The elegant woman with purple hair sat across from him, her diamond-like pink eyes half-lidded as the chilled beer in her glass fizzed and foamed gently. Her mature and beautiful face was now tinted with a soft flush from the alcohol.
"Are you dating Sakiko?"
The question drifted over lazily, somewhere between teasing and murmured curiosity, like she was speaking to herself or perhaps just using the excuse of drunkenness to voice a thought she'd been holding in.
Whether Yuutenji Nyamu was half-serious or half-tipsy didn't matter. For Haru, there was only one answer to give.
"No, Sakiko and I aren't dating."
His reply came calmly and plainly. Nyamu, who had already braced herself to catch him off guard, blinked in shock.
"Eh? You're not?!"
Unbelievable...
Oblivionis (Sakiko's Stage Name) cold, stiff, and serious to everyone else always showed a rare softness when Haru was around. At the very least, Nyamu had never seen Sakiko wear that kind of expression when Haru wasn't there.
Anyone could see it. It was obvious.
Sakiko was absolutely in love with Haru. There was no doubt about it in Nyamu's mind.
"This isn't some kind of joke, right? You're not trying to mess with me?"
"When you two came to invite me into the band, you were acting super close. I really thought you were already in a lovey-dovey relationship."
Nyamu's catlike eyes narrowed slightly, a suspicious glint hiding in their pink depths. She scanned Haru's face for any cracks in his story.
But there was no hesitation in his voice. His expression stayed neutral, and his eyes remained calmly locked forward.
Uh-oh. He really isn't lying.
That realization nearly made her suspicion take physical form.
So gossip really was an instinct hardwired into girls from birth. Even Nyamu, who claimed to be a "mature adult," couldn't help but turn into a curious little girl at the scent of juicy drama. Haru wasn't even sure if this side of her was fake or real anymore.
Still, he replied with clean precision.
"No need to lie to you. Sakiko and I are just friends."
They really aren't together?
Could it be that Haru just isn't into Sakiko?
Nyamu had assumed he'd be like most shy high school boys flustered by any mention of romance, fumbling for vague excuses. Even if they weren't dating, she thought he'd hesitate just out of embarrassment.
But nope. Haru had answered her straight-on. If he were lying, she could easily ask Sakiko to confirm it later. That honesty left her slightly reeling.
"…Suddenly, I don't hate Sakiko as much."
Nyamu couldn't help but smirk at the thought of the ever-arrogant Sakiko being stuck in a pitiful one-sided love.
Imagine liking someone who doesn't feel the same… and worse, that someone has ambiguous ties to nearly every other girl in the band. If Haru ever started dating one of them, she couldn't begin to imagine what kind of face Sakiko would make.
It would be hilarious.
So who was Haru dating, anyway?
Everyone in the band seemed suspiciously close to him or was he still single? If he really was single, then… oh no. That might mean all-out war in the band.
She wanted to know more. Desperately. But pushing too hard would be rude.
Nyamu,status: officially in gossip withdrawal.
"…"
Watching her ever-changing expressions from across the table, Haru quietly popped another sushi roll into his mouth. Even when she acted childish, this "adult" woman did have a certain grace. And Haru knew when to let a topic drop.
If they pushed the conversation any further, it'd start crossing the line.
Still, she probably really wanted to know whether he liked Sakiko or not.
He swallowed his sushi and sipped his tea.
If he had to be honest, he could say he did like Sakiko.
The prickly "hedgehog" who once kept everyone at arm's length had slowly opened up to him. Her smile had become more natural, and those rare moments of vulnerability were, frankly, adorable.
Recently, she'd even set aside her pride to apologize to her old friend Takamatsu Tomori. To Haru, that act alone had shown enormous growth and it made her all the more appealing.
Even though he hadn't run Sakiko's simulation yet, as one of the first girls he'd grown close to, she had already left a deep mark on him. Their connection was undeniable.
In time, those feelings would only solidify.
For now, though, they were stuck in that zone more than friends, not quite lovers. The only question was who would be the first to break the wall between them.
"…Then tell me, Haru. What kind of girls do you like?"
If she couldn't ask him directly, she'd just have to probe sideways.
"...Nyamu-sensei, what's this? Are you trying to flirt with me?"
"Pfft!"
Haru's furrowed brow and deadpan look nearly made Yuutenji Nyamu spit out her beer.
"Like hell I am, meow!"
Nyamu puffed up indignantly, her pink eyes sparkling with disbelief. "Nyamu-chan's ideal type is a reliable, mature man who's dependable when it counts, preferably someone with great assets and outstanding ability, with a strong sense of responsibility too! Why would I ever be interested in a bratty high school kid like you?!"
She huffed, glaring as Haru raised a brow and gave her a sly, meaningful smile. Realization struck in the next instant, and her seductive catlike eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Wait a second, did this kid just bait her into that?
Was she seriously getting played?!
…
Night had fallen. Stars shimmered faintly beside the moon.
With her face flushed from alcohol, Nyamu was safely escorted home by Haru. After filming her content and gorging on food, she was in an unusually good mood.
She'd expected Haru to be just another kid, but their conversation had surprisingly clicked.
"Haru, really can't be on camera?"
Nyamu's glossy pink eyes shimmered with a gentle haze, lips pouting ever so slightly as she looked at him pleadingly. Her voice was soft and full of syrupy charm.
But Haru wasn't falling for the act.
"I told you, I don't want to be on camera. You should just give up."
"Besides, even though you didn't show me in the frame, you still made it pretty clear someone was dining with you. That alone should give your views a boost, right?"
"Aha… did I?"
Nyamu blinked and tapped her chin with a finger, trying to play it cute and dodge the question.
Haru didn't bother calling her out. He just raised an eyebrow, amused by her little adult tricks.
He knew for influencers like Nyamu, who made their living off engagement, traffic was everything. As long as she didn't do anything to mess with his personal life, he didn't mind helping out a little.
Until now, he'd kept his distance because of her forced smiles and vague intentions. Compared to others in Mujica, he'd always been cooler toward her.
But after tonight, after getting to see the real her, he'd changed his mind tho just a little.
Given how much pressure she was under working for Sakiko, maybe he'd help out when he could.
Nyamu, sensing his silent approval, fluttered her lashes with a playful smile. "Haru was surprisingly gentlemanly tonight~ You even made sure this beautiful, slightly tipsy onee-san got home safely. Who knows what might've happened if I'd gone alone~"
"Haru's approval rating with Nyamu-chan just shot way up! UP↑UP↑!"
"Oh, but now you know where I live. Don't go getting any weird ideas about big sis, okay?"
Haru rolled his eyes. "You didn't think about how to get home while you were stuffing your face?"
"That's what you were there for. You wouldn't just leave me in the shop, right?"
Haru raised an eyebrow but chose not to expose her lie.
Anyone with eyes could tell Nyamu held her alcohol well. Even after downing bottle after bottle of beer, she hadn't once slurred or stumbled. She was always careful to stay just below her limit.
She wasn't actually drunk and she certainly didn't need him to walk her home.
Still, he had done it anyway.
Haru looked at the violet-haired woman, who stood swaying a little in front of her door, and said evenly, "I'll talk to Sakiko about easing your training load. I'm in charge of Mujica's compositions. I'll adjust the drum patterns where I can. As for your practice schedule, just work it out on your own time."
"But if your slacking off causes problems during group rehearsals, even if I stick up for you, Sakiko's probably going to tear into you."
"…"
Nyamu blinked, stunned, staring at the black-haired boy not far away.
"Huh? Ah, sorry, sorry~ I guess I drank a little too much today. Head's all fuzzy~"
She instantly snapped back into her dizzy, drunk-girl act, pressing her curled hands to her cheeks like cat paws.
Haru just sighed, pulling a bottle of sour plum juice from his hoodie pocket, he'd grabbed it earlier from the ramen shop on their way out.
"Here. This'll help."
After handing her the drink and making sure she locked her door, Haru finally turned and walked off down the street.
He didn't see the subtle, complex expression Nyamu made as she leaned against the door, watching him go.
All she'd done was complain while drinking, venting without thinking.
She hadn't expected him to actually listen.
She'd faked being drunk just to see how he'd react but he hadn't hesitated. He got her home safely and he even left her with a drink to sober up.
Nyamu narrowed her pink eyes and let out a slow breath.
"…I don't even like sour plum juice."
Her voice drifted through the cold hallway, adding a quiet note of loneliness to her empty apartment.
Elsewhere
After dropping Nyamu off, Haru headed toward his own shabby apartment. He hadn't realized until now that they lived relatively close, no wonder they'd bumped into each other with Nijika that one time. Nyamu lived in the same part of Yokohama too.
Drip…
A sudden chill ran down the back of his neck.
Haru instinctively reached a hand forward. Just as he expected, cold rain began to land on his palm, light but steady.
Frowning, he glanced toward a brightly lit supermarket nearby.
Less than a minute later, he stepped out holding a clear plastic umbrella.
The autumn rain blurred the streets with quiet solitude. Fallen leaves soaked in puddles, and mist hung in the air like breath.
The sound of rain urged Haru to quicken his pace, and he managed to reach his apartment just before the downpour turned heavy. Lights glowed faintly atop the rusted metal staircase.
But just as he stepped toward his door and folded his umbrella, Haru's movements froze.
His gaze landed on a beautiful girl with shoulder-length golden hair, sitting all alone at his doorstep.
Her silky blonde hair had taken on a damp sheen from the rain. The collar of her shirt was soaked, her fair neck beaded with droplets. Violet eyes, soft and downcast, stared blankly ahead.
She looked like a puppy abandoned in the storm, finding refuge in this fleeting moment of peace.
"Uika?"
Haru took a breath, his voice tinged with surprise.
The girl, Misumi Uika, startled and stood up in a flurry. Usually so graceful and dignified on stage, radiant like a dream, she now looked pitiful, anxious, and helpless like a child being scolded.
"S-Sorry!"
"I just happened to be walking nearby to clear my head, then the rain came and I didn't know where to go… So I thought maybe I could just take shelter here for a bit. If it bothers you, I'll leave right away…"
Uika didn't dare look up, afraid she might see a scowl on his face something she never wanted to see.
Even if he told her to leave now, she wouldn't hesitate to do so.
Haru looked at the drenched, miserable girl in front of him, eyes full of quiet emotion. Then he stepped forward without a second thought.
"Uika, come on inside."
"For now, dry off and take a warm shower. Catching a cold over this wouldn't be worth it. This rain's not stopping anytime soon, so… why don't you just rest here for a while?"
Of course Haru wasn't going to leave her like this.
But even after being welcomed in, Uika didn't move. Her hands clasped behind her back, she kept her head down and murmured softly, "But… Haru, don't you kind of dislike me? I just came in without asking… It's not really okay, right?"
"I never said I disliked you."
With that, Haru turned to grab a clean towel from the bathroom, then gently helped dry her damp hair once she stepped inside.
That's when he noticed, she hadn't come empty-handed.
In her hands was a bag filled with fresh vegetables and meat.
Uika, eyes flickering nervously, raised her head a little and said, "I thought maybe you'd be running low on groceries, so I bought a few things. Just… as a small thank-you."
How did she know he was running low?
Haru didn't voice the question. Instead, he accepted the gift without protest.
"Thanks, Uika. But first, you should—"
"You came home late today… Did you already eat?"
Her voice was small, tentative. She gripped her right arm with her left hand, trembling slightly where she stood. Her violet eyes were full of worry but too afraid to meet his.
Haru found himself swallowing the words he was about to say.
How was he supposed to answer that?