The next morning, I step into the living room, grumbling about getting less sleep than usual.
For some reason, Kaori and my mom are eating breakfast together.
“…What’s going on here?”
“Oh, Ao-kun, good morning!”
“Morning, Aoi. It’s summer break, but you’re up early as always, huh?”
“Early, you say… Mom, don’t tell me you just got home?”
“Yup. I ran into Kaori-chan at the entrance, so we’re having breakfast together.”
What kind of situation is this? I think, as I start making a quick hot sandwich in the kitchen.
“Oh, by the way, Aoi, I got about half a month off for summer break.”
My groggy brain processes Mom’s voice drifting from the living room, and thinking I misheard, I ask again.
“…Half a day?”
“That’d be no different from usual. Half a month, like two weeks or so.”
“Wait… Seriously!? What about your work!?”
I can’t help but raise my voice louder than usual.
Confused by the impossible length of time given her usual work situation, Mom starts explaining with a delighted grin.
“That’s right. I’m using some paid leave too, but I’ve had so many weekend shifts lately that this is the tradeoff.”
“Tradeoff, huh… A long break is nice, but please take shorter breaks more often? Watching you makes me worry you’ll wreck your health…”
“You don’t need to worry that much. My last checkup showed nothing wrong.”
“That’s not the point…”
Honestly, I’d love to say the same to Dad, who’s away on a solo assignment, but I really wish both my parents would take more breaks.
It’s not just about Kohaku, but Mom’s pushing forty—she needs to start taking better care of herself.
I get that she’s young for a parent of a high schooler, but she should consider her age and health when working.
It’s not like we’re struggling financially as a family. Both my parents have been workaholics since they were young, so we’re not hurting for money.
I don’t know the exact details of their income, but based on the budgeting I handle, our household is pretty well-off.
Letting out a small sigh, I plate my hot sandwich and salad and head to the living room.
…Growing up in a house like this probably makes me crave someone to lean on sometimes.
I think back to yesterday, spending time with Kiritsuki at the internet café, and my gaze shifts to Kaori.
“…So, Kaori, why are you here?”
“Me? Minori-chan and Kohaku-chan said they’re having a study session, so I’m helping out.”
“Huh.”
“Oh, should I help with your studies too, Ao-kun?”
“Nah, I’ll have Toki look over my work while we practice.”
“Oh… right.”
Kaori, looking a bit deflated, moves to take a bite of her salad but suddenly freezes.
The sad, lonely air she’d been giving off vanishes as her eyes widen in shock, and she looks up with an expression of disbelief.
“W-Wait… Did you just call her Toki!?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah… I don’t know why, but everyone’s been asking me to call them by their first names.”
“Everyone!? Like, who and who!?”
“Uh, like Yamabuki Sakuna-san and Miyajima Alexandra Tomo-san… you know.”
I mention two names off the top of my head, besides Toki.
“I… see.”
Kaori seems to relax a bit as she takes a bite of her salad.
What’s that all about? I wonder, biting into my hot sandwich. Mom, sitting across from me, flashes an amused smile.
“My son’s turning into quite the ladies’ man, huh…”
“Exactly, Riri-san! I used to be the only girl around Ao-kun, but now he’s surrounded by them!”
“Your dad was the same way, you know?”
Mom suddenly says this, her gaze drifting toward the hallway.
She’s probably thinking of Dad, who’s away on his solo assignment.
“Was Akihi-san popular?”
“Honestly, I think he still is, but back then, he was really cool.”
She casually drops a lovey-dovey comment, but I let it slide and picture Dad’s face.
“Well, Dad’s got that baby face, right?”
“He’s so youthful. Makes me feel like I’m the only one aging here.”
That’s not true—Mom still looks remarkably young for her age.
“By the way, how did you and Akihi-san get together?”
“Let’s see…”
Mom lowers her gaze to her empty plate, her eyes calm and gentle.
“He was my junior in high school. Super athletic, great at sports, and crazy popular with girls… but I wasn’t really into younger guys back then.”
I knew Mom was the same age as Kaori’s parents and that Dad was a bit younger, but I hadn’t heard they knew each other since high school.
“So, did Akihi-san confess to you?”
“Actually, no. It was a different time, but I was the one who asked him out and proposed.”
“Wait, really…?”
Kaori and Mom keep chatting excitedly about their love story, leaving me a bit out of the loop.
“We met in high school, but we only really started talking in college…”
As Mom talks, I clear the dishes from her and Kaori and start washing them in the kitchen.
“Looking back, I don’t know why I fell for him. I just realized one day that I thought he was adorable just by looking at him.”
“…Adorable, huh…”
“Don’t you ever think Aoi’s adorable when you look at him, Kaori-chan?”
Why would she ask that?
“Adorable… well…”
Kaori glances at me.
After staring for a moment, she looks away, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“I just… really like him. I know it’s impossible, but…”
“Impossible? I wouldn’t say that, right?”
“…Yeah.”
Right? Don’t ask me that.
I can’t help but think, Please don’t put me on the spot like that.
It’s not that I dislike Kaori herself.
What I don’t like is the collateral damage that comes with being around her.
“By the way, Aoi, is there someone you like?”
“What if I said there was?”
I shoot back without thinking, and it’s not Mom but Kaori who reacts.
“Huh…?”
“Nothing would happen. If you’ve got someone, that’s fine, right? Though I don’t know how Kaori-chan feels about it.”
Mom says this with a mischievous tone, glancing at Kaori, as if saying, Overcome a little challenge like that.
It’s not like I meant to bring this up for Kaori’s sake, but I find myself wanting to ask Mom something.
“Mom, how did you realize you had feelings for someone?”
“…Let’s see. For me, I realized it when I felt really lonely after not seeing him for a bit. I confessed right after that.”
“Lonely, huh?”
For someone like me, who feels calmer the more time I spend alone, that doesn’t seem like much of a reference.
But when I’m with Kiritsuki, I do feel like my heart is more at ease than when I’m by myself.
Maybe this feeling is the first step toward love or affection.
Thinking back to yesterday’s playful retaliation with that kiss, maybe that was driven by those kinds of feelings…?
As I’m lost in thought, Kaori’s stunned expression across from me stands out vividly.
