(AN: I am entitled to let you guys know that I didn't abandoned this novel, there is just some change of plan, to know more read the author's thoughts.)
I returned home, tossed my bag aside, and collapsed onto the couch—arms and legs sprawled in the most comfortable position I could manage. Staring up at the ceiling, I let out a quiet breath.
Today had been long.
And yet… it felt strangely short.
From the moment I arrived in this world, everything had already felt like a dream. But this—becoming Miku's boyfriend—
It was like a dream within a dream.
Just thinking about it made my heart race.
However…
"…Not enough."
The words slipped out in a whisper, unbidden.
Dating Miku wasn't some final goal, some quest completed.
If anything—
This was only the beginning.
As I had promised myself… and that God—
I would make them happy.
That being said, the first-semester midterms were right around the corner—and I could already guess how things stood.
They probably hadn't studied at all.
Well… except for Itsuki.
And honestly, a big part of that was on me. I'd ended up distracting them, leaving no room for that guy to step in and tutor them like before.
…Sorry about that.
But at the same time, I couldn't ignore the concern lingering in the back of my mind. If they started studying with him again, there was a chance things would repeat themselves. That was how it played out before—and the ending hadn't been kind to all of them.
So…
I guess I had to take responsibility.
Call it making up for my own selfishness.
Or maybe just making sure I don't anger my future father-in-law.
I glanced around.
The house finally looked like someone actually lived here… but it was still far from clean.
Dust lingered in the corners, things slightly out of place—just enough to make it feel untidy.
…I really should start cleaning it regularly.
Just in case.
----------
In the morning, I waited near the marketplace, still a short distance from the school, dressed in my uniform. I was waiting for someone, of course.
Before long, she arrived—effortlessly beautiful as always.
I offered a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry for asking you so suddenly to walk to school with me."
"Don't worry," she replied calmly. "If it were a bother, I would've refused."
I let out a light chuckle. "That's fair."
Meeting her gaze, I gestured ahead. "Shall we go?"
Last night, I had texted Miku, asking if she'd walk to school with me. Why? Did I really need a reason to spend time with my girlfriend?
They usually went by car, and Miku wasn't one to go out of her way for something unnecessary, so I hadn't been sure she'd agree.
But she did.
…And this—
This felt nice.
The cool morning breeze brushed past us, the air crisp and refreshing. The world was already alive with people moving about their day, though, if anything, they felt like unnecessary noise in this quiet moment.
I stole a glance at her as she walked quietly beside me. A thin strand of hair fell across her face, only adding to her quiet charm.
Before I realized it, I was completely captivated.
…As expected.
And, she noticed.
"W-What? I-Is there something on my face?" she asked, perhaps the intensive gaze of mine is making her self-conscious.
I looked away, breaking the moment, and faced forward again.
"Nothing," I said casually. "I just got a little captivated by your face for a second."
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
"You… how can you say things like that so easily?" she muttered, turning her face away in embarrassment.
"Just stating the truth."
Right… someone who could confess so matter-of-factly without even flinching probably wouldn't be embarrassed by words like those.
'He really isn't normal.'
But that didn't mean she was unaffected.
Every time he said things like that, her heart skipped uncontrollably.
"Umm…"
His unusually hesitant voice drew her attention. When she looked at him, his face was slightly red, his eyes awkwardly avoiding hers.
"I-If you don't mind… can we hold hands?"
It sounded more like a genuine request.
Caught completely off guard, Miku couldn't answer immediately.
It sounded simple, but for her… it wasn't.
All her life, she'd barely interacted with boys, let alone had one as a friend. Not that she'd had friends in general—but that wasn't the point.
Ren was her first real friend.
And now… her first boyfriend.
She had never held hands with anyone outside her family before.
So no matter how calm she tried to appear—
She simply wasn't prepared yet.
Sensing her hesitation, Ren quickly added with an awkward smile, "A-Actually, never mind. Sorry… I think I'm being a little too demanding today."
And he was right.
He was getting carried away.
All those dreams, all those imagined moments with her—there were so many things he wanted to experience together, so many things he longed for.
But there was no need to rush.
One step at a time.
And today, apparently, fortune was on his side.
"H-Here…"
Miku timidly held out her hand, keeping her gaze lowered.
"I don't mind."
His expression brightened instantly.
"Then… excuse me."
Slowly, cautiously, he reached out as well.
He was nervous too.
Their hands met gently.
Her hand felt unbelievably soft… and so small compared to his.
The atmosphere around them shifted subtly after that.
They continued walking in silence, both stubbornly looking away, too embarrassed to meet each other's eyes while a warm blush lingered across their faces.
The weather was pleasant. The mood was pleasant. And deep down, both of them were thinking the exact same thing—
Hope my hand doesn't get sweaty.
Hope my hand doesn't get sweaty.
------
In the cafeteria, Nino arrived to have lunch with her sisters, but even from a distance, she immediately noticed someone missing.
"Miku isn't here?" she asked the moment she approached, though she already had a good idea why. "Is it because of that guy again?"
Yotsuba let out an awkward laugh, which was answer enough.
Nino clicked her tongue quietly in displeasure.
First, Miku skipped going to school with them because of him.
And now this.
It felt as though Miku was slowly drifting away from them—like that guy was stealing her from their side.
And Nino hated the feeling.
"Come on, cut her some slack," Ichika said casually, wearing her usual carefree smile. "She just got her first boyfriend. Of course she's going to be more focused on him right now than on us."
Nino's frown deepened, frustration flashing openly across her face.
"And you guys are okay with that?" she demanded. "Aren't we her family? Is that guy suddenly more important than us?"
The other three fell silent.
Their gazes lowered, until Ichika finally spoke in a quieter voice.
"Of course family matters," she said gently. "But… don't we all have our own lives too?"
Nino abruptly slammed her hands against the table and shot to her feet.
The sharp noise echoed through the cafeteria, drawing the attention of nearby students. Realizing she was causing a scene, she reluctantly sat back down, though the tension in her expression remained.
"You guys are changing," she muttered, fists clenched tightly enough to tremble. "Did you all forget the promise we made?"
"Nino, calm down," Yotsuba said hurriedly, trying to ease the growing tension.
"Nino," Ichika continued softly, offering a faint apologetic smile, "I haven't forgotten our promise. I don't think any of us have."
Her expression gentled further.
"We'll always stay together. We'll share happiness and pain as one… but at the same time, we're still different people. Try to understand that."
From a table some distance away, Futaro watched the scene unfold.
He couldn't hear what they were saying, but their expressions alone made it obvious—they were arguing.
Actually, he had been hoping to talk with them about something, but now clearly wasn't the right time to approach.
Letting out a quiet sigh, he leaned back slightly.
Still, he wasn't giving up.
Today, he had a plan—one that would surely help make progress with their studies. The first-semester midterms were drawing dangerously close, and if he failed to show results to his client—their father—he would almost certainly lose his job.
"The problem is Miku…" he muttered under his breath.
Ever since the very first day, he hadn't gotten a proper chance to approach her. That guy was always around her, sticking close at every opportunity.
How was he supposed to reel her back in like this?
--------
"You do know midterms are coming up, right?"
Ren suddenly brought it up, staring ahead with a carefree smile.
Beside him, Miku visibly flinched.
At the moment, the two of them were eating lunch on the rooftop, seated side by side against the stairwell wall beneath the vast, cloudless sky. Their modest meal consisted of yakisoba bread, egg sandwiches, and matcha soda.
"W-Why would you suddenly mention that?" Miku asked, forcing out a smile that was clearly meant to hide her uneasiness—and failing miserably.
"I mean…" Ren stretched the words out as he leaned closer.
His gaze locked onto her, forcing Miku to quickly look away.
"As high school students, isn't it normal to at least study enough to graduate safely?"
His words struck her like a direct hit.
She stayed silent.
He leaned in even further.
"Well…?"
A bead of sweat formed on her forehead under the pressure.
In the end, she gave up and blurted it out.
"Fine, I admit it! I don't like studying! Don't look at me like that."
Ren let out a quiet sigh.
"I'm just worried, you know. Do you really have no intention of passing?"
"Even if I don't study, it's not like I'll have problems in the future," Miku muttered softly, lowering her gaze.
Well… with a wealthy father, that much was true.
"And…?" Ren pressed gently, knowing that wasn't the whole story.
Miku's shoulders slumped slightly.
"Even if I do study… it wouldn't matter," she admitted in a quiet voice. "I'd fail anyway."
Ren gently placed his hand over hers, trying to convey quiet reassurance.
But Miku instinctively stiffened at the sudden contact.
"Listen to me, miss," he said, meeting her eyes directly. "Like I've told you multiple times already—Miku Nakano is far smarter than she gives herself credit for."
His words, carried by the soft breeze between them, struck her straight in the heart. A reddish tint immediately spread across her face.
But he still wasn't finished.
"And if you need someone to push you forward," he continued with a small smile, "I'd be more than happy to do it."
It wasn't as though Miku truly hated studying itself.
What she hated were the memories tied to it.
Being unable to keep up in class. Failing expectations. Falling behind again and again until running away felt easier than trying.
She had simply lost the confidence to face that weakness.
Yet now—
Something faint began to flicker inside her.
A small spark.
A desire to try again.
To gather enough courage to confront it once more.
And the reason for that…
Her focus shifted toward Ren as he extended his free hand toward her with a gentle smile.
"You know," he said lightly, "I'd get pretty lonely without you."
His outstretched hand remained there, waiting quietly for her answer.
She stared at his outstretched hand in silence.
Only a brief moment passed—
Yet within that short span, countless thoughts raced through her mind.
If she fails again, she would probably drop out for good this time.
And if that happened…
She wouldn't be able to see Ren as often anymore.
No more walking to school together in the morning.
No more lunches on the rooftop.
No more casual conversations, no more moments spent together after school.
She didn't want that.
And even if she somehow ended up repeating a year again, things would never feel the same.
Right now, for the first time, she genuinely wanted something.
She wanted to graduate together with him.
And perhaps… even attend the same university one day.
For the sake of that future—
She could no longer keep running away.
She slowly reached out and grabbed his hand.
The slight tremble in her fingers betrayed her lingering uncertainty.
"I-I'll try," she said softly, finally mustering the courage to say it aloud.
Ren's face lit up with genuine joy at her answer.
Without thinking much of it, he lifted his free hand and gently ruffled her hair.
"Don't worry," he said warmly. "I'll be there to support you."
Miku unconsciously closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, still holding onto his hand.
This time, it was Ren who stiffened in surprise at her sudden action.
But he welcomed it wholeheartedly.
That small gesture alone spoke volumes about the bond growing steadily stronger between them with each passing day.
Meanwhile, the feeling of his hand gently patting her head brought Miku an unexpected sense of comfort.
Perhaps she truly needed it.
After all, making that decision had taken far more courage than she realized.