Mitsuha and Yotsuha had stayed in Tokyo for what wasn't exactly a short period—but not a particularly long one either. After about a week, Haruto once again made the return trip to Itomori. That morning, the three of them left the apartment together.
Yotsuha's face lit up with anticipation at the thought of returning home, while Mitsuha looked noticeably glum. She hadn't had her fill of Tokyo yet. Leaving now felt too soon. Who knew when she'd be back next?
"Will I have another chance to come here again?"
"When school's out again, maybe. It's still summer vacation right now, but once three months pass, there'll be another break. I'll make a trip back to Itomori then."
Mitsuha pressed her lips together, didn't say anything more. She silently finished packing her luggage, and then, together with Haruto, they headed to Tokyo Station. After buying a few sweet treats there, the three of them boarded the train.
The journey back was just as draining as the one that brought them to Tokyo. By the time they arrived in Hida in the late afternoon, the sky had already begun to darken. They returned home that evening and decided to stay the night in Itomori.
That night, Mitsuha quietly snuck into his room. Haruto, already asleep, only faintly registered someone slipping into bed beside him.
It wasn't until morning that he realized Mitsuha had been lying next to him the entire time.
Careful not to wake her, Haruto got dressed and left the room. After a brief word with his family, he departed early and caught a train back to Tokyo.
Unlike the trip to Itomori, this time he didn't have much luggage. Just one light bag. He paused briefly in Hashima City before hopping on a Hikari line train and heading back to the capital.
By the time he emerged from Tokyo Station, the sky was a dim gray. Neon signs had already begun replacing the absent stars, flickering with an artificial brilliance that, when squinted at, almost felt dreamlike.
After two days of near-constant train travel, Haruto was exhausted. With the night not yet fully set in, he had no desire to cook.
He headed to Ikebukuro instead, stepped into a restaurant, ordered a few dishes, and quietly ate by himself. The chatter around him felt more like ambient noise than company. With a cup of tea in hand, he idly watched people's expressions—their joy, sorrow, irritation. It was almost like watching a Noh performance.
After realizing he might've ordered a little too much, he asked the staff to pack the rest and made his way back to his apartment.
Just as he reached his front door and began unlocking it, the sound of another door opening echoed from next door.
Click—
Unlike Haruto, who was returning home, his neighbor seemed to be heading out.
He turned slightly to see the woman draped in a light long-sleeved jacket. He gave her a polite nod before quietly entering his apartment and shutting the door behind him.
Hifumi stood there for a moment, lips parting as if to say something—but no words came. The door was already shut. She bit her lip and lowered her gaze, then headed off toward the nearby convenience store.
Even though he'd only been gone for about a day, the air inside the apartment felt stuffy. Not as stifling as last time, perhaps, but still not pleasant.
He turned on the AC, stepped over to the window, and opened it just a crack—only after switching off the lights, of course. If you left both the window and the lights on, bugs were bound to fly in. He'd considered installing a mesh screen before but always found the idea too much trouble. The sheer curtain would have to do.
"Summer really does bring the bugs out... I guess it's their mating season again."
He sprayed some repellent near the curtain and then gazed at the lights glowing in the house across the street—the Kiyoura residence.
"Should I drop by? They've probably already finished dinner by now. Come to think of it... I haven't even told them I'm back."
After a moment's pause, he decided to shower first.
The day's travel had left a light layer of sweat. It wasn't obvious, but he couldn't stand the feeling himself.
Water soon pattered down in the bathroom.
Shhhhhh...
"Whew—"
After his shower, Haruto returned to the dim living room, closed the window, turned on the lights, and sighed.
"Still kind of hot… Guess I'll get dressed and head over."
Fully clothed again, he left his apartment and walked across the street.
Opening the door was Mai, who looked a little surprised to see him.
"Back already?"
"Yeah. I was originally planning to come back yesterday, but I stayed the night in Itomori and returned this morning."
He stepped into the house, glanced at the TV playing quietly in the living room, then looked toward the lit bathroom. Seems like Setsuna was showering.
He sat down on the sofa, and Mai brought him a glass of cold tea.
"I thought you might stay in Itomori for a while longer."
"There wasn't anything special keeping me there. Figured I should come back and start tackling the stuff I've been putting off."
"Like?"
"I plan to check out a cram school tomorrow. If everything looks good, I'll enroll right away. Other than that, not much."
"You've already started preparing?"
"I kind of have to. Most people start all this in junior high. I'm just now catching up."
"Huh?"
Mai tilted her head, clearly unfamiliar with the process.
"Well, it's not like I'm aiming to compete with those types. Normal people wouldn't even cross paths with them."
"Those types?"
"You know... kids from rich families who've been pushed since birth—raised with all sorts of hobbies. While normal kids are still learning their first foreign language, those guys are on their third or fourth. When we're fumbling with a paintbrush, they're already playing the violin, blowing into a saxophone, or performing Moonlight Sonata."
Understanding dawned on Mai's face.
"Sounds like someone's a little sour."
"Hard not to be. From the beginning, they've always had more options. Even if it's because of their parents, it's still a huge advantage."
"So are you going to pick up the violin or something now?"
She laughed softly, clearly teasing.
Haruto just shrugged.
"Once I'm in cram school, I probably won't have the time. But maybe I could get to a decent amateur level? Learn just enough to hold a conversation."
"You've thought it through."
"I did consider suggesting Setsuna pick up an instrument too. But with work being so busy, I gave up."
"The costs alone are insane. Tuition, instruments, commute... And unless your place is soundproof, the neighbors will definitely complain."
"No kidding."
Mai chuckled in agreement. Music lessons were officially scratched off her list again.
"So, have you decided on a cram school yet?"
"Not yet. I have a rough idea, though. I'll check it out tomorrow."
"One of the big-name ones?"
"Still deciding. I'll let you know once it's set."
At that moment, the bathroom door opened. Haruto glanced over and saw Setsuna, wrapped in a towel.
"I'm heading in next. You wanna join?" Mai asked.
"I already showered."
"Doesn't mean you can't go again."
She smirked playfully as she passed him and disappeared into the hallway. Moments later, Setsuna stepped into the living room. Water still clung to her pale shoulders, droplets trailing down from her damp hair.
She dabbed herself off with a towel and sat beside Haruto, staring at him with unreadable eyes.
He reached out—hesitated—and then gently placed his hand on her head, fingers combing through her damp hair. His palm was instantly soaked.
"...It's all wet."
"Blow-drying is bad for your hair."
"Where'd you hear that?"
"Sekai."
"Oh. Then that makes sense."
Haruto stayed for a while longer before heading back home around 9 p.m. The cool blast of the AC hit him the moment he opened his door. He took another quick shower, then collapsed into bed, flipping straight into sleep mode.
_ _ _
The next morning, Haruto didn't feel like getting up.
Lying in bed, he glanced at his phone and thought quietly about his life up to now.
"No more slacking."
Muttering to himself, he sat up at 9 a.m., got dressed, and stepped out into the blazing heat—ready to find the right cram school.
He wanted one with a solid teaching reputation, but it'd be great if it was close to his apartment too. The last thing he wanted was to transfer trains for an hour just to get home.
He opened his phone and searched for cram schools nearby.
To his surprise, there were quite a few within walking distance—including one near the University of Tokyo.
"...Not that far."
Even more unexpectedly, many of the well-known cram schools appeared to be clustered in Shinjuku, not Bunkyo, as he'd originally assumed.
"They must all be the big-name ones. No smaller ones showing up... Maybe the map's not accurate. Better go see for myself."
As he walked, the wide main streets narrowed. Soon the road could barely accommodate two people walking side by side. Three would be a squeeze. Shadows loomed on both sides from short apartment buildings and shops, blocking out the sunlight.
Finally, he reached a small alley and found it:
Aomine Cram School.
Just across the lane was a cozy-looking restaurant. A decent dinner option if he stayed late.
"I don't usually make dinner myself anyway, so I guess it doesn't make much of a difference. Still, the walk from my apartment to here is pretty long—at least thirty minutes on foot."
He stood in front of the cram school, staring at the modest building with a quiet sigh. After a brief moment of hesitation, he stepped inside.
Flyers and posters were taped to the entrance, along with information about the courses offered. Haruto paused to read through the descriptions, his eyes settling on a track that piqued his interest—preparation for graduate-level humanities programs.
"Direct entrance exam prep for graduate school in the humanities, huh…"
Unfortunately, he hadn't even graduated from high school yet. Graduate school was still far off. At the very least, he'd need to get into university before he could start thinking about that.
"800,000 yen… not too bad, actually."
A full-year package for graduate humanities prep was listed at 520,000 yen. One year—520,000 yen. It was surprisingly reasonable.
After reading for a while, he walked deeper into the building, a spark of curiosity beginning to grow. He wanted to learn more.
~~~~~~~~~~
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