A Breeze Blows Through the Town of Note: A Fictional Exploration [Episode 1] Heartbreak and Encounters

Today's work was tough. Or rather, it was a drag.

When I clocked out, I left the building where my company is located and headed home. I was so exhausted in body and spirit that I didn't even have the energy to stop by a convenience store.

After a 20-minute ride on a crowded bus, I arrived at the apartment complex just a short walk from the bus stop. I climbed the dusty stairs to the fourth floor and finally reached my home. Though, I live alone.

I unlocked the door and called out "I'm home" to my 1K apartment. Of course, there was no reply. There was no one there. I suppose it's my own personal etiquette toward my home.

But today, I really didn't have the energy, and I gave a bitter smile when I noticed my own voice fading away. Well, I suppose that's only natural after an accident like that.

..................................................

At the start of the new year, I had been working hard at a delivery job introduced by a temp agency, but I was laid off. At a loss, I jumped at a job advertisement I saw, clutching at straws.

I had intended to turn over a new leaf in March and work hard at my sales job, and this happened just as a month had passed.

When I opened my desk drawer at the office, there was a piece of paper with my name written on it in permanent marker that said, "[Name] is not needed." Moreover, when I went to the restroom to hide my agitation, there was graffiti on the wall that said, "[Name] quit."

I was shocked. It was all the more so because I never imagined such bullying would exist after becoming a working adult. When I immediately appealed to my boss, I couldn't believe my ears at the reaction.

"It's April Fool's Day, you know. Well, can't you just bear with it?"

..................................................

Since I was a child, I had been a quiet and inconspicuous person. That's not to say I was a victim of bullying, either. I spent my time in kindergarten, elementary, middle, high school, and junior college at my own pace, and managed to get a job as a full-time employee. I thought I was working smoothly without making any major mistakes. However, the company went bankrupt due to the impact of COVID, and I registered with a temp agency. That job was also cut, and now I'm in this state. Looking back, I've lived a dull life.

Still unable to shake off the shock, I returned home and called out "I'm home" to my 1K apartment. In my unchanged home, I washed my hands and face before peeking into the refrigerator.

My basic dinner consists of "frozen fried rice" that tastes good just by microwaving it, "frozen grilled gyoza" that just needs to be heated in the microwave, freeze-dried miso soup that just needs hot water, and a mini cup of natto.

Oh, and I can't forget the 3% alcohol gin-lime style chuhai that I enjoy as my only luxury. It's the best when I drink it while humming "Ameagari no Yozora ni".

After having a drink and eating dinner, I felt a little better and turned on the TV as usual.

But even watching a talk show featuring my favorite comedians didn't make me laugh. Instead of laughing, the loud voices were annoying, so I changed the channel.

Whether I watched a music program or an anime on a movie channel, my heart wasn't healed, and I just felt more and more unsettled.

I sensed that my mental state was more damaged than I had realized, so I turned off the TV and tried to calm myself down.

A spirit of note?

Once the TV was off, I opened my laptop. I felt like looking at "note" on the internet.

On note, many people, from professionals to amateurs, publish their writing.

A few years ago, while looking at Twitter on my smartphone, I learned about a novel written by a comedian about a "mobile phone." I wanted to read it, and that's how I discovered note.

You can read articles posted on note for free. It's fun to browse not just novels, but also essays and critiques by various people.

On this day, I tried to look for articles I could empathize with, hoping to soothe the shock caused by the "April Fool's" incident at work, even if just a little.

Then, titles revealing painful experiences, such as unreasonable treatment received at work or childhood trauma, caught my eye.

As I read through those articles, I empathized with them and tears spilled out, and at times, I got goosebumps from being moved. As I learned that everyone carries some kind of wound in their heart, I was driven by an impulse to try posting my own experiences.

However, I have been bad at writing compositions since I was a child, and even as an adult, I have only written as much as necessary for documents. For someone like me to post on note is far too reckless.

As I struggled with this conflict in my heart, I felt as if I heard the sound of someone clicking their tongue.

"Geez, you're so impatient."

Following the tongue-clicking, those words were definitely grumbled.

Looking at the computer screen, it seemed as if the silhouette reflected there was speaking.

It rapidly took shape, becoming a girl in a kimono with a bobbed haircut. Moreover, she was so realistic she looked like she was about to emerge from the display.

"Aaaah! A ghost!"

As I backed away, the girl, who had become even more distinct, complained with dissatisfaction.

"Who are you calling a ghost! That is incredibly rude."

No sooner had it said that than it poked its head out.

"It's a ghost after all! It's just like that one!"

I was so terrified that the word "Sadako" didn't even come to mind.

"No! I am a distant relative of the Zashiki-warashi. In other words, I am one of the spirits, and definitely not a 'ghost'!"

"..."

The ghost seemed to insist on that, but it went in one ear and out the other. My mind was completely filled with the premonition that something bad was about to happen.

A Breeze Blows Through the Town of note Continued =>

#note #TownOfNote #SerializedNovel #Consideration #SideHustle #Monetization