Masahiko Tsukijigaoka

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Masahiko Tsukijigaoka (月地ヶ岡真彦, Tsukijigaoka Masahiko), (also known as the patissier ghost) is a patissier that died on his way to work one day. His ghost lingers around Karasumori, and though Yoshimori Sumimura tries repeatedly to convince him to pass on, he refuses. The two become friends, and Masahiko gives Yoshimori baking tips to help him with his dream of making a candy castle for Tokine.

Appearance

Masahiko looks like a normal teenager with spiked brown hair and an earring on his left ear.

Personality

Masahiko is cheerful and fun-loving, sometimes to the point of annoying those around him (Yoshimori especially). Through their common love of cooking, he and Yoshimori become fast friends, and Yoshimori tolerates Masahiko's presence far longer than he would most other ghosts. Though Tokine tries to scare Masahiko into passing on by calling him a monster, he thoroughly enjoys being a ghost (admittedly because peeking at people amuses him).

History

Masahiko and his little brother, Toshihiko, lost their parents at a young age. Toshihiko cried all the time, and Masahiko made a cake that cheered up his brother, deciding that he wanted to make sweets that made people happy. Masahiko became a patissier, which left running the family snack business to Toshihiko.

Plot

Yoshimori first spots the patissier ghost at Karasumori Academy one morning, trying to catch the attention of passing students. Yoshimori explains to him that they can't see him because he's dead. The ghost thinks Yoshimori is playing a bad joke on him. Yoshimori forces him to leave, but also directs the ghost to Yumeko Hananokoji.

Yoshimori visits a sweets shop to admire a cake, where he runs into the patissier ghost again. The patissier wasn't able to follow the conversation with Yumeko because he still didn't believe that he was dead, but is starting to notice odd things about himself (he no longer casts a reflection and cannot touch anything). He wonders why Yoshimori can touch him, so Yoshimori explains about kekkaishi and the danger of a ghost going near Karasumori, and again instructs the ghost to just pass on so he won't become a threat to anyone. But the patissier now remembers how he died: he was riding a scooter to work, and swerved to avoid a cat that wandered into the road, crashing in the process. Cabbages tumbled from the basket on his scooter, and though he recalls reaching for them in desperation, he cannot recall why they are so important. It is then that they both notice that the ghost is wearing a patissier's uniform, which seems to refresh his memory, allowing him to give Yoshimori baking tips. They are interrupted by Tokine, who wants to know why Yoshimori is hanging out with a ghost he should have easily dealt with. She is concerned because patissier has a strong aura, and tries to frighten him into passing on by calling him a monster, then drags away Yoshimori, who can only yell repeated warnings to stay away from Karasumori Academy.

At home that night, Yoshimori senses a disturbance at the academy. Worried it might be the patissier ghost, Yoshimori rushes to the scene with Madarao, only to be calmly greeted by the patissier outside the academy. Tokine and Hakubi soon join them. Tokine is annoyed, but suspects that the ghost is not the disturbance they sensed, and Hakubi confirms that it is still inside. Tokine tracks down the ghost of Masano Murakami first, a man with a giant scissor claw growing out of his right arm. Yoshimori decides to handle things, but first listen's to the man's story. It is only when Masano moves to attack that Yoshimori reacts, destroying various parts of him and forcing him outside. Yoshimori sends Masano to Yumeko, and after some light teasing by the patissier at Yoshimori's expense, the group parts ways. Days later, the patissier is still hanging around Yoshimori at home, who is improving his sweet designs thanks to the advice.

Some time after that, Yoshimori and the patissier are celebrating Yoshimori's latest creation: a towering castle cake. Yoshimori is glad for all the help, but wonders why the ghost still hasn't passed on. The patissier admits he is still curious about the cabbages he spilled moments before his death. Yoshimori decides to visit Yumeko, who offers to help him investigate the matter. Yumeko finds the bakery where the patissier used to work, and the head chef reveals that the patissier ghost is Masahiko Tsukijigaoka, commonly called "Chikuwa-kun" because his family snack business is famous for their chikuwa. The chef recalls that Masahiko and his little brother lost their parents at a young age, and were raised by their aunt and uncle, and that since Masahiko rejected becoming the family heir and instead became a patissier, he might have been worried about leaving his brother behind. On the way out, Yumeko notices a cabbage-based sweet, and the chef explains he and Masahiko were planning to make it together at the time of his death. Yoshimori and Yumeko decide to reunite Masahiko with his brother.

Oddly enough, Masahiko refuses to meet his brother, to the point where Yoshimori binds him with nenshi and drags him along. They meet up with Yumeko and her butler, Ogata. Yumeko explains that the little brother, Toshihiko, is the vice president of his company's Kanto region, and soon to become CEO. They follow Toshihiko as he vists various sites, and Masahiko reveals he is worried that his brother hates him, since running the company fell to Toshihiko because of his brother's absence. However, Masahiko is startled when he sees that Toshihiko visiting the site of his accident. Yumeko tries to explain the situation, but her words only upset Toshihiko. When they keep insisting that he listen, Toshihiko agrees to meet them tomorrow, but will only listen if they bring him proof that his brother's ghost is still around. This is exactly what Masahiko feared: Toshihiko is sensible and wouldn't believe such a wild story without proof.

After thinking on it for some time, Masahiko remembers a cake he once made for his brother. Yumeko decides that they should re-create it. Even after many attempts, however, they still can't get it right. Masahiko recalls that he made the cake because their mother used to, in order to cheer up Toshihiko after her death (he claimed their parents sent it from heaven). After hearing the story, Yoshimori is determined to try one more cake before their time is up. Ogata rushes them to the site, but his wild driving throws Yoshimori (who is holding the cake) and Masahiko together several times.

They present the cake to Toshihiko, only to realize too late that it was damaged in transit. To their amazement, Toshihiko knows his brother made the cake just by looking at it: the idea of making a cake after death is one that his brother used before, after all. Toshihiko accepts the cake and tells Masahiko not to worry about him, which is enough for Masahiko to pass on.