Some hours later, Ryouta Aoyama entered. When he saw Aru asleep, he went up to him and softly shook his shoulder. „Aru, it's time for lunch." he said. Aru raised his head and looked at him. „I am not hungry..." the little boy replied. Ryouta tilted his head. „Something wrong, Aru?" Aru hid his face in his pillow. „...I am just not hungry.", „Okay..." Ryouta nodded. „You know, if something's wrong with you, you could always tell me...", „I am just homesick..." Aru replied. "But I am fine...", "This is my last day here." Ryouta said. Aru immediately sat up straight. "What...?", "I will be gone for two weeks. I got some vacation and I will be going home.", "You can't go!", "Don't worry." Ryouta laughed. "Chiba will be there for you. He's your therapist." Aru looked on his knees. "...", "Don't worry, Aru." Ryouta put a hand on his shoulder. "You won't even notice I'm gone. I will leave something to eat for you in the canteen, in case you get hungry later. Okay?" Aru nodded. "Thank you...", "No problem." Ryouta tousled through his hair. "Promise me to get better soon, yeah?" Aru nodded. "Okay.", "Good boy. Now rest." Ryouta smiled before he turned around and left. Aru turned himself on his side and bend his legs. He stared at the wall. "..."
When the evening came, he really got hungry so he left his room. Ryouta didn't lock the door when he left. Aru walked through the hallways when he noticed he had absolutely no fucking idea where the canteen was. "Uh..." He looked around. "...I dunno where to go...", "Hey, young boy!" A woman came to him. "Who are you?", "Uhm... A-Aru Kanzaki.", "Kanzaki... Huh, you aren't allowed to leave your room. Wasn't the door locked?" Aru shook his head. "No. Aoyama-sama didn't lock it...", "Ryouta, that fool... get back to your room!", "It's okay, Maya." Chiba came around the corner. His blue eyes fell on Aru and he stopped next to the red-haired boy. His blonde hair fell over his eyelashes. "Aru, in this case, is allowed to leave his room. He didn't eat anything for long.", "I see...", "I will bring him to the canteen and accompany him back to his room.", "As you wish, Akito." The woman nodded, turned around again and left. Chiba smiled at Aru. "She takes her work a little too seriously, don't mind her. Come with me." Chiba stretched out his hand to him. Aru took it. "Is it true that Aoyama will leave...?" Chiba hesitated. "...Yeah." he then nodded. "The therapists gain a two-weeks vacation around this time of the year, but we are way too few right now, so there's only one that can have these at a time. Ryouta Aoyama is always very engaged with the children here, so our chief decided to give him this vacation for now." Aru nodded and looked down. "...", "Why does it bother you so much?", "Aoyama seems friendly...", "It's true that Ryouta easily wins the trust of the kids... but don't worry, I try to be just as good as he is!" Akito gave him a positive smile. Aru nodded. "Thank you, Chiba-sama.", "You can call me Akito. We are not clinging to these polite phrases." Chiba started walking and Aru followed him. He lead him down some stairs into a great room with a lot of desks and chairs. A woman stood behind the counter and was busy washing the plates and glasses from lunch and dinner time. Chiba went to her. "Hey, Aisha. Would you mind giving my little protégé here the food Aoyama left for him?" The woman behind the counter nodded without a word and pushed a tray over to them. On it, there was a plate with mashed potatoes and green beans, a glass of apple juice and a little bowl with vanilla pudding. Chiba lifted it up and put it onto a table. "Just between us." Chiba sat down on the opposite chair and leaned over the desk. He lowered his voice so only Aru could her what he said: "...Aisha always has that same look and doesn't really say much. That's why some of the kids here call her 'the ice queen'.", "Really...?", "Indeed, yeah. Some even say that her face is frozen solid because she never smiles.", "Is she sad?", "Pffft... no." Chiba shook his head. "I just think she doesn't like children that much." Aru started eating.  "Why?", "Who knows?" Chiba shrugged with his shoulders. "I have no idea. Don't even ask me why she's working at Oakmoore Psychiatry in the first place... she must've definitely had need for money. I can't explain that in any other way." 
When Aru was done eating, Chiba brought him back to his room. "I will get you for the therapy tomorrow, okay?" he asked. Aru nodded. "Alright! That's fine!" Chiba smiled and then closed the door behind him. Aru went to the window. The sun went down and filled his room with a golden light. The red-haired boy decided to watch sunset until the colors outside turned black and the trees where mere shadows rising up against the sapphire sky. For a second, when Aru had been in the hallways, he had considered about running away. But he was afraid anybody would catch him if he did so. And except for that... he didn't even know where to go. He was a stranger in this part of the town. He only knew his house and his garden, the way down the street and his way to school. Nothing else. Did his friend Kayne miss him? Did he even know what happened to Aru? He probably had asked his mother... but what may have been her answer? Something told Aru that she would most likely lie about it and tell Kayne Aru was sick or at his aunt's or whatever.... She would probably not say the truth. And that kinda ached... Aru sighed and placed his chin on the windowsill. Suddenly, he felt so lonely... Would it be possible for him to find other friends? Kids who were stuck in this place too...? Was there a way he could be friends with them? Suddenly, he remembered what Chiba had told him before. If you tell people you can see ghosts, they will see you as a silly person and, most likely, don't wanna have anything to do with you. This can end up even worse. For example in depression, to mention one of the worst cases. Suddenly, Aru was scared. What if the others found out...? Would he be isolated? He didn't want to be alone... he was scared of being left alone. With a sigh, Aru lay down on his bed. "...Kayne... I wish you were here now..." He closed his eyes and wanted to cry, but nothing came out... so he hoped he would just fall asleep before he fell apart.