The morning light filtered through the shoji in a golden glow that was way too beautiful for the situation.
Harumi was sprawled face-down on the futon.
Hair everywhere.Arm twisted.Soul out of body.
She opened one eye.
Then the other.
Blink.
Slowly, she sat up.
— Wow… — she scratched her head. — That was an ABSURDLY WEIRD dream.
She started laughing to herself.
— I dreamed I was at the market… then a little girl showed up crying… her brother looked like a tired CEO… the cashier was a drama villain… I brought them both home… then in the middle of the night I went to rescue a frozen teddy bear… and when I thought they had run away, their grandfather was dead…
She stopped.
Thought about it.
— My subconscious is writing way too heavy drama scripts.
She flopped back onto the futon, laughing.
— Hahaha… no way that was real—
PAH!
A pillow hit her face.
PAH!
Another one right after.
— AAAAAAAAAH?! ATTACK ON THE NATION?!
Harumi rolled across the tatami and landed sitting up, completely disheveled.
In front of her:
Izumi holding a pillow.
Takeru holding another.
— You weren't dreaming. — Izumi said, way too calmly.
Takeru added:
— Idiot.
Harumi froze.
— …— …— …
Slowly.
Very slowly.
She turned her head.
Mei stood by the door, hugging Kuma-chan.
— Haru… good morning…
Her brain clicked.
Like a bill arriving.
Like unpaid debt stacking up.
Like instant karma hitting.
— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA IT'S REAL!!!!
She jumped up so fast the futon slid and she dropped back down.
But she got up immediately.
Mode: Delayed Responsibility Activated.
The Breakfast of Truth!:
Mei sat quietly, eating rice, while her teddy bear "slept" beside her.
Takeru ate like he had already accepted the chaos of a morning that was never in his plans.
Izumi crossed her arms.
— Let me confirm something. You went out at TWO IN THE MORNING. In pajamas. In a ROBE. To save a teddy bear.
Harumi sipped her coffee.
— In my defense… it was cold.
— That's your DEFENSE?
— I could've frozen!
— In a robe?!
Mei watched the two like she was binge-watching a show.
Takeru sighed.
— Harumi is kind of crazy.
Izumi pointed at him.
— Finally, someone with sense.
Harumi raised a finger.
— I'm emotionally intense. It's different.
Izumi took a deep breath.
— Haru. You have two children. Zero kids' clothes. Two pillows. One frying pan. And one single sock WITHOUT a pair.
Harumi froze.
Three seconds.
Four.
— …reality check accepted. — she bowed dramatically — Thank you very much!
She bonked her head on the table.
Harumi stared at the three of them.
Unblinking.
Completely still.
Izumi was the first to notice.
— What's with that face, Harumi?
Takeru pretended not to hear.
He knew if he looked, he'd get dragged into it.
Mei didn't notice at all.
She just kept eating happily.
Harumi narrowed her eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Clenched her fist.
And punched her own palm.
— YOCHAAAA!!!
Everyone turned to look at her.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Izumi:
— Are you insane???
Takeru, without blinking:
— What do you mean?
Mei, eyes sparkling:
— Ahh! Like in the movies?!
Harumi stood up dramatically.
Struck a heroic pose that was completely unnecessary for a Monday morning.
Pointed forward.
— YES! WE'RE GOING SHOPPING!
Silence.
Mei jumped off her chair.
— SHOPPING!!!
She started shaking Takeru, who was still sitting there like his soul had left his body.
— Takeru! Shopping! Like in the movies!
He blinked once.
Just once.
Izumi stared at Harumi for five seconds.
Sighed.
Went back to eating.
— I give up on you.
Harumi smiled like she had just won an international debate.
One hour later:
The house looked like a war zone.
Boxes open.
Clothes everywhere.
Harumi running back and forth.
— WHERE ARE MY GOOD PANTS?!
— You don't have good pants. — Izumi answered from the bedroom.
— BETRAYAL.
Finally.
They all showed up in the living room.
Harumi was wearing bell-bottom pants, a stylish belt she stole from Izumi, a halter-style top, and a coat over it.
And of course.
The one bag she always carried everywhere.
Izumi appeared looking way too elegant for the situation: sheer tights, a dress, and a cardigan fastened with a single strategic button.
Takeru showed up in a hoodie, loose shirt, and a beanie—like a cool background character from a school drama.
And Mei…
Long socks.
Pants way too big.
Izumi's shirt that almost turned into a dress.
She looked like a tiny fashion gnome.
And there they were.
On the sidewalk.
Waiting for orders.
Harumi took a deep breath.
— PERFECT!
She said with all the enthusiasm possible for a regular Monday.
Pointed dramatically to an invisible horizon.
— We're going to the big city!
It didn't even take five seconds.
The three of them were already jumping.
Spinning.
Letting out tiny squeals.
— AAAAAAA!— BIG CITYYYY!— WE'RE TAKING THE TRAIIIIN!
Takeru took a deep breath.
He knew.
There was no going back.
The Train, Part 1: Peace.
They got in.
Sat down.
Everything normal.
The train swayed gently.
Mei leaned on Harumi's shoulder. Izumi scrolled on her phone. Takeru looked out the window. A calm Monday.
Adults heading to work.
A normal scene.
Five minutes later.
Harumi yawned. Izumi leaned her head against the glass. Mei was already asleep. Takeru tried to resist.
He tried.
But the motion of the train won.
And…
They knocked out.