Shelter For A Stray

Even as Eiji approached, the girl didn’t spare him a glance. She was buried deep in her own head, the world around her fading into the grey hum of the storm.

He stopped right in front of her and let out a heavy sigh.

“Oi. You’re gonna get that sketchbook wet again.”

The girl’s head snapped up. She looked startled, her eyes wide as she realized the boy from earlier was standing there in the middle of a downpour.

“...Sorry,” she whispered, lowering her gaze just as quickly.

Eiji exhaled again. He really wasn't good at this.

“Don’t apologize, either.”

The rain was picking up, the wind whipping mist under the shallow roof of the bus stop. It wasn't a place for a conversation. Eiji glanced toward his building across the street, then back at her.

“I live right over there. If you don’t want to go home for whatever reason, you can at least wait out the rain at my place.”

“Eh?” Naomi blinked in pure puzzlement. Her face practically screamed “Are… you serious?”

“You heard me,” Eiji said flatly. He wasn’t the type to repeat himself. He held out the umbrella, offering her the handle. He didn't want her thinking he was some creep trying to corner her.

“Wait!” Naomi scrambled up from the bench, umbrella in hand.

“This way.”

Eiji led the way through the rain. He didn't mind the soak; his front door was only a few yards away. To his surprise, he heard the hurried splash-splash of her steps close behind him.

They ducked into the apartment complex, climbing the slippery, rusted stairs until they were under the solid protection of the walkway.

“Come in.” Eiji unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Naomi lingered at the threshold, her eyes scanning the tiny studio. It was a normal home—small, a bit cramped, and smelling faintly of old cigarettes.

“Pardon the intrusion….” she muttered gingerly. She was waltzing into a stranger’s apartment on a whim. If her luck were any worse, a decision like this would have bitten her eventually.

Then again, she didn’t exactly have friends left to warn her about "stranger danger."

Her train of thought was derailed by a small black shadow on the floor. Two glowing eyes stared back at her.

“Meow.”

“A kitty!” Naomi’s worries vanished in an instant. She dropped to her knees, her face lighting up with genuine affection as she reached out for the feline.

“You’re the second stray I’ve picked up today,” Eiji commented. He watched the interaction with a mix of confusion and mild curiosity. Are cats really that much of a cheat code for girls?

“I see...” Naomi was too enamored to care about his dry wit. “Does she have a name?”

“Not yet,” Eiji said, grabbing a towel and scrubbing at his blonde hair.

“I see, I see...”

Naomi smiled in glee as the kitten purred at her touch.

“Here.” Eiji tossed a fresh towel her way. She fumbled it mid-air but managed to catch it before it hit the floor.

“Uhm... Thank you.”

She bowed, her movements stiff with returning nerves.

Eiji felt the silence stretching. Was it getting awkward, or was that just him?

“Kanzaki Eiji.”

Naomi looked up. It probably just hit her how weird it was to be in a guy’s house without even knowing his full name.

“Mizuno Naomi.” She offered a small, shy smile. This was their third meeting, and they were only just getting to the introductions. “And... thank you for earlier today, too. You went out of your way to—”

The sound of rustling fabric cut her off. Eiji had pulled off his wet hoodie, tossing it into a laundry basket.

“K-K-Kanzaki-senpai! Y-You shouldn’t do that in front of me!” Naomi squeaked, shielding her eyes.

“It’s fine, I’m wearing an undershirt. Cool your jets,” Eiji scoffed, completely indifferent to social decorum.

Naomi let out a breathy chuckle. Despite his intimidating look, he wasn't scary. He was almost... easy-going, in a blunt sort of way.

As she crossed her arms, she realized just how heavy and cold her own uniform had become. She couldn't exactly sit around like this.

“You can use these.” Eiji was already changed into dry gear. He held out a bundle of oversized clothes.

Naomi waved her hands frantically. “I can’t accept these!”

“And I can’t have you soaking my floor. The place is messy enough already.”

That was a hard point to argue.

“O-okay...” She timidly accepted, scanning the apartment for a place to change.

“Can… I?” She pointed to the bathroom.

“Sure. There’s a double lock on the door.”

She looked at him in puzzlement. She didn’t really take him for a creep even if his appearance wielded suspicions of delinquency. Yet, his attempts at reassuring her helped.

She took the clothes and retreated into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she emerged wearing a red hoodie that fit her like a dress and a pair of oversized sweatpants cinched tight at the waist. Eiji took her wet uniform and shoved it into the dryer—the one luxury his apartment actually boasted.

They sat across from each other on the floor, the only furniture being a low table. Eiji peeled back the lid of an instant ramen cup.

“Want one?”

“Eh? No, I’m not—”

Purrr.

Her stomach betrayed her with a loud, rhythmic growl. The smell of the MSG and hot steam was too much for a famished brain to ignore. Naomi’s face turned a violent shade of red.

“T-thanks...” she muttered, accepting the cup of steaming noodles. Eiji didn't even look like he’d noticed her embarrassment.

He watched her for a moment. She’d been fidgeting since they sat down, her eyes darting around the room before fixating on a corner of the wall.

“So... why were you sitting out in the rain?” Eiji asked.

Naomi swallowed a mouthful of noodles.

“I just...” She hesitated, searching for the words. “I didn't want to go home. I had too much to think about. I couldn't face everyone with a smile like usual.”

She didn't see a point in lying. He’d already seen her at her worst.

“With a smile, huh?” Eiji slurped his noodles.

“I’m the eldest of three siblings. I can’t let them see me in such a pitiful state...” Naomi’s lips curved into a solemn, fragile smile.

Pitiful.

Eiji looked at her. At school, she was the helpless girl who couldn't stand up for herself. But here, she was the "big sister" trying to carry the weight of her family on her shoulders.

To Eiji, that didn't seem pitiful at all. It just seemed heavy.

“Meow!”

Eiji’s train of thought was derailed as the kitten leaped onto his lap. She let out an elated cry, her nose twitching at the scent of the piping hot noodles.

“Oi, that’s not for you,” Eiji scolded.

“Meow!” The cat protested, pawing at his hand.

“You just ate. Pipe down.”

The kitten seemed to give up on her pursuit of the ramen, letting out a long, dramatic meowww before slumping into a loaf on his lap. Naomi’s expression softened at the sight. It was hard to buy into the "scary delinquent" persona when he was being used as a bed by a five-pound ball of fluff.

“So, you live alone, Senpai?” she asked.

“Do you think anyone’s willing to share this dump?” Eiji retorted.

“Heh. Not really, no.”

A brief silence followed, filled only by the rhythmic slurping of noodles and the occasional grumble from the cat.

“About school…” Eiji broke the silence. “What did you do to get them all riled up like that?”

“Oh, you mean those upperclassmen?” Naomi hesitated, her chopsticks hovering over her cup. “They were just…” She sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I don’t know, really. It’s… complicated.”

She didn't want to go into the details—the way the whispers had started long before the incident, or the way those girls looked at her like she was something stuck to the bottom of their shoes.

“And why wouldn’t anyone stand up for you?” Eiji questioned. He slurped up the last of his broth, prompting one final, hopeful meow from the kitten.

“I don’t… have any friends,” Naomi said, that same sad smile returning. “Not anymore, at least.”

“Not anymore?” Eiji repeated. He caught the weight behind the words. This wasn't just a falling out over school drama.

Naomi stared at her reflection in the dregs of her ramen cup, contemplating how much to share. The urge to open up finally won out.

“I had a friend. Not too long ago,” she began. “Her name was Hazuki.”

Eiji didn't interrupt. He just watched her, waiting.

“She was my only friend, but I never felt like I needed anyone else. We were inseparable for years. She was… everything.” Naomi’s eyes clouded with melancholy. “It’ll probably surprise you, Senpai, but one of our favorite pastimes was investigating the occult.”

Eiji’s brow twitched. This was suddenly getting relevant.

“We loved ghost stories and urban legends. Hazuki was the one who got me into it, but I was just as obsessed as she was.” Naomi let out a shaky breath. “But three months ago, we paid the price for our curiosity. You probably won't believe me—I mean, why would you?—but something… unnatural happened.”

Eiji perked up, his focus sharpening.

“We went to a haunted spot in the neighborhood. An abandoned parking lot.” Naomi gulped. “We thought it would be an adventure, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Something jumped us. A hideous monster with huge eyes and an even bigger jaw…”

Her fingers trembled against the cardboard cup.

“It… it got Hazuki. I didn’t know what to do. She told me to run, so I… I did.”

Eiji sat back, his gaze fixed on her.

“I went straight to her family, and later that night… they found her. Her body.” Naomi finished with a heavy sigh, as if trying to expel the memory along with the air in her lungs.

“I’ve been alone ever since. That’s why I started the Occult Club. I think… I think it’s just to remind me of her. Even if I’m the only member. It was a stupid decision, wasn’t it?”

“Must have been rough,” was all Eiji said.

He had his answer. The girl, the "projection" he’d been sensing, and the mysterious parking lot—the pieces were clicking into place. He needed more details, but he couldn't push her further for now. She looked like she was held together by a thread.

“Ah…!” Naomi blinked, looking down. “The noodles got soggy.”

“I have another if you want,” Eiji offered. She shook her head with a small smile.

“No… It’s okay.”

Sensing her distress—or just looking for a snack—the kitten hopped off Eiji’s lap and trotted over to her. Naomi looked at Eiji with a pleading expression.

“Can I… feed her?”

“Go ahead. But only a little.”

Eiji stood up and walked over to his old TV. He leaned over and clicked on a device sitting underneath it—a surprisingly new gaming console. He’d won it in a convenience store lottery after New Year’s, which was arguably the luckiest thing that had happened to him in years.

Not that it amounted to much, though.

“Eh?” Naomi tilted her head.

“Here.” Eiji handed her a controller before sitting on the edge of his bed with his own. “You’ve been eyeing it since you walked in. You want to try it, right?”

“Heh. My younger brothers pestered my mom about getting one nonstop, and now that they have it, they won't let me or anywhere near it.” Naomi chuckled. “So… I am a little curious.”

“Cool.” Eiji selected Road Brawlers from the home screen. It was the only game he owned, purely because it came with the console.

“Road Brawlers, huh?” She leaned closer to the small, old-fashioned screen, intrigued.

Eiji clicked through the menus until the "PICK YOUR FIGHTER" screen flared to life.

“Woah, there are so many…”

Eiji didn't bother browsing. He moved straight to his main and locked him in. The character was a brawny, blonde biker in black leather with arms like tree trunks and spiky hair. The name above him read: KYLE.

“Heh.” Naomi giggled. “He looks kinda like you, Senpai.”

Eiji paused, staring at the pixelated biker.

“I beg to differ.”

“I think I’ll go with her.” Naomi locked in a ninja girl with a long red ribbon holding up her black hair.

The letters above read: KOYOMI.

The word BRAWL flashed in jagged red letters.

“Okay!” Naomi gripped the controller tight, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

Eiji didn't say a word. He just began a rhythmic, violent tapping on the buttons, stacking combo after combo.

“Eh?”

Koyomi was launched into the air instantly, caught in a loop of frame-perfect punches and kicks. In less than thirty seconds, her health bar evaporated. Twice.

KYLE WINS. PERFECT.

“EEEEEEH?!” Naomi exclaimed at the screen in utter disbelief.

Eiji might not have cared about the lottery, but once he had the game, he’d sunk an ungodly amount of hours into it between shifts, both supernatural and not

“I didn't even land a single hit…” Naomi slumped forward, defeated.

Eiji glanced at her and scoffed. “Wow. You really suck.”

Any trace of Naomi thinking Eiji was a "kind and considerate person" vanished in an instant.

“Senpai, you’re mean!” She stuck her tongue out and white-knuckled the controller again. “One more round!”

“Yeah, let’s see you try for a change.” Eiji retorted, and restarted the match.

⌁◉⌁

Hit after hit, combo after combo. Koyomi wav⌁◉⌁s still getting pulverized, but Naomi was getting closer to landing a clean strike with every round. By the fifth game, she was actually stringing together a basic punch-kick combo, though it wasn't enough to make Eiji sweat just yet.

“Say, Senpai…”

“Trying to distract me?”

“No… why would you think that?”

“Dunno.”

The thunderous clicking of buttons served as their only soundtrack.

“So, you’re a year older than me, right?”

“I’m seventeen. I just got…” Eiji paused, his character landing an ultimate in a swift, bone-crushing motion. “…held back a year.”

“Really? You did?”

“I just said so.”

“I… see.” Naomi frowned at the screen as the 'K.O.' flashed again. “So you really are my senpai, then.”

“Guess so.”

“And why do you live alone? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I do mind.”

“...Sorry,” Naomi muttered.

Eiji sighed, landing one last combo to end the set. He stared at the screen for a moment. Naomi had spilled her life story to him an hour ago; it felt a little too selfish to keep his own door completely locked.

“I just don't have any family I can live with,” he finally said.

“Oh…” Naomi’s voice trailed off. She looked back at the TV. “I died again.”

“You still suck.”

Naomi stretched and let out a long yawn. She was getting comfortable—the kind of comfortable she hadn't felt in months. She didn't know why, but the air in this cramped, smoky apartment felt safer than the school halls.

“So…” Eiji set his controller aside. His gaze shifted, the casual gamer vibe vanishing into a sharp, non-bullshit stare. “What kind of monster did you see? Back in that parking lot.”

Naomi froze. “You really believe me…?”

“I do.”

The girl nodded slowly. The atmosphere had turned heavy in an instant.

“It was… a strange creature. It wasn’t huge, but its mouth was gigantic. Its teeth were yellow, sharp… and its eyes were glowing from underneath its tongue. It had long grey hair and these stretching, wiry arms. Those arms caught Hazuki and…”

She shuddered, the image clawing its way back to the surface.

Eiji went silent, processing the description.

“A big mouth, eh?” Meh chirped, popping into existence.

Eiji was used to it, but the kitten on his lap nearly jumped out of its skin. Naomi, startled by the cat’s reaction, looked around in confusion.

“Maybe an Agubanba,” Eiji muttered.

“A what…?”

“Agubanba. Spirits that hunt and curse young women. They’re born from the fermented jealousy of older women. To turn into something that hideous, the original malice must have been bottomless.”

It was the longest sentence Naomi had ever heard him speak. He sounded like an expert. But one word stuck in her throat.

“What do you mean by… 'we'?”

“Is Eiji-dono sure he wants to tell her?” Meh asked, looking concerned.

Ignoring the floating eyeball, Eiji leaned forward. “I’m an exorcist. My job is to hunt the same things you and your friend were looking for.”

“An… exorcist?” Naomi couldn't wrap her head around it.

“That’s what they call us. Those stories you were chasing? They’re real. All of them. And some are far more dangerous than you can imagine.”

“And you knew I had a run-in with one?”

“A specter, yeah. To put it bluntly, that encounter left you with a residue of malevolence. The thing cursed you.”

“It cursed me? And that’s how you found me?”

“Practically,” Eiji answered.

A sharp pain surged through Naomi’s chest. It wasn't physical—it was the sound of a pedestal shattering.

So that’s it.

“And that weird eyeball floating next to you is…?”

Eiji and Meh both froze.

“You can see Meh?”

“You can see Meh?”

They said in unison.

“Yeah… after the incident, I started seeing things,” Naomi whispered, her head drooping. “Shadows. Shape-shifting figures. Things that weren’t there before.”

“Astonishing! Her contact with the malevolence forced the 'Sight' to awaken!” Meh exclaimed.

“Pipe down.” Eiji swiped at the air near his ear. He looked back at Naomi.

“Now that you know, I’m going to need your help.”

“My… help?”

“There’s a barrier protecting that specter. I can’t get through it alone, but if I—”

His phone buzzed on the table. Eiji glanced at the screen and sighed. His manager. Again.

“Wait here. I’ll be back in a bit.”

He stood up and stepped out onto the small balcony, sliding the glass door shut behind him.

Left alone with the kitten, Naomi felt the hole in her chest expanding. The realization hit her like a physical blow. Eiji was an exorcist. His job was to kill monsters. That’s why he had saved her. He needed a bloodhound to lead him to the prey.

It suddenly all made sense for Naomi.

He wasn't a guardian angel. And she wasn't a friend of his.

She was just a means to an end.

How could I be so stupid?

For a second, she’d seen a glimpse of Hazuki’s kindness in his eyes. She’d thought maybe—just maybe—he remembered her from six years ago. Maybe he actually wanted to be near her.

But once the mission was over, he’d just move on. He’d forget her name.

The shame was overwhelming. Naomi scrambled up and bolted for the bathroom. In a frantic haze, she yanked her uniform back on from the dryer and threw Eiji’s clothes onto the floor. She couldn't stay.

She wouldn't be played for a fool again.

She burst out of the apartment and ran down the stairs, her heart hammering against her ribs.

⌁◉⌁

“Where the hell…?”

Eiji slid the balcony door open and stepped back inside. The room was empty. The TV was still flickering, and the kitten was sitting by the door, looking confused.

“Eiji-dono!” Meh appeared, his voice high with anxiety. “The girl has fled! And it is past midnight!”

“Past… Shit!”

Eiji saw the front door sitting ajar.

“The curse’s malevolence is spiking,” Meh warned. “The specter is on the move!”

“Dammit!”

Eiji didn't waste another second. He grabbed his jacket and bolted out the door. Midnight was the witching hour—the time when specters grew teeth and curses turned lethal. Naomi was out there alone, and the thing that had killed her friend was finally coming to finish the job.