Living in the Heart of Tokyo

"Anyway, that's all for now. I'll come find you again tomorrow."

Miyamizu Mitsuha cupped one hand over her mouth and the microphone of her phone as she spoke.

She had to do this because behind her, a group of classmates and upperclassmen were making a ruckus.

"Eh? Tell Hojo-san to come hang out too! I wanna see this handsome guy for myself!"

The girl sitting in the center of the group shouted.

Her posture was flawless, seated in the formal seiza position, dressed in an elegant kimono patterned with peonies.

Her hair was styled in the classic hime cut.

If you ignored the lazy look on her face and the words coming out of her mouth, she looked every bit the refined noble lady.

"Ugh, President, please stop saying random stuff like that!" Mitsuha turned around in protest.

These upperclassmen usually acted so well-mannered and composed, but in moments like this, they turned into complete chaos agents.

"Exactly! You went and stole away Ochanomizu's Princess without saying a word. You owe us an explanation!"

This time, it was another girl, also in a kimono.

Her hair was braided into two thin plaits and tied into loops with black ribbons on either side of her head.

She, too, looked like a textbook noblewoman. 

"Vice President, you too? Don't say that embarrassing nickname again! And you—you're her number one minion, the Witch of Ochanomizu's right hand!"

Mitsuha's eye twitched.

She wanted nothing more than to hang up the phone.

She didn't care what they said about her—but having Kyousuke overhear this was utterly mortifying.

"Unforgivable!"

"Yeah, unforgivable! Unless you bring three—no, ten—boxes of the sweets Kaori brought back last night, don't even think about making it up to us!"

"Come on, Ayumi, don't be so easily bought! Didn't Kaori say Hojo-san's cooking is the best in all of Japan?"

"Why settle for snacks when we could demand a full kaiseki meal? And while we're at it, we should check out Mitsuha's love nest too!"

"If it's about showcasing his cooking skills, then it's gotta be sushi! You're the one with no ambition!"

"..."

As the argument shifted from an external enemy to internal bickering, Mitsuha let out a breath of relief and quickly spoke into the phone again:

"If there's hot pot, Kyousuke, eat some extra for me, okay? Next time, come over to my place and cook it for me."

"Hahaha, sure thing. You have fun too, Mitsuha."

With ears as sharp as Kyousuke's, of course he could hear all the noise on the other end.

But rather than feeling annoyed, he was genuinely happy that Mitsuha had made such lively, supportive friends.

If anyone thought he was ditching Mitsuha just to have hot pot at home with a bunch of other pretty girls, they'd be dead wrong.

If today had only been a joint activity between the kendo and baseball clubs, he would've rushed straight to Ochanomizu Women's University without a second thought.

In fact, he would've proudly shown off their relationship in front of all her friends—delivering a sweet and bashful public display of affection.

As a man, that was his duty and responsibility.

No way would he pull something like "keeping it private."

After all, from the moment they started dating, he'd already accepted that his rights would be halved, while his obligations would double.

Of course, even preparations for the sports festival weren't enough to stop him.

Around 3 p.m., an empty lot by the road that hadn't yet been developed was already full of kids playing.

Just from looking around Tokyo, you'd never guess Japan was facing a declining birthrate.

But if you traced these children's hometowns, you'd find combined elementary-through-high schools that barely had a hundred students total.

Kyousuke, having taken off his jacket in the heat and now just in a white dress shirt, watched the sun-hatted kids play dodgeball under the blazing sun and let his thoughts wander.

The area where he lived was ridiculously rich in educational resources—so much so that it would make most people envious.

From kindergarten to university, there were at least five solid options.

Public and private.

All-boys and all-girls schools.

A kid growing up here could literally have the same classmates from preschool all the way to college.

And if they worked hard enough, they could even end up working in the same neighborhood as adults.

Still, having so many schools in one place had its downsides.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to spread them out a bit more.

"Researcher Hojou, how's our time machine project coming along?" A stern voice called out from ahead.

"Reporting in, Director Yamauchi—compared to before school let out, we've made huge strides." Kyousuke looked away from the children and replied casually.

"Oh? Don't tell me you've cracked the secret of spacetime strings already?"

Yamauchi Sakura spun around, eyes wide with fake shock, dramatically throwing her arms wide and momentarily releasing the two pretty girls she was walking with.

"No, I just found out we're supposed to be researching a time machine. So technically, we've gone from nothing to something—a massive breakthrough worth celebrating."

Kyousuke didn't break stride.

He tried to walk ahead; the grocery store had just messaged that the ingredients he ordered had arrived.

"Ah, I see! That is a major leap forward! Then your next step is to decode spacetime string theory. Whatever you need, don't hesitate to ask the Service Club for help. We're your strongest support!"

Sakura grabbed him before he could sneak away and declared solemnly.

"Yes, yes."

Yukinoshita, who had been listening to the two, looked utterly baffled at first—then just plain speechless.

Shouko, standing nearby, covered her mouth with a soft smile.

She was already used to these spontaneous skits between Sakura and Kyousuke.

The two could shift their roles on a whim—from aliens of the M78 Nebula to moles living 30 meters underground.

Their dramas ranged from tragic Alzheimer's sufferers to queens obsessed with a single lover.

And it wasn't just random episodes—it was becoming a full-blown serialized show with lore and continuity.

Take this current "research institute" storyline, for example.

Its full name was something like The Institute of Fantastical Research Established Solely to Fulfill Yamauchi Sakura's Personal Whims.

Just memorizing it was a feat in itself. Shouko had managed it only because the name had come up so many times, and even the people around them had been assigned in-universe roles.

"Sakura-san, if you're seriously researching a time machine, you should start with the materials, not the theory."

"While theoretical work is important, research should begin with something tangible. A new material might even attract funding for future development…"

Yukinoshita subtly moved her lips, trying to join the conversation, but it somehow came out stiff and technical again.

She was frustrated, but forced herself to continue speaking.

"I see. Researcher Hojou, you're demoted! Yukinoshita Yukino—you're now the Deputy Director!"

Her lab coat emblazoned with a set of scales, a model of justice perched on her head—that was Yamauchi Sakura, the embodiment of fairness and impartiality.

"Will my salary be reduced?" Kyousuke asked.

"You idiot! What do you take me for, some capitalist pig? We're a Fantasy Research Institute! Your salary is paid with imagination!"

"Shouko the Broadcaster, make sure to announce this update to the entire institute."

"Yes, yes~~" Shouko replied cheerfully.

'Wait, I became Deputy Director…?'

Yukinoshita paused mid-step, stunned that one offhand comment had gotten her promoted from newbie to executive in record time.

Even in a family-run business, that'd be unheard of.

If her sister found out… No, no, no—get a grip, Yukino!

Don't let yourself be dragged into Sakura's world of make-believe!

No one knew why this sudden role-play situation had unfolded—except for the two people watching both the open yard and the child at the same time.

While they chatted, the building known as Ruyi Dormitory came into view.

The moment they stepped onto the street, Yukinoshita saw the luxurious mansion tucked behind three brightly painted detached homes—one red, one yellow, one blue.

This is...

25 Mejirodai 3-chome, Bunkyo Ward.

It was a property under their family company's real estate division that had been on the market for years without a buyer.

That is, until someone named Hojou Kyousuke purchased it.

That transaction caught her mother's attention and landed his name on the "potential brother-in-law" list.

Yukinoshita had read that report herself.

Her mother never bothered to hide this kind of thing from her older sister.

And her sister always discussed the list of candidates with an air of calm composure, as if she were analyzing a business proposal—not evaluating her future husband.

What's more, her sister never kept these matters from her.

She'd even show them off, explaining every detail patiently as if afraid Yukino wouldn't understand.

"Ugh, it's so hard to choose! They're all so amazing. I'm so jealous of you, Yukino. You don't have to care who you marry!"

At moments like that, Yukino would stare intently at her sister's radiant smile, trying to spot even a sliver of reluctance beneath it.

But she never saw it. Nothing at all.

Her sister, locked in the gilded cage of "successor" since childhood, genuinely seemed delighted—happy that her future husband would be someone so exceptional.

A pang of sadness stirred in the heart of the black-haired girl.

If her sister didn't even mind this arrangement, then what did that make her—the one who truly wanted to inherit their father's legacy?

"Wait a sec, Sakura-san, is your house... the same place where Hojou lives?"

Yukino wasn't stupid.

Now that they'd arrived, it didn't take long for her to put two and two together.

"Ohh! So that's how it is!" Yamauchi Sakura clapped her hands in sudden realization, then turned toward Kyousuke with a pout. "Why didn't you say so earlier, Kyousuke?!"

"I'll leave you two to it. The supermarket delivery just arrived—I need to go sign for it," Kyousuke said, offering no explanation before quickly striding toward the gate.

"I'll help!" Shouko gave Yukino an apologetic smile and ran after him.

"See? I didn't lie," Sakura said with a grin. "This is my house. Kyousuke and Shouko come over all the time. And I visit their place too."

"But this is your first time visiting a friend's house—and you get to see three all at once! Lucky you, Yukino!"

With a big, beaming smile, Sakura flashed a thumbs-up, showing off eight gleaming white teeth.

"…..."

This girl's brain really isn't normal.

She's definitely been infected by Hojou.

That was the only explanation Yukino could come up with.

But even so… she found herself strangely agreeing with Sakura.

"Maybe the reason I didn't have any friends before wasn't because of me. Maybe I just hadn't met the right people yet. And now… I'm visiting three friends' homes at once."

Yamauchi Sakura is terrifying.

Even someone like her—calm, logical, and principled—was getting swept up in her pace.

"Well, this works out great, right? You're visiting a friend and supervising Kyousuke's training. Two birds with one stone."

"True," Yukino nodded.

Honestly, she had no idea what people even did when they visited friends' homes.

Having Hojou there gave her something concrete to focus on—and helped her avoid any awkward downtime.

"Let's go! We're having hotpot tonight!"

"Hotpot?"

"Yup, yup! I'll tell you all about it..."

————————————————————————

Ruyi Dormitory

Standing before the sleek black iron gate, Yukinoshita Yukino softly read aloud the name engraved on the wooden plaque.

"Pretty nice, huh? I came up with it myself!" Sakura said cheerfully, pushing open the gate.

Apparently, the others hadn't bothered locking it.

"It's a beautiful name."

Yukino's voice came out uncharacteristically gentle.

A name so openly filled with warmth and good wishes... it made her heart flutter.

In her world, joy had never come in such simple forms.

"Come on in~!" Sakura waved her over.

As Yukino lifted her left foot to step through the gate, a dilemma popped into her head:

'Should I say "Sorry for intruding" now? Or wait until I'm actually at the door?'

She didn't recall any of the etiquette guides mentioning garden gates...

Even something this trivial made her frown and overthink.

That's just how Yukinoshita Yukino was—so principled it could be exhausting, so adorably stubborn it bordered on ignorance.

Given her recent blunders, Yukino decided it was best to ask Sakura directly.

"Sakura-san… what should I do now? Should I say 'Sorry for intruding'?"

Sakura turned around, noticing the seriousness and tension on Yukino's face.

She looks like a freshly booted-up humanoid robot, entering society for the first time, Sakura thought.

Seeing her like this made Sakura's heart soften a bit.

The usual brightness in her smile dimmed into something gentler as she answered earnestly:

"Normally, you'd say it once you reach the front door or the genkan. But since we're friends, there's no need to be overly formal."

"I see," Yukino said, nodding solemnly.

She wouldn't forget it.

Though she couldn't imagine ever needing this kind of knowledge anywhere else besides here.

She stepped into the courtyard and carefully closed the gate behind her.

Then she looked up, taking in the house she'd once seen before.

Back in middle school, she had a fleeting, naive thought—if she could help the family business solve a major problem, maybe her mother would finally take her seriously.

It was a small and somewhat pathetic idea, but at the time, it was the best she could come up with.

And this property—an expensive one that had sat on the books for years—seemed like the perfect target.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

This multi-million-dollar home wasn't something someone with no connections like her could sell.

Her sister, who had been taken around by their parents to meet influential people since childhood, might've had a shot.

Her "brilliant plan" failed completely—and only made her realize how vast the gap between her and her sister truly was.

'A house only comes alive when it has people in it,' Yukino thought.

From the front, the house didn't reveal much—just a freshly painted white exterior and some treetops peeking from the garden.

But even so, she could feel it.

"Come on, Yukino!" Sakura called.

"Okay."

She responded and stepped onto the stone path leading to the door.

Even the black paving stones beneath her feet radiated warmth and care—so different from the cold emptiness of her own apartment.

"Sorry for intruding," she said softly, bowing her head as she slipped on a pair of disposable slippers Sakura handed her.

A glimpse of the shoe cabinet made her frown slightly, but before she could dwell on it, Sakura had already shut the door.

Stepping into the entryway, the first thing she saw was a pile of grocery boxes stacked at the kitchen entrance.

They were impossible to miss—there were just so many foam containers—and Sakura was already yelling excitedly over them.

"Whoa! Look at this snapper—it's huge!"

She held up a giant fish wrapped in plastic wrap and practically shouted the word "huge" three times.

"…It really is big," Yukino muttered.

————————————————————————

Yukinoshita couldn't help but tilt her head slightly upward, her gaze falling on the large pink sea bream as she let out a quiet sigh of admiration.

But the moment the words left her mouth, her expression froze.

It was just a big fish—why was she echoing Sakura's silly comments?

Only children would get excited and shout "It's huge!" over a big fish.

Not that she'd ever experienced that kind of childhood, of course.

"Careful not to spill the water inside. The smell's really hard to get rid of," Kyousuke said as he came out of the kitchen and took the sea bream from Sakura's hands.

"But it is a beautiful fish. The shop owner said it was delivered fresh this morning."

"I see. That means it hasn't been dead for more than five hours," Sakura nodded with a serious expression.

Over in the kitchen, Shouko, who was unpacking other ingredients, gave a helpless smile.

No matter how many times she heard these two joke around, she still couldn't quite get used to their weird humor.

They had zero filters.

They'd describe broth as "meat corpse water" and tea as "leaf extract from the dead" or something equally gross.

It had been even worse back when they lived in Suimon City—Aunt Mikiko might've been squeamish around blood, but she loved that kind of dark humor.

The three of them used to go at it nonstop.

"This is a red sea bream, right?" Yukinoshita stepped forward and took a closer look at the fish.

The pale pink scales reminded her of cherry blossoms.

For the first time, she found herself agreeing with Hojou—it really was a beautiful fish, worthy of its nickname "sakura-dai," the cherry blossom sea bream of April.

Not only did it look stunning, but its fat content made it perfect for cooking.

"Mm. Yukinoshita, do you want sashimi?" Kyousuke asked.

"Huh?"

"People in our house rarely eat sashimi. If you're not into it, I'll just use the whole fish for hot pot."

He explained that because sea bream didn't swim as much as tuna, its meat was less firm and had a lighter flavor.

Normally, he wouldn't buy one for sashimi.

"You decide," Yukinoshita replied simply.

But a flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.

She had assumed, based on what Sakura said earlier, that she was the one in charge of the food. But now…

She glanced at Sakura, who was crouching in front of a box of scallops and squealing, "So big!" like a child.

Then she looked toward Kyousuke, already taking the fish into the kitchen to prep it.

It all made sense now.

When Sakura said "home-cooked," she probably meant just tossing ingredients into the hot pot.

But—wait.

Hojou was the one doing the actual cooking?

That was totally unexpected.

Nothing she knew about him suggested he could cook.

Honestly, if anyone looked like the type to handle a kitchen, it would be Nishimiya Shouko.

After a moment of hesitation, Yukinoshita asked, "Do you need any help?"

She was good at household chores, but cooking wasn't exactly her strength.

Cooking for just one person always felt like a waste of time.

"You're a guest, no way I'm putting you to work. Just relax over there," Kyousuke replied with a smile.

Then he nudged Sakura's backside with his foot.

"Stop playing around and go entertain Yukinoshita."

"Hey, dumb Kyousuke! You kicked my butt!"

"I know. I did it on purpose."

"I mean my actual butt!"

"I know… idiot. If you're gonna wear a skirt, don't crouch like that. Try acting more like Shouko, would you?"

Kyousuke sighed.

Even with socks on, he could still recall the smooth, springy feel from that accidental kick.

No surprise—Sakura had trained with him since they were kids.

That body was the result of years of effort. He felt a strange mix of shame and pride.

"..."

For some reason, Yukinoshita had the distinct feeling she didn't belong here right now.

'Aniki!!! You're finally back! I missed you sooo much!'

Out of nowhere, Momotarou, the dog with a defective motor control chip, came trotting over with a wobbly, four-legged gait that seemed to operate on separate rhythms.

Of course, that was just how it sounded to everyone else.

In reality, only Kyousuke and Momotarou could understand each other—at least, Momotarou was sure aniki could. He was aniki, after all!

In the real world, that declaration came out as:

"Arf Haaa Ha Ha~~~"

Yukinoshita blinked, wondering what the strange noise was.

When she glanced down, her face turned pale in an instant.

With something close to teleportation, she jumped back—again, and again—until she was huddled in the far corner of the tatami room, clutching the cabinet for dear life, wide eyes fixed on the fluffy creature on the floor.

Her light blue eyes trembled with fear as she shakily raised a finger toward Momotarou.

"W-What is that?"

"Huh? That's a dog," Sakura replied, a little confused.

Momotarou, startled by Yukinoshita's outburst, tilted his fuzzy little head to match her confusion.

"Yep, the boss lady's right. I'm a dog."

"Arf Woof Woof~~"

"I know it's a dog!" Yukinoshita's voice was still trembling.

"Oh, that's Momotarou. He's cute, right?" Sakura lifted him up as he continued to yip proudly.

"…Just… just keep him away from me, please," Yukinoshita said after a few deep breaths.

Her voice barely above a whisper, as if she was afraid of provoking the fluffy white puffball.

"You've got it backward, Yukino. If you're scared of dogs, I'll ask Momotarou to go play somewhere else. He's really obedient," Sakura said, hugging Momotarou like a stuffed toy.

'Hey! Listen, lady, don't flatter yourself! I'm only here to see aniki—I wouldn't get near you if you begged! Honestly, even if no one understands me, Eriri's way cuter than you!'

Momotarou yipped again in protest, determined not to let this woman pet his head.

"He may be a dog, but he lives here. I can't inconvenience him just for my own comfort."

Yukinoshita took a deep breath and cautiously crept back into the room, keeping her body as close to the sofa as possible.

"A-And just for the record—I'm not scared of dogs, okay?! It's more like… I just don't know how to deal with them! That's completely different from being scared!"

'Hmph. Woman, I think you just stole Eriri's title as Number One Tsundere of the dorm. But no. Only cute people can be tsundere. If you hate Momotarou, you don't qualify.'

Momotarou's indignant yips made Yukinoshita flinch again, while the three others couldn't hold back their laughter.

Wow, she was really that logical even in situations like this.

They should bring in a few militant vegans to witness what a real dog lover looked like.

Kyousuke chuckled internally as he bent down to grab the seasonings from the cupboard.

As usual, they were going with a split hotpot—half spicy, half clear broth.

He didn't plan to use a pre-made spicy base either. He'd make it himself.

He hesitated for about two seconds over whether to cook outside or in the kitchen.

Okay, half a second.

Sure, the neighbors might start drooling at the smell, but it was better than stinking up the whole house.

Open kitchens and strong aromas did not go well together—no range hood could fix that.

"Momotarou, let's go."

Seasonings in hand, Kyousuke called out to his dog and headed into the yard.

The outdoor stove and other tools were kept in the shed.

Momotarou gave Yukinoshita a disdainful glance, then cheerfully scampered after his beloved aniki.

"Come on, sit down and relax." Sakura patted the couch beside her.

She'd noticed the thin sheen of sweat on Yukinoshita's forehead.

Wow. She's really scared of dogs. Who knew someone could freak out over something as small as Momotarou?

"Mm." The black-haired girl responded softly, but then noticed the smile on the other's face and quickly added,

"I'm not afraid of dogs!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know~" Sakura replied absentmindedly.

The world is a big place—there's room for people who love dogs, and room for those who fear them, too.

"Yukinoshita-san, have some tea." Shouko brought over three cups.

It was cold barley tea, a little gem from Japan.

'Whoosh~'

Hearing this, Yukinoshita immediately stood up, took the cup with both hands, and thanked her politely.

Shouko was so startled that she nearly spilled the tea.

"Relax, relax—no need to be so tense, Yukino. Just make yourself at home," Sakura said quickly.

She guessed her new friend was probably just nervous about visiting someone's house for the first time.

"Mm…"

'If it were my own home, I'd be the one brewing the tea… and I'd have to carefully choose the tea leaves based on the guests' status.'

'No, Sakura must mean that little apartment I live in alone.'

'In that case… I should have already put my bento in the microwave by now.'

Thinking that, Yukinoshita glanced out at the courtyard.

A stretch of green lawn, dotted with colorful plants and a path of rain-worn stepping stones.

A small maple tree with fresh, green leaves that seemed to wave a greeting to everyone in the living room.

In the little garden at the center, hyacinths swayed in the breeze.

By the pond stood a sign so worn she couldn't read the lettering, but there was a faint image of a goldfish.

What really drew her attention, though, was the cherry blossom tree in the corner of the yard—and the boy tinkering with the small stove beneath it.

'It was beautiful, warm… it really felt like a home.'

That's what Yukinoshita thought.

Even though the lively little dog hopping around at Hojou's feet made her a bit uneasy, that vivid, lively scene filled the air with the feeling of life.

She reached out absentmindedly to stroke the sofa cover. It wasn't the sleek, high-end leather of her apartment, but just plain fabric.

Hand-sewn, she guessed immediately—her experience with housework made that much clear.

In front of the huge LCD TV sat all sorts of strange little trinkets, and the cabinet below was neatly stacked with rows of DVD cases.

It was nothing like her own TV, which was purely for show.

————————————————————————

'So this is what other people's homes are like,' she thought.

"Yukino, want me to show you around?" Seeing Yukinoshita's expression, Sakura offered with a bright smile.

"Is… is that okay?"

The black-haired girl had been raised to know:

'Don't let your eyes wander in someone else's home.'

'Don't make requests that might trouble your host.'

'Don't touch anything.'

'If you're not sure you're allowed to go somewhere, just don't go.'

She'd always kept those rules in mind, though she'd never really had a chance to use them.

"Haha, this is just what you're supposed to do when you visit a friend's house!" Sakura replied cheerfully, then turned to Shouko.

"Shouko-chan, could you send up two bags of snacks with that thing?"

Shouko instantly understood what "that thing" was—Sakura was about to show off. She pursed her lips and smiled, ready to help.

"Come on, let's start with my room." Sakura stood up and extended her left hand to Yukinoshita.

As they walked up to the second floor, Yukinoshita noticed that every door had a plaque.

The room closest to the stairs had a white lily, while the one on the left was marked with a red rose.

Before she could ponder it further, Sakura had already pulled her down the hallway.

"Shouko-chan, you can start now!" Sakura called down.

A mechanical whirring sound echoed up.

Seeing Sakura crouched next to a little cabinet, Yukinoshita thought for a moment and figured it out.

A dumbwaiter—maybe it had another name, but anyway, it was something almost no one had in their home.

Its only purpose: to delight children.

Looking at the silly grin on Sakura's face as she knelt there, Yukinoshita was sure this little machine had already fulfilled its mission.

———————————————————————

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