Haruto stepped inside through the entrance and made his way up the stairs, eventually reaching the interior of Aomine Cram School.
Through several layers of glass walls, he could see a man inside busily tutoring students. Haruto stood quietly, observing the man at work, when an elderly gentleman suddenly appeared at his side.
"Here to enroll?" the man asked.
"I'm here to learn more," Haruto replied.
"Then have a seat here for now. Once he finishes his session, he'll come and speak with you."
"There's only one teacher?"
"We're still hiring. For now, yes—only one," the old man replied calmly, without hesitation. He poured a cup of tea and placed it gently in front of Haruto.
Haruto was slightly taken aback. For a Cram school that seemed this well-established, it was surprising to hear there was only one instructor. His mind drifted back to the price list he saw at the entrance. He couldn't help but wonder what gave them the confidence to set those prices.
Lifting the cup of tea and then placing it back down again, Haruto waited patiently in the reception room. About thirty minutes later, the tutor finished and walked in with a smile.
"I'm Tsubota, the instructor at Aomine Cram School."
"Miyamizu Haruto . First year in high school. My goal is to get into the Faculty of Humanities at either Rikkyo University or Sophia University."
"Rikkyo and Sophia, huh? That's a bit unusual. Most students aim higher—like Waseda or Keio."
"I've heard some rumors about Waseda that turned me off. I don't know much about Rikkyo or Sophia either, but they gave a better impression, so I chose them."
Tsubota looked a little surprised but nodded in understanding. He didn't pry into what those rumors were. Instead, he took a seat across from Haruto and began the usual information-gathering—starting with Haruto's goals, then moving to his academic level.
From the moment he saw Haruto, Tsubota had a good impression. Unlike many students who were either overly cocky or gave off an odd vibe, Haruto felt... normal. And in a place like this, that was rare.
After some questioning, Tsubota got a solid grasp of Haruto's level.
Though only in his first year of high school, Haruto had already learned most of the curriculum for all three years—far ahead of his peers. What he needed now was reinforcement and guidance in test strategies for university entrance.
"Have you studied at other cram schools before?"
"No, this is my first."
"I'm a little surprised, honestly. You've managed to grasp content usually covered over three years by yourself. But... I can see where it's uneven. First-year material is solid, but second and third-year content... it's a little rough."
Some parts he handled well, while others were clearly rusty—as if he'd forgotten them. A typical self-study pitfall.
"With some review and exam techniques, you should be able to apply to most standard universities. As for graduate-level studies, you'll need to work hard. But one year... it should be enough."
"Should be?"
Tsubota looked at him for a moment, then said,
"If you're open to it, you might want to consider completing two years of high school and earning 50 credits. Then you can apply directly to Chiba University. Once you complete 16 credits there, they'll work with your high school to help you get your diploma."
"Chiba University?"
Haruto wasn't very familiar with it. He vaguely remembered that its humanities program wasn't highly ranked—probably not even in the top ten.
"I'll think about it."
"So, have you made up your mind?"
"There's just one thing I'm concerned about."
"The number of teachers?"
"Yes."
Tsubota didn't seem surprised—most people asked the same thing.
"This cram school only opened recently. As you saw, the desks are all new. For now, it's just me. We're hiring, and we'll expand, but for now, it's just me."
"There seem to be quite a few students. Can you manage?"
"I have a system for scheduling each student properly. Your time won't be wasted—don't worry."
"In that case, I'll be in your care."
"No guardian with you?"
"I'm living in Tokyo on my own, so I handle all these things myself. Do I pay everything upfront or monthly?"
"Either is fine."
Tsubota looked at him, a little surprised. For someone to make a decision that quickly—it was rare. He nodded and turned toward the elderly man nearby.
The old man brought over a file and handed it to Haruto.
Since it was nearly lunchtime, Haruto didn't stay for a lesson. He exchanged contact info with Tsubota and left the prep school around noon.
"Phew…"
As he stepped outside, he let out a deep sigh, feeling oddly relieved.
Even though attending cram school had been his own decision, just signing that contract left him feeling a little overwhelmed. Tsubota's serious expression had only added to that pressure.
"One year… let's see how far I can go."
Three years of high school packed into one. He wasn't panicked—but it was still a daunting task.
He opted for a half-year payment plan, paying 260,000 yen upfront, with the remaining 260,000 due later depending on his progress.
After lunch at a nearby restaurant, Haruto returned to Aomine in the afternoon and—under Tsubota's guidance—officially began his new life as a cram school student.
_ _ _ _
Meanwhile, elsewhere:
"So it's just the two of us again?" Sekai muttered with a sigh.
"Yep. Hikari's working today, Nanami's at school, and Kotonoha went to the zoo with her sister."
Sekai sat across the table with a gloomy expression.
"Haruto's not home today?"
"Nope. Said he's looking for a cram school."
"cram school?"
There had been talk before about Haruto possibly attending cram school, but nothing had come of it during the entire first semester. Sekai had assumed he'd given up.
She hadn't expected it to come up now.
"Want to come with me?"
Sekai turned toward Setsuna, asking for her thoughts. But from Setsuna's calm expression, it seemed like she had no such intention.
"A cram school, huh… Feels like that'd take up even more time. Just keeping up with regular classes every day is already exhausting. If I start going to a cram school too, I'm not sure how long I could keep it up. I…"
She couldn't bring herself to say "Forget it." There was still hesitation. After all, if it meant spending more time with Haruto… maybe it wouldn't be so bad?
That afternoon at Aomine cram School passed quickly. As it neared 5 p.m., a few students started to leave early. Haruto, however, didn't rush. After completing a few pages from his problem set, he closed his workbook and glanced toward Tsubota, who was still tutoring another student.
"Heading out?" Tsubota asked.
"Yeah, it's about time. I should get back and start on dinner. Besides, someone's waiting for me. What time should I come tomorrow?"
"I'm here every day from 8 a.m. I live upstairs," Tsubota said, pointing toward the ceiling. His easygoing smile and honest face gave off a comforting air—easy to trust. Haruto nodded in return.
Instead of heading directly west toward his apartment, he took the southern route.
He casually pulled out his key and unlocked the door. Inside was a clean, neatly arranged apartment, not a speck of dust in sight. Ever since returning from Itomori, and with everything going on with Mitsuha, it had been a while since he last visited Yuka.
Now that he finally had some free time, he had come to her apartment. The familiar scent filled his lungs as he walked toward her desk, his eyes landing on the neatly arranged row of music-related books.
He had just talked with Mai about music earlier—maybe Yuka could teach him something in that area?
He pulled a book from the shelf and casually flipped through it. Nothing looked familiar.
Meanwhile, Yuka hadn't let Haruto's presence completely disrupt her usual rhythm. During summer break, she picked up a light part-time job that paid about two or three thousand yen per day—not much, but enough to cover her daily expenses.
She rarely went to the supermarket, usually relying on convenience stores for food. It was only after Haruto showed up in her life that her situation had gradually become a little more comfortable. Walking through the aisles of the supermarket now, she felt a strange sense of nostalgia. After picking out some cheap vegetables and daily necessities, she returned to her apartment.
At the door, she paused.
Someone was inside.
Hesitating, she reached for her key—but the door wasn't locked.
Haruto?
Guessing as much, she gently pushed the door open and stepped inside. Seeing Haruto sitting at her desk, she let out a small breath and closed the door behind her.
Haruto had been reading for about thirty minutes, though he could hardly understand any of it. Sighing, he closed the book and returned it to its place. Looking back, he saw Yuka putting groceries away in the fridge.
"You're not surprised to see me here?" he asked.
"A little," Yuuka admitted, "but I always figured you might show up anytime, so I was kind of prepared."
Walking over, Haruto gently placed his hands on her waist, his fingers lightly mimicking the motion of playing piano across her back.
"I meant to come this morning, but something came up."
"Your girlfriend?"
"No. I enrolled in a cram school today. Figured I should start preparing for college entrance. My goal's either Rikkyo University or Sophia University. Without prepping early, it might be tough."
Besides standard applicants, there were always ronin—students retaking the exam after failing once. Without outside help, Haruto wasn't confident he could outperform them.
"Rikkyo and Sophia, huh?" Yuuka said thoughtfully.
"I also learned I might be able to graduate early and enroll in Chiba University. Kind of tempted, honestly."
"Chiba University? That's pretty famous, right?"
"Hard to say. If you're going by deviation scores, it's not at the very top. But it has its strengths, and I hear it's respected in certain areas."
He'd read that the school had produced a couple of award-winning authors. That alone piqued his interest. Everything else was secondary.
"So, have you decided?" Yuka asked, now standing in front of him.
Haruto looked at her, his expression softening.
"I think I'll finish all three years of high school like normal. It's a time worth cherishing, right? Youth, after all."
"You're right," Yuka said, giving a faint, uncertain smile. She didn't really know what direction her own life was heading.
Haruto pulled her into a gentle embrace. Looking down into her hazy, uncertain eyes, he spoke softly.
"Move forward without worry. I'm here for you."
"Mm," she replied, nodding slowly, her eyes locked on his.
Yuka's cooking was… passable. Nothing special. So Haruto ended up preparing dinner. They shared a meal, spent a bit of quiet time together, and then he headed back to his own apartment.
Lying on her bed in the dark, Yuka stared at the door, her expression filled with quiet longing.
"…Haruto."
_ _ _ _
Back at his own place, Haruto turned on the lights, took a shower, changed into his pajamas, and lay down on his bed. No writing, no deadlines—those could wait.
No one was rushing him. After a full day of problem sets and reading at cram school, his mind was foggy with fatigue. All he wanted was sleep.
The moment his head hit the pillow, he was out cold—plunging into a deep, dreamless slumber.
Fwwwwwwwwwwwwww—
Black lace… white silk… striped…
When he awoke, the familiar ceiling of his bedroom came into view. Haruto slowly pushed himself upright.
"Hm?"
A long breath escaped his lips.
"So it was just a dream, huh…"
~~~~~~~~~~
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