The tea leaves had been sent back from overseas by Saeko's father.
He said they had a good flavor and wanted her to let me try them.
With a gentle smile, Saeko adjusted the sleeve of her yukata and poured more tea for Minamoto Senya.
He had been incredibly busy lately. At school, the two of them hardly saw each other anymore.
So when he suddenly showed up today saying he could stay until after lunch before leaving, she couldn't help but feel delighted.
It was the first time since his novel had won the award that the two of them were able to spend some private time together without being disturbed.
"Looks like I'm the one taking advantage of this, huh? I wonder what your father would think if he knew."
Senya raised his cup after thanking her, inhaling the faint fragrance rising from the tea.
"My father won't mind. He likes you a lot, after all."
"…He likes me?"
"Mhm. He's never openly said anything in front of me, but I can tell. The way he looks at you—it's a kind of passion and admiration he's never once shown me. I understand why, though. In kendo, women really do have a natural disadvantage compared to men when it comes to physical ability."
"Saeko, don't say it like that. You're not like other girls…"
"It's alright. You don't have to comfort me. I only recognize two men who are stronger than me: my father, and you."
Senya chuckled and lifted his cup slightly, motioning toward her.
Saeko picked up her own cup with both hands and took a small sip.
"If you like this tea, Senya, I'll pack some for you to take home later. It's easy enough to brew."
He shook his head.
"If it isn't you brewing it for me, it feels like something's missing. If I want more, I'll just come here again."
Her expression softened into one of quiet warmth.
"…That's fine too."
The two of them then shifted their conversation toward the topic of school advancement.
Though both Minamoto Senya and Busujima Saeko were excelling in their respective fields, they hadn't forgotten their true role: they were still students.
By the end of March, when the term ended, Senya would soon be entering the first semester of his final year in middle school.
During spring break, he had promised his fellow kendo club members that before graduation, he would lead them once more into the Yuryūki (Jade Dragon Flag) tournament.
Even though it was technically a team competition, he knew full well the results would ultimately depend on him.
As for the girls' side, without Saeko, they probably wouldn't get very far.
After all, in Kawarami Middle's kendo club, the only two truly gifted members were himself and Saeko.
Without the two of them, the club would likely be eliminated within the first two rounds.
On his side, things were fine so long as he continued step by step.
As for Saeko, she would soon be taking the entrance exams for Sōbu High School together with Utaha.
Though her academic ability wasn't as overwhelming as Yukino's or Utaha's, both of whom dominated their peers, she was still an indisputable honor student, consistently ranking within the top fifteen of the grade.
"…Recently I bought some extra study guides at the bookstore. I worked through the practice problems, and I think I'll be fine. No need to worry about the exam."
"That's good."
Senya finished his tea and stood up.
"We've drunk enough. Let's get going."
He liked being around Saeko. Who wouldn't enjoy the gentle warmth of a perfect yamato nadeshiko?
But that wasn't the only reason he had come today. He had another purpose in mind.
In recent weeks, between autograph sessions and promotional events for his award-winning novel, and then carefully compiling that detailed "diary" for Tōka, his energy had been drained.
As a result, he'd neglected his kendo practice for a while.
True, he occasionally swung the wooden sword Saeko had once given him in the courtyard at home during the mornings.
But kendo wasn't something you could maintain with solo swings alone.
As a sport built for competition, it required frequent sparring to stay sharp.
So today was both preparation for the upcoming Yuryūki tournament and a matter of respect for his future opponents.
"…Alright."
Saeko's eyes lit up slightly, though she hid it well, only nodding in agreement.
Up until this point, nothing seemed amiss.
She quickly tidied up the tea set, rose with Senya, and the two of them stepped out of the tea room together.
But soon, Senya realized something was off.
He had always thought Saeko was someone who understood him deeply.
After all, no one else had ever truly seen through his overly "generous" nature.
But now, cracks had appeared in that trust.
Because the direction Saeko was leading him wasn't toward the training hall.
It was toward her bedroom.
Senya didn't say anything at first. He thought maybe she just needed to grab her wooden sword or something.
But once they entered, Saeko deliberately turned back, closed the door, and pulled the curtains shut.
Even then, he tried to reassure himself.
She was wearing a yukata. It wasn't the most convenient clothing for practice. Maybe she just wanted to change into something looser before training.
But then she loosened the sash of her yukata, pulled him toward the bed, and with the hunger of a lioness pouncing on its prey, she pushed him down—searching as if for the most delicious parts of him to devour…
There was no way to excuse it anymore.
The weather outside was beautiful, and yet here they were, doing this in broad daylight.
Senya felt it wasn't right.
Not that he didn't want it—just that it should've happened differently. After training, in the bath, when the two of them were relaxed and at ease… water mingling naturally with warmth, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Not like this. No prelude, no build-up. Just diving straight into the main act.
But Saeko wasn't thinking about that at all. By now she had transformed into a mischievous kitten playing with her favorite toy—her "cat wand"—and had begun enjoying herself entirely on her own.
Whatever words Senya had intended melted away along with the last of his hesitation. His taut nerves unraveled, and all he could do was tilt back his head and let ragged breaths spill out from his throat.
Little Sae-nyan the kitten wasn't satisfied with just using her paws.
Her flushed face pressed against the "cat wand" too, as if she wanted to rub her teeth against it like a toy.
At the very same time, on the other side of the city, a similarly flushed and dazed expression was on Takanashi Tōka's face.
She didn't know when exactly she had once again set down Senya's diary. She had stood up, pacing restlessly around the room, fanning her cheeks with both hands as if that could somehow cool her down.
But clearly, judging by her current state, it wasn't working.
Senya likes me…
Exactly as I feared—no, exactly as I hoped—he really does like me…
In the span of just ten minutes, she had read through a dozen more entries following November 3rd.
It wasn't even a diary anymore. It was practically a confession letter written to her.
Of course, that was just how it seemed.
Tōka wasn't so naive as to take it that way.
After all, the reality was far less romantic: the "shadowy" version of herself was secretly reading through someone else's private, deeply personal diary.
Even so, she didn't regret it.
At first, she had told herself it was only to understand Senya better.
Now, that goal had been achieved—perhaps even too thoroughly.
Through the diary, she had witnessed his emotional evolution over the years, laid out in meticulous detail.
From the beginning, when he felt nothing—seeing her only as family.
To when they grew closer, as he recognized her easygoing nature, their bond gradually deepening… until it inevitably transformed into something else.
His later entries were almost scientific in their rigor, dissecting the exact moment of his first heart-throbbing realization.
It all traced back to when she sprained her ankle.
When he came to pick her up from the infirmary, and she lifted the blanket off her lap, revealing her gym uniform beneath…
A single moment of fate.
From there, once he had identified the root of his feelings, it was as though the locks had been shattered. He began writing with abandon.
Tōka saw more and more raw, unfiltered details about herself on those pages.
Compared to what she had blushed over earlier, those entries seemed almost tame.
He chronicled her daily changes—down to her outfits, her words, even the smallest physical contacts they shared.
He described the dreams that left him shaken.
And even… the way his male instincts began to stir at the thought of her body.
It was no longer family. He wrote of her only as a woman.
The necklace she had once thought of simply as a kind gift of comfort—according to his diary, it hadn't been so simple.
Yes, he had written pretty words when he gave it to her, but beneath that had been the darker, possessive impulse of someone wanting to collar and claim what he desired.
He hadn't spelled it out so blatantly, but between the lines, the implication was clear.
"Ugh…"
Tōka sat back down on the edge of her bed, pressing her palm to her forehead.
No matter how she looked at it, it was overwhelming.
For him to have harbored such feelings for her, so strongly, from such an early time—and for her never to have realized.
All this time, he had been looking at her with those kinds of eyes…
When she cooked, he had been staring at her legs and hips.
When she brushed her teeth, those accidental brushes in the hallway hadn't been accidents at all.
After a bath, when she loosened the collar of her pajamas because she was hot—he had described even that in elegant prose.
Now, the word "voyeurism" floated up in her mind.
It was a negative term, implying being looked at with indecent eyes.
And yet, instead of feeling disgust, her heart pounded with excitement.
But she didn't know how to respond to his feelings.
Yes, she had already decided: she had to respond.
Because the passion in his diary entries was clearly spiraling, reaching dangerous intensity.
At first he told himself to restrain it, but he couldn't.
He was struggling because of her. And now that she knew, she couldn't allow him to keep carrying it all alone, silently pouring it into his diary.
But how?
The very thought of some possibilities made her burn with shame. She killed those ideas as soon as they arose.
Shaking her head hard, she left the room to splash cold water on her face before returning and picking up the diary again.
Thinking too far ahead was useless right now. For the moment, she would keep reading.
But as she flipped to the next entry, her expression grew more peculiar.
The heat in her body cooled, replaced by a chill.
[December 25]
Christmas. Invited some friends over, and it had been so long since we all sat together laughing that it really warmed my heart.
Only, it was a shame Tōka wasn't there.
She said she had to help at the shop. But really, I think she just thought her presence would make the atmosphere stiff, as always so considerate of others.
That's exactly what makes her so charming—those moments of thoughtfulness she doesn't even notice. It only makes me like her more.
Something else also happened tonight.
Simply put—while we were playing games, someone kept touching my foot under the kotatsu.
At first I thought it was an accident, but the repeated frequency made it clear—it was deliberate. A teasing kind of contact.
I quickly figured out who it was: Saeko.
It surprised me. I never thought she was the type to do something like that.
But in that moment, her actions felt strangely frivolous, not like her at all.
Was it just playful teasing—or did she really feel something for me?
Later, when the game rotated seats, it happened again.
This time it wasn't Saeko. It was Utaha.
And her touches were bolder, even sliding up to my inner thigh, toes tracing lightly.
I didn't respond at all.
Because the only one in my mind at that moment was Tōka.
Even if I couldn't say it out loud yet, I knew. She was the one I liked.
So I stayed still. To have responded to them would have felt like betraying Tōka—betraying my feelings for her.
But something strange struck me.
I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Always washing before meals, disinfecting, avoiding dirt. Even with my own family—my dad, or Rikka—sometimes I can't help but recoil.
But with Tōka, I never once feel that.
Sweat after practice? Sitting on my bed in her outside clothes? I never mind. She's always been the only exception.
Until now.
Because when Saeko and Utaha touched me under the kotatsu—I didn't feel repulsed at all.
I even tried imagining their feet trapped in tight shoes all day, sweaty and unpleasant, to trigger my usual disgust.
But I failed.
I couldn't feel even a shred of revulsion.
[December 31]
New Year's Eve.
In the past, these holidays meant nothing to me—just me and Dad, no warmth, no festivity.
But now with Tōka and Rikka, everything is different.
Today, Tōka was breathtakingly beautiful. Hair tied back with a ribbon, pale neck exposed, the necklace I gave her gleaming there.
The moment she greeted me with a smile this morning, I felt healed instantly.
Part of me wanted to hold her, bury my face in her neck and inhale deeply…
But of course, that was just a thought. If I really did that, she'd be furious, and our relationship would shatter.
I also told Tōka about Saeko and Kasumi's family situations—their parents were away. I suggested inviting them over.
She agreed without hesitation. That kindness is exactly why I love her so much.
When Saeko came, she didn't try anything like before.
Kasumi, picky eater as always, seemed to enjoy the food. Her cheeks puffed up as she chewed—so different from her usual sharp demeanor. Cute, in a way.
[January 18]
I don't know if I should call it bad luck.
On the third, we all went for New Year shrine visits.
Rikka convinced me to make a wish, so I did.
But my wish was selfish.
I wished that someday, Tōka would like me the way I like her—that once I got to high school, we could start dating, and I could finally make all the dreams I've had of her into reality.
Maybe it was too indecent a wish, because soon after I came down with the flu and had to stay at Touma's house in quarantine.
It lasted until today.
Strange enough, those days were enjoyable. Her piano lessons improved me rapidly. She liked my cooking and grew friendlier every day.
Her mother often sent in expensive ingredients, and during video calls, joked about me calling her "Mom."
Kasumi would always roll her eyes and say, "My mom's an idiot, don't listen to her," but her cheeks would burn red.
I think… she might like me.
And honestly, I like being around her too.
But it's not the same as what I feel for Tōka. That, I know for certain.
[March 20]
The weather's warming, and clothes are getting lighter.
I feel like I can't restrain myself anymore.
Lately, I've been letting Tōka bathe first, then sneaking in right after.
It's obvious why.
I know I'm being terrible, but I just… can't stop.
[April 25]
While helping Saeko clean the kendo storage room today, she lost her balance on the stepladder and fell.
I caught her.
The calm, trusting look on her face made me wonder if she'd fallen on purpose.
But whether she did or not, I didn't dislike it.
When I first met her and saw her strength in kendo, I felt admiration—partly because I wanted to become stronger too, to better protect Tōka.
But now, I'm beginning to notice… Saeko herself is an incredible person.
[June 17]
Visited Eriri's house. While chatting in the living room, I spilled a drink on my pants.
Her first reaction was to grab tissues and try wiping it off. Her face turned crimson.
Her mother teased her, and Eriri ran back to her room in embarrassment.
I ended up talking with her mom for most of the afternoon.
I'm starting to notice—older women seem to really like me. Touma's mom, Kasumi's mom, Yukino's mom too.
Tōka is older than me by a few years. If only she could be swayed by this same law…
[July 31]
Went with Utaha to a publisher's banquet today.
I learned something surprising: writers hold incredible social status.
One well-known author, infamous for his affairs, was still admired—his indiscretions dismissed as "romantic."
It made me think of a new goal.
I want to become a writer.
Not to imitate his womanizing, but because being respected as an author would give me standing.
If I really become one, then maybe… things between Tōka and me will go much more smoothly.