Hearing Haruki's unexpectedly 'icy' response, Kentaro was left dumbfounded.
"W-What?" he stammered.
Haruki casually brushed away Ken's hands, his gaze fixed on him with an air of 'indifference'. "That's how it is," he said. "Life isn't fair, and you won't always get what you want. Sometimes, you'll lose things too."
Kentaro's guilt-ridden eyes fell to the floor. "I know, I know," he murmured. "But... I don't want to lose you."
Haruki was taken aback by the suddenness of it all. He couldn't believe his eyes as Kentaro suddenly prostrated himself on the carpeted floor, his forehead almost touching the ground.
"I'm sorry, Haruki," Kentaro pleaded, his voice filled with regret. "For shutting you out... for insulting you constantly, for being selfish. I really am sorry..."
What kind of miracle was this?
"I thought... sniff... it would be easier to move on... if you ever grew tired of me. And I didn't want to burden you with all my troubles. I'm sorry..."
Now Haruki started to feel a pang of guilt. "Ginger, listen—"
"But please, let me change everything," Kentaro interrupted, raising his head again. Despite the tears and snot staining his face, Haruki could see hope and determination radiating from his eyes. "If you'd let me, I want to be your friend again, a real friend this time. I promise I won't keep any more secrets! I'll answer any questions you have, I swear. And if my past still matters to you—"
"It's okay, really. You don't have to tell me any of that, Ken..."
"But I want to!" Kentaro protested, his outburst followed by a flustered glance away. "I... truly want to this time."
Haruki blinked at him in silence. Then, unable to contain himself, he snickered and playfully ruffled Kentaro's hair. "You're quite something. If that's what you want, I can't refuse, can I?"
Kentaro wasn't sure how to react, so he simply sat there, still and well-behaved as the other person patted his head. It was a gesture his mother used to do, and now Haruki was doing it too.
Though it was slightly different from his mother's touch, Haruki's gesture felt comforting and nice in its own unique way.
"Haru," Kentaro spoke up.
"Hmm?"
"Does this mean... we're not breaking up?" Kentaro asked, referring to their friendship.
Haruki choked on air and burst into a fit of coughing. Why did he have to phrase it like that?
His attention was drawn back when the ginger-haired boy shifted in his grasp, looking up at him.
Feeling the weight of the moment, Haruki averted his gaze, focusing on anything but Kentaro's hopeful gray eyes. "Yeah, yeah, there's no breaking up. Just... don't cry anymore."
Kentaro nodded obediently, fearing Haruki would change his mind. It was only after a while that he piped up again.
"Haru?"
"Hm?"
It was Ginger's turn to shift his gaze when Haruki's attention shifted back to him, and his cheeks tinged with a deep shade of red.
"Can I...?"
"Can you what?" Haruki prodded, but Ginger remained tight-lipped. Haru flicked his forehead warningly. "Hey, don't start something only stop mid-way. Spit it out, what do you want to say?"
Kentaro massaged his stinging forehead and glanced back at Haru, only to quickly avert his eyes again. Finally, he mustered the courage, accompanied by hesitant hand gestures. "C-Can I...?"
Yet, the complete request refused to escape his lips.
Nevertheless, Haruki had already deciphered the unspoken longing behind Kentaro's gestures.
The kid simply wanted a hug.
"Why bother asking permission for something like that, dude..." Haru muttered, his arms opening wide despite his own flustered state. "Whatever, just—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Kentaro lunged into his embrace, propelling Haru backward, and causing them both to tumble and fall.
What the heck? Had this kid never been hugged before???
Haruki was on the verge of scolding when he noticed Ginger still trembling, his face buried against Haru's shoulder. Muffled sniffs and whimpers revealed that Ken was crying once again.
With a helpless sigh, Haruki disregarded his own dampening clothes and let Ginger be, using a hand to gently stroke those fiery locks.
What kind of situation was this, seriously?
"Hey, didn't I just say no more crying?" he chided, his tone gentle but firm.
"...I'm sorry," came the feeble response.
Now, Ken seemed trapped in an endless cycle of apologies. Haru felt at a loss. "Enough already, you don't sound sorry at all. Who are you even apologizing to?"
"I'm sorry, Haru."
"Can you at least let me change out of this filthy uniform?"
Kentaro shook his head.
Good grief; Haruki felt utterly powerless.
***
The following morning, Maki Fukuda nearly choked on her coffee when Haruki finally confessed about his altercation with two bullies the previous day—a secret that explained his absence from his afternoon club.
Yesterday evening, her son's club instructors had called, questioning why the boy had been hastily leaving or even skipping his after-school meetings lately. Thus, during breakfast, Maki had brought up the matter. However, when Haru revealed the truth, she was left dumbfounded. Especially since her son sounded far from remorseful as he explained.
Akashi hadn't joined them for their early breakfast, so when he finally arrived, Maki took it upon herself to share the revelation.
"Getting involved in fights again, Haruki?" Akashi's disappointment was palpable as he raised a quizzical eyebrow, pausing mid-sip from his mug. "Weren't those supposed to end in elementary school?"
Haruki remained silent, but before he could respond, his mother interjected, defending him. "You know he never starts trouble without a good reason."
"What reason could possibly justify this? Don't encourage him. You know how he gets when he's involved in these things. He's just like your dad in that regard. It's a miracle those kids' parents haven't reported him yet," Akashi declared, setting his mug down. After a brief pause, he turned to Haruki with a stern gaze. "Tell us the truth. I know you're not giving us the whole story."
"They hurt Kentaro," Haruki replied truthfully, without a moment's hesitation.
His parents exchanged doubtful glances, suspecting their child of bluffing once again.
Unfazed by their skepticism, Haruki continued eating his breakfast. "I came home late yesterday because I was at his place, treating his injuries."
Maki couldn't contain her bewilderment and nearly jumped out of her seat. "You're serious?! Is Ken-chan okay?"
"He's fine, but his ankle got twisted, so he's having trouble walking," the teenager explained. "He's also covered in bruises."
"AND THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OKAY?!"
"Calm down," Akashi interjected, noticing that it was still too early to raise their voices. The trio had risen well before dawn for different reasons, and causing a commotion before their neighbors were even awake would be inconvenient.
Undeterred, Haruki pressed on. "Ginger's fine. He's not bothered by it, and he has me, alright?"
Though still concerned, Maki managed to lower her tone. "I just hope his nanny is taking good care of him too. How was she when you saw her yesterday? What kind of person is she?"
His what now?
Haruki's mind went blank for a moment, then he remembered that he had fabricated the story about Kentaro's nanny.
That's right, his folks had no idea Ginger stayed on his own.
"I can't help but worry about that child," Maki continued, disregarding her son's silence. "He's so young, and he doesn't even stay with any blood relatives. He has a nanny, yes, but sometimes I get a strange feeling about her, even though I've never met her. It's as if she's neglecting her duties."
"You and me both," Akashi agreed.
Haruki ate his breakfast with a heavy conscience: That's exactly how I used to feel.
"And his mother is always away," Maki sighed.
Just like some people; Haruki thought with an eye-roll, but he kept his thoughts to himself. At least for now, his parents were making an effort to leave work early. Their trips had significantly decreased too. Going a whole week without being summoned by their firm for some extended journey was truly a miracle.
"That's why I woke up so early today," Haruki informed them. "I'm going to his place before heading to school. By the way, can I stay at Ken's for a few days?"
His sudden request caught his parents off guard.
Reading their expressions swiftly, he added, "I'm worried he won't get the support he needs from the so-called 'nanny' since she's, um, hardly ever around. If you don't want me to go, that's fine. I can just make regular visits."
"No, no, you can go," Maki waved her hands with a smile. "I was just surprised that you actually asked for it. You've never done that before, and especially with how strained your relationship with Ken-chan was getting. I wasn't sure if you guys would even make it to Christmas."
"Strained?" Akashi hadn't even noticed. "That's news to me."
"Seriously, pay more attention," the woman clicked her tongue at him before turning back to her son. "How long do you plan on staying with Ken-chan?"
"Not too long, just until he's back on his feet," Haruki replied. "A couple of days?"
"Just that?" the woman pondered for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "Since you're taking care of someone, how about taking a break from school during that time? Ken won't be going anywhere, and it'll make your job easier too."
Both father and son stared at her, perplexed.
Akashi rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Did you just suggest our son skip school, Maki?"
"Only if it's for the right reasons," Maki crossed her arms. "You'll study at Kentaro's place."
"How can you be sure I'll actually study?" Haruki grinned mischievously.
"He'll let me know."
Haruki: "..."
Maki: "He always tells me."
Haruki didn't know how to process this newfound revelation.
"Inform the school about both kids' absences then," Akashi told Maki, giving up on the whole matter. "And come up with decent excuses for them."
Maki pulled out her phone and immediately started texting. It seemed like she had been hoping for something like this for a long time.
Sometimes this woman scares me. I never know what really goes on in her mind; Haru thought.
***
After bidding farewell to his parents on Ken's doorstep, Haruki quickly shooed them away, claiming that they would only wake Ken up if they stuck around. Once they were gone, he used the spare key Ginger had given him the day before to let himself into the house.
It was still dawn, and since he no longer had to go to school, he decided to catch up on his sleep. But before that, he wanted to check on Kentaro.
Finding Ginger still fast asleep in his room, Haruki quietly closed the door and made his way to the room next door.
He had feared that his mother's loud arguments and insistence on seeing Kentaro earlier would have woken up the entire neighborhood, but fortunately, it didn't seem to be the case.
"It's way too early," Haru murmured to himself, placing the small bag of clothes he had brought on the floor. With a yawn, he wearily collapsed onto the bed. "Just a little while, then I'll wake up..."
It didn't take him long to drift off into slumber.
~~~~~~