[Naoki Aiba POV]
The brilliant white light of a summer morning bathed the sidewalk leading to the station.
A breeze drifting through the residential neighborhood rustled the roadside trees, and the sunlight filtering through the canopy shifted its dappled patterns with every step I took.
I held my bag in my left hand so as not to strain my right shoulder. The pain hadn't flared up during my walk, and I felt completely fine physically.
Even so, every time I paused at a red light, I found myself pulling out my smartphone to check the time.
It wasn't because I was running late.
I just wanted to make sure, over and over, that the ten-o'clock meeting time I had agreed on with Mikage last night was really set for today.
The screen still displayed our exchange from yesterday evening.
'Tomorrow at 10:00 AM in front of the station.'
'Yeah. I'm looking forward to it.'
Just rereading those brief messages was enough to make my chest flutter with nervous excitement.
This was the very first time I had ever arranged to meet Mikage like this.
Seeing each other in casual clothes rather than our school uniforms, and heading to a shop with just the two of us.
Even though I knew this was simply to fulfill the promise we had made that day, there was a tension I couldn't explain through that alone.
As I drew nearer to the station, the crowd walking in the same direction grew thicker. Passing families enjoying their day off and couples chatting happily, I arrived at the station plaza.
It was fifteen minutes before our meeting time.
Before heading into the square, I checked my reflection in the glass beside the entrance to the station building.
I wore the white button-up shirt I had picked out yesterday over dark navy trousers. As far as the glass showed, nothing looked out of place.
I had also styled my hair with wax this morning. I had taken more time than usual, but worried the wind might have mussed it, I lightly patted my bangs.
Knowing I was about to see Mikage, no amount of checking could settle my nerves.
Finally straightening my collar, I stepped out into the station plaza.
Commuters and weekend travelers poured steadily from the ticket gates, while cars and buses filed in and out of the roundabout in a continuous rhythm.
Beyond the stream of pedestrians, I could see the clock tower we had picked as our meeting spot last night.
At the very least, it seemed I wouldn't keep Mikage waiting.
With that thought, I turned my eyes toward the clock tower and froze.
Mikage was already there.
Standing beside the clock tower with both hands resting lightly on the strap of the small bag slung over her shoulder, she was glancing toward the station entrance every few moments.
The instant I spotted her, how many minutes remained until our meeting time and the fact that I needed to call out to her immediately slipped entirely from my mind.
At first, I hadn't even been sure it was really her.
She wore a pale ivory blouse paired with a long, slate-blue skirt. Tailored neatly at the waist with a slender belt, the fabric fell cleanly before flaring into a gentle sweep at the hem—a silhouette that flattered Mikage's tall, slender frame beautifully, making her long limbs appear all the more graceful.
It wasn't just her clothes, either. Her bright, ash-beige hair had the top half loosely gathered at the back, while the rest fell down in soft, wavy tresses. At the clasp of her half-up style was a small silver hair ornament matching the buckles on her shoes, shimmering subtly in the morning light.
The delicate wings of eyeliner drawn at the corners of her eyes retained her signature stylish flair.
Yet her muted, sophisticated palette gave her an air far more mature than her usual uniform ever did.
Even in the bustling station plaza, her poised figure naturally drew the eye. I had always known she was remarkably gorgeous at school. But standing here under the weekend morning light, Mikage was more beautiful than I had ever seen her.
Right now, in this very place, she was waiting for me.
The moment that reality truly sank in, my already racing heart pounded even harder against my ribs.
When I tried to speak to her, the simple greeting that should have come naturally refused to leave my throat.
As I stood there rooted to the spot, Mikage suddenly turned her head my way.
Our eyes met.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Yet she didn't move right away either.
Standing a short distance away, she looked over my hair and down to my shirt in mild astonishment, before finally gazing back up at my face.
Scores of people bustled past around us.
And yet, it felt as though time had ground to a halt in the space between the two of us.
Eventually, Mikage's gaze wavered slightly, and her grip on her shoulder strap tightened little by little.
Even so, she didn't look away immediately.
And I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, either.
I had no idea how long we stood there gazing at one another.
It might have been only a few seconds, but it was long enough for a blush to paint Mikage's pale cheeks red, spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.
As if she couldn't take it anymore, she slightly lowered her head.
"...If you stare at me that much... it's kind of embarrassing."
Hearing her soft murmur, I finally realized I had been gazing at her unabashedly.
"S-Sorry."
"No, it's not that I mind... It's just that you're looking so intently, Aiba-kun..."
"...Your vibe is so different from when we're at school, I was just caught off guard."
I could have stopped speaking there.
Instead of searching for excuses, however, the raw impression I had formed the moment I laid eyes on her spilled straight from my mouth.
"I just thought... you look really beautiful, Mikage-san..."
The instant the words left my lips, I realized just how painfully straightforward they were.
Mikage didn't answer immediately.
She blinked slowly, staring at my face in sheer disbelief.
Clutching the strap of her bag with both hands, her lips moved as if trying to formulate a reply, but no sound came out. Her gaze darted back and forth between my face and her feet before finally returning to me, as though she had nowhere left to hide.
"D-Don't just say things like that out of nowhere..."
"Ah, sorry. You're just so pretty, it slipped out."
"Ngh... You're apologizing, but you just said it a second time..."
"Ah..."
Mikage furrowed her brows in flustered distress, yet an unmistakable smile broke across her lips.
If I kept looking at her, I would only embarrass her further.
Just as I moved to avert my gaze, Mikage drew a soft breath.
"But... when I spotted you, Aiba-kun, I couldn't say anything either."
At her unexpected words, I pulled my eyes back to hers.
"...Looking at me?"
With her face still flushed, Mikage gave a small, earnest nod without trying to brush it off.
"You look so different from how you do at school... and your hair today, and that outfit, they suit you so well..."
She looked up at me, only to shyly cast her eyes down again.
Yet without trailing off, Mikage continued in a voice that was almost a whisper.
"I thought... you looked really handsome."
"Ngh..."
It was barely louder than a breath, yet the words echoed in my ears with absolute clarity.
This time, it was my turn to be struck dumb.
I hadn't intended to throw on just anything, of course.
I had chosen this outfit hoping I might look even a little decent in Mikage's eyes, and I had even used hair wax, which I rarely ever touched.
Even so, I had never imagined hearing her call me handsome right to my face.
My heart thudded violently, and heat surged into my cheeks.
I had been staring at Mikage until a moment ago, and right now, both of our faces were undoubtedly wearing the exact same flush.
"...Thank you."
When I managed to squeeze out that single reply, Mikage nodded softly in return.
Just as another silence began to settle over us, Mikage blinked.
"...Come to think of it, we haven't even said good morning yet."
"That's true."
"Good morning, Aiba-kun."
"Good morning, Mikage-san."
With lingering bashfulness, Mikage let out a small laugh. My own lips naturally softened into a smile.
As if looking for a cue to start moving, we both glanced up at the clock tower, seeing that a few minutes still remained before ten.
"It's a little early, but should we get going?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
Just as we moved to step onto the sidewalk from beside the clock tower, we both shifted in the same direction to let the other go first.
When I hastily stepped to the opposite side, Mikage mirrored the exact same movement.
"Sorry."
"No, I'm... sorry."
We looked at each other.
Finding our synchronized clumsiness amusing, Mikage laughed merrily.
Drawn in by her laugh, a chuckle escaped me as well, and the stiff tension that had hung between us since we met finally eased.
"All right, let's head out for real this time."
"Sounds good."
Turning toward the direction of the shop, we fell into step side by side.
◇◇◇
Every time I registered Mikage walking right beside me in casual clothes, my racing heart, which should have calmed down, quickened all over again.
For a while after we lined up together, Mikage kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, and no conversation started between us.
Even so, I occasionally felt her looking over from the corner of my eye.
Whenever I turned my head, Mikage would look straight ahead before our eyes could meet.
I, too, kept catching glimpses of her hair and clothes, only to remember how much I had stared at the station and quickly face forward as if nothing had happened.
Yet I didn't mind the silence in the slightest.
Even without exchanging words, Mikage was right beside me.
The two of us were walking through the same scenery together.
Just that simple fact filled my chest with a quiet, spreading warmth.
As we walked along, I found myself wanting to hear more of her voice, so I brought up a question that had lingered in my mind back at the plaza.
"...Come to think of it, what time did you get here, Mikage-san?"
Mikage turned slightly toward me.
"Um... maybe about fifteen minutes before you showed up, Aiba-kun?"
"Sorry, I made you wait."
"No, that's not it at all. I just didn't want to make you wait, so I came early. Besides... I was looking forward to today, and staying at home was just making me restless."
After saying that, Mikage seemed to realize the full weight of her words.
With a fresh blush rising to her cheeks, she quickly faced forward again.
"You were there fifteen minutes early too, weren't you, Aiba-kun?"
"I didn't want to keep you waiting either."
"Then we're the same."
Still looking ahead, Mikage gave a small giggle.
The same.
That single word made me inexplicably happy.
"Besides, it took me forever to decide on today's outfit..."
Mikage continued in a voice that was almost too soft to hear.
"The more I checked the mirror, the more nervous I got just sitting around at home. So I figured I might as well leave early."
"I was pretty much the same way."
"You were?"
"Yeah. Even after I got to the station, I was checking my hair and clothes in the glass."
"I see..."
This time, Mikage turned her face fully toward me.
The restless tension that had lingered in her expression completely melted away.
"Somehow, that's a relief."
"A relief?"
"Because it means I wasn't the only one."
A different warmth from when she had complimented me earlier quietly suffused my chest.
Mikage had spent her morning agonizing over what to wear, checking the mirror over and over, and growing too restless to stay at home—all for today.
The realization that it had all been for the sake of meeting me made me suddenly self-conscious.
Yet I didn't want to deny the thought.
"I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one either, Mikage-san."
"...I'm glad."
Our eyes met.
This time, neither of us looked away right away.
Eventually, we faced forward at the exact same moment, and finding the timing funny, we both broke into soft smiles.
Carried along by the relaxed atmosphere, we reached a fork in the road leading toward the shop.
When I veered toward the main avenue, Mikage shifted her steps beside me as well.
"We're going this way?"
"Yeah. It's a slight detour, but the sidewalk is wider over here."
"Were you being thoughtful about my leg?"
"That's part of it, but rather than dodging people on a narrow street, I thought it'd be easier for us to walk side by side here."
After I answered, Mikage looked at me.
It was a gentle gaze, distinct from her bashfulness earlier.
"There's no need to rush, so let's take our time."
"Yeah. I want to walk slowly... with you, too, Aiba-kun."
I went to answer, but the words "with you, Aiba-kun" lingered so heavily in my chest that my reply caught in my throat for a fraction of a second.
"...Yeah."
Managing a nod, I watched Mikage ease her stride slightly, and I adjusted my pace to match.
The shop wasn't far.
If arriving quickly were the only objective, there was no need to take a detour.
Even so, right now, I felt that making our walk last just a little longer was perfectly fine.
The pedestrian signal on the main avenue turned red, and we stopped before the crosswalk.
Perhaps because of the weekend, other pedestrians waiting for the light gathered in steady numbers around us.
When the signal finally switched to green, the crowd surged forward from both sides all at once.
A large wave of pedestrians crossed from the opposite curb as well.
Matching my stride with Mikage's, I steered clear of oncoming people, when a running child suddenly darted between us.
The moment I checked my step, slender fingers wrapped around my left wrist.
Without letting go, Mikage drew closer to me, leaning in as if shielding herself from the passing crowd.
The texture of her fingers and the warmth of her hand radiated directly into my skin.
The instant I became hyper-aware of Mikage pressed close beside me, my chest fluttered wildly.
"Sorry. There were so many people... I felt like we were going to get separated."
"No. Don't worry about it."
Having crossed the street to where the crowd thinned out, Mikage looked down at my wrist.
Shyly lowering her eyes, she gently released her hold.
Even after her fingers pulled away, the phantom sensation of her touch seemed to linger on my skin.
We resumed walking side by side.
The space that had separated us earlier had narrowed before I realized it, close enough that our shoulders nearly brushed.
Mikage showed no sign of pulling back to our previous distance.
Without saying a word, I naturally matched her pace.
As the commotion of the crosswalk faded behind us and I finally began to regain my composure, Mikage looked ahead along our route.
"You really know the way to the shop, don't you?"
"...Yeah. Actually, I looked it up while I was still in the hospital. Though picking this specific route was something I decided yesterday."
When I added that, Mikage turned her face toward me.
Feeling a bit bashful, I offered her a small smile.
Yet as I held her gaze, the smile naturally faded from my lips.
Easing my pace slightly, I caught my breath.
"Even if I didn't know when I'd be able to fulfill it, I didn't want the promise I made with you, Mikage-san, to end on that day. I wanted it to be a promise that had a proper future."
Mikage stopped dead in her tracks.
Stepping half a pace ahead, I turned back to look at her.
Mikage lowered her head for a moment, and then looked up at me.
"Back when I didn't even know your name, Aiba-kun... you were already thinking about the day we'd walk here together."
Her expression softened with an tenderness she couldn't hide.
"I'm... so happy."
Along with those words, a radiant, dazzling smile spread across her entire face.
It was entirely different from when I had been captivated by her stylish appearance at the station.
Her smile right now was one she directed purely at me after taking my words to heart.
She was so breathtaking that I couldn't reply right away.
Unable to tear my eyes away, I drew a deep breath to settle my pounding heart.
"...If it made you happy, Mikage-san, looking it up was well worth it."
With a soft look in her eyes, Mikage gave a slow nod.
"I'm really glad I got to walk down this street with you today, too, Aiba-kun."
"...I feel the same way."
Without either of us saying a word, we began walking again.
The closeness that would have made me terribly self-conscious earlier felt completely natural now.
Without creating any distance, Mikage walked right alongside me.
Maintaining that closeness, I naturally matched her stride.
Before long, the building I had seen on my screen countless times appeared ahead on the street.
Hanging against its white exterior wall was a small signboard shaped like a fruit.
"That's it."
"Yeah..."
Mikage stopped, nodding softly as she gazed at the storefront.
The expression on her profile seemed to carry far more than just the simple excitement of getting to eat something she liked.
I was surely wearing the exact same look.
"This is our... promised place, isn't it?"
"...We finally made it."
When I replied, Mikage looked between the shop and me, her eyes narrowing happily.
Coming to this shop had been a promise left unfinished since that fateful day.
Back then, it was a place we could only picture in our minds through words.
Now, the white exterior wall, the small signboard, and the figure of the staff member making crepes beyond the open door were all right before our eyes.
What drifted out to greet us wasn't smoke.
It was the warm scent of freshly cooked batter and sweet butter.
Mikage and I looked at each other.
Sharing an unspoken smile, we stepped into our promised place together.