Chapter 60 - 60: Utaha’s Embarrassment

"Is it really that hard to ask me for help?" Utaha hadn't expected Haru to say that. She hesitated for a couple of seconds, then shook her head as she looked at his exasperated expression. "I just need a moment to rest." Haru didn't feel like arguing with her. Instead, he pulled out his phone and called for a driver. Since he didn't make an effort to be discreet, Utaha could hear everything clearly. She felt a twinge of disappointment. Honestly, she had been hoping he would carry her on his back like last time. She had a great figure, after all. Large chest, slender waist—she wouldn't have minded letting him take advantage of that. Before long, the driver arrived. Haru opened the car door for her. "Get in first." "Thanks." Utaha didn't say anything extra. As the car started moving, Haru noticed her right hand still resting on her knee. "Still hurts?" he asked with concern. "Just a little," she replied with a calm smile. Haru gave a small nod. "Better check it again once you're home, just in case. If needed, put on some ointment. Wouldn't want you limping around school tomorrow—people might think I beat you or something." This time, Utaha's smile felt more genuine. "Even if I told people you hit me, no one would believe it." Haru smacked his forehead. "True. I'm at peak popularity right now—half the guys at school want to learn my tricks. Wait… now that you mention it, doesn't that mean I could totally rule the school?" Seeing him get more and more carried away, Utaha chuckled. "If you try that, the principal will be the first to put you in your place." "Tch. So much for that idea." "It's not a total loss. At least you've gained a whole group of admirers." "Thanks for the consolation." The atmosphere between them had returned to its usual comfortable rhythm. But Utaha knew—it wasn't quite the same as before. When had she started liking him? That childhood encounter didn't count. Back then, she had been just a kid, and he was just some boy showing off at a high jump competition. It had left an impression, sure. When they reunited years later, she had been pleasantly surprised. And curious about him. Back then, when she had said, "I'm curious about you," she had meant it. As they spent more time together, she found him reliable. She liked seeing him focused and hardworking in their club. She also liked his playful, unserious side in private. That time she tricked him into bringing her an umbrella—when he actually came, running through the heavy rain just because of a single sentence from her… That was when she truly fell for him. And then, when he had carried her to the infirmary… She had felt so safe. Even entertained the childish thought—if only this could last forever. Of course, she knew. He hadn't done it because he liked her. He was just the type to take care of people he was close to. She had seen it in the way he treated everyone in the club. "I kind of regret it." Utaha suddenly spoke. Haru looked confused. "Regret coming out today? Or something else?" Regret not making a move the first time I met you. If I had, at least I wouldn't be completely outmatched by Yukinoshita. Utaha smiled, avoiding his gaze. "Seriously, must you always speak in riddles? I hate cryptic comments like that," Haru grumbled. Utaha smoothly changed the subject. "I'll be sending you and Yukinoshita-san my manuscript in a few days." "…That transition was way too forced." Even when the car stopped at her house, she still didn't let Haru know what she had meant. "Thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow." She walked away casually. At least, she made it look that way. "So weird." Just as Haru was about to tell the driver to leave, he noticed a figure standing on the balcony, watching him. Their eyes met. The person frowned and turned away. Haru narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. "Boss, heading back now?" the driver asked. "Hold on a bit." Haru waved him off, keeping the car parked at the curb. Meanwhile, Utaha unlocked the front door. The calm composure she had maintained earlier was gone. All that remained was a look of quiet sorrow. "I don't see any chance of winning." She murmured the words to herself. Taking two deep breaths, she slapped her cheeks, forcing herself to pull it together. She had plenty of things to focus on. Breaking apart at the first sign of pain—that wasn't who she was. Just like Haru had thought earlier, she, too, had a side that refused to give up. Stepping inside, she switched into her slippers and wearily walked in. And immediately, she saw her parents sitting properly in the living room, both staring straight at her. For some reason, she felt a little guilty. But her poker face was good—she spoke first. "Were you guys waiting for me?" Her father remained silent, his expression stern. Her mother hesitated before speaking in a gentle voice. "Utaha, are you hiding something from us?" Utaha wasn't some clueless teenage girl new to romance. She easily deflected with a joke. "Of course! I'm not a kid anymore. Your daughter's at the age where she's got secrets." Normally, her mother would laugh and tease her in return. But not today. Instead, she sighed. "No wonder you've been acting different lately… So that's how it is." Utaha blinked. "What do you mean?" Her father finally spoke, his tone complicated. "We've noticed the way you've been at home these past few days. I'm not around during the day, but your mother has been keeping an eye on you." Then, after a pause, he continued, "Utaha, are you dating someone?" The fact that her father was the one asking made the moment all the more serious. Utaha froze. Then, she quickly smiled. "Nope! If I had a boyfriend, I'd tell you right away." "Amamiya Haru," her mother said, voicing a single name. Utaha's expression stiffened. Her parents exchanged a glance. That reaction was all the confirmation they needed. Trying to keep her composure, Utaha responded lightly, "So, Mom, you think I'm dating Haru?" "Are you not?" Her mother's tone was soft, but her gaze was sharp. Her father's voice, in contrast, had grown gentler. "Did you two have a fight? You've been out of sorts lately. You act normal, but we're your parents—you can't fool us." Thump, thump. Utaha felt her heart race. Was I that obvious? Frustration flickered in her mind. She had tried so hard to act the same as always, determined not to let them see through her. And yet, they had. Lying to the parents who raised you was never an easy task. If they truly fell for it, it only meant they loved you so much that they refused to doubt you. Utaha understood this all too well. Now, as her parents stayed up late, waiting for her to come home, it was clear—her recent behavior had made them deeply worried. So much so that they felt the need to have a serious talk with her. For someone who always prided herself on being calm and observant, she suddenly found herself at a loss in front of them. Even her usually sharp wit, her greatest weapon in arguments, seemed to abandon her. Seeing their daughter fall silent, her mother gently took her hand and led her to sit down. "Don't overthink it," she said softly. "We're not the kind of parents who would stand in your way. If you've found someone you like, we'll support you." Her father, sitting on the side, muttered, "At the very least, I need to check him out myself." Her mother shot him a glare. "Is now really the time for that? Can't you see our daughter isn't in a good mood?" Grumbling, he fell silent. Utaha felt touched. She lowered her gaze and said quietly, "I haven't been in the best mood lately, but you're misunderstanding things." Her father suddenly spoke up. "That guy just sent you home, didn't he?" She froze. Had he seen? Her mother held her hand and spoke in the same gentle tone. "Earlier, you said you were going out to buy a spare charger. But you must've forgotten—you said the same thing last month. Back then, I even offered to buy it for you while shopping, but you turned me down." Utaha stiffened. She had successfully fooled Haru with that excuse—but not her own parents. Her mother's attention to detail in daily life was something she had grown so used to that she hadn't even considered this slip-up before leaving. "What did you two fight about?" Her father's tone was displeased—like he was ready to step in and defend her. Utaha felt both moved and exasperated. "Dad, I'm not dating him, and we definitely didn't fight. He did give me a ride home, but we just ran into each other on the way." "Just classmates, huh?" Her father's voice carried a suspicious pause. It was obvious he wasn't buying it. He got up, walked to the window, and pointed outside. "If he's really just a classmate, then why is he still waiting out there?" "What?" Utaha's breath caught. She shot up from her seat, rushing to the window so fast she forgot about the pain in her knee. The car was still parked in the same spot. Leaning against the hood was a familiar figure, standing under the dim glow of the streetlamp. She felt a mix of emotions—both confusion and a flicker of joy. Confusion because—why was he still there? Joy because—the person she wanted to see was still within sight. Her father watched her reaction, his expression darkening. "You still say you're not dating him?" Her mother also walked over. Seeing the boy under the streetlamp, she gasped and covered her mouth. "Haru is still there? Utaha, is he waiting for you to go make up with him?" The momentary joy in Utaha's heart was instantly doused by her mother's words. She rubbed her temples, exhausted. "I told you, we're not dating. He already has a girlfriend." "What? He has a girlfriend?" That single sentence was like a spark thrown into dry tinder, igniting the frustration already smoldering in her father's chest. "I'm going to have a talk with him!" Without hesitation, he stormed toward the door. "Wait—!" Utaha panicked for real this time and hurried after him. "So that boy has a girlfriend? Is it the girl who came over with him last time? No… that girl was pretty, but nowhere near as good as my Utaha." Her mother mumbled to herself in confusion before quickly putting on her shoes and following them—just in case father and daughter did something reckless. Meanwhile Haru, standing under the streetlamp, suddenly saw the entire Kasumigaoka family charging toward him. Judging by the father's aggressive aura, it looked like he was about to challenge him to a duel under the moonlight. "I knew it." Haru sighed, slipping his phone into his pocket and standing up straight. As Kasumigaoka's father closed in, he put on a polite smile. "Uncle, Aunt, I'm sorry if I disturbed your evening." He was so courteous and composed that the previously fuming man suddenly hesitated, like someone who had been ready to throw a punch but stopped just short. Utaha arrived right after, still in her indoor slippers, panting slightly. She shot Haru an apologetic look. Finally, her mother reached them. The moment she heard Haru's voice, her expression softened. "Thank you for bringing Utaha home, Haru," she said with a smile. "But why are you still here?" Her words were phrased as concern and gratitude, yet subtly carried the intent to probe for answers. At the same time, she discreetly tugged at her husband's sleeve—her way of saying, Let me handle this. It was no surprise that a woman who raised someone as sharp as Utaha had her own formidable skills. Haru's perceptive instincts kicked in, noticing every tiny movement and exchange of glances. He let out a helpless sigh, looking at the father who was still eyeing him with suspicion. "I knew this would cause a misunderstanding," he said with a wry smile. "Kasumigaoka-senpai, this is a little unfair, don't you think? All I did was take you to a live stream that you didn't enjoy, and now you've sent your parents after me as punishment? Isn't that a bit too much?" "Huh?" The entire Kasumigaoka family was stunned. Haru kept the same expression. "I didn't expect you to react so strongly—so strongly that even when you got home, you were still in a bad mood. Judging by how your parents came to confront me, you must not have told them the whole truth. Now they think I bullied you." The family of three fell silent again. Finally, Kasumigaoka's father turned his head stiffly toward his daughter and asked, "Is that true?" Regaining her usual composure from school, Utaha averted her eyes awkwardly and played along. "Sorry, I thought it was just a small matter, so I didn't tell you." But Haru interrupted, "Not a small matter, right? You accidentally hit your knee earlier, and it looked painful. With that and everything else combined, I doubt you recovered from it so quickly." He played his second card—family. "What? Utaha, you got hurt?" Both parents were immediately distracted, their concern shifting to their daughter. Utaha suddenly felt something strange. Haru's words were half-true, half-exaggerated—just like how she had deceived him before. Was this karma? Except instead of coming back to him, it was bouncing straight to her parents... But this was a rare opportunity. Utaha seized it quickly, explaining that she had already checked and it was just a minor injury. "If you're still worried, I'll apply some medicine properly after I take a bath." Her words finally eased her parents' concerns. Her father no longer seemed intent on "interrogating" Amamiya Haru. Instead, in a muffled tone, he asked, "Amamiya-san, you and our Utaha…" "We're classmates. And friends," Amamiya Haru replied calmly. Her father froze for a moment. Utaha took the chance and pressed on, "Now do you believe me? I told you before—Amamiya-kun and I are just friends. We're not dating." Haru seemed surprised, then chuckled. "So that's what this was about. No wonder Uncle looked like he wanted to punch me earlier. I already have a girlfriend." Her father's face flushed red—embarrassment, shame, and all kinds of emotions surfaced at once. In the end, he awkwardly apologized to Haru. "There's no need to apologize," Haru said casually. "If I thought my daughter was being bullied, I'd probably be even more impulsive than you." He gestured toward a brick by the roadside. "With my temper, I might've just grabbed a brick and gone for it." His self-deprecating humor instantly lightened the mood. Kasumigaoka's father couldn't help but laugh a little. At that moment, her mother smiled and said, "Looks like we misunderstood this time. We almost caused you trouble. But we couldn't help it—Utaha has been acting strangely these past few days, so my husband and I got a bit worried." Impressive, this auntie. Haru silently admired her. She hadn't let go of her doubts, yet instead of probing or testing him, she had brought it up in a casual, conversational tone. This way, there was no reason for him to feel offended. Instead, it naturally pushed him to explain. Fortunately, in his previous life, he had climbed his way up from an ordinary employee to a leadership position. He had no powerful connections—just experience dealing with all kinds of people. "Acting strangely? That makes sense. She's been pretending like nothing happened at school, so it must be bothering her a lot." Haru put on a look of sudden realization. Kasumigaoka's parents immediately took the bait. "Tell us more." Speaking in a relaxed tone, Haru continued, "It's nothing serious, really. Uncle, Auntie, you know she joined the photography club, right?" They nodded. "Well, I had high expectations for the club, so my recruitment standards were strict. Senpai has always been outstanding—I heard from upperclassmen that she's been ranked first in her grade since she enrolled." His explanation was mixed with praise, making Kasumigaoka's parents beam with pride. "She's not that amazing," her father said modestly. "Just… generally excellent." Haru chuckled. "She's definitely outstanding. But as I said, my recruitment standards are high. So the students in our club are all incredibly talented. Honestly, I'm even worried I won't be able to keep my position as club president for long." This time, they understood. "So Utaha felt pressured?" "I wouldn't use the word 'pressured'—that would be disrespectful to her." Haru's tone turned serious. Seeing his solemn expression, Kasumigaoka's parents unconsciously straightened their backs, taking on a serious attitude as well. "Senpai has an admirable competitive spirit, as well as her own unique perseverance and determination," Haru continued. "Because of that, when she saw even stronger students in the club, she didn't get discouraged—she pushed herself to improve." Then, he turned to Utaha and spoke gently, "I really respect your dedication, but overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion isn't good. Don't do that again, or everyone will be worried about you." Utaha stared at him, stunned. Her heart was filled with an overwhelming sense of shock. Especially when she saw her parents nodding in agreement, urging her to promise, their expressions full of approval toward Haru. She was completely caught off guard. Her parents' probing questions had left her at a loss, but he had effortlessly defused the entire situation with just a few words. So easily. As if it were nothing. She felt dizzy. Biting her lower lip tightly, she realized— At this moment, Haru's presence was overwhelmingly attractive to her.