Coming home felt like a ship that had drifted for ages finally reaching shore. It was indescribably comforting, and even his sleep was exceptionally sweet.
The next day, Wednesday, February 6, Shiki got up early.
He went for a morning run along that road he knew better than anything.
Whenever he ran into a familiar neighbor, he greeted them warmly. At that moment, he was just an ordinary child.
"Shiki's back. It's good that you're back." The elderly neighbor smiled, the wrinkles on his face blooming like chrysanthemums.
"Oh, Shiki, when did you get back? Want Auntie to introduce you to a girl?" The woman next door called out enthusiastically while tending to her blue roses.
"Boy Shiki, come give me a hand. Help lift this thing." The grocery store owner struggled to move a crate of goods as he called for Shiki's help.
"Shiki, don't lose heart. Find a better school and show those people that our Shiki isn't lacking. You're much better than those bastards."
A passing neighbor patted Shiki on the shoulder and encouraged him.
No one paid much attention to Shiki's eye patch. It was perfectly normal for such a hot-blooded boy to get hurt now and then. This time, it was probably just a more serious injury to his eye.
Shiki eagerly lent a hand and received sincere thanks, along with a few small gifts.
The neighbors' warm words were like winter sunlight, shining into his heart.
This was the everyday life of his counterpart—a helpful boy whose life was simple yet full of warmth.
After breakfast, Shiki went to the station as usual to wait for the train to school.
At that moment, several boys around Shiki's age spotted him from afar and ran over excitedly. Like the neighbors, none of them treated his