Leaving Takahashi Mio's apartment building, Shiratori Seiya did not head straight home.
He pulled out his phone, glanced at the party address Fujiyama Takeo had sent him, and casually brushed off the other man's teasing remarks as he walked unhurriedly beneath the glow of the streetlamps.
At this moment, Shiratori Seiya's mind was no longer tangled up in the day's events. If someone had asked him why he was letting his thoughts go blank, his answer would probably have been something along the lines of "I've thought about it enough" or "I'm just too tired."
First the Hojo sisters. Now Hasegawa Saori.
Ex-girlfriends had come flocking back into his life in an alarmingly short period of time. The intense emotions Hasegawa Saori had displayed today had left a much deeper impact on him than he wanted to admit.
It came too fast. Too suddenly. Too fiercely.
So much so that a wave of weariness welled up inside him—an urge to just let go of the steering wheel while driving down a highway at full speed.
But this thought only lasted for a moment. Shiratori Seiya immediately sobered up, his rationality grabbing hold of the steering wheel once more.
This kind of feeling had happened more than once.
When he was orphaned after his parents' death. When he lived with his aunt. During surgery. Facing financial difficulties. Repeatedly staring failure in the face...
These self-defeating thoughts would always surface. But controlling himself, staying rational—that had become a habit by now.
There will always be a better option.
Taking a deep breath, Shiratori Seiya's gaze grew resolute. He looked down at the navigation on his phone again, confirming that he would reach Saori and her group's dinner location after just one more traffic light.
But just as he looked up—his right foot already halfway through its next step—he saw a figure stop directly in front of him.
Under the streetlights, Shiratori Seiya recognized the person immediately. He instinctively called out her name.
"Saori?"
"Mm."
The girl nodded blankly. She had changed into a black and white tracksuit, her hair tied up in a high ponytail that swayed gently in the evening breeze.
They were standing close—too close, perhaps. Shiratori Seiya could smell the faint, clean scent of laundry detergent clinging to her clothes.
He took half a step back, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Why are you here? Didn't you go to dinner with the Kendo Club?"
"Uh..."
Hasegawa Saori pondered for a moment, her clear eyes flickering. She pursed her red lips and spoke softly.
"Because... because Seiya said he would treat Saori to a meal. So Saori didn't go..."
She didn't dare say that she had actually been following Shiratori Seiya the whole time—watching him escort Takahashi Mio home. Later, when she continued following, she realized that after dropping off that thief, Shiratori Seiya hadn't gone home at all. He was heading straight toward her Kendo Club's gathering spot.
That's when she understood what was happening. And she'd jumped out quickly.
Listening to the girl's explanation, Shiratori Seiya gave her a long, searching look. He didn't ask why they had coincidentally met. Instead, he just nodded.
"I did say I'd treat Saori to a meal," he said slowly. "But the prerequisite was that you had to answer my questions properly. Remember?"
Upon hearing this, Hasegawa Saori's eyes widened involuntarily. Her breathing quickened. She swallowed hard.
"Did Saori answer incorrectly?"
Shiratori Seiya looked straight into her eyes, his voice calm but firm.
"Lying is wrong, isn't it? And casually stabbing people with a sword is also wrong, isn't it? I remember I told Saori before—unless you're being threatened or in real danger, you absolutely must not point a sword at someone. Have you forgotten all of that?"
Hearing him say this, the girl's heart immediately ached—like something important was about to slip through her fingers.
Her face paled. She bit her lip tightly and raised her hand, wanting to grab Shiratori Seiya's sleeve.
"I'm sorry. Saori made a mistake..."
Saori's voice became choked, her tone thick with pleading.
"Then... how about Saori treats Seiya to a meal...?"
Where would you get the money to treat me?
Shiratori Seiya felt a little helpless. Whether in high school or university, Kendo competitions didn't award prize money—their core purpose was educational development and talent selection.
In other words, Saori's income came from living expenses and whatever she earned from part-time jobs.
Given her family situation, her living expenses were probably meager. Most of her money came from working. And with her appetite? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that every yen she earned went straight into food.
Shiratori Seiya glanced at Saori's tracksuit and shoes. They were clean, sure, but clearly old and worn.
Her face had no trace of makeup—not that she needed any. She was naturally beautiful, and she looked just fine without it.
Sigh.
Shiratori Seiya withdrew his gaze and shook his head.
"Let's go."
"Oh."
All the way, Hasegawa Saori followed behind Shiratori Seiya like a wronged little wife.
She stared at the empty space between them, pursed her lips, hesitated for a long time—then timidly raised her hand and grabbed the hem of Shiratori Seiya's coat.
Feeling her tug, Shiratori Seiya stopped.
Noticing him pause, the girl's heart skipped a beat. A flash of helplessness crossed her beautiful eyes.
But Shiratori Seiya only paused for an instant. Then he kept walking forward.
Seeing this, Saori couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Her lips unconsciously curved upward, and her eyes narrowed into happy crescent moons.
Seiya really is the best. He wouldn't abandon Saori...
....
Across the street from the Kendo Club's dinner spot, Shiratori Seiya chose a ramen shop he frequented.
The shop wasn't large, and the variety of ramen was limited to just a few types. But it specialized in gourmet ramen, and every single flavor was excellent.
The first time Shiratori Seiya ate there, he'd felt the taste was remarkably similar to the ramen he loved in Kyoto. So he'd started coming here often afterward.
"Please start with three bowls of tonkotsu ramen, three chicken skewers, three beef skewers, and one seafood soup..."
Shiratori Seiya led Saori to a corner table, called the owner over, and began to order.
"Uh... there are only two of you? Isn't that a bit—"
Shiratori Seiya was a regular customer, but hearing him order so much food, the owner couldn't help but look up at him again. He was about to ask if that was too much.
But when he noticed the girl sitting beside him, a flicker of understanding appeared in the owner's eyes. He closed his mouth, quickly jotted down the order, and asked:
"Is there anything else you need?"
Shiratori Seiya noticed his reaction and glanced at Hasegawa Saori again.
The girl was currently acting like a quail—her face turned toward the wall, her hands on her lap clenched into unconscious fists.
"That's all for now. We'll order more if it's not enough later."
"Alright. Please wait a moment."
Knowing that this old customer wasn't the chatty type, the owner didn't waste any more words. He nodded politely, smiled, and walked away.
Shiratori Seiya poured a cup of tea and pushed it in front of Saori. Then he took a sip himself and stared at her fair forehead.
"Saori... you've been following me since university, haven't you?"