Camping Trip (3)

We had just arrived at our campsite, and everyone was bustling with activity, eagerly picking the perfect spot to set up their tents. As I busied myself with my own tent, I watched Kaito and Sakura, brimming with energy, darting around like playful forest spirits, exploring every nook and cranny, hoping to spot elusive animals or intriguing plants.

"I'm so glad that we're finally here," Yujiro exclaimed, stepping out of his tent and stretching his arms high. I nodded, my eyes fixed on the breathtaking sunset that painted the sky with a myriad of colors.

"The view from here is incredible."

"Well, yeah," Yujiro walked over to the campfire and comfortably settled on a nearby log. "What I mean is, I'm glad we can finally stop hiking."

I chuckled and turned away from the setting sun. "You don't have much endurance, do you?"

Seated beside him, I gazed up at the evening sky, the twinkling stars slowly making their appearance. "Do you think my parents know that I'm taking good care of Sakura and Kaito?" I asked, my thoughts drifting to my responsibilities as the older sibling.

"What do you mean?" Yujiro inquired, a hint of concern in his eyes.

"I mean, am I doing a good job looking after them?" I clarified.

"Well," Yujiro put his arms behind his head, deep in thought. "You make sure they're okay every day. You care for them and never neglect them."

He leaned in, wrapping an arm around my shoulders in a comforting gesture. "If I know anything about parenting, I'd say you've done more than just enough for them. I'm sure your parents know that."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."

"Anytime, man," Yujiro replied warmly.

Yujiro stood up, offering to help gather firewood for later. "I still need to unpack my stuff," I declined. He nodded and walked away.

"I'll see you later tonight then."

As I entered my tent to unpack, I was interrupted by Sakura rushing in.

"Haruki! Come with me, quick!" She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"What is it now?" I asked, following her outside the tent.

"You have to see what we just found!" Sakura led me to Kaito and Ayumi. Ayumi was cradling something in her arms.

"There you are, Haruki," Ayumi said, her smile wide and infectious.

"What is it that you guys want to show me?" I asked, intrigued yet slightly exasperated.

"Look." Ayumi held up a white cat to my face. "Isn't it cute?"

"Where did you find it?" I inquired.

"It was hidden behind some bushes," Kaito replied.

"Poor thing, it looked so scared."

"Is it a good idea to be holding something from the wild?" I expressed my concern.

"It doesn't seem wild," Ayumi assured me.

"Can we keep it, Haruki?" Sakura asked, hope shining in her eyes.

"What? No! It's from the wild!" I protested.

"But Haruki, it's so cute."

"That doesn't mean it's safe."

"Try petting it, Haruki," Ayumi encouraged. "I promise it won't hurt you."

With a sigh, I relented, "Fine." Slowly, I placed my hand on the cat's head, and to my surprise, it started purring.

"See? It likes you," Ayumi grinned.

"I guess," I replied, still unsure.

Sakura tugged on my jacket. "So can we keep it?"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't resist their enthusiasm. "Fine."

"Yay!" Sakura cheered.

"But there's one condition," I added, looking at both of them.

They looked at me expectantly. Smiling, I shrugged, "You guys will have to be the ones to play with it."

"No problem!" Kaito yelled. "Thanks, brother!"

"Come on," I turned around. "Let's get back to camp."

--❦--

The night had already descended upon us as we all gathered around a crackling campfire, our stomachs full after a satisfying dinner.

"Ah, I'm stuffed!" Yujiro exclaimed, leaning back against a log with contentment written all over his face.

Aika shot him a playful smile and teased, "I didn't realize food meant so much to you."

With our appetites satisfied, I stood up, stretching my legs.

"Time to go sight some constellations. Sakura, Kaito, want to come?" I suggested.

"Yeah!" They both replied in unison, jumping up excitedly.

"Alright then," I beamed. "I'm sure Mr. Izumiya has already set up some telescopes."

"We'll catch up with you in a moment," Aika chimed in. I nodded and made my way toward the open field.

As I approached the field, I spotted Mr. Izumiya diligently setting up a few telescopes.

"Hey, Mr. Izumiya," I called out, waving to get his attention.

"Haruki. I assume you're here with your siblings to do some stargazing?" I nodded. "I just managed to set up two of them." He shrugged. "You can use those for now. They haven't been calibrated, but I'm sure you can figure it out."

"Thank you," I gave a polite nod. Mr. Izumiya offered a quick wave as he moved on to set up another telescope in a different location.

"Alright!" I exclaimed after adjusting the first telescope to my satisfaction. "You guys can use this one now." I gestured towards Sakura and Kaito as I walked over to the next telescope and fine-tuned it.

"I'm sure someone else will come along soon," I thought, deciding to stick with the first one for the time being.

"Found anything interesting yet?" I inquired as I walked back to join them. Sakura shook her head.

"All the stars look the same, just bigger," she stated. I looked up at the night sky and then peered through the telescope. After making some adjustments, I finally spotted something noteworthy.

"Take a look now," I said, inviting Sakura to step forward. She eagerly peered through the eyepiece.

"Wow!" She exclaimed in delight. "Is that a star?"

I grinned. "It's a planet—Venus."

"Cool!" Sakura stepped back to give Kaito a turn.

"It looks very orange," he remarked.

"How about I try to find Polaris or another interesting star?" I suggested.

"Sure!" Sakura agreed with excitement.

"Okay," I said with a smile, turning my attention back to the telescope, ready to explore more of the sparkling heavens above.

Ayumi's View

The night had already fallen as we finished our meal, and Haruki, with his usual enthusiasm, stood up and declared, "Time to go sight some constellations. Sakura, Kaito, want to come?"

"Yeah!" they both replied, quickly getting to their feet. "Alright then," Haruki smiled. "I'm sure Mr. Izumiya had already set up some telescopes."

"We'll catch up with you in a moment," Aika chimed in.

As they walked away, I couldn't help but observe them fondly. 

"Haruki really does take good care of his siblings," I remarked and Aika nodded in agreement.

"He sure does," Yujiro added with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Yujiro hesitated before responding.

"Nothing much. I just feel like he's using up all his energy on looking after everyone else." He stretched out his arms on the ground, visibly concerned. "It worries me to think that he's not getting to enjoy his life," Yujiro continued.

Aika turned to him, curious. "What makes you say that?" He hesitated again before opening up, "Well, just an hour ago, he asked me if I thought his parents would be proud of him. He seemed a bit worried."

"I guess he just doesn't want what happened to his parents to happen to them," Aika replied thoughtfully. "For him, seeing Sakura and Kaito happy is enough."

We all fell silent for a moment, contemplating the weight of Haruki's responsibilities.

"Okay," I said, breaking the silence and setting my plate down on the ground. "I'm going to head to the fields."

They nodded but remained quiet.

As I made my way toward the field, a cascade of questions filled my mind. Is Haruki really happy? Is his situation more challenging than in my past? I tried to push those thoughts away, focusing on the night sky above.

Approaching the field, I found Haruki pointing out stars to Sakura and Kaito, showing them their positions through the telescope. He had a genuine smile on his face, and it was evident that he found happiness in their company. All he had were his siblings and friends, and I hoped I could be someone who could bring more joy to his life, just like Yujiro and Aika have.

Suppressing my thoughts, I joined them, and shortly after, Yujiro and Aika arrived as well. We all took turns looking through the telescopes, laughing, and enjoying the magic of the night together under the vast celestial sky.