The atmosphere inside the car was silent the entire ride.
Mitsuha, sitting in the same vehicle as Miyamizu Toshiki—her father—was visibly tense. The deep-rooted authority he held over her kept her lips tightly sealed. Sensing her discomfort, the others refrained from chatting as well. The silence was contagious.
From Itomori to Hida Station, the car ride saved them a significant amount of time compared to taking the bus. Outside the station, rain still fell steadily. Haruto helped the girls enter the building first to keep them dry, then turned back toward the man still seated in the front passenger seat.
"The stuff I ordered—you received it, right?"
"I did," Toshiki replied. "It was expensive. You don't need to buy those things again. You know how costly life is in Tokyo. Save where you can."
"I understand. Take care of your health."
"Mhm."
"Then… I'll get going."
"...Once you're in Tokyo, look after your sisters."
"I will."
Haruto stepped out of the car, glancing one last time at the man in the front seat. Toshiki met his gaze briefly before turning away, his expression unreadable. As the car pulled out and turned around, it left the Hida Station behind in the rain.
Quietly watching the car disappear from view, Haruto finally turned and stepped into the station, waiting silently for the next train.
"Are we going to have to change lines several times again, just like when we came?"
Carrying her suitcase, Sekai slowly walked up beside Haruto, her tone somewhat complicated.
"It'll take a bit of time, yeah. But it should be a little easier than the trip here. At least the road to Tokyo will only get smoother from now on."
"Ugh, just thinking about sitting that long again makes me feel like I'm going to fall apart."
Sekai let out a sigh as memories of the exhausting journey back to Itomori surfaced. An entire day had been spent just navigating transfers and uncomfortable train seats.
Setsuna, on the other hand, didn't show the same level of reaction. Compared to the weariness of travel, she felt more relieved than anything. Visiting Itomori and seeing Haruto's old life had made her happy—but she had also realized it wasn't quite as exciting as she'd imagined.
Maybe one day she could adapt to life in the countryside, but for now, she was still a young woman at heart. Living in such a quiet place for too long would be a bit stifling.
Meanwhile, Mitsuha and Yotsuha stood close together. Yotsuha clung tightly to her sister's side, as if afraid of getting separated. Haruto walked over to them and paused.
"With this kind of weather, I doubt there'll be many people around. We should have a train coming soon."
"I'm fine with waiting… but will it also be raining in Tokyo?"
"Let me check."
Haruto took out his phone and checked the forecast for Tokyo. To his surprise, it showed heavy rain.
"Looks like it's pouring over there too. We'll probably get soaked. Might want to brace yourselves."
"...Seriously?"
Mitsuha, who had been excited for her Tokyo visit, now looked a bit worried. She wasn't keen on being cooped up in Haruto's apartment the whole time—she really wanted to explore the city, to breathe in the pulse of the metropolis.
"But it won't last long. The forecast says it'll lighten by tomorrow, then stop."
"So we'll be stuck indoors the whole day?"
"Probably. But hey, rain or not, we're still heading to Tokyo."
"Ugh… I guess that's true."
If they had to spend a whole day just traveling anyway, it was better to arrive in Tokyo even if the rain greeted them.
Watching the sisters, Sekai began to feel a little conflicted. Mitsuha and Yotsuha would be staying with Haruto for a while, and it suddenly hit her—once they were back in Tokyo, she might not get to spend as much time with him.
They bought their tickets and waited a short while before boarding. Just like the trip to Itomori, the journey was filled with transfers and train rides. Around noon, they finally boarded the Shinkansen to Tokyo.
The trip wasn't particularly eventful. Haruto kept an eye on his sisters, while also occasionally checking on Setsuna and Sekai. The mental toll made him feel exhausted. Once they were on the Shinkansen, he finally settled into his seat and shut his eyes, trying to rest.
About two hours into the journey, he glanced at the mist-covered windows and the relentless rain. He sighed and closed his eyes again.
When he awoke, the train was still moving. He checked the time—only an hour had passed. Another hour to go. He straightened in his seat and glanced to his side.
Yotsuha was asleep, nestled in Mitsuha's arms. Setsuna and Sekai sat nearby, whispering to each other softly.
By the time they reached Tokyo Station, Haruto felt a wave of relief wash over him. Standing up, he gently shook his sisters awake.
"We're in Tokyo. Mitsuha, Yotsuha, time to get up."
He reached out and touched their soft, smooth cheeks. The two girls slowly blinked open their sleepy eyes.
Especially Mitsuha—once she realized they had arrived, she instantly perked up. Yotsuha, on the other hand, sat up groggily, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings with a quiet, lost look. She bit her lip and turned to face Haruto.
"Make sure you've got all your things. Check your pockets too—don't leave anything behind."
"Okay."
"I've got everything."
"Still, double-check just in case."
After confirming that nothing had been left behind, the five of them headed out of the station. Outside, a torrential downpour greeted them. They hopped on the subway to Korakuen Station. Emerging aboveground, the sight of the rain left everyone silent.
"It's coming down so hard… even with umbrellas, it feels useless. And we still have a thirty-minute walk ahead of us."
"Are we seriously going to get soaked? The suitcases are going to get wet too."
Mitsuha stared at the rain, her earlier excitement fading fast. She really didn't want to get drenched before even enjoying the city. Tokyo was supposed to be fun—not this.
"What should we do?"
She turned to Haruto, silently pleading with her eyes. Haruto, however, simply smiled.
"..."
Sekai sighed. Taking out her phone, she made a call.
"We're at Korakuen Station. The rain's too heavy to walk. We need your help."
The others turned to her in surprise as she finished the call.
"My mom's on her way with the car. We'll just have to wait a bit."
"That works."
Haruto, who had just been debating whether to call a taxi, felt relieved. He relaxed, standing with the others as they waited quietly.
After about thirty minutes, Sekai's phone rang again. Haruto heard the familiar voice of Yoko through the speaker.
"I'm here—just outside. I can't get closer though. Can you come out?"
Haruto nodded and led the way, pointing to a familiar gray business car parked across the street.
"That's the one. I'll check it first."
He raised his umbrella and braved the downpour. When he approached the car, Yoko rolled down the window and smiled at him, waving.
Satisfied, Haruto returned to the group and helped everyone get their luggage. All five of them piled into the car, which was spacious enough to keep things comfortable.
"Thanks for coming to get us."
"No problem," Yoko replied with a smile. "Though I imagine having Sekai tag along to Itomori must've caused you some trouble?"
"I didn't!"
"You don't get to decide that. So, how was life in the countryside?"
"It was fine. Why?"
Sekai frowned, unsure of her mother's intentions. Yoko said nothing further—just smiled and glanced at the two unfamiliar girls beside Haruto.
"Are those your sisters, Haruto?"
"Yeah. Mitsuha and Yotsuha. This is Saionji Yoko—Sekai's mother."
"Nice to meet you," Mitsuha said politely, though a little stiff.
"You girls enjoy your time in Tokyo, alright? Stop by my restaurant sometime—my treat."
"Restaurant?"
"We run a family-style diner," Sekai explained.
Mitsuha's face lit up in surprise. She stared at Sekai, who looked back at her with a hint of smug satisfaction. Her gaze shifted subtly to Haruto—only to find his expression calm and indifferent.
Sekai felt slightly defeated.
Yoko dropped them off at Haruto's apartment, leaving Haruto, Setsuna, Mitsuha, and Yotsuha behind as she drove away with Sekai.
"See you again on a sunny day," she called out before leaving.
Back at the apartment, Haruto turned to Setsuna.
"Not going to drop your luggage off at your place first?"
"...Yeah."
She nodded and opened her umbrella, wheeling her suitcase across the street. Mitsuha and Yotsuha looked at Haruto expectantly.
"Let's go home. It's been a week. I wonder how the apartment held up."
Climbing the stairs wasn't so bad this time—no souvenirs or extra bags to carry. The suitcases were light. Haruto unlocked the door and was greeted by a stale, stuffy smell.
"Phew… it's not terrible, just a bit musty."
Thanks to the air fresheners he'd left behind, there was no foul odor. He'd given all the perishables to the neighbor before leaving. Dropping his suitcase by the entrance, he let the girls inside and switched on the air conditioner to ventilate the room.
"What should we do with our bags?"
"Just leave them in the living room like last time. Yotsuha, put yours next to Mitsuha's so they don't get lost. Rest for now—I'll head out soon to buy groceries. Gave everything away before we left, so there's nothing to cook with."
"In this rain? You're still going out?"
Yotsuha blinked at him, clearly surprised.
"If I don't, we'll have to starve. Sure, we could order in, but I don't even have any food delivery contacts set up here."
She fell silent, eyes flickering between her sister and her brother.
"You want help?"
"You and Mitsuha stay here. Better one person gets drenched than two. If anything comes up, call me. Didn't I set up a phone for you?"
"Well..."
"Yotsuha, is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll try to get it."
Yotsuha looked around the small apartment, her mood slightly dampened. It was much smaller than she expected. Her heart ached for her brother—she'd heard Tokyo rents were sky-high, and yet here he was, living in such a cramped space.
She gave a soft smile. "Anything's fine."
Haruto caught the look in her eyes. He could guess what she was thinking. His gaze shifted to Mitsuha, who was crouched by her suitcase, quietly unpacking.
He sighed softly.
Same little sister… yet somehow, they were so different.
~~~~~~~~~~
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