Sitting on the swing was a petite girl.
Her deep blue hair shimmered faintly with a silvery glow in the moonlight. A long black ribbon split it into twin ponytails draping over her shoulders, and the knitted blouse tied with a jet-black bow accentuated her slender, willow-like waist.
Even sitting on a rusted chain swing, her natural elegance and grace couldn't be hidden.
Haru blinked in mild surprise.
He had just been considering whether to start simulating Sakiko's case, and yet, the moment he turned the corner, he ran right into her.
After a brief pause, Haru didn't approach or speak. Instead, his gaze drifted thoughtfully toward a nearby vending machine.
Togawa Sakiko sat quietly on the swing, her eyes calm. Her slender right hand lightly held the rusted chain as she looked down at the hem of her light gray plaid skirt.
So much had happened recently that her thoughts had become tangled and restless. Whenever she couldn't calm down, she would come to this park alone.
Just like now, sitting on the swing and letting the cold wind slowly bring her peace.
A chilly breeze laced with frost brushed against her neck, and a wave of cold ran down her spine, making her instinctively shrink her shoulders. Her expression grew complicated as she muttered softly to herself, sensing the sudden drop in temperature.
"Is it almost winter already?"
Summer break felt like it was just yesterday. Time seemed to be slipping by faster and faster.
Because she was always frugal by habit, she hadn't even bought a thick coat for the winter.
The knit cardigan she wore now had been the same one from the beginning, now faded white from repeated washes. Without a washing machine at home, she could only clean it by hand in this weather, and her once-smooth hands had nearly chapped from the cold.
"Ugh..."
Sakiko let out a quiet sigh and was just about to get up and leave the park.
At that moment, a wave of warmth suddenly touched her cheek. Startled by the unexpected "attack," she quickly turned her head and found a can of red bean soup almost pressed against her face.
Haru, holding the can in his left hand, semi-forcefully placed it into Sakiko's hands. To prevent her from refusing, he gave the other can in his hand a little shake, speaking with a hint of pride.
"I hit the jackpot at the vending machine. Got a free one."
"Haru? What… what are you doing here?"
Sakiko stared blankly at the warm can in her hand. The gentle heat seeped through the aluminum into her palms.
Haru paid no mind to her surprised gaze. He casually popped open his own can and sat down on the swing beside her. The cold white light from the park lamps softly bathed their backs.
"I come by the Yokohama shopping street a lot. I was planning to just walk straight home... but then I saw you sitting here alone, so I couldn't help checking in."
"Sakiko, what are you doing out here by yourself?"
Sakiko's expression froze for a moment. Then, holding the can with both hands, she replied in as calm a tone as she could manage.
"I just finished practice with Ave Mujica today. I came here to clear my head."
It wasn't just about clearing her mind; she needed to stay composed at all times.
As time went on, Ave Mujica was steadily getting on track. Having completed their debut live with near perfection, they were about to launch with incredible momentum.
To maintain Ave Mujica's image of strength and perfection, their training had to exceed that of a typical band.
Haru could see at a glance how much pressure the great Sakiko-sensei was under. He acted casual as he spoke.
"Practice seems to be ramping up even more lately, huh? Before the next live, you really should take some proper rest, even if just for a bit."
"...I can't. Ave Mujica is at a really crucial point right now."
Sakiko hesitated for a moment, then lifted her gaze. Her eyes were full of conflict, but in the end, she shook her head.
As her words faded into the cold night air, a shiver ran through her thinly dressed body. But with Haru beside her, her pride wouldn't let her show weakness. She stubbornly raised her chin, her delicate neck stretching out like a swan's, as if unafraid of the cold.
Seeing this, Haru could only sigh and shake his head. He quickly took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
"Haru? Wha… what are you doing all of a sudden?"
Feeling the chill ease off immediately, the blue-haired girl's cheeks flushed crimson. She looked flustered and unsure of how to react.
"You're my boss, Sakiko. I'm just a loyal employee sucking up."
"Besides, I don't take part in Ave Mujica's practice. I mostly write music and handle some operations stuff. I can't just take that much pay for nothing."
To stop her from taking the coat off, Haru gently pressed it down over her shoulders. Flustered as she was, Sakiko only put up a token resistance, and in the end, she accepted it though reluctantly, but not entirely unwilling.
"...Really now. Just handling a little songwriting and some operations? You're the one in charge of our training schedules and most of the management work. All I do is organize your plans and put them into practice."
"And you're suddenly the manager at Rabbit House too. That makes me your employee now, doesn't it? Shouldn't I be the one sucking up to you?"
Grumbling, Sakiko wrapped herself in Haru's coat like a blanket, her tiny frame completely enveloped. She even tucked half her face into the warmth, leaving only her sleek twin tails and light blue braided side locks peeking out. She looked like a blue rice dumpling, delicate and adorable.
"We're not the same. I signed an actual contract."
Haru rolled his eyes, grumbling with a tone of utter certainty.
"Anyway, Haru's done a lot for me… no, for Ave Mujica too!"
She sounded like a sulking little girl, puffing up as she spoke with a touch of petulance.
Sakiko carried a weight and responsibility that few could imagine. To her, what Haru had done wasn't just helping out with work.
Back when she was at her weakest and most helpless, he had meddled in her life uninvited and offered help. It might have seemed trivial to anyone else, but to Sakiko, who had been emotionally raw and fragile, it became a lifeline.
If Haru hadn't gradually helped her open up and share the pressure, she who constantly lived with her nerves stretched to the breaking point might have truly collapsed one day.
Seeing her tacit acceptance, Haru gave a knowing smile. Then, shifting topics smoothly, he asked, "By the way, Sakiko, remember the training issue I mentioned with Nyamu? How's that going?"
"…I followed your suggestion and lightened her training a bit."
There was a strange hint of sourness in Sakiko's voice that Haru couldn't ignore. His mouth twitched faintly.
When Yuutenji Nyamu had complained to him, she had said plenty, and he had given it real thought before stepping in to mediate with Sakiko. High-intensity training wasn't easy for a drummer who relied on physical endurance.
Still, Haru hadn't expected Sakiko to react so… jealous.
Realizing this, he cleared his throat and quickly added, "It's not just about Yuutenji, really. You all need to be at your best for performances, so if you're feeling stressed or overloaded, you can always talk to me too."
"If there's anything I can do, I'll take care of it."
"…"
Sakiko's eyes flickered with something unreadable. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed the words.
"Haru, don't go spoiling her too much."
"She's not the sweet and simple type. If you let her get a taste of ease, she'll keep pushing her luck."
A chill flashed in Sakiko's gaze, the kind that usually only appeared on her face when she was in her [Oblivionis] mode. Clearly, she was speaking from the perspective of the band, not out of personal spite. Haru understood this wasn't a joke, and he nodded thoughtfully, replying with a serious tone.
"Got it. I'll keep a closer eye on her."
"…A-And just so you know, I'm not singling out Yuutenji or anything! I've never tried to target someone personally!"
Sakiko seemed overly concerned with how Haru saw her. She was, after all, just a normal girl, and in front of someone she liked, of course she wanted to look her best. The last thing she wanted was to come off as petty or narrow-minded.
Maybe to prove she wasn't being unreasonable, she hesitated a moment, then added in a quiet voice:
"Right after our last practice, Yuutenji suddenly asked me when we'd finally start showing our faces."
"You know it's not time yet. If Ave Mujica is going to reveal themselves, it has to be at the perfect time and setting. We need to keep up the mystery for maximum impact."
"If I hadn't turned her down seriously, she definitely would've pressed the issue."
With a weary expression, Sakiko rubbed her temples. Even Haru, just listening to her vent, could feel the weight on her shoulders. These were the kinds of things she would never say aloud unless he was around.
Sakiko always bore everything alone, with those fragile shoulders of hers.
Having said all that, she seemed a little lighter. Her eyes drifted toward Haru, who was sitting beside her in nothing more than a light shirt.
The handsome, black-haired boy sat close to her, and under the moonlight, his dark eyes shimmered faintly with silver.
No matter how many times she looked, she couldn't help but think how good-looking he was and more importantly, she couldn't stop herself from feeling something for him, just like any ordinary girl.
She should be focused entirely on the band, but she couldn't stop her thoughts from drifting to him.
"…Haru, are you really okay letting me borrow your jacket?"
"I-If it's too much, we could always…"
Sakiko's voice trembled slightly, her gaze wandering, and she looked at him with a trace of hope.
But come on, how could a guy admit defeat in front of a girl?
Faced with a direct challenge to his "manly pride," Haru frowned, folded his arms confidently, and replied, "This is nothing to me. Honestly, if I wasn't worried about making you shy, I'd go without even this shirt."
"Idiot! Like I'd ever let you! What are you, some kind of child?!"
She gave him a light shake, her soft blue hair shimmering faintly under the moonlight.
Her beautiful face bloomed like a flower as she giggled behind the thick coat, her laughter clear as a bell. In that moment, she shed all her tension and thorns, returning to the carefree, idealistic girl she used to be.
"Sakiko, doubting your manager like that? Don't you think I'm probably even warmer than you right now?"
"So now you're calling yourself the 'manager'? I'm still technically your boss, you know."
Her voice was light as she bickered with him, and even the frosty wind seemed to soften around them.
Seeing her spirit return, Haru couldn't help but smile and joked in return, "I haven't been by Rabbit House in a while. No idea if my 'assistant manager' has been holding down the fort. Maybe I should drop by sometime and do a little inspection."
"Go ahead! Let's see if you can actually find anything to nitpick!"
"But after this, Ave Mujica's going to start preparing for the Budokan performance. You'd better be ready for your workload to increase, Haru."
Sakiko pursed her lips without the slightest fear, as if she were eagerly awaiting his arrival.
Only when Haru's face stiffened and he visibly shrank back did the satisfied girl nod with a look of smug contentment.
"…Hmph. What an idiot."
With a beaming smile, Sakiko lifted her amber eyes and hugged his coat tightly to her chest.
The gentle scent that was uniquely his lingered at the tip of her nose. That unforgettable warmth made her involuntarily narrow her eyes in comfort, letting herself sink into this brief moment of peace.
Only now could she completely forget her responsibilities, forget the sorrow buried deep in her heart.
She really, really liked him.
…
Weekend. Exactly 10 a.m
Toshima Ward, Tokyo — Sunshine Aquarium
A black-haired boy in a long-sleeved white hoodie stood expressionless, staring at his phone. He leaned against a pillar beside the aquarium ticket booth, holding two student tickets marked Sunshine Aquarium in one hand. Clearly, he was waiting for someone.
"She should be here any minute now, right?"
Haru muttered to himself, glancing again at the LINE chat on his phone.
Today was the day he had arranged to visit the aquarium with Chihaya Anon. Originally, the two of them had planned to meet much earlier, but due to a certain unexpected "incident," their date had been postponed until now.
And that "incident," of course, was a certain foolish pink-haired girl bailing on him and fleeing by plane.
Still, there were upsides to having the date now. For one thing, their relationship had changed. Ever since that "event," everything between Haru and Anon had undergone a drastic shift.
"Haru-haru!"
A lively, slightly silly voice called out to him, growing louder in his ears. When Haru looked up toward the source, he immediately spotted a very conspicuous pink figure running toward him.
Like an energetic pink Labrador, the dazzling girl sprinted straight into his chest.
Haru's mouth twitched as he was nearly knocked back against the wall. With a faint sigh, he reached out and gently pinched her soft cheeks. "Anon, did you have to crash into me like that?"
"It's because I was really looking forward to today!"
Anon didn't seem to mind having her cheeks pinched at all. She puffed out her flat chest with pride and lifted her pink head high, as if everything she'd done was completely justified.
"Besides, I saw a bunch of shameless women around here ogling you! There was even this OL-looking lady in a business suit! They're clearly up to no good!"
"As your girlfriend, I have to assert my territory!"
With that, she immediately started scanning the area, raising her head to glare fiercely at the women who had been sneaking glances at Haru. Her steely gray eyes were practically predatory, like she was guarding her meal. Haru could only let out a helpless chuckle as he reached out to ruffle her cherry-blossom-colored hair.
Truth be told, she wasn't wrong.
Haru, with his striking looks, stood out no matter where he went. Since arriving, he'd already been approached by one schoolgirl after another asking for his contact info. Even though he'd rejected them repeatedly, it hadn't dulled their enthusiasm one bit.
"This is our first official date since we started going out. No way am I letting anyone else interfere!"
Especially not Nagasaki Soyo!
With that thought, Anon quickly began scanning the crowd, her eyes darting from face to face in search of a certain brown-haired girl. Before she could make her move, she had to eliminate every potential threat otherwise, there was no way she could go all out today.
She had agreed to share with Tomori and the others, yes… but she still prided herself on being the official, number one girlfriend!
She was the main girl. The real deal.
Today, she had to seize the moment and fully claim her little boyfriend.