Haruto and the others visited a campsite that had a hot spring about a ten-minute walk away. “Ah, this is the best.” Shuichi said, soaking in the hot spring up to his shoulders, with a towel on his head. “It is. Feels like I’m coming back to life.” Haruto also soaked up to his shoulders in the hot spring, letting out a sigh as if expelling fatigue. Compared to the two of them, Ryota was standing on the edge of the tub, checking the temperature with his toes. As Haruto watched him with a gentle smile, Shuichi next to him spoke in a relaxed tone. “How is it, Ōtsuki-kun? Are you enjoying your first proper camping trip?” “Yes. Sitting around the bonfire with everyone, the camp food, everything is the best.” “That’s good. I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it.” Shuichi nodded, satisfied with Haruto’s reply. “The seafood paella was also incredibly delicious. Ikue-san is a great cook. I’m envious of Ayaka-san and the others who get to eat this cooking every day.” “Ahahaha. Is that right! Ikue will be very happy to hear that.” Shuichi laughed cheerfully, then let out another “Ah~” before speaking to Haruto in a deeply felt tone. “But still, it was really good that Ōtsuki-kun came to our house as a housekeeper.” “I also think it’s good that I could be a housekeeper for a family like yours, Shuichi-san. I feel a lot of fulfillment.” “I’m happy to hear you say that.” Shuichi smiled at Haruto’s words. He wiped his face with his palm once, then closed his eyes to savor the hot spring. “Ever since you started coming as a housekeeper, Ayaka seems to be having a lot of fun.” “Is that… right?”
“Hmm. Actually, my daughter has a slight aversion towards men. As a parent, I was worried about that.” “Ah… so that’s how it was.” Shuichi opened his closed eyes, leaned his back against the edge of the tub, and looked up at the ceiling as he spoke. Haruto nodded in understanding at his words. At school, Ayaka was always surrounded by female students, with male students pushed outside that circle. Before he started interacting with her as a housekeeper, seeing her behavior at school like that made Haruto think that Ayaka might not be interested in men, feeling like she rejected men. “Maybe it’s a parent’s bias, but Ayaka was very cute when she was little. Because of that, boys would often tease her, and well…” “I see.” Boys intentionally being mean to girls they like is a common behavior pattern among young children, but it’s not surprising that if it happens frequently, a girl might develop a fear to boys. Shuichi continued speaking while looking up at the ceiling. “If I only prioritized my own desires, I wouldn’t want the shadows of many men fluttering around my cute daughter. I might even wish she wouldn’t interact with boys while having an aversion to men. But things don’t really work out that way.” Saying that, Shuichi showed a wry smile and continued speaking with the look of a father who cares for his daughter. “The period you and Ayaka are in now, what’s called youth, allows you to feel many different joys. On the other hand, I think it’s also a time when you become sensitive to sadness and hardship, causing your feelings to fluctuate and become unstable. It’s fun, but sometimes you’re also attacked by an indescribable anxiety. I believe that the various emotions you feel during such youth will enrich you and your life when you become an adult.” Shuichi slowly lowered his gaze from the ceiling. “That’s why. As a parent who cares about my daughter, I wanted her to experience various things and emotions during that precious time that passes in an instant.” Saying that, Shuichi turned a gentle smile towards Haruto. “You two are in a very sensitive period right now, so adults shouldn’t meddle too much. I understand that in my head.” Shuichi paused, then turned towards Haruto and bowed his head. “Please, continue to be good friends with Ayaka.”
“Wh-What?! Shuichi-san! Please raise your head!!” Haruto said in a panic to Shuichi, who bowed so deeply his face was almost in the water. Just then, Ryota made up his mind and plunged into the hot spring up to his shoulders with a splash, then came over to Haruto and Shuichi. “Dad, what are you doing? Are you having a breath-holding contest?” Shuichi, who had been bowing his head, laughed “Ahahaha” at his son’s words and raised his head. “No, Ryota. I was asking Ōtsuki-kun to continue being good friends with you and Ayaka.” Shuichi explained with a laugh to his son, who tilted his head. Then Ryota looked at Haruto with a puzzled expression. “Onii-chan, don’t you love Onee-chan yet? Does it still take time?” “Eh?!” Haruto was struck speechless by Ryota’s sudden question. Ryota then started explaining to his father with an excited expression. “Hey, Dad! Onii-chan wants to marry Onee-chan! He said so before!!” “Ah, wait, Ryota-kun!?” Ryota dropped a bombshell on Shuichi, looking like he was having fun. It seemed Ryota clearly remembered what Haruto had said about marriage at Animal Forest Park. Haruto tried to stop him in a panic. However, Ryota, who had turned into a runaway train who loved his Onee-chan and Onii-chan, knew no stopping. “But he said! He can’t get married because he doesn’t love Onee-chan yet!” Every word Ryota uttered pierced Haruto and relentlessly chipped away at his mental state. But Ryota mercilessly and gleefully continued explaining to his father. “Do you know, Dad? For marriage, just liking someone isn’t enough!” “Is that right? Then, can you tell Dad how you can get married?” Shuichi gently asked Ryota, who was trying hard to explain. Ryota then declared clearly with a smile so full it looked like it would burst. “For marriage, you need love!!” Perhaps because he was in the hot spring, Haruto felt Ryota’s voice had a slight echo. “Even when you fight, you need love to stay together! That’s why for marriage, just liking someone isn’t enough, you need love!!”
“Oh, you know that well. Ryota, you’re amazing.” When Shuichi smiled and stroked his head, Ryota showed off an adorable smug face saying “Hehehe!” “When we went to the zoo, Onii-chan told me!!” “I see, I see.” “And he said! Onii-chan likes Onee-chan, but it still takes time for them to love each other!!” With his innocent words, Ryota mercilessly obliterated Haruto’s already damaged mental state. As Haruto, whose mental state was tattered like a sandbag, fell into a light daze, Ryota launched a follow-up attack. “Onii-chan. It’s been several days since then, does it still take time to love Onee-chan?” “Ah, ah… um, yeah…” “How much longer? Tomorrow?” “No, a little longer… It might still take some time.” “Next week? When will Onii-chan become my real Onii-chan?” Ryota, who had completely taken a liking to Haruto, seemed to want him to marry his sister as soon as possible. Haruto’s smile became strained because of him. “Ry-Ryota-kun, listen… that’s not so simple…” “Why? Onii-chan said you can get married if you have love?” “Um, that’s right, but… it’s not ‘you can get married if you have love,’ but rather ‘you need love for marriage’ is more correct, or something…” “What’s different? Isn’t it the same? Onii-chan, can’t you love Onee-chan? Do you dislike getting married?” “No… I don’t dislike it, but, um…” Haruto faltered under Ryota’s high-attack-power ‘Why?’ barrage. Just then, Shuichi, who had been watching their exchange with amusement, offered a lifeline. “Ryota. For marriage, of course, you need love, but there’s one more thing you need?” “Is that right? What is it?” “That is… money.” “Money?” Shuichi explained soothingly to Ryota, who tilted his head adorably.
“Listen, Ryota. For marriage, there’s something called a wedding ceremony. And you buy wedding rings, too. You need a lot of money for that. Your Onee-chan and Ōtsuki-kun have to save money for marriage from now on, so they can’t get married yet, okay? Do you understand?” “Hmm~, so you need money for marriage.” Ryota didn’t fully understand Shuichi’s explanation, but he seemed convinced for now. “Onii-chan, work hard and save money! I’ll cheer you on!” Haruto somehow managed a strained smile at Ryota, who clenched both fists and made a cheering pose. “Ah, thank you, Ryota-kun. Um, I’ll do my best…” Ryota’s ‘Why?’ attack had stopped for now thanks to Shuichi’s persuasion. But at the same time, Haruto felt something when he saw Shuichi’s satisfied smile. A sense of being surrounded by some kind of wall, an illusion. ※※※ “Hot spring at the campsite is the best~!” “Bonfires are fun, but you get covered in the smell.” I cupped the hot water in my hands and poured it over my shoulders, next to Saki, who stretched widely while soaking in the hot spring. The large public bath was spacious and felt open, and that alone made my heart feel somehow healed. Saki was also stretching her arms and legs in the tub, completely relaxed. “My stomach’s full, the hot spring feels great, I’m so happy right now~” Mama, across from Saki, who was relaxed and slightly floating, smiled. “It’s lively with Saki-chan here, I have fun too~” “Thank you so much for inviting me today! Ikue Mama’s paella was incredibly delicious!” “Oh, thank you.” Mama smiled, putting her hand on her cheek, looking happy at Saki’s words. “Lately, I’ve been completely relying on Ōtsuki-kun’s cooking, so I have to try hard once in a while or my skills will get dull.” “Now, for breakfast, there’s always at least one dish Haruto-kun made in advance, isn’t there.”
Ever since Haruto-kun started coming as a housekeeper, the Tojo family’s dining table seems to have more dishes and feels a little more luxurious. It’s not that Mama hasn’t cooked before, but when both parents are working, there are times when she simply can’t get around to cooking. At those times, we used to just eat simple instant meals or order delivery. But now, thanks to the constant stock of Ōtsuki-kun’s home cooking in the fridge, we can eat healthy and delicious meals. “That carrot salad Haruto-kun made the other day. That was really delicious~” The flavor of carrots and the crunchy texture. The acidity of grain mustard mixed with the sweetness of honey, and the exquisite saltiness added to it, made it so delicious I felt like I could eat it infinitely. Even Ryota, who isn’t very fond of carrots, ate Haruto-kun’s carrot salad in an instant. “That’s right. It adds color, and it was good, wasn’t it? Also, I like the beef and glass noodle japchae~” “Definitely! The japchae Haruto-kun makes is really delicious, isn’t it.” I nodded vigorously at Mama’s opinion. Saki, seeing me and Mama, laughed amusingly. “Ōtsuki-kun, you seriously captured the Tojo family’s stomachs.” “Saki, you ate Ōtsuki-kun’s meal prep when you stayed over for the barbecue before, right? It was delicious, wasn’t it?” “Well, it was delicious, but after that, Ayaka also declared ‘Haruto-kun is mine’.” “Ah, that was! Saki, you were trying to… um…” “Oh my? Ayaka-san, your face is red, isn’t it?” “O-Oh, it’s just because I’m in the hot spring and my circulation is getting better!” I turned my face away from Saki, who was peering at me to tease me. Then Mama spoke with a gentle smile. “But Ayaka, you really have to make Ōtsuki-kun yours during this summer vacation. I shiver and can’t sleep at night just thinking about his meal prep stock disappearing from the fridge.” Mama hugged her own shoulders and shivered. “Ikue Mama, you’ve become addicted to Ōtsuki-kun.” “Saki-chan, Ōtsuki-kun isn’t just good at cooking, you know? He’s also meticulous with cleaning, and he plays with Ryota. Honestly, the minimum
standard for a future son-in-law coming into our house has to be Ōtsukikun’s level.” “Whoa~, the standard for Ayaka’s husband candidates just skyrocketed!” “Hey! Mama and Saki, don’t just blow things out of proportion on your own!” Mama has been talking about Haruto-kun as a son-in-law, but we aren’t even dating yet, so I’m troubled when she talks like that. First, I think it’s normal to properly date Haruto-kun and become official lovers, and then think about what comes after that… “Seriously… just how much do you like Haruto-kun?” “Isn’t it obvious that I like him so much I’d welcome him into the Tojo house right now? Besides… Ayaka, you like Ōtsuki-kun, too, don’t you?” “Uhm… Th-That’s… Ugh… I-I like him, okay?” I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. Since I hadn’t particularly tried to hide it, I thought Mama already knew how I felt about Haruto-kun. But when she said it so directly, the feeling of embarrassment still overflowed. “If Ōtsuki-kun had been forcefully pursuing you, or if Ayaka had been uncomfortable with it, I might have cancelled the regular contract, but…” Mama looked at me with a soft, embracing smile. “If you like Ōtsuki-kun, then there’s no reason to object anymore, is there? My cute daughter’s happiness comes true, and a wonderful, domestic young man comes to be our son-in-law. As a parent, it’s hitting two birds with one stone.” Mama, saying that, didn’t have her usual teasing, smirking look, but a gentle expression that showed she was genuinely thinking about me. Oh, saying that with that face just makes me even more embarrassed… I soaked my face up to my mouth in the hot spring to hide my embarrassment and flushed face. Next to me, Saki said, “By the way,” “Does it seem like Ōtsuki-kun might confess yet? Can you break free from the fake boyfriend relationship?” “U-Um, I wonder… I think I’m trying pretty hard to appeal to him, but…” I replied hesitantly to Saki’s words. Then, Mama’s face lit up like never before, and she looked at me with sparkling eyes. “What, what? What’s this about a fake boyfriend?”
Saki looked at me with a slightly awkward expression, saying “Huh?” to Mama, who was full of curiosity. “Maybe you kept things with Ōtsuki-kun a secret from Ikue Mama?” “Um, it’s not like I was keeping it a secret, but… I was too embarrassed to talk about it myself…” Besides, Mama might be okay, but I don’t know what kind of crazy reaction Dad would have if he heard about it. That’s why when I practice being lovers in my room, I pretend I’m studying to deceive them. “Ayaka, really. What were you doing with Ōtsuki-kun behind my back?” Mama’s expression changed from that of a mother to a teasing, smirking smile as she questioned me. “I-It’s not like I was hiding it, but… um…” I felt like I couldn’t resist the pressure from Mama, so I explained my current relationship with Haruto-kun to her. Of course, I kept things about Haruto-kun’s parents hidden since I couldn’t just talk about them behind his back. Mama, who had finished listening to the explanation, had a very excited expression, her eyes shining. “Oh my, oh my! So that’s how it was! Oh my, oh my! Just recently there wasn’t a single boy in your life, this is nice, isn’t it? Youth, indeed.” “P-Please keep it a secret from Papa, okay?” “Hehehe, alright. I’ll keep it a secret. But seriously, Ōtsuki-kun. I thought he was quite mature, but he has some cute sides, doesn’t he? So…” Mama looked at my eyes in a good mood. “As Saki-chan said, can you win Ōtsuki-kun over?” “Ugh… I wonder…” I think things are going pretty well with Haruto-kun. I think so… but I still don’t know if he’ll confess… Saki then said, resting her hand on her chin. “Watching Ōtsuki-kun and Ayaka together during the barbecue and this camping trip, I think Ōtsuki-kun definitely likes Ayaka by now.” “I-Is that so? Do you think so?” “Yeah, in fact, I can’t see it any other way. So, I think you can do it if there’s some kind of event that triggers a confession.” “Event…” What kind of event would trigger a confession? To me, tilting my head, Saki said with a joking smile.
“For example, dragging Ōtsuki-kun to a church and standing in front of the priest together?” “Th-That’s not a confession anymore! That’s swearing eternal vows!” “But Ayaka, you want to be by Ōtsuki-kun’s side in sickness and in health, right?” “…………I-I do, but…” “Hyu~, so devoted, aren’t we.” “Mo-Mom! Don’t tease me!” I protested and scooped up some hot water, lightly splashing it at Saki. Saki, who got hot water on her face, said “Agh! Hehehe, sorry, sorry,” but her expression was definitely smirking. While I was pouting at my best friend, Mama suddenly said, as if she had a flash of inspiration. “Speaking of which, isn’t there a fireworks festival next week?” “Oh! Ayaka, there’s a really good event!” At Mama’s words, Saki also looked at me with high spirits. “Ah, u-um… Now that you mention it, yeah…” “Huh? Why the lukewarm reaction?” Saki tilted her head curiously. “No, I want to watch the fireworks with Haruto-kun too, but… um…” “Um?” “If possible, I was hoping Haruto-kun would invite me~” I twiddled my fingers, feeling embarrassed at what I just said. Saki let out a sigh at me. “There you go again, being greedy Ayaka.” “B-But…” I know I have to be proactive, but I still want to pursue my ideal a little bit… “If Ōtsuki-kun forgets about the fireworks festival, you might not get invited and it’ll just end like that?” “Before that happens, I’ll invite him. But there’s still a possibility that Haruto-kun will invite me, right?” “Ayaka, you’re really such a maiden.” Saki shook her head as if saying “Oh, dear”. I feel like I’ve been getting closer to Haruto-kun lately, so I personally think there’s a high possibility that he’ll invite me.
Just as I was thinking that, Mama looked at me and said, “Speaking of which.” “The day of that fireworks festival is Ryota’s overnight preschool trip.” “That’s right, now that you mention it.” Ryota’s preschool has an event called an overnight trip for the senior class, which lasts one night and two days. Ryota will be at the preschool from the evening until before noon the next day. “I think I’ll also be getting home late that day.” On the day of the overnight trip, there’s also some kind of exchange meeting for parents, and Mama seems to be participating in that. “Besides, Shuichi-san is going on a business trip starting next week.” After saying that, Mama smiled at me kindly. “That day, you’ll be the only one home, so it’s a chance to bring Ōtsukikun back to the house while the atmosphere is still good after the fireworks festival!” I protested with a red face to Mama, who said something unfitting for a parent while giving me a quick wink. “Br-Bringing him back?! Mama, you can’t say that?! Parents are supposed to make sure that doesn’t happen usually!” “That’s right. Certainly, it’s still too early for grandchildren.” “Gr-Grandchildren?!” I was speechless without thinking. Until now, I thought Mama was okay, although Papa needed to be cautious. But maybe Mama is also quite dangerous… I looked at Mama with caution, who was saying things like “But I do want to see my grandchildren’s faces.” Saki, next to me, egged on. “Ōtsuki-kun is a boy too, you know. If you go after him with Ayaka’s attractive body, it’s one shot!” “W-We’re still high school students! We have to have a pure relationship!!” I swat away Saki’s hand, which was poking my chest. “Anyway, I’m not even dating Haruto-kun yet! First, we have to become official lovers!” “Oh, Ayaka, don’t get so worked up. I’m just kidding, of course.” Mama said with a chuckle. “Really? Are you seriously just kidding?” When I looked at Mama with suspicious eyes, she returned a smile.
“Of course, it’s half a joke.” “Half of it is serious!!” ※※※ Haruto, who got out of the hot spring, walked back to the campsite carrying Ryota, who had fallen completely asleep, on his back. As Haruto readjusted Ryota, who had slipped down a little, saying “Whoa,” Ayaka came next to him and said. “My prediction was spot on.” “Yeah.” “Are you okay? Is he heavy?” Ayaka turned her face towards Haruto, looking concerned. From her, the scent of shampoo, specific to after a bath, gently wafted, tickling Haruto’s nose. “Yeah. I’m totally fine.” Haruto nodded slightly, slightly averting his gaze from her attractive hair, which felt moist and glossy. Why do women after a bath appear so attractive? The scent they wear, their slightly wet hair. And their fresh, plump, unadorned smiles. Ayaka, with a beaming expression, had slightly flushed cheeks, perhaps because she had just gotten out of the bath. That’s when Haruto looked at Ikue and Saki, who were walking a little ahead, and thought. Why is it? I feel like Ayaka’s face is somewhat redder than the other two. As Haruto was wondering, Saki, who slowed down and came closer to Haruto and Ayaka, put on a teasing smile. “Now now, you lovebirds over there. If you’re so lovey-dovey, you might get lost, you know?” “Oh my- Saki stop!” Ayaka immediately turned towards Saki, showing a flustered, embarrassed expression. “Haruto-kun and I aren’t married yet!” “Oh? ‘Yet’ means you plan to be in the future?” Huh?! That’s not what I meant!!” Haruto gave a wry smile at the two girls talking lively, then slightly lifted Ryota on his back, who had slipped down again, and walked back to the campsite at a slow pace.
After that, Haruto returned to the campsite after walking for a few minutes and put the sleeping Ryota to bed in the tent. “Ōtsuki-kun, thank you. You always take care of Ryota.” “No, it’s totally fine.” Ikue thanked Haruto, who had come out of the tent. Just then, Shuichi, holding a bottle that looked like wine, came over with a beaming face and proposed. “How about it? Shall we all have a feast?” Saki was the first to react to his proposal. “A feast! That’s a great idea, Shuichi-san!” “But Papa, we can’t drink alcohol yet?” Ayaka frowned, looking at the bottle in her father’s hand. Shuichi smiled more deeply at his daughter’s reaction. “No problem. Actually, this isn’t wine, it’s just grape juice.” Saying that, Shuichi held out the bottle towards Ayaka so she could see the label clearly. It was indeed clearly labeled as one hundred percent grape juice. Haruto also looked at the grape juice, which looked exactly like a wine bottle, with admiration. “That’s amazing. There’s juice like that.” “Hmm. It’s probably delicious. After all, it’s a five-thousand-yen item.” “Fi-?! Five thousand?!” Haruto’s eyes popped out at the astonishing price uttered by Shuichi. Next to him, Saki, who was also a commoner, let out a mysterious sound of “Ah, ah, ah”. Shuichi and Ikue are both very friendly and easy to talk to, and Ayaka and Ryota have no pretense at all, so Haruto tends to forget that the Tojo family is celebrity. Haruto and Saki trembled with fear at the excessively expensive juice. Seeing the two of them, Ikue said with a gentle smile. “Please don’t hesitate to drink it. It’s okay to have many refills. I brought four of these.” “Fo-Four bottles…” “Wow…” Just the juice alone cost twenty thousand yen. Haruto was speechless at that fact, and Saki reacted like a foreigner. Just then, Ayaka, who didn’t seem to mind at all, came over with disposable paper cups in her hand.
“Are these cups okay? I have bigger ones too?” “…You rich bastard… You, you’re so lucky!!” Saki suddenly hugged Ayaka from behind and started tickling her sides. “Kya?! Saki, wait!?” “You! Being a celebrity, beautiful, and having a great figure is cheating!” “Sa-Saki, you’re thin too!! Stop, ahahaha! Wa-Wait! That tickles!!” “Shut up~! You cheater! Give me half of this chest size!!” “Th-That’s impossible, obviously!? W-Wait, Saki?! No, d-don’t grab me!!” Saki, who was attacking, and Ayaka, who was desperately resisting. Haruto quietly averted his gaze from the interaction between the high school girls unfolding in front of him. He felt that the fact that both of them had just gotten out of the hot spring was a factor that increased their charm in various ways. “…Shuichi-san. Are these cups alright?”
Haruto picked up the paper cup Ayaka had brought earlier, as if to distract himself from the awkwardness. “No, we’re drinking this, so it’s fine.” Shuichi shook his head and then picked up a bottle of genuine wine this time. Seeing that, Haruto made a suggestion. “In that case, how about I make some snacks?” “Oh! What will you make?” “I have canned tomatoes and penne, so I thought I’d make arrabbiata. I think it will pair well with wine.” “Oh!! Please do!!” Shuichi responded excitedly to the dish Haruto proposed. “By the way, is spicy food okay for everyone?” When cooking as a housekeeper, since Ryota is also present, Haruto tries to make the seasoning less spicy and sour. However, now that Ryota is sleeping, that consideration is unnecessary. Haruto, who believes arrabbiata is best when it’s spicy, asked, and Ikue nodded and replied. “Totally fine. Actually, I like spicy food. Right, dear?” “Yes. Besides, spicy food goes well with alcohol.” After hearing the Tojo couple’s replies, Haruto also confirmed with the two girls who were still playing around. “How about you two? Is spicy food okay?” “Spicy is welcome!” Saki, who had been thoroughly tickling Ayaka, stopped her hands and saluted Haruto. Ayaka, finally freed from Saki’s clutches, said “Saki, you idiot…” while pouting, then said to Haruto. “I’m fine with spicy food too.” “Got it. Then I’ll make it with a spicy seasoning.” Having confirmed with everyone, Haruto immediately started cooking. Since the bonfire had been put out before going to the hot spring, Haruto placed the frying pan on the stove. Then, Saki looked into the frying pan from behind him and asked. “By the way, Ōtsuki-kun. I wasn’t listening at all, what are you making?” “Arrabbiata.”
“Wow~. You’re making something stylish again~. I’ve only ever eaten arrabbiata at family restaurants.” Saki, who said this admiringly, smirked and looked at Ayaka. “Really, I’m so envious… Ayaka, you’re going to eat the arrabbiata Harutokun make from now on, right?” “That’s right~” Ayaka replied to her teasing, her cheeks slightly puffed out. Seeing her expression, Saki smirked even more. “Haruto-kun. Make Saki’s portion extra spicy.” “Ahaha, roger.” “Ah~! Ayaka, you’d do something like that to your best friend?” “Because Saki is being mean to me.” “Isn’t this just a form of expressing love?” “Hmph.” Perhaps because Ayaka and Saki have known each other for a long time. They were talking without any reservations towards each other. Haruto continued making the arrabbiata, occasionally joining in their conversation. He added chopped garlic and red pepper to olive oil, and heated it to transfer the aroma and spiciness to the olive oil. Shuichi’s face softened at the aroma of garlic and pepper that gently drifted on the night breeze. “I could drink wine just from this scent.” Haruto smiled at his words and continued cooking, stir-frying onions, adding canned tomatoes, and simmering it down. A few minutes later, Haruto tossed the boiled penne in the sauce, adjusted the seasoning with salt, and finally added a small amount of olive oil for finishing before plating it. “It’s finished. Penne all’arrabbiata.” Haruto placed the plated arrabbiata on the table that everyone was gathered around. Then, Shuichi started pouring drinks for everyone as if he couldn’t wait. And when everyone had their drinks, he raised his glass and said cheerfully. “Then let’s make a toast! Cheers!!” To his toast, Haruto and the others also held up their cups and said “Cheers!” “Kyuu~ this grape juice is delicious!! What is this!?”
Saki’s eyes widened at the expensive juice. Next to her, Ayaka reached for the arrabbiata Haruto had made with her chopsticks. “Haruto-kun, this is really delicious.” “Good. Eat a lot.” “Yeah! Ah… but it’s a little spicy.” Ayaka gave a wry smile at the spiciness that slowly spread across her tongue. Ikue smiled gently at her daughter. “This spiciness is good. It goes so well with the wine, it’s the best. Thank you, Ōtsuki-kun.” “I’m glad it suited your taste.” Haruto bowed his head happily at Ikue’s praise. “Delicious drinks, delicious food, and a sky full of stars when you look up. Ah, it’s the best!” Shuichi said with satisfaction and tilted his wine glass. After that, the feast continued lively as everyone snacked on the arrabbiata. Shuichi and Ikue, while praising Haruto’s cooking, drank the alcohol heartily, and Saki, regretting that she couldn’t drink alcohol, said while drinking juice, “Ōtsuki-kun, why don’t you open an izakaya in the future? I’ll be a regular there.” Ayaka was also drinking and eating juice and arrabbiata alternately, saying “This spiciness is addictive…”. The lively and fun feast under the starry sky eventually concluded when Shuichi, completely drunk, put his arm around Haruto’s shoulder and cheerfully said things like “You can call me ‘Otou-san’ instead of ‘Shuichisan’.” The women and men went into separate tents. Haruto, wrapped in his sleeping bag, felt a great sense of fulfillment that his first proper camping trip was more fun than he had imagined. Immediately, he could hear Shuichi’s snoring from next door. Haruto felt gratitude towards the Tojo family once again. The pressure he felt regarding Ayaka made him a little nervous, but still, they were very kind to him, inviting him to camping and barbecues like this. Thanks to that, he could also enjoy his part-time job as a housekeeper and feel a sense of fulfillment. “They’re such a good family…” Haruto muttered quietly to himself.
The lively, bright, and loving atmosphere of the Tojo family. Through his part-time job as a housekeeper, Haruto also experienced that atmosphere, and his heart felt naturally warm. He was truly glad he took on the housekeeping job this summer vacation. And he was glad he met the Tojo family. Thinking that, Haruto quietly closed his eyelids and fell asleep. ※※※ Perhaps because it was his first time sleeping in a tent, his sleep might have been a little shallow. Haruto woke up naturally and thought that as he stared blankly at the tent ceiling. It was still completely dark outside. He fumbled for his smartphone, which was placed near his pillow, and checked the time. It was just past midnight. Haruto tried to close his eyes and fall asleep again for a while, but his eyes were unexpectedly wide awake and he couldn’t fall asleep. Reluctantly, he gave up on sleeping and carefully crept out of the tent, being careful not to wake the Tojo family sleeping next to him comfortably. In the dark of the middle of the night, relying on the soft moonlight, Haruto managed to find his shoes placed near the tent entrance and put them on. He then slowly stood up and casually looked up at the night sky. “Oh…” Immediately, a small voice of admiration leaked from his mouth. The night sky spread out above his head. There was a starry sky that felt infinitely vast. Thousands of stars were densely packed in the night curtain, spread out above him as if to envelop him, twinkling fantastically. “Is this what they call a sky full of stars…” Haruto just stared blankly at the night sky, at the overwhelming sight that was hard to come by in urban areas and residential areas with lots of artificial lights. At first, Haruto had thought of taking a walk and moving his body a little before going to sleep. However, the starry sky was so beautiful that he simply sat down on the grass a little distance from the tent and quietly looked up at the night sky. How long had he been doing that?
Suddenly, a zipping sound of a zipper opening entered Haruto’s ears as he watched the stars, forgetting the time. When he turned his gaze towards the sound, he saw Ayaka, whose eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness of the night, coming out of the tent with hesitant movements. After struggling a bit to put on her shoes, she started walking slowly and then stopped when she noticed Haruto sitting on the grass a little distance from the tent. “Huh? …Haruto-kun?” Ayaka asked with a little confusion, seemingly not seeing clearly in the dark. “Yeah. I’m not used to sleeping in a tent, so I woke up. And when I came outside, the starry sky was really beautiful.” “Oh, so that’s what happened.” “What about you, Ayaka?” “Um, I… I think I drank too much juice before going to bed…” Haruto nodded slightly, saying “Ah, I see,” to Ayaka, who spoke with a little embarrassment. “I think the restroom is over there, right?” Haruto said, looking towards the log house-like hut a little distance away. “Yeah.” She nodded her head slightly, glanced at Haruto sitting on the grass, and then looked up at the starry sky. “Haruto-kun, are you still awake?” “Yeah. I think I’ll stay here a little longer.” Saying that, Haruto looked up with a calm expression on his face. “I see… Ah, well, I’ll just, um…” “It’s okay, go ahead.” When Haruto said that, Ayaka hurried towards the log house-like hut. After seeing her off, Haruto continued to gaze leisurely at the starry sky. Ayaka returned to him. “Good. You were still awake… Hey, Haruto-kun. Can I, uh, sit next to you?” Haruto thought she came back faster than he expected. She was a little breathless. It seemed she had hurried back from the hut to here. “Yeah. Of course.”
Maybe she was a little scared to go to the restroom alone? If so, he should have gone with her. While thinking this internally, Haruto readily agreed for Ayaka to sit next to him. Ayaka looked very happy at Haruto’s reply and sat down next to Haruto, leaving a gap about the width of a fist. “It’s beautiful. The starry sky.” “Yeah, it’s really beautiful.” The night breeze gently stroked the two of them, who were sitting side by side, looking up at the night sky. Thanks to the high altitude, the temperature dropped considerably at night even in midsummer, and the gently flowing night breeze felt comfortable. Ayaka said in a deeply felt tone next to Haruto. “Without unnecessary lights, you can see so many stars.” “That’s right. It feels like the night sky has gotten a little closer when you can see so many stars.” “I know! It makes you lose your sense of distance, doesn’t it?” Ayaka showed happy agreement with Haruto’s words. The dark night world, where no light was felt except for the slightly illuminating soft moonlight. The sky full of stars seen from there was such a spectacular view that it felt like it was pressing in on them, giving a sense of fantastical vastness. “Stars are mysterious, aren’t they?” Ayaka took her eyes off the starry sky and looked sideways at Haruto, who muttered quietly. “When you think that each of those lights is a star, the universe is truly vast.” “A star means a star like the sun?” “Yeah. A star that emits its own light.” After nodding at Ayaka’s words, Haruto looked up at the night sky, his eyes shining like a young boy. “Around those countless stars, there are many planets, and on one of them, there might be a planet like Earth, and they might be looking at the stars and saying how beautiful they are, just like us. Thinking about that makes me kind of excited.” “Hehehe, Haruto-kun, are you surprisingly romantic?” While Ayaka smiled amusedly, Haruto explained to her very seriously and with a little bit of enthusiasm.
“No, no. This is about science?” “Is that so?” “There’s actually an equation to calculate the possibility of intelligent life existing other than humans on Earth.” “Equation…” “You apply various variables to that equation, but until recently, we couldn’t prove that planets actually exist around stars.” “H-Heh…” To Haruto, who suddenly started talking passionately about space science, Ayaka replied with a slightly overwhelmed tone. He then continued to talk about space happily. “But recently, with recent research, we’ve found that stars move slightly, and it was found that this is due to the gravitational influence of the planets around them. Because of that, it’s been proven that the possibility of stars having planetary systems is not zero, so the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligent civilization existing has also significantly increased.” “Oh, so that’s how it is…” Ayaka showed a slightly strained smile, thinking that it was going to be a romantic story at first, but it turned out to be a very scientific one. “Because there’s a big difference between zero and one, you know. Whatever you multiply by zero is zero.” Ayaka looked at Haruto, who said something like that while looking up at the fantastical starry sky, with a slightly dissatisfied expression. “………Hey, Haruto-kun.” “Yeah?” “Isn’t there something a little more romantic? Like, do you know any myths about constellations?” Haruto tilted his head at Ayaka’s words. “Hmm. I don’t really know much about constellations.” “Oh, I see… Oh, that’s right.” Looking at the dimly shining moon, Ayaka suddenly had an idea and turned the conversation towards Haruto. “Haruto-kun, did you know that saying ‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’ can be a declaration of love?” “Ah, yes. That’s Natsume Soseki, right?” “Huh? Is that so?” Ayaka had intended to lead the conversation towards something romantic, but she never expected him to mention the name of an old literary
master. She couldn’t help but look surprised. Perhaps finding her expression amusing, Haruto chuckled softly and began to speak. “When Natsume Soseki was an English teacher, one of his students translated ‘I love you’ directly as ‘I think fondly of you’. Natsume Soseki then said that Japanese people don’t use such direct expressions. So when the student asked, ‘How should I translate it?’, Natsume Soseki apparently told him to translate it as something like ‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’. That’s supposedly the origin.” “That’s how it was, I didn’t know. Haruto-kun is knowledgeable.” To Ayaka, who was genuinely impressed, Haruto scratched his cheek as if to hide his embarrassment and replied, “This is a pretty well-known story.” “Is that so? But why would the translation of ‘I love you’ be ‘The moon is beautiful’?” Standing beside Haruto, Ayaka also looked up at the night sky and asked, looking puzzled. Catching her profile out of the corner of his eye, Haruto opened his mouth in a quiet voice. “Seeing the same moon side-by-side, sharing the feeling that it’s beautiful. That’s worth ‘I love you’. I feel like I saw an explanation like that somewhere.” “That sounds really nice. Romantic and lovely.” “Well, I doubt there are many people in reality who are stylish enough to make such a confession.” At least, he couldn’t imagine a date plan where they looked up at the night sky together at the end and confessed with “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”. As Haruto was thinking such things, Ayaka beside him suddenly took her gaze away from the starry sky and looked at him. “Haruto-kun, what would you translate ‘I love you’ as?” “Eh…? You’re asking for something really tough.” Haruto smiled awkwardly at Ayaka, who was smiling back happily. “Haruto-kun is good at studying, right? So I thought you might come up with an expression that rivals Natsume Soseki.” “No, no. The other party is a representative Japanese literary master whose face is on banknotes, you know?” Haruto said this with a wry smile, but she continued to gaze at him with expectant eyes. It seems she won’t back down unless I give some kind of answer.
Feeling this, Haruto looked up at the starry sky in the middle of the night and racked his brain for something. Ayaka continued to watch him with a happy and amused expression. At that moment, a gentle summer night breeze brushed between the two. At the same time, Haruto felt enveloped in Ayaka’s scent. The faint smell of soap from her recent bath, still lingering, and Ayaka’s usual scent, somehow subtly sweet. Carried on the wind, that scent made Haruto, still looking up at the starry sky, murmur softly. “Tonight’s night breeze feels pleasant… or something?” “…………” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka just silently stared at him. Under her gaze, embarrassment gradually welled up inside Haruto. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Haruto’s face turned bright red, and he spoke quickly. “Forget it! Forget that! Forget it!” “Huh? I thought it was really good, though? As expected of Haruto-kun.” “Stop it, it’s embarrassing.” To Ayaka, who was praising him with a full smile, Haruto still had red cheeks and scratched his head vigorously with one hand, writhing in shame. Seeing his reaction, Ayaka smiled gently and made a suggestion to Haruto. “Hey, Haruto-kun.” “Hmm?” “Shall we practice being a couple?” “Huh? Right now?” “Yeah.” Ayaka nodded bashfully. “Looking up at the starry sky together late at night feels kind of like a couple, you know?” “Does it?” “Yeah. So, I think it would be a waste to miss this situation.” Saying this, Ayaka tilted her head slightly and looked towards Haruto, asking, “You don’t want to?” “No, I don’t dislike it at all, but…” “Then it’s decided!”
With a buoyant voice, Ayaka said this and filled the gap, which had been about a fist-width, sitting down so close that she was snuggled right up against Haruto. “…Um, what kind of things should we practice?” Feeling the warmth from beside him, Haruto felt his heart beating faster. “Hmm. What do real couples do in times like this, I wonder?” “…Holding hands and quietly observing the starry sky, maybe?” Haruto just said the first thing that came to mind. At his words, Ayaka murmured “I see” before slowly extending her right hand towards Haruto. Haruto looked at her right hand for a moment, then slowly intertwined his left hand with hers. From beside him, he could hear her “Hehehe,” a somehow joyful smile. To distract himself from the shyness, Haruto looked up at the starry sky filled with stars, and following suit, Ayaka also looked up at the night sky with him. “…It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” “Yeah, it’s incredibly beautiful…” After exchanging brief words, the two stood side by side in the darkness spread with stars, looking in the same direction. After a while of silently gazing at the starry sky, Haruto suddenly felt a weight on his left shoulder. Pulled by this, he lowered the gaze he had been directing upwards to his left shoulder. There was Ayaka, resting her head on his shoulder, leaning against him. From Ayaka’s hair right in front of him, he could smell her scent more strongly and clearly than when the night breeze carried it earlier. As Haruto’s heart pounded at this, her soft, ethereal, thin voice reached his ear. “Haruto-kun… you know… tonight’s night breeze feels pleasant… or something.” “………!” At those words, Haruto involuntarily turned his face towards her. Then, Ayaka, who had been resting her head on Haruto’s shoulder, slowly looked towards him as well. Their eyes met at a close distance. Reflected in Haruto’s eyes was Ayaka, illuminated by the gentle, ephemeral moonlight.
She appeared so beautiful and mystical, as if she didn’t belong to this world, and to Haruto, she seemed more captivating than ever before. Haruto hastily broke their gaze and looked back up at the night sky. However, the countless stars, which had been breathtakingly spectacular just moments ago, were now completely out of his sight. This was because the charm of the girl beside him was too dazzling; her radiance had made the stars fade. Haruto couldn’t help but realize that his feelings had reached a point where they could no longer be concealed, his heart pounding so loudly he worried Ayaka might hear it. I can’t keep pretending to be a fake couple anymore… No, I don’t want to. Thinking that, Haruto had completely lost his heart and become captivated by the girl named Ayaka Tojo. “Hey, Haruto-kun. Which one is the Summer Triangle, I wonder?” Ayaka, unaware of Haruto’s emotional state, spoke to him with a fragile yet beautiful, innocent smile, illuminated by the moonlight. He, while struggling not to be swallowed by the turbulent current of emotions welling up and spreading within him, desperately feigned calmness and replied. “…Aren’t those and those and those ones?” “You’re just guessing, aren’t you?” “Yeah, sorry.” “Geez… Hehehe.” While desperately suppressing the emotions that threatened to overflow, Haruto spent the quiet night with her, who was laughing happily beside him.
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