It was the first day back at school after the break following the culture festival, and the fervor and excitement of the festival must not have completely left the students yet because there was a somewhat giddy atmosphere at school. Even Amane’s class, which was comparatively calm, was still about twice as lively as usual. His classmates would whisper from time to time about who from what class had started dating whom, bringing home the fact that the culture festival had led to a certain mingling of the sexes. Occasionally, someone would shoot a glance over at him, too, but the looks were mainly directed toward Mahiru, so they were probably commenting on Mahiru’s appearance at the culture festival and so on. “Mornin’.” Looking very sleepy, Itsuki entered the classroom and headed straight for Amane’s seat. Amane waved his hand loosely and looked at Itsuki’s face as he responded, “Morning.” Amane hadn’t yet asked his friend, who had opened up about his troubles at karaoke, what had happened when he’d gone home after that. If Itsuki’s father had said something to him, Itsuki probably would have been depressed or in a bad mood, but from what Amane could see, he was wearing a very normal expression, so Amane felt inwardly relieved. “Good morning to you, too, Miss Shiina. You’re looking…hmm?” “Good morning. Is something the matter?” As a matter of course, Itsuki greeted Mahiru, who was sitting beside Amane, with a smile. But when he saw Mahiru’s face, Itsuki’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. He scratched his cheek after gazing at her for a moment as if he were trying to confirm something. What’s with that face? He looked back at Amane like he had something to say. Amane’s eyes also narrowed, and he wondered if there was some problem. But the look in Itsuki’s eyes wasn’t disapproving, so he didn’t understand what it might mean. “…Amane, man, let me see you for a second.” “Huh?” “Just come on.” For some reason, Itsuki beckoned Amane to one corner of the classroom. Frowning openly, Amane followed him. Itsuki came in close, as if he was a little afraid of people seeing them, and quietly asked, “Hey, man, did you take it to the next level with Miss Shiina?” “Huh?!” Amane exclaimed hysterically, and he looked over at the distant Mahiru, who was wondering what was up. He tried to keep the color of shame from rising to his cheeks as he waved his hand at her to tell her nothing important was happening. When Mahiru’s eyes left them, he glared at Itsuki, but he was met with an exasperated expression and couldn’t complain. “Hey, hey, why do you think I moved us over here? Don’t blow yourself up about it.” “If I blow up, it’s because you suddenly said something weird.” “Something weird? So that means you must not even realize it’s just oozing out of the both of you… I can tell Miss Shiina is acting differently than usual somehow. To begin with, it’s like you two have gotten closer. I mean, you two were already getting pretty close since you revealed you were dating, but now your whole vibe is different.” When he heard there was something different about the two of them, Amane briefly cast his gaze over toward Mahiru. Mahiru was quietly waiting by Amane’s seat, staring at them curiously. When their eyes met, she looked bashful. “She doesn’t seem any different to me.” “You can’t see it objectively! Look, I know the two of you are always flirting these days, but man, the mood you two have now is definitely different than it was at the culture festival. It’s like you know each other on a deeper level, like you belong to each other…or something?” “It wasn’t what you’re imagining.” “Oh?” “Well, we didn’t go all the way.” Amane kept it ambiguous, and Itsuki grinned as if to say he could see right through everything, so Amane nudged him in the side with his fist to wipe the smile off his irritating face. He put some strength behind his nudging, but Itsuki didn’t seem to take any serious damage and laughed. “Stop trying to hide your embarrassment.” Amane was getting angry, so he stamped his foot and sighed quietly. Itsuki’s perceptiveness was scary, but either way, they would have eventually told Itsuki and Chitose about their plans for the future. Amane didn’t intend to tell them how much of each other’s bodies they had discovered, but he figured he probably ought to tell them they had their eyes set on the future. “…Anyway, we don’t plan on doing it yet. I made a promise to Mahiru.” “A promise?” “We won’t, not until I’m able to take responsibility. I expect to take lifelong responsibility, so I asked her to wait until then.” Amane told him, feeling self-conscious about the promise he would be incredibly embarrassed about anyone overhearing. After his eyes went wide, Itsuki looked at Amane with a mixture of exasperation, admiration, and even a slight sense of disagreement. “I think your patience and sincerity are amazing, and I respect you for that, but is that going to be enough?” “…Maybe not, but it’s okay. I want to treasure her. I’m serious about that.” Since he had found the person he would spend forever with, he wanted to respect and cherish that person. If he was being honest, he was slightly anxious about whether he would be able to endure the wait, but he would be ashamed of himself if he broke his promise, so he intended to persevere. “That’s so like you, Amane. You’re head over heels, huh?” “Shut up.” “Well, Miss Shiina must be happy if you’re that serious about it. By the way, if you get to the point where you can’t hold out any longer, let me know. I’ll give you some helpful items.” “I know what you’ll probably give me, and I don’t need your help.” “I think you’re the one who’s gonna regret trying to play it cool…” Amane had complicated feelings about his friend’s concern with such vulgar matters and quickly rejected the offer. Itsuki just shrugged as if to say, Suit yourself. Amane knew he would probably rely on his friend in the future, but at least at the current stage, he didn’t need to turn to him for that. He wanted to grill Itsuki on how he would acquire such things in the first place. Looking undauntedly back at Itsuki with disgust, Amane sighed dramatically. “Anyway, after I graduate, I’m going to be with Mahiru,” he said, “so starting now, I’m getting ready for that.” “Getting ready?” “Ah, Fujimiya, good morning. Why are you boys whispering in a spot like that?” With impeccable timing, Ayaka entered the classroom. When Amane casually raised a hand in greeting, she strode over, looking at the two of them curiously as she approached. “Hmm, there’s something awfully suspicious about two boys whispering secretly to each other. I wager Akazawa here was telling Fujimiya something dirty.” “Don’t you have any faith in me?!” “Ah-ha-ha!” Ayaka laughed it right off, then looked at Amane and seemed unsure whether to talk to him. Her gaze slipped over to Itsuki briefly, which probably meant she was wondering whether she could say what she had come to say with Itsuki standing there or whether it would be better to wait until later to tell Amane. Of course, Amane had no intention of hiding the fact that he was going to be working part-time. He was planning to tell Itsuki the reason, so he asked Ayaka, “Have there been any developments with the thing I asked you about?” Ayaka smiled, looking a little relieved. “About the job, right? My aunt said it’s okay, so if you could tell me what days are good for you, she’d be glad to hear more.” “Mm, got it. I’ll get in touch later.” “Great, I’ll be expecting it.” “Sorry for taking up your time with this.” “Oh no, I’m always happy to help a friend in need, and my aunt is also thrilled I turned to her.” Ayaka laughed slightly awkwardly, and Amane also smiled faintly. It sounded like Ayaka’s aunt really liked her. Ayaka was wearing a worried expression, but she had gotten him an introduction to the job, and he was very grateful. He made a mental note to do something else to thank her later. Ayaka said she would see them later, waved her hand, and headed for her own seat. Amane watched her go and then looked at Itsuki, who nodded in understanding. “I see. It sounds like things are gonna be tough on you, Amane.” “My parents say they want to pay for the ceremony and everything, but I want to at least buy the ring myself, you know? This is what I decided, and I feel like I ought to put in the work, at least for the proposal.” Amane’s pride wouldn’t allow him to rely on his parents for everything when it came to making a vow that would affect the rest of his life. He knew he should acquire the ring on his own. Even though he felt like he wasn’t necessarily doing it all under his own power, since Ayaka had recommended him for the job, he had decided in order to achieve his goals smoothly, he would need support from others. “You really are determined once you’ve decided on something, huh? I think that’s admirable. But…” “But?” “…I can’t believe you didn’t consult me before deciding something like that!” Itsuki grumbled peevishly. Amane opened his eyes wide at his friend’s words, then ruffled his hair as he said, “I’ll be sure to turn to you next time.” Itsuki seemed a little embarrassed by it. He shook free of Amane and shoved his shoulder, but Amane knew he was just hiding his embarrassment, so he laughed it off just like Itsuki had done earlier. “Ah-ha-ha, it’s just like Itsuki to pout about something like that!” After lunch, Chitose asked Amane to meet her on the sky bridge. She had been wondering why Itsuki had been a little sulky all morning and asked for an explanation. Amane told her the truth, and Chitose slapped his back with a nonchalant smile, which made Amane frown. But Chitose’s attack didn’t seem like it was going to stop. Far from it, the slapping became more intense as she started to say, “That’s why you’re…,” and trailed off. Amane was getting fed up. The way she was slapping him was more shocking than painful and seemed imbued with emotion. Amane knew he was at a disadvantage, so he meekly accepted it, feeling the pressure from Chitose’s radiant smile. “Itsuki has friends in all sorts of places and lots of connections, but the first person you turned to was someone else, so that’s what’s making him sulky. Aside from Mahiru, the person who knows you best is Itsuki, after all.” “Uh, w-well, I felt bad about it, but…” Just at the right moment, Amane had remembered Ayaka had offered him that part-time job, so he had called her. Itsuki probably wasn’t amused by that. Itsuki was Amane’s closest friend, and he had relied on him before, so he did feel guilty about leaving him out this time. But it was precisely because he tended to rely on Itsuki so much that he had tried to avoid burdening his friend. However, in this case, it had backfired. “I think Itsuki probably wanted you to turn to him for help, right? He prides himself on being a good friend, and you’ve bailed him out before, so I think he probably wanted to repay his debt to you.” “Bailed him out…? Surely, I’m the one who’s always depending on him. I’m the one who ought to repay a debt, and I didn’t want to cause him any trouble.” “See, and that’s what’s wrong with you, Amane. You tend to think your self-assessment is also how others judge you. From Itsuki’s point of view, you helped him out. You can’t just ignore that. It’s the same as ignoring his feelings, you get it?” “…I think I really screwed up.” “Well, so long as you understand now, it’s all good. If you’re sorry, consult him on something else, okay? And of course, me too.” Chitose looked up at Amane with a grin, one of the most cheerful, beaming smiles he had ever seen. Amane could feel his cheek twitching. “…Could it possibly be…you’re mad, too, Chitose?” “Oh-ho-ho!” Her face was strangely cheerful, and her expression didn’t seem to hide anything, but her eyes weren’t laughing. Chitose always wore a carefree smile, but there seemed to be more to her expression this time. “Well, the thing about that, right, is we’ve been good friends for about a year and a half, and you’ve never consulted me on a single thing. It’s a lonely feeling!” “Uhhh, I’m really sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.” “Good grief. You can be so cold. So let me guess, you didn’t say anything to us because then you wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret from Mahiru? You want to surprise her, right?” “…Right on the money.” “That puts me in a bind, when you don’t tell me things you should!” Amane suffered a few more blows to his sides, but the minor punishment seemed like just deserts, so he didn’t try to stop her. After battering Amane with her fists for a while, Chitose let out a big breath as if to say she was taking it from the top. “Well, it’s obvious you’re thinking of Mahiru’s future. Itsuki and I can see yet again that you really love her. You’re so lovestruck. I could never have imagined it, not with how you were before.” “Quiet, you.” Amane had accepted that meeting Mahiru had made him a gentler person. He felt like there was a lot less distance separating him from other people. That wasn’t only Mahiru’s influence, but Itsuki’s and Chitose’s as well. He didn’t like being called lovestruck. But there was no changing the fact he was head over heels for Mahiru, so he couldn’t deny it. Be that as it may, he didn’t enjoy having it pointed out, so he couldn’t help but scowl. “Anyway, I’ve already made up my mind. So, well, if you would give me a helping hand, I’d be very glad.” He wanted a girl’s opinion, and he genuinely wanted her to lend him a hand as a friend, so he bowed formally at the waist and lowered his head. He heard an exasperated sigh from above. “Even if you didn’t ask me, I’d do it! After all, it’s for the sake of my dear friend’s happiness!” “Chitose…” “Of course, I mean Mahiru! You’re too standoffish, so you’re demoted!” “Gah…guess that’s that.” “Heh-heh, just joking! Both of you are my dear friends, of course. I want everything to go well, and if there’s anything I can do, I’ll help.” He raised his head and saw Chitose puffed up with pride, wearing her usual bright and cheerful smile. Amane also smiled in relief and lightly clapped his hand down on Chitose’s shoulder. “Got it. Today, you’re going out with Chitose, yeah?” That day, after school was over, Amane was getting ready to head home with Mahiru as usual when she turned him down in an apologetic tone. But he smiled lightheartedly and accepted it. After all, he had no intention of telling her where she could and could not go, and there was no reason they had to be together all the time. If anything, he didn’t see why she was so worried about him. He thought back on his past behavior, wondering if maybe he came off like the controlling type, but Mahiru still sounded apologetic. “So I might be late getting back. Your mother will be with us, though, so I don’t think we’ll have any problems.” Her unexpected words blindsided Amane. Despite himself, he gaped at Mahiru. “Why will my mom be there?” His parents hadn’t gone back home yet. They had apparently taken some paid leave so they could have a longer holiday. They were planning to do some sightseeing his mother was interested in before they returned home. They had told Amane that since they planned to go home the following day, they would spend the remaining day wandering around the neighborhood. But he had absolutely never imagined his mother would involve not only Mahiru but also Chitose. “Your mother said she wanted to talk to Chitose…” “I can’t help but feel like she’s going to put a lot of unnecessary ideas in her head.” “Ah-ha-ha, I’m sure she would never…” “It’s possible with my mother. When that happens, you’ve got to stop her, Mahiru.” Though he said that, Amane understood Mahiru might also want to hear what his mother had to say and might not try to stop her. Or, more likely, his mother’s enthusiasm might be too much for Mahiru to intervene. Either way, he wasn’t expecting much. He at least wanted Mahiru to keep his mother from revealing his dark past and looked at her with that sincere plea in his eyes. He didn’t mean to look at her with too much intensity, but Mahiru’s cheeks flushed, and she averted her eyes. Chitose, who seemed ready to head home, cackled with laughter when she saw Mahiru like that and skipped over to them. “Hey, hey, what’re you up to, you lovebirds?” “Worrying about my mother filling your head with all kinds of weird stories.” “So you’ve finally stopped denying you’re a couple, huh…? Anyway, I saw you staring at each other and wondered what you were up to. You don’t have to be so worried.” “My mom is the type to carelessly disclose all sorts of things with a smile.” “Oh-ho, in other words, you’ve got a guilty conscience about something?” “It’s nothing like that. I just hate the idea of my childhood being dragged out into the open. I believe you also don’t appreciate your past being paraded in front of other people.” “Uh, well, that’s…” Amane had only been friends with Chitose since they had started high school, but from what he had heard from Itsuki, Kadowaki, and some other students, Chitose had once been the complete opposite type of girl she was now. He didn’t want to have to say his past was similar to Chitose’s own dark past, so he shot her a look that said, You know what’ll happen if you try to ask about things you shouldn’t, right? Chitose shrugged and nodded. “I get it, I get it!” “Well, putting all that aside,” Mahiru said, “there are certain things I want to discuss with your mother, so we’ll talk about things other than you, Amane.” “What are you planning to talk about with her?” “That’s a secret between us girls.” Chitose grinned. “And without further ado, I’m borrowing your wife now!” she said as she linked arms with Mahiru. Mahiru cast her eyes down bashfully but happily snuggled up to Chitose. If Mahiru was all right with it, that was fine, but Amane was still worried about what they would discuss. He was just thinking to himself that his mother better not talk about anything weird when another girl suddenly joined the crowd. “Oh, the two of you aren’t going home together today?” Ayaka popped up with a pleasant smile, her neatly arranged ponytail swinging. She had noticed Chitose was pulling Mahiru off by the hand, and her eyes were wide at the sight. “Oh, hey, Kido. The two of them said they’re going out together.” “I see, I see. Well then, could I borrow your husband, Miss Shiina?” “Huh?” Mahiru froze at the sudden request. It wasn’t clear whether she was surprised by the idea of Amane going out with another girl, even if she was a friend, or the fact that Ayaka had described Amane as her husband. Amane couldn’t tell, but Mahiru was looking at Ayaka with a startled expression. “If you don’t have any plans either, Fujimiya, I’d like you to hang out with me after school. Ah, don’t worry, Miss Shiina, it definitely isn’t that kind of hanging out!” “I-I’m not worried about that, but…” If Ayaka was inviting him out, it probably had something to do with that part-time job. The timing was actually really convenient because his parents were visiting, and he would need a legal guardian’s permission on the employment contract and the other paperwork before he could get settled in at his new job. “How about it, Fujimiya? Are you free?” “Well, I don’t really have any plans.” Aside from the usual exercise and homework, Amane didn’t have any plans for the rest of the day. It was fortunate, considering he had been suddenly invited out like this. “Great! It’s perfect because the café is open today, and the two of you are always together, so it’s hard to wedge myself in between you. It makes me hesitant to come talk to you, you know?” “We’re not always together. Even at home, it’s not like we’re glued to each other.” “So you are basically living together. I see, I see. Just from the way you talk, I can tell it’s normal for her to be at your place all the time. What a player!” She went on to say even most sweethearts didn’t spend so much time together. Unable to offer a rebuttal, Amane shut his mouth, and Ayaka giggled in amusement. “Well, it’s just because you’re so close and care about each other so much. Isn’t that right, Fujimiya?” “…That’s right. Is there something wrong with that?” “Uh-uh, I get all warm and fuzzy just looking at you, so I think it’s great. Miss Shiina really has somebody who loves her!” Mahiru smiled bashfully at the mention of love, blasting everyone around them with beams of radiant joy, but Mahiru herself didn’t seem to notice at all. Amane felt like Ayaka had done it on purpose, but since he was about to owe her an enormous debt, he couldn’t complain. However, when he shot Ayaka a look that said, Don’t tell Mahiru about the reason for the job, she stuck her thumb up in the air with a grin, so Amane just let out a sigh. After splitting off from Chitose and Mahiru, Amane walked along, following Ayaka. The café was far enough that they needed to take the train to get there, but it wasn’t all that far, so it didn’t seem like he would have any trouble commuting. The only question was ultimately whether he would get the job, but…when he asked Ayaka, she answered him with a grin. “It’s fine, don’t worry.” She continued, “My aunt’s café runs with a small staff, but recently, more customers have been showing up, so they’ve been shorthanded and looking to recruit someone with good manners. The hourly wage is good, but the right person who fits the café’s vibe and seems like someone the customers will like just hasn’t appeared yet, and it sounds like a real problem. And then I got the request from you—wasn’t that lucky?! That’s how it feels anyway. A real lifesaver. I think you’ll be just fine, Fujimiya.” “I’m not sure I’m all that polite, though.” He never did anything to be deliberately rude, but being called polite made him cock his head in confusion. He did think he possessed all the necessary manners, but he wouldn’t have said his manners were ideal. He shrugged and suggested she was overestimating him. But Ayaka’s cheerful voice immediately shut him down. “Not that again! Fujimiya, you always know how to behave depending on who you’re with, right? You’re always super polite with the teachers and act like a model student.” “Of course I do—they’re our teachers, and…I guess I’d rather they consider me a good student than have them think they need to keep an eye on me. If I can get on their good side, it might benefit me somehow.” He always treated his elders with respect, inside and outside school. However, he also selfishly believed if his instructors liked him, it would mean good things for his grades and general education. That wasn’t his entire motivation, but still, it was part of the calculation, so it wasn’t like he was a real model student. It was people like Mahiru and Yuuta who were actually good students. Amane just did a good job of keeping up appearances. Thinking about such things made him feel like he wasn’t very nice at all, and he shrugged. Ayaka let out a sharp little laugh. “What’s wrong with that? In this case, the important things are your manners and etiquette. Regardless of your intentions, the only thing that shows is the result. As long as you’ve mastered that, whatever you have going on inside doesn’t matter.” “…Kido, do you believe that?” “Surprised? I’m the pragmatic type. I don’t demand that everything benefit me in some way, but I don’t think it’s strange to look for whatever merits you can find in the things you do, to a certain extent. I’m definitely not always acting with purely charitable intentions.” Ayaka spoke without hesitation. She had a pretty utilitarian way of thinking about things. Amane looked at her a little wide-eyed, but it was not a look of disgust or aversion, more like a feeling of kinship. “That’s true in this case, you know. I proposed this because it has merits for me, too. It’s not a one-hundred-percent virtuous offer.” “All right, let’s hear it. What are the merits?” Amane believed Ayaka, who had answered his sudden and unreasonable request, was acting mostly out of goodwill, but she didn’t seem to want to admit that. “Mm, of course, there’s the fact that my aunt has been struggling, but…the biggest reason is that I want my Sou to have a few more good friends, I guess.” “Kayano?” “Yep. See, my Sou is a pretty quiet guy with his head in the clouds, and he doesn’t really show much interest in other people, right? But it seems like you made a good impression, Fujimiya, and you’re the quiet type, too, so I figured you two just might be compatible. So then, when you happened to be looking for a part-time job, I thought I could tackle that at the same time as I solved my aunt’s staffing problems and introduce you to the café where Sou works.” Ayaka apologized dejectedly. “Sorry! It’s mostly merits for me.” Amane shook his head and smiled. “No, this is the first I’ve heard of Kayano also being there, so it’s a bit of a surprise, but I’m the one who’s getting the introduction. It’s nice knowing one of my classmates is working there already. It’s great.” “Yeah? I’m glad.” She put on a silly smile that made all his tension dissolve at once. He was convinced that, just as he’d suspected, Ayaka was a good person. “Right, so that’s all great, but…even though your boyfriend works there, you still decided not to work at your aunt’s place?” “Uh, yeah, about that. There’s the reason I told you earlier, but…well, my aunt really likes me, but she likes it the best when I’m there with Sou.” “Hmm?” “Whenever we’re together, we just stare at each other, smile, and don’t get any work done. It’s because we’ve both been spoiled since we were little, see? Also, because of how I am, whenever my Sou’s around, I tend to stare at him, and once, he told me, ‘You’re about to start drooling, so knock it off.’” “…Pfft.” “Y-you just laughed, didn’t you? Even I know my manners! I don’t make a habit of dribbling in front of other people!” Ayaka went a little red and scowled. But given the story’s content, her expression had little impact, and it only invited laughter again, so Amane didn’t go out of his way to hide it and laughed openly. While Amane was pacifying the somewhat pouty Ayaka, they finally arrived at a café with a low-key feel to it. It was an extremely traditional coffee house with a chic flair, and judging from appearances, it catered to an older age group and had a fairly high-class feel. “…Is this really the place?” “Why are you so surprised? It’s a nice, chill café, right?” “I think it seems like a nice place, but is this the sort of place for a student to work?” When Amane had heard it was a café where students could work part-time, he had imagined something more like a major chain restaurant. But unlike those big chains, this was an establishment with a dignified atmosphere. “That’s why I asked someone like you, Fujimiya, someone young but levelheaded. First things first, let’s go say hi to my aunt.” She added quietly, “Don’t really feel like it, though…” Smiling at Ayaka’s comment, Amane followed behind her, wondering curiously what sort of person this aunt of hers was. When they opened the stately door with a CLOSED sign hanging from it, the hinges made a faint creaking noise, and he heard the tinkling of a cheerful doorbell, which, for some reason, made him feel nostalgic. On the inside, the café was the quiet kind of place the exterior had led him to expect. Dark oak and white were the basic themes, and it had a simple but elegant interior design. The place was also scrupulously clean, and it had a very sophisticated air. Along one wall was a bookshelf big enough to cover the whole wall, packed tight with books. It didn’t look like there were that many seats, far fewer than in a chain café. It was obvious the place was under private management. But thanks to that, unlike chain places, it had a quiet, restful atmosphere. The café seemed to be closed that day, and since there were no people in it, Amane eagerly took in the interior when a woman emerged from the back, wearing an apron. At a glance, she looked like a calm woman, about a decade older than Amane. She was a beautiful woman with long black hair who looked like she belonged in a café or a used bookstore. Though it might have been rude to say so, she seemed like such a quiet woman that he could hardly believe she was related to the cheerful and friendly Ayaka. “Oh…Ayaka, welcome.” “It’s been a while, Aunt Fumika.” Ayaka bowed politely, and the woman she had called Fumika looked at her with gentle eyes and smiled. “I’m so glad you came. You rarely visit, even when young Souji is here, so I was getting lonely.” “Uh, sorry about that… I thought I would be getting in your way.” “Getting in the way… Never, I’m happy having the two of you here. Though I do have to work awfully hard.” “And that’s the problem,” Ayaka mumbled quietly, but her words didn’t seem to reach her aunt. Standing a few steps behind Ayaka, Amane felt puzzled as he watched the two of them. He could only feel perplexed. He could see nothing in Fumika’s graceful appearance and mannerisms that might trouble Ayaka. From what he had seen just while they had been talking a little, she seemed like an ordinary young woman. If anything, she gave the strong impression of being a calm, well-mannered woman, and he couldn’t see anything that might bother anyone. If he had to say, maybe it was that her eyes were filled with an abundance of affection for Ayaka, but he didn’t understand how that could be enough to make Ayaka dislike her. Everyone had their pet peeves, so he couldn’t criticize her for it, but it wasn’t easy to understand. Amane was watching Ayaka get somewhat overwhelmed when the woman’s eyes suddenly turned on him. Her pitch-black eyes briefly sized him up, but that gaze quickly softened. “And would this be the young man you mentioned, the one interested in a part-time job?” “Ah, yes, this is him. He says he wants to work. Fujimiya, this woman is the owner of this café, Miss Fumika Itomaki. My aunt.” “I’m Amane Fujimiya. Thank you for giving me some of your time today.” “Well…that’s quite all right. It was Ayaka’s request. Her judgment is sound, so I’m sure we won’t have any issues.” Fumika smiled gently and smoothly, sweeping her eyes over Amane, briefly looking him over, and then smiling again. In response to her beautiful, sophisticated, boundless, and even intimidating smile, Amane sensed the downy hairs on his back stand on end. “By the way, what is your relationship with Ayaka?” “We’re classmates, and she’s friends with me and my girlfriend.” For some reason, the question had given him a chill, and when he flatly denied any closer relationship, Fumika’s smile became gentler. The chill that had afflicted his body vanished, so he reasoned his answer was probably correct. “I see, that’s wonderful. Ayaka and Souji are very in love, so I wouldn’t know what to do if you were interested in her, too.” “I’ve already made a promise to someone else, so that would be impossible.” “Well, isn’t that lovely…?!” Her black eyes glistened brightly as if they were glowing, so despite himself, Amane retreated slightly. But Fumika didn’t seem bothered by it, as her cheeks flushed. Her expression looked just like that of a young maiden in love, and little by little, Amane started to realize what Ayaka didn’t love about her. “I think it’s wonderful you’re so firmly determined at your age. Does the reason you’re looking for a job have something to do with that?” “Yes. Um, I want to give her a ring…” “Fantastic! Yes, yes, if you’d like to work here, you’re certainly welcome…!” “A snap decision, Auntie?! Well, I knew it would be, but…!” Amane was frozen in place. He’d been given a job without a proper interview, and Ayaka sighed with an expression of astonishment and embarrassment. Fumika was grinning, wearing a genuinely cheery smile. “Auntie, it’s not good to pry too much…” “Come on, I won’t ask anything that makes him uncomfortable! But the start of a romance, it’s so…” “Rein it in, please. I feel bad for Fujimiya if you’re going to use him for both work and entertainment.” “I’ll get his permission, plus I just want to consult him on some scenarios, okay?” “Work and entertainment…?” “The café isn’t Aunt Fumika’s main occupation, you see. Her real job is writing, and she does all sorts of other things, too. I don’t understand why she’s still running the café…” Ayaka grumbled that it was a mystery because the writing made her all her money. Without meaning to, Amane looked at Fumika and saw she was wearing a smile he couldn’t read. “Of course, I’m diligent about running the café as well, so you don’t need to worry about it going under or anything,” she said. “And I’ll pay you well.” “Auntie, please make sure you keep track of his hours properly, okay? And you can’t go giving him extra spending money or anything.” “You don’t have to worry so…” Ayaka earnestly lectured Fumika, who frowned gloomily, and Amane became vaguely worried about whether he would actually be able to work there. For better or worse, Amane’s employment was quickly decided, and he took his employment contract and returned home. It had been less of an interview and more of a simple meeting, but he seemed to have won over his employer, so that gave him some peace of mind for the moment. He wasn’t sure whether it was good she had decided so quickly, but he was sure it had to be good he’d been able to find a position. If anything, it had been too easy, enough to make him worry there might be some repercussions in the future. It sounded like all there was left to do was get his and his parents’ signatures and seals on the contract and send it off. Ayaka apologized to him while they were on their way back, and she warned him Fumika had a strong personality. He figured if that was how she was, it was unavoidable that even someone like Ayaka could hardly handle her. She was an egotistical type with a different sort of audacity from his mother’s. Considering the kind of person Miss Itomaki is, I can never, ever allow her to meet my mother. Shihoko was meeting Chitose that day, but personally, Amane thought those two were dangerous types who shouldn’t be mixed, so he was anxious about how that would go. Both Chitose and Shihoko understood some lines shouldn’t be crossed, so he thought they would probably be okay, but he knew without a doubt that Mahiru would fall prey to their enthusiasm. Resolving to console her once she got home, he opened the front door. “I’m back… Wait, Dad?” “Welcome home.” He’d been sure nobody was there, so his greeting had been quiet, but for some reason, his father, Shuuto, came out to greet him. He was supposed to be out enjoying some sightseeing, and Amane was caught by surprise. Since his parents were the ones renting the apartment, they had spare keys, so it wasn’t so strange for his father to be there, and Amane wouldn’t complain. But he’d been sure his father was out with his mother and the others, so Amane hadn’t expected him to be in the apartment. Shuuto gave Amane a curious look. “Oh, I messaged you, but I guess you didn’t see it. It sounds like Shihoko and the girls are going to eat out for dinner, so I thought I might make dinner for us while I go over your employment contract.” After he had finished the interview, such as it was, he had sent his parents a message on his way home to tell them he had gone for an interview and gotten the job, so he wanted them to sign his employment contract as his guardians. But after that, he had put his smartphone away, so he hadn’t noticed when his father’s message had come in. After his father told him about it, Amane pulled out his phone and saw there was indeed an indication displayed in the notifications bar that said a message had come through from his father. “Sorry, I didn’t notice. But wait, didn’t you want to go out with them, too, Dad?” He had heard the girls were going out, but he’d never expected they would be together through dinner. He figured that meant they had really hit it off, but he wasn’t sure how to feel about his father being left out. “Ha-ha, the three ladies are getting along so well, and if I was around, Miss Shirakawa would probably hold back, don’t you think? Knowing that, I didn’t join them and struck out on my own, but…I figured it worked out perfectly once I saw your message.” In short, it would have been unbearable for either side if his father had joined in on the girls’ party. Amane shrugged. He figured since his father had been considerate, his mother had let him go rather than drag him along. “You don’t mind? Coming over here on one of your few vacation days, that is.” “We came here to see you guys in the first place and do some sightseeing while we were at it. And anyway, I lived here a long time ago, so I doubt anything would seem as novel to me as it will to your mother.” “Well, that’s probably true, but still…” “Besides, wouldn’t you feel lonely eating alone, Amane? And I worry about what you would cook.” “…I can more or less prepare a normal meal now.” He answered the slight teasing in a sulky tone of voice. It really was “more or less,” but Amane had gotten to the point where he was able to cook. Of course, he couldn’t compare with the excellent skills of someone like Mahiru, but even so, compared with when he had first moved into this apartment, there was a world of difference. He had progressed to the point that, as long as he made things exactly according to the recipe, they passed Mahiru’s inspection. Amane hated the idea of people thinking he didn’t try to improve himself, so his voice took on a sharp edge. But when his father saw how Amane reacted, for some reason, his smile grew. “That’s right, that’s right, you can do anything if you try, huh? Very impressive.” “…By any chance, are you making fun of me?” “I would never. It’s just that cooking a meal with my boy has always been one of my dreams, so I’m happy to have found the chance.” Shuuto looked at him with a genuine, gentle, and affectionate smile, and Amane looked back at him, dumbfounded. Shuuto asked him, in a confident tone, “You’ll lend me a hand, won’t you?” Of course, Amane had never intended to leave everything up to his father, but he found himself wearing a bitter smile when he realized, from his father’s way of speaking as if he had seen right into Amane’s mind, that he still didn’t stand a chance against him. “…Yeah.” He agreed obediently, and his father gave him a gentle, mellow smile. Amane found his own smile, taking on a different tone. After Shuuto and Amane had finished eating the meatball pasta they had made together, they were taking a breather when they heard the sound of the front door unlocking, meaning Mahiru and the others must be back. Amane headed for the entryway, thinking about how rare it was for him to welcome Mahiru home, and he found her and Shihoko holding a multitude of paper shopping bags. It was not the number of bags he’d expected for a single day’s worth of shopping, and Amane, who wasn’t very materialistic, didn’t have the slightest idea how they could have come back with so many. “…Why do you have so many bags?” “Oh, we’ve got something for you, too, Amane. Don’t need to worry!” “No, I don’t care about stuff for me. Why did you do so much shopping, and what did you buy?” Amane knew his parents earned a good living and that, fundamentally, they weren’t the type to waste money, so he figured his mother’s purchases must have been things she really wanted, but even so, there was just so much. “Clothes I want Mahiru to wear and cute little accessories, stuff like that. And we also bought some clothes and things Mahiru picked out specifically for you to wear, Amane.” “So you bought things for special occasions, which I will normally never wear?” He had complicated feelings about his mother buying his clothes, but since Mahiru had chosen them, he knew they couldn’t be anything too awful. He assumed he would hear everything from Mahiru later, bit by bit. Amane looked at his mother in doubtful exasperation, but she slipped past him wearing a confident smile, so he looked at Mahiru, who was left behind. Though he could see on her face how perplexed she was and that she also worried maybe they had bought too much, Shihoko seemed to have bought everything triumphantly for Mahiru’s sake, and Mahiru hadn’t been able to stop her. “…You didn’t buy anything weird, did you?” “W-weird? No, we didn’t…?” “All right, that’s good to hear.” Mahiru gave him a curious look. Feeling relieved, he took the shopping bags from her. He didn’t know whether they contained her things, but he thought making her keep holding them would be wrong. He listened in the direction of the living room as he watched Mahiru take off her shoes and heard his parents talking. They seemed to be talking about his part-time job, and he could hear his mother saying what amounted to her catchphrase: “My goodness!” Amane’s father had signed for both of them in the guardians’ field of his job contract, and he didn’t need his mother’s signature, but he knew he should probably run things by her as well. Dad is quicker at settling things like that, and I couldn’t get ahold of Mom anyway, but… Today, they had all ended up coming back to his apartment like this. But initially, his parents hadn’t planned to come over after sightseeing. He figured they would probably go back to their hotel after resting for a little while. Mahiru was in the middle of changing into her slippers, using Amane’s body for support as she did so, which tickled slightly. He was waiting for her to finish when she looked up at him as if she had just remembered something. “Come to think of it, how did your visit to your new job go?” “Mm, well, she seemed to like me, and I got hired.” He had never expected to get hired so easily, so he was perplexed by it, but Mahiru responded as if it was no big deal. “I knew you’d get the job, Amane!” Mahiru had confidence in Amane, and he couldn’t help but feel like she slightly overestimated him. But he knew if he said that out loud, she would take him to task for putting himself down, so he stayed quiet. “So tell me, what kind of person is the owner?” “How should I put it? She’s a peculiar older-sister type…?” “Older sister?” “Kido told me she was her aunt, but apparently, there’s quite an age gap between her and Kido’s mother, so she’s more like a much older sister.” He knew asking a woman’s age was taboo and hadn’t asked for specifics, but he figured she was in her mid-to-late twenties. He had asked Ayaka about her in passing while they had been in transit and learned that, apparently, Ayaka’s mother had doted excessively on her much younger sister. This had led Fumika to also adore her older sister and ultimately treat her sister’s daughter, Ayaka, like a beloved pet. Amane noticed Mahiru’s cheeks stiffen slightly when he said “older sister,” so he poked at her face very gently with the tip of his finger to loosen the tightness. “You don’t have to be worried. She’s one of those people who loves couples and likes to watch over them, so she wanted to hear all about how close I am with you, Mahiru.” It seemed like a little spark of jealousy had flared up, so he went ahead and defused it, and Mahiru suddenly blushed bright red and restlessly shrank in on herself, looking uncomfortable. “…It’s not that I’m doubting you or anything, okay? I just thought, ‘What would I do if she fell in love with you…?’” “That won’t happen.” “It could!” For some reason, Mahiru was very insistent. As he responded with a troubled smile, Amane softly stroked her head. He didn’t want her to worry. At first, she seemed a little sullen and displeased, but her expression gradually softened, so he kept enjoying the soft texture of her hair, passing it gently through his fingers. “Even if something like that happened, I wouldn’t love her back, and it would interfere with business, so I’d just quit.” “I—I wouldn’t necessarily want you to go that far… Um, the thought just made me uneasy.” “Right. So if it would make my girlfriend feel bad, it would be best for me not to work there anymore. It’s not like working there is my actual goal. I’m only doing it to get enough money for my real goal.” Given how she’d acted, it was absurd to think there was even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of Fumika falling in love with Amane. But if that unlikely event came to pass, and something happened, he would feel guilty toward Ayaka, but he would quit and find a different place to work. He was working to make Mahiru happy. But if working there would make Mahiru sad, then there was no need to keep at it. He could find another way. He didn’t intend to mistake the means for the end, and Amane wasn’t foolish or obtuse enough to make the wrong choice. He added that she didn’t have anything to worry about, and Mahiru buried her face in Amane’s chest. “Now what?” “…I love that about you.” “Is that the only thing?” “I love that about you, too, dummy.” When he teased her, she grumbled in a slightly peevish voice and head-butted Amane in the chest, so Amane smiled and took it as he gently patted Mahiru’s back.
Chapter 158
41 min read