Side Story. Takumi Takahara in the City of Nagoya Part 1.

The city was not very far from Shimizu. But at that moment, for Takumi, the town did not exist except in rumors. He knew his family had already moved there and that he would join them once the factory was ready. For now, he had to prepare.

The university drew inspiration from those he had heard existed in London. It wasn't very large, but it wasn't small either. Upon entering, he observed the gardens: gardenias and hydrangeas had been planted, flowers that made him stop and stare. The March heat was already beginning to be felt, and the small bees fluttering among the flowers didn't seem to mind about it.

That day, he had gone to enroll in the Business Administration program—a degree that would aid his future as the owner of the factory his father was still building.

His new life as a university student would begin a week later. That day he got lost for first time; once home, he sent a letter to his father to confirm his enrollment and to say he was already settled in the small residence provided for him.

By the time the first school week arrived, Takumi found himself wrapped in a routine that, at first, seemed exhausting. Although he was used to waking up before dawn, he still couldn't get used to the route that led to the university. He got lost constantly and arrived late to classes.

This affected his studies, and he felt he had to work twice as hard as his peers. He did not want to disappoint his father. They had already failed once in Osaka; the bankruptcy had been humiliating, and with the little they had saved, they had managed to move to Shimizu. Keiichi, his father, had managed to send him to university. It was his turn to do his part: to succeed.

Usually, the students at the university moved in groups, helping each other. Mostly out of shyness, Takumi had little contact with his classmates. Because of this, it was difficult for him to get help when a high fever struck him sometime in April. No one worried about him during the days he missed class, and the professors only sighed.

He spent an entire day in bed, unable to even get up for a drink of water. By the second day, he managed to leave his room as best he could and went to the nearest clinic. He didn’t know if his fever had broken or if he was simply recovering. Upon arrival, he managed to get treated and was admitted for the rest of the day to recover.

When he was discharged, he was prescribed some medicine to prevent a relapse. While waiting at the clinic's apothecary for his prescription to be filled, someone else arrived. Their fragile appearance caught his eye. He recognized the newcomer as a student from his university.

The person’s appearance—thin, fine-boned, and shorter than the average student—was striking. Their cheeks were flushed. Is he sick?

"I need relaxants," the person told the apothecary owner. Their voice was also less deep, speaking with a level of politeness unusual among the men of Nagoya. "My… sister… yes, my sister has cramps and asked me to bring her some."

The owner nodded silently and went to fetch what the person requested. Meanwhile, Takumi watched. The medicine was not for a mysterious sister. From having observed his mother several times, he could know how a woman act when she has cramps were felt, and the person had placed their trembling hands on that very spot.

The individual noticed Takumi watching and, without looking him in the eye, offered a bow. There was no further interaction. After paying for his medicine, Takumi left the place slowly to head back to his lodgings. Although the fever had subsided, he remained in bed that day, and during that time, he didn't think about the fragile-looking man.

Several days passed before he encountered that person again. He found them in the library, studying. They had several notebooks and accounting ledgers. As he passed by, he happened to see a book on herbalism.

Due of lack of free places in the library, Takumi sat down next to the fragile man and began to study. He was struggling to catch up with his classes and couldn't get the calculations to balance as the professor required. The man, curious, turned for a few seconds to look at Takumi's spreadsheet.

"Here and here," he said to Takumi in that soft voice he remembered. "You are adding incorrectly, and that’s why your accounts don't balance."

"Thank you very much," Takumi said, looking him in the eye, at which the person immediately lowered their gaze again.

"My father has always said that one should help if necessary," the man remarked while closing his notebooks.

That day, the library was crowded. But it seemed as if the two of them were alone, as if they were in a bubble. Takumi managed to complete his pending assignments successfully thanks to that man.

"I appreciate your help,” Takumi remarked, already considering him a friend.

"Tanaka," the person introduced himself with a bow. It seemed to frustrate him that Takumi wouldn't look him in the eye. "Tanaka Ren. It has been a pleasure to help you."

"I am Takahara Takumi. A pleasure," Takumi replied. "Would you like to join me for a meal?"

They both went to a nearby bar to eat. Ren carried their books, and once again, Takumi noticed the book about herbs. With curiosity, he remarked:

"I see you like herbology."

"My father has a business in Nagasaki. I am studying to inherit it," Ren commented.

His attitude was not one of fear or doubt. It seemed he enjoyed talking about the subject with someone. Again, Takumi noticed something strange. Ren was never quite at his side; rather, he stayed two steps behind him, as if they were...

"You don't have to be afraid," Takumi told Ren. "I don't bite. You can trust me."

Ren could only smile timidly and shake his head in silence. Takumi decided to change the subject.

"What kind of business does your father have, Tanaka-kun?"

"We dedicate ourselves to traditional medicine. It has been difficult, but father believes we can move forward."

Takumi listened intently to what Ren was saying. He mentioned how his older brother had died of cholera, and being the only remaining male, it was his turn to study. But Takumi's curiosity went beyond what Ren was saying.

"How many are in your family, Tanaka-kun?" Takumi asked Ren, who was having trouble carrying his books. He was so distracted trying to keep them from falling that he didn't realize what he was saying in his response.

"There are five of us," Ren replied, trying not to trip. "My two parents, my brother, and two women—me and my sister."

"How did you manage to deceive the university?" Takumi asked, causing Ren to stumble.

When Ren managed to recover from the fall, he pleaded, almost begging, for Takumi not to say anything. The two of them went to a less crowded place so they could speak about Ren's secret more calmly.

"My real name is Renko," She began telling Takumi. She looked nervous and didn't know how to continue the conversation. An awkward silence filled the air.

"Why are you doing this?" Takumi asked.

The newly discovered Renko thought about how to begin telling her story. She didn't know whether to tell him or not, as he could easily go and tell the truth. She didn't know what to do or say.

"Well?" Takumi insisted.

"Promise me you won't say anything," Renko said, looking at Takumi for the first time.

"I don't promise anything," Takumi said, which made Renko try to leave, but he stopped her. "Wait! If it matters that much to you, I promise."

"Alright," Renko replied, sitting down next to Takumi again. "I'll tell you."