Sorry for the unbelievably short chapter guys. The next one will most likely be a similar length as well because I want to get both out of the way and post them today. Next chapter shall be in Ikuto's point of view.

Chapter 29

Today I feel…warm and fuzzy.

Two days had passed since I finally went to school, and even though the autumn air was crisp with the cool air, I was radiating heat and happiness. It was evident to my mother too, as I merrily jumped down the stairs earlier that morning before I had left for school.

"Well look who woke up at the right side of the bed this morning." She had said. I couldn't help but smile as I said something cheesy like "it's a new day".

It was a new day though; a new day to continue with my medial school life of greatness. Maybe the next two years would fly by if I kept this up. Graduation would come by in a flash and I could put everything behind me as I would start my new life as an adult.

A few nights ago at dinner, I made sure to set my mother straight on her spending. I even made sure to jot out a list of what she was allowed to buy and what was off limits. I didn't actually expect her to follow it though. She had earned that money fair and square.

Also, dinner was surprisingly bearable. My mom steered clear from any overly personal questions, especially those about my other family at Choshi. She mostly asked me about my first day at school and any friends I had made. I nearly lost it when she started trying to make me compare my first day at Miyabigaoka and that of Choshi. By the end of dinner, I was on edge from having to keep guard on the questions that never came.

Even today as I walked to school (now knowing the route), everything just seemed more bright and welcoming. I could do this. I could really, actually do this. The pain in my heart was still there, but it was a dull pain, one that if I didn't think about it, the pain could almost cease to exist. I almost felt guilty about this too. Not two days ago was I wishing that he was as miserable as I, and now here I was pushing forward with my life. What if he was actually miserable? Whatever he was feeling, I had to forget about it.

The walk to school was cold and quiet. The rain had all but left, leaving a damp Tokyo in its wake.