The warmth from that moment in the home economics room the day before—when all three of them had nodded in the same direction—still lingered softly in his chest. The morning of the Nomiya Festival, 8 AM. Class 2-3 was already chaotic before the doors even opened. Haruto was in the home economics room, which they'd converted into a kitchen. Apron on, he whipped cream while sponge cakes baked. Outside the window, the massive cherry tree in front of the school gate caught the morning sun. The 120-year-old tree looked like an ancient guardian watching over today's cultural festival. "[excited]Five minutes to opening! Kitchen, status report!" Akane poked her head through the doorway. Her short red hair bounced. The apron of her maid outfit was slightly crooked. "[serious]Three shortcakes done. Two more in the oven." "[excited]Perfect! We're definitely selling out! I'm telling everyone you made all of them!" "Wait, why are you using my—" Akane was already gone. Haruto sighed. A voice came from behind him. "[gentle]It's not so bad. Free advertising." Mizuki leaned against the doorframe. Her long silver hair was half-pinned up, and the maid outfit suited her perfectly. Her violet eyes were smiling. "[sarcastic]Aren't you supposed to be working the register?" "[gentle]I came to check on things. ...It looks delicious." She peered at the cakes, then looked at Haruto's face. She was genuinely happy. Not the expressionless face she'd shown in the home economics room yesterday—but a naturally relaxed one. "[gentle]...The things you bake are always delicious. I know that for sure." With that, she left for the classroom. Haruto stood there for a moment, whisk still in hand. Something warm spread through his chest. --- The moment the doors opened at 9 AM, visitors flooded into Class 2-3's maid and butler café. Mizuki greeted them with a smile at the entrance. "[gentle]Welcome. All of today's cakes are handmade by our kitchen staff." She paused, then smoothly pointed to the small kitchen window. The moment Haruto's face appeared in the window, a group of female visitors murmured, "Wait, who is that? He's cute." "[surprised]Why are you pointing me out?!" Mizuki laughed softly. The tension that had hung over everything until yesterday felt like a lie now. Meanwhile, Akane weaved through the classroom with drink trays in both hands, moving in every direction at once. "[excited]Please order the cakes! They're all made by Haruto! The best in our whole class!" One group of visitors laughed at her and ordered cakes. Watanabe leaned over and whispered to Haruto. "[whispers]Your propaganda squad is seriously working." "[serious]I didn't ask for this." Just then, the student council vice president's armband appeared at the classroom entrance. Serina came in with her inspection clipboard. Her blonde hair caught the fluorescent light. Her blue-green eyes quickly scanned the room, confirming order. No problems—her expression said so. Then her gaze stopped at the cake display case. "[serious]...Quality inspection." She took a slice while still wearing her armband and put it in her mouth. Her ears turned red. "[cold]...The standards have been significantly exceeded." "[laughing]She's red! Red again!!" "[serious]This is a duty-related inspection, is there a problem?" Classmates exchanged glances, barely holding back their laughter. Those three moving normally in the same classroom—Nishino whispered to Haruto. "[whispers]That's incredible. It was a total disaster yesterday." Haruto watched the three of them from the small window. Akane running around energetically. Mizuki stopping visitors with her smile. Serina writing something on her clipboard, ears bright red. He never thought a day like this would come. --- 1 PM. Peak hours arrived. "[scared]Haruto, we only have three cakes left!!" Akane burst into the kitchen. Her face was serious. "[serious]For real? What about ingredients—" "[excited]Write me a list! I'll go buy them!" Haruto scribbled on a notepad. Cake flour, butter, eggs, whipped cream, sugar. Akane snatched it and ran out, still in her apron. "That was fast..." At the same time, a voice came from outside the classroom. "[gentle]Well then, while you wait, how about a flower fortune telling?" The visitors who'd started forming a line stopped. When Mizuki opened her palm, delicate flower petals swirled up—to ordinary visitors, they looked like cherry blossoms drifting from nowhere. In reality, it was subtle flower illusion magic using the Veil Side layer. But within today's festival, it looked like nothing more than beautiful magic. "Cute!" "What is this?!" voices rose from the crowd. The line dissolved, and people began to linger. Time bought, Haruto thought. Then Serina returned. Supermarket bags in both hands. "[serious]I've temporarily borrowed ingredients from Class 2-5 and Class 1-2. I'll formally reimburse them later under the student council vice president's name." "[surprised]Already?" "[serious]The negotiation took eight minutes. There was no time to waste." Haruto laughed without thinking. This person—when she decides to do something, she moves fast. Ingredients secured. No time for shortcakes. Haruto opened the refrigerator and thought fast. Pound cake. Mix butter, sugar, and eggs, add flour, bake. Simple, but he could make something genuinely delicious. And with leftover fruit, a cup dessert. Combined with whipped cream, assembled on the spot. Thirty minutes later. Fruit desserts in small cups and thick slices of pound cake lined the counter. "[excited]We made it!!" Then Akane came running back, loaded down with bags, her face flushed. Breathing hard. "[excited]Got the ingredients! Ran at full speed!" "[serious]We've sold out, so they're unnecessary." "[angry]What?! I ran at full speed for nothing!!" "[serious]That was your judgment error for moving too hastily." "[angry]Because someone else handled it already!!" Mizuki came back and saw their exchange, hand over her mouth. Her shoulders trembled slightly. "[gentle]...You worked hard, Akane." "[angry]You're laughing!!" Haruto stepped between them with a wry smile. "[gentle]Akane, thanks. I really appreciate you running for these. We'll use the ingredients for the next class's batch." Akane's expression shifted. Then she sighed and set down her bags. "[gentle]...I guess it can't be helped." Serina gave a small cough. Her ears were still slightly red. --- After the festival ended, the announcement came for the overall popularity vote results. The school broadcast read the announcement. "—First place: Class 2-3, Maid and Butler Café." The classroom exploded. "We did it!!" voices layered over each other. Tajima stood on a chair. Nishino shook Haruto's shoulders with both hands. "[excited]Your girl squad is too strong!!" "[serious]That's not—that's not it." Haruto denied it, face red. But his gaze went to the three of them. Akane had both fists raised in victory. Her eyes were red. She was holding back tears, but her victory pose was full force. Mizuki had her usual smile. But her eyes were slightly glistening. Serina stood with her arms crossed. "[serious]A natural result." Her ears were completely red. Haruto looked at each of their faces in turn. Until yesterday, Akane and Mizuki hadn't spoken. He'd only properly talked to Serina yesterday for the first time. And today, they were in the same place, facing the same direction, moving with everything they had. He understood that the feeling from that night—"I don't want to run away"—had actually taken shape today. Deep in his chest, warmth spread quietly. --- After-festival. A campfire burned in the schoolyard. Flames swayed against the night sky, painting students' faces orange. There was a rumor at Sakuranomiya High that couples who watched the fire together would be bound forever—a standard part of the after-festival tradition. Haruto stood alone under the eaves behind the school building. A little distance from the crowds, catching the night breeze. The sound and cheers from the fire drifted distantly. Footsteps. Akane. She'd changed out of her maid outfit into her usual red cardigan. The fact that her ears were red had nothing to do with the fire's glow. Her golden eyes looked straight at Haruto. They stood in silence for a while. Then Akane spoke. "[serious]I like you, Haruto." Her voice didn't shake. It was steady and direct. "[serious]I wanted to say it properly, so I'm saying it. That's all." Haruto searched for words. Then footsteps came from around the corner. Mizuki. Her silver hair swayed in the night breeze. Not the expression of someone who'd stumbled upon them—but someone who'd known she'd come. "[gentle]You beat me to it." She glanced at Akane, then looked at Haruto. Her violet eyes wavered. She was smiling, but her eyes were serious. "[gentle]...Me too, Haruto. I realized a long time ago it wasn't just about finding you interesting." Another set of footsteps. Serina stood there, arms crossed. She faced Haruto, but her gaze slipped slightly to the side. "[serious]...After objective analysis of the observational data, I've concluded I harbor special feelings for you." She paused, then continued while turning her face away. "[serious]In other words—I like you." Silence. Haruto's mind went completely blank for a moment. Only the sound of the fire. All three of them were looking at him. Akane with a serious face. Mizuki smiling with glistening eyes. Serina with her face turned away, but her ears angled toward him. Haruto took a slow breath. He knew he had to be honest. "[serious]The feeling that you three are important to me—that's real." All three listened quietly. "[serious]But I can't give you an answer right now about choosing one of you. I'm sorry. But I don't want to run away. I want to face this properly." Akane clenched her fist. "[gentle]I guess it can't be helped." After a pause, she continued. "[serious]But I'm not giving up. That's all I'm saying." Mizuki laughed softly. The same expressionless laugh she'd shown in the home economics room yesterday. "[gentle]That's what makes you interesting." Serina coughed. Still holding her arms crossed, she brought her gaze back to Haruto. "[serious]I'll grant you time. The deadline is—undecided." The four of them turned toward the campfire. Flames swayed against the night sky. The night breeze from Minatosaka Ward was faintly warm. From the direction of the Misogi River, he thought he heard the faint sound of water. My everyday life has changed, Haruto thought. But it's not bad. Not bad at all. --- The following Monday. The classroom's noise had a different quality to it. "Did you hear? Another transfer student is coming." "I heard the new one is really scary." Classmates' voices reached Haruto's ears. For some reason, Haruto looked at Mizuki. Mizuki sat in her usual window seat. With her usual smile. —But that smile completely disappeared for an instant. A face that had forgotten how to smile. A face seriously, sharply, vigilantly on guard about something. A face Haruto had never seen before. Less than a second later, the smile returned, but it had definitely been there. Akane stood up from her chair with a sound. Her eyes turned toward the hallway. Serina already had her notebook open. The Select List—the confidential management roster for spiritually significant individuals—its pages confirmed. All three of them had serious faces at the same time. Haruto realized this wasn't something to laugh about. The festival had ended. There had been confessions. There had been a warm night. But now, not a trace of laughter remained on any of their faces.