I'm trudging along, homeless and without a single person I know. It's not that I'm homeless, but I've been kicked out... Of course, I'm the one who left. I enjoy drawing, and I usually draw in tunnels. People don't really care... Hey, who cares? Today, too, I packed a large bag with paint, brushes, and all sorts of other things and left the house.
“Still... it’s the only joy in my life-.”
I drew a girl who looked quite different from me. She was smiling brightly, holding cotton candy and a balloon. Behind her, I drew birds. They were brightly colored. The birds followed her around. Then, I felt sorry for myself. No one followed me, and I couldn't even laugh... Feeling angry for no reason, I kicked the tunnel with my foot.
“Ah ...
I screamed in pain. Then a tall man lumbered toward me. I was terrified of him, his height and broad shoulders. He was dressed entirely in black and had a hat. It was dark, so I couldn't see clearly, but I thought he was wearing a hoodie and a hooded cap.
“Who are you to kick someone else’s tunnel?”
I was a little taken aback, and after a brief hesitation, I answered.
“Someone else’s tunnel…?” Are you the owner of the tunnel?
“Is this tunnel owned by me?”
I froze. I realized the reason I always came back clean after my graffiti was because of this man. This man, the owner of the tunnel, kept staring at my drawings, then glared at me in the face.
“Is this the one you drew?”
I continued to ponder silently, then bowed my head and spoke. I had made a mistake, so I had no excuses. But I had nowhere else to go, so even though it was embarrassing, I felt I had no choice.
“I’m sorry… but, can I sleep here tonight…?”
It was a little dark inside the tunnel, but I could tell from the man's expression that he was confused. He scratched his head and spoke calmly to me.
“How about going home and sleeping? It’ll be a little cold.”
I sighed deeply as if to tell him to listen, then said with a pitiful expression that made it impossible for me to help but grant his request.
“I have nowhere to go, that’s why-..”
The man nodded slightly, as if he had no choice. Then he bent his knees slightly, brought his eyes to mine, and spoke with a smile.
“···. I can’t help it. It’s not that I like you, it’s that I’m doing this because I’m afraid it might be dangerous! Come home with me.”