The lively chaos at the dojo went on from five in the evening until nearly eight, only stopping when Himawari's stomach let out a loud grumble. Amid her embarrassed protests, the group finally changed and left the dojo.
"Phew—nothing beats the fresh air outside," Tetsu said, standing under the neon glow of Tokyo's night streets, the gentle breeze ruffling his hoodie. Behind him, Sayoko and the others chatted as they stepped out of the dojo.
While Sayoko and Miyano Mitei got along harmoniously, Mitei and Himawari bickered constantly, and Himawari clung to Sayoko with her usual clinginess. Meanwhile, Tsukitake Asuka, sipping milk nearby, felt like an outsider. She clearly knew she didn't quite fit in yet—or maybe she just wasn't interested in trying. After hearing Tetsu and Himawari discuss dinner plans, she hopped on her motorcycle, bid a quick goodbye, and sped off.
"She's not quite the flirty vixen I imagined," Mitei mused, watching Asuka's leather-clad figure, complete with a cat-eared helmet, disappear around a corner. She brushed back her wind-tousled hair, then, under Himawari's pouting gaze, looped her arm through Tetsu's. "Hey, what do you think about me getting a short haircut?"
"Short hair?" Tetsu blinked, eyeing Mitei's stunningly elegant aura and killer figure. His mind instantly conjured up a classic character from a Korean manhwa—Leader Mitei.
Rubbing his nose, he said, "Could work, but short hair's tough to tie into a ponytail."
"Tch, what are you thinking, you perv?" Mitei shot him a playful, sultry glare, her cheeks flushing as she recalled their steamy moment in the office. But with the others around, she quickly dropped the topic.
Soon, Sayoko and Himawari returned with bubble tea, and the four piled into the car.
It was past eight, too late to cook at home, so they opted to eat out. Sayoko had been craving barbecue, so Tetsu picked a well-known wagyu restaurant in Shibuya. Oddly, Himawari, who'd been whining about being starving, barely touched her food, just staring longingly as the others dug in.
She couldn't help it. As an A-cup at eighteen, and after getting caught in Mitei's rear naked choke at the dojo—feeling that soft, overwhelming embrace—she was hit with a serious sense of insecurity. On the way out of the dojo, she'd grabbed a shaved papaya and two large bubble teas, munching and sipping the whole way. By the time they reached the restaurant, she was too full to eat. Her pitiful expression, burping from the milk tea while eyeing the sizzling meat, cracked Tetsu up.
But there was nothing he could do to help.
They ate, drank, and laughed, and time flew by. By past nine, they were stuffed and ready to leave.
Mitei hadn't driven, and Tetsu offered to drop her off, but a K-car pulled up as they left the restaurant. Behind the wheel was Oyama Futaba, an outsourced member of the Sekiro team. Whether she'd stayed up too late gaming or was exhausted from work, her dark circles were prominent. But the moment she saw Mitei, she perked up, transforming into a feisty dragon, roasting Mitei with complaints like, "You called me when I hadn't even woken up!" and "You didn't even save me any food? Are you human?!"
Himawari snickered at Mitei's expense, but her amusement vanished with a loud honk. All eyes, including those of passersby, turned to Futaba—or rather, to the massive F-cups pressing against the steering wheel, causing the horn to blare.
"Holy… that's just ridiculous," Tetsu muttered, stunned despite his daily skincare routine. As for Himawari, the A-cup, she went numb the moment the horn sounded. Like a zombie, she climbed into the BMW's backseat, lost in an existential crisis.
It was a hilarious scene, and Mitei burst out laughing. But with the hour growing late, she didn't linger. After a cheerful goodbye, she hopped into the K-car, shooing the exhausted Futaba to the passenger seat to prevent any tired driving.
"Well, today was quite the adventure. Let's head home," Tetsu said with a chuckle, watching the K-car vanish around the corner. He tugged at his collar and walked toward the black BMW parked near the station. Sayoko, clearly enjoying the day's "team bonding," smiled and linked arms with him. "Mm. Let's stop by the supermarket on the way. We're almost out of condoms."
"No need to wear one tonight," Tetsu teased.
"No way, it's a risky day. Plus, I'm not quite ready yet," Sayoko replied playfully.
"Fine, your call. But I want the ultra-thin ones."
"Hmph, you big perv."
Under the starry sky, the two laughed and bantered on Shibuya's lively streets. As their car sped off, a few onlookers at the station shook their heads, muttering in disbelief, "One guy with four women, and it's still so harmonious? The world's gone wild."
---
Life was a mix of mundane routines with occasional bursts of excitement or chaos.
After that day at the kendo dojo with Asuka, Tetsu's life settled back into its usual rhythm. Maybe it was the system boosting his stamina, or maybe he'd fully adapted to this pace, but despite his busy work, his energy levels kept improving.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, he woke up forty minutes early to jog. If Sayoko was too worn out from the previous night's antics to join, he'd grab breakfast on the way back. The three of them—him, Sayoko, and Himawari—would eat together before he dropped Himawari off at school or, more often, the film set.
Yes, the film set.
By late March, Himawari had graduated from Tokiwadai High School. Unlike her peers, who felt nostalgic about their high school days, Himawari's high school life had ended the day she left the Light Music Club. Still, Tetsu and Sayoko took her graduation seriously, taking time off to attend her sports festival and ceremony. A photo of Himawari in her school uniform with them under a cherry blossom tree replaced her middle school graduation photo with Sayoko on her bedside table.
Though, in certain moments—when her twintails were in Tetsu's hands and she was kneeling on the tatami—the photo would be shyly covered.
Beyond sports festivals and ceremonies, Japan's high school graduation season included school trips and university applications. The school trip, a multi-day tour for seniors to mark the end of high school, wasn't something Himawari joined. She had few friends, and after leaving the Light Music Club, only her tanned bestie, Konno Yumi, remained. But Yumi was laid up with a broken ankle, a devastating blow for a track athlete, though thankfully it happened after entrance exams.
With no friends, her bestie sidelined, and the film set making it hard to take long breaks, Himawari skipped the trip. As compensation, Tetsu took a day off to take her to Tokyo DisneySea. He snapped a photo of her getting kissed by a dolphin, and in return, the moment they got home, still changing shoes in the entryway, she kabedon-ed him against the wall.
A whirlwind of passion followed—though not quite to the final step. Afterward, cuddling on the couch watching a movie, Tetsu felt utterly content.
Post-graduation came university. Despite juggling gigs to make ends meet, Himawari, who'd grown up tough, studied diligently in her limited spare time. Her academic scores were average, limited by time and natural aptitude, but her musical talent shone. With her performance history, song releases, essays, and interviews, she aced the AO entrance exam for Tokyo University of the Arts.
Tokyo University of the Arts!
Among Tokyo's six top music schools, it was the crown jewel, a unicorn in Japan's music education. Even with her financial stability, Himawari was over the moon when she got the acceptance letter. For the second time with Sayoko home, she dragged Tetsu into the bathroom, stammering nervously. The next day, she "extorted" a fancy meal and a trip to Tokyo Skytree.
Tetsu had no complaints. His ambition drove him, fueled by a love for games and a desire to create something fun. But at its core, he knew money was key to a happy life, and his career was a means to that joy. He'd never sacrifice living for work.
Time flew during these happy moments with Himawari. As the excitement of her university acceptance settled, Tetsu's life gradually shifted back to work.