Chapter Summary:
After the tense events of the afternoon, Haruki, Kaori, Ailany, and Hikaru gather at Mrs. Miyako's house for a traditional dinner. The warm scents of summer fill the room, but what's served at the table isn't just Japanese cuisine—it's also a mix of unspoken emotions, awkward silences… and the beginnings of a rivalry between two girls from very different worlds.
Everyone had taken their place around the low dining table, where Mrs. Miyako had carefully set each dish. The gentle aroma of freshly steamed rice and classic summer side dishes wafted through the air, wrapping around us. But even that comforting smell wasn't enough to calm my nerves.
A shiver ran down my spine, and my hands trembled slightly over my knees. Kaori noticed and, without hesitation, gently reached out and held one of them, squeezing it firmly. Her warmth spread through me instantly, chasing away that cold anxiety that had settled deep in my chest. I glanced at her, and she returned a calm smile.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Kaori Kiryuu," she said politely, her voice clear and graceful. "I'm truly sorry for all the trouble. If you'll allow it, Ailany… I'd like to speak with you after dinner."
Ailany, who had been sitting slightly apart from the rest of us, looked up briefly. Her reply came cold and distant, far from the tone she usually used.
"There's nothing to talk about. Don't worry—I'm fine. It was just… heat of the moment. And maybe a little embarrassment," she added, forcing a slight smile that never reached her eyes.
Something twisted inside me. That… didn't sound like her at all.
Kaori nodded politely, though her shoulders looked a bit stiff.
"I'm glad you're okay," she murmured, clearly unsure how to continue.
Hikaru, ever the mood-breaker, jumped in with his usual carefree grin.
"Wow, I never thought I'd end up having dinner with someone like the daughter of Hiroshi Kiryuu, Japan's legendary tycoon. But hey, nice to meet you. Just call me Hikaru."
Kaori returned his smile with composed politeness.
"Pleasure to meet you too, Hikaru."
Just then, Mrs. Miyako placed the final dish on the table and spoke with her usual maternal warmth.
"I'm so happy everyone could come tonight… and that you're all getting along."
Dinner was served: a traditional countryside summer menu. Steam rose from bowls of miso soup with wakame and tofu, next to neatly shaped onigiri filled with pickled plum. There was chilled somen with cucumber slices and ginger, resting on a bamboo tray over ice, served with light dipping sauce. Outside, skewers of yakitori grilled over a small charcoal brazier added the finishing touch.
Despite the amazing aroma, I could barely swallow a bite. Kaori seemed to be the same. The tension in the room lingered, invisible but heavy—like a summer storm that refuses to break.
Please… let this night end quietly, I thought, watching Ailany and Hikaru share a faint smile as they picked up their chopsticks. But inside me, a storm churned. Am I just overthinking it? Or… has everything really changed since this afternoon?
Kaori lowered her gaze to her plate and whispered just loud enough for me to hear:
"Haruki… hang in there a little longer. We'll talk to her after, I promise."
I nodded silently, not daring to meet her eyes.
Sensing the tension, Mrs. Miyako began talking about the summer harvest and the upcoming festivals—her tone cheerful, as if trying to clear the air.
But deep down, I knew this dinner wouldn't be remembered for its warmth, no matter how comforting the dishes were. What mattered tonight… still hadn't been said.
We continued eating until Mrs. Miyako, ever kind, suddenly said:
"Some fresh watermelon would go great with this." She stood up, full of energy. "I'll go get it—please keep enjoying your meal."
"I'll help you," added Mr. Kazuo, setting down his chopsticks and following her out.
As soon as they left, silence crept back into the room. Only the chirping of summer insects drifted in from outside.
Unable to stand it any longer, Hikaru broke the quiet:
"So… she's your aunt, right?" he asked, tilting his head toward Kaori. "Honestly, I thought she was your girlfriend."
I choked on my miso soup and coughed before quickly answering:
"Y-Yeah… she's my aunt. But she doesn't like being called that. We're only a few years apart."
Ailany, who had stayed quiet until then, finally looked up—her smile slightly crooked, and her voice sharp, though masked with casualness.
"That's odd… Why get so worked up over something like that? Family's family, after all," Ailany remarked, her sarcasm unmistakable.
Kaori gently set her chopsticks down on the table. She maintained her poise, but the subtle gleam in her eyes betrayed a flicker of challenge behind her composed smile.
"Yes, we're family. And I care about him a lot. But like Haruki said, since we're almost the same age, it feels awkward when he calls me 'aunt' in public." She leaned forward just a bit and softly took my arm. "Besides," she added with a small smile, "I really like it when he calls me by my name."
Great, Kaori… just had to pour more oil on the fire, I thought, as a fresh wave of discomfort washed over me.
Ailany let out a short, dry laugh.
"So, you like being called by your name… How ironic. If I didn't know you were related, I'd say you're head over heels for him."
Kaori smiled slyly, as if she had been waiting for that exact line.
"Well, according to what Haruki told me on the way here, you and Hikaru seem like quite the pair yourselves… like childhood sweethearts, almost. He was even in your room. Although…" —she shot me a quick sideways glance— "Haruki did insist you two were just friends."
Point to Kaori. Thanks—I'd been wondering the same thing… but I didn't have the guts to ask.
Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was all spiraling out of control.
How am I supposed to fix this mess…?
Ailany suddenly stood up, so abruptly that her chopsticks clattered to the floor with a soft clink. Her face flushed red—though whether from anger or embarrassment, I couldn't tell.
"What did you mean by that comment about my room?" she snapped, glaring daggers at Kaori. "Are you saying I'm some kind of slut?"
The entire room froze. Even the cicadas outside seemed to grow louder, as if the summer night itself had tensed up with us. I just wanted to disappear.
Hikaru rose slowly, calm and collected. He walked over to Ailany and, without saying a word too many, gently took her hand. His eyes—dark and calm like a deep lake—met hers.
"You should calm down, Ailany," he said softly but firmly. "It's been a rough day. Why don't we go back to your room? It doesn't matter what two strangers think. We know what we are… friends."
Those words, delivered so calmly, hit me like a stone sinking into my chest.
Friends?
Maybe… maybe that's all we ever were.
My expression shifted without me realizing it. The air felt thicker now, heavier. I felt something inside me—something delicate—fracture silently. I lowered my gaze, my eyes trembling, searching for some corner of the world where I could hide.
"…You're right," I whispered, in a voice that didn't even sound like mine. "It doesn't matter what two strangers think."
I stood up slowly. My steps were steady, but my legs were trembling. I didn't look at anyone as I walked toward the door.
"Haruki, wait!" Ailany shouted, her voice cracking into a thousand pieces. Her sobs spilled out—desperate—as if something had just hit her far too late.
But it was already too late.
Mr. Hanabira and Mrs. Miyako rushed in, alarmed by the commotion. Their faces, filled with confusion, searched for answers in the frozen room.
Kaori bowed slightly, still trembling from what had happened.
"I'm terribly sorry…" she said in a faint voice. "I take full responsibility. I'll pay for the dinner and any trouble we've caused."
Meanwhile, I was already outside.
The night was warm, like a breath held in. The sound of crickets blended with the subtle scent of summer flowers. I walked aimlessly, not knowing where I was going—just wanting to get away.
Behind me, hurried footsteps.
A hand clutched the sleeve of my shirt. I stopped, not turning around.
"Why are you acting this way toward me?" Ailany asked. Her voice, barely above a whisper, was soaked in tears.
I didn't answer right away. My chest ached with every word I left unsaid.
"I'm not angry at you," I finally said, my voice calm—though it took everything in me to keep it that way. "I'm just… sad. Yeah, I know it's stupid. But… it's exhausting watching you with him. The way you talk, the way you look at each other. That closeness… it hurts."
Ailany didn't reply.
Only the sound of her quiet sobbing broke the silence of the night.
"I told you, we're just friends," she murmured, eyes downcast. "Hikaru and I have always been like this—since we were kids. I can't change that overnight just because it makes you uncomfortable… after all… you're not even my boyfriend."
Each word stung deeper than the last.
I looked up at the starry sky, letting the breeze carry away my thoughts.
"I know…" I whispered, closing my eyes. "But that doesn't make it hurt any less."
I swallowed hard, and without thinking too much, the words spilled out like a plea disguised as a question.
"But… what if you were my girlfriend?" I asked quietly, avoiding her eyes. "If I asked you to be… would you still be that close to him… the way you are now?"
Ailany said nothing.
The warm breeze played with her hair, as if the world itself was waiting for her answer. In that dim light, I saw tiny tears slide down her cheeks. And I understood. Hikaru was part of her past—someone I could never replace.
I… was just a pause in her summer.
I smiled bitterly.
But then, Ailany wiped her tears with the sleeve of her blouse and, her voice trembling, replied:
"If I were your girlfriend…" she murmured, shakily, "I'd be willing to change for you. I'd talk to you about it… and I'd make Hikaru understand that he can't keep acting like that with me. I know he'd get it."
I froze. I hadn't expected to hear that.
A warm spark rushed through me, igniting a faint but living flame in the middle of all the gloom.
"And what if he didn't understand?" I asked carefully. "If, despite everything, he stayed the same—clingy, overfamiliar…"
Ailany pressed her lips together, fighting back another wave of tears.
"Then… I'd stop being his friend."
My mind went blank.
Would she really… do that for me?
"Seriously…? You'd really do that?" I asked in barely more than a whisper.
She only nodded. She didn't look at me. She just let the tears keep falling.
The countryside breeze wrapped around us. Beneath that endless sky, for a moment, it felt like only she and I existed.
Me—frozen in place, chest ready to burst.
Her—fragile, yet steady, as if every word she said was a painful confession.
Then she took a step toward me.
"I would…" she whispered. "I don't know why, but there's something about you… something that makes me want to be near you. I like it when you look at me, even when you try to hide it. I like it when you, with that quiet, shy voice, tell me I look pretty… because I know it's hard for you, but you say it anyway."
My ears burned. Words caught in my throat.
"I love how hard you try every single day," she continued, "even if no one notices. Even if you think it's not enough… you keep going. You're a wonderful guy, Haruki. You just… don't see it yourself."
The night breeze played with her hair. And for that moment, the world stopped spinning.
Ailany raised a hand and gently brushed my hair.
"I've always wanted to touch it… your beautiful white hair. And lose myself in those sky-blue eyes that make me feel at peace. That make me feel alive."
My whole body trembled. I wasn't used to hearing words like this. Not from someone like her.
"I… I don't want to lose you, Haruki. That's why… I'd be willing to change anything for you. Because you matter to me… more than you should. More than I want to admit."
Her voice dissolved into a soft sob.
And something inside me… finally broke.
The wall I had built over the years—my invisible shield against the world—cracked.
I didn't say a word. I just stepped forward. Reached out with a trembling hand… and clumsily brushed her hair.
"…Thank you," I whispered.
It was all I could say. All my clumsy, reserved, and frightened heart could manage.
And in that moment, I knew something between us had changed.
Ailany didn't move. Her eyes, still damp, searched for mine. The breeze played with her hair, and everything felt suspended. My heart was pounding, my hands still trembling—but no longer from fear.
She stepped closer.
So close I could feel the warmth of her skin. The soft scent of her hair. The fragility of the moment.
"Haruki…" she whispered.
Her eyes sparkled under the moonlight. Green. Deep. Real.
I leaned in slowly. My lips just inches from hers.
So close…
So close…