Part 3 – The Truth About Her Home
Amaya closed the mathematics textbook with a satisfied nod.
"...I think we're ready."
Haruto stretched his arms above his head.
"...I hope Daigo-sensei doesn't surprise us with impossible questions."
Amaya smiled.
"He said it would only be today's lesson."
Haruto let out a relieved sigh.
"...Good."
Amaya reached into her school bag once again.
This time...
She took out her academy notebook.
"...Now..."
"The notes."
Haruto looked at the thick stack of unfinished writing.
"...We're still doing this..."
Amaya giggled.
"...We have to."
"Daigo-sensei is collecting them tomorrow."
Haruto sighed dramatically.
"...Right..."
He picked up his pencil.
"...Let's get it over with."
The two opened their notebooks to the unfinished page.
For a while...
Only the scratching of pencils could be heard.
Haruto carefully copied the first paragraph.
Halfway through...
He paused.
"...How are you writing so fast?"
Amaya didn't even look up.
"...Practice."
Haruto looked at her notebook.
Her handwriting was small.
Neat.
Every letter looked almost identical.
He looked back at his own page.
"...Mine looks terrible."
Amaya leaned over slightly.
"...It doesn't."
Haruto raised an eyebrow.
"...You're just being nice."
She smiled.
"...No."
"I can read it."
"...That's enough."
Haruto laughed.
"...Fair point."
The two continued writing.
Every now and then...
One of them would glance at the other's notebook.
"...You skipped this heading."
Haruto blinked.
"...Again?"
Amaya nodded.
"...Again."
He quickly added it.
A few minutes later...
Amaya frowned at her own notebook.
"...Wait..."
"I missed an example."
Haruto pointed near the bottom of the page.
"...This one?"
"...Yeah."
"Thanks."
She quickly copied it down.
The room grew quiet once more.
The only sounds were...
Pencils moving across paper...
Pages turning...
And the occasional soft breeze drifting through the open window.
Minutes slowly turned into nearly an hour.
The pile of unfinished work became smaller...
Page by page.
Line by line.
Without either of them noticing...
The afternoon sunlight began turning a warm shade of orange as it filtered through the windows.
For a few moments...
The room was silent once again.
Haruto finished another line before setting his pencil down.
He quietly looked around the room.
His eyes drifted across the carefully arranged shelves...
The handmade decorations...
The polished wooden floor...
Then...
They stopped near the entrance.
His thoughts returned to the large house they had passed earlier.
"...Amaya."
She looked up from her notebook.
"...Hm?"
Haruto hesitated.
"...Can I ask you something?"
Amaya nodded softly.
"...Of course."
He looked down at his notebook for a moment before speaking.
"...Back there..."
"You said that house..."
"...Used to be yours."
The room grew quiet.
Amaya's pencil stopped moving.
"...Yeah."
Haruto looked at her.
"...Then..."
"...Why are you living here now?"
For a few seconds...
Amaya didn't answer.
She quietly closed her notebook.
Her eyes lowered to the table.
"..."
A small sigh escaped her lips.
"...I knew you'd ask eventually."
She forced a faint smile.
"...It's... a long story."
Haruto immediately shook his head.
"...You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Amaya looked at him.
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then...
She smiled a little more genuinely.
"...No."
"...It's okay."
"If anyone deserves to know..."
"...It's you."
She slowly placed her pencil beside the notebook.
"...It started..."
"...About a month ago."
Haruto remained silent.
He let her continue at her own pace.
"...At the far end of the Homura district..."
"...One family's house caught fire."
"They lost everything."
Haruto's eyes widened slightly.
"...Were they okay?"
Amaya nodded.
"...They survived."
"...But they didn't have a place to live anymore."
She looked down at her notebook.
"So..."
"They started looking for another house."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
One without happiness.
"...You know how my relationship with the clan is."
Haruto quietly nodded.
"...Yeah."
"They chose my house."
The room fell silent.
Haruto stared at her.
"...They... chose your house?"
Amaya nodded.
"...Lord Raijin came to speak with me."
"He said..."
"'They'll pay you rent until a new house is built.'"
"'Once it's finished...'"
"'You can decide whether you want to move into the new house or return to your old one.'"
Haruto frowned.
"...Uncle Raijin told you that?"
"...Yeah."
"He said it was my choice."
Haruto lowered his eyes.
"...Then..."
"...Couldn't you have rented a house outside the Homura district?"
Amaya gave a small nod.
"...I could have."
"But..."
She glanced around the little house.
"...Houses outside the district are more expensive."
She lowered her eyes.
"And..."
"...I haven't received the rent yet."
Haruto looked at her.
"...Not yet?"
Amaya shook her head.
"They said..."
"'We'll give it to you at the end of the month.'"
"...Since they had just moved in..."
"...I believed them."
Haruto quietly listened.
Amaya gave a small smile.
"...The month's almost over anyway."
"...So I'll ask again soon."
The room fell silent.
Haruto slowly lowered his gaze.
"...Then..."
He looked back at her.
"...Come live near my district."
Amaya blinked.
"...Huh?"
Haruto smiled gently.
"...Near my house."
"There are plenty of homes there."
"No one will look at you the way they do here."
"And..."
"I'm pretty sure the rent is cheaper too."
Amaya stared at him.
"...Haruto..."
He continued softly.
"You wouldn't have to keep pretending we don't know each other."
"You could walk however you want."
"...You could just..."
He smiled.
"...Be yourself."
Amaya's lips quivered.
She lowered her head.
"..."
Her hands tightened around the edge of her notebook.
She tried to answer.
But her voice wouldn't come.
A single tear fell onto the page.
Then another.
She quickly wiped her eyes.
"...S-Sorry..."
"I don't know why I'm crying..."
Haruto's expression softened.
"...You don't have to apologize."
Amaya shook her head gently.
"...It's just..."
"No one's ever..."
She couldn't finish the sentence.
Haruto didn't interrupt.
He simply sat quietly beside her.
Giving her the time she needed.
For the first time in a long while...
Amaya felt like someone wasn't looking at her as "the different girl from the Homura Clan."
He was simply looking at her...
As Amaya.