With a soft press of the doorbell, Haruto stood quietly at the entrance. After a short wait, the door creaked open. Standing before him was a petite woman in a deep crimson dress, looking a little tipsy and clearly not fully awake yet. Her hazy eyes blinked slowly as she glanced at him.
"We're not open for business yet. Is there something you need?"
"You're Tax Accountant Ōno, correct?"
"That's me."
Wearing white stockings and a deep red dress, the young-looking, adorable tax accountant narrowed her eyes slightly, carefully sizing up the boy in front of her. When her gaze landed on his handsome face, the corners of her lips curled into a faint smile.
"Tax consultation?"
"Yes."
"Come in then. It's a bit messy inside, so watch your step."
With a casual wave, the tax accountant, Ashley Ono, turned and walked into the room. Haruto, already somewhat familiar with her personality, silently gripped the door handle and stepped inside, gently closing the door behind him.
The moment he entered her office, the sharp scent of alcohol hit his nose, making him wrinkle his brow. He instinctively raised a hand to cover his nose, watching as Ashley opened a window. Only after the room began to air out did he finally take a seat.
As he sat down, he casually gathered a few empty beer cans and placed them neatly on the coffee table in front of him.
"You're still a student, right?"
Having opened the window and let in some fresh air, Ashley kicked a beer can aside as she approached the sofa and sat across from Haruto, propping her chin on one hand while watching him with curious eyes.
She had been in the industry for years, seen the ups and downs, and had dealt with many young clients—but never anyone quite this young.
"So, what kind of issue are you hoping to consult me on?"
Looking at the youthful face before him, Haruto felt a brief wave of nostalgia. When Ashley asked her question, he got straight to the point.
"Recently, I published my first book. Since I've started earning royalties, I thought it would be best to consult a professional about taxes. I came across your name and decided to visit. I'd like to entrust you with handling my tax affairs."
"Published work? So you're a writer?"
Having recently left a large firm to start her own practice, Ashley hadn't had many clients yet—especially not authors, and certainly not ones as young as Haruto.
"Ah, excuse my manners," she said with a smirk. "Let me properly introduce myself. I'm Ashley Ono, a licensed tax accountant and the owner of this office. So it's about your royalties, correct?"
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"I'm Miyamizu Haruto. A new author."
"Nice to meet you, Miyamizu-kun~"
"Likewise."
Flashing another soft smile, Ashley stood and began boiling some water for tea before returning to her seat.
"Although this is a tax issue, it's not time for a tax refund this year, right?"
"I know. But I figured this would need to be dealt with eventually, so I wanted to consult you early."
Normally, tax matters for authors were handled the following year in February, so people typically began preparing in December. But Haruto, having some free time and wanting to stay on top of things, decided to handle it ahead of schedule. By entrusting it to Ashley, he could free up his time.
"I see. Well then, do you have your receipts and payment slips?"
"They're at my apartment."
"Make sure to keep them safe. When the time comes, they'll help you get back a good amount in refunds."
"I will."
Ashley tilted her head slightly, curiosity twinkling in her eyes.
"How did you find out about my office, Miyamizu-kun?"
"Well…"
Leaving the Ōno Tax Office, Haruto glanced back at the building with a smile in his eyes, recalling how he and Ashley had first met. Then he turned and walked away.
At the window, Ashley watched the young man's back as he walked off. Something about him felt familiar—like he had known her for a long time. The way he looked at her wasn't how strangers typically looked at someone they just met. Yet she was certain this was their first meeting. That odd contradiction lingered in her thoughts.
"Authors his age are pretty rare… What was the title of his book again? 'Angle with a…' Something…"
Still slightly hungover, Ashley rubbed her aching temples and sighed.
"Ah well. I remember the gist of it. I'll check the bookstore later. Miyamizu Haruto… that name I'll remember."
Lying back on the sofa, she covered her forehead with one hand and slowly drifted back into sleep…
By the time Haruto returned to his apartment, it was just before noon. Sitting at his desk, he found himself unsure of what to do with his day, and decided to visit the Kiyoura residence.
The weather was warming up fast. He wore a simple white dress shirt—he never liked T-shirts much—and preferred loose, cropped trousers in light colors like beige, khaki, or soft blue over tight jeans or dark shades.
"Haruto?"
Shortly after arriving at the Kiyoura home, Setsuna opened the door. She wore a pure white camisole and a long, pale-blue skirt. Seeing Haruto at her doorstep, surprise flickered across her face.
He had told her earlier that he had errands to run. She hadn't expected him back so soon.
"Weren't you going to be out today? All done?"
"Yeah. Took care of everything this morning. I was thinking… if you're free this afternoon, would you like to go for a walk or do some shopping?"
A while ago, Setsuna would've gladly accepted such an invitation. But now, she wore a slightly apologetic smile.
"I already made plans with Sekai and Kotonoha this afternoon."
"All three of you?"
"Mhm."
"Then I won't intrude. I've got a few things I can take care of too."
"You can come with us, if you want."
"Three girls and one guy? That might make Kotonoha uncomfortable. It's okay—you all enjoy yourselves."
Respecting her plans, Haruto returned to his apartment. Sitting at his desk, he realized the room felt lacking in something.
"Even though I have a girlfriend now… the room's missing a bit of atmosphere. It's too plain—no charm, no cozy touches."
What he'd said to Setsuna about having things to do had been an excuse. He hadn't wanted her to feel guilty and cancel her plans. But now that he was home, he found himself genuinely thinking about making his apartment more personal.
With his first royalty payment in, he finally had some disposable income. It was time to invest in his quality of life—especially in his living space.
"The apartment came as-is. Obviously, the landlord wouldn't allow any major renovations. Still, I'll be here for another three years… I should at least make it feel a little more like mine."
He scanned the room. Instruments were out of the question—too noisy, and potentially a nuisance to neighbors. The space wasn't very large either, so oversized decorations were impractical.
"Maybe some movie posters or a nice art print—modern or classical. Something cute, maybe? Setsuna might like that."
Haruto was self-aware enough to know that his personality didn't exactly scream "cute." His room was stark and minimalistic—nothing in it would make a girl smile with delight. That's exactly why, to show Setsuna a different side of himself, he thought of adding some gentle or playful touches to surprise her.
After a bit of thought, he left around noon and boarded the train to Harajuku.
Walking down Takeshita Street, surrounded by stylish, colorful people, he couldn't help but think: This is Harajuku, alright.
Known as a mecca for young trendsetters, the streets of Harajuku were filled with fashion-forward individuals. Haruto, in his simple shirt and light pants, stood out in a different way—and drew quite a few stares. His clean, refreshing look, combined with his quiet aura, caught the attention of several girls considering whether they should approach him.
Haruto, however, paid no mind to the attention. After scanning the stores around him, he walked quietly toward a nearby shopping mall.
The large commercial centers didn't yield what he was looking for—just rows of products that didn't interest him. Disappointed, he continued on until he stumbled upon a smaller home goods store.
What he did want were things like scented diffusers and wind chimes. In Itomori, summers always came with the soft tinkling of wind chimes at the window, carried on the breeze. It was that nostalgic charm he hoped to recreate.
It took several stops before he found what he was looking for.
"The rest… I don't really need to buy in person. I'll just order the rest online—it's easier to carry, too."
With only a small bag in hand, Haruto realized that buying something just for himself felt a bit wrong. He and Setsuna already didn't get to see each other much—being at different schools meant their time together was limited, often just around dinner. He started wondering if he was really doing enough as her boyfriend.
"Now that I think of it… what does Setsuna like…?"
He paused. Embarrassingly, he couldn't immediately think of an answer. She always paid attention to him, but he hadn't returned the favor as well as he should have. He closed his eyes and tried to recall the books on her shelves.
"She has a bunch of books in her room—maybe she likes reading?"
With no clear answer from memory, he focused on the details he did know. Thinking of her bookshelf gave him an idea.
He glanced toward the direction of the subway and began walking again. This time, he was headed to Ikebukuro.
Unlike Jinbōchō, which specialized in secondhand books, Ikebukuro had large chains like Junkudō, Maruzen, and Sanseidō—all perfect for finding new releases. If he was going to get Setsuna a book, it should be something fresh. And perhaps… if he stopped by Seibu Department Store too, he might find an additional small gift to brighten her day.