When Haruto finally opened his eyes again, the room was utterly silent.
Slowly pushing himself up from the bed, he sat there for a moment, staring blankly at the empty room until his sluggish thoughts began to catch up. Memories of last night resurfaced.
"…Yeah. I guess I did overdo it a little."
Rubbing his waist with both hands, he let out a small breath, then crawled out from beneath the warm covers. Through the window, he was greeted by clear blue skies and dazzling sunshine.
Raising a hand to shield his eyes from the light, Haruto turned and walked to the small kitchen counter. The kettle still held some hot water, so he poured himself a glass, sipping quietly to quench his thirst.
10:33.
Almost noon already.
After straightening his messy hair and getting dressed, Haruto packed away the few belongings he had brought, slipped his laptop back into his bag, and stepped outside.
It was Christmas Day. The streets had already been dressed for the holiday since yesterday... Christmas trees and Santa hats dotted nearly every corner.
Looking around, almost everyone out on the streets seemed to be young.
So it's just students on break. For adults, for the working class... the so-called "pillars of the household" there's no holiday at all. They provide the stable income for their families, but they aren't the ones out here enjoying it… kind of sad when you think about it.
The thought silenced him for a moment. Inevitably, his mind wandered to the future... if he had a family of his own, shouldering all the responsibilities, would he end up the same way?
After standing in place for a while, Haruto turned and toward his apartment.
By the time he reached his door, carrying his bag had left him a little worn. Fishing his keys from his pocket, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. A faintly stale air greeted him.
Even though he had cleaned up before heading to Itomori and sprayed the place with freshener, it still wasn't enough.
"…Figures. Better open the windows."
He pulled the curtains aside, letting the cold winter air rush in. Sunlight and icy wind brushed against his face... the unmistakable feeling of winter.
Staring at the wide, blue sky, his thoughts drifted again.
"Blue sky… white clouds… grasslands… cattle and sheep."
The words slipped out under his breath. His gaze softened, tiredness creeping back into his eyes. He shut the curtains again, lay down on his bed, and faced the wall.
His body wasn't particularly weary, but his spirit was heavy with fatigue... a quiet weariness.
After a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts.
"…"
He tapped on Mai's name, staring for a moment before pressing call.
In her office, Mai was buried in reports and considering her afternoon tasks when the vibration of her muted phone broke her concentration. She picked it up, expecting another business call or spam.
Instead, she saw Haruto's name.
"…Haruto."
She hesitated, not knowing why he was calling so suddenly. But then...
"It's me."
"An unexpected call… what's the matter? You're back in Tokyo?"
"Yeah, just got home to my place. Is Setsuna at home?"
"She is."
"When do you get off work today?"
"Same as usual... around four. I'll be home by five."
"…I kind of miss you."
The words stole Mai's breath away. Her heart thudded hard against her chest. She bit her lip, fingers tightening around the pen in her hand.
"...Focus on your work for now. I'll see you tonight."
"…Mm."
When the call ended, Mai stared at the screen for a long while. The conversation had been short, even vague but it left her strangely unsettled. Only after a deep breath did she shake her head and return to her tasks.
Back in his room, Haruto sat up again, restless. Soon, he left his apartment and spent the next hour heading to Rio Futaba's place. He rang the doorbell, waited… but no answer.
He sent a message.『Where are you?』
Her reply came quickly.『On a trip with my family. I'll be back for New Year's. Why?』
Haruto snapped a photo of her apartment door and sent it to her, then turned to leave.
Rio glanced at the picture from her hot spring inn, her phone aimed at the snowy landscape outside. She lowered it, eyes dropping to the bathrobe she wore, and fell silent for a moment.
On the way back to his place, Haruto received another message. He glanced down at the screen... just a fleeting look and pale, bare skin filled his vision. For a second, he froze, confirming the sender: Rio.
He slipped his phone away without replying, continuing home.
But after a long pause, another message arrived.『You don't like it?』
Seeing only the "read" mark, Rio frowned slightly, then typed again.『On your way home, huh… I'm glad you like it. But I'd rather you see me in person.』
Haruto finally sent a short reply. After pocketing his phone again, he made it back to his apartment.
Only then did he realize his fridge was nearly empty.
"…Should've thought of that earlier."
With a sigh, he stepped back out and headed toward the shopping street.
"Ah... Haruto?"
"…Hm?"
Hearing someone call his name, Haruto turned and found Ryuuji Takasu waving at him. Beside him stood a cute-looking girl, unfamiliar yet clearly close.
It had been quite some time since Haruto last saw him, and the sight brought a natural smile to his face.
"Long time no see. Out shopping with a friend?"
"Yeah. This is Kushieda, my classmate."
"Are you a friend of Takasu-kun? Nice to meet you~"
The girl's bright, energetic smile contrasted sharply with the bashful look on Ryuuji's face. Seeing the situation clearly, Haruto smiled faintly at him.
"We're classmates."
Ryuuji, clearly aware of Haruto's glance, pointed at the girl beside him, then back at himself... trying to explain. But his soft, awkward tone sounded more like he was hiding something.
It wasn't hard to see. He definitely had feelings for her.
"Since it's Christmas, are you two on a date?"
If this lively girl was willing to spend the holiday with Ryuuji, that already said enough. She must have liked him, at least a little. For most people, just standing close to Ryuuji was difficult, let alone looking him in the eye.
"Date?"
Ryuuji opened his mouth to explain, but before he could, the girl Kushieda looked startled. She quickly glanced at him, then waved her hands in denial.
"No, no! We're not dating. We just happened to bump into each other on the street, so we decided to shop together for a bit."
"Y-Yeah, that's… that's right, ahaha…"
Haruto felt a pang of sympathy. Ryuuji's laugh was forced, his smile strained, even as he confirmed her words.
"Well then, I won't get in your way. I'll head to the shopping district."
Not waiting for Ryuuji's reply, Haruto left in a hurry. He had no intention of being the third wheel. From Ryuuji's reaction, it was obvious how much he liked the girl. That kind of pure, straightforward feeling... it stirred a quiet envy in Haruto's heart.
At the shopping street, he exchanged greetings with the shopkeepers he knew, then quickly bought the fresh ingredients he needed.
Just as he was about to leave, he spotted another familiar figure. Arms weighed down with groceries, he hesitated, then stepped forward and tapped the girl lightly on the shoulder.
She stiffened at the touch, almost like she'd been shocked, and turned sharply.
"Good afternoon?"
When she saw who it was, Shouko's startled expression softened into surprise. She hadn't expected to find Haruto standing behind her after such a long time apart.
One hand still clutching a shopping bag, Shouko raised her other hand halfway, almost forming the first sign of a greeting but stopped. She remembered Haruto didn't know sign language. After a brief pause, she simply nodded.
"It's been a while. I wasn't in Tokyo for a while... I went back to my hometown. I just got back recently. Um… is your little sister not with you today?"
Shouko shook her head gently. Yuzuru wasn't with her.
"I see."
Haruto had expected Yuzuru to be nearby, and her absence surprised him. Still, he stayed and chatted a little. Mostly it was him asking questions, while Shouko responded with nods or shakes of her head. Somehow, the simplicity of it... her quiet presence made her seem… cute.
After a while, he excused himself.
His hands were aching from carrying so many groceries, and he couldn't keep standing there much longer.
"Well then, see you next time."
"…Mm."
Her voice was small, but audible enough.
After parting ways, Haruto returned to his apartment. He stored the food away, then sat down at his desk, wondering how he should spend the afternoon.
He idled there for a while, then stood and headed into the bathroom.
Traces of Yuka and Sayu scent still lingered faintly on him. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he decided to wash up before heading out again.
Once finished, he left his apartment and made his way to the Kiyoura residence.
At the door, he pressed the bell.
One minute passed.
Three minutes.
No answer.
Expecting Setsuna to open the door, Haruto frowned, surprised. After a brief hesitation, he pressed the bell again.
Five minutes later, still nothing.
Setsuna was probably not at home.
"…"
So Haruto turned back toward his own apartment. He casually picked up a book and began to read in silence.
_ _ _
"Are you planning to stay here tonight? It is Christmas Eve, after all."
Sekai sat in the living room, glancing at the girl beside her.... Setsuna, who was curled up with her knees hugged to her chest. Since the start of the holiday, the two had almost been inseparable, spending their days together and even sharing a bed at night.
Sometimes Sekai would stay over at Setsuna's, other times Setsuna would come to her place. It had been that way since long ago... only after Setsuna started dating Haruto did these overnight stays gradually become less frequent.
"Mm. I haven't gotten any messages from Haruto. He probably didn't come back to Tokyo. Even if I went home, there's nothing to do."
"Doesn't that bother you? Honestly, your relationship feels… off. It's been like that for a few months now."
"It's like Haruto's lost interest in me."
"…Hah."
Sekai's heart gave a sudden jolt. She forced her face to stay calm, but inside, her mind was buzzing. That was a very interesting bit of information.
"He still reaches out now and then. And we live so close... it wouldn't be hard to meet up. But he just… never comes to see me."
"And you? You don't go see him yourself?"
"…"
Setsuna fell quiet. Her eyes flicked toward Sekai, then away again.
"I tried a few times. But every time, he wasn't home. Or… there were other people there."
"Other people?"
"Like that girl, Ogiwara."
"…Her."
Sekai pressed her lips together slightly. She knew Sayu Ogiwara or at least knew why she had come to Tokyo.
"She's probably not Haruto's type, right?"
"Maybe. I don't think he has any special feelings for her. But… she definitely has feelings for him."
"She might not be the only one who has special feelings about Haruto."
Sekai knew she shouldn't have said it, not in her position. But hearing Setsuna's answer, the words slipped out before she could stop herself.
Setsuna tightened her arms around her knees, resting her chin against them. She turned her face toward Sekai, her profile shadowed with resignation.
"I know."
Of course she knew. She'd known for a long time. But knowing didn't change anything. She didn't know what else she could do.
~~~~~~~~~~
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