Chapter 1 - July 25th (Sunday) — Asamura Yuuta

All I grabbed from the breakfast table was a cup of coffee and a plate of toast.

"I didn't make as much progress as I thought yesterday. I've gotta study before my shift starts, so I'm taking this with me," I said as I stood there holding them.

My schedule had been thrown off a bit because I'd been sifting through the barbecue spots suggested by Yomiuri-senpai on the net. I didn't want to slack off just because it was still only July.

My old man, reading the news on his tablet, looked a bit concerned.

"That's all you're eating? Studying hard is good, but skipping a proper breakfast isn't good for you, you know. I don't want you to overdo it."

"Ah… Yeah, got it, I'll be careful."

"Is one slice of toast enough? Do you wanna take something else?"

Ayase-san, eating across from my old man, looked at me with worried eyes too.

"It's got cheese and ham on it, so I'm good. Eating more makes me sleepy, so this is plenty. I'll clean up, so just leave the dishes."

"Thanks. Hope that's enough. Good luck with your studies."

That smile of hers made me feel even more motivated. But all the motivation in the world wouldn't fix the delay in my schedule.

I'd realized too late that the scope of the entrance exam covered all of the high school curriculum, and even just brushing up on first-year material was tough. Plus, I'd forgotten most of it.

And, even if I did understand the math and physics calculation problems, I needed to keep practicing them repeatedly to master them, or I'd run out of time.

I should be able to put my head down at the study camp, but there was still the barbecue right before that. I figured before I started worrying if it'd be able to manage, I might as well get stuck in now.

Back in my room, I switched off my phone and tossed it in the desk drawer. I glanced at the clock by my pillow and psyched myself up to focus for an hour.

While nibbling on the toast, I first flipped through my vocabulary book and memorized English words. My plan was to remember the English vocab I was supposed to have committed to memory yesterday, starting from the Japanese side.

I flipped to the sticky noted part, the word "seika[1]," and racked my brain.

[[1] Seika (成果) = outcome]

"Um, 'outcome,' maybe? The spelling is..." I mumbled to myself and checked the vocab book.

Yeah, that's correct. "kekka, seika," huh? Didn't "kekka" also mean "result[2]"?

[[2] Kekka (成果) also refers to results or outcomes, but in a neutral way, neither bad or good. Seika carries a positive connotation]

I was curious, but I didn't have time to look up every single word in the dictionary or I'd never finish.

Next is… "kasuru, kyouyousuru[3]."

[[3] Kasuru (課する), meaning "impose" in English, is used for official or formal situations, like by schools, workplaces, or governments. kyouyousuru (強要する), meaning "enforce", is more negative, where someone is forced to do something they don't want to, potentially under threat or duress]

"'Impose.' The spelling is—"

My nail clicked against an empty plate. Huh? I looked down to see only crumbs. I'd been so focused that I didn't realize I'd finished my toast. Oh, it's all gone, I thought as I put away my flashcards.

I moved on to the math problems, sipping my now cold cup of coffee and trying to solve them within the time limit, then checking answers. Sine, cosine, and tangent problems swirled in my head. I felt great when I could solve them, and frustrated when time ran out. But since all problems could be solved by looking at the answers, in that sense, studying math was fun.

If I told Maru that, he'd probably say something like, "That's because they only give you solvable problems at school." Actually, he had said that before.

After losing focus for the umpteenth time, I glanced at the clock—almost noon. Though I'd cut back my hours, my July holidays were still packed with shifts at work. Time to get ready to head out.

I picked up my empty plate and cup and was about to take them to the kitchen, but paused at the door when I thought I heard footsteps on the other side.

"...Saki?"

There was no reply, and when I opened the door, nobody was there.

Was it just my imagination? I thought for sure someone was there just now. Not my old man, because he wouldn't hesitate to knock… so it must've been Ayase-san.

Mulling over if it'd just been in my head, I washed the plate and cup in the sink, carefully drying them off with a dishcloth, and put them away in the cupboard.

It was just before 12. My old man had said he was going out for lunch with Akiko-san when she woke up. The dishcloth won't be needed for a while, so I left it out to dry.

Well then.

"Yuuta-niisan, I'm ready to go, are you?" Saki said as she walked into the kitchen.

She seemed the same as always.

"Um, you know..."

"Hm?"

"Nah… it's nothing. Ah, I'm good to go."

Just like yesterday, we both set out toward the bookstore for a shift together. By that point, I'd totally forgotten about the presence I'd felt behind my door. It probably was just my imagination.

I walked side by side with Ayase-san down the same street, the sun blazing down on us. And like yesterday, the weather was beautiful. The mercury had probably pushed past 23°C by that point, and the sun's rays toasting my skin felt even fiercer.

"It's hot today, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it sure is."

Nodding, I glanced to the side. What I saw caught me by surprise, and my heart started racing. Ayase-san was wiping the nape of her neck with a hand towel, beads of sweat glistening on her pale skin. The little "fuah" she let out told me how hot she felt. Even though I saw her in casual clothes all the time, there was something about her beautiful collarbones peeking out from her top that drew me in.

I lived with her, so I should've been used to seeing her dressed like that, but just seeing her shining sweat, her breathing, and even the simple act of wiping off sweat made my heart race.

Are my thoughts right now too lewd?

"...right?"

"Huh?"

I apologized, saying I hadn't been listening, and Ayase-san gave me a puzzled look.

"I just repeated 'it's hot', though?"

"Oh, yeah. You're right. It's hot."

What a conversation. Just talking about the weather, with zero substance. I fixed my gaze in front of me again, panicking internally. I was worried I would start having even more lewd thoughts if I kept looking at her.

I realized that although we were close enough to touch hands yesterday, today I'd subconsciously kept a bit of distance between us.

Ayase-san glanced at me, looking like she wanted to say something.

Was she upset about the distance between us? Or was she thinking I wasn't being considerate enough to put more distance between us?

I didn't have a clue. But I mean, how could I?

So I stopped walking.

"Wait."

Ayase-san stopped too.

"Hm?"

She looked confused.

"I just want to make something clear."

"O-okay. What?"

"I kept some distance today because it's hot. I didn't want you to think I'm sweaty and smelly. There's no other reason."

"Huh?... Oh."

Ayase-san measured the distance between us with her eyes, swinging her right hand aimlessly. "Oh, that's why," her lips alone seemed to say. She offered me a wry smile as if she got it and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's fine, it's fine. I don't care at all. I don't want to get too close when I'm all sweaty either. It's always hot and sticky outside this time of year, so it can't be helped."

"Well, that's what I thought."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it," she said softly as people were around. We were approaching the busy main street in front of the station.

She smiled at me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Even little things like that needed to be cleared up. I felt relieved, having dodged a bullet.

Weaving through the crowd, we came to a halt just before scramble crossing, across which was the bookstore.

I casually glanced towards the famous Hachiko statue[4] in front of Shibuya station. Behind it, a couple sat super close to each other on a pipe bench—which was just two iron bars set parallel to each other.

[[4] The Hachiko statue is a bronze monument in Tokyo, Japan, honoring a loyal Akita dog named Hachiko. Hachiko faithfully waited for his owner at a train station every day, even after his owner's death. The statue symbolizes loyalty and devotion, capturing the heartwarming bond between humans and their pets]

Their bare shoulders were pressed together, and their cheeks were almost touching. They were holding hands and whispering to each other. Despite a bit of greenery, there wasn't much shade, so they were in direct sunlight. They must be sweating buckets. How can they be so clingy? Don't they mind each other's sweat?

But then I thought, maybe I'm seeing it this way because of what Ayase-san said. She didn't want to get close when she was sweaty. Maybe my view of that couple was skewed by her opinion.

If Ayase-san had instead said she didn't care about the sweat and wanted to hold hands, how would I have felt about that couple?

The light turned green and we crossed the street.

"It's hot, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," I replied for the umpteenth time.

When you're trying to get on the same page, you need to be honest. But grasping your own feelings isn't always so simple.

I genuinely hate being told I smell sweaty. But that doesn't mean I don't want to hold hands. At Palawan Beach I'd been running around all over the place and had been drenched in sweat. Yet, I still hugged Ayase-san tightly, and we even kissed.

What was different now? If asked, I'd probably say I was more level-headed at the moment.

Ah, I get it. Those lovers are probably just caught up in the moment right now.

Walking into the air-conditioned building, I felt a bit more composed, which helped me get my head straight. First thing's first, I needed to focus on work.

Around 3 pm, the manager told us we could both take a break. Just like yesterday, Yomiuri-senpai and Kozono-san were just knocking off.

"Won't the register get busy?"

"There aren't many customers coming in now. If anything, the next shift workers are already here, so you should take your break while you can," the manager said.

Ayase-san and I nodded in understanding and were about to head to the office when Kozono-san, done with her shift, came up to the manager and asked, "May I go shopping?"

After talking for a bit, she practically scurried over to where we were idly watching. Ah, she really does move like a small animal.

"Asamura-senpai, may I have a moment?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yes. Um, I'd like you to come with me for a bit. There's something I need your help with."

I almost reflectively glanced at Ayase-san, but managed to resist the urge. I tilted my head at Kozono-san.

"What do you need help with?"

It wasn't about work, obviously. If she needed work advice, she'd have asked during her shift. So, what could it be now, after she'd finished?

It turned out she wanted to know more about camping before we went.

"When you say 'camping,' I have no idea what I should bring."

"No, no, it's just a day camp, so you don't have to think so hard about it."

"Day camp?"

Oh right, Kozono-san might not have understood. To be fair, I only had basic knowledge from the internet myself.

"It's a day trip camp. There's less prep than an overnight one."

"Oh, right. You did say we wouldn't be staying overnight."

"Yep, yep."

One of the day campsites Yomiuri-senpai had suggested was in Tochigi Prefecture[5].[[5] Tochigi Prefecture is a scenic region in Japan's Kanto area, known for its natural beauty, hot springs, and cultural sites like Nikko Toshogu Shrine. It's popular among Tokyo residents for day trips and weekend getaways] When I checked the website, it looked like we could have a barbecue there too.

"That so? But still, we need to prepare something, right? Uhm, then, could you recommend some books or magazines I should read beforehand, Asamura-senpai?"

I rummaged through my memory. A book suitable for beginners on camping? Even if it is a day camp, it's still technically camping…

"Probably books or magazines about outdoor activities would be good. You know where those are, don't you, Kozono-san?"

"Oh, yes. I know where they are. But I'm not sure which ones are best for beginners, so I wanted you to pick them out... You seem knowledgeable about this stuff, and I trust your recommendations, Asamura-senpai."

"That's not really…" I started to refuse, but that upward glance and puppy dog eyes made it hard to say no.

"Um…" I looked at Ayase-san for help.

"Asamura-kun. I was also looking for the same info, can you help me too?"

She went and stood on the opposite side of Kozono-san.

Ayase-san's interested too? Can't be helped then, I guess.

"Alright, I'll send some resources to our LINE group later, and you can also check out some articles online and YouTube videos."

Sandwiched between the two, and feeling a bit of an odd atmosphere, I led the way to the『Hobby/Outdoor』section of the shelves.

"I think getting information from books is more reliable," Kozono-san said, probably referring to my earlier suggestion of using online resources.

I knew that a lot of people these days relied on the net to find information, so I didn't expect her to be so keen on using books. That said, I personally found it easier to retain info when I read it in a book.

"I find it easier to read when it's written on paper too," Ayase-san, walking on my left, commented.

Apparently she was the same type as me.

Reaching the shelf, I picked out an introductory camping book (quickly checking the table of contents to make sure they included sections on day camping) and outdoor magazine. Ayase-san picked up the same book and magazine.

As we were about to check out, I noticed Yomiuri-senpai in her store uniform on the other side of the counter. Apparently she'd remembered some paperwork just as she was on her way out the door.

Yomiuri-senpai looked pleased when she saw the camping magazine and guidebook that Kozono-san had put on the counter.

"Taking having fun seriously! High points. Lovely, lovely. Did you pick these out, Junior-kun?"

"Well, yes."

"Gotcha. Yep, Junior-kun does have a good eye for books. Don't you reckon, Erina-chan?"

"Yes, I think so too!"

"Yep, yep. Alright let's get you checked out."

After paying, Kozono-san bowed slightly and thanked Yomiuri-senpai, who affectionately patted her head over the counter.

"Thank you very much, Asamura-senpai. I'll be heading home now."

Kozono-san waved and left the store.

Ayase-san took her place in front of the register.

"Oh? Saki-chan, you're buying these too?"

"Huh, ah, yes."

Ayase-san put down the exact same book and magazine as Kozono-san.

"Ooh, Saki-chan's buying them too. Ah I see, I see, they're the same. Everyone's so fired up about camping, it makes me so happy~"

"Ah, yes. Oh, but… I'm still on my shift."

Break time or not, it was still during work hours. She'd clearly realized she could have bought them later instead.

"Sorry. I should probably bring these back later, right?"

"You're on break, so you don't need to worry your little head. It's okay, right, Manager~?"

He said it was fine, but Ayase-san, ever conscientious, went to return the book and magazine to their shelf.

"The same book that you chose for Kozono-san, huh? Hmm~, interesting, interesting."

"Well, I was asked to help."

Yomiuri-senpai stared at me and grinned knowingly.

"Alrighty, I'm off for real now."

"Oh, you've finished the paperwork, I see."

It made sense why the manager had offered her a full-time job after she graduated. It was impressive how quickly she handled paperwork that'd bog me down for ages.

"Hehe. Can't wait for the camping trip! It's going to be fun, pure youth!"

Yomiuri-senpai made her exit, leaving behind those enigmatic words.