"Mom! Nanashi's always been the top student in our year! He's also the student council president!" Yui announced proudly, eager to show off Nanashi.
"Oh my, that's incredible!"
Mrs. Yuigahama already had a good impression of Nanashi, but this new information genuinely surprised her.
She glanced at Yui with a soft, amused sigh.
Handsome, kind, considerate, top of his class…
Just how many blessings has my Yui earned in a past life to meet someone like Nanashi-kun?
But Nanashi shook his head humbly. "No, Yui is the amazing one. She's kind, cheerful, and truly wonderful. I'm lucky that she likes me."
"Nanashi…" Yui's eyes shimmered with emotion, on the verge of tears.
Mrs. Yuigahama smiled fondly at the two of them—touched and amused all at once.
They chatted for a while longer.
It wasn't just small talk either—Mrs. Yuigahama had a surprisingly broad range of topics.
She asked about everything from comets, to the unusually heavy rainfall across Tokyo, to strange supernatural events.
She even mentioned the recent cases of missing girls in the city.
It was clear she had a wide scope of curiosity and awareness.
Nanashi glanced at the clock—it was already three in the afternoon.
"It's getting late. I've imposed long enough—it's time I head out."
"So soon?" Mrs. Yuigahama said, and Yui clung to his hand with reluctance.
Nanashi chuckled, ruffling her hair gently. "I'll see you at school tomorrow."
"Okay…" Yui replied softly, her voice tinged with disappointment.
Just as he stepped outside—
"Clatter!"
Without warning, the sky opened up with a sudden downpour.
It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of water straight from the clouds.
The rain came down hard and fast, fat droplets hammering the pavement and rooftops with an echoing roar.
Within seconds, the street under the lamplight was soaked through.
Even under the downpour, the streetlights barely illuminated the road ahead.
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the street as a store's metal sign, battered by the storm, crashed to the ground.
"Wah!"
The unexpected noise startled both Yui and Mrs. Yuigahama.
Confused, Mrs. Yuigahama frowned. "There wasn't any rain in the forecast… Why is it suddenly pouring like this?"
Then a thought occurred to her. "Oh, right. They said there have been random heavy downpours across Tokyo lately. Maybe it's happening here too."
Yui, however, didn't care about the weather. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to Nanashi and tugged his hand. "Nanashi, the rain's coming down way too hard. I don't think even an umbrella could handle this. Why don't you stay here until it lets up?"
"Yes, the rain is terrible. And we have empty rooms, so it's no problem if Nanashi-kun stays the night," Mrs. Yuigahama added, glancing out the window in disbelief at the sheets of rain. It was her first time witnessing such a torrential downpour.
Nanashi looked up at the sky, frowning slightly—something felt off.
Before he could say anything, Yui had already pulled him back inside.
She led him straight to her room.
For a moment, Yui felt awkward—this was the first time she had invited a boy into her personal space. But she quickly adjusted, and soon she was happily showing Nanashi her plush toys and small collection of trinkets.
Then, all of a sudden, something clicked in her mind. "Ah! My cookies! Amin, wait here!"
She rushed out of the room in a panic.
"…"
Her frantic exit left Nanashi chuckling as he shook his head.
Left alone, he casually looked around the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a faint hint of blue peeking out from a slightly ajar drawer Yui had just opened.
"Hm?"
Curious, he pulled it open and retrieved the item.
Then he froze.
In his hand was a small square packet with a round ring visible through the wrapper… a condom?
Why would something like this be in Yui's room?
Before he could make sense of it, Yui was already in the living room, rifling through the table drawers.
"Huh? Where'd they go?"
She was certain she had left the cookies she made for Nanashi right there earlier. Where could they have gone?
Her noise drew the attention of Mrs. Yuigahama, who stepped out of her room.
"Yui, what are you looking for?"
Seeing her mother, Yui practically lit up. "Mom! Did you see the cookies I left here?"
"Cookies?"
Mrs. Yuigahama paused, then frowned slightly as she remembered. "Oh, you mean that bag of really awful-tasting cookies? They were spoiled, so I threw them away."
Yui stood frozen. "They were… really that bad?"
With a wry smile, Mrs. Yuigahama replied, "Yeah… they were pretty terrible. Like ancient burnt biscuits—way too tough to eat. Why? Was there something special about them?"
"…"
Delicious and sweet!
These were made by my little Yui!
Nanashi had praised those very cookies.
He even stopped Marin from eating them back at the Paranormal Research Club.
Those memories flashed vividly in her mind.
After a brief silence, Yui murmured, "It's nothing… really. It's fine, just forget it. You can go rest, Mom. I'm okay."
Mrs. Yuigahama tilted her head slightly, sensing something was off, but nodded and returned to her room. She wasn't too worried—after all, she was still home. She didn't think Yui would do anything too bold.
…
"Nanashi…"
Nanashi tossed the blue square onto the table just as Yui came back in and closed the door. She lowered her head, her steps hesitant.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"…"
Without warning, Yui threw herself into his arms. Tears welled up in her eyes as she sobbed, "Why did you lie to me?"
Nanashi blinked, caught off guard. "Lie to you? About what?"
"The cookies… they were so bad… but you said they were delicious…" she mumbled, clutching his shirt tightly.
Ah—so that's what this was about.
Nanashi held her gently, his voice as soft and warm as a breeze on a spring afternoon.
"Because what I tasted wasn't just a cookie—it was Yui's love."
"You made them for me, and I know you put your heart into it. That's what made them sweet to me."
"Nanashi…"
His words were like a warm lamp in a dark room, wrapping her in a cocoon of comfort she never wanted to leave.
"Thank you…"
Yui's smile returned, radiant and filled with happiness. She sat beside Nanashi on the bed.
Then her eyes landed on the condom sitting on the table.
"…Huh?"
She picked it up, looked closely—and immediately recognized what it was.
Her face turned crimson. Eyes wide, she gasped, "Eh?! Nanashi! Is… is this yours?!"
Nanashi shrugged. "Not mine. I found it here—was already in your drawer."
As if to prove his point, he opened the drawer.
Yui leaned over, and her face turned even redder. There were several more inside!
"But… but I've never bought anything like that! I swear, I didn't know they were in there—I've never used them either!"
Panic set in. She looked like she was on the verge of tears again, terrified that Nanashi might misunderstand.
Nanashi let out a helpless laugh and gently patted her head. "Relax. I believe you. Think carefully—has anyone else been in your room?"
Yui blinked.
Then her eyes widened.
In a hushed, disbelieving voice, she said, "It was… Mom!"
Yui remembered.
After she had confessed her feelings during a fever, her mother had gone to the supermarket alone. On her way back, she'd entered Yui's room.
"But… why? Why would she...?"
Yui couldn't quite understand why her mother would put something like that in her drawer.
Nanashi had already figured it out.
He guessed that Mrs. Yuigahama had sensed something was going on with Yui—perhaps she suspected she had a boyfriend. Concerned that her daughter might make a mistake in the heat of the moment, she'd taken precautions.
What a thoughtful—if overly cautious—mother.
Yui held the small packet in her hands, her face burning with embarrassment. She nearly buried her head into the bed from sheer shame.
"Give it to me," Nanashi said with a sigh, reaching for the item. "I'll put it back."
But Yui suddenly tightened her grip, her cheeks glowing like ripe apples. She looked up at him, her lips parting slightly, whispering something almost inaudible.
Anyone else wouldn't have caught it—but Nanashi wasn't just anyone.
"Nan… let's use it…"
"!!"
Nanashi stared at her in disbelief. "Are you… sure?"
Yui gave the softest of nods, her voice barely above a breath. "Mm…"
She leaned back a little, shy but determined.
"Alright."
Nanashi couldn't bring himself to disappoint a girl who had gathered such courage.
Yui gazed at him with bashful affection. Ever since realizing her cookies were a disaster, she hadn't been able to suppress her emotions any longer. She was completely captivated by Nanashi's kindness and warmth—and she wanted to give everything to him.
Nanashi leaned in, closing the distance between them.