"That's very rude."
Seeing Hayato's somewhat impolite gesture, Kiyoko reminded him reproachfully.
"There aren't many people around, so it's fine. Oh, right, Kiyoko-senpai."
"Mm?"
"You've worked hard these past two days too."
"I'm fine. You're the ones who've had it hard."
Hearing Hayato's considerate words made Kiyoko's heart as sweet as honey, but she still wanted to be modest.
"From doing laundry to recording information, and even cooking for us—doesn't that sound exhausting too?"
"Okay~ It's very exhausting~"
Kiyoko smiled indulgently at Hayato and did not argue with him anymore.
After getting off the train, they bought some ingredients at the shopping street. As they were about to head home, they ran into President Yamamoto, the shopping street association president, who was packing up at the entrance. Seeing familiar faces, he greeted them.
"Yo, Kiyoko-chan, Hayato-kun. Shopping together again today?"
"Good evening, President Yamamoto. What are you doing here?"
Since he had greeted them, they could not just ignore him. They stopped, while Hayato curiously looked at the president packing things away because he had spotted a familiar box.
"Ah, this? The shopping street has been holding a lottery event recently. You got redemption tickets when you bought things, right? You can use them to enter the draw. The grand prize is a three-day, two-night trip for two to Hawaii."
After saying that, President Yamamoto deliberately winked at Hayato. In his eyes, this young couple would definitely be interested in traveling abroad together.
Sure enough, that was the lottery box. President Yamamoto's words confirmed Hayato's guess, so he turned to Kiyoko to ask for her opinion. After thinking about it, Kiyoko took the redemption tickets out of the bag.
"Well, we definitely won't win the grand prize, but it would be a waste not to use something free."
"Since you said so, Kiyoko-senpai, you can draw."
Seeing that Kiyoko-senpai was somewhat interested in the lottery, Hayato directly let her take a turn. After President Yamamoto accepted the three redemption tickets Kiyoko handed over, he made an inviting gesture.
"What a shame. It's a participation prize—a pack of tissues."
Kiyoko was not disappointed after failing on the first draw. Rather, winning a big prize would have been more surprising. Shaking her head, Kiyoko began the second draw. Sure enough, it was another participation prize. After they split the tissues between them, one pack each, Kiyoko stepped aside.
"One last time. Hayato, you draw."
"Huh, can I?"
"You got all the redemption tickets from buying ingredients. I've already drawn twice, that's enough."
"I see. Goddess of Luck, please bless me with the grand prize. I'm really looking forward to traveling abroad with Kiyoko-senpai."
Hayato put on a show of praying to the nonexistent Goddess of Luck, making Kiyoko laugh. Then, right in front of President Yamamoto, Hayato set the bag in his hand on the ground, took Kiyoko's hand, and had them both grip the lottery lever together.
"Hehe, the grand prize is a trip for two, so of course two people should draw together. Is that okay, President Yamamoto?"
Kiyoko was startled when Hayato suddenly took her hand, but they had already done so on previous dates, so she was not embarrassed. President Yamamoto, on the other hand, was practically choking on the young couple's dazzling display.
After receiving President Yamamoto's approval, Hayato counted to two, and the two of them pulled down the lottery lever together.
Completely different from the white balls of the participation prizes, a glittering golden ball popped out of the slot as the rattling came to a stop.
For a moment, all three of them froze. President Yamamoto was the first to react, shaking the bell in his hand.
"C-Congratulations! The grand prize, a three-day, two-night trip for two to Hawaii! You actually drew it, Hayato-kun!"
Hayato wrapped an arm around Kiyoko's waist, lifted her up, and spun around twice on the spot.
"We really got it! That's amazing, Kiyoko-senpai!"
Holding hands was fine, but being hugged and spun around in the middle of the street was far too embarrassing for Kiyoko. She lightly punched Hayato with her fist to make him put her down, then smoothed out her wrinkled clothes and looked again at the golden ball representing the grand prize.
"It really is the grand prize."
Still unable to believe it, Kiyoko covered her little mouth with her hand as she spoke. Across from her, President Yamamoto took a carefully wrapped paper bag from somewhere and handed it to Hayato.
"These are the round-trip plane tickets and hotel vouchers, so please keep them safe. But you actually won... You two have incredible luck, Hayato-kun."
After cheerfully saying goodbye to President Yamamoto, Hayato practically floated as he walked home. Unlike Hayato, Kiyoko was still a little dazed. How had they drawn participation prizes the first two times, only to actually win when the two of them drew together the third time?
Could it be that them being together really was fate?
Blushing, Kiyoko shook off that somewhat narcissistic thought, then secretly glanced at Hayato again. Seeing how happy he was, he really must have been looking forward to going to Hawaii with just her.
"Ah, Kiyoko-senpai, the date on these is next Friday. Today is Sunday, so we'll need to take leave if we're going."
At some point, Hayato had opened the wrapping. After seeing the date, he told Kiyoko.
"Mm. Oh, right, Hayato, do you have a passport?"
The fact that she asked that question proved Kiyoko wanted to go too. Overjoyed though he was, Hayato had not completely lost his ability to think, but he did not point it out.
"I do. I got one in my first year of high school. What about you, Kiyoko-senpai?"
"I got one in my first year of high school too."
Rubbing his chin, Hayato said something that made Kiyoko extremely embarrassed.
"Then it all comes down to whether Kiyoko-senpai's parents will agree."
After looking around to make sure there were no pedestrians nearby, Kiyoko, red-faced and indignant, grabbed her schoolbag and made as if to hit Hayato. For a time, the little road beneath the streetlights was filled with the laughter of a boy and girl.
When Kiyoko returned home, she told her parents over dinner that Hayato had won the grand prize. Her father did not say anything, merely nodding to show that he understood. From Kiyoko's understanding of her father, not refusing meant agreeing. Her mother, however, muttered on and on.
"Oh my, you just got back from training camp and now you're going out again. And for three days, you'll have to take leave on Friday."
Kiyoko endured her mother's nagging with a wry smile, but she still received her permission. After dinner, Kiyoko immediately told Hayato the good news.
"My parents agreed to let me go to Hawaii with you."
A kitten setting off fireworks.
"Really? That's great! Ah, I'm already looking forward to it. Oh, I saw that there's a beach near this hotel. Kiyoko-senpai, do you want to bring a swimsuit?"
"Huh, but I haven't bought a swimsuit in the past few years."
Kiyoko was not wrong about that. She had been training in track and field throughout middle school, then had to manage the Volleyball Club in high school. On top of that, she did not have many friends to begin with, so no one had invited her to the beach. The Volleyball Club members had the intention, but not the courage.
So aside from the school swimsuit she wore during swimming classes, Kiyoko had not worn any other swimsuit in recent years.
"Isn't that easy? The gymnasium is closed for repairs tomorrow anyway, so we have the day off. Let's go buy swimsuits after school."
"Mmm~ All right, I'll listen to you."
While Kiyoko was messaging Hayato in her room, her parents downstairs were discussing what had just happened in the living room.
"I'm saying, dear, are you really comfortable letting our daughter travel abroad with Hayato from the Kuroba family? It's three days and two nights."
Changing the television channel, Kiyoko's father spoke.
"You know Hayato-kun too. Are you really worried about his character? We've watched him grow up since he was little. Besides, our child is grown now. Look at Kiyoko—when she mentions Hayato, the light in her eyes is exactly like the way you looked at me back then."
"Pfft, you were the one who pursued me back then."
"But you fell in love with me afterward too. Well, if you're really worried, just give our daughter that thing."
Understanding what Kiyoko's father meant, Kiyoko's mother's eyes shifted before she nodded and returned to their master bedroom. Not long after, she came back out and knocked on Kiyoko's door.
Before long, Kiyoko's father heard Kiyoko's embarrassed and indignant shout calling for her mother from upstairs.
With a mysterious smile, the old father shifted his position on the sofa and continued watching television.
Hayato first messaged Hinata to say that he had something to do tomorrow and could not train him. Then he contacted Coach Ukai, asking him to train Hinata for a day. After receiving replies from both of them saying they understood, he set his phone aside and began doing his homework.
Do not think there was no homework here. Since Hayato had nothing else to do right now, he planned to get it done.
It was quite a while before he received another message from Kiyoko. After agreeing to go straight to the swimsuit store together after school tomorrow, they each said goodnight.
Hayato continued burying himself in his homework, while Kiyoko sat on her bed, staring at the square box beside it, blushing like a steam princess.
Before you continue