When it came to buying gifts for girls, Haruto had little to no experience. In fact, it had usually been the other way around—girls gave him gifts.
After wandering through the shopping mall for what felt like ages, and with a bit of help from some very enthusiastic sales staff, he finally settled on a few things that a girl might like. Once the purchases were made, he stepped out of the building, bag in hand.
Just as he was nearing the subway station, ready to head home, a group of people suddenly blocked his path.
"Excuse me, could we bother you for a moment?"
The people in front of him wore face masks and carried a camera hoisted on their shoulders—not your average passersby. Glancing behind him, Haruto quickly realized what was going on. He'd walked straight into a street interview being filmed for a TV show.
"We're from the Monday Late Show production team. We're conducting interviews on the street. Would it be alright if we asked you a few questions?"
Haruto looked down at the shopping bag in his hand, then back at the camera crew in front of him. After weighing the pros and cons of being interviewed, he hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod.
"Sure, that's fine."
"Great! So, may we ask—what are you up to right now?"
"I just came from the Seibu Department Store over there. Bought some gifts for my girlfriend. I was heading home."
"I see!"
Facing the nearby camera lens and the smiling interviewer, Haruto's gaze flickered slightly. A thought occurred to him—maybe he could use this chance to promote his work. But then again, it felt a bit too forward. He hesitated... and ultimately kept the idea to himself.
"Is there anything recently that's been on your mind? Something that's really stuck with you?"
"Something that's been on my mind…"
"If you're comfortable sharing, would you tell us—and our audience?"
"I don't mind. Actually, there is something that's been bothering me a bit lately."
Haruto adjusted his expression, adopting a more serious tone. He had seen a few episodes of this show before, so he had a general idea of their vibe. As he began speaking, the staff quickly aimed the camera at him with renewed focus.
"A while ago, my book was published. But the sales were… lukewarm at best."
"Wait, hold on—are you saying you're a writer?"
"Just a rookie."
"Could you tell us the title of your book? Is it available in bookstores around here?"
"I can. Hold on a second."
Sensing a golden opportunity to get his work in front of more eyes, Haruto quickly told the crew to wait and walked toward a nearby bookstore. Inside, he asked the clerk about his book, confirmed they had it in stock, and purchased a copy. With the book in hand, he returned to the spot where the interview had resumed.
"Here it is. Though I have to say, even though it's my own book, having to buy a copy myself feels a bit... awkward."
"Haha, yeah, that's kind of unavoidable."
"Right? I mean, I couldn't have predicted I'd run into a TV crew today. It's not like I carry a copy of my book everywhere I go."
"So, getting back to what's been bothering you...?"
"Well, after the book was published, sales were really underwhelming. But recently, out of nowhere, things took a turn. Sales suddenly picked up—and I found out it was because a TV host named Matsuko mentioned my book on her show."
"Wait, Matsuko-san?"
"Yeah. You know Matsuko-san?"
"Of course—we do more than just know her. Matsuko-san is actually our host!"
"Eh? Really?"
Haruto raised his eyebrows in apparent surprise. He wasn't even sure how much of his expression was genuine—after all, he already knew the show was hosted by Matsuko. But pretending not to recognize it? That was just part of the act. A little test of his acting chops.
"I wouldn't know. I don't really watch much TV," he added with a light laugh. "Actually, it was my editor who mentioned Matsuko-san to me. Um… would you mind passing along my thanks to Matsuko-san?"
"Of course! We'll let Matsuko-san know. Anyway, thank you for your time today."
"That's it?"
"Yes, we've got more than enough great material. You'll probably see it on next week's show."
"I see. Well, thank you for your hard work."
After parting ways with the interview crew, Haruto stepped into the subway station. He sank into one of the seats on the train with a long, drawn-out sigh.
Surprise? Bewilderment? All just part of the performance.
He wasn't sure if the interview would even make it onto the final cut of the show. But if it did, and if nothing went wrong, it was bound to generate buzz. A little extra push for his book sales.
If I make it on air, that's great. If not... guess I wasn't interesting enough.
A sudden thought struck him. He reached for his phone—but catching sight of the passengers around him, he hesitated and put it back down. Not until he got off at his station and exited to the quiet streets did he finally make the call.
"Mari-nee."
"Haruto? What's up?"
"I ran into a TV crew earlier while I was out shopping. They interviewed me."
"A TV crew? Did you mention your book?"
"Yeah. It was the Monday Late Show crew. Total coincidence. I think that's Matsuko-san's show, right?"
"Oh? A coincidence, huh?"
"Yeah, I was out looking for a gift for my girlfriend. Ran into them on the way back. So I took the opportunity to express my appreciation to Matsuko-san. They said if all goes well, the segment might air next Monday."
"That's some pretty lucky timing. It could turn into a great opportunity. Did you get any contact info from the crew?"
"Ah… no, I didn't."
"I see. Got it. I'll talk to the boss tomorrow, see if we can coordinate something with NTV to promote your book."
"Thanks, Mari-nee. Sorry for the trouble."
"Trouble? If it works out, I might even get promoted. Win-win, right? So don't worry about it. Anything else?"
"No, that's all."
"Alright then. I'll handle it on my end. Talk to you soon."
Haruto ended the call and let out another long sigh outside the station before making his way home.
The gift he bought for Setsuna still sat in the bag. But he remembered she was spending the afternoon with Sekai and Kotonoha. Until he was sure those two had left, he didn't want to interrupt. Giving her a gift in front of them...
He glanced down at his stomach.
Probably won't get stabbed...
But he wasn't willing to test the depths of a jealous girl's wrath with his internal organs.
With nothing better to do and no idea how to spend the rest of the day, Haruto sat down at his desk and placed the aroma diffuser he'd bought earlier in front of him.
It would take a while for the scent to fill the room completely. His apartment wasn't very large, but with the kitchen and bathroom taking up some space, the actual living area wasn't as cramped as it seemed.
"Oh, right. The wind chime."
Remembering the chime he'd bought, he got back up and went over to the floor-to-ceiling windows leading to the balcony. Pulling the sheer curtains aside, he stuck a hook to the upper frame and hung the little chime on it.
He slid the window open and watched the small paper strip flutter in the gentle breeze. The soft, clear ringing of the chime filled the air.
Haruto closed his eyes, transported back to a summer evening in Itomori—lying on the wooden veranda, watching the sun dip behind the mountains, Mitsuha asleep in his arms...
"Those days… I miss them all of a sudden."
Smiling faintly, he opened his eyes and returned to his desk. Sitting back down, he picked up his phone and called his family in Itomori, wondering how they were doing lately.
On the weekend, Mitsuha lay sprawled on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She flipped over with a groan, unsure of what to do with herself. Her gaze drifted toward her sister, seated diligently at the desk.
"Is it really that interesting? That book seems a little too mature for someone your age. Can you even understand it?"
"Hmph."
Yotsuha didn't bother responding. She gave a dismissive snort and didn't even glance back, eyes locked on the pages in front of her.
Mitsuha pouted. With no one to talk to, her boredom only grew. Her thoughts wandered back to her time in Tokyo—the sights, the sounds, the city itself. Compared to that vibrant energy, life in Itomori felt unbearably dull.
"Ughhh—I wanna go back to Tokyo. I wanna live in the big city again!"
Yotsuha tuned out the rant completely. Before they'd gone to Tokyo, her sister only had an outburst like that once a week. Since returning, it had become a daily ritual. Honestly, Yotsuha kind of wished her sister would just run off to Tokyo already.
"He's probably out in some fancy members-only restaurant with his girlfriend right now, eating high-class Western food…"
"Must be nice—getting to eat at gourmet restaurants every day…"
Yotsuha closed her book with a loud thunk, took a deep breath, and walked over to her sister. She gave Mitsuha a cold stare, then left the room without a word, leaving her sister alone in silence.
But with no one left to talk to, Mitsuha quickly grew restless again. She buried her face in her pillow for a moment, then got up and followed her sister out of the room.
In the living room, their grandmother sat calmly, sipping tea while watching TV. Their mother, Futaba, sat beside her. Yotsuha was already there too, peeling the wrapper off a piece of candy and popping it into her mouth. She gave Mitsuha a sidelong glance as the older girl walked in.
Mitsuha stuck her tongue out playfully and plopped down on the couch beside her.
"It's June already… Summer's right around the corner. The watermelons should be ready soon, right?"
"There are some at the supermarket, but they're still pretty pricey," Futaba said with a shake of her head, recalling the fruit prices from her last grocery run.
"What about the ones we grow ourselves? Didn't we plant some this year?"
"They're not ripe yet."
"Last year we got a bunch as gifts, didn't we? Maybe someone will send some again this year."
Even Yotsuha perked up at the mention of watermelons. She wasn't interested in much, but this was something worth remembering—last summer had left a sweet impression.
The Miyamizu family, caretakers of the local shrine for generations, were held in high esteem by the people living in Itomori. Every summer, local farmers would send offerings of fruit—some for the shrine, some as a gesture of respect.
"Yotsuha."
Grandmother Miyamizu gave her a sharp look. The girl immediately ducked her head.
"Sorry, Grandma…"
"This summer, I think he's coming back," Mitsuha said suddenly. "When we talked in Tokyo, he mentioned he might bring his girlfriend—the one named Kiyoura Setsuna . Grandma, you hasn't met her yet, right?"
The old woman took a slow sip of tea and gave her granddaughter a quiet glance.
She wasn't worried about Haruto's relationships. After all, she'd watched him grow up and knew exactly how charming and capable he was. Even in his childhood, people were already talking about arranging matches for him. It wasn't surprising he'd found someone now.
Though… she spared a glance at her daughter, Futaba, sitting primly beside her.
Some things are just fate, she thought, letting out a silent sigh.
Marriage proposals long declined, now meaningless. Her grandson had found love on his own, and there was no need to dwell on the past. Perhaps this was better after all.
Mitsuha, feeling ignored, quietly slumped next to Yotsuha on the couch.
Just then, Futaba's phone began to ring, drawing everyone's attention. She picked it up and looked at the screen—Haruto. A little unusual. He normally didn't call until the evening.
"Haruto? Is everything okay?"
"Nothing big. I just wanted to ask how things are in Itomori. How's Grandma doing?"
"We're all well. Your grandmother's still healthy and strong. How are things in Tokyo?"
"I'm doing fine. How are Mitsuha and Yotsuha?"
"Same as always."
Mitsuha, who had just sat down, froze as soon as she heard his name. Her whole body stiffened, and she slowly folded her legs under herself, inching closer to her mother's side and leaning in to listen—shamelessly eavesdropping, but making no effort to hide it.