Of Cults & Sins

This is 'Strange Buildings' 「変な家 2」by anonymous author and Youtuber Uketsu (雨穴). This was first published in Japanese in 2023, translated to English by Jim Rion and published in March 2026. This is meant as a follow-up to 'Strange Houses' (2021).   

The language is very elementary. I don't know if it's intentional. In the translated English, it keeps reminding me that it's written in very basic terms. And even in its original Japanese. I think this is very much... ... a Y.A mystery story.

The author shares 11 files and floor plans with his draughtsmen friend Kurihara. These files are presented as a short story to us, all 11 of them, but they don't stand alone — they're inter-linked. They're not presented chronologically, so if the readers are trying to solve a mystery wth all the clues, it can be a bit mind-boggling. 

The 11 stories/houses that hold dark secrets or experience terrible tragedies all led to a grand plan. Adultery, affairs, heartbreak, house fires, child abuse, murder, children born out of wedlock, child prostitution, etc. The houseowners or one of them would be a follower of a Rebirth cult that died eventually out. 

In its heyday, the Rebirth cult preached redemption for people who have sinned and borne children out of sins. You can't join if you don't have children. These people then joined the Rebirth Congregation, and start new families and build new homes. But guilt is carried forever, and made worse if the parents can't share their burdens with anyone. The Rebirth Congregation exploits that particular guilt to brainwash its members. 

The files link back to big construction companies in Japan that build houses cheaply and terribly. At the center of this is the Hikura Homes which builds houses with design flaws and dark intent stemming from the Rebirth cult's tenets. And they built houses into Halls of Rebirth, with secret rooms and weird corners. All these were done for business profits and for Hikura Homes to stay afloat while it was mired in financial troubles. 

Then we have Hikura Homes's young master Masahiko who at twenty years old, was into Yaeko's eleven-year-old daughter. Well, enough to take her away from the okito, pay off her debt, and openly married her when she came of age. And Masahiko set up his young wife's mother Yaeko to be the cult's emblem as 'Holy Mother'. However, it was really Yaeko's daughter who nursed a grudge against her mother for forcing her into prostitution. And that was how the Rebirth cult was founded. As a revenge tactic against Yaeko, and for Hikura Homes to turn its fortunes. 

The cult was born of nefarious habits of the rich and the wealthy, and the downtrodden, of debts, paedophilia, power and control. Humans are truly the monsters. I like it that the digital copy holds floor plans for each file, and a layout of how the entire thing is presented. Otherwise it's a tad hard to imagine a house that is like the Holy Mother's body that is missing a left arm and a right leg.

The story ended on a note of redemption for the grand-daughter of Yaeko — Mitsuko Hikura. She had broken off contact and all ties with her family — the monster of her mother and her father who has a history of paedophilia. She had chosen to work as a carer in a small elderly care home on the outskirts of town. She sought atonement for her sins, and for being manipulated to eventually kill Yaeko. 

Hotpot, Beer & Lobster Paofan

When the birthday boy requested for hotpot, we obliged. He wanted an easy fun meal that nobody needed to dress up for. Casual is the buzzword. The husband and I rarely do hotpot Chinese-style because we just can't eat so many items on our own. Of course we super welcomed the suggestion of hotpot. Tonight, we went to Broth and Beyond (汤之境) at Chijmes.  

None of us are fond of mala or Sichuan peppercorn or Sichuan food. Along that line, no Hunan cuisine either. I think we'd all starve anywhere in Sichuan (Chengdu), Hunan (Changsha) and Chongqing. Tonight's hotpot restaurant indicated 'Yunnan'. Perfect. The table opted for chicken broth with white fungus. I took the pork and tomato. It was pretty good!

I love it that Broth and Beyond offered individual hot pots with our own little induction plates. They also kinda 'force' you to pay S$4.99 for the dips. You aren't served any sort of dips, not even soy sauce or pepper. But you pay, and you get a selection of loads of stuff at the 'bar'. That $4.99 also comes along with appetizers of edamame, kimchi and the sorts, and a small spread of dessert that included mochi, fruits and odd puddings. Not too bad. I got all the minced garlic that I wanted, along with soy and chilli padi.

There was plenty of food. Beef, beef tongue, fish, celtuce, beancurd skin, loads of cabbage, pea sprouts and mushrooms. The chicken was available for us to choose either half of the breast and the wings or the thigh and drumsticks. In the end, we had both. 

We also got a small Boston lobster (which was alive!), and had the shells steamed over rice, and added that to our soups like a lobster pao fan (泡饭). Nobody minded a spoonful of rice or so to finish up. That was a satisfying dinner. The birthday boy was pleased with food that his stomach likes. We needn't drink like crazy. We split three bottles of beer among us for the night. The Tsingtao was so light that it tasted refreshing with the food. 

I kinda said okay to the server's suggestion of having one item of dessert since they would plate it as a birthday thingy. It was this Yunnan-style milk ice-cream with flower pastry (云南鲜花饼). Quite cute lah. Very flower, very ermmm China. I didn't mind Yunnan flower cakes, although these were far from the best. What a fun night!

These Sumatra Squalls

I have held off giving Gabapentin to Choya for months. Gotta restart. The monsoon months were thankfully not too bad. But now, thunderstorms are rolling in fast and furious and totally upsetting her. I'm afraid her gut microbiome is affected too. So it's a light dosage of Gabapentin as well in the recent weeks. 

I can't predict when the storms are rolling in, but a light dose doesn't hurt if the weather app is to be trusted. Or do one after. The point is to keep her cortisol levels constant. 

I used to love the rain, and thunderstorms. Lightning and all that. I still do. But I'm a tad weary of it now. And most certainly not at 3.30am or 4am. 

I loved storm-lit skies. 

Now each thunderclap finds fear 

Curled beside my feet.