Chapter 18 : a day with Haru

The morning sun spilled across the streets, bright and warm, but the air still had that crisp hint of spring.Ayase adjusted her bag, glancing down at Haru.“Ready for today?” she asked.Haru simply nodded, calm and precise as always.“ Yeah. Where do you want to start?”Ayase raised an eyebrow. He sounded… like an adult. Not the sixteen-year-old she expected.They walked through the city streets. Ayase tried to make conversation, asking about school, teachers, friends. Haru answered, but with a strange patience, as if he had all the time in the world.“Do you want to grab breakfast first, or just go straight to the mall?” he asked, already calculating the time they’d need for their schedule.Ayase blinked.When did he start planning his day like this?“Don’t you want something sweet?” Ayase asked when she spotted a small bakery.“No, thank you” he said calmly.Ayase stared at him. Sixteen. And already rejecting pastries like a tiny adult.“ You’re impossible”, she muttered.They bought fried meatballs from a street vendor, a stray dog wandered near them. Haru calmly gives it a meatball.“Aren't you supposed to be afraid of dogs?” she asked, half amused, half bewildered.He froze, remembering when he used to cry every time their father would brought a stray dog, their mom will always argue with him while holding the first son of the family.Their dad will apologize before doing it again, the next month. Maybe that's why Souta is so obsessed with animals.Ayase snorted, that brings the boy back to reality, he then blushed slightly.Later, they walked past Haru's work place. Blue lantern bookshop, Haru paused, turned back before entering the place followed by his big sister. The book store was full of customers, Mister Sano was helping two young girls, once they saw Haru, they started blushing before running to the cashier.“ didn't I tell you not to show up at work during your day off young boy ?” his tone was concerned but gentle “it's been a while Ayase, how are you doing?”The young women bowed before talking.“ I am alright Mister Sano, and I hope the same for you, thanks again for haru's day off”The two girls from earlier came back, they needed help the other employees were busy, and Mister Sano was talking to Ayase, Haru noticed them and decided to help.While he was away, Mister Sano and Ayase talked seriously.
“he has been thinking about his future… college applications, scholarships, the club activities he wants to continue” Ayase heard Mister Sano mutter.Her heart stopped.“He shouldn't be...” she thought. “ but I'm not even surprised” she said.“He needs to relax sometimes” Mister Sano said softly. “ you're not a bad sister, he just wants to help as much as he can”“ I know, he likes being prepared for everything ” Ayase pouts.Mister Sano laughed.“Yeah, yeah… the perfect little adult”, he teased.~Once Haru was done helping those girls, they wandered through a small park, playing a game of “who can spot the weirdest flower first.” Haru, predictably, won.“You cheated” she exclaimed.“Observational skills”, he said, smirking.Ayase laughed until her cheeks hurt. This was… surprisingly fun.~As the late afternoon sun began to soften, Ayase noticed something unusual.Haru had paused near a small square, his attention fixed on a group of idols performing on a temporary stage. The crowd around them was mostly teens—laughing, cheering, waving light sticks.Ayase tilted her head.“Do you want to go join them?” she asked, trying to tease him lightly.Haru shook his head calmly.“ Not interested” he said.Ayase raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. Some things about Haru were just… private.They walked home quietly, the streets gradually emptying as the evening approached.~The apartment was quiet when they returned. Souta and Kana were asleep, the soft glow of the nightlight spilling across the room.After putting the youngest in his bed, Ayase closed the door of her bedroom gently and leaned against it for a moment, exhaling.“ Kana, I need to talk to you”, she said softly once her friend was awake enough to respond.Kana rubbed her eyes and sat up.“What happened?” she asked.Ayase hesitated, then recounted the day. The walks, the bookstore, the park, the moments with Haru. She told her about the pause near the idol group and Haru’s calm refusal.“That sounds… like normal Haru when he is not grumpy”, she said quietly. “But why did you organize this outing in the first place?”Ayase’s fingers traced the edge of the table.“One of Haru’s teachers called me. He said Haru was making fun of because he is an orphan. I wanted to… talk to him, to spend time with him, I expected him to talk about it in a safe environment.” Ayase's eyes were wet.Kana’s eyes softened, and she reached over, placing a hand over Ayase’s.“I see...”“ It’s not easy for him, and I don’t want him to feel alone”Kana hugged her tightly, letting her friend cry silently on her shoulder.~They talked for a while. Kana mentioned Kota, the journalist.“He seems… persistent” she said with a small laugh.Ayase’s expression grew serious.“Be careful, Kana. You know people like him can push too far”Kana gave a small nod. Ayase extended her pinky.“ Promise me you’ll be cautious, even just a little”Kana entwined her pinky with Ayase’s.“ I promise”Ayase smiled, feeling a small sense of comfort.“ How about we have a little girls’ night?” she suggested, her voice lighter. A small evening, just us, some snacks, and a movie.Kana’s eyes brightened.“ That sounds perfect.”End of chapter 18