You were in the hallway when it had happened.
"Awww, she's so cute!"
The exclamation had come from a bunch of schoolgirls, huddled around another who was holding up a set of photos.
"I know, right? Ooooooh, I can't wait to visit my aunt when holidays come around!"
You had wanted to tune them back out once the source of the exclamation was discerned, but...
"How old is she? Your-your cousin, I mean, not your aunt, heehee!"
...you had a moment of unease. Something about that girl's 『long black hair』...
"She just turned four, actually. And if you asked Aunt Yuka that question, she would probably give you a-oof!"
Being so preoccupied with the pictures, the black-haired girl had not watched where she was going and subsequently had collided with the leader of a guy trio.
"Ow ow ow ow ow that hurt...hey what's this? A buncha photos?"
...Seriously, what was with that hair?
"Hey, give that back!"
...! Could it be...?!
"Huh, just a little brat. The hell's so good about the brat that you don't even watch where you're going?!"
『
Could this be the work of an enemy Sta-』
"That's my cousin. Look, I apologize, I should have watched where I was going, may I please have the photos back?"
Wait a minute.
"Eeeehh, I dunno, I mean if I 『tore them up』 then you wouldn't get distracted no more, right? It's not like you can't get more of em."
Where did that thought even come from?
ゴゴゴゴゴゴ"...What did you just say?"ゴゴゴゴゴゴ
The hell's a Stand anyway?
"I said I should probably 『tear up your stupid photos』!
...You're probably just overthinking it...
The girl put on a smile. 『It is not a good smile.』
"Say, do you mind 『smiling for me』?"
"Oh no, 『she's asking them to smile』."
Might as well move on n-
ゴゴゴゴゴゴ ゴゴゴゴゴゴ
What's that feeling?
"Oooo...kaaay? There, a smile, now I'm gonna...gonn-whwh-WHA!"
...Did her hair just grow even longer...?
"Ah, good.
『You smiled.』"
Ah. It did.
...
You sighed, even as the screams of panic faded around the corner, the manic laughter following after.
"Yare yare daze..."
--------------
A short Omake to commemorate
Part 4 Confirmed, as well as my previous research into Japanese yokai.
Never smile/laugh when faced with a
hari-onago.
If anything seems confusing, feel free to ask.