The last few days had been a whirlwind of emotions. The encounter with Kasumi had shaken me, but at the same time, spending time with Hana had unexpectedly done me good. We had met a few times, laughed, talked, gotten to know each other better. I realized how good it felt to have a piece of normality back in my life. It was morning. My first day back at school since the accident. My mother woke me gently. "Good morning, Nobuyuki. Breakfast is ready." I yawned and sat up. My body still felt a bit stiff, but the pain had become bearable. I went into the dining room. My mother was already sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of her. "Where's Dad?" I asked. "He's already gone," she replied. "An important case. He'll probably work late tonight." "And Kiyoshi?" I asked. "He's sleeping at Grandma's again. As always when we're both gone late." Everyday life had returned. The familiar routine I had missed for so long. And yet, it felt different now. After breakfast, I went to my room and packed my school things. I felt strangely excited. Who would have thought I'd ever look forward to school? I set off. The way to school was the same as always, but today I saw the world through different eyes. The cherry blossoms blooming in full glory, the students laughing and talking on their way to school – everything seemed more alive, more intense. Suddenly, I heard my name. "Oka!" I turned around and saw Shigeo coming towards me. He grinned broadly. "Well, my friend! Finally back among the living, huh?" he called out. "Yeah," I laughed. "And I'm actually looking forward to it." Shigeo raised an eyebrow. "Really? What's gotten into you? Are you… in love?" I blushed. Shigeo knew everything. About Hana. About Kasumi. He had picked me up the night of the meeting, after all. "Maybe a little," I admitted. Shigeo laughed. "I thought so. That hospital romance must have affected you more than you're willing to admit." He clapped me on the shoulder. "But be careful, Oka. This is all pretty complicated, isn't it?" I nodded. "It is." We walked to school together, and normality enveloped me like a familiar blanket. But beneath this surface, an unease simmered, an urge for answers that wouldn't let go. Just before the school gate, Emiko was waiting for us. When she saw me, she hurried over and hugged me tightly. "Oka! It's so good to see you again! I'm so glad you're back and can resume your daily routine!" She seemed visibly relieved to see me again. "I'm doing well too, Emiko," I said, returning her hug. "Thanks." "Did you catch up on all the material we brought you?" she asked immediately. "You know, the tests are coming up soon." I nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. I don't want to fall behind right away." "Good, then we can start 12th grade with peace of mind," Emiko said, smiling. "Our last year. It's going to be great!" We walked through the school gate together. I still had to briefly report to the teachers' lounge to sort out the formalities regarding my long absence. It was mainly about the upcoming tests and whether I was able to take them. I assured the teachers that I had caught up on the material and was ready for the school routine. Once that was settled, I went to the classroom with Shigeo and Emiko. Many familiar faces from 11th grade were already there. I sat down at a free table in the back. Shigeo explained that it was my old seat. To his left sat Kazuhiko, whom I knew well. But to my right, by the window, was a new face. "That's Aika," Shigeo whispered. "She's new here. Moved because of her parents or something." I turned to her, wanting to introduce myself. However, her gaze was fixed out the window, as if she were observing the outside world with great intensity. She didn't seem to notice us at all. Just as I was about to speak to Aika, our homeroom teacher, Mr. Tanaka, entered the room. "Good morning, class," he said in his usual, slightly bored voice. "I hope you all had a good start to the new school year. And welcome back, Oka-kun. Nice to see you again." "Thank you, Mr. Tanaka," I replied. The lesson began, and I tried to concentrate. But it was difficult. The events of the last few days, the memories of Kasumi, the anticipation of the next meeting with Hana – all of it swirled in my head. I secretly watched Emiko. She sat a few rows ahead of me and seemed very attentive. But I noticed her stealing glances at me repeatedly. Her looks were probing, almost possessive. Is she jealous? I wondered. But that's nonsense. Emiko and I are just friends. Aren't we? Meanwhile, Shigeo was doodling something in his notebook. The lesson dragged on endlessly. I tried to focus on the complex formulas in math and the confusing historical dates in history, but my thoughts kept wandering. What will Kasumi tell me? Does she really just want friendship? I caught myself staring at the clock, counting the minutes until the school day was finally over. During the break, Emiko came to my table. "Everything okay with you, Oka?" she asked. "You seem so distant." "Everything's fine," I lied. "I'm just… a little tired." "Well, then rest after school," Emiko said. "But don't forget we have to study tonight. The tests are coming up soon." "Yeah, yeah, I know," I mumbled. Emiko looked at me with a piercing gaze. "You're not really happy to be back here, are you?" "Yes, yes, I am," I hurried to say. "It's just… a lot at once." Emiko hesitated. "Maybe… maybe we could study at your place? Then we can help each other better." Shigeo, standing next to us, rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. "Oh, that's a great idea! Your apartment is huge, Oka! We can really spread out!" Emiko shot Shigeo a sharp look. "No, Shigeo. That's not possible. I… I want to concentrate on Oka. We need to get through the material." Shigeo seemed to understand Emiko's implication. He grimaced. "Oh, I see. Yeah, sure. I… I have plans tonight anyway." He grinned mischievously. "A date." Emiko nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Then… then I'll come over right after school, Oka. If you don't mind." "No, no problem," I said. "My parents aren't home tonight. My mom's working late, and Kiyoshi is sleeping at Grandma's again." Emiko's eyes lit up slightly. "Perfect. Then… then maybe I'll cook something for us too? If you like." The thought of an evening alone with Emiko, in my apartment, with a home-cooked meal… that was something I had never really imagined. And it caused a strange tingling in my stomach. "Sounds good," I said. "But you don't have to cook. I can order something too." "Nonsense," Emiko countered. "I like cooking. And it's… nicer if we eat together." She smiled, and in that smile, there was something I couldn't quite decipher. Was it just friendship? Or was there more? And so the school day passed. The hours crawled by, filled with the monotonous voices of the teachers and the rustling of paper. But my thoughts were elsewhere. With Kasumi, with Hana, with the evening with Emiko. Finally, the liberating school bell rang. I packed my things, and Shigeo and Emiko got ready to go home. "Well, see you later, Oka," Shigeo said, winking at me. "Have fun studying… or whatever you have planned for tonight." Emiko gave Shigeo a warning look. "Be quiet, Shigeo. We have to study. Otherwise, we'll all fail." Shigeo laughed. "Yeah, yeah, alright. I have to run an errand anyway." He said goodbye to both of us and left. Emiko and I stood there alone. A strange silence hung between us, one I couldn't quite place. "Shall we go then?" Emiko asked. I nodded. "Yeah. Um… do you want to cook something together?" Emiko smiled. "Gladly. It's cozier than just ordering something." "Sure," I said. "My parents aren't often home anyway. The fridge is usually pretty empty." We went to the supermarket together. Emiko seemed to know exactly what she wanted. She navigated the aisles purposefully, tossing ingredients into the cart here and there, constantly asking me if I had this or that at home. "Do you have rice?" she asked. "Um… I think so," I replied. "And soy sauce?" "Definitely." "And vegetable broth?" "Uh… no idea." Emiko sighed. "Men." I chuckled. It was strange, but also nice, having Emiko so close. She was so familiar, so uncomplicated. At the checkout, I placed my credit card on the belt. A card my parents had given me for food and other expenses. They could see where and what I bought with it. "I hope your parents don't monitor your purchases too closely," Emiko said jokingly. "Oh, they have better things to do," I said. But I still blushed slightly. We paid and left the supermarket. We walked in the direction of my place. Emiko became noticeably nervous. She fidgeted with her skirt, repeatedly brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Is it true, what Shigeo said?" she finally asked. "That your place is so… huge?" I laughed lightly. "A bit bigger than normal, I'd say." "A bit bigger?" Emiko repeated incredulously. "He said it was a palace." "He always exaggerates," I said. Not much further, we stood in front of the high-rise building. It was tall and modern, with a glass facade shimmering in the afternoon light. We entered the lobby, and Emiko looked around in amazement. The floor was polished marble, there were comfortable sofas and artwork on the walls. We got into the elevator. "Which floor?" Emiko asked. I held my card to the sensor. "All the way up." The elevator started moving, rising quickly. Emiko clung slightly to my arm. When we got out, we were in a small hallway. Only one door was visible. "This is… everything?" Emiko asked. I nodded. "The whole floor belongs to us." I took out my key and opened the door. Emiko stepped inside and stopped immediately. Her mouth fell open. The apartment was huge. You could see the entire city, and the kitchen was as big as my whole classroom. "Holy crap," Emiko whispered. "Shigeo wasn't exaggerating." "Do you like it?" I asked. Emiko nodded enthusiastically. "Like it? It's incredible!" She looked around and spotted the modern kitchen. "Can you even cook here? Is everything here?" I nodded. "Yeah, sure. My mom cooks sometimes when she has time." Emiko immediately took the shopping bags. "Then let's get started! I'm hungry."

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