Episode Sixty-Three: Kanata, Just So You Know, Yuki-nii Has a Girlfriend
Pressing my hands together — “itadakimasu” — I twirled some genovese pasta onto my fork. The moment it reached my mouth, the scent of basil spread, the fresh pasta chewy and satisfying, and “wow, this is delicious” slipped out before I could stop it.
Watching me, Yukiya-san smiled and brought a forkful of carbonara to his own mouth.
“…I really did think you two were dating. Turns out it was just Yui’s one-sided thing, huh.”
“No, um… we weren’t dating, but it wasn’t one-sided either…”
Thinking back, I’d already loved Yui-san even back then. Honestly, I couldn’t say exactly when it started. By the time I noticed, I was already in love. Though it took me… a little while to actually admit that to myself.
“Really? Good, that’s a relief.”
Once I’d implied, indirectly, that I loved Yui-san too, Yukiya-san smiled, genuinely pleased.
“Yukiya-san, you… already knew about Yui-san, then.”
I hedged slightly, not quite comfortable saying the word “gay” out loud in this setting.
“Dad’s the only one who hasn’t noticed. Even before the engagement, I never once heard so much as a rumor about her with a man, and I always thought it was strange… but the first time I met you, Kanata-chan, it clicked. Ah, I see, so Yui likes women. I’ve never heard it from her own mouth, so I just play dumb about it.”
It’s true, someone as beautiful as Yui-san, popular with everyone regardless of gender, never once having a boyfriend — that alone should have raised questions. And she’s never shown the slightest interest in Kitagami-san either…
“Also, back then, Yui was jealous of me to a genuinely funny degree. Pretty easy to read.”
Yukiya-san said it, laughing brightly. Digging back through memory, I remembered — right, Yui-san really had been in a foul mood that day.
Honestly, my relationship with Yui-san isn’t exactly something to be proud of. As long as she’s still engaged to Kitagami-san, regardless of how either of us actually feels, in the world’s eyes, I’m the “other woman”…
But watching how Yukiya-san carried himself, it felt like he genuinely accepted me, warmly, and something in me eased, just a little.
“…I don’t know what happened, but it didn’t work out between you two back in college, right? She was genuinely devastated, so I figured she must have really loved you. And if things ending with you two traces back to Shinji, that’s on me — it’s been weighing on me this whole time. So I’m genuinely glad you’ve come back to Yui, Kanata-chan.”
“Eh…?”
Why would that be Yukiya-san’s fault? I stopped eating and looked at him, and his brows drew down, and he smiled, sad.
“The reason Dad’s pushing so hard to make Shinji her fiancé and set Yui up as heir, even now, is because I’m useless. I kept running from Dad, for so long, and all that pressure ended up landing on Yui instead. I genuinely feel terrible about it. That’s why I took the director position too. When Yui said she wanted to become president, Dad wouldn’t hear it, said it was too soon. So Yui came to me, practically in tears. I never imagined just my taking on a director role would actually get Dad to agree, though.”
Ah, I see — that’s how Yukiya-san, who was supposed to have no connection to the Group at all, ended up as a director.
For their father, this must have been a rare chance to draw Yukiya-san back in after he’d distanced himself — of course he wouldn’t refuse. Yui-san really does think these things through carefully.
“When I asked Yui why she wanted to become president so suddenly, she said she wanted to break off the engagement with Shinji… so I decided to support her with everything I had. And honestly, I think we managed to build a genuinely profitable management foundation over these past two years. That’s the result of Yui’s own hard work… and it’s thanks to you too, Kanata-chan, since you’re what’s been driving her.”
“No, I haven’t done anything…”
Everything Yui-san’s worked toward for the sake of breaking off the engagement isn’t necessarily for my sake. This reunion happened by pure coincidence, and even if she does still love me right now, that could just be old embers catching fire again, nothing more…
But if it really is for my sake, after all… nothing could make me happier than that. Something warm slowly welled up, deep in my chest.
“I want Yui to live freely. I don’t want her crushing who she is just to live for Dad’s sake, or mine. So if you still care for Yui, I’ll support the two of you too. Dad, too… once he understands how hard Yui’s worked, I’m sure he’ll come around.”
Hearing Yukiya-san say that put me strangely at ease. Right — I already know, from everything Yui-san’s told me, that her father, however clumsy he is, is a genuinely, deeply loving man.
And Yukiya-san, too — hearing he’d become a director must have made him genuinely happy. They’re father and son, after all.
But it’s not like every worry’s gone. Her father might be fine with it, but… would Kitagami-san actually accept it that easily?
I’ve heard Yui-san got engaged at eighteen. Which means, come this autumn, it’ll be a full eight years. However you look at it, would someone engaged for that long really just step aside quietly?
“Yukiya-san. What… what kind of person is Kitagami-san?”
Asked that, Yukiya-san’s brows knit together, and his face soured, thoughtful.
“Hmm… good and bad, but definitely the ambitious type. Been competing with me over everything since we were kids… a real hassle of a guy. Though I’ll admit, he’s a hard worker.”
Right — he’d said they were childhood friends, but Yukiya-san doesn’t seem to think especially highly of Kitagami-san either.
It’s true, marrying Yui-san would mean securing an important position within the Ichinose Group without question, and that would naturally demand serious effort too.
“Honestly, I was against the engagement from the start. Yui said it was fine, so I never said anything… but it really wasn’t fine, not at all. Not catching that back then — that’s on me.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Yukiya-san, and I couldn’t help a faint smile. Yui-san really is loved, isn’t she. Something in me softened, warm.
“Yukiya-san. Is Kitagami-san… someone Yui-san actually needs, in her life?”
Four years ago, I’d stepped back, thinking Yui-san’s life needed him, not me. That’s exactly why I wanted to ask. What someone who actually knows Kitagami-san well, someone like Yukiya-san, actually thought.
Asked that, Yukiya-san looked at me, steady. So I looked back, just as steady, into those eyes so much like Yui-san’s.
“…That’s not something Dad or I get to decide. Whoever Yui actually needs — that has to be Yui’s choice.”
Hearing that, whatever hesitation had been tangled up inside my chest seemed to loosen, all at once.
Right. That’s something Yui-san has to decide. Not something I get to decide either.
If Yui-san chooses me, this time — I will never, ever run away and leave you behind again. That’s what I thought.
*
I was genuinely, deeply glad I got to see Yukiya-san today, get to talk with him. Whatever hesitation I’d been carrying felt cleared away, and something in me felt refreshed.
I finished off the recommended fresh pasta completely, and even got treated to tea afterward. I think I’ll be able to focus properly on work this afternoon.
Once I’m back, I’ll tell Manager Yamasato-san how I actually feel. She might hesitate, might even say it’s impossible. But I won’t know unless I try.
I want to be Yui-san’s support. Talking with Yukiya-san only made that feeling stronger.
“Oh, right, Kanata-chan. This time, actually give me your contact info. If anything ever comes up, reach out anytime.”
Exchanging contact info, Yukiya-san held a finger up to his lips — “keep this from Yui, okay?” — and grinned, mischievous.
That smile, too, so much like Yui-san’s. Drawn along, I laughed too and promised, “I’ll keep it secret.”
*
Stepping outside and checking my watch, almost exactly an hour had passed since I’d left for lunch. Good timing.
We walked back toward the office together. Glad it’s close by. Come July, midday heat blazes down, sharp and relentless.
“Are you heading back to Yui-san’s place after this, Yukiya-san?”
“Nope. I’m done with what I needed, so I’ll head back to my own company.”
And yet he’d gone out of his way to walk me all the way back to the office. The Ichinose family really is kind, through and through. Right in front of the automatic doors, I bowed deeply to thank him.
“Thank you so much for today.”
“No, thank you for keeping me company. Well then, I’ll…”
Cutting through Yukiya-san’s voice — “I’ll get going” — a familiar voice called “Kanata,” and I turned.
“…Why are Kanata and Yuki-nii together?”
There stood Yui-san, a convenience store bag in one hand, brows drawn down, faintly displeased.
“We ran into each other by chance, so I just invited her to lunch. You wouldn’t come with me, after all. Right, Kanata-chan?”
“Th-that’s right. We just went to lunch together…”
Something felt off, tense. Glancing back and forth between the two of them, my arm was suddenly grabbed, firm, and I was pulled away, put at a distance from Yukiya-san.
Yui-san, looking almost panicked, peered into my face.
“Kanata, just so you know, Yuki-nii has a girlfriend.”
Said with such emphatic urgency, though I hadn’t even asked, that I blinked, wide-eyed, caught off guard.
At that, Yukiya-san burst out laughing.
“You don’t have to worry that much. I wasn’t putting the moves on her. Right?”
Asked to back him up, I nodded, quick, over and over. Yui-san gets this touchy the second anything involves Yukiya-san.
Flustered, unsure what to do, Yukiya-san watched me and laughed, soft.
“Well, I’m off then. See you both later.”
Waving, easy and breezy, he left just like that, and I watched his back go. Better not poke the bear, I’m sure he was thinking.
“…Kanata.”
Called by name, I turned back, awkward. Yui-san smiled, unnaturally bright, and said, “Let’s head inside.”
*
“…Yui-san, is that really all you’re having for lunch?”
Waiting for the elevator, I studied the convenience store bag in her hand. One onigiri, and… a salad, maybe?
With the new resort hotel opening next month, Yui-san seems too busy even to spare time eating in the company cafeteria.
“…Kanata, what did you and Yuki-nii eat?”
Asked back like that, I thought — ah, wrong topic choice. Because though she looked like she was smiling, there was nothing in her eyes matching it at all.
“Um, I got treated to pasta…”
“Hmm…”
The elevator arrived, and we stepped inside. Once the doors closed, the silence in that enclosed space felt more than a little awkward. Definitely not the mood for asking whether I could put my own name forward for the secretary posting.
“You didn’t have to go with Yuki-nii of all people… I know better places, you know.”
Turned away, Yui-san muttered it, low. I nearly laughed, and scrambled to bite my lip shut instead.
Well, well. So she really was jealous after all. Yui-san, honestly, so cute.
I hooked a finger gently around hers. Her shoulder jumped, startled, and I couldn’t hold it back any longer — a small laugh slipped out.
“Then, take me to a good place next time. On a day off.”
“That’s… an invitation for a date?”
Her eyes went round, and just as she leaned in to peer at my face, the elevator reached our floor.
Being seen chatting so casually would be a problem, so I let go of her finger, and the moment the doors opened, I stepped forward.
Without answering the question, I turned back to her and said instead:
“Let’s both do our best at work this afternoon too.”
Yui-san was jealous. Maybe it’s okay to believe, after all, that she still loves me.
Thinking that made me so happy that my steps toward the office felt light.