--
"Did I just trigger a classic galgame affection event?"
Komari looked at the boy in the sunset, stunned for a few seconds, her heart inexplicably accelerating—fluttering nonstop.
Am I… am I okay right now? Do I look disgusting?
"You… why are you here?"
"Riding around, looking for inspiration."
"I—I understand!"
Komari nodded vigorously, as if she'd found a soulmate; only after sensing Kiyono's gaze did she stiffly turn her head away.
"Put the bag in my bike basket. I'll help you take it back," Kiyono said after a glance.
The girl hummed softly and slowly pushed her bike forward.
They walked in utter silence for a stretch of road. Komari mostly maintained her gloomy persona; even if she had something to say, she wouldn't speak first. This quiet would be awkward for most people, but Kiyono was long used to this way of interacting.
Komari opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but stopped. Only then did she realize how barren her life was. Whether at school or at her part-time job, she couldn't find a single interesting thing about herself.
Fortunately, she still had novels.
"—Master!"
The little boy's loud call made Komari's body tremble. Unconsciously, she had already walked almost to her doorstep. The lights nearby were gradually turning on, and her mischievous younger brother rushed out of the house directly in front of them.
"Master, have you come to visit me?" Her brother's joy was undisguised.
No, it's not because of you… Komari muttered, tilting her head.
"A thousand theories aren't worth a single moment of the blade. Let me witness your recent training," Kiyono said solemnly.
"Wind Scar!"
"It's far from enough. Come back to discuss swordsmanship with me when you're no longer obsessed with the sensation of cutting falling cherry blossoms," Kiyono said, setting down the plastic bag and turning around.
"Master, don't leave! Stay and have dinner. My older sister cooks really well!"
The boy hugged his arm, then frantically gave his sister a meaningful look.
"J-Just… consider it thanks for earlier. W-We… we happened to buy a lot of groceries today," the girl said softly.
Is this a forced plot event?
Kiyono glanced at the siblings and could only follow them into the house, helpless.
"Excuse me…"
As soon as he took off his shoes in the entryway, Komari had a brand-new pair of slippers ready for him. And as soon as Kiyono sat down, steaming barley tea and snacks were gently placed before him. This gentle, wife-like thoughtfulness made him freeze on the spot.
Although they were both "defeated dogs," this was truly a completely different style from Yanami… I shouldn't compare them carelessly!
"Y-You watch TV for a bit. I—I… I'll go cook now."
Komari walked into the kitchen with the plastic bag, put on an apron without even taking off her uniform, then meticulously sorted the groceries—refrigerating what needed refrigerating, soaking what needed soaking. Her hands were busy, her mind already planning the menu.
"Let me help," Kiyono couldn't sit still and volunteered at once. "I'm not very talented, but I am widely recognized as the best back-kitchen employee."
"No, no need. The kitchen is small. You being here will… will just get in the way," Komari said, pushing him back.
Kiyono returned to his seat, puzzled, and stared at his disciple, who stared back.
"This isn't me, your Master, angling for a free meal, you know," he tried to maintain his dignity.
"It's okay! Master can freely eat soft rice at Komari's house!" the disciple patted his chest, quoting a phrase he'd picked up from who-knows-where.
Kiyono corrected his wording, then finally had time to observe Komari's home.
Though the living room was clean and tidy, it was small overall, and the décor and furniture betrayed financial strain. In the corner lay two small tatami mats, likely for the younger siblings. Only the family photo hanging on the cabinet added a touch of warmth.
Around the corner of the living room, a cute little head quietly peeked out, observing him.
Not far away, the range hood hummed above the stove. The petite girl in an apron bustled about the kitchen. At this moment, the self-pitying gloom had vanished from her, replaced by domestic warmth and the gentle grace of an elder sister.
Komari doesn't have it easy either… Kiyono sighed softly. There were many poor people in this city. Near the station at midnight, one could see white-haired elders sitting by the roadside, silently eating rice balls, their eyes cloudy and lifeless. The homeless, the displaced, those barely able to fill their stomachs…
He suddenly knew why he admired Komari: she possessed the courage to strive actively in the face of poverty and hardship. Even when life was painful and difficult, she didn't cower; she was determined to change it.
They shared the same feeling.
"Disciple, call your second sister, and let's go to the convenience store to buy more snacks. I don't like your eldest sister's taste."
Kiyono stood up with a smile.
Hearing this, Yuuta—who usually obeyed his Master implicitly—hesitated. It was their family rule not to easily accept others' gifts or kindness.
Kiyono noticed and continued:
"Don't worry, your sister often helps me when she's working part-time, and she even buys snacks for me. This is a fair return."
He didn't lower his voice, and Komari in the kitchen heard it too. Even so, she tacitly agreed; buying a few snacks for her family wasn't a big deal, and she could feel his good intentions.
"Hmm… in that case, Haruna, let's go with Master!"
Her brother no longer hesitated.
The other little girl observed a moment longer; perhaps Kiyono's face was charming enough that she gathered her courage and followed.
Kiyono chatted with the two children, building rapport, as he led them into the mall. He not only bought snacks but also coaxed and tricked them into picking a toy each—perhaps the world was ending, but he still wanted to do this.
After buying another large bag of things and returning home, dinner was almost ready—and the second sister's affection for Komari had reached the point of actively holding hands. Don't look at me with suspicious eyes! Your sister initiated it!
"W-Wash your hands and eat," Komari glared at them one by one.
Kiyono pretended not to see, took the siblings to wash up, and sat at the dining table.
Dinner was plentiful: salt-grilled saury, rice, miso soup, nikujaga (meat-and-potato stew), fried meat patties, and several side dishes. For the four of them—all minors—it was already a feast; the girl had indeed prepared it with care.
Komari didn't ask him how it tasted. She silently picked up her chopsticks, though her eyes would occasionally flick to his face.
"Delicious. Very delicious, Disciple. I'm almost envious that you get to eat this kind of meal every day," Kiyono said, eating heartily.
It was the truth; the food had a gentle spirit, a lingering taste. Simply put, it felt like home.
"D-Do you want another bowl of rice?" Komari glanced at his bowl.
"Mm."
"D-Do you want another cup of tea?"
"Mm."
"Y-Your face…" Komari's gaze fell on Kiyono's cheek—a grain of rice had stuck there.
Before she could act, the second sister leaned over, plucked off the grain of rice, and popped it into her own mouth.
"Tasty."
Komari's mouth twitched.
"I-If you like it, then in the future, you can also…" She kept stealing glances at Kiyono while skillfully picking the best parts of the fish for the sister beside her—she actually wanted to give it to a certain someone, but she couldn't make such a bold move.
"Master can always come to our house for dinner in the future!" her brother loudly finished the sentence for her.
Are you—are you my loudspeaker!?
Komari silently complained.
Kiyono smiled. "Okay."
"Next time, I'll bring the ingredients."
Under the light, his smile was exceptionally warm.
—When is next time? In a distant, another world? What kind of relationship will we have then?
Komari thought, lost in thought.
At 8:30 p.m., after playing games with the two children for a while, Kiyono left Komari's house under their reluctant gazes.
Komari, in rubber gloves, was washing dishes in the kitchen. After a while, her younger brother suddenly ran up behind her.
"Hey, Big Sister…"
Yuuta said seriously, "Big Sister, do you like Master?"
Her hands—and expression—froze.
"Y-You… what are you talking about, you little rascal!" Komari turned, embarrassed and angry, feeling her big-sister authority challenged.
"Because… Haruna and I like Master very much, so we thought it would be great if you two could date. Besides, if Master were around, Big Sister probably wouldn't have to work so hard."
After saying this, her brother didn't dare linger and scurried back to the living room.
D-Dating or something…
How could that be.
The girl huffed twice, looking out at the beautiful, melancholic night view bathed in moonlight.
Time fast-forwards—
At this moment, in a second-year high-school classroom.
The blue-haired girl sat silently at her desk, chewing bread, azure eyes gazing out the window.
"Time passes so quickly. What can I still do now? Not just now, but in the future…"
"What kind of future should I choose?"
"When the time comes, how will I find him?"
At that same moment, on the school playground—
Under the clear, peaceful sky, a girl was running laps around the track.
She was tall and sunny, like a summer sunflower, radiating youth and brightness.
Running full-speed to the finish line, she exhaled lightly, her beautiful pale-purple eyes lifting to the sky.
"It's almost over."
"I've already found the addresses of the internet cafés and hotels Kiyono frequents. I just need to settle down for one last stretch…"
Cherry blossoms fall.
It's another rainy season.
Continuous light rain tapped on the classroom window, crystalline droplets sliding down the glass little by little. This June entered the rainy season earlier than usual, dark clouds gathering and the sky turning gloomy.
Outside the window lay a scene as dark as night, but inside the classroom, under the bright lights, it was exceptionally luminous—two different worlds.
The blue-haired girl propped her cheek on her hand, absentmindedly gazing at the rain while listening to her classmates' discussions. A strange feeling rose in her heart.
—Her classmates were gradually growing up.
In the past, when summer vacation approached, everyone would talk about fun games, where to go shopping, what swimsuits to buy…
But now, they were discussing which majors to choose, what decisions to make for the future—humanities or sciences—and those planning for higher education had already buried themselves in studying for university exams.
They had to make decisions about their futures.
So, what about me?
Although she vaguely had an idea, she didn't dare voice it; it felt too unrealistic.
Yanami lowered her head, looking at the volunteer survey form on her desk—only "further education" was filled in. She picked up her pen, trying to write those two words under the university and employment options, but in the end, she only sighed softly.
It felt too hasty.
While the barrier to entry for an editor isn't as high as for a light-novel author, it's not an industry you can just waltz into—especially at top-tier publishing houses.
The blue-haired girl slumped onto her desk, scratching her head in distress.