I received an airmailed postcard from Yukino-kun at summer camp overseas. He wrote that he went downriver on a canoe and that he barbequed. He said that his arms were sore from canoeing for the first time and he peeled the vegetables for the barbeque well, and I could sense that Yukino-kun was having fun at camp. I was worried about his health at camp, but he seems well, so I'm glad.

But summer camp... It's the right way to enjoy summer vacation. I envy him.

I'm back to cram school again today. I think of this every year, but it's not a vacation if I wake up normally to go to class every day. After getting tired from studying the entire day, I need to replenish nutrients, namely sugar. I'll stop somewhere before going home.

I head to the coffee shop Kaburagi called me out to. That cheesecake was exquisite. I don't drink coffee much, but that was good, too, and father and Onii-sama both liked what I brought home to them. I made some coffee jelly from them, and it was delicious, so I've been making them often. Being called out by Kaburagi was annoying, but learning about this shop was worthwhile.

I open the door and look around for a quiet place to sit. What about by the grandfather clock…?

"Kisshouin-san?"

"Eh?" I saw a surprised Enjou seated in the rear. "Enjou-sama?!"

"It is you." Why are you here…? Beckoned by Enjou, I approach his seat. "What a coincidence. I didn't think that I'd meet you here."

"Nor did I."

"Are you with somebody?"

"No, I'm alone… And you?"

"Alone."

"I see…" We greeted each other, but what now…? Say bye and sit elsewhere? A worker placed some water in the seat across from Enjou, mistaking that we were meeting here, so now I can't move. I'm going to end up sitting with him. "You were enjoying some time alone, is this all right?"

"I don't mind. I'll enjoy some company."

"I see." Something like this happened before…

"We had tea after meeting in the Salon by coincidence."

"I was just remembering the same thing."

"Maybe it's destiny."

"I don't believe so." I ordered a cake set. Of course, a chocolate cake. It's going to be good.

"I like the coffee here."

"Is that so?" I guess that if it's a favorite of Kaburagi, Enjou would frequent it, also. He mentioned that he liked coffee.

"I didn't think you knew of this shop, Kisshouin-san."

"Kaburagi-sama told me of it the other day."

"Masaya did?" He looked at me puzzled.

"He wanted to speak of his summer classes with someone, so he called me out."

"Oh, I get it. So you listen to him dutifully. You're kind."

"He forced me, and I couldn't turn him down. He wouldn't take a no," I complained. "Not only that, he sends me a long mail message every day.

"Ahaha, I can imagine." Hey, it's no laughing matter. "And? What does Masaya say in those long messages?"

"It's about his day in summer classes with Takamichi-san, and it's more like a diary. What the handmade lunch contained, what was good, what they talked about…"

"That is a diary. And you actually read and reply to him every day?"

"If I don't reply, he sends more messages, and if I ignore that, he calls me." Enjou's was trembling. I just said that it's no laughing matter. "Doesn't Kaburagi-sama send you mail?"

"Short ones. I don't really say much, so he doesn't find it worthwhile."

"…Thanks to that, I take the brunt of it!"

"My condolences." He mutters that as if it doesn't concern him, drinking his coffee. Irritating.

"Shouldn't you be listening about his love as his best friend, Enjou-sama?"

"No. Too much trouble." Hey, he straight up said it. "Besides, I can't be bothered by someone else's love life."

"Oh? You have something going on?" I leaned in.

"It's a secret." He put his index finger to his lips and smiled. Hey, no fair, after saying that much. You have a bad personality. It's irritating. "There, your cake's here. Have your coffee and calm down."

Annoying how he's treating me like a spoiled kid. I take a small bite of the chocolate cake. Oh!

"How's it taste?"

"Sweeter than I imagined, and rich."

"It's balanced with the bitterness of the coffee."

Oh, Then I should put less sugar and coffee than usual.

"Is it good?"

"Yes."

"Nice." He smiled at me with a palm on his cheek… I'm can't eat well with him staring at me. Glad I didn't order a mille-feuille. I would have made it crumble… "But Kisshouin-san, you're such a pushover, to end up listening to Kaburagi, despite all your complaining. I'm worried that you'll be tricked by some bad guy someday."

You're the one who got me involved… How can the angelic Yukino-kun have a brother who's so two-faced and black hearted? I'm sweating just sitting near him… Oh, that reminds me, "Yukino-kun sent me a postcard of a beautiful mountain. He seemed to be enjoying summer camp."

"He sent you one, too? Seems like it. He's having fun, and making friends over there. He said that he got sunburned over the phone."

"Fufufu. I wonder if he's picked up a tan. He wrote that he peeled vegetables for the barbeque."

"He's probably proudly try to cook when he gets back."

"Oh, does his brother see through everything?"

"Not as a brother, really, but we did something similar after Masaya and I went to camp in grade school."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, but when we made it, it wasn't nearly as good as what we had at camp, though everyone said it was good. I remember we were frustrated clenching our fists saying, 'we wanted to make something better!'"

"Ah." Even the black hearted one was cute in the past…

"But, it's obvious when I think about it now. A pro coordinated everything, so kids couldn't have recreated that."

"Yes, and being around nature overseas may have influenced how you felt, also."

"Yeah."

"But will Yukino-kun have to undergo the same feelings…?" I don't want him to be sad…

"Well, that's part of the experience."

"…Yes, but…"

"I've studied some of what we were missing, so I can help Yukino."

Oh. "So despite your talk of experience, you don't intend to let Yukino-kun be sad."

"I wonder." Enjou laughed that off.

"But you mentioned studying. Does that mean you can cook, Enjou-sama?"

"I don't normally, so I can't really say so. Well, kind of average, I guess."

"Oh, is that so…" I don't know what he means by average… I'm learning from Akemi-san, but master Kanta has me down as a bad student, so I shouldn't talk about cooking in front of Enjou, or I might slip up in front of him…

Enjou's phone vibrated on the table. He glanced at it and said, "Sorry. Phone."

"Go ahead." I poked at the chocolate cake, acting like I wasn't listening. This is delicious, comparable to the cheesecake I had last time.

"Yes. Yes. Now? I'm having coffee. No, not alone. Huh? Who? Kisshouin-san. No, we just ran into each other." …Did he just mention my name? "Huh? Now? Well…" Is he talking with Yuiko-san…? Bird Brain said Enjou was on a date with Yuiko-san, and he was too busy to help someone else's love life, so maybe she wants to meet him now… Enjou finished the call, and looked at me. "Sorry, Kisshouin-san."

"Yes?"

"Masaya's headed this way."

HUH!?