At noon in the height of summer, the afternoon sun over Mitakihara District was almost blinding.
Yukino Yukinoshita stood at the entrance of an auction house called Kogusai, silently questioning whether a certain someone had been holding the map upside down.
"Sister, I thought we came out to pick a gift for Mother."
"Yes, we did, little Yukino. And isn't this a wonderful place for that?"
Haruno Yukinoshita didn't give her any chance to turn away. She looped her arm around Yukino's just as it was about to pull free.
"This place was recommended by Uncle Nogi. He said they recently got some interesting items. If we're choosing a gift for Mother, we can't just go with something dull and predictable like scarves or brooches again, right?"
"I don't think antiques, with all their decaying aura, are any more suitable than scarves."
Yukino let herself be dragged along, though her center of gravity subtly leaned backward in silent protest.
"And places like this usually have twice the air pollution of a department store."
Haruno smiled, her eyes curving with amusement. "Oh, don't be so rigid, Yukino."
"It's nice to try something different once in a while. Or… are you scared?"
Before Yukino could fire back with something sharper at such a baseless provocation, a familiar figure entered her peripheral vision, slipping past the noren curtain into the auction house.
Short black hair. Casual clothes that fit just right. And an air of quiet detachment that made him feel out of place anywhere.
Kazama Chiba.
The name surfaced in Yukino's mind, along with memories she had long since buried, none of them particularly pleasant.
Memories could wait.
Why was he here?
This was the heart of Mitakihara, the core of Shinsui City, a place lined with luxury brands and high-end establishments.
And the Chiba she remembered was so poor that he wouldn't even dare dream about spending money, afraid of the disappointment when he woke up.
So seeing him here felt about as likely as spotting a panda in the wild.
Yukino didn't want to think too deeply about it. She turned, intending to leave.
"Oh my, isn't that Chiba-kun? Aren't you going to say hello, Yukino?"
Haruno, of course, couldn't resist stirring trouble.
Yukino instinctively took a half-step back.
"He's just an irrelevant person."
"Sister, let's go to the Ginza department stores instead. There are more options there."
"No need to rush."
Haruno's arm slipped around Yukino's shoulders, stopping her retreat. "What's this? Avoiding an old friend? That's not very becoming of the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family."
"If your definition of 'friend' includes someone you haven't spoken to in two years, then perhaps you should revisit the dictionary."
Yukino stared straight ahead, refusing to look at his back.
"And I see no reason to greet him."
Haruno exaggerated a sigh, though her gaze remained fixed on Chiba.
"How cold, Yukino."
"You two used to be so close when you were kids. Close enough to make even me, your older sister, jealous. You were together every day after school. So how did things end up like this once you entered high school?"
"That was your imagination."
Yukino shot back mercilessly.
"If you're interested in studying the evolution of human relationships, the sociology section of the library would be more suitable."
Haruno released her, raising both hands in mock surrender.
"Alright, alright. I lose. I can't win against you. But just humor me, okay? We're buying a gift, after all. You can't expect me to go in alone."
She leaned closer to Yukino's ear.
"Besides… don't you find it strange?"
Yukino glanced at her. "That someone as awful as you still has friends?"
"I'm talking about Chiba-kun."
Haruno let out a soft laugh.
"As far as I know, he's just an orphan with no background. He relies on scholarships and part-time jobs to get by. So why would he come to a place like this?"
Yukino's voice remained cool, but her feet no longer moved toward the exit.
"You really have too much time on your hands. What does his lifestyle have to do with you?"
"If he wants to throw money away for someone, that's none of my concern."
"Is it really none of your concern?" Haruno's voice softened, almost coaxing, like inviting Alice down the rabbit hole.
"I just think it's interesting. When someone behaves out of character, there's always a strong motive behind it."
"Maybe he's betting everything on something he can only obtain here. Doesn't that sound like the kind of tragic story you'd enjoy?"
She took Yukino's hand and led her inside.
"Come on. Think of it as accompanying me to buy a gift… and catching a good show along the way."
Inside the auction house, guests sat in small groups on deep red velvet chairs, chatting quietly or flipping through catalogs.
Kazama Chiba sat in the front row, completely unaware of what was happening behind him.
Haruno, clearly a regular here, guided Yukino with ease to the back of the hall, settling into an inconspicuous seat in the third row from the end.
From this angle, they had a clear view of his back.
Chiba leaned against his chair, holding a catalog in one hand, seemingly deep in thought.
No nervous glances. No signs of discomfort. He looked perfectly at ease, as if he belonged here.
"See? Isn't it strange?" Haruno whispered, leaning close.
"What is?"
"Chiba-kun. Doesn't he feel like a completely different person? Back when he followed you around, he was always so timid. Now he looks the part."
"Perhaps he's found a new patron."
Yukino flipped open the catalog. The items ranged from antique calligraphy to fine jewelry.
"Patron? Your wording is as sharp as ever."
Haruno chuckled.
"By the way, Yukino… do you think he can afford anything here?"
Yukino's gaze fell on a sapphire brooch listed with a starting bid in the seven-figure range.
"I have no interest in other people's financial situations."
"Really? Because I remember you used to care a lot. For example, when he only had bread for lunch, you'd give him the tamagoyaki from your bento. And in winter, when he wore just a thin coat, you would…"
"Haruno Yukinoshita."
"Yes?"
"If you came here today just to reminisce, then I won't be staying."
Yukino closed the catalog and made to stand.
"Don't be mad." Haruno pressed her hand down.
"I'm just curious. After all, he's the only boy who actually stopped talking to you after you told him, 'Please don't speak to me again.'"
"…."
"The others? They all kept pestering you, trying every trick to get your attention."
"But he? He disappeared cleanly. As if the years you spent together were nothing more than a dream. Don't you think that's strange?"
Yukino sat back down, silent.
At that moment, the lights over the stage brightened again. A well-dressed auctioneer stepped forward, and the hall fell quiet.
"It's starting," Haruno murmured.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to Kogusai's July Summer Auction. I am your auctioneer, Suzuki. Our first item today is a work by the Edo-period ukiyo-e master Sharaku, The Actor Otani Oniji III as the Servant Edohei."
Under the spotlight, a carefully preserved painting was displayed.
Yukino had little knowledge of art. She only thought the expression on the figure looked exaggerated.
Beside her, Haruno watched with clear enjoyment.
In the front row, Chiba didn't even flip through his catalog. He glanced up briefly, then returned to his previous posture.
Clearly, this wasn't what he came for.
"Number ten, one million five hundred thousand."
"Number thirteen, one million six hundred thousand."
Bids rose one after another.
The numbers quickly lost meaning to Yukino. She simply observed.
Observed the boy seated in the front row, waiting to see the moment he would raise his paddle.
And what reason would drive him to do so.
"By the way, Yukino," Haruno spoke again, "did you really drift apart just because of high school?"
"What else? Relationships change with environment. That's perfectly normal."
"Is that so? I think it's because Chiba-kun is too smart."
Yukino's hand paused as she turned a page.
"He's good at reading people. So he understood that the younger daughter of the Yukinoshita family could never stay close to an orphan with nothing. Rather than waiting for you, or someone in our family, to point it out… he chose to disappear on his own terms. At least that way, he kept his dignity."
Haruno spoke as if stating a simple fact.
Yukino asked, "Is that how you've always seen him?"
"I'm just describing what I saw. He saw through you, saw through that invisible line, and stepped back on his own. That's why I'm curious."
"…"
The auction continued.
One expensive antique after another was presented and sold.
Kazama Chiba never raised his paddle.
Not because he couldn't afford anything.
Simply because none of it interested him.
Yes, that must be it.
Behind him, Yukino sank into thought.
Haruno's words reminded her of the day of their middle school graduation. She had planned to talk to Chiba about their future, about the distance that would come with it.
But she never found him.
He had vanished completely, as if he had evaporated from her world.
No goodbye. No questions. Not even a single message.
So clean, so final, that it made those years feel like a fragile illusion.
So it wasn't that he was slow to understand.
It was that he understood too well.
He had seen everything in advance… and made the most rational choice before she could even speak.
Just then, a new item was brought onto the stage, pulling her back to the present.
It was a crude ceramic lamp.
Its box was inlaid with what looked like an unremarkable stone shaped like a mouse.
The craftsmanship was rough. The material unremarkable. Some parts were even chipped.
"What is that? Did they bring out the wrong item?"
Someone in the audience voiced the doubt.
Even the auctioneer, Suzuki, hesitated for a moment before quickly regaining composure. She checked the card in her hand.
"Next, we have a ceramic lamp reportedly excavated from an Eastern tomb. Its exact age and purpose are unknown. Due to its potential historical research value, the starting bid is one million yen, with increments of one hundred thousand."
The moment the price was announced, the room fell silent.
Everyone thought the organizers had lost their minds.
A broken ceramic lamp… for one million?
"They could give it to me for free and I still wouldn't want it," Haruno commented.
Yukino couldn't understand it either. The seller hadn't even bothered to lie and call it an antique. Were they really treating buyers like fools?
The auctioneer stood there for a moment. No one bid. The atmosphere grew awkward.
Just as she was about to bring the hammer down and declare it unsold
A voice came from the second row.
"One million."
In an instant, every gaze turned toward the speaker, eager to see who the unfortunate fool was.
It was Kazama Chiba.
The auctioneer, as if grabbing a lifeline, brought the hammer down with force.
"One million from this gentleman! Do I hear a higher bid?"
"Oh?" Haruno's lips curved upward.
Yukino frowned.
She couldn't understand why Kazama Chiba would spend a million yen on something like that.