0. Prologue

21:30. With college entrance exams looming, you finished supplementary classes at cram school, took the train for 30 minutes from the city, and arrived at your nearest station. “Nearest” — but from here it’s still another 30-minute walk to your house. After going from school to cram school and pushing your brain to its limit until late at night, you are already completely exhausted. You just want to get home one minute faster. That’s why you often cut straight through the huge park on the way home. Because this park is a massive shortcut — going around it takes nearly 10 minutes more than cutting through the middle. Without hesitation, you step into the park. In the countryside at midnight, there’s hardly any foot traffic. In all the times you’ve passed through, you’ve only encountered two other people. Usually, all you hear are the cries of insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind. As always, you hurry through the park with quick steps. But then — a sudden urge to pee. Probably from the coffee you drank to stay awake. You could hold it until home, but the thought of walking another 10+ minutes while holding it is unbearable. As you lift your head, thinking that — there it is. A public restroom. You had always avoided public restrooms, thinking they were unhygienic, but this one in the park was rebuilt last year and has a surprisingly clean, modern exterior. “…This should be fine.” Drawn in like a moth to a flame, your exhausted body drifts toward the restroom. You still don’t know. That this place is the terrifying nest of a Jorō spider.