Clocks stopped turning.

Takurō swept through the empty room. Only a single cardboard box stood at the side. Quite a lot of dust had accumulated in the corners, especially where the wardrobe and bed once stood.

His brother looked into the room. “One last box …? Almost sad to see it this empty.”

Takurō gave him a smile. “I’m sure you’ll like it in your new home as well, f’sure.”

Asahiro sighed. “But it’s not the same, y’know. I’m sure I’ll miss ya and Okan.”

“It’s not out of the world. You can still come and visit us however much you like.”

Asahiro nodded. He stepped towards the box and grabbed the carrying handle. “Until you’ll move out as well.”

Takurō lowered his gaze.

“Come on, Taku … you act like she had broken up with you, now.”

Takurō leaned onto his broom. “It’s easy to say this if ya—”

“If I what, huh?”

Takurō shook his head. “How many girlfriends did you have since Uni, yah?”

Asahiro chuckled. “Definitely too many.” He heaved the cardboard box. “But if you want to stay with her this much, why don’t you consider studying in Tōkyō as well?”

“Go back, demon! I won’t give up my cute, little Taku so easily!”

Reina rushed into the room and wrapped her younger son into a protective embrace. “It’s enough that you already betrayed me, but you won’t take him away from me as well, yeah!” she stated dramatically.

“Okan!” Takurō tried pushing her away. “Finally, get yourself a boyfriend and cuddle him, yah!”

“But there’s no way someone could ever be as cute as you!”

Takurō rolled his eyes and submitted to his mother’s sudden outbreak of tenderness. Asahiro used the chance to escape the room with another chuckle.

“But honestly, Taku …,” Reina said more gently, leaning her forehead against his chest. “If you want to follow your girlfriend and study in Tōkyō as well, then you should do this. They surely have great universities for literary arts as well. I will get along without you, so don’t worry.” She loosened her embrace.

“I dunno. I’m not even sure if studying screenwriting in general is that much of a good idea, y’know. I mean … I never considered anything else and it’s really hard to get a job in the creative industry.”

Reina grabbed him by the shoulders. “I’ve seen myself in you so many times, y’know.”

She gave him a wide grin. “I had never been happy with what most people would consider a classical job. I always wanted to create things, yeah. Just like you. I didn’t have the choice … after Oton died, we needed the money, and no well-paid, embattled position would’ve been given to a single mother who could only work half-time. But you, Taku, you have the choice, f’sure!”

Takurō looked into his mother’s eyes. Only a few years ago—after he and Asahiro were out of the woods—Reina had been able to return to her passion and open a small flower shop together with her mother-in-law. The years prior had surely been taxing to put it lightly. “Okan … do you think Aki-chan will be happy the way things will be?”

She replied with an unsure smile. “It won’t be easy, but if it is what she really wants to do, she will suffer through it.”

If she really wants to … the words echoed through Takurō’s head, but they did not provide him with a satisfying answer.

“If her studies are what she really wants to do, yah?” Rakuko played around with a volleyball, while sitting on the floor of the school gym, right next to Takurō. “We never explicitly talked ‘bout it, but I wouldn’t be so sure if she ever thought about this herself, y’know.”

“What do ya mean? She hadn’t thought ‘bout this …?” Takurō pulled his knees to his chest. A few girls from the club were just playing a training match, while Rakuko had a short break.

She drank from her bottle and shrugged. “To me it always seemed like this point was never even under consideration. She’s the only daughter, so her parent’s want her to take over the family company. It’s not like there are other siblings who could take on this burden for her.”

“But this can’t be the answer, yah.” He put his head into his neck, gazing up at the ceiling of the gym. “She’s an artist, f’sure. I feel that.”

Rakuko smiled. “I’m hella glad she finally found someone who understands everything ‘bout her, y’know.”

Takurō looked at Rakuko. She smiled and knocked slightly against the side of her head. “I’m an airhead. I never fully understood this side of her. Whenever she showed me a new photograph or drawing, I was always so amazed, but whatever I said, never seemed to satisfy her, y’know.”

Rakuko laid her head to the side with a happy smile, as a whistle echoed through the gym. “My words were not powerful enough, Takkun, but yours were. I’ve never seen her eyes shining so brightly, as when she told me about your Momotarō play, yeah. Maybe … you just have to do it again.”

She stood up and turned around to him. The girls behind her returned from the field. “Do it again?” Now Takurō tilted his head slightly.

“Find the right words, and you’ll convince her parents, how unhappy Aki will be with a life like that, f’sure.” She offered him a hand to stand up. “If there’s one person capable of this, it’s you, f’sure.”

He looked at Rakuko for another moment, thinking about her words, but finally took her hand to get pulled up. Ririi showed up behind her and threw her arm around her girlfriend’s neck. “Flirting with taken guys again, honey?”

Rakuko chuckled. “No one who could be dangerous for you. Aki will keep him in check, f’sure.”

“Sure, sure.” Ririi grinned. “Can ya give me that red bottle, there?” She pointed at the floor.

Takurō picked it up and handed it to the blonde girl. She drank, while Rakuko happily leaned against her. Takurō looked around. Nobody from the team seemed to mind their closeness too much.

“We’ve made it official now,” Ririi said, seemingly having noticed Takurō’s thought. “So, in case it comes up as a topic, Raku-chan belongs to me and nobody is going to take her from me, now.”

“The others didn’t seem particularly surprised, anyways,” Rakuko giggled.

“We also still have that double date on our agenda, yeah,” Takurō reminded them.

“Riiiight!” Rakuko’s eyes lit up with happy determination like the last time. “Let’s talk with Aki tomorrow!”

Takurō nodded. “Let’s do that.” He turned around to leave the gym, but Rakuko stopped him.

“Takkun!” she called. “One last thing.”

He turned around. “Yeah?”

“I still need the documents for the cultural festival from you.”

His head turned red. He had completely forgotten about that. The deadline had been last Friday. “Oh …”

“We have our next meeting tomorrow. Can you bring it to me until then?”

He nodded briskly. “I’ll … uh … fill it out right away.” He turned around to quickly get back to his club room. They had to take a decision. Now!

Slightly out of breath, he slammed open the door to the literature club room. “Guys!” he said. “I totally forgot about the cultural festival!”

The club’s members all looked at him, surprise written over their faces. “Takurō-senpai!” Nagashiki turned towards him. “Seems like the side effects of having a girlfriend finally start to show, yah.” He snickered.

“We need an idea of what we can hand in … something consistent … something interesting, something …” His eyes froze, as an idea came to his mind. “… magical.”

“Yeah, magic is great, f’sure!” Ikaritake nodded briskly. “A friend from the art club told me, they chose fantasy and fairytales as a topic, and it was approved already, so we should be fine as well.”

“Don’t care. Just make sure it’s possible to pull off in eight weeks, yah,” Nakazuka said.

Takurō’s gaze was still focused. “It … might be egoistical to ask this, so it’s only a suggestion, but what would you guys say ‘bout a spontaneous field trip?”