Although it looked more or less the same as when she left, some details gave it away.

Kamiya Mirai was a little girl with a slight obsessive-compulsive disorder. She would place her slippers neatly when she left the house instead of randomly scattering them at the entrance. The vase beside the shoe cabinet seemed to have moved forward. She was sensitive to these out-of-place details.

The gloomy dead silence of the indoor environment expanded her fear infinitely.

Kamiya Mirai's palm began to perspire as a tremendous sense of fear seemed to be forcing her to turn around and run away from her home.

However, Kamiya Mirai clenched her teeth and did not move as large eyes scanned around.

Behind her was the light at the entrance. The light s.h.i.+ning from the entrance made the stone flooring seem exceptionally bright.

There was no one down the hallway, not even a shadow.

The darkness seemed like it was going to swallow her whole.

She suppressed the fear in her heart and reached out to turn on the light switch…

In an instant, the entire house shone brightly, driving the darkness away.

Kamiya Mirai never felt so comforted by that pink light at the entrance.

She walked directly into the house in her long boots.

The living room was on the left, and deeper on the right was a staircase leading upstairs.

A sofa was in the middle of the living room, opposite the television. A vertical household air conditioner was in a corner on the right.

Currently, the air conditioner was on, blowing cold air, filling the room with a strange chill.

Someone had really been here!

Moreover, that person did not even care that Kamiya Mirai knew they had been here.

The remote control of the air conditioner was on the gla.s.s coffee table. However…

Kamiya Mirai picked up the remote control cautiously.

The culprit had glued a few s.h.i.+ny pieces of s.h.i.+ny sharp blades on the back of the remote control.

"He isn't the least bit concerned about his c.r.a.ppy technique being discovered… Did he purely want to express his malice, or is this a simple threat…?"

She could almost imagine how the culprit made his grand entrance into her house and left with disdain.

Was he trying to express that it was useless for her to stay home?

Whatever it was, he achieved his purpose.

While Kamiya Mirai was always curious about everything, that did not mean she did not have the fear of a normal girl.

Subconsciously, a figure flashed through her mind.

Kitagawa Tera.

"What about that guy now? I'll find a chance to ask him tomorrow."

Kamiya Mirai was exhausted as she leaned on the sofa, finally relaxed.

No matter what, the culprit achieved his purpose today. Nothing else should happen, at least not today.

However, danger was still lurking in the dark, staring at her with scarlet eyes…

Kamiya Mirai's back was unconsciously drenched in cold sweat.

…

"Welcome home, Terniisan." Kitagawa Eri greeted him warmly at the door.

Kitagawa Eri felt like she was much closer to her elder brother after the New Year's shrine visit today.

She also found out that Kitagawa Tera was not as solitary as she had imagined. He was just quiet.

But in general, Kitagawa Tera was still a gentle and good elder brother.

Today, she would have been lost in the crowd of people if Kitagawa Tera had not held her hand tightly throughout the visit. Kitagawa Tera even brought her to drink amazake[1] and draw their fortunes… That was the first time since their father pa.s.sed away.

Kitagawa Eri's luck was not bad. She drew a fair luck. Comparatively, Kitagawa Tera's luck was not good at all. He drew a 'great misfortune'.

It was the first time Kitagawa Eri saw a 'great misfortune' sign as a native j.a.panese.

It was written with a thick writing brush.

'The people you meet are not meant to be met; the things you expect to be done will not be fulfilled; everything you think and wish for is in vain.'

Kitagawa Tera did not seem to care much about it. But Kitagawa Eri still came home early today, carefully folded the great misfortune that Kitagawa Tera drew and the fair luck she did into triangles, and hung them at the corner of their eaves. She hoped to resolve the misfortune by praying for luck.

I hope the G.o.ds can protect Terniisan. The little girl prayed.

"Hey, I'm home." Kitagawa Tera's face became gentler after seeing Kitagawa Eri. He reached out and took off his scarf.

"Terniisan, the bath is ready. Do you want to enter first?"

"I'll do that then." Kitagawa Tera had no objections to her arrangement. He lowered his head and put on his slippers, but his gaze narrowed slightly and asked very calmly, "Did someone come to our house today, Eri?"

"Ah… The courier came just now and left this." Kitagawa Eri turned around and took a wrinkled cardboard box from the shoe cabinet. A strange look appeared on her cute face.

"I don't know what it is, and it's for Terniisan, so I didn't open it."

"Un." Kitagawa Tera took the box without a care.

Feeling the weight, Kitagawa Tera had an idea of the item inside.

He was not in a hurry to open it, in case it shocked Kitagawa Eri.

He unhurriedly carried the box upstairs and put it down before heading downstairs again.

After giving Kitagawa Eri a heads up, he immersed himself in hot water.

The warmth made him feel as though he was back in his mother's body. Hot air floated, dispelling all the discomfort in his body.

A capable younger sister was great to have. She knew what you wanted.

Thinking of this, the original was really worthless. How could he treat such a sweet and cute little sister so coldly?

Moreover…

"Underwear thief…" Kitagawa Tera felt an impending headache when he thought about the t.i.tle Kamiya Mirai said.

He did not care much about the criticism. Yet when he thought that the original might have really stolen underwear, he could not help but feel throbbing in his head even with his character.

It was hard to argue that the yellow mud on your pants was not feces.

He did not rule out the possibility that people were bullying the original Kitagawa Tera, but he might truly be an introverted pervert given his sullen character.

This was what made Kitagawa Tera most uncomfortable. He did not know whether or not Kitagawa Tera was such a person.

It was useless to think of this now. Tomorrow was when Kyokuboku High School was starting again. He would think about it then.

Kitagawa Tera washed his face with hot water, put on his pajamas, and left the bathroom.

In the living room, Kitagawa Eri was glued to her favorite animal program on the television.

Kitagawa Tera did not disturb her. He walked upstairs noiselessly and brought the box out.

"It should be that."

Kitagawa Tera took out a small knife and sliced through the seal without any change in expression.

Something was lying in the center of the bubble pack of the cardboard box.

He was looking straight at ten fair fingers…

… A pair of cleaned human arms…

… Horizontally displayed in the box like a piece of artwork.

[1] Amazake: j.a.panese fermented sweet rice alcohol