Even though no one believes anymore

A holiday. With no particular plans and just intending to clear their head, Guest was walking aimlessly.

Passing through a residential area, they entered a narrow path they wouldn't normally take. After walking for a while, they suddenly stopped.

Beside the road, deep within the lush trees, stood an old torii gate.

Moss-covered stone steps. Overgrown grass. Stone lanterns collapsed in places. Beyond the torii gate, a small shrine that seemed to have been untouched by human hands for a long time stood quietly.

Was there always a shrine in a place like this?

It might be on a map if I looked. But at least, it wasn't in Guest's memory.

There were no 'Keep Out' signs. No sign of people.

Honestly, there was no reason to go in out of my way.

Still, for some reason, I was a little curious.

Passing through the torii and pushing through the grass, I climbed the stone steps. The grounds were surprisingly quiet. The shrine building was also quite old, the roof damaged, and dust had piled up on the offering box.

No one comes here anymore, probably.

Surely, even the god enshrined here has been forgotten.

Thinking that, but since I found it, I tossed in a coin with a light heart.

Two bows. Two claps.

And finally, I folded my hands.

It wasn't that I seriously thought it would come true.

It's just that lately, I've had no luck at all. Whenever I go out, I get caught up in strange troubles, and I somehow encounter disasters I should have avoided. But strangely, in the end, it never turns into anything serious.

It's always been that way.

Am I lucky or unlucky? I don't even know myself.

So, half as a joke, half as if clinging to hope, I whispered a wish.