The Hanging Balloons

A month prior, Terumi Fujino, a teenage pop star and Kazuko’s friend, was found hanging outside Kazuko’s window.

Caution: Contains elements of horror that may be unsettling for some readers

Kazuko finds herself trapped inside her room, with an incessant tapping on her window. A gentle voice of a girl entices Kazuko to open the window and share a meal. Kazuko remains cautious, refusing to answer to that.

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A month prior, Terumi Fujino, a teenage pop star and Kazuko’s friend, was found hanging outside Kazuko’s window.

The news of her death spread, and crowds of fans gathered outside her funeral. Amidst the chaos, Kazuko and three other friends of Terumi overhear a group of men blaming Terumi’s boyfriend, Shinya Shiraishi, for the troubles she faced in her career. The girls intervene, protecting Shinya from harm and warning the men to leave. Kazuko tries to comfort Shinya, who admits his guilt in causing Terumi emotional distress.

There are reports of others hanging themselves in the wake of Terumi’s alleged suicide. Some claim to have encountered Terumi’s ghost, while psychologists attribute the sightings to a collective sense of loss among the people.

Kazuko grows weary of the rumors circulating in her school and community about Terumi’s floating head. She confides in Shinya, who confesses to regularly seeing Terumi’s head in his own yard. He promises to inform Kazuko whenever the apparition appears again.