Saturday, just past noon. In Ayaka’s room, Haruto and Ayaka had their study guides spread out, diligently preparing for their tests. Both were concentrating, and the only sound in the room was the scratching of pens on notebooks. Ayaka, who had been writing in her notebook with a serious gaze, suddenly looked up at the wall clock. “I wonder if everyone will be here soon?” “Probably. Tomoya messaged me a little while ago saying he’d met up with everyone, so they might be here any minute.” Haruto also paused his studying to answer, checking his messaging app. “Akagi-kun and Shizuku-chan were meeting in front of the station, right?” “Yeah, exactly. They said they didn’t know where the house was, so they were going to have Aizawa-san guide them.” Today, Tomoya, Shizuku, and Saki were scheduled to come to the Tōjō house for a study session. It all started during Thursday’s lunch break. As soon as Shizuku arrived at Haruto’s classroom, she declared to Ayaka, “Let’s have a study session at your house on Saturday, Aya-senpai.” After announcing this in a voice that echoed throughout the classroom, Shizuku then went over to Haruto and said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “You come too, Haru-senpai, and help us study.” As expected, Shizuku’s statement caused a huge buzz in the classroom. Amidst the commotion, several students asked if they could join the study session, but Shizuku flatly rejected them, citing the size of Ayaka’s room as the reason. In the end, it was decided that five people would participate, including Tomoya and Saki. Shizuku’s strategy was to establish the fact that Haruto had been to Ayaka’s room and spread that information throughout the classroom. While understanding the intent and effectiveness of her strategy, Haruto felt a slight headache remembering the scene in the classroom when she proposed the study session. Just then, the sound of the doorbell rang out. “Ah, I wonder if that’s them.” Ayaka stopped studying and left the room to head for the front door.
Haruto followed her, and Ryōta, who had been playing with Ikue in the living room, ran up to him. “Is it a guest, Onii-chan?” “Yeah, my and Ayaka’s friends are coming over today to study with us.” While Haruto was crouching down to talk to Ryōta, Ayaka unlocked the front door and invited Saki and the others inside. “Phew, it’s cool in here! Oh, yahoo, Ryōta.” “Saki-oneechan!” Saki, having entered the entryway, raised a hand in greeting to Ryōta, who was standing next to Haruto. Ryōta’s face lit up at Saki’s appearance, and he started to run toward her. However, upon seeing Tomoya and Shizuku appear behind her, he stopped dead in his tracks. Ryōta looked back at Haruto somewhat anxiously. Seeing Ryōta’s reaction, Haruto smiled gently and introduced them. “These are Tomoya and Shizuku. They’re both my precious best friends.” When Haruto said this, Tomoya was the first to grin and offer his hand to Ryōta. “Nice to meet you, Ryōta-kun. I’m Akagi Tomoya.” “…Nice to meet you.” While clutching the hem of Haruto’s pants with one hand, Ryōta took Tomoya’s hand with the other and shook it. Next, Shizuku moved in front of Ryōta, crouching down to meet his eyes. “Nice to meet you, Ryōta-kun. I am Dōjima Shizuku.” “…Nice to meet you.” As Ryōta gave a small bow, Shizuku narrowed her eyes. “As expected of Aya-senpai’s brother. Such looks at such a young age. Truly a mass of potential… Ryōta-kun, won’t you join this big sister and take over the world?” “…The world?” “Hey, Shizuku! Don’t put weird ideas in Ryōta-kun’s head!” Haruto hurriedly stepped in front of Shizuku to guard Ryōta. Ayaka, who had been watching the exchange with a wry smile, noticed a large bag in Shizuku’s hand. “Shizuku-chan, what’s in that bag?” “Fufufu, these are essential items indispensable for a study session.” Shizuku straightened up from her crouch. Then, saying “Ta-da!” with her own mouth, she showed the contents of the bag to Ayaka. “Snacks?”
“Yes, snacks. A study session cannot exist without them,” declared Shizuku, puffing out her chest. Ayaka’s eyes widened slightly at the amount of snacks in the bag. “…You bought a lot.” “These are the ultimate best-choice snacks, selected together with Tomosenpai and Saki-senpai.” “Ahaha, it kind of got fun picking them out with everyone.” Saki scratched her head and smiled at Shizuku, who, despite her blank expression, was radiating a sense of smug satisfaction. Then, Ryōta stared into the bag Shizuku was holding with great interest. Noticing this, Tomoya asked Ayaka for permission. “Tōjō-san, is it okay if we share some with Ryōta-kun?” At his words, Ryōta turned sparkling eyes toward Ayaka. “Even if you eat snacks, you have to eat your dinner properly, okay?” “Yeah!!” Ryōta nodded energetically at his sister’s words, then turned his gaze back to the bag Shizuku was holding. Shizuku handed Ryōta some cheap snacks that looked like Umaibo. “I shall give these to you, Ryōta-kun. Corn potage flavor and natto flavor.” “Wow! Yay!!” Ryōta received the snacks from Shizuku and hopped up and down with joy. “Ryōta, say thank you properly.” “Thank you! Shizuku-oneechan!” “Guh.” Ryōta’s beaming thanks seemed to shoot Shizuku straight through the heart. “…Ryōta-kun, could you say ‘Shizuku-oneechan’ one more time?” “Eh? Shizuku-oneechan?” Ryōta tilted his head, blinking blankly, and repeated.
“…One more time.” “? Shizuku-oneechan.” “Aya-senpai, may I take Ryōta-kun with m—” “Of course not!!” Ayaka cut Shizuku off mid-sentence. “Tch.” “Don’t ‘tch’ me!” “Aya-senpai, you always try to hog everything. It’s quite troublesome.” “This is normal, isn’t it?! You’re the troublesome one, Shizuku-chan!” While Ayaka and Shizuku immediately began arguing, Haruto lowered his voice and asked Saki about Ryōta’s shyness. “Ryōta-kun is usually shy around strangers, isn’t he?” “That’s right. But, well, I guess he’s also easily swayed by food.” “Is Ryōta-kun unexpectedly easy to please?” “Well, maybe depending on the situation. But Ayaka was pretty easy when it came to you, wasn’t she, Ōtsuki-kun? I guess they’re similar siblings.” “Haha…” Haruto laughed a little sheepishly to deflect Saki’s mischievous comment. Just then, Ikue came in from the living room. “Oh, hello there.” “Ah, excuse us for intruding.” “Excuse me for intruding.” Seeing Ikue, Tomoya and Shizuku bowed and greeted her. Ryōta, holding snacks in both hands, showed them to Ikue and said in a bouncy voice. “Look, Mommy! She gave me snacks!” “My, wasn’t that nice of her.” Hearing the conversation between parent and child, faint mutterings of “M-Mommy?” and “Huh? Older sister? Huh?” could be heard from Tomoya and Shizuku. Haruto felt a wave of nostalgia as he remembered the first time he met Ikue. Back then, Haruto had also mistaken Ikue for Ayaka’s older sister. Ikue patted Ryōta’s head and smiled brightly at Tomoya and the others. “Thank you very much.” “N-No problem. Ah, and also this… it’s nothing much, but…” Stumbling slightly over his words, Tomoya took a bag out of his backpack and offered it to Ikue. Ikue took the bag from Tomoya and her expression lit
up with joy when she saw the logo on it. “My! Cream puffs from the shop by the station! I love these. Thank you for going out of your way.” “Not at all, since there are so many of us barging in and causing trouble.” Tomoya bowed, his expression relaxing a little. Then, Saki smiled at Ikue. “I remembered that Ikue-mama liked the cream puffs from here, so we all bought them together.” “Oh my! Thank you, Saki-chan. And, let’s see…” After thanking Saki, Ikue turned her cheerful smile toward Tomoya and Shizuku. “Ah, my name is Akagi Tomoya! I’m, uh, Haru… Ōtsuki-kun’s best friend!” “Likewise, I am Dōjima Shizuku, Haru-sen… Ōtsuki-senpai’s best friend. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” “My, my! Both of you are Haruto-kun’s best friends! Tomoya-kun and Shizuku-chan, right? Nice to meet you, I’m Ayaka’s mother, Ikue. Though in the near future, I might become Haruto-kun’s mother-in-law,” said Ikue with a playful “Ufufu” and a smile. “Wait, Mom?! Don’t say weird things!!” “Oh, sorry about that.” “Geez!” Ayaka puffed out her cheeks and looked angry at Ikue. “Hey Haru… leave the speech on behalf of the friends to me.” “I will also provide funny episodes about Haru-senpai.” “No, wait! Ikue-san was just joking!” Tomoya looked at him with eyes full of motivation, and Shizuku gave a thumbs-up. Haruto frantically tried to stop them. However, Saki, who knew Ikue well, smirked and said, “Her words might have been a joke, but Ikue-mama’s eyes looked serious.” “…” Haruto didn’t reply to Saki’s words, but pressed his lips into a thin line. After finishing their greetings with Ikue, Tomoya and the others headed to Ayaka’s room. “Man, I heard about it from Aizawa-san before coming here, but Tōjō- san’s house really is a mansion.”
“I’m confident I could live in the hallway of this house.” “Yeah, I thought that too.” Recalling the width of the hallway extending from the entrance, Shizuku spoke confidently. Tomoya nodded repeatedly in agreement. As Tomoya and Shizuku exchanged such conversation while climbing the stairs, Saki spoke proudly with a smug look on her face. “See? I told you Ayaka’s house was amazing.” Tomoya laughed and retorted. “No, no, why are you being smug, Aizawa-san? Shouldn’t that be Tōjō- san?” “It’s that thing, you know? What’s my best friend’s is mine, kind of like that? Right, Ayaka?” “Don’t drag me into your flawed logic…” Ayaka gave Saki a troubled smile as she opened the door to her room and invited everyone inside. Entering, Shizuku quickly scanned the room before turning her gaze to the lighting on the ceiling. “Hoh, so the lighting isn’t a chandelier, Aya-senpai.” “I wouldn’t be able to relax if there was something like that in my room.” Seeing Ayaka’s slightly exasperated face, Shizuku tilted her head slightly, expression still blank. “I think a chandelier would suit you, Aya-senpai.” “…Shizuku-chan, are you praising me? Or making fun of me?” “Half and half.” “You should just say you’re praising me…” “Just kidding.” While Ayaka and Shizuku were playfully bantering, the others sat down on the cushions laid out around the table. “Somehow, thinking that this is Tōjō-san’s room makes me nervous. Right, Haru?” “Ahh, well, I was nervous at first too.” “Ah, right. Haru, you’re already a regular in this room, aren’t you?” “No, not really. I don’t hang out here enough to be called a regular.” Haruto smiled wryly at Tomoya, who nodded to himself as if convinced. “Where do you inhabit in this house, Haru-senpai?” Shizuku cut off her conversation with Ayaka to ask Haruto. “’Inhabit’? Am I a wild animal?” After a light retort, Haruto pointed his thumb toward the room next door.
“Technically, I’m using the room next to Ayaka’s. Though it was originally Ryōta-kun’s room.” “Under one roof, adolescent boy and girl in adjacent rooms… That’s erotic.” Looking back and forth between Haruto and Ayaka, Shizuku spoke slowly. In response, Haruto and Ayaka’s voices overlapped. ““Why?!”” Shizuku tilted her head slightly at their identical reactions. “Eh? Because on the other side of a single wall is the person you love most, right?” “How does that equal erotic?” “Come on, there’s no way nothing happens in a situation like that. Right, Saki-senpai?” When Shizuku looked to Saki for agreement, she nodded slowly. “True… it is erotic.” “Geez! Don’t you say weird things too, Saki!” Ayaka raised her voice in protest at her best friend’s teasing. Still puffing out her cheeks, Ayaka plopped down onto a cushion. “Let’s hurry up and study, everyone. We gathered today for a study session, after all.” At her words, everyone sat down around the table and spread out their study materials. After that, everyone diligently focused on studying for the test. Surprisingly, Shizuku refrained from cracking jokes or teasing Ayaka, instead focusing on her reference book with a serious gaze as she took notes. For a while, there was no conversation as everyone concentrated on their studies, but Saki, who was tackling math, groaned “Hmm…” and showed her textbook to Haruto. “Hey, Ōtsuki-kun, do you understand this problem here?” “Hm? Ah, this one…” Haruto explained how to solve the problem Saki had asked about. “I see! Understood, understood! Wow, as expected of Ōtsuki-kun! Being top of the grade isn’t just for show. Your teaching is super easy to understand, too,” Saki said with a relieved expression after solving the problem. At that, Tomoya put on a smug face. “Haru’s amazing. He can explain any problem so it’s easy to understand.”
“Akagi-kun’s mysterious smug face is hilarious. Isn’t this where his girlfriend, Ayaka, should be smug, not Akagi-kun?” Saying this, Saki directed the conversation to Ayaka sitting next to her. Ayaka, who had been concentrating on her studies, paused for a beat before looking at Saki with a blank expression. “Eh? What? Did you call me?” Seeing Ayaka’s puzzled look, Saki leaned forward slightly with a “Hmm?” “You’re really fired up for this test, aren’t you, Ayaka?” Saki said, looking at Ayaka’s notebook, which was filled with writing. Ayaka’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Um, well, I was thinking I’d try to aim for over eighty on all subjects this time.” “Oh? But Ayaka, you usually score around there anyway, don’t you?” “Ah, yeah. But, um… this time I definitely want to get over eighty…” Ayaka answered somewhat hesitantly. Noticing that her gaze kept flickering toward Haruto, Saki smirked. “Why are you so fixated on getting over eighty, Ayaka-san?” “Well, um…” “Could it be that if you get over eighty on all subjects, you get a reward from your beloved Haruto-kun, or something like that?” At Saki’s words, Ayaka’s shoulders jumped. “Aha! Hit the nail on the head.” Having been spot on, Ayaka started explaining rapidly, greatly flustered. “W-Well, during summer break, I was studying with Haruto-kun, and we were talking about how we needed a reward or something to keep our motivation up, so…” “I see. So, assuming Ayaka gets a reward from Ōtsuki-kun if she scores over eighty on all subjects, what’s the condition for Ōtsuki-kun to get a reward from Ayaka?” Saki asked Haruto with an amused expression. “Eh? No, nothing in particular for my reward.” “That won’t do! If Ayaka gets a reward, it’s unfair if Ōtsuki-kun doesn’t get one too!” Saki said, a grin plastered on her face. “Right, Ayaka? You have to give Ōtsuki-kun a proper reward too, right?” “Th-That’s… true.” Ayaka nodded at Saki’s words, then said to Haruto a little shyly. “Then, if you get first place in the grade on this test too, Haruto-kun… I’ll give you a reward.”
“Ah, okay… thanks.” She looked so cute saying it bashfully that Haruto felt his own face heat up. Just then, Shizuku, who had been silently concentrating on her studies until now, suddenly threw the pen she was holding and shouted. “Whaaat is going on here! Flirting and carrying on while the rest of us are trying to study!” “W-We’re not flirting.” Shizuku shot a glare at Ayaka, who denied it while blushing. “Nooo, that was definitely flirting.” “W-We weren’t.” “Then let’s have Tomo-senpai, the flirting judge, decide.” Saying this, Shizuku looked at Tomoya, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. “Tomo-senpai, was that exchange just now flirting?” “Hmm, judging based on their interactions so far…” Tomoya crossed his arms, furrowed his brow, looked down with a serious expression, and then declared in a solemn tone. “Haru and Tōjō-san are… GUILTY!!” “Oh, shut up.” Tomoya declared it like a court verdict. Haruto immediately retorted, wearing an exasperated expression. “What the heck is a ‘flirting judge’ anyway?” It seemed Shizuku’s concentration was completely broken, as she reached for the bag of snacks she had bought. “Ah, geez, my mouth tastes too sweet now, I can’t study anymore. It’s time for a break. Snack party time.” With those words, Shizuku upended the bag of snacks and spread them out on the table. “Oh, nice, nice!” Saki also put down her pen, stopped studying, and reached for the mountain of snacks that had appeared on the table. “I’ve been wanting to eat these,” said Saki as she opened a bag of gummies that looked like they had a good chew to them. “Want some, Ayaka?” “Sure, I’ll have some.” Seeing the girls stop studying and start eating snacks, Haruto also turned his gaze to the pile of treats. “You really bought a ton. Can we even finish all this?”
“If there’s any left over, I’ll give them to you and Tōjō-san. I bought them with that intention anyway,” Tomoya said as he tossed a chocolate-covered almond into his mouth. “I see, thanks. Wait, what’s this? ‘Hokky’?” Haruto tilted his head at the snack package he had never seen before. Shizuku explained. “I bought that at the Hokkaido antenna shop. It’s a surf clam-flavored snack made with Hokkaido surf clams.” “Surf clam… is this good? I mean, this looks just like Pock—” “Haru-senpai, pointing that out would be uncouth.” Shizuku interrupted Haruto. Then, as if an idea had struck her, she punched her palm with her fist. “Everyone, let’s play a game.” At Shizuku’s suggestion, Saki, who was eating gummies with Ayaka, showed interest. “A game? What game?” “Fufufu, Saki-senpai. When young men and women gather, there is only one game to play.” “Hmm? What is it?” Saki tilted her head, not quite getting what Shizuku was implying. Shizuku smirked. “It is… the King Game!” When Shizuku announced this loudly, Ayaka frowned slightly. “Shizuku-chan, we gathered today to study, so playing too much isn’t good.” “Aya-senpai, efficient work comes from efficient rest. Studying will go much smoother if you take a proper break and recover your concentration.” “B-But… the King Game is a bit…” Ayaka showed signs of hesitation. “The King Game is that one, right? Where the King’s orders are absolute?” “That’s right. …Ah, are you imagining something naughty, Aya-senpai? You little pervert.” “I-I am not!” Shizuku teased the blushing Ayaka, saying “Realllly?” before turning her gaze to Saki. “What about you, Saki-senpai? Do you dislike the King Game?”
“Hmm, I don’t dislike it… but I kind of have this image of guys proposing it at college mixers with ulterior motives.” Crossing her arms as she answered, Saki continued, “But.” “I do think it sounds fun. So, I’d be willing to play with conditions.” “Conditions?” “Like not forcing anyone to do something they dislike, or not forcing excessive physical contact?” Shizuku nodded in agreement with Saki’s conditions. “Understood. Then, if it’s a wholesome King Game within the bounds of common sense, how about it, Aya-senpai?” “If that’s the case…” Ayaka gave a small nod, then glanced at Haruto to gauge his reaction. Following her lead, Shizuku also turned her questioning gaze to him. “Well, I’m fine with it if no one dislikes it. What about you, Tomoya?” “I’m in too, as long as the ladies don’t mind.” Satisfied with the guys’ responses, Shizuku nodded and promptly took a pair of disposable chopsticks from the snack bag. “Then, let’s King Game.” Tomoya gave a wry smile at Shizuku, who sounded excited despite her blank expression. “Those chopsticks… were you planning to play this game from the start?” “Abso-lutely.” Shizuku gave a thumbs-up, and Saki showed the same wry smile as Tomoya. “I thought for sure you were just the type who eats chips with chopsticks, Shizuku-chan, but it was premeditated, huh?” “For chips, I am normally bare-handed. And licking the index finger and thumb is the ultimate pleasure.” While answering, Shizuku took a marker out of her pencil case and wrote the numbers 1 through 4 and a crown mark on the ends of the chopsticks. Then, hiding the tips in her hand, she thrust the five chopsticks into the center of the table. “Now, preparations are complete. Everyone, please choose your favorite chopstick.” After a beat, Haruto reached out, saying, “Alright then.” Once he grabbed one of the five chopsticks, the others followed suit. “Has everyone grabbed one? Then, on my cue, please pull them out.” Shizuku looked around the circle and said in a slightly louder voice.
“Here we go? Who is the Kiiiing!” At Shizuku’s cue, the chopsticks were pulled out. Everyone immediately looked at the tip of the chopstick they had chosen. “I’m not the King.” “Me neither.” Saki sounded a little disappointed, and Tomoya also reported that he wasn’t the King. Next, Shizuku pouted at not being the King. “Mmm, to think I have fallen to a rank other than King. How about you, Haru-senpai?” “Not me either.” Haruto looked at the tip of the chopstick he had drawn, then slid his gaze over to Ayaka. “Umm… I’m the King.” Ayaka, gathering everyone’s gaze, raised her hand slightly. “So the pervy Aya-senpai is King.” “I’m not a pervert!!” Ayaka immediately denied Shizuku’s words. Saki then asked her. “So, what’s King Ayaka’s order?” “Um… hmm, let’s have person number three… praise person number one excessively.” Saki chuckled “fufu” at the order Ayaka squeezed out while tilting her head. “A peaceful order, just like you would give, Ayaka.” Shizuku also spoke to Ayaka. “I totally thought you were going to throw in a naughty order right off the bat.” “I told you! I’m not like that!” “Realllly?” Ayaka puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction at Shizuku’s suspicious look. “Geez! Shizuku-chan! Anyway, who is number three?” As Ayaka changed the subject, Haruto raised his hand. “I’m number three.” “Oh! Haru’s going to praise me! I’m looking forward to this.” Tomoya grinned “nishishi,” showing the chopstick with ‘1’ written on it to Haruto.
“Having to praise Tomoya, huh? This is a tough one.” “Hey, my charm is so vast you couldn’t finish talking about it in half a day, you know?” Ignoring Tomoya’s banter, Haruto looked at him and began to praise him in accordance with the King’s order. “I truly think you’re a wonderful person, to the point where I’m glad from the bottom of my heart that we’re best friends. People tend to think you’re frivolous and sloppy at first glance, but you actually observe people quite well, and you have the thoughtfulness to casually help out when someone is in trouble. That’s something I want to learn from you.” Haruto praised Tomoya fluently. The person being praised scratched his cheek with his index finger, looking somewhat embarrassed. “O-Oh… thanks.” “Ahaha, Akagi-kun, your face is red.” Saki pointed at Tomoya and laughed. Embarrassed by Haruto’s unexpectedly genuine praise, Tomoya looked away. “Alright, let’s move on to the next order. Everyone, please return your chopsticks.” Shizuku collected the chopsticks, hid the tips in her hand again, and thrust them back into the center of the table. “Here we go again. Who’s the Kiiiing.” “Ah, I’m the King this time~!” It seemed Saki was the King this time, and she waved the chopstick with the crown mark happily. “What order should I give~” she muttered, thinking for a moment. “Okay, decided! Number two has to show us their funniest face with all their might!” The moment they heard Saki’s order, everyone checked their numbers. “Thank goodness, I’m number one…” Ayaka sighed in relief. Sitting opposite her, Shizuku narrowed her eyes. “I seem to be number two.” “We get to see Shizuku’s funny face, huh.” Haruto smirked at her. A funny face from the usually expressionless Shizuku was a rare treat indeed. Shizuku let out a “phew” as if to say, “good grief.” “It can’t be helped. Then everyone, please open your eyes wide and observe. Witness the precious funny face of this super beautiful girl.”
Because Shizuku usually lacked expression, people around her tended to think of her as a cool character. However, her true personality was quite easygoing, and she was a mood-maker who would actively participate in things like this without showing any distaste. She slowly placed both hands on her cheeks and pressed them together from the sides. “Secret technique, Pickled Plum!” With that signature phrase, Shizuku looked around at everyone with her face scrunched up. “Pfft, that face is crazy… fufu.” “Sh-Shizuku-chan, fufu… fufufu.” Saki and Ayaka couldn’t help but giggle and look down. Then Tomoya laughed loudly with his mouth wide open. “The gap with your expressionless face makes it brutal!” Haruto, his lips twitching with laughter at Shizuku’s funny face which had caused a whirlpool of mirth, spoke to her. “As always, you really commit to these things, Shizuku.” “Doing it half-heartedly isn’t funny, just embarrassing. It’s much more refreshing to go all out and get a laugh.” “Bravo!” While everyone was laughing and catching their breath, Shizuku collected everyone’s chopsticks with a smug look. “Okay, let’s keep going. Everyone, pick a chopstick, chop-chop.” At her words, everyone grabbed a chopstick and pulled. The third King was Shizuku. “Fufufu, the time of my reign has finally come.” Shizuku slowly raised the crowned chopstick above her head. “I’ll start with a jab-level order… Number three and number two, please stare passionately into each other’s eyes for one minute.” With the King’s order given, Haruto checked his number. “I’m… number one.” “I’m number four.” Ayaka held up her chopstick. Then, Tomoya spoke up, looking slightly embarrassed. “Ah~ I’m number three.” “So, that means Akagi-kun and I have to stare at each other,” Saki said, checking her chopstick number with a glance at Tomoya. Shizuku set the timer on her smartphone and told Saki and Tomoya.
“Okay, on my signal, stare at each other for one minute. Ready?” Tomoya and Saki nodded at Shizuku’s words. “Alright, here we go? Ready… start.” At Shizuku’s signal, the two stared at each other in silence. For the first few seconds, Tomoya and Saki looked at each other with serious expressions. However, after about ten seconds, Saki’s face suddenly twisted greatly. “…Pfft… Pffft… Fufu…” “Ah, Saki-senpai, laughing is against the rules.” Shizuku, the King, immediately issued a warning. “S-Sorry, sorry. Straight face, straight face… fufufu…” At Shizuku’s warning, Saki’s face returned to a straight expression for a split second, but her lips quickly smirked, and laughter threatened to spill out. “Saki-senpai?” “Ufufu… sorry, somehow thinking I’m not allowed to laugh makes it even more… pfft… uha… ahahaha! Hahaha!” Finally unable to hold it in, Saki looked away from Tomoya and clutched her stomach. “I can’t… fufu… Akagi-kun’s serious face just hit me right in the funny bone… aha, ahahaha!” “Saki, laughing that much is rude to Akagi-kun… fufufu… you know.” Perhaps infected by Saki’s laughter, Ayaka tried desperately to stifle her own giggles as she admonished her best friend. “R-Right. Sorry, Akagi-ku—pfft… pupupu… puhahahaha! It’s no good, hahahaha!” Saki tried to look at Tomoya again, but she couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter once more. Seeing Saki clutching her stomach and gasping, “Whew, my abs hurt…”, Tomoya turned a sorrowful, poignant smile toward Haruto.
“Hey, Haru. Can I… cry?” “My best friend, everyone has a different sense of humor. Don’t worry about it,” Haruto explained while patting Tomoya on the shoulder consolingly. After that, the King Game, which had started as a break from studying, turned out to be quite lively. Halfway through the game, Saki developed a mysterious condition where she would burst out laughing whenever she looked at Tomoya’s face, but everyone was enjoying the game more than expected. “Alright, I’m the King! Okay then, number three… sing the chorus of a song you’re confident in with all your heart!” When Tomoya enthusiastically gave the King’s order, Ayaka, holding the chopstick marked number three, looked troubled and said, “Ehh.” She hesitated for a while, but eventually started singing a currently popular ballad. It was far from the “singing with all your heart” Tomoya had ordered, but seeing Ayaka singing softly in a small voice, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Haruto felt something tug at his heartstrings. Next, Haruto became the King, and on his order, Tomoya was sunk by Shizuku’s special forehead flick. They each took turns being King, giving various orders and enjoying the game. Then, Shizuku’s third turn as King came around. “Well then, now that everyone is thoroughly captivated by the fun of this game, shall I issue that order?” Shizuku said in a meaningful tone, looking at her crowned chopstick. “Shizuku-chan, what do you mean by that order?” In response to Ayaka, who tilted her head and asked, Shizuku broke her rare deadpan expression and smirked. “It’s the classic move when it comes to the King Game.” Saying this, Shizuku picked one of the snacks spread out on the table and held it up in front of Ayaka and the others. “This is the classic King Game move. The Pocky… I mean, the Hokky Game!” With that, Shizuku activated her order as the King. “Number two and number one will play the Hokky Game!” The moment she declared this, Haruto and the others hurriedly checked their numbers. “Ah, I’m number three.” “I’m number four… which means…”
Once Saki and Tomoya confirmed their numbers, they quietly turned their gazes toward Haruto and Ayaka. “As expected of Haru-senpai and Aya-senpai. Only beloved sweethearts would have such luck.” Shizuku smirked at Haruto and Ayaka, who were holding the number one and number two chopsticks. “Okay then, you two, please put both ends of this Hokky in your mouths.” “W-Wait, Shizuku-chan! Are we really doing this?” “The King’s orders are absolute. Come on, come on, hurry up and put it in your mouths.” Shizuku held the Hokky and pressed in on Ayaka, who was flustered with embarrassment. “B-But in front of everyone, this is…” “During the game, we will close our eyes. Problem solved. That’s fine, right, Haru-senpai?” “No, no, wait, wait! Besides, before we started the King Game, we decided the King’s orders had to be within the bounds of common sense!” “It is well within the bounds of common sense. It is perfectly normal for lovers to play the Pock… Hokky Game. Right, Aya-senpai?” Holding the Hokky in one hand, Shizuku sought Ayaka’s agreement. Ayaka, though showing confusion, gave a small nod. “T-True… if it’s a close couple, maybe it is normal.” “Wait?! Ayaka?!” During summer break, Haruto and Ayaka had been practicing being lovers. From the content of that practice, it was already established that her standards for what was “normal” for a couple were anything but, but Haruto had never expected it to blow up in his face like this. He frantically tried to stop Ayaka, who was accepting the Hokky from Shizuku with a determined look in her eyes. “Ayaka-san! I really think doing this in front of people is a bit much!” “B-But Haruto-kun… like Shizuku-chan said, for a close couple, a game like this is normal, isn’t it?” “Yes, it is normal,” Shizuku nodded, backing up Ayaka’s words. Haruto looked to Saki for help. “Ahaha, Ayaka can be pretty single-minded sometimes.” Receiving Haruto’s gaze, Saki commented while watching the situation with amusement.
“No, no, Aizawa-san, don’t just laugh, stop your best friend’s rampage.” “Hmm, impossible. Even I can’t stop Ayaka when she’s in lovey-dovey mode with Ōtsuki-kun.” Saki gave up entirely too easily. Next, Haruto looked at Tomoya without much hope. As expected, he stared back at Haruto with eyes full of jealousy. “A Hokky Game with Tōjō-san… Haru, go explode.” Haruto realized there was no longer anyone here who could stop the game. Just then, he heard Ayaka’s voice, whispering and slightly trembling with embarrassment. “Ha-Haruto-kun…” When Haruto looked at Ayaka, he saw that she already had one end of the Hokky in her mouth, her face bright red, staring intently at him. “……” For a moment, Haruto alternated between looking at Ayaka’s shamefilled face and the tip of the Hokky extending from her mouth, but eventually, he realized there was no escape. He steeled himself, slowly brought his face closer, and opened his mouth slightly to take the Hokky. But just then, unable to bear the embarrassment any longer, Ayaka abruptly turned her face away and took the Hokky out of her mouth with her hand. “I-I can’t do it after all!” “Aya-senpai, you mustn’t run away.” “Doing something like this in front of everyone is just too embarrassing…” “We’re keeping our eyes closed, you know?” “E-Even so…” Ayaka shook her head vigorously, her face still bright red. “B-Besides, we decided on the rules at the start, right? That we wouldn’t force anyone to do an order they disliked.” “Those were the rules, but…” Shizuku looked at Ayaka with a probing gaze. “Did you really dislike it? The Hokky Game with Haru-senpai.” “Ugh… it’s not that I disliked it…” “Hmm?”
Shizuku directed an even more interrogating look at the mumbling Ayaka. As if to escape from Shizuku and the situation, Ayaka clapped her hands loudly. “Th-The King Game is over now!! We only started it as a break from studying anyway! We’ve rested enough! Come on, come on! Back to studying!” “You ran away, didn’t you, Aya-senpai?” “I-I did not run away! Come on, Saki, Akagi-kun, stop smirking and study!” Ayaka forcibly ended the King Game and urged the others to resume studying. Seeing Ayaka desperately trying to regain control while blushing, Saki watched over her with a smile. “Well, if the lady of the house says so, we have no choice but to obey.” “Yeah. Still, the destructive power of an embarrassed Tōjō-san is insane. Right, Haru?” Nodding at Saki’s words, Tomoya patted Haruto on the back, praising Ayaka’s cuteness. Haruto gave a short “Yeah” in reply, trying to maintain his composure and calm his heart rate, which had spiked thanks to the attempted Hokky Game. The King Game ended by the authority of the room’s owner, Ayaka. Shizuku picked up a Hokky stick, took a bite out of it with a snap, and said, “It’s a shame I missed the Hokky Game, but I got to mess with Aya-senpai plenty, so I’ll call it a win.” “I am not your toy, Shizuku-chan!!” Laughter from the others mixed with Ayaka’s protest, and the study session continued in a lively manner. Having finished their break, Haruto and the others studied, chatting, teaching each other, and eating snacks. By the time the sky outside the window began to turn a faint sunset color, Tomoya looked up from his notebook and checked the wall clock. “Whoa, is it that late already?” At his words, Saki also stopped working on her math problem and looked out the window. “You’re right. Time really flies when we’re all studying together.” “Shall we take our leave soon?” Shizuku also looked at Tomoya and Saki while munching on a chocolate snack she had bought.
“Yeah, we don’t want to overstay our welcome.” “Then let’s wrap up the study session.” Saki raised her arms above her head and stretched with a groan. Tomoya tapped Haruto on the shoulder as he packed up his study materials. “Thanks, Haru. Thanks to your teaching, I’ll definitely avoid failing marks on this test.” “If you studied this seriously all the time, you could easily get high scores. It’s a waste.” Tomoya’s test results were always barely passing, flying low to avoid failure, but with his natural intelligence and knack for things, he had the potential to break into the top ranks if he studied properly. However, since Tomoya himself didn’t see much value in school grades, he rarely studied seriously. “As long as I avoid remedial classes, I’m satisfied. High school life is limited, I don’t have time to spend it all studying.” Haruto gave a wry smile at Tomoya’s statement, which went against the idea that a student’s duty was to study. Just then, Shizuku, having finished packing, stood up with a “heave-ho,” shouldering her backpack. “Well then, Aya-senpai, thank you for letting us use your room.” “Yeah, I’m glad I could study with everyone.” “Though it was regrettable that I couldn’t see the Hokky Game with Harusenpai.” “Th-That’s enough about that!” Remembering that moment, Ayaka’s cheeks flushed slightly again. After satisfying herself with Ayaka’s reaction, Shizuku turned her eyes to Haruto. “By the way, Haru-senpai. Your grandmother is also in this house, right?” “Yeah, I think she’s in the kitchen preparing dinner right now.” “If it’s not a bother, I’d like to say hello since it’s been a while.” “Oh, me too!” Hearing Shizuku say she wanted to greet Haruto’s grandmother, Tomoya also raised his hand, saying “Me too, me too.” “I don’t mind, and I think Grandma would be happy too…” Haruto said, looking at Ayaka. Receiving his gaze, Ayaka nodded to convey that it was fine. “Then let’s all go to the living room.”
With that, Ayaka took the lead and they left the room, heading for the living room. When Haruto and the others entered the living room, Ikue, who was working on a laptop at the low table in front of the TV, called out to them. “Oh, is the study session over?” “Yes. Thank you for having us, Ikue-mama,” Saki replied to Ikue with a smile, and Tomoya and Shizuku followed suit, bowing and saying, “Thank you for having us.” “Ufufu, please come play again anytime.” Ikue smiled back at Saki and the others. Just then, Ryōta, who had been in the kitchen, ran up to Haruto. “Did you finish studying, Onii-chan?” “Yeah, we’re finished. What were you doing, Ryōta-kun?” “I was helping Grandma!” Ryōta puffed out his chest and answered Haruto’s question as if to say, “I’m so glad you asked!” Haruto’s grandmother, Kiyoko, came in after Ryōta. “Oh my, hello Shizuku-chan, Tomoya-kun.” “Hello. It’s been a while, Kiyoko-obaachan.” Shizuku bowed, and Tomoya followed with a cheerful smile and a greeting to Kiyoko. “Hello. I was surprised when you collapsed from heatstroke, but I’m glad to see you looking well since then. How has your back been lately?” “Thank you. And thank you for your help when I was discharged from the hospital. Right now, Ryōta-kun helps me with all sorts of things, so my back is much better, and it’s a huge help.” Kiyoko’s eyes crinkled happily at Tomoya’s thoughtful words, and she patted the head of Ryōta, who wore a proud expression. Ryōta puffed out his chest proudly with a “Heheh” as Kiyoko patted his head. Saki then stepped forward and greeted Kiyoko. “Nice to meet you. My name is Aizawa Saki, and I’m in the same class as Ōtsuki-kun.” “Well, well, thank you for being so polite. I am Haruto’s grandmother, Kiyoko.” After they bowed to each other, Saki crouched down to meet Ryōta’s gaze. “What kind of help were you doing, Ryōta?” When Saki asked, Ryōta brought over a piece of paper that had been attached to the refrigerator with a magnet.
“This!” Ryōta said energetically, pointing to a part of the paper he had brought. The paper had “Helping Allowance Chart” written on it in big letters as the title, and the place he pointed to said “Washing dishes… 50 yen.” “I’m gonna help a lot and save up lots of money!” “Heeh, why do you want money so much, Ryōta?” Saki asked with a fond expression, and Ryōta beamed. “It’s for Onee-chan and Onii-chan! Wait right here!!” Saying that, Ryōta ran out of the living room to get something. Ayaka suddenly realized what he was doing and panicked, trying to stop him. “Wa-Wait! Ryōta! Stop!” But his sister’s attempt to stop him was too late, and Ryōta returned to the living room, clutching a certain box to his chest as if it were precious. “Hm? What’s that, Ryōta-kun?” “This is Onee-chan and Onii-chan’s wedding savings box!” When Shizuku turned her gaze to the item Ryōta was holding in both hands, he answered her, then immediately started his explanation. “Onee-chan and Onii-chan can’t get married because they don’t have any money! So I’m saving up money too, to help Onii-chan become part of our real family faster!” Seeing Ryōta wish for Ayaka and Haruto’s marriage from the bottom of his heart, Tomoya put on an impressed expression. “To have such resolve at such a young age…” Tomoya looked at Haruto with a dead-serious face. “Haru, leave the best man speech to me.” “No, I’m telling you, this is…” “Can you really look into Ryōta-kun’s eyes and call this a joke, Haru-san?” “Ugh…” “Haru-senpai, I’ll handle the entertainment at the after-party.” Shizuku followed Tomoya with a thumbs-up, leaving Haruto unable to say anything in return. Saki also looked at Ryōta’s “Wedding Savings Box,” then turned a smirk on Ayaka. “Ayaka, make sure you throw the bouquet my way during the toss.” “Ugh, Ryōta…” Ayaka covered her bright red face with both hands to hide it. Just then, Ikue arrived with a pleasant smile. “Okay, Ryōta. You were a good boy and helped out properly today too.”
Saying that, she put a fifty-yen coin into the “Wedding Savings Box” Ryōta was holding in both hands. “Thank you, Mommy!” Ryōta thanked her happily and shook the savings box, making a loud rattling sound as the coins already inside clattered together. To Haruto’s ears, that sound seemed incredibly loud. Using Ryōta’s “Wedding Savings Box” as material, Tomoya and the others teased Haruto and Ayaka mercilessly before heading home. Afterward, since there was still some time before dinner, Haruto returned to Ayaka’s room to study until the meal was ready. “Haaah, that was embarrassing…” As soon as she returned to her room, Ayaka collapsed face-down on the table and let out a huge sigh. “Ryōta-kun’s savings box is going to be a source of teasing for a while.” “Shizuku-chan is definitely going to use it against me.” “Ahaha…” Since that future was all but certain, Haruto simply gave a dry laugh. “Geez, Shizuku-chan teases me at the drop of a hat. And Saki and Akagikun join in too…” Ryōta’s “Wedding Savings Box” had apparently been too much for even Saki to resist, as she had smirked and joined Tomoya in teasing them about it. Remembering that, Ayaka puffed out her cheeks adorably and looked at the snacks still left on the table. Her gaze landed right on the Hokky. “Ryōta’s savings box was one thing, but Shizuku-chan was the one who brought up the Hokky Game too. I can’t do something like that in front of everyone… right, Haruto-kun?” “…True. If we did it, it would just give them more reasons to tease us.” “Right…” Ayaka, agreeing with Haruto’s words, stared silently at the box of Hokky for a while. Eventually, she lifted her upper body from the table and slowly reached for the Hokky. “But… I wonder if it really is normal for couples to play games like that…?” “Eh? No, I think Shizuku just made that up.” “But… I don’t think Shizuku-chan’s words are completely untrue either.”
Saying that, Ayaka stood up, walked over to the bookshelf by the wall, took out a manga, and returned to sit next to Haruto. “Look, Haruto-kun, read the title of this manga.” Haruto checked the title of the manga she had brought and his cheek twitched slightly. “My Bossy Boyfriend Loves Me Too Much and I’m in Trouble…?” “Yes! ‘Bossy-Love’ for short! This manga is super interesting and popular!” Haruto screamed internally at her sparkling eyes. So this is the reason Ayaka’s common sense regarding lovers is completely broken!! Faced with the source of all the strain put on his heart during their lover practice sessions and the like, he carefully read the content of the shoujo manga. The scene Ayaka showed him depicted a boy with a rather delinquent look pressuring a girl with a quiet aura into playing the aforementioned game. Though the girl was flustered by the slightly forceful boy, she didn’t seem entirely opposed to it, likely because she had feelings for him. “This is…” “Yep!” “Are they dating?” “Nope, they’re not dating yet at this point!” Ayaka answered Haruto’s question with sparkling eyes. “…They’re not dating.” “Yeah. But if you think about it the other way around, if they’re playing this game even though they aren’t dating, then it means it’s only natural for lovers to do it, right?” “I… suppose so…” Haruto nodded, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by Ayaka’s momentum. Haruto felt a shudder run through him as he realized just how much influence a popular shoujo manga could have on a girl’s view of romance. With Saki and the others gone, Ayaka’s embarrassment had faded. Eager to play the Hokky Game with Haruto, she put one end of a Hokky stick in her mouth and turned toward him. “Here, Haruto-kun.” Ayaka tilted her face up slightly, aligning the tip of the Hokky with Haruto’s mouth. Haruto felt his heart rate speed up as the situation
naturally flowed into playing the Hokky Game. Seeing her pushing things forward so aggressively, he recalled their lover practice during summer break and felt a slight pang of nostalgia. Back then, too, she had pushed forward with various things, like casually exchanging words of love or giving him a lap pillow. The school idol, Tōjō Ayaka, was actually quite an aggressive girl. If the students at school knew that fact, what kind of faces would they make? Imagining it made Haruto chuckle, and a small smile formed on his lips.
“What’s wrong, Haruto-kun?” Ayaka tilted her head inquisitively, the Hokky still in her mouth. Haruto shook his head with a smile. “No, nothing.” Answering her, Haruto took the other end of the Hokky extending from Ayaka’s mouth into his own. “…This is kind of embarrassing.” “Yeah. It’s closer than I thought.” With both ends of the Hokky held between their lips, the two blushed at their proximity. “T-Then… we start eating on ‘ready, set, go’, okay? Here we go? Ready… set… go.” At Ayaka’s signal, Haruto slowly began eating the Hokky from his end. Opposite him, Ayaka was also nibbling her way through the Hokky, watching Haruto closely. When he first took the tip of the Hokky, Haruto had felt that the distance between him and Ayaka was quite close, but as they snapped and ate their way through the snack, they became even closer. Eventually, the distance became too embarrassing for Haruto to keep eye contact, and he gently closed his eyes. A few seconds later, a soft, plump, and captivating sensation met his lips as he ate. Haruto pulled his face back slightly and opened his eyes. Ayaka, smiling shyly and adorably, filled his vision. “…We just kissed normally.” “Yeah.” Saying this to each other, the two slowly chewed the Hokky in their mouths. “Come to think of it, how do you decide the winner and loser of this game?” “I think the loser was the one who pulled away from the Hokky before kissing, right?” “What if you kiss?” “Hmm… maybe the winner is the one who ate more of the Hokky…?” Haruto tilted his head and answered Ayaka’s question without much confidence. In the first place, this game was a kind of chicken race, designed to enjoy the thrill of potentially kissing as the game progressed. Therefore, if a
couple who had no qualms about kissing played this game, it would just turn into plain flirting. “Who ate more just now, me or you, Haruto-kun?” “I wonder? I closed my eyes at the end, so I’m not sure.” “Me too.” Ayaka laughed and took out another Hokky stick, looking at Haruto. “Want to go again?” “Sure. The winner is the one who eats more Hokky, right?” “Yeah.” Since kissing was already a foregone conclusion for the two of them, they established a victory condition different from the usual game. Haruto and Ayaka once again put both ends of a Hokky stick in their mouths. “Okay, here we go?” This time, Haruto gave the signal to start. “Ready… set… go!” At the same time he gave the signal, Haruto tried to eat faster than before. But suddenly, Ayaka’s sweet voice reached his ears. “I love you, Haruto-kun.” “Wh-?!” Taken completely by surprise, Haruto felt his heart leap, and his mouth stopped moving. Seizing the opening, Ayaka chomped her way through the Hokky with great momentum, closing in on him. Seeing her approach, Haruto snapped back to reality and hurriedly started eating the Hokky. However, he couldn’t make up for the initial delay, and they ended up kissing at a point closer to Haruto than the center of the Hokky. Having secured more of the Hokky in her mouth than Haruto, Ayaka wore a satisfied smile at the success of her strategy. Watching her slowly savor the Hokky as if basking in the afterglow of victory, Haruto’s competitive spirit flared up. He thought back. The first time they went to see a movie, she had turned the tables on him when he tried to hold her hand. During their lover practice, he had been overwhelmed by the assertive Ayaka, and he had lost the sparkler contest at the barbecue. And even during the shaved ice flavor guessing game at the home festival, although he won the game, Ayaka had completely held the initiative.
It was about time he made her speechless. Just as that thought sprouted in Haruto’s mind, the shoujo manga he had seen earlier flashed through his brain. The boy in that manga had approached the protagonist quite aggressively. To the point where it could even be considered a little forceful. Does Ayaka actually yearn for something like that? Thinking this, Haruto fixed his gaze on Ayaka, who was still leisurely munching on the Hokky. Then, he slowly reached out his arm toward her and pulled her into an embrace. “Fwe?” Ayaka’s eyes widened at Haruto’s sudden action, and a slightly goofy sound escaped her lips. Haruto pressed his lips against hers. “Nn.” Caught in a series of surprises, Ayaka’s mouth opened slightly. Not missing the opportunity, Haruto snatched every last bit of the Hokky from inside her mouth. “Nnngh.” Ayaka’s eyes darted back and forth at Haruto’s sequence of moves. Satisfied with her reaction, Haruto swallowed the Hokky he had stolen from her. “I win this round.” Haruto declared his victory. Then, Ayaka, who had been looking at him with moist eyes and blushing cheeks from the sudden kiss, snapped back to reality. “…Th-That’s cheating!! That was a foul!” “There’s no rule saying you can’t steal the Hokky from your opponent, is there?” “Muuu~! Let’s have a rematch!” “Alright.” Haruto nodded with a confident smile as Ayaka challenged him, getting worked up. And so, the two put the third Hokky in their mouths. Haruto gave the starting signal. “Here we go? Ready… set… go!” At the signal, Haruto and Ayaka started eating the Hokky vigorously.
Ayaka couldn’t use the same strategy twice, so she simply ate the Hokky as fast as she could. However, Haruto’s bites were decisively larger, and he ended up eating the majority of the Hokky she was holding. “Fufun.” Having eaten more of the Hokky than Ayaka, Haruto chewed on it as if tasting victory. Then, Ayaka thrust both hands forward and sandwiched the cheeks of the smiling victor, Haruto, between her palms. She pulled his face towards her and pressed her lips against his, trying to snatch the Hokky from his mouth. However, Haruto kept his lips tightly sealed, blocking her entry and defending the Hokky to the death. “Mmm! Muuu!” Ayaka pressed her lips against his repeatedly, trying to somehow steal Haruto’s Hokky, but his lips refused to open. Ayaka slowly lowered her hands from Haruto’s cheeks, slipped them under his arms, and hugged him tightly. “You’re so mean, Haruto-kun…” Ayaka said in a sad voice, slumping dejectedly. Seeing her like this, Haruto showed a bit of panic. “Y-You don’t have to be that down—” “Gotcha!!” “Guh.” Haruto had started to open his mouth to offer words of comfort. Ayaka didn’t miss that split-second opening; she quickly pressed her lips to his and snatched the Hokky from his mouth with a passionate kiss. “Mufufufu.” Her strategy a success, Ayaka happily ate the Hokky she had stolen from Haruto. She swallowed the chewed Hokky and smiled brightly. “That was my win.” “No, that was…” “There’s no rule saying you can’t steal the Hokky from your opponent.” Ayaka threw Haruto’s earlier words right back at him. At her words, Haruto gave a wry smile, muttered internally, “I can’t beat her,” and picked up yet another Hokky stick. “Then, shall we go one more time?” “Yeah, let’s.”
After that, the two continued to play the Hokky Game with rules far removed from the original game.