Two months flew by like two days. Autumn barely left a trace, and before anyone realized, it was already time to switch to winter clothes.
Horikita Suzune sat at the front desk of the dessert shop named "Hotaru." It was still before opening hours. She rested her chin on one hand and stared out the window to her right.
Lined up neatly on the windowsill were five or six vases of varying shapes and heights, basking in the morning light. Their ceramic surfaces shimmered with a warm glow, and the flowers inside cast soft shadows that danced along the sill with the breeze.
Over the past month, Suzune had developed a strange habit. She increasingly enjoyed lazily resting on the counter and watching the interplay of light and shadow without moving.
Sometimes, she would water the flowers herself. She even tried planting a few seeds, but none sprouted. She wasn't sure which step had gone wrong.
Meanwhile, the napa cabbage that Kitagawa Ryo had casually planted was flourishing, even blooming with tiny yellow flowers.
It was the first time Suzune had seen cabbage flowers. Pale and unremarkable, yet novel to her.
It reminded her of how, as a child, she first began to understand the world—every little change sparked pure curiosity and satisfaction.
Maybe, just as Ryo had said, she was simply growing up all over again.
Suzune had already abandoned her old daily schedule. She still woke up and attended school on time, and her grades remained excellent, but her pace in life had noticeably slowed.
As the days grew colder, she began layering her clothes more. The shop recently ordered a batch of custom earmuffs—fluffy, warm, and adorned with cute cat ears for customers to wear in photos.
After all, it was a cat-themed dessert shop.
Hotaru, the actual cat, lay beside Suzune, yawning lazily.
To Hotaru, the kitchen was the warmest place in the store. The air there was thick with the scent of sweet treats, like liquid honey—perfect for curling up and napping all day.
But Ryo didn't allow pets in the kitchen, so Hotaru had to settle for staying out front most of the time.
Suzune rubbed her hands together and walked to the back kitchen.
Sure enough, the temperature there was much warmer. Ever since winter set in, she'd grown increasingly attached to the kitchen's cozy atmosphere. She crouched by the oven and watched Ryo prepare desserts with practiced movements, her mind gradually quieting.
It was as if time itself had stopped.
The sounds of spreading cream, sizzling butter, the oven door opening and closing—
It felt like this space had been carved out from the flow of time, a serene bubble where not even voices disturbed the calm.
She could think about anything—or nothing at all.
Suzune hugged her knees and dozed off in a corner of the kitchen. Ryo didn't shoo her away. Neither of them spoke. It had become a strange, comforting routine.
Over these two months, "Hotaru" had firmly established itself on the street. The desserts, drinks, and cakes were both photogenic and delicious. Combined with the elegant decor and Hotaru the cat, who had gone viral as a meme online, the store had become a hotspot for nearby middle and high school girls.
Suzune had no idea how much Ryo had earned during these months, but from her father's occasional hints, she gathered that he had already recouped all his investment.
While their peers were still battling it out over test papers, Ryo had already forged ahead down a different path.
Still, Suzune wasn't particularly envious. She had already learned a harsh lesson from her genius older brother. Meeting someone like Ryo afterward had taught her to keep things in perspective.
After all, she knew this seemingly perfect guy still lazed in bed, was picky with food, and had nightmares.
Looking up or down at people only strains your neck. It's best to meet everyone at eye level.
That was something Suzune had learned while passing out flyers and promoting the store.
Per her agreement with Ryo, during the shop's opening days, she had to wear a cat costume and distribute flyers outside. She couldn't remember how many times she'd said "Hello," "Thank you," and "Welcome."
At first, it felt awkward. Thankfully, the thick costume had helped shield her embarrassment.
Eventually, she could say those ordinary yet important phrases with ease, even if she didn't feel they had much use otherwise.
Suzune continued practicing aikido and piano, though now at a much more relaxed pace. She spent most of her time reading across a wide range of genres, without any particular favorites.
As she dozed in the corner, she felt something being placed over her ears. Without opening her eyes, she knew it was Ryo fitting her with a pair of the shop's earmuffs.
She didn't bother speaking or moving. After all, he had seen her in far more embarrassing situations.
She just wanted to sleep.
So she merely shook her head lightly in protest.
The cat ear decorations on her head swayed gently with her long black hair.
Suzune hadn't cut her hair. As she put it, it was because she hadn't yet sorted out her true feelings.
Just like what Ryo told her before—she couldn't tell if she wanted to revert to her old self, regain her brother's approval, or simply act out of misplaced resentment.
So two months passed, and she still had no answer.
But time stretched far ahead. There was no rush.
Ryo squatted in front of her, observing her sleeping form. She sat curled up in her usual corner, her slender figure folded tightly, her now longer black hair fanning out around her shoulders like wings.
For the record, Suzune had a very neat sleeping posture. Once asleep, she stayed still, never kicked off her blanket.
People can't think beyond the present.
Because the past always looms larger than it should.
Ryo gently flicked the cat ears atop her head.
Even if this was all just a game of pretending to be family, at least until this simulation ended—
He would be there, watching over her.
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The Cultural Festival.
Held every November at the Advanced Nurturing High School in Tokyo, the Cultural Festival was a major event much like the Sports Festival in October. While it was not officially categorized as a Special Exam, it still involved changes to class points.
The rules were simple. Each class was allocated a fixed number of personal points and required to organize a festival activity within that budget.
Food stalls, haunted houses, mazes, concerts, theatrical performances...
All twelve classes from the three grade levels would be ranked based on their final sales revenue. The top four classes would receive 100 class points, fifth through eighth would get 50, and the last four would receive nothing.
Although the rewards were modest and there were no penalties, it was clear the school didn't want to put too much pressure on the students. After all, the Cultural Festival was one of the rare public-facing events at the school, and the administration hoped to avoid creating too much hostility between classes.
First-year Class A student Horikita Manabu rubbed his temples.
As the leader of Class A, he had demonstrated exceptional leadership since the start of the academic year, gradually widening the gap between his class and the others through consistent victories in Special Exams.
The preparations for this festival were already in their final stages. From every perspective, Class A appeared to be in excellent shape.
Yet Tachibana Akane, a fellow classmate and student council member, noticed something off. Horikita Manabu, usually composed and unshakable, had seemed unusually unsettled as the festival approached.
She knew that his anxiety wasn't about the event itself.
Noticing her worried gaze, Horikita shook his head to signal that he was fine.
His concern stemmed from a piece of news he had received days earlier.
Despite the school's so-called "fully closed" policy, students were still allowed to browse social media. SNS, blogs—students could connect with the outside world to a certain extent.
And a few days ago, the girl who had contacted him months earlier posted a cryptic message on her social media:
"She's decided to come."
To others, this line may have seemed nonsensical. But Horikita Manabu immediately understood who "she" was.
Horikita Suzune. His younger sister, two years his junior.
From a young age, he had seen tremendous potential in her. Even though she had not yet matured, he recognized a brilliance in her like that of an uncut gem.
Back then, he hadn't realized the effect he had on her. He only hoped that one day, she would be refined, surpassing even him.
However, things hadn't turned out that way. Instead, Suzune became bound by the illusion that was Horikita Manabu—convincing herself that she couldn't catch up, couldn't surpass him, and thus gave up and willingly abandoned her growth.
This was something Manabu could not forgive.
Perhaps that was why he chose to distance himself from her and enroll in this isolated school.
He had hoped that by separating from him, Suzune could grow independently.
Two months ago, he unexpectedly learned about her current situation through Sakayanagi Arisu, daughter of the school chairman.
Apparently, Suzune wanted to visit during the Cultural Festival, using Sakayanagi's connections.
At that time, Manabu asked Sakayanagi to check the length of Suzune's hair. If it was short, he would welcome her. If it was long, he would say something else entirely.
It was a lie he had set in place long ago—a way to test whether Suzune had broken free of his shadow.
The final result disappointed him. Suzune still had her waist-length, beautiful black hair. Though growing one's hair could symbolize maturity, to him, it only reflected her lack of growth.
He had hoped his words would discourage her. But to his surprise, Suzune hadn't given up. She still intended to come.
He wasn't a brother who didn't care. Which is why now, he felt conflicted.
How was he supposed to face her?
While he wrestled with this question, time marched on.
The day of the Cultural Festival arrived.
The event officially began at 9 a.m., but students were asked to prepare by 8:30. To help transport supplies, the school gates were opened as early as 6 a.m.
Guests—mostly family members of school staff—began arriving at 9. They were pre-registered and screened before being allowed entry.
"What should we do? I'm kind of nervous."
"Well, we haven't seen anyone from the outside since entering this school."
In the hallways, girls from other classes whispered anxiously.
Manabu walked calmly through the corridor. He had already found the best window for observing the front gate. His class's festival event had been rehearsed countless times, so his brief absence wouldn't be a problem.
He silently scanned every arriving guest, searching for Suzune.
It had been nearly a year since their last meeting.
He waited patiently, watching group after group pass through security—elderly, adults, children...
Then he found her.
Even after all this time, Manabu recognized his sister instantly. Her hair was still long, and she had grown taller.
What surprised him more was that she wasn't alone. But accompanying her wasn't Sakayanagi Arisu—it was a boy.
They were chatting and laughing together.
Just then, Tachibana Akane, who had been looking for Manabu, finally found him. She was about to call him back to oversee their class's activities when she stopped, stunned.
The usually composed and expressionless Horikita Manabu was... smiling.
He looked out the window, a bright smile forming at the corners of his mouth.
"Suzune... has made a friend."
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