The days after winter break passed in a blur of classes, homework, and the usual chatter of students settling back into the rhythm of school life. Before anyone realized it, the school year had finally ended, and spring break had come.
Seated on the sofa inside his home's living room, Haruya yawned.
His 5th-grade life had passed by so quickly, and soon enough, he would be entering the 6th grade along with Nagisa and Hazuki.
The remaining winter season classes he had were quite uneventful, to be honest.
His life in class only consisted of sleeping, chatting with his two friends, and teaching Nagisa.
As for Ishida and his band of troublemakers, after his incident with them, he hadn't seen them again, with the trio seemingly avoiding him.
Haruya had thought that they would come up with something and cause mischief as childish revenge, but it seemed like he was only overthinking it.
As for the two girls, Hazuki had recently applied to a cram school to help prepare herself in advance to get into a good middle school.
Meanwhile, Nagisa had gone on a vacation with her family to somewhere in Osaka.
Haruya leaned on one hand to his chin, swiping on his phone with the other, looking at the photos Nagisa had sent him on her trip.
'Speaking of which, it's almost that time of the year, isn't it?'
Every spring break, he and his family would go visit his grandparents on his mother's side, in the small city of Chichibu, located in Saitama.
At just the right timing, Akari entered the living room and sat next to her son.
"We'll be heading to Chichibu soon. Have you packed your things yet?"
Haruya glanced up from his phone, stretching his arms lazily. "Not yet… I was just about to start. I'll get it done before we leave."
Akari chuckled, shaking her head. "You always say that, but somehow it works out. Don't forget to pack some warm clothes—it can still get chilly there this time of year."
"I know, I know," Haruya muttered, standing up and heading toward his room. "I'll take care of it."
"Good," Akari said, giving him a small pat on the shoulder. "We'll leave early tomorrow morning to avoid traffic. It's about a three-hour drive, so be ready."
If it were a regular trip, the Sumeragi family usually had drivers on stand-by. But since it was a usual visit to her parents, it would be more inconvenient to bring helpers with them.
...
The next morning, one of the family cars, a BMW XM Label, hummed steadily along the highway.
Haruya leaned back in his seat, watching the city streets slowly blur past as the car drove along the road.
Keeping his eyes on the road, his eyes shone with mysterious expectation as trees and fields slowly replaced the concrete buildings, and the atmosphere gradually shifted to the calm of the countryside.
Hours later, the mother and son had finally arrived in Chichibu. The familiar sight of his grandparents' large, quaint house, surrounded by blooming early-spring flowers and the distant mountains, greeted them warmly.
Haruya stepped out of the car, stretching and taking a deep breath of the crisp, fresh countryside air.
Akari followed out and stretched her arms, "Ahh, it's nice to be back home every once in a while, away from all the city pollution."
Haruya's grandparents came out of the house almost immediately, waving and calling greetings as they approached the car.
"Ah, Haruya! Welcome back!" his grandmother said warmly, her eyes sparkling. "And Akari, it's so good to see you!"
"Grandma, Grandpa!" Haruya greeted, giving them both a quick hug.
His grandfather chuckled, ruffling Haruya's hair. "You've grown again! Still sleeping through half the lessons, I bet?"
Haruya rolled his eyes at his grandpa's teasing, but smiled faintly. "Maybe a little."
Akari stepped into the car again and then went out carrying a bag. "Thank you for having us again. We've brought some things for the house as well."
After helping unload some of the luggage, Haruya dropped his own in his usual room in the house, still filled with the familiar warmth of home.
He plopped down onto his bed, kicking his shoes off, and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Feels just like last year," he muttered to himself, a happy smile forming on his face.
Suddenly, from the kitchen, the aroma of freshly prepared lunch drifted in, making Haruya's stomach rumble.
"I'm coming!" he called, hopping off the bed and sprinting out of his room.
Akari saw this and shook her head with a laugh. "You haven't even unpacked yet, and you're already running to eat?"
"Priorities," Haruya said with a grin, heading toward the dining area.
Haruya entered the dining room to see the spread laid out on the table.
Grandma Kimura, who was moving around the kitchen, turned and smiled warmly at her grandson. "Haruya, just in time! I made your favorite, nikujaga and tempura, along with a little surprise for today."
"Wow… Grandma, Grandpa, did you make all this?" he asked, eyes wide.
Grandma Kimura chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Of course, dear. You know, your grandfather and I used to run a big restaurant in Tokyo before we retired. Cooking is in the blood of our Kimura family."
Grandpa Kimura grinned, folding his arms proudly. "We may be old now, but we can still whip up a feast when we put our minds to it. Your mom inherited some of the skills, too, just in her own way."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Haruya exclaimed.
Grandma Kimura waved her hand modestly. "Oh, we just enjoy cooking. But it's nice to see Akari keeping the tradition alive, even if it's a slightly different branch of the culinary arts."
Akari smiled sheepishly at her parents, sitting down beside them. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm a good cook with meals... but if it involves making pastries, I'm definitely the best in the family."
Grandpa and Grandma Kimura laughed at her words, knowing how their daughter's regular cooking skills were.
Haruya grinned, picking up a pair of chopsticks. "I can't wait to taste everything! You guys always make the best meals."
Grandma Kimura laughed softly. "Then don't waste time talking. Dig in while it's still warm."
Haruya started to wolf down his food as if he hadn't eaten in days.
Meanwhile, Grandpa Kimura turned to his daughter and asked.
"By the way, hasn't Kenjiro returned yet from his trip? It's been almost half a year, hasn't it?"
Akari shook her head and answered, "He said he might come back around the beginning of summer," she added. "He's been working hard on an important project overseas, and I almost feel bad I can't be there to help him."
Hearing his dad's name being mentioned, Haruya looked up from his meal.
"Maybe next time he comes back home, you should put a chain on his legs to prevent him from leaving again, Mom. You know how long he stays away every time he attends something overseas," Haruya mischievously suggested.
Akari laughed, "Hey now, don't start giving me ideas like that! Your father works hard, you know. I can't exactly chain him up just because he's gone for a while."
Haruya shrugged, still chewing, "I'm just saying... it'd save you from worrying so much. And maybe I wouldn't miss him as much either."
Grandpa Kimura chuckled, shaking his head. "Hah! Kids these days, always full of ideas. Your mom's right—you can't chain a man down. He'd just find a way to escape anyway."
Grandma Kimura smiled, placing a hand on Haruya's shoulder. "But it's sweet of you to care about your father, dear. It shows you've got a good heart... even if your ideas are a little bit questionable."
Haruya grinned sheepishly, shrugging. "I'm just trying to help. Somebody has to keep Dad in check!"
Akari shook her head with a doting smile, starting to eat her meal. "Well, I'll make sure to remind him to come back faster next time. No chains needed, just a little nagging from me."
The family of four continued to hold their conversation while eating, with laughter bursting out from one another occasionally.
The comfort of being home.
Suddenly, Haruya remembered something important and looked at the time on his phone.
"I just remembered, I have to go somewhere! I'll be back before night!"
Without explaining or giving his mom and grandparents a chance to ask, he sprinted out the door.
"That kid... where is he going this time?" Akari was confused.
"You're asking the wrong questions," Grandma Kimura continued. "To whom is he going?"
...
Haruya kept running across town, crossing a large bridge, and into the forest nearby.
Following a dirt path, he passed a small river, an abandoned-looking shack, and finally arrived at an open clearing atop the hill with a singular tree.
Haruya slowed down and started walking to the tree.
Suddenly, from behind the tree, a little girl appeared, rubbing her eyes as if she had only woken up.
The girl had long, straight, silver hair that reached past her shoulders with her bangs cut finged on top of her forehead. Her eyes were light blue like sapphires, mesmerizing anyone who looked at them.
She was barefoot, her sandals placed on the side of the tree.
She was wearing a white dress, fastened with a blue ribbon in the middle.
Haruya paused and stared at the girl.
The girl also finally noticed Haruya standing across her and stared back.
"I found you, Menma."
Tears slowly started to form around Menma's eyes, but her face had a happy expression. She placed her hands behind her back and tilted her head with a smile on her face.
"You found me."