Early in the morning, Haruto awoke and sat up in bed.
Even though he didn't have school today, the regular rhythm of the semester had already locked his body into a routine.Even if he tried to fall back asleep, closing his eyes again was pointless—his mind was already awake.
He glanced at the clock on his desk, then stretched and got up, still in his pajamas.He walked to the balcony and slid the door open.
Immediately, the crisp, clear morning air greeted him, along with a stream of dazzling sunlight.A light breeze carried a faint mist of moisture, brushing against his face as he inhaled deeply.
"Haruto?"
He was standing there, eyes closed, enjoying the fresh start of the day—when a voice called out his name.
Haruto blinked, took a step forward, and looked down toward the street.
Standing there, dressed in her school uniform, was Sekai. She had school today, clearly. Unlike him, she still had to attend classes.
The girl looked up at him—her eyes landing on the sleepy figure in dark indigo pajamas, his tousled hair still messy from bed. It was clear he'd just woken up.
Her expression changed subtly. She remembered that Haruto had already started his break.A strange, vague sense of melancholy passed over her.
Haruto's gaze naturally followed the line of her neck, noticing the pale skin just beneath her collar.His eyes lingered on her for a moment before shifting to meet hers.
He still wasn't fully awake—his mind dull with sleep—but breathing in the cool morning air helped him regain some clarity.
"Your break starts the day after tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah," Sekai replied, nodding. "I still have classes today. Tomorrow's our exam, and then after that, we're free."
She looked up at him with a slightly crooked smile."I guess I start summer break three days later than you. But we go back earlier too, so it evens out."
"Sakakino Academy has a pretty strong record when it comes to university placements," Haruto remarked. "For a school that prioritizes academics, starting early and finishing late in the year is fairly standard. Have you thought about what university or field you'd like to pursue, Sekai?"
"Not really… I mean, I'm still thinking about it," Sekai replied quietly.
"One semester's already gone by. There are only two left before we're second-years and have to submit our post-graduation plans. It's not too early to decide. Set a goal, and work toward it."
She wasn't sure why he suddenly brought this up. Looking up at the boy on the balcony, still in his pajamas and half-asleep, Sekai's heart twisted strangely.
Even though they seemed close—just a few feet apart—it felt like there was an unbridgeable gap between them.
Sure, summer break would start soon. But once it did, what would she even do?
Haruto and Setsuna would leave Tokyo together to spend the summer in his hometown.She'd be the only one left behind in Tokyo, with nowhere to go and no one to be with.The thought left a hollow ache in her chest.
"…I'll think about it seriously," she said, forcing a small smile.
"Haruto."
Another voice called out his name.
Sekai turned to look behind her but didn't see Setsuna. Realizing the voice came from above, she looked up, but from her angle couldn't see anything.
Haruto, still on the balcony, saw Setsuna emerge from her house. He greeted her with a warm smile.
"Morning, Setsuna. You're up too, huh? I was just chatting with Sekai for a bit. Since you're out now, I'll leave you two be. Don't be late for school."
He waved at them both, then stepped back inside, leaving the balcony door slightly ajar so the morning breeze could still flow in. He headed toward the bathroom.
_ _ _ _
They'd agreed to meet at 9 AM, and the meeting spot was in Odaiba—specifically, near a bus stop.Since Koharu would be driven there, he had to take the subway and transfer to a bus, which meant he needed to leave a bit earlier.
"It's seven now… I've got two hours. If I leave in thirty minutes, I should make it."
He did a quick mental calculation of his travel time. After taking off his pajamas and putting on clothes from his wardrobe, he checked himself in the mirror—not for vanity, but to make sure he looked presentable.
After all, this wasn't just a casual outing. It was a date.
He wanted Koharu to see that he took it seriously.
"Alright, looks fine. Let's go."
Grabbing his essentials and locking the balcony doors, he stepped out.
Unlike high-end apartments, his ordinary neighborhood didn't have robust security.Despite not owning anything particularly valuable, he wasn't keen on someone invading his personal space.After all, there were over 21,000 home invasion cases in Japan each year—about 58 per day.
Shoes on, door locked, keys in his pocket—Haruto headed out.
Even though his original estimate was half an hour, it took slightly longer to get to Odaiba via subway and bus. Still, he arrived twenty minutes early.
Looking at his phone, Haruto scrolled to Koharu's contact—but hesitated.
"Eh, it's still early. I'll wait until nine."
He didn't want to seem like he was rushing her. Nearby, he spotted a restaurant with an outdoor seating area. Thinking it might be a good place to wait, he headed over.
But before he could enter, a staff member stopped him.
"Sorry, we're not open yet."
"Oh, I see."
Checking the sign confirmed it—they didn't open until 11 AM.
He only wanted to pass the twenty minutes with a drink or something small, not wait two hours.
"No worries. Sorry for the trouble."
The staff bowed politely as he turned back toward the bus stop to wait.
Too early.
In hindsight, 9 AM was too early for a date.Maybe they should've planned to leave at 9 instead, meet by 10 or 11, eat lunch together, chat, and walk around in the afternoon before heading home in the evening.
Now, with two hours to kill, they'd just be aimlessly wandering around the area.
About ten minutes into his wait, he saw a familiar, petite silhouette approaching.
To his surprise, Koharu hadn't been dropped off by her driver. She had come on her own.
She wore a soft light-blue zip-up jacket, with a pure white shoulder bag.A blue-and-pink checkered skirt fluttered above her fair legs as she walked toward him.
"No driver today?"
"He's over there."
Koharu turned and glanced behind her.Following her gaze, Haruto saw a black sedan parked in the distance, with a stern-looking middle-aged man standing beside it.
The man was glaring directly at him—his eyes sharp and cold.
"…Who's that?"
"My father."
Haruto had suspected it, but hearing it confirmed still made his heart jolt a bit.
Up until now, the girls he'd been involved with mostly came from single-parent households.He'd only ever had to deal with their mothers. This—Koharu and Rio Futaba—were rare cases where the family was seemingly intact.
He hadn't met Rio's parents yet, but Koharu's father had now made his presence known.In retrospect, it wasn't that soon—they'd known each other for nearly a semester now, almost four months.
Haruto gave a polite bow, acknowledging his "future father-in-law" of sorts. But the man's icy expression didn't thaw. He stared at Haruto for a long moment before getting back into the car and driving away.
But one man stayed behind—a well-dressed figure in a suit and sunglasses.
"…Who's he?"
"Bodyguard."
"..."
So, her father didn't trust them to be alone together.
Too bad.
He didn't know they'd already been far more intimate than he imagined.
If he did find out… judging by that glare earlier, Haruto might genuinely be in danger.
But looking at Koharu beside him, Haruto simply extended his hand.
She took it wordlessly, placing her hand in his palm.
They walked side-by-side down the street. The bodyguard followed silently at a distance—his job was to observe and protect, nothing more.
"He's not too obvious?"
"Mm."
Haruto glanced back. The distance was decent, but the man's presence definitely drew attention from passersby.
"He kind of makes us more noticeable."
"But no one's really paying attention to us, right? So it's fine."
Haruto chuckled. He had to admit—she had a point.
They strolled together.
"Have you been to Odaiba before?" Haruto asked.
"I've been here once with my father. There was a banquet."
"A banquet, huh… This is my first time. Compared to places like Shinjuku, it's totally different. The streets are wide and open. It doesn't feel cramped at all."
Even though it was still within Tokyo, Odaiba had a vastly different atmosphere compared to the bustling heart of the city.
Places like Shinjuku were packed—so many people, so little space. At first it was exciting, but after a while, it became suffocating.
"Here, you can see the sky in every direction. It's so open… and—hey, look, a Ferris wheel."
Unlike central Tokyo, where skyscrapers blocked every view, Odaiba, being a man-made island, had no tall buildings nearby.Surrounded by sea and sky, it offered a fresh, liberating vibe.
When he spotted the Ferris wheel rising in the distance, he was caught off guard.He hadn't known there was even a theme park here.
"Haruto."
Koharu squeezed his hand tightly. He looked down to find her gazing up at him with a hopeful sparkle in her eyes.
She wanted to ride it with him.
"It's a bit far… Let's see if we can catch a taxi."
"Mm!"
Seeing her face light up with joy made Haruto's heart squeeze.
"To think such a sweet girl fell for a mess like me… Sorry about that, Farther-in-law."
They hailed a cab, and Haruto told the driver about the Ferris wheel. The driver gave them a knowing grin and explained it was part of the Odaiba Seaside Park, home to a 115-meter-tall Ferris wheel.
"Seaside Park, huh?"
He thought he'd heard the name before, but had never been there.
After about ten minutes, the taxi arrived at Odaiba Seaside Park—and there it stood, the towering Ferris wheel reaching toward the sky...