Shiori asked, walking part of the way with Haru.

Haruto hesitated; he still had no idea whether I wanted anyone to know or not.

«Yeah... Sora's father passed away... An accident.»

He spoke in a restrained tone.

«He puts on a brave face, but I worry about him...» he searched for the words.

«He always acts cheerful and plays around... But who knows what goes through the mind of someone who has lost a family member.»

Shiori didn't whisper a word. Probably even the most rational person in the world couldn't have known.

«I haven't known you guys for very long, but I'm convinced that when he's with you, or with Akari, he feels a bit lighter.»

«I hope so. He's a good guy and an even better friend.»

«Yeah, he's a golden boy, besides being annoying.» Shiori hinted at a smile.

At the exact same time as their discussion, I was still standing in front of Akari with tears in my eyes.

«Damn it... Crying like this is not like me.» I swiped the sleeve of my jacket across my face. To no avail.

«Sora...» she blocked my arm, now clearly seeing my face.

«There's no need to hide anything.»

She stepped closer, hugging me. I felt her scent around me once again, but this time, it calmed me down.

We stayed like that for a moment, maybe a few minutes, I don't remember.

The only thing that separated us was the sound of Karen's car brakes.

«Miss-»

She stopped herself from adding anything else. She had definitely sensed the atmosphere.

We separated immediately.

«You'd better go.» I told her, smiling. This time, it was a sincere smile.

«Yeah... I guess I should go too...» she looked at me.

«Are you feeling a bit better?» she asked in the end.

«I wouldn't know. Maybe a little lighter.»

At that phrase, she reciprocated with a smile. I had never brought up that topic before, neither with my mother nor with anyone else. But maybe, I needed to.

When Akari got into the car, she waved goodbye to me once more. I did the same before watching her drive away again.

Back in the house, I sat down on a kitchen chair, strangely feeling happier.

I turned to look at the spots where the others had just been sitting.

Haru, Akari, and Shiori. Three interesting little types.

I closed my eyes. I couldn't really say what I was tired from, maybe the work we had done or the crying, but regardless, I fell asleep shortly after.

I dreamed of a moment from my childhood. I was with my father, sitting on his shoulders as we walked home.

«Dad, how did you fall in love with mom?» I asked him. It was the classic question a child would ask his father.

«How did you come up with a question like that?»

I could barely remember the light blush that spread across his face.

«You and mom have been together for a long time. I was curious.»

«Well, curiosity is a good thing. How I fell in love with her...» he repeated, casting his eyes up at the sky as if searching his memory.

«Well?» I insisted, impatient.

«I'm telling you now,» he replied.

«It was back when we were both in high school. She was on the volleyball team, and she was incredibly good. I had already had a chance to get to know her and found her astonishing right away.» he smiled.

«Sometimes I'd go watch her practice, in secret. And on one of those exact days, I completely messed up the trajectory.» he chuckled.

«The ball hit me right in the face.» He touched his nose as if he could still feel that pain. I stayed silent, listening to him.

«Once in the infirmary, they told me I had a contusion. Nothing serious, but painful nonetheless.»

«And what does mom have to do with it?» I asked.

«Let me finish and you'll find out,» he replied.

«She arrived still wearing her gym tracksuit. She apologized a million times. But seeing her worry about me, seeing her suffer along with me...» he paused.

«Made it clear to me that I couldn't live without her.»

He bent down to the ground, letting me slide down. We were home now.

«I hope you liked the little story,» he told me.

«Yeah, a lot!»

«Sora...» his expression changed.

«See you, okay?»

I looked at him, confused. Everything around me started to fade away. I was waking up.

«Sora! Sora!» a voice kept calling me.

«Wake up!»

I jolted out of the chair.

«Who is it?! Who wants to fight?!» I yelled.

«What the hell are you talking about?» my mother commented, looking at me with a perplexed expression.

«Mom?» I managed to bring her into focus only when I fully woke up.

«Is that any way to wake people up!» I scolded her, in a cautious tone. I was afraid of her.

«Why did you fall asleep at the table? And did you finish the work with the others?»

«Yeah, don't worry, everything's fine.» I reassured her.

«What a pity Akari isn't here anymore. I promised to show her your pictures,» she commented.

«Please, enough with that story.»

Hearing that name mentioned made my heart beat faster.

«Everything alright?» She asked, observing my reaction.

«Y-yeah. It's nothing.»

Why do I feel so warm? What is this feeling?

My father's words kept echoing in my head.

Am I... Could I be... falling in love with Akari?