Sunday morning arrived so quiet…SO quiet…
That Harumi—lying on the sofa like a stylish corpse—opened one eye suspiciously.
— Izumiii… — she whispered to the ceiling. — Did I die and nobody told me?
Nothing.Absolute silence.
Mei was sleeping on the tatami, tightly hugging Kuma-chan.Takeru sat at the table, assembling some mysterious toy he insisted was "important," while Harumi insisted it was just trash reborn as modern art.And Izumi… was probably sleeping so deeply that not even a magnitude-7 earthquake could wake her.
Harumi gathered the work papers scattered across the table, squinting at them as if trying to decipher ancient runes.
— Alright… this goes to the left… this goes in the trash… this goes in another trash… this one I'll pretend doesn't exist… and this—oh, this one is pretty. I'll put it under the vase.
She clapped her hands.
— Organization complete! I'm such an adult!
Takeru didn't even look up.
— This is still messy.— Takeru, dear, when you grow up, you'll understand: if it looks organized, then it is organized.— That's not how it works.— That's how it works for me.
Mei yawned, stood up like a cute little gremlin, and shuffled toward the table.
— Harumiii… can you brush my hair?
Harumi sparkled internally.
— Of course! That I can do! Unlike soup! And rice! And eggs! And—
— THAT'S ENOUGH! — Takeru interrupted before she listed twenty culinary disasters.
Harumi picked up the brush and gently started brushing Mei's hair with all the love in the world…
Until she remembered.
Until the terror returned.
Until that humiliating flashback popped up like an unskippable ad in the middle of a good movie.
She froze mid-brush.
— Izumi… — she said, her soul slowly leaving her body. — I just remembered something extremely painful…
Izumi, who had just appeared with a sleep-crushed face, sighed.
— What is it now?
Harumi pressed a hand to her chest dramatically.
— Friday… when Kei showed up at the gate…— Haru, no…— I WASN'T READY!— Haru, please—— MY PAJAMAS HAD A STAIN AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS!— HARUMI, THAT'S ENOUGH—— AND I FROZE! LIKE A CHICKEN STARING AT A TRUCK!
Izumi took a deep breath.
— Harumi, you're a disgrace. Thankfully, nobody cares.— I CARE! Society cares! The entire universe cares!
Mei tilted her head, confused.
— Who's Kei?— A TRAUMA, MEI. — Harumi held her forehead. — A shameful chapter of my life.
Takeru, as dry as ever:
— You always look messy.— TAKERU! Are you especially inspired today to destroy me?!— I'm just stating facts.— I DIDN'T ASK FOR FACTS, I ASKED FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT!
Izumi laughed.
— Just explain the story properly already. They deserve context.
Harumi inhaled deeply, like she was about to give a serious lecture.
— Alright, kids. There are THREE cities around here. They're really close. Like… you take two steps—boom, new city. Three more—boom, another one. You barely notice.— I see… — Mei nodded, pretending to understand.— I work in the neighboring city… and Kei lives there too.— Is he your boyfriend? — Mei asked casually.
Takeru immediately turned to hear the answer.
Harumi panicked.
— NO! NO WAY! ABSOLUTELY NOT! GOD FORBID! I— I— I DON'T— NO!— Wow, calm down. — Izumi laughed. — You're acting like you like him.— I DON'T!! NEVER!!! He… he lives far away…— One city over.— FAR ENOUGH! — Harumi declared triumphantly.
Takeru went back to his toy, slightly irritated by the conversation.
Mei admired her neatly brushed hair and smiled proudly.
Harumi stretched, looked around…
And noticed the silence.
Perfect silence.
— Weird… — she murmured. — It's too quiet. Is something about to explode? Is fate planning something? Is—
Izumi gently covered her mouth.
— Haru. It's Sunday. People rest.— I don't trust it. — Harumi narrowed her eyes. — The universe never gives me peaceful days. This is a trap.— Relax. — Izumi laughed.
And for a brief moment…
The house stayed exactly like this:
Calm.Soft.Warm.Smelling of tea and fresh bread.
Harumi sat at the table.Mei colored with pencils.Takeru pretended he wasn't enjoying being there.Izumi made coffee.
And for a few seconds…
It really felt like a family.
Harumi smiled softly.
— …Wow. This is… really nice…
Takeru glanced sideways, making sure she didn't notice.
And that's where it begins.
Small.Invisible.
But it begins.
His fear.
The quiet fear that something this good might not last.
But that…
That's for Wednesday.
For now…
It was just a simple Sunday.
And that was more than enough.