Night had come.
The living room lights shone brightly, and the books and assignment papers were finally closed one by one.
Arou lay down on the sofa.
"Finally… it's done."
Haru let out a long sigh.
"Exhausting."
"Indeed," Duri replied while stretching his shoulders.
Akari looked at them.
"Do you want some tea?"
"Sure," Haru and Duri answered almost at the same time.
Akari stood up and headed to the kitchen. Not long after, she returned carrying several cups of warm tea.
They sat down again and began drinking.
"Warm," Arou said softly.
"Yeah," Haru said. "My body feels relieved."
"And the tiredness is starting to disappear," Duri added.
After they finished their tea, the atmosphere became quiet again. Haru and Duri stood up and tidied their bags.
"Arou, Akari," Haru said.
"We'll head home now, okay?"
"Yeah," Arou replied.
"Be careful on the way home."
"See you tomorrow," Akari added.
Haru and Duri waved, then left the house.
The door slowly closed.
Only silence remained—
and a warmth that did not come only from the tea.
Haru and Duri had said goodbye and gone home, leaving Arou's house now filled with his friends and family: Arou, Hikari, Lumina, Airi, Akari, Shi, Nora, and Priscilla.
The living room lights illuminated the room warmly. Books, papers, and stationery were still scattered around, but the atmosphere felt comfortable.
Arou sat on the sofa, looking at Nora, who was still in her cat form, sleeping comfortably on Hikari's lap.
"Such an annoying cat," he muttered, but a faint smile appeared on his face.
Hikari looked at Arou.
"Father, aren't you tired?"
"A little," Arou answered. "Thankfully, the school assignment is finished."
Lumina sat in the corner of the living room, closing her book.
"If you keep daydreaming, don't be surprised if you fall asleep on the sofa, Arou," she said with a faint smile.
Airi looked at Arou with a smile.
"If you're tired, Arou, you can rest first. We can talk by ourselves."
Akari sat on the floor near Hikari.
"Do you guys want to play cards or just talk for a while? So tonight can feel more relaxing, Arou," she said with a smile.
Shi sat on a chair near the window, looking outside for a moment before turning toward Arou.
"Don't get too tired, Arou," she said gently.
Priscilla smiled while leaning against the sofa.
"It feels nice here, doesn't it, Arou?" she said. "All of you make this house feel alive."
Nora meowed softly, opened her eyes for a moment, then lazily went back to sleep.
"Hmph… I'll just join you, Arou," she grumbled, though her eyes sparkled slightly.
Arou looked at all of them, and for the first time in a long while, he felt… truly at home.
Not merely a place to live, but a home filled with people who cared about him.
And that made him feel alive again.
Lonely? No. Crowded? Yes. But warm and peaceful, like a perfect night at his own home.
That morning, sunlight slipped through the windows of Arou's house.
The atmosphere inside the house felt warm, filled with the aroma of freshly cooked breakfast and the sound of light footsteps.
Hikari hurried to the kitchen.
"Father, breakfast is ready!" she called cheerfully.
Arou lifted his face from the sofa and smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Hikari. I'm coming now," he replied as he stood up.
At the dining table, Lumina was already sitting, arranging the plates and glasses.
"Hurry up, Arou, or the food will get cold,"
she said, her tone sarcastic, though a faint smile still appeared.
Airi, Akari, and Priscilla sat together, chatting casually.
"Good morning, Arou," Airi said with a smile.
"Good morning, Arou," Akari greeted him.
"Morning, Arou," Priscilla said gently.
Shi sat on a chair near the window, looking outside for a moment before turning toward Arou.
"Good morning, Arou. Did you sleep well?"
Arou smiled and shook his head.
"Yeah, I slept well… but this morning feels warm because all of you are here."
Nora, who was still in her cat form, jumped onto Hikari's lap.
Hikari smiled and gently stroked Nora's head.
"Don't worry, Sis Nora, you'll get breakfast too," she said sweetly.
Nora only meowed softly and moved her tail, looking satisfied.
"Hmph…" Nora grumbled softly, but remained affectionate.
Hikari looked at Lumina, who was sitting on the sofa.
"Sis Lumina, your breakfast will get cold. Hurry up and eat," she said.
Hikari turned toward Priscilla.
"Sis Priscilla, would you like some warm tea?"
Hikari smiled at Akari and Shi.
"Sis Akari, Sis Shi, you two should have breakfast too," she said cheerfully.
After breakfast, they sat in the living room while joking around casually.
Lumina complained because Arou was too slow to open the window.
Priscilla laughed at Nora, who suddenly jumped onto Hikari's lap.
Akari was busy preparing warm drinks for everyone.
Hikari continued petting Nora while occasionally calling out to her Father.
Arou looked at all of them and smiled faintly.
"This house… really feels alive," he thought.
It was not just a house, but a place where everyone important to him had gathered.
And that morning, with light jokes, the aroma of breakfast, and the laughter of his friends and family,
Arou felt, for the first time in a long while… truly happy.
After finishing breakfast, Arou and Akari were ready with their school bags, their uniforms neat, their steps slow but certain.
"Are you ready?" Akari asked while adjusting her bag.
"Yeah, let's go," Arou replied, his voice calm.
They left the house, closed the door behind them, and began walking along the path leading to school.
The morning air felt fresh, the gentle wind brushing against their faces, and the only sound they could hear was their footsteps.
"Yesterday's group assignment was pretty exhausting, huh?" Akari said while looking at Arou.
"Yeah… but at least we finished it," Arou replied, looking at the road ahead.
Akari smiled faintly. "If you want, we can sit together in class later.
It'll be easier if I'm near you."
Arou nodded. "Yeah, I agree."
They walked for several minutes, passing small shops that were beginning to open, the sound of a bell from a nearby shrine, and the aroma of toasted bread from a bakery across the street.
Everything felt ordinary, but Arou enjoyed its simplicity. No disturbances, no excessive crowds.
"By the way," Arou said while briefly looking at Akari, "did you practice for yesterday's assignment?"
"Yeah, a little. But I think I still need to study more," Akari answered, her tone calm but serious.
They walked slowly along the sidewalk, sometimes side by side, sometimes with a little distance between them.
"I'm glad I can walk to school with you," Akari suddenly said, making Arou flinch slightly.
"Yeah… me too," Arou replied briefly, holding back a smile.
Several birds chirped in the trees along the road, while the leaves gently swayed in the breeze.
That morning felt warm, peaceful, and comfortable—just two people walking together, without disturbances, without noise.
"We're almost at school," Akari said. "If we keep going like this, we'll get there on time."
Arou looked at the school that was beginning to appear at the end of the road and took a long breath.
"Yeah… that's probably better."
They walked the last few steps, the atmosphere quiet but calming, until the school gate finally appeared in front of them.
Arou stared at the gate for a moment, took a breath, and thought to himself,
"Today will be an ordinary day, but… I'm glad I can start it with Akari."
No drama, no trouble, just a peaceful morning, their footsteps, and the sound of the city slowly coming to life.
They entered the school, ready to face a new day as usual, relaxed, but slightly warmer because a friend was by their side.