Umika and Mirai remained relatively socially awkward for the past few weeks. though apologies were made, but it was clear to those around that things weren't back to normal. there were barely conversations, there were barely occasions where they interacted. Chinen was like an informer, reporting to Ryosuke the progress of the friendship, and both felt that there's a need to hasten their plan and bring it to fruition. the duo called the plan, project reconciliation. 

"you think Umika will come? she kept thinking that Mirai doesn't wanna see her" Chinen spoke on the phone with Ryosuke.

"It's not gonna be just her. lets make it a clique gathering in Mirai's house. I'll ask her house for permission and we give her a surprise"

"alright. I'll convince Umika to come!" Chinen said excitedly.

"yeah. see you Chi!"

Ryosuke disengaged the call and then proceeded to make the relevant arrangements for the surprise party at night. Somewhere in his mind, he's particularly concerned about how it would be facing both Yuto and Mirai in one single space. since the whole confession thing weeks ago, he hasn't met Yuto, rather he has no courage to face him. However, he is rather determined today that he'll talk to him, it's his personal target. there's no way he could run away this problem, eventually this complication will arise later as long as Mirai hasn't confront her own feelings. Calling Daiki and making the other arrangements can turn out to be such exhausting tasks that he found it hard to pry open his lids. He sat down on his sofa in his house and fell asleep almost instantly as though he has been awake for ages, in fact he has only just woken up from his sleep. perhaps it's because he has finished his last treatment dosage only days ago, that he hasn't yet entirely recover from the excitement of facing his new life. Though his new report isn't out until days later, he and everyone else have already been celebrating his successful pull through of something so tragic. though the past years have been extremely lonely, painful and daunting, thankfully for Mirai, he gained new friends, found true love and reason to live. now, he lived everyday to the fullest, most importantly with gratitude.  even in his sleep, his smile can charm those simply looking.

As evening came, he was at Mirai's house. The house was all prepared for the surprise. both her 
parents were out for a short trip, leaving Daiki and Ryosuke to tend the house. 

"Are you feeling tired?" Daiki asked as he saw Ryosuke yawning and massaging his own back several times.

"a little, it's normal. since today's activities is nothing vigorous, it'll be okay. arigatou Daichan"

"good. but if you need any rest, just let me know" they continued preparing the food. 

Ryosuke felt his phone vibrate, so he rushed to pick up realising the call is from Mirai.

"Ryochan!"

"hey, finished lessons?"

"hai~"

"I'm at your house, waiting for you"

"really?! great! I'll come home right now!" Mirai excitedly exclaimed. 

Everything of course went as planned. Yuto was first to reach, followed by Chinen, Umika and Suzuka. This was the best opportunity to talk to Yuto about the existing issue revolving between the 3, so the perfect moment came, Ryosuke tapped Yuto by his back to get his attention.

"Yuto, I need to talk to you..."

"a-ah hai" it was like as though he already knew what Ryosuke was about to say. Unfortunately when they were about to go to a quiet spot in the house to discuss the problem, Mirai timely pops up through the entrance of the house. She let out a loud exclamation when she sees her friends in her house.

"nande?!! nande?!!!" she flustered at the scene. 

"it's a surprise party Ryosuke and Chinen planned for you and Umika! well, you can call it a reconciliation party~" Daiki cleared the air, while Yuto and Ryosuke made their way to the clique.

the two awkward girls were eventually pulled together by Suzuka. initially they stared at each other with a obvious blur face. 

Daiki and Suzuka cheekily pulled Ryosuke and Chinen behind their lovers and squeezed them tight, hence Umika and Mirai ended up being sandwiched between their boyfriends. 

"ahhhh we're suffocating Niichan!!!" Mirai was tightly squashed by Ryosuke's chest. she could feel his heat radiating through her skin and him gasping for breathe.

Daiki and Suzuka immediately stopped after realising they have overlooked Ryosuke's discomfort.

"gomene Ryochan, Daijoubu?" Daiki rushed forth, and Ryosuke laughed to ease the tension.

"I'm fine. look at those two" Ryosuke pointed at the reddened faces of Umika and Chinen after the unplanned intimate. everyone drawn to the embarrassed couple broke out in a roaring laughter. unknowingly, Mirai and Umika were harmoniously tugging each other by their arms. Witnessing this scene, Ryosuke and Chinen exchanged winks that communicated the success of the 'reconciliation project'

Throughout, Yuto was quietly observing by the side. His unannounced retreat was noticed by Ryosuke who has been taking everything Yuto does to heart, including the frequent glancing at Mirai. That added considerably to Ryosuke's unrest. However, the growing fatigue is starting to take a toll on Ryosuke's ability to manage everyone's feeling. 

****
That night after a home-cooked dinner by Ryosuke and Daiki, they sat in a circle and played a regular board game. indeed, it was a must do activity to bond. it did have positive effect for Mirai and Umika who almost read each others mind throughout the games, creating ripples of laughter, but the effect was largely negative for Ryosuke and Yuto. Although Ryosuke was sitting beside Mirai all this time while Yuto sat directly opposite Mirai, Ryosuke could see them deliberately avoiding each other's awkward gazes whenever their eyes met. it made him mad and jealous everytime it happens, but he did his best to hold it in... until...

"Yatta! I beat Yuto's!!!" Mirai cheered. Yuto actually felt glad to see him bringing happiness to Mirai, but decided to hold back such feelings in case it leads to misunderstandings and more tension, especially in the presence of Ryosuke, so he acted frustrated at the loss. 

She stretched out her hand to put her pawn on the far end where Yuto's pawn was, but owing much to her short arms, she couldn't reach. both Yuto and Ryosuke reacted to her struggles, both stretching out their hands for her. there was awkwardness in the air as those who knew the ongoing triangle love saw. Chinen and Daiki wanted to kill the awkwardness but Yuto was quick to retreat again. He pulled back his hands, leaving Ryosuke the only one left to help Mirai. He kindly took Mirai's pawn from her hands with a sweet smile worn on her face and easily stretched out his hand towards where it should be placed. Supposedly a simple task turned out to be shockingly frightening experience for both Ryosuke and the rest of the 6. Ryosuke experienced a sudden double vision when he tried to focus on the spot for Mirai's pawn. it has been long since he had such double vision. He used his free hand to rub his eyes, but the double imagery persisted. Worst, his hand with the pawn began to shake uncontrollably, hindering his ability to place down the pawn. It was only when Mirai held his hand and placed the pawn together with his hand in hers, that they finally accomplished the task. Mirai worriedly glance into Ryosuke's eyes, he too returned a confused, frightened look because he doesn't know what is going on to himself. the rest became more reserved and less hyper after that incident, cause they too were taken aback by what happened. 

That night, the plans continued with the sleepover of the 7 friends at Mirai's house. for some of them, namely Mirai, Chinen, Yuto and Ryosuke, this sleepover became relatively heavy, with the heart unsettled. But no one dared to ask, or speak of it, except Mirai, after many toss and turn on her shared bed with Umika and Suzuka. She crept into her brother's room and saw Chinen, Daiki and Yuto asleep (technically, they feigned to be asleep because they knew she wanted to speak to Ryosuke, and they didn't want to ruin the moment for them. even Yuto kept quiet, though still very much jealous)

She crept up beside Ryosuke where he was so deeply engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't realise him approaching. She laid down behind his back sneakily, and lightly circled his waist from behind. He was startled but needn't turn back to check who it was~ He just let her be, but brought her fingers to his lips and gave a light kiss upon it.

"Ryosuke, is everything Alright?" she leaned on his back and whispered.

"I scare you and everyone else didn't I~"

She left a comforting kiss by his neck as soon as she heard his first response that made her realise how lonely he was. He turned around and faced her wholeheartedly. His face looked paler in comparison to days ago, clearly it has been the worries and the insomnia he's facing. Yet he still never forgets tending to her uptight girlfriend. He cupped her face and dropped a kiss on her forehead. 

"it was a long time since I experienced that. but I think it could be because my body is trying to rebuild its immunity after the 5 damaging treatment. now that I've finished the treatment, the artificial antibodies could possibly be trying to fight off t