Carlo's steps echoed softly as he wandered through the vibrant campus of Crescendo Art University, a living tapestry of cherry blossom petals and warm sunlight. The air buzzed with energy as students embraced the first day of school, clubs clamored for attention, and laughter filled the atmosphere. Amidst this kaleidoscope of colors and joyful commotion, Carlo couldn't shake a feeling of detachment.
"In a blink of an eye, it's already the fourth spring that I've been at this school," Carlo whispered to himself, his voice almost lost in the midst of the lively surroundings.
Meanwhile, Honey found herself at the center of attention, being reported on live news inside her painting room. Arthur and Evie watched with pride as the world recognized Honey, the youngest recipient of the International Art Award. Her talent and dedication had earned her a well-deserved place in the spotlight.
Carlo continued to reflect as he strolled through the campus. "This spring, Honey, the youngest ever recipient of the International Art Award, is attracting a lot of attention from the art industry. She's achieved so much, and it's amazing." He noted how her inspiration often came from someone who had left their lives in mystery—Edward.
"We never heard from Edward after he left for New York," Carlo lamented, and the sense of mystery around Edward still hung in the air. "After Max graduated from the university, he became an official employee at Ford Design and he's working really hard." Max had found his place, but questions about Edward remained unanswered.
As Carlo navigated the familiar paths of the campus, he couldn't help but notice the subtle changes in the lives of his friends. Evie had successfully graduated from college but still made time to visit, and Max was making strides in his career. Yet, for Carlo, time seemed to have frozen since that fateful day a year ago.
Finally, Carlo arrived at the pond, the very spot where he had begun his third year at Crescendo Art University. He reached the pond where he had once seen something magical, cherry blossoms dancing in the breeze. This was where it all began, on that fateful day when he first crossed paths with Honey. That day remained etched in his memory, an ever-present reminder of how their lives had become intertwined.
As Carlo stood by the tranquil pond, lost in his reverie, the wind suddenly decided to play a prank. It swept in with gusto, and cherry blossom petals whirled into his face, eyes, and even found their way into his mouth. Carlo's expression turned into a hilarious mix of surprise and mild disgust as he sputtered and tried to remove the petals from his mouth and face.
With the wind continuing to blow, the sunlight decided to join the mischief, spotlighting Carlo as if he were the star of a quirky comedy.
He wiped his face clean and squinted, still half-expecting to see Honey's silhouette. A sense of happiness bubbled within him, the memory of that magical day when he first met her by the pond tugging at his heart.
But as the sunlight faded and his vision cleared, his heart sank a little. It wasn't Honey he saw; it was a man. A man who, eerily, was doing the same thing Honey had done once. He's dipping his hands into the pond.
The man slowly turned towards Carlo, his face breaking into a warm smile. Carlo's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of recognition, like he'd known this person before.
"Carl?" the man called out, the name hanging in the air like a question.
Carlo remained frozen for a moment, a look of disbelief on his face, as though he couldn't quite comprehend what was happening.
The man stood up gracefully, mirroring Honey's elegant motions from the past. He called out Carlo's name again, this time with an even bigger smile, "Carl."
Carlo's initial shock shifted to a comically exaggerated expression of despair. He stared at the man with wide eyes, his face contorted in a mix of disbelief and distress, as if he'd just realized that his life had taken an unexpected, and possibly calamitous, turn.
The man, in his green coat and white polo with a bandana adorning his forehead, small eyes twinkling with boundless energy, continued to shout, "Carl!" His excitement was infectious as he ran towards Carlo, swept him up into a tight bear hug, and spun him around like an excited child.
"How have you been?!" the man exclaimed with genuine delight, and their whirlwind of enthusiasm toppled them both onto the soft sand. Carlo's feet soon touched the ground again as the man, still grinning, shook him by the shoulders. "Carl! How are you?!"
Carlo, still in a state of mild shock, found himself holding a tiny turtle, and he couldn't quite fathom why. "Gimme a break. Why did you give me the turtle?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he peered at the little creature resting in his palm.
Honey and Evie, who had witnessed the entire whirlwind encounter, approached with curious expressions.
"Do you know him?" Evie asked, glancing between Carlo and the exuberant man.
Carlo hesitated, then replied, "Well... sort of."
The man reappeared, this time carrying something large wrapped in white paper. He shouted "Carl! This is a souvenir for you" again and presented Carlo with the wrapped gift. With a sudden burst of energy, he practically forced it into Carlo's hands, causing Carlo to yelp in surprise as he hugged the enormous red Daruma doll.
Honey, still somewhat bewildered, couldn't help but ask, "Why a Daruma?"
The man, who had clearly just arrived from Japan, beamed with pride. "If you speak of Japan and Takasaki City, you would surely think of Daruma."
Evie's disbelief was quickly replaced with understanding. "Japan?"
The man stood with a sense of pride and announced, "Allow me to introduce myself. I just arrived from Takasaki, Japan, the land of the rising sun. I am Carlo D'Amico's father. I'm Stephen!"
Evie smiled warmly, her previous disbelief dissipating. "Ah, you're his father." Honey, on the other hand, remained unconvinced and humorously noted, "I can't tell from looking." She shook her head in playful disagreement, the absurdity of the situation not lost on her.
Stephen beamed with happiness as he thanked Evie and Honey, seemingly overflowing with gratitude. "Thank you for taking care of Carl!" he expressed, his gratitude heartfelt.
He then reached into a white plastic bag and retrieved something, saying, "Here!" With great enthusiasm, he handed two small red Daruma dolls, one to Evie and one to Honey.
"Thank you very much," Evie responded, her politeness not quite concealing her bewilderment at Stephen's eccentric behavior. Honey, on the other hand, gazed at the Daruma dolls with a quizzical expression. "More Daruma," she commented, still puzzled by the theme.
Stephen's enthusiasm was contagious as he turned his attention to Carlo, exclaiming, "I haven't seen you for three years. I didn't expect you to be so big now." He playfully scratched Carlo's head, treating him like a child.
Carlo, clearly irked by his father's behavior, groaned and retorted, "Man, you just held a turtle with those hands."
Honey, unable to resist a bit of teasing, leaned closer to Carlo and remarked, "You smell of the pond." Her comment embarrassed Carlo, causing him to step down and protest, "Look!" Stephen and Evie found this exchange rather amusing, and they shared a laugh at Carlo's expense.
"Geez... Why are you here?" Carlo finally asked, his curiosity piqued.
Stephen leaned in and replied, "Because I have a favor to ask of you."
"A favor?" Carlo inquired, surprised by this unexpected turn of events.
Later, the trio found themselves in Stephen's rather elegant truck. However, their initial awe turned to amazement, then to bewilderment as they realized that the truck was adorned with numerous stickers and slogans from popular male anime and manga series, plastered all over every available surface. Inside the front window, a collection of small Daruma dolls adorned the dashboard.
Honey and Evie were left speechless, their jaws dropping at the sight of Stephen's peculiarly decorated vehicle. Carlo, feeling increasingly annoyed and shy while clutching a big Daruma, tried to distance himself from Stephen's cringe-worthy antics. He had no desire to be associated with it.
Honey, who had so far been fascinated by Stephen's arrival, now seemed to regard him with suspicion for the first time. She asked, "Is this your truck?"
Stephen hopped out of the truck, beaming with pride. "This is not just a truck. He's my partner," he declared, patting the trailer adorned with numerous Daruma stickers. He laughed wholeheartedly, reveling in his unique choice of decoration.
Evie and Carlo, now experiencing the full extent of Stephen's quirkiness, shared incredulous looks. Evie murmured, "How strange." Carlo chimed in, "You two understand how I feel now?" They couldn't help but find themselves caught up in Stephen's eccentric and somewhat cringeworthy world.
From a distance, Stephen continued to call out, "Carl, Carl!" Carlo, Honey, and Evie followed his voice to the back of the trailer, where Stephen was busy unlocking it. Climbing up and pulling the lever, he revealed the contents of the trailer.
Carlo's eyes widened with a mix of astonishment and disbelief. "This is..." he began.
Stephen interrupted, saying, "These are your belongings from home." As the three of them peered into the trailer, they saw a plethora of boxes, cardboard containers, and more of Carlo's personal items.
Carlo couldn't help but groan. "Really. I wonder, why did you move all of my stuff out?" he muttered.
Stephen, undeterred, began unloading the boxes one by one onto the ground. "We have to move," he explained.
"We're moving?!" Carlo exclaimed, surprise evident in his voice.
As Stephen continued to arrange the boxes, he elaborated, "Because we found a nice house that was on sale. I brought it on an impulse, and your mom likes it too."
A moment of silence hung in the air as the news settled in. Evie broke the silence with a quizzical look. "You can buy houses on impulse?" She couldn't quite fathom the idea of such a spontaneous and substantial purchase.
Stephen continued to explain, his voice carrying an air of optimism, "But the new house is even smaller than the place we live in now. We want to ask you to throw out stuff you don't want."
Carlo, feeling an overwhelming mix of annoyance and confusion, couldn't contain his frustration. "No one told me about moving at all," he exclaimed.
With an unrelenting grin, Stephen countered, "Of course, we didn't decide on it until last week." His casual explanation was followed by a mischievous gesture. He playfully tossed one of Carlo's old sling bags in Carlo's direction. The bag sailed through the air, and Carlo, caught off guard, yelped in surprise, his reflexes barely managing to secure the bag with an awkward chin catch.
As he observed Evie and Honey getting ready to help, Stephen, never one to shy away from a task, urged them, "You guys, come help too." He handed each of them large white boxes and added with a sense of urgency, "Bring them to the front. Hurry up."
Evie and Honey exchanged glances but complied, each shouldering their respective boxes as they walked away. Carlo, left behind to watch the unfolding scenario, couldn't help but reflect on the peculiar nature of Stephen's actions.
"He always forces things when he wants stuff done," Carlo mused with a hint of resignation. "Always making trouble for people. I still can't stand this person." Underneath the irritation, Carlo couldn't help but find a degree of amusement in the eccentricity that seemed to follow Stephen wherever he went.