Chapter 61 - A Ghost Slapped to Death, and Mrs. Izumi’s "Gratitude"

Mrs. Izumi felt like she hadn't slept this well in a long time.

When she woke up, her body and mind felt completely refreshed, free of any fatigue.

In fact, her body felt as if it were soaking in a warm bath, nestled in a comforting embrace.

Wait... an embrace?

Mrs. Izumi opened her eyes and saw Kaito's youthful, handsome face just inches away from hers.

For a moment, she was startled and almost screamed, but she quickly remembered who the young man holding her was and what had happened earlier.

She had been telling her story, exhausted from days of poor sleep, and had dozed off in his arms.

Realizing this, Mrs. Izumi's face flushed with embarrassment.

Kaito looked only a few years older than her daughter, Sagiri. He might have just graduated from university, his youthful appearance making him seem even younger.

And here she was, a woman old enough to be his mother, falling asleep in his arms.

Mrs. Izumi tried to sit up, but as she pushed herself off the couch, a wave of reluctance washed over her.

She didn't want to leave this warm, secure embrace.

For a moment, she considered lying back down, but the thought horrified her.

What are you thinking?! she scolded herself. You're old enough to be his mother!

Reluctantly, Mrs. Izumi forced herself to sit up, but her body, still weak from sleep, gave out.

Her arms buckled, and she tumbled forward, her head heading straight for the coffee table.

"Ah!"

Mrs. Izumi screamed, squeezing her eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

But the expected pain never came.

Instead, she felt strong arms catch her.

"It's okay, Mrs. Izumi," a gentle voice said.

She opened her eyes to see Kaito's face, his expression calm and reassuring.

Their eyes met, and Mrs. Izumi's heart raced. She quickly looked away, her cheeks burning.

Glancing around, she realized she was back in Kaito's arms.

And then...

She felt something.

Her face turned from a light pink to a deep red.

"Y-You... you..."

"Sorry, it's a natural reaction," Kaito said with an apologetic smile.

"As the famous 'Eromanga Sensei,' you should know that it's normal for a healthy man to wake up like this."

"Especially when..."

Kaito trailed off, not wanting to say anything disrespectful.

But Mrs. Izumi was already flustered.

"H-How do you know..."

She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she had let it slip.

Though she was a well-known artist in the industry, the idea of her daughter's teacher knowing she was a romance manga artist was mortifying.

"I've seen your livestreams," Kaito admitted.

"You wore a mask, but the resemblance was clear."

"Ugh..."

Mrs. Izumi's body trembled with embarrassment.

"P-Please, don't say anymore."

But her embarrassment didn't last long.

The doorbell rang.

Ding-dong.

Mrs. Izumi froze at the sound, her body stiffening.

She glanced at the clock on the wall.

　　21:37. 

Mrs. Izumi froze.

It's already this late?

At this hour, the person ringing her doorbell could only be...

Her eyes filled with terror, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably. A small, whimpering sound escaped her lips.

"No, no, no..."

"It's okay, Mrs. Izumi," Kaito said gently, placing a warm hand on her head and stroking her hair soothingly.

"I'm here. Nothing will happen."

Under Kaito's calming presence, Mrs. Izumi gradually relaxed. She looked up at him with gratitude, her fear still lingering but tempered by his reassurance.

She clung to his waist, her small hands gripping him tightly.

Thank goodness he's here, she thought. I don't know how I would've made it through the night without him.

As time passed, the doorbell continued to ring.

At first, it was the normal pace—a ring, a pause, then another ring.

But soon, it became frantic, as if someone were pressing the button repeatedly without stopping.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

The relentless sound echoed through the quiet, dark house, sending shivers down Mrs. Izumi's spine.

"I'll go check the door," Kaito said.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"Do we really have to?" Mrs. Izumi asked, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at him pleadingly.

"Can't we just... go upstairs and stay with Sagiri until morning?"

That's what she had done the past few nights—hide in her daughter's room, barricade the doors and windows, and huddle under the blankets with Sagiri, trembling until dawn.

"Don't worry," Kaito said firmly.

"I know what I'm doing."

Mrs. Izumi hesitated but finally nodded, letting out a small, reluctant "Okay."

She loosened her grip on Kaito slightly, but when a woman's shrill scream of "Why won't you open the door?!" echoed from outside, she immediately clung to him again.

"I-I don't want to go alone. Let's stay together," she whispered, burying her face in his chest.

Kaito didn't argue. He stood up from the couch, effortlessly lifting Mrs. Izumi into his arms.

She was light and petite, and he carried her with ease, one arm supporting her back and the other under her knees.

Mrs. Izumi's face flushed as she felt the strength in his arms.

This is so embarrassing, she thought, her mind torn between fear of the ghost and the strange, flustered feeling Kaito's presence gave her.

She had never been this close to a man in years, and the way he carried her so effortlessly made her heart race.

"Mrs. Izumi," Kaito said, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Could you stop squirming? It's making this... difficult."

Mrs. Izumi's ears turned bright red.

"S-Sorry," she stammered, trying to sit up higher in his arms to avoid the awkward position she was in.

But her lack of physical strength made it impossible. She kept sliding back down, her movements causing her to unintentionally rub against him.

Kaito sighed and adjusted his grip, his hand now firmly supporting her bottom.

Mrs. Izumi's face burned with embarrassment.

Is he doing this on purpose? she wondered, though part of her doubted it.

But before she could say anything, the doorbell and the woman's screams grew louder, drowning out her thoughts.

She clung to Kaito even tighter, her fear overriding her embarrassment.

When they reached the door, Kaito didn't hesitate. He turned the knob and pulled it open.

There, standing on the doorstep, was a horrifying sight—a woman covered in blood, her face pale and twisted into a grotesque smile.

Her lips stretched unnaturally wide, almost splitting her face in half as she glared at Kaito and Mrs. Izumi.

"You heartless people," the ghost hissed, her voice dripping with malice.

"You left me to die... Now, you'll join me!"

But before she could finish her threat, Kaito raised his hand and slapped her.

The ghost let out a piercing shriek before disintegrating into a cloud of smoke, which quickly dissipated into the night air.

Kaito didn't even bother absorbing her energy. This kind of ghost, who targeted innocent people instead of seeking revenge on her actual killer, wasn't worth his time.

"It's over," Kaito said, looking down at Mrs. Izumi, who was still clinging to him with her eyes tightly shut.

"The ghost is gone. You can open your eyes now."

But Mrs. Izumi didn't move. She was too afraid that it was a trick—that the ghost would reappear the moment she looked.

Seeing her hesitation, Kaito decided to take matters into his own hands.

He gave her bottom a firm squeeze.

"Ah!"

Mrs. Izumi yelped, her eyes flying open as she glared at him, her face red with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"W-What are you doing?!"

"The ghost is gone," Kaito repeated, unfazed.

"See for yourself."

Mrs. Izumi hesitated but finally looked around.

The cold night air brushed against her skin as Kaito carried her outside.

She scanned the area—the front yard, the street, even the house across the way where the ghost had supposedly lived.

There was no sign of the ghost.

It was really gone.