"What's this?"
Looking at the envelope handed to her, Yuka's eyes were filled with confusion and uncertainty. She glanced at Haruto's smiling face, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took the envelope from his hand.
But as soon as she held it, the familiar texture between her fingers made her instinctively recoil, her slender pale hand pulling back as she stared at Haruto, bewildered.
"Open it and you'll see."
Haruto gently set the envelope on the table in front of her. Dressed in a white shirt, the girl looked down at it, bit her lip, and hesitated, her expression conflicted.
After a long moment of gazing at Haruto's unwavering smile, she silently lowered her head and picked up the envelope.
Carefully opening it, she saw crisp new bills tucked inside. She looked back at Haruto, silent, then closed the envelope and pushed it back across the table.
"I can't accept this."
"This income is directly related to you. You don't have to feel like you're receiving it for nothing. Take it—it's what you deserve."
Haruto gently pushed the envelope back toward her. Seeing the confusion in Yuka's eyes, he had expected this reaction and had already prepared what to say.
"A while back, the day I first met you, I was feeling lost—not sure what I should be doing. But after hearing your story, I found inspiration and created something. This is the income from that work. Not all of it—just a part."
She hadn't counted it, but judging by the thickness and the glance she stole inside, it had to be at least a hundred thousand yen, maybe closer to two hundred. That was more than what she could earn in a month from her part-time jobs.
"But… even so…"
"Honestly, using your experiences as material for a story without asking you first was pretty presumptuous. I'm sorry."
Haruto's apologetic expression made Yuka want to respond, but when she opened her mouth, the words wouldn't come. She lowered her head again, her gaze falling on the envelope. After a long silence, she reached out.
Holding it in both hands, she gently pressed the edges. Her expression grew increasingly complicated.
With that money, her tight, uncomfortable life could finally ease up a little—but receiving it like this, for reasons she couldn't fully grasp, left her unsettled.
"…What's it called?"
After a pause, Yuka looked up at the boy in front of her and asked softly.
"The book, you mean?"
"Yeah."
"An Angel with a Stigma."
Yuka stood up and walked over to Haruto. She held out her hand.
"Hm?"
"Want to go for a walk? Just for a bit."
Looking at her pale, slender hand and the warm smile on her face, Haruto paused, then slowly reached out to take it and stood up with her…
Stepping out of the manga café, the two strolled down the street. Yuka glanced over at Haruto from time to time, her gaze curious.
"I had no idea you were a writer."
"I don't know if I'd call myself that. I just happened to finish a book, and a publisher was kind enough to print it."
Looking at the bustling street around them, Haruto's confidence wavered. He was growing increasingly pessimistic about how the book would sell—he doubted even ten thousand copies would move. As they walked in silence, Yuka pursed her lips, unsure how to comfort him.
"That bookstore over there—want to take a look?"
The Kinokuniya Main Store in Shinjuku—one of the largest bookstores in the country—stood ahead. Haruto glanced at it, then at Yuka.
"They'll probably have your book."
"Maybe. I've never been here, so I'm not sure."
As a major bookstore, it stocked almost everything. His book would likely be in the popular fiction section. They stepped inside. The first floor was lined with new releases and trending titles. As they entered, Yuka inched closer to Haruto, their arms brushing.
"…?"
Her unexpected smile caught Haruto off guard. Not quite understanding what was funny, he smiled too, thinking she looked cute.
"It's my first time looking for my own book in a store like this."
Haruto looked around the brightly lit store, full of rows upon rows of books. His emotions were complicated.
He had written many works before, but rarely visited physical stores. He preferred checking digital sales numbers or online comments. Feedback was sparse—some said his work was "too steamy," others called it "standard fare," or "nothing new, but consistent." None of it ever moved him much.
But now, walking beside Yuka, searching for his own book among hundreds of others, the feeling was different.
He didn't expect his book to be a hit. Wandering the shelves almost aimlessly with Yuka, he couldn't help but worry—what would she feel when she read it?
He was a little bit worried in my heart, as he didn't know how the girl would feel after reading a work like that written based on Yuka's experience.
The story was heavy. Even though there was an "angel" who tried to save the girl, her youth still ended in tragedy.
Would she bring him a razor blade next time? Or stab him outright?
But thinking of Yuka, the girl he'd come to know, that didn't seem like her. If anything… he'd have to watch out more for Sekai showing up one day, knife in hand.
His romantic life had become so messy, it made him sigh.
He didn't worry about Yoko or Mai. Neither of them would ever seriously consider him—not just because of the age difference, but because they were both looking out for Setsuna and Sekai.
And between Sekai and Setsuna, the latter had already met his mother—basically making her the official girlfriend.
"Sekai knows too. But I don't know when she'll give up…"
"What?"
"Huh?"
Haruto's muttered thoughts, spoken aloud without realizing, caught Yuka's attention. She looked at him, puzzled.
"Sorry, I spaced out a bit. Was thinking about something else."
Haruto smiled apologetically. He'd completely forgotten she was there. Just as he was about to give up on finding the book, Yuka gently tugged on his sleeve, pointing.
"Is that it?"
Haruto turned and saw a black, white, and red poster—three slanted color blocks taking up a third each. In the center of the white space, a figure appeared to be falling, with the title "The Angel with a Stigma."
Its somber design stood out among the other books, though the placement was somewhat tucked away. Haruto's expression turned a little complicated as he glanced at the more prominent displays nearby.
New release from a bestselling author.
Right. Of course.
He let out a quiet sigh. Even if he understood, the bitterness still lingered. He smiled wryly, swallowed his disappointment, and stepped closer to his book.
"…Miyamizu Yuka?"
Yuka hadn't reacted much to the title—but when she saw the author's name, she froze.
She turned to look at Haruto, her expression suddenly complicated. Staring at his side profile, her heart pounded. She bit her lip and raised a hand to hide the warmth rising in her cheeks.
"…I'm not very good at naming things," Haruto said, scratching his head. "But I really liked the name 'Yuka.' It's beautiful, and since the story was inspired by you, I just… kind of mashed our names together. Sorry—I should've asked first…"
"No… I'm really happy," Yuka said softly, a gentle smile spreading on her lips. "Using my name like that… I don't mind at all."
She reached out and picked a copy off the shelf.
"Want me to buy it for you? I have two at home—I can give you one later. Forgot to bring it today."
"It's okay. I want to buy it myself. It feels more special that way."
She shook her head, her bright, clear eyes meeting his. Even though he looked a bit down, in her eyes, he was dazzling.
They wandered the store a little longer. Haruto also bought some popular titles, and together, they checked out.
But the day didn't end there.
On Yuka's suggestion, the two went to a karaoke box. Sitting together in a small room, she invited him to sing with her…
It was… unfortunate.
Haruto wasn't great with modern songs. Much to Yuka's surprise, every song he picked was from the '80s and '90s. He knew a few newer ones, but barely. And his singing… well…
As a student from a good music high school, Yuka's expression was unreadable as she listened to him sing. But watching him sing so earnestly and wholeheartedly, she eventually smiled.
"So… how was it?" Haruto asked, turning to her after finishing.
Seeing his hopeful expression and confident eyes, Yuka paused… then smiled and clapped.
"You really sang with heart. And… with a lot of emotion."