I was looking up at the ceiling with my arms and legs spread out.

It's not that I wasn't getting hungry.

...I didn't live with my parents. I didn't live in the school dorm.

That meant I had to cook something myself when I wanted to eat.

I knew that... but I still didn't feel like getting up.

It had been several days since I began this empty life.

It must be tomorrow...

The Watanagashi festival, I mean.

I heard the doorbell ringing.

I ignored it at first, but it rung persistently.

I started hearing knocking, alongside Kasai's rude voice.

"Shion-san.

Please open up.

I bought some food for you."

...I didn't ask him to.

He must've known that I hadn't eaten enough and that I'd been feeling down lately.

"......You haven't eaten, have you?"

"No......

I'm not hungry."

But when Kasai put the food on the table, my stomach reacted in a very primitive way by making some noise.

"Your stomach is growling...

I believe you need to eat."

I was hungry, but had no appetite.

I mean, I did have an appetite, but didn't have the energy to eat.

Yet I'd feel bad wasting the food Kasai had brought.

I picked up my chopsticks just to humor him.

"I thought you were marked by grandma.

Is it okay for you to be here?"

"Oryou-san is busy with the festival preparation meetings. She doesn't seem to have time to deal with you right now......

Didn't you like croquettes?"

"Hmm... they're good.

...Thanks."

While I nibbled on the food, Kasai read through the magazines I bought.

"...Have you...

uhh..."

I'd never talked to Kasai about something like this before.

...Since I've always believed myself superior to him psychologically, I hesitated to show my weaknesses to him.

"That kind of hardship is healthy for your age."

"...!

Hey, do you know

about that...?!"

"Mion-san told me a little about it.

She said she wanted me to assist you."

"...She did, did she?

Tssk."

"She looked worried.

Your sister is looking out for you."

Without responding, I threw the last croquette in my mouth.

"I thought you might want to know how Satoshi Houjou-kun is doing.

I've gathered some information. Would you like me to report?"

"That's not necessary...

but since you went through all the trouble, I think I'd better listen."

Kasai chuckled, but stopped quickly as if thinking it rude.

"It seems that Teppei Houjou fled the premises.

He seems to be staying with an intimate ladyfriend in Okinomiya."

"Teppei?

Who's that?

......Oh, Satoshi-kun's uncle, huh?"

"Their aunt - Tamae Houjou, Satoshi, and Satoko are the only ones living in the house now.

Ever since Tamae learned that Teppei had fled to another woman, she's been in a foul mood."

"So that must mean...

that the aunt is being even nastier to Satoko, and Satoshi-kun is taking even more indirect blows."

"I don't know about Satoshi-kun, but I heard that Satoko-san is in a bad state. The neighbors are spreading rumors about her."

If Satoko looks miserable,

that means Satoshi-kun must be going through equally miserable torture.

"Can't you do something about that aunt?

Doesn't anybody talk about punishing her?"

She's also one of the remaining Houjous, after all.

The uncle is gone, so why not the aunt?

"...The main Sonozaki family ruled against further harassment toward the Houjou family after the death of the couple.

They say the police still might be staking out their house, due to suspicions about the couple's death."

"Their deaths have been filed under Oyashiro-sama's curse.

So the Sonozaki family thinks no further divine intervention is necessary?"

Kasai put on a faint smile.

Come to think of it...

...It is hard not to suspect the involvement of the Sonozaki family in all the incidents said to be Oyashiro-sama's curse.

Somebody strives to get rid of the hag's concerns

on the day of the Watanagashi festival.

Furthermore,

the Watanagashi festival is going to be held tomorrow.

......Will the curse strike again this year?

If so... who will be the victim?

Now that I think about it... there were cases of multiple victims in the past.

The first and third year, it was just one, but the second year, the victims were a couple.

So it wouldn't be too strange if two people fell victim this year.

It seems like a good time.

It'd be best for Satoko and her aunt to be the victims.

Satoshi-kun will be freed from every source of his worries all at once!

"...Kasai,

do you know if this year's victim has been selected already?"

".................."

"Does grandma make the decision?

If so, Sis should know about it by now.

Kasai,

do you know anything?"

"Shion-san... I don't know anything about that matter."

"...Well, that makes sense.

That kind of secret won't make its way to you, because you're just a small fry."

"...That's true.

I've never received any information regarding that from my connections.

But as you know... the Sonozaki family has access to many underground organizations,

which I have no channels into."

...Maybe I could try asking Sis about it...

but she won't talk.

She's strict about keeping promises, unlike me.

If the hag told her to keep a secret, she'd take it to her grave.

"...Damn...

I hope Satoko and her aunt will go missing this year."

"....................."

"......Hey, Kasai, I just thought of that.

Aren't you going to do something about it?"

"Shion-san... you must be joking..."

"Yeah.

I'm just kidding."

I took a glimpse at Kasai.

...It didn't look like he was actually going to do something to make my wish come true.

I wasn't able to go to the village as myself.

So, I definitely wasn't going to the festival. I didn't care about that.

Even so... I was interested in who was going to end up as the victim of the curse.

If I just kept lying on this couch, playing hooky, somebody would fall victim in several hours.

I had no clue why it had to happen every year.

But I was certain that the hag was behind it.

All the enemies from the dam conflict had been punished.

...Only the Houjou couple was left, since most of the other enemies had already gone.

The cicadas were crying loudly outside. It made me feel hot.

Why was it this hot and humid in June?

If Oyashiro-sama was actually punishing people...... I'd pray for one thing.

I'd pray that the evil aunt would be punished,

and I'd offer up Satoko

as a sacrifice.

Hah

...............

It's hot.

When I woke up, Kasai had already gone.

Looks like he cleaned the table and the surrounding room.

He put my dirty laundry into the hamper in front of the washing machine too.

...Being a girl of a sensitive age, I didn't want a man to clean my room.

Well, I'd rather thank him than badmouth him.

I looked at the clock. It was late afternoon.

...I had to go grocery shopping.

There was nothing left in the fridge,

and I'd be having just rice for dinner if I didn't go.

At that moment.

......The phone rang.

It must be Kasai, I thought.

I did hope it was him.

...He could have brought more food,

so then I wouldn't have to go shopping......

While I was just being lazy...

I didn't feel like going out at all.

But...

It wasn't Kasai on the phone.

"...Sis...

where are you calling from?

The house?"

"Uh, no...

I'm calling from a pay phone,

so I'll make it quick...

Satoshi called me."

"...Satoshi-kun did?

He called you?"

"......It probably wasn't me he wanted.

He called you, I think...

It sounded like he wanted to apologize for what happened the other day...

so I thought you should take the call."

"....................."

"I told him that I'd call back because I was busy...

so, can you call this number...?"

".........Um, o-okay...!"

I was stunned for a second, but then recovered and wrote down the number on the back of a magazine.

"...Thanks.

I'll call right away."

"Good...

He's been extremely stressed these days...

I don't think he'll listen to me anymore, but

I think he'll listen to you."

She could have pretended to be me and handled his call.

......But she passed it over to me.

"Thanks,

Mion..."

"See you, Shion..."

Before she hung up, I put the handset down.

Then after a second, I dialed the number in a flash.

I heard the dial tone

...three times,

four times......

and there he was.

"......Houjou residence."

He sounded like an adult.

His voice sounded a bit tired too, but it definitely was the voice I loved.

...I got scared.

...I was scared that he might become sulky again if I mentioned my name... I couldn't open my mouth for a while.

"Uh...

is that you,

Satoshi-kun...?"

"Oh... sorry that I called you so suddenly.

Are you okay now?"

That was the Satoshi-kun I knew.

...He didn't sound cold like the other day.

"...Yes...

I'm okay now."

"...Uh... good."

After that, he went silent.

...I felt the urge to start a conversation.

...It wasn't fair. He was the one who called in the first place...

Then,

he finally spoke.

"...I'm truly sorry

for what happened the other day."

"Uh...

hmm...

I'm...

sorry too...!"

"...You don't have to apologize...

because I was the one in the wrong."

If this were a face-to-face conversation, he would be stroking my head...

It was sad just talking to him over the phone.

"...I won't forgive those people who forced us into this situation...

you might be close to them,

but it was never you personally...

So I wanted to apologize."

"......No, please don't apologize...

I was selfish and didn't try to understand your situation very well......"

We apologized to each other a few times.

"...Satoshi-kun,

are you all right...?

You're working, and you're under a lot of stress......

Isn't that too much to handle?"

"...I quit my job

since I have enough money now."

"...You did...?

That's good. You don't have to push yourself anymore, then...

That's really good."

Satoshi-kun tried to say something, but he dropped it instead.

"Satoko...

has it far worse than me."

".....................

...Seems like it...

Is she all right?"

"...Does she look all right to you...?"

He suddenly sounded upset...

I'd messed up.

"S-S-Sorry!

I'm sorry...!

I'm sorry...!"

I was so stupid...!!

I had ruined this miraculous conversation with him...!!

Satoshi-kun didn't respond to my apology...

so I stopped apologizing.

"...She's been hurt so much it's clear to see, she's so torn up...

And everybody abandoned her...

Everybody did."

"I... I didn't..."

I tried to calm him down...

I hated what I just said because of how hollow it sounded.

I had no idea what to say next.

I felt guilty.

Satoshi-kun was desperate to protect Satoko from their evil aunt.

...But I'd wished that Satoko would die tomorrow because of the curse.

...I was trampling on his desperate hope.

"...Satoko can't take it anymore...

so...

..................

"

He cut himself off in the middle...

And went quiet for a moment.

He must have been choosing his words carefully...

Then, he finally spoke.

His words sounded hollow.

"...I mean...

I want her to have fun for one night."

"...Eh?

What do you mean...?"

"The Watanagashi festival is tomorrow, isn't it?

I want you to take her there."

"Yeah, I can do that, but... why?"

"......She's exhausted,

so... I think she'd be happy if she could get away from our aunt for even just one night."

"...But... why...?"

"...Why...?"

It's not that I didn't understand why he wanted her taken to the festival.

...What I didn't understand is why he was asking me to do that.

Was there any reason he couldn't take her there himself?

I had a hunch that he might disappear... so I kept asking...

"...What do you mean, why...?"

"...Why don't you take her yourself...?"

"......Um......"

He fell silent.

Satoshi-kun isn't good at lying or keeping secrets.

...It was clear that he wanted to hide something.

"...I-I just have some stuff that I need to take care of with my work tomorrow...

so I can't go to the festival."

He was lying.

...But, he was also stubborn.

He wouldn't admit it if I accused him.

"...Mion,

can you... take her there tomorrow...?"

"....................."

I wouldn't want to look after Satoko

even at Satoshi-kun's request...

but I'm also glad that he's relying on me.

"I know it's ridiculous to ask for your help after that incident...

but you're the only person I can turn to now."

...I didn't know what to say.

I did know, though, that I wasn't going to turn down his request.

"...Okay...

but just for tomorrow.

All right?"

"Ahahahaha...

I hope you'll keep looking after her."

"What are you saying?

I won't do that.

Just for tomorrow."

He sounded as if he were going to disappear tomorrow.

...I didn't like the sound of that, so I intentionally sounded sulky.

We talked about trivial stuff

for just a little while.

When the conversation was almost over, Satoshi-kun asked something else.

"Hey... ...Mion.

......I really hate asking this, since you might think I'm crazy for saying it, but..."

"...Hm?

What?"

"...You... ahahahahaha...

...don't believe in it, right?"

"Believe in what?"

"...Um

...

...in Oyashiro-sama's

curse."

"Uh... ahahahaha.

What are you talking about, Satoshi-kun?"

"Those who abandon the village and try to run away get cursed by Oyashiro-sama, right?"

That's the rule.

Every kid in the village knows that.

"...Ahaha,

that's the rule.

What's with that suddenly?

...Are you planning to leave?"

Though I was kidding, I wanted him to deny it.

"...I'm not thinking about that...

anymore."

He admitted that he had thought of it.

...I guess Rena told me that much.

"...That's good.

So you're not leaving the village?"

"...No, but...

I haven't been forgiven yet..."

"...Eh...?"

Satoshi-kun tried to say something but hesitated.

...He was breathing so heavily...

Was he sick?

"...Hey...

do you feel all right, Satoshi-kun?"

"...Uh... sorry.

...I'm fine."

"...I guess you're tired.

I think you should get some rest."

He sounded distinctly more sickly from when this conversation had started.

He breathed heavily when punctuating his words.

Satoshi-kun repeated his question.

"...Mion,

I'll ask you one more time...

Do you believe in Oyashiro-sama's curse...?"

...What did he want me to say?

...Could I make him feel relieved with my answer? How should I respond?

...The answer was simple.

"...Ahahahahaha.

...There's no curse. There can't possibly be."

I didn't know what was bothering him.

But I wanted to make him feel better by laughing his worries away.

"....................."

But Satoshi-kun instead fell silent.

...Would my answer make him happy? Or maybe sad?

I couldn't tell.

One thing was certain... I didn't make him feel any better.

"...Sorry that I asked such a weird question."

"Ah... uh... sorry..."

I felt like I let him down, so I apologized in a rush.

"...Whether it's a real curse or somebody's conspiracy...

I won't disappear, and I won't fall victim to it."

"Y-You won't disappear..."

"No...

not until I buy that teddy bear.

I'll get the money pretty soon.

I won't go anywhere until then."

He chuckled.

I knew he was trying to relieve me, but it worked the opposite way.

...He sounded as though he didn't care what would happen after he bought the teddy bear.

"...Oh... my aunt is home. I have to go."

"Oh... okay."

"...Mion."

"...Huh?"

Even though he wanted to hang up the phone because of his aunt coming back--

...Satoshi-kun took a breath to tell me something important.

"I'll leave...

Satoko to you."

I should've said yes right away.

...But I still couldn't forgive Satoko...

so I just kept quiet.

"....................."

"...Forget what I said...

Bye."

"Oh."

He was obviously disappointed.

What had I done?

I wanted to apologize.

I wished I could.

But... it was too late.

The dial tone left no doubt. Now that was depressing.