If the one lying beside him were Mitsuha, Haruto wouldn't have hesitated—he would've kicked her right out of the futon.
But since it was Yotsuha, he did no such thing. Instead, he turned over and gently pulled her into his arms.
Yotsuha's petite figure, fresh out of the bath, carried the faint scent of shampoo from her silky hair.Haruto, who usually preferred fresh, light fragrances, found the soft scent comforting. Breathing it in, he closed his eyes and relaxed.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, Mitsuha watched the two of them quietly.Her expression grew subtly displeased.
But seeing that both of them were already lying down and seemingly fast asleep, she had no choice but to give in and lie down on the bed alone, no matter how annoyed she felt.
"Turn off the light," came Haruto's voice.
"Ugh, seriously!"
Mitsuha, who had just gotten comfortable, grumbled under her breath, sat up again, and trudged over to the wall by the living room.
She turned off the light, then returned gloomily to the bed and lay back down—
Outside, the rain fell in steady sheets.
_ _ _ _
At the Kiyoura residence, Mai had finished preparing dinner early. After sharing a meal with her daughter, she now stood beside the sofa, where Setsuna sat deep in thought.
"You're thinking about Haruto, aren't you?"
"…Yeah. He's probably at home right now, taking care of Mitsuha and Yotsuha."
"Mitsuha and Yotsuha… Mitsuha is his sister, right? And Yotsuha is the younger one? Must be nice. I remember when I was little, I used to wonder what it'd be like to have a younger sister too. But…"
She trailed off. Yoko might've looked around her age, but in truth, she was from an older generation. She wasn't exactly the kind of younger sister one could dote on.
Thinking back on her own tangled family tree, Mai quickly pushed the thought aside.
"So, what exactly were you thinking about? He only stayed in Itomori for a week and came back to Tokyo so soon. Are you feeling regretful? Thinking about when you might get the chance to visit again?"
Reflecting on her time in Itomori, even though it had only been a week, Setsuna hadn't formed any particular attachment to the place. Her feelings toward Itomori were entirely tied to Haruto. Without him there, she probably wouldn't have much reason to go back.
"No… That's not it."
"Oh? Then was it something that happened while you were there? Maybe Haruto's family likes Sekai more than you?"
"…Also no."
"Then what is it?"
Mai was starting to get genuinely confused. What could possibly be bothering her daughter so much?
Ever since coming back from Itomori, Setsuna had been walking around like a ghost—lost in her own head.
Eyes downcast, lips pressed tightly together, Setsuna finally looked up. Her eyes met her mother's, and she bit down hard on her lower lip. The pinkness drained from her lips, turning pale under the pressure. Then, slowly, she loosened her bite.
Hesitating, she spoke softly.
"Do all guys… like chasing after excitement?"
"Chasing excitement?"
Mai froze for a moment, glancing down at her daughter. She had no idea what Setsuna had experienced in Itomori, but now she was suddenly asking such... stimulating questions.
Instead of immediately pressing her daughter for details, Mai decided to seriously ponder the question.
Do men really like chasing excitement?
"...I suppose they do, to some extent." She finally answered, though not very confidently.
But the moment she saw the expression on her daughter's face fall even further, she quickly tried to add on.
"Of course, that doesn't apply to all men. Take Haruto, for example—"
She had wanted to defend Haruto, but as past events resurfaced in her mind—her relationship with him, her own involvement with Yoko —her emotions became complex.
Excitement...?
Well, when she thought about it honestly... yes, it had been quite exciting.
But that was back when things were still hidden, before everyone knew the truth. Now that it was all out in the open, no one had walked away, nor had there been any dramatic fallout. It had simply been... silently accepted. Everyone lived with a quiet, mutual understanding.
"Is Haruto dissatisfied with how things are now?" Mai eventually asked, cautiously testing the waters. She looked at her daughter, hoping to gain some insight.
Setsuna's eyes darkened.
"Right now? No… he's not unhappy."
"Then—?"
"It's just… me," she whispered. "I'm the only one who cares about this. Nothing's actually happened."
She stood up quietly and headed toward her room.
"I'm tired. I'm going to rest. Goodnight."
With those parting words, she stepped into her room and gently closed the door behind her, leaving Mai standing in the living room, frowning at her daughter's door, deep in thought.
It wasn't about Itomori, nor about Sekai. And she said it wasn't the present... so it must be something from the past.
Mai sifted through all the memories that might involve something... exciting. Her own past with Haruto, her daughter's connection to him, the tangled web of relationships—they flashed through her mind. Something clicked for a moment, but just as quickly, she doubted herself.
Standing there in confusion, Mai eventually sighed, shook her head, and returned to her room.She decided she'd just ask Haruto directly. Maybe he wouldn't give her a clear answer, but that would still be better than deciphering her daughter's vague, evasive words.
"It's still raining…"
She glanced toward the window and sighed, then switched off the lights and retreated into her bedroom.
Between her day job and being her daughter's personal counselor by night, Mai was honestly exhausted.
Lying in bed, she couldn't help but glance at her phone.
Has Haruto gone to sleep already? Probably not…
But considering his sisters were at his place, she figured it'd be inappropriate to call him now.
"…Tomorrow. I'll talk to him in person."
She closed her eyes, mumbling to herself, "I still don't know… what kind of relationship Setsuna wants with Haruto…"
When Haruto woke, he felt a weight on his chest. Blinking open his eyes, he looked down and saw Yotsuha sleeping soundly, curled up against him, one arm draped around his waist, her breaths calm and even.
Turning his head toward the bed, he saw Mitsuha still fast asleep. Yesterday's travel must've really worn them out. He glanced at the desk clock—already 8 a.m., and neither girl had stirred.
Closing his eyes again, he simply listened to the pattering of rain outside the window. The forecast had said the rain would stop today, but when exactly… they hadn't said. Even if it stopped at midnight, it'd still count as "today."
Opening his eyes again, he looked at Yotsuha lying on him. He let out a soft sigh.
"I need to meet Mari today. Mitsuha and Yotsuha can stay home, and maybe Setsuna can watch them. If anything happens, they can just call me."
Bringing the sisters along wasn't impossible, but knowing them, they'd probably get bored.Better to let Setsuna take them out around town. They'd already explored a bit before—enough to not get lost.
Suddenly, Yotsuha clutched at his chest lightly in her sleep. He looked down at her tiny fingers gripping his shirt, then slowly releasing again, as if she were dreaming about something. She looked so defenseless, so fragile.
He gently pulled her into his arms. Her childlike figure felt like soft cotton candy, and Haruto couldn't help but wonder—
At my age, I should've had a child already, huh? I was old enough to be a father, but…
What kind of child would he have?
The image of Sayuri flashed through his mind. If they had a child, it'd probably be adorable.And with his guidance, their child definitely wouldn't turn out like Eriri—troublesome and unruly.Would it be a boy? Or a girl?
A sudden wave of melancholy swept over him. He closed his eyes, emotions rising unbidden…
"Don't… you can't… brother… I…"
He turned his head.
Mitsuha, still asleep, was muttering in her dreams. Now fully awake, Haruto sat up slightly on his futon, while Yotsuha rubbed her eyes and remained in his lap, glancing at her sister.
"Is Sis still asleep?"
"Yup."
Still feeling tired, Yotsuha leaned fully into Haruto's chest again.
"…That's mine… not hers… he's mine…"
Haruto raised an eyebrow. "What do you think she's dreaming about?"
Yotsuha thought for a second. "Probably dreaming that you're getting married… but she doesn't want you to. So she refuses to accept it."
"…."
He wanted to deny it, but when he thought about Mitsuha's personality…Yeah. That wasn't impossible.
She was at that age—middle school. The rebellious phase.
Haruto nodded slightly, then stood up and walked to the window. The rain had lessened compared to yesterday's torrential downpour, but it was still falling. Didn't look like it'd stop anytime soon.
"When the rain ends, the summer heat will hit full force…"
He turned back to glance at Mitsuha still fast asleep, then made his way to the fridge to start preparing breakfast—or maybe brunch, depending on how long everyone took to get ready.
Yotsuha rolled up the futon on the floor and shoved it under the bed. They'd need it again tonight, so no point putting it away completely.
Meanwhile, Mitsuha stirred in bed, hearing the rustle of activity in the house. Gradually, she stopped muttering and opened her eyes. Looking around the unfamiliar yet familiar room, she sat bolt upright.
"A dream?!"
"It was a dream," Yotsuha confirmed casually.
Mitsuha whipped her head toward her sister, who looked unfazed. Then she turned to the kitchen—there was Haruto, already cooking.
"What time is it?"
"Almost nine."
"Nine… in the evening?"
"I can help you sleep until 9 p.m. if you want," Yotsuha offered with a cheeky grin.
Mitsuha sighed and got up. Waking up in an unfamiliar room always left her a little unsettled.She walked over to the fridge in her pajamas.
"Oooh—chocolate milk!"
Pulling out a bottle, she stabbed a straw into the cap and took a long sip.
"Ahhh—back to life!"
The cold milk shocked her fully awake. Yotsuha glanced over and sighed, then quietly folded the blanket on the bed.
"…Still raining out. Wonder how long this weather's going to last. Do we have any plans today?"
She looked toward Haruto, who was prepping food.
"I've got something to do this afternoon. I'll have Setsuna take you two around Tokyo."
"You're not coming with us?"
"I told you—I had to rush back from Itomori for something, remember?"
"What kind of something?"
"Work."
"…The book?"
"Mm."
Mitsuha nodded, not pushing further. She could tell it was complicated. Instead, she sat at the desk and looked over at her sister.
"How long will it take?"
"Hm? An hour if it goes fast. Two or three if it drags a bit."
"…Then can Yotsuha go with you instead?"
~~~~~~~~~~
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