Part 6 — The Evening Before the Storm
A soft ray of Evening light entered through the window.
Amaya slowly opened her eyes.
"..."
For a few seconds...
She stared at the ceiling.
Then...
Her eyes widened.
"...The notes!"
She quickly sat up.
"I fell asleep..."
She looked toward the table.
Then stopped.
"..."
Someone was sitting there.
Sleeping.
Amaya tilted her head.
"..."
"Who is that?"
The messy hair covering the person's face made it difficult to recognize him.
She slowly leaned forward.
Then...
Her eyes widened.
"...Oh."
"Haruto."
She remembered.
He had come over to study.
She had fallen asleep.
And...
He had stayed behind.
Amaya looked at the table.
Both notebooks were there.
Completed.
Her expression softened.
"...He finished them."
She quietly picked up her notebook.
Every page was complete.
Even the parts she hadn't written.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"...Thank you."
She looked back at Haruto.
He was still sleeping.
His hair had fallen completely loose.
The hair band that usually kept it in place had slipped off.
A few strands covered his face.
Amaya tilted her head.
"..."
Then...
A small mischievous smile appeared.
She quietly picked up his hair band.
"..."
"Maybe..."
"I can fix this."
Carefully...
She moved his hair away from his face.
She tied it up neatly.
Then she looked at him.
She covered her mouth.
"..."
A small laugh escaped.
"It looks strange..."
She untied it.
Tried another style.
This time...
She moved the hair slightly differently.
She looked again.
Then giggled.
"No..."
"This is worse."
She quickly fixed it again.
Another style.
Another look.
Each time...
She checked.
And each time...
She tried not to laugh.
Until...
While she was adjusting his hair again...
Haruto suddenly opened his eyes.
"..."
Amaya froze.
Haruto blinked.
"...Amaya?"
Then he noticed her hand near his hair.
Both of them went silent.
"..."
"..."
Haruto slowly looked around.
Then noticed the small mirror nearby.
He turned toward it.
And froze.
"..."
His reflection stared back.
His hair looked completely different.
"...What happened?"
Amaya immediately covered her mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
"I was just..."
"...fixing it."
Haruto stared at himself.
"..."
"Why does it look like this?"
Amaya laughed softly.
"I was practicing."
"Practicing?"
"Yeah."
She smiled.
"Can you do it for me too?"
Haruto looked at her.
"...Me?"
Amaya nodded.
"Mhm."
"Try."
Haruto looked nervous.
"...I can't."
Amaya blinked.
"...Why?"
He scratched his cheek.
"...I don't know how."
She tilted her head.
"Then how do you take care of your hair?"
Haruto froze.
"..."
His face became slightly embarrassed.
"Uhh..."
"I don't really."
Amaya stared.
"...You don't?"
Haruto shook his head.
"No."
"Usually..."
He looked away.
"...Ayame does everything."
"She fixes it."
"She tells me when it looks messy."
Amaya looked at his hair again.
Then laughed.
"So you actually don't know anything about taking care of it?"
Haruto sighed.
"...No."
"I just wake up and go."
Amaya smiled.
"...That explains a lot."
Haruto looked offended.
"...What does that mean?"
Amaya laughed.
"It means..."
"You really need help."
Haruto sighed.
"...Everyone says that."
Amaya smiled warmly.
"Then maybe you should listen."
Haruto looked at her.
For a moment...
The little house became filled with quiet laughter.
A place that had once felt empty...
Didn't feel so lonely anymore.
The laughter slowly faded.
For a while...
Neither of them spoke.
The warm evening breeze drifted through the open window.
The paper decorations gently swayed.
Haruto looked outside.
"...It's getting late."
Amaya followed his gaze.
"...Yeah."
She stood up.
"I should walk you to the door."
Haruto picked up his school bag.
"...Thanks."
He slung it over his shoulder.
Before leaving...
He looked back at the little house.
The small room.
The neatly arranged shelves.
The colourful decorations.
Then...
At Amaya.
He smiled.
"...I like this place."
Amaya's eyes softened.
"...Really?"
Haruto nodded.
"Mhm."
"It feels..."
He searched for the right word.
"...Comfortable."
A gentle smile spread across Amaya's face.
"...Come again sometime."
Haruto grinned.
"...Only if you promise not to experiment with my hair again."
Amaya immediately laughed.
"No promises."
Haruto sighed dramatically.
"...I knew you'd say that."
The two walked to the entrance together.
Amaya slid the door open.
The evening air greeted them.
Haruto stepped outside before slipping his shoes back on.
He turned around.
"...Thanks for today."
Amaya smiled warmly.
"...Thank you too."
Haruto gave a small wave.
"...See you tomorrow."
"...See you tomorrow."
The door slowly slid shut.
Haruto stood there for another moment.
A small smile remained on his face.
Then...
He turned and began walking home.
Step...
Step...
Step...
The evening streets were unusually quiet.
The cheerful sounds that normally filled the village had almost disappeared.
Haruto looked around.
"..."
Something felt...
Different.
He couldn't explain why.
Perhaps...
It was just his imagination.
He quietly continued walking.
Unaware...
That before the night was over...
Everything was about to change.