On the final night of summer vacation, August 31st, Tsubasa falls asleep feeling a little sad that the fun is ending. But when he wakes up, his sister Riel tells him something impossible: 'Today is August 32nd.' His brothers, sister, and even his brother's girlfriend all accept this non-existent date as perfectly normal.
At first, Tsubasa is thrilled that summer vacation has been extended. But soon, he's the only one who notices the strange changes creeping into his home. Riel's cooking gradual
August 32nd - August 32nd, the distortion of summer begins
Tsubasa lay slumped over his desk, the final page still open.
A math workbook. Summer vacation homework. Left untouched, just sitting there.
He looked out the window. The sky was dyed a deep crimson. The sunflowers blooming in the garden caught the evening light and glowed gold.
Fuuto had planted them in early spring. They were already far taller than Tsubasa.
School starts tomorrow.
Those four words felt like a hole opening up deep in his chest.
"It'll work out somehow..."
He knew saying it out loud wouldn't change a thing.
Classes were boring, and there were people in his class he didn't get along with. More than anything, he hated waking up early.
If only summer vacation could last forever.
Lazing through the mornings with his family. Eating Rieru's cooking. Listening to Laiya's clumsy guitar playing.
Watching TV with Hanyii while Fuuto drew pictures beside them.
If only those ordinary, yet warm, moments could just go on and on.
That wish, though he hadn't spoken it aloud, echoed with startling clarity in his heart.
He wished harder. Stronger.
Forever.
If only summer vacation would never end.
That was the moment.
A gentle warmth spread deep within his chest.
Like finding a patch of sunlight on a winter's day.
He looked down to see a pale golden light spilling from his chest.
Tiny particles of light, fine as dust, floated softly upwards.
"Huh...?"
The light streamed toward the window, melting into the darkness outside until it vanished.
He had no idea what had just happened. But he suddenly felt incredibly sleepy.
Unable to resist the drowsiness, Tsubasa slumped back over his desk.
On the border between dream and reality, he thought he heard Laiya's guitar from somewhere far away.
It wasn't his smartphone alarm that woke him.
The morning sun streaming through the window was so bright, he had no choice but to get up.
"...Oh crap, my homework."
He jumped up in a panic. On his desk, the math workbook lay just as he'd left it the night before.
Still unfinished, as expected.
Tsubasa grabbed his smartphone from beside his pillow. He was about to check the time.
His hand stopped when he saw the screen.
The date displayed.
August 32nd.
"...What?"
There's no way that day exists.
Maybe it was a bug or something. He restarted his phone.
The screen went dark, then lit up again.
August 32nd.
It hadn't changed.
A chill ran down his spine.
Tsubasa burst out of his room and raced down the stairs.
The combined living room and hall on the first floor. The heart of this house.
Seven family photos on the wall. Everyone smiling.
And next to them, the wall calendar.
"N-no..."
The August sheet.
Right next to the square that had said 31st just yesterday.
32.
In clear, black ink.
He turned on the TV. The date display in the corner of the screen.
August 32nd.
The digital clock in the kitchen.
August 32nd.
Something creaked inside his head.
The scent of miso soup drifted from the kitchen.
Standing at the stove was his eldest sister, Rieru.
Rieru.
She was effectively the guardian of Tsubasa and his four siblings.
Ever since their parents left home, she had been protecting this household.
Her glossy, long brown hair was held back by a yellow headband.
Her profile, in an apron and moving cooking chopsticks, had her gentle, light-brown eyes narrowed in concentration.
To anyone, she was a beautiful and kind older sister.
As far as Tsubasa knew, she was truly kind to everyone.
But, when angered, those eyes of hers were said to glow gold.
He'd only seen it twice, but it had been terrifying.
Rieru noticed him.
"Oh, Tsubasa. Good morning."
A soft voice.
The same as always, the face of a perfectly kind older sister.
Tsubasa thrust his smartphone in front of her.
"Sis! Look at this! The date says August 32nd!"
Rieru tilted her head.
Her headband glinted.
"Yes, today is August 32nd. What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"
She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As if this day had always existed.
Tsubasa's throat burned.
"But there's no such thing as August 32nd! Today should be September 1st..."
"Oh, what are you talking about? Summer vacation isn't over yet. Today is August 32nd. Here, look, proof."
Rieru pointed.
Another calendar, hanging next to the refrigerator.
32.
"No way..."
His legs trembled.
Just then, the sound of a guitar drifted down from the second floor.
Laiya. A sleepy-sounding chord progression.
But it was definitely a sound that was always in this house.
A scene of everyday life, far too peaceful.
And yet, Tsubasa's world alone was warping with an audible creak.
The living room door opened.
"You're loud, this early in the morning."
It was Fuuto. The third son, and the younger brother who shared Tsubasa's room.
Short blue hair. An asymmetrical cut, slightly longer on the left side.
His blue eyes, which could look gray depending on the light, coldly observed Tsubasa's panic.
He was taller than Tsubasa. 177 centimeters.
Normally cool and not one to show much emotion.
But Tsubasa knew. He knew that this guy was actually incredibly sensitive and easily hurt.
"Fuuto! The date, look at the date!"
He held out his smartphone.
Fuuto glanced at it and immediately looked away.
"It's August 32nd. What's weird about it?"
"It IS weird! There's no 32nd anywhere!"
Fuuto frowned slightly.
In that expression, Tsubasa felt he saw a faint—truly faint—hint of sadness.
But maybe he was imagining it.
Because he immediately returned to his usual blank expression.
"Bro, there's no way summer vacation lasts forever. It'll end someday."
It was a quiet voice.
*If only summer vacation could last forever.*
He felt as if Fuuto had seen right through his wish from the night before.
"...Don't you think this is strange?"
"No. —Is breakfast ready yet?"
He turned back to Rieru, changing the subject.
"Just a little longer, Fuuto. Tsubasa, you sit down too."
Rieru's voice was as gentle as ever.
Tsubasa stood alone, rooted to the living room floor.
His entire family accepted this abnormal date as something normal.
In fact, it seemed like he was the strange one for panicking.
(*Why, just me?*)
Loneliness spread slowly, deep in his chest.
"Here we go, breakfast."
Rieru laid out the morning meal with a smile.
Grilled salmon. Miso soup. Rolled omelet. Spinach with sesame dressing.
An ideal Japanese breakfast. Her cooking was always perfect.
"...Thanks for the food."
He picked up his chopsticks.
First, a sip of the miso soup.
"...?"
Something felt off.
Just barely, but the flavor was weak.
(*My imagination?*)
He ate a piece of the omelet.
Weak. The flavor of the dashi broth felt somehow distant.
But.
"Is it good?"
Rieru's eyes peered at him with concern.
Her kind eyes beneath the headband were waiting for his answer.
"Y-yeah! It's delicious!"
He lied.
Rieru smiled happily and went back to the kitchen.
As he moved his chopsticks, Tsubasa thought.
(*What is this?*)
(*The date, the taste, everything.*)
After breakfast, Tsubasa made a decision.
He had to go outside, at least.
Maybe he'd understand something if he went to school.
He headed for the front door.
The familiar brown wooden door.
He turned the key, twisted the knob, and opened it.
"...What?"
What spread out before him was an unfamiliar corridor.
It was dim. The walls were an inorganic gray.
A fluorescent light flickered with a buzzing sound.
The corridor stretched straight ahead endlessly, with no end in sight.
Normally, their garden should be there.
Fuuto's easel for painting sunflowers, Rieru's flower beds.
The view of the quiet residential streets of Misora Town.
But all of it was gone.
"Whoa!"
He slammed the door shut in a panic.
His heart was pounding.
His palms were slick with sweat.
(*Calm down, calm down.*)
He took a deep breath.
Once more, this time slowly, he opened the door.
It was the same.
The unfamiliar corridor.
The flickering fluorescent light.
The endless gray walls.
"I can't... go outside?"
His voice trembled.
Fuuto's voice came from behind him.
"What's wrong?"
"Outside! It's turned into a hallway!"
Fuuto approached the front door, looking annoyed.
He opened the door.
Tsubasa held his breath.
"...Nothing's different."
"Huh?"
When Tsubasa timidly peeked out.
The familiar garden was there.
Fuuto's easel.
The marigolds in Rieru's flower bed.
And the residential streets of Misora Town, bathed in summer sunlight.
"Why... I'm sure it was just..."
Fuuto sighed.
"Bro, you're half asleep. Go wash your face."
With just that, he went out into the garden.
He stood before his easel and picked up a paintbrush.
Tsubasa stood frozen.
It had definitely been a corridor just a moment ago.
But now, it was a normal garden.
(*This is insane...*)
It was frightening.
But at the same time, he couldn't deny that a small curiosity was budding deep within his chest.
What on earth was going on?
The world's distortion was spreading, centered on this house.
He had that intuition.
Clenching his trembling hands, Tsubasa once more, this time slowly, stepped out the front door.
The summer sun hit his skin.
Hot.
The wind swayed the sunflowers.
The sky he looked up at was endlessly blue.
The blue sky of August 32nd.
"...It'll work out somehow."
That voice was so small and frail, it surprised even him.
In the corner of the garden, the painting of sunflowers Fuuto was working on flapped in the breeze.
The number of petals.
Seventeen.
But Tsubasa didn't notice.
He couldn't have noticed. Not yet.
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