When Amane woke up in the morning, Mahiru was not there. He was sure he had fallen asleep holding her in his arms the night before. His eyelids still heavy, Amane slowly examined the state of the bed around him, and the only trace that Mahiru had been there was the open space beside him…or so he thought at first. However, for some reason, the stuffed cat had been placed on the edge of the bed and was facing his direction. The toy cat, which he had covered with a blanket so it wouldn’t see anything, had, by someone’s doing, made its way closer to Amane and was insistently staring at him with those same big, round eyes. He saw his own somewhat relieved expression reflected in those eyes and remembered the previous night’s events. In a fit of embarrassment, he turned the stuffed animal around to face the wall. …She was so cute… As Amane had promised and as Mahiru had requested, he had tried to be very gentle. Even so, Mahiru must have been very excited, and Amane had gotten to see some sides of her he’d never seen before. Mahiru’s delicate, restless voice, still ringing in his ears, the sweat dripping down her flushed skin, the soft textures of her body, so unlike his own, and her glazed eyes filled with trust and anticipation—all of this was vividly etched into Amane’s memory, sweetly tormenting his sense of reason. He felt as if he had somewhat lost control of himself the night before, but even so, he could at least say honestly that he had kept his promise to her. That being said, he was sure he had done everything shy of breaking that promise. Just recalling it made the area around his hips feel uncomfortable, so as he tried to drive the thoughts from his mind the best he could, he got up and heard the sound of the metal fixtures creaking from the direction of the door. “…Are you awake?” Mahiru poked her face through the gap. Judging by the apron she was wearing, she appeared to be making breakfast. She seemed to have already changed into her daytime clothes. The nightgown from the evening before had gotten all wrinkled, so of course, she had changed. But Amane couldn’t deny feeling like he wanted to see it a little more. Still, he had seen plenty of it the night before, so he couldn’t complain. “Good morning,” he answered her in a voice that was still somewhat husky with sleep. Mahiru looked at Amane for a moment and blushed, but she didn’t run away. “Breakfast is ready, so come eat after you change and wash your face.” “…Okay.” The way she said it sounded just like they were living together, which felt very embarrassing. However, since she actually came over almost every day and stayed right up until it was time to go to bed, it was like they were half living together already. “What’s for breakfast today?” “Rice, rolled omelets, miso soup, the burdock root salad I made earlier, cold tofu, and some chilled salmon.” “An extravagant meal, first thing in the morning! …Amazing, it’s like a dream.” “I overdid it, you know? You’re still half asleep, so this will wake you up.” Mahiru stepped into his room from the hallway, approached Amane, and pinched his cheek between her fingers. It wasn’t painful at all; it felt less like she was trying to wake him up and more like she had just come over to touch him. Mahiru seemed satisfied after squishing his cheek a few more times. Feeling warmth and happiness, as if a sunny spot had formed on his chest, Amane gently placed his palm on the back of Mahiru’s neck and tugged at the collar of her shirt. Right at the base of her neck, covered by her clothes until a moment earlier, right where Amane had touched her, was a series of small red marks, like camellia flowers fallen on fresh snow. The marks were faint, not all that conspicuous, and in a location her school uniform would cover. But they were quite the provocative sight to the person who had left them there. Only the two of them knew the marks continued below her clothing. “…Not hiding them for now, huh?” “Th-that’s your fault, isn’t it?” “I am really sorry about that… I couldn’t…control myself…” He had understood rationally that it would cause trouble for Mahiru if he left marks where people could see. But his mind, overcome by heat, had wanted to ravage that newly fallen snow, and he had almost unwittingly brought his lips to bear. Mahiru quickly straightened up her clothes. Her face had turned redder than the marks on her neck, and she kept silent, so it seemed like she would give him the silent treatment whenever he reminded her of the previous night’s events. To be sure, he had seen more new sides of Mahiru than he had shown her, so she clearly wanted him to stop probing into things. He didn’t want to stir up trouble and go without breakfast. Besides, given how Amane operated, once he brought it to mind, he probably wouldn’t be able to put things to rest just by washing his face. “A-anyway, hurry up and get changed and wash your face before you come and eat. Cool your head off.” “…It looks like you might need more cooling off than me, though.” “What did you say?” “Oh, no, it was nothing.” Mahiru, whose head was clearly just as hot as Amane’s, glared at him a little. Then Amane pressed his lips together and pulled his shirt off. The moment he did, Mahiru shrieked pitifully and hurried out of the room. He couldn’t help but laugh. And yet yesterday she was very interested… Amane laughed until his shoulders shook. He could hardly believe the girl who had run away so bashfully was the same Mahiru with whom he had made, however falteringly, all those secret memories, just for the two of them. Still chuckling, he changed into fresh clothes. Amane finished every last bite of the breakfast Mahiru had prepared, and then they retired to relax on the sofa. However, although Mahiru was sitting beside him, she was acting strangely. Normally, even if she didn’t snuggle up against him, she would settle in close enough for them to touch. But that day, Mahiru left a little space between them, and she looked stiff. Whenever he tried to hold her hand or anything, her whole body jumped like a frightened animal, so feelings of guilt were welling up inside him. “…Um, I feel like you’re really distant right now.” “W-well, that’s…inevitable, isn’t it? It’s your fault, Amane. After all, you…um, touched me…so much, so of course I’m conscious of it.” Even though she had been a little awkward during breakfast, she had behaved normally otherwise. But now that the two of them were sitting together again like this, she seemed to be remembering things and feeling embarrassed. Fortunately, Mahiru didn’t seem to be particularly angry with him, as she blushed and cast her eyes downward. “Well, um, I admit it was my doing. Did you hate it?” “I—I never said I hated it, and I agreed to it, all on my own…I-I’m happy it happened. Th-that’s not the issue. I’m just embarrassed, so when we sit here like this doing nothing, I remember we got…intimate, and I don’t know what to do.” “I…see… It’s not as if I’m not embarrassed, too, but…it’s more like, I want to spend more time with you, so…” Of course, it would have been a lie if Amane had said he wasn’t embarrassed at all. The more he thought about the things they had shared and the new secrets between them, the more embarrassed he became and the more he agonized over the fact that he had done things that would usually have been unthinkable for him. Also, whenever he thought about Mahiru, he remembered her warmth, touch, and everything else and found himself wanting her again. He could only remain relatively calm despite it all because of the promise he had made the previous night, a promise lodged deeply in his heart, acting as a linchpin holding him together. “I-if you put it that way, it makes it seem like there’s something wrong with me for being embarrassed, doesn’t it?” “…Is it bad to want that?” “It’s…not bad.” Mahiru quietly whispered, “No fair,” as she closed the distance between them and sat close enough for them to touch each other. The scent that wafted gently over to him smelled like the fabric softener Amane used, combined with Mahiru’s scent. It made him feel incredibly self-conscious. …It’s nice to smell your own scent on your girlfriend. Mahiru had probably been taking on Amane’s scent for a while and he just hadn’t noticed, but now that she had stayed over like this, he realized anew that Mahiru was getting used to being with him bit by bit and that it had become normal for her to be there. The thought made a warm feeling gradually spread throughout his chest. He was just thinking it would be nice if they became even closer, and he was completely smitten with Mahiru. “…Um, come to think of it, your parents are at their hotel by now, right?” Mahiru asked quietly and timidly as he squeezed her hand and enjoyed its gentle warmth and pleasant feeling. “Hmm? Ah, that’s right. I got a message that they’re coming over this afternoon. Their timing feels kind of off, though. Like they know something’s up.” Although they’d had the option to stay with Amane, his parents had deliberately chosen to make reservations at a hotel when they had come to town. It was a good thing since the previous evening’s events with Mahiru would never have happened if the two of them had been staying in Amane’s apartment. But Amane was conflicted about it in several ways. “By the way, uh…as you might imagine, it’d be embarrassing if they heard about this, so keep things vague, please.” “S-sure.” “I guess I’m scared they might see right through us. Or that they might get the wrong idea, and I’d rather not have my mother getting carried away, so don’t say anything careless. Can you do that for me?” “I-I’ll be fine!” “I wonder. You know, you’ve become more open, easier to read. So my mother might see right through you and get herself all worked up.” Since they’d started dating, Mahiru had begun to show her true self at school, including her natural smile and demeanor. That didn’t mean she was a completely open book about her emotions. But it made it easier for the people close to her to tell what she was feeling. And Mahiru felt entirely at ease with Amane’s mother since the two of them had become friends, so it was all the more obvious if she was the one reading her. Amane was worried this time, it could very well backfire. Amane’s mother was frighteningly perceptive. If she suspected something and pointed it out, it was possible Mahiru would give everything away, so he really wanted her to be careful. “Oh, come on, Amane. Aren’t you jumping to conclusions about your parents’ behavior?” “I have a feeling we’re really in for a wild ride.” “…I can’t entirely argue with that, but even so, I’m also certain they are kind and considerate people.” “That and this are two different matters. I don’t like the way she grins at me.” This was Amane’s mother, Shihoko, they were talking about. Even her future daughter-in-law couldn’t deny she had a tendency to get carried away. But he, too, understood Mahiru’s view on things. Amane also appreciated his mother as a person and a parent, but he couldn’t deny the possibility she would get carried away and start prying and meddling in their business, which he did not appreciate. “I get it already! …I…I mean, right now, I don’t want to tell anyone else, either.” “…Mm.” Mahiru didn’t even seem like she was planning to tell Chitose, judging by the embarrassment in her eyes. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, probably just from saying it out loud and remembering it herself. She gave him furtive glances, letting her eyes wander as if she could hardly endure it. He felt Mahiru’s love in the fact that she didn’t try to move away from him, despite all that. “…Your parents are coming over in the afternoon, right?” “Yeah, that’s what I heard anyway… Why?” He cocked his head, wondering if something was the matter, but Mahiru’s eyes as she looked at him were filled with enthusiasm, and his chest throbbed a little bit. “W-well, um, w-we can spend a little more time together, just us.” Mahiru said something incredibly cute, and in spite of himself, Amane cracked a smile when he answered her. “And here I thought we were together, just the two of us, every day,” he teased gently. “Th-that’s true, we are, but…um, t-today is special.” That day was the day Mahiru had accepted Amane from the bottom of her heart. They had shared each other’s warmth and made up their minds. He understood why Mahiru said it was special. “…It sure is. Let’s relax until my parents get here, okay?” “Yes.” But it was embarrassing to be reminded why it was special, so Amane laughed quietly. He gently squeezed Mahiru’s hand and basked in her warmth again. “Mahiru, sweetheart, I haven’t seen you since the culture festival!” By the time Amane and Mahiru had finished lunch and taken a rest, Amane’s mother and father, Shihoko and Shuuto, appeared. They seemed just as lively as always. Even though they had just seen each other the day before, Shihoko threw her arms around Mahiru, making a big deal about how happy she was to see her again. Amane narrowed his eyes at her, wondering what she was up to. “Why are you acting like it’s been such a long time when only a day has passed?” “Come now, I was apart from my darling daughter for a whole day! Of course I missed her, you know?” “I think you have to be apart for at least a month before it counts as a reunion.” It had been over a month since their previous meeting. Or the time before that, to be specific, when Shihoko had last seen Mahiru. It had been the last day of their homecoming trip. So Amane could understand her acting so overjoyed when they had reunited at the culture festival. But he didn’t quite get why she had the same kind of energy again now. Shuuto was calmly watching Shihoko as she acted far too cheerful, but he didn’t seem interested in stopping her from clinging to Mahiru. “Minor details, not worth mentioning. If I missed her, I missed her.” “Mahiru, if she’s too annoying, you can tear her off you.” “Oh, I can’t believe you, Amane. I-I’m happy to see her…” Mahiru did seem to genuinely enjoy Shihoko’s doting, so she wasn’t lying about that. But she was often overwhelmed by his mother’s overabundance of enthusiasm. She seemed like she was always on the back foot whenever they met. Of course, Amane understood Mahiru liked his mother and that she was happy for the attention, but…he felt conflicted, as her boyfriend, over whether or not it was all right for his mother to greet his girlfriend with even more vigor, and more touching, than he did. Shihoko was the one who seemed dissatisfied with the exasperated remark from Amane, and she puffed up her cheeks angrily. Her face looked so youthful that even her own son nearly questioned her age. He was fully aware she was acting that way on purpose, but as her son, he wanted her to tone it down a little. He would die from embarrassment if she acted that way outside the house. “Really, Amane, you should take a lesson from Mahiru and learn to be just as sweet as she is.” “If I became as sweet as Mahiru, you’d recoil in shock, Mom.” “Well, that’s true, but a long time ago, you were just as cute as a little angel, Amane… Oh, and now you’re all standoffish and not cute at all.” “Right, I forgot it was a crime to not be cute.” “Oh my, are you sulking now? Well, I suppose that is one cute thing about you.” “You can stop now!” “And here I went out of my way to compliment you!” “Now, now,” his father interrupted. “Amane’s at the age when he has mixed feelings about getting compliments from his mother for being cute. He’s got his pride as a man, after all.” “Goodness. Things like that are cute, too, you know. Even if you’re embarrassed.” “Can I get mad now?” Since his father’s help wasn’t actually any help at all, Amane glared at his overly lovey-dovey parents as he tried to keep the corners of his eyes from twitching violently. But it was Mahiru who stepped in to mediate this time. Mahiru didn’t seem to want them to fight. Honestly, Amane wasn’t all that irritated, and he didn’t want to fight, either. However, he was certainly exasperated with the way Shihoko was teasing him. “A-Amane, calm down.” “I am calm,” he replied. “Someone is just being annoying!” “Well now, I don’t know about that. And you shouldn’t blame others for your attitude.” “Look who’s talking!” “Come on, that’s enough,” his father tried again. “Shihoko, if you don’t put a lid on it soon, Amane’s going to stop talking to you. And Amane, you know your mother craves attention, so you shouldn’t give her a chance to respond like that.” “…Fiiine.” At times like this, Amane’s father stepped in to mediate as a neutral party. He was the only one who could get Shihoko to quiet down. Even though he knew neither of them was really serious, Shuuto had sensed if he let the argument continue, it might drag on for a long time, so he had stepped in to put a stop to it, and both Amane and Shihoko meekly obeyed. “Since we went so far as to take a vacation to come and see you, I’m sure we’d all like to spend a more relaxing time together, right?” Shuuto said as he patted Shihoko on the back and smiled at Amane. His smile beamed so brightly that anyone would have been taken aback. Amane obediently stowed the verbal weapons he had been about to pull out and apologized. “I’m sorry for getting so upset over something small.” “I overdid it with the teasing. I’m sorry,” his mother followed obediently. Even though both of them insisted on their ideas in their arguments, they knew it didn’t mean anything, so when this happened at home, after they both apologized, they always let bygones be bygones. Be that as it may, even though he knew it was immature of him, as a kind of minor revenge, Amane recaptured Mahiru from his mother’s arms and drew her close to himself. When he did, Shihoko looked unhappy, but Mahiru didn’t seem displeased, so he immediately flashed his mother a grin. He couldn’t help but feel that, by doing so, he might have somehow satisfied her. But as long as Mahiru was happy, that was enough for him. “…Anyway, I’m surprised you guys could coordinate your vacation time to take several days off together.” They were both fairly involved with their jobs and had been able to coordinate their work schedules for the trip. Even with how relatively easy their workplaces made it to take time off and how understanding they were about things like child-rearing and participating in school events, Amane was already grown, and it was strange his parents had been able to take a vacation to go to his culture festival. “Well, in my case, I put in my request well ahead of time, and they adjusted my schedule. And luckily, your father was also able to get some vacation time.” “You didn’t have to come all the way out here,” Amane insisted. “The two of you could have done something more relaxing together.” “Oh no, do you mean you didn’t want to show us around your culture festival?” “No, I just mean coming here means taking a pretty long trip. And rather than going out of your way, wouldn’t you have preferred to spend the time as a couple, with no one else around?” Although they had tried not to make it obvious during Mahiru’s visit, Amane’s parents were both very busy. Part of the trade-off for their high incomes. It was a shame they had had to spend their precious vacation time on their son’s culture festival. Taking a special trip in the car to see him cost time and energy. But in fact, it had taken less than half a day for them to see his school event. If they were going to do that, he would have preferred they use the time to take care of themselves and catch up on some much-needed rest, but his mother let out an easy laugh at Amane’s words, which were half from worry and half from consideration. “You sound like the mother now, Amane,” Shihoko said with a mischievous smile. “But we always spend time alone as a couple at home. Now is the only time of your life when you’re going to participate in your culture festival, so of course we made that our priority, right? Surely, it’s all right that we used the opportunity to come and see our son and daughter?” “…I guess so.” Rather than making a jab about her treating Mahiru like she was already her daughter-in-law, Amane had to focus his nerves on hiding his embarrassment over how much his parents cared about him. He answered in an unintentionally sharp, sulky voice, but his mother laughed heartily seeing him like that. “Well, after all, we did think it would be bad of us to intrude on the new couple, so we got a hotel, but…” “Oh, shush. You didn’t need to do that.” Of course, their decision was the only reason the events of the previous evening had been able to happen, but there was no way he could tell them that. “…My goodness.” “What is it?” “Oh, nothing. But you know, sometimes it’s nice to stay in a hotel, and I think splurging a little was the right decision.” “She’s right. There are many more places to stay here than where we live, and the night views were lovely.” Amane gave his mother a sharp look when she seemed to have something more to say, but she didn’t seem to intend to actually say it. She purposely changed the subject and smiled at his father. Shuuto must have picked up on that, and there was no particular reason why he needed to question it, so he nodded as he described the lobby of the hotel where they had stayed the night before, the scenery they had seen from the windows, and everything else about it. As long as the two of them had enjoyed themselves, Amane didn’t have anything else to say and wasn’t going to interject any further. But then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, his mother turned her gaze toward him. “Looks like you two had a little sleepover last night,” she said. “You really are getting along well, aren’t you?” Amane held everything in until he nearly had a coughing fit. When he glanced at Mahiru, she was shaking her head vigorously. Still, he didn’t think Mahiru had talked. She hadn’t even had the chance to mention it, since the four of them had gotten straight into a conversation the moment his parents had arrived. That was precisely why, without meaning to or realizing he was doing it, he grimaced as he wondered why his mother had come out and said such a thing. Even leaving aside the fact that Mahiru was easy to read, it was all over for them now that Amane himself had made a face confirming his mother’s suspicions. But Shihoko didn’t seem to be paying any more attention to how they were behaving. “I just asked because I caught a glimpse of the contents of sweet Mahiru’s bag over there. I guess I was right on the mark.” When Amane followed Shihoko’s gaze, he saw Mahiru’s toiletry bag, with the various items she had brought into the bathroom the night before, sitting beside the sofa. He wasn’t sure whether to be angry they’d been tricked into revealing the truth or frightened it had been so easy for his mother to tell Mahiru had stayed over. Though the furrows in Amane’s brow had deepened, now that his actions had given him away, it didn’t seem possible to come up with an excuse, so in a sulky voice, he snapped, “Shut up, is that so bad?” His mother laughed, easily and joyfully. “No? At your age, I’m sure you’re fed up with us telling you this and that about such things. And after all, you’re straightforward and earnest just like your father, so we’re not worried!” “But here you are teasing them in spite of that, Shihoko.” “Heh-heh, forgive me this much, please? After all, this is my darling son we’re talking about.” His mother smiled serenely, and Amane could tell no matter how much he wanted to push back, there was no way he was going to win this round, so he gave up and sighed. Shihoko smiled at Amane as she always did, but after a few moments, she shifted her gaze to Mahiru. “Oh, that’s right. Amane, would it be all right for me to go out with Mahiru?” Amane puckered up his face at the inconsistency of his mother asking him while looking at Mahiru. His eyes narrowed, and he wondered what she was after all of a sudden. “Don’t ask me, ask Mahiru.” “Of course I’m going to ask her, but you’re so possessive that you seem likely to say no.” “I mean, it’s true I am pretty possessive, but I’ve got no intention of controlling where Mahiru goes. She may be my girlfriend, but she’s ultimately her own person. I’m not going to try to tell her what to do or what to think.” Just because they were dating, that didn’t mean Amane had any right to control what Mahiru tried to do. Even if he gave her his opinion, he couldn’t compel her to do something, nor would he want to. No matter how close they might be, even though Mahiru was his beloved girlfriend, she was her own person with her own personality. It would have been wrong of him to try and make her do as he pleased. So if Mahiru chose to go on an outing with his mother, that decision would have to be respected. All Amane could do was request that his mother not share any strange stories with Mahiru while they were together. He looked at his mother, wondering why she had made him say something so obvious, and Shihoko reacted to his exasperated look with delight. “Oh-ho-ho, isn’t that wonderful, Mahiru, dear? You can really tell at times like these that Amane’s the straightforward and sincere type.” “Y-yes.” “It doesn’t feel much like praise coming from my own mother.” “Oh, how I wish you would just hush and accept it. Right, Shuuto?” “That’s right.” “Not you, too…” When his mother praised him, it always sounded like teasing. And he avoided accepting her compliments directly. But when his father praised him, it made him feel strangely uneasy. Amane’s father was never one to flatter, and he always pointed out his weaknesses. So Amane knew when his father praised him, he was always genuine. That made it a bit hard for him to relax. His father’s serious and very earnest praise made Amane embarrassed and uncomfortable. But at the moment, Shuuto didn’t know how Amane was feeling, or maybe he did and was purposely provoking him with his words of praise. “The fact is, you’re kind and faithful to the people you trust, Amane. With your words and your attitude, you’re not always up-front with people, but deep down inside, you’re a considerate boy, and anyone who knows how you usually act can see you’re hiding your embarrassment.” “Wh-what are you getting at here…? Knock it off.” “Well, we hardly ever get any time with our son, so telling him he’s appreciated must be fine.” “Enough already!” Amane couldn’t even be mad at his father, whose cheerful smile was in no way malicious or hiding some ulterior motive. But he felt frustrated that he could do nothing but sit there with the shame written across his face. He turned away to hide his burning cheeks, but a clear voice like a tinkling bell tickled his earlobe. “Amane’s no match for you, is he, Shuuto? Because your gentleness naturally counters his prickliness.” “I agree.” “Normally, he pretends to be indifferent. But in situations like this, I think he’s still quite childish, don’t you?” “Isn’t it adorable?” “Heh-heh, it sure is.” “Hey, you two!” Amane glared at his parents, who looked relatively calm because they were not the ones in the cross fire, and his girlfriend when Shihoko smiled at her with an innocent expression. “Ah, it may be a little late, but I wonder if I would be all right to invite you on an outing?” she asked. “I feel bad about intruding on one of your precious vacation days, but we rarely get the chance to go out together, after all.” “Yes, of course. I’d love to go out with you.” “All right then, it’s decided!” Amane stared at them with open disapproval, reproaching them for their untoward excitement, but they ignored him and decided on an outing. Amane figured it was probably all right for him to complain, just a little. It was his girlfriend and mom’s prerogative to go out together if they wanted, but there were all sorts of things he wanted to say about their evaluation of him. “Would you please not continue the conversation like I’m not here?” “Oh, you want to come on our girls’ trip?” “I don’t really need to do that, but… Oh, whatever.” It seemed like the outing was probably meant to give them some private time together, so in a show of resignation, Amane sighed to signal his objection, however insignificant, and turned to his father. “If the two of them are going out, what’s your plan, Dad?” “Ah, there’s actually a conversation Shuuto wants to have with you, Amane.” “…Conversation?” If his mother wanted to talk to him, he could expect it would probably have something to do with Mahiru, but he couldn’t imagine what his father might have to say. Yet he only received a gentle smile when he looked back at his father. Shuuto, who almost always wore a mild expression, was always somewhat inscrutable. It put Amane on his guard a little, not knowing what his father was thinking. Amane took some solace in the fact that his father wasn’t the type to say anything strange or make unreasonable demands, but that also made it even harder to guess what he wanted to say to him. “Sometimes, I just want the two of us to talk. I mean, when your mother is around, you usually just get worked up arguing with her.” “I wonder whose fault that could be.” “It’s your fault, Amane. For worrying too much about the little things. Right?” Shihoko cocked her head and looked to Mahiru for agreement, but Mahiru stopped short of that and just put on a fleeting, troubled smile. I guess Mahiru already knows my mother comes out and says weird stuff that makes me snap back at her. Mahiru’s smile was strained. She was obviously trying to be gracious. In his mind, Amane sent her a message that it was also all right for her to speak freely. “At least Mahiru didn’t agree with you.” “Oh, hush. Well, that’s fine, just fine. I’ve got lots of things I want to talk to sweet Mahiru about anyway.” “Don’t try to put inappropriate thoughts in her head.” “You have no faith in me, do you? You don’t have to worry about me. I know my manners in that regard. And it’s not like we’re going to do anything you would hate. We’re just going to have a chat, just us girls!” There was no stopping it now that his mother had made up her mind. As a kind of insurance, Amane shot Mahiru a look and got a smile in return. “It’s all right,” Mahiru said confidently, and he didn’t know whether or not that meant it was okay to trust her. “Well, Mahiru dear, should we get going?” “Ah, w-wait, please. First, let me go home and get ready.” Amane chose to believe his mother wouldn’t ask Mahiru about things she didn’t want to talk about. He watched the two of them leave his apartment hand in hand, their footsteps light. Amane and Shuuto were left alone. Amane, for one, felt relieved that the apartment had fallen totally silent. He loved and cared for his mother, but her energy was hard for him to handle, and he often got irritated with her. It was no surprise he felt immediately relieved as soon as he was free of her. “…She’s like a storm or something. Whenever Mom shows up, things get noisy, for better or worse. Normally, things aren’t quite this lively around here.” Shihoko, who always lavished cheerful smiles on everyone around her, was the mood maker of the Fujimiya household and a well-known woman in his parents’ neighborhood. She always wore a smile and loved to chat. Although she had strong communication skills and was a good-natured person, she also possessed a keen aspect and could cut people down to size when necessary. Amane thought she was an easy person to like. Her temperament didn’t change whether she was at home or out and about. Even alone with her family, she was always very lively. “Do the two of you usually not talk very much?” “It’s not that we don’t talk. We’re just not as excitable as Mom.” Neither Amane nor Mahiru were naturally very talkative. They were the type to stick to calm conversations. They also often spent time quietly sitting beside each other without saying anything at all, so Shihoko’s whirlwind conversational style was not like theirs at all. “Ha-ha, that’s because both of you are so calm.” “Mom just doesn’t have any calmness, does she?” “Come on, don’t say things like that. You just haven’t seen much of that side of her. At home, she’s quieter than you’d think.” “Wow, I can’t imagine Mom ever shutting up.” Ever since Amane could remember, his mother had always been a lively person. She had never failed to speak and act kindly, even as she teased him with her usual carefree smile, and her presence was like the sun in that it cheerfully warmed the air of whatever space she was in. Amane had been saved by that cheerfulness several times at least. She had such a strong presence that Amane wondered if she couldn’t feel at ease unless she was talking. As someone who had always seen her that way, he couldn’t imagine his mother being quiet. “That’s because you see your mother as a lively person.” “How do you see her, Dad?” “Hmm. I see her as someone who gets lonely easily and always needs attention. She’s been going on and on about how lonely she is ever since you moved here.” “I’ve never seen her act like that, though…” Shihoko had told him, jokingly, that she was lonely before, laughing as she had. But Amane had never imagined she might be serious. Shihoko, who had always respected Amane’s wishes, had seen him off with a smile when he’d left to further his education. She’d never tried to stop him or anything. His father’s assessment of her as someone who got lonely so easily was incredibly unlike the image Amane held of her. Shuuto seemed to realize from Amane’s expression that he was surprised, and his eyebrows drooped as he gave Amane a somewhat troubled smile. “Your mother is a sensible adult, and she’s entirely aware she has to let go of her child. If she acted like she didn’t want to separate from you, it would bother you, right? It would be wrong for your parents’ feelings and desires to hold you back when you decide on your own path, so she’s been trying not to let it show.” “…That doesn’t sound like something you ought to be telling me.” “That’s true. Keep it our secret, okay?” Shuuto put on a slightly playful smile. Amane pressed his lips together. He wasn’t sure how to feel. But Shuuto looked at him with gentleness in his eyes. “You don’t need to be concerned, Amane. Your mother and I are happy as long as you’re leading a healthy, happy life. The greatest satisfaction we have as parents is to see you living your life your way.” “…Sure. I think I’m very lucky.” “That’s great to hear. I’m also glad to have such a son.” Shuuto smiled at him with serene eyes. Though Amane felt somewhat awkward, the exchange had also made him happy. The environment around him had obviously rounded off his sharp edges over the months and years. If he had still been the old, embittered Amane, he didn’t think he could have accepted his father’s words so openly. “Anyway, there’s one thing I wanted to discuss with you, Amane.” “…Discuss?” Now that he mentioned it, Amane remembered Shuuto had stayed behind because he had something he wanted to talk to him about. Amane cocked his head, and although Shuuto wore a gentle smile, his intentions were unreadable. “That’s right. It’s easy to tell by looking at you, but you and Miss Shiina are really getting close, huh?” “That’s…well, yeah. We’re dating, of course, but I think we get along super well.” His father’s tone of voice hadn’t been teasing but rather admiring and confident, so Amane also gave him an earnest answer. Amane knew it wasn’t in his father’s nature to pry about the state of their relationship, but still, when it had seemed like his questions were headed in that direction, Amane had put himself on guard. But the questions Amane had been expecting never came. Instead, Shuuto smiled happily and said, “It’s great that you’re getting along well.” Amane was taken aback. “…Seriously, you’re not going to say anything, are you, Dad?” “You’re the one who would be embarrassed if I asked. You’d probably get all sulky.” “Shut up.” Amane, embarrassed his father had seen through everything, averted his eyes. He heard a laugh. “Besides, from the way you’re acting, it doesn’t seem like you’ve done anything yet.” Amane had a heavy coughing fit. Shuuto’s confident tone of voice was, in a certain way, even worse than his mother’s teasing. Amane started to choke up. As he fought to regain his breath, he stared at his father and was greeted by his usual smile. “Well, I don’t suppose that’s anything for me to complain about. I know how you are. I’m sure you thought everything over before you proceeded. That’s one of your strengths and one of your weaknesses.” “…I thought about the future and decided this was the right thing to do.” “You may be my son, but I have to say, you’ve turned out to be very rational for a high school student. Well, it’s undeniable you’re deeply in love.” “…I can’t help it, can I?” “Mm, no, you can’t.” Shuuto chuckled momentarily and said he had been the same way. Then, suddenly, he stared at Amane with an expression like he was suppressing a smile. “Now then, on to the main topic.” “Hmm?” “I don’t want you to worry about the cost, okay?” That brief comment made Amane’s body stiffen. Both Amane and Mahiru had a common understanding that they would get married sometime in the future. That was precisely why they had decided to protect Mahiru and her future by not having sex yet. That understanding had guided them during the previous evening. Everything beyond that, the pragmatic issues—the matter of cost, of getting Mahiru’s parents’ permission, and so on—were things Amane had been thinking about but hadn’t discussed with Mahiru yet. If they were going to get married, then, of course, financial questions would arise. Once he’d thought about things like the ceremony and where they would live, plus the question of income and what to do after entering her name in the family register, it had occurred to him that they couldn’t get by just by dreaming about it. He had never expected his father to come right out and say it, and he froze despite himself. Shuuto was smiling wryly as if he’d expected that. “For a good while now, I’ve been sure from how you two were behaving that you had probably already made up your minds. I know you, Amane, and once you set your mind to something, you don’t waver, and your decision never changes. I figured you were probably thinking about it intently and sincerely. We’re very similar.” “…You also married your first love?” “Well, if you don’t count my mother and the times I said I wanted to marry her when I was a little kid, then yes. You too, right, Amane?” “That doesn’t count!” Amane couldn’t help but avert his gaze as his father smiled in amusement, a touch of laughter in his voice. Frankly speaking, Amane wished he could forget the times when, as a little boy, he had said he’d marry his mother. It had been the silly talk of a child, too young to have any common sense or decency, who only knew and loved a very select number of people. Even if it was brought up now, everyone was sure to understand it as a joke, but still, he couldn’t help but be embarrassed. Occasionally, his mother brought it up and set the vein in his forehead twitching by saying, “Remember when you used to say you were going to marry me?” But when his father brought it up casually, it only produced feelings of embarrassment. “Well, all joking aside, as far as that’s concerned, with the way you are, I’m sure you’re thinking far down the line. You’re a smart kid. I’m sure you don’t think you can solve every problem in store for you with nothing but your feelings?” Shuuto looked at him with a relaxed and gentle smile that showed he had seen through everything, which gave Amane goose bumps. Amane also understood the challenges before him, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed, so he had been thinking of asking someone for advice, but he had never expected his father to be the one to broach the subject. “You can be kind of scary, Dad.” “It’s because I’m your father. I have some insight into my kid.” Usually, he might suspect his father was just being vain. But when Shuuto spoke, it really did seem like he had figured everything out already, and Amane couldn’t just brush his words off. Indeed, Amane’s father had recognized the conflict in Amane’s heart and figured everything out before he had even asked his son about it. He could be intimidating in his own way. “It’s so like you to try to take on everything yourself.” “…Well, it’s something I decided for myself, so I was planning to talk to Mahiru after I sat down and did some planning.” “It’s admirable that you’re trying to plan things out when you’re still so young, but I think there’s a limit to what you alone…no, to what you two can do. I’m telling you, you can rely on your parents if we can help, okay?” “Even so, it can’t be right to depend on my parents for everything.” He knew his father was probably saying all this out of kindness, but Amane already depended too much on his parents. They let him live away from home on his own like this and gave him enough money to live without wanting anything, and now he was trying to decide his future without even consulting them. Amane’s actions could easily be called selfish, but his father didn’t seem bothered by his hesitation. “You are reserved about the strangest things,” he said, laughing the comment off. “In cases like this, I think you ought to depend on us for practical matters. For my part, as your father and as Miss Shiina’s parental figure, I want to celebrate with you. If anything, I want a girl like Miss Shiina to be happy without any worries and my son to be happy, too, okay? I want you to let me do this much.” “…Aren’t those things we could do for ourselves?” “How long do you think that will take?” “Uh…” It was painful to hear it said out loud. His father probably meant if they wanted to do everything themselves, they would have to find jobs and save up for several years before they could afford to arrange everything. Amane wanted the ceremony to live up to all of Mahiru’s dreams, and he wanted to see Mahiru in her dress and white kimono. But it wasn’t easy because he knew that meant making Mahiru wait. “Do you want to make Miss Shiina wait that long? Time is especially precious to girls, you know.” “Ugggh…but still…” “As far as I’m concerned, the ceremony is just the beginning, and I think it’s the last big gift your parents can give you. My precious son and daughter will be leaving their parents’ care and starting life as a couple, so I’d like you to let us help you with that much.” Shuuto smiled and took a sip of his coffee. After he set his cup down, he spoke again. “Of course, if you’ve decided to do everything yourselves, I’ll support your decision. But if that’s not the case, we want you to let us celebrate with you, enough to make up for Miss Shiina’s parents as well.” Amane already knew both his parents were aware of Mahiru’s family environment and were trying to act as her foster parents. It was obvious to see that as her parents and as her in-laws, they really cherished Mahiru. Just as Shuuto had said, they had been giving Mahiru lots of parental love to make up for everything she’d never gotten from her own parents. For that very reason, he looked ready to compromise, but Amane could also tell he wasn’t going to surrender. Shuuto smiled as if he had seen right through Amane, who had been wondering if it was really okay to presume upon his parents so much. Then he ruffled Amane’s hair and messed it all up. “You’ve always been bad at relying on people or turning to others for help. Can’t you do it this time and let us do something parental?” “…I let you spoil me plenty.” “That’s not true. You barely had a rebellious phase and instead developed a spirit of self-reliance first. Imagine how lonely we felt!” Shuuto ruffled Amane’s hair again and showed no sign of stopping, but Amane also did not make him stop. It tickled and felt awkward, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Amane’s confidence and feelings of security toward his father allowed him to meekly accept the gesture. “So long as you become a parent and show me my grandchild’s face, it’s all good. You can worry about filial piety and all that stuff after your own lives are stable, okay? Luckily, both your mother and I are in good health. We look after ourselves, and our family lines are long-lived. You’ll have plenty of time to repay the favor before we die.” Shuuto spoke with a broad grin like he was talking to a child. Even as Amane scowled and resigned himself to such treatment, he was secretly grateful to have these people as his parents. By the time Mahiru and Shihoko came home from their shopping trip, Shuuto and Amane had finished their tender father-son moment and returned to acting normally. Amane was glad because it would have been unbearable to be treated like a child in front of Mahiru, but a tiny part of him also regretted it. However, since he wanted to act like a dependable man in front of Mahiru, he tried to keep a calm expression and not give any indication of what had happened as he went out to greet the two of them. “Welcome back. Did you finish your shopping and whatever you had to talk about?” “Of course we did! Right, Mahiru, dear?” “…Y-yes.” In contrast to the beaming and confident Shihoko, Mahiru was bashfully drawing in on herself for some reason. Amane knew that, in all likelihood, some inappropriate ideas had been put into her head. But it wasn’t the time to question her about that, so he purposely let it go and took her bags from her. When he looked at Mahiru, trying to caress her with his gaze, her face turned red. His suspicion that some unnecessary things had been put into her head became a certainty, and he turned to his mother with an exasperated gaze. Shihoko was smiling calmly. She wore a mysterious grin full of accomplishment, so he pressed her to find out what she could have said to Mahiru. “…I’m begging you, please don’t tell her any weird stuff.” “Oh, how mean! I didn’t tell her anything weird! I just gave her some advice on some important things while we were spending time together.” “Are you sure it wasn’t stuff we should take our time with and learn at our own pace?” “It was all stuff you can’t teach a boy, so it’s all right. We ought to gain wisdom from our elders, you know?” “…And is it information I can ask Mahiru about later?” “You’ll find out before too long, so that’s no problem. Though I think being in such a rush is unbecoming of a gentleman.” When she said that, he was forced to shut up. Mahiru didn’t seem to want to talk about it, either, which he understood meant they’d had a complicated conversation between women, so he figured he shouldn’t force the issue. However, based on the way his mother was acting, it didn’t seem like he could entirely relax, either, so even if he didn’t ask, he would need to be cautious. Amane gave the grinning Shihoko a chilly look. Then he carried the perishables in the grocery store bags into the kitchen and put them in the refrigerator. Since apparently they were having dinner at Amane’s apartment that night before his parents returned to their hotel, there was enough food for four people, double what there usually was. There was something kind of funny about that. After washing her hands, Mahiru stuck her head into the kitchen. “…Amane, does it bother you?” she asked. Amane shrugged slightly. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious, but I had my own conversation with Dad about a few things, and I don’t feel like telling you about it yet, so I’d say we’re even.” “Ah, wh-what did you talk about?” “It’s a secret.” Amane smiled impishly like Mahiru always did to him and tossed the vegetables into the produce compartment. Mahiru fidgeted uneasily as she pounded on Amane’s back, which only made him smile harder. “—Listen, I won’t interfere when it comes to the things you want to give Mahiru, okay, Amane?” Those were the words his father had said to him after messing up his hair. Still, Amane wasn’t planning on relying on his parents to the extent his father suggested. He intended to get a part-time job and get his funds ready. He didn’t intend to cut corners when it came to entrance exams, either, so he knew he would have to work harder than ever to be able to do both. …I might be able to get some help from Kido there. She had previously invited him to work at her job in what had probably been half a joke, so it seemed like it might be good to take her up on that. The service industry really wasn’t his forte, but it would be perfect for acquiring work experience. Amane was keenly aware that, from now on, he would have to work hard in even more areas than before. Mahiru looked up at him. She seemed unsettled. But Amane smiled at Mahiru and told her again, “It’s private,” then closed the door to the produce compartment in high spirits.
Chapter 156
45 min read