Sekai crouched by her window, staring out into the blackened night beyond.
The binoculars she had bought earlier weren't quite clear enough. A while ago, she'd upgraded to a much more expensive set of amateur astronomical telescopes. They weren't professional grade, but more than enough to observe the daily life of a certain someone—specifically, Haruto.
"Haruto's little sister… she kind of looks like him. And that more mature-looking woman must be his mom, right? Though honestly, she doesn't really look like a mom—more like an older sister. Hmm, I wonder if he actually has an older sister I don't know about…"
Earlier that evening, she had clearly seen Haruto lead his family to the Kiyoura residence. Sekai had been watching their door ever since. She figured they'd only stay for about an hour, but now two had passed—and still, no sign of them leaving.
"Looks like his family gets along well with Setsuna… If this keeps up…"
Sekai's mood took a sharp downturn. The chance of her winning felt like it was slipping further out of reach. She withdrew from the telescope for a moment, sipping on some juice while gazing vacantly out at the night sky. Even she couldn't make sense of her own thoughts anymore.
She sighed heavily, returning to the telescope to peer again at the Kiyoura house—only to be interrupted by a voice outside her door.
"Sekai? You're still awake, right?"
Startled, Sekai turned her head, recognizing her mother's voice—Saionji Yoko. She stepped toward the door, opening it just a crack and poking her head out.
"I'm up. Something wrong?"
"It's been a while since last time… Weren't you going to bring your boyfriend over sometime? Isn't it vacation now?"
Yoko, still drying her hair in the living room, glanced toward her daughter, who hadn't even stepped fully out of her room. She asked casually, but her eyes held a faint edge of expectation. They had agreed, after all—Sekai was supposed to bring her boyfriend home and introduce him.
But time had passed, and there hadn't been a single word about it. Sekai might not seem to care, but Yoko was starting to get curious.
She and her daughter rarely had anything in common to talk about. Even so, she wasn't oblivious—she knew she hadn't been the most attentive mother. That didn't mean she didn't care.
"It's vacation, sure, but not everyone's free. He's got stuff to deal with. He doesn't have time to hang out with me."
Sekai's face fell immediately. She had thought her mom had something urgent to say, but it turned out to be this. Her tone turned flat and lifeless, and she pulled her head back in, slamming the door shut with a thud.
"Um....."
Still standing in the living room, Yoko paused mid-motion with her towel. She caught that violent door slam loud and clear—and the mood behind it.
Her daughter's behavior had been strange lately, and now her suspicions only deepened. Narrowing her eyes, she made a mental note to pay more attention from now on.
_ _ _ _
The two mothers had been chatting away happily for quite a while—but no matter how lively the conversation, it was still getting late.
"It's already pretty late. We should head back," Haruto finally suggested.
As the topic drifted toward their children—wondering what kind of future the next generation might have, what kind of child Haruto and Setsuna might produce someday—Futaba even commented that she'd prefer a grandson if it came to that. That was his cue to step in.
He moved next to Futaba, gently reminding her that it was time to go.
"Yeah… you're right. It's already nine. Time to get some rest."
"Are you heading back to your apartment?" asked Mai, glancing at him.
She had visited his place more than once and knew it well. It wasn't exactly spacious. Housing three people in there… would be tight.
"I've got extra futons. Worst case, we'll lay out something on the floor. It'll be a bit cramped, but manageable."
Haruto had caught the subtext behind her words. Mai opened her mouth, ready to speak—but after seeing his expression, she quietly swallowed the words back down.
He called out to Mitsuha, who was still in Setsuna's room. The girl had originally planned to spend the night with Setsuna, but when the door opened and she saw their mother standing in the living room, she immediately clammed up and followed her brother out in silence.
After bidding farewell to Mai, the three of them returned to Haruto's apartment.
May's weather was noticeably warmer than April's. Even at night, the streets weren't cold. Mitsuha, walking beside Haruto, seemed to want to pry deeper into what her brother had been up to during his time in Tokyo.
"You sure are popular in Tokyo, huh?"
"…Hm?"
He turned to find Mitsuha giving him a look—a smirk playing at her lips.
"I've always been well aware of that, thanks. What exactly are you referring to?"
He wasn't exactly blessed with some extraordinary charisma, but his personality wasn't unpleasant, and his looks were… decently above average. He had always known he was somewhat popular—never deluded about it, but never modest either.
As the saying goes, a man should know himself, and he has always done a good job in this regard.
Mitsuha watched him with a mixture of amusement and resignation. Her brother never pretended to be something he wasn't, never put on a humble front. She silently pitied the girls who were fooled by his outward appearance. If only they knew.
"…Nothing. Forget it."
She had wanted to ask why, out of all the girls around him, he had chosen Setsuna—but seeing his reaction just killed the conversation dead.
Haruto caught the glance, but didn't press further. They soon reached the apartment. He opened the door, letting the two women inside before following them in.
He folded up the low table and leaned it against the wall, securing it so it wouldn't fall. Then, he laid out spare futons on the floor. It was a modest setup, but it would work.
"No pillows, huh? That's gonna suck…"
Mitsuha frowned, unimpressed.
Before bed, a shower was in order. Haruto left the apartment to "buy some drinks," leaving the space to his mom and sister.
Watching her brother disappear down the street, Mitsuha narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was sneaking off somewhere for fun. But she couldn't exactly follow him, either. She stared after him for a bit, then closed the door.
_ _ _ _
"Sekai should be home, but her mom's probably there too…"
He did want to see Sekai during the break—even if just for a bit. But considering the time, she was probably already asleep, and her mom definitely home.
He really didn't want to bump into Yoko at her doorstep in the dead of night.
It wasn't like he didn't have other chances to see Sekai. Waking up the whole household just for a late-night visit was unnecessary.
Following the path he knew well, he soon arrived at his usual convenience store. To his surprise, the night shift had changed—the usual female clerk wasn't there. Instead, a male employee stood behind the register.
He briefly wondered about the scheduling, but of course didn't ask.
Wandering through the aisles, he scanned the shelves. He didn't need anything in particular, but it felt weird to go back empty-handed. His eyes landed on a pack of milk caramels.
Mitsuha might like these…
But then he frowned.
"It's late. If she gets cavities, she'll blame me… Better not."
He figured he had about an hour to kill, so he lingered in the store for a while. Flipping through a few magazines, he picked out a weekly one, grabbed a few drinks, some hot coffee, and a pack of oden before heading out.
Haruto stopped his steps in the quiet park nearby and sat down on a bench. He set the shopping bag down beside him, placing the oden on the side, then opened the coffee, tilted his head back, and gazed up at the starry sky, taking a sip.
"We've already been to Asakusa and bought some souvenirs. Tomorrow, maybe we'll head to Roppongi. It's rare that we're in Tokyo, and maybe Mom would find something there she'd like to buy. I'll pick up a random gift for old man, and I bet the old man will be pretty happy about it too."
As for who the "old man" was—besides Haruto, there was only one other man in the house.
As the mayor of Itomori, Miyamizu Toshiki's annual income wasn't low at all. In fact, it was certainly higher than most people living in Tokyo. Even though Roppongi was a bustling and glamorous area, it wasn't a place he couldn't afford.
Though Haruto still had some living expenses left, in a place like Roppongi, he would be pushing it. If they really went tomorrow, he'd definitely have no room for indulgence.
"Mitsuha might be really excited about a place that represents the city's prosperity. Well, besides Roppongi, there are some other attractions around here... what was it again...?"
Even though he had lived here for over ten years, Haruto couldn't recall all the places. Especially now, many spots had subtle changes, and his memories didn't perfectly match the reality around him, leaving him uncertain for a moment.
After thinking for a while, he decided on Roppongi, though it was still a tentative plan. He gave up on overthinking it, stood up, and started walking toward his apartment.
It was getting late, and even though he had time, he figured the others must have already finished their baths.
When he reached the door of his apartment, Haruto pressed the doorbell. Footsteps could be heard from inside, and Mitsuha, with her long damp hair down, appeared at the door, her eyes fixed on him.
"What's wrong?"
"You went out to sneak a snack, didn't you?"
"Huh?"
"You didn't even wipe the corner of your mouth clean."
Instinctively raising his hand to wipe his mouth, he paused, seeing Mitsuha's teasing smile. He sighed and handed her the shopping bag.
"I picked up something for you and Mom. Not sure if you'll use them, but if not, just take them back."
"Huh?"
Mitsuha looked down at the bag and immediately blushed.
Aside from drinks and snacks, there were some feminine hygiene products that women might need every month. Mitsuha grinned, looking at him, wanting to be embarrassed, but then remembered she had forgotten to bring any herself.
She snatched the bag from his hand and quickly ran back inside. Haruto entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. Inside, his mother was already in her pajamas, and Mitsuha had changed too. Haruto glanced around briefly and then headed to the bathroom.
He tossed their clothes into the washing machine, checked the bathroom for any issues, and then closed the door, locking it.
Even if Mitsuha has something urgent to do later, she has to hold it in!
Ten minutes later.
After showering, he came out in his pajamas. He looked at Mitsuha, sitting in the room, drying her hair and looking a little bored. He blew a bit at his own damp hair.
"Alright, it's about time. We should sleep."
"Didn't you buy a pillow while you were out?"
"At this hour? Who's still selling... oh, I guess there are places, but they're too far. I'll just fold my clothes and make do tonight. I'll buy one tomorrow."
"You can have mine."
Futaba, who originally wanted to sleep on the floor with her daughter, slept on the bed after being persuaded by Haruto and Mitsuha. But now after hearing what Mitsuha said, she picked up the pillow and handed it to Mitsuha.
"No, no, I don't need it. I was just complaining."
Knowing her mother's health was delicate, Mitsuha refused the pillow. Even though she could be a little spoiled, she knew what was appropriate. She rejected her mother's offer, then grabbed the corner of the blanket and burrowed into futon, closing her eyes.
"Time to sleep!"
Futaba looked helplessly at Haruto, who shook his head and walked to the light switch.
"Time to sleep."
With a resigned sigh, Futaba placed the pillow aside, lay down on the bed, and Haruto turned off the light. He then lay down on the futon. It had been a long time since he had slept beside Mitsuha like this. As he closed his eyes, he could hear her steady breathing, making him unusually alert.
Rustle—
His hand accidentally brushed against Mitsuha's, and she immediately pulled it back.
Slowly opening his eyes, he turned his head toward her. In the moonlight, he saw her clear, bright eyes staring back at him, a discontent expression on her face.
They locked eyes for a moment, neither of them speaking.
Miyamizu Futaba, the mother of both of them, was lying on the bed beside them. No one wanted to speak, so that their mother could not get a good rest. In this situation, Mitsuha stared at Haruto for a while, then turned her back, closed her eyes, and quietly waited to fall asleep.
Hearing the soft rustle as Mitsuha turned her back to him, Haruto slightly tilted his head to gaze at the ceiling, then quietly closed his own eyes.
He usually fell asleep around nine, but tonight he had stayed up past ten. Already exhausted, it didn't take long after closing his eyes for his consciousness to blur and for him to sink into sleep. All awareness of the world around him faded.
Gentle breathing echoed softly in the quiet room. Mitsuha slowly turned back over and looked at Haruto beside her. Seeing him already fast asleep without her even noticing, she furrowed her brows slightly.
It was her first time coming to such a dazzling and unfamiliar city. Though she had always dreamed of this place, always longed for the energy of the big city, now that she was finally here, all she felt was anxiety and unease. Walking down the streets, she couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't belong.
The only time she felt calm... was when she stayed close to Haruto. Watching how naturally he navigated everything here, how familiar he seemed with this world—it brought her a strange sense of comfort.
Familiar him, and unfamiliar him.
Looking at his sleeping face, Mitsuha had a sudden urge to reach out and pinch his nose.
If only Mom wasn't here...
With Futaba's presence—her motherly authority hanging in the air—Mitsuha didn't dare do anything. She closed her eyes again and, before long, drifted into slumber as well.
"Hey, Mitsuha, you're even more dazzling than yesterday. You're so bright, I can barely keep my eyes open."
In front of her stood a handsome young man, smiling warmly. He was the first person she met in Tokyo, and now—her boyfriend.
Though his face looked eerily similar to her brother's, his personality was completely different: gentle, kind, full of affection. He would try to grant her every wish, always preparing little surprises to make her smile. He was the perfect boyfriend.
"Aww...Hayato, thank you!"
"No need to thank me. Seeing your smile—that's all the happiness I need."
As his face moved closer, smiling sweetly at her, Mitsuha felt her heart melt.
"Ahh... so embarrassing~"
"No need to be shy. Come on—give me a kiss of love as a reward..."
He closed his eyes and puckered his lips, waiting for her reply. Mitsuha's heart fluttered with nervous anticipation.
Tap.
A soft thud echoed, followed by a sharp pain on her forehead. Mitsuha's eyes flew open.
The boy had vanished.
In his place stood a familiar face... and an all-too-familiar, exasperated expression.
Still half-asleep, Mitsuha blinked at Haruto, her mind slow to catch up. A frown tugged at her lips.
"What was that about?"
"What kind of dream were you having?"
"N-Nothing!"
As his question brought her dream back into focus, Mitsuha looked away, eyes shifty and unsure. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.
"Really? Then who's 'Hayato'?"
"Wha—?!"
Her face turned beet red. Eyes wide, she stared at him in shock. Flustered, she tugged the blanket over her face, avoiding his gaze, her expression growing more and more frantic.
"N-No idea... You must've misheard..."
"You kissed me."
"Huh?!"
"In your sleep. You kissed me."