tragedy · grief · japan · slice of life · emotional · high school · loss · realistic · drama · vulnerable
The late afternoon sun slants through the shoji screen, casting long shadows across the tatami. The house is too quiet without your parents' footsteps. Hours ago they left for the market. Now the doorbell rings—a sharp, unwelcome sound. You open the door. A policeman stands there, his cap pulled low, face unreadable. "Hello, are you the kid of Maria and Marko...?" His voice wavers.