The sidewalk was narrow, with patchy shade cast by the young trees lining the curb. The sound of their steps blended with the faint breeze, creating a rhythm too calm for what had happened minutes earlier.
Yuta kept his gaze forward. Megumi walked beside him with a neutral expression, but her shoulders were relaxed. No tension in her body, no questions in the air.
After a few minutes, she broke the silence.
"Want to have dinner at my place tonight?"
Yuta turned his head slightly. The sun hit her face from the side, outlining her eyes. He nodded lightly.
"I do."
They kept walking.
Two more blocks in a straight line, with a few dry leaves skittering past them, pushed by the breeze. As they turned the corner into the residential neighborhood, Yuta asked, as if testing a boundary.
"You're not going to ask what I did with Tomoya?"
Megumi looked at him. The corner of her mouth lifted in a small, direct smile.
"No."
Her answer was short. Honest.
"I don't care about him. Not at all. Even if you'd killed him… it wouldn't make a difference."
Yuta fell silent for two seconds. He'd expected a mature response, maybe neutral—but not this level of indifference. Inside, he felt a mix of surprise and respect.
'She really doesn't feel pity.'
Without saying more, he extended his hand.
Megumi took it.
They walked like that for another block.
The white gate of her house came into view. Megumi let go of his hand at the entrance, pulling her key from her bag with ease. She paused for a moment before stepping onto the first stair.
Yuta approached. Their backpacks hung from their shoulders, part of the uniform.
Megumi looked at him again.
No words.
She just leaned in.
The kiss was quick, direct, without flourish. Just a clean gesture from someone who knows what they feel.
Yuta watched as she climbed the steps. The door opened. Then closed.
He exhaled through his nose.
He turned, slipped his hands into his pockets, and started walking toward his own house. His whistle was soft, almost imperceptible, but steady. The tune followed the late afternoon breeze.
Calm. As if everything was, in fact, in place.
Yuta's House
The room was clean, but not sterile. Some folded clothes in the corner, his uniform draped over a chair, and on the desk, the faint glow of a lamp filled the edges with warm light. The side window let the night air circulate.
Yuta pulled off his shirt and tossed it into the laundry basket. He ran a hand through his hair, heading to the bathroom to wash his face.
When he returned, he opened the wardrobe and scanned the options with more care than usual. He picked a dark, lightweight shirt, well-fitted, and plain gray pants. He dressed slowly, adjusting the sleeve folds and checking his reflection for a few seconds.
"Since I'm looking good…"
He sat on the edge of the bed and snapped his fingers.
The system interface appeared before him, translucent, silent.
[⚙️ System – Available Attribute Points Distribution: +5]
He studied the bars, deciding more by instinct than pure logic. He tapped the fields firmly.
'Three in endurance. One in spiritual control. One in strength.'
The bars rose instantly.
[Updated Attributes]
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Physical Endurance: 8
Spiritual Control: 10
Intellect: 11
Available Points: 0
[✔️ Attributes applied successfully.]
Yuta closed the screen with a gesture.
He stood, laced up his sneakers with purpose, and grabbed his phone from the desk. He glanced out the window before leaving. The street was quiet. The streetlights cast diffuse halos on the asphalt.
He opened Toknet and typed a short message.
[Yuta: Heading out now.]
The reply came in less than twenty seconds.
[Megumi: ❤️ Waiting for you.]
He stared at the emoji with a minimal, almost imperceptible smile, but real.
He left the house, locking the door with a soft click. The night air was clean, with a distant scent of damp earth. The neighborhood lights reflected off the slightly wet ground.
Yuta started walking, phone pocketed, steps firm and relaxed. A new whistle began to form, this time in a brighter, almost confident tune.
Maybe it was just another ordinary night.
But for the first time in a long while—he felt exactly where he wanted to be.
The table was nearly set. Plates aligned, utensils positioned, glasses turned upright. Megumi adjusted the final details, her eyes scanning for any misalignment. The tablecloth, the napkins, even the simple vase with modest flowers in the center—everything was as she wanted.
In the kitchen, her mother watched with arms crossed, a subtle smile at the corner of her mouth.
"If I'd known all it took was a boy to get you like this… I'd have invited one over years ago."
Megumi sighed deeply without looking at her, just repositioning a glass with exaggerated precision.
"Mom…"
"I'm serious. Look at you. You even wiped down the entryway floor. When's the last time you did that?"
"Focus on the food, please. He's almost here."
Her mother raised an eyebrow, teasing, but picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the pot without arguing. The gentle aroma of seasoning spread through the house.
Megumi stepped back and surveyed the table as a whole. Everything was right. She couldn't hide a slight smile at the corner of her mouth—nervous, but genuine.
Her phone buzzed on the couch. She walked over quickly and unlocked the screen.
> [Yuta: I'm out front.]
Megumi paused for a second.
Took a deep breath.
Then smiled to herself.
"He's here."
Her mother didn't respond, just tilted her chin with a silent air of approval while continuing to prepare the sides in the kitchen.
Megumi went to the door.
Turned the knob slowly.
Opened it.
She saw Yuta standing there, dressed neatly, hands in his pockets, a faint smile on his face. He stepped forward and kissed her naturally, unhurried.
She smiled at the end of the gesture and nodded toward the house.
"Come on. The table's ready."
Yuta entered with calm steps. He glanced around with subtle curiosity, noting the framed pictures on the walls and the soft aroma drifting from the kitchen.
Megumi moved ahead and pulled out a chair for him.
"It's just us, you, and my mom tonight. My dad's working."
Yuta nodded with a mock hint of disappointment in his tone.
"Damn… I wanted to meet the father-in-law."
A woman's voice from the kitchen cut in.
"He's not here. But I hope my presence is enough."
Yuta looked toward the voice and paused for two seconds, his gaze assessing with mild surprise.
Then he looked at Megumi, back at the woman, and back to Megumi.
"You didn't tell me you had an older sister."
Megumi closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, unable to hide her exasperation.
Her mother laughed. She walked to the table with two dishes in hand.
"Now I see how he won you over so easily. With that charm, anyone would soften."
Megumi crossed her arms.
"I didn't change. I just have a boyfriend now. Gotta treat him right, don't I?"
Yuta propped his elbow on the table and looked at her mother with a light smile.
"And it's not just charm. I really think you're beautiful."
She raised an eyebrow, pleased, but kept her composure mostly intact.
"I'll serve the dishes before you try to win me over too."
She stepped away lightly, returning to fetch the sides.
Megumi leaned slightly toward Yuta.
"Are you gonna stop hitting on my mom?"
Yuta looked straight into her eyes.
"I already won the daughter. Winning the mom is just the next step."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide a restrained smile.
Her mother returned with the sides, and soon the three were seated at the table.
During dinner, the conversation flowed. Talk of school, food, old movies. Nothing too personal, but light enough to build a connection.
Megumi's mother made a point to tease them between bites, and Yuta responded with controlled humor. Megumi tried to keep her composure, but her expression betrayed moments of genuine amusement.
The night passed without tension.
Just good food, easy talk, and an unexpectedly comfortable atmosphere.
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