In the room he was borrowing from Ryōta, Haruto sat at his desk, looking at his study guide. Studying before bed had become a habit for him. He focused on solving problems for a while, but suddenly stopped his pen and stared blankly at the ceiling. Ayaka’s smile, which he had seen so many times throughout the day, floated in his mind. “She’s so cute…” Recalling today’s date, he muttered softly. Ever since I started dating Ayaka, every day has been truly happy. Haruto realized this deeply. Whenever he saw her smile, Haruto’s heart leaped and was filled with happiness. Furthermore, it wasn’t just Ayaka who gave him this sense of joy. The lively and warm atmosphere of the Tōjō family gently enveloped him. For Haruto, who had lived with his grandparents since he was small and then just with Kiyoko after his grandfather passed away, the daily life at the Tōjō house, wrapped in kindness and constant laughter, had a warmth that made smiles overflow naturally. “It’s a little scary to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t taken that job over the summer…” Muttering this, Haruto looked at the wall in the direction of Ayaka’s room. Since she had woken up early today, she was probably already asleep. “Let’s make lots of memories together from now on too…” Ayaka’s words, spoken amidst the magical atmosphere of dancing dolphins, had left a strong impression on Haruto’s heart. Basking in the afterglow of happiness, Haruto continued his studies. Perhaps due to the effect of the date with Ayaka, he was able to concentrate more than usual. As a result, he stayed at his desk longer than planned, and before he knew it, it was quite late. “Is it this time already? I overdid it a bit.” Haruto tidied up his desk and left the room to go to the kitchen for a glass of water before bed. Since everyone else was asleep, he walked quietly through the silent Tōjō house, took a glass from the cupboard, and downed tap water in one go. “Phew… time to sleep.”
Just as he rinsed the glass and was about to return to his room, there was a noise from the entrance. Shortly after, Shūichi entered the living room. “Ah, welcome home, Shūichi-san.” “Oh? Haruto-kun? You’re still up?” Shūichi, still in his suit, looked at Haruto with a slightly surprised face. “Yes. I was studying before bed, but it went on longer than I expected.” “Ooh, just like Haruto-kun. Impressive, impressive.” Praising Haruto, Shūichi loosened his tie. “Um, are you just getting back from work now, Shūichi-san?” “That’s right. Work dragged on longer than I thought.” Haruto recalled that Shūichi had said this morning he wouldn’t need dinner because he’d be late. “Working until this hour… thank you for your hard work.” “No, really, I’m pretty exhausted today. But you know, Haruto-kun, thanks to that, a big project looks like it’s going to go well.” Although exhaustion was etched on Shūichi’s face as he said this, a refreshing sense of accomplishment was also visible. “So, I’m thinking of having a little drink to reward myself.” Saying “A drink after work is the best,” Shūichi headed towards the refrigerator with a happy face. But on the way, his stomach growled loudly. “Huh? Shūichi-san, did you not eat dinner?” “Ahaha… actually, I intended to eat out.” Shūichi scratched his head embarrassedly and turned to Haruto. “It got later than I expected, and it became a hassle to go into a restaurant and eat. I thought I’d just hurry home, have a drink, and snack on whatever was around.” “Is that so… then I’ll make something for you.” “No, no! That would be bad of me, Haruto-kun! It’s already this late.” Shūichi waved both hands to refuse Haruto’s offer. However, Haruto replied with a pleasant smile, “I don’t mind at all.” “In fact, I’m always very grateful to you all, Shūichi-san, so please let me make something as a token of my appreciation.” Haruto always wanted to repay Shūichi and his family for hiring his grandmother when she lost her job and for welcoming him as if he were a true member of the family. He thought this was the perfect opportunity to do so. “No, no, you don’t need to feel obligated like that.”
“Thank you. But you always eat my cooking and say it’s delicious, so cooking is really fun for me.” Haruto directed a gentle smile at Shūichi. “So please, let me cook for you.” Seeing Haruto bow his head and say this, Shūichi looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, “Well then.” “Is it okay if I ask you to?” “Yes, thank you very much. Then, I’ll get things ready, so please go get changed, Shūichi-san.” At Haruto’s words, Shūichi said “Sorry about this” and left the living room to change. “Alright then.” Standing in the kitchen, Haruto first put Shūichi’s usual beer glass into the freezer. Then, he looked inside the refrigerator and thought about a snack menu. “Hmm, maybe I should make something quick and easy first to satisfy Shūichi-san’s hunger a bit? And then make something more substantial…” Haruto checked the ingredients in the fridge and listed menu candidates in his head. “For now, tofu and kimchi, and… cabbage and green onions should be good. Oh! That’s right, there were gizzards. I’ll use these later.” Haruto took out the ingredients and heated water in a pot. Next, after roughly chopping the cabbage, he chopped the kimchi into appropriate sizes and also sliced the green onions into small rounds. Once the ingredients were cut, he took out two bowls from the drawer under the sink. He put the cabbage in one bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and heated it in the microwave. Meanwhile, Haruto put the chopped kimchi and green onions in the other bowl, added sesame oil, and mixed it. Then, he poured the mixture over the tofu he had transferred to a small bowl. Just then, the cabbage finished heating, so he took the bowl out of the microwave. “Hot, hot…” Haruto removed the plastic wrap from the steaming bowl and cooled the wilted cabbage with cold water. Then, after thoroughly draining the water, he tore up Korean seaweed and added it. After lightly mixing the contents of the bowl, he added sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt and pepper, and tossed it further.
Finally, after tasting a bit and adding more salt and pepper, Haruto plated it on a small dish and sprinkled roasted white sesame seeds on top. Just as the cold tofu with sesame oil kimchi and the cabbage tossed with Korean seaweed were completed, Shūichi returned to the living room after changing. “You want beer, right, Shūichi-san?” “Yes! Thank you, Haruto-kun!” At Haruto’s words, Shūichi nodded with a beaming smile and sat down at the counter seat. Smiling at Shūichi’s cheerful face, Haruto took out the glass he had put in the freezer and grabbed a can of beer from the fridge. “Here you go, Shūichi-san.” “Thank you!” Shūichi accepted the glass from Haruto, his face relaxing at the ice-cold glass. “Then, let me pour for you.” Saying that, Haruto poured beer into Shūichi’s tilted glass. The amber liquid flowed vigorously into the chilled, frosted glass, creating a fine, creamy foam from the convection. Once enough foam had formed, Haruto poured slowly and quietly. Holding the glass, now crowned with a mound of foam and shining gold, Shūichi praised Haruto admiringly. “Wow, wonderful! It’s perfect, Haruto-kun!” “Thank you very much.” “Well then, let’s dig in.” Shūichi put his lips to the glass as if he couldn’t wait and tilted it back. He drank the beer, his throat gurgling. After downing about half the glass in one go, he slammed it down on the counter with an expression as if he had reached a state of pure bliss. “Kuuu~! This moment is irresistible!” Seeing Shūichi drink beer so deliciously made Haruto feel happy too. “Here is cold tofu with sesame oil kimchi, and cabbage tossed with Korean seaweed. Please enjoy.” Standing in the kitchen, Haruto reached out and placed the snacks he had just made on the counter table. “Ooh, you made these in such a short time? You’re as efficient as ever, Haruto-kun.” “Grandma would have made three dishes in this time.”
“That’s amazing. I’d like to try Kiyoko-san’s snacks someday too.” Saying that, Shūichi put his hands together in thanks, then reached for the cabbage dish with his chopsticks first. Eating the Korean seaweed and cabbage together, his eyes widened, and he immediately washed it down with beer. “Haruto-kun! This makes the beer unstoppable!” No sooner had he said that than Shūichi threw another mouthful of the cabbage dish into his mouth and gulped down more beer. “Pwah! Delicious! This cold tofu too… yes, yes! This is delicious too, Haruto-kun!” “I’m glad it suits your taste.” The cabbage dish was seasoned a bit strongly to go well with the beer. In contrast, the cold tofu had the spiciness of kimchi and the flavor of green onions to stimulate the appetite. Haruto internally pumped his fist at the sight of Shūichi eating and saying “Delicious, delicious!” To satisfy Shūichi even more, he took the gizzards out of the refrigerator. “Shūichi-san, how hungry are you? Can you eat quite a bit?” “If it’s your cooking, Haruto-kun, I’m hungry enough to eat forever.” “Understood. Then I’ll make a variety of things.” Smiling at Shūichi’s reply, Haruto quickly boiled the gizzards to remove any smell, cut the sinew, and stir-fried them in a greased frying pan. “Man, it feels like I’m in an izakaya1.” “I’ll do my best to make it close to restaurant quality.” “Ahaha! Your cooking is already on par with, if not better than, any izakaya, Haruto-kun.” Shūichi laughed, vouching for Haruto’s cooking despite his modesty. Returning a smile and saying “Thank you,” Haruto sprinkled cooking sake over the browned gizzards, covered the pan, and steamed them. Just then, noticing that Shūichi’s glass was almost empty, Haruto took a new can of beer from the fridge. “Here you go, Shūichi-san.” “Thank you, thank you! Sorry about this!” Shūichi cheerfully offered his glass and beamed as the beer was poured. Shūichi drank the beer deliciously again and reached for the snacks with his chopsticks. Checking how much of the snacks were left, Haruto took out an eggplant and cut it into half-moons. Then, he placed another frying pan next to the
one steaming the gizzards and stir-fried the eggplant in oil. After sprinkling salt and pepper on the eggplant, Haruto finely chopped a white leek, removed the lid from the pan with the gizzards, and added the leek. Once the white leek had wilted, he mixed the gizzards with a seasoning blend of chicken bouillon granules, sesame oil, lemon juice, and grated garlic, stir-frying them together, and finally adjusted the taste with salt and pepper. “This is gizzards with green onion, salt, and lemon.” Haruto presented the plated gizzards in front of Shūichi. “Ohoho! I’ve been waiting for this!” The aroma of fragrant garlic and sesame oil wafted from the dish placed on the counter, greatly stimulating Shūichi’s appetite. “Let’s dig in!” With sparkling eyes, Shūichi picked up a piece of gizzard coated in the green onion sauce with his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. “Haf… hot… mm, mm! Delicious! This is the best, Haruto-kun!” Shūichi gave Haruto a thumbs-up and hurriedly drank some beer. “The appetizing scent of sesame oil and garlic, the salty seasoning that goes with beer, but the acidity of the lemon cuts the richness so I feel like I could eat this forever… Haruto-kun! Thank you!” Shūichi cheerfully extended his hand and shook Haruto’s. “I’m glad you like it.” Haruto responded to the handshake, then took bacon from the fridge and cut it into about one-centimeter strips. He added it to the frying pan with the wilted eggplant and stir-fried them further. Once the eggplant had absorbed the bacon fat and started to smell good, Haruto transferred it to a heat-resistant dish and sprinkled plenty of cheese on top. Then, as he picked up a kitchen torch, Shūichi, who had been watching Haruto cook, spoke with a beaming smile. “Ah, Haruto-kun. What masterpiece are you about to create…” At those words, Haruto smiled and ignited the torch, searing the cheese. The cheese melted while browning. Shūichi also let out a melted “Ahh…” “This is grilled eggplant and bacon with seared cheese. Please try it.” Shūichi slowly shook his head at the attractive dish placed next to the gizzards.
“Haruto-kun. No… this is no good. If you do this, I’ll become a captive of Izakaya Haruto.” “Hehehe, we await your visit anytime.” “I’ll become a regular.” Saying such things, Shūichi ate the eggplant and bacon, stretching strings of cheese. “The beer won’t stop!” Captivated by the charm of Izakaya Haruto, Shūichi smacked his lips over Haruto’s snacks, his face slightly flushed with alcohol. Happily watching this, Haruto sliced an onion and soaked it in a bowl of water. “By the way, Haruto-kun. Was today’s date fun?” “Yes. It had been a while since I went to an aquarium, but it was even more fun than I imagined.” “Is that so. Did Ayaka enjoy herself too? That girl has loved aquariums for a long time.” Shūichi slowly tilted his glass and took a sip of beer, his eyes looking a little distant as if recalling the past. “I used to take her there often when she was little. I think Ayaka especially liked dolphins. I still clearly remember her pointing at the dolphins swimming in the tank and shouting excitedly, ‘I want to swim with the dolphins!’” “That’s very cute.” Haruto listened to Shūichi’s story while taking eggs out of the refrigerator. “No, really, both Ayaka and Ryōta are angels and treasures to me,” Shūichi murmured deeply as he slowly brought a gizzard to his mouth. “It’s just that I’ve been so busy with work lately. Ayaka is grown up now, so I often have to ask her to be patient, but Ryōta is still young. I want to keep him from feeling lonely as much as possible.” Both Shūichi and Ikue were company presidents. Due to their positions, they had more freedom in their work style than ordinary employees. However, on the flip side, they also bore great responsibility, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to be away from home for long periods or come home late like today. Shūichi gulped down some beer and turned his gaze to Haruto. “I’m grateful to you. Thank you so much for always playing with Ryōta.” “Not at all. Ryōta-kun is a very good and cute boy, so I get healed and energized by him too,” replied Haruto to Shūichi while cracking eggs into a bowl.
Hearing that, Shūichi’s expression brightened. “No, really! When Ryōta sees me off saying ‘Good luck with work, Daddy,’ just that gives me the vitality for the whole day.” He gulped down another mouthful of beer and smiled a melty smile. “And you know. When I come home after work and Ayaka says ‘Good work, Dad,’ my fatigue blows away in an instant.” Eating the cheese-covered eggplant, Shūichi murmured, “Family truly is great.” Seeing Shūichi so devoted to his family, Haruto smiled and nodded, “That’s true,” as he cooked a rolled omelet. “By the way, Haruto-kun. Can I ask you one thing?” “Yes, what is it?” At the sudden question, Haruto looked up from the omelet he was cooking and faced him. “It might be uncouth to ask this, but…” After muttering a disclaimer, Shūichi asked with a red face flushed with alcohol. “What part of Ayaka did you fall for?” At Shūichi’s question, Haruto froze for a moment. “…Let’s see.” Feeling a slight nervousness at being asked by his girlfriend’s father what he liked about her, Haruto answered. “To me, everything about Ayaka-san is truly charming, so if you ask me where I fell for her, the answer would be that I fell for everything, but…” Haruto transferred the fluffy rolled omelet to a dish, then looked straight at Shūichi and continued. “I like everything, but what I find especially charming is Ayaka-san’s smile.” Ayaka’s smile, laughing happily like the sun. That smile warmly filled Haruto’s heart and made him feel happy. It was a magical smile. “Ayaka-san’s smile is very precious to me, and it makes me want to keep watching it forever.” Ayaka had very beautiful features. Enough to be called the most beautiful girl in school. However, Haruto felt that the charm of her smile wasn’t created by her excellent appearance. It was the humanity Ayaka possessed.
A kind, beautiful, and caring heart. A pure and innocent, yet slightly airheaded nature. Such inner charms made her smile shine even brighter. When he explained it like that, Shūichi nodded vigorously. “Man! I’m really glad my daughter’s boyfriend is you!” Saying that, Shūichi downed the remaining beer in his glass in one go. “Would you like another glass?” “I think I will.” Red-faced and in high spirits, Shūichi held out his glass. Thinking, Maybe I should make some clam miso soup for tomorrow? Haruto poured beer into his glass. Just then, the living room door opened, and Ikue appeared in her nightwear. “Oh? Welcome home, dear. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you were back.” Saying that, Ikue approached them, tilting her head slightly. Shūichi lightly raised the glass in his hand to her and replied “I’m home,” then explained the situation. “Don’t worry about it at all. Right now, Haruto-kun is treating me to his cooking.” Shūichi raised the glass in his hand toward Ikue, his face a picture of pure joy. “How about it? Will you join me at Izakaya Haruto, Ikue?” “My, my. You’re certainly in a good mood, dear. Did your work go well today?” “It did. Looks like we’ll secure that project without any issues.” “Oh my! That calls for a celebration.” Ikue clapped her hands together with a smile, then turned her eyes to Haruto. “Haruto-kun. I’m sorry for intruding so late at night, but may I join you?” “Of course. Would you like a drink too, Ikue-san?” When Haruto asked, Ikue, who had sat down on the counter seat next to Shūichi, nodded. “I think I will. Do you mind, dear?” “Of course! Let’s raise a toast together!” Shūichi, who was completely tipsy, raised his glass high. “Fufu, then I’ll have a drink too,” said Ikue in a slightly bouncy voice. “Beer for you too, Ikue-san?”
“Yes, if I may?” “Of course. Please stay seated, Ikue-san.” Haruto stopped Ikue as she tried to go get the beer herself. He handed her a glass, took a can of beer from the refrigerator, and poured it into her glass. “Thank you, Haruto-kun. Alright, dear. Cheers.” “Cheers!” Ikue held the glass with both hands as if wrapping them around it, raised it slightly to clink with Shūichi, and sipped her beer. “Ufufu. The beer you poured is very delicious, Haruto-kun.” Ikue smiled happily. Haruto returned a small bow, then transferred the dashi stock stocked in the fridge to a pot, adding soy sauce and mirin while warming it up. “The snacks Haruto-kun made are exquisite, so you must try them. They go dangerously well with beer.” Shūichi offered the dishes placed in front of him to Ikue. “Oh, they all look delicious.” Ikue placed her glass on the counter for a moment, switched to chopsticks, and took a bite of the gizzards with green onion, salt, and lemon. “Mmm~, as expected of Haruto-kun.” “Thank you very much.” Pleased with Ikue’s praise, Haruto poured the seasoned dashi over the rolled omelet he had made earlier. Finally, he sprinkled green onions on top and served it to Shūichi and Ikue. “This is dashi-soaked rolled omelet.” “Oh? You’re going with something gentle this time.” Shūichi, reaching for the rolled omelet with a delighted face, took a bite and his expression crumbled into a grin. “Hoho.” “Coming with this gentleness after attacking with richness, well played, Haruto-kun!” Seeing Shūichi speaking in a completely drunken tone, Ikue smiled and said “Oh, you,” as she also brought a piece of the omelet to her mouth. “The flavor of the dashi is lovely.” Satisfied with Haruto’s cooking, the Tōjō couple drank their beer. Feeling the couple’s cheerful mood, Haruto took the onions he had been soaking in water, mixed them with canned tuna that had been drained of oil
and flaked. He seasoned it with mayonnaise, garlic, salt, and pepper, plated it, and placed it next to the dashi-soaked rolled omelet. Shūichi immediately reached for the onion salad. “Simple things like this are appreciated too.” Nodding as he said this, Shūichi downed the remaining beer in his glass in one go. “By the way, dear. Did you hear about Ayaka’s test results this time?” As Ikue picked at the cabbage tossed with Korean seaweed and spoke to Shūichi, he tilted his head while having his beer refilled by Haruto. “No, I don’t think I have. Did something happen?” “Ayaka got the best test results she’s ever had this time. She must have been really happy, because she showed me her answer sheets and bragged about it.” Perhaps recalling Ayaka’s demeanor at the time, Ikue let out a small “fufu” and chuckled. “That’s amazing! Studying hard is a good thing!” Shūichi thanked Haruto for pouring the beer, then downed it happily upon learning of his daughter’s hard work. Matching him, Ikue took a sip of her beer and then turned her gaze to Haruto. “It’s thanks to you that she was able to get such good results on her tests, Haruto-kun.” “No, that was the result of Ayaka-san’s own hard work. I just helped her study a little.” When Haruto humbly demurred, Shūichi placed his glass on the counter and looked at Haruto with a serious gaze. “Haruto-kun. Thank you, for my daughter.” Seeing Shūichi bow deeply, Haruto waved his hands in a slight panic. “Y-You’re exaggerating, Shūichi-san! Please raise your head!” “No, no, I’m not exaggerating.” Shūichi shook his head, picked up his glass again, took a sip of beer, and began to speak. “Haruto-kun. Studying at school means almost nothing once you’re out in the real world. Whether you get a hundred or a failing grade on a high school test, once you’re a working adult, it’s nothing more than a topic for drinking parties.” Shūichi took another sip of beer, then continued, “However.”
“Setting a goal to get good results on a test, and working hard toward that goal. And then, brilliantly achieving that goal. This process, this experience of success, is something very valuable. Being a working adult is freer than you kids imagine, but it’s also more unreasonable. The walls of life are scattered all over the place.” Staring at the bubbles popping in his glass, Shūichi spoke with deep feeling. “In such a harsh society, the experience of working hard and having it properly rewarded becomes a solid confidence. That is a very important thing. Thanks to you, Haruto-kun, my daughter was able to have that precious experience. Thank you, truly.” Shūichi bowed to Haruto again, then looked startled as he raised his head. “This won’t do. I accidentally started preaching! Sorry about that, Haruto-kun.” “Not at all. It was very insightful.” “Now, now, Haruto-kun. If you spoil a drunkard, he’ll get carried away, you know?” At Haruto’s words, Shūichi drained his beer in high spirits. Just then, Ikue tilted her head and asked Haruto. “By the way, how were your test results, Haruto-kun?” “Ah, um, I was top of the grade for this test too,” Haruto answered a little shyly. Ikue applauded softly at his test results. “That’s amazing!” “Thank you very much.” Haruto bowed his head slightly to hide his embarrassment. Shūichi smiled and said. “We have to celebrate this! Beer… well, you can’t drink that yet.” Shūichi put a hand to his chin, pondering how to celebrate Haruto. “Um, I’m happy enough with just your feelings, so I’d feel bad if you did anything special.” “My, my. You mustn’t hold back, Haruto-kun. Being top of the grade is a very amazing thing, you know? After all, only one person in the whole grade can be top of the grade!” “Eh? Ah, well… I suppose so?” Haruto looked slightly confused as Ikue stated the completely obvious as if it were a profound saying.
Unless there was a perfect tie, being top of the grade was basically limited to one person. Is Ikue-san getting drunk too? As Haruto thought this, Ikue clapped her hands together as if she had a good idea and smiled brightly. “Haruto-kun, could you come here for a moment?” Ikue beckoned Haruto closer. “Yes, understood.” Called over, Haruto tilted his head slightly but did as she said, going around the kitchen to the counter side. With a beaming smile, Ikue spoke to Haruto as he approached. “Okay, stand right here.” “?” Ikue guided Haruto to stand right between her and Shūichi. “Um… what exactly are you—?” Just as Haruto was about to ask, Ikue started gently stroking his head. “?! I-Ikue-san?!” “There, there, Haruto-kun worked very hard. Good boy, good boy.” Ikue stroked Haruto’s head and praised him profusely, just as if she were praising her own child. Haruto’s face turned red at her actions. “U-Um… I’m a high school student now, so this is a little childish and embarrassing…” Unable to bring himself to brush Ikue’s hand away, Haruto spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper. However, Ikue smiled and brushed aside his words. “High schoolers are still very much children, you know? And a child’s prerogative is to be spoiled by their parents,” Ikue said, meeting Haruto’s eyes. “You’re a little too grown-up, Haruto-kun. Childhood is short, so you have to let your parents spoil you as much as possible while you can.” “B-But… Ikue-san is…” “My, Haruto-kun. Were you about to say something lonely just now?” As she said this, Ikue looked at Haruto with a smiling face that brooked no argument. Overwhelmed by her pressure, Haruto instinctively looked away. His averted gaze landed on Ikue’s empty glass.
As Haruto was being pushed around by the strongest force in the Tōjō household, Shūichi, who had downed his umpteenth beer, patted him on the shoulder. “Haruto-kun! No need to be so distant, you can call me ‘Father-in-law’ from now on if you like!” “Oh my. Then please call me ‘Mother-in-law’ too.” “U-Um…” Faced with the Tōjō couple, powered up by alcohol and more formidable than usual, Haruto was completely overwhelmed. “Haruto-kun!” “Haruto-kun?” With the Tōjō couple closing in on him, Haruto lost all avenues of escape and muttered in a small voice. “Dad… Mom…2” The moment they heard Haruto’s words, the Tōjō couple began to praise him extravagantly. “Yes, Haruto-kun! You worked hard on your tests! I’m so proud of you!” “You’re amazing, Haruto-kun. And thank you so much for making such delicious food. Really, thank you.” Bathed in Shūichi and Ikue’s praise, Haruto felt his body heat up in a way he had never experienced before. Shūichi announced with the biggest smile he had shown since meeting Haruto. “Allriiight! Let’s drink to our hearts’ content tonight!” “That’s right, dear. I believe we have a very good wine somewhere?” “Ooh! Then let’s go with that!” As the Tōjō couple got excited, Haruto, his face still red, retreated to the kitchen for the time being. “Um, I’ll make something that goes with wine.” “Thank you, Haruto-kun!” “Thank you, Haruto-kun.” After that, Izakaya Haruto continued to bustle even as the date changed. Completely drunk and in high spirits, the Tōjō couple made short work of a bottle of wine after the beer, with Haruto’s cooking as accompaniment. Still not stopping, Shūichi and Ikue moved on to sake, and finally even started drinking whiskey. By the time the banquet ended and Haruto crawled into his futon, it was only a few hours until dawn. Naturally, Haruto was starting to feel very sleepy.
Feeling a warmth within that drowsiness, he gently closed his eyes. If… if Mom and Dad were still alive, I wonder if they would have praised me like this… He had lost his parents in a traffic accident when he was very young. However, he hadn’t grown up without knowing love. His grandparents, who raised him in place of his deceased parents, had poured their love into him. Haruto felt that strongly and was deeply grateful. But the hole left in his heart by the loss of his parents had never completely healed. It was covered over, but the hole remained. However, interacting with the Tōjō couple today, Haruto felt something warm flowing into that hole. It felt as if affection was gently filling the void left by his parents, packing it with warmth. Shūichi-san, Ikue-san, Ryōta-kun, Ayaka… everyone is so warm… Feeling a warmth in his heart unlike anything before, Haruto drifted off to sleep. ※ ※ ※ I woke up feeling the morning sun streaming in through the window. “Mmm…” After stretching, I got out of bed and opened the curtains. “Nice weather.” The pleasant morning scenery outside the window refreshed my mind. Maybe it was because of my date with Haruto-kun yesterday, but I felt like I had slept very comfortably and soundly. Ah, right. I’m supposed to call him Haruto now, not Haruto-kun… Remembering that made me grin. Calling my boyfriend by his first name, something I’d longed for… ever since I started dating Haruto, my dreams have been coming true one after another. Savoring the happiness overflowing in my chest, I headed to the living room. “Good morning, Haruto. Good morning, Kiyoko-san.” I greeted Haruto-kun and Kiyoko-san, who were in the kitchen. “Good morning, Ayaka.”
Haruto looked up from the pot and returned my greeting. Kiyoko-san also smiled brightly and said, “Good morning.” “Huh? Dad and Mom aren’t up yet?” “Ah… Shūichi-san and Ikue-san will probably wake up late today.” “Really?” “They were drinking pretty late last night.” Haruto said, then told me about how he had made snacks for Dad and Mom last night. Dad and Mom, that’s not fair! I wanted to eat Haruto’s cooking too! Maybe my dissatisfaction showed on my face, because Haruto smiled and said, “I’ll make some for you next time too, Ayaka.” Haruto really is a kind and wonderful boyfriend… Falling for his charm all over again, I also stood in the kitchen and helped Kiyoko-san with the cooking. “Ah, Shūichi-san and Ikue-san probably won’t be up for breakfast, so could you heat this up for them later?” When I finished making the rolled omelet under Kiyoko-san’s instruction, Haruto pointed to a pot. “What’s that?” “Clam miso soup. When they wake up, could you reheat it and dissolve a tablespoon of sake and some miso in it?” “Yeah, got it.” After finishing making our breakfast, Haruto and Kiyoko-san returned to the Ōtsuki house. Honestly, I want Haruto and Kiyoko-san to stay at our house all week. But I guess that’s impossible. They have to clean Haruto’s house, and most importantly, his precious parents and grandfather rest there. The family altar has to be kept clean. …Maybe I’ll go help clean Haruto’s house next time. While thinking about that and relaxing alone in the living room, Ryōta woke up, rubbing his eyes. “Onee-chan. Daddy and Mommy won’t wake up at all.” Ryōta usually sleeps with Dad and Mom. “Even if you call them or shake them?” “Yeah. Even when I said ‘wake up,’ they just went ‘ugh’ or ‘ah’ and didn’t wake up at all.” “Geez, just how much did they drink?”
Dad gets hangovers occasionally, but I’ve never seen Mom out of commission with him before. Were the snacks Haruto made that irresistible? “Ryōta. Kiyoko-san and Haruto made breakfast, so let’s just eat first, the two of us.” “Yeah! I wanna eat Onii-chan and Grandma’s food!” Leaving our parents, who showed no signs of waking up, alone, Ryōta and I ate breakfast together. After finishing breakfast, Ryōta spread out his toys in the living room to play, and I started washing the dishes. Around that time, I finally heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Hearing those footsteps, which were far from light and could only be described as sluggish, I immediately started heating up the clam miso soup Haruto had prepared. Then, after washing their faces at the washbasin, Dad and Mom slowly entered the living room. “Good morning, Dad, Mom.” “Ugh… mornin’…” “Mmm… morning.” Moving sluggishly like the living dead, Dad and Mom replied in small voices. “I heard from Haruto. You guys were drinking pretty late last night, huh?” “Ah… yeah, a bit. Yeah.” “We drank a little too much…” Dad put a hand to his forehead as if enduring a headache. Mom’s complexion was also slightly worse than usual. Their hangovers looked pretty rough, but that’s their punishment for hogging Haruto’s cooking. “It’s unfair that only Dad and Mom got to eat Haruto’s cooking,” I said, pouting. Ryōta, who had been playing with his Sentai toys, reacted sharply. “Really?! Daddy and Mommy are unfair!! I wanted to eat Onii-chan’s food too!!” “Ugh… I-I’m sorry. Let’s ask Haruto-kun next time, okay?” Ryōta’s loud voice seemed to resonate in her hungover head, as Mom held the side of her head with one hand while trying to soothe the fuming Ryōta. Dad sat down slowly in a dining chair and looked at me standing in the kitchen.
“Where are Haruto-kun and Kiyoko-san?” “It’s Sunday, so they already went home.” “I see.” Kiyoko-san, who works as our housekeeper, has Sundays and Mondays off. “Do you want to eat? Breakfast?” “No… sorry, but right now…” “Mom too?” “Yeah, I don’t think so…” Seeing them both smile wryly, I put on an exasperated expression. “Geez, you two drank too much.” As Haruto instructed, I added a tablespoon of sake to the clam miso soup, brought it to a boil, then dissolved the miso. Then I ladled it into bowls and placed them in front of Dad and Mom. Peering into the bowl, Dad muttered. “This is…?” “Clam miso soup. Haruto said to serve this to you two when you woke up.” “My, Haruto-kun really is thoughtful,” Mom said admiringly, taking a sip of the miso soup. “Haaah~ delicious…” The gentle taste of the clam miso soup seemed to soak into her hungover nausea. Mom’s expression relaxed with relief. Then, after taking another sip, she stared at me intently. “Hm? What is it, Mom?” “Ayaka, you make sure to treasure Haruto-kun, okay?” Jumping on the bandwagon, Dad nodded vigorously too. “Absolutely, Ayaka.” “Eh? Y-Yeah.” I felt more pressure from them than usual. “Hey, Dad? You didn’t say anything weird to Haruto in a drunken stupor, did you?” “…I didn’t say anything weird. Definitely nothing weird.” “Really?” I stared at Dad. “O-Of course.” Suspicious… super suspicious.
Having hangovers this bad means they must have been incredibly drunk. “What about you, Mom? Did you say anything to Haruto?” “Let’s see… I think I thanked him for helping you study, Ayaka.” “Hmm? That’s all?” “Also… well, I said something like, ‘please take care of Ayaka from now on.’ But that’s all. I didn’t say anything weird.” Saying that, Mom sipped her clam miso soup and started talking to Dad, saying things like, “It’s delicious, isn’t it?” Her behavior seemed somewhat feigned, so I continued to direct a suspicious gaze at my parents. Tomorrow, I have to ask Haruto what Dad and Mom said!