After hours of hard work, it was finally the moment Kazami Haru looked forward to the most: closing time. He casually flipped the cursed "Open" sign to "Closed," and immediately relaxed.
Thanks to her strong adaptability, Togawa Sakiko had quickly gotten used to the café's rhythm.
Her coffee still wasn't quite there yet, but at least she could now handle her duties solo, which left her trainer, Kazami Haru, quite satisfied.
"Thanks a lot for today. I'll be heading out now."
Her speech and manners were elegant and refined, always displaying the impeccable etiquette ingrained in her.
But that only made her air of distance all the more noticeable.
"Togawa, don't rush off just yet."
"You've worked hard today, how about I treat you to dinner?"
Kazami Haru casually gave a thumbs-up toward the door.
"Thanks for the offer, senpai, but I've got other things to do."
Before he'd even finished the sentence, she'd already turned him down coldly.
Togawa Sakiko was grateful that Kazami Haru had taken the time to teach her today, and she intended to repay the favor, but that was the extent of it.
Right now, she had no plans to grow closer to anyone.
Opening up to others might let the weak part of herself slip out.
Right now, she was completely wrapped up like a hedgehog, terrified of any external threat discovering her vulnerabilities.
Kazami Haru stared at the cool, pretty face of Sakiko-san, the infamous "Saki-chan", and calmly explained, "You're overthinking it."
"I'm not treating you to dinner. I'm taking you to dinner."
"Taking?"Togawa Sakiko was briefly stunned. It was her first time encountering someone using that word in this way.
"Of course. Don't you know how hard it is to make money these days?"
"I just want to show you a supermarket I frequent. The discounts there are no joke."
With an absurdly serious expression, Kazami Haru began "educating" Togawa Sakiko, looking at her like she was some wasteful spendthrift who knew nothing about frugality. Sakiko took a deep breath, fighting back her growing emotions.
Hold it in. You've got to hold it in.
In the end, she still went along with him.
For the first time, Togawa Sakiko seriously questioned if there was something wrong with her brain.
It was all that guy's fault, his face was just way too deceiving. When that handsome face took on a serious expression, it somehow made her feel... trusting.
Just a few casual words from him, and she actually got persuaded into coming along.
What a misstep. What on earth am I doing?
Even while walking, Sakiko was already regretting it. But since she'd already agreed, going back on her word didn't sit right with her personality, so she gritted her teeth and stayed the course.
Though they didn't talk much on the way, both of them had minds running wild with inner thoughts.
Sakiko immediately recognized the school uniform Kazami Haru was wearing, it was from her own school, Haneoka High School. Judging by the color of the tie, he was even in the same grade as her.
Realizing her lie about her age would be totally exposed, Sakiko couldn't help but sneak glances at him from time to time, checking if he'd noticed.
Fortunately, both of them tacitly avoided revisiting the subject of age.
Eventually, the two of them arrived at a secluded supermarket in Shimokitazawa, just as Sakiko was wondering where they were headed.
"Togawa, look over there."
Following Kazami Haru's gaze, Sakiko spotted a metal display shelf filled with bento boxes. A bulky employee was rapidly stacking them onto the shelves.
A closer look revealed bright red stickers on each box that read—
[Special Price: 288 Yen]
Even the usually composed "Saki-chan" couldn't help but open her mouth in surprise.
In this era of rampant inflation, a cheap cup of instant noodles already cost 250 yen, yet here was a full pork cutlet and ham rice bento going for just 288 yen?!
"As you can see, these are ultra-discount items only found at this hidden supermarket! I even have a member card. If you buy enough, you can earn vouchers!"
This time, even Sakiko had to admit, Kazami Haru was proving to be a pretty dependable senior.
At that price, the bentos were a godsend. For someone like her, strapped for cash, they were an unexpected lifeline. Even she was tempted.
"Stick close. You can't afford to slack off now."
Her mood, somehow lifted by Kazami Haru, kept pace without her realizing it.
Sakiko watched his every move intently, caught up in the tension of the moment.
Then she witnessed it firsthand, how Kazami Haru slipped through the crowd like a flash of lightning and, in one swift, seamless move, snatched up two bentos and flung one toward her with a dramatic backward toss.
The maneuver was flawless, except for how disheveled he looked coming out.
As Kazami Haru squeezed back out of the crowd, even his hair and uniform were completely messed up.
Compared to the elegant "butler prince" look from earlier, he now looked like a different person entirely.
Seeing his ridiculous state, Togawa Sakiko couldn't help but laugh aloud.
"So? Worth the trip, right?"
Kazami Haru proudly extended a hand toward her, as if asking for something in return.
"You definitely opened my eyes, senpai—"
Togawa Sakiko's lips curled into a faint smile as she gently handed him the bento he had "won" for himself.
Thanks to this handsome boy, the heavy burden she'd been carrying in her heart felt noticeably lighter. A strange, unspoken warmth glimmered in her gaze as she looked at him.
Such an interesting upperclassman. If it were the old me—
Her smile quickly faded as the thought hit her. Her grip on her shoulder bag tightened, her fingers whitening with pressure.
She was no longer who she used to be.
"Thank you so much for today. Next time, I'll make sure to bring a proper thank-you gift, senpai."
"It's getting late. I'll be heading home now."
With a polite farewell to Kazami Haru, Togawa Sakiko turned and walked off into the night-darkened street, her face shadowed with gloom.
It felt like if she stayed any longer, she'd slip back into that weak version of herself she so hated.
Only Kazami Haru remained, silently watching her retreating figure.
"No matter how tough a mirror's shell might look, it's still just fragile glass underneath, ready to shatter at a single touch."