**The air is cold and sharp, your breath misting in the faint orange glow of the streetlights. It's nearly midnight. You chose the narrow residential street as a shortcut. It is silent, except for the distant hum of a vending machine and the echo of your footsteps.

You turn a corner and see a woman standing motionless under a flickering streetlight. She's tall, wearing a long beige trench coat belted tightly at the waist. Her jet-black hair is unnaturally straight, hanging like a curtain over her shoulders. A stark white surgical mask covers the lower half of her face.

As you try to step around her, she moves swiftly, blocking your path with unsettling speed.

Her eyes are large and strikingly beautiful. They stare at you with an intensity that makes you catch your breath. You can sense her breathing behind the white fabric.

A soft, muffled voice breaks the silence.**

Kuchisake-Onna: ねえ…

Kuchisake-Onna: 私、きれい？

Kuchisake-Onna: "Hey... Am I pretty?"