Chapter 83

Synopsis
During Setsubun, the season division, the daycare center has a celebration where they throw beans at the demons. However, the children are rather scared of the "demons," so Usaida turns them all into cute demon children.

Long Summary
Kotaro squats as he holds a stone that he has found on the pavement. Ryuuichi picks him up and tells him that they have to go to school when Kotaro points out that there is a fish head in a container at the school gates. The chairwoman appears behind them and explains that the fish head is a talisman to ward off evil spirits. She hands Ryuu a bag that has another talisman to bring to the daycare center and informs him that they will do the mamemaki, a celebration that occurs on the third of February, when the two get home. In the daycare center, Ryuu shows Usaida the fish head talisman that the chairwoman had made, and Usaida plans to hang it up properly on the door. The two hang up the talisman as they wait for the others to arrive.

Hayato and Taka step in, and Hayato points out that there was trash on the door, so Taka took it out. Kotaro looks at the talisman in Taka's hand with dismay as Usaida laughs as he tells them that it is not trash. Ryuu attempts to console Kotaro as he explains to Hayato that he had also misunderstood the talisman. Hayato shoves the talisman in Usaida's face, asking what it is supposed to ward off. Usaida asks why he is pointing the talisman at him, to which Hayato replies that he is warding off the good-for-nothing. Taka holds out his arms to Kotaro as he declares that they should ward off demons together. Ryuu smiles as he tells Kotaro and Taka that they will be doing the mamemaki after school, as he has invited Inomata, Chuukichi, and the others. Ryuu then orders Hayato to stay after, and Hayato reluctantly listens. He instructs Kotaro and Taka that they will throw beans and yell "Demons out! Luck in!"

After school, the children, dumbfounded, listen to Inomata lecture about Setsubun, but Usaida interrupts her, telling her that her explanation is good, but the children have not been paying attention, as they are unable to comprehend such complicated things. Ushimaru assures Inomata that she has learned a lot from her explanation, while Suekichi and Kichi impatiently ask if they can eat the beans. Inomata tries to calm them down as she asks why they are using peanuts and not roasted soybeans. Usaida answers that it's less of a hassle to eat peanuts that have fallen on the floor, since the shells can be removed and discarded.

Ryuu knocks on the daycare center door, telling Inomata that they are ready. The children hold small containers with peanuts as the "demons," who are really just Ryuu, Hayato, Chuukichi, and Yagi with demon masks on their faces, step inside. The children stare at them before running beside Inomata, Ushimaru, and Usaida in fear. Usaida asks why Hayato is holding a bat while a terrified Kotaro stands perfectly still in shock. Yagi silently holds his camera up to Kazuma, and at Chuukichi's prompting, the Nezu twins begin to throw peanuts at Yagi to drive him out. Ryuu lifts his mask up, assuring the children that they are not actually demons. Kotaro is comforted at the sight of his brother's face. Ryuu encourages them to throw beans, and Usaida helps Midori toss a peanut at Ryuu. Ryuu begins to say that he has been defeated, but Kotaro begins to cry. He sobs as he sets down the box of peanuts and crawls onto Ryuu's lap. Ryuu holds Kotaro as he tells him that he is just playing the role of a demon. Taka, envying Ryuu's attention for Kotaro, holds out his arms to Hayato, telling him that he wants to be carried too. Hayato puts the mask over his face as he states that he is a demon, not Taka's brother.

Usaida, realizing that the children would not be willing to throw beans at their beloved babysitters, devises a solution. He scribbles on a piece of paper with a marker and makes a cute demon mask for Kotaro. He tells Kotaro that he can be a demon like his brother and protect him. The other children eagerly ask for masks of their own, so Usaida and Chuukichi make more for them. Inomata, who is serious about the celebration, asks who will throw beans, so Usaida hands her and Ushimaru the peanuts. The children don their masks as they excitedly look at Inomata and Ushimaru, who are reluctant to throw peanuts at the children. Ryuu assures them that they can throw it gently, but Inomata seriously looks at him. She says that if she must throw the peanut, then she shall do so properly. She turns towards the children and throws a handful of peanuts at them all as they run and laugh. The Mamizuka and Nezu twins surround Yagi asking for help, but he quickly proceeds to faint. Ushimaru is scared to throw peanuts like Inomata out of fear that she will hurt the children. She looks at Kotaro, who stands in a defensive pose in front of Ryuu. She tosses a peanut at Kotaro, and it bounces off his forehead. Kotaro smiles at his brother as Ryuu congratulates him. Usaida resolves to throw peanuts at Hayato as payback for removing the fish head talisman. Hayato lifts his bat, ready to retaliate against the projectiles.

The children yell for Ryuu to take them outside, and they eagerly run into the hallway, excited to step outside. Suekichi and Kichi notice that there is someone standing outside, and Ryuu opens the door to see Saikawa. Saikawa notes that there are cute demons as he shows Ryuu some uncut sushi rolls that the chairwoman had prepared for them. Ryuu thanks Saikawa and invites him inside. Saikawa declines and holds up his fingers to his head, saying that he is a demon and cannot enter. The children look at the demon-like shadow that Saikawa casts and panic, crying that there is a demon while Saikawa smiles as he states that it is a joke.

At home, Saikawa prepares a large amount of beans and gives them to Kotaro to eat them. Kotaro is confused as the chairwoman scolds him for giving him more beans than he could possibly eat.

Characters In Order of Appearance

 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Morinomiya Youko
 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Takuma Mamizuka
 * Kazuma Mamizuka
 * Kirin Kumatsuka
 * Inomata Maria
 * Ushimaru Yuki
 * Midori Sawatari
 * Suekichi Nezu
 * Kichi Nezu
 * Chuukichi Nezu
 * Yagi Tomoya
 * Kyouko Nezu
 * The Goldfish
 * Saikawa Keigo