The next day, Sumire was walking home, crossing through the same neighborhood from yesterday — only to find the park had been shut down. Police lines were put in place, preventing unauthorized people from walking in.

Sumire took the time to examine the scene before her. Forensic officers were gathering evidence from the park, while some officers were questioning the gathering of curious neighbors. Meanwhile, another officer was in the middle of questioning a very exasperated Natsuno, while Yuuko was clinging to Natsuno’s pants.

There was also a black body bag nearby.

The ubume was there too. But it was… different. The malicious energy it gave off was so strong, it was a wonder that people nearby were not sensing it. It felt like it was choking Sumire, but she used her own reserved positive energy to ward off the feeling.

“Princess! Oi!” Natsuno called, when his eyes found Sumire. “Can you tell me that I can’t possibly be a murderer?”

Sumire recognized the officer who was questioning Natsuno — Officer Ogawa from the Yokai-Related Incidents Investigation Unit. He worked together with the Kazahana family before, though not directly with Sumire. He too turned when Natsuno called out to Sumire.

“Who are you?” Officer Ogawa asked.

“I’m Kazahana Sumire, a yokai hunter from Kazahana Clan”, Sumire introduced herself, showing her license to a guarding officer, who then let her through the police line. Sumire approached Natsuno and gave Officer Ogawa a nod. “May I know what’s happening here?”

“Yokai-Related Incidents Investigation Unit was called half an hour ago, but we’re actually not quite sure if it’s related to any yokai”, Officer Ogawa answered, scratching his head. “Especially with this young man over here carrying a katana.”

“I told you many, many times that it’s not a katana!” Natsuno argued, exasperated. “It’s called Dojigiri, a spiritual weapon that can only harm yokai!”

“Your sword is Dojigiri?” Sumire asked, turning to Natsuno — which, in hindsight, probably was not the best question asked, in their current situation.

“Yes! Do you want a live demonstration? See if it can cut you?” Natsuno asked Officer Ogawa instead.

“I’d rather not”, Officer Ogawa answered sensibly.

“I can testify that the weapon is a spiritual weapon”, Sumire told Officer Ogawa, before turning to Natsuno. “Why didn’t you put it to sleep to prove that it’s a spiritual weapon to Officer Ogawa?”

“With Yuuko’s mother right there, glaring at us the whole time? Yeah, right”, Natsuno defended himself. Sumire couldn’t blame him. The ubume’s malicious energy was so strong that Sumire could have mistaken it for an evil yokai.

“So there is a yokai nearby?” Officer Ogawa asked. “I do sense that there seems to be something spiritually strong around, but I can’t see yokai, so I don’t know.”

“It’s not a yokai”, Sumire said. “It’s an ubume.”

“Oh. Huh”, Officer Ogawa hummed, turning back to Natsuno. “So, can you tell me why you came to this particular park? The neighbor who called the police didn’t see you when she saw the body, but you were already here when we arrived.”

“I came to the park because I wanted to check up on Yuuko”, Natsuno answered. “She’s been followed by someone suspicious for a week straight. With the ubume following her around, I thought things would get ugly fast.”

“I thought an ubume is not a yokai”, Officer Ogawa turned to Sumire, as if trying to ask for her expertise.

“They are not”, Sumire answered. “They shouldn’t be able to harm humans. However…”

“Big Brother is not a bad guy!” Yuuko cried out from behind Natsuno. “The weird uncle was going to take me away, so Mama cut his throat like she cut Aunty’s!”

The silence that followed afterward was deafening.

“What do you mean by that, Yuuko?” Officer Ogawa asked the little girl, breaking the silence, but she was shying away from him as if she didn’t mean to say the last part of her words out loud.

“A woman was found dead last week in an apartment room nearby. The police were still investigating it”, Natsuno mused. “That was your aunty, right Yuuko?”

Yuuko looked at Natsuno with her wet, big eyes. She hesitated for one moment, before nodding. “Aunty threw a bowl to my head when Uncle was out working. Mama was just trying to protect me.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone about this, Yuuko?” Officer Ogawa asked.

“Because— Because if I tell anyone, Uncle said the police would call the yokai hunters, and they will take Mama away!” Tears streamed down Yuuko’s face, and she turned to Sumire, sobbing her little heart out. It pinched at Sumire’s heartstrings. “Big Sister, you’re a yokai hunter. You’re going to take Mama away, aren’t you?”

Sumire’s heart was heavy. On one hand, she knew that theoretically the ubume was not a yokai capable of harming humans. But on the other hand, Yuuko’s mother had already killed two people. That alone should indicate that it had somehow turned into a malicious yokai. It was now her duty to seal it away.

All of a sudden, she thought about a little girl, who had no idea why she had no mother and why no one was talking to her about it. A little girl, who wondered why there was no shrine dedicated to her mother in her vast, empty house.

Sumire’s heart broke for Yuuko.

“Your mother is not a yokai”, Sumire said, decisive. She looked Natsuno in the eye, and hoped that the boy wouldn’t argue with her. Not about this. “But I know a cleanser who knows how to help your mother. He’ll know what to do.”

Natsuno nodded, then knelt in front of Yuuko. He put his sword away, and took Yuuko’s little hands in his.

“Yuuko”, Natsuno began, his voice the most somber Sumire had ever heard from him. “When people die, they go to the Underworld and their soul enters the cycle of reincarnation. But your mama didn’t want to go just yet, because she loves you and worries about you so, so much.”

Natsuno raised his hand, making Yuuko flinch. But all he did was to wipe the tears away from Yuuko’s cheeks.

“This is not a good thing. Eventually, your mama will turn into an evil spirit. And she won’t recognize you anymore”, Natsuno continued.

More tears streamed down Yuuko’s face. For someone so young, she had gone through so much pain.

“Yuuko, can I cleanse your mama’s spirit, so that she can pass on in peace?” Natsuno asked.

Yuuko nodded.

Natsuno gave Yuuko’s head a gentle pat, before standing up. He took out his ungaikyo and turned to the ubume, which was eyeing the spiritual relic in Natsuno’s hand.

“Princess, can I bother you to make a barrier around me and Yuuko’s mother, in case things go wrong?” Natsuno asked, turning slightly to Sumire.

“But what about you?” Sumire asked.

“Heh, worried about me, now?” Natsuno replied cheekily. “Don’t worry. It takes me more than this to take me down.”

That wasn’t really reassuring, but Sumire complied. She took out several paper talismans and drew strength from her core to create a barrier. It was only two meters wide, enough to contain Natsuno and the ubume.

As if understanding what was going to happen, the ubume let out a saddening wail, its bloody tears soaking the front of its clothes. It rushed toward Natsuno, its claws drawn.

“You who roam over this realm, heed my command!” Natsuno recited an unfamiliar spell. Tendrils of light caught the ubume’s wispy body before stopping it completely from moving.

“Yuuko’s mother, I understand that you can’t bear seeing your daughter in this cruel world”, Natsuno continued. “But one thing I know for sure is that Yuuko is a strong girl. She’ll make it through everything life is going to throw at her, and she’s not going to be alone.”

He lifted his hand, and the ungaikyo glowed radiant gold.

“So please”, he begged. “Be at peace.”

The tendrils of light that wrapped the ubume’s body changed its appearance into a beautiful young woman. The shape of her eyes reminded Sumire of Yuuko’s.

“Mama!” Yuuko rushed toward the human soul. Sumire let down the barrier and allowed Yuuko to embrace her mother. Yuuko’s mother returned the hug one last time, before her form dissipated into flecks of light that disappeared into the night.

It was over.

While Natsuno was trying to console the crying little girl, the police were wrapping up the scene. Yuuko’s uncle arrived then, enraged at Yuuko instead of worried for her safety. His whole demeanor put a frown on Sumire’s face.

Thankfully, Officer Ogawa was adamant about taking Yuuko to child welfare services, where she would then (hopefully) find a caring and loving family. Before Officer Ogawa took her away, she made Natsuno and Sumire promise to play with her from time to time.

The night had fallen when everything was wrapped up. Overall, it had been an emotional day, and Sumire didn’t know if she was able to process the whole thing.

“Didn’t know you had it in you”, Natsuno said, his voice heavy. Sumire didn’t know what he meant with that, so she stayed silent.

“Thanks”, Natsuno said again. “For letting me handle it.”

“Mm”, was all Sumire could let out. She was silent for a moment, before asking Natsuno, “Will she be alright?”

“She’s a strong girl”, Natsuno answered confidently — and Sumire didn’t know if that confidence was more to reassure himself or not. Natsuno put away his ungaikyo and said, “See you in class tomorrow?”

“See you.”