That morning, the faint aroma of miso soup still lingered in the Ichijou family dining room. Sunlight streamed through the window glass, warm but not too bright, marking the start of a quiet new year. Raku sat in his chair, the spoon in his hand already empty, but his gaze still vacant toward the table. In front of him, the bowl of rice was almost gone, leaving only a few grains.
Issei, who sat across from him, folded a small newspaper and placed it on the table. His gaze then turned to Raku, who had been eating with a calm face, but somehow seemed rather heavy. With a calm yet authoritative voice, he said:
"Raku."
Raku lifted his head slightly, turning to Issei. "Hm? What is it, father?"
Issei leaned back in his chair, his arms folded. "In a few days, school will start again. You should prepare yourself. Check your schedule, books, uniform, and anything else you need to bring later."
The words were simple, but for Raku, who often got lost in his thoughts, they sounded like a reminder that slapped reality in his face. He blinked, then looked toward the window beside him, seeing the morning light fall onto the tatami.
"Ah… that's right," he replied softly. "Time really flies. It feels like the New Year just started… and now school is already starting again."
Ryunosuke, who was sitting not far from them, busy tidying up the teacups, glanced at Raku. His expression remained as cold as usual, but from the way his hands slowed, it was clear he was listening to the conversation.
Issei continued, "School isn't just about lessons. After your amnesia… the school environment can help you in some ways. Your friends are there. Don't forget, there are people who care about you. That might be one of the paths to finding out who you are."
Raku was silent for a moment. Those words felt like an echo of the prayer he had offered at the shrine a few days ago. He lowered his head, gripping his spoon tightly. 'Friends… people who care… but is that enough to answer who I really am?'
"Yeah," Raku finally answered, trying to show a small smile. "I'll prepare everything. Maybe… by going back to school, I can feel a bit more normal. Not constantly thinking about things I can't answer right now."
Issei nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Don't just drown in your thoughts. Life goes on, Raku. Sometimes, answers come not because we desperately search for them, but because we live our days sincerely."
Ryunosuke finally added, his voice flat but piercing. "If you keep spacing out like usual, you'll only make others worry. Ojou-chan, Onodera, even your friends Shu and Ruri… they must be watching you. Don't waste that."
Raku flinched slightly. Rarely did Ryunosuke speak to him directly with such a tone. He turned to him, then nodded slowly. "I… I'll try. I don't want to make them worry."
For a moment, silence filled the dining room. Only the sound of birds outside the window could be heard. Raku lowered his head again, then slowly finished his last bite.
While tidying up his plate, he muttered softly, "Even so… I still want to know who I really am. If even Goddess Amaterasu can't answer, maybe the answer lies in the future… or at school, with them."
Issei watched his son's face, which reflected both doubt and hope, then let out a short sigh. He didn't answer, only patted Raku's shoulder gently as he stood up from the table.
"Then prepare yourself well. Life doesn't wait for anyone, Raku."
Raku nodded again. "Yes, father."
He then walked to his room, his steps still heavy, but this time with a bit of purpose. In his heart, though the question of his identity still weighed heavily, there was a glimmer of resolve: to live day by day, no matter how ordinary or painful, might be the only path toward the answer he sought.
Raku slowly opened the door to his room. Morning light entered through the gap in the window, falling onto the tatami floor and illuminating his neatly arranged study desk. The cold winter air still lingered, making him let out a small breath, a thin white vapor escaping his mouth.
He stepped inside, closed the door behind him, then walked toward the wardrobe. His hand slid open the wooden sliding door, revealing the neatly hung school uniform inside. The winter uniform with its black blazer still looked new, as if it hadn't been worn long. Raku brushed the fabric, his fingers tracing the sharp folds.
"A few more days…" he murmured softly.
He took the uniform, hanging it near his study desk, as if to make sure he wouldn't forget. Then, he lowered himself toward the lower shelf of the wardrobe, pulling out his school bag that had been lying there all this time. Opening it slowly, he began arranging his textbooks. Math, history, physics, geography—all neatly stacked. His fingers paused for a moment on one of the blank notebooks. He stared at its cover, then sighed.
"Looks like I really will be going back to school…" he said quietly, with a tone of confusion but also a hint of anticipation.
After finishing his bag, Raku walked toward the study desk. There, a small calendar hung on the wall. His eyes immediately fell on the date marked in red—the day school resumed after the New Year holiday. He stared at it for a long time, as if weighing the weight of that day.
"School…" he whispered. "The place where everyone gathers, studies, laughs. Will I be able to feel that again? Or… just pretend like usual?"
His thoughts drifted back to the words of Goddess Amaterasu at the shrine. "Those memories will return… but I'm not sure if when you remember everything, it will still be the same as now." Those words echoed in his head, making his chest feel tight.
Raku closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again with a gentler gaze. He walked closer to the window of his room, slid it open a little, and let the cold morning air in. The wind that stung his skin made him shiver slightly, but also gave him a new awareness.
He looked at the pale blue winter sky, empty yet vast. Slowly, he raised his hand, stretching his fingers toward the sky, as if trying to reach for something far away. A thin smile appeared on his face, a smile rarely shown lately.
"Better to focus on what's ahead first…" he said in a soft but determined voice. "My life is still long. I have to live it all, whatever the answer may be."
For a moment, he closed his eyes, then added softly, as if speaking to unseen figures:
"Gabriel, Arcelia… I hope we can meet again. When the time comes, when I finally know all the answers."
The wind blew in, making the thin curtain near the window sway gently. The morning sunlight fell on Raku's face, adding warmth to his sincere smile. For the first time in a long while, his heart felt a little lighter, even though the mystery of himself remained unanswered.
He lowered his hand slowly, then closed the window again. After that, Raku sat back down on the chair near the study desk, looking at the bag and uniform he had prepared. A sense of calm filled him—as if he had just taken a small step toward a future that was uncertain, but worth living.