After Helping “Ice Princess” From Another School, I Decided to Start as a Friend Volume 5 part 1

 Chapter 6

It was late March. The temperature had been creeping up bit by bit... though the days were still plagued by fluctuating swings between warmth and chills. Today, however, happened to be exceptionally pleasant and mild.

The sun shone down from a clear, crisp blue sky. After so many overcast days recently, the brilliant weather felt wonderfully refreshing.

And on this fine day, we were out having a picnic.

"These sandwiches are so yummy!" Kirika cheered.

"Seriously..." Hikaru chimed in, chewing thoughtfully. "This egg salad sandwich is almost unbelievably good. The bread is so soft and fluffy."

"Fufu. Mother was so eager for everyone to enjoy something delicious that she really went all out," Nagi replied with a soft giggle.

Our group consisted of the usual suspects: Nagi, Eiji, Kirika, and Hikaru. We had planned this picnic because Kirika had declared that she had never really had one before and desperately wanted to try it, so we waited for a clear day. Just as the forecast had promised, the skies stayed clear, much to our relief.

"Whoa. Seriously delicious," Eiji muttered between bites.

"...It really is," I agreed, taking another bite. "Well, your cooking is always amazing, but... is something different this time?"

The sandwiches Nagi and the girls had made were genuinely delicious. Yet, I couldn't shake a slight feeling of discrepancy.

Wondering if it was just my imagination, I asked, only to see Nagi widen her azure eyes in utter surprise.

"...You noticed, Souta-kun?" she asked softly.

"Wait, what, what is it? Is it different from usual?" Kirika asked, leaning in with curiosity.

"Yes. When I mentioned Mother went all out... I meant primarily with the ingredients," Nagi explained.

"Ah, that explains it," I said.

Whenever Nagi prepared a meal, she usually shopped at a regular supermarket. She was the type to check out the bargain specials for produce and meat first before deciding on a menu. Granted, most people probably did the same, but these sandwiches... had likely been made with high-end, premium ingredients.

"...Wait, hold on! Does that mean scarfing them down like this was a total waste?" Kirika gasped, freezing mid-chew.

"No, not at all, please don't worry about that. Enjoying your food is what matters most," Nagi reassured her with a gentle smile.

...Perhaps Nagi had deliberately avoided mentioning the quality of the ingredients so no one would feel self-conscious. Just as I was kicking myself for speaking out of turn, she spoke again.

"Fufu. Still, I should have known you would notice, Souta-kun. To pick up on such a subtle change in flavor..."

"Well, you know... I eat your cooking all the time. Plus, you mentioned you learned how to cook from Mother-in-law and Suzaka-san. Even if you season things to suit my taste, your basic culinary style isn't going to be drastically different from theirs, so I figured it had to be the ingredients."

"...Did you hear that, Eiji? Would you be able to tell the difference between something I cooked and something my mom made?" Kirika asked, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"Yeah, of course," Eiji replied instantly.

"And that's because my mom's cooking tastes way better than mine, right?"

"I haven't even said anything like that yet?!" Eiji yelled.

"You said 'yet'!" Kirika shrieked.

Right beside us, the two of them were engaged in their usual playful banter. Watching them was endearing, but then... I noticed Hikaru gazing warmly at Eiji and Kirika, and then at Nagi and me.

"Hikaru, is something on your mind?" I asked.

"Hm? Nah, I was just thinking about how close you all are. Though it's a completely different kind of closeness, if that makes sense. Kirika and Eiji have that bond from having known each other forever. While you and Nagi... what is it? A soothing closeness that just puts people at ease?"

"I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'putting people at ease,'" I said, scratching my cheek.

"Fufu, how should I put it? It might sound weird to phrase it this way, but... kind of like a mom and dad?" she chuckled.

"Oh, I totally get that! Nagirin and Minoriin seem like the ideal married couple!" Kirika chimed in, beaming.

"That's it exactly," Hikaru agreed with a nod.

"A-An ideal married couple...?" Nagi murmured, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

The conversation had shifted into territory that was rather difficult to comment on. Eiji was already grinning at me like an idiot. I decided to keep quiet and try to fade into the background.

Despite my intentions, Nagi shifted her gaze from Hikaru and Kirika over to me. There was the faintest trace of uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

"Do you think we could become... an ideal married couple? An ideal pair of parents?" she asked quietly.

"...Yeah. We definitely can," I answered.

Though it took a second for the weight of her question to register, the response came out before I could hesitate.

"We both still have plenty to learn, of course, but there are countless people around us we can lean on. So we'll be fine."

"...You're right," she murmured.

The uncertainty melted from Nagi's eyes, replaced by a gentle, glowing warmth.

"Unless my ears are playing tricks on me, didn't you two just skip straight from being married to having kids?" Kirika asked, eyes wide.

"They sure did," Hikaru remarked deadpan. "Took a whole triple jump."

"Man, being able to say stuff like that with a straight face without getting embarrassed is so typical of you, Souta," Eiji teased.

"...I don't think you're one to talk, Eiji," I retorted.

When I shot back at his peanut gallery commentary, Nagi let out an amused giggle.

Letting out a small sigh, I turned away from Nagi only to lock eyes with Hikaru, who was grinning wryly. Then, she cleared her throat—apparently taking pity on us and shifting the subject.

"Come to think of it, didn't you two mention going on a trip?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh, that! I totally wanted to ask you all about that today!" Kirika piped up.

With that, the conversation smoothly transitioned to our travel plans. I had mentioned it in passing to Eiji before, but only briefly. We hadn't even nailed down the specifics of where we were going in Okinawa yet.

"Right, you guys are heading down to Okinawa, yeah?" Eiji asked.

"Yeah. Looks like I'll have saved up a decent chunk from my part-time job. ...I originally planned to cover some of our living expenses with that money, but Mom and the others flat-out refused to let me."

"Haha, I can totally picture that... Well, good for you. Gotta have fun while you've still got the chance," Eiji remarked.

"Yeah. Next year is going to be crazy busy, after all," I replied.

We hadn't decided on which university to aim for yet, but studying would be non-negotiable regardless of where we went. Once exam prep kicked into high gear, we would have to study far harder than we did now. We'd probably need to start buckling down right around the end of summer vacation.

"I'm so jealous! Okinawa! I wanna go too! Eiji!" Kirika whined, latching onto his arm.

"You know we're not the types to hoard savings," Eiji muttered wryly. "I only work shifts whenever my sis calls me in, anyway. ...Though, if I really bust my butt starting now, maybe I could scrape enough together? Between plane tickets and hotel rooms, plus sightseeing cash once we're there... And if we're going all the way out there, we gotta eat good food, too."

"Ugh... And we'd have to buy vacation clothes and new swimsuits, too," Kirika groaned.

"Yeah, it'd be cutting it real close. Maybe if I crammed my schedule with shifts every week, we'd stand a chance?" Eiji said.

Eiji ran the rough budget through his head out loud. Kirika's shoulders slumped in dejection... and Nagi watched her closely.

Then, Nagi turned toward me, an exceedingly earnest look on her face.

"Souta-kun," she called softly.

"Yeah, sounds good to me," I answered immediately.

Just from the way she called my name, I knew exactly what she wanted to propose. I was thinking the exact same thing, after all.

Nagi then turned her gaze toward Hikaru.

"Hikaru-chan, would you like to go to Okinawa too?" she asked.

"Huh? Well... I don't know," Hikaru replied, blinking in surprise.

"Perhaps I phrased that poorly. Wouldn't you like for all of us to go to Okinawa together?" Nagi rephrased with a gentle smile.

"...I mean, sure, going together as a group sounds fun and all. But..." Hikaru trailed off.

Hikaru had clearly pieced it together from that alone. Her eyes darted around in flustered hesitation... and that tipped off the other two as well.

But before either Eiji or Kirika could interject, Nagi spoke up.

"In that case, why don't we all take a trip to Okinawa together? While covering your airfare might be difficult... my family has a villa in Okinawa, so that will save you the cost of hotels."

"...No, no, no, no! Bad idea, Nagirin! We can't do that!" Kirika protested frantically.

"I'm against it too," Eiji chimed in firmly.

Kirika shook her head vigorously from side to side, and Eiji nodded in agreement. Their expressions had completely flipped from a moment ago, turning dead serious.

"This is supposed to be your trip! A memory to last a lifetime! There's no way we're barging in and ruining that for you!" Kirika argued.

"Yeah. It's basically your honeymoon... or rather, engagement trip, right? Memories just for the two of you are precious. Honestly, I really want you guys to cherish that," Eiji added.

Glancing slightly away from those two toward Hikaru, I saw her nodding with an equally solemn expression, sharing their stance.

"I'm with them on this," Hikaru stated. "We're touched that you value your friends so much, but we'd rather you prioritize your time as a couple above all else. ...A couple's very first trip together is kind of the biggest deal of all."

Hearing their objections, Nagi rested a hand against her chin in deep thought. It was a habit I hadn't seen much of lately—one she had inherited straight from Father-in-law.

A brief hush fell over our group. The gentle rustle of leaves and swaying grass in the spring breeze was pleasant against our ears.

"I've got a suggestion," I spoke up.

Sensing that Nagi would need some time to reach a conclusion, I decided to break the ice. Those azure eyes... along with several other pairs of eyes, all swung toward me. First, there was something I needed to confirm with Nagi, so I looked directly at her.

"First off, our trip is scheduled to be fairly long for a vacation, right?"

"Yes. Since accommodation is already taken care of, we were hoping to stay for a week or even longer," Nagi confirmed.

"Right. Probably around ten days at most. ...So, how about we spend the first few days in Okinawa together with everyone?"

Nagi's eyes flew wide. She gasped softly, and her eyes sparkled with brilliant delight.

"I think that's a wonderful idea! Would that work for you all?" she asked, turning eagerly to the others.

We looked at the other three. Eiji crossed his arms, deep in thought; Kirika stared up at the sky, mulling it over; and Hikaru closed her eyes... each displaying their own distinct contemplation style.

Hikaru was the first to speak.

"...Well, if it's like that, I'm down. It's not like I didn't want to go—in fact, I really do. I just didn't want to get in your way."

"Yeah, if the tables were turned, we'd totally invite you too! All right then, we'll gladly take you up on that! What about you, Eiji?" Kirika asked.

"..."

Even so, Eiji remained quiet, his gaze fixed steadily on Nagi and me. His serious expression didn't waver.

Then, out of nowhere, he let out a chuckle.

"What's funny?" I asked.

"Nah... I was just thinking that, when I really think about it, I was worrying over nothing stupid," he said.

"Worrying over nothing?"

"Yeah. I was worried you guys would spend all your energy catering to us and neglect your own time together."

"...I see what you mean," I acknowledged.

Hearing his explanation, I nodded. I understood why Eiji felt that way. If we invited them along, the time Nagi and I spent alone would inevitably shrink.

Thinking about it more concretely, if it were just Nagi and me, we would obviously share a bedroom at night. But bringing Eiji and the girls meant I would bunk with Eiji, while Nagi would share a room with Kirika and Hikaru—just like whenever they stayed over at my place.

Still, it truly was a needless worry. Just as Nagi pointed out, we simply had to reserve plenty of time for just the two of us afterward. Besides, Father-in-law and Mother-in-law had already told us we could stay as many days as our schedules allowed.

"Don't worry about it. Friends are important, and so is a romantic partner. After all, even after you became friends with me, you still cherished Kirika, right, Eiji? I could always tell how much you care about her."

"H-Hearing you say that out loud is pretty embarrassing, man," Eiji stammered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Wait, what?! Eiji, are you saying you're embarrassed to be my boyfriend?! I'm gonna kiss you! Smooch attack incoming!" Kirika squealed, lunging forward.

"I definitely never said that! Cut it out, hey! Don't charge at me with a sandwich in your hand!" Eiji shouted, fending her off.

Watching the two of them fool around like that softened my cheeks into a grin. Nagi and Hikaru were smiling just the same. Then, Nagi directed her smile toward Hikaru.

"I was going to tell you not to worry either, Hikaru-chan... but I suppose I don't even need to say it," Nagi murmured affectionately.

"Pretty much. I've already heard plenty about how madly in love you two are. ...Huh, come to think of it though, I haven't really heard Kirika talk much about Eiji."

"Now that you mention it... I feel as though I am usually the one talking about Souta-kun," Nagi agreed, tilting her head.

Nagi and Hikaru looked at the couple with blank curiosity, and I followed their gaze. Suddenly, Kirika darted her eyes away, prompting Eiji to seize the initiative and launch a counteroffensive.

"Oh? What's this, Kirika? You don't talk about me?" Eiji smirked.

"Aah, well, you know, um... I've got my hands full just listening, and bringing it up myself is kind of embarrassing, ehehe..." Kirika muttered, twirling a strand of hair.

"Look who's talking about being embarrassed! Whenever you've got free time, you barge into my room to read manga, don't you?! Burled up inside the duvet on my bed, no less!"

"Waaah! Stop, Eiji! Don't tell them that! I was keeping that a secret!" Kirika flailed, turning bright red.

...Far from an actual fight, it was just their own unique brand of loving banter. Still, this was the first time I had ever witnessed that side of them.

Whenever they were alone together, this was probably their natural dynamic. They really were deeply in love.

After watching them play-fight for a little while, Nagi waited for a lull in the banter before turning to Hikaru.

"This applies to Kirika-chan and Eiji-san as well... but will finances be all right? While you are all welcome to stay at Father's villa, there is still the airfare and spending money for activities..."

"That's more than generous enough," Hikaru said. "Honestly, hotels are the single biggest expense. I hear prices have been skyrocketing lately. I've got savings from New Year's gift money tucked away, so I'm totally fine. What about you two?"

"My policy is to burn through all my New Year's money and paycheck the very month I get it!" Kirika announced proudly.

"Which means work for us," Eiji sighed. "Gotta pack my schedule with a few extra shifts, but I'll make it happen."

"Which means zero problems! Ah, and if we're going to Okinawa, we're definitely hitting the beach! Hikaruun, Nagirin, let's go shopping for swimsuits together next time! Oh, and it's been getting warmer lately, so let's look for summer clothes, too!"

"...Looks like I might need to pick up even more shifts than I thought," Eiji muttered under his breath.

Eiji let out a faint sigh, yet the corners of his mouth curved into an affectionate grin.

And just like that, it was decided that they would join us for the first half of our engagement trip.

◆◇◆

The unexpected development struck just after our picnic wrapped up, when a notification pinged on Nagi's smartphone.

Nagi stared intently at the screen. Her brow furrowed in hesitation... and naturally, I couldn't help speaking up.

"Nagi, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Ah, no... it's just, Father messaged me. He asked me to call him whenever I have a free moment."

"From Father-in-law?" I repeated.

I tilted my head in confusion. What could it be about? If it's about business... he would've contacted me too.

"If you're worried, why don't you give him a call right now?" Hikaru suggested. "None of us are in a rush, so we don't mind waiting at all."

"...Good idea. Please excuse me for just a moment," Nagi said, bowing slightly.

Prompted by Hikaru's suggestion, Nagi stepped away with her phone in hand.

She returned only a few minutes later.

"Everyone, could I have a moment of your time?" Nagi asked as she rejoined us.

"What's up?" I asked.

"This news concerns not just Souta-kun and me, but all of you as well... Or rather, to be precise, Kirika-chan might not be directly involved."

At her words, Eiji and the others wore blank, puzzled expressions. Kirika, whose name had been singled out, practically had a giant question mark floating over her head.

"Before that, here is the part that does concern everyone, including Kirika-chan: Father readily agreed to let us all use the villa for our Okinawa trip without a second thought."

"Yay! ...Wait, so what's the part that doesn't involve me?" Kirika cheered, before tilting her head once more.

Kirika let out a joyful shout, only to tilt her head once again in confusion.

"Souta-kun might be particularly shocked by this, but..." Nagi cautioned gently.

Nagi offered that preface, and what followed proved her right beyond measure—

"Uka-chan will be enrolling in the high school that Hikaru-chan and I attend, while Seiya-san will be enrolling in the high school Souta-kun and Eiji-san attend."

—The shock was so overwhelming, I couldn't even muster a gasp of bewilderment.

◆◇◆

Summing up everything I learned from Nagi, the situation was as follows:

Originally, the high schools the twins had aimed for were completely different from the ones Nagi and I attended. According to Nagi, they had been slated for a private high school typically favored by distinguished families. Their choice of school had changed only after the arranged marriage proposal was called off. Nagi had uncovered this after reaching out to Uka directly; in fact, Uka had answered every single question... or rather, for every single detail Nagi inquired about, Uka provided ten in return. She was so forthright it almost made one anxious about whether she should really be disclosing so much.

Furthermore... Uka openly admitted that she was the mastermind behind the whole plot. Claiming she was curious about Nagi and me, she persuaded her parents to let her apply. Knowing the wider Minamikawa clan would object, her parents kept the plan secret from the rest of the family while the twins took entrance exams for our schools. Seiya had also been curious about me at the time—though in a distinctly negative light back then—so he had gone along with Uka's scheme.

Up to that point, it sounded like a scandal that would cause pure havoc if the Minamikawa family ever found out. In the end, however, her actions produced an unexpectedly positive outcome—all because Uka and Seiya had grown close to us.

To make a long story short, the Minamikawa family had more or less regained stability. Although their patriarch had been placed under house arrest for a time, he had since returned to his position at the helm... though lingering distrust had not entirely dissipated among the relatives. As a result, the Minamikawa family came to view their ties with the Shinonome family as something they desperately wanted to preserve. That was largely thanks to the joint newspaper interview Nagi and Uka had conducted—playing out precisely as Uka had calculated.

Through all those twists and turns, Father-in-law had finally been informed of Uka and Seiya's enrollment by way of Minamikawa Haruto-san.

Once all this information was laid out and sorted—Eiji furrowed his brow, lost in thought.

"Just who the hell is this Minamikawa Uka... person?" Eiji asked, bewildered.

"...Asking who she is is rather difficult to answer," Nagi replied hesitantly.

"Yeah, she's definitely no ordinary middle schooler. Sounds like she can read the future or something," Eiji said.

His words suddenly reminded me of something Nagi had shared before. If I recalled correctly, Father-in-law had described Uka as being utterly elusive and enigmatic.

Nagi nodded firmly in agreement with Eiji.

"What Eiji-san said might not actually be far off," she remarked.

"...Seriously?" I asked.

"Father once told me that among top executives, there are individuals who appear capable of predicting the future. In most cases, it is simply a matter of vast experience, meticulous information gathering, or laying groundwork well in advance."

"But she wouldn't have that kind of experience... right? She's a year younger than us," Hikaru pointed out.

"Yes. While she has undoubtedly studied business strategy and gained some practical experience... that would still be limited to what a student could manage," Nagi agreed.

"Well, fair enough," Hikaru muttered. Nagi nodded once more before continuing.

"However, according to Father... there is a rare handful of people who truly are different."

"Different how? People who can actually see the future?" Kirika asked, wide-eyed.

"More precisely, people who leave you with no other explanation than to assume they can. Regardless of whether they can literally foresee it or not."

"I get it... But wouldn't your father fall into that category too, Nagi? He built a massive corporate enterprise all within a single generation, didn't he?" Hikaru asked.

"...Even from my perspective, Father possesses remarkable business acumen. However, it is also true that he was blessed with many wonderful supporters. In the early days in particular, my Nihonbuyo master assisted him in various ways."

"Her master... Ah, the Living National Treasure," Hikaru recalled.

The master she referred to was Nagi's Nihonbuyo teacher, Master Tsuru Ichitake. Master Ichitake's very first apprentice had been Nagi's grandmother, and Nagi's grandmother had in turn been Father-in-law's Nihonbuyo instructor—a deeply intertwined relationship.

Here, Nagi cleared her throat lightly.

"I've strayed slightly off topic, but... while I would not go so far as to say Uka-chan can literally 'see the future' like Father mentioned, I do believe she possesses something remarkably close to it."

"...Is Nagirin going to be okay with that?" Kirika asked, her voice laced with unease.

Kirika was the one who sounded so worried. Hearing such apprehension from someone who was usually bubbling with cheer felt decidedly unusual.

"I mean, I've heard you talk about her, Nagirin! You said she adores you and is super sweet. But hearing all that just now... well, you know..."

"You're wondering if she's just using her, right?" Eiji cut straight to the point.

Eiji finished the thought Kirika hesitated to voice aloud. His gaze rested squarely on Nagi, then shifted over to me.

Meeting his solemn stare, Nagi maintained an equally grave expression.

"Naturally, that crossed my mind. ...In fact, one could say I have already been used by her."

"Right, that newspaper interview you mentioned before," Eiji said.

We had briefly filled Eiji and the others in on that incident, though because of my promise to Seiya, we hadn't disclosed every detail of what was said.

That interview had reconciled the Minamikawa and Shinonome families... and it had been an essential catalyst for the fractured Minamikawa family to rebuild itself. There was no denying that Uka had used us toward that end.

Even so, it wasn't as though we were merely taken advantage of.

"She did not use us solely for her own selfish gain," Nagi clarified. "There are numerous benefits for the Shinonome family in maintaining strong ties with the Minamikawas."

"Besides, because of that situation, I was able to learn the truth," I added. "I found out what kind of repercussions my actions had caused, and I'm glad I know."

"...I gotcha," Eiji grunted, nodding slowly.

The guilt of knowing that my actions had fractured the Minamikawa family and threatened to leave innocent kids like Seiya and Uka with nowhere to belong had weighed heavily on me. But seeing the Minamikawas pull back together thanks to that affair had eased that lingering burden.

"Of course, one could argue she merely wanted to stay on our good side for future advantage," Nagi said softly. "However... I do not wish to view her through that lens."

Nagi smiled at Kirika. It was a purely genuine, gentle expression.

"Uka-chan genuinely looks up to me. If I were to doubt her sincerity and suspect she is only using me, it would surely hurt her deeply. That is why I want to see her simply as a friend."

"...Still, I hate the thought of it. If something happens and Nagirin ends up getting hurt..." Kirika murmured, her voice trailing off.

"Then leave that part to me," Hikaru interjected calmly.

In contrast to Kirika's shrinking, subdued tone, Hikaru's voice remained as unruffled and steady as ever.

"I'll keep an eye on this Uka girl and make sure she isn't plotting anything funny. Well, I was already planning to stay on guard around her anyway."

"...! Hikaruun!" Kirika gasped, her face brightening.

"I don't want to see Nagi get hurt either, you know. I like to think I have a pretty decent eye for people... so it'll probably be fine."

Overcome with emotion, Kirika threw her arms around Hikaru in a tight hug. Having grown somewhat used to this treatment, Hikaru offered a wry smile before turning her gaze toward Nagi.

"You might have mixed feelings about me playing watchdog, but are you okay with that, Nagi?" Hikaru asked.

"Yes, of course. I was quite guarded... or rather, bewildered at first myself. But if it turns out she harbors no ill intentions, I would love for both you and Kirika-chan to be good friends with her."

"Naturally," Hikaru gave a casual nod.

"You got it!" Kirika chimed in happily.

Nagi beamed upon hearing their responses. Seeing her smile, I turned toward Eiji, only to find him looking right back at me with a serious expression, just as I expected.

"Count me in on that too," Eiji stated. "...A lot happened between us and that family, but I'll judge him on his own merits."

"Thanks. I'm sure things will be fine, but I'll leave it in your hands just in case," I said.

Seiya was the type who couldn't tell a convincing lie to save his life and seemed terrible at hiding secrets... but anything was possible. Once Eiji vetted him and decided he was trustworthy, they could build a genuine friendship.

"..."

"Hm? Something wrong, Souta?" Eiji asked, noticing my pause.

"No, it's nothing," I replied with a quick shake of my head.

Would Eiji and Seiya really be able to hit it off? For better or worse, Seiya wore his heart on his sleeve—especially when dealing with someone he disliked.

Knowing Eiji's easygoing nature, I felt he would manage to get along with him, but trying to picture their interactions proved nearly impossible. Well, I had always assumed the two of them would meet someday... and the same went for Uka. I had expected to introduce them at some point down the road anyway. In that sense, having it happen like this might actually be a blessing in disguise.

Right around the time my thoughts wandered that far, Nagi cleared her throat.

"I apologize for taking up so much time, but the bottom line is that Uka-chan and Seiya-san will be joining our schools starting this April. While the possibility that she has some ulterior motive... isn't entirely zero, I believe that is something we can learn about as we spend time together."

"Totally. There's no point overthinking it now since we won't know anything until we meet them face-to-face and talk," Hikaru agreed.

Hikaru nodded at Nagi's words, and Eiji and Kirika nodded in agreement as well.

And so, while our peaceful picnic had ushered in a subtle whisper of turbulence... it drew safely and pleasantly to a close.

◆◇◆

A few days later. Today was the day I was staying over at Nagi's house, so I had made the trip. Currently, I was seated in the living room, talking with my father-in-law.

"This is what the projected costs and timeframe look like," he said. "It falls within the budget you gave me, but Souta-kun, does this work for you?"

"Y-Yes, of course," I stammered. "Though... wouldn't it normally cost a lot more than this...?"

"I would love to say negotiation is my specialty... but that wasn't the case this time," Father-in-law replied with a chuckle. "While it is true she and I have worked together many times, what really did it was telling her about you—she took quite a liking to your story. Said you had real backbone and chivalry for someone so young, or something to that effect."

This discussion with my father-in-law touched upon the very reason I had started working a part-time job in the first place: to present Nagi with a certain special gift.

"From here, we'll need to hold concrete discussions," he continued. "She mentioned that she wants to hear what you have to say in person. We can work out the schedule later, but as for the venue... this house should do nicely. Does that suit you, Souta-kun?"

"Y-Yes, sir. That sounds fine to me," I replied.

"I shall sit in on the meeting as well," he said. "Naturally, I have no intention of interfering... though would you mind if I offered a bit of advice?"

"Of course not, sir. I'd appreciate it," I answered.

My father-in-law worked with incredible speed. The artisan he had reached out to on my behalf was a master craftswoman whose commissions were normally booked out years in advance. ...According to him, there was a secret trick to making such a request, and he had assured me telling her about my situation would do the trick, but still.

Just as our conversation wound down to a natural pause...

The sliding screen door slid open. The one peeking in through the gap was... Mother-in-law.

"Dear, Souta-kun, are the two of you finished talking?" she asked gently.

"Hm? Ah, yes. We have wrapped up everything that needed discussing," Father-in-law replied.

"In that case... Nagi, it looks like they're done," she called out down the hall.

Mother-in-law's words made me freeze. Father-in-law was equally stunned, wearing an expression I had rarely seen on him before.

A moment later, a flurry of brisk, pattering footsteps echoed from the corridor... and Nagi popped her head into view, blushing with a bashful, sheepish expression.

"Ehehe." She offered an embarrassed giggle.

"N-Nagi...? D-Did you happen to hear...?" I stammered.

"Ah, n-no! Not at all!" she exclaimed.

If she had overheard our conversation about her surprise gift, that would be terribly bad. At my anxious inquiry, she shook her head vigorously from side to side. Beside her, Mother-in-law let out a soft, amused giggle.

"There is nothing to worry about," Mother-in-law explained. "Truth be told, I merely ran into Nagi fidgeting nervously down at the far end of the hallway. Naturally, it was well out of earshot of your discussion."

"...Y-Your conversation took longer than I expected," Nagi murmured, casting her eyes downward. "Still, if it was an important discussion, I couldn't very well eavesdrop on you."

"Since Nagi was so conflicted, I decided to step in and check on the timing for her," Mother-in-law added with a smile.

I breathed an inward sigh of relief. Both Father-in-law and Mother-in-law were already in the loop about the gift, so there was no danger there.

"We parents completely monopolized Souta-kun today, after all. You don't mind handing him over now, do you, dear?" she teased.

"Mrmph. Come to think of it, you are right," Father-in-law acknowledged with an awkward clearing of his throat. "My apologies, Souta-kun. And to you as well, Nagi."

"Not at all, sir! I had a wonderful time talking with everyone," I replied.

Ever since arriving at the Shinonome estate today, I had chatted at length with Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, and even Suzaka-san. The same went for dinner. Up until now, I hadn't had many chances to sit down and speak with them so extensively.

I truly wanted to build a good relationship with her parents, so we had conversed about all sorts of things—school, Nagi, and everything in between... but the truth was, that ended up cutting into my time alone with her. Even though I had waited until she went to take a bath to talk with Father-in-law, that discussion had dragged on quite a bit, too.

"Well then, Father-in-law, Mother-in-law. I'll be heading off now," I said.

"Yes. Go and get some proper rest," Father-in-law replied with an understanding nod.

"Yes, sir. Good night," I said.

"Good night to you both," Nagi added softly.

With that, Nagi and I left the living room. Passing Suzaka-san in the hallway, we exchanged brief greetings with her as well before heading back to Nagi's bedroom.

Along the way, I couldn't help noticing something. Nagi was wearing... a terribly conflicted, sulky little pout.

"What's the matter, Nagi?" I asked gently.

"..."

At my question, she cast her gaze downward, lost in thought. Then, flopping down onto the edge of her bed, she pulled the duvet tightly around herself like a cocoon. Her cheeks were noticeably redder than before.

"I just... felt a little embarrassed," she whispered.

"Embarrassed? About what?" I asked, puzzled.

"...Well..."

Her voice had shrunk to a murmur, so I took a seat beside her on the bed. When I did, her blue eyes flickered up toward me in a fleeting glance.

"I realized that I'm far more possessive and easily lonely than I thought I was," she confessed.

"Ah. So that's what this is about," I chuckled softly.

Come to think of it, this might have been the first time something like this had happened. Granted, spending hours absorbed in a long conversation with other people while Nagi was in the same house was a rare occurrence in itself, but still...

"Isn't that completely fine, though?" I said.

"B-But I really don't think it's good for me to act like this," she protested shyly. "You were only talking with my family, and yet... I still went and got lonely."

"Honestly, it made me really happy," I told her.

Taking her hand as she hung her head, I conveyed my honest feelings, and Nagi finally lifted her face.

"It's not like you were eavesdropping or anything," I added. "If anything, I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't even notice."

"N-No, not at all! You have absolutely nothing to apologize for, Souta-kun!" she insisted.

Shaking her head frantically, Nagi squeezed my hand with surprising fervor. I couldn't stop my lips from curling into a grin.

"Then there's no problem at all," I said. "Seeing you like this makes me happy, too."

"...Y-You mustn't," she stammered, flustered. "You can't spoil me like that."

"When it comes to you, spoiling you rotten is just about the right amount," I teased back.

I had only served as her attendant for a few months, but even that was more than enough to understand just how much effort she constantly poured into everything she did.

On top of her daily Nihonbuyo practice, she performed on stage time and time again. Furthermore, she handled media interviews, accompanied her master to lecture events, and so on... Her accomplishments were nothing short of extraordinary. She interacted with an immense number of people, particularly adults.

No matter how hard I knew she worked, what I saw was merely the tip of the iceberg. ...On top of that, in the past, she had never been able to properly rely on or act spoiled around her parents.

That was why I had resolved to spoil her as much as humanly possible to make up for it. Even now that she could be open and pampered around her parents, it still wasn't enough.

"Even in just these past few months, I've seen you work your heart out so many times," I said gently. "So it's more than okay for you to think you're being a little too needy."

"...If you say things like that, I'm going to become far more spoiled than I already am, you know?" she murmured playfully.

"Bring it on," I grinned.

I had the distinct feeling we had exchanged almost this exact same banter back before we even started dating. Come to think of it, we were already hugging each other back then, even though we weren't an item yet.

...Which begs the question, how much further can her pampering go now that we're engaged?

The answer to the question that had crossed my mind arrived almost immediately.

"—Don't go regretting this, okay?" she warned softly.

With a gentle shove from the side, I found myself pushed backward onto the bed before I even knew what was happening.

The next moment, Nagi loomed right over me, dragging the duvet up behind her.

"Hup! ...Trapped you in the duvet," she giggled.

A light weight settled atop my chest, paired with a soft, fluffy sensation enveloping my back. It took me several seconds to realize she had wrapped the blanket around both of us, sealing us together inside.

"Now you can't escape," she whispered with a triumphant smile.

"...Not that I had any intention of running in the first place," I replied dryly.

"It's the principle of the thing. Besides, who knows what might happen next?" she teased.

With her exquisitely lovely face resting right above my chest, I was utterly captivated, unable to tear my eyes away.

Seeing that, Nagi let out a playful giggle. Wearing a distinctly mischievous smile, she reached out with her slender, fair fingers.

"For instance... fufu. Even if I tickle you like this, you can't get away," she murmured.

"N-Nagi...?" I croaked.

Her fingertips traced lightly along the nape of my neck. Overcome by the ticklish sensation, I squirmed beneath her, but trapped as I was, that was all I could manage. Watching my futile struggles, Nagi chuckled with delight.

The word regret flitted through my mind for a fleeting second before vanishing entirely. There was no way I could possibly regret this. Sure, it tickled like crazy, but that paled in comparison to how wonderfully happy she looked.

While those thoughts drifted through my head, her tickling ceased. Instead, she shimmied her body upward, inching closer... and I fought with everything I had to distract myself from the soft sensations reshaping against my torso with every tiny movement. It was a bit late to realize it, but this position was dangerously compromising... Though really, it was far too late to worry about that now. Nagi was almost certainly doing it on purpose, anyway.

Her face shifted from my chest up toward my neck, bringing her even closer than before.

Then, she pressed her lips against the exact spot on my neck she had just been tickling.

"Fufu, I'm sorry," she whispered into my skin. "I was just curious to see how much you'd let me get away with."

"I don't think there's anything you could do that I wouldn't forgive... but..." I managed to squeeze out.

My voice hitched midway through the sentence, leaving me unable to string another word together. The reason being that her lips began pecking and nibbling at that very same spot on my throat like a little bird.

It wasn't ticklish, nor did it hurt—it was an exquisitely gentle nibble. And yet, an indescribable shiver raced down my spine, sending goosebumps rippling across my skin.

"You're the one who told me I could be more spoiled, so you brought this on yourself, you know?" she teased.

"...W-Well, seeing you act spoiled makes me happy, too," I stammered defensively.

"I know. Or rather... I supposed I only thought I knew," she murmured.

Nagi wriggled further upward, bringing her face right level with mine. With that movement, her radiant warmth and softness pressed even more intimately against me, and her sweet scent grew intoxicatingly potent. What was more, she wound her legs snugly around mine, clinging to me as if declaring that she would never let me get away.

"Souta-kun," she breathed.

The moment my name parted her lips, she closed the distance and pressed her mouth against mine.

A stray lock of her silvery-white hair brushed softly against my cheek. Noticing it, she reached up and tucked it behind her ear—a casual, feminine gesture that sent my racing heart hammering into overdrive.

After a few lingering seconds, the kiss ended. ...Only to begin all over again.

A second time, a third, a fourth. With each overlapping press of our lips, heat flared deeper within her blue eyes, leaving their corners soft and drowsily languid.

Right around the time I decided it was pointless to keep counting—she finally drew her lips away.

That didn't mean she had pulled away, of course. Since the two of us were bundled tightly together inside a single duvet, there wasn't an inch of room between us to separate in the first place.

She simply rested her weight atop me, closer than any embrace could ever be. Light as a feather, she wasn't a burden in the slightest—and more than anything, feeling her entrust her entire body to me without hesitation filled me with sheer joy.

"My head feels so light and floaty," she murmured, eyes misty. "Every time we kiss, happiness overflows inside me... It makes me want to keep doing it forever."

Her grip on my hand tightened. Matching her pressure, I squeezed back, lifted my head slightly, and pressed my lips to hers of my own accord.

"We can do it as many times as you want," I murmured against her mouth. "I want to, too."

"Fufu. Well, in that case, I suppose I have no choice," she giggled softly.

With that whispered reply, Nagi claimed my lips once more.

Even though we had shared dozens... no, hundreds of kisses by now, the special magic behind it never faded in the slightest. I couldn't get used to it at all.

"It's so strange," she breathed. "Even though we've done this so many times, the happiness only keeps swelling... and my heart won't stop pounding like crazy."

Her deep blue eyes gazed intently into mine. I was in the exact same boat; my own heart had been thrashing wildly against my ribs for quite a while now. In fact, my own pulse was always so deafening that I felt as though I could never properly hear hers.

Reaching that thought, I reflexively averted my gaze. If things followed our usual pattern...

"Souta-kun," she called out.

Hearing my name, I knew she had seen right through me.

Guiding my clasped hand, Nagi shifted her body slightly... and pressed my palm against a soft, yielding fullness. Deep beneath it, a frantic, steady rhythm throbbed against my skin.

My hand rested squarely between us. Through my palm beat Nagi's rapid pulse, while against the back of my hand echoed the thumping of my own.

"You really are so quintessentially you, Souta-kun," she said softly.

"W-What does that mean?" I stammered.

When I brought my eyes back to hers, I was met with her amused, affectionate smile. The deafening thrum of our hearts, her radiant body heat, her sweet fragrance—each sensation threatened to hijack my consciousness, but I desperately forced myself to focus on the conversation.

"Back when we were living together, I had all sorts of chats with Hikaru-chan and Kirika-chan," she explained. "Mostly along the lines of asking whether I had any worries or concerns about living under the same roof with you."

I nodded in understanding. There were bound to be things she felt uncomfortable discussing with a member of the opposite sex like me... or concerns that talking to me wouldn't resolve. Having close female friends was an invaluable blessing.

"In particular, according to Hikaru-chan... she has apparently received quite a few consultations about boys trying to touch their girlfriends' bodies almost immediately after they start dating," Nagi shared.

That reminded me: Hikaru really was the type people gravitated toward for advice. She had a dependable, big-sister aura about her... Even in my own interactions with her, I had felt how sincerely and attentively she listened to others.

Switching gears, I waited for her to continue.

"She said there were very rare cases of the opposite happening as well, but... in any case, most relationship problems after becoming a couple boiled down to that," Nagi said. "For my part, having been on the receiving end of so many stares, I could somewhat understand what Hikaru-chan was talking about."

"Yeah, I can see that," I agreed.

"Ah, of course I understand that such people are only a small minority," she quickly added. "You go without saying, Souta-kun, but I have never once seen that kind of behavior from Eiji-san or Seiya-san, either."

Neither Eiji nor Seiya was that sort of guy. They were the kind of people who looked you straight in the eye when they talked. If they hadn't been, I don't think I ever would have become this close with them. Though in Seiya's case, we were still in the middle of getting to know each other better.

"And so, she made a point to ask me back then: 'Are you doing all right with that sort of thing?'"

"...And were you?" I asked nervously.

"Why do you look so worried, Souta-kun? I already know you cherish me more than anything in the world... and that you still do right now," she answered tenderly.

I had asked out of an anxious fear that I might have inadvertently made her uncomfortable at some point, but Nagi gave me a rare, slightly exasperated look. It was only for an instant, however, before her expression melted back into warmth.

"When it came to physical intimacy, you never went further than hugs and kisses unless I took the lead. When I told them that, both of them were thoroughly impressed," she explained.

"I-Is that so?" I stammered.

Knowing they had talked about such things was a bit embarrassing, but there was no real harm done. Still, being a little terrified of the specifics, I decided it was best not to ask just how much detail she had shared.

"Even though we've hugged and kissed countless times... you still turn bright red just from touching my chest like this," she murmured, gazing fondly at me. "That's so very like you, and it makes you so utterly dear to me."

"...You don't think I'm a total wuss deep down, do you...?" I muttered self-consciously.

"Jeez, why on earth would you jump to that conclusion?" she pouted.

Nagi puffed out her cheeks in mock offense. Leaning down, she bumped her forehead gently against mine with a soft clack.

"Every single part of that is who you are, Souta-kun. And I love all of it," she said firmly. "If you ever say something silly like that again... I'm going to do something even more outrageous to you, understand?"

"E-Even more...?" I swallowed dryly.

"Even more," she declared with a nod. "Something so intense that not just your face, but your entire body will blush beet red. Something so scandalous you'll be dreaming about it for an entire week afterward."

"That... sounds terrifyingly dangerous," I breathed.

Whatever she had in mind was apparently so potent that Nagi's own face flushed crimson just thinking about it. To say I wasn't curious would be a lie... but repeating my blunder right now to test her definitely felt like a terrible idea.

No, even before that—entertaining that line of self-deprecation was wrong to begin with.

"I'm sorry, Nagi," I apologized sincerely.

"Yes, I forgive you. ...Souta-kun," she murmured softly.

Nagi gently closed her eyes. I wasn't so dense as to miss what she wanted me to do.

"Mmh."

—A makeup kiss. It was a rule we had established back when we were living together. Even now that our trial cohabitation had concluded, we continued to honor the agreement. Not that we ever really had proper fights to begin with.

A tender, pillowy softness met my lips. Even as the intoxicatingly sweet aroma threatened to melt my brain, I summoned every ounce of willpower to pull my lips away. ...Though trapped under the duvet, I couldn't create any real physical distance, merely sending the signal that the kiss was done.

Sliding down just a fraction, Nagi rested her head snugly into the crook of my neck.

"Um... what were we talking about again?" she asked faintly.

"About how you had all sorts of chats with Hikaru and Kirika," I reminded her.

"Right, that was it. We were discussing how very like you that was," she murmured.

Whenever we kissed, my mind inevitably got swept away, driving whatever we had been talking about completely out of my head. Not that kissing right in the middle of a conversation was an everyday occurrence, anyway.

"While it's completely true that I adore you just the way you are, Souta-kun, please don't hold yourself back on my account," she whispered earnestly. "Especially if you're going to spoil me this much."

"...I will do my best," I promised after a long pause.

"And if you still hold back, I'll just have to make sure you stop holding back, little by little. So don't you worry," she replied with a gentle smile.

Now I understood why we had ended up in similar situations so many times before. It turned out she had been acting with deliberate intent all along.

Restricting my affection out of fear of making her uncomfortable had been the wrong approach. I didn't expect to fix my overthinking overnight, but I decided I would do my best to change, step by step.

Our conversation trailed off there. Still resting her weight atop me, Nagi buried her face into the crook of my neck... and judging by the sensation, she was probably planting little kisses there. She was honestly so cute I thought I might lose my mind.

With my free arm, I reached around her back to keep her from slipping off. Just like that, I pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of her head.

Cocooned together beneath the blanket, I felt everything about her. Her warmth, her scent, her heartbeat—and the overflowing depth of my love for her.

I would convey my own boundless love to her without leaving a single drop behind. After all, there were countless ways to show it.

---

ToC