Another unhappy mealtime had arrived.

  Across the table sat my uncle and aunt, as usual. And as usual, I sat next to my cousin, Ken.

  Today's dinner was hamburger steak. Everyone loves them, right? I love them too, but I wasn't happy at all. Because I barely get any side dishes. Ken takes almost everything.

  I was a little envious, but if I complained, Uncle would hit me. I ate my rice with just a tiny sliver of hamburger steak. Since the portion was so small, I finished eating right away.

  "Thank you for the meal."

  Then, as always, I waited for Uncle, Aunt, and Ken to finish eating. Once they said their thanks, got up, and went somewhere else, I started my usual job of washing the dishes.

  It wasn't just washing dishes. Washing clothes, vacuuming, and other chores—they were all my job.

  From the living room where he was watching baseball on TV, Uncle called out.

  "Hey, beer!"

  "Yes!"

  I stopped washing the dishes and opened the refrigerator. I found a chilled beer, but it was on a high shelf that was hard to reach. I managed to grab it by standing on my tiptoes, held it with both my right and left hands, and carried it to Uncle.

  "Hey! I told you to bring it quickly!"

  He was irritated. It was because the team he was rooting for was losing. If he gets that irritated, he shouldn't watch baseball.

  When I finally handed him the beer, he hit me hard on the head with his fist.

  Thud.

  It hurt a lot, and I held my head.

  "Can't you even do a simple errand quickly?"

  "I'm sorry..."

  "Anyone can just apologize! You useless brat!"

  "......"

  "Listen, do you have any awareness that we're letting you live here? Say it. Who was it that took you in out of kindness when you had no relatives left!?"

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  "It was you, Uncle..."

  "Right? Then show a little more gratitude and move briskly!"

  "Yes..."

  My head and heart both hurt, and I couldn't bring myself to move immediately. Just as I was spacing out for a tiny moment, Aunt yelled at me.

  "What are you resting for? The dishes aren't done yet! Get back to it!"

  "I'm sorry. I'll do it right away."

  "Good grief, giving me those cheeky eyes just like that woman."

  My feet, which were about to turn back to wash the dishes, stopped. Is she talking about Mom?

  "I always hated that about that woman. When I heard she died in an accident, I felt relieved. It must have been divine punishment."

  I couldn't forgive those words. No matter what.

  "Take back what you just said!"

  "Oh? You want to talk back?"

  "Mom wasn't someone who deserved punishment! Mom was... Mom was...!"

  She was always strong, kind. And warm.

  "Daaad, Yu wants to go to that room again."

  Ken's voice made me tremble with fear. Anything but that room!

  "Again."

  Uncle, who had been watching TV, slowly stood up.

  "Bad kids need punishment."

  Aunt said that with a face like a villain from the Ranger show I watched recently. Uncle approached me with a scary face.

  "I'm sorry... I'm sorry!"

  "Like I said, anyone can just apologize! You never listen no matter how many times I tell you!"

  He grabbed me by the back. I resisted desperately, but Uncle was much stronger. I was forcibly lifted up.

  "No! I don't want to! Please! Forgive me!"

  "Shut up!"

  He punched me hard in the stomach.

  It was so painful I couldn't breathe, and I almost threw up what was in my stomach. Having lost the energy to speak, I was dragged away and thrown into a dark, small storage room with no lights.

  Then, it was locked from the outside.

  Once this happened, I wouldn't be let out until morning. I had to stay in this cramped, dark, and humid room, feeling scared for a long, long time.

  It became quiet, and only the throbbing pain in my stomach remained. It was probably going to bruise. Thinking about how miserable I was, I became very sad. Tears came out. But if I cried out loud, I would be hit again. So I had to press my clothes against my mouth and cry silently.

  When Mom and Dad were here, it was fun. Why did you leave me and go far away? Why?

  I don't want this anymore. I hate this. Why. Why.

  I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

  This isn't me.

  I hate this. I hate this kind of life. This isn't me.

  When I realized it, I was standing in a pitch-black space.

  Huh. Where is this?

  At that moment, a voice almost exactly like mine came from the side.

  "It wasn't time to come here yet, though. It seems strong feelings connected us temporarily."

  When I turned around, there was—.

  "Eh!? Me? No, that's wrong."

  The appearance and feeling were very similar, but the one in front of me was a girl.

  "Who are you?"

  The girl chuckled.

  "Who do you think?"

  "I don't know."

  When I answered honestly, she pointed at me with the index finger of her left hand and said.

  "I am you."

  Then she turned her finger around, pointed at herself, and said.

  "And, you are me."

  "What do you mean?"

  "This is the world of our heart. I am, so to speak, the female part of Yu Hoshimi."

  "Female part?"

  "Don't you remember? The TV we heard the other day said so. That everyone has a male part and a female part in their heart."

  "Heeh. Did it say that?"

  "Yeah. So, normally, I'm just a backstage staff who only influences Yu's mind."

  But, "I" smiled gently at me.

  "I appeared because you wished for me."