Chapter 13: Then I'll head back now.
Lately, it's just Morofushi Sora'aki and Mother Morofushi at home.
When Hiromitsu was in middle school and high school, he would always come home on time after school. After entering university, his schedule became less flexible, but he would still come home to stay at least one day a week.
Now, because Hiromitsu went to police academy, he has even less contact with his family. After all, the first month at police academy is so strict that cell phones are not allowed.
Taka'aki had gone through a similar process, so Morofushi Sora'aki was no stranger to it.
It doesn't matter that his brother isn't home. Morofushi Sora'aki is used to spending his time alone anyway, and he can go out and play with his friends after he goes to sleep, so he won't be too bored.
If it's just about going to school... After washing up and eating breakfast, Morofushi Sora'aki pulled out his schoolbag, which he hadn't touched in two years, from the closet.
Those were the standard shoulder bags required by the school at the time. The basic color was brown, but many students would add their own little touches, such as keychains or backpack buckles.
Morofushi Sora'aki has such a small accessory, which is an amulet sewn with the wish for peace.
The amulet is small and doesn't look out of place as a decoration on the schoolbag; in fact, it serves as the only bright spot. The amulet is slightly bulging in the middle, clearly indicating that something is inside.
Morofushi Sora'aki reached out and squeezed the protective charm; the uneven, hard lump was slightly rough to the touch.
Generally speaking, the amulets contain paper scriptures or small wooden boards. However, since these amulets are homemade and purely for psychological comfort, it doesn't really matter what you put inside.
So—it's not so strange that there's a piece of stone that seems to be found anywhere else in there.
Morofushi Sora'aki squeezed the small cloth bag containing the stones again. It was a stone fragment that he had picked up by some strange impulse when he passed by the entrance of the shrine during the New Year a year before he started school, when his family took him there.
Morofushi Sora'aki has an excellent memory, so good that he can perfectly recall even his feelings and thoughts at a certain moment more than ten years ago.
But he couldn't quite remember why he had suddenly become interested in that small, ubiquitous stone.
He even put it in a small cloth bag with the amulet and carried it with him. Even after he dropped out of school, the bag with the amulet was always kept in the closet. It could be said that he was with Morofushi Sora'aki every day.
Morofushi Sora'aki didn't necessarily want to answer this question. He put down the amulet and decided to answer his mother's question about going to high school.
It was Mom who brought this up, and she was the one who was surprised after receiving a definite reply.
"Is it really okay?" Mother Morofushi touched her youngest son's hair, a hint of worry on her face.
"It's okay, I can pass the exam."
"Mom isn't worried about that…" Mother Morofushi paused for a few seconds, then finally smiled gently and said softly, "But Mom believes in Sora'aki, she can definitely do it."
There's still some time before high school registration next year, so there's no rush regarding the procedures.
Mother Morofushi stroked her youngest son's hair, calculated the time, and said with a smile, "After Hiromitsu graduates from police academy, I can still attend your entrance ceremony."
Morofushi Sora'aki blinked but didn't speak.
Morofushi Hiromitsu always paid great attention to communication with his family. After he was able to apply for telephone access, he always managed to meet Date Wataru at the place where he made the call.
Thus, Morofushi Hiromitsu would be subjected to sweet attacks from his lover every time.
"Squad leader, don't ask me to join you on the phone next time." Morofushi Hiromitsu sighed deeply in front of his classmate: "Every time I have to listen to you and your girlfriend having a sweet, long phone conversation—isn't that just bullying me?"
Date Wataru laughed heartily: "Then I'll hit you from behind next time?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "...Isn't it still the same? We're going back the same way!"
Since they happened to be going the same way, Date Wataru, who habitually invited his friend, laughed even more heartily.
"I can understand the squad leader's perspective, after all, she's his girlfriend… Hiromitsu, do you also have someone you absolutely have to call every day?" Hagiwara Kenji asked with interest.
"Although I don't know what you're thinking, I can assure you it's definitely not what you're thinking." Furuya Rei commented.
Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow: "So you know?"
Furuya Rei nodded: "More or less."
Morofushi Hiromitsu explained with a smile, "Didn't I mention before that I have a younger brother? It's not convenient for me to go back right now, so I thought I should at least maintain some contact with him."
Hagiwara Kenji remarked, "You and your brother have such a good relationship. My sister and I don't contact each other that often."
Matsuda Jinpei: "I'm an only child, this question is beyond my level."
Furuya Rei shrugged, while Date Wataru sighed, "Among us, you two are probably the only ones with brothers and sisters, right?"
"The feelings between a younger brother and an older sister are different, right? My brother and I don't actually see each other that often." Morofushi Hiromitsu said helplessly, "After all, Taka'aki-nii is very busy with work, and I don't go out of my way to bother him."
Hagiwara Kenji noticed the blind spot: "So, if he's not busy, you'll still keep in touch?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled gently but did not answer the question.
Furuya Rei commented, "Hiro's family relationships have always been very good, so good that it's enviable."
Morofushi Hiromitsu smiled and said, "As an honorary relative of our family, Furuya-kun, do you remember to include yourself in this?"
Furuya Rei: "..."
"Ah! Zero's blushing!" Matsuda Jinpei suddenly said, pointing at Furuya Zero.
Hagiwara Kenji blinked: "Jinpei-chan, how did you see Furuya-chan blushing through that dark face?!"
Furuya Rei: "You two—!"
"Hahaha!"
The topic was casually skipped over, and Morofushi Hiromitsu concluded with a smile: "Maybe we'll meet again in the future. I'd really like to introduce you to Taka'aki and Sora'aki."
After all, when he met Zero, he was so happy that he immediately told Taka'aki, and then happily invited Zero to his home.
However, Morofushi Hiromitsu did not expect the opportunity to come so quickly.
After solving a sudden case outside the school, Morofushi Hiromitsu looked at Morofushi Sora'aki in surprise, who was standing on the other side of the road, holding a chocolate banana in his hand. The two made eye contact.
Morofushi Sora'aki thought for a moment, then raised his hand in greeting. After handing the prisoner over to Date Wataru and making sure there was nothing else for him to do, Morofushi Hiromitsu jogged over: "Sora'aki? What brings you here?"
Morofushi Sora'aki held up the chocolate banana in his hand: "I suddenly had a craving for it, so I came over."
Morofushi Sora'aki is not picky about desserts at all, so this is an obvious excuse.
However, Morofushi Hiromitsu didn't expose him, but just smiled with his eyes crinkling: "That's perfect, brother. You still have some free time ahead of you. Is there anywhere you'd like to go, Sora'aki?"
Morofushi Sora'aki didn't answer directly, his gaze falling on the other four police academy students who were looking in their direction: "My brother's classmates?"
"Yes, they're also my brother's friends." Morofushi Hiromitsu turned to look at his friends and asked his younger brother, "Is Sora'aki curious about them?"
Because, unusually, Morofushi Sora'aki's gaze wasn't on his own family, but rather on Matsuda Jinpei and Hagiwara Kenji. However, since the other four were gathered together, Morofushi Hiromitsu couldn't distinguish who Morofushi Sora'aki's gaze was actually fixed on.
This is a rare occurrence, and Morofushi Hiromitsu was delighted to see it happen.
Since Sora didn't object, Morofushi Hiromitsu simply led his younger brother to his friend and introduced him naturally: "This is my younger brother, Sora'aki, whom I've mentioned to you before."
"You two really do look alike! You brothers." Date Wataru was the first to exclaim.
"Long time no see, Sora'aki." Furuya Rei replied.
"I can tell you're brothers at a glance—Sora'aki-chan, may I call you that?" Hagiwara Kenji greeted him with a smile.
Matsuda Jinpei nodded somewhat awkwardly: "Hello."
Morofushi Sora'aki asked a rather abrupt question: "Do you guys play video games?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu was taken aback and looked down at his younger brother in confusion. The three people opposite him were also a little confused, but they still answered his friend's younger brother's question.
What game are you referring to?
If it were one of the two people he knew, they would have recognized the name Morofushi Sora'aki immediately upon hearing it, and wouldn't have asked what the game was. So it's not the same person; the answer is obvious.
Morofushi Sora'aki, who had only gone out out of curiosity after hearing the names from her brother's phone call, calmly shifted her gaze from Matsuda Jinpei and Hagiwara Kenji and said to her brother, "It's nothing, I'll go back now, brother."