Phew...
We got more than I expected.
But thanks to you, Toya, everything went smoothly! You have my gratitude!
No, I didn't do anything. All I did was carry some things for you.
I just hope the Doll Festival party turns out well.
Yes, we got all the party goods Saki likes to have, so it's bound to be a great success!
But I'm sure you're tired after all that, no?
Please, don't mind me. I didn't have any other plans today either so...
...
Tsukasa...?
Well, it's just that you seem to be smiling more often now.
I am...?
When we were kids, I always tried my hardest to make you laugh or smile, but I guess you don't need any of that now...
You're like a little brother to me, and next to Saki, my number two fan!
I should thank Akito for helping you turn things around.
That'd be nice...
But I also have you to thank, Tsukasa.
As I mentioned before, you were the one that actually led me to meeting Akito in the first place.
And do you remember the time when we first met...?
Hmm... Oh, it was when you came over to my house when your parents needed a sitter.
Yes.
(Our parents already knew each other from before, but I didn't and was a little scared at first...)
(I didn't even know that Tsukasa was learning to play the piano just like I was...)
(I wasn't sure about what to say if he asked me to play with him, but...)
Alright, Toya!
You're gonna help me with some training!
Training...?
Yes! My little sister, who's in the hospital right now, and I compete to see who can find people the fastest in these books, but she always wins...
That's why I want to win next time and show her what her big brother is made of!
Umm... So you want to me to look with you?
Exactly! So let's get started!
On the first page...
Here...! No, that's not him...
I didn't notice the cleft chin at first...
Huh? Is it this person way off to the right...?
What?! You're the main character! Why are you hiding over there?! I feel cheated for some reason...
But well done, Toya!
You did great!
Huh?
Oh, hehe...
Although I do have older brothers, they're much older than me and were sent off to study before I even got a chance to get to know them better...
On top of that, I hardly ever had time to play with my friends because of piano and violin practice.
But after that day, I started going over to your house more and more where you even started showing me your plays.
You really helped keep my spirits up...
Toya...
There's something I need to thank you for as well.
There is...?
The first time we met, I'd already gone to see Saki that day.
We played together like always but when it came time to go home, Saki started crying all the sudden...
She'd been in the hospital so long by then, everything she kept pent up inside just seemed to come bursting out.
She even said, Please, don't go...
But all I could tell her was that I'd be back tomorrow and we could play again...
...
The fact that I couldn't bring back Saki's smile kept bothering me so much.
But that day, you smiled.
...!
Your smile made me want to make Saki smile. It made me want to keep my promise to her.
I see. That's so nice.
Also, I still ended up losing to her when we started going through those books together.
Toya, you don't owe me anything. Just know that you've been there for me too.
Okay...
It's been a long time coming, but thank you for then, Toya.
You're welcome.
And thank you as well...