It was Thursday. As third period ended, Ryou and Yumiko sat alone in the circle room. The familiar quiet atmosphere of the study was pleasing to Ryou's ears. Still, he wanted to ask one question of Yumiko.

"I haven't seen Glenn-kun for three days. Do you know what that has to do with it?"

"I don't know," Yumiko said, not removing her gaze from the book she was reading. "After we signed the papers he brought, I didn't see him either."

None of them knew where Glenn was. But who cared, for one has a right whether or not to be present in another's life. Ryou was just curious.

"I remember," Yumiko said, closing the book. "He called for you today, before class. At that time I was just waking up and was sleepy. If I had remembered a little earlier..."

"Nothing," Ryou added. "What exactly did he say?"

"I think he wanted you to meet him, but I don't remember where or when."

Ryou laid his head tiredly on the table. He didn't understand what Glenn was even trying to accomplish. "He's kind of a strange man, I see. Always hovering in the clouds."

"I wouldn't advise you to understand him," Yumiko replied, putting the book in her purse. "It never ends well."

"Even you don't understand him well?"

"I don't really care what he's trying to hide. I don't doubt him or his approach. Even when he didn't tell me about the change of plan when we were helping the boy, I trusted his gut."

"I don't think I'll get along with him. Since he didn't tell you about Yoshiro-kun meeting his father in the park, how do you keep trusting him?"

"He was sure of his success, I suppose," Yumiko said. "Maybe he had no reason to explain it to me, because I had completely different plans. I only wanted Yoshiro back when he would have wanted it himself."

Unnoticed, Yumiko's phone, lying on the table, rang. The schoolgirl meekly picked up the receiver and put it to her ear.

"Hello."

"Hello, Yumiko-chan," issued a familiar male voice through the call. "Where is Ryou-kun now?"

"He's at the club, with me."

"I see," Glenn replied thoughtfully. "Then I'm going in."

Suddenly, the office door swung open abruptly, and Glenn walked in from it, holding the phone to his right ear. Upon seeing him, Yumiko assumed a non-serious look, and Ryou was childishly amazed.

"What were you calling for if you were standing outside the club!" confused Ryou.

"I didn't want to enter the office without much reason."

He walked over to Ryou and congratulated him on finding the questionnaire with a happy smile.

"What questionnaire?" misunderstood Ryou. "It's not like I even picked one."

"Of course. I chose the questionnaire that suited the two of us."

"Really? You managed not to ask me, then."

Glenn nodded then, infuriating Ryou even more, and turned and walked back out. Before he left, he turned to face Ryou.

"Today, after school," added Glenn, whose voice suddenly became more serious. "Ryou-kun, don't forget. I'll be waiting at the gate," he added, and left the office.

A frowning Ryou finally tsked, and looked away from the doorway. "What a cheeky one."

"That's the whole Glenn-kun thing," Yumiko said, comfortingly, trying to reassure Ryou.

-

Ryou had no idea what Glenn seriously wanted from him. After the school day was over, a bitter, sunny sunset was in full swing, lighting up the streets of Tokyo orange. Ryou walked out of the school grounds and met Glenn striding toward the front gate. Putting his hands in his pocket, he decided to caution and protect his personal space. Glenn noticed his arrival and smiled.

"Let's talk as we go," Glenn said. "You seem uncomfortable being among the other schoolchildren."

Turning toward the street, the young man moved straight ahead. Ryou had no choice but to follow him.

"Where are we going?" added Ryou.

"To the bus stop."

"I'm asking about the questionnaire and our job."

"We'll be helping a certain old woman who wrote the questionnaire. The job is not difficult: for a few days we have to stay by the old lady's side and do all the physical work for her until her niece arrives in Tokyo."

"All right, but I don't yet understand why you chose the questionnaire without making arrangements with me."

"Being a volunteer is hard," Glenn said, glancing up at the sun. "I only chose a job that wasn't difficult for us."

-

After a while, they reached the old lady's house. Meanwhile, the sun was gradually falling over the horizon, and the street was quietly covering with darkness. Fortunately for Ryou, the house was not far from the school, and it was a private, one-story house with its own lawn. As they entered through the open gate, the boys saw a woman sitting on a chair at the front of the house. With a smile on her face, she asked in an elderly tone if they were social workers.

"That's us," Glenn said, bowing his head, to which the grandmother rejoiced.

The young man stepped closer and moderately asked her to enter the house with them, and the grandmother chuckled, saying he was right.

"Unfortunately, I'm having a hard time getting around right now."

"That's why we're here," Glenn replied, nobly putting his arm around her to help her get up. So, they entered a private, small house.

As the young man interacted with the old lady, the social workers simultaneously tidied up her humble home. A portion of soup was prepared for her dinner by Glenn. Ryou only performed secondary functions, but listened carefully and discreetly to their conversations. It was learned that the grandmother was unaccustomed to having abrupt health problems. Recently, she had been hospitalized for blood pressure, and since then, her head has not stopped hurting. She also reprimanded that in her 65 years, she is already much more tired than usual, to which Glenn asked wistfully not to bother with household chores.

It was evening outside, and Ryou, who had finished cleaning plates and cups, wiped off the sweat with a napkin and went outside to get some fresh air. When he came out, he saw Glenn sitting on a bench near the doorway. The young man seemed serious and didn't take his eyes off the ground.

"That grandma had absolutely no one around to help," Glenn stated sadly. "I am tormented by the thought that in her condition she is incapable even of mundane things..." the young man added, holding up a pause and clenching his teeth. "She could have hired a professional housewife, but she didn't have the money for that."

Ryou pressed himself against the wall, pondering his words. He couldn't disagree with Glenn, for he had seen it all for himself.

"That's what we're here for," Glenn added. "If it were not for our help, who would approach her? Who would show mercy?"

"With her health, I doubt her speedy recovery."

Glenn lowered his eyes. "She's got a bunch of pills spread out in her dresser. We'll ask about the right ones and give them to her according to the doctor's prescription. She'll be sure to get well."

Ryou didn't doubt Glenn's words, whose voice seemed depressed but confident. Somewhere inside, Ryou hoped for the old lady's speedy recovery.

Late that night, the boys returned home. Stepping out of the shower, Ryou wiped his head with a towel in front of the mirror, and grabbing the sink with his hands, he examined his wet, wavy hair in detail.

"They've grown out."

Sitting by the window and covered by a blanket, Ryou looked out the shining city from the window and thought about Glenn's words from a few hours earlier.

"You think I don't see the situation myself?" he said in a whisper. "I'm not insensitive, either..."