Hanabi Summer Event

With only a few weeks left in summer vacation, I played any time I wasn’t working or sleeping, wanting to level up enough to play with everyone again on even ground. Although it was tough at first, I ended up having a lot of fun. Seiji and Hinami helped me a few times too and I was able to reach level 38 before school started.

For the most part, it was a normal summer. I couldn’t contact Sun a week after my birthday, but I assumed Steve arrived earlier than expected and she was devoting all her time to spending it with him. There was also a moment when I started to fear what Hinami was capable of.

Ryuuji, Seiji, and Hanabi are playing Starfight and have just completed another dungeon, bringing Ryuuji to level 33. The two boys are excited and ready to do another, but Hanabi is less enthusiastic.

“Sweet, I went up another level!”

“I haven’t done that dungeon in a few years. I forgot how fun it is, though also stupid easy.” Seiji says.

“See? Helping me out isn’t so bad. Now what should we do next?”

“Instead of another dungeon, how about we go out tomorrow instead? You know, the real world.” Hanabi suggests.

“Why? This is plenty fun.” Ryuuji says without thinking.

“Because it’s SUMMER!” Hanabi shouts. “Normal people go for walks, to the beach, or even shopping. I don’t know where Sun is, but I know she would agree with me.”

“Just pick something you want to do and we’ll make a plan.” Seiji says.

“I already work almost every day, do I have to go too?” Ryuuji points out.

“You work inside, correct?”

Already knowing where she is going with this, Ryuuji hesitates to answer, “...yes.”

“Then besides making money, it’s no different. You could probably use some fresh air too.”

Ryuuji is instantly defeated and feels it futile to convince her otherwise.

After discussing it a bit more, they all agree to meet at the garden near the train station, the place where they all first met outside of school, before going to the nearby shopping area to find something to do. It isn’t much, but the main point is to go out anyway. While a trip was an affordable option, they didn’t want to go without Sun.

The next day, Hanabi is already waiting by the garden with Ryuuji arriving not long after. Apparently Seiji called Hanabi telling her he will be running late, leaving them both to wait.

Since he’s been spending so much time with these two in recent weeks, Ryuuji can’t help thinking back to when he had to rush over to Seiji’s house and he spilled his whole story. That woman who took care of him, Reiko, has Hinami ever met her? He decides to ask and gets a reaction he never would have expected.

“Hey Hinami. When I went to Seiji’s a few weeks ago he told me about his caretaker Reiko. Have you met her before?”

Once he’s finished asking, Ryuuji glances over at Hanabi only to discover her normally gentle face turned fierce.

“I can’t stand that woman.”

Ryuuji feels fearful and takes a step back, but since he came this far, he just has to know more and ventures deeper.

“Why do you say that?” he asks, then treading carefully, “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

Hanabi realizes how she was acting and tries to calm herself, “I’m sorry, that woman just makes me so angry.” she says to Ryuuji. “I only met her once, 6 months after we started dating.”

********************

When it was almost the end of the school year, Seiji missed a day of school which was practically unheard of. Despite being a ‘problem student’ he always strived for perfect attendance and the teachers weren’t told anything about this absence either.

Since we were still in the class where he confessed in front of everyone, they all pushed for me to bring him his notes and homework for the day, even though I still hadn’t been to his place. Before then, Seiji already told me he wasn’t comfortable having people over, but I still didn’t know why.

Hanabi was given Seiji’s home address by one of the teachers. A short distance from the school, it’s a small apartment building, a bit older compared to some. Following the address she was given, she reaches his door on the second floor and knocks, first waiting for a response. After hearing nothing, she announces her name and tells Seiji that she brought him notes from today, but there is only silence.

Although she’s sure the door is locked, Hanabi still tries turning the handle and it opens. She slowly enters, whispering “sorry for intruding” so as to not scare anyone. After fully opening the door, she’s shocked by what she sees.

Seiji is sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, clearly sleeping, but looks disheveled. He’s in his school uniform making it seem as if he tried to go to school and possibly didn’t have the strength.

“Seiji!!”

Hanabi rushes over to check on him. She bends down and feels his forehead which feels warm, indicating he has a fever. Without thinking, she turns around and puts Seiji’s arm around her shoulder to attempt to lift him up so she can at least put him in bed.

She manages to lift him a little bit before slipping and falling. Frustrated, Hanabi lets out a huff, blowing her hair out from in front of her eyes. She didn’t expect to have to do something like this.

Hanabi then takes a deep breath, gathering all her strength, and attempts to lift Seiji again. It proves more successful and she carefully walks to his bed just a few steps away. She lays him down, upper body first, then turns his legs onto the bed before pulling up the covers.

Exhausted, Hanabi sits on the bed beside him, looking down at her boyfriend who didn’t wake up at all. She then hears him mumble.

“I have to go to school...”

Hanabi lets out a heavy sigh and responds despite him being unable to hear, “School is over for today, Seiji.”

Hanabi then observes Seiji’s apartment. It’s a one-bedroom apartment with all the simple necessities and a single bed, except no TV and not even a proper desk. There’s no way more than one person would stay in this small room, so Seiji must live alone. It’s no wonder he ended up like this.

Determined to do more to help, Hanabi gets up and checks the cabinets and fridge. Unexpectedly, it’s all fully stocked with various easy-to-make meals and ingredients. She doesn’t question it and decides to make rice and miso soup. She figures that even if he doesn’t wake up while she’s here, then at least she can feel comfort in knowing he will have something to eat. Since there is no rice cooker she starts with making rice in a pot before starting on the soup.

In the middle of doing so, the front door opens and she looks over to see an older woman walk in, “Seiji, are you home?” she asks.

The woman and Hanabi lock eyes, both equally surprised to see someone they’ve never met in the apartment.

“Who might you be?” the woman asks.

“I’m Seiji’s classmate, Hanabi Hinami.”

“I’m Reiko, his caretaker. What are you-”

However, hearing that lights a flame in Hanabi’s eyes and she responds with fury. “How can you call yourself a caretaker if you don’t even notice the person you’re entrusted to watch over is so sick they can barely move?!”

“What did you say?”

Reiko tries to enter to assess the situation, but Hanabi steps away from the stove and in front of the woman. She holds her arms out, not allowing her in any further. Reiko looks at the young girl as she makes a declaration.

“As Seiji’s g-girlfriend I refuse to let you through. If you can’t properly take care of him then I will!”

Reiko knows nothing about this girl and can still tell it won’t be easy to get through. Rather than argue, she calmly takes a step back and crosses her arms, deciding to challenge Hanabi’s earlier statement.

“I thought you said you were his classmate?”

Knowing she messed that up, Hanabi blushes, “I’m still a bit nervous to admit we are dating.”

Seeing that genuine reaction, there’s no doubting her words. Reiko glances around Hanabi to see Seiji is laying in bed. Since he didn’t wake up at all despite their confrontation, she believes the young girl’s statement that he is sick.

Instead of pushing, she offers to buy Seiji medication, but Hanabi refuses, telling her that she has had to for her family a few times and knows what is best. Hanabi is reminded that she is cooking as she smells the food and rushes back to the stove so nothing burns.

Watching the flustered girl, Reiko opens her wallet and places money on the kitchen counter. “At least let me pay for it.”

Although she would rather not accept anything from this woman, Hanabi understands she just wants to help and answers while refusing to make eye contact.

“That’s fine. Now please leave.”

Reiko takes one last look at Hanabi before walking out, deciding not to say another word.

Once she hears the door close, Hanabi’s eyes widen and her face turns bright red. Before then, she had never spoken to someone like that. She calms down and turns back to look at Seiji.

“But Seiji is always saying he will protect me...what’s the point if I can’t protect him?”

********************

Hanabi continues to explain that she put the meal in the fridge and went out to buy him cold medicine with Reiko’s money. When she got back, she put it on the table by his bed with a glass of water and a note telling him about the food. He recovered overnight and had no issues attending school the next day.

“What a lucky kid. I’m sure you’ll tell me he fell in love with you even more after that.”

Ryuuji expects a favorable response and is instead met with an upset Hanabi.

“Actually...he still has no idea I did all that.”

“How? You said you left a note!”

“I was rushing so much I forgot to write my name. The next day at school he did thank me for dropping off his notes and decided to tell me for the first time about his living situation. He just assumed his caretaker did all that.”

“What a jerk!”

Hanabi can’t help laughing at Ryuuji’s comment. Back then, she felt she couldn’t say anything and instead cried and called him an idiot over and over, which only left Seiji confused. Even now, she’s still too nervous to tell him.

Knowing their relationship, Ryuuji is surprised she would think that.

“If you want my opinion, whether you told him about this now or back then, it wouldn’t have mattered. Maybe you’re afraid he’ll be upset you entered his place without his permission, or you’re embarrassed you scared Reiko away, but none of that matters. You had your own reasons and he will be thankful no matter what.”

Hanabi takes a look at Ryuuji and considers everything he just said. He probably is right, and she admits that just like Seiji has been confronting his problems recently, she needs to gather the courage to tell him herself. Just not today!

They both notice Seiji running over to them and he quickly apologizes.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“It’s okay, we weren’t waiting too long.” Hanabi says.

However Ryuuji offers a different reaction, “Glad you made it, you jerk.”

This makes Seiji more confused than upset. “You’re attacking me because I accidentally overslept?”

“Nah, you’ll find out one day you jerk.”

Seiji then turns to ask Hanabi if she knows why Ryuuji is reacting that way. While she definitely does, she tries to hide it.

“Do you know what this is about?”

“No way, how should I know what Ryuuji is thinking?”

“Good point. Let’s just get going then.”

Hanabi feels the urge to kick Ryuuji despite his good intentions, but settles with demanding he pay for everything instead. After all, he is the only one of them that has a job.