There was an area packed with izakaya just ahead of Hiro's house, he usually got home earlier than most of the drinking patrons to avoid the noise, but with having to take Yuki home and returning to the bridge Hiro couldn’t avoid the nighttime bustling.

He walked casually back home not expecting anything until he heard a large crash come from just behind him. He turned to assess if he was in any danger, however what greeted him was even worse.

His aunt was on the ground with a bottle of beer cussing up a storm at the owner of the izakaya. Hiro wanted to die of embarrassment.

“I can drink as much as I want! how old do I look to you?!” His aunt shouted.

She wore a very expensive suit that was now covered in mud, she looked like she had been entertaining some clients, but they must have left for her to let loose like this.

“I’ll call the police if you keep disturbing the peace of my customers.”

“Your beer sucks, just like your-”

“Ba-chan!” Hiro decided to cut in before his aunt said any more.

Both of the women looked at him, the owner of the shop was an elderly woman but he was referring to his aunt when he called out.

He walked to her and tugged her hand, “Who are you calling Ba-chan you little brat…Hiro-kun?” She whined during the last part.

The old woman looked at her disdainfully, “How disappointing letting your child take care of you like this.”

Hiro bowed and walked his aunt carefully home, he was big for his age, with broad shoulders and a height of 179 cm, which was more than capable of moving his aunt around. 

His aunt meant the world to him and he despised when people looked down on her for drinking so much. 

“Hiro Kuuuunnnn… stop moving so fast.”

“We’re not even moving, you sat down two minutes ago BaBa.”

“Don’t you call me that! I still have so much youth in me, look at me.” She stared up at him trying to strike cute poses and he made retching sounds at each one.

“You’re going to make me sick.” He said he took out his key from his backpack and opened the door to the house. 

They stumbled in together and fell to the floor, “Oh. Hiro kun, why are you home so late?”

“Are you really in the position to ask me that?” Hiro smiled, “Go take a bath, you reek of sake.”

Karin sighed, “I just want you to be safe, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you.”

“Yes yes, you wouldn’t possibly survive.”

“You know what I mean.” 

“Go, I'll cook some food.”

“I ain’t your kid, kid. You will not touch a single pot in that kitchen. I’ll take a bath to sober up and cook for you and don’t you dare argue with me.”

She said before Hiro could argue and he just let it be, smiling as she stumbled to the bathroom murmuring.

As Hiro took his bath she prepared food expertly, everything smelled so delicious and looked even better. She always cooked for him when she could. Made him breakfast and packed lunches as often as she could as long as she was around.

They sat down to eat and they talked about each other's day. She even made jokes that Yuki liked him when he told her what had happened, not leaving any detail since Karin was well aware of the things he could see.

He didn’t mention the situation with Shizuko though, he didn’t want to  make her worry about him, and he could handle this.

Hiro cleaned up the dishes and found Karin asleep on the floor, snoring in the most unladylike manner. Hiro got some blankets and covered her with them. she would wake up at some point and take herself to bed. He turned off the light and went upstairs to his room.

As he was doing his work for school, a ghost boy popped up and sat behind Hiro on his bed.

He was in a P.E uniform a white t-shirt and blue tracksuit pants which were dirty. He was tall with slightly orange hair and an undercut. He had a serious expression on his face, contemplative.

The ghost boy did not wait a moment before he began to talk, “It must be nice being so popular.”

Hiro ignored him.

“I mean don’t get me wrong I was popular too when I was alive, the girls couldn’t get enough of me.” 

Hiro rolled his eyes, yet didn’t respond.

“Are you still going to ignore me? I was with you all day at school and back, the least you can do is say something to me.”

Hiro remained silent.

“You know, It was pretty shameless the thing you did on the bridge that day. Serves you right for picking on a cute girl like that. Guys who pick on girls are scum.” Itsuki laid down in Hiro’s bed looking at the ceiling.

“Who?” Hiro replied not entirely paying attention.

“Shizuko who else?!” Itsuki shouted and Hiro glared at him.

Hiro stood up and said, “Spirits have no feelings, and if they did I wouldn’t care. Shizuko is just a thing I happen to be indebted to at the moment cause I feel bad and once I pay back my debt I want nothing to do with it. I want a normal life.”

The ghost boy was taken aback by the anger and resentment that radiated through Hiro’s voice but not surprised, he’d been observing Hiro for some time now and knew Hiro disliked spirits. The ghost boy stood up as well and said.

“The thing that followed you that day? I know what it was. If my assumption is correct, what you fought that day is nothing compared to what’s coming for you.” The ghost boy said then he was gone.

Hiro stomped back to his desk, and went back to studying.