ACT II - The Unexpected Omimai II

As I flipped through the pages of the photo album, the traits and hobbies of the family members were getting more and more clear inside my mind.

While assuming things about people just from appearances wasn't the most accurate (or polite) thing to do… All I could think of were praises and Reo was confirming all my thoughts, as I kept on browsing through the gallery of memories.

"Let me explain some of the stuff ya probably noticed. Mom and Dad are wooden toy makers; Dad specializes in craftin' and shapin' the wood while Mom designs and paints the toys. Growin' up, the sales were pretty good so we enjoyed a comfortable childhood, however I guess with kids gettin' more into tech like computers and games, the sales went down… So things started to get slightly difficult, but don't ya worry, they're doin' alright. It ain't the worst, and some parents are actually gettin' more conscious about buyin' their kids safe and healthy products, so…"

I raised my head to see how he was doing. Finished with his tea, he had lifted up his mask back again. With a fluffy pillow behind his neck, he was sitting up comfortably on his bed. His face looked incredibly bittersweet; it was obvious how much he loved his family, and how much he missed them, too…

"While there are people who turn their craft into brands and own super rich companies or whatever… Our parents are just regular ol' people, man. Plus," he stopped to chuckle a bit, "I'd say they were already quite preoccupied with raisin' three troublemakers."

I laughed along, glancing at the photos depicting the very mischief being described by him. It all looked so fun, I wondered what having siblings must be like… However, Reo was about to remind me of the responsibilities that came with being the eldest of the house.

"Well, our parents have done their part raisin' me and my kid sisters, and now it’s my turn to take responsibility. Maybe they don't know economics and business stuff all that well, but I can learn."

He took a moment to gaze on the books stacked on top of each other, scattered all around his room.

"I decided to come to Tokyo to study, and I thought it'd be a better idea to start from high school, havin' the adjustment period early on to my advantage… Or so I thought."

It was certainly no easy task for someone of our age… Still, I hoped that me listening to him with all my attention and care would encourage him to open up about his true feelings a bit more. However, after a long cough, he declared that his throat was starting to hurt.

While I didn't doubt his statement (after all, he was sick!), the timing of it was… Intriguing.

"Oh… Please don't force yourself! Sorry to keep you chatting with me, but thank you so much for telling me about your family and… Yourself!"

Reo simply smiled and nodded his head. Even if brief, I was sure that talking had lifted off some weight from his chest—and truly, that was all I had aimed for. I examined the last picture of the album. Reo was sitting, surrounded by his family members. They were all smiling so bright, encouraging the eldest sibling of the house on his new chapter of life—but there was something really sad behind those smiles. After all, it meant farewell to Reo for the time being, or even longer, if he stayed in Tokyo for his career as well…

I wondered if the little girls were aware of this fact. Were they truly grasping the fact that their dear onii-chan would be away for such a long time? How were they coping with the fact that the strong figure they could always depend on wasn't in front of their sparkling eyes anymore?

…and was I pondering about things that weren't my business once again?!

There was one more thing I wanted to ask about, however.

"So… Your sister's names are Mio and Nao, correct? Who's who? One of them seems to like dancing and singing, while the other seems to spend a lot of time surrounded with plants…"

He briefly coughed and began to explain. "Ah, excellent observation! The one with light pink hair is Mio, she indeed loves to sing and dance. She's damn good at it, too! And the one with more blonde-ish hair is Nao, she's very young still but always asks Mom and Dad if she can help with plantin' things. She has such a gentle way of carin' for plants and animals that… It truly warms the heart."

His voice talking about his sisters was sweet as honey. Even his eyes had started to shine a bit, despite the dark circles his sick state had caused! I couldn't help but laugh about this precious sight.

"Wow, it seems your sickness got instantly cured with the mention of your sisters! Wasn't your throat hurting just a bit ago~?"

He scratched his head, flustered with my teasing. Since he raised his arm, the bracelets on his arm shook and made a sound—I was right about them, after all! They were indeed made by his two sisters.

Satisfied, I let out a sigh. Finally learning about the life of my mysterious, seemingly easy-going classmate, plus helping him out with both his sickness and emotional state made me feel on cloud nine…! That was, until I noticed the clock on the wall: it was getting late and I still had the way back home!

With a rush, I stood up and informed Reo that I had to leave immediately, or my mother would get upset and lower my share of dinner. He snickered and replied that he understood. His eyes really seemed much less in pain, now…

I wished him a speedy recovery and right as I was about to leave his side, he gently grabbed my arm and looked into my eyes.

"I… Really can't thank ya enough for today, man. Knowin' that someone cares about me and is even kind enough to cook me snacks, bring our homework and even listen to me… You're the best, Yuujin-kun. Thank you."

Alright, it was time to beg my brain to not make me tear up at that moment! I tried to sound cool about his gratitude and replied with, "Don't mention it, just focus on getting better! Oh, I also watered the plants in class, so don't worry about them."

His mesmerizing green eyes widened in surprise. "Woah! No way, man! You're seriously the bestest ever…!"

I sheepishly smiled. I didn't know how to respond, so I followed up saying "If you'd like, we can do the homework together! You seem like you could use one more day of rest, so I'll just visit after school once more! Really enjoyed the vibe of your apartment, too~"

Even though he refused to believe the last part, apologizing once more about the mess, he happily took on my offer to visit again.

Saying our goodbyes, I exited his apartment, giving him one final wave. I had done very well pushing back my tears of relief and happiness—but they all came pouring as I ran to catch the nearest train! I probably looked like a grand fool, but what did I care! My life was finally starting to look up, fitting of the Springtime of Youth…!