"Haruto, you head home first. I want to talk to Setsuna alone," said Mai, her tone firm.
When Haruto and Setsuna arrived at the Kiyoura residence and were greeted by Mai, she immediately asked Haruto to excuse them. Not knowing what was going on, Haruto glanced at Setsuna, who gave him a small shake of her head, signaling that it was alright.
He looked at Mai again. Her gaze was locked on Setsuna, unwavering. Unsure what they needed to discuss, Haruto hesitated a moment, then nodded.
"I'll leave the clothes here, then. I'll come by later for dinner."
"Alright, see you in a bit. I just need to talk with Setsuna for a while."
"Got it."
He smiled briefly, said his goodbyes, and left. Setsuna remained behind, puzzled by her mother's stern expression since they'd returned. Something was clearly off.
"I know you and Sekai have been close since childhood. I watched you two grow up together. But this… it's not just toys you're sharing anymore, is it? Are you sharing boyfriends now too?"
"…So you found out?"
"I just met up with Yoko for the first time in a while. She was so excited to tell me that her daughter got a boyfriend. But when I asked for details, she knew nothing—no name, no background. It felt off. And then I remembered running into Sekai at Haruto's apartment. I put the pieces together and asked Haruto. He didn't hide anything—admitted he had something going on with Sekai. I figured it was just youthful foolishness… until even Yoko knew. That changes things."
Setsuna stood in silence. She didn't know how to explain. Maybe part of it was her own curiosity—or even a twisted sense of amusement. There's a saying: "Better to guide the flow than block it." She never saw Sekai as someone stable, someone who'd handle feelings predictably. Even if her affections were ignored, there was no telling what she might do down the line.
"I asked Haruto at the time, and he admitted to having a connection with Sekai. I didn't pry too much. I thought it was just kids being kids. But now that Yoko's involved, this is no longer just a private matter. Do you understand?"
Still silent, Setsuna followed her mother as she sat down on the sofa.
"Come sit. Let's talk."
Reluctantly, Setsuna took a seat across from her, unsure how to respond under her mother's sharp gaze.
"So tell me—what exactly is going on?"
"Sekai likes Haruto."
"And?"
Mai wanted to hear how her daughter would justify all of this.
"She confessed first. Haruto rejected her. But Sekai still liked him. So…"
"So you decided to share your boyfriend with your friend?"
Setsuna lowered her head. After a pause, she lifted it again, meeting her mother's eyes. That clear, unwavering gaze made Mai falter for a moment. She had expected deflection—maybe even for Setsuna to throw Mai's own past in her face.
"Let me say this first—I'm your family. So don't—"
"Haruto is exceptional."
"…What?"
Mai blinked, caught off guard by the seriousness in Setsuna's voice.
He really was exceptional. He came to Tokyo alone for school, managed his life on his own, and still had time to submit articles to magazines to cover his expenses. His latest manuscript was even about to be published. People were already calling him a "young genius."
"I know that," Mai said quietly.
"That's why… there's no way I can be the only girl who likes him. I can't expect Haruto to focus only on me."
Mai had never married, and despite a past relationship, she didn't have much experience with love herself. So Setsuna's words left her struggling for a response.
"So your solution… was to share him with Sekai? Doesn't it hurt? Aren't you suffering?"
"It does hurt. That's why I treasure every moment I get to spend with him."
Mai rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. This conversation felt like something out of a morning drama. She couldn't make sense of her daughter's logic—it was too far removed from reality.
"But this isn't just about emotions anymore. Yoko knows her daughter has a boyfriend. If she wants to meet him, and Sekai is the one standing next to Haruto, who's really his girlfriend? You or Sekai?"
Setsuna wanted to answer "Me." The words were on the tip of her tongue… but she hesitated. She couldn't say it with confidence.
"Meeting his family doesn't mean anything," Mai continued. "If Haruto gets a new girlfriend someday, his family won't necessarily reject her. Until you've both graduated and talked about marriage, nothing is set in stone. Understand?"
As an adult, Mai refused to see this through a child's eyes. She frowned, staring at her daughter, not wanting her to look back with regret one day.
She sighed.
Looking at the silent, conflicted Setsuna, Mai exhaled deeply.
"Just don't end up like Yoko and me—two single mothers raising our children alone. Think this through. I'll talk to Haruto tonight. You go to your room and think it over."
With that, Mai stood and headed for the door. She needed to hear Haruto's side directly.
—
Back in his apartment, Haruto stood at the window, looking across at the Kiyoura house under the dim yellow sky. He let the curtain fall and turned to look at the couple's T-shirts they'd bought earlier.
"We won't be wearing these to school tomorrow. Maybe we'll save them for a weekend outing."
He took the shirts out of the bag, removed the tags, and tossed them into the washing machine.
"I'll keep the bag. Might be useful for carrying stuff."
He placed the paper bag under his wardrobe, then looked around his living room. Since he'd be having dinner at the Kiyoura house tonight, there was no need to cook. He sat down at his desk, pulled out a manuscript draft, and resumed writing.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang. Haruto put down his pen and went to answer it.
It was Mai.
He invited her in and poured her a cup of tea. She took a small sip before placing the cup down. Haruto sat across from her.
"Did you finish talking with Setsuna?"
"I did. What, are you curious?"
She looked at him intently, noting his gentle features. She had underestimated him—tricked by that kind face.
"A little," he admitted, nodding. "I was wondering what kind of talk required me to step out."
"Because it does have to do with you."
Haruto raised his brows slightly at the unexpected reply.
"I have a friend—her name is Yoko Saionji. You're familiar with the name Saionji, I assume?"
"Sekai's mother?"
Haruto had indeed heard the name Yoko Saionji before. Both Sekai and Setsuna had mentioned it in passing, so it didn't take long for him to piece it together.
Someone who was old friends with Mai and shared the surname "Saionji" was, in all likelihood, Sekai's mother.
"Yes, she's Sekai's mother. I've known her since our school days. Her… well, never mind. That's not important now. What matters is that today, Yoko told me that her daughter has a boyfriend."
As Mai looked at him, Haruto immediately understood what she wanted to talk about. She had asked him about Sekai before—back when she visited his apartment. His eyes drifted slightly, unsure how to respond.
Yes, Setsuna had been the one who orchestrated it all, but was he truly without fault in any of this?
"So, what you discussed with Setsuna earlier… was about this?"
"More or less. I didn't necessarily need you to step out, but some things are better handled without putting everything out in the open, don't you think?"
"I understand."
Haruto nodded, though he felt a bit uneasy under Mai's gaze.
"So, now that your talk with Setsuna is done… you're here to see where I stand?"
"I'm Setsuna's mother. There are things she can't say or do herself. I can't just pretend I don't see what's going on. So—what do you plan to do about Sekai?"
Facing Mai's direct question and steady gaze, Haruto straightened up, falling silent. He hadn't thought deeply about this—he'd avoided it, perhaps intentionally. Now, he pressed his lips together, then looked at Mai.
"I'm only dating Setsuna. She's the one I've promised to marry."
"…"
Mai sighed as she stared at him.
"You're still young. Talk of marriage… it's a bit early. What we need to discuss now is how you plan to deal with the Saionji family. Yoko is extremely curious about you—she really wants to meet you."
The tension eased a little. Mai's expression softened, and though her tone still held some weight, it now carried more exasperation than judgment.
"I have school during the week, and weekends are packed too. I don't really have time to meet with her."
"Sounds like a reasonable excuse… but you and Sekai have already slept together, haven't you?"
"…"
"Since you've already gone that far, don't think Yoko is just going to sit back and let it slide. If you keep dodging her, she might just show up at your doorstep. That woman… she can be pretty relentless."
"Relentless?"
Haruto glanced at her, not quite following. Something about the way she said it made him feel uneasy. Mai noticed the confusion on his face and smirked slightly.
"When I say 'relentless,' I mean she's a bit like me. She might seem all proper and composed on the surface, but once she finds out about what's going on between you and Sekai—and between you and me—you'd better be careful."
"…"
Haruto's unease grew. Just moments ago, Mai had been warning him to keep a proper distance from Sekai. Now, she was telling him to watch out for Sekai's mother?
"She… knows about us?"
"Ahem—not exactly. She just has a vague sense that there's something between us. Something a little too… familiar. Nothing specific, really. But once she finds out her daughter's boyfriend is you, you'll have to tread carefully. Keep your distance from her."
It was starting to feel like everything Mai had said earlier was just buildup. Her real goal seemed to be warning him not to get too close to Yoko Saionji. Haruto gave her a curious look, but Mai turned her face away, deliberately avoiding his eyes.