Chapter 4: For Positive Change
The next morning.
“Shizune-san, good morning.”
“Yes, good morning.”
When I woke up, Shizune-san was already awake. Her long black hair didn’t have a single strand out of place, and she had already changed into her maid outfit, so it didn’t seem like we got up at the same time.
“Breakfast is ready. Would you like to eat now?”
“…Yes, thank you.”
To make space for the table, I moved the partition.
In doing so, I must have made a bit of noise, because Hinako woke up.
I thought she’d just go back to sleep, but the moment our eyes met—
“N, m…!?”
Hinako’s eyes widened, and she shot upright.
“Morning, Hinako. You’re up early today.”
“…G-Gotta wash my face.”
Hinako’s cheeks flushed faintly, and she hurriedly dashed into the unit bathroom.
Something’s definitely off about her. I thought a night’s sleep might fix it, but…
As I put away the bedding in the closet and set up the table, Hinako returned.
“Let’s eat.”
Since Hinako was up, breakfast for three was laid out on the table.
The menu included bacon, omelets, vegetable salad, and bread… a Western-style breakfast.
Wanting to wet my throat first, I reached for the glass in front of me.
It contained something that looked like a vegetable juice.
“Did you… make this yourself?”
“Yes. I tried making a smoothie with the blender we bought last night.”
As expected of the head maid. Everything she does is top-notch.
The crispy bacon and the soft, runny omelet were delicious.
While I was marveling at Shizune-san’s cooking skills, I noticed Hinako hadn’t taken a single bite and was just staring blankly.
“Can’t be helped.”
During lunch breaks at the academy, when we eat bento together, Hinako sometimes gets like this.
I scooped some omelet with a spoon and brought it to her mouth.
“Here.”
She probably wants me to feed her, as usual.
Or so I thought, but Hinako looked at me in shock and stammered,
“N-N-N-No, that’s not…!”
“Huh? Then why aren’t you eating?”
I set the spoon down and asked.
Hinako lowered her gaze and mumbled,
“T-too close…”
Through the gaps in her amber-colored hair, I could see her ears, red as apples.
…Did she mean the distance between us?
We were sitting side by side, but the distance wasn’t much different from when we eat at the mansion.
“But Hinako, you always drop your food, don’t you?”
“Ugh.”
Even the real Hinako, without her act, can eat normally, but she’s always distracted or half-asleep, constantly spilling food from her mouth.
Preventing that is part of my job as her caretaker.
“T-Today, I’ll try harder…!”
With that, Hinako started shoving food into her mouth.
But in her haste, a piece of egg ended up on her cheek.
“Hinako, hold still.”
I grabbed a paper napkin from the center of the table and wiped her cheek.
“There, got it.”
I vaguely recalled doing something similar at a gyudon restaurant.
But unlike me, Hinako—for some reason—opened and closed her mouth like a fish and—
“Auuu~~~~ !!”
“Hinako?”
She looked utterly embarrassed, her face bright red.
It’s something we always do… so what’s wrong with her?
◆
Noon. I was doing my usual studying and review.
Today, it was math. During yesterday’s study session, Tennouji-san had suddenly made up a problem for me, but I couldn’t solve it, which made me realize I needed more math review.
Studying with someone else teaches you a lot. It’s something I wouldn’t have noticed back when I was too busy with part-time jobs to socialize.
At that moment, I felt someone’s gaze and looked up.
“Hinako, what’s up?”
“N-Nothing.”
Hinako quickly averted her eyes.
But when I focused back on studying… I felt her gaze again.
“Hinako?”
“It’s nothing.”
“No, you’ve been staring at me this whole time…”
“…It’s your imagination.”
It’s definitely not my imagination.
Thinking maybe something was on my face, I touched my nose and cheeks, but there was nothing.
I glanced at the clock on the TV stand; it was two in the afternoon. Outside, it was bright, with a calm atmosphere.
(…Hinako’s probably about to fall asleep.)
On weekends, Hinako usually naps around this time.
“Hinako, should I get the bedding out?”
When I asked, she awkwardly shook her head and said,
“…T-Today, I’m not sleeping.”
“What?”
No way.
Not sleeping? Hinako saying something like that? Impossible.
For a moment, I wondered if the girl in front of me was an imposter, but that was ridiculous, so I moved on to the next possibility.
“Hinako.”
“W-what!?”
I paused my studying and moved closer to her.
I brushed aside her silky hair and placed my hand on her smooth, white forehead.
“…Good. No fever.”
I thought her strange behavior might be due to illness, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
Well, as long as she’s healthy, that’s what matters.
But Hinako, with teary eyes, pulled away from me and—
“Uuuuu~~~~~~ !!”
“Hinako?”
Covering her face with both hands as if to hide her reddened cheeks, she let out a groan.
◆
Night. It was a bit cooler than usual for summer, and as it grew dark outside, there was a pleasant chill.
After dinner, I stared at the TV, lost in thought.
(…Am I being avoided?)
During dinner, Hinako didn’t sit next to me but diagonally across from me.
Not directly across, but diagonally. I might be overthinking it, but compared to our usual closeness, it felt like she was keeping her distance.
“T-Today, I’m taking a bath alone again…!”
“O-Oh, okay.”
Yeah… she’s definitely avoiding me.
Watching her head into the unit bathroom, I sank to the floor, hands and knees trembling with dejection.
“Izuki-san, pull yourself together.”
“…I’m fine. But being rejected two days in a row… did I do something wrong?”
“If you think about it calmly, it’s more unusual for people of the same age and opposite sex to bathe together.”
“…True.”
For a moment, I was convinced.
“N-No, but! We’ve always done it before!”
“That’s what was strange.”
“Well, yeah…! I guess…!!”
I couldn’t argue with that.
Even if things were unusual before, the question is why this change is happening now.
Come to think of it, Hinako has avoided me before. For example, she once had Shizune-san take over waking her up in the morning for a while.
Back then, I never figured out why, and time eventually sorted it out.
Should I wait this time too? But I can’t stay calm like this.
“…Could you try asking her for me, Shizune-san?”
“Very well.”
Shizune-san glanced toward the unit bathroom.
“Ojou-sama, Izuki-san says he’d like to wash your hair.”
“N-No way…!!”
Hinako’s voice came from the other side of the door.
It was an unusually firm rejection for her.
“No way…!?”
This time, I collapsed to my knees.
The word no echoed in my head.
To be rejected so strongly… I won’t recover from this anytime soon.
“…This was unexpected. I intended to watch over Ojou-sama patiently, but I didn’t realize she’d end up this hurt.”
Shizune-san murmured, pressing a hand to her forehead.
At that moment, there was a small click as the unit bathroom door opened.
“Sh-Shizune…”
“Yes, Ojou-sama?”
“…I forgot to bring my underwear.”
Hinako said, sounding embarrassed.
Hearing her voice, I sensed a chance to redeem myself.
“I-I’ll get it!”
“…No, I think you’d better not.”
“It’s fine! I used to help her change in the beginning!”
I opened Hinako’s bag next to the closet.
Finding what I was looking for, I rushed to her side.
“Here, Hinako! I brought your panties!”
I held the white underwear out in front of the door.
Of course, I made sure to keep my eyes closed so I wouldn’t see her in the bathroom.
I hoped this would cheer her up, but—
“~~~~~~ !!”
Hinako let out another groan and snatched the underwear from my hand.
“P-P-P…”
“P?”
“Pervert…!!”
The door slammed shut.
“P-Pervert…!?”
What did she just call me…?
The shock was so great I forgot to breathe.
“I-Izuki, get out of the house for a while…!!”
Her words stabbed into my chest like a knife.
Stunned, I stumbled outside.
◆
Five minutes later.
The chilly breeze cooled my head, and I came back to my senses.
“…I’m a pervert.”
Why did I do that?
Maybe I was panicking because I felt Hinako pulling away.
Since last night… no, since the summer course ended, she’s been acting strange. And yet, I let myself get weird too.
Should I have waited, or was it time to act? I didn’t know.
Thinking I should act, I meddled and messed up. It’s too late now, but this was probably a time to wait.
But then I realized… waiting is painful.
It’s easier to keep moving. That’s why I acted. I told myself it was for Hinako, but really, I just wanted to feel better.
I’m so immature…
As I crouched outside the house, reflecting, the front door opened.
“Looks like you’ve cooled off a bit.”
Shizune-san said, looking at my dejected self.
“I got kicked out too.”
“What?”
“Ojou-sama wants to be alone for a while. This house isn’t exactly great for privacy, after all.”
That’s true.
Back when I lived here, my parents were often out, and I was rarely home between school and work, so it didn’t bother me. But now, all three of us are here for long stretches.
Still…
“I can’t imagine Hinako caring about that…”
She’s always sneaking into my room to nap. She’s never seemed to want alone time before.
“She might start caring now.”
Is this one of the changes Shizune-san considers positive?
For me, at least, Hinako’s changes were nothing but confusing.
◇
(Uuuu~~~~ !!)
Having kicked both of them out, Hinako buried her face in a cushion, squirming.
She felt bad for sending them outside. But right now, she desperately needed to be alone. She’d never felt like this before.
(Why doesn’t Izuki feel anything…!?)
This morning, at noon, and just now!
Her heart was racing so much, but Izuki seemed completely unaffected.
(I need to… study more.)
Maybe the way to calm these strange feelings was to gain the right knowledge.
With that thought, Hinako picked up the shoujo manga she’d borrowed from Yuri.
The protagonist, a high school girl, was eating with a handsome boy from her class. They were having pasta when the boy suddenly brought a napkin to her mouth—
—There’s something there.
With a refreshing smile, he wiped the sauce from her lips.
Kyun! The protagonist blushed, her heart fluttering.
Seeing that scene, Hinako’s eyes widened.
“M-M-M-M… It’s the same as in the manga…!?”
She remembered Izuki wiping the dirt from her cheek this morning.
Hinako knew the shoujo manga she borrowed from Yuri was about romance.
Even though we’re doing the exact same thing, why is Izuki so unfazed by it?
(…Could it be that Izuki feels the same way I do?)
Maybe, just maybe, Izuki doesn’t understand love either, just like me. That’s why he can act so nonchalant about it, isn’t it?
(I have to ask Izuki.)
Hinako, clutching the manga she borrowed from Yuri, quietly opened the front door.
Peeking outside, she saw Izuki and Shizune chatting happily.
“But Shizune-san, if you replace your cooking tools that often, doesn’t it make disposal a hassle?”
“You can sell them secondhand. According to the vendors, there’s demand from small, privately-owned restaurants. On the flip side, we sometimes buy used equipment too. For example—”
It seemed they were talking about work. Both looked fulfilled, engrossed in a conversation about the life of a servant.
(…They seem pretty close.)
A murky feeling stirred in her chest.
It was just like in the manga. …Lately, she’d been feeling this way a lot.
Did Shizune even realize it? She always talked more when she was with Izuki.
(These two… they have a lot in common, don’t they?)
Having observed them up close, Hinako had noticed.
Izuki and Shizune were similar in some ways. One was their earnestness. The other was their surprising tendency to fixate on details. Both of them dove headfirst into mastering anything they decided to learn, and when it came time to put it into practice, they’d get this “since we’re doing it, let’s make it special” attitude, adding their own unique flair. For instance, Shizune went out of her way to make smoothies for breakfast, and Izuki added a secret ingredient to his curry. These two… they both loved sneaking in that one extra touch.
“…Izuki.”
Cutting into their conversation, Hinako spoke up.
“Oh, Hinako!?”
Izuki’s eyes widened in surprise as he noticed her.
Shizune looked startled too, but for some reason, Hinako couldn’t meet her gaze just then.
“Hinako… um, sorry about earlier. I was out of line.”
“…It’s fine now.”
It wasn’t really fine, but she had something else she wanted to ask.
“…Do you know this?”
Hinako held up the manga in her hands for Izuki to see.
His eyes widened again.
“Shoujo manga? Why do you have that?”
“I borrowed it from Hirano-san.”
So that’s what was in the paper bag, Izuki muttered under his breath.
“I’m not too familiar with shoujo manga, but… that Hana yori Manjuu one? I borrowed it from Yuri before. I read up to about volume five.”
“…You’ve read it?”
“Yeah. It was pretty interesting, I think.”
Izuki said it so confidently.
Hearing his response, Hinako decided to head back inside.
“Uh… Hinako?”
“…Stay there for a bit.”
She had even more to think about now.
She still needed some time alone.
(He’s read it…)
Hinako looked up at the sky.
(So Izuki… he knew about this stuff and still did all that…!?)
What did that even mean?
Completely lost, Hinako’s head spun in circles.
Maybe she still hadn’t studied enough. She dove back into the shoujo manga.
There was a scene where the heroine was getting a lap pillow from the boy she liked.
They’d done the exact same thing as in the manga…!
Hinako’s face flushed bright red, but—
—A lap pillow? It’d make my heart race so much I wouldn’t even be able to sleep!
That’s what the heroine was thinking.
(…Huh?)
Hinako felt something off.
(When I got a lap pillow… it didn’t feel like that.)
Izuki’s lap pillow was warm.
It made her feel calm, at ease, able to drift off peacefully.
Her heart racing so much she couldn’t sleep? That never happened.
What was this difference? It nagged at her, but no matter how much she read, the answer didn’t come.
(…I have to ask someone.)
Hinako picked up her smartphone.
She knew exactly who to call.
The person who lent her the manga in the first place.
“Hello, Hirano-san?”
“Konohana-san? What’s up?”
Yuri answered right away.
Hinako took a deep breath and started talking.
“I read the manga you lent me. It was my first time reading manga, so it took a little while…”
“Wait, you’ve never read manga before?”
“No.”
“…Wow, you really are like some kind of perfect Ojou-sama straight out of a manga, Konohana-san.”
For some reason, Yuri let out a sound like she was utterly convinced.
“So, how was it?”
“Um, they were all really interesting.”
“Interesting, huh…”
Perhaps sensing Hinako’s comment lacked depth, Yuri’s reaction was a bit lukewarm.
“Did you figure out what ‘love’ means?”
“!”
“Haha! Looks like you got it!”
Sensing Hinako’s flustered reaction, Yuri laughed.
Hinako tried to calm herself, speaking as evenly as she could.
“…To be honest, I’m not confident I fully understand what love is yet. But reading the manga gave me some questions, so I called.”
“Got it. I’ll answer as seriously as I can.”
It was a reassuring response.
“First, about Dango Over Flowers…”
Hinako flipped through the manga in her hands, asking her questions.
“Why did they decide to hold hands here?”
“Well, probably because holding hands with someone you like feels nice, so they worked up the courage, right?”
“Then, why are they hugging each other here?”
“Um… maybe, like, they both wanted to confirm how the other felt?”
Yuri answered, sounding a little embarrassed.
“Why did they kiss here?”
“Th-that’s probably… like, their parents weren’t home, and they thought it might be their only chance, so they just went for it… Wait, am I being interrogated right now?”
Yuri, overwhelmed with embarrassment, blurted out something weird to dodge it.
Confused, Hinako wondered what she meant, but Yuri cleared her throat dramatically, signaling to keep going.
“Then, this lap pillow…”
“Hmm… maybe they wanted to feel that special closeness?”
It seemed similar to the earlier explanations about holding hands, hugging, or kissing.
But Hinako felt something was off.
“…I don’t think a lap pillow means the same thing, does it?”
“Huh?”
To a puzzled Yuri, Hinako explained.
“Let’s say… just as an example, if a guy gave me a lap pillow.”
“Wait, you’re already at that stage?”
“Huh?”
“Oh, sorry! Um, go on.”
For some reason, Yuri sounded flustered but quickly calmed down.
Hinako continued.
“Even if I got a lap pillow, I don’t think my heart would race that much. If anything, it’d feel so comfortable I could probably fall asleep.”
“Really? If you’re used to it, maybe, but…”
It had felt that way from the start, so it probably wasn’t about being used to it.
“There are other examples too. Like, when someone carries me on their back… it’s similar to a hug, I think, but instead of my heart racing, it makes me feel safe.”
Sometimes, back at the mansion, Izuki would carry her to her room on his back.
That didn’t make her heart race either—it just felt so secure she’d almost fall asleep. It was different from the emotions the manga heroines felt.
Was her way of feeling things unique to her?
“Hmm… Okay, what does make your heart race, Konohana-san?”
At that question, Hinako recalled something that had recently made her heart skip.
“…For example, when we’re cooking together, and our shoulders accidentally brush…”
“Eeee! That’s so cute!”
Compared to the hand-holding and hugging common in shoujo manga, her example might seem a bit reserved. But Yuri praised it like it was the best thing ever.
“I think I get it. …It’s about whether it feels ‘romantic,’ right?”
“Romantic…?”
“Like, a lap pillow has this image of a kid being spoiled, you know? Same with piggyback rides. But cooking side by side, shoulders touching—that feels romantic, like something a couple or a married pair would do. When you notice that, it makes your heart race, doesn’t it?”
It was like Yuri had seen straight through to the depths of her heart, a place even Hinako hadn’t dared to touch.
Everything clicked. Perfectly.
It was becoming clear what kind of feelings she had for Izuki.
For some reason, she felt like she had to deny it.
If she acknowledged those feelings, it felt like something inside her would break…
“B-but, when our shoulders touched, maybe I was just surprised. If you think about it, lap pillows and piggyback rides aren’t sudden, so it makes sense…”
“Come on, you know the difference between being startled and your heart fluttering, don’t you?”
“Ugh…”
Yuri’s blunt words left Hinako speechless.
Not many people could speak so directly to Hinako, who was called a “perfect Ojou-sama” or a “high-class flower.” It was a rare and valuable perspective.
“In your case, Konohana-san, I think your desire to be cared for and your romantic feelings are all mixed up.”
“Mixed up…?”
“Yeah, tangled together. …That’s probably why it’s been hard for you to realize.”
Yuri said it with a tone of understanding.
“Listen, Konohana-san. I saw you and Izuki watching fireworks together during summer school. I still remember your face back then. …That wasn’t the face of someone who just wants to be spoiled.”
It might be meddling, but… Yuri added.
“My face…?”
Hinako had never paid much attention to her own face.
Every morning, she saw it in the mirror while getting her hair done, but unless she was playing the part of the perfect Ojou-sama, her usual expression was just… blank. Sleepy, sluggish, not exactly the kind of face people would like.
What could Yuri have seen in it? Curious, Hinako stood up and headed to the mirror in the bathroom.
It’d probably just be her usual, listless face.
That’s what she thought, but the face in the mirror—
“…Oh.”
The reflection wasn’t the Hinako she knew.
Flushed cheeks. Glistening eyes. An expression woven with hope and anxiety.
This wasn’t the perfect Ojou-sama or the sluggish girl.
She’d never seen this face before.
It was so different from her usual self that, for a moment, she thought it might be someone else.
—Yes, of course.
If she’d looked in the mirror from the start, she might have understood sooner.
The person in front of her wasn’t the old Hinako. That’s why her old way of thinking couldn’t make sense of the feelings swirling in her chest.
The mirror showed a stranger—a girl. But it wasn’t new. She just hadn’t noticed. This girl had probably been there for a long time.
This was her new self.
A self that had changed because of Izuki.
“You okay?”
“…Yes, I’m fine now.”
Perhaps sensing her silence, Yuri had waited patiently before checking in.
Thanks to that, Hinako had time to sort out her feelings.
“I think I understand now. My feelings… and what your words mean.”
Hinako spoke slowly, savoring her own words.
She could almost feel Yuri smiling gently on the other end.
“It’s like I finally got to hear the real you, Konohana-san.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hide anything…”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re the heiress of the Konohana Group, after all. You’ve got a tough position, so it’s not easy to just be yourself, right?”
Yuri’s tone was so carefree that Hinako couldn’t respond for a moment.
To maintain her perfect Ojou-sama facade, Hinako had no intention of showing Yuri her true self. So saying “I didn’t mean to hide anything” was a lie. But Yuri seemed to see through even that, accepting her with a generosity that felt almost overwhelming.
“You’re kind, Hirano-san.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. You’re like Tomonari-kun. You support people so naturally… When someone’s that kind, it makes you want to open up.”
“Hearing that from you makes me so happy I could float!”
Yuri laughed, sounding a little ticklish.
“But, you know, Konohana-san. Just so we’re clear…”
Yuri’s tone turned serious as she continued.
“In Nanji ni Todoke, there’s a girl called Natsu-chan, right? If you were the heroine of that manga, I’d be Natsu-chan.”
“…What?”
The call ended.
Hinako set her smartphone on the floor and flipped through Nanji ni Todoke.
The role of the character called Natsu-chan was, in a way, crystal clear.
She was the heroine’s romantic rival.
“…Oh no.”
A whirlwind of complicated emotions swirled in her chest.
Would she have to face these kinds of feelings from now on?
For the current Hinako, that might still be a bit too much… she thought.
◆
The next day.
After lunch, a relaxed atmosphere filled the house.
While Shizune-san was hanging the laundry, I vacuumed the floors.
When I turned off the vacuum to switch outlets, I heard laughter from the TV. Oh, right, Hinako was watching it. I wondered if the vacuum had been too loud and glanced at her.
Hinako was spacing out.
Her gaze was fixed on nothing, and I had no clue what she was thinking.
“Hinako, you feeling okay?”
“Mmm… It’s not like that.”
She shook her head.
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
She seemed aware that she wasn’t her usual self and didn’t try to brush it off.
“I’m here to listen if you want to talk.”
“Thanks. But this is probably something I need to figure out on my own…”
Whatever was troubling her, she wasn’t ready to share it with me.
Hinako spaced out again, her mind adrift.
Putting away the vacuum cleaner, I head to the balcony.
“Shizune-san, let me help.”
“Thank you. Please hang those futons over there.”
There’s not enough space to air out three futons at once, so today we’re only washing Hinako’s. I smooth out the wrinkles in the sheets and secure them with clothespins to keep them from flying away in the breeze.
“What’s wrong, Izuki-san?”
Shizune-san must have noticed I’m moving while lost in thought, because she asks me.
“No, it’s just… Hinako seems to be worrying about something again today.”
“Ojou-sama is human too, so she’ll have moments like that.”
“I know, but…”
How do I even put this feeling into words?
Staring up at the clear sky, I try to squeeze out the right words.
“It’s like… I feel frustrated that I can’t be of any help to her.”
It might be an arrogant thought.
But every time I see Hinako struggling alone, that’s what gnaws at me.
“It’s okay.”
Shizune-san smiles at me.
“You’re fine just as you are, Izuki-san.”
Shizune-san has known Hinako far longer than I have. If she says it’s okay, that’s a small comfort, at least.
But at the same time, I can’t help but recall something else.
—The way you are now, you can’t be Hinako’s place to belong.
Takuma-san’s words echo in my head, replaying over and over.
If I can’t be of help to Hinako right now… if she’s struggling alone with something, isn’t it because I’m failing to be her place to belong?
That anxiety clings to me, refusing to let go.
Once the laundry is done, I head back inside.
“Hm?”
My smartphone vibrates in my pocket.
The app notifies me of a message from a classmate.
“A class reunion…?”
Apparently, one of the old classmates I ran into outside school the other day is organizing it. It’s set for tomorrow—pretty last-minute, but with summer break nearing its end, I guess it makes sense.
Clicking through to the RSVP page, I see a carefree line: “Maybe we’ll get to see Izuki!” Turns out, my return to town sparked the idea for this reunion. But reading the group chat, it seems like it’s mostly just a spur-of-the-moment thing—everyone’s thinking it’d be nice to have an event like this. Even former classmates I wasn’t close to are already saying they’ll show up.
Being treated as the guest of honor is a bit embarrassing and unfamiliar, but if it’s not really about me, maybe it’s fine to join. Catching up with them outside school the other day was nostalgic and fun. Honestly, I’m grateful they’d invite me to something like this.
But Hinako’s been acting off lately…
The RSVP deadline is tonight, but I’ll hold off on responding until the last minute.
I slip the phone back into my pocket.
◇
Around the time dinner was over,
Hinako was slowly regaining her composure.
Accepting her own changes had flipped her perspective on daily life. Getting a lap pillow, being carried piggyback… thinking back, she’d been awfully clingy.
Would she have to hold back from now on?
That thought weighed heavily on her heart.
“Hinako, you taking a bath alone again tonight?”
“!”
Izuki, who’d been cleaning the bathroom, asked her.
It was exactly what she’d been thinking about, so she startled more than she meant to.
I have to say no.
I need to tell him I’ll bathe alone from now on…
I have to tell him…
…
“W-Wash… my hair…”
“!! Got it, leave it to me!”
Izuki’s face lit up like a sunny day.
She’d been turning him down lately, so he must’ve been thrilled.
But while Izuki was practically bouncing with excitement, Hinako’s heart was a tangled mess.
I said it…
I was supposed to say no…
Hinako changed into her swimsuit and soaked in the tub, her nerves on edge. When it was time to wash her hair, she called Izuki, and he showed up, predictably in high spirits.
“Any itchy spots?”
“I-I’m fine…”
Her mental state, however, was in full-blown chaos.
…Maybe I’m shameless.
She’d played the innocent card.
Even though she was already aware of her feelings.
Sure, she was wearing a swimsuit, but she fully understood how intimate it was for a guy and a girl to be in the bath together.
Yet she’d pretended not to know, dragging Izuki along.
But… I want to be with him…
Her desire had overpowered her guilt.
Hinako’s chest was a storm of fluttering excitement for Izuki and gnawing guilt.
She instinctively covered her face with both hands.
“Sorry, did shampoo get in your eyes?”
Hinako silently shook her head.
Once her hair was done, Izuki left the bathroom.
When she got out of the bath and glanced in the mirror, her face was bright red. Izuki probably thought she was just flushed from the heat. But this redness wasn’t from the bath at all.
As she stepped out, Izuki, who’d been studying, looked over at her.
“Guess it’s my turn for a bath.”
Hinako silently watched Izuki’s back as he went to grab a change of clothes.
She understood the special meaning of living under the same roof.
The more she acknowledged these feelings, the more confused she became. But she didn’t wish she could go back to not knowing. In exchange for the confusion, she’d also learned to savor moments of happiness.
She wanted to know more.
She wanted to study more about love.
With that thought, Hinako decided to keep reading the manga she’d borrowed from Yuri.
I need to read while Izuki’s in the bath.
The shoujo manga was already overwhelming, and she couldn’t focus on it with Izuki nearby. Shizune was busy with paperwork. Now was her chance to read without anyone noticing if she got a bit too emotional.
She flipped the page.
It was a scene where two girls were fighting over the same boy.
—Hmph, he’s already mine. Stay out of our way forever.
A girl with a thick make-up declared. She wasn’t the protagonist but the love rival.
This girl was obsessively possessive. Once she wanted something—be it a designer bag or a person—she’d stop at nothing to get it. Coming from a wealthy family, she had a bad habit of throwing money around, sometimes resorting to forceful tactics to claim what she desired.
This character… ugh, she’s the worst!
The girl with a thick make-up was clearly written as a villain, and Hinako had grown to thoroughly dislike her.
She was selfish, never considering others’ feelings, constantly manipulating people without even realizing it.
Finally, the protagonist decided to confront her head-on.
—Why can’t you see it!?
The protagonist shouted.
—All you’re doing is chaining him down, trying to make him yours!
The girl with a thick make-up flinched, her shoulders jumping.
She’d been called out, and it hit home.
But those words—
“—Ah.”
Ah.
Oh.
Those words didn’t just pierce the character in the manga—they stabbed straight into Hinako’s heart.
—Stop taking everything away from him!
The protagonist’s anguished cry doused Hinako’s giddy heart with cold water.
How… how could she have almost forgotten?
Had she gotten so caught up in understanding her feelings that she’d let herself get carried away?
I’m such an idiot.
There was another truth she needed to face.
I… might have stolen Izuki’s life.
Ever since hearing Izuki’s old stories during summer classes, Hinako had been haunted by that thought.
Before becoming her caretaker, Izuki had a completely different life. She was the one who’d abruptly taken that away. Izuki was supposed to be an ordinary person, never meant to attend Kiou Academy, yet she’d forced him into this upper-class world, demanding effort far beyond what was fair.
If she hadn’t reached out to him, would Izuki be dead in a ditch somewhere? …Sure, his parents had abandoned him, but from what Yuri said, it didn’t seem like Izuki would’ve been broken by that. He already had a network of people he could rely on. Even without her help, he probably could’ve rebuilt his life through Yuri and his old classmates.
So… hadn’t she meddled unnecessarily?
Hadn’t her selfishness thrown Izuki’s life off course?
That’s why she’d decided to stay at Izuki’s house for a while—to face that anxiety.
All of it was to understand Izuki’s past more deeply.
To fully grasp how much she’d twisted his life—
“I…”
In the manga, the girl with a thick make-up stood silent, her face twisted with frustration, unable to retort.
Until now, Hinako had been empathizing with the manga’s protagonist. She’d held onto a faint hope of experiencing a sweet-and-sour romance with the boy she liked, just like the heroine.
But it seems she’d been mistaken.
“I… I’m not the protagonist…”
She wasn’t the heroine. She was the made-up girl.
Not the one who brought happiness to the boy she cared about, but the one who caused him pain.
Her head throbbed.
Her chest ached.
Hinako slowly lay down on the floor.
“Ojou-sama?”
Shizune, who’d been working, called out to Hinako as she lay there.
At first, she thought Hinako might just be sleeping—but seeing her clearly in distress, Shizune’s expression changed.
“—Ojou-sama!?”
◆
Just as I was about to get out of the bath, I heard Shizune-san’s scream.
I quickly changed and rushed out of the bathroom.
“Shizune-san! What’s wrong with Hinako!?”
In the middle of the room, Hinako was lying down. Her face was contorted in agony, and it was obvious at a glance that she wasn’t well. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead.
“…It’s a fever. It’s been a while since the last one.”
Water dripped from my still-wet hair.
Stress-induced fever. Hinako, constantly forced to play the role of the perfect Ojou-sama, would periodically suffer fevers brought on by stress.
But lately, her stress seemed to have eased, and she hadn’t had a fever in a while, so I must’ve let my guard down somewhere deep inside.
Seeing Hinako tormented by the fever—I was shaken to my core.
“W-Why…?”
“Based on past cases, it’s likely stress,” Shizune-san said, her face heavy with sorrow.
“There could be several causes. She’s been in an unfamiliar environment, interacting with unfamiliar people, and…”
Shizune-san glanced at me wordlessly.
But she quickly looked back at Hinako, checking her condition.
“H-Have you called a doctor?”
“Yes. The family doctor on standby at the mansion should be here soon.”
Shizune-san placed a towel soaked in cold water on Hinako’s forehead. On the table sat an opened packet of fever-reducing painkillers and a glass of water, likely used to administer them.
Only a few minutes had passed since the scream, yet Shizune-san had already taken care of everything.
“I’ll wait outside for the doctor!”
Wanting to notice the doctor’s arrival as soon as possible, I stepped outside.
The streets around here are a bit of a maze. They might accidentally pass by.
But honestly, that worry was barely relevant.
I just… wanted to do something, anything, for Hinako.
After a short wait, a sleek black car pulled up in front of the house.
Out stepped a doctor in a white coat—and…
“Yo.”
For some reason, Takuma-san was there too.
“Thanks for waiting outside. It’s so dim around here, I thought we might get lost.”
“…Takuma-san, why are you here?”
“I was relaxing at the mansion when the company doctors started making a fuss. Turns out Shizune had called for a doctor, so I tagged along to check on things.”
The doctor entered the house.
Takuma-san peered through the open door, catching a glimpse of Hinako.
“I figured it was about time for something like this.”
What’s that supposed to mean…?
I wanted to ask, but Hinako’s condition was my priority right now.
I started to follow the doctor inside.
“Hold up. Izuki-kun, let’s have a quick chat.”
“A chat…?”
“Their skills are top-notch. You hovering around will only get in the way.”
He’s probably right.
The front door closed.
A chilly breeze passed between me and Takuma-san.
“What do you think caused Hinako to end up like this?”
Takuma-san asked, his eyes fixed on me.
Shizune-san’s guess was stress—unfamiliar surroundings, new people. It’s true that recent events might’ve been too stimulating for Hinako.
But something felt off to me.
Because Hinako had been enthusiastic from the start. Staying at my place, exploring the town—she’d been genuinely excited about it all.
When we ate at the gyudon shop, Hinako looked like she was having the time of her life. I can’t imagine that turning into stress severe enough to cause a fever. Sure, she’d had a lot of new experiences, but since she wanted them, wouldn’t the stress be minimal?
So why was Hinako suffering like this—?
“It’s you.”
Takuma-san said it.
His gaze pierced straight through me, as if he could see everything.
“I told you, didn’t I? The way you are now, you can’t be Hinako’s place to belong. …Come on, you’re her caretaker. You’ve got to step up and be that place for her.”
“Even if you say that…”
What was I supposed to do?
What am I missing?
Questions swelled up inside me.
“Hinako’s anxious. She doesn’t know which world you’ll choose to live in.”
Takuma-san went on.
“You’re caught between the commoner’s world you grew up in and the upper-class society Hinako and I belong to. You can adapt to both, and you’re keeping your options open. So Hinako started thinking—maybe you’re better off living in the commoner’s world.”
That caught me completely off guard.
Me, wavering between two worlds…?
“That’s not…”
“Didn’t you hang out all chummy with your old classmates in front of Hinako? Anyone who sees that would think it. —Maybe I’m just in the way.”
“!”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“You’ve spent enough time at Kiou Academy to get it, right? People like us in the upper class, for better or worse, live with our futures in sight. Inheriting the family business, starting a company, becoming an official, marrying into wealth—everyone has their own vision. But you don’t. Your plans for the future are vague, so no one knows how far they can trust you. What if you just up and vanish from our lives on a whim? How far into the future do your life and Hinako’s actually overlap… nobody knows.”
Little by little, I started to understand Takuma-san’s point.
This wasn’t about the present moment. It was about looking ahead to the future.
If that’s the case… I couldn’t deny it. Now that he mentioned it, I realized I hadn’t thought about the future in any detail, not even enough to muster a single rebuttal. Thanks to Shizune-san’s arrangements, I’d received a job offer from a certain IT company, but I hadn’t fully committed to joining them. While I was growing interested in the IT industry, I hadn’t decided what specific role I wanted to take on.
Was that… the problem?
“From our perspective, you know, the way you live feels kind of vague.”
Takuma-san declared.
“I’m not saying you have to choose one society and completely cut ties with the other. But… I just don’t sense any resolve from you to not go back. In my experience, I can always feel that kind of determination from people who are seriously thinking about their future, without exception.”
I couldn’t say a word. Takuma-san looked at me earnestly and said,
“You should think carefully about what you want to do in the future, how you want to live.”
With that, Takuma-san didn’t return to the car but walked off somewhere.
Unable to follow his retreating figure or call out to him, I stepped inside the house.
Just then, it seemed the treatment had finished, as the doctor was talking with Shizune-san in a corner of the room.
I approached Hinako, who was lying in the center of the room.
“Hinako…”
“Izuki…?”
I hadn’t expected a response, and my eyes widened.
It seemed she’d woken up.
Seeing her face, damp with sweat from the fever, I felt an overwhelming sense of frustration.
“Hinako, I’m sorry. Did I make you worry…?”
“…No. It’s my fault.”
Hinako denied it in a small voice.
“It’s because I… tied you down to my life.”
Just as Takuma-san had said, it seemed Hinako had been troubled by the way I was living.
Around the time the summer course ended, Hinako started asking me a lot about my past. The reason for that was finally becoming clear.
Hinako had been worrying about it all along.
About my original, everyday life—
“If you want to go back to your old life… I’ll respect that.”
Hinako said in a hoarse voice.
It was as if she was saying she was okay with me quitting as her caretaker.
Reflexively, I shook my head.
“Hinako, that’s not it. I don’t feel tied down at all. I want to stay with you, now and in the future—”
“Not… for my sake.”
Hinako shook her head faintly. Her voice was soft, and her body barely moved. But her eyes held a strong resolve.
“Think about it for yourself.”
Her gaze was pleading, insisting that I absolutely had to do this.
At that moment, my smartphone vibrated.
I thought it could wait, but—
“It’s okay… you can take the call.”
Hinako, noticing the incoming call, spoke up.
I might’ve made her worry unnecessarily. I answered the phone.
“Yo, Izuki! You’re the only one who hasn’t RSVP’d for the reunion!”
The voice coming through the speaker was louder than I’d expected.
Crap, Hinako heard it. I hadn’t meant to hide that I was still on the fence about attending the reunion, but I felt a pang of guilt nonetheless.
“…Sorry, I’m kinda tied up right now.”
As I started to decline, Hinako shook her head.
“Go.”
“But…”
“You need to… face your old life properly.”
Despite being weakened by the fever, Hinako spoke haltingly but firmly.
“Spend time with the people from this town again… and then, let me hear your answer.”
◆
The next afternoon.
In the end, I decided to follow Hinako’s words and attend the reunion.
I took a semi-express train and got off at a station in the city center, six stops away. Having chosen the closest high school to save on transportation costs, I rarely ventured far from home. The last time I’d used this station was when I needed to commute by train for an event-related temp job.
When I arrived at the meeting point in front of the ticket gate, about ten guys and girls were already gathered, chatting and laughing.
“Izuki!! Long time no see, man!”
“Yeah, it’s been a while.”
My former classmates noticed me and gave casual waves.
I waved back and joined the group.
Yuri’s here too, huh?
Yuri, who was usually busy with family business, had made it today. When our eyes met, she fluttered her hand at me.
“Alright! Everyone’s here, so let’s roll!”
The guy organizing the event shouted enthusiastically.
“What time’s the yakiniku place booked for?”
“Seven o’clock.”
“Wait, where’s Take-chan?”
“He’s got work, so he’s only coming for the evening. Said no one could cover his shift, and he was practically crying about it.”
The main event of the reunion was the yakiniku dinner starting at seven. Before that, there’d been a suggestion to hang out casually with whoever could make it earlier, and I’d joined in on that too—because Hinako had told me to.
“So, first up, karaoke!”
“You’re tone-deaf, so you don’t get to sing.”
“I’ve got my go-to song ready, so let me redeem myself!”
Hearing their silly banter, I couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Oh yeah, this vibe… I remember it.
The atmosphere was different from the classrooms at Kiou Academy. I used to live in this kind of energy too. It felt like such a distant memory now.
Adachi-san… isn’t here, huh?
Adachi-san wasn’t among the group.
Things had been awkward with her because of Takuma-san, so I felt a slight relief. I still wasn’t sure if Takuma-san’s comments were entirely right, but given Shizune-san’s praise of his “exceptional insight” and Yuri’s mention that “Adachi-san’s gotten flashier,” I couldn’t completely dismiss what he’d said either.
We headed into the karaoke place with my old classmates.
“They only had two rooms available.”
“With this many people, it’ll be fine. Just split up however.”
The group divided into two, and we went into our assigned rooms.
Sitting down on the stiff chair, I suddenly started thinking.
Why did Hinako think she was holding me back…?
To begin with, that worry itself was misguided.
I was content with my current situation.
I didn’t feel the slightest bit constrained by Hinako. I’d chosen to be her caretaker of my own free will. I’d never once thought I was sacrificing my old life.
So how could I convey those feelings to her effectively?
I recalled what Takuma-san had said.
Maybe Hinako wouldn’t feel at ease unless I had a clear vision for my future.
Being told to figure out what I want to do all of a sudden… Isn’t it enough to say I want to keep being Hinako’s caretaker for her sake?
Continuing to support Hinako—that should count as a vision for the future, right?
Acting for someone else’s sake shouldn’t be such a strange concept.
But… even though I had no solid basis for it, I felt like that alone wasn’t enough.
Somehow, I knew this line of thinking wouldn’t convince Hinako.
“Yo, Izuki, sing something too!”
“Oh, uh, sure.”
I pushed the swirling worries in my head aside for a moment.
Truth be told, this was only my second time at karaoke, and I barely remembered how to queue up a song. The last time was back in middle school, when a pushy classmate dragged me along.
I picked a song I could just about manage and entered it.
The title of the song I’d reserved popped up on the screen.
“That’s so old!”
“Isn’t that the song that was huge when we were in middle school!?”
Since high school had mostly been a blur of part-time jobs, my song repertoire was stuck in middle school.
“Alright, I’m picking this one!”
“Oh, I know that one too—wanna make it a duet!?”
As the girls got hyped up, the mic was passed to me.
Singing in front of people for the first time in years, my performance was apparently neither great nor terrible—just thoroughly average, as I didn’t get any notable reactions.
After handing the mic to the next person, I stood up.
“Gonna hit the bathroom.”
“Cool!”
I left the room and headed toward the restroom.
But in reality, I didn’t actually need to go.
Finding an empty hallway, I let out a sigh.
Man… I’m really not vibing with this.
If I stayed in there any longer, I felt like I’d end up killing the mood just by being me.
I had my worries, I wasn’t up to date on recent songs, and while it wasn’t boring, I just couldn’t get as hyped as everyone else.
“Huh, Izuki?”
Yuri appeared from the other end of the hallway.
“Yuri? What’re you doing out here?”
“On my way to the drink bar. Lost at rock-paper-scissors.”
Knowing Yuri, she’d probably volunteer for stuff like that even without losing a game. She was likely just going with the flow of the group.
“Izuki, you got something on your mind?”
Yuri asked.
Guess I wasn’t hiding it as well as I thought.
To me, Yuri was practically the perfect person to confide in. Deciding to take the chance, I spoke honestly.
“Actually, Hinako’s not feeling well right now.”
“What? Then why’d you come? Aren’t you working as her caretaker or something?”
“…Hinako told me to come.”
Yuri tilted her head.
“She said something like… I should spend some time for myself every now and then.”
“Hmm. So you were being too clingy, and she needed some space?”
“Ugh…”
“Whoa, hey, you don’t have to get that depressed about it!”
Seeing me slump against the wall with my hands and forehead pressed to it, Yuri panicked.
Her blunt words hit me hard in my current state.
“It’s not like we were being clingy… but from Hinako’s perspective, it might’ve seemed like I was neglecting myself or something.”
From an outsider’s view, maybe it did look like we were glued to each other, but it clearly wasn’t about physical distance, so I brushed it off vaguely.
The real issue was that Hinako thought she was holding me back.
“From my perspective, I’ve been spending time for myself this whole time. Working for Hinako feels natural given my role, and I genuinely find it fulfilling. So I don’t get why she’d feel anxious about it…”
Yuri knew I was working as Hinako’s caretaker—essentially her servant.
I thought she’d agree with me, but…
“…If you thought of Hinako not as some grand Ojou-sama, but as a girl your age, wouldn’t that change things?”
“Huh…?”
“Hinako’s got that side to her too, doesn’t she? She doesn’t know everything, and… she probably gets confused by her own feelings sometimes, right?”
It was almost as if Yuri had seen that side of Hinako herself.
She spoke with a kind of conviction in her expression.
“If you approach it from that angle, your way of thinking might feel a bit heavy.”
“Heavy…?”
“I mean, saying ‘I’m acting for your sake!’—doesn’t that sound a little dramatic? It’s like you’re saying it’s for her, but it could end up putting pressure on her instead.”
Yuri’s words hit me like a bolt of lightning.
Slowly processing them, I opened my mouth.
“…I see. I was putting pressure on her.”
Yuri was right.
I genuinely wanted to help Hinako. But maybe, bit by bit, she started feeling guilty about me having those feelings.
Oh… that’s it.
What Takuma-san said, what Hinako said, and now what Yuri said—it all connected like dots forming a line.
Hinako had sides to her beyond being an Ojou-sama. That was something I knew well, even without Yuri pointing it out.
But I’d assumed the only sides of her were the ones I’d seen so far: the lazy, utterly helpless girl who loved potato chips and occasionally clung to me in ways that caught me off guard. I thought that was her other side.
But I was wrong.
Or rather, it wasn’t just wrong—it had changed.
Shizune-san had said it multiple times: Hinako was changing.
A new side of her, one I didn’t know, had emerged.
Over the past few days, Hinako had walked the streets of the town I used to live in and talked with the people I used to know. That must’ve sparked another change in her.
The old Hinako probably wouldn’t have minded.
But to the Hinako who’d changed—I had become heavy.
And that made her anxious. Because I’d always been acting for her sake, she misunderstood and thought she was tying me down.
“Got it now?”
“…Yeah.”
“Well, you’ve always been bad at spending time for yourself, haven’t you?”
Yuri looked at me with a mix of sympathy.
“You’ve got this thing where it’s hard to tell if you’re doing stuff because you want to or because you feel obligated. That might’ve made Hinako feel uneasy too.”
With that, Yuri headed toward the drink bar.
Yuri had probably seen me more closely than anyone else.
Her words resonated deeply in my chest.
Doing it because I want to, or because I feel obligated…
Of course, I thought I was doing it because I wanted to. But when asked for proof, I had nothing to show.
Looking back, that’s how I’d always been.
For Hinako, for Tennouji-san, for Narika, for Yuri—I’d find satisfaction in acting for someone else’s sake.
In exchange, I hadn’t paid much attention to myself.
What did I want to do?
Where did I want to be?
“…I need to think about it.”
Now that I understood more clearly what was troubling Hinako, I let go of the shallow idea that “just keep working hard for Hinako” was a good enough answer.
It seemed I really had to face this seriously.
My future vision—not just the three years until high school graduation, but including adulthood, what I wanted to be after growing up.
When I returned to the room, the organizer guy was belting out a song I didn’t know.
The energy didn’t dip, and about an hour later, we left the karaoke place.
“Time to head to the yakiniku spot!”
“Yesss!!”
The guys and girls were all hyped up.
We were led to a reserved banquet table and took our seats one by one.
“Man, never thought I’d be eating yakiniku with Izuki.”
“Last year’s Izuki would’ve totally bailed.”
The guy across from me and the one next to me said, laughing.
“…Sorry.”
“Nah, it’s cool! Just eat your fill today!”
Pieces of meat were laid out one after another on the spotless grill.
Feeling the hot air rising from the charcoal, I thought of Hinako again. What was she doing right now? Was she resting properly?
…What am I supposed to talk about in times like this?
Unable to think of any common topics, I couldn’t bring myself to open my mouth.
So, I casually listen to the conversations of the people around me.
“Have you seen that movie that came out recently?”
“Oh, yeah, I saw it! They were talking about it on the news this morning!”
The girls on my right were chatting about movies.
“Yesterday, I was grinding ranks with my online friend all night.”
“Man, you’re always playing games, huh?”
The guys in front of me on the left were talking about online games.
I haven’t touched movies or games lately. I couldn’t see myself joining either conversation.
Or rather… it felt like there wasn’t a single conversation I could slip into.
“By the way, Izuki, this guy finally got himself a girlfriend!”
A guy sitting across from me said this while munching on freshly grilled meat.
The guy he pointed at blushed, visibly embarrassed.
“You’ve been saying you wanted one since our first year, right?”
“Yeah! During the second-year field trip, I mustered up the courage to confess. Man, I’m so glad I went for it!”
If it was about old times, I could’ve joined in and had fun with them.
Having a lover feels like a pipe dream for me right now, but he must’ve worked hard, polishing himself with all his might. I looked at him again and said, “Congrats.”
“Oh, right. Izuki, were you working at that okonomiyaki place in the shopping district too?”
“Yeah, I was. Why?”
“The other day, we went there to eat, and the staff saw our uniforms and started lamenting about this amazing part-timer they had from our school who used to work so hard. We were thinking it might’ve been you!”
“Probably right. …Maybe I’ll swing by to say hi if I get the chance.”
I passed through the shopping district a few days ago, so maybe I should’ve popped in to greet them then.
“Anyway, enough about us—tell us about you, Izuki!”
The guy who apparently just got a girlfriend leaned forward eagerly.
“Izuki, you’re not working part-time anymore?”
“Well, I’m not sure if you’d call it a part-time job, but I’m working live-in now. Cleaning, dishwashing, and… looking after people, I guess.”
“Oh, like a hotel worker?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
Come to think of it, a servant’s job might not be too different from a hotel worker’s. Though, what I do is a bit more… unique.
“Sounds tough as always. But since you’re at Kiou Academy now, you’re not strapped for cash anymore, right?”
“…Yeah.”
My penny-pinching habits haven’t changed, so I’ve mostly just been saving up.
“Then you can go have fun, right? Like overseas trips or theme parks!”
“You could go to the movies whenever you want!”
“And buy all the clothes you want!”
Other guys and girls nearby started jumping into the conversation.
But I gave a wry chuckle and said,
“Nah, not really.”
Thinking back on my life so far, I answered.
“I’m busy with work and studies every day. Since summer break started, I’ve had a bit of time to hang out like this, but normally, I don’t go out for anything other than work. …I might not have gone shopping in months.”
Weekdays are a given, but even on weekends, I’m swamped with my servant duties and studying. Has my free time increased compared to before? Not really. If anything, it’s probably decreased.
The summer course felt a bit like a trip, but it’s closer to a training camp. In Karuizawa, I took classes so tough they make me grimace just thinking about them.
“O-Oh, I see…”
“Y-You’re working hard, huh…”
The people who asked gave awkward smiles.
(Huh…?)
I didn’t understand why they were reacting so uncomfortably.
It’s not like I think my life is hard or anything…
“Izuki! We’re heading to the arcade for round two—wanna come!?”
A guy sitting a bit farther away called out in a loud, clear voice.
I still haven’t found the answer I can give to Hinako.
But—for some reason, I felt like I caught a glimpse of it just now.
If I spend a bit more time with everyone, I might find it.
“Alright, I’ll come along.”
“Sweet! Let’s hit up Taiko no Tatsujin!”
The guys got all hyped up.
Unlike me, they seemed to instantly come up with all sorts of fun ideas.
After thoroughly enjoying the yakiniku, we stepped outside, splitting into those heading to the arcade and those going home.
Yuri was among the ones leaving.
“Yuri, you’re heading back?”
“Yeah, I’m starting to worry about stuff at home.”
“I see…”
I felt a twinge of loneliness.
Then Yuri looked at me with a teasing expression.
“What, you want me to stay with you?”
“…Well, kinda.”
“Huh!?”
Yuri’s eyes went wide with surprise.
A beat later, I realized what I’d just said.
“Oh, uh, sorry. That came out weird…”
“That was way beyond weird… I thought my heart was gonna explode…”
Blushing bright red, Yuri clutched her chest.
Maybe because we’ve known each other so long, I sometimes blurt out exactly what I’m thinking when I’m with Yuri.
“I mean, like… having you around right now makes me feel at ease, mentally.”
“What’s that supposed to mean…?”
Even as she said that, Yuri seemed to have an inkling, letting out a small sigh before speaking.
“Well, I guess I’m kinda like you.”
“Like me?”
“Probably, but… you’re feeling a gap between you and everyone else right now, aren’t you? I get that sometimes too. I’m usually so busy with work at the shop that I don’t get to hang out with people much.”
So I wasn’t the only one feeling that disconnect.
“…Yuri, do you ever feel dissatisfied with the way you’re living?”
“Nope. I want to become a great chef someday. Sure, I can’t always keep up with everyone’s topics, but I just accept it and move on.”
Yuri declared it firmly.
I see… Yuri has a clear vision for her future.
She might be similar to me, but she’s already a step ahead.
I felt a bit discouraged. …Seeing me like that, Yuri spoke up.
“You told me before, didn’t you? That after your parents ditched you, if you hadn’t met Konohana-san, you definitely would’ve relied on me.”
“Yeah…”
“That made me pretty happy, you know.”
Yuri said with a shy smile.
“So, when push comes to shove, I’ll be there to help you, just like you expected. …You’re not alone. No matter how you choose to live, you won’t end up isolated. You can count on that.”
With that, Yuri turned on her heel.
Before her small figure could disappear, I called out without thinking.
“Yuri!”
“What?”
“I feel like I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”
“Can you not hit me with huge emotions out of nowhere…?”
Yuri looked flustered.
“But, well, that’s only natural. After all—I’m your Onee-san!”
With that, Yuri finally left for good.
Those were the words I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear the same words as always, to reassure myself that the path I’m on isn’t wrong. She must’ve picked up on that.
What a reliable big sister.
No matter what conclusion I reach moving forward, I want to hold on to my connection with Yuri. …That’s what I decided.
◆
Most of the people joining the after-party were guys. I followed their lead to the arcade. Unlike the one back home, this was a massive five-story building.
“Izuki, you suck at this!”
“Cut me some slack, it’s been forever since I played.”
We tried everything from rhythm games to racing games.
When I went to the arcade with Hinako and Tennouji-san, I dominated, but with my old classmates, the tables turned. I got crushed in nearly every game we played. The only time I held my own was in games with a lot of luck involved.
Unlike me, most of them seemed used to these kinds of games.
That realization brought a sense of alienation, but…
(…It’s okay. I’m not alone.)
I recalled Yuri’s words.
Up until just a moment ago, that sense of alienation had shaken my confidence in my own path. But now, I felt calm enough to face Hinako’s words head-on.
Living differently from others probably isn’t a bad thing.
The issue is that it takes resolve. And Hinako and Takuma-san saw right through me—I don’t have that resolve yet.
“Man, I’m sweating!”
“Same here.”
“Let’s take a break.”
I sat down on a bench by the vending machines with one of my old classmates.
We might’ve gotten too into the air hockey. It’s been a while since I had this much fun.
“Here, Izuki. My treat.”
“Oh… thanks!”
I took the sports drink and chugged it.
The guy watched me like he was studying me.
“You’ve changed.”
“…I get that a lot. Better posture or whatever.”
“No, not your looks. Honestly, you’re easier to talk to now.”
I tilted my head, and he went on.
“I mean, before, you’d make a huge deal out of someone treating you to a drink. It wasn’t bad, but sometimes it felt a bit much.”
“Ugh… sorry about that.”
Unlike with Yuri, who I’m used to, I’d get overly formal when others treated me to food or drinks. I think I was like that with Yuri at first too.
“Izuki, we’re planning to hang out tomorrow too. You in?”
“…Sorry, I’ve got plans. Well, more like I need to study.”
“Study?”
“School’s starting soon, so I want to prep and review. …Kiou Academy’s classes are tough. If I don’t put in that much effort, I won’t keep up.”
I braced for another awkward reaction.
But this time, it was different.
“Sounds fun.”
My old classmate looked at me with a relieved smile.
His unexpected response made me tilt my head.
“Fun?”
“Yeah. You wouldn’t work that hard if it wasn’t fun, right?”
“…Yeah, I guess. It is fun.”
It was a perfectly reasonable take.
That’s right. I find my days at the academy enjoyable. …There’s no mistaking that.
“It was rough at first, though. The teachers’ words sounded like magic spells, and the pace of the classes was so fast. Every day, I was studying like my life depended on it.”
Before I knew it, I was reminiscing about my days at Kiou Academy as I spoke.
“But what surprised me more than the difficulty was how everyone around me was putting in that kind of effort like it was normal. I thought I was struggling because I wasn’t smart enough, but that wasn’t it. At Kiou Academy, everyone—regardless of how naturally gifted they are—works incredibly hard every day.”
Of course, natural talent exists. But watching Hinako and the others, I realized that’s a minor detail.
The real difference between me and them was our mindset.
The students at Kiou Academy all carried a fierce, forward-looking determination.
“So I want to be like them—”
I stopped mid-sentence.
(…Ah.)
A word nearly slipped out of my mouth.
I repeated it over and over in my head.
That’s it.
I don’t need to overthink this.
This is my answer.
“Izuki?”
“…It’s nothing.”
I shook my head, saying, “Don’t worry about it.”
“Sorry. I’m easier to talk to now, but I’m still kinda flaky about hanging out.”
“No kidding. Well, just make sure you don’t have any regrets.”
He probably noticed how I’d been grappling with that sense of alienation at the reunion. I’m surrounded by good people… I realized that all over again.
“Alright, let me have a rematch!”
“Now that’s the spirit, Izuki. Bring it on!”
Break time was over, and we dove back into the games.
I’d found my answer. I could’ve gone home, but I decided to play as much as I could today.
The next time I hang out with them will probably be a while from now. They’re good people. I treasure these connections. But we probably won’t see each other too often.
I’ve found the place where I belong.
◆
“Hinako!”
As soon as I got home and closed the door, I called out Hinako’s name.
Then I immediately realized—she’s down with a fever.
“S-Sorry, I was too loud.”
“Ngh… I was awake, so it’s fine.”
Hinako, buried in her bedding, rustled around and turned to face me.
“Oh, where’s Shizune-san?”
“Shopping… Since I got a fever, she went to buy stuff that’s good for me.”
Now that she mentioned it, I didn’t see Shizune-san’s shoes at the entrance.
She was probably tending to Hinako until just before, and once Hinako stabilized, she went shopping. There was a towel by the pillow, likely used to wipe her down.
It seemed Hinako had been resting properly—her complexion looked much better than when I left. Apparently, she’s had these fevers before, so Shizune-san and the others are used to caring for her, and Hinako herself knows how to recover.
“Did you find your answer?”
“…Yeah.”
Hinako must’ve guessed why I was in such a rush.
So as not to burden her, I spoke calmly and quietly.
“Today, I went to a reunion and saw my old classmates for the first time in a while.”
I recounted everything I saw and heard that day.
I carefully recalled every detail and shared it.
“I heard all sorts of stories. Going to the movies, eating together… It’s obvious, but everyone’s been hanging out a lot in places I don’t know about. At karaoke, everyone but me could sing the latest hits. At the arcade, they were all way better at games than me. …They’ve probably been going a lot.”
Hinako’s face fell.
She probably thought she’d taken that kind of everyday life away from me.
Honestly, seeing them, I did think that could’ve been my life too. And it’s probably a happy way to live, no doubt.
“—But I didn’t feel jealous.”
Hinako’s eyes widened.
“Because I’m happy with my life now.”
“…Happy?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded firmly to Hinako’s question.
“I’m fulfilled with the way I’m living now. Just like everyone else is doing what they want, I’m doing what I want too.”
Realizing that feeling was a big deal.
If I were only by Hinako’s side out of a sense of duty, I’d probably feel jealous of everyone else. But my heart didn’t stir with any of those feelings at all.
—It’s not duty.
Me being here, talking with Hinako right now, is definitely not out of duty.
Being her caretaker, attending Kiou Academy, studying seriously every day, working my hardest—all of it—isn’t out of duty at all.
It’s what I love doing.
“You know, meeting you, Hinako, moved me.”
Why do I find my everyday life so enjoyable now?
I start to explain the reason.
“Going to Kiou Academy, meeting upper-class people like you, Hinako, and being genuinely moved by their way of life. Carrying huge responsibilities and striving to live up to them. I came to love everyone living such grand lives.”
I picture all sorts of people in my mind.
Asahi-san and Taishou were like that too. Those two were easy to talk to from the start, but just as you’d expect from Kiou Academy students, they’re seriously thinking about their future prospects.
I was surrounded by amazing people.
“So before I knew it, I wanted to be like them too.”
I think it’s a very natural thing.
I mean, when you’re surrounded by people working so hard with such seriousness.
It’s only natural to be inspired.
“At first, I was working hard for you, Hinako. But now it’s not just that. …Now, purely out of my own feelings, I want to grow to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else.”
My efforts are active.
They’re not something forced on me by others or my environment.
That’s why it’s fun. Because I’m doing what I want to do.
“What I want to do in the future… I haven’t quite found that yet. But there’s one thing I’ve decided for sure.”
Maybe it wasn’t just now, but something I’d unconsciously decided long ago.
A single goal I’d been holding onto without realizing it—.
“I want to become someone who can bear great responsibilities. Like you, Hinako, like Tennouji-san, like Narika…”
Or even like Kagen-san.
I feel something similar from Yuri too. She’s aiming to become a chef, take over her family’s restaurant, and even has ambitions to turn it into a chain. I respect her.
This isn’t just admiration. It’s a goal.
I want to live like them.
“For that, I don’t need to live like the friends I hung out with today. …I want to keep living in the world where you all are, Hinako.”
I’m not bound by Hinako.
I’m living in this world by my own will.
I told Hinako that, pouring all those feelings into my words.
“…I’m so glad.”
Hinako, who’d listened to me, said with tears welling in her eyes.
“I’m so glad… you’re not going away, Izuki…”
With a look of pure relief, Hinako smiled.
I gently patted Hinako’s head as tears rolled down her cheeks.
◇
While having her head patted, Hinako recalls the past few days.
Was she causing Izuki pain? …That anxiety grew stronger as Izuki’s presence in her heart grew larger.
Confirming it was scary, but suppressing the swelling anxiety in her chest was becoming too hard, so Hinako mustered the courage to ask.
What did Izuki really want to do—?
(Truly… I’m so glad.)
As Izuki pats her head, Hinako feels relief from the bottom of her heart.
He’s patted her head a few times before. Carried her on his back, eaten meals together, even bathed together… so many moments.
All of those were things Izuki did because he wanted to.
She wasn’t making Izuki unhappy.
(I… I’m allowed to love Izuki…)
Being able to hold that confidence is what makes her happiest.
(Then I won’t hold back anymore… From now on, I’ll be braver…)
She has no idea what to do, but she can figure that out bit by bit.
His gentle head pats feel so comforting each time. Izuki’s probably doing this without any romantic feelings, which makes her feel a bit complicated, but… maybe she should start by working on changing that mindset of his.
She also needs to properly respond to Yuri’s declaration of being a love rival. There’s no reason to back down from that challenge anymore. The battle’s just beginning.
Another pat on her head. The fighting spirit that had flared up melts into a soft puddle.
Just for today… it’s okay to take it easy, right?
Hinako falls into a peaceful sleep for the first time in a while.
◆
After Hinako falls asleep, Shizune-san comes home.
Hinako’s completely out, but it’s still too early for us to sleep. So as not to wake her, I quietly study, and Shizune-san starts working.
Then, there’s a knock at the door.
(A knock…? When there’s an intercom?)
I peek through the door’s peephole.
“Takuma-san?”
A familiar figure is standing there.
“Takuma-sama, is it?”
“Yeah. I’ll step out for a bit.”
I slip on my shoes and head outside.
Somehow, I have a feeling… the business is with me, not Hinako or Shizune-san.
“Hey, Izuki-kun. Sorry for bothering you so late.”
I bow lightly, unsure of his purpose.
Takuma-san looks at my face and smiles.
“From the look of you, it seems you’ve properly become Hinako’s place to belong, huh?”
“…You really see right through everything, don’t you?”
“Hahaha, that’s why people often find me creepy.”
Apparently, just by looking at my face, he’s grasped the general situation.
Honestly, it’s no wonder people find that unsettling.
“Shall we talk for a bit?”
Saying that, Takuma-san starts walking.
Walking beside him, I ask a question.
“Earlier, you didn’t ring the intercom because of Hinako, right?”
“Well, yeah. It’d be a shame to wake Hinako when she’s sound asleep.”
“You’re worried about her, aren’t you?”
“I’m her brother, after all. Isn’t that natural?”
Hearing Takuma-san say that puts me at ease.
From what Hinako and Shizune-san told me, he gave off a terrifying impression in many ways, but maybe Takuma-san is more reasonable and kind than I thought. That’s what I think.
“So, what did you say to put Hinako at ease?”
“That’s…”
That was probably his main point from the start.
I explain to Takuma-san what I told Hinako earlier.
“Hmm… You want to become someone who can bear great responsibilities, huh?”
Takuma-san nods slightly at my answer.
“I’m aware it’s still a vague vision. But for me, that alone was enough to decide which world I want to live in.”
“No, that’s fine. If anything, if you came up with a concrete career path just because I prodded you, it’d feel fake. Future prospects aren’t something you should decide lightly, right?”
Says the guy who stirred me up in the first place…
I push down the irritation rising in my chest with reason.
“But in your case, it doesn’t seem like that’s all.”
Takuma-san says with a playful tone.
“You’ve found a slightly more specific goal, haven’t you?”
His insight is as sharp as ever.
There’s no fooling this guy.
“…It’s just something I’m considering as one possible direction.”
I confess a resolve I haven’t even told Hinako.
“If possible, I’d like to become an executive in the Konohana Group.”
That was a wish I stumbled upon while searching for answers.
What kind of person did I want to become? The first thing that came to mind was Hinako and the others, living nobly at Kiou Academy.
And then, what did I want to do in the future? What came to mind was… adults like Kagen-san. People like Tennouji-san or Narika’s parents, actively carrying great responsibilities and making things happen.
When I thought that far, I envisioned the position I should aim for.
“Pfft, hahahahaha! That’s pretty ambitious, isn’t it!”
Takuma-san bursts into laughter.
His laugh echoes through the quiet night streets.
“…Don’t laugh. That’s why I kept it to myself.”
“You’re getting laughed at because you still lack the ability.”
He’s absolutely right.
For someone like me to say something like that now would obviously just be embarrassing.
Someday—I need to become the kind of person who can say that and have others nod seriously in response.
“For now, I’ll acknowledge the courage it took to say that in front of me. As a reward, shall I tell you a bit more about the whole affair?”
“The affair?”
“About the Konohana Group’s scandal. …If you’re aiming to be an executive, it’s worth hearing.”
Takuma-san looks at me with a serious expression.
“The reason I was called to that mansion was because my stance on this scandal differed from my father’s.”
Takuma-san begins to explain.
“I was the one who tipped off the media about the power harassment in the group company.”
That… I didn’t know.
So Takuma-san was the one who started it all?
“Konoha Drinks Co., Ltd. is a company we acquired six months ago. But the thing is, that company had a longstanding issue with a culture of employee harassment. They managed to cover it up during the acquisition, but just by looking at the employees’ faces, I could tell the problem was still there.”
Innate insight. A rare EQ, even on a global scale.
For someone like Takuma-san, reading a company’s culture from employees’ expressions must be child’s play.
“So I decided to leak the issue to the press and have it announced publicly. That way, it’d not only resolve Konoha Drinks’ issues but also serve as a warning to other harassment-prone employees in the group. …But my father stopped it at the last moment, saying it would damage the Konohana Group’s brand.”
Takuma-san’s thinking makes some sense.
But to me, Kagen-san’s judgment feels even more correct.
Takuma-san’s approach is too extreme. Kagen-san must have decided the losses would be too great.
“For the past few days, while you all were away from the mansion, I was debating with my father, but in the end, I lost to the majority. I thought it was the best course of action, though.”
“The best…?”
I open my mouth without thinking, and Takuma-san stares straight at me.
Pierced by his gaze, I hesitate for a moment, wondering if someone like me has any right to speak up. But since he’s explained this much, I should at least have the right to voice an opinion.
“…If the Konohana Group’s brand gets damaged, wouldn’t that put the employees’ positions at risk too?”
If that happens, wouldn’t it defeat the whole purpose?
“That’s what you call necessary sacrifice.”
Takuma-san says it casually.
As if to say, what’s the problem with that?
“You know, I think it’d be fine if the Konohana Group fell apart once.”
I can’t comprehend the meaning of that statement for a while.
The Konohana Group… could fall apart?
What is this guy saying?
“Our group has such a long history that rot is lurking everywhere. That’s the current state. So I think we need a scrap-and-build approach. …Without the resolve to temporarily tarnish the brand, you can’t achieve fundamental reform. That’s where I clash with my father.”
I understand what he’s saying.
But his way of thinking still feels too radical.
Is it because I’m a commoner… because I don’t really understand what it means to run a company, that I can’t imagine it well?
Perhaps sensing my feelings, Takuma-san continues.
“You think it’s strange, don’t you? Why does Hinako have to suffer so much?”
That’s something I can relate to.
I’ve always thought it from the start. Why does Hinako have to go through this—?
“The Konohana bloodline has always been full of quirks. Hinako’s lazy, and I’m self-centered. For a quirky clan like us to control a group of this scale, we need to periodically prune the excess. But my father doesn’t want to do that. That’s why Hinako’s burden is so heavy. My father’s bad at cutting things away.”
“…But even with this scandal, isn’t Kagen-san managing the group properly?”
“My father’s forcing himself too. Ever since Mom died.”
Takuma-san says, slightly lowering his gaze.
Is Takuma-san purely worried about his family?
But even so, there’s a strange sense of unease that lingers.
“…Is that what Hinako wants?”
I know Hinako dislikes Takuma-san, but does she feel the same about his ideas? Curious, I ask.
Takuma-san answers while thinking.
“Who knows? Honestly, you’re the first person I’ve explained my vision to in such detail, Izuki-kun.”
“What… really?”
“Yeah. So I don’t know if Hinako would agree with me.”
Takuma-san says it so casually.
“Wait a second.”
I can’t understand that nonchalance.
“You haven’t talked to Hinako at all… and you’re planning reforms that could affect her life?”
Afraid of the answer, I ask cautiously.
But Takuma-san responds as if it’s obvious.
“Yeah. Because it’ll definitely make things easier for Hinako.”
Hearing that answer, I finally understand.
…I see.
Now I get it.
The true nature of the unease I’ve been feeling from this guy all along.
When I learned he didn’t ring the intercom out of consideration for Hinako, I thought maybe he does care about his family in his own way.
But that’s not the reality.
Just as Hinako said at the mansion, this guy only thinks about himself.
This guy—only thinks about himself worrying about his family.
Takuma-san doesn’t actually care about his family.
It’s probably the same with the Konohana Group. What matters to Takuma-san is his own judgment in caring about the group, and the feelings of the people living within it come second. …Even the employees facing harassment might not want such a high-profile solution. But Takuma-san isn’t interested in their feelings.
That’s why he can so casually talk about scrapping and rebuilding.
I can kind of guess why he has this mindset.
This guy has absolute confidence that his judgment is correct. His insight, capable of reading people’s hearts—his ability to see things others can’t—has made him this way.
And that’s probably true.
Because I feel like Takuma-san’s approach could achieve the reforms he’s aiming for.
But with that approach, I—.
Hinako—.
“You’re making the same face as my father.”
Takuma-san says, looking at me.
There’s no expectation or disappointment in his eyes. Takuma-san’s expression is completely neutral.
“Oh well. If you find a different way than mine, that’s fine too.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I’m just trying to make the most correct choice at this moment. But if you struggle and change the situation in the future, other options might open up.”
Takuma-san was implicitly saying that, at present, his choice was more correct than Kagen-san’s.
Takuma-san was objective. His attitude might come off as arrogant at first glance, but his words were fair. His confidence stemmed not from conceit but from meticulous calculations.
The only thing not factored into those calculations was our emotions.
“If you don’t like my choice—then you’ll have to create other options yourself.”
Takuma-san declared with a fearless smile.
A shiver ran through me, as if an unpleasant breeze had blown past from ahead.
My skin prickled with goosebumps. I was reminded of how small and insignificant I was.
This sensation could only be described as presence.
I was overwhelmed by Takuma-san’s overpowering presence.
“However, if Izuki-kun is serious about aiming for a position on our board, you should build more achievements while you’re still a student. As you are now, you wouldn’t even make it to the starting line.”
Takuma-san placed a finger to his chin, deep in thought.
The heavy pressure from moments ago was gone.
A bead of cold sweat slid down my cheek and fell to the ground.
“The ideal would be joining the student council. But that places heavy emphasis on family background, so in your case, Izuki-kun, there’s a risk your status could be exposed before your abilities even come into play… And you’d also need to win the Management Game.”
“Management Game…?”
“It’s a rather unique class. As for what it entails… I’ll leave that unexplained for now.”
When I tilted my head at the unfamiliar term, Takuma-san gave a faint smile.
“You wouldn’t know. At Kiou Academy, the real challenge begins in the second semester of your second year.”
A few days later, I would come to understand the weight of Takuma-san’s words.
The midpoint of high school life: the second semester of the second year.
Kiou Academy was about to host a massive event.
