Late March to April is the best season for cherry blossom viewing in Japan.
Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, is a cherished tradition for the Japanese people.
During this time, people usually go out in family groups or as part of company clubs to have picnics beneath blooming cherry blossoms.
They bring their own food and a small picnic blanket, spreading it out on the grass to enjoy the soft pink petals dancing in the breeze.
Immersed in the beauty of cherry blossoms, it feels like stepping into a dreamy, peaceful world. Even one's state of mind quiets, as if nothing else could trouble them.
With time off, the employees of Gamestar Electronic Entertainment were excitedly preparing food, tools, and other supplies. At the suggestion of a few coworkers, many decided to host a large hanami picnic as a company event.
And for a company-wide event, it was important to secure a large spot early at one of the best blossom-viewing areas.
Naturally, that task was given to the team that loved going on trips—the same group often sent out on field research.
They would scout out a good location and claim it, while the rest of the group would bring the food and tools later.
…
…
Takayuki had finally granted himself a rare break, putting aside the conflicts and game development for now.
In his previous life, he never had the chance to enjoy cherry blossoms.
Back then, he was stuck in the never-ending grind of 996 work culture, and eventually burned out from overwork.
He had even saved up money to travel to Japan and fulfill a few personal dreams—visiting famous locations from Your Name, exploring Akihabara, or attending the Tokyo Game Show.
But none of those wishes ever came true.
Now, by a strange twist of fate, he had reincarnated in Japan.
Even so, his time since arriving had been packed with game development, leaving him little chance to truly enjoy Japan's seasonal traditions.
This was a rare opportunity to unwind. After all, no one can stay wound up forever.
Besides, he wasn't responsible for organizing anything—all he had to do was show up and enjoy himself. How could he say no?
"Takayuki, hurry up! We're just waiting on you!"
From downstairs, Airi Hayasawa's voice echoed up as Takayuki, freshly out of bed, was brushing his teeth in the bathroom.
"Almost done!"
He hadn't expected to be the one being nagged by a girl.
Normally, it's girls who take forever getting ready, right? Clearly, he'd just slept way too hard.
He hadn't been getting enough rest lately. Even with a reincarnator's stamina bonus, it had caught up to him.
Once he finally relaxed, he passed out and slept like a log until nearly 9 a.m.
Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Takayuki glanced toward the doorway.
"Aya? Weren't you waiting downstairs?"
He asked through a mouthful of toothpaste.
"I was waiting forever, so I came up to check whether you drowned in here."
"…Drowned? Where would I even drown?"
"Now that I see you're alive, that's good enough. Here, this is for you."
Aya tossed him a large bag.
"What's inside?"
"Clothes. Don't tell me you were planning to wear your usual stuff. Come on—it's hanami. At least try to dress nicely."
"I thought my usual stuff was fine…"
"Your fashion sense is hopeless. I can't bear to look at it."
Takayuki gave a helpless laugh. "Alright, alright. I'll change into it in a bit."
Aya nodded. "Good. I'll go change too. Hurry up."
She left the bathroom and went back to her room to change.
Meanwhile, Airi was waiting downstairs, clearly bored.
After finishing up, Takayuki opened the bag and checked the clothes inside. It was a sharp, stylish casual outfit.
Aya had always been known for her good fashion sense. In the company, her outfits often got compliments, and plenty of female coworkers quietly took cues from her style.
Her fashion leaned heavily toward a modern Western aesthetic—likely influenced by her time at Stanford University in the U.S.
The outfit she picked out for Takayuki had a similar Western flair.
Takayuki was already fairly handsome, and with his rising age and position, he now had a mature air and commanding presence that made him even more attention-grabbing.
He quickly changed into the outfit and took a glance in the mirror.
Not bad at all.
"You ready?"
Aya's voice called again from outside the bathroom.
"All done," Takayuki replied as he stepped out.
But the moment he saw her, he froze for a second.
Aya was wearing a traditional kimono.
A bright red kimono adorned with cherry blossom petals.
Takayuki had never seen Aya like this before.
He'd never even imagined her in traditional Japanese dress. She just didn't seem like the type.
But now that she stood before him in a kimono, only one thought filled his mind:
She was stunning.
Her usual silver hair wasn't styled in her twin-tails today—it was pinned up neatly behind her head, making her the picture of a graceful Japanese woman.
"Not bad," Aya said with a satisfied nod as she looked over his outfit.
"You look beautiful today," Takayuki said without thinking.
"…Thanks."
A faint smile curled on Aya's lips for a second before her expression returned to its usual calm.
"Alright, let's go. Airi's been waiting a while."
"Yeah."
The two headed downstairs, where Airi Hayasawa was standing at the front door.
"You two are seriously slow. Whoa—Takayuki, you actually look great!"
Airi wasn't surprised by Aya's appearance—they'd already shown each other their planned outfits the night before. The kimono had actually been Airi's idea. Since Aya had never worn one before, Airi was really curious to see how she'd look in traditional Japanese attire.
To persuade her, Airi had teased that Takayuki would definitely love it.
Hearing that, Aya had agreed without resistance.
But Takayuki's clean, slightly formal outfit clearly exceeded Airi's expectations—she gushed over it for quite a while.
"Alright, let's head out! Don't keep the others waiting."