Chapter 155 – Mother and Daughter

Chapter 155 – Mother and Daughter

If someone had told me that I'd one day be stalking my mother with Hana, I'd think they were batshit insane. Nope. Here I was, just ten feet away from the woman who birthed me, following after the taxi she was riding in. After buying groceries, she proceeded to go around the city to purchase more miscellaneous items.

Now, as we were paused at an intersection waiting for the light, I found myself wondering what the hell I was doing.

"Hana, why are we following my mom again?" I asked.

"Because you're following her. I'm just along for the ride," Hana said.

"I'm following you!"

The pink-haired trickster shrugged, and we were on the move again a second later when the light turned green. My mother exited the car in front of a plaza, popular for the many specialty goods stores. A lot of young people gathered at the public tables and benches, drinking milk tea, playing games, and just enjoying the sun.

My mother, however, walked with purpose through the U-shaped plaza. She entered one store in the back of the building that sold household supplies. We followed her in, staying close behind and just above while holding our breaths as she browsed. One by one, she plucked basic items like a mop, plunger, toilet scrubber, and more.

"I don't get it. The house has all this stuff already. Why is she buying it all for?" I whispered to myself.

"When did the whole prime time family drama start for you guys anyway?" Hana asked.

"Start? No one ever lit a match to it if that's what you're talking about. As far as I know, we've always been like this..."

Floating above the aisle, I glanced down to see my mother picking between two different brands of a roomba. Sharp and Panasonic. Having one at the new apartment would be nice, but it wasn't something I could afford just yet. Especially with the university fees I had to worry about.

My mother ultimately picked an expensive Panasonic roomba, a new series of vacuum cleaner robots that costed over 130,000 Yen. I felt faint just looking at the price tag. It had a pretty cherry blossom tree printed on it, like that was some consolation for its exorbitance.

"Come on, Hana. Let's just go," I said.

When I took one last look down, I flinched at my mother staring back at me through her sunglasses. My body was alight with goosebumps. There's no way she knew I was here, right? Hana and I were as invisible as invisible could be.

My mother pulled the sunglasses off, revealing that her eyes were screwed shut the entire time. She pinched the upper bridge of her nose, then her phone buzzed and startled me a second time. With incredible dexterity, she texted into the phone at the speed of light, shut it off, and picked up the roomba and other supplies to pay at the front.

Without any reason to stay longer, we left.

Finally. We got back to the apartment and stocked up the fridge. No more eating unhealthy instant food or candy bars from the convenience store. Sighing, I shut the fridge door and thought back to my parents. What were they up to? I hope Hatsumi was doing alright.

"Uwaawww, shit. Looks like Ms. Armpit hair is fighting with Mr. Mustache again. I don't think they're ever gonna make up at this rate. Why even live together?" Hana asked me.

For the past half hour since we got back, she had been peering out the window with a pair of binoculars at the residential building across the streets.

"Hana, don't you have better things to do? Like managing your many love hotels or playing pranks on middle-aged men?" I squinted at the succubus overstaying her welcome.

Hana tossed the binoculars aside. "Nah. I got employees now! Come on, you got better entertainment than most cable TV can give right across the street. This whole shindig is food, too! You could be making a fuck buddy, instead you're just sighing every five minutes."

"Well, sorry I have family problems to think about..." I was about to sigh, but caught myself so Hana didn't have more ammunition to poke fun at me.

"Psh. Family problems ain't shit but hoes and tricks. All you need is us. We're here to keep you company 'cuz that's what friends are for. So shouldn't you be treating guests and making us feel welcome?" she asked.

I shook my head. This girl really had no boundaries, but I could tell she meant well. If Hana wasn't here, then I'd have just been alone with my thoughts like always.

"Hana, we need to talk about your use of pop culture references. I'm starting to cringe every time something comes out of your mouth," I joked.

"Oi, oi! I'm totally hip! There's nothing cringe about me!" Hana shook her fist at me before returning to people-watching.

"You keep telling yourself that, but I'll make you tea and that's all you get."

"Don't forget about your friend!" she added nonchalantly.

I went into the cabinets to pull out a kettle and froze. My friend? What friend?

"Friend as in... you, right?" I asked.

"No, I mean that girl." Hana pointed to the corner of the living room, where a short girl was sitting and facing the wall.

The blood in my veins turned to ice.

Both of us jumped into the air and channeled magic into our hands.

"You're telling me she was here this entire time?!" I asked Hana in panic.

"She was here when we got back, and you didn't say a damn thing! So I thought it was someone you knew!" Hana exclaimed.

The girl had long black hair and was wearing a kimono. She sat so quietly and still that it was unnerving. My mind immediately thought she was a ghost. A malevolent one? I couldn't be sure.

"What do we do? Start blasting?" Hana asked.

"No! I put two months' worth of deposit into this apartment, and I want it back when we move out. You're not blasting anything! For now... let's just ask who she is. Can you hear us?" I called out.

"Yes, I can hear you. I'm Midori, a zashiki warashi. I have to say, right off the bat? You two are terrible hosts," she groaned aloud, making her displeasure very evident.

A house spirit?

"A nani the fuck is a zabuza wario?" Hana looked at me for answers.

"Not even close. Zashiki warashi are house spirits that bring good fortune when treated well. Or misfortune when mistreated," I explained.

Since I didn't want my new apartment drowning in bad luck, I brewed tea and made snacks for the extra occupant. We sat together on the floor because I had no furniture, and thankfully Midori didn't mind. In fact, she was making herself right at home.

"Pwuah~ Thank you for the meal!" Midori said after chasing down all the rice crackers I'd just bought with oolong tea. "Wow, I've occupied a lot of houses before but this is a first time in a succubus' place. By the way, what is a succubus?"

Hana and I traded glances, trying to decide who should tell her. We played a single round of rock, paper, scissors, and I lost.

"We're a race that has sex in order to survive. Sexual energy is where our magic comes from," I said.

"Hmm, is that so? Well, succubus or whatever, I'd like some more snacks," Midori demanded.

"That's... all I have. You kind of ate all my snacks." When I turned the plastic bag upside down, scraps not even enough to fill a roach sprinkled out.

The zashiki warashi let out an exasperated and derisive snort.

"This is nowhere near enough. Don't tell me. You guys are poor as dirt? Ugh. Great. Just my luck. The place looked poor, but I didn't think you were that poor." Midori threw her hands in the air.

I folded my arms and was up to the edge of my patience from Midori making fun of my living situation.

"Food and drinks aren't the only way to treat you. I have another idea. You thinking what I'm thinking, Hana?" I smiled at the trickster, whose eyes lit up with mischievous intent.

"I got my toys on stand-by." Hana drew a portal open and fished into it.

"Y-You know what?" Midori cleared her throat. "I'll be on my way and find another place to occupy—"

We each grabbed the yokai by the hand as she tried to leave.

"Don't leave. Let us show you a bit of succubus hospitality. After all, my apartment is in a bit of a shitty state. The only way to fix it all up is to treat you really well." I winked.

Mio returned later at night with Chinese takeout while Hana and I were still playing with Midori. She was hit with whiplash coming through the door, seeing the yokai gagged, hands tied behind her back, vibrator bullets taped to her nipples, and sitting on a sybian machine being made to climax non-stop.

"Ufufu~ What a cute little boy he is. Oh, I can eat him up right—"

I summoned The Blade of the First Temptress and pressed it to the yokai woman's throat.

"If you hurt him, I will destroy you in this world, find your soul in Takamagahara, and feed you to the dragons," I threatened her.

Taking my threat to heart, Hachishaku shrunk to the size of an average human adult.

"I-I'm sorry." She gulped.

Well, I needed to be threatening yokai more often.

Although Kana couldn't see Hachishaku, all he needed to do was show her his palm. As the yokai inspected the eye, her own eyes regarded it with recognition.

"Your friend has been possessed by an onryo, a vengeful spirit," Hachishaku said.

"Is his life in danger?" I asked.

"My life is in danger?" Kana repeated after me.

"No." She shook her head. "Not yet at least. It is only a partial possession. In order to remove it, you must find a monk to exorcise it or fulfill the onryo's grievances to move on."

"What happens if we leave it alone?" Mio chimed in.

"There is a good chance your friend will become an onryo himself."

Mio and I went pale. There was a chance that we were going to lose Kana completely.

We assured Kana that he was going to be alright and would find a way to rid him of his possession. In the meantime, we needed to be on the lookout for an exorcist. I might be able to find help in Takamagahara, too.

"Once we get back, I'll start looking through a phone book. There's got to be at least a few exorcists in Tsukiji—"

"Saeko, don't look now," Mio said.

I followed her gaze down the corridor to find my mother waiting in front of our apartment.

"Great." I sighed. "Hi, mom..."

"May I come in?" she asked, the request coming as a surprise to me.

"We're kind of busy... Can it wait?" I asked.

My mother took off her sunglasses to look me firmly in the eyes. They were tired and had dark circles from a lack of sleep.

"It will only take a minute," she said.

"Fine." I unlocked the door to let us all in.

Right away, my mother began inspecting every inch, nook, and cranny in my apartment as she walked in. She drew a finger across the kitchen counter and nodded approvingly.

Thankfully, the zashiki warashi, Hana, and her toy were gone.

Mio scoffed, walking past her and into the living room and opened the window to let fresh air into the room. Between my slow, rhythmic breaths and the almost inaudible robotic whirring of the roomba going around cleaning the apartment, I almost thought my mother had stopped breathing because of how quiet she was.

"I see you're keeping your new home tidy. As expected of my child," she said.

"Can we get to the point where you tell me what you want?" I asked.

"Your father and I had time to reflect. At the very least we want you home where you belong."

"I am home. You're currently a guest in it."

"Our home," she reiterated. "Saeko, we were wrong to come off so strongly and are willing to make concessions to have you back. The career path we wanted for you? Let's just forget it. If you want to travel out of the country with friends, then we won't stop you. It's too late for Hatsumi, but if there is any other university you want to go to, we can make it happen."

Any? Then I'd be able to go to Tokyo University with Kana. Not to mention, I wouldn't need to worry about paying for college on my own and didn't need to follow in their footsteps into a business degree.

"Why... Why the sudden change in mind?" I asked.

My mother reached forward to brush my hair, but pulled back when I flinched.

"Your outburst made me realize I never experienced your childhood with you. I'm... sorry. Will you give us a chance to make amends?" she asked, extending her arms to me.

I should be angry. This person before me was like a stranger. I thought back to Amaterasu and Uta, and how much I wished I had parents again. Well, again implied there was a before. I never had them in my life.

However, my body moved on its own. I stepped into my mother's embrace, felt her arms envelop me from behind, and her hand on the back of my head. It was warm and pleasant. I started clinging to her, my fingers wrinkling her work suit from clenching so hard.

"The last time I held you was right after you were born. I should have done so much more. It must have been hard, living on your own like this. You don't have to do it alone," she whispered.

Glancing past her shoulders, Mio was leaning with her back to the wall and smiling.

"Will you come back, Saeko? Your father would also like to speak with you."

I took a deep breath and said, "Okay, but Mio and I need to pack."

"No need. The succubus can stay. You're the only one coming," my mother said.

"What?" I wrenched out of her arms and stepped back.

My world was shattering all over again, like a baseball flying through the window. It was loud and harsh, snapping me from the comfy illusion that had washed over me.

"Saeko, we're not letting the influence of a succubus cloud your mind. It's clear to me that she isn't good for you—"

"Hey! Who the hell are you to tell Saeko what's good for her or not?" Mio snarled.

Ignoring Mio, my mother continued, "Enough with this nonsense. Come back home and forget about what happened this past year. We're here now to help make things right."

"I... don't want... you to make things right! It's too late for that! You told Kana to break up with me? Screw that! Leave Mio behind? Never! If those are the rules you want me to follow, then this is what I think about your stupid rules!" I turned around and blasted the roomba into pieces with a bolt of magic. Burning debris rained down around us and clattered across the floorboards.

My mother slapped me hard across the face, her expression contorted in fury. My cheek stung. It was probably her first time hitting, because even in her fury she looked surprised about her own action.

"That might have been the first motherly thing you've done all my life," I muttered sarcastically.

"Saeko," she began. "I didn't—"

"I don't want to hear it. Get out of my apartment, or I'll force you to leave!" I yelled, igniting my hands with magic and pointing the cackling energies at her.

She took a hard look at the mess, then walked past me. As soon as the doors shut, all the weight on my shoulders came crashing down and brought me to my knees.

"Saeko!" Mio rushed up to hold me.

"I hate her... I hate them both so much!" I cried into her shoulder.

"I know." She stroked my back and kissed my forehead. "Come on. Forget her. Let's go fuck the night away. Whaddya say?"