Meiji Tokyo Renka
Get back, Koizumi!
There you are, spirit!
Fujita-san!
Jane...
Caught in the Ghost Hotel
W-W-Wha?!
This is the most delicious dessert in the world:
sweet bun with tea and rice.
You break the sweet bun into pieces with your chopsticks like so,
getting the sweet red bean paste onto each and every grain of rice.
Fumi-san.
Yes, sir.
Here, Little Squirrel.
It's good, isn't it?
Syunso.
Yes?
I have enough for you, too.
No, I'm fine...
Don't be shy now.
Come on, say ah.
Meow, meow...
C'mere, black kitty.
I can still taste it.
He even made me have some.
Anyway...
What's that?
Oh, it's katsuobushi.
I borrowed it from Fumi-san.
And you're going to find the black cat with that?
I should be able to, right?
Don't cats like katsuobushi?
Even ghost cats?
A ghost cat should still like it, since it's a cat, shouldn't it?
I wouldn't know.
Besides, can you find it during the day?
I heard you can't see ghosts unless it is the dark hours.
Dark hours?
It's the time between dusk and dawn.
You're a Tamayori and you don't even know that?
Ah, no. I had no idea.
What should we do now, then?
I'm going back.
Please, I'm begging you, Izumi-san.
I told you, I can't do it.
Please, I have nothing without your help!
You're so annoying.
Izumi.
Oh, Hishida-san. And what's this?
This girl would be the one
I met at the Rokumeikan. Umm...
pardon me, but what is your name?
Ayazuki Mei.
And you are, uh, Yakumo-san and Kyoka-san.
Wow, you remembered who I am!
I am so moved!
The Western-style short skirt from the other evening was splendid,
but you're beautiful in Japanese clothing as well.
Oh, you're the weird girl from before.
Weird girl?
Huh?
W-What? Stop staring at me.
It's not with you today? The rabbit from that night.
So you are one.
Koizumi-san, you should have this girl handle your request.
Have Mei-san do it?
Why?
Because apparently she's also a Tamayori.
What?! Is that true?
Ah, yes, most likely.
Wait... You're one too, Kyoka-san?
I told you to stay back!
Then that means that rabbit is a ghost,
and that's why I can't see it during the day!
Mei-san, please let me rent your powers!
Eh?!
It is truly destiny that I have met a Tamayori like you!
Please, I want you to help me see Jane again.
Jane?
Essentially,
you wish to have Mei catch this ghost known as Jane?
No, I don't want to catch her,
I just want to speak with her.
She is a childhood friend of mine.
You're friends with a ghost?
Yes.
Mei-san, when I was younger, I was able to see ghosts like you can.
You were, Yakumo-san?
Yes. Jane...
She and I got along so well, it was almost like we were brother and sister.
It doesn't matter whether she is a ghost or not.
My parents divorced when I was very young. I always felt lonely,
and she was the only emotional support I had.
But then, one day...
Eight, nine, ten!
Ready or not, here I come!
Say, Patrick, do you think you can find the real me?
The real you?
But, if you do find me, you might hate me.
I would never hate you!
You mean it?
Jane!
Found you!
P-Patrick...
Patrick...
Jane?
Jane?!
Jane!
It was terrible for me to scream like that
upon seeing her face, even if I had been startled.
I tried to apologize immediately,
but I lost one of my eyes in an accident soon after that incident.
I have not been able to see ghosts ever since.
What happened that day has long since plagued my thoughts.
For all this time.
However, since the red full moon the other night,
strange things have frequently been happening around me.
Since the night of the red full moon?
Oh, a poltergeist?
Wonderful!
As a researcher of the paranomal,
Oh! Amazing!
I was happy to see these things, at first.
But then...
Jane!
There you are, spirit!
Wait!
Those incidents were caused by Jane's wrath against me.
I want to apologize to Jane.
If her anger is such that she wishes to kill me,
then I want to answer for that.
What are you talking about?!
Mei-san, ghosts cannot be seen by just anyone.
That is why those who can see them are incredibly precious to them,
since there are ghosts who have spent hundreds, even thousands, of years all alone.
Nevertheless, I hurt her and then lost my eye through my own carelessness.
Losing my sight was tantamount to Jane disappearing.
Yakumo-san...
I understand your situation.
However, Koizumi-san, my apologies,
but I cannot allow my fiancée to do something so—
Okay, I'll help you!
Wha? What are you saying, Mei?
I can't just neglect him!
I would love to help, if you'll allow me.
Mei-san...
Syunso.
Yes?
You go with her as well.
Why do I have to go?
Unfortunately, I am expecting a visitor today and cannot go with her.
I would like you, someone I can trust, to be her bodyguard.
Understood? I just wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happened to my Little Squirrel.
You be sure to protect her now, got it?
Got it.
Ougai-san.
Thank you, everyone!
I'll finally be able to speak with Jane.
You sure you got it?
Yes!
I really do.
I would like you to order another iron plate from America.
The previous one was ten tons, but this one needs to be 150 tons.
Shibusawa-san...
I will be in the study next door.
I will call for you if anything paranormal happens.
I would like you to please summon me if anything like that happens to you.
Oh, and one more thing. Fujita-san will be on patrol,
so do your best to make sure he doesn't see you.
We're sharing the room.
A king-sized bed!
Huh?
Eh?
Why are you sitting on the floor?
Well...
Why don't you sit here?
Oh, I'm fine.
By the way,
what do you think about Ougai-san referring to you as his fiancée?
What do you mean?
How do you feel about it?
How do I feel?
It surprised me, but it made me happy.
Never mind. You don't have to answer.
Oh, okay.
What's that?
A ghost.
Isn't it? I've never seen one before.
The ones I've seen have been a bit more cute.
Can I borrow that?
They're more like this...
Uh?
The only thing this tells me is that you're definitely not a Japanese painter.
I envy you, being able to see another world.
If I were a Tamayori, I would paint that world.
I like the dark hours.
There's no noise, so I can focus on my paintings.
You realize more clearly what truly matters.
I'm sure Yakumo-san is happy
just because you're here.
It was the same for me,
when you said you would help me find the black cat.
At first I thought you were just being meddlesome, but I was happy.
I honestly never thought I would paint—
Mei-san!
Has she appeared?
Th-Th-There was a brown-haired lady just now!
Jane, is that you?
Jane!
You again, girl? Is this your doing?
No!
So it was you.
Jane!
And you think you've hidden from me?
Please wait!
Girl...
Jane-san is crying.
Jane!
Jane, I'm sorry. Forgive me.
Please don't hurt these people.
If you want to kill me, do it!
Jane...
I would like for you to kill me.
I've done something that cannot be taken back, so please...
Kill me, kill me...
Smile.
Smile, Patrick.
Please.
That is what Jane-san is saying.
Jane is saying that?
I have always been by your side,
even after you injured your eye.
But no matter how much I called out to you...
Jane, I'm sorry.
I couldn't reach you.
Jane, please forgive me.
It was like I was about to disappear.
And I spent all that time...
Jane...
...feeling that way for years and years.
But I suddenly felt a surge of power during the red full moon the other night.
The power to tell you how I felt.
Then that...
was your rage towards me.
An expression of anger for what I have done.
I deserve to be cursed by you, but...
No.
No... That was because I couldn't control it properly.
Patrick, Patrick!
Oh, amazing!
Patrick, Patrick, listen to me.
Patrick...
I'm sorry.
I thought I finally had the power to reach out to you,
and I ended up scaring you.
But...
But... this girl noticed me.
Me?
This girl found me and subdued my powers,
so I could finally speak with you like this.
You know, Patrick, we got along better than anyone else, didn't we?
We cared about each other more than anyone else, didn't we?
So why would you think I was angry?
Jane, when you disappeared
in front of me that day,
I felt like I had done something I could never take back.
That was because I felt embarrassed.
I was trying to test you.
But I ended up tormenting you and I wanted to disappear.
I'm sorry. I never thought that it would cause us to be apart for such a long time.
Really?
That's all that was?
Oh gosh, so that's all that was, Jane!
Jane? Jane?
I spun around, and now I've lost sight of her.
Where are you, Jane? Jane!
Ja—
It's so warm...
Jane-san is here.
I always will be, forever.
Even if you can't see me,
I will always be near you, Patrick.
Jane...
Mei-san, thank you very much.
Thanks to you, I was finally able to find something precious.
Me, too. I realize now why your stories are so loved.
The reason that stories like "Hoichi the Earless" and "The Snow Woman" are filled with heart,
despite being scary, is because of the deep affection you have towards ghosts, Yakumo-san.
Oh my! You have read two of my stories?
Not only are you a Tamayori, but you are full of such extensive knowledge.
You are full of surprises!
W-Well... Anyway, I am also grateful to you.
I feel like I've learned a bit more about myself.
Mei-san...
And that goes for you, too, Syunso-san.
Thank you for what you said.
I'm sure Yakumo-san is happy
just because you're here.
I was able to manage because of your words.
Sure.
Looks like things are resolved here.
Ougai-san!
I'd hoped to get here a bit sooner,
but dealing with my visitor took more time than I expected.
Well, now, allow me to verify that my fiancée is indeed all right.
O-Ougai-san?
I'm sorry I was late.
Ougai-san...
You, too, Syunso.
You carried out your duty splendidly.
C-Come on, please stop, Ougai-san!
You should hug me back.
That is how he is protecting you.
I don't want to.
Eh?
Mori-san.
Saying you are the fiancée of an army surgeon first class
means no one can meddle with you heedlessly.
Not even that man from the police's supernatural division.
Girl, I won't show you any mercy if you do anything suspicious again.
You are loved.
L-Loved?!
But I would also like to devote more love to y—
Now then, why don't we have a party with steamed buns with tea and rice to celebrate.
Huh?
Hey!
Meiji Tokyo Renka
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Flower of Asakusa Rendezvous
U-Umm... Where are we going?
To an enjoyable place.
Eh?
Are you familiar with the flower of Asakusa?