Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Ju-on films or anything related to their existence...or anythingrelated to the remake The Grudge. Now, on with the story!

JU-ON: THE CURSE

TOSHIO

It was sunset over the Saitama Prefecture, and Shunsuke Kobayashi was returning from a long day of teaching grade school students. He couldn't shake that one student off his mind: Toshio Saeki. He wasn't showing up for school, and Kobayashi dreaded the thought of another home visit.

He was now at his apartment (Apt. 205, to be precise) and he entered to the happiness of his wife. She was cooking his favorite: Chicken Teriyaki. Manami, his wife, was 8 months pregnant and he couldn't help but worry about her from time to time.

"Is it OK to move around so much?" he asked.

"It's OK, I'm fine!" she said before she returned to cutting up a turnip.

After they finished dinner, Kobayashi continued diligently on Toshio's file. He looked up at his wife, now eating a bowl of ice cream, and spoke.

"Do you remember Kawamata from our college?"

"Kawamata…Kayako Kawamata?"

"Yeah…Kayako."

"She was kinda creepy, wasn't she? Why do you ask?"

"Her son hasn't been showing up for school. I might have to make a home visit."

"It's hard being a teacher, huh?"

"Yeah."

Kobayashi was in front of the Saeki household's front door. He knocked one. There was no answer. He knocked again, again to no answer. Fed up, he tried the door handle. It was unlocked.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" he asked through the crack in the door. There was, yet again, no answer.

"I guess I'll try the back." He thought. As he thought this, he heard a window slide open.

He strolled towards the back and as he passed a rather large bush, he saw two small arms sticking out of a metal grate.

It was Toshio.

As he rushed to the little boy's aid, asking if he was OK. Toshio said nothing as he slid backwards and into the bathroom. Kobayashi whirled around the house, in through the front door, and into the bathroom, where Toshio lay sprawled on the floor.

"Toshio!" Kobayashi said in alarm.

He picked up the limp child and carried him to the living room. By now, Toshio was fully conscious and sat himself up as Kobayashi set him on the couch. The teacher raised his hand.

"Let me, OK?" he said to Toshio before putting his palm to Toshio's forehead. It was cool to the touch.

"No fever…" the teacher said to himself. Then he noticed the bandages.

Strips of band-aid packaging littered the floor. It was easy to find out where the actual bandages were: they were taped all over Toshio's body to hide some cuts and large bruises.

As an icebreaker, Kobayashi pulled out Toshio's student folder.

"Looks like your parents are going to be late, huh? Are they out shopping?" he questioned.

"Together." Toshio muttered.

"Together?" Kobayashi replied.

"Yeah."

Toshio now hung his head over his shoulders. To try and continue the discussion, Kobayashi pulled out a drawing that Toshio scrawled of his parents: Kayako and Takeo.

"The other teachers really liked it, Toshio." He said with no reply from Toshio. A cat meowed outside. Kobayashi went to the window to investigate.

As the young teacher looked out the window, a loud meow emanated from Toshio, looking evilly at the teacher.

On the second floor, something watched on the scene.

"Kobayashi-kun…" the thing whispered as it vanished from view.