24 EIGHTH STEP

With a reluctant face, Fuyu took out a new card that Fushimi had given him from the bag. Looking for… looking for… why isn't it there?

"Stupid," said Aki. Fuyu was dumbfounded when Aki took her card out of her wallet right away. "I just forgot, not because I don't have money."

"Eh? But, but…"

Ignoring Fuyu, Aki handed the card over to the owner of the boarding house. "This. For 2 months. Now and next month. Because at that time we were busy with exams. So just reduce it immediately."

"A-Aki?!"

"Hey, kid. Seriously? Are you sure?" asked the owner of the boarding house.

Aki embraced Fuyu and asked her to walk away. "Yes. I told you to reduce it. Next month, Fuyu will pay to make it easier. I'll check the balance notification later," he said. "Come on, Fuyu. We're leaving now."

Along the way, Fuyu protested because of Aki's behavior which was not easy to accept. Good grief! Two months?! Two months?! Doesn't her boyfriend need to eat outside?

"Aki, but that's a lot," said Fuyu.

"Okay. It's better not to talk about it," said Aki. "Do you know? The old man would fill it again in a week even if I didn't ask for it. So it's better to use it."

"Ahh… y-that's right."

"Right," said Aki. "You see the car in front of the boarding gate? There he is. He insisted on picking us up to school so we wouldn't be hit by the forecast for today's blizzard."

Fuyu also turned to the spot that Aki saw. There was an Audi R8 type parked. Inside is Ryuunosuke Takeda, Aki's father who is waiting neatly in the style of a dignified lecturer in a gray long coat. At first Fuyu gave the man a faint smile, but when they got closer, a familiar face that looked like Aki and Takeda also appeared. The face was a little pale. And his figure sat quietly next to Takeda.

DEG

"Older brother?"

Fuyu tensed, the pale figure began to slowly turn around with a weak smile.