(Shizuku’s POV)

  After returning from college, I decide to proceed with my usual duties around our temple before I start on my assignment. As I’m sorting our medicinal herbs and potions, Take-chan comes into the room, with an obviously dispirited demeanour.“Ane-ue, is Ani-ue not coming to see us anymore?”

  “...”

  I come down from the step-dder, walk over to him and hug him gently.

  “Don’t worry, Take-chan. Daisuke-san said that he has some important work, but as soon as he’s finished, he’ll visit us again.”

  “I know, but it’s been two weeks, Ane-ue!”, Take-chan whines. “And you haven’t gotten a phone call! Are you sure it’s really just work?!”

  …That is true, but it’s not like he’s obligated to ring me. It’s not like I’m his girlfriend or anything.

  I would like it if he were to just ring or MINE me at least once a week, though. Don’t I deserve to at least hear his voice? What could he be doing that prevents him from just sending me a single message.

  “Ane-ue?”

  “Uhm...I know you’re lonely without him coming around, Take-chan, but you’ll have to be patient. He’ll definitely come to see us again.”

  I find myself saying this to convince myself as well as Take-chan. But I-we need to have a bit of faith.

  “Okay…”

  Before bed, I’ll go check on Jii-chan and see how he’s doing before I get ready for bed. Surprisingly, I find him out of bed and standing in front of his nightstand, gazing deeply at a framed photograph.

  “Ah, it’s ya Shizu-chan.”

  “Jii-chan, you know that you shouldn’t be on your feet for so long.”, I chide him gently.

  Jii-chan snorts as he pces the photo back into the nightstand and tries to climb back into bed, of course I go to assist him.

  “Like they say: ‘Once a man, twice a child.’”, he mutters grumpily. “I never thought there would come a time where I would be treated like this again.”

  “It’s not because you’re old, Jii-chan. You have to recall that you’re ill.”, I say. “Do you need anything?”

  “No, I’m fine. Let this ol’ bag of bones get some sleep.”

  “Alright, good night.”

  Just as I reach the door, Jii-chan calls out to me.

  “Shizu-chan, what’s the deal with that Daito boy? I ain’t sensed his mana around here recently.”

  …??? Daito? Who’s that? Wait, does he mean-

  "His name’s Daisuke, Jii-chan. He’s busy with work, so he won’t be around for about a while.”

  “I see, so that's why you’ve been so pensive tely, eh? Yer boyfriend’s gone away.”

  Doing my best to hide my thoroughly flushed face, I bid Jii-chan good night again before hastily leaving his room.

  I’ve been trying to fall asleep for the past twenty minutes, but my thoughts just won’t stop racing! Daisuke-san didn’t even say how long he would be gone for, which is unusual, because he always lets me know things like that. And what kind of work is it that he’s doing that would keep him away for so long? And I’m sure that he would tell me that he was leaving the country if he was...

  Is Take-chan right? Is it more than just work?

  Is he being threatened? Is he in debt? Or is it-

  “Renford Arianne.”

  That’s what it is, she’s preventing him from coming to see me, the meddlesome girl. Why be under-handed? Why not come and say it to my face?

  “No, no, no, no! I shouldn’t be feeling like this! I shouldn’t just assume the worst of people like this, even if I feel jealous and spiteful.”

  If Daisuke-san can’t come visit anymore, that’s fine. We’ll just have to accept that, no matter how much it hurts. It’ll be fine, it’ll be completely fine.

  Despite trying to convince myself, I didn’t manage to get to sleep until hours ter. Luckily, I don’t have any csses until the afternoon. Maybe I should go back to sleep, and try to take my mind off of things.

  “Ane-ue! Ane-ue!”

  Take-chan burst into my room, full of vigour. Not far behind him is Haha-ue, a warm, soft smile spread across her face.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Come look, come on, come on!”

  Take-chan rudely pulls me out of the bed, causing me to fall on my face! How uncivilised!

  “Ow! Haha-ue, shouldn’t you reprimand Take-chan for such senseless violence?!”

  “He’s just happy, Shizuku. And if you follow him you’ll see why.”

  I finally relent and let myself be (rudely) dragged along by Take-chan. He takes me outside, where a box lies on our wooden porch. Blinking, I crouch down to pick it up.

  “A parcel?”

  There’s a note that’s attached to that reads:

  ‘Hullo, Shizuku-san and Take, it’s Daisuke. Sorry about not having kept in touch with you lot ever since work has started, but don’t fret, I will be visiting you two as soon as I get the chance. I decided to drop this package off early, because I wouldn’t get the chance to do so otherwise, but here are the books for you and the action figure for Take. Take them as birthday presents. Hopefully, they’re not beted. Be sure to keep up with your English and that Take stays focused with his training, and I’ll be seeing you soon!’

  “It’s from Daisuke-san!”, I cry out, my glee getting the better of me.

  “When I saw his name, I had to come tell you!”, Take-chan says happily. “Go on, open it!”

  With a nod, I open the box to reveal its contents. It’s full to the brim with books and a handful of tokusatsu models!

  “WOOOOOOW!!! THE GREEN SENTAI’S MECHA FROM MAGIC FORCE! ANI-UE IS SO COOL!!!!"

  Take-chan grabs up all of the models and scampers to his room. Leaving Haha-ue to ugh sweetly at him.

  “Seems like there was no need to worry after all, eh, Shizuku?”

  All I can do is smile giddily as I clutch one of the books to my chest.

  Daisuke-san….I can’t wait to see you again..