A New Chapter Begins
The morning sun filtered through the streets as Hiroshi and Hina strolled together, their steps unhurried and in sync. For Hiroshi, the warmth of Hina's presence beside him was still surreal. Every now and then, he stole a glance at her, unable to stop himself from smiling.
Hina caught one of his looks and smirked. "If you keep staring at me like that, Hiroshi, you'll walk straight into a pole."
"I wasn't staring!" Hiroshi said quickly, his face flushing crimson. "I was just… thinking!"
"Thinking about me?" Hina teased, her grin growing wider.
"Wha—? No! Well, maybe… I mean—" Hiroshi stammered, his words tripping over themselves as Hina burst into laughter.
"Relax, Hiroshi. I'm just teasing you," she said, her voice softening. "I like it when you look at me like that."
Hiroshi's heart skipped a beat, and he could only nod, his face burning as he tried to regain his composure.
"Anyway," he said, desperate to change the subject, "are you sure it's okay for us to stop by your brother's place before heading to the bookstore? I mean, won't we be intruding or something?"
Hina shook her head. "Ren's been dying to meet you. He's super protective, though, so don't be surprised if he gives you the third degree."
"Protective?" Hiroshi repeated nervously. "Like… how protective?"
"Well," Hina said, pretending to think, "let's just say he once scared off a guy who tried to ask me out by glaring at him for five straight minutes."
Hiroshi stopped walking, his face pale. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all…"
Hina grabbed his arm and tugged him forward. "Relax! Ren's not going to bite. Besides, he already knows about you."
Hiroshi blinked. "He… does?"
"Of course," Hina said casually. "I've been talking about you for a while now."
Hiroshi nearly tripped over his own feet. "Y-you have?!"
Hina laughed at his reaction. "You're so easy to fluster, Hiroshi. Come on, let's get going."
---
Ren's apartment was in a quiet neighborhood, the kind of place where children played in the streets and neighbors greeted each other warmly. When they arrived, Hina knocked on the door, and a moment later, a tall, athletic man with a laid-back demeanor opened it.
"Hina!" Ren greeted, pulling his sister into a quick hug. Then his eyes landed on Hiroshi, and a mischievous grin spread across his face. "And this must be the famous Hiroshi I've been hearing so much about."
Hiroshi straightened up, trying to appear confident. "Y-yes, sir! Nice to meet you!"
Ren chuckled, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Sir? Man, you're making me feel old. Just call me Ren."
"R-right, Ren," Hiroshi said, bowing slightly.
As they stepped inside, Hiroshi took in the cozy space. The apartment was filled with personal touches—shelves overflowing with books, framed photos of Hina and Ren as kids, and a guitar leaning against the wall.
"So," Ren said as they settled into the living room, "Hiroshi, huh? You're the guy who finally won over my little sister."
Hiroshi nearly choked on the tea Ren had offered him. "I-I wouldn't say 'won over' exactly…"
Ren grinned, clearly enjoying Hiroshi's nervousness. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. Hina's been talking about you non-stop. Says you're sweet, hardworking, and that you wrote her the most romantic lines in that school play."
Hiroshi groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Why does everyone keep bringing that up?"
Hina laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Because it's true, Hiroshi. You're a romantic at heart."
Ren leaned back in his chair, his expression turning more serious. "On a real note, though, I'm glad Hina found someone like you. She deserves someone who'll treat her right."
Hiroshi's nervousness melted away at Ren's sincerity. "Thank you. I promise I'll do my best to make her happy."
Ren nodded approvingly. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."
They spent the next hour chatting, with Ren sharing embarrassing stories from Hina's childhood—much to her dismay.
"Ren, stop!" Hina protested as her brother recounted the time she had tried to climb a tree and gotten her dress caught on a branch.
"What? It's a great story!" Ren said, laughing.
Hiroshi couldn't stop smiling. Despite his initial nerves, he felt completely at ease with Ren.
---
After bidding Ren goodbye, Hiroshi and Hina continued their walk to the bookstore.
"You have a great brother," Hiroshi said.
"I know," Hina replied, smiling. "He's always been there for me."
When they reached the bookstore, however, they were met with a surprise. The shutters were down, and a sign on the door read, *"Closed Until Further Notice."*
Hina frowned. "That's strange. The store's almost never closed."
"Do you think something happened?" Hiroshi asked, his brows furrowing.
"I don't know," Hina said, her voice tinged with worry. "We should ask Max about it later."
---
Meanwhile, in another city, Max sat at his desk in his new apartment, his laptop open in front of him. Kota played with his toys on the floor, occasionally babbling to himself.
Max had recently started a new job as a virtual assistant, working remotely from home. It was a fresh start, a chance to leave behind the memories that still haunted him.
"Daddy, look!" Kota said, holding up a drawing he had made with crayons.
Max turned and smiled. "That's amazing, Kota. Is that a rocket ship?"
Kota nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh! It's going to the moon!"
"Just like you, huh?" Max said, ruffling Kota's hair. "You're going to do amazing things one day."
Kota beamed, his face lighting up with joy.
Max sighed, his smile bittersweet. He missed Noriko, but he knew he couldn't let the pain hold him back. For now, his focus was on creating a new life for himself and Kota—a life filled with hope and possibility.
As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the city, Max glanced out the window, his heart heavy yet resolute. Somewhere out there, Noriko was moving on too. And while their paths had diverged, he would always cherish the memories they had shared.
"Come on, Kota," Max said, picking up his son. "Let's get dinner started."
"Okay, Daddy!" Kota said, laughing as Max lifted him into the air.
Together, they stepped into the kitchen, ready to face whatever the future held.
CHAPTER END 🫠