Does liking someone require a reason? If so, why?
Does liking someone not require a reason? Then why not?
She doesn't understand. Her thoughts are a tangled mess. Utaha can't figure it out, or rather, she's lost track of what her own heart truly wants.
Like Aragaki-kun? Why?
In reality, they barely know each other.
But if it's not love, then why?
Why, ever since accidentally overhearing his words that day, has she cared so deeply about his opinion of her story?
Why, whenever she picks up her pen to continue writing the world of Love's Metronome, does his face involuntarily flood her mind?
Why, even though they're just in adjacent classrooms, does her gaze always drift toward him whenever she passes that hallway, inevitably landing on him laughing and joking with his classmates?
The more she thinks, the more tangled and lost she becomes.
'Yeah, why is that?'
Slowly lifting her head, Utaha looks at the boy beside her, quietly listening to music and writing something down. Her eyes hold a complex, unreadable emotion.
Then, she notices it.
A stray ray of sunlight somehow bypasses the parasol, landing joyfully on his scholarly-looking profile.
Her gaze is instantly captivated by that quiet side profile.
Unintentionally.
She finds that the troubled thoughts in her mind gradually settle, replaced by a sense of peace tinged with the warmth of sunlight.
Perhaps it's simply because being near this boy makes her feel at ease.
If that's the case.
Then why agonize over whether it's love or not?
With her heart settled, the corners of Utaha's mouth lift involuntarily.
Right, why struggle over it?
If being by his side brings me peace, then I'll just stay by his side and not leave.
If I'm unwilling to stop at just being by his side, then I'll make myself his one and only.
"The way I wavered before... it's so unlike me."
Lowering her gaze slightly, she whispers to herself.
"I'm a romance novelist. Why am I being so timid?"
As the whisper fades, Utaha straightens her posture again, her face radiating with bright, flying confidence.
If I can't figure it out, I won't.
Besides, for a girl with my conditions...
I definitely won't let a high-quality stock like this slip away so easily. And judging by how concerned and flustered he looked just now...
It seems Aragaki Miyahito doesn't see "Kasumigaoka Utaha" as just another ordinary classmate, like she previously guessed.
So there's no need to overthink it.
The only thing Kasumigaoka Utaha can do, and must do, is—
"Aragaki-kun."
The mountain is right there. If the mountain won't come to me, then I'll go to the mountain.
"You..."
.....
4:00 PM. Toyogasaki Academy lets out.
"Hmm hmm hmm~"
Looking at Miyahito walking ahead, humming as he goes, Tooru turns to Yuki beside him and whispers,
"What's your take?"
"Mmm mmm mmm, highly suspicious."
Playing along with Tooru's question, Yuki puts on a solemn "this is serious" face.
Covering her mouth with her wide sleeve, she deliberately lowers her voice.
"Looks like something happened that we don't know about... desu."
"I think so too."
Nodding in agreement, Tooru raises his right hand, stroking his chin with a grave expression.
"Could it be that Miyahito actually got together with that girl?"
"Very possible, Tooru."
Yuki turns her head, eyes narrowing slightly.
"So, what do you say? Wanna grab him and interrogate him?"
"That's a bit difficult."
Tooru makes a troubled face.
"Miyahito mentioned before that he holds a Kirigami certification in Tennen Rishin-ryu."
"With just the two of us, even if we doubled our efforts, we probably couldn't beat him."
Saying this, Tooru glances at Yuki, catching her "are you kidding me?" expression.
He shrugs, palms up.
"Sigh, violent interrogation is off the table." Yuki sighs in disappointment, then thinks for a moment. "In that case, we'll just have to set a verbal trap."
The moment she finishes, Yuki and Tooru exchange a glance, nodding in perfect sync.
Then.
"Miyahito."
Hearing Tooru call him, Miyahito, who was happily planning "Should I hit the supermarket later? Buy some beef and go to Miyuki-senpai's for sukiyaki?", naturally turns around and asks cheerfully,
"What's up?"
"Yuki wants to find a place to do homework. Wanna join?"
In his current excellent mood, hearing about homework makes Miyahito instinctively want to refuse.
But a second later, he thinks it over.
It's past four now. If he pushes through and finishes by 5:30, he can still catch the supermarket discount sale.
Plus, enjoying sukiyaki tonight without worrying about homework... Yeah, the benefits of finishing now outweigh the costs.
So.
"Let's go!!"
Half an hour later. A four-person booth at a café.
[Can't get a single piece of intel!]
Sit across from each other, Tooru and Yuki exchange helpless looks.
Meanwhile, Miyahito, sitting next to Tooru and across from Yuki, is completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge.
I tried my best, Tooru swears he really did.
Though he expected it, he still underestimated how tight-lipped Miyahito is.
He never expected that even after teaming up with Yuki to fish for information, Miyahito wouldn't leak a single detail.
But then again, is it really that confidential?
It's not like he or Yuki are evil masterminds. Even if they knew who Miyahito's rumored girlfriend was, what could they do about it?
[Forget it, forget it. Let's drop it.]
Raising an eyebrow, Tooru signals with his eyes.
[Fine.]
Though still a bit unwilling, Yuki realizes she won't get anywhere and temporarily sheathes her swords.
However, reality always loves to throw curveballs.
Just after Tooru and Yuki give up on interrogating him and mentally cement the image of "Aragaki Miyahito: extremely tight-lipped, won't say an extra word,"
8:00 PM. Shirogane Residence.
While Miyahito and the Shirogane family happily enjoy a beef sukiyaki dinner, Kei quietly glances at Miyahito, whose lips have been curved in a faint smile the whole time, and asks curiously,
"Miyahito, did something good happen to you?"
"Ah, yeah. It did."
Still basking in his joy, Miyahito's response is slightly delayed. Then, snapping back, he quickly says,
"Kei, let me tell you, I finally solved a problem that's been bothering me all this time."
"Oh?"
Miyuki, wearing a knowing smile, picks up a piece of beef from the pot with his chopsticks and places it in Miyahito's bowl.
"That's definitely worth celebrating."
"It really is, Miyuki-senpai."
"Mhm, thanks for treating us, Miyahito! The beef is super delicious!"
"Really? Then eat up, Kei."
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