No one knew why their mother had suddenly come to Tokyo—who she was meeting, or what for. With a mix of curiosity but no intention of interrupting, Haruto simply handed over the apartment key to his mom and took his younger sister out for a walk.
"Where are we going?"
"Let's just wander around for now. There's enough time to explore the area nearby. As for the rest, we can leave that for tomorrow and the day after. You're mainly here to see some of the famous spots, right?"
Having never set foot in Tokyo before, everything Mitsuha knew about this bustling city came from TV programs and the weekly magazines she read. Her understanding of Tokyo was limited to landmarks constantly featured in media—the famous tourist attractions and iconic buildings.
If you asked Mitsuha what she knew about Tokyo's districts, she'd probably only be able to name "Shinjuku" and "Shibuya."
Despite all her longing and fascination for the city, someone who'd never lived here could never truly match the insight of someone who actually called this place home.
"So what? There's Tokyo Skytree… and Shinjuku—ah, isn't Kabukicho there too?"
"Better not. You're still underage. That place isn't like Itomori. In Itomori, everyone knows everyone, so even the bad ones aren't that bad. But in a city like this, you don't just find people who are annoying—you find people who are dangerous. Especially in places like Kabukicho. Even after countless crackdowns, the darkness there still runs deep."
"Oooh, 'the darkness still runs deep~.' You're making it sound so serious. Are you saying you've been there? Just wait—I'm telling Mom you went to Kabukicho!"
"I haven't. But I do know someone who works there. They've been missing for a while now. No clue if the next time they show up it'll be on some asphalt road… or in a news segment blurred out by mosaic."
"...."
Mitsuha, unfamiliar with such brutal realities, fell silent. There was a cold undertone in Haruto's voice that she didn't quite understand, but it made her uneasy.
She stayed quiet for a while, and then finally sneaked a glance at her brother.
"...What do you mean, asphalt road?"
"Do you know how hot uncooled asphalt gets?"
"No... that's not in our textbooks. How would I know?"
Sensing something was off, Mitsuha pouted and gave a sullen reply.
Haruto, walking alongside her, smiled calmly.
"Over 200°C. At that temperature, most of the human body would completely—"
"Okay! I get it! Stop! Don't say another word!"
Mitsuha gritted her teeth. If she kept listening, she was sure she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. She shot a sideways glare at her brother, who still wore that annoyingly serene smile. Her romantic image of Tokyo had been dulled just a little. She walked quietly beside him, thoughts replaying their earlier conversation over and over.
After leaving the apartment, He took his sister toward the direction of the University of Tokyo. Other places were a bit far, but the university was close, so it made sense to check it out first...
After a few phone calls, Futaba stood alone in the now-empty apartment. For a moment, she simply stood there in silence. Then, she picked up the shoulder bag her husband had once given her and stepped outside.
Locking the door behind her, she slipped the spare key into her inner pocket.
She made her way toward the subway station they'd arrived at earlier. When she got near Korakuen Station, her eyes swept the area—until they landed on a familiar figure. She took a step forward.
_ _ _ _
"Ugh, this place just feels like a different world... Not really my vibe. I heard the guys at Keio are supposed to be hotter anyway?"
Walking out from the University of Tokyo, Mitsuha looked a little disappointed. With her grades, even if she worked herself to death, getting into Tokyo University was next to impossible.
Even if she did like it here, after walking around for a bit, she knew it was pointless to get her hopes up. So she gave up cleanly.
"Don't overthink it. Even if there are tons of hot guys, what does that have to do with you?"
"You must've done something sneaky to get that girl—Setsuna—to like you, huh? What'd you do, blackmail her?"
"You think I need to blackmail anyone?"
He pointed at his own face and smiled gently.
"...Tch. Damn it."
They were siblings and shared similar facial features. Yet while Mitsuha's looks were average for a girl, Haruto, as a guy, had a gentle, almost delicate beauty. His smile could melt away winter and bring spring sunshine. He was, unmistakably, the kind of guy who got labeled a 'soft, handsome sweetheart.'
If she hadn't grown up with him—hadn't known how rotten his personality could be—she might've fallen for him too. Her friend, Sayaka Natori, had already been smitten, just like any other girl, completely fooled by that face of his.
"So you're saying Setsuna didn't fall for you because of any dirty tricks… just got scammed by your angelic face?"
Haruto had been about to argue, but when he thought it over, her accusation didn't feel entirely wrong. Setsuna had fallen for his looks first. Everything else came after.
"Anyway, that's not important. We're done with Tokyo University—where to next? Got any places in mind before the sun goes down?"
"How should I know? You've been living here a whole month. Shouldn't you be the tour guide?"
"Fine, then—Koishikawa Korakuen, it's near my place."
"That a theme park or something?"
"Just because it's called a 'garden' doesn't mean it has rides. It's an actual garden—plants and nature and stuff."
"We're not senior citizens. Hard pass."
"Then… Ueno? Asakusa?"
"They sound kinda familiar but not really. Wait, where's that place with the Thunder Gate?"
"Asakusa."
"Then let's go there!"
And so, after touring the university, the two siblings hopped on the train and made their way to Asakusa's iconic gate. The area was buzzing with all kinds of shops and vendors. Haruto wasn't particularly interested in any of it, but Mitsuha, on the other hand, was bursting with curiosity.
Drawn in by all the "souvenirs," she turned toward Haruto, wearing an adorably innocent and pure smile.
"Onii-chan~"
"..."
"Nee, Onii-chan~"
He cracked.
His fists clenched.
Haruto wasn't into any of this souvenir stuff, but he did think of Yotsuha, who had stayed back in Itomori. It would be wrong to come back empty-handed. So during their shopping spree, he picked out a few things and handed them to Mitsuha to take back to Yotsuha.
"I get why we're buying for Yotsuha, but why the hell am I carrying everything?"
Mitsuha grumbled, arms full of bags of all sizes, glaring at her brother—who was walking ahead, empty-handed.