"Tokumoto Atsuko had a deep inferiority complex. She was introverted and came from a poor family. She was short, thin, and not particularly attractive. In front of people who were stronger in appearance, stature, and capability, she seemed even smaller."
"The only thing she could be proud of was her imagination and her delicate writing style. But not many people could understand or appreciate those strengths. There was only one person who truly resonated with Tokumoto Atsuko."
At this moment, Ayako and Chikako exchanged glances. They had already reached the same conclusion.
Takahashi Ryoichi.
He wasn't very tall, had a similar inferiority complex, lacked any remarkable skills, and had a plump, awkward appearance. He was the kind of boy most girls would avoid.
From this standpoint alone, Takahashi Ryoichi and Tokumoto Atsuko shared a high level of compatibility.
In the past, neither Ayako nor Chikako ever imagined that Takahashi Ryoichi had any kind of connection to Atsuko.
But now, they were convinced otherwise.
Because now they saw the overlapping emotional threads between the two, threads that suggested an undeniable bond.
After stating this, Ren stepped toward the table, opened one palm over it, and slowly raised a crystal ball from the shadow between his hand and the surface.
He gently tapped the crystal ball, and within it appeared the image of three people carrying luggage, walking through a forest.
The boy at the front wore a green forehead band, and his hairstyle was carefully styled. His face appeared delicate, likely enhanced with makeup. This makeup improved his overall appearance, making him look refined.
The boys walking beside him also looked decently prepared, though not as impressive as the first. The contrast was obvious in their expressions and overall aura.
All three were around 1.7 meters tall, which wasn't bad, but they looked significantly taller than the boy in the back.
The boy bringing up the rear was only presentable at best. Unlike the others, he wore no visible makeup.
He was shorter, only a little over 1.6 meters tall, and slightly chubby.
These were the images shown inside the crystal ball.
As Ren tapped the sphere again, the three figures began to change.
The two boys in front were revealed to have two layers of appearance. The outer layer, transparent and enhanced, looked refined. But beneath it was a plainer, more tired-looking face.
"Whoa… the difference with and without makeup is insane."
Sonoko couldn't help but comment.
"Ota Masaru's entire face is covered in acne and sunken patches, probably from overusing cheap skincare products. Without makeup, it's honestly hard to look at."
Chikako immediately spotted Ota Masaru's condition.
As a former screenwriter for stage and drama, she was all too familiar with the damage caused by inferior cosmetics. She knew that squeezing certain types of acne left permanent scars.
It was obvious that Ota Masaru's face had suffered this exact fate.
Chikako had understood these risks early on, which was why she always paid extra attention to skincare and was especially cautious when using makeup.
"Kadotani is clearly better off. His face just looks a little darker, probably from constant sun exposure. Though the bags under his eyes are pretty heavy."
Ayako examined closely. Ignoring the makeup, she felt that Hiroki Kadotani looked far better without it compared to Masaru.
"Hiroki Kadotani works as an editor for a film magazine. It makes sense that he stays up late a lot. Judging from his skin, he's probably the type often sent abroad for work and doesn't hold a high-ranking position."
Chikako knew a bit about her old classmates. Especially since Kadotani was still in the film industry, she would occasionally hear some updates about him.
But that was all she knew. Over the past two years, she hadn't had much time to focus on others. What she knew already was the extent of her awareness.
Perhaps because she had gained the Reader's power, her cognitive abilities had also improved. It now seemed easy to make such assessments.
"The focus isn't on them," Ren reminded, "but on the man behind them."
With that prompt, everyone's eyes shifted to Takahashi Ryoichi.
And in that moment, all three of them visibly shuddered.
The short, chubby Takahashi Ryoichi was entirely revealed under the crystal ball's gaze.
First, what appeared to be a fat belly was nothing more than padding stuffed under his clothes.
Second, beneath his seemingly innocent smile lay something far more disturbing—eyes filled with cruelty and twisted malice.
And finally, behind his body loomed something far more terrifying: a black ghost.
Ayako and Chikako recognized the ghostly figure at once.
The face, though distorted, retained faint outlines of its former self.
But even just looking at it caused intense discomfort. Its face was filled with death, and its eyes radiated pure hatred.
"An evil spirit," Ren explained calmly. "A soul born from overwhelming malice and murderous intent at the moment of death. It appears to be about two years old. It was born after Miss Atsuko's suicide and is driven by hatred toward Miss Chikako. It clings to Takahashi Ryoichi's desire for revenge and has lived within him ever since."
Ren had already predicted this outcome.
Two years of festering hatred had clearly formed a murderous spirit—one that intended to unleash all its rage at this class reunion.
Having dealt with such spirits before, Ren knew how deadly one born from two years of pure resentment could be. He didn't believe the result would be as simple as Takahashi Ryoichi making a confession.
Takahashi Ryoichi, who had unknowingly formed a connection with the spirit and gained power from it, had long since lost the ability to return to being a "normal" person.
Even if there were traces of humanity left, they were only superficial, deliberately put on for appearance.
(To be continued.)