The final school bell rang.
Arou walked out of the classroom with Akari beside him.
"Are you sure you want to come to my house?" Arou asked.
Akari gave a small nod.
"Yeah. Besides, everyone else is already there, right?"
"...Yeah."
The walk home was short.
Neither of them said anything important.
When they arrived, Arou opened the front door.
"We're home."
Lumina looked up from the sofa.
"Oh, Akari's here too."
Hikari hurried over with a bright smile.
"Big Sis Akari!"
Akari smiled and gave a small bow.
"Hello, Hikari."
Nora, lazily curled up on the sofa in her cat form, slowly opened one eye.
"Hah... You finally showed up."
Arou stopped in the middle of the living room.
"...You all look way too relaxed."
Lumina smiled.
"We already knew Akari was coming."
Arou let out a long sigh.
"So I'm the only one who was surprised."
Akari looked around the house.
"It's just like I imagined."
Arou set his school bag down.
"Starting today, you'll be living here."
No one looked surprised.
No one asked any questions.
It was as if Akari's arrival had simply been the missing piece of something that was always meant to happen.
Arou sat on the sofa.
His chest still felt heavy...
But it no longer hurt.
The house had become even livelier.
Yet for the first time—
that liveliness didn't feel painful.
---
Night quietly fell.
The living room lights glowed softly.
Lumina leaned back against the sofa.
Hikari sat on the floor hugging a pillow.
Nora slept on the backrest in her cat form.
Arou stared blankly at the television without actually watching it.
Akari finally broke the silence.
"By the way... Nova still hasn't shown up?"
Arou shook his head.
"Not yet."
Lumina folded her arms.
"And neither has Airi."
The moment her name was spoken,
the atmosphere became noticeably heavier.
Arou lowered his head.
"...Let's not talk about her yet."
No one interrupted.
Hikari quietly watched him.
Akari had been observing him the whole time.
The way he sat was far too tense.
His eyes looked exhausted, even though he tried to act normal.
"Arou," Akari called softly,
"You look tired."
Arou gave a faint smile.
"I'm fine."
Akari didn't answer immediately.
"You always say 'I'm fine' when you're really not."
Arou fell silent.
Nora opened one eye.
"...She's right."
Arou took a slow breath.
"I'm just... not used to this."
Lumina turned toward him.
"Not used to what?"
"To dreams that refuse to stay dreams."
Akari looked him straight in the eyes.
"We're not here to hurt you."
"I know."
"And we're not here to replace anyone."
Arou slowly lifted his head.
"I'm scared."
It was the first time he had admitted it honestly.
"I'm afraid you'll all disappear again...
or that Airi will appear...
and everything will fall apart."
Hikari quietly walked over and held his arm.
"Is Dad scared of Mom?"
Arou froze for a moment before gently patting her head.
Akari smiled softly.
"You're being too hard on yourself."
She stood up.
"For now...
just live through tomorrow."
Arou nodded.
Outside,
the night continued on.
Inside that house,
there were still no answers—
but for the first time,
Arou wasn't carrying everything alone.
---
The next morning passed like any other.
Arou went to school,
sat through class,
and attended every lesson.
He looked normal.
Too normal.
During the break,
Akari sat behind him.
She stayed silent for a while before speaking.
"Arou...
why are you so afraid of Airi coming back?"
Arou stiffened.
"...I just am."
Akari wasn't satisfied.
"You're not the kind of person who's afraid without a reason."
Arou stared at the floor.
His hands slowly clenched.
"If she comes back..."
he whispered,
"I don't know who I'm supposed to be."
Akari frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Airi was the reason I kept going...
but she was also the reason I stopped living in the real world."
He swallowed hard.
"If she really appears...
I'm afraid I'll run away again."
"Into your own mind?"
Akari asked quietly.
Arou said nothing.
That silence was answer enough.
Akari sighed softly.
"So you're not afraid of her."
She looked at him.
"You're afraid of yourself."
Arou didn't deny it.
---
That afternoon,
the house remained warm and lively.
Lumina cooked dinner.
Hikari laughed and played.
Nora slept.
But Akari kept quietly watching Arou.
That night, after everyone had settled down,
Akari spoke softly.
"If Airi ever comes..."
She paused.
"...We'll make sure you're never alone again."
Arou looked at her.
For the first time,
he didn't look away.
"...Thank you."
Her name still frightened him.
But now,
he knew he wouldn't have to face it alone.
---
That night,
Arou fell asleep earlier than usual.
He dreamed he was standing inside his own bedroom.
But it felt...
much quieter.
On his study desk rested something that shouldn't have been there.
A ribbon.
He recognized it immediately.
He didn't touch it.
He simply stood there,
staring.
Then he heard gentle footsteps behind him.
"Arou."
The voice was soft.
Far too soft to belong to reality.
He turned around.
Airi stood quietly in the doorway.
She didn't come closer.
She wasn't smiling brightly.
She simply looked at him,
as though making sure he was alright.
"You look tired," she said.
Arou wanted to answer.
But no words came out.
"I won't be here for long," Airi continued.
"I just wanted to make sure...
you're still living."
The bedroom light flickered softly.
"I'm not here to be held onto."
"And I don't want you returning to that old place."
His chest tightened.
"Arou,"
she said once more,
"Don't wake up for my sake."
The light slowly faded.
Arou opened his eyes.
His breathing was heavy.
His hands trembled.
He stared at the ceiling before slowly sitting up.
This wasn't like his old dreams.
It was only...
a message.
---
Akari was already awake when Arou stepped into the living room.
She looked at him quietly.
"You dreamed about her."
Arou nodded.
"It was different this time."
"...Yeah."
Akari stood and walked closer.
"That means you've changed."
Arou looked out the window.
The morning sun was beginning to rise.
For the first time,
his dream hadn't pulled him away—
it had pushed him back toward reality.
Deep within himself,
Arou finally realized—
Airi hadn't arrived yet.
But her footsteps had reached him long before she did.
---
That morning,
the house felt unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
Arou sat at the dining table,
barely touching his breakfast.
His eyes were distant.
Lumina noticed first.
"You dreamed again?"
Arou nodded.
Hikari stopped eating.
"Was it a nightmare?"
"...No."
He shook his head.
"But it wasn't exactly comforting either."
Nora, still in her cat form, lazily opened one eye.
"What was it about?"
Arou remained silent for a long moment.
"...Airi."
The room instantly fell silent.
Akari didn't seem surprised.
She simply waited.
"I saw her," Arou continued.
"She didn't come to stay.
She didn't ask for anything."
He slowly clenched his fists on the table.
"She only came to tell me...
not to live for her."
Hikari lowered her gaze.
Lumina took a slow breath.
"That means she doesn't want you trapped anymore."
Arou nodded.
"That's exactly what scares me."
Akari frowned.
"Why?"
"Because it means..."
Arou answered quietly,
"I really have to walk forward on my own."
Nora yawned.
"Idiot.
You're not alone."
Arou looked at her.
Lumina smiled gently.
"We're not here to replace her."
Akari continued,
"And we're not a burden either."
Hikari hugged Arou's arm.
"You still have us, Dad."
Arou remained silent.
His chest still felt heavy—
but it no longer hurt.
"...Yeah."
That day,
Arou walked to school like always.
But his steps felt just a little firmer.
Because now he understood one thing—
Airi was never the final destination.
She was simply
the beginning
of the journey he had already moved beyond.
And for the first time,
Arou didn't look back.