Haruto stood by the school gate, leaning casually as his thumb scrolled through his phone, looking for nearby date spots.
The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves, some swirling around him as they danced to the ground.
Draped around his neck was a brown scarf, handmade by Haruka.
He smiled faintly at the memory of her learning to knit from Chiyo who had an almost obsessive love for the craft.
She could turn anything into an excuse to knit—once, a stray kitten found its way into their yard, and by the next day, it had a custom sweater and hat.
However, his smile faded as another memory intruded. His father, Akihito, had thrown the kitten out, grumbling about hating animals.
"Hah… just remembering that pisses me off," Haruto muttered, stuffing his free hand into his pocket.
His gaze drifted to the horizon as his thoughts darkened.
'And where the hell is that drunkard anyway?'