“Hey, Ken, it’s rare to see you out this early. Did you finally get fired?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Without me, nothing would function around here. If I worked too hard, it wouldn’t be good for anyone else, so I’m just here to boost everyone’s motivation!”

The local bakery owner on his bicycle greeted Kenichi warmly, and in response, Kenichi flipped him off and returned a sarcastic remark. After a bit of loud and vulgar banter, they waved each other off and parted ways.

“Honestly, everyone’s tossing around ‘unemployment’ just because they see my face on my day off. I have to support my beloved family; there’s no way I’d screw that up. If I were to do anything that could get me fired, I’d make sure it was undetectable, heh.”

“Considering I’m the one relying on others, I genuinely hope you stay clear of methods like that, regardless of being caught or not.”

Subaru shrugged while waiting for the conversation to conclude on the side of the road with his hands stuffed into his tracksuit pockets. As his son basked in the shade and the gentle breeze, Kenichi shook his head while simultaneously waving his hands.

“A man who’s lost his sense of adventure won’t grow, neither as a man nor a human! If you’re getting into trouble, that’s a different story. But finding and sticking to that fine line is what makes it thrilling…”

“Dude, you’re too old to be saying stuff like that. Get a grip; you’re in your forties, so stop talking like a kid!”

“I believe men have a child-like side regardless of age, you know? Besides, you should be joining in on these silly conversations instead of leaving them all to your old man! So, what do you say?”

“I can’t just casually chat with some unknown old guy like that!”

“It’s not like he’s unknown. He’s the owner of the bakery I sometimes stop by when I come home. Also, he’s a junior from my high school days.”

Even after being told that, Subaru couldn’t quite connect the dot.

He had never actually examined a bag of bread curiously, and he probably had never stopped by himself.

When Subaru silently signaled he wanted to end the banter, Kenichi clicked his tongue and said, “Come on now, don’t you think it’s a shame to look so glum on a bright sunny morning? You look like someone who’s about to get approached by the cops.”

“If I do get approached, it’d be because of you forcibly dragging me out at this hour… I said I didn’t want to go, yet here we are.”

“Resistance was just for show; you practically came along willingly. No need to hide it, Subaru! You love your old man. Don’t worry; I love you too! After Mom, of course!”

As they resumed walking, Kenichi slapped Subaru’s back playfully, prompting Subaru to grimace at the unexpected vigor of his father’s mood.

True, his father was typically cheerful, but given Kenichi’s fickle nature, this kind of lighthearted interaction would usually leave him pouting for a longer time.

So why did it feel like his dad was unusually carefree this morning?

While Subaru’s chest ached painfully with the proximity of his father, contrastingly…

“So…”

“Yeah?”

“You dragged me outside because you wanted to talk about something, right? You wouldn’t usually go this far otherwise… What’s the subject? Something difficult to discuss indoors?”

The nuance was as if he had a topic he didn’t want his mother to hear about. He had an inkling it might be some scolding regarding his lackluster life.

On normal days, he could just hide under the covers and passively ignore it, but outside, that wouldn’t go as smoothly. He could also shout to drown it out if need be. If he embarrassed his dad enough publicly, surely Kenichi would change his attitude towards Subaru—thinking up to that point, he suddenly shook his head.

“If it were my dad, he might enjoy that embarrassment…”

“Not sure what wild imagination you’re having, but I’ve got no outrageous or funny stories to tell, you know? I just felt like having some regular family chit-chat in the sunlight.”

“Is that true? I don’t trust you… I’ll nod along for now, though.”

“Do what you want. By the way, Subaru, if you had to choose, would you prefer a brother or a sister?”

“Man, being asked that at seventeen is nothing short of terrifying!!”

The sudden shift in topic shocked Subaru, making his shoulders jerk as he gasped. Kenichi, seeing Subaru’s anxiety rising, laughed and said, “Just kidding, just kidding.”

“Sure, there’s still plenty of lovey-dovey moments between me and your mom, but having another kid at my age? Nah. Meaning, my love is all for you. Be happy about it!”

“Oh, yeah, right. I’m thrilled over here. …You’re joking, right?”

“Hey, hey, don’t say it like that. If you make it seem like you don’t like it, it might get me motivated to actually do something!”

Feeling the humor start to blur the lines of reality, Subaru decided to simply let the topic drop in silence. Kenichi, getting the hint, responded with a wry smile.

Subaru was merely on a walk just ten minutes away from his home.

A nearby famous river meandered through the area, with cherry blossom trees planted along the embankments, turning it into a spring tourist spot. But now, the season had passed, leaving only green leaves basking in the sunlight instead of pink cherry blossoms.

After breakfast, Kenichi had coaxed Subaru out to this very spot to distract him from the anxiety that plagued him before school started.

Initially, he had worried they were headed for school, but…

“Whenever I move toward school, your guard instantly goes up like a traffic signal. Not like that’s my intention, so we’ll take a longer route to the embankment instead.”

So he ended up here, being dragged along by Kenichi.

Strong breezes, carrying the scents of grass and leaves, blew from the top of the bank, and if he stretched a bit, he would see the gently flowing river just beyond the wooden railings.

“There weren’t any fences back in the day. I used to splash around in the river with friends all the time. Remember Ikeda? He came to see the crazy currents on a typhoon day and ended up getting swept away… if a lifeguard hadn’t happened to pass by and saved him, he might not have made it.”

“You’re not saying that fence was put up because of you and Ikeda, right?”

“That’s probably not it… Wait, hold on? Actually, the timing does kinda match up.”

Leaning against the fence and gazing across the river, Kenichi reflected on old memories, while Subaru stood behind him awkwardly, looking around.

During a weekday morning, there were hardly any people around. In fact, it seemed like other than Subaru and Kenichi, they were completely alone. It was inherently a place where people didn’t gather. The only ones hanging around at this hour were likely the caretaker or other curious folks.

Just then, Subaru heard someone treading on grass and—

“Oho? Whoever would’ve thought, it’s Ken! What’s up? Come back to play in the river at such an age?”

“Whoever calls me that… Is the old man in the management hut still the same guy? That’s honestly more surprising, and I’m not in swim trunks today, so there’s no river antics for me.”

“Get real. Don’t act like you didn’t jump in pants-less last time, saying the trunks look just like swimming shorts. But it’s been a while since we’ve met.”

The old man who climbed up the embankment approached with a friendly demeanor, resembling more of a pleasantly old gent in a green, aged uniform. Given the conversation and the logo on his back, he was likely the caretaker.

Knowing about Kenichi’s youthful escapades by the river, he must’ve been well seasoned in this role.

As the two laughed and reminisced upon reuniting, the old man clapped his hands and asked, “So, if you’re here, how’s Ikeda doing? That kid drifted off so much that I lost count of how many times I fished him out!”

“Ikeda hit a big horse racing ticket about ten years ago, took his winnings and took off to Thailand, going off the radar. I get New Year’s cards, summer greetings, winter greetings, and letters on Mother’s and Father’s Day, though.”

“Anyone that sends letters that frequently can’t be called off the radar…”

Subaru couldn’t help but interject quietly at that. Then, noticing the small comment, the old man finally registered Subaru’s presence and raised an eyebrow as if just noticing him.

“Oh, you’ve got company… Huh? Is this kid…”

“Yeah, yep, my son. No, I should say, my beloved son.”

“Oh, I knew it! There’s a bit of your younger self in him… well, maybe not too much. He looks more like his mother, huh?”

“Haha. I often hear that. Especially regarding his eyes.”

In an otherwise unremarkable face, Subaru’s sharp, distinctive three-pronged eyes were his mother’s legacy. That particular trait clearly showcased her influence.

As he made a neutral response, the old man stepped closer and said, “Can’t believe it, but time has really passed. That Ken-chan has such a big kid! I guess that means I’m getting old too. I don’t have the energy anymore to swim over to save Ikeda!”

“Honestly, I doubt Ikeda’s dumb enough to drown at this age out here…”

“Not that I wouldn’t hope so… but you never know with those kids. Especially your old man, always stirring up trouble around!”

“Well… yeah.”

Subaru’s response was hesitant, leading the old man to narrow his brows in suspicion. The wrinkles deepened in his forehead just after.

“Hmm? I’m fine with Ken-chan’s child, but… today’s Monday, right? What are you doing out here with your dad at this hour?”

“—!!”

The question Subaru didn’t want to face froze his expression.

Next came a stabbing headache that resided in his room. Caught off guard, he instinctively bowed his head to bury the pain and said, “Sorry,” in a voice filled with urgency, fleeing from the old man’s gaze.

“Hey, Subaru! Sorry about that, old man, I’ll make sure to stop by later and chat then.”

“Ah, yeah… Sorry for putting you in a bind. Tell him I’m sorry.”

Subaru barely registered their exchange behind him.

All he could do was escape from the throbbing pain in his skull, as he ran away from the embankment to find a place to calm his racing heartbeat.

While Kenichi followed him, he muttered, “No need to apologize. That’s his issue from here on out.”

**※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※**

“Here you go. A cold, love-infused cola just for you. I’d like to say I made sure to shake it well for you, but it doesn’t seem like that’s happening today…”

“…There’s no way to infuse love into a vending machine. Thanks.”

As Subaru savored the cool can in his palm, he placed his finger on the tab. After a moment of thought, he closed his eyes and directed the opening away from anyone present, then pressed down firmly—suddenly, the can erupted, spewing its contents with ferocious force. Within moments, the weight of the can in Subaru’s hand lessened by a third;

“Hey, hey, what the heck? You need to be tricked, you know! I set it up so you think I won’t do it, but then I hit you with a double whammy!”

“I can see through your tricks. How many years d’you think I’ve been dealing with you, Dad? There’s a kind of trust that says you won’t leave me hanging. Ugh, now my hands are sticky.”

Shaking his cola-splattered hands, Subaru struggled to drink from the now lighter can, savoring the carbonation that danced across his taste buds and quenched the dryness of his mouth.

It would have been nice if the discomfort bothering him deep inside would wash away, but to his dismay, that weighty sensation remained.

“So, feeling better now?”

“…Kinda on the fence about that.”

In reply to the inquiry, Subaru sank deeper into the bench he was sitting on, letting out a long sigh and slumping his shoulders. Standing across from him, Kenichi continued to sip his cola, looking deep in thought with one eye squinted.

After fleeing their talk by the embankment, Subaru and his father had arrived at a nearby children’s park. Unsurprisingly, it too was empty, with no parents around to swing on the swings during the extended summer vacation.

“I wouldn’t be able to laugh if I were swinging on the swings right now. What would you do, Subaru? If you saw your dad swinging on the swings after stopping at a convenience store?”

“I’d take a picture and tweet it, proclaiming, ‘My dad is now liberated from gravity!’”

“Oh, Twitter, huh? I’m on there too. I’ve followed so many people that my feed has become chaotically cluttered!”

Casting a sidelong glance at the upbeat Kenichi, Subaru sighed and sought a new topic. Slowly, the pain in his skull throbbed once more.

As the headache grew closer, worry bubbled within him, but he kept suppressing that weak response.

“Wasn’t it just a simple stop to get a drink? Why did it take so long? Any reason?”

“Eh? Oh, nothing much. When I got to the vending machine, there was this high school girl skipping school, so I had to lecture her to get back to class, bought her a drink, exchanged contacts, and sent her on her way.”

“I can’t believe you managed to exchange contacts so quickly.”

Unbelievable as it was, Subaru was stunned by Kenichi’s casualness about getting a high school girl’s contact info like it was nothing. Kenichi tilted his head, “Really? You can easily get someone’s address. I swear, I have nearly three digits of high school girls’ contacts stored in my phone.”

“Even combining everyone, I might barely hit double digits, while you’ve got triple with just high school girls—it’s on a completely different level… Dad, you’re not getting into some shady dealings with high school girls and winding up in the news, right?”

“What are you implying?!”

Raising his arms defensively, Kenichi acted incredulous at Subaru’s concerns.

“You think I’m feeling anything for some kid like a high school girl? My heart is already pledged to my family, and I don’t feel anything for anyone else.”

“That categorization still includes me as a target!”

“…Well, there’s love involved, so maybe there’s a slight possibility?!”

“Not a chance! What the actual heck are you talking about!!”

At Subaru’s shout, Kenichi roared with laughter again.

His crude yet endearing laughter resonated, somehow failing to come off as unpleasant to anyone. In truth, it was like everything simply added up to his relatable charm.

Today, while taking a leisurely stroll with his dad for the first time in a while, he truly felt it.

Simply walking down the road, Kenichi had been approached several times. Furthermore, no matter where they went, someone was always there to regale Kenichi with memories, casually deepening connections even with complete strangers—even showing no intent to hide it.

The painful throb at Subaru’s temples reflected the conflicting emotions within him, as his breathing began to grow heavier.

The sharp pain he felt was now no longer a slight discomfort, but came at him in waves.

The feeling of being stabbed with needles from inside his skull wasn’t something that could be ignored or would just vanish with time. But heading to a hospital wouldn’t resolve anything either.

Even if he didn’t understand why the pain was happening, he thought he understood its source.

And that source resided with the frustration compressing within his chest and smothering feelings.

“You don’t look so good, Subaru. If you’re feeling unwell, I can carry you home, and we can head back.”

“No need for a piggyback; we don’t need to go home. …If we return, Mom will be there too, and it’ll probably just make things worse for me.”

With Mom, Nahoko, around, Subaru’s unease would likely amplify.

As he gradually understood what this deep ache meant, he knew distinctly that when he returned with Kenichi and faced Nahoko again, it would spike to a catastrophic level. In other words,

“Am I really being lectured by my own body now?”

Was the ongoing sense of running away from everything finally catching up, resulting in his body raising a protest?

Sitting in his room, embracing his knees, he stared at the clock, acutely aware of the eerie passing of time. Despite having pushed through that discomfort, the sense of anxiety and sharp pain returned suddenly.

As if there were someone from some far-off place screaming desperately from within his skull.

—Whoever you are, what right do you have to understand me?

“Hey, Subaru—do you like someone?”

The abrupt question directed at the previously quiet Subaru made his mind go blank.

Caught off guard, he recalled a previous inquiry posed at home—one that was less humorous and struck hard from the start. The first time made him chuckle, but now he felt oddly annoyed.

Suffering from the unrelenting headache, he sought to respond with the same remark when suddenly—

“—Subaru.”

In a flash, a silvery voice resonated like a bell, startling his entire being to attention.

“—Huh?”

As he looked up, searching for the source of the ethereal whisper in his ear, he found only Kenichi standing before him, eyebrow raised in confusion.

“What’s up? You look like you just got called by a beautiful girl who shouldn’t even exist.”

“Well, that’s exactly how I feel. Did someone just call my name? Dad, you’re not impersonating a beautiful girl’s voice, are you?”

“I’ve got tricks up my sleeve, but that’s not one of them. Fine, I’ll practice for the next routine, so ask me in a month again.”

“This isn’t a show… Seriously, what is going on?”

Subaru dismissed Kenichi’s words, pondering the voice that echoed in his mind. The silvery sound was immensely soothing yet also ignited warmth within him, enough to distract from the pain that had sporadically plagued him.

That voice felt familiar, as if he had longed for it. It tugged at his heart, beckoning back memories of yearning, desperation, clinginess, and loss, only now rediscovered.

“Thank you, Subaru.”

“Who are you…?”

The imagery of silvery hair danced before his eyes, framed by violet light that stared straight at him, with every syllable carrying the weight of affection.

“I appreciate you helping me.”

What is happening? Who are you? Why does it seem that this child carries the weight of my suffering within her?

“—Subaru.”

His breath caught in his throat. Heat surged within him. Something was welling up in his eyes.

“Why do you help me?”

The answer found within was now rapidly forgetting.

The moment he recognized it, all the discomfort swirling inside him evaporated.

The pounding in his skull, the rising nausea, the blurriness enveloping his world, and the pounding heart urging him toward choices; everything converged to guide Natsuki Subaru forward.

With a rise of emotion, he wiped tears from his eyes, staring at his wet sleeve. As he shook off the residue, he clenched his fists and declared,

“I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m fine now.”

“Is that so? As long as you’re alright, I’m good with that, but don’t go giving me too many gray hairs.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. And regarding your earlier question…”

While removing Kenichi’s hand from his shoulder, Subaru raised his face toward him.

Seated beside each other, he finally looked directly into his father’s eyes. It dawned on him that even after sharing words multiple times today, he never once truly gazed directly at him.

Realizing he had run away from even that, he chuckled wryly at his own weakness. With his father looking at him with a perplexed expression, Subaru said,

“I… I’ve found someone I like. So I’m okay now.”

With the lingering image of that silvery presence, Natsuki Subaru resolved to confront his past head-on.