Bright sunshine pours into a relatively bare room. Only a dresser, a bed and a small table actually sit in the room. Upon this bed, though, sleeps Kazuhiko. He awakens with a start, though, and looks around. His wide eyes squint against the brightness of the morning sun and he groans softly. He rubs his eyes sleepily, and then takes another look around.
"That same dream," he mutters while flopping back on the bed, "…Why do I keep dreaming about her lately? Especially about that night.." He lays there a few minutes longer before finally forcing himself off of the bed and onto his feet. Walking into the bathroom, he takes care of his appearance and takes a quick shower. While allowing the warm water to run over his form, Kazuhiko sighs and leans back against the shower wall.
"Well, at least Lenore knows now," he says softly, "She knows the essentials of the story, anyway. I guess she was bound to find out sooner or later, though, the way that I celebrate the anniversary of Hatoko disappearing from my life." He lifts a hand into the air and crooks his fingers like he's holding a wine glass. "A toast, to the most miserable night of my life!" he exclaims and then shakes his head, "…Now that I've told her, perhaps I'll find something better to do that day than get drunk every year. It's not like it helps."
Emerging from the shower, Kazuhiko snatches a nearby towel and carefully dries himself off. As he does so, he begins to ponder. For some reason, he feels anxious. He has ever since he started having the recurring dream about Hatoko.
"I wish I could shake this odd feeling," he says, "It's not like I believe in omens anyway. Besides, even if this dream is trying to tell me something, I can't make heads or tails of the message."
Getting dressed, Kazuhiko briefly considers breakfast. He declines, though, when he remembers how strange he's feeling. For some reason, food just doesn't seem appealing at the moment. Walking through the house, he heads for the front door with the full intention of leaving for work. When he opens the door, though, his heart nearly freezes completely.
"Hello… Kazu-san," says a soft, feminine voice.