The Angel and the Cultural Festival Tour

Amane and Mahiru had changed into their school uniforms and put their costumes in their lockers and were going around the school for the time being to explore the festival.

It was a little past lunchtime, but there were still a large number of food and refreshment stalls open for business. The students' shifts were usually swapped around at this time, so the number of customers may be increasing.

The pair were tired from their unfamiliar roles in customer service and were now hungry, so they wandered around the school to try and find a suitable spot to eat, but… Mahiru was standing out. He heard a few voices here and there saying, "Look; it's that maid," so he assumed that his class' sales were a thriving success—there were a lot of customers that arrived. From Amane's point of view, it wasn't very comfortable, but since Mahiru had given up or was already used to it, Amane didn't worry about it too much.

"What do you fancy eating, Mahiru?"

"I would like something I don't usually have."

"Hmm, even if you say that… maybe yakisoba or takoyaki?"

It wasn't that she didn't make yakisoba, but Mahiru wasn't partial to its traditional strong flavor, and usually focused more on the saltiness or made it with red bean paste. And as for takoyaki, they didn't have the right equipment to cook it to begin with. He didn't eat out much, so he didn't know much about the foods regularly sold at fairs.

Since he rarely ate it, he took the chance to walk toward a class selling yakisoba with sauce, but heard a familiar voice coming from the stairs along the way. It was in the direction of the stairs that led to the school roof, which Amane thought was kept closed, but once he climbed the stairs and looked at the landing… sat there was a classmate he'd recently started talking to.

"Huh? Fujimiya-kun and Shiina-san?"

Amane blinked at the sight of Ayaka calling his name in a puzzled voice. There weren't many places to sit at school, so he wasn't surprised at her location, but… he was more curious about the position she sat in. Next to her was a male student with his mouth full of yakisoba, and Ayaka was sidling up to him and putting her hand under his chin. He could see him spilling his yakisoba.

"…What are you doing here?"

"Eh? Exactly how it looks. Lunch, we're having lunch. Look, Sou-chan, it's the Fujimiya-kun I mentioned before."

"Nm."

The male student looked at Amane with a muffled groan and gulped at his yakisoba, looking like he hadn't chewed properly before swallowing. However… Perhaps as an effect of rushing himself, his expression clouded and he started pounding his chest.

Ayaka must have expected this, saying, "You have to chew properly," and handed him a bottle of tea. After he drank about a third of the bottle, Ayaka wiped his mouth with a wet tissue as the piece of food was dislodged from his throat, and the student showed a relieved expression. Since he was eating yakisoba, the tissue was stained with sauce.

The male student being taken care of looked dissatisfied, murmuring, "Could you not treat me like a child?" Ayaka began to smile and wiped his mouth even more. The student didn't refuse despite his annoyance, likely a testament to their mutual trust.

"Umm, is this your boyfriend, Kido?"

"Y-You're right. He's my childhood friend and boyfriend. Here, Sou-chan, introduce yourself."

"So you thought I wouldn't do anything unless urged on like a child…?" "You're shy, Sou-chan. Come on, they're not bad people."

"I don't think you would introduce me to bad people in the first place. …I'm Kayano Souji."

Souji politely bowed, and Ayaka tried to pat his head and praise him with a "Well done," but he smoothly brushed her away. Impressed by Ayaka's strong mental fortitude, Amane couldn't help but stare at Souji. Perhaps this was their usual dynamic. All he'd heard from Ayaka was that he had amazing muscles, so Amane was expecting him to have a more muscular physique… He could tell that Souji was taller than himself, but he couldn't notice the presence of muscles beneath his uniform. In fact, Hiiragi Kazuya appeared to have the better physique between them.

Amane observed them without speaking a word, trying not to be rude, but Ayaka seemed to understand what he was thinking and smiled teasingly.

"Sou-chan's the type to look amazing when he strips." "I-it'd be amazing if he stripped…"

"That's right, Shiina-san. My boyfriend's amazing. Ehehe."

Ayaka grinned. Amane thought it was best not to let Mahiru hear any more, but it was Souji himself who cut her off.

"Stop bragging about that. It's embarrassing… Hey, what did you say when I wasn't around? Did you brag about my muscles again?"

"'My boyfriend has amazing muscles,' I said."

"I wish you wouldn't brag about them… it's not something you should boast about."

"That's not true! You're the best in the world for me!"

"You were drooling at the bodybuilder special on TV the other day, so what are you talking about…?"

"Th-That's just a snack to eat from time to time… Sou-chan's my staple and a luxury dish, so you're essential! Sou-chan is special!"

Ayaka spoke very seriously and clearly, but as far as Amane was concerned, she was too curious about the bodybuilder's nonsense to think straight.

She liked muscles to that extent… It's a world I don't really understand.

Strictly speaking, even Mahiru had a smell fetish, so Amane thought that she could get along with Ayaka, in a way. He felt complicated hearing them talk about which parts of their boyfriend they fetishized, so he wished they would do that while he wasn't around.

That's amazing in a lot of ways, he thought, and took a step back to observe Ayaka with some much needed distance. Souji apparently guessed what he was thinking and slapped her on the head ahead of time without trying to hide his exasperation.

"That's enough. You should stop there."

"It's because you said something weird, Sou-chan." "…I'm sorry about my Ayaka."

"It's my fault?!"

She looked at him with eyes that said he was being unfair, but it was likely an extension of their playful flirting. Amane could only laugh at Ayaka, who was pouting her lips reproachfully and casually stroking his muscles with a "You little…" Souji didn't feel bad, either—or rather, he let her do as she pleased, as he usually did—and bowed his head in Amane's direction, the latter unable to do anything but scratch his head.

As for Mahiru, she was silent, as if she'd been thinking about something, but for some reason, she suddenly stuck close and started touching Amane's stomach.

"…You'd be amazing if you took it off too, Amane-kun."

"You don't have to compete with her, and I don't have that much muscle, it's getting hard for me to put more on."

"This is plenty for me."

Her cheeks flushed as she touched Amane, and a bitter smile naturally came over his face, wondering how it had come to this.

"By the way, have you two eaten yet?"

As he soothed Mahiru, Ayaka suddenly murmured as if remembering something.

Since they had the same shift, their shift ended at the same time as Ayaka's.

However, it seemed she had quickly gotten ready and left as her boyfriend was waiting for her. Even her classmates on the same shift were unlikely to have eaten as early as her.

"No, we're just about to go buy some yakisoba."

"Ah, yakisoba? This is good. Sou-chan's class is making it."

"Sou-chan ate most of it, though," said Ayaka, who was smiling, and Souji countered with, "You were the one who forced me to eat so much."

"I see, I see. Anyway, so you two want yakisoba. In that case, I'll give you this."

Laughing, she handed Mahiru a ticket with the words: 100¥ Yakisoba Discount written on it for some reason.

"It's a special ticket for relatives. Sou-chan said I could give it to someone else I'm close to. …Is that okay?"

"If you want to give it to them, Ayaka, then go ahead. It won't change the fact that it'll sell."

"Yay!"

Ayaka smiled and handed them two sheets' worth of discounts. Amane was both grateful and apologetic. When he looked at her face, he saw that her cheeks were relaxed.

"Ah, don't worry about it. We'll get tired of yakisoba after this, so we won't be using it anymore. Besides, I feel like having some sausages right now."

"I need more protein than carbohydrates right now," Ayaka said while smiling. Amane was sure that sausages would have a lot more fat between the two, but didn't dare say it out loud and gave his honest words of appreciation instead.

"Thank you very much, Kido-san. I'll thank you someday."

"It's nothing. I didn't do it for something in return… Ah yeah, Shiina-san, Shiina-san."

"Y-yes?"

"How much muscle does he have, your Fujimiya-kun?"

What's this girl even saying with that serious face? Amane thought as much and couldn't help but feel exasperated, but as for Mahiru, the one being asked, she blinked repeatedly before starting to panic for some reason.

"N-No, Amane-kun is mine!"

"Oh, how adorable you are. Don't worry, Sou-chan is the best for me. I was just curious."

"Are you setting your eyes on others now?" "Th-That's not true! Trust me, Sou-chan!"

Caught up in the moment, Ayaka waved her hand, but Souji puffed out his cheeks in an easy-to-understand manner, and she apparently realized he was half joking.

"Sou-chan, you dummy," Ayaka murmured in a sweet voice, before turning to Mahiru, who was still a little wary of her intentions. "That's not it. He's got good material… I'd like to help him raise it as it is… It'd be a waste, wouldn't it?

Fujimiya-kun is tall and slender, so it'd look good if he built some more muscle." "…I don't want him to get any cooler. It is troubling."

"Ah. Fujimiya-kun was working hard for the event, after all. His popularity might skyrocket."

"I get it," Ayaka nodded at her with a knowing look, to which Mahiru pouted her lips.

Amane wasn't sure whether he should be pleased that Mahiru had been able to open up a little to Ayaka, or whether he should comment on Mahiru's strange reason for jealousy. He thought her worries were unfounded. Becoming as popular as Mahiru wouldn't happen for Amane. If a girl were to confront him after he started dressing well all the time, they would've had plenty of chances already. Of course, even if they did, there was no way for them to open up his heart.

There were plenty of people around with a better face than him, and he didn't believe that he was as handsome as Mahiru thought he was. Despite this, Mahiru looked worried, so Amane smiled awkwardly and stroked her head.

"I'm only interested in you, Mahiru. Even if there's a girl who does fancy me, she'll be unfavorable the moment she tries to tear us apart, so don't worry."

"Even so, it is worrisome."

"Well, I do feel the same way. Either way, you don't have to worry so much, Mahiru."

"…I feel like you don't understand…"

He tried to reassure her, but for some reason, Mahiru frowned in dissatisfaction once more, and when he was bewildered, Ayaka smiled teasingly and said, "You must have it rough, Shiina-san."

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

Amane and Mahiru, who had gratefully received discount coupons from Ayaka and Souji and split them between them, immediately bought the yakisoba and decided to eat it in the backyard.

There was no vacancy in the rest area that was set up, and they couldn't stay in the waiting room with all the equipment, so they instead came to the backyard, which seemed like it would be free by process of elimination. Since outsiders couldn't enter the back of the backyard, there were a few students there, but there were still places to sit.

Amane laid out a towel where Mahiru was sitting and sat down on a bench in a tree's shadow, then leaned against the backrest wholeheartedly.

"Everything's so lively. I can't calm down."

"Fufu, you do prefer quiet environments after all, Amane-kun."

"Also, I don't like it when everyone stares at you, Mahiru. It's like they're rubbing salt on my wound."

"I don't believe that is the case, but…" "My mind's all worn down."

There was nothing he could do about it, so he put up with it, but he couldn't just brush it aside. Mahiru was in her uniform, so their gazes were less intense than when she was a maid, but beautiful girls would inevitably attract attention despite that. The girl in question had given up, and she seemed to be used to it, so Amane couldn't say much, and only mumbled slightly.

Mahiru seemed to understand that, too, as she patted his head with a troubled smile, and Amane accepted it and sighed softly.

"I'm sure even more people will come tomorrow. No doubt we'll have some kind of reputation among the customers, and we'll be working in the afternoon."

"Well, once we endure tomorrow, it will be over… Speaking of which, where are Shihoko-san and Shuuto-san?"

Amane scratched his cheek and shrugged at Mahiru, who seemed to find it strange that his parents, who had been so enthusiastic about coming to see her and Amane in their serving outfits, were nowhere to be seen.

"They'll be here tomorrow. And since they're taking a break, they've booked to stay at a hotel. About a two-day stay."

"Really?!"

"Why do you look so happy?"

"I had a promise with Shuuto-san that he would teach me the taste of motherly cooking, so I thought the opportunity had come rather quickly."

"So he's a man with a motherly taste… Well, if anything, I'm more familiar with my Dad's cooking."

Both Shihoko and Shuuto had decided on their turn for cooking based on date and time, so Amane was familiar with the flavors of both his Mom's and Dad's cooking. However, Shihoko's cooking was mainly focused on seasonings, quantity, and was tailored more towards a man's taste, so while it was no different from home cooking, it didn't give off that feeling completely.

Shuuto was better at cooking and had a delicate but comforting taste, so if he had to describe the taste of his family, it probably had to be Shuuto's.

It's just that Mahiru herself was so skilled at cooking that there was little need for her to learn from his father… but the fact that she was trying to learn how to cater to the Fujimiya family's way seemed to be of importance, and she herself was rather enthusiastic about it.

"It's not like I'm dissatisfied with your taste, Mahiru."

"That's that, and this is this. I would like to make it for you should you ever want it."

"That's the thing… As far as I'm concerned, the taste of your food is the taste of our family's. So, you don't have to force yourself to learn it."

"…When you let your guard down, you always say something like that!"

Eventually, or rather, Mahiru already had custody over Amane's stomach and subjected it to such delicious food day after day, so there was no doubt in his mind that Mahiru's cooking was the taste of his family's. It was a taste unique to the both of them, different from the Fujimiya's.

Mahiru's cheeks blushed furiously at Amane's words, and now with a cherry blossom-like appearance, Mahiru prodded her wet towel against his cheeks, wanting him to become the same color. He caressed her hair to soothe her as he secured the nearly-falling yakisoba on his lap.

As she had styled her hair into braids in the morning, her somewhat wavy, flowing hair caught against the wind, and even her cheeks were puffed out.

"…Are you still thinking you can fool me with headpats, Amane-kun?" "Not really, but I know you'll be pleased."

"That part of you is unfair."

He smiled quietly at Mahiru, who was pretending to act cold but was ruined by the redness of her cheeks, and this time he stroked her hair softly.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

After lunch, Amane and Mahiru resumed their school tour, but after being showered with voices and gazes no matter where they went, Mahiru seemed a little fatigued.

Part of the reason they were getting attention was because they were holding hands so they wouldn't get separated, but she didn't seem to want to let go. Mahiru's fingers, which were tenderly yet firmly wrapped around Amane's, insisted on not letting him go.

When he looked at Mahiru after being jeered at by a first-year student passing by, she gave a neat, lady-like smile and leaned in closer to him, so she probably didn't intend to leave. In fact, she seemed to be determined to stay close.

…I don't really mind, but I think all the students know that we're dating.

Most likely, the students of this school knew that Mahiru had started dating Amane—she'd openly spoken about him being her important person at the sports festival and declared that they'd started dating once the following week began.

Mahiru was famous not only among her classmates but also among her seniors and juniors too, which seemed to have caused it to spread even further, but at that time, the boys' disappointment was palpable and they were dejected. Amane had even been approached by an unfamiliar upperclassman without Mahiru around. Afterward, Mahiru, who had come running after being told by a classmate, finished the student off with a smile.

Since they had still been dating after overcoming that, he didn't think there were still any boys so naive to believe that they had a chance to interrupt their relationship. Even if he didn't confront them directly and insist so, just walking alongside Mahiru was enough to convey the message. However, it seemed Mahiru had a plan up her sleeve, and she wouldn't leave Amane's side. Even after parting ways with a classmate, she remained modestly huddled together.

"Is something the matter?" Amane asked and turned toward Mahiru. "You look so stunning, Amane-kun."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about your hairstyle, and the way you carry yourself." "Well, this hairstyle's the one I used for the café."

"Yes. That's what I mean," Mahiru confirmed. "I'm not really following…"

If a change in his hairstyle was all it took for him to be popular, it would've happened when he started dating Mahiru, and there wasn't much reason for her to insist on sticking close to him. Of course, in reality, Amane was very happy that she was clinging to him so intimately, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but savor the sensation pressed up against his arm, so he wished for her to pull away a little at times. Amane let her do as she pleased, however, as Mahiru herself seemed intent on doing it. It couldn't be said that he wasn't at least somewhat restless, though.

In part because of Mahiru, he was getting used to the attention. Amane averted his eyes from the reality before him as he slowly walked through the school. He was checking the distributed pamphlet for the events each class was hosting, but Mahiru was plainly leading the way—or rather, guiding him—and beyond him stood a haunted house.

I don't remember Mahiru being too good with horror, though…

They happened to watch a horror show one time, yet Mahiru had taken his hand with a pale face, and she was putting on a brave face at the time. Her words and her expression told completely different stories, so horror was likely to be out of her comfort zone. However, the haunted house here was hosted by students, and lacked the budget compared to the horror depicted on TV, so perhaps she decided it wouldn't be a problem.

"Do you really want to go to the haunted house that badly?" "Eh?"

Mahiru suddenly stopped and timidly looked up at Amane, as if she hadn't thought about it at all. She was probably planning to walk around randomly, so she hadn't thought that far ahead. Her eyes darted around, her expression changing as awkwardly as a broken machine. Evidently, Mahiru wasn't thinking of entering the haunted house.

"Th-That wasn't my intention."

"I thought you wanted to go. Well, Mahiru's not good with horror, so that's impossible."

"…That's not true."

"Look me in the eyes and say it. You're averting your eyes like crazy."

Mahiru, who was trying to hide her weaknesses from him, flurried to cover it up, but her expression and attitude were giving it away. Amane wasn't naive enough to believe her when she was so obviously flustered.

I don't think it's embarrassing to say you don't like scary things.

If anything, he thought it was adorable, but she didn't seem to think the same.

Mahiru looked up at Amane with a slightly dissatisfied look in her eyes, likely realizing that he found it endearing. Her eyes remained slightly moist, yet her stare wasn't intense. The prior shock had yet to fade away from her mind.

"I won't be scared. Let's go to the haunted house."

"So you say? Then let's watch a horror movie together sometime." "…Th-That's exactly what I want."

"Your voice is trembling like crazy."

He'd said it as a joke, but Mahiru doubled down and put on airs in a stubborn stunt of vanity, which troubled Amane.

"Are you sure you want to act tough? I don't care if you can't sleep alone." "I am not doing so, and if anything happens… I'll have you take responsibility."

"Flesh and blood can be scarier than ghosts."

"You're not so scary, Amane-kun. We've slept together so many times before, after all."

Mahiru leaned in close to his arm and looked up at him, so he gently covered her mouth with his finger and sighed softly. It was true that Mahiru had dozed off and stayed the night before they started dating, and they did sleep together back at home during summer vacation. In that way, they had slept together a number of times.

However, that was a misleading choice of words. The students around them began to murmur slightly. As someone who hadn't yet entered into that kind of relationship, he felt complicated for being misunderstood for it.

"…That sounds like an invitation."

"Please don't get the wrong idea. You're the one who invited me in the first place."

"I had no ulterior motives. I only want to see you trembling in fear." "That too is an ulterior motive."

She poked him in the side, so he adjusted his grip on her hand to stop her.

Perhaps she was pleased to be held, as her slightly dissatisfied face softened along with it. Amane smiled back and pulled Mahiru by the hand——In the direction of the haunted house, of course.

"…Um?"

"Since we've come all this way, I thought we'd give it a go. After all, you did say you'd enter the haunted house, Mahiru."

"I-I did say that, but… Y-You're so mean…"

As Mahiru squirmed and stared at him with slightly moist eyes, Amane smiled a little and mercilessly pulled her hand back toward the haunted house. Amane decided not to tell Chitose to protect Mahiru's honor. That being, the fact that she had clung onto his arm the whole time inside the haunted house, of course.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

After leaving the haunted house, Amane was supporting Mahiru, who seemed somewhat tired from surprise and fear, as he headed for the rest area, but when he suddenly spotted a familiar figure behind him… "Ah," he couldn't help but let out his surprise in a deep voice.

"…Huh? Itsuki's father…?"

Amane called out to his back in a timid tone, since he wasn't too familiar with him, and the man turned around, standing tall as imposing as before.

He had handsome features, but there was no softness or looseness in his expression. He was a man of similar age to Shihoko and Shuuto, yet he wore an expression akin to a boulder. Relieved that he hadn't made a mistake remembering his face, Amane straightened his back again. Mahiru, next to him, looked up at him curiously, so he whispered softly, "It's Itsuki's dad," in a way he wouldn't be noticed.

"It's been a while. It may be hard to tell since I changed my hairstyle a little, but I'm Fujimiya."

Daiki, Itsuki's father, took a good look at Amane's face and his face softened a little, his prior expression likely steered people away from him.

"Fujimiya-kun, huh? I didn't recognize you." "Ahaha. Well, I was pretty gloomy last time."

"That wasn't the meaning I had in mind… I'm glad you're looking so confident now. You don't have to belittle yourself like that."

Itsuki often grumbled at how often his father scolded him, but Daiki was rather fond of Amane, and he seemed to take Amane's change in attitude favorably. When it came to his son, even Amane had to admit he was hardheaded, but other than that, he was calm and sensible, so even Amane didn't find it hard to talk to him, and if anything, he liked their conversations.

Amane was left slightly bashful at Daiki's honest words of praise, as his tone indicated how impressed he was. The man's gaze shifted to Mahiru.

"What about this young lady?"

"Ah, umm. She's the girl I'm dating."

Amane couldn't get a grasp on the social distance between him and Daiki, and that was why he ended up introducing her in such a detached manner. It was somewhat difficult to interact with your friend's parents, so he had no choice but to do this. He could tell that Mahiru's body stiffened subtly from the awkwardness and embarrassment, but she put on an angelic smile and bowed her head slightly. As far as Mahiru was concerned, he was an unfamiliar man, so she gave a response meant for strangers, but given Daiki's personality, this was probably the right choice.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Shiina Mahiru. As I was introduced, I am dating Amane-kun."

"How polite you are. My name is Akazawa Daiki, and I am Itsuki's father." Daiki bent his hips politely in Mahiru's direction, then briefly glanced at Amane. He felt like there was some implication behind it that he couldn't put into words, but Amane pretended not to notice and smiled back at him.

"I see… Well, how should I phrase myself? I was unaware that you were dating a girl. I'm surprised I didn't hear anything."

"Nothing from Itsuki?"

"He basically doesn't talk to me. I assume he doesn't think there's any need to tell me."

"Well, I guess there's no need to go out of his way to talk about his friend's relationship."

He almost sighed, thinking that Itsuki was as awkward as ever with his father, but he decided not to let that show.

"You're dating Fujimiya-kun… Which means you're taking care of my son's foolishness as well. I'm always sorry for that."

"No, I am the one indebted to Akazawa-san." "You don't think he has caused you any trouble?"

"Of course not. He's kind and considerate, and he's always helping me out. I want to continue to be friends with Akazawa-san as well."

Daiki breathed a sigh of admiration as Amane listened to Mahiru's praise. He refrained from commenting that he was prone to meddling from time to time.

"…Fujimiya-kun, I'm glad you found a wonderful girl." "Well, my Mahiru's nothing but a good girl."

"P-Please don't make jokes like that now!"

Mahiru hadn't expected him to start praising her in front of his friend's father, and her porcelain cheeks began to plainly flush over in an obvious manner.

Amane gave her a silent smile, and Mahiru lowered her eyes in embarrassment and casually jabbed him in the back away from Daiki. She didn't use much strength, so it didn't hurt him at all and left nothing but an itch. On the contrary, it brought a smile to his face instead.

"I'm glad to see you two are getting along so well, but I feel like I'm being shown something very blinding. It's a moment to be happy about, however."

"Sorry, I'll be careful. By the way, have you stopped by our class already?" "No, I had planned to, however… how should I word it… the atmosphere made it rather tough to enter." "Ahh…"

Daiki wasn't very interested in events like this. He wasn't the type to show any interest in manga or games, so it would be hard for him to be hosted by Amane's class.

"Of course, I would trouble the students if I went in alone. After all, there is the problem of appearance."

"In your case, I don't think it's how you look, Daiki-san. Would you like to join us? We're in our own class, but I wanted to join as customers."

"No, I can't bear to get in your way. Not during your free time as a couple, that is. Besides… she's in the classroom right now, isn't she?"

"…Yeah, that's right."

"I don't wish to put her on edge or make her awkward once she notices me. If she sees me face-to-face right now, it may hit her hard."

Amane lowered his eyebrows at Daiki's troubled smile, but he didn't pursue the matter any further. Amane didn't have much of a good feeling about the relation between Chitose and Daiki, but he did know that Daiki didn't have any blatant malice toward her. Amane also knew that he was rejecting Chitose because he had his own thoughts on the matter.

Even though he knew that, as a friend, he wanted to help her overcome the problem if possible.

"Apologies for intruding. I'll take my leave now." "But…"

"I don't desire to ruin the festive mood. You two, do go enjoy yourselves."

As Daiki left before Amane and the others could stop him, Amane sighed softly.

"…He still won't accept… Chitose-san?"

"Yeah. …This is just how it is, but Daiki-san himself isn't a bad person. It's a classic case of people who can't get along with each other. I don't think Itsuki, Chitose, and Daiki-san's personalities are compatible to begin with."

Even Amane, who only had a slight interaction with him, could tell that Daiki was fundamentally a serious and stubborn person, the type that sticks to his methods.

Itsuki and Chitose, on the other hand, while they aren't insincere, they don't follow most people's common sense—they're flexible people who don't act the way one would initially expect. They aren't the type of people who would adjust themselves greatly when forced to, so it was natural that they wouldn't obediently listen to Daiki's demands. They weren't compatible. But if asked to say whether Daiki was at fault, that wouldn't be strictly true either, since while Daiki's standards were somewhat high, they were still within the realm of common sense.

"It's just that Daiki-san's demands are a little too much of a hurdle right now. I'm not trying to hurt Chitose out of malice, but… I'm just troubled because there's nothing I can do about it."

If Daiki was easily convinced and would acknowledge Chitose, it would have long since happened already.

Amane didn't think it was thought highly of a parent to interfere with their child's romance to such an extent, but the feeling of wanting their child to have a better partner was one Amane could empathize with. Itsuki wasn't one to talk much about it, and Amane didn't think of it too much, but the Akazawa family was a prestigious one in the eyes of the public, which likely warranted harsher interference from his parents.

"It'd be nice if we could get him to approve of her somehow, but it's not something we can solve."

"You're right. …I think those two really do suit each other, and they're deeply connected. I don't want them to be separated, or rather… I wish his father wouldn't try to pull them apart."

"Yeah. …Daiki-san feels that too, that's why he's thinking it's best not to directly interfere right now. Things won't improve until one side gives in or a compromise is made."

When he sighed again, Mahiru also lowered her eyebrows in confusion, resting her head on Amane's upper arm, and murmured softly, "I hope we can do something."

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

After parting ways with Daiki, he bought some food to bring with him and headed toward his own class while taking a break. Compared to the other classes, there was quite a long line at the reception desk. Even when they were on shift, they would look outside from time to time, but he could tell that it was more popular now than it was in the morning. They must have garnered quite the high reputation.

Although it was his own class, he came as a customer, and when he obediently arrived at the reception desk alongside Mahiru, he found his classmates busily looking over the list.

"Huh? Fujimiya and the Ang– …Shiina-san. Don't tell me you're here to help out."

"Unfortunately, that's not it. Thought I'd keep an eye on the customers. Also,

I'm here to see how Itsuki and Chitose are doing."

"Ah, they're doing well. Well, you could say that." "What's with that evasive tone?"

"No matter what I do, Itsuki always flashes his frivolousness." "That's also one of his trademarks, no helping that."

"That's awful."

It was normal for Itsuki to act all cheerful and giddy, and you couldn't expect otherwise unless something serious happened. And with an event like this, Itsuki took it rather seriously when it came down to it, but his unrestrained personality started to surface. His frivolous nature wouldn't disappear anytime soon.

Some students enjoyed that part of him, so he was a popular butler in his own way. After all, it was a student-hosted event, and he didn't have to act disciplined like a real butler would.

"A table for two, right? You'll probably have to wait a little while longer."

"It can't be helped since it's so crowded here, I was prepared for it. …Fine with you, Mahiru? Are you not tired?"

"I'm fine. I-I'm just fatigued because of what we did earlier…" "That's because you were acting tough and went in."

"…I don't remember doing that."

Mahiru averted her eyes. The way she acts really makes me want to tease her, Amane thought, but if he went too far with it, she would start sulking, so he decided to avoid bringing it up again. Instead, he whispered softly, "You promised to watch a horror movie with me, remember?" and she glared at him with eyes that flickered ever so slightly, but this time Amane feigned ignorance.

Even the receptionist glared along with her, saying, "Go do that elsewhere," but all Amane could do was avert his eyes.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

A little while later, it was finally their turn, and at the receptionist's urging, they entered into their own class… but since the two of them were familiar with how they rotated the waiters for greeting customers, Amane frowned in jest.

The receptionist had definitely relayed a message, and Itsuki and Chitose were acting as their waiters. The couple were smiling much more professionally than they did during practice, but their mouths twitched at Amane's somewhat displeased face. They looked at him as if their little prank was a success, and even Amane's expression started to tremble—in the creeped-out sense, of course.

"Welcome back, Milord, Milady!"

"Hey now, Itsuki. No chance that greeting was in the manual."

They were fundamentally a maid and butler café, but guests were to be referred to as 'customers,' and Amane couldn't help but wear a strained expression as they intentionally called him 'milord'. Bashful, Mahiru was probably embarrassed at being called 'milady' and lowered her eyes timidly.

"No, no, not at all. It's written in our top-secret manual, on a page reserved just for you two."

"Don't go making things up."

"Now, now. Allow us to guide you to your seats."

"It's not good to give us special treatment in front of all these customers," Amane reproached him with his gaze, but Itsuki paid no attention to his protests.

No matter what he said, it seemed pointless, so he reluctantly sat in the seat he was escorted to.

He was distracted by Mahiru's graceful mannerisms as she sat down in the chair Itsuki had pulled out. Chitose smiled and asked, "Did you enjoy your break?" and held out the menu (that Amane had long since memorized) as she followed the procedure in the manual.

"Hm? Well, it was fun. Still got places we want to go to, though, so we're going to keep wandering around after this."

"I'm glad, I'm glad. I was hoping Mahirun would come and take a break sometime soon."

"Really?"

"That's right. She told me she wanted to have a good look around everywhere."

He glanced over at Mahiru, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, "one A-set," as she tried to divert the topic. She hadn't shown much excitement about the cultural festival when they were at home, but in her own way, she seemed to be looking forward to spending time with Amane. He smiled a little at the adorable Mahiru and swore to ask her for more details later as he ordered the same thing. Realizing what he was thinking, she glared at him a little, but she didn't seem to be against it, so he was relieved.

Chitose made no attempt to hide her bright smile when she heard the order and went to relay the order to the back. It was then that Amane suddenly remembered something. On his lap were a bag of donuts, which he then handed over to Itsuki.

They were bite-sized and fried roundly, so it would be easy to eat when they were having a quick break. If he recalled correctly, they had toothpicks in the back, so the other staff could eat without getting their hands dirty.

"Ah, that's right. Here, I brought you some snacks from another class. Let the others in the back have some when they're on break as well."

"Oh, hey, hey, hey!"

"I wanted to do it, so don't worry. But if you're going to be grateful, do it like a butler would…"

"Thank you for your kindness, milord…"

"Drop it, man. Also, enough of that joke already."

"I ate lunch, but I'm still a little hungry," Amane laughed, seeing Itsuki grinning with a cheerful expression. In his mind, however, he apologized in advance for what he was about to tell him.

"Hey, Itsuki."

"Hm?"

"I met Daiki-san."

He could tell his body stiffened a little at those words. His priority was to report it while Chitose wasn't around, so he said it now, but he wasn't sure about telling him, since it may lower his motivation for serving customers.

Itsuki's usual unconstrained, light smile fell silent, replaced by a sour look for a moment, and then he forced a grin to hide it.

"Yeah, he didn't mention anything about Chitose. He did say that it was hard to enter the class, though, and he went elsewhere."

"Ah… that figures. He wouldn't be too good with this kind of thing. And even if he did come, well, it would only trouble Chi, so it's probably for the best."

Itsuki shrugged and muttered, "I may have given him the invitation out of obligation, but I wasn't expecting him to come."

"I'll go talk with him when I'm home. I doubt he'll stick around today to look for me."

Seeing Itsuki's ambiguous smile that hid his real thoughts, Amane sighed softly as Itsuki returned to the back, with his bag of snacks in one hand.

I hope everything goes well…

Even if it wasn't that easy, all he could do was hope that he could make a small difference, no matter how long it would take.

Chitose, who had switched places with Itsuki and brought in the menu he'd ordered, tilted her head quizzically when she saw Amane and Mahiru's expressions, which had sunk a little because of Daiki.

"Huh? Did something happen? Did you two fall out?" "You think we would have an argument?"

"I think any couple would. Normally, anyway… but in your case, you listen carefully to each other, so it's amazing that I can't say that for sure."

Chitose solemnly murmured so in a voice mixed with exasperation and admiration, but Amane didn't think it was all that strange. In general, Mahiru was mild-mannered and rather tolerant, so seeing her angry was a rare occasion. Moreover, it was unlikely for her to get angry for her own sake. She had been angry on other people's behalf before, but Mahiru herself didn't get angry very often, and it stemmed from her personality.

If he were to get into an argument with Mahiru, it was almost guaranteed to be Amane's fault for getting her angry, and in that case, it would lead into a discussion rather than a fight. They would discuss what was wrong and why she was upset, and identify the root cause as well as the ideal solution. There was no need for Amane to make her angry, and he had never been close to doing so. If he did, he would immediately apologize as soon as it happened. That's why it never turned into a fight.

Once Mahiru heard the word 'argument,' her caramel-colored eyes blinked and she smiled a little, looking as if arguments were something that didn't exist in her world. There was no need for her to be angry with Amane. She had frustrations when Amane would belittle himself, but she was more reprimanding him than genuinely angry, and the most important thing to note was that she believed it was for Amane's own sake.

"Anyway, we're not arguing. Just got something on our mind, and we're a little troubled by it."

"Hmm? Well, as long as you aren't fighting, that's fine. More importantly, are your parents not coming, Amane?"

His body momentarily stiffened at the mention of 'parents,' but Chitose didn't seem to notice his concern as she moved closer.

Amane was relieved that Daiki's existence seemed to be tucked away in the back of her mind for the time being.

"Well, Mahirun once said that your mom and I were kindred spirits, and I'm all curious. Do make sure to let me say hello."

"I sure can see you two getting along. You're bound to hit it off, so much so that Mahiru will get caught in the crossfire."

Not only were they likely to get along, but their trains of thought were rather similar, too. When he first met Chitose, he noticed how similar she was to his mom, and reminisced about how dejected he felt back then. Their love for cute things, their intense physical contact, and their extreme fondness for Mahiru were exact carbon copies of each other, and they were almost guaranteed to dote on and tease her to their hearts' desire.

Mahiru's smile faltered for a moment as she easily imagined the future carnage, but Amane pretended to be unaware.

They'll turn her into a dress-up doll, or shower her with excessive skinship.

Hang in there.

They won't do any real harm, so there was no need to fret over it. He felt a help-seeking gaze from Mahiru, but it was a fate that Amane was too powerless to overturn, and he could do nothing but hope she was strong enough to pull through.

"Anyway, don't go too far. Also, are you sure you don't need to go back soon?" "Whoa, Makochin's glaring so much~"

Makoto, who was on the same shift as her, seemed to have a lot to say to Chitose, so Amane cut their conversation short. Makoto gave Chitose a cold look as she stuck out her tongue as an excuse, and he urged her to get back to work.

He gazed at Chitose's back as she reluctantly returned to work and let out a soft sigh.

"Supporting you is the only thing I can do, but good luck, Mahiru." "As if it's someone else's problem."

"No, I can't stop those two and their overflowing passion. Hang in there. If you really don't want it, then you need to be firm about it."

"I-It's not that I don't want to… umm… but they will definitely dress me up in a lot of different clothes, won't they?"

"No doubt, yeah."

Shihoko already loved to dress Mahiru up, but once she meets Chitose, she'd probably get even livelier in her antics. Knowing his mother, who had already recognized Mahiru as her daughter, it looked like she'd take her to a boutique and make her change into a bunch of various outfits before buying them for her. He had a hunch that Chitose would gladly accompany her on such endeavors.

Amane couldn't bear to stop her deep-rooted love for Mahiru. He knew how his mother had always wanted to have a daughter, and she had also taken a liking to Mahiru as a person.

"Well, as long as you're prepared to be dressed up, there's no need to refuse them."

"When you say it like that, you know I can't refuse."

"I don't mind, you know? I can help dress you up instead if you really want."

It wasn't like he had anything specific in mind for Mahiru to wear, but he felt it would be nice to pick out clothes he thought would suit her.

"…Well, even putting those two aside, I want to do that. If it's something you'd like, I'd love to accompany you."

Mahiru murmured quietly and lowered her eyes in embarrassment, but given his location, Amane couldn't start saying that he adored Mahiru no matter what she wore, so he simply smiled happily at her cuteness as he took a sip of coffee instead.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

Amane continued to drink his coffee while waiting for Mahiru's embarrassed cheeks to cool off, but once he looked around, he became painfully aware how a good reputation was great for attracting customers. He had intended to prepare a lot of seats just in case, but he had yet to see even one of them vacant. It was no different from when he was on shift, but it seemed that they were always packed with customers.

Without bias, Mahiru and Yuuta were the ones who stood out the most, but the customers still flooded in when they were on break, so it must have been the choice of clothing that helped attract a lot of curious onlookers. The fact that young boys and girls, who usually wore school uniforms, were dressed in maid and butler uniforms as they were seemed to make the ones wearing it feel uneasy.

For Amane himself, it was extremely unfamiliar to him. Take the fact that Chitose was wearing clothes that were used to service others, for example. Amane never imagined she would do so. He glanced over toward her and found her dealing with customers while scattering her smile across the café, but she didn't appear as daring as one might think from her clothing. She was sporting a short maid-themed miniskirt, and Chitose's lively and amicable atmosphere complimented the look very well, and Amane was in agreement.

"…Is something wrong with Chitose-san?"

She's full of energy, Amane thought as he gazed at her, and Mahiru, who seemed to have been able to suppress her embarrassment inside, called out to him curiously.

"Hm, well… It didn't really hit me when we were working together, but I just thought it felt strange to see a classmate wearing that kind of outfit. I should've gotten used to it."

"Hehe, clothes like this aren't something you wear every day."

"Curiosity is one of the factors that attracts customers, isn't it? Besides, the customers have said that they look adorable and charming. After all, it genuinely looks good on everyone."

The audience was a mix of students and visitors, but he could hear most of their thoughts and opinions, wondering who was cute or handsome, and whether they wanted to woo a waiter or not. While it wasn't like they didn't understand their feelings, the staff themselves could hear them clearly and had to suppress any bitter smiles. Amane glanced aside at the troubled staff members, and once he looked back at Mahiru, he saw a troubled expression, and she appeared to be forcing more strength into her eyelashes.

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing… Amane-kun, do you think everyone… or rather, those girls, are cute?"

"They're normal, I guess." Amane started to guess what Mahiru was trying to say, so he smiled and hid his lips with the ends of his fingers. "Objectively, I can tell that they are cute from their beauty and mannerisms. But don't worry, you're the only one who makes me want to love and dote on you so much for being cute, Mahiru."

"Y-You're saying that again…"

"Just felt like you wanted me to say it, is all. You might stay jealous if I didn't."

This time, as Amane whispered quietly so that no one else could hear, Mahiru tightly closed her lips, and then lowered her eyes in shame again.

"…I feel like an idiot for getting anxious." Mahiru mumbled.

"You can confirm my feelings any time you want, Mahiru. Until you're convinced and satisfied."

"I'll be so embarrassed if I do that…"

"Wouldn't you be at ease if you did that, though?" "Are you trying to end me?"

"What an exaggeration."

"Not at all. You're the one always tormenting my heart, Amane-kun… it's too much of a burden on me."

"Well, if you don't want to, then…"

"It's not that I don't like it, but… umm, I'd just like you to go easy on me."

As Mahiru's shoulders shrank, he thought that he was tempted to tease her once she said such words, but also noted that he had to be careful not to make her squirm if he went ahead with it. At any rate, when he replied, "I'll do my best," she glared at him with a bit of dissatisfaction. He could tell she didn't have much faith in him.

"…Next time you tease me, I'll tease you back." Mahiru poked fun at him in retaliation.

"Oh?" Amane playfully replied. "I'm curious about that."

"…I may start ignoring you in retaliation." Mahiru turned away and smiled so cutely that Amane couldn't help but smile, and she snatched some of his cookies in all her displeasure; Mahiru turned away to pout even harder.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

Amane knew they couldn't have a good conversation while it was crowded, so he ended the conversation at just the right time and left the café with a sigh, wondering where to head next.

The cultural festival lasted until 4pm. It would close in about an hour and a half. After which, he'd be busy again with tallying up the sales, reporting, and preparing for the next day, so he wanted to enjoy himself before then, but he had already visited the places he was interested in.

"Any other places you want to check out, Mahiru?"

"Let's see… we've looked around quite a bit. How about we head over to the gymnasium? They have set up a stage."

"The stage, huh? What are they doing now?"

There was a stage section in the afternoon during the cultural festival, and volunteer students were doing all sorts of things for the festival. According to Amane's memory, there should have been concerts and plays written on the schedule.

He looked at the pamphlet and saw that the Light Music Club was currently holding their own concert.

"They're having a concert right now. Are you interested?" "I don't listen to music often, so I might as well."

"That's true. You don't play much background music, Mahiru. And if you do, it's always Western music."

Mahiru was sensitive to trends, but she didn't know much about music. Rather, she preferred to listen to Western music composed many years ago, rather than Japanese music, the reason was simply due to her preferences. Even if a famous male idol who often made appearances on TV was shown, she only knew enough to match their name and face.

"If you're curious then, Mahiru, let's give it a go. I'm rather keen too." "You're right."

There weren't any shops in particular he wanted to visit, so Amane took Mahiru by the hand and headed for the gym, both out of curiosity and to kill time. The gym had already turned off most of the lights, and the functional lighting strongly illuminated the stage. He could hear the sound even from outside the gym, but when he went inside, it was much louder than he expected. Feeling ticklish from the sound that reverberated in his stomach, he gently closed the door so as not to bother the other spectators and slipped into the empty space.

When he looked up, he saw that a group of volunteers were currently standing on the stage performing a song. There was a familiar face among them, so Amane narrowed his eyes and looked at him. Standing in front of the microphone stand was a face Amane had often seen since the morning.

"…Huh? If it isn't Kadowaki. Don't think he mentioned a performance."

He had been to karaoke with him a few times, so Amane was well aware of how good he was at singing, but he didn't expect him to be on stage like this at all. Especially since he hadn't heard any rumors about it. In addition to his club activities, Amane was also surprised by the vitality he had to stand on stage while also preparing for the cultural festival.

Yuuta himself didn't seem to enjoy standing out too much, so it struck Amane as surprising.

"Kadowaki-san really can do anything." "That's not something you can say, Mahiru."

Mahiru seemed impressed, but Mahiru was much of the same species herself. She could do everything; studying, exercising, housework, and to a proficient level at that. It was hard to find someone as good at everything as Mahiru was.

"There are some things even I can't do." "Any examples?"

"…What about swimming?"

"I suppose so. After all that, you couldn't swim in the end."

"If you think I'll be able to swim in a day, then you're too naive. No matter how much I practiced, I never improved…"

"I'm sorry."

Mahiru lightly bumped her fist into his upper arm, apparently dissatisfied with the notion of being unable to swim, so he smiled wryly and looked back at the stage. He didn't seem to appreciate standing out, but Yuuta, who seemed used to it despite that, didn't look timid when in front of so many spectators, and was actually acting bold. He had the guts to respond with fan service, giving soft smiles and loose waves. After which, since Amane had happened to choose a space without any obstructions so he could see better, Yuuta's gaze met Amane's, and his cheeks twitched ever so slightly.

It appeared that Yuuta wasn't expecting his friend to appear. Amane waved his hand dismissively as he swore to himself that he'd listen to what he had to say later, and Yuuta blinked before giving out a smile different from before. Female students screamed in joy at his smile, so neither Amane nor Mahiru could help but hold back their laughter, thinking that things were the same as ever in that regard.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"Why didn't you say you were going on stage?"

Yuuta headed over to the wall where Amane and Mahiru were standing by after his performance ended and gave them a troubled expression. He then tightened his necktie back up as he had loosened it before singing.

"I wasn't planning on going out at first, but the vocalist girl got a leg injury in her club a week ago… It seems the doctor stopped her from going out because she was injured, so I took her place."

It was also a performance where she had to move her body, so it would certainly have been impossible if she had been injured.

"I see. Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She was really frustrated that she couldn't perform, so I feel bad. She did seem to enjoy watching, though."

"Well, I guess that can't be helped… Still, I'm surprised you were able to sing that well as a substitute. It was perfect."

"You think so? Thank goodness."

Amane knew from their time in karaoke that he was a natural singer, but was still surprised to see Yuuta's skills up close. He wasn't at all overwhelmed by the audience, quite the opposite; he managed to charm the audience and he left them mesmerized.

He was impressed by how good he was at listening to the girls' cheer, but Yuuta seemed to have seen him, too, as he scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

"…It really is embarrassing. It's pretty embarrassing when a friend sees you." "Was it bad of me to come watch?"

"No, that's not true. I was a little relieved to see you and Shiina-san looking the same as always. It's reassuring to have someone you're used to."

"If anything, I was saved in that regard," Yuuta said bashfully, and the girls around him, who had been secretly watching him, murmured.

He's at the center of attention as usual, Amane thought with a wry smile on his face, and he smiled teasingly at Yuuta, who was smiling as if his embarrassment and pride had hit him all at once. Mahiru simply thanked him with a calm smile and said, "Nice work," taking the stance of accompanying Amane to the very end. It was likely a deliberate move to prevent others from being unnecessarily jealous, even if it was well-known that she and Amane were dating. Despite that, acting too friendly with him in front of others would leave a bad impression on those watching Yuuta, and could stir up trouble.

"Still, it's too bad. I wished Itsuki could have seen this."

"Whaaat? I wish you wouldn't say that. I'm sure he'd be dissatisfied or start making fun of me for not telling him in advance."

"Well, at least endure that much. It's on you for hiding it from him." "It was decided in a rush, so it can't be helped. It was an emergency."

"Cut it out," he said with a laugh, so Amane vowed to himself that he'd mention it when they gathered in class later, so he relaxed his cheeks and patted Yuuta lightly on the shoulder, saying, "Heh, no chance."

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"Amazing work everyone! We all worked so hard on the first day!"

Amane continued to watch the performances with Mahiru and Yuuta until the stage closed and they returned back to class. The first day of the cultural festival was now over, and everyone in the class was gathered to take breaks and shifts. Each of them wore their own satisfied expression, showing how much fun they had.

When the executive committee member, Itsuki, expressed his gratitude to everyone, his classmates started to let out cries of joy. After the commotion subsided to a certain extent, Itsuki cleared his throat and drew attention to himself once more.

"Okay, let's clean up a little bit in preparation for tomorrow. Accountants; make sure the total sales, the number of orders, and the amount of money we have on hand match up properly, and be sure to report any discrepancies. Put the money in the designated bag and submit it to me. I'll hand it over to the management. Those working in the back, go prepare the space for tomorrow, and once you're done, go organize all our equipment. Those who handled customer service will give the classroom a deep clean."

"Okaaay."

Each student had a designated job, and everyone nodded obediently as they undertook their role.

Amane was cleaning, so he rolled up his sleeves to get it over with and went to fetch a bucket and some water. A year ago, cleaning had been one of his weaker points, but thanks to Mahiru's guidance and his new daily life, he was able to do it on an average level, albeit not proficiently. To be precise, he was at least able to keep things tidy and orderly.

"…You're so fast."

Ayaka sounded impressed as Amane cleaned in perfect sync with Mahiru. "No, Mahiru's more skilled than I am. She's like my teacher. I really couldn't clean up at first."

"I didn't expect you to be so methodical, Fujimiya-kun."

"Amane-kun can keep it together when he's not in his own house."

Mahiru, who was folding up and removing the dirty tablecloths, seemed to be listening to their conversation, and the teasing tone of her voice was, of course, aimed at Amane.

He had nothing to say when implicitly told that he was sloppy in his own house. It was nothing but facts, and he knew he couldn't complain, but he wasn't happy being teased.

"I can't help it. That's what it means to be a man who lives alone."

"Even so, it was so terrible. There wasn't even a place to stand when walking." "…That's just how it is."

"Whaaat? He doesn't live alone, but my Sou-chan's room is always clean, you know? He says he cleans it up because he knows when I am coming. Thanks to that, there was never anything hidden under his bed."

"Don't go sniffing around for those."

Just the thought of their girlfriend looking for such things was enough to send shivers down a boy's spine. Amane could only hope that girlfriends across the country would be more lenient in their endeavors to expose what their boyfriend was hiding.

In Amane's case, there was nothing to be searched for; or found, so he didn't think much of it, but most boyfriends had something stashed away, and unrelenting probing from their partners would inevitably cause some problems.

"Ah, well, I wasn't aiming to look for it, but I was just wondering if he had some. You know, it happens a lot in manga, right?"

"You're reading too much manga."

"That's the thing. Sou-chan was exasperated, saying that I was so straightforward about it. …By the way, what about you, Fujimiya-kun?"

"I'm spotless. No matter how deep you search, you won't find a thing." "Ahaha."

Hearing Ayaka laugh heartily, Amane sympathized with Souji, thinking that he too wasn't without his fair share of misfortune. Puzzled, Mahiru tilted her head stiffly.

"What are you talking about?"

Mahiru must have been working hard to clean and wasn't able to hear what he was saying, and she looked confused. Amane quickly averted his eyes, hoping to come off as natural as possible.

"Nothing in particular."

"Hmm, I don't think you need any of those, Fujimiya-kun, since you have Shiina-san with you."

"Kido." Amane glared at Ayaka, Don't say anything weird. She was smiling mischievously while Amane endured the embarrassment slowly seeping out from deep inside him.

In contrast to Ayaka, who was smiling more and more at him, Mahiru blinked her eyes with increased curiosity, and Amane couldn't stand it, so he took her by the hand and pulled her away from Kido.