One of the next days, when relations among the club members had calmed down, they decided to check on Glenn. Glenn didn't know they were coming, so he had no idea, only praying that they were able to get through all the adversity. All day long he worried about them without access to the net.
He had no access to a telephone because of Mari, who had made him rest and not go anywhere, a decision that was also assigned to him by the club members, except Tomoyuki, who by that time had no idea what condition Glenn was in until he himself was told when they met.
In the afternoon, as he was quietly gazing out at nature from the window of his hospital room, there was a knock on his door, followed by a nurse saying that his classmates had come to see him. Glenn was surprised and asked them to let him inside, and then he saw all the members of the club. He couldn't believe his eyes, because Tomoyuki had also come to check on him.
It meant that they had finally made up and were friendly without any lies. Glenn was glad and relieved at the sight of their happy faces.
"Guys…"
They said hello.
Tomoyuki, on the other hand, looked a little confused and averted his eyes. Seeing that Glenn was at peace with himself, he was the last to say hello.
"At last we've got the whole club together…" dark-haired Akiko added, to which Yumiko agreed.
"Guys… I'm glad to see you in good health."
They sat down on chairs and began to talk. The topic began with Tomoyuki asking how Glenn was feeling. Next, Glenn also talked about the fact that since they had gotten together, he should clarify everything that was behind the scenes. He briefly told them the whole principle of social service work.
Questionnaires, or orders requested by people with any problems, obliged the keepers to carry them out without charge. The amount could vary with the complexity of the order and the type of work itself, so there was no fixed amount that Glenn talked about. Club members also noticed this when they had to work alone.
Orders could only be filled by two or more people if the requester either demanded it himself or if the severity of the work could not allow one keeper to meet the given deadline.
In fact, once registered, no keeper is able to work on two or more sections of questionnaires. That is, a keeper who specializes in work in terms of social assistance (psychological and all assistance not related to physical work) is not allowed to take orders in the sections where physical and other work is required.
The members casually told him what kinds of help they were taking, and Ryou, remembering their work together with Glenn, came to a standstill. He asked if the only work they did together was physical (babysitting for an old lady and a temporary favor from a beau at a banquet), how Glenn had to do the favor of finding a child who ran away from home.
Glenn bothered to answer with the truth. He said that the spring order was a different kind of help, which included locating missing objects, animals, and people, as well as renting girls.
When Ryou asked what Masumi's teacher had to do with social work, Glenn couldn't answer, because he wasn't sure, but he confirmed that she had acquaintances in that field and had been involved in that work in the past. Masumi had only been involved in selecting orders for members to keep her ear to the ground. In any case, he said, some of the questionnaires were chosen not by her but by Glenn himself, but strictly by permission of both the organizations and the teacher himself.
"Learning of the deteriorating circumstances with our circle, I wanted to help you. Gathered together, some of you didn't even know they were being lied to. This I could not let pass my eyes, for I was concerned both for Yumiko, whom I had known before, and for you all. I genuinely didn't want to see people ruin their own and other people's lives, and to believe that it would pass in time. Nothing goes away with time, and until you put your hand to it, it's just going to stay rotten to the core."
They knew Glenn was a man who would relentlessly help people just because he wanted to, so Akiko thanked him admiringly, and the others didn't stand by either.
"One question keeps coming to mind," Ryou scratched the back of his head, drawing their attention to himself. "Why would Masumi-sensei do this?"
"I originally told her everything: how I decided to help you, how I set out to calm Tomoyuki-kun's ardor, and how you treated each other. After all, our teacher is responsible for the literary club and its office. Though she may have her own visions on the matter."
In any case, the conversation came to a standstill, which caused Akiko to change the subject to something less gloomy — why he started wearing glasses. Glenn said that he had had vision problems before, but not critical, and even now not critical, but for safety's sake he had to wear them.
"My vision was getting worse because of the disease, and when I fell and hit my head, that was the starting point. At least the doctors promised me that my eyesight would come back after a while, albeit a long time.
The inexpensive, thin-rimmed glasses had been inherited from his father.
"Hmm, I can't believe you, a man with eyes as dark as a rotten fish, would have any other vision problems. By the way, did you also cut your hair?"
"Yes… it was at Akihito-sama's whim."
The others were perplexed and something else, more perverse and embarrassing, popped into their heads.
"By the way, Ryou-kun," Glenn addressed, drawing a pistol with his index finger and pointing it at him. "Your hair seems to have changed slightly since April."
"That new style he's had since a long time ago! You have completely fucked up vision!"
"Actually, I was kidding."
***
A few days after the events, Tomoyuki and Ryou started dropping by the volleyball circle and occasionally playing on the team. They decided to find some entertainment after the incidents happened, so they chose volleyball, where they could let off all the steam they had accumulated.
Volleyball started mostly in the morning before school started, so studying wasn't too much of a problem. The club included Yamada and his classmates. They really looked like professional volleyball players due to their physiques and athleticism, which made them feel uneasy when the ball went to them.
Yamada allowed them to participate in games, so there was no problem with the circle and they were free to move around during extracurricular time. Thus, the relationship between Tomoyuki and Ryou grew stronger.
One day, in the middle of a match, the players took a break for a few minutes. Sitting on the long bench, Ryou and Tomoyuki were silently catching their breath. Ryou, sweaty and exhausted, raised his head and ran a hand up his long, wet hair.
"Your hair has grown noticeably," the blue-eyed man inquired. "What are you growing it out for?"
"Oh, yeah… I'm having a hard time without a hair band, if you consider that I grow it fast. Thinking I should bundle them up."
His thick, dark hair surprised Tomoyuki. The latter's hair was thinner and of medium length, with a neat double-sided hairstyle.
Ryou's genes allowed him not to wonder about his perfect chin-length hair.
They looked back at the resting players from the parallel class, with whom there were guys a year or two younger. After drinking a bottle of water, Ryou added:
"We're always striving for something new, which is why I decided to change my image in the first place. I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I'm worried about the fact that I have to go to university soon… There I will have to deal with a completely different life and relationships, and it makes me feel discouraged."
"Getting into relationships with new people… I was never ready for that, nor was I ready to step out of my comfort zone."
Ryou staggered as he realized the fact that soon their general social circle would either expand, or they would separate after school altogether. He looked at Tomoyuki with trembling eyes and asked what he thought.
"I don't want to think about it."
"That's how…" Ryou inquired. "If we go our separate ways after graduation, that means our lives will gradually begin to change. But… what am I so worried about?"
Ryou lowered his head, "I don't want to…end our relationship…"
"About the relationship," Tomoyuki changed the subject. "Don't you get the urge to have a relationship with some girl? After all, they have been pursuing you relentlessly, especially after everyone found out you broke up with… Oh, it was my own fault… "
"That's okay. Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. A pretend relationship is not a good idea to avoid society. And a real relationship with a girl, that goes a long way."
"Um, do you have anyone in our circle that you like?"
"Ah… Honestly, I don't know. Haven't really thought about it."
"What do you think about Akiko-chan or Yumiko-chan? Looks like Akiko-chan had a crush on you before."
"No, she was doing it to mess with Yumiko-chan, so I don't think she's really in love with me…?"
"Yeah… that's what I was thinking too. The whole point is that you don't know what kind of relationship you have with our friends. I mean, can you improve them for yourself."
"With our friends… Only Akiko-chan and Yumiko-chan come to mind…"
Ryou began to remember all the times he spent time with each of his girlfriends.
"Anyway… Akiko-chan is a nice girl, and if you count her friendliness and charisma, she's the best in this school at all. Yumiko-chan, on the other hand, is calmer and doesn't have as much energy stored in her as Akiko-chan does. But when I think about it…"
Ryou has a stronger liking for the brown-eyed shy girl.
A sudden red blush flushed on his face as he recalled the events where he was alone with her. Most of all, in his mind, he imagined Yumiko from the time of the Fireworks Festival, when she was distinctively beautiful.
"I think I like Yumiko Sato," Ryou said charmingly in his gentle tone, which was used in extreme cases.
Tomoyuki cringed at his direct answer, and most of all his blushing face.
"Can you imagine, Tomoyuki-kun, I think the answer to the question, is Yumi.—"
"I got it! Stop repeating it — it makes you look more pathetic than I do after the events that have passed."
Ryou calmed down and fixed his hair back, after which Tomoyuki relaxed his shoulders.
" After all, we're all human, so there's no one to judge you. We're all subject to emotions, Ryou-kun, and here's why…I don't want to feel that pain in my heart anymore when I stop seeing you."
"Tomoyuki-kun, you… What about you? With your expressive eyes, I won't believe you're unpopular with the sororority. Whom do you love?"
"Ryou-kun… I don't think I can answer that question."
"Why not?" Ryou looked perplexed. "I've told you my secret, it's time I gave you the same answer. Come on, we're friends! I won't tell anyone, be sure."
"Hmm… I should say no…"
There was no way Tomoyuki could turn away from the embarrassing question. He was too naive to just tell who he felt sympathy for, so he waved his hands.
"Is there something wrong with you? Maybe you're too shy? It's not like I'm going to chew you out."
But Ryou was persistent, so his heavy artillery went into effect, after which neither he nor anyone else would dare continue communicating on the subject.
"I'm impotent, Ryou-kun. Since childhood."