[Serina Mikage's POV]
When I opened the front door, the aroma of dinner drifted over alongside the sound of the television from the living room.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back, Serina."
Mom was the first to answer. Peeking out from the kitchen, her eyes softened into her usual gentle look.
As I took off my shoes and headed into the living room, Dad looked up from the newspaper he was reading on the sofa.
"Oh, welcome back."
"Yeah. Sorry I'm later than I expected."
"You let us know, so it's fine. More importantly, did you have fun today?"
"...Yeah. A lot of fun."
Just recalling the day made my voice naturally bounce with excitement.
Mom gave a pleased nod. Dad didn't say anything either, but his expression was calm and gentle. Soon, Mom's gaze drifted down to the paper bag in my hand.
"Did you buy something in that bag?"
"Yeah. I bought a mug at a general goods shop."
"I wonder what kind you picked out. Could you show me?"
"Sure."
Setting the paper bag down in front of the sofa, I took out the wrapped parcel. Mom dried her hands with a dishcloth, came over, and accepted the mug from me. Dad folded his newspaper and turned his attention to us as well.
Drawn in delicate lines across the pale, milky-white ceramic was the profile of a cat. After admiring the illustration, Mom slowly shifted her gaze to the soft blue accenting the rim.
"It's lovely. The colors are so gentle—I think it suits you, Serina."
"Yeah. Naoki-kun said he thought it would suit me, too—"
The moment those words slipped out, my own voice echoed in my ears.
Right in front of Mom and Dad, I had casually said "Naoki-kun" without the slightest hesitation.
This was the very first time I had ever called a boy my age by his first name. Knowing better than anyone how uncomfortable I was around boys, Mom and Dad should have understood just how monumental a single word like that was for me.
I assumed the silence meant they were both too stunned to speak. My face suddenly burning up, I timidly looked up.
Yet Mom was simply continuing to gaze at the mug, and Dad was just inspecting it from the side.
"I wonder if it's dishwasher safe. I hope the design doesn't wash out."
"The handle looks easy to grip, too. If you're using it every day, a shape like this is best. And he's right—it really does seem to suit Serina."
—Why aren't either of you surprised?!
I literally switched to a boy's first name on the very day I went out with him!
Shouldn't you show at least a little concern about what happened with your daughter?!
Unable to find words, I looked back and forth between Mom and Dad. Noticing my frantic glances, Mom finally looked up from the mug.
"What's the matter? Why do you have that look on your face?"
"Huh? No, um..."
Struggling with how to ask, I hesitated. Mom tilted her head slightly, thought for a second, and then spoke.
"Could it be about you calling him Naoki-kun just now?"
"Huh? You... noticed?"
"Yes. I heard you loud and clear."
When I turned to Dad, he looked back and gave a nod.
"Yeah, I heard it too."
"Then why are both of you acting so normal about it...?"
When I blurted that out, Mom cast her eyes back down to the mug in her hands.
"Of course I was a little surprised. But it would be terrible if I dropped the mug in shock, wouldn't it?"
"No, that's not what I mean..."
Looking toward Dad, he gave a faintly troubled twitch of his brows.
"I was a tiny bit surprised by the change, too. But I didn't think we should go prying into everything before Serina chose to tell us herself."
"A-A tiny bit... It's not like I wanted a huge scene, but you'd think you'd react at least a little more."
"Well, that's why we're asking you right now, aren't we? So, from now on, you're calling Aiba-kun 'Naoki-kun'?"
"...Yeah. Starting today, that's what I'm calling him."
Even answering just that brought a different kind of embarrassment than when I had said his name the first time.
Dad nodded as if satisfied.
"In that case, we should probably call him Naoki-kun from now on, too. It'll be easier to keep things clear when communicating with Mrs. Aiba as well."
"I think that's a good idea, too."
"...Wait, you two are going to call him that already?"
"There's no reason for our family to use different names. If Serina has decided to call him that, we'll match it."
Even for me, having decided to use his given name, my heart fluttered every single time I said it aloud. And yet, the two of them accepted the name Naoki-kun without the slightest hesitation.
"...I feel like I'm the only one making a big deal out of this."
When that slipped out under my breath, the corners of Mom's mouth curved slightly.
I suspected she might be enjoying this at least a little, but Mom said nothing and simply handed the mug back to me.
"Make sure to give it a proper wash before you use it, okay?"
"...I know."
In the end, the conversation was steered right back to the mug.
Still not entirely reconciled to their lack of reaction, I took the mug with both hands.
◇◇◇
A little while later, dinner was ready, and the three of us gathered around the dining table.
While we talked about the shops I visited and the cafe we stopped at for lunch, Mom casually asked while serving the dishes.
"So, was Naoki-kun's shoulder alright? Walking around for so long didn't make it ache, did it?"
"...Mom, you're really sticking with that name."
"Yes. Is there something strange about it?"
"It's not strange, but..."
"Then it's fine, isn't it? I just wanted to call him that, too."
She said it so naturally that I couldn't push back any further.
Letting out a small breath, I thought back to how Naoki-kun had seemed today.
He had hardly moved his right arm in any dramatic way. Though he hadn't been able to switch hands while holding his crepe, he never once grimaced in pain or asked to rest along the way.
"He said it barely hurt today. He didn't seem to be pushing himself, and he wasn't in any pain when we were heading home, either."
"I see. That's a relief."
Dad nodded, visibly reassured, and Mom's expression softened as well.
I knew they genuinely cared about his injury. Since he had sustained it saving my life, it wasn't something they could easily stop worrying about.
After we spent a little more time chatting about the day over our meal, Dad set his chopsticks down and turned toward me.
"Come to think of it, Serina. About our visit to thank them properly, it sounds like next Saturday afternoon works for their family. Are you free, Serina?"
"Yeah. That works."
The answer left my mouth before I even had time to think.
I would see him at school soon enough. Even so, the thought of being able to see him next weekend made a smile naturally touch my lips.
Still, this wouldn't be just the two of us hanging out. Mom and Dad would be coming with me to Naoki-kun's home so we could formally express our gratitude for that day.
"All right, I'll tell them next Saturday works, then."
"Yeah. Please do."
"Right. This time, we'll thank them directly as a family."
I nodded quietly at Dad's words.
Naoki-kun hadn't just saved my life. To Mom and Dad, who had spent those hours waiting desperately for my safe return, he was an invaluable savior.
Thinking about it that way, I felt like I finally understood why they cared so deeply about his injury and hadn't hesitated to call him by his first name.
"Where else did you go today?"
When Dad asked, I told them about the bookstore we stopped by after the goods shop, and the other places we found near the station.
I also mentioned that we searched for the Summer Triangle together at the park on the way home. I kept the fact that he had shared memories of his father to myself, though. That was a precious memory Naoki-kun had entrusted to me alone.
The distance between us when we shared crepes, our shoulders brushing on the park bench, the words we exchanged in front of my house—naturally, I couldn't bring myself to say any of that out loud.
If I told them that much, would they finally be shocked?
For a brief second, I wanted to see what their reactions would be. But just imagining putting it into words made me immediately discard the thought.
...No way. I could never say that.
◇◇◇
After finishing dinner, I washed the new mug and carefully wiped it dry with a soft cloth. I set it on my desk, picked up a change of clothes, and headed to the bathroom.
Sinking into the hot water of the tub and finding myself alone, the events of the day rushed back in no particular order.
The fluttering tension when Naoki-kun leaned in close to the crepe I held out. The sheer closeness when it was my turn to take a bite straight from the one in his hand. The sound of his voice in the goods shop when he looked at me admiring the mug and said it seemed like it would suit me.
Each memory drifted up and dissolved, leaving a different kind of heat deep in my chest every time.
And then, the Summer Triangle we found together in the park. Our shoulders touching as we searched the sky, and the steady warmth that seeped through.
I had realized it halfway through.
I knew our shoulders were touching, and I knew that if I pulled away just an inch, I could restore the distance between us. Even so, I didn't want to pull away.
Besides, it wasn't just our shoulders.
My bare right arm extending from my short sleeve had been resting against his left arm as well.
I wonder if Naoki-kun noticed that.
Even after realizing our shoulders had met, he had kept gazing up at the sky. He hadn't seemed conscious of our arms touching at all.
Thinking that left me feeling the slightest bit disappointed, yet remembering that closeness—a secret only I knew—made my cheeks flush hot all over again.
And then, hearing my name spoken for the first time in front of my house.
"...Serina-san."
The moment it echoed in my mind in Naoki-kun's clear voice—not too deep, lingering softly in my ears—my arms instinctively tightened around my knees in the tub.
I was so happy that I had asked him myself to call me that at school, too. Even under ordinary circumstances, almost no one ever saw me talking with a boy my age at school. On top of that, if someone heard us calling each other by our first names in the classroom or hallway, they might assume we were dating.
When I told him that it might cause trouble for him, Naoki-kun had answered without a second of hesitation.
'I wouldn't mind.'
Even in that moment, I knew what those words meant.
He wouldn't mind if people thought he was dating me. At the very least, that was how it sounded to me. And even afterward, he never took it back.
"...Ngh."
Desperate to cool the heat gathering in my face, I lifted myself slightly from where I was submerged to my shoulders and let out a long, heavy breath with my face buried in my hands. But that wasn't nearly enough to calm me down. I knew better than anyone that this heat wasn't just from the bathwater.
When I had said, "Naoki-kun and Serina-san" in front of the house, I almost followed it with, "For now, this is enough."
It wasn't as if I hadn't imagined a day when what we called each other might change again. But if I spoke what lay beyond into words, I felt like all my current feelings would be laid completely bare, so I couldn't bring myself to say it.
For now, "Serina-san" was fine.
Once the break ended, just hearing him say that at school would probably make it impossible to look him in the eye. Even so, a small part of me was already wishing for the day when the "-san" would disappear.
◇◇◇
Stepping out of the bathroom and returning to my room, the mug on my desk was the first thing that caught my eye.
The cat's profile drawn on the pale, milky ceramic, and the soft blue framing the rim. I had liked it when I saw it in the shop, but sitting in my own room, it looked a little more special than before.
Sitting down in my chair, I lifted the mug with both hands.
'If you were using it, Mikage-san, that mug would probably look even more stylish.'
Naoki-kun's voice came rushing back, bringing a smile to my lips.
Glancing toward the mirror, I stood up with the mug still in hand.
Walking over to it, I adjusted my fingers around the handle and straightened my posture slightly. On a whim, I brought it up to my lips and slowly pretended to take a sip.
"........."
Reflected in the mirror was me, tilting the mug with a composed, poised expression.
If Naoki-kun saw this, would he really think it suited me?
The instant the thought crossed my mind, an overwhelming wave of embarrassment washed over me, and I pulled the mug away.
"...What on earth am I doing?"
Even as I muttered that, I couldn't tear myself away from the mirror immediately.
I brought the mug to my lips one more time in the exact same way before finally turning my back on my reflection.
Setting the mug back on the desk, I picked up my smartphone.
Waking the screen, I saw a notification that had arrived a little while ago.
'Aiba-kun'
The moment I saw that name, my heart gave a small leap.
I opened the notification immediately.
'Thanks for today. I just got home, too.'
Looking at the timestamp, it had been sent right around the time I was in the bath.
"My reply ended up being late..."
Hurriedly opening the chat, my fingers flew across the screen.
'Welcome home. I was in the bath, so sorry for the late reply. Thank you for today, too. It was so much fun.'
Rereading it once, I hit send.
Watching the message go through, I let out a relieved breath, only for my eyes to catch on the name at the top of the screen once more.
'Aiba-kun'
I remembered the moment at the crepe shop today when he told me his name.
The name he promised to tell me once we made it out, back in the middle of all that smoke.
Even though I had wanted to know it all this time, I had refused to learn it from anyone else until I could hear it from his own lips.
Today, I was finally able to receive it from Naoki-kun himself.
Opening the contact edit screen, I tapped the letters reading 'Aiba-kun.' After deleting the text, I slowly typed in the new name.
'Naoki-kun'
Checking to make sure there were no mistakes, I saved it.
Returning to the contact screen, a name entirely different from before was displayed.
Even though I had only changed a few letters, it felt as if the name "Naoki-kun" had settled far deeper into my everyday life than ever before.
After staring at the screen for a while, I moved over to the bed and sat down.
While waiting for a reply, I quietly let my mind wander over the day.
Today, every single promise made on the day of the fire had been fulfilled.
Getting out alive together. Eating crepes together. And having him tell me his name.
To the me back then, that had been a future hidden beyond the smoke—one I didn't even know if I would ever reach. Today, I had finally arrived.
Yet even after fulfilling every promise, my time with Naoki-kun hadn't come to an end.
After leaving the crepe shop, we had walked together, gazed at the stars in the park, and he had walked me all the way home.
And when we parted ways, I was able to tell him myself that I wanted to see him again.
'Next time... can I be the one to invite you, Naoki-kun?'
After a moment of surprise, Naoki-kun had nodded right away.
'Yeah. Of course.'
Next Saturday, I would be visiting his home with Mom and Dad.
Yet completely separate from that, I could invite him out myself, and we could go somewhere with just the two of us again.
The next time we met, it wouldn't be to fulfill a promise from the day of the fire.
Not because of a promise, but simply because I wanted to see him, I would invite him out.
The instant that thought took hold, a flutter of nerves distinctly different from today swelled gently in my chest.
Where should we go next?
There were still shops near the station we hadn't checked out. Going somewhere completely different from today sounded nice, too. Maybe I should ask where Naoki-kun wants to go and decide together.
What should I wear? Should we meet in the morning like today, or make it the afternoon? If we have a meal together, what would he want to eat?
As I chased after the thoughts surfacing one after another, my fingers suddenly stopped.
"...Is this... a date?"
In the empty room, the words spilled aloud.
The moment I let myself recognize the word, the upcoming day I was anticipating suddenly took on a completely different light.
I didn't know how Naoki-kun would see it.
Even so, I realized there was a part of me hoping it could truly be called that.
Just as I felt the urge to bury my face in my pillow, the smartphone in my hand gave a short buzz.
Startled, I looked back at the screen, where a new message had appeared beneath the name 'Naoki-kun.'
'I had a lot of fun, too. I'm glad we stopped by the park.'
The time we spent searching for stars side by side on the bench rushed back to me.
Opening the reply field, my fingers moved.
'Me too. I was really happy I got to see the stars with you, Naoki-kun. And I'm looking forward to next time, too.'
When I sent it, a reply arrived without much delay this time.
'I'm looking forward to it, too. Let's figure out a plan together.'
Just reading those words made that next day—a day where nothing was set in stone yet—feel as though it had drawn a little closer.
It wasn't just me; Naoki-kun was looking forward to it, too.
That made me helplessly, overwhelmingly happy.
While I was trying to think of what to say next, another message came through first.
'It's gotten pretty late. We've been walking since this morning, so we should probably get some rest soon.'
Checking the time, the night had grown deep before I even realized.
Perhaps because we had spent the entire day together and kept talking like this even after getting home, it felt as though today was still lingering.
'Yeah. You walked a ton today too, Naoki-kun, so make sure you rest up properly.'
When I sent it, a reply came back right away.
'Yeah. Get plenty of rest too, Serina-san. Good night, Serina-san.'
It was the very first message I had ever received with my name written in it.
In a different way than hearing it out loud, it warmed the depths of my chest just as deeply.
After rereading it several times, I tapped the reply field and typed his name without hesitation this time.
'Yeah. Good night, Naoki-kun.'
Even after sending it, I couldn't close the screen right away.
At the top of the display sat the name 'Naoki-kun,' which I had just edited tonight. Beneath it lay the words the two of us had sent, each carrying the other's name.
The promises from that day had all been fulfilled today.
Yet, stretching out beyond them, the next day we would spend together was already waiting.
I almost pulled the phone to my chest, and this time, I didn't stop myself.
Where should we go? What should we talk about?
If I call his name again, what kind of expression will he make when he answers?
Thinking about all of it, I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes.
Over the memories of today, the next scenery I had yet to see was already beginning to unfold.