Early Afternoon

The sky near my home was like a diluted watercolor painting, hazy and clouded in an unremarkable way. Just looking at it could dampen anyone's mood.

It was that in-between time, straddling the end of spring and the beginning of summer. On the streets, more people were wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts, embracing lighter, cooler clothes.

I was on my way to the Hunter Management Bureau, heading to the subway station closest to my home. With the morning rush hour long gone, the station was relatively quiet.

“Hmm…”

Now that I thought about it, the first time I …