“Please. You saw how fast my wrist lit up. Yokai still mess with him, and he’s scared shitless about it. If you’d seen him cryin’ into that tree, you’d know what I’m talkin’ about. Shit. If he were a real man, he’d fend ’em off like one, but what does he do? He calls me.” Akki holds up his left forearm, gesturing to his black bracelet. “So when the mood takes me, I call him.” He holds up the red one on his right. “And by the way, before you even ask, he always answers. Yup. Still comes around with these broads lookin’ for a good time with a real man, so he must need me around for somethin’. Sure ain’t to keep himself entertained at night.”

Akki’s latest conquest emerges from the house. She comes up to him and pulls at his yukata in a coy fashion, enticing him to come back to bed. Without turning to acknowledge her presence, Akki reaches out a large hand and plants it right on her face. He hoists her several feet off the ground, ignoring her fruitless kicks and muffled screams as he continues his conversation with Hino.

“To be real with you, I’m surprised he don’t take none of these chicks we meet for himself. I wouldn’t be bothered by it. I’d be impressed, to be honest. But hey, I ain’t complainin’, either.”

“But are you not afraid the boy will take off on you one day? Ever worry he will lose his ability, or get inspired come springtime to KonMari his life, starting with us? Or, who knows, maybe he will just start ignoring you altogether one day …”

“Yeah, right. It’ll take more than spring cleanin’ and the cold shoulder to get rid of me. I don’t plan on removin’ those bracelets no time soon. Believe that.”

“Yes. I suppose I could believe that.” Hino tosses the last of her cucumber slices on the ground. The kappa creatures tackle them like ravenous birds. “But what will you do until such a time comes to live without him? You must have some plans to prepare for this distant future without your ‘buddy/kouhai’?”

“Pssh. Easy. I’ll do what I always do: whatever I want.”

Like a stovetop filament, Akki’s hand glows. The young woman’s screams grow higher, reaching a screeching cry. Her face bursts into flames.

“Whoops!” Akki drops her. “Almost forgot about these.” He reaches down to pluck out her eyes. “Fuck. Overcooked ’em again. No wait, this one’s still good.” He flicks the burned eye into the air and catches it in his mouth like candy.

Hino narrows her gaze at him, at the remains of human soul sizzling in his hand. “And what, pray tell, do you plan to do with that one, Akki?”