I’m Really Unnerved In Tokyo

"Ayano, in the past month or so, the increase in your pupil power fluctuations is indeed abnormal compared to before..."

Koji Mochizuki handed the report in his hand to Ayano Mochizuki, turned around and began to prepare something in the test tube.

After the Gap Girl incident, "Mochizuki Ayase" fell asleep for a long time for some reason.

During that period, Mochizuki Ayano's pupil power fluctuations were unprecedentedly stable, which also supported her to preside over several large-scale exorcism operations one after another.

But recently, this power fluctuation has started a quite violent rebound trend like a stock.

"Perhaps it's because of too much work pressure recently, which has caused your ability to control pupil power to decline compared to before. I think it's necessary for you to suspend your work on Lesson 9 and take a rest for more than a year..."

Mochizuki Koji turned around and pushed the liquid in the test tube into the syringe.

"...If the Metropolitan Police Department is really too busy, the clan can call 'Che' back."

"No need, Patriarch, I'm fine... Hiss..."

Before he finished speaking, the syringe in Mochizuki Koji's hand was already lightly pressed against her arm.

"You should know that although the injection of "Hundred Demon's Culture Fluid" can temporarily suppress the fluctuation of pupil power, it will only make your body closer to 'that guy'. It's just drinking poison to quench your thirst..."

The green liquid in the syringe was injected into Mochizuki Ayano's body bit by bit.

"Also, the day of the full moon is coming soon, at least on that day, you must rest at home with peace of mind."

Hearing Mochizuki Koji's sincere words, Mochizuki Ayano frowned and nodded slightly.

"Don't worry, the patriarch. I will pay more attention and try not to use my pupil power. If the next test does not improve, I will formally apply for leave."

Pulling down the sleeves, Mochizuki Ayano got up and bowed to Mochizuki Koji.

Walking to the door of the laboratory, she pondered for a while, then she suddenly turned around and asked, "Patriarch, where is the place where the grievances are permanently stored? Really... can no one bring out the grievances from there?"

"That's a top secret of the royal family. How could I, an old man, know... But so far, I haven't heard of any cases of theft of contained grievances... Why do you ask this suddenly?"

Koji Mochizuki laughed a little, and asked with concern while packing up the equipment at hand.

"It's nothing...just curious about the royal family's secrets for a while..."

Mochizuki Ayano shook her head slightly and remained silent.

...

48 hours before the appearance of "The Gates of Hell".

Kuramae Apartment, Taito Ward.

In the evening, Araki Sousuke put his hands in his pockets and slowly stepped into the gate of the open-air parking lot.

After returning from Saitama Cemetery, because of his low mood, he refused the invitation of several people to have a meal together, and went straight back to the apartment in Kuramae, where he had not returned for several days.

This five-storey white apartment building with 20 suites was as pale and dilapidated as ever, and none of the houses were lit.

The Skytree behind the apartment, as if welcoming him back, was lit up from the bottom at exactly the same moment, blooming towards the sky like a fiery tree and silver flowers.

Sitting weakly on the steps of the door, staring blankly at the Skytree in the distance, Araki Sousuke lit a cigarette.

The smoky, dreamlike Skytree reminded him of the day when he just moved here, full of ambitions.

It's just that things are different and people are different.

"Uncle, are you sad?"

An immature child's voice awakened the sluggish Araki Sousuke.

He turned around in surprise.

On the steps next to him, at some point, sitting next to him was a little girl about six or seven years old holding a ball.

She combed her playful watermelon hair, her small face was chubby, and a pair of innocent big eyes looked up at Sousuke Araki curiously.

Is it a child from somewhere nearby?

"No... Uncle is fine..."

Araki Sousuke put out the cigarette butt in his hand on the ground, and tried his best to show a kind smile.

"Then why, are you crying..."

Following the little girl's chubby fingers, Araki Sousuke patted his own face.

On the cheeks, unexpectedly when, it was full of tears.

"Sorry, Uncle, I just remembered a friend who went far away..."

Araki Sousuke forced a smile by messing with his face with his cuffs.

"Father said that Ji Xiang's mother also went to a far away place... Ji Xiang cried at first, but then she stopped crying..."

The little girl sat obediently beside him, holding her chubby cheeks in both hands, showing a thoughtful expression.

"Really, Ji Xiang's mother must be missing Ji Xiang from afar."

As if touched by the little girl's words, Araki Sousuke couldn't help reaching out to caress the top of the other's head, and comforted him softly.

Her mother must have passed away.

"Really, I really want to see Mom soon... However, Ji Xiang is also very worried about Dad being alone..."

"By the way, where does Ji Xiang live? It's getting dark. If you don't go back, your father will look for you everywhere."

Looking at the sunset that had completely disappeared into the horizon, Araki Sousuke suddenly thought of this question.

"...Ji Xiang lives here, Dad is away, and Ji Xiang is waiting for him at home..."

Just when Araki Sousuke was hesitating whether to call the police station to ask, the little girl turned around and pointed into the dark corridor.

"Hay?"

Looking in the direction of her finger, it was Room 103 opposite Araki Sousuke.

Although I work night shifts for a long time, my life is turned upside down day and night, and I am used to not having the opportunity to meet my neighbors.

But that gloomy uncle who hasn't seen him for a long time and likes to peep through the crack of the door actually has such a cute daughter?

Heck, he must look like his mother.

"Patter."

The sound of something falling on the ground caught Araki Sousuke's attention.

Looking back, a man appeared in the parking lot at some unknown time, looking pale at the two people sitting on the steps.

It was the uncle who lived in Room 103 opposite Araki Sousuke.

He was wearing a dark one-piece hoodie, covering his whole body tightly.

In the plastic bag that fell at his feet, there were sacrificing items such as elf horses, snacks, incense sticks, pot lanterns, etc.

"Ji Xiang...how do you..."

Staring blankly at the girl on the steps, the man showed confusion mixed with excitement, and the sparkle in his eyes surged under the dim light.

It seems that my daughter looks a little different than usual.

"Here, Dad is back..."

Pushing the "salty pig's hand" on her head that became stiff for some reason, the little girl stood up and ran towards the short and fat man standing in the middle of the parking lot.

Her slightly clumsy back, under the dim light, seemed to be shining with crystal white light.

"Ji Xiang, didn't Dad tell you to wait at home obediently..."

Seeing the little girl running towards him, the man was taken aback for a moment, then squatted down and stretched out his hand, as if he wanted to hug the running daughter.

The tense appearance and cautious movements are like the girl in front of me is a bubble that cannot be hugged and will disappear at any time.

"Dad has been away for too long, Ji Xiang misses Dad..."

As the father and daughter hugged each other, the little girl in the man's arms began to glow with holy light.

"Ji Xiang... wait, you are..."

It seemed that something unusual had been discovered, and the man's voice began to tremble uncontrollably.

"no, do not want……"

"Mom, I'm here to pick up Ji Xiang... Dad... take care of yourself..."

"...Ji Xiang!!!"

Ji Xiang's small body is just in the arms of her father, with her palms folded and a happy smile, like a big dandelion blown by the breeze, scattered into countless small white umbrellas, and floated into the distance.

Looking at the scene in front of him, an inconspicuous fragment of his once happy life that had been buried in the man's mind because he couldn't bear to recall it surfaced.

"Father, Ji Xiang is in kindergarten today, and the teacher is teaching flower language... Guess what the flower language of dandelions is?"

"Flower language? Dad is not good at it."

"Father is so stupid! The teacher said that the flower language of dandelion is... Oops, Ji Xiang also forgot..."

The flower language of dandelion is "unstoppable love".