Not long after Arou, Airi, Tomo, and Haru were enjoying ice cream in the park, Airi suddenly noticed someone familiar approaching from the distance.
It was Chika, her older sister.
Airi swallowed nervously.
Why is she here…?
Chika spotted her immediately and walked over with a mischievous grin.
"Well, well… looks like you've got three boyfriends now?"
Airi instantly turned bright red.
"W-wait! What are you talking about?!" she stammered.
Chika laughed softly.
"Didn't you hear me? I said you've already got three boyfriends," she repeated teasingly.
Airi lowered her head in panic.
"Stop it, Chika! T-they're just my friends!"
Chika casually shrugged.
"If that's true, then I guess I'll head home first. Maybe I should tell Mom and Dad about this," she said with a smug smile before running off.
Airi froze for half a second before panicking.
"W-wait— don't—!"
Then she turned toward Arou.
"Um… Arou, I have to go home now!" she blurted out quickly.
Still caught off guard, Arou nodded awkwardly.
"Y-yeah… alright."
Without wasting another second, Airi ran after Chika, her face still burning red.
---
The moment the sisters entered the house, Chika rushed straight toward their parents.
"Dad, Mom! Airi already has three boyfriends at the park!" she announced dramatically.
Their parents looked at Airi seriously.
"Airi… is that true?" her father asked calmly.
Her mother tilted her head slightly.
"I'd also like to hear the truth."
Airi lowered her head, tears gathering in her eyes.
"N-no… I only just met them… they only wanted to be friends with me… but Chika showed up and embarrassed me…" she explained softly while trying not to cry.
Chika looked even more entertained.
"See? I told you!" she said with a teasing laugh.
Airi covered her face with both hands, mortified.
"Why is my sister always like this…? She always embarrasses me…" she muttered tearfully.
Their parents glanced at Chika before turning back to Airi.
"Airi, don't worry," her mother said gently.
"We know you're honest, and we trust you."
Her father patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"That's right. Don't let your sister make you too anxious."
Airi looked up at them, feeling relieved despite her burning cheeks.
"Th-thank you, Mom… Dad…"
Chika held back another laugh before shrugging dramatically.
"Fine, fine… I'll stop teasing you. At least for today."
Airi let out a long breath, slowly calming down, though her heart still felt warm and painfully embarrassed from her sister's antics.
---
Meanwhile, back at the park, Arou was still sitting with Haru and Tomo, joking around and reminiscing about old memories.
"Hey, Arou… you look like you're thinking about something," Haru said while nudging his shoulder.
Arou smiled faintly.
"It's nothing… just thinking about today a little."
Tomo smirked knowingly.
"You seem calm, but I bet you're still thinking about Airi, right?"
Arou blushed slightly and looked away.
"Yeah… maybe a little," he admitted quietly.
The sun slowly began to set, painting the park in warm orange light.
Arou let out a soft sigh.
"I should probably head home too."
Haru and Tomo nodded.
"Alright, take care," Haru said.
"And don't forget—we can hang out again tomorrow," Tomo added with a grin.
Arou smiled, waved goodbye, and started walking home alone.
His steps felt light, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Airi and everything that had happened today.
---
When Arou arrived home, he opened the door to a warm and peaceful atmosphere. The evening sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the living room with a soft glow.
"Finally home…" he murmured with a small smile.
---
The next morning, Arou sat at the breakfast table with his father, mother, and older sister, Emi. The aroma of breakfast filled the room while sunlight poured gently through the windows.
His mother studied his expression for a moment.
"Arou, what's wrong?" she asked softly.
Arou forced a faint smile.
"It's nothing," he answered quickly.
Emi leaned forward curiously.
"What are you thinking about?"
Arou hesitated before sighing quietly.
"I think… I might be starting to like someone."
Emi blinked before grinning mischievously.
"Huh? Someone? Who is she?"
His mother smiled warmly.
"So you want a girlfriend now?"
Arou nodded awkwardly.
"Maybe… but I figured Dad probably wouldn't allow it."
His father suddenly laughed.
"Of course I would."
Arou stared at him in disbelief.
"Huh… really?"
To make sure he wasn't dreaming, he pinched his own hand and winced from the pain.
His mother smiled sweetly.
"If you do start dating someone, make sure to introduce her to us, alright?"
Arou smiled warmly.
"Yeah… of course."
---
After breakfast, Arou decided to head back to the park.
The fresh morning air and warm sunlight filtering through the trees made the entire place feel peaceful. Birds chirped softly while the breeze rustled the leaves overhead.
When he arrived, he instinctively searched the familiar spots—
the benches,
the pathways,
the swings where Airi usually sat.
But she wasn't there.
Arou sighed softly, slightly disappointed but still smiling.
"Guess she's busy today…"
He slowly wandered through the park, admiring the flowers blooming along the path. The scent of flowers calmed him, and the warmth of the sun felt comforting against his skin.
Even alone, he felt peaceful.
I really have been thinking about her a lot lately…
He sat beneath a large tree, staring quietly at the clear blue sky.
Memories of Airi filled his thoughts—
the way she saved the child yesterday,
the way she blushed when Chika teased her,
and the warmth he always felt whenever she was nearby.
After resting for a while, he stood up and continued walking through the park, greeting people with small nods and smiling at the children playing nearby.
Even simple moments like this made his new life feel warm and meaningful.
---
As Arou continued walking, enjoying the fresh air and blooming flowers, someone approached from the opposite direction.
It was Airi.
She looked distracted, walking with her gaze lowered as if lost in thought.
Before either of them realized it—
they bumped into each other.
"Ah—sorry!" Arou exclaimed in surprise.
Airi looked up and immediately turned red.
"O-oh… sorry too… I wasn't watching where I was going," she mumbled shyly.
Arou smiled softly.
"It's alright. I was distracted by the flowers too."
Airi glanced at the flowers before looking back at him with a shy smile.
"Yeah… I was just daydreaming a little."
They walked side by side for a few moments, both still slightly awkward.
But little by little, the atmosphere became more comfortable.
---
After their unexpected meeting, Arou looked at Airi with a small smile.
"Hey… Airi, would you like to come to my house?"
Airi froze, her cheeks instantly turning red.
"Huh… y-your house?"
Arou nodded.
"Yeah. I want to introduce you to my family. I think they'd really like to meet you."
Airi lowered her head shyly before giving a tiny nod.
"O-okay… if you want me to."
Together, they walked toward Arou's house while chatting lightly about the flowers, the weather, and the birds singing nearby.
Arou's heart felt warm every time Airi smiled.
---
When they arrived, Arou opened the door and looked toward his family.
"There's someone I want you all to meet."
His mother smiled curiously.
"Oh? Is she your girlfriend, Arou?"
Airi instantly panicked.
"G-g-girlfriend?!" she squeaked.
His father looked at Arou seriously, though his expression remained warm.
"So… she's your girlfriend?"
Arou nodded calmly.
"Yeah."
Airi stared at him in complete shock.
"Huh?! M-me?!"
Emi grinned mischievously while patting Arou's shoulder.
"Your girlfriend's cute… but she's really shy."
Airi lowered her head immediately, her face burning red.
"N-no… I'm not his girlfriend," she stammered desperately.
Arou smiled softly at her embarrassment.
"It's okay… just relax."
His mother gave Airi a warm smile.
"We're happy to meet you."
His father nodded kindly.
"Welcome to our home. We hope you feel comfortable here."
Emi was still smirking teasingly, but the atmosphere remained warm and welcoming.
Arou felt relieved seeing Airi slowly calm down.
And little by little, despite her red cheeks, Airi started to smile too—feeling safe and warmly accepted in the middle of Arou's family.