Chapter 106: The Event

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: The Event

Haruki almost didn’t go.

That was the truth.

Not a dramatic truth.

Not a heroic truth.

---

A disappointing one.

---

The community center event started at 2 PM.

---

At 1:17 PM, Haruki still sat in front of his computer.

---

The controversy continued.

---

New videos appeared.

New discussion threads appeared.

New opinions appeared.

---

People who had never read Threadless Gate suddenly possessed strong feelings about it.

---

A modern miracle.

---

His cursor hovered over Chapter Twenty-Eight.

---

Unfinished.

---

The leak investigation remained unresolved.

The public criticism remained active.

The anonymous emails remained unanswered.

---

Excuses existed everywhere.

---

Good excuses.

Reasonable excuses.

Professional excuses.

---

Then Haruki looked at the invitation sitting beside his monitor.

---

The one Yui gave him three weeks ago.

---

A small card.

Simple design.

Volunteer Recognition Event.

---

No publishers.

No contracts.

No creator rankings.

---

Just people.

---

The realization felt uncomfortable.

---

Because this wasn’t really a scheduling problem.

---

It was a priorities problem.

---

At 1:24 PM, he shut down the computer.

---

At 1:25 PM, his phone rang.

---

Sora.

---

Of course.

---

Haruki answered.

---

"What."

---

"Good."

---

Haruki stopped walking.

---

"No."

---

"What?"

---

"You don’t get to say that word anymore."

---

Silence.

---

Then laughter.

---

Unfortunately.

---

The creator sounded delighted.

---

"Where are you?"

---

"Going somewhere."

---

"Avoiding work?"

---

"Doing something more important."

---

A pause.

---

Then:

---

"Oh."

---

For once, Sora sounded surprised.

---

The call ended shortly afterward.

---

No jokes.

No interference.

---

Interesting.

---

Actually no.

---

Still banned.

---

The community center looked different today.

---

Banners hung near the entrance.

Tables filled the main hall.

Volunteers moved everywhere.

---

Organized chaos.

---

The most effective kind.

---

Haruki arrived fifteen minutes early.

---

For the first time in months.

---

The achievement felt suspicious.

---

Inside, several volunteers recognized him immediately.

---

Not because of manga.

---

Because Yui apparently discussed him enough that half the building already knew his face.

---

A concerning discovery.

---

Very concerning.

---

One elderly volunteer pointed toward the main hall.

---

"She’s nervous."

---

Haruki blinked.

---

"Yui?"

---

The woman nodded.

---

Then returned to arranging decorations.

---

The statement lingered.

---

No.

---

Still banned.

---

Haruki entered the hall.

---

Then stopped.

---

Because Yui looked different.

---

Not dramatically different.

---

Confident.

---

Busy.

---

Important.

---

People approached her constantly.

Questions.

Requests.

Problems.

---

She solved them.

---

Quickly.

---

Naturally.

---

Damn it.

---

Now he was doing it.

---

The event coordinator moved through the crowd with practiced efficiency.

---

And for the first time, Haruki realized something uncomfortable.

---

Yui had a world.

---

A complete one.

---

Not connected to manga.

Not connected to him.

---

Her own world.

---

Her own responsibilities.

---

Her own future.

---

The thought hit harder than expected.

---

Because somewhere along the way, he’d started unconsciously assuming Yui would always be nearby.

---

Always available.

Always waiting.

---

The assumption suddenly felt arrogant.

---

Very arrogant.

---

Before he could think further, Yui spotted him.

---

The reaction happened instantly.

---

Not relief.

---

Something smaller.

---

Something more dangerous.

---

Happiness.

---

Brief.

---

Gone almost immediately.

---

But real.

---

The expression disappeared as she resumed giving instructions to another volunteer.

---

Haruki noticed anyway.

---

Unfortunately.

---

An hour later the ceremony began.

---

The community center director spoke first.

---

Then local organizers.

---

Then several volunteers received recognition awards.

---

Simple event.

---

Simple people.

---

Simple appreciation.

---

The room applauded repeatedly.

---

No cameras.

No reporters.

No industry executives.

---

Just gratitude.

---

The strangest thing happened.

---

Haruki enjoyed it.

---

At one point he checked his phone.

---

Three missed calls.

---

Two emails.

---

Multiple notifications.

---

He put the phone away.

---

The world survived.

---

Remarkable.

---

Then Yui’s name was called.

---

The applause increased noticeably.

---

Not polite applause.

---

Genuine applause.

---

The kind earned over years.

---

Yui walked onto the stage.

---

Accepted a certificate.

---

Smiled awkwardly.

---

Attempted to leave immediately.

---

The audience refused.

---

Several children started cheering.

---

Others joined.

---

The moment dissolved into complete disorder.

---

The best kind.

---

Yui covered her face.

---

Embarrassed.

---

Human.

---

Real.

---

Haruki laughed.

---

Not because she looked ridiculous.

---

Because she looked happy.

---

The difference mattered.

---

After the ceremony ended, the crowd gradually dispersed.

---

Tables emptied.

Volunteers relaxed.

Children ran everywhere.

---

The event transformed into conversation.

---

Life again.

---

Normal life.

---

At sunset, Haruki helped carry chairs into storage.

---

Mostly because saying no became impossible once enough elderly volunteers started asking.

---

A trap.

---

An effective trap.

---

While moving equipment, he overheard two volunteers talking.

---

Neither noticed him.

---

"She’s been worried lately."

---

The first woman spoke quietly.

---

The second nodded.

---

"About the creator?"

---

Yui.

---

Obviously Yui.

---

Haruki froze.

---

The conversation continued.

---

"She’s proud of him."

---

A pause.

---

"But I think she’s scared too."

---

The chairs suddenly felt heavier.

---

Not because of physical weight.

---

Because he already knew they were right.

---

Later, outside the building, Yui finally finished helping everyone.

---

The sun disappeared behind Tokyo’s skyline.

Streetlights flickered on.

---

For several minutes they simply walked.

---

No urgency.

---

No drama.

---

Then Yui spoke.

---

"The controversy looks bad."

---

Direct.

---

Honest.

---

Haruki nodded.

---

"Yeah."

---

Another pause.

---

Then:

---

"Are you okay?"

---

Not:

Can you fix it?

---

Not:

What’s your plan?

---

Okay.

---

The simplest question.

---

The hardest one.

---

Haruki opened his mouth.

---

Stopped.

---

Because the automatic answer would have been yes.

---

And for once, that answer felt wrong.

---

The silence stretched.

---

People passed them on the sidewalk.

Cars rolled through intersections.

A train moved overhead.

---

Life interrupted the moment.

---

Good.

---

Very good.

---

Eventually:

---

"I don’t know."

---

The same answer from yesterday.

---

The honest one.

---

Yui nodded.

---

Then looked away.

---

Toward the city lights.

---

Toward the future.

---

Toward something neither of them seemed ready to discuss directly.

---

"That’s probably better."

---

Haruki frowned.

---

"What is?"

---

Yui hesitated.

---

The first real hesitation all day.

---

Then:

---

"Than pretending."

---

The answer landed softly.

---

No lesson.

No revelation.

---

Just truth.

---

Before Haruki could respond, his phone buzzed.

---

Unknown Number.

---

Again.

---

The screen lit up.

---

One message.

---

The employee is innocent. Tomorrow, ask Suzune about the archive room.

---

Haruki stopped walking.

---

Yui noticed immediately.

---

"What happened?"

---

The city noise swallowed the silence between them.

---

For several seconds, Haruki stared at the message.

---

Then made a decision.

---

A small one.

---

But important.

---

He showed her the screen.

---

For the first time since the leak began, he didn’t carry the problem alone.

---

Yui read the message.

---

Looked at him.

---

Then at the city.

---

Then back at him.

---

And instead of offering advice, she said the last thing he expected.

---

"Maybe you should stop trying to solve everything yourself."

---

The statement hung unfinished.

---

Because a group of children from the event suddenly ran past them.

---

One nearly collided with Yui.

Another shouted her name.

A third demanded help finding a lost backpack.

---

The conversation shattered instantly.

---

Neither finished it.

---

Neither returned to it.

---

The moment simply ended.

---

Messy.

Interrupted.

Human.

---

And somehow that unfinished conversation stayed with Haruki longer than any perfect answer could have.