Part 1 – A Place Called Home
Haruto slowly turned around.
"...Amaya."
Soft footsteps came to a stop behind him.
Amaya stood a few steps away.
"...Sorry."
"I made you wait."
Haruto shook his head.
"...Not really."
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The quiet street stretched around them.
Only the gentle rustling of leaves could be heard.
Amaya looked toward the lonely little house at the end of the lane.
"...Come on."
She began walking.
Haruto followed without another word.
As they drew closer...
The house looked even older than it had from a distance.
The faded wooden walls had long lost their colour.
Several planks had been replaced with mismatched pieces of timber.
The tiled roof sagged slightly under its own age.
Even the small wooden gate creaked softly as Amaya pushed it open.
It didn't look like anyone lived there.
It looked...
Forgotten.
Haruto quietly watched Amaya.
Ever since they had entered the Homura residential district...
She hadn't smiled once.
Her usual cheerful expression had disappeared.
He wanted to ask.
He wanted to know what had happened.
But...
Seeing the way she kept her eyes lowered...
He chose to stay silent.
Amaya climbed the two small wooden steps leading to the entrance.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small key.
Click.
The old lock gave way.
She slowly opened the door.
Then bent down to remove her shoes.
Haruto quietly did the same.
Amaya remained facing inside for a second.
Almost as though she was gathering the energy to smile again.
Then...
She turned back toward him.
A small, gentle smile finally returned to her face.
"...Um..."
"...Welcome to my house, Haruto."
She stepped aside.
Making room for him to enter.
Haruto stepped through the doorway.
"..."
The moment he entered...
He stopped.
His eyes slowly widened.
"...Huh...?"
It didn't make sense.
From the outside...
The house had looked like an old, forgotten shed.
Small.
Worn.
Almost abandoned.
But inside...
It felt completely different.
The room was far more spacious than Haruto had expected.
Not enormous...
But certainly much bigger than the outside had suggested.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the home with a warm golden glow.
The wooden floor had been polished until it shone.
Every corner was spotless.
A low table sat neatly in the centre of the room.
Soft cushions were arranged around it.
Books rested neatly on a shelf against one wall.
Small potted flowers brightened the windowsills.
Several handmade decorations hung neatly from the ceiling and walls.
Some were folded from coloured paper.
Others had been carved from small pieces of wood.
Each one looked carefully crafted.
Nothing felt expensive.
Yet...
Everything felt loved.
Haruto slowly looked around.
"..."
His gaze wandered from one decoration to another.
Then to the shelves.
Then to the tidy kitchen in the corner.
Not a single thing was out of place.
He quietly smiled.
"...It's..."
He searched for the right word.
"...Beautiful."
Amaya, who had just finished placing her shoes neatly by the entrance, froze for a moment.
"...Really?"
Haruto nodded without taking his eyes off the room.
"...Yeah."
"I thought..."
He scratched his cheek.
"...It would look like the outside."
Amaya let out a small laugh.
A genuine one.
"...Everyone says that."
Haruto looked back at her.
"...Did you... decorate all of this?"
Amaya shyly nodded.
"...Mhm."
"When I first came here..."
"It didn't look anything like this."
"So..."
"...I changed it little by little."
Haruto looked around once more.
The carefully folded paper ornaments.
The flowers.
The polished floor.
The neatly arranged books.
Everything reflected the same quiet care.
He smiled warmly.
"...You did an amazing job."
For the first time since they had entered the Homura district...
Amaya's smile reached her eyes.
"...Thank you."
Haruto slowly set his school bag down near the entrance.
His eyes continued wandering around the room.
Every corner seemed to have something new to notice.
A small wooden shelf.
A neatly folded blanket.
Tiny paper flowers hanging near the window.
Even the curtains had colorful patterns stitched into them.
He couldn't help but smile.
"...You really made all of this?"
Amaya nodded.
"...Mhm."
"...Most of it."
She walked over to one of the paper decorations hanging from the ceiling.
"I made these during the summer."
Haruto looked up.
"...They're really good."
Amaya smiled shyly.
"...Thanks."
She continued walking.
"This way."
Haruto followed.
The house wasn't large.
But every room had been arranged so carefully...
It somehow felt much bigger than it had from the outside.
Amaya pointed toward a small kitchen.
"...Here's the kitchen."
"It isn't much."
Haruto peeked inside.
Everything was neatly arranged.
The utensils hung perfectly in place.
Not a single dish had been left lying around.
"...It's cleaner than our kitchen."
Amaya giggled.
"...Really?"
"...Ayame's going to be offended if she hears that."
The two laughed.
Amaya walked a little farther.
"...And..."
"This is where I sleep."
Haruto looked inside.
A single futon rested neatly in the corner.
Beside it stood a small bookshelf filled with academy books and a few storybooks.
Near the window sat a short wooden desk.
Sheets of paper...
Paintbrushes...
Colored pencils...
And several unfinished paper decorations were spread across it.
Haruto slowly walked toward the desk.
"...You've been making these?"
Amaya nodded.
"...Whenever I have free time."
Haruto picked up one of the folded paper flowers.
"...You're amazing."
Amaya quickly shook her head.
"...I'm still practicing."
Haruto carefully placed it back where it had been.
His eyes wandered around the room once more.
Everything...
Every decoration...
Every shelf...
Every little corner...
Had been arranged with care.
It didn't feel like a house.
It felt...
Like someone had poured their heart into making a home.
Haruto smiled.
"...I like it here."
For a moment...
Amaya simply stared at him.
Then...
A warm smile slowly spread across her face.
"...I'm glad."
She walked over to the low table in the center of the room.
"...Let's finish our notes before it gets late."
Haruto nodded.
"...Right."
The two set their bags beside the table.
As Haruto opened his notebook...
His eyes drifted once more toward the front door.
Then toward Amaya.
"..."
Something still bothered him.
He remembered the large house they had passed earlier.
The one she had quietly called...
"...My old house."
He looked down at his notebook.
He wanted to ask.
But...
Seeing Amaya finally smiling again...
He decided...
It could wait.