[Warning 15+]
Author's Notes:
Thanks for waiting, Part Three is officially a go!
Part Three"―Seriously, Your Vibe Hasn't Changed a Bit Since the Old Days!"Chapter 85Early Morning Raid!
To this day, Hayato still occasionally dreams about the first time he met Haruki.
The sun was beating down so hard it felt like it was scorching the skin, the cicadas were buzzing loud enough to be annoying, and heat waves were shimmering off the ground.
Sunflowers were blooming everywhere, swaying in the breeze and singing about summer in a way that felt almost overwhelming.
Hayato remembered it being a brutally hot day.
'Shut up, be quiet, get lost.'
Those were the very first words from Haruki buried deep in Hayato's memories.
Haruki had this dark look on her face, like she'd already given up on everything. Her eyes were clouded, pushing everyone away. Even though her whole vibe screamed that she didn't trust a single thing, she was still out there huddling with her knees to her chest, almost like she was begging someone to notice her.
Hayato couldn't stand seeing Haruki like that.
So, Hayato basically dragged Haruki out with him by force.
Hayato's pretty sure they fought back then. Haruki probably said all kinds of stuff to him, too.
But once they hit the hills, they'd compete to see who could pick the most wild strawberries. When they went to the river, they'd compare the size of the freshwater crabs they caught. At the scrap wood yard, they'd show off the makeshift swords they'd made and start clashing them together.
That's why, whenever Hayato thinks back, most of his memories with Haruki are filled with smiles.
Hayato watched their younger selves playing so happily from a distance, like he was just an observer.
(But, Haruki is...)
Hayato was fully aware that this was nothing but a dream.
The sight of two little kids running around and having a blast in the countryside should've been a heartwarming scene. It really should've.
'You know, I'm Takura Mao:s illegitimate daughter.'
Suddenly, those words Haruki once told Hayato flashed back in his mind.
Hayato could feel his heart starting to pound like crazy.
Right in front of Hayato was Haruki, laughing so innocently.
But that image overlapped with the shadowed, gloomy look Haruki'd occasionally show back then.
(Oh, d*mmit!)
Haruki must've fully understood her own situation even way back then.
Knowing absolutely nothing and just running around without a care in the world made Hayato's younger self seem like a total idiot.
But. Even so.
'I want to be your number one, most special buddy, Hayato.'
That secret of Haruki's definitely wasn't something she'd shared just to get some sympathy.
The look on Haruki's face when she'd made that declaration to Hayato back then flashed through his mind. Her eyes were beautiful—clear, determined, and without a single trace of darkness or gloom.
Thinking back on it made Hayato's heart start racing all over again, and before he knew it, he couldn't stop himself from shouting Haruki's name.
"―Haruki!"
"M-Mya?!"
"...Huh?"
Hayato bolted upright, letting out a confused, dumbfounded sound when he heard a voice reply.
As Hayato's blurry eyes tried to focus, he saw Haruki standing there for some reason, clutching Hayato's school uniform to her chest.
Hayato had absolutely no clue what the heck was going on.
Haruki looked as neat and graceful as ever in her school uniform, but her face was frozen like a brat who'd just been caught red-handed, her eyes darting all over the place.
With that dream fresh in his mind, Hayato's expression shifted into a deadpan stare. His voice came out low, laced with a hint of saltiness.
"...The heck are you doing?"
"I-I haven't even done anything yet, okay?!"
"With my uniform?"
"I-I mean, your fabric softener smells so good! The detergent is great, right!?"
"Haruki...?"
"Oh! I'm gonna go wake Hime-chan up too, okay bye!"
"Hey, wait!"
Before Hayato could say anything else, Haruki shoved the uniform back at him and scrambled out of the room in a total panic.
(Man, Haruki is something else... ...oh right, I did give her the key, didn't I?)
Watching Haruki run off like her usual self, Hayato felt a wave of relief wash over him. At the same time, the whole situation felt so stupidly funny that he couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle.
For some reason, it felt strange to Hayato.
'Gya! Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing here, Haru-chan?!'
'Wahahahahaha!!'
The noisy bickering between Haruki and Himeko drifted in from the next room.
There were some slight wrinkles on the school shirt that had been shoved into Hayato's hands, probably from Haruki gripping it way too tight.
When a faint, sweet scent—distinctly different from his own—caught his nose, Hayato's heart skipped a beat. A frown formed on his face, matching the wrinkles on his shirt.
◇◇◇
Ignoring Himeko's morning ruckus, Hayato got started on breakfast. Morning time is precious. Even though it was the usual time, it wasn't like he had all day to chill.
This morning's main dish was scrambled eggs.
Hayato tossed some cubed cream cheese and chopped cilantro into the egg mixture, seasoned it with salt, pepper, and milk, then used a wooden spatula to swirl it over medium-low heat until it was nice and creamy.
Hayato topped it off with his homemade sweet chili sauce—a mix of vinegar, sugar, mirin, doubanjiang, garlic, and a cornstarch slurry, all zapped in the microwave. It's the kind of dish that hits the spot even on a sweltering summer morning when you don't really feel like eating.
Paired with a side salad, some toast, and whatever drink you're feeling, it was a pretty top-tier breakfast look.
In fact, Haruki just blinked in surprise, watching Hayato whip it all up in no time.
"What's up, Haruki? Aren't you gonna eat?"
"Oh, eh, yeah! Down the hatch!"
"Big Bro, get me the milk! The milk!"
"Yeah, yeah. Coffee for you too, Haruki?"
"Yeah, with lots of milk please... ...Wait, so Hime-chan only drinks milk?"
"I'm in a growth spurt, okay... ...I'm sure I'll get bigger... ...I'm not even asking for average, but at least like Haru-chan's― wait, what are you doing here this early, though?!"
As if she just realized what was going on, Himeko suddenly glared at Haruki, then shifted her gaze toward Hayato.
Himeko looked pretty salty, and judging by the way Haruki was dodging her eyes, it seemed like Himeko'd been woken up in some weird-*ss way. Haruki was rubbing her neck, looking all restless.
It was a tough one for Hayato to answer, too.
I mean, even for Hayato, Haruki's morning raid was totally unexpected. When he looked over at her to figure out what to do, their eyes met in a way that's hard to put into words, and they both let out a strained chuckle.
Seriously, no matter how you look at it, this was clearly overkill.
But looking at Haruki's awkward expression, she probably didn't have some big reason like wanting to scare Hayato or just wanting to see what happened. For her, it was definitely just an extension of their usual messing around.
Knowing Haruki felt comfortable enough to act this way—even to rely on him—Hayato couldn't help but let a small smile slip.
"I gave Haruki a spare key. Look, unlike Tsukinose, we can't just leave the doors unlocked here, right?"
"Oh, true that. So that's why. I'm still not used to it either and forget to lock up sometimes."
"Y-You're actually okay with that reason... ...ahaha..."
Tsukinose had that typical countryside "whatever" attitude toward security, where people only locked their doors if they were going on a long trip. Plus, it was the kind of place where you don't ring the doorbell; You just open the front door and yell for the owner.
"Well, even so... ...gulp."
After washing down the rest of her toast with a big gulp of milk, Himeko let out a long sigh, giving both Hayato and Haruki that deadpan stare again before shrugging her shoulders.
"Seriously, you two have been attached at the hip since forever."
""It's not even like that—""
"...See?"
""...""
When they accidentally spoke in perfect sync out of pure embarrassment, Himeko let out a massive, dramatic sigh like she was totally over it and got up from her seat.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the grub."
All that was left behind was a thick cloud of awkwardness.
In the middle of that, when Hayato glared at Haruki like he was about to scold her, she just flashed her pink tongue with an "Oops" expression, looking totally awkward yet sounding oddly cheerful.
"Ahaha, I just really wanted to try that cliché thing from manga and anime once, y'know? Like, going over to wake up your childhood buddy in the morning."
"...From now on, just do that to me."
"Yeah, I definitely don't wanna get on Hime-chan's bad side either."
"True that."
When Haruki flashed that carefree smile along with a line that showed zero regret, Hayato's heart started racing for a totally different reason than his dream earlier.
Following Himeko's lead, Hayato stuffed his face with whatever was left and washed it down with coffee, but a tiny whisper of his lingering thoughts ended up slipping out anyway.
"...That's totally cheating."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"Nah, nothing."
And with that, Hayato just forced a smile to brush it off.
Author's Notes:
So, this happened when I hit up a home improvement store.
While a bunch of pets were finding their forever homes one after another, a new little one showed up looking for a family.
And man, there she was. A Persian cat. A Chinchilla Golden, to be exact.
D*mn, she's gorgeous! Even though she's just a kitten, she's got this elegant vibe—or maybe it's more like she's got a real "regal" presence about her! It's that "stay back" (tsun) attitude that actually makes her so great! Seeing her act all moody and unpredictable is just peak cat energy! Meow!
Since she's a girl, she totally gives off those "Ojou-sama" (high-class young lady) vibes! That's exactly how it feels!
Back in the day, the cat I had was a Himalayan—a cross between a Persian and a Siamese. Man, she was so stuck-up and would totally ignore humans most of the time, but then she'd randomly get all clingy and go "Meow." That's just how they are.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
Follow Our Official WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaRa6nHCsU9OAB0U370F
Read in other languages:
To this day, Hayato still occasionally dreams about the first time he met Haruki.
The sun was beating down so hard it felt like it was scorching the skin, the cicadas were buzzing loud enough to be annoying, and heat waves were shimmering off the ground.
Sunflowers were blooming everywhere, swaying in the breeze and singing about summer in a way that felt almost overwhelming.
Hayato remembered it being a brutally hot day.
'Shut up, be quiet, get lost.'
Those were the very first words from Haruki buried deep in Hayato's memories.
Haruki had this dark look on her face, like she'd already given up on everything. Her eyes were clouded, pushing everyone away. Even though her whole vibe screamed that she didn't trust a single thing, she was still out there huddling with her knees to her chest, almost like she was begging someone to notice her.
Hayato couldn't stand seeing Haruki like that.
So, Hayato basically dragged Haruki out with him by force.
Hayato's pretty sure they fought back then. Haruki probably said all kinds of stuff to him, too.
But once they hit the hills, they'd compete to see who could pick the most wild strawberries. When they went to the river, they'd compare the size of the freshwater crabs they caught. At the scrap wood yard, they'd show off the makeshift swords they'd made and start clashing them together.
That's why, whenever Hayato thinks back, most of his memories with Haruki are filled with smiles.
Hayato watched their younger selves playing so happily from a distance, like he was just an observer.
(But, Haruki is...)
Hayato was fully aware that this was nothing but a dream.
The sight of two little kids running around and having a blast in the countryside should've been a heartwarming scene. It really should've.
'You know, I'm Takura Mao:s illegitimate daughter.'
Suddenly, those words Haruki once told Hayato flashed back in his mind.
Hayato could feel his heart starting to pound like crazy.
Right in front of Hayato was Haruki, laughing so innocently.
But that image overlapped with the shadowed, gloomy look Haruki'd occasionally show back then.
(Oh, d*mmit!)
Haruki must've fully understood her own situation even way back then.
Knowing absolutely nothing and just running around without a care in the world made Hayato's younger self seem like a total idiot.
But. Even so.
'I want to be your number one, most special buddy, Hayato.'
That secret of Haruki's definitely wasn't something she'd shared just to get some sympathy.
The look on Haruki's face when she'd made that declaration to Hayato back then flashed through his mind. Her eyes were beautiful—clear, determined, and without a single trace of darkness or gloom.
Thinking back on it made Hayato's heart start racing all over again, and before he knew it, he couldn't stop himself from shouting Haruki's name.
"―Haruki!"
"M-Mya?!"
"...Huh?"
Hayato bolted upright, letting out a confused, dumbfounded sound when he heard a voice reply.
As Hayato's blurry eyes tried to focus, he saw Haruki standing there for some reason, clutching Hayato's school uniform to her chest.
Hayato had absolutely no clue what the heck was going on.
Haruki looked as neat and graceful as ever in her school uniform, but her face was frozen like a brat who'd just been caught red-handed, her eyes darting all over the place.
With that dream fresh in his mind, Hayato's expression shifted into a deadpan stare. His voice came out low, laced with a hint of saltiness.
"...The heck are you doing?"
"I-I haven't even done anything yet, okay?!"
"With my uniform?"
"I-I mean, your fabric softener smells so good! The detergent is great, right!?"
"Haruki...?"
"Oh! I'm gonna go wake Hime-chan up too, okay bye!"
"Hey, wait!"
Before Hayato could say anything else, Haruki shoved the uniform back at him and scrambled out of the room in a total panic.
(Man, Haruki is something else... ...oh right, I did give her the key, didn't I?)
Watching Haruki run off like her usual self, Hayato felt a wave of relief wash over him. At the same time, the whole situation felt so stupidly funny that he couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle.
For some reason, it felt strange to Hayato.
'Gya! Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing here, Haru-chan?!'
'Wahahahahaha!!'
The noisy bickering between Haruki and Himeko drifted in from the next room.
There were some slight wrinkles on the school shirt that had been shoved into Hayato's hands, probably from Haruki gripping it way too tight.
When a faint, sweet scent—distinctly different from his own—caught his nose, Hayato's heart skipped a beat. A frown formed on his face, matching the wrinkles on his shirt.
◇◇◇
Ignoring Himeko's morning ruckus, Hayato got started on breakfast. Morning time is precious. Even though it was the usual time, it wasn't like he had all day to chill.
This morning's main dish was scrambled eggs.
Hayato tossed some cubed cream cheese and chopped cilantro into the egg mixture, seasoned it with salt, pepper, and milk, then used a wooden spatula to swirl it over medium-low heat until it was nice and creamy.
Hayato topped it off with his homemade sweet chili sauce—a mix of vinegar, sugar, mirin, doubanjiang, garlic, and a cornstarch slurry, all zapped in the microwave. It's the kind of dish that hits the spot even on a sweltering summer morning when you don't really feel like eating.
Paired with a side salad, some toast, and whatever drink you're feeling, it was a pretty top-tier breakfast look.
In fact, Haruki just blinked in surprise, watching Hayato whip it all up in no time.
"What's up, Haruki? Aren't you gonna eat?"
"Oh, eh, yeah! Down the hatch!"
"Big Bro, get me the milk! The milk!"
"Yeah, yeah. Coffee for you too, Haruki?"
"Yeah, with lots of milk please... ...Wait, so Hime-chan only drinks milk?"
"I'm in a growth spurt, okay... ...I'm sure I'll get bigger... ...I'm not even asking for average, but at least like Haru-chan's― wait, what are you doing here this early, though?!"
As if she just realized what was going on, Himeko suddenly glared at Haruki, then shifted her gaze toward Hayato.
Himeko looked pretty salty, and judging by the way Haruki was dodging her eyes, it seemed like Himeko'd been woken up in some weird-*ss way. Haruki was rubbing her neck, looking all restless.
It was a tough one for Hayato to answer, too.
I mean, even for Hayato, Haruki's morning raid was totally unexpected. When he looked over at her to figure out what to do, their eyes met in a way that's hard to put into words, and they both let out a strained chuckle.
Seriously, no matter how you look at it, this was clearly overkill.
But looking at Haruki's awkward expression, she probably didn't have some big reason like wanting to scare Hayato or just wanting to see what happened. For her, it was definitely just an extension of their usual messing around.
Knowing Haruki felt comfortable enough to act this way—even to rely on him—Hayato couldn't help but let a small smile slip.
"I gave Haruki a spare key. Look, unlike Tsukinose, we can't just leave the doors unlocked here, right?"
"Oh, true that. So that's why. I'm still not used to it either and forget to lock up sometimes."
"Y-You're actually okay with that reason... ...ahaha..."
Tsukinose had that typical countryside "whatever" attitude toward security, where people only locked their doors if they were going on a long trip. Plus, it was the kind of place where you don't ring the doorbell; You just open the front door and yell for the owner.
"Well, even so... ...gulp."
After washing down the rest of her toast with a big gulp of milk, Himeko let out a long sigh, giving both Hayato and Haruki that deadpan stare again before shrugging her shoulders.
"Seriously, you two have been attached at the hip since forever."
""It's not even like that—""
"...See?"
""...""
When they accidentally spoke in perfect sync out of pure embarrassment, Himeko let out a massive, dramatic sigh like she was totally over it and got up from her seat.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the grub."
All that was left behind was a thick cloud of awkwardness.
In the middle of that, when Hayato glared at Haruki like he was about to scold her, she just flashed her pink tongue with an "Oops" expression, looking totally awkward yet sounding oddly cheerful.
"Ahaha, I just really wanted to try that cliché thing from manga and anime once, y'know? Like, going over to wake up your childhood buddy in the morning."
"...From now on, just do that to me."
"Yeah, I definitely don't wanna get on Hime-chan's bad side either."
"True that."
When Haruki flashed that carefree smile along with a line that showed zero regret, Hayato's heart started racing for a totally different reason than his dream earlier.
Following Himeko's lead, Hayato stuffed his face with whatever was left and washed it down with coffee, but a tiny whisper of his lingering thoughts ended up slipping out anyway.
"...That's totally cheating."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"Nah, nothing."
And with that, Hayato just forced a smile to brush it off.
Author's Notes:
So, this happened when I hit up a home improvement store.
While a bunch of pets were finding their forever homes one after another, a new little one showed up looking for a family.
And man, there she was. A Persian cat. A Chinchilla Golden, to be exact.
D*mn, she's gorgeous! Even though she's just a kitten, she's got this elegant vibe—or maybe it's more like she's got a real "regal" presence about her! It's that "stay back" (tsun) attitude that actually makes her so great! Seeing her act all moody and unpredictable is just peak cat energy! Meow!
Since she's a girl, she totally gives off those "Ojou-sama" (high-class young lady) vibes! That's exactly how it feels!
Back in the day, the cat I had was a Himalayan—a cross between a Persian and a Siamese. Man, she was so stuck-up and would totally ignore humans most of the time, but then she'd randomly get all clingy and go "Meow." That's just how they are.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
Follow Our Official WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaRa6nHCsU9OAB0U370F
Read in other languages: