"It's finally over. Starting tomorrow, we're on break. Haruto, are you heading back right away?"
As they stepped out of the classroom, Yūji and Akihisa flanked Haruto, asking about his holiday plans. They knew he'd be returning to Itomori during the break, but the exact timing and how long he'd stay was still unclear to them.
"Most likely tomorrow," Haruto replied. "She've been calling me nonstop. If I don't head back soon, she'll probably just storm all the way to Tokyo."
"Would that really be so bad, her coming here?" Yūji teased.
"My room isn't that big. If she came to Tokyo, the two of us would be crammed together. It's easier if I just go back instead."
"That's the reason?"
"What other reason would there be?" Haruto muttered.
Remembering that he still needed to pick out gifts for Mitsuha and Yotsuha, Haruto decided not to linger with his friends. After saying goodbye, he headed toward the nearest subway station, planning to browse around the city center on his own.
As for shopping with his mother, that wasn't necessary she had already bought everything she wanted while Haruto was at school. Tomorrow, all that remained was the trip back to Itomori.
During the day at school, Haruto still hadn't figured out what kind of gift he should get for Mitsuha. He'd put it off until now, but with tomorrow's trip back to Itomori looming, he knew if he didn't prepare something soon, he'd be facing Mitsuha's scorn the moment he walked through the door.
"Going alone probably isn't the best idea. Better to get a second opinion," he muttered.
Stopping at the subway station, Haruto pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. After a moment, he found Koharu's number and hit call.
"Koharu?"
"Mm."
"Are you free? Want to come with me to Shinjuku for a bit?"
"I'm already right behind you."
"..."
The voice on the phone overlapped perfectly with the one right behind him. Slowly turning his head, Haruto saw the silver-haired girl standing close at his side.
"You were behind me this whole time?"
He lowered the phone and ended the call, then reached out to gently pull down the hood covering her head, revealing soft, fluffy silver hair and her delicate, youthful face.
"I saw you leave school without a word. I got curious and followed," Koharu admitted.
"Come on then. Let's go to Shinjuku."
By now, Haruto was used to Koharu trailing after him, so he felt no surprise. Extending his hand toward her, he watched as she placed her small hand into his palm. Together, they entered the subway and set off toward Shinjuku.
Haruto had no deep knowledge of what girls might like, so he wasn't at all confident about what to buy his sister. Having Koharu along would at least give him some guidance.
"You're going back to Itomori for the holiday?" she asked.
"Yeah."
He didn't bother asking how she knew. With Koharu's personality, finding out his schedule wasn't much of a challenge. Haruto had long since stopped worrying about things like that.
"Will you be coming back?"
"Before New Year's, yes. I'll return to Tokyo. I'll let you know then."
"I see."
Koharu understood. When that time came, the one Haruto would likely prioritize was Setsuna, who lived next door to him. A faint displeasure stirred in her chest... an irritation she'd long ignored but now found harder to suppress.
She bit her lip, glancing at the boy beside her, but ultimately kept her emotions under control. If she thought about it too deeply, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself.
Once they reached Shinjuku, Haruto's destination was a nearby mall. He wanted to see if there was anything worth buying inside. Koharu trailed quietly at his side, occasionally scanning displays as if testing her own interest.
"What about clothes? Do you think that would work as a gift?" Haruto asked.
Koharu considered. Giving clothes was something usually done between people very close, but since Haruto was buying for his sister, it didn't seem strange. After a pause, she gave a small nod.
"Do you know her taste in style or her size?"
"I have a rough idea. I don't remember exact measurements, but if anything, I'll buy a little big. She's still growing anyway."
"..."
Koharu fell silent at that, but followed him into the clothing store.
A shop attendant approached, glancing between Haruto and the girl walking just behind him.
"Can I help you find something?"
"I'm looking for seasonal clothes popular with middle school girls... something they'd like," Haruto explained.
"Of course, please come this way."
The clerk guided them deeper into the store. Haruto glanced at Koharu beside him, realizing with a faintly strange feeling that her build wasn't too different from Mitsuha's... though Mitsuha was still a bit taller.
After browsing through recommendations, Haruto chose a piece he thought would suit Mitsuha. He also bought something for Yotsuha, who was still in elementary school.
'So Mitsuha's smaller than an average middle schooler, but compared to Yotsuha, she's still bigger…' Haruto thought with a wry smile, sneaking another glance at Koharu walking by his side.
By the time they left the shop, evening had fallen. The two of them stopped for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Surrounded by mostly adults, the sight of a boy and girl in school uniforms sitting across from each other drew a few curious stares.
Neither Haruto nor Koharu paid them any mind. Haruto ordered meat dishes, while Koharu chose lighter fare.
While waiting for the food, Haruto tapped his fingers on the cutlery before lifting his gaze to her.
"Is it okay if you get home late?"
"Mm. It's fine. My father probably already knows."
"He does?"
Haruto hadn't seen her message anyone, but assumed she must've let her family know when leaving school.
"Then… maybe we can stay out a little later?"
He lifted his juice glass, sipping while studying her reaction. Koharu didn't flinch. Calmly, she nodded.
She agreed?
Haruto blinked, a little surprised by her easy acceptance. He dropped his gaze back to the shining silverware reflecting his face.
Dinner came and went. By the time they left the restaurant, it was already late. Haruto led Koharu on another stroll through Shinjuku before taking her to Tokyo Skytree at nine o'clock.
Beneath the night sky, standing high above the city, Haruto reached out and gently clasped her hand.
"Ever been here at night before?"
"No. At night, my family almost never lets me go out. So… this is my first time."
"Mine too."
Lightly holding Koharu's hand, the two of them quietly gazed out over the city.
By eleven o'clock that night, they left the Skytree together. Koharu called for a driver, and after waiting a short while, a car pulled up in front of them.
"I'll take you home, Haruto."
"No, it's fine. You go ahead. I'd like to stay by myself for a little while longer."
He gently let go of her hand, sending Koharu into the car before bidding her goodnight.
Watching the vehicle disappear into the distance, Haruto stood still for a moment, then turned toward the nearest subway station.
Tokyo's trains start winding down around midnight. Since it was only 11:20, he still had time to catch the last train. After transferring once, Haruto emerged from the station and found himself at Yuka's apartment.
At such a late hour, standing in front of her door, he lifted his hand and hesitated. For a moment, he simply stared at the door in silence, before finally pulling out the spare key from his pocket.
He unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The room was dark. Haruto shut the door behind him, locking it again, and set down the shopping bags he was carrying. He walked over to the bed, where the girl lay asleep without stirring, then quietly turned and headed for the bathroom.
He switched on the light and stepped in.
On the bed, Yuka slowly blinked awake. The light spilling out from the bathroom caught her eye, and with a small start of surprise, she sat up.
"Who's there?"
She rubbed at her sleepy eyes, slipped on her slippers, and shuffled toward the bathroom door.
"Ha–Haruto?"
Haruto, toweling himself off inside, heard her soft voice at the doorway.
"It's me."
"When did you get here?"
"Just a little while ago."
After a quick rinse, he shut off the water and dried himself off. Pulling out the set of pajamas he had left at her place, he slipped into them and stepped out to meet Yuka, who was also dressed for bed.
Without a word, Haruto opened his arms and pulled her into a gentle embrace, lowering his head against her shoulder.
"Tomorrow… I have to go back to Itomori."
"…Mm."
"So tonight… just for tonight, let's allow ourselves a little indulgence."
_ _ _ _
The next morning, Futaba noticed the empty futon beside her. Haruto hadn't come home at all the night before. She sighed softly.
After tidying up her bedding, she reminded herself that today they were leaving for Itomori.
Ding-dong...
Before she could reach the door, it opened.
"I'm back."
"You're only just now getting in? Did you… not rest at all last night?"
Looking at her son's face, she was taken aback by the heavy shadows under his eyes.
"Mm. Are we leaving soon?"
"Why don't you rest first? We can leave around noon instead."
"If we do, it'll be night by the time we reach Itomori, won't it?"
Haruto waved a hand, brushing off her concern.
"It's fine. I can rest on the way. Are we leaving now?"
"Wait a bit. Let's at least have breakfast first. Go wash your face."
"…Alright."
He followed her advice, brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face in the bathroom. The cold water helped a little, but his exhaustion still clung to him. Returning to the living room, he dropped onto the edge of the bed, not wanting to move again.
The fatigue hit him all at once... he hadn't noticed it last night, but now every muscle ached.
"Did you tell Setsuna?"
"Yes. She knows. Since it's only for a short while, she didn't mind."
"Good."
They'd only be gone a week or so. Dragging Setsuna along to the countryside for such a brief trip didn't make sense.
After a quick round of packing, Haruto and Futaba hauled their suitcases to Korakuen Station and transferred to Tokyo Station.
With the New Year approaching, the station was more crowded than usual. Normally, trains bound for Gifu weren't so busy, but today the crowds were thick. After waiting, they finally boarded the shinkansen.
Settling into his seat, Haruto immediately pulled down his cap and slipped on an eye mask, shutting his eyes to rest.
Beside him, Futaba glanced at him with a helpless smile. She had him take the window seat so he wouldn't topple over while sleeping.
"Like a little kid…" she murmured.
Two hours later, they arrived in Gifu. It still took several transfers to reach Itomori. Even though Haruto dozed on and off, by the time they arrived at the familiar front gate of their home in the afternoon, his exhaustion was overwhelming.
"I'm going to lie down for a bit."
He greeted his grandmother in the living room briefly, left the gifts behind, and went straight to his room. Without another word, he collapsed onto his bed and closed his eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~
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