Chihaya Tetsuya was overjoyed. Not only had he proven his abilities at this joint exhibition, setting his brand on the right track, but he had also become the student of the top-tier designer he had set as his goal, earning him a ticket into the world of high-end fashion.
But at the same time, he had a worry that he hadn't yet voiced to anyone.
"...How should I thank them?"
Looking at the girls nearby who were helping him with all their hearts, Tetsuya was slightly troubled.
It wasn't just the four girls with whom he had developed a relationship that had reached the "point of no return." Others like Uika, Mutsumi, and even Sumita Mana and Yuutenji Nyamu had dedicated a considerable amount of time and energy to [Starry Sky] during the exhibition.
If they had asked something of him, it would have been simple. But if they had no particular requests, considering his only talent was making clothes, the only thing he could think of was to create a set of custom-made haute couture for each of them in the future.
As for the four who had contributed the most, whose lives were now deeply intertwined with his own—
"Ai, is there anything you'd like me to do for you?"
Before the next wave of customers arrived, Tetsuya took the initiative to ask Hoshino Ai.
"As long as it's something I can do, I'll do my best to grant your wish!" he asked with great sincerity.
In his mind, he was sure Ai would ask for something like spending time alone with him intimately, and he had already mentally prepared himself to "let her do as she pleased, as long as it didn't go all the way."
However, to his surprise, Ai just gave him a mysterious smile.
"There is, but... it's not something you need to go out of your way to do, Tetsu. You just need to go with the flow and cooperate with me."
"Cooperate?"
Tetsuya was perplexed by the word, but since she had put it that way, there was nothing more he could say.
So, he moved on to the next person.
"Anon, is there anything you want me to do for you lately, or anything you want to buy?"
"Eh?! M-me?!"
Having been on edge all morning, she let out a cry of surprise at his question, then replied with a guilty look, "If, and I'm just saying if, okay! If I 'accidentally' make some kind of mistake, I hope you can be the bigger person and forgive me just this once, big brother..."
"What's there to forgive? I might lecture you, sure, but no matter how big a mistake you make, I will always forgive you," Tetsuya promised without hesitation.
Faced with her brother's usual indulgence, Anon found it even harder to look up.
"I'm relieved to hear you say that. Th-that... I'm going to get some new order forms for Mutsumi! I'll be right back!"
With that, ignoring the look on his face that said he wasn't finished speaking, Anon scurried away, weaving through the customers and quickly leaving the booth.
"...What a whirlwind."
Chalking up her reaction to her usual lively energy, Tetsuya approached the next person.
"Soyo."
"Hm?"
Nagasaki Soyo, who was counting the sample clothes, looked up.
"What is it, Tetsuya?"
If there was one person who had put in the most effort for this joint exhibition, it was undoubtedly Soyo.
Aside from helping him with numerous preparations before the event, she had also perfectly fulfilled her duties as an assistant and advisor during the exhibition itself.
"The success we've had at this exhibition is all thanks to you, Soyo," he said. "As a reward... is there anything you'd like me to do for you?"
"Ah..."
Just like the two before her, upon hearing his question, Soyo's gaze instinctively darted away. After a moment of thought, she finally stammered, "R-rather than rewarding me... you're the one who worked the hardest, Tetsuya. If anything, I'm the one who should be atoning for my s— ah, no, I mean, rewarding you!"
Soyo turned the tables on him.
"So, is there anything you'd like me to do for you?"
"You've already done more than enough for me, haven't you? Not just with work, but you've been putting a lot of thought into my meals recently too, right?"
Recalling the recent menus, Tetsuya said gratefully, "I don't know much about it, but those all seemed like very nutritious ingredients. Thanks to you, I feel like I've been full of energy these past few days!"
"Well... mhm, I did put a little extra thought into the ingredients, yes."
Upon hearing his thanks, Soyo's expression grew even stranger.
"After all, if we didn't supplement you beforehand, with your physique, there's no way you'd last through tonight..."
"It's not that exaggerated, is it?"
Tetsuya chuckled lightly.
Even though I have to stay at the booth all day, it's really just introducing clothes to people. If I had to say, the workload is far less than when I was designing them.
"Mhm... perhaps you're right... it's just..."
Soyo, who seemed to want to say more but held back, eventually let out a faint sigh after a long moment of struggle.
"Anyway, I understand that you want to reward us, but you'll have to wait until after today, no matter what," she said. "By tomorrow... or maybe the day after, you probably won't have the mood or the energy for it anymore."
"???"
Since none of the three had given him a straight answer, Tetsuya felt a lingering sense of confusion clouding his mind.
Something about my conversations with everyone today feels off... Is it because they're all too tired to think about it? Or do they have some other plan?
Ai's cryptic words, Anon's evasion, and Soyo's... pity. He couldn't understand any of it.
What's gotten into everyone today...
"Tetsuya-kun!"
Just as he was still puzzling over their reactions, Togawa Sakiko suddenly appeared before him.
"I just asked the organizers. Since it's the last day, the exhibition will end a little earlier than the past two days. The judging results will be announced in three days."
"Oh, got it."
Tetsuya nodded in understanding, then asked again, "Sakiko, as a reward for you, is there anything you'd like me to do for you after the exhibition is over?"
"Something for me... to do?"
Hearing the sudden question, Sakiko thought for a moment, then nodded as if she had made up her mind.
"If I had to say, there is one thing."
"Eh?! Really!"
Receiving a definite answer for the first time, Tetsuya's face lit up with surprise.
"What is it? Please, tell me!"
"Hold on, let me check the time..."
Sakiko took out her phone and glanced at it.
"Three hours left... still a little too early."
She then looked over at the bar counter that was serving as a backdrop.
To be more precise, she was looking at a bottle of juice on the counter, its label torn off.
"Don't worry. It's just a simple little thing. So for now, you don't have to think about anything, Tetsuya-kun. Just focus on finishing up the last of your work."
Under his curious gaze, a flawless smile appeared on Sakiko's face, one that completely concealed her inner thoughts.
—Three hours until Chihaya Tetsuya loses consciousness.