September 23rd, the autumn equinox.
The heat had finally begun to ease, and summer was finally being ushered out on this cool autumn day. Ayase-san and I were making our way towards a live music club, relying on the maps app on our phones to guide us.
"The sky's so clear," Ayase-san said as she looked up.
The live music club we were headed to was about a ten-minute walk west of Shibuya Crossing. Doors wouldn't open until 6 p.m., so we still had some time to spare.
Glancing back, I saw that the eastern sky had already begun to take on a deep gray hue. A gentle breeze started to blow, brushing against my skin as it passed by.
"Good thing we brought jackets," I remarked.
"Yeah. Figured it might get chilly tonight," Ayase-san replied, adjusting the cardigan draped over her arm.
We'd told our parents that we were going to a concert by an artist we met on our school trip. Naturally, my old man and Akiko-san were both surprised to hear that we had even met someone like Melissa in Singapore. Can't blame them. Even I didn't realize how close Ayase-san and Melissa had gotten even though I was on the trip with her.
It turns out Ayase-san had already met up with Melissa on her own and was even subscribed to her YouTube channel. I hadn't noticed that either.
"How's your studying going?" Ayase-san suddenly asked.
"Not too bad."
"You've decided on which uni you wanna go to, right?"
"Yep, but I guess I was a bit late for that. Figured I should at least aim for it now."
Ichise University's a tough one to get into, but knowing there was something I wanted to learn there made studying easier than just working toward some vague goal.
"Gotcha. Yeah, you seem more relaxed lately."
"I do?"
"I mean, compared to summer."
Ah. I nodded in agreement, though thinking back to summer made me feel a bit embarrassed. I had let my emotions get ahead of me, having pushed myself too hard without really even knowing what I was working towards.
Right now, I have enough time to enjoy a brief date with Ayase-san like this.
"What 'bout you?" I asked.
"Managin' at my own pace. Today's concert will take up most of our afternoon, so I studied hard in the morning. But I didn't have much time to get ready and ended up going with this plain outfit because of that…" she said, pinching her shoulder strap as if to show it off.
"Nah, it looks great. You look cute."
"Uh… thanks."
Seeing Ayase-san blush after my compliment made her seem even cuter to me.
I casually lifted my left hand. Ayase-san, noticing this, switched the cardigan she was holding in her right hand to her left and placed her hand in mine. We continued to walk up the slope towards the venue, hand in hand.
"Did you listen to Melissa's songs?" she asked.
"A bit, yeah. It's a genre I usually don't listen to. Actually, I don't listen to music a lot in the first place, so I can't really tell if it's good or not. But I found it interesting."
"Interesting, hm? Also, what kinda music do you usually listen to, Asamura-kun?"
"Mostly whatever Maru recommends. A lot of popular hits or anime openings."
I listed a few tracks Maru recently suggested to me, and Ayase-san said she might've heard of them before. Turns out, even though I thought they were kinda niche, they were more well-known than I thought.
"What 'bout you?"
"I mostly listen to songs my mom recommends," she answered, surprising me.
"Akiko-san?"
"Yeah. And they're old ones—songs from when she was younger… Like twenty or thirty years ago?"
So songs from the earlier Heisei era[1]. Nineties J-pop, huh?
[1: The period referring to the reign of then Emperor Akihito, beginning from 1989 to his abdication in 2019]
"Know what a CD is?" she asked.
"Of course, they're still around. I have some myself. Gotta borrow my old man's old computer to listen to them, though."
"Same here. I've been using my phone since high school. But when I was younger, we had this boombox at home. Ever heard of it?"
"The one they use to play CDs during events like sports festivals, right?"
"That's it. We threw it away when we moved, but I kept the CDs."
"And you used to listen to those," I concluded, and Ayase-san nodded.
Now that I think about it, we've never talked about our favorite music before. I guess that's because we've both been so busy, caught up in our daily routines.
But now, I'd like to know more about her, and for her to get to know me better, too. I understand that we may not always like the same things, and that's okay.
Furthermore, we've been living in the same house for a while now. Getting to know each other's preferences is important if we want to avoid doing things the other person doesn't like. From how often we do laundry, to our preferred thickness of toilet paper, and even what temperature we like the air con set at; there are countless little adjustments we've been making to live together as family.
Over time, these things become second nature. But the truth is, none of it is natural or effortless; it's all the result of careful consideration and compromise.
As Ayase-san and I walked hand in hand, I couldn't help but think that the closer we get, the more likely we are to clash. The more we spend time together, the more adjustments we'll have to make—and to do that, we need to understand each other better.
Communication is a balance of both quantity and quality.
I've realized that accepting her invitation to this concert date wasn't just about taking a break. The fact that we had entrance exams coming up wasn't an excuse to neglect communication between us. This would apply even if Ayase-san was still only my stepsister. But we're even more than that now. Ayase-sa—no, Saki is someone I now genuinely want to be with.
As we followed the directions on our phones, I started to worry when the venue still didn't come into view.
"That's it, isn't it?"
Ayase-san spotted the sign before I did. It was hidden behind a building, out of sight from where I was standing. Below it, a staircase descended like the entrance to a subway station.
Maybe because it was close to opening time, I noticed others who seemed to be fans, hanging out here and there.
Just then, a staff member with a badge hanging around their neck came out and started speaking in a loud voice.
"We're about to open! Please have your tickets ready and proceed to the entrance!"
We joined the line forming at the stairs, and it moved smoothly as we made our way to the front. Ayase-san pulled out her phone and presented the e-ticket that Melissa had sent her. It's amazing how e-tickets are just as common as paper ones nowadays.
"This way for customers with these types of tickets," the woman at the reception desk explained as she saw our tickets, directing us to a separate line for VIPs. "Melissa will be greeting you after the performance, so she'd appreciate it if you can stay until the end."
I nodded in understanding. Though I'm not sure if we'd be able to do that.
The concert was likely going to end pretty late, but I figured Ayase-san would want to at least meet her in person.
"Wanna stay if we have time?" I suggested.
"Yeah… As long as we can. But I can always message her if we have to leave earlier, so don't worry about it."
"Sounds good."
Since the VIP line was quite short, we quickly made our way inside. It was my first time in a live music club like this, and I had no prior experience to reference, but it struck me as surprisingly spacious.
Of course, compared to large, sloped theaters used for plays, this was just a flat, boxy space. But in terms of sheer size, it looked like it could fit around 300 people.
Rows of seats were arranged in front of a slightly elevated stage, and further back was a terrace that was even higher. Chairs were neatly arranged there, designated as seats for VIPs.
While we wouldn't be sitting close to the stage, where you could really feel the energy of the performance, this spot might be better for really listening to the music. The seats were already nearly full, and the audience seemed to be mostly people a bit older than us, probably in their twenties.
There seemed to be about an equal number of men and women, and although it wasn't completely full, it looked like around seventy percent of the seats had already been taken.
Unlike videos of rock bands or idol concerts that Maru showed me before, Melissa's performance was a little different, apparently choosing to focus on showcasing her music and singing. So, rather than standing, sitting in a more relaxed atmosphere seemed more fitting.
Ayase-san and I sat side by side in the middle of the VIP section, slightly towards the front. The seats had been filled up from the back for some reason, so we ended up here.
As we settled into our seats and curiously looked around like a couple of country bumpkins, Ayase-san suddenly paused, her gaze fixed on the entrance.
She almost seemed frozen as she stared at one spot.
I followed her line of sight.
Next to the door was a large poster on the wall.
It depicted a tropical forest… Or maybe some jungle? In South America—actually no, Asia.
Among the sprawling leaves and tangled vines, an ancient stone structure covered in moss was just visible. It looked like an old ruin or something. In the middle of that lush green scenery was a bold bust shot of Melissa.
It's composite, right? No way they went all the way to a jungle just for this shot.
With the tropical Asian forest in the background, Melissa was slightly turned to her side, with her eyes directed towards the camera. Her hair was tousled by the wind, partially covering her face. And though her mouth was curved into a smile, the sharpness of her gaze peeking through her hair gave off an appearance of a predator hiding in the jungle, stalking its prey.
"Looks nice," Ayase-san muttered softly.
On the poster, overlapping with Melissa's hair, were words written in what looked like messy, almost scribbled, handwriting.
"What's it say?"
"'Melissa', I think? It's hard to read since it's so messy, but that first letter on the left is an 'M,' isn't it?"
Once it was pointed out for me, I finally managed to make out the letters. You can barely read it, but yeah, I think it does say 'Melissa Woo.' Ah, wait, it's also written in block letters here.
I dropped my gaze to the pamphlet resting on my lap. We'd gotten it for free with our VIP tickets, but it would've probably been included with normal ones too.
"It's the same as this."
The pamphlet cover was the exact same as the poster.
Seeing that they matched, Ayase-san picked up the pamphlet again and started flipping through it, "Oh, the inside's nice too."
Though the pamphlet was modest—just a few pages long—inside contained today's setlist, linear notes[2] written by Melissa, and intros of her band members and other performers. Towards the back, there were pictures of Melissa that made it look almost like a photo album.
[2: Linear notes (also called sleeve notes or album notes) are writings found in the sleeves of CDs, records, or booklets that accompany them]
I'd need to read it to understand what it's about, but the photos, text, and articles were all thoughtfully arranged. Yet, it still felt easy to navigate. As the person who writes the pop-up ads at the bookstore we work at, I could definitely gain something from learning this level of tastefulness.
That said, it goes without saying—
"—I could never make something this stylish…" Ayase-san said, completing my thoughts as if she could hear them. Wait, no, was I mumbling?
"Don't professionals make stuff like this?"
"I guess."
"It's so stylish. Very fashionable and satisfying."
We were trying our best to whisper, just loud enough to hear each other. So, when we suddenly heard a soft "Thanks" from behind us, I nearly hit the roof.
A woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties was sitting in the seat just behind us with her legs crossed. She smiled at Ayase-san and me as we both turned around in unison.
"Um…"
"I'm glad you liked the pamphlet and poster."
Ayase-san looked like she was comparing the pamphlet with her, but honestly, I didn't think looking at it would help her figure it out.
"Uh…?"
"I'm the one who made it," the woman said with a cheerful laugh.
She had blue-tinged, wolf-cut hair. Her large, slender earrings swayed back and forth, and the corners of her sharp eyes curved into a crescent shape. For a moment, her cool, elegant vibe softened into a gentle expression.
Smoothing her short hair with her right hand, she scratched the back of her head while showing us a mischievous smile. The beauty mark under her right eye added a sophisticated, mature aura, characteristic of an older woman.
I found myself looking slightly upward, trying to make eye contact with her. She's clearly pretty tall.
Her shoulders were also pretty broad for a woman. This, combined with the fact she was wearing a blazer—I might have mistaken her for a slender man—if it weren't for the slight swell of her breasts.
"This is our first time meeting, isn't it?"
"Ah, yes. Uh… nice to meet you."
"Uh… And you are—Ah, sorry, nice to meet you."
Ayase-san and I nervously took turns introducing ourselves. The woman noticed Ayase-san's hesitation, pointing at herself with a bright, relaxed smile.
"Ruka Akihiro. Ruka as in 'Ru' from 'lapis lazuli' and 'Ka' from 'beautiful person.'[3] But just Ruka's fine."
[3: The kanji for her first name is "瑠佳," by which she explains it's written with 瑠 from "瑠璃" (pronounced "ruri" and translates to lapis lazuli) and 佳 from "佳人" (pronounced "kajin" and means beautiful person)]
"You mean like the beautiful blue gem?"
"Oh, you're knowledgeable," she said with a broad smile.
Ayase-san threw a glance my way. "Lapis lazuli?"
"It's a gemstone. 'Ruri'[4] is the name for lapis lazuli in Japanese, but some people also use it to refer to chrysoberyl, or just any blue gemstone in general."
[4: As mentioned prior, 瑠璃 (pronounced "ruri") is lapis lazuli in Japanese]
"Really…?"
"Lapis lazuli and chrysoberyl are both beautiful gems, and 'kajin'[5] means 'beautiful person,' so you can say both parts of her name carry the meaning of beauty."
[5: As mentioned prior, 佳人 (pronounced "kajin") means "beautiful person."]
As I finished speaking, Ruka-san, looking slightly bashful, explained, "It's something my parents wished for. They wanted me to grow up beautiful, like lapis lazuli. Though I turned out a little too rough around the edges for that, unfortunately."
No, no. I'd say the word "beautiful," or maybe "handsome," fits you perfectly. Wait a minute, maybe her lightly blue-tinged hair's related to her name too?
"And you two?" she asked.
"I'm Yuuta Asamura."
"And I'm… Saki Ayase."
Ruka-san smoothly extended one hand to me after my introduction. I shook it without thinking. Her fingers were adorned with silver rings, complimented by the several thin bracelets on her wrist. The rings danced slightly as we shook hands, gleaming under the overhead lights.
"Um, earlier… when you said you made this," Ayase-san asked in a slightly hurried voice after her introduction.
"Just like I said. I'm the one who made it."
"Is this the kind of work you do?"
"Yeah, it is. I'm a designer, more or less. I just started out, though."
"A designer…" Ayase-san murmured, looking between the pamphlet and Ruka-san.
In other words, she was the "professional" Ayase-san had mentioned earlier… Probably.
"So designers make stuff like this too, huh?"
"Hm? Uh… Yuuta-kun, was it? What do you think a designer's job is like?" Ruka-san asked.
I racked my brain.
"Someone who makes clothes?"
"That's a fashion designer. Technically, they aren't the ones making the clothes themselves, that's a different person's job. But yes, the designer's role is to come up with the design."
"The design…"
I thought I understood what she was saying, but at the same time, I didn't. Though I felt like I could say "So this is what design is," when I actually tried pinning down exactly what it meant, the concept slipped through my fingers.
"Everything that gets made in this world has certain functions and characteristics we need. Design's the process of considering how to meet those needs. So, that means designers exist in every production field. As for me, I design event venues, signs, logos, and pamphlets. I only just got this job through a friend though, since I'm still new to this field."
Ayase-san seemed to pick up on something Ruka-san said.
"A friend? By any chance…"
"Melissa's an old friend."
Huh? That's surprising.
Ayase-san, on the other hand, had a look that clearly showed she understood.
"You two must know her somehow since you're sittin' here too, right? You both look like high schoolers," Ruka-san asked, turning the conversation to us.
We nodded in unison.
"Who would've thought she has friends from some Japanese high school? And to invite you guys as VIPs, no less. That's pretty rare."
"It is?"
"I mean, she's friendly on the surface, but she's not easy to deal with."
"Not easy, huh…?" Ayase-san asked while tiling her head in a serious way.
Ruka-san burst out laughing—quietly, obviously. She was still being mindful of the people around us.
"Hahaha… No way, so she hasn't shown that side of her to you, Saki-chan. I see, I see. Looks like she likes you a lot."
"She… does?" Ayase-san questioned again, her face thoughtful as if she was carefully choosing her words.
After a moment of thought, Ayase-san raised her head, her expression showing she had made up her mind.
"Um…" she began to address Ruka-san.
But just as she started speaking, someone who looked like a staff member called out to Ruka-san, and she stood up.
"Okey-dokey," she responded in a light, casual tone and left.
She sure is laid-back.
Turning back to look at Ayase-san, I noticed her slightly disappointed expression. Looks like she'd been hoping to talk to her a little more.
We waited for a while, thinking Ruka-san might come back at some point, but it seemed like the concert was just about to start, so we had to turn our attention forward. Just like before a movie, they announced the usual disclaimers. Things like "Please don't record any videos," and "Please silence your phones." Then, the stage went dark, and the live performance began.
⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
The concert went for about two hours.
The performance itself had an emphasis on singing, with little stage banter, creating a straightforward, music-centered experience.
There weren't many flashy mic stunts, and the songs were mostly a blend of folk music and rock, much like what I had heard before. Many pieces gently entered your ears, sinking deep into your heart.
Even without any shouting or grandiose gestures, Melissa's passionate voice seemed to wrap itself around the audience's hearts, drawing them in as her songs reached their emotional peaks.
I felt like my body temperature had gone up a bit—maybe by 0.2 degrees or so.
Ayase-san was just as captivated as I was from her place beside me. I occasionally stole glances at her profile as she stared at the stage in an apparent trance. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and her eyes seemed to shine more than usual. She would also sigh contentedly between songs.
But I noticed something else too. The pleasant scent that occasionally drifted past my nose. It's coming from her body. Perfume, maybe? They say that perfume is activated by body heat, releasing its fragrance.
…Maybe her body temperature had risen too?
I felt like she'd notice if I stared for too long, so I quickly turned my gaze back to the stage. Just then, our hands bumped into each other as we both raised them to applaud. Startled, I quickly pulled my hand back.
"Sorr—" I was about to apologize, but she was so focused on Melissa on stage that she didn't even notice our hands had touched.
For me, when our bare hands brushed against each other, my heart skipped a beat—more intensely than usual for some reason. In that moment, everything about the live show I'd been so focused on disappeared from my mind, and even Melissa's voice seemed to fade into the background.
It took all my effort to calm my racing heart. After that, I concentrated on the stage, and before I knew it, two hours passed just like that.
The sound of applause roared through the venue, as if asking for an encore. And as if to respond to the crowd's calls, Melissa reappeared from the side, and sang a slow, gentle song—the only one that night.
It was entirely in English, but it was a niche song I recognized, so I could somewhat understand the lyrics. It wasn't like it had difficult words either.
Though, it wasn't one of her original songs, but some famous jazz classic. When I quietly glanced at Ayase-san from her place beside me, I noticed a faint glimmer in the corner of her eye.
With a final round of applause, Melissa's concert came to an end.
The lights in the room were undimmed, signaling the end of the dreamlike moment.
With the announcement that the concert was over, the audience slowly filed back out through the doors. As I casually observed the faces of those leaving, I noticed that most of them looked pretty satisfied.
Just then, a few staff members—who were apparently the venue's attendants—approached our section and informed us that Melissa would be coming to greet us shortly.
Ayase-san and I exchanged glances, checked the time on our phones, and decided to stay a bit longer to greet her since she'd be here soon.
After a few minutes' wait, Melissa appeared, casually dressed with a light jacket thrown over her stage costume.
"Thanks for comin'! I love you all!"
She greeted us, waving as she spoke in Japanese, English, and Chinese in turn.
Several people who appeared to be involved in the music industry quickly flocked around Melissa to talk to her, with some of them even handing her small bouquets. I remembered seeing a box at the entrance for normal ticket holders to place gifts. Ayase-san even mentioned that she wished she had brought something. Even if she couldn't hand it to her directly, she felt she should have at least sent a message card to congratulate her.
I glanced around and noticed that other VIPs were slowly lining up. It looked like Melissa wanted to shake hands with each of them before they left.
Being late to the punch and not wanting to be pushy, Ayase-san and I ended up at the back of the line. Coincidentally, we found ourselves standing right behind Ruka-san. I didn't notice earlier, but she probably sat somewhere else right before the concert started.
On stage, the staff had already started cleaning up, collecting music stands, folding the chairs, and taking down posters. They seemed pretty busy, so to avoid getting in their way, those of us at the end of the line huddled toward the corner of the room. Some of Melissa's remaining friends were chatting with her for a bit longer, exchanging more than just handshakes. But since they were talking mostly in English, and while Ayase-san had no problem with listening in on their convo, I had no idea what they were saying.
Melissa now seemed more relaxed, unlike the tense expression she wore during most of the performance. Maybe it's more accurate to say she looked relieved?
Right before our turn, Ruka-san finished her conversation with Melissa with a casual high-five before nudging us forward, "Go on. These are your favorite kids, aren't they? Make sure to greet 'em properly."
Ayase-san was gently nudged forward and she stepped up to Melissa, her voice shy and soft, like a borrowed cat[6].
[6: 借りてきた猫 (literally meaning "like a borrowed cat") is a Japanese idiom used to describe someone who's unusually timid or soft]
"Um… it was really amazing."
"Mm. Thanks," Melissa replied in Japanese.
It was only then that I realized how surprisingly fluent Melissa was in Japanese. She had mostly spoken and sung in English on stage, with just brief Japanese phrases and greetings here and there, like "Thanks for comin'," so I assumed she only memorized a few lines.
So she really can speak it well.
Ayase-san started sharing thoughts about the concert little by little and Melissa listened quietly.
"Hmm. Hearin' all that makes me a bit shy, to be honest," Melissa said with a slight blush on her cheeks.
"No, really, it was that good," Ayase-san fired back earnestly.
"Well, I did practice a ton for it."
As Melissa tried to play it down, Ruka teased her, saying, "But honestly, this one here was so nervous she turned pale before the show!"
Melissa quickly jabbed her with her elbow to shut her up.
"Ow!"
"Can it, Ruka."
"It's the truth! Don't be shy now~"
They're really good friends, I thought to myself as I watched their playful bickering.
"Wait, Ruka, how do you know these two? Did you already know each other before?" Melissa asked, curiously glancing between us and Ruka-san.
"'Course not. Met them a little while ago. This girl here… Saki-chan, right? She complimented my pamphlet." Ruka-san answered.
"Oh, that one! Yeah, that was really cool!"
"Yes, it was great. By the way, that building in the middle of the forest—was that some kinda ruin or something?"
"Yeah, where's it, anyway?" Melissa chimed in, taking advantage of Ayase-san's question.
However, instead of answering directly, Ruka-san turned Melissa's question back to Ayase-san, "Where d'you think?"
Ayase-san thought for a moment before answering.
"At first, I thought the Amazon or something because of the jungle. But after looking at it again, probably Asia—like somewhere south in Eurasia."
"Why d'you think so?" Ruka-san asked.
"Because isn't Melissa-san's other hometown in Taiwan? And she now lives in Singapore—both have South Asian climates. Also, some of Melissa-san's songs sound like Asian folk music, …so using a photograph of an old ruin in a natural landscape can relate to that, I guess? It felt like that poster's trying to say that Melissa-san's music's deeply rooted in her heritage… in her blood, or something like that. So… that's why…"
Ayase carefully explained her reasoning, with Ruka-san nodding along.
Her satisfied expression suggested that Ayase-san's interpretation had hit the mark. I, on the other hand, had only thought the poster was beautiful and didn't even consider its deeper meaning, so I was impressed by Ayase-san's insight.
I recalled what Ruka-san mentioned before: "Everything that gets made in this world has certain functions and characteristics we need. Design's the process of considering how to meet those needs."
A concert poster must convey the essence of its event. In other words, it should convey to the audience what they can expect from attending Melissa's concert. This was the "function" of the poster, and arranging the photo and logo to fulfill that role is what design is all about.
"Reeeally~? You think so?" Melissa casually remarked while watching Ayase-san passionately explain her thoughts and Ruka-san nod in agreement.
Seems like she didn't realize the poster's deeper implications too.
Ruka-san gave Melissa a wry smile.
"Well, it's actually not just some ruin; it's just an abandoned building that's been there for decades. I ended up going with it 'cause I couldn't find anything that fit right. Most photos are copyrighted, so I couldn't use anyone else's. None of the free stock photos really resonated with me too, so I ended up diggin' up some old photo I took on a trip and used it in a composite shot. Besides, we didn't have the budget to find an actual location and take the whole thing in person."
So she would've dragged Melissa out somewhere for a photoshoot if you had the time and money, huh? …Sounds tough.
"But you helped with the bust shot, right? That was challengin' too, wasn't it?" Melissa remarked.
"The wind wasn't blowing your hair right! You ended up lookin' like some wild-haired monster. We went through so many photos…"
"You take photos too?" I asked after my curiosity of Ruka-san's comment got the better of me.
"Hm? Hmm, I guess some designers do, but we had a professional take 'em. I just attended the shoots."
Oh, I see. There're many different types of designers, after all.
"It was tough posing for the camera too, but Ruka really made it all come together in the end. I'm grateful for that," Melissa said with an unusually serious tone.
Ruka-san scratched the back of her head and shrugged.
"Gotta work for what I'm paid, y'know what I mean?"
Ayase-san stared down at the pamphlet in her hands.
"I started thinking a lot about your music after seeing that poster, Melissa-san. Maybe that's why, while listening to your live performance—"
"You can drop the 'san,' Saki. I don't use honorifics, so you don't have to either," Melissa cut her off.
Melissa shot a glance at Ruka-san, who was standing next to her, as if to say, "This is okay, isn't it?" and Ruka-san nodded as if to say, "It's okay."
"Okay. Um, well, Melissa, after looking at that poster, I felt like I was able to appreciate your music on a whole deeper level. The songs, your performance… Everything was wonderful. It really moved me."
"So you like Ruka's poster, Saki?"
"Yes."
Seeing Ayase-san nodding sincerely, Melissa shot a glance toward Ruka-san, who pulled out a card from her pocket and handed it to Ayase-san. It seemed to be a business card for her design work.
"I post some art on Instagram from time to time. Check it out if you feel like it."
"I'll follow you," Ayase-san responded enthusiastically.
"Thanks! Alright! Just scored a future client!"
Ruka-san flexed her arm in triumph jokingly, before suddenly honing in on me.
"Oops, looks like we're leavin' the boyfriend out the loop. Uh, your name…?"
"Yuuta-kun, was it? Amirite?" Melissa chimed in before I could even respond.
Wait, did I tell her my name before?
"Um…"
"I've heard a lot from Saki," Melissa teased.
"I—I didn't talk about him that much… did I?" Ayase-san muttered, throwing me awkward glances.
"I'm Yuuta Asamura." I didn't get a chance to properly greet her back at the restaurant in Singapore. While Ayase-san had somehow gotten close to her, this was the first time I was actually talking to Melissa. Back then, she was speaking English, so I was relieved to see that she was actually fluent in Japanese.
"So, you're Saki's boyfriend, are ya?" Melissa asked.
"Huh?"
"That's what I heard," Melissa assured me, as Ayase-san flailed her hands in front of her face in embarrassment.
She rapidly opened and closed her mouth, as if she was trying to speak, but no words came out.
"Well, yes."
I nodded, realizing this wasn't something I should deny.
Ruka-san nodded too, placing her hand on her chin as she let out a convinced, "Oh~?"
What was that about? What exactly did I agree to just now?
"Hmm, I know it's kinda late, but how 'bout havin' dinner with us? Ah, hold that thought. Maybe you wanna continue your date with Yuuta-kun instead?" Melissa asked Ayase-san.
"Huh? No, um, we're just heading home," Ayase-san replied, which seemed to surprise Melissa.
"You're on a date with your boyfriend, but you're just goin' home without doin' anything? Huh? Isn't that a bit strange?"
Melissa turned to Ruka-san with a questioning look, as if looking for agreement.
"Why're you looking at me?"
"Hey, these two are saying they're goin' home without havin' dinner or sex?"
"Don't look at me while asking that! How would I know!? And hey, stop with—"
"Hey, Saki, you're seriously not gonna do anything lewd?"
"Don't ask her that!" Ruka-san exclaimed as she gave the back of Melissa's head a swift smack.
But neither Ayase-san nor I could laugh at their antics. Ayase-san was gaping in shock, and as for me—well, let's just say my brain shut down for a moment, unable to fully process what had just been said.
Huh? What'd she just ask?
"W-w-we're not!" Ayase-san finally managed to stammer out.
I was about to deny it even louder than Ayase-san, but I remembered we were in a room full of people at the last moment. Looking around, everyone else seemed too busy with packing up to notice our conversation.
Thank goodness… I never expected anyone to ask about that so casually. Wait, is this normal overseas?
"Melissa, you're making them uncomfortable. Don't drag them into our way of thinking. They're just high schoolers, y'know?" Ruka-san said with a look of exasperation.
"But come on. It's normal if you're dating, isn't it?"
"That doesn't mean you should ask about every little thing!"
"Yep, but it's not somethin' you've gotta hide, is it? Everyone does it. I met these two back in, um… February? They were suuuuper close already back then. Love blossoms durin' a trip like that."
"Is that true?"
Wait, why're you asking Ayase-san about that now too, Ruka-san?
"No, it's not like anything like that happened there…"
As soon as Ayase-san spoke, Melissa responded instantly, as if she had been expecting exactly those words.
"So you were datin' before then! Wait, that means you must've done it dozens of times by now!"
Ayase-san shook her head vigorously from side to side. Obviously I did the same.
"No way. Can high schoolers really resist doin' that? I mean, if I confessed, by the end of the day I'd have—"
"Oi, come on."
"Are Japanese high schoolers actually that pure? Back when I was their age, my lust and libido were endless, y'know?"
"Don't assume everyone's like you, you carnivorous beast."
"You're pretty intense too, Ruka."
"…I mean, kind of?"
"See? So it's okay to be curious. Hey, hey, Saki? You've gotta have at least done some petting—[7]"
[7: ペッティング (literally pronounced as the word "petting") does not refer to petting but actually refers to sexual acts that don't involve intercourse. The reason why I didn't want to use "foreplay," "touching," or simply just "petting" (and thus having it's English interpretation of the act) because this term means all sexual acts before actual intercourse (aka more than what it means to use the word in English when talking about sexual intimacy. I'll leave it to your imagination as to why those two words aren't enough to convey the same meaning)]
"Stop forcing your way of thinking on others."
"Uuu…"
"Sex education in Japan's lagging behind. What are you thinking; trying to have them run wild. You guys, don't take everything this girl says at face value, okay?"
"Exactly, exactly. Proper contraception's important."
"Still not finished?"
Ruka-san pressed and grinded into both sides of Melissa's head.
The so-called 'umeboshi'[8] move—I've never had someone do it to me though, so I don't know how painful it really is.
[8: Literally meaning pickled plum, as if someone grinds at your face like this, you'd tend to make an expression similar to that after eating a pickled plum (which tastes extremely salty and sour)]
"I-I got it. Help!"
"Alright. Things like this are considered sexual harassment here in Japan, so be careful, okay?" Ruka-san explained.
"I get it, I get it."
Melissa raised her hands in surrender.
"But, y'know, lovin' each other's a happy act. I don't think you gotta feel ashamed of it~"
Her words carried an undertone of dissatisfaction that took me by surprise.
A happy act. When I first hugged Ayase-san, I definitely felt a wave of relief and comfort in the warmth between us.
I also feel that same sense of happiness when we kiss.
It's a well known fact that various romantic actions (like hugging, kissing, and beyond) cause the release of endorphins and serotonin—so-called "happy hormones." It's something I've even read in manga.
So, the idea that pleasure is a result of these actions is scientifically supported—no, that's not the point here.
Us going further than just kissing?
Just thinking about it makes me feel guilty. It's something I can't explain when asked why, but I have this vague sense that it's something we shouldn't do.
That's probably why I never considered it.
Even at the fireworks festival, we'd only held hands while gazing at each other.
I looked at her as I mulled it over. Her cheeks were still bright red.
She must feel the same way… probably.
Then, it hit me.
No, isn't it strange to single handedly decide what's wrong by myself?
Was I making a decision all on my own again?
Actually, what does Ayase-san really think about this? Should I try to get us on the same page? But wouldn't that moment itself risk becoming a bit like sexual harassment?
My thoughts were spinning around in circles, and I felt like I was losing control of them.
Just then, a staff member came over and said it was time to leave.
Since we were the last ones to greet Melissa, we had the liberty of chatting longer, but it would cause trouble for us to stay too long. When I called out to Ayase-san, she realized it too and started to panic.
Melissa and Ruka both looked at her with smiles as if watching some junior or a younger sister.
"Um, alright then, we'll head home now."
"Come again if we have another gig. Check my YouTube too!"
"I will," Ayase-san said with a nod.
After shaking hands with Melissa and Ruka, we left the venue. The sun had already set, the sky was completely pitch black, and the wind was a little chilly. Ayase-san put on the cardigan she had brought with her.
On our way back, Ayase-san—no, Saki—and I barely talked due to the bomb Melissa had dropped on us.
I feel like I'll say something awkward if I open my mouth.
"Lovin' each other's a happy act."
Melissa's words echoed in my mind, refusing to fade away.