While walking down the aisle in the hallways, the memories of Takumi's school days kept flooding in the more they advanced.
After a few moments, they finally reached Ms. Sakuragi's office, which was situated on the second floor.
" We're here, Takumi. " The professor uttered as she unlocked her office and let Takumi walk inside.
" Nothing has changed here since the last time I was here. " Takumi couldn't help but comment on the aspect of his former homeroom teacher's office.
Sitting down, Ms. Sakuragi did the same. " Do you remember the last time you were here, Takumi? "
—
" Last time you were here, you were to give me your career evaluation sheet. Do you remember? "
—
"How could I forget?" Takumi said, "It was the end of my school term. I couldn't have forgotten it."
Walking down a couple of years back, Takumi who was fourteen years old at the time walked into Ms. Sakuragi's office with his career evaluation sheet in hand.
While handling the evaluation sheet, the homeroom teacher couldn't help but notice what her student had written on the evaluation sheet. As Takumi was about to walk out of her office, she called out to him.
" Wait a second, Takumi! "
Stopping in his tracks and turning around, his homeroom professor asked, " Are you sure about this? Is this what you truly want? "
Hesitating, Takumi responded, "Yes, Professor Sakuragi." " I'll be majoring in Business after graduation. "
—
Getting back to the present, Ms. Sakuragi exclaimed as she spoke to her former student, "At the time as you handed me your career evaluation sheet, you told me you'd be majoring in Business after graduation. I was shocked when you told me that, you know, but I couldn't say anything back then as I could see that the decision you've made was weighing heavily on you and I didn't want things to escalate even further."
" Regardless of what your decision was back then and why you had to make such a decision in the first place, I knew that wasn't your true call. After encountering you here again after so many years have passed, I have to ask you why you made that decision back then. " " Why did you change your career choice? "
—
"You didn't answer my question when I asked you back then, but today, you'll have to give me an answer, Takumi."
—
After a long moment of silence that lasted an eternity, Takumi uttered at long last, "You said this was going to be a little chat, but here you are asking me about a past I can barely remember."
Knowing very well that her former student was lying through his teeth, she confronted him on the spot. " Are you sure you don't remember, or is it that you don't wish to remember, so you're avoiding me on purpose? "
Sighing, Takumi answered, " Alright, fine, I'll answer your question from years ago, but be prepared for the answer you seek. It might be both pleasant and unpleasant. "
"No matter, I want to hear it."
Sighing for the second time, Takumi uttered, " Back then, I changed my career choice because that was the right thing to do, and I simply did what I thought best. I privileged stability over a hobby, there's nothing more to it. "
" I hope my answer satisfies you, Professor Sakuragi. "
Although Takumi was being as honest and open-minded as he could, his homeroom professor could still see right through him. Not wishing to escalate the matter further as she deeply knew she wouldn't get the answer she sought, she asked him instead as a means to change the topic, " Are you satisfied, Takumi? " " Are you content with your current life? "
' Come on, Taakumi, state your feelings loud and clear. Don't keep lying to yourself! ' Those were the words she wished she could tell her student, however, those words wouldn't come out, and were stuck in her throat.
Retorting to the question from earlier, Takumi uttered, " I'm more than satisfied with how things turned out. Sometimes, I question myself as to what would have happened had I taken a different decision back then. Would things have turned out differently? Would I have been where I am today had I chosen a different path? "
" Whenever I thought of all those questions, I couldn't find a proper answer, but one thing's for sure, I probably wouldn't have been happier than I am now. "
" Are you certain of that? " Ms. Sakuragi asked doubtfully to Takumi who retorted, " It's true that my love for writing was true, but in the end, it wasn't enough. "
The more Takumi expressed himself, the more Ms. Saakuragi could somewhat spot his truest feelings and what was hidden behind all the confidence he was harboring.
After another hour of chatting, Takumi departed from the school to head home. As he was leaving his homeroom professor's office, the latter stopped him and said, " I was happy to see you today, Takumi. If possible, could we meet again, that is if you don't have an issue with it? "
—
" I'll think about it, Professor, and it was nice catching up today too. I'll be heading back now. "
" Be careful on the way! "
By the time Takumi was back home, it was already afternoon. The moment he entered his room, he fell flat on the bed, thinking back to his eventful day.
" What was that today? " He mumbled as he fell asleep.
Haruki and Luna covered him with a blanket and took off his shoes so he could sleep more comfortably.
Leaving the room, Luna uttered, " Daddy came back very tired today. "
Seeing how his niece's mood had suddenly shifted, Haruki uttered in a comforting manner, " My brother's tired as you said, so we should make things easier for him. What do you say, Luna? " " Are you with me? "
Confused about what her uncle had in mind, she asked, " What can we do? "
" You'll see! "
Hours later, when Takumi finally came about, he was surprised to smell something sweet coming from the kitchen. " What's that smell, and how come it's coming from the kitchen? "
Following the smell, he ended up in the dining room, where food was already served. Besides the food, Haruki and Luna were standing there grinning brightly at him.
" Daddy, how was your nap? Was it pleasant? "
" How was the nap, big bro? "
Grinning slightly in response, Takumi retorted to his daughter and younger brother at once, " Yes, it was pleasant, but how come there's this here? "
" Do you mean the food? "
He nodded to ascertain his response. " I made all the food you see here, assisted by my little apprentice here. Are you honored? "
Answering hypothetically, he asked, " Did you cook all of these for me? "
" Who else would these delicacies be for if not you? "
" But today's not even my birthday, so what's the occasion? "
—
" I'll let my apprentice answer that. "
Answering the question, Luna stated the following, " You were tired, so uncle and I thought of how to make you feel better. While thinking of what to do, Uncle thought how it would be a pleasant idea to cook all your favorites, so here it is. "
" That's so sweet of you guys, thank you. "
Feeling honored, Takumi ate all the food his loved ones had made for him. He enjoyed every single bite of it. Half an hour later, when he was done with all the food, Haruki tended to the dishes while Luna stayed with her father.
' About what Uncle Haruki and I found out, should I ask him about it? ' ' He looked tired, so maybe I shouldn't ask him anything for now. '
Noticing the way his daughter was staring at him, Takumi guessed by the constant stares, that she might have something on her mind.
" Do you wish to ask me something, Luna? "
Startled, Luna uttered straight away, " No, it's nothing. "
Luna ran away before her father could know what was on his daughter's mind. Later into the night, Takumi, Luna, and Haruki were watching a movie.
While Taakumi was enjoying the movie before him, Luna and Haruki were lost somewhere. That was the second time both of them had been absent-minded since the movie started. It was clear to Takumi that something was amiss between his daughter and brother.
" Luna! "
!
" Haruki! "
!
" You two wish to ask me something, don't you? "
!
" You two have been absent-minded this whole time, not to mention during the visuals of the movie. " " If there happens to be anything you wish to ask me, then go right ahead! "
Before Haruki could answer Takumi, Luna took the stage and said straightforwardly, " Yes, Daddy, there's something we'd like to ask you. "
Glancing toward her uncle momentarily, she said, " Sorry, uncle, but I can't wait anymore. "
Turning back to her father, she said, " Daddy, I have a question for you! "
" Ask away! "
Takumi was stunned when his daughter showed him his old notebooks, which dated back to the time of his school days. Stating her question before her father, she asked the following, " Daddy, do these notebooks belong to you? " " Did you write these stories? "
—