the formation of the "phantom busters" club had been a curious affair, a testament to mogari and eugene's persistent charm, which somehow managed to bypass the usual walls of your skepticism. zaki's attempt had been… well, ultimately ineffective. but the lure of the unknown, the potential for genuine discovery, had been enough to draw you in. now, however, you found himself embroiled in a rather peculiar recruitment drive orchestrated by the relentlessly enthusiastic mogari.

the target of mogari's fervent desire was kotaro tamon, another individual rumored to possess unusual supernatural abilities. mogari's initial approach, a tidal wave of overly excited chatter about spectral entities and paranormal investigations, had unfortunately resulted in kotaro visibly losing his lunch. zaki's subsequent attempts fared no better, a clumsy echo of mogari's failed strategy. even eugene had been met with a wall of silence from kotaro.

realizing kotaro's apparent aversion to direct eye contact, a theory sparked in your mind. it wasn't fear, but a deep discomfort that prevented him from engaging. a swift decision was made. you took off after the retreating figure, your tie already being loosened. behind you, eugene’s voice carried a note of concern. "are you fighting him?"

"not fighting, eugene," you called back, your focus solely on Kotaro. "negotiating… in a novel way."

you finally caught up to Kotaro on the stairway, and with a practiced move, gently looped your tie around his eyes, creating a soft blindfold. kotaro flinched, surprised, but remained still. mogari and zaki arrived moments later, a mixture of shock and morbid curiosity etched on their faces.

"there," you said calmly, your voice a low murmur. "now we can talk properly."

a moment of tense silence stretched before kotaro finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "sorry, but i believe that spirits remain in this world because they have unresolved pain, and instead of exorcising them forcefully, they should be helped to move on peacefully. so i can't join your club."

his words hung in the air, a clear and resolute rejection. it wasn't just a polite refusal; it was a statement of deeply held conviction, a philosophy that stood in stark contrast to the "phantom busters'" apparent modus operandi. the unproductive afternoon had taken an unexpected turn, revealing a potential ally with a very different perspective on the spectral realm.