Twenty-nine – Chopsticks; Second

“Separated as two, but always together…”

▪ ▪ ▪

It is darkness that is around me. But it’s slowly fading away… extremely slowly.

But as the darkness fades away, a whisper is slowly making its sound across the nothingness. It’s hard to know what that voice is saying. However subtle it is, the one whispering has the voice of a girl…

Crying.

As that thought came to my mind, the slowly fading darkness vanished quicker and quicker. The voice too… has become clearer.

And as the voice got loud enough to be heard, sudden thoughts came to my mind.

The cries of that voice is similar to my cries when I was in deep torment while I face the sable arms of the dark reality that was pulling me down underneath.

I can’t bear to hear that anymore… especially not that the dark fog has disappeared.

I can’t bear the one I love crying all of her tears and shouting all of her screams. It is extremely painful… like I am being stabbed by countless blades on my back, my front, below, and above. It tears and destroys me.

“I…

Gin…”

I can’t even look at her. I am so pitiful of a person.

“I… I can’t… I can’t take this anymore…

It’s painful…”

No… this is not what I want to happen… Please, please stop…

“I can’t… I give up… I don’t think I can… do this anymore… It hurts… It hurts…”

No… please…

I beg you…

I’m sorry…

I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

I'm sorry that I became like this.

I’m tired…

I don’t want anyone to ever wake me up anymore…

I’m done…

…

You know… That’s not going to happen, right?

“Hahh-“

I don’t even know if my eyes are open now. My back hurts because I possibly fell from the bed. Cold sweat is pouring everywhere. I’m also breathing heavily…

“Hah… Hah… Hah… Hah… Hah…

What… in the world… was that…”

~ ~ ~

It seems that I suffered from quite a terrifying nightmare.

There is a saying that too much happiness will lead to sadness. I never really thought that ‘too much happiness’ in me is just the size of a thumb. My happiness is that small, and that saying still affected me.

It felt like I’ve slept for an eternity. But I feel more tired than how I was for the past few days.

“I can endure… Just a bit more…”

It’s the next day, which is Thursday. I’ve been getting attacked by anxiety for a couple of days now, and it is affecting not only me, but even the others too.

Sometimes, I wonder if we really did the right decision.

“My blazer is downstairs…”

As I am going down the second floor, I heard a sound of a rustling paper from below. I do not know what it is, but I think there is someone in my living room right now.

There is absolutely no way that she is here right now.

“Morning, Gin.”

I was right to think that there is someone inside the house besides me. And no one can enter my house without the keys.

It was a guy with glasses overlaying his poor sight whilst reading today’s newspaper with pretty much repetitive and sometimes irrelevant news that is happening in this country.

It’s my brother.

“I kind of heard a banging noise from above and I thought something might have happened to you. By the way, I’ve been here before you woke up.

I’ve already ground some coffee for you. I just don’t get why do you buy beans instead of ground ones…”

“It’s personal preference. Thanks, though.

You’re the second one to surprisingly enter the house without my permission.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard from Yuna that she did the same thing yesterday. I intended to go with Mom and Dad but I’m dead exhausted yesterday. I asked them not to fill me in with everything because I want to talk to you directly.

I’ve got the gist of what’s happening so I want us to have a talk now. I’ve already notified the school that you will be going there at around noon.”

“An action like that really runs through our blood.

But please stop giving my attendance marks.”

“Not like it matters, right? You’ve got a lit fever once and it feels like you don’t even need your textbooks anymore since you have finished studying all of them.

A lot of them have answers too.”

“…

I guess you have a point. I haven’t even looked at my face, anyways. I’m not even dressed up yet.

Already had breakfast, Kei?”

“I just grabbed a piece of loaf from the house and went straight here to make coffee. But I don’t think you can make something with fire.

Just look at how dead you are.”

“Ehh… I’m always like this. I can do with cereal for a change.”

“Do you have eggs?”

“Fridge.”

He’s going to probably fry some eggs, or just one. I bet he won’t make one for me. Well, that’s how we grew as siblings.

Yep, he didn’t. But he made two and in separate plates, anyways.

“As you can see, it’s my day-off today that’s why I’m still here this late in the morning.

Shiina (his girlfriend) is in the other house right now, do you want me to call her here?”

So that’s why he cooked, huh…

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t talked about more so met your girlfriend. I guess this is a good opportunity to meet her.

And maybe ask some advice from the two of you, knowing our state right now.”

“Well, sit tight. She’ll be here in approximately 25 seconds.”

~ ~ ~

It was about 20 seconds after we heard a knock on the front door. I’m just munching through the bowl of my cereal as he stood up and opened the door.

It’s irrelevant to say but I’m eating an entire box's amount of corn flakes in a big bowl. I admit I’m a glutton sometimes, but this is excused since I’m pretty much same as dead after that nightmare.

Just remembering that makes my face melt down.

“So you’re Kei’s brother. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Shiina Kumine.”

“Then mine is Gin. It’s also a pleasure to meet my brother’s girlfriend.”

She is pretty, yes. It’s not blatant flattery because she really is beautiful. I’ve never really paid attention to this stuff but I guess that’s part of my growth to notice appearances of others. It’s nice to see Kei has someone.

But now that I have noticed her appearance, she probably has fringes but it’s brushed up to the back where it will be held properly. It’s noticeable that the only part that is tied is the front and the side is untouched.

Her glasses suit her well with the big lenses and thin frames.

“Ah, Gin. I have a present for you since this is the first time we met.”

She’s probably advised by Kei not to put a present or something in a wrap. It’s messy and I don’t really like their patterns.

It’s a black rectangular box with my name written on a sticky note. I actually like it more when there’s a sticky note there because it’s practical and low-cost. Inside the box is another black casing of something. I then opened it and what my eyes saw is a pair of glasses with big lenses and a rounded, thin frame.

I like it a lot.

“Thank you very much for this present. I will definitely use it a lot.”

“I’m glad you liked it.”

I didn’t apologize for not giving anything in exchange because she will end up saying: “It’s okay.”

Kei and Shiina have been in a relationship for three years but this is actually the first time I met her. Every time she visits us, it’s either I’m asleep or I’m rushing an artwork for the club. But I can always hear her humbly saying that it’s fine even if one in the family apologizes of not giving something in exchange.

But because I really liked her present, it is just right that I give her something worth an equivalent of it. Actually, I already have an idea about something. Although the return gift might come after a long time.

“Now that she’s here, I guess we can now have a nice little chat.”

“I guess that’s true.

It’s a bit chilly today. Just a sec, I’ll turn a heater on.”

“I really can’t think of something that will make you and Ringo break up. I’m honestly surprised to hear that.”

“Break up? Kei?”

“Well, it seems that Gin and his girlfriend separated recently but I have no idea what was the reason of it. He actually said that he wants to ask for advice earlier.”

“I said that.”

“I know that I teased her a lot when you were still not hooked up, but that’s because she’s obviously showing that she has feelings for you. And I didn’t expect you to reciprocate quickly last September.”

“September… so that’s when he and her girlfriend got together?”

“As you know, he used to live in our house but because of circumstances, he moved from a newly bought place which is where we are right now.

He’s currently the only one living here. The girlfriend is actually just next door which means, they’re neighbors.”

“Hmm… I think I saw a girl wearing a Blue Ink uniform walking out of the house beside this. She has a shoulder length hair, wearing a red scarf.”

“That’s probably her. Ringo Akanami is her name. Her family and ours are in good terms for quite some time now, that’s why both sides are pretty good with the two of them dating.

But since we’re in this topic, I’m really curious as to what really happened for you to break up just like that. Knowing you, there’s something that’s going on with your head for this to happen.”

It’s kind of awkward to be interrogated by a couple right in front of me, honestly. But I was relieved after Haku came to the couch to be my companion.

“Yeah… it’s something like that.

We decided this together for a bit of time. We even argued because of this situation that we want to raise. Basically, it’s a choice that the two of us decided.

The turn may be for the better, or for the worse. The resolution to this conflict lies within her if our relationship will continue or not. But I suddenly became quite pessimistic since I woke up from a nightmare.

I’ve been attacked by anxiety for a few days and just now, I suffered from a frightening dream that I thought it was the reality. That’s why I’m still quite weak on my feet…”

And so, my long explanation finally came to an end.

“I mean this in a good way but…

That’s actually a very dumb (1) idea and coming from you two idiots (2). Really… those are some stupid (3) acts you’re doing.”

Three synonymous words, three stabs on me. Strike out.

“That recklessness pretty much shows who the two of you are. I guess it’s a good thing, in your case at least. This is actually the first time I’m hearing and seeing such situation, but I think this is suitable only for the two of you, considering that you and Ringo already experienced different situations that led to different states of your minds.

I think it’s like a treasure to see pairs like you two. It’s rare to find a jewel like that in this world.

You also have already shown this world your extreme willpower to live and stand on this earth. Such things like this shouldn’t be that much that you can’t even handle it. I can understand if Ringo might have a hard time in this case, but I get your intentions.

I can’t tell if the intention of this is good or bad. You yourself have said that this could lead to the white or the black. I guess the only thing you could do right now is wait until the answer finally surfaced from her.

If you turn back now, I definitely will not forgive you.

Do you have something to add, milady?”

“Indeed there is something I must add, good sir.

Can I call you with just ‘Gin?’”

*Thumbs up*

“Well, it’s true that this is also the first time to know a case like this, and it is indeed reckless, if we apply the reality.

I may not be in the position to talk, and I have no knowledge of your past experiences… But if one truly loves the other, one must find a way to settle things even if takes time, or even if they end up hurting each other.

As long as they return to each other’s sides even after the face of that, it will work out well.

Let’s assume our heart and mind is a fruit-bearing tree. A fruit of a tree comes from the root going to the trunk, and to a branch. Even if that stem branches out to two, the fruit will only grow from a stronger branch. It can also be compared to a road with two splitting ways. The first is a straight road and the other is another road that still leads to the same way.

In a branch and in the roads, there should be one path for the fruit to grow and one way for the destination. If one chooses the alternative path instead of the straight one, this is where hesitation comes from.

But in your case, the straight road for the two of you is broken and cannot be used. But you decided to fix it instead of going the other way and I commend you for that.

The point is, if you go the alternative path, it means that one is hesitating because his or her heart and mind are not whole to what they want to see. Basically, it's just going to an easy route. But if the straight path is used, even if it’s broken, they will try their best to fix it, because it will lead to a solid and positive outcome down the line.

And I wish to see that outcome after all of this. I hope to see the two of you seeing each other in the eye.”

Once again, I have not realized that others really do rely on us and hopes for the good. It is uplifting to know that there are people who support us even in the rougher edges.

We do not make our own happiness. We give them and we also receive them from others that want us to be happy. Our power does not only come from our own. It also comes from the people revolving around us.

“Kei…

I’m not going to look back like what Orpheus did. Thanks to your words, I finally realized that I am underestimating her because I’m overly worried about her. If I looked back because of my worries, she might end up with Eurydice’s situation.

Indeed, Orpheus did move the hearts of Hades and Persephone by his music, but it seems like he can’t trust his wife that she might have vanished somewhere, and therefore he looked back.

I admit that we are in a difficult spot because we can’t communicate with each other since then… But that’s the essence of this gift given to us—to test if we will really walk the same road we are fixing.”

“That’s the answer I really wanted to hear from you. You’ve really matured quite a lot after those two years. But remember that it has not ended. You’re still in the situation where you can see-“

“But you can’t look to the eye.”

“…

You can hear…”

“But you don’t listen.”

“Well said, Gin. Because of that, I’ll reward you with lunch later with me and Shiina. It is of course my treat.

It’s a good thing that you don’t have a uniform underneath so it’s safe if you don’t wear your blazer outside.”

“Talk about being sneaky in our high school days, Kei. You never changed since then. You’re even passing on the torch to your younger brother…”

“Shiina, it runs in our blood. It’s inevitable to stop it.”

“Hahaha… now I’m remembering why your charm caught my eye.”

“So those two can actually act like a couple, huh…”

Shiina and Kei both went to Blue Ink High School before the implementation of the senior high school department.

“But are you really sure you can keep up with your current condition?”

“Hmm… I’ll somehow manage, Kei.

Well, Nee-san… I could probably tell you my stories someday. Maybe I could if you two walk down on the same aisle. Wink, wink.”

“Don’t get cocky now, you puny little brother of mine.”

▪ ▪ ▪

The arms of the clock in that day turned just like in its usual.

It was fun hanging out with them. Even though I have a limited time, I enjoyed it. Shiina do know my brother more than I do. I rarely see Kei enjoying himself. He either had his nonchalant face or his smug one when the girlfriend is not around.

But it’s nice to see them in good terms, and fortifying three years of relationship and counting amidst of twists and turns.

After that, I headed straight to the school apologizing because of my brother’s plots. I sat on the same seat as usual, and we didn’t talk to each other nor look in the eyes.

It’s as we have stated. We can see with our eyes, but we’re not looking eye-to-eye. We can hear with our ears, but we don’t listen to what we say.

But I became aware that something is different. I can see her stealing glances at me whilst the lessons are going, and even at vacant times.

Finally, I came back to work and I realized that I ended up worrying the people in Giotto’s for quite a time.

It is now Friday afternoon, and I walked the usual quiet street with Anna while she continuously nagged me for the third day now.

I decided to ditch my usual schedule and took the day-off to purchase furniture in Aikiya—red and white. I’ve been holding out with my old desk that I used even before moving out. I also need to find a small bookshelf where I will obviously store books… and console discs.

I managed to find a desk that can be divided into three. It has a black, wooden surface and black, metallic legs with mechanisms that can lower and rise the surface electronically or manually.

It divides into three, but I’m really fascinated with the middle table because of how I can lower it individually and slide it underneath the other two tables on the left and right. I ended up buying it even though it’s a little pricy. I need to grasp the opportunity since it fits perfectly in my room slash office.

I also found a two-layered bookshelf that is enough to fit a few books since I’m not a bookworm. The advantage of it is I don’t need to punch holes in my wall just to hang a monitor on it. I can just place the books, the discs and the console itself in the shelf.

Thanks to the generous but dumb former owner of this house for leaving his game console.

I also ended up buying the shelf. It’s also black so it definitely suits my white room. I can already imagine the great visual overhaul.

“Ah, Mr. Sakato. If you want, we will deliver your purchases with a pick-up.”

“Hmm… I just commuted here so guess it will be convenient for me.

Well then, please do.”

“We can also assemble it for you, if you want.”

“Nah. It’s okay. I can build it myself and it seems that the store is busy right now.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll just call a helper so we can carry them to the vehicle.”

~ ~ ~

In no time, the truck reached the house with the furniture safely transported.

The shelf was easy enough to place as I didn't even break a sweat when sorting out books and carrying the TV on it. One good perk it had is having a place for wires to be hid in. Plus points for the cable management.

The table on the other hand was difficult to assemble… or at least that was what I thought. The mechanisms are surprisingly easy to understand and so I got it in my head and discovered the versatility of the middle desk. It can be detached as a surface, or it can also be snapped to a diagonal surface which may come in handy for doing art.

But suddenly, the doorbell rang with a deliveryman in front.

"Are you Mr. Gin Sakato?"

"Yes…?"

"I don't remember ordering something online…"

"You have a package sent to you by the sender in the receipt. There are no shipping or delivery charges included. You just need to sign there above your name."

The necessary forms were signed and the package was handed to me. It was a small rectangular box that is just a bit larger than my hands and it was fairly thin in width, but has a weight even with its size.

With the box opened revealed a hard drive inside a bubble wrap. Although, I got distracted and started popping the wrap one by one. Thankfully, it relieved me off of a bit of stress.

The hard drive when plugged did not have much inside as it still holds quite a big capacity, and surprisingly, it has a "ReadMe.txt." For a text file, it did a lot of funky things in my PC. It did not have a virus, but it was so heavily encrypted. There was however an instruction as to how I will bypass it. With it being opened, it says…

"Greetings, Gin.

My name is Marco Lugis, and just like you, I am an Exile. I am also a resurfaced, but I am currently overseas as I started a journey to gather scattered information that was all in one place. I have heard of you from Tenth, and so I entrust this storage to you to be passed on to the base. Of course, I can't directly send this to a suspicious looking greenhouse.

I work as a programmer so I made something that I hope to be helpful at some point. Don't hesitate to look over the files in here.

Best regards to what may come next."

As he told, I opened the files and the drive indeed came with some sort of a program. Moving forward, I opened a folder along with a whole load of documents and pictures.

It was not even the last thing I wanted to see. It was, actually something that I was not expecting.

"Oi… don't tell me… he gathered this all…?"

▪ ▪ ▪

I finally had the most proper sleep of this week. But I still feel more tired than usual. Well, I am sort of weak right now.

But as usual, I woke up with my alarm in this Saturday morning, made breakfast, drink coffee, draw, binge watch and wait for the time to be 11. My shift in the resto for this day is before lunch onwards.

There’s nothing I particularly want to do for today and I don’t feel like putting my eyes in front of the screen or play. I instead just lied down on the couch and binge watched ReL*FE for probably the fourth time.

“Well, this is certainly Anew’s inspiration.”

I came back to work and as expected, I took a handful of scolding from Hiro because they’ve been shorthanded yesterday because I took the day-off.

I admit that I became a bit sluggish at work because from time to time, I’m feeling a bit light-headed. In my history of work in Giotto’s this is probably the first time I had five breaks in one day—and a half-day, of all days.

As usual, the resto closed at 8 and even though I am extremely tired, this is not the time for me to sleep.

“…

More than two hours… I guess I’ll watch the episodes I missed of Violet Everg*rden.”

Finishing the series after three episodes that I missed, I cried gallons again. I hope no one heard me shouting: "Is that Gilbert?! Is he still alive?!"

I am very sorry if I actually spoiled you.

I watched three episodes of it and in this rare time, I didn’t skip the opening and ending song. Three episodes sum up to more than an hour.

“The time is seriously slow…”

Yes, I am impatient about something and I will leave it to you to remember why it feels like I’m counting every ticking second in the clock.

I decided to set up the desk and it fitted perfectly on the same spot. I have repeated this probably for the third or fourth time, but the desk can be divided into three tables.

On the left table is where my computer is set up. Thankfully, I got my PC fitted in the middle of the mechanisms. On the right side is where my art materials are all placed. My room is actually not that good looking physically because of how I placed my furniture weirdly.

If you stand in the place where the door is, you could see that my bed is stuck in the far right corner of the room and it is facing the other far corner. In the middle of the back wall is where my desk and the window will be seen. I left the middle table of the desk blank because that is where I will be drawing my traditional drawings since it is directly in front of the window. Natural light is always the best.

Now I realize the purpose as to why the middle table can be individually lowered down to literally my feet. If it is lowered, I can move my chair forward without worrying about a table in front of me and my face will be right in front of the window.

But it is so weird that even I asked myself why they did that. I ain't complaining, though.

~ ~ ~

It is now 11:30 in the evening.

I sat on my work chair and placed the middle table down as I slide towards the window. It is currently the twentieth of January which makes it a week since the 13th.

This night is also a quiet and peaceful one, similar to last week. I am here listening to the ticks and tocks of the clock, sat right in front of the opened window with the desk lamp on that is the only source of light in the room.

It is certainly cold, but I’m feeling the chills through my whole body. I am shivering because of the nerves and because of my frail state. It is now to the point that the only thing I hear is the powerful and fast beating of my heart.

I can hardly move as I wait for the remaining minutes of this day. In the other side, I see no light. But the curtains are not closed. The distance of our windows is just a meter or even less. That is how close our houses are. But even with that, I only see darkness in the room I am looking at.

I looked at the clock. It’s almost time for the date to change. I am feeling anxious more than earlier. I am nervous, and I am also feeling scared.

But all of my thoughts were swept away as I see a hand coming from that darkness, raising the window for it to open.

The windows are now wide open but I still can’t see the face of that person in the dark. But the dark night suddenly vanished as the moonlight shone in the very small space of our distance.

I saw someone with a rich black hair, going down to her shoulders. Her eyes are glimmering, reflecting the small light from the enormous stone receiving the light of the sun from the other side. She looked at me with a troubled, but a happy smile.

It was that time, where my eyes widened, tears fell on my cheeks. I can’t describe what I am feeling right now.

It’s like the witch is still mixing the potion on that brewing pot. But I was wrong to think that the old-looking witch had heinous intentions. Regardless of how she looks, she was actually brewing a medicine for other people.

…

My mixed emotions were swept by the waves of the sea, and my mind finally cleared.

It is now my regret of fearing that she will not open her window before the twenty-fourth hour. I was wrong to think that way.

Then I suddenly wondered… What if Orpheus didn’t look back to see if Eurydice was still there?

Returning back to my senses, I spoke with a shivering voice.

“I… I can see… and I can look… to your eyes…

I can… hear, and I can listen… to what you say…”

O, cruel world. No matter how wicked you are, I saw with my own eyes that we can overcome the challenges of the negative reality. Now we look both in each other’s eyes with our heads held high.

“Welcome back…

Rin.”

“Yes… I’m back… Gin.”

I can’t move. I literally can’t move my limbs. I am happy and all, but I can’t feel anything anymore.

“R-Rin… please…”

“What is it…?”

“Please… do me a favor… I’m sorry for this… but I need your help.

Use your key of my place… and go up… immediately.”

“Huh?! What’s… What’s happening, Gin?”

“Quickly… at any time soon… I’m going to…

…faint.”

I have finally reached my limits and fainted just after a few seconds of our most wanted reconciliation. I have been extremely ill since the morning before yesterday after I woke up. It was the same as last time where I almost dried myself out because of my surreal fever. I held out for a reasonable time, but this is the punishment I get for being reckless.

▪ ▪ ▪

Just after I opened my eyes, I immediately noticed that it is not night anymore. It is now morning, my head hurts, but what happened last night was still fresh in my memories.

“How embarrassing…”

I tried to get up, but I somehow can’t. There is nothing rendering me not to get up and it left me in confusion.

I suddenly felt something on my left hand and I can’t seem to move it at all. I have been tortured with the insane chills in my body but it seemed to have disappeared because of the warm touch on my left hand.

My head is still on the pillow, I looked on my left and I see a head poking out of the blanket. With my right arm, I raised my blanket and saw a certain little girl sleeping soundly beside me.

Not cute at all. She’s drooling on my pillow…

I’m glad to see Rin up close once again, though. BUT I DIDN’T EXPECT IT TO BE LIKE THIS.

I swear nothing happened. I will swear until this story ends.

“Hey… Heeeeeeeey…”

She’s not budging.

“So reckless… did you even think that you might catch my fever if you sleep like this?

Oi, sleepyhead! If you don’t wake up, we’ll break up again!”

“Ahwawawawa-! No, I don’t want that!

Eh? Oh… Gin, you’re finally awake.”

Hearing the exclamation, she strenuously lifted and got up to her upper half.

…

Three… Two… One…

And there she goes with her face turning beet red again. Oh, how I miss seeing her like this.

Oops… I think her head overloaded and exploded.

“I’m sorry…”

~ ~ ~

Ten minutes later.

I actually came back to sleep again. I looked on the clock and it is now passed nine in the morning. Startled because of the time, I vigor-

We vigorously got up at the same time.

“Oh, ohayōgozaimasu, Rin-chan.”

“Ohayōgazimashita, Gin-kun. Are you feeling okay now?”

“Yeah. It’s probably thanks to you, though.

Wait, I should be the one asking you if you’re okay. You just slept beside an extremely sick stooge.”

“Oh, yeah… I guess I’m alright.”

Her reply is very nonchalant, but her extremely red face is telling the opposite. She didn’t catch my cold, fortunately.

“It’s this late now. I should get up now and make breakfast. I can easily move now so stay up and then we eat together.

Also… I’m really happy that you accepted me now.”

“…

I finally learned and understood what you have felt that time. The pain could really have been mind breaking. It felt like an eternity not seeing you even if it’s just for a week. It felt like… I didn't see you for an entire two years…”

It is still unclear what happened in the past week that even Gin does not know the details. But originally, Rin initially suggested for them to be separated for some time for the reason that she does not have a good understanding of Gin's heart and mind.

Thus, she borrowed the original copies of Gin's two-year journal via Sean. She read every single entry repeatedly and at least imagined the situations that Gin had gone through.

It left her to distress, having felt that Gin is still alone up until this day. His torment was arguably can't be related to the majority of people with the extent of his suffering. Nevertheless, she accepted whatever her images gave her and hoped for its accuracy to what happened. And so, she gained the confidence that she can at least finally understand Gin's feelings, and showed on her window under the moonlight.

“Actually, you had me on the edge for a few days, you know. I actually freaked out because of overthinking and a terrifying dream.”

“Hey… we decided to do this together. Have some faith in me at least.”

“Yes. That is what I did. Even though it made me really depressed, I endured it and realized that a lot of people are putting their hopes on us. I actually enjoy talking with Sis… but please remind her that she owe me two kilos of rice.”

“So she really did borrow rice from you…”

“Alright, I’ll go prepare breakfast now…

…

I can’t see anything worth for breakfast in my fridge, Lady Rin. Let’s just go and eat outside.”

And then our stomach growled in unison.

“I agree, my good sir. I have already notified my parents that we will be eating together.”

“Alright Madam, my good friend Nagi introduced me to a small restaurant. Let us have breakfast udon.”

“Very well, sire. I will just dress up and then we’ll be good.”

“There is no need for that, milady. You look well on your current clothes. I will just lend you a jacket.”

“If that is what you say… Let’s head out now, my prince.

Wait, where did that pair of glasses come from? It’s cute, though.”

“Ah, this is a gift from another sister of mine aside from Yuna. I like this a lot so I will probably wear it from now on.”

“You saying ‘another sister’ is kind of weird…”

It is just a little bit of a walk to the commercial district. It is Sunday so it is expected that the streets aren’t as busy as they are if it is weekdays.

I never thought I will be coming back to this udon restaurant this soon.

“Do they have fox udon here, Gin?”

“I think they have. Do you want that?”

“Yep.”

“HAHHH?!”

“HAHHH?!”

And just as I opened the door of the restaurant, I’m already hearing shouting inside that made the two of us twist our necks until it almost break.

What I didn’t expect is that the two who shouted was Nagi and Shiro, who was slurping their noodles too.

Oi, slurp the noodles hanging on your mouths. And those are thick noodles so I hope thay their nose will be spared.

“Fancy meeting you here, Shiro, Nagi.”

“Good morning, you two.”

They are still staring at us like they saw two ghosts that they thought they broke up.

“Wait wtf, Gin?”

“Can we sit with you?”

“Ah, sure… Ringo- HEY.”

“I thought… I thought… Uhh… uhh…”

“Shiro?! This is not the time for you to be tearing up!”

“Nagi… It’s just…”

“Shi-ro~ You know what this means, right?”

“Yeah, Nagi.”

In a blink of an eye, Shiro stopped crying. And the two of them somehow got serious.

“Our bet is on, Shiro.”

“Our bet is on, Nagi.”

We took our seats with question marks floating on our heads.

~ ~ ~

“Well then, Nagi. Please explain to Shiro what is happening in the least possible words.”

“Saturday. Night. Break up. One week… Umm…

They really broke up and it was not an act. This two gave themselves a week if they are strong enough for this relationship and the result lies within Ringo’s decision if they will continue after an extremely agonizing week (for them).

Your glasses are cool.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the few words and for noticing my glasses just now, Nagi.”

Gin’s obvious sarcasm is up here.

“I understand now… But why make that bet with me anyways?!”

“I’ve been wondering what that bet is. What’s it all about?”

“It’s a secret.”

“It’s a secret.”

“Here’s two bowls of Kitsune udon.”

“Ah, thanks.”

“We’ll add 60 Laxes in our bill, please.”

“Thank you very much. Just call me if you have to.”

“You’re going to have seconds, Ringo?”

“I’m not the only one that is hungry here, am I right, Gin?”

“Hehehe…”

~ ~ ~

In the end, we got satisfied with three bowls. And almost all of the customers were looking at us two, especially Nagi and Shiro who are looking at us with blank faces.

“Is this considered as gap moe for Ringo?”

“Well, Nagi. She can easily put Akira into sleep, right?”

“We better not mess with your girlfriend, Gin.”

“Umm… why don’t we stop in a daifuku shop while we’re here at the shopping district? Something like a celebration for… us getting back? Hehe…”

“I guess we should. But this won’t be my treat anymore. Remember that you made me cry, right?”

“Sure~”

We really shouldn’t mess with Ringo. But is it also considered as gap moe for Gin? It’s uncharacteristic for such a tall guy to be crying…

But…

By the power vested in us by the author himself, we, Nagi Kajima and Shiro Kirishima will entitle Gin Sakato and Ringo Akanami the title of a “Gap Moe Couple.”

“Hey, Rin. Which of the two will you prefer… disposable chopsticks, or a pair of the lacquered ones?”

“That’s a weird question but… I will probably go with the lacquered chopsticks because they are basically considered as utensil instead of being disposable.”

“Thanks for your opinion, Rin.

Alright, what if I symbolize my examples to the two of us?”

“Uhh… I can hardly imagine that, Gin.”

“Then let me explain what I have learned this week.

A pair of disposable chopsticks basically is attached before used. It’s like they are always together.”

“Umu.”

“But there lies the question: ‘How can you even use the chopsticks if you will not break them apart?’”

“Oh… now I get it…”

“In a sense, we’re like that. Even though we had that promise, we are not inseparable. So if we separated, we will function but not as two separate things. Literally, chopsticks are two sticks but they are used as one.

Now that the disposable chopsticks are not being used, it is about to be thrown. It symbolizes us throwing away our agony and pain after we broke up.”

I took the pair of chopsticks on top of my empty bowl and gave the other piece to Rin.

“Now that the disposable ones are now absent, innovation took place. Instead of just using disposable chopsticks, it became replaced with once again, a pair of wooden sticks but varnished and polished. It is not something to be thrown anymore, right?”

“Hahaha… I guess this is us?”

The world once again shone with a light, displaying the colors that are saturated anew with that bright smile—that is something I sought for the lonely week we both had.

This happiness is definitely not mine… but our happiness that we share.

“Clears throat… clears throat… (Nagi literally said that)

It seems like Shiro and I aren’t needed in here. Can we take our leave?”

“Don’t be like that, Nagi. I know that your Miss is itching for daifukus since that’s her favorite.”

“How did you know that?”

“What do you mean? I always see the two of you coming out of a sweets shop somewhere near Giotto’s, you know. And then one time I saw Nagi feeding Shiro a piece.”

“Hey! Don’t say that!”

“It’s true though…” Shiro confessed.

“Ehh… Look, Gin. Little Shiro isn’t denying it~”

“Right, Rin~? Those two are actually making moves on our backs. Hoho~”

K.O!

“Nagi, where’s the washroom here?”

“It’s just around-“

“Walk for about seven meters from here to the front of the kitchen window, then turn right and walk for another two meters and that is where the restrooms are, Shiro.”

“Thanks, Mr. Human Navigator.”

“…!”

“Rin? Is something wrong… or were you reminded of something from an old memory?”

“Wh-Wa-Was it you… from that time…?”

“Whaaat. It seems that you just remembered our first chance encounter when it was summer break before we became second years. It pretty much got bookmarked in my memory since I recalled that when I was in the Void.

Talk about having a long hair… Aww…”

“So it was you who found my wallet and pointed out where you found it with complex directions.”

“Urk.”

“So coincidences like that also happen, huh.”

“You’re right, Shiro. I guess it wasn’t fate that brought us together but just pure coincidence.”

I never believed in fate or destiny. How it come by in one piece is because of our actions in the flow or line of time. The two of us are the ones that brought us here to this point.

We decided to close off the alternative road and chose to fix the broken straight road and walked on the same path.

The fruit grew in one branch but there are more fruits that bore from other branches. But our fruit is different and unique, just like the other flowers that are about to grow.

In the end, we chose what we think is right for us. Now, we are like a pair of chopsticks that are separated, but always together.


Chapter Message:

That about does it for chapter 29!

The chopsticks analogy will still probably be one of the best ones I've written thus far. But that concludes that two-part and things will continue on.

Thank you for reading!

Next

Thirty: Kaizo Ryuuya, six or so months later.