Haruto rarely crosses paths with Haruka these days. Mornings and nights were a blur for both of them—Haruka left early for school and returned home late, collapsing straight into bed.
Meanwhile, Haruto's late-night dog cage fights kept him busy, and even weekends seldom brought their schedules into sync.
But today was different.
As he descended the stairs, Haruto paused, spotting Haruka at the dining table. She was seated with a book propped open, her face scrunched in concentration as she read.
Her hand absentmindedly brought a piece of bread to her mouth.
A grin tugged at his lips as he crept closer. Without warning, he placed his hands over her eyes.
"Guess who?" he teased.
Haruka stiffened, then let out an exasperated sigh. "Brother, we're not kids anymore!" she protested, swatting at his hands.
Haruto laughed, withdrawing his hands and taking the seat beside her.
"What can I say? Your brother's lonely without you around. Is your studying really more important than me?" he quipped, feigning a dramatic pout.
Haruka shot him a look, chewing her bread before responding.
"You're the one who wanted me to get into a private school, remember? I might be smart, but I still have to put in the effort."
She reached for her glass of milk, her tone equal parts fond and annoyed.
"True, true," Haruto agreed with a smile, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Good girl. Keep this up, and I'll reward you with something nice."
Haruka swatted his hand away but didn't seem to mind. "I don't want 'something nice.'"
She sighed softly, resting her chin in her palm. "I just want time with you."
Haruto blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected honesty in her voice. "Another vacation, huh?"
He leaned back, picked up a slice of toast, and spread strawberry jam on it.
"Not a problem. But you've got to ace your exams first."
Her gaze fixed on the table. "Not another family trip. Just the two of us," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.
He stilled for a moment. Memories of a younger, clingier Haruka came to mind, back when she'd follow him around like his shadow.
A small smile softened his features. "Sure, why not? Just the two of us," he replied, taking a bite of his toast.
Haruka's mood visibly brightened. She straightened in her chair, a soft hum escaping her lips as she flipped the page of her book.
However, Haruto's thoughts drifted back to his conversation with the psychiatrist, Hana Watanabe.
A question lingered in his mind, one he couldn't let go of.
"Haruka," he began, his tone soft yet probing, "do you know a doctor named Hana Watanabe? She said she was my psychiatrist when I was a child."
Haruka froze mid-bite, her body tensing as if the words had struck a nerve. She took a slow breath before responding, her voice hesitant.
"Y-Yeah, I've met her a few times. I talked to her about your condition."
Haruto narrowed his eyes slightly, leaning forward on the table. "Do you remember why I had to see a psychiatrist? Or maybe what you talked about with her?"
Haruka fidgeted, her fingers nervously playing with the hem of her shirt. "I... I don't know, brother. If you don't remember, how could I?"
" I'm three years younger than you," she said quickly, her words tumbling out in a jittery rush.
"Haruto," she said softly, "I don't think it matters what happened in the past. You're okay now, aren't you? You don't have trouble at school or with friends. You're not hallucinating or anything. You're just... you."
Her words were meant to be comforting, but they only deepened the pit of uncertainty in his chest.
"You're right," Haruto said after a moment, forcing a smile. "I'm fine now."
But deep down, he knew he couldn't let it go. One day, when the time was right, he'd contact Dr. Watanabe and demand answers.
His father was out of the question—there was no way he'd get anything useful from that drunken mess.
But then, another question surfaced in Haruto's mind, one he couldn't ignore.
He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Chiyo. Her comforting presence calmed the storm in his thoughts.
"Chiyo," he began cautiously, "can I ask you something else?"
She smiled warmly, though her hands fiddled slightly with the edge of her sleeve.
"Of course. Ask me anything you want to know."
Haruto leaned forward, his voice steady yet curious. "Do you know the temple my mother used to visit every week?"
The change in Chiyo's demeanor was immediate.
Her face paled, and her hands trembled slightly before she clasped them behind her back as if trying to hide her unease.
"I... I don't know, Haruto," she said, her voice uneven, her eyes refusing to meet his.
"You know I lived in the village when your mother was still alive, right?" she added quickly, her tone laced with nervousness.
"I rarely contacted her, so I really don't know anything about that."
Haruto's gaze softened, but his sharp eyes caught every crack in her expression.
"Chiyo..." he began, wanting to press further. But the way her shoulders stiffened and her lips trembled stopped him.
She looked troubled—scared, even. Haruto sighed inwardly, deciding against pushing her for answers.
"I see," he said with a faint smile, leaning back to give her space. "Thank you for answering."
Chiyo nodded quickly, her tense posture relaxing just slightly. "Y-Yeah... um, Haruto, aren't you supposed to be at school early today? Something about picket duty, right?"
"Ah, you're right," he replied, standing and smoothing out his shirt. "I'll get going now."
He left the dining room quietly, his mind swirling with unanswered questions.
As he stepped outside, the crisp morning air greeted him, but it did little to clear the haze of thoughts clouding his mind.
He glanced back at the old house, its worn exterior familiar yet suddenly alien to him.
'Why does this place feel so strange... like it's hiding something?' he thought, his brow furrowing.
The unease in Chiyo's voice, Haruka's nervousness—none of it added up.
But as he turned away, he reminded himself of his priorities. Revenge came first.
The mysteries surrounding his past would unravel in time, but revenge wouldn't wait for him to solve them.
'No need to rush,'
he told himself.
'The temple question can bring me closer to Yoshida.'
With that resolve, Haruto walked forward, leaving the house and its secrets behind—for now.