On the eve of the night, the schoolchildren, together with the teacher, led the father and son to the highway. The child said good-bye to Yumiko with tears in his eyes and gave her immense gratitude. Father also sincerely asked for an apology for the inconvenience, to which the group responded with good wishes. The son also remembered to thank Glenn for hosting him in his home, albeit temporarily.
After the father and son were forgiven and left, Masumi bowed her head to Yumiko and forced her to bow to Glenn as well.
"Thank you so much for your help!" said the teacher. "Without you, that fool couldn't have done anything. Please forgive Glenn-kun for dragging you into this."
"It's no big deal, I had the pleasure of spending my time like this."
"Hmm, well. But I'll take his good conscience off of Glenn-kun. Ah, yes, Glenn-kun, you also owe Ryou-kun for your irresponsibility. I don't know, where do you get people on the team?"
"Can I say something?" asked Glenn what Masumi hit him over the head with.
"You should not speak at all. For your transgression, you will be obliged, in my name, to carry out all Yu-chan's whims for the rest of this week."
"How is that?! Well, it's good that it's even Thursday."
Masumi hit the young man on the head again after he spoke. Yumiko seemed to think there was a connection between Glenn and the teacher, and that they really knew each other a long time ago. Their appeals to each other reveal a friendliness that they did not conceal.
They decided to sit down in a café and order their own milk coffee. Sitting at the counter, the silent Ryou looked at the peaceful conversations between Glenn and Masumi, and occasionally Yumiko was also part of their dialogue when asked about things. Glenn often drew the girl and the young man into the conversation so that they would not be shy and join the adult group. Glenn's conversation was more important and notable for the interview, making Ryou, who learned to speak easier, uncomfortable with his courtesy. Yumiko, on the other hand, seemed to be a multi-faceted person.
"Let me thank you again for your work, Yu-chan, Ryou-kun," Glenn said modestly, beginning to call his acquaintances informally.
"I didn't do anything to get a thank you," said comforted Ryou.
Deep down, the young man tormented himself with the thought that he had not been able to adequately help the boy with his misfortune, but was at least silenced by the fact that he had a happy ending to his story. Glenn felt Ryou's anxiety from his dim gaze.
"You underestimate yourself and your contribution, Ryou-kun."
"By the way, Glenn-kun," Masumi turned to drinking her coffee. "Did you learn more informal communication from Yu-chan?"
"Yes. In truth, I was also convinced by Ryou-kun."
"It just makes me uncomfortable being spoken to in an important way. I'm not used to..."
"Well," a teacher said to him, "Glenn-kun, from birth, was taught courtesy, though superfluous, and courtesy. He's the most musketeer of the Musketeers."
Ryou wondered how Glenn had been taught this kind of thing since he was a child, and there was bitterness on his face, as if the young man had remembered the unpleasant memories of life. Gentlemen, courtesy, the ability to communicate with important people – Ryou was sick of thinking, but he thought he was innocent of such reactions. "It's all Father's fault, damn it."
Glenn humbly looked back at Ryou, who seemed thoughtful and inhumane. He thought if that guy had illnesses in communicating with people.
"It's his job," said the teacher, turning an empty coffee glass. "Work in Social Assistance implies a service from any sphere of activity to people who have signed the questionnaire. According to the integrated tree of systems, any employee like Glenn-kun can take the questionnaire."
"From any sphere does that mean? I mean, Glenn-kun had a choice between a missing person's questionnaire and any other?"
"Exactly, and that's why he chose the first option. My student loves helping people – he's their savior."
"Okay. Thanks for the explanation."
"Well, Glenn-kun can explain the rest to you at another time, if you're interested, of course. There's quite a lot of profit to be made for this job."
"Right. I can make it clear to you next time we meet at school. Yumiko-chan, Ryou-kun, do you agree?"
"All right."
"Ah, yes," added the teacher who was going to get out of the chair. "Yu-chan, stop by my teachers' lounge when you come to school."
"Hm? What's the occasion?"
"Your circle is on the verge of losing support. It could close."
Glenn immediately lost a comfort on his face. He was alarmed by Masumi's words. Yumiko was also shocked, losing her grip on confidence.
Unfortunately, they decided to leave the conversation for later. Their tired appearance screamed about their desire to return home quickly.
***
The teacher gave Yumiko a ride home as a thank you. Faced in front of the apartment, the girl breathed deeply and with a moderate sense of caution opened the iron door and entered the dark apartment. The already-ingrained domestic silence in her private home once again engulfed the girl's hearing, and she entered the room, taking off her shoes.
In front of her, an unhappy mother appeared, whose hair was randomly confused and raised. She obviously made a racket in the house while her daughter was doing business.
"Where. Were. You."
"Fixing the problems."
"Your father came home today. He came to meet you, but you bastards weren't home. He scolded me for my sloppiness!"
Yumiko, with devastated and dead eyes, wondered why her father had visit the house.
"Why the hell should I listen to disrespect in my address because of you?"
The daughter thought why wouldn't her mother shut up.
"He didn't even talk to me, but he gave me an angry look when he saw beer bottles all over the room. Why didn't you clean the house before you left, answer me?"
Stop it, stop it...
"You freaking idiot!" screamed a crazy mother, slapping her daughter in the face.
Yumiko took a bitter blow to herself, unwilling to move and retain her hidden dignity. Her lifeless gaze was directed at a canister of alcohol lying on the floor close to her.
Mother silently withdrew to the corner of the room and sat behind the sofa in order to continue mindless watching TV. Yumiko slowly went to her room. When she closed the door, she pressed against it and sat on the floor with bitterness. Her sad thoughts did not stop grasping her shattered consciousness. She didn't even know what to believe, pride or shame, happiness or gloom.
"Why does one's happiness not return with a coin…? Why should I endure it for more than a decade? Did I do something wrong?" she said quietly, leaning on her knees.
The girl was on the verge of collapse, but there was still a glimmer of hope for the best. The only thing that kept her going was her goal, which she's been going to since she was a kid.
It was the cycle of her life.