West Suburb Alley

That summer seemed much hotter than usual. It had been more than three months since a single drop of rain had fallen. In an alley in the western suburbs, the loud cries of a newborn shattered the surrounding silence. Many farmers were looking glum in their parched rice fields. Could it really be a coincidence? As the cries rang out beneath the clear sky, a torrential rain began to fall, much to the villagers' delight.

Back then, his family was one of the wealthier households in the area. They usually got by well enough, and even with a year of watching their crops fail, they could still manage. Compared with other families' granaries, theirs looked positively well-stocked. Every year, people came to his house to eat and drink for free, and this year there were especially many. In a severe drought, everyone feared a poor harvest. Skip one meal of your own, and you could eat for another day.

Today was no exception, and all the aunts and older women had arrived. Everyone knew his family was about to welcome a new member, so they had come to join the excitement and, naturally, share a meal. These aunts...

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.