Part 4 — Silence Between Two Worlds
Akari sat beside Ayame, watching her eat slowly.
Renjiro leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes distant.
After a while, Ayame spoke again—very quietly.
"…Haruto didn't come back yet, did he?"
No one answered immediately.
Akari forced a gentle smile.
"He will," she said. "Eat properly."
Ayame nodded, but her gaze drifted toward the staircase.
Somewhere far from there, Haruto was sitting under different lights, carrying thoughts no one in this house could hear.
And inside these walls,
everyone felt it—
something had shifted,
and pretending otherwise
was getting harder by the minute.
Footsteps came down the stairs.
Kaito entered the living room, a little slower than usual.
Akari glanced up.
"You came late from academy today," she said. "What took you so long?"
Kaito paused.
"Uh…" he scratched the back of his neck. "I was just roaming around."
His voice sounded normal—but his face didn't.
He looked unsettled. Not tired. Not distracted.
Scared.
No one pointed it out.
Renjiro noticed.
Ayame noticed.
Akari noticed.
But no one spoke.
They all sat down.
Plates clinked softly.
Food was served.
Everyone started eating—quietly, mechanically—like speaking might crack something open they didn't know how to fix.
The house felt full, yet incomplete.
In the restaurant, Haruto sat with his hands wrapped around the warm bowl, no longer eating.
Yuji wiped the counter slowly, his eyes never leaving him.
"You know," Yuji said at last, "your father used to sit like that too."
Haruto looked up slightly.
"When he felt cornered," Yuji continued, "he'd go quiet. Like the world got too loud."
Miri leaned against the doorway, listening.
Haruto let out a breath.
"I don't want to be loud," he said. "I just don't want to feel… wrong."
Yuji nodded.
"You're not wrong."
Haruto's lips pressed together.
"…Kaito's different lately," he added. "Or maybe he always was. I just started noticing."
Miri spoke gently.
"He's scared."
Haruto looked at her.
"People act strange when they're scared," she said. "Sometimes they protect the thing they think they can lose."
Haruto's grip tightened slightly.
"And what about the things they already lost?" he asked.
Yuji answered this time.
"Those are the ones they don't know how to face."
Silence settled again.
Haruto finally stood, pushing the chair back.
"Thanks, Yuji-san," he said. "For the food."
Yuji nodded.
"Anytime. You know that."
Miri watched him closely.
"Don't disappear too long," she said.
Haruto gave a faint, tired smile.
"I'll try."
As he reached the door, Yuji spoke again, voice steady but firm.
"Haruto," he said. "Go home."
Haruto paused.
He didn't turn around—
but he nodded once.
Then he stepped outside.
The night air wrapped around him—cool, quiet.
Somewhere behind him was a house full of people who loved him but didn't know how to reach him.
And somewhere ahead…
something was still waiting.