Thirteen-year-old Haruki Fukuda aimlessly strolled through his neighborhood, his face a swirling mix of emotions. The news his parents had dropped on him earlier had left him dumbfounded, and disbelief still clung to every fiber of his being.
His mother hadn't tried to stop him from leaving the house, a silent exchange passing between her and his father who clutched Haru's school report card. It was as if they understood the storm brewing inside their child after the revelation.
To an outsider, Haruki's scornful expression might have suggested a deep-seated resentment or the weight of a devastating blow. But that wasn't the truth.
Yet, he couldn't shake off the incredulity. The news his parents delivered didn't fit into the category of 'good' in Haruki's mind.
Lost in thought, he wandered with no destination in mind, oblivious to his surroundings, until he found himself standing at the entrance of a park—a place he had never set foot in before.
Not exactly the tranquil haven he had in mind, he mused. Maybe he shouldn't have relied solely on his wandering feet to lead him to random spots. But since he had arrived, he might as well keep going. As long as no one bothered him, he had nothing to worry about.
Most people seemed to be leaving the park as evening approached, which suited him just fine. Haruki wasn't one to linger in crowded places. All he desired now was a secluded corner to collect his thoughts.
Glancing at his wristwatch, he estimated he had about an hour before the park closed. Hopefully, his parents wouldn't fret too much if he returned home a little late.
After a short walk, his eyes caught sight of a secluded area beneath a majestic tree. A single swing hung from a sturdy branch, but Haruki paid it little attention. He settled on the soft grass, leaning against the tree trunk, and let his mind drift away.
~
Earlier that day:
"Ha, middle school was supposed to be tough, but it was all bark and no bite," Haru declared triumphantly as he swung open the front door, a black sling bag slung over his left shoulder while his right hand clutched his report card. He marched into the kitchen, brandishing the card in front of his mother.
Busy chopping ingredients for the evening meal, his mother raised an eyebrow at his early return. "Back already, and quite excited, I must say. Bragging about good grades?"
Haruki scoffed. "Good? More like excellent."
And indeed, they were excellent. He ranked among the top ten in his entire grade. It wasn't just luck—his hard work and talent had earned him nearly perfect scores in most subjects. He even received extra credit, a testament to his brilliance.
Maki Fukuda, his mother, had grown accustomed to her son's exceptional intelligence. She sighed helplessly. "I wonder where you got those brains from, Haru. Neither your father nor I were geniuses like you."
Akashi Fukuda, Haru's father, entered the kitchen with a chuckle. "Okay, we get it," he interjected, taking his usual seat on a high stool near the counter where Maki worked.
Maki laughed. "I'm just praising him."
"Afternoon, Dad," Haru saluted playfully, his hands on his waist and chin held high. "You said middle school would be challenging. I beg to differ."
"We'll see about that," his father replied skeptically, accepting the report card from Maki. As he perused the results, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Extra credit? Whose child are you?"
"I ask myself the same question. Haha! You guys don't even come close to my brilliance..."
"Now, now, let's not get carried away," Maki playfully pinched her mischievous son's cheek. "You dare call us dumb?"
Haruki protested, trying to escape her grip. "Ouch! Mom, are you trying to rip my face off? And my precious gem!" He rubbed his reddening left cheek, his eyes wishing they could fixate on the shallow dimple that added to his mischievous charm. His wild, untamed hair and dark bangs only heightened his slightly wild appearance.
Maki shook her head in amusement, returning to her work. "Your dimple isn't going anywhere. It won't vanish into thin air. Look, I have the same ones right here." She poked her own cheeks with her index fingers, teasing her son.
It was true. His mother always sported a pair of adorable dimples on her cheeks, effortlessly revealing them even when she wasn't smiling. Those small dents on her face were a clear inheritance he had received. People often remarked that Haruki had inherited his mother's looks, particularly the dark shade of his hair. However, his gentle brown gaze was a trait passed down from his father.
His older sister, on the other hand, had inherited both their father's deep chestnut hair color and the same brown eyes. Even her full figure was reminiscent of their father's side of the family. A few similarities between her and Maki Fukuda persisted, especially in the elegance of their facial features.
Maki continued cutting while speaking, "You still have a long way to go. Things won't always be as breezy as they are now."
"She's right," Akashi agreed, his attention shifting back to his son's report card. "You may have cruised through your first term of middle school, but you'll soon realize how challenging school can become."
"Even so, it's just a repetition of what I've been doing in elementary," Haruki countered, taking his parents' words into consideration. "Only this time, there are larger numbers and longer sentences. Learning new things and expanding my knowledge. It doesn't sound difficult."
His parents were left momentarily speechless. It wasn't as if he was wrong.
"Whatever," Haruki's excitement continued unabated. "I'll go show this to Ayame when she comes back. She owes me twenty bucks for underestimating me. Speaking of which, I didn't see her all day..."
He paused his rambling when he noticed his parents' strange looks, as if he had said something bizarre. He blinked. "What?"
Was there something amiss in what he had said? Was flaunting his test results to his sister a bad idea?
"Haru, you do realize that Ayame isn't here, right?" his mother was the first to speak up.
"Yeah, she always comes home after me. She's a high school senior, after all," Haruki found nothing peculiar about that.
Akashi raised a confused brow. "Eh? But Ayame's already—"
"Sweetie, why don't you change out of your uniform? You must be uncomfortable in it," Maki quickly interjected with a smile, diverting her husband's incomplete statement.
Having paid little attention to his father's earlier reaction, Haruki hurriedly left to change. It was only upon rejoining his parents in the kitchen that he learned the truth.
Ayame wouldn't be coming home that day.
The reason being that she was already on a flight from Japan to Washington.
~
Sitting quietly under the tree, Haruki's thoughts kept returning to the news he had just received. Ayame Fukuda had a flight at eleven in the morning. Maki and Akashi had accompanied her to the airport to bid her farewell. They informed him that Ayame had been offered a scholarship to a university in Washington months ago, and she had spent all this time arranging her travel and preparing to leave.
Haru knew his sister had contemplated going abroad before; she had even mentioned receiving scholarship offers from numerous foreign universities.
But wasn't all of that supposed to happen next year, after she finished high school?
Sure, she was smart, and many schools wanted her, but dealing with all of that was supposed to be a future concern.
Haruki's brows furrowed slightly.
That aside, why hadn't she given him a heads-up before she left? There were no hints from her either. She'd simply up and left.
"Whatever, good riddance!" he muttered angrily to himself, his words belying his true feelings, which only made him even more frustrated.
"We didn't mention it because she wanted to tell you herself once she made the decision," Maki had explained earlier.
But Ayame had never mentioned it, not even once.
And that just felt...
Haruki abruptly stood up from his spot and approached the wooden swing, glaring at it as he stood before it. He remained there for a few moments before his foot suddenly struck out, attempting to kick the swing, only to painfully stub his toes in the process.
Filled with both pain and frustration, Haruki hopped up and down on one leg, clutching his sore foot. He hadn't expected this seemingly innocuous wooden seat to be so thick and sturdy!
He glared darkly at the inanimate object, as if resenting its existence, even though it had just been innocently sitting there...
In the next moment, after the throbbing in his foot had somewhat subsided, Haruki lashed out again. However, this time he completely missed the swing and lost his footing, falling hard on his back onto the solid ground.
"Ow, damn it..." he hissed through clenched teeth, a mixture of pain and frustration evident in his slightly trembling voice.
And in that moment, a realization washed over Haru like a tidal wave, crashing into his soul with the force of a thousand emotions. His sister, the person he had always relied on, had really left with even saying goodbye. With a mixture of defeat and despair, Haru's arm slowly rose, shielding his teary eyes pathetically from the world, as if to protect himself from the harsh reality that now enveloped him.
"Why the hell am I crying?" Haru's self-consciousness kicked in, adding a touch of embarrassment to his already fragile state. But try as he might, he couldn't suppress the overwhelming flood of emotions that surged through him. His shoulders quivered, his sobs echoing through the empty space. Grateful for his solitude, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of shame at the thought of anyone witnessing him in this pitiful state.
After a few minutes, Haruki mustered the strength to sit up, his trembling hands reaching for his face to wipe away the evidence of his tears. He sniffled softly, attempting to compose himself. He scolded himself for crying over someone who was now miles away, berating his own childishness. With a vacant expression etched on his face, he crossed his legs and settled into a sitting position.
It was the start of summer vacation, the first one he would have to endure without Ayame. The plans they had made, the excitement he had felt, all now shattered by her sudden departure. Disappointment weighed heavily on his heart, casting a shadow over the sunny days he had anticipated.
With a reluctant sigh, Haruki rose to his feet and approached the swing once more. This time, his intentions were different. There was no malice in his gaze as he slumped onto the wooden plank, swaying gently back and forth. His hands rested calmly on his lap, a symbol of resignation and acceptance.
The news of Ayame's departure had blindsided him. The confusion etched on his parents' faces when they revealed the truth proved that they, too, hadn't known anything. They had no knowledge of Ayame's intentions to leave her brother in the dark, assuming that he already knew of her departure.
"Mei, you jerk..." Haru muttered bitterly to himself.
But to his surprise, a response echoed in the air, shattering the silence that enveloped him.
"Are you okay?" The sudden voice startled Haruki, causing him to fall off the swing in alarm.
~~~~~~