Things Got Weird

The house had always been fairly well soundproofed.

But Xuexu had excellent hearing as a yokai, and the murmurs coming from next door kept distracting her.

There was no helping it. Hachishaku-hime never held herself back. She had none of a young girl's shyness; when something felt good, she said so, and loudly.

Xuexu buried her head under the covers, irritated. Part of it was Sadako crawling out of the television today, and part of it was what Hachishaku-hime was doing.

Yokai reproducing was perfectly normal.

What was this?

"Your Highness, is this really all right? It feels so strange."

Li Dan gently stroked Hachishaku-hime's head. "It's normal. Haven't you always liked it?"

Hachishaku-hime looked up at Li Dan. Encouraged, she put even more effort into it, though she seemed to be getting a little strange.

A long while later.

Xuexu's perked-up ears finally stopped eavesdropping. Now she could get a good night's sleep.

Once things quieted down.

Li Dan had already prepared a towel for Hachishaku-hime, but judging by the adorable way her cheeks were puffed out, she clearly didn't need it.

The next morning.

Hachishaku-hime was sleeping soundly with Li Dan in her arms. Whenever he stirred, she held him tighter.

Li Dan felt as if he were sleeping in a warm, clingy embrace. He woke, glanced at the sunlight outside the window, then buried his head again and blissfully went back to sleep. Somewhere in his hazy thoughts, he realized he no longer liked sleeping alone much.

The events of Noroi: The Curse were still unfolding in Tokyo.

Lead-gray clouds hung low. Glass from the convenience store on the corner littered the ground. The streets that should have been bustling held only the rustle of wind through discarded plastic bags. Not even a bird could