⚠ Content Warning: This chapter contains depictions of domestic abuse and situations that may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
The smile she gave him was uncanny—too calm, too deliberate.There was no guilt in Hana’s eyes. No remorse for what she had done.And then—
Darkness.
Koji jolted awake. Gasping. Drenched in sweat.
The moonlight spilled through the open window, casting pale stripes across the bed where he sat, hunched in its shadow. His breath came in ragged bursts, heart thudding like distant drums. He grabbed for the small bottle on his bedside table—two white pills. Dry-swallowed. Waited. The trembling slowly faded.
But sleep wouldn’t come again.
Not now.
He got out of bed and knelt beside one of the unopened boxes from the move—untouched, sealed since the day he returned. Carefully, he sliced the tape and opened the lid.
Beneath old notebooks and clothes was the photo.
Three children.
Koji. Kenji. And Hana. All dressed in kimonos. Fireworks exploding behind them in a summer sky. Smiling faces. The kind you only make before you understand how fleeting happiness is.
He stared for a moment longer… then buried the photo at the bottom of the box again.
A letter fell loose beside it.
To Koji – from Hana
He didn’t open it.
Just pushed it back in and closed the lid.
Another pill. Another long breath.
And somehow, he managed to fall asleep again.
The ringing of the phone pulled him back from a dreamless haze.
As the sunlight falls through the window.
Koji blinked at the screen. Kenji.
He picked up."What?" Koji muttered in a tired and annoyed tone.
“Man, that’s a great way to greet a friend,” Kenji said on the other end, voice teasing.
“What... happened yesterday?” Koji rubbed his forehead, trying to remember.
Kenji laughed. “You don’t remember? We went to the onsen, got completely wasted, and that girl from the convenience store—what was her name again?”
“Yumi,” Koji muttered.
“Yeah, Yumi. She helped me get you back to your room. I was drunk myself, so I left soon after. Everything okay?”
“Yeah… just woke up. I’ll get something to eat and then head to the store.”“No need,” Kenji said quickly. “I’ve already made breakfast. Just come over. We’ll eat together.”
Koji paused, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll try to be on time.”
He hung up and got dressed. As he opened the door to leave, a soft click echoed from across the hall.
Yumi was stepping out of her apartment.
Their eyes met.
Only for a second.
But it lingered.
Their eyes met again.
Not just a passing glance this time—but something longer. Lingering. Searching.
Then, almost shyly, they both looked away.
Yumi opened her mouth as if to speak… but hesitated.
Koji broke the silence.“Thank you. For yesterday. I know handling two drunk idiots can’t have been easy, but… thanks for helping.”
Yumi relaxed a little and gave a small nod.“No worries. I’d just finished my shift and happened to see you too stumbling around. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Koji smiled faintly. “Still… I appreciate it.”
He was about to leave when her voice caught him.“W–Wait,” Yumi said trying to be brave.
He turned.“Where… where are you going?” she asked, her voice a little shaky.
“To Kenji’s shop. He said he made breakfast.”
Yumi looked away for a moment, then spoke quickly.“I… I made some food. I thought… maybe you’d need help, since you were drunk yesterday…”
Koji blinked. Caught off guard.“You don’t have to. I mean—you’ve already done enough. You have work soon, right?”
But Yumi suddenly said it louder than intended, “You’re not bothering me!”
She froze. Her face turned red in an instant.
“I–I mean… I still have time,” she mumbled, eyes darting away. “Sorry. That came out weird…”
Koji looked at her for a long moment, then out toward the street.
He sighed softly and turned back.“Are you sure? I’m not putting you in trouble?”
Yumi met his eyes.
There was a quiet resolve in her voice.“Please. Come in.”
The door closed behind him.
Koji stepped into Yumi’s apartment and was met with the aroma of freshly made miso soup, grilled fish, and warm rice. The table was already set.“I’m on a tight budget, so… sorry if there’s not much,” Yumi said sheepishly.
Koji looked at the table and raised an eyebrow.“This is a lot. What are you talking about? When did you even wake up to cook all this?”
Yumi flushed again and sat down quickly, waving off the question.
They ate quietly for a while, the clinking of chopsticks the only sound between them.
Then Yumi spoke, carefully.“Your friend Kenji said… you won’t be here long?”
Koji nodded, setting his bowl down.“I’m just redecorating my mom’s old house. I needed a place to crash for a few weeks before I move in. I… couldn’t stay in the city anymore.”
Yumi asked softly, “So… your mom told you to move back?”
He looked down.“She died two weeks ago.”
Yumi went quiet. “I’m sorry. For your loss.”
Koji gave a small nod. “It’s okay. She was strong and brave woman. Something I’m not.”
A heavy silence fell again.
Then Yumi spoke, her voice a little gentler. “I know how that feels. My mom passed away three years ago. It was… hard. Still is.”
Koji looked at her. “That’s why you work three jobs?”
She smiled faintly. “No, actually. I had a full-time position at a major company. One of those ‘dream jobs’ people always talk about. But…”
She paused. Looked down at her bowl.
“The manager…” She swallowed. “He tried to…”
She didn’t want to finish the sentence.
Koji’s voice was quiet but firm. “You don’t have to say it. I understand. You did nothing wrong.”
Yumi glanced at him, eyes soft with gratitude.“Reality is often cruel, isn’t it?” she said. “After that, I quit. Now I work part-time to pay rent. Old creeps try to pay me extra for something else. Just barely scraping by.”
Koji hesitated. “And your father?”
“I’ve never seen him,” she replied. “Mom always said he was useless. Not fit to be a dad. But… I still want to see him. Just once. If he’s even out there.”
They sat there, facing one another, the morning light slowly creeping across the floor.
Then Koji checked the time and jumped up.“Crap—Kenji’s going to kill me if I’m late.”
He gathered his things, slipped on his shoes, and turned to Yumi one last time to thank her for the food before leaving.
“About that night at the convenience store… I meant what I said. If you ever need help, anything at all—please, don’t hesitate.”
Yumi’s cheeks turned a deep red.“I… I will. Thank you, Koji.”
He smiled.
Then the door closed softly behind him.
Koji smiled faintly as he walked down the quiet street.
Then—
The world shifted.
**FLASHBACK**
We see a younger Koji, sitting on the dirt ground of a sunlit playground.
His knees are scraped. Dust clings to his palms.
Beside him, Hana sits quietly, her expression unreadable.
No guilt. No shame. Just silence.“Are you mad at me?” she asked.
Koji shook his head. “No. Just… confused.”
“About what?” Hana asked looking a bit interested.
“You said you’re not pitying me. You had other reason. I’m trying to figure out what your intention is.”
Hana tilted her head. “So… you think I’m using you?”
“Maybe.” Koji says looking down.
His voice was calm, not accusing—just curious.
He looked down at the dirt. Picked up a small stick and began to trace lines.
“What do you think happened to it?” he asked.
Hana blinked. “To what?”
“The whale. The one that sings at 52Hz. You said it’s lonely. What happened to it?”
Hana paused and stood near him and picked up a stick to draw on the sand.“I think it met another whale. Another 52Hz one. And together… they made a new sound. Something only the two of them could understand. That’s what my mom told me once.”
Hana looked at him after finishing the drawing of two whales on the ground, quietly.“So…” Koji asked, “do you think I’ll ever meet my 52Hz whale?”
Hana smiled faintly. “Maybe. If you look for it, you will.”
Koji stood up, brushing off his pants. “You might be right. I’m not mad at you, by the way.”
He turned to leave the playground.
As he walked away, Hana watched him with a strange expression—like worry, like guilt, like something she didn’t know how to name.
Then Koji called over his shoulder.“Hana.”
She turned.
“Meet me tomorrow,” he said. “I want to fix something.”
Hana didn’t answer right away. She just nodded slowly.
Later that evening, Hana stood outside a large, luxurious home.
She looked at the door for a long moment before taking a breath and stepping inside.“Aunt, I’m back,” she called out.
The house was dimly lit, the only glow coming from a single lamp in the far room.
A woman sat alone in the darkness, staring at a framed photo.
A man and a woman.
The woman in the photo looked just like Hana.
The woman—Hana’s aunt—turned toward her slowly.“Hana… you’re back.”
Her voice was cracked and quiet. Her eyes didn’t quite focus.“You’re turning into your mother, you know,” she said, almost smiling.
“Shame what happened to her. Still feels like she’s here sometimes… Do you see her, Hana?”
Hana lowered her eyes. “No. I don't. She's is not here.”
Her aunt hummed, gaze distant. “Go to your room. One day… you will.”Time passed. Night fell.
The door creaked open again.
A man stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. His shirt half-untucked, eyes glassy.“Honey, I’m home,” he slurred.
No one answered he walked over to the dark room to look at Hana's aunt she did not pay him any attention.
He tsked and muttered under his breath. “Never listens to me. Always like this…”
He staggered down the hallway.
Hana, now in her room, heard the footsteps. Her body froze. Her face went pale.
Sweat rolled down her temple as she dove under the blankets.
The footsteps stopped outside her door.
The knob turned.
The door creaked open.
The man entered, he removed the belt from his pants.
He gripped the belt; Hana's breaths come in short, sharp bursts beneath the blanket.
The door closed behind him, the smell of alcohol filled the room.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR.
I know the last section is devastating, and I intentionally left what happens after the door closed for the reader to interpret. This isn’t meant as a shock factor. As mentioned in the synopsis, this story explores heavy themes and the cruelty of human nature using this I show female work place harassment through Yumi and failure in parenting through Hana and how it can affect their behavior both Yumi and Hana are shown to be lost in thought and a bit afraid to talk to men it is not some shy girl trope I used but what happens after the trauma they experienced.
In my research for this story, I learned that roughly 90% of child abuse comes from a parent or guardian, while only about 10% comes from strangers. I want to portray this realistically and show what it might do to a young mind.
If this chapter feels intense, please take your time and read it with care. Thank you for understanding.
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