After finishing the BBQ, the two walked side by side on the way back to the apartment.
The night breeze carried a hint of coolness, blowing away the daytime heat.
Yanami Anna hummed a song contentedly, her steps much lighter than usual.
"Hey, Keita." She swung their joined hands, "Since we're going to the Fireworks Festival, let's go buy yukatas tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow!" She nodded as if it were a matter of course, "My yukata was bought the year before last, and I feel like the style is a bit old. This is the perfect chance to get a new one!"
As she spoke, she began to plan enthusiastically.
"I know there's a kimono shop upstairs in the department store in front of the station, and they have so many styles! We can spend the whole day browsing tomorrow!"
"Got it, got it."
Seeing her excited look, Imaizumi Keita couldn't help but feel a bit expectant himself.
When the two returned to the apartment, Yanami Anna changed into her exclusive slippers and then familiarly snuggled into Imaizumi Keita's arms.
"Ha..." She let out a satisfied sigh and rubbed her cheek against his chest, "Keita, your body is still the most comfortable."
Imaizumi Keita let her hold him while he picked up the remote and turned on the TV.
The two snuggled on the sofa like that, half-heartedly watching a movie playing on the TV.
After an unknown amount of time, until the movie's ending theme song played, Yanami Anna finally lifted her head from his chest.
"By the way, Keita."
Her voice carried a hint of curiosity, "How is... Lemon-chan doing lately? It seems like... she doesn't care about Mitsuki's situation at all anymore."
"Yeah, I guess so." Imaizumi Keita nodded, "Lemon is probably the type who, once she decides to look forward, won't look back again."
"Is that so..."
Yanami Anna nodded thoughtfully, and then a mischievous, gossipy grin appeared on her face.
She leaned into his ear, lowered her voice, and asked in a teasing tone: "So, Lemon-chan... she couldn't have actually fallen for you, could she?"
He was silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded.
"...Probably."
He didn't deny it.
Because he knew that in front of Yanami Anna, there was no need for meaningless lies or concealment.
He had originally told Yanami Anna about his views on love because he was being frank, and Yanami Anna had also expressed her acceptance of him being that way.
Of course, it was also possible that his attraction to Yanami Anna was strong enough, or perhaps her superpower gave her other ideas...
But exactly because of this, there was no need to add other obstacles to the relationship between the two.
Upon receiving this affirmative answer, Yanami Anna did not show a reaction of surprise, guilt, or anger.
She gave a soft "oh," and then leaned her head back onto his shoulder.
"I knew it."
She paused and added, "But, this is fine too."
"Hmm?"
"In that case,"
She turned her head and kissed him on the cheek, a smile of relief on her face, "The two of us are even now."
"Even?"
"Yeah," she nodded naturally, "I had Sousuke before, and now you have Lemon. Both of us are people with 'priors' now, so neither of us can look down on the other."
Her train of thought, which could be called "unique," left Imaizumi Keita momentarily unsure of how to react.
He looked at her self-righteous appearance and finally couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
This woman...
How did she suddenly interpret something like "two-timing" in such a fresh and refined way, even with a hint of fair competition?
When he was explaining it to Yanami Anna himself, he was worried she would turn against him...
"Alright, alright," he reached out and pinched her puffed-up cheek with a bit of feigned annoyance.
"Since we're even, shouldn't we... do something else?"
"Eh?"
Yanami Anna immediately understood Imaizumi Keita's meaning, and her cheeks flushed instantly.
She turned her face away and said to Imaizumi Keita with a bit of embarrassment.
"Th-that, Keita, do you have... that kind of... uniform..."
"..."
Imaizumi Keita fell into silence.
Yanami Anna, something is a bit wrong with you.
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