Suddenly, Haruto felt a thick emotional wall rise up between him and Setsuna—an invisible barrier that clearly signaled suspicion. Deep down, he knew his actions might've come off as questionable, but he hadn't expected that, in Setsuna's eyes, he now seemed like someone with a "thing for little sister types."
"…I guess I'd be a little happy," he admitted honestly. "Actually, given our age difference, it wouldn't be that weird for you to call me 'Onii-chan.'"
He tapped the girl lightly on the forehead, then pointed at himself. His tone and expression were calm.
He was, after all, a year older than her. From that perspective, calling him "big brother" wasn't inappropriate. If you went strictly by life experiences, Setsuna calling him "daddy" might even technically fit…
But then again, that would be way too much.
Being called "uncle" might be acceptable. But "daddy"? That just made it sound like they were roleplaying something a little too kinky.
Then again... considering my relationship with Mai… if Setsuna called me "daddy," it wouldn't be totally off base…
As that thought began to spiral in his mind, he quickly shook it off and closed his eyes.
Instead, he slowly reached out and wrapped his arms around the girl in front of him.
Setsuna's body instinctively tensed—but a moment later, she relaxed and gently returned the embrace, resting her head against his chest.
Lying in the bed beside them, Sekai was still deep in sweet dreams.
It wasn't until nearly noon that she slowly opened her eyes, blinking sleepily as she inhaled the fresh air that she couldn't usually enjoy in the city. She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, momentarily confused.
"Huh...? Where am I…?"
Her dazed eyes gradually cleared. As her gaze wandered around the room, memories returned, and she suddenly sat up, looking anxiously at the empty space beside her. Seeing that the futon on the floor was also empty, a wave of unease rushed in.
Throwing off the thin blanket still draped over her, Sekai—still in her pajamas—hurried to the door. Sliding it open, she found the hallway completely empty.
"Haruto? Setsuna?"
Calling their names softly, Sekai walked into the living room, where she found the two sitting in front of the TV watching a program. Off to the side, Mitsuha slouched on the couch, occasionally sighing as she watched the couple beside her.
There was no sign of Yotsuha anywhere. Still in her pajamas, Sekai quietly approached the living room. Haruto looked up when he noticed her.
"Awake?"
"What time is it?"
"It's almost eleven. Lunch should be ready soon. You woke up just in time."
"It's that late already?!"
Sekai glanced around and noticed the wall clock. Her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected to sleep straight through to noon.
Haruto stood up. "Go wash up. I'll start getting lunch ready. Mom and Yotsuha went to Hida this morning, so it's just the five of us here. That means we're on kitchen duty."
Hearing that, Sekai glanced at her sleepwear, gave a soft response, and quickly returned to the room to change. Haruto headed toward the kitchen, and Mitsuha lay slumped over the couch, watching his back. As she looked at Setsuna rising to follow him, she felt a strange emptiness settle in her heart.
Ever since that moment this morning when Haruto had seen her... a restless feeling had been eating away at her. It felt like she had lost something important—and that hollow ache wouldn't go away.
Elsewhere, in Tokyo
Lying lazily on a couch, Itsuki pulled the magazine off her face and glanced at Ichika, who had just entered the living room.
"Not going out today?"
"No need. He's not in Tokyo anyway, and I don't know when he'll be back. Got any ideas for lunch?"
"I'm good with anything. Still, I kind of feel like going out. So, he went back to his hometown? I think it's in Gifu, right?"
"Yeah. A town called Itomori. I looked it up on the map—it's way out in the countryside."
Ichika picked up her phone, opened the map app, and held it up for Itsuki to see. The moment she spotted the town marked on the screen, she couldn't help but frown. It looked incredibly remote.
"Looks really far."
"Lots of train transfers, and I doubt there are even proper places to stay there."
"…You want to go to his place?"
Ichika blinked in surprise, turning to look at Itsuki. She hadn't meant to suggest that, but clearly, the idea had crossed Itsuki's mind.
"No! I was just saying… it looks so isolated. Probably no hotels or inns."
"You like him, don't you?"
Itsuki's face instantly flushed red. She glanced at Ichika, then silently raised the magazine to cover her face, avoiding her sister's gaze. She didn't answer. Just stayed quiet.
Ichika sighed inwardly, already feeling a little drained. Still, she didn't press further—just watched her sister for a moment.
"He already has a girlfriend. And whatever's going on between him and Sawamura in our class... that's still unclear. Don't do anything you'll regret."
"…Didn't you like him too?"
"…"
Ichika didn't answer. Instead, she turned and walked silently toward the stairs.
Itsuki sat on the couch, watching her sister disappear into her room. Then she lowered her gaze to the map on her phone again. Her expression wavered—should she really go to Itomori?
But it was so far. And so rural. Going alone might not be safe.
Sighing, she turned off her phone and decided it was best to stay home.
"…I wonder when he'll come back to Tokyo."
Back in Itomori, Haruto sneezed as he finished preparing lunch, a tickle in his nose making him pause for a second. Rubbing his nose, he returned to the living room and called his grandmother. Once everyone had gathered, the five of them sat down to eat together.
It was summer, and the elderly didn't enjoy oily food during the heat. So, the lunch was simple: salads, fruits, tofu-based dishes. Light and refreshing.
From the look on his grandmother's face, she seemed quite pleased with the meal. Setsuna and Sekai had no complaints either.
Mitsuha, however, silently picked at her food, occasionally stealing glances at Haruto. Each time their eyes met, she would glare at him—an unspoken protest.
Naturally, the job of cleaning up the dishes went to Mitsuha. With their grandmother present, she couldn't refuse him, no matter how much she wanted to. Sullenly, she began to gather the plates.
Seeing this, Setsuna and Sekai exchanged a look and wordlessly joined in to help her.
Haruto, watching the three girls getting along surprisingly well, turned to see his grandmother looking at him with a long, meaningful gaze.
Does she know something? he wondered.
But she hadn't really interacted much with Sekai—aside from seeing her during meals. How could she possibly guess their relationship from that?
Still… he had a bad feeling. Her eyes kept flicking between Setsuna and Sekai like she was sizing them up. It made his chest feel uncomfortably tight.
Thankfully, his grandmother didn't stay in the living room for long. After resting a bit, she returned to her room to continue weaving cord charms—an old tradition in the Miyamizu family, passed down through generations. Local rumors claimed the charms were blessed by the gods. Many villagers would come just to buy one.
"Want to Take a Little Walk Around This Afternoon?"
"I can show you my old school," Haruto offered.
"You mean, we're going to school?" Mitsuha perked up from the couch.
Her eyes sparkled with interest—curious about how these Tokyo students would react to seeing her humble countryside school.
"You're coming too?" Haruto asked.
"Of course!"
So, with Mitsuha joining in, the four of them got ready. He informed his grandmother before they headed out.
There was only one umbrella at the house. The three girls squeezed together under it, while Haruto walked alone in the sunlight. Looking up at the blue sky, he felt a mix of nostalgia and comfort wash over him.
It was a long walk from the his house to the school—just like the old days. Without enough bicycles for everyone, they chose to walk, just as they had in the past.
"This is a long walk," Haruto remarked. "I've been in Tokyo so long I think I forgot the way. Mitsuha, you take the lead."
"Seriously? You've only been in Tokyo for four months, and you already forgot the way to school?"
Leaving the umbrella's shade, Mitsuha squinted against the summer sun, raising a hand to her forehead as she eyed her older brother.
"I don't know what might've changed here. Better safe to let a current student lead the way, right? No one knows the path better than you."
That answer sounded suspiciously like an excuse. Mitsuha glared at him for a moment but gave in and walked ahead.
Haruto hadn't really forgotten. But walking this path again, seeing these familiar sights, made his heart stir with emotion. He didn't mind falling behind a little, just taking in the scenery.
They walked down the stone steps. Mitsuha narrated along the way, introducing each household, describing life in Itomori.
"This place is basically frozen in time. Everything's so old-fashioned. There's no modern vibe at all. People from the city might think it's charming, but honestly, I'd rather live somewhere convenient and modern."
She sighed. The town didn't even have a local bus system—only intercity buses. Getting anywhere within the town meant walking.
Each family passed down their business through generations. In her entire life, Mitsuha had seen very little change. The only real upgrade had been when their father, Toshiki Miyamizu, repaved some roads during his time as town mayor—before he moved on to become the mayor of Hida.
"There's no cafés, no pet shops, nothing trendy."
Her grumbling continued, leaving Setsuna and Sekai unsure how to respond.
When they glanced toward Haruto, they noticed he'd fallen even farther behind—his face calm, a gentle smile playing on his lips. The countryside clearly brought him peace.
Eventually, they crossed a river and arrived at the middle school. The front gates were wide open—no guard in sight.
The four of them strolled inside. Everything looked the same. After all, only a few months had passed. Nothing really changed out here.
"There aren't many club activities here. During summer break, most students just stay home. Only the student council shows up to clean the school a little."
The campus was empty, unlike the bustle of city schools where clubs trained even during vacation.
"This is where you went to school?" Setsuna asked.
Sekai looked around at the humble buildings. The courtyard was just dirt and patches of grass. Compared to her own school, it felt… rustic.
"I spent three years here," Haruto replied. "In the afternoons, I used to rest under that tree over there. You can still see the old desk beneath it. Sometimes I'd sit and chat with friends. Someone even confessed to me under that tree."
"Who was it?!"
The question didn't come from just Setsuna and Sekai—but Mitsuha too. All three girls' eyes widened, instantly alert, staring at Haruto.