Chapter 12:

Chapter 11: “Himari’s Concern”

Welcome Home , Papa

Himari Sato noticed Touko Nishima on the very first day.

Most people noticed Touko for her beauty or her quiet mystery. Himari noticed her because she looked lonely. Not the kind of loneliness that came from lacking people. The kind that came from choosing not to reach for anyone at all.

During lunch, Himari carried her tray over with a hopeful smile. “Touko! Can I sit with you?”

Touko lifted her eyes. Calm. Soft. Empty in a way that made Himari straighten without knowing why.

“Yes,” Touko said.

Himari relaxed instantly and took the seat beside her, not across from her like the others. She opened her bento and pushed a tiny box forward. “I brought extra tamagoyaki. Want some? They’re a bit sweet today.”

Touko looked at it, then at Himari’s face. Himari’s smile was genuine. Warm. The kind of warmth Touko only saw when Kei came home and said her name gently.

Kei’s voice echoed in her mind:

“It’s good to have people you can trust, Touko.”

Trust.

Another thing she needed to understand.

Another thing she needed to perform.

“Thank you,” Touko said as she took a piece.

Himari lit up like a puppy praised for the first time. “You’re welcome! You came early today again, didn’t you? You’re always so punctual.”

Touko nodded. “I like being prepared.”

Himari rested her chin in her hands. “You know… you’re really fun to watch. You’re so graceful and quiet. But also kinda intimidating.”

Touko blinked. “I don’t try to be intimidating.”

“I know,” Himari laughed. “But it’s like… you’re hard to read.”

Touko lowered her gaze to her lunch. Being unreadable was good. Being unpredictable was safer. If people couldn’t understand her, they couldn’t take anything from her.

Especially not Kei.

“What about you?” Touko asked. “Why do you sit with me?”

Himari hesitated. Then she shrugged with a shy grin. “Because you look like you could use someone to talk to.”

Touko tilted her head. “Do you think that’s true?”

“Yeah. You seem like the type who keeps everything inside.”

Touko thought about her late-night rituals—standing at Kei’s door, listening to his breathing, writing in her diary about the things she couldn’t say out loud.

Things Himari could never understand.

But she didn’t dislike Himari.

Himari was gentle.

Predictable.

Honest.

A useful study subject.

Touko lifted her chopsticks. “You care about a lot of people.”

“I guess I do.” Himari laughed again. “Maybe too much.”

Touko watched her with a stillness that wasn’t normal for a high school girl. She examined every shift in Himari’s expression, every nervous twitch of her fingers.

Himari wasn’t dangerous.

Himari didn’t threaten anything Touko valued.

Himari didn’t know enough to ruin anything.

And Kei said having someone to trust was good.

So Touko allowed her presence.

When lunch break ended, Himari slipped her arm through Touko’s as they walked back to class. Touko didn’t pull away, though the contact felt unusual.

“Are you doing anything after school?” Himari asked. “We could grab a snack. There’s a shop near the station with cute pastries.”

Touko shook her head. “I go home early.”

“Ah… family stuff?”

Touko’s fingers tightened around her bag strap.

“Yes,” she said.

Himari didn’t notice the small shift in her tone. Touko wasn’t thinking of family. She was thinking of Kei arriving home in the evening. His tired smile. His voice saying, “Touko, welcome back.” The way Yui sometimes hugged him first.

A small knot twisted in her stomach.

She hated that part.

During afternoon lessons, Himari kept glancing at Touko, worried. Touko wasn’t doing anything strange. Her posture was perfect. Her notes were perfect. Her concentration never broke.

But something in her eyes felt different today.

More distant.

More calculating.

When classes ended, Himari walked with her to the shoe lockers. “Touko, are you sure you’re okay? You looked kinda… sad.”

Touko blinked, surprised someone saw that. Most people couldn’t read her at all.

But Himari wasn’t like most people.

She was soft, simple, transparent. A clear window Touko could look through.

“I’m fine,” Touko said gently.

“Okay…” Himari fiddled with her sleeves. “If you ever wanna talk, I’m here. I really like being your friend.”

Friend.

The word sounded unstable in Touko’s mind. Fragile. Temporary. People used it loosely and abandoned it just as easily.

But Kei liked the idea. Kei encouraged it.

So Touko gave a small smile. “Thank you.”

Himari beamed like she’d just won something precious.

They stepped outside. The late afternoon sun warmed the courtyard. Students laughed and chattered, but the moment felt oddly quiet around the two girls.

Touko stopped walking.

Himari turned to her. “What’s wrong?”

Touko studied her face again. The open expression. The earnest worry.

She wondered how long honesty lasted.

How long trust stayed intact.

How long before people lied.

Touko tilted her head slightly.

“Do you get sad when people lie to you?” she asked.

Himari blinked at the sudden question. “Well… yeah. Of course. It hurts when someone you care about isn’t honest.”

Touko’s eyes softened.

“I see.”

“Why?” Himari asked. “Did someone lie to you?”