The next day, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease from my dream. The rain had stopped, and the sun peeked through the clouds, but the weight of the previous day’s events lingered. As I walked to school, the memory of Yui's silent kindness played over and over in my mind. There was something about her that felt different, like she was more than just a part of my dream.
In class, I kept stealing glances at Yui, trying to decipher the enigma she represented. She was quiet, always sitting alone, and seemed to be lost in her own world. During lunch, I decided to follow her, curious about where she went when she left the school grounds. I saw her slip through a side gate and followed at a distance.
Yui walked to a small park nearby and sat on a bench, staring at the sky. I hesitated for a moment before approaching her. "Hey, Yui," I said awkwardly, unsure of how to start a conversation. She looked at me with her big, brown eyes, a hint of surprise in them.
"Haruto, right?" she asked softly. I nodded, sitting down beside her.
"Thanks for the chocolate milk yesterday and today," I began, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Why do you always give it to me?"
Yui smiled faintly, looking down at her hands. "You looked like you needed it," she said simply. "Sometimes, small acts of kindness can make a big difference."
Her words struck a chord with me. We sat in silence for a while, watching the clouds drift by. There was a calmness about Yui that made me feel at ease, despite the confusion swirling in my mind.
As we walked back to school, I felt a strange connection forming between us. It was as if Yui understood something about my situation that I didn’t. The rest of the day passed uneventfully, but my thoughts kept returning to our conversation in the park.
That evening, back in the mansion, the atmosphere was tense again. Daichi and Aiko were discussing something in hushed tones, and Hana was unusually quiet. At dinner, Daichi finally addressed me. "Haruto, we've decided to send you to a different school," he announced.
The news hit me like a punch to the gut. "What? Why?" I protested, my mind racing.
"We believe a fresh start will do you good," Aiko added gently. "You've been struggling, and we think this will help."
Frustration and anger welled up inside me. "You can't just decide my life for me!" I shouted, storming out of the dining room. Outside, the evening air was cool and calming, but it did little to soothe my turbulent emotions.
I wandered through the garden, my thoughts a chaotic mess. As I sat on a bench, the rabbit with the red hat appeared again. It hopped closer, looking at me with curious eyes. In that moment, the boundaries between dream and reality blurred once more. I reached out and patted its head, feeling the softness of its fur.
The music from my dream began to play, and I felt the familiar pull of sleep. I fought against it, but the dream world was relentless. This time, I found myself in a different place—a vast, open field under a starry sky. Yui was there, standing a few feet away.
"Welcome back, Haruto," she said with a serene smile. "This is where our true journey begins."
