The Talisman That Wouldn’t Stay

I fell onto my desk and dozed off after a long day of work.

Oh, right. My name is Haruto Aoyagi. My job? An Exorcist. Really, just your ordinary one.

Well… at least, that’s how I see it. My coworkers, juniors, and even my seniors hold me in extremely high regard, mainly due to my talent for handling so-called stubborn ghosts. The kind that refuse to move on, no matter what talisman or chant you throw at them.

But here’s the truth: it’s not because I’m especially powerful or anything.

Bzz! Bzz!

… And I received a phone call.

With a groan, I took out my phone and pressed the green button.

???: “Yo! Thanks for helping me get rid of that stubborn ghost! We were stuck for days until you stepped in!”

Haruto: “Oh, senpai…No problem… But it’s really easy, you see. All you have to do is…”

???: “Ha! You’re hilarious, Haruto. If it were that easy, we wouldn’t have needed you. Anyway, get some rest, okay?”

Click.

They never listen.

Stubborn ghosts aren’t scary because they’re strong; they’re stubborn because they have strong wishes left behind. Regrets. Promises. Dreams. I know that, because I talk to them. Listen to them.

My colleagues? Their only concern is placing talismans on their foreheads.

Me? I’ve learned that if you just fulfill their wishes, even if it means running errands across the country, they can finally smile and rest in peace. Sure, it’s exhausting… but seeing that final smile always fills me with warmth.

It is exhausting to be an exorcist. However, it's also the greatest feeling in the world.

I guess I’m done introducing myself? Probably. I’m tired anyways. So, good night…

Bzz! Bzz!

With a sigh, I picked up the phone call.

Haruto: “Yes…!?”

???: “I’m sorry for bothering you again, Haruto. But… We seem to have a problem in the temple and we need your help…”

***

After washing my face, I headed to the temple.

The ‘temple’ is actually a school for young exorcists. I studied here myself as a kid. We just kept calling it a temple, because, well… it’s a school in a temple.

As I stood in front of the temple, the senpai who was on the phone with me just now, Maru, rushed towards me while waving at the same time.

Maru: “You are finally here… Well, we have another stubborn ghost.”

Maru led me into the temple, and I followed.

Maru: “We tried placing the strongest talisman that we have, but it didn’t work! Entering the temple without any hesitation… She must be a really strong one!”

Must be an old lady, huh? And err… No. She’s probably here to ask us for help.

I wanted to say this. But, they won’t listen either way. So saying this will just waste my energy.

Haruto: “Don’t worry, let me handle her alone.”

Maru: “Understood. She’s just in there.”

In front was an old hut, where the monks and teachers use it as a store room to store supplies like food, gears, equipment, and so on. That’s the place I’ll least expect a ghost to be at. But sure…

I opened the door, and what was inside me got me speechless.

It was a young teenage girl in a school uniform. She was munching on a cold steamed bun while the floor was scattered with food.

Hearing the door open, she turned her head, and our eyes met.

Haruto: “…You’re eating?”

After blinking at me, the girl hurriedly shoved the remaining bun into her mouth.

???: “Mmf…! D…Don’t look at me like that! I was hungry, okay!?”

I sighed. Definitely not the terrifying, vengeful ghost that everyone had been imagining. She resembled a runaway student who was hiding in a storage room.

Haruto: “So, you’re the ‘stubborn ghost’ everyone’s panicking about.”

???: “…Ghost? Oh, right. I guess I am.”

She laughed awkwardly, brushing crumbs off her skirt.

Haruto: “You don’t seem very stubborn.”

???: “Well, that’s because I wasn’t trying to be scary. I just… didn’t want to leave yet.”

That line hit me. It was always something like this. A wish, a regret, a word left unsaid.

Haruto: “So, what is it? Why are you still here?”

She hesitated, hugging her knees.

???: “…My name’s Yuna. Yuna Fujimori. And… before I died, I never got to say goodbye to my family. Not properly.”

As she said it, her voice trembled, and I immediately understood.

Haruto: “I see. So that’s why the talismans don’t work on you.”

Yuna: “Talisman? Those sticky paper things? They kept falling off my forehead. It was kinda annoying.”

I couldn’t help but laugh a little.

And just like that, I knew my next task.

Haruto: “Alright, Yuna. Let’s go see your family.”

Yuna’s eyes sparkled.

Yuna: “Oh really!? Thanks! But… I’ve been walking for a while and… I don’t know the way back…”

Haruto: “That will be kind of troublesome, hmmm…”

I gazed at Yuna’s uniform and thought of maybe figuring out where her school is to find her home. Seeing my gaze, Yuna grips her knees tighter in uncertainty.

Haruto: “Oh..! I’m sorry… Do you still remember how to go back home from your school…? Maybe we can start from there.”

Yuna: “Oh… Yes! My school is… Sakura High School in Tokyo, though…”

Listening to her words, my jaw dropped.

Haruto: “...Huh? That’s… Really far. We are in Kyoto…”

Yuna: “Well… Can’t we take a bullet train or something!?”

Haruto: “An exorcist in a train will just scare people, you know!? Plus… I don’t have a car…”

I clench my fists and shut my eyes tight. Trains were out of the question. A ghost floating down the aisle? Someone would faint if they could somehow see them. Cars? I didn’t have one. Planes? Same problem with trains. That left me with… a bike. Oh boy.

Haruto: “Urghh… I guess this is the only way!”

Spotting a huge bag in the storage room, I grabbed a few food and equipment and shoved them into the huge bag. Carrying the bag, I offered Yuna my hand.

Haruto: “We are cycling there! Next stop, Sakura High!”

Yuna glances at me in shock.

Yuna: “But… Won’t that be too troublesome!? And… It will take some time.”

Haruto: “It’s alright! I’m good at cycling, after all.”

Yuna let out a bright smile and grabbed the hand I offered. It feels cold, but her smile makes the atmosphere warm.

Yuna: “T…Thank you… Thank you so much!”

I led her out of the storage room. It was definitely going to be an exhausting journey, sure. But if it meant sending Yuna home with a smile… then every pedal would be worth it.