Habit is truly a terrifying thing.
"Ah-ha..." Yawning widely while blow-drying her freshly washed long hair, Utaha still felt a bit sleepy.
Ever since she got together with Miyahito, her days in Tokyo had gradually shifted from her previous solitary life to a sort of couple's cohabitation. (Although they were together every day, they took turns staying at each other's places, so it couldn't be counted as true cohabitation.)
Precisely because she was now in a relationship and practically living a cohabiting life with her lover, some of Utaha's old bad habits—like loving to sleep in, pulling all-nighters to write, and unhealthy eating—had inadvertently changed.
In the past, the bed-loving Utaha would now wake up at the same time as the early-rising Miyahito. Though she would only open her eyes... she wouldn't actually get up until Miyahito finished making breakfast and came to call her with a helpless expression.
In the past, the Utaha who loved pulling all-nighters and self-righteously used the excuse "my writing inspiration only appears in the early hours of the morning" to support her midnight binges, was now stared down by her boyfriend after dinner. He would do absolutely nothing else but watch her write, and somehow, her 'writing inspiration' never appeared in the early hours anymore.
In the past, her diet was very unhealthy, often just filling her stomach with junk food. But now, because of her boyfriend's amazing cooking skills, her palate had become incredibly picky. She had stubbornly quit greasy, bland instant foods and junk food.
However, none of these habit changes were anything compared to... Utaha's biggest change of all.
"Sigh, waking up and not seeing Miyahito." Remembering the awful feeling of opening her eyes just now and finding herself alone in the room, Utaha's mood involuntarily dipped.
"It feels really awful."
Feeling her hair was mostly dry, she put down the hair dryer and tilted her head back slightly.
Letting her waist-length hair fall naturally, she shook her head in small movements to separate some of the loose, tangled strands.
Then, very naturally, she picked up the white hairband Miyahito had given her from in front of the vanity mirror and slowly put it on.
"Mhm, still as beautiful as ever."
Looking at the quiet, literary girl in the mirror who exuded an aura of books and elegance, Utaha nodded in satisfaction.
At the same time.
"Good morning." With a head of hair so messy that calling it a 'chicken coop' would be a compliment, and looking completely half-asleep, Miyahito swayed as he walked down the stairs.
Satomi, who was resting on the living room sofa, turned her head, preparing to respond. But upon seeing her son's somewhat unkempt appearance, she couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Mom?"
Noticing the surprise on his mother's face, Miyahito asked with a puzzled look.
"Nothing." Satomi covered her mouth and laughed softly. "It's just my first time seeing you look like this. It feels a bit novel."
"My appearance?"
Looking completely bewildered, Miyahito subconsciously tilted his head, reached up to scratch his messy hair, and then gave up on thinking.
"Whatever, Mom. I'm going to brush my teeth and wash my face first."
"Mhm, hurry up, Miyahito."
Walking into the washroom and looking at his reflection in the mirror—his hair looking like it had exploded—Miyahito finally understood what his mother meant.
"Uwah, my hair... it's a total mess."
Muttering a complaint about himself, Miyahito shook his head with a mix of amusement and helplessness.
He placed his hands under the faucet, scooped up some clear water, and gently splashed it on his face.
Stimulated by the cold water, the still-drowsy Miyahito instantly became much more awake.
However, perhaps because of this, he remembered when he first woke up. He had opened his eyes in bed and found himself alone... then subconsciously gotten out of bed to look for his sleepy girlfriend.
After searching the room with half-open, groggy eyes for a long time, he finally remembered.
Oh, this is my house... Utaha, who went back to her own house, obviously isn't here.
But still.
"Sigh, waking up and not seeing Utaha." Propping his hands on the washbasin, Miyahito looked down at the water droplets and involuntarily revealed a somewhat empty expression, his tone turning a bit lonely.
"It feels really awful."
After spacing out for a moment, realizing that 'being depressed first thing in the morning' wasn't good, Miyahito raised his head and lightly patted his cheeks with both hands.
"Cheer up, Miyahito."
As the eldest son of the Aragaki family, what kind of look is this to be depressed first thing in the morning?
If Dad saw him looking like this, he'd definitely be dragged away for a severe scolding.
By then, no need to even think about it, his dad would definitely say: "Looking like a ghost, yet you have the audacity to aim for the Student Council President position before entering your second year, after already having a record of 'fighting and being suspended'?"
"But Dad's right." Thinking about what he had discussed with his dad last night, Miyahito looked at himself in the mirror thoughtfully. "Sengoku-kun from Class D is already far ahead of me. Although my popularity among the students is quite high."
"I still need to consider the opinions of the school's teachers."
Perhaps I should consider building my own team. Otherwise... relying solely on myself to fight alone, there's absolutely no way I can beat Sengoku from Class D.
....
After washing up, Miyahito sat at the dining table and started eating his delayed breakfast.
Just then.
"Miyahito."
"Hmm?"
"Do you have time later?"
Hearing his mother's question, Miyahito turned his head. Looking at his mother, who was resting her cheek on her right hand and looked somewhat troubled, he nodded and asked back.
"I'm free. What's up?"
"That's great." Hearing this, Satomi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Could I trouble you to go to the Sawamura house and pick Ayase up later?"
"The Chiba Prefectural Board of Education has an educational meeting later, and Mom needs to attend."
"No problem at all." Hearing that she just wanted him to pick up Ayase, Miyahito agreed without a second thought. "Then I'll call Ayase later and see when she wants to come back."
"Mhm. Oh, right, just call the Sawamura house directly."
"The phone we bought for Ayase broke, and we haven't had time to take her to buy a new one yet."
Hearing this, Miyahito thought for a moment, then turned to his mother, who was getting up to prepare for her outing.
"Since that's the case, I'll take her to buy a new phone when I go pick her up."
After all, ever since Ayase entered middle school, Miyahito had already been thinking about buying his sister a new phone.
Ayase was already a middle schooler, a grown girl now. Under the premise that her older brother wasn't short on money, he couldn't just let his sister continue using a basic feature phone that couldn't even access the internet.
If, because of that, Ayase got labeled as old-fashioned or out of touch, how would she ever make friends at school?