It was quite a surprise for Haruto to be caught by his mother, watching him talk sweetly to a girl. He felt a bit surprised inside, but there was no real awkwardness or embarrassment. Instead, under the watchful gaze of Futaba and Mitsuba, he extended his hand and gently took Setsuna's hand.
"Ohhh—"
Seeing this, Mitsuha, who was holding a suitcase, covered her face with her left hand, unable to speak due to the embarrassing sight. Meanwhile, Futaba, standing beside her, watched her son and the girl beside him with calm eyes, her expression warm as she looked at them.
"Welcome to Tokyo, Mom."
"I didn't really plan on coming to Tokyo," said Futaba, her voice soft. "Mitsuha wanted to come on her own, but then something came up that required my attention. So, I decided to come see how you're doing here as well."
"Is there something you need to take care of?"
"Well, it's a matter for adults, something that doesn't concern you for now. When the time's right, I'll tell you about it. By the way, you must be Setsuna, right?"
Futaba's pure, water-like gaze shifted toward the young girl standing beside her son. Her eyes lingered on Setsuna for a moment, and a hint of surprise flashed across Futaba's face.
"Yes, I'm Kiyoura Setsuna. It's nice to meet you, Auntie."
Setsuna hesitated for a moment, slightly troubled by the title of "Auntie" for Haruto's mother. She wasn't sure how to address her properly. After a moment of indecision, she chose the most respectful term she could think of, hoping that the woman wouldn't dislike her.
Futaba looked at the petite girl in front of her, who was much smaller than her own son, and couldn't help but smile as she glanced at Haruto. Seeing that her son's gaze was on her, Futaba gave him a gentle nod and smiled back.
"I'm Miyamizu Futaba, Haruto's mother. I really appreciate you looking out for him during his time in Tokyo. I hope you'll continue to take care of him."
When Setsuna saw Futaba bowing slightly in greeting, she became flustered and hurriedly returned the gesture, her cheeks reddening.
Mitsuha, standing beside Futaba, glanced over at Setsuna, her eyes narrowing with a look of disapproval. She then turned away, not wanting to deal with the situation.
"..."
Haruto squeezed Setsuna's hand, urging her to stand up. Setsuna, who had been nervously looking at her future in-laws and the girl who might one day be her sister, hesitated for a moment before standing tall.
"Since you've come all the way from Itomori to Tokyo, you must be tired. Why don't we find a place to sit and have some lunch? Afterward, we can head to my apartment to rest."
Futaba, as a mother, was more interested in seeing where her son lived, but when she looked at her daughter, Mitsuha's eager expression made her smile helplessly, and she agreed with Haruto's suggestion.
"I'm fine with that, but what about the luggage?"
"There are luggage lockers nearby. We can leave the bags there for now. Let's go."
Haruto, still holding Setsuna's hand, led his mother and sister through the station, preparing to take the subway to Shibuya. There was a nice restaurant at Hikarie in Shibuya, and he was planning to take his family there for lunch.
Futaba and Mitsuha, unfamiliar with Tokyo, silently followed Haruto as they made their way to the station. Mitsuha, pretending to be nonchalant, was trying to blend in with the bustling crowd, but there were just too many people who looked like her, and she didn't stand out at all.
While carrying her suitcase, Futaba reached out and took Mitsuha's free hand. Mitsuha resisted a bit but didn't dare to refuse her mother, quietly following Futaba as they bought their tickets and boarded the subway.
"How are your grades now that I'm not at home?"
"I just got to Tokyo. Can we not talk about such boring stuff right now? I'm more interested in how you ended up with such a cute girlfriend."
Sitting next to Futaba, Haruto gave his sister an amused glance. As much as Futaba was curious, she was too reserved to ask her son directly. She glanced at Mitsuha again, then sighed and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the subway.
Setsuna, who hadn't really interacted much with Mitsuha, was worried that her boyfriend's younger sister might dislike her. However, when Mitsuha smiled at her, she couldn't help but feel a little more at ease.
"Do you really want to know about my relationship with Setsuna?"
"...Not really, I guess."
Seeing Haruto smile, Mitsuha suddenly became alert. She sensed that if she kept asking, things might get awkward, so she immediately dropped the subject.
"Well, that's too bad."
He didn't show any regret, and Mitsuha turned her attention away, looking at the subway car's interior, closing her eyes and trying to take in the sounds of the city.
The subway ride didn't take long, about ten minutes, and they arrived at Shibuya Station. He led his family to the luggage lockers to leave their bags, then guided them to the restaurant.
Mitsuha, dazzled by all the stores and advertisements, looked pleased as she followed her brother. Futaba, on the other hand, glanced around thoughtfully, her mind elsewhere. Haruto held Setsuna's hand, and though Setsuna was unsure and slightly worried, she followed him and his family through the crowds and into the dining area.
Shibuya Hikarie, located in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, was a large commercial complex with shopping centers, office buildings, parking, and more. The dining area on the 6th and 7th floors was home to some of the most famous restaurants in Shibuya, offering a wide variety of cuisine.
Futaba and Mitsuha, still unfamiliar with the area, couldn't help but be impressed. Haruto, knowing that his family might not be used to Western cuisine, chose a traditional Japanese restaurant where everyone could feel more comfortable.
After a short wait, they were seated in a private room. He handed the menu to his mother and sister, and another one to Setsuna, who sat beside him.
"Here's the menu. Feel free to order whatever you like. Don't worry about the price," He said as he smiled reassuringly.
Mitsuha glanced at the menu nervously, her eyes immediately falling to the prices. Seeing the high costs, she looked at her mother's face, hoping to see a sign of concern.
Futaba, however, was calm, having seen the prices as soon as they entered the restaurant. She had dined in places like this before when she was younger, so the price didn't faze her.
Looking at the prices on the menu in front of her, which were clearly not within the usual budget range, Mitsuha glanced again at her calm older brother. He didn't seem to show any signs of hesitation or unease at all because of the prices. Added to what Haruto had said earlier, that there was no need to worry about the expenses, Mitsuha resumed looking at the menu.
'Why is Mom reacting so calmly? Did she already know about this? No... If she knew about this kind of spending, she definitely wouldn't have come here... then...'
Mitsuha thought that maybe her mom planned to pay for everything later instead of her older brother, which gradually put her mind at ease. She quietly focused on the dishes on the menu.
Since neither of the two above seemed concerned about the price, what was there for her to worry about?
Just order and be done with it.
Looking at the menu, Mitsuha mentally noted what she wanted to order, while Setsuna, sitting next to Haruto, was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected him to bring his family to such a place for a meal.
'The prices... are a bit high.'
But it wasn't too much of an issue. She had brought her wallet with her today, and she didn't usually have much to spend. She probably had around seventy to eighty thousand yen. If Haruto's wasn't enough, she could help out.
Unaware of the other three's thoughts, Haruto was focused on the menu, carefully considering his options.
It wasn't about worrying about the cost; he was just thinking about which dishes would be the best.
Having received a "Funding" from a rich woman, along with his own balance, he still had about three hundred thousand yen. Even if the four of them ate freely today, the total cost would probably only be around forty to fifty thousand yen, so there was no need to worry about the payment.
In the silence, Haruto had nearly decided, so he turned to Setsuna, asking if she had made up her mind. The girl nodded lightly.
"Are you ready to order? If there's no problem, I'll go ahead and order."
"Mm, Mitsuha, have you decided?"
"Done."
"Then I'll order."
Seeing that everyone had made their choices, Haruto pressed the service bell. Soon, the sound of footsteps approached, and the waiter entered the room to take their orders.
After hearing the orders from the other three, Haruto noticed that even Mitsuha had ordered relatively "modestly." As the last to order, and considering everyone's appetites, he didn't add anything extra. He simply ordered sushi and a hot pot, and then finished ordering.
During the waiting time for the meal, the four sat quietly in the private room, chatting about everyday matters.
"There's no need to worry too much about life... How's school been for you?"
Since she thought that Setsuna and Haruto were from the same school, Futaba didn't think too much before asking him about his school life.
"As for school, everyone is really nice, and we get along pretty well. I've made a few friends, and life there isn't much different from when I was in Itomori. The workload is manageable, and if there's anything I don't understand, I can always discuss it with Setsuna when I get home."
"At home...? Aren't you two in the same class?"
Mitsuha took a sip of her tea and looked up, still thinking that Setsuna and her older brother were in the same class.
"No, we're... not in the same school."
"Eh? Not in the same school?"
She looked at Haruto, trying to get some clarity.
"I met Setsuna because we live near each other, not because we're at the same school. She's at Sakakino, and I'm at Toyosaki. The two schools are in opposite directions, and we don't even take the same route to school. We only see each other after school."
Not knowing what kind of school Sakakino was, Mitsuha understood from Haruto's explanation that they weren't in the same school.
Futaba was also a little surprised. She had assumed that the two of them were at the same school, but it turned out they went to different schools. This meant they probably didn't get to spend much time together on weekdays.
Mitsuha, who had more questions, fell silent as soon as she understood that Setsuna and Haruto weren't at the same school. Her gaze drifted off as if lost in thought.
The sudden quietness at the table made Haruto break the silence by asking about home matters—like Mitsuha's school and how their grandmother was doing. They exchanged a bit more conversation to let Setsuna get to know more about his family.
About half an hour later, the dishes began to arrive at the table, one after another. Mitsuha's eyes sparkled as she stared at the exquisite dishes.
If this were the time of high-performance smartphones, she would have likely taken out her phone by now, snapping pictures from all angles and posting them online.
When the food arrived, everyone quietly started eating their meals. Even Mitsuha, who usually had a more energetic personality, sat properly at the table, eating with a rare sense of decorum.
It seemed that during her time away from home, Mitsuha had been taught a thing or two by her grandmother and mother.
At the table, Haruto seemed the most natural of all, simply focusing on his meal, making the entire room feel peaceful and quiet.
While eating, Haruto didn't dwell too much on anything; his mind was nearly empty as he slowly ate, watching his food disappear. Then, he felt a gentle nudge on his leg.
Without even needing to look down, he could already guess who it was.
Glancing at Mitsuha, who was sitting diagonally across from him, he saw her with her head lowered, appearing to focus on her meal, but her eyes were slyly glancing at him. After meeting his gaze, she threw him two quick glances and then looked away.
Her eyes clearly said, "Look down."
Having grown up together, they had a certain unspoken understanding. Haruto lowered his head slowly and saw a light yellow wallet, which had been kicked to his feet. He stared at it for a moment before looking back at his sister, but Mithsuha didn't lift her head.
"Could it be... her feet smell?" Haruto thought for a moment, but smiled and stretched down to pick up the wallet. He flicked it toward her with a small motion, giving her a glance that clearly said, "No need."
Mitsuha, who had been rejected despite her small act of kindness, chewed a piece of grilled meat angrily and lowered her head, ignoring him.
Noticing the odd interaction, Setsuna observed the exchange between the siblings, sensing some hidden message, but not fully understanding their quiet communication. She could only silently watch their little exchange.
After they finished eating and took a short break, they prepared to head to the counter to pay. Haruto noticed his leg being gently shaken and turned to find Setsuna offering him her wallet.
"..."
Haruto, feeling as if he had been assumed to be incapable of paying, fell silent for a moment before gently pushing the wallet back toward her, signaling that he could handle it on his own.
Setsuna hesitated for a moment, but eventually chose to trust him, quietly lowering her head to put the wallet back in her bag.
To avoid the possibility of his mother, trying to pay on his behalf out of consideration, he excused himself to the restroom and quietly left the private room. He settled the bill in full, took the receipt, and returned to his seat without saying a word.
He made sure to casually let his mother see the receipt—just enough for her to notice—so she wouldn't sneak off later to try and cover the cost herself.
When Miyamizu Futaba saw Haruto come back holding the receipt, any thoughts she had about secretly paying vanished on the spot.
Meanwhile, Mitsuha had gone to retrieve her luggage from the storage locker. With everything ready, she joined Haruto, Setsuna, and her mother. Together, the group got back on the subway, heading toward Korakuen Station. After walking a bit, they finally arrived at Haruto's apartment.
"My mom's waiting at home. I'll head back for now," Setsuna said, coming to a stop just before they reached the building.
"Alright. I'll contact you after everything's settled," Haruto replied.
Setsuna nodded. She knew the size of his apartment well. Three people could manage, barely—but adding a fourth would make it way too cramped. She'd already met his family, so there was no need to tag along and crowd the space. Besides, it had been a long time since Haruto had seen his family. They deserved a moment alone.
After thinking it through, Setsuna decided to leave. She said her goodbyes to Mitsuha and Futaba, then turned and walked in the opposite direction, away from his apartment.
Watching Setsuna leave, Mitsuha looked a bit surprised. When she turned to her brother, she saw that both he and their mother were already climbing the stairs. She quickly grabbed her suitcase and hurried after them. The stairs were tough with luggage in tow, but Haruto glanced back and gave her a hand.
"You really brought this much?"
"I can't wear the same clothes every day, can I? And I brought some local specialties from home, as a gift from Grandma. Oh—and Yotsuha sent you a little something too."
"A gift?"
Mitsuha just gave him a mysterious smile and didn't elaborate. When they reached the door of the apartment, Haruto unlocked it, and Mitsuha immediately darted inside, leaving her suitcase at the entrance.
Watching her charge straight into the room, he turned to his mother with a helpless look.
Futaba let out a sigh, but didn't comment. Once he brought the suitcase inside, she slowly stepped into the apartment, taking in the place her son had been living in while in Tokyo.
Futaba had always trusted her son. She believed that even alone in Tokyo, he would be able to take care of himself. And now, seeing the neat and tidy apartment, her faith was reaffirmed.
"Looks like you're doing fine on your own."
"I didn't want you guys to worry, so I've been careful to stay on top of everything."
Satisfied with what she saw, Futaba gave a small nod, clearly relieved.
But Mitsuha, now fully at ease, was already exploring the room like an inspector.
"This is totally different from home in Itomori... but isn't it a little too bare? Just a few books on the desk—nothing else. Haven't you been bored living like this? Not even any manga? Wait—oh, there's one magazine... the one you mailed back home."
Meanwhile, on the other side of town—
"Back already?" asked Mai, seated on the living room sofa. She had spent the entire morning deep in thought over something rather complicated. Upon hearing the door open and seeing her daughter return home, she asked a question that didn't really need an answer.
"Yeah," Setsuna replied.
"Looks like you made a good impression. You seem to be in a great mood."
"Mm-hmm."
"..."
Mai sat up straighter and looked at her daughter, finally asking the question she'd been pondering all morning—something that had been weighing on her mind.
"So? What kind of person is Haruto's mother?"