Yami-hara by Mizuki Tsujimura

Author:Mizuki Tsujimura
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Yen On

* * *

When Ritsu woke up, she was on her back in a dark room, alone.

For a moment, she wasn’t sure where this was. Her head ached when she sat up. In her twenties, when Ritsu suffered from insomnia as a result of work stress and relied on sleeping pills, she’d always had a headache when she woke up. This sensation was similar—that of emerging from the foggy effect of a powerful drug.

Ritsu was in her bedroom.

When had she gotten home? She still had on the outfit she’d worn out. Kanato’s rocket-shaped alarm clock near her pillow informed her that it was seven o’clock.

Seven? Ritsu gasped when the number sank into her head. It was dark outside already. The curtains were pulled closed. How long had she been asleep? Kanato ought to be home by now. Panic at the thought that her son might be locked out jolted through her mind, clearing any lingering drowsiness instantly.

“Kanato!”

“Hyip!”

The sound came from beside her ear. Hatch was licking her outstretched hand. He looked up at her with excitement, tongue lolling.

“Hatch…”

His wet nose twitched. Even in the dark, he was a very cute dog. The sensation of his smooth tongue on her fingers brought a sense of reality back. Ritsu could tell that he was worried.

The door slowly opened, letting in light from the hallway.

Yuuki poked his head through.

“Awake now? You okay?”

“Honey…”

Ritsu’s head ached. The light from the hallway stung her eyes.

“Wait, where’s Hatch?” asked Kanato’s voice from behind Yuuki. Hatch reacted, trotting out of the bedroom. Moments later, Kanato exclaimed, “Hatch!” with delight, much to Ritsu’s relief. He had gotten home safely after all.

“I’m sorry. I fell asleep. When did you…”

“It’s all right. If you’re not feeling well, go back to sleep. I’ll whip up something for dinner. Are you hungry? You aren’t feeling sick, are you…?”

“You came home early. I’m sorry… I don’t even recall when I actually got home.”

“Huh?” Yuuki’s look of concern turned to one of skepticism. He looked her in the eyes. “You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

“You called me. You were practically screaming.”

“What…”

“You really don’t remember?”

Her husband looked even more worried now. Ritsu was stunned. “I called you?”

Yuuki was the one wearing a doubtful look, yet it was Ritsu who felt like her husband was lying. She truly didn’t remember. Her recollection simply ended. She had gone out shopping in the afternoon, seen Hiromi’s group out in front of the complex, gone to the supermarket, and come back to find Kaori. From there, her sense of time got fuzzy.

Ritsu felt that somewhere in there, Kyohei Sawatari had hit on her, and there was a nightmarish phone call from Hiromi…

Yuuki approached the bed and hunched down so he was at eye level with Ritsu, sitting up in bed. After a hesitant silence, he asked, “Do you not remember this, either?”

“Remember what…?”

“That Hiromi Sawatari fell from her veranda to her death.”

A tiny shriek escaped Ritsu’s throat.

Her eyes went wide, as wide as they could go. What was Yuuki talking about? Her lips pursed, and her cheeks tensed.

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