Autor: ramzek

In the room he was borrowing from Ryōta, Haruto sat at his desk, looking at his study guide. Studying before bed had become a habit for him. He focused on solving problems for a while, but suddenly stopped his pen and stared blankly at the ceiling. Ayaka’s smile, which he had seen so many times throughout the day, floated in his mind. “She’s so cute…” Recalling today’s date, he muttered softly. Ever since I started dating Ayaka, every day has been truly happy. Haruto realized this deeply. Whenever he saw her smile, Haruto’s heart leaped and was filled with happiness. Furthermore, it wasn’t just Ayaka who gave him this sense of joy. The lively and warm atmosphere of the Tōjō family gently enveloped him. For Haruto, who had lived with his grandparents since he was small and then just with Kiyoko after his grandfather passed away, the daily life at the Tōjō house, wrapped in kindness and constant laughter, had a warmth that made smiles overflow naturally. “It’s a little scary to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t taken that job over the summer…” Muttering this, Haruto looked at the wall in the direction of Ayaka’s room. Since she had woken up early today, she was probably already asleep. “Let’s make lots of memories together from now on too…” Ayaka’s words, spoken amidst the magical atmosphere of dancing dolphins, had left a strong impression on Haruto’s heart. Basking in the afterglow of happiness, Haruto continued his studies. Perhaps due to the effect of the date with Ayaka, he was able to concentrate more than usual. As a result, he stayed at his desk longer than planned, and before he knew it, it was quite late. “Is it this time already? I overdid it a bit.” Haruto tidied up his desk and left the room to go to the kitchen for a glass of water before bed. Since everyone else was asleep, he walked quietly through the silent Tōjō house, took a glass from the cupboard, and downed tap water in one go. “Phew… time to sleep.”

Just as he rinsed the glass and was about to return to his room, there was a noise from the entrance. Shortly after, Shūichi entered the living room. “Ah, welcome home, Shūichi-san.” “Oh? Haruto-kun? You’re still up?” Shūichi, still in his suit, looked at Haruto with a slightly surprised face. “Yes. I was studying before bed, but it went on longer than I expected.” “Ooh, just like Haruto-kun. Impressive, impressive.” Praising Haruto, Shūichi loosened his tie. “Um, are you just getting back from work now, Shūichi-san?” “That’s right. Work dragged on longer than I thought.” Haruto recalled that Shūichi had said this morning he wouldn’t need dinner because he’d be late. “Working until this hour… thank you for your hard work.” “No, really, I’m pretty exhausted today. But you know, Haruto-kun, thanks to that, a big project looks like it’s going to go well.” Although exhaustion was etched on Shūichi’s face as he said this, a refreshing sense of accomplishment was also visible. “So, I’m thinking of having a little drink to reward myself.” Saying “A drink after work is the best,” Shūichi headed towards the refrigerator with a happy face. But on the way, his stomach growled loudly. “Huh? Shūichi-san, did you not eat dinner?” “Ahaha… actually, I intended to eat out.” Shūichi scratched his head embarrassedly and turned to Haruto. “It got later than I expected, and it became a hassle to go into a restaurant and eat. I thought I’d just hurry home, have a drink, and snack on whatever was around.” “Is that so… then I’ll make something for you.” “No, no! That would be bad of me, Haruto-kun! It’s already this late.” Shūichi waved both hands to refuse Haruto’s offer. However, Haruto replied with a pleasant smile, “I don’t mind at all.” “In fact, I’m always very grateful to you all, Shūichi-san, so please let me make something as a token of my appreciation.” Haruto always wanted to repay Shūichi and his family for hiring his grandmother when she lost her job and for welcoming him as if he were a true member of the family. He thought this was the perfect opportunity to do so. “No, no, you don’t need to feel obligated like that.”

“Thank you. But you always eat my cooking and say it’s delicious, so cooking is really fun for me.” Haruto directed a gentle smile at Shūichi. “So please, let me cook for you.” Seeing Haruto bow his head and say this, Shūichi looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, “Well then.” “Is it okay if I ask you to?” “Yes, thank you very much. Then, I’ll get things ready, so please go get changed, Shūichi-san.” At Haruto’s words, Shūichi said “Sorry about this” and left the living room to change. “Alright then.” Standing in the kitchen, Haruto first put Shūichi’s usual beer glass into the freezer. Then, he looked inside the refrigerator and thought about a snack menu. “Hmm, maybe I should make something quick and easy first to satisfy Shūichi-san’s hunger a bit? And then make something more substantial…” Haruto checked the ingredients in the fridge and listed menu candidates in his head. “For now, tofu and kimchi, and… cabbage and green onions should be good. Oh! That’s right, there were gizzards. I’ll use these later.” Haruto took out the ingredients and heated water in a pot. Next, after roughly chopping the cabbage, he chopped the kimchi into appropriate sizes and also sliced the green onions into small rounds. Once the ingredients were cut, he took out two bowls from the drawer under the sink. He put the cabbage in one bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and heated it in the microwave. Meanwhile, Haruto put the chopped kimchi and green onions in the other bowl, added sesame oil, and mixed it. Then, he poured the mixture over the tofu he had transferred to a small bowl. Just then, the cabbage finished heating, so he took the bowl out of the microwave. “Hot, hot…” Haruto removed the plastic wrap from the steaming bowl and cooled the wilted cabbage with cold water. Then, after thoroughly draining the water, he tore up Korean seaweed and added it. After lightly mixing the contents of the bowl, he added sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt and pepper, and tossed it further.

Finally, after tasting a bit and adding more salt and pepper, Haruto plated it on a small dish and sprinkled roasted white sesame seeds on top. Just as the cold tofu with sesame oil kimchi and the cabbage tossed with Korean seaweed were completed, Shūichi returned to the living room after changing. “You want beer, right, Shūichi-san?” “Yes! Thank you, Haruto-kun!” At Haruto’s words, Shūichi nodded with a beaming smile and sat down at the counter seat. Smiling at Shūichi’s cheerful face, Haruto took out the glass he had put in the freezer and grabbed a can of beer from the fridge. “Here you go, Shūichi-san.” “Thank you!” Shūichi accepted the glass from Haruto, his face relaxing at the ice-cold glass. “Then, let me pour for you.” Saying that, Haruto poured beer into Shūichi’s tilted glass. The amber liquid flowed vigorously into the chilled, frosted glass, creating a fine, creamy foam from the convection. Once enough foam had formed, Haruto poured slowly and quietly. Holding the glass, now crowned with a mound of foam and shining gold, Shūichi praised Haruto admiringly. “Wow, wonderful! It’s perfect, Haruto-kun!” “Thank you very much.” “Well then, let’s dig in.” Shūichi put his lips to the glass as if he couldn’t wait and tilted it back. He drank the beer, his throat gurgling. After downing about half the glass in one go, he slammed it down on the counter with an expression as if he had reached a state of pure bliss. “Kuuu~! This moment is irresistible!” Seeing Shūichi drink beer so deliciously made Haruto feel happy too. “Here is cold tofu with sesame oil kimchi, and cabbage tossed with Korean seaweed. Please enjoy.” Standing in the kitchen, Haruto reached out and placed the snacks he had just made on the counter table. “Ooh, you made these in such a short time? You’re as efficient as ever, Haruto-kun.” “Grandma would have made three dishes in this time.”

“That’s amazing. I’d like to try Kiyoko-san’s snacks someday too.” Saying that, Shūichi put his hands together in thanks, then reached for the cabbage dish with his chopsticks first. Eating the Korean seaweed and cabbage together, his eyes widened, and he immediately washed it down with beer. “Haruto-kun! This makes the beer unstoppable!” No sooner had he said that than Shūichi threw another mouthful of the cabbage dish into his mouth and gulped down more beer. “Pwah! Delicious! This cold tofu too… yes, yes! This is delicious too, Haruto-kun!” “I’m glad it suits your taste.” The cabbage dish was seasoned a bit strongly to go well with the beer. In contrast, the cold tofu had the spiciness of kimchi and the flavor of green onions to stimulate the appetite. Haruto internally pumped his fist at the sight of Shūichi eating and saying “Delicious, delicious!” To satisfy Shūichi even more, he took the gizzards out of the refrigerator. “Shūichi-san, how hungry are you? Can you eat quite a bit?” “If it’s your cooking, Haruto-kun, I’m hungry enough to eat forever.” “Understood. Then I’ll make a variety of things.” Smiling at Shūichi’s reply, Haruto quickly boiled the gizzards to remove any smell, cut the sinew, and stir-fried them in a greased frying pan. “Man, it feels like I’m in an izakaya1.” “I’ll do my best to make it close to restaurant quality.” “Ahaha! Your cooking is already on par with, if not better than, any izakaya, Haruto-kun.” Shūichi laughed, vouching for Haruto’s cooking despite his modesty. Returning a smile and saying “Thank you,” Haruto sprinkled cooking sake over the browned gizzards, covered the pan, and steamed them. Just then, noticing that Shūichi’s glass was almost empty, Haruto took a new can of beer from the fridge. “Here you go, Shūichi-san.” “Thank you, thank you! Sorry about this!” Shūichi cheerfully offered his glass and beamed as the beer was poured. Shūichi drank the beer deliciously again and reached for the snacks with his chopsticks. Checking how much of the snacks were left, Haruto took out an eggplant and cut it into half-moons. Then, he placed another frying pan next to the

one steaming the gizzards and stir-fried the eggplant in oil. After sprinkling salt and pepper on the eggplant, Haruto finely chopped a white leek, removed the lid from the pan with the gizzards, and added the leek. Once the white leek had wilted, he mixed the gizzards with a seasoning blend of chicken bouillon granules, sesame oil, lemon juice, and grated garlic, stir-frying them together, and finally adjusted the taste with salt and pepper. “This is gizzards with green onion, salt, and lemon.” Haruto presented the plated gizzards in front of Shūichi. “Ohoho! I’ve been waiting for this!” The aroma of fragrant garlic and sesame oil wafted from the dish placed on the counter, greatly stimulating Shūichi’s appetite. “Let’s dig in!” With sparkling eyes, Shūichi picked up a piece of gizzard coated in the green onion sauce with his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. “Haf… hot… mm, mm! Delicious! This is the best, Haruto-kun!” Shūichi gave Haruto a thumbs-up and hurriedly drank some beer. “The appetizing scent of sesame oil and garlic, the salty seasoning that goes with beer, but the acidity of the lemon cuts the richness so I feel like I could eat this forever… Haruto-kun! Thank you!” Shūichi cheerfully extended his hand and shook Haruto’s. “I’m glad you like it.” Haruto responded to the handshake, then took bacon from the fridge and cut it into about one-centimeter strips. He added it to the frying pan with the wilted eggplant and stir-fried them further. Once the eggplant had absorbed the bacon fat and started to smell good, Haruto transferred it to a heat-resistant dish and sprinkled plenty of cheese on top. Then, as he picked up a kitchen torch, Shūichi, who had been watching Haruto cook, spoke with a beaming smile. “Ah, Haruto-kun. What masterpiece are you about to create…” At those words, Haruto smiled and ignited the torch, searing the cheese. The cheese melted while browning. Shūichi also let out a melted “Ahh…” “This is grilled eggplant and bacon with seared cheese. Please try it.” Shūichi slowly shook his head at the attractive dish placed next to the gizzards.

“Haruto-kun. No… this is no good. If you do this, I’ll become a captive of Izakaya Haruto.” “Hehehe, we await your visit anytime.” “I’ll become a regular.” Saying such things, Shūichi ate the eggplant and bacon, stretching strings of cheese. “The beer won’t stop!” Captivated by the charm of Izakaya Haruto, Shūichi smacked his lips over Haruto’s snacks, his face slightly flushed with alcohol. Happily watching this, Haruto sliced an onion and soaked it in a bowl of water. “By the way, Haruto-kun. Was today’s date fun?” “Yes. It had been a while since I went to an aquarium, but it was even more fun than I imagined.” “Is that so. Did Ayaka enjoy herself too? That girl has loved aquariums for a long time.” Shūichi slowly tilted his glass and took a sip of beer, his eyes looking a little distant as if recalling the past. “I used to take her there often when she was little. I think Ayaka especially liked dolphins. I still clearly remember her pointing at the dolphins swimming in the tank and shouting excitedly, ‘I want to swim with the dolphins!’” “That’s very cute.” Haruto listened to Shūichi’s story while taking eggs out of the refrigerator. “No, really, both Ayaka and Ryōta are angels and treasures to me,” Shūichi murmured deeply as he slowly brought a gizzard to his mouth. “It’s just that I’ve been so busy with work lately. Ayaka is grown up now, so I often have to ask her to be patient, but Ryōta is still young. I want to keep him from feeling lonely as much as possible.” Both Shūichi and Ikue were company presidents. Due to their positions, they had more freedom in their work style than ordinary employees. However, on the flip side, they also bore great responsibility, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to be away from home for long periods or come home late like today. Shūichi gulped down some beer and turned his gaze to Haruto. “I’m grateful to you. Thank you so much for always playing with Ryōta.” “Not at all. Ryōta-kun is a very good and cute boy, so I get healed and energized by him too,” replied Haruto to Shūichi while cracking eggs into a bowl.

Hearing that, Shūichi’s expression brightened. “No, really! When Ryōta sees me off saying ‘Good luck with work, Daddy,’ just that gives me the vitality for the whole day.” He gulped down another mouthful of beer and smiled a melty smile. “And you know. When I come home after work and Ayaka says ‘Good work, Dad,’ my fatigue blows away in an instant.” Eating the cheese-covered eggplant, Shūichi murmured, “Family truly is great.” Seeing Shūichi so devoted to his family, Haruto smiled and nodded, “That’s true,” as he cooked a rolled omelet. “By the way, Haruto-kun. Can I ask you one thing?” “Yes, what is it?” At the sudden question, Haruto looked up from the omelet he was cooking and faced him. “It might be uncouth to ask this, but…” After muttering a disclaimer, Shūichi asked with a red face flushed with alcohol. “What part of Ayaka did you fall for?” At Shūichi’s question, Haruto froze for a moment. “…Let’s see.” Feeling a slight nervousness at being asked by his girlfriend’s father what he liked about her, Haruto answered. “To me, everything about Ayaka-san is truly charming, so if you ask me where I fell for her, the answer would be that I fell for everything, but…” Haruto transferred the fluffy rolled omelet to a dish, then looked straight at Shūichi and continued. “I like everything, but what I find especially charming is Ayaka-san’s smile.” Ayaka’s smile, laughing happily like the sun. That smile warmly filled Haruto’s heart and made him feel happy. It was a magical smile. “Ayaka-san’s smile is very precious to me, and it makes me want to keep watching it forever.” Ayaka had very beautiful features. Enough to be called the most beautiful girl in school. However, Haruto felt that the charm of her smile wasn’t created by her excellent appearance. It was the humanity Ayaka possessed.

A kind, beautiful, and caring heart. A pure and innocent, yet slightly airheaded nature. Such inner charms made her smile shine even brighter. When he explained it like that, Shūichi nodded vigorously. “Man! I’m really glad my daughter’s boyfriend is you!” Saying that, Shūichi downed the remaining beer in his glass in one go. “Would you like another glass?” “I think I will.” Red-faced and in high spirits, Shūichi held out his glass. Thinking, Maybe I should make some clam miso soup for tomorrow? Haruto poured beer into his glass. Just then, the living room door opened, and Ikue appeared in her nightwear. “Oh? Welcome home, dear. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you were back.” Saying that, Ikue approached them, tilting her head slightly. Shūichi lightly raised the glass in his hand to her and replied “I’m home,” then explained the situation. “Don’t worry about it at all. Right now, Haruto-kun is treating me to his cooking.” Shūichi raised the glass in his hand toward Ikue, his face a picture of pure joy. “How about it? Will you join me at Izakaya Haruto, Ikue?” “My, my. You’re certainly in a good mood, dear. Did your work go well today?” “It did. Looks like we’ll secure that project without any issues.” “Oh my! That calls for a celebration.” Ikue clapped her hands together with a smile, then turned her eyes to Haruto. “Haruto-kun. I’m sorry for intruding so late at night, but may I join you?” “Of course. Would you like a drink too, Ikue-san?” When Haruto asked, Ikue, who had sat down on the counter seat next to Shūichi, nodded. “I think I will. Do you mind, dear?” “Of course! Let’s raise a toast together!” Shūichi, who was completely tipsy, raised his glass high. “Fufu, then I’ll have a drink too,” said Ikue in a slightly bouncy voice. “Beer for you too, Ikue-san?”

“Yes, if I may?” “Of course. Please stay seated, Ikue-san.” Haruto stopped Ikue as she tried to go get the beer herself. He handed her a glass, took a can of beer from the refrigerator, and poured it into her glass. “Thank you, Haruto-kun. Alright, dear. Cheers.” “Cheers!” Ikue held the glass with both hands as if wrapping them around it, raised it slightly to clink with Shūichi, and sipped her beer. “Ufufu. The beer you poured is very delicious, Haruto-kun.” Ikue smiled happily. Haruto returned a small bow, then transferred the dashi stock stocked in the fridge to a pot, adding soy sauce and mirin while warming it up. “The snacks Haruto-kun made are exquisite, so you must try them. They go dangerously well with beer.” Shūichi offered the dishes placed in front of him to Ikue. “Oh, they all look delicious.” Ikue placed her glass on the counter for a moment, switched to chopsticks, and took a bite of the gizzards with green onion, salt, and lemon. “Mmm~, as expected of Haruto-kun.” “Thank you very much.” Pleased with Ikue’s praise, Haruto poured the seasoned dashi over the rolled omelet he had made earlier. Finally, he sprinkled green onions on top and served it to Shūichi and Ikue. “This is dashi-soaked rolled omelet.” “Oh? You’re going with something gentle this time.” Shūichi, reaching for the rolled omelet with a delighted face, took a bite and his expression crumbled into a grin. “Hoho.” “Coming with this gentleness after attacking with richness, well played, Haruto-kun!” Seeing Shūichi speaking in a completely drunken tone, Ikue smiled and said “Oh, you,” as she also brought a piece of the omelet to her mouth. “The flavor of the dashi is lovely.” Satisfied with Haruto’s cooking, the Tōjō couple drank their beer. Feeling the couple’s cheerful mood, Haruto took the onions he had been soaking in water, mixed them with canned tuna that had been drained of oil

and flaked. He seasoned it with mayonnaise, garlic, salt, and pepper, plated it, and placed it next to the dashi-soaked rolled omelet. Shūichi immediately reached for the onion salad. “Simple things like this are appreciated too.” Nodding as he said this, Shūichi downed the remaining beer in his glass in one go. “By the way, dear. Did you hear about Ayaka’s test results this time?” As Ikue picked at the cabbage tossed with Korean seaweed and spoke to Shūichi, he tilted his head while having his beer refilled by Haruto. “No, I don’t think I have. Did something happen?” “Ayaka got the best test results she’s ever had this time. She must have been really happy, because she showed me her answer sheets and bragged about it.” Perhaps recalling Ayaka’s demeanor at the time, Ikue let out a small “fufu” and chuckled. “That’s amazing! Studying hard is a good thing!” Shūichi thanked Haruto for pouring the beer, then downed it happily upon learning of his daughter’s hard work. Matching him, Ikue took a sip of her beer and then turned her gaze to Haruto. “It’s thanks to you that she was able to get such good results on her tests, Haruto-kun.” “No, that was the result of Ayaka-san’s own hard work. I just helped her study a little.” When Haruto humbly demurred, Shūichi placed his glass on the counter and looked at Haruto with a serious gaze. “Haruto-kun. Thank you, for my daughter.” Seeing Shūichi bow deeply, Haruto waved his hands in a slight panic. “Y-You’re exaggerating, Shūichi-san! Please raise your head!” “No, no, I’m not exaggerating.” Shūichi shook his head, picked up his glass again, took a sip of beer, and began to speak. “Haruto-kun. Studying at school means almost nothing once you’re out in the real world. Whether you get a hundred or a failing grade on a high school test, once you’re a working adult, it’s nothing more than a topic for drinking parties.” Shūichi took another sip of beer, then continued, “However.”

“Setting a goal to get good results on a test, and working hard toward that goal. And then, brilliantly achieving that goal. This process, this experience of success, is something very valuable. Being a working adult is freer than you kids imagine, but it’s also more unreasonable. The walls of life are scattered all over the place.” Staring at the bubbles popping in his glass, Shūichi spoke with deep feeling. “In such a harsh society, the experience of working hard and having it properly rewarded becomes a solid confidence. That is a very important thing. Thanks to you, Haruto-kun, my daughter was able to have that precious experience. Thank you, truly.” Shūichi bowed to Haruto again, then looked startled as he raised his head. “This won’t do. I accidentally started preaching! Sorry about that, Haruto-kun.” “Not at all. It was very insightful.” “Now, now, Haruto-kun. If you spoil a drunkard, he’ll get carried away, you know?” At Haruto’s words, Shūichi drained his beer in high spirits. Just then, Ikue tilted her head and asked Haruto. “By the way, how were your test results, Haruto-kun?” “Ah, um, I was top of the grade for this test too,” Haruto answered a little shyly. Ikue applauded softly at his test results. “That’s amazing!” “Thank you very much.” Haruto bowed his head slightly to hide his embarrassment. Shūichi smiled and said. “We have to celebrate this! Beer… well, you can’t drink that yet.” Shūichi put a hand to his chin, pondering how to celebrate Haruto. “Um, I’m happy enough with just your feelings, so I’d feel bad if you did anything special.” “My, my. You mustn’t hold back, Haruto-kun. Being top of the grade is a very amazing thing, you know? After all, only one person in the whole grade can be top of the grade!” “Eh? Ah, well… I suppose so?” Haruto looked slightly confused as Ikue stated the completely obvious as if it were a profound saying.

Unless there was a perfect tie, being top of the grade was basically limited to one person. Is Ikue-san getting drunk too? As Haruto thought this, Ikue clapped her hands together as if she had a good idea and smiled brightly. “Haruto-kun, could you come here for a moment?” Ikue beckoned Haruto closer. “Yes, understood.” Called over, Haruto tilted his head slightly but did as she said, going around the kitchen to the counter side. With a beaming smile, Ikue spoke to Haruto as he approached. “Okay, stand right here.” “?” Ikue guided Haruto to stand right between her and Shūichi. “Um… what exactly are you—?” Just as Haruto was about to ask, Ikue started gently stroking his head. “?! I-Ikue-san?!” “There, there, Haruto-kun worked very hard. Good boy, good boy.” Ikue stroked Haruto’s head and praised him profusely, just as if she were praising her own child. Haruto’s face turned red at her actions. “U-Um… I’m a high school student now, so this is a little childish and embarrassing…” Unable to bring himself to brush Ikue’s hand away, Haruto spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper. However, Ikue smiled and brushed aside his words. “High schoolers are still very much children, you know? And a child’s prerogative is to be spoiled by their parents,” Ikue said, meeting Haruto’s eyes. “You’re a little too grown-up, Haruto-kun. Childhood is short, so you have to let your parents spoil you as much as possible while you can.” “B-But… Ikue-san is…” “My, Haruto-kun. Were you about to say something lonely just now?” As she said this, Ikue looked at Haruto with a smiling face that brooked no argument. Overwhelmed by her pressure, Haruto instinctively looked away. His averted gaze landed on Ikue’s empty glass.

As Haruto was being pushed around by the strongest force in the Tōjō household, Shūichi, who had downed his umpteenth beer, patted him on the shoulder. “Haruto-kun! No need to be so distant, you can call me ‘Father-in-law’ from now on if you like!” “Oh my. Then please call me ‘Mother-in-law’ too.” “U-Um…” Faced with the Tōjō couple, powered up by alcohol and more formidable than usual, Haruto was completely overwhelmed. “Haruto-kun!” “Haruto-kun?” With the Tōjō couple closing in on him, Haruto lost all avenues of escape and muttered in a small voice. “Dad… Mom…2” The moment they heard Haruto’s words, the Tōjō couple began to praise him extravagantly. “Yes, Haruto-kun! You worked hard on your tests! I’m so proud of you!” “You’re amazing, Haruto-kun. And thank you so much for making such delicious food. Really, thank you.” Bathed in Shūichi and Ikue’s praise, Haruto felt his body heat up in a way he had never experienced before. Shūichi announced with the biggest smile he had shown since meeting Haruto. “Allriiight! Let’s drink to our hearts’ content tonight!” “That’s right, dear. I believe we have a very good wine somewhere?” “Ooh! Then let’s go with that!” As the Tōjō couple got excited, Haruto, his face still red, retreated to the kitchen for the time being. “Um, I’ll make something that goes with wine.” “Thank you, Haruto-kun!” “Thank you, Haruto-kun.” After that, Izakaya Haruto continued to bustle even as the date changed. Completely drunk and in high spirits, the Tōjō couple made short work of a bottle of wine after the beer, with Haruto’s cooking as accompaniment. Still not stopping, Shūichi and Ikue moved on to sake, and finally even started drinking whiskey. By the time the banquet ended and Haruto crawled into his futon, it was only a few hours until dawn. Naturally, Haruto was starting to feel very sleepy.

Feeling a warmth within that drowsiness, he gently closed his eyes. If… if Mom and Dad were still alive, I wonder if they would have praised me like this… He had lost his parents in a traffic accident when he was very young. However, he hadn’t grown up without knowing love. His grandparents, who raised him in place of his deceased parents, had poured their love into him. Haruto felt that strongly and was deeply grateful. But the hole left in his heart by the loss of his parents had never completely healed. It was covered over, but the hole remained. However, interacting with the Tōjō couple today, Haruto felt something warm flowing into that hole. It felt as if affection was gently filling the void left by his parents, packing it with warmth. Shūichi-san, Ikue-san, Ryōta-kun, Ayaka… everyone is so warm… Feeling a warmth in his heart unlike anything before, Haruto drifted off to sleep. ※ ※ ※ I woke up feeling the morning sun streaming in through the window. “Mmm…” After stretching, I got out of bed and opened the curtains. “Nice weather.” The pleasant morning scenery outside the window refreshed my mind. Maybe it was because of my date with Haruto-kun yesterday, but I felt like I had slept very comfortably and soundly. Ah, right. I’m supposed to call him Haruto now, not Haruto-kun… Remembering that made me grin. Calling my boyfriend by his first name, something I’d longed for… ever since I started dating Haruto, my dreams have been coming true one after another. Savoring the happiness overflowing in my chest, I headed to the living room. “Good morning, Haruto. Good morning, Kiyoko-san.” I greeted Haruto-kun and Kiyoko-san, who were in the kitchen. “Good morning, Ayaka.”

Haruto looked up from the pot and returned my greeting. Kiyoko-san also smiled brightly and said, “Good morning.” “Huh? Dad and Mom aren’t up yet?” “Ah… Shūichi-san and Ikue-san will probably wake up late today.” “Really?” “They were drinking pretty late last night.” Haruto said, then told me about how he had made snacks for Dad and Mom last night. Dad and Mom, that’s not fair! I wanted to eat Haruto’s cooking too! Maybe my dissatisfaction showed on my face, because Haruto smiled and said, “I’ll make some for you next time too, Ayaka.” Haruto really is a kind and wonderful boyfriend… Falling for his charm all over again, I also stood in the kitchen and helped Kiyoko-san with the cooking. “Ah, Shūichi-san and Ikue-san probably won’t be up for breakfast, so could you heat this up for them later?” When I finished making the rolled omelet under Kiyoko-san’s instruction, Haruto pointed to a pot. “What’s that?” “Clam miso soup. When they wake up, could you reheat it and dissolve a tablespoon of sake and some miso in it?” “Yeah, got it.” After finishing making our breakfast, Haruto and Kiyoko-san returned to the Ōtsuki house. Honestly, I want Haruto and Kiyoko-san to stay at our house all week. But I guess that’s impossible. They have to clean Haruto’s house, and most importantly, his precious parents and grandfather rest there. The family altar has to be kept clean. …Maybe I’ll go help clean Haruto’s house next time. While thinking about that and relaxing alone in the living room, Ryōta woke up, rubbing his eyes. “Onee-chan. Daddy and Mommy won’t wake up at all.” Ryōta usually sleeps with Dad and Mom. “Even if you call them or shake them?” “Yeah. Even when I said ‘wake up,’ they just went ‘ugh’ or ‘ah’ and didn’t wake up at all.” “Geez, just how much did they drink?”

Dad gets hangovers occasionally, but I’ve never seen Mom out of commission with him before. Were the snacks Haruto made that irresistible? “Ryōta. Kiyoko-san and Haruto made breakfast, so let’s just eat first, the two of us.” “Yeah! I wanna eat Onii-chan and Grandma’s food!” Leaving our parents, who showed no signs of waking up, alone, Ryōta and I ate breakfast together. After finishing breakfast, Ryōta spread out his toys in the living room to play, and I started washing the dishes. Around that time, I finally heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Hearing those footsteps, which were far from light and could only be described as sluggish, I immediately started heating up the clam miso soup Haruto had prepared. Then, after washing their faces at the washbasin, Dad and Mom slowly entered the living room. “Good morning, Dad, Mom.” “Ugh… mornin’…” “Mmm… morning.” Moving sluggishly like the living dead, Dad and Mom replied in small voices. “I heard from Haruto. You guys were drinking pretty late last night, huh?” “Ah… yeah, a bit. Yeah.” “We drank a little too much…” Dad put a hand to his forehead as if enduring a headache. Mom’s complexion was also slightly worse than usual. Their hangovers looked pretty rough, but that’s their punishment for hogging Haruto’s cooking. “It’s unfair that only Dad and Mom got to eat Haruto’s cooking,” I said, pouting. Ryōta, who had been playing with his Sentai toys, reacted sharply. “Really?! Daddy and Mommy are unfair!! I wanted to eat Onii-chan’s food too!!” “Ugh… I-I’m sorry. Let’s ask Haruto-kun next time, okay?” Ryōta’s loud voice seemed to resonate in her hungover head, as Mom held the side of her head with one hand while trying to soothe the fuming Ryōta. Dad sat down slowly in a dining chair and looked at me standing in the kitchen.

“Where are Haruto-kun and Kiyoko-san?” “It’s Sunday, so they already went home.” “I see.” Kiyoko-san, who works as our housekeeper, has Sundays and Mondays off. “Do you want to eat? Breakfast?” “No… sorry, but right now…” “Mom too?” “Yeah, I don’t think so…” Seeing them both smile wryly, I put on an exasperated expression. “Geez, you two drank too much.” As Haruto instructed, I added a tablespoon of sake to the clam miso soup, brought it to a boil, then dissolved the miso. Then I ladled it into bowls and placed them in front of Dad and Mom. Peering into the bowl, Dad muttered. “This is…?” “Clam miso soup. Haruto said to serve this to you two when you woke up.” “My, Haruto-kun really is thoughtful,” Mom said admiringly, taking a sip of the miso soup. “Haaah~ delicious…” The gentle taste of the clam miso soup seemed to soak into her hungover nausea. Mom’s expression relaxed with relief. Then, after taking another sip, she stared at me intently. “Hm? What is it, Mom?” “Ayaka, you make sure to treasure Haruto-kun, okay?” Jumping on the bandwagon, Dad nodded vigorously too. “Absolutely, Ayaka.” “Eh? Y-Yeah.” I felt more pressure from them than usual. “Hey, Dad? You didn’t say anything weird to Haruto in a drunken stupor, did you?” “…I didn’t say anything weird. Definitely nothing weird.” “Really?” I stared at Dad. “O-Of course.” Suspicious… super suspicious.

Having hangovers this bad means they must have been incredibly drunk. “What about you, Mom? Did you say anything to Haruto?” “Let’s see… I think I thanked him for helping you study, Ayaka.” “Hmm? That’s all?” “Also… well, I said something like, ‘please take care of Ayaka from now on.’ But that’s all. I didn’t say anything weird.” Saying that, Mom sipped her clam miso soup and started talking to Dad, saying things like, “It’s delicious, isn’t it?” Her behavior seemed somewhat feigned, so I continued to direct a suspicious gaze at my parents. Tomorrow, I have to ask Haruto what Dad and Mom said!

Swayed by the train for about an hour and a half. After changing trains a few times, Haruto and Ayaka arrived at their destination. “We’re here!” Looking at the arched entrance gate of the theme park, Ayaka spoke excitedly. Haruto also smiled at her enthusiasm. “You look happy, Ayaka.” “I’ve always wanted to come here, but being able to come here for the first time with you, Haruto-kun… that makes me really happy!” “I see. Then let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest today.” “Yeah!!” Ayaka showed him a dazzling smile. Seeing her so filled with happiness, Haruto was convinced that today’s date would be a very fun and happy one. They entered the theme park. Holding a pamphlet she got from the ticket counter, Ayaka hummed in thought. “Where should we go first, Haruto-kun?” “Hmm. Oh, how about the deep sea corner?” The two leaned in close to look at the park map together. Haruto pointed to a spot on the map and made a suggestion. “Sounds good. You seem like you’d like the deep sea, Haruto-kun.” “Space and the deep sea are a man’s romance, after all.” “Fufu, that sounds like something Dad would say.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka covered her mouth and chuckled. “Well, men are creatures who chase romance, after all.” “Heeh~ Are you seeking romance too, Haruto-kun?” “Of course, I’m a man.” “I see. Then is holding hands with your girlfriend during a date a man’s romance?” Tilting her head slightly, Ayaka held out her right hand to Haruto. With a gentle smile, Haruto softly grasped her hand. “Of course. This is the highest level of a man’s romance.” “Is that so. Fufu, I’m happy.”

Ayaka snuggled up to Haruto’s left arm, hugging it with a blissful smile on her face. Haruto’s cheeks softened in response. The theme park they visited was ocean-themed, allowing visitors to observe and interact with various marine life. Currently, they were holding a limited-time exhibition of rare deep-sea fish. Ayaka stared intently at a stuffed specimen of a deep-sea fish with large eyes and sharp fangs from up close. “…Deep-sea fish kind of look like aliens, don’t they?” “I know what you mean. Something about their form or atmosphere just doesn’t feel like a creature from Earth.” The two walked along, observing the exhibits of strange creatures inhabiting the deep sea with interest. “Ah, Haruto-kun! Look, look! This one might be cute!” Pulling on the hand holding Haruto’s, Ayaka headed towards a tank displaying a palm-sized deep-sea creature. “This is a flapjack octopus.” “Wait, this is an octopus? But yeah, if you look closely, it does look like one.” As Ayaka brought her face close to the tank to observe it intently, the flapjack octopus began to swim smoothly. “Ah, look, Haruto-kun. Those things that look like rabbit ears are flapping! It’s cute.” “Those ear-like things are apparently fins.” Haruto taught Ayaka while reading the explanation about the flapjack octopus’s ecology provided next to the tank. “By the way, apparently flapjack octopuses don’t have ink sacs, so they can’t squirt ink.” “Even though it’s an octopus?” “Even though it’s an octopus.” “I see. But it’s small and cute; looking at it is kind of soothing.” “They say the flapjack octopus is the idol of the deep sea.” “I have to become a fan,” Ayaka said, watching the flapjack octopus stop swimming and flatten itself against the bottom of the tank again. At her words, Haruto spoke exaggeratedly, acting a little playful. “If you get that obsessed with it, as your boyfriend, I might get jealous of a flapjack octopus.” “Fufu, don’t worry.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka looked away from the tank and smiled.

“To me, you’re far more precious than any idol, Haruto-kun,” she said, squeezing his hand tightly. Unable to withstand Ayaka’s high-impact statement, the corners of Haruto’s mouth turned up. “Ayaka, I’m really happy, but… that’s a little embarrassing…” “Eh? Ah…” Seeing Haruto blushing slightly and acting shy, Ayaka looked blank for a moment, but quickly realizing the situation, she turned red all the way to her ears. Ayaka froze in embarrassment. A mischievous-looking boy nearby pointed at her and said, “Hey, Mom. Is that what they call a confession?” “Hey! Don’t point at people! It’s rude!” The boy’s mother bowed to Haruto and Ayaka, saying “I’m sorry,” and led the child away by the hand. “Ugh…” Ayaka’s face turned as red as a flapjack octopus. Haruto smiled wryly and pulled her hand. “Let’s go look at a different tank.” “…Okay.” Ayaka nodded slightly and obediently let Haruto lead her by the hand. Hastily retreating from the flapjack octopus exhibit, the two enjoyed looking at various deep-sea creatures. Ayaka, who had been looking down in embarrassment, returned to her energetic self while looking at the strange and slightly creepy deep-sea fish and the mysteriously glowing jellyfish. Having thoroughly enjoyed the mysterious world of the deep sea, Haruto and Ayaka left the building housing the special exhibit. Haruto squinted in the bright sunlight pouring down from high above. Next to him, Ayaka, completely back to her cheerful self, was looking at the park map with a smile. “The deep sea corner was interesting! Where should we go next?” “At this time, it looks like we can catch the penguin walk. How about it?” Haruto replied to Ayaka while checking the time on his smartphone. “I want to see the penguin walk!!” Ayaka’s eyes sparkled at Haruto’s suggestion. “Then let’s go see the penguins.”

Seeing Ayaka with a look of pure excitement, Haruto pulled her hand with the same smile. They walked hand in hand to the place where they could see the penguin walk. Haruto looked at Ayaka walking with bouncy steps beside him. “Hm? What’s wrong, Haruto-kun?” “I was just wondering if this was really okay for a reward for your test.” Haruto himself was enjoying today’s date very much. And he could tell from her demeanor that Ayaka was enjoying it from the bottom of her heart too. But the two were already officially lovers. So, they could go on a date anytime their schedules matched, without needing a reason like a test reward. Moreover, Ayaka had studied quite hard this time to achieve the condition for the reward, which was getting over eighty on all subjects. Having seen that up close, Haruto had wanted to do something more special for her. “You worked really hard for this test, Ayaka, so I was wondering if this reward matches that effort.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka said his name, “Haruto-kun…”, joy evident on her face. “Listen. For me, spending time with you… making memories together… that’s an incredibly happy time, you know?” “Really?” “Yeah. So today’s date is more than enough of a reward.” Saying this, Ayaka gave Haruto a beaming smile that outshone the sun overhead. Her dazzling smile spread a sense of happiness through Haruto’s heart as well. “I see. I’m glad. Glad that you’re happy, Ayaka.” “Yeah!!” The two exchanged smiles. Haruto was about to take Ayaka’s hand again and start walking, but she spoke up, somewhat hesitantly. “For a reward, today’s date is the best, but… um, there’s one more thing I want to ask of you, Haruto-kun. Is that okay?” “Of course,” Haruto answered immediately to Ayaka, who was pleading with slightly upturned eyes.

“You see. Actually, I’ve wanted to change this ever since I became your girlfriend, Haruto-kun, but I never really found the right moment…” Speaking shyly, Ayaka paused slightly before continuing. “If you don’t mind, Haruto-kun, um… from now on, can I call you… um… Haruto?” At this moment, Haruto felt as if he had been shot through the heart. Her moist eyes wavered anxiously, wondering what kind of reaction she would get amidst her shy, downcast expression. Everything about her was cute and precious, Haruto felt. “Yeah. Of course, that’s fine.” He wanted to hug her right then and there. However, he couldn’t exactly give her a passionate embrace in public. Instead, Haruto squeezed the hand he was holding tightly and nodded vigorously. Hearing his reply, Ayaka’s face blossomed into a joyous smile. “Really?! Yay!” Showing the greatest joy she had all day, Ayaka spoke happily to Haruto. “After all, normal couples call each other by their first names without honorifics! That’s why I’ve wanted to call you ‘Haruto’ for a long time!” “Is that so. You could have told me sooner if that was the case.” “Well, yes, but…” Ayaka fidgeted at Haruto’s words. “Isn’t dropping the honorifics a little embarrassing? It takes courage, doesn’t it? It’s hard to do suddenly, or rather, I wanted a trigger.” “Ah, well, I certainly understand that feeling.” Haruto showed empathy towards Ayaka. There are times when even calling friends without honorifics feels a little embarrassing. “I wouldn’t want you to wonder ‘what’s with him?’ if I suddenly dropped the honorifics, either.” “Yes, exactly!” “But, we’re already lovers, so you don’t have to worry about it that much.” Saying this, Haruto pulled Ayaka slightly closer with a gentle tug. “I’ll accept any request or wish from you, Ayaka.” When Haruto whispered this close to her face, Ayaka giggled ticklishly. “Okay…” Still blushing faintly, she took a step forward with a light thump.

“Then let’s go see the penguins together… Haruto!” Feeling an itchy sort of happiness at the new way of calling him, which still had a lingering awkwardness, Haruto let Ayaka lead him by the hand to the next location. The penguin walk was a very popular event at the theme park Haruto and Ayaka were visiting. As such, a large crowd had gathered around the walking course to see the adorable waddling penguins. “There are a lot of people.” “Maybe there are fewer people over there, and it might be easier to see the penguins.” To avoid getting separated in the crowd, Haruto held the hand he was clasping tighter than usual and led her to a relatively less crowded spot. “You can see them up close from here.” “This might be the first time I’ve seen penguins this close.” Ayaka, who had come right up to the rope partitioning the walking course, said with a face full of excitement and anticipation. Then, guided by a keeper from afar, about ten penguins appeared. They heard the excited voices of children and the heartwarming laughter of the audience at the sight of the penguins walking earnestly with their flippers slapping the ground. And next to Haruto, Ayaka also cheered at the sight of the cute penguins. “Ah! The penguins are here, Haruto! They’re so cute!” As the group of penguins gradually approached, Ayaka repeatedly called out, “Cute!” Watching her excitement, Haruto suddenly imagined something. If he were to gently hug Ayaka from behind right here and whisper in her ear, “You, happy to see the penguins, are tens of times cuter than any penguin,” what kind of reaction would he get? Midway through imagining the reaction, Haruto shook his head to dispel the delusion. “Am I some kind of smooth talker…” Haruto retorted to himself. Hearing his mutter, Ayaka looked away from the penguins and turned to Haruto with a “Hm?” “Did you say something, Haruto?” “No, nothing. More importantly, the penguins are right in front of us.” “Wow! Look, look, Haruto!” With the penguins crossing right in front of them, Ayaka looked at Haruto with a beaming smile.

“They’re super cute!” Driven by her incredibly charming smile and bouncy tone, the delusion Haruto had just dispelled suddenly resurfaced in his brain. “…You enjoying yourself are far cuter, Ayaka.” “Fueh?!” As expected, Haruto couldn’t say it with a cool face. He muttered it quickly in a low voice while looking off in a completely different direction out of embarrassment. Still, it seemed to have reached Ayaka’s ears clearly, as her face turned red in no time. “Th… Tha-thank, you…” “Yeah…” While the two fidgeted, averting their eyes from each other, the penguins passed by. As the walking event ended and the people around them began to disperse, Haruto and Ayaka started moving a beat later. “Um, well… shall we check out that aquarium over there?” “Y-Yeah, let’s.” To distract from the embarrassment, Haruto pointed to a building that caught his eye. Ayaka nodded and obediently let him lead her by the hand. The theme park Haruto and Ayaka were visiting had several aquariums on its vast grounds, each categorized by its features, such as specializing in dolphin exhibits or having interactive zones. The aquarium Haruto and Ayaka headed to had a huge tank installed, in which various types of fish were swimming leisurely. Particularly eye-catching among them was a massive school of sardines. The huge school, formed by countless sardines, moved as if it were a single living organism. “Wow! Look, Haruto! It’s amazing!” Ayaka pressed herself against the glass of the huge tank. Staring at the underwater scenery as if captivated, she said to Haruto. “That school of sardines is huge!” “It said in the pamphlet that the number of sardines kept here is one of the largest in the country.” “Really. I wonder how many there are?” “According to the pamphlet, there seem to be fifty thousand.” “Fifty thousand?!”

Ayaka’s eyes widened in surprise at the number of sardines exceeding her expectations. She stood there with her mouth slightly open, stunned by the astonishing number. Beside her, Haruto placed a hand on his chin and stared at the school of sardines. “It’s an amazing number. But with fifty thousand sardines, it’s basically all-you-can-eat. Sashimi, salt-grilled, kabayaki, and in winter, fish ball soup would be an option too. Also, simmered dishes like ginger-simmered or sweetened boiled sardines would work, and also…” “Geez, Haruto! Don’t make a menu out of the aquarium fish!” “Ahaha, sorry, sorry. Sardines are delicious and have a wide range of cooking methods, so I just couldn’t help it.” “Geez… but, I might want to eat your sweetened boiled sardines, Haruto…” Although Ayaka raised her voice in protest, having had her stomach firmly grasped, she couldn’t quite resist the dishes coming out of Haruto’s mouth and added a muttered comment. Haruto directed a gentle smile at her. “I’ll cook them in a pressure cooker so you can eat the bones too, so I think Ryōta-kun will find them easy to eat as well. The sweet and spicy seasoning will make a good snack for Shūichi-san’s drinks, too.” “Ugh… sounds delicious…” “If I see good sardines for sale next time, I’ll buy them.” “Please do.” Succumbing to the charm of Haruto’s cooking, Ayaka looked at the massive school of sardines in the tank with a complicated expression. “Somehow… now when I look at those sardines, I can only see them as attractive ingredients…” “Fifty thousand sardines… that’s the dream.” Exchanging such conversation, Haruto and Ayaka moved away from the huge tank. After that, the two fully enjoyed the aquarium, admiring the colorful tropical fish in the coral reef and watching the impressive sharks. “I think we’ve looked around pretty much everything here, right?” Ayaka said, having made a full circuit of the building and returned to the entrance. “Where should we go next?” “It’s a little early, but do you want to eat lunch now? It seems like it’ll get super crowded around lunchtime.”

“That might be a good idea.” Since it was Saturday, there were so many people that it was easy to imagine all the restaurants would be packed come lunchtime. They decided to have an early lunch, agreeing that it would be a waste to spend time waiting in lines when they had come all this way to the theme park. “Where should we eat lunch?” Ayaka asked Haruto while looking over the list of restaurants introduced in the pamphlet. “Hmm, how about here? The seafood bowl looks tasty.” “You’re in the mood for seafood, Haruto?” “Kind of. Looking at all the fish made me crave seafood.” “I want to say that looking at aquarium fish shouldn’t make you hungry! But it’s kind of frustrating that I get what you mean.” Haruto smiled pleasantly at Ayaka, who was pouting slightly. “Then, is it decided that we’ll have lunch at this seafood place?” “Yeah, sounds good.” Having decided on their destination, the two immediately headed for the restaurant in the pamphlet. Since it was still early for lunch, Haruto and Ayaka were quickly guided to a table. “You can see the ocean really well,” Ayaka said happily as she sat down at the window seat they were shown to. Haruto sat opposite her and turned his gaze out the window as well. “Eating a seafood bowl while looking at the ocean. It’s the ultimate luxury.” “Right? Living in a house with an ocean view in the future might be nice too.” “Having tea on the balcony in the morning while looking at the sea?” “Wouldn’t that be super stylish and amazing?” “It sounds so amazing I might not be able to leave the balcony.” Chatting about such dreams, Ayaka picked up the menu placed on the table. “What are you going to have, Haruto? Still going for a seafood bowl?” “Yeah. I think I’ll have this Deluxe Tuna Bowl that was mentioned in the pamphlet. How about you, Ayaka?” “Hmm.” In contrast to Haruto, who decided immediately, Ayaka was groaning and staring down the menu. “What are you torn between?”

“It’s between this Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl and the Fried Horse Mackerel Set…” As she said this, Ayaka’s eyes darted back and forth between the two menu items. Haruto leaned forward a little to look at the photos of the dishes Ayaka was agonizing over. “Salmon is hard to pass up, but this fried horse mackerel looks delicious.” “Right?! I guess I should go for the Fried Horse Mackerel Set after all… but salmon too, ugh…” Seeing her unable to decide, Haruto made a suggestion. “Then, how about I order this Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl and share some with you, and you give me a bit of your fried horse mackerel?” Haruto proposed changing his own order to share with her. At his suggestion, Ayaka looked up at him with pleading eyes, gauging his expression. “Are you sure? Even though you wanted the Deluxe Tuna Bowl?” “Yeah. Looking at the menu made me want to eat salmon too,” Haruto said with a pleasant smile, and Ayaka returned a soft smile. “Thanks, Haruto. Then I’ll go with the Fried Horse Mackerel Set.” “Roger that. Excuse me, we’re ready to order.” Haruto raised his hand to call a waiter who happened to be passing by. Ayaka watched him order with a beaming smile, and once the waiter had left, she spoke to him, her face still glowing. “You’re really kind, Haruto.” “Really? I think that’s normal, though.” “No, I think you spoil me too much, Haruto. If I let my guard down, I’ll just end up relying on you more and more.” “I feel like I’ve said this before, but you can rely on me as much as you want, you know?” “See, there you go again, whispering sweet nothings like some kind of devil.” Haruto laughed at her words and retorted, “Isn’t calling me a devil a bit harsh?” In response, she leaned forward slightly and stared into Haruto’s eyes. “I want you to rely on me too, Haruto, you know?” “But, isn’t it kind of… weak for a man to rely on someone?” Having been raised by his grandparents from a young age, Haruto had somewhat old-fashioned values.

“That’s not true at all! I’d be super happy if you relied on me, Haruto.” “Really, is that so?” “Uh-huh! Oh, by the way, I have to give you a reward too, right?” Ayaka said, then made a proposal to Haruto. “For your reward, how about you get to rely on me as much as you want for a day?” “Eh? That’s… what exactly would I do to ‘rely’ on you?” When Haruto asked somewhat hesitantly, Ayaka tilted her head slightly and answered. “Well, um… like a lap pillow?” “A lap pillow, huh…” Haruto recalled the lover practice they had done during summer break. Certainly, Ayaka’s lap pillow was attractive enough to be a reward for Haruto. “Then, I think I’ll ask for that as my reward.” “Okay, roger that.” Ayaka smiled broadly, looking happy. Every day since Ayaka had officially become his girlfriend had been wrapped in happiness. Seeing Ayaka’s smile, Haruto realized this anew. “Oh, is it okay if I stroke your hair while giving you a lap pillow, Haruto?” “Yeah, go ahead.” “Your hair is soft and feels nice to touch, Haruto,” Ayaka said with a smile. After that, the two chatted about trivial things, like which fish exhibits were beautiful, until their ordered food arrived at the table. In front of Haruto was placed the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl, attractive with its brilliant reds and pinks, and in front of Ayaka was the Fried Horse Mackerel Set, fried to a beautiful golden brown. “Looks delicious.” “Yeah! It looks really good!” Faced with the feast before them, both relaxed their cheeks and reached for their chopsticks. “Mmm, the sashimi is fresh and really delicious.” “Really?” Ayaka stared intently at Haruto as he smacked his lips over the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl.

Receiving her gaze, Haruto chuckled “fufu” and asked her. “Want some?” “I want some!” Ayaka answered immediately. Although she hadn’t even touched her fried horse mackerel yet, Haruto offered his bowl to Ayaka for the time being. “Let’s trade,” she said, sliding her Fried Horse Mackerel Set in front of Haruto before eating a slice of salmon from his bowl. “Mmm~, salmon is delicious after all!” Ayaka wore a melty, happy expression. “You can have some tuna too.” “Really? Then I’ll take a bite.” Ayaka happily put the tuna in her mouth and beamed with happiness, saying “Yummy~.” Watching her smile, Haruto took a bite of the fried horse mackerel he had swapped with Ayaka. Inside the crispy breading, the fluffy meat of the horse mackerel overflowed with juicy fat packed with umami, spreading across his tongue. Perhaps his satisfaction with the delicious fried horse mackerel showed on his face, because Ayaka, sitting opposite him and watching him eat, let out a small giggle. “Is it good?” “Yeah. It’s super tasty.” “You can have more if you want.” “But there are only two pieces of horse mackerel?” “It’s fine, I’d rather watch you eating the horse mackerel deliciously than eat it myself, Haruto.” “I-Is that so…” Haruto fell into a complicated state of mind, a mix of happiness and embarrassment at Ayaka’s words, spun with a beaming smile. Feeling Ayaka’s gaze on him, Haruto managed to finish one of the two pieces of fried horse mackerel. “Mmm, thanks. It was delicious. Are you done with the tuna and salmon, Ayaka?” “Yeah, thanks for sharing.” After thanking each other, Haruto swapped the Fried Horse Mackerel Set and the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl back. “Choosing this place for lunch was the right call.” Haruto nodded in satisfaction as he ate the tuna and salmon with rice.

Sitting opposite him, Ayaka also took a bite of the fried horse mackerel and wore a happy expression. Haruto finished the Luxury Tuna & Salmon Bowl with a sense of satisfaction and fullness. Taking a sip of water after the meal, he looked at Ayaka and saw that it would take her a little longer to finish eating. Ayaka was eating with the same relaxed, happy expression as before. Watching her, Haruto suddenly thought of something and put it into action. He leaned forward slightly and began to stare intently at Ayaka as she ate. Unaware of Haruto’s action, Ayaka ate the pickles in the small bowl, then picked up the miso soup bowl and took a sip. Just then, her eyes met Haruto’s over the rim of the bowl. Finally realizing what Haruto was doing, she turned red in an instant. “Wh-What’s wrong, Haruto? Do I have rice on my face?” Realizing she was being stared at, Ayaka showed a slight fluster. However, Haruto continued to stare as he answered. “No, I’m just staring because you look cute eating so happily, Ayaka. Don’t mind me, just enjoy your meal.” “I-I do mind, though…” At his words, Ayaka muttered quietly, turning red all the way to her ears. Even so, he didn’t stop staring, so Ayaka resumed eating, albeit shyly. However, bothered by Haruto’s gaze, she kept glancing at him. Ayaka continued eating for a bit, but eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore and said weakly, “I surrender.” “Being stared at like that makes me too embarrassed to eat…” “I was stared at continuously by you earlier, Ayaka.” “Ugh, but you looked so cute enjoying your food, Haruto.” “Well, you look charming eating so happily, Ayaka.” “Kh…” At the word “charming” from Haruto’s mouth, Ayaka’s shoulders shook with a mix of joy and embarrassment. Then, perhaps to distract from her embarrassment, she picked up the few remaining pickles with her chopsticks and brought them to Haruto’s mouth. “…Here.” “Mm, thanks.” Smiling at Ayaka’s sudden, mysterious “ahhh” move, Haruto ate the pickles offered to his mouth. “Want more?”

“No, I’m good.” Haruto slowly chewed the pickles and shook his head, finally stopping his intense staring. “Maybe I’ll make fried horse mackerel for you next time.” “I want to eat fried horse mackerel made by you, Haruto.” Saying that, Ayaka ate all the remaining fried horse mackerel, her face relaxing as she said, “Delicious.” Having finished their early lunch, Haruto and Ayaka continued to look around and fully enjoy the theme park. At the classic dolphin show, they were captivated by the dolphins skillfully performing tricks, and at the otter feeding experience, they were charmed by the otters desperately reaching for the food placed in Ayaka’s palm. At the interactive corner, Ayaka patted the back of a horn shark, smiling excitedly at the novel texture, and watching her soothed Haruto. Their first date since becoming real lovers. It was incredibly fun for both of them, and time flowed by like water. “Hey, Haruto. Let’s go here next?” “Sure.” Ayaka pulled Haruto’s hand with an innocent smile. The place Ayaka led him to was a transparent tunnel traversing a massive tank. There was an arched tunnel at the bottom of the tank, from which they could observe the fish and dolphins swimming gracefully. “Wow! It’s beautiful!” “Yeah. It kind of feels like we’re diving.” “Right!” Haruto and Ayaka felt like they were taking a stroll on the seabed. They looked up at a dolphin that had come right up close through the tunnel. “This might be the first time I’ve seen a dolphin from below.” Perhaps the dolphin was also interested in Haruto and Ayaka inside the tunnel, as it swam back and forth, spinning nearby. “True. It’s kind of a magical atmosphere.” Blue sky spread above the tank, and the sunlight pouring down from it reflected off the swaying water surface, sparkling like jewels. “Hey, Haruto.” “Hm?” Called by name, Haruto turned his gaze from the dolphin to her.

“This is fun!” “Yeah, it is.” When Haruto returned her smile, Ayaka smiled happily. Then, she turned her whole body toward Haruto. “Let’s go to lots of different places, do lots of different things, and make lots of memories together from now on too, okay?” Light pouring from the sky created numerous shafts of light in the water, and dolphins danced gracefully between them. Various fish swam around colorful coral, creating a rich landscape. Enveloped in such a magical atmosphere, Haruto felt Ayaka was cuter, more beautiful, and more charming than ever. “Yeah, let’s. Together from now on.” Haruto clasped his beloved girlfriend’s hand, gently pulled her closer, and slowly started walking, as if to burn the magical scene spreading before them into his eyes. ※ ※ ※ Inside the train, bathed in the sunset streaming through the windows. Haruto and Ayaka sat snuggled closely together. “Ahhh, the date ended in the blink of an eye,” Ayaka said wistfully, gently stroking the flapjack octopus plushie resting on her lap. “That theme park was more fun than I thought,” Haruto said, adjusting his grip on the paper bag containing souvenirs for Shūichi and the others. “Next time we come, I bet Ryōta-kun would be super happy if we brought him along.” “I’m sure he’d be bouncing off the walls the whole time.” “Seeing Ryōta-kun happy is soothing, so I don’t mind.” Recalling Ryōta’s sun-like beaming smile, Haruto smiled slightly and looked down into the paper bag. Inside was the dolphin plushie he had bought as a souvenir for the boy. “But then the problem is I wouldn’t be able to hog you all to myself, Haruto.” Saying this, Ayaka hugged the flapjack octopus plushie tightly. Incidentally, the plushie she was holding was something she had spotted while choosing souvenirs; she had fallen in love with it at first sight and bought it immediately.

“Then, we can just go on another date, just the two of us, right?” “Yeah, lots of dates.” Seeing her still hugging the plushie, Haruto twisted his lips slightly exaggeratedly to show he was joking. “Ayaka. I think I might get jealous of that flapjack octopus.” “Eh?” At Haruto’s joke, she looked down at the plushie in her arms, then chuckled “fufu.” “Then, is this okay?” Saying that, Ayaka put the flapjack octopus back on her lap and instead grabbed Haruto’s arm, hugging it tightly to her chest. “…It is, but… it’s a little embarrassing.” Fortunately, the car Haruto and Ayaka were in was relatively empty, and everyone else was either looking at their smartphones or sleeping with their heads down, paying no attention to the couple. Ayaka rested her head on Haruto’s shoulder while hugging his arm. “Today was the happiest day ever,” Ayaka murmured in a whisper. Feeling a ticklish sort of happiness at her words spilling into his ear, Haruto let the train rock him. The train ride, which had felt somewhat long on the way to the theme park, felt like it passed in an instant on the way back for Haruto. From the station nearest to the Tōjō house, he walked hand-in-hand with Ayaka, talking about the theme park. Before they knew it, they had arrived in front of the house. “I’m home.” “I’m home.” As Haruto and Ayaka entered the house together, Ryōta came running from the living room with great momentum. “Onee-chan! Onii-chan! Welcome home!!” Ryōta dashed down the hallway with a thud-thud-thud! and stopped abruptly in front of them. “Was the date fun? Did you properly nurture your love with Onii-chan, Onee-chan?” “Eh?! Y-Yes, we nurtured it properly, okay?” Ayaka answered, slightly flustered by her little brother asking with such round, innocent eyes. Even Ayaka seemed embarrassed by Ryōta’s pure, straightforward way of speaking. “Ryōta-kun, we bought you a souvenir.”

“Really?!” At Haruto’s word “souvenir,” Ryōta hopped up and down in place with joy. “Here, this is your souvenir.” “Wow! It’s a dolphin!!” Receiving the dolphin plushie from Haruto, Ryōta hugged it with both hands and shouted, “Mommy!! Onii-chan gave me a souvenir!!” before dashing back to the living room and disappearing from sight. Seeing Ryōta acting the same as always, Haruto and Ayaka looked at each other, exchanged smiles, and headed for the living room. As they entered the living room, a delicious smell wafted from the kitchen where Kiyoko was preparing dinner. In the living room, Ryōta was showing the dolphin plushie to Ikue. “Look, look, Mommy! It’s a dolphin plushie!” “That’s wonderful. Did you say thank you properly to Haruto-kun?” When Ikue said that, Ryōta looked startled and hurriedly ran back to Haruto. “Onii-chan! Thank you for the souvenir!” “You’re welcome. Also, Onee-chan helped choose that souvenir too, you know.” “Onee-chan, thank you for the souvenir!” “You’re welcome. Take good care of it.” “Yeah!” Ryōta nodded vigorously and immediately started playing with his Sentai figures and the dolphin plushie. Apparently, the dolphin was playing the role of the evil organization confronting the Sentai heroes. “Haruto-kun, thank you very much.” Ikue, smiling fondly at Ryōta, thanked Haruto. “Not at all. Ah, I bought souvenirs for you and Shūichi-san too, so please eat them later.” Haruto placed a box containing dolphin-shaped cookies from the paper bag onto the table. “My, my! Thank you.” Haruto gave a small bow to the beaming Ikue, then headed for the kitchen. “I bought a souvenir for you too, Grandma, so please have some later.” “Oh, really? Thank you.”

“Yeah. Also, I’ll help with dinner.” Haruto stood beside Kiyoko and began to help prepare dinner. Watching this, Ayaka also came to the kitchen. “Kiyoko-san. I’ll help too.” “Oh, Ayaka-san, thank you. Then, could I ask you to handle these vegetables?” “Understood.” In the kitchen, Haruto, Ayaka, and Kiyoko made dinner, while in the living room, Ryōta played happily under Ikue’s supervision. This was everyday life in the lively Tōjō household. This life had only just begun, but Haruto was slowly starting to feel that this house was truly a place to come home to.

On the way home from the karaoke shop. Haruto and Ayaka walked slowly toward home, their two shadows stretching longer than they used to during summer break. “Karaoke was fun.” “Yeah. Your singing was really good, Ayaka.” Haruto nodded in agreement and praised her. Ayaka blushed slightly and gave a shy “Ehehe.” Even though she had accidentally let it slip that they had played the Hokky Game alone, leading Saki and Shizuku to uncover the whole story and tease her mercilessly, the karaoke session had still been enjoyable for Haruto. “You were cool too, Haruto-kun. I don’t know much about enka, but I thought you were really good. I wanted to hear more.” Seeing her say this with sparkling eyes, Haruto gave a slightly embarrassed smile. “Thanks. My grandpa used to listen to enka a lot when I was little.” Haruto turned his gaze to the madder-red sky and began to speak as if recalling the past. “And when I sang enka, he would listen so happily. I wanted to make him even happier, so I listened to enka constantly and practiced.” “That’s so sweet of you, Haruto-kun.” “Hahaha, that was back when I was in lower elementary school, though.” “I see. I wish I could have seen little Haruto-kun singing enka with all his might to make his grandfather happy.” Saying this, Ayaka looked up at the sunset sky just like Haruto and murmured with a smile, “I bet you were super cute.” Feeling bashful at her reaction, Haruto scratched his head with one hand to cover it up and changed the subject. “By the way, you got over eighty on all subjects on your tests, right?” “Yeah! Not just over eighty, actually, these might be my best results ever!” Ayaka nodded with a beaming smile. “I’m going to brag to Mom when we get home.” Seeing her walk with such happy, innocent, bouncy steps, a warm feeling of joy spread through Haruto’s heart as well.

“Anyway, since you successfully achieved your goal of getting over eighty on all subjects, what would you like as a reward from me?” “About that. Do you have any plans for tomorrow, Saturday, Harutokun?” “Tomorrow? Nothing in particular.” Currently, his routine was to spend Fridays and Saturdays at the Tōjō residence. So, he had been planning to help his grandmother, play with Ryōta, and maybe squeeze in some study time in between. When Haruto replied, Ayaka paused for a moment before speaking. “Then, let’s go on a date tomorrow?” “A date?” “Yeah. I realized we haven’t gone on a date since we became a real couple.” “That’s true.” Haruto nodded at Ayaka’s words. During summer break, they had started with a movie date, gone to the Animal Forest park, explored the town looking for limited-edition ice cream, and even went camping. However, since becoming an official couple, they hadn’t been on a proper date even once. “Alright then, let’s go on a date tomorrow. Is there anywhere you want to go, Ayaka?” When Haruto asked, Ayaka took out her smartphone. “It’s a little far, but I’ve wanted to go here for a while. What do you think?” Saying that, she showed Haruto her smartphone screen. Displayed on it was an ocean-themed theme park that combined an aquarium with attraction facilities. “Ah, this place. Yeah, we could definitely spend the whole day playing here.” “Do you agree, Haruto-kun?” “Yeah. Then tomorrow, it’s an aquarium date.” “Yay!! I can’t wait!” Ayaka broke into a smile so wide it looked like it might spill over, and Haruto couldn’t help but smile too. After that, the two discussed their plans for tomorrow’s date until they reached the Tōjō residence’s front door. When Haruto and Ayaka arrived home and entered the living room saying “I’m home,” they found Kiyoko and Ryōta playing Othello.

Kiyoko, who had been watching Ryōta stare at the board with a troubled expression with fond eyes, turned her gaze to Haruto and Ayaka as they entered. “Welcome home, Haruto. Welcome home, Ayaka-san.” “I’m home, Grandma.” “I’m home, Kiyoko-san.” The two replied in turn. Haruto approached Ryōta, who was still groaning “Hmm…” with a difficult look on his face. “Think you can win, Ryōta-kun?” “Onii-chan, listen. I want to put a white piece here, but if I do, Grandma takes the corner. But if I put it here, I only flip one black piece…” Ryōta explained the current state of the battle to Haruto, who was looking at the board from behind him, without changing his troubled expression. “I see, this is the turning point of the match.” Haruto nodded, putting on a serious face to empathize with Ryōta. Just then, Ayaka opened her mouth to offer advice to her brother. “Ryōta, if you put it here—” “Aaaah!! No, Onee-chan!” Ryōta shouted loudly, cutting off Ayaka’s advice mid-sentence. “Hints are cheating! This is a serious match between me and Grandma! You can’t give me hints, Onee-chan!!” “O-Oh, is that so. Sorry, sorry.” Ayaka hurriedly withdrew the hand she had been about to point at the board with, faced with Ryōta’s serious expression. Kiyoko smiled warmly at the exchange between the Tōjō siblings. “Ryōta-kun really is a good boy.” “I want to play fair and beat Grandma.” Saying that, Ryōta began to groan “Hmm…” with a serious expression again. Haruto and Ayaka quietly watched over Ryōta as he thought desperately. Eventually, after a long deliberation, he played his decisive move. The match continued into the endgame, and the result was Ryōta’s victory by a margin of two pieces. “Yay!! I won!!”

Ryōta threw both hands up in the air in triumph. “I lost. Ryōta-kun is strong.” “Ehehe.” Ryōta smiled shyly at Kiyoko’s praise. Seeing that smile, Haruto realized it was exactly like Ayaka’s smile when he had praised her singing on the way home earlier. Impressed by how much they really were siblings, Haruto watched as Kiyoko looked at the wall clock and stood up with a “heave-ho.” “I should start getting dinner ready soon.” “Ah, then I’ll help too. What’s for dinner tonight?” “Eggplants were cheap at the supermarket, so today is mabo eggplant.” “Wow, I’m looking forward to your mabo eggplant, Kiyoko-san!” Ayaka’s face lit up at the mention of tonight’s dinner. “The prep work is already done, so it’ll be ready soon. Haruto, could you make the soup?” “Roger.” Saying that, the two headed for the kitchen. With Kiyoko starting dinner preparations, Ayaka took over playing with Ryōta. “Alright, this time I’ll play Othello with you.” “Okay. I won’t lose to you either, Onee-chan.” “I won’t lose either, you know?” Listening to the siblings’ conversation, Haruto stood in the kitchen alongside his grandmother. “Grandma, since it’s mabo eggplant, Chinese soup should be fine, right?” “Yes. And could I ask you to make a salad too?” Kiyoko asked Haruto as she placed a frying pan on the stove. “No problem. I think there was okra and bean sprouts in the fridge, right? I’ll use those to make a Chinese salad.” Saying this, he took the ingredients out of the refrigerator. Having stood in the Tōjō family kitchen since summer break for his parttime housekeeping job, Haruto already knew the locations of ingredients, seasonings, cooking utensils, and dishes as well as he did in his own kitchen. Haruto skillfully prepared dinner alongside Kiyoko. Just as the delicious smell of mabo eggplant began to waft from the kitchen, Shūichi and Ikue arrived home from work together. “I’m home. Mmm, something smells good.”

“I’m home. Oh, it’s mabo eggplant today. That looks delicious.” The Tōjō couple beamed at the aroma of dinner. “Welcome home. It will be ready in just a moment.” As Kiyoko politely looked up, Ryōta, hearing her words, abandoned his Othello match with Ayaka and ran to the kitchen. “Daddy, Mommy, welcome home! Grandma! I’ll help carry the dishes!” “Thank you, Ryōta-kun, that’s a big help. Here, could you carry these plates?” “Yeah!” Ryōta took the plates from Kiyoko and lined them up on the table. After that, Shūichi and Ikue returned after changing clothes, and everyone gathered around the dining table to begin eating dinner. “Mmm, Kiyoko-san. Today’s meal is delicious too.” “Thank you very much.” Shūichi smacked his lips in satisfaction, and Kiyoko smiled and bowed. “Onii-chan, this soup is yummy too.” “Thanks, Ryōta-kun. Try this salad too.” “Yeah!” When Haruto served the salad for Ryōta, the boy happily stuffed his cheeks and smiled, saying “Yummy!” As always, the Tōjō family dinner table was wrapped in a bright and lively atmosphere. Amidst this, Ayaka spoke to Ikue about tomorrow. “Mom? About tomorrow, I’m going on a date with Haruto-kun.” “Oh, really? That’s nice. Where are you planning to go?” At her daughter’s report, Ikue smiled pleasantly and cast a glance at Ayaka and Haruto. Receiving her look, Haruto told her about the theme park Ayaka had suggested on the way home. “It’s a little far, so Ayaka-san and I are talking about leaving early in the morning.” “My, how wonderful! You know, I went there on a date when I was still dating Shūichi-san.” “Heeh, so Mom and Dad dated at this theme park too.” Ayaka showed interest in Ikue’s words. “Though that was about twenty years ago now. This man, even though he didn’t have a change of clothes, watched the dolphin show from the front row and got soaking wet. And yet he was laughing his head off.”

“Ahahaha, yeah, that happened, didn’t it.” Shūichi laughed out loud, then looked at Haruto and Ayaka with deep emotion. “Still, seeing your own daughter go on a date to the same place you once did… it really hits you right here.” Saying this, he turned his whole body toward Haruto. “Take care of my daughter tomorrow, Haruto-kun.” “Yes.” Ayaka gave a wry smile at the two men exchanging such words and bowing to each other. “Geez, Dad, you’re exaggerating.” As Ayaka shrugged her shoulders at the ever-dramatic Shūichi, Ryōta tilted his head and asked. “Onii-chan. Are you going to the aquarium with Onee-chan tomorrow?” “Yeah… ah… you want to go too, right, Ryōta-kun?” Haruto asked, guessing Ryōta’s feelings. However, contrary to his expectation, Ryōta shook his head. “Nope, I’m staying home. You have to go on a date with Onee-chan and nurture your love, Onii-chan, so I won’t get in the way.” “Ah, thanks, Ryōta-kun.” “Yeah. Do your best on your date, Onii-chan!” Receiving Ryōta’s encouragement, Haruto replied, “Y-Yeah. I’ll do my best,” and struck a guts pose for him. ※ ※ ※ The day after karaoke. Haruto felt the soft morning light through the curtains and slowly lifted his eyelids. He felt he had somewhat gotten used to life at the Tōjō house, which had started after summer break. Sitting up and giving a big stretch, Haruto got out of bed and left his room. He washed his face and brushed his teeth at the first-floor washbasin, then returned to his room to start his daily routine of early morning study. The Tōjō house was wrapped in silence, as no one else was awake yet. The sound of turning textbook pages and the scratching of a pen on a notebook echoed faintly in the room.

After about an hour of concentrating on his studies, Haruto stopped his pen and stretched. “Nnngh… alright. I think that’s enough for today.” He tidied up his desk and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. His grandmother, Kiyoko, was already there, starting to make breakfast for the six of them, including themselves. “Good morning, Grandma.” “Good morning, Haruto.” Haruto exchanged greetings with Kiyoko, then stood next to her and smashed the cucumbers sitting beside the cutting board with the flat of a knife. Having stood next to his grandmother cooking for many years, Haruto could usually guess what she was planning to make just by looking at the ingredients and seasonings laid out. He added plum meat and seasonings to the smashed cucumbers, transferred them to a bag, and kneaded them. “Grandma, what ingredients are we using for the miso soup today?” “I’m thinking of making nameko mushroom miso soup today,” said Kiyoko as she sautéed the eggplants left over from yesterday’s mabo eggplant in plenty of oil. “Ikue-san told me that Ryōta-kun likes nameko mushroom miso soup.” “That’s news to me. I didn’t know Ryōta-kun liked nameko mushrooms.” Haruto thought he had grasped the food preferences of everyone in the Tōjō family through his part-time housekeeping job, but it seemed he still had things to learn. For the record, Shūichi preferred strong flavors that would go well with alcohol, while Ikue liked sour dishes using vinegar or lemon juice, as well as spicy flavors. Ayaka basically ate anything with a sparkling expression saying “Delicious!”, but among those, if he made dishes like simmered fish a little sweeter, he could see a truly happy look on her face. “Then I guess I’ll make the nameko miso soup.” Just as Haruto was about to take over making the miso soup while Kiyoko made the simmered eggplant, the living room door opened and Ayaka came in. “Ah, good morning, Haruto-kun. Good morning to you too, Kiyoko-san.” “Good morning, Ayaka-san.”

“Good morning, Ayaka. You’re up early today,” Haruto said, holding the pot of dashi stock he had prepared. “Yeah. Um… if it’s okay, I was thinking I’d like to help with the cooking from now on too. I feel bad leaving it all to you every time, Kiyoko-san…” Ayaka replied a little shyly. “Oh my, Ayaka-san, you don’t need to worry about that, you know?” His grandmother looked up from checking the eggplants and smiled warmly at Ayaka. “I’m very grateful just to be allowed to work here, so please don’t worry and just relax.” “U-Um… actually, well… there’s another reason I want to help with the cooking…” Ayaka fidgeted with her hands, glancing at Haruto for a split second. Then, her cheeks blushing slightly, she said, “I want to learn the taste of your cooking too, Kiyoko-san… And, I was hoping that someday, I could have Haruto-kun eat the food I make.” Kiyoko’s eyes widened in emotion at Ayaka’s shy but devoted words. “My! My! Haruto! Did you hear that!! What a wonderful girlfriend Ayakasan is!!” “G-Grandma, calm down. Getting too excited isn’t good for you.” Haruto tried to calm down the heavily breathing, excited Kiyoko with both hands. “Ayaka-san! If that’s the case, then by all means, let me teach you how to cook!” Kiyoko went up to Ayaka, took her hands, and bowed her head as if she were the one asking for a favor. Ayaka hurriedly bowed her head in return. “Please, I’m the one asking! I’ll do my best to get even a little closer to your taste, Kiyoko-san!” Ayaka and Kiyoko exchanged a firm handshake, then immediately started making the simmered eggplant together. Kiyoko explained the tricks of cooking and the key points of seasoning with great care. Ayaka listened with a very serious expression, nodding and sometimes trying it herself, learning to cook from Kiyoko. As Haruto glanced at Ayaka while making the nameko miso soup, his eyes met hers as she looked up with a serious gaze. Instantly, Ayaka showed a soft, gentle smile. “Just wait, Haruto-kun. Someday I’m going to win your stomach.”

“Nn… I’m looking forward to it.” Haruto’s heart pounded loudly at Ayaka’s somewhat surprising words. He desperately suppressed the grin threatening to spread across his face as he made the nameko miso soup. Having had his heart rate raised by Ayaka first thing in the morning, Haruto took several deep breaths to maintain a calm exterior while making breakfast. Eventually, the others woke up and came to the living room. Then, the six members of the Tōjō and Ōtsuki families gathered around the dining table. Shūichi took a bite of the simmered eggplant and nodded deeply. “Eating delicious food in the morning really fills you with vitality.” Kiyoko smiled at his words. “Ayaka-san helped make that simmered eggplant.” “Really, is that so! It’s very delicious, Ayaka.” “Thanks. But I only helped a tiny bit, Kiyoko-san made most of it,” Ayaka replied bashfully to Shūichi’s praise. Seeing her daughter like that, Ikue broke into a grin. “Learning cooking from Kiyoko-san… does Ayaka want to grab her future husband’s stomach?” “Th-That’s… I’ll probably get married someday too… and it’s better to know how to cook then, right?” Though her face turned red, her daughter retorted. Ikue pulled back her teasing expression a little and spoke fondly. “That’s true. Cooking is very important for a harmonious married life. Right, dear?” “That’s right. Well, I’m terrible at cooking, so I caused your mother a lot of trouble in that regard.” “I was surprised when I thought you made squid ink pasta, only to find out it was just burnt Neapolitan.” “Ahahaha, yeah, that happened too.” Shūichi laughed loudly at the episode of his past failure. Ayaka looked at her father with an exasperated expression. “Dad… isn’t that failing a bit too hard?” “Well, the apartment we lived in back then had a gas stove, you see. High heat is a man’s romance, isn’t it? Haruto-kun understands this feeling, right?” Suddenly addressed, Haruto looked troubled for a moment but quickly covered it with a smile.

“I suppose so. Watching cooking videos of Chinese cuisine and such does look cool.” “Yes! Exactly! Iron pans moving violently amidst rising pillars of fire! Ingredients dancing in the air! That is truly a man’s romance!” “Pillars of fire and iron pans… but you were making Neapolitan, Dad…” Ayaka sighed “good grief” again with an exasperated expression. Watching the exchange between father and daughter, Ikue smiled “ufufu” and asked Kiyoko. “Kiyoko-san. How is Ayaka’s aptitude for cooking?” “Ayaka-san is efficient and a quick learner, so I think she’ll improve in no time,” Kiyoko replied, her face softening as she listened to the cheerful Tōjō family conversation. “That’s good, Ayaka. You didn’t inherit your father’s terrible cooking skills.” “No, Dad’s cooking isn’t terrible so much as he keeps chasing some weird romance in it, right?” “Ayaka, a man’s romance is essential in cooking, you know?” “That’s exactly the problem, Dad.” Haruto couldn’t help but chuckle at Ayaka and her parents’ conversation, then looked at Ryōta next to him, who was blowing “foo-foo” on his nameko miso soup to cool it down. “You really like nameko miso soup, don’t you, Ryōta-kun?” “Yeah, I like this!” “Does the slight sliminess bother you?” Haruto had arbitrarily assumed that small children didn’t really like nameko mushrooms. However, Ryōta showed a slightly precocious smile at Haruto’s words. “Fuffuffu. Onii-chan, for nameko miso soup, this sliminess is the best part, you know?” Ryōta’s mature phrasing hit Haruto’s funny bone, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “Hahaha, you’re right. Nameko miso soup isn’t right without the slime.” “That’s right, Onii-chan.” Ryōta nodded “uh-huh” and blew on his soup a few more times before drinking it deliciously. Seeing Ryōta’s smile made Haruto feel happy too. You can remove the slime from nameko mushrooms by rubbing them with salt, but that also removes their unique flavor. So he had made the

miso soup leaving the slime in on purpose, and mentally Haruto patted himself on the back for making the right choice. As Haruto drank his miso soup with Ryōta, exchanging smiles and “it’s delicious,” Ikue spoke to him and Ayaka. “By the way, what time will you two be coming home today? Will you eat dinner out?” “No, we plan to be back by dinner. Right, Haruto-kun?” “Yes, we’re thinking of coming back around evening.” Today, Haruto and Ayaka were scheduled to go on a date. Their destination was a theme park with an aquarium and an amusement park, located a little far from the Tōjō house. But hearing the two reply that they would be back by dinner, Kiyoko nodded. “Then, I’ll prepare dinner for six people as usual.” When Kiyoko said that, Shūichi looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, Kiyoko-san. Work is running late today, so I won’t need dinner.” “Oh, is that so? In that case, should I save some for you?” “No, no, I don’t know what time I’ll be back, so I’m thinking of eating out today.” “I see… understood. Then dinner tonight will be for five.” “Sorry about that.” As Shūichi bowed to Kiyoko, Ayaka looked at him with concern. “Are you working today too, Dad?” “Yeah, a rather important project is at a critical stage.” Receiving his daughter’s gaze, concerned that her father had been going to the office often even on weekends lately, Shūichi smiled. “If things go well, we’ll reach a milestone today. Then I can relax for a while.” “I see… Good luck with work, Dad.” “Of course!” Shūichi pumped his fist at Ayaka’s words. After that, the six members of the Tōjō and Ōtsuki families enjoyed a cheerful breakfast, interspersing it with occasional laughter.

During the summer break of my second year of high school, I think I studied the hardest I ever have. I studied so much, far more than any summer break before. After all, if I score over eighty on every subject in the post-summer periodic exams, I get a reward from Haruto-kun. “Alright, I’m going to hand back the tests now. Come get yours when your name is called.” At the math teacher’s words, I clenched my hands tightly under my desk. To ensure I’d get the reward from Haruto-kun, I had studied thoroughly since summer break, and it had paid off—every test returned so far had been over eighty points. Now, if this math test is over eighty too… “Next, Tōjō.” “Yes.” Called by the teacher, I walked nervously toward the podium. Just as he was handing back my test, the teacher spoke to me. “You worked really hard on this test.” I took the test from the teacher and immediately checked the score. Written there in red pen was a ninety-seven. The moment I saw that score, I almost jumped for joy right there. Ninety-seven!! I got my highest score ever on a math test! After returning to my desk, I checked the score one more time. Yes! Now I can get my reward from Haruto-kun! As I was praising myself for studying properly and putting in the effort, the teacher called Haruto-kun’s name. “Next, Ōtsuki.” “Yes.” I reflexively followed Haruto-kun with my eyes as he walked from the back of the classroom toward the podium. “Well done, Ōtsuki. A perfect score.” “Thank you.” At the teacher’s words, a murmur of “Ooh” rose throughout the classroom.

Haruto-kun lightly bowed his head in response to our classmates’ reaction and returned to his seat. That’s just like Haruto-kun… getting a hundred is amazing. And he doesn’t show it off, either. Haaah, my boyfriend really is too wonderful… Oh, that’s right. If Haruto-kun is top of the grade again on this test, I have to give him a reward too. I wonder what kind of reward Haruto-kun will want? My heart beat a little faster as I thought about what kind of reward he might demand. What is it that Haruto-kun wants me to do for him? Maybe he wants me to pat his head? Haruto-kun’s hair is soft, so it feels really nice to stroke. I recalled the time I gave Haruto-kun a lap pillow during our lover practice and stroked his head. Or maybe, something else… l-like a reward kiss? The moment that thought popped into my head, I felt my face flush hot. At the same time, I remembered the Hokky Game I played with Haruto-kun the other day. He suddenly pulled me close with a serious look in his eyes, and then kissed me. Remembering the sensation of Haruto-kun stealing the Hokky from inside my mouth, I couldn’t bear it and buried my face in my test paper, writhing in embarrassment. “Ugh…” “…What are you doing, Ayaka?” As I was quietly writhing on my desk, Saki, who sat diagonally behind me, called out in an exasperated voice. “Eh? Ah, just, Haru… ah, no, nothing.” I almost said Haruto-kun’s name and hurriedly shut my mouth.

It would be a disaster if the name “Haruto-kun” slipped out of my mouth in the middle of the classroom like this. “Hmm? That sounds suspicious.” “N-No, it’s nothing!” I shook my head desperately, trying to avoid Saki’s probing gaze. “Hmm? Well, I won’t force it out of you. Though I have a pretty good guess, Ms. Secret Pervert Ayaka,” said Saki with a smirk. “G-Geez, Saki!!” “Hey, Tōjō. Class is in session. Be quiet.” “Y-Yes… I’m sorry…” Because Saki was teasing me, I accidentally raised my voice and got a scolding from the teacher. Feeling my face heat up with embarrassment, I bowed my head and then glared sharply at Saki behind me. Saki held a hand up to her face and mouthed “Sorry, sorry.” Honestly… lately, between Shizuku-chan and Saki, everyone’s just teasing me… After puffing out both cheeks to show my protest to Saki, I faced forward and focused on the lesson so I wouldn’t get scolded again. After math class was P.E., so I headed to the girls’ changing room with Saki to change. “So, how were your test results? Did you reach your goal?” “Yeah, I got over eighty on every subject. Actually, these might be my best test results ever.” “Ooh! That’s awesome! I guess having an excellent tutor really paid off, huh?” “Yeah, I think so.” When I replied, Saki laughed and said, “You look super happy about it.” “So, since the test period is over and you safely achieved your goal, Ayaka, how about we go to karaoke and have a big celebration?” “That sounds great!” My eyes lit up at Saki’s suggestion. Just as we were about to discuss which karaoke place to go to, we were surrounded by the girls in our class. “Hey, hey, Tōjō-san. You were smiling really big during math class earlier. Were you thinking about him?” “Eh? Ah… no, that was just because I got a good score on the test.” “Tōjō-san, you’re dating him, right?”

“That’s a secret.” “Is he a student at this school?” “I wonder~?” I deflected the usual barrage of questions with a polite smile plastered on my face. Then I made eye contact with Saki to say, “Let’s talk later.” Saki nodded back, “Roger.” Later, when P.E. class ended and we returned to the classroom, my gaze naturally drifted to a specific point in the room. The seat in the back row by the window. Haruto-kun’s seat. While I’m at school, I’m careful not to consciously follow him with my eyes. But inevitably, my eyes reflexively seek him out. Especially at times like this, when coming back from another classroom, or conversely, when Haruto-kun leaves the classroom, my gaze just won’t listen to me. Once again, ignoring my superficial will, my eyes locked onto Harutokun. And then, they narrowed. To my dismay, several students were gathered around Haruto-kun, and troublesome enough, there were girls mixed in among them. Those girls were tempting Haruto-kun with sweet voices. …Or at least, it felt like they were! “Ōtsuki-kun, getting a hundred on the math test is amazing!” “No, this time I just happened to study the same problems that were on the test beforehand.” “Ōtsuki, are you top of the grade again this time?” “I don’t know. We haven’t gotten our report cards back yet, so I can’t say.” “I bet you’re top of the grade, Ōtsuki-kun!” “Haha, thanks.” “Maybe I could get you to tutor me sometime, Ōtsuki-kun…” “Ah… well, if it’s during break time or something…” “Really?!” Oh no! This is going to be a disaster!! The eyes of the girl talking to Haruto-kun have completely turned into heart shapes!! Or so it feels!! But Haruto-kun is handsome, smart, perfect at housework, considerate, and kind, so it’s only natural she’d fall for him. Actually, it’s more of a mystery how he didn’t have a girlfriend until now.

If a bundle of charm like Haruto-kun tutored them one-on-one, any girl would fall in love! As Haruto-kun’s girlfriend, I have to stop that at all costs!! …B-But… how… If I talk to Haruto-kun here and now, everyone might find out that “he” is Haruto-kun… But if I leave it like this, Haruto-kun will be with another girl… Ugh… Ah, but… thanks to Shizuku-chan’s strategy, I have a slight connection with Haruto-kun now! So it shouldn’t be unnatural for me to talk to him a little bit… A-Alright!! I’m going to talk to Haruto-kun!! I made a tight fist and, resolving myself, approached Haruto-kun’s desk. “…Haru—Ah, uh, Ōtsuki-kun.” I almost said “Haruto-kun” and hurriedly corrected myself. Haruto-kun and the students around him looked at me with surprised expressions. Haruto-kun’s surprised face is kind of fresh… cute… “Aya—Tōjō-san, what’s up?” “Ah, um… actually, I got really good scores on this test, and I was thinking maybe it was thanks to you helping me study at the study session the other day, Ōtsuki-kun.” “Is that so? I’m happy you got good scores too, Tōjō-san.” Haruto-kun quickly composed his surprised expression and gave me a smile. His smile was a little distant, and combined with him calling me “Tōjō- san” like when we first met during summer break, I felt a bit nostalgic. It felt like he had returned to the Haruto-kun from when I first called for housekeeping. Wow, the difference in distance between the Haruto-kun now and the Haruto-kun back then is so clear. I can really feel that becoming Haruto-kun’s girlfriend has truly brought us closer. That fact made me so happy I had to fight the urge to hug Haruto-kun right then and there and rub my cheek against his chest. “…Tōjō-san?” Haruto-kun called out to me suspiciously as I trembled slightly, desperately suppressing my desires.

“Ah, sorry. Um… only if you’re free, Ōtsuki-kun. But, um… I was thinking, how about the group from the study session the other day go for… a karaoke celebration?” “Karaoke?” The moment I invited Haruto-kun to karaoke, the classroom fell silent as a grave. But I tried my best to ignore the silence and continued. “Yeah… Me, Saki, Ōtsuki-kun, Akagi-kun, and Shizuku-chan, the five of us. What do you think?” Thanks to Shizuku-chan’s strategy, inviting Haruto-kun to karaoke shouldn’t seem unnatural! Besides, it’s not just the two of us, it’s a celebration with all five, so there shouldn’t be any problem! Fists still clenched tight, I waited intently for Haruto-kun’s reply. After checking the state of the classroom for a split second, Haruto-kun gave me a smile and answered. “Sure. Let’s all go to karaoke then.” “Okay!” I nodded with a smile at Haruto-kun’s reply. At that moment, I felt like the classroom filled with the sound of whispering voices. ※ ※ ※ The moment Ayaka invited Haruto to karaoke, the classroom was filled with a buzz. Haruto glanced around the room for a second, gauging his classmates’ reactions, then immediately put on a pleasant smile. “Sure. Let’s all go to karaoke then.” Ayaka, who had said she wanted to keep their relationship a secret due to past trauma, had taken the initiative to talk to him. As her boyfriend, he couldn’t help but respond to her courageous step forward. At Haruto’s ready consent, Ayaka said “Okay!” with a beaming smile and returned to her desk. The moment she was gone, the students around Haruto immediately bombarded him with questions. “Whoa, Ōtsuki! Karaoke with Tōjō-san, seriously?!” “It’s a group thing, you know. Tomoya and Aizawa-san are coming too.” Haruto answered with a wry smile to the boys asking him with wide eyes.

“Ōtsuki-kun, since when did you become such good friends with Tōjō- san? What sparked it?” Next, the girls asked with sparkling, curious eyes. “Sparked it… well, Shizuku is good friends with Tōjō-san, so maybe that’s why.” “By Shizuku, you mean Dōjima-san from the first year, right? What’s your relationship with Dōjima-san, Ōtsuki-kun?” “Actually, I’ve been going to a karate dojo since I was a kid, and Shizuku is the master’s only daughter.” When Haruto explained his relationship with Shizuku, the boys who heard it took on serious expressions. “If I join that dojo too, maybe I’ll have a connection with Tōjō-san…” “The Dōjima Dojo is always recruiting new students, so if you’re interested, want to come watch sometime?” The Dōjima Dojo had taken care of him since he was young. For Haruto, seeing the dojo, which was like a second home to him, prosper was a very happy thing. “Hmm… I’ll think about it. Let me talk to you about it later.” “Roger.” Haruto continued to be grilled with questions. He skillfully dodged the barrage while mixing in invitations to the Dōjima Dojo. After school. As soon as homeroom ended, Ayaka came to Haruto’s desk with Saki. “Ōtsuki-kun, about the karaoke we talked about earlier, is this place okay?” Saying that, Ayaka showed Haruto the screen of her smartphone. Displayed on it was the homepage of a famous chain store in front of the station. “Yeah, this place is fine.” Around the same time Haruto replied, Tomoya also came over. “Ah, is Akagi-kun okay with this place for karaoke today too?” “Hm? Okay!” Tomoya peered at the smartphone screen Ayaka held out and gave a thumbs-up. “Are we heading straight to karaoke?” “Yeah, that’s the plan.” Saki nodded at Tomoya’s question. Haruto then remembered Shizuku. “Ah, I have to contact Shizuku too.”

“I already contacted Shizuku-chan. She said she’s waiting in front of the school gate.” “I see, then let’s go quickly.” As they exchanged words, the classroom, which had been filled with the noise of after-school chatter moments ago, fell strangely quiet. Everyone was probably eavesdropping on their conversation. Many eyes followed Haruto’s group as they left the classroom. Haruto left the room, doing his best to ignore the gazes that seemed filled with various emotions. After meeting up with Shizuku, the group headed to the karaoke shop in front of the station. Guided by an employee into a private room, Shizuku spotted a flyer on the table. “Hm, a heaping french fry discount campaign… Senpais, let’s go with this.” “Oh, nice! Nice! I’m in!” Saki nodded while looking at the campaign flyer Shizuku was pointing at. After confirming that everyone else nodded in agreement, Shizuku promptly ordered the french fries. While Shizuku was ordering via the intercom by the door, Tomoya picked up the air conditioner remote. “Ladies, would it be alright if I lowered the temperature a bit?” “I’m fine with it. Saki and Shizuku-chan?” Ayaka nodded and then asked Saki and Shizuku. “I’m fine too.” “The room temperature will rise with our passionate singing, so it’s fine.” “Roger. Lowering the AC temp then.” Tomoya lowered the AC temperature after getting permission from the girls. Haruto placed the karaoke remote in the center of the table and spoke. “Who’s going to sing first?” At Haruto’s question, everyone looked at each other. After a brief silence, Saki raised her hand. “Me, me! Okay then, Ayaka, let’s sing together!” “Okay. What should we sing?” “Let’s see…” Saki pondered what to sing while operating the remote.

Ayaka sat next to Saki and peered at the remote with her to choose a song. “Let’s go with this one.” “Okay.” After agonizing over the song selection for a while, the two entered the song. The song title and intro appeared on the screen mounted on the wall. “Ooh! Nice!” Tomoya cheered to liven up the mood. Following him, Shizuku, jangling a party tambourine she had produced from who-knows-where, cheered “Yaaay!!” The mismatch between Shizuku’s liveliness and her usual deadpan expression made Haruto smile. Same as always, Haruto thought, and while he was thinking, the song’s intro ended and Ayaka and Saki began to sing. Their harmonizing voices were quite good, and Ayaka’s voice in particular sounded pleasant to Haruto’s ears. Perhaps not yet used to the atmosphere, Ayaka sang with a slightly embarrassed expression, which was very cute, making Haruto want to hug his adorable girlfriend. Feeling that impulse, he listened intently to Ayaka and Saki’s song, and when it ended, he applauded loudly along with Tomoya and Shizuku. Saki responded to the applause of the three by raising a hand and saying “Thanks, thanks,” while Ayaka smiled shyly with an “Ehehe.” “Okay, who’s singing next!?” Saki asked and raised her microphone. “Alright! Maybe I’ll go next!” Tomoya spoke up. He received the microphone from Saki and put in a song by his favorite rock band. In contrast to Ayaka and Saki’s song choice earlier, intense drums echoed through the karaoke room. Since Tomoya played in a band, he had a good sense of rhythm and pitch. Saki let out an impressed “Ooh” at his singing voice. “Akagi-kun, you’re a good singer.” “Tomoya has been playing guitar since elementary school, and he’s in a band with students from other schools now, so his musical sense is high.” Haruto explained to Saki, who was clapping along to Tomoya’s song. “Heeh, so Akagi-kun’s a bandman.” “He’s all fired up about performing on the volunteer stage at the school festival this year.” “Is that so? That’ll be fun.” Saki showed interest in Tomoya’s band activities.

“If you tell Tomoya you’re looking forward to the school festival stage, he’ll be really happy. Though if you overdo it, he’ll get carried away.” “Ahahaha, true. I can imagine Akagi-kun getting carried away.” Haruto and Saki exchanged words in the shadow of the passionate singing. When Tomoya finished singing, everyone applauded. “That’s rock, Tomo-senpai.” “Yeah! Gotta make your soul tremble when you sing!” Tomoya grinned at Shizuku’s words. “Then, next I shall make my soul tremble.” Saying that, Shizuku took the microphone from Tomoya. She must have already entered her song, because as soon as Tomoya’s song ended, the intro for the next song began to play. “Eh? Shizuku-chan, you’re singing this?” Hearing the intro, Ayaka looked surprised. The song Shizuku chose was by a male rock band with charismatic popularity among the younger generation. It had a fast tempo and a lot of English lyrics, making it quite difficult to sing. However, Shizuku gave a thumbs-up to the surprised Ayaka and began to sing. She matched the fast tempo effortlessly and handled the English lyrics with ease. However, despite her powerful singing voice, her expression remained almost completely blank as usual. Noticing the gap, Ayaka whispered to Haruto. “Hey, Haruto-kun. Shizuku-chan is kind of… amazing in a lot of ways.” “Shizuku is quite a character. That’s one of her good points, though.” At first glance, Shizuku was a black-haired beauty, expressionless and quiet. However, contrary to her appearance, which could be described as a Yamato Nadeshiko, her true personality was quite comical. “She looks super cute and cool because she’s so deadpan, but the moment you talk to her, she starts joking around and teasing you. Since she’s the daughter of a dojo master, is she really strong at karate too?” “She’s strong. Now that I’m in high school, I probably wouldn’t lose thanks to the difference in size and strength, but up until middle school, Shizuku was stronger than me.” “She really is amazing. Shizuku-chan is.” Muttering in admiration, Ayaka applauded loudly when Shizuku finished singing. Shizuku, having finished her song, exchanged a fist bump with Tomoya, who praised her with “Nice, Shizuku-chan!”

“Then next, please go ahead, Haru-senpai.” Saying that, Shizuku handed the microphone she was holding to Haruto. “Thanks. Okay then, um… what should I sing…” Haruto took the microphone and operated the remote to check the recent popular songs. Seeing this, Tomoya snatched the remote from Haruto. “Hey, hey, what are you doing, Haru!” “H-Hey, Tomoya, what are you doing?” “Don’t ‘what are you doing’ me. You have that one specialty you absolutely can’t skip.” “Eh? What, what? Do you have a song you’re that good at, Ōtsuki-kun?” At Tomoya’s words, Saki looked at Haruto with great interest. “Ah, no… I wouldn’t call it my specialty, exactly…” Instead of Haruto, who mumbled evasively, Tomoya nodded vigorously. “Haru’s a great singer! You’ll understand once you hear this song.” Saying that, Tomoya operated the remote and put in the song he claimed was Haruto’s specialty without asking. “Ah, hey, Tomoya!” “Go on, Haru! Show Tōjō-san and Aizawa-san your singing ability!” At the same time Tomoya said this, the song began to play. Hearing the incredibly emotional intro, Saki looked a little confused, saying “Eh?” Haruto, on the other hand, gave a small sigh of resignation at the song playing, shrugged his shoulders, brought the microphone to his mouth, and took a singing stance. Then, the intro ended and Haruto began to sing. True to Tomoya’s claim that he was a “great singer,” Haruto’s pitch was spot on, his rhythm perfect, and his relaxed singing voice was indeed skillful. Furthermore, his deep vibrato and the unique singing technique known as kobushi1 were also perfect. Watching Haruto sing, Saki spoke with amusement. “Eh? Ōtsuki-kun’s specialty song is… enka, of all things?” “See? Haru’s a great singer, right?” “Well, he is good… but it’s kind of funny. Right, Ayaka?” When Saki looked at Ayaka next to her for agreement, she found her staring intently at Haruto. “Haruto-kun’s singing voice is wonderful…”

Seeing Ayaka completely captivated by his singing, Saki gave a wry smile. “Oh boy, I guess for Ayaka, it doesn’t matter if it’s enka or whatever…” Saki’s slightly exasperated words were drowned out by Shizuku’s shout of “Yo! Haru-senpai, number one in Japan!” ※ ※ ※ Haruto-kun’s singing voice echoed through the karaoke room. Is this what they mean by “ear candy”? The enka song he was singing was a very famous one, and I’d heard it a few times on TV music programs. The lyrics expressed a bittersweet, yet passionate and intense love. When I imagined Haruto-kun singing those lyrics to me, an emotion I couldn’t quite put into words—like a heat rising from the depths of my heart, or a shiver—welled up inside me, and my heart naturally began to beat faster. I wish I could listen to Haruto-kun’s singing like this forever… But my wish was in vain, and Haruto-kun’s song ended in about five minutes. As I applauded him enthusiastically, wishing I could have listened more, Saki spoke to me with an amused expression. “Man, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone sing enka at karaoke.” “It’s my first time too, but Haruto-kun looked really cool doing it, didn’t he?” “Well, he was pretty good. But I just thought it was kind of funny seeing a high school student in uniform singing enka… wait, is your face red, Ayaka?” “Huh? I-Is it? …Maybe it’s a little hot in here.” If I told Saki that I was projecting myself and Haruto-kun onto the lyrics of the enka song, she’d definitely tease me again. “Hmm? Should we lower the AC temperature a bit more?” “N-No, I’m fine. Ah, I’m going to go get a drink.” Trying to escape Saki’s probing gaze, I picked up my cup, which was about a third full of juice. Just then, Akagi-kun brought a microphone to Saki, saying, “It’s your turn next, Aizawa-san.” “Thanks. Hmm, what should I sing next…” Seeing Saki deliberating over the remote, I spoke up as I stood.

“Want a drink, Saki? I can bring one for you while I’m up.” “Nope, I’m good. I’ll go myself after I sing.” “Okay. Does anyone else want a drink?” I asked the other three if they wanted drinks too. “No, I’m good.” “Me too.” “Ah, I would like a drink. Let’s go get them together, Aya-senpai.” Haruto-kun and Akagi-kun shook their heads. Then, Shizuku-chan stood up holding her empty cup. “Want me to get yours for you, Shizuku-chan?” “No, no, it would be far too presumptuous to ask my senpai to fetch me a drink.” “Do you really think that?” “Of course not. Not even a speck of me thinks that.” “Geez!” I puffed out my cheeks at Shizuku-chan, who declared this as if it were obvious. But somehow, I had expected her to say that, so a smile quickly returned to my face. “Then let’s go together. Shizuku-chan.” “Aye-aye, sir.” Together with Shizuku-chan, who gave a half-hearted salute, I left the karaoke room and headed for the drink bar. The drink bar was located at the end of the hallway outside the room, next to the elevator hall. As we were walking towards it, Shizuku-chan called out to me from behind. “Aya-senpai.” “Hm? What is it, Shizuku-chan?” “Thank you for inviting me today.” Seeing Shizuku-chan bow her head and say that, my guard went up a little. For this girl to honestly bow her head, it must be a prelude to some teasing! “What brought this on all of a sudden?” I braced myself slightly and asked, and Shizuku-chan paused for a moment before speaking.

“For today’s karaoke, you were the one who invited Haru-senpai, right, Aya-senpai?” “Yeah, that’s right.” “Since you’re able to talk to Haru-senpai at school now, I thought I, the third wheel, would be dismissed and cast aside.” “I wouldn’t do something cruel like that!?” I immediately denied Shizuku-chan’s words as she spoke while staring at her empty cup with her usual blank expression. Perhaps finding my reaction unexpected, Shizuku-chan tilted her head to the side. “Is that so?” “Of course! Because thanks to you, Shizuku-chan, I was able to make a connection with Haruto-kun at school too. I wouldn’t just say ‘you’ve served your purpose, toss’ to someone who’s practically my benefactor!” “…You’re very loyal, aren’t you, Aya-senpai?” “Even if it wasn’t me, I don’t think anyone would be that cruel…” “Surprisingly, there are people who can do cruel things without batting an eye, you know?” “Did something happen in your past, Shizuku-chan?” When I asked that, Shizuku-chan let out a fearless, practically expressionless chuckle. “Fufufu, that’s a secret. A woman with a hint of darkness in her past is cool, after all.” “Is it?” Giving a wry smile at her words, I poured orange juice into my cup from the drink bar. “Either way, you’re still my benefactor, Shizuku-chan. And besides…” I gently lifted my filled cup and looked at Shizuku-chan. “You and I are besties for life, aren’t we?” When she first spoke to me, I was bewildered by her sudden proposal to become “besties for life.” But after interacting with Shizuku-chan a few times since then, I realized that while she has her quirks, she’s a really good girl. At first, confusion was the stronger feeling, but now I genuinely want to be friends with Shizuku-chan. Putting those feelings into my smile, I beamed at Shizuku-chan, and she pouted slightly as she set her cup under the drink dispenser. “You’re unfair, Aya-senpai.”

“Eh?” “Being beautiful and having a good personality… it’s unfair. Plus, you’re huge.” “Huge?” Not understanding the meaning of Shizuku-chan’s last words, I tilted my head. Seeing me like that, she shrugged her shoulders. “Haaah, Aya-senpai. Are you unconsciously pressing those dangerous weapons against Haru-senpai? Are you aware of your own size?” With Shizuku-chan giving me a flat stare as she said that, I finally understood what she meant. “I-I-I-I wouldn’t do something like that!” “Really?” “R-Really!” Shizuku-chan eyed me with suspicion for a while as I desperately denied it, muttering “Hmm,” but eventually she looked away and picked up her cup filled with ginger ale. “Aya-senpai.” “W-What is it?” “…I look forward to continuing being besties for life.” “Ah… yeah, same here. Shizuku-chan.” Shizuku-chan was expressionless as always, but there was an air of shyness about her. Maybe I’m starting to become able to read the subtle changes in Shizuku-chan’s expression. Just as I was feeling a little happy about that, Shizuku-chan raised her cup towards me. “A toast to eternal friendship.” “Fufu, cheers.” I raised my cup too and lightly tapped it against Shizuku-chan’s. Unfortunately, since the cups were plastic and not glass, it made a dull clunk sound. When I let out another laugh, I felt like Shizuku-chan smiled too. Having refilled our drinks, we walked back to the karaoke room side-byside. “Oh, by the way, thanks for the snacks at the study session.” Shizuku-chan and our friends had bought a lot of snacks for the study session. And they had left all the leftovers, saying it was thanks for letting them use the room.

“Not at all… Ah, I believe we left some Hokky, but after we left, did you properly play a rich and intense Hokky Game with Haru-senpai?” “Fueh?! Eh, ah, no, um…” “Eh? …Did you seriously play the Hokky Game, just the two of you?” Shizuku-chan probably meant it as a joke, but having the unexpected truth hit the nail on the head, I found myself stumbling over my words. “N-N-N-NO… WE… DIDN’T.”

“Aya-senpai… I have doubts.” “Ugh…” “Well then, shall I have you tell me in great, painstaking detail what kind of Hokky Game you played with Haru-senpai? You little pervert, Ayasenpai.” Shizuku-chan stared at me with eyes like a bird of prey that had just captured its quarry. “I-I’m not a pervert…” “Yes, yes, I’ll listen to your excuses inside this closed room. Please, step inside.” Saying that, Shizuku-chan opened the door to the karaoke room. Inside was what felt like an interrogation room from hell for me. “Saki-senpai, Aya-senpai has an interesting story to tell.” “Eh? What, what?” Saki, who had just finished singing and handed the microphone to Akagikun, looked at Shizuku-chan with keen interest. Ugh… the number of interrogators just increased to two. “Ayaka? What’s wrong, standing there in front of the door?” Haruto-kun stared at me curiously as I hesitated to enter the room. “…Haruto-kun, I’m sorry.” “Eh? What are you apologizing for?” Haruto-kun gave me a puzzled look at my sudden apology. Just then, Saki, having been whispered to by Shizuku-chan, broke into a wide grin. “Ayaka-saaan, come on, come on, hurry up and come sit over here,” Saki said, patting the sofa next to her. “…Okay.” I gave up any futile resistance and obediently plopped down next to Saki. “My, my, Ayaka-san, you’re quite aggressive, aren’t you? Oh, and Ōtsukikun, I’ll be asking you for your side of the story later too.” “Eh? What are you talking about?” Seeing Saki’s smirking face, I felt my face flush red with shame. Harutokun, still not grasping the situation, looked blankly at us. After that, in the intervals between everyone’s songs, the two interrogators, Saki and Shizuku-chan, exposed the full extent of the Hokky

Game between Haruto-kun and me. As expected, I was teased thoroughly by everyone…

Saturday, just past noon. In Ayaka’s room, Haruto and Ayaka had their study guides spread out, diligently preparing for their tests. Both were concentrating, and the only sound in the room was the scratching of pens on notebooks. Ayaka, who had been writing in her notebook with a serious gaze, suddenly looked up at the wall clock. “I wonder if everyone will be here soon?” “Probably. Tomoya messaged me a little while ago saying he’d met up with everyone, so they might be here any minute.” Haruto also paused his studying to answer, checking his messaging app. “Akagi-kun and Shizuku-chan were meeting in front of the station, right?” “Yeah, exactly. They said they didn’t know where the house was, so they were going to have Aizawa-san guide them.” Today, Tomoya, Shizuku, and Saki were scheduled to come to the Tōjō house for a study session. It all started during Thursday’s lunch break. As soon as Shizuku arrived at Haruto’s classroom, she declared to Ayaka, “Let’s have a study session at your house on Saturday, Aya-senpai.” After announcing this in a voice that echoed throughout the classroom, Shizuku then went over to Haruto and said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “You come too, Haru-senpai, and help us study.” As expected, Shizuku’s statement caused a huge buzz in the classroom. Amidst the commotion, several students asked if they could join the study session, but Shizuku flatly rejected them, citing the size of Ayaka’s room as the reason. In the end, it was decided that five people would participate, including Tomoya and Saki. Shizuku’s strategy was to establish the fact that Haruto had been to Ayaka’s room and spread that information throughout the classroom. While understanding the intent and effectiveness of her strategy, Haruto felt a slight headache remembering the scene in the classroom when she proposed the study session. Just then, the sound of the doorbell rang out. “Ah, I wonder if that’s them.” Ayaka stopped studying and left the room to head for the front door.

Haruto followed her, and Ryōta, who had been playing with Ikue in the living room, ran up to him. “Is it a guest, Onii-chan?” “Yeah, my and Ayaka’s friends are coming over today to study with us.” While Haruto was crouching down to talk to Ryōta, Ayaka unlocked the front door and invited Saki and the others inside. “Phew, it’s cool in here! Oh, yahoo, Ryōta.” “Saki-oneechan!” Saki, having entered the entryway, raised a hand in greeting to Ryōta, who was standing next to Haruto. Ryōta’s face lit up at Saki’s appearance, and he started to run toward her. However, upon seeing Tomoya and Shizuku appear behind her, he stopped dead in his tracks. Ryōta looked back at Haruto somewhat anxiously. Seeing Ryōta’s reaction, Haruto smiled gently and introduced them. “These are Tomoya and Shizuku. They’re both my precious best friends.” When Haruto said this, Tomoya was the first to grin and offer his hand to Ryōta. “Nice to meet you, Ryōta-kun. I’m Akagi Tomoya.” “…Nice to meet you.” While clutching the hem of Haruto’s pants with one hand, Ryōta took Tomoya’s hand with the other and shook it. Next, Shizuku moved in front of Ryōta, crouching down to meet his eyes. “Nice to meet you, Ryōta-kun. I am Dōjima Shizuku.” “…Nice to meet you.” As Ryōta gave a small bow, Shizuku narrowed her eyes. “As expected of Aya-senpai’s brother. Such looks at such a young age. Truly a mass of potential… Ryōta-kun, won’t you join this big sister and take over the world?” “…The world?” “Hey, Shizuku! Don’t put weird ideas in Ryōta-kun’s head!” Haruto hurriedly stepped in front of Shizuku to guard Ryōta. Ayaka, who had been watching the exchange with a wry smile, noticed a large bag in Shizuku’s hand. “Shizuku-chan, what’s in that bag?” “Fufufu, these are essential items indispensable for a study session.” Shizuku straightened up from her crouch. Then, saying “Ta-da!” with her own mouth, she showed the contents of the bag to Ayaka. “Snacks?”

“Yes, snacks. A study session cannot exist without them,” declared Shizuku, puffing out her chest. Ayaka’s eyes widened slightly at the amount of snacks in the bag. “…You bought a lot.” “These are the ultimate best-choice snacks, selected together with Tomosenpai and Saki-senpai.” “Ahaha, it kind of got fun picking them out with everyone.” Saki scratched her head and smiled at Shizuku, who, despite her blank expression, was radiating a sense of smug satisfaction. Then, Ryōta stared into the bag Shizuku was holding with great interest. Noticing this, Tomoya asked Ayaka for permission. “Tōjō-san, is it okay if we share some with Ryōta-kun?” At his words, Ryōta turned sparkling eyes toward Ayaka. “Even if you eat snacks, you have to eat your dinner properly, okay?” “Yeah!!” Ryōta nodded energetically at his sister’s words, then turned his gaze back to the bag Shizuku was holding. Shizuku handed Ryōta some cheap snacks that looked like Umaibo. “I shall give these to you, Ryōta-kun. Corn potage flavor and natto flavor.” “Wow! Yay!!” Ryōta received the snacks from Shizuku and hopped up and down with joy. “Ryōta, say thank you properly.” “Thank you! Shizuku-oneechan!” “Guh.” Ryōta’s beaming thanks seemed to shoot Shizuku straight through the heart. “…Ryōta-kun, could you say ‘Shizuku-oneechan’ one more time?” “Eh? Shizuku-oneechan?” Ryōta tilted his head, blinking blankly, and repeated.

“…One more time.” “? Shizuku-oneechan.” “Aya-senpai, may I take Ryōta-kun with m—” “Of course not!!” Ayaka cut Shizuku off mid-sentence. “Tch.” “Don’t ‘tch’ me!” “Aya-senpai, you always try to hog everything. It’s quite troublesome.” “This is normal, isn’t it?! You’re the troublesome one, Shizuku-chan!” While Ayaka and Shizuku immediately began arguing, Haruto lowered his voice and asked Saki about Ryōta’s shyness. “Ryōta-kun is usually shy around strangers, isn’t he?” “That’s right. But, well, I guess he’s also easily swayed by food.” “Is Ryōta-kun unexpectedly easy to please?” “Well, maybe depending on the situation. But Ayaka was pretty easy when it came to you, wasn’t she, Ōtsuki-kun? I guess they’re similar siblings.” “Haha…” Haruto laughed a little sheepishly to deflect Saki’s mischievous comment. Just then, Ikue came in from the living room. “Oh, hello there.” “Ah, excuse us for intruding.” “Excuse me for intruding.” Seeing Ikue, Tomoya and Shizuku bowed and greeted her. Ryōta, holding snacks in both hands, showed them to Ikue and said in a bouncy voice. “Look, Mommy! She gave me snacks!” “My, wasn’t that nice of her.” Hearing the conversation between parent and child, faint mutterings of “M-Mommy?” and “Huh? Older sister? Huh?” could be heard from Tomoya and Shizuku. Haruto felt a wave of nostalgia as he remembered the first time he met Ikue. Back then, Haruto had also mistaken Ikue for Ayaka’s older sister. Ikue patted Ryōta’s head and smiled brightly at Tomoya and the others. “Thank you very much.” “N-No problem. Ah, and also this… it’s nothing much, but…” Stumbling slightly over his words, Tomoya took a bag out of his backpack and offered it to Ikue. Ikue took the bag from Tomoya and her expression lit

up with joy when she saw the logo on it. “My! Cream puffs from the shop by the station! I love these. Thank you for going out of your way.” “Not at all, since there are so many of us barging in and causing trouble.” Tomoya bowed, his expression relaxing a little. Then, Saki smiled at Ikue. “I remembered that Ikue-mama liked the cream puffs from here, so we all bought them together.” “Oh my! Thank you, Saki-chan. And, let’s see…” After thanking Saki, Ikue turned her cheerful smile toward Tomoya and Shizuku. “Ah, my name is Akagi Tomoya! I’m, uh, Haru… Ōtsuki-kun’s best friend!” “Likewise, I am Dōjima Shizuku, Haru-sen… Ōtsuki-senpai’s best friend. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” “My, my! Both of you are Haruto-kun’s best friends! Tomoya-kun and Shizuku-chan, right? Nice to meet you, I’m Ayaka’s mother, Ikue. Though in the near future, I might become Haruto-kun’s mother-in-law,” said Ikue with a playful “Ufufu” and a smile. “Wait, Mom?! Don’t say weird things!!” “Oh, sorry about that.” “Geez!” Ayaka puffed out her cheeks and looked angry at Ikue. “Hey Haru… leave the speech on behalf of the friends to me.” “I will also provide funny episodes about Haru-senpai.” “No, wait! Ikue-san was just joking!” Tomoya looked at him with eyes full of motivation, and Shizuku gave a thumbs-up. Haruto frantically tried to stop them. However, Saki, who knew Ikue well, smirked and said, “Her words might have been a joke, but Ikue-mama’s eyes looked serious.” “…” Haruto didn’t reply to Saki’s words, but pressed his lips into a thin line. After finishing their greetings with Ikue, Tomoya and the others headed to Ayaka’s room. “Man, I heard about it from Aizawa-san before coming here, but Tōjō- san’s house really is a mansion.”

“I’m confident I could live in the hallway of this house.” “Yeah, I thought that too.” Recalling the width of the hallway extending from the entrance, Shizuku spoke confidently. Tomoya nodded repeatedly in agreement. As Tomoya and Shizuku exchanged such conversation while climbing the stairs, Saki spoke proudly with a smug look on her face. “See? I told you Ayaka’s house was amazing.” Tomoya laughed and retorted. “No, no, why are you being smug, Aizawa-san? Shouldn’t that be Tōjō- san?” “It’s that thing, you know? What’s my best friend’s is mine, kind of like that? Right, Ayaka?” “Don’t drag me into your flawed logic…” Ayaka gave Saki a troubled smile as she opened the door to her room and invited everyone inside. Entering, Shizuku quickly scanned the room before turning her gaze to the lighting on the ceiling. “Hoh, so the lighting isn’t a chandelier, Aya-senpai.” “I wouldn’t be able to relax if there was something like that in my room.” Seeing Ayaka’s slightly exasperated face, Shizuku tilted her head slightly, expression still blank. “I think a chandelier would suit you, Aya-senpai.” “…Shizuku-chan, are you praising me? Or making fun of me?” “Half and half.” “You should just say you’re praising me…” “Just kidding.” While Ayaka and Shizuku were playfully bantering, the others sat down on the cushions laid out around the table. “Somehow, thinking that this is Tōjō-san’s room makes me nervous. Right, Haru?” “Ahh, well, I was nervous at first too.” “Ah, right. Haru, you’re already a regular in this room, aren’t you?” “No, not really. I don’t hang out here enough to be called a regular.” Haruto smiled wryly at Tomoya, who nodded to himself as if convinced. “Where do you inhabit in this house, Haru-senpai?” Shizuku cut off her conversation with Ayaka to ask Haruto. “’Inhabit’? Am I a wild animal?” After a light retort, Haruto pointed his thumb toward the room next door.

“Technically, I’m using the room next to Ayaka’s. Though it was originally Ryōta-kun’s room.” “Under one roof, adolescent boy and girl in adjacent rooms… That’s erotic.” Looking back and forth between Haruto and Ayaka, Shizuku spoke slowly. In response, Haruto and Ayaka’s voices overlapped. ““Why?!”” Shizuku tilted her head slightly at their identical reactions. “Eh? Because on the other side of a single wall is the person you love most, right?” “How does that equal erotic?” “Come on, there’s no way nothing happens in a situation like that. Right, Saki-senpai?” When Shizuku looked to Saki for agreement, she nodded slowly. “True… it is erotic.” “Geez! Don’t you say weird things too, Saki!” Ayaka raised her voice in protest at her best friend’s teasing. Still puffing out her cheeks, Ayaka plopped down onto a cushion. “Let’s hurry up and study, everyone. We gathered today for a study session, after all.” At her words, everyone sat down around the table and spread out their study materials. After that, everyone diligently focused on studying for the test. Surprisingly, Shizuku refrained from cracking jokes or teasing Ayaka, instead focusing on her reference book with a serious gaze as she took notes. For a while, there was no conversation as everyone concentrated on their studies, but Saki, who was tackling math, groaned “Hmm…” and showed her textbook to Haruto. “Hey, Ōtsuki-kun, do you understand this problem here?” “Hm? Ah, this one…” Haruto explained how to solve the problem Saki had asked about. “I see! Understood, understood! Wow, as expected of Ōtsuki-kun! Being top of the grade isn’t just for show. Your teaching is super easy to understand, too,” Saki said with a relieved expression after solving the problem. At that, Tomoya put on a smug face. “Haru’s amazing. He can explain any problem so it’s easy to understand.”

“Akagi-kun’s mysterious smug face is hilarious. Isn’t this where his girlfriend, Ayaka, should be smug, not Akagi-kun?” Saying this, Saki directed the conversation to Ayaka sitting next to her. Ayaka, who had been concentrating on her studies, paused for a beat before looking at Saki with a blank expression. “Eh? What? Did you call me?” Seeing Ayaka’s puzzled look, Saki leaned forward slightly with a “Hmm?” “You’re really fired up for this test, aren’t you, Ayaka?” Saki said, looking at Ayaka’s notebook, which was filled with writing. Ayaka’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Um, well, I was thinking I’d try to aim for over eighty on all subjects this time.” “Oh? But Ayaka, you usually score around there anyway, don’t you?” “Ah, yeah. But, um… this time I definitely want to get over eighty…” Ayaka answered somewhat hesitantly. Noticing that her gaze kept flickering toward Haruto, Saki smirked. “Why are you so fixated on getting over eighty, Ayaka-san?” “Well, um…” “Could it be that if you get over eighty on all subjects, you get a reward from your beloved Haruto-kun, or something like that?” At Saki’s words, Ayaka’s shoulders jumped. “Aha! Hit the nail on the head.” Having been spot on, Ayaka started explaining rapidly, greatly flustered. “W-Well, during summer break, I was studying with Haruto-kun, and we were talking about how we needed a reward or something to keep our motivation up, so…” “I see. So, assuming Ayaka gets a reward from Ōtsuki-kun if she scores over eighty on all subjects, what’s the condition for Ōtsuki-kun to get a reward from Ayaka?” Saki asked Haruto with an amused expression. “Eh? No, nothing in particular for my reward.” “That won’t do! If Ayaka gets a reward, it’s unfair if Ōtsuki-kun doesn’t get one too!” Saki said, a grin plastered on her face. “Right, Ayaka? You have to give Ōtsuki-kun a proper reward too, right?” “Th-That’s… true.” Ayaka nodded at Saki’s words, then said to Haruto a little shyly. “Then, if you get first place in the grade on this test too, Haruto-kun… I’ll give you a reward.”

“Ah, okay… thanks.” She looked so cute saying it bashfully that Haruto felt his own face heat up. Just then, Shizuku, who had been silently concentrating on her studies until now, suddenly threw the pen she was holding and shouted. “Whaaat is going on here! Flirting and carrying on while the rest of us are trying to study!” “W-We’re not flirting.” Shizuku shot a glare at Ayaka, who denied it while blushing. “Nooo, that was definitely flirting.” “W-We weren’t.” “Then let’s have Tomo-senpai, the flirting judge, decide.” Saying this, Shizuku looked at Tomoya, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. “Tomo-senpai, was that exchange just now flirting?” “Hmm, judging based on their interactions so far…” Tomoya crossed his arms, furrowed his brow, looked down with a serious expression, and then declared in a solemn tone. “Haru and Tōjō-san are… GUILTY!!” “Oh, shut up.” Tomoya declared it like a court verdict. Haruto immediately retorted, wearing an exasperated expression. “What the heck is a ‘flirting judge’ anyway?” It seemed Shizuku’s concentration was completely broken, as she reached for the bag of snacks she had bought. “Ah, geez, my mouth tastes too sweet now, I can’t study anymore. It’s time for a break. Snack party time.” With those words, Shizuku upended the bag of snacks and spread them out on the table. “Oh, nice, nice!” Saki also put down her pen, stopped studying, and reached for the mountain of snacks that had appeared on the table. “I’ve been wanting to eat these,” said Saki as she opened a bag of gummies that looked like they had a good chew to them. “Want some, Ayaka?” “Sure, I’ll have some.” Seeing the girls stop studying and start eating snacks, Haruto also turned his gaze to the pile of treats. “You really bought a ton. Can we even finish all this?”

“If there’s any left over, I’ll give them to you and Tōjō-san. I bought them with that intention anyway,” Tomoya said as he tossed a chocolate-covered almond into his mouth. “I see, thanks. Wait, what’s this? ‘Hokky’?” Haruto tilted his head at the snack package he had never seen before. Shizuku explained. “I bought that at the Hokkaido antenna shop. It’s a surf clam-flavored snack made with Hokkaido surf clams.” “Surf clam… is this good? I mean, this looks just like Pock—” “Haru-senpai, pointing that out would be uncouth.” Shizuku interrupted Haruto. Then, as if an idea had struck her, she punched her palm with her fist. “Everyone, let’s play a game.” At Shizuku’s suggestion, Saki, who was eating gummies with Ayaka, showed interest. “A game? What game?” “Fufufu, Saki-senpai. When young men and women gather, there is only one game to play.” “Hmm? What is it?” Saki tilted her head, not quite getting what Shizuku was implying. Shizuku smirked. “It is… the King Game!” When Shizuku announced this loudly, Ayaka frowned slightly. “Shizuku-chan, we gathered today to study, so playing too much isn’t good.” “Aya-senpai, efficient work comes from efficient rest. Studying will go much smoother if you take a proper break and recover your concentration.” “B-But… the King Game is a bit…” Ayaka showed signs of hesitation. “The King Game is that one, right? Where the King’s orders are absolute?” “That’s right. …Ah, are you imagining something naughty, Aya-senpai? You little pervert.” “I-I am not!” Shizuku teased the blushing Ayaka, saying “Realllly?” before turning her gaze to Saki. “What about you, Saki-senpai? Do you dislike the King Game?”

“Hmm, I don’t dislike it… but I kind of have this image of guys proposing it at college mixers with ulterior motives.” Crossing her arms as she answered, Saki continued, “But.” “I do think it sounds fun. So, I’d be willing to play with conditions.” “Conditions?” “Like not forcing anyone to do something they dislike, or not forcing excessive physical contact?” Shizuku nodded in agreement with Saki’s conditions. “Understood. Then, if it’s a wholesome King Game within the bounds of common sense, how about it, Aya-senpai?” “If that’s the case…” Ayaka gave a small nod, then glanced at Haruto to gauge his reaction. Following her lead, Shizuku also turned her questioning gaze to him. “Well, I’m fine with it if no one dislikes it. What about you, Tomoya?” “I’m in too, as long as the ladies don’t mind.” Satisfied with the guys’ responses, Shizuku nodded and promptly took a pair of disposable chopsticks from the snack bag. “Then, let’s King Game.” Tomoya gave a wry smile at Shizuku, who sounded excited despite her blank expression. “Those chopsticks… were you planning to play this game from the start?” “Abso-lutely.” Shizuku gave a thumbs-up, and Saki showed the same wry smile as Tomoya. “I thought for sure you were just the type who eats chips with chopsticks, Shizuku-chan, but it was premeditated, huh?” “For chips, I am normally bare-handed. And licking the index finger and thumb is the ultimate pleasure.” While answering, Shizuku took a marker out of her pencil case and wrote the numbers 1 through 4 and a crown mark on the ends of the chopsticks. Then, hiding the tips in her hand, she thrust the five chopsticks into the center of the table. “Now, preparations are complete. Everyone, please choose your favorite chopstick.” After a beat, Haruto reached out, saying, “Alright then.” Once he grabbed one of the five chopsticks, the others followed suit. “Has everyone grabbed one? Then, on my cue, please pull them out.” Shizuku looked around the circle and said in a slightly louder voice.

“Here we go? Who is the Kiiiing!” At Shizuku’s cue, the chopsticks were pulled out. Everyone immediately looked at the tip of the chopstick they had chosen. “I’m not the King.” “Me neither.” Saki sounded a little disappointed, and Tomoya also reported that he wasn’t the King. Next, Shizuku pouted at not being the King. “Mmm, to think I have fallen to a rank other than King. How about you, Haru-senpai?” “Not me either.” Haruto looked at the tip of the chopstick he had drawn, then slid his gaze over to Ayaka. “Umm… I’m the King.” Ayaka, gathering everyone’s gaze, raised her hand slightly. “So the pervy Aya-senpai is King.” “I’m not a pervert!!” Ayaka immediately denied Shizuku’s words. Saki then asked her. “So, what’s King Ayaka’s order?” “Um… hmm, let’s have person number three… praise person number one excessively.” Saki chuckled “fufu” at the order Ayaka squeezed out while tilting her head. “A peaceful order, just like you would give, Ayaka.” Shizuku also spoke to Ayaka. “I totally thought you were going to throw in a naughty order right off the bat.” “I told you! I’m not like that!” “Realllly?” Ayaka puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction at Shizuku’s suspicious look. “Geez! Shizuku-chan! Anyway, who is number three?” As Ayaka changed the subject, Haruto raised his hand. “I’m number three.” “Oh! Haru’s going to praise me! I’m looking forward to this.” Tomoya grinned “nishishi,” showing the chopstick with ‘1’ written on it to Haruto.

“Having to praise Tomoya, huh? This is a tough one.” “Hey, my charm is so vast you couldn’t finish talking about it in half a day, you know?” Ignoring Tomoya’s banter, Haruto looked at him and began to praise him in accordance with the King’s order. “I truly think you’re a wonderful person, to the point where I’m glad from the bottom of my heart that we’re best friends. People tend to think you’re frivolous and sloppy at first glance, but you actually observe people quite well, and you have the thoughtfulness to casually help out when someone is in trouble. That’s something I want to learn from you.” Haruto praised Tomoya fluently. The person being praised scratched his cheek with his index finger, looking somewhat embarrassed. “O-Oh… thanks.” “Ahaha, Akagi-kun, your face is red.” Saki pointed at Tomoya and laughed. Embarrassed by Haruto’s unexpectedly genuine praise, Tomoya looked away. “Alright, let’s move on to the next order. Everyone, please return your chopsticks.” Shizuku collected the chopsticks, hid the tips in her hand again, and thrust them back into the center of the table. “Here we go again. Who’s the Kiiiing.” “Ah, I’m the King this time~!” It seemed Saki was the King this time, and she waved the chopstick with the crown mark happily. “What order should I give~” she muttered, thinking for a moment. “Okay, decided! Number two has to show us their funniest face with all their might!” The moment they heard Saki’s order, everyone checked their numbers. “Thank goodness, I’m number one…” Ayaka sighed in relief. Sitting opposite her, Shizuku narrowed her eyes. “I seem to be number two.” “We get to see Shizuku’s funny face, huh.” Haruto smirked at her. A funny face from the usually expressionless Shizuku was a rare treat indeed. Shizuku let out a “phew” as if to say, “good grief.” “It can’t be helped. Then everyone, please open your eyes wide and observe. Witness the precious funny face of this super beautiful girl.”

Because Shizuku usually lacked expression, people around her tended to think of her as a cool character. However, her true personality was quite easygoing, and she was a mood-maker who would actively participate in things like this without showing any distaste. She slowly placed both hands on her cheeks and pressed them together from the sides. “Secret technique, Pickled Plum!” With that signature phrase, Shizuku looked around at everyone with her face scrunched up. “Pfft, that face is crazy… fufu.” “Sh-Shizuku-chan, fufu… fufufu.” Saki and Ayaka couldn’t help but giggle and look down. Then Tomoya laughed loudly with his mouth wide open. “The gap with your expressionless face makes it brutal!” Haruto, his lips twitching with laughter at Shizuku’s funny face which had caused a whirlpool of mirth, spoke to her. “As always, you really commit to these things, Shizuku.” “Doing it half-heartedly isn’t funny, just embarrassing. It’s much more refreshing to go all out and get a laugh.” “Bravo!” While everyone was laughing and catching their breath, Shizuku collected everyone’s chopsticks with a smug look. “Okay, let’s keep going. Everyone, pick a chopstick, chop-chop.” At her words, everyone grabbed a chopstick and pulled. The third King was Shizuku. “Fufufu, the time of my reign has finally come.” Shizuku slowly raised the crowned chopstick above her head. “I’ll start with a jab-level order… Number three and number two, please stare passionately into each other’s eyes for one minute.” With the King’s order given, Haruto checked his number. “I’m… number one.” “I’m number four.” Ayaka held up her chopstick. Then, Tomoya spoke up, looking slightly embarrassed. “Ah~ I’m number three.” “So, that means Akagi-kun and I have to stare at each other,” Saki said, checking her chopstick number with a glance at Tomoya. Shizuku set the timer on her smartphone and told Saki and Tomoya.

“Okay, on my signal, stare at each other for one minute. Ready?” Tomoya and Saki nodded at Shizuku’s words. “Alright, here we go? Ready… start.” At Shizuku’s signal, the two stared at each other in silence. For the first few seconds, Tomoya and Saki looked at each other with serious expressions. However, after about ten seconds, Saki’s face suddenly twisted greatly. “…Pfft… Pffft… Fufu…” “Ah, Saki-senpai, laughing is against the rules.” Shizuku, the King, immediately issued a warning. “S-Sorry, sorry. Straight face, straight face… fufufu…” At Shizuku’s warning, Saki’s face returned to a straight expression for a split second, but her lips quickly smirked, and laughter threatened to spill out. “Saki-senpai?” “Ufufu… sorry, somehow thinking I’m not allowed to laugh makes it even more… pfft… uha… ahahaha! Hahaha!” Finally unable to hold it in, Saki looked away from Tomoya and clutched her stomach. “I can’t… fufu… Akagi-kun’s serious face just hit me right in the funny bone… aha, ahahaha!” “Saki, laughing that much is rude to Akagi-kun… fufufu… you know.” Perhaps infected by Saki’s laughter, Ayaka tried desperately to stifle her own giggles as she admonished her best friend. “R-Right. Sorry, Akagi-ku—pfft… pupupu… puhahahaha! It’s no good, hahahaha!” Saki tried to look at Tomoya again, but she couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter once more. Seeing Saki clutching her stomach and gasping, “Whew, my abs hurt…”, Tomoya turned a sorrowful, poignant smile toward Haruto.

“Hey, Haru. Can I… cry?” “My best friend, everyone has a different sense of humor. Don’t worry about it,” Haruto explained while patting Tomoya on the shoulder consolingly. After that, the King Game, which had started as a break from studying, turned out to be quite lively. Halfway through the game, Saki developed a mysterious condition where she would burst out laughing whenever she looked at Tomoya’s face, but everyone was enjoying the game more than expected. “Alright, I’m the King! Okay then, number three… sing the chorus of a song you’re confident in with all your heart!” When Tomoya enthusiastically gave the King’s order, Ayaka, holding the chopstick marked number three, looked troubled and said, “Ehh.” She hesitated for a while, but eventually started singing a currently popular ballad. It was far from the “singing with all your heart” Tomoya had ordered, but seeing Ayaka singing softly in a small voice, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Haruto felt something tug at his heartstrings. Next, Haruto became the King, and on his order, Tomoya was sunk by Shizuku’s special forehead flick. They each took turns being King, giving various orders and enjoying the game. Then, Shizuku’s third turn as King came around. “Well then, now that everyone is thoroughly captivated by the fun of this game, shall I issue that order?” Shizuku said in a meaningful tone, looking at her crowned chopstick. “Shizuku-chan, what do you mean by that order?” In response to Ayaka, who tilted her head and asked, Shizuku broke her rare deadpan expression and smirked. “It’s the classic move when it comes to the King Game.” Saying this, Shizuku picked one of the snacks spread out on the table and held it up in front of Ayaka and the others. “This is the classic King Game move. The Pocky… I mean, the Hokky Game!” With that, Shizuku activated her order as the King. “Number two and number one will play the Hokky Game!” The moment she declared this, Haruto and the others hurriedly checked their numbers. “Ah, I’m number three.” “I’m number four… which means…”

Once Saki and Tomoya confirmed their numbers, they quietly turned their gazes toward Haruto and Ayaka. “As expected of Haru-senpai and Aya-senpai. Only beloved sweethearts would have such luck.” Shizuku smirked at Haruto and Ayaka, who were holding the number one and number two chopsticks. “Okay then, you two, please put both ends of this Hokky in your mouths.” “W-Wait, Shizuku-chan! Are we really doing this?” “The King’s orders are absolute. Come on, come on, hurry up and put it in your mouths.” Shizuku held the Hokky and pressed in on Ayaka, who was flustered with embarrassment. “B-But in front of everyone, this is…” “During the game, we will close our eyes. Problem solved. That’s fine, right, Haru-senpai?” “No, no, wait, wait! Besides, before we started the King Game, we decided the King’s orders had to be within the bounds of common sense!” “It is well within the bounds of common sense. It is perfectly normal for lovers to play the Pock… Hokky Game. Right, Aya-senpai?” Holding the Hokky in one hand, Shizuku sought Ayaka’s agreement. Ayaka, though showing confusion, gave a small nod. “T-True… if it’s a close couple, maybe it is normal.” “Wait?! Ayaka?!” During summer break, Haruto and Ayaka had been practicing being lovers. From the content of that practice, it was already established that her standards for what was “normal” for a couple were anything but, but Haruto had never expected it to blow up in his face like this. He frantically tried to stop Ayaka, who was accepting the Hokky from Shizuku with a determined look in her eyes. “Ayaka-san! I really think doing this in front of people is a bit much!” “B-But Haruto-kun… like Shizuku-chan said, for a close couple, a game like this is normal, isn’t it?” “Yes, it is normal,” Shizuku nodded, backing up Ayaka’s words. Haruto looked to Saki for help. “Ahaha, Ayaka can be pretty single-minded sometimes.” Receiving Haruto’s gaze, Saki commented while watching the situation with amusement.

“No, no, Aizawa-san, don’t just laugh, stop your best friend’s rampage.” “Hmm, impossible. Even I can’t stop Ayaka when she’s in lovey-dovey mode with Ōtsuki-kun.” Saki gave up entirely too easily. Next, Haruto looked at Tomoya without much hope. As expected, he stared back at Haruto with eyes full of jealousy. “A Hokky Game with Tōjō-san… Haru, go explode.” Haruto realized there was no longer anyone here who could stop the game. Just then, he heard Ayaka’s voice, whispering and slightly trembling with embarrassment. “Ha-Haruto-kun…” When Haruto looked at Ayaka, he saw that she already had one end of the Hokky in her mouth, her face bright red, staring intently at him. “……” For a moment, Haruto alternated between looking at Ayaka’s shamefilled face and the tip of the Hokky extending from her mouth, but eventually, he realized there was no escape. He steeled himself, slowly brought his face closer, and opened his mouth slightly to take the Hokky. But just then, unable to bear the embarrassment any longer, Ayaka abruptly turned her face away and took the Hokky out of her mouth with her hand. “I-I can’t do it after all!” “Aya-senpai, you mustn’t run away.” “Doing something like this in front of everyone is just too embarrassing…” “We’re keeping our eyes closed, you know?” “E-Even so…” Ayaka shook her head vigorously, her face still bright red. “B-Besides, we decided on the rules at the start, right? That we wouldn’t force anyone to do an order they disliked.” “Those were the rules, but…” Shizuku looked at Ayaka with a probing gaze. “Did you really dislike it? The Hokky Game with Haru-senpai.” “Ugh… it’s not that I disliked it…” “Hmm?”

Shizuku directed an even more interrogating look at the mumbling Ayaka. As if to escape from Shizuku and the situation, Ayaka clapped her hands loudly. “Th-The King Game is over now!! We only started it as a break from studying anyway! We’ve rested enough! Come on, come on! Back to studying!” “You ran away, didn’t you, Aya-senpai?” “I-I did not run away! Come on, Saki, Akagi-kun, stop smirking and study!” Ayaka forcibly ended the King Game and urged the others to resume studying. Seeing Ayaka desperately trying to regain control while blushing, Saki watched over her with a smile. “Well, if the lady of the house says so, we have no choice but to obey.” “Yeah. Still, the destructive power of an embarrassed Tōjō-san is insane. Right, Haru?” Nodding at Saki’s words, Tomoya patted Haruto on the back, praising Ayaka’s cuteness. Haruto gave a short “Yeah” in reply, trying to maintain his composure and calm his heart rate, which had spiked thanks to the attempted Hokky Game. The King Game ended by the authority of the room’s owner, Ayaka. Shizuku picked up a Hokky stick, took a bite out of it with a snap, and said, “It’s a shame I missed the Hokky Game, but I got to mess with Aya-senpai plenty, so I’ll call it a win.” “I am not your toy, Shizuku-chan!!” Laughter from the others mixed with Ayaka’s protest, and the study session continued in a lively manner. Having finished their break, Haruto and the others studied, chatting, teaching each other, and eating snacks. By the time the sky outside the window began to turn a faint sunset color, Tomoya looked up from his notebook and checked the wall clock. “Whoa, is it that late already?” At his words, Saki also stopped working on her math problem and looked out the window. “You’re right. Time really flies when we’re all studying together.” “Shall we take our leave soon?” Shizuku also looked at Tomoya and Saki while munching on a chocolate snack she had bought.

“Yeah, we don’t want to overstay our welcome.” “Then let’s wrap up the study session.” Saki raised her arms above her head and stretched with a groan. Tomoya tapped Haruto on the shoulder as he packed up his study materials. “Thanks, Haru. Thanks to your teaching, I’ll definitely avoid failing marks on this test.” “If you studied this seriously all the time, you could easily get high scores. It’s a waste.” Tomoya’s test results were always barely passing, flying low to avoid failure, but with his natural intelligence and knack for things, he had the potential to break into the top ranks if he studied properly. However, since Tomoya himself didn’t see much value in school grades, he rarely studied seriously. “As long as I avoid remedial classes, I’m satisfied. High school life is limited, I don’t have time to spend it all studying.” Haruto gave a wry smile at Tomoya’s statement, which went against the idea that a student’s duty was to study. Just then, Shizuku, having finished packing, stood up with a “heave-ho,” shouldering her backpack. “Well then, Aya-senpai, thank you for letting us use your room.” “Yeah, I’m glad I could study with everyone.” “Though it was regrettable that I couldn’t see the Hokky Game with Harusenpai.” “Th-That’s enough about that!” Remembering that moment, Ayaka’s cheeks flushed slightly again. After satisfying herself with Ayaka’s reaction, Shizuku turned her eyes to Haruto. “By the way, Haru-senpai. Your grandmother is also in this house, right?” “Yeah, I think she’s in the kitchen preparing dinner right now.” “If it’s not a bother, I’d like to say hello since it’s been a while.” “Oh, me too!” Hearing Shizuku say she wanted to greet Haruto’s grandmother, Tomoya also raised his hand, saying “Me too, me too.” “I don’t mind, and I think Grandma would be happy too…” Haruto said, looking at Ayaka. Receiving his gaze, Ayaka nodded to convey that it was fine. “Then let’s all go to the living room.”

With that, Ayaka took the lead and they left the room, heading for the living room. When Haruto and the others entered the living room, Ikue, who was working on a laptop at the low table in front of the TV, called out to them. “Oh, is the study session over?” “Yes. Thank you for having us, Ikue-mama,” Saki replied to Ikue with a smile, and Tomoya and Shizuku followed suit, bowing and saying, “Thank you for having us.” “Ufufu, please come play again anytime.” Ikue smiled back at Saki and the others. Just then, Ryōta, who had been in the kitchen, ran up to Haruto. “Did you finish studying, Onii-chan?” “Yeah, we’re finished. What were you doing, Ryōta-kun?” “I was helping Grandma!” Ryōta puffed out his chest and answered Haruto’s question as if to say, “I’m so glad you asked!” Haruto’s grandmother, Kiyoko, came in after Ryōta. “Oh my, hello Shizuku-chan, Tomoya-kun.” “Hello. It’s been a while, Kiyoko-obaachan.” Shizuku bowed, and Tomoya followed with a cheerful smile and a greeting to Kiyoko. “Hello. I was surprised when you collapsed from heatstroke, but I’m glad to see you looking well since then. How has your back been lately?” “Thank you. And thank you for your help when I was discharged from the hospital. Right now, Ryōta-kun helps me with all sorts of things, so my back is much better, and it’s a huge help.” Kiyoko’s eyes crinkled happily at Tomoya’s thoughtful words, and she patted the head of Ryōta, who wore a proud expression. Ryōta puffed out his chest proudly with a “Heheh” as Kiyoko patted his head. Saki then stepped forward and greeted Kiyoko. “Nice to meet you. My name is Aizawa Saki, and I’m in the same class as Ōtsuki-kun.” “Well, well, thank you for being so polite. I am Haruto’s grandmother, Kiyoko.” After they bowed to each other, Saki crouched down to meet Ryōta’s gaze. “What kind of help were you doing, Ryōta?” When Saki asked, Ryōta brought over a piece of paper that had been attached to the refrigerator with a magnet.

“This!” Ryōta said energetically, pointing to a part of the paper he had brought. The paper had “Helping Allowance Chart” written on it in big letters as the title, and the place he pointed to said “Washing dishes… 50 yen.” “I’m gonna help a lot and save up lots of money!” “Heeh, why do you want money so much, Ryōta?” Saki asked with a fond expression, and Ryōta beamed. “It’s for Onee-chan and Onii-chan! Wait right here!!” Saying that, Ryōta ran out of the living room to get something. Ayaka suddenly realized what he was doing and panicked, trying to stop him. “Wa-Wait! Ryōta! Stop!” But his sister’s attempt to stop him was too late, and Ryōta returned to the living room, clutching a certain box to his chest as if it were precious. “Hm? What’s that, Ryōta-kun?” “This is Onee-chan and Onii-chan’s wedding savings box!” When Shizuku turned her gaze to the item Ryōta was holding in both hands, he answered her, then immediately started his explanation. “Onee-chan and Onii-chan can’t get married because they don’t have any money! So I’m saving up money too, to help Onii-chan become part of our real family faster!” Seeing Ryōta wish for Ayaka and Haruto’s marriage from the bottom of his heart, Tomoya put on an impressed expression. “To have such resolve at such a young age…” Tomoya looked at Haruto with a dead-serious face. “Haru, leave the best man speech to me.” “No, I’m telling you, this is…” “Can you really look into Ryōta-kun’s eyes and call this a joke, Haru-san?” “Ugh…” “Haru-senpai, I’ll handle the entertainment at the after-party.” Shizuku followed Tomoya with a thumbs-up, leaving Haruto unable to say anything in return. Saki also looked at Ryōta’s “Wedding Savings Box,” then turned a smirk on Ayaka. “Ayaka, make sure you throw the bouquet my way during the toss.” “Ugh, Ryōta…” Ayaka covered her bright red face with both hands to hide it. Just then, Ikue arrived with a pleasant smile. “Okay, Ryōta. You were a good boy and helped out properly today too.”

Saying that, she put a fifty-yen coin into the “Wedding Savings Box” Ryōta was holding in both hands. “Thank you, Mommy!” Ryōta thanked her happily and shook the savings box, making a loud rattling sound as the coins already inside clattered together. To Haruto’s ears, that sound seemed incredibly loud. Using Ryōta’s “Wedding Savings Box” as material, Tomoya and the others teased Haruto and Ayaka mercilessly before heading home. Afterward, since there was still some time before dinner, Haruto returned to Ayaka’s room to study until the meal was ready. “Haaah, that was embarrassing…” As soon as she returned to her room, Ayaka collapsed face-down on the table and let out a huge sigh. “Ryōta-kun’s savings box is going to be a source of teasing for a while.” “Shizuku-chan is definitely going to use it against me.” “Ahaha…” Since that future was all but certain, Haruto simply gave a dry laugh. “Geez, Shizuku-chan teases me at the drop of a hat. And Saki and Akagikun join in too…” Ryōta’s “Wedding Savings Box” had apparently been too much for even Saki to resist, as she had smirked and joined Tomoya in teasing them about it. Remembering that, Ayaka puffed out her cheeks adorably and looked at the snacks still left on the table. Her gaze landed right on the Hokky. “Ryōta’s savings box was one thing, but Shizuku-chan was the one who brought up the Hokky Game too. I can’t do something like that in front of everyone… right, Haruto-kun?” “…True. If we did it, it would just give them more reasons to tease us.” “Right…” Ayaka, agreeing with Haruto’s words, stared silently at the box of Hokky for a while. Eventually, she lifted her upper body from the table and slowly reached for the Hokky. “But… I wonder if it really is normal for couples to play games like that…?” “Eh? No, I think Shizuku just made that up.” “But… I don’t think Shizuku-chan’s words are completely untrue either.”

Saying that, Ayaka stood up, walked over to the bookshelf by the wall, took out a manga, and returned to sit next to Haruto. “Look, Haruto-kun, read the title of this manga.” Haruto checked the title of the manga she had brought and his cheek twitched slightly. “My Bossy Boyfriend Loves Me Too Much and I’m in Trouble…?” “Yes! ‘Bossy-Love’ for short! This manga is super interesting and popular!” Haruto screamed internally at her sparkling eyes. So this is the reason Ayaka’s common sense regarding lovers is completely broken!! Faced with the source of all the strain put on his heart during their lover practice sessions and the like, he carefully read the content of the shoujo manga. The scene Ayaka showed him depicted a boy with a rather delinquent look pressuring a girl with a quiet aura into playing the aforementioned game. Though the girl was flustered by the slightly forceful boy, she didn’t seem entirely opposed to it, likely because she had feelings for him. “This is…” “Yep!” “Are they dating?” “Nope, they’re not dating yet at this point!” Ayaka answered Haruto’s question with sparkling eyes. “…They’re not dating.” “Yeah. But if you think about it the other way around, if they’re playing this game even though they aren’t dating, then it means it’s only natural for lovers to do it, right?” “I… suppose so…” Haruto nodded, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by Ayaka’s momentum. Haruto felt a shudder run through him as he realized just how much influence a popular shoujo manga could have on a girl’s view of romance. With Saki and the others gone, Ayaka’s embarrassment had faded. Eager to play the Hokky Game with Haruto, she put one end of a Hokky stick in her mouth and turned toward him. “Here, Haruto-kun.” Ayaka tilted her face up slightly, aligning the tip of the Hokky with Haruto’s mouth. Haruto felt his heart rate speed up as the situation

naturally flowed into playing the Hokky Game. Seeing her pushing things forward so aggressively, he recalled their lover practice during summer break and felt a slight pang of nostalgia. Back then, too, she had pushed forward with various things, like casually exchanging words of love or giving him a lap pillow. The school idol, Tōjō Ayaka, was actually quite an aggressive girl. If the students at school knew that fact, what kind of faces would they make? Imagining it made Haruto chuckle, and a small smile formed on his lips.

“What’s wrong, Haruto-kun?” Ayaka tilted her head inquisitively, the Hokky still in her mouth. Haruto shook his head with a smile. “No, nothing.” Answering her, Haruto took the other end of the Hokky extending from Ayaka’s mouth into his own. “…This is kind of embarrassing.” “Yeah. It’s closer than I thought.” With both ends of the Hokky held between their lips, the two blushed at their proximity. “T-Then… we start eating on ‘ready, set, go’, okay? Here we go? Ready… set… go.” At Ayaka’s signal, Haruto slowly began eating the Hokky from his end. Opposite him, Ayaka was also nibbling her way through the Hokky, watching Haruto closely. When he first took the tip of the Hokky, Haruto had felt that the distance between him and Ayaka was quite close, but as they snapped and ate their way through the snack, they became even closer. Eventually, the distance became too embarrassing for Haruto to keep eye contact, and he gently closed his eyes. A few seconds later, a soft, plump, and captivating sensation met his lips as he ate. Haruto pulled his face back slightly and opened his eyes. Ayaka, smiling shyly and adorably, filled his vision. “…We just kissed normally.” “Yeah.” Saying this to each other, the two slowly chewed the Hokky in their mouths. “Come to think of it, how do you decide the winner and loser of this game?” “I think the loser was the one who pulled away from the Hokky before kissing, right?” “What if you kiss?” “Hmm… maybe the winner is the one who ate more of the Hokky…?” Haruto tilted his head and answered Ayaka’s question without much confidence. In the first place, this game was a kind of chicken race, designed to enjoy the thrill of potentially kissing as the game progressed. Therefore, if a

couple who had no qualms about kissing played this game, it would just turn into plain flirting. “Who ate more just now, me or you, Haruto-kun?” “I wonder? I closed my eyes at the end, so I’m not sure.” “Me too.” Ayaka laughed and took out another Hokky stick, looking at Haruto. “Want to go again?” “Sure. The winner is the one who eats more Hokky, right?” “Yeah.” Since kissing was already a foregone conclusion for the two of them, they established a victory condition different from the usual game. Haruto and Ayaka once again put both ends of a Hokky stick in their mouths. “Okay, here we go?” This time, Haruto gave the signal to start. “Ready… set… go!” At the same time he gave the signal, Haruto tried to eat faster than before. But suddenly, Ayaka’s sweet voice reached his ears. “I love you, Haruto-kun.” “Wh-?!” Taken completely by surprise, Haruto felt his heart leap, and his mouth stopped moving. Seizing the opening, Ayaka chomped her way through the Hokky with great momentum, closing in on him. Seeing her approach, Haruto snapped back to reality and hurriedly started eating the Hokky. However, he couldn’t make up for the initial delay, and they ended up kissing at a point closer to Haruto than the center of the Hokky. Having secured more of the Hokky in her mouth than Haruto, Ayaka wore a satisfied smile at the success of her strategy. Watching her slowly savor the Hokky as if basking in the afterglow of victory, Haruto’s competitive spirit flared up. He thought back. The first time they went to see a movie, she had turned the tables on him when he tried to hold her hand. During their lover practice, he had been overwhelmed by the assertive Ayaka, and he had lost the sparkler contest at the barbecue. And even during the shaved ice flavor guessing game at the home festival, although he won the game, Ayaka had completely held the initiative.

It was about time he made her speechless. Just as that thought sprouted in Haruto’s mind, the shoujo manga he had seen earlier flashed through his brain. The boy in that manga had approached the protagonist quite aggressively. To the point where it could even be considered a little forceful. Does Ayaka actually yearn for something like that? Thinking this, Haruto fixed his gaze on Ayaka, who was still leisurely munching on the Hokky. Then, he slowly reached out his arm toward her and pulled her into an embrace. “Fwe?” Ayaka’s eyes widened at Haruto’s sudden action, and a slightly goofy sound escaped her lips. Haruto pressed his lips against hers. “Nn.” Caught in a series of surprises, Ayaka’s mouth opened slightly. Not missing the opportunity, Haruto snatched every last bit of the Hokky from inside her mouth. “Nnngh.” Ayaka’s eyes darted back and forth at Haruto’s sequence of moves. Satisfied with her reaction, Haruto swallowed the Hokky he had stolen from her. “I win this round.” Haruto declared his victory. Then, Ayaka, who had been looking at him with moist eyes and blushing cheeks from the sudden kiss, snapped back to reality. “…Th-That’s cheating!! That was a foul!” “There’s no rule saying you can’t steal the Hokky from your opponent, is there?” “Muuu~! Let’s have a rematch!” “Alright.” Haruto nodded with a confident smile as Ayaka challenged him, getting worked up. And so, the two put the third Hokky in their mouths. Haruto gave the starting signal. “Here we go? Ready… set… go!” At the signal, Haruto and Ayaka started eating the Hokky vigorously.

Ayaka couldn’t use the same strategy twice, so she simply ate the Hokky as fast as she could. However, Haruto’s bites were decisively larger, and he ended up eating the majority of the Hokky she was holding. “Fufun.” Having eaten more of the Hokky than Ayaka, Haruto chewed on it as if tasting victory. Then, Ayaka thrust both hands forward and sandwiched the cheeks of the smiling victor, Haruto, between her palms. She pulled his face towards her and pressed her lips against his, trying to snatch the Hokky from his mouth. However, Haruto kept his lips tightly sealed, blocking her entry and defending the Hokky to the death. “Mmm! Muuu!” Ayaka pressed her lips against his repeatedly, trying to somehow steal Haruto’s Hokky, but his lips refused to open. Ayaka slowly lowered her hands from Haruto’s cheeks, slipped them under his arms, and hugged him tightly. “You’re so mean, Haruto-kun…” Ayaka said in a sad voice, slumping dejectedly. Seeing her like this, Haruto showed a bit of panic. “Y-You don’t have to be that down—” “Gotcha!!” “Guh.” Haruto had started to open his mouth to offer words of comfort. Ayaka didn’t miss that split-second opening; she quickly pressed her lips to his and snatched the Hokky from his mouth with a passionate kiss. “Mufufufu.” Her strategy a success, Ayaka happily ate the Hokky she had stolen from Haruto. She swallowed the chewed Hokky and smiled brightly. “That was my win.” “No, that was…” “There’s no rule saying you can’t steal the Hokky from your opponent.” Ayaka threw Haruto’s earlier words right back at him. At her words, Haruto gave a wry smile, muttered internally, “I can’t beat her,” and picked up yet another Hokky stick. “Then, shall we go one more time?” “Yeah, let’s.”

After that, the two continued to play the Hokky Game with rules far removed from the original game.

In the school courtyard, bathed in the lingering summer sun. Haruto sat cross-legged on the grass in the shade of a tree, staring blankly at the bento box he’d brought. Seeing that Haruto’s chopsticks weren’t moving at all, Tomoya, sitting cross-legged next to him, spoke up. “Yo, Haru. Suffering from summer fatigue? If you don’t have an appetite, give me that fried chicken.” “Sure…” “You’re really giving it to me? You sure? I’m gonna eat it.” “Sure…” Haruto, his mind clearly elsewhere, continued to give listless, absentminded replies. “I asked you properly, so don’t complain later,” Tomoya said, then helped himself to the fried chicken from Haruto’s bento. “Mmm, your bento is as delicious as ever.” “Sure…” “…Hey, Haru. Is something wrong with your ears? You’ve been touching your earlobes this whole time.” For a while now, Haruto had been pinching his earlobes between his index finger and thumb, gently pulling and fiddling with them. “…Hey, Tomoya.” After a slight delay, he slowly turned his face toward Tomoya. “Have you ever had your earlobe bitten?” “Huh? Earlobe? Uh, no…” Tomoya looked baffled by Haruto’s question. “What’s up, Haru? Did a stray dog attack you or something?” “Maybe… I was attacked…” “Seriously?! Are you okay?!” “Yeah… It’s not that I disliked it or anything. In fact, it was kind of nice, I guess… Having my ear bitten isn’t so bad…” “You… seriously?” Tomoya’s expression twitched. Haruto, on the other hand, was still responding blankly, his mind clearly elsewhere.

As the two of them were having their mismatched conversation, a voice called out to them from a distance. “Oh, there they are. Ōtsuki-kun.” It was Saki. Spotting Haruto and Tomoya in the courtyard, she walked over, giving them a small wave. “Aizawa-san, what’s up?” Haruto looked up at Saki as she entered the same patch of shade. “I wanted to ask you something, Ōtsuki-kun. Mind if I sit here?” said Saki, pointing to the spot next to Tomoya. “Be my guest.” “Thanks.” “Isn’t Tōjō-san with you?” “Ah, Ayaka’s still getting grilled with questions, as usual.” Saki was usually seen with Ayaka, but she wasn’t with her now. Saki gave a wry, sympathetic smile, thinking of Ayaka probably surrounded by a crowd of students. “Our classmates’ interest in Tōjō-san is a little abnormal, isn’t it?” “Right? But if everyone found out Ayaka’s secret, the whole school would be in an uproar.” Saki agreed with Tomoya, then shot a teasing grin at Haruto. “…What did you want to ask me, Aizawa-san?” Haruto received Saki’s gaze and scratched his head with one hand to hide his embarrassment before asking. “Right, right. I heard from Ayaka, is it true that Dōjima-san is kind of like your childhood friend, Ōtsuki-kun?” “Shizuku? Well, Shizuku is the only daughter of the master at the karate dojo I’ve been going to since I was a kid, so I guess you could call her a childhood friend.” “Hoh, I see…” Saki placed a hand on her chin and nodded deeply at Haruto’s explanation. “Is something wrong with Shizuku?” “This morning, on her way to school, Ayaka ran into that Dōjima-san. And apparently, Dōjima-san asked to be her friend.” At Saki’s words, Haruto’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Huh? Shizuku did?”

“That’s right. And they even walked to school together today.” “Seriously…?” Haruto muttered, then started to ponder what Shizuku was thinking, getting so close to Ayaka. Just then, Tomoya spoke up. “You told Shizuku-chan about you and Tōjō-san, right?” “Yeah. And she said she’d help me, but…” “Hmm? So, Shizuku-chan is trying to become friends with Tōjō-san to help you guys out?” At Tomoya’s question, Haruto twisted his lips. “I think so…” Haruto had no idea how Shizuku becoming friends with Ayaka would help. Seeing his confusion, Saki spoke with a wry smile. “Ayaka came to me for advice this morning. She said Dōjima-san told her, ‘Let’s be besties for life.’” “Ah, that sounds just like Shizuku.” Haruto could easily imagine her saying that, and a smile unconsciously formed on his lips. “Shizuku is a little weird, but she’s a really good person. So I think we can trust her when she says she’ll help.” “I see. If you say so, Ōtsuki-kun, then Dōjima-san must be a good kid.” Saki nodded at Haruto’s words. Just then, the preliminary bell signaling the end of lunch break rang across the school grounds. “Crap, I haven’t eaten any of my bento.” Haruto hurriedly looked down at the bento box on his lap. He then noticed that the main dish, the fried chicken, had completely vanished, and he shot a sharp glare at Tomoya. “Hey, Tomoya…” “I asked you properly before I took it!” “But you ate all of it?!” “Ahahahaha, you two get along so well.” Saki laughed, amused by Haruto and Tomoya’s argument over the bento. Later, after the afternoon classes had ended, Haruto was in the classroom, getting ready to go home. He glanced toward Ayaka in the center of the room and saw that she was already surrounded by a crowd of female students. Haruto let out a small sigh and slung his bag over his shoulder. He was about to leave the classroom when, just like yesterday, Shizuku appeared at

the rear door. Did she come to ask me to walk home with her again? Haruto thought, starting to walk toward her. However, Shizuku only glanced at him for a moment before raising her voice and calling out toward the center of the room. “Aya-senpaaaai! Let’s walk home together!” Haruto was so surprised by Shizuku’s unexpected words that he just stared at her. In the meantime, Shizuku strode into the classroom and pushed her way through the group of girls surrounding Ayaka. “Come on, Senpai, let’s go home. Time to punch out for the day.” “Ah, w-wait, Shizuku-chan.” Shizuku grabbed Ayaka’s arm and gave it a tug. Ayaka looked flustered. Seeing this, one of the girls Shizuku had pushed aside glared at her suspiciously. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing, barging in here? Can’t you see you’re bothering Tōjō-san?” “Hm? What are you talking about? There’s no way Aya-senpai is bothered. We’re besties for life, after all.” “Huh? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The girl sneered. But Shizuku wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. Instead, she replied in an exasperated tone. “Honestly, you can’t even understand something this simple. Besides, aren’t you the ones bothering Aya-senpai? Crowding around her like this even after school is over.” “Excuse me, we were having a conversation. We were enjoying it. Got it?” “Oh? Is peppering someone with one-sided questions a conversation now? Senpai, have you ever heard of the concept of ‘playing catch’ with words?” Perhaps annoyed by the girl who had been picking a fight with her, Shizuku laced her words with thorns. The girl’s eyebrows shot up at her attitude. “What’s your deal? You’re a first-year, right? Have you got no respect for your upperclassmen? There’s a limit to how rude you can be.” “I show my respect to those who deserve it, regardless of whether they’re my senior or junior.” “Hey, what was your name, Dōjima? Who do you think you are?”

The girl twirled her brightly dyed hair around her index finger and shot a sharp glare at Shizuku. Meeting that gaze head-on, Shizuku stared back, her expression still blank, without a hint of fear. “I think I’m Shizuku-sama, but what of it?” “Huh?” A tense atmosphere descended between the girl and Shizuku. Ayaka looked back and forth between them, then brought her hands up to her chest in a fluster, trying to calm them down. “Y-You two, please calm down, okay?” “Tōjō-san, is this girl really your friend?” “Tell her, Aya-senpai. That we’ve been best friends since our past lives.” “Huh?! U-Um, well…” Shizuku and the girl both turned and pressed in on Ayaka. Overwhelmed by their pressure, Ayaka panicked and her words caught in her throat. Just then, Saki, who had been observing the situation from close by, slipped between Ayaka and Shizuku with a cheerful smile. “Now, now, now! Calm down, calm down. Shizuku-chan has really loved Ayaka for a long time.” “Hm? …That’s right. After all, we’re besties.” For a split second, a question mark seemed to appear over Shizuku’s head at Saki’s sudden appearance, but she quickly went along with it. “Let’s just say I like my three meals a day only slightly more than I like Aya-senpai.” “Hey! You should like Ayaka more than food!” Saki shot back without a pause at Shizuku, who was puffing out her chest proudly despite her blank expression. “Hey, Aizawa? Was this girl really Tōjō-san’s friend?” “Yep, that’s right. Right, Ayaka?” “Ah, uh-huh, uh-huh.” At Saki’s glance, Ayaka nodded her head vigorously. “Hmmph.” Seeing Ayaka and Saki’s reactions, the girl looked at Shizuku with a displeased expression. Saki was known by everyone as Ayaka’s childhood friend and closest companion. With her acknowledging Shizuku as Ayaka’s friend, and Ayaka herself nodding in agreement, the girl had no choice but to accept it.

The girl let out an annoyed “Hmph,” looked away from Shizuku, and left the circle of students surrounding Ayaka. Shizuku followed the girl’s back with her eyes for a moment, then turned to Saki. “Are you walking home with us too, Aizawa-senpai?” “Huh? …I guess so. Shall the three of us walk home together?” Saki seemed surprised for a moment at Shizuku’s invitation but quickly put on a smile. Seemingly satisfied with Saki’s response, Shizuku grabbed Ayaka’s arm and started pulling her along. “Come on, come on, let’s go home, Aya-senpai. It’s time to let’s-a-go home.” “Ah, wait, Shizuku-chan!” Ayaka quickly grabbed her bag from the side of her desk and let herself be pulled along by Shizuku. Saki followed behind them with a wry smile. The three of them headed for the classroom exit, but Shizuku suddenly stopped halfway there. “What is it, Haru-senpai? You’ve been sending me such passionate gazes this whole time.” “Huh? N-No, I wasn’t…” Haruto looked surprised at being suddenly addressed by Shizuku. “It can’t be helped. You can come home with us too, Haru-senpai.” “Huh? Ah… o-okay.” Haruto, immediately grasping Shizuku’s intention, gave a slightly flustered nod. “Are you coming with us too, Tomo-senpai?” Shizuku then asked Tomoya, who was standing next to Haruto. “Is it okay if I come along?” “Of course.” “Then I’ll accompany you.” “Mm, very well. You may approach.” With that exchange, the group of three girls—Ayaka, Saki, and Shizuku— became a group of five, including Tomoya and Haruto, and left the classroom, drawing the attention of the other students. After they had left the school grounds and walked for a while, Shizuku trotted ahead of the group and turned around. She had a very triumphant look on her face. “What do you think, Haru-senpai? Of this perfect plan of mine?” Shizuku placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest proudly. “I’m impressed. You’re amazing, Shizuku.”

“Hmm, hmm, praise me more.” “Yes, Shizuku-sama.” Haruto gave an exaggeratedly deep bow in response to the seemingly pleased Shizuku. Shizuku’s plan was this: by becoming friends with Ayaka, Shizuku would become a mutual friend to both Haruto and Ayaka. Then, she could use that position to naturally close the distance between them. At school, Haruto and Ayaka’s relationship was now that of a friend of a friend, through Shizuku. “Um, Shizuku-chan… thank you.” “You too, Aya-senpai. Praise me.” “Ah, y-yeah. You’re amazing, Shizuku-chan.” “Fufufun.” At Ayaka’s praise, Shizuku snorted happily. Just then, Tomoya, who had been walking next to Haruto with an amused smile, joined the conversation. “By the way, was it really okay for us to come along?” he asked, glancing at Saki. “No problem at all. In fact, it’s more convenient to have people other than just Aya-senpai and Haru-senpai around at first,” Shizuku replied to Tomoya’s question with a thumbs-up. “It looks more natural to have other side characters around, rather than just singling out Haru-senpai and Aya-senpai.” “Ahaha, side characters, huh.” “Yes, side characters.” Tomoya laughed happily at Shizuku’s bluntness. Hearing Shizuku’s explanation, Saki nodded, impressed. “I see.” “Dōjima-san, I thought you were kind of reckless, but you really thought this through.” “Of course. By the way, I just invited you on a whim, but who are you, Senpai?” Shizuku tilted her head slightly as she turned to face Saki. At her reaction, Saki gave a wry smile and introduced herself. “Ahaha, I’m Aizawa Saki. I guess you could call me Ayaka’s childhood friend and best friend.” “Oh, so Aya-senpai had a real best friend. I thought she was a loner.” “Why did you think I was a loner?!” “Isn’t it a classic trope? The beautiful girl who’s too perfect to have any friends.”

“I don’t have that kind of backstory!” “What a shame.” “A shame?!” Ayaka pressed Shizuku, asking, “What do you mean, a shame?!” but Shizuku coolly dodged her questions. The five of them continued walking in a lively atmosphere. When they reached a crossroads, Tomoya raised a hand. “Well, I’ve got something to do at the station, so I’m out here.” “Oh, I take the train home, so want to walk to the station together?” Saki suggested in response to Tomoya. “You take the train, Aizawa-san? Then yeah, let’s go together.” “Okay. See you later, everyone.” “Bye-bye, Saki.” Ayaka paused her banter with Shizuku to wave. Haruto and Shizuku also raised a hand. After Tomoya and Saki left, the remaining three walked with Haruto in the middle and Ayaka and Shizuku on either side. Haruto glanced at Shizuku, walking to his right. “But seriously, thank you, Shizuku. Thanks to this, I think I’ll be able to gradually get closer to Ayaka at school too.” “I was surprised when you suddenly asked to be best friends this morning, but thank you, Shizuku-chan.” “My assistance has only just begun. I’ll be dropping by your classrooms from time to time from now on.” “I see. Thank you so much. Let me do something to thank you next time.” “Oh, no, no, not at all. It would be far too presumptuous of me to ask for the cream puffs from the department store by the station as thanks.” “O-Oh.” At Shizuku’s usual antics, Haruto nodded with a wry smile. Ayaka, watching the two of them, covered her mouth and let out a small chuckle. Just then, as if remembering something, Haruto spoke to Shizuku. “We’re really grateful for your help, but… it would be great if you could try not to cause too much trouble.” “Are you referring to the upperclassmen who were crowding around Ayasenpai?” “Well, yeah.”

Perhaps because she had walked the path of martial arts since she was a child, Shizuku was incredibly mentally tough. Furthermore, since she was also quite skilled in karate, she had no fear of speaking her mind to anyone she disagreed with, whether they were older or male. That was one of her good points, but at the same time, it also made her prone to trouble. “Hmm, it is not my intention to wreak havoc on your class, Haru-senpai… Understood. I will be careful to cause as few problems as possible.” “Thanks, that’s a big help.” Haruto bowed his head to Shizuku. Ayaka, listening to their conversation, slowly opened her mouth. “Hey, Shizuku-chan.” “Yes?” “Aren’t you scared? You know… to let out what’s on your mind, to tell people your opinion directly.” “…There are times when I am,” Shizuku replied after a slight pause. “I might get harassed for confronting an upperclassman. It might turn into bullying. And because of that bullying, I might lose friends. But things like that don’t matter to me. Once you decide they don’t matter, the fear naturally disappears.” “Huh? Th-Those things don’t matter?” Ayaka asked again, her eyes wide with surprise. “They don’t matter. Anyone who would distance themselves from me just because I was bullied by an upperclassman isn’t a true friend. It doesn’t matter to me if a hundred people like that disappear.” After saying that, Shizuku looked at Haruto. “More importantly, I want to cherish my relationships with the people who would treat me the same even if that happened.” “Why are you looking at me when you say that?” Haruto said, scratching the back of his head, embarrassed. “Because no matter what happens, you’ll still be my friend, Haru-senpai.” “…If you didn’t bathe for a month, I’d definitely keep my distance.” “In that case, you can give me a bath, Haru-senpai.” As she said this, Shizuku hugged Haruto’s right arm tightly. Instantly, Ayaka’s eyebrows shot up. “Sh-Shizuku-chan!” Ayaka called Shizuku’s name in protest, then pulled Haruto’s left arm toward her, trying to peel Shizuku off.

“I’m happy you’re helping us, but hugging Haruto-kun is not allowed!!” “Hm? But you’re hugging him too, Aya-senpai.” Shizuku, looking displeased at being pulled away from Haruto, pouted and protested to Ayaka, who was clutching his left arm with both hands. “I-I’m Haruto-kun’s girlfriend! It’s normal for a girlfriend to hug her boyfriend!” “Then it’s normal for a childhood friend to hug him too. Hiyah!” With a spirited cry, Shizuku once again leaped onto Haruto’s right arm. “Hey! I told you, you can’t do that, Shizuku-chan!” “Aya-senpai, a possessive, clingy woman will get dumped by Haru-senpai in a heartbeat, you know?” “That’s not true! Haruto-kun really loves me!” Ayaka said desperately, pulling hard on Haruto’s left arm. In response, Shizuku spoke in a calm, cool tone, her expression still blank. “It’s not enough to just ask for love, Aya-senpai.”

“I’m not just asking for it! I l-love Haruto-kun too!!” The moment Ayaka shouted her love for Haruto, Shizuku immediately let go of his arm. Then, in a rare break from her deadpan expression, she smirked. “So she says, Haru-senpai? Good for you.” “You…” “Thanks for the passionate words of love for Haru-senpai, Aya-senpai.” Finally realizing she had been played by Shizuku, Ayaka turned bright red all the way to her ears. “U-Ugh… You idiot, Shizuku-chan…” Ayaka covered her tomato-red face with both hands, her voice thin and trembling. Seeing this, Shizuku looked up at Haruto and said, “How about it, Haru-senpai? Seeing a beautiful girl writhing in embarrassment and blushing. Doesn’t it get to you?” “Shizuku… please, stop bullying Ayaka.” “I’ll do my best.” Lightly brushing off Haruto’s words, Shizuku turned her gaze to the still bright-red Ayaka. To Haruto, there seemed to be a hint of amusement in her eyes. Though she had said she would “do her best,” Shizuku seemed to not have had enough of teasing Ayaka yet, and a rare, slight smile played on her lips. “Come on, Aya-senpai? If you don’t shout your love for Haru-senpai, I’ll hug him again.” Walking on Haruto’s right, Shizuku exaggeratedly pretended she was about to hug him, chanting, “Come ooon, come ooon.” Ayaka, her ears still red, glared at Shizuku with eyes glistening from embarrassment. “Ugh… You’re so mean, Shizuku-chan… I’m cutting ties with you!” “If that happens, you won’t be able to get closer to Haru-senpai at school, you know? Are you okay with that?” “Ugh…” “Come on, come on, Aya-senpai. Shout your love one more time, just like before.” Shizuku teased Ayaka relentlessly, her expression sparse but her tone clearly delighted. Haruto raised his voice to stop her. “I told you, stop bullying Ayaka.”

Watching them go back and forth, it was getting hard to tell who was the senior and who was the junior. “I see. So you’re on your beloved girlfriend’s side, Haru-senpai?” “Well, yeah. I’m Ayaka’s boyfriend, after all.” “Haruto-kun…” Ayaka smiled shyly, looking happy at Haruto’s words. Seeing this, Shizuku puffed out her cheeks, still keeping her deadpan face. “Hmph. I’m just a third wheel anyway.” Haruto gave a wry smile at Shizuku’s sulky tone. “But really, I’m grateful to you, Shizuku. Thanks to your help, I’ve got a way to interact with Ayaka at school now.” “Are you really grateful?” Shizuku shot Haruto a suspicious look. “Yeah, I am.” “Are you grateful too, Aya-senpai?” “Yeah, I’m grateful from the bottom of my heart for that, you know?” “Then kiss me, Haru-senpai.” Shizuku said something outrageous with a completely straight face. Haruto, used to her jokes, just laughed it off with a “Haha,” but Ayaka, lacking any Shizuku resistance, panicked completely and protested fiercely. “What are you saying, Shizuku-chan?!” “Since you both say you’re grateful, I thought I’d receive a token of that gratitude.” “Why does that have to be a kiss from Haruto-kun?!” “Ah, see, Aya-senpai, you always try to hog Haru-senpai like that.” “I’m his girlfriend, so of course I do!” Hugging Haruto’s left arm tightly again, Ayaka pleaded desperately. At her reaction, Shizuku narrowed her eyes. “Getting so worked up… don’t tell me, Aya-senpai… you haven’t kissed Haru-senpai yet?” Provoked by Shizuku’s words, Ayaka retorted heatedly. “W-We have!” “Not on the cheek, you know? Mouth-to-mouth.” “W-We’ve done it mouth-to-mouth too!!” “Then, have you French kissed?” “F-Fr-Fre-Fren-French… French… French kissed too…”

Under Shizuku’s suspicious gaze, Ayaka tried to answer, her cheeks burning with shame, but she was so embarrassed she was stumbling over her words. Unable to watch any longer, Haruto stopped Shizuku again. “Give her a break, Shizuku. Ayaka, calm down for a second.” “Au… okay…” Ayaka looked down, her face so red it looked like steam might start pouring out of her head. “A shy Aya-senpai is cute.” “I hate you, Shizuku-chan…” “I think I’m going to really love you, Aya-senpai.” Haruto wore a weary, wry smile as the two girls bantered across him. After that, they walked for a few minutes, repeating the cycle of Shizuku teasing Ayaka and Haruto stopping her. When they reached another intersection, Shizuku stopped walking. “Well then, Aya-senpai, I go this way.” “Oh, really? We go this way, so it’s the opposite direction.” Shizuku pointed to the right of the intersection, and Ayaka pointed to the left. “Well then, this is where we part ways. See you, Shizuku-chan.” Ayaka looked relieved to be free from Shizuku’s teasing. She quickly waved her right hand, saying “Bye-bye” to Shizuku. However, Shizuku’s eyebrow twitched in reaction to Ayaka’s words. “We…? Isn’t your house straight ahead, Haru-senpai?” Seeing Shizuku tilt her head in confusion, Haruto scratched his head with one hand and spoke somewhat bashfully. “Ah… actually, right now, I’m staying at Ayaka’s house.” “What did you say?!” Haruto’s statement must have been quite a shock, because Shizuku’s usual deadpan expression crumbled, and her eyes widened in surprise. “Aya-senpai, have you smartly started living together with Haru-senpai?!” “Ah, no, um… it’s a little different from living together…” “What’s different about it?! If lovers living under one roof isn’t living together, then what is?!” Saying this, Shizuku pressed in on Ayaka. In response, Ayaka held up her hands in a “whoa there” gesture to calm the excited Shizuku. “U-Um, you see. Haruto-kun is staying at my house because his grandmother is working as a live-in housekeeper for us…”

“Haru-senpai’s grandmother is a housekeeper at your house, Ayasenpai?” At Ayaka’s explanation, Shizuku furrowed her brows and shifted her gaze to Haruto. Receiving her look, Haruto explained his current situation. “Actually, the diner where my grandma used to work closed down, and when she was looking for a new job, Ayaka’s family hired her as a housekeeper.” “I see… but how does that lead to you and Aya-senpai living together, Haru-senpai?” “Ah, that was Shūichi-san… Ayaka’s father’s suggestion.” Haruto explained the circumstances of how he came to live at Ayaka’s house. Shizuku listened to his explanation until the end, then crossed her arms and nodded slowly, murmuring, “Hmm.” “I see… Entrapping Haru-senpai with the whole family, and even taking in his weakness, his grandmother… You’re quite the strategist, aren’t you, Aya-senpai?” “W-What do you mean, Shizuku-chan? I just wanted to help Haruto-kun, that’s all.” Ayaka replied a little too quickly, though she kept a smile on her face. Shizuku stared at her with half-lidded eyes and muttered back, “How very admirable of you.” “Anyway, hiring a housekeeper means your family is super rich, Ayasenpai?” “Ah… well…” Haruto was stuck for an answer and looked toward Ayaka. “Um… I wonder? My dad and mom both run their own companies, so…” “You’re a company president’s daughter, Aya-senpai?” “It feels weird to be called a ‘daughter’ in that sense, but I guess… technically?” Ayaka tilted her head hesitantly and looked at Haruto. “Well, based on position alone, isn’t that right? Since both Shūichi-san and Ikue-san are presidents.” Seeing Haruto nod in affirmation, Shizuku looked up at the sky. “With those looks, that amazing figure, and now even a prestigious family background… Equality is nothing but an empty fantasy after all…” As Shizuku murmured with a vacant expression, Ayaka could only keep a strained smile plastered on her face.

“Aya-senpai, if you’re that rich, does that mean your house is huge too?” “Umm, I don’t know? Maybe a little bigger than a normal house?” Shizuku glanced at Ayaka, who was averting her eyes as she answered, then looked at Haruto next to her. “Well, to put it mildly, Ayaka’s house is a mansion.” “Hoh.” Haruto supplemented Ayaka’s explanation with concise words. Hearing that, Shizuku placed a hand on her chin and nodded slightly, as if thinking about something. Then, after a pause, she looked back and forth between Haruto and Ayaka. “I’ve thought of the next strategy.” “Eh? What kind?” Ayaka leaned forward half a step to ask. “Fufufu, that’s a secret. By the way, since your house is a mansion, it’s spacious, right, Aya-senpai?” Shizuku looked at Haruto as if to confirm. “Yeah, it’s spacious.” “Then there’s no problem. Oh right, Aya-senpai, let’s exchange contact info.” “Eh? Ah, okay.” At Shizuku’s sudden request, Ayaka took out her smartphone, flustered but complying, and they exchanged contact information. Shizuku stared at Ayaka’s icon, which had been added to her messaging app, for a moment before lifting her face from the screen. “Well then, I’ll talk to you about the strategy tomorrow.” Saying that, Shizuku hurriedly turned her back on Haruto and Ayaka and walked away. “Haruto-kun, what do you think Shizuku-chan’s strategy is?” “Hmm, I’ve known her for a long time, but it’s hard to read her actions.” Haruto replied with a wry smile to the puzzled Ayaka.

After returning home, Haruto did a final check of the luggage he was bringing to the Tōjō residence. The incident earlier is probably going to cause all sorts of misunderstandings, but from now on, I’ll be living with her. I can just explain it properly then. With that in mind, Haruto checked his luggage, item by item. “Change of clothes, charger, study materials, and… okay, this should be everything.” Confirming there was nothing missing from his boston bag, Haruto shouldered his backpack, locked up his house, and headed for the Tōjō residence. His grandmother had already gone over around noon to start her work as their housekeeper. Haruto walked with a sense of gratitude toward the Tōjō family for giving his grandmother a new place to work. He stopped for a moment in front of the magnificent mansion. Before ringing the doorbell, he took out his smartphone to check for any messages. He let out a small sigh when he saw there were none. In Haruto’s mind, the image of Ayaka’s eyes widening in shock as she watched him being led away by Shizuku was vivid. He had fully expected her to ask him about it in a message, but contrary to his expectations, there was no reaction from Ayaka at all. “Well, we’re about to see each other in person, so I’ll just talk to her then.” Muttering to himself, Haruto rang the Tōjōs’ doorbell. “Yes, hello?” “It’s Ōtsuki.” “Oh, Ōtsuki-kun! I’ll open the door now.” A few seconds after Ikue’s cheerful voice came through, the front door opened, and she appeared. “Welcome home, Ōtsuki-kun.” “Ah, yes. Excuse me for intruding.” Ikue welcomed Haruto with a beaming smile. Feeling a little embarrassed by her “welcome home,” he gave a small bow and stepped inside.

“Ōtsuki-kun, you’re not supposed to say ‘excuse me for intruding.’ You’re supposed to say ‘I’m home’.” “Ah, right. Yes.” Haruto gave a sheepish, wry smile at Ikue, who was still beaming. “’I’m home’ isn’t just something you say to a place, you know? It’s what you say when you return to the people who are waiting for you.” “Yes… I’m home.” “Ufufu, welcome home.” Ikue’s gentle smile made Haruto feel an itchy sort of embarrassment. But at the same time, he could feel a warmth spreading through his heart. With these feelings, Haruto entered the living room to find Ayaka playing with Ryōta. Ayaka, who was facing off against Ryōta with a plastic sword, smiled when she saw him. “Oh, Haruto-kun. Welcome home.” “Ah, yeah. I’m home.” Being welcomed home by Ayaka’s radiant smile, Haruto felt a joy that was just a little different from when Ikue had said it moments before. “Ayaka, um… about what happened at school today…” Haruto tried to explain about Shizuku, but he was interrupted by Ryōta, who was grinning from ear to ear. “Onii-chan, welcome hoooome!!” Ryōta tossed aside the plastic sword in his hand and charged at Haruto. “Whoa there. I’m home, Ryōta-kun.” Haruto bent down to catch Ryōta. “You’re gonna live with us starting today, right, Onii-chan?” “That’s right. It’ll be nice living with you.” “Yeah!! It’ll be super nice!!” Ryōta’s eyes sparkled as he beamed at Haruto with the happiest expression imaginable, and Haruto’s own face softened in response. Just then, his grandmother, who was preparing dinner in the kitchen, saw the two of them and her eyes crinkled in a smile. “Welcome home, Haruto.” “I’m home, Grandma.”

It was the usual exchange Haruto and his grandmother had the moment he got home. Having this conversation not at his own house but at the Tōjōs’ felt a little strange to Haruto. His grandmother was preparing chicken thighs in a large bowl. It seemed dinner tonight was karaage. Seeing this, Haruto spoke to his grandmother as he always did. “Grandma, want me to help with anything?” “No, it’s alright today. More importantly, go put your things away and play with Ryōta-kun.” Normally, Haruto would cook alongside his grandmother, trying to steal her culinary skills. But since today was his first day at the Tōjō residence, his grandmother told him to go play with Ryōta. He nodded, then gently placed a hand on Ryōta’s head. “Ryōta-kun, once I put my stuff away, want to play until dinner?” “Yay!!” Haruto smiled at Ryōta’s explosion of joy. Just then, Ayaka spoke up. “Haruto-kun, I’ll help you carry your things.” As she spoke, she reached for the boston bag Haruto had brought. “Ah, this one’s heavy, so could you take the backpack instead?” “Got it. Okay, Ryōta, we’re going to put Haruto-kun’s things away, so can you wait just a little bit?” Ayaka asked her brother as she took the backpack from Haruto. Just then, Ikue, who had returned to the living room, spoke to Ryōta. “Let’s play with Mommy until your big brother and sister come back.” “Hmm… okay!” Ryōta glanced at Haruto and Ayaka before nodding at his mother’s words. Ayaka looked a little surprised at how easily her brother agreed, perhaps expecting him to whine a bit more. Seeing his sister’s expression, Ryōta looked proud. “Onii-chan and Onee-chan have to live together and nurture their love so they can become a real family. I want Onii-chan to become part of our real family soon, so I’m gonna help.” “O-Oh, is that so… thanks…” Ayaka’s face flushed with embarrassment at her brother’s declaration of help. “By the way, um… who told you about ‘nurturing love’?”

“Mommy and Daddy were talking about it! So, I’m going to help so Oniichan and Onee-chan can be alone together!” After saying that, Ryōta looked at her with dazzling eyes and said, “Do your best, Onee-chan!” In response to her brother, Ayaka managed a strained smile before turning a sharp glare on her mother. Receiving her daughter’s pointed look, Ikue simply smiled sweetly. “Oh my.” “Looks like you overheard us.” “It’s not ‘looks like you overheard us’! Gosh… Haruto-kun, let’s go.” Ayaka looked tired as she lightly tugged on Haruto’s arm and led him out of the living room. With a wry smile, Haruto let himself be led upstairs and into Ryōta’s room. Ayaka led him to Ryōta’s room—the one he would be using, right next to hers. As Haruto began to unpack, she spoke, her expression troubled and her face red. “I’m sorry, Haruto-kun. Mom and Dad are always saying weird things.” “No, I don’t mind at all. In fact, I’m really happy that I get to live with you, Ayaka. And while the phrasing ‘nurture our love’ is a little… well, I do think it’s a good opportunity for us to get to know each other better.” “Y-Yeah. You’re right… I want to get to know you better too, Haruto-kun.” A blush of happiness appeared on Ayaka’s cheeks at Haruto’s words. Seeing her happy reaction made Haruto smile as well. “Right, about what happened at school today.” “Oh, yeah. Um, Dōjima-san… was it?” Now that they were alone, Haruto explained about Shizuku to Ayaka. “Yeah. Shizuku is the daughter of the master at the dojo I go to. We’ve done karate together since we were little, so… she’s kind of like a childhood friend.” “Oh, I see. You and Dōjima-san seemed really close, Haruto-kun, but if you’re childhood friends, it makes sense that you’d get along so well.” Ayaka nodded in understanding as she listened. Haruto looked her in the eyes and spoke with a serious expression. “It’s true that Shizuku and I are close, and she’s an important friend. But the one I love is you, Ayaka. Only you.” “Yeah… thank you. That makes me happy.” Hearing Haruto’s words, the corners of Ayaka’s mouth softened. She looked down, as if to hide her grinning face from him.

“Actually, I told Shizuku that I’m dating you, and when I told her about the situation at school, she said she’d help… that’s why she came to the classroom today, but…” Haruto paused, struggling with how to put it, before speaking again. “Shizuku is a really good person, and I think she’s just genuinely trying to help, but… I’m sorry.” With his apology, Haruto bowed his head. Ayaka, whose face had been red, frantically waved her hands in response. “W-Why are you apologizing, Haruto-kun? You haven’t done anything to apologize for.” “Well, I thought I might have made you anxious,” said Haruto, remembering the shocked look on her face as he was leaving the classroom. But Ayaka just shook her head and replied. “No, not at all. I was certainly surprised when a girl who seemed so close to you suddenly appeared, but…” Ayaka glanced at Haruto, then continued shyly, fidgeting. “I… um… I can feel that you truly care for me, Haruto-kun, so I wasn’t anxious.” “O-Oh, I see…” “Yeah…” A silence, thick with bashfulness, fell between them. As if to break the sweet quiet, Ayaka puffed out her chest with an exaggerated “ahem.” “So, Haruto-kun? What do you think? Aren’t I a good girlfriend, being so tolerant of my boyfriend’s female friends?” She made a cute, smug face, as if to distract from her blushing cheeks. Haruto felt a wave of affection rise in his chest and gently pulled Ayaka into a hug. “You’re right. To me, Ayaka, you’re the most amazing, perfect girlfriend I could ever ask for.” Haruto whispered softly into her ear. She squirmed in his arms as if ticklish. Later, after putting his things away in Ryōta’s room with Ayaka, Haruto went down to the living room to play with the boy until dinner. It seemed Ryōta was currently obsessed with playing samurai, so Haruto faced off against him, a toy sword in hand. “Alright, Ryōta-kun. Let’s have an honorable duel.” “Hehehe, Onii-chan. You see, I’m a master of the Niten Ichi-ryū.” With a cute, fearless smile, Ryōta held up the two toy swords in his hands.

Haruto couldn’t help but laugh at Ryōta, who was naming the school of a famous two-sword-wielding swordsman, though he had no idea where the boy had learned it. “Are you a fan of Miyamoto Musashi, Ryōta-kun?” “Miyamoto Musashi? Who’s that?” Ryōta tilted his head in confusion at Haruto’s words. Haruto was puzzled as to how Ryōta knew the name “Niten Ichi” without knowing who Miyamoto Musashi was. Getting a glimpse into the mysterious world of a kindergartener, Haruto could only tilt his own head at the unanswerable question. Seeing this, Ryōta brandished the swords in his hands and passionately declared to Haruto. “Onii-chan! The Niten Ichi-ryū is the strongest!” “I see. If you’re a master of the Niten Ichi-ryū, Ryōta-kun, then perhaps I shall become a master of the Ganryū.” As he spoke, Haruto struck an exaggerated pose with his toy sword. “Ganryū? What’s that?” “It’s the school of Sasaki Kojirō.” “Sasaki… I don’t know that person. But Ganryū sounds cool, so I wanna use it too!” Haruto gave a fearless smile to the boy, whose eyes were sparkling. “Then it’s the duel of Ganryūjima.” “Yeah! A duel!” Though he didn’t seem to understand the meaning, the words alone must have struck a chord. Ryōta swung his swords wildly, his fighting spirit ablaze. Ayaka, sitting on the living room sofa, gave a wry smile at her brother, who was completely absorbed in his sword fight with Haruto, and offered a word of caution. “Ryōta, if you’re too rough, you’ll get hurt.” “I’m fine! Because I’m a master of Niten Ichi-ryū!” “Yeah, that doesn’t make any sense.” Ayaka looked exasperated at Ryōta’s words. Haruto stepped in to support him. “Dual-wielding is a man’s romance.” “Oh? So you admire the swordsmen of old too, Haruto-kun?” “Yeah, you could say that.” “You’re open, Onii-chan!” While Haruto was talking to Ayaka, Ryōta attacked without mercy.

Haruto blocked it, then continued to effortlessly parry Ryōta’s wildly swinging swords. For Haruto, whose kinetic vision had been trained through karate, dodging Ryōta’s attacks was easy. However, that wouldn’t be any fun for Ryōta, so after a while, Haruto deliberately took a hit. “Gwah! I’m done for!” Taking a magnificent diagonal slash from shoulder to hip, Haruto let out a pained cry and collapsed to his knees. At his exaggerated reaction, Ryōta threw his hands in the air in triumph. “Yay! I defeated Onii-chan!” “You’re strong, Ryōta-kun.” “Heheheh.” At Haruto’s praise, Ryōta showed off his most triumphant smug face. He looked so adorable that Haruto couldn’t help but smile fondly. Just then, Shūichi came home and entered the living room. “Welcome home, Daddy!” “I’m home, Ryōta. Oh? Were you having a match with Haruto-kun?” Ryōta ran up to his father to greet him. Shūichi crouched down to meet his gaze and pointed at the toy sword in his hand. “Yeah! It’s the duel of Ganryūjima, Daddy!” “Is that so? And who won?” “Me!” “Then you must be Miyamoto Musashi.” Shūichi’s face broke into a wide grin at his son’s earnest explanation. “No, Daddy! I’m not Miyamoto Musashi, I’m a master of the Niten Ichiryū!” “Oh, is that so! Ryōta, you’re a swordsman of the Reiwa era.” “Yeah!! A swordsman of the Reiwa era!” Thrilled by his father’s words, Ryōta struck a pose, holding his two swords at the ready. After patting his son’s head, Shūichi stood and turned his gaze to Haruto. “Haruto-kun, thank you for playing with Ryōta.” “Not at all. I’m glad he had fun.” Shūichi nodded happily at Haruto’s reply and then headed for the kitchen. “Kiyoko-san. Thank you for preparing dinner,” said Shūichi, bowing politely to Haruto’s grandmother.

“I’m the one who should be thanking you. From this day forward, I will do my utmost to serve as your housekeeper.” Kiyoko also returned a polite thanks to Shūichi. “Is that karaage for dinner today? It looks delicious, I’m already looking forward to it.” As Shūichi said this, looking at the karaage that was just starting to be fried, Kiyoko gave a gentle smile. “It will be ready very soon.” “Mmm, I can’t wait. By the way, Ayaka, where’s your mother?” “Mom’s in the study, working.” “I see. Then I’ll go tell her dinner will be ready soon.” Shūichi left the living room with a cheerful spring in his step. Ayaka, who had been following him with her eyes, called out to Ryōta. “Ryōta, it’s almost dinnertime, so put your toys away.” “Okay! Onii-chan, let’s have a duel again!” “You got it. I won’t lose next time.” “I’m a master of the Niten Ichi-ryū, so I’m the strongest.” Ryōta gave a smug grin, as if with the confidence of a true champion, and put all his toys away with Haruto. After that, Shūichi returned to the living room with Ikue, and once Haruto and the others were seated at the dining table, Kiyoko began placing the finished dinner on the table. “Thank you for waiting. Please, eat.” On the table, besides the karaage, there was a tofu and seaweed salad, a vinegared dish of octopus and cucumber, and miso soup. “Mm, it all looks delicious.” “Thank you, Kiyoko-san.” The Tōjō couple thanked Kiyoko in unison. “Not at all. Please eat before it gets cold.” “Well then, let’s eat.” Shūichi put his hands together, and everyone followed suit before reaching for their food. “Onii-chan, this karaage has a different color,” Ryōta said. “I bet it has a different flavor,” Haruto replied to Ryōta, who was staring curiously at the mountain of karaage. “Grandma, what are the flavors for the karaage today?”

“Today, this one is seasoned with soy sauce and garlic, and the one next to it is salt kōji. This slightly yellow one is curry-flavored, and the reddish one is plum and shiso leaf.” Kiyoko explained each of the four different seasonings. “So, Ryōta-kun, which flavor do you want to try first?” “Curry flavor!” Haruto smiled at Ryōta’s instant reply and placed a piece of curryflavored karaage on his small plate. Watching this exchange from the side, Shūichi also reached for the karaage with his chopsticks. “I think I’ll have the soy sauce garlic.” “The plum shiso looks delicious,” Ikue added, taking a piece of karaage after her husband. The Tōjō couple took a bite in unison, and their expressions relaxed. “Mmm! This is delicious! The fragrant soy sauce and the aroma of garlic are just perfect!” “The plum shiso is delicious too. It’s so juicy, but it has a refreshing taste.” Kiyoko’s cheeks softened with pleasure as the Tōjōs praised her karaage. “Mmm, this… I really need… a beer…” Shūichi groaned, glaring at the karaage in his hand as if resisting some great temptation. “But… today is my no-alcohol day… mmm…” “Honey, just one glass, okay?” “Really?!” At Ikue’s words, Shūichi’s face lit up with pure joy. Ayaka gave a wry smile at her parents’ antics, then took a bite of the salt kōji karaage. Her eyes immediately widened in surprise. “Wow… the meat is so tender.” Seeing her reaction, Haruto smiled as he gave Ryōta a piece of the soy sauce garlic karaage. “That’s because the chicken was soaked in a brine solution first. Right, Grandma?” “Yes, that’s right.” “Brine solution?” Ayaka tilted her head, looking back and forth between Haruto and his grandmother. “A brine solution is something that makes meat tender and juicy. You make it with water, salt, and sugar, and then you marinate the meat in it.”

“Huh, I had no idea something like that existed.” Ayaka nodded, impressed by Haruto’s explanation, and continued eating her chicken. Just then, Ikue, who had been happily eating the octopus and cucumber salad, called out to Haruto. “Oh, that’s right, Ōtsuki-kun. From now on, would it be okay if I called you Haruto-kun, too?” Ikue explained that she wanted to start using his first name, adding, “Since Kiyoko-san is here now, too.” For the record, Shūichi had already switched from calling him “Ōtsuki-kun” to “Haruto-kun.” “Yes, that’s fine.” “Alright. Then, once again, it’s nice to have you with us, Haruto-kun.” Ikue smiled brightly. She looked so much like Ayaka that Haruto couldn’t help but look away. “N-Nice to be here.” In his mind, he imagined that this is what Ayaka would be like when she grew up, and his heart rate spiked on its own. While he was thinking this, Ikue let out a cheerful laugh. “Oh my, Ayaka, your eyes are looking a little scary.” “N-No they’re not, they’re normal!” “Hmm? Well, don’t worry. I’m devoted to your father.” “Th-That’s not! That’s not what I meant!” Her daughter’s face turned red as she argued with her mother. Ignoring his mother’s teasing and his sister’s blush, Ryōta ate a piece of the plum shiso karaage and smiled at Haruto. “Onii-chan, this one is delicious! I like it!” “You do? Want another one?” “Yeah!!” Kiyoko quietly watched the dinner table scene with a happy smile. The Tōjō family dinner table, now including the Ōtsukis, was even more lively and bright than usual. After dinner, Haruto spent a relaxing time playing with Ryōta again and taking a bath. Late at night, everyone retired to their respective rooms to sleep. Haruto also went into Ryōta’s room and spread his study materials out on the desk. I have nothing but gratitude for the Tōjō family… Haruto muttered to himself as he faced the desk.

He had lived with his grandparents since losing his parents at a young age. And after his grandfather passed away when he started middle school, it had just been him and his grandmother. Looking back, life with just his grandmother had been very quiet. When there was no conversation, the house was either wrapped in silence or filled with the loud sound of the television. It wasn’t that he particularly disliked it, or that he was lonely. That was the environment Haruto had grown up in, and that was what was normal for the Ōtsuki family. However, experiencing a day like today made him realize that a lively family was also a wonderful thing. It felt like his heart was buoyant, his spirits light. Haruto opened a textbook, feeling a gentle warmth spread through his heart at the thought of the new life with the Tōjō family that was about to begin. After concentrating on his studies for a while, there was a sudden knock on the door. “Yes, come in,” Haruto looked up from his textbook and said toward the door. The door opened slowly and hesitantly, and Ayaka’s face peeked through the gap. “…Are you going to bed soon, Haruto-kun?” “No, not yet.” “…Then, can I… stay in your room for a little while?” “Yeah, of course.” When Haruto replied, Ayaka entered the room with a happy smile and closed the door behind her. Ayaka slowly entered the room, her gaze falling on the study materials spread across the desk. “You were studying.” “Yeah, well, it’s a daily routine.” “I see. That’s just like you, Haruto-kun. I need to follow your example, with the tests starting soon and all.” Ayaka looked a little gloomy, as if remembering that the post-summerbreak exams were just around the corner. Haruto looked at her with gentle eyes. “Come to think of it, I get a reward if I score over eighty on all subjects, right?” “Yeah, you remembered our promise.” “Of course.” Ayaka’s cheeks softened happily as Haruto nodded. “I’m looking forward to my reward from you, Haruto-kun.”

“Oh? So it’s already a done deal that you’ll get over eighty on every subject?” Haruto said, teasing her slightly, as she was already planning on receiving her reward. “Well, that’s what I’ve been working so hard for this time. But…” She paused, then looked up at him from under her eyelashes. “If I don’t make it, will you comfort me then?” “…Okay. I’ll comfort you.” “Hehe, yay.” Though it was a calculated, coquettish gesture, Haruto was completely charmed and gave a wry smile. Just then, he realized that Ayaka had been standing ever since she came into the room. “Sorry, Ayaka, you’ve been standing this whole time. Let’s sit—” Haruto stopped himself before he could say, “down.” The room was intended for Ryōta in the future, so for now it was practically empty and unfurnished. Shūichi had hastily prepared a desk for him, but there was no bed or even a cushion to sit on. The only thing on the floor at the moment was the futon Haruto had laid out to sleep on. “There’s nowhere to sit…” Haruto said, looking around the room. In response, Ayaka spoke up hesitantly, her cheeks flushing red. “Then… can I sit on you, Haruto-kun?” “Huh? I mean… you can… but how?” Haruto, sitting on the chair in front of the desk, replied in confusion. “Like this…” Ayaka, her face still red, slowly approached Haruto and sat down on his lap, facing him. “This is how,” she said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and gently placing her hands on them.

The sudden closing of the distance, the sensation and warmth transmitted from his thighs—Haruto could clearly hear the pounding of his own heart in his ears. “A-Ayaka? Isn’t this a little too close?” “…You don’t like it?” “It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just… my heart is pounding so hard it kind of hurts.” “It’s making your heart pound that much?” “Well, yeah… if a girl you like gets this close, anyone’s heart would start pounding.” “Fufu, I see. My heart is pounding too.” Ayaka’s gaze intertwined with his, her eyes glistening. Even as a blush crept up to her neck, she snuggled closer to him. Seeing her like this, a thought occurred to Haruto, and he lowered his gaze apologetically. “Sorry, Ayaka. I guess I really did make you anxious about Shizuku.” At his words, Ayaka’s body gave a slight jolt. “…” She looked down, silent. When they had talked about Shizuku earlier, Ayaka had said she didn’t mind. But perhaps, while saying that, she had still been anxious about his relationship with Shizuku. Haruto thought this, remembering the shocked look on her face at school. Just then, Ayaka, still looking down, began to speak in a small voice. “…No, it’s not that I was… anxious…” Ayaka said, then slowly lifted her head to meet Haruto’s eyes. “Hey, Haruto-kun…” “Hm?” “Just for a little… just for a little while, is it okay if I’m… selfish?” she whispered, her voice tinged with a slight guilt as she mustered the courage to be vulnerable with him. Haruto gave her a gentle smile. “Yeah. Don’t say just a little while. You can be as selfish as you want.” “…You’re too sweet, Haruto-kun. If you say things like that, I’ll just get greedier and greedier.” “I don’t mind.”

“Gosh…” Ayaka probably wanted to make an angry face, but she failed spectacularly, her expression melting into a completely besotted one. She reached up from his shoulders, clasping her hands behind his neck. “You know, like I said earlier, I’ve properly received your feelings, Haruto-kun, so I’m not anxious. It’s just… I got jealous.” “Of Shizuku?” “…Yeah.” Ayaka gave a small nod. She moved her face a little closer to Haruto as she explained. “At school, when I saw Dōjima-san talking so openly with you, I just… felt envious. I was thinking, I can’t even talk to Haruto-kun…” “I see…” “I’m your girlfriend, so why can she talk to you and I can’t?” After saying that, Ayaka showed a slightly self-deprecating, wry smile. “I’m being super selfish and irrational, aren’t I? I mean, I was the one who said we should keep our relationship a secret at school…” she said, her voice a little dejected. Haruto, still smiling gently, offered words of comfort. “But that’s because you have trauma from that trouble in middle school, right? So it can’t be helped.” “…Yeah. But you know, seeing Dōjima-san today made me realize I really do want to interact with you normally at school, Haruto-kun. But… I’m still a little scared…” “Ayaka…” Haruto reached out to Ayaka, who was sitting on his lap, and gently pulled her into a hug. “You don’t have to push yourself so hard. We can’t be together at school, but we can be like this at home. We can just take our time and figure out the school thing together.” “Haruto-kun… thank you.” Ayaka smiled happily, then pulled the arms wrapped around his neck closer, resting her cheek against his neck. “I love you…” “I love you too,” replied Haruto, gently stroking her soft hair. “Hey, Haruto-kun…” Ayaka lifted her face from his neck and called his name in a sweet, pleading voice. “What is it?”

“Can I use my girlfriend’s privilege?” She said this from so close their noses were almost touching. Haruto tilted his head slightly. “Privilege? Sure, but…” The moment she heard those words, Ayaka moved her face closer to Haruto’s. Fully expecting a kiss, Haruto tilted his face up slightly. But contrary to his expectations, Ayaka’s lips didn’t meet his. They passed by the side of his cheek. Haruto barely had time to think, Huh? before a wet, faintly painful sensation registered on his left ear. “!” A feeling Haruto had never experienced before. The strength in the arms holding Ayaka tightened reflexively. “Nn.” Instantly, her breath tickled his left ear, and Haruto’s heart felt like it was on the verge of exploding. His heart was racing so fast he thought Ayaka, pressed against him, would surely feel it. Whether she knew what was going on inside him or not, she once again nibbled gently on his left earlobe. Again and again, she nibbled softly. Haruto squeezed his eyes shut, as if to endure the sensation in his left ear. After savoring his earlobe for a while, Ayaka finally pulled her face away from his left ear and slowly returned to face him. “I bit your earlobe, Haruto-kun,” Ayaka said with a mischievous smile, and in Haruto’s eyes, she looked incredibly bewitching. “…I told you not to bite me before.” Haruto protested, as if resisting being swallowed up by the aura she was giving off. “Yeah, you did. But isn’t it normal for a girlfriend to bite her boyfriend’s ear?” The cuteness of Ayaka tilting her head as she said this was too much for Haruto to bear, and his expression crumbled. “I’ve been thinking this since we were ‘practicing’ being a couple, but I don’t think your standards for what a couple does are normal at all…” She was an avid reader of romance manga and novels. And those fictional elements had formed Ayaka’s standards for what couples do. “Did you not like me biting your ear?”

“It’s not that I didn’t like it, it’s just… it’s a strange feeling, I guess…” “So you did like it? Then can I bite your right earlobe too?” “Ayaka-san, were you listening to me at all?” “Yep. That you didn’t dislike me biting your ear.” Haruto surrendered at Ayaka’s radiant smile, raising his hands slightly. “Alright, fine. Do whatever you want.” “Yay.” Ayaka looked delighted at Haruto’s slightly resigned tone. At the same time, she hugged his neck tightly. “Is my earlobe really that nice to bite?” “Yeah, it’s the best,” Ayaka whispered softly into his ear, then promptly gave his right earlobe a gentle nibble. Still not used to the sensation, Haruto endured it silently. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling by any means, but it was an indescribable stimulation—itchy, ticklish—and Haruto struggled to maintain his composure. Just like his left ear, his right earlobe was nibbled for a while before Ayaka returned to face him, a satisfied look on her face. “Biting your earlobes could become a habit, Haruto-kun.” “Please don’t let it become a habit. My heart can’t take it.” Haruto gave a wry smile and bowed his head at Ayaka, who was saying terrifying things with a sweet smile. “If you tried biting an earlobe too, Haruto-kun, I think you’d understand the appeal.” As she said this, Ayaka casually removed her right hand from his neck and tucked her hair behind her ear. Seeing this heart-stoppingly attractive gesture up close, Haruto’s gaze was drawn to Ayaka’s right ear. “It’s okay, Haruto-kun. You can bite my right earlobe.” Ayaka tilted her head slightly to the left, as if offering her right ear to him. Haruto swallowed, trying not to let it show, then mustered all his selfcontrol to speak. “…No, I think I’ll pass.” “Really?” “Yeah. Because I feel like… things might get out of control.” “…?” Ayaka tilted her head with an innocent expression at Haruto’s words.

All he could do in response was give her another wry smile. ※ ※ ※ Lying in my bed, I recall my exchange with Haruto-kun and place a hand over my still-pounding heart. “Maybe I went a little too far…” I mutter to myself, feeling a pang of regret. Honestly, I only intended to go talk to him for a little while, but when I saw his face, I couldn’t control my emotions anymore. It all started at school today. Seeing that girl, Dōjima-san, appear in our classroom and act so familiar with Haruto-kun… that was the trigger. Haruto-kun said she was a childhood friend, and I don’t doubt his words. In fact, Haruto-kun is an incredibly charming person, so it’s only natural that he’d be liked by all sorts of people, and as his girlfriend, that makes me proud. But, while I feel that way, it’s also true that a feeling I’ve never really experienced before is swirling in a corner of my heart. “’The real romance starts after you begin dating,’ huh… Saki was right…” I remember my best friend’s words. When I told Saki that I’d become Haruto-kun’s girlfriend, she said, ‘Now you’ve finally reached the starting line of romance,’ and I’m really feeling that now. Most of the romance novels and manga I’ve read are stories where the characters’ feelings are reciprocated, they get together, and it’s a happy ending. But in reality, life continues even after you get together. Before I became Haruto-kun’s girlfriend, I thought about him a lot, worried, felt anxious, and on the flip side, felt happy and overjoyed. I experienced so many emotions because of him. But now that we’re a couple—especially now—I feel like even more are bubbling to the surface. There’s joy and happiness, but there are lots of other things too. The feeling that’s definitely inside my heart right now. I think it’s probably jealousy. I’ve never really felt jealousy before. I’ve seen affectionate couples and felt a sense of envy, thinking, “That’s nice,” but I’ve never truly felt jealous. But ever since I saw Haruto-kun talking with Dōjima-san at school today, a feeling of jealousy, so clear I could recognize it myself, has been overflowing within me.

I want to talk to him too. I want to hug his arm tightly. I want to touch him. I want to feel his warmth… Even at school… I want him to be by my side. I want him to look only at me. I want him to smile only for me, to talk only to me… Those feelings of jealousy, mixed with a heavy dose of possessiveness, spread through my heart in an instant. I tried to suppress this feeling. Because it’s my fault that I can’t talk to Haruto-kun at school. It’s because I’m the one who said we shouldn’t be together. So I’m well aware that this jealousy is ridiculously selfish. With that in mind, I tried desperately to control my desires. But the more I tried to control them, the more I tried to hold them back… The selfish jealousy inside me started to run wild. I found myself craving Haruto-kun, helplessly. There was nothing else I could do, so I went to his room to try and distract myself by talking to him for a bit. But the moment I was actually in front of him, my heart stopped listening to me. My heart took complete control of my body and moved to seek him out. And, as if to calm the jealousy that had been swirling inside me, to satisfy my possessiveness, I hugged him, pressed myself against him… and bit him. I wanted him to feel my presence, even just a little more strongly. I wanted to carve my existence into his heart… But now, back in my own room, with my heart calm and my thoughts a little clearer, I’m mortified by my own actions and also full of regret. I don’t just want to be on the receiving end from Haruto-kun. I want to be a girlfriend who can give back to him. I don’t want a relationship where I’m just dependent on him. Right now, I feel like I’m just being a clingy, troublesome girlfriend. Haruto-kun is kind, so I’m sure he’d accept even that and spoil me, but if I indulge in that, I’ll just become a lazy, useless person. If… if things continue to go well with Haruto-kun and we end up living together someday, I’ll have to do my share of the housework. As I am now, I’d just end up being completely supported by him… “Maybe I should ask Kiyoko-san to teach me how to cook…” With thoughts of becoming a partner who could stand as an equal with Haruto-kun, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

※ ※ ※ The next day, I walked the path to school alone. Haruto-kun had left the house earlier to stagger our arrival times. “I really wish we could walk together, holding hands…” I muttered, still dwelling a little on yesterday. As if my whisper had been carried on the wind to wrap around me, the desire that had subsided yesterday stirred and raised its head in my heart once more. I averted my eyes from that desire and thought back to the happy morning. “Kiyoko-san’s breakfast was so delicious.” Kiyoko-san’s cooking was so delicious it was like eating happiness itself. This morning, we had miso soup with onions and tofu, grilled salmon, rolled omelet, and simmered hijiki seaweed with soybeans. It wasn’t a strikingly luxurious menu, but Kiyoko-san’s simple breakfast was a gentle meal that was somehow comforting and calming. Eating it with everyone in the family, including Haruto-kun and Kiyokosan, made me feel like the Ōtsuki family had become a real part of our family, and I was so happy. “Someday, if Haruto-kun really becomes family… hehehe…” I accidentally said something Ryōta-like and couldn’t help but let out a laugh as I imagined that future. And just as I was becoming a slightly suspicious person, walking along grinning to myself, someone suddenly called out to me. “You’re Tōjō-senpai, right?” “Huh?” When I turned toward the voice, I saw a black-haired girl standing there with an expression that was hard to read. “Ah, um, Dōjima… san?” It was the girl who was Haruto-kun’s childhood friend, and also the cause of my jealousy yesterday. Dōjima-san looked straight at me, her expression unchanging, and opened her mouth to speak. “Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Dōjima Shizuku, from the first year.” “Um, I’m Tōjō Ayaka, from the second year.” Dōjima-san bowed politely as she greeted me, and I returned the greeting, a little flustered.

Is Dōjima-san the type of girl who doesn’t show her emotions much? She’s been staring at me with a straight face this whole time. But, she might be really cute… Her eyes are so big, and her black hair is beautiful… She’s a little short and has a petite build, but that just makes her look even more adorable. As I was observing Dōjima-san, she spoke to me, her expression still blank. “Did Haru-senpai tell you about me, Tōjō-senpai?” “Y-Yeah. He explained things yesterday.” “I see. Then you’ve heard that I’m going to help, right?” “Yeah, I heard that too.” When I replied, Dōjima-san gave a small “hmm, hmm” and a nod, then took a step closer to me. “In that case, please become my best friend, Tōjō-senpai.” “Best… huh? What… what do you mean?” I was startled by the sudden proposal. Seeing my reaction, Dōjima-san explained. “You want to be with Haru-senpai at school too, right, Tōjō-senpai?” “Well, yeah.” “Then we need to become best friends. Besties for life.” “Besties for life…” Dōjima-san stared intently into my eyes as my expression twitched slightly. “Well, if you really don’t want to, Tōjō-senpai, I won’t force you…” “Huh? Ah, no… I was just a little surprised, it’s not that I don’t want to…” “Then we can agree that we’re besties for life, right?” “Eh? Ah, w-well, that’s a little sudden… and I don’t know anything about you, Dōjima-san…” “That’s fine. I don’t know anything about you either, Tōjō-senpai, and I wasn’t interested until now,” declared Dōjima-san, giving me a thumbs-up. It kind of hurts to have it put so bluntly… And I have no idea what’s supposed to be “fine” about this. Becoming best friends with someone you’ve just met seems pretty impossible… Does she mean we should just act the part? Or does Dōjima-san really want to be my best friend…? And besides, I don’t think being best friends is something that just happens because someone says, “Let’s be best friends”…

As I was thinking this, Dōjima-san quickly moved to stand beside me. “And so, from now on we are the best of friends. Therefore, let’s walk to school together. Right, Aya-senpai?” “D-Dōjima-san, um…” “Please call me Shizuku.” I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at how sudden everything was, but Dōjima-san just kept closing the distance between us. “Come on, Aya-senpai, if we don’t hurry, we’ll be late.” “Ah, wait, Dōjima-san!” I called out to Dōjima-san as she started to walk off, and she turned to me with an expression that was hard to read. “Please call me Shizuku. We’re best friends now.” “Th-Then… Sh-Shizuku-chan.” “Yes, Aya-senpai?” “Um, is the reason we need to be best friends related to you helping out… maybe?” “Of course,” Dōjima-san answered my question with an immediate nod. “Why… are you going so far to help, Shizuku-chan?” As I asked, the image of her and Haruto-kun acting so familiar yesterday flickered in my mind. “Because I want Haru-senpai to be happy.” After saying this in a quiet, soft voice, she looked me straight in the eye and spoke again. “You know about Haru-senpai’s family situation, don’t you, Aya-senpai?” “Yeah… I’ve heard.” “Hmm… then you also know that his grandfather passed away when he was starting middle school, right?” “Y-Yeah. Haruto-kun told me that too.” When I replied, Dōjima-san muttered, “I see…” then, after a moment’s thought, she began to speak slowly. “I don’t want to see a sad Haru-senpai anymore. Back then… he looked like he would break if you so much as touched him. It was painful to watch. That’s why I’m going to help so that Haru-senpai can be with you and smile, Aya-senpai. I just don’t want him to be sad anymore.” After she finished, Dōjima-san looked at me with very serious eyes and said. “So, Aya-senpai, please don’t do anything that would make Haru-senpai sad, okay?”

Under a clear blue sky, Haruto walked the path to school with a light heart. In addition to basking in the pleasant morning sunlight, the memory of watching the fireworks with Ayaka the other day lifted his spirits. Tomoya, walking beside him, spoke up in a teasing tone. “Yo, Haru. You’re in a pretty good mood this morning.” “Well, when you get to watch fireworks with your super cute girlfriend, of course you’re gonna be in a good mood, right?” Haruto casually bragged in response to Tomoya’s teasing. “Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure, whatever you say.” “By the way, thanks for yesterday. For coming along to the fireworks festival.” “No problem. Though, with how shamelessly lovey-dovey you two were, there might not have been much point in us being there.” “Well… still, thanks.” Remembering how close he and Ayaka had been while touring the food stalls yesterday, Haruto thanked Tomoya, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. “Eh, I got to enjoy the festival food with Aizawa-san, so it’s all good.” “Oh yeah, did you end up watching the fireworks with Aizawa-san?” “Yeah. Although, we were hitting the food stalls right up to the last minute, so all the good spots in the venue were taken. We ended up watching from the slope of the riverbank.” “Hahaha, that’s so like you. Was Aizawa-san mad?” “Aizawa-san, with a heart as vast and merciful as a goddess, forgave my foolish act.” Tomoya clasped his hands together and looked up at the sky as if offering a prayer. “I see. Good thing Aizawa-san is such a goddess, then.” Brushing off his dramatic best friend, Haruto made a mental note to properly thank Saki later. After arriving at school with Tomoya, Haruto entered the classroom and sat at his desk, where he noticed it was noisier than usual.

“Looks pretty lively around Tōjō-san,” Tomoya said, looking toward the center of the commotion. “You don’t think they found out I’m dating Ayaka, do you?” “Nah, if that were the case, the second you walked in, you’d both be getting grilled with questions, right?” “That’s true.” Haruto lowered his voice so those around them wouldn’t hear his conversation with Tomoya. Ayaka’s desk was right around the middle of the classroom, and a large group of female students had currently gathered there, pelting her with questions about something. Haruto watched the crowd with a worried expression. Catching a glimpse of Ayaka between the girls surrounding her, he could see she was wearing a strained, polite smile. “I’ll go get a little closer and listen in. You should probably stay away, just in case.” “Yeah. Sorry. I’m counting on you.” Tomoya gave Haruto a small wave and headed toward the center of the classroom’s uproar. A few minutes later, he returned to Haruto’s side with a troubled look on his face. “How’d it go?” “Yeah, it seems a classmate saw you two walking together yesterday.” “I knew it…” Haruto’s expression turned grim at Tomoya’s words. Then, a question occurred to him, and he looked at his best friend. “Huh? But why isn’t anyone coming over to me?” “About that… apparently, the person who saw you only got a look at your backs. Tōjō-san is, well, recognizable enough from behind with her looks, but you, Average High School Boy A, are impossible to identify from the back, right?” “Hey, what’s with this ‘Average High School Boy A’? You make me sound like a mob character.” “You are a mob character.” “You jerk.” Haruto gave Tomoya a light shove with a practiced motion in response to his teasing.

Apparently, the student who spotted them could only see their backs and had been unable to get around to the front because the crowd was too dense. But even from behind, the couple was definitely radiating a lover’s aura. Combined with the fact that Ayaka had declared she had someone she liked right after summer break, it seemed she was now being interrogated about all of it. “Well, you guys yesterday were giving off such a strong lovey-dovey couple vibe it was almost enough to give someone heartburn.” “…” Tomoya said with a fed-up, exasperated expression. Unable to strongly deny his words, Haruto could only remain silent. “This just makes it even harder to get close to Tōjō-san at school.” “Haaah… yeah…” Haruto let out a heavy sigh and looked gloomily at the crowd in the center of the classroom. ※ ※ ※ “Ugh, a big cleaning first thing on a Monday… I’m so not motivated,” grumbled Tomoya, pulling a stack of books from a bookshelf. “It’s our school’s tradition to have the entire student body do a big cleanup the week after summer break. It can’t be helped,” Saki responded, wiping down the now-empty shelf with a dust rag. At the high school they attended, it was a tradition for all students to clean the school building and grounds the week after summer vacation. The school’s reasoning was apparently to instill a spirit of caring for their place of learning, while also getting their sluggish bodies moving after the long break. For the cleaning, each class was divided into several groups and assigned a specific area. Tomoya and Saki were in the same group, assigned to clean the library. “Well, it’s a hundred times better than having to sit through a math or Japanese lit class right off the bat.” “True. Besides, our group is still lucky since we’re inside. Compared to the groups pulling weeds on the athletic field, anyway.”

As she spoke, Saki glanced out the window. Summer break may have been over, but the hot days continued, with the sun beating down mercilessly. Saki squinted in the bright, dazzling sunlight. Tomoya glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before slowly speaking as he returned the books to the wiped-down shelf. “By the way, Aizawa-san.” “Hm?” “Thanks for watching the fireworks with me yesterday.” “Same to you. Thanks for treating me to everything.” Saki replied with a gentle smile. The two of them had gone to the fireworks festival as their respective best friends, to provide a plausible excuse for Haruto and Ayaka to be there together. Afterward, being considerate, Tomoya and Saki had split off from the new couple and enjoyed touring the food stalls and watching the fireworks on their own. As Saki gave a small bow of thanks for all the treats, Tomoya’s face lit up with a grin, a stack of books still in his arms. “You made everything look so delicious when you were eating, Aizawasan, so it was worth treating you.” “Well… I mean, festival food is delicious, isn’t it?” “True. It was a lot of fun, so I wanna go stall-hopping with you again sometime, Aizawa-san. Makes me wanna treat you to all sorts of stuff.” “Akagi-kun, are you trying to win me over with food?” “I am.” “Hey!” Tomoya cackled as Saki scowled and shot back a retort. “Don’t think I’m some cheap girl you can lure with food. I will not be going to any more food stalls with you, Akagi-kun. I refuse. Unequivocally.” “Aww, really? Not even if I offer to buy you fried chicken?” “Nope.” “What about beef skewers?” “Absolutely not.” “Okay then, chocolate-covered bananas and crepes.” “…There may be room for consideration.” “Cotton candy and baby castella cakes.” “The possibility of me not going isn’t not a possibility… maybe.” “Huh? Which is it?”

“Now, which do you think it is?” Tomoya scrunched his brow and tilted his head at Saki’s reply. Saki, turning her face away from him, quirked her lips into a small smile as she took in the scene visible through a gap in the bookshelves.

“More importantly, we have to do something about that,” Saki said. Where she was looking, Ayaka was wiping down a library desk with a dust rag. Two male students were hovering around her, pestering her with various questions. “Uh, um, Tōjō-san. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.” “No… um, that’s not—” “But I heard the guy you were with at the fireworks festival yesterday looked really close with you. Do you happen to have an older brother, Tōjō- san?” “No. I don’t—” “Then was that guy yesterday really your boyfriend?” The two boys fired off questions one after another, cutting off Ayaka’s replies. Normally, Ayaka was always surrounded by girls, making it difficult for boys to approach her with questions. But now, with everyone split into cleaning groups, the wall of girls that kept the boys at a distance was gone. Seizing the opportunity, the two students were grilling her relentlessly. “When did you start dating, Tōjō-san?” “Who is he? A guy from this school?” “Seriously, was the guy at the fireworks festival your boyfriend?” “Is he the one you said you liked?” Seeing the boys hammering Ayaka with so many questions that she didn’t even have time to answer, another boy who was cleaning in the library couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up. “Hey, Tōjō-san is wiping the desks, so you two should go do the floors.” “Huh? Nah, I’m helping Tōjō-san.” “Me too. Ōtsuki, you can do the floors.” The two boys shot Haruto annoyed looks. “Yeah, but Aya—I mean, Tōjō-san is having a hard time cleaning with you guys interrogating her, isn’t she?” “What’s it to you, Ōtsuki? Trying to look good and score points with Tōjō- san?” “It’s not like that—” “Then what is it? Besides, Tōjō-san was super close with the guy at the fireworks festival yesterday, right? So I don’t think trying to so obviously boost your favorability rating is gonna do you any good now.” The male student retorted sarcastically, trying to shut down Haruto’s continued warnings.

“Yeah, dude. No matter how many points you try to score, you’re totally off Tōjō-san’s radar.” The other student also laughed scornfully at Haruto. “Uh oh, this is bad…” Saki muttered, observing the entire exchange from between the bookshelves. “Hm?” Tomoya asked, hearing that, and moved next to her, peering through the gap in the shelves at Haruto and the others. “What’s up?” “Ayaka’s about to snap.” “What?! Tōjō-san snaps?!” In Tomoya’s mind, Ayaka was the epitome of a gentle person, the furthest thing from someone who would “snap.” “It’s rare. I’ve only seen her get truly angry once.” “Is this one of those things where the normally nice person is super scary when they get mad?” “Exactly.” Saki nodded silently. Tomoya carefully peeked at Ayaka through the gap in the shelves. Sure enough, the troubled smile she’d been wearing just moments ago had vanished, replaced by a face as expressionless as a Noh mask1. Ayaka’s face, usually so gentle, was now a completely unreadable, blank mask. Seeing it, Tomoya felt a chill run down his spine that had nothing to do with the summer heat. “This is bad…” “Right?” After their brief exchange, Tomoya let out a determined “Alright!” and burst out from behind the bookshelf. “Hey, Iijima, Tanaka! Let’s go get a bucket of water to clean the floors together!” Tomoya called out to the two boys bothering Ayaka, then slung his arms over both their shoulders from behind. “Whoa?! Hey, Akagi! Don’t touch me, that’s gross!” “What’s the big deal, Iijima! We’re buddies, right? Let’s go get some water while we get all friendly!” “Stop it! You’re creeping me out!” “Come on, come on! Tanaka, you’re coming too! Let’s go be three sweaty dudes together!” “Stop! I’m not sweaty!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Tomoya easily brushed off their protests and dragged them out of the library. Saki, who had watched the boisterous departure of the boys, gave Tomoya’s back a thumbs-up. “Good job, Akagi-kun.” She moved over to where Ayaka and Haruto remained in the library. “Ayaka, you owe Akagi-kun one now.” “Yeah…” Ayaka nodded while taking deep breaths, as if trying to calm herself down. Just then, Haruto spoke up apologetically. “Sorry, Ayaka. I couldn’t do anything.” Haruto apologized, his voice dejected. At that, Ayaka whipped her entire body around to face him. “You don’t have to apologize, Haruto-kun! I was so happy you came over!” After saying that, Ayaka slid closer to Haruto. “It’s not true that you’re off my radar, okay? I only have eyes for you, Haruto-kun! You’re… you’re my everything.” She pleaded desperately, her voice catching slightly on the last words as a shy blush colored her cheeks. “O-Oh… thank you. You’re everything to me too, Ayaka.” “Haruto-kun!” Haruto’s words made Ayaka’s expression brighten instantly, as if the Noh mask from before had been a lie. She started to spread her arms to hug him. “Ahem! Ayaka, should I leave the library too?” “Hau! S-Sorry, Saki.” Just before she could leap into Haruto’s arms, Saki let out a loud cough to remind Ayaka of her presence. Flustered, Ayaka immediately folded her outstretched arms in front of her chest. “Honestly, this is a school, you know? If someone saw you hugging Ōtsuki-kun here, you wouldn’t be able to explain it away.” “Ugh… but the last time I touched Haruto-kun was right before I left the house, so it’s been almost three hours since we’ve touched…” muttered Ayaka with a pout, looking down. “Not only that, we can’t even talk or look each other in the eye, you know? It’s even hard to get close to him in the classroom…”

She was no longer making excuses but simply venting her frustrations, to which Saki gave a wry smile. “You were the one who decided to keep your relationship with Ōtsuki-kun a secret, weren’t you, Ayaka?” “Well, yes, but…” Ayaka’s eyes drooped dejectedly. Knowing about the trauma she carried, Saki didn’t press the issue further and instead glanced at the door where Tomoya and the others had left. “Can’t be helped, I guess. Alright, I’ll keep watch to see if Akagi-kun and the others are coming back, so you can get your dose of Ōtsuki-kun in the meantime.” As Saki said this, a brilliant smile bloomed on Ayaka’s face. “Thank you, Saki!” After thanking her best friend, Ayaka immediately charged toward Haruto. “Haruto-kun!” “Nwah?! H-Hey, Ayaka?! This is a school, you know?!” “It’s okay, Saki’s keeping watch!” “Yeah, but…” “Ōtsuki-kun, if you don’t manage to calm Ayaka down before Akagi-kun and the others get back, you’re going to have a big problem on your hands later, you know?” Saki said, keeping her eyes on the library door. At her words, Haruto gave a wry smile, inwardly conceding—She’s right. He gently stroked the head of his beloved girlfriend, who was now clinging to him. “Heheee…” Ayaka’s happy little sigh made the corners of Haruto’s mouth turn up naturally as well. And so, as Saki muttered “lovebirds” under her breath, the two spent a few precious moments as a couple before Tomoya and the others returned. ※ ※ ※ Once the big library cleaning was over, Ayaka was once again surrounded by a large group of female students. Furthermore, male students were now hovering around that circle, constantly eavesdropping to gather as much information as possible. As a result, Haruto couldn’t carelessly approach Ayaka, and soon it was time to go home.

Haruto glanced over at Ayaka, who was still being bombarded with questions even after school. He remembered how she had been in the library and wanted to do something about the current situation. Unfortunately, no good ideas came to his mind. The easiest thing would be to thoughtlessly declare, I’m Ayaka’s boyfriend!, but he couldn’t do that. Ayaka had experienced trouble with friends in middle school over a boy who had confessed to her, and it had left her with a bit of trauma. The “I’m not interested in romance” image she had cultivated at school was a result of that middle school incident. He couldn’t just ignore those issues and act on his own selfish desires. Even after the library cleaning, Ayaka had kept a smile on her face whenever he saw her from a distance. But Haruto, who had spent the summer with her and was now her boyfriend, could tell. Behind that polite smile, she was bottling up a lot of frustration. Isn’t there some good way to handle this…? Haruto racked his brain. Just then, Tomoya came over to him, his bag slung over his shoulder. “Haru, sorry, but I’ve got a place to be, so I’m heading home first today.” “Got it. See you tomorrow, then.” “Yeah, see ya tomorrow.” After a brief exchange, Haruto watched his best friend’s back for a moment as he left the classroom. Then, he too grabbed his bag from his desk and stood up. “Haaah… I guess I’ll head home too.” Letting out what must have been his tenth sigh of the day, he prepared to quietly leave the classroom. Just before he was completely out the door, Haruto looked toward Ayaka one more time. For a split second, their eyes met. In that instant, the corners of Ayaka’s mouth lifted into a smile. The moment he blinked, her expression had returned to the polite smile from before. It happened so fast that he wondered if he had imagined it. But he was certain their eyes had met, and she had smiled at him. That alone made his heart leap, and at the same time, his desire to interact normally with Ayaka at school grew stronger. He wished they could openly act like a couple, just as they had in the library. But frustrated by his inability to do anything about the current situation, Haruto left the classroom.

And so, on his way home from school, walking alone on the sidewalk, Haruto mulled over various ways he might be able to interact with Ayaka naturally at school. I’ve barely even talked to Ayaka at school up until now. Before they met through his housekeeping job, they were just classmates who knew each other by sight. If they suddenly started acting friendly right after the break, it would definitely draw suspicion. My girlfriend is right there in front of me, and I can’t even talk to her… what kind of hell is this? Haruto muttered to himself. Suddenly, a jolt ran through his back. “Doooon.” “Nwah?!”

Pushed from behind by someone, Haruto stumbled forward two or three steps, losing his balance. He managed to steady himself and avoid falling, then turned around to complain to his attacker. “That was dangerous, Shizuku!” “This is an encouraging doooon, Haru-senpai.” Shizuku replied with her usual deadpan expression, her hands still held out from where she’d pushed him. “What the hell is an ‘encouraging doooon’?” Haruto shot Shizuku a disapproving look for her typically nonsensical statement, but she seemed completely unfazed. “I heard the rumors at school today. That Tōjō-senpai has a boyfriend.” It seemed the day’s commotion had even reached Shizuku, who was in a different grade. “You finally managed to start dating the school idol, Tōjō-senpai, only to have her stolen away by another man right away. The kind-hearted junior, Shizuku-chan, is here to console the pitiful Haru-senpai.” “Yeah, no, I haven’t been cheated on.” Haruto replied with perfect calm to Shizuku, who was puffing out her chest proudly. At that, Shizuku’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Hm? Then the boy next to Tōjō-senpai that everyone’s rumoring about is you, Haru-senpai?” “That’s right. Besides, I told you before, didn’t I? That I was going to see the fireworks with Ayaka. You demanded a souvenir from me then, remember?” “I instantly erased such a conversation from my brain. Therefore, I do not remember.” “Hey…” Haruto covered his face with one hand at his junior’s audacious declaration. “Then why were you walking alone all dejectedly, Haru-senpai, as if you’d been brutally dumped by Tōjō-senpai?” Shizuku tilted her head as she questioned Haruto. “The rumors say that Tōjō-senpai and the boy next to her seemed to be getting along quite well. Well enough to be radiating a pink aura all around them.” “That’s… we’re keeping it a secret at school. That I’m dating Ayaka.” Hearing Haruto’s words, Shizuku’s eyebrow twitched in reaction.

“Haru-senpai… did you chicken out? Afraid of being resented by all the guys at school?” Haruto shook his head slightly at her scrutinizing gaze. “No. If I could, I’d want to make my relationship with Ayaka public. But…” “But?” Shizuku stared at him with her blank expression, prompting him to continue. After hesitating for a moment on how to phrase it, Haruto slowly began to speak. “I want to announce that I’m Ayaka’s boyfriend. But if I do, there’s a chance it could complicate her friendships. Apparently, Ayaka had trouble with that in the past, and she’s a little scared of how her friends will react when they find out about us.” After listening to Haruto’s explanation, Shizuku nodded as if she understood. “Ah, so that’s what it is.” “In other words, Tōjō-senpai is afraid of earning the resentment and animosity of girls who liked you, Haru-senpai. Is that it?” “Well, I think it’s something like that.” When Haruto confirmed it, Shizuku spoke to him with a solemn expression. “Haru-senpai… are you conceited?” “Shut up. I think it’s just Ayaka worrying for nothing, too!” Haruto shot back without a pause at Shizuku, who was giving off a distinct “Oh, Senpai, honestly…” vibe. Haruto himself didn’t believe he was popular enough with girls to disrupt Ayaka’s friendships. Therefore, he thought all the potential problems that might arise from their relationship going public were just her needless fears. He thought so, but when he considered Ayaka’s feelings, he couldn’t just ignore them. Haruto once again let out a troubled sigh. Shizuku turned her blank expression toward him. “Haru-senpai, are you really okay with leaving things like this? You’re already a second-year, you know? Next year is entrance exams. Which means this is your last year of high school to have as much fun as you can.” “I know. I want to do something about it, too. But I can’t think of any good ideas.” Haruto wore a look of utter helplessness. At that, Shizuku lowered her gaze as if deep in thought for a moment, then abruptly looked up.

“Understood. I shall lend you my assistance.” “Huh?” Haruto let out a surprised yelp at the unexpected offer from Shizuku. “I, the ever-helpful and senpai-adoring junior, Shizuku-san, will lend a hand for your sake, Haru-senpai.” As she spoke, Shizuku pinched the collar of her shirt with one hand, flashing a tiny sliver of her neck at Haruto and uttering a completely nonsensical “Oh myyy~.” Haruto gave her an incredibly anxious look. “I’m really grateful that you’ll help, but… what exactly are you going to do?” “Fufufu… telling you would spoil the fun.” “Yeah, but I’m not really looking for ‘fun’ here…” Haruto’s anxiety spiked as Shizuku gave a fearless smirk, despite her blank expression. “Now, now, Haru-senpai, please rest easy with the feeling of being on a mud boat.” “No, that’s not right! It’s supposed to be a big ship! A mud boat is the one that sinks!” Shizuku turned to Haruto, who had immediately interjected, her expression dead-serious. “Haru-senpai, life is about overcoming the raging waves.” “You can’t even get over a ripple if the boat sinks, can you?” As his junior strode off triumphantly, Haruto’s anxiety only continued to grow. ※ ※ ※ The rumor that the school idol had been on a fireworks date showed no signs of dying down the next day. Whenever it was break time, Ayaka would instantly be swarmed by a crowd of female students. Just like yesterday, Haruto couldn’t interact with her at all at school, and soon it was time to go home. He let out a solitary sigh at the situation—his girlfriend was right there, yet he couldn’t even speak to her. However, remembering it was Tuesday, his expression softened slightly. Starting today, Haruto’s grandmother would be working as a live-in housekeeper for the Tōjō family. And Haruto himself was scheduled to start staying over at their house from today as well.

Even if we can’t be together at school, we can be together at home. Haruto decided to hurry home and start getting ready to head over to the Tōjōs. Just then, Tomoya came over. “Haru, let’s go home.” “Okay, let’s get out of here.” Haruto nodded at Tomoya, who had his bag slung over his shoulder, and quickly stood up. “Oh? What’s got you so fired up?” “Nothing, I’m not that fired up. I just need to get home quick and get ready to stay over.” At Haruto’s words, a teasing smile played on Tomoya’s lips. “Ahhh.” “Starts today, huh? Your lovey-dovey cohabitation life.” “Lovey-dovey… you think we’d do that with her whole family around?” Haruto said with a fed-up look, but Tomoya just kept grinning as he replied. “So you’re saying you would be lovey-dovey if her family wasn’t around?” “That’s… up to her, isn’t it? If she doesn’t want that, I’m not going to force it.” “Nah, she’ll want it. I can tell for sure from how she’s been acting. The ‘I love you’ aura she’s sending your way is off the charts.” “Well… I mean…” Haruto gave a hesitant reply to Tomoya’s firm declaration, feeling embarrassed. Thinking back on everything that had happened since he first met Ayaka, Haruto could keenly feel how much she cared for him. The realization made his heart itch with a mixture of happiness and bashfulness. “You know, maybe if you just announce you’re her boyfriend and show everyone what a dumb couple you are, this whole commotion will die down faster. Everyone will get their fill of your PDA and stop coming near you.” Even as Haruto and Tomoya were talking, Ayaka remained at the center of the uproar. Haruto glanced her way, then gave a wry smile. “I wish I could do that.” “You’re not denying the ‘dumb couple’ part, huh.” “…I deny it.” “That reaction is a confirmation.” “Shut up. Let’s go.”

Haruto replied brusquely to the ever-teasing Tomoya and headed for the classroom exit. But just then, a female student appeared at the rear exit Haruto was walking toward. “Ha-ru-se-n-pa-i! Let’s walk home together!” It was Shizuku. Despite her blank expression, her voice boomed throughout the classroom. Disregarding the fact that she was in an upperclassmen’s room, she strode in without hesitation and came right up to Haruto. “H-Hey, Shizuku?!” “Haru-senpai, let’s walk home together,” Shizuku repeated, now standing right next to him. In response, a buzz started to spread through the classroom, centered on the two of them. Whispers could be heard from all over. “Who’s that girl?” “Ōtsuki-kun’s girlfriend?” “Isn’t that the first-year, Dōjima?” “She’s cute. Ōtsuki, go explode.” The various comments gave Haruto a slight headache. The absolute, undisputed celebrity at this school was Tōjō Ayaka. However, the name Dōjima Shizuku was also widely recognized among the male students, especially the first-years, as a cute girl. With Shizuku’s sudden appearance, all the eyes in the classroom that had been on Ayaka instantly shifted to Shizuku and Haruto. Completely unfazed, she spoke to Haruto as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “You’re a lucky man, Haru-senpai. Getting to walk home with such a cute junior.” Haruto’s expression twitched at her utter lack of bashfulness. Just then, Tomoya joined the conversation. “Hey, Shizuku-chan. Long time no see.” “Tomo-senpai. It’s been a while.” “Shizuku-chan, uh, about walking home with Haru—” “Ah, by any chance, were you planning to walk home with Haru-senpai, Tomo-senpai?” “Huh? Ah, well, yeah.” “Then I’m sorry, but please hand Haru-senpai over to me for today.” Shizuku declared this with a deadpan face, then linked her arm with Haruto’s. Instantly, the buzz in the classroom grew even louder.

Haruto felt a mixture of jealous and curious stares on him, and his panic grew. Just then, one of the girls who had been surrounding Ayaka hesitantly called out to Shizuku. “U-Um… are you…” “I am Dōjima Shizuku, from class 1-B. Height, 152 centimeters. Blood type, AB. Birthday, June 7th. My favorite drink is plum kelp tea. Would you like to know my three sizes as well?” “Uh, n-no, that’s okay…” The upperclassman shook her head, flustered by Shizuku’s deadpan selfintroduction. In response, disappointed sighs could be heard from some of the boys. “Um… D-Dōjima-san… are you, like, Ōtsuki-kun’s girlfriend or something?” the girl asked hesitantly. The moment she was asked, Shizuku moved right up close to the girl. “Do I look like it? Do Haru-senpai and I look like a couple? We do, don’t we? We do? We do??” “Eek, w-well, I, uh… you look like you have a close relationship, I guess…” Startled by Shizuku suddenly closing the distance and interrogating her with a straight face, the girl took a few steps back, stammering her reply. Hearing the girl’s answer, Shizuku seemed satisfied despite her blank expression and turned to Haruto. “Did you hear that, Haru-senpai? This senpai is telling us that it’s impossible to think of us as anything but lovers.” “That’s not what she said!” Haruto immediately shot back at Shizuku’s gross misinterpretation of the girl’s words. He then pulled his right arm free from her grasp. “Shizuku is not my girlfriend,” Haruto said, his voice a little louder so everyone could hear. At that, Shizuku played along. “That’s right. Haru-senpai and I have a relationship so rich and dense it cannot be described by a simple word like ‘lovers’.” “Hold on a sec! What kind of super-misleading phrasing is that?!” “What are you saying, Senpai? There isn’t a single misunderstanding between us. More importantly, let’s hurry up and go home.” Shizuku coolly brushed off Haruto’s protest, grabbed his arm again, and started pulling him out of the classroom. “H-Hey, wait, Shizuku! If we leave the classroom like this, there are going to be all sorts of misunderstandings—” “You don’t need to worry about unnecessary things, Haru-senpai. Come on, let’s hurry up and go home together.”

Saying that, Shizuku dragged Haruto out of the classroom. Having trained at a karate dojo since she could remember, Shizuku paid no mind to the difference in physical ability between boys and girls as she mercilessly hauled away the desperately resisting Haruto. Just before he was completely out of the classroom, Haruto sent a glance toward Ayaka. Seeing him being pulled away by Shizuku, Ayaka’s eyes were wider with shock than he had ever seen them before, her mouth hanging slightly open. Looking at her expression, Haruto apologized with the force of a mental prostration and was dragged out of the room by Shizuku. Later, once they were outside the school and there were no other students around, Shizuku finally let him go. “Seriously… what am I going to do with you, Shizuku?” Haruto asked tiredly, recalling the chaotic scene in the classroom. “Was that ‘I’ll help you’ thing from yesterday a lie?” “What are you talking about? I’m helping you a ton, aren’t I?” Haruto sighed as Shizuku tilted her blank expression at him quizzically. “How was any of that ‘helping’?” “By doing that, I can smoke out any girls who might have feelings for you, Haru-senpai. The one who asked if I was your girlfriend is very likely interested in you. There were a few other girls whose expressions changed when I clung to your arm, too.” “Huh? So you did that on purpose…?” “Of course. For your sake, Haru-senpai, I trembled in fear but mustered up my courage and charged into an upperclassmen’s classroom all by myself.” “O-Oh. You didn’t look scared at all, but… thanks.” “You are most welcome.” At Haruto’s thanks, Shizuku placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest. Haruto looked at her with a troubled expression and spoke. “But I think you created a whole lot of misunderstandings, too. What was that about a ‘rich and dense relationship’?” “Isn’t it the truth? Since we were kids, Haru-senpai and I have trained together in karate. We’re like brother and sister, friends, and good rivals. I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?” “Well, that’s true, but… in that situation, that was… ugh.” As Shizuku explained matter-of-factly, Haruto put a hand to his head and looked down, as if enduring a headache. Next to him, Shizuku’s voice was full of energy, despite her blank face.

“I’ll help you again tomorrow.” “…Out of curiosity, what are you going to do this time?” Haruto gave her a slightly wary look, and Shizuku flashed the same fearless smirk she had shown him yesterday. “I told you, it’s no fun if I tell you what’s going to happen beforehand. Like I said yesterday, Haru-senpai, you just sit back and relax like you’re on a party boat.” “Sounds like a banquet is about to start. When do I get to feel safe on a big ship…?” Haruto recalled the shocked expression he had seen on Ayaka’s face for just a moment. Unable to predict Shizuku’s actions at all, Haruto felt both grateful for his junior’s help and increasingly anxious at the same time.

Ōtsuki Haruto A residential area enveloped in the quiet of the night. Bathed in the soft moonlight, Haruto and Ayaka walked slowly, hand in hand. “The fireworks were so beautiful, weren’t they?” “I wonder if that fireworks festival is that amazing every year. I kind of regret not watching it properly until now.” Ayaka’s face lit up as she talked about the fireworks they had seen today. Haruto also spoke with admiration. At that, she turned to him with a bright smile. “From now on, let’s watch them properly together. Next year, and the year after that… together.” “Yeah, let’s.” When Haruto nodded at Ayaka, who had a bashful expression, she smiled shyly and happily. Seeing Ayaka’s smile, Haruto let out a murmur of “I see.” “The reason today’s fireworks seemed so beautiful was because I was with you, Ayaka.” Large flowers of light blooming in the night sky. Ayaka, looking up at them with sparkling eyes. Haruto thought it was because these two were a set that the fireworks festival became so moving. “For me too, because I was with you, Haruto-kun, it was a really beautiful and moving fireworks festival.” Haruto couldn’t help but smile back at her cheerful words. After that, they continued to talk about the fireworks they had just seen and other things as they headed towards the Tōjō house. The jinbei Haruto was currently wearing was borrowed from Shūichi. The condition for borrowing it was to see Ayaka home, so he held her hand firmly and aimed for the Tōjō house. “Speaking of which, the condition Shūichi-san gave for lending me the jinbei is kind of a mystery, isn’t it?”

Haruto said, tilting his head. Even without Shūichi’s condition, it was natural to see his precious girlfriend home. That’s what Haruto thought. “Hmm, maybe Dad wanted you to stop by the house after the fireworks festival, Haruto-kun?” “I wonder? But why?” “Why indeed?” Not understanding Shūichi’s intention, they both tilted their heads. And then, Haruto’s gaze suddenly fell to Ayaka’s feet. “Ayaka, are your feet okay? They don’t hurt?” She was currently wearing a geta to match her yukata. If you’re not used to geta, the thong can rub and hurt your feet. If it gets worse, the skin can even peel. TL/N: “Geta” are traditional Japanese wooden sandals with elevated soles, often worn with yukata or kimono. Worried about that, Ayaka smiled back at Haruto, “I’m fine.” “Before I put on the geta, Mama loosened the thongs for me so they wouldn’t hurt.” “Oh, I see. That’s Ikue-san for you.” Haruto was relieved that Ayaka’s feet weren’t hurting. Then, she let out a sound as if she had remembered something. “…Ah.” “Hm?” “…Actually, my feet… might hurt… a little…” “Eh?! Are you okay?” At Ayaka’s sudden retraction of her previous statement, Haruto looked back at her feet in surprise. “Ah, yeah. I’m fi— I mean. It hurts to walk… it might be difficult…” “Okay. I’ll give you a piggyba—” “Yeah!” interrupted Ayaka eagerly at his words. At that, Haruto gave her a sidelong glance. Looking closely, Ayaka’s expression was brimming with excitement, and her eyes were filled with anticipation. “…Ayaka-san?” “Ugh… Ah~, my feet hurt… I can’t walk anymore…” At Haruto’s suspicious gaze, Ayaka blatantly averted her eyes. He stared at her for a while, but she kept her face turned away. Finding her reaction amusing, his expression softened. “…Hee hee, okay. I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”

Haruto turned his back to her, who was desperately pleading “My feet hurt~,” and crouched down. At Haruto’s easy offer of a piggyback ride, Ayaka, conversely, showed a slight hesitation. “A-Are you really going to give me a piggyback ride?” “Yeah. I mean, making a girlfriend walk when she says her feet hurt would make me a terrible boyfriend, right?” “Ah, about my feet hurting, well… um…” At his response, perhaps out of guilt for lying, Ayaka’s eyes darted around. Seeing her adorable reaction, Haruto shook his head slightly with a “Good grief.” “Even without a reason, if you said you wanted a piggyback ride, Ayaka, I’d give you one as many times as you want.” “R-Really?” “Yeah. Here, come on.” Haruto extended his arms behind him, beckoning Ayaka. “W-Well then, if you please.” She hesitantly climbed onto Haruto’s back, loosely clasping her hands in front of his chest over his shoulders. “I’m standing up, okay?” “Okay.” Haruto said before standing up, then removed the geta from Ayaka’s feet, which were dangling by his waist. “Thank you, Haruto-kun. Um… am I not heavy?” “Not at all.” Haruto supported Ayaka by putting his arms under her knees and started walking slowly. When he first gave her a piggyback ride, Haruto could feel a slight tension from Ayaka, but after a while, she seemed to get used to it, and he could feel her full weight on his back. “Your back is big and warm, Haruto-kun.” “Really?” “Yeah. And the swaying as you walk is so comfortable, it’s making me sleepy.” “You can sleep until we get home.” At Haruto’s words, Ayaka shook her head from side to side.

“I won’t sleep. If I sleep, this precious piggyback ride from you will be over in an instant. I have to savor it more properly.” “Savor it? It’s not that big of a deal.” “It’s a big deal to me.”

With that, Ayaka tightened her arms around Haruto. “Feeling Haruto-kun all over me is happiness…” “Ngh… Ayaka? If you stick too close, um… on my back, that is, you know, it’s that, so could you move away a little?” Haruto stammered, flustered by Ayaka pressing against him. In response, she rubbed her cheek against his back and answered immediately. “I won’t move away. I don’t want to move away.” “…Is that so?” “It is.” To Ayaka, who replied in a very cheerful mood, Haruto continued to walk towards the Tōjō house, trying his best not to be conscious of the sensation on his back. After walking for several minutes with Ayaka on his back, Haruto let her down a little before reaching the Tōjō house. “Thank you. Your piggyback ride was really nice, Haruto-kun.” “Then it was worth giving you one.” Haruto felt a slight pang of loneliness now that the warmth on his back was gone. “You’re coming in too, right, Haruto-kun?” Ayaka asked, her hand on the front door. “Yeah, I guess I’ll impose for a little while.” It was getting quite late. Normally, he would decline, saying it would be an inconvenience. However, he already knew the Tōjō family, and this time there was also Shūichi’s condition. And, he genuinely wanted to thank him for lending him the jinbei. Thinking that, Haruto followed Ayaka into the Tōjō house. When he entered the living room with Ayaka, Ikue and Shūichi were at the dining table, enjoying a light evening drink. Ryōta was nowhere to be seen, so he was probably already asleep. Shūichi was the first to notice Haruto and Ayaka’s return, and he placed the wine glass he was holding on the table and let out a cry of admiration. “Oh!! Welcome back, you two! Wow, Haruto-kun! That jinbei looks great on you! Just as I envisioned!” Shūichi greeted them with an unusually high level of excitement. Following him, Ikue also turned to face Haruto and Ayaka. “Welcome back. Look, dear, Ayaka’s yukata and Ōtsuki-kun’s jinbei. Isn’t it lovely? It reminds me of the old days.”

“Indeed, indeed! It feels like I’ve time-slipped back to when Ikue and I first started dating!” As soon as they saw Haruto and Ayaka return, the two adults started getting excited. Hearing their conversation, Haruto somehow understood. The yukata Ayaka was wearing now was one that Ikue had worn in her youth. And the jinbei Haruto was wearing was also one that Shūichi had worn in the past. It seemed the Tōjō couple were superimposing their past selves onto Ayaka and Haruto, who were wearing those yukata and jinbei. “Ayaka really looks just like Ikue did back then.” Shūichi tilted his wine glass with satisfaction. Ikue looked at Haruto in his jinbei and reminisced about her memories with Shūichi from long ago. “Seeing that jinbei reminds me of the first time I went to a fireworks festival with Shūichi-san. This man, he would glare fiercely every time another man tried to talk to me.” “Ikue was incredibly popular even back then. I was constantly on edge.” “Oh, you. Tee hee.” As the Tōjō couple began to create their own little world, Haruto hesitantly interjected into their conversation. “Um, thank you very much for lending me the jinbei. I’ll have it cleaned and return it later.” “Ah, no, no, you don’t have to worry about that! You can return it as is! If you like it, Haruto-kun, you can even keep it!” “Huh? No, I really couldn’t accept it…” “Not at all. I’d be more than happy for you to have it! Hahaha.” At Shūichi, who had been in an extremely good mood for a while, Haruto glanced at the wine glass placed in front of him. When Shūichi drank alcohol, his mood would improve, and he tended to get carried away regarding Haruto and Ayaka. “Did you set a condition for lending the jinbei because you wanted to see Haruto-kun in it, Dad?” “Yup! I thought Ayaka in Ikue’s yukata and Haruto-kun in my jinbei would look like our past selves. Is this what they call ’emo’ nowadays?” “No… I think that’s a little different…” Her father’s remark made his daughter wear an indescribable expression. “Haruto-kun, if it’s not too much trouble, could I take a picture?” “Ah, yes. Please do.”

Haruto nodded at Shūichi’s request. Then Shūichi immediately started taking two-shots of Haruto and Ayaka with his own phone. “Hey Dad, aren’t you taking too many?” Ayaka was slightly taken aback by her father’s actions. “It’s fine, isn’t it? You’ll understand this feeling too, Ayaka, when you have children with Haruto-kun.” “Children?!” At Shūichi’s single word, Ayaka’s face instantly turned red. “Well now, I got some good pictures. Thanks, Haruto-kun.” “Not at all.” “It’s quite nice to have them wear our old clothes. Was there anything else… Oh? Come to think of it, the Santa cos—” “Dear? I think it’s still too early for these two for that.” Ikue uttered a single word, as if to cut off Shūichi’s story. She wore an overwhelmingly bright smile that brooked no argument. This seemed to sober Shūichi up a bit, as he cleared his throat with an “Ahem” before turning to Haruto. “Haruto-kun, thank you for bringing Ayaka home.” “Ah, yes…” Haruto gave a wry smile at Shūichi, who had suddenly returned to his normal level of excitement. Next to him, Ayaka, who had caught a glimpse of her parents’ youthful indiscretions, wore a weary expression. “Dad, what did you make Mama wear…?” “Hm? What are you talking about?” Shūichi looked off into the distance and feigned ignorance at his daughter’s question.

Ōtsuki Haruto Haruto always wakes up early to study, this habit was already so ingrained in him that in the morning after staying at the Tōjō’s house, he woke up as usual just as the sky was beginning to lighten. Haruto slowly sat up, and when he happened to glance beside him, he saw Ryōta sleeping with his arms and legs spread out wide in a star shape. “That’s Ryōta-kun for you. What a bold way to sleep,” he muttered to himself with a smile. Haruto spread out the towel blanket that was crumpled up at Ryōta’s feet and draped it over his stomach. Then, being careful not to disturb Ryōta’s peaceful sleeping face, he slowly got out of the futon, grabbed a hand towel and his toothbrush from his luggage in the corner of the room, and headed for the washroom on the first floor. Still feeling sleepy, Haruto dazedly brushed his teeth while staring at his reflection in the washstand mirror. The Tōjō family’s washstand was spacious and predominantly white, as befitting a mansion, and Haruto felt a touch of elegance as he washed his face and wiped it with the hand towel he’d brought. Having washed his face with cold water, his sleepiness was now completely gone. Haruto let out a small sigh and used the mirror to straighten up his appearance. Just then, he noticed the white water stains on the edge of the mirror. “Hmm? What’s this…” Haruto brought his face closer to the stain he’d spotted. Then, he found several others as well. “Hmm… This is bothering me…” Muttering to himself, Haruto promptly pulled out some cleaning supplies from under the washstand. Having done housekeeping for the Tōjō family during summer vacation, Haruto was already very familiar with the house. The spray bottle he now held contained a homemade cleaner for water stains, made with vinegar according to his grandmother’s recipe, which he had used when he was doing their housekeeping.

He sprayed the homemade cleaner on the stains and, after letting it sit for a moment, wiped them away with a cloth. Since the stains were still small, they came off easily without needing to soak for long. “Hehehe, now you know the power of Grandma’s special cleaner!” In the quiet of the early morning, Haruto’s whisper, accompanied by a smug grin, echoed softly. After that, with his cleaning switch now flipped, Haruto moved on from the mirror to clean the area around the washstand. Eventually, as a satisfied Haruto was admiring the sparkling clean washstand, he was suddenly called by name from behind. “Haruto-kun?” When Haruto turned around at the sound of the voice, Ayaka was standing there in her pajamas. “Ah, good morning, Ayaka.” “Good morning… Were you cleaning?” “Yeah. The water stains on the mirror started bothering me while I was brushing my teeth.” Haruto answered, looking a bit sheepish. Ayaka looked at him, then turned her gaze to the washstand, which was now exceptionally clean. “It’s not just the mirror that’s clean…” “I guess my ‘cleaning switch’ got turned on.” “Hehe, what kind of switch is that?” Hearing Haruto’s words, Ayaka brought a hand to her mouth and laughed in amusement. Haruto found himself captivated by the sight. The sight of Ayaka in her pajamas, something he didn’t usually get to see, made her seem somewhat defenseless. Her usually neat hair was slightly disheveled from sleep, and a single, unruly strand of hair was sticking up near the crown of her head. And her large, beautiful, double-lidded eyes were now half-closed, her eyelids looking heavy and languid with sleep, giving her an overall soft and dazed aura. Feeling an overwhelming sense of affection for the dazed, just-woken-up Ayaka, Haruto unconsciously let the words slip out.

“Ayaka, you look unbelievably cute when you’ve just woken up.” “Huh? …H-Huh?!” For a moment, Ayaka stared blankly. But then her face immediately turned bright red, and she frantically covered it with both hands. “N-No! Don’t look!!” “Eh? I can’t?” “You can’t! My hair’s a mess, and I haven’t even washed my face yet!” “But that slightly messy hair is what I find so charming, you know?” At his words, she peeked out from between her hands and groaned, “Ugh…” “Haruto-kun, you’re such a tease…” “I’m not trying to tease you, though.” Haruto gave a wry smile at Ayaka, who was blushing all the way to her ears. “I really do think you are cute, though. I almost hugged you on the spot.” “…………Really?” The sight of her peeking at him from between her fingers, still hiding her face, was so adorable that Haruto smiled and nodded. “Yeah, really.” “Ugh, then… okay. You can hug me.” “You’ll let me?” “But you can’t look at my face, okay?” “Mmm. That’s a shame.” Despite saying that, Haruto gently moved closer and enclosed Ayaka in his arms, pulling her into a soft embrace. She, who had been covering her face with her hands, quickly pressed her face against Haruto’s chest to hide it, then wrapped her now-free arms around his back. “I’d like to see your face, just for a little bit.” “Ugh~ No.” Burying her face in Haruto’s chest, Ayaka shook her head from side to side. Seeing her adorable resistance, Haruto said in a disappointed voice, “I see… I don’t want to do anything you dislike, so I won’t insist.” With that, Haruto tightened his arms around Ayaka slightly. “As your boyfriend, I think wanting to see my cute girlfriend is a perfectly normal desire, you know.”

A small shiver ran down Ayaka’s back at Haruto’s words. “…I’m not cute right now.” “There has never been a single moment where you weren’t cute.” “W-Well, then that means you always want to see me, Haruto-kun, doesn’t it?” “I won’t deny it.” “G-Geez! You dummy, you dummy!” Ayaka started lightly patting his back with the arms she had wrapped around him. As Haruto willingly accepted her zero-damage attack, her arms eventually stopped. “J-Just for a little bit, okay? Just for a second, okay?” Ayaka said, as if to confirm, before pulling her face away from Haruto’s chest and slowly looking up at him. Looking down at her from so close, Haruto gave her a gentle smile. “You’re cute.” “O-Okay, time’s up!” “Aw, that’s a shame.” Haruto said, not sounding particularly disappointed. “You’re really teasing me, Haruto-kun…” As she said that, pressing her face against his chest again, the corners of Ayaka’s mouth were turned up in an impossibly wide grin. ※※※ His heart filled from having hugged Ayaka that morning, Haruto stood in the kitchen, planning to make breakfast as a thank you for letting him stay over. He soaked the gobo for the kinpira gobo in water, then peeled and julienned a carrot. Beside him, Ayaka, who had offered to help, was pouring dashi stock from a plastic container into a pot. TL/N: “Kinpira gobo” is a classic Japanese side dish made with thinly sliced burdock root (gobo) stir-fried in sesame oil and simmered in a sweet-savory sauce of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. The dashi, stored in the container, was also one of the things he had preprepared back when he was working as a housekeeper for them. “Haruto-kun, what should we put in the miso soup?” “Hmm, how about onion and abura-age?” TL/N: “Abura-age” is thinly sliced tofu that’s been deep-fried until golden and puffy.

Haruto answered while doing the prep work for the eggplants he was going to make into ohitashi. “Sounds good. Onion and abura-age… let’s see, the abura-age is…” Ayaka, who had gotten the onion from the storage under the sink, then peeked into the refrigerator to find the abura-age. “Oh, the abura-age is in the freezer.” “This?” “Yep, yep, that’s it.” Ayaka took out the abura-age, which had already been cut into small pieces and frozen. Thanks to his housekeeping work, Haruto knew the Tōjō family’s refrigerator inside and out. “Should I thaw this first?” “Nah, you can put it straight into the pot.” “’Kay.” Leaving the miso soup to Ayaka, Haruto started stir-frying the kinpira gobo while putting the prepped eggplants into the microwave to heat them. From the frying pan, the aroma of gobo and the savory scent of sesame oil spread through the air, making Ayaka, who was cutting onions, smile. “It smells so good.” “There’s just something nice about a Japanese-style breakfast, isn’t there?” As they were having this conversation, the Tōjō couple arrived. “Oh my! Ōtsuki-kun, you’re making breakfast for us?” “I thought I’d make it as a thank you for letting me stay over. I helped myself to the eggplants that were left in the vegetable drawer.” “Oh, Ōtsuki-kun. You don’t have to go to such trouble, you know?” Despite her words, Ikue had a happy smile on her face. Beside her, Shūichi also broke into a grin as he looked at the kinpira gobo Haruto was stir-frying. “Good morning, Haruto-kun. Thanks for making breakfast!” “Good morning, Shūichi-san. It’ll be ready soon, so please have a seat and wait.” Haruto said with a smile, then took the heated eggplants from the microwave and put them into the pre-made dashi that Ayaka had used earlier. Just then, Ryōta, with sleepy eyes, came into the living room. “Ah, Onii-chan’s here…”

Ryōta muttered, seeing Haruto in the kitchen. “Onii-chan, when did you wake up? I wanted to wake up with you, too.” “Sorry about that. Next time, I’ll wake you up too, Ryōta-kun.” Ryōta looked just the slightest bit disappointed that Haruto hadn’t been next to him when he woke up. Haruto spoke gently to him. “Ryōta, breakfast will be ready soon, so go wash your face and brush your teeth.” Ayaka said to her little brother as she ladled the finished miso soup into bowls. “By the way, Ayaka. You’re going to see the fireworks with Ōtsuki-kun today, right?” “Yeah, that’s right.” Ikue asked her daughter as she sat down at the dining table. “What are you doing about a yukata? Do you want to wear mine?” “Eh? Really?” “Of course. You have to wear all sorts of yukata to really capture Ōtsukikun’s heart, right?” “W-Well, that’s true, but don’t say it so bluntly right in front of him. It’s embarrassing.” Ayaka said this as she glanced at Haruto with blushing cheeks. The other day, when the fireworks festival was postponed due to rain, Haruto had held a home festival for her, and she had already shown him her yukata. Ayaka had planned to wear that same yukata again today. However, thinking that would ruin the novelty of her yukata appearance, Ikue offered to lend her own. As Ikue beamed at her daughter’s charming reaction, she clapped her hands as if she had just thought of something. “That’s it! Ōtsuki-kun, do you have a jinbei?” “Eh? No, I don’t.” “Then how about you borrow Shūichi-san’s?” Ikue said, turning to her husband with a smile. “Oh! That’s a great idea! Haruto-kun and I are about the same size, so I’m sure it’ll fit you without any problems, right?” Receiving his wife’s gaze, Shūichi, who seemed to have caught on to something, nodded enthusiastically and offered his jinbei to Haruto with a cheerful look. “Eh? Is that really okay?”

“Of course! But could I add just one condition?” “Yes, what is it?” Haruto tilted his head slightly at Shūichi’s words. “My condition is this. After the fireworks festival is over, I want you to bring Ayaka back home.” “Eh? That’s the condition?” Haruto had fully expected to be asked to bring back some festival food like takoyaki or yakisoba as a souvenir. But contrary to his expectations, the condition Shūichi presented was something Haruto would have done as a matter of course. “Yup. Will you promise me?” “Of course. I’ll take full responsibility for bringing Tōjō-san home safely.” Escorting his precious girlfriend safely home was a natural duty for a boyfriend. What’s more, she was a beautiful girl even in her everyday clothes; if she was dressed up in a yukata, there was no telling what kind of people might show up. With or without Shūichi’s condition, Haruto had intended to see Ayaka all the way home anyway. “I see, I see. Yup, I’m looking forward to it!” “Eh? Y-Yes.” For some reason, Shūichi’s excitement was rising. Next to him, Ikue also had a very cheerful, beaming expression. “Well then, I’ll lend you the jinbei after we finish breakfast.” “Thank you very much.” Haruto didn’t quite understand the Tōjō couple’s reaction, but for the time being, he expressed his thanks and placed the completed breakfast on the dining table. ※※※ The sky was beginning to turn red, and the time of day was growing dim. In contrast to the approaching night, the street Haruto was walking on was brightly illuminated by the lights of the food stalls lined up on both sides. From the stalls, energetic voices calling for customers flew back and forth, and between them, a large crowd of people walked, leaving little space. It was the biggest fireworks festival in Haruto’s area. Though it had been cancelled once due to rain, it was postponed and was now being held safely on the reserve day.

Walking alongside his best friend Tomoya, Haruto satisfied his hunger with a fried chicken skewer he had just bought. “Four hundred yen for one of these is insane, isn’t it?” Haruto muttered, staring at the finished skewer. “That four hundred yen includes a fee for the atmosphere. It’s what you call festival pricing.” “Well, that’s true, but still.” Haruto glanced at the fried chicken skewer before tossing it into a trash can set up on the side of the road. “But still, this crowd is as insane as ever.” “Yeah. Just walking down the street is tiring.” To Tomoya, who spoke with an impressed expression, Haruto shrugged and replied. Today, he was scheduled to watch the fireworks with Ayaka. If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have bothered to come into such a crowd. Haruto thanked Tomoya, who was looking at the large crowd of people passing by while munching on takoyaki. “Thanks, man.” “Hm? What’s the ‘thanks’ for?” “It’s a thanks for coming to the fireworks festival with me.” Originally, the plan was for him and Ayaka to head to the fireworks venue together from the start. However, if they were seen by any students from school, it would reveal that they were dating. So, Haruto would head to the fireworks venue with Tomoya, and Ayaka would come with Saki. Then, they would meet up, pretending it was a coincidence. “You got it. You better be grateful, you hear?” “Yeah, yeah, Tomoya-sama.” “Say it with a little more feeling.” Tomoya gave a wry smile at Haruto’s half-hearted reply. “Well, if I come with you, Haru, I get to see Tōjō-san in a yukata.” “So that’s what you’re after.” “You bet your ass. If it weren’t for that, you think I’d come to a fireworks festival with just a bunch of stuffy guys?” To Tomoya, who declared this proudly with his chest puffed out, it was Haruto’s turn to offer a wry smile. Though he said such things, Haruto once again thanked his easy-going best friend in his heart. After that, Haruto and Tomoya waited for Ayaka

and Saki to arrive, making idle conversation at the edge of the road, slightly away from the crowd. “Are Tōjō-san and the others at the venue yet?” “Ah, yeah. Looks like they’re heading this way now.” Haruto answered Tomoya’s question while looking at his message screen with Ayaka. Since they were supposed to be pretending to meet by chance, they hadn’t arranged an obvious meeting spot. “By the way, is Aizawa-san coming in a yukata too?” “I think so. Ayaka said something like that.” Haruto replied, remembering Ayaka saying “I’m so excited to see Saki in a yukata~” in a cheerful mood when they were talking at the Tōjō house that morning. “Hey, Haru, since when did you have a jinbei?” “Nah. I borrowed this from Shūichi-san, Ayaka’s dad.” “Whoa~ Just how much does Tōjō-san’s family like you?” To Tomoya’s reaction, which was a mix of admiration and exasperation, Haruto responded with a wry smile. Incidentally, Tomoya was also wearing a jinbei now, the two guys dressed up for the summer festival. Tomoya speared the last piece of takoyaki with a toothpick and brought it to his mouth, then casually spoke to Haruto. “I see~ so I get to see Aizawa-san in a yukata too… This is something to look forward to, isn’t it, Haru-san?” “Hm? Ah… well, maybe so.” “What’s with that lukewarm reaction! Don’t tell me it’s that thing? The ‘my girlfriend is the cutest in the world’ thing?” “That’s right. For me, there’s no woman cuter than Ayaka.” To Haruto, who said this matter-of-factly with a completely serious expression, Tomoya made a rather complicated face. A mumble of “Ugh” escaped his lips. “Ah, yes, yes, is that so. Good for you for getting the world’s cutest girlfriend.” “Yup, thanks for the blessing.” “Just go explode!” Tomoya shot back a sharp retort at Haruto’s lovey-dovey talk. As the two of them were having this exchange, they were suddenly spoken to. “Hey you two, are you by yourselves?”

When Haruto turned his gaze in the direction of the voice, a woman who looked slightly older was smiling at them. Next to her stood another woman, who seemed to be her friend. “If you’re by yourselves, why don’t you watch the fireworks with us?” They looked like college students. When he went out with Tomoya, he would occasionally encounter what is commonly called a “reverse pickup” like this. He had good looks and, for some reason, a constitution that was popular with older women, so sometimes he was approached by college-aged girls. “Ah, sorry. We’re waiting for someone.” Tomoya replied with a smile to the woman who had called out to them. ‘I bet a smile like that is what older women find appealing.’ As he thought that, Haruto glanced at the other woman, the one who hadn’t spoken. Then, their eyes happened to meet, and the woman quickly averted her gaze. The woman whose eyes met Haruto’s pulled her friend’s hand in a slight panic. “Come on! These guys have girlfriends! It’d be a shame to bother them, so let’s go!” “Hmm, too bad! You guys were pretty much my type, though.” Saying that, the woman who had spoken first cast a glance at Haruto and Tomoya. For some reason, Haruto had the illusion of being a mouse targeted by a bird of prey. “Ahaha…” Haruto tried to get through the situation with a polite laugh. Just then, a familiar voice came from a short distance away. “Haruto-kun!” Turning his gaze toward the voice, he saw Ayaka and Saki walking towards them. Ayaka was wearing a yukata borrowed from Ikue, a white fabric with vividly drawn red goldfish. Walking at a brisk pace that was just on the edge of messing up her yukata, she came up to Haruto, grabbed his arm, and hugged it tightly. “Sorry for making you wait, Haruto-kun!” “Ah, yeah. It’s okay, we haven’t been waiting at all.” Haruto replied, slightly overwhelmed by Ayaka, who was speaking in a slightly louder voice as if to show off to their surroundings. Ayaka had a

cheerful smile, but for some reason, Haruto felt the same aura from her as he had yesterday in the bath when Ryōta had called her tummy “squishy.” With a bright smile still on her face, Ayaka turned her gaze to the two women who had approached them. “Haruto-kun, who are these people?” “Ah, well, these people just happened to talk to us…” Haruto, sensing the cause of Ayaka’s intimidating aura, tried to explain the situation. However, in the middle of his explanation, the woman who had approached them earlier let out an excited voice.

“Eh?! W-Wait?! Is this girl your girlfriend?!” “Yes, she is.” “Whoa!! Your girlfriend is super cute!! What’s with this couple, this is way too much of a blessing for my eyes, this is amazing!!” The woman rattled on, ridiculously hyper. “You!! If you have such a cute girlfriend, you should’ve said so sooner!! Man, this is even better than the fireworks today! Wow, I saw something great! Thanks a bunch!” With that, the woman left, still in high spirits. Her friend hurriedly chased after her. “What was that all about? Those people…?” Haruto was stunned. Just then, Saki arrived, slightly delayed. “Hey there~ Ōtsuki-kun, Akagi-kun.” In contrast to Ayaka’s white yukata with vermillion accents, Saki’s was a wisteria-colored fabric with hydrangeas painted on it. Coming over to them with a small wave, Saki looked at Haruto and Tomoya with a slightly teasing expression. “Were you guys just getting hit on by those people?” “Hee hee hee, it’s tough being handsome.” “I feel like I just got dragged into it by Tomoya, I guess?” At Saki’s words, Tomoya jokingly ran a hand through his bangs in an exaggerated manner. Next to him, Haruto answered while pointing at his best friend with his thumb. “Hmm, so that’s why Ayaka’s currently intimidating everyone to defend her precious boyfriend.” “I’m not intimidating anyone, you know?” Ayaka replied with a bright smile. Despite her smile, Haruto still felt a pressure that made his spine straighten. Saki looked at her best friend, who had been clinging to Haruto’s arm this whole time, and said with an exasperated tone. “So that’s not intimidation, huh? Well, since we’ve managed to meet up and there’s still time until the fireworks start, want to check out the food stalls?” “I’m in! I’m starving.” “Dude, you had grilled squid, omusoba, and takoyaki, and you’re still hungry?”

“You think that’s enough to fill a high schooler’s stomach?” “Ooh? I want to eat grilled squid too.” Saki reacted to Haruto and Tomoya’s conversation. Following her, Ayaka also looked up at Haruto and said, “I’d like to eat a little something, too.” “Got it. Well then, shall we check out the stalls?” “Alright! Let’s go! Aizawa-san, they had beef skewers earlier, wanna try those too?” “Sounds good, looks delicious.” Exchanging such conversation, Haruto’s group began their tour of the food stalls. Besides food, they thoroughly enjoyed the stalls with goldfish scooping, target shooting, and more. ※※※ Ayaka clung to Haruto’s arm, holding cotton candy in her other hand, nibbling at it in small bites. Seeing this, Haruto smiled gently and spoke to her, “Is it good?” “Yeah. Do you want some, Haruto-kun?” “Just a bite.” “Okay, here.” Ayaka brought the cotton candy she was holding to Haruto’s mouth and gave him a bite. “Is it good?” “It’s sweet.” “Hee hee, want another bite?” “Mm.” With a look of pure happiness, Ayaka fed Haruto the cotton candy. A few steps behind the lovey-dovey couple, Saki chuckled while eating a cheese hot dog. “Look at Ayaka, with that lovesick smile. Just how much does she like Ōtsuki-kun?” Saki mumbled, munching on the stretching cheese. Next to her, Tomoya, who was munching on a corn dog, looked at Saki with an indescribable expression. “Hey, Aizawa-san. Aren’t we here so that those two have an excuse if someone from school sees them?”

“Yes, that’s right.” “Looking at them now, is there even any point in us being here?” “My thoughts exactly.” Watching the couple radiate an aura of domestic bliss, their respective best friends nodded in agreement. “Well, seeing them so lost in their own world, most guys will probably give up.” Even Saki, who had known her since elementary school, didn’t think she had ever seen such a blissful smile on Ayaka’s face. It was the kind of smile that would make any normal guy realize he didn’t stand a chance and give up. “The problem is the girls.” “Is it that much of a worry?” “There are a surprising number of girls aiming for Ōtsuki-kun, you know.” “Hmm, well, Haru’s a good guy, after all.” “The fact that he’s first in the grade for academics also makes him stand out quite a bit.” “True.” “I just hope no girls get weirdly jealous seeing those two.” Ayaka had an experience in middle school where a friendship soured due to a confession from a boy. Saki, who knew about that incident, couldn’t help but worry about it. “But, well. Looking at those two, they seem like they’d be happy together no matter what happens.” Tomoya said optimistically, watching the couple who were still being lovey-dovey. At his words, Saki also relaxed and offered a small smile. “Maybe so. Should we slip away from them soon?” “Yeah. If we stay any closer, we might get heartburn.” “Ahaha, you’re right, Akagi-kun.” Saki laughed in agreement with Tomoya’s joke. The two of them gradually slowed their walking pace, putting some distance between themselves and Haruto and Ayaka. Soon, a wall of people formed between the two pairs, and their backs were no longer visible. Having successfully separated from Haruto and the others, Tomoya and Saki were on their own. “Well, what should we do now?”

“Let’s see. Since we’re here, shall we enjoy the stalls a little more?” “Let’s do that.” The two had originally come along as chaperones for their respective best friends. Having fulfilled that purpose, Tomoya and Saki decided to wander the stalls a bit longer since they were already there. “Aizawa-san, want to try that thing called doteni?” TL/N: “Doteni” is a traditional dish from Nagoya, Japan, made by simmering beef or pork offal in red miso and mirin. “Oh, I was curious about that.” The two continued to visit several more stalls, savoring festival food they didn’t usually eat. As Saki walked along, looking satisfied after visiting various stalls, Tomoya glanced at her and casually opened his mouth. “Aizawa-san, are you going to watch the fireworks after this?” “Hmm… Let’s see. Since I’m here, I think I’d like to.” “Then, want to watch them together?” “…Okay.” After a very slight pause, Saki answered Tomoya while still looking straight ahead. “Okay, then let’s move to a place where we can see the fireworks easily!” “Roger that.” Saki followed Tomoya, who spoke cheerfully. “Oh, by the way, Aizawa-san, that yukata looks really good on you.” “Hee hee, you’re late with the compliment! Ten points deducted!” “So harsh~” Exchanging such pleasant conversation, Tomoya and Saki walked side by side, looking happy. ※※※ Haruto looked around at the bustling stalls lined up on either side, then his gaze fell to his own left arm. Ever since meeting up with Ayaka, his arm had been held tightly in her grasp. “Ayaka? Can we walk a little farther apart?” “No, the crowd is too big, we’ll get separated.”

Ayaka instantly rejected Haruto’s words, hugging his arm even tighter and murmuring. “Besides… someone else might come up and talk to you… like before…” “That was because Tomoya was with me.” Haruto said with a gentle smile to her, who was pouting slightly. Ayaka stared intently at him, then intertwined her fingers with him, holding them like lovers as she said quietly. “…I don’t want to let go.” She said it like a faint pout. Her gesture felt a little childish. Haruto found it cute, but at the same time, he gave a wry smile, thinking that if anyone from school saw them in this situation, it wouldn’t matter even if Tomoya and Saki were there. “Saki and Tomoya came along as camouflage for us, but if we’re seen like this, it’ll all be for nothing, you know? Right, Tomoya… huh?” Haruto turned around to seek his best friend’s agreement. However, not only was Tomoya not there, but Saki was also gone. Haruto guessed they had been considerate and left them alone, and he mentally thanked his best friend for his thoughtfulness. “Huh? Saki’s gone?” Following Haruto’s lead, Ayaka turned around, tilting her head and looking around. “It seems they were being considerate and left us alone.” “I see, I have to thank Saki later. And Akagi-kun, too.” “Yeah. There’s still some time until the fireworks start, but should we start moving to a good viewing spot?” “Yeah. If we don’t go soon, there won’t be any spots left.” Holding hands, Haruto and Ayaka started to move to secure a spot. The fireworks were to be set off from a large riverbank. Therefore, the best place to watch them was also on the riverbank near the launch site. “There are so many people, even though there’s still about an hour until the launch.” Ayaka, who had finished her cotton candy and now bought shaved ice, exclaimed “Wow” at the number of people saving spots. “Everyone’s thinking the same thing. Oh, it’s empty over there, let’s go there.” Haruto quickly scanned the area from the top of the embankment and pointed to an empty patch of grass.

He took Ayaka’s hand and slowly descended the stairs leading from the embankment to the riverbank, then spread a small picnic blanket, which he took from his shingen-bukuro, onto the empty patch of grass. TL/N: A “Shingen-bukuro” is a traditional Japanese pouch originally used by samurai to carry their belongings on the battlefield. “I’m glad I borrowed this from Shūichi-san.” Haruto said, looking at the shingen-bukuro, and Ayaka nodded in return. “Right? Yukata and jinbei are super cute and create a great atmosphere, but it’s hard to carry things. There are no pockets or anything.” Saying that, Ayaka swayed the cute goldfish-patterned pouch hanging from her elbow and gave a wry smile, “This can only fit my phone and a few small items.” “But then again, if you carried a backpack or a bag, it would ruin the whole atmosphere.” “Exactly.” “We have Shūichi-san to thank for lending us the shingen-bukuro.” “Thank you, Dad.” Exchanging such conversation, the two sat down side by side on the picnic blanket. Since the sheet he brought was quite small, they ended up with their shoulders pressed tightly together. “Looks like there’s still a lot of time until it starts.” “How much longer?” “Um, a little over thirty minutes, I think.” When Haruto checked the time on his phone and said so, Ayaka said, “We can relax until then,” and gently leaned her weight against him. Haruto’s expression softened at the warm, precious weight leaning on him. “Ayaka, is that shaved ice good?” “Yeah, it’s delicious. Oh, want to play the flavor-guessing game?” Ayaka looked at the shaved ice in her hand, then looked at Haruto as if she had just remembered something. “No, no, I can see the color of the syrup perfectly. It’s strawberry flavor, right?” Seeing the pink-dyed ice, Haruto chuckled, “Hee hee.” To him, Ayaka pouted slightly and retorted, “You never know.” “It might be melon flavor that’s colored like strawberry flavor.” “There’s no need for a feint like that, is there?”

Her forced rebuttal made Haruto burst out laughing. Then, he leaned his face slightly closer to Ayaka and said in a whisper. “Or is it that you want to play that flavor-guessing game here, Ayaka?” “N-Not… not here…” Ayaka blushed and looked down, then scooped up a spoonful of shaved ice and brought it to Haruto’s mouth. He took a bite and declared. “Yup, it’s strawberry flavor.” “Correct. As a reward, here’s another bite.” “Mm.” While having such an exchange, the two happily shared and ate one shaved ice. After a while, the shaved ice was gone, and the two sat in silence, looking up at the night sky or glancing around. Haruto thought about how much their relationship had changed since they first met, and he lowered his gaze from the night sky he had been looking up at to stare at Ayaka’s profile right next to him. There was nothing to do until the fireworks started, and no particular topic of conversation. However, there was no awkwardness at all. Even without talking. Even while remaining silent. Just being next to each other was fulfilling, and it felt like that alone was enough. There was a sense of security that they didn’t have to force a topic or try to keep a conversation going. “Hm? What’s wrong, Haruto-kun?” Noticing Haruto’s gaze, which had been fixed on her profile for a while, Ayaka tilted her head and asked. “No, I was just thinking that you look lovely in your yukata. The previous one was nice too, but you look incredibly cute in today’s yukata as well.” “Hee hee, thank you. You look really cool in your jinbei too, Haruto-kun. I’m falling for you all over again.” Ayaka, who beamed at Haruto’s words, praised his attire in a cheerful mood. The two of them continued to sit quietly, nestled together, waiting for the fireworks to begin, wrapped in a feeling of bliss. “I’m looking forward to the fireworks.” “Me too. I’m sure they’ll be beautiful.” “Yeah.”

Ayaka nodded happily, then gently tilted her head and rested it on Haruto’s shoulder as if to be affectionate. “The fireworks I watch with you, Haruto-kun, will definitely be beautiful.” She said such a cute thing. Haruto gently wrapped his left arm around Ayaka’s back and pulled her into a gentle embrace. ※※※ Tōjō Ayaka My mom and dad get along well. I think they probably get along much better than the average married couple. It’s great for a child when their parents’ relationship is good, but there are times when I see them being all lovey-dovey and think, “Give me a break.” But, having seen them like that since I was little, I’ve always thought that one day I’d like to meet someone wonderful and fall in love. Then, we’d become a couple, fall more and more in love, and get married. We’d become a happy couple like my mom and dad, our family would grow, and we’d have lively days. Even when we’re old and wrinkled, we’d still hold hands and go for walks. I want to meet someone like that. I had that kind of desire within me. But reality didn’t go so well, and I couldn’t seem to meet anyone who made me think, “This is the one!” I only learned how much courage it takes to confess after I actually fell in love. So, I have pure respect for the people who confessed to me. But among those who confessed, there was no one I felt I could build a relationship with like my mom and dad. Until I requested a housekeeping service during summer break. Ōtsuki Haruto-kun. A boy with high housekeeping skills, who’s great at housework and always makes delicious food. A kind, calm, and slightly mature boy. The person I fell in love with for the first time, whom I met during summer break. And now, my boyfriend. “It’s going to start soon.” I say, resting my head on Haruto-kun’s shoulder. “It seems this year’s fireworks are in two parts.”

“Really?” “Yeah, look.” Haruto-kun holds his phone in front of my face and shows me the fireworks festival’s homepage. “The first part is traditional fireworks, and the highlight is the impressive shaku-dama.” “Shaku-dama?” “It seems to be the size of the firework shell. The shells range from size 2.5 to 40, and the size 10 shell is exactly one shaku, so they call it shakudama.” Haruto-kun explains to me while looking up information about fireworks on his phone. “Huh.” “I think one shaku was about thirty centimeters, so it’s pretty big.” Haruto-kun holds up his index fingers in front of him and says things like, “Is thirty about this much?” Looking at his profile, my cheeks slacken and I can’t help but smile. Haruto-kun is not only good at housework, but he’s also good at studying. His grades are top of the class, but he doesn’t brag about it. He’s really a charming person, more than I deserve. I still can’t believe a boy like that is my boyfriend. As I’m staring at his profile, Haruto-kun notices my gaze and looks at me, saying, “Hm?” Just our eyes meeting fills my chest with happiness. “Hey, what kind of fireworks are in the second part?” “Let’s see, the second part is a fusion of fireworks and music. It says fireworks and laser lights will color the night sky in time with the music.” “Wow! That sounds so beautiful! I’m so excited!” “Yeah.” Haruto-kun nods at my words and smiles gently at me. I’m so glad I met him. I gently rest my head on Haruto-kun’s shoulder again and think deeply. I want to praise myself for mustering the courage to ask Haruto-kun to the movies during the first half of summer break. And myself for making a strong appeal to him during our practice dating. Thanks to that, I’m now able to watch fireworks side-by-side with my beloved Haruto-kun. As the two of us were leisurely looking up at the night sky, an announcement for the start of the fireworks flowed across the riverbank.

Immediately after, a thin, high-pitched “hiss” was heard, followed by a heavy “boom.” At the same time, beautiful fireworks spread across the night sky. “Wow! It’s started, Haruto-kun! It’s so beautiful!!” “Yeah, it’s really beautiful.” I say to Haruto-kun in an excited voice at the colorful fireworks that fill my vision. Next to me, he also looks at me with a soft expression and speaks. Ah, I’m so happy… As a reaction to not being able to find love in reality, I read a lot of romance manga and novels. While thinking, “I want a love like this someday.” In them, a summer fireworks event almost always appears. A heart-pounding event where the girl in the story watches the fireworks with the boy she has feelings for. Right now, I’m enjoying that fireworks event I’ve always dreamed of with the person I love. It really feels like I’m in a dream… “Look, look, Haruto-kun! It’s heart-shaped! Oh, is that one a butterfly? Amazing!” Fireworks that project various shapes onto the night sky. When a firework in the shape of a recently popular character was launched, Harutokun said with admiration. “Modern fireworks are really amazing, aren’t they? How do they reproduce such complex shapes? Is there some kind of software for calculations? Or is it outstanding craftsmanship?” Next to me, as he ponders with a “Hmm,” I can’t help but let out a laugh. “Are you going to aim to be a firework craftsman too, Haruto-kun?” “Nah, I think I’d rather watch fireworks than make them.” He gives a wry smile at my suggestion. I see, I kind of wanted to see Haruto-kun in a happi coat and a headband. As we were having that conversation, a particularly loud “BOOM” echoed. Right after the deep bass sound that seemed to resonate in my stomach, a large flower bloomed in the night sky, filling my field of vision. “Amazing! So beautiful!” “It’s huge. I wonder if that’s a shaku-dama.” One after another, large, colorful fireworks are launched. They gradually gain momentum, and in the end, fireworks of all sizes are launched continuously, as if to fill every gap in the night sky.

Star mine. The grains of light launched without restraint illuminate the entire area from high above. The sound of fireworks and bursting light never stops. Overwhelmed by the sight, I was simply captivated by the shining night sky. “Wow…” “Amazing…” Next to me, Haruto-kun is also staring blankly at the fireworks. In the end, a finale where fireworks bloomed all at once, making the surroundings as bright as day. Cheers of “Wow!” and a huge round of applause erupted from the crowd. I turn to Haruto-kun next to me, slightly excited. “That was amazing!” “Yeah, it was incredibly beautiful.” “I was so moved.” I can hear voices from the surrounding spectators like “That was insane” and “Too amazing.” As I soak in the afterglow of the breathtaking star mine, I shift my gaze from the smoke slowly drifting across the night sky to Haruto-kun next to me. He was still vaguely looking up at the night sky. “Hee hee, were you moved too, Haruto-kun?” “Eh? Ah, yeah. I was just thinking that it’s been a really long time since I properly watched fireworks.” “Really?” “When I was little, I used to watch them engrossed, but as I got older, I started to enjoy the food stalls more than the fireworks.” “Food over flowers, huh?” When I say that, Haruto-kun laughs and says, “That’s right.” Just then, I hear music. “Ah, is this the start of the second part?” “Looks like it.” We look up at the night sky together again. The second part of the fireworks festival features fireworks launched in time with popular songs, and along with them, laser beams dance in the night sky. “This song is good, isn’t it?” The song used as the BGM for the fireworks is a recently popular one, and it’s a favorite of mine that I listen to often. But it seems Haruto-kun doesn’t know this song.

“Is this a recent song?” “Yeah. Huh? You don’t know it, Haruto-kun? I think it’s often played in convenience stores and stuff.” “Ah, now that you mention it, I think I recognize the melody a little.” Is Haruto-kun surprisingly out of touch with trends? Come to think of it, I don’t know what kind of music Haruto-kun listens to. Not just music. His favorite foods. His taste preferences. Conversely, things he dislikes, things he’s not good at. His favorite sports or hobbies he’s into. Does he have a favorite TV show, does he like comedy, or dislike it? There are so many things I don’t know. When I thought that, a slight feeling of loneliness welled up in my heart. But more than that, I feel a thrilling, pounding sensation in my chest. I’m already Haruto-kun’s girlfriend. So, from now on, we can spend time together and I can learn about him one by one. I remember the words Saki told me when I consulted her about my love life before. “Isn’t it because you didn’t know that you fell for him?” When I fell in love with Haruto-kun. Saki said that to me when I was confused about why I had fallen for him. Because I don’t know, I want to know. And by learning a new side of him, I fall for him even more. I still don’t know much about Haruto-kun. That means I can still fall for him even more. When I think that, my heart pounds. Like the fireworks blooming in front of me, happiness bursts. “This might be even happier days than I imagined…” I whisper softly and lean my weight against Haruto-kun. Then, he gently put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I take my eyes off the light-filled night sky and look up at Haruto-kun. “Haruto-kun.” “Hm?” “You know, when we had our first movie date, I thought it was the happiest day of my life.” “Was it?” “It was. Because it was the first time I held hands with someone I like. That night, I wanted to see you even in my dreams, so I slept holding my left hand like a good luck charm.”

“What? That’s super cute!” “And then. I thought at that time. If I could date Haruto-kun, the happiness of holding hands would be surpassed in an instant.” “And? Did dating me surpass the happiness of that time?” “Yeah! It was surpassed in an instant! Every day is the best day of my life.” When I say that with a huge smile, Haruto-kun returns a similar smile. “I see. I’m happy to be dating you too, Ayaka.” Haruto-kun says that and turns his gaze to the night sky. “From now on, I think a lot of things will happen as we spend time together. It might not all be good and fun things. But, with you, Ayaka, I think we can find all sorts of happiness, both small and large, and cherish and build them up one by one. So.” There, Haruto-kun lowers his gaze and looks at me, saying. “I love you, Ayaka. Let’s continue to be together.” “?! U-Uh, yeah…” A surprise attack is against the rules!! If you say something like that, whispering to me from close range with fireworks in the background, my heart will stop, you know?! Is it okay if I die from cuteness overload?! If that happens, you better give me CPR, okay?! Geez… my boyfriend is so wonderful, but this part of him is dangerous. Haruto-kun sometimes launches surprise attacks, so I can’t let my guard down. But, I feel like he said something really wonderful. I see, small happiness and large happiness… Hm? Large happiness…? Large happiness in life? Is that… maybe… m-marriage, or something? Could it be that what he just said was… a p-p-p-proposal? Eh? Is it? Eh? Is it not? I wonder? Hey, hey, Haruto-kun? What was the intention behind that statement!? Haruto-kun?