At last, he could sleep.
Chiba watched the four of them leave, not turning back until they had long vanished into the small grove. Only then did he gently close the door of the Japanese-style wooden house. After letting out a long breath, he headed toward his bedroom.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
His slightly weary footsteps echoed through the empty wooden house as he made his way upstairs. They stopped only when he reached a certain room and the door clicked softly shut.
Then, with the muffled sound of bedding bearing his weight, the final light in the Japanese-style wooden house went out.
He had not noticed it before.
But now that he thought about it, Hirohiko had made quite extensive renovations to this little house back then...
Lying on his bed, Chiba gazed at the scattered stars beyond the window, his thoughts drifting.
He had never felt it before. He had even thought the Japanese-style wooden house seemed a little small. Yet after living here for a month, Chiba realized that the place was strangely large. Everywhere he went, it felt empty.
Back then, he had even thought about renovating and expanding it in another ten or twenty years. It seemed Hirohiko had been a little unhappy about that.
Now that he thought about it, there really was no need to expand it. Renovating it, perhaps.
And at the time, bringing it up had indeed been rather inappropriate. The house had only just been built, yet he was already dissatisfied and considering renovations and expansion. Hirohiko had shown him a great deal of restraint by not throwing a punch at him.
Just wait a little longer.
Hirohiko, Yukina... everyone.
Wait for me a little longer.
Two or three years. I only need two or three years...
As that thought crossed