"Can Yaeko take Friday off?"
During dinner, Miyamura Shizuka brought up the topic, her tone a little concerned. She was worried that Yaeko might not even be able to attend Yuzuru's kindergarten graduation performance.
Daiki Miyamura, chewing a mouthful of food, replied with a slight nod. "Yeah. She actually messaged me this afternoon to ask about it." After swallowing, he added, "Why? You going somewhere fun that day?"
Shizuka picked up a slice of fatty meat with her chopsticks, gave it a look of disapproval, then dropped it onto Akira's plate. "It's Yuzuru's graduation performance on Friday. She said she'd go, but I just wanted to confirm."
Akira rolled his eyes silently at his mom. She caught him and shot a glare right back, her eyes sharp. He sighed and obediently transferred the fatty meat into Daiki's bowl.
"I remember you said that day's also Shouko's parent-teacher meeting, right?" Daiki asked as he popped the meat into his mouth. "So… what about Shouko?"
"I'll go. I am her godmother, remember?" Shizuka replied lightly.
"Oh, that's right." He chuckled. If she hadn't brought it up, he might've forgotten. Back in second grade, Shouko had formally acknowledged Shizuka as her godmother, and both families had supported it—Yaeko and Kei included.
"I'm full. Dishes are yours tonight, Akira." Shizuka smiled sweetly and stood up, placing her chopsticks neatly on her bowl.
Still chewing, Akira just nodded. Ever since grade school, the rule had been simple: the last one to finish eating did the dishes. He didn't mind. Neither did his dad—it was just a few bowls.
Mr. Minagawa clapped loudly from the podium, trying to pull the students' attention away from the sound of the dismissal bell.
"Alright, class dismissed. Don't forget—the parent-teacher meeting is tomorrow. If your parents can't make it, have them call me ahead of time." He let out a quiet sigh, picked up his books, and walked briskly out of the classroom without looking back.
Akira watched him go, thinking he always looked like someone sprinting to escape a burning building the moment the bell rang.
Shouko packed up her books and checked her desk drawer for anything she might've left behind. She turned to him with a soft smile. "Akira, let's go."
"Yeah." He nodded, shoved his books into the drawer, and stood. Studying later? Not happening.
"Let's go fly kites later!"
Just as he reached for Shouko's bag, a familiar, cheerful voice called out behind them.
"Miu, did you even tell your parents? And you're still thinking about flying kites?" Akira slung Shouko's pink schoolbag over one shoulder and looked calmly at Miu Matsuoka.
"Hehe! Don't worry—I've already got it covered!" Miu beamed with a grin and flashed him a confident thumbs-up.
Chika Itō walked up beside them, adjusting her small black backpack with a worried look. "Miu… I still think your mom's going to find out and be really mad."
"What happened?" Shouko asked gently, tilting her head.
"This morning, Miu paid the lady at the breakfast shop five hundred yen to pretend to be her relative during the meeting."
"Hehe… pretty smart, right?" Miu puffed out her chest. "I figured Mr. Minagawa might check, so I didn't say she was a parent—just a relative. Loophole!"
"Ehh?! You can do that?" Shouko blinked in shock.
"Come on, praise me!" Miu leaned toward her expectantly, completely ignoring Akira and Chika. One was too blunt and the other too cautious to compliment her anyway.
"…Genius," came a flat, unimpressed voice from behind.
They all turned to see a girl sweeping near the front of the classroom, glaring at them.
"Are you leaving or not? I still have to clean."
Akira said nothing. He simply took Shouko's hand and led her out of the room without a word.
"Alright, alright! We're going!" Miu laughed, grabbing Chika and rushing to catch up.
When the four reached the crossroads where they'd usually split up, Miu grinned. "Okay! We'll meet back here after dropping off our bags!"
After getting nods from the others, she tugged Chika along and headed down the opposite street.
"Let's walk faster, Akira," Shouko said, tugging his hand with growing excitement.
"Don't rush. The kite's not going anywhere," Akira replied with a faint smile.
"…You're right." She slowed down.
"Shouko, which kite do you want?"
The toy shop's displays were packed with colorful and strange-looking kites. After parting ways with Miu and Chika, Akira and Shouko had gone home, dropped off their bags, told Shizuka and Kei where they were going, and now stood in front of a rack of kites at the nearby shop.
"Hmm…" Shouko stared at them all, unsure. "Akira, what do you think?"
That was the only one he recognized. The others—shaped like bugs and cartoon monsters—looked bizarre to him.
"But you should pick what you like, not just go with my opinion," he added gently.
"Then… maybe this pink cat?" Shouko asked after another moment of thought.
"What about you, Akira?"
She nodded with big, curious eyes.
Akira shook his head with a small wave. "I'll just fly with you. I don't really like flying kites that much."
Shouko accepted that easily. They could always take turns.
With her new kite in hand, Shouko stepped out of the shop happily. Behind her, Akira was at the counter putting away the change.
"Let's go!" she called back with a bright smile. "They're waiting at the intersection!
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