Chapter 2: The First Bomb

“Hey... Sachi. I’m home.” I managed a smile and held out the candy bar.

Sachi just stared at me, squinted at the candy bar and took it, inspecting it like it was a bribe. Which it totally was. “... Onii-chan. I gave this to Shimizu-san yesterday.”

Drats. He set me up. I shook my imaginary fist at Shimizu-san, who was almost certainly smiling his annoyingly gentle smile back at the shrine.

“Come in,” Sachi muttered.

I blinked. I was expecting an earful in front of the entire neighbourhood. Maybe the candy bar worked? I stepped into the genkan and took off my shoes. The familiar sights and smells hit me. I really was home.

“Where’s mum? I’ll cook tonight. Your favourite curry.” I wasn’t taking any chances. I had to ride the wave to the fullest and keep Sachi happy for as long as possible.

“Oh? Mum’s not back yet.” There it was. That familiar upward inflection in her voice that betrayed her excitement. She was trying hard, but she couldn’t hide it from me. She absolutely loved my curry.

“Since you’re cooking curry... I’ll help cook the rice and let mum know then. There are ingredients in the fridge.”

There it was. Sachi had been bribed successfully.

Before long, the ingredients were prepped and the pot was simmering. Sachi checked it more frequently than necessary.

“So.”

“So.”

“Two years.”

“Yeah. Two years.”

“And you just... showed up. Without a word.”

“You were the one who summoned me home with that manga threat.”

Sachi huffed and threw her hands in the air, rolling her eyes.

“Sendai. How was it?”

“It was great. Uncle and aunt treated me like their own son. They even let me cook for them. School was alright. I made new friends there too.”

“Of course you would. It’d be weird if you had no friends after two years.”

Ah. There it was. Her familiar quips, creeping back in. The awkwardness had finally worn off.

“Yeah. How about you? How was Kaminoseki?”

“It’s still here.”

That wasn’t the question I really wanted to ask. And she knew it.

“I heard from Shimizu-san that you and Hana-chan were in the Obon dance troupe.”

“Oh? You were in touch with Shimizu-san? All this time?” Her voice went up a notch. Dangerously high.

“I passed by the shrine on the way home. Just to pay respects and say hi. I told him I’d be here for a month.” I quickly clarified and threw in a nugget to appease the lioness.

“Oh. So you’d stay until after Obon.” Her voice settled back down to safe levels.

Why am I treading water around Sachi?

“Anyways. How are the Inoues? Are they well?”

“Kenji is still Kenji. You can talk to him yourself. He’s still our neighbour.” Sachi’s ears went a bit pink as she tried to brush it off.

I stared at her. Something was up.

“Okay... And Hana?”

“Hana’s my classmate now. She’s become a lot cuter, onii-chan. She grew her hair out. You should talk to her more. I think she’ll be thrilled to know you’re back! She dances well too. You must come to watch her during Obon.” Sachi threw me a smile with a light punch on my shoulder. “Next time, tell us you’re coming back, okay. Some of us need preparations.”

I glanced at her again. Definitely something was up. “Yeah... How about the rest of the family?”

There was a pause before Sachi’s response.

“Yuki is still Yuki.” Sachi straightened up and changed the topic. “Onii-chan, you stink. Go bathe. Mum will be home soon.”

I sensed something was up. But I let it go and went to bathe. When I came back down, the food was served, and there was another person at the dining table. Mum, carrying a cucumber dish she’d made.

She took one look at me and immediately started fussing. Over my lack of calls, the unannounced arrival, whether I’d been eating properly in Sendai. Which, of course, she judged I hadn’t. Then, we transitioned seamlessly to eating dinner together while chatting about other things.

“Welcome home, Ryo. Come back more often, OK?” Mum commented nonchalantly. But everyone knew she meant it sincerely.

Home began to breathe like it used to, before the incident. I began to relax, and my roles as a brother and a son came back to me naturally.

After dinner and dishes, everyone went back to their rooms. I stared at the ceiling from my futon. Tomorrow. I’ll pay them a visit. Just like old times. It’ll be fine. Right?

***

At Sachi’s room, things weren’t fine. She lay on her futon, texting Kenji furiously.

Sachi: He’s back. Your bro.

Kenji: I don’t have a bro.

Kenji: Wait. My bro? Or your bro?

Sachi: Your best buddy. Ryo.

Kenji: After 2 years!

Sachi: I haven’t told him.

Kenji: There’s loads he missed out on. Be more specific.

Sachi: About us.

Kenji: ... YOU TOLD ME YOU’D TELL HIM

Sachi: *sends a GIF of a cute kitten*

Kenji: NO. All this while I’ve been texting him. He doesn’t know?!

Sachi: I’ll bring him over tomorrow.

Kenji: What else does he not know. Or just tell me what he does know.

Sachi: I haven’t told him anything.

Kenji: Are you for real? Even about Yuki?

Sachi: Uhuh. Don’t you guys update each other?

Kenji: We don’t talk about such stuff. And when do you plan to tell him?

Sachi: I plan to let you tell him. *wink emoji*

Kenji: SACHIIIIIIIIIII

Sachi: See you after breakfast tomorrow. Goodnight! *tongue out emoji*

Kenji: *rolls eyes emoji* Goodnight.

***

The next day. The morning sun was already high up in the sky before I woke to the sharp rapping of knuckles on my door.

“Ryo. Get up. We’ll eat breakfast and then go see Kenji next door.”

I got up with a groan, dragged my feet to the bathroom, and got ready.

Breakfast was simple, and over in a flash. Next came the most daunting task so far — meeting my former best friend, and potentially my childhood crush, Yuki.

Sachi was oddly tight-lipped that morning, exuding an aura of nervousness. As if going next door was also something she wasn’t quite sure how it would turn out. I was curious about that.

“So. We’re going next door.”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

“You missed your bro, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I was planning to meet him. But you didn’t have to arrange it for me.”

“Oh. I just thought it would be nice.”

“Nice? I remember you liked him last time. Are you using me as an excuse to see him?”

“Wha?! Don’t be ridiculous. I can see him anytime I —”

“Oh? Go on. Anytime you...” I was enjoying this. Sachi used to have a crush on Kenji and would gush about him to me. Of course, I had kept it secret from Kenji. Big brother responsibilities.

“Shut up and let’s go.”

Sachi strutted over to the Inoues’, while I laced my shoes slowly. She pressed the doorbell. Not long after, the door opened, and Hana was there. She brightened up when she saw Sachi and opened her mouth — then she saw me walking over from behind.

Delight turned to desperation, as she hid behind Sachi instinctively.

“R-Ryo-kun!” Her face detonated in a flush of red as she gripped Sachi’s shoulders tightly.

“You didn’t tell me he’s back!” she whispered to Sachi.

Sachi only grinned and made her way inside, leaving Hana standing at the door, still as a statue painted red, smiling politely at me.

“Hey, Hana-chan. It’s been a while. Sorry for coming by with such short notice.”

“H-Hi, Ryo-kun.” She stood there a moment, then seemed to collect herself enough to step aside. “It’s okay. Come in,” she muttered, shutting the door behind me.

Sachi made her way comfortably to the living area. She was familiar with the layout, having come here frequently after classes. Kenji came down the stairs.

“Hey Ryo. You still look the same.” He pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Not according to my mum. It’s good to see you again, Kenji.”

“Yeah, well, mums have a job to fatten up their children, don’t they? How long are you staying for?”

“A month, until the day after the Obon festival.”

Hana brightens up when she hears about this. “That’s nice. You get to have a long break here with us.”

Sachi grins at Hana. “I’ll be sure to send him over frequently. And make sure he watches us dance at Obon.”

Hana gives Sachi a funny look, and hurries to the kitchen. We gathered in the living area. Hana served tea, and we caught up. But there was tension in the air. Finally, Kenji cleared his throat.

“Ryo. There’s something you should know.”

I looked at Kenji. Then at Sachi. Then at Hana. Nobody looked at ease.

“Okay...? What is it? Did something happen while I was gone?”

“Technically. Nothing major happened.” Kenji looked at Sachi.

I caught that look.

“Just spill it, Kenji.”

Kenji took a deep breath. “Ryo. I’m dating Sachi.”

Silence.

Hana looked at me cautiously. Sachi had suddenly become very interested in the wall paint beside her. Kenji looked at me as if bracing for a disciplinary hearing.