Currently, it's around 10am, on a Saturday. Souji and Chizuru is here at Hare Hare Daycare Center, in which children here are been taking care of for various reasons such as both parents or single mothers had to work. The Daycare is currently hosting a mini Tanabata festival, having their small bamboo decoration at the side. While Chizuru gives the children paper and pen for them to write their wishes, Souji was the one who ties these papers and hangs them into the bamboo decoration.
Why both of them are currently in the Daycare, you ask?
Well, a while back then, Chizuru decided to wanting a part-time job. Souji asked why, and she said that she felt bad when most of her allowance came from her father's money and wants to earn money of her own accord. Especially that Chizuru will try to take her entrance exams and will become an university student, and, well, tuition costs are never cheap. They both debated about it because having a part-time job while reviewing for her entrance exams is challenging, but they found a solution of having a part-time job on Hare Hare Daycare Center, which is owned by a close relative of Souji and coincidentally, they are looking for part-time workers. It is close to Hakuo Academy so Chizuru will not worry about commuting and it pays reasonably while being able to have time for entrance exams, plus Souji often hangs out there to play with the children there.
And also of course, spending more time with Chizuru.
Souji can't help but looking at each child's paper before hanging them into the bamboo decorations. Some wishes are brimming with simplicity and innocence such as "I wish for my sister to grow faster so I can play with her", "I wish my parents will make up" or "I wish for world peace".
The children are currently in waiting in line in front of Souji, and the next in line is… Seizou-kun
Huh… He looks embarrassed and his face is blushing.
Souji often played with kids and they in return enjoyed their time with him, but Seizou-kun was an exception. Seizou-kun rarely plays with kids his age and more often… rather clings to Chizuru-chan.
One time when a year old girl throws a tantrum at the same time as Seizou begging Chizuru-chan to read him a storybook. Chizuru-chan calms down the girl then asks.
"Souji-senpai, I'm sorry, but can you tend first to Seizou-kun?"
"Roger that." Souji answers.
Souji goes to Seizou-kun and…
Seizou-kun sticks his tongue out and then ran away to the corner and sat there until Chizuru tends to him.
…Seizou-kun obviously dislikes him.
More so, Seizou's name has a same Kanji as Hijikata-san's first name with different readings.
…It is like the God's revenge by being mean to Hijikata-san. (He once wrote "Hijikata-sensei should remove his wig and reveal his baldness" to the Student Council suggestion box when he was in high school.)
"Ahh Seizou-kun isn't it? Let me tie your paper."
He grabs the paper from Seizou and looks at the paper and…
[I wish for Chizuru-neechan to become my wife.]
…
"Rejected."
"Huh?"
"This is impossible."
"Ehhh? Why?"
"Because Chizuru-chan is my girlfriend."
"Ehhh?"
Because of this, the children started to gather around him and breaking the line. Even children who already finished letting their papers hanged also came near the gathering. Chizuru-chan heard Souji's blunt confession in top of that.
"Wai-… Souji-senpai!"
"Girlfriend? But Souji-niichan often bully Chizuru-neechan!"
"Right, right! I saw Souji-niichan showed a hairy caterpillar and made Chizuru-neechan scream!"
"I bully her because I love her."
"Whoaaa!"
Children around Souji are cheering him. Chizuru needs to calm down the children or else it will cause a ruckus!
"Uuuuhhhh… Please, Calm down everyo-…"
But the kids' curiosity overwhelms Chizuru's attempt to calm them down. Each of the children tried taking turns to ask Souji.
"Since when?"
"Since last year on Valentines day."
"Who confessed first?"
"Chizuru-chan did."
"Are you lovey-dovey to each other?"
"Yup, super lovey-dovey."
"Like kiss and stuff?"
"No comment."
"Whoaaa!"
"In that case, can Souji-niichan and Chizuru-neechan kiss here?"
"Wh-wh-whaat?" Chizuru-chan stuttered.
"Right, right! Kiss! Kiss!"
The children chanted "Kiss! Kiss!" on the couple.
Seizou could not bear to see his favorite person Chizuru-neechan kissing his probably least favorite person Souji-niichan in front of him, so he cried.
"Waaah!"
The entire Daycare is now in chaos.
Lunch time, after Chizuru ends her part-time shift. Souji and Chizuru are walking side-by-side on their way to a cafe.
"In the end, Masami-obaasan is the one who calms down Seizou-kun and the others."
"Yeah, the children today are very lively."
"Hmmm… Maybe we should kiss in front of them after all."
"N-no! Thats a no-no!" Chizuru blushed.
"Eeh? Why no? They requested for it right?" Souji teased her a little bit.
"D-doing it in the Daycare is the wrong place for it Souji-senpai!"
Souji then stopped on his tracks facing Chizuru.
"Then how about here, right now?"
"Huh, wha-…" Souji gives a peck on Chizuru's lips.
"A-at least warn me beforehand!" Chizuru said while being flustered
"It's not that we haven't kissed before though…"
"That's only once! We did only once! And it just happened recently this year!"
"Ahahaha, please never change, Chizuru-chan. Ah, maybe change by dropping the senpai honorific already. I'm not a high school student anymore."
Ah yes, Souji-sen… uh Souji-san is currently an university student. During the Kendo Tournament Nationals, several Universities observed there recommended him to make use of the Sports Recommendation Admission, which he did (with motivation from her and Kondo-san. Now, Souji-san is enrolled in a prestigious university with a sports scholarship.
"A-ah, sorry Souji-senp…I mean Souji-san!"
"There, there." Souji pats Chizuru's head. "Let's go shall we?" Souji then holds Chizuru's hand and walks side by side.
"A-ah, Souji-san! Tanabata Festival! Are you free?"
"Of course, we will go to the festival."
"Can I wear a Yukata later, may I ask? I'll go get changed after we have lunch."
"Of course, I'm looking forward to it."