The gist of the conversation was Mai's harsh reprimand toward Yoko for her shameless betrayal—her anger and disappointment at a friend's unfaithfulness. Yet, as she spoke, her tone gradually softened until it faded away entirely.
In the blink of an eye, Mai stepped out of her room. Her face no longer bore any trace of anger; the stark change was so striking that even Setsuna couldn't help but glance twice at his mother.
"You… are you alright?"
Watching Mai emerge, Haruto thought her anger had been too intense at first. Deep down, he didn't really like Yoko's forwardness either. But considering the situation, he didn't want to see conflict arise between Mai and Yoko.
Mai looked at him silently for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
"I'm fine. It's just… no, it's nothing."
Haruto and Setsuna exchanged puzzled looks at her evasive answer. Whatever Yoko had said to Mai, they didn't press further. For now, they quietly decided to let the matter rest.
_ _ _ _
Since the day Haruto personally visited Rio's home, Rio had gradually returned to her usual self—appearing punctually at the lab every day—but she hadn't grown any closer to Haruto. Unless Haruto went to the lab, she would not approach him on her own.
"'Miyamizu Yuka,' your pen name? And the heroine's name is also Yuka? Is the story based on your own experience?"
Haruto stirred the coffee while glancing at the beaker filled with a brown liquid on the table. After his unexpected fainting episode, he remained cautious about anything Rio concocted—even if it was just instant coffee.
"It's not exactly personal experience. I once met a girl by chance. When she was about to take a big step, she happened to run into me. Whether she ever took that step afterward… probably not."
"Oh… so something like that happened."
Rio stirred the coffee gently with a glass rod, her expression unreadable. Haruto leaned a little closer, tilting his head to catch her face, only to be met with a cold glare.
"Are you angry?"
"No, I'm not."
Rio, still stubborn, let out a soft sigh. She looked away from the coffee and put out the alcohol burner.
"You're already quite the accomplished writer now."
Haruto turned his gaze toward the window, where the vast blue sky stretched beyond, dotted with thin clouds. He slowly walked over, resting both hands on the windowsill. The sunlight warmed his face as he closed his eyes briefly, then turned back to Rio standing inside the lab.
"Did you think of me last night?"
"You're not fully awake yet, huh?"
He chuckled lightly, still gazing out at the sky, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
After spending the afternoon in the lab, Haruto returned to his classroom. He smiled gently at a few classmates, noticing the girls' flushed faces as he took his seat.
"Nozaki, is it okay if I include references to other works currently on the market in my manga?"
During the break, Haruto suddenly remembered something and looked back at Nozaki Umetarou, the manga artist sitting behind him.
Caught off guard by the question, Nozaki immediately handed over his notebook as if assuming Haruto wanted to copy notes. Haruto hesitated but accepted it with a thankful nod.
"Publishers usually don't allow blatant promotion of other works, but subtle hints aren't a big deal."
Nozaki's eyes met Haruto's. Having drawn a lot of inspiration from him, he thought carefully before answering.
Looking at Haruto's handsome profile, Nozaki recalled their previous conversations and seemed a bit surprised.
"Have you finished the work you told me about before?"
"Yeah, it's been released, but the sales aren't very good."
"That's really frustrating."
Nozaki nodded sympathetically. Though he already had a solid fan base from his serialized manga, his single volume sales were just average, causing him similar worries. He understood how Haruto felt.
"If you want, I can try to promote your work through my manga. It's a bit tricky, but I can ask my editor. If the publisher's okay with it, then I'm fine."
"That would be a huge help."
Nozaki's manga was shoujo, mostly attracting female readers. His works weren't strictly gender-targeted, but girls tended to be more interested.
After a brief chat where Haruto shared his work's title, Nozaki promised to check with his editor after school and help if possible.
Before reaching home, Haruto got a call from Mari.
"Are you free?"
"Now?"
"No, the weekend. Are you available?"
"What for?"
"If you're free, we could hold a new book signing at a bookstore."
"I'm not some big-name author. Is that really necessary? I'm still a rookie. Isn't it a waste of time?"
"But you're good-looking. Even uninterested female customers will be curious about your work after seeing your face."
"…"
"And then when they see the content and contrast it with your identity, it creates strong buzz and curiosity."
Haruto opened his mouth to say he's relying on talent, not looks—but he stopped himself. Having faced the realities of the world, he understood how things worked.
He was just an unknown author with no reputation, no awards. A signing event wouldn't make much difference. But if showing his face could boost sales, there was no reason to refuse.
"When and where?"
"Not set yet, but it'll be soon. I'll contact you when it's decided. I have to go now. Talk to you later."
The call ended abruptly. Haruto looked at his phone, unsure how to feel. He quietly pocketed it and headed home.
Just as he climbed the stairs, he spotted a figure crouching by his door—Sekai. He sighed helplessly.
Yesterday it was his mother, and today it's the daughter?
He silently walked over. As Sekai looked up at him, their eyes met, and Haruto didn't quite know how to start the conversation.
"School's finished already? Didn't you go hang out with your friends and make the most of your precious youth?"
"No, I came straight here after school. Sorry, I…"
She had rehearsed her words for a long time, but after seeing Haruto standing in front of her, Sekai found herself unable to speak. She lowered her head quietly, burying her face in her arms, and sat silently by the door.
Haruto reached into his pocket, feeling the keys, then hesitated. With a sigh, he didn't take the keys out, but instead slowly crouched down and reached out his hand, gently taking Sekai's.
When she looked up slowly, still holding his hand, he smiled softly at her.
"It's still early. Come with me for a little walk to clear our heads."
"…"
Sekai noticed him quietly send a text to Setsuna. She didn't say anything, just pursed her lips and followed Haruto up the stairs.
Where they were headed, she didn't ask. The two walked quietly, one after the other.
After some time, they passed by a small restaurant near Kasuga Station. Haruto stopped and glanced back at Sekai, then pointed toward the restaurant on the street corner.
Sekai didn't react at first, but with his recent royalty payments coming in, Haruto wasn't worried about the cost. He stepped inside, and after biting her lip, Sekai followed him into the restaurant.
Located near the station and during rush hour, the restaurant wasn't packed but had a decent crowd. Most tables were occupied.
"Two people?"
A waitress greeted them as they entered, confirming that Haruto and Sekai were together.
"Yes. Is there a private room?"
"Of course, right this way."
The waitress smiled and led them to a private room. Once seated, Sekai glanced over the menu. Her expression became complicated. Though her allowance wasn't small, the prices made her realize her budget would take a serious hit.
She'd just bought a telescope recently, which already strained her finances. Now this…
"Don't worry about the bill. I'll cover it. By the way, I haven't seen Katsura with you guys lately."
Sekai's worries about the prices faded when she heard Kotonoha's name. She looked up, narrowing her eyes at Haruto opposite her, no longer thinking about the food cost.
"You're concerned about Kotonoha?"
"No, it's just… I haven't seen her with you recently, so I'm a little curious."
Haruto smiled softly, meeting her gaze.
"We see each other every day at school, in the same classroom. If you care that much, you could transfer to Sakakino. If you join our class, you'd see Kotonoha every day."
Sekai smiled and said, "There are a lot of boys in your class who are always watching Kotonoha. It's surprising since she seems to dislike boys and avoids them—but her reactions around you aren't as strong."
Haruto glanced up from the menu at her words.
"Even though the food isn't here yet, the atmosphere's already a bit sour."
Sekai wanted to get annoyed but suddenly remembered what had happened earlier. Her puffed-up cheeks deflated as she looked down, flipping the menu shut quietly.
"Finished looking?"
"Yeah."
"That was quick."
"It's just a menu. I see plenty of these at home. The dishes aren't very different from my family's restaurant."
Haruto thought for a moment.
"Come to think of it, I've barely been to your family's restaurant—it's a bit far, and I don't usually go there."
Thinking about Yoko being there dampened his enthusiasm. He sighed quietly, shook his head, and gave up the idea.
"Let's get back to talking about Katsura."
"Why? Are you really interested in her?"
Sekai frowned, glancing at Haruto carefully. What had been a half-joking comment now seemed more serious. She studied his expression, trying to figure out what he was thinking.