Recently, I have become accustomed to returning home after dark from my part-time job, running lightly

along the streets at night to get some exercise.

　I would be arrested if I were to wander around in my school uniform at
this time of night, so I go to the trouble of changing into a jersey after my
part-time job, and even put on a reflective sashes. This outfit is not very
fashionable, but it is for my safety, so I can't help it.
　After taking the train back to the nearest station, I headed for my
apartment in a short run, watching out for cars and pedestrians, and by the
time I got there, the day would already be over in a little over three hours.
　Normally, it would have been time to have dinner and enjoy the evening.
　This busyness was strange for me because I used to go home, but it was not
so bad.
　Until I got to know Mahiru, I had been too lazy, partly because I was a
homecoming club member, and since we got to know each other, we spent a
lot of time together studying and relaxing, so we didn't have a packed
schedule.
　It was a little cramped, but also satisfying, to have such a tight schedule
and to work according to that schedule.
“I'm home.”
　Although I was getting used to it, I still felt physically and mentally
tired, and I opened the door to my house with a slight feeling of laziness,
but there was no sign of anyone in the house, even though the lights were
on.
　I thought Mahiru was cooking dinner and waiting for me, but when I took
off my shoes and went up to the living room, Mahiru was not there.
　When I looked into the kitchen, I could smell a very good smell and saw a
pot on the stove with a lid on it.
　The stew in the pot seemed to be ready, and it seemed that she had
prepared dinner before leaving the house.
　It's not that I have to stay at home, and I think it's good to cherish your
time, but I was struck by how unusual it was.
　I had left a message that I would be home before I left, but just as the
thought occurred to me that I should leave another message, I heard a
somewhat hurried unlocking sound coming from the front door.
“Ah, Amane-kun, you're home early. ......”
“Someone else is going to do the cleanup today. Also, I've been running at a faster pace. Sorry ......, it
looks like Mahiru was doing his own thing too, so I guess I should have slowed down.”
“No, that's not true!　I wanted to see Amane-kun's face as soon as possible!”
　I smile a little as I watch Mahiru's hair sway as she shakes her head in a
slight panic, and reply, “I'm glad to hear that.”
　I feel a strong sense of smiling at Mahiru saying something so adorable,
but Mahiru doesn't seem to mind Amane's smile and subtly looks down
uncomfortably and mutters something small.
“Mahiru?”
“Ah, I was just thinking about something, so don't mind me. Now that Amane-kun has come home, I'll go
prepare dinner. I'll heat up the rice while you're in the bath. I'll heat up the water while you're in the bath.”
“Thanks again. ...... hmm?”
　I was about to slip past Mahiru when I noticed a softly sweet scent wafting
from her, while inwardly wondering why she seemed more awkward than
usual.
　Normally, Mahiru has a subtle sweet smell, but the quality of the sweet
smell wafting from Mahiru is different now. It is not the smell of her
shampoo or herself, but rather a sweet smell that is attached to her from
the outside.
　To be more specific, it smells like baked goods.
“Hey, what is it?”
“......No, I just thought the smell was different from the usual Mahiru. It smells like some kind of sweet,
candy-type smell.”
“What? ...... That's because, you know, I had a ...... snack at home, so...”
“Really?　Mahiru doesn't eat much, he doesn't eat more than me, so if he
eats something before dinner, he won't be able to eat dinner, right?”
　This is also unusual, since he basically refrains from snacking in order to
stay in shape.
　Mahiru is not a picky eater, but he eats very little. It must be difficult
for her to eat a snack and a full dinner.
“I can eat, so it's not a problem. Just go take a bath, Amane-kun must be hungry after work, right?”
“Well, I'm already starving.”
“Well, let's sweat it out and have a nice meal. Right?”
　Mahiru pushed Amane's back as if to deceive him, and Amane thought
something was still wrong, but went to his room to get a change of clothes
as if he were being swept away.

　It seems that Mahiru is hiding something from Amane.

　Every time he comes back from his part-time job, his suspicions grow
stronger. It's not just a suspicion, it's a confirmation. He is doing
something sneaky.
　It is something that happens only when Amane is away from home, and when
Amane is off from his part-time job, he does not show any sign of it.
　So, there must be something that he doesn't want Amane to see.
(......I don't know what he's hiding.)
　Mahiru is basically not good at hiding things or secret talks, and his
attitude will soon reveal it, but this time he is doing his best to play dumb
and act as if nothing happened.
　But this time, he is doing his best to bluff, deceive, and act as if nothing
is going on.
　I'm sure Mahiru will be vague when I ask him about it, and I don't want to
force him to know.
　
　He did not know anything about it, even when he asked Chitose and Ayaka.
　However, from the looks of the two, it seems that they know what they are
hiding. In other words, they are also accomplices in the concealment.
　I couldn't hide my uneasiness at being left out, but I couldn't say anything
because I knew that there are things that only people of the same sex can
tell each other.

“......Mahiru is hiding something...”

　Although he doesn't ask, his anxiety and depression grows, so he
unintentionally leaks it to his part-time friend Souji on the way to his
part-time job.
　Incidentally, I could tell that Mahiru was planning to go ahead with
something hidden today as well, so the haze was swirling around in my chest
even more.
　He and Souji had been heading to the store together when their shifts
overlapped, and he blinked at the suddenness of the news as he told Mahiru
the moment he sat down on the train.
　However, from the look on Amane's face, he thought it was not a light
topic, and he corrected his residency as he sat down next to him.
“Did you have a fight or something?”
“Not a fight at all. It's just that Mahiru is sneaking around hiding something ...... that he says I didn't do or
something...”
　I asked him if he had done something without me noticing, but he tilted
his head curiously at the question, so I guess not.
　This made the mystery even more of a mystery, which was causing Amane a
lot of heartache.
“Hmmm. I think that hiding it from her boyfriend would generally be considered cheating, but I don't
think that's the case with Shiina-san. I'm not close to Shiina, but it's unlikely, given her personality and
how well they get along.”
“I think it myself, and Mahiru would never be that dishonest, because Mahiru hates the act of cheating
more than anyone else.”
　What Souji said in a light metaphor is unlikely with Mahiru.
　She has been brought up in a complicated background and environment, and
she has a quality of never forgiving injustice. Even though her marriage has
been loveless from the start, she detests cheating to the point of saying
that she would never want to be like her mother, who spends her time with a
mistress on the outside.
　There is no way Mahiru would betray her, and it is impossible for Chitose
and Ayaka to cooperate with her in the first place. They are sensible and
single-minded girls, so they would have a strong aversion to being
dishonest.
　But I can't think of anything else to hide.
　Mahiru is basically not very good at hiding things, and never has been. He
is the type of person who would confess to something if he thought
something was fishy and just poked around a little.
　In this case, he wants to hide it clearly and doesn't seem to want to be
noticed, so I haven't said anything, but the basic premise is that he doesn't
want to hide anything and can't lie. That's why I'm wondering.
“Then, Mahiru's hiding things from me is probably not a sinful thing. Something he doesn't want me to
see or know is not a bad thing. It's either something that he's embarrassed for me to know, or something
about me. If he broke something or something, he'd be honest enough to report it and apologize, and it
doesn't sound like it's something that was harmful.”
　I've known Mahiru for about a year and we've been dating for about five
months, but after spending so much time together, I've already grasped
Mahiru's personality and habits.
　She has her own thoughts about them, and she is trying her best to hide
them, so I know that they are not particularly harmful, but they are
considerable.
“So what are you going to do about it then?”
“I don't really have anything to do with it.”
“What?”
　Souji asks, seemingly taken aback by Amane's casual remark.
　Hearing the low, rattling, roaring sound of the train, Amane exhales softly
to blend in with the sound.
“It's something Mahiru wants to keep hidden, so it's probably not a good idea to ask him to dig down to
the root of it. I have one or two things I want to keep secret too, and if you don't want me to touch it, I
won't.”
　Even Amane is hiding from Mahiru the reason why he is working part-time,
so he has no right to say anything about Mahiru.
　If they are hiding things from each other and their relationship can be
successfully maintained despite it, then there is no problem.
“And that's fine.”
“I trust Mahiru that he would never intentionally hurt me. Instead of getting involved in everything, it's
better to keep the things we want to keep hidden from each other inviolate. He said that because we trust
each other, we should respect each other's private life. He says that's the key to staying calm all the time.”
　This is coming from parents who have been flirting for years, so it must
be persuasive.
　They've always been close, in my son's view, and they know each other well
and are there for each other, but they're not involved in everything.
　People who know my parents think this is quite surprising, but they are
not always attached to each other.
　They also value their alone time, and are often in different places when
doing their hobbies.
　Even when they are together, they are often doing different things, and
yet the air is warm and soft, so much so that even their son, Amane, feels
comfortable with them.
　Because he has seen his parents like this, he has developed an attitude of
respecting both their time and his own.
“By the way, what if there was something you wanted to do to make them feel sorry for you?”
“Then that would mean that I wasn't worth consulting with, and in the unlikely event that Mahiru dumped
me, it would mean that I was unattractive and unworthy. It's my fault.”
　Mahiru is probably a very loving, single-minded, and sincere girl. If
Mahiru dumped Amane without consulting Amane, the problem would most
likely be on Amane's side.
　Mahiru would have sincerely expressed her feelings and dissolved the
relationship.
　The fact that he didn't would mean that he is hiding something personal
that is not against common sense or ethical standards. I don't feel
comfortable digging into this, and it makes Mahiru uncomfortable, because
he wants to hide it from me.
　I think it is inevitable that he is curious about it.
“Well, it's Mahiru, so I'm sure he'll be fine, but I'm still bothered by it. As someone who's being kept in
the dark, I'm not comfortable with that.”
“...... What can I say, Fujimiya is so sturdy when she's ready, isn't she?”
“Yeah?”
　It's only a wait-and-see stance because of his trust in Mahiru.
　If Amane is in a hurry to get an answer, it would be better to take it easy
and wait for the answer to be revealed someday.
　I don't question him because I am confident that nothing bad will happen
because of Mahiru. I would like to add a pathetic "please forgive me if I feel
uneasy".
“Like this, when I used to see you in the hallway, you were downcast and didn't look very confident,
so ...... now you're being a great angel boyfriend...”
“I didn't have a lot of confidence, actually. I have friends who kicked my back and slapped me, and
Mahiru who supported me, so I feel like I'm standing sharp.”
　I've been physically kicked and slapped on the back, but my back was also
battered in a metaphorical sense. Thanks to that, I am standing next to
Mahiru like this and Mahiru is supporting me.
　It is because of her support in real life, such as food and lifestyle, as well
as mentally, that Amane does not find it hard to work hard, in fact, he finds
it enjoyable.
　When Amane concludes, "I can't thank you enough," Souji nods his head with
a sincere look on his face.
“......Shiina-san is the kind of person who helps the inner man ......, or rather, the more Fujimiya takes care
of him, the more he shines…”
“Whether he is shining or not, I can't be weak-minded to stand next to Mahiru, and I need to be proud of
myself. I want to be a man and be proud of myself. ...... Thanks to Mahiru, I can think that way. She
actually supports me.”
“I think there's also Fujimiya's personal virtue that makes people want to support ......?”
“That's a very nice assessment, though. I think it's Mahiru who makes me stand up straight, and it's
Mahiru who makes me want to ...... do my best to live up to her, and it's Mahiru who makes me want to
do my best to live up to her, and it's Mahiru who makes me want to do my best to live up to her.”
　I muttered, "That's why Mahiru is so great," to which he replied in a small
voice, "I wonder if it's all right that I'm being told a joke after all?" I felt
somewhat apologetic and felt embarrassed until we arrived at the station.

　I work part-time three to four times a week, sometimes increasing or

decreasing depending on my shift, but it generally stays around that
frequency.
　Even though Saturdays and Sundays are also his earning time, he leaves
one of them free to spend time with Mahiru and himself. The owner, Fumika,
was satisfied because she could not neglect her studies, which is the main
duty of a student, and she was supported in many ways, including the true
purpose of her part-time job.
　Today was a break between part-time jobs, and Amane was relaxed from
morning.
　He had done some muscle training and light jogging in his sleep, and he
had also finished his assignments quickly.
　I can't help but smile as I realize that I'm living a much better and
healthier lifestyle than I used to.
　I had finished my morning tasks, but there was one thing that was
bothering me.
　Yes, about Mahiru's secret.
(It seems like he was doing something sneaky today too.)
　Mahiru visited Amane's house in the afternoon and was still slightly
awkward. Although she was calm now that it was past snack time, it was
obvious that she was hiding something, because she looked a little awkward
when Amane looked at her.
　I didn't point this out to him, so he gradually regained his composure.
　Sitting next to Amane on the sofa, Mahiru is calm, but not quite in the
right place at the right time. He is distracted by his thoughts.
　I wanted to enjoy Mahiru at least a little bit since it was my day off, but
it's also bad to press Mahiru who looks ...... absentminded. The most
important thing is that you can get the best out of your time with the help
of the best.
“Mahiru.”
“Yes?”
“...... Can I have a hug?”
　Mahiru's caramel-colored eyes twinkled, and then she nodded with a soft,
faint smile.
　She gently extends her hand to me, and I take advantage of her kindness to
gently wrap my arms around Mahiru's body.
　Today, I smelled chocolate.
(...... I smell sweet every day.)
　No matter how much Mahiru likes sweets, it's not something she eats that
often, and she doesn't reach for it easily because she's trying to stay in
shape.
　However, recently, she often smells sweet.
　I'm not a big fan of sweets, but I do like the smell of sweets, so I don't
mind the soft smell of sweets every time I approach and touch them.
　The moment I gently touched her waist to pull her closer, Mahiru's body
shook with a jerk.
“Yah!”
　The sound of rejection spilling out of her mouth, Amane felt his head cool
down rapidly, wondering if he had rushed too quickly.
　The most important thing to remember is that you can't just go out and
buy a new pair of jeans and a new pair of jeans.
　Even though she is my girlfriend, it does not mean that I can touch her as
I please. There are times when she is not in the mood, and there are times
when she does not want to be touched in that way.
　I gently pulled my body away from hers, and Mahiru looked up at Amane
with a face that seemed to have no idea what was going on.
“......Sorry. I got carried away.”
“Eh, no, no, I don't hate it!　No, I didn't!　I'm sorry, I misled you!　It's not
that I don't like being hugged by Amane-kun or anything!”
　Mahiru, who seems to have sensed that Amane thinks he has been rejected,
hurriedly asserts his opinion with gestures.
“But I hate it.”
“No, I don't like it, or ...... I'm worried about my stomach right now, or...”
“My stomach?”
“...... Huh, I have a fat theory. It's not like they're grabbing me by the waist.”
　Mahiru puts her hand on her stomach, and Amane can only nod his head.
　Mahiru, who has perfect self-control, seems to be maintaining her best
shape and does not look or feel fat at all.
　She was as thin as usual just now, which made me feel uneasy. In fact, she
is so slender that I am concerned from a health standpoint that she might
be better off with some meat on her body.
“Where?　I'm still thin. You didn't have a fattening diet to begin with.”
　I know that Mahiru does stretching and light exercise at home every day
and jogs when she has time, and I know that she plays fitness software on
the game console at Amane's house.
　Although she is a homecoming club member, Mahiru is an ogre of self-
control who exercises to maintain her beauty, and it is hard to believe that
she would gain weight.
　I don't think so, but for some reason Mahiru would not make eye contact
with Amane.
“Were you ......?”
“No, no, I haven't missed any proper exercise, in fact, I've been doing more than usual. I also balance my
diet with three meals. I'm ...... there, but ...... well, I eat three meals out ......”
“You mean you snack between meals?”
“I snacked, or ...... no, I snacked. That's what caused it.”
“That's very unusual.”
　Mahiru is careful about what she eats to the extent that she is careful
about her style, so it was surprising that she ate as much as Mahiru feared
she would.
　I didn't see her eating extra while she was spending time with Amane, so
she must be eating at home. Maybe that's how good he found the food.
“Well, there's even a word for autumn, the season of appetite, and the food is delicious, isn't it? It's the
time of year when we have more delicious foods, different from summer, and you can't go overboard on
the treats.”
“......I'm indecisive and elaborate, or maybe it's not a good thing that I'm indecisive and elaborate, or...”
“Eh?”
“No, no. ...... Anyway, if you touch your belly, the fat will ......”
“I don't think Mahiru has much excess fat, but she's ...... thin and there's no flesh to pick at. And it's only a
margin of error if you add a little, and Mahiru is thin and muscular and toned to begin with, so it doesn't
matter if it's a little softer or softer.”
　From Amane's point of view, the public demand for thinness is excessive,
and Mahiru is thin enough even by that standard.
　It doesn't matter if Mahiru is a little fuller, or if she is thin, it doesn't
mean she is cute or beautiful. And since I like Mahiru herself, I don't care
about her body shape. I thought it was fine as long as it was a body shape
that did not cause me any concerns in terms of health.
　When I told Mahiru earnestly that she did not have to worry about it, she
looked up at Amane with a small "uuuu" moan.
　It may be a big problem for him, but for Amane, a little fat gain is nothing
to worry about. In fact, the fact that Mahiru's area of the world is
increasing is probably a good thing for him.
　It is a matter of life and death for him to be left alone, since there is no
increase in terms of touch.
“...... I'd like to be healed a little, no?”
“No, not no, but ...... okay, but...”
　Laughing at Mahiru's slightly desperate look, Amane pulled Mahiru closer
to him. Rather, he lifted her up as if holding her.
　I sat back down on the sofa, holding Mahiru, who had stiffened, between my
legs, in a stuffed animal cuddling position.
　This is the most comfortable position for hugging on the sofa, but Mahiru
looked slightly uncomfortable, perhaps because of embarrassment.
　However, Mahiru seemed to be slightly uncomfortable, perhaps due to
embarrassment, but I guess it was not because she was not averse to it.
　He puts his hands firmly in front of him and touches his abdomen, which he
seems to be concerned about, but it is so thin and slender that one wonders
where the misconception that he has gained weight is coming from.
“......It hasn't changed after all, but…”
“I'm making an effort, so. But I'm curious.”
“You're such a thin guy. ...... Well, if Mahiru is concerned about it, I can't say too strongly, but don't push
it. I like any Mahiru.”
“......Yes.”
　If Mahiru wants to be thin without being too much, I will support her, but I
did not wish for her to be thin.
　I will categorically deny the mistake of thinking that she has gained
weight, but I will not deny her desire to lose weight or her efforts to lose
weight afterwards.
　I would not deny her efforts to lose weight, but I would not deny her
desire to lose weight and her subsequent efforts to lose weight.
　I wonder how a girl's body can be so thin and yet so soft, and as I bury my
face in her shoulder, a sweet smell slips into my nostrils, mixed with the
milky scent of fabric softener and Mahiru herself.
　I slide my lips to the base of her neck and press them lightly against it.
　I have no intention of doing anything to him, but I feel happy when I touch
his skin and think that his white skin looks delicious. It's a man's saga, and
I couldn't help it.
　Mahiru made a tickling sound when I put my lips to her smooth skin, kissed
her on the mouth, and rubbed my cheek against hers.
“...... Amane-kun becomes a spoiled brat when he gets tired, doesn't he...”
“I can return it exactly like that. ...... Well, I miss human skin.”
　It is something that could be said for Mahiru, but when both of us are
tired, we try to heal ourselves by sticking to the other person. They feel
comfortable and happy when they taste each other's body warmth or their
own scent.
　Basically, Mahiru is spoiled more often than Amane, but Amane is getting
tired more and more these days, so he has learned to spoil Mahiru in this
way.
　Mahiru is very happy when I spoil her honestly, so I tend to spoil her.
“You can do as you please, but please don't leave any marks. I can see it. When you did it on your
sleepover before ......, Chitose-san found out and made fun of you!”
“Sorry. ...... I should have made it a little more hidden.”
　Amane was so excited at the time that his rational mind had abandoned
half its job. Of course, he didn't step over the line that he shouldn't have,
but he followed his desire to color his white skin.
　Thanks to you, I even put it on as far as I could see, and I regret it.
　When I recall the scene of that night, I feel irresistibly embarrassed and
my embrace becomes stronger, but Mahiru in my arms slapped Amane's
thighs firmly.
“That's not even the point!　Amane-kun, you get used to it, don't you!”
“Well, I'm not used to it, but ...... it's nice for a guy to wear the "mine" sign, so...”
　There's no way I could get used to it after seeing my skin once.
　Just remembering it brings shame to my face, and my desire is now rising
up to my neck. I just suppress it with my reason.
　However, the desire itself is inevitable, and if there is a next time, I will
leave the same trail of Amane's lips on my white skin again.
　Mahiru suddenly became quiet when I intertwined the hand that was
slapping her thigh with my own while murmuring to the frustrated Mahiru in
my arms, "I'll never get used to it, it's her bare skin.
　Her ears are red, so it is obvious that she is embarrassed.
“......Next time, you'll have to fasten it a little where I can't really see it…”
“You're going to keep in mind the assumption that there's a next time.”
“Well, that's the thing, ......I'm happy with everything you do for me, Amane, and I like being ......touched,
it's comfortable!”
　The actual "I'm not a fan of the way you do it," he said, "I'm not a fan of the
way you do it," he said.
　Mahiru said that she would accept most of what Amane does and that she
also likes to be touched, which made me feel like I was about to go wild with
desire again, but I managed to calm myself and kept the kisses to my neck.
　Mahiru, who is still very sensitive, Amaneddered, but let Amane do what he
wanted.
“...... Anyway, the scar is no good now. If you do, just do it.”
“Tan?”
“......It's nothing. Never mind.”
“I care so much.”
“It's okay.”
　When Mahiru stopped in the middle of saying something, Amane smiled and
accepted it, thinking how light he was, as he tilted his head back to Mahiru
and threw his weight on Amane with a flurry of words as if to cover up his
mistake.