章 91: A Summer Festival with the Angel
"Did you know that today is the summer festival?"
Chitose had suddenly come over to Amane's apartment one afternoon a
week before the end of summer break, only to eventually pose that
question.
"…I did, but—"
"Oh, maybe you have plans to go with Mahiru? I already invited Itsuki."
"We didn't exactly make plans, but I was going to ask her."
He knew that Mahiru didn't have anything else to do that day, so he had
been thinking of taking her to the festival as a surprise.
He'd gone ahead and asked his mother to send him some yukata so the
two of them could go out together.
"Huh?" Mahiru, who was returning from pouring them some tea, looked
at Amane with a blank expression.
"You wanted to go to a summer festival, so I looked into it," he said.
Mahiru blinked repeatedly.
"…Am I butting in where I don't belong?" asked Chitose.
"No. I'd be fine going alone with Mahiru, but if you two are already
going, maybe we should spend the time all together while we still can."
Amane and his friends were already in their second year of high school,
and after summer break, their classes would be even more focused on
college entrance exams.
Their school's program was designed so that the students finished all the
course content that was normally learned over three years in just two, then
the remaining year was spent focused on their future courses of study,
covering what each student needed to learn to prepare for their higher
education. That meant their classes would be fairly fast-paced.
In other words, they wouldn't have much free time to goof off or relax
without thinking about school. Once they advanced to their third year, they
would not only be studying at home, but attending prep school, cram
school, and lessons with private tutors. Chances to spend time with friends
would become incredibly rare.
It would be easy for Amane to find time to spend alone with Mahiru, but
it was going to get really hard to line up everyone's schedules all at once.
"…What do you think, Mahiru?"
"I'd be delighted if we could go with everyone. Though, I would like it
if you let me know ahead of time before you show up for a visit, Chitose."
"I said sorry. And I did try."
"Ten minutes before you arrived…"
After handing a glass of chilled barley tea to Chitose, Mahiru smiled
wryly as she sneakily exposed what her friend had done.
Amane recalled how baffled Mahiru had been when she told him that
Chitose was on her way. That was why he had put off asking Mahiru to the
summer festival and turned his attention to the sudden, perplexing visit.
Itsuki had surprised him by turning up at his apartment before, but he'd
never expected Chitose to do the same.
She had probably come over because she was confident they were at
home, but still, he would have liked her to tell them a little earlier.
He let out a sigh as he watched Chitose happily suck down her ice-cold
barley tea, then glanced over at Mahiru.
She didn't seem particularly opposed to going to the festival.
Amane had thought she seemed a little down, perhaps due to the recent
issues with her father, so he wanted to take her out for a diversion. Her
father might still try to get in contact with her, but maybe Amane could
make her forget about him for a little while.
"Sounds like everything's settled, then," said Chitose. "So how about it,
Mahiru? You gonna wear a yukata?"
"Huh? Oh, unfortunately I don't have any."
"Actually, um… I have one here. In your size," Amane cut in.
"Why would you have one?"
"I asked my mom to send it over."
As soon as he brought up his mother, Mahiru made a noise of
understanding. Perhaps she'd assumed his mother simply had a lot of
clothing in her size. Amane couldn't laugh, however, because her
assumption wasn't too far off the mark.
Amane didn't complain this time, since he was the one who had made
the request, but it did make him wonder why his mother had so much
clothing for young women lying around. It was true that she worked in
fashion, but she had obviously purchased the clothes specifically for
Mahiru.
"Mahiru's going to wear a yukata?" Chitose cried excitedly. "I wanna
see!"
"Oh, but aren't you wearing one, too?"
"No way. Yukata are cute, but they're hard to move in, and with the obi
and everything, it doesn't seem like I'd be able to eat as much as I want."
"You sure that's not just because you eat like a pig, Chitose?"
"Rude!"
Chitose didn't like tight clothing, plus she was the type to eat well and
move around a lot, so it seemed like yukata and other clothing that
demanded a certain gracefulness from the wearer were not really her style.
It wasn't easy for anyone to move in yukata, so it would undoubtedly be
uncomfortable for an active person like Chitose.
"Oh yeah, so what's Itsuki gonna do?"
"He's planning to meet us there."
"You decided that before you even invited us? I'm getting the feeling
you assumed we were going from the get-go…"
"Heh-heh, I figured you two wouldn't turn me down, so long as you
were free."
"You really ought to give more thought to other people's plans."
"Sorry, sorry!"
Amane glared at Chitose, who didn't seem sorry at all, but there was
nothing more to be done.
Amane had told Itsuki in a text message that they had no plans for the
next several days, and he figured that was why Itsuki and Chitose had come
up with the idea to invite them.
He still wished that Chitose had given them a heads up, but this would
be a nice change of pace, so he was grateful for the invitation.
"So then, Mahiru, what do you want to do?" he asked. "Do you want to
wear a yukata?"
"…Won't I stand out, if I'm the only one wearing one?"
"Actually, I was planning to wear one, too…"
"Huh, you have one?"
"I thought I might wear one, to make the occasion more memorable."
"Amane in a yukata…"
Mahiru suddenly started fidgeting, and a little voice inside Amane
grumbled that he didn't think it was all that interesting to see a man wearing
a yukata.
He wasn't necessarily putting himself down, but women's yukata had a
showiness to them that men's yukata usually did not. Wearing one would
put him in the right mood for a festival, but he didn't think it was anything
worth getting excited over.
But Mahiru was shooting glances at him, as if to say she wanted to see
it. If that was what his adorable girlfriend wanted, then he intended to grant
her wish. Since he'd be next to Mahiru, he figured he might as well look his
best.
"Well, if that's what you want, Mahiru, then I'll gladly wear one."
"I—I want to see."
"That was quick. I don't mind, but don't get your hopes up. Mine is just
an ordinary yukata."
Amane's outfit had a simple, conservative color combination—a plain
navy blue yukata and a reddish-brown obi belt, so it wouldn't stand out or
catch anyone's attention.
And yet Mahiru was looking at him with eyes full of expectation, so he
forced a smile and said, "All right, I'll try to wear it well," patting her head.
An hour and a half before the festival began, Amane and Mahiru started to
get ready.
Accompanied by Chitose, Mahiru took her yukata back to her own
apartment, and Amane shifted his focus to dressing himself.
It required some know-how to put on even a simple yukata, but he
wasn't concerned about Mahiru. She knew her way around a kimono, so
surely she could easily put on something like a yukata.
Amane was the problem, and even though his mother had drilled the
process into him, he had never actually put on a yukata by himself before,
so he was anxious about whether he could do it well.
After he finished getting ready, Amane checked himself over in the
mirror. Everything looked correct, and nothing appeared sloppy or out of
place.
His yukata was basic, a plain navy blue with a reddish-brown obi.
Amane didn't like intense, overly bold patterns, so he was grateful for its
simplicity.
His reflection more or less looked the part, aided by the fact that he was
on the taller side.
For better or worse, Amane had always had gentle features, so he
naturally looked calm and collected, and the outfit looked good on him.
Whether he looked all right next to Mahiru was something he would
leave up to other people's judgment.
He was anxious about the scrutiny he would get from those around him,
but in the end, what mattered was what he thought—and what Mahiru
thought.
Amane was the first to finish changing and doing his hair, so he sat on
the sofa to relax as he waited.
He knew that it took girls a long time to dress up. They had plenty of
time to spare, so it was no problem whatsoever.
He figured putting on a yukata would be even more involved, and since
girls usually wore their hair up with such outfits, styling it would no doubt
take somewhere in the realm of three times longer.
On top of all that, she would also probably put on makeup.
Girls are amazing, thought Amane with genuine awe. Of course, Mahiru
is cute without doing a thing, but when girls get dressed up, they sparkle
even more. Incredible.
Amane found Mahiru's efforts to look cute for her boyfriend touching,
and he felt unspeakably blessed.
As he was leisurely waiting on the couch, he heard the sound of his front
door unlocking and realized that she must have been finished getting ready.
He was looking forward to seeing her all dressed up, but he didn't turn
to look. Instead, he waited for her to approach.
"Amane." She called his name quietly and tapped his shoulder.
That was when he finally turned around—and smiled.
"You're so cute. It looks amazing on you."
"…Y-you can't possibly judge that so quickly."
"I can too. All I needed was one look."
Mahiru seemed a little suspicious, like she thought he had prepared his
words ahead of time, but that was his honest reaction, so there was nothing
else he could say.
Once again, he was keenly aware of how good his mother was at
choosing clothes.
She must have taken into consideration that Mahiru would be standing
by his side because Mahiru's yukata, adorned with hydrangeas on a white
background, gave off a bright impression while still maintaining a subdued,
elegant air.
The flowers were painted in dark blues and purples, giving them depth
and producing a mature, polished feeling. Hydrangeas were usually worn a
little earlier in the year, but they suited Mahiru extremely well.
Her obi was a brighter shade of purple, a lovely color that set off the
simple design of her yukata, and her obidome cord was embellished with a
glass bead, giving it a fresh feeling.
Amane gazed steadily at Mahiru's figure. She was the very embodiment
of elegance. He smiled.
"You're always cute, but today you look extra polished and grown-up. I
guess you could say you look sexy, in a graceful way. I said you were cute,
and I meant it, but more than that, you look beautiful. Yeah, it's perfect on
you."
"O-oh, okay."
His honest impression seemed to have embarrassed Mahiru, and she
played with a strand of hair at the side of her face. Seeing this brought
another smile to his face.
Mahiru had done up her hair, securing it with a kanzashi ornament.
Whenever she moved, little silver chains on the hairpin swayed along with
her motion.
The kanzashi was decorated with a combination of navy blue natural
stone and glass beads in a design similar to the one on her obi. In a way, it
gave off a similar feeling to Amane's yukata.
"Mahiru, Mahiru, he really means it!" Chitose exclaimed.
"I know that; I'm just letting it sink in."
"…Are you criticizing me, by any chance?" Amane asked.
"Praising but criticizing at the same time, maybe?" replied Chitose.
"What does that mean?"
Amane narrowed his eyes, unsure of Chitose's intention, but the girl
only laughed, and Mahiru fidgeted and drew in on herself bashfully, so he
couldn't press her for an answer, either.
Mahiru seemed pretty pleased, however, so he figured it couldn't be that
bad.
"…A-Amane," said Mahiru. "You look really good, too."
"You think so? Thanks. It makes me really happy to hear that from you."
He had thought that the ensemble was more or less flattering, but it was
a big deal to get confirmation from Mahiru. He got the feeling that his
girlfriend was a little biased in his favor, but the compliments were still
nice.
He thought everything was going okay, but for some reason, Mahiru's
expression turned a little peevish.
"…Did I do something wrong?" he asked.
"I think she's mad 'cause it's not fair she's the only one blushing."
"Ch-Chitose!"
Mahiru's flustered reaction only served to prove Chitose right.
Apparently Mahiru wanted to make Amane blush, too, but this wasn't
enough to get him flustered. He was happy, and a bit self-conscious, but not
as much as Mahiru was.
Chitose smiled happily as she clung to Mahiru, who was clearly shaken,
and cooed, "You sweet thing!"
Her ability to touch Mahiru without messing up the other girl's hair,
clothes, or makeup was genuinely impressive. Amane, however, wasn't sure
whether he should be in awe or assert that he was the only one allowed to
fawn over her like that.
But when he saw Mahiru blush, he quickly forgave Chitose. Mahiru was
so cute that he didn't mind watching the two of them play around, so he
decided to simply stand by and keep an eye on them.
"Whoa, yukata!"
They got off at the train station closest to the festival grounds, where
Itsuki was already waiting.
It seemed he hadn't expected them to wear yukata, and his eyes went
wide in admiration when he saw Amane's and Mahiru's outfits.
"Hey, Itsuki, it's been a few days. My mom sent over both of these."
"Wow, her judgment is terrific. They look great on you."
"My mother has a ridiculously good sense for things like this."
He and Mahiru looked like two peas in a pod. Their yukata were well
matched, as if chosen to go side by side. In spite of himself, Amane was
impressed.
He resolved to send his mother a photo of Mahiru in her yukata later
along with his thanks, then turned back to Itsuki.
The other boy usually dressed casually, but today he had put on a decent
pair of jeans and a nice shirt and looked great. Being that handsome had to
be a sin.
Amane had no doubt that a yukata would have suited his friend well.
But he knew that Itsuki didn't really want to wear one, so he held his
tongue.
"Oh yeah," Itsuki said. "It's a sight for sore eyes to see a pretty girl in a
yukata!"
"Wait a second, Itsuki, what about me—?"
"Oh, Chi. You're cute no matter where you go or what you do."
"…How can you say that, after doubling over laughing when I put on a
face mask?"
"You looked cute like that, too, I swear!"
"You're laughing just thinking about it, aren't you?!"
Itsuki's shoulders were shaking with mirth even as Chitose smacked
him. Mahiru shot him a wry grin, as well.
Amane had seen Mahiru with a beauty mask stuck to her face when they
were home visiting his parents, but rather than thinking it was weird or
funny, he remembered being impressed at how hard it was to maintain her
looks—and by how admirable she was for putting in the work.
At the time, Amane had nearly fallen victim to the face mask himself,
though he ultimately turned it down.
Recognizing that she had also worked hard on her beautiful makeup,
Amane stroked Mahiru's cheek gently with the back of his finger so he
wouldn't smear any, and Mahiru laughed ticklishly.
That was enough to make the people around them watching gasp,
reminding Amane once again what a beautiful girl he was dating.
"I guess when your girlfriend is that cute, she really stands out, huh?" he
remarked.
"Actually, I think it's the two of you standing side by side that's drawing
all the attention…," said Itsuki.
"Well, I guess that's inevitable, since hardly anyone wears a yukata to
summer festivals these days."
"You may be right, but I think it's a little more than just that… Well,
whatever." Itsuki shrugged in exasperation.
Amane ignored him and gently pulled Mahiru toward him, hoping to
ward off attention from others and make it clear she was his. Mahiru
blinked a few times, but she must have understood the meaning behind his
actions because she blushed slightly and cheerfully clung to Amane's arm.
Both Chitose and Itsuki grinned, but Mahiru didn't seem to mind as she
cuddled up to Amane.
"We're not going to let them outdo us, are we?" said Chitose.
"Ha-ha-ha, get over here," Itsuki said in reply.
Amane smiled in resignation at his two friends as they excitedly drew
closer to each other, unwilling to lose. Then he looked down at Mahiru,
who was clinging tightly to him.
Her eyes were filled with trust as she looked up at him, so Amane
responded by squeezing her small hand.
"Should we get going, then?" he said. "We won't get anywhere standing
around."
"The festival's already started," Chitose pointed out, before exclaiming,
"Whoo-hoo, let's eat!"
She clung to Itsuki's arm and raised her other hand excitedly, though she
sounded more interested in the food than in him. Itsuki smiled at her, then
they turned toward the festival grounds and started walking.
Amane looked Mahiru in the eye and smiled, then grasped her hand
tightly and followed after the others.
By the time the four friends arrived, the festival grounds were already
bustling with activity.
The event was being held in an area that normally had little pedestrian
traffic, but on that day, it was overflowing with people.
There hadn't been any other festivals nearby for the past two or three
weeks, which probably contributed to this one's success.
At first glance, there were very few people dressed in yukata, so it
seemed like he and Mahiru would really stand out, though Mahiru's beauty
was also a big factor.
"There are so many people here!" said Chitose.
"There sure are," Itsuki replied. "We've gotta be careful not to lose sight
of one another."
"Mahiru, you can't let go of Amane, no matter what, okay?"
"…I won't," she said.
As Mahiru snuggled up close to Amane, she gripped his hand even
tighter, and in response, Amane squeezed hers back, entwining their fingers
and vowing never to let her go.
He was sure that if he wasn't holding her hand, rude guys would swarm
her, waiting to make a pass. They'd never be able to resist a girl as cute as
Mahiru.
Itsuki whistled at the two of them, and Amane shot him a look, pointing
out that he was holding hands with his girlfriend, too. Then he gazed out
over the stall-lined street ahead.
"Mahiru, is there anything you want to see? Or something you want to
eat?"
"It's my first time at an event like this, so I don't really know what's
here…"
"Oh, right. Well, a safe first choice is to eat something, I guess."
Remembering that Mahiru's family had hardly ever taken her out put
Amane in a gloomy mood, but he smiled to encourage her, and she smiled a
little, too.
"Ah, I wanna get cotton candy!" Chitose said.
"If we buy that at the beginning, it'll be a pain to carry around, and if
you don't finish it, it'll get all soggy…"
Chitose had a big appetite, and if she finished it off right away, it
wouldn't be a problem. But Amane couldn't help feeling it was better to
have proper food before dessert.
Amane would have been perfectly happy to chow down on some
yakisoba or takoyaki, but he was worried about the sauce getting on his
yukata, and above all, he wanted to prioritize what Mahiru wanted.
"…What kind of things do they have at festivals?" she asked.
"For dinner, there's things like yakisoba and takoyaki, as well as grilled
squid, hot dogs, and so on. There's lots of things to fill you up, if that's
what you're looking for."
"…Would it be all right to decide as we walk around?"
"That's fine with me. That's what festivals are all about, after all."
While it was fine to head right for what you wanted, there was
something nice about wandering around and buying whatever looked good.
In fact, that was probably the best way to enjoy a festival.
Amane shot a questioning look toward Itsuki and Chitose, who both
nodded in agreement. With their approval, he chose a direction, and urging
Mahiru along, he walked off into the crowd.
As they strolled aimlessly down the street, taking in all the stalls and
buying things to eat, a shooting gallery—a festival favorite—came into
view.
Amane thought of shooting galleries as particularly festive attractions,
and since this was a rare opportunity, he really wanted to take a turn.
Though, if Mahiru didn't show any interest, he was prepared to skip it.
She was still holding his hand, looking excitedly around at all the stalls,
her eyes sparkling with delight. She followed Amane's line of sight and
blinked several times.
"Amane, what's that?"
"Oh, that's a shooting gallery. It's a game where you take aim at a prize
with a cork gun, and if you knock it down, you get to keep it. Want to try?"
Thinking that everything could be an experience, he pulled out his
wallet and shook it back and forth. Mahiru looked a little perplexed, but her
curiosity must have gotten the better of her because she gave a little nod.
Amane excitedly handed his money over to the stallkeeper, accepted a
gun and five cork bullets, and loaded it up so Mahiru could shoot. He was
able to do it all himself without the stallkeeper's help because his parents
had taken him to countless festivals.
"Here, all set. What do you want to aim for?"
"…I think those are cute."
The prize Mahiru pointed out was a set of hairpins in a plastic case. The
pins, which were decorated with hydrangeas, would match the yukata she
was wearing, and they had a charming design.
But drawing from his own experience, Amane knew that those types of
prizes were often set up to be quite difficult to drop, so he wouldn't usually
recommend that a first-timer aim for one.
That said, he wanted to respect Mahiru's decision, so he didn't say
anything. He left it all in Mahiru's hands, simply instructing her on her
stance and how to shoot.
He watched, privately enjoying the sight of a beautiful girl readying a
gun, even if it was basically a toy. With a truly serious expression, Mahiru
leveled the barrel and pulled the trigger.
There was a soft pop, and the cork bullet went flying…straight into the
fabric behind the prizes.
"Grr, this is hard!" she said.
"To be honest, even aiming is going to be pretty hard on your first go."
It was a mistake to underestimate the difficulty just because there wasn't
that much distance between the shooter and the prize.
Depending on the force and muzzle velocity of the gun, the angle would
need to be adjusted, and a shooter also had to make sure not to shift when
they fired. Each gun also had its own quirks, and without first ascertaining
those, it was sometimes impossible to even graze a prize.
Amane laughed at himself for putting so much thought into it, recalling
the techniques and knowledge his parents had drilled into him. Mahiru must
have misunderstood, however, and thought he was laughing at her.
"This time, for sure, I'm going to hit it," she said enthusiastically, before
inserting the cork bullet the way Amane had shown her and firing.
But ultimately, she missed every shot, and all of that energy turned into
sighs of disappointment.
The stallkeeper handed her several corn puff snacks as a consolation
prize, and Mahiru looked dejected.
"I lost," she said.
"It was your first time, so I'm not surprised," Amane pointed out.
"Right? Everyone misses their first shot!" Chitose added. "Amane'll get
revenge for you. Come on, Amane, I wanna see you look cool!"
"Don't butt in and make promises for other people," Amane shot back.
Amane had been planning to take on the challenge if Mahiru wasn't
successful, but now that Chitose had said it so casually, he'd be in trouble if
he couldn't win the prize.
Still, Mahiru seemed pretty sad about her failure. She looked at the
hairpins she had been aiming for, then up at Amane.
"…I want them," she said, giving him an adorable pleading look.
Chitose had definitely taught her that one.
"…Well, if you say that, I've got to try my best, don't I?" Amane said
with a strained smile. "Can't afford to lose now." He handed his fee over to
the stallkeeper and took the gun and cork bullets.
It had been a while, and he wasn't sure how well he'd do. He checked
the feeling of the gun and tried not to get too worked up as he assumed his
stance and pulled the trigger.
With a smooth motion, the cork bullet flew straight for the hairpin case,
just grazing the edge of it.
Although the case did sway a bit, it didn't fall.
"You were so close!" Chitose said.
"No, that was good. That shot was just to get a feel for it and to see what
quirks the gun itself has."
He'd never thought he could take it down in one shot. That was only a
test run, and yet he had actually managed to graze the prize.
From the feel of the gun and how it had fired, and judging by how close
he had come to hitting the prize, he got the sense that with the guns at this
stall, he could probably do it.
Depending on the quality of the gun, sometimes a shot was impossible,
so he was glad that this one seemed to pose no problem. As long as his aim
was good, and he hit the right spot, he figured he could knock down most of
the prizes.
Feeling relieved that he hadn't lost his touch, Amane loaded the gun a
second time and aimed.
If it was for Mahiru, he would do his best to hit anything, even the huge
stuffed animal that was the grand prize. But she wanted those hairpins, so
that was where he aimed.
This takes me back.
He had often gone to festivals when he was in elementary and middle
school. As those memories floated up in his mind, he calmly pulled the
trigger, and this time, he hit the case slightly above center.
He hadn't been sure whether he could drop the prize by hitting it dead
center, so he had carefully aimed his shot to knock it wildly off balance,
focusing on taking advantage of its center of gravity. Just as he'd planned,
the case swung wide and then fell.
A faint commotion could be heard from the other customers around him.
Apparently, he had an audience.
If he'd missed with so many people watching, he would have been
pretty embarrassed. Amane half-heartedly shot his remaining bullets at
some sweets that looked easy to knock over, scoring a few more prizes. The
stallkeeper's cheerful smile had a bit of a twitch to it.
I guess it's bad for his business if I win too much, huh?
Recalling the time that his mother had almost gotten banned for winning
too many prizes in one go, Amane apologized with a shrug and accepted his
hard-won loot.
"This is what you wanted, right?"
When he turned around and offered Mahiru the case of hairpins, she
nodded bashfully.
"…Th-thank you so much. I never thought they would actually fall…"
"Yeah, how'd you get those so easily?" Chitose demanded.
"Guess I'm just good at this kind of thing."
"Wow, what a hunk. How aggravating."
"What the heck…?"
Chitose had been the one egging him on, but now that he had actually
won the prize, she was complaining. Amane found it absurd.
"You know, Amane is pretty good at this kind of thing," Itsuki remarked.
"He always gets high scores in the shooting games at arcades and stuff,
too."
"My parents put a lot of effort into teaching me useless skills like this…
They said it would enrich my life…"
"And thanks to that, you were able to get the prize that Miss Shiina
wanted, so it's all good, right?"
"I guess so."
It was true that he had been able to win the prize Mahiru wanted, so he
was grateful to his parents. At this rate, he could probably claim cork gun–
shooting as a special talent.
With a smile, Amane took one of the prize hairpins out of its case,
gently held a lock of Mahiru's bangs between his fingers, and fixed the pin
in place.
Purely by chance, the design of the hairpin resembled the print on her
yukata, and they went together well. It matched her whole look.
"Mm, cute. That looks great on you."
It suited her, and when he peered down at Mahiru's face, he noted that,
though simple, the pin had a cute design and seemed easy to use.
"Thank you," she whispered, her cheeks a rosy pink.
"Amane, you're such a flirt, but only with Miss Shiina," noted Itsuki,
just as Amane noticed Mahiru's blush.
Amane ignored Itsuki's nonsensical comment and stroked his
girlfriend's head. She looked both embarrassed and delighted.
"Mahiru's certainly in a good mood," Chitose remarked.
Wearing the hairpin that Amane had gotten for her, Mahiru looked
extremely cheerful.
She was so radiant that Chitose felt compelled to point it out.
Not only that, the glow of her sweet smile could be felt all around her,
and if she wasn't careful, Cupid might start launching arrows straight into
the hearts of any men who saw her—a frightful prospect.
Though this captivating beauty was the very picture of an angel, her
smiling face had something of a devilish quality to it.
This was the first time Itsuki had seen Mahiru in such high spirits, and
even he shrank back shyly.
Amane, too, who ought to have developed a certain degree of resistance,
couldn't control the throbbing in his chest.
"Hey, Amane, you've got to put a stop to this," Itsuki said.
"I know. She's adorable, but I feel sorry for her victims."
He wouldn't want anything to happen to the happily smiling Mahiru,
either. So Amane gently tugged at her hand and brought his mouth to her
ear.
"Mahiru. I'm glad you're so happy, but you can't show that kind of face
to other people. A bad guy might come and abduct you…and besides—"
"Besides, what?"
"…I guess I just wish that you'd save such a cute face for when the two
of us are alone together. I want you to reserve it just for me."
He whispered in a voice only Mahiru could hear, asking her not to show
that face to anyone else, which made her turn such an intense shade of red
that he thought he could hear her ignite.
Mahiru nodded firmly. She looked eager, courageous, and adorable, but
the hairpin from a moment earlier began slipping.
Holding her still, Amane gently fixed the placement of the pin. While he
was at it, he stroked her cheek, and this time Mahiru froze before softly
butting her forehead against his upper arm, hiding her face.
Realizing that she was probably embarrassed, Amane stroked her hand
in his with the pad of his thumb. That got a reaction out of her, so she
couldn't be completely overwhelmed.
"Hey, you two, it's all very well that the onslaught has stopped, but this
is hard to watch," Itsuki interjected.
"Mahiru's so cute that I can't help it," Amane replied.
"Actually, I think it's all your fault this time… I wish those girls who
pegged you as gloomy could see what a stud you are now."
"Where's this coming from all of a sudden?"
"Mahiru's got a weakness for Amane, too," Chitose added. "His
destructive power grows and grows!"
Amane looked down at Mahiru, who was still clinging to him, as he
wondered with exasperation what Itsuki meant by calling him a stud. For
some reason, his girlfriend was glaring up at him.
"…Amane," she said. "What you said earlier, right back at you."
"O-oh?"
"I mean it."
She nodded, emphasizing her point. Then, looking a little relieved,
Mahiru ground her forehead into his upper arm.
He let her do as she pleased, musing that she seemed to really like headbutting him, then saw Chitose grinning at them.
"As usual, you've got a natural seductiveness that only works on
Mahiru," she said.
"Seductiveness… Look here—"
"Now, I won't stand in your way, since sweet Mahiru seems to like it,
but…more importantly, I'm hungry, so why don't we go buy some of that
grilled squid over there? After all that sweet stuff, I feel like eating
something salty."
"You haven't had anything sweet to eat yet, have you…?"
"I'm not talking about food; I'm talking about you two. Anyway, let's
go, for the sake of our peanut gallery."
At that, Amane glanced around them, and his eyes landed on a number
of people blushing.
Men and women both seemed to be affected by Mahiru's adorable
behavior. He was getting looks of simple jealousy from the men, so there
could be no doubt.
Realizing he shouldn't have embarrassed Mahiru in such a public place,
Amane decided to go along with Chitose's suggestion and started walking
toward the grilled squid stall, pulling Mahiru along by the hand.
"Mmm, food just tastes different at a festival, doesn't it? It must be the
atmosphere."
Even though she had already eaten yakisoba noodles and fried chicken,
Chitose was chowing down on some grilled squid like she had room to
spare. She looked truly delighted.
They were standing and eating in a rest area that had been set up a short
distance away from the food stalls lining the main thoroughfare. But even
there, Amane could feel people looking at them as he glanced around.
Well, Mahiru and Chitose may be different types, but they're both
beautiful.
Mahiru was the embodiment of polished, sweet beauty, and Chitose was
lively and winsome, with a boyish appeal. They each had their own style,
but the fact that they were both beautiful young ladies was undeniable.
Of course they attracted attention.
And that wasn't all—at the moment, Chitose was feeding Mahiru a bite
of her grilled squid, since Mahiru had been staring at it hungrily. The men
in the crowd couldn't take their eyes off the two lovely girls acting so
friendly with each other.
Amane could hear men letting out spellbound sighs as Mahiru smiled
softly while savoring the delicious snack, so he figured the girls must make
a lovely picture.
"They sure are cute, huh?" Itsuki remarked.
"No doubt, but they abandoned us to go flirt with each other," Amane
replied.
"What, are you jealous?"
"Seeing two girls getting along isn't enough to make me jealous."
"Ha-ha, then just watch and enjoy. I think it's a fairly engaging scene,
myself."
There was a lecherous tone to Itsuki's words as he mused on the delight
of seeing two girls at play, but it wasn't like Amane didn't understand the
feeling. He didn't want to seem like a pervert, though, so he swallowed his
words as the two girls smiled chummily at each other.
Just then, from nearby, he heard a voice say "Miss Shiina?"
Amane turned around and saw several of their male classmates looking
in Mahiru's and Chitose's direction.
It seemed they had also been enjoying the festival. They had masks on
their heads and were holding bags of cotton candy, clearly having fun.
Itsuki was the first to react. He waved at them and walked over with his
usual friendly, cheerful grin.
"Oh, you guys came to the festival, too, huh?"
"As soon as we saw Miss Shirakawa, we knew you'd be close by, Itsuki.
Fujimiya, too."
"Right over here."
Amane didn't wave his hand in the air like Itsuki, but he did raise it
casually, and when he did, a commotion started among the other boys.
"A yukata?" someone said.
"Something wrong with that?"
Amane smiled wryly. He could tell from his classmate's tone of voice
that the other boy was surprised.
"No, it's just—you look like you know how to wear it…"
"I just put it on; that's all."
Aside from wearing a yukata, he wasn't doing anything special. There
was nothing out of the ordinary, but to the other guys, it seemed like the
presence of the yukata itself was special.
Amane felt unspeakably uncomfortable and itchy as they stared at him,
and his face puckered up, but he relaxed again when he saw Mahiru
leisurely walking over to him.
"Oh, it's been a while…," she said to their classmates. "Or maybe it
hasn't been long enough to say that, but we haven't met since the closing
ceremony, have we? I'm glad to see you all looking well."
"Whoa… Miss Shiina in a yukata…"
Amane fully expected every one of his classmates to be enchanted by
the sight of his girlfriend, so he paid it no mind and continued gazing at her.
She flushed slightly when she felt his eyes on her.
Just that was enough to freeze their classmates in place. Mahiru's
adorableness was plain to see.
"M-miss Shiina, you look really great in a yukata."
"Thank you very much; I'm happy to hear you say so."
Mahiru must have only felt bashful receiving compliments when they
came from Amane. Now she put on her beautiful public smile and merely
accepted their praise.
"Did you put it on yourself?"
"Yes. Though, Amane's mother selected the yukata for me…"
"You don't need to worry one bit about the yukata," said Amane. "My
mom would do pretty much anything to spoil you."
Amane's mother would probably pick out Mahiru's kimono for the new
year, too. They had plenty of kimonos at the house, and even more at
Amane's maternal grandparents' house, so she would probably be delighted
to do the choosing.
When he thought about being able to see Mahiru in yet another kimono,
Amane couldn't help but silently praise his mother.
"Still, I feel guilty for borrowing it."
"It's fine. My home is your home, right?"
His parents had told Mahiru that she could consider their home her own,
and they had certainly rolled out the welcome mat, so he figured they would
be happier if she simply accepted the gesture.
Mahiru seemed to understand and nodded sheepishly as she clutched her
hands to her chest. Amane admired the sight, savoring a mellow feeling of
happiness, then glanced to one of their classmates who had come over to
talk to them.
Come to think of it, this guy's one of the ones who turned on me back on
sports day. He had remembered too late, but it hardly mattered now.
No matter what, in Mahiru's mind, those boys were nothing more than
mere acquaintances. She wasn't going to let them come between the two of
them.
Amane silently chuckled at the feeling of superiority that gave him. He
knew it wasn't a good personality trait, but he had no intention of yielding
any ground.
"Anyway, we don't want to interrupt your fun, so let's get going,"
Amane suggested. "Chitose's done eating her grilled squid, too," he added,
turning to Chitose, who was looking back at him with great interest.
Amane casually drew Mahiru toward him with a hand around her waist
and flashed the other boys his usual smile.
Mahiru seemed surprised, but a clear delight showed through her
bashfulness, and she moved toward Amane of her own volition.
"Sure thing," she replied. "All right, I'll see you once summer break's
over," she said to the other boys with a smile.
"Uh, y-yeah… Later."
Thanks to Mahiru, there was no way the boys could follow them around
any longer. With disbelief written across their faces, they watched Amane
and his friends take their leave.
Once they had left their classmates behind and started walking down the
stall-lined road again, Itsuki came up to Amane on the opposite side from
Mahiru and leaned toward him.
"Amane, you must have done that on purpose," he said.
Maybe he was trying to keep Mahiru from overhearing—his quiet voice
disappeared into the hustle and bustle and festival music surrounding them.
"What part?"
"Oh, let's see. The way you're positioned now, for one, and that part
about your home, too."
Itsuki really was a clever, perceptive guy. He had understood exactly
what Amane had been implying—and why he'd been doing it.
"Who knows? Maybe I did, and maybe I didn't."
"…You've really toughened up, man," he muttered.
Itsuki's tone made it hard to tell if he was praising Amane or fed up with
him. Amane decided to take it as a compliment and smiled meaningfully.
"Let's eat shaved ice next!"
The four friends, having resumed their tour of the festival, came to a
stop once more at Chitose's proposal.
They had already passed the shaved ice stall.
There would probably be another one up ahead, but since they didn't
know where it might be, it would be a little faster to go back, and it wasn't
much of a bother to turn around.
More than anything, Amane was amazed that Chitose still had room.
"What kind of stomach do you have in there? Seriously…"
"This kind!"
Chitose playfully drummed her belly, but it looked just as slim as
Mahiru's. Amane was surprised, since he knew it already contained
yakisoba, fried chicken, and grilled squid.
Where does it all go…?
He was looking at her stomach with a serious expression when Mahiru
grinned wryly. She must have been thinking the same thing.
"You never gain weight, do you, Chitose?" she said. "You're super
slender; I'm jealous."
"It's a healthy kind of slenderness, though," Itsuki added. "She's all
toned."
"Heh-heh, more compliments, please!"
"You really are slim, Chi… It's super easy to tell whenever I pick you
up."
Itsuki often held her close, so he must have known just how slim
Chitose was.
Itsuki wasn't particularly heavy himself—he was of medium build—and
yet when they were clinging to each other, Chitose was noticeably thinner,
which was saying something. It was obvious that she worked hard to
maintain the perfect balance of slenderness and muscle.
"You eat a lot, but you never get fat, huh?"
"I've got a good metabolism."
"Yeah, and besides that, it's hard for you to put on weight with the way
you're built. Although, that does mean you don't fill out in other places,
either."
"…Itsuki, come over here."
Itsuki instantly realized he'd said too much when he heard Chitose speak
to him in a monotone, despite her grin.
He had touched on an area that Chitose was quite sensitive about, so
naturally she was angry. In fact, she seemed all the more angry because the
comment had come from her boyfriend.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it; please don't kick me in the shins."
"You always have something to say, but that was one word too many!
How about we have a little chat over there?" With a friendly grin, Chitose
grabbed Itsuki's arm and pulled him away.
Amane watched Itsuki go, silently commiserating.
"Silence is golden, huh…?" he muttered.
"Did you say something?" Mahiru asked.
"Nope, not a thing."
Amane immediately denied it. He didn't need any repercussions coming
his way. He forced himself to smile in an effort to keep Mahiru, who was
looking troubled, from asking him to go rescue Itsuki.
"Mahiru, what flavor do you want?"
"Uh… S-strawberry milk…?"
"Okay, let's go get it. Chitose? We're gonna go ahead and get shaved
ice, so you two play nice over there."
"Okaaay!"
Amane chuckled at Chitose, who turned back and answered with a smile
even as she bullied Itsuki. Then Amane took Mahiru by the hand and
headed back down the road.
Even after Amane and Mahiru had bought shaved ice and returned to their
friends, Chitose's lecture was not over.
From a distance, Amane looked at the two of them, having an intimate
discussion a little ways off the main road, and shrugged. Then he looked at
Mahiru, who was clinging to his arm and exhibiting a strained smile.
"…Guess they're still going at it," he remarked.
"They're very close, aren't they?"
"I guess that's just another kind of flirting for them. Though Chitose
does seem a little miffed."
"Ah, ah-ha-ha…"
Since he knew she wasn't truly angry, Amane didn't intervene. Instead,
he handed Mahiru one of the cups of shaved ice he was holding.
"Here you go."
"Thank you very much. Amane…you look kind of glum."
"I really wanted an ujikintoki shaved ice, but of course the stall didn't
have all the toppings."
Amane had chosen the green tea flavor.
If the shaved ice stall had had the toppings, he would have gone for the
ujikintoki, but as one might expect, it was tough to find red beans and
mochi balls at a festival stall, so he'd had no choice but to compromise.
"So you do eat sweets sometimes. You don't go for them very often,
though."
"I don't dislike sweet foods; I just choose not to eat them. I do love red
beans. Especially the coarse-ground kind."
He didn't usually go out of his way to eat sweet things, but he would if
someone put them out. The only sweets he would seek out on his own were
things like custard, and he didn't eat even those all that often, so he must
have given off the impression that he didn't like such things.
The reason he enjoyed red beans was that they went well with bitter
matcha and regular green tea. The bitter and sweet flavors enhanced one
another, and he really appreciated the combination.
"Oh, do you? …Boiling down red bean paste is hard work, so it's a lot
of trouble to make it."
"You're something else, Mahiru, to start thinking about it from the point
of boiling the beans. The off-the-shelf stuff would be just fine…"
Most people would probably never even think of starting from the
beans. Sweet red bean paste was sold in bags at the grocery store, so the
overwhelming majority would simply use that, considering the time and
effort required to make it from scratch.
But it seemed that, for Mahiru, the idea of making it by hand was what
came naturally.
"Well, I like to make delicious food for the people I love. With the storebought stuff, you can't really adjust the sweetness, and most of the time,
they don't leave enough of the texture of the beans in."
Mahiru smiled and said admirably that she wanted Amane to eat what
she made with gusto. Amane, feeling both guilt and joy at being so well
loved, wasn't sure whether to relax into a smile or straighten up.
"…All right then, I want to eat matcha pudding garnished with sweet red
bean paste. Also dorayaki pancakes."
"Heh-heh, fine," Mahiru said. "Just leave it to me! If it's for you,
Amane, I'll make anything at all." She did not sound like she was
exaggerating. Then she took a bite of her shaved ice.
Amane felt a wave of embarrassment, and in order to hide it, he scooped
up a bite of his own shaved ice.
"Lucky you, matcha pudding!"
As they started eating, Chitose came over. She sounded jealous.
Apparently, she had overheard their conversation while having her friendly
chat with Itsuki.
"Are you done scolding Itsuki?"
"Of course. Geez, he can be so rude!"
Chitose gave them a thumbs-up, and Amane and Mahiru smiled at her,
probably in unison. Amane looked over at the place where Itsuki had been a
moment earlier, but…there was no one there.
"So where's Itsuki?"
"He went to buy shaved ice and a chocolate banana."
"The list keeps growing…"
"He's apologizing!"
Chitose turned away in a huff. Amane thought that Itsuki's wallet might
end up empty, but at the same time, it was his own fault, so Amane didn't
have too much pity for him.
Itsuki never learned, no matter how many times he stepped on the same
land mine. But for the couple, this was probably one of the ways they
bonded and communicated. Though it wasn't an ideal method, since it
involved making one of them angry.
Chitose's sulking was lasting a little longer than usual, and she still had
her lip stuck out in a pout. "It's not like they're small because I want them
to be, geez. Why is it that guys all prefer curvy girls like you, Mahiru?"
Mahiru quickly covered her chest.
"I-I'm not sure what to say…"
Compared to Chitose, Mahiru's curves were dramatic. Amane was
certain that she was curvier than average, but it would embarrass her if he
paid too much attention to such things, so he had always tried not to stare.
"It's not like I hate you for it or anything, but I am jealous, you know?
You've got plenty of things that I don't have, Mahiru. You're pretty, and
you have a good figure, and you can handle schoolwork and sports and
housework, and you're so ladylike… I think you're what most guys
consider the ideal girl."
"That's not true."
"It is! I'm positive that if Daiki saw you, he'd tell Itsuki that he should
have chosen a girl like you."
From the way Chitose was smiling dejectedly, Amane could more or
less guess the reason that she had shown up unannounced at his and
Mahiru's apartment building earlier that day.
"Did Daiki say something to you?"
"Nah, he didn't say anything. It's just that the look in his eyes is never
welcoming."
Daiki was Itsuki's father.
He was not happy about Itsuki and Chitose's relationship.
Amane had a chance to talk to him about it once, when he went to
Itsuki's house. To put it simply, Daiki didn't care for Chitose's personality,
and he wanted Itsuki to find himself a more typical girl, so he didn't look on
Chitose very favorably.
He didn't hate Chitose, so much as believe that there was a different,
better girl out there for his son.
"Daiki doesn't hate you or anything, you know."
"But if you put Mahiru in front of him, he would definitely choose her."
"W-well, I dunno…"
It was clear that Chitose had her own charms, including some that
Mahiru lacked.
She was extremely cheerful and outgoing but also knew how to be polite
when she needed to be—a girl who could truly read a room. She sometimes
made deliberately silly statements, but she was also mature in many ways,
and she always seemed to have a grasp on the big picture, so anyone with
half a brain knew better than to underestimate her.
Considering both aspects of her personality, it was obvious she was no
simple joker. But she wasn't the kind of person who Itsuki's father wanted
for his son.
The kind of girl Daiki had in mind was an old-fashioned feminine
beauty like Mahiru, and Chitose didn't check those boxes.
The ways in which Chitose didn't stack up weren't any fault of her own.
It was simply a case of them being incompatible, with goals that didn't
align.
Chitose sighed deeply, maybe because she was worried about Daiki not
liking her.
"But even if I tried to be more like Mahiru…it would feel all wrong.
Itsuki tells me I don't have to worry about it, but still, in the future, like, I
want to become that man's daughter-in-law, right? I want to lay the
foundation for a happy relationship."
"…That's tough. I don't think it's the kind of issue you can solve
quickly."
"Yeah. It'll take years. Well, I'm trying, but it's hard when there's no
progress. Some people just aren't compatible."
Chitose lamented with a smile that she would love to have official
parental approval like Amane and Mahiru. Then she snuggled up to Mahiru
and ate part of her shaved ice.
Amane wasn't sure what to say.
Mahiru must not have known, either. Instead, she gently patted Chitose's
head.
Chitose leaned in to let her do it, begging for more shaved ice.
Just then, she saw through a gap in the crowd that Itsuki was coming
back, holding the snacks she had ordered in both hands.
"I'm not all that bummed out about it, so don't say anything to Itsuki,
okay?" Chitose said, cautioning them, then she headed toward Itsuki
wearing her usual smile.
Amane and Mahiru watched her go, bewildered.
Once Itsuki returned from his errand, the group reunited. They then finished
everything he had bought before going back to slowly wandering through
the rows of stalls, moving with the flow of the people around them.
"Man, there sure are a lot of people," Amane remarked.
"That's because this is the only festival in the neighborhood," Itsuki told
him. "There are extra food stalls, and the event itself is pretty big. We were
bound to run into some guys from school."
Itsuki laughed cheerfully and added, "Though, they ran away with their
tails between their legs!"
Amane was the one who had essentially driven them off, but he simply
shrugged and left it there.
Mahiru overheard them, and she looked puzzled, probably wondering
what Itsuki meant by "ran away."
Amane felt a small tickle of superiority at the fact that she must not have
even been paying enough attention to them to notice.
I must be pretty possessive if I don't even want them to have her
attention.
Amane had thought that the fact that Mahiru only had eyes for him was
well-known due to her behavior at school, but apparently some guys just
didn't know when to quit.
He understood how they felt.
This was a girl who was sweet and polished, everything a man could
want. From the other boys' perspectives, it was probably hard to understand
how some inexperienced nobody had swept her off her feet.
But he wished they would see how Mahiru obviously treated him
differently from everyone else.
…I really am loved.
He'd already known that, of course, but recently he had come to feel it
even more keenly.
He'd realized that he really was treasured and loved.
Naturally, Amane and Mahiru both put a lot of energy into their
relationship, but it still made him uneasy how that brought him both
embarrassment and pride at the same time.
"…You really do love Mahiru, don't you, Amane?" said Chitose. "It
shows on your face."
"Huh?"
"Compared to before, you've gotten more sociable, and your
expressions and the look in your eyes have softened… It feels weird to say
it, but you've gotten a lot sweeter."
"…I'm aware that I've gotten a little more sociable, but I'm not sure
how to respond to the idea that I've gotten sweeter…"
He could kind of tell that the way he acted and spoke had grown
friendlier, but it was harder to for him to judge things like his expressions or
the look in his eyes.
If anything, Amane thought he gave off an unfriendly impression, and
he knew that he seemed like a cold person. So being told he was sweet
puzzled him.
"Mahiru, am I that sweet?"
"Ah, w-well, um… Yes."
"Really? I'm not even sure what that would look like."
"I'll take a picture for you later, so you can see for yourself and agonize
over it," said Itsuki, insisting that the change was really incredible.
Amane mused that he should try to refrain from being overly
affectionate toward Mahiru in front of other people, but Mahiru was always
so adorable that he wasn't confident he could hold back.
Mahiru's cheeks suddenly flushed red, and she glanced repeatedly over
at him. For the time being, he stroked her cheek with his fingers. As he did
so, he tried to put on a more serious expression.
"…It's a little late to be screwing up your face, man. You're not going to
start fooling us now."
"Oh, hush."
"Mahiru, you must like Amane better when he's sweet, right?" said
Chitose.
"Uh, w-well…um, I like all versions of Amane. I like him when he's
sharply dressed, and I like him when he's sweet, and I like him when he's
sexy…"
"Oh, so you've seen Amane looking sexy?"
Chitose shot him a sly grin, but Amane had absolutely nothing to feel
guilty about, so while he grimaced back at her, he didn't get flustered.
Amane and Mahiru had been dating for over two months, and though
they had finally gotten around to kissing, they hadn't gone any further than
that. For the time being, they intended to take it slow.
Making those kinds of moves so soon after they started dating seemed
wrong, like he was only interested in Mahiru for sex. Plus, Mahiru was the
one who would have to deal with any consequences if they did do it, so it
wasn't something he could casually set into motion.
It wasn't out of the question, if that was what Mahiru wanted. But at the
moment, there was no indication that she did, so he saw no point in talking
about it.
"We really don't do the sort of things you guys are imagining," Amane
insisted.
"When you say that so confidently, it makes you sound a little repressed
—or like your love is platonic or something."
"But you've kissed, right?" Chitose needled.
"…That's none of your business."
Amane lightly squeezed Mahiru's hand in his, as if to say You told her
something, didn't you?
Mahiru turned bright red and mumbled quietly, "Sorry."
He couldn't complain, since he figured she must have mentioned it on
an impulse during some girl talk, but he felt embarrassed having it pointed
out like this.
Chitose must have felt they were taking it a little too slow. "You two
sure are a couple of innocents," she said earnestly. "Either that or Amane's
a total wuss."
Amane frowned. "…What's wrong with that?" he replied. "We're
moving at our own pace."
"That's fine and all, but you know, if you make her wait too long, even a
girl will get impatient! So you should probably get a move on."
"Chi-Chitose…"
"And you, Mahiru, it's best to tell it to him straight, okay? Rather than
asking me for advice because Amane won't kiss you."
"Aaaaaaah, stop it! You can't just say things like that!"
As Mahiru tried to cover up Chitose's mouth, Amane's eyes went wide.
Chitose, meanwhile, deftly avoided her friend's grasp, then gazed lovingly
at the other girl.
However good Mahiru's reflexes were, Chitose's were better, and on top
of that, unlike Mahiru, Chitose was wearing Western clothes, including
pants, so it didn't seem like Mahiru had any hope of catching her.
"Heh-heh, you may be embarrassed, Mahiru, but I thought it was quite
cute of you!" Chitose teased. "Though, it's true that I was a little
exasperated with Amane for taking his sweet time."
"…If…if you say anything else, I won't help you with the last parts of
your homework that you haven't finished!" Mahiru threatened.
"Can't have that. All right. My lips are sealed."
Chitose's face softened into an even wider smile at Mahiru's adorable
threat. She drew her fingers across her lips, miming zipping them shut.
Mahiru was so embarrassed that she was trembling. Amane looked her
in the eye, and when she noticed his gaze, her face went red again, and she
seemed like she might run away. Amane grabbed her in a hurry.
He held her in place and patted her back to try to calm her down.
"You know that if we lose sight of each other, it'll be hard to meet back
up, and someone will definitely hit on you, so stop trying to run away."
"…Urgh."
"I promise not to look at you, okay?"
He might not be looking, but he could feel her trembling in his arms. If
he pointed that out, though, she might run away for real, so he kept it to
himself as he reasoned with her.
Mahiru obediently settled into Amane's arms, still shaking.
The way she trusted him and did as he asked was cute, too. As he
thought this, he could see Itsuki and Chitose looking at them with
exasperation in their eyes.
"There it is—Amane's sweet face."
"He doesn't even realize he's doing it. How irritating."
Amane's cheek twitched as the two of them pretended to whisper to
each other but deliberately spoke loudly enough for him to hear.
With Mahiru wrapped in his arms, however, he couldn't give them a
piece of his mind. Instead, Amane switched out his "sweet" face for a new
expression, making his dissatisfaction plain for all to see.
"Whew-wee, I sure did eat!"
"Where did you put all that…?"
The group had finished making the rounds, and Chitose was grinning
with satisfaction as she rubbed her stomach.
Her belly looked a little more swollen than when they'd started, but she
was still thin, and Amane wasn't sure whether he should be impressed or
disturbed by how much she had managed to put away.
"Yup, the food at festivals like this is something special."
"Well, as long as you're satisfied, that's great, but…be careful not to eat
too much."
"I hardly ever eat this much, and I'll make sure to work it all off!"
Chitose had long managed to maintain a slender physique, so he would
have to take her word for it, though Amane couldn't help thinking she was
overeating. But Chitose obviously knew what she was doing, and it wasn't
his place to say anything.
"Actually, Amane, have you had enough? It feels like you've barely
eaten anything."
"Mm… I was kind of planning to eat at home. Mahiru's got some dashi
broth chilling, so I was thinking of making cold chazuke soup with that and
some microwave rice."
"What? That sounds delicious."
"I can't believe you still feel like eating…"
Festival food was good, but Amane liked to finish off the day with
Mahiru's cooking, so he hadn't eaten much. He was looking forward to
using the dashi stock that Mahiru had left steeping to make his chazuke.
He'd never imagined Chitose would still be hungry when he brought it up,
though.
Faced with her friend's prodigious appetite, Mahiru forced a smile and
chided her, "You can eat it some other time."
Just that day, they had seen her consume yakisoba and fried chicken,
plus a hot dog and one of the octopus balls that Mahiru bought, followed by
a chocolate banana and some shaved ice. It would have been enough to
satisfy even a hungry guy, so Mahiru was probably worried about Chitose's
stomach.
Amane looked at her slim hips, wondering where all that food had gone.
Chitose must have noticed his gaze because she wiggled around and said
teasingly, "You pervert!" He shot her a sour look in reply.
"Going forward, we'll have to keep an eye on Chitose's stomach
capacity."
"Wow, you totally ignored me!"
"Okay, what should we do now? Ready to go home?"
They'd had their fun, and even though the sun set late in the
summertime, the sky was already getting dark. It was going on eight thirty,
so considering the transit time for Amane and Mahiru, whose apartments
were far away, it was probably about time to wind things down. And while
Chitose had Itsuki with her, it wasn't ideal for her to be out walking around
too late, either.
"Sure, we can head back, but I'm staying at Mahiru's place, okay?"
Chitose answered.
"Huh?"
"I already left my bags there, and I got permission from your better half
before we came out! Right?" Chitose grinned at Mahiru, who put on a wry
smile and nodded.
Mahiru didn't look put out, so Amane wasn't worried. But if possible,
he would have preferred that she say something earlier. Amane was the one
who did the grocery shopping, so if there were going to be three of them, he
needed to provide three people's worth of food.
"I wish I had asked Amane about staying over, too," Itsuki said to his
grinning girlfriend. He sounded disappointed. It was kind of pitiful to think
about him returning home alone, but he had no change of clothes, so there
was nothing he could do.
"…Well, if Mahiru says it's okay, then I guess it's okay."
"Oh no, Amane, are you cranky because I'm stealing Mahiru away?"
"Why would I be jealous of a girl? I know that Mahiru's mine, so it's
fine by me."
More than being upset about Chitose hanging all over Mahiru, Amane
was jealous of how, as another girl, she could be so carefree about going in
and out of Mahiru's apartment.
Mahiru had already promised to let him come over, but he still needed
time to mentally prepare, and so he envied Chitose, who could do it
effortlessly.
So Amane shrugged and insisted that it was much too late to feel jealous
of Chitose.
But Mahiru flushed red and quickly retreated over to Chitose,
whispering in her friend's ear. "…This is what I was talking about.
Recently, Amane has started acting like this…"
"Oh my, I can see how that would make things tough for you," Chitose
replied.
"What's with that look?" Amane demanded.
"Nothing!" Chitose smiled impishly, this time a little different from
when she'd asked for Mahiru's permission earlier. "Right, Mahiru?"
Mahiru bobbed her head in a silent nod and leaned in close to Chitose,
looking bashfully in Amane's direction.
"Amaneee, let's play a game!"
"Why are you calling right before bed…?"
Chitose ended up spending the night at Mahiru's place, so after the
festival, Amane had spent the rest of the evening on his own. But just
before bed, a video call had come in from Chitose, causing him to frown.
It wasn't that he hated getting calls, but a video call just as he was lying
down and sleepily settling into bed was a bit annoying.
On the screen was a close-up of Chitose's grinning face, which was
already an irritating intrusion, Amane thought somewhat rudely. He moved
his phone away and set it next to his pillow.
"Listen, Chitose," he said, "I was about to go to sleep."
"Yeah, I know. I can tell from how you're dressed and the fact that
you're lying down."
"If you've understood, then can I hang up?"
"No way. At least wait until Mahiru gets back!"
"Now that you mention it, where is Mahiru?"
"In the baaath. She wouldn't get in with me today; can you believe it?"
Chitose sounded disappointed, but Mahiru had made the right decision.
Bathing together would have been exhausting. Mahiru would not have
been able to relax at all, so getting in alone had surely been the better
choice.
"Mahiru was all bummed that she wouldn't get to say good night to you.
That's why I called you like this. So, Amane, don't hang up yet!"
"…Now that you've said that, I guess I can't, huh?"
"Are you saying you would have if I didn't say anything? Geez, what a
meanie!" Chitose cackled with laughter. Then she abruptly put on a serious
face and stared at Amane through the screen.
There was nothing left of her teasing attitude from a moment earlier. She
was wearing a calm and somewhat philosophical expression. Amane
couldn't help but feel bewildered at the sudden change.
"Hey, Amane, can I ask you something?"
"What?"
The change in her expression told him that a serious question was
coming, so he responded in kind rather than dismissing her.
Chitose's eyes bored into him.
"Amane, how much do you love Mahiru?"
"How much?"
"You seem to really treasure her, so I was wondering, how much do you
love her?"
He frowned at the difficult question, but Chitose's expression didn't
change.
"…Maybe this is just bias on my part, but hmm, aren't relationships
usually—I mean, high school relationships—usually just like, temporary
fun? Less serious and more like a game."
"Did Itsuki's father tell you that?"
"Whoa! You're pretty sharp, huh?"
Chitose put on a foolish grin, but there was no spirit in her smile, and to
Amane, it looked a little like she was depressed.
He watched her sigh softly and roll across the bed without ever letting
go of her phone.
"…It's not like I plan on just playing around for a little while or
anything. But I'm always smiling like an idiot, so no one takes me seriously,
you know? Maybe that's why… I'm curious to know if there are other
people who are looking way ahead into the future."
She had let them see a little glimpse of it at the festival, but in her own
way, Chitose must have been putting in a lot of work to figure out how to
compromise with Itsuki's father. Itsuki's mother seemed indifferent to that
aspect of her son's life, so his father was the one Chitose had to overcome.
Amane took his time before answering Chitose's question.
But in the end, his answer didn't require much thought.
"…It's difficult for me to say how much I love her, but…my intention is
to keep her by my side and make sure she's always smiling."
It was hard to describe how much he loved Mahiru. He wasn't sure what
he could liken his feelings to.
The only thing he was certain of was that he wanted to make her happy,
to treasure her and make her smile, and to be by her side for the rest of his
life. Those sentiments filled his heart.
"…Gotcha."
"Do you not feel that way, Chitose?"
"That's not what I mean," Chitose answered. She sounded a little
annoyed. "I want to make Itsuki laugh his head off for the rest of his life; of
course I do."
"Mm, I think that's good enough," Amane answered with a smile. "If
you say so, then that's how it is, and nothing's gonna change because of
what somebody else says."
On the other side of the screen, Chitose winced.
"…You're, like, way too good of a guy. It's irritating."
"I'm dating a great girl; shouldn't I want to be a great guy?"
"Ugh, and listen to that confidence… You make me sick!"
If Chitose had been in the room with him, he probably would have
gotten a vigorous slap on the back. That's how much annoyance he could
hear in her voice… But he could hear a hint of happiness as she grumbled
"Mahiru really is loved, isn't she?" before breaking into a smile.
Then she turned around.
In that same moment, Amane heard a familiar voice ask, "What are you
talking about in here?"
He could see that Mahiru was finished with her bath. She was standing
behind Chitose, dressed in a nightgown that showed very little skin.
Amane told himself it wasn't right to stare at girls in their nightclothes
and subtly shifted his gaze away from them, though it wasn't a very
convincing argument considering he'd just been looking at Chitose in her
pajamas. Now looking away, he pricked up his ears.
Mahiru must have approached Chitose. Something flaxen-colored
fluttered at the edge of the screen.
"Hmm? I was just saying what a great guy your boyfriend is, Mahiru."
"Is something up with Amane?"
"I was just getting some life advice from him."
"Life advice…?"
"Uh-huh."
Chitose's reply was technically true, and on the other side of the screen,
Mahiru let out a small sigh at her friend.
Slightly taken aback by Mahiru's attitude, Chitose huffed in displeasure
before Amane saw Mahiru sit down next to her.
"…You didn't want to get advice from me?" Mahiru asked. She sounded
a little sulky.
Chitose stiffened, and the very next moment, she tossed her phone aside.
Amane's view through the smartphone went spinning, but through the
speaker, he could hear Mahiru shriek in her delicate voice, so he figured
they had probably moved on to Chitose's specialty, which was cuddling.
"…Mahiru, you're so cute! I'm coming for you; I can't be stopped!"
"Chitose… It's dangerous to jump on me!" Mahiru chided.
But there was happiness in her voice, so she probably wasn't as upset as
she would have Chitose believe.
Amane heard Chitose giggle. "Eh-heh!" The front camera of her
smartphone must have been buried in the bedsheets because the screen was
blacked out, but Amane could imagine that Chitose was clinging tightly to
Mahiru.
"Mahiru, I love you!"
"I love you, too."
"Heh-heh! I stole Mahiru's love away from Amane!"
"Huh? A-Amane is, well, he's in his own category…!"
Mahiru picked up the phone and desperately tried to explain in a
panicked voice, making Amane crack a little smile.
"I already know that much."
"…Oh."
"You know, you guys are just as bad as any cringey couple."
"Hush. We're just copying you."
Chitose and Itsuki were just as cringey, so he didn't want to hear any
criticism from either of them.
"Go on, finish up your slumber party and hurry to bed; I thought staying
up late was bad for the skin."
They'd reached a good stopping point, so Amane cut off things there.
The clock showed it was already past eleven PM. He knew that Mahiru,
who didn't stay up very late, would probably drift off before too long. She
had been walking around in a yukata, which she wasn't used to, so she was
probably worn out, and it was about time for her to start getting sleepy.
In fact, ignoring the redness in her cheeks, Mahiru, who was holding
Chitose's smartphone, looked ready to drift off, so it didn't seem right to
drag the call on too long.
"I never thought I would hear something like that from you," Chitose
remarked. "Well, I guess you've got a point; it's about time we hang up…
Hey, Mahiru, is that okay?"
At Chitose's urging, Mahiru, who seemed to have realized why Chitose
had called her boyfriend, opened her eyes in surprise. Then she looked at
Amane and smiled gently.
"Oh…sure. Good night, Amane. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, sleep well. See you tomorrow."
Amane thought about how, if she were beside him, he would have liked
to stroke her head, but he wanted Chitose and Mahiru to enjoy themselves
that evening, so he didn't let his feelings show on his face. Instead, he
smiled back at the two girls, who seemed to be enjoying their sleepover, and
bid them good night.
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