homeless

I asked the landlord for some extra time to pay rent because I was broke. "No," came the swift refusal without any hesitation. 

"By the end of the day, I want to see the money or see you gone," he demanded sternly. It was clear I was already on his bad side, likely because of the trouble caused by the previous Togawa, who had attempted to rape the landlords daughter and ended up getting beaten to a pulp.

The only reason he tolerated my existence was because I was his sister's son.

—

-landlord-

The day Togawa showed up at my doorstep caught me completely off guard. His presence was unexpected, to say the least.

"Uncle?" he addressed me, his voice uncertain yet hopeful.

"Uncle?" I repeated, the word feeling foreign on my tongue.

"Yes, my mother's name was Kome Suchi. She said that you were her brother," Togawa explained, his eyes searching mine for some sign of recognition.

Suchi. The name hit me like a lightning bolt, igniting memories I had long buried deep within. Suchi, my younger sister, the wild spirit who disappeared from our lives when we were both so young.

"Suchi... How is she doing?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Suchi's disappearance had haunted me for years, a wound that never quite healed.

Togawa's silence spoke volumes, confirming my worst fears without uttering a single word. I watched as his head hung low, the weight of his unspoken truth heavy in the air.

I reached out, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Let's talk inside," I offered gently, knowing that whatever Togawa had to say would be better shared away from prying eyes and curious ears.

He nodded in response to my invitation and followed me to the living room, where we settled into the comfort of familiar surroundings. Togawa began to recount his life with Suchi, painting a picture of struggles and regrets mixed with moments of love and tenderness.

As he spoke of Suchi's regret for leaving, my heart clenched with a mixture of sadness and anger. His revelation about Suchi's relationship and the abandonment by his father ignited a fury within me, directed at the man who had forsaken his responsibilities.

"Why didn't Suchi come back home?" I asked, struggling to maintain a facade of calmness while emotions roiled within me.

Togawa's voice wavered as he shared the reason for his mother's absence. "She never came back because... she was afraid," he confessed, his gaze falling to the floor.

"Afraid of what?" I asked gently

"Mother was afraid of facing judgment, of what you and our grandparents would say if she returned," Togawa explained

I sighed, feeling the weight of missed opportunities to fix our relationships. "Fear can be a powerful barrier," I admitted

Togawa nodded, his eyes clouded with unspoken sadness. "She wanted to come back, but she couldn't bring herself to face the consequences," he added softly.

As I listened to his words, I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for the pain my sister must have endured in her absence. But dwelling on the past wouldn't change anything now. All I could do was offer Togawa the love and support he deserved.

As Togawa handed me the letter, his tear-filled eyes reflecting the pain of loss and longing, I accepted it with trembling hands. With a mixture of apprehension and tenderness, I unfolded the letter and began to read the words penned by my sister.

The contents softened the edges of my anger and regret, replacing them with a sense of duty and compassion. Suchi's plea for forgiveness and her implicit trust in me to care for her son touched me deeply, awakening a sense of responsibility that had lain dormant for far too long.

"Togawa, how about you live with me from now on?" I proposed, my voice laced with determination and a newfound sense of purpose.

His stunned expression melted into one of gratitude and joy, his smile illuminating the room with its brightness.

"Yes, uncle!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with hope and relief.

In that moment, as Togawa embraced me like the family we were destined to be, I knew that together, we would honor Suchi's memory and forge a new path forward, bound by love and kinship.

—--

The landlord's glare pierced me as he left the room. "Togawa, you really are disgusting," his words echoed in my mind.

The original togawa had an unusual feeling for his cousin, something that went beyond physical attraction, he was borderline obsessed with her.

The day he tried to rape her, his uncle was actually about to kill him but togawa pleaded his life using the name of his mother.

In just one day, Togawa shattered the three-year relationship he had painstakingly built. His path through life was paved with lies. for three years, he comfortably deceived others by using his mother's identity.

"It's probably better if I leave than stay," I sighed silently in my head. My uncle's intense hatred towards me and the trauma I've caused my cousin weigh heavily on my conscience.

—-

I hastily stuffed all my belongings into a trash bag, realizing it was time to leave. "Haah... I guess I'm homeless now," I muttered to myself. "I should pay a visit to Ms. Tomoko; it's been ages since I last saw her after the transmigration."

As I headed towards the school gate, a student from the student council stopped me. "Togawa-san, you're 10 minutes late," he pointed out, his voice carrying a hint of authority.

Despite my notoriety among my peers, the student council members weren't intimidated by me. Most of them came from influential families, making me seem inconsequential. Despite my ties to the Yakuza, I was merely seen as a low-ranking member—a mere goon in their eyes.

"I had to smoke," I replied, falling back on my usual habit, though I sensed the disapproval radiating from the student council.

"...And where is your uniform?" the student council member inquired, their tone stern.

Silently blaming Sanada for the state of my uniform, I offered, "It got torn up. I'll buy a new one later," as an excuse.

Feeling the weight of their judgment, I glanced at the trash bag I was holding. "What's behind you?" the council member pressed, their scrutiny intensifying.

Growing annoyed, I felt like I was being interrogated. "None of your business," I retorted, attempting to sidestep the confrontation, only to be blocked by the council member's hand.

"It is my duty to report and stop anything dangerous on school grounds," the student council member asserted firmly, their gaze unwavering.

Meeting their gaze, I noted his imposing build and perhaps some experience with fighting. "At least he isn't all talk," I mused silently.

"It's for my club," I finally conceded, hoping to end the exchange. "You joined a club?" the council member responded incredulously.

"Yes, the manga club. Now, I need to get back to class before you make me even more late," I stated firmly, managing to slip past their lingering disbelief.

—

As I entered the classroom, I couldn't help but notice the glances directed my way for being late. The teacher scolded me lightly, but it was nothing I hadn't heard before. 

Taking my seat, I realized that Sanada wasn't present today. It made sense; anyone would take a day off in that situation.

—

Deciding it was time to visit the manga club, I made my way there. "I want to join the manga club," I announced as I sat across the two shaking members.

They looked confused, and Sagami seemed particularly uneasy, probably wanting me to stay away from them.

"I have a passion for manga," I explained, passing my notebook to Sagami. "This? It's my rough draft of the story I want you to draw."

"Sorry, we're already working on a project," Yuki interjected, her voice firm, likely because she didn't want her partner to be stressed by taking on another project, especially one proposed by someone like me.

Glancing at Yuki, who seemed visibly intimidated, I couldn't help but be impressed. "She's a good woman," I thought, forming a favorable impression of her.

Sagami, thinking I was upset, tried to explain and calm me down. "It's fine," I assured them as I stood up. "I won't force you to do the job, but I want you to at least read it."

My only goal today was to introduce myself properly. It wouldn't be right to barge in and start taking control of the club. That would only demotivate them and make them want to quit. I decided to take my time to earn their trust and respect.

—--

As I approached Masanobu, I noticed he wasn't as tense around me as before. Yesterday had been a decent day for me, but I struggled to keep up with Masanobu's conversations about things I barely knew in this universe's entertainment scene. 

"Hey, what's with the bag you're holding anyway?" Masanobu inquired, his curiosity evident.

"It's my stuff. I got kicked out this morning," 

"What? Did you have a fight with your parents?" Masanobu asked, clearly surprised.

"No, my parents are dead. I got kicked out because I couldn't pay rent," I explained casually.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know," Masanobu responded, his expression shifting to one of sympathy.

'I never expected Togawa-san's life to be so difficult'

—

As we reached Masanobu's house, we found Ms. Tomoko doing the laundry.

"I'm home," Masanobu announced.

"Hello, Ms. Tomoko," I greeted with a smile.

"Welcome home," Ms. Tomoko replied, addressing her son before acknowledging me with a polite "good evening."

"...and good evening, Togawa-san," she added, indicating our agreement to keep our relationship a secret from her son, knowing he wouldn't approve.

"Ms. Tomoko, you look more beautiful every time I see you," I said, unable to resist complimenting her.

Ms. Tomoko slightly glared at me, but I could see she was secretly pleased. Masanobu, naive as ever, didn't suspect a thing and just thought I was being polite.

Once Masanobu went inside, Ms. Tomoko turned to me with a touch of irritation. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone sharper than before.

"Ah, sorry, it's been so long. I've missed you," I apologized, hoping to smooth things over.

Ms. Tomoko's demeanor softened slightly. "I haven't forgiven you. What are you saying? It's only been a few days... I missed you too," she admitted, becoming bashful.

In that moment, I realized I had fallen in love with her all over again. Giving in to my feelings, I pulled her into a gentle hug.

She let out a surprised squeal, "T-Togawa?"

"Ms. Tomoko, why are you so cute?" I couldn't help but express my admiration for her, feeling overwhelmed with affection.

Togawa began to move towards her lips, showering her with affection. "Wha- mph!" Ms. Tomoko tried to say something, but her words were cut off as Togawa kissed her, enveloping her in his love.

Togawa became bolder and slipped his tongue in her mouth, interlocking with hers. Ms Tomoko moaned in pleasure.

Her eyes widened as she felt togawa caressing her back. She pushed him off and left the trail of Slavia connected by their mouths.

"No,not outside.." Ms. Tomoko blushed furiously.

My mind felt cloudy; I did everything on impulse.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me—" I started to say, but my stomach growled loudly, interrupting me.

Ms. Tomoko chuckled. "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. "..yes."