The falling speed of cherry blossoms is 5 cm per second.
It's slow. Almost dreamlike.
A spring breeze carried the petals through the air, scattering them in a gentle rain of pink and white.
But right now—
Yukima Azuma had no time to admire it.
His gaze was fixed ahead, where two words drifted toward him, carried on the wind—
"Encounter."
The Girl at the Top of the Hill
At the peak of Detective Hill, a girl stood.
Her pristine white dress swayed gently in the breeze, perfectly matching the white beret she now held in her hands.
From above, her calm gaze met Yukima Azuma's.
She lifted her right hand, lightly pinching the hem of her dress. With her left, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Bathed in the golden morning sunlight, she looked as though she had stepped out of a painting.
This was the kind of scene that belonged in a light novel.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
Because Yukima Azuma recognized her.
Not just from memory—
But from reality.
Katō Megumi – A Heroine Unlike Any Other
Katō Megumi.
A heroine with no particularly outstanding traits.
And yet—
The more time one spent with her, the more they'd realize something.
She didn't need exaggerated expressions. She didn't rely on forced cuteness.
Her presence alone was enough.
She was the kind of girl who, without you even realizing it, would become irreplaceable.
An Annoying Interruption
"Wow!"
A voice of awe rang out beside him.
Yukima Azuma frowned.
The tone immediately irritated him—it was the sound of a fanatical otaku seeing his "ideal heroine" for the first time.
He turned his head.
There, perched awkwardly on a bicycle, was a bespectacled boy.
Aki Tomoya.
A few quick thoughts, and Yukima Azuma confirmed the identity.
Right now, Aki Tomoya was completely lost in his own fantasy.
His expression shifted rapidly—shock, infatuation, admiration—like he had just seen destiny manifest before his eyes.
Pathetic.
Yukima Azuma held no affection for Aki Tomoya.
The reason was simple.
Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Even if Aki Tomoya had never stood a chance with her, the mere fact that he had once entertained the idea was annoying.
And so—
Yukima Azuma acted.
He stepped forward, reached out—
And lightly kicked the rear wheel of Aki Tomoya's bicycle.
A small push. Just enough.
"Ahhh—!?"
The bicycle wobbled violently, tipping off balance.
Aki Tomoya, completely unprepared, flailed in a futile attempt to regain control.
Too late.
Momentum carried him straight down the opposite slope of Detective Hill.
His screams faded into the distance.
Within seconds—
He was gone.
Yukima Azuma let out a satisfied smirk.
"You're Mean, Yukima-san."
Light footsteps approached.
"Yukima-san," a gentle voice called out.
Soft. Emotionless. Yet strangely melodic—like a feather drifting in the air.
Katō Megumi had descended the hill.
She stood before him, hands folded neatly in front of her, watching him with her usual unreadable gaze.
"You're really mean," she said softly.
Yukima Azuma turned toward her.
Without a word, he placed the beret back on her head.
His movements were careful—adjusting it slightly, tilting his head to check the fit, ensuring it sat perfectly.
Once satisfied, he took a step back.
Then another.
And then, with the air of an art connoisseur admiring a masterpiece, he nodded in approval.
"Katō-san," he said, his voice smooth, assured.
"You look adorable today. This outfit suits you perfectly."
She blinked.
"Thank you, Yukima-san," she replied. "But I'm just an ordinary person. Compliments like that don't really serve any purpose."
Yukima Azuma smiled.
"No, no. I truly mean it."
A pause.
Then—
"Thank you," she said again. This time, there was the faintest hint of warmth.
"It makes me happy."
He chuckled.
"Oh? So the first 'thank you' was for me returning your hat, right?"
"Yukima-san, where were you headed?"
"I was planning to do some grocery shopping. My fridge is completely empty."
Megumi tilted her head slightly.
"Really? What a coincidence. I was about to buy some ingredients too."
Without further discussion, they started walking up Detective Hill together.
Neither mentioned Aki Tomoya's rather unfortunate departure.
And Katō Megumi did not question it.
To her, there was no need to.
Because in her mind, there was only one simple thought—
"If Yukima-san did that, there must have been a reason."
A Shared Shopping Trip
The shopping trip was uneventful—smooth, natural, as if they had always done this together.
At checkout, they split the task effortlessly.
Megumi took the items from the cart.
Yukima Azuma handed them over to the cashier.
Then—
"Hm?"
Megumi paused, picking up a bag of coffee beans.
Blinking, she glanced at Yukima Azuma.
"Huh. That's unexpected," she mused.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?"
"If I remember correctly, Yukima-san is more of a tea person. You almost never drink coffee."
Yukima Azuma smiled.
She noticed.
"I'm surprised you remember that much," he said casually. "But I thought I'd try making homemade coffee this time."
For a moment, Katō Megumi simply stared at the bag of coffee beans.
Then, without another word, she placed it on the counter.
Parting Ways
After checking out, they exited the supermarket together.
Megumi's home was nearby.
Yukima Azuma, however, had to head in the opposite direction toward the train station.
They exchanged a brief farewell.
Then, as he walked away—
Katō Megumi turned back slightly.
Her gaze flickered toward the bag of coffee beans in his hand.
A slight tilt of her head.
Then, she continued on her way.
The Coffee Machine
On the train, Yukima Azuma scrolled through his phone.
A few taps.
A purchase.
DIY coffee machine.
He didn't hesitate. He even opted for express shipping.
Why?
Because he had the funds to afford it.
And more importantly—
It was necessary.
By the time he reached home, the package had already arrived.
He carried the box inside.
Downstairs, Kasumigaoka Utaha was in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water.
Their eyes met.
She quickly looked away.
But not before her gaze flickered toward the large box in his hands.
"…What did he buy?"
Yukima Azuma smirked.
She'd find out soon enough.