Chapter 7

Making Progress (Middle) (ススミダス (中), Susumidasu (naka)) is the seventh chapter of the Yozakura Quartet manga.

Summary
At the hospital Mina yells at Touka for crying over them too much, stating something like that would not have killed them since they are not human. Shidou attempts to calm everyone down, only for Mina to begin yelling at him for being at fault. Akina and Kyouske who have several bandaids on them are in the waiting room with Yae. Yae asks if the two if they were done arguing. Kyousuke begins to complain more about Akina, only to have Mina tell him to shut up, and Shidou attempt to calm him down. Kyousuke continues yelling only to be interrupted to Juli who threatens to cut off his tongue. Akina leaves for home, Touka and Kyousuke doing so as well, accompanied by Yae. Mina asks Shidou what Oyakume is, and Shidou begins explaining the nature of their town. Shidou mentions how there are many yokai within the town and that all yokai are from an alternate dimesnion known as the “Otherworld”, as Juli demonstrate using small figures models. Shidou explains while yokai and humans reside in the same world, they are unaware of each other since they are separated by dimensions and the yokai living in this world were and irregular existence. Shidou continues explaining the difference between the two dimensions is that death does not exist within the yokai world, but as they live here they will weaken ad eventually die. Juli brings in a radio to serve as an example while Shido begins explaining the role of the Oyakume. Shido explains the role of the Oyakume which has been passed down the Hiizumi family for generations, is to tune yokai back to their dimension, similar to tuning a radio. He elaborates, stating a landmark is required to act as a guide, those landmarks being the Nanagou. While walking along the river home, Touka asks her brother for a piggyback ride since her leg was starting to hurt. While being carried, Touka mentions how she recalls being bullied as a child, which Kyousuke retorts by saying such things never happened. Touka mentions however that as children they were alone as a result of their power, and Akina was the only one to ever interact with him. Touka asks Kyousuke if he had ever thought about the burden of being the Oyakume. Akina sits at the base of a Nanagou, recalling the time Makiharu had tuned Machi Yarizakura, and how he promised to take care of Hime in her place. Meanwhile Mina questions how tuning works, to which Shidou explains the tuned target completely disappears from the world, equating the Oyakume to a murderer, which the Hiizumis realize. Rin arrives at Akina’s location and asks him if he is slacking off, which he replies yes. Akina asks Rin if the reason she came to Sakurashinmachi because she wanted to go to the otherworld. She replies yes and explains that outside of town yokai have had bad experiences, though most yokai in the town will die in the town, never being sent over. Akina ask Rin if she still wished to go to the otherworld, which affirms, and Akina thanks Rin for the feedback.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Mina Tatebayashi
 * Kana Tatebayashi
 * Touka Kishi
 * Shidō Mizuki
 * V Juli F
 * Yae Shinatsuhiko
 * Kyousuke Kishi
 * Akina Hiizumi
 * Makiharu Hiizumi (Flashback)
 * Machi Yarizakura (Flashback)
 * Rin Azuma