Rio had her own thoughts, and Haruto didn't push her.
"How about next time… we spend the Obon Festival together?"
"Are you planning on dying with me?"
"Well… it's not impossible. Dying together with you, Rio—maybe one day it'll turn into some old legend. You know, the kind where two young lovers throw everything away for love?"
He stepped closer until he was standing right in front of her. Reaching out, Haruto let his hand rest against her cheek, brushing his fingers over her skin—soft, smooth, and dangerously addictive.
Then he lifted his other hand and cupped her other cheek as well, gently kneading the warm skin between his palms. Rio's eyes sharpened, her gaze turning more hostile by the second. Only then did Haruto reluctantly lower his arms with a sigh. He wandered over to the window, looking out at the street below.
"When are your parents coming back? Still the same as before—late at night?"
"What are you asking that for?"
Her eyes followed him, and when Haruto glanced back, she instinctively crossed her arms in front of her chest. She had been prepared for this kind of situation earlier, but right now, her mood wasn't exactly good.
Haruto took a step toward the door. He rested his hand on the doorknob, then looked over his shoulder at the girl standing inside the room.
"If you're asking what I want to do, my answer is—"
Click.
The lock slid into place. Haruto's smile widened when he saw the flicker of panic in her eyes.
…And then he got kicked. Twice. Hard.
By the time Haruto staggered out of the Futaba household, one hand was pressed to his face and the other to his nose. He hadn't expected such a ferocious reaction from her. She might have been a genius in science, but apparently she also had an unexpectedly high talent for combat.
Still… he had managed to tame the wild cat in the end. That last image—her biting her lip, whimpering in defeat—was like a bucket of crushed ice poured over the heat in his chest, leaving him oddly refreshed.
As he walked down the street, the smile on his face refused to fade.
When Haruto arrived back at Mito's place, she was in the middle of making dinner. Seeing him at her door, she blinked in surprise. She hadn't gotten a message from him earlier, so she'd assumed he wouldn't be coming.
"Got any plans tomorrow?" he asked.
"Tomorrow? I've got part-time work in the afternoon. But nothing at night. Do you need me to take the day off?"
"No need. It's an evening event anyway."
"Evening event?" she repeated, glancing at him before turning back to stir-fry the green peppers and pork in her pan. She looked confused—what could possibly be happening at night?
When it came to nighttime activities, the only ones that came to mind… weren't exactly child-friendly.
They weren't quite adults yet, but they were right on the edge of adulthood. That pure, childish idea that nights were only for stargazing was long gone.
"Are we going out somewhere?" she asked.
"Yeah. There's a fireworks festival in the central district. Interested?"
"…A fireworks festival?"
She blinked in surprise.
"Summer break's already more than half over," Haruto continued. "I didn't know what else to do with the rest of it, then I saw the festival on the news. Thought I'd ask if you wanted to go."
"There'll be a lot of people, won't there?"
"Probably. I've never been in person—just watched from far away—so I'm not sure exactly how many."
The only memories he had of fireworks festivals were from his time in Itomori—sitting by the riverbank with his two little sisters, lighting small sparklers—or sitting in Sayuri's car, watching fireworks bloom in the night sky beside her.
Back then…
As Haruto's eyes grew distant, lost in thought, Mito found herself hesitating. She wanted to go with him. But…
"Let's skip it this year."
"…Huh?"
"If you go with me, you won't have time for your girlfriend. You should be with her—she's probably looking forward to going with you."
Haruto's brows furrowed. He'd honestly expected her to say yes without hesitation. He opened his mouth to argue, but the soft, genuine smile on her face stopped him.
"You know," he said quietly, "thinking too much about other people's feelings just makes you lose yourself."
"And aren't you always thinking about mine? Haruto, you should just do what you want. I'll be fine. I was fine before I met you."
"I came here to invite you to a fireworks festival, not to hear what sounds like a breakup speech."
He sighed. It was true—he had thought about her feelings first when inviting her. But now, both Rio and Mito had done the same for him. The thought left him feeling… complicated.
He slipped an arm around her slender waist, pressing his face into her hair.
Maybe that's why he'd fallen for Sayuri —because he liked women who were gentle and caring.
Looking down at the arms wrapped loosely around his waist, a faint smile tugged at Mito's lips. She quietly turned off the stove.
By the time the sky had darkened, Haruto was back at his own apartment. He pushed open the door and found Sayu already inside.
"Almost forgot—this place isn't just mine anymore. You done with work?"
"Yeah."
She looked at him curiously. He seemed tired, though she didn't know why.
"I'll go shower first. Have you had dinner yet?"
"N-not yet."
"Got it."
Without explaining, he disappeared into the bathroom. After a quick shower, his fatigue eased a little, though there was still a trace of weariness in his eyes. He sat down in the living room and poured himself a glass of iced tea.
"There's a fireworks festival tomorrow night. Want to go?"
"A… fireworks festival?"
"Yeah. Probably the last one of the summer. If you're interested, we could go together."
"Will Mito-san be going?"
"No. Mito's not coming. It'll probably be just Setsuna and Sekai, plus you and me. There are two others I'm not sure about yet."
"Sekai Saionji's going too?"
Sayu's eyes widened in surprise at the name.
"I've already contacted her. She shouldn't have any problem coming. What about you?"
"I… don't know."
She did want to go. But the mix of people Haruto had mentioned felt… tricky. If she agreed, she couldn't help but wonder if it might stir up trouble.
"Well, there's still a day left. Think it over. If you want to go, let me know. I'll get a yukata ready for you."
"..."
"I'm going over to the Kiyoura house for a bit. I'll be back soon. If you can't manage dinner on your own, I'll make something for you when I get back."
"And you?"
"I already ate with Mito. I'll be quick."
The door closed with a soft click, leaving Sayu alone in the room. She stood there for a moment, staring toward the entrance. Haruto was gone.
After a moment's hesitation, she walked to the refrigerator and opened it. The shelves were stocked with ingredients, but she had no idea what to make.
In the end, she gave up on cooking and decided to wait until Haruto returned to ask what he wanted.
Haruto left his apartment and soon arrived at the Kiyoura residence. Standing at their front door, he reached for the bell—then paused, remembering that he actually had a spare key to the house. He glanced down at his pocket where the key rested… but decided against using it.
It was Mai who answered the door. When she saw him standing there, a hint of puzzlement flickered across her face.
"Haruto… didn't I already give you a key?"
"Since you're home, there's no need to use it. Is Setsuna in?"
"Mm. She's in her room. Did you need her for something?"
"We're dating. Whatever I need her for, it's normal, isn't it?"
Mai arched an eyebrow. "Maybe. But you're not exactly in the habit of coming here on your own, are you? Even after making it official, from an outsider's perspective, you two hardly look like a couple. Doesn't that bother you?"
She had been concerned for a while now, watching her daughter's indifference toward the relationship.
"Even the fiercest flame burns out someday," Haruto replied.
"Yours hasn't even caught fire. At best, it's a stray spark, giving off a wisp of smoke now and then."
Haruto had no comeback for that. He couldn't deny his feelings for Setsuna weren't especially intense. Meeting Mai's mildly reproachful gaze, he glanced toward the living room behind her.
"I'm not capable of over-the-top passion."
"I get that. But you could at least give her some of your time. I'm not saying you need to be with her twenty-four hours a day—but one hour a day, at least?"
"Romance isn't a student's primary duty."
"Being a student is just a role, not an excuse."
Her serious tone made Haruto rub at his brow. Finally, he gave a small nod.
"All right. I'll think about it seriously."
"That's what you said last time."
"Some things can't be solved instantly. Even a stone takes many drops of water before it's worn through."
"And what drop number is Setsuna?"
"Shouldn't it be measured in time?"
"At this rate, by the time you graduate from university, I still won't be holding your child."
"If you and she are willing, I wouldn't mind making you a grandmother now. Would you?"
"…Are you serious?"
Her expression shifted in an instant, somewhere between startled and wary. Haruto chuckled.
"If you wanted to be a mother again, I wouldn't object."
"…We'd be living on air. If I actually got pregnant again, I'd have to quit my job for a while. With no income, are you planning to support me and Setsuna?"
"I was joking. You took it seriously?"
They stepped into the living room. Haruto noticed the faint blush on Mai's face as she pressed her lips together, clearly holding back words. The hint of girlishness in her reaction amused him.
"I'm ready any time," he teased. "Let me know when you've decided."
"Can we skip the 'child' part?"
"Then forget it."
He stopped outside Setsuna's bedroom door, knocked once, and entered. She was lying on the bed, quiet and still.
Closing the door behind him, he walked over and sat on the edge of the mattress. For a moment, he simply looked down at her—then reached out to gently pinch her small, delicate nose. Setsuna turned her head toward him, and their eyes met.
"I want to be a mother," she said.
"…Huh?"
"I heard your conversation with Mom just now. I… I'm willing to have your child. So… will you let me?"
"…"
Her serious expression left him momentarily speechless. His face betrayed his shock, and he just stared at her, mouth slightly open, unable to form a reply.
"…Is that a no?"
"It's not that. But if you got pregnant, you couldn't keep going to school. You're only in your first year of high school. For your safety and the baby's, you'd have to take a leave of absence—about ten months at home. Then there's postpartum recovery, which would take months more. That's at least a year."
"A year's fine."
"And who's going to take care of the baby? Your mother still has to work—otherwise, there's no income. As for me… sure, I earn some money now, but it's unstable. For raising a child, it's barely a drop in the bucket. It's just not realistic."
"So you said that only because it's not realistic?"
Her clear eyes stayed locked on his, unblinking. Haruto found himself at a loss for words.
~~~~~~~~~~
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