Chapter 3: Shadows Hidden on Weekdays

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"Excuse me… Please let me get through!"

Maria's sweet voice rang out as she walked out of school in the evening. Katsumaki and Hiyoshima followed closely behind, talking about last night's drama series with great gusto.

"I told you that the male lead of that drama must have died for sure!"

"No way! He must have survived!"

"He will survive, but he won't be able to raise the female lead's child for long..."

Maria was listening to the two girls arguing happily, but suddenly she felt a pair of eyes staring at her from behind.

She quickly turned to look—

But no one was there.

"Maria? What's wrong?" Katsumaki asked curiously.

"Huh? Oh… no, it just feels like someone is following me…"

"Huh~ Do you really have a fan?" Hiyoshima giggled.

"Damn… Don't joke like that!"

Maria laughed dryly before quickly changing the subject and walking on.

But what she didn't know was…

Those eyes are still staring at her from the shadows

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"Brother…"

Yukagori whispered softly, looking at her brother who was still leaning against the wall at a distance.

"Aren't you going to go talk to her?"

"..."

Yukagori was silent, not answering anything, but his gaze was fixed on Maria without blinking.

The evening sunlight reflected in his pale yellow eyes, making it seem as if…

Waiting for something for so long

"Brother…"

Yukagori looked at her brother's face with gentle eyes, before slowly turning her head to look at Maria who was walking away.

"Brother must really want to see you, huh?"

"..."

"But why didn't you go in?"

Yukagori pursed his lips tightly, before answering in a soft voice.

"I… don't want you to remember anything."

"..."

"You don't have to know that… Yukagori and I were important to you 1,000 years ago."

Yukagori paused. The large round eyes were filled with pity.

That's right—

Even though Maria was reborn in every life, the memories of these two umbrellas of Tsugumogami...

Never left even once.

—

On the school roof

Domakawari still sat still, his eyes staring at Maria with a mixture of infatuation and madness.

"Maria... You've finally been reborn."

He whispered softly, his blood-red eyes glinting with danger.

"This time, I will never let you go."

His fingertips slowly drew a talisman in the air.

The whispers of curses began to fade from the air around them.

—

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When she got home, Maria walked up the stairs to her room, and collapsed onto her bed exhaustedly.

"Sigh..."

She sighed softly, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

Why is that...

Since morning, she felt like something was following her all the time.

It wasn't just her eyes. But it was like she was being drawn by some energy.

As if...

Someone was waiting for her from the other side of time.

"Am I... thinking too much?"

Maria muttered to herself before slowly closing her eyes.

But she had no idea that...

In tonight's dream—

She would meet something that she had forgotten for thousands of years.

—

(End of Chapter 3)