Story date: Saturday, October 10, 2026 | Shiori
On October 10, I got the housework out of the way in the morning. Laundry, then the floor. With each little job finished, I felt a little closer to getting out the door.
After lunch, I went to an art museum. I only meant to stay for a little while.
But I kept going back to things I had already passed, wanting another look at a color. Once I had seen something up close, I wanted to step back and look again.
Then I noticed: three hours had gone by.
The moment I checked the time, I noticed my tired legs, too. They had not bothered me at all while I was looking. I had loved it. I was also completely worn out.
I was not quite ready to go straight home, so I decided to stop at a sento—a neighborhood public bathhouse.
I eased into the water and let out a long breath. At last, a little time when I did not have to look at anything. As the warmth reached my shoulders, the colors still crowding my thoughts seemed to settle down a little.
After the bath, I drank some water and sat for a little longer. The museum leaflet was peeking out of my bag.
Earlier, I had planned to look through it again as soon as I got home. Now I thought perhaps I could leave it for another day.
Outside, the air felt lovely against my cheeks. The morning’s chores seemed a surprisingly long way behind me.
The laundry. I still had to bring it in.
But my steps on the way home felt a little lighter than before.