Chapter 4:

The letter

Can you be a Harem story Protagonist without a Harem...?


I know what that letter is…

I dropped my bag on the ground. The groceries scattered on the floor.

"Is… this true?"

Lucy asked me, still trying to hold her tears in. My eyes started to become teary too.

I looked at her for a minute, and couldn't get any word through my throat.

I thought about telling her this someday, when I would consider it the right time to do so. If I only imagined that something like this could happen, I might have already came up with a solution.

"We're back!"

I heard Rio's voice. After a moment she and Maria were already at the door of the room where I was with Lucy. I looked at them.

A moment of silence.

"W-what's happening?"

Rio asked. They both looked concerned and scared, though Maria hadn't spoken. I guess she still has problems with speaking up sometimes.

"What's going on!?"

She repeated.

I looked at Lucy again.

"It's okay…"

She started.

"I knew it's going to happen someday. It was just… a little bit sudden…"

She took a moment to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. Even though she didn't really tear up.

"Ahhh… I'm… I'm gonna be okay."

Lucy came closer to me, pushed the letter against my chest. I grabbed it and she turned around.

"Can I be alone for a while?"

I turned back and left the room. Rio and Maria left as well. Without saying a word.

I looked at the letter.

"Dear Lucy, if you are reading this letter, I'm probably no longer there with you. (...) I hope you have fun with your new friends. (...) I'm sorry that it had to end this way. (...) I love you, and always will. Especially now when I watch over you from different place.

Your granny."


I've only read some fragments and I'm already at a limit. I'm literally gonna cry.

Apparently, she died on the same day we visited her.

I handed the letter to Rio and left to get some fresh air.

I sat on the bench in the park. There was a playground nearby. I saw all these kids having fun with their parents or grandparents.

It's not helping at all…

I tried not to pay too much attention to them. But all this screaming, cheerful or not cheerful at all voices, all this laughs and crying because someone fell over. It made me think about her. About Lucy. Why did it happen to her? Maybe if I told her sooner she could say a proper goodbye to her grandma. And why didn't she cry after reading this letter?

All these thoughts were crowding inside my head, but then I saw a blue butterfly flying above my head.

It may sound stupid. And I know that this butterfly was there just by coincidence, and has nothing to do with Lucy's grandma. But its beautiful wings reminded me of an old lady's beautiful smile when I talked with her. And a promise, that I'm gonna take care of her beloved granddaughter.

So I got up and headed back home.


When I opened the door, Rio was just getting out of Lucy's room and looked at me.

"I- I'm sorry."

I said.

"I'm sorry that I was keeping all that a secret. Maybe we could come up with anything, like some cover up if I told you two earlier."

"It's okay."

She responded.

"It may even be better like this. Although it was probably hard for Lucy to find out this way."

"Were you two talking just now?"

I asked.

"No, I wanted her to eat the soup I made with Maria. But she claims she doesn't have an appetite right now. Which I guess is understandable under these circumstances."

Yeah, I understand that too.

It's getting dark outside. It was still somewhat around morning when I came back with groceries. This means she hasn't eaten anything in like 10 hours or more.

"Give me this soup."

Rio jumped, like I woke her up from a dream or something. She is probably overthinking this whole situation too.

"Oh, Maria, can you give Rick a bowl?"

"That's not what I meant."

I took a bowl with soup for Lucy from Rio's hands.

"Ah… wait…"

I walked into the room, where Lucy was in.

"Hey… is it okay if I sit here?"

I asked politely.

"I don't mind."

She responded

We sat like this for a moment. In complete silence. Lucy was looking out the window at the stars and I was just sitting on the bed. I placed the bowl on the nightstand and started talking.

"Ummm… so… listen, Lucy. I may sound rude, but I want to ask you one thing. When you read that letter, why didn't you cry?"

I don't think she was expecting a question like this. But she didn't seem moved by it at all.

We sat in silence for a moment again before she answered.

"My grandma… She didn't like it when I cried. When I was little she always looked very sad whenever I cried."

"You loved your grandma, didn't you?"

"I did."

This may be the hardest conversation I will ever have.

"I think you should cry."

I said.

After hearing these words Lucy quickly turned around and looked at me shocked.

"What do you mean?"

And here comes the monologue. I've never told anyone about this. I'm kinda stressed.

"You see… When I was younger I lost my mother. I've never knew my father so I was left only with my older brother. I cried a lot back then. But him, I've never seen him cry.

One day I asked him why he didn't cry, and he told me that he cried too. He cried a lot, just when I didn't see it. He told me it's absolutely okay to cry.

Our dear ones don't want to see us cry, but sometimes it's better to just let it all out, and move on, because there is nothing you or your dear ones will get if you play the tough guy, while actually being sad all this time…"

"... That's why I think you should cry. Your grandma will for sure be happy when she sees you happy. But to get there you need to let it out."

I looked up at Lucy again and she was standing there with her back to the window showing a beautiful night sky, full of bright stars. Her cheeks all wet by the tears coming out of her eyes.

"Yes. That's it."

I stood up and came closer to her. Embraced her with my arms and hugged.

She bursted into tears.

We stood like that for a good while. Then she suddenly got out of my hands, sat on the bed and said:

"I want to eat this soup you guys made."

"That's good, because we just seem to have four portions of good ol' warm soup."

Rio and Maria opened the door with their hands full of bowls.

They always show up at the perfect time.

Actually Lucy already had her soup here, but it's surely cold after all this time so it's all good.

Rio looked at me with her distinctive smirk.

I looked at Lucy, smiling again, I think I'm keeping my promise just right.




Next chapter on Thursday (28.07)