No Effort Bears Fruit in a Single Day

From Amane's perspective, Mahiru was undeniably a hard worker—one who wouldn't allow herself to compromise when it came to achieving her goals.

To those who weren't familiar with her, she might seem like a naturally gifted genius who could grasp ten concepts after hearing just one. But to Amane, Mahiru was a talented individual who also put in the hard work needed to acquire knowledge and experience—she was nothing short of outstanding.

Amane knew that Mahiru's achievements weren't just limited just to academics. They also extended to physical fitness, beauty, and household skills. Everything Mahiru achieved had come from hard work, not half-baked effort.

"…Really, she's such a hard worker," Amane muttered to himself, watching as Mahiru lifted light weights while simultaneously listening to some English exercises. Her soft yet slender upper arms must have been maintained through such workouts. Mahiru shifted her gaze to him as she continued her training, apparently having heard his comment despite her focus.

"If that's how it appears, then I am grateful… I suppose?" "Why's that a question?"

"Well, some would consider it a virtue to work hard behind the scenes, you see." Mahiru paused the audio playback as she chuckled. "But I'm working hard in front of you, aren't I?"

Amane looked at her in disbelief. "Really? What's wrong with showing your hard work?"

"Couldn't it appear like you are trying to show off?" she returned. "Maybe showing off the results would be a problem, but there's nothing

wrong with working hard normally." Amane answered. "People who do that are likely to undervalue the results anyways. They take them for granted, thinking that achieving something should be easy."

Unfortunately, it's common for people to disregard the time, money, and effort that someone had invested in acquiring a particular skill. Since, in the eyes of others, the person in question had 'easily' obtained the results they sought, they assume that it wasn't a hard thing to do in general.

"In my case, I'm not exactly hiding it. No one sees me since I do it at home," Mahiru replied nonchalantly. After counting up to fifty, she placed her dumbbells down on the carpet and lightly touched her upper arms to gauge her condition.

Indeed, Mahiru practiced at home—well, at Amane's home, to be precise. This was a side of her unknown to anyone but him. Because of this ignorance, people often underestimated her.

Whether Mahiru seemed unbothered by this because she was incredibly tolerant or had simply grown used to it, Amane was unsure.

"While I am diligent in school, it isn't as though I'm solely focused on academics. Seeing that, some do think my academic abilities are simply due to natural talent," Mahiru explained.

"Talent might have played a role in it, but in the end, it's talent nurtured through hard work. Besides, the amount of effort you personally put in is on a whole other level… Watching you, I think it's admirable."

"Once it becomes a habit, it feels natural, and the stress begins to fade. I'm also aware that I'm fortunate to see the fruit of my labor. If people want to call it talent, then I want to make the most of it if I can."

Mahiru evaluated herself in a refreshingly straightforward manner, acknowledging her own continued efforts for what they were without any concern or bravado. In that moment, her posture and demeanor seemed so dignified that Amane found himself most captivated.

"Initially, I had focused my efforts on being a good girl, but now I work hard more for simple self-improvement. I don't find it mentally or physically burdensome, either."

"You're putting in more effort than anybody else, that's for sure." "Well, I am doing this for the future."

"The 'future'…?" asked Amane tentatively.

"Yes. The future." Mahiru flashed a beautiful smile and looked straight into Amane's eyes. "Amane-kun. Without fail, people grow old."

"What? Where did that come from?" Amane had been thrown off by the unexpected segue, but Mahiru paid no heed and continued without pause.

"As time passes, we all age. Just as a beautiful flower eventually withers, our physical ability and beauty from our youth will diminish as we grow older."

Such was the undeniable law of life.

Any form of life, given enough time, will age and eventually approach death. The further you advance past your body's peak, the more your body deteriorates and your appearance fades.

"Amane-kun. My looks are attractive—I'm cute, right?" Mahiru's smile—a perfect blend of charm and self-confidence—would doubtlessly have been seen as cute by anyone who laid eyes on it. That gentle look was utterly radiant, befitting of being called a 'million-dollar smile'.

Even if her words could have been taken as an overly self-confident remark, they carried no arrogance. Amane fully understood that her beauty, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, had been the result of her amazingly hard work.

Amane knew that her flaxen hair, silky and lustrous like spun silk, was always meticulously untangled by her. Mahiru had also apparently used a variety of shampoos, conditioners, and treatments. Amane knew she had been diligent about moisturizing her skin with quality skincare products, and that she had also controlled the quality of her skin from the inside with a balanced diet. Amane knew that her slim yet feminine physique had been the result of careful adjustments to her diet and exercise regimen. Because he spent so much time by her side, Amane knew very well that Mahiru put a great deal of effort into her appearance. And because he'd been watching her all this time, this familiarity lent a particular weight to Mahiru's words.

"You look really cute. I think it's the result of all your hard work." After agonizing over how to praise her properly, Amane spoke from the heart. Mahiru was already naturally beautiful. Amane knew, however, just how much effort she poured into her appearance. While she possessed a beauty that couldn't be explained by genetics alone, it would only shine if she continued to polish it.

With his reply, Mahiru's smile softened further, tinged with a bit of bashfulness. "Thank you very much. I have been putting a lot of effort into it."

"Yep, I know. You're always giving it your all." Having spent increasing amounts of time beside Mahiru, Amane had come to understand her hard work.

Although her cheeks flushed ever so slightly when praised by him, she cleared her throat and composed herself before continuing. "But this cuteness of mine only applies while I am still young. Generally, youthful features are preferred."

"I see where you're coming from, but…"

"Needless to say, I will continue to do my best to maintain my looks, but aging is inevitable. To solely rely on something as risky as appearance or charm…the world isn't so forgiving as to make that viable." Mahiru, with her somewhat harsh world view, let out a soft sigh as she looked his way. "But even if that was an option, I wouldn't want to take it. Again, it's far too risky and it invites resentment from others."

"Ahhh…well, I get it. Nobody wants to purposely cross a dangerous bridge."

"Given my position, I already face a good deal of jealousy, and I don't want to add to it. Besides, I find it annoying when people compliment me based only on shallow observation."

Fundamentally, Mahiru never flaunted or emphasized her beauty, but there were still those who were jealous of the frequent attention she received from men.

Due to her 'angelic' behavior and ability, and her sociable attitude, never once had she been subjected to such animosity openly. But if she were to attempt to actively leverage her looks, Amane knew that only chaos would ensue.

Of course, that was an unlikely prospect given that she disliked being bothered by strangers, but if she went through with it, conflict would most certainly break out between the boys and girls.

Mahiru seemed aware of this herself, her face taking on a weary expression as she pondered the possibilities.

"… In other words," she continued, "it's important to polish your skills and qualities as a person, whether you show the work or not. Going forward, I wish to avoid being evaluated as a good-looking individual with no other redeeming qualities. For example, lacking substance or utility as an adult." Having concluded with a rather pragmatic outlook, Mahiru cast a quiet smile at a bewildered Amane. "Eventually, the reflection of a person once their outer beauty fades is the essence of the life they have lived up until that point. I want to live my life in a way that doesn't bring shame upon myself."

"That's definitely not the way a regular high schooler thinks," Amane remarked.

Mahiru chuckled. "I have been this way for a long time—I owe it all to Koyuki-san's guidance."

Amane wanted to interject about just who this Koyuki-san was, considering how mischievous Mahiru's smile had become. But he had to admit that the teachings from this Koyuki-san seemed to form the cornerstone of Mahiru's current character, and suspected that she—out of concern for Mahiru—presented her with the harsh realities of life early on.

Amane couldn't say whether teaching her of such a harsh reality had been the correct choice. Still, he acknowledged that it helped shape the very young Mahiru into someone who could face the future without despair. Her current mindset and personality was all thanks to Koyuki-san.

"Well, I may have complicated matters a little, but the point is aspiring to be a person of substance. If you live your life superficially and without any meaningful thought, you're likely to experience a midlife crisis sooner or later."

"Yeah. I get what you're saying, but I'm surprised you're thinking that far ahead."

Could this be her second life? Mahiru spoke with such foresight that this absurd thought had briefly crossed Amane's mind. Both impressed by her, and simultaneously, somewhat disgusted with himself for not being able to think as far ahead, he noticed Mahiru subtly lowering her eyebrows as she smiled.

"Were you perhaps shocked or overwhelmed?" Mahiru asked. "Personally, I think I have quite a nasty personality."

"No, you misunderstand. It's just that I hadn't thought that far ahead. It's kinda pathetic of me, really," Amane regretted.

"Why would that make you pathetic?"

"It's true that I'm working hard to improve myself, but I haven't given much thought to where I should be putting the effort in for the future." Amane had been doing his best as well, but not nearly to the same level as Mahiru was. It wasn't as though he had a clear goal in mind, either.

He started it all simply wanting to stand proudly next to Mahiru.

Although he'd been working hard and seeing results, the amount of effort couldn't compare to hers, and he didn't have such precise goals, which made him feel slightly arrogant for even making the comparison.

He'd been told before not to put himself down and had been careful not to. But still, he found the disparity between them disappointing, precisely because he could see first-hand just how hard Mahiru was working.

"Why must you find the need to compare us like that…" "Sorry."

"And why are you apologizing? Working hard to improve yourself is commendable, you know? After all, hard work is an accumulation of continued effort. What you do now will have knock-on effects on your future. You need to acknowledge the fact that you're currently working hard." Mahiru lightly poked Amane's cheek with her fingertip, casting a resigned smile and a corrective gaze at him. "Really, geez…"

"…Mm."

"You really do lack confidence, don't you, Amane-kun?"

"I–I can't help it," he returned, "I mean, uh, I'm not even sure I'm facing myself properly…"

"You're currently putting all that effort into improving yourself because you think you're inadequate, right? Is that not proof that you are facing yourself?"

"I hope so…whoa!" Perhaps responding to Amane's inability to nod in agreement, Mahiru placed her hands on both his cheeks, pinching his face without any hesitation whatsoever.

Although Amane wasn't particularly chubby, there was enough meat for her to grab onto. It was certainly firmer than Mahiru's—since she was a girl—so it didn't stretch out as far as hers, but it was stretched enough to hinder his speech.

"Hey, wisten here…"

"…Should you refuse to admit it, you will be sentenced to cheek-pinching until you do."

"I–I undewstand…"

"Very good." Mahiru nodded contentedly, but showed no signs of letting go. Amane stared at her in response. "…Leth go, pwease."

"…Can't I keep doing it a little longer?" "You cwan't."

"Mmfh…" Mahiru, for some reason, performed a combo of one squeeze and one knead on Amane's cheek before finally releasing him with a reluctant look. As a result, Amane felt a little more freedom in his facial muscles than before as he touched his cheeks.

It wasn't painful, but it felt slightly odd.

Mahiru seemed to want something from him, but when Amane began to object with, "Look here," she immediately halted her gaze. Whether Mahiru enjoyed touching or teasing him, she frequently and happily initiated physical contact with him, which unsettled Amane—the one on the receiving end—to some extent.

Finally, as the discomfort in his cheeks and his unusually fast-beating heart began to settle, he turned to face Mahiru again. Gone was the mischievous demeanor she'd just been directing him, replaced by a gentle, enveloping smile.

"…You are doing your best, Amane-kun."

Her voice, far gentler than the expression playing on her face, softly entered Amane's ears.

"While I won't claim you have no flaws, you are aware of them and constantly try to improve. If anyone has a problem with that, I will set them straight myself," Mahiru declared.

"You don't need to dirty your hands, Mahiru." "Oh? I will do it just using words, you know?" "You'll just dirty your mouth instead."

"Rest assured, I haven't fallen so far as to insult people using such words." "Yeeahh, I'm still gonna have to pass on that," Amane replied staunchly.

Sporting a perfect smile, Mahiru exuded an attitude that—no matter how one looked at it—detested conflict, yet she was clearly the type to follow through on her words.

If she said she would do something, she would definitely do it. If he hadn't stopped her, Amane could imagine her pressing on with sound arguments until her opponent gave in—all with that same placid smile. Oddly enough, she would never get mad about her own issues but would get furious over Amane's concerns as if they were her own, if not more so.

Should I be pleased? Troubled…? Amane wasn't sure.

Whatever the case, since any complaints were hypothetical, Amane decided not to kick up a fuss about it. Then to distract Mahiru, who seemed a bit dissatisfied, he started patting her head.

Mahiru, too, seemed aware that being petted would help shake off her negative emotions. Although she showed reluctance at first, she ultimately appeared to enjoy having her head stroked and meekly accepted Amane's touch.

As he continued to pat her head, as if reducing her imaginary anger gauge toward some unknown opponent, Mahiru mumbled, "It's not like I'm mad or anything." The way she acted resembled a sulking child, and Amane couldn't help seeing it that way.

Finally letting go of the now-calmed Mahiru, he saw her make a face that suggested she was reluctant to part from the touch. However, knowing that too much contact could also be problematic, he deliberately ignored it.

"…You know, frankly, it's not like I want to be recognized by everyone," Amane admitted.

"Really?"

"Well, I mean—I do want those around me to acknowledge me, but…what I really want is to satisfy myself, to be proud of who I am."

In the first place, Amane wasn't the type to seek acknowledgement from people he had nothing to do with.

What he wished for was to be a person worthy of standing beside Mahiru. The battle was more against himself than for others. Even as he suffered from the disparity between his ideals and reality, he didn't agonize over what others believed.

The person he most wanted to satisfy was himself, not anyone else.

Sure, having his change recognized by others might be pleasing, but that wasn't the end goal.

"…I see," replied Mahiru. "Then I shall be watching over you until you achieve the results that satisfy you."

"I'll do my best. For my own sake."

At Amane's firm declaration, Mahiru briefly widened her eyes in slight wonder. Then, while blushing faintly, she nodded and whispered, "I'm rooting for you," her smile gently pushing Amane forward.