Mizuno Kanade had no idea how long she had slept.
She only remembered having an extremely long, extremely vivid dream.
In the dream, countless voices seemed to be calling her name.
"Kanade, if you keep studying this, you have no future! Did you forget what happened to your grandfather in the end?!"
"Kanade, you've been hanging around that stubborn old man for too long—you're turning just as hopeless as him!"
"We're sorry, Miss Mizuno Kanade. Our contract ends here. Please do not come looking for us again."
"Kanade… your illness can't be delayed any longer. Go to the UK. Grandpa will be waiting for you to come back…"
Kanade's eyes flew open, and she sat up abruptly on the sofa.
Around her was an unfamiliar environment.
The morning sunlight streamed in through the glass balcony door, spilling warm light across the floor.
From the kitchen came the sound of running water.Seeing the cleaned-up table, she finally remembered everything that happened last night.
She had fallen asleep—in Asakura Kaito's home.
Kanade pressed a hand to her forehead.
How much trouble had she caused him?!
Alcohol brings disaster… alcohol brings disaster!
Almost reflexively, Kanade threw off the blanket covering her and checked herself.
Her dress straps, underwear, hair—everything was tidy.No signs of being touched.
Her head hurt a little, her thighs felt sore—probably because she'd been wandering around outside for so long yesterday, and drank so much.
Slipping on her shoes, she followed the sound into the kitchen.
Poking her head in, she saw Asakura Kaito wearing an apron, skillfully handling the wok and spatula.
"You're awake?"
"Mm."
Kanade stepped into the kitchen and came to stand beside him.
"What are you cooking?"
"Egg noodles."
Kaito held out his hand."Soy sauce."
Kanade grabbed the soy sauce bottle from the table, opened the cap, and handed it to him.
Kaito drizzled some in expertly, then said:
"Eggs."
"How many?"
"Two."
"Okay."
She handed them over.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
He cracked them straight into the pot.
Then Kaito handed the spatula to Kanade and moved to the cutting board.
Chop! Chop!
He sliced a line of scallions and tossed them into the pot.Kanade quickly stirred them in with the spatula.
The two moved like partners who had cooked together for years—clean, efficient, completely in sync.
Soon, the noodles were done.
They sat across from each other and began eating breakfast.
Kanade poked the egg lightly with her chopsticks—the soft yolk flowed out gently.
She picked it up and took a bite.
The salty richness of the yolk burst across her tongue.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Good?" Kaito asked.
"Mm!!"
Kanade nodded vigorously, then slurped two more bites of hot noodles.
Then she cupped her cheeks in both hands and let out an expression of pure bliss.
"So good!"
To make something as simple as egg noodles taste this delicious… that really took skill!
"Kaito, I didn't expect you to cook this well."
Kanade praised him sincerely.
Who would have thought—the biggest emotional reaction she'd had since meeting him came from a bowl of noodles.
Kaito chuckled."Living alone, egg noodles are what I cook the most. I've picked up a few tricks."
"When are you going to school?"
"In a bit."
"Are you coming back at noon?"
"Usually not."
Kaito might be a commuter student, but taking the subway back and forth was too much of a hassle.
During lunch breaks, he usually went to the public library next to the school to read, or found a milk tea shop to nap in.
But—
Kaito looked at the girl sitting across from him.
Even though the system binding had succeeded, what worried him most now was the idea that once he left, Mizuno Kanade might immediately try to take her life again.
"You're not coming back at noon…"
Hearing that, Kanade bit her lip, as if thinking deeply.
"What's wrong?" Kaito asked.
"Before you leave… I want to repay you. We can eat together, or get milk tea, or go somewhere to hang out—you pick."Kanade said earnestly,"From yesterday until now, I've been troubling you nonstop. I can't just leave like this."
The "leave" in your mind…you mean go meet God, right?!
If you just don't go kill yourself, that's repayment enough!
"I really can't at noon. How about tonight?"
"Tonight… ah—uh…"
Kanade bit her finger again, sinking back into thought.
After a long moment:
"I should probably just give you money. You can eat or drink whatever you want. I still have some… savings."
You're talking about treating me to a meal, not buying a house—why does this require 'savings'…?
So she was poor too.Just like him.
Of course, Kaito couldn't accept money. If he did, he wouldn't be able to keep her around.
Just then, he noticed something—Kanade's posture while eating didn't look quite right.
"What's wrong with your arm?"
"Huh?"
Kanade blinked.
Kaito suddenly reached out and pressed her shoulder lightly.
"Ow— ow…"
She let out a soft whine.
"You strained yourself yesterday?"
"Yeah… my legs are still sore too."
"Want to go get a foot bath?"
"Foot… bath? Where? Do my feet smell that bad?"
She lifted her foot and wiggled her toes while looking at him with big innocent eyes.
"Not that kind of foot bath!" Kaito said quickly."A spa place. Massage. Helps your body relax."
"Isn't that really expensive?"
Hearing that, Kaito grinned.
Like performing a magic trick, he pulled a card from his pocket—
—Golden Impression Foot Spa — 399 yen discount voucher!
"When I get back tonight, you treat me to dinner, and I'll take you to get a foot bath. How about that?"
Kanade stared blankly at the voucher in his hand.
Then she looked down at her toes.
After a long hesitation, she murmured:
"I-I guess… that's fine…"
"Then it's settled!"
Kaito stood up decisively.
"So don't wander off today, okay? Wait for me tonight—I'll take you to get your foot bath!"
He finished speaking and picked up his backpack from the sofa.
Before Kanade could even react, he held out his phone, opened to his messaging app, and placed it in front of her.
"Add me."
Kaito said, "Once I'm at school, if anything happens, message me here."
"Okay."
Kanade opened her QR code. Kaito scanned it.
Her username was: [Sunlight After Rain]
Her profile picture—a sunflower.
This is what a high school girl in 2024 uses…?
Kaito suddenly felt a massive generational gap.
Even that 24-year-old cosplayer auntie yesterday, pretending to be a high schooler—her username was [Wildest Flower on the Prairie].
No wonder people said classical musicians were old-fashioned…
Kanade wasn't much different.
"I'm heading out," Kaito said.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder and opened the door.
Before leaving, he looked back once more.
"If anything happens, you must message me!"
Bang!
The door closed.
Walking toward the subway station, Kaito took a deep breath and pulled out his phone.
He recalled Mizuno Kanade's sleep-talking from last night.
He switched to his browser and opened his search history.
What he had searched last night was:
Mizuno Kanade.
But the first article wasn't about her.
It was about someone else.
[A Crushing Defeat! Revisiting the Fall of Japan's No. 1 Cellist, Mizuno Hiroshi, at the International Kohl Cup 16 Years Ago—What Should We Reflect On?]