I Won't Be a Loser

Tomorrow, Setsuna had a test. Haruto, having already eaten outside, informed the two of them and now sat quietly in the living room. While half-watching the TV, he occasionally glanced over at Setsuna, trying to read her reactions while mulling over her schedule after school.

Tomorrow's the test. It'll be over in a day. Then the day after is break. With Setsuna's grades, she shouldn't have any trouble—no need to worry about remedial classes during summer. In that case…

He had a few ideas in mind, but none suitable to bring up before the test. Better to wait until it was over.

As he pondered summer plans, the mother and daughter at the dinner table were each lost in their own thoughts—both focused on him.

Noticing how he kept looking at Setsuna, Mai started to wonder if he wanted to talk to her daughter about something, and also wondered whether anything she herself had done lately might be weighing on his mind.

Once tomorrow passes, Setsuna will be on summer break. Haruto's already on break too. Both of them will suddenly have a lot of free time. I used to take time off to travel with Setsuna, but… this year it seems I won't need to.

Looking at her daughter, Mai didn't know whether to feel relieved or lonely. Her daughter had someone now. She wouldn't need her mother to take leave and travel with her anymore.

And while not having to take time off meant saving income and skipping long hours of overtime to make up for holiday expenses, it also left her feeling strangely… empty.

She had even prepared dinner for three, only for Haruto to show up and say he'd already eaten.It gave her an intense sense of déjà vu—like a wife waiting for her husband to come home, only for him to stumble in drunk and tell her he'd already eaten at a work party, leaving her to dine alone.Well, at least she still had her daughter's company. But... would Setsuna face something similar in the future?

Worried about her daughter's future happiness, Mai looked at Haruto. She stared at him for a while, then quietly stood up, having finished her meal, and walked to the living room to sit beside him.

Noticing this, Setsuna, who was still eating, slowed her pace.

Haruto was deep in thought about what kind of summer vacation Setsuna could have in Itomori. He barely noticed the cushion sink slightly beside him.

Seeing Mai sit down beside him, he looked over, surprised she'd finished eating so quickly. He glanced at Setsuna—still eating—then turned his gaze back to Mai and spoke first:

"Do you have any plans for the summer? You used to travel with Setsuna during breaks, right?"

"That was the plan. But this year I won't need to go anywhere. You and Setsuna already made plans to visit Itomori. I'll just stay here in Tokyo and work."

She cast a quick glance at her daughter. Truthfully, she was curious about his hometown and wanted to see the rural landscapes. Having lived in the city her whole life, she found the idea of pastoral scenery quite appealing.

But she also understood—her presence might not be entirely appropriate.

"You could take leave and come rest in Itomori for a while."

"Sure, I could take time off. But what about you and Setsuna?"

"It wouldn't be a problem. My house is big enough. We can clear out a room and turn it into a guest room for you. You and Setsuna could stay there together."

She was tempted. But when she glanced at her daughter again, she shook her head.

The relationship between her and Haruto was far too delicate. In Tokyo, it wasn't a big issue. Even when Haruto's mother visited, the limited contact made it easy to avoid suspicion.

But in Itomori, on Haruto's home turf, if his mother started noticing anything strange…

"I'll stay in Tokyo. You two can take photos, and when you get back, you can show them to me. Maybe sometime in the future, if I get a break, I'll go see it for myself."

Haruto wasn't disappointed. He nodded without fuss.

After dinner, Mai handled the cleanup while Haruto and Setsuna went to her room. He reassured her about the test and told her not to worry, shared a few sweet moments with her, then said goodbye.

"Leaving already?"

Mai had expected him to stay a while longer with her daughter. Seeing him step out of Setsuna's room so soon caught her off guard.

"She has a test tomorrow. We'll have more time tomorrow night. Better that she rests well tonight."

"True."

Mai agreed, nodded, and said goodbye. She tidied the living room before heading to the bath.

Meanwhile, Haruto returned to his apartment, washed up, and went to bed early.

He woke the next morning later than usual—by half an hour. Still, it was early—just shy of 8 a.m.

Once his eyes opened, he couldn't fall back asleep. He sat up in bed, mind clear but aimless.

He looked out the window and pulled the curtains aside. Blinding sunlight poured in.

"Summer sun. It's so bright… I'll head out today. Starting tomorrow, I've got nothing planned."

He threw off his light blanket, slipped on his slippers, and made his way to the bathroom.

Just like yesterday, he checked himself in the mirror to ensure nothing was out of place, then left his apartment—this time heading for Shinjuku.

He'd gone to Odaiba yesterday. It'd be weird to go back so soon—people might still remember his face.

Wearing a dark green short-sleeve shirt and khaki pants, Haruto met Rio at their designated location.

Seeing Rio dressed fashionably in contrast to her usual lab coat stunned him. It took him a moment to snap out of it.

"You've been staring at me for a while now. Is it really that strange?"

At the meeting point, Haruto had said nothing for too long. Rio narrowed her eyes and asked flatly.

"No, not strange. Just surprised. I didn't expect you to be so into fashion. Honestly, standing next to you, I might end up looking like the plain one."

"…You thought I was someone who didn't care about appearances?"

"I mean, science girls give off a logical vibe. Fashion seems more… emotional."

"You've got a huge misunderstanding about science girls. We're still girls. No girl doesn't care about how she looks. If one did, she'd be the weird one."

Standing in front of him, Rio pointed a slender finger right at his nose. He stared at it for a second, almost tempted to do something playful—until he noticed people around them. Might draw strange looks. Not very sanitary either.

So instead, he reached out, gently took her hand, and lowered it.

"Alright, I admit it. I don't know girls well enough. So, anywhere you want to go today? You know I'm not familiar with Tokyo—barely go out."

"Didn't you ever go shopping with your girlfriend?"

"A couple of times. But mostly, we just stayed home. You know I'm not the outdoorsy type."

Rio gave him a sidelong glance. She could imagine what "staying home" meant—but she couldn't really say anything. Not in her current position.

"Let's go to a shopping mall. I still haven't bought summer clothes. It's time."

"Alright, let's have a look together."

Even if he didn't plan on buying anything, bustling cities like this were full of surprises. A quick stroll could uncover all kinds of intriguing things.

Haruto had always been curious about new things.

They met at the east exit of JR Shinjuku Station, right in front of LUMINE, a shopping complex known for its collection of stylish, niche brands for young women.

Shinjuku had been his idea. Meeting at the east exit was Rio's.

He wasn't familiar with the place, so he followed Rio inside.

Immediately, he noticed—this place was clearly aimed at women. Clothing, makeup, accessories, bags—everything was feminine. Most of the customers were women. The rare men were all tagging along with their girlfriends.

"This place is paradise for girls. I don't see a single thing for guys. What are you planning to buy?"

"Clothes, of course."

Rio walked straight into one of the stores.

Haruto sighed and followed, standing beside her as she browsed through racks of women's clothing.

"Planning to get something for your girlfriend too?"

"I'm not sure about her size."

"Aren't you two that close?"

"What kind of close?"

Rio picked up a piece of clothing, held it against herself in front of the mirror.

Haruto observed her and then said:

"Looks good on you."

She glanced at him, then back at her reflection. It did suit her.

Then she looked at the price tag—

7,700 yen.

It wasn't expensive, but it wasn't exactly cheap either.

Rio definitely had enough savings to buy the dress, but if she went through with it, she wouldn't have much left to browse anything else. Her budget wasn't exactly generous.

"Excuse me, miss."

Noticing her hesitation, Haruto called over a sales assistant.

"How can I help you?"

"What's your size?"

Haruto glanced at Rio as he asked.

"…"

She understood he meant nothing improper by the question—but still, the way he looked at her made her feel… odd. She glanced at the store clerk, pressed her lips together slightly, and then closed her eyes.

"I'll go try it on. You wait here."

Before either Haruto or the clerk could say more, she signaled subtly to the staff, who immediately caught on and gestured with a smile toward the fitting rooms.

Rio opened her eyes, gave him a look, and then walked off with the dress in her arms.

Even without Rio by his side, Haruto's handsome appearance gave off a reassuring presence. No one suspected he was some sketchy man loitering in a women's boutique.

A few women passing through the store did cast glances at his face—then quietly returned to shopping.

A lone man like this wouldn't usually come into a place like this by himself. Even if his girlfriend wasn't right there, nobody dared strike up a conversation with him.

Roughly seven or eight minutes passed.

Then Rio emerged, wearing the chiffon dress.

The semi-sheer, high-collared blouse and light skirt gave her an entirely different aura.

"Does it suit me?"

Haruto looked at her seriously for a second.

"It's hard to describe. Not exactly stunning, but… refreshing. Clean and soft, like a breeze."

"Then let's go with this one."

"Let's look around a bit more. You've only tried this one on, right? Take your time and see if something else catches your eye. If not, we'll get this one."

"…"

It was usually the girl who hesitated and kept browsing. But today, things were reversed.Rio had already made up her mind, ready to buy—when Haruto suddenly suggested they take a second look.

She stared at the boy smiling in front of her.

She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but she had to admit—his suggestion made sense.

So instead of rushing to pay, she turned and resumed browsing through the racks.

As she walked ahead, Haruto smiled and whispered to the clerk:

"Please have that one wrapped up."

Then he followed after her.