"My... Ass..."
Still dazed from the vivid dreams she'd had, Mitsuha didn't even have time to feel embarrassed or shocked before descending into a fiery spiral of shame and rage—all thanks to Haruto's teasing remark. From under the covers, she instinctively kicked out hard, landing a solid strike on him that sent most of his body flying out of the futon.
Haruto, who had just meant to joke around a little, hadn't expected such a violent reaction. Completely caught off guard, he nearly rolled off the bed entirely.
"Go die, you idiot!"
Seeing how genuinely pissed Mitsuha was, he decided to retaliate. He crawled out of the futon and reached for her, grabbing the blanket and rolling her up like a sushi roll until she was trapped inside. Sitting triumphantly on top, he hooked a finger around her nose without a care for hygiene or manners.
"You bastard! Let me out right now or I swear I'll make you regret it!"
"Are you sure that's what you want to say when you're clearly at a disadvantage here? If I just don't let you out, then I win, right?"
"Ugh, don't think you can get away with this just because—AH! OW—AHHH!!"
As Mitsuha craned her head upward, the sharp pain in her nose made her squeal like a piglet. Her cries were so loud that even Futaba—who had been pretending to sleep while quietly observing her siblings' antics—finally opened her eyes.
She slowly sat up in bed and gave the rowdy pair a disapproving look.
"Haruto, Mitsuha, there's a limit to how much nonsense I'll tolerate."
"He started it... mmph..."
Mitsuha tried to protest but quickly clammed up under their mother's stern gaze. When Haruto finally got off the blanket-roll and she wiggled free, she shot him a nasty glare before falling silent.
He didn't bother arguing. He just smiled faintly and walked over to his wardrobe, ready to change out of his pajamas.
"Can't you at least go to the bathroom to change?" Mitsuha grumbled, watching him shamelessly undress right in front of her.
"Huh? Why would that matter? It's not like you're a stranger. When we were kids, I held you in my arms and peed—"
Thwack!
Before he could finish that sentence, Mitsuha grabbed a pillow from the bed and flung it at his face, cutting him off mid-sentence. Her face was beet red—like an overripe apple—which only made Haruto, who had known her since they were kids, feel a strange, almost smug satisfaction.
Still smiling, he finished getting dressed and walked off to prepare breakfast. Watching him move around the kitchen like it was no big deal nearly made Mitsuha burst a blood vessel. She glanced over to her mom for support, but Futaba was already calmly folding up the bedding. She gave Mitsuha a gentle smile before heading into the bathroom first.
"Don't forget to hang up your laundry later," Haruto said from the kitchen, not even turning around. "I don't want to hear you complaining again."
Mitsuha gritted her teeth, annoyed but unable to refute him. She reluctantly walked over to the washing machine. Their clothes—hers and their mother's—had already been washed last night, so all that was left was to hang them up. Haruto's clothes would go in after that.
Later, as they sat down to eat the breakfast Haruto had cooked, Mitsuha looked up at him from across the table. Her eyes lingered on his face for a few seconds before she spoke up.
"So... what's the plan for today?"
"I figured we'd check out Tokyo Tower first, then head over to Roppongi for a walk. That should take us through the evening, then we can head back and rest."
"Roppongi? You mean that famous rich people district?!"
Mitsuha might not have known much about other areas of Tokyo, but she'd definitely seen Roppongi featured often enough on TV. The Minato Ward itself was already a special place—one of the city's core districts—but Roppongi stood out even more as a hub of wealth and high-end living.
Just like how Shinjuku and Shibuya were synonymous with fashion, or Chiyoda evoked the image of power and authority, or Bunkyo was linked to academia—Minato was the undisputed face of luxury and business.
Whether it was Aoyama's chic shopping streets or the high-end residential neighborhoods of Azabu and Shirokane, these places were regulars on variety shows and often cited as symbols of Tokyo's elite.
"Rich people district? That'd be Aoyama-zaka. Roppongi's a bit more—"
"Let's go! Roppongi it is!"
Seeing her suddenly so fired up, Haruto was momentarily at a loss for words. He glanced over at his mother, who didn't object, so it looked like the plan was set—Tokyo Tower and Roppongi it was.
There were actually two "Tokyo Towers."
The first, built in 1958, was the original Tokyo Tower—Tokyo's tallest freestanding structure at the time, and the city's main TV and radio broadcasting hub. But with the skyline getting taller and more crowded, its signals were increasingly blocked. That's when it was replaced by the new Tokyo Tower.
The new one, of course, is the Tokyo Skytree—completed at 634 meters and once the world's tallest tower, earning it a Guinness World Record. That title didn't last, eventually overtaken by the Burj Khalifa. Now, it's officially known as the world's tallest bulding.
Still, that doesn't take away from the marvel of the Skytree or the breathtaking panoramic view from its summit.
Haruto wasn't all that interested in the original Tokyo Tower. When he said "Tokyo Tower," he meant the Skytree in Sumida Ward.
Sumida lies east of Bunkyo, even further than Asakusa. In terms of distance from their apartment, it's actually closer than Minato, so the plan was to hit Roppongi first, then head over to the Skytree in the evening to catch the view, and finally return home.
And since the Skytree is right on the border of Sumida and Asakusa, they could even swing by the famous Kaminarimon Gate that Futaba missed yesterday. It wouldn't disrupt the plan at all.
"So expensive..."
As they walked out of Roppongi Hills, Mitsuha muttered a phrase that most people say more than once in their lives. She glanced sideways at her mother beside her.
The three of them had wandered around Roppongi, and Mitsuha had seen all kinds of luxury brands and trendy seasonal outfits she'd never encountered before. Her instincts as a girl kicked in—she wanted to buy them all. But the moment her eyes landed on the price tags, it felt like someone dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. Her excitement instantly vanished, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
Had Haruto not covered her mouth in time, the shock in her voice would've probably warmed the entire boutique and drawn everyone's attention.
Now, outside the upscale complex, Mitsuha still had to take a deep breath to calm her mixed emotions. She trailed behind her mother quietly and gave her older brother a sideways glance.
"Do you come to places like this often?"
"For what? To work as a waiter?" Haruto replied without missing a beat.
He knew himself too well to entertain the idea. Mitsuha couldn't even bring herself to tease him for it. She just walked along sulkily, her expression shifting now and then, as if caught up in some inner debate.
Despite their outing to Roppongi, the total haul was less than three items—two of which were bought by his mother as gifts for his father and his grandma. Haruto and Mitsuha had merely tagged along, playing the role of bag carriers and fashion consultants, offering opinions on what might suit their grandmother or father.
Driven by curiosity about the fancy shops, Mitsuha endured the emotional roller coaster and stuck with them through Roppongi. But instead of dining there, they decided to take the subway and head toward Tokyo Skytree.
Unlike the old Tokyo Tower, Skytree wasn't just for broadcasting—it had been transformed into a full entertainment complex with shopping malls, an aquarium, and a cinema, sprawling over 400 meters and nearly 37,000 square meters of land.
Normally, Mitsuha would've been excited about such an outing, but after Roppongi, her mood had clearly taken a hit. Though she looked mildly thrilled upon arrival at the Skytree, her enthusiasm didn't quite reach her eyes.
The experience in Roppongi had hit her harder than expected.
One dress she liked cost more than her total living expenses for several years. She couldn't understand—how could a single piece of clothing cost that much? Could regular people actually afford that kind of thing?
As they ate lunch, she chewed on her meat with exaggerated force, like she was trying to vent some frustration. Both Futaba and Haruto couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.
Even though their father was a mayor now, Toshiki hadn't increased their allowance, nor had he transferred Mitsuha to a better school in Itomori. Everything had stayed exactly the same. Haruto could more or less understand how much of a shock today must've been for her.
"Yeah, it looks expensive," he said, "but once you start working—"
"You'll be able to afford it?" she cut him off flatly.
"No. You'll realize just how absurdly expensive it is. And that you still can't afford it."
Mitsuha had been bracing for some kind of motivational pep talk. Instead, she got a shot of cold, hard reality. She rolled her eyes and ignored him, stuffing more food into her mouth until her cheeks puffed out like a hamster's.
It was obvious she was turning her despair into appetite. When girls are overwhelmed, they usually choose between feeding their desire for things or feeding their stomachs.
After lunch, the three of them bought tickets to go up the Skytree.
"Last year, Yotsuha came here and only paid 1,300 yen to see the whole view. Wonder if she'll regret not coming sooner after she sees this?"
Standing on the second observation deck at 450 meters, Mitsuha glanced down through the glass floor, her face paling slightly. Then she looked over at Haruto, using a joke about their younger sister to mask her own unease.
"What about you? Any regrets for not coming here three years ago?"
Haruto raised an eyebrow and shot the question back at her. Mitsuha pursed her lips and didn't answer. Looking out at the distance was fine—but the second she looked down, it made her stomach churn.
For visitors over twelve years old, admission to the first deck at 350 meters was 2,000 yen per person. If you wanted to go up to the second deck at 450 meters, it cost an extra 1,000 yen.
That meant, for adults, the full Skytree experience cost 3,000 yen each. For the three of them, that was 9,000 yen.
Mitsuha couldn't help but gasp when her mother paid the bill.
"The view's amazing, yeah... but, is it expensive."
She sighed as she looked out over the city, tugging lightly on Haruto's sleeve.
He turned to see her small hand holding onto him. Noticing how pale she looked, he didn't make a snide remark like he usually would. He simply followed her gaze into the distance.
Standing nearby, Futaba caught their interaction and smiled softly.
They didn't stay too long at the Skytree. Even though the tickets cost a fortune, it was hard to stay interested for more than a little while. The view didn't change, and Mitsuha wasn't the type to appreciate scenery for scenery's sake. Boredom set in quickly.
After a brief discussion, they left the tower.
Mitsuha's interest was suddenly piqued when she remembered Asakusa's Thunder Gate, which they'd visited the day before. She dragged her mother along to see it again, repeating the legends and trivia Haruto had told her the day before, all of which she had somehow memorized.
Haruto just watched her calmly as she talked, while Mitsuha very pointedly ignored his presence.
By around 3 p.m., they returned to the apartment to drop off their things. At Futaba's suggestion, they didn't go to any more major sightseeing spots. Instead, they visited the local shopping street in Haruto's neighborhood.
Futaba wanted to get a feel for the area where her son lived and see what kind of people lived there. Mitsuha, on the other hand, just wanted to go shopping.
"A pillow! A pillow!!! I am not going another night without one!"
"They sell them at the stores in the shopping district. Just pick one up later, okay? Stop yelling, you're about to make me go deaf."
"Why didn't we think about this while we were out earlier?"
"Because the shops in Roppongi might have decent quality, but have you seen the prices? Do you have that kind of money?"
Mitsuha fell silent, unable to argue. She had been looking for a reason to complain, but recalling those outrageous prices back in Roppongi, her mood—only just starting to improve—sank again. She mumbled something under her breath.
Curiously, Haruto leaned in to listen. Her whispers were strange little mutterings—things like "I'm going to amaze everyone someday," and "Just wait till I have money..."
Before he could comment, a cheerful voice called out.
"Hey! Haruto, out shopping again today? We've got fresh veggies—want to come take a look?"
"Brought your family along today?"
"Check out today's fish! I'll even give you a discount!"
They had just arrived at the shopping district, and as soon as they entered, Haruto was greeted warmly by almost everyone we passed. Mitsuha gave him a sideways glance, her eyes a bit... suspicious. Even her mother, seemed taken aback by how well Haruto was known here, looking over at him with mild surprise.
Haruto greeted everyone back with a smile. He have always been the type to take the initiative in dealing with people, and today was no exception.
"Just picking up some essentials today. I'll definitely drop by tomorrow."
"My family came to visit me in Tokyo."
"Sure, wrap up two pacific sauries for me. I'll come pick them up after we finish our shopping."
Back in Itomori, his hometown, he was never this outgoing. Mitsuha's expression turned even more strange. After he'd finished talking to everyone and they reached the store, she finally walked up beside him, staring at Haruto for a long time like he was some unfamiliar animal.
He ignored her at first, but she kept hovering around him like an annoying fly. Eventually, he turned to look her in the face, curious what was up.
"What now?"
"You were never this friendly in Itomori, were you? What happened here, that suddenly turned you into... this?"
She hesitated on how to phrase it, but Haruto got the gist. Back home, he was more reserved—not cold exactly, but he kept a certain distance from people. Now in Tokyo, seeing him navigate relationships so smoothly must've seemed totally out of character.
"That's what you're worried about?"
Haruto went back to browsing through the shelves as he spoke, casually answering her question.
"In Itomori, everyone knows each other. Many are even related. If you have a problem, someone will always help. But Tokyo's different. If you don't build good relationships here, you'll be all alone when you need something. Wouldn't that be miserable?"
"…So that's what this is all about."
Mitsuha gave a small nod, but cast a somewhat disdainful glance at him—probably thinking he was being a little too pragmatic.
Haruto noticed her reaction but didn't bother explaining himself.
She was still young. She hadn't experienced the harsh beatings society could give you. Once she faced some setbacks herself, she'd understand just how important it is to manage human relationships.
He tossed a few daily necessities into the shopping basket, including some things Mitsuha had wanted, and then the two of them split up from their mother. Stuff like pillows and other home items were left for their mother to handle, while Haruto and Mitsuha headed toward the section with condiments and packaged food.
When they reached the prepared foods aisle, Mitsuha's eyes widened at the sight of neatly arranged bento boxes and even ready-to-eat ramen. She couldn't help but marvel again at the convenience of the city.
Haruto, used to these things, looked away nonchalantly, letting her enjoy the moment of discovery. But as he casually swept his gaze across the store, something caught his eye—a familiar figure.
He froze for a second, his eyes locked on a girl in the distance. Without a word, he handed the shopping basket to Mitsuha.
"Stay here for a bit. I'll be right back."
"Huh?"
Mitsuha blinked, surprised. When she turned to look beside her, all she saw was his retreating back.
She instinctively wanted to follow him but glanced at the half-selected bento box in her hand and hesitated. After a moment, she decided to stay put and continued browsing the various flavors of ready-made meals…