Here is the final part for Volume 2. Spoiler: Part 4 (Complete) Akito receives a LINE message from Sono asking when he’ll be home. Akito tries to tell himself that Sono is only asking to coordinate the timing of dinner or the cleaning, but he is also a little afraid that it might mean that Sono plans to leave before he gets back. Kanako sees Akito off at the station and passes a large bag filled with apples to take with him. He complains: he had come empty handed and wanted to go back empty handed. Kanako tells Akito that he brought everything on himself because he never contacts the family, that’s why they had to force him to come back like this. Akito tells Kanako that she found a good man, and to treasure him. Kanako balks and says Akito’s acting gross, but she knows. And she knows that her fiance isn’t just a substitute for her mother. She’s not just pouring all her love into him that she otherwise would have poured into her mother to only receive nothing from her in return. Akito doesn’t tell Kanako to be happy. It seems too heavy and vague, and it would probably cause her more angst as she tries to sort what it means to be normal. He just tells her to live her life the way she wants to. Kanako gives an obvious robotic thanks in return, but she tells Akito to stay strong, because Sono has just as many difficult issues that she does. She is right and it makes his scar feel itchy. Akito falls asleep on the train back, probably because he had been up so late. When he wakes up, it’s night time and he gets a message from Sono. He’s at the station at the South gates. Akito wonders if it means that Sono is waiting there to pick him up? That’s the only interpretation he can make. But for Sono to say that? After their awkward fight? In such a public place? Akito wonders if he accidently left his cell phone on, and Sono heard everything that he said. It’s impossible, but then his head moves on to more negative possibilities. Maybe he finally wants to end this? Akito stares at the speech balloons, but he can’t tell what it means. And before long, he arrives at Tokyo Station. He can’t ignore it, so he grabs the bag of apples and heads to the South gates. Akito spots Sono waiting quietly among the crowd of people. He looks like he’s barely there, like he might disappear at any moment. Akito thinks this faintness of his is what makes Sono stand out, but Sono would probably never agree. He’s the type of person to say that no one will notice if he’s there or not. Akito completely disagrees with the sentiment. He has always found Sono wherever he was. Akito sees that Sono only has his work bag with him, and he feels relieved, but then again, it might not mean anything since Sono never takes much with him anyway. Akito leaves the gate and stands in front of Sono. Sono tells Akito, welcome back. Akito says, I’m back, and asks if there’s anything the matter. Or if there’s something else? But Sono just shakes his head. He just wanted to meet and pick him up from the station for once. Sono doesn’t immediately look away like he always does and gazes directly back at Akito. Sono’s eyes are round and black, without any light within their depths, so they look like charcoal, reflecting nothingness in return. But when Sono is overcome with emotion, his eyes emit a light like the moon or fireflies. Akito is probably the only one who has seen this kind of light from Sono. Right now, Sono’s eyes look wet with warmth and gentleness from something that had happened to him. Sono asks if it bothers Akito? Should he have waited at the North gates? Akito says it’s fine and tells himself to get a grip. He says let’s go and starts walking. He asks if Sono wants to eat out somewhere. He wants Sono to decide. Sono moves from behind Akito to walk next to him and says he wants to eat at home. He wants to cook. Akito wonders, at home? Does he mean my apartment? It sounds all lovey-dovey to him, and he doesn’t know how to react. He wonders if he’s dreaming right now. He hasn’t seen Sono with his guard lowered in so many years. But he doesn’t ask about it, because it might complicate things between them, so he decides to roll with it for now. He can figure things out slowly as they come. Maybe Sono had a major revelation similar to Akito when they were apart for a day. Akito says with gusto, Alright, let’s go home. Sono asks what he wants to eat, and Akito says maybe something red. Sono asks if it’s because of the apples. He suggests maybe cooking the apples in with the rice. Akito asks if it’s good, but Sono doesn’t know, he just wanted to try saying it. Sono looks like he’s enjoying himself. It makes Akito worry all the more with so many things going the right way, but he doesn’t say anything as they ride the train back home. They stop by the supermarket first. Akito asks if Sono is doing okay. Sono says yes, he’s fine now. He has something he has to apologize for. He tells Akito that he let Minoru up to his apartment yesterday. Akito knows it had tormented Sono so he asks why. Sono answers, because I just saw him there. It’s not an answer, but Akito lets it go. What did they do there? Sono answers simply that he gave him something to eat and talked a little, that’s all. Akito knows that it’s not that simple for Sono. Sono agrees. Somehow, he can’t explain it, it turned into something that seemed to be necessary for himself. At any rate, Sono just felt like doing something, so he did. And Minoru wasn’t afraid of him, he thinks. Akito is glad. For Sono and for Minoru. The landlady spots them at the supermarket and says hello. Akito offers her some apples that he got from his family. He expects her to accept them happily, but she doesn’t smile. She asks if they saw Minoru yesterday. Sono is shocked and asks why. The landlady tells them that the police went to Minoru’s apartment last night. The sounds of dishes breaking and the father yelling sounded so bad that the neighbors called the police. The neighbor had a pretty hefty friend over, so they went to Minoru’s place together. With such a large man there, the father settled down, but he kept saying it’s all Minoru’s fault. Sono wonders how could such a weak and young boy do anything to hurt him. Apparently, Minoru had asked his father why he hated him, and it got the father all worked up. There were two police cars that showed up, and the police put Minoru in one car and the father in the other. The children’s welfare center already received a lot of reports about them, so they probably took Minoru under custody. The landlady stopped by the apartment earlier, but no one answered the door. She’s sad that things had to turn out this way before they could get Minoru some help, but Akito says that maybe Minoru doesn’t have to go back to that place anymore. It would be a tough road for Minoru if he has to live with other relatives or at an orphanage, but Akito has to say it out loud. For Sono’s sake. Akito thanks the landlady for letting them know the news. When Akito turns back to look at Sono, his eyes look empty and soulless. Akito reaches to grab his hand, but it’s cold, almost like ice. Sono says that it’s his fault. His lips barely move and there’s no power in his voice. Akito tells Sono that it can’t be his fault and he tries to warm up Sono’s hand for him, but Sono doesn't notice anything and just repeats that it’s his fault. Akito takes his hand, leads him back to the apartment somehow, and sits him on the sofa. Akito asks him what’s wrong. It can’t be Sono’s fault. It was the father who hurt Minoru, so it’s not Sono’s responsibility. Akito kneels in front of Sono, holds his pale-looking face with both hands, and looks up at him. Sono’s eyes are unfocused, and Akito wonders if Sono even sees him as a bit of warmth and comfort? Someone who’s kind and who he can trust? It’s pathetic, but Akito doesn’t have the confidence that he does. Akito asks Sono again what is he thinking. To not keep it to himself, and to tell him. Then Akito waits. He’s not good at waiting, but he’ll stay there kneeling until Sono recognizes him and finally sees him. He’ll believe that Sono will face him and not close himself off. The smell of apples waft through the apartment. Akito doesn’t know how long he waits, but Sono finally speaks. He tells Akito that he talked about his own father with Minoru. How he never spoke with his father, and never knew what he was thinking. So maybe that was why Minoru asked his father that question caused him to explode. Maybe Minoru was unafraid and asked him in all earnestness. And maybe that scared the father and caused him to act out even worse than before. Sono cries and says that Akito is right. Minoru is far more courageous than Sono ever was. That’s why Sono should have never said anything to Minoru about his father. They are his own regrets; he should have never burdened anyone else with them… That’s why it’s his fault. Akito reaches to pull Sono into a hug. He tells Sono that it’s not his fault. That Minoru probably doesn’t think that it’s Sono’s fault either. But that probably doesn’t help… so Sono should just apologize to Minoru when he sees him again. Akito tells Sono that he won’t judge him either way, so Sono should let Minoru decide how he feels about it. Akito can feel the wetness around his collar of his shirt spread. Sono says in a wavering voice, Will I see him again? Akito says that they should be able to at least contact him again if they ask the landlady and her neighborhood network for help. That seems to be the hope that Sono needs and he agrees. Akito says that even if Minoru blames Sono, Akito won’t accept it. Sono points out that Akito said that he wouldn’t judge either way just now. Akito replies that it’s his personal opinion. Akito thinks he can feel Sono finally form a smile. Sono wraps his arms around Akito and hugs him back. He says, thank you. The fingers no longer feel as cold as before. That night, Akito holds Sono as he intermittently starts crying again, like he keeps remembering, and calms him until he falls asleep. Sono clings to Akito’s body and from time to time clenches his teeth. Akito stays silent and just pats his head. The next morning, Sono feels feverish. The thermometer reads 38.3°C (101°F), and Akito feels a little better that he’s feverish than frighteningly cold. At least he can feel that Sono’s body is working. Sono wants to go to work, but Akito tells him to stay in bed, especially since he works with patients. What if it turns out the flu? Sono stops arguing and calls Kido to tell him that he’s sick. Akito works from home that day and takes care of Sono. Surprisingly Sono doesn’t argue and says thanks. Maybe he doesn’t have the energy to argue. They go to the hospital for a checkup in the afternoon and luckily it’s not the flu. Sono doesn’t want instant porridge or sports drinks. He just eats Akito’s apples and drinks plain hot water. Akito is glad that Kanako gave him so many apples now. Akito sleeps on the sofa at night, and he’s reminded of when he was hurt that one summer night and Sono came down with a fever. Akito wonders if Sono gets fevers easily when he becomes overwhelmed by a swing of emotions. Sono’s fever subsides by the third day. Sono is well enough to go back to work the next day, and Akito tells Sono he needs to eat something properly first. But then Akito gets a phone call from an unknown number. It’s a man and he politely asks if he is speaking to Saiga Akito. Akito wonders if it’s a sales call. The man introduces himself as Minoru’s father. Minoru’s biological father, that is. The man that was arrested is someone that his ex-wife had remarried. Akito thinks that Sono should listen to the call too, so he puts the man on speakerphone. Minoru doesn’t appear to remember him and thought the stepfather was his real father. The biological father is a freelance photographer, and he’s called out to developing countries for months at a time and can’t take care of a young child. He heard that his ex-wife remarried 6 months after their divorce, and from then on, she wouldn’t let him see Minoru, saying that he’s attached to his new dad and thinks of him like his real dad. She doesn’t want to confuse him. Eventually, she moves and changes her number so that he loses all contact with her. He’s not in Japan all that often either, and the years passed. He just happened to be in Japan when he got a call from the children’s welfare center and heard about everything that happened to his son. He feels terrible and guilty about it. The reason the ex-wife and her new husband never relinquished the child was because they wanted the child support payments, but as he grew older, he became more of an eyesore, and lately they’ve had to spend more and more money on things—at least that’s according to police testimony. It must have been a shock to hear that his child was taken into custody, and that his ex-wife hadn’t done a thing to try to protect him. They ask about Minoru’s injuries. He has a few bruises, and he was hit in the head, so he’s at the hospital for now, but he’s fine. After getting the results of some detailed tests, he should be discharged. Minoru’s father says what he won’t let Minoru go back to his ex-wife, and Akito can see Sono’s shoulders finally relax. The circumstances aren’t the best, but Akito’s glad for Minoru. The father thanks Akito and says that once Minoru is better and things settle down, he’d like to thank them together in person. Akito says it’s fine and asks if the father if he received the note with his contact information on it. The father says no, Minoru memorized it by heart. He probably thought it was too dangerous to have, so he tried his hardest to memorize it. The father was really surprised when Minoru just rattled off an address and phone number to him out of the blue. Akito is overwhelmed by the child’s cleverness and resourcefulness and asks the father to tell Minoru that Akito thinks he’s amazing that he could do that. There’s one more thing that the father wants to ask. Minoru said that he wants to eat crepes, but when he went to buy some for him, Minoru said that it’s not the same. He wants to eat the crepes that Sono made for him. The father asks what crepes they are and if he can buy it somewhere. Akito says he’ll follow up later with the recipe and ends the call. Sono is buried in the bed covers crying. He’s in no condition to speak. Akito says, I’m glad. Aren’t you? They are the same words from just a few days ago. This time Sono doesn’t hesitate to nod. Akito says, See? What did I say? He would never blame you for what happened. Sono complains and asks why he’s rubbing it in his face. Sono laughs for a moment through his tears, but he starts crying all over again. He’s really glad that Minoru’s biological father doesn’t seem like a bad person. There are plenty of children out there with parents who are bad people, and Minoru’s mother was right there but did nothing to protect him. It doesn’t change the fact that Minoru suffered for years while he was with them. But Sono is finally saying that he’s glad, and Akito wants to say it too. Minoru was saved in the nick of time, and they just want to feel relieved that he’s safe and found family that will protect him. Sono probably isn’t thinking that Minoru found safety much earlier than him, and Akito is glad about that too. Akito tells Sono that he’s crying too much. He’ll turn into a raisin. Sono retorts back, that it’s fine. He’s crying because he wants too. That’s what Akito once told him. That was the night before Akito’s surgery, when they finally opened up to each other and Sono realized his feelings. Akito asks, did I say that? Me? He thinks that Sono should understand the meaning in his words. That was the Akito from before he had woken up from his love, a dream that lasted since he was 11-years-old. That was the Akito that Sono loved. Does Sono finally accept that the Akito now is the same person? Sono quietly stares at Akito and says, It’s you. It’s always been you. There’s only you. You’ve always been by my side, always helping me. There’s the Akito before the accident on the mountain. There’s the Akito from 11-years-old up until his surgery. There’s the Akito after the surgery until now. It feels like Sono has taken the misprints of Akito’s soul into his hands, slowly lining them up until they all finally match up for him. Akito takes Sono’s tear-stained face into his hand and kisses him. No matter how many times he presses their lips together, Sono doesn’t resist. Sono reaches up to place his hand on Akito’s. It feels feverish still, but the hand doesn’t move to stop the kiss. When Akito feels Sono lightly stroke his hand, Akito can’t hold back anymore and pushes Sono down onto the bed without breaking the kiss. He shifts onto the bed on his knees. Akito can tell that Sono wants this too. Before the feelings can calm down, Akito deepens the kiss, adding fuel to the fire, and removes their clothing. Sono has his arms around Akito, and Akito has his arms around Sono. They seem so solid and steady like this, like they have always promised this to each other. Akito feels a heart beat on the right side of his chest, and he realizes it’s Sono’s. Akito asks if Sono is really okay with this. Sono makes a slight movement with his head that could be taken as either a yes or a no. Akito says he can’t make out the answer. They are breathing in each other’s space, and it’s enough to send shivers through his entire body. Sono says, If Akito doesn’t say that he regrets it like last time, then it’s okay. Akito says, he won’t, so Sono better not either. This time Sono clearly nods. Akito doesn’t hold back now that he has Sono’s consent. But he does to an extent, because Sono is just recovered from his fever. While Sono takes a shower, Akito gets a message from his mother reminding him not to forget about tomorrow. He mutters, I know, but he doesn’t reply back. Sono feels refreshed when he wakes up in the morning the next day. Maybe because he had expelled all the tears and sweat he had along with the cold. Akito asks Sono when he’ll probably get off work. Sono answers probably around 7, since there aren’t too many appointments today and Kido told him to go home earlier. Akito suggests that they eat out at the bar that they went to together. It’ll be a date. Sono says okay, but didn’t Akito want to eat something red? Akito says it’s fine, he has something annoying he has to take care of today, so he wants to treat himself out afterward. Sono if he asks if it has to do with the phone call from last night. After Sono got out of the shower and went to bed, he heard Akito talking to someone on the phone. It was obvious that Akito was trying to hide his irritation over the phone, and it made Sono wonder who it was, but he was too sleepy at the time. Sono wants to ask more, but Akito brushes it off with an “it’s fine.” Akito says he’ll be at the bar at 7:30 waiting for him. Sono doesn’t want to fight over something so small so he just tells Akito good luck. Sono has something he has to think about himself. It’s the fact that Sono still hasn’t told Akito that he loves him. It would have been the perfect timing to tell him last night, but he was too overwhelmed with his feelings, and he forgot to say the most important thing that he wanted to say. Sono thinks that Akito understands, but he needs to make it clear. He wants to answer Akito properly when Akito said that he wanted Sono to take some kind of action. Sono resolves to tell Akito today. Thank you for everything up until now, I love you. Please be with me from now on. He thinks it’s a lot to say. Can he say it all? Is he being too greedy? It still scares him to think about “from now on.” Even if neither of them has a change of heart, one of them will die before the other. When he imagines such a future and compares his feelings for Akito, it scares him so much he can barely stand it. But if he’s going to live and carry his regrets and past with him, he has to keep struggling through it. Through his happiness right now, through the happiness in the future. And when he finally looks back, maybe within the long shadow behind him there are sweet memories and warm memories that he can find there. It’s reasonable that he can’t fully separate his past from his present. What hurts will hurt. But he can only carry it and keep walking. It’s hard and he doesn’t have any confidence in himself, but as long as he has Akito with him, he thinks he can at least try. And with the strength that Akito gives him, Sono wants to make Akito happy. The words, I love you, are also a vow to never forget his feelings. That he will face Akito as himself and always stretch his arms out to him. Luckily there are no last minute emergencies from clients today, and Sono makes it to the bar and sits down at the counter with 5 minutes to spare. He tells the owner behind bar that he’s waiting for someone. There’s the potential of running into Kido here, but it should be okay, because Kido wanted to go back and sleep after staying up to watch foreign TV shows late at night. Sono apologizes to Kido in his heart. Sono doesn’t think he can confess to Akito here. Maybe he should wait until they get home? Right when they get in the door? Like a casual, by the way? But that seems too weird. But if Sono tries to play it by ear, he’ll probably forget to say it again like last night. He wonders how people know when the best timing to say these things are. Sono recalls the last day of the school cultural festival. He didn’t enjoy the sky lantern festivities at the time, and writing wishes on the lanterns didn’t make him feel anything then. But now looking back at it, he realizes that it was a really convenient setup. There was an airiness from the top of the school building, and the lights were undeniably beautiful. I wish to be together forever. Maybe the wish that Akito released into the sky that night can finally come true for them. The owner breaks into Sono’s thoughts and asks if he would like something to drink. Sono realizes it’s already 7:45. He checks his cell phone but there’s no message from Akito saying he’ll be late. Maybe that thing Akito had to take care of ran late. Sono sends Akito a message that says he’ll wait for Akito at the bar and sips a sparkling water. The clock reads 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, and every time someone comes in, Sono turns his head, thinking it’s Akito, but it’s always someone else. The clock reads 10:00 and Akito still hasn’t shown, and there is no message from him. No matter how important the meeting, he should be able to catch a short break here and there. And if his cell phone is low on battery, he can buy any portable battery charger from the convenience store. He watches the owner prepare drinks. People are having a good time around him, and it’s like Sono is a lost little boy at an amusement park. He’s more scared than angry. Maybe Akito changed his mind and doesn’t want to come anymore? But it can’t be. Akito had called it a treat for himself. Sono orders a sparkling water, Oolong tea, grapefruit juice, hot ginger tea, but once the clock hits midnight, he breaks through his numbness. Sono asks what time the bar closes. It closes at 3am. Sono writes down his contact information and asks if the owner can contact him if Akito shows up, but he’s not sure if the owner recognizes him. The owner asks if it’s the man with the scar over the eyebrow. It’s not a problem for him to keep an eye out. Sono heads home. It’s the only other place he can think of. The windows to the apartment are dark from the outside, but he still holds a bit of hope when he turns the key in the lock. But Akito’s shoes aren’t at the entryway. Sono goes around turning on the lights in all the rooms, but Akito’s not there. If Akito is there for even a stupid reason like he completely forgot, Sono would forgive him. He had a terrible feeling the moment that the bar owner said “scar,” and he can’t control his thoughts from running wild. If he can’t contact Akito, it must mean he’s in an accident or something terrible, right? Sono flips on the TV but none of the channels are playing the news. He searches on the net for the name Saiga Akito to see if there’s anything. He searches for any news about an unidentified man. Even if he doesn’t find anything on the Internet, it’s always updating so he can’t stop. Sono wants to know why Akito isn’t back. He just wants an answer. But he doesn’t want to hit upon terrible news either. But maybe Akito is already at the hospital. Maybe he wasn’t in an accident, but had to be hospitalized for something. Did Akito remember to go to all his checkups for his head? Sono didn’t get any call when Akito collapsed. Because Sono is not Akito’s family. There’s no way for Sono to get any information about him. When Sono switched his cell phone number, he purged everything about Akito. Why didn’t he at least keep Kanako’s number? He regrets it now deeply. What if, what if his worst fears are to happen? If Akito dies without Sono ever knowing about it. If his memorial service is held at their hometown without Sono knowing about it, and he has to wait here in his apartment. Until the day that someone, either Kanako or his mother, comes to clear it out. Sono hates it. Just imagining it makes him break out in goosebumps and his knees tremble. This morning can’t be the last time that they see each other. It can’t be. Even if this occurrence happens normally all around the world, he doesn’t want to accept it. Sono keeps his phone cable plugged in as he continues to search for information with bloodshot eyes. It’s like there’s a light red field blanketing his vision. He doesn’t care if he had run away before, giving up and telling himself there’s nothing he can do. He needs Akito. He doesn’t want Akito to leave him. Sono resolves to go to the police if he doesn’t hear anything about Akito by morning. Even if they don’t take him seriously, saying that he’s a full adult man and it’s only been one night, maybe they’d be able to at least contact Akito’s family back home. And then Sono would have at least one thread connected to him. His phone feels overheated and his hands are sweating, but he keeps searching. Then he suddenly gets an incoming call. It’s not Akito. It’s an unknown number. He answers it anyway. It’s the owner of the bar. He just received a phone call from the police. There is a man in the hospital who is probably the person that Sono was waiting for. He gives Sono the number for the police station, since Akito seems to be asking for him. Sono is relieved to hear this, but why can’t Akito call him himself? The owner asks Sono to wait and switches the phone over. It’s a police officer. He asks Sono if he knows who the man is and confirms his description. Sono asks if Akito is okay, is he unable to speak on the phone himself? Where can he go to see him? The officer says Akito is fine, he just hit his head. They found him collapsed and sent him to the hospital, but there was practically no personal belongings on him. No wallet, no phone. So no identification. He did end up waking up, but he was still a little dazed. He couldn’t answer any of their questions and just kept repeating the bar’s name and that Sono was waiting for him. So they called the bar. The police asks if Sono is family? Sono says no. He asks if he knows how to contact Akito’s family. Sono says he doesn’t know how. Since Akito is directly asking for Sono, the police decides to give him the hospital information. Sono says he’ll go right away. He gathers Akito’s laptop and passport that he finds in his desk. He stops by the convenience store first to get cash first, just in case and takes a taxi over. He arrives and the nurse asks if he’s Sono. Akito is speaking normally and he was just asking about contacting Sono. Sono asks about Akito’s head injury and mentions that he used to have a hematoma. Akito will have to have a thorough check before they can say anything. Passers-by found him lying on the ground with external trauma to the back of the head and called an ambulance for him. So was Akito mixed up in an incident? Did it have to do with the trouble that Akito mentioned? Or did he run into an armed robber? But first Sono wants to see Akito. Sono sees Akito sitting up in the hospital bed. He’s alive, he’s breathing, and he’s looking at Sono. Akito apologizes. He jokes that he should see an exorcist or something, because he has too many troubles when it comes to his head. Sono asks if his head’s gone funny again. Akito asks what Sono would do if it did. Sono says it doesn’t matter. If Akito says that he loves Sono, he hates Sono, or he just wants to be friends, Sono will be there for Akito. He’ll be the one telling Akito that everything’s okay. The light from the sunrise starts filtering through the gap between the curtains. Sono will probably never forget the beautiful sunrise from the train when he decided to leave Akito behind. It was an important decision for him at the time. And now he has a brand new beginning. Maybe Akito will change again and Sono remains the same, neither of them forgetting anything, but the sunrise keeps updating itself from the past. Sono thinks that it’s amazing. Sono tells Akito that he can hit and hurt his head all that he wants. Akito grumbles he’ll never survive for long if he does. It is such a peaceful morning. The rays from the sun just seem to be so natural. It is a sunrise that they can only see today, and it feels like a miracle. Sono leaves his cell phone with Akito so he can tether it to his laptop. Sono can’t stay for long before the nurse shows him out, so he still has no idea what exactly happened to Akito, but Akito is okay, and that’s a huge relief. Other than a bit of sleep deprivation, he can go to work without any problems. Kido leaves work ahead of Sono, but he comes back after a few minutes and tells Sono that his boyfriend is downstairs waiting for him. Kido says he’ll deal with the clean up, so Sono should go ahead and leave. Sono protests and feels bad, but Kido insists. He grins and asks if Sono still needs a good realtor to find an apartment. Kido is enjoying this. He’s enjoying that he can tell that Sono and Akito are doing well. In his teasing, he wants Sono to find someone who can spend his life with. To be happy. And that makes Sono happy. But it might make things awkward if he can be honest with his feelings and say thank you, so he just say, no thanks, I don’t need one anymore. Kido shoos Sono off. Sono hurries to change and leave. Sono asks if it’s okay to be discharged so early. Akito says he argued with the doctors to let him leave. He only has a bump, and he promises to go to the hospital if anything happens. And he’ll get things thoroughly checked out next time at his regular checkup.They go to the bar for dinner, and the owner is glad Akito is okay. They order food and sparkling water. Sono asks what happened. Akito says he had to deal with an old boyfriend of Kanako’s, back when she was in Tokyo finding what to do with herself. She had attracted a pretty terrible guy. Akito jokes that he has bad luck with his head, but so does Kanako with guys. Somehow the guy got wind that Akito’s family is adopting Kanako and she’s getting married, he came to bother Akito’s parents for consolation money to make a clean break from her. If they tell Kanako about it, she’d likely disappear so that she doesn’t cause the family any trouble, and the guy seems to know that too. They can’t let it go public, otherwise Kanako will find out. So his parents asked Akito to go with a lawyer to settle things with the guy. Akito said he would do it if in exchange they stop bothering Kanako about having children. So apparently yesterday Akito went with the lawyer to threaten him with legal action. The guy seemed pretty stupid, so they decided they didn’t have to do anything too outrageous, just warn the guy to stay away from Kanako and the family, but that was probably a mistake in their judgement. Akito had reserved a hotel for their talks, and when he left and said goodbye to the lawyer, and walked away, someone hit him from behind. He turned and saw it was the guy holding something like a police baton, but Akito collapsed. He could tell that the guy was searching for his wallet and phone, but he couldn’t do anything and then lost consciousness. When he woke up, someone was asking him questions, but he couldn’t sort his brain out. He just knew that he had to go see Sono. He was half in a dream state and then slowly woke out of it. When he finally grasped what happened, Sono showed up to the hospital room. Sono asks what happened to the guy. The police are probably on the hunt for him. Since he’s committed an assault and robbery, he’ll probably get time in prison. It should settle Kanako’s matters for now. Akito wonders if he has to appear at the guy’s trial. It seems like a hassle, but it sparks his interest too. Sono yells at Akito angrily. He asks how Akito can remain so calm. It’s not funny. He was worried sick about Akito all night. What if the guy hit Akito somewhere critical? What if he had a knife? It was a really dangerous thing that happened. Akito apologizes, he understands. But Sono can’t let it go with just an apology. He thinks it strange that his parents made Akito talk to the guy in the first place. They should have just gone to the police in the first place. Akito says that they probably didn’t want to make a big deal about it. They’re a small company in the rural countryside, and Kanako’s a woman, and they didn’t want rumors spreading about her. Sono asks if it makes it all right that Kanako is protected, but they don’t care what happens to Akito? Is that what his family cares about the most? Akito says that no one expected this to happen. His parents were really sorry on the phone. There’s nothing anyone can do about it. When Sono hears the words, there’s nothing anyone can do about it, he gets furious for the first time in his life at hearing it out of someone else’s mouth. Sono yells, So what? Don’t do in the first place! Say no! He’s wiping his tears as he yells. But Akito doesn’t say that he agrees. He looks torn in thought. Akito says that maybe before he would have refused, that Kanako can clean up her own messes, but now he wants to help and support her. She has taken so many detours to end up where she is now. He doesn’t want a stupid threat to destroy everything that she achieved. He wants to see her become happy. She’s a relative, but most of all, she reminds Akito a little like Sono. Sono can’t deny it. He has always thought they were similar. Although the guy wanted money, but the guy couldn’t stand that a woman he used to date was living well off. That he wanted to pull her down with him. That he should be up there with her. And Akito can’t forgive that especially when she’s so similar to Sono. But Akito promises to think through things better next time. He looks so apologetic that the anger is zapped from Sono. Akito is always so selfish and unbending that Sono always ends up forgiving him in the end. Sono says, he understands. He can’t sit here and not drink. He finally understands those feelings now. He orders a drink and the owner obliges. Sono wants something red. The first drink is a bloody mary. It tastes like tomato juice, but with a strong undertone that he’s never tasted before. He thinks it’s the taste of an adult. It doesn’t make him happy. He orders a second red drink, and he gets something made with cassis liqueur. When he finishes it, he doesn’t feel so queasy. More like he doesn’t care about anything anymore. His head is light and fluffy, like his body is wrapped in cotton candy. He’s totally drunk and Akito stops him from ordering anymore. Akito pays and urges Sono to go back him, but Sono wants to stay and drink more. Akito eventually gets him into a taxi. Sono complains that he hasn’t drunk enough. They get back to the apartment. Sono thinks they’re finally home. They’re back in a safe place. The long nightmare is finally over. He loses all strength in his legs and squats down at the entryway, and Akito asks frantically if Sono is okay. Is he carsick? Does he want to throw up? Sono just shakes his head and explains that he’s relieved. They exchange I’m home and welcome back. They don’t have much meaning, but they’re incredibly precious. Sono stands back up to face Akito. He tells him, I love you. Akito frowns and complains that he wants to hear those words when Sono is sober. Sono insists that he’s sober. Akito says, okay, I’ll just take it as a drunk’s promise, but I love you too. Sono’s not satisfied, so he wraps his arms around Akito’s neck, presses up against him, and kisses him. Akito groans a little when Sono seems to have graze somewhere he was hit, but Sono doesn’t care. It’s Akito’s punishment for making him worried to death. Sono leans in fully against Akito, and Akito gently supports his hips when Sono closes his eyes. The kiss feels like they’re somewhere over the clouds. It’s the same kiss that they’ve had countless times over the years, and yet it doesn’t feel the same at all. Akito’s lips start off cold and dry, but they gradually soften from the heat and moisture, becoming more and more delicious-looking. Sono looks for heated, passionate kisses, and Akito happily gives them to him. They kick off their shoes and head to the bedroom. When they’re about to reach their climax, Sono tells Akito that he loves him. Whichever Akito he is, even if Akito doesn’t love him back. Akito replies that he loves Sono too. Even if Sono can’t love himself? But Sono already knows the answer. He has the answer. Akito holds him tight. They are close. So close to the edge of darkness. It’s a black that feels like it might sweep them away as the ground falls out under them. But wherever they’re swept, they’ll be together, so they’ll be okay. Whoever wakes up first will say it’s okay. Because they’ve been together since they were children. They hold each other in their arms, holding their souls inside them. It’s hard to get an appointment for an MRI, and it’s the end of December when they go to the hospital for it. Akito’s attacker was arrested, tracking him through the subway IC card that he had stolen from the wallet. Akito had to see the police a lot, but he mostly leaves the proceedings to the lawyer. Sono doesn’t hear a lot about it. Sono leaves his stuff in storage, and Akito and Sono plan to move into a larger apartment in the same building after the new year. Sono hasn’t visited this hospital in a few years, but it still looks the same. Sono is at the cafe in the lobby waiting Akito when he notices someone through the window. It’s the nurse that took care of Akito during his recovery from the surgery. They exchange greetings and the nurse is relieved to hear that Sono and Akito are doing well together. She was worried about them because she heard about Akito’s change after the surgery. She wasn’t sure how to interact with them, but she decided to act like nothing had changed and to treat them the same as before. Akito’s attitude didn’t seem different on the surface, so she hoped that maybe he was misunderstanding things. She really wanted things to continue to work out between them. That was what she wished for on the day Akito was discharged. But on the follow-up appointments, Akito was always by himself, so she asked him about Sono. He had given such a lonely looking smile, that she knew that it didn’t work out, and that she asked him a painful question. But now seeing Sono here, she’s glad to see him and that things did work out. She wipes away a tear and Sono thanks her for caring about them. Sono can’t imagine a lonely-looking smile on Akito. Akito’s smiles are always so broad and bright that they fill the room. Sono, on the other hand, rarely smiles, and when he does, it’s like a sad looking plant hidden in the shadows. He doubts this will ever change. But it doesn’t make either one good or bad. Akito returns to the lobby to find Sono, and Sono tells him about seeing the nurse. Akito wishes he could have seen her too. Sono asks Akito to show him a lonely-looking smile, and Akito gets a little flustered and suspects the nurse said something. They head to Tokyo Station. Minoru and his father are leaving Tokyo today, and they’re going to see them off. Sono thinks that their eyes look exactly alike. There’s an aunt in Nittori who lost her husband and is lonely living by herself, so they will go there. And Minoru’s father plans to refuse all business trips to stay with Minoru, so the lower rent helps too. He extends an invitation to Akito and Sono to visit them sometimes. Sono gives Minoru’s father the crepe recipe. He just threw together ingredients and made it on the fly, and he’s scared that it’s not much, but the father puts it away like it’s precious and needs safekeeping. Minoru’s father urges Minoru to greet and thank them, but Minoru pretends not to hear him, and fixes his gaze on the ceiling instead. Sono thinks he understands him. While it’s hard to say that all of Minoru’s problems are solved, he probably wants to forget the dark period of his life where no one cared about him. He wants to make the time he has now with his real father his new normal, and Sono and Akito are remnants of the past that he wants to forget. Sono doesn’t think that Minoru is being cold or ungrateful, and Akito probably doesn’t think it either. Sono doesn’t want him to remember it. Minoru should let time sweep it all away. His life has only just started. But if the deep buried past suddenly rears its head inside of Minoru one day, Sono hopes that he can remember Akito. That there was someone who had played with him and treated him kindly. That he had someone like that. For Sono, Akito is like the sun. The light is bright, blinding and endless. There are days it warms him up and days that it burns him. The sunrise of a new day, the sunset that closes the day behind him—they’re so beautiful and they’ve captured Sono’s heart. Without Akito, Sono’s world would be pitch black. But once the sun sets, Sono has the light of the stars. Even if it’s weak and far away, he’ll realize how they shine on him in the darkness. He’ll realize it over and over again. Maybe it’s barely enough to lead him on his path, but he needs it all the same. Minoru’s father promises to write them. He nudges Minoru, and Minoru finally lowers his head. They head past the station gates. Sono whispers after him, “Be well.” Minoru suddenly turns around to look at Sono and Akito, and his eyes are filled with tears. His face crumples, and tears roll down his cheeks. It’s the first time Sono has seen him cry. He might not know what Minoru is thinking right now, but he thinks that they’re not bad tears. He should cry and cry and leave everything here behind him before he leaves. Because today, he’s setting off. After crying himself to exhaustion and sleeping, he’ll wake up to a brand new world. Minoru’s father is unsure what to do with Minoru bursting into tears, but they have a train to catch, so he pulls his hand along. Minoru keeps looking back at them until he disappears into the crowded station. Akito stretches his arms over his head and asks where they should go next. Sono isn’t hungry. Akito suggests going to the new planetarium that opened recently. Sono thinks Akito might fall asleep there, but Akito says he napped during the MRI scan. It’s a nice day and it’s fairly close, so they decide to walk there. Sono asks if Akito will go see his parents over New Year’s. He’s not sure yet, it’s a hassle and relatives will be swarming around. He might just stop in to show his face for a bit. Sono says he might go back. Akito stops in his tracks for a moment and asks if he’s serious. Sono doesn’t have a home to go to there, but he might visit the shrine for the first shrine visit of the new year. He’s never done it before. It could be a day trip where he pays respects to his father. He doesn’t have any good memories of his hometown, but for some reason, the plan looks attractive to him. He can pray to the snake god there. Pray that Akito doesn’t hit his head anymore. Akito says that’s where it all started, and he doesn’t trust it pay off. Sono answers that Akito will get divine retribution for saying that. Sono thinks he’ll offer his thanks at the shrine too. For letting him meet Akito there. They arrive at the planetarium and there’s a digital sky lantern wall display in the lobby. People can input their wishes at in the planetarium’s app and have their sky lantern display in real time. They see a new lantern with the wish that says: For Christmas, I want a Switch! Akito gets the app so he can try it. He asks if Sono wants to try too? But Sono doesn’t need it. His wish has already been granted. With the lantern from the school cultural festival and the message, I wish to be together forever. Akito complains about the 20 character restriction. Sono doesn’t know what Akito writes, but doesn’t seem to show up. It’s about time for the doors for the planetarium show to open, but they try to stay out in the lobby as long as possible. Sono is about to say that Akito can try it again later, but then Akito’s wish and sky lantern appears on the wall. Will you become my family again? They banter, Sono says it’s not a wish, Akito wants Sono to reply using the lantern, but Sono pushes Akito into the doors for the show. They sit down. It’s dark inside the dome, but Sono can still see afterimages of the artificial lights from Akito’s message when he blinks, and it feels like they shower Sono in light. And under the lights, he thinks he wants to love Akito. He wants love Akito and give all the same love in return. With all of his strength, with all of his life. And that's the end. Lots of twists and turns. Lots of starts and stops. But Sono is finally in a good place with how he views himself, I'm happy for the both of them. Also, during all the head trauma jokes, I'm just like it's you, Ichiho-sensei, it's youuuuu.
Thank you for all the summaries. I am conflicted on whether I want to read this myself. But I appreciate your time summarizing each novel.
You're welcome! It's not everyone's cup of tea (it's not mine either), and I would recommend Ichiho Michi's other works before this one, but this story did leave an impression on me.