"Leaving already? It's still early."
"My mom should be home soon. If I'm not there, she'll feel lonely, won't she?"
From the start of dinner to the very end, nothing unusual happened. The concerns weighing on Haruto's mind were his alone—none of the three girls at the table seemed to share them. Dinner passed quietly, and as soon as they finished, Sekai Saionji was the first to stand up and excuse herself.
Mai, seeing that Sekai was leaving, made a polite effort to ask her to stay a little longer. However, Sekai declined with a gentle smile. Sitting on the sofa, she rose to her feet, said her goodbyes to both Mai and Setsuna, then made her way toward the door.
Standing to the side, Haruto glanced at Setsuna and Mai before shifting his gaze to Sekai's retreating figure. After a brief moment of thought, he stepped forward and offered,
"It might not be safe for you to walk home alone at night. I'll walk you back."
"Hm?"
Mai turned to look at Haruto, slightly hesitating at his sudden suggestion. After considering that Sekai was, after all, a girl walking home alone at night, she glanced at Haruto once more.
"Are you sure?"
"It's no problem. I was planning to stop by the convenience store anyway. I'll take her home on the way."
"Alright, then I'll leave it to you."
Haruto turned toward Setsuna, who was still sitting on the sofa, unmoving. He leaned down, whispering something in her ear. Setsuna gave him a small nod, and in response, Haruto lightly kissed her cheek before smiling at her. Then, without another word, he walked toward the door.
Sekai had only just stepped outside the Kiyoura residence when she heard the sound of a door opening behind her. She turned back and, under the glow of the porch light, saw Haruto stepping out. He gave her a small wave.
"Let's go. I'll walk you home."
Sekai blinked in mild surprise before smiling and nodding.
"Don't you want to go with Haruto to walk Sekai home? You'd be able to come back together afterward."
After Haruto left, Mai turned her gaze toward her daughter, asking Setsuna. The girl, still sitting on the sofa, popped a chocolate ball into her mouth. Tilting her head back slightly, her pale neck was exposed as she gazed up at her mother.
Mai sat down beside her daughter and reached out to pinch Setsuna's soft, round cheek. The smooth, delicate texture reminded her of when Setsuna was still a small child.
"I don't feel like going out."
Setsuna muttered as she let her mother squeeze her cheek.
"What did Haruto say to you before he left?"
"It's a secret."
"A secret? Even from your own mother?"
Setsuna fell silent. Gently freeing herself from her mother's grasp, she lowered her head and resumed watching TV. Mai, realizing that her daughter wasn't going to say anything more, sighed inwardly. She sat down beside Setsuna and joined her in watching the show.
Under the night sky, streetlights illuminated the path ahead.
Walking side by side, Sekai would occasionally glance at the boy next to her, her emotions subtly shifting.
"Won't Setsuna mind you coming out with me?"
"I already told her I was walking you home. It's not too far, but still, it's safer if you're not alone. Besides, I needed to drop by the convenience store anyway, so I figured I'd take you home on the way."
"Just on the way?"
Haruto glanced at Sekai for a moment but didn't answer, keeping his gaze forward.
Seeing his sudden silence, Sekai's lips curled up slightly. She continued walking alongside him with a lighthearted smile.
It didn't take long to reach her home. Since Haruto had already walked her back once before, he still remembered the way. After about ten minutes, they arrived at the apartment building where Sekai lived, and Haruto stopped in his tracks.
"We're here. I should get going now."
Looking at him, Sekai hesitated for a brief second before reaching out and grabbing his wrist, stopping him from leaving.
Haruto turned around, meeting her gaze. In her eyes, he saw a faint trace of expectation.
"Is there something else?"
"You've already walked me all the way here. Last time, you didn't even come inside. Why don't you come up for a bit? Just for a little while—it won't take long."
"..."
Haruto didn't say anything at first. The way she phrased it didn't sound wrong, but something about it still made him feel uneasy. After silently watching her for a moment, he sighed and nodded.
"Alright."
"Hm? Oh! Okay!"
Sekai's face lit up with joy. Though she wasn't sure what had made Haruto change his mind so suddenly, she was nonetheless delighted. She turned and led him inside.
At the restaurant, Saionji Yoko stretched her arms and let out a deep breath. As the closing hours approached, she finally allowed herself to relax.
"It's about time to head home. I wonder if Sekai has gone to bed yet."
Usually, her daughter would stay up late watching TV, only going to bed after Yoko returned home. But lately, she'd been acting differently—going to bed earlier, lights off, and no response when Yoko knocked on her door. Her sleep schedule had abruptly become far too healthy.
At first, Yoko found the change amusing. But after coming home to an empty-feeling living room night after night, she started to feel a little... off.
Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought. She grabbed her bag, switched off the office lights, and gave some final instructions to the remaining staff before heading out.
Driving home, she pulled into her usual parking spot and glanced up at her apartment. The lights were still on.
"Still awake? That's unusual... Normally, she'd be in bed by now."
Surprised, she parked her car and walked into the building. Upon stepping inside her apartment, she immediately noticed something unusual—there were two pairs of shoes at the entrance.
One was Sekai's.
The other was unfamiliar.
Yoko narrowed her eyes, her footsteps light as she entered the living room. The place was empty, but a cup sat on the table. She touched it—cold.
Then, she walked toward her daughter's bedroom.
Just as she reached the door, she stopped.
From inside came the faintest of sounds—soft whimpers and breathy sighs, mingled with barely suppressed murmurs.
Yoko stood frozen.
At first, she thought she might be imagining things. But as the muffled sounds continued, she had no choice but to accept reality.
Her daughter had brought a man home.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the door, listening.
"...Haa... Mm..."
"...Are you sure? If we keep going like this, I think—"
"It's fine. Nn... It's—ah!"
The boy's voice was unfamiliar, hesitant. But Sekai's? She sounded utterly lost in the moment.
Yoko pressed her lips together, suppressing a mix of emotions. She sighed again and silently turned away, retreating to her own room.
The night deepened.
Haruto stood by the door, putting on his shoes. Just as he reached for the handle, he hesitated. His eyes drifted toward the entryway.
There should have been only two pairs of shoes—his and Sekai's.
But there was a third.
A pair of elegant, mature high heels.
Haruto stood there in silence for a moment before turning back toward the living room. After a brief pause, he decided to pretend he hadn't seen anything. Without another word, he left.
Click.
The door closed with a distinct sound, echoing through the silent living room. Yet, even with its clarity, the space remained still, untouched by any movement.
It wasn't until about half an hour later that Sekai finally emerged from her bedroom, her legs still weak as she carefully stepped forward.
The living room lights shone brightly, illuminating her hesitant expression. She bit her lip, inching her way toward the bathroom. Only after she disappeared inside did another door in the apartment slowly creak open.
Hearing the subtle yet unmistakable sound of the bathroom door, Yoko Saionji stepped out of her room. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her gaze following the direction of the noise. She approached the bathroom, reaching out to push the door open—
And there, under the warm shower spray, stood her daughter.
Sekai hadn't noticed her mother's presence at first. She was still lost in the lingering sensations of the night, her mind drifting, her body absorbing the warmth of the water.
But Yoko's sharp eyes immediately took in everything.
The faint marks on Sekai's skin—small, barely noticeable, but still fresh. Too recent to have faded completely.
Then, the abrupt creak of the door.
The sudden noise made Sekai shudder, a tremor running through her as she instinctively placed her hands in front of herself, shielding her body. Wide-eyed, she turned toward the entrance, only to see her mother standing there, watching with an unreadable expression—a mix of amusement and something else.
"Mom…?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, filled with uncertainty.
"A boyfriend?"
"Huh? What… You heard that?! W-when did you get home?"
Sekai stared at her mother in shock. She hadn't even realized her mother had come back.
"I've been home for a while," Yoko said with an amused tone. "I heard noises from your room, but I didn't want to interrupt. My little Sekai has grown up—bringing a man home now, huh?"
"…"
Seeing that her mother wasn't upset—if anything, she seemed to be teasing her—Sekai felt slightly relieved. Silently, she lowered her arms from where they had been covering her body, picked up the body wash, and continued showering as if nothing had happened.
"You're really not mad? That I brought him home…?"
She glanced sideways at her mother, who had now stepped into the bathroom, even closing the door behind her. As Yoko started unbuttoning her shirt, preparing to bathe as well, Sekai hesitantly asked.
"Hmm… I was a little surprised," Yoko admitted. "But I wouldn't say I'm particularly upset. You're still just a student, and you don't have much money—going to a hotel or somewhere else isn't easy. It's understandable. So, what kind of person is he?"
Peeling off the last of her clothing and placing it in the laundry basket, Yoko stepped into the shower, her gaze settling on her daughter.