[Novel: Venus Syndrome] [414] Good Evening to the Cat

Tsumugi Togashira lives in an apartment near the Zoshigaya tram stop.
She works as a freelance "mannequin"—a job where women born without arms are hired to display clothing and accessories.
Tsumugi is also one of the "Venus children" born without arms.

Her disability certificate is Grade 1, so she can ride the Toden tram and Toei buses for free.
However, in reality, she almost never uses the tram.
When she goes to work, she either walks to Ikebukuro to catch a train, or uses Higashi-Ikebukuro on the Yurakucho Line or Zoshigaya on the Fukutoshin Line, changing her route depending on the job location. Conveniently, she almost never has work around Waseda or Oji along the tram line.
She only rides the tram on nights when she's on her way home from work and thinks, "I'm too tired to walk anymore."

That day was one of those nights.
She had a jewelry display job in Okachimachi. Standing still for hours on end, her lower back ached with a dull throb.

Tsumugi whispered to herself, "I'll take the tram route today," and transferred at Otsuka Station.

When she got off at the Zoshigaya stop, the usual mackerel tabby cat was there.
It was sitting by the rails under a streetlamp, looking at her.
Lately, it's always there at this time. Is it waiting for someone, like Hachiko the loyal dog?

Instead of crouching down, Tsumugi gently tilted her body to meet its gaze.
"Good evening," she said to it.
The cat gave a small flick of its tail, started walking slowly, and disappeared into a dark alley.

Tsumugi watched the night tracks, where the lights blurred, for a while.
The small sound of the tram approached.
She felt that the cat's whimsical back and the end of her own day were somewhat similar.

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