The Apology (Part Two)

As dawn breaks and Taishi sets out for work, he catches sight of the property manager diligently hauling away the trash. He decides to share the tale of the peculiar event. "Good morning!" he exclaims, his smile radiating warmth and joy. The elderly gentleman casts his familiar, scornful look and silently murmurs, "Morning." "It's a really nice apartment," Taishi remarks. "I will be very comfortable there the next six months." The manager strides toward the curb, bags of garbage in hand, his attention only partially captured by Taishi's words. "Yet, an unusual occurrence unfolded last night," Taishi continues. In a moment of pause, the manager pivots to face Taishi. In an instant, his focus shifts entirely to the newcomer in the building.

The manager looks quizzically at him and asks, "Something unusual?" "Yes, there was someone knocking at my door incessantly, but when I opened the door, there was no one there," Taishi admits. "Is that so?" the manager asks, curiosity dancing in his voice. "Could it be that the children in the apartment complex were up to their playful tricks last night?" Taishi proposes. "No, there are no children at this complex," the old man replies, his voice carrying the weight of untold tales.

"Well, it's time for me to go to work now. Have a good day," Taishi calls out, his footsteps echoing as he makes his way toward the train station. The old man halts, his gaze fixed in quiet contemplation as Taishi's silhouette fades into the distance, descending the hill.

There is a lot of work involved in setting up a new office. Taishi works late into the night. Stopping by the adjacent convenience store, he grabs a bento box meal and a beer after work. With weary limbs, he climbs the steps to his fourth-floor apartment, turns the key in the lock, and steps inside. Now decorated with all its furnishings, the little apartment exudes a warm and inviting ambiance. Exactly what Taishi craves after a long, tiring day. Before he indulges in his meal, he reaches out to his wife in Tokyo. For half an hour, they catch up on each other's days and discuss about what's happening. Kei is already asleep, so Taishi does not get an opportunity to speak with his son. With a tender farewell to his beloved, he pops open a can of ice-cold beer, savoring the crisp, refreshing flavor that dances in his mouth.

Right as he's about to dig into his meal, a familiar knock at the door interrupts him. Taishi is taken aback. The persistent knocking echoes, now intertwined with the soft, muffled sound of a woman's weeping. Taishi rises and makes his way to the door. He gazes through the peephole, yet finds only emptiness on the other side. The persistent knocking echoes through the air as a young woman's voice rises in desperation, "Please, let me in." Taishi inquires, "Who’s there?" The woman implores, "Please, let me in. I am sorry." After a moment, Taishi gently pushes the door open. And in the darkness, it's empty, same as before. A chilling breeze sweeps through the air. With a shiver, Taishi retreats indoors, locking the door behind him.

Next morning, Taishi makes his way to work, pausing at the property manager's office in the lobby. At his desk, the old man carefully sifts through a box of fuses. “Good morning!” Taishi proclaims as he strides through the entrance. The old man glances upward and mutters, "Morning," in response. "You won't believe it, but there was someone knocking on my door again last night," Taishi shares, his eyes sparkling with intrigue. "This time, I heard a woman's voice. She wept and pleaded for me to let her in." The manager pauses his work and gazes up at Taishi. All the color drains from his face. "Could it be?" he inquires. "Could what be?" Taishi asks.

"Well, this happened before I became a manager here," he said quietly and paused. "Please, continue," Taishi urged him. "There was a young couple living in that apartment many years ago," he continued. The young woman found herself entangled in a secret romance. One night, she returned to the apartment, only to find her boyfriend standing resolutely at the door, denying her entry. She knocked and knocked on the door and pleaded with him, yet he remained steadfast in his refusal. That night, she took her own life." Upon hearing this, Taishi stands frozen, his mind racing and words escaping him. "Do...do you believe she has returned?" Taishi begs of him. "I can't say for certain," replies the old man, "But if I were you, I would not let her in."

Taishi arrives at work, yet his mind drifts, making it hard for him to concentrate on his tasks. The tale of the young woman lingers in his mind throughout the day. That day, he returns home early and picks up the phone to call his wife. He shares the unfolding events with her, and she suggests he set two small dishes filled with salt by the front door. She tells him that the salt serves to cleanse the space and keep malevolent spirits at bay.

After finishing his conversation with his wife, Taishi makes his way to the convenience store to pick up some salt. That night, he heeds his wife's advice and sets two small dishes of salt at the threshold of the door. To his amazement, the salt works! That night, there is no knocking on the door. At long last, Taishi drifts into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, with his spirit renewed and energy flowing, Taishi embarks on a new day filled with success. He toils into the late hours and returns home when the stars are high in the sky. He is so exhausted, he neglects to set the salt dishes by the door and gently succumbs to slumber. Later that night, a series of knocks at the door rouses him from his sleep. A voice, soft yet insistent, beckons him from beyond the door, urging him to let her in. In a flurry of urgency, Taishi dashes to the kitchen, preparing two small dishes of salt that he carefully sets by the door. The knocking ceases for a brief moment, only to return after a few minutes have passed.

Panicked, Taishi gets out more salt and arranges the little dishes in front of the entrance. Before the door, six little dishes now rest. At last, the knocking fades away, leaving the night enveloped in a serene silence once more. Yet, Taishi finds himself wide awake, unable to drift off to sleep. He wonders why the salt didn't work the way it did the previous evening. Is the spirit of the woman growing more powerful?

(To be continued….)