During dinner, Jun told his grandmother he had been thinking about getting a small apartment for himself. Maybe that way he could become more independent, but he didn't want to hurt her by leaving her alone.
"My dear, I'll always support any decision you make, and I won't be alone..."
"Grandma..."
"It's alright, but why don't you use one of the family apartments?"
Jun looked down at his plate, his expression changing.
"Grandma, I don't want to depend on my father. I want to achieve things on my own."
"But it belongs to you by right, dear."
"I can do it on my own, Grandma..."
His grandmother stood up and, from behind a few books, took out a small bankbook and handed it to him.
"What is this, Grandma?"
"Here's all the money your father sent for you during the time you've been here."
Jun opened it and stared in surprise.
"Why would he do that?"
"Because, despite everything, you're his only son and his only heir..."
Jun closed the bankbook and handed it back to her.
"I can't accept this... I don't want anything from him..."
"Jun... it's not his, it's yours by right." She sighed. "At least keep it for emergencies..."
"I don't know, Grandma..."
She opened the bankbook again and pointed at something.
"Do you see this account that sends money every week?"
"What about it, Grandma?"
"Your mother, Jun... your mother..."
"Why would she do that?"
"Because she's your mother..."
Jun was shaken as he stared at it. He never expected his mother to still remember him or to have been sending money all these years.
"Keep it for now and finish your dinner. Tomorrow you can think about everything more calmly."
In his room, Jun felt confused, torn between accepting the money or not. He was afraid that by using it, he would be giving in to his father and his wishes for him to abandon music and take over the family businesses.
"What a mess..." he muttered. "I'll figure it out tomorrow."
Sayuri was restless too. Standing in front of her bedroom mirror, she practiced over and over how she would tell her parents about Jun.
She knew it wouldn't be easy, especially with her father. To him, Jun was just a musician without a stable job, full of childish dreams.
"Damn it..." she huffed, running her hands through her hair.
She took a deep breath and tried again.
"Dad... Mom... I wanted to tell you that I'm dating someone..."
She made a face at her own reflection.
"No, no... that doesn't work either."
She sighed in frustration.
"Wow... why is this so hard..."
Jun spent the whole day looking for a job, but with no success. When he arrived at Kenji's house for practice, he was exhausted and commented on how hard it was to find work in that city.
"But Jun, why are you doing this? You have money."
"I don't. My father does. That's different."
"Wouldn't it be way easier..."
"No... what's taking the girls so long? Where did you say Yume was taking my girlfriend?"
Kenji looked at him and smirked.
"Look at you: 'my girlfriend...' wow." He teased him. "They went to get their nails done, Sayuri is enjoying her vacation, Jun. Stop being so clingy."
Jun grabbed the guitar and grumbled.
"Clingy... hmph, I'm not clingy..."
"Girl, Jun is frustrated. He spent the entire day looking for a job and got nowhere."
"But why?" asked Sayuri.
"What do you mean, Yume? I told you already, he can't live with his grandma forever, and it'll be good for his future, right?"
Yume realized Sayuri still didn't know about Jun's real social status, so she avoided mentioning anything about his family.
"You know, I think I know a job for him."
"Where?" Sayuri asked excitedly.
"At a friend of my mom's record store. I think he'd really like it there."
"That would be perfect. He knows so much about music, right?"
Yume nodded and said she would recommend him to the owner.
"Thank you, friend... I'm excited to tell him."
"Say, it's better not to mention it's my mom's friend, okay? You know how proud Jun is..."
"You're right. Let's leave that part out."
"We're back!" Yume shouted.
The two girls stopped and stared at Jun and Kenji sprawled across the couch like they had just returned from war.
"Wow... so energetic..."
"Babe... you finally came back..." Jun mumbled weakly.
"We're bored..."
Yume made a face and teased them.
"Bored from what? You didn't even do anything, and apparently you didn't practice either..."
"We're lacking inspiration today."
Yume grabbed the notebook and opened the band's website, hoping the fan comments would cheer them up.
"This one's nice: 'I love Kenji's chords, they make me feel alive.'"
"Hmmm, Kenji and his chords... haha."
"Here's another one..."
Sayuri interrupted.
"It's a guy, Yume. Yuri is a boy."
"Oh right." She laughed. "'I love your songs, I wish I could buy the album already.'"
Jun answered immediately.
"Soon."
Kenji searched for another comment.
"Look at this one: 'Jun's voice sounds like a lost paradise I want to find.'"
"Haaaa, Jun out here breaking hearts."
Jun smiled shyly and rubbed the back of his neck, but when he looked at Sayuri, his smile vanished. Her expression was terrifying.
"I think someone's jealous," Yume teased.
"Nonsense... jealous? Me? As if."
Everyone burst into laughter, and Jun tried to ease the situation.
"But who wrote that?" Yume asked.
"Ah, that Usagui girl..." Jun replied.
A strange chill ran through Sayuri, and she suddenly didn't want to read the comments anymore.
"Let's do something else. How about a movie?"
After the movie, rain poured heavily outside. Yume, as usual, was already preparing to sleep in the guest room.
"What about you guys? Staying over?" Kenji asked.
Sayuri wanted to, but she knew she'd feel uncomfortable staying at Kenji's house.
"I think I should go home..."
"Are you sure? It's raining a lot, and there are plenty of rooms here..."
"Thanks, Kenji, but I think I should really go."
"Alright then, see you later, Kenji," Jun said goodbye.
When they reached the front of the house, Jun remembered he had come on his motorcycle.
"Wow... I think we're going to get pretty soaked."
"It's okay, it's not that far, and I missed riding on your bike."
Jun helped Sayuri climb on and started the engine, cutting through the rain-covered streets. By the time they reached Jun's house, both of them were drenched.
"Come inside, I'll get you a towel."
Jun took Sayuri to his room while searching for something dry for her.
"Wow, I didn't think we'd get this wet," she said worriedly.
"I'll lend you some clothes." He opened his closet. "Here, wear this."
Jun's clothes were huge on her, but she felt warm and comfortable.
"But Jun... I can't go home like this."
"Then sleep here..." he suggested.
She laughed.
"You're crazy. And what about your grandma?"
"She's chill and she likes you. Stay here tonight, we can watch a movie and cuddle."
Sayuri wanted that more than anything, but how could she explain it to her parents? She couldn't just say she was sleeping at the neighbor's house.
"I need to tell my mom I'm not sleeping at home tonight."
"Are you going to tell her you're sleeping with me?"
Sayuri answered immediately:
"Jun!! No... I'll say I'm staying at a friend's house to watch a movie."
Jun left her alone so she could call her mother and went to take a shower. Later, he put on a movie for them to watch, and halfway through it, Sayuri remembered the job opening Yume had mentioned.
"Oh, Jun, I almost forgot. I think I found a job for you."
"Where?"
"At a record store. I think it would be perfect for you."
Jun looked at her hopefully.
"It really would be perfect... if I got the job, it would solve so many things." He looked at her softly. "You know you're amazing, right?"
She smiled proudly.
"I know, right? But you're even more amazing..."
They ended up kissing passionately and completely missed the ending of the movie.
The first rays of sunlight slipped through the room, and the rain droplets on the window had already disappeared.
"Good morning, dear, I didn't even see you arri—"
She stopped in shock at the sight before her: Jun and Sayuri cuddled together asleep in bed.
"What is this?!" she shouted, smacking Jun twice on the head.
"Ow, ow, Grandma..."
Sayuri woke up startled by the commotion.
"What do you two think you're doing?"
Jun looked at his grandmother nervously and tried to explain.
"You irresponsible boy..."
Two more smacks.
"Honestly, you never learn..." she sighed. "Get up and get dressed."
She stormed out of the room while Sayuri hid under the blankets in embarrassment. Jun started laughing nonstop. Hearing him laugh, she pulled him under the covers too.
"Why are you laughing? You should be worried."
"Worried about what, babe? I told you my grandma is chill."
She made a worried face and pouted.
"You're so cute," he said while tickling her to ease the tension.