The week after our beach trip was unusually quiet.
Normally, I would savor a chill week at school, but I felt like life was priming me to expect something crazy to drop into my lap.
I think we’ve all had those stretches of life where everything is going our way and all of a sudden something happens that completely knocks us on our ass.
But for now, peace had returned to my life.
Or at least, that’s what I told myself.
I knew it was a tenuous peace at best but I still welcomed it.
I was thankful that the summer holidays were nearly here.
It was Sunday morning.
I was still lying down on my bed; just staring at the ceiling before I gathered the energy to actually start my day.
My phone buzzed.
I glanced down.
New message.
I sighed loudly.
“This can’t be good,” I thought to myself as I unlocked my phone screen to read the message.
Akane:
Are you free today?
Simple.
Short.
Potentially dangerous.
I stared at the message some more.
Then I looked out my bedroom window.
The sky was crystal clear, a beautiful blue with not a cloud in the sky.
I could hear the birds chirping just outside my window.
A mama bird had just recently made her nest there.
I had been hoping to get some practice in today but I reluctantly decided to acquiesce.
I typed back.
Depends…
Three dots appeared almost instantly.
Can you help me with something today?
That was it.
No explanation.
No details.
No context.
Just enough information to cause problems.
I rolled over in bed and groaned.
Something about the message felt suspicious.
Not dangerous.
Just suspicious.
Like when Kiyomi smiles too much.
Or when Tadashi says he has a “great idea.” Actually, scratch that.
Those things tend to be dangerous too.
I typed back.
Help with what?
The reply came back almost immediately.
It’s a surprise.
Pretty please?
I promise to thank you for your help.
I stared at the screen.
My concern doubled.
People only say “it’s a surprise” when they know the truth will reduce participation.
Five seconds later another message appeared.
Don’t worry.
It’s not a date.
I immediately became more worried.
There was absolutely no reason for her to specify that.
Which meant there was every reason for her to specify that.
I buried my face into my pillow.
“Oh, this is going to be a disaster.”
The universe, naturally, took that as a challenge.
I finally got up and did my standard morning routine.
Before I knew it, I was out the door heading towards my designated meet up spot with Akane.
An hour later I found myself standing in front of a small animal shelter on the edge of town.
I looked at the building.
Then at Akane.
Then back at the building.
“I… I was expecting something completely different.”
Akane smiled.
“I know~”
That answer somehow didn’t help.
“What exactly am I helping with today?”
She pointed toward the entrance.
“Dogs~”
I blinked.
“Dogs?”
She nodded.
“Dogs. And cats~”
“That’s the explanation?”
“That’s the explanation~”
I looked toward the building again.
A loud bark echoed from somewhere inside.
Several more immediately answered.
The place sounded like it was one missed meal away from complete societal collapse.
The look on my face could not have more obviously shown my discomfort.
Akane laughed.
I don’t know why that surprised me.
Maybe because she sounded genuinely happy.
Not polite.
Not composed.
Happy.
It was a side of her I didn’t see very often.
At least nowadays.
I missed it.
She started walking towards the entrance.
Then stopped.
For a moment she looked strangely nervous.
Which was even more unusual.
Akane Fujihara wasn’t supposed to get nervous.
She was the person other people went to when they were nervous.
“Actually…” she said quietly.
I raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
She looked away.
“After the beach trip…”
Pause.
“I… I realized there’s a lot you don’t know about me~”
For a second I forgot how to respond.
Because she wasn’t wrong.
I had known Akane for ages but a lot of her had always been a mystery to me.
I knew her home life wasn’t the best so I didn’t take issue with her secrecy.
We’re all entitled to our secrets, especially her.
She finally looked back at me.
The smile she gave me was smaller than usual.
More vulnerable.
“I wanted to change that~”
Silence.
She gave me another smile that I could only describe as Kiyomiesque.
“Also… one of the volunteers called in sick~”
“There it is.” I laughed.
“There it is~” She replied back mockingly.
“Now I recognize you. Welcome back, Akane.”
She laughed.
The nervousness vanished.
And just like that, the moment was gone.
But for some reason… The words stayed with me.
“I wanted to change that.”
Somehow that felt more important than the animal shelter.
“You volunteer here?” I asked.
Akane nodded.
“Every Sunday~”
I stared at her.
“Every Sunday?”
“Pretty much~”
“For how long?”
She tilted her head.
“Hmm… almost three years now. Since shortly before we started high school~”
I blinked.
Three years.
Three entire years.
I had known Akane almost my entire life.
And somehow I never knew this.
Akane seemed to notice my confusion.
“What is it, Kaito~?”
“Nothing.”
“You look confused~”
“I am confused.”
Her smile widened slightly.
“Why~?”
“I’ve known you forever.”
“Correct~”
“And I somehow never knew you volunteered at an animal shelter.”
“Also correct~”
“That feels like information I should’ve had.”
Akane folded her arms.
It felt like she was doing her best Hikari impression.
“Maybe you should pay more attention~”
“That’s a little harsh.”
“It’s a little true~”
I hated that she had a point.
The worst part about Akane was that she was usually right.
The second worst part was how much she enjoyed being right.
She stepped toward the entrance.
“Come on~”
I followed after her.
Akane stopped just short of the entrance.
Then she turned around.
For just a second, her expression softened.
“I just want to show you something very important to me~”
My response died somewhere between my brain and my mouth.
For a moment neither of us spoke.
Then Akane smiled again.
Her smile looked nice.
It was pure sugar.
This girl was too adorable for her own good sometimes.
The moment we stepped through the door, disaster struck.
A golden retriever immediately launched itself at me.
Not walked.
Not ran.
Launched.
I was having flashbacks to how Akane typically greeted me.
One second I was standing upright.
The next, I was fighting for my life.
“Kaito~!” Akane yelled worryingly.
“I’m under attack!”
The dog slammed into my chest and nearly knocked me over.
Its tail wagged so aggressively it could probably generate electricity.
A volunteer behind the front desk sighed.
“Sorry about that,” she said with an exasperated look on her face.
“This happens a lot?”
“Every day.”
“That doesn’t seem safe.”
The dog shoved its nose into my stomach.
Then my hand.
Then my pocket.
Then my other pocket.
I looked down.
“What exactly are you searching for?”
The dog sneezed.
Then continued the investigation.
Akane was laughing.
Actually laughing.
Not giggling.
Not covering her mouth.
Laughing.
It was surprisingly cute even in my current predicament.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t appreciate it properly because I was currently being mugged by a dog.
I looked towards Akane with pleading eyes.
“Help me.”
“You’ll be fine~”
“He knows where I live.”
The dog barked.
“See?”
Akane crouched beside him.
Immediately the dog’s attention shifted.
His entire demeanor changed.
The hyperactive chaos vanished.
The giant fur missile suddenly looked like the most well-behaved animal on Earth.
I stared.
The dog sat.
Akane scratched behind his ears.
His tail started thumping against the floor.
Akane smiled.
“This is Mochi~”
“Mochi?”
“He was abandoned last year~”
I looked down at the dog.
The dog looked back up at me.
His tongue was hanging out.
I couldn’t tell if he was happy or just stupid.
Possibly both.
“He doesn’t seem abandoned. He looks really happy.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know he’s supposed to be sad~”
Akane continued scratching his head.
The smile on her face softened.
“He just gets excited whenever people pay attention to him. Especially new people~”
For some reason the way she said it made my chest feel strangely heavy.
Not sad.
Just… heavy.
I glanced around the shelter.
There were dogs everywhere.
Big dogs.
Small dogs.
Old dogs.
Young dogs.
One of them was asleep upside down in a bed.
Legs twisted in some strange configuration.
I wasn’t entirely sure how that was physically possible.
Across the room I noticed several cats lounging near a window.
One of them immediately made eye contact with me.
Then slowly narrowed its eyes.
I narrowed mine back.
The cat somehow looked offended.
“That one hates you already~” Akane said.
“I haven’t even done anything.”
“Exactly~”
The cat continued staring.
Judging.
Calculating.
Planning my downfall.
I pointed.
“That one is definitely planning my murder.”
Akane laughed again.
Then she stood up.
“Come on~”
“Where are we going?”
“The cat room~”
I looked at the judgmental cat.
The cat looked at me.
Neither of us trusted the other.
I shook my head.
“This feels like a bad idea.”
“It’ll be fine~”
Five minutes later a cat was sitting on my head.
“Akane…”
“Yes~?”
“I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
She was kneeling on the floor surrounded by three cats.
All of them looked completely relaxed.
Like they adored her.
Like they’d known her since they were mere kittens.
I watched her for a moment.
The way she smiled.
The way she spoke to them.
The way every animal seemed to gravitate toward her.
It felt different.
This wasn’t Akane, the honor student.
Or Akane, my childhood friend.
Or Akane, the girl who constantly teased me.
This was something else.
Something I’d somehow never seen before.
She looked…
Happy.
Genuinely happy.
The realization caught me off guard.
Because I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen her smile like that.
Akane glanced over.
“What~?”
I looked away.
“Nothing.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You’re staring~”
“I was merely observing.”
“Yeah… that’s also called staring~”
“I disagree.”
Akane smiled.
“You’re weird~”
“That’s rich coming from the woman currently negotiating peace treaties with six different cats.”
“Seven~”
I blinked.
A tiny kitten had somehow climbed into her lap.
Akane gently picked it up.
The kitten immediately curled into a ball.
I watched the scene.
Then I looked away.
For some reason… I was starting to understand why she wanted me to come here.
I was standing near the entrance to the cat room while Akane was helping one of the volunteers replace some food bowls.
The judgmental cat I’d made eye contact with earlier was sitting on top of a shelf.
Watching me.
Always watching me.
I pointed.
“He’s plotting something.”
Akane didn’t even look up.
“She’s plotting something~”
“Of course it’s a girl.”
The cat narrowed her eyes.
I narrowed mine.
The volunteer looked between us.
“Are you having a staring contest with a cat?”
“She’s the one that started it.”
The volunteer slowly nodded with a weirded out look on her face.
“Right.”
Then disaster struck.
Someone opened the door.
The cat immediately launched herself off the shelf.
“WAIT…” Cried out the volunteer.
Too late.
The cat shot through the doorway like a furry race car.
Everyone froze and then stared at each other.
Silence.
“Oh no~” Akane said slowly.
“Oh no?” I repeated.
“That’s all you have?”
“Oh no is very bad, Kaito~”
“How bad?”
Akane pointed.
“That cat hates everyone~”
“Wonderful.”
“And she’s fast~”
“And she’s terrified of strangers~”
I stared at her.
“You’re describing a supervillain.” Personally, she sounded like Reverse Flash.
She’s probably just as big a hater too.
“Pretty much~”
The volunteer buried her face in her hands.
“We just got her more comfortable around people too…” She said, shaking her head.
Akane immediately straightened up.
“I’ll go get her~”
“I’ll help.”
Akane blinked.
“You don’t have to~”
“You’re acting like this is optional.”
“It technically is~”
“Akane.”
“Okay. I could use your help…”
And so began the dumbest mission of my life.
The xp for this sidequest better be worth it…
Twenty minutes later.
We still hadn’t found the cat.
The shelter wasn’t huge.
Which somehow made it worse.
Because the cat couldn’t have gone far.
Meaning she was somewhere nearby.
Watching us.
Judging us.
Mainly me.
Waiting for her chance to strike.
I sighed.
“She’s enjoying this.”
Akane also sighed.
“Probably~”
We searched behind storage shelves.
Under benches.
Inside empty rooms.
Nothing.
At one point I was convinced she’d somehow gone beyond the laws of physics.
Then we heard it.
A faint meow.
Akane immediately looked up.
“There~”
I followed her gaze.
The cat was sitting on top of a storage cabinet near the back of the building.
At least eight feet off the ground.
Naturally.
Because cats are demons.
I had never been overly fond of cats.
I know that’s probably blasphemy to many people but I don’t care.
They’re cute and that’s all they’ve got going for them.
I guess for some people, that’s enough.
The cat stared down at us.
I swear she looked smug.
The cat immediately stood up after she locked eyes with me.
Then climbed even higher.
Akane pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Why are you like this~?”
I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or the cat.
The cat ignored her.
I looked around.
There was an old maintenance ladder nearby.
A terrible idea immediately entered my brain.
Akane saw my expression.
“No~”
“You don’t even know what I’m thinking.”
“You’re thinking about using that ladder~”
“Maybe…”
“Kaito~”
“I have a plan.”
“The last time you said that, you broke your arm~”
“Technically, the skateboard broke my arm.”
“KAITO~”
“It’s a solid plan.”
It was not a solid plan.
A few minutes later I was halfway up the ladder.
The cat continued staring at me.
Judging.
Always judging.
“See?” I called down.
“Everything is under control.”
Akane crossed her arms.
“I have never believed those words less~”
“If you’re so worried, at least hold the ladder.”
I reached the top.
The cat remained perfectly still.
For one brief moment I thought I had won.
I extended my hand.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The cat sniffed it.
Progress.
I smiled.
“See? We understand each…”
The cat slapped me.
Hard.
Right across the face.
Then came the claws.
“OW!”
I immediately recoiled.
By some miracle, I didn’t fall off the ladder.
The cat launched off the cabinet.
Straight onto a nearby shelf.
Then onto another.
Then she disappeared around the corner.
I climbed down the ladder while holding my face.
Akane rushed over.
“Kaito~!”
“I’m fine.”
“You are bleeding~”
“I’m slightly fine.”
“You got scratched~”
“Yeah. I noticed.”
Akane grabbed my chin.
My brain immediately stopped functioning.
She tilted my head.
Examining the scratch on my cheek.
The distance between us suddenly felt alarmingly small.
I could see a bit down her blouse in what I can only describe as nirvana.
“Hold still, Kaito~”
“I am holding still.”
“No, you’re not~”
“I am trying. This really stings…”
“Then try harder…”
Her fingers brushed against my skin.
I froze.
She froze.
For a moment neither of us spoke.
Akane shook her head.
“You’re… an idiot~”
There she was.
The Akane I knew.
The one not afraid to call me out.
I shot back at her with a defiant look on my face.
“I was just trying to help.”
“You challenged a cat~”
“She challenged me first.”
Akane looked toward the hallway.
The cat had reappeared.
She was sitting there.
Watching.
Again.
That criminal.
Akane sighed.
“Come on~”
She let go of my face.
“We still have a cat to catch. But first, let me clean your face~”
I glanced toward the hallway.
The cat blinked slowly.
Then turned around and walked away.
Like she knew we’d follow.
This thing was quickly establishing itself as smarter than most of the people I know.
Then again, that’s not a tall order.
Thirty minutes later, we finally cornered the little criminal.
Unfortunately, the word “cornered” was doing a lot of heavy lifting.
The cat had somehow escaped the shelter entirely and made it halfway across the parking lot.
She was currently hiding underneath an old pickup truck.
Because why would this get any easier?
Akane crouched a few feet away.
“It’s okay…”
The cat stared at her.
“…We’re not going to hurt you~”
The cat stared harder.
Akane sighed.
“Usually this works~”
“It doesn’t seem to be working.”
“I noticed~” The sarcasm was dripping from each syllable.
The cat curled further underneath the truck.
I could barely see her.
I stared at Akane.
“Now what?”
Akane looked thoughtful.
Then she looked at me.
“No,” I said with conviction.
The look on her face made me immediately fear for my safety.
“What~?”
“No.”
“You haven’t even heard my idea~”
“The fact that you have one is exactly why I’m saying no.”
I looked underneath the truck.
The cat looked back.
Judgmental.
Smug.
Criminal.
Basically a Yakuza boss at this point.
I pointed.
“She thinks she’s won.”
“Kaito…”
Too late.
I dropped to the pavement and started crawling underneath the truck.
I had to act before whatever Akane was thinking came into fruition.
“Kaito~!”
“What?”
“Get back out here~!”
“I have a plan!”
“That’s what worries me~!”
The truck immediately introduced me to approximately fifteen years worth of dirt.
My shirt caught on something.
My shoulder hit metal.
My head nearly smacked the undercarriage.
Worth it.
Probably.
At least I’m scoring some brownie points with Akane.
I’ll be sure to cash them in later.
The cat watched me approach.
I stopped a few feet away.
For a moment neither of us moved.
Then I sighed.
“You know…”
The cat blinked.
“I was having a pretty good day before you came along.”
The cat blinked again.
“You scratched me.”
Silence.
“You escaped.”
More silence.
“You’ve caused me emotional damage.”
The cat slowly stood up.
I extended my hand.
The cat sniffed it.
Pause.
Then she calmly walked over and rubbed her head against my fingers.
I froze.
The cat started purring.
I looked toward Akane.
Akane stared at me.
“What~?” She had a completely bewildered look on her face.
“How~?”
“I have no idea.”
I managed to grab the little villain and we climbed out of the truck.
The cat then climbed directly into my lap.
Akane continued staring.
“You spent over an hour running from us~”
The cat ignored her.
“You scratched Kaito~”
More purring.
Akane shook her head.
Then she looked me up and down.
“You are literally covered in dirt~”
I looked down.
My shirt was ruined.
My arms were filthy.
There was dirt in places I didn’t know dirt could reach.
“Worth it.” I smiled.
Akane burst out laughing.
The kind of laugh that made her shoulders shake.
“You’re ridiculous~”
“Yet somehow effective.”
“I hate that~”
“I know.”
Together we carefully brought the cat back toward the shelter.
This time she didn’t fight us.
She remained curled against my chest.
Victorious.
Like she’d manipulated us exactly how she’d intended from the beginning.
Honestly?
She probably had.
As we walked, Akane glanced over at the cat.
“You know…”
“What?” I said as I pet the cat.
“I’ve always liked animals more than people~”
“Should I be worried about that?” I said in a sarcastic tone.
“I’m serious~”
“I know.”
She smiled.
A smaller smile this time.
Less playful.
More thoughtful.
“I like how honest they are~”
I glanced down at the cat.
“Honest?”
“Well… usually~”
“She committed a felony.”
“She’s misunderstood~”
“You’re defending her.”
“I am~”
I shook my head.
“You’re hopeless.”
Akane laughed softly.
“Maybe… but you like that~”
For a few moments we walked in silence.
The noon sun hung above us in the sky.
The breeze was cool.
It didn’t really feel like it was nearly the end of summer.
The cat was asleep at this point.
Then Akane spoke again.
“One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately…”
I glanced at her.
“…Is becoming a veterinarian~”
I blinked.
For some reason that surprised me.
Not because it didn’t fit.
Because it fit perfectly.
“Oh?”
Akane looked down.
“I’ve thought about it for years~”
“You never told me.”
“You never asked~”
“Fair enough. I just always thought you’d do something dealing with food.”
She playfully nudged my shoulder.
“I still haven’t decided~”
“No?”
She shook her head.
“No~”
The smile returned.
“I still like cooking~”
I laughed.
“See, that’s what I thought.”
“What?~”
“I always figured you’d become a master chef.”
“A chef~?”
“You practically weaponize food.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment~”
“It was. You’re an amazing cook.”
Akane looked toward the shelter.
Toward the animals.
Toward the volunteers inside.
Then back toward the cat sleeping peacefully in my arms.
“I don’t know…”
Her voice was quieter now.
More vulnerable.
“…Sometimes I think I want to open a café~”
I smiled.
“That sounds like you.”
She looked surprised.
“It does~?”
“Yeah.”
“Why~?”
I thought about it for a moment.
Then shrugged.
“Because you value peace and quiet. And you like taking care of people… even if they’re not as honest as animals.”
Akane froze.
Just for a second.
Then she looked away.
“That’s… a cheesy answer~”
“Maybe,” I said with a shrug.
“But it’s true.”
Silence.
The kind that wasn’t uncomfortable.
Just…
quiet.
The cat yawned.
Akane smiled.
And for some reason…
I got the feeling this was the real reason she wanted me to come today.
Not to help.
Not because a volunteer called in sick.
She wanted ME to see this side of her.
The side she’d never really shown anyone.
Or maybe…
The side I’d never bothered to notice.
The shelter closed a little after sunset.
By the time everything had been cleaned up and the animals settled down for the night, I was exhausted.
Physically.
Mentally.
Emotionally.
Mostly because the villain cat had escaped twice.
I still wasn’t entirely convinced she wasn’t doing it on purpose.
Scratch that, she totally was.
Such an attention hog.
The sky had turned orange and gold by the time Akane and I stepped outside.
The evening air felt cool after spending most of the day chasing animals.
I stretched my arms.
Several joints immediately informed me that I was getting old.
“What the hell? I’m eighteen.”
Akane looked over.
“What~?”
“Nothing.”
“You said something~”
“I was negotiating with my back.”
“How did it go~?”
“I’m losing.”
Akane laughed.
The sound made me smile.
Unfortunately, she noticed.
Which meant I immediately stopped smiling.
Self-preservation.
We walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
Then Akane suddenly stopped.
“Mhm~”
I turned.
“What?”
“I forgot~”
That was never a good sign.
“What did you forget?”
Akane smiled.
“I promised to thank you~”
“You already thanked me.”
“I know~”
“You thanked me twice.”
“I know~”
“Three times if we count the cat incidents.”
“I know~”
I stared at her.
Akane stared back.
I sighed.
“You’re going to do it anyway, aren’t you?”
She smiled and nodded.
I sighed louder.
“What are you planning?”
Akane pointed across the street.
A small restaurant sat on the corner.
Warm lights glowed through the windows.
I immediately recognized it.
I stared at her.
Then at the restaurant.
A realization suddenly hit me.
My eyes widened.
“Akane…”
“Yes~?”
“Wait a minute…”
Her smile grew.
Dangerous.
The kind of smile that should come with a warning label.
“Yes, Kaito~?”
“You’re buying me dinner.”
“I am~”
“It’s just the two of us.”
“It is~”
I gasped.
Akane immediately started laughing.
“Don’t get any ideas~”
“Akane! You’re asking me out.”
“I absolutely am not~”
“This is a date.”
“This is not a date~”
“This is exactly what a date looks like.”
“It isn’t~”
“Then what is it?”
Akane crossed her arms.
She had a smug look on her face.
“A thank you dinner~”
“That sounds like something someone would say if they were trying to hide their date intentions.”
She pointed at me.
“You are impossible~”
“And yet here we are.”
Akane rolled her eyes.
Though I could see the smile she was trying to hide.
The worst part?
I was pretty sure she was enjoying this.
She grabbed my hand.
“Come on…”
We started walking toward the restaurant.
“…Before I change my mind~”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I totally would~”
“You invited me.”
“I can uninvite you~”
“You can’t.”
“I can~”
“You won’t.”
Akane looked over her shoulder.
“You’re annoyingly confident today~”
“I spent six hours being bullied by a cat.”
Akane burst out laughing.
“Yeah, that’s true~”
“Nothing can hurt me anymore. Especially not my ego.”
The universe immediately interpreted that as a challenge.
A few minutes later we were seated near the window.
The restaurant wasn’t crowded.
Just a handful of people enjoying dinner.
Soft music played quietly in the background.
The kind of place that felt comfortable.
Warm.
Familiar.
Which made perfect sense.
It felt like Akane.
A waitress arrived.
Akane ordered immediately.
Without even looking at the menu.
The waitress nodded.
Then turned toward me.
“What would you like?”
I looked at Akane.
“You already know what I’m getting, don’t you?”
“Probably~”
“You come here too often.”
Akane laughed.
The waitress laughed.
“I’ll give you two lovebirds a minute.”
I lifted my finger up to try to correct the waitress but she was gone.
Akane had the biggest smile on her face right now.
I could tell I had lost this round harder than I’d lost against the cat.
I shook my head and then looked across the table.
Akane was staring out the window.
The golden light from outside reflected in her eyes.
For a moment she looked strangely thoughtful.
Quieter than usual.
I leaned back.
“So…”
Akane looked over.
“So~?”
“You volunteer at an animal shelter.”
“Yes~”
“You might become a veterinarian.”
“Maybe~”
“You might become a chef.”
“Maybe~”
I pointed.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing with your life?”
Akane immediately pointed back.
“Do you~?”
I laughed then shook my head.
“I’ve got no clue.”
“Exactly~”
We both burst into laughter.
Then her expression softened slightly.
“You know…”
“What?”
“I think it’s okay not to know yet~”
I blinked.
That wasn’t the answer I expected.
Akane looked down at her glass.
“I spent a long time thinking I needed to have everything figured out~”
Her fingers lightly traced the rim.
“But the older I get…”
She paused.
“…The less certain I become~”
For some reason that surprised me.
Maybe because Akane always seemed so certain.
So composed.
Like she had everything under control.
Seeing even a small crack in that image felt strangely important.
I looked straight at her.
“That’s normal.”
Akane looked up.
“You think so~?”
“Yeah, I do.”
I shrugged.
“I mean…”
I looked out the window.
Then back at her.
“…Nobody really knows what they’re doing.”
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
“That’s your wisdom~?”
“That’s all I’ve got.”
“Terrible~”
“I know.” I looked right into her blue eyes.
“But I’m still right.”
For a moment neither of us spoke.
The restaurant noise faded into the background.
The setting sun painted the window gold.
And for some reason…
This felt different than the conversations we’d had growing up.
Not bigger.
Not more romantic.
Just… different.
Like we were finally talking as two people.
Not just two childhood friends who’d known each other forever.
And maybe that was why Akane had invited me here.
Not because she needed help.
Not because she needed someone to chase a cat.
But because she wanted me to see her.
The real her.
The one I’d somehow spent years overlooking.
Akane stirred her drink.
Then she looked at me.
“Can I ask you something~?”
“Depends.”
“That’s not how questions work~”
“Sure it is.”
She rolled her eyes.
Then smiled.
The scary one.
The smile that meant I was about to regret something.
“What do you want out of life~?”
I blinked.
“What?”
“What do you want out of life~?”
I frowned.
“Food.”
“Kaito~” She pouted.
“More food.”
“Kaito~”
I sighed.
“I don’t know.”
Akane tilted her head.
“You don’t know~?”
I looked out the window.
The city lights were beginning to appear outside.
People walking home.
Cars passing by.
Normal things.
Easy things.
Things with direction.
I looked back at her.
“I’ve never really thought about it.”
Akane stared at me.
Then laughed.
“That’s the most Kaito answer imaginable~”
“What does that mean?”
“It means everyone else is running around trying to figure out their future~” She pointed at me.
“And you’re just… existing~”
“Existing is underrated.”
“I hate that you’re right~”
“I just don’t know. I’ve always thought I’d do something related to basketball. But lately, I just don’t know.”
“Why~?”
“Not sure. Things have just gotten more complicated lately.”
She smiled.
“Yeah, I could tell~”
We both laughed.
I looked directly at her.
“Everybody keeps talking about the future like they’re supposed to have it figured out. Hikari knows what she wants.”
I paused.
“You have like six different plans.”
I took a sip of my water.
“I feel like everybody got handed a map except me.”
I stared directly into her eyes.
“When I was younger I thought basketball would answer everything…” I shrugged.
“… Now I’m not so sure.”
I took another sip of water.
I stared at the glass for a moment then I looked back at Akane.
“What if I spend years chasing something and then realize I picked wrong?”
Akane didn’t laugh.
She didn’t tease me.
She just listened.
“You’ll get there~”
She paused.
“And until then…~”
A small smile appeared on her face.
“You won’t be figuring it out alone~”
Our dinner arrived shortly afterwards.
The food was incredible.
It had been a while since I’ve had such a fun time out with Akane.
Despite all the things that happened at the shelter today, I was glad I had come out to help her.
It let me see a new side to her.
It let me see her really laugh and smile again.
I missed that.
Missed this.
Missed us.
As we were walking out of the restaurant, my phone buzzed.
Kiyomi:
Onii-chan!
Where are you?
Ugh… of course the gremlin had decided to butt in at this time.
I sadly replied.
Walking home.
She immediately replied.
With who?
I frowned.
Why?
Three dots immediately appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then reappeared.
Then disappeared again.
Finally:
OMG!
IT’S A GIRL!
I sighed.
What kind of conclusion is that?
She responded instantly.
A correct one.
I hesitated before I responded.
You’re insane.
Once again she replied at light speed.
Was it Akane?
I stared at the screen for a while.
Unfortunately… that was apparently answer enough.
LMAOOOOOOOOOO
Tell my future sister-in-law I said hi.
I typed back immediately.
I’m blocking you.
Kiyomi instantly replied.
You can’t block family!
That’s illegal!
I stared at the final message.
Then sighed.
“Gremlin.”
I shoved my phone back into my pocket.
A second later it buzzed again.
Also if you hurt her I’ll tell Mom.
I stared at my phone.
“What does that even mean?”
Akane took one look at my face and let out a quick laugh.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and let out a deep sigh.
Beside me, Akane was still smiling.
Akane wrapped her arms around mine as we walked.
Normally, I would protest but for some reason I didn’t.
The streetlights illuminated the sidewalk ahead of us.
Same road.
Same neighborhood.
Same girl I’d walked home with countless times before.
And yet…
For some reason…
Tonight felt different.
I wasn’t entirely sure why.
That uncertainty should have bothered me.
Somehow…
It didn’t.
Announcement on Older Chapters Will also split older chapters in future.
TY to all my readers!