Chapter 5

"Ah, I'm intruding."

"Don't worry about it, since I'm the only one here, you don't need to be shy."

"…Really?"

When Hayato greeted slightly nervously, the response was Haruki's casual words.

She looked like a completely innocent and delicate young girl.

When she reacted like the former ringleader, it caused all sorts of trouble.

Just as he was thinking this, Haruki suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" as if she had noticed something.

"Wait right there! Just wait!"

"Hey!"

She hurried up the stairs, her skirt fluttering, and soon the noisy sounds of her moving around could be heard. She must have been tidying up the room.

"…Really, what am I supposed to do?"

Left at the entrance of an unfamiliar house, he couldn't help but sigh.

Not only that, but because she had rushed up the stairs so quickly, a glimpse of her boxer-type underwear was visible, which gave him a strange sense of guilt.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"…Wow."

After a while, Haruki, slightly out of breath, invited him into the room. It looked as if she had just thrown everything into the closet, but the room appeared to be neatly organized.

The furniture was uniformly black or dark brown, with a bookshelf full of manga and model kits. And various game consoles. It was a room that certainly looked like Haruki's, who had grown up.

If it weren't for the mirror and cosmetics placed on the desk as a mere formality, it wouldn't be much different from Hayato's room.

"Make yourself comfortable… there you go."

"Got it. Hey, Haruki."

"Uh-huh? Hayato, why don't you take off your shoes? It's hot, isn't it?"

"…Yeah, but…"

Just as she tossed a cushion over, Haruki started taking off her shoes. Unlike in the past, her unexpectedly well-formed, feminine bare feet were exposed, which made him flustered even though he knew it was Haruki.

Then, with a thud, she plopped down on the cushion, crossed her legs, and leaned in closely, making it impossible not to think of the Haruki from back then. The sense of allure had dissipated, and a chuckle rose from the back of his throat.

However, Haruki, looking at Hayato, had a reproachful expression.

"So, who said you were a monkey demon?"

"No, that's…"

It seemed Haruki was still holding a grudge over Hayato's words from this morning.

Not only was she serious, but rather, she was pouting. Hayato could tell.

But with her puffed-up lips and a sidelong glance, a strange sweat ran down his spine.

"Sorry, sorry. That's a 'favor.' Just put it on the tab."

"Hmm, a 'favor,' huh? Okay, then it's fine."

Satisfied with Hayato's response, Haruki put away her sulky face. She began to smirk, savoring the word 'favor.'

'Favor,' it held a special meaning for both of them.

This 'favor' was something given by one side, never becoming a 'debt.' It was never canceled and continued to accumulate indefinitely.

"'Favor,' huh, nostalgic, isn't it? How many favors do you owe me, Hayato?"

"That's my line. You owe me a lot too, Haruki."

"Ah, that's true."

"…Heh."

"…Ah, heh."

The two of them exchanged glances and laughed.

In that atmosphere, Hayato brought up something that had been bothering him.

"By the way, isn't Haruki's that, unfair?"

"Your face?"

Far from the former ringleader, Haruki now had a clear and delicate appearance, like a traditional Japanese beauty.

Unfortunately, her true nature was showing, and she was sitting with her legs crossed, exposing her bare feet, which was a rather disappointing sight.

"Um, a lot has happened. So I'm in this disguise."

"Disguise, huh. So you're still a demon—"

"Hayato!"

"Hehe, sorry. That's another favor."

"…Really, you're something."

They had had many such minor disagreements, complaints, and arguments since childhood. Each time, they would put it on the tab and move on. It was a pile of memories.

Thinking that they could add to their tab again, like continuing from where they left off, made him feel both amused and embarrassed.

Hayato, feeling that his emotions might be understood, looked around the room for a topic and noticed something nostalgic.

"You still have that?"

"I have the game too. I think it's still in there."

"Memories."

"Alright, let's play a match. The loser owes a favor."

"That's a cheap favor."

"Best out of five."

"Okay."

It was an old game console from two generations ago, a kart racing game with characters modeled after mushrooms and turtles. They had been quite engrossed in it back then, and it was the same now.

"Hey, that's cheating! Why did you get that item at this moment?!"

"Maybe because I'm a good person?"

"Liar, after calling me a demon!"

"Hehe."

Despite not having seen each other in a long time, they played the game side by side without much conversation. When they did speak, it was only about the game in front of them.

But that was enough.

He felt the distance between them closing.

Before he knew it, the summer sun was tilting, signaling that it was quite late.

"Well, I'll be going."

"Okay."

It had been a fun time. The end brought a touch of sadness.

He understood.

There was a time he thought would last forever. But it had suddenly collapsed.

Haruki looked at Hayato, who was putting on his shoes, with a face like a child throwing a tantrum.

He felt her gaze and understood her feelings. He felt the same way.

So, to dispel the unease, he tried to sound cheerful.

"See you."

"…Yeah."

It was their usual parting words.

All their feelings were contained in those words. They both understood.

True to their promise, she had come back right away. So Haruki's greeting was—

"Yeah, see you… and welcome back!"

"Welcome back?"

"To me, it's welcome back."

"Hehe, what's that about?"

Haruki showed a radiant smile, like a blooming flower.

It was the best smile Hayato had seen all day.