"It... it appeared again?"
Hitori nervously tilted her head back, watching as a bubble slowly drifted upward before popping with a soft pop.
The next instant.
A vivid, VR-like mental vignette materialized out of thin air.
A hazy sunset.
A ravings brook.
Reeds and grass along the riverbank swayed gently in the breeze.
"A real-time generated mental vignette?"
Kitahara gazed upward with interest.
The scene depicted the very stream they were standing beside, yet while it was currently morning in reality, the vignette showed the sun setting.
As the camera angle shifted, a small child wearing her hair in two buns came running along the riverbank; her little skirt fluttered in the wind, and her face—still retaining its baby fat—was incredibly adorable.
"Is that Hitori as a child?"
Seeing the child burst into the scene, Kitahara's first thought was that it was a young Hitori.
Pink hair and features bearing a striking resemblance to Hitori—at a glance, it was easy to mistake her for the real thing, but closer inspection revealed details that didn't quite match up.
Kitahara recalled photos of Hitori's childhood he had seen previously and muttered to himself:
"If I remember correctly, Hitori had short hair back then, didn't she?"
Hitori had always worn a short bob cut. It wasn't until she entered junior high that things changed: Mrs. Goto became too busy with work to take her to the salon, and since Hitori suffered from extreme social anxiety, she was terrified of going alone. Over time, her hair quietly grew long enough to cover her eyes and eventually reached all the way down to her waist.
"That girl... isn't me."
Hitori replied in a low voice, clearly just as bewildered.
She had been completely zoning out just moments ago, thinking of absolutely nothing—so why... why had a bubble appeared?
And then there was the feeling... gazing at the little child in the scene, an indescribable, stirring emotion welled up in her heart, causing Hitori to instinctively press a hand against her chest. (That little kid in the scene isn't me... so who is it?)
(Why does it feel so familiar and heartwarming?)
Just then, the human toddler with the hair bun stopped, turned around, and waved, calling out in a soft, sweet voice:
"Dad, mom, hurry up!"
Hearing the toddler call out "Dad" and "Mom," the image of Hitori's parents immediately flashed into Kitahara's mind.
But the very next second...
A voice—slightly out of breath yet incredibly familiar—rang out from off-screen:
"Ai-chan, d-don't run so fast! Be careful you don't trip..."
Kitahara turned his head in surprise to look at Hitori:
"Is that Hitori's voice?"
Hitori: "..."
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
Shouldn't it be mom's voice?
Why is my voice coming out?!
"W-wait a minute!"
A realization suddenly struck Hitori like a bolt of lightning:
"If 'Mom' is me... then who is 'Dad'...?"
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Hitori's face flushed a deep red at visible speed—turning so red it looked like it was about to explode.
At the same time...
Two figures walked into the scene along the riverbank.
One was a woman with shoulder-length hair and black-framed glasses—well, "girl" wasn't the right word for her age; "madam" would be more accurate. The man beside her was wearing a suit, and he bore the unmistakable appearance of Kitahara.
Whoosh—
The sound of hissing steam suddenly erupted.
"I-it really is Kitahara-kun..."
Hitori's head buzzed, and her eyes spun into dizzying spirals.
Her most embarrassing daydream was playing out right before her eyes; she was so mortified she wanted to simply self-destruct on the spot, her body swaying unsteadily as she nearly collapsed.
"Careful now."
Kitahara reached out and gently pulled Hitori into his arms, suppressing a smile:
"It looks like the 'Dad' and 'Mom' in that little scene are me and Hitori."
Hitori: "..."
N-no!
Make it stop!
Unfortunately, the scene continued to play, indifferent to her wishes. Their daughter, wearing her hair in a bun, trotted over to the stream:
"Mommy, Daddy, come down here and catch loaches!"
Kitahara: "..."
No wonder a speech bubble had suddenly popped up over her head—catching loaches was incredibly fun; he'd already mentally committed to bringing their future daughter along for it!
Unfortunately, these "daydream skits" were short-lived; after just a dozen seconds or so, the scene quietly shattered and vanished.
"It's... it's finally over..."
Hitori clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief.
"It's a shame I couldn't capture it on my phone."
Kitahara's voice chimed in simultaneously; he was holding up his phone, looking genuinely regretful.
He really had wanted to snap a picture of the three of them—a family—strolling by the river.
Coming back to reality, Hitori suddenly realized she was still in Kitahara's arms. Blushing furiously, she hurriedly broke free and lowered her head to stare at her toes, too embarrassed to look anyone in the eye.
"Hitori..."
Kitahara reached out and rested his hand on Hitori's head:
"Let's name our future daughter 'Ai'."
Hitori: "..."
(N-no way!)
(We're still just high school students! Naming our daughter already—that's way too soon, no matter how you look at it!)
Seeing that Hitori was so mortified she looked ready to melt into a puddle right there, Kitahara decided not to push it any further:
"Anyway, this is how the 'Wish Sticky Note' grants wishes—it's not just a random side effect; there has to be some deeper meaning to it. Did you gain any insight, Hitori?"
"Huh?"
Hitori blinked at his words. A sudden flash of inspiration crossed her mind—something hazy and indistinct that slipped away the moment she tried to grasp it.
"It feels like... something's still missing..."
These daydreams triggered randomly and couldn't be summoned at will. Seeing that no new bubbles were appearing for the moment, Kitahara simply said:
"Well, since that's the case, let's just catch some loaches."
"Ah..."
A short while later.
The task of catching loaches was easily accomplished. Kitahara, however, found himself intrigued and in no rush to return; he continued catching fish and shrimp with Hitori until the sun began to beat down, at which point he called her to leave the stream.
"Will Hitori be okay at home by herself?"
Kitahara sat on the scooter and looked at Hitori beside him.
"Mom is off work today." Hitori, still too shy to look up, answered in a stammering whisper. "With mom home, there's no need to worry."
"That's good." Kitahara nodded gently and picked up his helmet. "Put on your helmet, Hitori. From now on, we'll turn right at every intersection we come across."
"Huh...?"
"It's only on a journey without a destination that you can stumble upon unexpected wonders."
"..."
Hitori stole a glance upward at the gentle smile on Kitahara's face, and her heart skipped a beat.
(A journey without a destination... that sounds terrifying... If I were alone, I'd just want to rush straight home; the outside world is super scary.)
(But...)
The ahoge atop Hitori's head swayed gently in the breeze.
(But right now, I don't feel scared at all—my heart is just full of anticipation... I guess it's because Kitahara-kun is here with me, isn't it?)
The journey began.
Kitahara and Hitori rode the scooter through the city's streets and alleys. Hitori's eyes sparkled as she experienced a kind of trip she had never known before; whenever they encountered an unexpected surprise, they would stop the scooter to take photos and commemorate the moment.
A Sailor Moon graffiti drawing that blended seamlessly with the paving stones.
Green ivy covering an entire wall.
A house deep in an alley with countless wind chimes hanging from the eaves—as the breeze blew, their tinkling sound rang out, light and ethereal.
A wobbly swing set in a park.
Two crows spreading their wings and fighting in the middle of the road...
Beneath the azure sky, the two rode leisurely with no set destination, and the scenery they happened upon along the way filled Hitori with a sense of delightful novelty. "Hitori, time to grab a bite."
Kitahara's voice rang out from ahead.
"Okay."
Hitori quickly replied and brought her scooter to a stop behind Kitahara.
As they rode along, the two of them had unknowingly arrived at a shopping street.
"I think this is the shopping street behind the University of Tokyo." Kitahara took out his phone and briefly checked their location. "Let's go get something to eat."
Hitori trotted to keep up; watching the stream of university students passing by, she felt a subtle shift in her mood.
(I used to think university was worlds away—and with my grades, I certainly wouldn't have made it in—but now that I've met Kitahara-kun... maybe I could actually go to university, too?)
(And one day, after getting in, would I find myself strolling through a shopping street near campus with Kitahara-kun, just like we are today?)
Hitori was suddenly struck by an intense sense of déjà vu.
The boundaries between the present and the future quietly blurred; her current self suddenly resonated with the future version of herself who had made it into university.
"Here we go again?"
Seeing a thought bubble pop up above Hitori's head, Kitahara raised an eyebrow slightly and snapped his fingers without hesitation.
Domain activated!
After opening the barrier, Kitahara simply took Hitori's small hand and whisked them both into the Onsen Dimension.
This time, the "daydream skit" once again centered on the two of them. Bathed in the soft glow of night-time lights, Kitahara and Hitori—dressed in university uniforms—were strolling through a bustling university commercial district, alive with the atmosphere of everyday life...
A moment later.
Kitahara and Hitori quietly returned to the real world.
"Lady Hitori, thank you for the treat."
Kitahara wiped the corner of his mouth with satisfaction.
"..."
Hitori's face was burning hot; she didn't dare look up at anyone.
Although she had avoided a public spectacle, she had—as expected—been teased once they entered the Onsen Dimension.
"Let's go get something to eat."
Kitahara took Hitori's hand and set off to explore the local eateries.
Half an hour later.
The "Big Eater" mission had been quietly completed along the way.
After a satisfying meal, Kitahara and Hitori rested briefly before continuing their journey.
Evening fell in the blink of an eye. On their way back, a daydream skit triggered once more. This time, the content was rather unique: it replayed the scene of Kitahara and Hitori's very first meeting at the train station.
However, after the skit ended, Hitori stood rooted to the spot, her eyes wide and a look of deep abstraction on her face.
"Hitori? What's wrong?"
Kitahara asked softly.
"I know how to write the lyrics now..."
Coming back to reality, Hitori's face lit up with excitement. She hurriedly opened her backpack, took out paper and a pen, and—ignoring the fact that they were on the roadside—began scribbling furiously.
The morning light of that first encounter. The glow of the setting sun during an evening stroll, hand in hand.
The moonlight on a clear, breezy night.
And then...
As Hitori scribbled furiously, lines of lyrics emerged, followed finally by the title:
"Encounter with Light."
"I finally finished it..."
Clutching her notebook, Hitori let out a sigh of relief, a look of pure satisfaction spreading across her small face.
The process had been a bit of a rollercoaster, but she'd finally written lyrics she was incredibly happy with... She was so happy! Overjoyed!
Kitahara didn't say a word; he simply gazed quietly at Hitori's profile.
"W-Why do you keep looking at me, Kitahara-kun?"
Hitori quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly raised her notebook, shyly hiding her face behind it so that only her eyes were visible.
"Because Hitori looked so cute just now," Kitahara said with a smile. "I couldn't take my eyes off you."
"..."
Steam practically started rising from the top of Hitori's head; she turned and scurried away in a panic:
"I-I'm going home now!"
"Are you heading to the shop for your shift today?"
Kitahara asked.
"Yeah..."
"Come over to my place in a bit, and we can 'fast travel' there together."
"..."
Kitahara rode his scooter home and took a quick shower; once Hitori arrived, he and Hitori headed to the Shimokitazawa live house.
Stepping out of the mirror, they arrived in the green room.
"I'm going to grab a drink."
Kitahara said a quick word to Hitori and left the room first, soon spotting Ryo—that lovable deadbeat—slumped behind the counter, staring blankly into space.
"Good evening, Ryo-senpai."
Kitahara greeted her with a composed expression. "...You pervert!!!"
Upon seeing Kitahara appear, Seika's lovely face flushed crimson. She couldn't help but curse him out in her mind in a fit of embarrassed anger, yet her body betrayed her true feelings... her heart raced, her mouth went dry, her limbs turned to jelly, and she was even...
Noticing these physical reactions, Seika bit her lower lip in mortification:
"Don't talk to me!"
Kitahara looked innocent: "Why is Senpai suddenly angry?"
"You tell me!"
After doing something so outrageous last night, he actually had the nerve to ask why she was mad?
She hadn't even been able to bring herself to speak to Nijika all day!
Kitahara lowered his voice: "But last night, you were the one who told me not to stop, Senpai..."
Thwack!
Seika immediately hurled a small cushion at him:
"Say another word and I'll break all five of your limbs!"
Just then, the real scumbag Ryo sauntered over:
"Why is Ryo blushing?"
"N-nothing..."
Seika coughed nervously, shooting a meaningful glance at Kitahara as she spoke.
"I just choked on something I was eating."
"Exactly," Kitahara chimed in. "Whatever Senpai says goes."
"Kitahara-kun, don't speak."
Nijika walked over, glaring at Kitahara with her bright eyes before speaking softly:
"All the bands for today's show have arrived, and the drinks are all set up. We can open for business soon."
"Senpai..."
Hitori appeared clutching a notebook, holding it out to Seika with an expectant look:
"I've finished the lyrics."
Seika, now slowly adjusting to the role of Ryo, extended her right hand:
"Let me see."
As she took the notebook, their fingers accidentally brushed against each other. Seika didn't think much of it at first, but she soon noticed Kitahara and the girls all looking up at the top of her head.
"Wait, what are you guys looking at?"