Along with the hunger in the belly, there are also those black memories.

"Silly big guy——"

Jinyu Ji drawled her voice cheerfully.

"I won! Little mute, look, my goal has been achieved!"

I stood up and wanted to walk towards the house.

"Hey, don't you listen to me telling those stories?" Jinyu Ji stopped me.

"..."

"That's a wonderful story!"

"..."

"Really! I didn't lie to you!"

"What nonsense." The Lord of Arakawa patted Ponyo Ji on the head with a fan behind her, "Can't you tell those stories that are not worth telling tomorrow?"

"Isn't it worth talking about? I have already conquered the world! And you, you stupid guy, you should bow to me." Jinyu Ji said dissatisfiedly, and she suddenly turned her head to look at me, with a little bit of unnoticeable emotion.

Not sure, "right? Little mute?"

I just want to nod now, but...

My thoughts were confused by hunger. I could barely see the scene in front of me clearly, so I had to take a few steps and put my hand on Jinyu Ji's head. I could barely raise my hand to comfort her.

"Really! I can't even say no, don't touch my head!" Jinyu Ji puffed up her cheeks, "Why are you acting like a stupid guy... Ah, why did you just leave like this? I'm not angry!

"

I didn't stay on the beach anymore, I had to go to the house quickly. But... according to Jinyu's temperament, maybe she will knock on my door tomorrow morning.

One day, she will find out... At that time, she may listen to the Lord Arakawa and stay away from me... But, if that is the case, why should I give her hope?

My vision began to blur, and I stepped into the house, closed the door, and started looking for various things to block my mouth. However, they were of no use. In the end, I stuffed my arm into my mouth.

After gnawing at random, I let go of my hand. I leaned against the wall, with silver moonlight shining in from the window. There was only the familiar sound of the waves around me.

If he were still here...what would he be doing at this time?

……have no idea.

It turns out that I have so few memories with him. Because of constant doubts and constant alienation, I have lost time with him.

Resisting the urge to put my hand into my mouth again, my consciousness slowly woke up from hunger.

The last attack happened when I jumped into the sea. Because I lost consciousness, I didn’t know anything. But in retrospect, Ponyo Princess said that I had a fight with the Lord of Arakawa. When was that...?

Before being rescued? Or after?

Things I remembered before seem a little blurry.

...No, I can’t recall my fight with the Lord of Arakawa at all. However, it was probably before I was rescued. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so seriously injured.

It's just...why don't I have any impression at all?

Moreover, during the period of recovery from the injury, the feeling of hunger did not reoccur.

An idea suddenly appeared in my head.

Kuri was unable to bear the power given to her by the Yamata no Orochi, so she had no choice but to eat people to maintain herself. So, the situation that occurred after I got this power now, is it also telling me that my body cannot support that?

strength?

What's more, the demon power in his body is not stable, so it's not impossible...

At that time, maybe it was the battle with the Lord of Arakawa that exhausted all the strength, and then I got a breather. No... maybe the battle with the Lord of Arakawa was just a gap. The real power was in fighting against the false gods.

It was completely consumed in that battle.

So now, can I also use this method to suppress this hunger?

However, here, perhaps only the Lord of Arakawa can fight with me. I don't know how much power I have and how much it will be consumed.

...It seems that we should leave here before we fully recover.

"Hey - little mute, are you asleep?"

Jinyu Ji's voice came from outside the door.

Sure enough, that time should not have passed. I began to regret that I responded to her wish at that time.

I didn't answer her, and heard Jinyu Ji continue to say: "I have obviously conquered the world and defeated the stupid guy, but I still feel that something is missing. Hey, little mute, do you know what it is?"

Maybe she just feels lonely and can't find anyone to talk to. Maybe that's it... So, as long as I listen, even if I don't respond, she will leave, right?

"Wow! Forget it, it's true. You can't even speak, why should I ask you?" Jinyu Ji was a little annoyed, "But... why did you stupid guy say, where is the power used? You actually said that I am

Yumu. Damn it, what Yumu! I am obviously a goldfish! A goldfish!"

I didn't hear her speak outside the door for a long time. I slowly moved to the door and sat down against it.

"...It doesn't matter. One day, you will understand."

"Wow! Little mute... you, you, you... you actually spoke?! Could it be that you can speak?"

Jinyu Ji must be very surprised. If I were in front of her, she would definitely look at me with wide eyes.

"..."

"Ah... why are you silent again? Hey - what does one day mean? Which day is one day? I have obviously defeated the stupid guy today, but he said such disappointing things!" Jinyu Ji was a little bit disappointed.

Angry, I could clearly hear her childish words through the door.

One day...

I don’t know either...because I also hope that one day, I can see him again.

"Hmph, I'm going to ask him again what he means! Little mute, I'll come back to you tomorrow!" Jinyu Ji dropped these words, and then the footsteps gradually faded away.

Ask him?

Staring at the wound on my arm, I stood up slowly. At that time... at that time, when he said "kill me"... what was his mood when he said it? Why...

...What on earth could make him be so cruel to me...

I don’t know…I don’t understand…

But, I want to know. If I can... can see him again, maybe I can...

Maybe you can understand... Maybe you can ask in person, leave here, and then go find him and ask him. Maybe at that time, there will be a chance...

In the quiet night, I opened the door. Today's moon seemed to be surprisingly big. I finally walked to the beach, but fell into the sea water. I turned over with difficulty, and then faced the sky.

"You are here!"

A delicate little face suddenly blocked my sight.

"Ah? What's wrong with you? You've suffered such serious injuries... Let me treat you!" Jiao Tu reached out to treat me.

I pushed Jiaotu away and looked at the injury on my hand, feeling a little powerless. Can I really find him again like this? This time, it won't be like when I was a child. Yamata no Orochi will probably acquiesce to me.

Even if he were dead, Genji wouldn't bother to come to me with such effort...

I am now alone.

"Then...since you don't want me to help you with treatment, can I help you clean the stains on your face?" Jiao Tu asked tentatively.

"..."

"If you don't say anything, then I'll take it as your acquiescence!" Jiao Tu laughed, "It's great to be able to help you."

I felt her soft hands gently brushing something on my face.

"I... won't take you to the market." I closed my eyes.

"Eh? You actually spoke!" Jiao Tu was surprised and asked, "Are you going somewhere first?"

Even if I don’t go anywhere else, I won’t take you there.

"Well... if that's the case, I will wait for you here. By the way! You will come to pick me up, right?" Jiao Tu was full of hope, "I will wait for you here obediently!"

"..."

"Ah, I know! You must be too shy to say it. I will definitely wait for you here! I will."

I opened my eyes and saw Jiao Tu looking at my arm.

"...Ah, I'm sorry." Jiao Tu lowered his head, "I just wanted to..."

I raised my left hand, patted her head gently, and then stood up.

"I will definitely wait for you here." Jiao Tu added.

...I have no hope. I don’t know whether it is right or wrong to do this to bring a little hope to others. Or maybe it is just my self-comfort. I just think about those who long to get it from others.

A little recognition, a little hope, maybe the same as I was at that time.

I sat at the door in the morning and watched him and the other children leave. I sat at the door in the evening and waited for him to come back with the sunset. He never looked back, so no one ever responded to my wish.

"...Then, if someone asks where I have been, please tell that person that I have gone to a far away place and there is no need to come looking for me."
To be continued...