This mischievous, girlish smile was something Ye Xing had never seen on Rio Futaba's face before.
"Since you're provoking me like this..."
As he spoke, Ye Xing reached out towards Rio Futaba.
Her body stiffened as she nervously closed her eyes, her heartbeat accelerating noticeably.
Yet all Ye Xing did was pinch her cheek and laugh.
"Then I'll reward you by taking you out to do something fun."
"Something fun?"
"That's right. Let's go."
Without waiting for her response, Ye Xing pulled Rio Futaba out the door and downstairs.
"Where are we going?"
With her hand in Ye Xing's, feeling the slight coolness of his palm, the fluttering in Rio Futaba's chest intensified.
She'd never experienced this feeling before.
Not needing to think about anything, nor worry about consequences.
Just following where he led.
"To the riverside. I'm going to put on a show for you."
Hearing Ye Xing's lighthearted words, a sudden heaviness settled in Rio Futaba's chest.
Put on a show?
If anyone else had said this - even culinary disaster Yui Yuigahama - she would have just laughed it off.
After all, no matter how chaotic things got, nothing too serious could happen.
But when Ye Xing put on a show...
Well, that tended to be rather extreme.
Was he planning to play her a tune on the suona by the riverside?
Playing 'Hundred Birds Worshipping the Phoenix' in the middle of the night - wasn't that a bit inappropriate?
Wouldn't that count as disturbing the peace?
At this thought, Rio Futaba couldn't help but smile slightly.
Oh well. Disturbing the peace be damned.
...
Ye Xing pulled Rio Futaba all the way to the riverside.
Seeing her panting heavily, chest rising and falling rapidly, cheeks slightly flushed in an adorable manner, he shook his head and spoke earnestly.
"You really should exercise more often."
"Huff... huff..."
It took Rio Futaba a while to catch her breath before she straightened up to reply.
"I-I'm the brainy type. Besides, isn't there that convenient..."
Here, Rio Futaba seemed somewhat embarrassed.
"That... convenient method to enhance all physical functions?"
Ye Xing shook his head.
"Now that's where you're wrong."
"Physical stats are one thing, but being able to maintain control over your strength and wield it precisely is equally important."
Rio Futaba nodded slightly, thinking 'that's certainly true'.
Before Miko Yotsuya underwent... underwent the "experiment", there actually hadn't been much difference in their physical capabilities - after all, they were just ordinary high school girls.
However, Miko Yotsuya's mental fortitude far surpassed that of Rio Futaba.
Facing those terrifying, spine-chilling evil spirits, she could even remain expressionless, cutting them down as effortlessly as eating or drinking.
This extraordinary psychological resilience was something Miko had been forced to develop.
In her eyes, evil spirits themselves weren't frightening.
If she already had the power to destroy them, why should she be afraid?
Just slash them and be done with it.
It was just that Ye Xing's eccentricity overshadowed Miko's own abnormality.
Otherwise, in the eyes of ordinary people, her excessively strong mental endurance would also fall into the category of being inhuman.
"Mhm, I understand."
Rio Futaba nodded obediently, but then, unable to suppress her curiosity, she turned to Ye Xing and asked,
"Can I ask you a question?"
Ye Xing replied without hesitation.
"If it were up to me, I think having a daughter would be better. As for the name... it could follow your surname. I don't really mind either way."
Rio Futaba froze for a moment, taking a few seconds to process his words before biting her lip, her face flushing red as she stammered,
"Y-you—who said anything about having a child with you?!"
"Really, not even one?"
Ye Xing's teasing retort left Rio Futaba utterly flustered.
She fell silent for a long while before muttering under her breath,
"E-even if we were to... it'd have to wait until... after I graduate high school."
"Alright, just messing with you."
Ye Xing reached out and ruffled Rio Futaba's hair.
"You're really something..."
Rio Futaba huffed in annoyance before steadying herself, regaining her usual composed demeanour. She pressed her lips together, meeting Ye Xing's gaze directly, her voice soft but slightly tense as she murmured,
"If one day—just hypothetically—you found out that you were the cause of all these bizarre phenomena... what would you do?"
After speaking, Rio Futaba's heart leapt into her throat.
She tried putting herself in his shoes.
If she were in Ye Xing's position, faced with such a pointed question, how would she answer?
Rio Futaba couldn't think of one.
The question was simply too heavy.
"You mean..."
To her surprise, Ye Xing didn't show the slightest hint of shock or surprise at the question. Instead, he even wore a relaxed smile as he continued,
"You think I might be like Mai Sakurajima—someone suffering from Adolescence Syndrome, and that the Reverse World and the appearance of the Gates are just external manifestations of my condition?"
"You..."
Rio Futaba blinked, murmuring,
"You... already figured it out?"
"Of course. I'm not stupid."
Ye Xing chuckled dismissively.
"The day I awakened my spiritual power and the day the Gates appeared were both March 20th. A detail like that, I'd obviously notice."
Then, seeing Rio Futaba's troubled expression, he let out an amused laugh.
"So that's why you've been acting so weird lately?"
"What else would it be?"
Seeing Ye Xing still so nonchalant, Rio Futaba couldn't help but snap.
"The goal of our Supernatural Society is to eliminate as many supernatural threats to humanity as possible—to protect the people of this city, Kyoto."
"Yet suddenly discovering that the cause of these bizarre phenomena might be none other than our beloved captain himself—anyone in my position would feel conflicted, wouldn't they?"
Ye Xing nodded. "You've got a point there."
Then, reaching out to pinch Rio Futaba's cheek, he abruptly changed his tone with a laugh.
"But rest assured, the connection between these two matters isn't what you're imagining. If you're suggesting that the resurgence of supernatural phenomena awakened my spiritual power to become humanity's last hope, that would at least make logical sense."
Hearing such conceited words, Rio didn't feel like mocking him. Instead, she murmured quietly.
"How can you be so certain?"
"Are you stupid? Did Yuigahama infect you with it?"
Ye Xing teased first before explaining properly.
"Think about it—the Nura Clan has existed for centuries, and the yokai race far longer."
"Moreover, Miko awakened her Mystic Eyes much earlier than I did."
"This proves supernatural phenomena existed in this world long before I became a psychic."
Rio wore an expression of half-belief.
"Really? Are you sure this isn't just convenient logic to avoid your own moral dilemma?"
"Tch, listen to you."
Waving his hand dismissively, Ye Xing presented an ironclad argument Rio couldn't refute.
"I have no morals to begin with—what moral dilemma? Don't be ridiculous."
Rio looked speechless.
Well... that was true.
Given Ye Xing's carefree, almost reckless personality, even if his Adolescence Syndrome really did cause the Gates to appear in Kyoto, he probably wouldn't care at all.
"Then why did you suddenly awaken spiritual powers?"
"Not exactly sudden. It's hard to explain."
Ye Xing replied casually.
"On March 20th, I received Sobu High School's first-year student roster."
"The moment I saw the name Miko Yotsuya, I could suddenly observe those things."
Rio looked puzzled.
"What are you talking about? Is there any causality here?"
"Of course there is. But I can't be bothered to explain."
"You'll die of laziness one day."
Ye Xing had known the reason for his awakening even before enrolling at Sobu High.
Supernatural phenomena, the Reverse World, Soul Materialisation—these were all abilities leaning towards idealism.
Meaning an individual's subjective perception held more weight than objective external factors.
Take an ordinary person like Rio Futaba.
Even if Miko told her face-to-face that evil spirits existed in this world, Rio wouldn't awaken.
Because others' words are inherently hard to fully believe.
Even after witnessing the Reverse World firsthand, upon returning to reality, one would subconsciously reject the notion of the existence of evil spirits.
It's humanity's uncontrollable instinct to avoid danger.
But.
Ye Xing was different—he was a transmigrator.
The moment he saw Miko Yotsuya's name on Sobu High's freshman roster, he realised.
In this world, evil spirits and spectres exist.
Not as speculation.
But as a fact.
And Ye Xing's first thought upon realising this wasn't how terrifying it was.
But that something interesting had arrived.
After completing this shift in subjective awareness, he awakened the power of Mystic Eyes.
Then, the moment he saw an evil spirit, he immediately recognised it as an enemy that could be vanquished.
In other words.
Ye Xing's awakening process was actually identical to Miko Yotsuya's—just much faster, taking less than three seconds.
"Well, if you say so, of course I believe you."
Rio Futaba exhaled in relief, her face breaking into a genuinely delighted smile.
Then, she stood pertly before Ye Xing and asked curiously:
"By the way, what exactly did you drag me to the riverbank for?"
"Hmph, this—my long-cherished treasure."
Ye Xing took a deep breath, then pulled out from his pocket...
...a bundle of sparklers.
"This..."
Rio Futaba blinked, torn between laughter and exasperation.
"Where did you even buy these? Why are you carrying something like this around?"
Ye Xing replied casually:
"As a proper exorcist, isn't it perfectly reasonable to always have sparklers on hand?"
Rio Futaba glanced at the slender sparklers in Ye Xing's grip and snorted.
"Hmph, childish. Only elementary school kids like playing with these."
Even as she said this, her body betrayed her—she snatched a handful from Ye Xing's grasp, her small face alight with eagerness.
"Got a lighter? Hurry up, hurry up."
"Here, take it."
After accepting the lighter, Rio Futaba lit her sparklers.
Watching the brilliant flares, her eyes sparkled with exhilaration. Like a little girl, she waved them through the air, tracing arcs of dazzling light.
"Never played with sparklers before?"
At Ye Xing's question, Rio Futaba answered reflexively:
"Of course I have—but only when I was little. And..."
Here, she hid her face behind the still-burning sparklers like a bashful ostrich.
The shimmering sparks veiled her lovely features as her soft, shy voice carried between them, mingling with the crackling flames.
"But this time, you're here with me. So... it's different."
After saying this, Rio Futaba's brain seemed to short-circuit, leaving her as breathless as a suffocating fish.
Nervous—she was far too nervous.
"Oh, right."
She tossed the nearly spent sparkler aside and grabbed a fresh bundle from Ye Xing's hand, lighting them as she spoke.
"Regarding the new member candidate, since you've already found someone with special abilities, why not recruit her into the club?"
"It's not that simple."
Rio Futaba asked curiously.
"Is her character questionable?"
"That's not it."
"Unwilling to join?"
"Though she'd refuse initially, I have ways to make her join."
"Then perhaps..."
Rio Futaba drew out her words, narrowing her eyes as she stared intently at Ye Xing, enunciating each syllable.
"Could it be... she's just not your type?"
Ye Xing's expression changed as he waved his hands earnestly in denial.
"Ah, Miss Futaba, what are you implying? I'm not that kind of person."
Just as Rio Futaba was about to say she was only joking, Ye Xing added:
"I've never had a preferred type. I only follow one principle - as long as they're good-looking, any type will do."
Hearing such outrageous words, Rio Futaba nearly pressed the still-burning sparkler in her hand directly onto Ye Xing's face.
But when she raised her head and saw his handsome features, she found herself unable to bear doing it.
Never mind.
Ye Xing's face didn't belong to Ye Xing.
Logically speaking, it should be hers and Miko's property, since she and Miko were the ones looking at it every day.
Ye Xing himself couldn't see what he looked like all the time.
If she really burned it, Rio Futaba thought, she'd be the one losing out.
"Then what's the real reason?"
Ye Xing replied calmly.
"I'll explain during our Monday lunch meeting. After all, the Supernatural Society isn't mine alone. Unlike external members like Light Yagami, I can't make such decisions unilaterally."
"Fair enough."
Rio Futaba nodded, tossing the spent sparkler onto the ground.
She dusted off her hands, then carefully pulled out a tissue from her pocket, meticulously wrapping both the burnt-out sparkler and its ashes before folding the tissue and tossing it into a nearby bin.
After completing these actions, she squatted on the ground, adopting an adorably defeated pose.
"I can't walk anymore."
"Fine, I've got a solution."
Ye Xing approached Rio Futaba, whose heart began pounding wildly with sudden nervousness.
Is this it?
Being carried on Ye Xing's back, her chest pressed against him.
Her legs supported by his hands.
Her chin resting on his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck.
Just imagining this scene made Rio Futaba's heart flutter and her face burn.
She wanted to get close to Ye Xing.
But then Rio Futaba suddenly felt herself becoming weightless.
"Eh... EHHH!!!"
Rio Futaba's petite frame was easily lifted with one arm as Ye Xing hoisted her onto his shoulder.
"EHHH!!! That's not what I meant!!!"
In her imagination:
A romantic scene of a boy carrying a girl, bodies brushing intimately.
In reality:
Ye Xing carried Rio Futaba single-handedly like a dockworker hauling cargo, sprinting forward at breakneck speed.
...
When they returned home, both Rio Futaba and Ye Xing were completely drenched.
"Honestly..."
Rio adjusted her soaked short-sleeved shirt, her long grey curly hair so wet that water could be wrung out by hand.
Ye Xing shook his head and spoke with profound sincerity.
"I did tell you it was going to rain."
"And you have the nerve to say that?"
Rio was so angry that she could barely speak clearly.
"You did say it would rain, but when it actually started, why did you slow from running to walking? And you still wouldn't put me down—you deliberately wanted me to get soaked, didn't you?"
"Absolutely."
Ye Xing nodded without hesitation.
"Because I wanted to take a bath with you."
Rio froze for a moment upon hearing this, then her face turned bright red as she shouted furiously.
"As if I'd ever agree to that!!!"
Ye Xing smiled meaningfully and slowly uttered one sentence.
"Mai Sakurajima and I often bathe together."
"What!?"
Rio's pupils contracted in shock, her silver teeth clenched involuntarily, her eyes flashing with unwillingness.
Ever since Mai Sakurajima appeared, Rio had seen her as a rival.
Now it seemed competition was unnecessary—they might as well both join the fray.
But.
As one of the three founding members of the Supernatural Society, how could she, the mighty Quantum, lose to a new member without even a codename in the progress of conquering the S-rank dungeon that was Ye Xing?
Rio's competitive spirit overwhelmed her shyness. Lowering her head, she spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.
"T-then... you go in first. I-I'll join you later."
"Sure."
Ye Xing stepped into the bathroom and looked around.
Hmm, Rio's bathroom was quite spacious, with both a shower and a bathtub combined.
Plenty of room.
Enough to move around freely.