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Fujiwara walked over and held out the plastic bag to her. "Do you want something to eat? I saw you sitting here a few nights ago, so you must be hungry by now."
Kawamata Kaya trembled slightly, lifting her head from between her knees.
She stared at the plastic bag in disbelief, then instinctively looked up at Fujiwara. When she saw his face and the smile on it, she quickly lowered her gaze again, avoiding eye contact.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Do you think I poisoned the food?"
Without waiting for an answer, Fujiwara shoved the bag into her arms and sat down beside her.
Her brief glance upward had confirmed what he already suspected—this was actually a very pretty girl, but her gloomy demeanor made people want to keep their distance.
And those bruises on her face, though not severe, were clear signs of abuse.
Kaya stared blankly at the convenience store bag in her lap, shaking her head nervously. "N-no… Are you talking to me? I… I can't believe it."
Someone was actually speaking to her—it was unbelievable.
At school, even when she sat quietly, teachers and classmates acted as if she didn't exist.
Kaya could feel her heart pounding, her cheeks flushing with heat.
This… this was what it felt like to be cared for? Her heart was racing.
It was the first time anyone had shown her kindness, the first time someone had given her something. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.
"It's just someone talking to you. Why does that seem so hard to believe? Don't you usually talk to people?"
Fujiwara raised an eyebrow, speaking casually as if making small talk.
There was definitely something odd about this girl—her gloomy aura made others want to stay away.
But for some reason, Fujiwara found that her strange presence didn't bother him too much. At most, it made him slightly uncomfortable.
"No one talks to me," Kaya replied softly.
She clutched the convenience store bag, staring at the warm rice ball inside. Her stomach growled loudly, and she instinctively swallowed.
Fujiwara chuckled, which only made Kaya's face redder.
"Eat up. You're so thin—don't you eat regularly?"
Carefully tearing open the rice ball wrapper, Kaya took a large bite before realizing how messy it looked. She quickly lowered her head and began nibbling on it delicately.
Hearing Fujiwara's question, she hesitated. There were things she wanted to say but feared voicing them, worried they'd make him dislike her even more.
Looking at the bruised side of her face, Fujiwara could guess what she was thinking.
Children from troubled families often kept everything bottled up, leading to increased isolation. Over time, this could result in psychological issues—either lashing out at society or choosing self-destruction.
Rather than encouraging such children to speak up, it was better to take the initiative and ask questions yourself.
"Are those bruises from your parents hitting you? Or were you bullied at school and too scared to go home?"
Kaya stiffened, replying softly, "My parents hit me."
"You're still underage. Why didn't you call the police? Has no one ever helped you?"
"No."
Kaya shook her head, swallowing another bite of the rice ball. "I reported it once, but the police just glanced at me and left. After that, my parents beat me even harder, so I stopped reporting it."
She didn't dare tell Fujiwara that even the police seemed to despise her upon seeing her.
"You look so thin—are you always starving?"
"I only eat one meal a day at home. They say eating is a waste of food."
Her words made Fujiwara's brow furrow further. There were plenty of bizarre parents in Japan who would starve their children to death for various reasons, stories often reported in newspapers.
Judging by the state of this girl, if things continued like this, she might not survive much longer.
"Meow~~"
Suddenly, the black cat beside Kaya let out a loud cry, pawing at her old white dress.
Seeing this, Kaya hurriedly tore off a piece of the rice ball and handed it to the cat.
The cat eagerly devoured it without hesitation.
"Is this your cat?"
Fujiwara asked.
"I found Little Black in a garbage dump. He was tiny and so skinny back then. I felt sorry for him, so I took him home."
"But I don't have much to feed him either. Following me must be tough for him."
When Fujiwara mentioned the cat, Kaya's gloomy eyes lit up. She gestured with her hands, trying to show how small the kitten had been.
But as she spoke, her expression turned melancholic again, saddened by her inability to provide a better life for Little Black.
"You saved a cat despite barely having enough to eat yourself. That shows you have a kind heart."
"The cat seems very fond of you. It must be grateful for being saved."
Hearing Fujiwara call her kind, Kaya felt a warm current flow through her heart. It was the first time anyone had ever praised her.
Being spoken to, being cared for—it all felt surreal to Kaya. Was she dreaming?
If this was a dream, she hoped she'd never wake up.
Fujiwara stood up and crouched in front of the black cat, gently petting its fur.
The cat purred affectionately, rubbing its head against him.
"Wait here for a moment."
With that, Fujiwara rose and headed back toward the 7-Eleven under Kaya's watchful gaze.
Not long after, he returned holding another plastic bag, handing it to her. "There's some bread in here. Eat it if you get hungry later."
"I also bought some cat food. Cats are carnivores—it's not good to feed them too many carbs. Give him this instead."
Kaya shook her head frantically. "I-I can't accept more from you."
"Take it."
Fujiwara pushed the bag into her hands again, shaking his head. "Even if not for yourself, do it for the cat. If this continues, both of you will starve."
Kaya gripped the bag tightly, whispering, "Thank you."
"How old are you? Are you still in school?"
"I'm eighteen. I just started my third year of high school."
"Eighteen?"
Fujiwara was taken aback. Her frail figure had made him assume she was only fourteen or fifteen.
"There are things an outsider like me shouldn't say because they might upset you. I won't advise you to leave your parents right now—you wouldn't be able to survive on your own yet."
"But since you're eighteen, in two years you'll be an adult. If you listen to my advice, find a job then and leave those unfit parents of yours. Start living independently."
"It might be tough at first, but it'll definitely be better than now."
Fujiwara spoke earnestly.
Kaya looked up at him, whispering, "Are you… concerned about me?"
"Anyone with a conscience would care after seeing someone in your situation."
If that was true, then everyone in the world must lack a conscience, Kaya thought bitterly.
"I usually jog here at night unless I'm busy. You can wait for me here if you want—I can bring you food so you don't go hungry."
"But let me make one thing clear: Once you turn twenty and can live independently, I won't help you anymore. I can only assist you temporarily, not forever."
It wouldn't cost much to save the life of a girl in her prime, and Fujiwara thought it was worth it.
He harbored no ill intentions or ulterior motives toward this girl, who was less than two years younger than him. What he lacked were S-rank skill points, not ordinary ones, so there was no need to deceive her feelings. His actions stemmed purely from goodwill.
Still, he wasn't a saint. Teaching someone to fish was better than giving them fish. Fujiwara merely offered this girl a chance to change her life; whether she seized it depended on her own efforts.
Kaya stared at Fujiwara, dumbfounded. She had never imagined meeting someone who would care for her, who would actively help her. A ray of beautiful light pierced through the darkness enclosing her heart.
"I won't force or demand anything from you. If you're willing, wait for me here every night. If you stop coming, it means you don't want help, and I won't interfere."
Fujiwara stood up, adding, "It's late. I'm heading home to sleep. You should go back too. No matter how bad things are at home, as long as it provides shelter, endure it for now."
"Oh, what's your name?"
Kaya answered excitedly, "I'm Kawamata Kaya."
Ah, Kawamata Kaya.
Hmm? Why does that name sound so familiar—and creepy?
This time, it was Fujiwara whose body froze.
He wanted to slap himself twice!