From Now On, Just Call Me Shion

C29 From Now On, Just Call Me Shion

Without a doubt, the elderly woman resting on the bed was Iori Shigure’s grandmother.

Grandma Iori lay on the sickbed, her face pale and her eyes tightly shut, with an IV drip running into her right hand.

Leading Shion into the hospital room, Iori Shigure approached her grandmother’s bedside, bending down to speak in a hushed tone, “Grandma, my classmate has arrived.”

Upon hearing Iori Shigure’s words, Grandma Iori’s eyes fluttered open, and she offered Shion a gentle, benevolent smile.

“Is that Shion?”

Shion promptly nodded, offering a respectful bow.

“Hello, Grandma Iori! I’ve come to deliver Iori’s notebook!”

Though the afternoon sun shone brightly, Shion inexplicably felt a chilling aura swirling around her.

Moreover, the shiver and icy dread brought forth by the black evil spirit still clung to her.

It seemed to be present right there in the hospital room, unsettlingly close to Shion.

“Shion,” Grandma Iori said with a smile, “I often hear my little Iori speak of you.

My little Iori is such an introverted child, she hardly ever speaks.

She struggled to make friends throughout elementary and middle school, so to have a friend she speaks of so often now is a rare comfort, and I’m truly relieved.”

Shion nodded reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, Grandma Iori, Iori is a very kind child; I’m certain many people will want to be her friend in the future!”

“Your words put my mind at ease, Shion,” Grandma Iori said, her facial wrinkles softening into a smile.

“When I’m gone, my little Iori will have someone to keep her company.”

“Grandma, honestly! You shouldn’t say such inauspicious things!” Iori Shigure exclaimed, leaning closer to her grandmother, gently wiping her arm with a hot, damp towel.

“Iori needs your companionship too, Grandma,” Shion said, seated on the other side, managing to force out a faint smile.

Despite the heartwarming scene before her, the lingering presence of the evil spirit sent shivers down her spine, leaving her restless and uneasy.

While Iori Shigure attended to her grandmother, Shion closed her eyes, intent on searching for the evil spirit’s traces once more.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Shion felt as though she had plunged into a thick, disorienting mist.

Despite the dense, dark aura permeating the surroundings, Shion found herself unable to locate the evil spirit that had taken on a physical form.

‘What’s happening…’ Shion bit her lip, murmuring to herself.

“Hoshimori,” Iori Shigure’s soft voice drifted from beside her, “Are you tired?”

Shion opened her eyes, meeting the careful gaze of Iori Shigure’s golden pupils, as Iori Shigure bent low, observing her.

Iori Shigure pulled a small stool close, settling beside Shion.

Her chair was deliberately positioned flush against Shion’s, leaving not even a sliver of space between them.

“Hoshimori, if you’re tired, you could…”

“Hm?” Shion tilted her head inquiringly.

“You could… well, lean on my shoulder… if you like…” Iori Shigure’s voice remained soft, and her head was bowed.

“Grandma needs to rest now, and you should too, Hoshimori.”

Even with her head bowed, Shion could discern the subtle anticipation and shyness in Iori Shigure’s eyes.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Shion offered a faint smile, then gently rested her head on Iori Shigure’s shoulder.

Iori Shigure’s body gave a startled tremor, as if she’d received an electric shock, yet she didn’t shift her shoulder away.

She remained docilely seated, allowing Shion to lean against her.

A blush crept across Iori Shigure’s face, and she let out a soft, muffled ‘ooh’ sound, as if struggling to prevent her overwhelming shyness from making her flee.

“Iori, do you want to rest for a bit?” Shion asked softly, her head still resting on Iori Shigure’s shoulder.

Iori Shigure wanted to shake her head, but fearing her movements might disturb Shion’s rest, she remained still.

“I’m quite alright.

In fact, the more bothersome daily tasks are handled by the hospital’s caregivers now, making things much easier than before.

I merely need to be present and observe when the caregivers are occupied.”

“Then what exactly is your grandmother’s illness, Iori?” Shion pressed on.

“We’ve never known the exact nature of her illness… it’s proven impossible to diagnose…” As always when the topic of her grandmother’s illness arose, Iori Shigure’s eyes grew dim.

‘I might know…’ Though the thought surfaced, Shion bit back the words.

She knew that the presence of evil spirits could weaken or even claim a person’s life, and while the malevolent aura here was thick, it was uniquely peculiar—a situation she couldn’t resolve simply by wielding her Spirit Cutter (TL Note: A spiritual weapon used to combat evil spirits).

What was even stranger, however, was that she couldn’t perceive the malevolent aura here posing any direct threat to human bodies.

Why this was, Shion couldn’t fathom.

Never mind, it was time to shift to a lighter topic.

Perhaps…

“Iori, I have one more question I’d like to ask,” Shion continued.

“Hm, what is it?”

“When you mentioned me to your grandmother, did you always refer to me as ‘Shion’ rather than ‘Hoshimori’?”

Though still resting her head on Iori Shigure’s shoulder, Shion caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye.

Iori Shigure’s face was flushed, a deep crimson mirroring the vibrant hues of the evening sky, painting the young girl’s features.

“Uh, I… Shion… no, no, Hoshimori! It’s not what you’re thinking…” Iori Shigure struggled to articulate an explanation, but the words seemed to elude her.

“Then what is it?” A mischievous smile played on Shion’s lips, sparking the desire to playfully tease the blonde girl.

“Anyway, anyway… I merely mispronounced it by accident, that’s all…”

Iori Shigure offered a reason that was utterly unconvincing.

“You can call me whatever you like, Iori, after all, we’re friends now,” Shion said with a smile.

“Whether it’s Hoshimori or Shion, you can call me anything, and I’ll respond.”

“Really? Then, I… I’ll just call you Shion directly?” Iori Shigure’s voice was laced with an unexpected, delighted surprise.

“No problem at all, Iori.

Call me whatever you wish, as long as it pleases you.”

“Then, from now on, it’s Shion… Shion.” Iori Shigure’s face held a smile she couldn’t conceal—or perhaps she had no intention of doing so.

Her innocent grin was almost endearingly clumsy.

“Yes, I’m here,” Shion replied with earnestness.

Unconsciously, Iori Shigure shifted her body a fraction closer, nudging her chair further towards Shion, despite their already intimate proximity.

“Oh, right, Shion, the notes from today’s class…”

It was then that Shion had an epiphany, quickly retrieving the notebook from her backpack.

“These are today’s class notes, though I’m afraid they’re a bit messy…”

Iori Shigure accepted the notebook from Shion, opened it to glance inside, and then let out a soft chuckle.

Shion’s notes, while undeniably taken with diligence and penned in her rather elegant handwriting, were nonetheless what was colloquially known as ‘ghostly scribbles’…

Perhaps only the previous generation’s Miko (TL Note: Japanese term for a shrine maiden or priestess) could decipher them.

“Thank you, Shion! These are such diligent and charming notes.” Iori Shigure gently closed the notebook and carefully placed it back into her backpack.

“I’ll be sure to cherish them.”