I Won't Be a Loser

"Mai-San"

Following Setsuna into her home, Haruto looked up and noticed Mai standing in the living room. With a natural expression, he greeted her.

"Har… Miyamizu-kun? Setsuna, it's the weekend—did you two plan a date together today?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Mai wasn't sure what came over her, but her emotions quickly settled. She looked at her daughter and, regaining her usual calm demeanor, smiled as she asked.

Setsuna, now back home, glanced at her mother, unsure what she was doing standing in the living room.

"No, we're just here to grab some bed sheets and covers. Haruto cleaned his room today and washed all his bedding, but he doesn't have any spares, so I'm letting him use mine for now."

"..."

Mai, who had just regained her composure, suddenly felt her expression stiffen. A trace of awkwardness flashed across her face, and after a moment of thought, she nodded.

"I see."

"I'm taking Haruto to my room. Don't mind us."

"..."

Watching her daughter head toward the room with Haruto beside her, Mai felt her heartbeat quicken slightly as he passed by. It wasn't until the two disappeared behind the bedroom door that her heart rate gradually returned to normal. Her face felt warm, and pressing her hands to her cheeks, she slowly sat down on the couch.

Last night, she had only intended to inform Haruto that Setsuna wasn't coming home and would be staying over at Sekai Saionji's place. However, as they continued talking at his home, the conversation had somehow drifted toward age.

When Mai had chuckled softly, she noticed Haruto's gaze lingering on her for a brief moment before he quickly looked away. She glanced down at herself, at her figure beneath her black sweater, and then back at the boy in front of her. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks—she hadn't expected that.

"Miyamizu-kun, you mentioned before that you prefer mature women, didn't you?"

The words slipped out before she could stop herself. The moment she said it, she regretted it.

Haruto, sitting across from her, was momentarily taken aback. He looked up, a hint of surprise in his expression.

"I did say something like that. But rather than just liking mature women, it's more that I prefer people who are considerate, who don't cause trouble for others. If I had to sum it up, I guess I'd say I like people who are thoughtful."

"Thoughtful..."

Mai nodded as she looked at the boy in front of her, but she didn't quite understand why he had such a preference.

Everyone has their own type, but why specifically thoughtful women?

"You don't like lively girls?"

"It's not that I dislike them. It's just that I prefer quiet, more reserved personalities."

"Mature ones?"

Haruto met Mai's gaze and nodded.

"Mature ones."

"Is that why you agreed to date Setsuna? Because you think she has a mature personality?"

"Because I believe that when Setsuna grows up, she'll probably be a lot like you, Miss Mai. And honestly, I'm looking forward to that."

Haruto smiled, intending to compliment her. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he noticed Mai's face turning red.

Did I upset her?

Haruto was startled. Just as he was about to explain, Mai's response caught him completely off guard.

"So… does that mean someone like me?"

Her face was flushed, her expression bashful, and her voice carried a soft, almost dreamy tone. It didn't seem like she was angry at all—if anything, she looked more like a shy young girl.

"..."

Haruto found himself speechless. His mind raced with things he could say, but he wasn't sure how to respond appropriately. The atmosphere in the room grew strangely silent.

As he struggled to find the right words, Mai was already making a move. She slowly slid closer, shifting her seat until she was right beside him.

Her face was warm with a gentle smile, and her eyes were fixed on Haruto.

"You said before that you've never had a girlfriend, right?"

"Uh… yeah. I usually just went straight home after school, and during vacations, I spent most of my time with my sister. I never really thought about dating."

"So, you're not very experienced when it comes to relationships, are you?"

"..."

The conversation was becoming more and more delicate. Haruto's rational mind told him to put some distance between himself and Mai, but as she inched closer, there was nowhere left to go. Swallowing hard, he gave a small nod.

There was no way he could tell this young mother sitting beside him that he had once been in a relationship with a woman about her age.

Seeing Haruto nod, Mai's blush deepened, and the air between them grew warmer, charged with an unspoken tension.

Haruto could feel the soft warmth pressing lightly against his arm, making him increasingly uneasy. When he turned his head, he met Mai's gaze—her eyes shimmered like rippling spring water, filled with an indescribable tenderness.

"Then… let me teach you what couples are supposed to do."

As Mai sat in the living room, lost in her memories, Haruto and Setsuna were already inside her bedroom.

Setsuna closed the door behind them, her expression calm and unreadable.

But in the living room earlier…

Having grown up under Mai's care, Setsuna knew her mother well. And today, there was something undeniably off about her. A subtle but clear inconsistency in her demeanor.

Her gaze lingered on Haruto.

"Yesterday, when my mom talked to you, was it just about me staying at Sekai's place for the night?"

Haruto glanced around Setsuna's room—it was his first time being there. Hearing her question, he turned to look at her, slightly confused.

"Hm? Was there something else?"

A natural look of confusion and uncertainty surfaced on Haruto's face. His slightly furrowed brows hinted at a lack of understanding, making it seem like he had no idea what was going on. Watching him, Setsuna wondered if she was simply overthinking things.

Retracting her gaze, she walked to her wooden wardrobe and pulled open the bottom drawer, revealing neatly folded sets of bedding—bed sheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases.

The designs weren't particularly feminine. Aside from one pink cherry blossom set, the rest featured green plaid and blue-and-white stripes—simple, neutral patterns.

"The size should be about the same as my bed and duvet, right?"

Haruto took out a green plaid set, placing the sheet and pillowcase to the side while holding up the duvet cover to gauge its size. Glancing at Setsuna's single bed, he estimated that it was about the same size as his own, meaning the duvet should fit as well.

Setsuna wasn't too familiar with Haruto's bed—after all, she had never slept in it. She merely compared the bedding with her own, recalling the size of his bed from memory.

"It should work. At the very least, the sheet and pillowcase won't be an issue."

"Makes sense."

The sheet would definitely fit. The only uncertainty was the duvet cover, which he'd have to try out later.

Haruto nodded, his eyes wandering around the room.

This was his first time in Setsuna's bedroom. It wasn't the overly feminine kind often depicted in manga—it was just… a regular room. If not for a few distinctly female items, one might not even realize it belonged to a girl.

Glancing at Setsuna, her calm and composed demeanor mirrored the atmosphere of the room itself.

"What is it, Haruto?"

Noticing his gaze, Setsuna tilted her head slightly.

"Nothing, I just thought… your room is similar to mine, yet different."

"How so?"

"It doesn't have your scent."

"…"

Setsuna's face turned red. After a brief pause, she countered, "Well, now it has yours."

Haruto blinked in surprise before chuckling softly. Somehow, an unfamiliar warmth spread through his heart.

—

Mai Kiyoura sat in the living room for a while, watching as Setsuna and Haruto disappeared into the bedroom. There was no sound, no movement for quite some time.

Resting her hand against her lips, she bit her fingertip lightly, her mind filling with scenes far from appropriate.

Her emotions became increasingly tangled, nerves rising with each passing minute. After ten minutes of internal struggle, she finally gave in to her curiosity. Moving as quietly as possible, she tiptoed to the door of her daughter's room, pressing her ear against the wood to eavesdrop.

"Will it hurt a lot?"

"Hmm… I'm not entirely sure. But from what I've read in books, it should be painful at first. Over time, though, it will heal, and the pain will fade away."

"You've never done this with anyone before?"

"No."

Haruto's response was immediate and firm.

Standing outside the door, Mai's heart clenched with complicated emotions.

Something about Haruto didn't quite add up.

Last night, he had been completely composed in every situation. Whether in conversation or subtle interactions, there was no hesitation—nothing about him suggested he was inexperienced.

Yet now, hearing him so confidently claim he had never been in a relationship, Mai's mind reeled.

Had she misunderstood him?

She bit her lip, her face flushing red as her breath grew unsteady.

"Can we… do it now?"

"Let's wait. Mai-san is still at home, isn't she?"

"Mm…"

Setsuna nodded obediently. Her gaze never left Haruto, as if the whole world had faded away, leaving only him.

—

They stayed in Setsuna's room for about thirty minutes, talking about everything—their pasts, their present, and even a little about the future. Through their conversation, Setsuna gained a deeper understanding of Haruto, and he, in turn, began to understand her more as well.

At first, he hadn't fully grasped why Setsuna was so forward in her affection. But as they talked about her past, her thoughts, and her feelings, her emotions toward him started making sense.

By the time noon arrived, the two of them finally stepped out of the room.

Mai sat on the living room couch, her expression neutral, as if nothing had happened.

"It's almost lunchtime. Mai-san, do you mind if I borrow your kitchen?"

Mai looked at him with complicated eyes, silent for a moment before giving her usual soft smile.

"No problem. If it's you, Miyamizu-kun, feel free to use it however you like."

"Setsuna, come help me."

With Mai's permission, Haruto turned to Setsuna, inviting her to assist him in the kitchen. She nodded and followed him, ready to help with the meal.

Although Setsuna wasn't particularly skilled in cooking, she knew the basics. With her assisting Haruto, they managed to prepare a meal fairly quickly.

"Lunch is ready. Let's eat together."

Carrying the dishes to the table, they all sat down. Mai took a seat by herself, while Setsuna sat close to Haruto.

At the start of the meal, Haruto quietly said, "I'm digging in," and began eating.

Across from him, Mai occasionally stole glances at the pair, observing their interactions through the corner of her eye.

Setsuna, however, remained unaware of her mother's gaze. She simply ate in silence, not engaging in any affectionate gestures that would mark them as a couple.

This, at least, gave Mai a small sense of relief.

—

Once the meal was over, Haruto and Setsuna took care of cleaning up.

Mai sat in the living room, watching them move around the kitchen. For a brief moment, she felt like she had aged beyond her years—like she was watching a young married couple instead of her own daughter.

"I'm heading out with Haruto. We're going to his place. I might not come back tonight, so don't worry about me."

Setsuna casually informed her mother as she took Haruto's hand, leading him toward the door.

Mai, sitting motionless on the couch, stared blankly ahead, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

The door clicked shut.

Only then did Mai snap out of her daze, turning to look toward the entrance.

Her heart was in complete turmoil.