While chatting with Haruto, Futaba noticed her daughter's subtle movements. Glancing down at Mitsuha, who had leaned close to her shoulder to listen in, Futaba simply smiled and didn't call her out. She turned her attention back to Haruto and continued their conversation about life in the city.
"So… how are things with your girlfriend lately?"
"Still going well, as always. Why do you ask?"
"No reason in particular. It's just… Mitsuha was talking about you earlier. Are you planning to bring your girlfriend back with you to Itomori during summer break?"
"I'm not really sure what I'll be doing in Tokyo. My book has been published, and there's nothing major lined up. I might consider working part-time here and there. But once summer comes around, I was thinking of coming home for a bit—let Setsuna see where I grew up."
"I see. That sounds like a good idea."
In truth, Futaba had something else on her mind—something she'd seen during her last trip to Tokyo, something she wanted to talk to Haruto about. But now that her son was in a relationship, and with the whole family sitting nearby, the words caught in her throat. The thought lingered, but she couldn't bring herself to speak it aloud.
That secret… she was the only one in the entire household who knew about it. Mitsuha, Yotsuha, even her own husband, Toshiki, had no idea. And Haruto—the one directly involved—was completely unaware.
Haruto's still in school, she reminded herself. There's no need to burden him with this right now. If there comes a time… if the situation calls for it… I'll tell him myself. And if he's already built a life of his own, maybe…
As a mother, she wanted to tell him everything. But Haruto had enough on his plate. Throwing that kind of revelation into the mix would only complicate things further.
"If you ever have problems… with your relationship or anything else… you know you can talk to us, right?"
Haruto, sitting in his room on the other end of the call, blinked. He could hear the gentle concern in her voice. He gave a small nod, even though she couldn't see it.
"Yeah. If anything comes up, I'll definitely ask for your advice."
"Now that you've published a book, are people in Tokyo starting to notice you?"
Mitsuha, who had been holding back for a while, finally couldn't resist. Seeing that her mom and brother were winding down their conversation, she snatched the phone from Futaba's hands and eagerly jumped in.
"What's it like in Tokyo, Haruto? Tell me!"
The moment Haruto heard that familiar voice, he couldn't help but break into a smile. His lips curled up, and a quiet laugh escaped before he even answered.
"Not really. I'm not that popular yet."
"What, you didn't tell your classmates you're a famous author now?"
"That'd be kind of lame, don't you think?"
"I guess… but are you seriously planning to keep it a secret until graduation?"
"Actually, earlier today I was out walking, and a TV crew interviewed me on the street. So, that secret might not last much longer."
"A TV interview—what?!"
Mitsuha suddenly leapt to her feet, her voice rising several octaves. Everyone else in the living room turned their heads to look at her, clearly startled. She realized how loud she'd been and flushed a little in embarrassment—but her curiosity burned even hotter now.
Even Yotsuha couldn't hide her surprise and looked over at her older sister. "Wait… Haruto-niichan was interviewed on TV?"
"No way! You're lying!" Mitsuha blurted out, still struggling to believe what she'd just heard.
"It was for a late-night show that airs Mondays at 11 PM. But since you've got school, you probably won't be able to watch it live."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. The host actually recommended my book a while back, and now I've been interviewed on the same show. It's kind of a strange coincidence, I guess."
"What's the name of the show?"
"Monday Late Show."
"No way! That's a super popular show!"
"Oh? You know it?"
"There's not a lot to do in the countryside, okay? Watching TV is basically all we've got."
Mitsuha was seriously sulking now. When she had gone to Tokyo with Haruto, they hadn't run into any TV crews. Yet the moment she came back to Itomori—barely a month later—her brother had already gotten himself interviewed. The timing felt so unfair.
I wanna be on TV too…!
"That show's actually pretty well-known at school," she added with a pout. "People talk about it all the time. Sure, it airs late, but it's funny and always has interesting stuff. Don't you think?"
"You stayed up late watching the show too?"
Although the call wasn't on speaker, the living room was quiet and spacious enough that Haruto's voice echoed clearly. The moment he spoke, both her Grandma and mother turned their eyes toward Mitsuha, who shrank back a little and gave a sheepish grin.
"Of course not," Mitsuha replied, her tone sulky. "Why would I be watching TV that late at night? With so many people in the house, it'd just wake them all up."
"That's a shame. I guess that means you won't catch my appearance on the show," Haruto said with a laugh.
"Like I even wanted to see it," Mitsuha muttered.
Haruto caught the subtle irritation in her voice and chuckled softly, deciding to change the subject.
"So, how's life in Itomori lately?"
"Like always. Nothing ever changes around here," Mitsuha replied with a sigh. "A new vending machine is headline news in this place. Half a year could go by and you wouldn't notice a single thing different."
It wasn't that she hated Itomori. But having lived there her whole life, she longed for something more exciting—like city life. Most of the young people had already left for Tokyo or other big cities, leaving the town to the elderly. Few chose to inherit their family's farms or businesses. Once they were old enough, they left—seeking brighter lights and bigger dreams.
Itomori hadn't changed at all.
Only the people she used to know were slowly disappearing.
"Hey," Mitsuha asked suddenly, "have you run into Fujika-nee in Tokyo? She's living there, isn't she? You haven't seen her at all?"
Across the room, Futaba held her breath, her gaze flicking toward Mitsuha. Realizing Mitsuha was too wrapped up in her conversation to notice, she lowered her eyes and quietly sipped her tea.
"No," Haruto replied after a pause. "I don't even have her contact info. We haven't spoken in years. It'd be weird to just reach out out of the blue. Maybe once I've settled down properly in Tokyo, I'll think about it."
"Hmm, I see."
Mitsuha had already mostly forgotten what Fujika even looked like and didn't press the topic further.
"How about this?" she offered. "You come back to Itomori for summer vacation, and I'll go to Tokyo in your place. I'll look after your apartment while you're gone."
"I wouldn't mind," Haruto said with a chuckle, "but do you really think Mom would agree?"
Mitsuha turned toward her mother. Futaba, having overheard, lifted her gaze with a calm smile and answered before Mitsuha could argue further.
"No."
"...Come on, why not?!"
"Haruto can take care of himself in Tokyo," Futaba replied lightly. "But you, Mitsuha—you still need me to wash your clothes every day, don't you?"
"..."
That simple retort completely shut Mitsuha down.
Haruto, understanding his sister's temperament, tried to soothe the blow.
"How about this? Once I'm back in Itomori, when I return to Tokyo, you can come with me. Stay for a bit, and head back before school starts."
"That's fine," Futaba said with a nod. "Yotsuha can go with her too, if she wants. And with Haruto around, I won't have to worry."
Futaba's trust in her eldest son was so unwavering that Mitsuha couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Still, Haruto's suggestion gave her a new opportunity to visit Tokyo. She let out a grumpy "Hmph," and abruptly ended the call.
Haruto stared at his phone as the dial tone faded. He wasn't surprised—Mitsuha's mood swings were nothing new. He set the phone down on his desk and gazed out at the balcony, watching the wind chime sway gently in the breeze. Then he closed his eyes.
His thoughts drifted to his new manuscript.
After realizing he might not be suited for pure literary fiction, Haruto began to consider branching out. Maybe he could blend in elements of his old specialty—perhaps even shift toward writing light novels.
"If I tone down the explicit content in a story with school romance elements," he mused, "doesn't that basically make it a youth-oriented light novel?"
It felt like a stretch—but not by much. Sitting at his desk, he opened a blank document and began to brainstorm.
Stories about supernatural battles or isekai adventures weren't really his style. What he knew best were the countryside and school settings—his real-life experiences. That kind of setting came naturally to him.
"But what would I even write about in the countryside?"
Everyday life alone felt too mundane. And horror or mystery wasn't his strong suit. He figured a simple school romance might be easier to pull off.
"A romantic comedy, maybe...?"
But comedy was another weak spot for him. He occasionally watched variety shows, but rarely found them funny. Writing jokes himself felt even harder.
"Should the protagonist have a special ability? Like time-stopping? Nah... That'd be hard to keep interesting long-term. I need a hook—but the protagonist has to be unique somehow..."
He leaned back, deep in thought as the hours passed.
By around five in the afternoon, he'd finally jotted down a few rough ideas and saved the file. Stretching, he stood up and grabbed a drink of water. Then, on impulse, he wandered over to the balcony and looked toward the house across the street—the Kiyoura residence.
The door was closed. He wasn't sure if the two girls were still there. After a moment, he went back inside and found Mai's contact.
Haruto:Hey, where are you right now?
Mai:I'm at the shopping street. We were running low on groceries. Why?
Even through the phone, he could hear the usual noise of the shopping arcade—the ads, the chatter.
He glanced toward his own fridge. It was nearly empty. He'd completely forgotten to go grocery shopping this week.
Haruto:Nothing important. Just wondering if you were already done shopping and on your way home.
Mai:Not yet. There's someone else at home with Setsuna. I've been out since this afternoon—stopped by Yoko's shop for a bit, just got to the market.
Haruto:Perfect timing, then. I'll head out too—need to restock my fridge.
Mai:You want me to pick things up for you? It's no trouble.
She didn't sound surprised. It wasn't like this was a secret date or anything—it was just grocery shopping. Still, it wasn't every day they had an excuse to meet up.
Haruto:I'm not sure what I need yet. Just wanted to get out and clear my head. If I see something I like, I'll grab it.
Mai:Alright. I'll look around for a bit. Call me when you get here.
Haruto:Got it.
He grabbed his phone and wallet, stepped out of his apartment, and made his way toward the shopping street.
It was only a ten-minute walk. Once he arrived, he called Mai again and soon spotted her at a vegetable stall, carefully picking through vegetables. He walked over to her side, stopping just short of saying anything too familiar.
There were strangers around.
They both knew the nature of their relationship wasn't something to be shared openly.
"Miss Mai," he greeted politely.
"Hm?"
Still inspecting the vegetables, she turned at the sound of his voice and smiled softly when she saw him.
"Oh, you came. Is Setsuna still at home?"
"I haven't seen her since this afternoon," Haruto replied. "Not sure if she's still with her friend."