Chapter 1

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

From outside the window, the sound of unexpected heavy rain could be heard.

I don’t particularly like summer rain. It makes me recall unpleasant memories and brings my spirits down.

Immersed in sentimentality, I sank into the living room sofa and inhaled the menthol cigarette smoke. It seemed to taste worse than usual, probably because of the humidity.

Ding-dong.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Is it a delivery?

I don’t remember expecting any package deliveries on a Saturday evening.

Putting out the terrible-tasting cigarette, I headed to the entrance and opened the door.

But there was no delivery person there.

Instead, a girl stood frozen in place.

Drenched in a sailor uniform, she held the handle of a large suitcase in her right hand.

That alone was puzzling enough, but she was also holding something unusual in her left arm.

It was a white pouch with silver-thread chrysanthemum embroidery.

From its size and shape, it was immediately clear that it contained a bone urn.

Even so, why…?

“Is this the residence of Mr. Mitsuru Kawakami?”

Abruptly, the girl asked in a calm voice.

“Yes, it is. Who might you be?”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Tsubaki Yoshikawa. Yoshikawa… no, I’m the daughter of Mayuko Okazaki.”

“What?”

Mayuko Okazaki.

…She’s the reason why I was feeling down just a moment ago.

What could her daughter want with me?

“My mother committed suicide recently.”

…What?

“…Suicide?”

“Yes. So, in accordance with her will, I came here.”

“Her will?”

“Yes. She wanted her ashes to be placed here.”

The girl who called herself Tsubaki continued in a monotone voice.

What on earth is happening…?

“Achoo.”

Suddenly, a small sneeze was heard. Upon closer inspection, her lips were turning purple.

…Even in summer, leaving her like this would surely make her catch a cold.

“Anyway, let’s discuss this inside.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Tsubaki bowed her head and stepped into the entrance.

Returning to the living room, the smell of the cigarette I had been smoking still lingered. Yet, Tsubaki didn’t wrinkle her nose.

…Mayuko hated the smell of cigarettes so much.

“…Is there something wrong?”

“…It’s nothing. For now, place what you’re holding on the table.”

“Understood.”

With a thud, the white pouch was placed on the table.

“Why did you bring the ashes here?”

“As I mentioned earlier, it was my mother’s last wish.”

“Then why did your mother make such a request?”

“I don’t know. If anything, I want to know that myself.”

She said that with a blank expression… How can she act so indifferent about her own mother’s death?

Perhaps it’s a difficult age for her. But even so, it feels somewhat abnormal…

“Achoo.”

Tsubaki sneezed again.

…I guess there’s no point in being creeped out.

“If you have clothes in your suitcase, you should change. The bathroom is to the right after you leave this room.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Without changing her expression, Tsubaki bowed deeply and left the living room.

…For now, I should smoke to calm down.

Inhaling the still damp and tar-laden smoke, I glanced at the urn on the table. It was white and hard to notice, but the pouch was also severely soaked.

…Of course, she came here through that heavy rain.

Speaking of which, there was a time when Mayuko and I were caught in such rain on our way home from school.

Back then, I ran with her to the nearest station as she panicked. Once we arrived, she struggled to catch her breath with tearful eyes…

Compared to that, Tsubaki wasn’t out of breath at all.

She probably walked calmly without panicking despite the sudden rain.

Despite being parent and child, they’re so different…

“Kawakami, you’ve had a tough time too.”

…Ah, I see.

The voice that echoed in my head was nauseating.

A parent isn’t just a mother.

Her calm demeanor closely resembles her father’s.

The bile that rose in my throat made the already heavy taste of the cigarette even more unpleasant. At this point, smoking wasn’t alleviating any stress.

With a sigh, I exhaled all the smoke and extinguished the cigarette. At the same time, I heard the doorknob of the living room turn.

Oh, she’s back already.

…No, I shouldn’t resent her just because she resembles that man.

Because right now, the one here isn’t that man but…

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

…Huh?

Why is Mayuko here…?

“Thank you for letting me use your bathroom.”

No, that’s not right… This is Tsubaki… right?

But this faded green hoodie and worn-out light blue culottes…

“Is something wrong?”

“…Why are you wearing such old clothes?”

“These? I only have my mother’s old clothes to wear. My grandparents forbid me from buying any other clothes except for my uniform.”

“Forbidden?”

“Yes. They say it would be troublesome if I dressed provocatively and caused problems.”

“…I see.”

…I know that some guardians dislike their daughters being interested in makeup and fashion. I have friends and acquaintances who had such parents. Even Mayuko herself complained about that sometimes.

But forbidding the purchase of clothes entirely seems too strict.

Considering the circumstances of Tsubaki’s birth, it might be natural for her grandparents to be harsh, but still…

“So, can I leave this here?”

Unexpectedly, Tsubaki pointed at the urn on the table.

“No, I couldn’t give a proper answer earlier because it was so sudden, but I can’t just agree to something like that.”

“I see.”

Without any objection, her thin white arm reached for the urn and held it.

“Then I will dispose of this myself.”

“Dispose of it?”

“Yes.”

Her short response showed no sign of agitation.

“My grandparents told me to dispose of it. If I can’t leave it here, I’ll crush it somewhere and take care of it.”

“Crush it and take care of it…?”

She said such a thing without even changing her expression…

I still don’t understand the situation, but letting her crush her mother’s ashes herself feels wrong.

Especially since it’s Mayuko’s ashes and her daughter would be the one crushing them.

“If I keep this urn, is there a possibility of any trouble arising?”

“No, there isn’t. My grandparents told me to dispose of it.”

“Then, what about your father?”

“My father doesn’t argue with my grandparents, so I don’t think he will have anything to say about this either.”

Her reply had an odd conviction.

It’s not like her father has any special feelings toward Mayuko. If that’s the case…

“I don’t mind keeping it here. But if it causes any trouble, I’ll have you take it back immediately.”

With a sigh, words I could hardly believe came out of my mouth.

“Thank you very much.”

Tsubaki slightly loosened her expression and bowed deeply.

It might be troublesome, but it’s better than feeling guilty for making Mayuko’s daughter crush her ashes.

“Well then, I will take my leave now. If there are any issues with the urn, please contact me here.”

Tsubaki placed a note on the table and bowed deeply again.

For someone who came with such a troublesome request, she’s leaving quite easily…

But if her business is done, there’s no need for her to stay long at a stranger’s house. It’s better for me too if she leaves quickly to avoid prolonging any trouble.

…Even if her departing figure resembled Mayuko’s when she was feeling down.

“What are you planning to do now?”

Before I knew it, I was calling out to her slightly slumped back.

Tsubaki stopped with her hand on the doorknob.

“I plan to stay somewhere. My grandfather told me not to show my face for a while before I left the house.”

“I see… In that case, why don’t you stay here tonight?”

Again, words I could hardly believe came out of my mouth.

Tsubaki turned around, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

“The days are longer now, but I can’t just leave a minor with nowhere to go.”

Also, from her way of speaking, her family knows she came here. They don’t seem to care much, but if anything happens, I might be held responsible.

In that case, it’s better to let her stay here to avoid any trouble.

“Thank you. I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“Yes, you should. But make sure to get permission from your guardian.”

“Permission from my guardian…”

Tsubaki’s expression clouded slightly but quickly returned to a blank look as she nodded lightly.

“Understood. I’ll confirm with my father.”

With a monotone voice, she took out her smartphone from her culottes pocket.

“This is Tsubaki. Yes, the matter has been settled. Yes. I have been offered to stay the night. Is that alright? Yes, that’s right. Yes, thank you. Goodbye.”

The expressionless face that finished the business-like conversation turned towards me.

“I got approval from my father.”

“Really? Did they warn you about anything?”

“Yes. Try not to cause any trouble.”

“Yes”

Didn’t anyone express any concern for her?

The place they were staying at was the home of his wife’s ex-girlfriend.

…Well, I guess that’s not really surprising.

If that man was a father who worried about his daughter, Tsubaki would never have brought Mayuko’s urn here in the first place.

Anyway, I’ll have you go home as soon as tomorrow.

Translater’s Note: Moving this Novel from Galaxy Translation [Renamed to Dark Star Translation] to this New Planform [I have to deal with a lot of issues from the previous Website].