*UNEDITED*
'There's a hidden side to everything, in everyone, there is a god but also a demon.'
When she recalled those words, Asuka turned quiet. She wonders since when did he know about it. Exactly when did he plant these seeds and why did you do it? …In the end there will always be questions to matters we will never get the answer too.
"But, it's like I thought."
"Hmm?"
"When it comes to Sumire. Kiragi-san, you talk a lot more."
At that she could feel her cheeks blaze, "!!"as she averted her gaze, " Isn't that only normal? Were friends."
They are friends with each other but she's never actually admitted it, so doing so now is embarrassing.
To her surprise Hamano only responded with a gentle gaze on his face.
Even now that smile has not changed, it's the same as back then. It is something completely unreadable to her. Instead of continuing on that topic, her expression changes slightly.
"We are so to speak born twice. Once to exist, and once to live. Didn't Rousseau say that? Once just to be alive, and once to find a reason for living"
Atushi looked over at her with a puzzled gaze.
She shuts her eyes briefly before she opened them again.𝒇𝘳ee𝚠𝘦𝚋n૦𝐯el coｍ
"Oh well, who am I to judge the way other people live. It's not like everybody knows their reason for existing. Most people go through their whole lives without knowing. I guess you might even see it as excessive. "
"Thinking that way seems complex. I have time of now maybe I can take a stroll around the own."
"Hamano."
"Yes?"
"I can't tell you how to find your answer. Let alone happiness. But, I'll give you a hint. It's something that has always been beside you."
..
Tokyo Metropolitan Office
It was pitch dark when she arrived inside the office but that didn't matter as she walked over to her desk and switched on her computer. There has to be something she can do for those two. Asuka recalled the expression on Hamano Atushis face earlier and sighed. What on earth was that all about? She did not think that person would say such things.
Her thoughts broke off when she heard the sound of the creaking door. Asuka was on alert but only for a moment her gaze softened when she saw who it was.
"Ah Asuka there you are. I heard from the others that you were here. Here are some manju buns, you like these don't you? "
Asuka nodded and told her to leave it on the table. Sumire walked over.
"Today's also your day off isn't it? I half expected to find you training. But even you can get lazy and just sit around and relax."
"Were you not the one who taught me to do that?"
Sumire chuckles. "Indeed."
She hears a shuffling sound and finds Sumire pulling up the spare pillow and laying flat on the ground not too close beside her and yet not too far away.
"Ah this is refreshing, I'm really tired."
"You also had a day off today , correct? Did you go somewhere"
"Ah huh, Yuhi also had a day off so we went to the aquarium. "
Aquarium and she went with Terashima too, in other words they went on a date didn't they? It is still a bit hard for her to accept Sumire dating somebody other than Mamoru. But she was one of the rare few that knew that the guy Sumire waited for this entire time was Yuhi.
"Hey are you listening?"
"I am."
"Anyway Huan was really cute today when he wore that outfit Atsuro bought for him. Ah, natural colours really do look so much nicer on him."
"Perhaps, did you go out as a family?"
'I assumed they didn't spend much time together before the shooting incident, but that is not the case.
It seems she even brought her kid along.
"That's right. It really is rare."
But huh? If that's the case. "I didn't see the kid earlier."
"I brought him back to Atsuros. It would be hard for me to have Huan tag along while I stay with San."
Nagawa Sano, Asuka does not understand why Yuhi asked Nagawa that favour. Why would he entrust Sumire to that guy of all people?
"I had to give you the manju buns.." Sumire mumbles. "That and I wanted to see you."
Asuka sighed. "That does sound nice but this is you we are talking about here, what is the catch?"
Sumire laughed. "As expected of you." She trailed off. "I wanted to see you and ask about Arashi."
"The master?" he repeated.
"Ah huh, actually I ran into him in the aquarium today. He was there with Kensho and some old classmates to plan for the reunion. Ah did he tell you about it? The reunion."
Asuka gave a small nod of conformation as she continued.
"He ended up saving me since I ran into some trouble whilst waiting for me. When he did I thought he really doesn't hesitate to show off when he sees a girl in glasses. Oh I was wearing my glasses earlier today because I wasn't feeling well and the fact that Yuhi said I looked cute with them on."
If you ask her, that's the real reason she left them on. But the aquarium, something came to mind.
"As I recall, does that place not hold special memories for the two of you?" Asuka asked.
"He told you?"
Again another nod. But Asuka kept silent on why Arashi felt the need to tell her. It's because she asked about it, about the two of them in middle school. That story everyone knew and had yet to understand.
"It does and that's why when I went there with Yuhi to have a date awhile back I felt awkward. Although we created our own memories there, somehow something was missing. I, love Yuhi I know that for sure but for some reason Arashi is, no senpai is someone I can't seem to detach myself away from."
"Is that not feelings of love?"
"I'm not sure. He's important and special to me, but to say it's love. I don't think I've ever thought about it that way."
'It's fine, after all I've erased it already.' Asuka recalled something Sumire told her before and paused. Now that she thought about it her friend has always been this way. But back then she did not think too deeply about it. Now that it has gotten this far however she is starting to understand.
For Ibuki Sumire human relationships, no just getting closer to another person is frightening. She wonders what Sumire would think about the words she exchanged with Hamano Atushi earlier.