The backyard looked beautiful.Tables decorated, flowers in the center, fairy lights hanging…Everything perfect.Everything elegant.
Except for the fact that Harumi looked like she had been attacked by three chickens, two bushes, and one lizard.
Regina sighed, fixing her daughter's hair with unnecessary force:— If you go near people looking like this, they'll think I raised you in the forest.
— Mom… but I fought the forest…
— Exactly, Harumi.
The obaasans arrived carrying huge trays.The food smelled so good it felt like it had been prepared by local deities.
— Regina, we let the meat rest!— The desserts are all ready!— And Haru?
— Alive. More or less.
Harumi waved with a tired smile, looking like a dehydrated plant.
The guests arrived. And with them… social RPG dialogue.
The sweet neighbors came with gifts, sweets, flowers, compliments.The younger ones arrived excited, curious.
And others…
Arrived with opinions nobody asked for.
Harumi was serving tea when she heard:
— She has a big heart, doesn't she?— Yes, yes! Just suddenly taking in two kids like that… such courage!— I just wonder…— How long she'll last.
Harumi froze.
But before she could react…
Takeru, standing behind the table, heard everything.Every. Single. Word.
He stopped.Planted his feet on the ground.
And his chest tightened, like always.
Like always since he was little.
Like always when adults said things thinking kids couldn't hear.
He thought:
"I knew it. I knew we shouldn't have stayed."
Mei, happily eating "fancy" sweets, didn't notice anything.
But Takeru's gaze dropped to the ground.
— Takeru? — Harumi called softly.
He didn't answer.
And the worst part: she didn't even realize he had heard it.
Fortunately…There were children. And children… fix worlds.
The village boys weren't exactly strangers.They had seen Takeru before.
On the street.
Passing by.
Sometimes playing ball with Aokaze. Sometimes just watching from afar.
And he always seemed… hard to approach.
But today was different.
Today he was in the backyard.
And that…Was basically an invitation.
— Hey! — one of the boys called, approaching with a crooked smile. — Do you live here now?
Takeru looked.Shrugged.
— …Yeah.
— We've seen you around! — another added. — You play ball with Sora, right?
— Sometimes.
Short silence.
A third boy pointed to the back of the yard.
— Is that a real pond?
Takeru answered, simple:
— Yeah.
Silence.
Two seconds.Three.
— …— …
— DUDE, THERE'S A POND!!
And that was enough.
The whole group started walking faster.Then running.Straight to the backyard.
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
— BOYS! — Harumi appeared behind them, already panicking. — BOYS, WAIT, DON'T—!!
Too late.
They were already at the edge of the pond.
— GUYS, IT'S COLD!— I KNOW!!— LET'S DO IT ANYWAY!!
And then—
PLOFTPLOFT PLOFT PLOFT
One. By. One.
They jumped.
No thinking.No fear.No logic.
Just… being kids.
Harumi stopped.Froze.
— H-H-HOW DID YOU—?!
She ran over, desperate.
— GUYS! THE WIND IS FREEZING!!
— THIS IS AWESOME!!— OH MY GOD YOU'RE GOING TO DIE—
Izumi was already filming.Of course.
Regina showed up with towels and a judgmental stare.The obaasans laughed like it was live entertainment.
And there, in the middle of the water…
Takeru.
He had gotten in without anyone noticing.
At first, just walking.Slowly.Like he was testing it.
But then—
A kid splashed water at him.
— HEY!!
Another one did it too.
— IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!
Lie.
And suddenly…
He splashed back.
Once.Twice.Three times.
And then…
Takeru was laughing.
Actually laughing.
Running through the pond.Dodging.Throwing water.Competing.
Like…
Like he wasn't carrying anything.
Like he was just another kid.
Harumi stopped running.Completely.
Her breath caught for a second.Her hand went straight to her chest.
Because something there…Warmed up.
For real.
She looked.Without blinking.
— …he's being a kid…
Her voice came out soft.Almost trembling.
Mei appeared beside her.Her friends next to her.Eyes sparkling.
— Harumi…
She smiled.Wide.
— Can I go to the room with them to play?!
Harumi swallowed hard.Her eyes watered.
She smiled anyway.
— OF COURSE YOU CAN! If you need anything, call me, okay girls!!
She pressed her chest lightly.
And for the first time…
It didn't feel like a dream.
It felt real.
Too real.
But the world doesn't stop for that. The gossip continues.
Behind them, the neighbors were still talking:
— But seriously, she's amazing… I just don't know for how long.— Kids are a lot of work…— And she's so young… maybe 26?— It must be hard for her…
Takeru heard it again.
And this time, he looked at Harumi — laughing while handing towels to the soaked boys.
He stared at her for a long moment.
It wasn't hatred.Not anger.
It was…
A decision.
A heavy one.
"I need to leave before she gets tired of me."
And Mei had no idea about that decision.
And Harumi?
Completely unaware of the existential crisis happening three meters away.
She just raised her hands and shouted toward the pond:
— TAKERU, YOU'RE GONNA GET PNEUMONIAAAA!!
Takeru shouted back:
— I'M FINE!!!
And dove again.
At the end of the day…
Regina and the obaasans served the banquet like culinary goddesses.The guests ate like there was no tomorrow.Harumi ran around like she had 17 clones.
Everyone left happy.
And Takeru…
Stayed still for a while, looking at the house door.
Thinking:
"If I leave… it hurts."
"If I stay… it might hurt later."
Mei held his hand.
— Takeru?
He took a deep breath.
Looked at the house.Looked at Harumi laughing with Izumi.
And didn't decide anything yet.
But he did decide…
That he would have to leave at some point.
But only when Mei was asleep.
The night would be long.
Just one more smile.