Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
DAY (MONTH) 7
-Suzume-
-ˋˏೱˎˊ-
Morning
The first light of dawn crept into the room, a pale glow filtering through the heavy curtains, gently pulling Suzume from sleep. She lay still beneath the thick blanket, eyes half-lidded as she stared blankly at the ceiling. The silence of the house enveloped her, broken only by the faint crackling of the dying embers in the fireplace. There was a heaviness in her body, a familiar weight that had settled deep in her bones-one she had grown accustomed to, though today it felt stronger. Moving, even the simple act of rising from the couch, seemed an effort too great to muster.
The cold air prickled against her skin as she finally swung her legs over the edge of the couch, her bare feet meeting the wooden floor with a soft, grounding thud. She stayed there for a moment, the world still around her, pulling the blanket tighter as if it could ward off the ache that lingered within. The past few months had taken more of a toll than she cared to admit.
But Suzume wasn't one to let that stop her. She never had been.
With a soft sigh, she pushed herself to her feet, the familiar movements of her morning routine offering a quiet solace. Her long, loose sweater brushed against her legs as she padded softly across the room, her steps purposeful yet slow. Everything had become a ritual in this place-small, predictable gestures that held her together in the ever-present stillness of their world. Tea, bread, eggs. The routine was soothing, a tether that kept her anchored. She had taken to preparing breakfast for Satoru, even though he was always the last to rise. It had become their unspoken ritual-her quiet mornings, his lazy wake-ups.
As she worked, her mind drifted toward the window. A sense of unease washed over her, interrupting the calm of the morning. Something outside caught her eye-movement, subtle but deliberate, just beyond the edge of the garden. Suzume's heart skipped a beat, and she froze mid-motion. The usual box of provisions from Utahime sat at the edge of the barrier, exactly as expected. But this was different. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned closer to the window, her breath fogging the glass as she tried to make out the shape.
It wasn't large, but it was moving slowly, deliberately. Curiosity bloomed within her, stronger than the hesitancy that tugged at her. Without thinking, she grabbed a thick woolen scarf and wrapped it around her neck, pulling on her boots before stepping into the cold November air. The bite of the chill stung her cheeks, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the house she had just left behind.
The garden was quiet, save for the crunch of frost beneath her boots. Her breath curled in visible wisps as she approached the source of the movement. As she drew nearer, the figure came into focus-a large, fluffy white cat, its fur thick and wild, sitting near the edge of the bushes. Its bright eyes gleamed in the early morning light, watching her with a curious intensity.
