Table of Contents

Color Gallery

Table of Contents Page

Title Page

Copyrights and Credits

Prologue

Chapter 1: Marriage Out of the Blue

Chapter 2: A New Life

Chapter 3: Understanding

Newsletter

Color Gallery

Copyrights and Credits

Prologue

IGOT MARRIED TO A CLASSMATE.

To the girl I hated most in my entire high school, in fact. She was my bitter nemesis.

In an ordinary love story, marriage is the happily ever after. But in our story, it was an inauspicious start.

Houjou Saito was trudging along the high school hallway when the sight of a girl stopped him in his tracks. It was Sakuramori Akane—famous in school for being photogenic. Everyone agreed she should have been a model.

She could have been, that is…if she never opened her mouth to speak.

Noticing Saito, Akane arched her narrow eyebrows.

Uh-oh, this could be trouble. Saito was about to turn around in the hallway to avoid her, but before he could get away, her marching footsteps indicated an imminent approach. Akane grabbed Saito’s necktie, pulling him close toward her beautiful, angular face. He noticed the piercing gleam of intelligence in her eyes. Her moist cherry-pink lips. The way that one accent strand of pigtail fell on the delicately constituted feminine build of her body. She was as perfectly cute as cute could be—at least in terms of her looks.

She was now glaring at Saito, her face so hostile you could almost see steam coming from it. Not even an ogre in the depths of hell would dare take her on in this state. Her hand tightened, pulling Saito’s necktie tight, almost suffocating him.

“If you tell the class we’re married, I’ll kill you,” Akane threatened Saito in her low, menacing whisper.

“Seems like a petty reason for murder…” Saito mumbled.

“Not at all…! It’d already be suicide if they knew, honestly. My whole world would come to an end,” remarked Akane.

“Never knew you hated me that much,” said Saito. To be fair, though, the hate was mutual.

“Listen, I don’t want them to know either. No good could come of telling people. I’ll keep it under wraps,” Saito stated.

“I don’t believe you,” Akane hissed. “You plan to tell everyone in the entire school that you get to have your way with me every night!”

“No,” asserted Saito. Akane trembled.

“Then…you plan to tell everyone in the whole wide world…?”

“Would you like that? No, I swear on my life I will keep this secret,” Saito declared.

Akane let out a small sigh.

“If you swear on your life, I guess I believe you.”

“Good.”

“So it shouldn’t be a problem if I set a voice-activated A-bomb on your body, so that if you ever mention our marriage, the recorder will blow you and everything within a one-kilometer radius into smithereens?” exclaimed Akane.

“You don’t believe me at all, do you?” Saito felt a chill go down his spine. He could hardly believe this whole situation himself—he never dreamed he would wed in his senior year of high school, much less that he’d be wed to the girl he hated most.

What did I get myself into…? Saito was in agony.

Their story began four days ago.

Chapter 1: Marriage Out of the Blue

Chapter 1:
Marriage Out of the Blue

AKANE’S ANGRY ROAR BOOMED PAST THE third-years in classroom 3-A.

“Hey, you didn’t fill in the class journal properly before you left yesterday!” Akane chided.

“Yes, I did.” Saito grimaced. “I did everything the Day Duty was supposed to do.”

Saito put the textbooks inside his desk drawer as he answered. He always thought the Day Duty system was a waste of time, but it was what the school and the teachers thought was necessary for the students, so he put up with it. Akane, who was on Day Duty today, slammed the class journal onto Saito’s desk.

“It just says ‘Nothing special’ in the comment section! What’s that supposed to mean?” Akane interrogated.

“Just what it says. There was nothing special to mention yesterday,” Saito replied matter-of-factly.

“You phoned it in for Class Schedule too! It just reads ‘See official class schedule.’ Are you even taking this seriously?” Akane accused.

“There was no change in the schedule yesterday. Is repeating it every single time really necessary?” Saito replied.

“Of course it is, Houjou-san. Why do you think there’s a section for that? Nothing is filled in the Communication section either, and by the way, you did a terrible job cleaning up the blackboard at the end of the day. Also, why does it say ‘Chimimoryo’1 here in the Absentee section? I wasn’t aware there were any evil mountain and river spirits present in our class to begin with.” Akane’s pursuit was relentless.

“Aren’t those kanji characters so cool?” Saito countered.

“Yeah… I guess…” Akane reluctantly agreed.

“‘Chimimoryo ga Choryobakko’2—so fun to say too! Whoever came up with that phrase in olden times was a genius,” Saito said, clasping his hands together.

Akane suddenly snapped. “Nobody cares! The class journal isn’t your personal scribbling pad!”

“It doesn’t matter. Nobody reads it anyway,” replied Saito.

“I do!” Akane hissed.

“Wow, you must have a lot of time on your hands.”

“No, I don’t!” Akane was losing it.

Saito sighed. “…Ugh, so annoying.”

“Annoying? How dare you!” Akane glared at Saito, breathless.

“If you have all this time on your hands, you should use it for something useful like reading books instead of nagging me.” There was an entirely unwelcome paternal tone to Saito’s voice.

Akane snapped right back at him, “It’s not nagging! I am trying to teach you a valuable lesson!”

“I’m good, actually. Leave me alone.”

Saito just didn’t get Akane. Even though Saito and Akane had been in the same homeroom class since freshman year, they had never gotten along. Saito never read what others wrote in the class journal, so why was Akane so worked up?

Akane’s best friend Ishikura Himari placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Come on, Akane, that’s enough. He looks like he’s about to cry.”

“No way, am not!” Saito replied, duly humiliated.

Crying was the one thing Saito resolved not to do. He was annoyed by the way Akane had been messing with him every day, sure, but he wasn’t about to let loose the waterworks over a simple verbal quarrel.

Akane accusingly pointed her finger at Saito.

“But it’s his fault! He wasn’t a responsible Day Duty person. For that matter, he isn’t a responsible person in the first place!”

“I’m plenty responsible. Get your finger out of my face,” Saito retorted.

“Good point. I get my finger any closer to you and it’ll probably rot away by proximity.”

“You sure are a rude bitch.” Saito had had enough.

Himari held Akane back from behind. Akane bared her teeth at Saito like an angry dog, and Himari was the only thing stopping her from pouncing on him.

Himari looked like a typical gyaru. Her hair was a shiny, sunny golden blonde. Her school uniform hung on her loosely but skillfully styled. A necklace peeked out from under her uniform blouse, which seemed ready to burst under the strain of containing her full-sized breasts. Her long fingernails were neatly painted.

Despite her flashy appearance, Himari was much more chill than Akane. Somehow, she got along well with “the prettiest girl nobody wants to know.”

“Why do you have to be so hard on Saito-kun? You’ve been at his throat since we were juniors!” Himari pondered out loud, still restraining Akane from behind.

“Why? You want to know why?!” Akane seemed stunned. She reacted as if she’d been asked why she breathed.

“It’s innate… Just looking at his face infuriates me… Makes me want to whack him with the back of my slippers…”

“Oh, so, I disgust you at a deep gut level? Such an honor,” Saito replied sarcastically. He glared back at her, humiliated once again as Akane talked about him the same way one would talk about a cockroach.

“Are you guys fighting again, Ani-kun3?” Houjou “Shise” Shisei chimed in, as she approached the three.

Shisei was Saito’s cousin, but they grew up together as if they were brother and sister. She stood there, looking just like a dainty doll. Her waist-long hair made her petite frame look even smaller. Her skin had an almost alien, porcelain color, and her white tights complemented her complexion.

“It’s not really a fight since I’m the only one taking abuse,” Saito replied.

“Oh, poor Saito. I’m sorry, Ani-kun.” Shisei stroked Saito’s hair. Saito was touched.

“You’re the only one who understands me, Shise…”

“That’s right, I do. I totally understand your heart,” Shisei responded frankly.

It wasn’t just her facial structure. Shisei’s mannerisms were somewhat doll-like too—her expressions and the words she spoke. Many students around her regarded her as an “extraterrestrial” because they just couldn’t understand her way of thinking. Himari placed a finger on her lip and turned to Akane.

“But—the way you engage with Saito, it makes me wonder—you don’t actually have a crush on him, do you, Akane?”

“What?! Oh my god, heck no! Even if he was the last guy on Earth, I still wouldn’t go out with him!” Akane shouted back, infuriated.

That was too harsh. Saito was duly offended.

“Took the words right out of my mouth! Even if the world turned upside down, I wouldn’t ever go out with you!”

Akane and Saito pouted at each other, giving each other the cold shoulder.

As Saito was walking home along the bus route after school, his smartphone rang. Grandpa (Houjou) flashed on his phone screen. Saito answered.

“Saito, do you have a couple of minutes? Actually, it doesn’t matter—come by for a cup of tea,” his grandfather’s cheerful voice boomed from the speaker.

“No thank you, Grandpa, I don’t feel like hanging out with you today. I have a book I want to read.”

“You can read the book anytime. You’d better pay me some respect since I’m eventually going to hand down the business I built to you, right?” Grandpa sounds a little threatening, thought Saito. Maybe this called for a different tactic.

“Hooray for Grandpa, hooray.” Saito tried catering to his ego but did so in a flat monotone.

“My dear grandchild, you are breaking my heart.”

“Grandpa, I know you well—your heart won’t break that easily.”

“Smart kid. If you know me that well, you must also know that I won’t take no for an answer. I have arranged a car to pick you up,” his voice boomed once again.

Saito heard a car honk behind him. A black stretch limousine coasted along a wee distance behind him. The limousine driver looked familiar—he was one of his grandfather’s employees at his mansion. Saito could tell that the driver was smiling since his white teeth were showing, but his eyes were hidden behind rugged sunglasses. Saito picked up the pace of his gait to create more distance from the limo that was tailing him.

“What if I ran?” Saito challenged his grandfather on the phone.

“You’d make a scene. A car chase,” his grandfather replied.

“Human versus car?” Nightmare mode,no handicap, Saito thought.

“That’s right. And when you are captured, you’d be in for some physical punishment, to boot. It’s in your best interest that you just be obedient and get in the limo,” his grandfather stated.

“I can’t believe there’s a grandfather out there who threatens his grandchild like an evil villain…”

“Sure is. Get in the limo.” No sooner than his grandfather finished speaking, he hung up the phone before Saito was able to respond.

Just like that, Grandpa gets what he wants once again. Saito wondered if every business tycoon was the same way. He puts so much passion into having his way, Saito thought. His simple urge to read a book may not justify the amount of effort he’d have to make to evade the limousine. Even if Saito got away, his grandfather would just charter a helicopter to hunt him down. Saito shrugged. Resigned, he decided to hop in the limousine that had just pulled over for him. The driver greeted Saito politely.

“I appreciate your hesitancy, Saito-san. As always, on behalf of my employer, I sincerely apologize.”

“Not your fault. It’s my grandfather’s,” Saito replied, throwing his school bag into the back seat of the limo.

“Please don’t hate him. He’s not a bad person… He’s just…not a good person either,” said the driver apologetically.

“Well, you’re half right, at least,” replied Saito.

The car door locked automatically, and the limousine glided down the street. Boundless freedom waited just outside the tinted windows. Inside the limousine, he was trapped with the ostentatious scent of leather seats. The driver tried to appease Saito as he expertly helmed the ten-seat vehicle.

“Please know that it is you whom Houjou-san chooses to love deeply—not your father.”

“If kidnapping his beloved grandchild is supposed to be proof of his affection, Grandpa really is way out there,” quipped Saito.

“He is out there, for sure. But geniuses are usually crazy,” agreed the driver.

Saito couldn’t deny it. It was, in fact, his grandfather Houjou Tenryu who had saved and revived the Houjou Group after the business’s struggles in the great recession forty years ago. Despite public criticism, Houjou Tenryu achieved a revolutionary success by carrying out a brutal reorganization of personnel—employees who were let go included longtime company executives who Tenryu thought were not innovative enough. Under Tenryu’s leadership, the renewed Houjou Group became one of the greatest IT enterprises in Japan. Even at over sixty years of age, Tenryu was still brilliantly pushing the company’s AI business forward. He was a genius tycoon, indeed.

“So…where are you taking me?” Saito was curious.

“It’s a surprise,” said the driver.

“Huh?” Saito was confused.

“That’s what I was told to tell you by your grandfather. I apologize again for his selfish strong-arm method,” the driver apologized.

“That’s okay—I’m used to it by now.” Saito leaned against the backrest of his car seat.

Saito was let out of the limousine and found himself standing in front of an upscale, traditional Japanese restaurant halfway up a mountain. The restaurant was surrounded by a tranquil Japanese garden and paper lanterns graced the entrance. The traditional Japanese umbrellas serving as eaves were vibrant in color. Long benches covered with red cloth had been placed underneath the umbrellas and added to the serenity of the scene.

Saito’s father was Tenryu’s oldest son, but despite his lineage, he was excluded from being considered as heir and even from getting involved in the business of the Houjou Group as an executive. Saito’s father ended up being an ordinary businessman working for someone else. Naturally, growing up as his father’s son, Saito was not used to dining at such an exclusive, luxurious restaurant.

His grandfather had not yet arrived, so Saito decided to wait for him outside. If he went in alone, it would have been a rather awkward experience. Saito took a seat on the bench and started reading his book, taking in the crisp and fresh mountain air. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

“Wh-why are you here?”

It was Akane.

“Uh-oh.” Saito could not believe his eyes.

It was her, Saito’s nemesis. She must have just gotten out of a taxi—she was holding her school bag and her wallet and wearing a distinct frown. Like Saito, she was still in her school uniform.

“I was invited by my grandfather… You?”

“I was invited by my grandmother. Wait, that’s none of your business!” Akane exclaimed.

“True, it’s nothing to do with me—but you asked first,” Saito nonchalantly responded to Akane, who seethed and tightened her fists.

Akane carefully approached the restaurant and peeped inside. She seemed very nervous and hesitant. I guess she isn’t used to visiting such a fancy restaurant either, Saito thought. Discouraged, Akane walked toward the bench and sat down at the opposite end of it, far away from Saito. She flipped the back of her hair and sighed audibly.

“Jeez. I was so excited when I thought I’d be able to enjoy a cozy little dinner in private with Grandma. But now that you’re here, dinner has been ruined before my first bite. What an unpleasant coincidence!”

“The feeling is mutual. Don’t talk to me—I’m reading.”

When Saito looked down to resume reading, Akane put her hands on the bench and stretched over to bring her face close to Saito’s.

“What?! I wouldn’t dream of talking with you! Do you think that I need your attention?” She glared at him.

“Nope. Can you just shut up—we have no business with each other,” said Saito.

“How dare you! What terrible manners. I guess I’ll have to keep chatting until you apologize to me,” Akane snapped at him.

“Are you really going to bug me until I say sorry?” Saito replied.

“Yes! I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth.” In another context, what Akane said could have been interpreted as cute. To Saito, she sounded like a stalker.

“So annoying…” Saito muttered.

“You’re the annoying one!” Akane snapped.

“No, it’s you. Please stay outside a ten-kilometer radius of me,” Saito retorted.

“No, you!”

The two faced off, turning the ground into a battlefield set against the beauteous background of mountainous serenity. It wasn’t that Saito hated Akane without reason. He was just fed up with her persistent pestering every single day. However, outside of his relative Shisei, Akane was actually the person he had the most conversations with—although they were less “conversations” and more “quarrels.”

The two were still going at it when a convertible pulled over in front of the restaurant. The car had the sheen of a meticulous polish job, and loud enka music blasted from its stereo, the subwoofers shaking the earth. The mystery driver wore stylish sunglasses and leaned back in the driver’s seat. There was a mystery woman sitting next to him in the passenger’s seat. This over-sixty couple oozed a party-animal vibe.

“Grandpa?”

“Grandma?”

Stunned, Saito and Akane stood up, mouths agape.

Despite his old age, Houjou Tenryu looked quite virile. He escorted Akane’s grandmother out from their convertible.

“Oh my, you two are already at it, ha ha. Young people are so impatient.” Akane’s grandmother smiled.

“You two could have waited for us inside. We wouldn’t have been offended if you sat down without us,” Tenryu added with a wry smile.

Saito and Akane looked at each other, puzzled.

“What do you mean…?”

“Huh…?”

Akane’s grandmother and Saito’s grandfather led the way inside the restaurant, not waiting for the young couple.

“C’mon, you two. How long are you going to be standing there?” Tenryu scolded.

“You two…? Wait, you mean me and Sakuramori-san?” Saito was still perplexed.

“W-wait, what do you mean, Grandma? You’re not making any sense!” Akane cried.

Despite all the bewilderment, Saito and Akane had no choice but to follow them into the restaurant. They didn’t know why their grandparents knew each other or why they had shown up in a convertible together. Akane’s grandmother looked back at them.

“Tonight, we four are going to have dinner together,” proclaimed Akane’s grandmother.

“Why in the world would we do that?!” Akane growled.

“There is something important we need to discuss,” Akane’s grandmother responded calmly.

“No way I can have dinner with this guy! He creeps me out so much I won’t be able to keep my food down!” When Akane raised her voice, Saito piped up too.

“Same here! I’d feel bad wasting such a fancy dinner.”

Akane’s grandmother gave a Cheshire cat smile. Although her demeanor was relaxed, the two felt absolutely certain that their “no” had fallen on deaf ears.

“Give it up,” she said.

“Nngh…”

Akane let out a voiceless cry as her grandmother seized her by the neck. Akane was dragged away, her arms and legs limp like a helpless kitten being carried by a mother cat. Wow, there is someone out there who can silence Sakuramori-san. She’s amazing! Saito was impressed, but that thought was interrupted when his own grandfather seized him by the neck.

“You’re going to choke me to death if you don’t let me go,” Saito pleaded.

“You’re not going to die—unless you keep struggling, that is,” Tenryu replied.

Tenryu didn’t have the grip of an old man—Saito’s neck was already bruised even though he had given up trying to escape. Restaurant staff knew better than to get involved. It was obvious they didn’t want to risk it—nobody messed with Houjou Tenryu.

The four of them were guided to a private room set away from the rest of the restaurant. It was quite the exquisite space. The Japanese-style room was large and featured a burnished ebony table. Through a window, beautiful, colorful koi could be seen swimming leisurely in the pond outside. The sound of the water-filled bamboo tube clacking against a stone filled the room. Saito and Akane were sat next to each other, facing Akane’s grandmother and Tenryu. Appetizers and drinks were quickly brought in and filled the table: fried wild plants with pickled herring roe, flecked with bright red pepper.

Tenryu raised his brimming sake cup.

“Here’s to an auspicious day.”

“…Cheers.” Akane held her glass of orange juice, wearing a grimace on her face.

Wait a minute… Auspicious? What does he mean by that…? Saito was suspicious. Being in a secluded room with the door shut tight didn’t help.

Waitstaff brought in luxurious and scrumptious dishes one after the other: slices of fresh sea bream and squid sashimi arranged alongside the head and tail part, looking almost alive; steamed Japanese spiny lobsters; live abalone barbecue… Saito was particularly drawn to the fragrant aroma coming from the earthen pot that housed the steamed lobsters. The firm and fresh seafood tasted like heaven, but the knowledge that his nemesis was sitting right next to him was spoiling his appetite.

“More OJ, please,” Akane asked and raised her glass.

“You’re not gonna touch the food?” Saito asked.

“I was hungry, but you made me lose my appetite,” answered Akane.

“Same here. You seem to have a knack for making my stomach smaller,” replied Saito.

“Such a shame given we have such a feast here. If only your presence could be vaporized via nuclear disintegration,” said Akane.

“Much better that you disappear at a quantum level,” Saito fired right back.

Their quarrel escalated as Akane’s grandmother smiled at them complacently.

“…Ha ha, you two certainly get along well,” Tenryu laughed.

“True. Just like us when we were your age,” added Akane’s grandmother.

“Pardon?!” Both Akane and Saito raised their voices, stunned. As far as Saito was concerned, he and Akane were at each other’s throats. Is the great genius Tenryu finally going senile? Saito began to doubt his grandfather’s sanity and decided to bring up the elephant in the room.

“Grandpa, what’s going on? Why did you invite the two of us here?”

Tenryu and Akane’s grandmother nodded, exchanging a meaningful glance. They turned to their grandchildren and spoke in unison.

“You are to be married.”

“…Um…what?” Shocked, both Saito and Akane simultaneously dropped their chopsticks.

“I thought I just heard you say ‘married’… Is that some kind of metaphor? Or a password? Did we just receive a code word or something?” Saito choked out.

“No hidden meaning. Get married to each other,” Tenryu repeated firmly.

“I-I don’t understand! Marry each other?! What do you mean?! Don’t you know we’re still in high school?!” Akane put her hands on the table and jolted upright.

“You are both eighteen. You’re legally allowed to marry each other,” Akane’s grandmother calmly replied.

Akane and Saito had indeed heard them right the first time. Tenryu let out a deep sigh, his elbows resting on the table. He had a faraway look in his eyes as he began speaking.

“Me and Chiyo-san here have known each other for a very long time…”

“Who is Chiyo-san?” Saito asked.

“I am… My name is Chiyo,” said Akane’s grandmother.

Tenryu continued, “Thinking back to when we were both young, we had always loved each other… It is so obvious to us now. But after a series of misunderstandings between us, we went our separate ways. I went on to marry my arranged fiancée, and your grandmother and I were very happy. The rest you already know. It’s been ten years since she passed away. I feel as if I have completed my duty, and I hope she will allow me to move forward in life.”

“That’s why you got the convertible and are now with Chiyo-san,” Saito muttered. “Glad you’re openly enjoying this late-life crisis of yours…”

Chiyo cupped her wrinkled blushed cheeks with her hands and replied shyly, “My husband also passed away long ago. Tenryu-san makes me happy and satisfies me every night.”

“I don’t want to hear about that, Grandma!” Akane screeched. Her face was bright red. For the first time, Saito actually agreed with her. They hoped they weren’t going to be forced to hear the frank details on their grandparents’ sex life over dinner.

Tenryu cleared his throat and explained, “So…here’s the thing. Even though we went on to have a family with different partners and were relatively happy with them, we always find ourselves wondering what would have happened if we had ended up with each other way back then. If it had happened, we’re sure it would have been quite splendid. In our stead, we hope that you two will make that happen. You would be fulfilling our ultimate fantasy.”

“Marry Saito-kun for me, won’t you, Akane dear?” Chiyo gently suggested.

“No! That’s so selfish of you, Grandma! Marriage should be a fruit borne of love, of the long process by which a person falls in love with someone special, they court, and when the time is right, a romantic proposal is made. Most importantly, marriage is something that should be done by choice, not something to be forced into by others!” Akane retorted.

Saito was rather surprised. He couldn’t help himself.

“Wow, I never knew you were such a romantic ingénue, Akane.”

“No, no! It’s not that, this is just common sense!” Akane declared.

“I refuse this arrangement too. I’ll be super unhappy guaranteed if I get married to her,” added Saito.

“What?! You should be so lucky! If somehow you ever married me, you would be the most fortunate, happiest guy on the planet,” Akane fumed.

“Well, wait…do you want to get married or not?” asked Saito.

“No way! Especially not to you, not over my dead body!” Akane crossed her arms and turned her face away from Saito. She was so mad, even her ears were red. Saito shrugged and turned his attention to Tenryu.

“I guess that’s all there is to be said. Sorry. We have no intention or desire to marry each other. You can’t force someone to marry in this day and age in Japan—so please, let it go,” Saito told Tenryu.

“Hoo hoo…hoo hoo…”

“Hee hee…hee hee…”

Tenryu and Chiyo burst out into laughter, their bodies swaying. They were completely unfazed. It was as if a royal couple had just watched some form of supreme entertainment.

“Wh-what’s so funny…?” Akane winced.

“We knew you would refuse. It’s just like looking at Chiyo and me in our youth… Exactly like us,” muttered Tenryu, his voice slightly melancholic.

The next moment, however, his eyes blinked into an evil glare. Tenryu clapped his hands, and the door swung opened.

Tenryu’s secretary entered the room with a scruffy-looking dog. The poor dog, despite wearing a collar, was obviously a stray. His dull coat was smeared with mud and dirt, and his nose was covered in snot.

“Saito, if you don’t do as I say, I will hand down my legacy as the head of the Houjou Group to this dog,” Tenryu declared.

“Is that dog even yours?!”

“No, I randomly picked him off the street. I admit, his administrative ability and leadership skill may be a bit questionable,” Tenryu coolly stated.

“That is a dog, Grandpa! He can’t even stamp something for approval!”

Saito was stunned.

The sad-looking dog was obviously untrained—he was taking a dump on the tatami mat in the middle of the gorgeous room of this exclusive restaurant. Afterward, he jumped on top of the table and started voraciously devouring sashimi and meat as he pleased. The world was his spiny lobster.

“We can work around the dog’s limitations. In fact, my managing director could have his paws dipped in ink and make his paw stamp an official thumbprint. No problem,” Tenryu said.

“Thumbprint or not…a nonhuman being can’t enter into a binding contract!” Saito pointed out.

“You might be right. I guess that means after I die, it’ll be the end of the Houjou Group,” quipped Tenryu.

“Have you gone out of your mind, Grandpa?” Saito glared at him in disbelief. “You don’t really believe this dog can run your business, do you?”

Tenryu smiled from ear to ear, but his eyes remained dead serious. No way he’s for real… Would Grandpa really let go of his business for such an incredibly ridiculous reason…?

Saito held his head in his hands and moaned. Tenryu was known as an unconventional tycoon—after all, he’d deemed his own oldest son and expected heir, Saito’s father, incapable, kicking him out of the enterprise without even giving him an executive post. The rumor was Tenryu had ice-cold blood running through his every vein and a heart of stone.

Chiyo beckoned Akane over.

“Come here, Akane.”

Chiyo whispered something into Akane’s ear.

“…!”

Akane’s face froze. She started trembling.

Tenryu nodded and solemnly began speaking once more.

“Think hard and well you two. What is truly in your best interest? Don’t get carried away by passing emotions. See the reality of the situation for yourselves, and let us know what you want. The deadline is the day after tomorrow.”

Later that evening, Tenryu and Chiyo hopped into the convertible and left to go sightseeing. Meanwhile, Saito found himself next to Akane in a taxi back home. The two of them sat side by side on plasticky-smelling white pleather car seats. Only the back of the driver’s head was visible, but his hair tonic permeated the entire car. The taxi glided through the boulevard, the bright blue illumination of the night visible through the windows. Saito was deep in thought. Akane opened her mouth to speak.

“M-marriage…” Akane tightened her fists on her lap. “What the heck are you going to do…? Are you going to marry me or what…?” Tearing up, Akane looked up at Saito. She was not her usual aggressive self. In fact, right now she seemed amiable and sweet. Even Saito had to admit she was quite pretty.

“What about you?” Saito asked.

“I don’t know! I never thought anything like this could happen!”

“Yeah, same here.” Saito nodded.

This whole marriage thing was totally out of the blue. In the modern age, how many Japanese teens would even think of an arranged marriage? Marriage was a pact entered into out of love. That was common sense, the only and right way to go about things.

“What did your grandmother tell you?” Saito asked Akane. Akane tensed up.

“It’s…it’s none of your business.”

“Honestly, it kind of is now. We need to know what their tactics are. Otherwise, they will force us into doing something neither of us want,” Saito replied to Akane calmly.

“No. Don’t pry into my business,” said Akane.

Akane was on guard, crossing her arms as if she was hugging herself with all her might. If she didn’t open up, it would be impossible to get her to pour her heart out.

“Have it your way then,” Saito replied.

“Will do! It’s my life and future, after all!” Akane turned away.

The way they were sitting now, facing away from each other in the taxi, nobody could’ve ever dreamed of these two getting married.

Back at home, Akane collapsed on her bed, face buried in her pillow. She had taken her ordinary everyday life for granted until she’d received that phone call from her grandmother. In the matter of a mere few hours, her world had turned upside down. Not only was she to be married but her spouse-to-be would be Houjou Saito.

Saito was a constant thorn in her side. He had always gotten the top grades in school, and Akane couldn’t ever seem to surpass him ever since their junior year in high school. Saito’s cool-as-a-cucumber attitude irritated her too.

What her grandmother whispered into her ear that night at the restaurant, Akane thought, merited some thought. If she accepted this challenge, she would be rewarded. Her life-long dream would come true.

Akane was driving herself crazy thinking everything over. She needed a second opinion.

“Hey! What’s up, Akane?” Himari asked from the other end of the phone. The sound of her bestie’s cheerful voice instantly made Akane feel a little more at ease.

“Um…hypothetically…if, um, if you ever got ordered by your family to get married to someone you didn’t like, what would you do?” Akane asked, hungry for her bestie’s opinion.

“…Huh? I honestly can’t even imagine. Wasn’t arranged marriage already antiquated back in the Jomon period?!” Himari answered.

“R-right…? That’s a no-brainer… Unthinkable…” Akane responded, wondering to herself whether or not the people living in the ancient Jomon period had to deal with complicated family dynamics and arranged marriages.

“Either way, I’d probably say no,” Himari continued.

“Why?” Slightly stunned by Himari’s straightforward answer, Akane’s hands gripped the phone, full of tension.

“…I’ve got a crush on someone. I wouldn’t want to marry anyone but them,” said Himari.

“Wait, who is it? Who?! Tell me!” Akane sat bolt upright.

“I thought you weren’t interested in that sort of thing, Akane.”

“Well…I’m not…not usually…” Akane crossed her bare legs, feeling incredibly awkward. I just got home from an arranged marriage proposal. Of course I’d be drawn to love stories, Akane thought.

“I can’t tell you who…just yet,” Himari said.

“Of course you can. Is it someone in our class?” Akane persisted.

“…Well…”

Himari’s voice was so feminine. It was soft and hard to hear, completely out of character for her. It made Akane wonder whether love could change people that way. Akane was fascinated and found herself feeling slightly envious. If she were to get married now, she would never have the chance to experience what it was like to fall in love. She’d be forever denied the taste of romance that all girls would die to have.

“Um, how about you, Akane? Is there anyone you have a crush on?” Himari flipped the question over to Akane, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Someone I have a crush on? Someone I have a crush on… Someone I have a crush on…?” Akane looked at the ceiling and thought hard. The night had been pretty taxing on Akane’s brain; it was too much to process all at once. She felt as if she was losing her mind.

“No one?”

Himari’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts—Akane must have dozed off. She wiped the drool off her lip.

“No, but I have someone I wish was dead. Does that count?” asked Akane.

“You don’t have to tell me who that is,” said Himari.

“Sure… But, oh, how I hope he would drop dead. Then all my problems would be solved… I’m praying some meteorite will fall from the sky and obliterate him,” Akane confessed, chewing her nails.

“But back to your original question, Akane. Since you don’t have a crush on anyone, it actually might not be such a bad thing if you got married,” said Himari.

“You think so…?” Akane was stunned.

“Yeah, think about it. You get married and you go Dutch on the rent and gas. Groceries would be cheaper too if you split ’em. It’d be quite convenient, don’t you think?” Himari suggested.

“That’s not really a legit reason for marriage,” Akane pointed out.

“Hah, you’re right.” Himari broke into her typical cheerful laughter.

“There is one thing, though… If you’re in an arranged marriage, are you still expected to do…that…?”

“What do you mean, Akane?” Himari was puzzled.

“Um…the thing that a man and a woman do…” murmured Akane.

“Spit it out, Akane! I don’t get what you mean!” Himari pressed her.

“Um…you know…um…the thing they do in bed!”

Akane felt as if her whole body was on fire. She had a lot of academic knowledge on all subjects, but sex education was something that she was resistant to. Bringing up this subject matter made her extremely uncomfortable.

“Naturally, couples are expected to consummate the relationship. It’s marriage for God’s sake,” Himari responded matter-of-factly.

“Are they…? Oh my god…” Akane writhed on the bed in sheer agony.

“If that’s what the family orders, they’ll expect you to have babies. Like hundreds of ’em,” Himari added.

“Hundreds?! No frigging way!” Three entire classes filled with my own children… That would be totally cuckoo bonkers far out crazy, Akane thought.

“Who knows, anything’s possible. You could be the mother to quintuplets… No, you could be a deca-octo-mom and have octuplets ten times over,” said Himari.

“I don’t think I have that kind of stamina,” Akane said. Himari cut in immediately.

“This whole hypothetical arranged marriage thing—is this happening to you?”

“No, it’s not about me! It’s totally hypothetical!” Akane sweated for a second and tried to backpedal.

“You know, if you ever did get into that kind of situation, I could lend you an adult magazine that could be useful. There was an article in there called ‘How to Win the Hearts of Men by Driving Them Crazy in Bed,’” offered Himari.

“No thank you, I won’t need it! I would never, ever have an arranged marriage. Period!” Akane dropped her phone and proceeded to bury her face in her pillow.

Meanwhile, Saito was staring intently at the slow turning of the second hand of his desk clock. Marriage and business. How come they had to be sold in a pair? Saito had a deep desire to inherit his grandfather’s enterprise. But was he prepared to give up his entire private life by being forced to select a life partner against his will? That’s too much of a sacrifice, Saito thought.

He wasn’t really interested in having romantic relations with girls, but he’d be lying if he said he was completely averse to it. It’d definitely make his school life more meaningful if he dated here and there. But the potential partner he was offered was Akane, the girl he hated the most in school. It was hard enough to have to deal with her in school, but now I have to be annoyed by her at home for decades? I’ll go crazy, Saito thought.

Shisei, Saito’s same-age cousin was lying on Saito’s bed next to him. She had been a staple at his home since they were little, and Saito regarded her as a part of his family.

Shisei laid out all the stuffed animals on his bed like dominoes and poked them to watch them fall in a chain reaction. Saito had no idea why she found it fun, but she wasn’t in his way, so it didn’t really bug him.

Shisei stopped.

“Ani-kun, you are troubled about something,” said Shisei as she plopped on top of Saito’s desk and looked into his eyes.

“Nah, not really,” Saito lied.

“Yes, you are. I can tell. When you are concerned about something, frown lines show up here.”

Shisei imitated Saito’s facial expression by furrowing her own brows, but her face was not naturally expressive to begin with, so she couldn’t really imitate him that well. She was now pestering Saito by tapping his knees with her white-tights-clad toes.

“It’s nothing significant. Quit it, and get off my desk,” demanded Saito coolly.

“Okay.” Shisei obliged as she sat down in Saito’s lap.

“Now what is it?” Saito sighed.

“I am worried about you, Ani-kun. I’m not going to get off until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Shisei’s petite body felt light as a feather on Saito’s lap. Her eyes were two crystal clear lakes, rimmed by long, doll-like eyelashes. They were completely locked on to Saito. A whiff of Shisei’s fresh, sweet perfume wafted from Shisei’s neck to Saito’s nose. Saito let out a sigh.

“Grandpa made an unreasonable demand,” confessed Saito.

“Unreasonable demand? Like peeling the entire skin off your body and pasting it back on in reverse?” Shisei asked, serious and puzzled.

“Nope, he’s not that unreasonable…I…think,” Saito answered hesitantly.

“Then what did he ask?” Shisei asked, curious.

“Grandpa said that in order for his grandchild to be the heir to the legacy of the Houjou Group, his grandchild’s life must be his life. If the grandchild does not obey, the Houjou Group will be handed down to a stray dog… Stuff like that,” Saito told her.

“Very typical of Grandpa,” she nodded.

“Right?” Saito nodded back. Saito and Shisei, as two of his grandchildren, knew their grandfather’s personality well enough. Everyone in the Houjou family had trouble handling Tenryu due to his selfish, unconventional, and eccentric nature.

“What are you going to do, Ani-kun?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Saito said.

“Do you want freedom, or do you want the Houjou Group?” Shisei inquired.

“Both, if possible,” answered Saito.

“That’s selfish.” Shisei’s index finger lightly pressed against Saito’s lips.

“Living organisms are programmed in such a way as to make it impossible for them to be completely free, even at the cellular level. There are rules all over this three-dimensional world. For instance, all the cells in your body and my body are governed by the rules of instinct. If you can’t escape from those rules, the best solution is to adopt them and optimize them—making the rules suit your needs as best you can,” Shisei philosophized.

“So…you’re saying I should choose his business?” Saito asked.

“Either way is okay. Even if you don’t make it in life and end up jobless and scrounging for leftover food in the garbage bin, I’ll be there scrounging right alongside you,” reassured Shisei.

“If you ever end up with a loser like that, leave him immediately.” Saito was now sincerely worried his dear cousin may fall for a deadbeat.

“I know only too well. In order to make your dream come true, Ani-kun, you need to inherit Grandpa’s business. I won’t get in your way. Even if your life becomes a path of thorns, I’ll always be by your side, Saito. Trust me.”

Shisei pressed her forehead against Saito’s chest. She may have been a petite featherweight, but she was the intercontinental heavyweight champ at making Saito feel understood and reassured. Saito gently put his hands on his cousin’s head.

“Thank you, Shise.”

Chapter 2: A New Life

Chapter 2:
A New Life

THE FATEFUL DAY HAD ARRIVED.

Tenryu’s limousine pulled up in front of Akane and Saito’s high school to scoop the two of them up and take them to Tenryu’s mansion. They were guided to Tenryu’s study, which featured a grand Japanese traditional hanging scroll. Akane and Saito sat next to each other, facing Tenryu and Chiyo. Akane’s face almost looked like that of a kamikaze pilot who was about to take off for the final flight of her life. Tenryu opened his mouth.

“Have you two decided?”

“Yes,” Akane and Saito replied in unison.

“I see. Let’s hear it. Which do you choose—the path of the fool or the path of the sage?” Tenryu urged.

“I am going to…”

“I decided to…” Akane and Saito took deep breaths and spoke simultaneously.

“…get married,” their tense voices echoed.

“Is that really all right with you?” Surprised at the fact that Akane had also agreed, Saito looked at her for validation. Saito had resolved to accept the offer, but he hadn’t expected that Akane would too—in fact, he had slightly hoped she would decline.

“Um, well…I had to… Marriage schmarriage, you know? I can match up to this challenge, no problem! Just don’t you dare think that I agreed because I like you. Couldn’t be farther from the truth!”

Akane bit her lips. Her ears were bright red.

“Splendid!” Tenryu hit his lap with his hands in excitement, like a Sengoku military commander.

“Congratulations. I am so happy for you, Akane.” Chiyo wiped away her tears of joy with her handkerchief.

“Okay then. When we graduate, we will get our license and prepare for the wedding.” No sooner than Saito had finished speaking, Tenryu chimed in to deliver the coup de grâce.

“What are you talking about? Why wait? You two are getting married right now. We have already prepared a place for you two newlyweds to live.”

“Wh-what do you mean…?” Saito shook his head in disbelief.

“Wait! Get me out of here! I’m begging you!”

Akane was pounding on the tinted car windows with all her might.

“Let it go, Akane. You’ll injure your precious little hand,” said Chiyo in a placating manner, holding Akane’s hand.

Akane and Saito had been escorted by Tenryu’s bodyguards and pushed into the limousine bound for their “new home.” The car doors were tightly locked. Saito glared at Tenryu, who was sat across from him right next to the smiling Chiyo.

“Please, Grandpa. Let me at least stop by my old home. I can’t live off the stuff I have in this school bag of mine.”

“Nice try. I already had all your belongings moved to your new house,” Tenryu said.

“Wh-what?… When?!” Saito was stunned.

“While you two were at school. Listen, youth doesn’t last forever. Seize what you can, and enjoy your youth while you have it,” Tenryu said matter-of-factly.

“I thought you may have been busy with studies at school, so I already arranged for your marriage license to be submitted on your behalf,” added Chiyo.

“I hate you, Grandma!”

Akane buried her face in her knees. So, does this mean we’re already married…? Saito was perplexed at the strangeness of the situation. Processing everything was beyond Saito. This marriage meant that Saito would entirely miss out on all the good things in life—falling in love, confessing, and going out on dates. There was nothing left for Saito’s heart.

Meanwhile, Akane suddenly sat up and opened a video app on her smartphone. Her lifeless eyes stared at a cat video that popped up on her display.

“Aww, cats are the best. So cute… They are so fluffy and furry… The whole world is filled with cats… No humans exist in this world… There are only cats,” Akane mumbled toward the smartphone.

“Stop trying to escape from reality,” Saito told her.

Saito understood how Akane must have felt, but it still made him sad.

“It’s not escapism, Houjou-san… Look, there’s a cat sleeping on my lap… I must be quiet, so I don’t wake them up…” replied Akane.

“There is no cat anywhere. Snap out of it.”

Refusing to listen, Akane kept checking out her smartphone and mumbling to herself. Perhaps this reaction was typical of someone who had received a life sentence at a young age. Damn, I can’t stand to see her like this. I’ve gotta pull myself together, Saito thought. He launched a strategy simulation game on his smartphone and started playing. Focusing his mind on something completely unrelated to his current reality made him feel more at ease.

The limousine pulled over in front of a brand-new two-story house. It had a vivid sky-blue roof, cream-colored walls, a parking area, and a garden with trees in full bloom. Saito and Akane stepped out of the limousine, clutching their school bags and looking up at the house.

“This is…kind of…excessively nice,” Akane whispered.

“Is this…?”

When Saito turned to Tenryu, he nodded, looking satisfied with himself.

“The house is brand-new. I built this little love nest for you two.”

“What would you have done if we had refused to get married?” Saito couldn’t resist asking.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have let that happen. I would have used any means necessary to get you two to agree,” said Tenryu.

“…”

Saito gritted his teeth. For now, all he could do was obey his grandfather, no matter how he felt about being used as a pawn. You know what—Saito made a decision in that very moment—once I inherit the company and gain power, the first thing I’ll do is expel him.

“It’s such a lovely house. I had discussed the floor plan with Tenryu-san. We had imagined what kind of place we would have wanted to live in together if we had the chance when we were your age,” said Chiyo as she opened the door of the new house in high spirits.

As the foursome stepped into the entranceway of the newlyweds’ house, the scent of freshly cut wood drifted through the air. Accompanied by their grandparents, Saito and Akane walked down the hallway to its very end. There they found a living room, separated from the attached open kitchen by a counter. A thick carpet covered the hardwood floor of the spacious room, and a comfortable-looking sofa was set in place. Behind a weighty high-end table, a large television and surround sound speakers were also installed.

“Wow…” Akane’s eyes sparkled.

“You’re not getting all excited, are you?” Saito asked.

“What?” Akane countered. “Not at all. I’m in the depths of hell here. It would have been so perfect if I could live here alone, but with you around, this lovely place will be completely spoiled,” she added.

“Oh really? Well, I wish I could enjoy my dream single life here too!” Saito quipped, facing off with her.

Watching the two youngsters, Tenryu and Chiyo grinned in amusement. Saito had no idea what they found so entertaining. He hoped they’d stop acting like a pair of teenagers.

Akane and Saito left their schoolbags in the living room and followed their grandparents around the house.

“This is the bathroom,” Tenryu said, opening the door to reveal an impressive room.

Indeed, it was hard to believe that the bathroom belonged to a private residence. The bathtub was built into the floor, its smooth surface lined with jet nozzles.

“Wow, it’s humongous,” Saito remarked in surprise.

Tenryu flashed a thumbs-up.

“Well, if the two of you are going to bathe together, it has to be at least this big, right?”

“T-together?!” Akane exclaimed, her shoulders jolting.

Chiyo cheerfully toggled a switch on the bathroom wall.

“If you press this button, bubble fluid is dispensed, and it turns into a bubble bath. The lights can change from red to purple too. Personally, I recommend purple. That color creates such an erotic atmosphere.”

“I don’t need any kind of atmosphere, Grandma!” Akane shot back, waving her arms in protest. “There’s simply no way we’d ever bathe together.”

Her face was bright red.

“I’m also the type who prefers bathing alone,” Saito muttered, feeling his own cheeks blushing.

Saito wished their grandparents would consider how it must feel for their grandchildren to be forced to live out the runaway fantasies and imaginary love lives of their youths. If they want to recapture their youth, Saito thought, they should do it themselves. I can’t believe they dragged their grandchildren into it. That was already too much.

“It is the ultimate waste for a young couple living together to bathe separately. You can do all sorts of things while bathing together—wash each other’s bodies, wash each other’s hair, make babies, and so on,” solemnly declared Tenryu, crossing his arms.

“Make…babies…?”

By this point, Akane could barely get her words out. The embarrassment was pushing her to her limit.

Akane and Saito were guided to the second-floor bedroom next. The luxurious bed had a built-in clock, the windows were covered by extravagant curtains, and a minifridge for drinks stood along one wall alongside a water dispenser. Up to that point, it seemed like a normal bedroom—but the problem was, there didn’t appear to be another one. A feeling of dread washed over Saito.

“Um, it looks like there’s only one bed…” Akane pointed out nervously. Tenryu nodded firmly.

“Of course there’s just one bed. You’re married, so it’s only natural.”

“No way,” Akane protested.

“Like it or not, you’ll follow the rules of a wedded couple. Sleeping on the sofa or the floor is forbidden. You must sleep together every night. That’s the number one condition that comes with marriage,” said Tenryu, his words devoid of mercy.

“No way…” trembled Akane.

Chiyo pressed a built-in button on the headrest, showing off the bed proudly.

“This is no ordinary bed, you know. With just the press of a button, it rotates and a mirror appears. You can even choose your favorite songs to set the mood for sexy time,” said Chiyo.

“That’s completely unnecessary, Grandma!”

“Make sure to work hard on your collaborative task with Saito,” said Chiyo, holding Akane’s hand encouragingly.

“‘Collaborative task’?! What’s that supposed to mean?”

Akane looked like she was about to jump out the bedroom window. The hospitality shown to them by Chiyo was so excessive that even Saito felt totally uncomfortable. If it were any other girl, it might be different, but imagining doing anything sexy with Akane was simply unthinkable for Saito.

Even after that, the elderly matchmakers continued their endless house tour. Their dedication to the interior design was astonishing—if this house were meant for a newlywed couple deeply in love, the couple would have shed tears of joy. Unfortunately, Saito and Akane were no newlywed couple deeply in love. They were more like cat and dog. No matter how many love-enhancing gimmicks were prepared for them in the house, the only thing they felt was dread.

After the grand tour was finished, it was time for the elderly cupids to depart. The limousine that had dropped them off on the way here was gone, so they hopped into Tenryu’s beloved convertible, likely driven there in advance by the household driver. As Chiyo got into the car, she gave the couple a warm smile.

“Now you youngsters enjoy yourselves!” Chiyo said.

“Wait, Grandma! Don’t leave me! Don’t abandon me!” Akane cried out.

Chiyo expertly plucked Akane’s clinging hands off and tossed her beloved granddaughter onto the road with a casual flick.

“I told you to let it go, didn’t I? Stop being so stubborn, my dear.” Chiyo’s smile faded as she glared at Akane with the rage of a ferocious demon. A dark aura emanated from her entire body.

Tenryu sat in the driver’s seat of the open-top convertible car, gripping the steering wheel.

Even though the sun had already set, he was still wearing his sunglasses, with one foot casually propped up onto the car body. Blasting enka music at full volume, the elderly couple sped off.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Akane let out an indescribable scream and collapsed to the ground, stretching out her arm toward the vanishing car. But no matter how far she reached, her hand could never reach her grandmother. Such is the cruel unfairness of the world.

They couldn’t stay outside forever, so Saito and Akane entered their new home. The moment the front door closed, Akane retreated to the back wall.

“Are you…going to…?” Akane’s eyes widened in fear.

“…Going to…what?” Saito asked.

“No matter how much I cry or scream, you’re just going to do whatever you want with me. You’ll take advantage of me all night long, to the point where I can’t even go to school the next day,” accused Akane.

“…Um, what are you even talking about?” Saito responded, baffled.

“Don’t play dumb!” Akane retorted.

“Huh?”

“It’s obvious! You’re planning something perverted, of course! Do you really think I haven’t noticed you staring at my body? It’s like you’re licking me all over!” Akane escalated her accusations, hugging her trembling body as if to protect herself.

“You’re imagining things. I have zero interest in you,” stated Saito. But Akane was not done.

“I know how you boys think… At times like this…there’s only one thing on your minds—perverted things… I will not let that happen,” she exclaimed.

Akane adopted a fighting stance, holding the pencil she had in her hands like a sword. It didn’t look particularly threatening, but her desperation and defensiveness were both clear to Saito. He had never seen Akane so cornered before, not even at school, and despite himself, he felt a faint sense of accomplishment. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t resist scaring her even more.

“…So you figured it out, huh? To be honest, I intend to keep you up all night.”

“Nooooooooo!” Akane screamed, crushing her tightly gripped pencil into pieces in the palm of her hand. She might have been stronger than Saito had expected. A cold sweat ran down his back.

“Calm down, I’m joking. I’m not the kind of person who would force stuff like that on you,” Saito admitted.

“Did you say ‘person’? Ah, so you are a human being, after all?!” Akane snarled.

“…Whoa, what? Don’t I look like a person?”

“Who knows? You could be in disguise,” said Akane.

“Oh, so you think I’m some kind of fox or tanuki from folklore?” quipped Saito.

No matter how much Saito tried to reason with her, Akane refused to lower her guard. Keeping her back pressed against the wall, she inched toward the living room, clearly ready to escape at any moment. If this was how things were going on their first day of marriage, what would the future for them even look like? Saito could already tell—it was going to be a long road.

Saito and Akane’s belongings had been delivered to their new home, just as Tenryu promised. Sealed cardboard boxes were stacked high in the hallway and living room. Fortunately, there were individual study rooms on the second floor, so the two were able to go their separate ways to unpack their things. At this point, there was no choice but to go along with their grandparents’ plan. Even if they returned to their old homes now, there would be nothing for them there.

By the time they had mostly finished unpacking, it was almost midnight.

Exhausted, Saito had no energy left for cooking. He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Inside, he found premade takeout meals—apparently, Tenryu had anticipated that the grandchildren wouldn’t have the time or energy for household chores their first day there. Although his grandfather was infuriating, Tenryu was at least considerate during these types of situations. Saito took out a pizza and placed it in the oversized microwave to heat it up.

As he sat at the counter in the living room about to chow down, he noticed Akane. She was peeking out behind the door in the hallway, eyeing the pizza with a finger resting against her lips. A loud grumble echoed from her stomach. Gorging himself while she was standing there alone with an empty stomach felt a little rude. With a sigh, Saito spoke up.

“…Want to have dinner together?”

“I’m not going to do any ‘couple activities’ with you!” Akane retorted.

But we are a married couple… Saito thought to himself, though he chose not to say it out loud.

“We don’t have to be a couple to eat with each other,” Saito said instead.

“You’re saying you want to ‘eat’ me? Are you planning to strip me naked?” Akane looked utterly horrified.

“What kind of misheard nonsense was that?” Saito asked.

“I didn’t mishear! I read you loud and clear!” Akane exclaimed.

“What kind of radio waves are you receiving?” Saito said.

“I get regular transmissions from a world where you don’t exist,” answered Akane.

“Unfortunately for us, that’s not the real world,” said Saito.

“Not for long,” said Akane.

“Stop it. Just come here already. You’ll starve to death,” suggested Saito. With a click of his tongue, Saito placed a slice of pizza on a plate and held it out to her. Akane’s eyes gleamed. She charged straight at Saito, snatched the plate from his hands, and bolted out of the living room. The sound of her footsteps echoed as she ran up the stairs.

She’s like a feral cat that refuses to warm up to people… Saito felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. At least things were at least more peaceful without Akane around. He heated up some gratin and pasta in the microwave and quietly ate alone.

Good food. Must be from a nice restaurant. Saito wondered whether he should leave some leftovers for Akane. After being treated that way though, Saito felt no obligation to show her any additional kindness. He happily finished everything.

After taking a quick bath and setting his things out for school the next day, Saito entered the bedroom. Akane wasn’t there. She’s probably planning to sleep in her study room, Saito thought. He’d also prefer to sleep alone, but he knew better than to underestimate Tenryu. There was a nonzero chance that the bed had a secret built-in weight sensor, and it wouldn’t surprise him if surveillance cameras were hidden throughout the house as well. If Tenryu found out they weren’t following his orders to the letter…that poor dog would become the heir to the Houjou Group.

He couldn’t afford to take any risks. If Akane wanted to ignore Tenryu, that was on her. At the very least, Saito had to obey.

On the bed, he found a Yes/No pillow.

He flipped it over. Both sides of the pillow said Yes.

Saito was speechless.

He could not even imagine a future where that kind of “yes” would feature in his relationship with Akane. Saito tore off the pillow cover and tossed it into the trash. He put his smartphone on the headboard, connecting it to the built-in charger. The furniture and amenities were meticulously prepared—a clear gesture of how serious Tenryu and Chiyo were about Saito and Akane’s marital union. Lying down on the bed, Saito closed his eyes. Drowsiness overtook him almost instantly. It had been a big day, after all. Saito had experienced a lifetime’s worth of unpleasant surprises. I never want to experience a day like this ever again. Just as that thought fluttered through his mind, the bedroom door opened, letting in a sliver of light from the hallway.

“…Ex-excuse me.”

Standing there in the doorway, dressed in sleepwear, was Akane.

A faint steam rose from her body—a lingering postbath phenomenon. Her damp hair glistened under the light. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, and she fidgeted nervously, twisting her body slightly.

“Oh, hey.” Saito’s drowsiness instantly vanished.

A female classmate standing in one’s bedroom—an undeniably abnormal situation. No matter how much they hated each other, the sheer impact of the moment was undeniable. Especially since, at least in terms of appearance, this girl was very, very pretty.

“Um, this bed is too small…” muttered Akane.

“They definitely bought one this tiny on purpose,” said Saito.

It was just barely large enough for two people to lie down. Tenryu and Chiyo had clearly strategized so that Akane and Saito’s bodies would always be in close contact. They had gone way too far. Awkwardly, Akane waddled over and climbed onto the bed. The mattress creaked under her added weight, and Saito instinctively shifted to the very edge, feeling increasingly restless.

A fruity shampoo fragrance blending with the natural sweetness of Akane’s perfume drifted into his nose. It was an intoxicatingly thick aroma—almost overpowering.

This girl is dangerous…

Even though his brain understood that Akane was the girl he hated most, Saito’s body refused to acknowledge it. Even as an intelligent, domineering top student, Saito was still a virile teenage boy, after all.

Akane lifted the blanket and slipped underneath, lying down with her back facing Saito. Their bodies were so close that even the slightest movement would make their backs touch. The heat from her freshly bathed body weaved itself through the bedding, creating an almost tangible warmth in the space between them.

In a barely audible whisper, Akane spoke.

“Don’t you dare try anything weird with me. I agreed to the marriage, but I did not agree to do anything sexual.”

“…Of course,” said Saito. Saito was painfully aware of how nervous his voice sounded.

“I’m not joking. I mean it, okay? Absolutely not,” Akane reiterated, continuing. “I-I’ve never had a boyfriend before, and…I’m…I’m a virgin… I’ve never done anything sexual with anyone.” Her words caught in the back of her throat, and she let out a small, mortified squeak.

“…I understand…I’m a virgin too,” Saito replied.

Saito had no idea why those words came out of his mouth. If someone asked him how saying that was supposed to help, he wouldn’t have been able to give a logical answer.

“Then…I guess it’s fine.”

For some reason, that was enough for Akane.

And so their wedding night was spent with the two of them lying back-to-back, facing away from each other, unable to sleep. Saito lay there, unable to sleep or even shift his position, as time slowly passed. From right beside him, he could hear the small, uneven breaths of his classmate.

Is she also too nervous to sleep? Saito wondered. Akane’s breathing was irregular.

“Hey… Why did you agree to marry me?”

Upon hearing Saito’s question, Akane gasped.

“…I’m not telling you,” said Akane.

“You know my reason. It’s only fair that you tell me yours too,” Saito urged.

“It’s not like I asked you to tell me in the first place,” replied Akane.

“True enough.” Saito knew Akane didn’t trust him, but something about her actions still didn’t sit right with him.

“I had my own reasons for needing to marry you, and you had your own reasons as well. But even though our marriage is just for show, we have to put on a convincing act,” Akane said.

“Yeah, otherwise our grandparents will get suspicious, and that’d be a pain,” added Saito.

“Exactly. It’s extremely frustrating, but I have no choice but to commit. I’ll endure anything if it means I can achieve my dream,” Akane said.

Apparently she had accepted this marriage for the same reason as Saito—to achieve her own goal.

“Only…what if my grandpa suddenly adds a new condition? Like what if he says we have to have a baby?” Saito questioned.

“A…b-baby?! That’s…” Akane flinched in shock, shifting her body in place. Her movement caused her body to brush against Saito’s hand.

Wh-what is this softness in my hand? A round, gently contoured shape fit snugly into his palm. Before he could process in his head what was happening, Saito’s hand reflexively squeezed whatever it was.

This is…my classmate’s butt, Saito realized.

Akane trembled violently and abruptly sat up. Her eyes welled up with tears as she seized Saito’s fingers in a death grip.

“You…you touched my butt?! I’m going to break your fingers.”

“The bed is too small! I didn’t mean to! You bumped into me first!” Saito exclaimed, defending himself.

The groom’s scream echoed through the cramped, moonlit honeymoon suite.

That was how it all started.

The air in the high school hallway was tense and crisp. Akane was still glaring at Saito, her hair shining in the cold morning sunlight.

“You better not tell anyone in class that we’re married. Otherwise, I’ll have to break your neck too.”

A threat from his new wife the morning after their wedding night. This was no happily ever after.

“I get it. Stop repeating yourself. I’ll keep my promise,” pleaded Saito.

“And don’t talk to me about our marriage in school. It’d be a disaster if someone overheard us,” demanded Akane.

“You’re the one who brought it up in the first place,” Saito pointed out. That left Akane momentarily at a loss for words.

“…Well…yes, I’m just saying we should be more careful from now on.”

“It’s you who needs to be more careful because of how foolish you are,” Saito replied sarcastically.

“I’m not foolish. If anything, you’re the bigger fool here,” Akane fumed.

“My grades are higher than yours,” Saito boasted, sneering.

“If you get too complacent, you’ll regret it someday. For example, oh…around midnight tonight…” Akane threatened. A dark glint flickered in Akane’s eyes.

“That’s not ‘someday’! That’s oddly specific!” Saito squared off. Akane proceeded to egg him on.

“You really shouldn’t provoke me like that. We sleep in the same bed every night, you know. I could crush you whenever I want,” snarled Akane.

“I told you to stop saying that kind of stuff at school!” Saito frantically looked around.

Akane flinched, quickly covering her mouth with her hands. While Akane was always stern and square and came across as straitlaced, she did have a clumsy side. Saito had started to notice that side of her more and more. In fact, just last night, she’d nearly fallen down the stairs of their new home several times. And despite leaving the house at staggered times to cover the fact that they lived together and avoid suspicion, they ended up meeting in the hallway anyway—completely ruining their meticulous preparation.

Using separate entrances, they quietly slipped into Class 3-A. Inside the classroom, Himari greeted Akane.

“Morning, Akane! What were you and Saito-kun chatting about?”

“Nothing important,” answered Akane.

“Really? You were grabbing his tie. It looked like you were super mad at him,” Himari interrogated.

“I wasn’t mad. That’s just my usual face,” Akane replied.

“Well, yeah, you do always look kinda scary, Akane,” said Himari.

“Wait, really? How so?” Panicking, Akane touched her own face.

“Uhm, the elevens are showing on your forehead. You kind of look like an ogre,” pointed out Himari.

“An ogre? Isn’t that a bit harsh?!” Akane seemed genuinely shocked. Himari flipped her smartphone camera around, using it as a makeshift mirror to show Akane so she could see for herself. Akane immediately started rubbing her own forehead, trying desperately to smooth out her elevens. The two girls were as close as ever. Saito had never once seen them fight, and he doubted they ever would. Their friendship was the complete antithesis to the relationship he shared with Akane.

As Saito took his seat, Shisei approached him.

Without even a word, she suddenly pressed her nose against Saito’s head, sniffing his hair thoroughly.

“Wh-what the hell?” Saito flinched. Shisei pulled back and gave him a sharp, knowing look.

“Ani-kun, your shampoo smells different. Where did you sleep last night?”

Her instincts are sharp. Saito would have to choose his words carefully.

“Um… Dad bought some weird new shampoo, that’s all.”

“It’s not just the shampoo.” Shisei wasn’t buying it. She grabbed Saito’s collar and leaned in, sniffing his neck. Shisei’s cold nose traced along Saito’s skin, sending a ticklish sensation down his spine.

“…There’s a girl’s scent on you too.” Without warning, she lightly bit down on his neck.

“Ouch! Don’t bite me!”

“You should be grateful that I didn’t break the skin,” Shisei stated.

“Don’t say scary stuff like that, Shise.”

“If you’re dating someone, you should come clean and tell me. As your ‘sister,’ I find it troubling that you’re hiding your love life from me,” Shisei grilled Saito.

“What’s more troubling is a ‘sister’ demanding updates on her ‘brother’s’ relationships,” Saito asserted. And yet, Shisei didn’t look particularly troubled. Her face remained as nonchalant as usual.

Then, she leaned close to Saito’s ear and whispered, “…Liar. You got married, didn’t you?”

Saito was stunned.

“…What… Why would you say something like that?” Before he could even ask how she knew, Shisei continued.

“Grandpa and the others were acting strangely, so I investigated. I know where your new home is too.” She paused, readying her final blow. “You married Akane…” Shisei groaned midsentence as Saito’s hand flew in, covering her mouth. Shisei found herself scooped up by Saito. She didn’t struggle—her limp body just dangled against Saito’s, completely unfazed. Saito rushed out to the balcony, Shisei in tow, and dropped her down on the floor. He quickly shut the door behind him.

“You kidnapped a loli, Ani-kun. That makes you a criminal.” Shisei buried her face in his hands.

“So, you’re at least that self-aware…” Saito muttered.

In truth, Shisei’s appearance was indistinguishable from that of an elementary school student. When the two of them went to an amusement park, she’d often get charged the child fare. On some extreme occasions, she was even offered a fare for preschoolers. Saito joined his hands in prayer.

“Please. You can’t tell anyone about my marriage,” pleaded Saito.

“Why not? Marriage is a joyous event. You should let everyone in class know so they can celebrate,” replied Shisei.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait!” Saito grabbed Shisei as she tried to head to the classroom, pulling her back.

“I’m being held captive. This is kidnapping.” Shisei crossed her arms.

“It’s not kidnapping! Do you have any idea how much chaos you would cause if everyone found out two high school classmates got married?” Saito insisted.

“You didn’t even consult me before getting married. I have no obligation to keep quiet,” protested Shisei.

“I did so talk to you about it!” Saito fired back.

“Not really—you were being cryptic and deceptive.” Shisei pouted, then suddenly thrust out her hand toward Saito.

“I demand hush money.”

“How much…?”

She was Tenryu’s granddaughter, after all. Is she about to ask for half of the Houjou Group’s assets? Saito tensed up. Shisei placed a finger on her lips, deep in thought.

“Hmm… Hush money, hush money… Hush money…”

Before Shisei could come up with anything concrete, a butterfly fluttered in from the garden outside.

“Wow, a butterfly!” Distracted, she immediately wobbled off, chasing after it.

“So, you couldn’t come up with anything,” probed Saito.

“I’ll think of something eventually. Your life is in my hands, Ani-kun.”

Shisei opened and closed her tiny fists, like a toddler mimicking a dance at a school play. It was cute, but Saito knew how hard Shisei’s true motives were to pin down. Saito dreaded the day she decided on her price—because whatever it was, it was bound to be outrageous.

The first-period class was volleyball in the gymnasium.

Saito sat against the wall, watching the other teams compete. Shisei stood in the middle of the volleyball court, appearing to be in a daze even when the ball came her way. The ball would bash her in the head, the face, or the side of her body—it was as if her body had become a black hole that sucked the ball in. Each time she got hit, her small body was sent flying from the force, though she didn’t let out a single scream. She remained completely silent as she soared through the air. It was eerie to watch.

“U-um, sorry, Houjou-san, you okay?” Students from the opposing team rushed over in concern, but Shisei remained composed.

“I’m fine. This won’t kill me,” replied Shisei, unfazed.

Shisei was perhaps the one in the Houjou family who resembled Tenryu the most. That aside though, the volleyball abuse continued. Is she really okay? Saito began to worry. Saito watched anxiously in his role as the responsible older brother, while Akane approached, holding the volleyball. She stood beside Saito and, without even trying to meet his gaze, piped up.

“What were you talking about with Shisei this morning?”

“Just…stuff.” Saito dodged the question. If he told her that Shisei knew everything, the gates of hell would fling open for sure.

“Answer me honestly. You didn’t tell Shisei about the marriage, did you?” Akane coerced.

“I didn’t.”

Shisei brought it up, not me, Saito thought.

“Really? I don’t trust you.”

“I swear. What would I gain from telling Shisei?” Saito pointed out.

Akane hugged the ball and gazed off into the distance.

“Humans are foolish creatures. We do meaningless things sometimes…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Saito wondered where this discussion was going.

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? About 95 percent of humanity is just going through the motions, without effort or growth,” insisted Akane.

“You owe that 95 percent of humanity an apology,” Saito replied.

Sure, plenty of people seemed to live their lives on autopilot, but Saito believed that how one lived was their own personal choice.

Meanwhile, Shisei, having been hit by the ball one too many times, was given a red card by the PE teacher. It was the first time Saito had ever seen a red card in volleyball. With Shisei being carried off the court, the game was over. Her female teammates ran toward her and tended to her wounds.

“Shisei-chan, hang in there.”

“It’s over, you don’t have to be scared now.”

“Let’s go somewhere safe with Mama and the others, ’kay?”

“It’s warm, dim, and quiet there.”

Shisei’s petite, doll-like appearance seemed to activate girls’ maternal instincts. As the girls carried Shisei away, looking like a gaggle of worried mothers, Shisei turned to Saito and shot him a thumbs up.

“Ani-kun, I leave the rest to you.”

“Yeah, just go rest in the infirmary,” Saito responded.

Saito had no idea what Shisei had just entrusted to him…but since his team’s match was next up, he took his place on the court. He wasn’t particularly fond of PE, but he understood that building a solid foundation of physical strength during adolescence would be necessary for his future business endeavors.

Saito and Akane took the front-left and center positions, while Himari was positioned as the back-center. Akane shot Saito a sharp glare.

“This is a competition. I refuse to lose to you.”

“We’re on the same team, you know,” offered Saito.

“I’ve never once considered you an ally,” Akane spat.

“Try to, during the game at least!” Just as Saito replied, the opposing team’s serve came flying in.

“…”

As Saito sprinted to receive the ball…

“Eek!” Akane’s screech rang out as she charged at him full force.

Their foreheads collided with a resounding clang, reminiscent of cathedral bells ringing. Thousands of sparks flashed before Saito’s eyes.

“What the heck are you doing?!” Saito growled.

“That’s my line! I had it!” Akane yelled.

“No way, that one was mine!” Saito exclaimed.

“Huh? And who exactly decided that?! That ball’s been mine since the beginning of time!” Saito and Akane glared at each other through tears of intense pain.

“Um, that’s not your ball—the ball belongs to school,” Himari calmly pointed out.

“Now that I think about it, you’re so right, Himari.” Saito clutched his head, realizing he had inadvertently been baited by Akane’s emotional responses. Usually, he was more collected than anyone his age, but whenever he talked with Akane, he inexplicably became emotional, making it hard to just let things slide. Perhaps that was the true reason he really did not want anything to do with her.

The ball had rolled all the way off of the court, scoring a point for the opposing team.

“Saito-kun, you’re kind of a dork, huh?” Himari laughed cheerfully.

“Damn…”

What an oversight. As someone who took pride in having the top grades in school, Saito couldn’t afford to lose his cool at being called a dork. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

“All right, let’s go!” he shouted, summoning his fighting spirit.

Yet again, Saito and Akane both lunged for the ball, colliding fiercely with each other. Saito groaned as Akane’s head smashed into Saito’s stomach.

Damn, she’s a cannon. Saito was dazed before he was blasted off the court entirely. Saito staggered to his feet, spitting blood.

“Do you want to kill me? You think you’ll get away with it because it’s during a volleyball match?” he spat. Akane, too, had blood trickling from the corner of her mouth—both of them were battered and bruised.

“You were in my path! Don’t get in my way!” screamed Akane.

“You’re the one blocking me, all right?” Saito corrected her.

“It’s your fault for darting out in front of a bulldozer!” Akane stated.

“Oh, so now you’re a bulldozer?”

Saito was slightly amused. That term hardly suited a girl whose appearance at least seemed delicate.

Saito continued, “Anyway, just stay put next time! It’d be better if we alternated returning the ball!”

“Ugh.” Akane clenched her fists in frustration, striking a clear fighting pose.

Saito braced himself against the looming threat—one that could easily knock him out in the ring if he let his guard down. Since Saito declared that he’d return next, there was no room for failure. Sharpening every sense in his body, he tapped in to the whispers of his sixth sense and calculated the trajectory of the ball flying in from the opponents’ court.

…Now!

As Saito leaped gracefully, his knee connected with Akane’s jaw. There was no room for feeble compromises like taking turns for this girl. No matter what, she would go for the return—that’s just the kind of girl Sakuramori Akane was. The two of them tumbled onto the gymnasium floor in a tangled heap. Saito pinned Akane down, pressing his weight on her in a domineering stance. Her gym uniform was hiked up, exposing her slender waist. Her hair was in disarray on the floor, and her chest heaved dramatically.

“I heard a sharp cracking sound—did anything break?” Saito was worried. His empathy got the better of him as Saito gently rubbed Akane’s jaw. Her wide eyes slowly welled with tears.

“How dare you do this in public—even if we’re…m…” She nearly shouted the forbidden word, but Saito quickly covered her mouth just in time.

“Mmph, mmph, mmph…”

Akane’s body thrashed about wildly, but Saito didn’t let go. The thought of Akane’s inevitable revenge terrified Saito, but the prospect of information leaking was even more frightening. Akane shoved Saito away, breaking free from his hold. Panting heavily, she glared at him.

“You pervert… Don’t you realize you just molested a girl during PE class?”

“I did not!” Saito detested.

“You did! You almost ruined me to the point where I could not get married!”

Saito suppressed the urge to fire back, “You’re already my wife.”

Akane shielded her body with a volleyball. Classmates watching from afar whispered among themselves.

“Those two are at it again.”

“They never get sick of it, do they?”

“They’re way too cozy.” Lukewarm, affectionate stares were darting from the classmates watching the two.

“What do they mean ‘at it again’?” Saito inquired.

Himari just laughed.

“Don’t you know? Since you and Akane are fighting all the time, you guys are famous in our school for being an entertaining couple. They call you the ‘Real Couple Channel’ and the ‘Top Married Couple Comedy Duo.’”

“We’re not married!” Akane protested, turning bright red in denial.

Unfortunately, she was lying.

There was no way that two people who fought like that at school could successfully exist together at home.

As Saito was reading a book in the living room, he heard Akane screaming from the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” Saito asked, peering over the counter.

Akane, having just returned home, stood there in her school uniform holding a supermarket shopping bag.

“What is all this? There’s juice everywhere!” she exclaimed, pointing at the contents of the refrigerator. Cartons of juice were packed tightly inside.

“Ah, I bought those—it’s concentrated vegetable juice,” said Saito.

“There’s no room for the groceries I just bought for us! Why did you buy nothing but vegetable juice?!” Akane asked him.

“Because it has great macros. It’s loaded with vitamins—keeps you healthy.”

“That’s not healthy at all. You need more than just vitamins, you also need carbohydrates and everything else,” Akane retorted.

“I know, that’s taken care of too,” Saito replied as he opened the cupboard door. Filling the cupboard from top to bottom were towers of inescapable, almighty cup noodles. Under the brilliant architectural mind of the valedictorian-level Saito, a gapless tower of cup noodles was constructed, dominating nearly one hundred percent of the space inside the cupboard.

“Eek!” Akane screamed.

“So delicious you could scream, right? After all, cup noodles are the perfect complete food—they hit the trifecta: cheap, quick, and tasty.” Saito was bursting with pride, while Akane, looking gravely troubled, held her head in her hands.

“I hesitate to even ask—what about protein?” said Akane.

“Protein powder!”

Saito proudly raised his shaker as he pulled out some commercial-grade protein powder from a plastic bag that had been sitting on the floor.

“Look! It’s ideal the way the whey and casein has been mixed at the perfect ratio. Even you have to admit, the nutritional balance is outstanding,” Saito stated.

“I most certainly do not!” Akane snapped.

“You want a drink?” Saito asked.

“No way, I’m not drinking that.”

Despite his earnest proposal, Akane rejected him outright. Reluctantly, Saito filled his shaker with a single serving of protein and vegetable juice and began shaking it meticulously.

Akane shuddered.

“Are you planning to live off nothing but cup noodles, vegetable juice, and protein from now on?”

“It’s the simplest way to cook, no?”

“You can’t call that cooking, absolutely not. What you’ve made isn’t a meal, it’s sludge!”

“That’s insulting. Do you have any idea how long it took for me to change my palate so that this unbelievably awful liquid would taste delicious?” Saito furrowed his brows.

“Don’t cheat your own taste buds,” Akane retorted.

“I’m not cheating them. I’ve just numbed them,” smugly declared Saito, placing his hand on his chest proudly. Akane crossed her arms and glared at the floor.

“It’s true—geniuses are full of eccentricities… They’re even more dangerous than I imagined… Left to his own devices, Saito would probably die…and if that happens, our marital rewards disappear—that’d be a problem… There’s nothing for it, I have to do something. But I’m doing this for myself, not for him!” Akane muttered under her breath.

“You okay? Chanting sutras or something?”

“No, nothing like that.” Raising her head, Akane pointed squarely at Saito and continued, “What you’re doing isn’t cooking—it’s science. Let me teach you what real cooking is all about. Sit here and wait.”

“No need. I’ve got this elixir,” Saito said and offered Akane the special drink—a perfectly blended mix of cocoa-colored protein powder and green vegetable juice. Akane recoiled, her shoulders jerking.

“Keep that poison away from me! It’s disgusting—just throw it out or something!”

“There’s no way I’m throwing it away. I can’t just waste food.”

“I still can’t get behind calling that food.”

“How dare you look down upon my masterpiece.” Saito gritted his back teeth as he proceeded to flush his concoction down the sink. His blood and sweat—the fruits of Saito’s inventive labor—all disappearing into the drain. One day, he would have his revenge. Meanwhile, Akane—who had donned an adorable pink apron over her high school uniform—leaned back to tie the strings at the back, tossed her hair up, and took a deep breath.

“You’re a little hyped up,” Saito teased.

“I’m not,” she retorted sharply.

“I’m simply going to impress you with my unimaginable cooking skills. Brace yourself.” Despite her protest, Akane did in fact seem a little excited.

Akane was fired up with enthusiasm as she stirred the eggs and poured them into the tamagoyaki pan. Her cooking skills were honed by making healthy meals for her little sister, so she was confident around the kitchen. Her overall test scores could never quite beat Saito’s, but she had consistently outperformed him in home ec. On top of that was Saito’s complete lack of practical life skills—the fact that he called protein sludge a “meal” was proof positive he had hardly ever cooked anything proper on his own.

Akane twirled the egg mixture briskly with her chopsticks, rolling it up expertly and rhythmically. When she had tried to make a rolled tamagoyaki omelet as an elementary school student, it ended up as scrambled eggs, but since then, Akane had become quite adept at making the dish. Perfectly shaped and baked to a light, fluffy finish, the aroma of dashi and eggs rose in a cloud of steam. When she trimmed the edges with her knife, a gleaming, perfect golden cross section was revealed to perfection.

“All done!” Akane nodded in satisfaction at the result.

She could see Saito glancing over intermittently—he looked like a famished dog. Seeing her sworn enemy looking just as pathetic as she expected, Akane felt a surge of superiority. Saito was waiting for her to feed him. At least for now, he was her well-trained pet dog. No matter how high and mighty one might be, once your stomach was in someone else’s hands, that was the end of the ball game.

Akane poached some thinly sliced pork loin in shimmering water, then chilled and arranged them on a plate, surrounding them with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. Over the shabu-shabu pork, she piled grated daikon radish, finely chopped green onions, and white radish sprouts, then drizzled everything with ponzu sauce. This was one of her go-tos—a light, satisfying, and nutritionally excellent meal. Her younger sister had always loved it.

When you take your first bite, you’ll be so astonished your eyes will pop out of your skull. Akane was certain that Saito would come to recognize the brilliance of Akane’s abilities, shower her with praise for the meal’s deliciousness, and thank her from the bottom of his heart. Although Akane always ended up losing to Saito in school, this was a chance for her to make him admit that she had him beat when it came to cooking. At the thought of it, a peal of laughter welled up from deep within her.

“He he he…”

“What are you laughing at? That’s creepy.”

“How rude—you do realize I’m making your dinner, don’t you?”

“Is this going to be my Last Supper…? Are you going to poison me…?” Saito trembled.

As usual, he knows exactly how to get on my nerves, she thought. Her shoulders tense with anger, she continued cooking.

The moment of truth—dinnertime—had arrived. Saito watched in fear as Akane carried the food to the table. Saito knew she had always considered him her enemy. Would she mix in some poison before dinner? Why else would she ever serve her own cooking to an enemy? He had been meticulously monitoring her every move during cooking to try to catch her in the act—but he hadn’t been able to see the exact moment she added the poison.

Did she slip it in while I wasn’t looking…? Or, wait, did she deliberately divert my attention to create a blind spot?Maybe she has a talent for sleight of hand… Saito had now utterly convinced himself of Akane’s devious nature. Even though this would be the first time he was eating a girl’s home-cooked meal, there was not the slightest bit of delight in his heart; he was completely overwhelmed with fear.

“Help yourself… Today, I’ll show you that I can bring even the mighty Houjou Saito to his knees!” With those ominous words, Akane served her home-cooked dishes, a fiendish look spreading on her face.

Cold pork shabu-shabu salad, rolled tamagoyaki omelet, miso soup, and cooked white rice. Saito prodded the white rice with the tip of his chopsticks. It might be rude, but I can’t risk my life, Saito thought.

“Well…at least there aren’t any nails or bombs mixed in.”

“Obviously! Nails and bombs aren’t really part of a balanced meal,” Akane exclaimed.

“As far as I can sense, you didn’t mix anything in that would cause any ill effects right away…” Saito mumbled.

“What are you talking about? Just hurry up and eat!” Akane was losing her patience.

“Are you really in this much of a rush to kill me?” Saito demanded.

“I’m not trying to kill you!” Akane didn’t even bother picking up her chopsticks—she was focused on watching Saito’s every move.

Wait, is she not eating hers because it’s all poisoned? Saito, still trembling, fearfully lifted a slice of the cold pork shabu-shabu up to his mouth. Half expecting to die, he took a deep breath and bit down.

“So, how is it? Tasty?” Akane leaned over the table, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

?! It’s…surprisingly good. Saito was shocked. There was no hidden explosive bursting in his mouth, no excruciating pain searing his tongue, and no soporifics scrambling his senses either. It was a normal home-cooked meal.

The parboiled pork loin was juicy, and the condiments of grated daikon, green onions, and white radish sprouts complemented it perfectly, delivering a refreshing kick. When he bit into the marinated tomatoes, the sweet and tangy juices filled his mouth.

While Saito was favored by his grandfather, he was, in fact, treated coldly by his parents. In his family home, Saito lived on cup noodles and boxed bento lunches. In contrast, when he dined out with his grandfather, it was always at elegant upscale restaurants. The disparity between these extremes gave Saito vertigo. Because of this, carefully prepared, ordinary home-cooked meals were something truly special to Saito. Unlike his cold, distant family home, these dishes conveyed the warmth and vitality of a genuine household.

“…Ordinary.”

That single word was the highest compliment Saito could have given, and yet…

“Well then, don’t eat it!”

Akane snatched the plate away, outraged.

“What the heck? There’s no way you’re going to take it away from me now!”

Returning to protein shakes after having his appetite stimulated like this was cruel and unusual punishment. Saito’s taste buds hadn’t been fully numbed; he still craved delicious, home-style food and not scientifically synthesized sustenance.

“If it doesn’t taste good, then you don’t have to eat it. I could just as well give it away to some stray dog.”

“That’d be such a waste. I never said it’s not tasty, did I?”

“You didn’t say it was delicious either!” Akane grabbed the plate and ran around the living room, Saito chasing after her. Saito didn’t understand why Akane was so angry. He really was unusually impressed by her cooking, but somehow they just couldn’t get on the same wavelength. Everything always ended up overblown and dramatic. Saito and Akane, both bright students and by all accounts not from different planets, were simply destined to be at odds with one another since the beginning of high school. They couldn’t understand why.

Saito snatched the plate back from Akane and shoveled the food into his mouth with blinding speed.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?!” Akane fumed.

“I eat everything that’s served—I won’t leave even a single grain of rice,” Saito shot back.

I won’t let the precious taste of home cooking go to waste. Saito wolfed down the rolled tamagoyaki omelet, guzzled the miso soup, and stuffed the white rice into his mouth.

Akane yanked Saito’s sleeve and screamed, “Give the plate back to me! That’s theft—you dine-and-dasher!”

“I’ve never heard of being charged for meals in a household before! Let go, you were the one who wanted to serve me food in the first place,” Saito retorted.

“You scoundrel… I’ll hold a grudge against you for all eternity.” Akane glared with teary, resentful eyes. Saito had finished every dish served but was still resented.

“Wake up, wake up.”

A sweet voice seeped into Saito’s ears as he lay wrapped in his soft blanket. The gentle rhythm of being lightly shaken, the small hands touching his shoulder—it was all so comforting. Saito indulged in his slumber a little longer, even as he sensed the morning sunlight through his closed eyelids. The blanket was filled with the girl’s sweet scent. It blended with her lingering warmth, gently enveloping him.

Not wanting to end this comfortable moment, Saito muttered with his eyes still closed, “Just a little longer…”

“No, it’s time to get up!”

The girl lightly patted Saito, the cool sensation of her touch pleasant in the warmth of the bed. The only one who would do something like this for Saito was his cousin, Shisei. Since they were little, Shisei would often crawl into Saito’s bed. Still half-asleep, Saito instinctively pulled the girl into an embrace.

“It’s fine, let’s just sleep in,” Saito murmured.

“N-no!”

The girl stiffened up in his arms. A citrusy sweet scent from her hair drifted past Saito’s nose. It wasn’t an unpleasant smell. In fact, it stirred something primal within him. Her body fit perfectly in his arms, almost as if she had been made to be held by him.

“You…!” The girl trembled, her voice shaking with embarrassment.

Something felt different. Saito was about to fully wake up and process the situation when he heard the stern voice.

“I said wake up!” With full force, the girl sent Saito tumbling off the bed.

“Wh-whuh?!”

Rubbing his eyes in confusion, Saito looked up at the figure standing before him.

It wasn’t Shisei after all—it was Akane, with an apron on. Her face was bright red, and her eyes were brimming with tears.

“So in this house, if you try to wake someone up, you just get dragged into their bed…? Is this some kind of free-for-all…?”

“Calm down. I thought you were Shisei…”

“Wait, so if it were Shisei-san, you would have dragged her into bed? Is that the kind of relationship you two have?” Akane was livid.

“Whatever kind of relationship you’re imagining right now, I can guarantee the one Shisei and I have is not that! Anyway, please, put down that weapon!” Saito indicated the knife Akane clutched in her hand.

Was she planning to attack him in his sleep? Saito quickly wrapped the blanket around himself like armor, bracing for her assault.

“It’s not a weapon. I was making breakfast,” said Akane matter-of-factly.

“Gee, thanks, after all that mayhem over dinner yesterday…”

“I didn’t make you any,” Akane informed.

The blade of the knife gleamed menacingly in the morning sunlight.

“Yeah, yeah. I really am sorry, by the way.” Saito hunched his shoulders, disappointed despite himself. Once again, his breakfast would consist of his trademark protein and vegetable juice concoction—scientifically sound but far from satisfying. Akane turned to the side, pouting.

“W-Well… The thing is, I might have made a little too much… If you really need to eat something, I guess I could let you have the leftovers?”

“I don’t eat leftovers.”

“Why not? You like my cooking, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t matter who cooked the food—leftovers are still leftovers. I refuse.” Saito pouted. It was a matter of human dignity.

“You completely devoured all the leftovers last night. Seemed like you thought it was a proper dinner then,” said Akane.

Saito realized Akane now saw him as nothing more than a leftover disposal unit. It was humiliating, and it had to stop.

“Anyway, I didn’t expect you to come wake me up,” Saito said.

“Oh, now I remember—I didn’t come to wake you up. I came to yell at you,” Akane responded.

“Yell at me? What did I do?”

“Just come here.”

Seeing no other option, Saito obediently followed. He wasn’t foolish enough to defy someone brandishing a knife two minutes after waking up. He was completely unarmed. Akane led him to the kitchen. There, Saito saw daikon radish and bacon pulled from the refrigerator and arranged on the counter in front of him. It was a refreshing, domestic sight. On the kitchen counter, Akane’s smartphone was playing what Saito assumed was background music for cooking.

“Look at this!” Akane pointed at the sink. Dirty dishes and bowls from last night’s dinner filled the sink to its brim.

“What about it?”

“What about it?! Why are the dirty dishes still there? I cooked last night, so you should be the one to wash up!” Akane exclaimed.

“Can’t we just leave them? We have plenty of bowls left. Let’s just wait until the stack reaches the ceiling,” Saito stated.

“We need to deal with this now! It’s unsanitary, it ruins the way the kitchen looks, and more than anything, it’s disgusting! Wash them now! I can’t even use the rice cooker because of this mess!” Akane bellowed.

“I don’t see the problem…”

Whenever his parents were away on vacation, Saito would buy a bunch of shaker bottles, use a different one each day, and wash them all at the end of the week. It was far more efficient than washing them one by one. Still, for now, he figured it’d be best to just go with the flow. After using the restroom, he started washing the dishes. Focusing on finishing as quickly as possible, he mindlessly moved the sponge over the plates. Just then, Akane came sprinting over from the bathroom.

“Why did you leave the toilet seat up?!”

“Is that a problem?”

“It’s gross! Either put it down when you leave or just sit down when you use the restroom!” Akane replied.

“Why don’t you just put it down yourself?” Saito asked.

“I don’t want to touch it! How do you not understand?”

“I just don’t.”

“Huh?! You really are beyond help.” Akane gave Saito an eye-roll, letting out an exasperated sigh. She looked utterly fed up.

Saito wasn’t lying, he genuinely didn’t understand. Neither his parents nor Shisei had ever complained about the toilet seat before. Being yelled at over something so trivial first thing in the morning was starting to wear his nerves thin too.

“You left the toilet paper roll empty, you left the soap packaging on the bathroom floor—what is wrong with you? Are you trying to turn this beautiful house into a jungle?” Akane scolded.

“Cleaning up once a month should be enough,” Saito shrugged, causing Akane’s eyes to widen in shock.

“Are you serious…? Are you even human…?”

“That’s just my philosophy. Don’t reject trash—learn to coexist with the mess,” Saito philosophized.

“Absolutely not! I refuse to ‘coexist’ with trash! I want to live properly—cleanly, beautifully, and with dignity!” Akane protested.

“Well, unfortunately for you, I’m not that dedicated. To be honest, I’m not even sure things like baths and cleaning are necessary in the first place,” Saito confessed.

“That mindset is absolutely disgusting! What is there to even question?” Akane shuddered in horror.

“Anyway, I’m done with the dishes, so…”

“W-wait a minute!”

“It’s too early in the morning for all this yelling. You’re giving me a headache. Can you please simmer down?” Saito pleaded.

“Excuse me?! How dare you talk to your housemate like that?!” Akane’s voice raised even further.

“Remember, we’re only living together for our own personal benefit. We shouldn’t interfere with each other more than is absolutely necessary.”

With that reminder, Saito retreated from the kitchen. He could hear Akane stomping her feet in frustration, but if he took her seriously every time, he’d lose his sanity. He decided he’d focus on getting ready for school.

It wasn’t just housework—Saito and Akane clashed in nearly every aspect of daily life. The stress of spending every waking moment with a girl he absolutely couldn’t stand was getting overwhelming. Completely drained, Saito booted up his gaming console as soon as dinner was over. After all, nothing beat video games when it came to stress relief. Fortunately, this house was equipped with a massive TV and an impressive sound system—far superior to anything he had ever had at home.

Ever since moving in, he had been itching to try out this gaming setup. A massive horde of zombies filled the screen. One after another, the relentless monsters charged toward him, and Saito cut them down as the zombies’ screams echoed through the blood-soaked battlefield.

After about two hours of play, he had made some solid progress in story mode. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching the living room. It was Akane. Just hearing her footsteps made his stomach burn with irritation. Was this going to turn into another argument? He wished with all his might that this time would go differently. What would she choose as her nitpicking subject this time? The mere thought of it ruined his mood. Saito silently prayed for the negativity to go away, but it was useless—Akane had already burst into the living room.

“It’s too loud! I can’t concentrate on my studying—wait…what kind of weird game even is this?!”

“It isn’t a weird game. It’s a zone-based zombie-hunting hack and slash.”

Saito explained enthusiastically, “You go around different prefectures across the country, taking down zombies using weapons themed after the regions. The game is meticulously crafted—each stage features the local governor as a navigator, and the settings accurately recreate real-world tourist spots. Even the zombies are modeled after historical figures…”

“I don’t care about any of that. It’s gross—just turn it off,” Akane cut him off midsentence and covered her eyes with her hand.

“It’s not gross.”

Saito continued, “Look, I even lowered the giblets settings to 40 percent. Too much blood and guts make it hard to see the enemies properly, you know.”

“Whether it’s 40 percent or not, giblets are still giblets. You have terrible taste,” Akane responded.

“You’re one to talk. You eat liver, don’t you?” asked Saito.

“Well, not after seeing this I don’t. Why do people even play violent games, anyway? It’s people like that who always end up committing crimes,” replied Akane.

Saito felt a flash of irritation.

“That’s just prejudice. Don’t judge my hobbies.”

“I don’t want you to play that game in my house.”

“It’s my house too.”

“You’re just a freeloader,” hissed Akane.

“How the hell am I the freeloader?!” Saito was infuriated. Their foreheads were nearly touching as they glared at each other. If marriage had changed anything between them, it wasn’t for the better—it had simply expanded the battlefield.

“Whatever. I’m turning it off,” Akane threatened. She marched toward the game console with determined steps.

“Hey, wait, wait, wait!” Panicking, Saito grabbed her hand.

“Don’t touch me! Or what, are you going to resort to force?”

“You’re the one resorting to force here! You’re about to kill two hours of my play data!”

Akane placed a finger of her other hand on her lips, looking puzzled.

“Play…data? I don’t really get what that is. Either way, I’m not going to kill anything.”

“Wait, you don’t even understand what play data is…?” Saito asked.

“Are you mocking me?” Akane growled.

“No! But, well, have you ever played a video game before?”

“Of course! I’ve played claw machine games! I even won a giant plushie once!” She puffed out her chest proudly. Unfortunately, that was hardly an experience that would help her understand a gamer’s mindset. Akane yanked her hand free from Saito’s grip, dashed to the TV, and grabbed the game console.

“Wh-what do you think you’re doing?!” Saito screamed.

“I’m going to lock it away in the closet. No games allowed in this house.”

“What are you, my mom or something?” Saito lunged forward, grabbing onto the console to take it back.

“No way, I’m sure I’d remember raising such a bratty child!” Akane taunted.

“You’re the bratty one here!” Saito yelled.

The two wrestled over the console, neither willing to give an inch. Their palms grew sweaty, making it hard to keep their grip. Saito dug his nails into the device, bracing himself to keep hold of it. And then—the doorbell rang.

“Ah, a guest!” said Akane.

“Wait—!” Saito was startled.

Akane abruptly loosened her grip. Saito tumbled backward, crashing onto the floor. With a series of snaps and pops, the console’s power and video cables were yanked out.

His play data was vaporized in an instant.

“Aaaaaaaahhh…!”

Saito let out a bloodcurdling wail, staring up at the now pitch-black screen.

The visitor who rang the doorbell turned out to be a delivery person. Apparently, there were some belongings from Saito’s parents’ house that Tenryu had missed, so they had been sent over. It was thoughtful of them to send the rest of his things over, but at the same time, Saito couldn’t shake the feeling that his parents were trying to erase any trace of him from the house entirely. A painful sense of melancholy and defeat settled in his chest. Am I never going back home? The harsh reality sank in as he unpacked the newly delivered boxes, sighing to himself.

Saito had no deep attachment to his parents’ house, but still—it was the place he had been born and raised. It wasn’t perfect, but it was at least better than this warzone. Saito might have even been willing to sell his soul if it meant never having to see Akane’s face again.

Another brutal battle was on the horizon tomorrow morning, so Saito resolved to heal today’s wounds with a long, relaxing soak in the bath. Just as he stepped out of his room, he realized, Wait, I need a change of clothes. Turning back, he grabbed his pajamas and a fresh set of underwear before heading to the bathroom.

Back at his parents’ house, it had never been a problem for Saito to walk between the bathroom and his room completely naked unless Shisei was visiting. This meant that he often forgot to throw clothes on before walking around the house. If Akane ever caught him strolling through the hallway naked, it would undoubtedly lead to another endless lecture. Saito mulled everything over as he undressed in the changing room.

The bathroom light was on, but there was no sound coming from inside. He thought back to when he forgot to turn the light off and Akane lectured him about wasting electricity. What a hypocrite; she’d just forgotten it herself. Irritated by the double standard, he swung open the bathroom door and stepped inside.

“…”

Saito gasped.

Akane was in the bathtub—completely naked.

She was lying on her back in the spacious tub, her eyes closed, completely unaware of Saito’s presence. Her breasts, usually modest in appearance under her uniform, were now unrestrained, revealing…an unexpectedly ample bust. Her breasts raised firm against gravity, their delicate pink nipples fully exposed in the clear bath water. Her slender shoulders peeked above the water, and beneath the surface, her pale skin shimmered, her legs almost blindingly white. Her signature braids were undone, her wet hair clinging to her delicate jawline as droplets of water traced down her skin.

She’s…beautiful. For all the constant fighting and bickering, Saito couldn’t deny it.Akane was, without a doubt, a stunning girl.He found himself mesmerized, completely forgetting to turn back to the changing room.

But then, in a flash of lightning—his sense of reason came crashing back.

This was bad.

A wave of terror surged up from deep within his gut. The sheer gravity of what he had just done hit him like a ton of bricks. Saito had just barged in on his female classmate while she was bathing completely naked. She could kill him for this, and honestly, Saito wouldn’t even be able to blame her. No—knowing Akane, who already saw him as an enemy, she might come up with a punishment far more terrifying than death.

…But by some miracle, she hadn’t noticed him yet. Her eyes remained closed, completely unaware of the intruder in her sanctuary.

This was his only chance. He had to escape from this dragon’s lair right now. Moving as silently as possible, Saito carefully began his retreat. No sudden sounds. Any noise meant certain doom. Even the faintest murmur of his foot peeling from the damp floor felt deafening, as if Akane’s ears might pick it up at any second. His entire body tensed with pure, primal fear. The thick, trapped heat mixed with the cool air from his panicked breathing, and Saito suddenly found it hard to breathe. It had only been a few minutes since he entered the bathroom—at most—yet it felt like an eternity. Sweat dripped down his spine.

By the time he finally made it back to the changing room, Saito was completely drained. With the last of his strength, he slowly closed the door, grabbed his clothes, and prepared to flee.

But…

“…That was strange,” Saito mumbled to himself.

He stopped in the hallway. Something wasn’t right about all this. Even if Akane had her eyes closed, was it really possible that she hadn’t noticed him at all?

She can’t be that oblivious… Was she really just resting her eyes? Or has she overheated in the tub and fainted or something?

If she had lost consciousness, she could drown. And what would happen to a husband who ignored his wife drowning in the bathtub? Wouldn’t they throw the book at him?

Standing stark naked in the middle of the hallway, Saito debated his next move carefully. Even if Akane was his sworn enemy, he couldn’t just let her die.

“Damn it…”

Gritting his teeth, he turned back toward the dragon’s lair.Slowly, he approached the bathroom door once again.Taking a deep breath, he knocked.

No response.

“Hey, are you alive in there?”

Still nothing.

“C’mon, answer me, Sakuramori-san! You have to live! Don’t give up!”

He had no idea what he was even saying. But in his panic, he couldn’t think of anything else to yell.

The bathroom remained eerily silent. Having no other choice, Saito opened the door. Akane was still lying in the tub face up, with her eyes closed. She seemed to have sunk deeper into the bath than before. Her face was dangerously close to slipping beneath the water.

A surge of fear shot through him. Saito stepped closer to the tub.

That’s when he heard it—a faint, rhythmic sound. She was…snoring?

She’s asleep?! Are you kidding me?

He felt ridiculous for how genuinely worried he had been, but this was still a dangerous situation. People really did die like this—drunk, dozing off in the tub, slipping under the water, never to wake up. Akane’s sleeping face was almost unrecognizable—she was completely vulnerable. The hostility she carried with her constantly was nowhere to be seen. Without her furrowed brows and constant scowl, she was undeniably adorable. Her lips were soft, slightly dampened by the bath, and her exposed throat had a delicate, almost translucent look to it.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” Saito yelled to her, inches from her face, but Akane didn’t stir. Then, from her cherry blossom-colored lips, a sleepy mumble escaped.

“Mmm… So, you’ve finally admitted defeat. Good boy… If you get on your knees and apologize, I might even let you off if you bark for me like a dog, Houjou-san…”

Saito’s upper lip twitched.

Maybe I should just leave her there.

Even in her dreams, Akane was arguing with Saito—not to mention, demanding humiliating gestures of submission. She must have really hated him.

Unfortunately, that didn’t change the fact that letting a girl drown in his own home would leave a bad taste in Saito’s mouth. He grabbed Akane’s shoulders and shook her.

“Enough already! Wake up! You’ll drown!”

Somehow, Akane remained blissfully asleep, completely unaware of the chaos she was causing. Saito sighed.

I really can’t just leave her like this.

Making up his mind, he decided to move Akane to safety. Gripping her arms, he carefully hauled her out of the bathtub. The moment her submerged body was fully revealed, the sheer destructive power of her beauty intensified. His gaze nearly wandered lower—below her slender stomach—to a place he definitely shouldn’t be looking. Panicking, he quickly averted his eyes—and in that split second, he lost his balance.

Akane’s body fell against him.

Soft. A pliant, yielding sensation molded against his chest. His classmate’s twin peaks, pressed firmly against him, shifting their shape to conform to his body. He could feel her nipples pressing against him—far too viscerally. Bare skin was touching bare skin, and through that intimate contact, Saito could feel Akane’s slow, steady breaths. At this dangerously close distance, Akane’s sleeping face was almost intoxicatingly alluring. It was enough to make a chill run down his spine.

Saito became painfully aware of the blood rushing to his lower body.

It’s just a physiological reaction. It’s just a physiological reaction. It’s just a physiological reaction… Saito desperately chanted to his brain to distract himself, embarrassed and ashamed that his body would defy him and react this way to his nemesis. This was nothing more than a rescue operation—he wasn’t doing anything wrong—so why did he feel so guilty?

“Mmm… Houjou-san, you idiot…” Akane’s sleepy murmur and soft breath tickled his ear.

Is she trying to kill me?!

Saito immediately started reciting calculus formulas in his head. But no mathematical theorem could ever hope to overpower the overwhelming reality of the situation Saito found himself in. The blood flow only intensified, accumulating enough energy to shake the very foundations of the world.

At that exact moment—Akane’s eyes snapped open.

“Oops.”

Saito froze.

For a few seconds, Akane’s expression remained blank, still groggy from sleep. But as her gaze focused and reality set in, all the color drained from her face.

“Wh-what…what is this? Why…why are we naked? Why are we holding each other?!” Her voice trembled. Her breathing hitched—then came the realization.

“S-sexual harassment? Assault?! Is this assault?!” Akane repeated, shocked.

“Wait, I can explain! Please, just stay calm and listen!” Saito scrambled for words to justify himself breaking into cold sweat.

Of course, there was no way a girl who had just woken up to this kind of situation could stay calm. With a scream loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood, Saito was violently expelled from the bathroom. The door slammed shut behind him.

“Unbelievable! You pervert! Get out! Get out of this house! No—get off this planet!” Akane shouted.

“At least let me stay on Earth! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Saito shouted back.

“Let me get this straight, you sneaked into the bathroom while a girl was bathing, and you’re saying you did nothing wrong?!”

“That’s…” Saito stammered. The situation was so ridiculously complicated that he couldn’t even come up with a proper explanation.

“You saw me naked, didn’t you?” Akane continued. “You must have seen my breasts—no, you looked even lower, didn’t you?”

“N-No, I didn’t—” said Saito, but—in truth, he totally had. To add to the humiliation, against his will, his body had reacted to Akane’s nude form.

He couldn’t deny it. He couldn’t explain it.

“This is the worst. Just disappear. Never take a bath again,” Akane demanded.

That is a completely unreasonable demand. Still, unable to find the words to argue with her, Saito retreated from the changing room.

Later, after finishing her bath, Akane sat in the changing room drying her hair, her eyes brimming with tears.

It was the first time a boy had ever seen her naked. And to make matters worse, it was him—her nemesis. The sheer humiliation burned through her. She wanted to die on the spot.

But, come to think of it… Maybe Saito hadn’t been trying to attack her.

She had been exhausted from housework and studying, and at some point, she must have dozed off in the tub. What if he was only trying to help? The thought crept into her mind, unwelcome but persistent. If that was true, all the yelling and accusations she had hurled at him would make her seem like a completely ungrateful, horrible person. Shame and guilt twisted together inside her, leaving her utterly lost. She couldn’t face him like this.

So Akane took her time, taking much longer than usual to dry her hair, letting the warm air of the dryer drown out her thoughts.

Eventually, she dragged her heavy feet to the bedroom. She had hoped—prayed—that Saito would already be asleep. But Saito was awake. Just like always, he lay on the bed, reading a book.

“…”

As soon as Saito saw Akane enter, he silently closed his book and burrowed under the covers. He was definitely mad at her. Akane lay down beside him, turning to face the opposite direction. She curled up slightly, her soles pressed together in a small, defensive posture.

“I, um…” Akane flinched, not sure whether to apologize or to thank him. Before she could decide, Saito spoke—his voice quiet, still facing away from her.

“…What?”

“W-well, um…earlier, I…” Akane whispered.

“I’m going to sleep.” Saito cut her off.

His curt response made Akane’s cheeks flush. An unreasonable surge of irritation bubbled up inside her, making it impossible to say what she really meant.

It has always been like this. Ever since we met in high school, things with Houjou-san have always been frustrating, Akane thought.

“Oh. Fine. Just go to sleep already. It wasn’t anything important anyway.”

Clenching her teeth, Akane yanked the blanket over her head.

Chapter 3: Understanding

Chapter 3:
Understanding

SAITO WAS UTTERLY EXHAUSTED. LIVING WITH a complete stranger was something he wasn’t used to, making it impossible to feel at ease even at home, and his sleep remained shallow. On top of that, he was constantly bombarded with hostility and engaged in endless arguments. Everything Akane did irritated him, and it was as if his own home was being invaded. Compared to the two years of school life spent in constant conflict, this married life was even tougher. Every day felt like a battlefield.

As soon as Saito woke up in the morning, he felt relieved to find that Akane was not sleeping beside him. If she could leave for school ahead of him, it would make his life a whole lot easier, but that wasn’t an option. From the kitchen, he could hear Akane cooking.

Saito washed his face and prepared himself to face the music as he stepped into the living room. The atmosphere was so tense it made his skin tingle.

On the table, toast and salad were arranged. No matter how much they fought, preparing meals was something Akane never failed to do. Saito couldn’t tell whether it was out of earnestness or sheer stubbornness.

“Good morning,” Saito said as he sat down in his chair, but Akane turned away from him and bit into her toast. It looked less like chewing and more like Akane was launching an all-out assault on the toast. An uncomfortable silence fell, as Akane irritably flipped through the channels on the remote control. They were both utterly drained, lacking even the energy to shout at each other. The overbearingly oppressive atmosphere made it impossible for Saito to even swallow his toast. Deep down, all he felt was a desperate urge to go AWOL from the war he found himself in.

Akane too had reached her limit. She ended up leaving the house before Saito, exiting with a sigh. As a young and beautiful high school senior, she couldn’t understand why she had to endure all this. Ever since they started living together, things had only deteriorated further. She couldn’t concentrate on her studies, and even when she was out, all she could think about was how much she hated Saito. Since they began living together, Akane’s weight had dropped by as much as five kilograms. Emotional explosions consume an enormous amount of mental and physical energy, after all. Some might have seen losing weight as a good thing, but this kind of unhealthy emaciation was far from attractive. She trudged off to school with a heavy heart and entered her classroom.

“Good morning, Akane. What’s wrong? You don’t seem as energetic as usual.” Himari greeted her with her usual bright smile—her only oasis in the midst of this battlefield.

Overwhelmed, Akane couldn’t help but throw herself at Himari.

“Oh, Himari, Himari…” Crying, she buried her face into Himari’s chest. Himari’s bust was comfortably maternal, unlike Akane’s modest chest, and just being held by her made Akane feel a lot better.

“Hey, seriously, Akane, what happened? Were you molested on your way to school?” Himari asked, grabbing Akane’s shoulder and peering into her eyes.

“Being molested would be a hundred times better than what I’ve had to go through,” Akane muttered, her voice devoid of emotion.

“Wait, worse than a molester? Should we leave class and go to the police?” Himari got alarmed.

“There’s nothing the police can do.”

“If the cops can’t do anything, what am I supposed to do for you?” Himari was genuinely worried. She had been on Akane’s side through thick and thin. Even when other classmates found Akane annoying and refused to include her, Himari always showed her kindness. Akane had been saved time and again by her best friend, and Himari wanted more deeply than ever to save her this time too.

“If there’s anything wrong, please just tell me everything—I’ll listen to whatever you have to say,” Himari reassured Akane.

“O-okay…” Akane hesitated.

Himari opened her arms wide. Akane almost blurted everything out, but her situation was far too complicated to explain.

I was forced into marriage by my grandmother’s selfish demands, shoved into a new house, and made to live with the one person from class that I absolutely despise. I have to share the bed with him and endure unwanted advances during baths and constant, heated arguments. I feel like I am on the verge of dying. That was what Akane wanted to say. But…

No, how can I possibly say something like that to her?! Akane clutched her head and writhed in distress. Her troubles had far exceeded the realm of those of ordinary high school girls. If she were to consult the school counselor, it would cause a huge uproar—and even if she posted something on the school’s bulletin board, she’d likely be ridiculed. Akane knew herself well enough to know that she was too defensive for online bulletin boards too. Taunted with remarks like “Your face is so red,” she would end up with a blazing red face, nearly smashing her keyboard in frustration.

Akane started speaking, choosing her words carefully as Himari waited patiently, her finger pressed on her lips and her head tilted inquisitively.

“Um…What would you do if there was someone you had to get along with, but you simply weren’t able to, Himari?”

“Someone you want to be friendly with even though you don’t get along…? You’re talking about Saito-kun, yeah?”

“No, it’s not about him. Why are you even bringing him up? I don’t want to be friendly with him at all,” Akane denied hurriedly. Himari hitting the nail squarely on its head had nearly stopped Akane’s poor heart.

“Ah, for some reason I kind of figured it’d be him ’cause you’ve had a crush on him since your freshman year,” Himari explained.

“What are you talking about? I’m not interested in him at all! There’s absolutely no way I’d ever be into that guy!” Akane exclaimed.

I could never have any affection for Houjou-san, the guy I absolutely despise. He’s nothing but an enemy, someone to be defeated. Akane realized her ears were burning just thinking about it.

“Oh okay, that’s good,” Himari said with a relieved smile.

“Listen, Himari, I’m at my limit. If we keep fighting like this, the stress will drive me crazy. What am I supposed to do?”

“Ah, it’s about Saito-kun after all, isn’t it?”

“I’m telling you it’s not, Himari.”

Akane and Himari’s conversation didn’t seem to align. But they understood each other all too well—and that was a problem for Akane.

“Hmm, if it were me, I’d probably just start with a hug, for now,” Himari answered, having thought about it for a minute.

“A hug?” Akane repeated.

“Yeah. If you just hold on to somebody tight, feeling each other’s breath and heartbeat, I doubt you’d feel like fighting anymore… You’d realize the other person is just as human as you are.”

“Yeesh.”

No sooner than the word left Akane’s mouth, Himari pulled her into a hug. Akane let out a pitiful squeak as she was enveloped by Himari’s pleasant smell and comforting warmth. This was wonderful, but hugging Saito? The thought alone made her feel so mortified that she nearly burned up with embarrassment.

“Impossible, there’s no way. That person is not someone I can hug,” demanded Akane.

“I didn’t think you were someone to turn down a challenge!” encouraged Himari.

“It’s impossible, Himari. I’d rather try another approach.”

Akane wriggled free from Himari’s arms. Himari’s maternal affection was dangerous—if Akane were hugged like that all the time, she’d end up melting like cheese, becoming lazy and pliant.

“Well, how about a slumber party?” Himari suggested.

“No way!” Akane couldn’t possibly tell her that, technically, she had already been having slumber parties with him every night, sleeping in the same bed together.

“Okay, how about just having dinner or something together?”

“Absolutely not, they make me lose my appetite!” Akane protested. Once again, there was no way she’d tell Himari she was preparing home cooked meals for Saito every day.

“Could you maybe bond while being naked? Something like a hot spring retreat together?” Himari suggested.

“Eeeeek…”

She couldn’t help but think of the time she had embraced Saito while naked, and she covered her face with her hands. Come to think of it, everything Akane and Saito did was outrageous—even though they were married, making their actions neither illegal nor unethical, they were living shamelessly, in ways that a naive and righteous high school student like her should never experience. Himari crouched down in front of the shivering Akane, who had been reduced to squatting down on the ground.

“If none of that works, why don’t you at least try talking it over?” proposed Himari.

“Talking it over?”

“Yeah, I really believe that most people can come to an understanding through open and honest discussion,” Himari said.

“That only works for you, Himari. You’re like some kind of a communication-skills superhero, you can get along with anyone,” Akane replied. Even someone like me, Akane thought to herself.

“That’s not true—there are people I just can’t get along with too,” said Himari.

“Really?”

Akane couldn’t believe what she had heard. Akane thought Himari might even have a gaggle of animal friends who lived in the forest.

“Of course. Honestly, compared with you two, I’m just an average, nothing-special high school girl. You don’t have to be smart or beautiful to make friends, you know. It’s not about admiration—it’s just about mutual respect,” Himari revealed.

“Respect?”

Himari nodded with a smile.

“Just listen to what they have to say—try to understand what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, why they’re angry, and what they want. The more you understand where someone is coming from, the more you’ll respect them. That’s how I became best friends with you, Akane.”

“I see…” Akane fidgeted, feeling a little shy after receiving such frank advice. Himari was right. They hadn’t been close from the very beginning. It was Himari’s patience, the way she cared enough to get closer to her, that caused the walls around Akane’s heart to crumble.

“Do you…think I can do it?” Akane asked.

“I know you can.” Himari cheered on her friend.

“What if I feel like snapping the person’s neck mid-conversation?” said Akane.

“Don’t give in! Hold back!” pressed Himari.

“A regular living room could turn into a blood-soaked slaughterhouse,” muttered Akane.

“It’s a discussion, not a battle royale!” Himari reminded her.

Determined, Akane clenched her fists tightly.

“…I’ll do my best. No matter what, I’ll make sure they understand my…demands.”

“Remember, it’s the other way around! You’re not forcing them to understand you, you’re working to understand them, okay?”

Himari reassured her, genuinely worried about her friend.

Lunchtime. Saito was slurping down his café au lait on a bench in the high school’s outdoor courtyard. The artificially sweet liquid—utterly devoid of any nutritional benefits—seeped into his stomach and gave him a fleeting burst of energy. Sitting next to him was his cousin Shisei, who was munching on a large melonpan she had clutched in her hands. She looked more like a harmless chipmunk than a girl. For Saito, who right now preferred the company of chipmunks than that of girls, her presence was healing.

“Ani-kun, your meal… Is that all you’re having? Were you not able to buy any bread?” Shisei asked.

“No, that’s not it…” said Saito.

“I’ll share. Want some?”

Shisei held out her melonpan, complete with her cute little bite marks. For some of the school’s more fervent Shisei fans—regardless of gender—it might have been a prized item worth a fortune, but to Saito it just looked like half-eaten food.

“I’m not hungry—I only wanted a drink,” he said.

At that moment, two of Shisei’s fingers suddenly thrust right into Saito’s eyes.

“Whoa!”

Saito quickly jerked his body backward, narrowly escaping from Shisei’s outstretched fingertips.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Saito asked, startled.

“Ani-kun, those dark circles under your eyes are ridiculous!”

“So gouging my eyes out is supposed to help?”

“I was thinking of giving you an eyeball massage…” Shisei said.

“Oh okay, that’s a relief, then.” Saito let out a sigh, calming his wildly pounding heart.

“Settle down and let me massage them,” said Shisei.

“Wait, I’m not ready!”

With that, Saito put some distance between himself and Shisei, who was advancing, her index fingers poised. Saito hoped she’d misspoke and was talking about doing an eyelid massage, but Shisei’s way of thinking was atypical. He wanted to avoid even the slightest chance of having his eyes gouged out.

“Why don’t you have an appetite, Ani-kun?”

“My home life is hell, you know. There are no peaceful moments, I’m always fighting with that girl—are you really surprised that I can’t keep my appetite?” Saito confessed.

“I understand… Have you thought about getting a divorce?” Shisei suggested.

“That doesn’t seem like an option,” said Saito.

“I, Shise, will take care of you, even if you get divorced. So don’t worry.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Saito was thankful for Shisei’s encouragement. He patted her head—her hair was so soft it felt like he was petting a cat.

“Mmm,” Shisei murmured, pursing her lips.

“Listen, divorce is out of the question. If I run away now, all my work trying to live up to Grandpa’s wishes so far will go to waste. I need to inherit the Houjou Group,” Saito confessed.

“Ani-kun, you look like you’re about to drop dead,” said Shisei.

“True, but I’ll just have to keep on truckin’,” Saito replied with a dry laugh.

Shisei fixed her gaze on him.

“It hurts me to see you suffer, Ani-kun. If divorce is off the table, you have no choice but to get along with Akane,” said Shisei.

“That’s impossible. Our personalities just clash. You should know better than anyone—she’s always picking a fight with me. We’re just wholly and completely incompatible,” Saito retorted.

“Well, humans are animals after all; sometimes people just don’t mesh. But in your case, Ani-kun, you’re just being lazy,” Shisei pointed out.

“Lazy? What?” Saito furrowed his brows. He didn’t understand—as far as he was concerned, he was working himself to the bone every day on a battlefield of agony and despair.

Reading his facial expression, Shisei explained, “Listen, Ani-kun. People who were born and raised in entirely different environments simply can’t get along without a concerted effort. Their tastes are different, their ways of thinking are different, even their perception of common sense is different.”

Shisei continued, “Ani-kun, did you at least try to compromise with Akane? Even a little?”

“Hmm…”

Saito couldn’t remember. They hadn’t done anything except clash.

“Demanding someone to accept you just as you are is selfish. If your goal is to find someone whose personality is a perfect match, you’d be better off making a clone of yourself. But a world where that’s possible would be boring—it’s our differences that make things interesting. Just my opinion,” Shisei said.

“That’s…surprisingly thoughtful,” Saito responded.

“This is what I, Shise, think. I know I think differently from everyone else, but at the same time, I don’t quarrel with anyone. I am completely different from you too, Ani-kun, but I still like you.” The corners of Shisei’s mouth gently raised, showing a Mona Lisa smile.

“The point is if you want to get along with someone, you have no choice but to compromise and change. You must understand the other person’s feelings and manage them. By the way, if you’re going to inherit Grandfather’s business, those are skills you will be expected to have,” advised Shisei.

“True… If I’m constantly bickering with subordinates I don’t get along with, there’s no way I’ll ever succeed in management.”

Saito nodded in understanding, appreciating his cousin’s wisdom.

Saito was impressed. To most of the students, Shisei was essentially an alien. Occasionally, the girls in school treated her like an adorable baby—but in reality, Shisei’s emotional maturity was quite high.

“There can be only one conclusion drawn from all this debate,” Shisei declared, furrowing her brows sharply.

“What?” Saito leaned forward. His heart was eager for more words of wisdom from his sagacious cousin.

“Ani-kun, you must give me, Shise, a princess carry.”

“Wait, what?” Saito suddenly doubted his cousin’s wisdom.

“Ani-kun, have you ever given anyone a princess carry?”

“I…haven’t.”

“Girls usually fall for things like that. Ani-kun, you should practice on me so you learn how to give Akane a proper princess carry.”

“I don’t really think she’ll fall for something like that—she’s the type of girl to try and break your fingers if you even touch her a little,” Saito protested.

Shisei gave Saito a long side-eye.

“That’s because you keep touching her breasts, Ani-kun.”

“I didn’t touch her breasts!” Saito exclaimed, feeling defensive.

“What about somewhere down…there?” Shisei interrogated.

“No, I don’t think I’ve touched her there either,” said Saito hurriedly.

“You don’t think?” questioned Shisei.

“No—I didn’t touch anything at all. I’m absolutely sure.”

Saito broke out in a cold sweat. During the bathroom incident, it felt as though their whole bodies were pressed together, but it was just an accident—I didn’t touch her intentionally, so it doesn’t count, right?

“Ani-kun, trust me. You need to try to understand the feelings of a young girl better.”

When somebody who’s been by my side since we were little says something like that, I can’t just refuse. It was clear in Shisei’s eyes—she was clearly serious.

“…All right, I’ll trust you.” Saito nodded solemnly.

“I’m rooting for you,” said Shisei, as she hoisted herself up onto the bench.

Shisei’s white-tights-clad knees were bent as her slender legs drew into the hem of her skirt. Her long hair cascaded over her small frame, and she appeared perfectly still—just like a porcelain doll. Saito slid his left hand behind Shisei’s knee and supported her back with his right arm. He carefully lifted her body so as not to drop her. He found himself worried she might break.

“Whooaa…”

A faint sound escaped from Shisei’s throat.

Her body was as light as a feather. Perhaps out of fear now that she had been separated from the ground, Shisei began to cower, clinging to Saito’s neck. A scent sweeter than milk wafted from her pale skin.

“Am I doing…okay?” Saito asked.

“Excellent! Ani-kun, you’ve graduated to the level of princess carry maestro!”

“You’re moving me up the ranks too fast, Shise.”

“The only thing it’s missing is love,” said Shisei.

“Love?” Saito was dumbfounded.

“Yeah. Gently whisper in her ear, ‘I love you so much,’” said Shisei.

“I can’t possibly say that, Shise!” Saito objected.

“Well in that case, you’ll never completely master the princess carry. Don’t you trust me?” Shisei gave Saito a reproachful stare. Saito gritted his back teeth. Even though it was just practice, he had never been very good at spouting saccharine words. He was the one who had sought advice though, so it was only proper to follow it.

Saito brought his mouth close to Shisei’s ear and, trying to ignore his embarrassment, whispered softly, “I love you.”

“…”

Shisei’s ears turned red.

“Ah, so even you get embarrassed sometimes, huh?” Saito said.

“Of course I do—I’m still a maiden, after all.”

“Sorry, I only just found that out,” Saito replied, suddenly finding himself feeling the full awkwardness of the situation.

“Next, say, ‘I want everything you are to belong to me,’” commanded Shisei.

“I want everything you are to belong to me.”

“Next, say, ‘I won’t let you sleep tonight,’” commanded Shisei.

“I won’t let you sleep tonight.”

“…Ani-kun, you pervert… Eeek!” Shisei exclaimed, face-palming.

“You were the one who told me to say it!”

Saito also noticed his own cheeks were burning red. Two people who had grown up as close as siblings should not be used to doing things like this.

Shisei traced her lips with her finger—her gesture somehow carried a hint of seductiveness. She looked up at Saito with pleading eyes and said, “Next, on Shise’s lips…”

“Aaaahhh!”

A scream rang out from nearby.

When Saito looked up, he saw Himari standing there, eyes wide.

“Did I…interrupt you two?”

“No, I’m just practicing…” Saito tried to explain, but Shisei just nodded, looking smug.

“Yes, you did. Ani-kun has a habit of giving me princess carries whenever I want.”

“She’s going to get the wrong idea!” Saito scolded.

Saito attempted to push her away, but Shisei clung on harder, determined never to let go. She was using the full strength of all her limbs, and her suction power made her feel like some kind of piggyback ghost.

“…I don’t really understand this… I’ve gotta find Akane,” said Himari.

“Wait! Please, just wait!”

With all his might, Saito chased after Himari, who had dashed away.

When Saito returned home, Akane was standing in the foyer with her arms folded, looking imposing. Still in her school uniform, her expression had grown even more severe. With deep elevens etched between her brows, she fixed a gaze on Saito that could bore a hole through a boulder.

“I’m home.”

“…”

Akane ignored Saito’s greeting. There was no opening here—she didn’t seem particularly open to receiving a princess carry. Any careless movement on Saito’s part might be viewed as an attack and result in a shoulder throw courtesy of Akane. Shisei had advised Saito to understand Akane’s feelings and compromise with her, but there wasn’t even a moment to try. All he could tell was that she was incredibly angry.

Saito planned to retreat to his own room and work on his new strategy.

Suddenly, just as he passed by Akane, she shouted, “Wait!”

Akane seized Saito’s arm with a grip so fierce it could crush bone.

“Have you finally decided to kill me?” Saito asked.

“Not yet,” said Akane.

“So what are you planning?”

Saito had no idea but it couldn’t be anything good. Saito frantically searched for an escape route, already regretting that he’d locked the front door behind him.

Still holding on to his arm, Akane murmured softly, “…Let’s talk…”

“Huh?” Saito was stunned.

“…I said…let’s have a discussion,” said Akane.

“Divorce negotiations?” Saito gulped heavily.

“No, not that—I meant, I want to work out how to salvage our marriage. I want us to try and learn how to get along.” Akane looked down and bit her lip. She was clearly at her wit’s end—her neck had even flushed red. Saito never expected to hear words like those coming from Akane. After all, the clashes had been a constant part of their relationship ever since they’d met.

“Do you really want to get along with me?” Saito asked.

“Not particularly, but if we keep going like this, we’ll end up divorced,” Akane muttered.

“That’d be a problem for both of us,” agreed Saito.

“Right?”

“Okay, let’s calm down and talk,” Saito suggested. If they stayed like this any longer, his arm might become permanently disabled.

The pair entered the living room. Akane made some tea and set a pair of stylish cups and saucers on the table. She also served some strawberry crepes generously topped with whipped cream. They appeared to be homemade—perhaps she had prepared them in advance for our discussion, Saito thought. Facing Akane directly, Saito had a dumb thought: This feels like a home visit. The situation felt so unreal that his mind began to wander to trivial things.

Akane clasped her hands on her lap.

“Listen… I truly hate you, but since we’re forced to be together anyway, we might as well make it comfortable.”

“Agreed. I don’t want to live in hell either.”

“You’re saying that life with me is hell? That’s pretty rude,” Akane fumed.

“Am I wrong?” asked Saito.

“Hmm… No, you’ve got a point.” She lowered her gaze in frustration.

“There’s just no way I can feel comfortable with you around, Houjou-san. I don’t know what to do…”

“Should I carry you like a princess?” Saito proposed.

“Huh? Why the hell would you do that?” Akane looked at him with utter disgust.

Yeah, there’s no way that’d work, Shise.

Saito made a mental note to file a complaint with his wise advisor.

Humans have a natural sense of personal space. If you suddenly find yourself in close quarters with someone whose emotional wavelength is miles away from yours, of course, everyone will be on their guard. That said, the fact that Akane proposed a discussion represented some very real progress. Since she took the first step toward compromise, Saito felt he had to respond with sincerity as well.

“All right then, how about we set some ground rules to help keep the peace?” Saito proposed.

“Rules?” Akane seemed perplexed.

“Setting regulations isn’t about right and wrong—it’s about finding common ground to help people with different values coexist. If we can establish boundaries we both agree on and follow them, we should be able to avoid unnecessary conflicts,” stated Saito.

“I see…You might actually be decently smart,” snickered Akane.

“Don’t talk to me like you’re praising a monkey.” He was the undisputed champion at the top of his class, but the patronizing tone still hurt a little bit.

“Let’s start with dividing up the chores. Ever since we got married, I feel like I’ve been doing all of them,” Akane started.

“I was just planning to do the housework all at once when things start to pile up. It’s more efficient that way,” objected Saito.

Akane slammed her hand on the table.

“If you let the dishes pile up, we’ll get bugs!”

“In nature, bugs are a normal part of life,” Saito protested.

“Sure, but we’re not in the wild now, are we?” Akane exclaimed, continuing on. “The bigger issue is that leaving dirty dishes out will also breed bacteria, which leads to illness. I get that it’s a hassle, but dishes need to be cleaned daily.”

Akane stood firm. She gripped the table, hissing like an angry cat. This was clearly something she refused to compromise on. That meant, for the sake of peace, Saito would have to be the one to yield here.

“…Fine. I’ll make sure to wash the dishes right after I use them.”

“Really? That’d help me out a lot.”

Akane sounded almost caught off guard. Maybe she hadn’t expected Saito to give in so easily.

“Is there anything I can do to help you in return?” Akane asked Saito.

“You’re actually willing to hear me out?” Saito was deeply moved.

“I’m not unreasonable—if you ask me something sensible, I’ll listen! Don’t make me sound like some kind of stubborn fool,” replied Akane.

Saito controlled his urge to quip, If you’re not stubborn, then I don’t know who else would qualify. Arguing about something like that would be pointless right now. What mattered was understanding each other and closing the emotional distance.

“Okay then… I’d like you to try to be okay with at least a slight bit of physical contact in bed,” Saito said.

“Are you asking me to put up with sexual harassment? You pervert.” Akane’s cheeks turned bright red as she hugged herself, backing away from Saito in fear.

“Sakuramori-san, we’re a married couple. We share a tiny bed. Sometimes our bodies might accidentally touch,” said Saito.

Akane pouted.

“Then why don’t you just shrink? Like, to around fifty centimeters.”

“Super helpful… Listen, if I get my fingers broken every time I roll over in bed, I’m going to run out of them pretty fast. I only have ten fingers, you know. Please understand where I’m coming from,” Saito asked.

Saito pleaded with all the sincerity he could muster. It was the first time in his life he had to beg someone not to break his fingers. Life’s rich pageant, he thought to himself.

“Fine. It’s okay if you touch me.”

Akane shrank her shoulders, bracing herself against embarrassment.

“But only over my clothes. I won’t allow you to try to slip your hands under them,” added Akane.

“Who would even do something like that?”

“You would… You might do that already! You probably touch me all over while I’m asleep!”

“I do not! That’s a ridiculous false accusation!”

Everything else aside, trying something like that with someone who could snap his fingers as easily as if she were folding origami would be pure recklessness.

“Okay, your turn. What do you want from me?” Saito asked.

“When you want to play your horror games, please play with headphones on,” requested Akane.

Saito was impressed.

“Oh wow, you want me to go for the method that makes it even scarier? That’s pretty advanced. I never expected you to be a headphone-play kind of person. Do you like horror games?”

“No, I hate them! I can’t even look at the cover,” said Akane.

“Are you scared?”

“It’s not that. They just make me feel gross. I can’t concentrate on studying when I hear zombies screaming in the background,” Akane explained.

“Is that so?” Saito kept listening.

Akane cleared her throat.

“On that subject, please don’t suddenly start up horror games while I’m doing the dishes. I’ll end up seeing zombies whether I want to or not,” added Akane.

“Just wash the dishes blindfolded, then.”

“If I do that, I’ll end up dropping plates or cutting my hand, and the kitchen will turn into a real horror scene,” said Akane.

“Ah. Good point… I guess I’ll make sure to play horror games in secrecy.”

He wasn’t thrilled about it, but Saito accepted Akane’s plea. Even if he couldn’t empathize with her, he could at least respect her feelings. He didn’t believe in ghosts, so horror games were just another form of action entertainment to him. However, if his roommate found them unpleasant, he knew establishing some boundaries would be reasonable.

Saito and Akane continued discussing their daily lives in detail, taking turns dividing up household chores and deciding what things would be off-limits. Listing out the things that caused each other stress seemed to help them understand one another a little better. Saito’s needs, as an efficiency-driven and easygoing person, contrasted sharply with the needs of the sensitive, stern, and meticulous Akane. They never took the time to build any real understanding of each other, so it was no surprise that their life together had been nothing but stressful clashes until now. The conversation stretched on for hours, their teacups sitting empty on their saucers.

This might be the longest conversation I’ve ever had with her. Saito glanced at the wall clock as he thought.

They had been classmates since the beginning of high school, but they had done nothing but argue whenever they were with one another. They had never been on the same page, so they could never have a heart-to-heart like this one. But today, they had teamed up to address a shared goal—making their marriage work. With a common purpose in mind, their discussions couldn’t escalate into fights.

“I read something in a book once…if you make sure to show gratitude, relationships tend to go more smoothly,” Saito divulged.

“You mean, like saying ‘thank you’ to each other?” Akane inquired.

“Yeah, even for the little things.”

Saito recited: “If you take what someone does for granted, then you’ll feel annoyed when they don’t do it. And even when they continue out of sheer obligation, you won’t feel anything positive. That means your negative emotions will keep piling up. On the other hand, if you don’t expect anything from the start and feel grateful for the unexpected things they do, positive emotions start building up instead.”

“That’s what the book said, anyway,” said Saito to Akane.

Akane fidgeted, pressing her fingertips together, and hesitantly opened her mouth to speak.

“Then, if you eat a dish I cook for you, tell me it’s delicious.”

Akane’s cheeks were faintly flushing. Saito blinked in surprise.

“Even if it just tastes…ordinary?” asked Saito.

“Even if it just tastes ordinary,” affirmed Akane.

“Don’t you want me to be honest with you when I give you feedback?”

Saito was honestly curious. Akane shot him a glare.

“Do you have any idea how much effort goes into cooking? No matter how hard I try, if the only response I get is ‘It’s ordinary,’ it totally kills my motivation,” Akane explained, showing uncharacteristic vulnerability.

Saito recalled the times his comments on Akane’s cooking had driven her away.

“For me, calling something ‘ordinary’ is actually a pretty high compliment…”

“Huh? How does that make sense?”

Akane looked at him skeptically.

“Well, it’s kind of a long story…about a weeklong story, actually.”

“We don’t really have that long.”

They weren’t at the point where they could completely open up about their family circumstances yet. They had only just started figuring out how to navigate their relationship.

Akane crossed her arms.

“Either way, even if ‘ordinary’ is a compliment to you, ‘delicious’ is the compliment I’d like to hear. Please, learn how to use Japanese properly,” Akane stated.

“I score higher than you in Japanese, though,” said Saito.

“Test scores are irrelevant! You don’t speak Japanese correctly in your daily life!” Akane had a point.

“Got it,” Saito relented.

It wasn’t just Akane; Shisei had told him he needed to understand a woman’s feelings better too. Saito made a mental note of how to properly compliment her cooking.

After a long and exhausting discussion, Akane collapsed onto the bed. Her throat was dry, and her nerves were shot. Unfortunately, negotiating compromises drained just as much energy as arguing did. This must have been how ambassadors felt when tasked with brokering peace during a war. She had no energy left to cook, so they settled on a simple dinner of bread. She wasn’t happy about having such an unbalanced meal, but just for today, she had to let it slide.

Her smartphone rang; Himari was calling. Still lying on the bed, she reached for the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey! You sound kinda down. Are you okay? Did you manage to make peace with the person you were fighting with?”

Hearing Himari’s cheerful voice, Akane felt the tension in her shoulders ease. She could at least enjoy some time chatting with her friend until Saito finished his bath. Akane sat on the bed, her knees curled up under her.

“It’s not like we became friends, exactly,” answered Akane.

“So, it didn’t work out?” Himari asked.

“No, we did actually manage to talk. We spent about five hours discussing things, but now I’m completely drained,” Akane shared.

“That’s great! Good job, you did your best!”

Himari praised her in a tone one might use to soothe a child. Normally, being patronized in such a manner would be annoying, but coming from Himari, it was welcomed.

“Yeah, I certainly did. I lost count of how many times I wanted to flip the table over.”

“Like some old-school Showa-era dad?!”

“I held back, though! And I even promised not to break their fingers anymore!” Akane reported proudly, puffing out her chest.

“Wait… Have you actually broken their fingers before?”

“No, but I’ve gotten pretty close.”

“Hmm… That seems…” Himari sounded exasperated. “Well, at least you managed to have a discussion. That’s progress,” added Himari.

“I just hope we’re not progressing toward all-out war…” replied Akane.

Akane couldn’t be too optimistic. It wouldn’t have been this much of a struggle in the first place if two years of clashes could be reconciled that easily.

“I don’t think you’re at risk of war just yet. The fact that the person was willing to talk means they want to get along with you too, right? If you both feel the same way, things will work out,” encouraged Himari.

“They…want to get along with me?” Akane repeated the words to herself, and for some reason, her body temperature started to rise. She tugged at the neckline of her pajamas, letting some air in.

“The rest hinges on whether the both of you continue putting in the effort,” Himari advised.

“Yeah… I’ll do my best… I will…endure being touched…on my butt or my breasts…” Akane trailed off.

“What? Hold on. The person you’re talking about is a girl, right?! Elaborate!”

Himari’s panicked voice rang through the phone speaker. Just then, Akane heard footsteps in the hallway. She quickly ended the call.

Saito walked into the bedroom, fresh from his bath. He must have been exhausted too—he wasn’t even carrying a book for his usual bedtime reading.

Akane took a deep breath and lay down on the bed, steeling herself for what was to come next.

“All right. You can touch me now.”

“Wait, what? I’m not going to touch you on purpose.”

Maybe she hadn’t needed to prepare herself after all.

After school, Saito decided to take a detour.

The shopping district near the school was on a cluttered street lined with department stores, clothing shops, vegetable stands, and udon restaurants. He and Shisei walked through it together, with his cousin happily munching on a steamed meat bun she had bought along the way. For such a small girl, she seemed to need frequent refueling—this cousin of his snacked constantly, much like a little bird.

“It’s been a while since we went out together like this, Ani-kun. I’m happy,” she remarked, though her facial expression remained blank as ever.

“True, things have been hectic with the move and, well…the war,” said Saito.

“Has a ceasefire been reached yet?” Shisei asked.

“Not exactly. I’m here to get a peace offering today,” answered Saito.

“This?”

Shisei formed a circle with her fingers.

“Nah, not money. That’d be too direct,” said Saito.

“Not money—bouncy balls,” Shisei clarified.

“I don’t think Akane is childlike enough that a bouncy ball would make her happy,” Saito pointed out.

“It’d make me happy,” said Shisei.

“I’ll win you a bunch at the festival next time.”

“Yay, promise?!”

Saito quickly snatched away the paper liner from Shisei’s steamed meat bun before she could chomp through it. He would never forget the time she ate too much paper when she was little—though, to be fair, she was still little now. That time, it had been a hundred-sheet pack of origami paper. She had begged Saito to buy it for her at a stationery store. Naturally, he had assumed she would want to play with it, not eat it. That was before he bore witness to the horrifying sight of her munching away on the final piece—the golden sheet of paper. In his panic, Saito had instinctively dragged her into the bathroom, intending to perform an impromptu stomach pumping. Fortunately, relatives had overheard the commotion and stopped him before things could escalate.

It’s about time for Shisei to realize that she’s a human, not a goat.

“I was thinking of buying some cake as a gift for her. I don’t know much about this kind of thing, but is there a sweets shop here that’s popular with girls?” Saito decided to ask Shisei’s opinion on the matter.

“I don’t really understand what girls like,” Shisei replied.

“Didn’t you just lecture me about understanding a girl’s feelings the other day?”

“Sure, but…no one ever really talks to me about sweets,” said Shisei.

Saito sensed the dark clouds looming around her.

“Ah, I see,” Saito nodded. The other girls must have subconsciously decided that talking about sweets or fashion with an alien like Shisei would be pointless.

“That must be hard for you. You’d like to chat with other girls about sweets and stuff, right?” Saito tried to empathize.

“Not at all, actually. I’d much rather talk about the different cannibalistic customs found around the world,” replied Shisei.

“See, that’s exactly why people think you’re an alien.”

Saito immediately regretted feeling sorry for her.

As they moseyed through the shopping district, a sweet aroma drifted toward them from up ahead. Drawn in as if by instinct, the two continued forward until they arrived at a small shop. The entire storefront, from its sign to its walls, was painted in an eye-catching bright yellow. Despite its modest size, there was already a queue outside. The menu posted outside featured pictures of crepes and cakes.

“This place looks perfect. Let’s order something to go,” Saito suggested.

“I want to eat inside,” Shisei said.

“The tables don’t look like they’ll free up anytime soon,” Saito replied.

“But I want to! I want my Ani-kun to treat me too. It’s not fair if Akane’s the only person who gets nice things!” Shisei insisted, tugging Saito’s shirt collar with both hands, almost like a kitten asking for food.

“Fine, fine. What do you want?”

“A cake. A whole one.”

“Whoa, no way! You literally just ate a steamed meat bun!”

Saito tried to stop her, but…thirty minutes later, Shisei was sat at a table, having devoured one whole chocolate cake in record time. Somehow, she had also emptied glasses of fruit punch and bowls of yakisoba noodles.

“All done!” Shisei declared proudly.

“Wait…yakisoba noodles? This is a dessert shop, that wasn’t even on the menu!”

“I really, really wanted some, so I begged the staff, and they made some for me, Ani-kun.”

“I see… They sure spoiled you, huh, Shisei?”

Saito couldn’t blame them for giving in. With her cheeks smudged with chocolate, Shisei looked so adorable and innocent—almost like a tiny angel descending upon the earth.

“Where did you even fit all that cake? Do you have a pocket dimension inside you?” Saito wondered out loud.

Shisei wiped the chocolate from the corner of her mouth with a fingertip and licked it off, then looked up at Saito with a sly gaze. She looked almost predatory.

“Want to be my next course?” Shisei whispered.

“I’ll pass.”

If he had carelessly nodded, he genuinely feared she might have actually devoured him.

By the time Saito returned home, the sun was already starting to set. The glow of their new home’s lights stood out against the dimming residential street. As he stepped into the entryway, the scent of simmering food wafted through the hallway. He could hear the clatter of kitchen utensils and the sound of Akane shuffling around the kitchen. Saito was struck by her diligence.

He lifted the elegantly designed box he was holding and felt a twinge of nervousness. He had bought the cake as a peace offering, hoping it might soften her attitude a little. But now, doubts were creeping in—was a cake too obvious? Would she think he was being weird? Would she reject it outright, finding it creepy? Now that the moment of truth was upon him, the uncertainties hit all at once. He resisted the urge to check whether the cake had shifted during the trip home. The box was sealed neatly with a decorative sticker—it would be a waste to peel it off.

When he reached the kitchen, Saito held the box out to Akane.

“I got you a little present. It’s your favorite—shortcake.”

Akane’s eyes widened.

“Huh? A present? For me?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait… How did you know shortcake was my favorite?” Akane asked.

Saito shrugged casually.

“You wrote it in the class anthology back in our first year.”

Akane accepted the cake box, lowering her gaze as she murmured, “It’s…kinda creepy that you actually remembered something like that.”

“Wait, creepy?”

A wave of discomfort washed over Saito. He wasn’t used to doing things like this; maybe he shouldn’t have bothered in the first place. Instead of helping bring the two closer together, he might have inadvertently pushed her further away.

“It’s just…I wrote that in a tiny corner of the page. I forgot all about it until you brought it up just now,” Akane whispered, holding the gift box from Saito.

“Well, excuse me for having an impeccable memory,” said Saito. Even among the distinguished members of the Houjou family, Saito’s memory was particularly exceptional. If he read something, even once, he almost never forgot it.

“…A-anyway…” Akane’s cheeks flushed apple-red.

A shy voice escaped her crimson lips. “…Thank you.”

She gently hugged the cake box to her chest.

Damn. She’s so…cute. Saito was shocked by his own reaction. How could he be feeling this way toward the demon queen Akane? He had half-expected her to grumble, nitpick, and shove the cake right back in his face. Instead, her earnest reaction, however brief it was, had an unbelievable impact.

Who even is she? Saito was genuinely confused.

Meanwhile, Akane, looking positively delighted, placed the box on the table. Carefully, she peeled away the seal and opened the lid—only to let out an excited gasp at the sight inside.

“Wow, what a delicious-looking strawberry shortcake! You can really tell how light and fluffy the cream is! And the strawberries are so big and ripe!”

“Wanna take a break and eat it now?” asked Saito.

Saito reached for forks from the silverware drawer, but Akane put her hands on her hips and scolded him.

“Nope. It’s not dinnertime yet. What if this spoils your appetite for my cooking?”

“Fine, fine,” Saito conceded.

Oddly, her scolding didn’t have any venom to it this time. Akane happily closed the cake box and placed it in the fridge for later. It seemed like the peace offering had been a success. Saito, still somewhat surprised, washed his hands and put away his bag.

As he waited on the living room sofa, Akane brought out the food she had cooked: omurice with cream sauce, minestrone soup, and herb-grilled chicken. The fragrant aroma of olive oil and herbs filled the air.

“Western-style tonight, huh? Looks like you really went all out.” Saito was impressed.

“I’m finally going to make you acknowledge my cooking skills. Bon appétit.” Akane leaned forward over the table, watching his reaction like a hawk.

It’s not poisoned, right? Saito cut into the omelet with his spoon and took a bite. The soft, half-cooked eggs blended seamlessly with the cream sauce, filling his mouth with a smooth, rich, savory taste. Instead of ketchup, the rice was seasoned with basil and black pepper, and the plump shrimp punctuated every bite with an added burst of flavor.

It was restaurant-quality—unbelievably well-made for something cooked by a high school girl.

“Well? Ready to bow down to my cooking skills yet? It’s delicious, right? Right?”

Akane leaned in even closer, eager for his verdict.

“…It’s extremely delicious.” Saito earnestly gave his review.

“Really? I’m so glad.” Akane beamed in satisfaction.

Akane rested her cheek on her hand as she grinned. The softness of her smile sent another shock wave through Saito.

“Who even are you?” Saito blurted out.

Akane blinked in confusion.

“What do you mean? I’m Sakuramori Akane.”

“No, something’s up. The Sakuramori Akane I know would get mad even when someone compliments her cooking. She’d complain that it wasn’t the right kind of praise and then throw a plate in frustration or something.”

“What kind of person do you think I am?! I’ve never done that!”

Indignant, Akane picked up her plate.

“You’re literally about to do it right now. And with hot soup, no less,” Saito pointed out.

“Makes no difference to me whether you have your soup in your mouth or on your face.”

“Well, it matters to me. Now put your weapon down—I just want to eat the dish you prepared in peace.”

At Saito’s plea, Akane begrudgingly set the plate back onto the table. Avoiding eye contact, she fidgeted slightly, shifting her shoulders.

“Well… If you’re going to eat it, hurry up. It’s going to get cold.”

“O-oh… Right.”

Saito still wasn’t sure who exactly he was sitting across from. Maybe this wasn’t Sakuramori-san at all, but some body-snatcher wearing her skin—and if that’s the case, then where is the real Sakuramori-san…? Saito cast a wary glance down at the minestrone before him. The tomato-based soup, served in a heat-resistant dish, was still bubbling ominously. Saito scooped up some minestrone with his spoon and popped it in his mouth. The robust tanginess of the tomato paired beautifully with the mellow richness of the onions. The finely chopped vegetables and beans in the soup infused his body with energy, while the bacon provided a satisfying chew and a sense of fullness in his mouth.

“This is really good too,” Saito moaned in delight.

“See? I won’t let you call my cooking ‘ordinary’ ever again!” Akane declared triumphantly, taking a big gulp of her own minestrone—only to burn her mouth.

“Ouch, hot hot hot!” She quickly grabbed some water, but in her haste, she choked and started coughing, her eyes watering.

“Are you okay?” Saito asked, concerned.

Akane glared back.

“Of course I’m fine! Don’t think you’ve won because of something like this.”

“I wasn’t,” Saito replied calmly.

Her tendency to turn everything into a competition was unchanged—in that moment, Saito felt relief wash over him. This was, without a doubt, the real Akane.

The unusually peaceful dinner had come to an end. Saito stepped into the hallway, intending to wind down by reading in his room when he suddenly remembered something. During their discussion earlier, Akane had asked Saito to make sure not to let the dishes pile up. He would have preferred to relax after dinner, but if he wanted to improve their relationship, he’d have to make an effort. With a small sigh, he headed into the kitchen.

Unlike his old, minimalist, shaker-bottle-filled life, proper meals required a lot of dishes. The sight of the mountain of dirty pots and plates was discouraging, but he steeled himself and got to work.

Saito was running the water and scrubbing a bowl as Akane entered the kitchen.

“It’s your turn to do the dishes today, but I’ll give you a hand.”

“What are you plotting?” said Saito, instantly on his guard due to Akane’s unexpected kindness.

“I’m not plotting anything. There’s just a lot to clean, and I thought it’d be tough for you to finish on your own!”

“As if you even have it in you to be considerate of others…” Saito blurted out.

“You do realize that’s an incredibly rude thing to say?!” said Akane, offended.

“No, I understand now. You’re still frustrated about missing your chance to throw a plate earlier…so now you’re planning to hurl one at me from close range,” said Saito.

“I’m not going to throw anything! Just accept my help like an ordinary person!”

Akane gripped the sponge tightly and glared at him. She really did seem honest in her intentions. Akane was genuinely making an effort to meet him halfway, Saito realized.

For a moment, Saito wiped at his eyes, the unexpected kindness of his longtime nemesis catching him off guard.

“Wait…why are you crying?! I didn’t hurt your feelings or anything, right?! I’m just trying to be nice,” said Akane.

“Turns out you really can be helpful if you try…” Saito replied.

“Why do you sound so condescending?” Akane responded.

“I didn’t mean to. Just keep up the good work,” Saito said.

“Now that is condescending. If you don’t like my help, I can just leave, you know.”

Saito let out a quiet chuckle.

“No, truly. I appreciate it. Thanks.”

“Hmph. You’re welcome.”

Akane smiled, swelling with pride. He had grown so used to seeing the scowl etched into her face, but her expression when she smiled—her eyes shining, her cheeks lightly flushed—was completely different. At school, Akane was known as a beauty when she kept quiet. But Saito had just realized that she was at her most beautiful when she was happy.

And now that he had noticed, he couldn’t unsee it.

“I’ll rinse; you wash. I can’t stand the way you leave soap on the dishes. If there’s detergent left on them, it’ll be bad for our health,” Akane instructed.

“Ah…right.”

As Akane stepped closer to the sink, Saito shifted aside to make room for her. The kitchen was spacious, but their arms nearly brushed against each other as they worked at the sink. In that moment, for the first time, Saito truly became aware of the fact that he was sharing a house with this girl.

It was a strange feeling. It’s not like they had started living together yesterday, but the frequent arguments and intense clashes had prevented them from seeing each other as members of the opposite sex. Now, Saito’s internal acknowledgment of this fact made things feel oddly unsettling.

Saito could not help but keep gazing at Akane’s face. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time. Akane, her cheeks flushed from focusing on the task at hand, rinsed the dishes intently without speaking a word. As always, Akane was a girl who gave her all to everything she did.

“What?”

Noticing Saito’s gaze, Akane shot him a suspicious look.

“No, I just…realized you really are an expert at housework,” Saito stammered.

“Well, yeah, I guess. My parents were always busy, so I did most of the cooking and cleaning. I knew how to make curry by the time I was in first grade,” Akane divulged.

“That’s pretty impressive.”

Hearing Saito’s admiration made Akane’s ears flush red.

“It’s not that impressive; it’s just chopping vegetables, boiling them, and adding the roux. Even a chimpanzee could make curry.”

“A chimpanzee definitely couldn’t. After all, I can’t,” said Saito.

“So you’re less capable than a chimpanzee,” Akane shot back.

“Ouch, that’s harsh,” replied Saito.

“No, it’s not. Chimpanzees are smart enough to peel bananas, you know,” Akane quipped.

“That’s an awful low bar for intelligence,” said Saito.

As Saito and Akane continued working, washing and rinsing the dishes in sync, the conversation continued. For once, it wasn’t a verbal sparring match. It was just a normal back-and-forth. Saito realized that it might have been the first time he’d ever spoken with Akane like this. When they conversed in this manner, spending time with her wasn’t unpleasant at all. If anything… Saito thought to himself.

Before he knew it, they had finished washing the dishes.

“It really is faster when two people do it together.” Akane nodded in satisfaction, admiring the spotless plates. Saito recalled something—at school, Akane had always been thorough in her Day Duty tasks. At the end of the day, she never left a single smudge on the blackboard, wiping it down meticulously before stepping back to inspect her work with the same satisfied expression. Most students barely erased the blackboard properly, leaving streaks behind, or even shirked their duty entirely, leaving the task to the next person. But Saito had never once seen Akane slack off.

She’s genuinely, ridiculously diligent. It struck Saito how exhausting it must be to be that way all the time. It might even be tiring to those around her, but her diligence wasn’t a bad trait. Maybe Himari, her best friend, had always known these deeper truths about Akane. That’s probably why she always stays by her side, Saito thought.

The dishes done, Saito finally had time to kick back and read for a while. Oddly enough, he found himself choosing to read in the living room rather than retreating to his room. Maybe—just maybe—he didn’t mind lingering in their shared space a little longer.

As Saito flipped a page, Akane approached him. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and she kept shooting furtive glances his way.

“Hey… Do you absolutely have to finish that book tonight?”

“Not really. Why?” Saito looked up at her.

Akane fidgeted, shifting her shoulders.

“Well, um… I found this movie at the rental shop, and it looked interesting, so I kind of…borrowed it on impulse.”

“Ah, you wanted to watch it on this TV? I don’t want to be in your way, so I’ll head to the bedroom,” said Saito, standing up.

“Um, wait…! You don’t need to leave!” Akane added.

“Well, with a movie playing, it’s kind of hard to concentrate on reading,” Saito replied.

“Um, I mean…just, um, here!”

Akane thrust the Blu-ray disc case toward Saito. She pushed it at him with so much force that it nearly broke his nose. Luckily, Saito pulled his face back just in time to avoid disaster. His heart was pounding.

“Um, wait… Do you want to watch that movie together?” Saito asked.

“N-no…” Akane turned away in a huff.

Bewildered, Saito asked Akane to explain herself.

“Then what is all this about? I seriously don’t get it.”

“Well…you know, it’s important that we understand each other, right? I just thought…if you watch my favorite movie, maybe you’ll understand me better, and that might make things less stressful. We’re not watching the movie together, but if we both happen to be in the same room while the movie is playing, that should be fine, right?”

“That’s literally the same exact thing as watching the movie together,” said Saito.

“Ugh…” Akane grumbled.

Her face flushed bright red as she clutched the Blu-ray case tight to her chest. It was obviously incredibly embarrassing for her to invite Saito to watch the movie with her. Still, she was willing to strengthen their bond by spending time together.

Sincerity should be met with sincerity. Determined, Saito shut his book.

“Okay, let’s watch it. What movie did you get?”

Akane handed Saito the Blu-ray case. The jacket read Tracking: A Kitten’s 24 Hours—The Uncut Documentary.

Saito’s face fell.

“What’s wrong? Do you not want to watch it after all?” asked Akane, frowning.

“No, it’s not that I don’t want to…but…it’s not actually twenty-four hours long, is it?” replied Saito.

“Of course it is. It was only a hundred yen too! Great deal, right?” Akane said.

“1,440 minutes!”

A new kind of terror washed over Saito—a terror he hadn’t felt since the time in elementary school when he got separated from the group in an unfamiliar city during a school trip. Back then, he hadn’t owned a smartphone or memorized his teacher’s phone number—finding everyone again had been a nightmare.

Akane furrowed her brows, examining the disc.

“Oh, looks like there’s a ‘Best Selection’ cut too! It’s a three-hour compilation of the best scenes.”

“Can we go with that one?” Saito requested.

For Saito, even three hours was pretty intimidating. The pair settled onto the sofa, pressed play, and soon, the frame of their massive TV screen filled with cats.

Cats, cats, and more cats.

As expected of this kind of documentary, there was no music or plot. There wasn’t even any narration—it was just an unfiltered depiction of feline life. No humans appeared at all.

Does this even count as a movie? Saito wondered, glancing at Akane. Her eyes were sparkling with pure excitement.

“That Scottish Fold earlier was adorable, but this American Shorthair is just as cute! I wonder what kind of cat we’ll meet next. You never know what’s coming—it’s so unpredictable!” Akane exclaimed.

Akane was completely engrossed, eyes wide with exhilaration. It was as if she were watching a heart-pounding action film. Saito truly couldn’t understand. How could someone find such suspense in a video of cats walking and running around? Rather than gaining a deeper understanding of Akane, watching the movie together made the inner workings of Akane’s mind feel even more arcane. Still, this was supposed to be a moment of bonding, so he decided to make the most of it.

He retrieved the cake he had bought earlier from the fridge and brewed some tea for the two of them. It had been a while since he last prepared anything other than bottled tea. Akane carefully sliced into the sponge with her fork and brought a bite to her mouth.

“Wow, the cake is so delicious! The cat movie is adorable! I’m so happy right now!” Akane swooned.

She rested her head in both hands, melting into pure bliss. Saito had never seen her look so genuinely happy before. That cake had definitely been worth its price tag.

As she munched away watching the movie, Saito noticed Akane was carefully avoiding the strawberry in her cake, neatly cutting away the sponge around it.

“If you don’t like strawberries, I can eat it for you.”

The moment Saito reached for it with his fork, Akane swiftly shielded her plate from him.

“I do like them. I just love to save the best parts for last.”

“Wouldn’t it taste better if you ate it while you’re still hungry?” inquired Saito.

“No, things you really love should be saved and enjoyed slowly. Just looking at that strawberry makes me happy.”

“Well, you’ve looked at it long enough. It’s mine now.” Saito couldn’t resist teasing her.

“Is there even a heart beating inside your chest? I’ll kill you.”

She pulled her plate away protectively, eyes sharp with suspicion. Apparently, she didn’t appreciate him joking about her strawberries.

On the screen, the cats continued their peaceful antics—chasing butterflies and batting at fallen leaves with their tiny paws. The scene was so tranquil as to be almost hypnotic. While he had been eating, Saito had managed to stay alert for the movie. But now that the cake was gone, boredom crept in, and his mind started to drift. He knew all too well he couldn’t afford to fall asleep, though. If he did, it would sabotage Akane’s earnest attempt at bridging the gap between them. She’d be disappointed, maybe even angry. I have to persevere, Saito thought.

Saito bit down hard on his lower lip, trying to use the pain to fight off sleep.

“Uh…hey Saito, is your lip bleeding?!”

Akane seemed alarmed.

“It’s fine. Just blood,” answered Saito.

“It’s absolutely not fine! Are you coughing up blood?! Are you sick?!” Akane’s voice began to rise.

“Nah, there must have been a thumbtack in the cake or something,” said Saito.

“I ate that cake, you idiot!”

Akane was horrified, but her voice sounded distant—Saito was really starting to fade into sleep. After all the tension between them, now that they had finally experienced and shared a moment of peace, the exhaustion was hitting him all at once. Damn it… Not here! I refuse to pass out! Stay awake, Saito!

Desperate, he raised his fork, poising it right above his left hand.

“What are you doing?! Have you finally lost your mind?!”

Akane snatched the fork away before he could stab himself.

Three hours had passed since they started watching, and Saito had dozed off completely. However, through sheer willpower, his eyes had remained wide open. His eyeballs were dry and stiff, feeling as if they might crack at any moment.

“Ahh, that was so much fun! Next time, let’s watch the full twenty-four-hour version,” said Akane.

“…Wha—?”

Something truly terrifying shook Saito out of his reverie, jolting him awake. The repeated biting of his lips had filled his mouth with the metallic taste of blood.

“Wh-where am I…? Alpha Centauri…?”

“You’re on Earth. Are you okay?” said Akane.

“So…I made it back alive…” Saito sighed in relief, wiping the blood from his lips. He had apparently succumbed to sleep at some point, but fortunately, Akane hadn’t noticed. She casually removed the disc from the player, clearly in an excellent mood.

“Since you watched a movie I like, I’d be happy to watch one you like next,” Akane suggested.

“Honestly, I’d rather play a game than watch a movie,” Saito replied.

He wasn’t sure he could endure another extended session of just staring at a screen.

“I haven’t really played many games before,” Akane confessed.

“Which ones have you played?” Saito asked.

“Pretty much just the ones that come preinstalled on computers. You know, the one where you have to defuse the bombs,” answered Akane.

“So basically you have zero gaming experience,” said Saito.

Akane furrowed her brows.

“I always set the bomb off on the first move. I hate that game. It startles me.”

“Wait, if you always blow the bomb up on the first move, how do you still get surprised?” Saito replied.

“Even when I know it’s coming, it still catches me off guard! I know it’s just a game, but it’s way too full of itself,” Akane exclaimed.

The fact that she couldn’t just take the safe and easy approach to gaming was, in a way, very typical of her. Her frustration when even a program acted against her will was, in a way, also very typical of Akane.

“You know, you might actually enjoy other games if you give them a try. I’d be happy to teach you how to play,” proposed Saito.

“Doubtful. Even if the world turned upside down, I’d never get hooked on gaming.”

Akane scoffed dismissively, as if gaming was beneath her.

Thirty minutes passed.

“That was so unfair! Shooting me while I was trying to recover?! That’s just cruel!”

Akane was furiously mashing buttons on the controller, completely absorbed in the game. On screen, a chaotic battle raged—a crossover fighting game featuring a roster of iconic characters. Her chosen character, a swordswoman, was getting mercilessly riddled with bullets by Saito’s gunslinger. Akane’s swordswoman was blasted off the stage time and time again.

“There’s no such thing as ‘fair’ in an all-out brawl. Accept it,” advised Saito.

“…!”

Akane trembled with frustration, and her eyes teared up. She was gripping the controller as if she might crush it at any moment.

“Uh…hey, you’re kinda crying. Maybe we should stop,” Saito suggested.

“I’m not crying! And I won’t let you escape with a win!” Akane exclaimed.

“I wasn’t planning to run, but honestly, you don’t stand a chance,” Saito replied.

“Don’t be so cocky! One more! One more match!” Akane clung to the controller as Saito tried to rip it away.

Just thirty minutes ago, she had sworn she’d never get into gaming. Now, she seemed completely hooked. That said, if Saito kept destroying her in the game, their already delicate relationship might suffer. So, feeling a little guilty, Saito decided to give her some pointers.

“Okay, so the key to winning this game is getting the items. When they drop, always go for them.”

“I’ve been trying, but you keep getting to them first! We should take turns, like civilized people,” demanded Akane.

“Uh, no. If I let you take them, then it wouldn’t be much of a game, would it? By the way, as a beginner, you should use a speedy character with powerful attacks. One that can win just by mashing,” Saito advised.

“Winning with a handicap would be a hollow victory. I must prevail on the strength of my own skill alone!” Akane pouted.

“You don’t have the skill yet though. That’s why I’m giving you advice!”

“I do so have the skill! It just hasn’t blossomed yet!”

Determined, Akane pressed on. An hour passed. Two. She hadn’t won a single round. Her mood was plummeting. She wasn’t just teary-eyed anymore—she was actively weeping.

“S-sniff… I-I’m not giving up yet!” She wiped her tears with her sleeve, determined to continue playing.

“Uh… Can I assume I won’t be getting any sleep tonight?” Saito asked Akane.

“Of course! There’s no way I’m letting you win over and over while I haven’t gotten a single win!”

“You’re seriously that stubborn?”

Saito was in a pickle. He had been the one to suggest playing the game in the first place, so he couldn’t exactly back out now. But he was starting to feel exhausted. His eyes were blurry from staring at the screen for so long, and fatigue weighed on him heavily. Sleep was creeping up behind him and fast. His consciousness wavered for a split second—and in that moment, Akane’s character glowed with rainbow light as she unleashed a devastating combo. No, it couldn’t even be called a combo. It was pure, relentless aggression. A wild, furious onslaught. Akane was mashing buttons with reckless abandon, spamming basic attacks at an absurd speed, her sheer brute force racking up damage at an alarming rate.

“Damn, when did you pull so far ahead?”

“Too slow!” Akane cackled.

Saito tried to guard, but before he could react, Akane’s character swung her sword with a final, decisive strike. A cinematic cut-in for the ultimate move flashed across the screen. Saito’s character was sent flying off the stage, consumed by a dazzling explosion of fire and fury.

“I did it! I won! Finally! I beat you!”

Akane bounced up and down in triumphant excitement, celebrating like a little kid. Saito let out a dry chuckle.

“Pure force of will, huh?”

Strangely, he didn’t feel frustrated about losing—just relieved. He was free now. He was finally allowed to sleep. Akane slumped back against the sofa, exhaling in satisfaction.

“Ahh, that was fun.”

“Glad to hear you actually enjoyed yourself.” Saito smirked; his voice was dripping with sarcasm. Akane’s face froze, realizing something.

“I didn’t have fun. It was absolute torture.”

“Then I guess you won’t be playing anymore,” Saito teased.

“Don’t count on it,” said Akane.

“…Why?” Saito inquired.

“Because I need to completely destroy you. Next time, I’ll research strategies, train on my own, and get strong enough to win every single match!” replied Akane.

“You…you’re trying to break my spirit?” Saito asked.

“I am going to break you. Until you can never stand again.” Akane stood, shoulders square, her flushed cheeks glowing with excitement.

Saito silently packed away the controllers. They had been subjected to brutal abuse, but somehow, as expected of a gaming company that builds consoles tough enough to withstand the force of an actual tank, they had survived. There was one battle scar from the intense melee however: The protective cover on one of the controllers bore the unmistakable imprint of Akane’s teeth.

Akane carried her empty cake plate to the kitchen.

“I’ll wash these up,” volunteered Akane.

“It’s just a couple of dishes. I’ll take care of it. You go take your bath,” Saito offered.

“Oh, I see. You’re planning to send me in first so you can peek on me later, huh?” Akane quipped.

“Hadn’t even crossed my mind.”

“Really? You say that, but it wouldn’t be the first time,” teased Akane.

Akane narrowed her eyes at Saito in mock accusation.

“That was an emergency.”

Saito sighed, feeling the familiar wave of frustration crest over him. He was completely innocent, yet the memory of that incident still resurfaced all too easily in his mind. Akane shifted awkwardly, looking uncomfortable.

She started mumbling, “Back then…well…”

“Well, what?” Saito asked.

“…It’s…nothing.”

Akane suddenly turned around and dashed away, her ears burning red. Left alone at the sink, Saito absentmindedly washed the plates—only to realize he was humming to himself. That surprised him. The thought of their future gaming battles still felt uncertain, maybe even overwhelming. But at the same time, it wasn’t unpleasant to look forward to. Watching Akane’s stubborn determination, her ridiculous competitiveness—it had been surprisingly endearing. To his own shock, he discovered himself looking forward to their next match. Spending an enjoyable evening with his longtime rival…? That was a new, strange, and slightly terrifying experience.

The soft orange glow of the nightlight illuminated the bedroom. Saito stirred awake, his eyes drifting lazily to the ceiling. He could hear Akane’s steady, quiet breathing. The intense movie marathon and gaming session must have worn her out too; she had fallen asleep the moment she hit the bed.

It hadn’t been that long since they started this strange life—sleeping side by side with a classmate. But in just that short time, their days had become overwhelmingly full, packed with more experiences than Saito could have ever imagined just weeks ago. This isn’t normal everyday life—this is completely ridiculous. Yet, bit by bit, the ridiculous was beginning to feel normal for him.

Saito turned his head slightly and noticed that Akane had shifted in her sleep, leaving part of her body exposed outside the blanket. Her small, loosely curled hands looked unexpectedly delicate. Normally, he wouldn’t have cared—but tonight, for some reason, the thought crossed his mind: She might catch a cold like that.

Carefully, making sure not to wake her, Saito pulled the blanket over her. Turning away from her, he let his body relax and sank back into the comfort of sleep.

A shy whisper from Akane broke the silence.

“…Thank you.”

“Y-you were awake…?” Saito spoke, startled.

“Mm, for a little while now,” whispered Akane.

“I see…”

A wave of embarrassment washed over him, making his body feel uncomfortably warm. They both fidgeted awkwardly under the covers, but neither could find the courage to say anything more.

I’m just not feeling like myself today, perhaps. Saito could feel his heartbeat speeding up. If he were next to Shisei, his cousin, he wouldn’t think anything of it. But this was Akane. He wasn’t the kind of person who would do something this intimate for her. Had the exhaustion finally caused him to snap?

It seemed like Akane was struggling with the same feelings.

“Hey… I’m thirsty. I’d like some water, please,” she murmured in a soft, almost pleading voice.

“Sure, okay.”

Saito got up from the bed, walking over to the water dispenser by the wall. He poured a glass, while Akane sat at the edge of the bed, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the floor with her bare toes. Her slightly disheveled hair and the way one of her pajama buttons had come undone gave her an unguarded, sleepy appearance that added to the quiet, still atmosphere of the bedroom.

“Here. Don’t spill.” Saito sat down beside her and handed her the glass. Akane took it with both hands, drinking in small sips.

Gulp. Gulp.

The delicate sound of her swallowing filled the dimly lit room.

In the silence of the bedroom at this late hour, with no one else around, Saito was acutely aware of Akane’s presence. She looked up at him.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“…No reason.”

Saito quickly averted his gaze. Even he didn’t know why he was acting so strangely right now. It was extremely unusual for him—because he was such a logical person—to have a certain…feeling throw him off like this.

“Thanks for the water.”

“…Yeah.”

Without another word, they both slipped back under the covers. Their backs were pressed together, but tonight, Akane didn’t complain. Through the shared blanket, Saito could feel the warmth of her skin and smell her faint scent.

His smartphone, resting on the headboard, blinked faintly. From the water dispenser, a gentle gurgle echoed as bubbles rose to the surface. Saito knew he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep right away, so he figured he’d fill the void by speaking with Akane.

“Next time, you can pick the game we play. I’ll find a movie for us to watch too, Sakuramori-san,” Saito mumbled.

“…Why don’t you call me by my name?” said Akane. Her voice carried a hint of frustration.

“Huh?”

Saito didn’t know what she meant.

“I don’t like it. It feels like I’m being disrespected. Call me by my name.”

“Sakuramori?” Saito muttered.

“Not my last name,” Akane clarified.

Saito hesitated, taking a quiet breath. For some reason, it felt harder to breathe than usual.

“Okay then…Akane?”

“Yes, Saito?”

Her voice had a subtle softness to it, her tone almost teasing, almost sweet.

“…Nothing,” said Saito.

“…Mmn,” murmured Akane.

Their backs remained pressed together, and the body heat of the two felt as if it could become one.

During the break, Saito was slumped over his desk, fast asleep. Despite being in a classroom full of students, he was completely unbothered in his nap, so at ease that he was drooling onto the desk. His mechanical pencil and eraser had already fallen to the floor, and his notebook was about to suffer the same fate.

You’re sloppy as ever, Saito… Akane sighed as she passed him, bending down to gather his fallen stationery. With a slight trace of irritation, she poked his head with a pencil to wake him up.

“You dropped these.”

“Hmm? Oh… Thanks.”

Saito blinked sleepily and muttered his gratitude to her.

Akane said nothing in reply, simply walking past him to take her seat. But for some reason, she couldn’t shake the strange restlessness she had been feeling. Lately, every time Saito thanked her, an odd, itching sensation stirred inside her heart. This relationship where she and Saito exchanged gratitude was refreshingly different from the one where they were in constant conflict. The sudden shift threw Akane. Being on the receiving end of his thanks felt…oddly pleasant. She found herself craving it.

I should hate him… What the hell is this feeling? Confused even by her own feelings, Akane pressed her warm cheeks with both hands. At that moment, Himari plopped down in the seat in front of her.

“Akane, did you and Saito-kun have a fight or something?” Himari inquired.

It was a strange question, considering they had actually been fighting less, lately.

“We’re always fighting, I think…” Akane replied, puzzled.

Himari frowned, lost in thought.

“Yeah, but I noticed something about you guys seems different lately. You haven’t been snapping at him as much… I was kinda wondering if you just got tired of even talking to him.”

“Ah.” Akane got alarmed. The absence of conflict made things seem suspicious now, given their default was all-out war. It was a problem Akane hadn’t considered. She regretted not maintaining at least some level of daily conflict—if only for appearances’ sake.

“It’s not like I’m avoiding him or anything,” explained Akane.

“So…did you two get closer?” Himari asked.

“Hell no, I’d never ever get close to that guy,” Akane replied.

“Then what’s going on? Do you have a fever or something?” Himari placed her cool palm against Akane’s forehead.

It was crazy that people would suspect Akane to be ill just because she wasn’t fighting with Saito. But compared to Himari’s hand, Akane’s forehead was noticeably hot. Not wanting her secret to be exposed, Akane quickly pulled away and shielded her forehead.

“I don’t have a fever! Listen, I’m…I’m just conserving my energy for the next fight. The battlefield may look peaceful for now, but I am merely in a regrouping phase,” explained Akane.

Himari raised an eyebrow.

“And what exactly do you have planned for the next battle?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll make Saito regret the day he was born. He will suffer a degree of pain beyond his imagination.”

Himari’s face went ghost white.

“Saito-kun, run!” Himari called out.

Good…that should take care of that. Akane sighed in relief—until she noticed Himari tilting her head at her, unconvinced.

“Hey, Akane, you haven’t ever called Saito-kun by his first name before, have you?”

“!”

This time, it was Akane’s face that turned ghost-white.

“What happened between you guys? Now that I think about it…Something must have changed between the two of you, didn’t it?” Himari interrogated.

“N-no! Nothing happened…” Akane stammered.

“Are you sure? Wait…weren’t you saying before that there was someone you kinda wanted to get along with better? Was it actually Saito-kun?”

“N-no, it’s not like that at all! I mean—uh, um…” Akane stammered, desperately trying to think of an excuse. But nothing came up. Her mind spun in circles, her body temperature skyrocketed, and even breathing felt difficult.

“I—I’m going home! See you tomorrow!”

“Akane, it’s only first period—?!”

Ignoring Himari’s stunned voice, Akane bolted out of the classroom at full speed.

Chapter 4: My Wife

Chapter 4:
My Wife

THE SCHOOL LIBRARY HAD A UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE thanks to the blend of the scent of worn-out books and aged wooden shelves. Unlike the noisy classrooms and hallways, the library was a sanctuary, completely isolated from the chaos of the outside world.

In this quiet, almost otherworldly space, Saito crouched in front of a bookshelf and locked himself in an intense stare-down with the tomes.

“This is it!” Saito’s voice lifted with excitement as he finally found the passage he had been searching for. Just then—

“Guess who?”

A pair of hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind. That in itself wasn’t an issue—the problem was that the hands were soaking wet. Water dripped down his face, trickling all the way to his chin.

“There’s only one person who would pull this kind of ridiculous stunt—Shisei, it’s you, isn’t it?” Saito responded calmly.

“Wow! Ani-kun, you really get me!”

Shisei pulled her hands away, looking impressed.

“I don’t get you at all. I have no idea why you’d do something like this,” said Saito.

“I wanted to help cure your dry eye syndrome. Shise is so kind, right?”

Her prideful, puffed-chest pose contrasted starkly with her usual blank expression.

“Honestly…it’s more of a nuisance than a kindness,” Saito said.

“This is exactly what’s wrong with modern people. No gratitude,” Shisei philosophized.

“It’d be the same no matter whether the people were modern or ancient. Besides, you’re going to get the books wet.”

Saito sighed, setting his open book back onto the shelf before it could suffer any further water damage. He didn’t carry anything as fancy as a handkerchief on him, so he reached into Shisei’s uniform pocket, pulled out hers, and helped her wipe her hands off. Shisei, as usual, didn’t react—her expression remained blank, as if her brain was completely devoid of thought.

“What were you reading?” Shisei probed, proceeding to pull the book from the shelf herself to read the title.

“Building Communication Skills from Zero.”

Shisei placed a hand on Saito’s head and gave it a light pat.

“Perfect for my communication-zero brother. Do your best, Ani-kun.”

“Not very convincing coming from someone who has zero friends,” Saito quipped.

“I, Shise, do not have zero friends. I have plenty of people who take care of me. Many guardians, you know.”

“So…they’re not your friends after all!” Saito pointed out.

“The other day, a girl from my class tried to give me some allowance money, so I…” Shisei looked at Saito’s face and added, “…refused…”

Saito saw through Shisei’s obvious lie.

“You’ve gotta give her her money back!”

Shisei shook her head.

“Can’t. I already spent it. Used up the whole ten thousand yen in a day.”

“What the hell did you even spend ten thousand yen on?!” Saito was stunned.

“Steamed meat buns,” Shisei replied.

“How many steamed meat buns would that even be?!”

Saito suddenly felt an overwhelming degree of concern for Shisei’s future. This waif of a girl had the ability to charm people—regardless of age and gender. If she ever figured out how to exploit that charm, it would be dangerous.

Shisei casually plopped down onto the carpet on the library floor, stretching out her white-tights-clad legs. She held up the book, inspecting it intently as if it were some kind of ancient relic.

“Surprising. I didn’t think you cared about your lack of communication skills, Ani-kun.”

“It’s not that. I just think this could help improve my relationship with Akane,” explained Saito.

“It’d be easier to just brainwash her,” said Shisei.

“I’d rather not use methods that completely disregard personal autonomy,” retorted Saito.

“It wouldn’t be. I’m sure Akane would want it too,” replied Shisei.

“And what exactly do you know about Akane?” Saito inquired.

“That she can emit ultrasonic waves from her nose to annihilate her enemies?” Shisei answered.

“…That’s…definitely not the Akane I know,” Saito muttered quietly.

Akane was a no-nonsense girl. Saito knew that if he resorted to underhanded or manipulative tactics, the trust they were finally starting to build would vanish instantly—likely forever.

“So, did the book help, Ani-kun?”

Saito took the book back from Shisei.

“Yeah. It says that a good way to strengthen a sense of connection with others is through shared activities. So basically, I just need to do more stuff together with Akane,” Saito recited.

“Do stuff together? Like…hmm…destroying the world?” said Shisei.

“Again, Akane isn’t some kind of biological weapon,” Saito replied.

“How about…transcribing Buddhist sutras?” Shisei suggested.

“How is transcribing Buddhist scriptures together supposed to help a married couple connect? Best case, we’d just reach a state of complete nothingness,” Saito pointed out.

Shisei pressed her hands together in a prayerlike gesture.

“Maybe you’d both reach enlightenment and ascend together.”

“I’d rather not die just yet.”

Though his marriage had felt like a battlefield at times, there were finally some glimpses of hope for Saito’s future. He had to capitalize on this opportunity and make some real progress. Shisei gave a solemn nod.

“I understand, Ani-kun.”

Then, with a completely straight face, she continued: “I’ll go rob a bank. That way, you and Akane can team up to stop me. The adrenaline from the crisis will trigger the suspension bridge effect, and her affection for you will skyrocket.”

“Isn’t that a bit excessive?!”

Saito immediately shut down his reckless cousin’s idea. Come to think about it, even if Shisei did attempt a robbery, the tellers probably wouldn’t take her seriously. There was honestly a decent chance they’d just give her some allowance money and send her on her way.

Akane held her textbooks and stationery tight to her chest as she walked to science class. It was hard to tell whether she was just being careful not to drop them or if she was guarding against potential thieves. Either way, her defensive posture was obvious. Saito waited for the crowd to thin out before approaching her.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Saito asked.

“What is it? Please don’t talk to me much at school.”

Akane punctuated her curt reply with a sharp glare—an expression far removed from what one would expect between husband and wife. Saito had thought their relationship had softened a little, but clearly, he was mistaken. If anything, she seemed even more distant than before. If she was this cold to him now, she might not be receptive to his suggestion about doing something together.

“Um…are you busy after school today?”

“Yes. I have to go home and study.”

“I meant like, do you have plans with friends or anything?” Saito asked.

“H-huh? No… Himari has work today,” Akane answered cautiously, her expression wary.

Saito cleared his throat.

“In that case…why don’t we meet up after school and go shopping together?”

“…”

Akane blinked at Saito, looking somewhat dazed. The meaning of his words hadn’t quite registered for her. For a moment, she just stared at him blankly. Then, suddenly…her entire face flushed bright red.

“W-wait, does that mean… Are you asking me out on a date?!”

Her voice shot up, drawing attention from the nearby students. Panic surged through Saito. Without thinking, he pulled Akane’s wrist and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom. Before she could protest any further, he clamped a hand over her mouth and pressed her against the wall, hidden from sight.

“Mmmph! Mmmph!”

Akane thrashed wildly, struggling to break free. But Saito wasn’t letting go. Their classmates strolled down the hallway, chatting idly as they passed by. If they overheard any commotion, it would turn into a huge issue. Saito waited until the voices faded into the distance before finally releasing Akane.

“Puh—!”

Akane gasped for air, her eyes watery as she hugged herself defensively.

“P-pervert! Dragging a girl into a dark, empty room and forcing yourself on her like this—!”

“It’s not dark, and I didn’t force anything,” Saito replied, defending himself.

“You’re about to! You’ve got that ‘Heh heh…time to ensure our family’s future. Grandpa already gave me the go-ahead, so there’s no holding back now—cry all you want, no one’s coming to save you’ look on your face!” exclaimed Akane.

“Do I even have enough space on my face to fit that entire phrase? And for the record, you forced my hand by calling it a date!” Saito retorted.

Akane tried to bolt for the hallway, but Saito quickly stepped in, blocking her escape.

“I-I mean, a guy and a girl meeting up to go shopping together—isn’t that…a date?” Akane’s voice trailed off.

Seeing Akane lower her head in embarrassment made Saito feel embarrassed too. Now that he thought about it, Akane had a point—what Saito was suggesting could be easily interpreted as a date. Saito had never, in his life, asked a girl out before. Saito struggled to find a way out of this mess. His brain went into overdrive, scrambling to clarify.

“It’s not a date. It’s just…a grocery run. Together. We’re running low on food in the fridge at home, and it’s a hassle carrying all the bags back alone!”

“Ah, I understand…a grocery run! Of course! There’s no way you would ask me out on a date, Saito,” Akane nodded as if she was convincing herself as well.

“Ha ha…yeah, obviously! Don’t get the wrong idea!” Saito nodded.

“I wasn’t getting the wrong idea. So don’t you assume that I was assuming anything!”

Akane and Saito were both drenched in nervous sweat. With strained smiles, they awkwardly negotiated a mutually acceptable excuse/explanation—one that wouldn’t be emotionally catastrophic for either of them. There was just no way they could ever go on a “date.”

“S-so…where should we meet up?” asked Akane.

“How about that burger place near the school?” suggested Saito.

“No way. That place is always packed with students after school. It’s a hangout spot for me and Himari too,” said Akane.

“Yeah. Honestly, I’d rather not be seen in public with you,” agreed Saito.

Saito and Akane were known for being nemeses, after all. If anyone saw them together outside of school, there was no doubt it would spark unnecessary rumors. There was absolutely nothing romantic between them—they just happened to be married to each other.

Akane furrowed her brows, deep in thought.

“The back gate would be best. The only thing that passes through there are the teachers’ cars,” Akane proposed.

“Sounds good. Then, after school at the back gate?” Saito replied.

They exchanged a nod before stepping out of the empty classroom.

As the final homeroom of the day ended and students started to file out of the classroom, Akane shivered with nervous excitement. Even though this wasn’t a date, it’d still be her first time ever going shopping alone with a boy. Who knew what kinds of terrifying misadventures awaited her on this very-much-not-a-date? Because it wasn’t a date. Absolutely not.

Saito was still at his desk reading a book. He normally wouldn’t have lingered in the classroom longer than necessary, so Akane picked up on the fact that he was intending to stagger his exit out to the back gate in order to avoid suspicion. Noticing Akane’s glance, he gave her a small nod—go on ahead.

She picked up her school bag and headed toward the hallway. Since her best friend Himari was working at her part-time job today, she was home free. Or so she thought.

“Akane! Let’s walk home together!”

Himari showed up out of nowhere, wearing her usual bright, beaming smile. She chased after the fleeing Akane.

“Wait, Himari?! I thought you had work today!”

“I did, but it got canceled last minute! I figured this would be the perfect chance to hang out. It’s been forever!”

“Oh… I see.” Akane’s stomach dropped. Akane only just barely was able to stop herself from blurting out, “That’s really bad timing.”

“By the way, you know that parfait place you love? They’re serving their limited-edition menu this evening!” Himari said.

“Really?! You mean the gigantic one-kilogram strawberry parfait?!” Akane replied.

“Yep! You’ve been wanting to try it forever, right? C’mon, I just got paid! I’ll treat you!”

Himari patted her chest confidently, looking like the most generous best friend in the world.

“Ugh…” Akane felt her soul being ripped in half.

Of all times…why now?! Akane was in agony. The strawberry parfait was extremely tempting. She might never get another chance if she missed this opportunity. Himari’s offer was so generous—it felt wrong to refuse. But…she’d made a promise to Saito. And breaking a promise was unacceptable. If their roles were reversed and Saito ditched her, she’d probably ice him out for a long, long time.

“Listen, Himari…I’m so sorry. I already…have plans today…”

“Wait, you’re just going home to study, right?” Himari was puzzled.

“Normally, I would be…but this time, I actually made plans with someone…” Akane mumbled.

“What?! Who? A new friend? Introduce me!”

Akane had hoped her vague answer would be enough to brush her off, but Himari latched on instantly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“No need for an introduction, Himari! You already know them!” Akane was struggling to continue the conversation.

“Someone I know…and a friend of yours…?! Wait—it’s Saito-kun, isn’t it?! Is this a date?!” Himari pried, eyes widening.

“It’s not!” Akane shouted with all her might. That, at least, she had to remain firm on.

“Well, in that case, let’s just all hang out together! I wanna be friends with Saito-kun too!” With the purest of intentions, Himari had cheerfully suggested the worst possible outcome.

Even though she wasn’t doing anything wrong, Akane’s heart felt pierced through with guilt. Including Himari on their grocery run just felt wrong to Akane. For some reason, she wanted the trip to be taken by just the two of them. She knew that was what Saito wanted too, somehow.

“I’m really sorry! I’ve got to pass this time—can we rain check, please?”

Akane clasped her hands together in apology, backing away as she fled. She nearly tumbled down the stairs but caught the railing just in time, twisting her body around and sprinting down to the first floor.

I’ll bake her some cookies to make it up to her, Akane thought. With a deep sigh, she continued walking down the hallway, but then…

Fwump.

A weird noise came from beneath her foot. A strange, soft sensation spread under her sole. Startled, Akane looked down—only to realize she had stepped on Shisei, who was sprawled out on the floor.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?! Why are you even lying here?!”

Akane hurriedly pulled Shisei up and brushed the dust off her uniform. Shisei held up a peace sign with her hand, looking completely unfazed.

“I was waiting for you. This was…a little trap,” Shisei said to Akane.

“Usually traps aren’t the things that take damage when sprung though,” replied Akane.

“I never imagined there existed a warrior mighty enough to step on me and remain standing… Impressive. In honor of your bravery and resilience, I shall bestow upon you…the legendary sword,” said Shisei.

“Um…I’m kind of in a hurry, so can I just head home?” asked Akane. It was always difficult to try to reason with Shisei, but right now, Akane had zero time to parse the nonsense she was spewing. Akane needed to get to the back gate before Saito. If Himari caught up to her, things would get way too complicated.

Just as she was trying to make her escape, Shisei spoke up.

“Before you go, Akane, I must ask—what type of joint activity do you plan to engage in?”

“Joint activity?” Akane was dumbfounded.

“You have three choices: world domination, Buddhist sutra transcription, or crime fighting. Choose wisely,” said Shisei solemnly. Standing firm like a warlord, Shisei exhaled sharply through her nose.

“Those are all terrible options,” answered Akane.

“Don’t overthink it. Just go with your gut,” pressed Shisei.

“My gut’s telling me I don’t want to pick any of them.”

“I never knew you were so selfish, Akane.”

Shisei pouted, adding, “Fine. In that case, Akane, what kind of joint activity would you want to do with Ani-kun?”

“Wh-why are you suddenly involving Saito?!” Akane tensed up, as Shisei had caught her off guard.

“No particular reason. I’m just curious.”

Shisei tilted her head, her expression unreadable. She continued.

“Even something as simple as harvesting ice from underground caves for eternity would be an acceptable answer.”

“Why, why does every option you give me sound like some kind of torture?”

“I just want to know. I won’t let you leave until you answer.”

Shisei blocked Akane’s path, raising both hands and one leg into some kind of bizarre stance. Maybe she was trying to mimic crane style, but…there was no intensity. Shisei simply didn’t have the presence of a battle hardened warrior.

Instead, what Shisei radiated was the aura of a hamster. She looked ridiculously weak.

Why is it that today, of all days, I keep getting interrupted? I have to go! Akane was tremendously frustrated.

“Um, I have to go, Shisei-san. I have something important to do!”

“Ah—”

Before Shisei knew it, Akane burst forward at full speed, slipping right past Shisei’s completely unguarded stance. Shisei tumbled to the floor and immediately began rolling after her.

It was horrifying—she moved like one of those haunted porcelain dolls from a ghost story. But, fortunately for Akane, Shisei was way too slow to catch up.

Akane changed her shoes at the entrance, carefully weaving through the shadows of trees to avoid drawing attention from other students. Only when she reached the back gate could she finally exhale in relief.

Saito hadn’t gotten there yet.

Why did I say it was “something important”…? Akane was stunned. As the realization hit her, embarrassment flooded in. She almost made it sound like…a date. Like she was actually looking forward to going shopping with Saito.

No, no, no! It’s not a date! It’s household chores. We’re just buying essentials. That’s all. She forcefully drilled the thought into her head. Yet…she couldn’t ignore the strange fluttering in her chest. She found herself straightening her clothes, checking her bangs in her reflection, and making sure she didn’t look too messy.

It’s not a date…but I should at least look presentable. Right? It’s not a date. It’s. Not. A. Date. Akane pulled out her lip balm from her pouch and lightly applied it to her lips.

Taking his usual route would have meant risking encounters with other students at the entrance—a potential interference he could not risk. So, during the class-cleaning-duty time at the end of the day, Saito had preemptively retrieved his shoes from the entrance. That way, he could slip out smoothly through the outdoor hallway and head straight for the back gate.

The sky was a brilliant blue, stretching endlessly above him and lifting Saito’s spirits. The art club members in the schoolyard were absorbed in capturing the scenery, holding their sketchbooks. The vibrant blue of their gym uniforms shone brightly against the warm sunlight.

But as Saito walked along the side of the school building, uncertainty crept in. They had made a promise, but…would Akane actually be there, waiting? Had she changed her mind, deciding she hated the idea of their joint errand after all? Had she just gone home?

Well, even if that was the case, it shouldn’t be an issue, right? Why should that bother me? Saito thought to himself. After all, it wasn’t like he was looking forward to shopping with his least favorite classmate… They’d probably bicker the whole time. It was going to be exhausting. Logically, it’d be much easier to just take care of it himself. So why did he want her to be there with him? He didn’t have an answer. Saito passed through the staff parking lot, approaching the back gate—

And there she was. Akane stood there, clutching her school bag, her fingers anxiously fidgeting with her bangs.

An unexpected relief settled in Saito’s chest.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“O-oh…no, it’s fine.” Akane nodded, a little stiffly.

So together, they stepped out through the back gate. Since it wasn’t an official school entrance, the back gate was poorly maintained. The chain-link fence was rusty, and the pavement was littered with fallen leaves and petals. Saito glanced back just in case. No other students seemed to have seen them. As long as they stayed away from the usual commuter routes, they should be safe from unwanted attention.

“Where are we going to go?” Saito asked Akane.

“I usually go to this one shop near our house.”

“Ah, okay.”

“…”

After that initial exchange of words, the air around the two was dense with awkward silence. Even though they were walking together, there was a full meter of space between them. Akane had her head down, ears flushing red, refusing to meet Saito’s eyes.

This was the first time they had ever gone anywhere alone together. They had spent countless hours stuck in the same classroom, arguing up until the point of exhaustion. But outside school? They had never once tried to interact. Saito wasn’t quite sure how to act.

As they walked along the tree-lined path and emerged onto the busy main street, the pair had to navigate much larger crowds. Keeping a full meter of space between them wasn’t possible anymore. Now walking side by side, their shoulders accidentally brushed.

“Hey, you! Don’t get so close!” Akane exclaimed.

“You bumped into me first,” Saito replied.

“Huh?! You were the one who bumped into me!”

“And don’t say, ‘Hey, you!’ You know my name, don’t you?”

“You say that to me too, you know!”

“Fine, I’ll say it properly then—hey, Saito, you were the one who bumped into me!”

“No, Akane! You were the one who bumped into me!”

“Good! Great!”

“Now what?”

As their petty argument continued, passing pedestrians glanced curiously at the bickering pair. Saito felt oddly relieved. If Akane had stayed silent with that serious look on her face, he would have started feeling out of place.

The supermarket Akane frequented was about five minutes from their home. The building was old, and its exterior was showing signs of age. Even the nameplate on the store’s wall had faded. It may not have been aesthetically pleasing, but the parking lot was surprisingly busy, and the bike racks near the entrance were overflowing. Stacks of toilet paper and bottles of detergent lined the automatic doors, as parents hustled their children inside, grabbing items as they passed by. As someone with an interest in business management, Saito couldn’t help but analyze the store’s customer base.

“The supermarket is kind of grimy, but it looks like business is booming,” said Saito.

“That’s rude of you, Saito! They may not spend much on renovations, but they always keep the store clean! The prices are low too, so it’s really popular with the local housewives,” Akane asserted, as if defending the store.

“You’ve been chatting with the customers?” Saito questioned.

Akane vehemently shook her head, as if the very idea was ridiculous.

“I don’t randomly talk to strangers. I just looked up reviews online after we moved here.”

“Huh. Smart.”

Saito nodded at Akane, genuinely impressed. Saito had never considered looking up supermarket reviews before shopping. If this was a common practice, then running a business would mean devoting attention to review management as well. He’d have to consider that more in the future.

Grabbing a shopping basket, Saito and Akane stepped into the store. Rows of fruits and vegetables were displayed on the aisles, while along the walls, shelves were stocked with tofu, natto, and konjac.

“All right, we’re out of green onions, natto, and eggs…”

Saito casually tossed items into the basket—until Akane’s shriek interrupted him.

“Don’t just throw things in without checking the prices!”

“Prices…?” asked Saito.

“Look, these eggs are twenty yen more expensive than the others! And the expiration date is sooner!”

Akane thrust a different carton of eggs at him, her eyes stern.

“Eggs don’t go bad that easily, though. We can still eat them just fine,” Saito protested.

“No, we can’t. You’ll get food poisoning,” Akane scolded.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Saito retorted.

“No! You’ll cross that bridge now!”

Akane let out an exasperated sigh.

“Listen, eggs are considered the model citizen of grocery stores. They’re always affordable and a great budget-friendly staple. So why on earth waste money buying pricier ones?!”

Without waiting for his response, she put back the eggs Saito had picked and swapped them for another carton. Then, she did the same for the green onions and natto, switching them for cheaper options. She also neatly reorganized the shelves where other customers had left products out of place, as if it were second nature.

“I chose those on purpose, you know,” said Saito.

“No, you didn’t. You just grabbed things at random,” Akane replied.

Akane stopped in front of the condiments aisle and picked up two different bottles of soy sauce She stared intensely at each label to compare the two, practically burning a hole through them with her gaze.

“This one is 450 milliliters for 398 yen…and this one is 500 milliliters for 442 yen… The price per milliliter would be…” Akane mumbled with a frowning face, struggling to calculate it in her head.

“This is too much effort. Just get the bigger one—it’ll barely be any different in price,” Saito chimed in.

“It’s not ‘too much effort’! Being careless with money always leads to ruin! One day, you’ll be drowning in massive debt, wandering the frozen back alleys in the middle of the winter, thinking, ‘If only I hadn’t bought the expensive soy sauce, I wouldn’t have ended up this way.’ But by then, it’ll be too late,” Akane scolded.

“I don’t know if soy sauce has ever put anyone into crippling debt,” quipped Saito.

“Columbus went into debt just to find pepper. If pepper can cause financial ruin, then so can soy sauce!” Akane’s tone was dead serious.

In her need to prove her point, she seemed unaware that they were no longer living in the Age of Exploration.

“Hold on, let me calculate it on my phone.”

Still holding the soy sauce bottles, Akane fumbled with her school bag, trying to pull out her smartphone. She looked moments away from dropping everything. With a sigh, Saito took the soy sauce from her hand to prevent disaster.

Akane tapped on her phone. She narrowed her eyes.

“Right… Both come out to approximately 0.884 yen per milliliter. The 500-milliliter bottle is technically 0.0004 yen cheaper per milliliter, so we’ll go with this one.”

“That’s…way too nitpicky,” said Saito.

“There’s a famous proverb, you know—‘He who laughs at 0.0004 yen will one day weep over 0.0004 yen,’” said Akane.

“Bullshit, no there isn’t!”

Saito was familiar with the saying “He who laughs at a single yen will one day cry over a single yen,” but this was pretty ridiculous. Akane was serious to a fault. Saito had realized as much when they discussed household chore responsibilities, but seeing it in action like this made him wonder—wasn’t this level of obsessiveness exhausting for her?

As they continued through the store, they noticed that a crowd had gathered around the fresh meat section.

“What’s going on?” Akane wondered.

“No idea,” Saito replied.

They decided to investigate. A bevy of shoppers—all seasoned-looking housewives—radiated an intense aura of battle readiness. The tension in the air was so thick that Saito briefly wondered if some kind of battle to the death was about to begin. One middle-aged woman, her muscular legs planted firmly to the tile floor, was doing squats—as if warming up for a fight.

From the back of the store, a store employee emerged, pushing a cart stacked high with packs of chicken. Bright red lettering on a yellow sign practically screamed, Timed sale! Chicken breasts—fifty yen per pack!

“We have plenty of meat at home, so we don’t really need—” Saito began, but when he glanced at Akane, he gasped, swallowing the rest of his words. Akane’s eyes burned with fierce determination, her fists clenched tight. A fire had been ignited within her soul.

“These timed sales have defeated me every time. They sell out in an instant, and I’ve never managed to take advantage before. Today, I will reclaim my honor!” Akane’s voice was low and intense.

“But…we already have plenty of meat at home—”

“That’s not the point,” she cut him off sharply. “When something is cheap, you buy it and freeze it. That way, you can live victoriously and with pride,” proclaimed Akane.

A high school girl…staking her pride on a timed supermarket sale. Akane shoved her school bag into Saito’s arms, her expression stony and resolute.

“Watch closely, Saito. You are about to witness history. A legend will be born today.”

Her fierce gaze was locked onto the fresh meat section. Suddenly, she stepped out onto the battlefield. At that exact moment—ding-ding-ding! The store clerk rang a bell, signaling the start of the melee. The crowd roared.

“Roooooaaarrrrrr!”

Saito was not hallucinating. He actually heard the bellow—a chorus of housewives, their voices deep and primal, echoed through the store like the howl of a pack of gorillas. These were true warriors. Saito had assumed that housewives were delicate, but that misconception had been corrected today. Their biceps were in fact sculpted from daily floor mopping. Their quadriceps were developed by carrying heavy groceries, and their willpower had been sharpened to steel through the constant struggle to protect their families.

Armed with overwhelming combat prowess, the housewives charged at the fifty-yen-per-pack chicken breasts. Muscles flexed as they smashed their carts forward, attempting to snatch up packs of chicken. It was a no-holds-barred, every-woman-for-herself, pure battle for survival. Akane’s small frame was instantly swallowed up by the chaotic mob.

“W-wait! Stop—!”

“I-I’m sorry—!”

“Please—!”

“I can’t take it—!” Akane’s desperate, scattered cries reached Saito in broken fragments, barely audible over the wartime din. By the time he snapped out of his shock, the cart’s mountain of chicken had vanished.

Akane staggered out from the fray, looking like she had just barely survived being attacked by a pack of dragons. Her hair was a mess, her uniform was disheveled, and her spirit seemed drained. Yet, in her trembling hand, she held something up—

Not chicken.

It was the sale sign that sat on top of the cart.

Her shoulders shook as the realization hit her, and she sniffed in disappointment.

“Wait—don’t cry. I’ll go next.” Saito stepped forward with determination, setting his sights on the battlefield.

At that moment, the store employee emerged from the back once more, pushing another cart into the aisle.

This time, it wasn’t chicken. It was pork belly. One pack…for twenty-five yen.

The Amazonians who had won their chicken in the previous battle snapped their heads toward it. Their eyes gleamed like starving wolves, ready to devour their prey. Surely, a male high school student couldn’t be overpowered by a crowd of middle-aged women. That was the thought going through Saito’s mind until he moment he stepped into the battlefield. A voice whispered right next to his ear, chilling and low.

“Kid…this ain’t a place for you…”

Saito froze. The sharp glares of the warrior housewives pierced him from all directions. The sheer pressure emanating from them was suffocating. Before he could even react—they charged. Slamming into him. Crushing him. Stampeding over him. He was knocked aside, pushed, trampled, and torn apart amid the merciless tide of shoppers. It was all Saito could do to shield his vital organs—and even that was nearly impossible.

A moment later, the crowd spat out the battered and broken Saito. After the storm of shoppers had swept through, only two bodies remained—Saito and Akane, both collapsed on the supermarket floor. It was…overwhelming. There had never been a chance of victory against such brutality. They had faced the might of the unstoppable force of the bargain-hunting housewives—and lost completely. Realizing the absurdity of their situation, Saito felt laughter bubble up inside him—setting aside despair, it was actually pretty hilarious.

“We’re so pathetic,” blurted Akane.

“Yeah…what the hell were we even doing?” Saito responded.

They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Akane guffawed so hard, Saito could see tears in her eyes. It was the first time they had ever genuinely laughed together from the bottom of their hearts. Even their defeat…had been a joint effort. Their hair was a mess, their clothes were in shambles, and yet neither of them felt all that bad about it.

Saito was surprised at how nice it felt to simply laugh with Akane.

Akane stood up, dusting off the hem of her skirt.

“Well, there was no helping it today.”

Then, with determination in her voice, she clenched her fists.

“Next time, we will win!”

“You’re planning on giving it another go?” Saito marveled at her resilience.

“Of course. It’s survival of the fittest in this world,” stated Akane.

“I’m out,” said Saito.

“Nope. You’re coming with me,” Akane insisted, tilting her head, her gaze narrowing mischievously as she peered into his face.

It was a rare, playful expression. And before he even realized it—Saito found himself nodding.

As they continued shopping, Saito and Akane arrived at the deli aisle. The air was filled with the irresistible aroma of something sizzling, drawing the pair’s attention. A store employee was grilling sausages on a hot plate, skewering them with toothpicks and carefully arranging them on a small sampling tray. Akane kept sneaking furtive glances at the sausages, clearly interested.

“You want to try one?” Saito asked.

“N-no,” said Akane.

“Really? Then what’s that drool on your chin?”

“!” Akane frantically wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Realizing she’d been tricked, she puffed out her cheeks and glared at Saito.

“That’s a dirty trick…” Her voice was that of a sulking child.

“They’re free, so you might as well try one,” suggested Saito.

“It’s…embarrassing,” said Akane.

“Embarrassing? Why?” Saito was puzzled.

“I don’t know… It feels greedy. Or shameless. Stuff like this is usually expensive too, so if you take a sample, it kind of feels like you’ve gotta buy it,” explained Akane.

“You don’t, though. All you gotta do is just say, ‘It wasn’t that great, I’ll pass,’” Saito said.

“That would hurt the employee’s feelings, though!” Akane replied.

“They’re literally there for tasting. If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t feel pressured to buy it.”

Without giving her a chance to escape, Saito grabbed Akane’s wrist and led her to the sampling table. Then, before she could protest, he popped a sausage into her mouth.

“Ah—! Mmf! Mngh…!”

Akane flailed for a moment, but then—she chewed, swallowed, and her whole face lit up.

“It’s delicious! So, so good!” Apparently, her excitement had outweighed her embarrassment.

“You have to try one!”

She grabbed another sample and shoved it at Saito.

Saito took a bite. The juicy, springy texture! The burst of savory meat! The subtle hint of smoky spices! It was incredible. The employee beamed at them, clearly pleased.

“These sausages taste great even cold! They’re perfect for bento boxes. One pack is three hundred yen, but if you buy three, it’s eight hundred yen—a one-hundred-yen discount!” The store employee smiled warmly through his pitch.

“Aw…still too expensive.”

Akane hesitated, shrinking back slightly. She was clearly tempted but couldn’t justify the price. Her eyes darted back and forth between the sausages and the price tag, obviously locked in an internal battle.

“If you want it, you should get it,” Saito sighed.

Plop.

Before she could even react, Saito picked up a pack of sausages and casually dropped them into their shopping basket. Without another word, he turned and walked off. Akane let out an indignant grunt and hurried after him.

“Hey! Don’t just decide things on your own!”

Saito didn’t even glance back.

“If three hundred yen is enough to make you smile, then it’s a damn cheap price to pay,” said Saito.

Akane stopped in her tracks. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and she muttered under her breath, “What the hell…? You can’t buy my affection that cheap, you know.”

If sausages were the key to bringing peace to their household, Saito had no complaints. Now that he had seen how pleasant Akane’s smile could be, he never wanted to return to their old battlefield.

The pair lined up at the register. Akane, looking pleased with herself, proudly handed over her point card to the cashier.

“You actually collect points?” asked Saito, slightly surprised.

“Of course. I got this card the day after we moved in. We buy groceries and cleaning supplies here all the time so it’d be a waste not to use it.” Akane spoke with pride, as if the card were a badge of honor. Saito watched as she pulled reusable tote bags from her school bag and carefully packed their groceries away. The bags were decorated with cute bear and rabbit characters—an uncharacteristically adorable choice for Akane.

Carrying one bag apiece, they exited the store and stepped into the golden hues of early evening. The riverbank road stretched before them, bathed in amber light. The setting sun shimmered across the water’s surface, painting the scene in a soft, warm glow.

“You’re really…meticulous, huh?” Saito chanced voicing his honest thoughts.

“You mean stingy, don’t you?” Akane shot him back a suspicious look.

“No, I meant it as a compliment… You’re going to make a great wife someday,” said Saito.

“Wha—?!” Akane’s ears turned bright red.

Saito realized just how expressive Akane was. He had always thought of her as someone who only scowled or yelled, but in the past few days, he had seen so many different facets of Akane—sulking, laughing, flustered, even earnestly happy. She had been hiding all of this away right in front of him, and he had never noticed. Akane turned her head away, her voice small and hesitant.

“You know…we’re already…married.”

“Ah—right.” Saito immediately covered his mouth.

Somehow, his own words hit him like a bulldozer. Had he just said something way too bold? His body burned with embarrassment. They walked side by side on the way home, neither one able to meet the other’s eyes.

Saito’s eyes fluttered open in the bedroom. Beyond the curtains, the sky had begun to lighten ever so slightly, but dawn was still hours away. The air was tinged with the cool stillness of night.

Why am I awake at this hour? Slightly puzzled, Saito tried to reach for his smartphone on the headboard to check the time—but he couldn’t move.

He wondered if Akane had finally completed some kind of torture restraint to keep him trapped. But no. It wasn’t that. Akane was clinging to him in her sleep. The same Akane, who had once threatened to break his fingers if he ever touched her. Talk about a double standard, Saito thought.

And yet…Saito wasn’t annoyed. Draped in nothing but her thin nightwear, Akane felt unbelievably soft, as delicate as a dream. Her smooth, bare legs tangled gently with his, and her delicate fingers clutched to the fabric of his shirt. With each slow, steady breath, her chest rose and fell, her warmth seeping into him. A faint, sweet scent—reminiscent of wildflowers and morning dew—drifted from her hair and skin, wrapping around Saito in an intoxicating haze.

The sheer destructive power of this moment was far too much for a healthy, virile eighteen-year-old boy to handle. For a brief second, he even forgot this was the same girl he supposedly hated.

If I move…she’ll wake up, won’t she…?

It was like having a cat fall asleep on your lap—you know you should move, but the thought of disturbing it feels wrong. Saito held his breath, his body stiffening as if he were trapped in a minefield.

Up close, Akane’s sleeping face looked almost…angelic. Her long lashes rested gently against her cheeks; her lips slightly parted in unconscious innocence. The soft, peachy cheeks that Akane never allowed Saito to touch were now in front of him, completely defenseless.

Almost without thinking, Saito reached his hand out toward her. Akane opened her eyes just as Saito’s finger was about to poke her cheek. For a moment, she stared at him blankly, her gaze still hazy with sleep. Then, as if instinctively seeking warmth, she nuzzled her face against his chest like a sleepy kitten searching for comfort. The sensation—both physical and emotional—was so unexpectedly ticklish that Saito let out a small, involuntary sound.

“H-hey.”

A fatal mistake.

“?!”

That single word shattered the moment. Reality crashed back into Akane like a sledgehammer. With her full force, she shoved Saito away. Her face drained of color, and she snatched up a pillow in a flash, holding it up defensively like a shield.

“Y-you were trying to attack me, weren’t you?!”

“You were the one clinging to me!” Saito retorted.

“As if! I’d never do something like that!” Akane shouted.

“You did, though! You were hugging me like a damn body pillow!” Saito protested.

“I’d rather cuddle a giant sea urchin than use you as a body pillow!” exclaimed Akane.

“You wanna get impaled in your sleep? Be my guest.”

Saito gritted his teeth, trying his best to keep calm.

“Listen, I truly didn’t do anything. I was just trying to stay still so I wouldn’t wake you up,” explained Saito, with all the earnestness he could muster.

Akane wasn’t buying it. Her gaze darted toward the smartphone on the nightstand, which filled him with anxiety. If she called the police, he’d have to explain everything. Not just this dicey situation, but also why two high school students were even living together in the first place. That would cause a commotion.

“You expect me to believe you weren’t up to anything? You were about to stab my cheek with your fingernail, weren’t you?!”

The sweet, peaceful girl who had been asleep moments ago was now glaring daggers at him.

“What the…?! No! I wasn’t going to do anything like that!” said Saito, a chill running down his spine.

“So what were you really trying to do to me?” Akane interrogated him, hugging her pillow tighter.

There was no way out; he was completely trapped. Saito let out a deep sigh and confessed to Akane.

“Listen, I…I was just captivated by how adorable your sleeping face was… I couldn’t control my impulse to touch your cute cheek. I’m really sorry.”

Akane said nothing—but her entire face turned bright red. Akane proceeded to bury her face into the pillow, her voice barely audible.

“Is, is that…really what happened?”

“Yeah.”

“How cute…was I?”

“…Cute enough to make me almost lose control for a second.”

It couldn’t be said that Saito was completely innocent, so Saito decided to be honest. Akane’s shoulders tensed, her entire body trembling. Saito braced himself, expecting one of her furious outbursts.

But instead, she peered out at him over the pillow.

Her flushed lips barely moved as she whispered, “…If it’s only a bit…it’s okay.”

“Huh?”

“I mean… If it’s just a little, you can stare at my sleeping face.”

Akane lay down on the bed, shut her eyes tightly, and turned to face him. She was showing her sleeping face to Saito for him to look at. Even in this moment, she was still absurdly serious.

Saito lay down beside Akane too, but his heart was oddly racing, making it impossible for him to fall back asleep. Meanwhile, Akane had elevens between her eyebrows, also seemingly unable to fall asleep. She was probably feeling just as tense. Feeling suffocated even by the slightest movement under the blanket, time passed with the two of them unable to turn over. Gradually, the outside world grew brighter.

Just as Saito finally felt himself drifting off to sleep, the alarm clock on the headboard went off. It was thirty minutes later than usual; apparently the snooze function had activated a few times. As Saito reached to turn off the alarm, Akane stirred beside him, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders as she sat up. The collar of her sleepwear had shifted, exposing the delicate line of her collarbone.

“G-good morning,” said Akane, giving him a shy smile.

A sweet atmosphere lingered between them—something completely foreign to their usual love-hate dynamic.

Are we a newlywed couple or something? Saito took a moment to reconfirm the fact that they were indeed newlyweds—officially, and sanctioned by both of their families. Saito had no idea how to react to this kind of bittersweet atmosphere. Saito had never been involved in anything even remotely romantic before.

“…Good morning,” Saito mumbled.

Saito felt as if he’d completely lose his sense of self if he stayed in the room any longer. Without another word, he grabbed his towel and made a beeline for the bathroom. Saito turned the faucet to full and splashed cold water onto his face. He looked at himself in the mirror—even after slapping his cheeks, he couldn’t wipe away his slight smirky expression.

“Aaaah!”

Saito, hearing Akane’s scream, rushed to the kitchen. Akane, clad in her apron, was holding an empty rice cooker, trembling as her eyes filled with tears.

“The rice… The rice is uncooked! I forgot to set the timer…!”

“It’s okay, Akane… Didn’t we get some bread too?”

“Yeah…but I burned it trying to make toast. I was spaced out.”

On the stove, the slices of bread that had been placed directly on the burner, were all engulfed in flames.

“They aren’t just burned… They’re beyond saving!” Saito exclaimed.

Saito tried to grab them to throw them in the sink, but the fire was too intense. For some reason, there were mushrooms and bamboo shoots around the toast, also engulfed in flame. The thought crossed Saito’s mind that they looked like bystanders who were also consumed by the flames while watching a witch being burned at the stake. What kind of ritual fire is this? Saito grabbed a pot from the shelf and covered the burning bread with it.

The flames went out, but smoke soon filled the kitchen. Both Saito and Akane coughed violently.

“What’s up with you today? You’re acting weird,” Saito muttered to Akane.

“You’re the one acting weird! Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?!” countered Akane.

“What are you talking about? There’s no way I’d walk around without clothes…”

Midsentence, Saito looked down at himself and realized he was, in fact, shirtless. For some inexplicable reason, he was still wearing a necktie, making him look even goofier.

“For now, let’s just give up on making breakfast. Neither of us are at the top of our game this morning. If we keep on going like this, there’s a real risk of burning the entire house down.”

Akane nodded solemnly.

“You’re so right, Saito. Earlier, I tried to iron my uniform and somehow ended up spreading butter on it instead.”

“Get yourself together, seriously!”

Saito was pretty concerned. Normally, Akane was the epitome of responsibility, but today, she was completely out of it. She attached a hose to the sink faucet and was about to spray water all over the stove.

“What are you doing?” Saito inquired.

“Firefighting, of course,” Akane replied.

“C’mon, the fire is already out. You’re just going to flood the kitchen,” Saito said.

“My duty remains unchanged,” she declared, her expression sharp and determined.

“Right now, you have no duty. Just sit still over there,” urged Saito, dragging Akane to the living room and plopping her down on the sofa.

“Giving me orders? How impudent…”

She pouted, hugging her knees. But surprisingly, she stayed put. Feeling an overwhelming sense of exhaustion despite the wee hour of the morning, Saito started to clean up the kitchen. He soaked the burnt remains of the bread and mushrooms before tossing them into a bag, then scrubbed the stove and sink clean.

As they busied themselves with various household tasks, the time to leave for school approached. Grabbing their school bags, Saito and Akane did a quick check of each other’s outfits—just in case.

“All right, you’re properly dressed, Akane.”

“You too, Saito.”

“Why do we even need to confirm something so obvious?” Saito wondered out loud.

“We’re both half-asleep; better safe than sorry,” said Akane.

Saito wasn’t so sure. He felt like this wasn’t happening because they were half-asleep—it was something else. There was no time to debate the matter though, so the two of them hurried out of the house.

As they passed by a convenience store, Akane slowed down. She gazed longingly at a poster on the wall. It was advertising a new strawberry-cream bread.

“Hungry?”

“Yeah, but I don’t have time to buy or eat anything.”

“You won’t be able to focus on studying if you don’t eat.”

Ignoring Akane’s attempt to stop him, Saito dashed into the convenience store. He grabbed a loaf of the strawberry-cream bread and some vegetable juice, quickly paid, and stepped back outside. Despite costing just a single five-hundred-yen coin, the bread was three times the size of a normal cream bread.

“I can’t eat something that big,” Akane said, her eyes widening. The bread was obviously far removed from what she had imagined based on the poster.

“Then let’s split it,” said Saito, casually splitting the bread in half and handing one portion to Akane.

“Half and half,” said Akane, hesitantly inspecting the bread before taking a bite.

“Hmmm…it tastes like they just mixed red food coloring into the cream. It barely has any strawberry flavor. The baker clearly has no love for strawberries.”

“You don’t have to eat it if you’re gonna complain.”

But when Saito reached out to take it back, Akane quickly pulled it away from him.

“It’s mine! I won’t give you any, not even a crumb!”

“I’m the one who bought it, though,” replied Saito.

“No, the moment you gave it to me, it became mine. I have no obligation to return it to you,” retorted Akane, happily munching on the bread. Despite her complaints, she really did seem to be enjoying it. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Akane, Saito took a bite of his portion.

“See? Not that great, right?” Akane insisted.

“Yeah, pretty mediocre,” Saito agreed, although he didn’t really mind. Sharing a cheap piece of bread and critiquing it as he walked with Akane—once in a while, that might not be so bad.

As the two headed toward school together, a surprised voice called out.

“Saito-kun? Akane?”

Himari ran over to them, her long blonde hair trailing behind her.

“…?!”

Saito and Akane froze in terror.

“Weird! You two together? Outside of school? Are you walking to school together? Why, huh? Why?” Himari’s innocent eyes sparkled with curiosity as she eagerly pressed the pair for answers.

Damn it. A fatal lapse. Saito could feel himself breaking out in a cold sweat, enough to fill oceans. Because of the hectic morning—or rather, because of the several thousand loose screws in his head—they had completely forgotten to stagger their departure times from home to school. He had always been so careful to avoid this exact situation. Glancing to his side, he saw that Akane was just as pale. She was panicking, on the verge of hyperventilating, like a mermaid who had washed ashore.

It was these moments where Akane was most dangerous.

“There’s no way we were walking to school together! Th-this is, um…Saito was stalking me! Call the police immediately!” Akane exclaimed.

“Wait a second,” Saito said, countering the outrageous accusation from a completely unexpected angle.

Himari tilted her head.

“Saito doesn’t really seem like he’s stalking you.”

“You two looked like you were having a nice conversation…and it kinda looked like you were sharing some bread?” Himari said.

“Kh…!” A strangled, unintelligible sound escaped from Akane’s throat. Himari had scored a critical hit.

“It’s…um…”

Akane searched desperately to find an answer. Her brain must have already exceeded its processing limits. Her eyes spun in confusion as she flailed her hands.

“This…was… Yes, Saito had picked up some bread I couldn’t finish and threw away on the road and started eating it,” said Akane.

“Saito-kun?” Himari cast him a disapproving look.

“I’m not a dog, y’know,” said Saito.

“No, he’s not,” Akane affirmed. “He’s just the kind of person who devours anything I toss away, driven only by his desires.”

“Is this the part where I sue you for defamation?” said Saito, feeling a deep sadness. The peaceful moment they had just shared felt like a fleeting mirage.

Himari flicked Akane on the forehead.

“Hey!”

“Oww! Wh-what was that for, Himari?”

Akane clutched her forehead, eyes brimming with tears as she stepped back. Was her best friend finally going to scold her properly? Good. Give her a proper talking-to. Saito had high hopes, but…

“You can’t just toss food on the street, Akane. You have to finish it all. Otherwise, crows, stray dogs, or even Saito-kun might come after it,” admonished Himari.

“…I’m sorry,” Akane apologized, looking utterly deflated.

That’s not the problem here, Saito wanted to protest loudly, but since the topic of them going to school together had been conveniently evaded, he decided to let it slide.

Thanks to both of their efforts, Akane and Saito’s life together had improved significantly. In addition to shopping together and sharing household chores, spending leisure time with one another helped diffuse the tension between them. Though their quarrels remained frequent, the fatal conflicts that once plagued them had decreased, and, surprisingly, they even found themselves enjoying each other’s company.

And as time passed, some things became clear to Saito—things that had been muffled, obscured by the chaos of war and the roar of gunfire. Akane’s emotions, her thoughts, and her strengths, once impossible to see, gradually came into clear view.

Chief among those things was her hardworking nature.

Whenever Akane came to the bedroom after midnight, she was almost always working in her private study room. In the past, that room had been strictly off-limits, but tonight, the door was slightly ajar, and light from inside spilled into the hallway.

“Hey, Akane. It’s pretty late. What are you up to?”

Saito peeked inside. When they first moved in, the room had the same wood smell as the rest of the house, but at some point, Akane’s private space had instead become filled with a sweet, girlish scent. Thick encyclopedias and reference books lined her study desk, and stuffed animals were neatly arranged around the room. Akane, who had been facing her desk, turned around.

“Studying. There’s a quiz coming up soon, so I want to memorize everything in the assigned section.”

Saito shrugged his shoulders.

“A quiz isn’t that important so long as you get good scores on the main exams,” said Saito.

“You say that, but you got a perfect score on the last quiz, didn’t you?” said Akane.

“I just did the test as usual and ended up with a perfect score. I didn’t study for that quiz specifically,” Saito replied.

“Ugh… Then how did you still get a perfect score?” Akane said, clenching her fists in frustration.

“Honestly, I can remember things just by listening to lectures in class. Forgetting them is harder,” answered Saito.

“Are you trying to be annoying? Are you calling me an idiot for working this hard?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all… I just meant it must be tough for you.”

Saito had meant to offer her some sympathy, but it had totally backfired.

“Just get out and stop bothering me!”

Akane threw a stuffed animal at Saito, forcing him out of the room. Realizing the extent of his error, Saito left, full of regret. Lately, their relationship had been going relatively smoothly. Maybe that had made him a bit careless. He still had no idea where Akane’s emotional land mines were buried.

The door to her private room shut firmly, followed by the sound of the lock clicking into place. At this rate, tomorrow’s breakfast would probably be mired in an awkward, tense atmosphere. If only there were a way I could help fix Akane’s mood…

Saito thought hard. If he knew how to do something like that, the war between the two of them wouldn’t have dragged on for over two years in the first place. Understanding Akane’s emotions was a far more daunting task for Saito than studying was.

Remembering the fact that they had bought strawberries earlier, Saito headed to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and checked inside. Akane must have been saving them—her beloved strawberries were untouched. He thought of serving them to her as they were, but there would be a high chance she’d just say, “When I want one, I’ll prepare them myself.” Saito thought it’d be better if he put in a little effort. Akane loved strawberry shortcake, so if he could whip up something with a similar texture and taste, she’d probably enjoy it.

There was a stockpile of sandwich bread in the cupboard. Saito considered making strawberry whipped cream sandwiches with it, but when he checked the refrigerator, there was no whipped cream to be found.

An idea suddenly struck Saito—if I shake the protein powder thoroughly, maybe it could work as a substitute for the whipped cream. However, in his mind, he instantly heard Akane yell, “No way!”

With that, he quietly put the protein powder back into the cupboard. Come to think of it, Saito thought, protein tends to clump up, so it’d be a tough ask to replicate the smooth texture of the whipped cream.

When Saito opened the refrigerator once again, he spotted a container of plain yogurt inside. Its color and texture seemed close enough to whipped cream; this could work. After all, sour cream was just heavy cream fermented using lactic acid bacteria.

He scooped the yogurt into a bowl, added a generous amount of sugar, and whisked the mixture until it became smooth and creamy. Next, he trimmed the crusts off the sandwich bread, spread the sweetened yogurt on it, and layered in slices of strawberries. Stacking the finished strawberry sandwiches neatly on a plate, he reached for a mint leaf to place on top—only to realize there was no mint to be found. In fact, there was no appropriate fancy garnish like that anywhere.

The closest thing he could find was parsley. Out of options, Saito placed a sprig of parsley on top of the strawberry sandwiches. The green of the parsley, the white of the bread and yogurt, and the red of the strawberries actually made for a visually appealing contrast.

Satisfied with his creation, Saito picked up the plate and headed toward Akane’s room.

The wooden door, adorned with a cute nameplate that read Akane’s Room, was shut firmly, and exuded an aura so intimidating that it seemed like a demon lord had been sealed away on the other side. Saito held his breath and knocked.

“What do you want?” Akane’s voice was sharp—her anger hadn’t subsided one bit.

“I made a late-night snack. Thought it might help with your studying,” said Saito.

“A late-night snack?”

The door opened a crack, and Akane peeked out. Saito was taking a risk here—she could very well reject it outright, saying something like “This is a waste of perfectly good strawberries.” If something like that were to happen, things would only get worse. Tense, Saito held out the plate.

“Strawberry sandwiches?”

Akane’s eyes sparkled like stars.

Ah, good. Looks like she might enjoy them. Saito was relieved.

“Why would you make something like this for me? What are you plotting, Saito?”

“I’m not plotting anything,” said Saito.

“You must be. There’s no way you’d do something this nice right after a fight unless you have some kind of ulterior motive.”

Akane suddenly gasped, as if the truth had just struck her.

“Of course. You put sleeping pills in these, didn’t you? You’re trying to sabotage my studying and make me fail the test with a zero!”

“Not at all. Hey, by the way, if not studying for a quiz is enough to get you a zero, maybe you should reconsider your approach to class lectures,” quipped Saito.

Akane narrowed her eyes and scanned the sandwich with deep suspicion.

“Then, what is it…? Did you swap the strawberries with fake ones, so the moment I take a big bite, my teeth will break…? Are you planning to shatter not just my heart, which was so excited for my favorite strawberries, but my teeth too…?”

“I wouldn’t go through that much trouble. It’s just a normal strawberry sandwich. Eat up,” replied Saito.

“Ah—!”

As Saito practically tossed the plate at her, Akane caught it in a panic. No matter how suspicious she may have been, it wasn’t in Akane to waste food—that much was clear. She was earnest to her core.

“Listen, if you don’t want it, just throw it away.”

“Hey, Saito! Don’t just leave it here and walk off!”

Ignoring her complaints, Saito turned on his heel and left.

With the nuisance finally gone, Akane returned to her studying. She copied down the notes covering the likely quiz material, then reorganized them in an effort to commit the information to memory. There was no room for compromise when it came to academics. She had to completely crush that infuriatingly unflappable Saito, who didn’t even bother to study.

But somehow, she found herself unable to focus.

The strawberry sandwich, which she had not thrown away and instead placed on the side table, kept catching her attention. Her gaze kept drifting toward it, pulling her thoughts away from her notes.

It looks delicious… Akane swallowed hard.

Something didn’t feel right to her still—she had treated Saito coldly, yet he still brought her a late-night snack. There was no way he would do something so kind. Doubt swirled in her mind, but at the same time, a craving was gnawing at her.

Her favorite food had been placed right next to her—there was no way she could resist for much longer. If Saito had planned this far ahead, he was a more devious schemer than Akane had given him credit for.

Just a small taste should be fine, right…? Akane hesitantly picked up one of the sandwiches to take a cautious bite.

Refreshing cream with a tangy kick. Juicy strawberries bursting with flavor. Soft, chewy bread that provided a satisfying texture as it slid down her throat.

“It’s…delicious!” Akane muttered in pleasant disbelief. There were no signs of Saito sneaking in sleeping pills, nor did it seem like he had used protein powder. The simple truth hit her—Saito had made her a safe, ordinary late-night snack—one that just so happened to be Akane’s favorite.

Maybe he regretted what he said and had brought this to try and make up for it. As that thought crossed her mind, Akane felt a strange sensation deep in her chest. It was warm, fuzzy, ticklish, and unsettling…but not altogether unpleasant.

“I still won’t go easy on him during the quiz,” Akane muttered to herself.

Blushing, Akane took another bite of the sandwich.

Sweet.

As her stomach filled, it was as if Akane was unlocking stores of energy from deep within. She felt more motivated than ever. I’ll push through until morning. Gripping her mechanical pencil tightly, Akane turned back to her notes with renewed determination.

As Akane walked down the school hallway, her consciousness flickered for a moment.

“Akane, are you okay?”

A voice called out to her, and when she came to, she realized Himari was holding her upright.

“Oh… I must have just dozed off for a second,” said Akane.

“Dozed off?! You can’t just fall asleep while walking—it’s dangerous!” said Himari, who was looking at her, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead.

“Sorry. Next time I feel like I’m about to fall asleep, I’ll just lie down on the spot,” Akane apologized.

“Sleeping on the floor doesn’t sound like a great idea either, Akane… Seriously, you’ve been looking really out of it lately. Your face is pale too. Truly, are you okay?” probed Himari.

“I’ve just been staying up late every night studying for the test. I’m sleep-deprived,” Akane confessed.

The two of them walked into the school cafeteria together. It was packed full of students munching away on their lunch to the point where just making their way through the crowd was a challenge. Akane usually didn’t eat in the cafeteria, but since she hadn’t had the time to prepare a bento lunch today, she had no choice. They grabbed a tray and queued up.

“You should take it easy on the studying. It’s not good for your health,” Himari advised.

“If my body shatters into pieces but I can become the top student in our grade in the process, then it’ll all be worth it,” replied Akane.

“Absolutely not! Your health is more important than your grades! You won’t be able to beat Saito-kun this time anyway,” Himari blurted out.

Akane’s eyebrow twitched.

“Saito…is…unbeatable?”

“Ah—”

Himari quickly covered her mouth.

“Not on my watch. No matter how many hundreds—no, no matter how many thousands of years it takes, I’ll utterly crush Saito and make him admit that I’m superior,” asserted Akane.

“If a few hundred years pass, won’t you both have graduated already…? There’s only one year left of high school. If you can’t beat him here, do you plan to chase him all the way to college?” Himari pointed out.

“Of course not! You make it seem as if I like him or something,” muttered Akane.

Akane felt heat rising up her neck. The shortness of breath she was experiencing must have just been because of how crowded the cafeteria was. Himari ordered an omurice while Akane got herself some strawberry pancakes. Trays in hand, they looked around for an open seat. Near the window, they spotted Saito and Shisei sitting together. Those two really were close. Their atmosphere and vibe was so natural that rather than cousins, they looked more like a real brother and sister. Shisei was about to grab an entire steak with her hands, but Saito quickly stopped her.

“Saito-kun and the others are over there. Want to eat with them?” Himari suggested.

“No way, Himari.”

“Why not?”

“Just…no way,” Akane repeated.

Himari was already suspicious about whether anything had happened between Akane and Saito. If they sat together for lunch and even the smallest interaction tripped her sensors, it would be fatal. If Himari ever found out that Akane had married a classmate, was living with him, and even slept in the same bed with him at night, she might be completely disillusioned with her. Akane couldn’t afford to lose her best friend. So, Akane and Himari chose a seat far from Saito and the others.

The pancakes on Akane’s plate were perfectly golden brown. A generous layer of whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and a fancy squiggle of chocolate art decorated the dish. For a student cafeteria, the presentation was surprisingly high quality—this was one of Akane’s favorite menu items. Yet today, for some reason, it didn’t taste as good as Akane had remembered. The late-night snack Saito had made for her had been so much better in comparison, even though cooking technique-wise, Saito was still a rank beginner…

“Akane, you’re amazing,” said Himari.

“Huh? What do you mean?” asked Akane.

“I could never study as diligently as you do. I know I really need to work harder—especially since I keep failing my tests—but I always end up watching videos on my phone instead,” explained Himari.

Akane set her fork down on her plate.

“The thing is, I kind of enjoy studying. Besides…there’s someone rooting for me now,” Akane blurted.

“Who?! Who?! Is it a boy?! Do you have a boyfriend?!” Himari eagerly leaned over the table, eyes sparkling. Her excitement was palpable.

Akane realized she had slipped up. Badly.

“Nothing like that. I just have someone who makes me a late-night study snack. No big deal.” Akane tried to backpedal.

“Your mom?”

“No, not her.”

“Your dad?”

“My dad’s an absolute wreck in the kitchen.”

Himari stroked her chin like a detective deep in thought.

“I’ve got it! The culprit is…a maid!” Himari exclaimed.

“A brilliant deduction! Yeah, I hired a maid to support my studies, body, and soul,” Akane laughed, shrugging.

“You’re making fun of me! Just because I’m dumb doesn’t mean you have the right to mock me, you know!” Himari laughed back at her.

“I’m not mocking you, Himari.”

“Then just tell me what’s going on, Akane!”

Himari grabbed Akane’s hands and started shaking them excitedly.

To think that Saito, of all people, is the one cheering me on… The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt. They had always been at each other’s throats—she’d never imagined their relationship could end up like this.

But that didn’t mean she would show him any mercy. She’d make sure his support wasn’t wasted—by utterly defeating him.

Akane swore it to herself.

Every night, Akane studied until the early hours of the morning. Saito would wake up as she finally crawled into bed, only to glance at the clock to see it was already 3 a.m. This nightly routine repeated itself over and over, and Saito couldn’t help but think that pushing herself this hard would only make her studying less effective in the long run.

That said, Akane had never been the type to listen to reason. The trajectory of their relationship to this point was proof of that. Still, Saito felt a sense of accomplishment at the fact that she always finished the late-night snacks he prepared for her. Cooking for himself always felt like a hassle, and he often just relied on protein shakes and vegetable juice. But having someone eat the food he made felt…not so bad.

Tonight, as usual, he headed toward Akane’s room, his plate of strawberry sandwiches in tow. He knocked on the door, but there was no response.

“Hey, Akane, I brought you your late-night snack,” he called out as he opened the door.

Akane was slumped over her desk. She didn’t even turn to acknowledge him.

“Are you asleep? If you’re going to sleep, at least do it in bed.”

As Saito approached, he realized something was amiss.

Akane’s breathing was irregular, her shoulders rising and falling in a strained rhythm. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and she looked as if she could fall out of her chair at any moment.

“Are you feeling sick?” Saito asked.

“I’m…perfectly fine. I’m just…a little overworked.” Her voice was strained, the words barely forced out of her mouth.

Saito placed a hand on her forehead. Akane didn’t push him away—she simply let it happen. She was burning up.

“You’ve got a really high fever. Get to bed for tonight,” urged Saito.

“Oh, okay…”

For once, Akane didn’t argue. Whether she lacked the energy to fight back or simply understood that she had no choice, she obediently did as she was told this time. Leaning on Saito for support, she trudged to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. She sprawled out limply with her cheek resting against the pillow, completely drained of her usual strength. Saito pulled the blanket over her, then went to the living room to grab the thermometer from the first aid kit.

“You should check your temperature.”

“…”

Akane reached to unbutton her nightwear despite Saito’s presence—but before she could even undo a single button, her strength gave out.

“Open your mouth,” Saito instructed.

Akane barely parted her lips, exhaling weakly. Carefully, Saito slipped the thermometer under her tongue. She struggled even to hold it in place, so he steadied it for her. The numbers climbed rapidly on the display. She was running a fever of over forty degrees Celsius.

“Forty degrees… That’s rough. Hold on.”

Saito rummaged through the first aid kit and found a cooling gel sheet and some medicine.

He placed the cool sheet on Akane’s forehead, then filled a glass of water from the water dispenser. She didn’t seem capable of drinking on her own, so he gently lifted her up, supporting her back as he placed the medicine pill in her mouth. His fingertips brushed against her tongue, dampened by her fevered breath. Holding the glass to her lips, he slowly helped her drink. Even with his assistance, it was difficult for her to swallow properly—some of the water trickled from the corner of her mouth, trailing down in thin streams.

“Haah…haa…” Akane panted heavily.

Just the act of drinking had exhausted her. Akane clung to Saito’s arm, gasping for air. This level of weakness was worryingly abnormal.

“I’m all sweaty… Gross…” Akane murmured.

Her neck was damp. The sweat was soaking into her nightwear, causing the fabric to stick to her skin. It was obvious that if she stayed like this, she would get too cold, and her condition could worsen. Saito went to the bathroom, soaked a towel in water, wrung it out lightly, and returned to the bedroom.

“I’m going to wipe you down.”

“…Okay.”

Akane, her eyes unfocused, weakly reached to take off her nightwear. Her slender waist was exposed, along with a glimpse of her bra above it.

“Wait, wait! You don’t have to take your clothes off!” Saito quickly stopped her.

Sure, it’d be easier to wipe her off if she was undressed, but if she regained her senses later, there was no telling how badly she’d scold him for something like that. He pressed the damp towel against her neck and wiped away the sweat.

“Nnngh…” A soft, contented sound escaped Akane’s throat.

Saito ran the towel over her face, gently wiping away her sweat. Rolling up her sleeves, he cleaned her thin arms. Then, slipping the towel under the hem of her nightwear, he wiped her waist and stomach.

“N-no… Not…there…” The moment his fingers brushed her bare skin, Akane let out a ticklish little protest.

Akane was completely defenseless—so unlike her usual self. The sheer novelty of the moment caused Saito’s heart to beat faster. He was, after all, slipping his hand under a girl’s clothes.

Saito finished cleaning Akane up, then proceeded to tuck her back into bed. But despite how exhausted she was, Akane couldn’t fall asleep. Her raging fever kept her restless. It was already late, but Saito couldn’t really relax either. A forty-degree fever—he had never experienced one himself, and the thought that something might happen to Akane kept him on edge.

Why am I so worried? Saito’s feelings startled him.

Akane was supposed to be his nemesis: an annoying girl who constantly picked fights at school. Always cocky, always challenging him to competitions over the smallest things, never showing a single ounce of earnestness. That’s how Saito had always seen her. But now, in the stillness of the night, Saito sat beside the bed, watching over her. He was tending to her with care, completely out of character for him. But then…

“I have to study…” Akane muttered bitterly.

“Akane, you collapsed because you were studying too much. I get that you’re always staying up late, but pushing yourself this much isn’t good for you,” sighed Saito, exasperated. Ever since they’d started living together, there hadn’t been a single night where Akane wasn’t at her desk.

“I have a dream I have to achieve…even if it means pushing myself,” muttered Akane.

“A dream?” Saito asked.

“I want to become a doctor,” Akane’s voice was barely above a whisper as she answered.

“I hate feeling powerless, like I can’t do anything. I want to be someone who can rush to the aid of people when they’re suffering…and…I want to help the people I love stay healthy forever.”

There was no bravado in her words. No pretense. Just pure, unfiltered honesty. It felt as if Saito was touching Akane’s heart directly. It was so raw; Saito was in a state of shock.

“But my family can’t afford to send me to medical school. Grandma promised me that if I married you, she’d cover the school tuition herself, so that’s why…” Akane trailed off.

“I see…” Saito was touched.

Dreams. Adults would probably scoff at foolish fantasies like those, but for Akane, and perhaps even for Saito, a dream was something they were willing to stake their entire lives on.

Even if it meant letting the dream dictate the course of their lives. Even if it required sacrificing things most people would protect above all else—freedom and romance.

Saito had married for the sake of a dream. Akane had married for the sake of a dream too.

Maybe, at their core, they were fundamentally the same.

“You’re lucky, Saito,” Akane muttered.

“You can breeze through life, getting good grades without even trying. No matter how hard I studied, I couldn’t beat you. It was so frustrating,” Akane said.

Was it the fever talking? Tonight, Akane was unusually chatty.

“Talent varies from person to person. It can’t be helped,” Saito replied.

“That’s exactly what I hate about you,” Akane glared at Saito, but her glare was missing its usual sharpness.

Then, barely above a whisper, the words slipped from her lips.

“And why…maybe, just a little, I admired you.”

“Admired…?”

Saito couldn’t grasp her meaning right away. For someone like Akane, who had always seemed to resent him, admiration was an emotion that didn’t quite fit the framework of their relationship.

Realizing what she had just said, Akane suddenly gasped.

“Wait—forget that! I didn’t mean it! I hate you!”

Her desperate attempt to take it back only made her previous words sound more genuine.

Saito felt his pulse pounding in his ears. For the first time, it felt like he had caught a glimpse of the real Akane—the girl hidden beneath all the rivalry and hostility. And somehow, that reveal made his entire body feel strangely warm.

Embarrassed, Akane turned away from him, burying her face in the blanket. The sudden movement seemed to exhaust her, and she broke into a violent coughing fit. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, sounding almost like a stifled scream.

“Is the fever reducer kicking in?” Saito asked her.

“I…don’t know, Saito.”

When Saito placed his hand on Akane’s forehead, she stirred slightly.

“You’re even hotter than before. Should I call an ambulance?”

“Don’t…don’t make a big deal out of this. Ambulances are for people in real danger.”

“A fever over forty degrees isn’t just a simple cold. You should know that, considering you want to be a doctor!” Saito scolded.

“I know…but if they take me in and someone with a more serious illness dies because of it, I’d never forgive myself,” Akane whispered back.

“Akane…”

Even while suffering from a high fever, she’s thinking about complete strangers. On the surface, it seemed like Akane was stubborn, but maybe this kind of thinking came from a frighteningly pure heart, Saito thought. He pulled out his smartphone and looked up the number for a taxi company, then made a call. The line wouldn’t connect when it was most crucial. Of course it wouldn’t. Was the network clogged with drunk people trying to get home from a night out or something? If the taxi company had the resources to drive tipsy partygoers around, they should be able to help someone who was actually sick.

“Damn it, this one’s busy too?” Frustrated, Saito hung up.

The nearest hospital with twenty-four-hour emergency care was only ten minutes away by bus. But at this hour, there were no buses running.

“Just go to sleep already, you’ve got school tomorrow too,” Akane muttered.

“No way,” said Saito.

“Whaah?!”

Without another word, Saito scooped her up from the bed. Saito was glad he had practiced the princess carry with Shisei. He never thought it would come in handy like this.

“Wh-what are you doing?!”

“I can’t just leave my wife suffering like this.”

“W-wife…?” Akane’s eyes widened.

Holding her securely in his arms, Saito dashed out of the house. The chill of the night air contrasted sharply with the heat radiating from her feverish skin. If he couldn’t get a taxi, he would just have to go on foot.

“You’re stronger than I thought,” Akane murmured, clinging to him.

The streets were empty. Saito ran through the darkness, the only sounds accompanying them being his hurried footsteps and Akane’s faint, labored breaths.

She was lighter than he had ever expected. Slender arms, delicate legs—she felt as fragile as a glass sculpture, as if she could shatter if she were set down too roughly. She’s been picking fights with me…with this small body? Saito found himself in awe of her. Her boundless energy and sheer determination had always made her seem larger than life.

But in reality, she was…fragile.

If he didn’t support her, if he didn’t keep an eye on her, she might fade away all too easily. Her soul sparked like a firework—dazzling, brilliant, and dangerously fleeting.

Saito adjusted his grip.

“I never knew about your dream before, Akane.”

“You’re going to laugh and say it’s impossible, aren’t you, Saito?”

“Not a chance. You can do it,” affirmed Saito.

“Why?” Akane asked.

“Because you’re the type who goes all the way, no matter what,” Saito said.

“…Well, yeah. I’ve never been good at giving up.” Akane let out a faint, weary smile from her spot in Saito’s arms.

Saito had never had a heart-to-heart with Akane about dreams, the future, or the things that lay dormant in the depths of their souls. Even though they had known each other since entering high school, even after they started living together, they hardly knew anything about one another. The two of them did nothing but fight, so having proper conversations like those was out of the question.

But now, little by little, he was finally beginning to see her true self. Beneath her outward appearance, Saito could see that something far more beautiful was hidden.

If Saito lost Akane here, it would all come to an end without him getting the chance to know who she truly was. It would be like losing a book after reading its first page—left wondering forever about what lay inside.

I want to know more about Akane. That thought alone drove Saito forward.

He ran with all his might, his own breaths growing ragged as if the air had grown thinner. Gasping, he opened his mouth wide, desperate for oxygen. His heart pounded furiously, and his lungs ached as if they would burst. His arms, wrapped tightly around Akane, were starting to go numb, and his legs felt like lead.

But Saito didn’t slow down. He couldn’t.

Pushing forward with even greater force, he held Akane firmly and pressed on toward the hospital. His hot breaths swirled white in the cold darkness of the night.

He had married a girl he had absolutely hated. It seemed like a miserable fate.

And yet surely, one day, this marriage would have a happy ending.

Epilogue

ONCE AGAIN, MORNING DESCENDED UPON THE two of them.

Trying to escape the sunlight that had begun streaming into the bedroom, Saito buried his face under the blanket. The soft fabric that had been infused with the sweet scent of Akane, wrapped all around him, lulled him into pleasant drowsiness. Lately, he had been suffering from a lack of sleep due to Akane’s illness, making the pull of the bed particularly strong. Just as he was about to drift back into dreamland, Akane’s voice rang out from nearby.

“How long are you planning to sleep? Get up already!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” muttering this half-hearted reply, Saito burrowed even deeper into the blankets.

“You’re going to be late for school,” urged Akane.

“It’s no use. I’ll just have to take a month off…” Saito trailed off.

“What are you even saying, Saito? Just get up already!”

Akane shook Saito’s shoulder, but her gentle touch made him even sleepier. Just as Mr. Sandman was about to take him back into the realm of sleep, she whispered into his ear, “If you don’t get up right now, I’ll wake you up with the blazing hot frying pan I just used to make bacon and eggs.”

Saito jolted awake instantly, instinctively checking his surroundings for potential threats.

“Good morning,” Akane said, smiling brightly beside the bed. She looked dazzling, dressed in her school uniform with an apron over it. Her frying pan was nowhere to be found.

“…You devil.”

“Oh? Calling me a devil is pretty rude, and here I went through all that effort to wake you up. You should be grateful,” said Akane.

“Thanks,” muttered Saito.

“Is that all?”

“Thank you…very much, Akane.”

“That’s better, Saito.”

Akane let out a satisfied huff.

When her high fever kept her bedridden, she had been meek and quiet, but the moment the fever broke, her boisterous nature started to return. Some time had passed since then, and Akane had fully returned to her energetic self.

Well, this version of her puts me more at ease anyway. Seeing Akane act all docile felt unnatural to Saito, and watching over her in a weakened state didn’t sit well with him either. Still, it was a little bit worrying that he had grown to find her sharp tongue comforting. He might have been getting a little too used to it.

Akane shot Saito a reproachful look as he got out of bed.

“Yesterday, you went to school without washing your face, didn’t you?” Akane asked.

“It was raining. I figured the rain would do the job for me,” Saito explained.

“That’s not how it works! What are you, a caveman? You walked into the classroom completely drenched. It freaked me out. What if you had caught a cold?” Akane asked.

“I’d take some cold medicine,” Saito declared confidently.

“That’s not the point! You have to wash your face, it’s just basic human decency!” Akane nagged.

“So if I stop being human, I won’t have to wash my face? Hmm, I never thought about it that way…”

As he walked down the hallway, Akane followed closely behind.

“Stop kidding around! For someone who’s good at studying, you’re absolutely hopeless at everything else. If I left you alone, you’d probably end up with mushrooms growing all over your body,”

Akane was nagging at Saito like a helicopter mother.

Saito turned around, wanting to make her quiet down a bit. He shrugged.

“You sure you should be talking to me like that?”

“…Huh? What’s with that attitude?” Akane frowned.

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That I am someone you ‘admire’?”

“…!”

Akane’s face turned bright red. She waved her hands frantically in denial.

“That was a mistake! I told you, the fever was making me delirious!” she explained.

“Didn’t sound like a mistake to me. I even recorded it on my phone. Maybe we should let some classmates listen and decide for themselves?” Saito teased.

“Try it, and I’ll throw you and your phone into an active volcano!”

Akane lunged at him, but Saito swiftly dodged, escaping into the bathroom. What was meant to silence her had only stirred up more chaos.

He made sure to lower the toilet seat after finishing his business—he had no intention of repeating past mistakes and facing Akane’s wrath again. After all, he wanted to live comfortably in their shared home.

Saito moved to the sink and washed his face. As he dried off and glanced at the mirror, he froze in surprise. Standing behind him, reflected in the glass, was Akane. She was staring at him intently, having hidden herself against the hallway wall. Realizing she had managed to slip behind him unnoticed, a chill ran down Saito’s spine.

“Wh-what? I don’t even have my phone on me right now, and I was just joking about the recording.”

“…Dressing.”

“Pardon?”

“For the salad. Do you want French or onion?” asked Akane.

“Uh…onion,” answered Saito.

“Got it. Hurry up and get ready, then come eat,” demanded Akane as she turned away and walked off.

When Saito entered the classroom, Shisei scurried up to him. As always, her porcelain appearance made it seem as though an actual doll was walking around. The other girls in class whispered remarks like “So cute!” and “How adorable!” The comments would have been rude if directed at any other classmate, yet they openly treated Shisei like some kind of prized object.

Shisei pressed her face against Saito’s chest and sniffed softly.

“What are you doing?” Saito asked.

“My daily routine—checking my dear Ani-kun’s scent,” replied Shisei.

“I wish you wouldn’t make that a daily routine,” quipped Saito.

“It’s important! I have to make sure you haven’t been entranced by some weird woman,” Shisei insisted.

“You can’t tell if someone is weird just by their scent,” Saito pointed out.

“I can. For instance, if they smell like rotting flesh, they’re a zombie,” responded Shisei.

“I’m not into dating zombies,” Saito clarified. He suddenly found himself worried Shisei would pick up on Akane’s scent.

It wouldn’t be a problem if Shisei figured it out, but with the whole class watching, it would be a disaster if she accidentally blurted something out. Just in case, Saito positioned his hand in front of Shisei’s face, ready to clamp her mouth shut at a moment’s notice. He was prepared to cut off her air supply if it became necessary. But instead of showing any wariness, Shisei simply sniffed at his hand with curiosity.

“Bacon and eggs, seaweed salad with onion dressing, corn soup, and cheese toast… That’s what you smell like.”

“How do you even know that? I washed my hands,” Saito marveled.

“Washing your hands is pointless. The essence of bacon and eggs has seeped into your very bloodstream,” declared Shisei.

“No way…” Saito sniffed his own hand in disbelief, but all he could smell was soap. Shisei’s powers of deduction were terrifying.

Puffing out her flat chest with pride, Shisei announced: “There’s only one possible conclusion here: You’re dating a woman made of bacon and eggs.”

“Swing and a miss, Shisei.” Realizing how foolish he’d been to worry, Saito let out a relieved sigh.

“I want to eat bacon and eggs too. I, Shise, should visit Ani-kun’s house sometime—right around mealtime,” she insisted.

“Don’t plan an ambush,” Saito replied sternly.

“If you refuse, I’ll just take my bacon and eggs by force.”

Shisei adopted a fighting stance, but her fists were so tiny that there was no way anybody would consider her a threat. Even an elementary schooler could probably defeat her with ease.

“You’re just hungry, aren’t you, Shisei? Did you skip breakfast?”

“I ate properly. But your smell makes me hungry all over again, Ani-kun.”

Drooling slightly, Shisei licked her lips.

“Quit looking at me like you’re about to devour me.”

“I won’t. Somehow, I’m able to comprehend that Ani-kun isn’t food.”

Despite her words, Shisei suddenly sank her teeth into Saito’s neck.

“Liar! Get a grip!”

Saito tried to pry her off, but Shisei clung to him like a cursed doll, determined to devour him. The girls in the class, eyes gleaming with excitement, swarmed toward them.

“If you’re hungry, I’ll give you a snack!”

“Do you like marshmallows?”

“I’ve got pudding too!”

“Maybe you prefer dried sardines, Shisei-chan?”

“I have some limited-edition gourmet cat food!”

…Their offerings clearly suggested that they saw Shisei as some kind of pet.

“Aaaaah…” Shisei let out a helpless cry as she was washed away by the tide of girls. But in the end, it seemed like a win-win situation—the girls got to dote on their adorable living plushie, and Shisei got fed. A perfectly balanced exchange.

Saito took a deep breath and packed away his textbooks. Thanks to Shisei and her gaggle of admirers, the classroom was too noisy, so he decided to step out into the hallway for some peace and quiet.

The brilliant blue sky stretched out endlessly, completely clear. A gentle breeze drifted in through the windows, carrying the scent of flowers in with it. It was so relaxing that a yawn crept up on him. Just then, Himari arrived at school.

“Good morning, Saito-kun!”

“Morning. You’re full of energy as always,” greeted Saito, giving Himari a small nod.

“Akane told me that you got a perfect score on yesterday’s quiz, Saito-kun. You’re really smart! I really respect you, especially since I’m kind of an idiot,” said Himari.

“Good. Respect me. Worship me as your superior,” quipped Saito, raising a thumb in mock confidence.

“Ha ha! That weird side of you is kind of great,” Himari smiled.

“Weird, huh? Me? If you were talking about Shisei, I’d get it, but…” responded Saito.

“You’re weird too, Saito-kun. You’re smart, but at the same time, you don’t really pick up on anything around you. To be honest, you’re kind of dense.”

Himari grinned mischievously and leaned in closer to peer into Saito’s face. Maybe it was because of her easygoing nature, but she had no sense of personal space. Himari’s hair was almost brushing up against him.

“Can you back up a little?” pleaded Saito.

“Oh? What’s this? Is the great Saito-kun getting flustered?”

“Not at all,” said Saito.

“You totally are. Well, you are a guy, after all,” Himari teased Saito.

“I said I’m not flustered!”

“Ha ha, I’m kidding, I’m kidding! See you later!”

Himari laughed as she headed into the classroom, leaving Saito feeling emotionally drained. He was fine hanging out with Himari as friends, but he wasn’t great at dealing with her teasing. As he sighed, Akane approached. Her footsteps were sharp and deliberate, her brows furrowed in irritation. Uh-oh, is she about to pick a fight with me?

Saito instinctively braced himself—he didn’t have the energy to deal with more nonsense this early in the morning. But instead of speaking, Akane silently lowered her head and tugged at his sleeve, her grip weak but insistent.

“What’s wrong?” Saito blinked in confusion.

For a split second, it seemed like everything had returned to the same old, same old for Akane and Saito. But something was different this time.

Lately, something about Akane’s attitude had changed. Blushing furiously, she mumbled in an embarrassed whisper:

“You know…you shouldn’t be getting too close to other girls when you already have a wife.”

Lately, I can’t help but find my wife unbearably cute.

Afterword

HELLO, I’M SEIJU AMANO, THE AUTHOR.

I made my debut after winning a newcomer’s award and since then, I’ve published light novels, general fiction, and children’s literature, as well as various scripts. Recently, I’ve been doing more work as a YouTube writer.

No two people in the world are exactly alike. No one’s values align perfectly with another. And yet, by making an effort to understand each other, people can find harmony. By respecting one another, they can even sow the seeds of love. That was the sentiment I poured into this book.

I hope that through experiencing Saito and Akane’s married life, more people will come to think: Maybe marriage isn’t so bad after all.

This novel is based on the manga videos I scripted for the YouTube channel Manga Angel Neko Oka. I’ve delved deeper into the characters’ emotions and significantly expanded the scenes, so whether you’re experiencing this story for the first time or are already familiar with the manga videos, I believe you’ll enjoy it.

Many other talented writers are also creating and updating romance manga on the Manga Angel Neko Oka YouTube channel. If you’re interested, please check them out as well!

Bringing this work to you was only possible thanks to the support of many people.

To my editor, K-sama: I was truly delighted when you told me “I love your rom-coms!”

To everyone at MF Bunko J’s editorial department, to those in the publishing industry, and to all involved: Thank you for your understanding and support as we take on this new challenge of adapting YouTube manga videos into light novels.

To the illustrator, Nanami Narumi-sensei: Thank you for your incredible art; it’s all so full of energy that the illustrations seem to leap right off the pages.

To the manga artist, Mosskonbu-sensei: I truly feel that the reason this work became so popular on YouTube is thanks to your irresistibly cute artwork.

To everyone at Manga Angel Neko Oka: Thank you for your full support in video production, promotion, and everything else. I could never have made it this far alone.

And to you, the readers who picked up this book: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I would love to continue depicting Saito and Akane’s married life, so if you enjoyed this story, I’d be thrilled if you recommended it to your friends and acquaintances. Please continue to support these two in the future.

In a year of great upheaval,
November 20, 2020
Seiju Amano

About the Creators

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seiju Amano

A writer/scenario writer based in the Kanto region. Born on July 20.

Author of 10-year-old Supreme Mage(Hero Library) and Do You Like Being Romanced by Cute Girls? (GA Library), among others.

Creates stories that bring happiness to those who read them.

FROM THE ILLUSTRATOR

Nanami Narumi

“I was told by my parents that ‘In the end, marriage is all about momentum!’ Because of this, I want to cherish that same sense of momentum in my own life!”

FROM THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER CONCEPT/MANGA ARTIST

Mosskonbu

“I work in manga illustration while raising my two children. I am truly grateful to be involved in such a wonderful project. My heartfelt thanks to everyone involved and to all of you readers. Thank you very much!”

https://twitter.com/mosskonbu

Footnotes

Chapter 1: Marriage Out of the Blue

[1]魑魅魍魎, meaning “various evil spirits of mountains and rivers.”

[2]魑魅魍魎が跳梁跋扈, meaning “various evil spirits are running rampant.”

[3]兄くん, a combination of the familiar form of “my big brother” (兄) and the friendly honorific “kun” (くん), used primarily toward boys and young men.