By the time dinner rolled around, Haruto still hadn't seen any sign of Setsuna. Instead, it was Mai who arrived at his door, carrying a bento box. After he let her inside, she immediately expressed concern about him and Setsuna.
"What's going on between you two? I noticed something was off last night. I tried calling you, but your phone was busy the whole time. Then this morning, I didn't get a chance to talk to you. Did Setsuna see you with another girl?"
Mai placed the bento on the table, her eyes fixed on Haruto as she questioned him about the tension between him and Setsuna over the past two days.
Seeing Mai, Haruto felt a complicated mix of emotions. He sat down, lifted the lid of the bento, and stared at the burdock root inside. His expression became slightly unreadable as it brought back memories of his first meeting with Setsuna.
"Then… who do you think that girl was?"
"…So you really were with someone else?"
Mai's eyes widened in surprise. She had only been making a casual guess—assuming that the only thing that could upset her daughter this much was Haruto being with another woman. But now, Haruto wasn't even trying to deny it.
She looked at him carefully and noticed the subtle, almost unreadable way he was watching her. A bad feeling crept up inside her.
Her mind flashed back to the conversation she had with Setsuna last night, and an unsettling possibility came to mind. Slowly, she raised her finger and pointed at herself.
"…Me?"
Haruto gave a small nod.
Mai's face turned pale in an instant. She pressed her lips together, momentarily at a loss. She had considered the possibility that something like this might happen, but she never expected it to happen this soon.
"How did Setsuna find out?"
"How should I know?" Haruto let out a small sigh. "Thinking back, there were only two times it could have happened. Both times, I was careful—I didn't leave any traces. Maybe she saw you coming over the other night. Or maybe… she found something here."
He couldn't put all the blame on Mai. Haruto knew he bore responsibility as well. He closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating his own role in the situation.
He was supposed to be Setsuna's boyfriend, yet he had been secretly involved with her mother. It felt like something straight out of a forbidden romance manga—except this was reality. And unlike in fiction, there were real consequences.
Watching Haruto's calm demeanor, Mai bit her lip. She couldn't understand how he could be so composed. But her initial panic faded, and she forced herself to think clearly.
"…What now?" she asked, voice quieter. "Did Setsuna say anything about how she feels? What she's planning to do?"
"She didn't say much. She brought it up yesterday, but she didn't seem particularly angry. If anything… she was strangely calm."
"Calm?"
Mai fell silent for a moment, her gaze locked onto Haruto's. Then she sighed.
"…I understand. I'll go back and talk to her first. If there's no issue, I'll contact you later."
And if there was an issue…
She didn't say what would happen then. Without another word, she turned and left his apartment. Haruto remained at the table, staring blankly at the burdock root in his bento, lost in thought.
The Next Morning
The following morning, Haruto still hadn't seen Setsuna. She had left early for school, and by nightfall, Mai still hadn't contacted him. He wasn't holding out much hope, though.
No normal girl would be able to accept something like this, right?
At least, in Haruto's eyes, it was impossible for Setsuna to be okay with it.
He walked to school alone and entered the empty classroom. He was the first to arrive. Outside the window, a light morning mist covered the town, and the sun was barely visible behind it.
Haruto stared at the hazy sun for a moment before turning his gaze away. He had been considering what to do after school.
There wasn't anywhere he particularly wanted to go.
Maybe I should just stay home and write. The sooner I finish…
His financial situation wasn't dire, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. As a student, he had enough to get by, but as an independent young adult, it wasn't nearly enough to make him feel secure.
"You're here early today, Miyamizu-kun," a voice called out.
Haruto turned to see Hinami Aoi entering the classroom.
"You're early too," he noted. "Do you get enough sleep?"
"I go to bed early every night! A proper sleep schedule is the key to staying fresh and energized."
Haruto glanced at her. Her hair was neatly styled, and her uniform was crisp—clearly, she had put effort into her appearance. He had to admit, he admired her ability to maintain such a well-groomed look and still arrive early every morning.
"It must be nice, having that much energy every day."
"That makes you sound like an old man," Aoi giggled. "You are a high schooler, you know."
Haruto smiled faintly. He wasn't sure why, but sometimes he did feel older than his classmates. Still, he didn't dwell on it. Aoi, on the other hand, seemed to notice something in his expression.
But instead of prying, she simply returned to her seat.
As more students trickled in, the classroom gradually filled with chatter. Haruto sat quietly at his desk, resting his chin on his hand and gazing out the window in a daze.
Then, a familiar voice called out.
"Got time after school?"
Haruto looked up to see Eriri standing in front of him.
"What for?"
"Just keep me company."
"…No thanks."
"You're not even doing anything. You just go home and sit around all day."
"Even if that's true, I'm still busy."
"…One hundred thousand yen per hour."
Haruto's expression twitched. "…I'm not that kind of guy."
"One hundred and fifty thousand."
"…Two hours. I have things to do too."
"Deal."
Sitting nearby, Nozaki Umetarou had been listening to their conversation. He stared at them in disbelief.
Since when was making money that easy?
Everyone in class already knew Eriri was a rich girl, but Umetarou had never imagined she would be this extravagant.
Still, when he turned his gaze back to Haruto, he found himself nodding in understanding.
Paying someone to spend time with you… actually, that's a pretty interesting character concept. Might be worth adding to my manga…
After sealing the deal, Eriri simply returned to her seat as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Haruto was already reorganizing his schedule in his head.
A successful person needed good time management, after all.
If he was spending two hours with Eriri, that meant his afternoon writing session would be cut short. He estimated he'd be home by two or three.
Plenty of time.
During class, Haruto took occasional notes while mostly zoning out. When lunchtime arrived, students excitedly discussed their after-school plans. Haruto, however, turned down Yoshii Akihisa and Sakamoto Yuuji's invitation.
"You're really not interested in seeing Hideyoshi in a maid outfit?" Akihisa whispered dramatically. "Have you betrayed us, Haruto?!"
Haruto chuckled. "I am interested, but I have to make a living, Akihisa. Watch him for me, and tell me all about it later."
"…Haruto …"
Akihisa clutched his chest, as if touched by his friend's hardship. Then, he nodded solemnly.
"I understand. I will burn every detail into my memory for you."
Haruto smiled.
Just then, Eriri walked up to his desk, arms crossed.
"Are you done? Let's go. Time's ticking."
With a final nod to Akihisa, Haruto grabbed his bag and followed her out of the classroom.
"...."
For a moment, Yoshii Akihisa felt as if he had been completely deceived. His face twisted with a mix of emotions—
"Akihisa, Yuuji, I'm heading out first."
Just then, Hideyoshi's voice rang out as he bid them farewell and left the classroom. The jealous flames that had just ignited within Akihisa were instantly extinguished, replaced by a gentle expression. He waved to Hideyoshi, his pure and affectionate gaze resembling that of someone saying goodbye to their first love.
Outside the school gates, Eriri glanced at Haruto, who was walking beside her.
"Got any plans?"
"Aren't you the one calling the shots here? You're the sponsor. For the next two hours, I'm at your disposal. Once time's up, I'm heading home."
"Hmph."
With a faint huff, Eriri started planning how to use their time.
Behind them, the five Nakano sisters walked together. Nino, watching Eriri and Haruto ahead, turned to look at Ichika beside her.
"Looks like you lost. He seems closer to Sawamura now."
"There's something strange about their relationship," Ichika murmured.
"Strange?"
Itsuki furrowed her brows slightly.
"I can't put my finger on it, but when those two stand together, it just feels… off. Even at school, it's the same. They don't act like people who just met."
She tried recalling her observations from school. By all accounts, Eriri and Haruto weren't supposed to know each other beforehand. And yet, whenever they interacted, they had an unspoken understanding—like two people who had been familiar with each other for a long time.
It was as if they had said something without saying anything at all.
Nino glanced at Itsuki before shifting her gaze to Ichika.
"So? Thinking of giving up?"
"Hm? Give up on what?"
"You know exactly what I mean. The situation isn't looking good for you. If you keep going, what do you think your chances are?"
"I won't know unless I try."
"...Suit yourself."
Nino stopped trying to persuade her. She had said plenty already. If Ichika wanted to persist, that was her choice.
Once she hit a wall and faced rejection, she would naturally give up.
Meanwhile, Eriri and Haruto, walking ahead, had also noticed the five sisters behind them. Using her peripheral vision, Eriri stole a glance back, then shifted her gaze toward Haruto.
"They seem to be talking about us."
"Yeah."
Haruto had also noticed. The five sisters were clearly discussing him and Eriri. He turned his head slightly, gave them a polite smile and a small wave, then refocused on the path ahead.
"That should do it."
Watching as the five sisters awkwardly averted their gazes, Eriri was a bit surprised. She hadn't expected Haruto to greet them so casually.
"You know, they're quintuplets. They look nearly identical, but their personalities are completely different. You really have no interest at all?"
"If I said I did, wouldn't you just call me a scumbag or a pervert again?"
"No. I've already accepted that about you. No need to repeat it."
"...And yet the person who keeps talking about marrying this so-called scumbag is who, exactly?"
"...."
Eriri bit her lip, her expression turning sour. Without another word, she quickened her pace, walking ahead of him.
_ _ _ _
"So… what's the plan for today?"
Sekai looked at Setsuna, waiting for her answer. They had agreed yesterday to spend time together after school. Standing beside her was Kotonoha, who also seemed to be waiting for a response.
Three people. Again.
Was it going to be like last time? Were they really all going to spend the night at Setsuna's place together?
Not that she was completely opposed to the idea… but at the moment, Sekai found herself somewhat reluctant.
"Let's go to my place first."
Setsuna's voice was soft yet certain as she looked at Sekai, who seemed hesitant. Beside her, Kotonoha appeared slightly puzzled, as if sensing that something was different about Sekai today.
And so, the three of them walked together once more.