108 - The Perfect Girlfriend, Right?

RAW

When Haruto returned home, he began the final check of his belongings for moving into the Tōjō household.

“Change of clothes, charger, study materials, and… alright, that should do it.”

After confirming that he hadn’t forgotten anything in his Boston bag, Haruto slung his backpack over his shoulders, locked up his house, and headed for the Tōjō residence.

By the way, his grandmother had gone to the Tōjōs’ around midday and was already working as their housekeeper.

Grateful to the Tōjō family for providing a new workplace for his grandmother, Haruto walked with a sense of appreciation.

He paused in front of the grand estate. Before ringing the intercom, he took out his phone to check for messages. Seeing nothing, he exhaled softly.

Ayaka’s startled expression from when Shizuku had whisked him away earlier replayed in his mind. Haruto had expected her to send him a message or ask about it, but to his surprise, there was no reaction from her.

“Well, we’ll be meeting in person soon anyway. I’ll talk to her then.”

Muttering to himself, Haruto pressed the intercom button.

“Yes~?”

“It’s Otsuki.”

“Oh, Haruto-kun! I’ll open the door now.”

Seconds later, the door opened, and Ikue appeared with a cheerful smile.

“Welcome back, Haruto-kun.”

“Ah, uh, thanks. Sorry to intrude.”

Ikue greeted him warmly, but her “Welcome back” embarrassed Haruto a little. Bowing slightly, he stepped inside.

“Haruto-kun, you should say ‘I’m home,’ not ‘Sorry to intrude.’”

“Oh, right, you’re right.”

Ikue maintained her bright smile as she corrected him, and Haruto awkwardly smiled back.

“Saying ‘I’m home’ isn’t just for the place—it’s also for the people waiting for you.”

“Okay… I’m home.”

“Welcome back.”

Ikue’s gentle smile made Haruto feel both shy and warm inside. Carrying this feeling, he entered the living room, where Ayaka was entertaining Ryota.

Ayaka, holding a plastic sword and facing off against Ryota, turned to him with a smile.

“Oh, Haruto-kun. Welcome back.”

“Ah, yeah. I’m home.”

Hearing Ayaka’s cheerful “Welcome back” filled Haruto with a different kind of happiness than before.

“Ayaka, about what happened at school today…”

Haruto started to explain about Shizuku, but Ryota’s excited voice interrupted him.

“Big bro, welcome back!!!”

Throwing down his plastic sword, Ryota ran straight at Haruto.

“Whoa, hey there. I’m home, Ryota-kun.”

Haruto crouched down to catch the boy.

“You’re living with us starting today, right?”

“That’s right. Let’s get along.”

“Yeah! Please take care of me!”

Ryota’s bright smile and sparkling eyes were contagious, softening Haruto’s expression. Meanwhile, Haruto’s grandmother, who had been preparing dinner in the kitchen, watched the scene with a warm smile.

“Welcome back, Haruto.”

“I’m home, Grandma.”

It was the usual exchange between Haruto and his grandmother, only now it was happening in the Tōjō household. The unfamiliar setting made Haruto feel a bit strange.

Noticing his grandmother preparing chicken thighs in a large bowl, Haruto guessed that tonight’s dinner was karaage.

“Grandma, should I help with anything?”

“No need. Just unpack your things and play with Ryota-kun.”

Typically, Haruto would cook alongside his grandmother, learning her culinary skills, but since this was his first day at the Tōjōs’, she urged him to spend time with Ryota. Nodding, Haruto placed a hand gently on Ryota’s head.

“Ryota-kun, after I unpack, let’s play until dinner, okay?”

“Yay!”

Ryota’s excitement brought a smile to Haruto’s face. Then Ayaka spoke up.

“Haruto-kun, let me help you with your luggage.”

She reached for his Boston bag.

“Oh, this one’s heavy. Could you take the backpack instead?”

“Got it. Ryota, we’ll be back soon, okay?”

Accepting the backpack, Ayaka asked her brother to wait. At that moment, Ikue returned to the living room and addressed Ryota.

“Let’s play together until your big brother and sister get back.”

“Hmm… okay!”

Ryota nodded after glancing at Haruto and Ayaka. His cooperative response surprised Ayaka, who had expected him to fuss more.

Ryota then looked at her with a proud expression.

“Big sis, you need to spend time with big bro so you can nurture love and become real family. I’ll help because I want him to be part of our family soon.”

“Ah, I-I see… Thanks.”

Blushing, Ayaka tried to process her little brother’s declaration.

“By the way… where’d you hear about ‘nurturing love’?”

“Mom and Dad were talking about it! So I’m helping you two be together!”

Ryota added a cheerful “Good luck, big sis!” while Ayaka cast a sharp glance at their mother.

“Oh dear, he overheard us,” Ikue said with a chuckle.

“‘He overheard us’? Really, Mom? Ugh… Haruto-kun, let’s go.”

Looking exasperated, Ayaka lightly tugged on Haruto’s arm, leading him upstairs to Ryota’s room. Haruto followed with a wry smile.

The plan was for Haruto to use Ryota’s room during his stay. Unpacking in the room next to Ayaka’s, Haruto listened as she awkwardly apologized.

“Sorry about my parents always saying weird stuff.”

“It’s fine. Honestly, I’m glad to be living with you, Ayaka. And, well… while ‘nurturing love’ might sound odd, I do think this is a good chance for us to get to know each other better.”

“Y-Yeah, me too. I want to know more about you, Haruto-kun.”

Her words, accompanied by a shy smile, filled Haruto with joy.

“Right, about today at school…”

“Oh, yeah. That girl… Dōjima-san?”

Finally alone, Haruto began explaining about Shizuku.

“She’s the daughter of my dojo’s master. We’ve practiced karate together since we were kids, so she’s kind of like a childhood friend.”

“I see. You two seemed close, but that makes sense.”

Nodding thoughtfully, Ayaka seemed to accept the explanation. Haruto looked into her eyes, speaking earnestly.

“I am close to Shizuku, and she’s an important friend. But the one I love is you, Ayaka. Only you.”

“...Thank you. That makes me happy.”

Smiling warmly, Ayaka shyly averted her gaze.

“I actually told Shizuku we’re dating, and when I explained about you, she offered to help. That’s why she came to the classroom today, but…”

Haruto hesitated before continuing.

“Shizuku’s a good person, and I believe she genuinely wants to support us, but… I’m sorry.”

He bowed his head, apologizing. Surprised, Ayaka waved her hands in a fluster.

“Why are you apologizing? There’s nothing to apologize for!”

“I just thought… maybe I made you feel uneasy.”

Recalling Ayaka’s startled expression earlier, Haruto explained. But Ayaka shook her head.

“No, not at all. I was surprised to see someone so close to you show up out of nowhere, but…”

She glanced at Haruto before continuing shyly.

“I can feel how much you care about me, so I’m not worried.”

“Oh, okay…”

“Mm.”

An awkward yet sweet silence fell between them. Breaking the tension, Ayaka puffed out her chest with a playful smirk.

“So, Haruto-kun? Don’t you think I’m the perfect girlfriend for being so understanding?”

Blushing, she struck a cute pose. Haruto, overwhelmed with affection, pulled her into a gentle hug.

“Yeah. You’re the best, Ayaka. The perfect girlfriend for me.”

As he whispered in her ear, she squirmed in his arms, her embarrassment showing.