Harumi burst in, breathless, unbalanced, and emotionally destroyed.
She entered like she was invading enemy territory:
— I'M HOOOME, CHILDREN OF MY LIFE, I MISSED YOU, HELP MEEEE!!!
Takeru was in the kitchen, finishing putting away the dishes.
Mei ran and jumped into her arms, as always.
— HARUMI! Harumi! Look, Takeru made chicken again!
— AHH I LOVE YOU GUYS! But… wow, my day was a circus on fire…
Harumi immediately started spiraling.
— My boss yelled, the printer hated me, the train almost closed on my face, Izumi sent me fifteen messages asking if I was alive—
Takeru watched in silence.
Harumi dropped her bag and kept going, now talking to herself:
— I still have to do laundry, prepare snacks, pick Mei's clothes for tomorrow, check if Takeru did homework— wait, he doesn't have homework — and I need to buy soap because it's out, cook for tomorrow, prepare lunch boxes, OH MY GOD I NEED TO SLEEP EARLY—
She stopped, out of breath.
Mei giggled:
— Haru, your face got weird!!
— It always does. — Takeru muttered.
Harumi finally took a deep breath.
— But it's fine! — she fixed her hair. — I can handle it! I just need to do… everything… before midnight… and then I pass out.
She started listing tasks out loud like it was normal:
— Tomorrow I wake up, make breakfast, get Mei ready, leave food for you, Takeru, buy more rice, oh and soap, and laundry, and—
Takeru tightened his grip on the dishcloth.
Each word hit like a hammer.
She's tired. Really tired. And it's because of me.
Harumi noticed nothing.
She was in her natural state: surviving until the next morning.
But Takeru thought:
Harumi can take care of Mei. Just her. Mei likes her. I'm in the way. I promised to prioritize Mei's happiness… If I leave, everything gets easier.
That's when he made the decision.
Silently.
But Harumi only saw him frown slightly—and assumed he was sleepy.
Bedtime (…supposedly)
Mei fell asleep on the futon before her head even hit the pillow.
Harumi, exhausted, went to check on Takeru:
— Takeru? Time to—
She opened the door.
He was sitting on the tatami.
Playing a small handheld game.
No lights on.No sound.
Just the faint glow lighting his serious face.
— Takeru?
— I'm not sleeping yet. — he said without looking. — It's still early.
— Takeru… it's ten at night.
— You can go to sleep. You work early. I'll go later. Don't worry, I'll wake up early and prepare things.
Harumi frowned.
Because he wasn't irritated.
Or impatient.
He was…
too quiet.
Too closed off.
Too alone.
So she made the most professional decision possible:
— I'm gonna play with you.
Takeru blinked, confused.
— …Why?
— Because I want to!
Harumi flopped onto the floor, grabbing the second controller she herself had broken and taped back together.
— And because you've got the "thinking nonsense" face.
— I don't.
— YOU DO! I know that face! It's the same one I make when I remember getting rejected at the school cafeteria.
Takeru looked away, embarrassed.
Harumi pressed Start.
— Let's go. If I lose, you go to sleep.
— That doesn't make sense.
— SHUT UP AND LOSE.
They started playing.
First, Takeru won.Then Harumi won by accident.Then Harumi won because Takeru let her.Then Harumi died trying to jump a two-inch gap.
And they laughed.
Really laughed.
That tiny, rare Takeru laugh appeared like a miracle.
Harumi looked at him, emotional.
— Takeru… tomorrow… wanna play again?
— Maybe.
He said it casually, but the corner of his mouth lifted.
They stayed there another hour.
Or two.
Or… three.
Then Harumi checked the time:
— AAAAAAAAAAH I'M LATE FOR SLEEP!!
— You forgot you sleep early.
— I ALWAYS FORGET, TAKERU!! IT'S YOUR FAULT!!
— You stayed here.
— BUT YOU'RE MY VIDEO GAME BOY AND I HAD TO SUPPORT YOU!!
— I'm not your boy.
Takeru said, blushing.
— AHHH MY HEART!!
They ran to the room like it was a competition.
Harumi turned off the lights.
And fell asleep smiling.
Takeru too.
But before closing his eyes, he thought:
"…Maybe… I don't have to leave yet."