The morning sun had just begun to peek through the curtains when Haruki, brimming with energy despite his sleepless night, burst into the room. "Rise and shine, my dear students!" he declared with a playful grin. Sakura, still groggy, glanced at the clock, surprised to see it was only 7:00 AM. She narrowed her eyes at Haruki, thinking, "So, he can wake up early if he wants to."
Noticing her stare, Haruki couldn't resist teasing. "Don't look at me like that, darling. I know I'm hot, but..."
Her glare intensified, cutting him off. Surrendering, Haruki sighed, "Okay, fine. I haven't slept—not a blink! But that's reality..."
Sakura's expression softened, concern replacing the glare. "You should rest. You haven't slept since we arrived. Don't you want to enjoy the trip with us?"
Haruki waved off her concern with a casual smile. "I'm fine! You guys enjoy!"
Before they could continue, a boy from the back complained, "If you're done flirting, can we go now? The bus is already here." Another chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, you're making us jealous!"
Yuki, sitting quietly by the window, chuckled along with the others. Haruki, noticing his nephew's rare laughter, felt a surge of warmth. "Yuki's grown so much... Maybe I don't need to shelter him anymore. Everyone's grown... Maybe I have too..."
Breaking the mood, Haruki clapped his hands, "Alright, enough laughing. Let's get on the bus. Off to the exhibition!"
As the bus rolled through the city, the students buzzed with excitement, pointing out buildings and landmarks. Yuki, however, sat quietly, watching the scenery pass by. The green fields, the sprawling cityscape, and the open blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds all blurred together in his mind. A tear slipped down his cheek as memories flooded back—memories of loneliness, of being the "gloomy" kid no one wanted to befriend.
He remembered the cutting words of a friend who'd betrayed him, the embarrassment of being ridiculed by his entire class. But more than anything, he remembered how alone he had felt. "If only I could go back and tell my younger self, 'It's okay. Just hang in there. You'll find people who care about you. You'll find Sensei and Sakura.'"
They arrived at the exhibition, and the students scattered in different directions, eager to explore. Haruki called out after them, "Remember, be back by evening! Now go enjoy, my dear fools!"
Yuki lingered at the entrance, staring at the aquarium display. The vibrant colors of the fish and the gentle sway of the water had a calming effect on him. Haruki, noticing Yuki's hesitation, sat beside him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Why not join the others? Is watching the fish that interesting?"
Yuki looked up, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you for everything, Sensei. I'm glad I came to live with you."
Haruki smiled warmly. "Of course. Now go on, join them! And don't forget to take notes!"
With a nod, Yuki joined the other students, his spirits lifted. Haruki watched him go, then decided to explore the exhibition himself. His eyes lit up with childlike wonder as he wandered through the displays, from the latest in robotics to the marvels of space exploration. Sakura, catching sight of him, chuckled at how absorbed he was in everything, as if seeing the world for the first time.
As she tried to approach Haruki, another student bumped into her, sticking his tongue out teasingly before running off. Before she could react, Ruka grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the robotics exhibit, excited to show her something. Yuki, noticing Sakura heading that way, followed her, his heart pounding with nervous anticipation.
At the robotics exhibit, Ruka spotted Ren-kun and quickly excused herself, leaving Sakura alone. She smiled knowingly. "Fine, fine, enjoy your exhibition date."
Gathering his courage, Yuki approached Sakura. "S-Sakura... um... aren't you taking notes?"
"No, I'll take them after the trip, from what I remember."
"Then... let's go grab a... d-drink?"
Sakura smiled warmly, "Sure."
They walked together to a nearby stall and bought drinks, exchanging small talk about what they had seen. Yuki, still nervous, asked, "What did you watch?"
"Nothing much, just the history of science and its progress, and robotics," Sakura replied, her eyes sparkling with interest.
"Then... let's go do that," Yuki suggested, pointing to a booth where people were mixing chemicals, the air buzzing with excitement and the occasional pop from a reaction.
They approached the booth, where participants were encouraged to mix chemicals and observe the results. Sakura eagerly grabbed random chemicals, mixing them with twinkling eyes. Yuki, more cautious, carefully selected his ingredients, though he couldn't help but watch Sakura's every move, captivated by her enthusiasm.
As Sakura concentrated on her experiment, a strand of her orange hair fell into her face. Without thinking, Yuki gently reached out and tucked it behind her ear. Sakura, caught off guard, blushed deeply, her heart skipping a beat. Just then, her chemical concoction popped, sending a small puff of smoke into the air.
Sakura burst into laughter, and Yuki, despite his nervousness, couldn't help but laugh with her. The two of them, along with everyone else in the booth, shared a moment of pure joy.
Later, as they returned to the bus and headed back to the resort, Yuki felt lighter than he had in a long time. The memories of the past were still there, but they no longer weighed him down. He had found his place, with people who cared about him, and he was ready to face whatever came next.