Thanatos & Eros' Artworks

A middle-aged man with a thin stature stood alone in an art gallery. His gaze fell on a painting of a woman who was about to cut her own veins.

There were no signs of distress on the woman's face. She looks calm instead.

Another man, wearing neat formal clothes, approached the skinny man.

"I see you here almost every day, sir." He adjusted his glasses. "I'm in charge of this place. I’m the gallery director."

The skinny man slightly bowed to that person, but didn't say anything and looked back at the painting.

"What attracts you to this painting?" The gallery director asked.

"Nothing in particular…." The skinny man couldn't form words.

That was because he also didn't know why his attention was drawn by this artwork. One day, he saw this painting in a news report about an art gallery opening ceremony.

He should have stayed away from things like this, because his daughter died in the way the painting depicts. But what happened was the opposite. He often came to that place and spent hours staring at this particular artwork.

The gallery director continued. "The painter wanted to depict the lowest point in her life, so she…."

"I'm taking my leave." The skinny man bowed again. "Thank you very much."

He wants to be alone, so he’s not comfortable with the presence of other people.

"Aah..." The gallery director was a little surprised when the skinny man walked away. "Excuse me, can I get your name, sir?"

The skinny man stopped, glanced at the gallery director, and said his name.

The gallery director didn't have time to introduce himself because the skinny man hurried his steps.

***

That incident took place three years ago, but it still has an effect on the skinny man.

He works hard for his only daughter, so that her needs are met, and she can achieve whatever dreams she has without having to think about the costs.

But apparently that wasn't enough. She had to fight the demon inside her every day, and finally gave up.

The last words she wrote were, "It's not your fault, mom, dad."

Even so, the skinny man couldn't get rid of his guilt. He felt that this would not have happened if only he would listen to her.

Should he follow in her footsteps? Maybe with that, he could meet her? That thought crossed his head many times.

After getting off the bus, the skinny man walked a few meters and passed a park. As usual, a young woman with a shabby appearance sat on one of the long chairs there.

Usually the skinny man finds that that woman’s eyes vacantly looking down, or she sleeping in that chair.

However, this time it was different. She was petting a cat on her lap.

"Are you alone like me?" She spoke in a low, hoarse voice. "You're not afraid to approach me, which means you're used to humans, right? Were you thrown away by your owner?"

The skinny man kept walking. In that city, homeless people were commonplace. So, he didn't pay much attention to them.

***

A few days later, the skinny man returned to the art gallery. He was stunned when he found a new painting next to the one he usually viewed.

The gallery director approached the skinny man again, this time with a smile. "The painter wanted to depict how she become free from the darkness within herself."

The new painting shows the woman in the first painting. But there was another figure who stretched out his hand to her. It was depicted as a human-shaped figure of light.

Without realizing it, the skinny man dropped a single tear. He left without saying anything.

***

On the way home, the skinny man found the young woman again. This time she shook the cat in her lap. Never getting a response, she gasped.

And within seconds, her gaze returned to its usual blank state. The corners of her lips turned down.

She then stood up, held her grumbling stomach, then took the cat's corpse away.

The skinny man continued his journey.

***

"I've never seen you bring home a bento like this, boss." An employee at the skinny man's convenience store raised an eyebrow.

"It's not for me." The skinny man scanned the barcode of a karaage bento, some bottled drinks, and some snacks.

"For who then?"

"Someone in need." After putting those things in a plastic bag and putting some money in the cashier's drawer, the skinny man left. "I'll be gone for a bit."

"Okay, boss..." The employee could only scratch his head.

The skinny man walked back to the park, hoping the young woman was still there.