by Andrew Chen
In a quiet village in Iwate, an old farmhouse is said to be home to a Zashiki-warashi. The family leaves bowls of rice for her. Children sometimes hear her laughter. Strange little things disappear and reappear around the house. But the girl who lives there doesn't know any of this. Haru only knows that this is her home. She plays with the children who visit, discovers the taste of chocolate, leaves muddy footprints through the house, and waits for the friends who promise to come back. Seasons pass. Children grow up. The world changes. Haru does not. And somewhere between childhood memories and an eternity of waiting, the truth behind the legend begins to reveal itself. This is the story of Haru, the girl behind the legend of the Zashiki-warashi.
