[Warning 15+]
Part Five
―Even If, I Can't Treat You with That Same Energy Anymore
Chapter 179
Jinx
―Even If, I Can't Treat You with That Same Energy Anymore
Chapter 179
Jinx
"That big shrine where they hold the Fall Festival is famous for matchmakin', y'know."
"Matchmakin'?"
For a brief second, Hayato couldn't quite grasp the meanin' of a word he rarely ever heard, and parroted it back with a dull voice.
When it came to shrines, the strong image in Hayato's head was just a place where villagers gathered and made a ruckus whenever somethin' happened, and matchmakin' and yukatas didn't really click together in his mind either.
Iori, standin' right next to Hayato, also wore a look that didn't quite get it.
"There's a jinx that if each of you writes the same wish on a rabbit ema plaque, it'll come true. They say if you wear yukatas together, it's easier to become one in heart, and you get even more blessin's."
"Huh, I see. So Isami was—wait, Iori?"
"Gh!? O-Oh yeah well, um, yukata! We gotta go buy a yukata!"
"Your face is super red, heh."
"Ahaha, Iori-kun hasn't changed a bit."
"D-Don't laugh at me, Hayato, Kazuki!"
Iori's face turned as red as a ripe tomato in no time.
And to cover it up, Iori threw himself entirely into makin' the ordered matcha kuzukiri parfaits.
So that was what Isami Ema meant when she told Iori to wear a yukata.
As Hayato watched with a fond smile, he noticed Kazuki turnin' a smilin' gaze toward Iori in much the same way.
"Hayato-kun, are you gonna write an ema with Nikaidō-san, too? Don't tell me your yukata's gonna be picked out by her as well?"
"N-No way, shut up!? I mean, we didn't talk about ema or anythin', and I never even thought about—"
"Then maybe you should start thinkin' about it? Since y'know about it now and all."
"Know about it..."
At Kazuki's teasin' words, Hayato's expression froze up with a start, twistin' his face into a grimace.
―Knew about it.
Suddenly, Hayato recalled Haruki's past, which she had told him about the other day in the Nikaidō Family Storehouse.
Back then, because of the kitten situation and various other things, it had all gotten left up in the air halfway through.
Even so, Hayato remembered how casually Haruki had talked about it back then, as if it were no big deal.
That it was already a thing of the past.
That it was somethin' already over and done with.
That tone of voice, soundin' somewhat like resignation, clung to Hayato's ears and wouldn't leave him alone.
Hayato remembered how, right after Haruki had moved to this city and they reunited, even though she showed the same expression as before, there was a precariousness to her, like she was standin' on thin ice.
That was why, back then, even without knowin' the reason, Hayato had forcefully pulled Haruki's hand.
Because it drove Hayato crazy to see the smile Haruki always wore get clouded over.
And now that Hayato knew the reason, what on Earth should he do? What could he even do?
Even when Hayato was told back in Tsukinose, he had wanted to do something for Haruki.
But nothin' came to mind.
Along with exasperation at himself for bein' so useless, Hayato even felt a surge of anger.
Without realizin' it, Hayato clenched his fists tightly.
"...Hayato-kun?"
Had Hayato's expression really been that weird?
Since Kazuki peered in with a worried look, Hayato hurriedly flashed a wry smile and gave his head a light shake to snap back to reality.
"Um, well, I figured Himeko would probably like this kind of topic too."
"...I guess so, yeah. Um, so Himeko-chan's coming to the Fall Festival too?"
"Yeah, lately Himeko's been goin' on and on at home about what kind of yukata she should wear."
"Huh, so that means it's gonna be the exact same crew as last time at the pool?"
"Nah, one more person. Himeko's buddy. Since she'll be there too, that makes wearin' a yukata even more—Kazuki?"
"...Eh? Oh, is that so. Himeko-chan's buddy's comin', huh..."
For a split second, Kazuki's expression stiffened up.
Even though Kazuki immediately put back on a mask feignin' composure, his eyes were waverin' with panic.
That was when Hayato first realized how careless he'd been.
Kazuki was popular. Lookin' at how things were inside the shop just a moment ago, there was no room for doubt.
And Hayato also knew that Kazuki had gone through all sorts of blunders involvin' girls back in middle school.
Hayato didn't know the exact details, but a girl workin' as a model named Satō Airi was Kazuki's ex-girlfriend, and there was that word "Traitor" thrown at Kazuki by his middle school classmates.
There must have been some complicated circumstances behind it. Kazuki's apprehension made total sense. Hayato had lacked consideration.
When Kazuki turned a somewhat anxious gaze toward Hayato, Kazuki couldn't bear it and slightly looked away.
"Oh, um, sorry, Kazuki. Even though I said you were counted in, I totally spaced on how careful you are when it comes to girls. My bad."
"Gh!? Eh, oh, a girl... ...oh yeah, when you say Himeko-chan's buddy, of course it's a girl."
"Kazuki...?"
As Hayato apologized, Kazuki hurriedly waved both hands as if to say it was no big deal. Then Kazuki muttered something as if tryin' to convince himself of it.
Hayato didn't really get it, but Kazuki's mood was completely back to normal. It left Hayato feelin' a bit bewildered, like he'd been hoodwinked.
It looked like Kazuki was goin' to forgive Hayato, but as Hayato watched on with mild puzzlement at that unexpected reaction, Iori, havin' regained his composure, stopped workin' and spoke up.
"Hey Hayato, is your little sis' buddy by any chance that shrine maiden girl?"
"Yeah, that's her."
"I saw her in a pic on your smartphone, and she was super cute, y'know. So, what kind of girl is she?"
"Hmm..."
Words didn't come out right away.
Hayato tried picturin' Saki's appearance in his mind.
Hayato's little sis' (Himeko's) buddy since childhood.
A relationship that felt close yet distant.
Contradictin' Saki's fragile appearance as someone a year younger, she was a girl with inner strength, someone you could somehow rely on.
If Saki were to ever meet Kazuki—for some reason, Hayato couldn't picture she fallin' head over heels for Kazuki, causin' Hayato to furrow his brow.
"...What kind of girl is she, I wonder?"
"Come on, man."
Iori chimed in with a quick tsukkomi before he could stop himself.
Since they hadn't really interacted much up until now, Hayato didn't really have a solid impression of Saki.
"Well, but she'll be fine. I'm sure she's just like Nikaidō-san, after all."
"Oh, gotcha."
"...Like Haruki?"
Hayato didn't quite get what Kazuki meant.
But Iori was noddin' right along as if showin' agreement, leavin' him scratchin' his head.
"By the way, Hayato-kun, have you thanked her yet for takin' care of you when you were sick?"
"Nah, not yet. Wonder what I should do."
"If you keep draggin' your feet and lettin' it slide like that, you're gonna miss your window, y'know~?"
"Ugh!"
As Hayato choked back his breath, both Kazuki and Iori let out teasin' laughs.
And after laughin' it out for a bit, a smilin' Kazuki spoke up as if he'd just realized somethin'.
"That girl hasn't been in the city for very long, has she?"
"Only about half a month or so."
"In that case, aren't there still a bunch of things she's missin' around the place? Why don't you send her somethin' that might come in handy for daily life, or somethin' that adds a bit of color to it?"
"...True."
It definitely made sense.
Hayato himself could easily think of things he wished he had right after movin'.
Though tryin' to figure out what a girl would actually want was a whole different kind of tough.
Still, Hayato felt like a direction was startin' to come into view.
"Well, maybe I'll look for somethin' when I go to the city to buy a yukata."
"Oh, if you're goin' to buy a yukata, mind if I tag along?"
"Sure, but Himeko and the others will be there too, y'know?"
"In that case, I might as well ask Ema, too. Let's all go together, Kazuki too!"
"Got it, I'll explain things to Himeko myself."
When Iori remembered to invite Kazuki this time around, Kazuki flashed a warm smile back.
"Oh, do you think I should wear a yukata, too?"
"Totally, I mean if Kazuki doesn't wear a yukata, I'm gonna catch it from Himeko."
"Wh-, h-huh, Himeko-chan?"
"Himeko insisted that everyone has to wear a yukata. That's why I ended up gettin' roped into wearin' one too."
"...Makes sense, sounds just like Himeko-chan."
"So when are we goin'?"
"Um, if I recall, Sunday at 10 AM right in front of the city station, or at least it should be."
"Got it... ...oh, we got a customer."
As they were deep in convo, the bell chimed to signal a customer's arrival. The bright, high-pitched voices of a group of girls could be heard.
When Iori, who was handlin' the kitchen all by himself, gave a wave as if tellin' them to go get 'em, both Hayato and Kazuki exchanged glances and nodded, as if to say, "Time to push through for one final stretch."
Then they poked their heads out front, and seein' a group of middle school girls in sailor uniforms, their faces froze up.
"Welcome—eh?"
"We're here, Big Bro... ...wait, Kazuki-san's here too!?"
"Himeko?" "H-Himeko-chan!?"