Tokyo, Ikebukuro Station, Toshima Ward.
Gentle sunlight cautiously wove through the green canopy, slowly spilling onto the spring-scented earth. It danced along the empty slope like a mischievous young girl at play.
Unknowingly, on this slope bathed in the warm, quiet afternoon light, a figure walked steadily from one end, heading toward the sun.
"Ah, feels so good."
After reaching the top of the slope, Aragaki Miyahito turned around. He faced the refreshing breeze, let the warm sunlight wash over him, and casually pulled off his over-ear headphones, draping them around his neck.
"Though, the scenery still falls a bit short compared to Chiba."
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Raising a hand to shield his eyes from the bright glare, he spoke with a light, cheerful tone.
"But still, the new life is just around the corner."
The moment the words left his lips, his pocket suddenly buzzed.
「Say, if only I could cast it all away.....」
Instinctively, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
However, the moment the caller ID flashed on the screen, Miyahito's expression instantly froze.
Taking a deep, heavy breath, he silently told himself, It's fine. I'll have to face it sooner or later. You got this! Then, he slowly moved his thumb toward the answer button.
His fingertip lightly tapped the screen. As he brought the phone to his ear, he answered in his usual tone.
"Hello, Ayase."
"Big Brother!"
His younger sister, Aragaki Ayase's, voice came through the line, bright and delighted.
Yet, hearing her voice, a pang of guilt immediately struck Miyahito's heart.
Before deciding to move to Tokyo for school, he hadn't discussed it with Ayase... In fact, he'd slipped out early that morning while she was still asleep.
The reason wasn't complicated.
He simply couldn't bear to see her face fall with reluctance, begging him to stay.
Because Miyahito knew himself well enough—if his sister looked at him with those teary, pleading eyes, he would almost certainly cave and stay in Chiba.
That was exactly why, unwilling to give up the "Freedom Plan" he'd spent years plotting, and unwilling to see his sister cry, he chose to leave Chiba in secret.
Since childhood, the two siblings had been incredibly close.
Due to their parents' demanding work schedules, young Ayase had largely been raised by Miyahito.
Wherever he went, Ayase would always tug at his sleeve, calling out "Big Brother!" and following him closely.
So, suddenly learning that her brother was moving away to live alone in Tokyo—how could a sister who had relied on him so much possibly accept that easily?
"Big Brother, why did you suddenly go to Tokyo?!"
"Big Brother! Didn't we promise! That you'd always stay with Ayase? Why are you suddenly going to school in Tokyo?"
Even through the screen, Miyahito, now standing in Tokyo, could vividly feel his sister's sadness and reluctance.
"Big Brother! You lied to me! Waaaaah!"
"Ah, Ayase, don't cry, it's okay, please don't cry!"
Hearing his sister's voice shift from anger to sorrow... and finally breaking into tears, Miyahito, who had been silent, instantly panicked.
"It's okay... Ayase, no more tears, alright?"
Oh no, oh no! Ayase is crying! What do I do?!
Flustered by her sobbing, Miyahito felt like an ant on a hot pan, utterly at a loss.
"Ayase, don't cry, okay!"
"Ah... don't cry, don't cry, Big Brother is coming home right now! Okay? Ayase, let's not cry anymore, alright?"
His panic mounting, Miyahito didn't hesitate. He immediately bent down, grabbed the handle of his rolling suitcase, and while continuing to coax his still-sniffling sister over the phone, he turned and headed straight for the nearby bus stop.
Just as he was steeling himself to abandon the "Freedom Plan" he'd spent years meticulously plotting—and finally wrestled away from his stubborn old man—to rush home and comfort his sister...
Ayase's sobbing suddenly stopped. Then, sniffing intermittently, she spoke haltingly.
"(Sniff)... (Sniff)... Big Brother! (Sniff)... You have to come home every month..."
Only then did Miyahito finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Still a bit nervous, he quickly replied.
"Yeah, yeah, Big Brother got it! I'll definitely come home every month!"
"(Sniff)... You have to call me every day... (Sniff)..."
"Ah, every day..."
"It has to be! Every single night!"
"Okay, okay, every night, Big Brother will call you, got it."
"... And, I want your apartment key!"
"I already left a spare in your room. You can grab it later, it's in the second drawer of your desk."
"Mmm...."
After a bit more grumbling and verbally agreeing to a whole slew of highly unequal terms, Miyahito hung up the phone and let out a massive sigh of relief.
Then, he quietly stared at his now-black phone screen.
A moment later, he let out a soft sigh.
"Ah..."
He quietly murmured to himself.
I'm sorry, Ayase. I hope you can forgive my selfishness.
Feeling a bit heavy-hearted, Miyahito didn't head to his newly rented apartment right away. Instead, he stayed put and plopped down onto his suitcase.
His gaze swept past the slope, over the city streets and high-rise buildings, resting quietly on the clear blue sky far in the distance, which seemed to melt into the urban landscape.
Gradually.
Miyahito felt his own heart settle into calm.
"Hum hum... Cherry blossoms, falling one by one."
"Swaying, embracing my thoughts."
"That dream of meeting you in spring....."
For some reason, Miyahito suddenly felt like singing that song.
Maybe it was because the cherry trees would bloom in just a few days?The corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift. Pushing himself up from the suitcase, Miyahito stood.
Turning around, he slipped the headphones back over his ears, grabbed his suitcase handle, and started walking again.
I wonder how the apartment Maki rented for me is.
Walking once more down the spring-breezy streets, Miyahito couldn't help but fantasize about his new life.
Living alone. Eating alone. Sleeping alone.
To many, that kind of life might sound lonely.
But for Aragaki Miyahito.
No more annoying lectures. No more crushing academic pressure.
No more grueling kendo training. No more rigid, rule-bound etiquette to follow.
Sure, from now on, he'd have to deal with all the inconveniences and hassles of living on his own.
And as a high school freshman, he'd still have to attend classes and study.
But compared to the two golden ideals of "freedom to do what I love" and "living the life I want," those were trivial matters.
He stopped walking, letting his suitcase rest against his leg, and looked up.
Gazing at the building before him, his face alight with anticipation and quiet joy, he spoke softly—whether to himself or to the new life about to begin.
"Hello. Please take care of me."
The future.