The caravan of sugar, piled high on a cart and flanked by Mariella and the other stunning women, inevitably drew attention as it passed. Their presence alone was enough to stop people in their tracks, staring unabashedly. After lingering near the Jizo statue for some time, it became clear the gate would not reopen. Worse still, the statue's mysterious ability to deflect gazes had seemingly ceased. With no progress, Wataru decided to retreat.
He ordered the sugar returned to the café for storage before heading back to his home.
Inside his modest workspace, Wataru sank into his chair, his mind heavy with troubling thoughts.
What if the gate never reopened?
The truth was, he'd never understood the mechanism that allowed him to travel between worlds. It was a miracle, a divine blessing he'd relied on without question. Now, that blessing was gone, and the absence left him reeling. Could something so extraordinary really be undone by mere human carelessness?
