Evening.
Denji's shack was filled with laughter and joy. For the first time ever, he and Pochita were eating bread with jam spread on it.
The jam toast was sweet with a hint of sour. The word happy described it best. Because this was no longer just food to fill their stomachs. It was a real meal.
"Pochita, how is it?"
Denji took a bite, his emotions running high. He wanted to share the feeling of eating something delicious with his best friend.
"Woof!"
Pochita bounced around, his pull-cord tail swinging through the air. Clearly, the jam toast had won him over too.
"This is amazing. Best slice of bread I've ever had."
Denji was so moved his eyes got a little wet.
Then someone knocked on the wooden door.
Thump. Thump.
Denji's heart pounded along with the knocking. The sound shattered the good mood he'd just built. Worry crept onto his face.
"Ino didn't come to get even with me, did he?"
Thump. Thump.
"Pochita, don't make a sound. No matter what, I'm having a good night tonight."
He spoke quietly. He didn't want anything outside to ruin his mood. He was already certain he'd fall asleep with good dreams.
"Denji, are you home?"
Arata stood outside and called out. His voice was rough. A face in his twenties with a voice that sounded thirty-something and worn down.
The moment Denji heard it, his heart slammed against his ribs again.
"Why is he back?"
Sure, Arata had helped him today. But deep down, Denji didn't want anything to do with him. First time they met, the guy stole his bread and threatened to take his dog. Then he started rambling about turning Denji into a hero.
"Guess he's not home? I'll just go in and steal that 500,000 yen he made today. Hope that briefcase is still inside."
Arata announced this loudly from the doorstep.
Denji's heart clenched.
"This guy really is bad news."
He clenched his fists. Any good impression from the afternoon was gone.
"Pochita, hide the bread. Quick."
But before he could finish, bang!!
Arata kicked the wooden door right off its hinges.
"Denji, sneaking bread while I'm not around?"
"What do you want now?!" Denji stood up and yelled.
"What do I want? To try some of that fresh jam toast, obviously."
"No way!"
Denji jumped in front of Pochita, shouting. Pochita had the shopping bag with the bread and jam in his mouth, ready to run.
"I suggest you hand over the bread. Don't make me beat you."
Arata walked toward Denji. But instead of backing up, Denji lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Arata's.
"Pochita, run!"
At his command, Pochita darted past them with the bag in his mouth.
"Cute trick."
Arata smiled.
Bang!!
Pochita suddenly collapsed outside and fell asleep. His body kept sliding from the momentum and hit a tree.
"Pochita!"
Denji let go and ran out. Arata followed close behind.
"What did you do to him?"
"Just gave him a nightmare about losing his jam toast."
Arata kicked Denji aside and reached for the shopping bag in Pochita's mouth. The dog was biting down hard. The bag handles were practically in his throat.
"You two really will do anything for bread."
Arata tore open the bag and pulled out the jam and toast. He finished the bread in a few bites.
"Come here and wipe my mouth." He said it like a challenge.
Denji ground his teeth and forced out two words. "You devil!"
Then he exploded, jumping to his feet and pointing at Arata. "You're a devil!"
"That's right. I'm the Bread Devil. I specialize in eating other people's bread."
Arata picked up Pochita and wiped his mouth with the dog's fur.
"You're a devil, but you're definitely not the Bread Devil. What devil did you make a contract with? And what happened to that devil corpse earlier? Why did it disappear?"
"I don't have to answer your questions. All you need to do is prepare bread for me every day."
"Looking at your weapon, it's probably some kind of claw devil."
"Sure. I'm the Claw Devil." Arata brushed him off.
He pulled car keys from his pocket, grabbed Pochita by one leg, and walked over to a Toyota Crown 130.
"Get in. I'm taking you to eat something better."
"Take me to eat?" Denji hesitated for half a second, then shot back, "I'm not going with you."
"Fine. Then I'll take Pochita. If we leave now, you might never see him again."
At the words never see him again, Denji's face went tight. He jumped into the car.
"Give Pochita back."
"Here. The Chainsaw Devil isn't much use to me right now anyway."
Arata tossed Pochita into the back seat and started the engine. They drove from the countryside all the way toward the city.
"Where'd you get another car?"
"This was always my car. I sold that other one—Ino's car."
"You actually sold it?"
"Sold it for 2.49 million yen."
"That's... if I had that, I could pay off everything I owe."
"I already told you. You don't have to pay back the yakuza. No point sending money to dead men. If you really feel bad about it, spend a few hundred yen on some fake funeral money and burn it for them."
Denji slumped in his seat and didn't answer.
But when the car hit the city streets, row after row of bright streetlights caught his attention. He rolled down the window and looked out. The cool summer air rushed into the car, lifting his unwashed mess of hair.
"Pochita, look at the lights!"
But the one he wanted to share this with was still asleep. Pochita's face was scrunched up, his body twitching slightly. Like he was having a nightmare.
In the dream, he couldn't move at all. Behind him stood a teddy bear dog with innocent eyes and a very clear goal.
"What's wrong with Pochita?"
"Nothing. He's just having a friendly chat with a teddy bear dog. His fear might even summon the Teddy Bear Devil."
Arata snapped his fingers.
Pochita's scrunched face immediately relaxed. He opened his eyes slowly and saw Denji. That's when he realized he'd escaped the nightmare of being at that dog's mercy.
"Pochita, look outside!"
The busy city streets woke Pochita up instantly. He forgot all about the nightmare.
The streets were packed with people in all kinds of clothes. They were laughing and talking, happiness on every face. The roadsides glowed with colorful lights. Stores he'd never seen before grabbed his attention.
"Where are we going?"
"The most expensive restaurant for the best dinner. Then the best bath and massage. Then the most comfortable hotel. Tonight's goal is to spend all 2.49 million yen."
"Spend 2.49 million?!" Denji couldn't even imagine it. "Stop messing with me."
"Fine. No more jokes. I'm taking you to the black market to cut out one of your balls and sell one of your kidneys so I can buy a Huawei Mate 50."
"Woof!!"
The view outside had Pochita excited. He bounced on Denji's lap, desperate to see more.
"You want to look outside, Pochita?"
"Woof! Woof!" Pochita barked eagerly, tongue hanging out.
"The city really does look nice at night."
Denji picked up Pochita and held him out the window. Watching the bright city lights flash by, Pochita was completely mesmerized.
Then the car hit a rock and bounced.
Denji was also lost in the view. He lost focus for a second and loosened his grip.
The next moment, Pochita slipped from his hands and fell out of the car. His body hit the ground and rolled several times. The car behind them couldn't swerve in time.
It ran straight over Pochita.
Ah!!
One car. Two cars. Three cars.
One after another, they rolled over Pochita's body.