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■ Chapter 1: Dark Clouds Hanging Over Us

A small apartment in Naniwa Ward, Osaka City. Rika Katagiri (32 years old) sighed as she sat in an old, worn-out room with peeling wallpaper in places. On the table was an unpaid electricity bill and a half-eaten sweet bun. His young son, Kohei (4 years old), talks to him innocently as he plays with building blocks spread out on the floor.

"Mom! Look! I made a robot!"

"...Wow, that's amazing. It's really well made."

Rika narrowed her eyes and smiled, but her voice was filled with fatigue.

Although Rika was comforted by Kohei's cheerfulness, her heart was heavy. She divorced her ex-husband due to his debts and now relies on welfare. Although my parents at home help me, I can't rely on them too often. As days passed and I was overcome with anxiety about the future and self-loathing, my fatigue only increased.

One night, unable to fall asleep and playing with her smartphone, Rika suddenly came across a TikTok video. It was a short video of Sayaka, a shrine maiden from Naniwa Kyuukon Shrine, speaking with a smile.

"Hello. I am Sayaka, a shrine maiden at Naniwa Kyuukon Shrine. The gods are watching over your efforts. Let me help ease your heart, even if just a little."

Sayaka, with her straight purple hair tied back, looks neat and tidy and smiles gently. Even though it was through a screen, I felt a sense of warmth. Tears naturally spilled from Rika's eyes.

"...If it'll make me feel a little better...I might go."

Rika muttered this and began making plans for the next day.

The next morning, Rika, holding Kohei's small hand, headed to Naniwa Kyukon Shrine. Passing through the bustling arcades of Nihonbashi, a downtown area of ​​Osaka, you will come across a quiet shrine. Rika couldn't help but stop in her tracks at the sight of the antique torii gate and the well-maintained grounds.

"Here's what I saw on TikTok..."

Kohei looks around curiously.

"Mom, can I meet God here?"

"Yeah, that's right. Would you like to make a wish, Kohei?"

Cleanse your hands at the temizuya (purification fountain) and stand in front of the offering box. As Rika taught her son how to bow, she prayed fervently in her heart, "Please, I don't want this child to have to go through any hardships."

At that moment, a bright voice came from behind me.

"Welcome to Naniwa Kyukon Shrine. Thank you for visiting today."

When he turned around, Sayaka, the shrine maiden he had seen in the video, was standing there. The neat and tidy figure with her purple hair tied up is before my eyes with a real feeling.

"Is this your first visit? Please take your time."

Sayaka's kind words made Rika feel like her heart suddenly became lighter.

In one corner of the shrine grounds, Sayaka was handing out fortune slips and talking to each visitor. Rika also joins the line and quietly opens the fortune slip she was given.

"The time is approaching when your efforts will be rewarded. Don't rush, believe in yourself and keep moving forward."

The moment she read it, tears welled up in her eyes again. Sayaka saw this, crept up to her and called out to her.

"If you'd like, you can talk to me about your problems on LINE. With God's help, I hope I can help you in some small way."

Rika's heart was warmed by the kindness, and without hesitation she scanned the QR code with her smartphone.

"Thank you....thank you so much."

Sayaka smiled softly and saw Rika and Kohei off. Looking at his back, Rika felt positive for the first time and thought, "Maybe I can really be saved here."

■ Chapter 2: LINE Consultation

That night after her visit to the shrine, Rika sat in a corner of her room and picked up the flyer she had been given at the shrine. A QR code for Naniwa Kyukon Shrine's official LINE account is printed on it. The moment a few days ago when Sayaka spoke to me kindly came to mind, and I remembered how I suddenly felt lighter.

"...Maybe I should give it a try."

After a moment of hesitation, I picked up my smartphone and scanned the QR code. Registration was completed quickly, and I received a greeting message from the official account.

"Welcome to Naniwa Kyukon Shrine. I'm Sayaka 😊 Every week I draw a fortune and send you a message from the gods. If you have any worries or concerns, please feel free to send me a message."

Rika hesitated for a moment, but then her hands moved naturally. I began typing, thinking about how to convey my situation.

"Good evening. My name is Katagiri and I visited the shrine the other day. Right now, I live alone with my 4-year-old son and we are struggling financially, and I don't know what to do. I know I need to try harder as a mother, but it's not going well..."

As she pressed the send button, Rika felt a slight weight lift in her chest.

A few minutes later, you receive a reply.

"Thank you for your message, Katagiri-san. It's really wonderful that you're working hard while raising your child. First of all, please give yourself a pat on the back."

The moment she read these words, tears naturally spilled from her eyes. For her, who had no choice but to blame herself, those words were a relief.

"But I don't have that luxury... I always end up feeling like it's my fault."

"That must be very distressing. But if you continue to blame yourself, you will lose the strength to support your child. It is important that you yourself heal first."

Rika was taken aback. I had never thought of it that way. I thought it was a luxury to be able to heal myself.

"But I don't know how to heal myself..."

"I know that's true. It can be very hard to think alone. If you don't mind, could you come to the shrine by yourself in the evening? I'd love to help you relax a little in a quiet place, Katagiri-san."

Rika was touched by those words. For her, who was looking for something to help her escape from the days of blaming herself, Sayaka's proposal seemed like a helping hand.

"...Maybe I should give it a go."

Rika gently gazed at the futon on which Kohei was sleeping and quietly made up her mind.

■ Chapter 3: A visit to the shrine at night

The next night, Rika left her child at her parents' house and headed to Naniwa Kukon Shrine alone. The shrine at night has a completely different atmosphere than during the day. A warm light shines somewhere in the silence, creating a small sense of peace in your heart.

When Rika passed through the torii gate, she saw the lights in the shrine office on. When I opened the door, Sayaka greeted me with a warm smile.

"Katagiri-san, thank you for coming. It took a bit of courage to come at night, didn't it?"

"No, somehow my feet just naturally led me here... Thank you so much, even though it's so late."

Sayaka smiled softly and led Rika deeper into the office. The space was filled with warm lighting and the soothing smell of incense.

"Here, we can talk peacefully without being disturbed. Let's take a deep breath first."

Following Sayaka's instructions, Rika closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And with each breath I exhaled, I felt as if the weight inside my heart was melting away little by little.

Future developments will provide a more detailed portrayal of how Sayaka heals Rika's heart. If you have any requests for the next scene, please let me know.

At night, Naniwa Kyukon Shrine was enveloped in a mysterious atmosphere that was different from that during the day. The soft light of the lanterns illuminating the temple grounds gives off a sense of warmth and comfort. Alone, Rika knocked on the door of the quiet shrine office.

"Please come in."

Sayaka's gentle voice came from the other side of the door. When Rika stepped inside, the dimly lit room was lit with warm lighting and the soothing smell of incense wafted through the air. Sayaka, wearing a purple hakama, smiled and led Rika to a room in the back.

"Katagiri-san, thank you for coming. Tonight we will perform a special ritual to heal your heart. You may be a bit surprised, but rest assured."

Rika nodded, looking a little nervous. "Do I really need something like that...?"

"Yes, I need it," Sayaka replied with a serious expression. "You've been blaming yourself for so long, Katagiri-san, but it's wearing down your soul. Tonight is time to heal and accept yourself."

Sayaka offered Rika a cushion and sat upright in front of it herself. Quietly join your hands and offer your prayers at the Shinto altar. Rika naturally straightened her back at this sacred gesture.

"First, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Just listen to my voice."

Rika followed Sayaka's instructions and quietly closed her eyes. Sayaka's voice was soft and reassuring.

"What you've done so far is wonderful. Even if no one recognizes it, your efforts won't be erased. And as a mother, you are worth it."

The moment those words reached her heart, tears naturally spilled from her eyes.

"But... I always feel like I'm not good enough... I have to try harder..."

"It's okay, Katagiri-san." Sayaka gently held Rika's hand. "It's okay to stop trying so hard. First, you need to feel better about yourself. This will give you the strength to support your child."

Sayaka's words had a mysterious power. Rika felt that the heart that had been constantly blaming herself was gradually loosening up.

The ritual continues. Sayaka quietly stands up and takes out a white cloth from the shelf. She gently placed it over Rika's shoulders.

"This cloth has been blessed by God. I hope that God's protection will be with you so that you can walk through life peacefully from now on."

As the white cloth wrapped around her shoulders, Rika felt her body become warm. It felt like someone was hugging me.

"Katagiri-san, please remember that you are not alone. God and I are watching over you."

At those words, Rika cried out loud. The tears wouldn't stop, but strangely, my heart felt lighter.

When the ceremony was over, Rika had a quiet smile on her face. Sayaka gently placed her hand on his shoulder and finally said:

"You are already a worthy enough person, Katagiri-san. And there's no need to deny that worth."

Rika nodded slightly and bowed to Sayaka in deep gratitude. By the time I left the shrine, I felt like the heavy clouds in my heart had cleared a little.

■ Chapter 4: New Hope

The next morning, as Rika passed through the torii gates of Naniwa Kyukon Shrine, she felt somehow different from her usual self. I felt like the heavy burden on my shoulders had lightened a little. Just after dawn, the shrine is enveloped in silence, and the morning sun softly illuminates the stone paving of the approach to the shrine.

Rika looked back at the temple grounds and muttered softly.

"Thank you so much, Sayaka..."

With new hope in my heart, I boarded the train to my parents' house. The Osaka cityscape seen from the train window looks a little brighter than before.

When I arrived at my parents' house and greeted my son Kohei, who I had left with his mother, he came running up to me from the front door.

"Mom! Welcome home!"

"I'm back, Kohei."

Rika hugged Kohei tightly. The hugs that had previously felt somewhat obligatory now felt truly loving. Kohei's small arms wrap around my neck, giving me warmth.

"Mom, you look fine!"

"Really?" Rika smiled. "Maybe it cheered up Mom a little too."

Her mother pops in from the kitchen.

"Rika, you look good today. Did something happen last night?"

"Yes, it was a rather special experience. Thank you, Mom. You were a great help in taking care of Kohei."

"It's okay. Just let me know if you need anything else."

Rika quietly bowed her head and faced Kohei again.

After that, Rika began to rebuild her life little by little. I became more motivated to look for work and was able to start working part-time, albeit for a short period of time. I was nervous about jumping into a new environment, but Sayaka's words comforted me many times.

Rika had a message from Sayaka saved on her smartphone so she could look at it whenever she wanted.

"You are already worthy enough."

Whenever Rika looked back at those words, even on days when she was tired from work or troubled, a quiet strength welled up in her heart.

One day off, Rika takes Kohei to Naniwa Kyukon Shrine again. As he walks along the approach to the shrine, Kohei looks forward to meeting Sayaka.

"Mum, is that shrine maiden here again?"

"I'm sure he is. Kohei, next time make sure you thank him properly."

Sayaka appears from the back of the shrine. His unchanging gentle smile brought warmth to Rika's heart once again.

"Katagiri-san, you've come again."

Rika bowed deeply while holding Kohei's hand.

"Thank you so much, Sayaka. If it weren't for that night, I don't think I would be who I am today."

"That's not true. Katagiri-san took the first step on his own. I just helped him out a little."

Rika smiled through tears at Sayaka's words.

Rika and Kohei leave Naniwa Kyukon Shrine. Under the blue sky, their shadows stretch out side by side. The shadow continued straight ahead, suggesting a bright future ahead.