The day after signing the regular housekeeping service contract with the Tōjō family. An early midsummer morning, when the sky had just begun to lighten. Haruto, feeling the soft breeze blowing in through the window, spread a reference book on his desk and ran his pen across a notebook. Even during the midsummer days when the sun beat down mercilessly, this early morning time was still somewhat cool, and Haruto, whose room air conditioner was malfunctioning, often studied at this time. He was diligently studying under the dawning sky enveloped in silence, with a serious gaze, but the sudden chirping of a single bird made him turn his gaze outside the window. “I ended up signing a regular contract, huh…” What suddenly crossed his mind were the events at the Tōjō house yesterday. Ikue, delighted to see the house clean after the tidying. Shūichi and Ryōta, eating the food with enjoyment. And Ayaka, saying, “Nice to work with you, Ōtsuki-kun,” shyly, yet with a slightly happy look, her expression softening. Remembering the Tōjō family members looking satisfied with his housework, Haruto’s expression naturally softened into a smile. “Housekeeping service… it’s quite rewarding.” Looking up from the window at the sky where the curtain of night was being pushed up by the light of the horizon, Haruto murmured to himself. After that, Haruto, who had been diligently studying for a while, sensed movement from downstairs, stopped his pen, and closed his reference book. “I wonder if Grandma’s awake too? Guess I’ll start preparing breakfast.” Putting down the pen he was holding, he stretched greatly with a “Uuugh~,” then Haruto left his room and headed to the kitchen on the first floor. “Good morning, Haruto.” “Good morning, Grandma.”

In the kitchen, his grandmother was already making tamagoyaki. Haruto stood next to her and heated the dashi stock he had prepared yesterday. “Were you studying again this morning?” his grandmother said, while transferring the finished tamagoyaki to a plate. “Yeah, a student’s main duty is to study, after all.” “Don’t push yourself too hard.” “I’m alright,” replied Haruto as he added chopped green onions to the dashi. After that, he opened the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. “Grandma, can I use this spinach?” “Go ahead.” Having received his grandmother’s permission, Haruto took out two bunches of spinach from the vegetable compartment and also took out some tofu. While boiling water in the electric kettle, Haruto cut the tofu, added it to the dashi, and once it came to a light boil, he turned off the heat and dissolved miso into it. “By the way, Haruto, how’s your part-time job going? Are you doing well?” “It’s going perfectly. Thanks to all your teachings, Grandma.” “Oh, is that so? That’s wonderful.” His grandmother, smiling brightly, transferred the boiled water from the kettle to a pot, placed it on the stove, and lightly blanched the spinach. “On my first day at the part-time job, I made Grandma’s secret recipe hamburg steak, and they raved about it, saying it was like something from a high-class restaurant.” Haruto said, a little proudly, while serving freshly cooked rice from the rice cooker into bowls. “Oh my, that’s wonderful.” “It’s all thanks to you, Grandma. Oh, I’ll cool the spinach.” Haruto transferred the nicely colored spinach from the pot to a colander and cooled it with cold water. Meanwhile, his grandmother poured the finished miso soup into bowls and carried the rice and side dishes on a tray to the living room table. Haruto also squeezed the water out of the spinach well, cut it with a knife, quickly poured white dashi over it, and topped it with bonito flakes and ground sesame seeds. “Alright, breakfast is ready.” Haruto transferred the ohitashi to a small plate, carried it to the living room table, and sat down.

“Well then, shall we eat?” “Yes, itadakimasu.” The two of them put their hands together and began to eat breakfast. Haruto first reached for the tamagoyaki his grandmother had made. “Grandma’s tamagoyaki is so delicious. Why is it this good? What’s different from mine?” “Yours is plenty delicious too, Haruto.” “No, my tamagoyaki is still far from reaching Grandma’s level…” Haruto pondered, staring intently at the tamagoyaki after taking a bite. Seeing her grandson like this, his grandmother’s eyes softened, and a gentle expression appeared on her face. “Speaking of which, Haruto, you still don’t have a girlfriend?” “Wh-!? Ah, um… that’s right.” At his grandmother’s sudden question, Haruto momentarily almost dropped the tamagoyaki he was holding with his chopsticks. “Is that so… Haruto, you’re already a second-year in high school, aren’t you? Isn’t it normal to have a girlfriend or something by now?” “No, no, no! That’s not normal, okay? At my school, there are much more guys without girlfriends than with them, you know?” “Is that how it is?” At Haruto’s words, his grandmother showed a slightly worried expression. Seeing that expression, Haruto felt a sadness that seemed to press on his chest. Lately, his grandmother’s back has been getting worse. And that grandmother is concerned about whether Haruto has a girlfriend. Haruto, guessing the reason why, suppressed the feeling of being at a loss and forced a smile. “That’s how it is! Grandma’s time and now are completely different, you know.” Consciously trying to maintain a cheerful tone, Haruto continued speaking. “Besides, even if I got a girlfriend now, it’s not like I’d definitely marry her. I’m still only seventeen, you know?” “Well, that’s true…” “That’s right! …So, don’t worry, Grandma. I’ll definitely introduce you to an incredibly cute girlfriend someday!” Haruto declared to his grandmother, his only family member, with an air of complete confidence.

“Oh, is that so? Then, I’ll be looking forward to it.” At her grandson’s declaration, his grandmother smiled gently. ※※※ The sun had begun to rise a little, and while it hinted at another scorching day, it was a summer morning with still comfortable temperatures. While watching people dedicated to maintaining their health go out for morning runs, Haruto walked with slow steps through a quiet residential area. “A girlfriend, huh…” Haruto recalled the conversation he had with his grandmother at breakfast. Considering his grandmother’s age and the length of her life ahead, it was natural for her to worry about various things concerning the grandchild she would leave behind. Understanding this, Haruto let out a short sigh, “Fuu.” If he could introduce a girlfriend to her, his grandmother would surely be very happy. Haruto himself wanted to see his grandmother’s happy face and give her peace of mind. “But still…” Right now, Haruto couldn’t quite imagine a daily life with a girlfriend. Besides, his current situation involved studying, his housekeeping part-time job, and attending the karate dojo, leading to a fairly busy and fulfilling life. “I don’t have time to get a girlfriend, do I…” As Haruto muttered such things, the smile of a certain girl suddenly came to mind. The smile of the girl reputed to be the cutest at the school Haruto attended. “No, no, impossible, impossible. I don’t want to join the ranks of the guys who went down in flames like Kaitō-senpai.” Haruto shook his head, erasing the girl smiling at him in his mind. While doing so, Haruto arrived at his destination. On the gate in front of him, a glossy, thick wooden sign read, “Dōjima Dōjō – Kyokushin Karate.” Haruto passed through the Japanese-style gate where the sign was displayed and entered the dojo. The floor was wooden, and on the walls hung scrolls inscribed with principles like ‘Shin-Gi-Tai’ (Mind-Technique-Body) and ‘Rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru’ (Begin with respect, end with respect). Taking a deep breath, the scent of wood faintly mixed with the smell of sweat made Haruto’s expression soften. For Haruto, who had been attending this dojo since

childhood due to his grandfather’s educational policy, this place was like a second home. “Good morning!” Haruto stepped into the dojo and bowed. A tall, large man then called out to him. “Hey Haruto, good morning! So you showed your face today. It’s boring when you’re not around, there’s no one to spar with!” “Good morning, Kazu-senpai.” The man Haruto greeted was large, nearly two meters tall, with closely cropped hair and three shaved lines on the side. His gaze was sharp, and his thin eyebrows further accentuated the sharpness of his eyes. And the finishing touch was a cut running from around his temple to his mouth. If someone who didn’t know him saw this man, ten out of ten would think he was part of the underworld. Moreover, seeing the scar running across his face, they would shudder, thinking he was a formidable warrior who had survived numerous desperate situations, and would unconsciously check if his pinky finger was still attached. However, Haruto knew. He knew that his hobby was baking sweets, and the vicious-looking scar on his face was actually from playing with a stray cat. And that his recent worry was that even though he loved children, they would burst into tears just by making eye contact with him. Haruto had once spent about an hour comforting and encouraging him when he was thoroughly depressed by that worry. “When it comes to Kumite, everyone avoids me.” TL/N: “Kumite” refers to the sparring or fighting component in karate training. It can range from predetermined exercises to free sparring matches. “Well, Ishigura Kazuaki’s notoriety is renowned throughout this town, after all.” “You bastard, hey! Don’t go around turning people’s names into notorious ones!” Haruto, caught in a headlock by Ishigura, repeated apologies like “I’m sorry, my apologies,” but a smile played on his lips. Ishigura, applying the headlock, also looked like he was having fun, grinding his fist into Haruto’s head. Ishigura, who was one year older and had attended the same dojo with him since childhood, was a reliable big-brother figure to Haruto, and Haruto was a dear younger-brother figure to Ishigura. The two of them served as assistant instructors at this dojo and were also rivals who pushed each other to improve, their skills being evenly matched.

As Ishigura and Haruto were playfully roughhousing at the dojo entrance, a monotone voice called out from behind them. “Kazu-senpai, Haru-senpai. Please don’t flirt at the entrance. You’re in the way.” When the two turned their faces towards the voice, a girl with a blank expression was standing at the dojo entrance. “Hey, hey, what’s up, Shizuku? Are you jealous that your beloved Harusenpai is being taken away?” Ishigura said to the girl in a teasing, provocative manner. “That’s right, it’s jealousy. So, please separate quickly.” The girl, still expressionless, stated this in a flat tone while glaring at Ishigura. Glared at, Ishigura moved away from Haruto, raised both hands, and deliberately shivered. “Ooh, scary. As expected of the Dōjima Dōjō’s only daughter. You have quite the presence.” “Saying I have presence sounds old-fashioned, so I don’t like it. I’m a vibrant and bubbly female high school student, you know.”

Haruto spoke to the girl, who was saying such playful things with a expressionless face, sounding exasperated. “What’s with saying you’re ‘fresh and bubbly’ yourself?” Haruto couldn’t help but retort. The girl turned her gaze towards him. “Well then, Haru-senpai, how would you describe this flawless beauty of mine?” “No, I think saying ‘flawless beauty’ yourself is also a bit much… Well, let’s see. Shizuku’s cuteness is, if anything, more Japanese-style, so if I had to put it into words, maybe ‘Yamato Nadeshiko’?” TL/N: “Yamato Nadeshiko” refers to the idealized image of a traditional Japanese woman— graceful, modest, and strong-willed beneath a gentle exterior. The term embodies both elegance and quiet resilience. Haruto said, after quickly looking over the girl’s appearance. The name of the girl who had been saying playful things with a scarce expression until a moment ago was Dōjima Shizuku. She was the only daughter of this dojo’s master. Ishigura, Haruto, and Shizuku had been dojo companions since childhood, and Shizuku is also Haruto’s junior, attending the same high school. At the high school Haruto attended, the one who boasted overwhelming and absolute popularity among the boys was Haruto’s classmate, Tōjō Ayaka, with whom he had recently become involved through his part-time job. However, this girl before him, Dōjima Shizuku, also boasted high popularity among boys, especially among her peers in the first year. Shizuku, a beautiful girl with short black hair, twitched an eyebrow at Haruto’s words, “Yamato Nadeshiko.” “By saying something like that, Haru-senpai, are you trying to hit on me? Haa… I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll reluctantly let you hit on me. You should be grateful.” “No, I wasn’t hitting on you even one millimeter, you know? And hey, when you tell jokes like that, at least stop being expressionless.” Haruto said with a sigh to his junior, who continued to say playful things with an unchanging expressionless face. Then, Shizuku, still expressionless, pouted her lips. “Haru-senpai, you’re so mean~” “I told you, stop being expressionless.” “Hahahaha! Shizuku, that weird face is the best!” Haruto held his head in his hands at his junior who had always been telling jokes, and Ishigura laughed loudly at their exchange.

Thanks to their unchanging relationship from long ago, the slight sense of tragedy that had surfaced in Haruto’s heart in the morning had completely vanished. After that, Haruto, who had sweated it out at the dojo until nearly noon, changed from his dōgi into his casual clothes to prepare to go home. There, he was stopped by Ishigura, who had also finished changing into his casual clothes, “Haruto, there’s something I want to ask you.” In his hand as he said that, there was a white cardboard box, the kind used for cakes. “Hmm? What is it?” “Well, it’s about this. Ah, Shizuku! You come here too.” Ishigura also stopped Shizuku, who was passing by. “What is it, Kazu-senpai? A love confession? I’m sorry, I’m devoted to Haru-senpai.” Haruto gave a wry smile to his junior, who said this with a nonchalant expression. “If you said it with a bit more bashfulness, I might feel something, but when you say it so plainly with a straight face…” When Haruto said this with a sigh, Shizuku twisted her waist slightly, tilted her head, struck a pose, and looked up at Haruto. “How is it? Does it get to you? Are you captivated?” “…Shizuku, before posing, you should first train your facial muscles.” “Haru-senpai, you just can’t be satisfied unless you mold women to your liking, can you? How troublesome.” “Hey, you two. Stop with the comedy sketch and listen to my request.” Ishigura interjected into Haruto and Shizuku’s conversation with an exasperated look. Haruto turned a serious face towards him. “If it’s a request from Kazu-senpai, I’ll do anything. So, which gang are we crushing this time?” “Please command us as you wish, Boss.” Shizuku enthusiastically joined in on Haruto’s mischievous joke. Usually, she’s often misunderstood because of her expressionless face, but she actually has quite an easy-going personality and often plays along with Haruto’s jokes like this. “You guys… Seriously, knock it off, okay?” Ishigura glared intimidatingly at his two teasing juniors. If someone didn’t know his stern face, it had enough force to make not just children, but even adults burst into tears. However, Haruto and Shizuku, who had

known him for a long time, calmly deflected Ishigura’s glare with unruffled expressions. In fact, Shizuku went even further and said something to tease Ishigura more. “Yo, Kazu-senpai, number one in Japan for scary glares!” “Who are you calling stern-faced! Haa… Oh well. Anyway, I want you two to eat this.” Saying that, Ishigura took out mini-sized fruit tarts from the box he was holding. “Eh? Can we eat this?” “Kazu-senpai, I’m not some cheap woman who can be lured by something like this, you know?” “Yeah, go ahead and try it. Wait, Shizuku, you’re already eating it! You cheap woman!” While glancing at Shizuku next to him, whose eyes were sparkling as she stuffed her cheeks with the fruit tart, Haruto also picked one up and tried it. “Huh?! Isn’t this incredibly delicious! What store did you buy it from?” said Haruto as his eyes widened at the deliciousness. The custard cream, with its solid sweetness, released a rich, fluffy egg flavor that spread through his nose when he put it in his mouth. After that, the moderate acidity of the fruit washed away the sweetness of the cream, leaving a refreshing aftertaste. The crispy texture of the tart crust was also a very good accent, and Haruto finished one in no time. Looking next to him, Shizuku was already about to finish her second one. “Is there a cake shop around here that sells fruit tarts like this?” “Ah, no, actually this… I made it.” “Eh?” “Guh!!” At Ishigura’s shocking statement, Haruto’s mouth fell open, and Shizuku choked on her third fruit tart. “Eh!? Seriously!? This? Kazu-senpai did?” “Kazu-senpai, with his menacing face that looks like it could turn even sugar into salt, made something like this. Like this…” “I don’t have a menacing face, and I don’t have such special powers!!” Ishigura raised his voice at the incredibly rude reactions of his juniors. “But still, Kazu-senpai, this is really delicious. It’s a quality that wouldn’t be out of place in a store.” “Oh, yeah. Is that so?” At Haruto’s words, Ishigura’s anger quickly subsided.

“Indeed, this is at a level where you could open a shop right away. The store name is decided: ‘Gap of Lightning 893’.” “Alright Shizuku, how about a round of kumite with me?” “Ah actually, I have to help out at home.” As if escaping from the approaching Ishigura, Shizuku quickly scurried off and fled into her home, which was adjacent to the dōjō. “Honestly, that girl, she’s cute when she’s quiet, what a waste.” “Well, that’s just Shizuku. Conversely, if she became quiet and stopped telling jokes, that would be a bit scary in its own way.” “That’s true.” Ishigura also agreed with Haruto’s opinion. “Still, Kazu-senpai’s fruit tart was exquisite. When did you get so good at making sweets?” Haruto, who knew that Ishigura’s hobby was making sweets, already knew that the sweets he made were originally delicious. However, he felt that what he ate today was several steps up in quality compared to before. “Well, nowadays, if you search online, you can find countless recipes and watch videos, right? So I tried to seriously study sweet-making for a bit.” “Wow, that’s amazing. Please teach me how to make sweets next time. I don’t have much experience making Western-style sweets.” “Yeah, sure. Want to try making a cake together next time?” “That sounds great. Ah, I should be heading home soon too. I have to go to my part-time job.” Haruto said, looking at the clock hanging on the dōjō wall. Starting today, he had to go do the housekeeping service for the Tōjō family, with whom he had signed a regular contract. “Oh right, Haruto, you started a part-time job during summer vacation, didn’t you?” “That’s right. Well then, Kazu-senpai, see you next time.” “Yeah, work hard at your job.” Haruto said goodbye to Ishigura and then left the dōjō. After returning home from the dōjō for a bit, Haruto prepared for his housekeeping job and headed to the Tōjō residence. On the way, Haruto was recalling the fruit tart made by Ishigura that he had eaten earlier. “Ryōta-kun would probably be happy if I made him a tart or something.” Haruto’s lips curved upwards as he imagined Ryōta’s innocent smiling face.

“I’m confident I can make delicious chawanmushi or ohagi, but Western sweets are still a bit…” He knew the basic methods for making things like cakes, but Haruto knew that ‘Sweet Making’ wasn’t so ‘sweet’ that you could make them deliciously with just that. “Even though they’re so sweet when you eat them.” Haruto muttered such a trivial thing as he headed towards the Tōjō residence. ※※※ When Haruto arrived in front of the Tōjō house, he took a light, deep breath before pressing the intercom. This would be his third visit as a housekeeper, but he still felt a little nervous at the beginning. A cheerful voice, powerful enough to blow away Haruto’s nervousness to the far corners of the earth, echoed from the intercom. “Onii-chan!?” After Ryōta’s bouncy voice was heard, his older sister Ayaka’s cautionary words followed. “Hey, Ryōta! What if it’s someone else? First, you ask ‘Who is it?’ and then, ‘What can I do for you?’ Ask properly.” “But I can tell it’s Onii-chan on the screen, you know?” “Even if you know, you do it that way.” “Okay~” Haruto, standing in front of the entrance, couldn’t help but let out a “hehe” smile at the Tōjō siblings’ conversation coming from the intercom. Then, Ryōta’s voice, who had obediently accepted his sister’s warning, reached his ears. “Onii-chan, who might you be?” “Hehe… Ahem… It’s Ōtsuki.” Ryōta’s way of asking tickled Haruto’s funny bone in just the right way, and he disguised his laughter with a cough. “Onii-chan’s housekeeping, is that your business?” “Phew… Yes, I’ve come for housekeeping again today.” Ryōta tried to accept Ayaka’s instruction, but his Japanese ended up sounding strange, causing Haruto to once again suppress his laughter with a soft exhale. “Sorry, Ōtsuki-kun, I’ll have Ryōta open the door now.”

Ayaka was probably also trying to hold back laughter; her slightly trembling voice came through the intercom. Immediately after that, a thud-thud-thud sound came from behind the front door, and the door was thrown open with force. “Onii-chan!!” “Hey, Ryōta-kun. Hello.” Haruto returned a gentle smile to Ryōta, who greeted him with a beaming smile. Ryōta seemed to have been eagerly waiting for Haruto to arrive; he grabbed Haruto’s arm and pulled him insistently into the house. “Onii-chan, you have a regular contract, right? You’re going to come to our house all the time from now on, right?” “Um, not all the time, but I’ll be able to see Ryōta-kun during summer vacation.” “Is the regular contract for the whole summer vacation?” “Ahaha, that’s right.” Ryōta also seemed to somewhat understand about the regular contract, repeatedly exclaiming “regular contract” excitedly. The regular housekeeping contract Haruto signed with the Tōjō family. The terms of the contract were three days a week, for three hours a day. As Haruto was pulled into the living room by Ryōta’s arm, he saw Ikuesan working remotely on her laptop at the dining table in the back, and Ayaka sitting on the sofa. “Welcome, Ōtsuki-kun. Thanks for your help again today.” Ikue-san greeted him, looking up from her computer. “Yes, please let me assist you.” Haruto bowed deeply once, then straightened his posture and faced Ikuesan. “Thank you for signing the regular contract yesterday. I will continue to do my utmost to provide satisfactory housekeeping services, so I look forward to working with you.” Ikue-san showed a delighted expression, saying “Oh my,” as Haruto bowed deeply again. “You can be more casual, you know? It’s easier for us that way. Right, Ayaka, you think so too?” “Eh? Ah, yeah. If Ōtsuki-kun is that formal, it might be a little unsettling.” “See! Ayaka says so too.”

Ikue-san, having gained her daughter’s agreement, smiled brightly at Haruto. “Um… I will do my best to accommodate.” Haruto gave a wry smile at Ikue-san’s request. He was at the Tōjō house strictly for work. For Haruto, who tried to keep that in mind, the request to act more casually was quite a difficult one. This was because, being at the house of “the school idol,” Tōjō Ayaka, and moreover, being liked by her family, Haruto, an adolescent boy, felt he might misunderstand things. To prevent that, he wanted to clearly define the relationship as that of a housekeeping client and staff. However, the Tōjō family members seemed to want to interact with Haruto in a friendly manner. Ryōta, the foremost proponent of this friendly interaction, pulled Haruto’s arm again. “Hey, hey, Onii-chan. Are you going to clean the windows again?” “We did that last time, so probably not today, okay?” Ryōta looked at him with eyes full of expectation. Haruto, looking slightly troubled, glanced towards Ikue-san. Ikue-san, seeing Ryōta clinging tightly to Haruto, let out an “ufufu” smile and conveyed today’s housekeeping requests. “Today, I want you to organize the storage shed outside. After that, could you look after Ryōta until it’s time to start making dinner?” “Understood.” Haruto bowed to Ikue-san, accepting the request, then crouched down to meet Ryōta’s eyes. “Ryōta-kun, after I finish cleaning, let’s play together, okay?” “Really!?” Ryōta, whose spirits soared at Haruto’s words, jumped up and down with joy. Ayaka gave a wry smile at her brother’s antics. “Come on, Ryōta. While Ōtsuki-kun is cleaning, let’s play together.” “Okay!” Ayaka took Ryōta’s hand and pulled him away from Haruto. “Ikue-san. Where is the storage shed that needs organizing?” When Haruto asked, Ikue-san closed her laptop and stood up. “I’ll show you. Could you come with me?” Ikue-san said that and went out through the front door for a moment. As the Tōjō residence was a mansion, its grounds were also quite spacious. In

one corner of the property, there was a slightly larger storage shed. “I want to organize the inside of this storage shed. I’ve been meaning to ask Shūichi-san for a while, but he’s been quite busy with work.” Saying that, Ikue-san opened the door of the storage shed. “It’s quite packed with things, isn’t it?” Haruto said, peering into the storage shed from behind Ikue-san. “That’s right. I kept putting things I don’t use in here for the time being, and before I knew it, it was completely full.” Ikue-san placed her hand on her chin, looking troubled. Inside the storage shed, there was a stroller that was probably no longer used, and play equipment like an old unicycle that Ayaka might have ridden in the past. And along the wall, clothing storage cases were piled up nearly to the ceiling. “How should I organize the storage shed?” “Let’s see. Could you take everything out for now? Then later, I’ll sort out what we need and what we don’t.” “Understood. In that case, I’ll start by taking everything out and lining it up in front of the shed.” “Okay, please do, Ōtsuki-kun.” Ikue-san smiled cheerfully, entrusted the organization of the storage shed to Haruto, and went back inside the house. After seeing her off, Haruto rolled up his shirt sleeves and psyched himself up. “Alright, let’s do this.” Haruto started taking items out of the storage shed one by one, beginning with those in the front, and arranging them outside. He grouped items by category to some extent as he placed them, to make sorting easier later. Carrying out an old rice cooker, Haruto muttered to himself. “Keeping something like this without throwing it away, I wonder if the Tōjō family is surprisingly frugal?” Both Shūichi-san and Ikue-san were company executives and probably belonged to the wealthy category, but he didn’t sense any arrogant atmosphere from either of them. Of course, their children, Ayaka and Ryōta, also showed no signs of being spoiled brats, such as being selfish or arrogant. In fact, until Haruto started coming to the Tōjō house for this housekeeping part-time job, he had no idea that Ayaka was a rich young lady. “I’d kind of like to see Tōjō-san as a rich young lady character, though.”

Haruto internally imagined Ayaka laughing haughtily, “Ohohoho,” and grinned to himself. From behind him, a voice suddenly called out. “Ōtsuki-kun.” “Huh!? T-Tōjō-san, uh, um, is something wrong?” Haruto, who had been imagining her character just moments before, felt a little guilty at Ayaka’s sudden appearance behind him and replied in a flustered manner. “Ah, sorry. For suddenly speaking to you from behind.” “No, it’s totally fine.” Haruto waved his hand as if it were nothing, to Ayaka who apologized looking sorry. “Um, you know. Mom said if it’s too much to do all at once, just doing half today is fine.” “Ah, but just taking everything out won’t take that long, so I’ll finish it all today.” Ayaka looked at Haruto with an impressed gaze as he said that. “Ōtsuki-kun, you’re strong and have a lot of stamina, huh? Maybe you do strength training regularly or something?” “No, no, any ordinary guy would be like this.” “Is that so?” Ayaka tilted her head slightly and stared at him, making Haruto feel selfconscious. He replied with a small “Yes, it is,” and averted his gaze from her. “Ah! This unicycle, it was stored here.” Ayaka spotted the unicycle in the storage shed, passed by Haruto, and went inside. Then, she placed her hand on the unicycle and smiled, as if reminiscing about the past. “Did you play with that a lot when you were little?” “Yeah, I think Dad bought it for me as a birthday present when I was in first or second grade of elementary school.” Ayaka said this, stroking the unicycle and muttering, “How nostalgic.” “I wonder if I can still ride a unicycle? Hey, Ōtsuki-kun. Can I try riding it for a bit?” Haruto, seeing Ayaka ask with a slightly excited expression, also naturally smiled and nodded. Having obtained his consent, Ayaka immediately took the unicycle out of the storage shed and straddled it. “Wow, is this what a unicycle felt like?”

“Are you okay? You won’t fall over?” “Ah! Ōtsuki-kun, you just made fun of me, didn’t you?” Ayaka puffed out her cheeks at Haruto’s words. Haruto laughed at her adorable reaction and replied, “I’m sorry.” “I was actually pretty good at riding a unicycle. Just watch.” Ayaka said that and quickly started pedaling the unicycle. Spreading her arms out to the sides, she skillfully balanced herself and circled around Haruto. “Wow, you’re really good.” “Hmph, right?” Ayaka continued to circle around Haruto with a proud look on her face. Just then, probably because it had been left unused for many years, the bearings in the unicycle’s wheel must have become stiff. With a creaking sound, the wheel’s movement suddenly became poor. Ayaka, who unintentionally had the brakes applied, completely lost her balance and started to fall. “Kya!?” “Watch out!!” Ayaka let out a short scream. Haruto instantly extended his arm and caught Ayaka from the side, preventing her from hitting the ground. “Are you okay?” Haruto, relieved that he had somehow managed to prevent Ayaka from getting injured, spoke to her while patting his chest in relief. Ayaka, on the other hand, looked up at Haruto who was holding her, with a surprised expression. “Y-yeah. Haa—that scared me. Thank you, Ōtsuki-ku… Huh!?” Ayaka’s words caught in her throat. At the same time, she froze, staring intently at Haruto’s face.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?” “…No. I’m okay…” “Um… Oh! I’m sorry!” Haruto tilted his head at Ayaka’s somewhat absentminded reply, but he quickly realized he was holding her close and hurriedly moved away from her. “I’m sorry. For, um, hugging you without permission.” “Y-You don’t have to apologize, Ōtsuki-kun! If you hadn’t caught me, I might have gotten hurt, and, um… thank you, Ōtsuki-kun.” “No, um… you’re welcome.” “Yeah…” A somewhat awkward atmosphere flowed between the two of them. Amidst that, Ayaka began to speak stiffly. “Um… I-I just came to deliver Mom’s message! So… G-good luck with your work!” Ayaka forced the conversation to an end, then abruptly turned on her heel and somewhat hastily went back into the house. Haruto watched her retreating figure and muttered a single word. “She was soft…” It took him several minutes to resume organizing the storage shed. ※※※ Tōjō Ayaka I press my hand against my chest, trying to calm my loud, racing heartbeat, while leaning my back against the front door. “Wh-why? Why is my heart pounding so hard!?” Ōtsuki-kun caught me and saved me when I almost fell off my unicycle. At that moment, the strength transmitted from his sturdy arms. And, so close, his expression as he looked at me with concern. Just remembering that makes my heart ache as if it’s being churned by something. As I was trying to calm myself down by taking several deep breaths at the entrance, I heard Mom’s voice from the living room. “Ayaka? Did you tell Ōtsuki-kun?” “Ah, yeah.” I took one more deep breath before heading to the living room.

It’s okay, my heartbeat has calmed down a little. It must have just quickened because I was startled when I almost fell, right? Yes, that must be it. It has to be. “What did Ōtsuki-kun say?” When I entered the living room, Mom asked me while working on her laptop. “He said it won’t take that long, so he’ll finish everything today.” “Oh, really? As expected, young boys have a lot of stamina.” Mom praised Ōtsuki-kun admiringly. It seems Mom has completely taken a liking to Ōtsuki-kun. She completely trusts him, who handles both cleaning and cooking perfectly. Mom has only met Ōtsuki-kun twice, yet she likes him this much… She has seen and interacted with many people as a company manager, and is actually quite strict in her judgment of people, but even she acknowledges Ōtsuki-kun. Does that mean Ōtsuki-kun is quite an exceptional person? But right, I think he’s also number one in our grade for studies. On top of that, he’s perfect at housework, liked by children like Ryōta, and kind… Huh? Isn’t Ōtsuki-kun’s skillset a bit too high? “Ayaka?” “What is it, Mom?” “Your face, isn’t it a bit red? Could it be that something happened with Ōtsuki-kun? Hmm?” “Wh-!? N-nothing happened at all!” Mom’s probing gaze was scary, and I couldn’t help but look away. Mom had teased me about Ōtsuki-kun before, but I wished she would stop now. If she teased me about Ōtsuki-kun right now, I felt like my heart would become a complete mess. “Hey, hey, Sis. Isn’t Onii-chan done with the cleaning yet?” “Huh? Yeah, I think it’ll probably take a little longer.” “I wanna play with Onii-chan soon~” Ryōta is completely charmed by Ōtsuki-kun. Since they cleaned together yesterday, Ryōta has completely opened up his heart and grown attached to him. Well, I guess it’s true? Ōtsuki-kun has such a gentle demeanor, a calm presence, and is so kind, so I can understand why Ryōta has grown attached to him. When Ōtsuki-kun is interacting with Ryōta, he has this air of a kind older brother, and it was a little… charming…

…Somehow, just remembering it made my face feel a little hot. Why? What could it be… Ever since a little while ago, whenever I think about Ōtsuki-kun, my chest tightens and my face gets hot. Huh? Could this be… that I… about Ōtsuki-kun… “No way, no way, no way! Absolutely not! That can’t be it!!” The one answer that pops into my head. I deny that answer with all my might. “Big sis? What’s wrong?” “N-Nothing! Ah! That’s right! I was planning to do a ton of summer homework today, so I have to go back to my room! That’s okay, right, Mom?” “Oh, is that so? Then Ryōta, shall we play together, just the two of us?” “Yeah!” I leave Ryōta in Mom’s care. Then, I hurriedly left the living room, went into my room on the second floor, and dived straight onto the bed. “Ughh…” I bury my face in my pillow and let out a meaningless groan. Why am I so flustered? No way, right? This can’t be, can it? Do I… like Ōtsuki-kun? “Wait! Just a minute! Calm down, me. Let’s calm down for now.” I take a deep breath on my bed to calm my heart. “Think calmly, me.” Yes, think with a calm heart, Ayaka. Certainly, Ōtsuki-kun might have some charming aspects. He has a calm demeanor, is polite, isn’t aggressive, doesn’t seem to judge me solely on my appearance, Ryōta is incredibly fond of him, he’s caring and gentle, he’s good at cooking and cleans perfectly, and it looks like he works out, as his muscles are surprisingly firm, oh, and Mom and Dad both like Ōtsuki-kun too………Hmm? Huh? Rather than saying Ōtsuki-kun has charming aspects… is he a bundle of charm? “Stop! Stooop!! Don’t jump to conclusions! Yes, I need to think calmly, carefully!” Ōtsuki-kun is packed with charm. I admit that. Yes, I have to admit it, right? The problem is whether I like such an Ōtsuki-kun or not. I place a hand on my chest and think. How about it… about Ōtsuki-kun… I can’t say I like him yet, can I?

Because, it’s too short a time to fall in love, right? This way, it’ll be the same as the love-at-first-sight I’ve said I couldn’t understand all this time. Me, falling in love with Ōtsuki-kun at first sight? No way, that’s not it! Absolutely not!! “…It’s not… right?” Aah! Good grief!! I don’t know! I don’t understand my own feelings! I feel so restless!! Why? Why am I feeling this way? Is it because of the unicycle earlier? Did I fall for Ōtsuki-kun because he held me? “Could that be it? But he just held me for a little bit, you know? Besides, Ōtsuki-kun was just trying to help me.” My ideal way of falling in love is to gradually become closer from a relationship where we exchange greetings, become friends who hang out together, get to know each other, and then start to become conscious of each other. Instead, falling in love because he hugged and saved me when I was about to fall off the unicycle, isn’t that like being in a traffic accident! “If I’m going to fall for Ōtsuki-kun, first we have to become friends. And then, after getting close, become lovers. Yes, that’s what a healthy romance is.” I cross my arms and nod to myself, yes, yes. Wait, huh? Aren’t I somehow thinking about things on the premise that I’ll become Ōtsuki-kun’s girlfriend all on my own? This really means… I… Ōtsuki-kun is… “Auwahhh~~!! No! That’s not it~!” Not yet! It’s not time yet! It’s still too early to fall for Ōtsuki-kun, and I know too little about him. That’s right! I still don’t know anything about Ōtsuki-kun! So there’s no way I could like him! It’s impossible! Because, you know? Liking Ōtsuki-kun means I want to be his girlfriend, right? If Ōtsuki-kun were my boyfriend, my boyfriend… “…My family likes him too, and unexpectedly… it might… be okay?” Imagining it makes my face burn red hot. Embarrassed, I cover my face with both hands and shake my head from side to side to distract myself. Just then, I hear Ryōta’s gleeful laughter coming from the living room.

Ōtsuki-kun must have finished organizing the storage room already. He’s probably keeping Ryōta company now. Ryōta’s so lucky, being able to be honest with his feelings. He can just say things like ‘I like you, Onii-chan!’ just as he thinks them… Wait! What am I thinking!? E-even if I were honest with my feelings, I would never say ‘I like you, Ōtsuki-kun!’ And in the first place, I don’t even like him yet! …Probably… Aaargh, honestly! In the first place, the reason I’m so conscious of Ōtsukikun is because Saki says things like “Ayaka and Ōtsuki-kun are compatible,” or Mom asks me things like “Were you smitten by Ōtsuki-kun?”! That’s why I’ve become so aware of Ōtsuki-kun! As I’m thinking such things, the romance manga crammed into my bookshelf suddenly catches my eye. Instantly, an idea flashes into my mind. “That’s it! I just need to actually test my own feelings!” In romance stories, the heroine who falls in love gets her heart pounding just from making eye contact with the man she loves, and feels fluffy and happy just from exchanging a few words. If I make eye contact with Ōtsuki-kun now, or exchange words with him, will my heart pound or will I feel fluffy like the heroines in manga? If there’s no change in my heart then, it means I don’t like Ōtsuki-kun yet, right? On the other hand, if I find myself swooning over Ōtsuki-kun, then… that means… that’s what it is, right? “If that happens, I… what should I…” I’ve never liked anyone before, so I don’t know what to do. “…Well, I can think about that when the time comes, right? First, I need to confirm my own feelings.” What do I think of Ōtsuki-kun? Just as I resolved to find that out, I hear Mom’s voice from the bottom of the stairs. “Ayaka~. Ryōta says he wants to go shopping with Ōtsuki-kun again, so could you please accompany them today too?” “Okay, got it! I’m coming now!” Perfect timing, I got an excuse to go out with Ōtsuki-kun, and there I’ll make eye contact with him and confirm my feelings! With determination in my heart, I get ready to go out, leave my room, and head to the entrance. Ōtsuki-kun and Ryōta are already there waiting for me. “Onee-chan, you’re late!” “It’s Ryōta who’s impatient.”

I give a casual reply to my brother, who says almost the same thing as yesterday, while I change into my outdoor shoes. “Hey, Onii-chan. What’s ‘impatient’?” “Impatient, you see. It refers to someone who tries to do everything in a hurry.” Ōtsuki-kun is politely answering Ryōta’s question with a soft smile. My gaze can’t help but drift to their hands. Today, they’re holding hands even before going outside. I’m sure Ōtsuki-kun is just holding Ryōta’s hand so he doesn’t suddenly run off and get hit by a car or something. But still, I don’t know, my heart feels a bit… unsettled. “Well then, shall we go?” Ōtsuki-kun says so, takes Ryōta’s hand, and steps outside. I follow behind them. As I feel anxiety, anticipation, fear, and no small amount of excitement about confirming my own feelings, I intently watch Ōtsuki-kun’s back as he walks side-by-side with Ryōta. On the way to the supermarket, I ask Ōtsuki-kun about today’s dinner. “Ōtsuki-kun, what are you planning to make for dinner today?” “I’m thinking of making chilled oden today.” Ōtsuki-kun answers while carrying Ryōta on his shoulders, and I can’t help but show a surprised expression. “Oden can be eaten like that?” I thought oden was usually eaten piping hot on a cold day. I can’t quite imagine eating it chilled in the middle of this hot summer. “I’m sure it’ll be delicious, so I think you’ll be satisfied.” Ōtsuki-kun gives me a smile. Mixed in with his gentle, calm smile is a slightly confident, proud expression, and when our eyes meet, my heart gives a huge thump. Wha-!? Wait a minute!? Did my heart just flutter!? Was that what they call a ‘heart-pounding’ moment!? In other words, I… about Ōtsuki-kun… No, no, no, no! Wait, I still don’t know! It wasn’t Ōtsuki-kun’s expression that made my heart flutter just now, maybe it was just the unexpected dish name ‘chilled oden’ that made me excited! No, it must be. Yes, this fluttering is for ‘chilled oden.’ Phew~, I almost misunderstood. “Onii-chan, are there eggs in that oden too?”

“Yes, there are. Do you like eggs, Ryōta-kun?” “Yeah! I love eggs!” Ryōta says happily from atop Ōtsuki-kun’s head. The fun atmosphere flowing between them gives me a somehow vague image. Ōtsuki-kun seems like he’d be a good dad in the future… “Onee-chan? Why are you making a weird face?” “Huh!? I-I’m not making a weird face! It’s normal, normal!” “It’s not normal! Onee-chan was making a weird face! It was like a ‘dehehe~’ face!” “What kind of face is ‘dehehe~’? Really Ryōta, if you keep saying such strange things, your Onee-chan will get angry, you know?” “I’m not strange! The strange one is Onee-chan! Onii-chan, you saw it too, right? Onee-chan’s weird face. That ‘dehehe~’ face.” Hey! Don’t drag Ōtsuki-kun into this! “I might have missed it. We’re about to reach the supermarket, so shall we get down for a bit, Ryōta-kun?” Ōtsuki-kun, having the conversation thrown to him, takes Ryōta down from his shoulders as if to change the subject. Good, Ōtsuki-kun didn’t see it… B-but I should make sure, just in case. “Ōtsuki-kun. I wasn’t making a weird face or anything, okay?” “That’s right. Tōjō-san has well-proportioned features, so I can’t really imagine you making a funny face or anything.” “Huh!?” Isn’t that too sudden of a surprise attack!? Come to think of it, Ōtsukikun casually called me cute yesterday too, didn’t he? Could Ōtsuki-kun be naturally dense? This needs attention, I have to be wary! “What ingredients are you planning to buy today, Ōtsuki-kun?” I ask him, feigning composure while desperately hiding my inner turmoil. “Let’s see. We had eggs in the fridge, so we’ll buy daikon radish, tomatoes… we bought a whole pumpkin last time, and then maybe we should buy some processed fish cakes like satsuma-age if they have them.” “Tomatoes in oden?” “Yes, and maybe we could add corn too.” The ingredients Ōtsuki-kun lists are so unexpected that I can’t get an image of chilled oden at all. “Is that chilled oden an original Ōtsuki-kun recipe or something?” “No, no, of course not. If you search for it normally, lots of recipes will come up, you know?”

At his words, I search on my smartphone, and indeed, several recipes immediately pop up. “You’re right. It certainly says ‘tomatoes’ in the ingredients section.” “See? Surprisingly, oden broth and tomatoes go well together, you know?” “O-oh, is that so?” Ōtsuki-kun smiles at me again. For some reason, I can’t look directly at his expression, and I quickly turn my face away. Hey, why am I looking away! I need to make proper eye contact with Ōtsuki-kun and confirm my feelings, right! “Onii-chan! There’s daikon radish!” “It’s 158 yen today, huh…” “Is that cheap? Expensive?” “Hmm, it’s cheap for this time of year, but there are probably days when it’s even cheaper.” Ōtsuki-kun stares intently at the price tag of the daikon radish. While his gaze is on the daikon, I, too, feeling my heart pound at the thought of discovering my own feelings, stare fixedly at Ōtsuki-kun’s profile. Hmm, how is it? Is my chest fluttering? I place my hand on my chest to check my heartbeat. It’s a little faster than usual… maybe? But… it doesn’t quite feel like I’m falling in love… I don’t know. Maybe I should try observing Ōtsuki-kun from a little closer. As I’m thinking that, Ōtsuki-kun’s gaze suddenly slides from the daikon’s price tag to me. Instantly, I, who had been staring intently at his profile, make perfect eye contact with Ōtsuki-kun. “–!!” The moment our eyes met, my chest pounded so hard, THUMP!!, I thought my heart might stop. “Tōjō-san.” “Hya-yes!” Aah! I made some weird reply! I’m so embarrassed I could die… “Do you think this daikon is a buy?” “Ah, um… I think it’s a buy. Daikon is essential for oden, so…” “Right?” Ōtsuki-kun nods once at my opinion, takes a daikon radish from the display, and puts it in the shopping basket.

Phew~… That surprised me. And that reply earlier… “Hya-yes!” What was that, me…? I feel like I want to go back to my room right now and dive onto my bed. Huh? Wait a minute? Just now, when my eyes met Ōtsuki-kun’s, did my heart go ‘thump’? Did I become like a manga heroine? Which means… I really have fallen in love… Wait, wait, wait! I still don’t know! Just now, it might have been because our eyes met suddenly, and that just startled me. No, it must be. My heart just went ‘thump’ because I was surprised. That’s all. Next time. If our eyes meet next time, and my heart pounds then too, then… then I’ll properly judge my own feelings. Yes, let’s do that. I let out a “phew” and calm my heart. Just then, I feel Ryōta’s gaze and turn my face, and Ryōta, next to Ōtsuki-kun, was staring intently at me. “W-what is it, Ryōta?” “Nothin’. Nothing at all~” Ryōta says that and quickly looks away from me. W-was I acting strange? Was I so suspicious that Ryōta noticed? Or rather, I’m really worried Ryōta might say something unnecessary to Ōtsuki-kun… “Tōjō-san. Shall we go look at the fish paste products next?” “Ah, u-uhm.” Ōtsuki-kun, who had just put the tomatoes in the shopping basket, calls out to me while looking my way. In response, I hurriedly avert my gaze. That was close… I almost made eye contact with Ōtsuki-kun. I’m not mentally prepared yet, so I can’t make eye contact with Ōtsuki-kun right now. Because I can’t make a calm judgment when my heart and feelings are in such disarray. I need to properly judge my feelings in a calm state. First, I need to calm this pounding, noisy heartbeat. Thinking that, I followed Ōtsuki-kun and shopped, but in the end, my heart kept pounding the whole time I was with him, and I came home without being able to confirm my feelings. “Well then, I’ll start preparing dinner right away.” “Ah… okay. Please do.” Ōtsuki-kun says so and carries the groceries he bought to the kitchen. What should I do? At this rate, I’ll never be able to confirm my feelings.

I press my hand against my chest, which has been pounding since earlier. Just then, Mom, who is working on her laptop at the dining table, thanks me. “Thank you, Ayaka. For accompanying them shopping yesterday and today.” “No, it’s totally fine. Don’t worry about it.” “Speaking of which, you have a ton of homework to do today, right? I’ll watch Ryōta, so you can go back to your room.” “Eh? Ah… I made quite a bit of progress on my homework earlier, so I’m good for today.” “Oh, is that so?” If I go back to my room now, I won’t be able to achieve the important goal of making eye contact with Ōtsuki-kun and confirming my feelings. If that happens, I won’t be able to sleep tonight wondering whether I like Ōtsukikun or not. I guess I really have to steel myself and make eye contact with Ōtsukikun. O-okay! I’ll do it! I slowly approach Ōtsuki-kun, who is standing in the kitchen. With every step I take towards him, I feel like my heartbeat is getting one stage faster. But, if I run away now, I’ll never be able to confirm my feelings! Do your best, me! Don’t run away, me! Psyching myself up like that, I finally arrive next to Ōtsuki-kun, who is standing in the kitchen. Ōtsuki-kun currently has a knife in his hand, his gaze fixed on the cutting board. Ah, his serious expression while cooking might be kind of nice… Wait, don’t misunderstand, okay? Thinking something is nice and liking someone are two different things, right? I have to judge that carefully. Just then, Ōtsuki-kun seems to have noticed me coming next to him, and his eyes, which were focused on his hands, suddenly lift and meet my gaze. “…!” “Hmm? Is something wrong?” “Ah, um… I was thinking maybe I could help with something.” “No, this is my job, so Ayaka-san, please relax and rest.” Ōtsuki-kun gently declines my offer. But, to confirm my own feelings, I can’t back down either. “Um, you know. I got curious about how to make chilled oden, would it be a bother if I stayed with you?” “Is that so? It’s not a bother at all. In that case, could you blanch the tomatoes for a moment to peel them?”

“Okay.” I somehow managed to secure a reason to be next to Ōtsuki-kun! And I was able to make eye contact and talk with Ōtsuki-kun too! And, my current heartbeat is… maybe a little fluttery? B-but it’s not like the manga heroines’ “THROB!!” feeling, so it means I haven’t fallen in love yet, right? Right? That’s it, right? Having confirmed my feelings, I feel relieved for the time being. As I blanch the tomatoes, which have shallow cuts on their surface, according to Ōtsuki-kun’s instructions, I let out a “phew” and calm my heart. Just then, I casually look up and see Mom, who was playing with Ryōta in the living room, looking at me with a smirking expression. Feeling that she misunderstood something, I tried to speak to Mom, but she returned to playing with Ryōta before I could. Aah, this is a pattern where I’ll be teased later. As I’m thinking that, I hear a voice from the entrance. “I’m home~” It seems Dad has come home from work. The living room door opens immediately, and as expected, Dad comes in. “Well now, just thinking that Ōtsuki-kun’s home cooking is waiting for me today made me hurry home from work.” Saying so, Dad turns his face towards us. Then, seeing Ōtsuki-kun and me standing side-by-side in the kitchen, he smiled happily and said, “Oh?” “Somehow, seeing you two like that, you look like a newlywed couple! Hahaha!” “Hey!! Dad, don’t say such weird things!!” At Dad’s single remark, my heart started beating faster than ever before, and my face flushed beet red.