Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 4 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – It’s not a Sister Complex

1 

Every Monday morning made the week to come feel like an eternity, but this week the time flew by for Sakuta just from planning menus. 

Through the course of making tofu patties, sea bream carpaccio with tomato on top, daikon with miso sauce, nikujaga, and pesto pasta, and suddenly it was already Thursday. 

He stopped for groceries on the way home again that day, then went to Mai’s house to make Nodoka’s dinner. 

Avoiding high calories, he focused mostly on dishes that had lots of veggies. Tonight’s main was eggplant gratin. 

He’d made this dish Sunday, when Shouko brought Hayate by to play. Both Shouko and Kaede had loved it. 

Nodoka ate it without complaint, so it must have been pretty good. 

“Since when can guys make gratins?” she asked when she finished. 

“Better to have a guy who can rather than a girl who can’t, am I right?” 

He cleared away the dirty dishes and washed up. 

When that was done, he sat down next to Nodoka on the couch, where she was watching a DVD. His weight shifted the cushions and made her lean toward him. 

She adjusted her balance without a word, sliding all the way to the far end of the couch, getting as far from Sakuta as possible. 

“I’m not gonna jump you.” 

“I’m not taking your word for it.” 

“Hmm, well, I think most men would prefer it to the alternative.” 

Not being acknowledged despite sitting close together would be way worse. 

“That’s seriously not what I meant. Drop dead.” 

Nodoka was speaking in level tones, her face and eyes looking straight ahead at the TV. It was playing one of Mai’s movies. From before her hiatus…when she was still in junior high. 

Whenever Mai was on-screen, Nodoka’s eyes were glued to her. She paid special attention to how Mai blinked, when she blinked, and how she shifted her gaze—trying to absorb every last detail. 

Going through Mai’s performances had become her post-dinner routine. Sometimes it was movies, sometimes TV shows. 

Tonight they were watching a blockbuster horror movie. It was about people dying mysteriously after their names were posted on a particular social media site. 

Mai played a sinister girl who always appeared after a body was found. She had incredible presence—sometimes she’d just be standing perfectly still, but it was impossible to miss her. Her lips would move ever so slightly, and it would send a shudder down your spine. 

The biggest scare was when the third victim, a woman in her midtwenties, was taking a shower. Mai suddenly appeared in the mirror in front of her. 

“?!” 

Nodoka muffled a terrified shriek. Sakuta’s heart almost leaped out of his chest, too. 

It didn’t seem like Nodoka was much of a horror fan. It took her less than five minutes to grab a cushion and hold it protectively in front of her. Ever since the first death, she’d had half her face buried behind it, peering over the top to keep watching. 

Clearly, the only reason she managed to get through the whole thing was because she was clinging to the hope that she’d find the hint she needed somewhere in Mai’s performance. 

When the credits started rolling, Mai Sakurajima appeared at the very top of the cast list. A moment after it vanished, Nodoka clutched her head. 

“Augh, I’m so doomed.” 

“Why?” 

“The reshoot is tomorrow!” 

“I know.” 

“And I’m still clueless.” 

Sakuta sighed dramatically. 

“I should be the one sighing!” 

“Don’t tell me you’re serious.” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“It’s already been decided. Why are you still fretting about it?” 

She’d said it herself. She hadn’t found a clue and had zero confidence, but the shoot was tomorrow…that was pretty much set in stone. 

“You’re not gonna become ‘Mai Sakurajima’ in a single week.” 

“That’s…” 

That was something Nodoka knew even better than he did. There was no natural way to match ten years of professional acting overnight. No matter how intently anyone studied her performances, all they’d do is prove how amazing Mai really was. 

If it was possible to achieve the same results from just watching, all actors would be like Mai. There would be Mai Sakurajimas everywhere. 

“And tomorrow won’t change a thing. It’ll just be another day.” 

“D-don’t remind me!” 

“They’ll call action, and you’ll still be you.” 

“I said you don’t have to remind me… You really know how to get on people’s nerves, you know that?” 

“Whatever you say. Besides, I’ve never even seen your nerves.” 

“I obviously didn’t mean that literally!” 

Nodoka jumped to her feet, huffing and puffing. This was definitely something Sakuta would never see once the sisters were back in their own bodies. 

“Anyway, my point is, you don’t need to try so hard to be something you aren’t.” 

The more she tried to be Mai Sakurajima, the more she was headed for a repeat of last time. Like the week before, she’d hyperventilate, and the shoot would be postponed. 

“It’s perfectly fine even if you’re just ‘good enough.’ You’re being real greedy.” 

Nodoka gave him a long, searching look. 

“Why’d you suddenly go quiet?” 

“I think I figured something out.” 

“Huh?” 

“About you.” 

“Is this really the time for that?” 

“You’ve been talking nonsense, but you’re trying to cheer me up.” 

Nodoka grinned, like she’d won the battle. 

“Well, it’s Mai’s job, so I want it to go well.” 

“Oh? I’ll leave it at that for your sake.” 

“Uh, I mean it, though?” 

“Then I’ll be mad.” 

“Be as mad as you like.” 

Sakuta got to his feet. 

“What, you’re leaving?” 

“Yep. If I’m late getting back, Mai’ll get grumpy.” 

Since she’d given him her spare key, she was clearly okay with him looking after Nodoka. But if he was here too long, she’d get very prickly. Last night she’d gone so far as to specify that he should be home by eight, like a Showa-era curfew. 

“I’m just watching your movies and shows with her!” he’d protested. 

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Mai had said, not looking at him. 

“Then what?” 

“If Nodoka starts wanting you, that’s a problem.” 

This had caught him off guard. 

“Like…sexually?” 

“……” 

Her glare had chilled him to the bone. 

“Sorry, not funny,” he’d said hastily. 

“I don’t mind giving her some things, but at the moment, I’m not interested in giving her you.” 

Mai had clearly been fighting back her own embarrassment and didn’t see any of this as a laughing matter. Sakuta had miserably failed to stop himself from grinning, which made it worse, but he felt this much was forgivable. Mai was being really cute, after all. He wanted to record this moment and play it back every night. 

“Well, at the moment, she mostly seems to despise me.” 

He was making her dinner every night, but rather than show any gratitude, Nodoka mostly was all, “Stop leering at my sister’s body!” or “Don’t sit so close!” 

“Even if she did feel anything like that, it would only be because she’s jealous of what you have.” 

“One hopes.” 

Mai had let it drop, but she didn’t sound convinced. 

That exchange had been last night, so he figured he’d better get home early. If he stayed here too long, there was no telling what she’d say this time. The punishment could be severe. 

“Take a nice long bath and go to bed early,” he said on his way to the door. 

The shoot was at the crack of dawn. Her manager would be here to pick her up at four thirty AM. 

“I know that. You don’t have to tell me.” 

“Bye.” 

“Oh, wait.” 

She stopped him before he reached the door. 

“Message for Mai? Tell her yourself.” 

“Not that.” 

Seemed like it really wasn’t. 

“Then what?” 

“So, uh…I want to take a long bath, so can you stay until I’m out?” 

She shot him an anxious look. 

“Huh?” 

He’d never expected that, so he just gaped at her. 

“You’re the one who said to take a bath and go to bed early.” 

“And what part of that involves me being here? Doesn’t make a whit of sense.” 

“I-if I’m in the bath alone, sometimes it feels like there’s someone else here,” she mumbled. 

“Oh, like when you’re in the shower and you can sense someone behind you?” 

Like that scene in the movie. Nodoka made a face. 

“So what you mean is that you’re scared, right?” 

“I saw you jump, too!” Nodoka wailed, unable to disguise it any longer. 

“I’ll stay if you let me in the bath with you.” 

Nodoka seemed to be giving this serious thought. 

“I-if my sister approves…,” she said gravely. 

“Uh, no, I was kidding. Come on, don’t take stuff like that seriously.” 

Nodoka did this sometimes. The way she would totally miss the joke was proof she was a serious soul. 

“! Drop dead! Then die again!” 

“You mean, like, die socially and then physically?” he wondered, not really addressing her. 

“I’ll never show you her body!” 

“I’d much rather see it with her inside.” 

“This isn’t even what we’re supposed to be talking about!” Nodoka growled, realizing he’d led them off on a tangent. 

“……” 

Sakuta yawned, and she scowled at him. 

“Fine, I’ll wait till you get out. You’re so needy.” 

“Leave the last part out,” she complained and snatched up her pajamas. Sakuta had folded them earlier and laid them out on the couch for her. She ran into the bedroom, likely to grab a change of underwear. 

She came back out, went into the changing room, and stopped at the door, looking back. 

“You shouldn’t peek,” she hissed. 

Did she say it that way because she wanted him to? That’s what it sounded like to Sakuta. 

But a moment later, the changing room door closed, and he heard the lock click. 

“……” 

Now he couldn’t peek. 

He sat back down on the couch instead. Then his eyes flicked to the sliding doors between the living room and the tatami room. 

 “No matter what, don’t open the cupboards in the tatami room.” 

He remembered what Mai had said when she handed him the key. 

“……” 

Until now, he hadn’t had a moment to check, but Nodoka was in the bath, so this could be his chance. 

He got up and slid the door open. 

Mai didn’t seem to use this room much. There was basically nothing in here. The tatami themselves still smelled new, and she was definitely keeping it clean. 

At the very back was something you could call a cupboard. The only furniture in the room. 

He opened the top drawer. There was only one object inside. 

A cookie tin. 

The picture on top showed dove-shaped shortbread cookies. It was a big tin that was apparently supposed to contain thirty-six cookies. 

Sakuta took it out and placed it on the tatami. 

Then he carefully opened the lid. 

“……” 

It was full of letters. All of them addressed to Mai Sakurajima, in the same handwriting. The oldest ones had her name in hiragana instead of kanji. 

There was no need to look at the return address. 

He put the letters back in the tin and gingerly placed it back in the cupboard. He closed the drawer again. 

Then he left the tatami room, sliding the door closed behind him. 

“Aaaargh,” he said, feeling the need to put this mood into words. 

Mai’s feelings were locked away in that cupboard. And it was obvious how Nodoka really felt, too. 

“Man, I hope they make up soon…” 

Sakuta was well and truly ready for these sisters to stop being so hardheaded. 

2 

In the end, even on the day of the shoot, Nodoka was far from ready. When she stepped onto the set, she looked distraught and was super-stiff during the run-through. 

A week wasn’t enough time for anyone to change that much. She was still the same person. 

But she’d tried one thing after another, and her struggles hadn’t been entirely in vain. 

Nodoka had figured out some things. Had made some discoveries. Sakuta had been there with her, and he’d done both those things as well. 

This was how real life worked. 

There was no way to be completely prepared for anything, film shoot or otherwise. Even with weeks to prep, it was entirely possible to still feel anxious. Whether those worries remained or not, all that remained was to face reality head-on. There was no choice but to overcome it somehow. 

For Sakuta, this past week had been about learning that. The moment this lesson crystallized for him came more than an hour into shooting, when the director’s voice echoed through the station. 

“Yeah, okay! That’s a wrap!” 

The crew immediately started clearing out. It was seven thirty, and more and more people were coming through the station. Old ladies out walking their dogs were stopping to watch the shoot. 

Nodoka went around to each crew member, saying a word or two. The cameraman gave her a big grin, and the assistant next to him seemed surprised to be included in her thanks. 

Sakuta was an outsider here and obviously couldn’t join in. So he quietly moved away. Some crew members had remembered him from the week before and regarded him with suspicious looks. 

They must have thought he was some creepy fan following Mai Sakurajima around—those were definitely looks reserved for a suspected stalker. 

He waited for the light by the crossing to change and headed toward the beach. It was too late to swing back home but too early to head to school. The best option was to merely hang around, watching the waves roll in. 

The beach was almost empty at this hour. He could see a few people far in the distance but no one within earshot. He had the beach to himself. 

All he could hear were the sounds of nature. The crisp fall breeze, the churn of the surf. 

A few days ago, it had still felt like summer, but the wind carried a new chill that made it clear autumn had arrived. 

It was mid-September. Summer should have been on its way out the door. 

The water sparkling in the morning light was no longer as striking a shade of blue. The colors deepened as fall rolled in. 

It was refreshing, peaceful. 

Nothing blocked his view. Just the sea, the sky, and the horizon. 

Monopolizing all of that, Sakuta yawned with an “Hwaaah.” 

Waking up at five was brutal. He was so sleepy. Even with the light this bright he could barely keep his eyes open. 

“You’re ruining a great view.” 

The voice came from right next to him. 

He glanced in that direction and saw Nodoka standing on the beach. Still looking like Mai. Enoshima floated on the water behind her, making it seem like a shot from a movie. 

He’d been so out of it he hadn’t noticed her approach. 

“They offered to give me a lift to school, but it’s too early for that,” she explained. He hadn’t asked. She’d switched from the outfit she wore for the commercial into her Minegahara uniform—the summer uniform, complete with black tights. Just like Mai always wore them. 

Nodoka moved closer, eyes on the water. She stopped about three steps from him, turning to face the ocean. 

“Ahhh, this feels great!” she said, stretching. 

“Good work on the shoot.” 

“Thanks.” 

“Glad it ended well.” 

“Except it only took twelve takes. Horrible.” 

“Better than collapsing on the first one.” 

“I wish I could forget. Quit reminding me!” 

They fell silent. 

For a while they just listened to the surf and the wind. 

“I can’t be like my sister,” Nodoka said abruptly. Talking to the water. 

“You got there in the end, though.” 

“Not what I meant.” 

“Huh?” 

“I meant after I’m back in my body.” 

“Aha.” 

“Even if Nodoka Toyohama and Sweet Bullet get wildly popular, and I become as famous as she is…I could never live under that kind of pressure. Never.” 

“Worry about that once you get popular.” 

“……” 

He felt her glare on his cheek. He glanced toward her; she was definitely frowning at him. No, scowling. 

“You don’t think I’ll manage?” 

“Mm.” 

“Don’t just grunt at me!” 

“I mean, there’s a lot of idols.” 

Mai had been watching a bunch of different idol concert videos, so he was getting a pretty good idea just how many there were. 

From what Mai told him, even just counting the ones at major agencies, there were over two thousand active idols. If local or underground idols were included, there was no telling how many were around. It was insanely competitive. 

Only a few of these managed to get on TV regularly. And behind those glamorous stages were countless other idol groups, dreaming of their moment in the spotlight. 

“There are a lot. That’s true.” 

“Lots of girls cuter than you.” 

“I—I know that, too, but…!” 

She clearly didn’t want it spelled out. She’d gotten all sulky again. 

Sakuta kept going anyway. 

“And you’ve gotta sing and dance…” 

“You’ve never even seen my concerts!” 

“I have. Just like you’re watching Mai’s movies and shows, Mai’s been watching concert videos, promo videos, music videos… She gets pretty into it.” 

“So you’ve seen all that and still have the nerve to talk to me this way?” 

“Saying it behind your back would just be rude.” 

“It’s tactless either way!” 

“If having tact means knowing exactly how hard it’ll be but saying, ‘You’ll make it big soon!’ or ‘I know you can do it if you work hard enough!’ then I got all that crap out of my system and flushed it down the toilet years ago. Flushed that baby twice for good measure.” 

Nodoka gave him a look of frozen horror. 

“I know my beautiful metaphor has impressed you, but don’t make Mai look so dumb.” 

“This is a look of disgust! Who are you?!” 

“Sakuta Azusagawa.” 

“Ugh, you are literally the worst,” Nodoka snapped. She turned on her heel and started walking along the beach, deliberately staying on the wet portion of the sand. It was firmer than the dry part and easier to walk on. 

She was headed east. Toward Kamakura and their school. A one-stop walk would take her right below Shichirigahama Station. 

He got up and followed, matching her pace. 

“Argh, I dunno what to do.” 

“You’ve gotta accept the face and body you were born with.” 

“Not what I’m talking about!” 

“Then what? Your mom wants you to be as popular as Mai Sakurajima, but you know that’ll never happen, so you’re stuck?” 

He threw the question at her like it was no big deal. 

“……” 

Nodoka stopped in her tracks. Sakuta stopped with her, a good ten feet back. 

“Yeah, that’s right. Is that a problem?” Nodoka asked, not turning around. 

“Ain’t up to me to decide if it is.” 

“……” 

“What about you?” 

“What about what?” 

“Do you wanna be like Mai?” 

Nodoka stood perfectly still, not looking at him. She kept her head slightly down, thinking. Two, three waves rolled in. 

“I dunno,” she said, her voice oddly clear for such an unclear statement. “I think I did once. The truth hadn’t dawned on me yet, and…I really did look up to her.” 

She actually did look up as she said this, turning her gaze to the sky. 

“And now?” 

“That’s what I dunno,” she said as she turned toward him, radiating scorn. “I only just figured it out that I could never do that. If I was under that much pressure all the time, the stress would kill me. I guess I’m leaning toward not wanting to be like my sister after all.” 

This felt like an honest answer. An admission of how much the whole experience had spooked her. 

“So you can’t do it Mai’s way, but you’ve still gotta find a way to please your mom.” 

“Wow, easy for you to say. Could that goal be any more ambiguous?” 

“It’s because it was easy to say that I said it. Come on, try to keep up.” 

Nodoka glared at him. 

“If there’s no point, you can always just quit, right?” 

“Huh?” 

“The whole idol thing. The fans’ll notice if you’re not into it anyway.” 

Sakuta started walking as he spoke, passing Nodoka. 

“While you’re at it, give Mai back her body and go home already. I can’t believe that I got a chance to start living with her, but all she does is practice singing and dancing! She’s got no time for me, and I’m all frustrated.” 

If he tried to strike up a conversation with her, she’d just cut him short. “Sorry, after dance practice.” And if he waited patiently till that was done, all he would get is “I’m going to bed. Can it wait till morning?” And if he waited till morning, she’d already have left the house to go jogging. And when she got back from that, she’d hop straight in the shower and then go off to Nodoka’s school. 

Even on weekends, she was usually in Nagoya, Osaka, or Fukushima, at event halls or shopping malls, doing mini concerts. 

If he didn’t know better, it was like they were a couple about to break up from constant lack of contact. And Mai didn’t even seem to be aware of the problem, which made it that much worse. Sakuta felt like he was the only one getting antsy. 

“In that case, want me to take special care of you instead?” 

“Huh?” 

He spun around and found Nodoka grinning at him. That was clearly the smile of somebody who was up to no good. There was little doubt in Sakuta’s mind that she was planning to use Mai’s body to tease him mercilessly. But her schemes were far too transparent. 

Then again, he didn’t see a reason to reject the idea. He decided to ignore the fact that it was Nodoka inside and play along. Given the enforced celibacy, Mai would probably allow him a little fun. 

“Specifically?” 

“Anything she’d let you do.” 

Nodoka came closer, looking confident. Still believing that lie he’d told her about them just holding hands. Maybe it was time to tell her the truth. 

“Well, we haven’t Frenched yet.” 

“French what?” 

“Smooches.” 

“Huh?” It took her a moment to catch up. “Er, wait, what? Wouldn’t that mean you’ve done non-French…?” 

“Yep.” 

“?!” 

Nodoka was so shocked her foot caught on a mound of sand. She lost her balance completely and toppled toward him. 

“Augh! Look out!” 

He reached out to catch her, but she was falling too fast, and he ended up getting dragged down under her. 

Something soft brushed against his right cheek. He knew that sensation. Mai had done the same thing to him before. 

Judging from Nodoka’s reaction, his guess was right on the money. 

She scrambled up hastily, hiding her lips with both hands and already red. When her eyes met Sakuta’s, her blush deepened, and she hastily turned her back on him. She tried to cover this by brushing the sand off her skirt. Too late. 

“Mai, could you gimme a hand here?” 

Sakuta held his hands up, waiting for her to pull him to his feet. 

“……” 

Nodoka visibly hesitated, but seemingly not wanting him to think she was embarrassed, she approached him without a word. Her lips were pressed tight, and she was clearly forcing down her emotions, but she helped him up. 

“Honestly, I didn’t think you’d go that far.” 

“I—I didn’t—Well, that much is no big deal,” she said, turning away from him again. “W-we’re in high school. K-kissing is totally normal.” 

“Are idols allowed to say that?” 

“I’ve never done it before!” she yelped, so flustered she wasn’t making sense. Then she realized she’d dug her own grave. “Except I have!” she hastily added. This really didn’t help. 

“Yeah, but aren’t idols are supposed to be all pure and stuff?” 

“It’s cool if you kiss other group members!” 

He had not expected this light jab to result in her coming out. 

“……” 

Vivid images of girls kissing floated into his head, and he instantly felt corruption calling. 

“I had no idea. I suppose you are in love with your sister…” 

“That’s not what I meant! I prefer guys!” 

He was starting to feel like they should get off this subject. Nodoka was so rattled now, there was no telling what alarming facts she might blurt out next. He was saying stuff she should absolutely be refuting, but that seemed to be going right over her head. Apparently, she did love her sister. 

“Well, I feel much better. Guess it’s time for school.” 

It was still a bit early, but if he was late because he was busy bickering with Nodoka…he’d be pretty upset. What was the point of waking up at five? 

“W-wait!” she said as he started walking. 

“Really, you don’t need to come up with any more excuses.” 

“That’s not it…” 

He turned around and found a new look on her face. She was done squirming. 

“I can’t be like my sister. But I am gonna be an idol.” 

The clouds were gone. The smile on her face was a sunbeam. 

“I only started it because Mom applied for me, and I happened to pass. But the concerts are fun, and I have fans cheering me on.” 

“Okay.” 

“Yeah, so first I’ve gotta buckle down, get a song where I’m the center. Maybe then my mom’ll start to get it.” 

“Huh.” 

“Hey,” she said, her tone dropping suddenly. She didn’t look happy. 

“What?” 

“Why do you look so bored?” 

“Because I am bored?” 

“Excuse me? This a serious conversation!” 

“Serious conversations are typically boring.” 

“For real, what is going on in your head?” 

“It’s basically full of Mai.” 

“……” 

“……” 

“Fine. I’m gonna get super-famous and make you eat your words.” 

“On the off chance that day comes, I promise I’ll look suitably surprised.” 

“You better not forget.” 

“Then get famous before I do.” 

As they spoke, Sakuta started walking toward school again. Nodoka followed, keeping pace with him. She spent a while grumbling about him, and he let her. 

They went up the stairs and followed the road that led to the school. 

While they waited for a signal, Nodoka suddenly started digging around in the pocket of her bag. She pulled out her phone and twitched the moment she saw the screen. 

“You answer,” she said, thrusting it toward Sakuta. He glanced at the screen. There was an incoming call from “Nodoka.” In other words, this was Mai calling. 

Sakuta considered telling Nodoka to answer it herself, but he figured it would go to voice mail while they argued, so he just took the phone from her and tapped the screen. 

“Hello?” 

“Why are you answering?” 

“She doesn’t wanna talk to you.” 

“I didn’t say that!” Nodoka yelled, yanking the short sleeves of his uniform. 

“Well, I was calling for you anyway,” Mai said. 

“You were?” 

“Mm, I was about to leave when your phone rang. Didn’t know the number, so I didn’t answer. It went to the answering machine…” 

When someone left a message, anyone in the room would be able to hear their voice even without picking up the receiver, which meant… 

“Who was it?” 

“Your dad.” 

She sounded slightly tense. She knew why he wasn’t living with his parents, so she was concerned. 

“And Kaede?” 

“Poked her head out to listen. She said she was fine, but…she seemed a little surprised.” 

“I see.” 

He’d have to make one of Kaede’s favorites for dinner. 

“It’s so you to worry about Kaede first,” Mai said, almost to herself. 

“What was the message?” 

“He wants to meet Sunday.” 

“Got it. Thanks for letting me know.” 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“Oh, and the commercial shoot wrapped up okay. After, like, thirteen takes.” 

“Twelve!” Nodoka corrected. Loud enough that Mai probably heard her. 

“Okay. Tell Nodoka she did good.” 

Sakuta had very obviously changed the subject, but Mai let that pass without comment. She probably had questions and was definitely worried, but she didn’t let it show when she humored him. She knew that if she did, it would force him to answer. 

He deeply appreciated her delicacy where his parents were involved. It wasn’t like they were fighting and he wasn’t reluctant to meet them or talk to them. But they didn’t live together. That left things up in the air, and he wasn’t sure he could communicate his feelings on the matter in a way that made any sense. 

“I’d better get to school,” Mai said. 

“Okay. Bye.” 

He hung up and handed the phone back to Nodoka. She clearly had questions. Even if it was Mai inside, she probably would’ve had the same expression on her face. Nodoka had never looked more like Mai. 

3 

On the way home from school that day, they found themselves locked in a battle of endurance. 

All because of that phone call. All because Mai had let him know his father had been in touch. 

Nodoka clearly wanted to ask. 

Sakuta pretended not to notice. 

Waiting for the train on the tiny platform in Shichirigahama Station, riding the short four-car train, and after they disembarked at Fujisawa Station—neither of them said a word the entire time. 

He was pretty sure Nodoka meant to be considerate. She was trying not to show how much she wanted to pry. But the act was so transparent it was impossible to miss what she really wanted to do. Sakuta had long been of the opinion that Nodoka was a terrible liar. Her expression and body language were a dead giveaway. 

While Sakuta stopped at a convenience store for the slightly better pudding, and after they left, any time they made eye contact, she immediately looked away. 

It took a tremendous amount of acting to pretend he hadn’t noticed. 

“You wanna know more about my family, right?” he asked, a few blocks later. He’d gotten sick of the weird tension and decided to just tackle it head-on. A high school kid and his junior high–aged sister living alone together was hardly ordinary, after all. Anyone would have questions. 

“……” 

Nodoka looked at him, surprised. But she recovered quickly. 

“My sister told me the basic gist,” she said quietly. “The day we swapped bodies.” 

She sounded uncomfortable. Probably guilty about airing someone else’s dirty laundry. 

Mai must have deemed it necessary information, and Sakuta didn’t have a problem with that. Nodoka had nothing to feel guilty about. 

“Then what?” 

“How do you feel about your parents?” 

They stopped at a red light. 

“I think they’re my parents.” 

“Huh?” 

“They’re my parents.” 

“Is that it? There’s gotta be more.” 

“Like?” 

“Love ’em, hate ’em, can’t stand ’em, wish they’d get off your back, etcetera.” 

“Probably all of those,” he said. 

“……” 

Nodoka did not appear to be satisfied. She didn’t think he meant it. 

“I’ve thought each of those things at some point. I think.” 

“You think?” 

“What do you want me to say?” 

The light turned green. Sakuta left Nodoka standing there, lost in thought. A moment later, she hurried after him. 

When she caught up, she looked even more disgruntled. Her lips were twisted to one side. But it didn’t seem like she was bothered by his answer. More frustrated by her inability to control the flow of conversation. 

“You don’t resent them?” she tried when they’d cleared the crossing. 

“Not really.” 

This part was definitely true. 

They were living apart as a direct result of Kaede getting bullied. He’d certainly been angry at a lot of things right after that happened. Part of that had certainly included resentment for his parents. But looking back on it now, it was clearly a fleeting phase. As time passed, his emotions settled down. And a big part of that was the person who’d helped him through it—Shouko Makinohara. 

“Why not?” 

“Probably because they’re my parents.” 

The answer came easily again. This was one of those things where the more thought went into it, the more complicated the answer became, but barring any overthinking, the answer could actually be surprisingly simple. 

Nodoka fell silent again, mulling it over. Probably about her relationship with her mother. 

She’d run away from home after a fight, so her mother was definitely a source of resentment. She didn’t want to see her, speak to her, or have anything to do with her. 

But she also knew deep down she couldn’t leave things like this. Or rather, she didn’t want to. 

So she was searching for a solution in Sakuta’s words. But no matter how carefully she picked them over, she couldn’t find the answer she wanted. All she found was Sakuta’s. 

“Your parents ever say, ‘They do things their way, we do things our way’?” 

“Our way was more ‘Do it like Mai does,’” Nodoka muttered, like she was reciting a curse. 

“That sounds terrible.” 

“It was.” 

They fell silent. Nodoka didn’t have more questions. She didn’t have anything else to add, either. But the silence didn’t last that long. 

When they reached their apartment buildings… 

“That car…,” Nodoka said, frowning. 

…there was a white minivan parked outside. Shinagawa plates. Definitely didn’t belong to anyone who lived nearby. 

As he looked it over, the driver’s-side door opened. A classy lady around forty got out. She immediately homed in on Nodoka. It was like Sakuta wasn’t even there. She strode toward them, heels clicking. 

Nodoka’s lips moved. “Mom,” she mouthed. 

“Mai,” Nodoka’s mother said crisply. Reproachfully. Clearly blaming Mai. “Where’s Nodoka?” 

The accusation in her tone was obvious. There was no way she could know “Mai” was actually Nodoka. Nobody would ever guess they’d swapped bodies, and even if they told her, she’d never believe it. Nodoka’s mother thought she was talking to Mai. 

“It’s high time you gave her back.” 

She was definitely treating Mai like a villain here. 

“This is a critical time for her. I won’t let you interfere.” 

“Sorry, I’m confused,” Nodoka said in Mai’s voice. 

But her lips were shaking. 

“She’s staying with you, right?” 

“She isn’t.” 

“Don’t lie to me!” 

She wasn’t lying. Mai—in Nodoka’s body—was staying in Sakuta’s apartment. 

“She really isn’t with me. If you’d like, feel free to come in and check.” 

That shut her mom up. If she did barge in, she’d be forced to admit how inappropriate this was. And she was at least rational enough to realize that. 

“No, that won’t be necessary,” she said, backing down. “If you hear from her, tell her to come home.” 

“I’ll do that,” Nodoka said, gamely maintaining her Mai act. 

This display of maturity left her mother wanting to say something, but she thought better of it and strode back to her vehicle. The engine started, and it drove away not long after. It was soon out of sight. 

“Isn’t she awful?” Nodoka asked. 

She looked sad. Nobody wanted to gripe about their parents. 

“I don’t think it’s wrong to get desperate where your kids are concerned.” 

“She’s only trying to protect her own pride.” 

That was certainly part of it. Like Mai had said, Mai and Nodoka were trapped in a proxy war between their mothers to see who would be more successful. Mai’s mother had seized an overwhelming victory and was likely past caring, but to Nodoka’s mother, the battle was ongoing. Her attitude had made that clear. 

At the same time, the way she’d shown up, damn the consequences? That definitely struck Sakuta as a mother’s protectiveness. 

When people act for themselves, their rational minds usually kick in, making them prone to hesitating, worry about appearances, and more interested in avoiding risk. But when acting for someone else’s benefit, they could justify all sorts of things to themselves by saying there was no other choice. It was a great excuse for desperate acts. 

At the very least, Sakuta would never embarrass himself for his own benefit. He’d only been able to tell Mai he loved her in front of the whole school because he had a good reason that compelled him. 

“……” 

Nodoka was still staring after her mother’s long-departed minivan. The sad look on her face suggested she’d found the answer she’d been looking for in their earlier conversation. 

“I don’t see the problem.” 

“……” 

She shot him a confused look. 

“In loving your mom.” 

“?!” 

“You fight, get mad, run away, but you still love her.” 

“……” 

Nodoka didn’t say anything. She gritted her teeth, staring at Sakuta. Glaring at him. Like she was trying to gauge if he meant what he said. She forgot to blink. 

“…Even an awful mom like that?” she asked, without much confidence. 

This was the truest expression of her feelings yet, Sakuta thought. Constant meddling so she’d be “like Mai,” all the frustration and fights…it had gotten bad enough that she’d run away. 

She had plenty to hold against her mother after all she’d said and done. But Nodoka still couldn’t bring herself to hate her. She knew full well it didn’t make sense, but the part of her that wanted to go on loving her mother was just as strong. 

These conflicting emotions were still warring within her. And that’s why she was looking to Sakuta for a solution. 

 “You don’t resent them?” 

It was all contained in that brief question. 

“Who said she was awful?” 

Sakuta definitely hadn’t. 

“I think she’s awful. She shows up at every concert so the whole group knows about her. I know. They’ve said things like ‘Doka, your mom’s something else.’” 

“Is that why you feel like it’s wrong to love her?” 

“……” 

“That’s a dumb reason.” 

“I mean…!” 

“If you got upset because someone talked shit about your mom, that’s your answer right there. If you feel sick because you had a fight, again, then that’s your answer.” 

“……” 

Nodoka’s hand gripped her shirtfront tight. She must have been agonizing for a while. 

“How…” 

“Mm?” 

“How do you know exactly what I wanted to hear?” 

She glared up at Sakuta, fighting back tears. But she failed to hold them in for long. The emotions welled up, half-happy, half-ashamed, a mix that made her look very young. Like a little kid insisting they aren’t crying. 

“Girl, don’t do that with Mai’s face! It’s far too adorable. I can’t contain myself!” 

“Well, just don’t!” 

She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. 

“Holy crap, girl. Please, stop.” 

That gesture had been equally devastating. 

“How about you quit that?” 

“Huh?” 

“Quit calling me ‘girl’! It’s insulting! Dumbass.” 

This appeared to be an attempt at disguising her tears. 

“I’ll quit if you quit,” he said. 

“Huh?” 

“I mean, I don’t actually care if you call me dumbass or not.” 

“Ugh.” 

“But you shouldn’t be swearing with her lips.” 

“That you clearly mean. You really do dote on her.” 

“Yep.” 

“……” 

“What?” 

“Sakuta, have you no concept of shame?” 

Apparently they were on a first-name basis now. 

“Azusagawa’s too damn long.” 

He hadn’t asked, but she was already making excuses. She turned away, her cheeks burning. 

“Call me whatever you like, Toyohama.” 

“……” 

“Your first and last name are almost the same length.” 

“I didn’t say a word!” 

“Or would you rather I call you Doka?” 

Her nickname in the idol group. 

“Don’t be stupid.” 

“No go? Then I’ll just call you that in my mind.” 

“Dumbass.” 

“We’re switching back to that, Doka?” 

“It’s all you deserve!” Nodoka yelled. Fuming, she stomped off into her building. 

“One step forward, one step back,” Sakuta said. 

He turned on his heel and headed into his own place. 

“I’m hooome.” Sakuta called as he opened the door. 

“W-welcome back!” Kaede called, like she normally did. But unlike normal days, she didn’t come running to the door. Usually, she and Nasuno were in a race to get there first… 

Instead, she was peeping around the edge of the washroom door, watching him from behind cover. 

“Y-you’re back early.” 

She sounded tense. A little flustered, even. 

“Am I? Is this some new game?” 

He took his shoes off and stepped inside. It was his house. He didn’t need permission. 

“M-my life isn’t all fun and games!” Kaede said, like she was offended. 

“I brought some pudding,” he said as he held up a convenience store bag. 

“Hooray!” 

Kaede beamed at him, almost lured out of the washroom. 

But she quickly gasped and holed up again. 

He decided to leave her to it and put the pudding in the fridge. When he came back, she was still being super-defensive. 

“I’d kinda like to gargle?” he said. 

“Washing hands and gargling are both important!” Kaede said enthusiastically. 

“……” 

“……” 

But she didn’t open the door. Her defenses were as impenetrable as Odawara Castle. Well, not really. Sakuta could probably force his way in if he really wanted. 

“Did you just get out of the shower? You’re not dressed yet?” 

“I wouldn’t close the door for that!” 

“I really think you should.” 

Even between siblings, a baseline level of modesty should be maintained. 

“So seriously, what is it?” 

It was far too baffling to ignore. 

This wasn’t like her at all. Were other teenage girls also suddenly locking themselves in the bathroom one day? Was this some symptom of “that time of the month” that he was previously unaware of? 

“I had a lot of things on my mind!” she said. 

“And what thing in particular brought this on?” 

He was getting tired of talking to just her face. 

“You promise you won’t laugh?” 

“I would prefer to be laughing all the time.” 

“……” 

“Okay, I won’t laugh.” 

He really had no idea what was going on. 

“One minute.” 

Kaede’s head disappeared, and the door slammed shut. 

“……” 

He could hear her moving around inside. Getting herself ready. 

The door stayed firmly closed. 

After a good three minutes, just as he was considering opening the door himself, she finally emerged. 

Kaede was fully dressed. 

But not in her usual outfit. She was wearing a white blouse with a navy-blue vest and skirt. He didn’t know why he found the outfit weird at first, but after a minute he realized it was a junior high school uniform. The summer outfit from the school she’d enrolled in after they moved here but had yet to attend. 

It was clearly very new. She’d obviously never put in on. She had her skirt at regulation length, so it looked strangely long. 

“W-well?” 

“Smells like the closet.” 

It had been stuck in there a long time. 

“I-is that it?” 

“The skirt’s a bit too long. Almost looks cheesy.” 

“But cheese tastes good!” 

“And very junior high.” 

“I am in junior high!” 

He left her fuming in the hall and went into the washroom. Rinsed his hands with soap and water before gargling. When Mai (in Nodoka’s body) had started staying here, she’d said, “If you catch a cold and give it to me, I’ll hold it against you forever.” Her expression was dead serious. 

So just in case, he gargled again. And then washed his face for good measure. 

“So I’ve been thinking,” Kaede said while his face was buried in the towel. “Maybe it’s time I tried again.” 

“Don’t try too hard,” he said, giving her a pat on the head. 

She giggled, like it tickled. 

The call that morning must have brought this on. The one from their father… 

She knew she couldn’t go on like this forever but needed one last push…and this morning had given her one. 

That was how Sakuta saw it. 

“You keep bringing over one girl after another, so I think it’s high time that I get my act together.” 

That was a very different reason from what he’d imagined, but she seemed fired up about it. 

“How did that lead to this?” 

“What do you mean?” 

She tilted her head, puzzled. Tilted it really far. 

“Never mind.” 

It didn’t matter what her reason was. What mattered was that she’d chosen to put her school uniform on. What mattered was that she’d done that of her own volition. 

Before he could take pleasure from seeing her make such significant progress, Mai came in. 

They’d gotten fed up with buzzing her in every time, and if Sakuta was at work, that wasn’t even an option, so he’d ended up giving her a spare key. 

“I’m back,” Mai said. 

“Welcome back, Nodoka!” 

“Huh? Is that your uniform?” Mai asked, maintaining Nodoka’s voice even when surprised. “It’s very cute,” she added. 

“Sakuta said wearing it like this looks cheesy.” 

“You should definitely hike the skirt up a bit.” 

“I see!” 

Kaede nodded, taking Mai’s advice very seriously. “Nodoka” was fashionable, so coming from her, this was very convincing. 

“Oh, and—I brought a present.” 

Mai handed her a convenience store bag. 

Kaede peered inside. 

“Oh, the slightly nicer pudding! Let’s have a pudding party!” 

“A what?” Mai asked, looking confused. 

“My older brother also bought pudding!” Kaede said boastfully. 

“He did?” 

“Yep!” Kaede cheerfully scurried off to put the dessert in the fridge. 

Mai finally looked at Sakuta. 

“No singing practice?” 

She always stopped at a karaoke box after school if she didn’t have official lessons. He’d just assumed she’d do that today. But she was back awfully early for that. 

“My throat doesn’t feel up to it, so I’m letting it rest.” 

Clearly just a pretext. 

She had obviously come back early because she was worried about Kaede. The slightly nicer pudding was proof of that. 

“Don’t you smirk at me.” 

She spoke like Nodoka but stomped on his foot like Mai. That only made his expression even smugger. His cheeks hurt. But he couldn’t stop himself. Grinning from ear to ear, he elected to savor the moment instead. 

4 

Two days later, Sunday rolled around. Sakuta ate lunch early and went to the restaurant for work. He had an hour break in the middle before another shift until nine. 

During the lunch rush, taking care of customers on the floor kept him busy, but by two, things had died down and he was in the back, getting things ready for dinner. Those knives, forks, and spoons weren’t going to polish themselves. 

“Senpai.” 

“……” 

He felt like someone was calling his name, but he paid it no attention as he continued plugging away at his work. His hands were making everything shiny. 

“Senpai, help.” 

“……” 

“Ignoring me?! So mean!” 

He’d assumed he was imagining it, but apparently not. He turned toward the voice, his hand still moving. 

Tomoe Koga was standing by the beer dispenser, cheeks puffed out. She looked like a chipmunk that had stuffed its mouth full of sunflower seeds. 

“What, Koga?” 

“I need help lifting the beer tank!” 

Tomoe had a twenty-liter tank on a cart at her feet. The industrial silver kind. She had to hoist this onto a waist-high shelf, so it was a bit much for Tomoe alone and would be dangerous to try. 

Getting it on the cart was likely the most she could manage. 

“You could have just said. I would’ve fetched it.” 

“Huh?” She frowned at him. “You said, ‘It’s all yours.’” 

“I did?” He had no memory of this. He thought about it. 

Maybe he had said that. Shortly after he’d started polishing, someone said, “Senpai, the beer’s empty,” and he’d reflexively replied, “It’s all yours.” Had he been thinking hard about something? This was only ten minutes ago, but he barely remembered it. 

“You really got it this far alone?” 

“I thought my arms were gonna rip off getting it on the cart.” 

“Gruesome.” 

“You made me do it!” 

“Yeah, well…sorry.” 

“……” 

When he actually apologized, she leaned in, peering at his face. Like there must’ve been something wrong with him. It was kind of rude. 

“I knew you were being weird today, senpai.” 

“You ‘knew’?” 

“You’ve been punching in wrong orders, taking dishes to the wrong tables, even dropping plates.” 

“Are you stalking me?” 

“You normally never make any mistakes, so it’s hard not to notice!” 

She muttered “I’m not paying special attention to you or anything” under her breath, sulking again. 

“Well, I guess I am an accomplished guy,” he said. 

Tomoe ignored this completely. No reactions, opinions, gripes, or grumbles. He was very sad. 

“You had a fight with Sakurajima, right?” 

“Why do you look so happy?” 

He grabbed Tomoe’s cheeks and pulled. 

“Ow, ow!” She pulled away. “You’re stretching my face!” 

“To be clear, this isn’t about Mai. I’m just meeting the old man on break.” 

It had been too late to change his work shifts, so he’d scheduled the meeting during his hour break. Having a clear end to the meeting was, honestly, a plus. 

“Really?! Mai’s dad?!” 

“I said this wasn’t about her! I’m meeting my old man.” 

“Oh. Okay.” 

Once she got it, Tomoe became a bit evasive. She’d likely picked up on the vibe and figured out where his head was. She knew he and Kaede were living alone together. He’d explained the basics of the bullying incident and his mother’s exhaustion. 

“Sorry, senpai,” she said, fidgeting. 

“Why are you sorry?” 

“I mean…” 

“You were mad, like, a second ago.” 

“Oh, right, the beer tank!” 

“Got it.” 

He moved over to the dispenser and grabbed one of the tank’s handles. Tomoe grabbed the other one. 

“Ready?” 

“Yep.” 

“On-a-counta-three!!” 

“Huh?” 

“Augh!” 

Tomoe tried to lift her side, but it was too heavy. 

“You lift, too!” she said, scowling at him. “This isn’t the time for fake-outs.” 

“You’re the one who chanted some weird magic spell.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“On-a-counta something?” 

“On-a-counta-three,” she said as she gave him a “What about it?” look. 

“What the hell is that?” 

“Huh?” 

Tomoe finally realized where the confusion came from. 

This was probably some local variant on a standard “go on three” phrase. 

“Uh, do they not say that in Tokyo?” 

“Not in Kanagawa, they don’t.” 

Probably not in Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki, Tochigi, or Gunma, either. 

“You’re kidding? I said it the other day when I was cleaning with Nana! I know I did!” 

Tomoe clutched her head, wailing “Oh god” repeatedly. Tomoe was from Fukuoka, but she was keeping that a secret at school. 

“You let things slip often enough Nana probably already knows.” 

“That’s worse!” 

“If she knows and respects your wishes enough not to say anything, she’s a good friend.” 

“That just makes me sound sad! Ugh, how can I face her tomorrow?” 

“Try using your usual cute face.” 

“Argh, shut up.” 

“C’mon, grab your end.” 

“Oh, right.” 

Sakuta grabbed his handle again. Tomoe grabbed hers, too. 

“Here we go,” he said. “On-a-counta-three!” 

“You’re so obnoxious!” 

This time they lifted the tank successfully and connected it to the beer dispenser. The night’s revelry was secured. 

“Talking to you sure does cheer me up, Koga.” 

“That monotone isn’t remotely convincing! You’re horribad!” 

Tomoe really had helped him feel a lot better. 

Sakuta worked until his break without being distracted, and even when his break arrived, he wasn’t feeling antsy. 

He punched out at exactly three thirty. 

After quickly changing out of his uniform, he left the restaurant. 

The agreed upon meeting spot was a café near the station. 

When Sakuta stepped inside, he spotted his father waiting. His father raised a hand in greeting, then signaled a waitress. 

Sakuta settled down across the table from him and ordered an iced coffee. 

“No food?” 

“I get fed at work.” 

“Okay.” 

The waitress took the menus away, and Sakuta took a sip of water, looking his father over. He was forty-five this year. Wore glasses that made him look like an engineer. It was a Sunday, but he was wearing the same white shirt and necktie he wore to work. Seemed like he had more gray hairs now. 

“It’s been a while.” 

“Yeah.” 

The iced coffee arrived. The waitress put a coaster down, then set the glass on it like she’d just served him some wine. 

While she was there, neither of them said a word. 

“Enjoy!” she said and left. 

There was another long silence. 

Sakuta took a sip of coffee through the straw. His father lifted his coffee cup to his lips. 

“How’s Mom?” Sakuta asked once his father put the cup down. 

“Better.” 

“Oh. Good.” 

They had that conversation every time they met. His father never said specifically how she was better. Sakuta had decided not to ask. This had become an unspoken rule between them. 

“How’s Kaede?” 

“When I got home the other day, she was trying her uniform on.” 

“……” 

His father’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“Going out is still too much for her, but…I think she feels like she can’t go on like this anymore.” 

“Ah.” 

“I’ve caught her staring at the calendar, too.” 

The end of September was coming up. They were already a month into the second term. He figured that was prying at Kaede’s mind. 

“Ah.” 

This was probably not pleasant to hear. But the gentle look in his father’s eyes showed he was happy to hear anything about her. 

They’d been living apart for two years already. Sakuta had been meeting his father regularly and had seen his mother a few times. But that wasn’t true for Kaede. She hadn’t met either of them. 

“……” 

“……” 

Once the conversation died down, neither broached a new topic. To cover the silence, they each took a sip of coffee. 

Staring at each other seemed pointless, so Sakuta’s eyes absently drifted around the café. 

Lots of grown-ups, looking very sedate. Definitely the sort of place Sakuta would never come to on his own. The average customer age was too high; they were mostly middle-aged. Sakuta was the only kid here. 

The next-youngest people were the couple at the table beside theirs, who were maybe in their midtwenties. The girl had a short haircut, artfully disheveled in a very grown-up way. She had large headphones around her neck. Definitely more “elegant” than “cute.” She was a real classy lady. 

The guy opposite her…well, his hairdo and glasses were immaculate, like the word serious had taken human form and was walking around. Or rather, sitting down. Even his shirt was tucked in neatly. 

They were talking about the dolphin show, so they must have come from the aquarium. 

“What next?” the man asked, glancing at the clock. Suggesting they still had time. 

“You know my little brother? He brought a girlfriend home the other day,” the girl said as she pretended to look at the menu. Even from the next table, Sakuta could tell that was a roundabout invitation. 

“Oh, huh. But…” 

“……” 

“It feels a little early.” 

“We’ve been dating since high school.” 

“Yeah. And I feel like there’s something I should say to you before I meet your parents…” 

He adjusted his glasses, uncomfortable. 

“…You mean?” 

“I didn’t plan to do this here, but…will you marry me?” 

The headphone girl instantly turned bright red and hid her face behind the menu. But she didn’t keep him waiting. 

“Yes,” she said, real quiet. 

It didn’t take them long to get up, pay their bill, and leave. Unable to endure sitting opposite each other any longer. Proposals did tend to be conversation enders. 

Still, that was quite a thing to witness from the sidelines. It was certainly a first for Sakuta. 

He glanced up at the clock; it was 3:50. It had only been fifteen minutes since he’d arrived. 

“So, uh,” Sakuta said hesitantly as he watched the flow of people around him. 

“What?” 

“What’s being a parent like?” 

“Sakuta,” his dad said, giving him a grim look. “Have you done something to some poor girl?” 

“Of course not! We haven’t gone that far!” 

His reply came out as a yelp. He tried to clear up the misunderstanding fast, but his volume accidentally shot up, and people turned to stare. 

“So you have a girlfriend?” 

Only then did he realize he’d dug his own grave. His phrasing had definitely suggested he was dating someone. 

“…Uh, well,” he stammered. He didn’t want to have this conversation. He’d rather die. 

“When you settle in, bring her over. Your mother will be delighted.” 

“Why?” 

“When you were first born, she said she’d always dreamed of meeting her son’s girlfriend.” 

“That’s a horrible dream.” 

The sort of thing any son would want to avoid. Sakuta didn’t think he’d be ready to match the man one table over any time soon. 

And he felt bringing Mai over would cause a whole lot of extra problems. Would they even believe it? They’d probably assume it was some TV prank show. And even if they did, the shock might leave them bedridden. 

Best to table that thought for another day. 

“That’s not what I’m trying to ask.” 

“I know. But that’s something you work out for yourself when you become a parent.” 

“…So…‘someday’?” 

The idea didn’t seem real. At all. He’d gone his whole life without wondering if he might be a dad someday. The idea had never even occurred to him. 

“I hate to admit it, but when you were born, we both panicked.” 

The look on his father’s face suggested panic was a mild word. 

“Every diaper change was a huge deal. Every part of it was a new experience.” 

“I feel like there are better examples than that.” 

Sakuta was grinning despite himself. 

But maybe that was how it worked. Even if having kids was planned, nobody was truly prepared for how much work it entailed. 

Just because you’d grown up and were making enough money to live on didn’t mean trying totally new things would be easy. 

Especially something like raising a kid. No matter how much you prepared, you’d still be anxious about it and panic about every new challenge, yet somehow getting through it all. Having no idea what the right solution was, growing as parents even as your kids grew up. 

People simply didn’t change that easily. 

Sakuta got all that from his dad’s short reply. 

They talked a bit about school and Sakuta’s plans for the future. He admitted he was intending to take college exams, and his father insisted he didn’t need to worry about paying for tuition. “I’m more worried about my own study skills,” Sakuta quipped. They both laughed. 

The clock hands marched steadily onward, and soon his break was almost over. 

“Time we got going,” his father said, standing up first. Without waiting for an answer, he took the check to the register. They split up just outside. 

Sakuta watched his father walk off toward the station. 

“Thirty years before I catch up with him,” he murmured. 

After meeting his dad, Sakuta returned to the restaurant, changed back into his server uniform, and threw himself into work until nine. 

He’d been working since noon, which certainly took a lot out of him. Tomoe had been on the same schedule, and teasing her had given him a second wind, so when he finally left work, he felt light on his feet. 

It was already dark out, but there were plenty of streetlights around Fujisawa Station. Still masses of people going in and out, making the most of the last few hours of their weekends. 

Figuring he’d better get home, Sakuta started walking. 

“Sakuta,” a voice called. 

Mai was standing under a nearby streetlight. In Nodoka’s body. Jean shorts and a blouse that opened wide at the shoulders. He could see the straps of the tank top she wore under it. There was a thick belt slung diagonally around her hips, drawing attention to Nodoka Toyohama’s narrow waist. 

“Just getting home, Mai?” 

He’d heard she was filming for a Kanagawa TV station today. She’d left before he did. 

“I reached the station about ten minutes ago. Figured you’d be getting out soon.” 

So she’d stopped to wait for him. For once, the reason was glaringly obvious. She might’ve been trying to act like everything was normal, but ever since she’d heard the answering machine message, she’d clearly been worried about his meeting with his father. That’s why she’d shown up like this. 

“Long shift?” 

“Not as long as your shoot.” 

They headed out together, into the residential area. He tried to take her bag, but she said, “Nah, I’m Nodoka today.” He kinda got that, kinda didn’t. 

“They have you sing and dance?” 

“Actually, it was more a variety show thing.” 

“Oh?” 

“We had to put costumes on and run an obstacle course.” 

“Really?” 

“They yelled start, and we all started running. Partway through, we had to draw lots and change into whatever outfit came up. Then go across balance beams or vaults and the like, trying to get to the goal first.” 

Being an idol sounded hard. 

“Was it fun?” 

“We got pretty into it. The group leader came in first, though.” 

Mai seemed to mean it. She really had enjoyed herself. 

“I’ve never been able to join in any sports festivals, so it was kinda novel.” 

She’d been too busy working to do anything like that as a kid. Even if her schedule had lined up, how much fun could it have been with no friends at school? 

“What costume did you get?” 

This was what he cared about most. 

“A bunny girl.” 

“I bet your experience sped up that wardrobe change.” 

Apparently, that actually had helped her come in second. 

“I wouldn’t call it ‘experience,’ though.” 

She reached out and flicked his forehead. Like an older sister scolding him for a prank. But that impression soon faded, and she looked disgruntled. 

“This doesn’t feel right.” 

“Flicking my forehead?” 

“In Nodoka’s body, you seem taller. That’s the one thing I can’t get used to.” 

Too many years in her own body. It wasn’t easy to adjust. 

“Yeah, you’re kind of a giant.” 

“……” 

Mai pursed her lips, clearly not a fan of that phrase. 

“You are a tall, elegant beauty.” 

“Don’t get carried away,” she said, flicking his forehead again. She seemed much happier. 

“Augh, wish I could have been there! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you as a bunny girl.” 

“It’ll broadcast in two weeks, so you’ll just have to wait.” 

“Even though we have a costume at my place?” 

“You know I can’t wear that with Nodoka’s body.” 

“But you already did for the show, right? And they’ll be airing it on TV?” 

“It was a much tamer version. They had a vest over it.” 

Considering the idols in her group were, like, sixteen and seventeen, that was probably appropriate. Frankly, Nodoka’s body in a bunny-girl costume would be a bit risky. He imagined that the top threatened to slide off any time she moved. 

“Get your mind out of the gutter.” 

“But I was thinking about you.” 

“You can say that all you want. Your eyes still went straight to Nodoka’s tits.” 

“Sorry.” 

She’d caught him red-handed, so he immediately apologized. 

“I don’t mind putting it on, but only after I’m back in my body.” 

“Really?” 

“I owe you for this, and, well, it’s just clothing.” 

“Oh, but if you owe me, I could ask for something else.” 

“You’re not getting anything else,” Mai said, putting the kibosh on that idea. 

“It’s a normal request, I promise.” 

“Really?” 

“Really.” 

“Then I’ll hear it out, at least.” 

She really didn’t trust him. He made a face at her. 

“I just wanna go on a normal date with you,” he said. 

She’d been busy to start with, and then her agency had forbidden them from dating, so they hadn’t done any of the things couples usually do. 

Mai looked up at him, surprised. 

Then she laughed. “You’re an idiot,” she said. 

But her face was blushing a little. The smile she wore was a heady mix of happiness and amusement. 

“Oh, right,” she said, as if this reminded her of something. 

“Mm?” 

She ignored his question as she rummaged around in her bag. She pulled out a white envelope. 

“Here,” she said, handing it to him. 

“Thanks?” He took it. He would take anything she gave him. “But what is it?” 

He opened the seal. There were two tickets inside. Concert tickets—for Sweet Bullet’s solo performance. They were dated for the coming Sunday. 

“The other one’s for Nodoka.” 

“How about giving it to her yourself?” 

“Also tell her I’ll send one to her mother, too, like always,” Mai said, completely ignoring him. 

Neither Mai nor Nodoka paid any heed to his efforts to get them back together. They were strangely in sync on the weirdest points. 

“You got all the choreography and songs down?” he asked, giving up. 

“Wanna see?” 

That was an unexpected suggestion. 

“It’s kinda hard to judge it objectively on my own,” Mai admitted. She pointed at the park they were passing. 

She found a light in the middle and put her bag down under it. Then she pulled a phone out of her pocket, tapping at the screen for a moment. It had headphones plugged in, but she yanked them out. 

He could hear music playing. Not too loud. Mai was soon moving on the beat. When the intro ended, her voice echoed through the park. Using the lamppost as a spotlight, Mai did a little concert just for him. 

She was through the chorus in no time. 

When it was done, Sakuta said, “Hot damn.” Unable to stop himself. 

The concert was a week away.