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Kayako held her little black cat close to her chest as she reluctantly returned to what she called "home."
It was a detached house located in Tokyo's northern district. The building had clearly seen better days, resembling something from the 1960s or 70s—worn down and dilapidated.
The entire house exuded an atmosphere of gloom and decay, much like Kayako herself.
Due to Japan's frequent earthquakes, many houses were constructed with wooden structures, especially these single-family homes, which were entirely made of wood.
Over time, such wooden houses could suffer from termite damage and other issues, making them prone to collapse. Under normal circumstances, homeowners would invest in repairs.
But the Saeki family had no money for renovations. As a result, Kayako was forced to live in this creaky old house that seemed on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
Just as she entered the genkan (entryway) and changed her shoes, she heard her parents arguing upstairs. A torrent of vulgar insults poured out of their mouths, the kind only irresponsible parents could spew.
Fortunately, the house was isolated, with the nearest neighbors some distance away; otherwise, they would probably have called the police every day.
This situation was nothing new to Kayako.
Ever since she was old enough to understand, her life had been filled with endless arguments between her parents. When tempers flared, they would take out their anger by beating her.
In Kayako's memory, the only person who ever treated her kindly was her late grandmother. But those fond memories felt so distant now that Kayako sometimes wondered if they were merely illusions.
Click!
Suddenly, the lights flickered on, startling Kayako.
Her father stormed out of the house, his face red with rage. Catching sight of Kayako tiptoeing toward her room, he screamed:
"You ungrateful brat! Coming home so late? Just like your mother—you're both ingrates! Who knows how many men you've been fooling around with!"
"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have a roof over your head! Instead of being grateful, all you do is make me angry. One day I'll kick you both out, and then we'll see where you end up!"
Kayako shrank back, too afraid to retort. She expected him to slap her as he usually did, but today, surprisingly, he didn't lay a hand on her. Instead, he stomped to the door, slipped on his shoes, and prepared to leave.
Before stepping out, he shot a glare at the black cat cradled in Kayako's arms. "Keep that damn cat under control. If I catch it in the living room wrecking anything, I'll strangle it."
Terrified, Kayako hunched over, clutching the cat tightly. Her voice trembled as she stammered, "Little Black is very well-behaved. He won't break anything."
"That's a cat—it doesn't understand human words. There's no such thing as a cat that won't cause trouble."
With a cold snort, her father slammed the door shut behind him.
Kayako let out a sigh of relief. Not getting beaten today was already a blessing.
It must be... it must be because I met Fujihara-kun. He must have brought me good luck.
She smiled secretly, cherishing the thought.
Turning off the light, she carefully made her way through the darkness and retreated to her own small room.
One advantage of living in a detached house was that there were plenty of rooms, and even Kayako had her own private space.
Her father was a useless man who had been a delinquent during his school days and never worked after graduation. He simply lived off his parents' support.
Despite her grandparents' attempts to reason with him, they eventually gave up and let him do as he pleased.
Back then, her father spent his days playing pachinko or drinking with his rowdy friends.
Thankfully, while he wasn't much of a person, at least he hadn't done anything particularly harmful to society, avoiding major criminal offenses.
As for her mother, she was a hostess whom her father met while drinking. Both were reckless youths at the time, hooking up without taking precautions, resulting in Kayako's birth.
At the time, Kayako's grandfather had passed away, but her grandmother was still alive. It was her grandmother who raised young Kayako.
If it had been left to those incompetent parents, Kayako might not have survived infancy.
Unfortunately, her grandmother passed away when Kayako was still very young, leaving behind the house and a modest inheritance.
Once her father gained control of the inheritance, he and her mother began squandering it recklessly. Within a few years, the fortune was completely depleted.
Thankfully, her father retained a shred of rationality and kept the house, ensuring the family wouldn't become homeless.
Her parents had originally come together purely for "fun," and naturally, their marriage was fraught with constant arguments. Whenever tensions escalated, Kayako became the target of their anger. Her life spoke volumes about their dysfunction.
The reason they didn't divorce was simple: her father knew he was incapable of supporting himself, and having a wife allowed him to vent his frustrations. Meanwhile, her mother felt she was too old to start anew and figured it was better to stay in a place where she didn't need to pay rent.
And so, the three of them lived this way for years.
Back in her room, Kayako set the black cat down. She stared blankly at the bread and other items Fujihara had bought for her, lost in thought for a moment before turning to the cat. "Wait here, Little Black."
She rummaged through the house and found a bowl. Taking the cat food from the bag, she poured it into the bowl.
Having grown up scavenging in garbage dumps, Little Black had never seen cat food before. Attracted by its smell, he eagerly devoured it.
Seeing the cat eat happily, Kayako couldn't help but smile genuinely.
How wonderful! Now Little Black won't have to go hungry with me. This is all thanks to Fujihara-kun.
Thinking of Fujihara, her heart began to race again. There was still some bread left in the bag, but she decided to save it for tomorrow's lunch at school.
From a drawer in an old cabinet, Kayako retrieved a notebook.
She had a habit of keeping a diary.
"March 20th, Sunny."
"Today was the luckiest, happiest day of my life. I sat by the roadside holding Little Black, wondering what we should eat. I thought about scavenging through trash, feeling guilty for putting Little Black through so much hardship. It made me sad."
"A god descended upon me. His name is Fujihara Tetsu, and he is the most handsome man I've ever seen in my life."
"His smile is gentle, like the radiant sun on the horizon. His voice is beautiful, like music I've heard on TV."
"Not only does he not despise me, but he also cares whether I've eaten enough. He speaks profound truths that I don't fully understand but feel are right—I should listen to him."
"He said he hopes I'll keep coming back, that he'll help me and ensure I have enough food until I come of age."
"I suddenly don't want to grow up anymore. He must be the 'god' I've always longed for."
"What a wonderful day! For the first time, I write these words: Today was truly amazing~"
"..."
Contrary to the gloomy impression Kayako gave off, her diary revealed a different side of her—a lively, cheerful girl full of youthful brightness and blossoming joy.
After finishing her entry, she admired her neat handwriting, closed the notebook, and placed it back in the drawer.
Looking at Little Black, who was now contentedly curled up on the floor ready to sleep, Kayako pulled out bedding from the closet and prepared to rest.
Once she woke up, it would be tomorrow—a day closer to seeing Fujihara-kun again.