Night.
Sakurai Saki was having dinner at Minamoto Mashiro's house.
The beautiful woman—who had lost her husband and son young—now had Sakurai accompany her one evening each week. The work was simple: eat, chat, keep her company. The pay was excellent.
"Saki-kun, how is Mashiro-nee's cooking?" Minamoto Mashiro set down her chopsticks, watching him expectantly.
Sakurai looked up at her. Black hair pulled back in a ponytail, draped over an ample chest. A figure with perfect curves. A delicate face that inspired affection and a desire to protect. His regular client. Someone he treated like an older sister.
"It's delicious," he said honestly.
They talked like a normal family.
"At the ball games tournament, my team won first place in volleyball." Sakurai mentioned it casually.
He only really boasted to her. His mother, back in Kyoto, would have been more concerned about injuries than victories. In her eyes, he was still a child who tripped over his own feet.
The irony was that his current mother doted on him so much it almost scared him. Unconditional love, freely given—and they weren't even blood-related. He was adopted. No biological connection at all.
"Saki-kun is amazing." Minamoto Mashiro's praise came easily, warmly. "It's a shame Mashiro-nee couldn't make time to watch."
Most of Shuchiin's events were open to the public. Smaller tournaments drew mostly junior high students; the Cultural Festival was the real crowd-pleaser.
"Someone in my class recorded it. I can show you if you want." Sakurai set down his chopsticks neatly, reaching for his phone—
He caught himself.
"No phones at the table, right? Almost forgot." He smiled ruefully.
"If Saki-kun wants to play, Mashiro-nee won't scold you." Her voice was soft, indulgent.
She'd had a noble upbringing. Her manners were gentle, but there was a certain rigidity underneath. Relatively speaking.
"You're lying." Sakurai didn't believe her for a second.
"Mashiro-nee isn't some old auntie from the Showa era..." The gentle tone was deceptive. There was a darker, more playful side beneath; believe her words, and she'd have you wrapped around her finger.
"Ah, right." She shifted topics smoothly. "Saki-kun, your Yoko-nee said she needs your help again."
Sakurai frowned. "With what?"
"The child you met last time—Ichika-chan." Minamoto Mashiro folded her hands on the table. "A few days ago, she auditioned for a supporting female role in a movie. But the character has a kissing scene with the supporting male lead."
Sakurai waited.
"What does that have to do with me?"
Ichika's acting career had been progressing steadily. Consequently, she'd skipped more tutoring sessions—enough that Shijo Maki had dubbed her "the laziest of the little simpletons." (Maki's nickname for Sakurai, incidentally, was "Big Simpleton." He'd retaliated with "Tsundere Loser." She'd responded with a huff and, Talk to me when I actually lose!)
In Sakurai's estimation, she'd already lost plenty. But Maki wasn't competing with Kashiwagi Nagisa at this point—she was competing with herself. Once committed, she couldn't disengage. Like a stockholder trapped in a losing position.
"She said she wants to switch movies if there's a kissing scene. But Ichika-chan doesn't have many options right now. Giving up this opportunity might mean waiting a long time." Mashiro paused. "That's what Yoko told me."
"So you want me to act."
"Yes. It's a movie about a teacher helping troubled students. You two would play a delinquent couple."
A couple. Him and Ichika.
"Saki-kun, don't resist so quickly." Mashiro's voice took on a coaxing quality. "Come practice with Mashiro-nee~ Mashiro-nee wants to see you act."
This mature older sister—twenty-seven, approaching thirty—launched her offensive with practiced ease.
Sakurai's face warmed. "I'll try it."
"Mm-hmm. Such a good little brother." She reached out, clearly aiming to pat his head.
He sighed. Then tilted his head slightly forward.
Her hand stroked his hair gently, a few slow passes.
"It's okay if you don't want to do it. Oh, the date is next Saturday, by the way."
"I understand."
Sunday. Date day with Fujiwara Chika.
Dates weren't limited to romantic partners. Opposite-sex friends went on them too. The word itself simply meant "an agreed meeting."
Sakurai Saki arrived exactly on time.
No more. No less.
He wasn't late for his date with Chika.
He had been late for his first date with his girlfriend last time. One could only say that devils caused a great deal of trouble. He wondered if those low-tier devils had been captured and taken back yet—Gabriel hadn't mentioned anything about it recently.
She'd been startled when Sakurai Saki pushed her to the ground last time. These days, when she played games after finishing her homework at night, she was noticeably more cautious in how she spoke to him.
Her worries were unnecessary. Sakurai Saki wasn't interested in her body. He just wanted her to pay back the money she owed.
Sakurai Saki, dressed in a casual hoodie, checked his phone. He was waiting at the cinema entrance.
Several girls had already approached him to chat.
He looked up again—and saw someone unexpected.
"Iino?" The island nation really is small.
Or maybe the movie's appeal was just that strong. This detective film had been getting good reviews. But Iino Miko actually liked detective movies?
"Sakurai-senpai?" Iino Miko's eyes went wide.
"Here to see a movie?"
"Mm." She glanced at the posters displayed outside the cinema next door. One of them was for a magical girl film.
She absolutely could not say that. Running off alone to watch an anime movie? In front of Sakurai-senpai?
Gulp. She absolutely could not let it be known. Find an excuse. Leave. Then sneak back and watch it later.
"Sakurai-senpai is waiting for someone?" she asked, voice carefully neutral.
"I'm waiting for Fujiwara Secretary. She said there was a movie she wanted to see, so I asked her out." Sakurai smiled. "What are you planning to watch, Iino? I feel like you'd really suit that anime movie."
Iino Miko's soul left her body.
She could not say it. She absolutely must not say it. Still liking magical girls at this age—this kind of thing—cannot be known. If her respected senior found out, her life as a junior would be over!
Right! Just deflect with a loud excuse!
Before she could formulate one, Fujiwara Chika appeared from around the corner.
She was wearing a white short-sleeved blouse and a high-waisted long skirt. Her usual exuberance had been dialed back, her demeanor shifted—more fitting for a young lady of her station.
"Iino?" Chika's gaze flicked between her junior and Sakurai Saki. They were standing rather close.
Why is Iino here too?
"Fujiwara-senpai! Good afternoon~" Iino Miki's face lit up. She genuinely liked Fujiwara Chika.
Chika liked her too. Or at least, she had—before Iino started getting so close to Sakurai Saki.
Sakurai walked over to Chika. He brushed aside her carefully styled hair and said softly, "Your outfit today is beautiful."
"Is it?"
"The moment I saw you, I wanted to pull you into my arms."
He turned his back to Iino and did exactly that.
"Iino is still watching!" Chika's face flushed in his embrace.
They held for a few seconds. Then Sakurai released her.
"She's here to see a movie too. We just ran into each other at the entrance."
Chika nodded. Then she walked over to Iino and began asking questions—pleasant, conversational, utterly innocent.
A moment later, Iino Miko approached Sakurai Saki with teary eyes.
"Senpai~ I just remembered something. I have to go."
It was acting. She couldn't wait to leave so she could come back and watch her magical girl movie in peace.
"Go ahead. Be careful on the—" Sakurai almost said next time we can watch together, but he caught himself. Fujiwara Chika's earlier jealousy was still fresh in his mind. "—way."
"Mm!" Iino nodded emphatically and hurried off.
After the troublesome junior departed, Fujiwara Chika and Sakurai Saki retrieved their tickets, bought snacks and drinks, and found their seats.
The lights dimmed. The previews began.
A few minutes later, Iino Miko crept back into the cinema, purchased a ticket for her desired screening, and slipped into the theater with the satisfied smile of a mission accomplished.
Fujiwara-senpai is truly a wonderful person!
She had no idea how close she'd come to disaster.