Swayed by the train for about an hour and a half. After changing trains a few times, Haruto and Ayaka arrived at their destination. “We’re here!” Looking at the arched entrance gate of the theme park, Ayaka spoke excitedly. Haruto also smiled at her enthusiasm. “You look happy, Ayaka.” “I’ve always wanted to come here, but being able to come here for the first time with you, Haruto-kun… that makes me really happy!” “I see. Then let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest today.” “Yeah!!” Ayaka showed him a dazzling smile. Seeing her so filled with happiness, Haruto was convinced that today’s date would be a very fun and happy one. They entered the theme park. Holding a pamphlet she got from the ticket counter, Ayaka hummed in thought. “Where should we go first, Haruto-kun?” “Hmm. Oh, how about the deep sea corner?” The two leaned in close to look at the park map together. Haruto pointed to a spot on the map and made a suggestion. “Sounds good. You seem like you’d like the deep sea, Haruto-kun.” “Space and the deep sea are a man’s romance, after all.” “Fufu, that sounds like something Dad would say.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka covered her mouth and chuckled. “Well, men are creatures who chase romance, after all.” “Heeh~ Are you seeking romance too, Haruto-kun?” “Of course, I’m a man.” “I see. Then is holding hands with your girlfriend during a date a man’s romance?” Tilting her head slightly, Ayaka held out her right hand to Haruto. With a gentle smile, Haruto softly grasped her hand. “Of course. This is the highest level of a man’s romance.” “Is that so. Fufu, I’m happy.”
Ayaka snuggled up to Haruto’s left arm, hugging it with a blissful smile on her face. Haruto’s cheeks softened in response. The theme park they visited was ocean-themed, allowing visitors to observe and interact with various marine life. Currently, they were holding a limited-time exhibition of rare deep-sea fish. Ayaka stared intently at a stuffed specimen of a deep-sea fish with large eyes and sharp fangs from up close. “…Deep-sea fish kind of look like aliens, don’t they?” “I know what you mean. Something about their form or atmosphere just doesn’t feel like a creature from Earth.” The two walked along, observing the exhibits of strange creatures inhabiting the deep sea with interest. “Ah, Haruto-kun! Look, look! This one might be cute!” Pulling on the hand holding Haruto’s, Ayaka headed towards a tank displaying a palm-sized deep-sea creature. “This is a flapjack octopus.” “Wait, this is an octopus? But yeah, if you look closely, it does look like one.” As Ayaka brought her face close to the tank to observe it intently, the flapjack octopus began to swim smoothly. “Ah, look, Haruto-kun. Those things that look like rabbit ears are flapping! It’s cute.” “Those ear-like things are apparently fins.” Haruto taught Ayaka while reading the explanation about the flapjack octopus’s ecology provided next to the tank. “By the way, apparently flapjack octopuses don’t have ink sacs, so they can’t squirt ink.” “Even though it’s an octopus?” “Even though it’s an octopus.” “I see. But it’s small and cute; looking at it is kind of soothing.” “They say the flapjack octopus is the idol of the deep sea.” “I have to become a fan,” Ayaka said, watching the flapjack octopus stop swimming and flatten itself against the bottom of the tank again. At her words, Haruto spoke exaggeratedly, acting a little playful. “If you get that obsessed with it, as your boyfriend, I might get jealous of a flapjack octopus.” “Fufu, don’t worry.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka looked away from the tank and smiled.
“To me, you’re far more precious than any idol, Haruto-kun,” she said, squeezing his hand tightly. Unable to withstand Ayaka’s high-impact statement, the corners of Haruto’s mouth turned up. “Ayaka, I’m really happy, but… that’s a little embarrassing…” “Eh? Ah…” Seeing Haruto blushing slightly and acting shy, Ayaka looked blank for a moment, but quickly realizing the situation, she turned red all the way to her ears. Ayaka froze in embarrassment. A mischievous-looking boy nearby pointed at her and said, “Hey, Mom. Is that what they call a confession?” “Hey! Don’t point at people! It’s rude!” The boy’s mother bowed to Haruto and Ayaka, saying “I’m sorry,” and led the child away by the hand. “Ugh…” Ayaka’s face turned as red as a flapjack octopus. Haruto smiled wryly and pulled her hand. “Let’s go look at a different tank.” “…Okay.” Ayaka nodded slightly and obediently let Haruto lead her by the hand. Hastily retreating from the flapjack octopus exhibit, the two enjoyed looking at various deep-sea creatures. Ayaka, who had been looking down in embarrassment, returned to her energetic self while looking at the strange and slightly creepy deep-sea fish and the mysteriously glowing jellyfish. Having thoroughly enjoyed the mysterious world of the deep sea, Haruto and Ayaka left the building housing the special exhibit. Haruto squinted in the bright sunlight pouring down from high above. Next to him, Ayaka, completely back to her cheerful self, was looking at the park map with a smile. “The deep sea corner was interesting! Where should we go next?” “At this time, it looks like we can catch the penguin walk. How about it?” Haruto replied to Ayaka while checking the time on his smartphone. “I want to see the penguin walk!!” Ayaka’s eyes sparkled at Haruto’s suggestion. “Then let’s go see the penguins.”
Seeing Ayaka with a look of pure excitement, Haruto pulled her hand with the same smile. They walked hand in hand to the place where they could see the penguin walk. Haruto looked at Ayaka walking with bouncy steps beside him. “Hm? What’s wrong, Haruto-kun?” “I was just wondering if this was really okay for a reward for your test.” Haruto himself was enjoying today’s date very much. And he could tell from her demeanor that Ayaka was enjoying it from the bottom of her heart too. But the two were already officially lovers. So, they could go on a date anytime their schedules matched, without needing a reason like a test reward. Moreover, Ayaka had studied quite hard this time to achieve the condition for the reward, which was getting over eighty on all subjects. Having seen that up close, Haruto had wanted to do something more special for her. “You worked really hard for this test, Ayaka, so I was wondering if this reward matches that effort.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka said his name, “Haruto-kun…”, joy evident on her face. “Listen. For me, spending time with you… making memories together… that’s an incredibly happy time, you know?” “Really?” “Yeah. So today’s date is more than enough of a reward.” Saying this, Ayaka gave Haruto a beaming smile that outshone the sun overhead. Her dazzling smile spread a sense of happiness through Haruto’s heart as well. “I see. I’m glad. Glad that you’re happy, Ayaka.” “Yeah!!” The two exchanged smiles. Haruto was about to take Ayaka’s hand again and start walking, but she spoke up, somewhat hesitantly. “For a reward, today’s date is the best, but… um, there’s one more thing I want to ask of you, Haruto-kun. Is that okay?” “Of course,” Haruto answered immediately to Ayaka, who was pleading with slightly upturned eyes.
“You see. Actually, I’ve wanted to change this ever since I became your girlfriend, Haruto-kun, but I never really found the right moment…” Speaking shyly, Ayaka paused slightly before continuing. “If you don’t mind, Haruto-kun, um… from now on, can I call you… um… Haruto?” At this moment, Haruto felt as if he had been shot through the heart. Her moist eyes wavered anxiously, wondering what kind of reaction she would get amidst her shy, downcast expression. Everything about her was cute and precious, Haruto felt. “Yeah. Of course, that’s fine.” He wanted to hug her right then and there. However, he couldn’t exactly give her a passionate embrace in public. Instead, Haruto squeezed the hand he was holding tightly and nodded vigorously. Hearing his reply, Ayaka’s face blossomed into a joyous smile. “Really?! Yay!” Showing the greatest joy she had all day, Ayaka spoke happily to Haruto. “After all, normal couples call each other by their first names without honorifics! That’s why I’ve wanted to call you ‘Haruto’ for a long time!” “Is that so. You could have told me sooner if that was the case.” “Well, yes, but…” Ayaka fidgeted at Haruto’s words. “Isn’t dropping the honorifics a little embarrassing? It takes courage, doesn’t it? It’s hard to do suddenly, or rather, I wanted a trigger.” “Ah, well, I certainly understand that feeling.” Haruto showed empathy towards Ayaka. There are times when even calling friends without honorifics feels a little embarrassing. “I wouldn’t want you to wonder ‘what’s with him?’ if I suddenly dropped the honorifics, either.” “Yes, exactly!” “But, we’re already lovers, so you don’t have to worry about it that much.” Saying this, Haruto pulled Ayaka slightly closer with a gentle tug. “I’ll accept any request or wish from you, Ayaka.” When Haruto whispered this close to her face, Ayaka giggled ticklishly. “Okay…” Still blushing faintly, she took a step forward with a light thump.
“Then let’s go see the penguins together… Haruto!” Feeling an itchy sort of happiness at the new way of calling him, which still had a lingering awkwardness, Haruto let Ayaka lead him by the hand to the next location. The penguin walk was a very popular event at the theme park Haruto and Ayaka were visiting. As such, a large crowd had gathered around the walking course to see the adorable waddling penguins. “There are a lot of people.” “Maybe there are fewer people over there, and it might be easier to see the penguins.” To avoid getting separated in the crowd, Haruto held the hand he was clasping tighter than usual and led her to a relatively less crowded spot. “You can see them up close from here.” “This might be the first time I’ve seen penguins this close.” Ayaka, who had come right up to the rope partitioning the walking course, said with a face full of excitement and anticipation. Then, guided by a keeper from afar, about ten penguins appeared. They heard the excited voices of children and the heartwarming laughter of the audience at the sight of the penguins walking earnestly with their flippers slapping the ground. And next to Haruto, Ayaka also cheered at the sight of the cute penguins. “Ah! The penguins are here, Haruto! They’re so cute!” As the group of penguins gradually approached, Ayaka repeatedly called out, “Cute!” Watching her excitement, Haruto suddenly imagined something. If he were to gently hug Ayaka from behind right here and whisper in her ear, “You, happy to see the penguins, are tens of times cuter than any penguin,” what kind of reaction would he get? Midway through imagining the reaction, Haruto shook his head to dispel the delusion. “Am I some kind of smooth talker…” Haruto retorted to himself. Hearing his mutter, Ayaka looked away from the penguins and turned to Haruto with a “Hm?” “Did you say something, Haruto?” “No, nothing. More importantly, the penguins are right in front of us.” “Wow! Look, look, Haruto!” With the penguins crossing right in front of them, Ayaka looked at Haruto with a beaming smile.
“They’re super cute!” Driven by her incredibly charming smile and bouncy tone, the delusion Haruto had just dispelled suddenly resurfaced in his brain. “…You enjoying yourself are far cuter, Ayaka.” “Fueh?!” As expected, Haruto couldn’t say it with a cool face. He muttered it quickly in a low voice while looking off in a completely different direction out of embarrassment. Still, it seemed to have reached Ayaka’s ears clearly, as her face turned red in no time. “Th… Tha-thank, you…” “Yeah…” While the two fidgeted, averting their eyes from each other, the penguins passed by. As the walking event ended and the people around them began to disperse, Haruto and Ayaka started moving a beat later. “Um, well… shall we check out that aquarium over there?” “Y-Yeah, let’s.” To distract from the embarrassment, Haruto pointed to a building that caught his eye. Ayaka nodded and obediently let him lead her by the hand. The theme park Haruto and Ayaka were visiting had several aquariums on its vast grounds, each categorized by its features, such as specializing in dolphin exhibits or having interactive zones. The aquarium Haruto and Ayaka headed to had a huge tank installed, in which various types of fish were swimming leisurely. Particularly eye-catching among them was a massive school of sardines. The huge school, formed by countless sardines, moved as if it were a single living organism. “Wow! Look, Haruto! It’s amazing!” Ayaka pressed herself against the glass of the huge tank. Staring at the underwater scenery as if captivated, she said to Haruto. “That school of sardines is huge!” “It said in the pamphlet that the number of sardines kept here is one of the largest in the country.” “Really. I wonder how many there are?” “According to the pamphlet, there seem to be fifty thousand.” “Fifty thousand?!”
Ayaka’s eyes widened in surprise at the number of sardines exceeding her expectations. She stood there with her mouth slightly open, stunned by the astonishing number. Beside her, Haruto placed a hand on his chin and stared at the school of sardines. “It’s an amazing number. But with fifty thousand sardines, it’s basically all-you-can-eat. Sashimi, salt-grilled, kabayaki, and in winter, fish ball soup would be an option too. Also, simmered dishes like ginger-simmered or sweetened boiled sardines would work, and also…” “Geez, Haruto! Don’t make a menu out of the aquarium fish!” “Ahaha, sorry, sorry. Sardines are delicious and have a wide range of cooking methods, so I just couldn’t help it.” “Geez… but, I might want to eat your sweetened boiled sardines, Haruto…” Although Ayaka raised her voice in protest, having had her stomach firmly grasped, she couldn’t quite resist the dishes coming out of Haruto’s mouth and added a muttered comment. Haruto directed a gentle smile at her. “I’ll cook them in a pressure cooker so you can eat the bones too, so I think Ryōta-kun will find them easy to eat as well. The sweet and spicy seasoning will make a good snack for Shūichi-san’s drinks, too.” “Ugh… sounds delicious…” “If I see good sardines for sale next time, I’ll buy them.” “Please do.” Succumbing to the charm of Haruto’s cooking, Ayaka looked at the massive school of sardines in the tank with a complicated expression. “Somehow… now when I look at those sardines, I can only see them as attractive ingredients…” “Fifty thousand sardines… that’s the dream.” Exchanging such conversation, Haruto and Ayaka moved away from the huge tank. After that, the two fully enjoyed the aquarium, admiring the colorful tropical fish in the coral reef and watching the impressive sharks. “I think we’ve looked around pretty much everything here, right?” Ayaka said, having made a full circuit of the building and returned to the entrance. “Where should we go next?” “It’s a little early, but do you want to eat lunch now? It seems like it’ll get super crowded around lunchtime.”
“That might be a good idea.” Since it was Saturday, there were so many people that it was easy to imagine all the restaurants would be packed come lunchtime. They decided to have an early lunch, agreeing that it would be a waste to spend time waiting in lines when they had come all this way to the theme park. “Where should we eat lunch?” Ayaka asked Haruto while looking over the list of restaurants introduced in the pamphlet. “Hmm, how about here? The seafood bowl looks tasty.” “You’re in the mood for seafood, Haruto?” “Kind of. Looking at all the fish made me crave seafood.” “I want to say that looking at aquarium fish shouldn’t make you hungry! But it’s kind of frustrating that I get what you mean.” Haruto smiled pleasantly at Ayaka, who was pouting slightly. “Then, is it decided that we’ll have lunch at this seafood place?” “Yeah, sounds good.” Having decided on their destination, the two immediately headed for the restaurant in the pamphlet. Since it was still early for lunch, Haruto and Ayaka were quickly guided to a table. “You can see the ocean really well,” Ayaka said happily as she sat down at the window seat they were shown to. Haruto sat opposite her and turned his gaze out the window as well. “Eating a seafood bowl while looking at the ocean. It’s the ultimate luxury.” “Right? Living in a house with an ocean view in the future might be nice too.” “Having tea on the balcony in the morning while looking at the sea?” “Wouldn’t that be super stylish and amazing?” “It sounds so amazing I might not be able to leave the balcony.” Chatting about such dreams, Ayaka picked up the menu placed on the table. “What are you going to have, Haruto? Still going for a seafood bowl?” “Yeah. I think I’ll have this Deluxe Tuna Bowl that was mentioned in the pamphlet. How about you, Ayaka?” “Hmm.” In contrast to Haruto, who decided immediately, Ayaka was groaning and staring down the menu. “What are you torn between?”
“It’s between this Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl and the Fried Horse Mackerel Set…” As she said this, Ayaka’s eyes darted back and forth between the two menu items. Haruto leaned forward a little to look at the photos of the dishes Ayaka was agonizing over. “Salmon is hard to pass up, but this fried horse mackerel looks delicious.” “Right?! I guess I should go for the Fried Horse Mackerel Set after all… but salmon too, ugh…” Seeing her unable to decide, Haruto made a suggestion. “Then, how about I order this Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl and share some with you, and you give me a bit of your fried horse mackerel?” Haruto proposed changing his own order to share with her. At his suggestion, Ayaka looked up at him with pleading eyes, gauging his expression. “Are you sure? Even though you wanted the Deluxe Tuna Bowl?” “Yeah. Looking at the menu made me want to eat salmon too,” Haruto said with a pleasant smile, and Ayaka returned a soft smile. “Thanks, Haruto. Then I’ll go with the Fried Horse Mackerel Set.” “Roger that. Excuse me, we’re ready to order.” Haruto raised his hand to call a waiter who happened to be passing by. Ayaka watched him order with a beaming smile, and once the waiter had left, she spoke to him, her face still glowing. “You’re really kind, Haruto.” “Really? I think that’s normal, though.” “No, I think you spoil me too much, Haruto. If I let my guard down, I’ll just end up relying on you more and more.” “I feel like I’ve said this before, but you can rely on me as much as you want, you know?” “See, there you go again, whispering sweet nothings like some kind of devil.” Haruto laughed at her words and retorted, “Isn’t calling me a devil a bit harsh?” In response, she leaned forward slightly and stared into Haruto’s eyes. “I want you to rely on me too, Haruto, you know?” “But, isn’t it kind of… weak for a man to rely on someone?” Having been raised by his grandparents from a young age, Haruto had somewhat old-fashioned values.
“That’s not true at all! I’d be super happy if you relied on me, Haruto.” “Really, is that so?” “Uh-huh! Oh, by the way, I have to give you a reward too, right?” Ayaka said, then made a proposal to Haruto. “For your reward, how about you get to rely on me as much as you want for a day?” “Eh? That’s… what exactly would I do to ‘rely’ on you?” When Haruto asked somewhat hesitantly, Ayaka tilted her head slightly and answered. “Well, um… like a lap pillow?” “A lap pillow, huh…” Haruto recalled the lover practice they had done during summer break. Certainly, Ayaka’s lap pillow was attractive enough to be a reward for Haruto. “Then, I think I’ll ask for that as my reward.” “Okay, roger that.” Ayaka smiled broadly, looking happy. Every day since Ayaka had officially become his girlfriend had been wrapped in happiness. Seeing Ayaka’s smile, Haruto realized this anew. “Oh, is it okay if I stroke your hair while giving you a lap pillow, Haruto?” “Yeah, go ahead.” “Your hair is soft and feels nice to touch, Haruto,” Ayaka said with a smile. After that, the two chatted about trivial things, like which fish exhibits were beautiful, until their ordered food arrived at the table. In front of Haruto was placed the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl, attractive with its brilliant reds and pinks, and in front of Ayaka was the Fried Horse Mackerel Set, fried to a beautiful golden brown. “Looks delicious.” “Yeah! It looks really good!” Faced with the feast before them, both relaxed their cheeks and reached for their chopsticks. “Mmm, the sashimi is fresh and really delicious.” “Really?” Ayaka stared intently at Haruto as he smacked his lips over the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl.
Receiving her gaze, Haruto chuckled “fufu” and asked her. “Want some?” “I want some!” Ayaka answered immediately. Although she hadn’t even touched her fried horse mackerel yet, Haruto offered his bowl to Ayaka for the time being. “Let’s trade,” she said, sliding her Fried Horse Mackerel Set in front of Haruto before eating a slice of salmon from his bowl. “Mmm~, salmon is delicious after all!” Ayaka wore a melty, happy expression. “You can have some tuna too.” “Really? Then I’ll take a bite.” Ayaka happily put the tuna in her mouth and beamed with happiness, saying “Yummy~.” Watching her smile, Haruto took a bite of the fried horse mackerel he had swapped with Ayaka. Inside the crispy breading, the fluffy meat of the horse mackerel overflowed with juicy fat packed with umami, spreading across his tongue. Perhaps his satisfaction with the delicious fried horse mackerel showed on his face, because Ayaka, sitting opposite him and watching him eat, let out a small giggle. “Is it good?” “Yeah. It’s super tasty.” “You can have more if you want.” “But there are only two pieces of horse mackerel?” “It’s fine, I’d rather watch you eating the horse mackerel deliciously than eat it myself, Haruto.” “I-Is that so…” Haruto fell into a complicated state of mind, a mix of happiness and embarrassment at Ayaka’s words, spun with a beaming smile. Feeling Ayaka’s gaze on him, Haruto managed to finish one of the two pieces of fried horse mackerel. “Mmm, thanks. It was delicious. Are you done with the tuna and salmon, Ayaka?” “Yeah, thanks for sharing.” After thanking each other, Haruto swapped the Fried Horse Mackerel Set and the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl back. “Choosing this place for lunch was the right call.” Haruto nodded in satisfaction as he ate the tuna and salmon with rice.
Sitting opposite him, Ayaka also took a bite of the fried horse mackerel and wore a happy expression. Haruto finished the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl with a sense of satisfaction and fullness. Taking a sip of water after the meal, he looked at Ayaka and saw that it would take her a little longer to finish eating. Ayaka was eating with the same relaxed, happy expression as before. Watching her, Haruto suddenly thought of something and put it into action. He leaned forward slightly and began to stare intently at Ayaka as she ate. Unaware of Haruto’s action, Ayaka ate the pickles in the small bowl, then picked up the miso soup bowl and took a sip. Just then, her eyes met Haruto’s over the rim of the bowl. Finally realizing what Haruto was doing, she turned red in an instant. “Wh-What’s wrong, Haruto? Do I have rice on my face?” Realizing she was being stared at, Ayaka showed a slight fluster. However, Haruto continued to stare as he answered. “No, I’m just staring because you look cute eating so happily, Ayaka. Don’t mind me, just enjoy your meal.” “I-I do mind, though…” At his words, Ayaka muttered quietly, turning red all the way to her ears. Even so, he didn’t stop staring, so Ayaka resumed eating, albeit shyly. However, bothered by Haruto’s gaze, she kept glancing at him. Ayaka continued eating for a bit, but eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore and said weakly, “I surrender.” “Being stared at like that makes me too embarrassed to eat…” “I was stared at continuously by you earlier, Ayaka.” “Ugh, but you looked so cute enjoying your food, Haruto.” “Well, you look charming eating so happily, Ayaka.” “Kh…” At the word “charming” from Haruto’s mouth, Ayaka’s shoulders shook with a mix of joy and embarrassment. Then, perhaps to distract from her embarrassment, she picked up the few remaining pickles with her chopsticks and brought them to Haruto’s mouth. “…Here.” “Mm, thanks.” Smiling at Ayaka’s sudden, mysterious “ahhh” move, Haruto ate the pickles offered to his mouth. “Want more?”
“No, I’m good.” Haruto slowly chewed the pickles and shook his head, finally stopping his intense staring. “Maybe I’ll make fried horse mackerel for you next time.” “I want to eat fried horse mackerel made by you, Haruto.” Saying that, Ayaka ate all the remaining fried horse mackerel, her face relaxing as she said, “Delicious.” Having finished their early lunch, Haruto and Ayaka continued to look around and fully enjoy the theme park. At the classic dolphin show, they were captivated by the dolphins skillfully performing tricks, and at the otter feeding experience, they were charmed by the otters desperately reaching for the food placed in Ayaka’s palm. At the interactive corner, Ayaka patted the back of a horn shark, smiling excitedly at the novel texture, and watching her soothed Haruto. Their first date since becoming real lovers. It was incredibly fun for both of them, and time flowed by like water. “Hey, Haruto. Let’s go here next?” “Sure.” Ayaka pulled Haruto’s hand with an innocent smile. The place Ayaka led him to was a transparent tunnel traversing a massive tank. There was an arched tunnel at the bottom of the tank, from which they could observe the fish and dolphins swimming gracefully. “Wow! It’s beautiful!” “Yeah. It kind of feels like we’re diving.” “Right!” Haruto and Ayaka felt like they were taking a stroll on the seabed. They looked up at a dolphin that had come right up close through the tunnel. “This might be the first time I’ve seen a dolphin from below.” Perhaps the dolphin was also interested in Haruto and Ayaka inside the tunnel, as it swam back and forth, spinning nearby. “True. It’s kind of a magical atmosphere.” Blue sky spread above the tank, and the sunlight pouring down from it reflected off the swaying water surface, sparkling like jewels. “Hey, Haruto.” “Hm?” Called by name, Haruto turned his gaze from the dolphin to her.
“This is fun!” “Yeah, it is.” When Haruto returned her smile, Ayaka smiled happily. Then, she turned her whole body toward Haruto. “Let’s go to lots of different places, do lots of different things, and make lots of memories together from now on too, okay?” Light pouring from the sky created numerous shafts of light in the water, and dolphins danced gracefully between them. Various fish swam around colorful coral, creating a rich landscape. Enveloped in such a magical atmosphere, Haruto felt Ayaka was cuter, more beautiful, and more charming than ever. “Yeah, let’s. Together from now on.” Haruto clasped his beloved girlfriend’s hand, gently pulled her closer, and slowly started walking, as if to burn the magical scene spreading before them into his eyes. ※ ※ ※ Inside the train, bathed in the sunset streaming through the windows. Haruto and Ayaka sat snuggled closely together. “Ahhh, the date ended in the blink of an eye,” Ayaka said wistfully, gently stroking the flapjack octopus plushie resting on her lap. “That theme park was more fun than I thought,” Haruto said, adjusting his grip on the paper bag containing souvenirs for Shūichi and the others. “Next time we come, I bet Ryōta-kun would be super happy if we brought him along.” “I’m sure he’d be bouncing off the walls the whole time.” “Seeing Ryōta-kun happy is soothing, so I don’t mind.” Recalling Ryōta’s sun-like beaming smile, Haruto smiled slightly and looked down into the paper bag. Inside was the dolphin plushie he had bought as a souvenir for the boy. “But then the problem is I wouldn’t be able to hog you all to myself, Haruto.” Saying this, Ayaka hugged the flapjack octopus plushie tightly. Incidentally, the plushie she was holding was something she had spotted while choosing souvenirs; she had fallen in love with it at first sight and bought it immediately.
“Then, we can just go on another date, just the two of us, right?” “Yeah, lots of dates.” Seeing her still hugging the plushie, Haruto twisted his lips slightly exaggeratedly to show he was joking. “Ayaka. I think I might get jealous of that flapjack octopus.” “Eh?” At Haruto’s joke, she looked down at the plushie in her arms, then chuckled “fufu.” “Then, is this okay?” Saying that, Ayaka put the flapjack octopus back on her lap and instead grabbed Haruto’s arm, hugging it tightly to her chest. “…It is, but… it’s a little embarrassing.” Fortunately, the car Haruto and Ayaka were in was relatively empty, and everyone else was either looking at their smartphones or sleeping with their heads down, paying no attention to the couple. Ayaka rested her head on Haruto’s shoulder while hugging his arm. “Today was the happiest day ever,” Ayaka murmured in a whisper. Feeling a ticklish sort of happiness at her words spilling into his ear, Haruto let the train rock him. The train ride, which had felt somewhat long on the way to the theme park, felt like it passed in an instant on the way back for Haruto. From the station nearest to the Tōjō house, he walked hand-in-hand with Ayaka, talking about the theme park. Before they knew it, they had arrived in front of the house. “I’m home.” “I’m home.” As Haruto and Ayaka entered the house together, Ryōta came running from the living room with great momentum. “Onee-chan! Onii-chan! Welcome home!!” Ryōta dashed down the hallway with a thud-thud-thud! and stopped abruptly in front of them. “Was the date fun? Did you properly nurture your love with Onii-chan, Onee-chan?” “Eh?! Y-Yes, we nurtured it properly, okay?” Ayaka answered, slightly flustered by her little brother asking with such round, innocent eyes. Even Ayaka seemed embarrassed by Ryōta’s pure, straightforward way of speaking. “Ryōta-kun, we bought you a souvenir.”
“Really?!” At Haruto’s word “souvenir,” Ryōta hopped up and down in place with joy. “Here, this is your souvenir.” “Wow! It’s a dolphin!!” Receiving the dolphin plushie from Haruto, Ryōta hugged it with both hands and shouted, “Mommy!! Onii-chan gave me a souvenir!!” before dashing back to the living room and disappearing from sight. Seeing Ryōta acting the same as always, Haruto and Ayaka looked at each other, exchanged smiles, and headed for the living room. As they entered the living room, a delicious smell wafted from the kitchen where Kiyoko was preparing dinner. In the living room, Ryōta was showing the dolphin plushie to Ikue. “Look, look, Mommy! It’s a dolphin plushie!” “That’s wonderful. Did you say thank you properly to Haruto-kun?” When Ikue said that, Ryōta looked startled and hurriedly ran back to Haruto. “Onii-chan! Thank you for the souvenir!” “You’re welcome. Also, Onee-chan helped choose that souvenir too, you know.” “Onee-chan, thank you for the souvenir!” “You’re welcome. Take good care of it.” “Yeah!” Ryōta nodded vigorously and immediately started playing with his Sentai figures and the dolphin plushie. Apparently, the dolphin was playing the role of the evil organization confronting the Sentai heroes. “Haruto-kun, thank you very much.” Ikue, smiling fondly at Ryōta, thanked Haruto. “Not at all. Ah, I bought souvenirs for you and Shūichi-san too, so please eat them later.” Haruto placed a box containing dolphin-shaped cookies from the paper bag onto the table. “My, my! Thank you.” Haruto gave a small bow to the beaming Ikue, then headed for the kitchen. “I bought a souvenir for you too, Grandma, so please have some later.” “Oh, really? Thank you.”
“Yeah. Also, I’ll help with dinner.” Haruto stood beside Kiyoko and began to help prepare dinner. Watching this, Ayaka also came to the kitchen. “Kiyoko-san. I’ll help too.” “Oh, Ayaka-san, thank you. Then, could I ask you to handle these vegetables?” “Understood.” In the kitchen, Haruto, Ayaka, and Kiyoko made dinner, while in the living room, Ryōta played happily under Ikue’s supervision. This was everyday life in the lively Tōjō household. This life had only just begun, but Haruto was slowly starting to feel that this house was truly a place to come home to.