodded. “Any other question?” This time, Zashiki raised her hand. “What is it, Zashiki?”

“Sensei, how did you get your teacher license?” She asked flatly, making both Hijita’s sputtered. “Last I checked, you got the same score as me; barely above zero.”

“That’s one kind way to say ‘1’.” Nyuudou commented wryly. 

“At least it was better than Hatanaka in his school years.” Mame said matter of factly.

“Excuse me, but I did get my teacher license properly.” Older Hijita said while his younger counterpart nodded proudly. In reality there was no pride to be taken though, since none of the achievements were his in the first place. “No way the principal would hire me otherwise.” The teacher muttered while side-eying Nyuudou, surprising the teen a bit. What was that? And why did he get bad feelings from it? 

“And if there’s someone who did not get her license properly though, it’s Zashiki-sensei there.”

The class turned their heads towards the woman, who was using the locker as her chair. She shrugged. “I don’t need one to get hired. Unlike someone.”

“ What do you teach, anyways?” Her younger counterpart asked.

“Secret.”

“Huh?” The entire class blinked, while her companions just sighed. It seemed like a normal occurrence for them at this point. 

“How can the subject you teach be a secret?” Hijita muttered, but the woman just shrugged again before pulling out a candy and plopping it in her mouth. The class just sweat dropped.

“How about Sano-k– Sano-sensei?” Utagawa, bless her heart, changed the subject and turned towards the bespectacled man instead. “What do you teach?”

Older Sano simply pulled out a handbook. 

The title simply said one word: ‘Math’.

‘ Ah… ’ Every student became pale and turned back without another word. Of course, Sano taught that dreadful subject. Who would have guessed?

“Just…begin the class, Hijita-sensei.” 

“Oh, okay?” The older Hijita looked confused by the students’ sudden obedience, but since it made his work easier, he didn’t complain. “Well, starting with…”

The class progressed without hiccups. 

Actually, there were a bit of hiccups here and there since Hijita wasn’t familiar with this set of students and some changes from the textbook he knew…but otherwise, he was a good enough teacher to pull it through. It was quite an impressive feat for a teacher that has to teach a subject that varies in students’ personal abilities and magic, really. 

At the end of the class, after Sano had taken note of the differences between the people he knew and the students in the class, he decided to go out for a bit.

“Toilet?” Zashiki asked.

“Yeah.”

He saw his younger counterpart’s lingering gaze on him, but he decided to ignore it. 

He did take note of another student’s gaze on him though. He was quite an interesting case, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to tangle himself with.

So far, he knew about a quarter of the class personally. There were some students he had heard about before, on TV or otherwise, but some were completely unknown to him. He intended to investigate more when he had the time. 

Still, it was quite interesting to think that so many of the people he knew were in the same class. Was it fate? Or was it something otherwise entirely?

While pondering about all this he heard footsteps rushing towards his direction. Still, he wasn’t quick enough to dodge and ended up bumping into the other party in the end.

“...!”

The person in front of him was panting heavily. His long hair, usually tied into a proper braid, was a tangled mess. His appearance, which he assumed was usually much more put together, was ruffled in wriggles as if he had just hurriedly dressed up ten minutes ago. 

“...Mii-kun.” 

The person– no, the god breathed out while looking at his face in shock.

Chapter Text

“Haruaki-senpai! Miki-senpai! Ah, and Hatanaka-senpai!”

“Hm…?” The three people- or rather, youkai who were called turned their heads towards the familiar voice that was sounded from behind. Two with interest, one with fright. “Oh, Makoto-kun! Good morning.” 

Haruaki waved at the Doppelganger boy who waved back. “Where’s Akira-kun, though?” He turned around for the usual ‘energetic’ boy, not noticing his weasel friend’s intense fear. 

“Eh…well, Akira-kun got very…preoccupied with new…friends.” Yamazaki, being the honest and kind boy he was, was hesitant to say out loud that his childhood friend and adoptive brother had found a new specimen who wandered into his backyard without knowing their impending doom. Izuna could respect that. “They’re the same friends you met yesterday, Senpai!”

“Eh, is that so?” Haruaki blinked. “I thought they were going to the school though?”

“Did you meet some weird people, Haruaki-kun?” Rintarou asked.

“They’re not some middle school-age bullies, right?” If that was the case, then Izuna and Rintarou would need to be prepared to teach those kids who messed with their friend a more…rough lesson. One that included some violence, some may say. Haruaki, seeing the dark looks on his best friends’ faces, quickly shook his head.

“No, no, that’s not it, I swear!” The boy laughed awkwardly. “I wanted to talk to you about them! But I fear the principal might chew me out later…” 

“Huh…” Izuna and Rintarou exchanged looks. While it was weird that Haruaki would have anything to be kept away from them, the fact that the principal could be an earful most of the time was well-known. That man might look calm and composed on the outside, but in reality he was one hot-blooded guy who could be very rough with his approaches. 

“If it’s Miki-senpai and Hatanaka-senpai then I don’t think it will be a problem…Still, it’s better if we ask first.” The two seemed to have come to a conclusion at that point. Izuna and Rintarou could only wait, then.

The four walked to the school building together. The three second year students all lived at the same dorm, so they usually went to school together. Yamazaki and Takahashi, on the other hand, lived at the principal’s house which was very close to the school so they sometimes bumped into each other like this. 

“By the way, Haruaki-senpai, Kuniko-san asked if Amaaki-senpai is better now.” Yamazaki asked lightly. Utagawa Kuniko, the school nurse and doctor, was his and Takahashi’s adoptive mother. From what Izuna heard, Yamazaki once lived with the Takahashi household, but when the parents died, both children were adopted into the Nyuudou household. Apparently Utagawa was good friends with the Takahashi parents and had been close to the two since they were young. 

“Yeah, he should be back to school tomorrow. It’s all because of her medicine, though, so please thank her for me.” Haruaki smiled brightly and Yamazaki nodded. 

“Speaking of sick people, how is that scumbag of a senior doing?” Rintarou asked out of curiosity more than anything. “I heard he’s also in his dying bed.”

“Eh…Ranmaru-san just has a cold because of the change of weather though..” Haruaki blinked, confused, but Izuna just patted his shoulder while shaking his head. 

“You don’t understand the right to dream do you, Haruaki?” That only made Haruaki more confused. “Well, since he has a cold, he’ll probably use it as an excuse to take a leave or something. Even if it’s just a minor one.”

“Shame. I wanna see his pathetic runny nose face for once.” 

“You just saw it the other day when he sneezed out the Mandragora pollen, didn’t you?” Haruaki remarked while sweat dropping at his friends’ antics. 

Soon, they parted ways with the younger teen and went to their class, class 2-3. Their math and homeroom teacher, Sano, was absent today so Kashima the social studies teacher was substituting for him. Of course, Izuna knew nothing about math, so by the end of the class he was drawing some circles and squares on his notebook while balancing a pencil on his mouth.

“Hatanaka! What is the answer to this question!” Kashima, exasperated by his attitude, called out his name and pointed at some symbols and letters on the board. Izuna couldn’t even read the question, let alone answer it. Beside him, Rintarou held his head in his hands while Haruaki made some symbols with his hands and mouth.

‘2…3…ham? What? What are we even studying about?’ Izuna wanted Haruaki to just answer the question instead of him, Kashima’s dark glare was piercing his head like some sort of bullet. He needed to answer now, or he would be dead. 

Izuna cleared his throat before pronouncing his answer clearly.

“Uhm…twenty three hams on sliced up sandwiches?”

There was a moment of silence within the room, with all students and teacher gawking at him with disbelief. For a foolish second where Izuna thought he actually got the correct answer, only for him to notice Haruaki’s horrified look and Rintarou’s facepalm.

“...Hatanaka.” Kashima said slowly, as if he was talking to a toddler. “Right now, Hatanaka, we’re learning about units.” There was a pause. “The answer was 2.3 kilograms. It’s, like. Literally on the board.” Kashima pointed at the place below the question he had been gesturing at before, where there was a bold ‘ ans ’ written nearby. “Right here.”

“....Oh.” Izuna sounded out, not noticing Haruaki’s indescribable face and Rintarou’s head banging the table. “I see.”

“...Sit down.”

The atmosphere was so awkward that no one even dared to laugh. Even Kashima looked like he was reconsidering his life choices, wondering if it was his fault for teaching a topic too far beyond his student’s level of intelligence. It was that pitiful and Izuna ended up sitting in his seat obediently, face red, for the rest of the class.

“Huh? This time it’s math?” When the class ended, Izuna rushed to the toilet before any of his friends could stop him, his hand dialing someone reluctantly. “Are you kidding me? With you, you need to start with how to read elementary school level kanji, Glasses.”

“I know that!” Izuna cried. “But I have to do well! Soon! Immediately! Right now!”

“Don’t rush it, idiot. You’ll end up stressing yourself to death.” There was a clicking sound from the other side of the phone. It seemed like his personal tutor, Abe Amaaki, was busying himself with something else aside from comforting the poor weasel. 

“What else can I do though? Both of my best friends are at the top of the year! And here I am, at the rock bottom.” The bespectacled blonde sniffled. “This isn’t fair!”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. But give up on jumping to the highschool level. I bet you couldn’t even read the question, could you?” Hit in bullseyes. 

Izuna slumped, depressed. “Why is life like this? I can’t even get any score other than 0 my entire life. At least I wanna get a minus for once.”

“Why are you hoping for a worse result?” Amaaki sighed. The clicking sound stopped and the other teen adjusted the phone in his hand. “Listen, Glasses. Things like this take time, and you only started taking things seriously this year. You can complain all you want, but if you want good results, you need to do it until you achieve it.” He scolded, and Izuna could only make a petulant face childishly. “Besides, there’s a girl you wanna impress, right? Try a bit harder for her.”

“H -HUHHHH?! ” Izuna jumped and cried into the microphone, but Amaaki was already back to his clicking nonsense. “How did you know that—?! And what are you doing anyway?!”

“I’m Haru-monitoring.” Amaaki, the brocon, said matter of factly like it was the most normal thing in the world. “I know everything involving Haru…you and that girl’s relationship just happen to occur around Haru’s vicinity.”

“W-why you….” Izuna gritted his teeth, his face burned red like he was on fire. And yet he couldn’t find words to retort to the scumbag on the other side of the line. 

“If that’s all, I’m cutting the call.” Amaaki said flatly. “Haru and Miki are coming your way.”

“What? Seriously?!”

“Yeah. Better go before your best friends see you complaining like a baby.” Izuna could picture Amaaki rolling his eyes, and the thought ticked him off more. “Oh, by the way. I’ll give you some of my notes from when I was in elementary school. Although it’s practically useless in high school, it’s better than nothing, especially for you.” He said, before cutting the line entirely.

“Ah- Hey, hey!” Izuna looked at the blank screen with exasperation. This guy’s personality was honestly awful, especially when combined with his severe brother complex, but he was unexpectedly nice in times like this.

Thud…thud Footsteps echoed from outside of the stall he was in, making him flinch. Izuna wiped open the camera app in his phone, checked his eyes if they were still red, patted his cheeks a few times to make himself feel alive again, before swinging the stall’s door open.

“Oh! Hey, guys! I kinda, you know, needed a quick trip to the toilet, since, you know—” Izuna blinked when he realized that there was only one youkai in front of his stall, and that youkai was not either of his friends.

The older youkai blinked back at him, looking equally surprised.

“Akisame?!”

“That’s Akisame- sensei for you.” The man, Akisame Tamao, sighed, but Izuna knew neither of them cared about superficial honorifics anyways, especially when no one else was around. “I saw Haruaki and Miki in front of the toilet, looking for you. Don’t worry, I sent them away.” Akisame told him before he could panic again. When Izuna sighed with obvious relief though, the teacher looked at him flatly. “Seriously, I don’t understand why you feel the need to act cool in front of them. Haruaki especially. I don’t think either of them will be surprised by your antics anymore.”

Izuna could only look away childishly.

“Shut up. I know that. They probably saw me at my worst.”

“And?”

“And is it wrong to want to look good in front of your friends?!” The teen complained. Due to his surging emotion, his body turned back to his weasel form, but due to the same reason he didn’t notice this fact and used his ‘fists’ to bump into Akisame’s chest like a rebellious pre-teen. If this happened in his human form, Akisame would probably just let him do whatever he wanted, but since that wasn’t the case the Nekomata had to dodge his every move to avoid being diced up into pieces.

“I know, I know! Now stop trying to cut me with your scythes already!” The teacher hoisted him up like a cat– ironic, since he was the cat and Izuna was a weasel– and took him out of the toilet forcefully. “Listen, I get that you want to look cool, and that you don’t want to fall behind your friends in your studies and all, but don’t do it at the expense of your friends’ worry. It isn’t worth it. Haruaki was worried enough when you switched the dorm room to stay with Amaaki instead. He thought you and Miki were having a serious fight.”

“T-that’s not it! That’s completely unrelated to this!” Izuna tried to get free from Akisame’s grasp, but to no avail. “That’s for the peace of the world! I did that to prevent world destruction!!”

“Yeah, you sure did.” His words did not reach Akisame’s ears at all. Instead, the Nekomata was taking him back to his class. Oh, right, the next subject was Akisame’s Japanese. Literally the only subject the cat youkai was ever decent at. “By the way, Ren- I mean, the principal wants you, Haruaki, and Miki to go to his home on lunch break. Apparently he wants you three to meet some people.” There was a slight hint of something in Akisame’s eyes that Izuna wasn’t sure what it was, even with his animal youkai instincts. 

“...Fine.”

“Oh, and.” Akisame spoke up again when they were about to reach class 2-3. 

“Amaaki was right. If you’re going to be good at your studies, at least be half-decent at reading Japanese first.” He said matter-of-factly, making Izuna’s face burn red. 

“You heard all that?!” Izuna cried and tried to cut Akisame with his scythes again. Unfortunately, his little blades were too small for him to reach Akisame’s face in his human form. 

“Come on, don’t be a baby. I’m trying to help you here ‘cuz I understand how you feel.” Akisame flicked his forehead before letting him go. He then crouched down to look him in the eyes. 

“I can help you with Japanese in my spare time, but aside from my special courses don’t forget to do your own homework and side projects and stuff.” The teacher said seriously, but his voice was not unkind. Izuna sniffed, knowing that he couldn't even finish Akisame’s homework alone, let alone doing side projects. Still, even knowing all that, Akisame didn’t back down. “For animal youkais, we need to work extra hard to get good results.”

“...I know that.” Izuna muttered, and Akisame smiled. Just when they were about to go inside, someone called the Nekomata’s phone, making him pause.

“Sorry, you go in first.” Akisame told the teen, which the latter just shrugged and obliged. “Hello? Renren?...I see, got it.”

Chapter Text

“….Mii-kun?”

Ebisu’s voice echoed within the hallway. His eyes, usually calm, composed, and sometimes cold, were blown wide as he looked at the taller, older, other version of his little brother. “You’re really Mii-kun….but why?”

Sano, unlike Ebisu, kept his expression minimal. Although he was indeed surprised by the presence of the god before him a moment ago, his face was as unreadable as ever.

“Sorry, but I think you confuse me with someone else.” The man said and tried to walk past the god. However, Ebisu did not allow him to.

“Wait!”

Sano glanced at the hand holding his arm, before looking up at Ebisu’s darkened face. 

“Sir, if you’re looking for Sano Mikoto, he is currently in his classroom.” Sano said in a semi-polite tone, similar to that of a teacher when talking to a student’s parent. “Now, if I may…” The bespectacled man tried to move again, but the hand only gripped his arm even more.

“…I was talking to you, Sano-san .” Ebisu said in a low voice. “I heard from some students that you’re another version of my Mii-kun. Is that true?”

Before Sano could say anything, Ebisu continued asking. 

“Is it true that you’re an adult now? Is it true that you’re a teacher in this youkai school now?” Each word was spoken with more and more force than the previous one. “Is it true?! Is it true that you’re human now of all things?! ANSWER ME, MII-KUN!! ” 

Sano stared back at him silently, before answering,

“That’s right.”

“WHY?! How?! ” His two colored eyes, usually stable in nature, glared at him with an indescribable look in them. As if he was desperate. As if he was losing something. Sano wouldn’t know. 

Finally feeling like he really didn’t want to deal with his family situation on this island after all, Sano shook Ebisu’s hand away. “Look, me and your younger brother are completely different people. We might have some similarities, but your brother’s the same as ever if that’s what you’re concerned about.” He said matter-of-factly while also patting away at his arm where Ebisu grabbed him earlier. “Honestly… he was also looking at me weird while I was in class. Can I assume that he was gathering my information to send it over to you?” Ebisu narrowed his eyes, but did not confirm or deny his accusation. “I see. You don’t want to talk about it after all. You’ve always been like this wherever you are, aren’t you? Wanting to know all about me while neglecting to explain what you’re up to. It’s grating my nerves. I don’t want to deal with what you’re scheming, especially when you’re like this.”

“So I am still in contact with you in that place too?”

“You didn’t listen to anything I just said, did you?” Sano sighed. But when he saw the look in Ebisu’s eyes, the look that says he won’t let him go until he answers his question, the man tilted his head a bit. “Even if I’m at the end of the world, I’m sure you’ll find a way to catch up to me, somehow. It’s annoying.”

“And I say that’s what a good older sibling should do.” Ebisu said, and although his tone was sarcastic, Sano felt like he truly believed what he said. And he looked more relaxed as well. “Oh, well. As long as there’s a me on that side too, there’s nothing to worry about.” 

“You think so? To me, having you around is more concerning than the alternative.” Sano hummed just to go along with his flow, but when he managed to walk past the long haired man, he paused.

“Oh, by the way.” The man spoke up.

“The you on that side is the kid sibling.”

“Wait, what-” When Ebisu whirled his head around, it was too late. As soon as he dropped his bombshell, Sano sprinted away from the spot and jumped down from the hallway’s railings. “ WHAT?! You–!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THIS IS THE SIXTH FLOOR!!” The god of fortune yelled after his falling back, only to be surprised when Sano grabbed the second floor’s railing and jumped onto the lower hallway instead. The escape was quick and definitely planned from the start, intended to use the momentary relief Ebisu gained from getting the answer he wanted just to induce confusion into the mix, creating shock. 

Ebisu, now left by himself, could only stare with his mouth gaped open. After a while, he ended up exhaling exasperatedly. “What were you trying to pull? Aren’t you supposed to be human?” The man muttered as he felt his momentary shock fade, and his weight pulled him down to the hallway’s floor. He leaned against the guardrail’s side, his lips tucked up to form a lopsided smile.

“And what do you mean you’re the older one now!? That can’t be it! I’m the older one!” Ebisu suddenly complained and threw his four limbs back and forth like a child. He stopped, and with the same smile as before, the man tilted his head towards the figure lurking in the shadow not too far away.

“Isn’t that right, Yuuta?”

“What you’re doing right now is literally what only younger siblings do when they throw a tantrum.” Kurahashi Yuuta's voice joined the scene. Cold red eyes hidden behind a thick pair of glasses looked down on Ebisu’s sitting form like he was looking at a pathetic man-child instead of his supposed boss. 

“If you’re asking me, I’d say that person is far more mature than you in many regards, Ebisu-sensei. Especially with your brother complex coming to play.”

“I told you to not be so formal with me, Yuuta~~” Ebisu scolded, much to the exasperation of the blonde man. “And what’s up with that polite tone but super not-polite words? I’m still your boss, right?”

Kurahashi did not answer the contradictory statement, but his face said it all; ‘Do you really think I care?’

“Go back to work. Not only did you sleep in this morning, you’re getting late to the class you need to attend.” The student ordered the teacher, who clicked his tongue obnoxiously. Kurahashi paused in his steps.

“What was that?” The bespectacled man asked, as if daring Ebisu to try and defy him.

“Nothing?”

Seeing Ebisu’s innocent look, Kurahashi could only sigh and turned around. “Come on. Spookology ended just now. I told the others that I was going to the toilet, so if I don’t return quickly–”

“Hey, Yuuta.” Ebisu spoke up, interrupting him. The blonde student felt his eyebrow twitch with irritation. 

“What is it?”

“I want to go to that other island.” The god of fortune stated lightly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. 

“Can you make it happen for me?”

A simple request. An absolute command. Either way, both of them knew from the start that there would be no other response to the statement. Ebisu didn’t specify why he wanted to go to the new island, nor did he tell him how to carry out the mission.

But if the god of fortune wanted something, for whatever reason it was, the vassal’s job was to make it happen.

 Kurahashi looked at him for a moment, before saying one simple word;

“Fine.”

Nyuudou Rensuke

10 : 30

Nyuudou Rensuke — How is the situation?

Sano Mikoto — There’s nothing of note yet. There are suspicious people I don’t want to involve myself with, but I don’t think they are the cause of this incident.

Nyuudou Rensuke — …I see. Make sure not to cause trouble while you’re there. 

Nyuudou Rensuke — I will send Kurai over with a motorboat. He should be there in about an hour or so.

Sano Mikoto — If he hasn’t left yet, then it’s fine. We already arranged a ride back.

Sano Mikoto — Besides, I want to check out around the island first. Might find something interesting.

Nyuudou Rensuke — …Fine.

Nyuudou Rensuke — By the way, is this ride the same one as the one you took yesterday?

Sano Mikoto — …….

Sano Mikoto — Yes?

Nyuudou Rensuke — Sano…

In response to Nyuudou’s ominous message, Sano’s answer was immediate.

Sano Mikoto — In my defense, no one stopped me.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Sano, I’ve always thought you are the only relatively sane one in your little group.

Nyuudou Rensuke — It seems I’ve mistaken.

Sano Mikoto — I am sane.

There was a moment of silence when Nyuudou’s text bar appeared and disappeared. The man on the other side of the screen seemed to have so many things to say that he struggled to put his misery into words.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Sano, let me get this straight.

Finally, a set of text messages was sent through. Each of them followed the previous one immediately, leaving Sano with no room to interfere.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Yesterday evening, we discovered a strange island that popped up out of nowhere beside our doorstep.

Nyuudou Rensuke — I called every faculty member over.

Nyuudou Rensuke — And yet you, Zashiki, and Hijita were nowhere to be found.

Nyuudou Rensuke — The next thing I heard, you asked Maizuka who was visiting to transform into a fucking slingshot .

Nyuudou Rensuke – Shoot yourselves over across the sea. 

Nyuudou Rensuke – Landed on the highest mountain miles away from where you were.

Nyuudou Rensuke — And caused a FUCKING CRATER in the process.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Had the leader of the other side been any less accommodating, OR you landed on their school building for god’s sake, 

Nyuudou Rensuke — You’d be accused of a fucking war crime. 

There was a moment of silence as Sano considered his life choices, before typing back.

Sano Mikoto — I mean,

Sano Mikoto — It was quicker that way.

Nyuudou’s messages, however were immediate.

Nyuudou Rensuke — That.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Was NOT an excuse.

Nyuudou Rensuke — You’re not getting any tanuki plush this month.

Sano Mikoto — Damn.

 Nyuudou Rensuke — And tell Hijita and Zashiki that their pays had been cut for not only not stopping you but also supporting you.

Sano Mikoto — …I see.

Nyuudou Rensuke — …I have a feeling that you are smirking at this exact moment. But whatever.

Nyuudou Rensuke — When are you coming back?

Sano Mikoto — Maizuka said he’ll be free by lunch.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Great. We have our own guests we want to send home before we are accused of abduction.

Nyuudou Rensuke — I will tell Maizuka he has more passengers to carry.

Nyuudou Rensuke — We have four grown men with us though, are you sure you don’t want a motorboat?

Sano Mikoto — I don’t think that will be a problem.

Sano Mikoto — Maizuka said he just bought four new speedboats last month.

Sano Mikoto — He also customized all of them to be tanuki-themed too.

That was the main reason why he wanted to go on Maizuka’s boat more than Kurai’s, actually.

Nyuudou Rensuke — …I see.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Sometimes I forget his influence. And money.

Sano Mikoto — I really don’t want to hear that from someone like you.

After all, compared to them teachers, the Nyuudou family was extremely rich.

Nyuudou Rensuke — I might not have said that had your students not destroyed the entire school building a few weeks ago.

Oh, right. That did happen.

Nyuudou Rensuke — Ever since I became this school’s principal, I feel like I’ve made a hole in my wallet.

Sano could feel pressure coming from the other side of the screen. He needed to direct the principal’s anger to somewhere else, or his salary will be deleted just like his right to own a new tanuki plush.

Nyuudou could confiscate his plush all he wanted, but as long as Sano got his pocket money full, he could always buy a new one.

Sano Mikoto — The incident was mostly Yanagida’s fault though.

Nice one. It was Yanagida’s potion that destroyed the school building in the first place.

Nyuudou Rensuke — If you hadn’t punched him in the face, then maybe he wouldn’t have made his test potion fall out of his lab window and into Abe’s hands.

Or maybe not.

Sano Mikoto — Fair point.

Sano Mikoto — But let’s forget about that.

Sano Mikoto — I’ve talked to the weird man wearing a golden mask. He’s agreed to talk to you over the phone. 

Nyuudou Rensuke — You really are quick to get back to work when your mistakes get involved, huh?

Nyuudou Rensuke — But at least you got your job done. I’ll be prepared for the call. 

Nyuudou Rensuke — I hope you will be there. And attend the meeting until the end. 

Sano Mikoto — Of course I will.

Sano Mikoto — Why are you making it sound like I’m going to ditch the first moment I get the chance?

Nyuudou Rensuke — Because that’s exactly what you will do.

Sano didn’t reply. He simply tucked his phone back into his pant’s pocket. That conversation took an unnecessarily long time to end, and yet he felt like further scolding was waiting for him as soon as he met his current boss’ face.

Maybe he should actually ditch the meeting.

“Huh, Sano. Where have you been?” Later, Hijita and Zashiki found the bespectacled teacher standing by himself as he carefully inspected the structure and design of the school building, wondering if there was any difference compared to their own. Or at least, that, and he was figuring out a way to not get his pay cut. 

“We waited at class 2-3 for a while just to wait for you, but you didn’t come at all. We thought you got lost.”

Hearing that statement, Sano couldn’t help but huff. “Nonsense. This school is basically a replica of our own.”

“But even if you say that, you did get lost on your first day looking for the principal office, didn’t you?” Zashiki teased with a smirk, making the human teacher flinch. Of course, out of all the countless mishaps and chaos that happened within the school, Zashiki had to remember that one in particular. 

“And instead of the principal office, you went to the science club instead and got bombed by Yanagida’s potions.”

“That was not my fault.” Sano rightfully defended himself. “I was set up.” He scoffed, but there was a hint of red on his cheeks that made his two co-workers and friends snicker. The incident was the first impression he got from working as a teacher at Hyakki Academy. It had been his first day at work, and he didn’t even know what to expect from the island he had just landed his foot on.

It had been three years since then.

“Man, being in this place is really something else. Who would have thought I’d see myself that young again?” Hijita suddenly reminisced while sitting on a bench close to where Sano was standing. “And the Principal, Tama, Yanagida, Mame and Dr. Utagawa! And was that the famous basketball player Tobyou and the host from the crossdressing club? Man, familiar faces sure do gather around us, huh?” That sure was the case. The names Hijita just listed were surely pactful of people they knew, and yet it hadn’t come close to finishing yet. “Ah, there was also the police officer Mujina, right? What’s up with the afro though?”

“And Sano with blonde hair too. I bet that would sell millions on our island.” Zashiki smirked. She probably had some pictures taken already if she said that. “And Mame… Oh~~I’m filthy rich right now”

“You’re not done with your Tanuki merchandise yet?” The redhead rolled his eyes. “I mean, it’s not like that many people will buy Mame’s picture when he was a teen. Isn’t that right, Sa–” As Hijita was about to turn around for the support of his friend, he saw the man already had his wallet in his hands and was reaching for a handsome amount of money. “...Sano…..”

“What?” Ignoring Hijita’s judgemental look, Sano handed his money to Zashiki, who smirked and accepted it without words. 

What? He was just supportive of his coworker who would probably not get her pay in full this month, that was all.

He wasn’t going to tell either of them that fact, though.

“You’re really– Oh, I give up.” Hijita could only throw his hands at his friends’ stalker-like behavior. “The only person who understands me is Tama. Tamaaaaa~, where are you?!?!”

“I bet he’s doing Renren’s handyman work, as always.” Said the only woman in the group as she counted the money she just received. “A thousand yen for five pictures, including human and tanuki forms? Wow, I didn’t know my prices dropped, Sano?”

“No, that’s for one picture.” The bespectacled man pushed up his glasses sharply. “I want to see the quality of the first picture first before I give a definite price. It might go up accordingly.”

“Only ups and no downs? As expected of my number one client!!”

“Both of you are creepy. Leave me alone. Why am I even here? And don’t just call the principal’s nickname casually. He’ll kill us if he finds out anyone but his wife and pet cat call him that.”

“And you’ ll get killed if Tama hears you call him a pet cat again.” Zashiki rolled her eyes. “By the way, remember how Tama said he was not a pet cat while being stroked by Utagawa in his animal form? Hilarious.”

“And then Abe stumbled in because Hatanaka and Miki were hit by the P.E. teacher. Yeah, right, I feel kind of bad for the kid. I think he looked up to Tama a lot. He’s getting special classes after school with Tama too, right?”

“What are you talking about?” Finally keeping his wallet back to his pocket, Sano raised his eyebrows. “The one taking special classes is Akisame, not Abe.”

“Huh, but isn’t Tama the teache— Oh.” Hijita immediately shut up afterwards. Although Akisame Tamao was a good Japanese teacher, he sucked at every other subject. And for the Nekomata, who set his goals to be the most knowledgeable person in the school (or at least, to be able to be compared to Nyuudou), that was by no means acceptable. And the personal tutor for the cat youkai was his student, apparently.

“Well, Abe did rank best last year. And he’s a fairly good tutor too. I don’t get why Hatanaka’s score barely goes up with him around though.” Zashiki noted, remembering the aghast look on Hatanaka’s face when he realized that, despite Abe’s outward appearance, he was ridiculously book smart. 

“Well, his scores are going up. And he gets decent scores on Spookology…when he and his friends don’t mess up the test grounds, that is. I don’t have problems with his scores.”

“But I do.” Sano said to the redhead. “He answered ‘a’ in every question last time.”

“Huh, he didn’t even try to guess, huh?” One of his co-workers commented, but Sano shook his head.

“The subject he was doing was math . And it was not a multiple choice test. He was supposed to answer in numbers. ”

“....Oh.” There was a moment of awkward silence, but it was interrupted by another school bell. The second period had ended, and they would be needed in the principal’s office next. The meeting between the school principals would be happening soon, via a face call, that is. They needed to get to their pose a bit earlier before the designated time to prepare the device though, so no more break for now.

“Well, let’s go then.” Hijita said to the two. Zashiki complained, but she turned to follow him, but Sano stood by himself, unmoving. “Sano?”

“Not going?” Zashiki asked.

“Yeah.” The bespectacled man nodded. He had since come to the conclusion long ago.

“I’ll be back.”

Chapter Text

“Wow, so Akira-kun and Makoto-kun are the Nyuudou’s adopted sons?” Haruaki asked while clasping his hands brightly. “It’s the exact opposite of what I know! On my island, Utagawa-san is Dr. Takahashi’s adoptive daughter and Yamazaki-san is her uncle figure of sorts. Yamazaki-san also grew up with you though! I heard Dr. Takahashi’s parents took Yamazaki-san in after he found him.”

Right now, Akira and the human teacher Haruaki were talking enthusiastically over coffee about things on their islands. The other two teachers, Miki and Hatanaka, were with Rensuke. Apparently, They had managed to connect a face call between the two principal’s phones and were going to have a proper talk for the first time. However, when Akira learned that the three teachers weren’t going to be in his vicinity for a while, he threw a small tantrum that managed to convince Haruaki to accompany him for a bit longer. 

“Really? That’s cool!” Akira said excitedly as he listened to his alternative version’s situation. These are things he had never heard of before. A strange knowledge about different versions of him and his associates. He’d never get tired of listening to it. “My parents died when Makoto-kun and I were kids, and at the time Kurai was just a teen so the Nyuudou had to take us in, so I guess that’s a difference.”

“O-oh… I’m sorry.” The human teacher said somberly, but Akira shook his head. 

“It’s fine. It’s been such a long time now.” The teen said, before smiling enthusiastically. “And Kurai has always been with me! He even became the Nyuudou’s butler just to make sure I’m okay!”

“I actually applied to another household, but somehow the agencies messed up the names.” Kurai’s dissatisfied voice came from afar. “Don’t believe whatever he says about me.”

“Ehhh, why did you have to say that?” Akira pouted back to his older brother, who walked away right after he said that. The teen stuck out his tongue childishly too. “You’re such a meanie!”

He then noticed Haruaki’s weird look, as if he was thinking about something. “What is it, Onii-san?”

“Somehow…” The man muttered wryly. “Somehow, I think you and the Takahashi-sensei in my island are different, afterall.”

Akira tilted his head, not quite understanding what he said.

“How so?”

“Um…how should I explain this…but I’ve met Takahashi-sensei when he was your age before.” Haruaki began, but Akira’s eyes brightened even before he could even get to the main point.

“How, though?! Since you told me that the me over there was over a hundred years old, you, who is a human, shouldn’t be able to live that long!” The teen gasped and pushed his face closer to Haruaki. “Was it time travel?! Or something more simple, like a boring video record?! But that’s boring, though, I want it to be more anatomy-related. Hey, is it clairvoyance?! Or is it–!”

“Ahaha, calm down, calm down.” The human teacher laughed before pushing him away lightly. “I’ll explain that later? But don’t you want to know what’s the difference between you and the Akira-kun I know?”

“Yes! Yes, sir!” The teen immediately raised up his hand and sat up straight, like a student in class. Haruaki looked at him warmly.

“Both of you love learning new things. Your hunger for knowledge is far beyond anything I’ve seen before. It’s honestly terrific.” The human began with a wry smile, and Akira twisted his body, saying “Gee, thanks, Onii-san.” like it was a compliment.

“But well, unlike the Takahashi Akira from the Meiji era…” Haruaki looked far away, reminiscing about his time with the teenage Dodomeki. “You look much freer.”

The Dodomeki in question tilted his head, not quite understanding what he was talking about. Seeing his reaction, Haruaki just chuckled and explained. 

“You see, at the time, ‘Akira-kun’ there really wanted to gain lots and lots of knowledge, but he didn’t openly ask things out loud like you’re doing now.” Haruaki said, and Akira opened his mouth wide like an ‘o’. “I don’t really know why, and I haven’t known you for that long either, so I can’t tell anything more than that. Honestly, I wonder if it’s because of the change of environments that you two grew up in…”

“Ohhh, okay! I get it now!” Akira nodded his head. His sharp mind already processed what Haruaki was trying to convey even if the man himself had left it later vague. “So, even if we’re technically the same person, the fact that I grew up in a different family and era, and also experience different things than the other me made me different from him, is that right?”

The human teacher blinked and looked at Akira for a moment with an expression that he couldn’t quite understand, before nodding and smiling brightly.

“That's right! You really are amazing, Akira-kun!”

“Hehe,” Praised by the older man, Akira grinned ear-to-ear. It was then that one of the other teachers, the person that was another version of Miki, walked in and beckoned Haruaki over.

“Come on, Haruaki-kun. The call has already been connected to our principal office.”

“Oh, I see!” Haruaki nodded. “I’ll get going then. See you later, Akira-kun.”

“Okay! See you, big Onii-san!” Takahashi waved with a bright smile as he watched Haruaki leave with Miki. When the two left, he sat by himself and his smile melted away instantly.

“Man, I still want to know more about that island though.” He complained and kicked his legs. “Maybe I should eavesdrop on them? Actually, I can do that.” His face brightened as he opened one of his eyes to the meeting room, only to be bonked in the head by a pan.

“What are you trying to pull?”

“But, Kuraiiii~!” Akira nursed his injured head. He still hadn't given up on spying in the meeting room, though, since his extended eyes were still open wide.

“Don’t spy on them. I’ll get scolded for not taking care of you properly.” Kurai bonked him in the head again, and this time the force was enough to make the pan dented and Akira collapsed into the sofa. “Just wait a bit, I’m sure they will be done in no time.”

“But I still wanna know moreeee!!!” Akira complained and complained. “Kuraiiiii, do something!!”

“What are you, a five year old?” The white haired man sighed with exasperation. “Why are you always like this…especially when talking with that Abe kid….”

Akira pouted. “‘Cuz Onii-san is a better big brother than you.”

“Want another bonk?”

“Why are you like this? You used to spoil me rotten when I was young.” Akira asked, and Kurai flinched. “And then you moved out the first instance you got into college in the mainland, looking like a man prepared to leave home for good. And then you came back again, as a butler.”

Kurai didn’t reply, but he did look awkward. Akira looked at him with round, innocent eyes, only to let himself fall onto the sofa. 

“Man, old men like you are so hard to deal with.” 

“I’m twenty-three. ”

“Sorry I’m late!” Haruaki and Rintarou soon rushed into the meeting room, which was luxuriously decorated. As expected of a wealthy family, although Haruaki wasn’t sure what the Nyuudou family did in this version to be so rich. 

“It’s fine. Come here.” Nyuudou called them to the head of the long table, where a large screen was placed. Izuna was already there, holding the still-tied troupe captain in his hand.

“ This looks more like a hostage situation than a strategy meeting with Karasuma being tied like that. ” The principal’s voice said half-jokingly from the screen. When Haruaki and Rintarou came to look closer, they saw older Hijita and Zashiki looking at the screen with interest from the other side too. “ What did he do? ”

“Petty thievery.” Ranmaru’s bright voice answered at the same time as Izuna said, “What do you think?”

“ Is this supposed to be a common occurrence? ” Hijita asked, appalled.

“Wow, this is so embarrassing.” Haruaki realized while scratching his head. Rintarou, on the other hand, facepalmed.

“Let’s…ignore that for now.” Nyuudou cleared his throat. His eyes became a bit darker as he asked. “By the way, where’s Sano?”

“Oh, right! Older Sano-kun is supposed to be there too, isn’t he?” The human teacher gasped excitedly. “And, wow! You two are really similar to my students! How old are you? What job are you doing now? Oh, right, you’re all teachers. Are you eating properly? Are you sleeping properly? Is your principal paying you properly? Is he cutting your salary every opportunity he has to cut costs? Are you stuck on eating ramen cups everyday until your pay day comes around? Are you–”

“That’s right about it, Haruaki-kun.” Rintarou stopped Haruaki’s intense rapping question with his hand, making his friend pout. “You’re overwhelming them with your questions.”

“Awwww,”

But even though Haruaki’s side of people looked accustomed to his randomness, others looked at the masked principal with incredulous looks on their faces. ‘What are you doing to your employees exactly?’

“ Ahem, let’s start the meeting now, shall we? ” The masked principal, feeling a bit intimidated by the indescribable pressure, changed the topic brazenly. 

“ Yeah. We don’t have to wait for Sano. He ditched school just a moment ago. ” Zashiki shrugged.

“ Didn’t we agree not to leave the school grounds until this meeting ended though… ”

“ Well, it’s not like he could stop him even if we tried. ” Hijita answered the principal’s complaints flippantly, making the old man sighed again.

“ Oh well, oh well… ”

“You could at least try…I would like to say that, but you’ll only get beaten up anyways. I can’t believe a human is the most powerful one out of all of you.” Nyuudou muttered flatly, which drew the idiot trio’s attention away quite a bit. 

‘So he was one of the people whose race was changed.’ Noted Haruaki, but he didn’t say anything out loud. If given the opportunity though, he would like to talk to both Sano’s at some point.

“ Well, let’s start from how we were transported here then. ” The masked man began. In his hands was a document he likely made last night regarding the incident they were facing. “ Since we have no real starting point to start yet, right now I only have some theories and assumptions to yield. ”

“You first.” Nyuudou agreed before raising his own set of papers. “I have mine too.”

“Wow, these two unexpectedly work quite well together, don’t they?” Izuna whispered to his friends’ ears as they listened to the two ‘adults’ do their own things. They had been talking back and forth without any real argument for about half an hour now, which was practically impossible for any conversation they were involved with. 

“Yeah…Is this the world of adults?” Haruaki wondered with wide eyes, like he was seeing a miracle happening in front of him.

“We are adults though.” Rintarou argued.

“Physically. I was told I’m a teenager inside.”

“The quiz I took the day before said that I’m mentally seven though.”

“Wow, both of you are brats.”

“But I grew! I was mentally five before!”

“You are supposed to be 25!”

While the idiot trio were arguing over petty reasons, the two school principals seemed to come to a conclusion. 

“You three, come here.” Once again, Nyuudou beckoned them over like kindergarten children. And, contrary to the other people’s expectations, they didn’t complain and tottered over obediently. 

‘They really are children inside, huh.’ Was what everyone thought at the same time.

“What is it, Nyuudou-san? Principal?”

“We’ve come up with a rough plan to deal with the situation.” The Hitotsume-kozo began before pulling out a new sheet of paper, which he drew two messy circles on. “This is the Hyakki Academy island that you came from. There is no way for it to get transport over here, a literal alternative dimension, without some sort of external power.”

“ We suspect it to be divine magic. No normal youkai power can do anything this absurd. ” The masked principal continued. “ And because of that, there has to be traces of the magic left behind on this island. ”

“But since the island was transported here specifically, there might be something special that marked it. As such, a two-way search will commence with teams from both parties.” Nyuudou nodded and added a bit more details to the ‘picture’. And although the others understood the plan just fine, they found the ‘picture’ Nyuudou was conjuring a much harder puzzle to interpret. “We both have some divine magic users on our sides, so they’ll be especially useful for the plan.”

“ And, lastly, to cooperate easier, we’ll exchange some members to the other island to cover for each of our weaknesses. Especially since the nature of this ‘alternativeness’ is still unknown, it’s best that we have more knowledgeable people from the other side to provide more information. ” The old man concluded the plan at the same time that Nyuudou finished his ‘picture.’ “ By the way, Ranmaru-san, you’re coming back here as soon as this ends. You’ll be the team leader of our team. ”

“Whatttt~?” Ranmaru, who just came back from somewhere, complained like a toddler. Wait, why wasn’t he tied anymore? “Don’t wanna. I just got this super expensive-looking vase that can probably be sold fo–”

“And you’re giving that back to us, sir .” Kurai came from behind the thief with a dented pan for some reason they’d rather not know and wonked it on Ranmaru mercilessly, sending him flying over to the other side of the room . Akira appeared behind Kurai’s legs as he looked at Ranmaru’s frail form with interest. 

“When did he go out?” Nyuudou wondered wryly. It seemed like he was concentrating on the conversation so much that he forgot to look out for the thief. “By the way, why isn’t Akira at school yet?”

“I ditched!”

‘How straightforward…’ The others thought, impressed more than anything. But since Nyuudou didn’t immediately jump on his adoptive son’s misbehaviour like he would with his subordinates (especially Hijita), they thought this might be a common occurrence. But…

“Well, this is the third time this month you ditched school with no good excuses, so if it happens again, I’m confiscating your new books.”

“ WHAAAAT?!?!?” Akira’s eyes popped out of his sockets in shock and his hands clenched onto Kurai’s legs unintentionally, cracking a bone or two. Kurai fell face first onto the ground soon after. “B-but Kuniko-san and Onii-san gave me those!!” 

“Which is exactly why I’m confiscating it if you don’t behave at school properly.” Nyuudou said sternly, which made the teen pouted. 

“You don’t dare.”

“I’m really doing it this time.”

“Mom(Kuniko-san) will be mad!”

“Mommy won’t help you this time.”

Akira’s cheeks puffed out even more.

“Idiot Renren!!” He whined before dashing out of the room, leaving behind a pained Kurai (whom Ranmaru was stretching his face into silly expressions) and a fuming Nyuudou. 

“I told you not to call me that!”

There was an awkward silence afterward, right before Nyuudou realized that he had shown his family personality before the others’ presences. The man’s face reddened a bit as he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“W-well, that’s that.”

“U-uhm…will Akira-kun be okay?” Haruaki asked wryly as he pointed towards the direction Akira had run off. “He looked pretty mad… and Kurai-san looks severely injured. Should we call in a doctor? ”

“Nah, he’ll be fine. He’s probably heading to school right now.” Nyuudou shook his hand flippantly before going back to his seat. “I’ll make up to him with a few new books or something if he be a good kid for a week.”

“I-I see…” ‘He’s quite a strict parent as expected…’ 

“And, by the way.” Ranmaru spoke up from where he was sitting. “If I agree to be this ‘team leader’ thing on our side, then who’ll be this side’s leader?”

“ You would have known that if you didn't run off. ” The masked principal scolded.

“Eh~?”

“ Well, that person needs to be a decent divine magic user, for one. And also easy for both sides to cooperate with, for two. ” Luckily, Zashiki answered the Karasu Tengu before he could complain even more. Despite that, she seemed to be preoccupied with her phone, though. “ I can only think of one. ” 

“ Me too. ” Hijita shrugged. “ And stop playing games, Zashiki.”

“ Shut up. ”

‘I wonder who they are talking about…’ Haruaki wondered. He honestly didn’t know anyone on this new island aside from the people in the meeting here, so he could only guess the possible candidates. There were only a handful of people who he knew personally could use divine magic, but to his knowledge, none of them were both ‘proficient with it’ or ‘easy to get along with’. The closest person to that was probably Bonmaru, who could use divine magic to questionable degree while having a somewhat easy-going personality. But even then he was a thief. 

(Ranmaru himself long fell off Haruaki’s list since the word ‘easy for both sides to cooperate with’ came along, and even now he and many others were concerned with their principal’s choice.) 

 At the same time, sounds of thuds and clangs came from the hallways, as well as footsteps that came along with them. There was a cat-like yelp or two, before the door to the meeting room finally opened, revealing one panting two-tone haired man. His breathing pattern was a bit rough, and his outfit was a bit haggard, but he looked like a proper adult version of a Nekomata Haruaki knew. But…there was something off about him that didn’t immediately catch Haruaki’s eyes.

“Calling right before class was mean, Renren.” Akisame complained as he looked up. “You knew I couldn’t miss class, right? And then there was the documents I needed to delivery in your absent, and then the tests I needed to check–”

“Yeah…sorry about that.” The Hitotsume-kozo said apologetically, but the Nekomato wasn’t done.

“And I needed to scale mountains while checking those!” He wailed in despair. “How far do you think the shrine and your house are from each other?! I was half way through calling a Gida taxi for help!”

“Why didn’t you then?” Izuna asked with a mix of exasperation and curiosity. In which he was retorted with a pretty much reasonable answer.

“‘Cuz every Gida family member got banned from the shrine’s grounds, obviously!!!”

“I-I see…” 

Now done with his complaints, Akisame simply sighed tiredly and handed Nyuudou some old scrolls he had with him while also stepping over Kurai’s frail form. “Here’s the divine magic related notes you asked for. Oh, I ran into Akira on the street in front of your house. Did you two have a fight? And why is Kurai on the ground? ”

“Yeah, a bit… And thanks for these.” Nyuudou answered as he received the scrolls gratefully. “Oh, don’t worry about Kurai. He’ll get up…eventually.”

“Ugh…”

“Oh, right.” The Hitotsume-kozo added. “Tamao will be our side’s team leader, so please take good care of him.”

“Huh?”

“ Eh?!?! ”

“Me? Team leader?” Akisame blinked rapidly while looking back and forth between the occupants within the room. It was only then that he became conscious of the other version of the people he knew around him. “What? What team? Are we playing some sort of game? And who’s that boring-looking Glasses over there? ”

“I’m Hatanaka, not Glasses.” The Kamaitachi clicked his tongue, much to the shock of the Nekomata.

“Ohhh, I see. A Nekomata, huh.” Ranmaru itched closer to the man, who flinched away in surprise. “You definitely have a large reserve, and seem to have good control over your spirit energy too. Not bad.”

“He definitely improved a lot.” Rintarou agreed quietly, and Haruaki blinked at him.

“How did you know?”

“Idiot, look at his ears and tails.” Izuna, the Spookology teacher that he was, came whispering into his ears. “Remember the last time we talked about Akisame’s spirit energy control?”

“Oh, right!” Unlike the man before him, his student had a hard time controlling his massive amount of spirit energy, making it hard for him to maintain a proper human form. But from the looks of it, the older-looking Akisame Tamao didn’t have his cat-like characteristics at all.

After listening to the explanation given by the rest, Akisame snapped his fingers in realization. “So that’s why you asked me to get those scrolls.”

“Will you accept the position, Tama?”

“Sure, no biggie.” The Nekomata shrugged. He seemed confident in his own abilities and much more sure of himself. Even though he wasn’t his student, not really, Haruaki found himself emotional again for the nth time since meeting the adult versions of his students. 

“But are you sure you want me to do it? I mean, there are people with better control over divine magic than me.” Akisame asked pointedly.

Nyuudou touched his chin, looking a bit thoughtful and wary, but ultimately nodded his head.

“Yeah. You’re our best bet.”

“Then I’ll do it. Make sure to give me a bonus next month though.” Said the Nekomata without a beat, which made Nyuudou sigh while Ranmaru whirled his head to the screen.

“Acchan, will you-”

“ No. ”

“But Acchan, I’m doing you a service here!”

“ No. ”

“Stingy! Stingy Acchan!”

“ You literally stole ten-thousand yen from my wallet yesterday. ”

“Uwah…”

“ Why is he not in jail yet? ” Hijita asked, just for context. “ And, ah! Beniko-chan Where are you going?! ”

“ The meeting is done, isn’t it? I’m gonna play games at my house. ”

“ You’re just gonna steal your younger version’s console, aren’t you?! ”

“Oh, yeah! I still have classes next!” Akisame looked at the clock and jumped so high his head might hit the ceiling above. “I’m ten minutes late already?! Sorry, gotta run!”

“Ah- wait!” Haruaki called, but it was too late. Akisame was already gone by the time he called out to him. “Ow…I wanted to talk to the older Akisame-kun more!”

“It’s fine. He’ll come over when lunch break comes around.” Nyuudou told him. “I want you to meet your student versions before you leave anyways.”

“Right, we’re leaving at lunch.” Rintarou noted. “How, actually?”

“ Well, since Ranmaru-san is going to come back first– yes, yes you’re coming back immediately, no excuses– you three are going to come back with an associate of Nyuudou-san here.” Their principal explained. 

“A former student of our school actually owns quite the variety of vehicles, and he’s going to make a trip to fetch back my employees on your island anyways, so you can hop on a ride.” Nyuudou explained. “But, well. He’s well known and is quite busy, so we’re trying to keep this a quiet matter. Although the deal was made behind my back… ” The man muttered the last part darkly, making the others sweat drop a bit. 

“Well, you can go do your things. We’re done with this meeting for now. Kurai, make sure they don’t get lost.” The white haired man, who finally recovered from his gag injuries, made a face and led the trio out of the room according to his master’s wish. Now with the others gone, Nyuudou turned back to screen.

“Actually, I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while now. Alone, if possible.”

“ Why, I wonder what the matter might be about.” The masked principal stroked his fake beard calmly as he signaled the other two teachers outside. 

“Well…since we’re talking about divine magic, I have to get a clear idea on something.” Nyuudou rested his cheek on the back of his hand, and his eyes narrowed a bit.

“How is your relationship with the ‘gods’...?” 

Chapter Text

‘The Marodo shrine where the Abe family should live…really has nothing of note.’ Thought Sano as he walked down the stairs of the shrine pensively. ‘The only notable thing there is the Shintai that no longer holds the soul of the spirit turtle, Reiki. At least that was what the priests there said.’ Unlike on their island, the turtle god’s spirit here was unsealed. Apparently it was an accident that happened not long ago, but since the god no longer caused trouble it was left free. A doubtful decision, but if that was what the people who inhabited the island wanted, then so be it.

‘Should I check the area around the edges of the island next?’ If an entire island was dumped in the ocean, then there should be changes within the water currents…no, there should be a tsunami hitting the mainland’s shores by now. But there was no such news on the human’s news website nor the youkai’s, so the water mass might be transported back to this new island’s world?

‘This is quite troublesome.’ Sano didn’t know much about youkai magic, so he couldn’t be sure if it followed the same logic as the laws of physics he knew. Still, it was worth a shot to check out around the port.

As he walked along the familiar yet foreign streets of this youkai island, Sano’s mind drifted with no real destination. He thought about everything that had happened and nothing at the same time. Things like ‘It sure is cloudy today. Is a storm coming?’ or ‘This place sure has lots of familiar faces.’ or ‘Shouldn’t we find a name to differentiate between these two islands?’ or ‘Why aren't there as many tanuki merches sold here?’ entered his mind. To be honest, he found the last question most irritating, but the logical side of his brain told him that he should consider the third question for the sake of his long-term sanity. 

His eyes then spotted a few Mandragoras running amok. ‘This place sure does have a lot of Mandragoras.’ Sano noted lazily. His island did have quite the number of those nightshade plant youkai, but he didn’t think there was as much as he was seeing here. Then, his brain struck an idea.

“Let’s call this island ‘Mandra island’ and the other ‘Tanuki island.’”

He was a genius.

“ KYAAAAA!!” A scream caught Sano’s attention and his brain immediately snapped back to reality. His eyes turned towards the source of the sound. He gasped.

A humanoid figure covered in an ominous aura was seen attacking a group of townspeople not far away. 

The figure loomed over the group, its body much larger than normal humans and youkai were. Dark purple aura covered its body, making it hard to see through the mist. The circle– which he assumed to be the being’s only eye– shone bright red as it raised its fist to crush the people into the ground. 

“A-AHHH–!!!” 

“Watch out!!” The human teacher yelled out.

Sprinting towards the group with his impressive speed, Sano was fast enough to push them away from danger– but not without a few bruises of his own. The stone and dirt of the ground scraped his skin, but the townspeople were ultimately saved.

“T-thank you! Thank you!” A young Nekomata child cried, and he smiled and patted his head. 

“Go call the police and hide.” He told the others. With grateful tears in their eyes, they nodded and ran towards the police station.

Sano narrowed his eyes towards the huge shadow. Slowly, it turned towards him instead of its former target.

Sano immediately ran.

‘That thing doesn’t look like any youkai I know.’ The man thought as he lured it away from the highly populated area to somewhere more secluded instead. ‘What is it? It gives me a bad feeling.’

Sano intended to lure it a bit further away, hopefully to a deserted zone of the port where he could push it down into the water, but then it picked up a nearby trash can and threw it at him. 

“!” 

Sano managed to dodge the attack, but was slowed down and almost got grabbed instead. He managed to and leaped out of the way by kicking its hand, but he barely made it in time. It was more intelligent than he had thought.

“...!” Sano’s eyes widened when he noticed the ominous residue lingered at the hem of his pants, but immediately had to dodge next when the humanoid figure hammered down both of its hands on him.

‘Let’s try not to touch that thing directly.’ Thought the human teacher as he glanced around to find a more suitable weapon. Then, he saw an old pipe lying around near the trash that was thrown at him. 

‘It’s gross, but I guess there’s no other way.’ Sano made a face, more than slightly troubled by the thought of touching the dirty garbage, but ended up picking it up anyways.

‘It hits hard, but it’s slow. On the other hand, I’m quicker, but I doubt this old pipe is a good defensive or offensive option.’ Even if that’s the case, he could at least try. 

When the humanoid figure tried to land a hit again, Sano leaped out of its way and jumped on a roof of an abandoned warehouse, before swinging his makeshift weapon onto the back of its supposed head. 

The figure staggered a bit, but it was obvious that his human strength could barely make a scratch.

Sano narrowed his eyes while watching it look for him, who had already retreated back to the roof. He was by no means weak, but he wasn't a shounen manga character, so attacking head-on really wasn’t his thing. He could try again, but he doubted anything would change. He now felt jealous of the idiot trio’s comedic stunts that could destroy even concrete walls with ease.

‘The residue didn’t seem to affect the pipe though.’ Which was a good thing. Still, he needed to find a way to contain this monstrous being, or else it would attack the Mandra island’s residents again. 

Having made up his mind, Sano intended to move away from his spot to find a more suitable asset. However, the slight movement caused a sound– the rusty zinc roof dented and cracked, causing him to fall with it.

‘Shit!!’ Sano’s eyes locked with its single red one as he fell from the roof down to the warehouse’s floor. He landed on some old wooden boxes, and pain hit his entire body. The sound of something crashing into the window reached his ears, and he saw the humanoid figure heading towards him like a monster from a children’s book.

“Damn it…” Sano’s hands reached for something– anything– near his body that he could use as a weapon. He struggled and struggled, and yet–

‘This!!’

“ Nngh… ” The being reached its dark, deformed hand towards him. But before it could grab him, Sano pulled out a particularly strong flashlight– likely an old product that was scraped away because of minor defects– and pointed its light towards its shadowy face.

“ ...!! ” The ‘monster’ groaned and tilted its head away for a moment. Now seeing it closer than before, Sano noticed something.

‘The chin! It seems like that’s where the dark thing is the thinnest!’

As soon as he noticed that fact, he used that opportunity to reach for the pipe again and hit its chin from below as hard as he could, effectively knocking it backward and falling for good.

“ Huff…huff… ” Sano panted as he looked at the fallen form of the humanoid figure. ‘Is it down?’ He wondered. Either way, he shouldn’t let it loose like this for too long. Luck was on his side for finding something so conveniently effective in the dump, but he wouldn’t get lucky forever. He should definitely look for something to tie it up— No, he should call for help. Better, he should get away before it—-

“...Huh?!” 

Just when he was about to turn away, the dark residue weakened considerably, revealing the image of a normal-looking Hitotsume-kozo who was knocked out cold.

“It’s– it’s a youkai after all?” Sano breathed out in shock. The size difference made him believe that, even if it was a youkai, it should be something more outlandish. A particularly strong oni, maybe? This Hitotsume-kozo, however… looked harmless if anything. He wasn’t that old, but he was definitely of the age that wouldn’t have the strength to do something like cracking the ground with his fists or jump through the window unscathed.

While Sano was left frozen in surprise, the Hitotsume-kozo snapped his red eye wide again and the dark aura covered his entire body like before. The human teacher flinched back, cursing himself for being so careless even for a moment– but his aching body resisted his command, making it hard to move in this state.

‘Damn it…If only–!’ Sano raised his arm up to protect himself, expecting a horrible blow coming for him— and yet the attack never landed. 

When he looked back up, he saw the aura-covered Hitotsume-kozo wrapped in bandages before he could move further.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” A somewhat familiar voice spoke up, and Sano looked behind the humanoid figure’s back. 

A Doppelganger and a few Mandragora stepped closer, with the former letting his bandaged form loose while the latter each had their own small guns on them.

“You…Yamazaki Makoto?” Sano gasped. He remembered the boy for being one of Nyuudou’s adopted sons and the trio’s close friend, but he hadn’t thought he would run into that student’s alternative self here. “And that outfit…”

“The principal told me about you. I’m truly grateful for helping the civilians. Without you, more people could have been more injured.” The man– a police officer, from the look of it– said sincerely. “I’ll take care of this person from here on. You can rest, I’ve already called in a doctor.”

“No– Wait, be careful!” The teacher warned. “That aura– that residue lingers on you. I don’t know what it did to that Hitotsume-kozo, but it’s definitely dangerous.”

Doppelgangers didn’t really have expressions, but Sano could roughly make out Yamazaki’s from using his student version as a reference. The man was silent for a bit, before smiling. “I understand. I’ll be careful.”

Sano was still worried, but he was led by the Mandragora police officers outside to treat his injuries. Not long after, a Gida taxi came over with another familiar face riding on it.

“ Finally~~~ ” A joyful voice rang out, and a new shadow loomed over the wide-eyed Sano. 

This one was arguably more terrifying than the last.

“Hey, don’t you know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment? How many seconds, minutes, days I’ve been waiting to learn more about you?” Takahashi Akira’s lustful gaze looked down on him, rendering him frozen in fear far greater than what he had ever felt his entire life. At some point, the teacher was pushed down to the ground, and the doctor was sitting atop of him with countless knives held in his hands. Behind him, terrifying dolls dressed like nurses held their own blades, although they were much, much bigger than Takahashi’s. Sano’s face immediately paled under such horrifying pressure. 

“A being from a different dimension– A being from a different world!! Oh, I wonder if your insides are like the Sano Mikoto I know? That boy rarely if ever came into my care, and I’ve hardly had the opportunity to study him more. But you! You are much, MUCH, better! I heard you’re a human? Studying a human is rare enough aside from Abe-sensei, not to mention more interesting!! OH , I wonder if you’re really human.” Sano shook like a deer as Takahashi used his hand to bring his face closer to inspect every detail. His glasses had fallen off at some point, and now it left his face feeling more naked than normal, which definitely wasn’t a good feeling. Especially in adult Takahashi’s presence.

“Oh, and you’re injured too!” Takahashi licked Sano’s blood from the wound he gained, and the latter shivered in fright and disgust. That was definitely not hygienic. Was that what a doctor supposed to do?!

Takahashi’s maniacal grin widened even more while Sano’s eyes spiral into a whirlpool. 

“Let me fix you up, okay? <3”

“N-n-no I-I’m fine– I—-” Before Sano could argue, Takahashi began doing his ‘work’ with a huge maniacal laugh–

–one that would probably haunt his nights for far longer than any other nightmares.

“AGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! ”

“Hey, will he be fine?” One of the Mandragora police officers asked, to which its coworker simply shrugged.

“Physically, probably.” The other Mandragora said while polishing its gun. 

“Mentally? Probably not.”

Omake:

“Sano-kun hasn’t come back yet?” Now done with the little private meeting with Nyuudou, the principal met the other two teachers hanging around the cafeteria comfortably with their mobile phones in hands. They were playing online games…again.

“Nope, no clue where he went.” Hijita shrugged. “Ah–! Zashiki! Kill that zombie on the left! A-and save me!! Please?!”

“I don’t need your orders, noob.” The woman rolled her eyes, and shooting sounds came from their devices repeatedly.

“I…see.” Seeing as he couldn’t get any new information from the two, the principal just sighed and walked away. 

‘Well…since it can’t be helped…I’ll have to do some preparations on my own.’

Chapter Text

“So..where do we go next?” Rintarou asked his friends as they walked into the living room once again, this time with Kurai leading their way.

“Eh…I have no idea.” Haruaki shrugged while Izuna turned towards the butler in front of them. 

“Anywhere interesting?”

“Depends on what you consider ‘interesting’.” Kurai replied without looking back at them. 

“Uhm…maybe somewhere that has someone we might know? Of course, they have to be free at this time of the day too!” Haruaki suggested, which his friends agreed with.

“Hm…not bad.”

“Say a few names. I might know some of them.” The white haired man offered, and the human teacher hummed a bit.

“Well, we met Dr. Takahashi and Yamazaki-san as well as the Nyuudou’s…since people who are adults on our side tend to be students here, we shouldn’t disturb their studies, so…” Haruaki tilted his head. “How about my students? The teachers we just saw were all a ‘no’, so aside from them we have Maizuka-kun—”

“That person is a ‘no’. He’s almost always busy this time of day.” Interrupted Kurai.

“Eh? Oh, well…what about Mujina-kun, Oota-kun and Akibe-san? Oh, and there’s the Okata Twins, Fuji-kun and Ogoso-kun, Kurahashi-kun, Tobyou-kun, Maeda-kun…” Haruaki counted. “Koisumi-san, Yanagida-kun, Momoyama-san, Marilyn-san and Daisy-san—”

“We can go to that person.” The butler suddenly said, surprising the other three.

“You mean Marilyn-san and Daisy-san?” The human teacher blinked, but Kurai shook his head.

“According to the master, this day is usually the day in which a teacher often takes leave for personal matters.” Kurai explained as he began to lead them to the front door. “Come. I think the youkai I’m taking you to is certainly ‘interesting’ enough for you.”

The sight that greeted their eyes was a small, but cute and beautiful restaurant decorated in soft pink and white that made Haruaki think of one of his students. It looked new, like it had just been built a few months ago, and yet some parts of it looked older than that. Green vines decorated the entrance too. At first glance it looked like it was an intentional design choice, but looking closer it was certainly odd compared to the aesthetics of the restaurant itself. The three teachers could only blink at the sight.

“I mean, it certainly looks good, but I don't think any of us are hungry yet.” Said the Kamaitachi, but Kurai ignored him in favor of walking into the building instead.

“This place doubles as a cafe, so just order some drinks or cake or something.” Said the white haired man. “Wait here, I’m going to explain the situation to the owner.”

As they waited, Haruaki couldn’t help but look around with immense interest. The streets and shops of the town were almost identical to their own, but there were certainly differences. This restaurant itself didn’t exist on their island, and yet Haruaki felt like he had walked on this street before. On his island, this building was probably used for something else. 

“There are a lot of tanuki plushies sold here.” Rintarou pointed at the line of tanuki’s items sold on some gift shops along with idol merchandise. “Is there a tanuki celebrity here or something?”

“Who knows?” Izuna shrugged, before turning back to the restaurant. “Speaking of tanukis, this place has tons of them too. Look.” Even from the outside, they could see lines of tanuki plush lined across the countertops and tables. Some decorating items, such as the clock and the mattresses, were also tanuki themed as well.

“This is getting creepy…It’s almost like the Mandragoras on our island.” Rintarou said wryly, making Haruaki pouted a bit.

“Don’t say that! Marshmallows and the others will be sad!”

“I mean, I didn’t say it was a bad thing…”

“Huh, so you like Mandragoras more than tanukis?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say ‘yes’ since I have tanuki students, but—” The oni was halfway answering the question when he blinked. It was only then did he realize that the voice that had spoken a moment ago was not either of his friends’. “Wait, what—”

“Oh, well, I don’t care either way. Personally, I think Mandragoras are more useful than that stupid tanuki though.” The person that had just showed up behind them said casually before walking to the restaurant before them. His pure white hair and coat being the only notable thing they could make out of him.

“Uh…who was that?” Izuna asked, blinking.

“I…don’t know?” Said Haruaki while the white haired man opened the door to the restaurant casually and walked inside.

“A creep, probably.” Rintarou shivered.

A moment after, Kurai came back and called them inside. Haruaki couldn’t help but note that there was no one else within the building, and the mysterious white haired man was gone. Instead, the only ones waiting for them was a familiar pink haired woman in a cute dress.

“Ah! It’s really Momoyama-san after all!” Haruaki clapped his hands in delight before dancing around Momoyama excitedly, making the woman a bit flustered.

“This is Momoyama-san, a former student at Hyakki Academy and the owner of this place.” Kurai introduced her once again to the other two teachers. “Momoyama-san, these are Hatanaka Izuna, Miki Rintarou, and Abe Haruaki. I believe their younger selves are regulars here.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Hatanaka.” Said the Kamaitachi to the woman while Rintarou slightly stepped back. Izuna glanced at him judgmentally, making him flinch. “Rintarou, introduce yourself.”

“…Miki.”

Izuna sighed at his friend’s behavior. Rintarou had a weakness for older women, and it seemed like the effects of that fact were becoming more apparent as they met more people. To be fair, Rintarou was like this too last night when Utagawa was there, but she seemed more like a gentle motherly type than a big sister type so it was easier to hide. Not to mention, there was a lot of chaos (namely Takahashi) happening at that moment, so Rintarou was more preoccupied at dealing with other things than thinking about the woman’s presence.

“I’m Momoyama Natsumi, I’ve…heard about you from Kurai-san.” Well, it didn’t seem like Momoyama minded either way. She simply smiled shyly at them. “…Do you want to order anything?”

“Uhm!” Haruaki said excitedly. “Do you have the menu?”

They were soon led to their seats. Haruaki ordered everything that the restaurant recommended, which included the signature pink colored peach mocktail, a light cheesecake, as well as a bowl of ramen– even though it was still an hour or two before noon.

“Well…an early lunch can’t be that bad.” Izuna gave in and ordered fried rice while Rintarou ordered his usual curry. 

“Won’t you eat?” Haruaki asked Kurai, who shook his head. 

“I’m not hungry.” 

Soon, the food lined up on their table. Some of them were placed in tanuki bowls and glasses. At this point Haruaki couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked Momoyama out loud.

“Do you like tanukis, Momoyama-san?” The woman blinked before blushing a bit. She used the tray in her hands to cover her mouth before nodding.

“You can say that…”

“ More like, ‘it’s because Sano-kun likes tanuki, so I like it too.’ ” Her back mouth spoke up for the first time, surprising everyone there. “ If not because of Sano-kun, I wouldn’t even care about these stingy little creatures in the first place. ” Her back mouth huffed out, which made Momoyama panicked and tied her head with a little cage she apparently carried around. “ Mm-mhsh— ”

“I-it’s not like that!” Momoyama insisted, embarrassed and frustrated. “I mean— it’s true that I first became interested in tanukis because of Sano-kun, but that’s it! I really love tanukis now!”

“I-I see…” Her customers blinked a bit, unsure of how to respond. The only one who seemed to know how to reply was Haruaki, who happily took pictures of the cute creatures inside the restaurant.

“I think tanukis are cute too! I have a Mamedanuki student, you see. It’s not like I didn’t think they’re cute before though, it’s just that, after he became my student, I came to think that tanukis are especially cute after all, since they made me think of him.” Haruaki said with a smile, which made Momoyama nodded along with him. “You think so too, right?”

“Uh-hm!”

“Huh…Haruaki-kun sure does hit it off well with everyone we’ve met so far, doesn’t he?” Rintarou noted as they watched the two delved into an in-depth talk about tanukis, which made Izuna laugh.

“Well, he does seem to consider them his prized students in every universe.”

Kurai, who had been listening to their conversation since the start, couldn’t help but speak up.

“Well, that’s impressive.”

Rintarou and Izuna looked at each other, before chuckling.

““Right?””

“Hey~ Natsu~” A voice, a familiar one at that, called the woman from behind the backdoor. “Have you seen the container on my table~?”

Momoyama frowned slightly before taking her leave and walked back to whoever called her. The teachers couldn’t help but look back at Kurai curiously. 

“Was that Momoyama-san’s relative?” Haruaki asked, thinking of the white haired man that had entered the restaurant before them. “But he didn’t have a mouth on the back of his head, did he…?”

“A friend, maybe?” Rintarou offered while munching his food, but Izuna shook his head.

“With that casual attitude? I’d say a boyfriend, at least .”

“You three seem like high school girls gossiping about your friend’s love interest more than the teachers.” Kurai rolled his eyes. “But no, I believe they’re ‘friends’.”

“…Seriously?” Izuna’s eyebrow rose, but before the conversation could continue further, Momoyama ran back from the back room with her companion in tow. The latter seemed much calmer than her though.

“Everyone, please don’t eat that!” Momoyama cried out, but it was too late. All of them had eaten at least a mouthful of their food…only Kurai remained safe. “I— I put in the wrong ingredient!”

“WHAT?!” They cried out, panicked. Somehow, this situation seemed somewhat deja vu as their body began to react suspiciously, with smoke coming out alarmingly. “What exactly did you put in there?!”

“It’s nothing big, it’s just powder that makes your face turn into the ‘:3’ face. I put it in the salt jar, but who would have thought Natsu would mistake it for actual salt, even though it has the same look, size, and taste like normal sea salt.” The white haired man scratched the back of his head, looking completely unrepentant, and looked at the three with interest. “I intended to use it later on someone else, but you all are amazing experimental subjects. Thanks.”

“You…” Three deadpan looks aimed at the man irritatedly, but because of the ‘:3’ effect, none of them looked threatening at all. “You put it in the salt jar and didn’t expect it to be mistaken? Are you serious?!”

“It’s my fault….” Momoyama apologized solemnly before bowing. “I’ll make up to you!”

“N-no, no, it’s fine, Momoyama-san.” Haruaki shook his hands frantically before looking at the white haired man whose face he was not familiar with. “I’m more curious about you though.”

“Me?” The man raised his eyebrows while his two friends watched with interest. Haruaki smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry if I’m mistaken, but…are you Yanagida-kun?”

The statement took his two colleagues off guard a bit, but none of them wouldn't say they were surprised. From the moment ‘weird chemicals’ were involved, they had figured out that Yanagida the Ittan-momen was involved in some way, but they wouldn't have guessed that he had taken a human form.

“That’s right.” Yanagida replied easily, shrugging. “And you’re Abe-kun, Hatanaka-kun, and Miki-kun from the other island. I’ve heard about you.”

“Last I remember, Yanagida-kun was an Ittan-Momen, right?” Rintarou asked with wide eyes. “Are you different?”

“I am an Ittan-Momen though?” The man shrugged before turning around, showing them his humanoid form proudly. “This human body is also made from cotton. I used one of my creations to turn my body humanoid, that’s all. It’s more convenient in many ways, especially when teaching.” Seeing their stunted looks, the Ittan-Momen laughed. “It’s fine. I can turn my body back anytime I want. That’s how much of a great scientist I am.”

“It’s not that. It’s just– you just said you teach, right?” Hatanaka asked again, before turning back to Kurai. “So when you said you were going to take us to an ‘interesting teacher who takes a day off regularly’...”

“It’s him.” Kurai nodded. “Yanagida-sensei is the science teacher at Hyakki Academy. Has been since before the current principal was born– which was around a century or two ago.” 

“An impressive feat, right?” Yanagida said proudly in a stark contrast to the three idiots’ flabbergasted faces. “I’ve destroyed the school for one thousand one hundred and eleven times since I started teaching at Hyakki Academy. No other Gida in my family had managed to complete such a feat.”

“I’m more shocked by the fact that you haven’t been fired yet after the fifth time you did so.” Hatanaka muttered bitterly. “Or haven’t been starved to death because of all the pay-cut…”

“The last principal really likes me.” The Ittan-Momen said smugly, much to the exasperation of the woman beside him. “Ouch, ouch! Don’t hit me, Natsu~ I just used a potion to experience human-like pain you know?”

“How does a potion like that  work, actually?” Rintarou couldn’t help but ask suspiciously. “Throughout the Yokai history, there were records of youkai transferring souls to a humanoid vassal and all, but I’ve never heard of an inanimate youkai type chemically changing their original body to look like humans before.”

Hearing those words, Yanagida’s smile softened a little. “Well, isn’t it obvious? It’s because no one has ever accomplished it before.”

“Then, how—”

“I, together with the Gashadokuro doctor Utagawa-chan, combined our efforts for this to work.” The Ittan-momen explained in a much gentler tone than normal, surprising the three teachers. 

“You know that, originally, Gashadokuros don’t have a body of their own, right? Because of that, they’re just a reflection of their strongest mind; essentially, a Gashadokuro is nothing but a skeleton soul without flesh and blood. A body that can’t even be considered a body like that can’t function like a living being, let alone reproduce.” 

“Ah… that’s right…” Since their Utagawa was found by Takahashi, she was given a functioning humanoid body from birth. But now that the doctor was younger than Utagawa herself…she couldn’t have that privilege.

He had never questioned the difference in anatomy between youkai and humans before learning of Nyuudou’s situation, but even then Haruaki was still out of his depth in this regard.

“Well, even so, Utagawa-chan didn’t give up on bearing a child. So she made it her life mission to vanquish the difficulties that came with child pregnancy between different races of youkai…and between youkai and humans as well.” Yanagida smiled a bit, before chuckling. “Well~ I found the situation interesting, so I ended up joining up with her project at some point. And even tried my own side project as well, as you can see.” He said proudly as he gestured at himself.

“Whoa…”

“Well…I mean, that’s good and all, but…” While Haruaki gasped in awe, Izuna pointed towards his face, unimpressed. 

“When are you going to turn our faces back?”

“Heh, turn back?” Yanagida blinked innocently. “What are you talking about?”

“That’s it, this piece of clothes is going to the trash.” The Kamaitachi began dragging the white haired man outside, causing Momoyama and Haruaki to hold him back.

“Calm down— calm down now, Izuna-kun!! You can’t throw him out until we get our faces back, right?!” Haruaki pointed out while Momoyama nodded vigorously. 

“On the other hand, I think Ibara-neesan will be thrilled to see you all-cute like this though. Your kids will, too.” Rintarou noted mischievously, which made Izuna pause for a moment before yelling back.

“But I don’t want them to, though?!”

“I mean, to be fair, your children mostly have ‘:3’ faces though.” Haruaki noted. “So, to them, it’s probably like they’ve gained a new sibling.”

“They just had a new sibling thought?! And I’m their father, though?!” Izuna cried while struggling to get out of the two people’s grasp. “In the first place, why is there a chemical that turns your face into a ‘:3’?! What’s the purpose of that?! And it’s even made to look like salt! Is it an assassination attempt or something?!”

“It is an assassination attempt.” Replied Yanagida brazenly. “A social death sentence.”

“So that’s your purpose after all?! That’s why you don’t have a cure?!”

“I mean, it’s not like it’s going to cause that guy anything.” The Ittan-Momen said that, but still looked away with a smile. And with that look, his face darkened and he muttered. “ His face has always been like this. It’s just that he’s been making his face more appealing to the general audience to gain more popularity. It’s disgusting.”

“So you’re jealous?! And do you really have the right to say that?! You also said goodbye to your :3 face though?!”

“It’s different.”

“It’s the exact same!!”

“Oh, well…” Yanagida sighed before digging his hand into his white coat. 

“Since the chapter is going a bit too long, let me end the chapter with the regular Gida bomb to put an end to this shitshow.”

“You’re the shitshow of this chapter, what the—!!” Before Izuna could deliver another of his retorts, his eyes widened in horror as Yanagida pulled out a large missile out of his Doraemon-like pocket. It was the largest Gida bomb he had ever seen, and even the Ittan-Momen’s homeroom teacher himself was horrified by the prospect of having to tank the monstrosity. Before long, the bomb lightened up.

“Oh, shit.” Seeing the impending doom, Kurai sprinted out of the restaurant, leaving Rintarou— who was still deciding whether or not he should risk his life to save Haruaki (not Izuna though)— alone.

“Ah—!! The bastard of a guide just ran away!”

“Just wait until your boss hears about this!!” Izuna yelled after his back.

“Gida, put that back!” Momoyama cried in despair. “You’re going to destroy the restaurant again– AND YOU JUST TURNED IT INTO A JUNGLE THE DAY BEFORE!!! ”

“Eh, is that so?” The Ittan-Momen said lightly before deciding. “Fine.”

“Wait, seriously?!”

“No, wait, actually…” Yanagida scratched the back of his head while looking at his creation, which only glowed more and more. So much so that it was beginning to get blinding. “I forgot that this thing can’t be stopped once it starts emitting light.”

“So it can’t be stopped from the very beginning?!?!” The three teachers screamed, but it was far, far too late.

KABOOM!!!!

By the time they managed to get out of the rubbles again, their faces were charred black and their hair turned into afro. 

Obviously, no one stopped Izuna from making toilet paper out of Yanagida after that.

Chapter Text

“Finally~ It’s lunch break~” Izuna cheered as soon as the bell rang, signalling the end of the class. “I’m starving!”

“You just don’t want to study anymore, do you?” Rintarou sighed at his friend’s complaints, making Haruaki laugh awkwardly. 

“Yes— I mean, obviously I was just a bit—- uhm…” The Kamaitachi tried to find an excuse, but came up with none. In the end, he changed the topic entirely. “Ah, that’s right. Akisame told us to go to the Principal’s house at lunch.”

Rintarou’s head perked up at the statement. While it wasn’t their first time visiting the Principal’s house— considering the fact that they were friends with his children— it was the first time he had actually told them to go. At lunch break, no less.

“Huh? Like, right away?” Haruaki blinked, before panicking slightly when he looked at the time. “Then shouldn’t we go now?!”

“Relax, if he’s serious about the time, then he’d be more specific.” Izuna told him casually with a shrug. “So let’s grab some lunch first. I’ll buy some bread. Want some?”

“You’re volunteering to buy us our lunch?” Rintarou asked, shocked. “Are you being possessed by some evil spirit or something?!”

“Like hell I am! It’s just—” The bleached blonde teen argued, a little annoyed. But when he saw Haruaki’s curious expression, he gave up. “Fine. I’m having a meeting with someone, okay?”

Someone? Rintarou repeated the word in his head, feeling his eyebrow ticking. Someone ? 

“This certain someone isn’t my little sister…is it?”

Why is this guy speaking like they didn’t know he’s gunning for Rintarou’s little sister. And to be so brazen about it in front of him too? Rintarou felt his face darken more and more as Izuna— no, the freaking weasel panicked as if he’s finding an excuse. 

“N-no, no! I’m not talking about Ibara-chan, I swear!” 

“If not her, then who? ” Rintarou’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Is it another woman? One of your countless ex’s, I presume? I here I thought—”

“Gah—!! It’s not a woman, okay?! It’s Kai! I promised him that I’ll recommend him a good menu at the shop the day before since he’s never been there before!!” Finally, Hatanaka spilled out the truth. Alas, even though what he said was true, it did little to ease Rintarou’s disdain.

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” The oni rolled his eyes while their other friend, Haruaki, looked between the two of them worriedly. Obviously he was worried, especially when this was close to the first time they argued about this topic. 

“Uhm…let’s calm down, shall we?” The brown haired teen said with an awkward smile. “Rintarou-kun, I know you’re worried about Ibara-san, but I’m sure Izuna-kun speaks the truth too.” Rintarou could only pout and looked away. Seeing his reaction, Haruaki smiled and turned towards the Kamaitachi. “Izuna-kun, why don’t you hurry up? I’m sure Kai-kun is waiting.”

“U-uhm, yeah!” Izuna nodded before hurrying out of the classroom. Now that they were left alone, the two of them sat in silence for a brief moment before Rintarou opened his mouth and spoke up.

“You know, I didn’t think that Izuna-kun was lying or anything.” 

“Eh? Is that so? Sorr-”

“No, no! What I’m trying to say is…” Rintarou sighed a bit. “Even though Izuna-kun wasn’t going to go to Ibara, that guy’s still going to meet that Rasetsu guy…you know what I mean, right?”

Haruaki’s eyes widened a bit, before softening a little.

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

“How can you be so sure?” Rintarou couldn’t help but ask, but when he saw Haruaki’s gaze, he stopped.

“…I have no choice but to believe you, then.”

“Geez…I made Rintarou mad again…” Izuna muttered to himself. “Should I buy him something a little extra, then..? Maybe the curry bread?” While he wasn’t keen on apologizing— since it wasn’t really his fault this time— he didn’t want to leave the situation hanging and make the atmosphere in their friend group so tense again either. Or else it might escalate just like last time—

Izuna’s eyes blinked back to the path before him. He was already at the busy shop area where students were fighting to buy their lunch. He looked around, trying to find the red hair that was usually easily spotted in the crowd, before calling out, “Ah! Kai, over here!”

Anxious eyes looked up from his expensive smartphone— used only by the richest of the richest from both youkai and human worlds— and met him immediately. As soon as their eyes locked, the oni’s expression shifted to that of charming confidence.

“Senpai! Hello. You’re a bit late aren’t you?” The younger teen asked jokingly, and Hatanaka could only laugh sheepishly as he fought his way closer to his junior. 

“Yeah, yeah, sorry about that.”  The Kamaitachi apologized sincerely. “I had a little fight with Rintarou again. You know how it is.” He said, but didn’t specify about the topic of their argument. He never did.

“Haha, you and Miki-senpai sure are close.” Kai laughed, thinking that it was one of their usual spats again. “Now then, why don’t you show me that shop you were talking about before?”

“Yeah, can you see that group of youkai over there? Yeah, they are fighting for the best bread around.” Izuna began. “But to get there is a bit… complicated.”

“Huh? But that’s…” Kai blinked owlishly at the ‘group of youkai’ he was pointing at, before looking at him with a confused face. “Isn’t that a war zone?”

“Nope. Just teenage youkai’s fighting over a piece of bread. And it’s not a war, just a competition.” The Kamaitachi smirked before preparing his stance. “And to win this competition you need either of the following three skills.”

“Wha—”

“First, speed!” Kai yelped as Izuna grabbed his arm and ran at a frightening speed between the spaces not occupied by youkai. 

“S-senpai—!” The Oni gasped when he saw a group of delinquent Bakeneko trying to block the Kamaitachi’s way. “Watch out!”

In contrast, Izuna didn’t look perturbed by the same fact as him at all. Instead, his smirk sharpened. 

“Second, tricks!” He declared, before transforming his arm into a scythe. He used that blade to cut the cats’ fur, making them the cat-equivalent of bald people, and continued on easily.

“Eh, was that really okay?” Kai asked worriedly. “We might have problems with the teachers after this!”

“It’s fine! Hijita isn’t here!” Izuna grinned cheekily like a child when his parents weren’t home, and Kai couldn’t help but sigh in a mix of exasperation and fondness. “Oh, and lastly—”

When they managed to get close to the shop, Izuna jumped into the air along with Kai— much to the latter’s surprise— before sending Kai flying.

“—is you! Now go grab two curry pans, two melon pans, and one yakisoba pan please!”

“You’re just making me your choirboy, aren’t you?!” The Oni couldn’t help but laugh. The reason behind the laugh was unclear whether or not it was because of the Kamaitachi’s antics or the faces of the other youkais when they noticed his descent. Alas, their shock turned into panic when Kai began pulling back his fist.

“Two curry pans, two melon pans, one yakisoba pan, and two orange juice please!”

“Hahaha! That was one hell of a scene, wasn’t it?!” After they finally grabbed their meals, the two returned to their classrooms with satisfied grins and destruction trailing behind their backs. “Who would have thought you’d actually punch the ground to grab some bread?”

“Hah…I think I caught your bad-student-disease at some point. I’d never do that otherwise.” Kai sighed, but there was an obvious smile on his face. “I might be in trouble later…”

“Oh, come on! It’s fine.” Hatanaka slapped the younger youkai’s back lightly with a laugh. “By the way, who’s the other box of juice for?” The Kamaitachi asked, only to be presented with said box of juice. “Oh, thanks!”

Kai smiled back before starting to unwrap his own straw from the box. “Then may I ask you the same question?”

“Hm?” 

“Who's the extra bread for? That curry pan and yakisoba pan are probably Miki-senpai’s and Haruaki-senpai’s. Not counting us, there’s still one left.”

“Oh, right. This melon pan is mine.” The Kamaitachi blinked before handing the remaining melon pan and curry pan to Kai, who blinked back. “The rest are for you and Ibara-chan. You're in the same class, right? Can you give one to her?”

Kai’s smile froze a bit, before the usual casualness came back like nothing happened.

“Sure, senpai.” He said as he received the two items from Hatanaka’s hand. “Is there anything else?”

The tone came a bit harsher than Kai intended, and he was about to correct himself, but the unpredictable Kamaitachi was faster.

“Eh, how did you know that? Well…” To Kai’s surprise, Izuna actually pulled a pack of home-made sweets from the plastic bag and gave it to the younger teen. “I told you I’m learning how to cook, right? Well, I’m now trying to make desserts and Rintarou’s sick of eating sweets because of that. Haruaki doesn’t complain, but I’m sure he’s getting too much sugar in his blood too. So, here.”

“Oh…thank you.” The younger teen said, surprised by the unexpected gift, before looking back up to the senior. “Isn’t there a pack for Ibara too?”

“Hm? Oh, I made it cinnamon flavored this time. It’s your favorite, right? But I don’t think Ibara-chan likes it though.” The Kamaitchi said as he laughed sheepishly, wondering if it made him sound inconsiderate of the oni. When Kai looked stunned, Izuna quickly added, “So I’ll make her something she likes next time!”

Kai blinked a bit, feeling his face a bit heated up, getting a hold of himself, before letting out a light laughter when he saw Izuna’s flustered face. “I’m sure she’ll like it no matter what you make, Senpai.”

“You think so?” As if relieved by the younger Youkai’s words, Izuna’s shoulders relaxed and his carefree grin returned. He took a bite out of his melon pan before looking at the time, only to almost spat out the poor bread from his throat. “G-gah?! Is it late already?! Sorry, Kai, but I have a schedule after this!”

“You do?!” Kai gasped, equally flustered. The Kamaitachi didn’t even mention that. “You shouldn’t have wasted your time with me, then! Please go quickly!”

Pushed by the oni, Izuna had no choice but to apologize hastily and sprinted away with his inhuman speed, looking like he was chased by a ghost. Seeing his retreating back, Kai couldn’t help but sigh.

“Hm…this is sweet.” The oni noted after he took a bite of the sugary treat he received.

“That’s good.” A new voice said from behind, causing the red haired oni to jump in surprise.

“Ibara!? Where did you come from?!”

“The cafeteria.” His classmate and friend, Miki Ibara, replied tonelessly. Together with her beautiful face and light hair, her current appearance reminded Kai of the ice queen. 

“Uhm…Did you follow us?” Kai asked, just in case.

“No. Why should I?” The light haired oni replied as if the very essence of his question was absurd. Which it probably was. Kai couldn’t help but sigh in relief. “But the chaos you and Hatanaka-sepai caused was…quite big. You should be grateful that Hijita-sensei and the student council aren’t here.”

“Yeah...you’re right.” Kai admitted, slightly embarrassed. To be honest, even if Hijita was here, they could have slipped out of his lecturing session easily enough… The student council though? Not so much. He could already imagine being forced to sit crossed leg while reciting mantras under the waterfall by the strict council… Ugh… Worse, the news might even reach his father….

Ibara just nodded absentmindedly as he reflected upon his actions. It was only then did he notice a bottle of apple juice in her hand. She didn't buy any lunch, though. Probably because she and her brother had their own lunch boxes everyday. Realizing this, Kai looked down to the extra piece of bread in his hand.

“Here.” He put the extra one in her free hand. “Hatanaka-senpai got one for you.”

“Oh.” The girl blinked, before uttering softly. “Thank you.”

“You should thank him, not me.” The taller oni told her, before also putting the sweets in his arms. “He also got you this, too. It’s cinnamon flavored.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.” Ibara nodded, still processing the gifts. She didn’t react to the fact that it was cinnamon flavored at all, though. Mostly because, in truth, Ibara didn’t have any sort of dislike for cinnamon at all. The only reason the Kamaitachi thought otherwise was because…

“You should have come with us, you know.” Kai noted while both of them walked back towards their classroom. “You were also there when Hatanaka-senpai talked to me, didn’t you?”

Ibara’s expression froze, before it became flat as if carved out of stone. She then muttered something under her breath, too fast and quiet for him to properly make out every word. Still, he had heard her do this so many times that he could already guess the essence of what she was trying to say.

Kai sighed, thinking back to Hatanaka’s panicked face when Ibara had this exact expression on her face and outright said ‘no’ to his invitation. “You’re always like this when you’re embarrassed. Hatanaka-senpai might think you don’t like him if you don’t relax a bit, you know?”

Ibara’s stammering stopped altogether. Gone was the ice queen. What was left of her was a young, highschool-age girl who had a deep crush on her senior. The red faced girl tried to hide her burning expression behind her hands, but it was a fruitless endeavor.

“I’m sorry…”

“Why are you apologizing…?” Kai huffed, a little exasperated and amused at the same time. “Are you really serious about him? Or are you giving up on the bet already…?”

“N-no!” Ibara gasped when she realized how loud she was (which was not much), before burying her face into her hands once more. “It’s just… I’m not as brave as you, Kai-kun.”

“Hm…you’re making me feel awkward on purpose.”

“That’s not what I mean…” Sighing, Ibara finally regained her bearings and looked ahead. “Whenever I talk to him, even though I would love to, I feel like I’m going to implode. I’m going to mess up, somehow, so my brain just…shut down.” Her face began to get redder and redder again, and she cleared her throat. “You’re different… Kai-kun. You don’t look that embarrassed when you talk to him.”

“Hm..? Maybe that’s because I don’t have a crush on a guy…?” Kai muttered unconsciously, only to stop when he realized Ibara wasn’t walking beside him anymore. “Ibara?”

“Kai-kun, do you…remember our bet?” She asked. She looked… almost sad. 

“Uhm… Whoever finds love first wins, right?” Kai recited the bet from his memories. “Well, you found your target, but I haven’t yet. Are you rubbing it in because you’re a step ahead of me?” The redhead laughed jokingly, but Ibara didn’t find it funny at all. “Uhm…Ibara…?”

“Kai-kun… you don’t have to force yourself to think that…” She said, so softly that Kai wouldn’t hear if not for his good ears.

“What…?” Kai tried to ask, but a package was shoved into his arm instead. It was the sweets that Hatanaka gave him. “Huh?”

“I lied. I did follow you two a bit.” Ibara said seriously before pushing the gift as close to his chest as possible. “This is for you. It’s your favorite flavor. Do you really think I’m that stupid, Kai-kun?”

“But, but that’s–” Surprised, Kai struggled to find his words. “Isn’t that only because he thought you don’t like cinnamon?”

“More like; ‘Because he knew you like cinnamon, he made it. But then he realized he couldn’t give it to Ibara too because it would be mean if she really doesn’t like it.’” Ibara sighed and shook her head. She even patted the taller oni’s shoulder while doing it. “Do you really think he didn’t notice you look a little gloomy these past few days? I’m sure he insisted on going out with you today even though he had an appointment to cheer you up, too. Whether he realized it or not.”

“That’s…” was a bit too much. Kai was at a loss for words. It made sense….actually. From how he looked weirdly cheerful today, oddly destructive, and also not telling him that he needed to go quickly only to be late for the appointment… He wondered why he hadn’t noticed this before. It was even more jarring when he had to be told by Ibara of all people.

“Anyways, that’s given to you and you alone by Hatanaka-senpai, so you shouldn’t have given it away. It’s impolite.” Ibara told him strictly, like an older sister scolding her brother…even though she was the youngest in her family. “And…”

When Ibara failed to continue her sentence, Kai blinked. 

“And, what?”

Ibara curled her lips before looking up at him seriously.

“And if someone gives you love, you shouldn’t give it away either. No matter who that person is, okay?”

Kai could only stand there, looking at her owlishly. His expression must look really stupid, but Ibara didn’t laugh. Her face simply softened before she began walking again.

“But, even if I said that, I won’t give up on him, you know?”

“Huh? What are you talking about now?”

“You should work hard on the bet, too.”

“Uhm…okay?”

“Work really hard, okay?”

“....Right.” Kai gave in.

"I will."

Chapter Text

So hot.

So burning.

As if the flames themselves were eating him alive.

Slowly, cruelly, consuming him to death.

Why did it happen? When exactly did it happen? He could no longer tell the difference between dream and reality. For all that he wanted to say it was a nightmare– a childish nightmare that anyone could experience at least once in their life– the black smoke from all around him entered his weak lungs, suffocating his chest– burning alive him from the inside.

Every breath he took was a step closer to death. Barely any air entered his nose; all he could inhale was thick, black, heavy smoke and the smell of burning furniture. His vision could no longer make out anything clearer than a blob, for it had long since been damaged by the fallen debris and glass. His head too, suffered from the injury, could barely think straight. 

Thick red blood poured from his forehead and legs. The latter was now trapped under a fallen bookshelf, as if the burning building itself had forbidden him from running away. His arms and hands, now being the only parts of him that could do something about the situation, crawled pathetically at the ground until his fingers bled. 

It seemed so futile– so, so futile–  for a fatally injured boy to get out of such a huge fallen piece of furniture, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to give up. He couldn't give up. The survival instincts that were embedded within every living creature since birth were screaming, yelling, and begging for him to live. 

And yet all he could do was use his remaining strength– tiny as it may be– to slowly scratch the wooden floor of his own home while everything else burned to ashes. 

He didn’t even have the strength to be frustrated anymore. Despair slowly ate away his heart. Last he noticed, the fire had already reached the exit. The debris fell and blocked the door. There was no hope for help left. At this rate, he would die from either his injuries, suffocation, or the flames themselves.

“A- Ah…” He croaked out shakily. 

“I– I shouldn't have thought that…” He muttered, before beginning to struggle his way out again. “I won’t…die here…”

“People say…that I can be annoyingly stubborn when I decide on something…”

“Besides…I’m still young…I’m still thirteen…I’m too young to die…”

“I…haven't become a professional thief yet…I told my Dad that I would be…”

“I haven’t even finished school yet…Mom will be disappointed.”

“I’m still breathing…I’m still alive.” He told himself, again and again. 

“There are…things I can still do…”

“There are people…I need to will meet…”

“Hey…don’t you think so too? Mister…”

His exhausted eyes didn’t even have the strength left to turn towards the figure that had stepped closer and closer to him. Unbothered by the fire and heat, the man (?) stood in front of his pathetic form like nothing was wrong.

“How cruel…” The man’s calm voice spoke. Smooth, gentle, patronizing . “For a child like you to die at such a young age.”

He didn’t respond to the man’s words. In the first place, he doubted that the man truly meant the words he spoke.

“It seems like the fire spread from the kitchen. The fire then caught the throwaway paper and oil nearby. An unfortunate accident.” The man continued. While he couldn’t see the man’s face, he could almost imagine a pitiful gaze adorned with a sad smile that didn’t match the urgency of the situation at all. 

“My…parents…” He croaked out, ignoring the man’s prior statements. 

“How…—” He tried to finish his sentence, but the smoke got the better of him, causing him to cough violently. Painfully.

There was a moment of silence from the man. But when he did speak, his voice was much more solemn than before.

“They were much closer to the kitchen than you are.” 

There was no other statement that followed. He knew that. He knew from the moment that neither of his parents’ voices came for him. He knew that from the moment that he learned of the source of the fire.

He was smart enough to understand the implications.

“...I see.” 

His parents were dead. 

Burnt. Suffocated. Injured.

To death.

“...I see…” He repeated himself again, and even he wasn’t sure why. His red eyes, too tired to look yet too stubborn to close, stared hauntedly at the family photo hanging near the couch. 

‘They’re dead.’ He realized, yet the fact hadn’t yet sunk into him yet.

‘Dead, both of them.’ To begin with, his personality didn’t attract many friends. The closest people he had ever had in his short life were his parents. 

That was why he jokingly told his father that he’d become a thief in the future when his father was concerned about his future relationship with co-workers. That was why he studied hard, even with his prior goal in mind, when his mother looked so proud of him whenever he showed her his perfect scores.

So. 

So, even if he survived this hell.

Would there be anyone there, waiting for him to return to…?

In the middle of the flaming surrounding and falling pieces of burning debris, the man who stood in front of him stayed silent as he watched silent tears come down from his eyes. The man watched as his hands, which had been struggling (no matter how weak that was) until a moment ago, stopped completely.

“...Do you not wish to live anymore?” The man finally asked.

At this stage, even if he wanted to reply, he no longer had any strength to.

‘I’d die either way.’ He thought to himself.

“Don’t you want to be a thief?”

‘It’s just a stupid dream anyways. This world will be a better place with less criminals around.’

“Don’t you want to finish school?”

He almost laughed out loud. ‘It’s not like I’m interested in it in the first place.’ 

“Don’t you have people you want to meet?”

‘That’s—’ 

Faced with the very last question, he could no longer retort with confidence. The man, who seemed to be able to read his mind, stepped closer and crouched down.

“Tell me, despite everything. Despite your pain, despite your losses…” The man reached out towards his bloody hand.

The sensation was cold. The exact opposite of everything around them.

“Do you want to live?”

‘Ah…’ His eyes widened slightly. What was this man talking about?

“I can make that happen.” The man continued as he caressed his injured hand, brushing away the stains of blood. “But you will cease to be human.”

“Despite all that, do you wish to live?”

“Ha……haha……” He breathed out a semblance of a laugh. This guy had to be out of his mind. What was he, the king of demons? Had he read too much manga or something?

And– and even if he did manage to survive, what was left for him to return to?

Without his parents, his home, his fucking humanity — What would be left of him?

A pile of burnt ashes?

“I….” Slowly, his mouth dry moved. His heavy crimson eyes found their way towards the man’s own.

Red slitted eyes stared back at him. Frankly, it was creepy. And yet… And yet—

“My answer…is—”

“-- --ru— ”

“--maru—”

“KARAZUMA RANMARU, YOU PILE OF SHIT!!” A loud shout and a not-so-gentle kick woke him up from his slumber. Blurrily, Ranmaru opened his eyes to find a certain purple-headed student looking down upon him irritatedly. Like always.

“Acchannnn~” Ranmaru complained, his voice light despite being so dry due to a cold. “I’m hurt! Can’t you see I’m sick here?!”

“Sick in the head, more like.” Ashiya Douman clicked his tongue. But just when Ranmaru realized that, right now, he was lying on his bed in his home, and that Douman was in his bedroom right now– without his permission nor reason to be so– Douman then pushed a certain plastic bag into his face grumpily.

“Hmph.”

“...Wah…?” Ranmaru blinked, confused. with his sleep induced brain unable to function properly, he spoke the first thing that came to his head. “Acchan, I told you I don’t do drugs.”

Immediately after, a fist came down to his head.

“Ouch!” 

“It’s not drugs, it’s for your cold! Idiot!” The other teen retorted. Ranmaru just pouted.

“So it is a drug.”

“A ME-DI-CAL DRUG!!!” Douman began shoving the bag into his face with a fierce look on his face, as if he was going to kill Ranmaru had he spoke any more nonsense. So, Ranmaru just accepted it without another word. 

“Wow, I’m surprised you care for this little ol’ me this much.” Ranmaru grinned after he opened the bag, much to the annoyance of the other teen.

“I just found it in my drawers, that’s all.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes and pulled out a bill from the bag, freshly printed out of the pharmacy’s cashier. “I sure do believe you.”

Douman turned away, refusing to see the evidence against his own lies, and Ranmaru chuckled. Though exhausted from the cold, Douman’s presence lifted up his mood a lot.

Especially after that…dream….

“Hey,” Douman’s voice snapped his attention back to reality, where the purple haired teen was looking at him with an unreadable expression.

“Do I need to call Utagawa-sensei?”

“...Wah..?” Ranmaru blinked, but ultimately smiled a confused smile. “Why? It’s just a light cold.” He said, but immediately cough afterward.

“Well…” Douman didn’t shy away from him despite the risk of being infected with the same disease. Instead, He grabbed a nearby glass of water for him, which Ranmaru accepted gratefully. 

“You were sweating a lot…while you were sleeping.” The purple haired teen said, and it was only then that Ranmaru realized how damped his clothes were. “And even now you’re still a bit pale…Even though you look like you have just run a marathon.”

“Ah…Think so?” Ranmaru plopped out a pill from its container and drank it in with water. “It’s nothing. Just dreamed of the past.”

Douman’s eyes widened a bit.

“You mean when—”

“When I tripped and accidentally fell into a well because of Genbu, yup.” Ranmaru cut him off dismissively, causing the other teen to glare at him. “What a traumatizing event. That was the first time I cried in a while!”

“You and I both know that wasn’t what we were talking about.” Douman clicked his tongue, but didn’t push the topic further. Ranmaru smiled slightly at his friend. Despite having a horrible attitude most of the time, it was times like this that he was grateful for the other teen‘s mindfulness.

“Ah, right, Acchan. Can you turn on the air conditioner for me?” Asked Ranmaru, much to Douman’s obvious shock. “What with that surprised face…?”

“You? Air conditioner ?” The purple haired teen gasped incredulously. “Are you about to make this room 60 degree celsius or something??”

“Uhm..no?” Ranmaru replied slowly. “It’s just a bit…hot in here and— Acchan? Acchan, why did you–”

“Are you an imposter? Who are you?!” Douman yelled from the other side of the room, where he had found to be a safe place to get away from the ‘imposter’ in front of him. “There‘s no way you of all people feel hot.”

“Hey, that‘s mean.” Ranmaru pouted. “I’m also a normal youkai being too, you know? Just give me the remote control already.”

Warily, Douman slowly stepped closer and closer to him, before dropping the remote control on his lap and pulling his hand back like Ranmaru was a wild beast separated from him by a cage.

“…” Ramaru silently stared at the object on his lap, before looking up and giving his friend— who had already retreated to the door— the look.

“What?” 

“Nothing…?” The teen huffed and considered heightening the temperature just to spite Douman— only to give up on the thought when he realized how hot he was actually feeling. 

Seeing as Ranmaru had taken the pill and seemed to be able to take care of himself now, Douman opened the door.

“Going already?” Ranmaru whined just to annoy his friend, but Douman didn’t fall for it. Surprisingly enough.

“Lunch break is ending soon.” Replied the purple haired teen. “Besides, troublesome things are happening right now… Haven’t Akisame texted you yet?”

“Akisame-sensei?” Hearing the Japanese teacher’s name, Ranmaru grabbed his old phone from beside his bed sheet and was greeted by several unread messages and miscalls on the screen. “Wow, this seems urgent….” He muttered, only to be left stunned when he read all of what Akisame had to say. “He’s kidding…right?”

“Not sure. There’s one way to find out.” Douman shrugged. “And apparently those who know Divine Magic are really in need right now…”

“Huh…tough being one of the few people who know how to use a stupid magic huh?” Ranmaru couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic laugh, but Douman didn’t seem to find him to be as funny as he’d like. Instead, he looked almost thoughtful. And Ranmaru knew why.

“Wondering why the Abe family isn't the one who deals with this personally?” He asked, and Douman huffed.

“More like, why hasn’t that guy come flying back from the mainland the moment this entire…thing started yet.” The purple haired teen rolled his eyes dismissively, but Ranmaru knew that Douman was more curious about the matter than he ever was. “In the first place, isn’t he the fucking student council president? What has he ever done for the student body since he took charge? I can’t see why people would vote for someone like him.”

“To me, you sound like you’re still bitter about the fact that he won against you by a landslide.” Ranmaru said innocently. “That’s like, what? The 47th time you lost?”

“Shut up!” Douman threw a nearby bottle of water at him, which he narrowly dodged. The bottle then crashed against the window, causing a concerning sound.

“ Hey, you brats!! ” A young voice yelled from the outside, which made both of them flinch. “ Don’t you dare break the window!! ”

Being the rebellious teenager that he was, Douman yelled back. “Come on, it’s just a bump!!”

“ DOESN’T MATTER THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE AGAIN!! WE AREN’T RICH, YOU KNOW?!?! ”

“Ugh…” 

“Ah, Bon-chan’s pissed today.” Ranmaru said apologetically, as Douman took a few steps back in fear. “You should go now… Before he comes in with a spatula.”

“Why is his weapon a spatula of all things? And why does that actually sound scary as hell??” Douman retorted instinctively. When footsteps were heard, though, he immediately sprinted across the room to the window he had just almost broken. “I’m going now. You probably won’t be needed until you get better anyways.”

“Huh, how cold. Oh well.” Ranmaru waved as the other teen left. 

“Bye, Acchan~ See ya~”

As Douman left his classmate's house, he scrolled down his phone with a frown on his face. There were already more texts from Akisame, asking him if he'd deliver Ranmaru's homework later today too. Ugh. So much work. This is already the 21th century, these old farts should learn how to use online assignments soon. Or deliver the pile of paper themselves. It wasn't like Ranmaru's house was that far away from school in the first place. There was also a message from the principal asking if a certain bastard had contacted him or not-- Of course, Douman's reply to this was 'like hell that guy'd tell me anything.'

Ping 

Douman's frown deepened as, as soon as his message was delivered, a new notification came in. He was about to ignore the complaining Hitotsume-kozo when he noticed the messenger's name.

Smiling Bastard -- I heard there's something interesting going on on the island. Tell Haru and Ame I'll be back in a few days ^^

"...Tch." 

Douman's tightened grip almost broke his phone. 

Chapter Text

“….What happened to you?” The principal asked as soon as he saw black haired Sano stumbled his way into the school grounds, tattered and broken. He looked like he had been in a great war, with all the bandages and an exhausted look in his eyes.

“Takahashi happened.” Sano said simply. Or at least, that was what he wanted the others to think. In truth, the principal could see him shivering at the mere mention of the doctor’s name, which was probably inevitable for anyone who had fallen into the Dodomeki’s hands. What an unfortunate soul, having to encounter Takahashi on his second day of being on the island—

No, before that.

“Takahashi-kun couldn’t be the only reason why you’re like this.” The principal pointed out as he led the man into a more welcoming setting. An action that was made out of pity more than anything. “Tell me what happened. In detail.”

After listening to Sano’s story, the principal hummed thoughtfully. This incident had never happened before, nor had he heard of a youkai on the island who could cause such havoc…and that fact worried him.

“So you don’t know what it is, either.” Sano noted, and the principal nodded.

“I just finished talking to your boss not an hour ago, yet it seems like we’re going to have a long discussion again soon.” The principal sighed tiredly. When Sano looked at him silently without saying anything, however, the principal asked. “What is it?”

“Say, I don’t think any of us has ever asked you this question before out of politeness and the urgency of the situation, but since we agreed on being as cooperative as possible with each other, I’d like to know something.” The black haired teacher began, and the principal found himself sitting slightly straighter and listening attentively. “It doesn’t involve the incident that just happened or anything, but… Why are you wearing a mask?”

“…Pardon?”

“Why are you wearing a mask?” Sano sounded genuinely confused as he asked. “It’s not like Nyuudou has ever worn a mask before, so I don’t think it’s a tradition or anything. Some students and teachers do wear a mask, but I had always thought it was their fashion choice since I’ve seen them put their mask away in private before.” The man looked at him curiously, like a child asking his parents about how a baby is born. Naturally, the principal— who was the unfortunate parent in this situation— found himself struggling to answer. “But you didn’t put your mask away even when you’re alone or when you’re talking to me. It’s almost like the mask is physically attached to your face or something.”

“Uhm— I mean, it’s…”

“But that can’t be true either, since I saw your mouth when you drank water the other day.” Sano pointed out before the principal could find a good excuse. “So it has to be an accessory, right?”

“Uhm…well…” The principal had never found himself in a situation like this before. Sure, there were brats who wanted to see his real face— ahem Hatanaka and Miki ahem— before, but they were just brats wanting to know for the sake of being brats. The principal could simply just avoid answering and made it known to them that it was none of their business. 

But Sano— this man— seemed to be genuinely confused as to why he was hiding his face. The look he gave him was so innocent that it made the principal want to hide in a hole. He was considering his life choices when the human teacher continued his monologue.

“Not to mention the fact that you haven't even introduced yourself as well. I still don’t know what your name is, which is a bit awkward. I started calling you ‘Mandra principal’ in my head at some point.” How could he say that with a straight face? Was he serious? And why Mandra? Did the principal look like a freaking Mandragora to this man? They didn’t even had the same color scheme, so why would he– “To be honest I thought you were one of my students at some point since your voice and hair color are so similar, but then you started talking in a polite tone, and I thought: ‘If you’re really Ashiya Douman, then the heaven and earth would have collapsed long ago.’ That’s probably what the others thought too, so most of us just assumed you’re his great-great-grandfather or something.” And he was mostly purple-- wait what. What ?

The principal stared at the man, who was still going on and on with his monologue, for a while. Thanks to his mask, he looked like he was attentively listening, but in truth the principal— Ashiya Douman’s thoughts collapsed.

Unable to process the man’s words in its entirety, the principal found himself staring into nothingness as his brain tried to move along its malfunction gears into motion.

So…Sano knew a student that had purple hair.

A student that sounded shockingly similar to him.

A student so rude and (presumably) so arrogant that hearing him talk in a polite tone would cause world destruction.

…A student by the name Ashiya Douman….

…Wow, what a familiar name with familiar characteristics.

He wondered if that person had any connection to him, Ashiya Douman himself.

‘. ..Ah…shit .’ The principal thought, sweating bullets.

The principal– no, Ashiya Douman knew more than anyone else how much of a brat he was. In fact, he had to do a 180 in his personality, attitude, and even how he spoke to make himself look like a respectable adult to those around him. Right now, his entire career rested on the fact that the parents trusted him enough to send their kids to school. His subordinates respected him because he was a smart, stern, yet charismatic leader, and the students looked up to him because he looked like a dignified gentleman!

(Had he spoke all of the previous statements out loud, a certain bird would laugh at his face, too immersed in his hysteria to even make fun of him. A certain Oni would straight up call him a delusional old man, while his Kamaitachi companion would be left with the inability to perform a coherent speech and second hand embarrassment.)

All of that– all of the efforts he put into his principal facade– will collapse the moment teenage Ashya Douman showed up at their doorstep….

‘I…can’t have that fucking situation happen…no matter what.’ 

Decided the respectable, intelligent, polite and dignified leader of Hyakki High School. 

“Is there something wrong?” Sano, noticing the principal’s silence, asked with a blink. The latter could only force a smile under the mask, trying to comfort himself more than anyone else that maybe, just maybe it wasn’t like what he was assuming after all.

“Say…Sano-kun…” The principal began speaking, before pausing mid-sentence, causing the human teacher to raise his eyebrows.

“What is it?” Sano urged.

“Ah..you see…that student you talked about…” The man said slowly as he tried to make himself sound as calm as possible. It didn’t seem to work though. 

“How old is he?”

Sano blinked, confused, before humming.

“Well, he’s a third year student.” 

“But not all third year students are teens, right?”

The human teacher answered, but the principal quickly pointed out his remaining hope. Much to his relief, the man nodded his head. “That’s right. There’s even a 300 year old Chouchin-Kozou in my class.”

Just when Douman thought that his life was spared, Sano continued.

“But for Ashiya, he started school normally though. His adoptive family is very supportive of his education. In fact, he started early in kindergarten and is now 17 instead of 18.”

‘ But why?! ’ The principal screamed in his mind, wondering if the word itself was against him at the moment. ‘What the fuck is this situation?’ 

A supportive family? In favor of his education? Like hell that’s the case!! That family was probably so done with Ashiya Douman’s trashy behavior to the point that they sent him away the moment his age was remotely similar to that of a student– Which would probably be what the teenaged, aggressive, and rebellious young Ashiya Douman wanted anyways so the decision was made a bit too easily– 

Already, an entire scene played out in Douman’s head like a film rolling out its pictures. Ashiya Douman, the ayakashi studying in the Hyakki High School, suddenly appeared in front of his Hyakki High School with a uniform that broke every code possible— buttons undone, a stupidly emo undershirt, unkempt long and probably dyed hair, piercings, tattoos too if he was extra edgy in another universe, rolled up sleeves, rolled up pants– He probably looked more like a delinquent than Hatanaka, which he hadn’t thought was possible. Even that guy didn’t smoke or drink in his youth– Teenage Douman certainly would.

“What’s wrong with you suddenly?” Sano asked as he looked at the school principal– who was now weeping pathetically on the floor, mind you– with obvious contempt and confusion. Then, as if the Buddha himself had enlightened the man, he gasped. “No…don’t tell me… You–”

“Oh my– PLEASE, leave me alone!” Douman ended up yelling back as he repositioned himself to a secluded corner of the room. “I just– I just need time to…” He inhaled. “Adjust my headspace…properly.”

“Sure…do your best.” Sano said with a blank face as he stood up to walk out of the room ‘Because your current one sure isn’t doing you any help right now.’ He added in his mind.

“Ah– wait a minute, Sano-kun.” The principal called out. “Take this with you.”

“What is this?” Sano asked with raised eyebrows. What he had just received was a list of names and classes of people, ones that were vaguely familiar yet different from the people he knew on his own home island.

“The list of people who can use divine magic– ones that I know of, at least.” The principal replied calmly, although he had yet to move away from his secluded corner. A bold choice if he was trying to present himself as reliable again. “Since you know the environment on your island more– the people and otherwise– I want you to meet the people on the list and see if they’re suitable for the expedition or not.” 

“Hm…” The bespectacled man hummed before pulling up a new page of the document. “And this?”

“Although they’re unable to use divine magic, they’re close with the people who are able to use it and/or capable of dealing with uncertainty.” The older man explained. “There are also the people who I’ve seen their counterparts on the list– Don’t look at me like that, I don’t like the idea of sending students to danger either. But if push comes to shove, human– or rather, yokai resources are invaluable.”

“....I understand.” Sano sighed eventually. He understood what the other man thought quite well, so all he could do was to make sure none of the kids would be in danger. 

“You have two hours to look around before the boat from your land comes.” The principal reminded him. “Manage your time efficiently.”

“Let’s take Tama with us.”

“No.”

“But it’s Tama! Why not?!”

“No. Just…no.”

As soon as Zashiki and Hijita heard of the list and the mission entrusted by the purple haired principal, they only read it once before making a beeline towards a certain Nekomata.

“Look at how funny– I mean, adorable he looks! He’ll be a good asset to the team!” Hijita slipped up a bit before flinching when young Nyuudou glared at him intensely for ‘insulting’ his best friend. Hijita smiled sheepishly at the two, before continuing. “And we know Tama. We can work together well.”

“Tama isn’t used to his powers yet.” Nyuudou insisted as he tried pulling his Nekomata friend out of Hijita and Zashiki’s grabby hands. It was quite hard, though, since the two clearly knew how to please a cat. “Last time we tried using it, we ended up in a huge mess! Tama needs more practice!”

“How big of a mess can it be in this school anyways?” Zashiki couldn’t help but ask sarcastically.

‘Enough to send us a century back in time!’ Was what Nyuudou would have said if he hadn’t promised not to tell anyone about their misadventure in the Meiji period. Of course, his argument still stands. “I won’t let you have Tama!!”

“Renren…” Akisame, for his part, looked genuinely touched by his best friend’s insistence to the point that he voluntarily jumped out of the duo’s hands himself. “RENREN!!”

“TAMA!!” The two friends reunited, and the teacher trio were left wandering the hallway for more recruits.

“Sure, why not?” Was what Karasuma Tenmaru said when the three appeared at his classroom’s doorstep. 

“Wow, that’s surprisingly easy…” Zashiki muttered.

“I got to skip class. Why would I refuse?” 

“Wow, you’re a bold one for speaking that in front of a group of teachers…” Hijita’s eyebrows ticked a bit. Despite his appearance and attitude most of the time, he was quite strict with his students. But since this was an emergency, Sano just told him to suck it up. 

“If you want more manpower, I’ll call the old man for you.” Tenmaru added as he texted his ‘old man’. “The Boss won’t be going though. He’s leading the task force on this side.”

“Ranmaru, right?” Sano raised his eyebrows. The ‘Karasuma Ranmaru’ he knew on his island was a student of the same year as Ashiya Douman. He was a capable yet a bit too lazy individual. He was smart, though, so Sano wasn’t worried about him not doing his job. He knew better than letting this situation slide. 

“Yeah. He’s already grabbing a few recruits, from what I heard.” Tenmaru said, before disappearing back into his classroom. “Don’t worry. The two of us will be by the docks in two hours.”

With two divine magic users recruited, the three decided to look through a few more options they had. Of course, when it came to mastery over youkai magic, they looked for a certain name. However…

“Where the hell is the Abe family?” Zashiki grumbled with mild annoyance.

“They don’t seem to have a student here.” Sano noted. Except for Abe Haruaki, who they had seen as a teacher before, the Abe family really seemed to have disappeared from this island completely. The altered history brought them headaches, so they decided to look for other names instead.

Hijita blinked when he noticed an unfamiliar surname written. “Who are the Okata twins?” 

“No idea. Sano, you know him?”

The bespectacled man paused, but ultimately shrugged. “How would I know? I’m a human who has only been here for two years.”

“Gee… Sometimes I forget you’re one.” The only woman in the group rolled her eyes, before going back to the list. “...Hey, Sano? Isn’t this…?”

Wondering what Zashiki was perplexed about, Sano bent down and looked at the name she pointed towards.

Ebisu Isaburo. Apparently it was the name of an exchange teacher from the Kami Academy.

“Huh? Isn’t this the student who follows you all the time, Sano?” Hijita pointed out. “He’s from Kami high? But I thought he’s a Maneki neko?”

Seeing the name again brought Sano a grimace.

Ebisu Isaburo, sixteen, a second year student who had transferred recently. 

Contrary to popular belief, Hyakki Academy isn’t the only youkai high school out there in Japan. Or at least, that was the case in their world. There are many schools out there in different prefectures; Hyakki Academy just happened to be the first to found and most well known. Ebisu Isaburo transferred from one of those lesser known schools… or at least, his documents said so.

He was a Bakeneko youkai, more specifically a Maneki neko, the cat that brought fortune. People always had good luck wherever he was, so he was easily accepted into the student body despite being new. Still, he was a bit of an awkward and shy kid so he was left alone most of the time. 

The most notable thing about him was how he liked to follow Sano Mikoto around when he was free, despite the fact that Sano was not his homeroom teacher. He often hid behind walls and such, and although the teachers who hung out with Sano noticed him most of the time and were curious about their relationship, Sano himself opted to ignore the boy’s existence except when they were in class.

“...He's probably one of those people whose race was swapped.” Sano said, though he sounded hesitant.

“Oh? Then should we recruit him? If he’s a god, he should have the most knowledge about divine magic around here, right?” Zashiki asked, but Sano was already shaking his head.

“Let’s stop here. We already have two divine magic users, and it isn’t like this side has that many.” They shouldn't take all the divine magic users in this school with them, else this entire school wouldn't have enough when it matters the most. “If there’s anyone else, we should go for someone who has the ability to notice milder changes or good instincts… An older animal youkai would be good, or maybe…”

Hijita and Zashiki just blinked at each other. 

““Takahashi Akira it is then.”” They said in unison, much to Sano’s disbelief.

“...What?” 

“I mean, you basically said it yourself.” Zashiki shrugged.

“‘The ability to notice milder changes or good instincts.’ Takahashi basically has both.”

“And he’s a Dodomeki.”

“Which is, like, super useful.” 

As Sano listened to the two’s uncharacteristically reasonable explanations, he was left a bit haunted. 

On one hand, he didn’t have a grudge against Takahashi Akira of his world in particular. The student had always been curious of his nature as the first human he had ever met, and oftentimes tried to cut him open to ‘study’ him when he had the chance. But, since he was just a kid, Sano didn’t have that much of a hard time dealing with him on a daily basis. As long as he didn't let his guard down, young Takahashi Akira with a few knives in his hands was easier to deal with than the previous principal, who seemed to make it his life mission to be the biggest nuisance in every way possible to everyone around him.

He was also quite sharp and had a good grasp on his abilities, something that other youkai his age struggled to do. His older version was no different, and would definitely be an amazing asset in their quest.

On the other very big hand, however… this older Takahashi Akira was a completely different beast. And, after suffering once, Sano felt like he could understand why teenage Hatanaka and his current roommate Abe Amaaki were so adamant about not being in the same room as their junior for longer than five seconds, and why their shenanigans often led to the school's destruction at some point.

Between logical reasons and personal issues, Sano struggled to choose and ended up standing there silently, face dejected. 

“Ah, he gave up.” Zashiki said.

“What should we do?”

The woman just shrugged back to Hijita’s question. “We can try. I mean, his counterpart is a bit troublesome, but I don’t think he’ll be that much of a pain now that he’s older. And isn’t he, like, a doctor too? Utagawa would love to meet him.”

No, no he WILL be a pain to deal with. Was what Sano wanted to say, but decided to stay silent.

“Eh, you’re right.” Hijita agreed.

And, with that, the three went down the school’s hallway towards the hospital (where Sano knew Takahashi was before), ignorant of the horrors that they would be bringing home with them.

That, and the fact that there was someone listening in on their conversation. Kurahashi Yuuta turned on his heels and dialed a familiar phone number.

“They’re going to Takahashi’s hospital. If you really want to go on that trip of yours, then get moving.” He relayed curtly. “...Me? I won’t be going.”

“I have other plans.”

Chapter Text

“—please! Just let us go already! It’s been three chapters! Three! We’re supposed to be part of the main cast, but we haven’t got even a speck of screentime for three chapters straight!! Tell me, is that fair?! Is that really fair?!” Hatanaka’s loud voice echoed from within a certain small building that was more intimidating than its sheer size, which came from the authorities of those in the higher-ups of the Youkai society. A building born from the concept of justice and punishments for the wrongdoers—

It’s the jail. They’re currently locked up in the jail, basically.

“Besides, WHAT THE HELL DID WE EVEN DO?!!?! We just got caught by association!” Izuna cried out while shaking the steel cell vigorously like a mad man. Izuna was a free man his whole life; unlike his boss and his coworker, not once had he messed up so bad he ended up in a literal prison cell before. It’s been five minutes since he and the rest of their little group were thrown into the temporary prison, and it had already felt like an eternity for him.

“This is all because of you.” Rintarou glared darkly towards the Ittan-Momen, who was scratching his head sheepishly. And yet there was no guilt in his eyes… bastard. Because of the bomb Yanagida pulled out three chapters ago, the police surrounded the area, treating it as if it was a terrorist attack. Momoyama got away because she was the obvious victim in that case, but the idiot trio were also dragged along to the police station. Just like that. “Mr. Officer!! We’re also the victims here! The victims, do you hear me?!” Now joining his fellow prisoner at the bars, Rintarou yelled out towards the outside with an enraged face.  

“Wow… This is the first time I’ve been thrown into jail because of an explosion.” Haruaki, the one who is thrown into a cell on a regular basis, acknowledged the fact with a frown.

“That’s what caught your attention?!”

“Yap, yap, yap, can you inmates stop yapping already?” A gruff voice spoke up from the desk in front of them. Smoke rose from the cigarette in his mouth, while in his hands was the newspaper for today. “It’s annoying, y’know?”

“‘Inmates’? ‘Inmates’ ?!” Izuna cried. “We haven’t even been to the court yet, what the hell?! A lawyer!  I need the fucking lawyer !!”

“Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Officer~ You aren’t gonna put me in a real jail this time, are you?” Yanagida laughed, though it was hard to tell whether it came from nervousness or excitement. “You know what happened the last time, right?” Oh, right. This was Yanagida after all.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they have a suitable cell especially for you this time.” The grumpy officer said before turning a page of his newspaper. Several Mandragoras surrounded him—some even sitting on his shoulders— just to read the texts. Something about the sight of the hardened-looking man sitting in the middle of adorable mascots amused the trio, but not enough for them to relax in this precarious situation. “The government had extra funding especially for you and your family at this stage.”

“Wait, seriously?” The Ittan-Momen’s head perked up happily. “Man, I know I should’ve quit to work as a government scientist instead. They probably pay better.”

““““Don’t.”””” Four voices said in unison. Had Yanagida worked for the government, the results of his experiments would have affected the world in its entirety. If that really happened, then forget irreversible damage to the world’s tectonic plates, the world itself would be in danger of complete annihilation.  

“But no, seriously, are you gonna keep us here forever?” Rintarou asked again. “We’re not even from here, so this island’s laws shouldn’t work on us, right?”

“‘Not from here’? Pfft, could’ve fooled me.” The middle-aged man huffed. “You’re those three troublemakers, ain’tcha? Let me guess, Yanagida made ya’ll drink some weird-ass potion, so now you three look like adults.”

“Huh?” The three looked at each other, confused. Then the realization struck them. It seems like not everyone here knew about their existence, even though there was a literal new island sitting across from their own. Well, seeing and knowing the weird details were completely different matters, so they should have seen this coming long ago. Still, since they had had it easy ever since they landed with everyone knowing and/or having been told about them beforehand… they were going to have a hard time convincing this person.

“Eh…well…you see…” When Haruaki struggled to form a proper explanation, Yanagida leaned in a whisper to his ears.

“That’s Mujina Yagumo, the patrolman.” He told him. “Even though he’s just a patrolman, he has near complete control over the police’s influence on this island’s law enforcement. Mostly because he’s old.”

“Hey, I heard that.” The man— who was apparently Mujina all along— snapped back. “And aren’t you older than me, you stupid loincloth?”

“Heh, you’re right.” While Yanagida looked as unapologetic as ever, the three teachers were left bewildered once again. Although their personalities were quite similar and Haruaki could imagine his student being like this man in the future, especially when he wanted to become a police officer himself— the fact that this Mujina didn’t have an afro put them off guard.

“Y-you’re Mujina-kun?!” Haruaki exclaimed, making the man turn towards them with a slightly annoyed expression. Now that he saw the muscular man’s face closer, Haruaki was convinced. The afro was still missing though.

“Hey, brat. Just ‘cause you’re older now ain’t gonna make you disrespect me.” The man without the afro said as he puffed out the smoke in his lungs. “You’re a century too young for that.”

“Oh, right! Mujina-san here is something-something hundred years old! He’s the Principal and Utagawa-chan’s former classmate.” Yanagida piped in once again for trivia facts. “Man, those days were fun, weren’t they? I still remember you kids running around… The Principal flirting with Utagawa-chan… Utagawa-chan flirting with the Principal… Yakkun(You) being the forever-single thirdwheeler…”

“Okay. First of all, fuck you.” The Nopperabou clicked his tongue, his veins popping up a bit. “Second of all— No, it wasn’t fun. At all. That freaky ass Nyuudou was a horrible roommate, and our homeroom teacher was the devil incarnate. Not to mention you were the science teacher. The combination was horrendous.” 

“That’s because you don’t have the humor to roll along!” Yanagida argued, but Mujina disagreed.

“That’s only because you didn’t have an annoying roommate and that fox of an old coot as your homeroom teacher!”

“But I did!” 

“…What?” The counter point left the other man bewildered, and so did the trio. Mostly because the three did not know what they were supposed to be listening to right now.

“My homeroom teacher was the same one as yours.” Yanagida explained smugly. “And we ended up as best buds.”

“Both of you are terrifying.” The officer gave up, threw his hands, and went back to reading his newspaper. He only managed to read a few more sentences on the paper before sighing again. “I know the world was rigged at some point.”

“O…kay?” Not knowing how to respond to the man’s statement, Izuna pinched the bridge of his nose. “So are we going out soon?”

“No.”

“Dang it.”

“I won’t let you go until Nyuudo comes in and beg me.” Mujina declared sternly, which made Yangida plopped down and laid down.

“Aight, let’s just sleep then.” The Ittan-Momen proposed. “It’ll probably take an eternity for that to happen anyway.”

“Don’t ruin a man’s dream.” They could practically hear Mujina roll his eyes, even though he had already turned his back towards them. 

“Leader, Leader, look at this!” One of his Mandragora subordinates pointed towards a section of the papers before any of the trio could even begin to negotiate. 

“Wait, that idol kid and his boyfriend’s gonna get married already? What’s up with this world, why are kids these days so eager to marry so early?” So it was that kind of newspaper after all? The ones talking about idols and the like? “Tsk, that Ogoso and Fuji. They only graduated a few years ago, didn’t they?”

“I mean, Ogoso-kun does have a stable income. And unlike you, who have been single ever since you were born–” “You really want to get sent to that jail, huh.” “--They’ve been together since forever.” Yanagida pointed out while completely ignoring Mujina’s irritation. “Also, they graduated like, a decade ago, you old-timer.”

““What?!”” Mujina and Haruaki’s surprised voices mixed into a weird sound— one was a low groan while the other sounded highly excited. 

“Ogoso-kun and Fuji-kun got married?!”

“It’s been a decade already…”

Since it seemed like an auspicious occasion, Izuna and Rintarou didn’t stop Haruaki from excitedly asking for more details about the two of his students’ relationship from the officers. In fact, they even clapped when one of the Mandragoras informed them that Ogoso will be performing a concert dedicated to his partner as a celebration in a few days time— one that would be one of the biggest in the Youkai history.

“Aw… I hope my students get to that point too…” Haruaki sighed happily and proudly, making Mujina raise an eyebrow.

“ ‘My’ ?” He repeated.

Seeing the opportunity to steer the conversation back to where they wanted it to be, Rintarou quickly grabbed it.

“Right, you see, the situation is more…complicated than you see.” The Oni said quickly. “Well, even though me and my friends look like the people you know we aren’t exactly them… wow, saying this out loud makes me sound so stupid. How did Principal Nyuudou do this? ” Rintarou muttered the last part, but pretty much everyone heard it anyway.

“We’re from the other island, you see!” Haruaki tried to support his friend. “The one that appeared yesterday, you know…”

The officer did not look convinced in the slightest.

“Seems like the loincloth’s potion made all of you delirious.” The man concluded before turning back. “Fine, I’ll release you three but keep Yanagida here. You have to go straight to Utagawa’s hospital though, or you’re coming right back.”

“No, wait—” They were basically free at this point, but something about the man’s conclusion made the trio’s eyebrows tick.

“Huh, they’re telling the truth though?” Yanagida spoke up, but of course,

“You’re also delirious, but you’re not getting out anytime soon.” He was also dismissed.

“Man. Thought I could’ve used the chance.” But it seemed like he aimed for an easy way out anyways, the trio didn’t feel as bad.

“Look, we aren’t lying ‘kay?! Just ask Principal Nyuudou! Heck, where the hell is that bastard of a guide?! He can vouch for us!” Izuna didn’t give up and continued to fight for their sanity, but the officer wouldn't budge.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Listen to us!!”

“I don’t think that will work, Izuna-kun.” Rintarou clicked his tongue. “We better wait for Principal Nyuudou to clear up this misunderstanding.”

“But we have to be by the port soon though!” Haruaki argued, worried. “Look, it’s noon already! What if they leave without us?!”

A heavy silence stretched within the small space the four grown men shared. Before–

“LET US GO, YOU CORRUPTED OFFICERS!!”

“IF WE’RE STUCK HERE FOREVER WE’RE BLAMING YOU!!”

“FREE USSSS!! FREE US FROM THIS MISERY!!!” 

The three teachers screamed out of their entire lungs as they shook the bars violently with much more force than before. The combination of their obnoxious voices and the vibrations quickly made Mujina more and more annoyed by the second.

“Gah!! Shut up already!” The man shouted, shutting the trio up immediately. “You know what, fine. I’m calling your principal right now, you little shits. Doesn’t mean I’m going to let you cause havoc again though. You should be grateful for how many cases I let you pass and how much paperwork I did to ensure that none of you end up in legal trouble.” Mujina muttered grumpily as his Mandragora subordinate dial Nyuudo’s number. “Chaos after chaos…tsk.”

“Uhm…thank you?” Suddenly, the three gained a new sense of respect and appreciation for the police on their island. Yamazaki Makoto of their side probably faced the same fate with the chaos they had caused and all, and yet Haruaki had only been sent to a real prison once. (And even that was set up by someone else.)

Ring ring… Click.  The line connected not long after, and the phone was handed to Mujina swiftly. “Hey, Nyuudou! Your students caused trouble again, where the hell are you?!”

“Right here, actually.” Nyuudou’s voice spoke up from the station’s entrance. His one eye was twitching a bit while his  mouth curled into an awful smile. Behind him was Kurai, whose head had a small bump on it. Deserved, actually. “It hasn't been an hour yet since we separated and you three managed to end up in jail anyway, it seems.”

“Ahahaha…” The trio couldn't even defend themselves with the same argument this time. Not when Principal Nyuudou reminded them so much of their own boss at the moment. 

“Still, I would prefer you release them, Mujina. They aren’t really our students.” Nyuudou started to turn towards Mujina, but the Nopperabou’s face said it all.

“So, are you going to tell me those guys ‘aren’t really’ those three kids– despite the fact that their faces, voices, and appearances are identical to them– too?” 

Nyuudou’s eyebrow twitched. 

“What if I am?”

“Pfft–” Somehow, the completely unserious attitude Mujina had towards Nyuudou was even more annoying than what he had expressed so far. 

“You…”

Now stuck between the two forces of nature– the brewing storm and the immovable wall– the teacher trio were left wondering if they should intervene before a real natural disaster strikes. 

“Meh, just let them be.” Yanagida said with a funny smile. “We can use the chaos to escape.”

““No, you cannot.”” The two men’s voices declared at the same time.

“From what I heard from Kurai, those three weren’t even at fault for Momoyama-san’s damaged property.” Nyuudou pointed out. “No– In fact, that was Yanadiga’s property, wasn’t it? It was their shared home, but on paper it was Yanagida’s.”

“Who said I arrested them for property damage?” Mujina raised an eyebrow. “It was for public disturbance. And even if those three really weren’t responsible for the explosion, there were like ten more cases waiting to be resolved in their names.”

“Oh, that’s fair.” Haruaki was quickly convinced by the argument, but Izuna was also quick to slap him in the head.

“That’s not our responsibility either, idiot.”

“Look, how about this?” Nyuudou proposed while pinching the bridge of his nonexistent nose. “I get those three back, you keep Yanagida, and we’re done with this.”

“Sure.” Mujina agreed, a little too easily. “But add a formal written apology letter from the Hyakki Academy to the list.”

“Are you being serious?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

“Your entire life is a joke.”

“So is yours.” 

“...Fine.” Eventually, when Kurai showed Nyuudou the time, the principal decided to just cut the pointless conversation short and be done with it. “I will send you a formal apology later today… But you really should believe me when I say they aren’t the kids.” 

“I believe in what I see.” Mujina lit up another cigarette and puffed out the smoke, intentionally sending it towards Nyuudou’s direction. “I’ll believe you when I see two people at the same time.”

“Don’t forget what you just said.” The Hitotsume-kozo smirked, deciding that his ultimate victory was secured. 

Mujina huffed, but in the end the teachers were let out…except for the island’s only native inhabitant, that is.

“Eh~~~” Yanagida’s smile was slightly strained when he was left alone in the cell. “Why am I the only one abandoned here? Hey~~” The Ittan-momen called after the other people’s backs as they walked out of the building, completely ignoring his voice. “Principal~ Kurai-kun~ Everyone~~~?”

“You’re staying here for a while.” Mujina stated in the end. His and his subordinates’ faces were stern and ruthless– which was quite impressive considering the fact that his subordinates were a bunch of adorable nightshade plants. 

“Now, prepare yourself for the consequences of your actions.”

“EHHH~~~~~~”

Chapter Text

“What the… What happened in this room?!” Approximately about an hour and a half after the call with Principal Nyuudou, Karasuma Ranmaru deemed that it was finally time to return to Douman’s office…even though he was supposed to be here long ago. It wasn’t hard to guess where he went, even in this dire situation. “I haven't been gone for that long, have I…?”

The purple headed man, who was resting his head on the table in a state that didn't look that much different from that of a zombie, raised his gaze to look at Ranmaru, groaned, and let his head fall back to where it was.

“It’s been an hour and a half… where the fuck have you been?” Although the sentence sounded like a question, the underlying meaning was far from it. 

“Well… places.” The captain chuckled nervously, clearly disturbed by the fact that his longtime companion didn't even have enough energy to raise his voice to scold him. “Ugh… Acchan?”

“Hn?”

“What…happened here?” He asked, while gesturing awkwardly towards the messy state of the room. Scattered records, stacked books, traces of crumpled papers; it was as if the room was ransacked. 

“Ugh…” Douman groaned and glared at Ranmaru. “Just guess.”

“Haha…” Already, Ranmaru picked up an old record closest to him. He flipped over some pages, before reaching for a piece of paper that looked much newer. “The islanders’ citizenship records? I thought you should be researching Divine Magic instead?”

Due to their speculation that the incident was caused by a Divine Magic user (be it a Youkai or a God), their current focus was solely on that topic. However, Sano’s encounter with the corrupted Hitotsume-kozo  brought a new issue that they had to look into.

“The Hitotsume-kozo that attacked Sano was not someone of our own. I tried looking into the records for a while now, but nothing came up. And that man hadn’t woken up either.” Douman explained after telling the detailed story to Ranmaru. “Seeing as they were both Hitotsume-kozo’s, I think I’ll be asking Nyuudou-kun to see if they were related… He might be someone from the mainland.”

“Hm…” Ranmaru hummed thoughtfully as he looked at the picture of the unconscious man. 

While it was true that the weird Hitotsume-kozo might be from the mainland of their world who had arrived right before the tremor, and thus didn't have any citizenship or records in the principal's office; the fact that there was no reports of his arrival at all suggests either an illegal migration or unregistered birth certificate. 

However, aside from the scratches and bruises, this man seemed like someone with a certain degree of privilege; his clothes were of high level quality, his nails were well maintained and hands bare of any dirt or bumps. If he was really a migrant, then it would be for political reasons (which was highly unlikely), or…

“Maybe he’s not from our side at all?” The Karasu Tengu suggested, much to the surprise of the principal. 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…maybe he’s not from our world at all? Maybe he’s someone from this world.” Ranmaru said, pointedly looking outside towards their twin island’s harbor. “Have you asked that principal about this guy yet?”

“No…no, I haven’t. I planned on contacting him after I gather a significant amount of information.” Shaking his head, Douman admitted. “However, the thought that this man might be this world’s inhabitant hadn't crossed my mind…” The man was found by Sano here, after all.

“You should try.” Ranmaru encouraged lightly.

“Still… have you heard of this kind of possession before?” Douman said while handing him the pictures of the possessed Hitotsume-kozo, ones that were taken by the citizens in the area at the time. The closest thing they could think of was probably the Osaki Kitsune, which was still a highly likely possibility. However, as far as they know, that type of Kitsune couldn’t enhance their target’s physical abilities, let alone appearance. 

“Who knows? It wasn't like possession was an uncommon Youkai trait.” An entire type of Youkai consisted entirely of inanimate objects possessing inanimate objects, after all.

“That’s true, but not what I was wondering about.” Douman clicked his tongue, before gesturing at him. “I mean, to someone like you in particular. Have you heard of something like this before?”

Someone like him?

Oh, right, Douman wasn’t talking about him as a youkai.

He was asking him about the former Suzaku, the god.

This time, Ranmaru looked a little closer to the pictures. The red one eye, the dark aura covered the Hitotsume-kozo, the bulky shape, the hunched back, and then the dark aura again…?

“...I think I’ve seen it before.” Ranmaru finally admitted, voice quiet. Douman, however, sprung up straight like a spring.

“What, seriously?!” The purple haired man didn’t expect to get any real answers, clearly. “Where? When?!”

However, instead of answering, Ranmaru flipped through the pictures and squinted his eyes like the old man that he was. If he remembered correctly, if this was the handiwork of that being, there should be something around there….

“Found it.” Ranmaru said firmly, before placing one of the pictures down. It was the picture taken from the lower perspective– no doubt the one who snapped this shot was in their animal youkai form– and it showed the possessed Hitotsume-kozo’s weakness according to the older Sano; below his chin.

“What…” Douman frowned, confused for a moment, before his eyes widened. “Is that… a mark?”

“A mark stamped by a god, yes.” The former Suzaku agreed blandly. “No wonder no one noticed this yet; that guy aimed for the most conspicuous spot ever.”

“Elaborate, please.” Douman said flatly, not even an intonation was in his voice when he said ‘please’. That was not cute at all, Ranmaru thought childishly. 

“If I have to guess, a certain ‘god’ found the situation amusing enough to interfere.” He said, rolling his eyes. “Either that, or they were the one who planned out the whole thing themself… I can’t be sure, but if you want more information, you should ask that active god you have in your possession; that one definitely has something to do with this. Whether he knows about it or not.”

The Nurarihyon raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “How could you know?” 

“Well, I’ve seen someone use this dark aura technique before.” Ranmaru glanced at the pictures impassively.

“And it was casted by one of the Seven Gods of Fortune.”

“WHAT?! REALLY?!” A joyful gasp was heard from one of the Takahashi Hospital’s medical rooms. “You’ll let me go with you?! Hoorayyyy!! When are we going? Should I pack my bags now? Oh, I’m just kidding! I always have my bags ready for inspections! Just wait at the front door, I’ll be there in no time!!” 

“Ugh… I’m regretting this already.” Zashiki found herself muttering this the moment she threw her head over the seat’s back. “Why is he so damn energetic?!” 

“C’mon, calm down… I don’t think we have to deal with him for too long anyway, since the Principal’s taking over from now on.” Hijita comforted her wearily while Sano nodded his head up and down so hard that Hijita was worried about the human’s neck bone. Oh, well, this guy was only human in the name anyways. Aside from that, both his morality and physicality were completely inhuman… and that was a lot coming from a youkai like Hijita himself.

“Meh, I just want this to be over already. I wanna go to my natural habitat already… Oh my bed, my blanket, my beloved…”

“Hey, you’re a youkai not a winter animal aren’t you? Stop acting like one.”

“Ugh… Shut up Hijita!!”

While tolerating Zashiki’s kicking leg, Hijita turned around to see Sano looking at something in his phone. Wondering what this was about, Hijita scooted over with interest.

“Huh…didn’t see you exchange contacts with that Karasuma kid.” Hijita noted when he saw the name on Sano’s phone. However, when he noticed the frown on his friend’s face, he blinked. “What happened?”

“Read for yourself.”

And read Hijita did.

Karasuma Tenmaru

11:45

Karasuma Tenmaru — srry, the old man couldn’t make it

Karasuma Tenmaru — and i have to clean up too, so we’re both out

Sano Mikoto — What.

Sano Mikoto — Is he dead?

Karasuma Tenmaru — worse

Karasuma Tenmaru — i think he broke his balls

Sano Mikoto — what

Karasuma Tenmaru — i got back home to tell him about this new job

Karasuma Tenmaru — only to find him shaking pathetically in front of the shop

Karasuma Tenmaru — i dont even know how he managed to do that but apparently he stepped on this rake that appeared out of nowhere

Karasuma Tenmaru — and then it sprung up and hit his family jewels

Karasuma Tenmaru — oh and he also fell down from the second floor and broke his leg

Karasuma Tenmaru — i think that was the main reason he cant go now

Karasuma Tenmaru — at least that was what he said

Obviously Sano didn’t know how to reply to that…unfortunate series of events. Frankly, Hijita didn’t know how to either, so he just sat there uncomfortably while imagining his family jewels getting hit like that… 

(It wasn’t like the piece of wood would do him any harm either way, though the phantom pain made him shivered uncomfortably.)

“What? What happened?” Zashiki, who had noticed that Hijita wasn’t paying attention to her anymore, stood up just to look over Hijita’s shoulder to see Sano’s phone.

The moment she was done, she rolled her eyes.

“Tsk, pathetic.” 

Sano and Hijita looked at her, eyes wide. Honestly they felt offended in Benmaru’s state, but couldn’t say anything about the matter. In the end, Zashiki just continued her rant.

“And now we have to look for more recruits. Ugh, I’m sick of this. Can’t someone with divine magic just conveniently run into us now?”

“What are you talking about? You do realize that divine magic is rare, right? Like, that’s honestly the entire point of us having to find them!” Hijita said exasperatedly, already preparing himself to walk back towards the school (which was like a twenty minute walk by the way) just to come back in time for the boats to come to dock… Ugh…

“Hm, but isn’t that person here right now?” A new voice joined them, and the three jumped when Takahashi appeared out of thin air, a business bag in his hand. Judging by the amount of time they had been separated, he wasn’t kidding when he said he had a bag prepared for occasions like these… 

“Look, over there.”

The three shared a look, before turning their heads towards where Takahashi was pointing at. Sano in particular was getting really bad feelings about this.

“If you’re looking for someone who can use divine magic… who would be a better choice than the god himself?”

And so they saw the person standing right outside of the glass doors of the hospital, smiling quite ominously brightly as the twin automatic plates slid open in his presence.

Sano suddenly felt dread pouring all over him.

“We meet again, Mii-kun!”

It was Ebisu Isaburo.

Inside a certain book store, Kurahashi flipped the picture book in his hands without a particular thought in mind. Today he had gone back early, using some excuses about stomachaches and the likes. Tobyou had been worried, but all in all it was a harmless enough excuse with low consequences.

The same couldn’t be said about the man hidden behind the store’s back door, one that led to the staff’s room. A man– or rather, a youkai who looked to be around his thirties groaned pathetically, though it was hard to decipher whether it was for his broken leg or his precious family jewels.

“Relax, it’s not like you’ll be using it anyways.” Tenmaru said bluntly while treating the wounds, making the older man snap back at him irritatedly.

“Shut up! Even if I won’t be using it, it’s still important, okay?!” Bonmaru said, before realizing, “And who said I won’t be using my family jewels, huh?! Unlike you, I’m a full-grown man, alright?!”

“Yeah, sure, gramps.” Tenmaru rolled his eyes before smacking the bandaged leg one last time, making the injured Karasu Tengu gag.

“Ow…! And how did that- that rake appear on the second floor of the store anyways?! Who put it there?! I swear to the fucking god it was NOT there before!!”

“Maybe it’s because you’re just getting so senile that you forgot you put it there.” 

“We are basically the same age at this point, and you’re still calling me senile! What’s wrong with you?!” While Bonmaru continued to complain, the younger man just poured them tea without even trying to argue with him. After all, for Tenmaru, it was less about their actual ages and about the type of bond they had since before their transformation to youkai.

(One could even call their bonds familial– after all, Bonmaru had been there for him ever since he was a kid. Same with Ranmaru. And now they were all Karasu Tengu now, so they were kind of like a family already, right?)

((Not that he would say this though. People would find him dead the second time before they heard any of that from his mouth.))

“Ugh, I swear it was that kid who put it there! I thought he was weird, but didn’t think much about it…” Bonmaru was still complaining about the fall, apparently. However, this time, it made Tenmaru pause.

“What kid?” He asked, somewhat alarmed although it wasn’t shown on his face or voice.

“Huh? Oh, well, there was this one glasses kid who was looking around the store a bit before that. He seemed clumsy, so I was worried he might knock some books over… Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen him leave yet.” While Bonmaru continued to ponder, Tenmaru was already marching outside, much to the former’s surprise. “Hey-”

Tenmaru swung the door open and looked around the open space in the store. He even checked out the second floor before going to the front door, where he found out that there was absolutely no one in the store but them.

“Hey, kid!” Bonmaru’s voice rang from the staff room, but Tenmaru paid no mind. His eyes fixed on the money left behind on the counter and frowned. 

Without a doubt, that glasses kid had to be the culprit.

Behind the shadows leading to the book store’s alley, Kurahashi snapped the picture book shut with a snap.

“I still don’t get it. What’s the difference between crows and ravens anyways?”

It was a book about birds.