He had taken her in, in every sense of the word.
By the time Haru came back to his senses, he had already returned to the gate of the Kazami residence without realizing it. His right hand pulled a small cart carrying his guitar and an effects unit, while his left hand held onto a tiny white-haired cat.
"So in the end, I really did bring her home…"
Haru rubbed his brow, his words laced with a helplessness he could not quite voice. He truly had not expected Tsuzuki grandma to be so trusting, letting him take the kitten home that very same day. Perhaps this too was part of that rock spirit, carefree and untethered, handing off responsibility the moment one chose to entrust it.
Thankfully, the small villa he had moved into was more than spacious enough. One small cat would hardly be a problem, and even if a few more people came to live here it would still be fine. On top of that, he had already achieved financial freedom, so keeping a cat was more than manageable.
With that thought, Haru turned his head toward the kitten at his side.
"Raana, from today on this is your home too."
"I'll set up a room for you later. Would you like to stay next to Mutsumi's room?"
The soft little cat narrowed her eyes and tilted her head up. Once a free-spirited stray, she now showed an oddly obedient side before him. Still, her playful nature could not be hidden for long, and within seconds she dashed into the villa.
Only when her small white figure vanished from sight did Haru let out a quiet breath.
"You're gathering more and more people. What do you plan to do next?"
The calm, cool voice came from beside him, making Haru instinctively turn his head.
Yahata Umiri, with her guitar strapped to her back, stared straight ahead with her usual expressionless face. Her striking features, sharp and beautiful, showed the faintest ripple, and even her tone carried a nuance different from the norm.
Haru blinked, a hint of puzzlement in his eyes.
"What do you mean, what to do?"
"At night. What are you going to do then?"
Her words froze him on the spot. The meaning behind them was all too clear, yet Umiri's face showed not the slightest change, as if this matter had nothing at all to do with her.
Before Haru could respond, Umiri spoke again in her unhurried way. "What needs to be done still has to be done, that much is obvious. The only difference now is that there's one more person involved."
Haru could not help but lean back defensively.
"…Isn't it a bit too early for Raana?"
"This was bound to happen sooner or later. Besides, you're not much older than her yourself."
The icy beauty rolled her eyes lightly, her blunt words leaving no room for rebuttal. Haru's mouth twitched despite himself.
Why does it feel like Umiri-san is oddly enthusiastic about this sort of thing?
His subtle glance drew no reaction from her. Instead, she raised her clear jade-green eyes, speaking in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.
"When I confessed to you, didn't I already say it?"
"Couples have to keep enough communication, otherwise there's no way to move forward together."
This method of communication… wasn't it a little too rock and roll?
Seeing that Haru still had not answered, Umiri arched her brows, her voice carrying a delicate undertone as she added, "If it really won't work, hasn't Mutsumi just finished fixing up the basement—"
"Wait, wait, I get it, I get it…"
With his temples throbbing harder, Haru waved his hand in surrender. Under Umiri's playful gaze, he admitted defeat, though she seemed to have predicted this outcome from the start.
Damn it, you fairy!
Haru knew perfectly well that Umiri was deliberately teasing him. On the battlefield, when she could not win against him, she would at least indulge in verbal victories. Even if she always ended up routed, she still insisted on taking the upper hand here.
Before long, the two of them stepped into the entryway. Umiri bent to unfasten the buckles on her combat boots, her slender figure wrapped in a black leather coat. Just then, she spoke again as if it were nothing.
"Come to think of it, there's something I forgot to tell you."
In an instant, the same Umiri who had been teasing him so shamelessly returned to her calm, expressionless self. The change came so fast it was as if she had swallowed two magic beans. Her serious tone drew a more earnest reaction from Haru as well.
"What is it? Did you forget to say 'I love you' today?"
"…It's just that Taki asked me to pass a message to you."
"Whose messenger are you supposed to be, milady?"
Umiri ignored his jab and fixed her gaze ahead, her eyes flickering as if trying to hide something. The subtle dodge gave Haru an odd feeling.
No way, did Taki really ask Umiri to deliver a message?
Haru had known Shiina Taki for a long time, even before they became lovers. They had been as close as brothers, and once they confirmed their relationship, she had become even more straightforward.
Holding onto that doubt, he asked without thinking, "So what did Taki want you to tell me?"
"…She said that even though she's supposed to be your closest lover, you've never really focused on her. Even after becoming a couple you haven't once taken her out on a proper date, so she wants to go on one with you."
Haru froze slightly.
He recalled their argument back in the prep room. At the time, he had thought Umiri was just teasing Taki. But now, it seemed that might not have been the real reason.
"…I see."
He nodded faintly, his eyes glinting with understanding.
There was no way those words had come from Taki herself.
She would never have asked Umiri to deliver that kind of message. Both Haru and Umiri knew this perfectly well, yet neither of them exposed the truth. Instead, they simply played along as if it were fact.
Later, Umiri would probably repeat the same "message" to Taki, or simply tell her, "I already arranged a date for you," pushing her forward with blunt force.
"…"
Umiri kept up her façade of nonchalance, as if the role of messenger had never left her lips. Haru only rolled his eyes and held back a laugh.
"Haru, let's sleep together tonight."
Just as he was considering the best way to invite Taki, a soft, sweet voice like raspberries reached his ears. The kitten, having explored the rooms inside, now dashed out and leapt into his arms in one motion.
"Not today."
Mutsumi came running out right behind her, face tinged red, stopping her at once.
The doll-like girl's objection immediately drew Raana's confusion. The little stray frowned slightly at Mutsumi, then pouted in faint displeasure.
"Mutsumi is allowed to?"
"..."
Mutsumi's face burned red, yet she still refused to avert her eyes.
To Raana, however, that silence looked like slyness. She had the same status as everyone else now, yet Mutsumi was allowed to snuggle up with Haru at night, while she was denied the same.
"Mutsumi, you're so sneaky."
Seeing the kitten puff her cheeks in indignation, Umiri, sitting at Haru's side, curved her lips in interest. As if deliberately stoking the fire, she spoke in a meaningful tone.
"Really playing favorites, huh?"
Haru felt the heat rise in his cheeks.
You know how to fan the flames now? Just wait until tonight when the flames come for you.
"…Fine then. Raana, you can sleep in my room with Mutsumi tonight. But starting tomorrow you have to go back to your own room, or there won't be a next time."
Since her dear master had already compromised, the doll-like girl had no reason to object. She only lowered her blushing face and nodded lightly, the most obedient of gestures.
Even the troublesome little stray was pleased, her head bobbing with pride. Delighted by Haru's decision, she even went and grabbed her guitar, strumming as she hummed a tune called "Stray Cat."
But before Haru could even sigh in relief, Umiri leaned in close.
"What about me?"
Her voice was sharp and cold, like the clash of ice shards.
Seeing his ice-cold beauty of a wife wearing a faintly dissatisfied look, Haru had to force himself to suppress the urge to drag her straight into the basement. He answered slowly, one word at a time.
"You too."
The black-haired girl's sculpted face gleamed faintly, her ears tinged with a trace of red. Yet her tone remained calm and indifferent, as though they were merely discussing tomorrow's weather.
"Understood."
She replied in the same detached manner, but her eyes stayed quietly fixed on Haru's profile, enjoying his reactions through the advantage of her open scheme.
Taki, this is as much as she could do for her.
Next time, if she helped her again, it likely would not be in this area.
…
Thursday.
Winter grew harsher as the year's end drew near. The bustling metropolis had been wrapped in yesterday's frost, and each step on the snow gave a distinct crunch. Even a breath turned instantly into pale white mist in the air.
Umbrella-bearing pedestrians passed by the café window, from grade-schoolers in snow boots to high school girls stubbornly wearing short skirts in the freezing cold. Yet all of them wore smiles of delight.
Shhh, scritch, scritch…
Haru held a pen, writing diligently in his notebook. He had been too busy lately to keep up with the café's ledgers, so during this rare lull he returned to his proper work.
"Mocha coffee, please enjoy."
A gentle voice rang in his ear. A beautiful girl with strands of azure hair brushing her ears quietly approached, sliding a steaming cup before him, amber eyes sparkling with amusement.
Haru raised an eyebrow.
"Why isn't Fujita bringing this over?"
"Is it not okay if I bring it to you myself?"
The breathtaking girl's face immediately fell. She pressed her pink lips together in dissatisfaction, and her already sharp eyes narrowed beneath knit brows.
Haru could not help but give her a thumbs-up, grinning. "Perfect. That's the cool, noble Miss Oblivionis I know."
"Really now, don't say that name here."
Sakiko scolded him with a mock pout. Though she tried to mimic her old fierce demeanor, her eyes brimmed with such gentleness that the intimidation was entirely gone.
I almost miss the days when you would coldly reject my invitations and always call me 'Kazami-senpai.'
A trace of wistfulness flickered in Haru's gaze. He patted the seat beside him and teased, "There aren't many customers at this hour anyway. How about you sit with me for a while, Sakiko?"
"Of course not, the others still need me to direct them!"
"Work must be taken seriously, every step of it. I still have to count the coffee beans from yesterday's shipment, so there's no extra time for me to sit around."
Sakiko shook her head, cheeks flushed. In her 'work mode,' she was always serious and responsible. After all, Haru had entrusted her with the position of assistant manager, and she could not just slack off.
Haru's mouth twitched faintly. It felt like he, the supposed absentee boss, had just been elbowed in the ribs.
"It's fine, I just want you to rest a little—"
"No↑ way↓!"
He had not even finished the sentence before his little girlfriend cut him off with force.
Wait a second, wasn't he the manager here?
And you, little employee Sakiko, how dare you scold your boss like that?
Her face flushed deeper, Sakiko shook her head at him. But perhaps worried that her tone had been too harsh, she dropped her gaze after a half-second of hesitation, softening her voice as much as she could.
"Later… after work, we can talk then. I'll listen to whatever you say."
Really? Then that would make you the boss now.
Haru reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The sudden motion sent the girl into a fluster, her eyes darting nervously as if afraid the other employees would notice their 'interaction.' She bent her slender frame slightly, pretending composure.
Just then—
Ding-a-ling!
The café's glass door swung open from outside. Steam-fogged glass cleared instantly under the shock of cold air, and a girl in a Tsukinomori winter uniform stepped inside, drawing every gaze within the shop.
Silky light-brown hair fell to her waist, wrapped in a soft gray scarf. Her air of maturity and her figure set her apart from her peers, lending her a charm that was more than girlish.
"Hm?"
As soon as Nagasaki Soyo stepped into the café, her eyes swept the room. Almost like telepathy, she immediately spotted Haru. Yet before the gentle smile could fully form on her face, it vanished the instant her gaze landed on Sakiko.
The speed of that shift made Sakiko's fingertips tremble slightly.
"Soyo?"
Haru called out instinctively, surprised to see her.
She was still wearing her Tsukinomori uniform, clearly having come straight here after class.
"I knew it, Haru. I was just wondering if you might be here~"
The syrupy sweetness of her tone grated on Sakiko's ears, but Soyo, as usual, folded her hands lightly before her, her face openly glowing with joy.
It was not strange for Nagasaki Soyo to show up at Rabbit House. After all, during the last "girlfriends' gathering," Haru had revealed his relationship with Sakiko, and naturally that included this café.
Even so, this was still Soyo's first time here. She glanced around with curiosity before settling her gaze on the stiff-faced Sakiko. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she greeted her.
"Good afternoon, Sakiko~ May I sit here?"
"…As you wish."
Sakiko's face colored faintly red. She had not expected Soyo to actually track Haru down to this café, intruding on the time she thought was hers alone with him. Worse still, she had just declared she needed to focus on work.
"Then I won't hold back~"
Soyo gave her a meaningful look, then smiled as she moved to sit beside Haru.
That was finally too much for Sakiko. Pressing her lips together as if to steel herself, she lifted her eyes and spoke in a voice full of embarrassed indignation.
"Wait. That spot is where I was going to sit."
And who was it who said she wouldn't sit just a moment ago?
For once, Haru was at a loss for words. It was clear his two girlfriends had just locked horns.
Both of them were behind the others in "progress." Of course they would be anxious.
What made it worse was that both Soyo and Sakiko were queens in their own right, once nearly maxed out in exclusivity. Both had fiery competitive spirits and sharp streaks of jealousy. With such similar traits, neither would ever accept falling behind the other.
"Eh? But I thought Sakiko wasn't planning on sitting earlier?"
"That was before, this is now! You can't treat before as the same as now…"
A glint flashed in Soyo's eyes, showing she had caught on to Sakiko's intention to stake her claim. Yet her lovely face remained adorned with that gentle smile.
She might have given up on the idea of monopolizing Haru, but that did not mean she could suppress her jealousy.
At this point, of the five members of MyGO, only she and Taki were still stuck at their starting pace. The kitten had somehow ended up living in Haru's house, and even that foolish pink-haired girl had the gall to flaunt her progress in front of her.
Anxious? Of course she was anxious.
"…"
Sakiko's eyes burned with fighting spirit as well. After all, this café was her home advantage. Here, her parameters rose to EX rank.
She had already decided to invite Haru on a date after work. And Soyo? She was just a latecomer vixen trying to steal him away.
There was no way she could sit back and watch her lover be taken.