The neighboring town was silent.
It was the kind of deep, unreasonable hour of the night when even streetlights look tired.
Kei was driving back home after finishing paperwork at the local government office. His eyes were heavy, brain on autopilot—
Until he saw something.
On the left side of the road.
Three figures walking slowly.
A small, messy-haired woman carrying a sleeping little girl in her arms…
And beside her, a tall, thin boy holding onto her hand like if he let go, the world might disappear.
Kei slowed down.
"…Harumi?"
He would recognize that chaotic creature from another continent.
She was wearing her coat wrong.
Her hair looked like it had survived a tornado.
Dark circles under her eyes.
Carrying a child at 3 a.m.
Kei almost got out of the car.
"What are you doing walking around at this hour?!"
But she didn't hear him.
Didn't see him.
She just walked past with the expression of someone who had emotionally fought a dragon and won — barely.
Kei stayed still, watching.
His brain started connecting dots.
Yesterday:
Harumi didn't show up to work.
No notice.
No explanation.
"She… skipped work because of her nieces and nephew?"
He looked closer.
The little girl was asleep against her chest like it was the safest place in existence.
The boy looked like he'd cried recently. Eyes swollen. Still gripping her sleeve.
Kei leaned his forehead against the steering wheel.
"…So… she has kids?"
Silence.
Four seconds.
Deep breath.
Five seconds.
Math loading.
"Her sister is younger… so the kids aren't the sister's… which means…"
His eyes widened.
"…She has two children."
Dramatic silence.
He blinked three times.
Mental image:
Harumi.
26 years old.
A 13-year-old boy.
A 9-year-old girl.
The math did not math.
The universe screamed:
"KEI. PLEASE USE LOGIC."
But Kei was too emotionally compromised for logic.
He grabbed his phone.
And called the worst possible person.
ITSUKI — THE HANDSOME, RESPONSIBLE NEIGHBOR — KEI'S FORMER SCHOOL RIVAL.
Itsuki answered, amused already.
"Kei? Wow. This is rare."
"I need to ask you something."
"Oh? Should I be concerned?"
Kei inhaled deeply.
"…Does Harumi have kids?"
Silence.
On the other end, Itsuki smiled.
Slowly.
"Ohhh. So you want to know if she's married, has two kids, and lives in that huge house, huh?"
Kei froze.
"…What?"
Itsuki continued in the calmest, most evil tone imaginable:
"Yes."
"…."
"Yes, Kei."
"…."
"She's married."
"…."
"Two kids."
"…."
"And a big house."
Click.
Kei hung up.
No goodbye.
Itsuki stared at his phone for two seconds—
Then burst out laughing.
He knew it was nonsense.
But annoying Kei?
Timeless joy.
HARUMI'S HOUSE — 5:00 A.M.
Harumi opened the door carefully, still carrying Mei.
Takeru stepped in behind her.
All three of them were exhausted.
Hungry.
Emotionally wrecked.
And then—
GRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLL.
Mei's stomach growled so loudly it echoed.
Harumi's answered.
Takeru's joined the choir.
Harumi looked down at her stomach.
"Takeru."
"…Yeah?"
"We need a chef in this house."
"…Probably."
"And I AM NOT THAT PERSON."
For the first time all night—
Takeru almost smiled.
"…I can cook."
Harumi gasped dramatically.
"Great. You're never leaving."
He went slightly red.
"T-That's not what I meant."
She ran to the 24-hour market on the corner and came back with:
Instant noodles.
Onigiri.
Frozen curry.
Bread.
Ice cream.
Things that made zero sense together.
At 5:17 a.m., they were sitting on the tatami floor eating hot curry.
Mei had fallen half-asleep again, head resting on Harumi's lap, nibbling bread between dreams.
Takeru kept glancing at her.
Just checking.
Making sure she was still there.
Harumi noticed.
She didn't say anything.
Just smiled softly.
After eating, they washed up quickly and collapsed onto the big futon.
All three of them tangled together.
Harumi in the middle.
Takeru fell asleep holding onto the sleeve of her pajama shirt.
Just in case she disappeared too.
NEXT MORNING — CHAOS RETURNS
Takeru woke up first.
Checked the clock.
"…Three hours."
He sighed.
"Harumi. Wake up."
No response.
He threw a pillow.
THUD.
"OW— WHAT— IS THERE A WAR?!"
"You have work. You skipped yesterday."
She sat up like a possessed ghost.
"WHAT?! I DID— I DID SKIP— I DIDN'T CALL— AM I FIRED— AM I ARRESTED—"
Her phone started vibrating.
BZZZZ.
BZZZZ.
BZZZZ.
She looked.
28 missed calls from her mother.
And a neighborhood group message with the headline:
"WOMAN BREAKS INTO HOSPITAL ROOM, YELLS AT PATIENT, FLEES THROUGH TOWN."
Harumi screamed:
"MOM THAT IS NOT HOW YOU START A RUMOR!!!!!"
Mei woke up startled.
Takeru rubbed his face.
"…Go get dressed before there's a sequel."
"AAAAAAAA—"
AT WORK — THE CONFRONTATION
Harumi arrived running.
Wet hair.
Wrong coat.
Bag half open.
Existential regret visible.
Kei was waiting.
Arms crossed.
Expression cold.
Internally combusting.
He could not say:
"I SPENT ALL NIGHT THINKING YOU HAD A SECRET FAMILY."
So instead he said:
"…You're late."
Harumi bowed slightly.
"Good morning, Kei-san. I can explain."
"You can," he replied coolly. "Later. There's a lot of work piled up. Someone disappeared."
She shrank instantly.
"I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry—"
He looked away before he melted into emotional soup.
"…And please organize your documents properly today," he added quietly. "And try not to destroy the coffee machine again."
She turned red.
Kei walked away, heart racing.
Thinking:
"She's married. Two kids. Married. Two kids. What was I even hoping for all these years…?"
He sighed.
Then lightly hit his forehead against the nearest wall.
A coworker walked by.
"Kei's in love again."
"I AM NOT!"
He hit his head again.