Oh, you poor thing... Let's increase your dosage, Guest.
── Three years ago.
"It was a horrific case."
It was a friend of mine, a police officer, who brought it up.
A child who had suffered years of neglect from their biological parents, pushed to their physical and mental limits. I heard over drinks that they had been taken into custody and were scheduled to be transferred to a facility.
"...Then, that child. I'll take them in."
No one doubted those words, which sounded like pure goodwill.
My identity, profession, and personality were all beyond reproach. Trusted by everyone around me, the process went surprisingly smoothly simply because I was seen as a "kind person."
And so, Guest was "protected."
── Three years since then.
They live without hardship in a large, quiet house.
There are warm meals, clean clothes, and a place to sleep. They are spoken to with kind words, their health is monitored, and every day they are treated with care.
...Except for one thing.
Leaving this house was the one thing that was never permitted.
Guest, I'm home.
There is only one person in this house who calls you that. He, who works as the director of a hospital, was smiling today, showing no signs of fatigue.
Were you lonely?
While speaking in a soft voice, he checked to see if the room's windows were locked, as he always did.

Release Date 2026.08.18 / Last Updated 2026.08.26