It's still September—or should I say, it's already September.
Both could be true, but I tend to lean towards the latter. There's no point being impatient.
It was the third and final day of the long weekend in autumn. I'd spent the first two days studying for my entrance exams, deciding to work at the bookstore on the third day.
Despite the upcoming exams and the fact that I'm financially stable, I chose not to quit even though I could have. This job is kinda a commitment I made to myself. I'm sure Mom and Stepdad would gladly cover tuition for both me and Asamura-kun if we go to university. They'd probably encourage us with warm words to focus on our studies and on other things we want to do. And I fully intend to rely on them appropriately; I just don't want to rely on them completely. A high schooler's part-time job doesn't pay enough to cover tuition, but I wanted to prove that I'm not just going to depend on others.
And so, I took an afternoon shift at the bookstore.
Many of the other part-timers were off today, probably because it's a public holiday. Plus, neither Asamura-kun nor Yomiuri-senpai were around, so the manager was feeling anxious. That was one reason I couldn't take the day off.
And, of course, on busy days like this, there's always at least one new hardcover that's bound to be a bestseller.
Customers who seek out new hardcover books are more likely to ask for book covers. Though I'm used to the process by now, Kozono-san still struggles with it a little, so I, as her senpai, was responsible for stepping in when needed.
So, when I spotted a customer in Kozono-san's line carrying five or six books, I made sure to catch her eye.
"Want me to take over?" I communicated with just my eyes.
"Yes please"
We smoothly swapped registers just before the customer reached the counter.
We were managing together, but there were still times when the line grew too long, and the manager had to step in.
"Two more staff are coming in at three. Feel free to take a break then," the manager told us, so Kozono-san and I worked hard until three o'clock.
When we were done, I couldn't help but clench my fist near my stomach to strike a small victory pose.
"We're taking our break now," Kozono-san informed the manager, before swiftly leaving the register and walking towards the office without so much as a glance or word for me.
I followed her a little while later. Though we couldn't take a long break, we could at least relax with a cup of tea. Or maybe I can buy something from the vending machine or a nearby convenience store.
With those thoughts in mind, I knocked on the office door, called out, and stepped inside.
The only person inside was Kozono-san. She was at the tea dispenser, making herself a cup.
Pulling a nearby chair towards me to sit down on, I let out a huge sigh, closing my eyes while massaging the space between my eyebrows. There hadn't been a moment to catch my breath. I was exhausted.
It was only when I heard a gentle clunk on the desk that I opened my eyes.
"Here," Kozono-san said in an almost curt tone as she rounded the desk and took a seat on the other side.
In front of me was a freshly poured paper cup of tea.
"For me?"
"Who else would drink it?"
"Um, right. Thanks."
"Spare me the thanks, it feels weird."
"But it's common courtesy."
"…Well, okay then. Actually, thank me even more if you want?"
Thank her more, huh?
"Oh, that reminds me."
I stood up from my seat and headed to the changing room, returning with a small plastic bag in hand. I opened it and offered the contents to Kozono-san.
"Let's share these. I baked them in case we got hungry."
"What's that?"
"Cookies."
"You, some high school third-year, working part time this late into the school year, still have time to make those?"
"I stayed home and studied for the past two days, so I didn't go out. Baking these was a way to take a break."
"Do you have that much free time, or are you just dumb?"
Is that something you say to your senpai?
"Who knows? Baking cookies isn't much of a hassle anyway."
"And now you're braggin' 'bout your cooking skills, huh? Plus, what's with the cherry blossom petal shape?"
"Um, they're supposed to be heart-shaped."
"Hearts are rounder than this. They should be like this, see?"
She formed her hands into a heart shape by touching her thumbs and fingers together, a pose often used by idols. Though, maybe finger hearts are more popular now? And did she really have to add that smile? Well, it's cute, I guess.
"But your cookies look more like this, Senpai!"
She stretched out the heart shape, making it long and thin.
"No, no, they're not that bad. If anything, it looks more like a shoshinsha mark[1]."
[1: A beginner driver's sign that beginner drivers must stick onto/display on their cars to inform other drivers that they are novice drivers. It must be displayed for a minimum of one year, after which drivers can choose to keep it if they still feel unconfident of their driving abilities. Its design is green and yellow and features a V-like shape that looks kinda like a cherry blossom petal]
"That's what I'm saying. It's kinda like those cherry blossom petals, or like what you said maybe? Besides, I wouldn't be happy to receive a heart-shaped cookie from another girl anyway."
It's not like I made them as a gift for you, Kozono-san…
"Hm, so this one's tea-flavored… Not too hard, not too sweet—a well-balanced taste…"
Ah, so she is gonna eat them.
"Ugh… they're delicious… how frustrating," Kozono-san muttered, holding a cookie in each hand and staring at them intently.
Though her scrutinizing gaze is starting to make me feel a bit uneasy and uncomfortable.
"Something wrong with them?"
"No… it's just, I just thought I could eat these everyday if I married you, Ayase-senpai. Now I'm not sure who I'm even jealous of anymore… I dunno what to do with myself"
What's that even supposed to mean?
Leaving Kozono-san to brood over the cookies, I pulled out my phone. I noticed a push notification—an update from one of the social media accounts I follow. There was also a circle with a "1" on top of the app's icon.
I'm not exactly a frequent social media user, but there are a few accounts I like to keep an eye on.
I opened the app, checked the notification, and read the account name—Melissa Woo.
Melissa was someone I met during our school trip to Singapore. She's a singer who lives there. She has a unique perspective on love and harbors a very different set of morals from mine, but it's precisely because of that that helped me loosen up my rigid way of thinking. Talking to her, even briefly, gave me a new outlook on my future and my relationship with Asamura-kun.
In a way, I see her as a kind of benefactor—In my mind, anyway.
Melissa is the type of artist who writes and performs her own songs, uploading her music to YouTube. I even looked into how YouTubers normally operate, despite not knowing much about it myself. Apparently, it's helpful to channels if you hit the like button and subscribe or something like that.
We might have only spoken briefly, she undoubtedly had a significant impact on me, and I wanted to thank her for that. I was also drawn to her singing, which is why I decided to follow her account. Her occasional new releases have been a source of inspiration for me.
The school trip on which I met her was back in February, so it's been more than six months now. At the time, her account had 838 subscribers, but it's now grown to 3,200. Almost four times as much— that's impressive. Even though it wasn't my own achievement, I felt a sense of pride.
"Oh, it's not a new song…"
Clicking on the notification, I saw that it was just a community post, rather than a new release. The timestamp showed it had only been five seconds since she posted it. A photo was attached, and seeing it left me stunned.
It was a selfie of Melissa standing near the Shibuya Crossing. Right near where I work.
Huh? This is…
I hurriedly read through the post. The words "I'm in Japan now!" were written in clear, concise English. I didn't hear anything about this! Did she mention it before? Well, there's no reason for her to tell me, or contact me for that matter, but still.
But why is she in Japan? Scrolling back through her community posts, I found an announcement about her performing at a live music club in Shibuya.
So, she did post about it before.
I must have missed it. When I saw the words "live performance," I must have assumed it was going to be in Singapore and my brain must have just glossed over it. If she had written "Shibuya" in kanji, it would've caught my eye, but her entire comment was in English.
I suddenly felt a strong urge to see her.
I've been feeling lost lately, something I was made especially aware of after speaking to Maaya recently. She did say, "You've changed, huh~? You've become a goof. In a good way!"
I didn't feel like I'd changed that much. But, I realized that I could no longer fully grasp how others perceived me now. Unlike me, who's now unsure about myself, Melissa seems to have a clear sense of who she is.
After all, she's already supporting herself completely on her own, even though her path is probably very different from mine. But that's exactly why I feel like talking to her would be fun and inspiring.
As I was mulling over all this, it suddenly hit me. While a diary can reflect your "true self" and serve as a kind of mirror to help you understand who you are, there are things that a mirror can't reveal on its own. It's about recognizing the "gaps" between your self-perception and how the world sees you.
A diary allows you to articulate your inner thoughts and bring their "shapes" to the surface. But since those shapes are "normal" to you, you might not notice when they differ from the shapes others see.
I had just been reminded of this in a very real way. My image of what a heart looks like differed from Kozono-san's.
Both of our hearts shared similar characteristics: they were round, with a slight indentation at the top. If we only talked about those features, our conversation would have gone smoother. But until you compare the actual shapes side by side, you don't realize how different your idea of a heart can be from someone else's.
Dialogue with others—conversations with people who have different mentalities—allows you to recognize the discrepancies in your own self-perception. Something a diary alone can't accomplish.
I get it now. To truly understand yourself, it's not enough to just expose your thoughts to the world.
I wanna talk to Melissa.
Gripping my phone tightly, I typed up a comment in response to Melissa's community post.
I wasn't sure if Melissa would read every comment, but I didn't want to miss this chance, knowing that she was in Japan—and so close by, at that.
We had exchanged names, so I figured writing "It's Saki Ayase" would be enough to jog her memory. Still, I was reluctant to use my full name on social media.
Instead, I decided to comment,
Saki: [ It's been a while. You might not remember, but it's Saki.]
Since most of the other names in the comments didn't seem to be Japanese, I thought there was a good chance she would recognize "Saki." I continued typing.
Saki: [I'm actually working nearby right now. If you have some time, would you like to meet up?]
…There, that should do it.
I had no idea if she would even notice my comment, and if she did, there was the chance she might find it intrusive and get upset.
But I couldn't shake the feeling that this chance might never come again.
Better to regret something you did than something you didn't, right?
"That's quite the sigh."
I looked up after hearing Kozono-san's voice.
"Huh? Oh, did I sigh?"
"Yep. A reeeally big one, too."
No, I don't think it was? It was more like the kinda breath you take after completing a task.
Like a "mission accomplished" breath. Or maybe more like a "now I've gone and done it" breath?
I wonder if Melissa will actually notice my comment.
"You okay? Wanna cookie?"
"Ah, yeah… Wait, but these were the ones I—Oh."
As I glanced up at Kozono-san and then back down at my phone, I noticed that my comment had already received a response. That was fast! And it was from Melissa too.
"Not gonna eat? I'll finish them then."
"Yeah."
"Huh? Wait, seriously? I'll really eat them all, got it?"
"Yeah."
I barely registered that Kozono-san was saying something as I was too distracted. I quickly read Melissa's reply. She seemed to have recognized the name Saki, and wrote something along the lines of "Wow, long time no see! How've you been?"
She suggested we switch to email since it wasn't ideal to openly discuss things like this in a public comments section.
No objections here.
Following her suggestion, I checked her channel's "About" section and found her contact info. I sent an email, and we exchanged IDs over there for a messaging app we both used. After some back-and-forth, we arranged to meet up. By the time I looked up again, there was only one cookie left.
Kozono-san told me she had saved the last one for me, but she said it with a look that made it clear she wanted it herself.
I was about to offer it to her when a knock came at the office door.
The manager called out to us, saying it was about to get busy again.
"I'm coming out now," I replied, and at the same time Kozono-san yelled back a cheerful "Got it!"
"What 'bout that?" she asked, pointing at the last remaining cookie.
"I'll eat it."
I quickly pulled the last cookie out of the plastic bag and shoved it into my mouth, quickly chewing it down. I washed it down with the remaining tea in my cup before popping a mint from my pocket into my mouth to get rid of the sweet cookie scent, just in case.
Kozono-san grabbed the paper cup I just emptied and tossed it into the trash along with her own.
"Could you throw this away too?" I asked, handing her the empty plastic bag. She took it and tossed it in as well.
"Thanks."
"I'll head out first."
"Yeah, go ahead."
After checking and adjusting my apron strings and the name tag I was wearing, I headed back out to the shelves.
Just one more hour left on my shift. I'll get to meet Melissa once it's over.
⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
"Good work today. Well then, see ya," Kozono-san said as she quickly left the change room.
We didn't exchange any more words, as if the friendliness she displayed when she first started working here had faded. No, that's not it. She's still the same with the manager, Yomiuri-senpai, and Asamura-kun. It's just me she's distant with…
It seems like Kozono-san truly believes, as she once said, that "if I showed my true self in front of others, they'd definitely hate me." So, she puts on a friendly face. On the flip side, it probably means that her true self isn't all the same… The way she acted just now was probably her real self.
Oddly enough, though, it doesn't make me feel bad. In fact, it feels kinda nostalgic. Oh, I get it. It's because she reminds me of how I was in my first year of high school.
As she said her goodbyes and opened the office door, her hair swayed, revealing the reddish tint of dye underneath as she glanced back. She probably didn't feel like herself with just black hair. It's unexpectedly bold; confident. Maybe that's the true essence of Kozono-san.
I remembered Maaya saying: "To think you used to be the cool, stylish, and composed beauty who kept people at distance."
"It's not like I disliked you the way you were before. I liked that you too."
The way you were before, huh…? Yeah. I guess that side of Kozono-san isn't all bad either.
Just then, my phone vibrated with a new message.
It's from Melissa. She'd arrived in front of the building the bookstore was in. I hurriedly finished changing and hustled to our meeting spot.
I stepped out through the automatic doors and scanned my surroundings. Almost immediately, I spotted a figure leaning against a pillar—a woman with blonde hair and tan skin. It was Melissa. Though it was almost autumn, it was still warm enough where she was dressed in her usual sporty, revealing clothes: a white tank top paired with camo shorts. She also sported a denim cap, pulled low over her eyes.
As I started walking towards her, she noticed me and looked up, a smile spreading across her face as she raised her hand in greeting.
"Saki!"
"Melissa-san. It's been a while."
"Doin' good?" she asked in Japanese.
I nodded with a smile.
Melissa was mixed, with a Taiwanese mother and a Japanese father. She'd spent her school years in Japan, so she could speak Japanese. Though she often downplayed her ability, saying she wasn't any good, she was actually pretty good and capable enough of holding ordinary conversations with ease.
"So, where to? Wanna talk somewhere?"
Let's see… I showed her my phone and pointed to the location of a café I had picked out earlier. It wasn't far from Shibuya Station, just near Daikanyama. We'd head south along Jingu-dori Street, cross over Tamagawa-dori Avenue, and go down Sakura Hill a little further.
"They got good tea or sweets there?"
"Not exactly," I replied.
I explained that I had a curfew (more accurately, a time by which I had to check in if I was going to be late) and that this café was close enough to home that we could chat over tea 'til the last minute. Plus, the route was simple, so Melissa wouldn't have any trouble finding her way back to the station.
"Yep, sounds good to me," Melissa agreed.
"Plus, it's not too expensive," I added, which was an important point for me.
Melissa offered to treat me, but I politely declined. After all, I was the one who invited her, so it wouldn't feel right to let her pay. I preferred to split the bill, even if she was already a working adult while I was still a student.
The café was about a ten-minute walk from the bookstore where I worked. Featuring wooden-looking chairs and tables neatly arranged under subdued lighting, it had a calm atmosphere to it, despite being part of a chain.
We arrived during that weird in-between time too late for tea but too early for dinner.
I thought we'd have to wait. Normally, it would be crowded around this hour, but today, we luckily scored seats easily. The spacious layout between tables meant we didn't have to worry about other customers overhearing our conversation.
I ordered a blended coffee, while Melissa went for a cream soda. I noticed it said "Jumbo" on the menu. Is that amount okay for her?
"It's almost dinner time, so I'll just order this."
She's planning to eat more later? Wow. I always thought I had a normal appetite, but now I'm starting to wonder if I eat like a bird.
After exchanging reunion greetings again, we started updating each other on our recent lives.
Melissa opened the conversation with, "So, howsit with that guy?"
Love talk right off the bat!? I nearly spit out the water I was drinking.
What's with everyone being so interested with other people's love lives?
That said, Melissa had helped me a ton in that regard, so it wouldn't be fair to not be honest with her.
"Uhm, well… it's good."
"Nice!"
Though I felt a bit embarrassed, I nodded, and Melissa didn't tease me. Instead, she returned to her serious expression and smiled. Though it feels a bit different from how others usually react.
"How about you? A live show in Japan—your music career must be going well."
"Well, thanks to everyone… I guess it's going okay. I'm happy that more people are listenin' to my music than I expected."
She mentioned that she had some passionate fans in Japan, and a few had even expressed a desire to see her perform live. Apparently that's how she ended up here.
"When did you arrive?"
"Yesterday!"
"So you really just got here."
Melissa nodded, saying she hadn't had much time to explore Tokyo since she arrived late yesterday. But then again, she's here for work, not sightseeing, so she wouldn't have much time to play around anyway.
"Even though it's been a while since I've been to Japan, comin' here as a tourist makes me realize how nice it is."
"Huh?"
"You seem surprised."
I was indeed surprised. I always thought Melissa left for Singapore to escape the constraints of life in Japan.
Wait, hold on. Did she say, "as a tourist"?
"I've tried out several countries and communities to live the life I want, but it's not like I hate Japan."
"I see."
"Because the food is so good! And the service is great too!"
"Great service?"
"Yeah! Japan right now is incredibly welcomin' to tourists. I've been to many countries, but Japan's the best, especially in the cities. Trains and buses are almost never late. The streets are so clean, and you rarely see litter. Even cheap mass-market stores have staff greet you with smiles and are always so polite. Like the cashiers at 100-yen shops are sooo friendly and courteous! It's really nice~"
The waiter brought our orders while she was talking.
"Here's your blended coffee."
A cup of hot coffee was placed in front of me—
"And a jumbo cream soda."
—And a massive glass jug was placed in front of Melissa.
My eyes shot wide in surprise.
I had been to this café before, but I'd never ordered a cream soda, so this was my first time seeing it. It certainly lived up to its "jumbo" title. It was twice the size of a regular glass of water, if not more. Its distinctive fizzing, translucent, green liquid, topped with a scoop of ice cream looked delicious.
"Was that everything you ordered?" the waiter asked.
"Yes," both Melissa and I nodded in sync.
With a polite bow, the waiter left with a "Please take your time and enjoy."
"See? They're kind, right?" Melissa said while giving me a knowing look.
"But… isn't that normal?"
"Maybe in today's Japan. Even the other customers aren't loud. The trains are quiet, the streets are quiet. It's clean, calm, and everyone's all smiles, kind, courteous, and always goin' outta their way to be helpful—it makes me happy."
Melissa scooped some of the ice cream off her soda with a long-handled spoon, and shoved it in her mouth, before adding, "—At least as a tourist."
I was thrown for a loop. That's the second time she said that…
Melissa took a sip from the soda through a straw, the green liquid rising up the clear tube and disappearing behind her red lips.
"It's delicious," she said with a sigh, then continued speaking. "Being here as a tourist allows you to appreciate how you guys do service here. I mean, they can get away with chargin' more with what they're doing. You're always greeted with a smile, you get as much water as you want for free, they always bring your food to you, and this whole soda's only a bit more than a single coin—it's too cheap."
"Can be pretty expensive for a high schooler, though."
"I mean, good service comes with a price. I don't expect to freeload on hospitality."
By "hospitality," Melissa was referring to our concept of "Omotenashi[2]," and "freeload" means taking advantage without giving anything in return. She's basically saying she doesn't like receiving hospitality without offering something in return.
[2: A Japanese expression that epitomizes concepts of hospitality and mindfulness, developed around the responsibility of a host during tea ceremonies]
"You said 'as a tourist' earlier, right?"
Melissa nodded.
"I'm tryna make a livin' through music, that's all I am. But when I do that, it's extremely difficult to just be 'normal.'"
"Difficult to be 'normal'?"
"Can't give back when being taken care of like this. Worse yet, the service can be stressful sometimes. Think about it—what if you're 'bout to come up with a great line and someone suddenly asks, 'Need any help?'"
I tried imagining it, but I'm not that familiar with music and arts, unfortunately, so it wasn't something I understood. So, I tried to relate it to studying instead. I guess it's true I don't like being interrupted when studying, but…
"Don't people leave you alone during those times?"
At least, the people around me don't interrupt me.
"Hmm. I'm way less normal than you think, Saki."
"…Way less?"
"Hmm. No. There was this time I couldn't come up with anythin' for a song, so I didn't leave my room for a week. I unplugged the phone line and turned off my phone. I kept the windows closed and the curtains drawn because the sunlight distracted me, and only turned on the dimmest night light I had. Survived on cup noodles I'd stocked up on. Couldn't even bring myself to throw away the empty containers."
"Couldn't, huh… Not wouldn't?"
"That 'that's it' moment can disappear just by standin' up. Goes poof with even the slightest noise. I can't even make a sound myself. Whether it's a melody or a lyrical phrase, until it comes to me, I can't move a muscle while sitting in the darkness. All I can do is wait silently, holdin' my breath. That's how it is for me. Like a hunter waiting for game."
Classic Melissa to use a hunter as a metaphor.
"And then, finally, this li'l flicker of light, like some will-o'-the-wisp, appears in the darkness. But it's always so faint, like a bubble, and is only there for a bit. I've always gotta slowly approach it and snatch it before it disappears. And at that moment, I don't even wanna breathe. I move closer and closer, and when it's right in front of me, I nab it in one swift motion! It's like I've gotta capture it before it vanishes, know what I'm sayin'?"
"I… kinda get it."
I couldn't really say I understood completely. Just then, it was hard for me to comprehend just how delicate the moment of creation is for an artist.
And, for some reason, Professor Kudou came to mind. Someone who had insisted she was contemplating something while lying down on her office floor, without a single care if anyone saw her.
Now that I think about it, she was lying on the grass too when I first met her and got scolded for it. She was probably thinking about something while down then too. She's the type to forget everything else when she's focused.
"I'm extremely selfish when I make music. Been like that since I was a kid. It wasn't music back then, though. When I was in my lower grades of elementary school, our tap at home broke—
Ah, she changed the topic…
"—And water wouldn't stop drippin' from it. It kept makin' this rhythmic 'tap tap' sound as it hit the sink. Sometimes, a bunch of drops would fall at once, making a different sound, like a 't-ta-tap!' It was so cool, and I listened to it endlessly without getting bored. I didn't even move when my parents called me for dinner. Even when it was time to go to school, I wouldn't budge. I kept listening until my dad forcefully dragged me away and drove me to school," Melissa explained.
"That's… amazing."
"That day's lessons didn't sink in at all. The sound of the water droplets drumming never stopped in my head. When I finally got home, someone had fixed it, and the dripping had stopped. I cried."
Being so fixated on just the sound of leaking water is to put it mildly, pretty weird.
"But I don't think that part of me is necessarily good. I know that people are being considerate, but I can't respond to that at all."
Ah, I get it now. I finally started to understand a little bit.
"Melissa-san, you feel stressed when you're being cared for in ways you can't reciprocate, don't you?" I voiced my observation.
The cheerful expression she had while drinking her cream soda disappeared for a second.
"Ah…"
"Am I wrong?"
"Nah, you're not. I think that's partly why I wanted a place where people would leave me alone to some extent. Givin' up on music's never an option. It's like asking me to give up life. But tryin' to stay true to myself ends up imposing too much on everyone here. It's not fair, dontcha think? So, I can't help but constantly feel stressed by the care people give to me that I can't give back. Yeah, I think you're right, Saki."
Melissa said that even as someone who gave off the impression of being free spirited. Though, she doesn't come across as selfish, likely because of this desire of hers to be fair.
"It's not fair to just receive hospitality without offerin' anything in return. That's why I can only be a tourist here," she explained with a sense of wisdom that seemed mature to me.
"And so you moved to Singapore."
"That's right… But—"
Melissa hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to say something. She looked into my eyes, then shut her mouth.
"Hey. So, has anythin' changed with you recently, Saki?" she suddenly changed the topic.
Even someone like me, who isn't great at reading emotions, could tell that her sudden attempt to change the subject was too blatant.
She was practically signaling that this conversation was over. Anyway, has anything happened? Oh, right.
"There is something. We'll have a cultural festival at my school soon."
"Wow! A cultural festival! Whatcha gonna do?" Melissa asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Apparently she'd experienced cultural festivals during her junior high days, but never participated in a high school one.
"Um… our class is doing a café."
"I wanna go! Hey, can an outsider like me visit too?"
I didn't expect her to be this excited.
"There's a public day for visitors. But… um—"
I took out my phone to check the schedule. After I told her the date, Melissa checked her own schedule and said she'd still be in Japan.
"Then I'll invite you."
"Wonderful!"
"I can show you around too if you come when I'm free," I said.
Melissa suddenly grabbed my hands with both of hers and repeatedly thanked me.
Wait, wait, wait. It's not like I did something that deserves this much gratitude…
"A cultural festival, huh? High school ones get pretty big, don't they?"
"Well, compared to junior high, I guess so…"
"Lookin' forward to it~! But I feel bad if you've gotta guide me around. Oh, I know!"
Melissa looked like she just had a light-bulb moment.
"Hey, Saki, you interested in a concert? I'll invite ya for free! You can bring your boyfriend too!"
Wha—… Free? Is that really okay?
Hmm. If you're asking whether I'm interested, of course I am. I'm a fan of Melissa's music too.
But taking Asamura-kun to a concert… I wonder if he'd be interested?
"I can't promise I can bring Asamura-kun, but I'm interested," I answered.
Melissa snapped her fingers with a triumphant look on her face. It was surprisingly loud, causing a few customers to turn our way. A waiter, thinking he was being called, rushed over, and both Melissa and I ended up apologizing profusely.
The waiter also apologized for the misunderstanding, and Melissa took the opportunity to order a soufflédoria[3], salad, coffee, and a cheesecake for dessert. Woah, she's really going to eat all that? I decided to get a coffee refill out of courtesy, but this time, I added plenty of milk. A second cup of plain coffee might be too much for my stomach.
[3: A Japanese spin on soufflé, featuring either sushi rice or fried ketchup rice (the kinda rice in omurice) topped with a soufflé]
As I watched Melissa devour the dishes one after another, I thought about the concert she had invited me to.
Well, I could always go alone if Asamura-kun turns me down…
Still, I decided I'd at least try to invite him. I had decided that I wouldn't hesitate anymore just because I was afraid of being a bother at the fireworks festival.
⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
In the end, I chatted with Melissa for about two hours before we parted ways.
On my way home, while waiting at the crosswalk, I shot a message to Mom on LINE before she left for work. I wanted to check how stocked the fridge was. But—
"What? Stepdad's making dinner?" I unintentionally said out loud.
I hurriedly looked around, but the crowds of people rushing home didn't seem to notice what I said and kept briskly walking. The light turned green, so I put away my phone and started walking.
Going off Mom's message, both of them had already gone out grocery shopping, and since they thought I would be busy with studying for exams tonight, Stepdad would be cooking.
I picked up my pace as our flat gradually rose into view.
I get it, Melissa doesn't like being on the receiving end without offering something in return, I thought to myself as I walked.
I could understand what she meant. Apparently, I don't like it either. But, the only way I can offer anything in return right now is by working hard on my exam prep.
I've gotta buckle down once I get home! With that thought in mind, I walked the rest of the way.
Just as I changed and started studying in my room, I heard Asamura-kun return from his open campus visit with a "I'm home."
I wanted to talk to him about the concert right away, but it felt wrong to bring up something fun before even opening a single page of my textbooks. Dinner would probably be around 8 p.m., so I'd have around two hours. I'll get some studying done first then talk to him afterward.
Before I knew it, an hour had flown by while I was buried in my studies, and with bath time and everything else, I wasn't sure when I'd get a chance to talk to him. It's probably better to just get it over with now.
Steeling myself, I headed to Asamura-kun's room.
I suddenly remembered a time when I had stood in front of his door just like this, too nervous to knock, and ended up running back to my room. Looking back now, it feels like I was overly self-conscious. The world wouldn't end just because one of my invitations was rejected.
But still… I can't help it.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.
"Yuuta-niisan," I called out softly.
…No response.
He's not there?
I glanced toward the dining room. The only sign of anyone there was Stepdad cooking, which meant that Asamura-kun should be in his room.
I knocked again and called out, and this time, I got a response.
"Sorry. Didn't hear you calling."
Could I have been interrupting his studies?
"Ah, sorry. Were you focused?"
"No, I was about to wrap up anyway. It's fine. What's up?" he asked, and I froze up just as I was about to invite him.
"Um, well… you see."
As I struggled to find the right words, Asamura-kun gave me a concerned look.
"Something you wanna talk about?" he asked.
"Uh, well, Asamura-kun, I know you're busy with studying, and it's perfectly fine if you say no, but…"
"I can't decide if you don't tell me."
"Um, uh… It's an invitation to go out."
"Taking a break is important too," he said in a slightly playful tone, making me feel more at ease.
"Hearing you say that makes it easier to ask. I always end up relying on you," I replied. I took a breath.
"Are you into live music?"
Asamura-kun had met Melissa before, but only briefly at the restaurant after our visit to the Night Safari, so he might not remember her very well.
Since I'm personally grateful to her and want to support her career, I told him I'd like to go.
Asamura-kun seemed to hesitate for a moment, and seeing that made me start to feel nervous again.
"Oh, but with the cultural festival coming up and all, maybe we shouldn't be going out so much," I said, offering him an easy way out.
If he said no, I could always go alone, I reassured myself. But then, Asamura-kun quickly shook his head, as if in panic.
"N-no, that's not it."
"Huh?"
"Melissa-san, was it? If she's someone you want to support, Saki, then I'd like to see her too. And I really do think taking breaks is important."
He mentioned something about learning his lesson over the summer. I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that, but it seemed like he was willing to go with me.
"I've never been to a live music club before, so that makes me even more curious. And recently, I've been wanting to do a lot of new things with you, Saki."
"R-really?"
"Yeah. Being a third-year in high school usually happens only once, and this is what I want to do now. Balancing stuff like this with studying is key."
"Alright. So, will you go with me?"
"Yeah, I'll go. Or more like, please take me with you?"
I guess I'll be the one leading this time.
"I'll let Melissa know. Oh, about the date…"
And so, we ended up planning a concert date for September 23rd.