That Which Shines the More You Polish

Having washed away the day's fatigue and sweat with a refreshing bath, Amane returned to the living room to find Mahiru engrossed in a book on the sofa. It was already past ten o'clock, a time by which she usually would have gone home. Yet, for some reason, she remained.

Amane had assumed that she'd head home while he was in the bath, and had even wished her goodnight right before stepping in.

"You haven't gone home yet? I totally thought you had already left."

It didn't bother him if she stayed late; after all, they were dating and lived next door to each other. This time of the evening was probably just within the realm of acceptable.

But Mahiru probably has stuff she needs to do at her place, Amane worried.

While she likely had taken care of what she could do at Amane's place and even seemed to have bathed at home before coming over, he wondered if she didn't have her own routines or errands to attend to.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was planning on going home before you got out of the bath, but…I wanted to reach a nice stopping point first."

It seemed she had been engrossed in solving her reference book. Mahiru was the kind of student who studied the material given to her ahead of time, so she wasn't as pressured as other students might be. Nonetheless, being the diligent and perseverant person she was, she never skipped reviewing her work. She was probably going through exercises in the reference book to reinforce her understanding, even though she likely already knew the material.

"Wow, you're really putting the effort in. Well done," praised Amane. "Thank you," replied Mahiru.

As Amane sat next to her and stroked her head, Mahiru squinted her eyes ticklishly. He considered running his fingers through her hair, but decided not to as his hands were still damp from the bath, making it difficult to do so without messing up her dry hair. When he lifted his hand from her head, Mahiru showed a hint of dissatisfaction.

She's become so easy to read, Amane thought, smiling slightly. Mahiru's dissatisfaction accumulated like a balloon in her cheeks, and after being caressed by Amane, they deflated, a mist of restrained emotions she failed to contain escaping her lips.

While gently tickling her cheek, which was so well-cared-for that he felt inspired to learn from her example, Amane glanced into the reference book Mahiru was holding and found the content quite advanced compared to what they were studying. However, thanks to the fact that he also did some pre-study and learned from Mahiru's revision sessions, he understood it for the most part.

Mahiru really is amazing, he silently thought, feeling grateful.

"Can I borrow this for a little while after you're done? I'd like to go through it too."

"Sure, I don't mind," replied Mahiru. "I've actually solved this multiple times already, so you can have it. I have other reference books I can use."

"Nah, there's no rush, really. Don't mind me."

Amane didn't want her to prioritize him and turned down the offer. He simply thought it would be nice if she let him borrow the book, and had no intention of inconveniencing her with his selfishness.

"I don't really mind. I still have plenty of reference books on the same topic at home."

"…Seriously?"

"I'm not kidding, of course. The more you solve problems in reference books, the better your practical and application skills become. That's why I do them multiple times and even buy fresh books to get new questions. I find solving them enjoyable."

Amane could only be bewildered by her nonchalant attitude. Well, he understood the concept of having multiple reference books for the same subject as he had a few himself. However, judging by Mahiru's tone, it seemed she had quite a considerable number of them, impressing Amane, who hadn't been as thorough in that regard.

He could relate to the feeling that the more you solve, the more you understand, making studying enjoyable. But this moment reminded him yet again that Mahiru was far more diligent and hardworking than he was.

"…Alright, I'll borrow it, but don't prioritize me too much, Mahiru." "It's not so much about prioritizing. It really is okay—once you're done solving them, I can simply solve them again later. Amane-kun, aren't you prioritizing me too much?"

As if to get back at him, Mahiru poked Amane's cheek and tickled it with her fingertip. Amane gently squinted his eyes in response, letting her have her way, but suddenly Mahiru came to a halt. When he glanced over, wondering what the matter was, he found Mahiru intently staring not just at his cheek, but his entire face.

"What's wrong? See a pimple or something?" asked Amane.

He had checked his skin while doing skin care in front of a mirror earlier, and as far as he could tell, there was nothing out of the ordinary, neither by sight nor touch.

Maybe I'd missed something? But as he contemplated that while recalling his reflection in the mirror, Mahiru gently shook her head, her flaxen hair swaying.

"No, quite the opposite. Your skin has improved, hasn't it?" Mahiru remarked.

"Ah, so that's what it was. Had me worried for a second there."

"Your pores, the dryness, the feel of your skin—it's all different now. Seeing it up close, I noticed right away that your skin has gotten better."

"I'm surprised you could tell all that, honestly." Given that Amane himself had been rather indifferent about such details until recently, he couldn't help but be amazed by Mahiru's keen memory and observational skills. "But it is nice to see some progress. I've been focusing a bit more on my skin care routine lately."

"Oh, did you alter your routine?"

"I did, yeah, but I'm still not as thorough or spend as much money on it as you might, Mahiru. I just make sure to cleanse and moisturize properly now."

These two basic steps alone could make a big difference in one's complexion. After some research, Amane had changed his skincare products. Before, his skin was neither bad nor particularly good—the epitome of average—and he used to get by with basic face cleanser and some random moisturizer. But given that he set out to improve himself, he thought he might as well do some research and change his cleansing and skincare products.

He tried several types and chose the ones that best suited his skin, focusing solely on careful and thorough moisturizing. That was all he did, but changing the approach improved his skin condition. Thanks to Mahiru's cooking, his meals were already very well-balanced from the start, so compared to the past, his skin must have improved remarkably.

"Great. Men tend to have more sebum than women, so proper cleansing and moisturization are especially crucial."

"Your cooking made it really easy to get the diet part down, Mahiru. So I mostly just focus on skin care and quality sleep. You make it look easy, but it's tough maintaining your beauty like you do. Doing this made me realize that while you have naturally good looks, those good looks are only maintained through your incredible hard work."

"Thank you very much," Mahiru giggled softly. "I'm happy to see that you recognize my efforts."

"I can tell just by looking. I know that you're always striving to improve yourself. Actually, I remember you telling me about it before. It really is impressive."

Amane recalled Mahiru's past words about the importance of ongoing effort for future gains. She had noted that beauty faded with time, and that she wouldn't live relying solely on her appearance. But that wasn't to say she wouldn't continue to polish her beauty. It was that she would polish not only her appearance but also her skills and qualities as a person, and she has remained true to her word.

Amane understood all over again how incredible her dedication was. "…Thank you. Though it's a little embarrassing that you remember all that," Mahiru said.

"How come? It just means you're doing your best, doesn't it?" "…Well, if you think so, then that's fine."

Mahiru seemed to struggle to say something, mumbling hesitantly.

Did something happen to make her embarrassed…? Amane tried to recall their past conversations but nothing in particular came to mind.

Wondering what she might be overly sensitive about, he tried to read her expressions, but Mahiru seemed disinclined to answer and avoided eye contact.

Even so, when he kept his gaze on her, she retorted with a voice that was a mix of both chiding and reproach, saying, "You don't need to worry about it." Sensing that prying further would only sour Mahiru's mood, Amane quickly judged it best to let the matter go. "Sorry," he said lightly, pushing the lingering question out of his mind.

"…Speaking of which, what made you so conscious about it, Amane-kun?" "Huh?"

"While you were focused on working out, you didn't pay much attention to the finer details before…so I was wondering if there was a trigger."

"Well, you know…once you start paying attention to one thing, you start noticing everything else, too. When I started researching the best ways to work out, I found myself getting more and more concerned about other parts of my daily life, like skin care."

Amane hadn't initially planned on being as meticulous about his appearance as Mahiru, but given his personality, he figured that if he was going to make an effort, he might as well do it as best as he could within his means. So he decided to research various ways to improve himself, aiming to be a person worthy of standing next to Mahiru.

In today's Digital Age, desired information was just a click away, although you still needed to be cautious about its credibility. After finding methods on how to boost his allure as a man and ways to improve himself, Amane scrutinized them carefully before putting them into practice.

In practice, it wasn't anything particularly complex. Focusing on specific parts of his body that he wanted to improve through targeted training, giving special attention to skincare because a person's impression is often influenced by complexion and skin texture, ensuring quality sleep to improve his complexion, experimenting with techniques to achieve that, and consulting Itsuki and Yuuta to refine his fashion sense by finding out which colors and styles suited him best. He was currently in the midst of implementing these various self-improvement plans. He wasn't putting in the immense amount of effort that Mahiru was, so it wasn't anything he felt overly proud of, but he made sure not to neglect the effort itself.

"I think it's a great thing, whatever the reason may be. The road of

self-improvement is an endless one, so I simply recommend you continue what you're doing until you feel reasonably satisfied."

"Will do. Well, I figure that if I can achieve something with just a little effort, it'll pay off many times more down the line."

"That attitude of not neglecting the effort is important in itself. You're doing well," Mahiru praised. "Now, allow me to spoil the hardworking Amane-kun a little."

Just as Amane knew about Mahiru's efforts, Mahiru was well aware of Amane's efforts too. Knowing he'd been jogging and working out before dinner, and had further exhausted himself in the bath, she flashed a tempting, almost mischievous smile and opened her arms wide. The blouse she wore was thin, and he could see more than he expected beneath its fabric.

"…Say, Mahiru. Do you realize what you're suggesting is dangerous?" "Oh, it's not dangerous. It's just a tight hug."

"That's what makes it dangerous, young lady. Do you follow?"

It might be a different story if Amane were the one doing it to Mahiru, but with their roles switched, it posed a significant issue. They were lovers, so one could argue there should be no problem. However, when it came to Amane's self-control, there was indeed a considerable issue. He had once buried his face there before, and the sensation was both pleasant and very much unpleasant.

As Amane casted a skeptical glare at Mahiru as if to question whether she truly understood the situation, Mahiru slowly traced her lips into a curve. She gently extended her opened arms toward Amane—then softly touched his hair.

"…You just wanted to fluff my hair, didn't you?"

"Oh, was it that obvious?" Mahiru chuckled elegantly. Realizing he'd been teased, Amane slightly furrowed his brows, but Mahiru just laughed even more, seemingly amused. "You don't want me to?"

"…No, that's not it."

"Then, does it make you happy?" "…Why do you ask?"

"Oh, you know, just because you don't dislike it doesn't mean it necessarily makes you happy, does it? I thought it would be odd to do something so wishy-washy."

"…W-Well, it does make me happy, alright? It does, but still…"

Feeling her touch his hair, or being pampered by Mahiru, made him happy. It did, but it was a complicated feeling. If he gave in and indulged in Mahiru's embrace too openly, he felt he would lose somehow.

"Then isn't that fine? Maybe come here?"

"Wh–What I mean is, the location is a bit tricky. Is it really okay for me to bury my face there?"

"Oh? If you think you can handle it, go ahead."

She knows. She definitely knows when she says that. Amane felt sure that Mahiru was inviting him with full knowledge that he wouldn't behave recklessly. How devious is that?

Amane lightly shuddered at the devilishness of his own girlfriend as he looked at her. For her, whether he hugged her or not probably didn't matter. If he did hug her, she would certainly indulge him. And if he resisted, she would likely shift to petting his hair and pampering him in that manner. He could see it all unfolding like that. Feeling a bit vexed at being so completely in the palm of Mahiru's hand, he hesitated, agonized, and then finally reached out.

"…Don't you think you're being sly?" Mahiru said.

"Who's the sly one here?" As Amane buried his face in Mahiru's shoulder and whispered, her body seemed to tremble ever so slightly, as if she were bashful.

Amane, too, understood that he couldn't take advantage of this situation to nestle his face into her chest. If he were to speak his true feelings, as a man, he certainly did have the desire to savor the sensation of her soft curves. He wanted to be enveloped in her warmth through a full embrace.

However, if he allowed himself that liberty, it would lower the hurdle for more intense forms of physical affection in the future, which would lead him into doing something even more extreme. So, he restricted himself, opting for this manner of contact both as a personal restraint and as a cautionary measure.

Isn't this already skirting the line? As he gently pressed his lips against the nape of her neck and nuzzled her, Mahiru, who seemed to have given up on her hug strategy, shifted to Plan B: stroking his head with one hand.

"There, there," she said.

"It feels like you're treating me like a kid," Amane pointed out. "You often do it to me too, do you not?"

"I–I don't remember treating you like that." "And I'm not treating you like that either."

Unable to argue that the suggestion could be interpreted as either treating him like a child or like a lover, Amane could only remain silent.

"Good boy, good boy."

"…Now you definitely sound like you're treating me like a kid."

"You know, interpreting my compliments that way would be problematic for me."

"It's your tone."

"Even if you say that…" Mahiru whispered in a voice filled with gentle affection, akin to how one would a child. This left a strange feeling in Amane, who, as a sign of his discontent, lightly tapped on her back with the arm he'd already wrapped around her. However, Mahiru was seemingly unconcerned as she simply continued to gently run her fingers through his hair.

"Don't try to pamper me," Amane protested. "Huh? No can do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, hard work deserves recognition, and there must be a reward for said hard work."

"E-Even so…come on now…"

…I'm still not convinced that earlier suggestion is the way to go, Amane inwardly pointed out as he raised his face. It felt less like Amane's reward time and more like Mahiru's reward time. In fact, that's exactly what it was, and Mahiru appeared genuinely disappointed as they separated, letting out a regretful sigh. "Ah…"

After cooling his thoroughly flushed cheeks, Amane gently peered into Mahiru's face.

"Look, I've only just started putting effort into things that you've always given your all. You've constantly been working hard, much more than me. So if you're going to praise me for what I'm doing, you should praise yourself for everything you've done too."

While it would of course be difficult to offer another reward time like the one he just experienced, Amane thought it was still necessary to praise Mahiru anew and to pamper her a bit. Granted, he also had a tiny ulterior motive: if he genuinely praised her from the bottom of his heart, Mahiru might feel overwhelmed and become unable to pull stunts like the one from earlier for a while.

Amane continued, "You're amazing, Mahiru. You've worked so hard all this time. Working on myself daily reminded me of that. You make it look like it's the most natural thing in the world, but doing this takes a lot of time and effort. On top of that, you're also studying, doing housework, and taking care of yourself, aren't you? I really admire you."

While he was praising Mahiru intentionally, the content and sentiment were all genuine, coming straight from the heart. Spending almost all his time with Mahiru, except for when they were bathing or sleeping, Amane was reminded anew of the extent of her efforts.

She carried out these tasks as if they were second nature, yet the struggle behind them must be tremendous. Amane himself had taken over most of the household chores aside from cooking, thanks to being at home, which had probably lessened her load to some extent. Still, she had her own household responsibilities, and the collective work was likely considerable.

Despite this, Mahiru continued to work hard, never showing any signs of displeasure. She consistently engaged in her self-imposed regimen of self-improvement. Her actions dazzled Amane—he couldn't help but admire her greatly, and it made him want to support her in any way he could.

"Ah, um—"

"I want to follow your example, Mahiru…I want to work even harder and strive to the point where I can be confident and proud of myself. I won't be satisfied with myself otherwise. Of course, being praised by you is a great feeling and I'm grateful you do, but I don't want you to offer it easily like just then. I want to be showered with praise and to be pampered like that only when I've really, truly worked hard."

Otherwise, Amane would never last.

When he looked straight into her eyes and made his request, Mahiru, evidently overwhelmed and embarrassed by the praise, averted her gaze.

"…R-Really, Amane-kun, once you set your mind on something, you're so straightforward…or even resolute."

"You think so? I feel like I slack off quite a bit." "That's called taking a break," Mahiru retorted.

"But I procrastinate too much to call them 'breaks', honestly." "In what way, exactly…?"

In what way? Every way, I guess. Amane didn't consider himself as resolute as Mahiru's comment suggested. If anyone fit the definition of 'resolute,' it would be Mahiru herself.

Amane's approach was to put in the effort within his capabilities while taking breaks as needed. He didn't drive himself to the point of breaking either physically or emotionally. He could foresee that doing so would not only lead to his own breakdown but also bring sorrow to Mahiru.

It was likely thanks to his well-balanced approach and perspective that he managed to elicit such a comment from Mahiru.

"To be perfectly honest, I never hated myself, but I never liked myself either.

I had nothing to be proud of—I was just lazy."

"…If we're talking about the you I first met, I can't deny that," admitted Mahiru.

"Exactly… Now, I want to come to like myself. It's not that I disliked myself when I couldn't work hard, but wouldn't I prefer a version of myself that has goals and strives for them?"

Ultimately, Amane's lack of self-confidence stemmed from his own

self-dislike—his lazy, irritating, excuse-laden, cowardly past self. Now that he had begun the work of becoming a man worthy of Mahiru, overcoming past humiliations, regrets, and fears, transforming them into something more elevated, Amane finally felt he was on the path to liking himself.

"Besides, I also just want to be a good man."

"As in, you want to become popular?" Mahiru asked.

"N-No, it's not about that. Like I said before, I want to have confidence in myself, and a confident man is generally considered a good one. So if I want to stand proud next to you, I must become a good man."

"Amane-kun…"

"Well, I still have a long way to go."

While he wasn't setting unrealistic expectations, becoming a man good enough to match the girl who smiled beside him was a high hurdle. Yet, he had no intention of giving up.

He wouldn't say it was for Mahiru's sake. Amane intended to keep working hard for his own sake, to gain the self-confidence and pride in himself that he desired. "That's why, because I'm not yet satisfied with myself, I plan to work hard for my own sake."

"Yes. Once again, I shall support you in becoming the person you want to be, Amane-kun."

"Thanks."

It was different this time. Before, Mahiru supported him without fully understanding why he wanted to put in the effort. Now, she understood his reasons and still chose to give him a push. Amane was well aware that Mahiru loved him as he was and could easily have said, "You don't have to work so hard. I'll still love you." The fact she chose to respect his decision meant more to him than anything else. It gave him the resolve to become a man that would make Mahiru fall for him all over again.

"Alright, I'll do my best then. I want you to fall for me even more." "E–Even more than I already do!?"

"Yep. I mean, it would make me happier, and having a respectable partner would make you happier, Mahiru. Sounds like a win-win to me."

Amane would be over the moon if Mahiru already loved him more than anything else, but there was still the possibility that her feelings could grow if he became an even better man. After all, Amane's affection for Mahiru knew no bounds, so it stood to reason that Mahiru could feel the same way too.

If it meant being loved by her even more, there was absolutely no reason to hold back on his efforts.

"…If I fall for you any deeper than this…I'll be unable to lead a normal life anymore," Mahiru replied.

"You're exaggerating." "No, I'm not."

Mahiru's self-discipline is incredible. Could she even lose control of herself like that? Amane was skeptical about the possibility, but it seemed that Mahiru herself genuinely feared that prospect. She wore an expression that seemed to say 'Don't tease me', to which Amane apologized and used his fingertips to soothe her almost puffed-up cheeks. That energy then moved to Amane's lips, forming an arc.

"Well, if that happens, I'll take responsibility for turning you into such a mess."

"…I will hold you to your word."

"Sure. Remember it well. I won't make you regret it."

Since Mahiru had chosen him from among many men, there was no way he would let her regret her choice. In response to Amane's firm declaration, Mahiru opened her eyes wide, biting her lip momentarily.

"Amane-kun, you ladykiller."

"How did it come to that!?"

After Amane's eyes widened at her inexplicable suspicion, Mahiru promptly turned her face away in a huff.