Ryosuke slowly opens his eyes. It's a cute, bob-haired girl. "Kato? What are you doing here?"
Kato Megumi nods and walks to the other end of the bench to sit down.
It's the first day of summer vacation. He's a thousand kilometers from Tokyo in Fukuoka Prefecture, and he's seeing a familiar face. At first, she thought she was seeing things. But when she got closer, she realized it really was the boy who had managed to notice her before. This coincidence sparks a bit of curiosity in her.
"My dad loves watching kendo tournaments, so this year my whole family came to Fukuoka to watch the Gyokuryu Flag," Kato Megumi says in a flat voice, as if talking about something that has nothing to do with her.
Compared to kendo, her hobbies are more like those of a normal girl, like shopping or watching TV shows. She came to Fukuoka this year because she's treating it as a family vacation.
"What about you, Hiratsuka-kun?" Kato Megumi asks calmly after stating her reason.
"I'm here to participate in the Gyokuryu Flag."
"Ohh~ That's impressive, Hiratsuka-kun." Although it's meant to be an expression of awe, coming from Kato Megumi, there is no hint of emotion.
Grrr!
An untimely sound fills the air. Kato Megumi's lips curve into an almost imperceptible smile. She asks kindly, "I arrived last night. There's a decent restaurant nearby, want to go?"
Ryosuke nods and says softly, "Please, Kato."
Inside the restaurant, Hiratsuka Ryosuke and Kato Megumi sit facing each other by the window. Kato Megumi calmly looks at the menu. Compared to the fast-paced life in Tokyo, the rhythm in Fukuoka feels leisurely. The warm, lazy afternoon sun shines through the window, bathing the side of the girl's face. In this moment, Kato Megumi is relaxed, peaceful, and radiant.
Ryosuke finds it hard to believe why such a cute girl has such a low presence.
She seems to notice his gaze. She puts down the menu and says in a calm voice, "Hiratsuka-kun, while I don't really mind, it's rude to stare at a girl like that."
"Sorry, I was just thinking that even though you're so cute, I didn't notice you the last few times we met," Hiratsuka Ryosuke says, not looking away, telling her the truth.
Kato Megumi shakes her head. "Compared to you, Hiratsuka-kun, who was so brilliant even in elementary school, I'm just a very ordinary person. I don't have any special hobbies, not many friends, I'm not on the class committee, and my grades aren't great. I'm already surprised you noticed me at all."
Her words startle Ryosuke. Our first meeting wasn't at the mall; it was in elementary school? When did we meet in elementary school? I have no memory of it. It makes sense now why spending time with Kato Megumi feels so effortless, as if he's known her for a long time.
"Kato, don't just put strange labels on yourself. Everyone is unique. At least, of all the people I know, you're a very special one."
Hiratsuka Ryosuke's sincere words make Kato Megumi freeze for a moment. She blinks her dewy eyes and thinks to herself, I... am special? No one has ever said that to me before.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke and Kato Megumi are both people who don't show much emotion. Before their food arrives, they don't continue the conversation, but the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable.
However, the peace is short-lived as a cheerful female voice breaks the tranquility. "Ohh~ Isn't that little Ryosuke? On a date with a girl?"
The newcomer sits brazenly next to Ryosuke, a bright smile on her face.
"Yukinoshita Haruno. Why are you everywhere?" Ryosuke asks coldly, taking a sip of his juice.
"Haha, don't say that. I specifically came here to watch you compete," Yukinoshita Haruno says with a laugh. Ever since she labeled Ryosuke as being "the same kind" as her, she hasn't been a "riddler" but has chosen to be straightforward.
Haruno's friendly smile is on her face as she watches the girl opposite her, but a strange feeling creeps into her heart. What's going on? She knows all the girls who are close to Hiratsuka Ryosuke, but she has no information about this girl at all. There are plenty of empty tables in the restaurant; there's no way Ryosuke would share a table with a stranger.
Yukinoshita Haruno deliberately scoots closer to Ryosuke, wanting to test the girl's reaction. Kato Megumi continues to play on her phone with a blank expression, completely unconcerned by Haruno's arrival. This flat reaction leaves Haruno baffled. What is Ryosuke's relationship with her? Are they really just normal friends? And what's with this faint presence? It feels like if I look away from her, I'll immediately forget she was here.
If it weren't for the bob-haired girl sitting directly across from Ryosuke, Yukinoshita Haruno wouldn't have even noticed her. When she talks to people, she usually wears an appropriate mask after getting to know them. Even Ryosuke, who is "the same kind" as her, has weaknesses. But this bob-haired girl has absolutely no flaws to exploit. Faced with Kato Megumi, Yukinoshita Haruno feels like she's met her match for the first time.
Kato Megumi, who is playing on her phone, seems to notice something out of the corner of her eye. She puts down her phone, looks up, and asks Hiratsuka Ryosuke calmly, "Hiratsuka-kun, besides this older sister, did you invite any other girls to meet you here?"
"Huh? No, why do you ask?" Hiratsuka Ryosuke looks at Kato Megumi in confusion.
Kato Megumi shifts her gaze to the window and says softly, "Then what about her?"
Ryosuke follows Kato Megumi's gaze and looks out the window. It's a pouting little blonde girl. "Eriri?!"
A moment later, Eriri sits down next to Kato Megumi. She takes off her little leather shoes and lightly kicks Ryosuke's shin with her stocking-covered foot, glaring at him with a resentful look. It's as if she's questioning him: You said you were here for a tournament, so what's with that cheerful, pretty older sister? You big idiot, your real reason for coming here was to get some of that "older sister in a bikini" summer fan service, wasn't it?!
Yukinoshita Haruno finds Eriri's childish actions amusing and doesn't expose her. A bright smile remains on Haruno's face, but a flash of disdain appears in her eyes. This little blonde's rank is too low.
On the other hand, the girl with the low presence across from her feels much more dangerous to Haruno.
Finally, Eriri can't hold it in anymore. She glances at the pretty older sister and turns to Ryosuke. "Hey, Ryosuke, who is she?"
Haruno smiles radiantly. She scoots closer, pressing her body against Ryosuke's arm. She pretends to think, then says in a charming, alluring voice, "Little Ryosuke, what should we call our relationship? Friends? Female friends?" She then pretends to have an epiphany and teases, "How about we compromise and call me your girlfriend?"
"G-g-g-girlfriend?!" Eriri's eyes widen, her mouth hangs open, and her lower lip trembles. Her mind instantly goes blank from Haruno's words.
Kato Megumi glances at Eriri out of the corner of her eye, then at a smiling Yukinoshita Haruno, and continues playing on her phone with a blank expression.
A moment later, Ryosuke's omelet rice arrives. He is already starving and starts eating with a spoon without hesitation. Even a simple omelet rice is a delicacy to a hungry person.
Eriri slowly recovers from her brain crash, having noticed Ryosuke's indifferent reaction to the pretty older sister. If she were really his girlfriend, he wouldn't be so cold.
"Little Ryosuke, can you feed me a bite? I haven't eaten anything and I'm so hungry~" Yukinoshita Haruno rests her hand on her chin, a playful smile in her eyes as she watches Ryosuke. She closes her eyes and opens her mouth, as if certain he will feed her.
Eriri picks up her menu, covering the lower half of her face, and peeks at Ryosuke and Haruno with her blue eyes. Heh, what a wicked woman. There's no way Ryosuke would feed you, she thinks to herself. If he did, it would be an indirect kiss, wouldn't it? That idiot Ryosuke can be surprisingly cold in some ways.
Just as Hiratsuka Ryosuke raises his spoon again, he feels someone tap his shoulder from behind. He stops his hand in mid-air. He turns his head and sees Nibutani Shinka's pure and innocent smile. Shinka is kneeling on the seat behind Ryosuke and leans over, taking the spoonful of omelet rice he was holding. She closes her eyes and savors the food as if it were a rare delicacy. "Mmm~ That's delicious!"
Thump!
Shinka's action makes Eriri drop her menu on the table. Poor Eriri feels her entire brain trembling, and her eyes even turn into swirls. She, she, she... just had an indirect kiss with Ryosuke?! She has seen this girl before, but who is this person who interacts with Ryosuke so intimately and naturally?
Shinka's throat moves, revealing her long, swan-like neck. After she swallows the omelet rice, she ignores everyone else's presence. With a gentle smile and sparkling eyes, she tugs on Ryosuke's arm and says sweetly, "Ryosuke, I want more."
The sudden arrival of Nibutani Shinka makes Yukinoshita Haruno's smile completely freeze. Yukinoshita Haruno closes her mouth, opens her eyes, and silently observes the newcomer with her hand on her chin. A smile is still on her face, but it's not as natural as before.
As for Eriri... it's as if she's received a shock so unbearable that her body starts to fade. She mumbles incoherent words, like a monk chanting, the words coming out fast and quiet.
Among the three girls besides Shinka, only Kato Megumi's emotions are completely flat. She continues to play on her phone with a blank expression.
Yukinoshita Haruno speaks first. "Oh, little Shinka is so cute. I haven't officially introduced myself yet." With a charming smile, she says in a seductive voice, "My name is Yukinoshita Haruno, and I'm the older sister of little Ryosuke's fiancée~"
This is the first time Eriri has heard this news. It's another heavy blow, and her body starts to fade even more. A fiancée? What kind of old-fashioned trope from a romance novel is this? Why does something like this still exist?!
Nibutani Shinka's smile is gentle and kind. She narrows her eyes and rests her head on Ryosuke's shoulder. Finally, she tilts her head and says to Yukinoshita Haruno in a sugary-sweet voice, "Hello, Haruno-onee-san~"
"My name is Nibutani Shinka."
"And I'm Ryosuke's childhood friend who he will protect for his entire life~"