Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Ask for Her Opinion
Being alone might have felt lonely—but with Setsuna in his arms, no, sitting directly in his lap, he didn't find it dull at all.
After watching videos for a while, his interest naturally began to fade. So he leaned back in his chair, relaxing as he gently ran his fingers through Setsuna's long hair.
He thought about braiding it for her—his cute little girlfriend deserved a nice hairstyle. But the moment he actually tried, he realized something: he had zero experience in braiding hair. A basic three-strand braid was one thing, but the intricate styles he'd seen before? Not happening. With a lock of hair between each hand, he quickly found himself stuck, unsure how to proceed.
Eventually, he gave up on the idea. Letting his eyes fall shut, he simply listened to the soft flutter of the curtain by the window as the breeze gently blew through the room. His mind wandered back to what it would be like when they returned to Itomori.
Mitsuha should be home around then, right? Setsuna and I, each with our luggage, returning to Itomori... First, I'd have to clean my room. Then we'd probably sleep together in the same room. I wonder if Mitsuha would try to sneak a peek at us during the night...
As if sensing something off, Setsuna—still focused on the video—suddenly glanced down, then turned to look at Haruto, who had his eyes closed and seemed lost in thought. She lightly bit her lip.
"Haruto... do you want to... right now?"
Her voice pulled him back from his daydream. Haruto opened his eyes and met Setsuna's gaze. Noticing a bit of discomfort from below, he looked down—and instantly understood what she meant.
"No, it's fine," he said quickly. "It's just... a natural reaction from being so relaxed. And besides, yesterday was already... well, a lot. We should probably ease up a little. Doing it too often isn't good for the body."
"Mm."
With his response, Setsuna said nothing more and went back to watching the video. As for Haruto, the tension passed after a little while and his body calmed down.
"Today's the 23rd," he said aloud. "Let's head to Itomori on the 25th."
"The 25th?" Setsuna echoed.
She had thought they might leave later—maybe around the 27th or 28th. Hearing him say the 25th made her pause the video and turn to face him.
Feeling a slight crick in her neck, Setsuna shifted her position. Instead of sitting with her back to him, she now straddled his lap, facing him directly. Her eyes searched his.
"Yeah," Haruto nodded. "Better to go a bit earlier—otherwise Mitsuha might start calling me non-stop in a couple of days."
"Huh?"
"She's that kind of person. If I don't show up or answer her, knowing Mitsuha's personality, she'll probably call me every day asking things like 'Why haven't you come home yet?' or 'When are you taking me to Tokyo?!' To save us both some phone bills, it's better if we just head back sooner."
Hearing his words, Setsuna thought back on her own impression of Mitsuha. From their interactions, Mitsuha hadn't seemed that excessive. But considering the bond between Haruto and his sister, maybe it wasn't so impossible. After all, Mitsuha in front of Haruto was probably the real Mitsuha—not the girl Setsuna had only met once.
"Mitsuha really likes you, doesn't she?"
"Likes me? It's probably not me she likes—it's Tokyo she's in love with."
Haruto's tone was light, a little teasing. Remembering the browsing history he'd seen on his own computer last time, he also kept his tone casual, not wanting Setsuna—who was still sitting in his lap—to get the wrong idea.
They chatted about summer break plans. Haruto suggested Setsuna pack up her daily essentials tomorrow afternoon so that on the 25th they could catch the morning Shinkansen, transfer at Gifu, and reach Itomori before dark.
"Just the two of us... won't it feel a bit lonely?"
"Should we ask your mom to take time off work and join us?"
"No, I mean... won't Sekai feel lonely here in Tokyo by herself?"
The name slipped from Setsuna's lips—a name that Haruto had deliberately avoided bringing up. He hadn't planned to mention Sekai, but now that Setsuna had said it, he kept his smile steady, trying not to let it show that it caught him off guard.
"You're thinking of inviting her?"
"I don't know how Sekai feels about it. That's why I'm not sure if I should ask."
"We could call her and ask what she thinks."
"So, you've thought about it too?"
"Yeah, it crossed my mind... but I figured it might not be appropriate, so I didn't bring it up to you. I haven't said anything to Sekai either."
As always, when his gaze met Setsuna's clear, bright eyes, Haruto found himself captivated.
"Alright. Let's ask Sekai then."
Sitting lightly on his lap, Setsuna leaned over, picked up her phone from the desk, scrolled through her contacts, and tapped Sekai's number.
In her dim room, though wide awake, Sekai still lay in bed, hugging her thin blanket tight. What she wanted was to be holding a man—but that man wasn't here. He was probably right now being intimate with her best friend. The thought darkened her mood even more.
"Looks like they'll be gone for over two weeks... That's basically half the summer. Who knows if he'll even have time for me when he's back..."
Frustrated, Sekai longed to complain but didn't know how or to whom. She rolled restlessly on the bed, her heart melting like ice cream in the heat—leaving her feeling both hollow and stifled.
"Guess I'll have to rely on Kuroda…"
Nanami was busy with basketball team training. Kuroda Hikari had no plans for the break and was probably the only one left who could keep Sekai company. There was also Kotonoha, but Kotonoha was off doing flower arrangement and kendo classes with her little sister.
Typical of a rich girl, Sekai thought, with no bitterness, just resignation.
"I wonder when they're leaving Tokyo... They should still be here for now, right?"
Her thoughts swirling with Haruto and Setsuna, Sekai's expression darkened further. She buried her face into her pillow, tangled in a web of conflicted feelings.
BZZZ BZZZ
Her phone vibrated under the pillow. Sekai lifted her head, groped around for it, and saw the name glowing on the screen: Setsuna.
Just moments ago, she'd been lost in dark, brooding thoughts. Now, seeing her friend's name, her heart skipped a beat. Quickly, she sat up, pushed aside the curtain to let in some light, and answered the call.
"Setsuna?"
"Sekai, are you free?"
"Free? Yeah, of course. It's summer break. I wasn't doing anything—I was just lying down."
"Haruto and I are at his place. Can you come over?"
Hearing Haruto's name and realizing Setsuna was at his apartment made Sekai's heart race. Memories of that day flashed in her mind, making her ask nervously:
"What's this about?"
"Something related to summer break. Just need to talk a bit."
"That's it?"
"Yup."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Sekai staring at her phone, confused and anxious. She pursed her lips, ruffled her long hair in frustration, and eventually got out of bed.
She wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but being called like this out of the blue? It had to be something significant. Otherwise, they wouldn't have asked her to come over.
Still, the idea of her, Setsuna, and Haruto all being together again stirred up complex emotions. She splashed cold water on her face to settle her thoughts, tidied up, got dressed, and headed to Haruto's apartment.
"Is it okay to hang up like that?" Haruto asked as Setsuna set down her phone.
"If Sekai doesn't want to come, then it'll just be you and me going to Itomori," she replied.
It was obvious Setsuna wasn't entirely thrilled about the idea either. And yet, for some reason, she'd chosen to invite Sekai. Haruto realized once again how little he truly understood a girl's heart.
About half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Haruto gave Setsuna a light tap on the thigh, and she got up from his lap to answer the door.
"I was literally just resting at home," said Sekai, standing in a white summer dress. She peered past Setsuna, noting the light blue shirt she wore—clearly Haruto's—and then spotted him seated in the room beyond.
The refreshing air-conditioned room was a blessing. Sekai sighed in relief, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"We're heading to Itomori the day after tomorrow," Setsuna explained.
"I know."
Setsuna closed the door behind her. Sekai wondered why she brought it up again. It felt like she was rubbing salt in the wound.
"Do you want to come with us?" she asked.
Sekai froze.
"Eh?! EHHH?!"
"We were just discussing our plans for the 25th," Haruto added, glancing at Setsuna and then back at Sekai with a smile. "Setsuna was worried you might get bored here alone. So we thought we'd ask—are you interested in coming to Itomori?"
"But isn't it supposed to be just the two of you… going to meet the family or something?"
"It's not that serious," Setsuna replied. "We're just heading to the countryside for a bit. Tokyo's summer is way too hot, but Itomori's surrounded by mountains, so it's cooler. It's more of a getaway, really. We'll probably head back around mid-August."
"What about your mom?"
"She's not taking time off this year—still working."
"I see… then, would it really be okay if I came?"
Sekai still looked a little dazed. She didn't quite understand why she was suddenly being included in all this. Her feelings were mixed—tinged with surprise and confusion. She glanced at Setsuna, who stood quietly beside her, head lowered as she walked out toward the balcony without a word.
"There's no problem at all. We have a guest room. It's not used often, but we can tidy it up, and it'll be perfectly fine for you to stay in," Haruto said reassuringly.
"Are you sure... it's really okay?"
Sekai asked again, still uncertain. The unexpected invitation had brought with it a strange sense of joy, but it was hard for her to fully believe it.
"Of course," Haruto replied with a calm smile.
"Then... I guess I'll take you up on that. We leave the day after tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah. Let's get things ready tomorrow, and head out in the morning on the 25th. We should arrive in Itomori by around three or four in the afternoon."
"Got it. I'll start preparing once I get back home."
"There's no rush. Preparing tomorrow afternoon should be just right."
Setsuna, who had stepped out earlier, returned to the room and closed the window. She looked at Haruto, then at the slightly flustered Sekai, before quietly pouring herself a glass of tea. After watching videos for so long, she'd gotten thirsty.
"I was already prepared to spend this summer alone," Sekai said with a soft, self-deprecating smile.
"Itomori doesn't have as many entertainment options as Tokyo. Having one more person makes things a little more lively," Haruto replied.
"It's a shame Kotonoha can't come. She's busy with her lessons," Sekai added.
Hearing Kotonoha's name, Setsuna, who usually didn't react much, couldn't help but glance up. She looked at Sekai for a moment, then quietly lowered her gaze again. Maybe, she thought, having Kotonoha there too wouldn't be so bad.
"Yeah, it's not like it'd be impossible... though three of us sharing a room might get a little cramped. But if she's tied up with other courses, there's nothing we can do," Haruto said.
Now that it was decided Sekai would join them, the three reviewed their travel plans for the 25th and discussed what daily necessities to pack for their stay in Itomori. Once everything was confirmed, it was already nearing evening. Sekai left first to head home and prepare.
Later, Haruto and Setsuna went out together to the nearby shopping district. They bought groceries, and also picked up some useful household items they could bring with them to Itomori.