Shinichi stared at his reflection in the mirror, a deep sigh escaping his lips as his shoulders slumped. His gaze dropped, a sad expression clouding his face. After a moment of stillness, he took a deep breath, regaining some composure.
He stepped out of the washroom, mug in hand, his toothbrush still hanging from the corner of his mouth. Heading to the kitchen in search of water, he finally found relief at the kitchen faucet.
"Looks like the bathroom pipes are clogged again," he mused, a weary smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Can't expect much from a fifty year-old house. At least the kitchen pipes are holding up—for now."
With that thought, Shinichi rinsed his toothbrush, staring absently at the water swirling down the drain. His mind wandered as it often did, back to the history of the house.
'It had been fifty years since grandpa built this home, filled with dreams of living there with grandma and father. But a tragedy struck— grandma passed away a few years later.'
'Father turn twenty four and soon found work in the city and ask grandpa to go with him, but grandpa wouldn't budge and remained in the house, refusing to part with the memories of his life with grandma in that house.'
'Later, his father met my mother at office. They fell in love, and within two years of dating, they got married. Their love was radiant, unwavering—so strong that within a year of their marriage, I was born.'
'And so, every New Year and holiday, our family would reunite to celebrate with Grandpa, building new memories in the same space that held so many old ones.'
'But six years ago, everything changed. On their wedding anniversary, my father and mother went out for dinner. I was already eleven by then, so I decided to stay behind and let them enjoy their night out. But they never came back.'
'The next morning, a police officer came to our home and asked if I had any other family members. Confused and scared, I told him about my grandpa.'
'After a while, Grandpa came and broke the devastating news—on their way home that night, my parents had been killed in an accident, struck by a drunken truck driver. In that moment, the world I knew collapsed.'
'Grandpa took me in, and I moved in to live with him. But fate wasn't done taking from me. When I was just fourteen, he passed away unexpectedly, leaving me completely alone in the world.'
'Now, the house is all I have left in this world that's connected to my family. It isn't large, but it's enough—a space meant for a family that no longer exists.'
'Despite its age, with creaky floorboards, cracked walls, and a leaky roof on rainy days, it's still a place I love living in.'
'I wish I could afford to fully repair it instead of just patching things up whenever a new problem appears. But every yen has to be saved for college.'
'Even though my parents left behind some savings and insurance money, it still isn't enough to get by without careful planning.'
'Still, I found comfort in the house. There's a bath big enough to stretch out my legs after a long, tiring day; a small library filled with my grandfather's old books, where I can lose myself in stories; and even a vegetable garden that provides me with fresh produce. The pond out back has long been without fish, but its quiet, reflective surface brings me a kind of peace—especially on full moon nights.'
'Five years had passed since I began living here, and despite the sadness lingering in every corner, it had become a sanctuary.'
...