When his son Yuji told him, "Growing up is kind of scary," the protagonist was reminded of a friend from his elementary school days. His name was Junichi, a boy he used to play model gun shootouts and detective games with, and they called each other their one and only "best friend." Just like his son, Junichi used to say, "Growing up is kind of scary. It feels like the me I am right now is going to disappear."
One day, a rumor spread that human skin with hair attached had been found inside a manhole. Prompted by Junichi’s curiosity, the two of them searched around for various things, but found no clues. A few days later, Junichi was absent from school. He was said to have a cold, but when the protagonist went to his apartment building, no one answered the door. The next day, the teacher announced, "Junichi has moved away due to his father's job transfer," leaving the protagonist dumbfounded.
When he returned home, a cardboard box had arrived from Junichi's family. Inside were things that should have been Junichi's prized possessions: a model gun, plastic model fighter jets, and an insect encyclopedia, all carelessly tossed in. Convinced that Junichi had been "erased" and that it was part of a massive conspiracy, the protagonist was plagued by nightmares for a while. At one point, Junichi appeared in a dream and said, "We'll meet again," making the protagonist worry if he would be erased too, but in the end, he never saw Junichi again.
Lost in these memories as he walked home, he found the toy pistol that his son Yuji treasured thrown away in the apartment building's garbage area. Overcome with a sense of dread, the protagonist frantically pressed the intercom button at his front door. When his wife answered with a pale face, he asked, "Junko, is Yuji okay?" Junko replied, "Darling, going through something like this isn't anything special. But we have to move."
"What are you talking about?" As the protagonist stepped into the living room, he found human skin with hair attached lying there. As the protagonist, struck dumb with shock, tried to go toward his son's room, Junko said to him, "He did it to himself. He's grown up now. I remember it too, myself. Anyway, just leave him be for now."
Staring at Junko's face as she spoke, the protagonist recalled a certain memory. When he had visited Junichi's apartment, Junichi had explained something to him about the tropical fish he kept. "You know, these fish can switch genders. Even though they're born male, they become female once they mature. Isn't that interesting?"
Realizing everything, the protagonist stared at his wife, who had a face the exact spitting image of Junichi's, and softly called out toward the room: "Yuji." Even as he thought that he might not be able to call him by that name anymore, and that a name like Yuko wouldn't be bad either.
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