1

The girl was playing with a kittten on her shoulder.
Whether she found or had been keeping the kitten, the form that the kitten's tail was lying on her back, was being lavished for the walking people nearby.

"So cute.."
Kenichi was going to talk to her. Without saying anything, the girl smiled him once then she was murmuring to the kitten. Girls about this age might have a tendency to like to show someone their own treasures. The situation then relieved him somehow.

Kenichi Aikawa, so-called 'Freeter' was his position publicly.
Kenichi was living himself away from his parents, and earning money as a part-time worker since Kenichi couldn't get a full-time job. It was so cheap salary 800 yen a hour and so easy job, so it didn't help the amount to reach its enough to be saved after the expenses was taken. It wasn't a situation being unable to find a full-time job. But Kenichi chose this occupation for hoping being an independent once, and that was likely to be changed to any others variously and easily.

"Is this cat yours?"
Kenichi was sitting down there to see as height as the girl's eyes.
"He just came to me and had been following me."
She pointed to the park over.
"Really.. this cat seems to like you so much.."
"Yeah.."
Holding the cat's both legs by her both hands over the shoulder, the girl put her head down forehead-ward. But the kitten didn't move from the same position at all. The girl seemed to want to see her cat, but she couldn't see becasue the kitten didn't move there.

A girl trying to move the kitten and a cat trying not to move there. There was a view like a sisters that was never thought they met just before.

Recently Kenichi developed his own business and started it already. It was not so much so-called a business as other businesses. At least it would start with almost no expense and some capital, and it would earn sales money constantly.
- Direct management posting.
It was so a plain job that is to post into the mailboxes in that area the advertisement papers requested from his clients.
The price was 3 yen a A4 paper. It would be about 30,000 yen a week.
This kind of job attracted him what didn't need to be a slave for the boss, didn't need to serve the customers, and could do freely anytime.
However it was difficult for him to catch customers who wanted to distribute their flyers. Zero customer at the first time. Then advertising on internet and appealing to campanies and shops of neighborhood how mine was cheaper and faster than others, helped him to get those customers who was stable to ask him their job.

Starting the business, large-sized apartments was focused on for the efficient delivery. There was usually a space with postboxes for the security, was one reason to be posted. So younger generation families would be posted rather than those who lived in other houses or apartments. Anyway a lot of families had young chilren also their mother looked young in comparision with others.

Whether the mothers knew Kenichi who was almost every week visiting their apartments in order to distribute advertisement flyers, they became to talk to him often playing with their children at a park nearby. The needs from the clients were just becasue his visiting services he thought. In particular Kenichi didn't get extra charge for the clients who always asked him, Kenichi didn't forget telling the mothers at the park how the client's companies had good services.

Kenichi's that service was witty and popular, distribution of the flyers wasn't only done, Kenichi wasn't bothered to talk to the mothers who were hungry to talk to someone because of an experience of his previous alcohol and water-related job. Additionally considering the communication between customers and clients, his own credibility and performance were developed at the same time.

Though latest companies usually opened their homepages and self-advertised, but sometimes it would be more effective than on internet in the area in which a lot of old people lived. And it would also be shown as more fresh enough let them feel so.

Daytime on weekday, a girl playing a kitten in the area. There were some children who were playing by themself in such bed towns from Tokyo area developed artificially.
The girl with the kitten was leaving there while especially nothing was happened.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　2

Kenichi had another job.
One day Kenichi encountered a wife, who was walking down the stares for checking the postbox, who seemed to be drunken becasue of the diversion from her husband's affair. Kenichi had a strong smell of slcohol and the strong impression of the housewife. Then Kenichi was hugging the house wife and taking into her room. The drunken wife complained about her husband, finally she invited Kenichi into bed.

After the day the housewife was usually waiting for him coming to post the mailbox, and every time she asked him to have bed and forcing sex with her. Kenichi cared being likely to love her body that wasn't loved by her husband enough. Fresh young man's body and his better caress in comparision with his age fascinated her. Finally some money for the payment for it was needed. In a sense, it was an implicit revenge that she forced Kenichi into.

And it became an event, also it usually was done at some lovely hotel. How ordinally people thought when they saw the scene that a housewife picked up a young man for going there. After the affair finished, a transaction was done. It costed for her about a few thousand yen, that was enough price for his poor living honestly.

Kenichi began posting his own advertisement to their postboxes, as there might be housewives looking for someone who could be their talking dolls at such apartments.
'Please talk to me about your sexual affair'
He made such flyers.
Then asked affairs were mostly the sexless problem among their husbands. But all cases wasn't always successful. Most of all were just asking and talking to him for killing their times, or just an interesting. Even though, a few housewives liked his looks and youth then payed for the relationship with his body.

Once having the relationship with housewives, he didn't contact them first. Waiting for hear from them, after those he asked the housewife to pick up him somewhere.
He dicided himself that the meeting place shouldn't be near her apartment or house.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　３

Seeing off the girl who was joyfully leaving there with the kitten, Kenichi also went to do his today's job remained.
The job selling his body happened about once a week as much as the posting job, both incomes would reach about sarary of company employees a month. That you can get anytime when you want was the selling point. So-called sex-volunteer or disposable husband were what he was.

Kenichi's bicycle was specially tuned up for his job. It should costs money for the bicycle which made money and was only tool of his business. Non-automatic vehicle would be employed for the other benefit by making his body. Riding his bicycle in daytime and running stairs of apartments up and down would make his body tough, additionally upper body would be trained in the evening. It became a selling point for my another business.

"Good morning."
There was a houswife who was squatting with a mini-bicycle pump up for her child. It was enough to spur sexuality for his youth that the housewife hesitated whether asking someting while her hip invited consciously.
"Can I help?"
As if she expected what he did, the housewife who looked a middle 30s turned around Kenichi's position.
"Excuse me.."
He guessed that she might had heard about his service, becasue of her something diffrent feelings from the other housewives.
"...."
"Yes?"
There was a woman's face which was assessing him.
"Well... "
"Can I.. ?"
She was asking him soething with her cheek red.
"Yeah, okay……"
He followed her quickly without talking.
Not showing the secret affair, they took her car toward a lovely hotel.

To his surprise, it was first time for her to enter the kind of hotel, she was looking around the equipments of karaoke set and bathroom. Kenichi was watching her enjoying here in comparison with her age.
After lokking around was over, she seemed a little tired.
When Kenichi's fingers touched her sensitive places, her skin was little nervous. Her cheeks became red soon. Kenichi kissed a lot of times her neck that a little hair covered and her lovely feeling unfittingly the appearance of her age.
"Um..."
"Does she..?"
There was a fun looking for her another tastes which hadn't been discovered until then, it was different feeling from young woman's sigh. But He had to be careful encountering a few kinds of woman like her. That middle age women's behavior turned into their purity sometimes disturbed his mind and soft spot. Her natural prettyness gave men the impression as positivelly even if it sometimes showed as artificial or purposeful prettiness.
Natural prettiness.
It was an important facter at which Kenichi would be fascinated. It didn't depend on the age, the looks, and the personality, once he felt a moment of them, it quickly was worried to turn into a romance.

"Bye"
"See you then."
The housewife was walking to the upstairs when Kenichi rided on his bicycle. He needed to do his job remained and was going to next apartment riding his bicycle.
"Mya!"
A kitten came out in front of Kenichi. The kitten seemed to be same cat seen with a girl before. But there wasn't the girl then.
Appearing on halfway timing in front of Kenichi, was that purposely came out or crossing this road?
"Mya.."
"He might be hungry.."
Giving the kitten Kenichi's hand, the kitten was sniffing and licking his fingertips a lot of times. The kitten understood what Kenichi didn't have anything, then the kitten was lying down on the road by Kenichi.
The kitten was too much used to human I thought.
"Myago?"
The girl who saw at this morning was coming out.
"Oh, that past ……"
The girl was holding the kitten wiht her hands without looking at Kenichi. Kenichi was going to leave there quietly.
"Hey"
The girl said so from behind.
"Wm...?"
Kenichi turned around behind.
"Where did you go with my mom?"
Kenichi didn't understand what she was talking about, but after a while he recognized that the housewife who went to bed together just before, was her mother. Her eyes had an impression that condemned him and were likely to cry a little.
Kenichi considered a bit, and he said.
"We were talking a little bit."
"Well.."
She seemed to be relieved a little and was rubbing the neck of the kitten. The kitten's eyes became sharp and his neck was stretched.
"See you, bye."
Kenichi left there.

The girl was that houswife's daughter. Neglecting her daughter in order to have a bed with a young man at a hotel. Kenichi at least involved a relationship with the affair. And her daughter was doubting me. She might noticed something changes of her mother, the sensor by children should be more sensitive than what their parents think.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　4

-- A few days later.

"This is Watanabe, now is okay for coming here?"
The housewife who had bed together and the girl's mother called. Picking up Kenichi after a hour, she brought him to a lovely hotel. Her mood was not so good then.
"Whoo.."
As soon as entering the room she started smoking imperceptibly.
"Do you smoke?"
"Well.."
Obviously it was different from previous impression of the woman.
"Does she smoke at home..?"
The tar taste remained in his mouse. It wasn't at the first time.
"Not good for your health."
It was inadvertently remark, but the women seemed to be irritated.
"There is no reason why should I.."
She was far from the housewife who met at first time.
"Could be."
It became businesslike sex the day for Kenichi. The woman reached the orgasm in the end with breathy screaming voice.

"I saw a girl who seemed to be your daughter playing a kitten near your apartment..."
"Kayo who you are talking about?"
"Perhaps.."
"Well.. she is not a girl between my husband..."
"..."
"So how she got the girl or whose child..?"
Kenichi didn't ask about that girl any more whether what had happened before.
"You seem to be a ordinally person even though having such a job.."
She said so.
"Huh?"
"Unlike looks."
Kissing Kenichi'S cheek and getting into her car, then left there.

Kenichi removed the remainder of her lipstick of rose colour by his hand rub.
He thought she was a graceful woman at first, but her impression became a masked woman easily buying men she want.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　5

The next day Kenichi was doing posting while holding flyers as usual.
"Hey, why you always come here, ojichan?"
The girl met before asked while looking up Kenichi. He was little upset becasue I never haeard the word of ojichan for me.
"I'm coming your apartment here for distributing flyers like this."
Kenichi showed her a flyer he had in his hand.
"Oh, I know this.."
She might remember the flyers that I distributed last week, she said so while pointing to a flyer that he was holding.
"What do your father do?" asked Kenichi.
"My dad was gone."
The girl was staring the flyer in his hand.
"Why he doesn't live together?" he asked purposely.
"Mom and a man are living, but I don't know him.."
"Well.."
He remember what the mother said before, the girl was born between the mother and another man, who had to be her real father.
"Hey, where is the kitten you had before?"
The girl already had left there.

- A week later.

"Pururuuu..."
"Hello.."
"This Watanabe, can you came now?"
She seemed something to hurry up feeling.
"Ok, I will go and wait for you where we always meet."
"Oh wait.. can you come here today, sorry?"
"Oh well, but... I can't If .."
"No, you have to do it."
The telephone was disconnected.
"Shit.."
He had never met their apartment even nearby after the first time, but she asked me to go her apartment I didn't know why? The kind of rumor was easily spread.
"What does she think?"
He had something bad feeling even she was a patron.


"Ding Ding"
"Yesss"
"Oh, that's so quick."
"Yeah I was hurry"
"Well, come in"
"Yes……"
2LDK rooms and drying laundry.., the feeling was like ordinally family's.
"What's wrong todday?"
Becasue of different feeling from as usual.
"Yes..."
"Actually.. I want to ask you something.."
"It came!"
Kenichi shouted silently in his mind. It should be difficult request when the begining was so.
"Well.."
"Yes."
He was waiting her response and drank the saliva.
"About Kayo.."
"Kayo..? Oh well that girl.."
"Yeah.. can you take care for her?"
"Take care?"
"Yes.., actually my husband quit a job so I have to work..then.."
"You go out for your job so?"
"Yes."
Where did the idea giving her child to a host buying, come from. She should consider to let her husband take care of the girl first.
"You have your husband."
"Yeah, but my daughter doesn't like him.. so.."
"Wm..."
It might be true that the daughter didn't like the man becasue she didn't call him father.
"But you have any choices.. facility nearby.."
"I know but.."
"Can you consider?"
"Haa, I will think that supposedly.."
Kenichi's answer was vague.
"Then how much can I get If I take care of your child?"
"5000yen a day?"
"5000 yen?"
"Well she isn't a baby so."
"So she doesn't need me."
"But she should eat something what she neet to eat."
"Well.. I will think."
Kenichi answered so with no response later.
"See you then.."
It might be a waste of time if she called for this reason.

Moaning and complaining about her, Kenichi went down the stairs of the apartment.
A man was walking up the stares.
"Hi"
Kenichi said and bowed him like as usual when distributing flyers. He was staring at Kenichi's face passing by Kenichi. It was like 'Who is him?' feeling.
After going out of the entrance, Kenichi looked up the apartment, then the man passing just before was entering the room Kenichi was.
"That man is her husband?"

When Kenichi was thinking about that man entering her room, the man appeared immediately.
"That's man!"
Turned pale man was looking down.
"So bad.. did he find something evidence in her room?"
Kenichi hastily started running and got his bicycle parked nearby. After unlocked left there quickly.
"Shit.."
That's why I told myself, I had been avoiding to meet at her apartment nearby.
"Whoo.."
As Kenichi escaped to a relievable place, he was gulping a plastic bottle of mineral water by a vending machine.
No longer inaccessible to that apartment. Whatever that woman said, there is no choice to visit there again. So I wouldn't undertake that job that she asked just before.
As well as losting a customer, there was a slight sense of relief. That woman had a power which attracted for men. He thought himself it might be drawn by the charm.
"I should find other"

　　　　　　　　　　　　　6

-- The next day.

"Ding Ding"
"Yes."
Kenichi surprised at a girl in fron of him.
"Hi"
"Hi.."
There was that girl who met before.
"Huh.. why are you here?"
"Mon said you go here.."
The girl showed me a peper which address here and map output were printed.
"My mon said that you stay here.."
"So you come here?"
"Yeah"
"Oh no..."
Before the refusal phone that might be her strategy. Her husband who I met then probably asked her about me.
The man, her husband who quited his job, had to stay with the girl at the apartment. The girl disliked the man somehow. That woman Watanabe might let the girl come here becasue of the relationship with that man. Then I couldn't say that girl to go home.
"You didn't lost coming here."
"Yes, even with this child."
There was a kitten pending at girl's back who Kenichi saw before, who was likely to be smiling while looking at Kenichi.
"Yeah.."
Thinking a bit of surrender feeling against that mother, Kenichi led the girl come in his room without thinking deeply, becasue he could see the situation that the girl and kitten were playing again.
"Do you drink a juice?"
"Yeah."
After then he took a can juice from a refrigerator and passed the girl directly.
"Thank you."
Whether she hadn't been had opportunity to visit other people's apartment, she was looking around there curiously. The kitten with her was fighting with a leg of a table.
"Is this your house?"
"Oh.. ojichan again.."
While being disappointed a little about how she called me.
"Yeah.."
"Fuun.."
"What's your name?"
Kenichi asked her even he already knew.
"Kayo"
"Oh.. you Kayo, my name is Kenichi."
"Kenichi?"
"Yeah.."
"Kenichi-kun?"
"Yes"
"He doesn't have a name?"
"Well, I just have called him 'Myago', becasue he always cries like as 'Myaa'."
"wm.. Myago. okay Kayo-chan, I don't mind what you stay here, but when I'm not here for my job, can't you go out becasue I will be worried about you if you lost."
"Yeah, OK"
Kenichi decided himself that he should take care of her at least for a few days, after then waiting a little longer and see what would be happen later.

Kayo start living Kenichi's apartment since then.
After few days later, that woman called here.
"Ring ring.."
"Yes, this is Aikawa..."
It was that woman calling.
"Sorry.. I couldn't put her here.. becasue.."
"Excuse me, but I also have a posting job you know.."
"She doesn't do so bad things, also had been by herself here too, so.."
"But.."
"She can't be here, due to the guy.. sorry.. 6000 yen a day is okay for me.."
Payment couldn't be the issue at all, but I understood that girl shouldn't seem to be that apartment.
"Well, but it's like a help for you.."
"Thank you.."
Kenichi reluctantly accepted what she asked him while watching Kayo playing with the kitten at porch.
"Only a few days..."
"That's okay.. I will look for somewhere she can stay.."

　　　　　　　　　　　　　7

-- A week had been passed.

There was no contact from that woman yet. There also hadn't been people around that apartment that woman and man living when Kenichi went for posting there. He didn't want to meet that man again, so he soon returned home.
"Ring ring.."
"Yes..."
"Hello, this is Watanabe..., sorry I couldn't contact you becasue.."
"Is she still fine?"
"Could you come here to see your daughter once at least?"
Kenichi asked her to come here.
"Sorry, I can't go there.."
"Why?"
"Leave her your apartment for a while, please."
"I don't mind, but sometimes she cries and complains.. where are you.., it's not so good for her I think.."
"Oh.. really.."
"I don't know why you do so, but please come here to see your daughter once soon."
"Yeah.."
"Okay?"
He made sure her to come here to see her daughter, than he hanged up the phone.
"Mom?"
The girl asked Kenichi so.
"Yeah"
"Are you going to get married to my mom?"
"We will not.."
"You and my mom should get married.."
Kayo was stroking Myago's neck saying so.
"She has her husband, does she?"
"I don't like the man.."
"Wm..."
"I hate the.."
"Why?"
"Because……"
She got remained silent.
"…… just hate."
Kenichi didn't ask any more then.

"Myago is a member of our family!"
Kenichi stroked the kitten further where she was doing.
"Kayo didn't dislike her mother, but she exactly hated that man who I saw there.."
Kenichi understood how she would feel if his character and attitude were the same as his looking.
Even if that case, she shouldn't stay here much longer.
"How does your father look like?"
Kenichi asked purposely.
"My dad?"
She just appeared to be surprised a little.
"Yeah, your real father.."
"Well.. big, um, you know -"
She seemed to remember someone somehow pased..
"But.. he had gone.."
"Where he gone?"
"He had already dead I heard."
"Wm..."

Kenichi was thinking that if he could find out her real father, but nothing he can help her by means of looking for him. Then that woman was only a person who could be her relative.
And the mother had been living with that man, he could guess the situation that seemed worse relationship becasue of her buying a man like Kenichi.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　8

-- A few weeks later while nothing any contact from that woman.

"Ding Dong"
"Yes."
"Oh, are you Mr Aikawa? We are the police."
Some police men were standing there with severe faces.
After looking round inside of the room, and confirmed that Kayo was there.
"We would like to ask circumstances about that girl at a police station."
The police men took Kenich's arms roughly.
"Oji-chan.."
Kayo murmured so anxiously from behind.
"Don't worry, come back soon, .. wait here."
"I know nothing at all."
"Oh, we know but there was a problem that took that girl into your apartment."
"I was just being asked so by a woman!"
"Really? We can talk the details later.."
They took Kenichi into their patrol car.
"Why I have to be blamed!"

An incident occurred in that woman's apartment, that man Kenichi saw was stabbed in her room by someone, and already dead. That woman was disappeared after the incident. A middle age woman who was living same apartment told them the address where Kenichi lived for a possible place of escaping woman's hideouts.

-- Police Station.

"So you adopt that girl?"
"No, I was just asked!"
"Yeah.."
"That woman, her mother disappeared, due to that incident maybe.., anyway Kayo might be waiting for me!"
"No problem, we will release immediately."
"Why I have to be here..."
"It might be.., no it have to be.. the father might come to get that girl, so be carefull.."
"Father?"
"Yeah.. that girl's real father.."
"I had heard that her real father already dead.."
"I guess that that woman told the daughter so.."
"The father have been escaping from his guilty, this incident might be caused by him.."

According to this police man, former husband of that woman had been escaping after an incident of murder case, then he had been on the charge of murder. After a few monthes the incident happened, that woman found out a man living with her instead of disappearing former husband. Then Kayo had to live with the man and her mother. However that man didn't like Kayo becasue of not his real daughter. Then Kayo was gradually to avoid the man.
The mere fact that the man was only woman's live-in partner, and the former husband was still her true husband yet in law.

And recently, the husband suddenly came back, then the husband might got angry with her and the live-in partner. So that incident might occurred as they said.
Kenichi got goose the better timing to visit her apartment than that man. He might be stubbed if he was there then..

"Now, that woman?"
"Perhaps with her husband.."
"They might be going to visit you to get their child or contact you.."
Kenichi was appalled
"A murder even that woman's husband.."
"Kayo shouldn't be with them.."
Kenichi was considering how he should do.
"They are Kayo's true parents.. even.."
"Anyway, can I go back today?"
"Yeah.. you can call us in case that something happened. We will be watching around your apartment."
The police man gave him a business card.

"Good evening."
Kenichi confirmed Kayo watching TV program happily.
"Whoof, safe.."
"In the last few days of leave……."
"What's wrong?"
Anxiously she asked so.
"OK, nothing."
"Well.."
Kayo continued watching television.
"This girl's parents.."

　　　　　　　　　　　　　9

-- A few weeks later.

"PURURURURURURU -"
"Yes, this is Aikawa."
"Oh, is that you?"
It was an inaudible voice.
"who are you?"
"Watanabe.. is talking.."
It was that woman!.
"I can't say details but …… unable to go to get Kayo...sorry.."
Her voice was trembling slightly.
"Are you talking about.. Kayo-chan?"
"Yes..."
"I can't go back there.. becasue, it seems something.."
"Did you killed that man, didn't you?"
She replied after a while.
"I see there are…… the police, and they come?"
"Oh yes.. and they asked me anyting about you. Well.. also your husband.."
"Shitt!"
Kenichi heard a woman's tongue hit.
"Have you talk to Kayo on the thing?"
Women are anxiously asked.
""
"I didn't... Kayo is thinking that man killed and you are still living at the apartment. And your true husband had already dead like you said."
"fuu.."
Relieved to say, the woman was thoughtful for a while.
"So where are you now?"
Woman didn't answer.

After a while..
"I need to ask you.."
It was second time to be asked from her.
"I want you to keep Kayo there please. Even I don't know when I can go pick up her."
"Do you want me keep her here?"
"Yes."
"……"
After a moment of silence, the women began to talk softly.

"My husband suddenly came back to my apartment. Same time that man was there. It might be heard from the police, my husband is escaping from the police in charge of a murder. Knowing the much hot-blooded guys, they were scuffled. Then that man took a knife from the kitchen, then he said that he would send my husband to the police."

"I wasn't no longer interested in my husband.., then.. stubbed that man from behind -"
"Well, you are the..?"
"Yeah.."
Women replied in a low voice.
"So.. you are.. both.."
"Oh, we sunk..."
As if she gave up.
"Both of us, who killed someone.."
After a while..
"We can't foster her.. as our child any more.."
"Sorry…… Kayo……"
Her voice was trembling.
"How should I explain to her and should I do?"
Kenichi asked her feeling from behind Kayo's laugh watching TV.
"Tell her that I was dead too..."
It wasn't in words, a woman's voice was heard just heartbreaking.
It might be that they didn't wanted Kayo growing up as murder's daughter.
"……"
Kenichi was considering calmly as possible, but in the end could do nothing.
"I ask you, even if it couldn't be compensated with our life.."

The phone was disconnected after then.
Since then, Kenichi heared nothing from her.
The investigations by the police also seemed impasse over.

A few months later, two dead bodies was found in Abashiri-lake.

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This novel was translated from the original in Japanese by the author.



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( Copyright by Takashi Yama )