After school ended, I gave Hikari a call.
"Souta-kun?"
"Hikari-san, Kotoha was top of her class today."
"That's wonderful, but why am I hearing this from you?"
"Maybe your daughter is humble?"
"I wish she would brag to me about it more. Make me proud as a mother, fufu."
"So let's go celebrate and eat out today."
"Celebrate? Sure. Anything in mind?"
"How about sushi?"
"Sushi sounds good. When are you going to come?"
"I'm going to head into the city for a few errands and come back to pick up Kotoha first."
"Sure."
The call ended. Hikari's voice lingered, warm and pleasant, the kind of voice that made my day brighter. I could jerk off to just the sound of her voice.
I had a checklist to move through now that I had a car. First, the gym membership.
I drove home, grabbed my gym clothes, and tossed them into a bag. Before heading to the gym, I stopped at the mall for a haircut.
The salon I chose was the same one I had used in my previous life. Polished wood counters, the faint scent of hair products, the quiet hum of dryers. I took a seat, waiting my turn, scrolling idly on my phone.
When I sat down, I let the scissors do their work. My hair had grown long enough to shape.
Since I've lived for a long time, I knew what style of hair and clothes looked good on me.
In the mirror, a fresh style looked back at me. Parted in the center, a modified coma cut, sharp enough to match my uniform.
I wandered into the clothing stores afterward, scanning racks for new shirts. From the corner of my eye, I saw silver.
My heart trembled.
Silver hair under the lights, strands catching like moonlight.
The only person I knew with silver hair was Hiyori.
Half-Japanese, half-Russian. Blue eyes. Silver hair. She stepped out of the store with a brown bag in hand, her uniform skirt swaying lightly as she walked.
I froze behind a rack of jackets.
Her profile. Her silhouette. Enough to make my chest ache.
I've missed her deeply, I didn't expect to see her so soon.
I didn't approach her. Chasing her down would make me look like a creep. But just seeing her was enough to make me happy.
Autumn couldn't come soon enough. She would transfer to my class then and I could make my move properly.
The gym was quiet when I arrived. The parking lot held only a handful of cars. The sign above the entrance glowed, open twenty-four hours.
Inside, the reception desk was tidy. The air smelled faintly of metal and disinfectant. I filled out the paperwork, chose the full-access plan, and received my card.
I stepped into the training area. Rows of treadmills, racks of weights, a few office workers in sweatshirts, a pair of college kids. No one paid me any attention.
I warmed up lightly, easing into familiar motions. This body was young, but it remembered. My muscles tightened and released, responding quickly.
Half an hour later, sweat ran down my face. I toweled off, headed into the locker room, and showered. Hot water rolled over my shoulders, steam rising to blur the fluorescent light.
I dressed in my uniform again.
By the time I stepped outside, the sun was dipping. I slid into the car, the engine humming to life.
The school gate came into view as I pulled in. Students spilled out, voices rising as they scattered toward the station and shopping street.
Kotoha appeared, her bag swinging loosely at her side. She scanned the crowd absently, as if expecting the walk home. Her eyes found me leaning against the car, and she froze.
"…Souta-kun?"
She hurried forward, nearly tripping on the curb.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were coming to the house to pick me up."
"I finished earlier than expected. I wanted to see you earlier."
Her lips parted, then closed again, her cheeks warming. She clutched her bag tighter, slipped into the passenger seat, and lowered her voice.
"…You look different today."
"Different?"
Her eyes flicked up, then down. Her fingers fidgeted with her skirt.
"…Your hair. It really suits you."
The flush reached her ears. She turned toward the window, hiding a faint smile.
I shut her door, walked around, and took the driver's seat. The locks clicked. The scent of her shampoo filled the air.
"Thanks."
"You didn't tell me you were going to change it…"
"I didn't think I needed to."
The engine hummed as we pulled away. Kotoha stole a quick glance, eyes darting back to the glass.
Seeing her like this was adorable. Did she enjoy looking at me that much?
We pulled into the Minase driveway. The front door opened before I even cut the engine.
Hikari stepped out, heels tapping softly against the stone path. She wore an elegant dress, pale fabric tied with a dark sash at the waist. The sash pulled in her figure, the folds of the dress flowing with each step.
Kotoha leaned forward in her seat.
"Mom, you look so fancy…"
"Do I?" Hikari adjusted the sash with one hand, smiling.
"I thought it would be nice to dress up a little for our celebration."
I got out of the car and walked around. The air shifted as I pulled the handle and swung the rear door open.
"Hikari-san."
She glanced up at me, lashes lowering with a soft laugh.
"My, how polite."
Her hand rested lightly in mine as she stepped inside, the faint rustle of her dress brushing against me.
"Sorry, Kotoha took your spot."
"It's fine, we're celebrating for her today. She's the star, right?"
I chuckled.
"By the way, you look beautiful tonight."
Her eyes curved in amusement.
"My my, Souta-kun… such a gentleman. Careful, you'll make me misunderstand."
"Are you hitting on me?"
"No~"
I immediately felt blood surging into my lower body. Hikari was too much of a tease.
Kotoha pressed her lips together, pouting from the front seat.
"What are you two whispering about?"
"Nothing at all." Hikari said with that serene smile, settling into the seat.
The soft scent of her perfume filled the car as I closed the door behind her.