77 - Wedding Fund

RAW

In the faint light of early morning, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

Haruto sat up in bed and stretched deeply. He had woken up at almost the same time as usual and looked around his room from where he sat.

This was the room he had spent his whole life in since he could remember.

It was an ordinary, unremarkable room.

Yet, for some reason, it appeared fresh and new to Haruto's eyes.

Puzzled by this strange feeling, he tilted his head slightly and let his gaze wander around the room. Then, he stood up, opened the curtains, and looked outside.

That’s when Haruto noticed something else.

It wasn’t just the room; even the scenery outside felt strangely new.

It should have been a familiar view from his window, yet it felt like another world.

What was causing this odd phenomenon? Haruto thought about what had changed between yesterday and today.

And even with his sleep-fogged mind, he quickly realized the answer.

He had a girlfriend now.

He had met a girl through his part-time job as a housekeeper. Drawn to her, he had lied and even tried to ignore his feelings. But last night, he finally confessed everything, laying bare his heart. As a result, he and Ayaka had become a real couple.

"Having a girlfriend... it’s incredible..."

Haruto whispered this to himself, watching the distant sunrise, its light appearing more divine than ever.

Just thinking about yesterday, about Ayaka becoming his girlfriend, made his heart soar.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Haruto started his morning study session.

With the lingering doubts and uncertainties in his heart now gone, he found himself more focused than he had been in a long time.

He spent the morning studying with an unprecedented level of concentration. After lunch with his grandmother, he headed toward the Tojo household, suppressing his excitement.

Even while studying, Ayaka's smile had kept drifting into his thoughts.

She had completely found a place in his heart.

Walking through the familiar neighborhood leading to the Tojo residence, Haruto moved a little faster than usual. He arrived in a shorter time than normal and, feeling a bit more nervous than usual, rang the doorbell.

"Hi! I’ve been waiting for you, Haruto!" came Ayaka’s cheerful voice through the intercom.

Just hearing her voice made Haruto smile brightly.

As he stood at the door, his heartbeat a little quicker than usual, Ayaka soon appeared.

"Welcome, Haruto!" she greeted him with a radiant smile that could outshine even the midsummer sun.

"Thanks for having me."

Ayaka’s enthusiasm made it seem like she might jump into his arms, and Haruto couldn’t help but smile back. They shared a glance full of joy, about to embrace each other when—

Suddenly, the living room door burst open, and Ryota dashed out at full speed, squeezing past his sister to hug Haruto’s waist tightly.

"Big brother, you’re my sister’s boyfriend now, right?!"

His eyes sparkled as he looked up at Haruto, his voice filled with excitement.

"Now all we need is money, and you can marry my sister!"

"Uh, yeah... I guess so..."

Haruto couldn’t help but smile wryly, overwhelmed by Ryota’s enthusiasm.

Ayaka, slightly blushing at her brother’s words about marriage, turned to Haruto. "Money? What does he mean?"

Haruto explained, still smiling, "At the hot spring during our camping trip, Shuichi told Ryota that marriage requires money to stop him from pestering me about marrying you right then."

"Oh, I see... Sorry about that," Ayaka said, though she looked more amused than apologetic.

Haruto blushed slightly, avoiding eye contact. "Well... it wasn’t exactly wrong..."

"Eh? Oh, um, I see..."

As they both blushed and stammered, Ryota suddenly pulled away, remembering something. "Oh! I have something to show you, big brother!"

He ran off to the living room. Watching him, Haruto smiled. "Ryota is always so energetic."

"When he found out this morning that you were my boyfriend, he was even more excited," Ayaka said, recalling the chaos.

"That must’ve been tough."

Ayaka smiled warmly. "Come in, Haruto. Mom is looking forward to seeing you too."

Following Ayaka inside, Haruto saw Ikue working on her laptop in the living room.

"Welcome, Haruto," she greeted, smiling.

"Thank you for having me," Haruto replied, feeling nervous.

He took a deep breath. "Um, Ikue... I have something to report. Last night, I confessed my feelings to Ayaka, and we’re now dating."

Ikue smiled, amused by his formality. "That’s wonderful! Take good care of my daughter, Haruto."

"I will do my best."

Ayaka blushed beside him, and Ikue continued, "Ayaka might seem independent, but she’s actually quite affectionate. She might trouble you sometimes, but she’s a sweet and kind girl."

"Mom! Don’t say that!" Ayaka protested, embarrassed.

Haruto smiled. "Being relied on by Ayaka is an honor. I’ve already seen many wonderful sides of her."

"Haruto..." Ayaka whispered, eyes glistening.

At that moment, Ryota returned, holding something made of paper. "Look, big brother! I made this!"

He proudly showed a homemade box with a coin slot, decorated with drawings of a groom and bride.

"It’s a wedding fund! I’m going to save money so you two can get married soon!"

Haruto hugged him, touched. "Thank you, Ryota. But don’t push yourself too hard, okay?"

"I won’t! I just want you to be my real big brother soon!"

Everyone smiled at Ryota’s innocent excitement, imagining a bright future together.