“It’s a photograph,” Nagisa said and guided him out the shop and into the street. We’ll take more if you want. This phone will be yours.It’s important to learn how to use it. I’ll teach you on the way back to Tokyo.”
“How are we going back,” Seiho said, snuggling close to Nagisa as a large crowd of tourists passed by them.
Nagisa wrapped an arm around his shoulder and they walked toward the hotel where his friends waited. “Asako has a car. Like one of the small ones. It’ll be a very long ride to the capital. About eight hours or so.”
Seiho grimaced, probably not too happy with the idea of sitting in another crammed space.
“Yeah, it’s not pleasant, but it’s necessary. Don’t worry, Asako is a great driver.”
Nagisa texted her as they approached the hotel, then rounded to the parking lot, already seeing—and hearing—them from afar. It was the usual: Asako arguing with Hideto and Eikichi keeping his distance. He saw Nagisa approaching and gave a nudge to his sister, who turned.
“Nagisa!” she exclaimed and ran right up to him, pulling Nagisa into a tight hug.
“Ouch. Easy with my arm.”
“What happened?”
“Just a little altercation with a corpse-eating ghost. This is Seiho, by the way.”
Asako stared at Seiho, mouth opening and closing a few times. Words seemed to elude her, though and she simply bowed. “Pleased to meet you.”
Seiho bowed back and they stood in awkward silence before Hideto broke it. “You gotta tell us all about that castle, dude.”
“Okay, let’s not—” Nagisa started.
“Oh, it’s all right,” Seiho reassured him. “I don’t mind. I want to talk. It’s liberating to be able to talk with… living people after so long.”
Hideto was already firing questions as he settled in the back seat with Seiho. Asako slid at the wheel and Eikichi—who’d been quiet this entire time—approached Nagisa.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Eikichi said.
“Thanks,” Nagisa replied, quite surprised. Before he could say anything else, Eikichi rounded toward the passenger seat and stepped inside. Eikichi must’ve been worried, in his own way.
Nagisa climbed inside the car, switching seats with Seiho and settling in the middle, so Seiho could stay at the window and look outside.
He gave Seiho a kiss on the cheek, then winked. “Ready for new adventures in the modern world?”
Seiho smiled. “Ready.”
*
* *