Archive of Our Own ^beta

In the continuation of this majestic dream are all the things that connect us to the past. They’re embedded in the days of summer I’ve spent with you where the light is longest. In the spinning tales you used to share about the Starlight knights as we reenact our favorite characters from a silly TV show.

I will never admit it, but there’s something endearing about the way you crinkle your nose, your body shaking with laughter. It brings out the yellow in your eyes, bright and carefree, like the sunflowers following the light of the sun on a field. 

At the heat of the moment, I reach out to you, dyed in various colors, begging you to kiss the palms of my hands. Let your touch be the beam of light surging into the sky, dispersing the paint in its palette to my being.

But I’m translucent. No matter how much we laugh about it as we draw our vessels in the sand, I will never be able to fully take the paint of your shadow. 

And all those bright and colorful moments with you are breaking down just like a sandcastle in the beach hit by the sea. 

- 

When Wise was thirteen, he spent his first summer vacation with his sister at their grandparents’ house. It was just an eleven week trip, way out in the countryside beyond Eridu City. It was their teacher’s idea, after all, when she confiscated their video game consoles, that this would be a good opportunity for the two of them to immerse themselves in the real world and experience its wonders. 

In other words, his teacher wanted them to just be kids, to experience a normal childhood like everyone else. However, Wise didn’t get why a vacation was necessary for that. It’s true that he spent most of his time in the library, reading various books on how a hollow works, the functionality of a carrot, and bangboo anatomy. Sometimes he’d even drop by his teacher’s office, just to sit and watch her work, until Belle dragged him out to hang with their friends in the courtyard. But he wasn’t entirely confined to studying. He did other stuff too, like skateboarding with his sister to see a real hollow up close, or making a habit to feed the stray cats in the neighborhood every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday night. There were times where he even attended movie-nights that the academy hosted as a means to bond with his other classmates. 

Despite Wise’s protests, Carole’s decision was final. Her answer was a clear ‘no’, and he wasn’t going to fight his teacher on it. And so, the summer vacation was set. 

His teacher allowed them to bring a few things—their cellphones and Eous. The cellphones were mostly useless because of the terrible Internet. Thankfully, Eous, the small, adorable bangboo in Wise’s arms, provided comfort, almost as if it were a peace offering following their debate and the confiscated consoles. 

Belle quickly fell asleep after they left, her head resting against the window. While Wise, earphones in, watched the world dissolve into a blur of green through the glass, bleeding into baby blue. He caught glimpses of the fields, a wash of floral markings like vibrant gouache, their colors fleeting from the rushing speed. 

Eventually, even scrolling through his playlist became tedious; no song quite matched his mood. Having cycled trough his go-tos, he gave up, turning off his phone and shutting his eyes to fight the encroaching nausea. 

Wise had no idea how long he’d been asleep; when he woke up, it was already dark. Carole had just pulled into the driveway. Turning the engine off, she stepped out to rouse the still-sleeping Belle from the backseat. Wise followed, retrieving his suitcase from the trunk and wheeling it to the doorstep. Together, they waited as Belle pressed the doorbell.

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man, his appearance neat and composed; large, bearded, and with kind eyes. Behind him, was a young woman who looked just like him, peering over his shoulder curiously. (She waved at Wise, who looked away). Wise didn’t recognize either of them, but the man’s reaction to Carole’s arrival must mean they were well-acquainted. 

Initially, Wise was wary, hesitant and guarded whenever the older man tried to engage with him or Belle. But his teacher clarified things, introducing them to the Mayflowers and explaining that while not blood-related, they were family in spirit. In Wise’s mind, that made them relatives in a sense. If they were important to Carole, then they were important to him too. 

Without hesitation, the Mayflowers invited them in, telling the siblings to make themselves at home. They even asked their teacher to stick around for dinner and some old-fashioned catching up. 

Auntie began preparing for dinner in the kitchen, while Carole and Grandpa sat on the couch, discussing matters Wise couldn’t quite understand. Belle entertained herself with Eous on the floor, so that left Wise to look around. This was where he’d be for the next eleven weeks. It wasn’t too shabby; a small, cozy home with a kitchen and dining area, a living room that opened onto the patio, three bedrooms, and a crafting corner near the front door. 

About fifteen minutes before dinner was served, Carole finished her conversation with Grandpa and then helped Wise and Belle unpack, settling them into their shared room. (Which, yeah, Wise should have seen coming, considering the small space.)

The shared bedroom was small and appeared out-dated in its decor. Plain white walls. A bunk bed with under-bunk storage in the left corner. A circular orange carpet underneath between two beanbag chairs in the room’s center, facing the bookshelf. The opposite wall displayed movie posters. Twin dressers, decorated with worn bangboo stickers and starlight knight action figures were located near the door. And a desk filled with stationary supplies placed in front of a large window overlooking the backyard. 

Dinner arrived quickly. The remainder of the evening was spent as a family, enjoying the easy company before Carole had to leave due to her obligations back at the academy. It was hard to watch her car’s taillights wink out in the darkness as he and Belle waved goodbye, promising to see her soon. They were rarely apart from her, so the change was a little unsettling. But it was only temporary, at least that’s what he tells Belle (and to reassure himself). 

With the late hours settling in, boredom crept back. The Mayflowers were already asleep, but Wise and Belle were still wide awake. Wise leaned against the wall of the bottom bunk, scrolling through games on his phone, while Belle paced the room, waving her own phone. 

“Ugh, I’m so bored!” She declared, moving her phone around, trying to find some signal. “How are we supposed to get through summer with this terrible Internet?” 

Wise, having selected a game, rotated his phone and launched Soul Hounds III. “By connecting more with our environment.” He responded. “That’s the whole point of this trip.” 

Belle rolled her eyes and groaned. “Yeah, I get it, but still! Isn’t that what the academy’s after-school activities are for?” She paused, a sudden smile sharpening her features. This caught Wise’s attention; he glanced up from his phone, recognizing that look. That mischievous expression could only mean trouble. 

“What if we went into the woods and looked for Hollows together?” Belle proposed, her enthusiasm bubbling over. “There’s bound to be some nearby. We can do our own investigation without our teacher nagging us!”

“Belle, we really shouldn’t be doing anything reckless,” Wise cautioned, returning to his game. “We only got our eye implants a year ago, and our ether aptitude is messed up because of the surgery. Without the H.D.D and our teacher, investigating Hollows by ourselves can be dangerous. Let’s just stick to what she told us.”

Wise didn’t have to look to know Belle was bummed about the whole thing. But the risks of having a direct encounter with Hollow raiders were simply too high. 

“Alright, I get it…” Belle admitted. 

At that moment, Wise mistimed a move in his game, swiping too late. A block crushed his hound, its body shriveling to dust as its soul popped out like a bubble, with “GAME OVER” flashing in bright red. 

Wise frowned and flung his phone onto the mattress, annoyed, then lay down and stared at the bunk bed ceiling. Clearly, this was a sign to call it a night. He settled under the covers, turning his back to Belle. “Let’s sleep. We can find something to do tomorrow.”

“What?” Belle said, surprised he was going to bed early. “I thought we staying up!”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Wise said, closing his eyes and pulling the blanket over his head, trying to block out her protests. Honestly, he was way more tired than he thought he’d be from the drive. He couldn’t figure out how Belle had slept through it, since he’d been up for the first half, waking up every time they hit a bump or turn. 

(It took a good thirty minutes of restless tossing and turning in the dark before Wise finally fell asleep, only when Belle started playing some soft Bossa-nova from her new favorite artist on the upper bunk.)

- 

The next four days were a bit of a letdown. Wise tried everything to keep them busy—card games, comics, phone games, drawing—but they all got old fast. Ideally, they could watch TV, but that’s on were news broadcasts and a local documentary about the fascinating lives of Bangboos. He didn’t mind the documentary, but it wasn’t what he wanted to watch right now. 

And to top it all off, the heat was intense. The AC decided to break down last night, of all nights, right at the hottest time of the year. So they spent the night with Auntie setting up fans everywhere until Grandpa could get the AC running again. 

Which was precisely what Grandpa was doing right now. After breakfast, Auntie left for work, and he drove to the nearest appliance store to buy repair parts for the AC. With the Mayflowers gone, Wise and Belle were on their own to figure out how to kill time in the crazy heat.

They were setting up a board game in the living room, but as they opened the lid, they noticed a few figurines were missing from the box. Belle began searching through the drawers next to the TV to find them. Wise argued that she can just use the other figurines they have in the box, but Belle insisted they weren’t cool enough and didn’t fit her vibe. 

It was pretty clear Belle wasn’t budging until she found that one figurine. So Wise waited on the couch, idly strumming his ukulele and mangling the lyrics of a song. 

Sweat beaded down Wise’s brow, his hair stuck to his skin, and his face flushed. He didn’t know how much longer he can endure it. Even with the fan running, it offered little relief. All it did was push the thick air directly at him. 

Hearing Belle’s satisfied hum, Wise paused his strumming and looked up. “Did you find them?” He asked, carefully placing his ukulele on a nearby table. 

“No, but I found something way better,” Belle said, pulling out a bunch of videotapes, different genres, and spreading them out on the floor. 

Wise couldn’t contain his excitement, leaping from the couch for a better look. “Videotapes! I had no idea Auntie had these.” 

Belle’s expression matched his. “Neither did I, but this is perfect for passing the time. Why don’t you choose the first one?”

Wise scanned through the selections, debating between two videotapes before he ultimately decided on Little body, Big mind. He took the videotape and inserts it in the player, “Let’s watch this one!”

The morning went by quickly, two movies down. Since Grandpa and Auntie still were still out, Wise went to the kitchen during a slow scene of the movie to grab some snacks from the pantry for the marathon. When the credits rolled on the second movie, Belle just picked the next one without looking: romance. It was a predictable chick-flick, about a woman reflecting back on her past and the ups and downs that brought her to her husband. 

Wise wasn’t exactly picky about movies, however he did have genre preferences. Romance was among his least favorites (though not as low as horror and thrillers, which he’d avoid all together if possible). It wasn’t that this genre was inherently bad, especially the art house ones. But the cliche romance movies? Maybe it’s because he didn’t understand girls, but they always struck him as fake and unreal.

“Hey, Wise?” Belle asked, her eyes fixed on the screen as she crunched on an apple chip. 

Wise, curious, turned to her. “What’s up, Belle?”

Bluntly, she asked, “Have you ever wondered what it’s like to fall in love?”

Wise smiled, a little embarrassed, not sure where she was going with this. “What do you mean? I have you, our teacher, and Eous.”

Belle’s face fell for a moment, then shook her head. “Not familial love, you dork! I mean, like, real love! The kind where your heart races. Where you can’t stop thinking about someone… that kind of thing.” 

Wise got a little tense at the question. He really isn’t used to having these kinds of talks with his sister. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of open conversations, like he had about everything else; he knew Belle had good intentions, and he loved her deeply. But what was he supposed to say? He didn’t really understand it. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.” 

Belle started at him in disbelief, as if shocked that romance had not once crossed his mind. “Not even once?”

Embarrassment pricked at his skin the more this conversation kept going. “Am I supposed to?” he asked, awkwardly. “I don’t really see the point in thinking about this right now.”

“Well, yeah! It’s gonna happen at some point.” Belle said, turning back to the TV when the girl on the screen started confessing her feelings. “I always thought it was always less on how it looks and more on how it feels.”

Wise followed her eyes back to the screen, trying to ignore the icky feeling in his stomach at the kiss. Maybe Belle had a point. Love could come in all sorts of ways, right? He didn’t really get it, but he would lying if he said he wasn’t curious. If he really liked someone, what would that feel like? Would it be as magical as the art house films made it seem?

But that was beside the point, Wise had no interest in dating. All he cared about was the academy, his sister, and staying close to his teacher. Why would he throw all of that away for a person he liked? 

He breathed out, only then realizing he’d been holding his breath when the scene changed to something else. 

-

Wise woke up to the smell of pancakes. There’s an underlying sweetness to it, edged with a mild violet tartness. 

Bundled in a blue blanket on the living room couch, his groggy eyes stared up at the popcorn ceiling. He was bathed in cream. The light from the blinds spread and flickered overhead, seeping into the dark spots of the room. It’s soft on the eyes, diluted enough to feel the heat of it kiss his skin. 

Suddenly, a familiar face abruptly entered his vision, making his eyes snap open, causing him to tumble off the couch. 

“Took you long enough, sleepyhead!” Belle announced, sticking her tongue out. Her apron was dusted with flour, and her fingers were stained violet. “Were you going to lie there all morning? You look like a mess.” 

Wise tried to flatten the stray hairs poking up from his head, attempting to hide his embarrassment. “Obviously not. Anyway, why are you up so early? I didn’t think you’d be awake for a wile. Especially after our movie marathon last night.”

“You were the one who wanted to watch that trilogy straight through!” Belle shot back, poking him playfully in the arm. “And unlike you, I stayed awake the whole time.”

Honestly, Wise wasn’t sure what ‘the whole time’ meant in Belle’s context. He barely remembered the movie, and his last memory was pushing Belle off the couch to rest his eyes. “Wait, so that’s why I’m on the couch?” 

“Well, I couldn’t carry you to our room, so I left you. And honestly, you were snoring through most of the second movie.”

Embarrassment burned his face, and his ears grew hot. “Alright, Belle, you don’t need to bring that up,” he mumbled. 

“Fine, I’ll stop teasing you. Now, c’mon, Auntie said breakfast is ready! If you don’t hurry, I’m going to eat all the pancakes myself. Race you!” 

Belle took off, giving herself a head start, while Wise jumped from the couch and chased after her, pushing and shoving alongside her as they raced to the kitchen, only to be scolded by their Auntie for running in the dining room.

Wise sat at his place at the table, fork in hand, across from Belle, as their Auntie placed the first batch of blueberry pancakes in the center. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something didn’t feel right. Grandpa was at the stove, frying eggs, and Auntie was serving pancakes onto Belle’s plate. But what could be missing?

Then it clicked. “Oh, by the way, Belle, where’s Eous?”

Belle’s face froze at his question, as if she had just realized Eous had been missing for some time. Her retelling of the events, rushed and with a shaky voice, was anything but reassuring. “Eous and I picked blueberries in the garden this morning, then I came inside to get you…” 

Wise smiled, a bit awkwardly. It sounded like Eous had simply wandered off. Normally, it was good at staying in one place, but the new surroundings must have made it curious. 

“Don’t worry, sis,” Wise said, rising from his chair and heading towards the patio door. “I’ll go find it; it couldn’t have gone far.” He slipped into his sneakers and bent to tie the laces. 

“No, I should be the one to find Eous,” Belle insisted, guilt weighing on her. “You haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

Wise shook his head. “It’s really not a problem. This is a new area for Eous, so it probably got curious. Don’t blame yourself Belle. Besides, I haven’t done much this morning, so the least I can do is go find him.”

Before Belle could say anything else, their Auntie placed a comforting hand on her head. “Wise,” She said gently. "Please come straight home once you find Eous. We’re going fishing after breakfast.”

“I will,” Wise said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

-

Looking for Eous turned out to be way harder than Wise thought it would be. 

At first, he thought it was just playing hide-and-seek. So he checked every place it could possibly be hiding—the garden, in the bushes, under the car, even on the roof—but it was no good. (He even climbed a tree, but Eous wasn’t there, sadly.) 

How far could Eous have gone? He knew it was naturally curious, but it was also well-mannered. It never acted this way back at the academy, so it was hard to believe that it would leave without saying a word. Something must have caught it’s eye, but the fact it had traveled beyond their property made him somewhat anxious.

The only course of action Wise saw was to venture further in hopes of finding Eous. As he walked deeper into the woods, distancing himself from the starting point, his anxiety grew, fraying the remaining edges of his calm. 

He felt trapped, walking in endless circles, ensnared in an agonizing green maze. Trees upon trees. Wise had never been inside a hollow, but this was a suffocating imitation. And it wasn’t helping that the heat was getting worse, pressing down on his mosquito bites. 

It burned. Where was Eous? Itchy bites, burning legs. Eous? It’s hot. Itchy. Circles. Endless tress closing in. His throat was dry. Eous? He couldn’t find it. He was lost. Lost in green. Lost in the heat. Lost. Lost—

Wise inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. Eous was okay. He just needed to keep looking. There had to be a way out of here somewhere, right? If he just kept walking, then he was sure he’d find it.

And he pressed on, until the trees released him into an open field of fern green, where blue threads pool underneath a large oak tree. Its sprawling branches reflecting almond patterns of juniper across the water’s surface.

Getting closer, Wise saw a boy with dark hair, roughly his age, leaning against the trunk. He was cradling a bangboo wrapped in a white towel. 

This was surprising. Wise didn’t think he’d run into anybody way out here. But this made things a lot easier. Maybe the boy saw Eous. 

As Wise approached to ask, his words died out when he spotted the familiar orange scarf on the bangboo the boy was cradling.

“Eous!” Wise burst out, his relief evident. The boy, however, jolted upright at the sudden shout, his yellow eyes widening in surprise, though he recovered quickly.

“Oh, is this your bangboo?” the boy asked, stroking Eous’ head gently. “I found it malfunctioning in the water when I got here.”

“Yeah, I was looking for it after it wandered away.” Wise knelt down beside the boy, taking Eous from his hands and checking it over. Just like he thought, the water really messed up its control panel. “Thanks for looking after my bangboo. I don’t know how long it would’ve taken me to find him otherwise.”

“Oh, you don’t have to thank me,” the boy said. “I couldn’t just leave it here. So I dried it off and waited until someone showed up. I thought whoever owned it must be around here somewhere. Sorry, that’s all I could do; I don’t know how to reboot a bangboo.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Wise replied, turning Eous onto its stomach and opening the back panel. “I’ll handle the rest.”

“Whoa! You know how to fix bangboos?” the boy asked, his eyes shining with admiration. 

“I— well, kind of,” Wise stammered, feeling a little embarrassed by the praise. “Just the basics.” 

“Still, that’s so cool,” the boy said, crawling closer to Wise. He stared at the control panel and all the colorful wires. “How does that work? Is it hard to do?”

“I can show you if you want,” Wise suggested. “It’s not really complicated.” 

“Okay!”

As Wise rebooted Eous, he carefully explained each step of the process, demonstrating as he went. It made him feel giddy, hearing the boy’s praise and how excited he was, asking about all the little details, which Wise was happy to explain. 

It felt… nice. It had been a long time since he’d talked with anyone outside the Helios Academy, even if it was just sharing what he knew.

“All done,” Wise said, closing Eous’ back socket. The bangboo slowly came back online, its circular eyes clearing from static. However, it was still weak. Every time Wise asked it something, it just said ‘Enha enna ehn’ (I feel sick). It seemed like it would take a while before Eous was back in shape. 

“You fixed it! Thanks for showing me! But wow, your bangboo looks pretty beat up.”

“I’ll probably have to do some more repairs when I get home,” Wise said, rising to his feet and picking up Eous. “Anyway, I need to get going. Thanks again.”

Just as Wise walked away, with Eous in his arms, a hand tugged him at his sleeve, stopping him.

“Oh, I didn’t get your name,” the boy said, looking up at Wise curiously. 

“My name?” Wise repeated. 

“Your name, the boy confirmed. “I’m bored, and you seem bored, so let’s hang out. I’m Asaba Harumasa.” 

Harumasa extended his hand, waiting for him to take it. After a moment, Wise took his hand and shook it. “Wise Arna.” 

“Wise…” Harumasa said, rolling the name off his tongue. “Want to hang out later, after you drop your bangboo off?” 

Wise gave a polite, apologetic smile. He would have loved to stay, but he already had plans. Not to mention, he’d been gone for far too long; Belle and his Auntie would be worried if he didn’t get home in the next ten minutes.

“I… can’t.” Wise said. “I’m supposed to go fishing with my family today. My Auntie is expecting me home now that Eous is found.” 

“Oh,” Harumasa said, sounding a little let down. (Though for some reason, there seemed to be something more to it, as if he were upset for a different reason, though Wise couldn’t quite put his finger on what else he could have said, beyond the obvious fact that he couldn’t stay, that made Harumasa look at him with a sort of longing.)

“But I can come visit another day,” Wise added, offering a reassuring smile. 

Harumasa’s eyes lit up at that. “That’s fine! Come see me whenever you’re free. I’ll be here at the same time every day. I hope your bangboo feels better soon!”

-

Days had passed since Wise’s first meeting with Harumasa, and he hadn’t had a chance to see him again. It wasn’t intentional; the Mayflowers had packed their summer with back-to-back activities. Asking to skip out on these planned events to visit Harumasa felt awkward, so his best bet was to wait until they got back home. But by then, it was already dark, and he doubted Harumasa would still be around. 

This week, though, Wise finally had some downtime. Grandpa was away on business until the weekend, and his aunt had left for work early that morning.

With the arrival of morning light through the window, Wise stirred and slowly sat up in bed. He listened to Belle’s soft snoring, watching how the light gradually filled the shadows of their bedroom.

Harumasa should already be at their meeting spot, right? Maybe Wise should go visit him. But then again, should he? The responsible part of him said to stay home and not cause any trouble for the Mayflowers. But with this free time suddenly on his hands, if Wise really wanted to see Harumasa, he could. Now was the perfect chance. Harumasa had said he’d always be there, so it’d feel kind of mean not to go at least once. Besides, it wasn’t every day he got to talk to someone his age who wasn’t his sister or someone from the academy. Should he really pass up that kind of chance? 

Deciding on a whim, Wise quietly got out of bed and went to the desk, where he scribbled a brief note for Belle explaining he was taking Eous out and would return within the hour. He quickly changed his clothes, tidied his hair, put on his sneakers, and gently woke Eous before heading out the back door.

As the fields expanded around him, Wise couldn’t help but wonder if Belle had woken up yet. He could already imagine her reading the note, how her lips pursed like she’d just bit into a lemon, clearly upset he left her behind. He felt kind of felt bad, now that he thought about it. But it’s too late now, and it should be okay; he was only planning on being gone for an hour anyway. 

Wise’s heart leaped at the sight of Harumasa already waiting under the tree. He couldn’t help but smile, finally seeing his friend after what felt like ages. Harumasa had kept his word; he was really there.

“You really weren’t joking about always being here,” Wise said, making himself comfortable next to Harumasa, taking in the genuine smile aimed his way. 

“Hey Wise, good to see you again! And your bangboo too!” Harumasa moved his quiver to make space, then let out a small, embarrassed laugh. “I was starting to wonder if you’d forgotten about me after a few days.” 

“Sorry about that,” Wise said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to come off that way. Since I’m on vacation with my family right now, I don’t have the freedom to come and go.”

Wise’s comment seemed to trigger a long, wistful gaze from Harumasa, as if he’d indirectly touched a sensitive topic. But before Wise could ask what was wrong, Harumasa shook his head. “Nah, it’s okay. I understand, I’m just happy you came to see me.”

“So, what’s your reason for being out here?” Wise asked. “Do you have family here too?”

“Not really. Master brings me here now and then to practice my archery.”

“Master?” Wise repeated, a little surprised. 

“Yeah! My master is the best. He would always read me stories and teach me all sorts of really neat things. Like archery, and how to handle a blade.”

Then it struck Wise, as he got a better look at Harumasa: his clothing was clearly martial, unlike the casual blue-and-white polo shirt he'd had on when they last met. Harumasa wore a Hakama uniform, along with a chest protector and a hand guard on his bow hand. So, this was the reason for Harumasa being here. Wise hadn't imagined him being interested in such a traditional and disciplined sport. (Wise also spotted bandages wrapped around Harumasa’s neck. It struck him as too odd for an archery accident, but he hesitated to ask.)

“Wow, that’s really cool! I didn’t realize you did archery!” Wise exclaimed with genuine excitement. 

Harumasa grinned, looking a little cocky. “Yeah, Master says I’m a natural. Every arrow I shoot is a bullseye. I could practically do it in my sleep.” He tapped his chest before laughing it off. “Just kidding! That’s impossible. Anyway, Master says if I keep improving, then I’ll get a special prize. He hasn’t told me what is is, but I bet it’s awesome!” 

“That’s good,” Wise replied. “It’s great to have someone so supportive. It actually reminds me a bit of my own teacher.” 

“Oh, so your teacher helps you learn something too, just like my master with archery? Is that what your bangboo is for?”

“Yeah, Eous belongs to our teacher back home,” Wise said, gently stroking Eous’ soft synthetic fur. “He’s been tagging along on our adventures lately. She mostly teaches my sister and me useful stuff, like how to fix bangboos when they break. But she also teaches us other things like how to use a carrot and how a hollow works.”  

“Oh, I wouldn’t have guessed you were into that. Were you thinking of joining HSO or public security?”

Wise smiled sheepishly. “Not really. My ether aptitude isn't really strong enough for that kind of work. But this is exactly what my teacher specializes in, so I'm happy to learn whatever she wants to teach us.”

“Low ether aptitude… huh…” Harumasa mused, his brows furrowing slightly. He seemed on the verge of saying something more, perhaps a question or a comment. Wise leaned in, curious to hear his thoughts, but whatever he was about to say vanished as a look of urgency took over. 

“Oh no, I have to go!” Harumasa exclaimed, scrambling to grab his quiver, slinging it over his shoulder. “I completely forgot Master is waiting for me to start archery practice! See you around!” He called over his shoulder, already darting across the field. 

Wise watched him go, a little disappointed it felt so short. But there would be other days, right? He could always come back to their secret spot and see Harumasa again. 

Lifting Eous into his arms, Wise couldn’t help but smile as he walked home.

- 

Though their meetings started out infrequent, Wise would try to go see Harumasa whenever he could. Those few times they talked and played with Eous gradually became four days a week. Wise started to understand Harumasa better, like how hard his Master made him train, why cats didn’t seem to like him, and his surprising love for bitter treats. (Wise thought it was a little weird, since everyone else he knew loved candy. However, he had this feeling that Harumasa wasn’t telling him everything, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.) Then, around the fourth week, when Harumasa found out Wise could hang out in the afternoons sometimes, they started doing that too. Soon enough, they were seeing each other every single day. 

“Alright! Starlight knight heroes, let’s go!” Harumasa exclaimed, throwing one arm out in a super heroic way as he took off down the hill.

This whole superhero game was Harumasa’s idea, based on this silly TV show he’d been watching with Master. The second he brought it up, Wise was totally on board - he and Belle had just watched the newest episode last week. There was no way they weren’t going to act it out. 

They ducked behind the bushes at their secret hideout, trying to hide from the “bad guy” - which was Eous, waddling around and trying to look all scary. “Enha, enna!” it shouted, threatening to destroy the Starlight Knights.

“Wise,” Harumasa said, putting a hand on his shoulder, he looked over to see Eous still stomping around. “So, here’s the plan to beat the bad guy. We’ll split up. I’ll go first and distract him, and you stay back and jump him from behind.” 

Wise smiled awkwardly. “You really think that’ll work? I’m not exactly a fighter.” 

Harumasa laughed, squeezing Wise’s shoulder before standing up. “Of course, it’ll work! I know you can do it. You’re not going to let your partner down, are you?” 

“No, I wouldn’t—” But before Wise could finish, Harumasa charged out of their hiding spot to face Eous, holding an invisible sword. They were locked in, moving like they were clashing swords. 

Wise snuck off the other way, hiding in the trees and peeking out from behind one. He watched as Eous threw the ball, and Harumasa dodging it like he’d done it a million times. Once Eous threw the last ball and waddled to pick it up, he knew now was his chance. 

Wise sprang forward, their plan finally in motion. Eous was just within reach, and any second, once he grabbed it, the Starlight Knights would finally beat the bad guy. 

However, a hidden tree root snagged his foot, sending the ground to rush up to meet him as he tumbled, his breath knocked out. 

Wise gasped, squeezing his eyes shut against the sharp stab of pain pulsing through his lower body. He took a sharp breath, focusing intently on the gritty feel of dirt beneath his cheek, anything to repress the scream rising in his throat.

Then, a splash of yellow caught his eye—and Harumasa’s concerned voice. “Wise, are you alright?” 

Even with the lingering dizziness, Wise managed to sit up after a bit, taking deep breaths. While Harumasa stayed knelt beside him, his hands hovering as if ready to help but unsure where to touch. 

“I’m… alright, I think.” Wise managed, his voice still a bit shaky. He gently touched his ankle. “I must have tripped.”

Harumasa took a good look at Wise’s swollen ankle before unzipping the franny pack on his waist, pulling out a long yellow cloth, ointment, and a roll of medical tape.

“Let me know if it hurts.” Harumasa murmured, squeezing ointment onto his fingers. He carefully rubbed it on Wise’s ankle, then softly blew on it, easing the ache. “I’ll try to be gentle.”

At first, the gel kind of stung, that burning feeling when you rub it in. But it got better fast, and all Wise could think about was Harumasa taking care of him. It was weird, but in a good way. He couldn’t really explain it, except he felt relaxed, just watching Harumasa wrap the yellow cloth around his ankle and tie it in a snug knot. 

“Okay, that should help.” Harumasa said, bringing Wise back to the present, and the tenderness in the other boy’s eyes made his heart flip.

“It does feel much better. Thanks,” Wise said, smiling. He could still feel where Harumasa’s hands had been, and he tried to ignore the nice feeling. 

“You’re welcome!” Harumasa said, standing and offering a hand. “Here, let me help you up. I brought some melon juice from home to share, though it’s the bitter kind, so I hope it’s okay…” 

Wise took Harumasa’s hand and stood, shaking his head. “I don’t mind at all. Bitter or sweet is fine.” 

Then it hit Wise - the longer that they were talking - that they were still holding hands. His cheeks got a little warm as he tried to pull his hand away, but Harumasa squeezed his hand tighter, not letting go. 

Wise looked up, kind of surprised to see Harumasa look so serious, like he’d already made up his mind about something. “What’s wrong?” 

“You shouldn't walk by yourself, Wise,” Harumasa said, helping Wise put his arm over his shoulder before wrapping his arm around Wise's waist. “Your ankle is gonna swell up.”

The afternoon sun was starting to dip lower, expanding long shadows across the fields. Wise had lost track of time since he’d been with Harumasa. It was getting a little late, and he really ought to head home… but the way Harumasa kept telling him to take it easy until his ankle felt better, and the way Eous seemed to agree, made him want to listen to the strange, warm feeling in his chest and relax a bit longer. 

Together, they made their way back to their regular spot beneath the oak tree, where Harumasa carefully helped him sit down and offered a drink. “Here, the melon drink like I promised.” 

“Thanks,” Wise replied, twisting the cap off and taking a sip of his melon juice. His face scrunched up at the taste. Yep, definitely bitter. “Say, Harumasa, I didn’t know you carried around medical supplies.”

Harumasa took a swig of his melon drink and leaned back against the tree.  Sunlight filtered past the leaves and made little patches of light all over his face. “Oh it’s just a habit, really,” he said. “I get hand injuries from archery all the time, so Master wants me to be prepared for it.”

“I see,” Wise replied, then took another sip of melon juice. He still wasn’t used to the taste, but it wasn’t so bad after a while. “That’s pretty smart of you to be on top of it. Have you thought about what you want to do with your archery skills later on?”

Harumasa hesitated. “I… don’t know.” He finally said, his smile a little too forced. “There’s this thing I’ve always had to deal with, so my future’s a bit up in the air… but if things were different, I’d want to use my skills to help others, like Master does for me.”

“Yeah,” Wise nodded. “I think I understand. Our teacher always tells Belle and I that the point in learning is to help people. But…”

Harumasa still looked a little deflated, but his curiosity won out. “But what?”

“But no matter what happens, good or bad,” Wise went on, “we shouldn’t let our situation stop us from going after what we want. In the end, it’s our life, and what we do now, and what we make of it is what matters. We can always worry about the future later. I don’t fully understand it, but I always remember her saying that.” 

“Yeah…” Harumasa murmured, looking lost in thought. “That’s one way to see it. Your teacher sounds like a good person.” 

Wise smiled at that. “She really is.”

-

Darkness had already fallen by the time Wise finally reached home, later than any of his previous visits with Harumasa. Usually, he’d only stay for a few hours. His sore ankle had definitely slowed him down, but a part of him knew he could have hurried if he’d really wanted to leave. 

But Wise knew the real reason he stayed: he just really liked being around Harumasa, way more than he expected. It was surprising how a chance meeting had turned into seeing each other almost every single day for the last month. There was just something about Harumasa that pulled him in - maybe it was that they were the same age, or his silly, sure-of-himself- attitude, or even that serious, focused side he had. Even though Harumasa still had those bandages on his neck, and got all quiet and down whenever they talked about the future, Wise just liked him.

It made him wonder what Harumasa’s life was like when they weren’t together. What did he do all summer? How did he spend his days in Eridu City? Did he train and study like everybody else? Or did he goof off at the arcade? Did Harumasa think about him as much as Wise thought about him? 

Wise entered the kitchen through the back door to find Belle sitting at the table, her arms crossed and frowning. He sighed. He’d been expecting this. All his sneaking off and the unclear notes he’d left were bound to make Belle suspicious. He hadn’t meant to hide it, but telling the truth would just make her jump to the conclusion that he was investigating hollows, when it was something completely different. 

“Wise,” Belle started, her voice quiet. “Are you… keeping something from me? What happened with us always being honest about each other.” 

“Belle, you know I trust you,” Wise said, “I never meant to keep anything from you. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“Bring up, what?” Belle stood up and walked up to Wise, her arms still crossed as she leaned forward, studying his face closely. “It doesn’t feel like you trust me. You're always disappearing, and I don’t even know where you would go, Wise. What am I supposed to say to Auntie if she asks?” 

She did have a point there. It would be a bigger problem if he wasn’t home when Auntie and Grandpa were around. He’d never hear the end of it, and worst case, he wouldn’t be able to hang out with Harumasa anymore. He couldn’t risk that. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll tell you where I am next time.”

“That’s what you should have been doing, dummy!” she said, hitting his shoulder playfully. 

At least Belle seemed a little calmer. Wise figured he could relax a bit. “So,” he held out his hand. “Call it even?” 

Belle almost took it, but pulled her hand at the last second. “Nope! You still haven’t told me where you’ve been going!” Her eyebrows went up a little, and Wise knew what was coming. “You weren’t out looking for hollows without me, were you?”

“I haven’t!” Wise answered a little too quickly. Though saying the latter wasn’t any easier. It was hard to pinpoint why it felt so awkward to say what he’d been doing for the past month. He took a deep breath. “I was meeting a friend.” 

“A friend?”

“Yeah, I met him the day Eous got out,” Wise continued. “He found Eous and saved it from drowning. I was thankful for his help, so I kept going back to see him.”

“Wow, I didn’t know there were other people in the area,” Belle said, looking genuinely surprised. She flicked his forehead. Wise winced. “But next time, tell me! You don’t need to keep it a secret. I’m your sister! I won’t be mad just because you want to do things by yourself sometimes.”

Belle now held out her hand, renewing their earlier truce. Wise grabbed it right away. “Like I said, Belle, I promise.”

-

It rained for the next three days.

The earth exhaled, a thick, humid perfume of rain-kissed soil rising to meet the quiet repetitive beat setting upon the forest.

Wise sat on the patio, curled in a chair, knees tucked to his chest, his eyes resting on the yellow cloth wrapped around his injured ankle. 

It’s been three days. Wise hadn’t spoken to Harumasa in three days. Yet he couldn’t stop thinking about him. He could hardly get Harumasa out of his mind, really. 

What was Harumasa doing right now? Was he at home watching TV, or maybe by a window, just waiting for the rain to stop? Wise didn’t think Harumasa would be at their secret spot in this weather. Probably not doing any archery with his Master either. 

The door creaked open, and Wise knew without looking it was Belle. Her footsteps came closer, and her hands rested at the back of his chair. “Wise, why are you sitting out here all alone?” 

Wise shrugged, averting his gaze back to the rain-soaked world beyond the patio. “Just waiting for the storm to pass.”

Belle frowned, or at least that’s how Wise interpreted her tone. “You don’t wanna watch another movie? I even got Auntie to buy more videotapes.”

Wise shook his head. “I’m not feeling up to it. I just want to be alone right now.”

“Alright, Wise,” Belle said, walking around to face him and then kneeling so their eyes met. “Talk to me. You’re always there for me when I’m down, so let me do the same for you. What’s wrong, bro? Is it about your friend?”

Wise sighed, his head still resting on his arms. “Yeah. I’m just a little sad I can’t hang out with him today.” 

Belle nodded understandingly. “I get it. But hey, it’s not the end of the world. When the rain stops, you’ll see him again, right? If Harumasa were here, he wouldn’t want you to be so down.” 

Then, a comforting hand found his shoulder, watching her smile, and hearing those exact words, lightened his mood just a little. 

“Besides, I’m sure Harumasa misses you too.” 

-

“You’re back early,” Belle commented from the couch as Wise entered the kitchen through the back patio and sank into a chair. “How did it go with Harumasa today?”

He glanced at the TV, barely tuning in to the movie Belle had on. “He wasn’t there. Guess he’s busy or something.” 

It had been six days, almost a week since the rain stopped. The first clear day, Wise had rearranged his whole afternoon, even convincing his Grandpa for some free time to see Harumasa, only to find he wasn’t there. That was fine, he could always come tomorrow. 

But tomorrow stretched into days. This was the first time Harumasa, who’d always promised to be there, hadn’t come. Wise didn’t know the other boy that well, but he knew enough that Harumasa wouldn’t stand him up out of the blue. But what could Wise do? All he could do was wait. 

“You look really bummed,” Belle said, noticing her older brother’s mood. “I haven’t seen you this down since you thought that one fake antique was real.”

Wise’s eyebrows lowered a touch. “Well, how was I supposed to know it wasn’t real? It was in an antique shop, after all. Besides, you’re one to talk. You’re always asking me to stop at the snack store to—”

Belle cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Ugh, never mind that! You said Harumasa comes here to practice archery, right? Maybe he’s still busy with that. Let’s give him some time. We can find something else to do for now, okay?” 

The clock's hands moved with frustrating slowness, drawing his eyes repeatedly from the TV. He tried to think of something to do to pass the time. What could he do?

Harumasa was back in his thoughts again. Archery. The color yellow. Eous… That’s it. He stood, the idea settling in place. “I can make something cool for Harumasa when he comes back.” He took off down the hall to the crafting room. 

Belle quickly turned off the TV and ran after him. “Bro, where are you going?!”

Moving along the shelves, Wise pulled out copy paper and a box of colored pencils. He carried them to a nearby table and sketched his ideas. 

It wasn’t long before Belle caught up to him, slightly breathless as she leaned in to see what he was doing. “What are you drawing, Wise?” 

Finishing the basic outline of a bangboo, Wise picked up a black colored pencil, darkening the lines. “I want to make a bangboo doll of Harumasa.” He explained. “I thought it would be a nice gift for him.” 

Belle hummed her agreement, before glancing at the sewing machine high on the shelf. "But Wise, have you ever used that sewing machine before?" 

Wise smiled sheepishly. “Well, not exactly…” he admitted. “I was planning on asking Auntie if she could lend a hand.” 

“That’s a great idea! I bet Auntie will be happy to!” A pause, then she looked back at the drawing. “But… isn’t it a little plain? Maybe you could add something to make it more personal?”

Wise paused, considering, “You’re right. It is a bit plain. But I’m not sure what else to put on it.” 

Pointing to different parts of the sketch, Belle offered her suggestions. “What about a yellow headband there? I think it would really bring out his eyes. Oh! And maybe some kind of belt? Like the ones people at HSO always wear.” 

Following her advice, Wise added the details to his drawing. “Like this?” he asked, holding up the notebook for her to see. 

“Exactly like that!” 

-

Over the following two weeks, Wise eagerly worked on his gift alongside his Auntie. Of course, Belle couldn’t resist joining in once she saw the project taking shape. While his Auntie handled the actual sewing for the doll, she left the creative details to Wise and Belle, letting them cut out their doll’s accessories from the fabric. Wise focused on adding little details that reminded him of Harumasa, while Belle’s plush was shaping up to be… well, not a Bangboo at all. It looked more like a giant, quirky cactus plush. They still had some work to do, but they were definitely more than halfway there. 

Since there was no way to get a hold of Harumasa, Wise figured the best thing to do was throw all his energy into working on the gift. He wanted to make the most he can during his vacation, but the days were going by so fast that he also felt like he was running out of time too. After all, there's only a month left of summer break before his teacher would come to pick them up.

Maybe Wise should try visiting their hangout spot again, just to see if Harumasa was there. He’d already gone a few times over the last couple of weeks and hadn’t seen him. Not coming for a few days was one thing, but two weeks? He was starting to wonder if Harumasa was even still around. Still, it was worth one last shot. He just couldn’t shake this feeling of missing him. If Harumasa wasn’t there this time, then, as much as he hated to admit, Wise would just have to let it go and focus on enjoying the rest of his summer with his family.

So, that’s exactly what Wise did. He set off for their usual hangout spot. This time, without Eous since Wise had made the trip enough times to know the way by himself now. 

He couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when he found Harumasa already sitting underneath the oak tree. 

Wise ran over to greet his friend, but ultimately decided not to follow through when he saw Harumasa sat hunched over with his head buried in his arms. It caught him off-guard; he had never seen him like this before. 

“Hey,” Wise said softly, approaching slowly and sitting down behind him. He reached out to put a comforting hand on Harumasa’s shoulder, but the other boy flinched and swatted his hand away. He chose his next words carefully, unsure what was going on. “Is everything okay? I haven’t seen you around for a while.”

This made Harumasa lift his head. His eyes were a little red and puffy, like he’d been crying not too long ago. “You were worried,” he said, a short, almost surprised snort escaping him. The fact Wise showed his concern seemed to ease whatever was bothering him, if only for a moment. He sighed. “Yeah, well… I’m not really okay. I guess. I’ve been having this really bad dream. A lot lately, over and over.”

“A bad dream?”

“Yeah, like, do you ever get recurring nightmares?”

Wise thought about it for a second, recalling any nightmares. “Yeah, sometimes. There’s this weird one I keep having where it’s all dark back home, and then this giant white hand just appears out of nowhere and grabs my teacher. I never understand why.”

“Yeah, see? Weird, right?” Harumasa said. “Mine’s kind of like that, except it’s just about me. I’d just be standing there, and everyone would look at me like they were scared to even come close. Like… I was some kind of monster.” 

Wise’s brow furrowed a little, not quite following where Harumasa was going with this. “Harumasa, a dream is just a dream. It doesn’t say anything about who you really are.”

“Maybe,” Harumasa murmured, turning to face Wise. “But for someone like me, I’ll end up turning into one of those monsters eventually. Because the truth is Wise, I have an illness… I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it, but I’ve been diagnosed with Ether aptitude regression syndrome. It’s a rare disease that messes with different parts of your body—for me, it’s my lungs and heart—but you also get high ether aptitude. However, there’s no cure. Master says people who have it don’t live very long, not even past their twenties. So every day, I have to take my medicine and get these shots in the back of my neck to feel better. At least, that’s what Master tells me.”

Harumasa subconsciously lifts a hand, his fingers brushing against the bandages around his neck. “But even with all that, it can only get worse. Once your time is up, your body shuts down and you lose all your ether aptitude and senses until the only thing you can feel is pain. If I’m really unlucky and I’m in a hollow when that happens, I may as well turn into an ethereal.” He explained, his voice sounding subdued. “So, my nightmare? I dreamt that my time had run out, and I turned into an Ethereal right there on the street, in front of everyone, including you. Everyone kept their distance, staring at me with pure horror in their eyes. I guess I can’t really blame them; no one wants to be near a monster.”

The words came out of Wise before he even had to think about it. “You’re not a monster Harumasa, and you’ll never be one. The Harumasa I know is kind. He’s strong, smart, and always looking out for other people. You were really worried about my sprained ankle the other day, remember? A real monster wouldn’t even think about how someone else was feeling.”

Wise took a deep breath. Gradually, almost subtly at first, the sea-green of his eyes began to change. Electric blue seeped from his pupils, swirling outwards in vibrant streaks that thickened into rings before finally solidifying, eclipsing the natural color.

All Harumasa could do was stare, his eyes wide with surprise. Wise took note how the other’s breath hitched, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. 

He held his gaze, pushing aside the uncomfortable feeling of being so open. Wise had never shown anyone his ocular implants outside of the academy, but this felt important to do. “If anyone calls you a monster for something you can’t control, then what does that make me?”

The blue in Wise’s eyes faded, the familiar sea-green returning. “Harumasa, you didn’t ask to be sick. It's unfair; you shouldn't be judged because of it. No matter what anyone else might say, it doesn’t change who you are inside.” He placed his hand over Harumasa’s chest, feeling the steady beat beneath his palm. Human.

The beat under his hand quickened, and Wise felt his own heart pick up speed in response, his cheeks feeling warm. It got to a point where the silence stretched a beat too long, making Wise feel a little awkward. “Uh… so,” he cleared his throat, glancing away for a second as he pulled his hand back. “There’s a movie I was thinking of watching. Back at my place. We always meet up here, but I never invited you to my home before.”

He gestured vaguely toward home. “It’s not too far. We could watch it together with Belle if you’re up for it.” 

Harumasa blinked slowly, still looking a little dazed. “Huh? Oh… a movie? Yeah, sure. That sounds good to me.” 

- 

The short walk home felt like an eternity for what was supposed to be eight minutes. They talked, acting like everything was normal, but the earlier awkwardness was still there. It made sense, they’d share some pretty big, unexpected things about themselves that Wise knew he needed time to really think about. It did explain a lot, though—the strange scabs on Harumasa’s skin sometimes, those sudden, rough coughs he always waved off, and all the bandages he always seemed to have. It still felt unreal, trying to wrap his head around the seriousness of what he’d just learned, this unavoidable future hanging over Harumasa that Wise couldn’t just ignore. 

Wise wasn’t even sure where he stood with him or what Harumasa really thought about him after all that. But whatever it was, Harumasa didn’t show it. Still, Wise wasn’t about to push him to talk about something he wasn’t ready for, so he just went along with whatever Harumasa brought up, happy to keep the conversation flowing until they finally reached home.

They came in through the back porch and into the kitchen, where the Mayflowers were busy making dinner. Belle spotted Wise and dashed over, then gasped, surprised to see Harumasa standing behind him.

Wise made sure to introduce Harumasa to the family, wanting him to feel at ease. He was a little shy at first, but he soon relaxed and was acting just like he always did when they hung out.

It wasn’t a surprise when Harumasa and Belle immediately hit it off. Much to Wise’s embarrassment, Belle couldn’t help but share an unnecessary comment about how much Wise talked about him. Wise quickly tried to shut that down and change the subject. Thankfully, the Mayflowers announced that dinner was ready, and the five of them had a nice meal together before the siblings led Harumasa to the living room.

Wise and Belle settled onto the couch while Harumasa browsed the movie collection on the shelves.

“Wow, you guys have a ton of videotapes,” Harumasa commented, scanning through the selection.

“If you want a recommendation, you should totally watch The Port Peak ,” Belle chimed in. There’s a mischievous glint in her eyes that told Wise exactly what she was trying to do. If he wanted to avoid watching a horror movie, he needed to act fast.

Before Wise could say anything, Harumasa found a movie and held it up. Thankfully, it wasn’t a horror film. “What about this one? The characters look pretty interesting.”

Wise let out a silent sigh of relief, hopped off the couch, and quickly took the videotape from him before Belle could complain. “That’s a perfect choice,” Wise agreed. “Let’s watch it now.”

The movie started, and the three of them settled in, quiet and focused on the Greek mythology themes and how the main character was trying to find ways to ditch overtime. There were some ‘funny’ parts in the movie, but Wise didn’t really get what the big deal was. Harumasa, though, was cracking up, nudging Wise every so often and asking if he saw what just happened. Wise just smiled back.

After a few more movies, including a documentary Wise had told Harumasa about, they finally ended up watching a horror movie that Belle suggested. She kept saying Harumasa needed to ‘get with the times’ and see what everyone was watching. Wise had a feeling that Belle was more interested in getting back at him for trying to skip the scary movie than actually helping Harumasa fit in. (He wasn’t sure how he would be sleeping tonight after seeing so much blood and guts.)

Then, it was time for Harumasa to head home. Belle went off to their room while Wise walked him out to the back porch. 

They just stood there, in awkward silence. Neither of them leaving, but also not really knowing what to say. Finally, Harumasa spoke. “Thanks for today.”

Wise smiled. “Anytime. We’ll definitely do this again. I’ll make sure to include you the next time Belle and I have another movie marathon.”

Harumasa shook his head, his expression softening. “No, I mean for everything. Because of my health, I don’t really get to go anywhere, so I’m usually stuck in the hospital. Practicing archery with Master was one of the few times I got to leave. I don’t know what he told them, but I’m really happy I came along. Meeting you, and getting to hang out with your family, it’s probably one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. It means way more to me than you probably know. So thank you. And… Thanks for showing me your eyes. You didn’t have to, but you did. It really means a lot that you felt like you could be that open with me. You’re… the first real friend I’ve ever had.”

“Of course,” Wise replied. “I care about you a lot, Harumasa, and I wouldn’t just do that for just anyone. You’re welcome to come visit me and my family whenever you want.” 

Harumasa looked genuinely surprised. “Okay, then I’ll definitely take you up on that. You promise?”

“Promise.” 

Even though the sun was still up, Wise could feel the day starting to fade. “I really should get going,” Harumasa said, turning with a smile. “See you tomorrow, Wise.”

“Goodnight,” Wise replied, watching Harumasa head back into the woods by himself. He stayed on the porch, his own heart doing a little happy thump at the thought of seeing him again tomorrow. For a split second, he wished he’d offered to walk Harumasa home, but the thought was gone as quickly as it came, and it was too late anyway. Once the sun had gone down, he went back inside. 

-

“Hey Belle,” Wise said, bending down to tie his shoes. “I’m heading out to see Harumasa again. Wanna tag along?”

They spent the first part of the morning getting their stuff together. Belle was still in the middle of packing, while Wise had already zipped up most of his things in a suitcase the day before. Even so, he helped Belle with a few things she was lagging behind on. 

Their packing stopped when Grandpa knocked on the door, saying breakfast was ready and Auntie was waiting for them. They scarfed down their food before heading back to finish up. 

Well, sort of. By now, Harumasa should have already finished his archery practice with his Master. He knew Harumasa would be at their usual spot today because yesterday, he’d left a note stuck to a nearby tree. It was scribbled in blue ink with an arrow pointing at the right corner of the page. Harumasa had said it was a secret message he always used with his Master and thought it would be a cool way to let Wise know when he was there and when he wasn’t. 

Belle thought about his offer for a second before saying, “I’ll pass, bro. We’re leaving tomorrow morning, so I need to finish packing.”

Wise raised an eyebrow, amused. “That’s a first. From what I remember, you always waited until the last minute and then freak out when it was time to go.”

“Did you have to bring that up?” Belle shot back, definitely sounding embarrassed. “Maybe, I just want to be more prepared than you for once.”

There was no way Belle could be more prepared than him since he’d literally finished packing yesterday, but he decided it wasn’t worth the argument. “Okay, okay,” he said, changing the subject. “I don’t want to fight. But seriously, are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“Seriously, Wise, I’m fine!” Belle insisted, giving him a reassuring nod. Still, it was a little odd; usually, Belle was all over joining them whenever Wise said he was leaving to hang out with Harumasa. But this last week of summer, she’d been skipping out. There was a certain look in her eyes that Wise couldn’t figure out, but he knew her not wanting to come along was connected to it. He almost wanted to ask why, but Belle was already nudging him towards the door. “Aren’t you supposed to be going? Harumasa is waiting!”

“Oh yeah!” Wise jumped up, grabbing his sling bag from the counter, and he gave his sister one last look before heading out. “I’ll be back later. Let Grandpa and Auntie know I went to see Harumasa.”

“Got it!”

And just like that, their summer vacation was practically over. It meant saying goodbye to living with the Mayflowers, goodbye to his late-night movie marathons with Belle, and goodbye to his meet-ups with Harumasa. Today was the last day before his teacher arrived early tomorrow morning to take them back to their usual lives, which also meant that eventually, Harumasa would also return to the hospital.

Even so, Wise didn’t have a single regret about the eleven weeks he’d spent here. If he hadn’t come, he never would have met a friend he knew he had come to appreciate. 

Ever since Harumasa’s first visit, he’d become a regular part of their last three weeks of summer. They still met up at their usual spot after his archery practice, but sometimes they’d walk back to Wise’s place together. It wasn’t every day, but when Harumasa’s Master gave the okay, he’d join in on activities like canoeing, pickle ball, crafting, or the Mayflowers’ game nights. (It was unbelievable how quickly Harumasa picked up everything they showed him, not only getting it after the second try but also winning every single board game. Wise was pretty sure Belle was about to lose it.)

Wise would sometimes ask if he could visit Harumasa’s place and meet his Master, but Harumasa always turned him down. Apparently, his Master is a doctor who was constantly busy with his work and Harumasa didn’t want to bother him. It was a bit of a letdown, but Wise just had to accept it. At least he got to hang out with Harumasa. 

Still, it was nice to get a real taste of what being a normal kid felt like. Just two kids who so happened to meet and hung out without a care in the world. But something like that would never be that simple for Wise, considering who he was, what he did, and what he was going to be. Harumasa probably felt the same way. 

As soon as he spotted Harumasa under the tree, Wise hurried over. “Harumasa, I’m here!” 

Turning to face him, Harumasa’s eyes immediately lit up. “Hey Wise!” A pause, then he leaned over to peek behind Wise. “Oh, where’s your sister?”

“Belle couldn’t make it, but she told me to say hi.” Wise said, sitting down next to him.

“Well, tell her I said hello back!” Harumasa leaned back against the tree trunk, tilting his head lazily with a lopsided grin. “So, it’s just you and me today, huh?”

The realization of what that meant made Wise’s heart beat a little faster. “Yeah,” he managed, keeping his voice steady. “Just you and me. Did you have anything in mind for today? We could always head back to my place if you want.”

“No thanks,” Harumasa replied, his eyes now closed. A slight breeze picked up, and Wise had never seen him look so peaceful. “Just being with you and feeling the wind is enough for me. You’re heading back to Eridu City tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, I am,” Wise said, sounding unusually subdued. “My teacher’s coming to get Belle and I to go back home.”

“Home…” Harumasa repeated, his voice sounding strangely wistful. “A while ago, I remember you always talked about your teacher back home. Where is that?”

“For Belle and I, our home is the Helios Academy. We never knew our parents; our teacher is all we’ve ever had. She’s a senior researcher there, and she took us in. We’ve made many friends there, and they have become family to us. It’s the only home we’ve ever known.”

“The Helios Academy… I think I’ve heard that name mentioned once, in passing. When Master was giving me my medicine, the other doctors observing him talked about it. Sorry, I don’t really know what they were saying, though.” Harumasa chuckled awkwardly, waving his hand dismissively. “Anyway, if one day, I’m free to leave the hospital, maybe I should come visit you. Do you think your teacher would mind?”

Wise shook his head. “She wouldn’t mind at all. Of course you’d be welcome to visit. When that day comes, I’ll definitely let her know.”

Harumasa opened his eyes, turning to him with a warm smile. “Then I’ll hold you to that. If I’m still around by then, that is.”

The sweetness of the moment vanished instantly, causing Wise to frown in response. “Don’t talk like that. We have plenty of time.”

“Sorry,” Harumasa said, a wry chuckle escaping him. “It’s just… sometimes I get scared that I won’t get to do all the things I want to do. Or if I’ll even get the chance to visit you at your school.”

Wise reached into his bag, his fingers finding the familiar shape nestled at the bottom. He’d put a lot of effort into making this little Bangboo doll. Maybe just knowing Wise would always think of him would be enough. 

“Harumasa,” Wise said, pulling out the doll. It was carefully sewn, made of white fabric with a yellow bandana, and it even had a little archer’s hand guard and a belt with a hand symbol on it. “I made it a while ago, thinking about what to make for you. I know I won’t completely understand what you’re going through, but what I do know is that it’s never too late to start something. So wherever you go, before… before things get bad, I hope you get to be happy.”

Wise watched as Harumasa carefully took the doll, holding it close to his chest like a precious treasure. Harumasa looked like he might cry.

“Wow,” Harumasa said softly, still marveling at the doll. “This doll looks kind of like me. No one’s ever made me anything like this before. Thanks… now I feel kind of bad I didn’t get you anything.”

“You don’t have to get me anything,” Wise said. “I made it because I wanted to. I’m just happy you like it. But there’s one more thing I wanted to give you.”

“Oh? Another gift? That’s two now. I’m starting to feel like I should have brought something!”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it another gift, but,” Wise reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar yellow cloth, the same one he carried since his sprained ankle when Harumasa helped him. He held it out. “This is yours, right? I wanted to give it back.” 

To Wise’s surprise, Harumasa gently pushed his hand away. “No, I want you to keep it.”

“Keep it? Are you sure? I don’t want to take something that’s yours—”

“You’re too nice,” Harumasa said, leaning over to flick Wise’s forehead. “You said it yourself, haven’t you? We have plenty of time. I don’t think I’ll get another chance to come here like this, but I want you to remember me. So, keep it safe until we see each other again, wherever that might be.”

Wise couldn’t help but smile. Just the thought of them meeting again in the future was something he already looked forward to. “I’ll take really good care of it.”

…

..

.

Wise is twenty-four when he decides to tackle a thorough cleaning of his room on a Saturday morning. He makes it a point to declutter his drawers and dust all the shelves. 

Wearing his go-to gray long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, and with a plain headband pushing his hair back, Wise gets to work. He spends the first few hours dusting everywhere, shifting furniture, wiping down the light fixtures, and polishing surfaces until the room gleamed.

Around nine-thirty, Wise stops for a ten-minute break, grabbing a quick bite and checking his phone for any proxy work notifications on inter-knot. Several clients had reached out, but he plans to respond to them in the early afternoon after he finishes tidying up. 

Once he finishes breakfast, Wise immediately goes back to organizing his drawers and bookshelf, throwing away or putting storage anything he doesn’t use anymore. 

As he empties the top drawer next to his bed, a piece of yellow fabric at the very bottom catches his attention. He picks it up, noticing how old and faded it looked, its color almost completely white. 

Weird, Wise doesn’t recall ever seeing this before. Has it been with him all this time? Thinking about it, it does seem vaguely familiar. The longer he stares at it, the stronger the feeling that he’d seen it somewhere before, but he can’t quite connect it to a person or memory. 

Thump. Thump.

A knock on the door makes Wise turn to see Belle poking her head in before stepping fully into the room. “Aha, so that’s why I’m stuck watching the video store,” she says, carefully navigating the mess. 

“Sorry, I hope you don’t mind watching the store a little longer,” Wise says apologetically. “Things have been slow lately, so I figured I’d use the time to finally clean and organize here. Otherwise, it’ll never get done before next week.”

“I was just kidding Wise,” Belle replies, kneeling next to him. She looks closely at the yellow cloth he is holding. “Wait a minute, this looks really familiar… didn’t you get this from that friend you used to hang out with one summer eleven years ago?”

Wise stares back at the cloth, as if expecting it to answer her question. “Now that you mention it, I did get it from him.”

The boy’s name is lost to time, yet the promise that they will see each other again lingers. Was that meeting tied to that specific place?

If so, it is a place he can never return to. Just four months after that summer eleven years ago, the area became unstable and eventually turned into a sub-hollow, forcing everyone to flee. It was a strange realization that summer might have been the first and last time he’d ever seen that boy. Despite them living in Eridu City, they never crossed paths nor did he ever come to the academy, and the chances of them meeting plummeted after the Fall of the Capital. 

“What was his name again?” Belle wonders aloud, her brow furrowed in thought, clearly drawing a blank.

“I… can’t remember,” Wise admits, the name just out of reach. “It’s been such a long time. All I can recall is that he did archery and wasn’t doing too well health-wise back then. Wherever he is now, I hope he’s doing okay.”

Even so, it is odd because as Wise sits trying to unlock these old memories, that familiar flutter in his chest begins to return. It was just like when he was thirteen, when things felt simpler and his world revolved around his teacher, Belle, and the boy with striking yellow eyes. “You know,” he says slowly. “The more I think about it, I feel like I might have actually liked him.”

“Eleven years later and you’re just figuring that out?” Belle teases, her knowing smirk making Wise a little uneasy. He isn’t entirely sure he likes where this is headed.

Before Belle can mimic his thirteen-year-old self, Wise grabs the nearest pillow and chucks it at her. 

-

Around one in the afternoon, Wise gathers his things before leaving Sixth Street to catch the metro, which is due to arrive and depart in the next twenty minutes. Earlier, Belle had given him a handwritten letter from Orchidea, asking him to meet in front of her store in Lumina Square to talk business. Judging by the vague and rather flowery writing in the letter, he figures it was probably about proxy work.

Given the long day ahead, Wise decides to make a quick stop at Coff Coffee on his way. However, as he steps out of the video store, a man standing near a street sign on Sixth Street catches his attention. The man has black hair, wears a yellow bandana, and clothing that Wise associates with the Hollow Special Operations.

It isn’t every day Wise runs into anyone from HSO, let alone on Sixth Street. Frankly, that is usually for the best. But still, it is a little alarming to see one of their members loitering right in front of their perfectly ordinary, definitely-not-a-front-for-anything-illegal store. Just to be safe, though, Wise decides to check out what is going on. 

“Hello, can I help you with something?” Wise asks, approaching the man cautiously. 

As he gets closer and meets the man’s gaze, Wise is hit with a strange wave of nostalgia. There is something familiar about this HSO member, though he can’t quite place it—maybe he reminded him of a video game character, or someone from a movie he’d seen ages ago.

“Whoops~, sorry about that,” the man says, waving a hand lazily with a relaxed smile, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “I didn’t mean to look suspicious. I was just about to pop in and see if this video store had a movie I’m looking for.”

“Well, you’ve definitely come to the right place,” Wise replies. “I’m one of the co-owners of Random Play, so I’d be happy to help you find it. Do you happen to remember the name or even just the genre?”

The man crosses his arms, giving it some thought. “I’m pretty sure the movie I’m looking for is Never Overtime.”

“Never Overtime…” Wise murmurs, running through his mental inventory of the store’s stock. “Yes, I believe we have it for rent. Someone just returned it about a week ago.” What is it about hearing this specific movie title today of all days from this particular person that feels familiar? He can’t help but ask, “I don’t mean to pry, but is there a special reason you’re looking for this movie? I wouldn’t have expected someone from HSO to be interested in it.”

The man laughs, clearly finding the comment amusing. “I can see why you’d think that, given I work for HAND,” he says, wiping a tear from his eye. “But no, it’s just for nostalgia’s sake. A good friend of mine showed me that movie a long time ago, and I just happened to remember it. Since I’m on sick leave, I thought it’d be nice to watch it again.”

Wise smiles, gesturing towards the entrance of Random Play. His appointment with Orchidea will just have to wait a little longer. “If you don’t mind, please come inside. I can get that movie rented out for you once you register an account with us. Could I get your name for the account book?”

It feels like Wise is stepping back in time, to his first summer vacation when he was thirteen. How can fate bring back such vivid memories of yellow and summer, and make his heart race just by hearing a simple name, connecting it to a man he hadn’t seen in years?

“Asaba Harumasa.”