"Hey, the holidays are just around the corner, Haruto. Got any plans for the break?"
The week had flown by in the blink of an eye. With April now behind them, May had quietly arrived. And with it came a four-day mini holiday.
Class wasn't over yet, but Yoshii Akihisa couldn't hold back the excitement bubbling inside him. During the break between periods, he leaned over and asked Haruto about his holiday plans.
Not far away, Eriri quietly perked up her ears.
"Someone from my family is coming to Tokyo to check up on how I've been living on my own. So… I'll probably be spending most of the break with them. Doesn't seem like I'll have much free time."
"Damn, that's too bad. I was gonna invite you over to my place. We could've pulled an all-nighter gaming together."
He hadn't expected much from Akihisa in the first place, but when he heard "all-night gaming," Haruto couldn't help but give him a look—a disappointed one, like a parent staring at their hopeless kid. Akihisa winced.
"Don't look at me like that! Like I'm some useless junior who can't get his act together! I'm traumatized enough from having to visit relatives every damn holiday! Don't make me relive that nightmare!!"
Sakamoto Yuji walked over and patted Haruto's shoulder lightly, glancing at the now-broken Akihisa.
"Cut him some slack. The only thing he's good at is gaming, after all."
Yuji hooked his arm around Akihisa's shoulders and dragged him back to his seat. Left in the sudden calm, Haruto sat quietly, rethinking his holiday schedule.
Just last night, he'd gotten a call from his mom. She was bringing Mitsuha and Yotsuha to Tokyo tomorrow—the first day of the holiday—to visit him, since he'd been living alone out here.
The break would last from 3rd to 6th. They'd probably stay about three days, heading back to Itomori around the 5th or 6th. The details were still up in the air—his mother liked to play things by ear.
His apartment wasn't big, but it could fit four people if needed. If he stashed the low table and made some bedding space on the floor, it would be tight but manageable. Worst-case scenario… he could crash at the Kiyoura place.
He could bunk with Setsuna while letting his family use his apartment. Three people in his place wouldn't be a problem.
"During the holiday break, please remember to stay safe. That's all."
As always, Fukuhara-sensei's announcement was short and to the point. After his brief reminder, he packed up his teaching materials and left the classroom. The remaining students quickly gathered in excited little groups, chatting about their holiday plans.
Haruto, however, had already packed his bag and was one of the first to leave the classroom.
At the same time, a few girls who'd been planning to invite him to a group outing for the holidays looked around in confusion.
"Miyamizu-kun already left?"
"What a shame."
"Guess we'll have to ask next time."
Unaware that anyone had wanted to include him in their plans, he made his way out of school, walking straight to the front gate.
Once back at his apartment, he didn't linger long. Instead, he headed over to the Kiyoura residence.
He rang the doorbell, but no one answered. The house was completely still. After waiting a bit, he figured Setsuna hadn't made it home from school yet. Maybe she'd stayed behind to make plans with friends for the break.
Not knowing when she'd be back, he turned around and went back to his apartment.
With some time on his hands, he figured he might as well tidy up his place before his family arrived.
It wasn't anything too involved—just wiping down the spots he usually overlooked and mopping the floor. His apartment was already fairly clean to begin with, and now it looked even more spotless. Still, he didn't feel much sense of accomplishment from it.
"Now that I think about it…"
He walked over to his desk and opened a drawer. Inside was a pink, flat plastic packet. He pulled it out, glanced at it, and then slipped it under some books and extra pens.
Hiding it under the mattress or in some obscure corner would just tempt Mitsuha to poke around and find it. She loved snooping.
But hiding it in plain sight—where it looked like it was hidden but could still be found easily—might ironically make her less likely to dig it out.
And if she did find it…
Well, knowing Mitsuha, she'd probably just bite her tongue in shock, silently stash away the memory, and never bring it up again. She was still just a regular kid.
He closed the drawer, pulled out his chair, and sat down, mentally going over what else needed to be done.
_ _ _ _
"Ughhh, the break's starting and out of all of us… only Setsuna has a boyfriend. She gets to spend her days making out while the rest of us rot in boredom. Still, I guess that's better than being stuck at school."
Black-haired Kuroda Hikari slumped over the table, a bored expression on her face. She grabbed her juice, positioned the straw near her lips, and sucked on it like she was imagining a kiss.
Right after school, she'd dragged Kanroji Nanami along to meet up with Sekai, Setsuna, and Kotonoha at the Saionji family's private dining room. The five girls had gathered to plan their "productive four-day holiday."
But they hadn't even gotten past the drinks and fries before Hikari launched into her usual complaints.
Hearing her, Kotonoha glanced at Sekai and Setsuna but said nothing, lowering her eyes to her coffee.
Nanami, sitting across from her, picked up on the awkward mood. She looked between Sekai and Setsuna, a thoughtful expression flickering across her face.
"No boys in our class catch your interest?"
"Please. Most of them just ogle Kotonoha or Sekai every day. Can you honestly see me dating guys like that?"
Hikari scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain—though whether she was mocking the boys or herself wasn't entirely clear. She glanced at Sekai's chest, noticeably more endowed than hers, then at Kotonoha's, and finally at Nanami's, which were even larger.
With a quiet sigh, she averted her gaze.
Sekai followed Hikari's eyes and reflexively looked down at herself. She recalled the times she'd spent with Haruto … and how much he seemed to enjoy certain things. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly fell silent.
Sitting beside her, Setsuna calmly sucked on her straw, casting Sekai a sideways glance before looking away.
"Boys like that are so easy to read. So childish. I could never see myself dating someone like them. I prefer guys who are more open, easygoing... and handsome, if possible."
Hikari declared her ideal boyfriend with confidence, then turned her attention toward Sekai and Kotonoha.
"Sekai, Kotonoha—you're probably the most popular girls in class. Especially Kotonoha. You've gotten more than a few love letters, haven't you? But you've never accepted a single one. Don't tell me… you've already got someone you like?"
Even though they'd been friends for a while now, Kotonoha's personality hadn't changed much—especially when it came to romantic topics. Put on the spot, she hesitated, unsure of how to answer.
"L-Like someone…? Not really."
"Is there someone you care about?"
"Someone I care about..."
A certain face flashed through her mind—Haruto's. Especially the scene where he appeared in front of her, together with an unfamiliar girl. It replayed vividly in her head. She did feel a slight curiosity and concern for him… but it wasn't quite enough to call it 'liking' him.
Her sudden silence made a mischievous glint light up in Hikari Kuroda's eyes. She looked intrigued—clearly curious about what kind of guy could catch Kotonoha's attention.
"You do have someone you care about, huh?"
"...Yeah. Just a little bit curious about him."
"A guy?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Oho~"
Faced with Hikari's probing gaze, Kotonoha pressed her lips together, refusing to spill anything about Haruto. Even if she were to talk, it would only be something she'd discuss with Setsuna. As for anyone else…
The moment Kotonoha admitted there was someone she was interested in, both Sekai and Setsuna perked up. But when they looked over at her, the long-haired, quiet girl simply lowered her head, clearly unwilling to share more.
Kotonoha —a beautiful girl well-known around school—had someone she cared about. That alone was enough to stir Hikari's curiosity, and she looked like she was about to dig deeper, but Sekai cut her off.
"Let's shelve the guy-talk for now. The holidays start tomorrow. Got any plans?"
Once Kotonoha had finished, Sekai, knowing it'd soon be her turn in the spotlight, quickly stepped in to spare her shy friend from the grilling and skillfully steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Nope. Ideally, I'd like to curl up in my boyfriend's warm embrace, listen to his sweet nothings, and drift off into a dreamy sleep."
Hopeless. This one's beyond saving.
The other girls exchanged knowing glances. That was their shared sentiment about Hikari.
"I've got club practice," Nanami said. "Even during the break, I'll mostly be at school training. I won't have much time for anything else."
The others might have plenty of free time to enjoy themselves, but as a student athlete, Nanami's schedule was packed. Training, competitions, earning rankings—that was her path forward.
"As for me," Hikari chimed in, "I thought about joining a club, but nothing really fits. I was thinking about the tennis club, but the girls there are a little too... intense. Definitely the predatory type—not really my vibe."
"If you've got nothing going on, you could always join the basketball club with me. Maybe as a team manager?"
Nanami offered the suggestion with a smile.
"But then I won't have time to meet the right guy and fall head-over-heels in love!"
"You really are relentless when it comes to romance."
Nanami didn't even try to hide her exasperation. She wanted to call Hikari a total love-obsessed airhead, but... she also knew that despite all the complaints, Hikari always seemed to have a clearer sense of what she wanted than most.
"I'll be with my little sister over the break," Kotonoha spoke up softly. "And I've got private tutoring as well."
"Of course. The princess always has her hands full," Nanami teased, amused by how quickly Kotonoha's face flushed red in response.
Then she turned to the last two—Sekai and Setsuna—curious about their holiday plans.
Sekai noticed Nanami's glance and shook her head after a moment of thought.
"Nothing special. I'll be helping out here, and beyond that, not much planned."
"I'll be with Haruto."
Setsuna's blunt answer hit like a sucker punch to two of the girls at the table.
Hikari, who wanted a boyfriend but didn't have one.
And Sekai, who knew Haruto's family would be visiting Tokyo for the holidays... but as someone not officially his girlfriend, she had no excuse to meet them.
The mood at the table shifted instantly—dense and uncomfortable. Hikari's reaction was expected, but Sekai's hit Nanami a bit differently. She stared at Sekai for a moment, trying to read her expression… but found nothing conclusive.
Kotonoha, the only one who knew about the messy entanglement between Sekai, Setsuna, and Haruto, simply lowered her head and stayed silent. It had been some time since that incident, but the impact still lingered, strong as ever.
She had grown up with traditional, conservative values. But after spending time with Setsuna and Sekai… her worldview had started to crack. She couldn't understand it—how those two managed to get along so well, knowing what they knew.
As the others chatted about their holiday plans, Kotonoha kept her head down, quietly sipping from her coffee, not daring to say a word.
"Everyone's got their own thing going on for the holidays, huh…" Hikari rested her chin in her hand, thinking aloud. "I don't even know what I'll do by myself. Oh! Sekai, can I work here part-time during the break?"
Her eyes lit up suddenly as she looked across the table at Sekai, clearly inspired.
"Part-time, here?"
"Yeah. I've got nothing else to do anyway. If I stay home, I'll just get nagged by my mom."
"I'll ask about it. Shouldn't be a problem, though."
Sekai didn't give a definitive yes, opting instead to check with her mother first.
"Thanks. I owe you one."
The girls lingered in the family diner a while longer. Sekai stepped out to confirm with her mother, and once she got the green light—they were short-staffed anyway—she handed Hikari a copy of the shift schedule. If she followed it during the holidays, she could start immediately.
The other three went their separate ways home. Since they lived in different directions, Nanami said her goodbyes first. Setsuna and Kotonoha walked together.
"…You wanted to talk to me earlier, didn't you?" Setsuna asked once they were alone on the quiet walk home.
Kotonoha, who had been struggling with how to bring up what she'd seen—the scene at the store with Haruto and the unfamiliar girl—looked over, surprised by the question.
"You've been acting weird ever since Hikari started talking about relationships," Setsuna continued. "You kept sneaking glances at me and Sekai. Even Nanami picked up on it."
"W-Was it that obvious?"
"Very."
The blunt answer made Kotonoha's cheeks flush. Embarrassment bubbled up inside her. She lowered her head, clutching her bag tightly. After walking in silence for a while, she finally turned to Setsuna again, voice soft and uncertain.
"I… don't really understand."
"About me, Sekai, and Haruto?"
Kotonoha didn't answer, but her silence said enough. Setsuna glanced at her, then looked ahead, unsure where to even begin.
"…Triangles are the most stable shape."
"Huh?"
"Even though I'm dating Haruto… I don't know if he'll grow tired of me someday. The more you have, the more you fear losing it. But I knew Sekai liked him too. So I thought… if we both stay by his side, maybe we'll form a stable triangle. That was my reasoning."
She turned her head slightly to glance at Kotonoha beside her. Seeing the confused look on the girl's face, she didn't bother to explain any further.
The two walked along the path in silence. After a while, having grasped a rough idea of what Setsuna had in mind, Kotonoha looked at her again—with eyes now tinged with a more complicated emotion.
Though she had little experience when it came to love, Setsuna's words weren't exactly hard to understand. And now that she did understand what was being implied, Kotonoha found her impression of Setsuna quietly shifting.
"That day... I actually considered asking you to join us too."