Emerald Leaf

A Fairy's Ring

Haru was sitting in the living room, twirling Akina's letter between his fingers. His mom had let him keep the letter, and Haru kept it as a keepsake. Shun walked over.

"Haru?" Shun asked, curious eyes on the letter.

"What are you doing here in Gravi's dorm?"

"Came to find Hajime," Shun smiled flirtatiously.

Haru sighed.

"What's that?" Shun asked, eyes on the paper.

"A letter, from my sister."

Shun held out a hand, leaving Haru with the choice to show it or not. Haru hesitated, before he handed it to him.

Hajime silently came in and leaned against the wall, unnoticed by Shun, but Haru nodded to him to acknowledge that he saw him there.

Shun read the letter quietly, his eyes narrowing with each line, before he handed it back to Haru. "Do you think it could be Aki?" he asked, Aki's similarities to Haru flashing before his eyes.

Haru shook his head. "Aki never said she came from the fairy's land. She simply said she ran away." Haru looked at Shun thoughtfully. "Although, I suppose we could ask her."

"Her knowledge of fairies is a little extensive."

"It could have been from a book like she said." Haru tilted his head. "She does enjoy reading. She's been borrowing books from Aoi to the point he's told her she's free to take anything off his shelf."

Shun smiled at this. "You're in denial."

"I'm just not getting my hopes up."

Shun nodded and sat down next to Haru, noticing Hajime leaning against the wall.

"Hajime, how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to hear everything that happened."

Shun held out a hand as if asking him for something, the way a fairy might ask someone to give their name. "Your thoughts?"

Hajime looked at Haru. "Whatever you do, don't regret your decision."

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"Haru!" I called, barrelling into the living room.

Haru looked up in surprise, as Shun and Hajime smiled.

"What's wrong?"

I walked over to him and held out a jar, which was filled to the brim with candy. "I can't open it."

Shun laughed as Haru's lips twitched slightly upward. Hajime merely looked amused.

"You could've asked anyone, you know," said Shun, still laughing.

"My default is to ask Haru," I shrugged.

Haru took the jar from me, and opened it with no effort at all, while I stared at it. He handed it back to me, while I looked inside the now open jar. "I probably loosened it up for you," I said with great dignity.

Haru started laughing too. "Sure. Just don't eat too much."

I smiled and left.

That night, I stood in the backyard, watching the stars, murmuring the names of constellations under my breath. Was it just me, or did it seem like the stars were moving?

I heard footsteps and looked around to see Daniel walking towards me.

"Daniel?"

He nodded, and gestured to me, as if asking, 'What's your name?'