Kazuki Morita

Late evening had long since swallowed up the narrow streets of this residential Tokyo neighborhood. Neon signs had almost completely disappeared, and the few streetlights merely lazily dispersed the thick shadows between the buildings.

Kazuki Morita, a twenty-two-year-old university student, was leisurely walking home after another part-time job at a convenience store. A thin man with dark, tousled hair and noticeable circles under his eyes, he looked more tired than youthful. A worn school bag slung over his shoulder, his phone vibrated quietly in his pocket—yet another notification he hadn't even bothered to check.

The last few months had seemed like an endless string of identical days. School, work, a quick nap... Sometimes it felt like life was passing him by, and he was merely observing it from the sidelines. His parents had long since moved to another city, his friends were dwindling, and even his own apartment greeted him with its familiar silence.

Taking a shortcut through a narrow alley, Kazuki shuddered involuntarily. He'd never liked places like this. Too quiet. Too empty. Childhood horror stories had long since ceased to seem funny at moments like these.

"Oh, come on..." he muttered quietly under his breath. "There are no ghosts, monsters, or any of that nonsense..."

These words were more of an attempt to reassure himself. He understood perfectly well that anxiety arose only from darkness and a fertile imagination.
In modern Japan, people feared swindlers, drunkards, or random criminals, not creatures from urban legends.

After taking a few more steps, the guy was about to reach the illuminated street when he noticed movement ahead out of the corner of his eye.

There was someone's silhouette standing in the depths of the alley.

At first, Kazuki thought it was a regular fight or someone helping an unconscious man. But the figure was too still.

A man... if it was a man at all... bent over someone lying on the cold asphalt.

A barely audible wet sound was heard.

Kazuki frowned and automatically took another cautious step forward.

-Hey?