The girl standing in front of him clutched the white towel Haru had handed her. But her sun-bright blonde hair had dulled to a muted matte shade, and her downcast face showed nothing but unease and anxiety. Deep in her tired eyes flickered a faint, hidden hope.
Ever since that veiled confession had been rejected, the two of them could no longer interact like ordinary friends.
And even more so after Uika Uika had seriously told him she wouldn't give up despite his rejection. By saying so, she had effectively admitted she would try to win him over.
From that moment on, anything Uika did could be seen as part of her plan to "capture" him.
No matter what she did, Haru might start thinking she was doing it on purpose. If he were being really cynical, he might even suspect this sudden "caught in the rain" situation was all premeditated.
But right now, Haru was sweating a little.
"Have you… already eaten dinner?"
Seeing the plastic bag full of ingredients in her hand, Haru found himself at a loss for how to answer.
Sure, he had turned down Uika's confession before, but that didn't mean he wanted to cut ties with her completely. So when he saw her soaked and miserable at his door, he hadn't thought twice before bringing her inside.
By now, Haru had a fairly clear idea of what kind of person Uika was.
The flawless idol who always shone brightly on stage, full of elegance and grace, was under unimaginable pressure behind the scenes. On top of her idol duties, she was also Ave Mujica's lead vocalist and guitarist, and the lyricist for many of their songs. Her workload rivaled, if not exceeded, that of their overworked drummer Nyamuko(Nyamu).
Despite her perfection, Uika had a fragile, weary heart. She'd come to Tokyo alone from the countryside with no family or friends to rely on. From the very beginning, she'd fought through everything by herself, swallowing every bit of pain alone.
The only people she could even vaguely talk to were her childhood friend Sakiko, her colleague Mana, and the one who'd turned her down, Haru.
If he coldly told her he had already eaten, it would likely deal another blow to her already fragile heart.
Even just as a friend, Haru couldn't bring himself to do that and he was, after all, a softhearted guy beneath the surface.
After a pause, he gave a gentle smile and said,
"No, I haven't eaten yet."
Well, looks like he'd be having two dinners tonight. So be it.
"…You don't have to do this for me. I… I didn't mean anything by it."
Uika's flustered gaze flickered as she shook her head. She clearly thought Haru was just being considerate.
But Haru gave a quiet sigh and explained in a steady tone, "I was out late handling some band stuff. I got back to the apartment just now, so of course I haven't had anything yet."
"The fridge is empty too. I was planning to just eat some instant noodles and call it a night…"
He trailed off, eyes drifting to the bag of groceries Uika was holding.
"But since you brought all these ingredients, maybe I'll cook something. Want to eat together?"
The girl hesitated a moment, then answered, her tone weighed down,
"If… if you don't mind eating with me…"
Wait, why does the air feel heavier all of a sudden?
With the atmosphere tightening like a boa around his neck, Haru ignored the pressure and continued in a calm voice,
"Anyway, Uika, go take a hot shower. You'll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes."
"I'll get dinner and something for you to change into ready while you're in there."
"…Thank you, Haru."
Uika gazed at him with a complicated look, clutching the clean white towel as she walked toward the bathroom.
Watching her retreating figure, Haru quietly shook his head.
That sense of dependence and insecurity was practically spilling from her. He hadn't realized just how deeply her feelings had grown.
If she were to find out that he'd already had dinner tonight with Amoris (Nyamu) he wasn't sure he could explain his way out of that one.
That would've been terrifying.
…
Splash, splash…
Gentle, warm water poured over the girl's face, as flawless and picturesque as a painting, flowing down her smooth, pale neck to her spotless back.
Standing in the bathroom, Uika tilted her head up and let her elegant, violet eyes flutter shut, feeling the fatigue and stress wash away with the water down the drain.
So… in the end, I really did let him bring me in.
Uika stared at her glistening palms with a complicated expression. Her raised arms slowly dropped again, limp and powerless.
Lately, she'd been messing up her work and training repeatedly. Every time she closed her eyes, she recalled the look in Yahata Umiri's eyes—an emotion she couldn't quite name, somewhere between envy and frustration, crashing over her like waves.
Her taut nerves had kept her from ever truly relaxing, and without that, her concentration never returned. Even her manager could tell she wasn't doing well lately. That perfect, practiced smile was getting harder to maintain.
Both Sumita Mana and her manager had told her to take a break and get some rest, but lying in her cold, high-end apartment only made her feel worse. Wanting to clear her mind, she went out for a walk and before she realized it, her feet had brought her near Haru's apartment.
"I'm really shameless, huh…"
She lifted her head and let out a small, bitter laugh.
Just because it started raining, she thought it gave her a reason to come find him?
Uika recalled the faint scent of grilled food clinging to Haru earlier. It was clear he'd already had dinner. That "I haven't eaten yet" line was just a gentle lie for her sake. That realization made her feel both happy and guilty.
That swirl of emotions was enough for her to pretend she hadn't noticed.
"Uika, I left some clothes for you outside."
"Ah, okay!"
The warm voice from beyond the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
Not wanting to keep him waiting, Uika quickly toweled herself dry, cracked open the bathroom door, and peeked out. Her gaze landed on a laundry basket with a clean white shirt and loose shorts.
Ah… these are his clothes.
As that thought surfaced, her cheeks flushed slightly. She gently picked up the shirt, hugging it close.
The faint scent of detergent tickled her nose, and she startled like a rabbit, glancing nervously around the room.
"What am I even doing…?"
She shook away the thoughts, slipped on the clean clothes, and stepped out of the bathroom.
The moment she entered the living room, she was met by the savory aroma of home-cooked food. She could hear the gurgling of something simmering, the rhythmic dripping from the faucet, and the soft tap of a kitchen knife on the cutting board, a symphony of cooking asmr.
Haru was in the kitchen wearing an apron, moving with smooth precision. The warm light overhead cast a cozy glow, painting a scene that felt undeniably like "home."
…
Uika stood frozen, watching him, her earlier tension and fatigue dissolving like mist.
"All done? Come sit down, dinner's just about ready."
Wearing heatproof gloves, Haru spoke casually. His long black hair was tied neatly in a ponytail. He carefully placed a lidded soup pot on the table, then untied the apron and pulled out a chair for her like a gentleman.
It was such an ordinary scene and yet for Uika, it was the kind of happiness she'd dreamed of.
She wanted to run up and hug him, but pride and insecurity held her back.
With reddened ears, she reached up and pressed her hand against her chest, as if trying to calm her racing heart. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't bring herself to say anything.
All the swirling emotions, all the words she kept inside, became a single, quiet phrase.
"Thank you, Haru."
He merely raised an eyebrow and replied lightly, "There's really nothing to thank me for. Of course I wasn't going to leave you outside in the cold. Even a stranger wouldn't do that, let alone someone I know."
…Not a stranger, huh?
Uika's fingers gripped the hem of the oversized shirt. A faint light flickered in her eyes. She bit her lip and looked at him, torn between hope and caution.
Then, summoning her courage, she asked in a timid voice, "Um… Haru, could I ask you to help me dry my hair? Without a mirror, it's kind of hard to see…"
Dry her hair?
Haru hesitated. His expression didn't change.
Helping someone dry their hair probably wasn't appropriate. After all, he had turned her down. He was supposed to be keeping some distance. But then again, he had helped Raana dry her hair before when she stayed over. Refusing such a small request might be too harsh.
When he didn't answer right away, Uika's eyes darkened with disappointment.
"Sorry, I… shouldn't have asked…"
Looking like a puppy about to be abandoned, she stirred something in him. He sighed, turned, and went to the bathroom.
When he returned, he held a hairdryer.
Under Uika's surprised gaze, he gently gathered her damp, silky hair in his hands.
"Let me know if it's too hot, okay?"
Yeah… he couldn't quite say no to her.
It's just drying her hair. What could possibly go wrong?
"It's perfect, thank you."
The warm air whisked droplets from her golden strands. Sitting quietly, Uika blushed, her ears glowing as she lowered her head, letting him freely tend to her carefully maintained hair.
Even though she stood a solid 160cm and was technically "mature," wearing Haru's oversized shirt made her look small and delicate. Her freshly bathed, pale skin glowed pink, and the way her bare shoulder peeked out made her curves subtly visible.
There was no way Haru's attention wasn't drawn to that.
Damn it… I let my guard down.
Haru's expression stiffened the moment he realized what Uika was doing.
As a top-tier idol, Uika stood at the pinnacle of what it meant to be charming and Haru, a normal high school boy in the middle of puberty, trying to ignore her appeal was about as hopeless as soloing Goku in a fistfight.
He tried to calm himself with a deep breath, only to accidentally inhale her delicate scent.
Stay calm. First, stay calm...
…
As an idol, Uika was keenly aware of others' gazes. She could feel Haru's eyes wandering, but instead of flinching, she tilted her body slightly, bashful but... pleased.
His gaze meant her charm still held power over him. Which meant she still had a chance.
A soft light shimmered in Uika's eyes, and a gentle smile tugged at her lips.
Just for now, this moment was hers alone. Just for this instant, Haru was hers alone.
He was drawn to her. If she made a move now…
The thought made Uika's heart clench. But she immediately pushed it down.
She knew full well she couldn't rush this. If she did anything too forward, Haru would absolutely shut her down cold. He would put up a wall and if that happened, she might never get another chance like this again.
Stay calm. First, stay calm...
…
Dinner lasted longer than expected.
By the time they finished savoring the meal, the clock had crept past ten at night.
Uika, now back in her dry clothes and with her shoes in hand, stood at the entryway, wearing the polite smile of a perfect idol. She turned and gave Haru a deep bow.
Her amethyst eyes shimmered with a warmth that almost felt tangible. She tilted her head sweetly and said:
"Thank you, Haru, for letting me stay out of the rain... and for such a delicious meal."
"You were so kind to me today, I don't even know how to repay you. If there's ever anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask. I'd be willing to do anything if it meant returning the kindness you showed me."
Could you maybe roll on the banner for me?
That's the weight of a sentence like "I'd do anything."
Suppressing a wave of internal sarcasm, Haru raised his brows. His thoughts were a little jumbled.
Aside from the moment during the hair-drying when she might've had... intentions, Uika hadn't done anything out of line while bathing or eating. That left Haru in a constant loop of alert, doubt, and reluctance.
"I was really, really happy when you helped me dry my hair earlier."
Her soft smile suddenly turned a little bittersweet but only for a second. Uika quickly masked it with another warm expression.
"Well then... I'll be heading home."
She bowed once more and slowly pulled open the door to Haru's apartment.
Outside lay a sky shrouded in ink-black clouds, not even a hint of moonlight.
What had been a light drizzle had turned into a torrential downpour, sudden and unrelenting. The streets, now swallowed in darkness, looked like the mouth of some abyss, ready to devour anything that entered.
Uika froze at the threshold for two seconds.
Her beautiful features stiffened awkwardly. She turned, worry etched between her brows, and looked helplessly back at Haru.
"…It's raining really hard. Could I borrow… another umbrella?"
Seeing her so pitifully uncertain, Haru couldn't help but sigh, his handsome face growing more complex.
It was already past ten. Uika's apartment wasn't even in the same neighborhood. For a delicate girl like her to be out in this kind of storm, at this hour… it wasn't just unwise, it was downright dangerous.
Could he really just hand her an umbrella and send her on her way?
Haru wasn't that cold.
After a moment of thought, he finally let out another sigh and said, "It's way too late to head out now and with this kind of rain, even if you dodged bullets like in Touhou, you'd still get soaked. It's too dangerous for you to go out alone."
At those words, Uika's eyes trembled.
"So… why don't you just stay here for the night?"
"…Eh?"
She stared at him in a daze, her heart suddenly thudding wildly in her chest.