The streetlights on both sides slowly lit up, casting a soft, warm yellow glow over the asphalt road.
Tonight's sky seemed different from just lifting your head, you could see the silvery moonlight stretching across the heavens. Even the air carried that uniquely crisp scent of autumn.
Footsteps echoed clearly in the quiet of the autumn night. The black-haired girl ahead walked without a word, leading Haru forward. Their silhouettes passed through the stillness of the street until she finally stopped after leaving it completely behind.
"This should be far enough."
The girl's calm, unaffected words broke the long silence between them like an interlude slicing through a rock song.
Golden leaves danced on the wind and settled on the sidewalk, already thick beneath their feet. As she stepped, her soles crunched softly against them.
Standing in front, Yahata Umiri slowly let go of Haru's sleeve. Even alone with him this late, she remained composed and distant. As far as she was concerned, her role here was already complete.
From the beginning, Umiri had only intended to bring Haru out for a walk.
Naturally, Haru had guessed what she was thinking. Meeting her eyes, he offered a faint smile and said, "Thanks, Umiri-san. I appreciate it."
"No need. You just looked like you couldn't handle things."
Umiri shook her head slightly, her face still unreadable.
The ends of her dark, ink-black hair curled gently upward. Her piercing green eyes, as if they could see through all illusion, remained fixed on Haru's face.
She had just finished her shift and happened to be walking through the streets of Shimokitazawa when she saw Haru being dragged around by two other girls. She hadn't planned to intervene. She was about to pretend she hadn't seen anything and walk away. But in the end, she couldn't stop herself from stepping in.
It was like Broly seeing Kakarot, there was just no way to stand by and let things unfold.
"Were you on a date with one of them and got caught by the other?"
The malicious guess made Haru twitch at the corner of his mouth. He rolled his eyes slowly and replied, "...Obviously not. Just a little... disagreement, that's all."
"And since when did you get so nosy, Umiri-san?"
Standing under the streetlight, a flicker of amusement seemed to pass through Umiri's eyes. Her sharp, handsome features, lit by the lamp's glow, were softened by its warm radiance.
For a moment, this usually expressionless, cold girl seemed just a little more gentle.
But that glimmer of emotion vanished like a shooting star. In the next instant, she had returned to her usual stoic self. "Just a stereotype, I guess. I mean, you're pretty open about playing both sides."
"Sorry for giving you that impression. But maybe it's time you updated your intel."
Even as Haru endured her sharp jabs, he remained calm. She would've guessed what happened even without him saying anything, there were no secrets between them anymore.
Umiri had also noticed that something about Haru had changed.
She fixed her gaze on his eyes, but Haru didn't look away. He met her stare head-on. The air between them seemed to crackle as their deep eyes locked.
Eyes never lie.
Umiri looked like she was trying to read him, but Haru's calm and steady gaze pushed back just as firmly.
The staring contest ended when Umiri chose to break it off first. She turned to a nearby vending machine at the mouth of the alley, pulled some coins from her instrument case, and dropped them in without looking back.
Her voice came cold and flat.
"So that's how it is. Looks like you've made up your mind completely."
Decided to date everyone, no matter the consequences.
Clunk!
Two canned drinks dropped into the tray. Umiri bent down to retrieve them, still facing away. Seeing her move so casually, Haru took a quiet breath and asked softly:
"Umiri-san, do you remember the question you asked me last time?"
She paused for half a second, then answered slowly, "...I remember."
If Taki liked you, would your answer still be the same?
Unlike the hesitation he had shown then, this time Haru looked up and responded with clarity and speed.
"When you asked me that question, I hesitated. I didn't give you an answer. So now I'm going to say it clearly."
"I like Shiina Taki ."
Eyes closed, he gave his answer without a trace of doubt. Just recalling the tears in Taki's eyes was enough to make him care. He had already fallen for her, completely and sincerely. Even if Umiri were to turn on him after this...
Haru had no regrets about his decision.
Umiri stood silent for a moment, then slowly turned to face him.
"I see."
Hearing him say those words, words she had been waiting to hear, didn't bring any sense of relief to her heart.
After all, the guy standing in front of her was hopeless.
As Taki's "friend," all she had to do was give her a gentle push from behind. Then she could take her place as a silent observer, standing in a corner they would never notice, watching Taki receive the answer she deserved.
Because I only see Umiri as a friend.
That line, heard who knows when, still echoed in Umiri's mind. She shut her eyes and tossed the can of chocolate milk at Haru. The remaining can of Kiss Coffee stayed in her palm as she turned around, unhurried.
Her voice came soft and even.
"Since you've made your choice, I'll help you with Taki from now on, as a friend."
"Well then, I'll be heading off."
The words melted into the air as she turned and walked away, coffee in hand, not looking back.
"Umiri-san, wait."
Haru's voice stopped her in her tracks. She slowed her steps. For some reason, her face was now utterly cold, like winter frost. Her brilliant green eyes fixed sharply on Haru's handsome face as she stood half-turned, waiting for him to speak.
He took a deep breath.
"Actually, I've been having a small doubt about the answer I gave you last time."
Back when he was confirming Taki's feelings, Haru had also gotten a bit of explosive information, Taki had let something else slip just before running away. She'd mentioned Umiri.
It had all happened so fast that Haru hadn't had time to process it.
But the fact remained: Umiri had never shown the slightest sign of liking him.
This was why, after realizing that something had changed in his "brotherly" friendship with Umiri, Haru found himself completely unable to stay calm, caught between shock and confusion. For a moment, he didn't know how to deal with their relationship anymore.
Of course, he could no longer see her as just a friend.
So, Haru decided to confront his true feelings.
"...The question I asked you last time? Didn't you just answer it?"
Umiri tilted her head slightly, her expression as calm as ever, but even she now seemed a little puzzled.
"I'm not talking about what I said about Taki. I mean the question you asked me before that one."
Haru's steady tone dissolved the confusion clouding Umiri's mind.
Even the always-cool, composed girl now froze. Her dark green eyes quietly studied the black-haired boy across from her. For once, she was struggling to maintain her usual poise.
The earlier question... was her own confession.
"What are you trying to say, Kazami-kun?"
Umiri, unable to remain calm, gripped her can of coffee tightly. Perhaps because her emotions had slipped out of control, her fingers tensed so hard around the can that her knuckles turned white.
This rare change in her demeanor sparked a realization in Haru.
It seemed Taki-san really hadn't been lying.
Haru drew a deep breath and, under Umiri's watchful gaze, spoke openly.
"Umiri, I want to ask you out on a date."
He was going to use this chance to find out whether his feelings for this "brother" were truly platonic.
But his straightforward invitation clearly rattled Umiri.
She had never imagined that the day would come when Haru would actually say those words to her. A vague sense of anxiety and a strange, indescribable feeling stirred inside her, making her knit her sharp brows tightly.
They stood there, locked in silent eye contact for a moment.
"So, what's your answer?"
For the first time, Haru had the upper hand in a conversation with Umiri, and his emotions were mixed. Still, he kept his eyes fixed on her face, watching every tiny reaction.
Put on the spot like that, Umiri couldn't give a decisive reply. The words she had prepared (words of rejection) rose to her throat, but in the end, wouldn't come out.
All she could manage was...
"...I'll give you an answer later."
Her sharp gaze lingered on the black-haired boy. Hearing her reply, Haru simply nodded.
"Alright. I'll wait for your answer, then."
With that quiet statement, Umiri gave a small nod and turned on her heel. In the next moment, she walked away without hesitation, disappearing down the other end of the street.
The quiet of Shimokitazawa returned but somehow, this time it felt different.
Haru watched her fading silhouette, then turned and walked away in another direction, breathing deeply.
…
The National Art Center, Tokyo.
Every year, this place produced fresh young artistic talent, and this year's Japan Young Artists Collective Exhibition was now underway here.
A blonde-haired girl wandered the galleries in visible confusion, overwhelmed by the sheer variety of artwork around her.
Perhaps because this event held special meaning for the youth, many of the visitors were high school students around Nijika's age, likely students from art academies and high school art clubs.
Since they were pursuing art as a future career, it made sense they'd be interested in this kind of youth showcase.
But for Nijika, it was her first time at a place like this. Not knowing how to appreciate the works, she drifted aimlessly from one display to another, seeing dozens of pieces along the way.
The ones labeled with "awards" especially made her stop and mutter, "Wow, that's amazing..." but beyond that, she didn't really know what to feel.
Maybe she just didn't understand art?
Nijika lowered her head and laughed at herself silently.
"Wah…!"
Lost in thought, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Just as she turned a corner, she collided with someone. Off-balance, she stumbled, unable to react in time.
But before she could fall, a hand gently caught her.
"S-sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going..."
Her heart pounded wildly from the sudden shock. Nijika clutched her chest and took a few moments to recover, then quickly apologized to the person she'd run into.
"Are you alright?"
The soft, elegant voice was impossible to ignore. Instinctively, Nijika looked up.
Standing before her was an older girl with short, golden hair, wearing a loose kimono. Her calm face and striking golden eyes stunned Nijika into silence.
What a beautiful person...
"I'm fine. Thank you so much!"
"I'm glad to hear that."
The blonde woman gave only a slight nod, then turned her gaze back to the front.
Her brilliant golden eyes were fixed intently on a painting on the wall. Her focused, serious expression sparked a flicker of curiosity in Nijika, who instinctively followed her line of sight to the painting in question.
"Summer's Bloom?"
Murmuring the title under her breath, Nijika suddenly felt a wave of disorientation wash over her.
The piece titled Summer's Bloom depicted a bright, vivid scene. Across the finely textured canvas stretched a vast field of sunflowers in radiant hues. Beyond the deep blue sky, it was as if the scenery continued on endlessly. For a moment, it felt like she could actually see that dazzling field and the sky above it with her own eyes.
The entire vastness of the world seemed to be held within the frame of that small canvas.
A familiar and gentle warmth surged from deep within her chest.
Nijika felt her heart racing without reason. Her eyes were completely drawn in by the painting. A gentle joy, wrapped in warmth, swelled in her chest.
"What is this feeling...?"
This painting was unlike anything she'd seen before.
At first glance, it lacked the kind of dramatic visual impact many other works had. Its lines were simple, its colors delicately applied. But precisely because of that simplicity, it gave her an almost dreamlike illusion, like the "light" captured in it held some indescribable magic.
"What do you think of this painting?"
The voice came suddenly from beside her, pulling Nijika back to reality. The older woman's golden eyes were half-lidded as she asked the question casually.
"Eh? Me?"
Startled, Nijika shook her head slightly. Her golden ponytail swayed gently with the motion.
The elegant woman standing before her gave off the clear impression of a seasoned professional. Being asked for her opinion by someone like that left Nijika feeling a little overwhelmed.
"I... I think... it feels really warm..."
"Warm, huh?"
The older woman repeated the word softly, then lowered her gaze in thought.
"Um, excuse me but was this painting yours?"
Nijika asked the question carefully, almost timidly.
"No, I'm not at that level."
The woman gave a small shake of her head, and Nijika let out a breath of relief without meaning to.
The moment she saw the painting, she had sensed that it was deeply significant to her. Something about it felt so familiar, as if she had seen it countless times before. The vivid colors, the oil-paint textures, they stood out unmistakably.
She felt like she could name the artist right then and there.
But she didn't dare say it aloud.
"Is this painting... really that amazing?"
"It's the only one in the entire gallery worth looking at."
The blunt critique left Nijika frozen for a moment. She looked around in a panic.
This was a high-profile exhibition, and many of the artists were likely visiting the gallery in person. If someone overheard that comment, it could cause serious trouble.
But the golden-haired woman seemed completely unconcerned and continued speaking as if it didn't matter at all...
"The lines, the sense of space that it's on a monstrous level that doesn't belong in this gallery. The use of color and light is downright uncanny. Just based on technique alone, it wipes the floor with everything else here."
"But the painting itself feels like a half-hearted draft, thrown together on some random night. I don't sense any real emotion from the artist."
"Still, even so, it could easily sell for a few hundred thousand yen."
Hundreds of thousands?!
The sudden number made Nijika's head spin. And the idea that this was just a "draft" left her even more speechless. Something drawn that casually could fetch such a price?
Artists are terrifying...
"But more than the value of the painting itself, I'm more interested in what kind of monster the artist is."
"Every year, the Youth Exhibition has an age limit. Participants must be under twenty."
That comment seemed to jolt Nijika awake. Her eyes trembled slightly as she stared at the painting.
At that moment, a completely absurd thought formed in her mind.