Chapter 7: At the Abandoned House

The man silently gripped the steering wheel.
Rin had been seated in the passenger seat. The seat belt was properly fastened as well.

—Come to think of it, the way she was being treated had changed quite a bit.
—That day, carried in an old box, now feels strangely distant.

After driving for a while, the man quietly spoke.

“...I was told so by the shop owner.”

At the sudden words, Rin turned her face slightly.

“He said, ‘I’ve always treated this doll with great care.’
‘Saying it has a soul might be an exaggeration, but… I’m sure it will protect your house.’
‘Please treat her as if she were your own daughter,’ he said.”

There was something shy about his tone.

“I didn’t believe it. I thought that kind of talk was just superstition.
But… when I saw her holding you and smiling, somehow, I started to think that maybe things like that really do exist…”

His words broke off.

“...And she, too… she’s really been getting better.
Little by little, but her voice has been growing stronger, and she’s been smiling more…”

The car pulled over to the side of the road and came to a quiet stop.
Just like that, the man pressed his forehead against the steering wheel, his shoulders trembling as tears spilled down.

Rin was looking ahead, but beside her she could tell that the man’s shoulders were shaking.

“And yet… for this to happen…”

After a while, the man lifted his face and let out a deep breath.
He got out of the car, opened the passenger-side door, and gently gathered Rin into his arms.

“...Let’s go. We’ll walk a little.”

It was the entrance to a forest.
It was paved, but it seemed that ordinary vehicles were not allowed to enter.

Still holding Rin, the man stepped into the forest.
Only the sound of leaves being crushed underfoot echoed, and there was no sign of anyone around.

After walking for about ten minutes, a strange building came into view.
It looked like an old Western castle, yet also resembled a Japanese temple—an uncanny abandoned structure where multiple architectural styles were mixed together.

“This place is a famous haunted spot around here.”

The man said it in a low murmur.

“No one comes here. Maybe you could live freely here.
…And maybe, you might even make some friends.”

The door of the abandoned house opened with a heavy sound.
Once inside, the man gently set Rin down against the nearby wall.

And then—
Quietly, he dropped to his knees and placed both hands on the floor.

“I’m truly… sorry…!”

Without caring that his clothes were getting dirty, he bowed his head deeply.
At the sheer sight of it, Rin blinked in surprise.

…What is this man doing?

Thinking that, she simply watched in silence.

Before long, the man stood up and cast a single glance toward Rin.
On his face, something that could not be put into words was seeping through.
Then, without saying anything, he turned his back and walked away into the forest.

Before she realized it, two ghosts were standing in front of her.

One was a girl wearing a smile full of curiosity.
The other was a girl whose eyes darted about uneasily.

A quiet life might no longer be something she could hope for.
But—she felt a sense that days without boredom were about to begin.

—Days like that might not be so bad, after all.