"Kazunari!"
"Hello there, Takanashi-kun."
Lunch break had just begun, and I was debating where to eat when voices called out to me.
Turning toward the classroom entrance, I saw Todo-san waving a small hand while Hayato stood beside her. As the two stepped into the room, I noticed the usual flurry of girls' voices greeting Hayato was uncharacteristically hushed.
Glancing around, I realized everyone was hanging back, sizing up Todo-san and trying to figure out who she was and what her relationship was with him.
"Takanashi-kun, let’s eat lunch together!"
Todo-san herself seemed completely oblivious to the attention, greeting me with her usual, pure smile—a sight that was healing in its own right. Hayato watched her smile with an expression of genuine warmth.
"Kazunari, if you're up for it, would you like to join us?"
"Sure. Let's head somewhere else, though."
Eating in the classroom would draw far too many eyes; a change of scenery was definitely in order. I decided the flowerbed was our best bet. Leading the way out of the classroom, I followed the path I took every day, bringing the two along with me. I had to do the watering anyway, so the timing worked out perfectly.
As we neared the flowerbed, the crowds thinned until we were finally alone with the familiar view.
"Wow, I had no idea the school had a place like this!" Todo-san exclaimed, sounding genuinely impressed.
Come to think of it, was this the first time I had brought someone else here? It wasn’t that I considered it a secret spot, but given how many memories Sara-san and I shared here, I wasn’t exactly eager to broadcast its existence.
"How did you even find a place like this?"
"This flowerbed was left behind by Nishikawa-san."
"Oh, you mentioned that before! I see, so this is where you and Satsukawa-senpai spend all your time together."
"Spend time together"... That wasn’t technically wrong, but it felt like she was missing a certain nuance.
"Ah, sorry. Let’s hurry up and eat!"
Todo-san seemed to be in high spirits today; her energy was definitely higher than usual.
"Good idea. Kazunari, is it alright if we use that bench?" Hayato pointed toward the bench I used every single day.
"Yeah, I think we can all fit."
Normally, I’d spread out a picnic blanket for three people, but the bench would suffice. I sat down first, and Hayato took the other end, leaving Todo-san to sit between us. I didn't have any ulterior motive; I just didn't think it was right to make a girl sit on the very edge.
"Pardon the intrusion! Ehehe."
Todo-san sat between us, looking so incredibly delighted that I couldn't help but ask why.
"You seem like you're having a lot of fun, Todo-san."
"I am! It's partly because this is my first time eating with boys at school, but mostly I'm just so happy that we've all become such good friends."
I see. It was such a quintessential Todo-san reason that it warmed my heart. But I felt that same happiness too. The fact that they had sought me out was proof that they were looking out for me. Having friends really was a blessing.
As we all unpacked our lunches, the two of them tried to peek into my bento. It was a bit larger than usual today. I realized with a pang that once I finished this meal, I wouldn't be able to taste Sara-san’s cooking for an entire week.
"Whoa, look at that bento... So this is the famous Satsukawa-senpai's Wife's Bento everyone talks about."
"Wife's"...
Being teased was one thing, but having it said so earnestly made me feel incredibly self-conscious.
"Satsukawa-senpai must have been swamped preparing for the school trip, yet she still took the time to make a full meal like this for you, Kazunari... Honestly, it’s impressive," Hayato remarked.
"Yeah, you're really loved, Takanashi-kun! It’s amazing. Maybe I should start studying cooking a little more too."
I was beyond embarrassed. Deciding it was best to change the subject as quickly as possible, I jumped on her last comment.
"Did your mother make your bento, Todo-san?"
"Yeah. I've never really cooked before... I guess boys really do prefer girls who are good at cooking, don't they?"
That was a loaded question. Since I was already with Sara-san, I felt like anything I said would fail to be a proper follow-up. It was time for Hayato to step up.
"I wonder. I mean, I’d definitely be happy if someone made food for me, but I don't think that would be the deciding factor for whether I liked them or not... at least for me."
"I see... Still, it’s better to know how than not to. I could never be like Satsukawa-senpai, but maybe I'll study a little."
Hayato had subtly emphasized the "for me" part of his statement. I decided to stay silent on the matter.
"If you ever make something, would you let me try it? Right, Kazunari?"
"Sure. But since I have Sara-san’s bentos, Hayato will have to be the main taste-tester."
"Okay! Then Yokokawa-kun, I'll count on you when the time comes!"
Perfect. The conversation had flowed exactly where it needed to go. After we finished our lunch, I prepared the hose and started the watering as usual. With Hayato and Todo-san helping, we finished ahead of schedule.
"Takanashi-kun, you're increasing your part-time job hours starting today, right? I heard you're helping out at my grandfather's shop every day too, so please don't overexert yourself. If something happens to you, it’ll be a disaster for Satsukawa-senpai, won't it?"
Todo-san’s use of the word "disaster" carried several possible meanings, and in a way, she was probably right. I wasn't going to do anything reckless, but for this specific week, I was prepared to push myself.
"I'll be fine. I won't do anything that would cause trouble for Sara-san."
Hayato seemed to sense my determination. He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
Finally, after school arrived.
The Student Council was on hiatus until the school trip ended, given that the second-years—including Sara-san—were all away. It was a relief, honestly; if there had been work, I would have had to invent a reason to skip, and there was always the risk of Sara-san hearing about my absence later.
I left the school and headed home at a brisk pace. On the way, I received a call from Satsukawa-san informing me that he was coming to pick me up.
Once I reached the house, I changed quickly and waited outside. Before long, I spotted a black luxury car heading my way. It was a different model than the one from the other day.
The car pulled up and the passenger window slid down. Satsukawa-san, who was behind the wheel today, told me to hop in. Since he was driving personally, I assumed this was his private vehicle.
I opened the door, sat in the passenger seat, and buckled my belt. Once he confirmed I was secure, Satsukawa-san pulled away from the curb.
"I look forward to working with you, Takanashi-kun."
"Yes, sir. Thank you for the opportunity."
After we exchanged greetings, Satsukawa-san provided a few more details.
First, the pay wouldn't be handled through a formal payroll but would instead be an honorarium for personal assistance. Second, as long as the hours were reasonable, I just had to report my actual time to his wife. Third, his wife would be the one primarily teaching me the tasks. Finally, he mentioned that he might ask for additional help when he was at home.
The explanation was straightforward. He insisted it wasn't difficult work, but as a novice to part-time jobs whose only filing experience came from the Student Council, I still felt a knot of anxiety.
Satsukawa-san was a friendly enough person, but I had no idea what his wife was like. I could only hope she wasn't someone difficult to please.
The car moved past the station front and turned into a residential area. I knew Sara-san lived around here. I had visited once before when Mayumi-san called me over, but Sara-san had been leading the way then, and I hadn't committed the route to memory.
Just then, the car stopped in front of a large gate. We had arrived. An electric shutter began to rise, revealing a garage. I watched it go up, my eyes drifting toward the house itself.
Wait...
This looks... familiar. No way. You've got to be kidding me.
While I sat there in stunned silence, the shutter finished opening and the car pulled into the garage. We stepped out, and as I followed him toward the entrance—an entrance I recognized with terrifying clarity—I realized the truth about Satsukawa-san... or rather...
Fa-th-er!!??
How did I not see this coming?! Satsukawa isn't exactly a common name! Why didn't I realize it sooner?!
Thinking back, I had wondered if there was a connection to Sara-san when I first saw his business card. But I had dismissed it as being too coincidental, essentially convincing myself it wasn't the case. I had then completely forgotten about the suspicion, only to be reunited with him while still clinging to that false assumption.
This was no time for calm reflection! Now that I knew the man in front of me was Sara-san’s father, what was I supposed to do?!
Should I introduce myself again? What would I even say? "Please let me date your daughter"? No, that was the line for asking for a hand in marriage...
Completely unaware of my internal panic, Father opened the front door and called out into the house.
"I'm home! Mayumi, come here, I have someone to introduce to you!"
That was it. That was the final blow to my sanity. This was Sara-san’s house. Which meant, naturally, the wife who was about to walk out was...
"Coming! Sorry for the wait. It's a pleasure to m—"
I don't think I'll ever forget Mayumi-san’s smile in that moment.
Her face went from surprise to a deadpan expression where only her mouth quirked into a smirk, before finally settling into a brilliant... a truly radiant smile.
"My, my, my... well, well... Ufufufu. P-l-e-a-s-e-d to meet you! My name is Mayumi Satsukawa."
She went out of her way to emphasize the "pleased to meet you." It was a clear, silent command to play along with the "first meeting" charade.
"P-Pleased to meet you. I'm Kazunari Takanashi..."
Apparently satisfied that I had taken the hint, Mayumi-san continued, nodding along.
"Yes, it's a pleasure. I'm so glad to meet you, Takanashi-san. My husband told me you're working hard at a part-time job to buy a gift for your precious girlfriend... Sa—your girlfriend is certainly a lucky person."
Hey! You almost said "Sara" just now, didn't you?! And you definitely did it on purpose! Is it okay for him to find out or not?!
As I stood there spiraling, Father—no, I should call him Masaomi-san in my head—seemed to think I was just overwhelmed by Mayumi-san’s eccentric energy. He stepped in to chide her.
"Now, now, don't overwhelm him. He's already nervous enough as it is. Sorry about that, Takanashi-kun. Once I told her about you, she became quite curious and was looking forward to meeting you."
"N-No, it’s quite alright."
"My apologies... My husband told me you were such a charming boy. Ufufufu... I'm so looking forward to today. Let's do our best at our 'fun'—I mean, at our work together."
I couldn't shake the ominous feeling pooling in my stomach. The job hadn't even started, and I was already mentally exhausted.
What was I supposed to do about Masaomi-san? I desperately wanted to consult with Mayumi-san now that the situation had shifted, but that smirking smile of hers gave me zero confidence.