Chapter 9
The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time Katsuragi Kokoro left the school gates. The golden afternoon glow had faded into a cool twilight, and the gentle hum of city life picked up as Tokyo stirred into its evening rhythm.
His steps were steady but unhurried as he walked toward the train station, the quiet rustle of leaves brushing against the breeze. A few students still milled about, some in groups, others heading home solo like him. The streets were bathed in a mellow orange light from the streetlamps flickering to life, casting long shadows over the sidewalk.
As Kokoro turned into a smaller residential street, a soft grunt caught his attention.
"Hnghh... come on, almost there...!"
An elderly woman was struggling to move a pair of large cardboard boxes up the short steps into a house. The boxes were clearly too heavy for her thin frame, and one looked like it might topple any second.
Kokoro hesitated for only a moment before walking over.
"Excuse me, ma’am. Do you need some help?"
The old woman looked up, surprised at first, but quickly smiled. Her cheeks creased with gratitude. "Oh my, aren’t you sweet. Yes, I could really use an extra pair of hands. These things are heavier than I thought."
He nodded and took both boxes with ease, lifting them as if they weighed nothing. "Moving in?" he asked casually.
"Oh no, just doing a bit of cleaning and reorganizing. My son sent me too many things from the countryside," she chuckled.
Kokoro helped her bring the boxes inside, arranging them neatly in the hallway. The house was old but cozy, filled with the scent of tatami and brewed tea. Photos of smiling family members lined a shelf near the entrance.