Kinugita Taoko's mind was entirely overtaken by hunger. Her eyes lost focus, her body acted on instinct, devouring food. The fridge, full of bentos, was three-quarters empty. Ignoring taste or temperature, she shoved everything into her mouth. Her teeth tore at the food, her throat swallowed nonstop.
After consuming all the fridge's contents, she looked around in confusion. Hunger controlled her, and she instinctively headed to where she kept extra supplies to satisfy her sole desire.
Her clean room turned to chaos again. The air filled with food smells, but thanks to her foresight—she hadn't bought bentos—the stench was less than the previous night. She stood in the room's center, eyes vacant, motionless. The room was littered with empty wrappers, but no food remained.
Hunger…
So hungry…
But… no more food…
Food…?
And this house… can I eat it?
Her mind, consumed by hunger, began to change as the food ran out. She looked at the wrappers, the table, the bed. In her confusion, she thought: This… can I eat it?
Sitting, she picked up an empty muffin wrapper. Crumbs remained inside, emitting an aroma. The scent hit her nose, striking her brain. Her eyes widened, hunger stripping her of reason. She shoved the wrapper into her mouth, her teeth gnawing at the plastic, her tongue licking the crumbs.
But plastic wasn't food. Her teeth couldn't tear it. Minutes of chewing turned the wrapper into a ball, but it didn't yield. Losing her mind, Kinugita decided to swallow it whole.
The plastic ball lodged in her throat, triggering a gag reflex. Mixed with saliva, it flew out.
"Cough… Cough-cough…" she choked, gagging.
In those seconds, a faint glimmer of reason gave her a chance. Seizing control of her body, she panted heavily.
"H-h… H-h…" clutching her throat, she looked around.
Seeing the chaos and the plastic ball on the floor, she made the only sensible decision. Suppressing the terrifying hunger, she ran out of the apartment.
Without a goal, Kinugita ran through the streets. Her mind, barely regained, succumbed to hunger again. She didn't stop, desperately seeking a way to quench her food craving.
Hungry… So hungry…
Her mind clouded, her eyes emptied, her run slowed, her breathing stilled.
Hunger…
She stopped in the middle of the street, staring blankly into space. The night was quiet, the district not the city center, with few people or cars. No one noticed the lone figure.
Suddenly, an aroma reached her nose.
"Big event! Big event! In gratitude for your support, our shop is holding a big appetite contest! Eat twenty bowls of our new exclusive pork curry noodles and win a generous prize!" shouted a man, likely the owner, through a megaphone at the door of a new noodle restaurant. A crowd gathered.
Many wanted to join.
"Wow! We already have contestants! Anyone else?" the host continued.
A chubby man munching chips pushed forward.
"Reminder: if you don't finish, you'll need to visit our restaurant soon!" the host added.
The crowd buzzed, but participants seemed prepared, clearly having heard about the contest beforehand. Spots filled quickly, even children among the eager. The restaurant was clearly spending for publicity.
Kinugita, drawn by the smell, approached the restaurant. Her mind was lost; she moved by instinct. Without the aroma, she might have started gnawing on anything—edible or not.
"One spot left! Rules are simple! Anyone else want to try? The prize is generous! Oh, this girl's joining too?" the host noticed Kinugita.
Blankly, she passed him, reached the noodle table, grabbed a bowl, and, without chopsticks, began pouring the contents into her mouth.
"Wait, girl, I haven't started yet!" the host shouted.
But Kinugita ignored him, continuing to devour the noodles.
"…Looks like this girl couldn't wait! I declare the contest started!" the host, embarrassed, tried to smooth it over and added, "And one more rule! If two or more eat twenty bowls, they'll continue until we determine who ate more! Only then will we find the true winner for the grand prize!"
The crowd erupted in applause. Over twenty participants joined, mostly burly men, clearly prepped. Women, including Kinugita, were among them. Spectators cheered, the atmosphere boiling.
But no one noticed the monster in the crowd, hosting a feast.
Kinugita didn't know when she came to. Opening her eyes, she saw an almost empty square. Only the host, resembling the owner, stared at her in horror. Rubbing her hazy eyes, she looked at her hands—coated in oil, yellowed by curry, even between her fingers. Her pajamas—a t-shirt and shorts—were splattered with sauce. Few people remained; only staff cleaned the area.
Before her loomed a mountain of bowls—by eye, no less than fifty or sixty. The host, trembling, said something, but she didn't hear. Looking at her hands, she felt a familiar sensation.
Hunger…
So hungry…
"Girl!!!" the host's shout snapped her out of it.
Sounds returned, the world sharpened, as if she'd reentered reality.
"Here!" she replied instinctively.
"Phew, finally! You scared me, thought you… ate something wrong. Was about to call an ambulance!" the host exhaled, wiping sweat.
"Eh? W-what happened?" Kinugita, embarrassed, tried to scratch her head but, seeing her dirty hands, stopped.
"You… don't remember what you did?!" the host exclaimed.
"Seems… I joined a contest?" she guessed, analyzing.
"You know and still ask?!" he huffed.
"Heh-heh… Sorry, got lost in thought…" she replied awkwardly.
"Fine, are you okay? Stood like a statue, thought you were sick. Your stomach's something else! Eating so much! Good we had enough stock. But you could've kept going! Aren't you scared it won't digest? You could be in the Guinness Book! And also…" the host rambled on.
"Heh-heh… I'm full, full, can't eat more," she interrupted.
But her stomach seemed to crawl with ants, as if squeezed. Hunger returned, but her mind was with her. Hiding the torment, she forced a smile, responding to the host.
"Anyway, you're the winner! Counted it: you ate exactly sixty-nine large noodle bowls! Can't imagine how your stomach held that. Even that famous fatty didn't match you. Here's your prize! It's generous, enjoy! Come again, we'll give you a discount!" the host handed her the award, waved, and went to help clean.