It was raining all day. Hina visited their uncle who was said to have lived in Shinjuku. Her mother had told her not to worry about their education. Uncle Ryuji had been expected to be a Shinto priest, but he couldn't change his life style in the city, so the shrine in the western part of Tokyo had been deserted for a long time after his parents had passed away. Yet he had a heart to give enough money for Nagi's education and allowed them to live in the old flat near Tabata station. However, when Hina turned to be fifteen, he told her that he would get out of Japan with a woman from China.
"I believe you can do well with Nagi from now on. I am sorry I won't support you until you graduate from school, Hina. But you understand I can't stay in this country any more. You don't need to worry about the papers. I bought the room by selling the estate of the shrine, so you can live in Tabata."
He smiled at Hina wickedly and left for America with the woman.
She was shocked. The shrine in her memory was still shining brilliantly. As for the reason why it had been raining, she thought the loss of the old shrine in the western part caused the bad weather.
She was at a loss. She needed to work for living with Nagi who hadn't finished his school yet. Her homeroom teacher sometimes visited her when the new semester began, but gradually he seemed to forget her. Though she had a few friends to talk with, she stopped calling them as she was afraid of spending extra money by using her cell phone. Since she could find a job at McDonald's, she came to forget her school life.