Kazuya closed the panel, feeling the hunger in his stomach. After a quick tidy up, he put on his shoes and headed out for dinner. As he stepped outside, he realized that due to his excessive practice, it was now completely dark. The area he lived in was considered a poor district, devoid of the bustling atmosphere of a big city. The surroundings were silent and pitch-black, illuminated only by the sporadic glow of streetlights at a distance.
The sound of opening and closing doors seemed to disturb something, and there was a faint noise at the end of the corridor. The apartment was old and poorly maintained, with corridor lights broken for an unknown duration. Kazuya glanced but saw nothing. He tentatively asked, "Who's there?"
"Sorry!" A figure stood up, and under the streetlight, Kazuya could only see half of her head. She was a little girl. "I'm Yoko Shiraishi. I' m sorry for bothering you."
"Hello, I'm Kazuya Matsuoka. Yoko, it's dangerous outside at this hour. Why don't you come back your home?"
Yoko's voice came from the darkness, somewhat dejected, "I accidentally lost my keys."
"Oh, I see... Do you need help contacting your parents?"
"I have a cellphone, Matsuoka Onisan. I already called my mom, but she might be busy. She didn't answer... You don't have to worry about me. I'll wait here."
Kazuya thought for a moment, realizing there wasn't much he could do. After all, they only knew the names. He said, "Alright, I'll be going then."
"Please take care."
Kazuya went downstairs, and at the staircase, he looked back. Yoko seemed to have disappeared again, probably hiding in the darkness. It reminded him of the past, and a sense of discomfort lingered in his mind.
He had similar experiences before, being taken in by relatives when his parents passed away. However, they wouldn't give him the keys, and sometimes he had to sit at the doorstep, waiting for them to return. But he quickly chuckled and shook his head. It was different: Yoko had parents. She just forgot her keys. Why was he even thinking about this?
He walked for about ten minutes to a convenience store. After carefully choosing, he bought a discounted instant meal. As it was past dinner time, the discount reached 60%, making Kazuya quite satisfied.
Save money where you can!
He paid for his purchase, thanked the friendly female cashier who reheated the meal in the microwave. Afterward, he hesitated at the store entrance, thought for a moment, and then went back to buy another one.
Everyone has hidden motives. Consider it as a good deed!
He returned to the apartment without entering his room, walking to the end of the corridor. In the darkness, Yoko saw him approaching, stood up quickly, and tightly held her phone, asking, "Onisan, is there something wrong?"
Her voice sounded a bit fearful. Kazuya didn't want to get too close, maintaining some distance. He placed the bento box on the floor and said softly, "Hungry? Have something to eat first."
"I'm not hungry!" Yoko said, but her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl. Blushing, she changed her tune, "I don't have money."
"No worries. It's on me. Enjoy your meal." Kazuya gestured, "Do you want to wait inside my room?"
Yoko's face immediately became vigilant. She shook her head repeatedly. Realizing she was hiding in the darkness, where Kazuya couldn't see her, she quickly sweetened her tone, "No need, Onisan. I'll wait here."
Kazuya didn't insist. After a moment of thought, he said, "If there's anything you need help with, feel free to ask."
"Thank you, Onisan!" Yoko expressed her gratitude, and Kazuya smiled before directly returning to his apartment. Closing the door, he thought about Yoko's earlier appearance, finding it somewhat amusing yet sympathetic. However, he soon dismissed it from his mind and got back to his own tasks.
As Kazuya closed the door, Yoko breathed a sigh of relief. She turned off the alarm on her phone, checked the remaining battery, and quickly put it on standby. Then, taking careful steps forward, she picked up the bento box.
The meal was warm, and the aroma wafted as she opened it. Her mouth watered, realizing how hungry she was. However, she resisted, covered the bento box properly, and stowed it in her backpack. After hiding the backpack in a corner, she swiftly headed downstairs.
Outside the apartment, she immediately moved into the shadows, cautiously observing her surroundings. Fortunately, it was a remote area, with almost no pedestrians, which eased her worries. Following the drainage ditch along the street, she called out softly, "Toratoro, Toratoro…"
"Meow!" Her voice startled a cat, and its eerie meow made her jump. The cat then leaped off the wall, glanced at her arrogantly, and walked away.
Yoko patted her chest, then looked around again. "Toratoro, where are you?"
"Woof! Woof!" Along with a soft dog bark, a small puppy emerged from the drainage ditch, wagging its tail, and happily pounced toward her feet. She hugged the puppy, joyfully exclaiming, "Toratoro, here you are!"
Toratoro licked her hand and nudged his head against her. Then, he tried to lick her face.
Yoko pushed the puppy's head, laughing, "No, no. You're smelly."
She played with the dog for a while, but soon remembered it was unsafe here. Vigilantly watching the surroundings, she hugged the puppy, slipping into the shadows. Swiftly and stealthily, she made her way back to the apartment and reached her doorstep. She gently placed the little dog on the ground, raised a finger to her lips, and whispered, "Shh, don't make a sound, Toratoro."
The obedient puppy sat there, wagging its tail, only making soft panting sounds without barking.
Yoko dragged her backpack over, took out the bento box, and Toratoro's eyes lit up as he caught the aroma. His tail wagged even more enthusiastically, but he remained silent, patiently waiting.
She placed the bento box in front of him and spoke softly, "Toratoro, it should be safe, at most, it might be drugged... If I get drugged, it'll be bad, but if you get drugged, I'll protect you. So, could you taste it first? I'm sorry. Onisan seems like a good person, so it should be fine. Tomorrow, I'll figure out a way to get you some delicious food to repay you."
Toratoro couldn't understand her words, sticking out his tongue, tilting his head. His dog eyes emitting a green glow in the darkness, seemingly eager.
"You're hungry too!" Yoko said, tearing a piece of chicken and picking some rice and vegetables, adding them to the bento box. Toratoro sniffed it, his tail spinning like a propeller. He eagerly looked up at Yoko, his panting growing urgent, waiting for her command.
Yoko patted his dog head, "Go ahead and eat!"
Toratoro immediately lowered his head and began devouring the food, the sounds of his canine munching making her feel hungrier. Toratoro quickly finished the meal, licking the bento box lid until it shone, and Yoko hesitated for a moment before giving him a bit more. "Ok, I can give you some more. But I haven't had dinner either. There's no more left."
Toratoro was a small puppy, probably only two or three months old. After eating half of the bento, he licked his mouth at satisfy. He nuzzled against Yoko's feet, showing his affection. Yoko picked him up, gently stroking his back, occasionally scratching his little belly, making him contentedly grunt.
"Toratoro, how have you been surviving on the streets? Don't run around recklessly. Be careful with cars. Don't get into fights with other dogs. When you encounter the dog catchers, follow what I taught you…" Yoko murmured with the puppy. "I probably have my own home in about ten years. Toratoro, by then, you'll be old, won't you? But you must hold on until then. It's our promise!"
"Woof..." Toratoro looked up at Yoko, not sure if he understood, but he responded with a low bark.
After playing with the dog for a while and seeing that Toratoro was still lively, Yoko put him down on the ground. She took out the bento again, separated the disposable chopsticks, clapped her hands together, and happily exclaimed, "Itatakimasu!"
Toratoro sat by her feet, sticking out his tongue, watching her. While Yoko ate, she taught him, "If Mom comes back later, and I say 'run', stick to the wall and run without making a sound. Understand?"
Toratoro didn't respond this time, just staring at her bento. Yoko sighed, "Alright, one last bit for you." She scooped out some rice and put it on the ground. Toratoro immediately rolled his tongue and devoured it, his dog eyes filled with joy.