The convenience store was warm and cozy.
Toru and Kayako sat side by side, chatting about the trivial details of their lives.
However, as an unpopular background figure at school, Kayako spent most of her school days sitting silently at her desk.
Because of that, she had barely participated in school life.
Kayako could only do her best to tell Toru about the things she had seen and heard at school.
Toru did not talk about anything too serious either. Most of the time, he simply complained about how busy his work as Mayor of Koto Ward was.
Arisu had the strongest opinions about that, since she handled most of the work.
However, Arisu was not there, so her complaints did not matter.
"Toru-kun, my school life is very boring. Hearing me talk about it must be uninteresting."
Kayako spoke softly, afraid that her stories about school were boring Toru and that he was only listening patiently out of politeness.
Toru held a hot drink in his hand and smiled when he heard her.
"Most people's lives are very ordinary. They move between the same two or three places every day, so it's difficult for anything special to happen."
"And when something unusual does happen to an ordinary person, it's usually trouble. As for good fortune, don't count on it."
"If you're that lucky, you might as well buy a lottery ticket."
Kayako pursed her lips and smiled.
"I've always felt that Toru-kun has a very pessimistic way of thinking."
Kayako did not believe that encountering something unusual always meant trouble.
After experiencing enough hardships, surely something good would eventually happen.
That was how it had been for her. All the suffering she had endured since childhood had led her to meeting Toru-kun, being cared for by him, and receiving his help.
Knowing Toru-kun was the happiest and luckiest thing that had ever happened to her. Compared to that, the hardships of the past were not worth mentioning.
"I've actually always been a rather pessimistic person. Forget it, let's not talk about that. Kayako, how has your life been since your parents passed away? Is there anything you haven't gotten used to?"
Toru knew that Kayako had little affection for her parents, so he did not treat their deaths as a particularly sensitive subject.
Kayako really wanted to say that it was wonderful that her parents had died and immediately put on a show of being the world's most dutiful daughter.
However, after thinking about it, she wondered whether Toru-kun would see her as an ungrateful and coldhearted woman if she said that.
She immediately changed her wording.
"Well, I've gotten used to my life now, and I haven't run into any problems."
With her parents gone, she could openly keep Komuro at home without worrying that they might throw him away while she was out.
She no longer had to listen to their daily arguments and scolding, endure them taking out their anger on her whenever they were upset, hear them curse her viciously, or suffer physical violence.
When her parents were alive, Kayako had done all the housework herself.
But those two were impossible to deal with. They would make a mess again soon afterward, creating endless extra work for Kayako.
Now, none of those problems remained.
Kayako was a very tidy girl. Once she cleaned the house, it stayed neat for a long time, and she no longer had to clean from morning until night.
As for food, when her parents were alive, she would eat one day and go hungry the next, which had caused her severe malnutrition.
Now that they had passed away, she had also received a considerable amount of compensation money.
With Kayako's modest lifestyle, she even felt that the money might be enough to support her for the rest of her life.
Her current life was so peaceful that the Kayako of the past could never have imagined it, which made her cherish it all the more.
Toru was actually very familiar with the details of Kayako's life.
There was no way he could truly ignore such a dangerous girl. He had always arranged for people to keep an eye on her.
Unlike Tomie, Kayako made people feel instinctive disgust and could not charm them.
Therefore, sending people to watch over her posed no danger.
At the same time, Toru was also protecting Kayako, preventing her from encountering anything that might put her life at risk.
At around eleven o'clock that night, Toru decided it was time to leave. He left the convenience store with Kayako and prepared to walk her home.
Although Kayako was reluctant to part with him, she understood that only these brief hours at night belonged to her and Toru-kun.
At other times, Toru-kun had his own life, and she should not disturb him.
Kayako was already content that Toru-kun was willing to spare some time to talk with her.
After walking Kayako back to her dilapidated house, Toru did not go inside. He simply stood at the entrance and said, "You're home. Go inside."
"But this house really needs repairs. I'll find a construction crew to renovate it properly."
The inside of Kayako's old house was truly gloomy. The trees outside had not been trimmed, so almost no sunlight could enter.
The place looked exactly like the setting of a horror movie.
Toru felt that it would be better to renovate the house properly and brighten it up so it would not feel so eerie.
Kayako hesitated, not wanting to trouble Toru.
However, she had a personality that made it difficult for her to refuse others. Since Toru had already said so, she could only nod and whisper, "Thank you, Toru-kun."
"It's no trouble at all. I'll be going now. If I come out for a night run tomorrow, I'll see you then."
"Okay. Be careful on your way home, Toru-kun."
Kayako stood quietly by the door with a sweet smile, watching Toru's back until he disappeared around the street corner.
In a nearby corner, Tomie had already been frozen stiff and felt as though she were about to freeze to death.
"Those damn lovebirds finally left the convenience store."
"You were eating and drinking in the warmth while I stood out here freezing and starving. What kind of situation is this?"
Tomie cursed viciously.
Still, her efforts had not been completely wasted. Not only had she witnessed Toru secretly meeting another woman, but she had also learned where that woman lived.
Tomie hesitated, wondering whether she should leave now and find an opportunity to arrange a chance encounter with the woman later so she could crush her properly.
At that moment, the black cat following at Kayako's feet detected the hidden Tomie with its keen senses.
Its fur immediately stood on end, and it let out a loud meow toward Tomie's hiding place.
"Komuro, the neighbors are sleeping. Don't meow for no reason."
Kayako crouched down, trying to stop Komuro.
The strange sight of Komuro bristling and meowing toward an empty corner made unease rise in Kayako's heart.
She carefully moved closer to the door and tentatively asked, "Is someone there?"
The surroundings remained silent, with only the cold night wind blowing past.
The stillness made Kayako even more frightened.
She fumbled for her key, preparing to unlock the door and quickly hide inside.
At that moment, a graceful and alluring figure emerged from the darkness and approached with elegant steps.
Since the black cat had discovered her, Tomie no longer bothered hiding.
She decided to take the initiative.
Seeing that the person who appeared was a tall and exceptionally beautiful woman, Kayako relaxed slightly.
Walking with the poise of a model, Tomie stopped in front of Kayako and looked down at the petite girl.
She raised an eyebrow and said, "You're Kayako Kawamata, aren't you?"
(To be continued.)