Sunday arrived with no alarm, no school bell, and no reason to rush.
Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains and landed across Itsuki Hayama's bed.
Itsuki slowly opened his right eye.
For a few seconds, he simply stared at the ceiling.
Then he sat up.
He reached toward the table beside his bed and picked up the black eyepatch he had taken off before sleeping.
He fastened it over his left eye.
There was no hesitation this time.
No painful pause.
No flashback.
Just a simple routine.
"...Sunday."
He scratched his messy black hair.
"Now what am I supposed to do?"
He sat on the edge of the bed, thinking seriously.
"When I was little, Sundays were easy."
His gaze drifted toward the window.
"I'd just go to the park and sit there all day."
He paused.
Then he straightened his back dramatically.
"But I'm fifteen now."
He pointed at himself.
"I'm a high school student."
A second passed.
"...What do high school students actually do on Sundays?"
Silence.
Itsuki slowly lowered his hand.
"I have no idea."
He grabbed his phone.
The group chat was already active.
Yuna Aizawa: Go shopping.
Itsuki blinked.
Another message appeared.
Ren Fujimoto: No. Gaming café.
Another.
Haruto Sakamoto: Badminton.
Another.
Haruto: One match.
Another.
Haruto: Two matches.
Itsuki stared at the screen.
"...My brain is already tired."
He opened the voice-message button.
"Listen, everything you three are suggesting is going completely over my head."
He paused.
"Let's just meet this evening."
Another pause.
"Come to Neko Café Momo."
His voice became brighter.
"I'll treat everyone."
"It's been one month since we became friends."
"We haven't even celebrated."
He chuckled.
"So today is our friendship anniversary."
Silence.
"...That sounded weird."
He cleared his throat.
"Whatever."
"Just come."
"And don't order anything expensive."
He sent the message.
The replies arrived instantly.
Yuna: Too late.
Ren: I'm getting the biggest dessert.
Haruto: Water is fine.
Itsuki smiled.
"Haruto is my favorite."
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Itsuki stopped in front of the mirror.
He adjusted his hair.
Then adjusted it again.
He leaned closer.
"...Hmm."
Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes.
Thirty minutes.
Eventually, the bedroom door opened.
Miyuki Hayama stood behind him, holding a mixing bowl.
She stared at his reflection.
"...Itsuki."
No response.
"Itsuki."
Still nothing.
She narrowed her eyes.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Itsuki finally noticed her.
"AH!"
He jumped.
Miyuki nearly dropped the bowl.
"Why are you screaming?!"
"I didn't know you were there!"
"You've been staring at the mirror for almost an hour!"
Itsuki looked back at himself.
"...I was thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
"Nothing."
Miyuki crossed her arms.
"Don't tell me..."
Itsuki froze.
"What?"
She leaned closer suspiciously.
"You finally got a girlfriend?"
Itsuki's face immediately turned red.
"WHAT?!"
Miyuki burst into laughter.
"I knew it!"
"No!"
"I was fixing my hair!"
"For an hour?"
"..."
Miyuki smiled knowingly.
"Young love is scary."
"AUNT!"
She laughed even harder.
Itsuki grabbed his jacket.
"I'm going out."
"Already?"
"Yes."
Miyuki blinked.
"Wait."
She looked toward the calendar.
Then at the clock.
Then back at Itsuki.
"...It's Sunday."
Itsuki stared at her.
"I know."
"I thought you were late for school."
Silence.
They both looked at each other.
Then burst out laughing.
"I need coffee," Miyuki muttered.
Outside, Itsuki finally relaxed.
He walked through Kathmandu's busy streets without any destination in mind.
Street vendors called to customers.
Children ran through the market.
The smell of grilled food drifted through the air.
Itsuki stopped at a food stall.
"One, please."
A few minutes later, he walked while eating.
"Mmm."
He smiled.
"Being alone isn't so bad."
He looked around.
"It's been a long time since I enjoyed a day like this."
Eventually, he entered a large clothing store.
He wasn't looking for anything particular.
Then—
"Excuse me?"
Itsuki stopped.
A girl stood nearby.
She held a white cane in one hand.
Her shoulder-length chestnut hair was tied loosely with a pale blue ribbon. She wore a cream cardigan over a light-blue blouse, a dark navy pleated skirt, white socks, and simple brown shoes. Her style was gentle and elegant rather than flashy.
She turned her face toward him.
"Could you help me?"
Itsuki blinked.
"Sure."
"I need help choosing some clothes."
"Okay."
He looked at the racks.
"What kind?"
"Something comfortable."
"That narrows it down to half the store."
She laughed.
"You're funny."
"I'm serious."
She smiled.
"I know."
They began searching.
"This one?"
"Too formal."
"How about this?"
"Too bright."
"This?"
"Too complicated."
Itsuki stared at the clothes.
"You're difficult."
"Excuse me?"
"I mean..."
He smiled awkwardly.
"You have very specific taste."
She laughed again.
"I can't see them, remember?"
Itsuki froze.
"Oh."
She smiled.
"That's why I asked you."
Itsuki's expression softened.
"Right."
From then on, he stopped simply handing her clothes.
Instead, he described them.
"The fabric is soft."
"This one's dark blue."
"The buttons are small."
She carefully touched each one.
"That one."
Itsuki smiled.
"Good choice."
Across the store, Hotaru Tachibana stood with her family.
She noticed Itsuki.
At first, she simply thought he was talking to another girl.
Then she remembered him.
The second-ranked student.
The boy who had admitted during the entrance ceremony that he had once bullied someone.
Her memory of middle school was incomplete.
She remembered being bullied.
She remembered losing her sight.
She remembered that someone had helped her afterward.
But many details were blurred.
Including the exact person from her childhood.
Hotaru watched carefully.
For a moment, she wondered if Itsuki was bothering the girl.
But then she saw him patiently describing the clothes, placing fabrics within the girl's reach, and helping her navigate the store.
Her expression changed.
Did he really change?
The boy she remembered from the stories of her past didn't seem to match the person standing there.
She quietly watched for another moment.
Then looked away.
Hours passed.
The sun was beginning to set.
The girl checked her watch.
"It's getting late."
Itsuki looked outside.
"Yeah."
"I can go home from here."
"Are you sure?"
She unfolded her white cane.
"I've practiced traveling by myself."
Itsuki nodded.
"Okay."
She smiled.
"Thank you for helping me today."
"No problem."
She hesitated.
"What's your name?"
"Itsuki Hayama."
She smiled.
"I'm Aoi Mizuhara."
Itsuki repeated the name.
"Aoi Mizuhara."
She nodded.
"Can I have your phone number?"
Itsuki blinked.
"My number?"
"So I can thank you properly someday."
"Oh."
He gave it to her.
Her phone beeped.
"Got it."
"I'll message you."
"Sure."
Aoi smiled once more before walking away, her white cane tapping gently against the pavement.
Itsuki watched until she disappeared into the crowd.
He checked his watch.
5:30 PM.
His eyes widened.
"WHAT?!"
He nearly dropped his phone.
"I'm late for work!"
He took off running.
Three seconds later, he stopped.
Silence.
He slowly looked at the sky.
"...It's Sunday."
He put both hands on his hips.
"...I'm not working today."
He sighed.
"I just ran for nothing."
That evening, Itsuki arrived at Neko Café Momo.
The café glowed warmly beneath the evening lights.
Soon, the entrance bell rang.
Yuna Aizawa entered first.
Behind her came Ren Fujimoto.
Haruto Sakamoto followed with his usual relaxed expression.
Yuna smiled.
"There he is."
Itsuki spread his arms.
"Welcome."
Ren looked around.
"So this is where you've been working?"
"Yep."
Haruto nodded.
"It's a nice place."
Yuna looked at him.
"And you never told us?"
"You never asked."
She crossed her arms.
"That's not how friendship works."
Ren nodded seriously.
"She's right."
Itsuki sighed.
"You're both impossible."
They sat down together.
Yuna immediately opened the menu.
Itsuki narrowed his eye.
"Wait."
"What?"
"Don't order the expensive stuff."
Yuna smiled innocently.
"I wasn't going to."
Ren pointed at the largest dessert.
"I was."
Itsuki stared at him.
"My salary is crying."
Haruto raised his hand.
"Water."
Itsuki pointed at him.
"See?"
"Haruto understands friendship."
Yuna laughed.
"You're choosing favorites now?"
"Absolutely."
The four of them spent the evening talking about school, badminton, teachers, and all the ridiculous things that had happened during their first month together.
Eventually, Yuna raised her glass.
"To one month of friendship."
Ren and Haruto raised theirs too.
Itsuki looked at them.
Then smiled.
A real smile.
"To one month."
The glasses touched.
And for the first time in years, Itsuki wasn't smiling to hide his pain.
He was smiling because he was genuinely happy.
Somewhere else in Kathmandu, Hotaru Tachibana quietly remembered the boy she'd seen helping someone in the clothing store.
She didn't know why the image stayed with her.
She only knew one thing.
The boy she thought she understood...
was beginning to feel like a stranger.
End of Chapter 14