[Naoki Aiba POV]
When Friday came around, I was a little concerned that several students had seen Serina-san sleeping against my shoulder in the library the previous day. I had braced myself for people talking, but as far as I could tell, no one brought it up.
I had no way of knowing what was being said behind our backs. Still, as long as Serina-san wasn't being made uncomfortable, I didn't care what anyone thought about the two of us.
In the morning, I ran into Serina-san on the way from the shoe lockers to our classrooms, and we passed each other in the hallway during lunch break. Neither encounter gave us time for a long chat, but whenever our eyes met, our steps naturally slowed, and we exchanged a few quick words before parting.
In the past, I doubt I would have dwelled on such brief moments after getting home.
However, the very next day, Serina-san would be coming over with her parents. Conscious of that, even the parting smile she gave me lingered in my chest far longer than usual.
That night, a message arrived from her: Looking forward to tomorrow.
Likewise, I replied, before casting an eye over my desk and bookshelf. Since I had already tidied up on Thursday, there was no noticeable clutter. Even so, I took the jacket hanging off the back of my chair and put it in the closet, then shelved the books stacked at the edge of the desk.
The room was hardly any different from the first time she had been in here.
Back then, my head had been hazy with fever, and I couldn't remember what had been left out where. Knowing she would get a clear look this time around made me fixate on little details I would normally ignore.
When I finally caught myself adjusting the position of my pillow, I realized I was overdoing it and turned off the lights.
◇◇◇
On Saturday morning, I woke to the sound of traffic outside.
Opening the curtains, the sun—showing no signs of relenting despite September's arrival—poured in, brightly illuminating the desk I had organized the night before. I cracked the window open, but the morning breeze still carried a lingering heat.
I checked the clock.
There was still plenty of time until 2:00 PM, when Serina-san and her family were scheduled to arrive.
I surveyed the room I had cleaned last night once more. On the desk lay an unfinished book and a notebook with my shaky left-handed scribbles. Nothing cluttered the floor by the bookshelf, and there was nothing that needed to be moved.
Even so, just as I closed the notebook and slipped it into the desk drawer, a knock sounded behind me.
"Onii-chan, you awake?"
"Yeah, I'm up."
When I answered, Koharu opened the door and stepped inside.
After sweeping her eyes across the room, she looked at the drawer I had just shut.
"Weren't you cleaning up yesterday, too?"
"I was. I was just double-checking to make sure I didn't leave anything lying around."
"There wasn't anything out when I looked yesterday, either."
"I know. But when you know someone's going to get a good look at your room, you start noticing things you normally wouldn't think twice about."
"Who's looking at it?"
"Serina-san. She mentioned wanting to see my room today."
Koharu froze mid-step.
"Serina-senpai is coming up to your room?"
"Yeah. We talked about it on Thursday."
"I didn't hear anything about this!"
"I told Mom yesterday."
"Not Mom—I didn't hear about it!"
"Well, I'm telling you now."
"That's not the point, geez!"
Pouting, Koharu began conducting a meticulous inspection of the room.
"What are you looking for?"
"If Serina-senpai's coming up, it has to be spotless."
"That's literally what I was doing just now."
Brushing my words aside, Koharu checked the desk, the bookshelf, and then by the window. Finally, she crossed one arm and tapped her chin with the other hand.
"Mm-hmm. This should pass."
"Who are you, an inspector?...Wait, haven't we done this routine before?"
"I was making sure it's presentable enough to welcome Serina-senpai."
"Which is what I was doing until you walked in."
"Yeah, but having Onii-chan check alone is too risky."
"I've gone over it multiple times since yesterday."
"Which makes it even more suspicious. Also, call me when you get dressed so I can help."
"I told you, I can manage that by myself."
Without paying me any mind, Koharu announced she was heading out to shop with Mom before noon and left the room.
From beyond the open door, the sound of her footsteps pattered down the stairs.
Left alone, I looked around the room once more. Since Koharu had given her seal of approval, fussing over it any further would be pointless.
Satisfied at last, I decided to head downstairs.
◇◇◇
By the time we finished lunch, a palpable sense of anticipation for our guests hung in the air.
Mom wiped down the living room table and checked the chilled drinks in the fridge. Koharu picked out plates for the sweets, bustling back and forth between the table and the cupboard.
While I was getting dressed, Koharu had marched into my room uninvited, ended up helping me button my shirt, and marched right back out looking smug.
There was still plenty of time to spare. When I tried to lend a hand, I was told not to strain my right shoulder and was promptly banished to the living room sofa.
"Just because I'm injured doesn't mean I should just sit on my hands..."
"You're the one being thanked today, Naoki. Sitting right there is your only job."
"I'm literally doing nothing, though."
"If you run around, Mom and I will just waste energy worrying about you."
Ganged up on by the two of them, I relented and glanced at the clock. It was roughly ten minutes until two.
When I looked away, Mom caught my eye with a faint, knowing smile.
"Restless?"
"It's my first time meeting them. Naturally I'm a little nervous."
"Even though you're seeing Serina-senpai, too?"
"That's entirely different."
Koharu looked poised to tease me, but the doorbell chimed before she could speak.
The hands on the clock pointed straight to 2:00 PM.
Mom went to the front door, and Koharu trailed behind her. I stood up and followed.
When the door opened, the afternoon light flooded into the entryway, accompanied by a wave of summer heat.
The first person I saw was Serina-san, holding a pale gift bag in both hands.
She was dressed in a white short-sleeved blouse paired with a light blue skirt. It was completely different from both her school uniform and what she had worn when we went out together. The afternoon sunlight caught her bright hair, lending her a softer aura than usual.
When our eyes met, the nervous stiffness in her expression melted away.
"Hello, Naoki-kun."
"Hello, Serina-san. Thank you for coming today."
After greeting her, I turned my attention to the two people standing behind her.
Serina-san's mother was tall for a woman. Her brown hair fell just past her shoulders, and her poised posture and refined features were striking. Her eyes and the curve of her smile carried a gentle warmth remarkably similar to Serina-san's.
Her father, standing beside her, was slightly shorter than me. With neatly trimmed black hair and a straight, defined nose, he gave off a dignified impression.
Both held calm expressions, yet they kept their eyes locked on me without looking away.
Her mother's fingers tightened slightly over her chest. Her father pressed his lips into a firm line, his gaze dropping to my motionless right arm.
They continued to look at me in silence.
After a brief pause, her father drew a quiet breath and straightened his posture.
"Pleasure to meet you. I am Serina's father, Kyoya Mikage."
"I am her mother, Shiho. Naoki-kun, thank you so much for meeting with us today."
"I'm Naoki Aiba. Nice to meet you. Thank you very much for coming all this way."
Koharu bowed politely to the three of them as well.
"Hello. I'm Koharu."
"Hello, Koharu. We can take our time and chat today."
When Serina-san replied warmly, Koharu's face immediately lit up.
Mom also exchanged greetings with her parents. Perhaps because they had already spoken, there was a touch of easy familiarity between them. When Mom invited them inside, all three bowed in unison, offering a polite, "Pardon the intrusion."
I led them into the living room, where everyone took seats across the sofas and chairs. Serina-san sat beside her mother, diagonally across the table from me.
Sitting upright with her hands folded neatly in her lap, the relaxed look she had worn at the door gave way to a hint of tension once more.
Just as Mom prepared to serve the drinks, Serina-san's father quietly stood up.
"Before we do anything else, please allow us to offer our gratitude."
His steady voice took on a slightly solemn edge.
Serina-san's mother and Serina-san rose to their feet alongside him.
Seeing the three of them facing me side by side, I hastily scrambled out of my seat as well.
Kyoya drew a steadying breath and bowed deeply.
"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for saving our daughter, Serina, from that fire."
Shiho and Serina-san bowed just as low.
From beyond the window, the chorus of cicadas drifted into the quiet living room. Even through the glass pane, their cries suddenly rang out with piercing clarity.
I had thought about how I should respond beforehand.
Yet, standing before the three of them, every prepared line vanished from my head.
"Please, raise your heads."
At the sound of my voice, they slowly looked up.
Tears were already glistening in Shiho's eyes.
"We heard that you suffered a severe injury yourself, Naoki-kun. Even so, you protected Serina to the very end... We have wanted to thank you in person for so long."
"No, I was just acting on my own decision to go back. As long as Serina-san is safe, that's more than enough for me."
Kyoya spoke softly.
"Serina told us... that right after you carried her out of that room on your back, Naoki-kun, she heard a massive crash behind you, like something caving in."
He paused, glancing down at his daughter.
"She doesn't even know the full extent of what happened. But if you had left that room just a moment later, seeing her off that morning might have been the last time we ever saw our daughter. We couldn't stop thinking about that."
He lowered his eyes.
Pressing her lips together to stifle a tremor in her voice, Shiho looked at me.
"For bringing our girl home to us... thank you. Truly, thank you so much."
I found myself at a loss for words.
Carrying Serina-san through the blaze, the only thought in my mind had been reaching the outside. If I made it to the exit, I could return her to the friends and family waiting for her. I hadn't had the bandwidth to process anything else.
Looking at the two parents before me, I felt as though I was finally seeing the home Serina-san had been trying so desperately to return to.
"...I'm truly glad she made it back safely."
Kyoya nodded quietly, his eyes lingering on my right shoulder once more.
"Still, we cannot take the injury you sustained in the process lightly, Naoki-kun. If there is anything you need during your recovery, please don't hesitate to tell us."
"Thank you. But my recovery is going smoothly, and I can do a lot more on my own now."
Though he nodded, worry still clouded his eyes as he looked at my arm. Unsure of what else to say, the conversation stalled. Sensing the lull, Koharu looked between me and our guests, piping up with a cheerful tone.
"We're keeping a close eye on him so he doesn't overdo it. Onii-chan always tries to handle everything by himself, even when he can't."
With Koharu interjecting out of nowhere, all eyes turned to her.
"Hey, Koharu. You don't need to say that."
"It's true! He's been cleaning his room over and over since yesterday, and this morning he was inspecting every single corner."
"I was just checking to make sure I didn't forget to put anything away."
"Which you already did yesterday, right?"
"...Just in case."
My defense trailed off into a mutter.
When Koharu let out an amused giggle, the heavy tension in the room finally melted away.
Serina-san's mother dabbed at her eyes with a quiet laugh, and her father's face softened as well.
Serina-san, catching the part about me repeatedly cleaning my room since yesterday, glanced my way. When our eyes met, a faint blush touched her cheeks, accompanied by a subtle, knowing smile.
Mom gently prompted the three standing guests to sit back down. The drinks were finally served, and the sweets brought by the Mikage household were laid out across the table.
Taking a sip of the chilled barley tea, the lingering stiffness finally left my shoulders.
◇◇◇
Once we were settled, the conversation naturally drifted into lighter territory.
Mom and Serina-san's mother chatted about school and my recovery. Having already spoken over the phone several times, there was hardly any awkwardness between them.
Koharu took the opportunity to tell Serina-san's parents about how Serina-san and her friends had helped her in the past.
"I was so grateful back then. Even after I was able to return to school, Serina-senpai and her friends always checked in to see how I was feeling."
"We didn't do much of anything, really. I was just worried about you, Koharu, and I was so glad to see you feeling better."
At that, Koharu gave me a meaningful look.
"Onii-chan just said that as long as Serina-senpai was safe, that was enough, right?"
"Yeah."
"And now Serina-senpai's saying she was just glad I got better. Both of you act like the amazing things you do are no big deal."
That's not what I meant, though.
Serina-san and I spoke in perfect unison.
When we turned to each other, she had her eyes wide with surprise, mirroring mine.
"See? I told you they're alike."
Koharu nodded smugly. Serina-san and I locked eyes once more, both of us breaking into spontaneous smiles.
Across the table, Kyoya watched the two of us quietly.
When our gazes crossed, he offered a gentle smile. The rigid reserve I had sensed at the entryway was completely gone from his expression.
Serina-san's mother reached for a plate on the table.
"Serina has been talking about school so much more at home lately, you know."
"Mom!"
"She's always so happy when she tells us about Koharu-chan and her other friends."
"...I'm fine with you sharing up to that part."
Serina-san shot her mother a wary look before picking up her glass. Even while sipping her barley tea, her eyes remained fixed on her mom.
That reaction piqued my mother's curiosity.
"Does she ever talk about Naoki?"
"Mom, you don't need to pry."
Hoping to cut the topic short, I brought my glass to my lips and took a gulp of tea.
"Well, we certainly hear quite a lot about Serina-san around here."
"Pfft—?!"
I nearly sprayed barley tea across the table, clapping a hand over my mouth just in time. Though I managed to swallow it down, a fit of coughing overtook me.
Directly across from me, Serina-san was also half-choking behind her hand. Setting her glass down with beet-red cheeks, she half-stood when she saw me hacking away.
"N-Naoki-kun, are you okay?!"
Beside her, Shiho was also reaching for a handkerchief, looking ready to jump up.
"I-I'm fine..."
Hand over my mouth, I shot Mom a glare. She simply sipped her tea with an utterly innocent expression.
"Naoki-kun talks about Serina?"
Shiho asked with delight, handkerchief still in hand. Next to her, Serina-san stared at me, her face burning crimson.
As I fumbled for an answer, Mom and Shiho exchanged glances and chuckled. Koharu looked like she wanted to chime in, but when I caught her eye, she quickly dropped her gaze to the snack in her hand and kept her mouth shut.
Only Kyoya refrained from laughing, quietly observing his daughter's profile. There was no teasing in his eyes—only a profound, gentle warmth.
For a while after that, we talked about everyday school life and how we usually spent our weekends. At first, I had worried about running out of things to say, but as I answered their questions, the lingering tension completely dissolved.
Serina-san's father never pried too deeply. He never cut me off, simply waiting with quiet patience whenever I searched for the right words.
I was reminded of what Serina-san had said before—that the way her father and I waited for others to speak was strikingly similar.
I had never once stopped to think about how I waited for people to talk until she pointed it out.
By the time the sweets on the table were half gone, Serina-san glanced up at the wall clock.
Her eyes immediately swung back to mine.
Reading her intention, I gave a subtle nod.
Having confirmed my cue, Serina-san turned to her parents.
"Dad, Mom... Is it okay if I go see Naoki-kun's room?"
"Of course. Go ahead."
"Yes, have fun."
"...Thanks."
Permission was granted so casually that I was the one left blinking in surprise.
I had fully expected them to offer a word of caution before sending their daughter off to a boy's room they had only just met. Yet they said nothing of the sort, watching her with warm, trusting eyes as she stood up.
Mom offered us an encouraging smile as she topped off our empty glasses with more barley tea.
Just as Serina-san stepped away from the table, Koharu called out.
"Serina-senpai, if Onii-chan tries to push himself again, make sure to stop him, okay?"
"Got it. I'll make sure he behaves."
Serina-san answered with utter seriousness before stepping out from her chair.
"I'll be on my best behavior today anyway," I muttered.
I pushed myself up from my seat a moment later, and the two of us stepped out of the living room. Behind us, Mom and Shiho struck up a lively conversation with Koharu, and before long, the mingled laughter of all three drifted down the hall.