Visiting Parents and the First Shrine Visit of the Year

"Can we visit your apartment tomorrow, Amane?"

Amane's father, Shuuto, sent that message at ten o'clock in the evening on January 3—after dinner and after Mahiru had gone home.

"It's all right that you didn't come home for the holiday, but I do want to see you. Besides, I heard about her from your mother, but I think I'd better say hello to your neighbor myself."

His father probably wanted to meet the person taking such good care of his son. And since Amane's mother had already discovered

his relationship with Mahiru, and was actually in regular contact with her, Amane didn't see much point in refusing.

He no longer had anything to hide, and he didn't want to turn his parents away after not visiting for the holidays. Plus, Amane figured that the presence of his father should help keep his mother in check and prevent her from making a big scene. If nothing else, Amane was counting on him to help him avoid a repeat of her last exhausting visit.

Besides, Amane had a feeling that even if he did refuse his parents, his mother would come over to see Mahiru anyway, so after setting up a time with his father (who had been courteous enough to ask in advance) Amane sent Mahiru a heads-up message.

"Um, well, is it all right for me to be there during your family time? Won't I be intruding?"

The next day, Mahiru came over to Amane's apartment early. She seemed nervous.

That was only to be expected, in a way. Mahiru had been taking care of him…though phrasing it that way sounded a bit misleading… In any case, Mahiru had been spending a lot of time with him, and now his parents wanted to meet her.

She was already used to talking with his mother, or at least being talked at by his mother, but Amane's father would be joining this time. It was no surprise that she was nervous.

"Well, now that Dad is coming to say hello, and since Mom has taken such a liking to you, I'd appreciate it if you were here. Really, I need you here."

"Y-you say that, but…"

"I'm sure you would rather avoid it, but it'd really mean a lot to me if you'd put up with it just for a little while."

It was somewhat surreal to be introducing her to his parents, but they'd requested, and now there was no way around it.

He felt bad for taking up Mahiru's time, but he knew that his father was the type of person who likely wouldn't rest until he'd met her, so he hoped she wouldn't mind it too much.

"…I wonder what Shihoko has told him about me."

"Relax. I made sure to tell my dad that you are someone who helps me out a lot. Even if he gets the wrong idea, I've already told him that my mother's crazy ideas about you are not at all true."

Amane's mother seemed to have already decided that Mahiru was his bride-to-be and her very own future daughter-in-law. Amane had made sure to firmly deny everything coming out of her mouth. His father had laughed and said, "Shihoko has always had the bad habit of letting her imagination run wild." So apparently, he understood the situation.

Mahiru seemed relieved to hear that, and Amane smiled wryly as they waited. "Sorry about this."

Then, with perfect timing, the intercom rang.

His parents had already gotten past the lobby with their duplicate key, so he expected that they had come directly to his door.

At the sound of the chime, Mahiru shuddered in surprise, so Amane shot her a small smile to put her at ease and headed for the door. He took the chain off and unfastened the lock.

When he opened the door, there stood his parents, just as he remembered them.

"It's been half a year, Amane." "Long time no see, Dad."

Amane greeted Shuuto's amicable smile with a slightly relieved grin of his own.

With his gentle demeanor, Shuuto was the type of person who somehow calmed things down just by being around. Amane relaxed a little simply seeing him there.

"You didn't seem nearly as happy to see your mother…," Shihoko said.

"That's because my mother forced her way in without so much as a warning. If you'd ever give me any notice, I would react normally."

The last time Shihoko had shown up, Mahiru had been at his place, and he'd tried to turn her away. If he'd been alone, he probably would have treated her a little nicer.

"Well anyway, come on in," Amane added. "What's with the package?"

"Oh, we brought you all sorts of things. But we can look at that later. Where's Mahiru?"

"Inside," Amane answered succinctly. After his parents had removed their shoes, he led them into the living room.

Mahiru seemed anxious as she looked over at them and blinked, wide-eyed, in understandable surprise.

Amane's father looked remarkably young. He didn't seem to be much past thirty, especially if you forgot that he had a teenage son, and had a youthful, handsome face. More than once, Amane had wished that he took more after his father, whose tender features made him seem like a well-mannered young man (though in actuality, he was middle-aged). When the two of them walked side by side, they looked more like distant brothers than father and son.

"Mahiru dear, it's been too long," Shihoko said.

"'Too long'? It's only been a month!" Amane remarked.

"I think that counts." Shihoko approached Mahiru wearing a beaming smile.

Mahiru stood straighter and greeted her with a formal "How good to see you again," wearing the faint smile that was an integral part of her public persona.

But her bewildered eyes were still straying toward Amane's father, standing next to Shihoko. Shuuto smiled warmly when he noticed Mahiru looking.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Amane's father, Shuuto Fujimiya. I've heard about you from Shihoko, Miss Shiina. Thank you for taking such good care of our son."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Mahiru Shiina. And I appreciate everything Amane does for me as well."

Shuuto bowed politely, and Mahiru introduced herself courteously.

Mahiru had probably been worried that Amane's father would be a lot like his mother, but Shuuto was a mild-mannered man with a good head on his shoulders, and he was doing his best to put Mahiru at ease.

Shuuto was generally the one who reined in Shihoko's wilder tendencies. Really, he was the only person she would listen to, which proved just how much she loved him.

"Goodness, you don't have to be so modest!" Shihoko interrupted. "Amane is a slob, after all."

"Geez, sorry I don't meet your standards…," Amane muttered.

"Come now, Shihoko, don't say things like that," his father said. "…And, Amane, this girl is taking care of you day in, day out, so I'm

sure you're showing her the appropriate gratitude and appreciation, right?"

"As best I can."

"That's what I like to hear."

Shuuto, who had raised Amane to treasure women, had apparently been worried over whether his son was being considerate enough. Of course Amane would have found it unbearable to kick back while Mahiru did everything, so he did whatever he could for her.

Shuuto seemed reassured by Amane's answer and turned his gaze toward Mahiru again.

"…Truly, I must offer you my thanks. I hear you've been fixing my son's meals every day, and you were even kind enough to make osechi dishes for the holiday…"

"I'm always thanking her for that. I've been trying to show my appreciation every chance I get, too."

"It's true…" Mahiru nodded. "Amane's surprisingly considerate." "Surprisingly?" Amane asked. "And what's so surprising about it?"

"Th-that is, I—I mean…," Mahiru stammered. "You seemed…a bit neglectful at first glance, but it turns out you actually pay rather close attention."

Amane found himself at a loss for words, unable to refute anything she said.

"The most important thing is that the two of you are getting along well," Shuuto said with a gentle smile. "Amane, make sure you're not being too much of a bother to Miss Shiina."

"…I know that."

"And, Miss Shiina, I'd like you to speak up right away if Amane gives you any trouble. My son might not seem like it, but he's really quite an earnest young man, so I believe he'll do his best to smooth over any…rough patches."

"Amane is a nice guy. I can't think of anything rough about him…well, maybe just a tiny bit…"

"He's not exactly the smoothest, eh?"

"No…he's not really disagreeable…more like, he's just a little hopeless."

Mahiru was fidgeting as if she was having a hard time saying what was on her mind. It made Amane want to cross-examine her.

What exactly is so hopeless that you had to say it like that?

For some reason that Amane didn't understand, Shihoko seemed to grasp what Mahiru getting at. She looked over at him with a broad grin. "Ah-haah!"

Amane couldn't do much more than glare at his mother in irritation.

"Here you are."

Amane's parents were guests in his apartment, so it was only natural to treat them as such. However, Mahiru had insisted on being the one to set out the tea, so Amane had left it in her capable hands.

Mahiru had brought her tea set over to his apartment so she could use it whenever she visited. Amane had never imagined it would be used for this, though.

Both of his parents were wearing warm smiles, seated on the sofa where Amane and Mahiru usually sat together.

"My goodness, thank you, Mahiru dear. You're quite skilled at hosting visitors, aren't you?"

"Y-yes."

"Though, really, that should be Amane's job, you know?"

Mahiru was doing it because when Amane tried brewing tea, it usually turned out much too bitter.

Still, Shihoko looked somewhat aghast. "No, I wanted to do it, but…"

"Well, I suppose that's fine, since Amane never gets the water temperature right."

His mother was absolutely correct, but it made him a little irritated that she pointed it out so blatantly.

However, he couldn't deny the truth, so he stoically kept his mouth shut as Shihoko turned to him and smiled.

"Come to think of it, Amane, you've finally started calling sweetie Mahiru by her first name, haven't you?"

At this sudden observation, both Amane and Mahiru froze.

They had grown so comfortable talking to each other that they hadn't noticed, but last time they had seen Amane's mother, the two of them had still been addressing each other quite formally.

"…What's it matter?"

"I think it's great!" His mother beamed. "It's nice that you're getting more intimate." Without pressing the issue any further, Shihoko just sat and beamed at them.

Amane could feel his cheek begin to twitch. He almost wished she would just make fun of him. It would have been easier than dealing with his mother's wild assumptions and fabricated narratives.

"Shihoko dear, don't tease Amane so much," Amane's father interjected. "It's a bad habit of yours," he added.

"All right, honey. You know I just can't help myself." Amane's mother capitulated to his father without much resistance, a fact for which their long-suffering son was acutely grateful. "But it's wonderful,

isn't it? To see our son getting on so well with a cute girl?"

"I'm more concerned about whether you might get carried away again, Shihoko darling."

"When that happens, you'll step in for me, won't you, Shuuto darling?"

"On some level, I wish you'd work on it if you're already aware it's an issue…but that's also part of what makes you the woman I fell in love with, so I suppose there's no helping it."

"Ho-ho…what a sly fox you are."

Even though he was glad Shihoko had eased up on him, Amane couldn't help but sigh as his parents drifted off into their own little world.

His father was fundamentally a sensible man, but he had the unfortunate habit of doting on his treasured wife, which sometimes made it a little awkward for anyone else stuck in the same room.

Fortunately, they only did this in front of family and didn't act so embarrassingly in public. On the other hand, this was supposed to be Amane's apartment, and he wished they would show a little more restraint. He was glad that his parents still had a strong relationship after so many years together, but they could have been more considerate about their public displays of affection.

Whenever they got like this, Amane didn't like to force himself in between them, so he simply sat down in the chair he had brought over from the dining room and sighed deeply again in resignation.

Mahiru also took a seat in the chair he had set up next to his, and asked Amane quietly, "…Your parents get along very well, don't they?"

"Sure do. I mean, they're not like that outside, but that's definitely how they are at home."

"I see," Mahiru answered with a peculiar smile, then looked over at Shihoko and Shuuto.

She didn't seem uncomfortable at all—just the opposite, in fact. Mahiru looked like she was staring at something dazzling and priceless. Amane thought he saw a touch of envy in her gaze as she smiled so faintly that the word fleeting didn't do it justice. Without thinking, Amane extended a hand toward hers—

"Oh, Amane, what is it?"

He immediately withdrew his hand as the sound of Shihoko's voice pulled him back to his senses.

"Don't ask me. You and Dad went off into your own world. The two of us could barely stand to look at you."

"Oh, are you jealous?"

"Not a chance. I was just thinking that you should get a room. In the privacy of your own home, preferably."

His mother didn't seem to have noticed that he had been on the

verge of grabbing Mahiru's hand. Mahiru also seemed not to have noticed and forced a smile at Amane's words.

He didn't understand why he had instinctually reached out toward her. For some reason…he had felt like he couldn't bear the thought of leaving Mahiru all alone.

She was already back to her usual self, so Amane felt slightly relieved and put on his usual surly expression so that no one would be any the wiser.

"So are you satisfied now, having seen your son's face?" Amane demanded.

"I'm more satisfied seeing sweet Mahiru than you, Amane…" His mother leered.

"Hey…"

"I'm only joking. We still haven't accomplished our real mission yet, you know."

"Your real what now…?"

Amane had assumed that they had come over to simply exchange New Year's greetings and meet Mahiru, but his mother seemed to have some other goal in mind.

"You and Mahiru haven't been on your first shrine visit of the year yet, right?"

"We were planning to go after the crowds die down."

"I knew it! And you haven't been yet, either, right, Mahiru? I asked in my message."

"Right." Mahiru nodded.

"I thought that would be the case, so we brought kimonos!"

Apparently, his mother wanted to go on a shrine visit with Mahiru.

Shihoko was wearing a wide grin as Amane finally realized the reason why she had brought such a large bag with her. He sighed again. He'd lost count of how many times today.

Shihoko loved cute things, and she loved playing dress-up, so she'd probably been waiting for a chance like this.

Amane also recalled that his mother had a large number of kimonos at home. Apparently, she had brought some with her.

"I've always dreamed of putting a kimono on a daughter and going on a shrine visit together… Oh, I'm sure this one will suit you,

Mahiru."

"Mom, you just want a dress-up doll."

"That's not true! But I really do want to dress up Mahiru. Look, this one would suit her so well!" Shihoko was full of confidence, and her opinion was correct, insofar as there were hardly any clothes that wouldn't suit Mahiru.

Amane had seen her in everything from boyish outfits to fancy getups on top of her usual girly outfits that featured plenty of frills and lace. As far as he could remember, each and every style seemed to suit Mahiru just fine. Apparently, beautiful people didn't need to be choosy about what they wore. It was not hard to imagine that traditional Japanese clothes would really suit her as well.

Amane was an only child, so his mother was obviously not going to pass up this chance to dress up the daughter of her dreams.

"…Well, if Mahiru says it's all right, how about you dress her up and go?"

"Why are you talking like you're not coming, Amane?"

"I can't; it'll be trouble if I go out with Mahiru and people from school see us together."

If it was only his parents and Mahiru, they would just look like any other family going on a shrine visit, so it wouldn't rouse any suspicions, but if Amane joined them, and someone from their class spotted him at the shrine with Mahiru, well, he imagined that the start of the winter semester would turn into something out of a nightmare.

No shrine visit was worth that risk.

"So it'll be all right as long as no one finds out?"

"I suppose, but I'm pretty sure it'd be really… Uh, wait. I don't like where this is going, Mom…"

"Heh-heh! I came prepared for situations just like this!" "What situations?!"

He had thought that she'd brought an awful lot of luggage for only kimonos and underclothes and accessories. Apparently, she had brought even more stuff so she could play dress-up with Amane as well.

"Your father is also very excited, you know." "Dad…"

"We don't get to go out together very often," Amane's father said, "and it is our family's tradition, after all, so I'd like us to all go together."

When he put it that way, it was difficult to refuse.

Amane's father cared a great deal about family traditions. He would feel bad for refusing to go along after both his parents made it clear how much they wanted it.

"But look—"

"It's fine, dear. You just let your mother take care of it. I'll make you look like a stylish young man. I promise you won't even resemble the old Amane!"

"Isn't that basically the same as saying I'm not stylish now?"

"Of course, you've got good features because you take after your father, but your haircut and clothes are so unfashionable. I'd say you look gloomy."

"I didn't ask."

Amane was painfully aware of his drab appearance, but he looked like this because he liked to, so he didn't appreciate the criticism.

"You'd think that someone so handsome would have an easy time looking cool, but you're a troublesome case, Amane…"

"That's none of your business."

"It's such a waste…right, Mahiru dear? Wouldn't you like to see Amane all tidied up?"

"Huh?"

As the conversation suddenly shifted to her, Mahiru became visibly flustered.

Amane wished that his mother wouldn't prod at Mahiru so aggressively, but she continued needling the poor girl.

"Once Amane is all dressed up, I think you'll see him in a whole new light, too, Mahiru. He may not look it, but Amane's got a fairly handsome face, you know? Personality-wise, he's got some work to do, but he does resemble Shuuto, and he knows how to be a gentleman, so if you train him well, I think he could turn out quite nice."

"Ah, um…I…suppose so…?" Mahiru stammered.

"And don't you want to go on the first shrine visit of the year together?"

"W-well I…um…I do want to go, but…"

"Hey, how could you double-cross me like that?" Amane whined.

He'd been counting on her to consider what might happen in the worst-case scenario and reject his parents' proposal.

Mahiru glanced at the beleaguered Amane. "…If Amane doesn't want to, it's fine," she said in a quiet, slightly discouraged voice, frowning.

Amane choked. She was trying to hide it, but he could tell that Mahiru was disappointed. It wasn't anything dramatic; just a subtle change in her expression. Looking at her long eyelashes fluttering

over her downcast eyes, Amane felt a powerful knot of guilt tighten in his chest.

His mother shot him a look of condemnation as if to say You made sweet Mahiru sad! and his father wore an expression that said It would be easier to fold here.

Amane groaned quietly and simply said, "…All right."

When Mahiru made a face like that, there was nothing to do but give in.

"Okay, you're all set."

Shihoko had been tinkering wildly with Amane's hair and clothes, until he was quite exhausted by the time he was finally set free.

It had been pure agony for him, who wasn't much interested in clothes, but when he checked himself in the mirror, he could see that his suffering had been worth it. Staring back at him was a handsome young man, completely unlike the usual Amane.

The outfit Shihoko had chosen for him was a dark gray Chesterfield coat over a white turtleneck, paired with black slacks—clean and casual.

Since this was supposed to be an auspicious New Year's event, she had apparently thought it was critical that he dress up a little. Amane usually didn't like especially colorful clothing, so this subdued, monochrome arrangement pleased him.

He checked his hairstyle, too, and saw that his mother's skill with a flat iron and some styling wax had really worked wonders with his long bangs. His eyes had emerged from their usual hiding spot behind his hair, and the impression he gave off was much brighter now that you could actually see his whole face. The extra volume in his hair plus the excellent styling made him look more dignified and refined as well.

The person in the mirror wasn't the Amane who got teased by his mother and Itsuki for being gloomy, but a bright young man who Amane had never seen before.

"You can turn into such a good-looking young man with just a little work, so I wonder why you don't do it?"

"Because I don't want to."

"You can really be such a grouch sometimes. Your face is usually dour, so unless you smile, you won't look good, you know?"

Being called dour stung, but Amane couldn't argue with the facts.

"All right, I'm going to go put the finishing touches on Mahiru, so you go wait in the living room."

Amane had been busy in his room, so he didn't have any idea how Mahiru was getting on. She had gone back to her apartment to dress herself, presumably to quite a high standard.

He watched his mother leave the room, then looked himself over in the mirror again.

He hadn't gotten dressed up like this in a long time, so he didn't resemble himself.

"…Well, I guess it's not bad."

He was sure he'd still look shabby standing next to Mahiru, but this was a big improvement.

Playing with his bangs a little, now that they weren't hanging in front of his eyes, Amane muttered under his breath that sprucing himself up like this from time to time probably wouldn't be a bad thing.

After waiting in the living room with his father for the better part of an hour, Amane heard the front door open.

He had heard that women's preparations could take quite a lot of time and effort, so he hadn't been particularly unhappy with the wait itself, but he was still a bit worried about leaving Mahiru alone and whether his mother might have crossed any lines.

Finally, thought Amane as he stood up from the sofa and looked toward the entryway, just as Mahiru quietly arrived in the living room.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he was stunned.

Mahiru didn't normally wear traditional Japanese clothing, so he had never had the chance to see her in it.

He had thought for sure that a kimono would look good on her, but—he hadn't expected this.

According to his mother, it would be difficult to move through a crowd in a long-sleeved kimono, so she had chosen something shorter. With its light-pink color and small, repeating pattern of plum blossoms, the kimono suited Mahiru so well that it was hard to believe it didn't actually belong to her.

Mahiru didn't normally wear much pink, but it gave her an air of refinement and femininity.

Her light-colored hair had been left out in long bangs on the sides, and the rest had been gathered into a bun and decorated with a kanzashi hair clip. Swaying across the pure-white nape of her neck, the accessory accentuated the girlishness of the ensemble and gave her a distinctly feminine allure.

The elegant outfit, coupled with makeup that had been judiciously applied to enhance her natural good looks, elevated Mahiru to the pinnacle of grace and beauty.

"So?" Amane's mother beamed. "I think we made her look very cute. Sweet Mahiru is so lovely to begin with, and dolling her up really had quite the effect."

"Yes, it certainly suits her, dear," his father quickly agreed.

Mahiru had her eyes cast downward, looking rather embarrassed by all the praise. Even that movement had something alluring about it.

Beauty can really be terrifying. "Come on, Amane, say something." "I think it looks good."

There was obviously no way he could possibly say what he really thought, especially not right there in front of his parents, so Amane kept his praise safely subdued.

His mother looked extremely dissatisfied. "…That won't do at all!" she insisted.

"Oh, be quiet." Amane turned away. He was not going to engage with his mother any further.

Shihoko gave an exasperated sigh at her son's behavior, but perhaps because she knew him quite well, she seemed to agree to let it go.

"Good grief. Anyway, Mahiru darling, what do you think? Amane looks like a whole new person, right?"

"Y-yes. This is completely different…"

"And to think even though he would be so popular if he put in the effort to look like this all the time, he doesn't ever bother. Really, he's only harming himself."

Amane thought this was none of her business, but his mother sighed heavily again, as if she truly regretted the loss of potential.

"I'm so disappointed in Amane—he has the good fortune to take after his father, and yet he doesn't even try to put it to good use. What a waste!"

"Come now, Shihoko," his father said gently. "Amane's growing up in his own way."

"If he's growing up, then shouldn't he want to be popular?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say Amane is the type who is perfectly fine spending time with just one other person rather than bothering with a crowd."

"I guess."

Amane's father had tried to stall Shihoko, but that only fueled her wildest delusions.

It was true Amane preferred to hang out one-on-one rather than tag along in a big group… Apparently, that was something he had gotten from his father, and he really did think it was best, but if he said as much, especially now, it would sound like he was saying the person he preferred most was Mahiru…

His mother's radiant smile turned into a grimace, and she turned away.

Amane wondered why he had to put up with her unfair cynicism, but as a practical matter, he was well aware that other people looked at him the same way.

At the very least, Amane could say that Mahiru was a special case. That was the truth, but—

He snuck a glance at Mahiru, quickly, so she wouldn't notice, and sighed softly.

I guess I do like her, in a sense, he thought. I mean, what's not to like about her?

However, that was quite a different matter than declaring feelings of love.

"Mom, there is absolutely nothing going on, I'm telling you. So how about you stop it with the crazy accusations and go get the car ready."

"What an ungrateful child you are…really! Well, all right, I suppose. Shuuto, let's go prepare the car, shall we?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Amane had apparently succeeded in changing the subject, as both parents left to make ready for their departure.

He was leaving it up to his parents to decide which shrine they were going to, and he watched their backs as they left his apartment to head for the parking lot.

"…I've got the essentials in my bag, so I don't need much getting ready. How about you, Mahiru?"

"Everything I need is in this handbag, so I'm ready, too." "Gotcha."

They were suddenly alone again, so with a slightly anxious feeling, Amane locked up the windows and unplugged nonessential appliances from the walls.

Once he had turned off the living room lights, he looked at Mahiru again.

As always, it was immediately apparent she was a beauty. He doubted whether there was another girl in the world who looked as good in a kimono.

He hadn't been comfortable praising her in front of his parents, but Amane was sure that anyone who saw her would agree that Mahiru was particularly beautiful in traditional Japanese dress.

"Is something the matter, Amane?"

"Oh, no, I was just thinking it really suits you. You look like an old- fashioned beauty from a painting or something. The outfit's cute, and I think you're really lovely."

He had learned from his father that when a girl was smartly dressed, compliments were in order, so he knew he should have praised her look the moment he saw her, but he had been too embarrassed to do it in front of his parents.

Once Amane had voiced his honest appraisal, Mahiru dramatically blinked several times, then blushed and pursed her lips tightly.

Recalling the last time she had reacted like that, Amane smiled bitterly.

"Ah, you don't like being complimented, right? Sorry." "Th-that's not it, but… Amane, you're fairly—""Fairly what?" "…It's nothing."

She abruptly turned away.

Amane wondered what was going on with her, but she didn't look like she was going to elaborate, so Amane quietly finished closing up the apartment and accompanied Mahiru to the door.

She seemed to have given some thought to the fact that they'd be walking around, because she was wearing boots instead of the traditional sandals. Her choice of footwear blended Japanese and western elements in her outfit, and she looked all the more adorable for it.

Mahiru somehow wiggled into her boots, as her hair accessory swung back and forth with a rustling sound, and Amane, who had gone out first to hold the door, found himself suddenly quite close to her.

Mahiru caught him by surprise when she stood up on her tiptoes and gingerly leaned even closer to him.

Thinking that maybe she wanted to tell him something, Amane shut the door and locked it, then bent over to lend her his ear. Mahiru cupped her palms around her mouth and whispered into his ear.

"Amane—"

"Hmm?"

"Um… You look good, too, you know?"

That was all she said before slipping past him and briskly heading for the elevator. Amane promptly banged his head against his front door.

"…That's not fair."

Amane's heart was pounding like an alarm going off in his chest, his face was burning, and his forehead hurt. Mahiru had set him ablaze in a single breath. This was her revenge.

His parents looked at him suspiciously as he hustled to catch up to them in the parking lot.

When they arrived at a famous shrine located in an area a little less than an hour away, there weren't as many people as they had seen on television, but the crowds still seemed practically endless.

"Well, it's thinned out quite a bit, but I'd say there are still plenty here, eh?" Amane's mother remarked.

"There sure are…," Amane agreed.

"Mahiru darling, careful not to stray. We'll keep an eye on you, too, and we all have smartphones, so I think finding one another would be easy enough. But even so, I want us all to visit the shrine together, of course."

"Okay."

Dressed in a kimono, Mahiru had the hardest time moving out of all of them. The restrictive garment forced her to take small steps and walk slowly. At least she was wearing boots instead of sandals.

They didn't necessarily have to push their way through the crowd, but it was tight enough that it was easy to run into people, so they had to proceed with caution.

"All right, shall we get going?"

Shihoko was leading the way through the crowd, and she headed first for the ablution pavilion where they would purify their hands and mouths with water. As expected, Mahiru was already attracting attention from many people.

More than a few people were dressed in kimonos, so Mahiru didn't stand out much for wearing one…but that wasn't the issue.

She drew people's eyes even in her school uniform, when she wasn't dressed up at all. Now that she looked like an aristocratic beauty in traditional Japanese clothing, she obviously garnered a lot of attention. Even her motions as she cleaned her mouth were graceful. Practically everyone in the shrine was staring.

"…Is something the matter?" "No, nothing."

Though Amane was thinking it was all rather interesting, he didn't say as much, and he cleansed his hands and mouth just as his parents had, then followed after them as they walked on ahead.

He was doing his best to match pace with Mahiru, but as expected for someone who didn't ordinarily wear Japanese clothes, the long hem was giving her some difficulty, and the shrine was still quite crowded, so she was progressing much more slowly than usual.

"Mahiru, are you all right?" "Yes, this is… Aaah!"

She was getting bumped around by the other shrine-goers, which kept knocking her off-balance and threatened to topple her outright, so Amane extended an arm to assist.

"You don't seem to be all right."

Of course she was uncomfortable walking around in a strange and complicated getup.

"…Sorry."

"Here, give me your hand."

Amane reached for one small hand that was peeking out of her kimono sleeve. Mahiru looked up at him, and he nearly pulled his hand back, but she quickly pressed her palm into his, keeping her eyes on him the whole time. He stared right back at her, though he was not entirely sure why.

Mahiru squeezed Amane's hand tightly and looked away.

He tilted his head questioningly, and they followed the flow of the crowd for a moment, until they were about to arrive in front of the offertory box, so Amane tucked whatever small doubts he had away in his heart and focused on the sensation of her hand in his.

"You were praying for a really long time; what did you ask for?"

Once they had finished their visit and moved a distance away from the file of worshippers, he posed this question to Mahiru, who had prayed at some length. She had looked like a model going through all the motions of a shrine visit. After ringing the bell, she had pressed her hands together for nearly twice as long as Amane. He had been captivated by how elegantly she had offered her prayers, but he also wondered what she had to pray for.

"Good health."

"An incredibly safe choice." It was very typical of Mahiru.

She didn't want for very much, so Amane had wondered what she might have asked for, but it was so predictable choice that her answer was kind of anticlimactic.

"That, and—"

"And?"

"…And to be able to keep spending peaceful days together, just like we have been."

Another very typical petition.

It was just the sort of thing that Mahiru, who didn't much care for excitement or change, would pray for. It was very fitting, as she prized peace and quiet.

"We won't get much of that while my mom's around, though." "That's something we can enjoy for what it is."

Is it, though…?

Amane wasn't sure, but Mahiru seemed to be enjoying herself, so he didn't argue and just took Mahiru's hand with a gentle smile.

They hadn't yet entirely extracted themselves from the crowd, and Amane was sure to find himself in trouble if he let Mahiru trip and fall now. He could see his parents waiting a short distance away, having already finished their own visit to the shrine. That was why Amane was holding her hand, he told himself. Mahiru's eyelashes fluttered, and she kept her eyes cast downward, looking embarrassed, but she squeezed Amane's hand back. "You two, over here!"

His mother's voice was bright and clear, easy to distinguish among the crowd.

Following her words, the two of them headed over to Amane's parents. Shihoko's eyes went wide when she saw them, then she pressed a hand over her smiling mouth.

"Oh my, my!"

"What?"

"You're just holding hands so naturally."

It wasn't until she spelled it out that he realized what a mistake it was to hold Mahiru's hand in front of his mother. This was the kind of thing that couples did, wasn't it? He didn't appreciate Shihoko's suspicions and hated always being on the receiving end of her smirking grins.

"…It's obviously so we don't lose sight of each other. Plus, it's easy for her to trip, wearing a kimono."

"He's right. It's difficult to walk in a kimono, and he's doing the right thing by escorting her. I do the same thing for you, Shihoko dear," Amane's father agreed. In a single smooth motion, he grasped his wife's hand.

Amane's life would be easier if he were able to take a girl's hand as smoothly as his father could, but he knew it was impossible given his personality, so he was secretly grateful that Mahiru had been frank about taking his hand instead.

Feeling relieved that his mother's attention was occupied, Amane tried to gently let go of Mahiru's hand, but she wouldn't relax her grip.

He could tell from the way she squeezed that she had no intention of separating, so he quietly asked her what was wrong, but there was no answer. Her delicate fingers simply held tightly to his.

"Mahiru, Mahiru sweetie, we were thinking of going to buy some hot drinks. Would you like sweet red bean soup—or sweet sake?"

"Oh, I'll take red bean soup, please."

His mother's interruption spoiled any hope of asking Mahiru further questions or of getting his hand back.

"How about you, Amane dear?" "…All right, I'll have sweet sake." "Coming right up."

As long as Mahiru doesn't hate this, I guess it's fine, right?

Amane tried to calm the fluttering in his chest as he adjusted his hand in hers.

Before long, Shihoko returned from the concessions stand and handed everyone their drinks. At this point, it would have been incredibly awkward for them to continue holding hands, so Mahiru let go, and Amane got the chance to catch his breath.

His parents were smiling at each other gently as they enjoyed their sweet sake.

They weren't quite off in their own world, but they were getting flirty, so Amane had no desire to speak to them at the moment and instead focused on drinking his own sweet sake.

Sweet sake like this was said to be so nutritious it was like having an IV drip, and as the rich sweetness of the fermented rice spread through him, he unintentionally let out a sigh that was a mix of astonishment and relief.

Amane didn't usually care much for sweets, though he did rather like red bean paste, so he had also been tempted to choose the red bean soup. However, he had gone with the sake because it felt more

appropriate for New Year's, and he was confident that it had been the right choice.

When he glanced over at Mahiru, he saw her sipping her sweet red bean soup from a paper cup with a calm expression. She made it look absolutely delicious, and suddenly he regretted his decision.

I wonder if I can get her to give me a sip?

He was gazing at her and wondering if he could get some if he asked, when Mahiru noticed him looking and tilted her head quizzically. Her hair decoration swayed rhythmically with her graceful movements.

"Is the sweet red bean soup any good?" Amane asked. "It's delicious," she said, nodding.

"Could I try some?"

Mahiru looked startled by his question. It was almost comical how quickly she straightened up.

"Ah, s-sure you can, but…"

She couldn't hide how flustered she was, glancing up at him timidly. "If you don't want me to, it's fine…"

"It's…it's not that I don't want you to, but…well—" "Well?"

"N-no, nothing, it's fine. Here. Could I have some of your sake, too?" "S-sure."

Mahiru quickly seized his cup. She seemed suddenly very agitated for some reason. Amane accepted her cup of red bean soup.

In it was a thick liquid that was certainly bean-colored.

When he brought the cup to his lips, the unique fragrance of sweet red beans wafted gently over him and filled his nose as a rich flavor spread over his tongue. Amane didn't have much of a sweet tooth, so even the slight sweetness of the bean soup seemed strong to him.

It was delicious and vividly brought to mind thoughts of how well sweet red bean paste paired with bitter green tea.

Since Mahiru seemed to have a thing for sweets, he thought this soup was probably just perfect for her tastes.

When he glanced over at Mahiru, perhaps because she had sipped the sweet sake, her cheeks were slightly flushed. She looked almost anxious.

"You don't like it?"

"That's not it… Amane, you made such a big deal out of sharing a piece of cake. Why doesn't this bother you?"

"…Ah."

That was when he realized why Mahiru had reacted the way she did. Amane froze in place.

We're not feeding each other, but I guess this is still an indirect kiss, huh?

His attention had been focused on the sweet red bean soup, and he had inadvertently suggested that they share an indirect kiss. He may not have realized it, but there could be no doubt that he had put Mahiru on the spot. That must have been why she had acted the way she had.

"S-sorry. That was really thoughtless. I'm sure you hated it…"

"Wh-why are you always like that, Amane? I was just… I was embarrassed, okay? That was all."

"I— I'll be more careful in the future. Sorry."

Whatever she might have been feeling, it was a fact that he had put her on the spot. Amane bowed his head slightly, and Mahiru waved her hand in front of her face frantically.

"R-really, I'm not worried about it!"

"Are you sure? Well, I'm sorry anyway. I shouldn't treat you the same way as my other friends."

Itsuki and Chitose were the type of people who didn't care about that stuff and would take sips of Amane's drinks and bites of his food and insist it was fine because they were friends.

Itsuki was the same sex as Amane, and Chitose was the opposite sex, but he had never looked at either of them with the slightest romantic interest, so it didn't really feel like an indirect kiss when they shared food. He just got irritated when they stole his snacks.

But with Mahiru, it was obviously different. He was in the wrong for not realizing that sooner.

"Do Itsuki and Chitose usually do things like that?" "Y-yeah, I mean, we're friends, after all…"

"Is that so?"

Mahiru nodded, wearing a complex expression that could have been either comprehension or consternation. Then she lowered her gaze back down to the sweet sake and raised the cup to her lips again.

"…I suppose, Amane, that you and I are friends, too, so it's fine." "Y-yeah…but you drank it all, didn't you?"

Mahiru's cheeks flushed even though there was no alcohol in the drink. "Th-there wasn't much left!" She turned away sharply.

In retaliation, Amane gulped down what was left of Mahiru's sweet red bean soup. He'd expected it to have gotten cold, but it was somehow still hot and seemed even sweeter than before.

"Mahiru dear, you're such a good cook!"

By the time they made it back from the shrine visit, it was already evening. Mahiru had changed clothes and begun her usual dinner preparations, but…Amane's mother Shihoko was also in the kitchen, ostensibly to observe Mahiru's culinary skills.

His parents had decided to spend the night. Their house was several hours away by car, and they were tired. It sounded like they had been intending to stay over from the outset. Amane wished that they'd asked the guy living there first, but his father technically owned the apartment, so he knew he had no right to complain.

Luckily, he had an extra futon set just in case he ever had anyone over, so he figured they could share it. They slept in the same bed at home, so it wouldn't be that different.

"Thank you very much," Mahiru said graciously.

"Really, you're very good for a high school girl. When I was your age, there's no way I could have done all this."

"Your cooking's no match for Mahiru's now, Mom." "Did you say something, dear?"

"Not a thing."

A low-pitched voice had come flying out of the kitchen at him, so Amane feigned innocence and huddled against the sofa. His father was relaxing on the couch next to him and chided, "Now, Amane, don't pick on your mother."

But she was always picking on him, so he felt like this was a fair turnabout.

Amane could hear his mother chatting with Mahiru in a cheerful voice.

Mahiru calmly kept up with her, unfazed by her intense energy and attention. She seemed to be getting used to the high-strung woman.

Watching from afar, Amane gazed at the two of them preparing dinner and apparently getting along well, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Your mother seems to have taken quite a liking to Miss Shiina, hasn't she?"

Amane's father was gazing at the two of them in the same way, and he looked pleased.

"Well, she's beautiful and sweet and has a nice personality, so I'm not surprised that Mom likes her."

"How about you, Amane?"

"…Oh, I mean, I think she's a nice person, and I think she's cute." "I see."

It seemed like a casual question, but Amane's father wasn't the type of person to pry too much, so he had probably asked out of genuine curiosity. He didn't press Amane on his answer any further.

"I'm looking forward to trying this food that you enjoy every day, Amane."

"I can vouch for the taste. If Mom doesn't meddle too much, that is."

"You don't need to worry. Shihoko was the one who wanted to eat Miss Shiina's cooking, so I'm sure the most she'll do is help out a little."

"That's good, if it's true."

His mother wasn't a bad cook, but most of her dishes featured big, bold flavors, in contrast to Mahiru's subtle seasonings. Delicate flavors were his father's specialty while his mother favored quantity and ease of preparation.

Of course, that was important for a housewife who had a growing boy's appetite to satisfy, but Amane actually preferred the carefully calibrated flavors of the dishes Mahiru made. He shuddered to think of anyone meddling with Mahiru's exquisite seasonings.

Thankfully, his mother seemed to be constraining herself to being Mahiru's assistant like his father said, so he breathed a sigh of relief and continued watching the two of them cook.

"Oh yes, this is very good," Amane's father said.

There was no way that the four of them would have fit around Amane's two-person dining table, so he had pulled out the large folding desk that had been shut away in the storage room to use for dinner.

"Thank you very much." Mahiru looked relieved at Shuuto's frank assessment, and she visibly relaxed a little.

Apparently, she had never let anyone other than Amane eat her home cooking, outside of home-ec class in school, of course, and had been somewhat nervous about it…but at last that stiffness melted away once she saw Shuuto's gentle smile.

"It's really delicious," Amane's mother added. "If she can cook like this, she won't have any trouble living alone—or getting married."

Shihoko muttered quietly to herself while looking at Amane. He could feel his cheek about to twitch but forcibly maintained a neutral expression and sipped his miso soup.

The rich, dashi-infused flavor was now very familiar to him. He had really gotten used to the way Mahiru prepared her dishes and, after eating her cooking every day, had practically lost all desire to eat anything else.

"Amane, what do you think?" his mother asked.

"It's delicious, of course. Thanks for always cooking, Mahiru."

He had been planning to say as much anyway. But now that his mother had prompted him, it probably sounded like he didn't really mean it. Amane had never forgotten to tell Mahiru that her cooking was delicious every day when they ate together, but since his parents were here, he had been holding back. And that had obviously been the wrong decision.

His gratitude was no different now, but for some reason, Mahiru was restless, fidgeting uncomfortably. "…Sure," she answered in a quiet voice. Her cheeks were flushed slightly.

It was probably because his parents were there. There could be no doubt that Mahiru was feeling bashful, even if only a little. She was used to hearing Amane's appraisals of her cooking, but now three people had complimented her.

"You're awfully cute, Mahiru."

"Shihoko, don't tease."

"That's not what I meant! I was just thinking that she's a good, upstanding girl, which is so hard to find these days."

"Th-that's… It's not really…"

"Yeah, I can agree with that. Mahiru's like, really pure, you could say."

"Amane?!"

Mahiru was definitely a little naive. Her face had gone bright red once just from seeing a guy—a not particularly attractive guy—with the front of his shirt open.

"My, my, did something happen between you two while we weren't looking?"

"Nope."

"Nothing happened."

The denial practically leaped from Mahiru's mouth.

Being innocent or naive wasn't the worst thing in the world, but Mahiru seemed to hate being called those things. Amane had no plans to say anything further.

"Well, I think that they should do just as they please, as long as

Amane isn't hurting Miss Shiina, that is," Amane's father said. "Just don't tease her too much, Amane."

"I know that much."

"…Well, weren't you just teasing her?" "Hey, it was an accurate description—"

Amane felt something strike his thigh below the table. Mahiru's face was bright red, and she was glaring in his direction.

"Sorry, sorry," he said.

A sullen expression crossed her handsome features. But that only made her look even more adorable, and Amane couldn't help but grin. He only hoped that Mahiru wouldn't stay mad at him for long.

"…You know, I can't help but feel a bit like we're looking in the mirror. What do you think, Shihoko darling?"

"I think that's just fine, Shuuto dear. Why, even our Amane is wearing an uncharacteristically gentle expression."

"What are you guys talking about over there?" "Not a thing, dear!"

Amane could have sworn that he heard some low, conspiratorial whispers from across the table, but his parents maintained expressions of perfect innocence.

"Sorry you had to make enough for my parents, too."

After they had finished dinner and chatted pleasantly for another couple of hours, it was finally time to break up the party.

Of course, since Amane's parents would be sleeping in his living room, Mahiru was the only one going home.

Amane had sent his parents to bathe, so he was the only one who stepped outside to see Mahiru off.

There was no need for him to do so, but he wanted the chance to apologize for his mother and father, just in case.

"No, it's all right. This was fun." "It was?"

He was glad that she didn't appear upset.

If anything, she seemed like she had enjoyed herself. "Besides—"

"Yeah?"

"…I got a small taste of happiness, so—"

Mahiru's thin voice was almost like a sigh. She smiled but also looked very lonely all of a sudden. It was a fleeting smile, one that seemed like it could be carried away by the breeze. Amane was starting to piece together a picture of her situation at home, so he thought he recognized the faint look of yearning in her eyes.

Somehow, he couldn't leave it alone, and Amane put his palm on her head and stroked her hair.

Mahiru looked up at Amane in surprise, but she didn't seem to hate it.

"Wh-what are you doing?" "Nothing."

"It's not nothing… My hair's all messed up." "You're getting in the bath anyway, right?" "I am, but—"

"…Did you hate it?"

"I—I didn't hate it, but…you could at least say something first." "…Here we go."

"That's saying something after."

So it's okay to touch you as long as I tell you first? Amane thought, but he knew better than to say it out loud.

"Sorry."

Mahiru let out a small sigh.

"Geez… I'm fine with it, but it's really not appropriate to rub a girl's head so casually."

"But I don't do it to anyone else…"

Amane understood that the only time it was okay to touch a person of the opposite sex was when you had a close relationship. He wasn't the kind of guy who would go around casually rubbing up against girls or anything. The closest he came to that was smacking Chitose whenever she made a terrible joke.

Amane had thought that maybe he and Mahiru had gotten close enough, so he had tentatively touched her, hoping she wouldn't hate it, but the thought wouldn't have even occurred to him if it was anyone else.

Mahiru had fallen quiet, but she hadn't shaken off his hand.

"…I'm sure you can see it," she said, "but you're the spitting image of your father, Amane. It's obvious to me, even though I've only known him a short while."

"In what sense? I really don't think I resemble him that much, either physically or with my personality."

"…You're exactly like him. Truly."

Mahiru sighed more heavily this time, and Amane rubbed her head again. She still didn't seem to be against it.

…Do I really resemble him that much?

Sure, they had once or twice been mistaken for brothers far apart in age, but Amane felt like he had a completely different energy from his father. Their personalities, too, while not exact opposites, nevertheless were quite different.

What could she have meant by saying that he was just like his father, despite such clear differences?

Any number of doubts welled up in Amane's mind, but Mahiru must not have intended to say anything further. Her eyes narrowed a bit, and she left the matter alone.

After stroking her hair a bit more, Amane pulled back, and Mahiru seemed to suddenly snap back to her senses. She peered up at Amane, slightly flustered.

"What, you wanted me to keep going?" he asked teasingly.

Mahiru flushed red again. "Please don't mock me," she said quietly, so he decided to call it a day.

Apparently, she was in a bad mood now, for she made no attempt to hide the displeasure on her face as she opened the door to her own apartment and slipped inside.

For a brief moment, Amane regretted his actions, wondering if he had overdone it a little, when Mahiru cracked her door open and peeked out at him.

"Amane."

Her cheeks were still pink, and her voice sounded peevish but with a slight fawning tone to it somehow.

"What?"

"…You're a dummy."

Just as suddenly, Mahiru shut the door.

…Well, that makes two of us, I guess.

Wasn't it Mahiru's fault that his heart was suddenly leaping in his chest?

Amane sighed quietly, then leaned against the wall of the unheated corridor, trying to let the sudden burning in his chest cool a bit. That was the moment he noticed he could see his breath in the frosty air.

A short while after Amane had said goodnight to Mahiru and returned to his apartment, his parents finished their bath. When Amane looked up from the TV toward the sound of approaching slippers, he saw them standing there in their nightclothes, casually holding hands.

Well, I guess that comes naturally if you've already taken a bath together.

"We've had our bath, Amane. It's your turn."

"Sure… Wait, how did you two manage to both fit in my tub? It's only big enough for one."

For someone living alone, this was quite a spacious, well-designed apartment, but that didn't mean the bathtub was especially large. It certainly wasn't big enough for a full-grown man and woman to sit together comfortably.

"Oh no, it's fine! There's no problem if you get in close together. Right, Shuuto dear?"

His mother smiled and drew closer to her husband, and his father nodded in agreement with a gentle smile. They had already been married for nearly twenty years, but the two of them still acted like newlyweds. Amane could do nothing but smile bitterly.

"As loving as always, I see." "Are you jealous?"

"Not really. I can relax better in the bath alone anyway." "What about Mahiru…?"

"All right, listen up. Nothing is going on with her."

He didn't understand why his mother wanted so badly to hook him up with Mahiru.

Well, it wasn't a total mystery, since she'd been joking about wanting Mahiru for a daughter-in-law since the day they'd met, but Amane was certain his mother had mistaken the trust that Mahiru had in Amane for romantic affection.

"Is that so?"

"Now, now, Shihoko. Amane's at a delicate age, so let's be considerate."

"But I'm being serious…" "Whatever you say, Mom."

Amane paid his mother's words no mind as he stood up to get ready for his bath, but he stopped when his father called his name.

"Amane." He used a serious tone, not the voice he used to chide his wife or the one that he had when he smiled. When Amane looked at him, wondering what was the matter, he was met with a soft but firm gaze.

"Amane, are you glad you moved here?"

Though he was caught by surprise, after a moment Amane quickly met his father's steady gaze with an easy smile.

"…Yeah, I am. Life got easier."

Surely his parents must have been worried about him. Worried enough to frequently come check on how he was doing and worried enough to try to see him at every opportunity.

All of it had been in order to make sure that Amane was living comfortably.

"Is that so? I'm glad."

"You don't need to worry; there's someone here who I can really rely on."

Unlike before—

He swallowed those words and kept his answer simple and clean.

His mother smiled brightly. "Oh, you must mean little Itsuki! I've never met him in person, so I wanted to go say hello, since we came all this way."

"Give it a rest, please; you're going to start something weird."

"It's not weird at all. I'll tell him how cute you were when you were little, and…"

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Seriously, just stop…"

If this spilled over to Itsuki, then it was certain to reach Chitose as well. That was the one thing Amane wanted to avoid no matter what. He did not want to deal with her endless teasing or put up with her badgering him for old photos from his past.

Amane had looked remarkably like a cute little girl when he was small, and it didn't help that his mother sometimes even dressed him up in girls' clothes. If photographic evidence of that got out, his life would be nothing but suffering.

"But I can't help wanting to say hello, can I? He's such good friends with you, Amane."

"That's true, but—"

"I bet he's a really good boy, isn't he? He's got the Amane seal of approval, after all."

"…He's a good guy. So good that he's wasted on me."

It wasn't something he would ever say to Itsuki's face, but Amane always appreciated his friend who once took the initiative to call out in a friendly voice to a very gloomy boy who never interacted with anyone and just sat quietly on the side of the classroom listening to music.

"I'm going to take a bath."

He felt embarrassed after openly praising Itsuki, even though he wasn't there, and to disguise his discomfort, he quickly headed for his bedroom to retrieve a change of clothes.

He could hear a small chuckle behind his back, compelling Amane to escape to his room, scowling and muttering the whole way.

The following morning, when Amane went out into the living room after waking up and dressing, he found his parents already up and food on the table.

"Good morning. Breakfast is ready, so have a seat."

Amane sat down at the table, smiling slightly at his father, who called to him from the kitchen, wearing Amane's apron, which had been draped over a chair.

He had only just arrived in this apartment and had already made himself comfortable in an unfamiliar kitchen, probably because he was so used to doing the cooking. At home, Amane's parents took turns preparing meals, so Amane was also used to seeing his father in an apron, and there was nothing unusual about it.

Amane's mother was already waiting impatiently at the table. She probably wanted to help, but his father had likely insisted that she leave it to him.

Amane also considered helping and got as far as standing up from his seat only to see his father bring out steaming hot rice and miso soup on a tray, immediately taking the wind out of Amane's sails.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Don't mention it. Anyway, Miss Shiina was kind enough to pack yesterday's leftovers into containers, so I just heated that up, cooked some rice, then made miso soup and rolled omelets."

Eat a proper breakfast was practically a motto in the Fujimiya household, so they never skipped their morning meal.

Amane's father had happily incorporated the leftovers into the menu, but if they hadn't had them, there was little doubt he would have whipped up something.

With a smile, Shuuto placed the rice and miso soup in front of each of them.

Amane's attention was drawn to his father's rolled omelets, which he hadn't tasted in a while, and before he knew it, the table was set, and his father had taken his own seat.

"All right, let's get to it, shall we?" "Certainly. Thank you, dear." "Thanks for the meal."

Everyone expressed their gratitude, and then Amane reached with his chopsticks for the rolled omelets in front of him.

This was the first time Amane had eaten his father's cooking since he went home for summer break, so he was looking forward to the nostalgia of it as he took his first bite and slowly chewed.

The flavor of the dashi, the hint of sweetness, the slightly undercooked egg—it tasted like home—yet at the same time, Amane found something slightly lacking.

"Is something the matter?"

His father seemed to have noticed Amane chewing with a serious expression and sounded concerned.

"Mm…no, it's nothing."

"Did I maybe mess up the seasonings?"

"N-no, that's not it; it's good, but…I was just thinking that the flavor is different from the way that Mahiru always makes omelets."

"Ah, so that's it."

He hadn't eaten his father's cooking for almost half a year, so even though it should have been familiar, he was actually more accustomed to Mahiru's cooking after eating it every day. Even Amane was surprised.

Of course, that wasn't to say that his father's cooking was bad or anything, just that Mahiru's seasonings were more to Amane's tastes. But even so, he felt somewhat self-conscious about the fact that his tongue had adapted so well to Mahiru's cooking, when he had only met her a few months earlier.

"You've really fallen for Miss Shiina, haven't you?" his father asked. "For her cooking, yeah."

"Hey, now," his mother crowed. "Are you saying you're not interested in Mahiru herself, then?"

"No one is saying that, and I do not intend to fall for such a leading question."

Amane was not about to let his mother steer the conversation in that direction again.

Shihoko frowned—obviously, her aim had been exactly as Amane expected. Amane snorted through his nose and refused to take the bait.

His parents departed before lunch.

Both of them apparently had work the next day, so Amane had suggested that it would be hard on them if they didn't get home early and rest. They had a long drive ahead of them, which would of course be exhausting, so it was better if they hurried up and got going.

"But I wanted to talk more with my dear Mahiru and meet Itsuki…," his mother muttered quietly after stepping out the door into the building's hallway.

"Then do that stuff next time… Besides, you'll have to make an appointment to see Itsuki. He doesn't have a lot of free time."

"All right, you set it up for me then, Amane." "If I feel like it."

It was obvious to everyone that Amane had no intention of doing anything of the sort. His mother grew sullen, but Amane's father soothed her—and more or less restored her good spirits.

As Amane was watching his parents, the door to the next-door apartment quietly creaked open. From the narrow crack, he could see a flash of golden hair and Mahiru's face peeking out.

She must have come out because she had heard his mother talking. For better or worse, his mother's voice traveled quite well.

"Oh, perfect, I was just thinking about coming to say good-bye!"

Both of Amane's parents noticed Mahiru and moved over to stand in front of her apartment as she slipped on a pair of shoes and stepped out into the hallway. Amane's mother was wearing a big smile and seemed determined to get as close to Mahiru as possible. Mahiru shrunk back but didn't retreat entirely. "Are you two leaving already?"

"I wish we weren't. Really, we'd like to stay another day or two, but we have work."

"Things would be different if we had come up a little bit earlier, but…this is all the time we have."

Mahiru smiled placidly at Amane's parents.

"Well, there's always next time," his mother said. "Although, next time it's Amane's turn to come to us."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be home for summer vacation."

Amane could feel his mother's gaze bearing down on him. He knew right away she was hoping that he would bring Mahiru along with him.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder if that might be a good idea. She apparently spent her school breaks alone, after all. Maybe she wouldn't be so opposed to the idea, he thought idly.

"You really have no charm at all, Amane," his mother said. "Isn't that right, Mahiru?"

"Uh, I… I'm not sure how to—"

"Come now, Shihoko, don't put her on the spot," Amane's father chided. "…Though, it's true that Amane has gotten less up front about various things as he's gotten older, hasn't he?"

Amane had no allies here, so he silently pretended to ignore his parents. Shuuto turned to Mahiru with a gentle smile that was different than Shihoko's.

"As you can see, our Amane has a hard time expressing his feelings, but if you look closely, you can tell that he's a kindhearted young man. I would be very happy if you would continue to be a good friend to him."

"Ugh, I'm right here, you know. This is so embarrassing…"

His father had praised him, but Amane felt more like he had been goaded by an enemy than supported by an ally.

He certainly didn't think of himself as a particularly kindhearted person. He just showed the people close to him the respect and affection he thought they deserved. It felt wrong to have that confused with kindness.

Awkwardly trying to find anywhere else to look, Amane glanced over at Mahiru and saw her blink quickly and smile.

"…I've always thought that Amane is an honest and kind person. So much so that I'm the one who should be asking for his continued friendship."

"Well, that's wonderful. That puts my mind at ease."

Amane wanted to make a quip about his father's mind being at ease, but he was so shaken by what Mahiru had said that he couldn't think of anything. It was so embarrassing to hear her describe him that way. He couldn't even look at her.

His mother laughed as she watched him squirm, but Amane couldn't even respond. He could only bite his lip in tortured silence.

"You don't really need to flatter me, you know."

After Amane's parents had finally departed, he spoke to Mahiru in a quiet voice as they stood alone in the hallway.

Amane had made that remark to relieve the awkward atmosphere somewhat, but for some reason, Mahiru raised her eyebrows and stared at him.

Her expression was calm, but there was a subtle edge to it that he found intimidating.

"Do I seem like the type to say empty words I don't mean?"

"Well, you wouldn't lie to me—but maybe in front of my parents?" She seemed to object to him calling it flattery.

Mahiru huffed and then let out a sigh of exasperation.

"…Now see here, I trust you because I think you have a good heart, and I really do like spending time with you. I promise: I was not trying to flatter you."

"O-oh…"

Amane felt the heat rushing to his face. Hearing her talk so candidly was terribly embarrassing. Fortunately, Mahiru did not seem to notice his unease, and he nodded meekly.

Mahiru seemed satisfied. "As long as you understand. Well, I suppose I'll get started on lunch."

Apparently, Mahiru was going to fix him lunch today, just as she had done every day of the New Year's holiday. Feeling a mixture of gratitude and shame, Amane looked down at Mahiru's golden hair as she placed a hand on the door to his apartment.

Someone she can trust, huh…? That's what I was gonna say.

Mahiru ignored the fact that Amane thought she was an angel. To her, he was an ordinary neighbor. But she trusted him. That was what he was most grateful for.

"I'm so glad I moved here."

Mahiru must have heard his quiet mumbling, because she turned around and asked, "Did you say something?"

"No, nothing," Amane said quickly, following her into his apartment.