Time filters out most of life's mundane moments. People drift along with the current, but fragments of life still leave their mark, little by little.
For the past year, Logan had been enjoying peace. Yet, it took him a long time to realize that even though the weight of the other world had faded into shadows, some things refused to let go..
Finally, the parts that couldn't be erased accumulated in hiding. Sitting beneath the night sky, overlooking the city, Logan saw a reflection of his past self and once again picked up the weight he could no longer ignore.
He had made up his mind. And since it had taken him so long, there was naturally a reason for that hesitation.
After all, Logan had already brought Sumika to the modern world. He wasn't alone anymore, so he wasn't at an age where he could just charge ahead recklessly without considering the consequences.
If he were to return to the Ninja World, it wouldn't just be about the dangers of facing other Ninja. There was also the weight of his promise to Junka and his worry for her.
Sumika had been willing to follow him into this new world all on her own, and he owed her a proper response in return. By all logic, he should just wash his hands of the past and don't get involved in the muddy waters again.
But this created a contradiction, one that might not be easy to resolve. Still, to get over this hurdle, Logan had prepared himself both mentally and physically.
A man stands tall, takes responsibility, and sticks to his word.
And if he couldn't persuade her standing up…
He'd kneel.
…
At a coffee shop, seated at the bar by the street-facing window, Sumika swung her legs on a high stool, sipping on a mango ice drink while fiddling with her phone, completely absorbed.
Logan sat beside her, silently gazing out the glass window at the scorching streets, the heat radiating from the asphalt mirroring his slightly tense state of mind.
After picking a day when the local shrine was relatively empty, Logan teleported to Shibuya and made an appointment with Sumika to tell her his plans.
Everything up to this point had been straightforward. But now, facing the 'final test', he was chickening out.
What was the best way to start this conversation? He hadn't even brought a washboard or a durian as a backup plan.
The sweltering heat seeped through the floor-to-ceiling windows, while outside, pedestrians braved the relentless sun with umbrellas, struggling forward.
Inside, the air conditioning was just right, and with someone important by his side, a natural sense of peace and tranquility surrounded them.
Sumika leaned lightly against him, their hair intermingling as it draped over their shoulders. She hummed an unfamiliar tune, seemingly in a good mood.
This was the kind of life Logan had envisioned for himself. Yet, after facing his true feelings, he realized that as long as he couldn't put the distant Uchiha brothers out of his mind, even the happiest moments would feel slightly hollow.
He clenched his teeth, feeling it's better to rip the bandage off quickly. After hesitating for nearly half an hour, he finally spoke.
"Sumika..."
"Hmm? What is it?" Sumika, with resting her head against him, turned her face, and their face almost touching.
Such closeness was nothing new to them, but when Logan met her watery, red-agate eyes, glowing with warmth, he faltered.
Ding!
Sumika's phone chimed. She glanced at it and let out a small exclamation before tugging on Logan's sleeve, "Look, look! I finally updated my email photo!"
"What photo..." Yu Logan leaned in and saw that it was a sticker photo they had taken at some point. Unlike back in the United States, sticker booths were still quite popular in Japan. In the picture, Sumika wore a soft, reserved smile, capturing her curiosity and timid excitement towards something new, which is a rare moment frozen in time. Her eyes shone like stardust, radiating brilliance, while the blank spaces of the sticker were filled with cherry blossoms, stars, and other sparkling embellishments.
Absolutely stunning. That was Logan's honest assessment.
He said, "It looks great, way better than all those plastic-looking celebrities on TV."
Sumika rolled her eyes at him but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. Then, she sighed regretfully: "It's a pity that you don't have an email address, or we could've become friends there."
Though Japan had social media apps, formal communication still often involved email. 'Exchanging email addresses' is also one of the symbols of becoming friends.
Without hesitation, Logan pulled out his phone, downloaded an app, registered, linked his account, and added her as a friend… all in one go.
After testing out a few messages, he smiled. He was already used to seeing her excitement when trying something new, her enthusiasm shining through.
Sumika continued tapping on her phone, gleefully swiping through things with no real purpose. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to him curiously and said, "Oh right, what were you going to say earlier?"
Watching Sumika completely immersed in her happiness, carefree and content, Logan found himself unable to get the words out. The speech he had prepared suddenly felt too heavy.
So, instead, he swallowed the truth and changed his words, "It's nothing."
…
In the afternoon, they went to watch a movie, a Hollywood blockbuster featuring mechs fighting mechs, and mechs fighting monsters. It was exactly the kind of thing that resonated with Japanese audiences, and the theater was packed.
The plot was predictable, with the same formula and routine. However, the special effects were dazzling, delivering a visual spectacle. Giant metal bodies clashing in raw combat, which was thrilling and satisfying.
As a popcorn flick, it was great entertainment. Sumika, wearing 3D glasses, sat through the whole thing with her mouth slightly agape, utterly captivated.
But Logan, distracted by unspoken words, found himself unable to fully engage. The booming sound effects lost their impact, and he simply watched the screen with a detached mind.
…
After the movie, they wandered through Harajuku's ever-changing, never-boring streets, shopping for clothes, playing claw machines. But Logan wasn't as engaged as before, as his thoughts were elsewhere. Though he went along with everything, walking and stopping at various stores, so he believed he hid it well.
Haruna, ever patient, strolled through familiar paths, occasionally skipping a step or two. She seemed oblivious to any difference in his behavior.
Until, as the evening cooled down, they took the train back. Stepping out of the subway station, they found themselves facing an unexpected downpour.
The weather changed in an instant. Rain poured in torrents, heavy drops pelting the ground, forming rhythmic splashes. The downpour washed away the lingering heat, a cool breeze sweeping through. Sumika instinctively grabbed onto Logan's sleeve.
Logan looked up at the thick curtain of rain, feeling a bit troubled. The rain was intense and showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. Many other commuters were stranded at the station entrance, caught in the same predicament.
Sumika pulled out a delicate parasol from her bag, and looked up at him expectantly.
"..."
Facing such a clear invitation. Logan smoothly took the umbrella and opened it. Their destination, which is a small hill with a shrine, wasn't far, just a short walk away. Without hesitation, he held the umbrella over Sumika and stepped into the rain with her.
Raindrops lashed at his clothes, soaking them quickly. Logan briefly considered using his half-baked Water Release skills to show off. But before he could, Sumika let out a startled yelp.
She had stepped on something and stumbled, nearly falling.
"Are you okay?" Logan asked immediately.
"I'm okay." Sumika touched her ankle with a smile, but her brows furrowed slightly from the pain.
Logan saw this, shook his head and glanced at the empty street, 'There was no other choice.'
With a swift motion, he scooped Sumika up into his arms.
"I'll carry you over. You hold the umbrella."
Sumika's face instantly turned bright red. "Y-you… in public… t-this is so improper?"
"It's not far," Logan said, chuckling at her flustered reaction, "What are you so afraid of?"
Sumika glanced around in panic. Even though the rain had cleared the streets of most people, she still turned red all the way to her ears.
She struggled slightly, but in the end, she could only let Logan carry her in a princess hold.
She buried her head against his chest, her arms looping around his neck as she tightly gripped the umbrella, looking visibly tense.
"It's fine, people here are pretty open-minded. No one's going to say anything." Logan reassured her.
A faint 'mm' was the only response from his chest.
Logan knew that, given Sumika's upbringing and personality, she was naturally more reserved. He didn't say anything else and focused on walking.
Sumika was tall, so with her in his arms, a small parasol like this was hardly enough to shield them both from the rain. But Logan wasn't just any ordinary boyfriend, so he gathered his Chakra and skillfully used Water Release, creating a thin, invisible barrier that deflected the raindrops away from her.
The world under the rain became misty and serene. The rhythm of the droplets filled the air. Clothes dampened, skin touched. The silence between them was broken only by the sound of the rain pattering on the umbrella and the heartbeat Sumika could hear, which is his and hers. Logan listened to the rain, on the umbrella, on his heart.
It felt like a never-ending track, a journey he wished would never stop.
After what felt like a long time, Sumika, now more accustomed to the atmosphere, still had her head buried in Logan's chest. Her eyelashes trembled slightly before she finally spoke:
"Hattori-kun… today, was there something you wanted to tell me?"
Logan's expression shifted slightly, but his steps didn't falter.
"Yeah… there is one thing."
'So she had noticed after all… It seemed my flimsy attempts to hide it weren't enough to fool her.' Logan admitted it straightforwardly, hesitated for a moment, then finally voiced his plans.
The rain continued to pour, and Sumika listened quietly without interrupting. After a while, she simply murmured, "I see."
"It's just that I'm a little worried… I know them well… I only want to check in, just a quick look. Hopefully, everything is fine. If nothing happens, great. But if things get complicated… well, the whole situation is messy, the grudges are tangled, and… ugh, you know how it is..."
"..."
Sumika remained silent, which only made Logan more uneasy. He went on explaining, analyzing risks, rambling about all sorts of things, trying to reassure her.
The raindrops dripped and splashed as they arrived at the foot of the shrine's hill.
Logan, still carrying Sumika, climbed the steps. There's no way around it now… her reaction had made the situation clear, and he didn't dare to say anything else.
By the time they reached the shrine's main building, the rain had dwindled to a light drizzle. Logan carefully set Sumika down in front of the vermillion wooden doors, water still dripping from the tiled eaves above, "Uh, we're here."
After Sumika landed, she lowered her head and was silent. Then, she suddenly stepped forward and hugged Logan.
She said softly, "I'll wait for you."
Logan was stunned for a moment. He had just been putting away the umbrella, and now his hands paused midair.
The storm had passed, and the sky was clearing.
Sumika, still angry, refused to meet his gaze.
"This is the last time. You're not allowed to disappear without a word, only to reappear just as suddenly. You have to come back. And when you do, don't sneak up to the attic to see me again."
Her voice was light, but every word etched itself into his heart, like that promise they had made under countless glowing lights that night.
Logan reached out and gently stroked Sumika's hair. As the rain finally stopped, someone inside the shrine peeked out.
"Mm, don't worry. I'll send you an email."