I Won't Be a Loser

As July drew to a close and August approached, the long summer break—spanning nearly forty days—officially began. Haruto hadn't made any detailed plans for it. His general idea was to spend some time in Tokyo, then head back to Itomori for a week or two. After that, he would return to Tokyo to start preparing for the next term.

"If I'm taking my sisters back toward the end of summer break, then I'll have to stay at home for a while too. Around August 20th, maybe the 23rd, I'll send them back. Any later and they'll struggle to readjust to life in Itomori."

Knowing his younger sister's temperament, he figured that sending her home right before the new semester might cause some unnecessary drama. Better to be prepared and avoid the fallout.

"She didn't spend long in Tokyo last time, so the change wasn't too jarring. But if she stays for most of the summer… it'll definitely hit harder when she has to go back."

Now back in his apartment, Haruto sat at his desk, staring out the sun-drenched window. He turned slightly to glance at the slim stack of summer homework on his desk. It would take maybe two or three hours at most to finish it all.

"Summer break… there's plenty of time."

He sat there quietly for a moment, lost in thought, a few distant memories floating up. Then, with a small sigh, he opened the assignment in front of him.

"I should try to finish it all tonight. Then maybe find some books to read during the break. If I just waste all my time, who knows what next term—or next year—will look like…"

He understood perfectly well where he stood. If things continued as they were, getting into a top university like Rikkyo would be a dream. He'd better start looking at options in Hokkaido instead.

"Yamanashi and Wakayama's private colleges have lower standards, but they're still on the main island. If people I know wanted to visit, it wouldn't be hard. But if I go to Ashiya University in Hokkaido… that's far enough to avoid embarrassment."

"I need to decide on cram school soon too."

Taking up his pen, he focused his mind and quietly began working through his assignments.

Setsuna and Sekai's school, Sakakino Academy, had slightly different schedules. They finished later than his school, which was part of the reason he chose to stay in Tokyo a while longer—so he could return to Itomori with Setsuna after her term ended.

From the moment he got back to his apartment that afternoon, Haruto had been grinding away at his homework. He wasn't particularly fast, often pausing to rest his eyes or use eyedrops before continuing. By evening, the room had grown dim. He finally got up to turn on the lights and looked at the two completed sets of assignments. Only his Japanese composition and English tasks remained.

A relaxed generation and a relaxed education allow children to have a relaxed and free environment in which to grow.

"...."

He frowned slightly. It sounded ideal in theory—a nurturing, stress-free learning environment. But reality rarely matched the slogan. He had once dreamed of the corporate world, of walking confidently into government buildings in a sharp suit. But deep down, he knew that life wasn't for him.

Better to stick with what he was good at. Go to college, continue his writing, and carve out a decade or so of relative freedom for himself.

"…"

He recalled something else—his promise to Setsuna.

They had agreed to get married once they reached adulthood. That meant finishing high school first. Which meant he'd need to build up enough of a foundation before then. Right now, he could crank out a book every two to three months. But that wouldn't always be the case.

He couldn't rely on luck—like the unexpected promotion he'd gotten from Matsuko on TV. That kind of break was rare. He couldn't count on lightning striking twice.

"I've got about 4 million yen saved up. That's roughly a fifth of the cost of a modest apartment. Renovation costs on top of that… I'll need at least 30 million yen in savings. Maybe even 40 million if I want a safety net."

He thought of his family.

His father, the mayor of Hida, likely had some decent political donations stashed away. Haruto knew his father's nature—stern and upright on the surface, but in truth, just another ordinary man. There was no way he'd stayed entirely clean as a small-town politician.

"A former noble family like the Mokougis probably still holds some wealth. But even if he has savings, I'm not going to ask him."

The emotional scars from his past hadn't healed. Even if their present relationship was civil, those old wounds hadn't disappeared. He couldn't bring himself to ask for help—not from the man who'd never once truly tried to understand him.

"That might've worked in a past life, but not this one."

He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. He'd need to prepare some backup plans. Maybe donate part of his future income, help people in need, and gather stories along the way. Those stories might even become the seeds for his next book.

"Yeah… that might work."

Satisfied, he rose from his desk. He was too tired to cook, and he had something he wanted to talk to Setsuna about anyway—so he decided to head to the Kiyoura household.

"Should I just go with Setsuna, or invite Sekai too?"

As he walked, he debated it internally. In the end, he decided not to say anything and let Setsuna choose.

When he arrived at the house, Setsuna was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he found her mother, Mai, busy preparing dinner at the kitchen counter.

"Where's Setsuna?"

"You show up and the first thing you ask is about her? What about me? Am I invisible?"

"…How are you feeling today?"

"Awful."

Mai gave him a side-eye as she mixed the seasoning. Then she glanced toward her daughter's room.

"She's been holed up in there since I got home. Not a word. You go see what's up."

"Okay, I'll check on her. I'll help with dinner after."

"I'm fine on my own. Go tend to your little girlfriend."

Over time, Mai had grown more casual with Haruto. The stiff formality from their first few encounters had melted away, replaced with something more familiar—even youthful. In some ways, she acted more like a teenager than Setsuna did.

Haruto walked quietly to Setsuna's room. He paused at the door, listened for any sound, then knocked gently and slipped inside.

He found her sitting at her desk, poring over textbooks and notes, occasionally jotting down answers in her workbook. She was clearly in study mode.

"Your exams are the day after tomorrow, right?"

"Mm. Tomorrow and the day after. Then we're free."

She turned to glance at him briefly, then quickly returned her focus to her studies. She was determined to do well.

After all, they were planning to visit his family over the summer. She'd be meeting his parents, his relatives. The thought of being asked about her academic strengths… and not having a good answer… was mortifying.

She didn't want to embarrass Haruto. She didn't want his family to be disappointed in her. So she threw herself into her studies with all the energy she could muster.

Haruto watched her for a moment, then silently turned and walked out. He didn't want to interrupt her concentration.

Mai was surprised when he reemerged so quickly.

"You're done already?"

"She's working hard. I didn't want to get in the way. Let me help with dinner instead."

"Your school's already done for the term, right? What are you going to do with all this time alone?"

"I've got another book in progress. I'll spend time writing, reading, and prepping for the next term. I've also finally got the money to sign up for cram school—so I should take care of that soon."

She remembered their earlier conversation—when she'd first learned about his relationship with Setsuna. Back then, she'd seen him as someone with a plan, someone driven and reliable.

"Oh right, cram school. But won't you be too busy to attend? You're going home with Setsuna, aren't you?"

"I'll sign up for a course that starts after break."

"That means you'll have less and less time with Setsuna every day. What, you want her to attend cram school with you?"

"That might actually be a good idea."

Surprised by how readily he agreed, Mai blinked. She'd half-expected resistance—but he just accepted it without complaint. Maybe she'd been overthinking it. Still, as a mother, she couldn't help but worry.

They chatted about other neighbors and small things until it was time to eat. Later that evening, Haruto returned to his apartment. Since he had plans the next day, he didn't bother finishing his homework. He took a shower, changed into pajamas, and collapsed into bed.

I should probably get an old-style flip phone for Mitsuha…

She might break a new one out of curiosity, so better to keep it simple. At least that way, they could stay in touch without borrowing their mom's phone every time.

Yotsuha doesn't need one yet. She can just share. I'll get her some snacks instead. And some clothes…

His thoughts turned to his grandmother and his mother. Then, reluctantly, he remembered the one man in the family besides himself.

He didn't want to think about it—but he couldn't just ignore his father, either.

Their relationship had never been good. Mayor of Hida or not, his father had always been strict, stoic, emotionally distant. He never smiled. Not at Haruto. Not at Mitsuha.

It was probably his way of showing authority—as a father, as a man. But for Haruto, it was never warmth, never love.

Miyamizu Toshiki.A man born of the Mizoguchi clan—once the feudal lords of Aichi Prefecture. A family of nobility, later bestowed the title of hakushaku—Count.

Modern nobility, for sure. But like all those former aristocrats, they either became scholars or moved into business or politics. Toshiki had been a respected folklorist before becoming mayor.

"He gave up his fiancée for love. Abandoned the name Mizoguchi. Married my mother instead. So why—why can't he understand me?"

Lying in bed, Haruto opened his eyes to the darkness.

He clenched his fists under the covers, biting his lip in silence.

Then, with a slow breath, he forced the emotion back down. His expression returned to calm. He rolled over, turning to face the wall.

Trying his best, once again, to forget.