I Won't Be a Loser

"No, I haven't heard anything about that."

Sensing that the atmosphere was turning a little tense—and noticing the faint red glow in the eyes of Akihisa and Yuuji—Ryuuji decisively chose to help his friend by concealing the fact that he was already in a relationship.

"Huh? Really?"

The momentum Akihisa had been building up crumbled instantly. He exchanged glances with Yuuji, both looking rather disappointed. They sighed and shot a glance at Haruto.

Akihisa and Yuuji stayed at Haruro's apartment for about an hour before leaving around four in the afternoon. As for Ryuuji, he lingered for another thirty minutes before also taking his leave.

When Haruto was finally alone again, he let out a long sigh of relief, tidying up the teacups left in the living room. As evening approached, the doorbell rang once more.

Opening the door, Haruto found a girl standing there in a beige sweater and a suspender skirt—Setsuna.

"Good evening, Haruto."

"Good evening, Setsuna."

He welcomed her inside, his gaze briefly sweeping over her form. As she changed her shoes and stepped into the apartment with small, careful steps, he couldn't help but ask about her condition.

"How are you feeling?"

"It still hurts a little when I walk, but it's much better than before."

"Would you like something to drink?"

After thinking for a moment, Setsuna asked for a glass of milk.

Haruto took a bottle from the fridge, warmed it up slightly, and poured it into a cup before handing it to her.

As she accepted the drink, Setsuna's gaze wandered around the apartment.

"Did you have guests over earlier?"

"Hm?"

"I saw three guys leaving your place just now."

Hearing that, Haruto nodded in understanding.

"Two of them are my classmates from school, and the other is Takasu Ryuuji, a friend who lives nearby. They just came over to hang out since none of us had anything to do."

His gaze drifted toward the window. The end of early spring was near, and though the sky didn't darken as quickly as it had a few days ago, dusk was already setting in.

Haruto closed the window and turned on the lights. Looking at the girl seated across from him, he asked about Kiyoura Mai.

"Did Mai-san get home safely?"

"Mom's already home. She's making dinner right now. Do you want to come over?"

"If it wouldn't be a bother."

As they left his apartment, Haruto locked the door behind him before effortlessly lifting Setsuna into his arms, carrying her in a princess hold.

Her face instantly flushed bright red. Nestled in his embrace, she stared at his face in a daze, as if nothing else in the world existed except for him. By the time they arrived at her house, she was still lost in a daze. Only when he finally set her down at the entrance did she snap out of it.

When they entered the Kiyoura household, Mai was in the kitchen, simmering a pot of chicken soup. Hearing the door open, she turned around and saw both Setsuna and Haruto standing there.

"Oh, Miyamizu-kun here too. Dinner is almost ready. You two go wash your hands and get ready to eat."

She then glanced at her daughter before shifting her gaze back to Haruto.

"Are you staying over tonight?"

Haruto had just been about to decline, reasoning that since Setsuna's condition was improving, he would return to his own apartment. However, before he could speak, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.

Glancing down, he saw Setsuna looking up at him, her eyes full of anticipation.

After a brief hesitation, Haruto gave a small nod.

"Then I'll take you up on that offer."

Mai had originally meant it as a teasing remark, never expecting Haruto to actually agree. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.

She turned her gaze toward her daughter, about to say something, but when she saw Setsuna's calm and composed expression, she swallowed her words. After a brief pause, she simply let it be.

Dinner was soon ready, and the three of them sat down at the dining table together.

Both Haruto and Mai were attentive toward Setsuna, making sure she was comfortable. However, while Mai fussed over her in a motherly way, Setsuna seemed to listen more closely to Haruto's words, which made Mai feel... conflicted.

The chicken soup was rich and flavorful, yet as she ate, Mai felt no sweetness—only a faint bitterness in her heart.

After dinner, Haruto took care of cleaning up while Mai and Setsuna rested. Then, the three of them gathered in the living room to watch TV.

"And now, a shocking story! A mother and daughter both fell in love with the same man. What will happen next? Stay tuned!"

"..."

Mai stared at the television screen, feeling as if the past few weeks had been filled with nothing but absurd, over-the-top programs.

There were so many more important things happening in the world, yet the media chose to focus on such melodramatic gossip. Did television producers these days have no shame?!

Out of the corner of her eye, she subtly observed the reactions of the two sitting beside her.

When she glanced at Setsuna, she noticed the girl only furrowed her brows slightly but showed no other reaction.

Then, she turned her gaze toward Haruto —

He was sitting there calmly, watching the show with great interest, completely absorbed in it.

"..."

Mai had initially planned to change the channel, but after seeing their reactions, she hesitated. In the end, she let the show play on.

On the screen, the voice of the mother being interviewed played:

"At first, I never thought anything like this could happen. But my daughter kept bringing her boyfriend over to our house. Little by little, I started to notice him. Later, after they had a falling-out, I reached out to him to check on him... and that's when he confessed to me."

The voice was processed and distorted, making it unrecognizable.

"I was shocked. I didn't know what to do. Because he was my daughter's boyfriend, I rejected him at first. But eventually... I was moved by his sincerity, and we started dating."

"..."

Mai stared at the TV, her mind slowly numbing.

Then, another text overlay appeared on the screen:

"And now, let's hear from the daughter. What are her thoughts on this?"

Soon after, the daughter's voice played:

"I love him too much. I just love him so much. Even when we had our fight, I kept thinking about how to fix things between us. When I found out about him and my mom, I was shocked... but in the end, I still chose to be with him. I guess I just love him that much. No matter what he does, I'd forgive him."

For some reason, Mai suddenly felt an intense gaze on her.

Out of instinct, she subtly glanced to the side—

And there, she saw Setsuna, staring straight at her.