Chapter 140: Be Prepared

What started out as simple curiosity had led Utaha here, but now she could only gape in astonishment. Today's youth... were they really doing this kind of thing, in broad daylight, at school no less...?

She stood frozen at the entrance of the clubroom, cheeks flushed as she listened to the soft, ambiguous whispers drifting from inside. Her legs refused to move, as if they had taken root. She wanted to walk away—but the moment she tried, her curiosity anchored her even deeper.

Heart pounding in her chest, she stayed there, unmoving, listening intently to the voices within. She'd never experienced anything like this before. Ever.

"Do other people know you're into this sort of thing?"

"No... I don't really have friends, so nobody knows I like secretly following behind you, Haruto."

"A little, a little more gently."

"Mmh... it's so big..."

"Bear with it for now."

Utaha, crouched low by the door, trembled. Her face was hot, her breath shallow. She had never heard, let alone experienced, anything like this in her life. Her instincts screamed at her to leave—quietly, unnoticed—but her curiosity surged up even stronger than her guilt.

This is for research... it's for writing material.

She repeated that lie to herself as she leaned gently against the clubroom door, trying to hear more clearly. What else would they say? What else would they do?

She knew full well how awful it was to be eavesdropping like this—but at the same time, the two inside weren't exactly saints either. That made it easier to justify things. Her heart slowly calmed. Her lips pressed into a tight line as blurry, imaginary scenes filled her mind.

But without ever having experienced any of it firsthand, no matter how hard she tried to imagine, all she saw were hazy, unreal images.

What is it really like...?

The unanswered question echoed silently within her.

Roughly half an hour passed before the sounds from inside finally died down. Utaha bit her lower lip, her hands gently kneading her tingling, nylon-wrapped thighs. Without making a sound, she stood and quietly slipped away.

She didn't want to stay there and risk getting caught. She'd already done enough that she wasn't proud of.

Inside the clubroom, Haruto sat in front of a small device, expression unreadable as he glanced at the silver-haired girl beside him—Koharu Otori.

"Why didn't you bring this out earlier?" he asked.

"Because it was interesting," she replied without shame.

The monitor showed a figure quietly leaving the hallway—it was Utaha. Clearly, she'd been right outside the entire time. And yet Koharu hadn't said a word.

Haruto stared at the girl beside him.

"You installed surveillance cameras at school? That's... pretty risky if someone finds out."

"It's fine. My dad's on the board of trustees at Toyosaki Academy."

Ah. Privilege.

That explained it. Haruto already suspected Koharu came from a wealthy family—her daily chauffeur rides, her carefully maintained appearance—but this just confirmed it. Her family wasn't just well-off. They were powerful.

He turned back toward the monitor. The feed displayed the front of the astronomy clubroom and the lower levels of the club building, with enough clarity to recognize every student who came and went.

This particular clubroom was tucked away in a quiet corner of campus. In fact, the only other club on the same floor was the Paranormal Research Club—which, as far as he knew, only had a single member. No one ever bothered the Astronomy Club. It was the quietest place in the entire school.

"She's gone," Koharu murmured.

He watched Utaha's figure disappear from the screen, then sighed and turned back toward the petite silver-haired girl who wore an innocent smile.

"She found out... but with her personality, I doubt she'll go around telling anyone. It's probably fine."

"Are you disappointed?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"You know her, right? Kasumigaoka. A beautiful girl catching you in a situation like that... won't it make things harder going forward?"

Haruto lowered his head, gazing into Koharu's bright, crystalline blue eyes. Her words... felt off somehow.

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?"

Koharu tilted her head slightly, feigning confusion.

That expression sealed it. He knew right away—she wanted Utaha to overhear.

"Whatever," he muttered. "It doesn't matter now. I should get going."

Koharu silently slipped on her shoes, her pale bare feet touching the cold floor. As he walked toward the door, she followed close behind.

"Do you have anything planned this afternoon?"

"Just updating the surveillance system. That's all."

"..."

Haruto wisely chose not to ask why the surveillance system needed updating. The two of them walked through the mostly empty campus. Aside from a few club activities still going on, most students had already left.

When they passed a vending machine, he bought a drink and turned to look at her.

"Coffee milk."

Koharu tapped the button for the coffee milk on the upper row. Once it dropped, he handed it to her.

That moment sparked something in his memory.

"So it was back then…"

He looked sideways at the hooded girl beside him. She had quietly pulled up her hood at some point. Haruto remembered clearly now—it was around the time he first met Futaba.

Just a couple of weeks ago. Not long at all. And yet so much had changed since then.

Meanwhile, in the science lab, Futaba stared at the results of her latest experiment in silence.

She took off her glasses and closed her eyes with a heavy sigh.

Walking to the window, she gently cleaned her lenses and put them back on, hoping the greenery outside would help soothe her tired eyes. But then—

She spotted a familiar figure.

There was no mistaking Haruto. But the girl walking beside him caught her eye. She narrowed her eyes and focused.

Yes. It was her. The same girl she had seen a few days ago at the school gate, saying goodbye to Haruto.

Futaba's brows furrowed.

There was no need for further confirmation. Just by looking at the girl's height, Futaba was already certain—there was no second person like her in all of Toyosaki.

"The girl who confessed to Haruto?"

Gazing out the lab window at the two figures walking away from the school gate, Rio's expression darkened. Her brows furrowed in deep thought, as if anxiety were building up inside her. After a few moments, she quietly took off her lab coat and left the lab.

At the school gate, Haruto glanced over at the girl beside him—Koharu Otori.

"The driver's not here yet?"

"I asked him to come a little later than usual... but he should be here any minute now."

The girl gently slipped her arm through his. Beneath the hood of her sweater, she lifted her face toward him. More than going home alone, what she truly wanted was to stay with him a little longer.

But she couldn't. He already had someone he was seeing. Naturally, he would prioritize that person over her.

Still holding on to his arm, Koharu made a silent decision deep in her heart. A short while later, the car finally arrived. She quietly let go, said goodbye with a soft voice, and stepped into the waiting vehicle, leaving the gates of Toyosaki behind.

Haruto remained where he stood, watching the car disappear down the street. Thoughts began to stir in his mind. Maybe it was time to finally retake the driving test. Once he had some free time, he'd buy a car of his own.

"But that'll take at least two years… You can't even get a license until you're eighteen. And…"

Driving in Tokyo was a different beast altogether—narrow alleyways, swarms of pedestrians, and chaotic traffic. It might be relaxing to drive in quiet places like Itomori, but in a city like Tokyo, it was nothing short of a hassle.

If you were in a rush, taking the subway or train would be way faster.

Lost in thoughts of the future, he forgot for a moment that he should be heading home. It wasn't until a hand gently rested on his shoulder that he snapped back to reality.

Looking down at the fair, slender hand, he turned to see who it was—and was surprised to find Futaba standing there without her usual lab coat.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just didn't expect to see you without your lab coat. You look... a bit different, but in a good way. It suits you."

"Thanks. Do you have any plans this afternoon?"

"Me?"

He glanced at Rio, who had suddenly appeared by his side. Hearing her ask so directly was unexpected. He didn't really have anything important going on today, and since it was rare for her to make such a request, he thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Not really. I'd just be killing time in my room, maybe reading. Why?"

"Well… I've got something I need to do. It's a bit inconvenient to go alone. If you came with me, it'd be easier. Would you mind?"

Her voice was calm, just like usual, but inside, Rio was holding her breath, nerves tightening with every second.

Haruto, feeling an odd pressure under her gaze, studied her expressionless face. He couldn't quite read what she was thinking—but he nodded.

"Sure, no problem."

Noon.

Setsuna and Sekai were heading home from school together. But with no one at her place, Sekai decided to tag along to Setsuna's house instead. When they reached Haruto's apartment, they found the door firmly shut.

He wasn't home yet.

Standing on the balcony, Sekai turned to Setsuna.

"Looks like he's not back yet. Don't you have a key to his place?"

"No."

"Hmm… I think Haruto mentioned he mailed the spare key back to his mom and little sister."

Setsuna looked at her, blinking in surprise—she hadn't known that. She'd been waiting for Haruto to personally hand her a spare key, so she hadn't asked about it before.

Now… the disappointment was subtle but present. Still, she couldn't really blame Sekai.

"Since he's not back yet, maybe we should leave. He probably won't be back until tonight. Want to give him a call first?"

"Yeah."

Sensing the dip in Setsuna's mood, Sekai quickly changed the subject and avoided mentioning Haruto again.

After standing at his door for a moment, the two girls turned back and returned to the Kiyoura residence. Meanwhile, Setsuna dialed Haruto's number—

—

Riding the subway with Futaba beside him, Haruto felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, saw the familiar caller ID, and turned slightly to glance at Futaba before answering.

She noticed. Though she didn't say a word, her breathing subtly shifted. Out of simple curiosity, she listened quietly, wondering who was calling him.

"I'm not home yet," he said after picking up.

On the other end, Setsuna's clear and gentle voice came through. Calm and composed as always—but Haruto could sense something else underneath. A hint of displeasure.

"I'm still out. I'm with a friend."

"A girl?"

"Yeah."

"When are you coming home?"

"Probably this afternoon."

He glanced at Futaba, who was seemingly focused on an advertisement beside them, though he suspected she was listening.

They'd probably be done by evening anyway.

"I see."

"Is there anything else?"

"There's not much groceries left at home. Pick up a few extra things on your way back. And be prepared."

The call ended with that quiet, ominous statement—one that left Haruto staring at his phone, slightly stunned.