Chapter Text
"Aki? Hello." Hotaru whispered into the phone.
She leaned back against her headboard, her fingers tracing slow, rhythmic circles through Makoto’s orange hair. He was already dead to the world beside her, having crashed the very second his head hit the pillow following the breakfast she’d prepared. She had drawn the curtains to shield him from the morning glare, leaving only a sliver of daylight to cut through the heavy shadows of the room.
"Yes, it’s me. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you, you’re probably resting too, aren’t you?" she murmured, her voice barely audible over the sound of Makoto’s steady breathing. "Yes, everything is okay. Ma-kun is out cold; he was exhausted. How are you?"
A soft, irrepressible smile pulled at her lips as she watched him.
"That’s good."
A comfortable silence settled between them as she listened to Akihiko’s voice on the other end. Her dark blue eyes remained fixed on her boyfriend, shimmering with a quiet, bottomless affection.
"Hey, if you aren't too tired, let's have lunch tomorrow? There’s a great place near my apartment. Or... I could just cook something here."
She paused, her expression softening even further at Kaji's reply.
"Yes. We’re going to be okay." she said, her voice barely a breath as she looked down at Makoto.
The kindness in Kaji's response brought a gentle light to her dark blue eyes, and she felt a surge of genuine warmth toward him.
"Aki... thank you," she whispered into the receiver. "Thank you so much for bringing him to me."
After Akihiko said goodbye, Hotaru set her phone aside and eased herself down to lie completely by Makoto’s side. It was as if no time had passed since those quiet, intimate mornings they had shared back in Tokyo; the moment she settled, his body instinctively sought hers.
Even in the depths of sleep, Makoto moved toward her, his arms looping around her waist to pull her close. He seemed to recognize the familiar scent of her skin and the specific warmth of her body. He tucked his face against her chest, huddling close enough to hear the steady, rhythmic thrum of her heart. It was a subconscious tether, a way to ensure that, even while dreaming, she was truly there, within his arms.
"I’ve missed you."
It was a short sentence, but there were moments when Hotaru felt foolish for how much she had needed to hear it. Over the last six months, the silence and the uncertainty of where they stood had often left her on the verge of frustration. She had to admit, at least to herself, that she had become reliant on that small affirmation.
Even though she knew they still had things to talk through, details to align so the rest of her time abroad would be easier, the mere fact that Makoto was there changed the atmosphere.
She pressed a feather-light kiss to his cheek, careful not to disturb his deep sleep. Finally, she closed her eyes, letting the simple comfort of his presence pull her into a sense of tranquility and rest she had been craving for a long time.
##########
"Good morning," Hinata said as Ryuji emerged into the kitchen.
He was already navigating with the crutches the hospital had given him. Fortunately, the medication had kicked in quickly, granting him a pain-free night. The kitchen was filled with the scent of honey, fresh fruit, and warm pancakes. Hinata was already at the table, dressed in her Kendo team’s light training gear, a white t-shirt, and black sweats, with her dark hair pulled into a practical ponytail.
Nana was lying under the table and wagged her tail when Ryu came close.
"Good morning." Being around her still made Ryu a little nervous. He glanced around the quiet room. "Has Sensei left already?"
"Yes." She took a bite of chopped melon. "He messaged saying he headed out at six. He already walked Nana." She stood up. "Sit down, I’ll fix you a plate. How many pancakes do you want? Tea or black coffee? Ni-chan left a fresh pot before he took off."
"No, it’s okay, I can get it!" he stammered, flustered by the attention.
"How’s the foot?" she asked, already moving toward the stove.
Ryu realized she was gently reminding him of his limitations. He gave in and sat down.
"It doesn’t hurt."
"Good." She set a plate in front of him: three slim pancakes drizzled with honey and a side of fruit salad. "We’ll ice it again after you eat."
"Thank you for the food," he said politely. He took a bite, and his eyes widened. "This is... so good."
"I just followed Dad’s recipe," she said, returning to her own seat. "You can’t go wrong when you're copying the best."
"I... don't think that’s quite right, though," he said shyly.
"Hm?" She looked up at him.
"Back in high school... you used to make bentos big enough for me to share at lunch. You knew I had to be at practice early and didn't always have time to pack anything for myself." He smiled at the memory. "You cooked those yourself. Even if you’re using Suzuki-san’s recipe now... it’s still your hands. Your way of cooking. It was already delicious back then."
Hinata looked at him, startled, before a small chuckle escaped her.
"You still remember that silly thing? It’s been ages."
Their moment was interrupted by the buzz of Hinata’s phone on the table. She picked it up with a smile that Ryu watched vanish, replaced instantly by a look of quiet disappointment.
"Is everything okay?"
"Ah, yes." She forced a casual tone and set the phone down. "It’s my boyfriend. He was going to come watch me compete, but he’s stuck with something for his course." She took a sip of her tea, her gaze drifting. "Oh, well. I guess it’ll just be Ni-chan there for me."
A long silence stretched between them. Ryu waited until she had finished another bite before speaking again.
"Hinata-san... can I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. It’s just something I’ve wondered since I first met you."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Why Kendo? Your father was a state Kyuudo champion, and your brother was a national champion. Did you not like the sport?"
Her scarlet eyes stared at him in absolute surprise.
"Sorry!" Ryu retreated instantly. "I didn't mean to annoy you, I just..."
"You didn't." She gave him a small, somewhat sad smile. "It’s actually pretty simple. I just didn't want to be compared to them."
"Eh?"
"I love my dad and I love my brother. But..." She poked at a piece of fruit. "Those are huge shoes to fill. I don't know how Hika does it, wanting to be a doctor like our parents. I’d be terrified to be measured against them every single day. I wouldn't be able to breathe if people brought up Hi-chan and Dad every time I held a bow. And... it’s not the same for women. I’d be expected to be 'humble' if I ever matched or surpassed them. And I don’t want to be humble when I’ve worked this hard to be as good as I am."
She looked at him, her smile turning self-deprecating.
"Pretty shallow and selfish, right?"
"No! I understand. You really do work hard." He offered her a shy, supportive smile. "I used to worry I was bothering you when I’d show up at your practice to walk you home, like I was forcing you to leave early. Even before we started dating, I’d heard stories about you staying late to train and being the first one at the club."
"You never bothered me." For the first time in a long while, Hinata’s voice was nothing but kind. "Not even once, back then. I was always happy to spend that time with you." She paused to pour him a cup of tea, the steam rising between them. "And you don't bother me now. You don't have to act so nervous."
She set the teapot down and looked him in the eye.
"I’m the one who wanted to be here to help you out. We still have a lot of days ahead of us, so let’s not overcomplicate things, okay?"
She gently placed the small cup in front of him.
"Yes. Thank you." he replied, a genuine, small smile finally breaking through his nerves before he took a grateful sip.
#########
"Ryuji-kun hurt himself?! Poor thing!" Sakura exclaimed. She was walking home from work, the sunset casting a warm, golden glow over her short black hair as she held the phone to her ear.
"Yes, but he’s okay," Hikaru replied. He was finally back in his car, sitting in the quiet of the driver’s seat. He had parked near his house. Hikaru had finished all three meetings with his old clients, having visited three different farms in three very different locations. He had made a point of apologizing personally for his time away, even though he had referred them to other vets. It was simply the proper, polite thing to do. "Hina is taking care of him."
"What?!"
"I was just as surprised as you when she offered," he said, letting out a long, weary breath. "They mature so fast..."
"You sound like an old grandpa," she chuckled. "And how are you? Have you heard anything from Makoto or Aki-san? Are they okay in Germany?"
"I’m going to call Dad when I get home. They’re probably dead tired from the flight by now. I’m actually just heading back from the rural area now; I spent the day visiting former clients."
"Oh? How did it go?"
"Surprisingly... very well. At the last farm, the owner's mother practically dragged me away from the cows just to have cake and matcha. People are... amazing."
"So, you’re going back to work with them?"
"Probably. I gave them some time to think it over. I still have three more former clients to see, a dairy farm, then pork and poultry. But enough about me. How are you? Did you have a good day at the clinic?"
"Yes, we actually had a few little kids in for shots today. They were so cute. I'm just heading to the supermarket now to pick up a few things for dinner."
"That’s good to hear. I’ll let you get to it, then. Have a good night, Sakura."
"Hi-chan..." she started, her voice softening. "Can we... keep doing this? Calling each other at the end of the day? I know we’ll see each other soon for the counseling sessions, but..."
"Sure!" he blurted out, the enthusiasm in his voice surprising her. "I...I really want to. And... if it's okay, if you’re feeling up to it after the therapy... could we have dinner? I’d love to take you to see Nana before you head back to Tokyo. I’d cook for you myself, but with the house being so crowded..."
"I’d love to, Hi-chan." Her voice was so sweet that it immediately soothed Hikaru’s heart. "Thank you."