"The thing is, I understand how you feel… but aren't we going grocery shopping a bit too often lately? Even Grandma's starting to get suspicious of you, Sis."
"We do need to restock ingredients, sure, but going out at the same time almost every evening like this? Of course she'd find it suspicious. And it's not even guaranteed that you'll run into him. If you really want to see him, why not just be honest and ask for his contact info?"
With her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket, Yuzuru walked beside her older sister like a boy, mumbling in a tone that conveyed her growing discontent.
She gestured with her hands in front of her as she spoke, expressing her feelings through her own version of sign language. Seeing her older sister Shouko's flushed cheeks only made her sigh internally.
Of all the people to fall for… she had to choose a guy who's older and already has a girlfriend. Yuzuru didn't even know how she'd explain this to their mom or grandma—or how long they could keep it under wraps.
"Mom works late every day, and Grandma's mobility isn't what it used to be. That leaves grocery shopping to the two of us, sure. But lately we've been going out way too often, and most of the time, we barely bring anything back."
They were nearly at the shopping district now. For the past few days, Yuzuru had been tagging along with her sister just to make sure she wasn't being taken advantage of. Still, the routine was starting to wear on her. She stared at the passing crowd, clearly annoyed.
"You might be old enough to date, but this kind of one-sided crush? Mom definitely wouldn't approve."
Shouko pursed her lips at her sister's advice, her heart weighed down by the truth in Yuzuru's words. She had heard this same speech more than once. She simply signed, I understand.
Yuzuru rolled her eyes at the reply and turned her gaze ahead to the rows of shops, sighing without saying more.
They'd walk a few loops around the shopping district, maybe pick up some fresh vegetables if there was a good discount. If not, and if they didn't run into that boy—Haruto—it'd be yet another trip home empty-handed.
Even with child support and their mom's job, the family of four barely scraped by. Every yen had to be stretched. Wasting money—or time—was a luxury they didn't have.
"It's been days already, and we haven't run into him once. I wonder if he even comes here anymore. If the timing's off, this is all for nothing."
Yuzuru didn't mean to sound cruel, but she did want her sister to let go of this hopeless infatuation. From her perspective, even if the boy wasn't unkind to Shouko, there was no special warmth in his eyes either.
From the entrance to the heart of the shopping street, they walked past familiar storefronts and neighbors. Shouko smiled politely at those who greeted her. Yuzuru, head lowered, stole glances at her sister, unsure of how to voice the storm of thoughts inside her.
Then suddenly, Shouko stopped walking.
Yuzuru, whose mind had been elsewhere, immediately noticed and froze in her tracks.
"What is it?"
Frowning, she followed her sister's gaze… and spotted him.
That familiar—but not too familiar—figure: Haruto.
He wasn't alone. A mature woman stood beside him. Yuzuru's eyes narrowed. They weren't close enough to be a couple, but they weren't exactly strangers either. And they didn't resemble each other enough to be family. Something about the scene felt… off.
"Who's she? Do you still want to go talk to him?"
Yuzuru glanced sideways at her sister. She hoped Shouko would finally get the hint and give up. But the nervous, conflicted look on her face only deepened. Yuzuru sighed inwardly and made up her mind.
"Stay here. I'll go check it out."
Without waiting for a response, Yuzuru strode off, hands still in her pockets.
Shouko blinked, surprised by her sudden decision, then rushed after her.
"What are you doing?"
Haruto turned around at the familiar voice. He'd been chatting with the woman beside him about vegetable bargains. Seeing the red-and-white track jacket, short hair, and boyish stance, he was surprised.
Not because he ran into her—but because she had approached him.
"That surprising?"
"Yeah, a little. I figured you didn't like me enough to strike up a conversation."
Haruto gave a wry smile.
The woman beside him—Setsuna's mother, Mia—watched with quiet curiosity.
"A friend of yours?" she asked.
"Hmm… More like someone I know. It's been a while, though. Nishimiya… Mind if I call you Yuzuru?"
Before Yuzuru could reply, the hurried sound of footsteps approached.
Shouko had caught up, panting slightly from the short run.
Haruto smiled warmly. "We meet again, Shouko."
Caught off guard, Shouko stiffened. As she tried to compose herself, she instinctively raised her hands to sign—then remembered: Haruto didn't know sign language.
Her mind went blank with panic.
"Forgot your notepad or phone again? Ugh, fine. I'll translate," Yuzuru said, resigning herself with a sigh.
Shouko's fingers moved slowly.
'It's good to see you again. I'm happy.'
Yuzuru translated her sister's message.
Mia's expression shifted slightly as she observed the scene. She glanced at Haruto, then politely introduced herself.
"Kiyoura Mia. I didn't know Haruto had friends in this part of town. It's a pleasure."
Then, with a soft smile, she glanced at the sisters and added, "Since you all know each other, I'll let you catch up. I'll go see if the fish shop has anything fresh."
She walked off without waiting for a reply.
Yuzuru watched her go, unsettled. Shouko, meanwhile, looked unsure what to do with herself.
Haruto followed Mia's departure with his eyes, then turned back to the sisters.
"She's really kind. Just… not good with talking to strangers."
Shouko's expression softened a little at the reassurance, though her eyes still flicked toward Mia.
"Are you out shopping again today?" Haruto asked.
"Yeah," Yuzuru replied. "We're low on food at home. Mom works late, so it's just the two of us who can shop. We didn't expect to run into you here. You're out shopping with your girlfriend's mom?"
Yuzuru's eyes narrowed a bit. Haruto didn't look old enough to be married, but if he was shopping alone with his girlfriend's mother… it meant the family trusted him. That their relationship was already recognized.
She already felt like her sister's odds were slim. Now they felt nonexistent.
"We live nearby, so I don't really need to cook anymore," Haruto explained casually. "At first I made all my meals myself. But now? Not so much."
He wasn't hiding anything. Just calmly telling the truth.
Haruto glanced toward Shouko, but it was her younger sister Yuzuru whose reaction he noticed first. She looked uncertain, clearly wondering what her sister would say next.
"Your families already know? So… are you two officially dating?" Yuzuru asked, cutting to the point.
Haruto nodded calmly. "Yeah. During the last break, we told them. They've already met her. Nothing too dramatic happened. Once we graduate high school, we'll start thinking seriously about the future."
Yuzuru's eyes widened, stunned by the honesty—and the implications. She stared at Haruto, struggling to believe what she was hearing.
"You're still in high school… and you're already talking about marriage?"
It wasn't her sister saying this—Yuzuru herself was voicing the disbelief. She couldn't understand it. What kind of person even thinks about marriage in high school? And what was it about this guy that made him so sure of his path?
"It's just a plan, for now," Haruto replied with a small, measured smile. "We've only just started high school. There's still a long road ahead until graduation. Who knows how things will turn out? But… it's how we feel right now."
He wasn't pretending to have all the answers. He wasn't declaring anything as absolute truth. Haruto knew that time changed people—but even so, these were his honest intentions, spoken plainly.
That quiet, composed answer made Yuzuru fall silent.
Shouko looked at her sister for a moment, then gave a small smile. She raised her hands and slowly signed something.
Yuzuru watched, hesitated for a second, then translated it aloud for Haruto.
"She says… 'I wish you both happiness.'"
Haruto blinked. Then, touched, he gave a soft smile in return.
"They're gone?" Mia asked as Haruto approached her again. She stood up straight and handed him a few bags of groceries.
"Yeah."
"That girl just now… is she unable to speak?"
Now that they were alone, curiosity got the better of Mia. She turned to Haruto and asked about Shouko.
"She can speak," Haruto said gently. "But when she was little, she got sick, and it affected her hearing. So she's not very comfortable speaking out loud. But she's kind. Very kind… and really cute."
Mia raised an eyebrow at the comment. "You're saying that to me? About another girl being cute?"
Haruto chuckled. "It's because I'm saying it to you that I can be honest."
Mia looked at him, this boy who spoke so easily and yet so sincerely—and despite being an adult, she found herself blushing just a little at his smile.
She gave a quiet sigh, said nothing more, and the two of them walked together out of the shopping district.
Both of Haruto's hands were full with grocery bags—stuffed with all kinds of ingredients. When they returned to the house together, the first thing Haruto noticed was the shoes lined up at the entrance. There were only two pairs.
The three of them were supposed to be here tonight. One person had already left.
But the third pair of shoes… was familiar enough that Haruto didn't need to guess who it belonged to.
He and Mia brought the groceries into the kitchen. Some of the food they prepped immediately, while the rest was packed away in the fridge.
Afterward, Haruto quietly made his way down the hallway toward Setsuna's room.
But the moment he reached the door—he heard a strange sound coming from inside…