7:30 AM.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Kasumigaoka Utaha gripped a pair of pure black pantyhose between her thumb and forefinger. With a gentle pull, feeling the milk-smooth texture against her skin, she straightened her long, slender, and fair legs, smoothly rolling the stockings up.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she stood and reached for the short skirt draped casually over her chair.
Bending down, lifting a leg, pulling the skirt up.
Her fair feet, now encased in black silk, lightly pressed against the carpeted floor.
Stepping in front of the mirror, Utaha gazed at her reflection—both unfamiliar and deeply familiar. For some reason, a strange, irrational thought suddenly popped into her mind.
'Someone like me, probably... No, no. Why am I thinking about him at a time like this?'
Cheeks flushing slightly, Utaha gritted her teeth and shot a glare at her inexplicably shy reflection.
Taking a deep breath, she instinctively lifted her chin, her fingers sliding down through her hair to smooth it out.
After straightening her waist-length hair, her gaze returned to her now-composed reflection.
"Yes, as expected. Still the flawless me."
Uttering this with a slight upturn of her lips, Utaha turned, her right hand gripping the doorknob with a gentle squeeze.
After a final check of her appearance,
with her back to the locked door, holding her schoolbag in front of her, Kasumigaoka Utaha tilted her pretty face up slightly, gazing at the clear blue sky above.
Hello.
Toyogasaki.
.....
"Haa..." Carrying a backpack and looking thoroughly lethargic, Aragaki Miyahito locked his front door while letting out a massive yawn.
"So listless so early in the morning."
At that moment, a voice from beside him snapped him to attention.
Looking back, he weakly raised a hand in a wave, his voice thick with drowsiness as he greeted Shirogane Miyuki, who was pushing his bicycle.
"Ah, good morning, Miyuki-senpai."
"What were you up to last night? You look like you haven't slept at all."
"Yeah, stayed up all night thinking about a new song."
Responding vaguely to Miyuki's tease, Miyahito suddenly noticed he was alone and casually asked,
"Why are you by yourself, Miyuki-senpai? Where's Kei?"
"Isn't she going to school with you?"
After spending this much time together, and with Kei being a loyal fan, Miyahito had long dropped the formal "Shirogane-san" address. Just like Miyuki, he now called them by their first names. Naturally, Kei had also shifted from "Aragaki-senpai" to simply "Miyahito."
"About that... Kei left really early this morning."
Walking alongside Miyahito while pushing his bike, Miyuki's tone suddenly took on a hint of disappointment.
"She said she needed to get to school early to help prepare for the junior high opening ceremony."
"I see... Haa..." Letting out another yawn, Miyahito rubbed his sore eyes and mumbled sleepily, "That must be tough for Kei."
"Tell me about it. Hey, watch where you're going, Miyahito."
"Ah, thanks, Miyuki-senpai."
Having nearly walked into a utility pole, Miyahito turned his bleary eyes toward Miyuki, who had instinctively reached out to steady him, and murmured his thanks.
"You okay?"
Seeing how exhausted Miyahito looked—like he could fall asleep on the street if given a pillow—Miyuki asked with genuine concern.
"Want me to walk you to Toyogasaki?"
"Mm, no, no."
Rubbing his eyes hard to force himself awake, Miyahito shook his head vigorously.
"I'll be fine on my own."
"No, I think I'd feel better if I saw you there."
"Really, it's fine, Miyuki-senpai."
Raising his arms and flexing in a mock bodybuilder pose, Miyahito grinned goofily.
"Absolutely no problem!"
"But..."
Miyuki still didn't look entirely convinced.
Sure, from their first meeting, Aragaki Miyahito had left an impression of being reliable. But over their recent interactions, Miyuki had also noticed that when it came to trivial matters, this junior was ridiculously laid-back.
"Alright, Miyuki-senpai, if you keep worrying like this..."
Smiling, Miyahito patted Miyuki's arm and teased,
"If Kei sees you, she'll just call you a nag again."
That hit a nerve. Miyuki froze for a moment, remembering his sister's exasperated complaints about his nagging just last night.
He smiled bitterly. "Sigh... Kei's really growing up."
Watching Miyuki's fatherly demeanor, Miyahito thought of his recent conversations with Ayase, whose tone had gradually become more mature and steady.
He sighed in quiet empathy.
"Yeah, I feel the same about Ayase."
The two brothers exchanged a glance and simultaneously let out a heavy sigh.
Walking and chatting with Miyuki for a while, as their separating intersection came into view, Miyahito took the initiative.
"I'll head off here, Miyuki-senpai."
"Alright. Take care on the way."
"You too."
Glancing back at Miyuki riding his bicycle toward Shuchiin Academy in the opposite direction, Miyahito turned and continued his steps toward Toyogasaki.
"Haa... So sleepy."
Bathed in the morning sun, breathing in the fresh, slightly crisp spring air, Miyahito felt the fog of sleep beginning to clear. He raised his arms.
"Mmm."
As he stretched lazily, a nameless wildflower among the bushes caught his eye.
Drawn to it, he watched the yellow petals sway in the gentle breeze, then bent down.
With a faint smile, he whispered softly to the flower:
"Hello, spring."
Hello.
Toyogasaki.
....
After walking for a bit, feeling a bit hungry, Miyahito checked his watch.
'Still got over half an hour. Maybe I'll grab something at the convenience store?'
Eyeing the 7-Eleven not far ahead, he rubbed his stomach and decided to get a bite.
Honestly, unless he was starving, he wasn't a big fan of convenience store ready-meals.
Leaving taste aside, having grown up the way he did, he'd never quite gotten used to eating cold food—aside from ice cream and desserts.
Even with the microwave option, food that's been chilled and reheated just couldn't match the texture of something freshly made.
But what could he do? He'd stayed up all night brainstorming for Kosaka Akane's theme song commission. If he hadn't glanced at the clock this morning, he wouldn't have even remembered Toyogasaki's opening ceremony time.
Ding-dong.
Hearing the entrance chime, Miyahito stepped into the store.
Just as he was about to head straight for the chilled ready-meals, he turned the corner—and a magazine on the display rack instantly caught his eye.
Or rather, it was a single sentence on the magazine that held his gaze.
「Love's Metronome Vol. 3 Production Confirmed, Releasing in May.」
60 Power Stone = Bonus Chapter
1 Review = Bonus Chapter