Back then, if Mai hadn't returned home early, with Kotonoha's gentle and compliant nature, it really wasn't impossible that a few whispered words from Setsuna could've pushed things past the point of no return.
Recalling that day, Kotonoha pressed her lips together tightly.
"Have you ever thought about dating someone, Kotonoha?"
Setsuna didn't linger on the previous topic. She casually shifted the conversation, as if it were just a normal chat. Kotonoha, still lost in her own memories, looked at the girl beside her but didn't immediately respond.
"I... I don't know…"
It was undeniable—Kotonoha had top grades, a stunning appearance, and the grace and background of a perfect young lady. To most of the boys at school, she was nothing short of a goddess. But only those who truly knew her understood how submissive and reserved she really was.
Even when she had her own opinions, she rarely asserted them. Especially in social situations—she tended to simply follow the lead of whoever she was talking to.
That kind of personality made Setsuna worry. In the right "circumstances," at the right "time," she feared Kotonoha might end up being taken by Haruto… without ever making a real decision herself.
Rather than letting things spiral into something unpredictable, Setsuna would rather keep everything under control from the start.
"It's not like I haven't thought about it. I just don't have that kind of mindset right now. Maybe when I get to college, I'll think more seriously about it."
When she noticed Setsuna suddenly go quiet, Kotonoha grew uneasy, thinking her vague answer had disappointed her. She quickly added the clarification, glancing at Setsuna to gauge her reaction.
But Setsuna wasn't sure how to respond to Kotonoha's overly cautious tone.
College.
The last person who told her they'd think about love after college… well, no one knew better than her how that ended.
_ _ _ _
"Coming Tomorrow?"
After tidying up his room, Haruto realized he had absolutely nothing else to do. He ended up sitting at his desk, adjusting the position of his pen holder ten times in a row before finally pulling out his phone and messaging Mitsuha, who was still far away in Itomori.
He had assumed that Mitsuha, in her usual impulsive fashion, would drag their mom and Yotsuha straight to Tokyo that very night. But surprisingly, she held back—which genuinely shocked him.
"You're not leaving tonight?" he texted.
"I'm not that impatient," Mitsuha replied.
She was clearly bluffing. Her original plan was to hop on the bus that evening, but their mom, Futaba, rejected the idea on the spot.
"Is it just you and Mom coming?"
"Yeah. We were going to bring Yotsuha too, but when we made the decision, she refused. Said she wanted to stay in Itomori and keep Grandma company. She'll come visit another time."
"Taking care of Grandma, huh? As her older sister, maybe you should learn a thing or two from Yotsuha."
"Says the guy who ran off without a word!"
"Won't grandma come to Tokyo with you?"
"With five people? No way your place could fit all of us. Plus, long-distance travel would be hard on Grandma. As soon as I suggested it, Mom shut it down."
Tired from standing, Mitsuha flopped to the floor with her phone in hand. She gazed out the window at the dusky sky, heart fluttering with anticipation. Tomorrow, she'd finally leave home and head for Tokyo—a place that, until now, had only existed in her dreams.
A place totally different from her small-town life. A place full of bright lights, opportunities, and mystery.
"Is Tokyo really that amazing?" she asked.
"Huh?" Haruto blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"You've always looked forward to being in Tokyo—becoming one of those cool Tokyo guys."
"Don't get cocky," she huffed. "Just 'cause you got there first… When I arrive tomorrow, you better watch yourself!"
"What time are you leaving tomorrow?"
"Morning."
"Then you'll get here in the afternoon. I'll come pick you guys up then. Talk to you later."
"Mm."
After hanging up, he sat in silence for a moment. Tomorrow, Mitsuha and his mother would be arriving in Tokyo. He hadn't seen them in what felt like forever. But this time, they weren't the same people from his original timeline—they were still in their younger forms, Mitsuha still in middle school, and his mom still youthful.
His calm heart started to beat faster with nervous excitement.
Night
The sky had gone completely dark by the time Haruto arrived at the Kiyoura household. While helping Mai prepare dinner, he casually mentioned his family's upcoming visit.
Mai, in the middle of slicing green peppers, froze. She nearly cut her finger, but thankfully caught herself in time. Slowly, she turned toward him, her eyes focused and intense.
"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her stare while adjusting the stove's heat.
"Your family… You mean your sister?"
"No, not just Mitsuha. My mom's coming too. They'll arrive tomorrow afternoon."
"You never mentioned this before."
"I only just confirmed it myself—just a little while ago."
Mai opened her mouth as if to speak but hesitated. She looked down at the chopping board and resumed slicing peppers, now much more slowly.
"Do you want me to come with you to pick them up?"
"No need. I'll go alone. As for meeting them... we'll see how things go."
Haruto wasn't sure whether letting Mai meet his mom, Miyamizu Futaba, was a good idea. He had no idea if his mom would sense something unusual in Mai's behavior or attitude.
"Does Setsuna know?" Mai asked.
"I told you first."
Later, while sitting at the dinner table, both he and Mai glanced toward Setsuna, who showed no reaction upon hearing that his family was coming to Tokyo the next day.
They had both expected her to stay calm—but when they actually saw her calm, almost indifferent expression, they still couldn't help but exchange glances. Their eyes silently said the same thing: Just as expected.
"Do you have anything going on tomorrow, Setsuna?" he asked.
"Not really."
"Wanna come with me to the station?"
He had declined Mai's offer because he was worried his mom might pick up on their intimate relationship. But with Setsuna, there was no need for that kind of concern. They were close in age, and she was his official girlfriend. His mom could interpret it however she liked—it wouldn't be a problem.
They had even talked in the past about meeting each other's families. This was the perfect opportunity.
"Tomorrow... I, uh..." Setsuna looked hesitant, as if something was bothering her. But when her eyes met Haruto's, her worries seemed to fade, and she gradually nodded.
"My mom's really gentle. She'll definitely love someone as sweet as you. As for Mitsuha… she's a bit loud, but she's kind at heart."
They had talked about his sisters before—Mitsuha and Yotsuha—but he rarely mentioned his mother. Now that they had time, he shared more details about his family with both Setsuna and Mai, hoping to help them avoid any surprises.
He ended up staying at the Kiyoura residence until after 10 p.m., telling them everything about his family. It wasn't until then that Mai realized the boy in front of her came from a far more complicated background than she'd initially assumed.
"You never mentioned any of this before," Mai said, gazing at Haruto.
She'd heard him speak about his family before, but only in passing—never in detail. Until now, she hadn't even known what they did for a living. And now she found out his family ran a shrine... and his father was even the mayor.
"It's not really something worth bragging about," Haruto replied, his voice casual. "I mean, do you really expect me to go around telling people, 'Hey, my dad's the mayor'?"
"…"
Mai wanted to argue but found herself at a loss for words. She sighed and stared at him for a long time. Her gaze lingered until he began to feel a little uncomfortable, and only then did she finally look away.
"You should get some rest," she said softly. "Tomorrow afternoon, we'll head to the station together."
He nodded at Setsuna, who stood quietly nearby, and got to his feet.
"It's getting late. I should head back. They'll probably contact me before they arrive. I'll come find you then."
"Okay."
After confirming the plan for tomorrow, he left the Kiyoura household and returned to his apartment. He went straight to the bathroom, carefully washing himself clean. After blow-drying his hair, he collapsed into bed. It was already past 11.
He glanced at the time on his phone, closed his eyes, and quickly drifted into sleep.
He couldn't quite remember what he dreamed of that night—just a vague, uneasy feeling remained. As he opened his eyes and looked out toward the window, he saw the sky outside was bright and blue.
A beautiful day.
Still in his pajamas, Haruto glanced at the clock on his desk. Just past 8.
He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply before making his way to the bathroom.
After taking care of his hygiene and grabbing a quick breakfast, he sat down at his desk. His thoughts drifted a bit, but it wasn't enough to keep him from writing. With nothing else on his schedule, he picked up his pen and continued working quietly until a message arrived around 10 a.m.—Mitsuha and the others had just boarded the shinkansen.
Since Itomori didn't have a direct bullet train line to Tokyo, they had to transfer at Nagoya. From there, the ride to Tokyo would take roughly two hours. He figured if they got on the train at 10, they'd likely arrive around noon.
He set his pen down, tidied up his appearance in the mirror, and headed out for the Kiyoura household.
Even Setsuna, usually calm and collected, couldn't help but feel a little anxious about meeting Haruto's family. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and had woken up around seven. For hours she stayed in her room, trying on different outfits, repeatedly checking her reflection before finally settling on a light blue dress. Even then, she still felt nervous.
When the doorbell rang, she stepped out of her room and saw Haruto already inside, chatting with her mother.
She hesitated for a moment before slowly walking over to his side.
"Haruto."
He turned at the sound of her voice and saw her standing there in her blue dress.
"It suits you," he said.
The unease that had been weighing on Setsuna's heart disappeared instantly.
"Are we leaving now?"
"They just got on the train in Nagoya. It'll take them a while to get to Tokyo. If we leave now and take the subway, we should get there around the same time."
"So… should we go?"
"Yeah."
Haruto gave a small nod, then looked over at Mai.
"I'll head out with Setsuna now. We should be back by noon, maybe one in the afternoon. We'll probably eat out for lunch."
"Well then, looks like I'll have the house to myself for lunch," Mai said with a smile. "Setsuna, be polite when you meet his family."
She knew her daughter didn't need the reminder, but still couldn't help saying it. Setsuna gave a small nod and glanced back at her mother.
Meanwhile, back in Itomori, Mitsuha had been up early as well. She stood in front of her wardrobe, frowning.
All her clothes looked too plain.
She sighed, regretting not buying a new outfit in advance. After much internal debate, she finally picked something she could live with and started packing again.
She had already packed most of her things last night, but somehow it felt like a lot was still missing. Now that she was awake and still had time before leaving, she hurriedly stuffed a few more things into her bag.
"So loud!"
Still lying in bed and trying to enjoy her vacation, Yotsuha was finally jolted awake by her sister's noisy footsteps.
She sat up with a glare and snapped, "Seriously? Can't you be quiet?"
"Ah, sorry," Mitsuha replied sheepishly. "I'm just finishing my packing."
"Didn't you already do that last night? You were up so late even Grandma yelled at you. Now you're at it again?"
"I tried packing last night, but it wasn't finished. We're leaving soon—of course I have to make sure I've got everything."
Now wide awake and annoyed, Yotsuha sat grumpily on her bed. There was no chance of falling back asleep, so she begrudgingly got dressed and got up.
"You know, if you change your mind, you could still come with us to Tokyo," Mitsuha teased. "You could see your beloved big brother again~"
"Hmph. I'm not interested in Tokyo. I'll go another time. Besides, I don't want to be like someone who mumbles 'Hehe~ Tokyo~ my lovely Tokyo~' in her sleep like a total weirdo. I couldn't even sleep properly with all your creepy dreaming."
"…Did I really say that?"
Mitsuha froze, her face blank with shock. Hearing her sister's teasing words, she slowly turned red with embarrassment, realizing how ridiculous—and possibly real—that had sounded.
Although she really longed to go to Tokyo, there were still some lines she refused to cross—and at least a shred of shame left in her.
Yotsuha didn't answer Mitsuha. She quietly pulled her shirt over her head, lifted the futon, picked up the denim shorts lying beside the bed, and slid them over her pink strawberry-print panties. Then she pulled on her white socks and stood up.
"I'll go make breakfast."
"Do you have anything you want me to give that guy? I can take it for you~"
"I already gave it to Mom."
"Huh? Why not give it to me?"
Feeling betrayed by her sister's lack of trust, Mitsuha was just about to demand an explanation when Yotsuha had already slid open the paper door and walked out of the room, leaving her alone. Watching her little sister leave, Mitsuha pouted, then resumed packing.
When Yotsuha arrived in the living room, two early risers were already there. One was sipping tea while watching the morning news, and the other was busy preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Grandma, Mom."
"You're up. Where's Mitsuha?"
Miyamizu Hitoha, her hair a soft white and thick glasses perched on her nose, looked up from the news and turned to her granddaughter as she asked about Mitsuha.
"She's still packing. She'll be out soon. I'll help with breakfast, Mom."
"I'd appreciate that, Yotsuha."
Futaba, who was cooking breakfast, smiled gently at her daughter and didn't turn down the offer. Together, they got to work.
Watching the warm, intimate interaction between mother and daughter, then glancing toward the bedroom, Hitoha shook her head softly, thinking of Mitsuha still cooped up in there.
She woke up at six but only came out of her room at seven.
In the end, it was only Yotsuha's calls that managed to drag Mitsuha out. Reluctantly, she stepped into the living room and quietly sat down beside the others, where breakfast was already set on the table.
"How's the packing going?"
"Mmm… there are still a few things I wanted to bring to Tokyo, but it seems there's no more room, so I gave up on them."
Answering her mother's question, Mitsuha picked up a piece of grilled fish and placed it in her mouth.
"You're only going for two days this time."
"I know."
Hitoha said nothing more, simply continued eating in silence. Yotsuha, for her part, didn't even look at her sister and quietly focused on her meal.
By the time it was eight o'clock, Futaba and Mitsuha were ready to go. They got into a car sent by Miyamizu Toshiki's driver and headed straight for Nagoya Station, where they boarded the Shinkansen bound for Tokyo.
Meanwhile, at Tokyo Station, having taken the subway from Korakuen Station, Haruto and Setsuna didn't wait directly inside the terminal. Since they still had some time to spare, they strolled through Chiyoda District—a short but pleasant date.
By 11:30, they were back at Tokyo Station, waiting quietly.
We've arrived.
The first thing that came was a text message. Seeing it was from his mom, Haruto immediately called her.
"Haruto?"
"Yeah, it's me. I'm already inside the station. I'm wearing a black sweater and jeans, and the girl next to me is in a light blue dress."
"Your girlfriend?"
"Yeah."
"Wait a second… You came with your girlfriend?!"
As Futaba spoke, Mitsuha's shocked voice could be heard in the background—probably on speakerphone.
"Your brother's wearing a black sweater and jeans. His girlfriend is in a light blue dress. Help me look for them, okay?"
"No need—they're right in front of us."
Amidst the noisy station, Mitsuha had apparently spotted them first. Haruto, still scanning the crowd for his family, was having a hard time with all the people swarming in during the May holiday rush.
Beside him, Setsuna suddenly clutched his left arm tightly.
She was visibly nervous now.
She was about to meet Haruto's mother and sister for the first time. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her complexion pale with tension.
He felt the pressure on his arm and glanced down at her, offering quiet reassurance.
"Relax. I'm proud to have you as my girlfriend."
Looking up into his calm, steady eyes, she felt her anxiety ease just a little. But just then—
"Ugh… I can't take this. Damn it, how can a guy like him have such a cute girlfriend?"
A familiar voice rang out. Turning toward it, Haruto finally spotted them—Mitsuha dragging a huge suitcase, and beside her, his mother giving him a smile…