Episode 1: Words Etched in the Memory

Hayato sometimes still dreamed of the moment he first met Haruki.

The sun blazed down, scorching the skin.

The deafening chorus of cicadas, the heat haze rising from the ground.

Sunflowers bloomed everywhere, swaying in the breeze, singing of summer so vibrantly it felt almost oppressive.

He remembered it was a hot day.

“Shut up, be quiet, go away.”

The oldest words from Haruki, buried deep in his memory.

A dark expression, as if resigned to something, cloudy eyes rejecting others, a body radiating dissatisfaction yet silently pleading to be noticed, hugging her knees outside.

That really rubbed him the wrong way.

So Hayato forcibly dragged Haruki along.

Seeing her surprised face, he smirked with satisfaction.

He didn’t remember what Haruki said after that.

But he did remember it was the start of something.

They probably fought a lot. She might have said all sorts of things.

But in the mountains, they’d race to pick wild strawberries, compare the size of crawfish caught in the river, show off swords made from scrap wood, and clash them together.

That’s why his memories with Haruki were always full of smiles.

Hayato looked down at their younger selves playing so joyfully, almost as if from a distance.

(But Haruki…)

Yes, Hayato was fully aware this was a dream.

Two young kids playing and laughing in a pastoral scene should be heartwarming.

It should be.

“I’m, you know, an illegitimate child of Takura Mao.”

Suddenly, he recalled the words Haruki had confessed to him. His heart began pounding fiercely.

Before him was Haruki, laughing innocently.

That image overlapped with the shadowed expression she occasionally showed back then.

(Ah, damn it!)

Surely, even back then, Haruki must have understood her situation clearly.

He felt like such an idiot for running around so carefree, oblivious to it all.

But. Even so.

“I want to become strong enough to be your true special someone, Hayato.”

That secret wasn’t shared out of a desire for pity.

Her voice from that day, declaring it to him, flashed through his mind.

No darkness, no shadow, just a clear, resolute, beautiful will.

Recalling it made his heart race again, and he couldn’t help but shout her name.

“—Haruki!”

“M-Mya!?”

“…Huh?”

Jolting awake, Hayato let out a dumbfounded sound at the voice that reached his ears.

His groggy eyes caught sight of Haruki, for some reason holding his school uniform.

It made absolutely no sense.

Haruki was dressed as neatly as always, but her face was frozen like a kid caught pulling a prank, her eyes darting around.

Still reeling from the dream, Hayato’s gaze gradually turned into a deadpan stare.

The voice that slipped from his mouth carried a sulky tone, growing low.

“…What are you doing?”

“N-Nothing yet, okay!?”

“With my uniform?”

“N-No, I mean, the fabric softener smells nice, and it’s such a clean detergent, right!?”

“Haruki…?”

“Ahh! I’m gonna go wake Hime-chan!”

“Hey, wait!”

Saying that, Haruki shoved the uniform at Hayato and bolted out of the room in a flustered rush.

(Jeez, Haruki… Oh, right, I gave her a spare key, didn’t I?)

Watching her familiar retreating figure, Hayato felt a deep sense of relief mixed with a ridiculous amusement, chuckling softly to himself.

It was somehow strange.

“Gyaah! W-Why is Haru-chan here!?”

“Wahahahaha!”

From the next room came the lively voices of Haruki and Himeko.

The shirt of the uniform thrust at him had slight wrinkles from Haruki’s tight grip.

A faint, sweet scent, different from his own, tickled his nose, making his heart jump. Like the uniform, Hayato’s brow furrowed with wrinkles.

Ignoring the noisy Haruki and Himeko, Hayato started preparing breakfast.

Morning time was precious.

It was the usual time, but there wasn’t exactly a lot of leeway.

The main dish this morning was scrambled eggs.

He mixed diced cream cheese and chopped leftover herbs like cilantro into the egg mixture, seasoned it with salt, pepper, and milk, and stirred it with a wooden spatula over medium-low heat until it was creamy.

He drizzled it with homemade sweet chili sauce, made by heating vinegar, sugar, mirin, doubanjiang, garlic, and cornstarch slurry in the microwave.

It was a dish that whetted the appetite even on a hot summer morning.

With a side of cut salad, toast, and drinks to taste, it was a breakfast that looked as good as it tasted.

In fact, Haruki watched in awe, eyes blinking rapidly, as the meal came together in no time.

“What’s up, Haruki? Not eating?”

“Huh? N-No, I’ll eat! Itadakimasu!”

“Onii, get me some milk, milk!”

“Here, here. Haruki, coffee’s fine, right?”

“Yeah, with lots of milk… Wait, Hime-chan’s just having milk?”

“I’m still growing… I’ll at least get to average, if not Haru-chan’s—Wait, it’s Haru-chan! What’s with you this morning!?”

Himeko, as if just realizing, glared at Haruki and then Hayato with a sulky expression.

Her face carried a hint of a pout, and seeing Haruki quietly avert her gaze, it seemed she’d been woken up in an odd way. Himeko rubbed her neck, fidgeting.

It was a tough question for Hayato to answer.

Haruki’s sudden invasion was unexpected for him too.

Glancing at Haruki, their eyes met awkwardly, and they shared a wry smile.

It was indeed a bit out of the ordinary.

But seeing Haruki’s sheepish expression, it was probably just her wanting to surprise them or something trivial like that. For Haruki, it was likely just an extension of her usual playful antics.

Knowing she felt comfortable enough to act so casually, even relying on him, made the corners of his mouth soften.

“I gave Haruki a spare key. Unlike Tsukino-se, we don’t leave the door unlocked, right?”

“Oh, yeah, true. That explains it. I’m still not used to it and sometimes forget to lock up.”

“Tch, and you’re okay with that… Haha…”

Tsukino-se’s security habits were typical of the countryside, lax to a fault. They only locked up when leaving for extended trips.

And for that matter, people there didn’t ring the doorbell—they’d just open the door and shout for the homeowner.

“Well, even so… munch.”

Himeko, swallowing the last of her toast with milk, let out a sigh and gave Hayato and Haruki a deadpan look, shrugging.

“Jeez, Onii and Haru-chan, you’ve always been so close.”

“It’s not like that!”

“…See?”

“…”

Himeko, exasperated, let out a dramatic sigh and stood up, as if she couldn’t deal with them.

“Thanks for the food.”

The air left behind was awkward.

Hayato shot Haruki a reproachful glance, and she, with a guilty expression, stuck out her pink tongue but let out a cheerful sound.

“Haha, I just wanted to try something cliché, like waking up my childhood friend, like in manga or anime.”

“…Next time, just do it to me.”

“Don’t want Hime-chan getting mad, right?”

“Yeah, true.”

Her unrepentant words and carefree smile made Hayato’s heart stir for a different reason than the dream.

Stuffing food and coffee into his mouth like Himeko, Hayato felt something lingering, like residue, spilling out.

“…That’s unfair.”

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“Nah, nothing.”

Watching his childhood friend happily eat her scrambled eggs, Hayato masked it with a wry smile.

After breakfast, Hayato quickly got ready and left the apartment with Haruki and Himeko.

The eastern sky was cloudless, the summer sun asserting itself boldly from the morning, making sweat break out instantly. The humid heat clung to them, weighing down their mood and steps.

But Haruki and Himeko’s energy was high, undeterred by the summer heat.

“Oh, by the way, I succeeded in my diet! I lost five kilos from my peak!”

“No way, that’s unfair, Haru-chan! I’ve only lost three kilos, even though we’re eating the same stuff, grrr… Oh, what about you, Onii?”

“No idea. I haven’t been dieting, so I haven’t even weighed myself.”

Apparently, their diet success might be contributing to their mood.

Himeko was a bit dissatisfied with her results, but both she and Haruki were within a ±1 kg range of their original weight, and Hayato couldn’t tell any difference visually. His response came out half-hearted.

But even Hayato was smiling softly.

(Come to think of it, this is the first time we’re going to school together as three.)

Watching his sister and childhood friend chatter about their diet struggles, he thought about it.

Walking together wasn’t rare, but wearing uniforms and chatting idly in the early morning felt a little special.

“So, since the diet’s done, I wanna eat something sweet, you know? Of course, I’ll be careful not to rebound.”

“I want bas-chee! Basque cheesecake! Onii, make a low-sugar one!”

“Why am I the one making it?”

“Because it’s you, Hayato.”

“Because it’s Onii.”

“Right?”

“Haa…”

Either way, Haruki’s good mood was a good thing for Hayato. Especially knowing her secret. The corners of his eyes softened naturally.

But there was also a problem.

Maybe it was the excitement of her diet success, but her energy was too high.

“Hey, I’m going this way. See ya!”

“Don’t fall asleep in class.”

“See you later, Hime-chan!”

Even after parting with Himeko at the main road, Haruki’s energy persisted, talking to Hayato in her usual way.

“Hey, does your place have tools for making cakes? Can we get the ingredients at the supermarket, or should we go to a specialty store?”

“Haruki, that’s fine, but, uh, you know…?”

Hayato, thrilled by her enthusiastic chatter, cut her off and signaled with his eyes to look around.

The school was getting closer, and students in the same uniform as Hayato and Haruki were starting to appear.

And they were all staring, as if they’d seen something rare or unbelievable, like a tsuchinoko.

“Oh…”

Haruki, as if just noticing, furrowed her brow and glanced at Hayato’s expression.

Nikaidou Haruki was popular.

It was easy to forget when they were together, but she was refined and lovely, excelling in both academics and sports, gentle and polite, treating everyone equally but always smiling gracefully from a slight distance—a flower on a high peak. That was the false image, the disguise, Haruki projected.

For her to direct a smile no one had ever seen at one boy (Hayato) and actively talk to him?

And this morning, Hayato wasn’t the polished version Himeko had teased into shape. His bedhead was sticking up.

There was no way it wouldn’t draw attention. Some were already whispering rumors.

Unaccustomed to such curious stares, Hayato sighed, exasperated.

But he hesitated to scold Haruki, who was trying to change.

“Look, getting too close too fast can cause problems, right, Nikaidou-san?”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

Haruki muttered dejectedly, looking down and taking a step back.

Hayato’s chest stung seeing her like that, but there was nothing he could do.

Scratching his head roughly, he waved casually as if to say “see ya” and quickly left the scene.

Watching his retreating figure, Haruki murmured softly.

“You’re right. I need to fill the outer moat first.”

Her expression was serious, yet carried a provocative smile, as if plotting something.

Lunch break arrived.

The classroom buzzed with activity as everyone moved about freely.

Normally, Hayato would head to their secret base, but today he was unsure what to do.

The reason was Haruki.

Lately, her cat disguise had been slipping, and she was oddly gaining familiarity with the girls.

When Haruki, looking pensive and occasionally letting out sighs tinged with melancholy, was approached with, “What’s wrong, Nikaidou-san?” or “If something’s up, you can talk to us,” it was half concern, half curiosity. At the center was Mori’s childhood friend and girlfriend, Isami Ema.

“It’s fine, it’s nothing.”

But Haruki’s responses were all evasive smiles, her face troubled.

To an outsider, she looked every bit the lovestruck maiden, but Hayato, watching her profile, felt only unease.

He glanced at her again.

Even now, she was unconsciously twirling the ends of her long hair, letting out heated sighs.

Occasionally, she’d glance at Hayato, and when their eyes met, she’d give a troubled smile.

Some sharp-eyed girls noticed and formed a huddle in the corner of the classroom.

(What do I do…)

Hayato sighed, hesitating, when Mori approached with a casual grin.

“Yo, Kirishima, rare to see you like this. Haven’t decided what to do for lunch?”

“Mori… Yeah, I didn’t bring a bento today, so I’m debating. I’m late for the school store, and the cafeteria’s probably crowded.”

It was an indirect message to Haruki that he’d be late since he needed to get lunch.

Mori, sharply catching the glance Hayato threw at Haruki, narrowed his eyes with amusement.

“By the way, I heard you were walking pretty chummily with Nikaidou this morning?”

“!?! Uh, no, it’s, uh…”

Hayato felt the weight of everyone’s stares in an instant.

The morning incident was already a small rumor.

And with Haruki’s attitude, how could it not draw attention?

Especially since people had seen him drag Haruki away during Kazuki’s confession the other day.

He racked his brain desperately. If he didn’t say something convincing, the questions would keep coming, not just from Mori.

His eyes met Haruki’s, her brow furrowed, and he scratched his head, sighing.

“Well, actually…”

“Actually?”

“I was teaching her a trick to keep dogs’ food from being stolen by deer in the countryside.”

“Huh? Dogs? Food stolen… by deer…?”

“Pfft! Cough, cough, cough… Heh… Hahaha…”

Haruki burst out laughing at Hayato’s excuse, collapsing onto her desk, shoulders shaking as she tried to stifle it. It seemed she’d hit a weird funny bone.

The classroom fell into stunned silence.

But seeing Haruki’s reaction, they gradually seemed convinced.

“So that’s how it is. Tough stuff.”

“Yeah, they’re national treasures, so you can’t exactly get rid of them. And they’re oddly friendly and smart, never touching the fields, just going for the dog food.”

Hayato’s story piqued their interest in a different way.

Sharing a funny anecdote from Tsukino-se that was a local laughingstock shifted their focus. Haruki was still stifling her laughter.

(…Did I manage to dodge it?)

As Hayato inwardly sighed with relief, a familiar face approached.

“Sounds like an interesting conversation, Hayato-kun.”

“Kazuki… It’s just some countryside trivia, nothing special.”

“That’s what makes it fun, though. Don’t you think, Nikaidou-san?”

“Mmph!”

Kazuki approached with his usual friendly smile, standing beside Hayato.

Haruki snapped her head up, bracing herself.

The classroom’s attention converged.

“I’m not really… Anyway, what do you want, Kaidou-kun?”

“Is it no good if I just came to see Nikaidou-san?”

“I have nothing to say to you, so please leave.”

“Too bad, rejected again. What do I do, Hayato-kun?”

“…No idea.”

Haruki brushed Kazuki off with a polite smile, and he gave a wry, disappointed grin.

Then, as if unsure what to do, Kazuki patted Hayato’s shoulder.

Hayato accepted it naturally. Haruki’s cheek twitched.

The distance between Hayato and Kazuki was noticeably closer than before.

Mori, picking up on this shift, spoke with intrigued eyes.

“‘Hayato-kun’ and ‘Kazuki,’ huh… When did you two get so close?”

“Haha, just the other day. When we hung out, he swooped in to save me from a pinch, and, well?”

“What’s that? Can’t quite picture it.”

“He was pretty cool.”

“…I didn’t do anything special, and it wasn’t a big deal.”

Hayato replied with a scowl, but Kazuki was all smiles, clearly at ease. It was obvious he’d grown fond of Hayato. If Kazuki were a dog, his tail would be wagging loosely.

Some girls squealed, sensing a fragrant vibe.

But not everyone was pleased.

“Kaidou, getting too close just because you’ve bonded a bit might trouble Hayato-kun, you know? Right?”

“Uh… Nikaidou… san…?”

Haruki, with a plastered smile, slid between Hayato and Kazuki. It was a fluid motion.

Their gazes clashed—Haruki’s intimidating smile and Kazuki’s amused grin.

The tense atmosphere they created swallowed the room.

“Is it that close? Isn’t this normal for friends?”

“I think it’s about moderation. Look, Hayato-kun’s startled. Right?”

“Huh? Uh, no, I’m not really…”

“Haha, if Nikaidou-san wants to get closer, maybe be more honest—”

“Kaidou!”

“—Ow!”

Suddenly, Haruki, pouting, kicked Kazuki hard in the shin.

She was like a child throwing a tantrum. The class gaped.

Yet Kazuki’s grin widened.

Haruki, annoyed by his reaction, puffed out her lips and turned away.

Catching her eye, Hayato pressed a hand to his aching forehead, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Kazuki, you’re an idiot… And Nikaidou—”

“Haruki.”

“Nikai…”

“Ha-ru-ki!”

“Haruki… san…”

“Good.”

As Haruki acted petulant, the overwhelming exchange left Mori and the others stunned.

“What’s going on…?”

“Wait, wasn’t there something between Kaidou-kun and Nikaidou-san…?”

“Didn’t Kirishima drag Nikaidou-san off the other day?”

Unsettling speculations began flying around.

Finally realizing her mistake, Haruki let out a “Mya!” but swallowed it desperately.

Kazuki shrugged with a wry smile.

Hayato, hand on his forehead, stood up, whispered “Idiot” in Haruki’s ear, and left the classroom.

An old school building room.

A refuge from the classroom’s chaos.

Hayato and Haruki’s secret base.

Two sighs overlapped.

“What were you doing, Haruki?”

“B-But…”

Afterward, Hayato and Haruki met up here, staggering their arrival.

Hayato munched on a katsu sandwich from the school store, Haruki on a convenience store onigiri, discussing the classroom incident.

It was probably Haruki’s effort, as per her declaration that night.

Seeing her dejected look, she seemed aware she’d overdone it.

She muttered softly.

“…Kaidou.”

“Kazuki?”

“He just… fits so easily into the place where the old me used to be…”

“It’s normal. It’d be weird if the current you were that close.”

“Muu…”

Apparently, she didn’t like Kazuki’s earlier behavior.

Glancing at Haruki beside him.

Sitting on a cushion in a rare girly pose, looking down, she was utterly lovely and cute.

Her glossy, flowing long hair, different from before, slender limbs stretching from her summer uniform, and slightly pouting, full lips as she stuffed the rest of her onigiri in her mouth.

He swallowed hard.

Normally, he could brush it off, but her earnest attitude made him hyper-aware of her as a girl.

Suddenly, being alone in an empty room felt intensely unsettling.

Yet, inexplicably, his hand reached toward her, and he hurriedly scratched his head to cover it up.

“You’re, you know, a girl now, Haruki.”

“…Hayato?”

“No, I mean, things are different now, so there’s stuff you’ve gotta be careful about, right?”

“…Yeah, you’re right. It’s tough.”

“…Yeah, it’s tough.”

Haruki stretched her arms up, leaned against the wall, and looked out the window.

A heavy silence hung in the air.

The sun shone brilliantly in the cloudless blue sky, casting deep shadows from the secret base.

“Being a girl… I don’t really get it. I haven’t really connected with anyone here. Do you, Hayato?”

“You know what Tsukino-se’s like. The only peer was Himeko’s friend.”

“Oh, right, that shrine girl? Quiet, polite, doll-like.”

“She’d chat with Himeko, but whenever I greeted or talked to her, she’d run away.”

“Run away? What’d you do, Hayato? Wait, did you show off a stag beetle with a smug face?”

“I’m not you! Normal girls aren’t interested in stag beetles!”

“They’re missing out on 70% of life if they don’t get the charm of those head shapes!”

“No way that’s true!”

“Haha!”

But talking about old times brought laughter, quickly dispelling the heavy mood.

As Hayato let out a relieved sigh, Haruki leaned in with her usual mischievous grin.

“Too bad you got rejected by a girl, huh?”

“N-No, it’s not like… She might think I’m a bit weird, but she shared diet recipes, so if she hated me, she wouldn’t, right?”

“Oh, that’s how it was?”

“Maybe because Himeko was involved… Oh, and she sent me a picture of her in kagura dance clothes this year.”

“Kagura dance?”

“For the summer festival… Here, look.”

“! …This is…”

Peering at Hayato’s phone screen, Haruki gasped and froze.

“It’s gorgeous, right? And that’s not all… Oh, sorry, you and summer festivals…”

“Huh!? N-No, it’s fine. I was just surprised.”

“Surprised?”

“She’s smiling like…”

Shock or confusion colored Haruki’s voice.

As Hayato tried to peer at her face, the pre-bell for afternoon classes rang out.

“—Let’s head back.”

“…Yeah.”

With Haruki’s ambiguous smile, they left the secret base.

Back in the classroom, Haruki was relentlessly questioned about the lunch break incident.

Surrounded by girls, bombarded with questions, and stared at by boys with pleading, almost grieving looks.

Hayato watched, brow furrowed.

The boys’ gazes turned piercing when they landed on him, and he sighed at their dramatic flip.

The girls’ questioning seemed more like they were enjoying Haruki’s flustered, blushing reactions.

It was almost like teasing a mascot.

But one boy remarked, “I never thought I’d see high schoolers playing kagome-kagome,” making Hayato snort despite himself.

“I-I’ve got stuff to do, so I’m leaving early!”

After school, Haruki bolted from the classroom.

Exhausted from the teasing and questioning, she fled like a rabbit.

Hayato watched her escape, grabbed his bag with a wry look, and rolled his house key—without its keychain—in his palm. It was the main key he’d kept at home, just in case.

(Jeez, she brought it on herself, idiot.)

Muttering to himself, he recalled Haruki’s flustered, friendly smiles under everyone’s gazes, and his throat let out a soft chuckle.

“Yo, heading home already?”

“Mori, huh. Got some shopping for dinner and a stop to make.”

“Oh? Was gonna ask you to pay me back.”

“…Keep it as a favor owed.”

“Looking forward to it.”

Hayato flinched at Mori’s casual mention of a debt but shook it off with a wry smile, recalling the help he’d gotten that afternoon. Waving lightly, he left the classroom.

The lack of intense questioning directed at him, unlike Haruki, was thanks to Mori and Kazuki.

Mori subtly asked questions that were easy to answer, steering curiosity away, and Kazuki’s talk about bonding the other day shifted attention to Hayato’s monotone singing, which he ended up performing.

It was teasing in a different way, but it was indeed a big favor owed to them.

Thinking this, Hayato headed to the station, to a key shop he’d used right after moving.

“Oh, Hayato-kun’s already gone…”

Kazuki entered the classroom just as Hayato left.

Looking around but not finding who he was looking for, he frowned slightly.

Mori, noticing, waved casually.

“He’s got stuff to do. Rare to see you after school. What about club?”

“Test period’s coming, so… Huh, Hayato-kun’s gone…”

“…Kazuki?”

Mori gave Kazuki, who seemed hesitant, a curious look.

Kazuki shrugged awkwardly and glanced at Isami Ema, chatting with a group of girls.

“It’s only a matter of time.”

Kazuki beckoned Mori, discreetly showing his phone screen.

Mori’s eyes widened, and he let out a dry laugh.

“This is… Haha.”

“It came from a middle schooler, Torikai-san, who has a sister.”

The screen showed Hayato, dressed differently, being scolded by Himeko in front of a movie theater.

Though scolded, Himeko’s expression was more pouty, and Hayato was trying to soothe her.

Their closeness was obvious. It was a pose Haruki often showed others.

What would come of this was uncertain.

Mori and Kazuki exchanged wry smiles and shrugged.

After school, Haruki fled the classroom.

Avoiding attention, her feet naturally led her to the flowerbed behind the school.

Spotting familiar curly hair bobbing along, she broke into a grin and ran over.

“Hey, Minamo-chan, heading to the flowerbed?”

“Oh, Haruki-san. Yes, I was going to do some weeding.”

“I’ll help!”

“Please, thank you.”

Minamo smiled softly at Haruki, who’d shed her good girl mask, and offered a straw hat, saying, “You’ll get sunburned.” Haruki replied, “Maybe I should buy my own,” and they shared a smile.

This time of year, weeds grew quickly if neglected.

But regular maintenance kept it manageable.

They also harvested ripe tomatoes.

“By the way, you pick eggplants in the morning, but tomatoes in the evening, right?”

“It seems related to photosynthesis.”

“Photosynthesis? The one where they take in carbon dioxide and make oxygen?”

“Yes. They use water and nutrients to make starch and sugars, so evening harvests are sweeter. Morning ones are fresher.”

“Wow, that’s why… Reasons, huh.”

Minamo answered Haruki’s question, flipping through her notebook.

She noticed a hint of worry in Haruki’s voice as she casually snipped tomatoes with pruning shears.

Having recently learned a secret not easily shared, Minamo hesitated briefly, clenched her fist, and leaned in to look at Haruki’s face.

“Something troubling you?”

“Huh? Oh, um… Is it a worry?”

“About Kirishima-san?”

“Haha, not exactly, or maybe… I don’t know.”

“I see…”

Haruki wasn’t sure how to explain.

They both furrowed their brows, sharing wry smiles.

Feeling a bit guilty for Minamo’s kind offer to listen, Haruki thought this was exactly why she was such a good person.

Glancing down, she noticed Minamo’s gym clothes accentuating her ample chest.

Her posture emphasized its size.

Haruki’s eyes widened.

(Huge!)

Comparing it to her own, she recalled borrowing Minamo’s gym clothes and noticing extra room around the chest.

As Minamo tilted her head and touched her chin, her chest jiggled softly, sparking questions like, What’s in there? Do they float in the bath? Are they really the same as mine!? that showed on Haruki’s face.

It was overwhelming.

Minamo’s petite frame made the contrast even more striking.

It was hard to look away.

“…Haruki-san?”

Noticing Haruki’s serious expression, Minamo peered at her worriedly, and Haruki hurriedly shook her head, searching for words.

“!?! Uh, no, I was just thinking about femininity.”

“Femininity?”

“Like, I’m not exactly girly at my core… Hey, don’t laugh, Minamo-chan!”

“Hehe, sorry, it’s just funny that the flower on a high peak, as they call you, is worried about femininity.”

“That’s just a facade… Oh, right. That girl was smiling so beautifully, it got to me…”

“Haruki-san…?”

She recalled the girl in miko attire Hayato showed her.

That unfamiliar smile was etched in her mind.

It bothered her, and she wanted to know more.

Minamo, watching her, clapped her hands and smiled brightly.

“Why not talk to her first?”

“Talk?”

“Talking to you helped me learn more about you.”

“Minamo-chan… Yeah, maybe. But how—”

Mid-sentence, Haruki recalled Hayato dragging her out when she was a kid hugging her knees.

The important person who came at her without overthinking.

She chuckled.

“You’re right. Can you help me figure out how to make that connection, Minamo-chan?”

“Of course, leave it to me!”

They laughed together.

Under the blazing sun, their consultation grew heated.

Hayato got home much later than usual.

It was well past dismissal time, but the summer sun was still high, the western sky still faintly blue.

“I’m home.”

“Mm, welcome back, Onii. You’re late today.”

“Had to get a new key made. And did some shopping for dinner.”

“Hmm.”

Himeko greeted him in the living room but didn’t look at him, her response half-hearted. Her attention was glued to the TV.

It was showing the anime series of the movie they’d seen, probably borrowed from Haruki.

“…Don’t overdo it.”

“I know.”

Hayato sighed at his exam-prepping sister, unloading groceries in the kitchen.

(Jeez, Haruki…)

Thinking of the lunch break incident, he headed to his room with his bag, ready to give her a piece of his mind.

“…Huh?”

“~~!?!”

Opening the door, he froze in shock.

For some reason, Haruki was in the middle of taking off her uniform blouse.

One sleeve was already off, leaving her half-exposed.

He swallowed hard.

Her translucent, smooth skin, collarbone, curved waist, and navel—parts usually hidden—painted an immature, delicate beauty typical of a girl her age.

And the slightly modest swell, wrapped in an off-white, frilly, refined and cute undergarment, different from the other day, was impossible to look away from, even for someone other than Hayato.

After a moment of silence, their faces flushed as their thoughts rebooted.

“S-Sorry!”

Hayato hurriedly shut the door, turning away as if he shouldn’t look.

His heart pounded so loudly he feared Haruki might hear it through the door, his sensitive ears catching the clear sound of rustling fabric.

The image of Haruki pulling her blouse to cover herself, embarrassed, as he closed the door, was burned into his mind.

(What is this…)

He couldn’t make sense of it.

Why? What was she doing here? Questions swirled.

But more than that, her balanced figure made him acutely aware of her as a girl, leaving him flustered. It’d be stuck in his mind for a while.

After a bit, the door opened, and Haruki peeked out, looking sheepish.

“S-Sorry for the unsightly view…”

“No, it’s fine… Were you changing?”

“Yeah, the uniform’s kinda stiff, and it’s hot, right?”

Spinning around, Haruki showed off her outfit: a sleeveless tunic with floral hems and a flared miniskirt.

It was casual, like loungewear, but cute enough for a quick trip out.

The earlier sight made Hayato even more aware of her as a girl, and he averted his eyes. His words came out gruff.

“I get that, but… why my room?”

“Hime-chan’s room might mix up our clothes… Oh, I left some stuff here.”

“Without my permission?”

“Fufufu. Oh, if you’re curious, you can try them on. I realized recently, being a girl is kinda fun.”

“Not happening, and they wouldn’t fit.”

“You’ve gotten pretty big, huh, Hayato.”

Haruki flashed a carefree smile, standing on tiptoe to compare their heights with her hand.

Her usual behavior made Hayato feel toyed with, leaving him uncomfortable.

So it was a strange sense of rivalry.

He’d never normally say it.

“You were wearing something pretty cute today, unlike the other day.”

“~~!?!”

Haruki’s face turned bright red, freezing in shock, her eyes wide.

Hayato smirked, satisfied with his comeback, but her response was unexpected.

“…Was it weird?”

“!?!!?”

Her anxious, upturned gaze threw him off, making him flustered.

“N-No, it’s not like that… It looked good, I think.”

“Really…? So, um, compared to the one from the movie day, which suits me better…?”

“Wha… T-The, uh, both are, you know, good.”

“Oh, okay… So, between that one and this one, which do you like…?”

“Haruki…!? Uh, that’s, um…”

Hayato tried to regain control, but it wasn’t working. He couldn’t meet her eyes. The frustrating air enveloped them.

This wasn’t like him.

Yet, he couldn’t help feeling it wasn’t so bad, a sign of how deeply affected he was without realizing.

“Onii, I’m hungry—What are you two doing?”

“!?!”

Himeko’s sudden appearance, done with her anime, broke the mood.

Hayato and Haruki hurriedly stepped apart, acting suspicious for a moment before exchanging glances and nodding.

“W-We were talking about what to make for dinner.”

“Y-Yeah, the diet’s done, but we’re worried about rebounding… Hime-chan, any requests?”

“Meat!”

It was a seamless understanding only Hayato and Haruki could share.

Himeko was simple.

They sighed in relief.

As Himeko, in a cheerful mood, turned to resume her anime, Haruki suddenly let out a loud “Ah!”

“Wait, Hime-chan!”

“What’s up, Haru-chan?”

“I have a little favor to ask—”

Himeko blinked at Haruki’s unexpected request but nodded, saying, “Sure, why not.”