The day after filleting the fish at the Tōjō residence, Haruto was at the karate dōjō he attended. After changing into his dōgi, Haruto felt a slight heaviness in his shoulders and kept rolling his neck. Seeing this, Ishigura, who was also changing into his dōgi, called out to him. “What’s up, Haruto? Your shoulders stiff or something?” “A little. I filleted some fish yesterday, three pretty big ones.” If it had just been the sea bream, it would have been fine, but the yellowtail and sawara were quite large, so even Haruto felt a bit fatigued. The yellowtail, in particular, had thick, sturdy bones, making it rather hard work. If it hadn’t been for the Tōjō family’s exceptionally sharp, high-end deba knife, he would have been even more tired. “What kind of giant fish did you buy that you’re still tired the next day?” Haruto gave a wry smile at Ishigura’s slightly exasperated tone. “No, I didn’t buy them. I filleted them at my part-time job.” “Oh yeah? What kind of part-time job do you have, Haruto? A fish market or something?” “No, it’s a housekeeping service.” As Haruto answered Ishigura’s question, a voice suddenly spoke from behind him. “I’ll hire Haru-senpai for life. Please do my housework forever.” “Whoa!? You scared me… Don’t just talk to me from behind like that, Shizuku.” When Haruto turned around in surprise, he saw the dōjō’s only daughter, Shizuku, standing there in her dōgi with an expressionless face. “If you can’t even sense my presence, you’ll never reach the pinnacle of karate, Haru-senpai.” “Nah, I don’t have such grand ambitions.” “It saddens me as a member of the Dōjima Dōjō that Haru-senpai’s ambition is so low.”

Though her face was blank, Shizuku, ever the smooth talker, put on a rather clumsy crying act, saying “Oyoyoyo.” “Why don’t you try to be a little more like Kazu-senpai, Haru-senpai? Kazu-senpai has perfected his fiendish face so much that he’s emitting an evil aura from his whole body.” “Hey, Shizuku, stop talking about me like I’m some kind of demon king.” “Kazu-senpai is actually from a demon clan, so he’s an opponent I, a pure human, can’t possibly beat.” Haruto played along with Shizuku’s joke. She, in turn, nodded with a blank expression as if to say, “I see, that makes sense.” “Oi, Haruto. You better be ready for today’s sparring session, you hear? And Shizuku, stop agreeing with him!” “Yes, yes, that’s not important right now.” Shizuku casually brushed off the menacing Ishigura and turned her expressionless face to Haruto. “Haru-senpai, are your shoulders stiff?” “Huh? Oh, yeah, just a little.” “Then I’ll massage them for you.” Shizuku thrust both hands out in front of Haruto, opening and closing her palms. Next to them, Ishigura grumbled, “Saying it’s not important is so mean,” but she completely ignored him. “It’s not that bad, so I’m fine.” “No, with these hands of God Hand Shizuku, Haru-senpai is guaranteed to feel good in an instant.” Shizuku said confidently, continuing to speak while wiggling her palms. “And then, Haru-senpai will become unable to live without me, and by the time the shoulder rub is over, he should be clinging to me and screaming of his eternal love.” “No, that’s scary! What kind of shoulder rub is that! That’s hypnotism!” As Haruto couldn’t help but retort, Shizuku said, “Now, now, just for a bit,” and moved behind him, starting the shoulder rub without his consent. “How is it? Feels good, right?” “Well… it does feel good.” “Fufun.” At Haruto’s words, Shizuku snorted proudly. “How about it? Can you no longer live without me?” “Ah, you’re right. I’m done for without you, Shizuku.” Haruto replied casually to Shizuku’s words.

Her shoulder rub was better than he had expected, and Haruto closed his eyes slightly, enjoying the pleasant sensation. “Haru-senpai.” “Hm?” “You let your guard down!!” Shizuku suddenly moved both hands from his shoulders to his sides and began to tickle him. “Wha-!? Eek, Shi-Shizuku! Stop, hyahyahya, stop it!!” “Oryah-oryah-oryah-oryah-oryah.” As it turned out, Haruto was extremely weak to tickling. Shizuku, who was well aware of this fact, accurately and fiercely attacked his weak points. Haruto struggled to push Shizuku away, but since she was holding him firmly from behind, he couldn’t get her off. “Hahahaha, Ka-Kazu-senpai! Eek, he-hel, help me, hahahahahaha!” “Sorya-sorya-sorya-sorya-soryaaa.” “You guys really get along, don’t you?” Ishigura watched the two frolicking with an exasperated look. Shizuku’s tickle attack continued for a while longer, and eventually, Haruto collapsed on the spot. “Have you learned the power of my God Hand, Haru-senpai?” Shizuku looked down at the breathless, collapsed Haruto and made a gesture of wiping sweat from her brow with a “phew.” Her expression, despite being blank, looked as satisfied as if she had just finished a big job. “Hah… hah… what was that all of a sudden…” Haruto, on the other hand, was completely out of breath from being forced to laugh for several minutes. “It’s punishment for toying with a maiden’s pure heart.” “Huh? A maiden’s pure heart? What’s that about?” Haruto glared lightly at Shizuku as he staggered to his feet. “Hmph.” However, Shizuku just turned her face away. “What’s with her, seriously?”

Haruto tilted his head at her sudden, mysterious behavior. Next to him, Ishigura spoke with deep feeling. “Still, that must be tough.” “You’re telling me. And Kazu-senpai, you should have stopped Shizuku sooner.” Haruto turned a slightly disgruntled expression towards Ishigura. “No, not that, the housekeeping service. Isn’t it annoying to be saddled with difficult chores every time?” “Eh? Ah, no. It’s not that I dislike it or anything. It’s the part-time job I chose for myself.” At Ishigura’s words, Haruto shook his head. Haruto had never once thought of his housekeeping work at the Tōjō residence as a chore. On the contrary, he felt a great sense of satisfaction from the smiles of the Tōjō family as they ate the food he had prepared for them. In addition to that, there was another factor that made him enjoy his housekeeping part-time job. That was the existence of the girl known at his school as the “School Idol.” Before he started the housekeeping service, he had no particular contact with her, no way of knowing what kind of person she was, and he himself hadn’t been that interested. However, as he got to know her through the housekeeping service, he learned a side of her different from the “School Idol” he saw at school, and he began to feel a kind of fondness for her cuteness and, in a good way, her normal-girl-like qualities. “I think taking this housekeeping job was the right decision.” “Oh, is that so? Good for you for finding a good job.” Haruto felt that he had been able to build a good relationship with the Tōjō family. Being teased about his relationship with Ayaka, like yesterday, was a little awkward and embarrassing, but it wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, there were even moments when his heart fluttered a little. “I really did find a good job.” As Haruto answered with a natural smile, Shizuku, who had been looking away, approached him again. “Haru-senpai, can I tickle you one more time?” “Of course not!!” Wary of Shizuku, who was raising her hands to attack, Haruto took some distance from her. “Why do you want to tickle me!”

“Because I felt vaguely irritated. Haru-senpai, you must accept your fate of being defeated by me in silence.” “Don’t be ridiculous! Is there any reason as irrational as that!” Until practice started, Haruto had to be on guard against Shizuku, who was trying to get behind him at every opportunity. ※※※ The regular contract for housekeeping services that Haruto signed with the Tōjō family. The terms were three times a week for three hours a day. This summer vacation, Haruto, who wanted to earn money while also progressing with his studies, was quite satisfied with this well-balanced contract. “Phew, bathroom cleaning, complete.” Today, at Ikue’s request, he was cleaning the bathroom. From mold, of course, to water stains, slime in the drain, and dust on the door’s weatherstripping. Having thoroughly cleaned every last bit of it, Haruto wore a satisfied expression at the sight of the bathroom, which was now shining with what could be called cleanliness. “Alright then, next is cleaning the sink—whoa!?” “Kya! Ah… I-I’m sorry!” Having finished cleaning the bathroom, Haruto turned to move on to the next task of cleaning the sink, only to recoil in a slightly exaggerated way, surprised by Ayaka, who had been standing right behind him at some point. Having had a terrible experience with Shizuku the other day, the scene flashed back in his mind, causing Haruto to have a slightly more over-thetop reaction than usual. Ayaka, in turn, seemed to have been surprised by the startled Haruto, and her body flinched. “…Um, is there something you need?” Haruto asked, thinking she had come to make a request regarding the housekeeping. However, Ayaka’s eyes darted around as she mumbled, not speaking clearly. “Ah, um… you see? There’s something I want to tell you, Ōtsuki-kun, or rather, ask you… if it’s okay… um… you see? Mo…mo…mo…” “Mo?” “Mo…mo…movie…Type A!?” “Huh?”

Haruto stared blankly at her, not understanding the meaning of the sudden, disconnected word she had uttered. In response, Ayaka began to explain frantically. “R-Right! I was wondering if your blood type was A, Ōtsuki-kun. You know, since you’re so clean and meticulous with your cleaning and all…” “Oh, my blood type?” Haruto nodded, finally understanding Ayaka’s rapid-fire explanation. She, in turn, nodded her head repeatedly, saying “Uh-huh, uh-huh.” “No, my blood type is O. I’m doing a thorough job now because I’m cleaning for work, but when it comes to cleaning my own room, I’m pretty careless.” “Oh, I see. So you’re Type O, Ōtsuki-kun.” Ayaka smiled with a somewhat happy, bashful expression at Haruto, who said with a smile, “I can be pretty rough around the edges, you know.” “What about Tōjō-san?” “Eh?” “What’s your blood type, Tōjō-san?” “Oh, me? I’m Type B.” “Oh, really? That’s a little surprising.” Haruto looked slightly surprised by Ayaka’s blood type. “You think so? What blood type did you think I was, Ōtsuki-kun?” “Let’s see… we didn’t interact much before, and you had a mysterious air about you, Tōjō-san, so I just assumed you were AB. Well, it’s a complete stereotype, though.” “Do I really seem that mysterious?” Ayaka asked, tilting her head at Haruto’s words. “Before we started interacting like this, you did seem a little… mysterious, or rather, a bit like… a flower on a high peak.” “Is that so… Um, what about now? Do I still seem like that now?” Ayaka asked with a slight upward glance, as if to gauge Haruto’s reaction. Finding her expression adorable, Haruto looked away slightly as he answered. “It’s a little different now, it’s more like… in a good way, you’re a normal girl. I feel a greater sense of familiarity with you than before.” “Really!?” “Y-Yes.” Ayaka smiled happily. To hide his own face, which was probably turning a little red, Haruto looked to the side and scratched his cheek.

Seeing her cheerful demeanor, Haruto decided to bring up the topic he had been looking for the right timing to mention ever since he arrived at the Tōjō house today. “By the way, um… about the zoo trip we talked about at the home center before.” “Ah! Y-Yes!” At the word “zoo,” Ayaka reacted excessively, leaning forward slightly as she nodded at Haruto. With her leaning forward, the distance between them shortened a bit. Trying not to be too conscious of this distance, Haruto continued to speak, maintaining his composure as much as possible. “About the schedule, next week’s—” “About that! If it’s okay with you, Ōtsuki-kun—” “Ōtsuki-kun, are you done with the bathroom cleaning? Oh? Ayaka?” As if to cut Haruto off, Ayaka tried to say something. However, she was interrupted by Ikue, who had come to check on Haruto, before she could finish. Seeing the two of them with slightly flushed faces, exuding an awkward atmosphere, Ikue’s face spread into a wide grin. “Oh? Oh my, oh my? Looks like I was interrupting? I’m so sorry~” With a grinning smile plastered on her face, Ikue said, “Don’t mind me, please enjoy yourselves, you young people~” as she tried to slide the door that served as a partition for the sink area closed. Her daughter swiftly put a stop to her mother’s actions. “Hey, Mom! Don’t say weird things!” Ayaka slid the door, which was being closed by Ikue’s hand, back to its fully open position. “Oh? Weren’t you two having a secret meeting?” “Of course we weren’t!?” “That’s true. If you were having a secret meeting, you’d do it outside, not at home.” “That’s not what I meant!!” “Um… I’ve finished cleaning the bathroom and was about to start on the sink.” Haruto shyly interjected into the somewhat familiar mother-daughter communication. “Thank you, Ōtsuki-kun. You’re a lifesaver. Also, I’m sorry to ask, but when you’re done with that, could you clean the toilet as well?” “Yes, understood.”

“Thanks. Well then, Ayaka, I’ll be leaving, so you can resume your secret meeting with Ōtsuki-kun~” “I told you! That’s not what it is!” Ayaka retorted, but Ikue brushed her off with a light “Yes, yes” and left. After glaring resentfully at her mother’s back for a while, Ayaka turned to face Haruto once Ikue was completely gone. “Sorry, Ōtsuki-kun. My mom always says weird things.” “Not at all, you have a very fun mother. I’m envious of you, Ayaka-san.” “Eeh, you think so?” “I do… Just having a mother is something special.” “…Ōtsuki-kun?” Haruto spoke about mothers. His expression was fleeting, with a somewhat sorrowful air. Seeing him like that, Ayaka couldn’t help but call his name. Haruto then seemed to snap back to reality and smiled as if to cover it up. “Besides, watching you get embarrassed by Ikue-san’s teasing, Tōjō-san, is very cute.” “Cu-!?” Caught off guard by the sudden comment, Ayaka’s face turned red all the way to her ears as she flusteredly averted her gaze, looking flustered. “To think that my embarrassed face is cute… You’re so mean, Ōtsukikun…” “No, ah… I’m sorry.” Ayaka protested, fidgeting shyly with her lips slightly pouted. For a moment, Haruto felt a charm in her cute gesture that seemed to draw him in. “Um… so, about the schedule for the zoo.” Haruto tried to maintain his composure by returning to the topic. At his words, Ayaka once again cut him off in a flustered manner. “Ah, r-right, about that! Are you free tomorrow, Ōtsuki-kun?” “Eh? Tomorrow? Let’s see, I was planning to study all day tomorrow, so I don’t have any particular plans to go out.” “I see, studying… Um, you know. Could we meet outside tomorrow? We could discuss the zoo schedule then? And… while we’re at it, um, w-we could see a movie or something… I was thinking, w-what do you think?” Tomorrow was a day when housekeeping was not scheduled, and Haruto had planned to spend the entire day studying. Hearing this, Ayaka invited Haruto with a lack of confidence.

“A movie?” “Y-Yes… Yesterday, completely by chance, I got some discount tickets from a friend…” “I see. Hmm.” As Haruto thought for a moment, Ayaka began to string words together quickly. “Ah! But studying is important too! You don’t have to force yourself! It’s just that, you know… if my mom or dad heard us talking about going to the zoo at home, it would turn into a big deal. So, I thought it would be nice if we could talk at a cafe or something. But it’s not right to make you come out just for that, so since I have these discount tickets from a friend, I thought it would be nice if we could go to a movie together… But if you’re busy with studying… you don’t have to… um…” Ayaka’s voice gradually became smaller, losing its momentum. Eventually, she looked down completely. In response to her, Haruto answered in a cheerful tone. “No, I want to go too. To the movies.” As soon as Haruto said that, Ayaka’s downcast face lifted up. “…Really?” “Yes, I was just wondering what movies are showing right now.” “So, we can… go to the movies together tomorrow?” “Yes, let’s go.” At those words, Ayaka’s previously anxious expression transformed into a very bright one. Seeing her expression, Haruto was momentarily captivated, thinking that this was exactly what ‘smiling like a blooming flower’ meant. “Alright then, um, is there a movie you want to see, Ōtsuki-kun?” “Let’s see… can I check for a moment?” Haruto asked Ayaka’s permission before taking out his smartphone to look up the movies currently showing. Then, looking at the lineup, he groaned inwardly, ‘Nghh.’ To be honest, there were no films currently showing that made him think, “I want to see this!” But Haruto, unable to say that directly, asked for Ayaka’s opinion as well. “There are a lot of movies showing, it’s hard to decide. Is there anything you want to see, Tōjō-san?” When Haruto asked, Ayaka replied with great excitement. “I know! It’s so hard to choose! But, I’m a little interested in this one.”

So saying, Ayaka operated her own smartphone and showed him the screen. Displayed there was the promotional page for a certain movie. “…Summer Sky and Love.” Haruto muttered the movie title. It was a double-lead film starring a currently popular handsome young actor and a rapidly rising idol, what is commonly called a “youthful heartthrobbing movie.” The movie, popular mainly among young women and nicknamed “Natsukoi,” was ranking high in the summer Japanese film charts. “Do you like this kind of thing, Tōjō-san?” Having seen her demeanor at school, Haruto had assumed she wasn’t interested in things like romance and had a dry attitude towards such matters. But perhaps Ayaka was also a normal high school girl who dreamed of a romantic love. “I wonder? Are you not interested in this kind of thing, Ōtsuki-kun?” Haruto smiled softly at Ayaka, who looked at him with a mix of hope and anxiety. “No, I want to see this movie too. So, shall we go see ‘Natsukoi’ tomorrow?” “Really? Are you sure about this movie?” “Yes, I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” As Haruto smiled back at Ayaka, who was confirming as if to make sure, she also broke into a dazzling, overflowing smile. “Yeah! I’m so excited!!” At her overly excited smile, Haruto’s own heart began to feel cheerful and excited as well. “Alright then, shall we meet at the station building at ten o’clock tomorrow?” “Uh-huh! That sounds good!” Ayaka, who was nodding happily, remembered something as if with a start and turned her smartphone towards Haruto. “Um… our contact info… want to exchange it?” “Oh, you’re right.” If they were going to meet up, it would be smoother if they knew each other’s contact information. “Then, could you scan my screen?” “Okay.”

Haruto displayed a QR code with his chat app information on his smartphone and showed it to Ayaka. “I got it. I’ll send you a message then.” “Yes, please.” Immediately after her words, a ‘shupo’ sound effect came from Haruto’s smartphone. When he checked his phone, he saw that Ayaka had sent him a sticker of a rabbit with both hands raised in a ‘banzai’ pose, along with the message ‘Looking forward to it!’ “I was able to register you on my end too.” “Yeah… Looking forward to talking with you from now on.” “Ah, yes. Likewise, please take care of me.” “…Well then, sorry for interrupting your cleaning.” After a brief, awkward silence, Ayaka shyly yet happily gave a small wave and left. Left alone in the sink area after Ayaka was gone, Haruto had a thought. “Hm? If we exchanged contact info, couldn’t we just discuss the zoo schedule with that?” According to Ayaka’s story, she wanted to meet outside because she didn’t want her family to overhear their conversation, but if they communicated via smartphone, there would be no need to go out. And yet, Ayaka had invited him to a movie. “Is this because Tōjō-san is a bit of a klutz, or is it…” A single possibility welled up inside Haruto. The moment he thought of it, his heartbeat naturally quickened. ※※※ After finishing his housekeeping job at the Tōjō residence and returning home, Haruto spread his reference books on the living room table and devoted himself to studying. “Haruto dear, are you still studying?” His grandmother, dressed in her nightclothes, asked as she placed a teacup filled with tea in front of Haruto. “Thanks, Grandma. I’ll go to bed soon too. I have to go out tomorrow.” “Oh? Is that so?” His grandmother’s face lit up with a slight smile at the news that her grandson was going out for a change. “Yeah, I’m going to see a movie.”

“A movie, that’s rare. Are you going with Tomoya-kun?” Haruto’s best friend, Tomoya, was also his childhood friend, so his grandmother knew him well. “No, not with Tomoya. Um, I’m going with a classmate.” “Oh my, oh my, could it be a girl?” “Ah, yeah, it is.” Haruto said with a slight hint of embarrassment, bringing the teacup to his lips as if to hide his shyness. “I see, I see. Then, it’s a date tomorrow.” “Bfft! A-A date?” At his grandmother’s words, Haruto inadvertently spat out the tea he was about to drink. “Grandma, you’re wrong. It’s not a date. I just have something I need to talk to her about, and we decided to see a movie on the side—” “Haruto.” “Y-Yes.” His grandmother called his name, interrupting him mid-sentence. It was a habit of hers since he was little, and Haruto reflexively straightened his back and replied. “Listen here, Haruto. When you go out with a woman, just the two of you, it’s a date. Even if the woman doesn’t think of it that way, a man should treat it as a date and escort her with all his might. That’s proper etiquette, the behavior of a gentleman. Understood?” “Yes.” When Haruto replied obediently, his grandmother nodded in satisfaction. “You see, women put in a considerable amount of time and effort when they go out with a man. That’s why, a man must appreciate that effort, praise her, take care of her, and be gentle. And you should do it nonchalantly, without boasting or showing off.” “Yeah, I understand, Grandma. Tomorrow, I’ll do my best to not be rude to her… on our date.” “Yes, yes, do your best.” His grandmother smiled gently and said, “Good night,” before leaving the living room. Left alone, Haruto thought about the words his grandmother had just said to him. “It’s true, as a matter of courtesy towards women, escorting her properly is a given for a man.”

His grandmother’s way of thinking might be a bit old-fashioned in this day and age. But Haruto, who had been told since he was a child to ‘be kind to women,’ decided he needed to escort Ayaka properly tomorrow and put a temporary stop to his studying. “I should look up some cafes for after the movie…” When he went out with friends like Tomoya, he usually just wandered around without any particular plan, but he couldn’t do that with Ayaka. He needed to research shops and other places beforehand. As Haruto was researching various things for tomorrow, a notification from a messaging app appeared at the top of his smartphone screen. “Oh, it’s from Tōjō-san.” Haruto opened the app and checked the chat. —Are you still awake? Along with that message, a sticker of a rabbit peeking out from behind a wall was sent. The time was just before 9 p.m. His grandmother had already gone to bed, but for the young Haruto, it was still too early to sleep. —Yes, I’m awake. Along with his reply, Haruto sent a sticker of a bear burning with fighting spirit. —I’m so excited for tomorrow! I’m worried I won’t be able to sleep tonight… —I’m excited too, I can only sleep at night. —That’s just normal sleeping!! When Haruto sent a joke, Ayaka sent back a retort along with a sticker of a rabbit delivering a fierce comeback to a bear, saying ‘Why, I oughta!’ Seeing that, Haruto let out a small laugh, “Fufu.” —Please take care of me tomorrow. —Yeah! I should be the one saying that!! From the content of the messages she sent, he felt as if Ayaka was smiling from ear to ear on the other side of the screen, and Haruto found himself smiling naturally as well. —I absolutely can’t be late tomorrow, so let’s go to bed early. —Yeah, you’re right. —Think you can sleep? —I’ll do my best!! —Well then, good night. —Good night. See you tomorrow.

Ayaka’s reply. At the end of her final message, ‘See you tomorrow,’ there was a heart mark, and Haruto’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. “Calm down, me. This doesn’t have any deep meaning.” He had heard that some women frequently use heart marks just because they’re cute. Of course, the mark itself has no meaning. They just use it because it’s cute. Surely, the heart mark in the message from Ayaka had a similar meaning. It shouldn’t have any special significance. Haruto gently placed a hand on his chest, as if to calm the pounding in his heart that didn’t seem likely to subside for a while. ※※※ The next day, after finishing his early morning studies, which had progressed less than usual, Haruto took a shower, got dressed, and styled his hair with a product he rarely used. Finally, he checked his whole body in a full-length mirror. “Yep, nothing out of place.” Haruto nodded after checking his appearance. As someone who was escorting a woman, a clean and neat appearance was the bare minimum of etiquette. Haruto, faithfully following his grandmother’s teachings, got ready and headed for the entrance. “Grandma, I’m heading out.” “Alright, be careful.” “Yeah.” Seen off by his grandmother, Haruto headed to the station building, the meeting place with Ayaka. It took about a twenty-minute train ride from the town where Haruto lived to the station building. For the past few days, it had been continuously clear, as if any weather other than sunny had been forgotten. Fed up with the relentless heat wave, Haruto stepped out of the air-conditioned train and headed to the meeting place with Ayaka. “Hmm, I’m about twenty minutes early for our meeting.” He had left home with plenty of time to spare, but it seemed he had left with too much. Thinking that, Haruto headed for the plaza in front of the station building. The plaza had benches and large art installations, and it was often used as a meeting spot. Today too, several people were waiting for someone, sitting on benches or leaning against the art while fiddling with their smartphones.

Haruto noticed that a corner of the plaza was somewhat buzzing. “Hm? Is something going on?” Sometimes, street performers would put on shows in this plaza. Since he had time to kill until the meeting time, Haruto approached the buzzing area to watch some street performance and kill time. As he got closer, he could hear the voices of the people around, especially the men. “Hey, isn’t that girl insane? She’s gotta be a celebrity.” “Think she’s waiting for her boyfriend? Should we take a shot and talk to her?” “There’s no way she’s a normal person, right? A model? An idol?” “And her figure is insane, isn’t it?” Haruto tilted his head at the content of the chattering conversations. It didn’t seem like they were watching a street performance. Perhaps there was a model or an idol-type person for a drama or magazine shoot, and a crowd of onlookers had gathered. Deciding he might as well take a quick look himself, Haruto also gave in to his curiosity and lightly parted the crowd to see the idol or model everyone was focused on. And then, the person at the center of attention came into Haruto’s view. Instantly, the summer heat he had been feeling was blown away in a flash. “Tōjō-san!?” Haruto let the name slip out. Several people nearby looked at him with puzzled expressions. Ayaka, perhaps aware that all eyes were on her, stood still, looking down uncomfortably. Her outfit consisted of a black flared skirt on the bottom and a white offthe-shoulder top, over which she wore a thin cardigan. The off-the-shoulder top was not very revealing, with a rather modest design, and since she was also wearing a cardigan, her appearance was elegant. However, her good figure still managed to attract male gazes, and combined with her beauty, even passing men would glance at her once or twice. Once again, Haruto was made keenly aware of the sheer power of Tōjō Ayaka, the “School Idol.” Haruto felt a slight fear that if he were to call out to her now, he would be beaten to a pulp by a crowd burning with jealousy. But he couldn’t just not talk to Ayaka. He had to brace himself and go for it. Just as he steeled himself, Ayaka happened to look up, and their eyes met.

In that instant, her uncomfortable and anxious expression changed to a radiant smile. “Ōtsuki-kun!” At Ayaka’s smile, which was like the sun itself, sighs escaped from several men, and a few stood with their mouths agape in a daze. And a considerable number of people stared intently at Haruto, the recipient of her smile. Receiving all those gazes, Haruto smiled at Ayaka, who was approaching him at a half-running quick walk. “I’m sorry, Tōjō-san. Did I make you wait?” “No, not at all! I just got here too, so it’s okay!”

Given the crowd that had formed around her, “just got here” was probably a lie, but he wouldn’t do something as boorish as to point that out. Haruto said with a smile still on his face. “Well then, shall we go?” “Yeah!” Ayaka replied so cheerfully. Walking beside her, Haruto felt various gazes of jealousy, envy, and more, and had a premonition that today would be a very tough day. But even as he thought that, Haruto’s heart was pounding a little. However, trying not to let that excitement show on his face, he maintained his composure and headed for the station building. “I’m excited for the movie today.” Beside him, Ayaka walked with a spring in her step, smiling at him. “Yes, I’m looking forward to it too.” Haruto, feeling dazzled by her charming, beaming smile, opened his mouth to speak after a short pause, having made up his mind. “You look… very lovely today, Tōjō-san.” “Huh!? Y-You think so?” Ayaka was clearly dressed in her “going-out” clothes today. As a matter of courtesy to her, who had clearly dressed up for today, Haruto had been thinking he had to compliment her, but for an adolescent boy, saying it out loud was quite embarrassing, and he was only just now able to say it. At Haruto’s words, Ayaka’s shoulders twitched as she looked at him shyly. “Yes, today Tōjō-san has an air of a mature woman, yet also a sense of cuteness, and, um… I think you’re very… charming.” As Haruto said this, he felt his own face turning red. If possible, he would have liked to compliment Ayaka more smoothly and casually, but his shyness won out, and he couldn’t say it as he wanted, his words getting a little stuck. “Y-Yeah… thanks…” Ayaka, on the other hand, thanked him in a small voice while looking down. From her reaction, Haruto started to worry, wondering if his words just now were too cheesy. Maybe they were creepy. This anxious feeling slowly spread in his heart, wondering if he was properly executing the gentlemanly conduct his grandmother had told him about last night. Just then, Ayaka, who had been looking down, abruptly lifted her face to look at Haruto.

“Um… you look cool today, too, Ōtsuki-kun.” Ayaka said with a shy, upward glance. Its destructive power blew away Haruto’s gloomy thoughts in an instant. “You always are, Ōtsuki-kun, but today you seem more, um… mature…” Haruto felt his heart pound as Ayaka told him this, even while blushing. At the same time, he understood why the boys at school were all confessing to her. He felt he had caught a glimpse of the reason why Ayaka was so popular as to be called the “School Idol.” Haruto and Ayaka complimented each other, both blushing, and arrived at the movie floor on the top level of the station building. The lighting, a little dimmer than on the other floors, and the unique caramel-like scent of the movie theater tickled their nostrils. After purchasing the tickets they had reserved in advance from the vending machine, the two of them looked towards the popcorn counter, which was wafting an enticingly sweet aroma. “When you watch movies, Tōjō-san, are you the type to buy popcorn and drinks?” “It depends on the time, I guess? I can’t eat that much, so I often share with friends.” “Then, shall we do that this time as well?” “Yeah, let’s do that.” “Understood. Then, I’ll go buy it, so please wait a moment.” Since the order counter area was crowded with people, Haruto had Ayaka wait while he went to line up by himself. Perhaps because it was the summer vacation season, there were quite a lot of people, and three lines had formed in front of the counter waiting to order. “This is going to take a while.” Muttering that, Haruto got in at the back of the middle line. “Well, we have plenty of time.” Since they had met earlier than their scheduled time, there was plenty of time until the movie started. Haruto let out a small sigh as he stood in the slowly moving line. Being away from Ayaka, he was finally able to take a breather, no longer feeling the gazes that had been constantly on him until just a moment ago. “Does Tōjō-san get exposed to these kinds of looks every time she goes out? This must be tough.” Feeling sorry for Ayaka, Haruto casually glanced over to where she was waiting. There, he saw Ayaka with a troubled expression on her face, being

approached by three college-aged men. Spotting that scene, Haruto, who was just about to be able to place his order, left the line and hurried back to Ayaka’s side. “Um, excuse me.” When Haruto called out in a slightly loud voice, the three men noticed his presence and turned their faces towards him. “Oh? Did she have a boyfriend?” A man with light brown hair and many piercings looked at Haruto with a slightly surprised expression. “I see, you were on a date. Our bad. Sorry about that~” Another man, also with brown hair and piercings, lightly raised his hand to Ayaka in apology. “Ah, no. Um, it’s okay.” Ayaka said this as she sidled closer to Haruto, who had returned. Watching this, the third man, a man with flashy red hair and piercings in his eyelids and lips, grinned and said in a high-energy tone. “Eh!? Is he really your boyfriend!? You’re just friends, right!? If that’s the case, why don’t the five of us hang out? Let’s go do some karaoke or darts!” “No, we’re planning to see a movie now.” Haruto showed a resolute attitude towards the slightly pushy red-haired man. However, the red-haired man showed no signs of backing down and remained smiling. “Is that so? Nah, we’ll totally wait, totally! In fact, why don’t we watch the movie with you! Right?” When the red-haired man said this to the other two, the brown-haired man who had apologized to Ayaka earlier gave a wry smile. “Dude, stop being so annoying. It’s not fair to them. They’re on a date.” “Eh? Are they really on a date? No way, right? They’re just friends, right? Hey?” The red-haired man asked, peeking at Ayaka, who was half-hiding behind Haruto. Annoyed by the man’s actions, Haruto was about to open his mouth to retort when Ayaka, who was behind him, spoke before he could. “He is my boyfriend!! W-We’re dating! A-And… um, we’re on a d-date, so! Um, if you could please leave…” Haruto took over after Ayaka, whose voice trailed off at the end. “…So as she said, could you please stop interfering with our date?” For a moment, Haruto’s thoughts froze at her statement. However, he quickly recovered and spoke in a way that warned off the red-haired man.

“Is that so? Seriously? Then, let me apologize, okay? A real apology. Hey? An apology is fine, right?” Even after being told this much, the red-haired man tried to persist and reached out his hand towards Ayaka, who was behind Haruto. In that instant, Haruto took a half-step to the side to block the man’s arm, completely hiding Ayaka behind his back. At the same time, he glared at the red-haired man with sharp eyes. “You’re being a nuisance. Please stop.” Haruto quietly stated in a lower voice, his eyes filled with the kind of fighting spirit one would see in a karate match as he looked at the redhaired man. “W-What’s your problem? I just invited her, that’s all.” The red-haired man finally flinched at Haruto’s aura. At that point, the other two brown-haired men stepped in to stop him. “Dude, seriously stop! It’s not fair to them! Come on, let’s go!” “Yeah, really sorry about that~ Enjoy your date~” “Hey, hey! Stop it! Don’t pull me!” Saying such things, the three men boisterously left Haruto and Ayaka. Seeing them go, Haruto also exhaled, releasing the slight karate-mode tension he had been in. “Phew… he was a rather pushy person, wasn’t he?” “Y-Yeah. It was a little scary. I’m glad you came back, Ōtsuki-kun…” “No, it was my mistake for leaving you alone, Tōjō-san. I should have predicted that you would get hit on. I’m sorry.” Haruto bowed his head, and Ayaka hurriedly shook her head. “No! It’s not your fault, Ōtsuki-kun! And, I’m sorry. For… um… saying you were my… boyfriend.” Ayaka said, looking down apologetically. Haruto smiled and replied. “No, that guy was pretty pushy, so he wouldn’t have backed down unless you said something like that.” With a person like that red-haired man, you have to be a little exaggerated and clear to get your point across. “Yeah, um… you didn’t mind, did you, Ōtsuki-kun? Being told that you’re dating me…” “Of course I don’t mind. I’m actually happy about it.” “Really!?” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka’s previously anxious expression transformed into a bright one.

“It’s true. Feel free to use me as a man-repellent to your heart’s content.” “Th-Then… um… well… no, never mind.” Ayaka started to say something but stopped midway, and Haruto tilted his head. “What is it? If there’s something, please don’t hesitate to say it.” “…Is it okay?” “Of course.” “…Then. Um… hold… hands?” Ayaka said in a voice so quiet it could barely be heard, her face turning red all the way to her ears. “Hands?” Haruto couldn’t help but ask again, and Ayaka gave a small nod. “If you don’t mind, Ōtsuki-kun… I thought we’d look more like a couple that way. And then, something like what just happened probably won’t happen again…” “Oh… I-I see.” What she said had a point. If they were walking around holding hands, it would be obvious to any onlooker that they were a couple. No one would dare try to hit on them like before. “Are you okay with it, Tōjō-san?” “Me… yeah.” After nodding, Ayaka added in an extremely small voice, like a tiny drop of water falling into a puddle, “If it’s with you, Ōtsuki-kun.” “I see… Then, shall we hold hands?” “Y-Yeah.” Hearing Ayaka’s reply, Haruto somewhat awkwardly held out one hand. Ayaka, in turn, held out her hand. Haruto carefully extended his hand towards Ayaka’s slender white hand. When their hands finally made a light chon contact, both of them flinched with a jolt of their shoulders and pulled their hands apart, even though they had just brought them close. “…” “…” The two of them silently met each other’s gaze, then silently averted their eyes again. Haruto steeled himself, quickly reached out, and took Ayaka’s hand. The moment he did, Ayaka’s shoulder twitched just like before, but this time she

didn’t pull her hand away and lightly squeezed Haruto’s hand back. “…Ah, the popcorn, should we buy some?” Right after taking Ayaka’s hand, Haruto remembered he was in the middle of buying popcorn. Haruto said, looking at their joined hands. The area around the order counter was still crowded, and it seemed like it would be a nuisance to others to stand in line holding hands. “…It’s okay. I… don’t want… to let go… of your hand.” Ayaka replied in her still barely audible voice. Her face was now redder than it had ever been. “I… see.” Thinking that his own face was probably red too, Haruto gently pulled on their joined hands. “Well then… shall we go see the movie?” “…Yeah.” Ayaka obediently let Haruto lead her by the hand. To Haruto, her adorable demeanor made the jealous gazes from those around them seem completely irrelevant. The two of them entered the theater, still holding hands. Haruto checked the seat numbers written on the ticket with his free hand and made his way to their seats. Since they entered the theater quite a bit before the start time, there were few other people, and the two were able to reach their two adjacent seats without letting go of their hands. “These are our seats.” “Yeah.” Ever since they had started holding hands, Ayaka had been very demure, and the words she spoke were short and her voice small. “Well then, shall we sit?” “Yeah.” To fold down the seat, which was currently upright, Haruto tried to let go of Ayaka’s hand for a moment. As he did, she squeezed his hand tightly, as if reluctant to let go. As if to say, ‘Don’t let go.’ However, it was only for a moment, so Haruto let go of her hand anyway. The two of them sat down in their chairs in silence. Her action just before letting go of her hand made Haruto feel somewhat restless, and he placed his hand on the armrest.

Then, the back of his hand was enveloped in a soft, warm sensation. Haruto instinctively looked down at his own hand. There, he saw Ayaka’s small white hand, shyly placed on top of his. When he looked up, he saw her looking down, as if to avoid his gaze. So, does this mean she wants to hold hands again? Haruto guessed Ayaka’s intention and, as a test, turned his hand over to meet her palm to palm. Immediately, Ayaka squeezed Haruto’s hand tightly. Haruto, very curious about Ayaka’s expression now, stealthily glanced at her face. Then, he met the eyes of Ayaka, who was smiling small and happily, though shyly. Her expression was so lovely that Haruto was overcome with the urge to keep looking at her forever. However, embarrassed by their eyes meeting, Ayaka quickly turned her face towards the screen. The large screen in front of them was still blank. But Ayaka was staring intently at the blank white screen as if a movie were already playing. “We still have quite a bit of time.” “…Yeah.” “The trailers haven’t even started yet.” “…Yeah.” “The number of people is starting to increase a little.” “…Yeah.” “…” “…” The conversation went nowhere, and Haruto looked around, trying to find something to talk about. Then, Ayaka spoke in her usual small voice. “…T-Today’s weather is really nice, isn’t it?” “Eh? Ah, ah, yes. It was a clear day, wasn’t it?” “Yeah… a clear day.” “Yes… um…” The conversation stopped. In the first place, talking about the weather in a dimly lit, windowless theater was proof that they were out of topics. “…Do you think the trailers will start soon?” “…They look like they’re about to start…” The number of people in the theater had increased compared to before. Haruto, feeling slightly anxious about the stalled conversation, decided to take a firm stance and try to get through it with a relaxed attitude.

“…” “…” A silent moment passed between the two of them. Because of the silence, Haruto became even more conscious of his hand holding Ayaka’s. Her slender white palm, which had been a little cool when he first held it, was now faintly warm. Tōjō Ayaka, reputed to be the cutest girl in Haruto’s school, the “School Idol.” The situation of sitting next to her in a movie theater, holding hands, made Haruto feel his heart beat uncontrollably faster. In his mind, which was about to be overwhelmed by the warmth transmitted from his left hand, Haruto thought. He could understand holding hands to ward off men. But wasn’t it unnecessary to hold hands while watching a movie? However, in the current situation where it felt like Ayaka had no intention of letting go, a convenient interpretation popped into Haruto’s mind. He peeked at Ayaka’s condition out of the corner of his eye. As always, she was staring at the screen with her cheeks flushed. Looking at Ayaka’s side profile, Haruto reconsidered his thoughts. Haruto had only recently started interacting with Ayaka. In that time, he hadn’t done anything that would make her develop feelings for him, he thought, shaking his head slightly. She didn’t dislike him, but there was nothing that would make her like him either. Haruto tried to think as calmly as possible, dispelling the convenient interpretation for himself. As he was thinking this while looking at her out of the corner of his eye, Ayaka’s gaze, which had been on the screen, suddenly turned towards Haruto, and their eyes met squarely. “!?” “Huh!?” Haruto hastily turned his gaze forward, and Ayaka looked down. Just as an awkward atmosphere was about to settle between them again, the lights in the theater dimmed a notch at just the right moment, and advertisements appeared on the screen. “The ads have started.” “Yeah, they’ve started.” The conversation was still short, but with the images flowing in front of them, the awkwardness was somewhat alleviated.

Haruto absentmindedly watched the camera that urged against movie piracy with sharp dance moves, thinking about Ayaka’s reaction. Looking at her reaction just now, he couldn’t help but have some expectations. However, he also had a strong feeling that it might be a misunderstanding. Haruto, who still had a strong impression of the Ayaka from school, had a strong image of her as someone who had no connection to things like love at first sight. After the ads finished, he was vaguely watching the trailers for upcoming movies and worrying about such things, when the theater finally went completely dark. On the screen, the triangular logo of a movie production company jumped out from the crashing waves against the rocks. “It’s starting.” “Yeah… I’m excited.” “Me too.” After that short conversation, the movie began. The movie starts with a depiction of a male high school student played by a handsome young actor and a female high school student played by a rapidly rising idol, living out their everyday lives at school before summer vacation. Haruto was relieved to be freed from the stalled conversation and awkward silence. But that was short-lived. Another problem began to trouble Haruto. The movie they were watching was what is commonly called a “youthful heart-throbbing movie.” Therefore, the movie was filled with heartthrobbing gestures such as “head pats,” “back hugs,” “arm grabs,” and “chin lifts.” Every time such a scene appeared, Ayaka would let out a sigh like “haa” or “hou” and stare at the screen with sparkling eyes. If that was all, it would have been no problem for Haruto. He would have just thought to himself, ‘Tōjō-san is quite, no, very much a maiden at heart,’ and that would have been the end of it. However, they were currently holding hands. And, probably unconsciously, she would let out a sigh and at the same time lightly squeeze Haruto’s palm. Every time Ayaka squeezed his palm, Haruto’s heart would pound, and he would glance at her expression out of the corner of his eye, captivated by her face, which was shining with fascination for the movie.

If this kept happening, the content of the movie would not enter his head at all. As time passed like this, and the movie was about to reach its midpoint, Ayaka continued to unconsciously squeeze his hand without mercy, putting a strain on Haruto’s heart. In response to her, Haruto began to feel a sense of rivalry. Having a somewhat competitive nature, he did not take kindly to being the only one feeling flustered by Ayaka. It wasn’t that he disliked the current situation, but being on the receiving end of it all the time didn’t suit Haruto’s disposition. Haruto waited intently for the right moment. He shook off the distracting thoughts from his mind and desperately tried to calm his pounding heart. He focused his gaze on the screen and timed his move. Eventually, the scene where the protagonist and heroine, alone in a classroom, kiss while wrapped in a curtain, arrived. The moment he saw that scene, Haruto braced himself, thinking, ‘Now’s my chance!’ As he expected, at this scene, he heard a sigh of “aa” from next to him, and at the same time, his palm was squeezed tightly. In that instant, Haruto also squeezed Ayaka’s palm back tightly. “Huh!?” At the same time, a small, voiceless cry was heard from beside him. Haruto turned his gaze to the side to check on Ayaka’s condition. She had her round, double-lidded eyes wide open in surprise and was staring at the screen in a frozen state. Perhaps she was just overly moved by the previous scene. Thinking that, Haruto tried squeezing Ayaka’s palm a few more times, ‘gyu, gyu.’ Then, as if a sound effect of ‘pshuu~’ could be heard, Ayaka averted her gaze from the screen and looked down. The fact that Ayaka’s reaction was bigger than expected made Haruto a little bewildered, thinking, ‘Huh? Did I go a little too far?’ and he temporarily stopped squeezing her palm. Then, Ayaka, who had been looking down, looked up at Haruto with an upward glance. “…Uuu…” As if protesting something. And yet, as if asking for something.

With only the light from the screen faintly illuminating her, Ayaka’s expression was somewhat fantastical and captivating, and Haruto found himself staring at her expression. Then, with a force clearly stronger than when he had been unconsciously squeezed before, Haruto’s hand was squeezed tightly. With Ayaka looking up at him with an upward glance and her palm squeezed tightly, this time it was Haruto’s turn to blush with a force that seemed to make a ‘bofun!’ sound effect. To prevent his expression from being seen, Haruto hurriedly turned his face towards the screen. Haruto was splendidly counter-attacked. In his ear, he faintly heard Ayaka’s smile, “fufu.” At her declaration of victory, Haruto honestly admitted defeat. Although he was competitive, this defeat strangely did not feel unpleasant at all. After that, the two of them quietly watched the movie while holding hands. Haruto was already completely unable to follow the plot of this movie. However, to avoid being counter-attacked by Ayaka again, Haruto silently stared at the screen. Eventually, the movie reached its final scene. Though he had no idea how it happened, the protagonist and heroine, who had happily ended up together, walked slowly along a riverbank illuminated by the setting sun. The movie concluded with a close-up camera angle of their joined hands, their fingers intertwined in a ‘lovers’ hold.’ The ending began to play, and the end credits, along with the movie’s theme song, were displayed on the screen. Among the audience, some people had already stood up and were heading for the exit. Is Ayaka the type to watch until the very end? Haruto thought and turned his gaze towards her. Then, he saw her, still looking at the screen where the end credits were rolling, start to fidget with her palm. Haruto thought she wanted to let go of his hand and opened his own palm. They had been holding hands since before the movie started. That meant they had been holding hands for over two hours. Haruto, who was also concerned about his own hand sweat, tried to pull back his palm to wipe his hand in this opportunity. But, it was not to be. Ayaka did not pull her palm away from Haruto’s, but instead intertwined her fingers and squeezed his hand again. Haruto and Ayaka’s palms met again. This time, it wasn’t the handshakelike hold from before, but an upgraded version with their fingers intertwined in a ‘lovers’ hold.’

“Um… Tōjō-san?” Haruto couldn’t help but call her name. “…Ōtsuki-kun, are you the type to watch the end credits all the way through?” “Eh? Ah, yes.” Ayaka, who didn’t touch on the topic of the lovers’ hold at all, made Haruto feel bewildered. To him, Ayaka said shyly, still averting her gaze. “Then… until the end… shall we watch together?” To the adorably asking Ayaka, Haruto had only one answer. “Yes, of course.” The movie he watched today would likely be a movie that Haruto would never forget for the rest of his life, even though he had no idea what it was about. ※※※ After watching the movie, the two of them came to a cafe on the floor below the movie theater. It was a cafe that Haruto had looked up the night before, a stylish place with a panoramic view of the city from the window. They were guided to a window seat, and Haruto smiled naturally at Ayaka, who was delighted by the view from the high floor. “Wow, the view is beautiful!” “I’m glad you like it.” Haruto was relieved that his choice of shop was not a mistake. “Thank you for looking up the shop.” “Not at all…” Ayaka gave him a charming smile without reservation. Haruto, feeling shy, spread the menu in front of his face to hide it. “Um, I think I’ll have an iced coffee. What about you, Tōjō-san?” “I think I’ll have an iced cafe au lait.” “Understood. Will you order anything else?” “No, I’m fine.” “Understood.” Once their orders were decided, Haruto called the waitress. After telling her his and Ayaka’s orders, Haruto took a light sip of water. Ayaka then said to him.

“How was the movie, Ōtsuki-kun? Was it interesting?” “Eh? Ah, well… yes. I think it became a movie that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” Unable to say that he couldn’t get the content into his head at all because he was holding hands with Ayaka, Haruto answered with a slightly ambiguous expression. “How about you, Tōjō-san?” “It was really interesting! But…” “But?” “Um… from the middle, I couldn’t really… understand the content, I guess.” That middle part was probably around when Haruto launched his counterattack. “I… see.” “Yeah… but, I think I’ll never forget this movie for the rest of my life either.” Ayaka said, blushing. At her smile, Haruto felt his heart pound. “…Same here.” “Yeah… same here.” After they both said it shyly, a brief silence fell. “Um, by the way, about the zoo schedule.” “Ah, yeah! That’s right. We need to decide that.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka nodded as if she had just remembered. The movie was more of an afterthought, and this was the main topic, but it seemed she had forgotten about it until now. Haruto gave a wry smile at such an Ayaka. “Is there a specific zoo you want to go to, Tōjō-san?” “I think I’d like to go somewhere where we can interact with animals.” “I agree.” Haruto also nodded at Ayaka’s opinion. In the first place, the talk of going to the zoo started because of how Ayaka was excitedly looking at a puppy at the home center. “Um, it’s a little different from a zoo, but how about going to ‘Animal Forest Park’?” “Oh, that sounds good.” Ayaka also agreed with Haruto’s proposal.

‘Animal Forest Park’ is a vast park with a nature theme, and within it, besides an animal interaction area, there is an athletic area with many play equipment, and a water play area that is a blessing in the continuing heatwave. “Since Ryōta-kun will be with us this time, I thought it would be more fun for him if he could play in various ways so he doesn’t get bored.” “Uh-huh! You’re right!” “And, there’s also a lawn area here, so I thought it would be nice to bring a bento and eat it on a sheet on the grass.” “Yes! That’s a great idea!” Ayaka agreed with a shining expression. “Then, is it decided that we’ll go to ‘Animal Forest Park’?” “Yeah! It’s decided! As for the date, when are you free, Ōtsuki-kun?” “Let’s see. I don’t have any particular plans other than my part-time job, so any day I have off from work is fine.” “Oh, right.” At the mention of Haruto’s part-time job, Ayaka made a slightly apologetic expression. “Is it okay for you to come to my house on your day off?” Haruto’s part-time job was housekeeping for the Tōjō family. So, Ayaka might feel a little guilty about having him come to the Tōjō house on his day off. “No, no, it’s no problem at all.” “Really? If you don’t want to, please don’t hesitate to say so.” “Not at all! I’m looking forward to playing with Ryōta-kun too.” “I’m sure Ryōta will be really happy if I tell him you said that.” Imagining Ryōta’s reaction at that time, the two of them laughed, “fufu.” “Then, is it okay if we go to ‘Animal Forest Park’ next week, on my day off from my part-time job?” “Yeah, that’s fine.” “Then, on that day, I’ll make a bento and pick you up at your house in the morning.” Haruto said, and Ayaka shook her head. “It’s not right to have you make the bento. You’re not doing housekeeping that day, Ōtsuki-kun, so I’ll make the bento.” “No, it’s okay. I don’t dislike cooking.” “But…”

Ayaka looked apologetic. After thinking for a moment, she had a flash of inspiration. “Then, how about we make the bento together in the morning?” “Oh, that’s a good idea. Shall we do that?” “Yeah!” Ayaka nodded happily. And so, the two of them decided to make a bento together in the morning and go to ‘Animal Forest Park’ with Ryōta. After that, the two of them happily discussed what to put in the bento. And, when they had roughly finished their discussion and their drinks were gone, they left the cafe. “Well then… shall we go home?” “Yeah… let’s.” After leaving the cafe, the two of them stopped for a moment. “…Um…” Ayaka seemed to want to say something to Haruto, opening and closing her hands. Seeing her like this, Haruto tilted his head and looked at her. Receiving his gaze, Ayaka blushed shyly. “Is something wrong?” “You know… um…” Ayaka started to say something, but then closed her mouth again as if the words were stuck. Her right palm, while she was fidgeting and looking down, had been repeatedly opening and closing. Noticing this, Haruto guessed Ayaka’s wish and gently held out his own left hand. “Shall we hold hands?” “Eh!?” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka stared at his face with a surprised expression. “Um… it would be troublesome if you got hit on again… if you don’t mind, Tōjō-san.” Haruto averted his gaze from Ayaka slightly and held out his left hand modestly, his ears turning red with shyness. Seeing this, Ayaka smiled from ear to ear and, as if jumping at the chance, intertwined her right hand with his left. “I don’t mind! I don’t mind at all!” She said, squeezing Haruto’s palm tightly. “W-Well then, I’ll walk you home.”

“Yeah, please do!” Ayaka said to Haruto with a beaming smile. The two of them set off for home, holding hands. To the people passing by, they looked so much like a close-knit couple that the thought of hitting on her would not even cross their minds.