The morning bell's echo had barely faded when Ms. Tanaka rapped her knuckles smartly against the chalkboard. The usual post-homeroom chatter died mid-sentence.
"Attention, everyone," she said, her voice carrying that particular teacher-tone that promised either punishment or surprise. "Starting the day after tomorrow, we have Free Week."
For one suspended second, silence held. Then Classroom 2-B erupted.
"YES! FREE WEEK!"
"No school for a whole week?"
"I'm sleeping until noon every day!"
Ms. Tanaka let the celebration crest before raising a hand. "Use this time to rest, recharge, and pursue your hobbies responsibly. Classes resume in exactly seven days. Don't make me regret this."
The final bell couldn't come fast enough. Backpacks were slung over shoulders with unprecedented speed, and the hallway instantly flooded with the electric buzz of liberation.
"Finally!" Kaede exclaimed, punching the air as their group converged by the lockers. "A whole week to focus on my training without homework getting in the way!"
"What is everyone actually planning to do?" Yuki asked, adjusting her glasses.
Hiro shrugged, hoisting his bag. "Probably just… gaming. Catching up on some series. The usual."
"I'm going to learn some new recipes with my mom!" Luna said, her white tail giving a happy flick. "We're starting with chocolate tarts."
Lolo smiled serenely. "I will be at home. Tea ceremonies, reading, and tending the garden. It sounds perfectly peaceful."
All eyes turned to Takeshi, who was staring into his locker with a hollow expression.
"Takeshi?" Luna prompted gently.
He closed his locker with a soft click. "Babysitting," he said, the word heavy with impending doom. "My younger brother and sister. My parents are visiting relatives up north for the whole week. It's just… me. And them."
A collective wince passed through the group. They'd met six-year-old Ren and eight-year-old Momo once before; it had ended with a vase repaired by Lolo's meticulous hands and a permanent crayon mural on Takeshi's hallway wall.
"Well," Kaede said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good luck. You're a braver man than I."
The group parted ways with promises to text, the golden afternoon light painting their parting in optimistic hues. None of them knew just how quickly the glitter of free time would lose its shine.
Day 1 found Hiro in his natural habitat: sprawled on the couch, controller in hand, the glow of the screen illuminating his focused face. He was deep into the final boss of Starfall Chronicles, his movements precise. The victory fanfare blared. He grinned, stretched, and reached for a soda. His phone buzzed.
Luna: What are you doing?
Hiro: Gaming. You?
Luna: Baking with mom! First batch of tarts in the oven!
He smiled, typed a thumbs-up, and queued up the next game. The freedom was sublime.
In Luna's sunlit kitchen, flour dusted the air like snow. Her mother, Yuki, guided her hands with a patience born of years. "Gently, Luna. The crust is like a promise—handle it with care, and it will reward you."
Luna's tongue poked out in concentration, her canine ears twitching as she carefully pressed the dough into the tin. The smell of chocolate and butter was intoxicating. This was exactly what she'd wanted.
Day 2 dawned on a different scene. In Takeshi's living room, which now resembled a toy armory after a hurricane, a six-year-old dinosaur was on the loose.
"ROOOAR! I'm a T-Rex and I'm HUNGRY!" Ren bellowed, trampling a pile of blocks.
From the couch, Momo hugged her bunny plush tighter. "Onii-chan," she whispered, her large eyes pools of quiet need. "My stomach is making little dragon sounds."
Takeshi, standing amidst the chaos with a spatula in one hand and a stuffed bear in the other, felt his eye twitch. "Lunch," he declared, his voice cracking slightly. "Lunch is coming."
By Day 3, routines had solidified. Hiro had moved from epic RPGs to mindless puzzle games. Luna's fourth batch of cookies sat cooling, the novelty of cracking eggs wearing thin. Lolo performed her tea ceremony in the tranquil garden, the ritual movements calming, yet the silence felt ampler, heavier. She glanced at her quiet phone.
Kaede, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of disciplined motion in the dojo. "Again, Kaede!" her sensei called. "Your kick is strong, but your center is drifting!" She poured her restless energy into each movement, the thwack of her foot against the pad a satisfying punctuation to the empty day.
Day 5 was the tipping point.
Hiro yawned so wide his jaw cracked, pausing his game. The pixelated victory felt hollow. He scrolled through the group chat—a meme from Yuki, a picture of Lolo's perfect tea whisk from yesterday. Nothing new.
Luna stared at a bowl of cookie dough. Wasn't this supposed to be… fun?
Takeshi, buried under a fort of cushions with two hyperactive children using him as a climbing gym, had a single, clear thought: I am not going to survive.
A profound, collective restlessness had settled over them all. Free time, they were discovering, was a currency that lost its value without someone to share it with.
Part 3: The Distress Signal
That evening, Takeshi's face, pale and desperate, filled their screens on a simultaneous video call.
"Guys," he rasped, the word scraping out of him. "Code red. I am invoking the friendship clause. I need help."
His camera panned, revealing the apocalyptic reality behind him. Ren was engaged in a one-child war against the sofa cushions, while Momo sat in a nest of torn drawing paper, softly weeping over a picture she'd accidentally ripped.
"My parents don't come back for two more days," Takeshi pleaded, his voice trembling with sincerity. "I can't… I can't do this alone anymore. Please. Just come over. Help me entertain them. Feed them. Anything. I'm begging you."
The response was instantaneous.
"We're on our way," Luna said, already untieing her apron.
"I'll prepare some child-friendly snacks," Lolo declared, rising from her zabuton.
"I can teach them basic defensive stances!" Kaede offered.
"I'll bring… um… my sparkling personality?" Yuki adjusted her glasses.
Hiro simply nodded. "Give us twenty minutes."
The relief on Takeshi's face was profound. "You guys… you're actual lifesavers."
The next morning, Takeshi's house was invaded by a force of benevolent chaos. Luna carried a basket still warm with pastries. Lolo had a delicate container of intricately cut fruit. Kaede brought energy. Yuki brought a stack of board games. Hiro brought himself, which, as it turned out, was the main attraction.
Takeshi opened the door, looking like he'd weathered a small war. "Thank you," he breathed, the words heavy with gratitude. "They just woke up."
Two small heads peeked out from behind his legs. Ren's eyes were wide with curiosity, Momo's with shy apprehension.
"Wow," Ren whispered. "Big brother's whole gang is here."
Hiro knelt, bringing himself to their eye level. "Hey there," he said, his voice softer than they were used to. "You must be Ren and Momo. Your brother's told us a lot about you." He glanced at their uncertain faces, then at Takeshi's exhausted hope. An idea sparked. "Want to see something cool?"
Ren's curiosity won over his shyness. "Like what?"
A warm, golden light began to emanate from Hiro's skin. It wasn't blinding, but gentle, like sunlight through honey. His form shimmered, expanded, and reshaped. In moments, where the teenage boy had been, now stood his wolf form—seven feet of powerful, sleek build, covered in thick, soft black fur streaked with vibrant orange. His golden eyes held a friendly intelligence, and his tail gave a slow, welcoming sway.
Ren's jaw dropped. Momo's hands flew to her mouth.
"A real wolf!" Ren shrieked in delight.
"So big… and fluffy…" Momo breathed, her fear forgotten.
They surged forward, small arms wrapping around Hiro's powerful legs, burying their faces in his dense fur. He chuckled, the sound a deep, rumbling vibration.
"He's so soft, onii-chan!" Momo exclaimed to Takeshi.
"Can I ride on your back? Please, please, please?" Ren begged, jumping up and down.
Hiro looked to Takeshi, who nodded numbly. With careful, deliberate movements, Hiro lowered himself. Ren scrambled up with Kaede's help, clutching handfuls of fur. "Giddy-up, Wolf-san!"
Hiro took a few slow, majestic steps around the genkan. Momo, emboldened, reached for Luna's hand. "You have a tail too! And ears! Are you a wolf?"
"A wolfdog," Luna said, smiling as she let her tail wag freely. "Here, want to feel?" She guided Momo's small hand to her ears. The little girl's giggle was a bell of pure joy.
The spell was broken. The house was no longer a prison—it was an adventure.
The hours blurred into a beautiful, messy tapestry. Hiro (in wolf form, per relentless request) gave gentle "pony" rides in the backyard. Luna sat with Momo on the porch, braiding dandelions and clover into intricate crowns, her own white tail wagging in time with Momo's happy swings.
"You're like a forest princess, Luna-san," Momo said solemnly, placing a slightly lopsided flower crown on Luna's head.
Inside, Kaede, Lolo, and a visibly decompressing Takeshi managed the domestic front. Kaede chopped vegetables with her usual martial arts precision, while Lolo arranged sandwiches into artistic formations. Takeshi finally got to sit down with a cup of tea, watching through the kitchen window as his siblings laughed.
"I don't think I've heard Momo laugh that loud in months," he murmured, a complex mix of relief and guilt in his voice.
Kaede followed his gaze. Outside, Hiro had both children balanced on his broad shoulders, carefully walking while Luna held their hands, steadying them. The sun haloed them—the giant, gentle beast, the radiant girl with sunshine in her fur, and the two beaming children. It was a picture of instinctive, effortless care.
"They look like a family," Kaede mused aloud, her tone soft and observational. "How cute."
She forgot, in the quiet camaraderie of the kitchen, about the supernatural hearing of the two in the yard.
Outside, Hiro and Luna froze mid-step.
A violent, synchronized blush erupted across their faces. Pop! The imaginary anime-style sound effect was almost audible.
"F-family?!" Luna squeaked, her ears flattening against her skull.
Hiro's golden eyes went wide. "K-Kaede!" he yelped, his deep voice cracking.
Ren and Momo looked between them, puzzled. "Why's your face all red, Wolf-san?" Ren asked, poking Hiro's cheek. "Are you overheating?"
"It's, um! The sun!" Luna stammered, fanning herself dramatically. "Very hot! Sudden heat wave!"
Hiro, flustered beyond coherence, let his transformation fall in a shimmer of light, reverting to his human form—his face still flaming scarlet. The kids 'awwed' in disappointment but were quickly distracted by Lolo announcing lunch.
For Luna, however, the damage was done. As she helped set the table, Kaede's offhand comment looped in her mind. A family.
Her hands stilled, her eyes glazing over. A vivid, unbidden daydream unfolded behind her eyes:
A cozy, small house with a wildflower garden. The front door opens. Hiro—his wolf form a little broader, a little more seasoned—steps inside, a satchel slung over his shoulder.
"I'm home!"
The pitter-patter of small feet. Two children rocket into the entryway. A boy with a mop of dark hair and a pair of playful white wolf ears. A girl with Hiro's warm golden eyes and a streak of orange in her brown hair.
"Papa! Papa!"
She appears in the kitchen doorway—herself, but older, a comfortable apron over her clothes. A smile that speaks of deep, quiet happiness.
"Welcome home, dear."
He nuzzles the children, then crosses to her, bending to press a kiss to her forehead. The scene melts into them all seated around a dinner table, laughter mixing with the clatter of dishes, a perfect, warm tableau of…
"Luna? The plates?"
She jolted back to reality. Takeshi was holding the stack of dishes, looking at her curiously. Her entire face felt on fire. Her tail was swishing behind her like a frantic metronome.
"S-sorry!" she chirped, taking the plates. "Spaced out!"
Hiro, across the room, caught her eye. He'd seen the tail. He gave her a small, questioning smile. She quickly looked away, her heart performing a drum solo against her ribs. We're not even officially dating! she screamed internally, but the warmth of the fantasy lingered, sweet and terrifying.
The afternoon was a whirlwind of board games, storytelling, and more backyard adventures. By dusk, the energy finally drained. Ren, mid-sentence about his toy dinosaur's diet, conked out with his head on Hiro's lap. Momo curled into Luna's side, her breathing deepening into sleep.
In the sudden, peaceful quiet, Takeshi looked at his friends. "Thank you," he said, the simple words carrying the weight of the week. "Seriously. You saved my sanity."
"They're wonderful," Lolo whispered, smiling at the sleeping children.
"It was… nice," Kaede admitted, a rare softness in her tone. "Different."
As twilight deepened, Takeshi made an offer. "It's late. Why don't you all just stay? We've got plenty of floor and futons. A proper sleepover."
Permission was sought and granted. The living room transformed into a nest of blankets and pillows. Takeshi took the first watch in his parents' room with the kids, leaving the gang in the soft dark of the living room, lit only by a nightlight shaped like a star.
One by one, their breathing evened out—Kaede and Yuki sharing a couch, Lolo serene on another, Takeshi now asleep in a sleeping bag by the kids' door.
Hiro and Luna found themselves on the back porch, the cool night air a balm. The stars were countless, a glittering spill across the velvet sky.
"Today was fun," Luna said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It was," Hiro agreed. He was in human form, leaning against the railing. "The kids… they really took to you."
"They adored you," she countered, bumping his shoulder with hers. "You have a real way with them. So patient."
A comfortable silence settled, filled with the chirping of crickets. The memory of the afternoon's embarrassment hovered between them, no longer awkward, but tender.
"So," Hiro began, his voice low. "Kaede's comment. About us… looking like a family."
Luna's breath hitched. "Yeah."
"Did it… bother you?"
She turned to look at him. The starlight caught in his eyes, in the earnest set of his jaw. Her nervousness melted away, replaced by a surge of courage. "No," she said, clear and sure. "It didn't bother me at all."
Slowly, tentatively, his hand found hers where it rested on the wooden railing. His fingers brushed against hers, then intertwined, their palms slotting together perfectly. They stood there, not speaking, watching the cosmos wheel above them, the simple connection of their hands feeling more profound than any confession.
The following morning was a symphony of yawns, shared breakfast, and promised reunions. Ren and Momo clung to Hiro and Luna at the door.
"You'll come back, Wolf-san? Promise?" Ren demanded, pulling on Hiro's sleeve.
"We promise," Hiro said, ruffling his hair.
Momo hugged Luna's legs. "I made you a picture," she whispered, handing over a crayon masterpiece featuring a large black wolf, a white dog, and two stick-figure children holding hands.
Luna's heart squeezed. "It's beautiful. I'll treasure it."
As they walked down the street, the normal world waiting to reclaim them, Kaede stretched and grinned. "So," she said, her tone sly. "When's the wedding? Should I start looking for a bridesmaid's dress?"
"KAEDE!" Luna and Hiro shouted in unison, their faces erupting in fresh color.
The group's laughter echoed down the quiet suburban street, bright and full.
Hiro walked Luna to her door last. The free week was nearly over, but something new felt like it was just beginning.
"You know," Luna said, pausing on her doorstep. "This week didn't go at all like I planned. But it was better."
"Way better," Hiro agreed.
She played with the strap of her bag. "Hiro… do you ever think about it? The future, I mean."
"Sometimes," he said, watching her carefully. "Why?"
She met his gaze, her golden eyes luminous and sincere. "I was just imagining what it might be like. You know… us. In the future."
He reached out, not taking her hand this time, but gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering for a heartbeat. "I think," he said, his voice a warm rumble, "our future would be very, very happy."
Luna's smile bloomed, radiant and sure. Her tail swayed in a slow, contented arc.
"Me too."