Chapter 5 happy birthday... but
February 5th—finally, the day has arrived.
Today is Arisa and Aina’s birthday, and I’m scheduled to head to the Shinjo household in the evening to celebrate. Since today and tomorrow happen to be days off, I plan to stay over at their place after the celebration so we can spend more time together.
“…Man, there’s no way they haven’t noticed, right?”
The closer this day got, the more restless I became, and even my best friends—who have nothing to do with this—seemed to pick up on the change. There’s no chance the two of them, who know me so well, wouldn’t have caught on. Still, they didn’t pry into the specifics.
“…Hmm, no matter how many times I think about it, it’s really something.”
Celebrating a girl’s birthday… it’s such a strange feeling for me. It’s only recently that I’ve been thinking about Arisa and Aina like this, but the thought of my two best friends—who’ve been looking lonely since we’ve had less time to hang out—crosses my mind too.
“They’re not just ‘kinda lonely’—they’ve straight-up been inviting me over…”
…Eventually, I’ll have to make it up to them by crashing at Sota or Kaito’s place for a night of gaming. Staying up until morning playing games nonstop might be exhausting, but it’d be a sleepless night full of laughter.
“Well, time to get the shopping done quick.”
The main event starts in the evening, so right now, I’m just out running errands for the house. Toothbrushes, detergent, bath salts—stuff like that was running low, so I’m picking up a bunch of daily necessities in one go.
“…Brr, it’s cold.”
It’s still February, after all, and the chill is brutal. I tighten the scarf around my neck to stifle the shivers, but of course, that’s not enough to fend off the cold. Even when I try to hold it in, my teeth chatter… Oh, right, that thing. If you keep your upper and lower teeth just barely apart, they start clacking nonstop—it’s kinda fun.
“Better finish shopping and get ready for tonight.”
With that, I dive into my errands. Daily necessities are easy enough to grab at one supermarket, so I don’t need to hop between stores. It’s over in no time. Walking home with shopping bags in both hands, I spot an ice cream stand. Eating ice cream in winter has its own charm, so I head over and grab a chocolate mint one.
Chomp “…Delicious.”
The cold spreads through my mouth, blending perfectly with the sweetness of the chocolate and the sharp kick of mint—an unbeatable combo. The freezing weather even acts like a spice, making the chocolate mint ice cream taste even better.
“Hm?”
As I’m savoring it, my phone pings with a message. Wondering who it’s from, I check and see it’s Aina… What’s up?
“…!?”
I glance at it casually and nearly choke from the shock.
“Are you okay, onii-chan?”
“Are you alright?”
“Oh, yeah… Totally fine.”
A parent and kid buying ice cream nearby look at me with concern—apparently, my reaction was so intense it startled them. Even after I say I’m fine, the little boy keeps worrying about me.
(Sorry, kid… Sorry, mom… There’s no way I can tell you why I almost choked!)
And no wonder—look at this. Attached to Aina’s message is a photo of Arisa mid-change. Her black, mature lace underwear is fully exposed, and since she’s not looking at the camera, I figure it was a sneak shot… Yeah, seeing this, nearly choking, and getting worried looks from a random family? No way I can explain that!
“Look at this! Nee-san’s wearing something this crazy! So naughty!”
Yeah, it’s naughty alright… No, wait, that’s not the point! I shove my phone back into my pocket and turn to the family again.
“Seriously, I’m fine! Sorry for worrying you.”
I flash a smile to reassure them and bow my head. The kid and his mom both look relieved, and while I’m touched by how kind they are to a stranger, I feel so pathetic I could cry.
“…Time to head back.”
I finish the ice cream cleanly and stand up with my bags. It’s just before noon now. Since I’ve got time, I decide to grab lunch too and head to a ramen shop. Slurping down a shoyu ramen I haven’t had in a while, I let the nostalgia wash over me.
“Thanks!”
Shopping done, stomach full, I finally start heading home… but it seems today’s some kind of pre-birthday trial for Arisa and Aina, because I catch sight of something I can’t ignore.
“Saeki…?”
Yep, there she is—Saeki. But she’s not alone; she’s with a guy—pretty built, probably around our age—being dragged by the arm into an alley.
“That… doesn’t look good, does it?”
The words slip out, and my feet are already moving toward the alley. A few other people saw it too, but they all pretended not to notice, which pisses me off. Sure, nobody wants to get involved in trouble, and maybe Saeki agreed to go with him—but no, she was clearly trying to shake him off, so that’s not it. Alright, I’m going in.
“…Huh?”
As I start running toward where Saeki disappeared, something catches my eye. It’s a mask stall, the kind kids would flock to, and among them is a pumpkin mask—obviously not a bestseller. It’s not the headpiece I bought before, just a rubber mask with straps.
(What the… Why do I feel such a vibe from it?)
It’s like it’s radiating a purple aura, staring right at me. The pattern around the eyes and the color are almost identical to that old headpiece. Before I know it, I’ve grabbed the mask and slapped a thousand-yen bill on the counter.
“Hey, customer, your change—”
“Oh—uh, I’ll come back for it! In a rush!”
I might not come back, but oh well. I can still hear the shopkeeper calling after me as I run off, feeling guilty but heading toward Saeki—and it doesn’t take long to figure out why she was dragged here.
“Come on, Saeki-san, please. I really, really like you!”
“I’ve told you I’m not interested! You’re relentless at school, and now you drag me here just because we ran into each other today!”
…Oh, I get it now. From that short exchange, I piece it together. That guy’s probably a classmate from her high school, right?
(What’s with me and running into stuff like this? This guy seems pretty persistent too…)
It reminds me of Arisa’s confession scene, or that time with Aina when the guy backed off quick. But this dude? He’s on another level of clingy. He’s gripping Saeki’s shoulder tight, not letting go, and completely ignoring everything she’s saying.
“Is there someone else you like!? Who is it—”
“Enough! Even if there was, it’s none of your business!!”
“What the hell!? Damn it!!”
Nothing’s uglier than someone blinded by jealousy, but doesn’t he realize this kind of behavior just hurts her more and makes her hate him? I never thought I’d stumble into a scene like this—sure, you hear about these messes on the news, but still, what are the odds?
“Well, I’ll think about it later—my ex or not, I’m not about to ignore this. I don’t want to be that kind of cold bastard.”
I slap the pumpkin mask onto my face. The moment I do, it’s like a switch flips—my mind goes calm and clear, just like that time I rushed to the Shinjo house when burglars broke in.
“That’s enough.”
“…Huh?”
“W-What the hell are you…?”
When I speak, both of them react—especially the guy, who flinches hard. Saeki’s staring at me wide-eyed, and the guy’s probably thinking, “Who’s this weirdo?”
“I heard most of it from the start. She’s clearly uncomfortable—don’t you think you should stop forcing yourself on her? You’re just making her hate you more. Don’t you see you’re killing any chance you might’ve had?”
“Mind your own damn business, outsider!”
He spits the words out like venom. Yeah, he’s right—I’m an outsider with no right to butt in… but I’m doing this because I want to. An old acquaintance, an ex—even if our connection’s faded, even if it was short-lived, I’ll say it again: I’m not turning a blind eye!
“Then don’t do shit that makes an outsider step in! If you really like her, how can you do something she hates? How can you be so selfish?”
At that, he lets go of Saeki and locks onto me instead. I want her to run, but she’s frozen, just watching us—frustrating, but I get it; it’s a lot to process so suddenly.
“Shut up… I’ll beat the crap outta you!”
He raises his fist and stomps toward me. I feel a twinge of dread—this is definitely heading toward a fight—but with the mask on, my heart stays eerily calm. Like I thought earlier, he’s got a solid build; he’s probably confident in a brawl.
“…Ugh, what a pain.”
I let out a small sigh, and maybe he takes it as mockery because he glares harder and charges right at me.
“Look out!”
Saeki’s scream echoes as I, with an oddly cool head, pick up a metal pipe lying nearby. To be clear, I’m not planning to hit him or hurt him—it’s just for intimidation, to kill his momentum.
“Haaaaah!!”
Channeling my old kendo days, I shout and thrust the pipe right up to the tip of his nose.
“…!”
As expected, it spooks him—he freezes, all his steam gone. I lower the pipe and step closer; he looks at me like I’m some monster and bolts off in a panic.
“…Did he have to look at me like I’m some freak?”
Still, that’s one problem down. As I let out a small breath, the shopkeeper from the mask stall comes running up—perfect timing.
“Hey, customer! You’ve gotta take your change properly, or I’m in trouble!”
“Oh, uh… yeah. Sorry.”
Knew that was coming… I bow my head in apology right away. Turns out he tracked me down by asking around—really sorry about that. Seems like I’ve been apologizing to everyone today… but thankfully, he’s not mad.
“Here you go… Oh, and you were pretty cool back there, customer!”
“Oh…”
Waving, the shopkeeper heads off. He said he followed me here, but that phrasing means he saw the end of it… Whatever, that’s fine for now. With the guy gone, it’s just me and Saeki left. I’m about to say something when she beats me to it.
“I thought it might be you from the voice… Domoto-kun?”
“…Hey.”
Sure, the Shinjo incident was one thing, but if we’ve talked before, it makes sense she’d recognize my voice. I take off the mask, and she blinks in surprise before continuing.
“So it really was you, Domoto-kun… Um, thank you so much for helping me.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. I just happened to see it… So, that guy?”
“Yeah… He’s a classmate from my high school. We were kinda close for a bit, and then he got like that.”
“Oh… Like a stalker?”
“Not quite that bad, I think. But today, we ran into each other by chance, and he dragged me here… He’s never done this before, so I panicked a little.”
I ask for more details. That “kinda close” period was just them talking more than usual—nothing special to her, just a normal classmate thing, totally mundane.
“…Guess it’s my fault, huh? If I’d shut him down harder and clearer earlier, he might’ve given up.”
No, that’s not—still, she doesn’t seem too shaken up by it, which is a relief.
“What’s up? You just sighed in relief.”
“Oh… You got dragged into a place like this, right? I was worried it might’ve messed you up or something.”
He’s a classmate, and he didn’t actually do anything physical, so maybe I’m overthinking it. But I’ve seen a woman trembling in fear up close before… Oh, right—that’s probably why I moved without thinking. When I explain, Saeki smiles.
“I’m fine on that front. If anything, it feels like a wake-up call to be firmer.”
“Good. That’s a relief.”
“…Thanks, Domoto-kun. You were really worried about me?”
“Of course I was.”
We exchange words and end up laughing together. Tired of hanging out in this damp alley, we step back onto the main street.
“…Phew.”
“Hang on.”
Seeing Saeki sigh, I dash to a vending machine and grab a hot tea.
“Here.”
“Oh, thanks.”
I hand it to her, and she rolls it between her palms to warm up. I sip my own tea, warming my chilled body… Huh, it’s been a while since it’s just been the two of us like this.
“…Since middle school, huh? Us being alone together.”
“Yeah… Wait, you were thinking the same thing?”
“Hehe, yup.”
We sip our tea slowly, calming down. Then she spots my shopping bags—and the pumpkin mask inside—and naturally asks about it.
“You were shopping… But why a pumpkin mask? I was glad you saved me, but honestly, I was more confused at first.”
“…Uh…”
On that note… I’d really appreciate it if she didn’t ask. Sensing my silence, she drops the mask topic but hits me with something else instead.
“Domoto-kun, did you maybe get a girlfriend?”
“…Huh?”
Why’d she suddenly—? Staring at me, she keeps going.
“Just a feeling… Really just a hunch. When you protected me, your eyes looked like they were seeing someone else. They were so kind, so full of care.”
“…”
She’s right… When I stepped in, I did think back to saving them. After a moment, I nod.
“…Yeah. It reminded me of something similar—except that time, I was wearing a pumpkin headpiece, not a mask.”
“Uh… I’m lost here?”
“Haha, fair enough.”
That scene was no joke, but summing it up like this does sound ridiculous… It’s not a fun memory for me either, so I’ll skip the details. Clearing my throat, I start talking.
“I’ve got a girlfriend now.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Someone truly amazing… I never thought I’d fall this hard for anyone. Every day’s so much fun now.”
As I say it, Arisa and Aina’s smiling faces come to mind. Not just their smiles—their shy, blushing looks, the gentle gazes they give me, and yeah, even those heart-pounding naughty expressions all flood in.
“You’ve found it, huh, Domoto-kun? Someone who makes you happy just being around them, someone you can truly enjoy life with.”
“Yeah… I’m so grateful for this chance.”
“Haha, you’re totally smitten!”
“Damn right I am. She’s that incredible.”
Just so you know, if you asked me to talk about Arisa and Aina, I wouldn’t stop for half a day. Finishing her tea while we chat, Saeki giggles and stands up.
“That’s really wonderful. Getting saved this time, and hearing you talk about someone you love so much—I think you’re pretty amazing too, Domoto-kun.”
“No winning you back now, huh?”
“Hey! Why’d you have to say that? Fine, fine, I’ll just find someone even better than you!”
“…Pfft.”
“…Hehe.”
Oh… This takes me back to before we dated, when Saeki and I got along like this. Seems she feels it too—neither of us can stop smiling.
“I’d love to meet your girlfriend someday, Domoto-kun… If there’s ever a chance, please!”
“…Got it.”
I say that, but I doubt it’ll happen. My relationship with them isn’t normal, and I can’t exactly tell Saeki about it… Kind of a shame, though.
“Oh, it’s about time. I—”
“Whoa!?”
Right then, Saeki trips over nothing with impressive skill. I catch her reflexively—back when we first dated, even holding hands made me nervous, but without those feelings now, I just check if she’s hurt.
“You okay?”
“Y-Yeah… Sorry, Domoto-kun. I’m such a klutz.”
“Don’t sweat it. My grandma does that all the time.”
“Wait, are you saying I’m like an old lady?”
“…Never mind.”
“Good.”
Uh, Saeki-san? If you’d turned that death glare on that guy earlier, this would’ve been over in seconds. That was terrifying… Anyway, I make sure she’s not hurt and step back.
“Hey, can I ask something?”
“Hm?”
She starts poking my arm, letting out an “Oh!”
“You’ve got some muscle now, huh? Definitely different from middle school.”
“Oh, yeah, I’ve been training lately. Wanna protect my girlfriend, you know.”
“Wow, you really love her, huh?”
“Get me started, and I’ll talk for half a day.”
“That’d be a bit much.”
“Right, sorry.”
After that, we part ways. Saeki was mid-errand for her mom, so she waves and heads off.
“…Yeah, not bad at all.”
An ex, an old friend—I thought it’d be way more awkward. But it wasn’t. We’ve both moved on, living our new lives… And before she left, she said this:
“By the way, last time we met, I said we weren’t having fun, right? I didn’t mean being with you was boring or anything. I really enjoyed our time together, Domoto-kun.”
With that, she was gone. I’m a little worried since that guy’s from her school, but she says he’s a coward despite his size, so it should be fine. She told me to leave it to her and not stress about it.
“…Guess I’ll trust her on that. Saeki’s tougher than I thought—she’ll manage.”
Alright, time to drop off these bags at home and head to the Shinjo place.
▼▽
It was a scene I just happened to catch by chance.
“…Huh?”
Hayato-kun… was chatting happily with some girl I didn’t know. Who is she? If she went to our school, I’d at least recognize her face, but I’ve got nothing—so she’s probably… not from our school.
“Nee-san? What’s… wrong…?”
Aina, next to me, freezes when she sees it too.
…Hey, Hayato-kun, who’s that girl?
I never imagined I’d see something like this. It’s mine and Aina’s birthday today… We told Hayato-kun we’d be happy just having him celebrate with us, but it seems he’s been preparing gifts for us. I told him not to overdo it, but of course, we couldn’t help looking forward to what our beloved Hayato-kun might give us. We’ve been counting down to today.
“…Who is she?”
“…Who is she?”
Our muttered words overlap perfectly. Neither Aina nor I can tear our eyes away from that one spot… And Hayato-kun, oblivious to us, is giving that same smile he always shows us to some random girl.
I know… There’s no reason to be scared of a scene like this, no reason to doubt Hayato-kun. He always puts me and Aina first, and I can feel his love for us with every fiber of my being… I mean, I’ve seen him talking to other girls at school plenty of times… Even so, seeing him smile so genuinely at someone other than us… It might sound petty, but I didn’t like it.
“Hey, what do you think they’re doing?”
“I don’t know…”
They were just chatting happily… but then the girl slipped and lost her balance. Hayato-kun hurriedly caught her, steadying her, and for some reason, she started touching his arm all over. Hayato-kun didn’t push her away—he just let it happen.
“It’s not… cheating, right?”
“Of course not. She’s probably just an acquaintance.”
Cheating—there’s no way that could be true. I know that. But… I can’t completely suppress this jealousy burning in my chest… The only ones who should be by Hayato-kun’s side are me and Aina. His special place belongs to us alone!
“Oh, she’s leaving…”
The girl walks off with a smile, and Hayato-kun waves back at her before heading off with shopping bags in both hands. That direction leads toward our house—and his—so he’s probably going home.
“Will he come to our place after?”
“Probably. We’re done shopping too, so let’s head back quick.”
Wanting to be home before Hayato-kun arrives, I start walking back with Aina. Along the way, we barely speak… Normally, Aina’s so chatty she’d fill the silence with endless topics, but now she’s quiet—not like a different person, but noticeably subdued.
After a while, Aina finally breaks the silence.
“…Nee-san.”
“What is it?”
I figure we’re probably thinking the same thing, feeling the same way, so I respond as gently as I can.
“I’m not worried, you know. Hayato-kun won’t leave us, and he’d never betray us… Of course, that goes both ways—but even so, there’s this nagging haze in my chest.”
“…”
Pressing a hand to her chest, Aina confesses, almost as if she’s bewildered by this new emotion. Truth be told, I’m a little thrown off too… Oh, so this is jealousy. It’s hitting me clear as day now.
When Aina got ahead of me or showed off to Hayato-kun in cosplay to one-up me, I felt jealous then too—but since it was Aina, I could brush it off easily. But this… This is jealousy. This deep, raw jealousy welling up from the bottom of my heart.
“Hey, Aina, this is jealousy, isn’t it?”
“…Oh, so this is jealousy. It’s different from what I felt toward you, Nee-san—a real, distinct jealousy… Huh, I’m learning something here.”
Oh, she’s sounding more normal than I expected—good to know. After that, Aina slips back into her usual self… but that scene from earlier still lingers in our minds, refusing to fade.
Who was that girl? What’s her connection to Hayato-kun…?
“Well, Hayato-kun’s an amazing guy. It’s not like we’re the only ones who—ugh, no way, I hate that!”
“I hate it too… Ugh, it’s still bothering me.”
In the end, we stay unsettled all the way home. Even though my head knows there’s no need to worry, a tiny sliver of doubt keeps creeping into the gaps in my heart.
Is she better than me…?
Does she satisfy Hayato-kun more than I do…?
Is she… more useful to him than I am…?
“Haah…”
I keep telling myself there’s no need to worry, but I can’t stop thinking about it.
▼▽
“Happy birthdayyyyyy!!”
“Happy birthday to you both♪”
Pop pop, clap clap!
Here it is—the moment to celebrate their birthday. In other words, Arisa and Aina are now sixteen, just like me.
(…I keep forgetting how wild it is, but sixteen with those figures? Unreal.)
My gaze locks onto Arisa and Aina, who are staring at the cake with glee… specifically, at their chests.
“It looks so good…!”
“Hey, let’s eat it already!”
The two of them don’t even notice my staring—they’re too engrossed in the extravagant cake Sakuna-san bought.
“…It looks crazy good.”
“Hehe, it’s a special birthday, after all. I’ll get one for your birthday too, Hayato-kun.”
“For real!?”
Oh, I’m so looking forward to that! We dig into the cake Sakuna-san slices up… but I keep catching Arisa and Aina sneaking glances at me.
(…What’s up?)
Ever since I got here today, they’ve been throwing these looks my way. I finally ask what’s going on, but they just flash their usual smiles and say it’s nothing… Did I do something?
Chomp “…So good.”
For now, I focus on enjoying the cake. The whipped cream and sponge are delicious, of course, but the strawberry perched on top is just out of this world.
“Is it good?”
“Yes!”
I answer loudly, and Sakuna-san giggles, looking pleased.
“It’s really delicious.”
“Yeah, yeah! The sweetness is great, but this strawberry is the best♪”
It’s not just me—Arisa and Aina are loving the cake too. As we munch away, I start mentally rehearsing what’s next: the gift-giving moment.
(Just hand it over normally, right…? Will they even like it…? What if they secretly think they don’t need it…?)
There’s no way that’d happen, but the “what if” still creeps into my head. Even with those worries, the moment inches closer… and finally, it’s time to give them the presents I prepared.
“I’ll watch from here. Good luck, Hayato-kun.”
“…Right.”
Sakuna-san[a] gives me a pat on the back, and I step in front of the two with paper bags in hand. I’m still curious about those looks they gave me when I arrived and why they’ve been glancing at me, but right now, this is my big moment.
“…Once again, happy birthday, you two!”
“Oh, thank you, Hayato-kun♪”
“Thanks, Hayato-kun♪”
I nearly get lost in their beaming smiles—like always—but I pull out the two paper bags I’d hidden behind my back.
“You said not to worry about presents, but I couldn’t help wanting to get you something—so please, take them.”
They stare at the bags, then look back at me with soft smiles.
“…We knew you’d gotten us presents. But seeing them in front of us like this… it’s really special.”
“Yeah♪ Hey, can we open them?”
“Yeah! …Yeah!”
Oh man… I might be more nervous right now than I’ve ever been in my life. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration…? I want to say this is nothing compared to confessing to them, but—damn it!—my legs feel like they’re about to give out from the tension.
“Is this… a stuffed animal?”
“And a ribbon too… Oh, the colors!”
The stuffed animals and ribbons I picked out for them… Haha, their reactions don’t seem bad at all—I’m so relieved. Watching them hug the gifts to their chests like they’re precious, I realize I was right to get them, and all that worry about whether they’d like it was pointless.
“Thank you, Hayato-kun!”
“Thanks, Hayato-kun!”
…Oh, yeah. Seeing those smiles, I could die happy right now.
“…I could die happy.”
The second I mumble that, they both freak out.
“N-No, you can’t say that!”
“No way that’s okay!!”
They grab my shoulders and shake me, snapping me out of my near-heavenly daze.
“Hehe, ahh, youth♪”
Sakuna-san watches us fondly as I grin at them.
“I’d never leave you two behind and go anywhere. Okay, maybe that was a bad choice of words.”
“Geez, Hayato-kun…”
“If you disappeared, we couldn’t go on living!”
That’s a bit much, isn’t it…? I think so, but Aina’s words carry this unshakable certainty, and Arisa’s dead-serious expression backs it up. Clearing my throat to shift the mood, I look them straight in the eyes.
“I’ve never given presents like this before, so I was nervous about how you’d take it… but seeing you both like this, I’m so relieved—crazy relieved.”
“Hayato-kun…♪”
“Hehe, I’m so happy♪”
They’re so adorable smiling in front of me that I can’t help it—I spread my arms and pull them both into a tight hug. Since they’re holding the gifts, they can’t wrap their arms around me fully, but instead, they cling to me for a while.
(…Was it just my imagination?)
Those looks from earlier—what did they mean…? Hmm, maybe it’s fine, but I’ll keep it in mind. After that, they pull away and stare at their presents again. As I watch them, Sakuna-san steps up with a paper bag of her own.
“Here’s mine. This year, I went for something with a mature, ladylike vibe.”
“…Oh?”
A mature, ladylike vibe… For some reason, I’m the one getting curious about what it is. Arisa and Aina seem to catch on quick, pulling the contents out—and I immediately look away.
“…!?”
Because what they pull out is underwear. I don’t know much about women’s lingerie, but I’ve heard it can get pricey… I only caught a glimpse, but damn, it looked expensive.
“Thank you, Mom.”
“Haha, battle underwear!”
Battle underwear!? …I sneak a peek at them holding it—red for Arisa, purple for Aina. The grown-up colors make my heart skip… okay, more than skip—it’s racing. Standing in front of them as they clutch both my gifts and Sakuna-san’s, I offer my birthday wishes again.
“Happy birthday, Arisa, Aina.”
“Happy birthday, Arisa and Aina.”
They flash me those smiles I love so much.
“Oh, thank you♪”
“Yeah! Thanks♪”
Thinking I could die happy again, I watch them head off to put the presents in their room, psyching myself up for one more big moment.
“Sakuna-san.”
“Yes? What is it?”
She probably has no clue what’s coming. The proof? Her eyes widen when she sees me holding the last paper bag.
“I actually got something for you too, Sakuna-san. It’s not for a birthday or anything—just a thank-you for everything.”
“…Uh… for me too?”
“Yeah.”
The stuffed animal I give her is a fox. It might be a little odd for a grown woman, but I based it on something her husband gave her once. She stares at it, then hugs it to her chest with the same care as Arisa and Aina, smiling.
“…Thank you, Hayato-kun. I’m so… so happy♪”
Just like with Arisa and Aina, Sakuna-san’s smile etches itself into my memories. After that, we bask in the birthday glow as time passes—and once it’s decided I’ll sleep in Arisa’s room, I find myself cornered by her and Aina.
“Both… of you?”
“…What do you think?”
“…Does it suit me?”
They’re already showing off the underwear Sakuna-san gave them. The room’s warm with the heater on, but it’s still winter—I’d normally tell them to put clothes on, but their aura’s so overwhelming I can’t even get the words out.
(Wh-What’s happening…?)
We were just talking normally a minute ago. Then, out of nowhere, they strip down in sync, standing before me in their underwear and closing in. I back away as they crawl toward me on all fours, but they keep coming—until my back hits the wall.
“…!?”
“Hayato-kun.”
“Don’t run away.”
They lean in close, whispering in my ears. Their slightly dark tones and the breath against my skin send shivers down my spine, a thrilling chill wrapping around me.
(Those eyes… from earlier—)
By the time I think that, their bodies are already pressed against mine. Hot… the room… burning… our bodies… There shouldn’t be this much of a temperature shift, but I feel heat intense enough to make me dizzy.
“Hayato-kun, is there anything you want us to do?”
“Hayato-kun, touch me more… please?”
They whisper again, grabbing my hands at the same time and guiding them to their full chests. Beyond the soft fabric of their underwear, I feel their curves—my hands sink in, and that sensation starts unraveling my restraint… But then I snap back to clarity and say:
“…Did something happen? Is something… uh… wrong?”
It’s those eyes I noticed, and this desperate edge I’m sensing from them, that make me ask. They look startled by my question but don’t pull away… and, uh… should I be happy or freaked out? My hands are still on their chests.
“…You’re right. You’re always worrying about us, Hayato-kun.”
“…Yeah. Were we more shaken up than we thought?”
“Shaken up…? Arisa? Aina?”
Finally, they step back—just far enough that I could reach them if I stretched out my hand. They sit there in their underwear, looking at me.
“So… how do we look?”
“Hey, does it suit me?”
It’s a far cry from asking if normal clothes look good… but I feel like I’d be less of a man if I didn’t answer here!
“You look… amazing. So sexy and cute… It’s like it’s showing off everything great about you two… Sorry, I guess I always think that.”
Saying it out loud, I realize—that’s just how I always feel. Still, it seems to fit the moment; their faces flush, but they beam with huge smiles.
“Score, Nee-san!”
“We owe Mom for this one.”
Watching them laugh together fills me with happiness. But, uh, I really think they should put some clothes on… What do you say, ladies?
“Hey, you two… maybe put some clothes on soon?”
“Good point.”
“Show’s over, huh?”
Oh, they’re actually listening. Guy instincts aside, I wouldn’t mind staring a bit longer, but if they kept that up, things would… you know? Get complicated… They almost did already.
“…Hey, Hayato-kun.”
“Hmm?”
As I catch my breath from calming down, Arisa calls out to me while getting dressed.
“What did you do today… during the day?”
“During the day…”
That’d be the shopping for daily stuff… and then meeting Saeki. There was that whole mess, but should I tell them I ran into my ex? There’s nothing shady to hide, but it’s not like I need to mention it, right?
“Just shopping. We were running low on some daily stuff.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“…”
“…What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing at all♪”
…Really? For a split second, the air felt heavy—or maybe I imagined it, because it’s gone just as fast. And so, the day passes, their birthday coming to an end.
No question, today’s become a precious memory for me too… No matter how many years go by, I swear I’ll keep celebrating with them.
“Hayato-kun, I can stay by your side forever, right? I want to be useful to you—always, always—is that okay?”
“Hayato-kun, I can stay with you forever too, right? You won’t disappear somewhere? That’s not gonna happen, right?”
“Of course. I’ll be with you two forever—I swore it.”
They smile again at my words. After turning off the lights and lying down, I don’t notice in the dark—those eyes I’d been wary of were back.
[a]C
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