Haruna, who I thought would dress up prettily, was waiting in her usual school uniform. In a way, it was the most familiar and charming look; it seemed I preferred this over her straining to dress up.
Well… here I was in a red long-sleeve cardigan, wearing a skirt, a scarf, and finally, an ivory beret perched lightly on my head. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had overdone it by trying to look nice…
“Ah, Mikan-san! Fufu. You know, every time I see you, I feel like everything looks good on you.”
Yeah, as long as Haruna is happy, everything’s good.
“Oh, I think the same about you, Haruna-chan. Ah, that school uniform looks best on you!”
“…Eep, hearing that makes me feel a bit relieved. By the way, it seems like you arrived quite early…?”
“Ahaha… it’s a bit strange to hear that from someone who came in 15 minutes early and was waiting!”
What’s weird is that the people around me almost never arrive late. I’m usually the one who comes early, so why is it that I’m always the one waiting? Honestly, it boggles my mind.
“I didn’t want to keep you waiting in this cold weather, Mikan-san. By the way, I’ve perfectly prepared today’s date course in advance. So, can I ask you for an escort today? Fufufu.”
“Hmm. I don’t see why not. Yep, I should do my best since you will soon become the idol of Kivotos!”
“An idol…? Hmm, well, first, I’ve booked a movie.”
“A movie…? Um, Haruna-chan? We have a musical this afternoon—”
“Th-that’s a different energy! This movie is a culinary comedy about a chef at a hotel restaurant who gets a harsh critique from a famous reviewer, which spirals into a series of events. So, in a way, it’s an extension of the exploration of gourmet food.”
“…Aha?”
This was definitely a reason typical of Haruna. There’s no way the devil of gourmet food would let a date go by without slipping in something about food.
Just as I held Haruna’s hand lightly to depart, for some reason she slipped her hand away and hugged me.
“Um, Haruna-chan…?”
“Could you stay like this for a moment? Fufu, this sweet cherry scent is cheating…”
Well, even so, being like this in the middle of the street is a bit embarrassing…
After being held like that for nearly three minutes, Haruna pulled away, her face all flustered, and extended her hand toward me.
“Then, Mikan-san. I look forward to spending today with you?”
With a smile, Haruna’s eyes flickered momentarily in one direction before returning.
I dismissed it nonchalantly and we officially started our date. Both of us knew exactly where we were headed.
*
The movie itself was quite enjoyable. The main plot revolved around the protagonist, who gets fired from their job at a hotel due to conflicts with a critic and embarks on a nationwide journey in a food truck with their daughter.
As it’s a comedy, there were moments that made me laugh, and I was glad to see Haruna enjoying it especially, given that the main theme was cooking.
Plus, there was a nice twist at the end. After the movie finished and we walked out, I thought of something.
“Um… you know, Haruna-chan, weren’t you the ‘critic’ in this movie?”
“…W-well, that’s true. I am indeed writing columns these days. Fufu.”
“Well, it kinda feels similar to how you used to be, but now… reading the rough draft Noah-chan sent me, your bad reviews about unsatisfying restaurants are pretty harsh, huh?”
“Um… Well, I don’t just blurt things out recklessly anymore. But isn’t a critical perspective like this a good direction, like what Mikan-san desired?”
“Absolutely, I think it’s a good change. I like it! Sure, there are still moments when you can’t hold back, but… that’s for a reason, so I guess that’s okay?”
“Fufu. So you finally get it, Mikan-san.”
Well, I think I could say I’ve won this round. Haruna, who was trying to put bad influence on me as a member of the Gourmet Research Club, has ultimately changed for the better.
As I shared this thought with Haruna…
“Isn’t it usually the one who loves more who concedes? I’m quite proud. Even if I’ve been completely wrecked by that ultimate gourmet I was searching for.”
“Wow—oh…”
Hmm. Putting it that way, it sounds like I took advantage of Haruna’s pure devotion. Regardless of the process, in terms of results, we could say Haruna has been rejuvenated, so isn’t that a good thing? This is something Fuka would back me up on.
“Fufu, for the next course…*”
By the way, that gaze I felt from before… if I’m not mistaken, it must be that kid.
We walked along the snow-covered path for a while. We bought some fish-shaped pastries to share before watching the scheduled musical, but honestly, I only half paid attention to it.
Maybe because the atmosphere of the musical was so fluffy, it created a peculiar air between us. With light playful gestures toward each other, there was no way we could focus on the content.
…Ah, I’m not talking about inappropriate playful gestures. It was just innocent fun with each other’s hands.
“Hah, hehe. How did you find the musical? I think it was a splendid comedy.”
“Ahaha, I’m not sure if I should call it a splendid comedy, but… yeah, I agree, it was fun.”
If the term “splendid comedy” means it was enjoyable for the person saying it, then I must agree.
“So, shall we set off toward the last course?”
Naturally, this was a reference to dinner. However, it felt a bit early for a meal, which made me wonder.
When Haruna led me to the train station heading towards Trinity, my doubt was cleared.
If my guess was right, Haruna had chosen the final destination of today…
*
“I’ll order one plate of prosciutto e melone, one plate of amatriciana pasta. After a bit of a pause, please serve one portion of bistecca alla fiorentina, and also request roasted potatoes as a contorno. And for dessert, two pieces of tiramisu and two glasses of acqua gassata.”
As expected, the place Haruna had reserved was the Italian restaurant where we had our first meeting. Now that I realized why she hadn’t dressed up for this, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed that she hadn’t hinted it to me beforehand.
Haruna’s seamless order perfectly matched the menu from our first meal together.
The things that had changed were two… no, three.
First, it was lunch back then, not dinner. Second, unlike now when we both understood our feelings, back then we were complete strangers.
And…
“Um, Haruna-chan. For ages now I’ve wanted to ask about that person sitting at the end. Is that Noah-chan?”
“…Mikan-san, could I ask you for one favor?”
“I don’t know what it is, but indeed it is Noah-chan.”
Even in the movie theater and the musical, I felt someone was watching us from a distance, and I even caught a glimpse of Noah’s unmistakable white hair.
Given Haruna was flustered about my early arrival and having spent time hugging me out there, it must’ve been something they arranged together.
Anyway, there was one uninvited guest, which was different from last time.
“Could you please pretend that today’s events didn’t happen?”
“Okay, but first explain the reason why.”
“This was entirely because Noah-san wanted to observe our date from a third-party perspective…”
“So why hide that from me? I’m not trying to put you on the spot, so no need to worry.”
“Um… well…”
Haruna hesitated, scratching her cheek before unexpectedly spilling out an unanticipated answer.
“Um, this is just speculation, but I think Noah-san might have feelings for you, Mikan-san…”
“…?”
“To be more precise, for both me and Mikan-san…?”
“Wow——oh…?”
My brain short-circuited at this shocking revelation I never expected. So Noah has feelings for both me and Haruna for some unknown reason?
…Sorry, Yuuka.
For some reason, I felt I had to say this.
*
For now, I decided to put off any conclusions on this difficult problem. I could imagine asking Nagisa, who had granted permission for my relationship with Haruna, “Ah, Nagisa-chan! Um, do you remember Noah-chan from Millennium? I think that kid likes both Haruna-chan and me. What should we do about this…?”
Since my thoughts led to this, I figured…
Well, I’d probably be cruelly and terribly murdered. The cause of death would probably be a shameful choking by roll cake.
For the moment, Haruna had promised that she would absolutely go along with my wishes, but she didn’t seem to show any signs of reluctance towards Noah’s feelings. This meant she must’ve valued our relationship quite highly.
Hmm… I don’t know. This is definitely not an easy problem to resolve. It’s definitely different from the love triangle with Aco and Hina, which complicates it even further. So perhaps, I should think about it slowly.
After pushing away the issue which had no easy answers, I found myself reflecting on how nostalgic this dinner would feel to Haruna’s perspective.
It seemed like the most romantic moment ever. If I think about it, it’s quite close to the perfect end to a first date.
I could see the two of us making it an annual tradition to visit this restaurant on this day.
The menu was familiar yet tasted a bit different. If it changed due to the nature of our relationship, then perhaps Haruna’s theory has transferred to me as well.
Haruna looked much happier than during that memory. Although it would be a lie to say I didn’t miss those days, when feeling shy just by feeding each other one bite felt so innocent… I absolutely liked the current situation.
After finishing our dessert neatly, Haruna and I headed to the restroom to gargle. During this process, I passed by Noah’s seat, but there was an unusual emptiness. I guessed she might’ve finished her meal and left first, but…
Shortly after, I discovered the reason. As I entered the restroom, I locked eyes with Noah, who was washing her hands with cold water in front of the sink.
“…Oh my. It’s a coincidence to meet you both here♪”
“Noah-san… Huh.”
While pretending to be calm, I couldn’t hide the tremor in my voice as I saw our Usio Noah-san. Haruna let out a small sigh upon seeing her.
To be honest, setting up a table in the same restaurant was a bit too much…
“Hi, Noah-chan. What a coincidence, huh?”
“Yes, indeed…!”
Well, for now, Haruna’s assumptions are just that—assumptions, not confirmations. But looking at Noah’s gaze flicking back and forth between the two of us, I couldn’t blame Haruna for coming to that conclusion.
Since we hadn’t gathered three of us in one spot, we probably missed each other’s cues. Or maybe it just meant that I was the one who lacked awareness.
To be honest, that seems more credible as a hypothesis.
After gargling side by side with Haruna, I asked her if Noah was already done with her meal and settled the check since she came alone.
However, the moment the payment was mentioned, Haruna’s eyes changed. As she excused herself for a moment, Noah suddenly blurted out an apology.
“Um, Mikan-san. I’m sorry if I interrupted your date and made you feel uncomfortable.”
“Huh? Well, it’s not like I was bothered. I feel like I’ve basically seen everything anyway…”
To be blunt, receiving a confession from Haruna happened about half a year ago. My attempt to refuse led to her insisting she wouldn’t let me reject it, resulting in this situation.
Accepting her date invitation was essentially my answer to her confession.
“By the way, why did Haruna-chan suddenly… Ah?”
Now that I think about it, I did tell Haruna to handle the bill if I had any complaints last time we were here. Until now, I had always paid.
And lo and behold, when I stepped out with Noah, Haruna confidently finished up the payment, greeting us with a smile.
“Fufu. Looks like you were a step too slow this time, huh?”
“…Hmm. Our Haruna-chan schemed to take the lead, huh?”
“It’s a strange feeling to always be treated to meals even when I’m not short on cash. So, how about offering once in a while?”
“Ahaha, I’ve said it before, but feel free to treat me anytime you want, Haruna-chan☆”
“If that’s an option…?”
“Yep, that’s the deal!”
We shared a small laugh as we reminisced about past memories. Seeing Noah watch us with a smile, I couldn’t help but feel like now I understood how she ended up with feelings for both of us.
In the end, she was probably swept along while supporting the relationship Haruna and I had, unconsciously too. My thoughts spiraled a bit. Now that I had confirmed this, I almost thought, “Could Aco…?” but I swiftly pushed that thought aside.
She likely just dislikes Trinity enough for it to not be a possibility.
Hmm… probably.
“With the situation being what it is… I think it might be best to wrap up for the day. What do you think?”
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea… I think we’ve enjoyed it sufficiently.”
As we stepped out, it was already past 8 o’clock. Considering the time for Haruna and Noah to return, it was better to send them off now.
Given the location, it felt awkward to continue the day with Noah, and if I just sent them back, I felt uneasy about it. Especially with Noah, all things considered, sending her back alone could be quite tough. I could see Noah joining Haruna to wrap up the day at Gehenna.
Well, in any case, since we can set up dates whenever we want in the future, there’s no real reason to feel too disappointed.
“Or should we stay overnight—”
“I reject that. I’ll see you both to the station; let’s call it a day.”
“…Fufu. That’s a bit disappointing.”
No way, not a chance. An overnight stay on a first date? Do you want to get me killed by Nagisa with a roll cake for that? I already had a bad flashback from earlier today.
“Seeing you both off is fine. The sooner I send you back, the better I look in front of Nagisa-san, right? So before we part ways, I’ll give you the gift I promised.”
Haruna drew something out from her handbag and held it in front of me. Then she stepped closer to whisper.
“Mikan-san… may I convey my feelings to you once again?”
“…No, it’s okay. Haruna-chan’s feelings have already been conveyed long ago. So, I guess it’s time for me to give you my proper answer.”
Click.
As Haruna approached me, I wrapped my arms around her neck.
“Honestly, Haruna-chan, to put it plainly, I might have been falling for you since the day we first met.”
Balancing on my toes, I just managed to reach her lips.
Feeling like I was compensating for the lost time, Haruna actively responded to my kiss. This must’ve been the moment she had been waiting for a long time.
Click.
Unlike previous times when I was always led by Nagisa, this time I felt I could lead Haruna a little.
But thinking about how long this would last, was it just my paranoia…?
Click.
While we continued kissing, I suddenly felt something strange on my left wing.
And then…
“Pahaa…”
With the shutter sound ringing in from the side, it seemed my sweet moment was interrupted as Haruna pulled her lips away and turned her eyes toward the side.
“Uh, Noah-san…?”
“Oh dear, if I disturbed you, I’m sorry♪ But I think these photos will change your minds! Fufu.”
…It’s really, really disappointing, but thankfully there will be many opportunities ahead.
Glancing towards my wings, I noticed an unfamiliar decoration that was similar to the one on Haruna’s.
Do these girls really enjoy leaving marks of themselves on others’ bodies…?
“Mikan-san.”
“Yeah?”
“It was more than I expected… or rather, I should say, it was beyond my expectations.”
Haruna softly whispered, pressing her lips against the corner of my mouth.
“Truly, you’re the best gourmet.”
“…”
“Thank you for the meal~♡”
Indeed, Gehenna is something to avoid. But as I thought this, the moment had passed, and now I was already captivated by two devils; that was the proof.
By the way, all the photos Noah took are carefully preserved.
