Part 2 — The Feeling Before the Storm
The afternoon slowly drifted into evening.
Golden sunlight spilled through the windows of the house, warming the wooden floor softly.
The peaceful noise from lunch had faded now.
Only small sounds remained.
The clinking of dishes.
Water running quietly.
The occasional breeze passing through the open windows.
Kaito was completely asleep on the sofa.
One arm hanging off the side.
Blanket half-falling onto the floor.
"…Unbelievable," Ayame murmured.
"He said he wasn't tired."
Akari laughed softly while drying dishes.
"He used all his energy talking."
"…That explains a lot."
Ayame placed another cleaned plate aside neatly.
For a while—
the kitchen filled with quiet conversation between the two.
Meanwhile—
Haruto sat near the engawa by the open garden.
The evening air brushed gently past him.
The sky outside had started turning orange.
Calm.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
His eyes slowly drifted toward the inside of the house.
Kaito asleep carelessly.
Ayame helping Akari.
Akari smiling softly.
Renjiro standing nearby in silence.
A normal scene.
A peaceful one.
Yet for some reason—
Haruto couldn't shake the strange feeling sitting inside his chest.
Like something was slowly approaching.
Footsteps echoed softly behind him.
Renjiro stopped beside the engawa.
For a moment—
neither of them spoke.
The wind moved gently through the garden trees.
"…You're quiet today," Renjiro finally said.
Haruto kept his gaze forward.
"…Just thinking."
"…About?"
A small pause.
Haruto lowered his eyes slightly.
"…Nothing important."
Renjiro looked at him calmly.
"…Usually when people say that, it's important."
Haruto didn't answer immediately.
Inside the house—
Akari lightly scolded Ayame for stacking dishes too high.
Ayame defended herself calmly.
Kaito suddenly mumbled in his sleep.
"…I got first place…"
Akari laughed quietly.
The sound reached the engawa softly.
Haruto listened silently.
Then—
very quietly—
"…Do things stay like this forever?"
The question almost disappeared into the evening breeze.
Renjiro's eyes shifted toward the house.
Toward the warmth inside.
The peacefulness.
The family gathered together beneath one roof.
A long silence followed.
Then—
"…No."
Haruto's gaze lowered slightly.
But Renjiro continued.
"…Nothing stays forever."
The evening wind moved gently again.
"…That's why moments like this matter."
Haruto stayed silent.
Inside—
Akari called out from the kitchen.
"Dinner will be lighter tonight, so don't fall asleep before then."
Kaito immediately sat upright halfway asleep.
"I wasn't sleeping."
Ayame stared at him.
"…You were snoring."
"I was meditating."
Akari laughed again.
For a brief moment—
Haruto smiled faintly.
And Renjiro quietly watched him from beside the fading evening light.