Shiratori Seiya closed his eyes, letting the hot water cascade down from his head. His mind was filled with thoughts of Hōjō Shione.
Truth be told, his current mood wasn't as relaxed as he made it seem on the surface. At the very least, he still hadn't decided what attitude to take when facing her.
As time passed, he felt her fervent affection for him even more strongly—hotter than forty-degree water, scalding the skin on his left arm like an unexpected shonen power-up.
He wasn't an idiot. Why had Hōjō Shione knocked on his door the moment he got home? She'd probably been waiting, peeking through the peephole like a yandere character from a late-night anime.
It sounded incredible, but there was no other explanation.
Was it because of insecurity? Was she chasing him this relentlessly because she was afraid—worried that he might dump her?
Shiratori Seiya tried to put himself in Hōjō Shione's shoes, carefully considering the reasons behind her actions, mentally searching for a solution.
He felt some pressure, sure. But he wasn't going to hide in the bathroom like a coward, too scared to come out.
When he was mostly done, he turned off the water heater, dried himself off quickly, changed his clothes, and walked out.
But the moment he stepped through the bathroom door, he saw Hōjō Shione sitting on the sofa, holding his wine-stained clothes, staring blankly toward the balcony.
At first, Shiratori Seiya didn't think much of it. But following her gaze, he saw nothing—then immediately remembered.
Saori's tank top and underwear were still drying on the balcony.
Oh no.
That was his first thought.
Then, his heart calmed down just as quickly.
Why? Because he had a clear conscience. What hadn't happened, hadn't happened. If he rushed to explain, her suspicions would probably only get worse.
That way of thinking sounded a bit like giving up, but it was the truth.
Mio's situation was already giving him enough of a headache. He didn't want to deal with this too.
Let her think whatever she wanted.
...
Hearing Shiratori Seiya close the door, Hōjō Shione snapped back to reality. She turned to look at him, a forced smile on her face.
Before she could speak, Shiratori Seiya stared directly into her eyes and asked:
"Why didn't you tell me in advance that you were moving in?"
"…"
Hōjō Shione's lips moved. Her fingers, hidden beneath her clothes, unconsciously tightened.
If I had told you in advance, would you have been able to hide all this sooner?
Jealousy flooded her heart. But on the surface, she pursed her lips and put on a guilty expression.
"I'm sorry…"
Hearing that, Shiratori Seiya froze, then reacted.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Moving in across from Seiya without telling you first… it must have caused you a lot of trouble, right?"
"It is a bit troublesome. But why did you suddenly move?"
Even though he already knew perfectly well, he decided to give her an out.
"I'm sorry."
As if she'd anticipated the question, Hōjō Shione lowered her eyes and apologized again. Then she sighed.
"After such a big performance accident—ticket refunds, contract penalties—I lost a lot of money. So I gave up my old rental. I thought moving somewhere smaller would be good. And besides…"
She paused, then raised her tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling.
"Besides, if I could be closer to you, Seiya… I'd be happy every day…"
"I'm sorry. I'm being a bit too selfish. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"
Hōjō Shione had always seemed graceful and gentle in his memory. Seeing her so humble at this moment made Shiratori Seiya frown, a little annoyed.
But then he remembered her long period of depression after he left. He softened his voice and spoke patiently.
"Alright. None of that matters anymore. It's just moving in across from me. I wouldn't actually say no. You just need to tell me in advance."
He paused, then asked:
"So, when you said you wanted to treat me to dinner this afternoon… this was the reason?"
"Mm."
The girl nodded, her shoulders hunched, her legs pressed together, her watery eyes timid like a scared anime character.
Seeing this, Shiratori Seiya sat down beside her. He thought for a moment, then asked directly:
"Are you afraid of me?"
Hearing that, Hōjō Shione didn't speak. She opened her mouth and stared blankly at him. After a long pause, she shook her head vigorously and whispered:
"Seiya, I love you so much it hurts. So how could I be afraid?"
As if worried Shiratori Seiya might continue—and not yet mentally prepared—she quickly held up the dirty clothes in her hand and asked:
"Seiya, did you go drinking tonight?"
"I'm not twenty yet. If I'd been drinking, I probably wouldn't have come home this early tonight."
Seeing the confused look still in Hōjō Shione's eyes, he continued explaining.
"It's for some filming preparations. Tonight I went to get acquainted with the producers and the others."
"Filming?"
She repeated the question, then blinked.
"Is Takahashi-san going to film?"
"Mm."
After a brief two-second silence, an uncertain look flickered in Hōjō Shione's eyes. She asked tentatively:
"A TV drama? Is it a script you wrote, Seiya?"
He hadn't expected her to figure it out that quickly. Shiratori Seiya was a little surprised, but he still nodded.
"Mm."
"As expected of Seiya. You're amazing at everything you do…"
Hearing this, Hōjō Shione sighed with emotion first. Then a bitter smile appeared on her face.
"She must be very talented, right? I met her at the training center last time. She must have just started training, right? To be able to film so quickly… Unlike me. I only disappoint Seiya…"
Hearing Shione say she'd met Mio at the agency before, Shiratori Seiya habitually narrowed his eyes. He'd never heard Mio mention this. He was hesitating whether to ask what happened when Shione noticed his expression and blinked.
"Takahashi-san must have told you, right? It was on October 31st. A Sunday…"
She remembered clearly being scolded fiercely by Takahashi that day.
...
Hearing that, Shiratori Seiya thought back. October 31st was the day Saori's apartment had a water leak, wasn't it?
Thinking about it that way, it made sense. No wonder Mio went crazy that night… Was it because she'd been provoked?
Meeting Hōjō Shione's gaze, Shiratori Seiya felt she was definitely probing something. On the surface, he nodded indifferently and changed the subject.
"Yeah, something like that. But your voice seems a bit better lately? Have you had a follow-up checkup at the hospital? What did the doctor say?"
Even though she knew he was changing the subject, hearing him say these things made Hōjō Shione feel like something was overflowing from her heart. She gave Shiratori Seiya a bright smile.
"It's nothing serious anymore. The doctor just said I need to rest. As for the medicine… I also need to take it according to the prescribed dosage…"
Seeing her hesitate, Shiratori Seiya understood she was talking about antidepressants. He frowned.
"How long do you need to take that medicine? How many courses of treatment? Did the doctor say?"
Hearing this, Hōjō Shione shook her head. A bright smile appeared on her face.
"Actually, I'm much better today. If I can see Seiya…"
As she spoke, she raised her hand and tremblingly reached for Shiratori Seiya's hand. But seeing that he didn't pull away, she instinctively gripped it tightly.
In that instant, she felt like she'd grasped her entire future. Tears of joy streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.
She pressed his palm against her chest. A blush spread across her face. Her eyes glistened with a sticky, tearful shine. Her lips trembled as she choked out:
"If I can see Seiya… as long as I can see Seiya… everything is so much better."
…