Since the end of the celebrations of the first of January one day had passed, and all the guys had already had time to exhaust themselves and to feel a breath of fresh and soothing air after the wave of fireworks.
Ryou, after arriving home, decided to rest on his bed intently for the next several days, as if heaven for the ears of the calm.
'People have never settled down around me, and how many days have it been since then? How fast time flows, and I was still a burden back then, unable to keep up with my sister,' he thought to himself as he lay on the bed and put his hand to his forehead.
He put his palm on his forehead. His legs didn't think to move.
'All these problems...it's like they evaporate at the sight of friends. It's always been like that. It's happened to all people at least once when they've managed to meet someone close to them. I was always the same as everyone else, and there was no reason for me to change... Why should I seem different at all? I'd rather go for a walk with my best friends, in a normal, sincere way, and there'd be less trouble.'
Ryou leaned to his right and looked at the fur rug spread out on the floor.
'These feelings... they change people. Without noticing it myself, I started seeing new friends almost every single day, isn't that cool? Especially noticing the beautiful Yu-chan among the crowd of strangers and acquaintances. What was it like before... What was I thinking then...'
He, drowning in his thoughts, looked up at the ceiling.
'The first day I came to a new school, I decided to secure myself from new relationships by walking away from people, because I didn't want to see anyone in my world except my friends from Kyoto, with whom I was most comfortable. Afterwards, I'd already met Yu-chan, who at the time seemed like an ordinary schoolgirl with an apathetic look, as if she'd been badly beaten by life. After that, Akiko-chan managed to meet me herself, though I didn't want that and was wary of optimistic girls. Soon we were joined by Tomoyuki, with his fierce desire for friendliness, and Glenn, whose face initially showed not a bit of regret and uncertainty, like some robot whose actions were foreseen. What fools they are, I thought at first, though I didn't resist. What a mystery, after a while it turned out that we were all alike in some way... and if I had been told earlier that I would meet such people, I would not have believed such a coincidence - all of us were lonely inside. It made no difference to me whether it was an accident or not, because I adapted to them, and they were not indifferent to me... I began to realize that without them my life would be rather boring, and I don't regret my choice to move to Tokyo, even though I didn't know anyone in this hole before. Hole, then. Nevertheless, I thank Tokyo with all my soul for allowing me to see the people I care about every day.'
Ryou raised his head and turned toward the door.
'At the sight of them, I have no desire to hold back. Especially when Yu-chan is present in my life.'
A blush appeared on Ryou's cheeks, and his fantasies unknowingly turned to infatuation with this girl.
'Yu-chan, this is the first time I've ever been able to read a novel in its entirety, and I am truly grateful that you recommended it to me. We should definitely discuss this novel with you over a mug of coffee... Yu-chan, I will soon decide to ask you out on a date...'
***
The day before, after the boys left Glenn's house, Mari with Glenn and his little sister stayed at the house. Mari asked Akiko if she could stay with Lilia for a while, and she wished to reflect cheerfully on what lay ahead of her when she returned home, to which Akiko showed her confusion.
They cleaned the house, rearranging light furniture and getting themselves cleaned up after the day before. Before preparing Glenn for his nap, Lilia and Mari decided to throw out all the leftover trash, and surprisingly for them, the house accumulated four whole bags of trash, but the girls didn't ask Glenn for help when they looked at him, sleepy.
"Let's not disturb him," she whispered in Lilia's ear as she saw Glenn fall asleep on the couch where he always dozes.
Lilia quietly agreed.
"By the way..." Lilia said as they walked out into the yard. "Who is your brother to you?"
Mari, who was holding a garbage bag in each hand, flashed a dreamy glow as she pondered slightly:
"A savior."
"I... don't understand."
"I was able to meet him because of his work. He came at the behest of Akihito-sama, my former master, whose manor I served on."
"Wow... May I ask who you used to be, before the events with your brother?"
Mari told her at length about her lineage and how they were related to Hirota's family, and finished by telling her about her first meeting with his friends.
"That day Glenn-sama's consciousness darkened abruptly and he was taken to the hospital... I was sure that what happened was closely related to his grueling work, for then he always looked tired. Most likely fatigue and overexertion took over and Glenn-sama couldn't contain his pain, which he had been feeling all those days..."
"Mari-chan... How do you feel about the fact that my brother worked tirelessly to get money and soon to pay for treatment? All the time he had a serious illness..."
Still walking, Mari only glanced back to Lilia, and asked with a smile:
"And what do you, Lilia-chan, think about it?"
Lilia lowered her eyes, "I really wasn't sure of the rationality of his plan then... Needless to say, he didn't seem very determined in himself when he confessed his purpose to us, but he was careful not to upset us with the news of his illness, comforting us with his divine humility in every way. The brother was taking on a heavy burden, the outcome of which is still unforeseeable, for he should heal for the next few years. Let the years pass, but I will not leave my brother in trouble, of that I am certain... But the brother himself, does he want it? I still don't know how he feels when he sees me, after all."
"I'm sure you'll be fine. Don't worry! What he wants first and foremost is to see the faces of his loved ones, and you, Lilia-chan, are the closest person to him, on par with his mother, and that list will be joined by sister Akiko very soon."
"What? Are they really going to..."
"There's no need to get upset. Now I'm sure Glenn-sama has already started thinking about his future."
"It's true, though... Brother has lived with only one goal in mind all these years, and once he has fulfilled the decree given to himself, it will become difficult for him to find himself and his interests... Do you think he can think about Akiko-sempai?"
"I'm sure he will."
Lilia smiled genuinely.
"Then I'm content. Just as long as he finds his next urge to live, because he won't have to survive from now on. The only thing he was previously driven by was survival. Now brother needs peace in the arms of someone close to him, who is not a member of his family, and who can share his worries."
"Lilia-chan, don't tell anyone, but I will do whatever it takes to make Glenn-sama my big brother, too!"
"Yours... So Akiko-sempai is your big sister?"
"Soon she will be, I hope so!"
"So... you want to bring them closer together?! But how...?"
"It would be unforgivable if I forced them closer together, so I'll leave the basics to them. For the moment, I can assure you that Glenn-sama is now in contemplation as to what he would do!"
"Since that's the case... I'll trust you on this one, Mari-chan. If you succeed, then you..."
Mari was interested in Lilia's enchanting voice, and when she looked at her again, she noticed a bright gleam in her grateful eyes.
"...You can be my little sister."
Mari was slightly embarrassed by her words. After dumping the trash in the bins, they began to think about what to do, and eventually Mari suggested buying ice cream.
After they got home, the girls locked themselves in Lilia's bedroom, where there was a girlish air all over the place. Sitting down on the bed, Mari leaned her head against her shoulders, whereupon Lilia trembled slightly, but soon calmed down when she heard her soft and relaxed voice.
"Lilia-chan, what are your wishes for the future? Will you be able to become a person that people will be proud of...?"
Lilia did not answer, for she misunderstood the point of her questions. Lilia's hands were touching the bed.
"To tell you the truth, I worry too much about your future. So much so that I begin to forget how I feel, too, and these questions often slip into my thoughts. What am I going to end up being, if I have been nothing but a servant with no real education for ten years? The corner of my life has always been tiny compared to the lives of the rest of the typical class, but unlike me, they do not appreciate what was literally served to them on a silver platter. And in accepting my illiteracy, I unwittingly become a slave to my feelings. Lilia-chan, I didn't even imagine such a real place where I could spend time with my friends. I keep starting to wonder, who am I to even be here...?"
Seconds later, Lilia hugged Mari tightly, from which the distressed girl did not resist.
"You shouldn't be. Some moments you have to go with the flow... Mother always told us that. Also, there are few things you can't affect, and that made me sad. I didn't give up, don't think, but just started thinking about the other equally important things, leaving the unforeseen to the secondary plan. If my words have reassured you, I promise to be by your side always."
"Sometimes I worry about even simple things, Lilia-chan... What am I supposed to do?"
"Leave it to us. Brother, Akiko-sempai, and all their other close friends. We can always help."
"Lilia-chan, I love you even more now," Mari comforted.
"I'm glad to hear that. We are friends, after all, you can talk to me about anything."
"By the way, when are you going back to Germany?"
"The ninth of January. That's the day my uncle is going to fly back to Germany, and my vacation will soon be over... Don't you worry, I'll definitely be back!"
"Of course, I'll be eagerly awaiting your arrival this summer! Oh, what good news, because we'll have time to celebrate your birthday with everyone!"
Remembering that she would turn twelve on the seventh, she was a little surprised at how Mari remembered her birthday.
'You remembered, what a blessing...'
"I can't wait for that day! In the meantime, I'm going to spend all my time with you before your flight, or I won't forgive myself for being tactless if I don't get to know you better. You're my best friend, I love you!"
"Such things are not usually said with such special serenity, Mari-chan..."
"Whaaaaaat?! I really do love you, just like everyone else."
"Mari-chan, do they teach you school subjects at home?"
"Uh-huh. Sis Akiko is always trying to teach me basic knowledge and understanding of school subjects. I understand that I'm in trouble because of my illiteracy, but she desperately teaches me, and for that I'm grateful to her. I am willing to move mountains for my sis' happiness, and I wish her immense joy!"
"Resolved. I, too, will teach you school knowledge."
Mari was charmed by her benevolence.
"In that case, I won't let any of you down, rest assured!"
The girls were glad to meet each other, and their time was most appreciated.
'How glad I am that I could find Lilia-chan,' Mari thought to herself.
They spent the next few hours in a gentle embrace on Lilia's well-groomed bed. They genuinely felt that the conversations were worth the time, and as they dozed off, they were able to forget all their worries. Glenn's house eventually drifted into slumber.
***
Being in the daylight at her house, Megumi decided to check on Ryou, who was in his room in the meantime. As she knocked on the door, she heard him calling: "Come in!" then, relieved, she entered his room and met him standing in front of the far closet, having just put on a warm, dark-colored turtleneck.
"Ryou-kun, are you going somewhere?"
"Yeah, I'm off to get a taste of the fresh air to meet Tomoyuki."
'We spent yesterday alone with Ryou, also talking about our everyday lives and situations that have happened recently. Nevertheless, I'm sure he doesn't tell me everything, but I have no right to judge him for it and control his every move, for by doing so I will drag him away from his free life. I'm worried about my little brother and I don't want him to feel lonely like he did last April when he first moved to Tokyo.'
"Fine, but don't forget your phone so I can find out how you're feeling."
"Of course, how could I say no to my loving big sister? I love you for your kindness and honor your concern."
"In other words, we mutually esteem each other. I am glad to hear these words from the lips of my beloved little brother."
They smiled, and soon Ryou was heading for the exit of the room. Stopping next to Megumi, he hugged her tightly, so the difference in their height could be felt. Megumi was about eight centimeters shorter than him, but she was taller than Ryou's female friends. She, initially surprised, soon hugged him back as well, and this embrace meant more to them than the usual brother-sister affection.
They regarded each other as the only real family that did not turn their backs on them, so they valued each other with all their hearts. There was no mother or father for them, but could he have known that Megumi inwardly wanted to restore his relationship with his family? She herself, however, could not have foreseen the opportune moment to make this clear to Ryou and help him.
"You should hurry."
"I only wished I could touch a fascinating woman."
They let go of their hands, whereupon Ryou headed on, toward the exit of the apartment.
"I'm off!" he added, already near the coat rack where he was putting on his warm jacket.
"Be careful!"
Seconds later, when she heard the front door slam, Megumi looked into his room again. Glancing at the trash can next to the clean desk, two roughly crumpled white napkins that Ryou had earlier tossed inside caught her interest. A deeply thoughtful look appeared on her face, and she was confused by the presence of those napkins in the trash can.
'That's right, it's an inherent factor in men,' she thought initially, but her piercing eyes could not be soothed by just such a simple explanation. 'Ryou-kun has a crush on one of his girlfriends?'